#I love the final result apart from this one detail tho ;o;

[moonlitalien]

My WoW OC, archmage Shanareth Moonpearl, all dressed up for the Lunar Festival! For the #LunarFestival2021 art thing on twitter!

[srirachvbi]

quarantined with you ! (part one)

a/n: this is literally just headcanons on how some of the guys would react to being stuck at home during quarantine lmao (MANGA SPOILERS) also some of these are shorter than the others because i am... lazy ! i’ll try to post more headcanons with different characters for this soon but this has been sitting in my drafts for a while so i wanted to post it Warning(s): mentions of sex but they’re brief and not that detailed, cursing

Bokuto Koutarou

Oh my god this literal CHILD would be a pain in the ass in the beginning

The season had been cancelled due to Miss Rona and he was completely heartbroken

He wasn’t even allowed to go to the gym or even the courts to practice !!

You two didn’t live together yet (you two had been looking at apartments but couldn’t find one that suited either of you at the same time, but your apartment was probably big enough to fit the two of you already) but the minute that quarantine was set in place he literally showed up at your door with his belongings

Surprise! you got yourself a roommate now because he can’t stand being by himself in his lonesome apartment 

LETS PRETEND HE PROBABLY DOESN’T HAVE A HUGE PENTHOUSE BECAUSE HE’S A RICHASS VOLLEYBALL PLAYER ITS CUTER IF HE’S LIVING WITH YOU

It’s not like you’re complaining though-- he’s literally your big baby

Since he can’t go to the gym or the courts, he’d probably go on a really long morning run 

A lot of the time when he wants to run, he’d try to force you to go with him because he wants to spend time with you :(

LMAO sike-- bitch he THOUGHT you’d even think about getting out of bed at SIX IN THE MORNING????

He actually convinced you to go with him once and you refused to go ever again after almost losing a lung

I’m sorry luvs but Bokuto can’t be trusted in the kitchen so you’re either ordering food or cooking for the both of you 

He tries his best tho!!

Since you two have the most time in the world tho, you actually try to teach him how to cook (yikes good luck)

There was a mishap where your apartment almost got burned down but after a while he got his shit together

You: I’m gonna kill myself if you burn down my apartment Kou

Him: haha don’t kill yourself youre so sexy <3

You: perish <3

Honestly, he’d try his best to help you out or cheer you up tho!!

Like, he’s kinda dense and doesn’t really know how to do any household chores but if you’re not feeling great, he’d go out of his way to figure out how to cheer you up

If you’re sad about being stuck inside? Just wait lmao you’re gonna get literally TACKLED cause he !! does !! not !! tolerate !! sadness !! 

You guys would probably do tik tok dances and trends because you’re bored

He’d throw it back on you ngl

After a while, Bo would probably adapt to quarantine and you definitely showed him how to clean a few things so eventually he started to be helpful!!

Weekly facetimes or zoom calls with the other MSBY Black Jackals players because all of them are pressed about quarantine

Bo would probably go back to his apartment every now and then whenever you needed space to do your work/school work!! 

Or he’d bother the shit out of you and complain if you didn’t give him the attention but unimportant

Oh and

y’all would probably get it on like... almost every single night

He just seems like the kind of person to be horny since he’s bored

Your poor bed :(

Baths afterwards were the best part though because !! he’s all warm and bulky

LIKE IMAGINE JUST BEING IN HIS ARMS AJFKLJDF

I’m a Bokuto Simp

n e ways

he’d try to teach you volleyball if you had enough free time (ofc you do) because he gets so bored

If you already know how to play, he’d probably just toss it back and forth because he doesn’t want to hurt his precious s/o with his POWERFUL ass spikes godDAMN

So, yeah Kou would probably be a pain in the ass at first but he’d definitely settle down with the fact that he’s stuck inside with his cuteass s/o 

Him: hey did you know that I love you?

You: SIMP-- wait no, don’t cry baby ily2

Sakusa Kiyoomi

Lmao sorry luvs you ain’t gonna see him <3

The MINUTE he found out that there was a virus, this bitch FLED to his apartment

Like, he stocked up on a TON of supplies and dipped

He literally pulled a “went out to buy some milk” and disappeared off the planet 

Since you’re his s/o, he wouldn’t completely shut you out but he would NOT let you into his apartment unless you avoided all human contact for 14 days and showed no signs of Miss Rona

Honestly, you wouldn’t see him that much because he just... doesn’t want anyone near him

You: :((( bby

Him: Stay away bitch <3 

You two would facetime a lot tho and he’d just nag you about staying healthy because he doesn’t want his s/o to get sick

If you ran out of masks, he’d literally just stick some in a bag outside of his front door and would tell you to pick them up because he will not leave his apartment

He’s the reason that the stores have like... no hand sanitizer

You: don’t be shy !! give some !!

Him: I do not see 👁👄👁

Jk no, he’d put little care packages outside of his apartment for you that are full of cleaning supplies cause he wants you to be healthy

If he has anything delivered to his house, I wouldn’t be surprised if he pulled out a hazmat suit and sprayed that bitch down

He’d definitely call you late at night and the two of you would fall asleep on the call !!

 He’d begrudgingly answer the MSBY zoom calls

Atsumu: Omi Omi~ I’m surprised you haven’t gotten broken up with yet. if I were y/n i would probably drop your ass <3

Him: I hope you die <3 

Okay but once he realizes you’re perfectly healthy, he’ll allow you into his apartment but he forces you to shower before touching him

It’s okay-- you finally get to cuddle your germaphobe bf <3

Okay but he do be kinda horny in quarantine because isn’t everyone so you two seeing each other again was a TRIP

Have fun luvs <3

Kuroo Tetsurou 

Don’t be shy Furudate, tell us where Kuroo is in the final arc <3

Since I have no clue what canon Kuroo is doing, let’s just say he just has a regular job idk 

Since he’s not deemed to be an essential worker, he’s stuck at home with your stupidass <3

Jk- he’s happy to be able to spend time with you 

Definitely spends a lot of his day playing video games with Kenma since Kenma also has a ton of time now (Kenma’s just working from home now and has conference calls every now and then)

I believe that this man would be a decent cook so he’d definitely help or at least convince you to just order some food lmao

You two would spend the first few weeks just watching movies and cuddling or some cute shit idk

Probably horny as fuck so yall would be busy for a bit

You two would have the stupidest conversations in the middle of the day while you two were just staring at the ceiling 

You: if cows ruled the world, would they drink human milk?

Him: omg you’re onto something there

Idk you’d probably be roasting the shit out of each other too

Him: did i ever tell you that you look like a rat baby?

You: perish <3

You’d take turns with who would cook dinner and who would clean it up because there needs to be a system or else youre both not eating or not having an apartment that is tolerable to live in

Okay but like... I think that he’d look at those cooking tik toks and would be like “i’m going to make this bitch”

does it work? sometimes. does it taste good? give or take

Like, some of them SLAP but others just... don’t look anything like the end result that the video showed

he’d definitely try to make you work out with him and sometimes it worked

A lot of the time tho, you’d just laugh at him

You: I’ll just watch you here dw luv

Him: I know you wanna look at my arms wackass 

He’d definitely spend hours upon hours playing video games with Kenma

Like,,, you wouldn’t see him move for hours but every now and then you’d hear him scream LMAO

Honestly it would be pretty fun to be quarantined with this bitch 

idk he’s not gonna burn your house down, not be able to clean shit, and he’d also be a lot of fun to joke around with so I see nothing wrong with this bitch <3

[comicteaparty]

February 12th-February 18th, 2020 Reader Favorites Archive

The archive for the Reader Favorites chat that occurred from February 12th, 2020 to February 18th, 2020.  The chat focused on the following question:

When applicable, what about a creator’s art might convince you to check out their comic?

carcarchu

I like a wide range of art styles so it's hard to pinpoint specifics but if an artist is able to draw very attractive looking characters (recognizable character designs, outfits that don't look like they came out of 2004 gap catalogue, characters that can still be recognized even when they change their hair style) then i find that very appealing. beyond that how well an artist can integrate the characters with the actual space they exist in is something i find very important as well. a bunch of floating heads can only carry a series so far. if the artist can make the characters feel like they properly exist in the space i think it can really elevate the series although in practice this is something very difficult to do.

Deo101 [Millennium]

For me, honestly some art styles are very inspiring to me and that will sometimes get me to read just because I want to see the art more and learn from it. Things like textures, colors, character design... It can draw me in just by exciting me as a learning opportunity

chalcara

For me art‘s the hook and story the line. Come for the art, stay for the story, you know?

Funnily I‘m looking less for pretty art and more for good visual story telling. I want the art to show whats going on without having to rely on dialogue.

