#JACK IS NOT EVEN ONE OF THE CHARACTER I ASSIGNED TO ANY OF THE GROUP

[ryllen]

Try to pull him for the fifth time, ended up shoved to Jack SSR instead

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

now wait just a second...

asdvasvyosdviavias I know I haven't commented at all about the 5th anniversary songs or the stories that go along with them, but... I HAVE to comment on Savanaclaw's because it made me do a double take OTL

So the previous dorms (Scarabia, Ignihyde, and Octavinelle) have its dorm members split up to practice on their own before regrouping and then practicing their respective dorm's song together. Savanaclaw does the same thing--but, um... Leona phones up Ruggie and instructs him to go and secretly record the other dorms practicing their own routines. He wants to confirm that the direction of their performance is different than that of the other dorms. Ruggie goes and does it, but then accidentally lets it slip to Jack, who of course scolds his dorm members for doing something so unsportsmanlike. THEN LEONA TELLS HIM IT'S NOT ILLEGAL SO IT'S FINE???? And Jack goes along with it because technically his dorm leader's right 💀 But then when they're done practicing, Leona tells Yuu + Grim to make sure no one sees their practice. What a hypocrite 🤡 Whatever it takes to win, I guess????

(I want to point out that in Octavinelle's section, Azul chides Floyd for dancing in the hallway because it's such a public space; what if other dorms see them practicing??? Which, of course, is really ironic considering the fact that Ruggie is actually secretly recording them. Funnily enough, the recording cutscene has Ruggie catching Azul on video, not Floyd.}

While it's not out of character for him to resort to these kind of tactics, Leona's oddly SUPER invested in making his mark on an industry he doesn't seem to care much about 😂 I seem to recall him taking issue with Rook's suggestion that he audition for VDC/SDC in book 5. Leona calls the competition a "kids' show" even though it's described in-universe to be very respectable, attracting guests from all over, and is even responsible for launching careers in the entertainment industry. He also seems to resent that Vil is there (even though Vil is the Pomefiore student Ruggie happens to record practicing in Blazing Jewel).

Is the sudden interest in winning a similar competition where Vil is still present (in Blazing Jewel) considered a canon divergence, since event stories don't always match up with main story content? Or can we assume that Blazing Jewel takes place after VDC/SDC (ie mid-March/Twst JP anniversary/NRC Founding Day), and Leona may have changed his mind since then? Though I guess maybe he's okay with Blazing Jewel and not VDC/SDC since he's in charge of his own group in the former and Vil is in charge in the latter. Has he really changed much if he's only willing to compete if he's the boss/j Guess it’s a matter of pride? In any case, Leona seems to really be gunning for victory in the ongoing event--I'm guessing not because he gives a rat's ass about singing and dancing, but just because he wants to prove he his dorm is the best one + have their handprints taken down in entertainment history.

P.S. To NO ONE'S surprise (least of all mine), Savanaclaw's song is about overturning an unfair world and capturing a "bright light" (which I assume is the crown/being at the top). The song name, DIADEM, even refers to a jeweled crown or headband worn as a symbol of sovereignty. If the song wasn't already assigned to them by some third party, I'd have accused Leona himself of having written those lyrics 💀

[the-s1lly-corner]

Hanging out in the Mansion

Another one!!! Growls@@ im halfway tempted to go look for the old fics and quizzes I used to adore on quotev in middle school

Notes: gn reader, you're a crp, written as non romantic since youre new to the mansion, long post, there will be some character overlap due to "OH x and y hang out together too", very self indulgent, technical part two to the breakfast post

CWs: canon typical violence and death mentions

Characters: slenderman, splendorman, jeff, nina, Jane, masky, hoodie, Toby, Ben, Sally, Eyeless jack, laughing jack

SLENDERMAN

He doesn't really... do much... sure he doesn't outwardly stop you from tagging along with him, but... it kind of feels like a vague tolerance of your existence there in the moment

The only time he really shuts you down and makes you leave is when he goes out into the woods to feed... or when he shuts himself inside his.. office.. space.. at least it looked like an office from the fleeting glimpse you caught through the door before he shut it in your face

But outside of that he tends to... observe the others... sticking to the walls, near the corners

He is... a good listener. At least you think he is. You could tell him anything and he'd cast you no judgement... you wouldn't get any confirmation he was actually paying attention to you until he brings up something you said or liked weeks later

SPLENDORMAN

You can usually find him either keeping Sally entertained or chatting with someone, at least when he's in the mansion! He... actually leaves fairly often for a few hours.. no clue what he does- you haven't quite figured it out or worked up the nerve to ask

But whatever he's doing he's more than happy to let you join him! All you have to do is ask! As far as he's concerned you're already a friend

Though get ready for him to gently and not so subtly pry- asking all sorts of questions to get to know you. Absolute sweetheart even if a little intrusive, if his questions ever tread to more... personal subjects... let him know and he'll drop it in an instant