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

I'm honestly very picky about art styles when it comes to comics, and that's a personal issue It has some to do with art styles being attractive to me, but honestly, the most important aspects of a creator's style to me are (1) consistency of style and anatomy, (2) level of completion, and (3) clear communication of what's happening. When it comes to whether or not I check out the comic initially, the main things that come into play with the promotional materials, covers, and/or thumbnails are contrast of the image and cleanness of the rendering. Of course, obviously, my personal tastes play into it. (I tend to like semi-realistic styles, sort of anime-ish but with a twist, or painted styles that may resemble concept art.) But honestly, probably more important than grabbing me initially to begin reading is readership retention. And that's where the 3 qualities I look for come into play: (1) Consistency of style and anatomy: This is probably the most important part for me as a reader. If I can't tell who is who because the characters change appearance from panel to panel, I'm ducking out, because that affects the clarity of storytelling. I also cringe everytime I see a particularly egregious anatomy error. I know what people look like. I see them every day. If I feel pain from looking at an artist's work, I'm not sticking around. (To be fair, everyone makes some kind of anatomy mistakes, but really it's if the anatomy mistakes are really awful to me and aren't as a result of a deliberate style CHOICE. Keyword, C H O I C E.) (2) Level of completion: This really just means that if it looks like the artist rushed through the panels or they were being lazy, I feel like their comic isn't worth my time. I mean, if an artist themselves doesn't care about their work, why should I?(edited)

. (3) Clear communication of what's happening: Once again clarity of storytelling is absolutely essential. If the composition of a large portion of the panels don't clearly show the actions of the characters, I can't follow the story. Aaaaaand as a bonus: Please, please, for the love of all powers that be, please, make your fonts legible. If I can't read the comic without squinting because your text is too tiny or hard to read, I'm not going to try. I have bad eyesight as it is. Take pity on your readers. I'm not going to suffer for your work. I have dropped far too many comics to count because the creator didn't care enough to make sure that the font was legible. And this applies to both desktop view, mobile view, scrolling format, and page to page format. Just.... Make your fonts big and clear.(edited)

sssfrs (JOE IS DEAD)

That's interesting to think about how recognizable characters are when their hair style changes. I might try to use that as a character building exercise

Deo101 [Millennium]

Solid excercise: can you tell them all apart when they're bald and naked?

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

OoooooooOOOOOOOOOOHHHH

I

Might partake that challenge

Deo101 [Millennium]

Also it's really fun to draw characters in all sorts of hair and clothes so idk what id do if I couldn't tell them apart when doing that!!! That's like 40% of my art!

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

This just convinces me more and more to do AU art

Deo101 [Millennium]

Yeah aus are another 20% of what i draw LOL

Look im drawing the comic most of the time so I wish to partake in non canon things the rest

carcarchu

@sssfrs (JOE IS DEAD) i've read series before where the character gets a hair cut / dyes it and i'm like WHO ARE YOU? IS THIS A NEW CHARACTER?

Deo101 [Millennium]

Oh another good excercise is drawing your Characters in many different styles and seeing if they remain unique when not in yours.

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

I want to do all of this

This is stuff I hardly ever have time for

So I am extra attracted to it

Also, there IS a time later in the comic where a certain character's hair gets partially burned off

And then he cuts it pretty short to get rid of the singed edges

And I feel like his hair is like 80% of his character design

So I'm just a little scared about that

Deo101 [Millennium]

Also, @Cronaj (Whispers of the Past) , I am unsure what you mean by "readership retention" with something that makes you interested in a comic, could you explain?(edited)

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

By readership retention, I mean aspects of the art that decide whether I'll continue reading past the first few pages

(obviously story comes into play as well, but I won't pretend that the art in the first few pages of a comic don't contribute)

Deo101 [Millennium]

Oh okay, I thought you meant like how many readers have unfollowed or something

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

Nah

More like, "oh cool! Your cover and blurb seem interesting. Lemme check out the comic!"

And then after reading the first few pages/chapter:

"ah... Not for me." Or "Nice, I'll keep reading!"

Deo101 [Millennium]

Gotcha

Capitania do Azar

Ohh I don't feel like dissing particular artsyle choices, but I know a few aren't for me. I'm no big fan of ultra realistic, hyper detailed stuff you usually see in super hero comics (other genres pick that style too sometimes and I still don't really appreciate). I particularly like artstyles that are distinct and recognizable, I have a hard time with stuff from different authors that just looks... Like a carbon copy (sometimes, the style being referenced is waaay too obvious and that is always a big no for me) Good use of color is key. Give me some good values too. I want colors to make sense and I am very tired of pink. I also appreciate consistency. If you give me artwork with a more paintery style but then the comic is cellshaded, that might tip me off. But not necessarily (tho I appreciate inner consistency inside the comic itself). Rushed stuff, like mentioned above, is also not a good look, but only insofar as it distracts me from what's happening in the story. Consistency is a very important word here, because I love seeing a common line that is able to take in all the differences that are necessary in character design and backgrounds, but also make me believe that they all could live in the same world.

Oh! And also: if the artstyle involves using lineart, I am really fond of sharp, clear lines with weight variation

sagaholmgaard

I'm curious about what you guys mean with consistency- do you guys not like if an artist's art style changes over the several years it might take to make a finished webcomic? Is it that it peeves you when the backgrounds are done in, say, a painterly style while the characters are done with lineart? Is it when the artists makes ordinary illustration work in a completely different style from their comic pages? (This is genuine curiosity I hope no one's feeling attacked rn ^^)

carcarchu

i personally really like seeing an artist's skills improve and evolve over the many years it takes to draw a series

even at the expense of a more "consistent" final product

sagaholmgaard

Yeah me too, it's one thing i really like about webcomics

chalcara

Can‘t talk about the others, but I get thrown off when one page is sprite comic, the next painterly, third cell-shaded without having a in-story-reasons for those style changes, like flashbacks or pov-changes. But more commonly, the issue’s the classic „comic‘s usually coloured, but oops, this time you only get the pencils because I had no time to update“. If that happens too often and/or doesn‘t get fixed for the archive I just lose investment in the comic.

Art evolution is natural, both in webcomic and published work with a dedicated artist.

Ah, that‘s another source of inconsistency - people switching colourists or even artists around. Once in a while is fine, but if it happens every month or so, I tend to get annoyed by it. It‘s actually why I killed my first webcomic twenty years ago; it was a collaberation and life kept getting in the way forcing me to switch colourists every five pages or so.

carcarchu

oh actually i have read a webcomic where they changed artist's 18 chapters in. i really fell in love with the magical and dark tone of the original artist and was engrossed in the world that they set up. they had a painterly style and it really set the atmosphere of the entire series but then the new artist had a super clean and cutesy art style and the sudden tonal shift really threw me off. in the long run the new artist was actually extremely consistent and better at actually releasing long chapters and very good quality chapters and the writing actually improved too because of it but it was never able to recapture what it was that i really loved about the original art style. also the new artist changed the character designs a little so the heroine was no longer even recognizable as the same person

since it was relatively early in the series i definitely would have preferred if they just got the new artist to actually redraw the first 18 chapters in the new style just so the change wouldnt be so incredibly jarring

chalcara

Any harsh breaks like that will cause some people to break away from the comic, I found. I dumped one of my favourite-for-years comic because the creator got bored by their main character and completely sidelined her in favour of a group of minor characters I had absolutely no interest in.

Didn‘t mean the comic got worse - by all accounts its still beloved by quite a sizable audience - it just wasn‘t for me anymore.

sagaholmgaard

Ahh that I can relate to. I get super attached to the main character and usually have a hard time getting into any spinoffs with the rest of the cast, even if I want to (and im a hypocrite because i also want to make spinoffs for ever side character in my own comic LOL) i guess if the style changed a LOT from page to page that would throw me off too. that feels like the artist is trying to experiment, maybe making sort comedic comic strips would be more acceptable then? Every style would at least be contained to one strip at least

DanitheCarutor

That's... actually a really good question. I don't really go for a specific aesthetic. Sometimes what's going on in the thumbnail attracts me, or it could be the use of color, the style, a character design. I'll check out a comic with just about any art style. I guess maybe if I have an idea of what the creator is going for with their art? Like, the art may have a lot of kinks, but maybe being able to tell what style they're trying to go for makes me want to check out their work? Honestly, I don't have a really strong art bias, as long as the comic is readable I'll go for almost anything. Maybe I won't check something out if the style looks extremely uninspired... like if it were the most generic, based off Japanese cartoons, style ever then I might give it a pass. But even then I do sometimes check it out anyway, so I really don't know! This question is surprisingly hard to answer! To give my last quip about last week's topic, since I don't want to derail the current one. I feel the creator's personal life is no one's business. I understand if they're a legit bad person, but digging into a creator's life to see if they qualify to be supported is... I dunno. This mindset makes me feel that if someone who liked my work ever tried to get to know me, they would be doing it solely to see if I'm good enough for them, which feels really invasive and predatory. I fully understand most people can't just enjoy something, that's how the world is, it just kinda sucks sometimes. The world kind sucks sometimes. Alright! I'm doing with giving my final thoughts on that subject.(edited)

Deo101 [Millennium]

The question is specifically about what draws you to art, rather than what turns you away so if you don't want to rag on any art styles that's not what it was asking for I think! Though yes it's very closely related (and it's not bad to say what you don't like)

Eilidh (Lady Changeling)

I definitely am more likely to read a comic that has a distinctive style - no particular style preferences, really. Interesting use of colour/value is definitely a bonus. But as long as it's engaging and the composition is good/readable, I don't really mind whether the art is "good" or not.

DanitheCarutor

@Deo101 [Millennium] I wasn't trying to rag on anything. I couldn't specify what about someone's art would draw me to their comic, it was easier to the one thing that might not, but I still said that I may be drawn in regardless. Sorry if I came off like a douchebag, totally not my intention. <_<'

Deo101 [Millennium]

No I know, someone earlier said "I don't feel like dissi g particular styles" I'll be honest I was typing my post as you were and so I didn't even read yours til after I said something(edited)

Just kind of a general thing! Feels like it went to what turns us away instead of what draws us in so just kinda a reminder of the op

sagaholmgaard

Readability is definitely important for me to want to continue following a comic, but what about the art that makes me want to read something...? I definitely have a preference toward cartoony styles overall. A solid character design will make me wanna check out a comic. If the main character has a recognizable silhouette and interesting shape language. I also love really bold lineart, especially if it's used to create shadow and contrast. Interesting color schemes too. I think how the background is drawn can really make me want to read something as well. I know BGs aren't people's favorite thing to draw but to me if the setting looks very well though out and designed, that definitely motivates me to check something out. And awe-inspiring sceneries are always hella cool! I read a lot of things outside of my artistic preferences though, but I think these are the things that might make me pick something up based only on the art itself.

keii4ii

I think I tend to find more appeal in certain compositions, which is a more subtle aspect of style. I am a major sucker for evocative use of backshots/ not-showing-the-(whole)-face, for one thing. Compositions that make full use of the three dimensional space around the figure(s) is another (this doesn't necessarily mean putting a lot of stuff around the character; you can have a mostly empty space and still make it feel very 3D).

(I hope both of those things show in my own works... I just love those things soooo much )

Deo101 [Millennium]

Oh I LOVE when a panel like... Cuts a face. Something about it makes me lose my mind every time

DanitheCarutor

@Deo101 [Millennium] Ooh! Lol sorry about that! I was so caught up with off computer stuff that I didn't notice anything else typing while I was. I haven't read the whole conversation yet, but I can see how it would turn to that. "What draws you in" is a hard topic to stay on. At least I imagine it would be since it's hard for me to talk about.

Ah! I admit I really like shots focused on scale, specifically ones were you can feel how tiny the MC is compared to what the camera is focused on. Does that make sense? Like the panel shows this ginormous thing, and it has the MC in it to show how massive it really is. That's awesome when done right.

Deo101 [Millennium]

Tiny little person. Yes. Very good

DanitheCarutor

Tiny people in giant worlds are the best!

keii4ii

I love those too!

DanitheCarutor

Oh, also this isn't a webcomic, but I've been interested in reading Vinland Saga after seeing this page on Twitter.(edited)

Something about extremely hideous expressions on semi-realistic faces jives with me.

FeatherNotes(Krispy)

What draws me in easiest is the design aspect of characters, environment and the webcomic title! It's a bit of a turn off when the title doesn't look polished. That's one of the main draws for me is an intriguingly designed logo with a catchy name that follows through their chosen aesthetic. I've seen many comics that stand apart from the title image they chose and it's a bit jarring to see! Great examples of wonderful execution of these aesthetics are BlackOut City, O'Sarilho, Sink Your HookTeeth and Shadrunners(obvs there are many more) I have to agree with @sagaholmgaard about backgrounds! There are quite a few creators who avoid them and stick to simple colours and gradients that just dont keep me in the comic- though my fave genres include a lot of world building, so BGs in a romance may not be emphasized as much. Lastly, dynamic character design!! I love a wonderfully crafted cast that allows me to read the characters easily no matter what setting or outfit they're in. Also it's really random but i do love an artist who can draw really good shoes?? That is always a draw in for me (edited)

Capitania do Azar

Oh I meant it in the way that if you spend a lot of time experimenting with different styles and techniques, you'll never be good at any of them. Style and approach changing over time is, imo, inevitable and good :) @sagaholmgaard(edited)

@@FeatherNotes(Krispy) I constantly think my logo looks like crap next to other webcomics', so thank you (edited)

DanitheCarutor

Oh god, @FeatherNotes(Krispy). Titles and logos are legit my weakest point, that part of the comic creation process is the worst! I have this cosmic-horror/fantasy comic I've been developing since 2005, and it took me till just last year to come up with a decent title. It'll probably take another 14 years to come up with a passable logo. Lmao!

FeatherNotes(Krispy)

It is really hard! Because that image/logo and name represents the body of work so firmly, its also got to stand strong with what it's representing and stand up to other titles too! Basically, i like to think of something that will help generate top results when i search on google for the title, which to me helps it stand on its own on the web, and sound catchy enough for pitches in person! I don't want to steer the convo away too much from the prompt, but there is definitely more to discuss about titles and their chosen aesthetics

varethane

@DanitheCarutor have you read Golden Kamuy? If you love hilariously hideous expressions in manga, it seems like it may be your jam lol

(it's also set in a specific historical period and contains a lot of really interesting material about the time/place it takes place in)

Also I feel like I have never, even one time in my life, come up with a good title for anything-- both Chirault and Wychwood are placeholder titles that I used just to kinda name the story for myself, which I initially intended to change when something better came along, and then nothing ever did

LadyLazuli (Phantomarine)

I know I'm generally drawn into a comic if it's just... generally a visual feast? And it doesn't even have to be a beautiful feast - just... a feast! A super intriguing artstyle, beautiful or not, is something for my brain to pick apart and enjoy. Detailed backgrounds, intricate costumes, fascinating presentation/layout... all the way to crazy expressions and fun asides, and even some gory or scary bits to make me go EEK. Basically, if I'm reading it, and my hand is twitching with the prospect of drawing fan art, then I'm in for good.

DanitheCarutor

@FeatherNotes(Krispy) Urg that is such a nightmare! And there are only so many different styles you can do for a logo, and so many variations of words, it's like how there aren't any truly original stories anymore. I got lucky with the title for my current comic, it's the most generic thing ever, but fits in a tongue-in-cheek way. @varethane I've never heard of it, but the face compilations I'm seeing are intriguing! Man, I love stupid facial expressions.

Capitania do Azar

@varethane golden kamuy, I see you are a fellow of taste as well

varethane

(I love it so much)

Capitania do Azar

@DanitheCarutor oh idk about the "only so many things you can do with logos", I've seen amazing things in this world, if there's a limit I'm not seeing it

varethane

(I can always tell exactly when I was binging it because there's a big chunk of my phone's photo gallery that's all screencaps of Asirpa making dumb faces)

Capitania do Azar

@varethane guys shooting each other in the woods? I'm always in for that

DanitheCarutor

@Capitania do Azar Lol I guess? I can't see how you can have an infinite number of designs for writing, while still trying to keep it vaguely readable. But I really don't like lettering, so my imagination is hardcore lacking in that department.

Capitania do Azar

Lettering and logo design are their own fields of expertise, it's ok

meek

Hmm I'm similar to a lot of previous responses where I can't pinpoint a specific style or trend of art work that draws me in because the styles of comics I read differ incredibly. That being said, there are some things that I do look for to keep me coming back: 1) Consistency of style/anatomy: unless there's a specific reason for the general art style to change (not including semi-deformed or chibi versions of characters), I appreciate characters staying proportionate or just otherwise consistent throughout the comic. And art evolution isn't something that's at odds with consistency, it can actually help that by making characters more distinct and easier to distinguish from each other. 2) Potential for art evolution: Almost the opposite of the previous point lmao but if I find a new comic and I see the latest page is of a much higher skill level than the first page, I'm immediately hooked. I want to see the journey. And I want to see how far that journey goes, even past the point where the art "gets good". There's at least one comic that I can think of where once it hit the style that it wanted to, the art has stayed consistent for the past several years but so much so it's almost plateaued and become stagnant. It's still good art, by all means! But I want to see it grow and evolve more. 3) Good panel/speech layout: Okay it's not quite art in the same sense but someone else mentioned this above and I think it's important too? There are so many comics I can think of that I couldn't read or I dropped off at a point because reading was a chore, either because of giant or unsightly speech bubbles, tiny or ill-fitting font, a combination of the two, etc. Sure, graphic design and layout is a skillset completely different from pure illustration, but it's one worth knowing because otherwise you could do a disservice to your art and your story.

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

@meek Seriously, the text is so important to me, and I consider it a large part of page layout and design

meek

Agreed!! It's something that bothers me with printed comics all the time. I've tried to read so many "classic" graphic novels and I just.. I can't get past the giant text boxes with small font with miniscule kerning and ESPECIALLY if they then add color to it. Please, keep in mind your readers with reading difficulties But to turn this into a positive One of my favorite things that also helps make a comic feel more personal is when the creator turns their handwriting into a font or otherwise have FUN with the speech bubbles

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

YES. As someone with bad eyesight, typography is one of my favorite aspects of finishing a comic page.

Deo101 [Millennium]

It also is super important for me with ADHD, reading is hard enough as is! so bubble layout and clarity can really bring the whole thing together and elevate a comic

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

I tried that but got the feedback that my text is hard to read and the way i format my speech bubbles is distracting (: But some people have said they really like it so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Though I do think I could have done better with the font. I have good eyesight and bad handwriting do I think i have a much easier time reading weird text than many. Since you guys care so much about text, would you mind taking a quick glance at my comic and telling me how readable it is? It'd be nice getting feedback from random people as opposed to only my readers who felt strongly enough to leave a comment unprompted

meek

Oh man I have this specific panel in mind from some early 2006 Avengers comic of like.. what not to do Basically it was a bright yellow text box with this white/light blue font. It was just. It was a nightmare to read Oh sure!! Definitely send me a link

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

Yep! Send me a link too! I'd love to help you out

I also have a good typography book to recommend if you're interested. I can drop it into #art_resources(edited)

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

Here is link: https://www.webtoons.comen/challenge/puppeteer/list?title_no=290620

Thanks for taking the time to give me critique!

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

The link's not working, but I can probably find it on Webtoon

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

And I think i dould find a typography book interesting, so yes please do send the link

Sorry, i think the link is missing a slash

Did we both delete the link

Deo101 [Millennium]

did we both delete a

yah

i got it

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

Lol

Deo101 [Millennium]

https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/puppeteer/list?title_no=290620

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

Thanks

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

I found it

(The font is a bit small on mobile, but the font is fine?)

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

Wait can we move to shop talk?

FeatherNotes(Krispy)

(maybe we can have this discussion on shop talk channel? )

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

Sure

FeatherNotes(Krispy)

OH LOL

DanitheCarutor

@Capitania do Azar Oh god, they so are! I envy anyone who enjoys that craft, I'm a lot better than I was, but lettering is still so hard. ;v; At least the fancy stuff is hard, regular speechbubble lettering is easy as long as my hand cooperates.

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

There's a book I had to read for a web design course I took, and it is seriously a life saver

It put text in a whole new perspective

DanitheCarutor

I do all my lettering traditionally, but maybe that book would be helpful, I legit hate doing it no matter what medium I use. (sorry for continuing to derail the channel.)

Capitania do Azar

@DanitheCarutor i used a website that converts handwriting to fonts + font forge for tweaks to get personalised fonts

DanitheCarutor

I used to type bubbles out, and I've thought about it for my current comic but I mix up words and letters really bad, and I forget to add words entirely while typing. It wouldn't be so bad if my brain saw the mistakes while rereading everything, although sometimes it takes a couple days or another set of eyes for me to actually see them. When I write the bubbles in with a pen I make a lot less mistakes since it takes more effort to write out each letter, also my brain can keep better track of the ones I do make. I feel like that's an excuse that makes no sense.

Deo101 [Millennium]

no it totally makes sense

snuffysam (Super Galaxy Knights)

I can't say I'm ever especially drawn in by art? Besides the sense of "it looks like a lighthearted action story and I like lighthearted action stories", not much catches my eye. Though, I will drop a comic if I'm put off by the art. Like I can forgive if some things look janky at the start of the comic, but if that jankiness doesn't improve over time, I'll drop the comic. I'll also drop the comic if the character designs are bad (i.e. indistinguishable from each other, or in rare cases just too gross to look at). But again, I can't exactly say "good character designs draw me into the comic" because a lot of comic banners/thumbnails don't really show off full character designs.

chalcara

Varied bodytypes are catnip for me. And I like comics with expressive characters over comics that limit expressiveness to keep the characters pretty.

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

Oh, definitely agree with that second part. Comics where it looks like everyone has had a ton of Botox is a huge pet peeve of mine

Like, eyebrows are not the only part of the face that can move.

Do more

renieplayerone

Yeah i agree with the janky art thought. I think it helps me follow through the jank if i see that the later pages, the artist has shown growth, and i dont want to force anyone into a "gotta redraw it" loop if thats not something they want (of course everyone has their reasons and theyre also valid af) Ill tend to be more forgiving about the jank if i know its someones first webcomic or first comic in general, because you cant learn how to make comics without actually sitting down and making the dang thing. So yeah, the jank can be a double edged sword(edited)

What super draws me in is comics with a great sense of color. While i love anything vibrant, if the softer watercolors are done well, they're chefs kiss. Prime example of that is Stand Still Stay Silent

mariah (rainy day dreams)

I've been thinking about this question all week and I think I finally boiled my answer down to something short, sweet, and to the point. It's gotta be some kind of spooky and some kind of cute I have a pretty broad range of art styles I like and I definitely also read stuff that doesn't fall under those categories, but I think my favorite stories or artists are some blend of those two things. I don't really have a preference between color and greyscale. Like I definitely love a good color feast comic, but if you know how to use your grey tones or even just black and white well it's just as good for me. Maybe that's also just me trying to justify being mostly a greyscale artist to myself TuT

FeatherNotes(Krispy)

@mariah (rainy day dreams) devils candy would def be up your alley then!

mariah (rainy day dreams)

Devil's candy v good

renieplayerone

Devils Candy is amazing

mariah (rainy day dreams)

I love to combination of cute monsters and action also.

DanitheCarutor

@renieplayerone I'm not sure if it fits totally with your preference, but if you're looking for watercolor Lost Honey is gorgeous! https://www.losthoney.com/

mariah (rainy day dreams)

Lost Honey is another great comic great to look at, really interesting world

DanitheCarutor

It's one of my faves! ;v; There is another comic that was half watercolor half digital that I used to love reading (if I remember right pages set in the current time were digital, and backstory stuff was in watercolor.), but it has been discontinued for years now. It was called Toilet Genie/D00R, a comic about a genie who was locked in a public toilet and was awakened by a pug that got thrown out by her owners. It was so pretty, with such an interesting style!

mariah (rainy day dreams)

Oh wow I haven't thought about that comic in 5 years! X'D I didn't read much of it, because I don't think there was much of it available at the time, but yeah, that one was also very pretty (edited)

renieplayerone

Oh those colors are really pretty!!

DanitheCarutor

Right? Lost Honey is total eye candy. @mariah (rainy day dreams) Yeah, it's sad the creator never got to finish it. I think about it every so often since it's one of the extremely rare (semi)watercolor webcomics out there.

Also I'm extra attached to traditional mediums since I work in a traditional medium myself.

mariah (rainy day dreams)

Same. Got that ink wash/watercolor bias.

Eilidh (Lady Changeling)

My current comic is marker shaded but I so want to do something with ink wash after this one...

DanitheCarutor

Yeah, right now I'm working with color pencils since they're cheap but I want to give gouache or acrylic a try for my next project, depending on which story I do.

Kabocha

Hm, the question is... a lil' challenging to answer. I think in a lot of cases, the art isn't necessarily what gets me, but when it does -- Sometimes it's when someone uses a resource I like/made and I can go "OOOH! I know that thing you used!" Screentones are another one that gets my attention pretty quick. Sparkles... And probably effective spot color use. As much as I enjoy many full color webcomics, there are many that get tiring to try to read for one reason or another (usually it's either a font or a saturation issue - too many similarly saturated colors near one another gets tiring to read). Also, soft coloring. Oooh, just... when the art feels like it ought to be printed on those soft-touch covers... Yeah, that gets my attention. ...and watercolor/inkwash, too. ... okay that's a lot of things that grab my attention, but tl;dr: oh hey look at all that cool stuff that people can do!

mariah (rainy day dreams)

That was part of what was so hard for me thinking about this question cuz really, a lot of things get my attention X') and the more I thought about it the more I was like "I like when a comic is like X, but oh also Y is great and I do really enjoy Z as well!" I just ... like so many things. But I think that's better than being really picky. I've meet some folks that are super picky about art and basically only like one style and I'm just like... you're missing out on so many amazing things!

Kabocha

Right? And heck, even in some comics where the style would normally be unappealing (to me), there's just something about the art and the aesthetic that clicks to make it all work together for that project.(edited)

I do think, though, that there's always going to be a special place in my heart for greyscale or screentoned comics. There's just something about art that knows how to effectively make use of shading and contrast to make their work... well, work for me.

kayotics

Art is probably the first thing that draws me in to read a comic. The top, top tier thing that gets me to pay attention to a comic is really strong inks. I love inking, and unusual inking styles. To those who know me, that's probably incredibly unsurprising. I also love really angular styles. Some other stuff I gravitate towards: cartoony styles, expressive faces, and kind of ugly characters. I enjoy seeing characters that might be described as plain or are drawn in a bit of an ugly way. The last thing that draws me in? Hands. If an art style pays attention to hands, then I'm all for it.

mariah (rainy day dreams)

Does a comic have characters with big, crooked, toothy grins? I'm down for the count X'D https://media.tenor.com/images/618576ebcc4f6d2a12438624be77c54f/tenor.gif

varethane

oh hey, did someone mention webcomics done in ink wash/marker?

Chirault was that!

1367 pages of..... ink with greyscale marker..........

FeatherNotes(Krispy)

honestly blows me away that you toned it traditionally like, all of GJS is inked trad, but to ink AND tone in marker is just.....damn

sssfrs (JOE IS DEAD)

I love ugly characters

RebelVampire

When it comes to art, I'd say there are about four factors that will draw me in. First, readability. Can I visually follow wtf is going on in the comic? I have no interest in the visuals if I can't understand what action characters are taking. So the first point is always for if that is true. Second, character distinguishability. Can I tell one character from another? I am notoriously bad even in real life at being able to tell people apart, so when reading for fun, it's super important to me that I don't have to put a lot of effort into telling characters apart (exceptions for identical twins, of course). Third, personal appeal. Do I think the art is pretty or cute? Like, obviously this is subjective so I can't really put into words why I'd find one style appealing and the other not. But ya know, I like stuff I think is pretty to look at. Fourth, backgrounds. If a creator puts a lot of effort into their background scenery, I'm very sold on it. I love beautiful backgrounds, and the effort put into them give me an overall better impression of the comic as a whole. Since it takes some real passion to take care with backgrounds. All this being said, I'm not much of a stickler for art. If a comic is well-written enough, they can fail all these points and I'll still read it. This is just a list of what aspects have to be in the art for it to draw me in.

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

My points are pretty much the same as Rebel's, with the addition of a few things: I adore comics with dramatic facial expressions and consistently excellent anatomy. Also, if the art style is unique? If I feel like I've never seen someone draw that way before? That's ++. So good. I've read comics where I thought the art was good but the story was mediocre, but I've never read a comic where the art met all my points (and Rebel's), where it made me go, "holy fuck," audibly, and then had the story disappoint. Comics where the art made me go "holy fuck" audibly: Excecutioner's Academy: The art is so pointy and colorful and detailed and weird. It's full of personality and life and so are the characters. Warning: hiatus comic ): https://tapas.io/series/Ex-Ac Ava's Demon: You guys know about Ava's Demon, right? With original music and animations ending every chapter, this might be the most effortful comic I've ever seen. https://www.avasdemon.com/pages.php#2611 Sfeer Theory: Everyone looks so different from each other, it's fantastic. Some characters are not conventionally beautiful, yet they're still so appealing. And backgrounds! And a thought-out and unique magic system! https://sfeertheory.com/comic/01-00/ Electric Bones: Backgrounds! Banter! http://electricbonescomic.com/index.php/comic/page-001/ I also loved Prague Race, but unfortunately it was cancelled ):

If anyone else has recommendations for comics with amazing art, I'd love to hear them!

Cap’n Lee (Flowerlark Studios)

For me, it just has to be an art style I like to attract my attention. I generally like realistic art, stylised art, or pretty much any style that hasn’t been done to death (like generic anime art; much as I love manga, I’m really tired of the over-saturation of bland and soulless anime-inspired art). Pretty much anything unique and well executed will grab my attention. I especially like greyscale and limited palettes.(edited)

And just to clarify, I do like anime-style art when it has expression and/or skill behind it; just not when it looks generic and manufactured. Overall, though, it’s the writing that’s ultimately the most important thing to me in a comic, so I’ll enjoy comics for their writing even if I’m not a fan of the art.

[ralfstrashcan]

3x09 Reaction / Commentary

I loved that Opening Scene, it was appropriately dramatic and the music fit perfectly..... but I wouldn't be me if I didn't have some questions.

1) Why is Clary's braid so on fleek? Because those jailers were totally ripping at her hair and didn't seem to care if the result looked good.

2) Don't think I missed the obvious way the jailers where avoiding her runes while washing her skin, lol. They probably would have come off if scrubbed with a scrubber.

3) Did Clary come too late to that public mass execution, like some naughty school kid?? Because everyone else was there already. Did they start without her? lol

4) Why do they get to wear those fancy red robes when they are burned to death literally five minutes after? Isn't that a total waste? Also, those robes aren't uni sized, they are perfectly tailored. Who made them?? No wonder they can only hold those trial day thingies once a month, they're probably busy preparing clothes the rest of the month.... or do they have those robes at the ready for every Shadowhunter, like, at the same time that you get your Rune Ceremony they prepare a High Treason Execution Robe in case they have to off you at some point??

5) What would they have done if his corpse fell down the stairs instead of artfully to the side?

6) Seriously, can we take a moment to appreciate how truly savage Shadowhunters are. Because it's kinda shocking and very fitting.

Okay but since when does super duper ultra dead mean turning into salt? Did I miss something?

Oh my they actually address that in the book! I'm impressed... not least because of that fancy-ass bookmark. Where can I buy that?

Also is this supposed to imply that Cain was a Dayligher, as in a Vampire? I'd say I need answers, but I really don't.

Considering Simon's whiplash-y behavior this Season it's probably a toss up what he'll anwer.

Btw Simon's reaction to Kyle offering to get him blood is exactly the reason why I thought it would be counterproductive if he stayed on Simon's case and why it should consequentally be his decision if he wants Kyle to stay: He was honestly gonna walk through town in starved state? Reckless much? And all because he doesn't want to accept Kyle's help.

I mean, I totally approve of Izzy's cleavage, but why does her Angelic Rune keep wandering upwards? That's a little unsettling and bothers me, I'll be honest.

For a second there I was confused because why would Magnus need his own permission.. then I remembered. And honestly, I cheered, because I kinda missed Lorenzo and his slick hairdo and I've been excited to see him again since I caught a glance of him

in the Season Finale Promo.

Man, if it's dark already does that mean they've been at it with the executions all day?? What even. How many traiters do they have on a monthly basis?? Kinda disconcerting if you ask me.

OMG IRIS!! What a pleasant surprise!! I honestly thought we'd never see her again and up until this very second I didn't even care. But now I'm really happy she's there! Absence does make the heart grow fonder, it seems :) ................also does that mean that since 2x08 less than a month passed?? Because they hold them monthly and incinerate everyone who's there? I'm confused.

Wtf Jia, what even. I was starting to like you, and then you go and abuse your power like that. So uncool. And if Iris's execution was moved up does that mean it's been more than a month since 2x08?? Such confusion.

Okay, honestly I wasn't that surprised that Heidi was in the bag, but she was clearly conscious when Jace took her out and that begs the question why she was so inactive while in the bag. Shouldn't it be super easy for her to rip the bag apart since she's a Vampire??

Okay but isn't blabbing that out in front of Silent Brothers and other prisoners totally indiscreet? Like, Jia moved Iris's execution up partly so she couldn't spill, right? (Or just because she was angry Iris didn't do her bidding? I mean if Iris is gonna die anyway that's not really a good punishment, is it?) What if the Silent Brother says “Yo, no, no creepy ressurection necromancy magic on my watch”? What even is the hierarchy between the Clave and the Silent Bros?

LOVE the fact that Valentine is chained to the cot even though he's still dead.

Whaaaaaaaaaaat I don't understand. Does she mean “I'm more powerful than the angel” or “I want Valentine back alive”??

So I guess Luke doesn't have a pack anymore? Well, this was a long time coming. Considering that he even challenged the previous alpha back in 1x05 to save Clary it is consistent that he puts Clary first. And honestly, it's understandable on a personal level because he's been looking out for Clary for 18 years now and before 1x06 he was kind of the underdog of the pack (pun not intended). Still, he's once again slinking his alpha-duties. For the last time now, I guess????? Tho how will a new alpha acquire alpha powers? I thought you get them through killing the previous alpha????

The way he spat out that glob gave me serious chills. Awesome.

Okay but why do they have security cams in the morgue, what the hell man. Then again they have several security cams per dorm back at the NY Institute, too, so there's that. I guess the only mercy was that they didn't have security cams in Val's grave too, lol.

YASS I love Negotiation!Alec, please three Seasons of this verbal sparring and covert threats, oh hell yeah I'm a goner.

Simon using Luke's steak trick from can't-find-x-the-episode warms my heart, I'll admit that.

OMG THE FACT THAT LILITH GAVE HER A MAKE OVER

Dude, Heidi really has no mercy putting that tape on their hair, like it hurts just watching this.

Also, why did Lilith stint on Heidi's make-up?? Rude.

My heart breaks so much for Jonathan right now, maybe now he'll stop being a daddy's boy and give Lilith a chance to demonstrate her parenting skills??

O M GGGGG WHAT AwEsOmE I'M DEAD

Clary, smartly manipulating Valentine into doing what she wants from him, I like.

Pretentious Quill, I approve.

I have sooooooo many questions about that list.

1) Why are there so many (as good as) dead people on it? Ragnor won't be any help from the grave, I'm assuming Elias is the same Elias who was killed off in 1x04, and Iris is currently residing in a death cell (and even if she wasn't, why would Magnus even ask her for help after he extradited her to the Clave? She probably wouldn't help him even if she could.) And god knows where Dot's at at the moment.

2) Why are Cat and Ragnor so low on that list, like seriously?! Also, why would Magnus write their full names, I mean surely he'd use abbreviations?? Or at least leave out their last names, c'mon.

3) Those weren't instructions, those were two lines and the one you could read was “I need your help!”

4) Also, I can hardly believe the person who wrote the list in a super elaborate and twirly hand is the same person that wrote those notes, and even if I assume for a moment that Magnus wrote both.... why the hell would he put so much effort into the list and scribble the pleas for help? Shouldn't it be the other way around??

5) Why did he cross Dot off the list when the note he just sent was clearly addressed to Elias?! Who is still dead!?!

.......it seems the stress is getting to you, Magnus.

(Also, mass texts would have been much faster. Just sayin'. Dramatic warlocks, refusing to use smartphones and hindering swift communication.)

Putting the kid under your care first, I dig that. And I dig Magnus recognizing this for what it is and not acting as if Cat is deserting him, because she isn't.

WHAAAA ARE LORENZO AND MAGNUS GONNA FIGHT SIGN ME THE F UP

Izzy hating on Kyle is kinda rude because faulting him for not protecting Simon, okayyyy, if needs must (even though Kyle's job is actually to protect people from Simon, not the other way around, but whatever...) but blaming him for Heidi's escape? What? He wasn't even at the Praetor Facility?! That's totally not his job?? Seriously?

Capable Elaine, oooohhh I dig that a lot!! Why is everyone so capable in this Episode, it's awesome!!

When I saw that red fletching on the arrow I was sooo convinced that the guard is really Alec, why else would his face be obscured?!?!?! But sadly I was mistaken.

Clear Case of “Spirits that I've cited my commands ignore” hahaha awesome.

Seriously, they were so active just moments ago, why are they staring now and not acting?! :( I mean, strike while you have the chance.

I'm wondering if that's a very subtle allusion to Lorenzo's Warlock Mark.

OKAY IT PROBABLY IS?!?!?! Oh man, those Warlocks. Insulting each other's Marks. Now I'm just thinking of

Also, say what you want about Lorenzo

but he's damn smooth. I love that in an antagonist.

Yeah, I don't want to say Lorenzo is right, but he kinda is. Magnus's impulsiveness is the number one source for most of his bad decisions. It's one of the things I love so much about his character. Even though he's centuries old he's never quite settled down into tranquility. He's like a stormy sea, unpredictable and wild.

Soooo I totally loved their fight scene. I enjoyed it way more than the one with Iris in 2x08 because a) I can't forgive that terrible cut with the broken bookshelf and b) Iris was intent to flee, so even though the magic ball throwing was nice it wasn't a close ranged fight.

There were some details in this fight that I really loved

1) Lorenzo stealing Magnus's magic and using it against him.

That's a fascinating thing because does that mean magic is just energy that can be hijacked by anyone capable? Doesn't it have a personal touch, like 'my' magic would never hurt 'me'? So many questions

2) This

I totally love it because it makes so much sense, like a warlock is a magical person, they're not just magical hands. Of course it's probably easiest to channel magic through the hands, but just because it's easiest doesn't mean it's the only possibility. And honestly, Magnus would totally be the kind of person to learn channeling magic through different parts of his body because it's super cool and can totally come in handy (yeah dumb pun totally intended). The only problem I have is.... if Magnus didn't pick up this skill very recently, why was he ever overpowered by someone grabbing his hands (1x13, 2x10)? Because that irked me then, and now even more because now I know it was really bull? I can kinda forgive it because this is now and the other stuff was earlier and I don't expect show writers to know what they'll write in one or two seasons but a) shouldn't you be aware of what your character can do, like, does he have a certain skill y/n regardless of whether he uses it on-screen or not and b) I really hope this skill Magnus apparently has isn't forgotten and there won't be a situation where he could use it to gain an advantage and just... doesn't.

The Oh-shit-what-did-I-just-do-Face.

First I was really confused why Lorenzo was running for the hills because Magnus just screwed up and could easily be brought before Warlock Justice or whatever they have for insubordinate subordinates, but then I realized... he's probably scared of Magnus, and a coward.

FunFact: I tried getting a pic of his retreating back but he just kinda...

awkward-slides out of the frame.

I can really credit that Simon was trying to get Heidi to lash out, like wow, even he is capable this episode, I'm so happy.

Oooh Luke on his way to his suicide mission be capable.

NINJA STARS SIGN ME THE F UP I LOVE THEM!!!!!!!

That Silent Bro could have put up more of a fight. Aren’t they supposed to be super badass?

The best plan would actually be to kill them all and bring them back with the Necromancy Rune... then again, we only ever see Clary use her new runes, so that kinda begs the question if she's the only one able to use them. That doesn't really make sense to me, but it's the only reason I can think of why literally nobody besides her uses them. Especially that Portal Rune is hella fine, so yeah. But it's never really addressed, so this is just speculation on my part.

I love that it's so relatable and wonderfully acted why Magnus changes his mind. I mean, not even half a day ago when talking to Cat he said he'd never go to his father, but this change of heart doesn't seem whimsical because this scene greatly conveys his feelings that lead to this decision.

I love the Simon&Izzy friendship (and would wish for it to remain just a friendship).

So I guess that's the explanation where all of Val's Circle Members disappeared to. I feel a little cheated out of this fight. And this could have been avoided if they had done the kill-Necromancy-Rune-thing. Also, if they could have managed to get just one stele from one of the guards they could have freed Iris and compelled her to open a portal for them. I mean, sure, she didn't want to resurrect Valentine, so she probably wouldn't want to help him escape but a) Jia probably didn't offer her her freedom in return for her services and b) with the prospect of seeing Madzie again I could imagine Iris seizing the chance, thinking she can trick Valentine and escape alone. I would have loved to see something like this, especially because it isn't really resolved here if Iris is still alive. Until I see proof of the contrary I'll assume she's alive and I really hope to see more of her because she's an interesting character.

Also, those are the same lamps as in that other Clave building thing, so they probably had one interior designer for the whole of Idris? Lol?

Yeah, Val, it's no wonder the door doesn't open if you try to unlock it with a Foresight Rune. This seems to run in the family tho, because in 3x05 Jace does the exact same thing.... except that his rune works. Lol, fail Valentine.

Yeah, on that note..... did she succeed? Is Jia still alive to conveniently pardon Clary at some point in the future?

First I wanted to yell at her because she could easily create a portal, she'd just have to nick a stele from one of the bodies.... and then I realized......... she was tricking Valentine. And I was stunned. Even Clary behaving capable, like, is it Christmas?????? Sure feels like it!!!!!!!!!!

......shall I start calling you Garret Jacob Hobbs? Because I will.

I love that. It fits the fanatical streak of this character perfectly. I read a really, really great post about this once, it is here and you should definitely check it out. I don't agree with everything, but there are some really interesting aspects in there.

So I'm a li'l confused because Val was still obviously breathing and I'm not sure if that is because Alan van Sprang couldn't hold his breath or because he's not really dead lol.

.......then a rib is the way to go, I guess. Seriously, why not just say bone or something?

WHAT A DAMN GREAT CLIFFIE

Bonus:

It seems blood starvation gives Vampires really weird Hannibal-esque visions.....?

(Playground Insults Pic is from here, Magnus and Lorenzo’s fight gifs are from here)

[sylvieons]

Fandom meme tagged by @nyx4 and @cleoselene xoxo which took me 90 years to finish but it’s HARD OKAY thinking is hard

A: Your current OTP. Jace/Alec from Shadowhunters. Apparently this makes me problematic but I don't care

B: A pairing you initially didn’t consider but someone changed your mind. This is hard because if I started watching a show because of someone they typically told me their ship ahead of time and then I was looking for it.  So I guess the closest I can come up with is that I lowkey ship Sephiroth/Genesis from Final Fantasy because of @nyx4 but I've never played the game

C: A pairing you wish you shipped, but just can't. Arthur/Merlin from Merlin.  Everyone always went so over the top with Merthur, and I shipped it for a few seconds but I never really liked Arthur so it was hard to care.

D: What was the first thing you ever contributed to a fandom? An X-Files fanfic uploaded to Gossamer titled, embarrassingly enough, "My Immortal" to which I attached my real name.  I was 14 or 15 and therefore very stupid. (I have since had this and another removed from the site, thankfully).  I also handed this fic into my English teacher to read.  Even more embarrassing.  The plot? Mulder loved Scully but he wanted to make sure that she loved him so he tried to make her jealous and when she did act jealous he was like "lol jk" and then I went into a lot of detail on a kiss they shared (THAT MY ENGLISH TEACHER READ) and then they got engaged and then they both got shot outside of Mulder's apartment for WHATEVER REASON and died.  Hence "My Immortal", because they'll be together in death.

E: Have you added anything stupid/cracky/hilarious to your fandom, if so, what? Yes, and I shall find the post I made on Livejournal so I can bring you direct to the source.  It was for Legend of the Seeker, and I got the idea to Photoshop a fake Facebook post based on an episode (I forgot where I got the idea, if I saw it in another fandom or what).  Anyway the result was this:

https://imgur.com/Zo5Bi6x

It spun of control and spawned an actual Facebook RP which is where I met the two people who tagged me in this and AIN'T LIFE REALLY CRAZY SOMETIMES???

F: What’s the longest you’ve ever been in a fandom? What fandom was it? The X-Files. I got into it when I was around 11 or 12 and was a pretty active member until I was 17 or 18. Which doesn't seem very long, but to be heavily into it, I feel it was. And then I came back around to it when the revival was announced, so it's been an on and off relationship.

G: What was your first fandom? The X-Files, probably, in terms of content-creating.  Maybe if I'm counting things like "I pretended I was Xena a lot and I would call my friend on the phone and we’d talk about Xena" then maybe Xena: Warrior Princess

H: Do you prefer real-life TV shows or animated TV shows? Real-life, hands down. I hate animation.

I: Has tumblr caused you to stop liking any fandoms, if so, which and why? Lol what -hasn't- Tumblr caused me to hate?  Tho...you know what...I've never said it on this hellsite for fear of reprisal, but I'm going to do it. Tumblr turned me off Sansa Stark back in season 2 or so.  There was so many posts where people were so aggressive about unfollowing and hating people who didn't like Sansa and it got so irritating I started to dislike Sansa by association. So congrats, Tumblr, you played yourself. Also, this site turned me off The Musketeers around season 3. So much Aramis hate, kind of soured me since I watched the show for Santiago Cabrera. And then that association soured me on Santiago, so. Thanks.

J: Name a fandom you didn’t care/think about until you saw it all over tumblr. I'm going to say Teen Wolf. It was all over the place when it was first airing and people either loved it or thought it was ridiculous so I started watching it finally and it was ridiculously great. But then they killed off Allison and ruined my life :)))))

K: How do you feel about the other people in your current fandom(s). I don't really know what my current fandoms are - I'm kind of really into Shadowhuters rn but not in a "making things" sort of way. Anyway, I have heard some very terrible things about this fandom so I am wary.

L: Your favorite fanartist/author gives you one request, what do you ask for? I don't read fanfic and I'm not into fanart so.

M: A person who got you into a fandom and what fandom they pulled you in to. @nyx4 again. Got me into watching Sons of Anarchy. I had tried previously and got about 10 minutes in and couldn't stand it but she said it got better so I powered through and then I was into it.

As for non-TV and movie stuff, @tsukinosusagis got me into a shitton of music and like he said a few days ago “Remember when Lights created our friendship??? ICONIC”

N: Your favorite fandom (for the people; not the thing you fangirl over). Legend of the Seeker on its Livejournal days, back in 2009 and 2010 were my favorite. Nothing on tumblr.hell is a good fandom. All of it should burn.

O: Choose a song at random, what ship does it remind you of? Lmao I'm really bad at this.  I suffer trying to pick songs for ships so idk

P: Invent a random AU for any fandom (we always need more ideas). SHADOWHUNTERS PIRATE AU. Also, it's not an AU, but I have a very elaborate setup in my head for an episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia where the gang is convinced the bar is haunted and the name of the ep is "Paddy's Pub: The Most Haunted Bar in Philadelphia"

Q: A ship you’ve abandoned and why. Cersei/Jaime because Jaime is a rapist. Also made me stop watching GOT because I was really mostly watching for Cersei and Jaime but I didn’t wanna see Jaime anymore so

R: A pairing you ship that you don’t think anyone else ships. Morgana/Lancelot from Merlin. I'm sure there's a lot in the actual Arthuriana stuff that people ship, but I'm just talking about the show. I was only able to find maybe 1 gifset and 2 fics about these two.  Granted, I only shipped them because SANTIAGO CABRERA AND KATIE MCGRATH so maybe nobody else cared.

S: What's a headcanon you have? I don't really have any of these.

T: What are your favorite male/male ships or female/female ships? Jace/Alec (Shadowhuters), Aramis/Porthos (The Musketeers), Red/Snow (Once Upon a Time), Rizzoli/Isles (Rizzoli & Isles), Eliot/Quentin (The Magicians), Penny/Quentin (The Magicians), Xena/Gabrielle (Xena), Mac/Dennis (It's Alway Sunny), Willow/Tara (BTVS)

U: What are your favorite male/female ships? Mulder/Scully (The X-Files), Cesare/Lucrezia (The Borgias), Richard/Nicci (Legend of the Seeker), Richard/Cara (Legend of the Seeker), Gemma/Tig (Sons of Anarchy), Mitchell/Annie (Being Human), Spike/Dru (BTVS), Jim/Pam (The Office), Jane/Michael (Jane the Virgin)

V: Do you have any 3-way ships? If so, what? Yeah, Darken Rahl/Cara/Dahlia from Legend of the Seeker. And it has to be a threeway, because any two of these characters together I don't ship but the 3 together? YES YES YES

W: 5 favorite characters from 5 different fandoms. Bo Dennis (Lost Girl) Ilithyia (Spartacus) Dana Scully (The X-Files) Quentin Coldwater (The Magicians) Gemma Teller (Sons of Anarchy)

X: 3 OTPs from 3 different fandoms. Why would ya ask me this question when you asked for my favorite ships above, bro?

But I guess

Mulder/Scully (The X-Files) Richard/Nicci (Legend of the Seeker) Jim/Pam (The Office)

Y: A fandom you’re in but have no ships from. Most of them - like even if I do have a ship, it's pretty lowkey?  A lot of the above are lowkey.  But I'll say Black Sails. 

Z: What's a ship that you want to ship publicly, but everyone on tumblr hates it so you keep your mouth shut about it? Lol Jalec I guess? Like I'm saying it right now, but I'm not gonna go out there and go big with it because lots of annoying people out there.

[loycos]

i finished watching the Judas Contract.

ok, guys, let me explain before i start. 1 )I’ve been a fan of the Titans for a long time. i watched the animated series when it aired, when i was 10 y\o. read the comics when i was 16. i prefer the comics version of the characters, but my favorite characters are still the titans i loved from the animated series- i just love their comic book, older personas better. these characters mean a lot to me.

2) i’m used to seeing a lot of shitty products with their brand name on them.

3) i have an entire au in my head that is based around them- it sort of combines my favorite elements from the show and comics into one.

I’m telling u all of it because this is the closest version i’ve seen of the titans i have in my head. and for that, i’m already impressed. i enjoyed this movie a lot- i know it’s far from being perfect, and i’ll address it soon. but my review is mostly positive, because i came in with very low expectations, and got a pretty good product. 

spoilers from now on:

* i’m confused as to why the beginning flashback was the one they chose. it doesn’t have much to do with the subject of the film- you’d think they’ll open with a flashback that shows how terra even got on the team- the only thing we saw last movie was her flying on a rock towards the titans tower. by the second scene of this movie, you already have her on the team, and no one questions it. but even me, who saw the last movie and is very familiar with the story they’re gonna tell, was taken aback for a second. TL;DR- introduce this lady properly to the viewers before diving in the deeper meta of her existence.

* the dialogue is quick and most of the jokes hit right. i laughed quite a few times. Raven’s snarky-ness works here. actually, everyone’s kind of snarky- except Kory, ofc- but hey, theyre teenagers.

* they actually foreshadow?? quite a few things a s well?? like Kory randomly hangs weapons on the walls of their new apartment and Dick kinda questions it but it mostly seems like a comedic thing- but in a later scene it pays off. they do it a lot with other things as well.

*everyone’s relatable (except the villains, of course. unless youre sleeping with minors  or taking a bath in someone else’s blood, that is). they added tiny scenes here and there to remind u that nobody on this team is perfect. the most obnoxious members for me are Damian and BB- and while they were cocky and bratty as usual, i didnt mind it as much cause they were given more depth and less screentime (ehm DAMIAN).

*the story follows the original comic pretty closely, for all the good parts. the cool machine the titans were put into- the exact same design. Nightwing saving the day. the cheesy traps the titans fell for. some shots are like panels from the comic, it’s insane. 

*minor detail that i liked- in the last fight, when they were fighting against Deathstroke\Brother Blood simultaneously- notice how Robin and Nightwing took care of Deathstroke, who is an assassin without superpowers while the super powered titans- Starfire, Raven, BB and Beetle took care of the  superpowered villain. small detail but it makes sense. no more Damian taking down a bunch of demons.

the characters, in general:

*Damian got his ass kicked. a lot. finally. and then Deathstroke makes a comment about it!?!? like dude knew exactly what i was thinking lol.

*BB shows some emotions beyond ‘turned on’ and ‘cocky’. his jokes are corny... it’s not even a complaint cause that’s comics bb for u. ppl who only watched the animated series dont know the pain.  

*stop making him say ‘mama’ tho. it throws me off the scene.

*Dick finally has something to do!?! i would say he’s the most boring out of the main characters, but he’s not bad at all. he kicked some ass there.

*Blue Beetle. i loved his portrayal here. A+

*Terra was given an interesting backstory, and yet they didnt turn her into this woobie teenager that was mislead (i mean she was, but shes far from innocent) they showed that some people cant escape their dark past, even if they’re not 100% evil. I loved how Terra was handled here- shes more like her comic book version, but not as over the top and ridiculous. i can actually believe that they fell for her scam here. 

*Raven didn’t have much to do in here, but she was definitely entertaining.i wish they would drag the Terra\Raven tension more, it was a big thing in both the comics and the show.

*and last but not least, my absolute fav, the orange wife herself, Starfire. She... was nice. she seem to have some debuts about her capability as a leader, shes never dumbed down. She visually looks better in this film (so does Raven, btw). i wish we’d seen more of her struggles, but i dont know if it’s just my inner fangirl starving for more or she was actually lacking something. i guess that because it’s not her story she doesnt get much of the spotlight, but comon. when is it EVER gonna be her story??? i’m waiting dc. that flashback doesnt count, it had nothing to do with anything.

*oh yeah, the villains. Deathstroke was so sassy lol. he broke the 4th wall a few times, called Damian a brat and kicked his ass (he’s a kid tho, slade, fucking chill). has a romance with Terra (i DIDNT think they would go in that direction holy shitttt)

*brother blood monologuing in his dramatic voice... very comic book like. ha.

*Jericho and Wondergirl.... well next movie i guess.

*some scenes were incredibly cheesy, but there werent that many.

* animation was AWFUL but it’s tolerable.

overall: its an ensemble film. and they did their best crouching as much character development and personality without losing track of the story. the result is decent enough. I personally loved it, if youre a fan of the titans i’d say its a must.

[greyred]

Red Panda

Only thing I ever wanted was to Love and to be Loved.

The amount of hate, violence and pain I have had in my life in incredible.

I don’t even know anyone is history who have gone through what I have.

Do remember that I can’t possibly write about everything or even tell everything without being afraid abount my life. None of You Blue or Red or Purple eyes know this.

But I will tell you one thing.

And hopefully at some point I can say it all.

I think I got new PTSD.

The one what was supposed to come sooner or later anyway.

Some of you know this...

And now it is here.

At first my mind blocked everything away and I just remembered the facts.

Not the details.

Now, with my new sickness and constantly being in fever I have dag up the little details.

Until today I didn’t know how awful they really were.

The PTSD always hits you months, sometimes even years later. Depending the level of hardness and situation.

I think something else had to happen in order to open that door of memory. Because brain actually never forgets. The information is still there. And I think, with my new Love. It makes me more weaker. Because it makes me more human. And it takes away the masks I have held for months now.

Mon Deiu, I am shaking!

I am horrified of the details I finally remember.

They are not pretty.

--

It all started when I had my 21 days of insomnia...

I was passing out in streets for couple of times. One day, just before coming to my Polly Pocket I went to a club next by. I hadn’t slept for long time. I was already pushing daisies again. I just needed to get my mind off. I went there and there were people who invited me nicely to their table. I didn’t understand anything at first because when the vodka bottle was placed next to my lips, the hand didn’t let go. My insomnia and booze did the haze. Next thing I know, we are getting in car and I’ve been taken through two apartments. It all seems somewhat nice but when I’ve been telled that what I have to do, I understand it is not okay. It somewhat seems like party but is not. So i do what I have to do. I don’t want to get hurt. 

That was the first time...

Next two times I can only blame myself because i went back.

But You have no idea why I chose to go back.

I was afraid.

I was still running in my insomnia. I didn’t know what is right or wrong.

I was just too afraid.

You won’t know the feeling unless You actually are there.

--

So the second time happened.

With every time it got worse and with every time there was more people.

I can’t ever describe second time because of the shame.

The third was the most awful. 

I asked nicely: “can I say no?”

But ‘No’ was never the answer.

When I tried to escape I got beaten up. When I tried to call police, my phone was taken away and my memory was deleted. There was no escape.

I remember the last morning...

I don’t remember how many days it all took.

Mr. Croissant called me (I founded accidentally my phone from under the bed). I was so hurt, with no sleep and mentally broken down. He actually helped me to escape. He told me. Do whatever you need and get the hell out! I was with the moment of little luck, because most of the people were gone and whatever was left, was asleep. So I pulled myself together and as a small little pocket kitty-cat I was on that moment - I sneaked away. I remember the drive away. It felt like nothing I have ever felt. I AM ALIVE! I finally escaped!

And obviously after that I believed anyone who would want to take care of me. The hardest one was when my own mother blamed me that it was my own fault. 

I don’t think so. I was living like in haze next weeks. I wanted to kill myself. I felt worthless. I felt like nobody will ever love me ever again. I wanted to just drink every day away. There’s what my closest ones saw but different version of what I felt. And even though I started to be super naive with Love. Because all i ever wanted was to be loved. I was the most smallest, smallest, tiniest pocket-dust-kitten.

Even tho I seemed strong, I wasn’t inside. And I think that’s when things went down with Mr. Croissant. You have to know. I never stopped loving You. You just couldn’t take it. And I don’t blame You. I was so stressed off that I was literally planning everyday different ways I could end my life. Because I couldn’t live with that feeling. What was taken away from me. Even Love didn’t help me. It was too much. Being homeless, being hurt, being sick, being fucking raped. taken away my dignity, my family not understanding (then again when have they ever?)  and what ever was there to feel like living. I just wanted to die. Like I have ever wanted. I just wanted to be loved or whether to die. And because my current partner was not strong enough to get this, which neither I was myself. Then I did was I had to. I started cutting my flesh away, secretly burning myself. Secretly hitting myself. That’s how I got all the bruises.  I tried drowning, I tried hanging. I tried poisoning. I still didn’t die. Not being able to die was the worse. I didn’t understand what was the reason I can’t actually pull it off. WHY CAN’T I DIE?

I remembered few months ago. When I was attacked in the street and abused, I was able to fight it off and got away with pulled out shoulder only, taken to hospital. I remembered that moment when I wasn’t able to kill myself. I am like Weeeds, I don’t die. I just must hurt. for the rest of my life probably. And it all makes sense.

All of my sickness is the reason behind what I have gone through. That’s how I wasn’t able to eat for 6 days. That’s why I wasn’t able to pull off relationship. It all eats me from inside. And now I still have to wait for another 8 weeks for my cancer test results. I am scared AF. I am finally eating again but I am still losing weight. My doctors prescribed me with such amount of medicine that I feel zombie all the time. 

But I put on my 9 kilos of makeup and just try to pull myself together. FORCE myself together. And yes - I am naive with love. Because I just wish to love and be loved. 

I will never forget the ugly details of  3 times of gangrape for many days. I am just lucky I didn’t get any diseases. But the mind never forgets. And so I am naive. Stupid little dust. Hoping to fade away for good. Yet happy that finally I can speak about this. Small steps...

If I will survive - I will be the most strongest person on Earth - just as I said - no one in history have gone through what I have. This is just one of my going throughts. Just one of them...

There are more. There are actually more awful things. I am still very afraid to talk. But I am gathering my braveness. There are things that actually NO ONE knows. Not even Jesus, my family, or Tiffany. And I keep everything in my mind, every single day. And that’s why I turn Loco sometimes. It is simply too much for even me.

I hope O’ (i haven’t yet thought name for you in here) will perhaps be The One. Maybe O’ will be The One. Right now I Love You and I hope I won’t lose You. 

We both Love You. Me and my Evil Twin Sister. I am actually doing quite remarkable progress with handling my both sides. I think we have melted together more than ever. And that keeps me in balance. I needed to get away with those memories of today’s talk. Because they were itching my brain. And The Dark Side Of The Moon is the only place that really listens. I Love You, my Moon!

My shirt is falling away from my shoulder. I have lost weight again...

--

My next braveness will be when I will talk about when I was still living in the small city near Russia.

I was able to today finally remember the more awful memory.

The time i was taken to an old building from Soviet Union. It used to be some kind of office from WWII I think... It was a bit away from center city, that’s why nobody heard my screams.. I was tortured in there. That was even worse than being raped. That was physical and mental torture of only something you see from horror movies. And this is something that nobody knows. Not even Jesus.

It was living hell.

No.

Worse...

That is the root-reason why I don’t want to live.

And part of my main PTSD.