Always makes sure you're included in any group activities he's in

MASKY

Odds are he's with hoodie, so the three of you are going to be a trio for the day.. you kind of just follow their lead once they're back from doing... whatever it was they were sent out into the woods to do

He doesn't talk much- at most he might respond to you verbally once or twice. It's not that he doesn't like you- he doesn't have any strong feelings for you yet. It's just that he's not very... talky

If you ask bluntly enough he'll show you around the mansion. You already know where the rooms and kitchen are. As well as the living room.. he shows you where other non-bedroom rooms are, as well as the immediate forested area around the mansion

It's... actually a little nice once the quiet tension passes

HOODIE

Great listener, you can talk to him about just about anything. He kind of... nods.. when you trail off and go quiet. You can keep going, he doesn't mind

You're free to tag along behind him as he walks around doing some smaller stuff around the woods. He may not have any assigned work from slenderman at the moment... but sometimes he can't stand just doing nothing

Plus your voice is a nice change from the silence of the woods... also it's a good opportunity for you to get to know the general layout. Landmarks to mentally jot down so you don't get lost

Even if you know sign language he doesn't communicate that much- not much for conversing from his side of things

TICCI TOBY

He mostly hangs out in the living room so going up to him is fairly easy! He's not going to be totally buddy buddy with you off the bat but he's not shut off

If he's in the living room, jeff is there too. And that gets him talking- you're free to hop into the conversation whenever you'd like if you've got something worth while to say

Actually if it goes well you're free to join the two of them just about whenever! He plans on going around the woods tonight to do.. fuck all.. collect rocks, run around, things like that. Maybe the three of you can go out to town and nab some snacks

Only if you're not gonna get them caught of course

JEFF

It's too light outside to go out and do some slashing so in order to kill the time Jeff lounges about the mansion. You're free to join... you seemed cool at breakfast so try not to make yourself look like a total dork

Knife throwing is one of his favorite hobbies when Slenderman isn't breathing down his neck. Throwing the blade decently is a quick way to foster a friendship with him! Though if you suck... maybe he'll be nice enough to give you some tips

He's... a little hot headed... easily agitated. So keep that in mind when interacting with him pre solidified friendship- he's got a shorter fuse for people he doesn't really have a connection to

But other than that he's... oddly chill enough to hang out with. If you impress him he might ask you to come to town with him tonight to pick out some late night stragglers

JANE

She doesn't really spend time around in the common areas or with others. Nina's too much. Jeff is.. Jeff.. She does sometimes play with sally.. lj is too loud and ej returns her blunt and somewhat cold attitude... so she spends a lot of her time either in her room, outside, or in the library

She doesn't own the woods or the mansions library so you're free to join her. Just don't get all up in her business

She at least gives you some attention if you ask something or need something. She won't go out of her way to get you something but she at least gives you instructions

Low social battery, it's best not to pester her too much all at once... slow burn friendship...

More or less instantly shuts you out if she finds out you're also getting buddy buddy with jeff

NINA

Drags you around the mansion- basically pulling you by the arm the entire time. While masky shows you around in silence she's going to be telling you every little detail... even if a lot of the stuff serves no purpose to you

But once that's done and squared away she actually.. just outright asks if you want to go hang out in her room. Maybe listen to music.. watch a movie.. make something-

At least that's assuming she doesn't plant herself in the living room to chat up Jeff and catch up with Toby... or assuming she doesn't get snatched up by Sally to go play some games

Really she kind of drifts around the mansion doing whatever...! Like laughing jack there's a chance you'll be hanging out with someone else if you stick with her!

BEN DROWNED

Odds are he's with Jeff. Sure maybe not physically, but when you're a spirit tied to technology there aren't many windows to step out into the physical world

Oh he WILL make fun of you for throwing up your throws during the knife throwing thing. He will never let you live down a particularly bad throw. Months can pass and he will still bring it up

He doesn't really ask you questions about yourself- at least not the "OH where are you from?" "What do you like?" Ect ect ect ice breaker questions to get to know people... nah... he's more likely to ask if you wanna get your ass handed to you in a game

It's been so long since he's had a new gaming buddy- sometimes having the same shit talk with the same people gets old

SALLY

Well obviously she's going to drag you off to play some games! Odds are she's managed to snag a few others to join you!

It's actually.. really fun... sure it's little kids games- board games, tea parties, pretend. Things like that but who doesn't like innocent fun every now and then?

It also gives you a chance to just.. have a moment of peace. No doubt the transition of moving into the mansion has been hectic

...good luck trying to leave, she's going to get for at least one more game.. and another... and another... playing with splendor and Jane and on occasion ben and nina is fun- but you're fun too it seems!

LAUGHING JACK

Always on his feet- he seems almost incapable of keeping still for very long. Sticking with him leads to you scurrying across nearly the entire mansion and learning just about every inch of it save for any rooms that are off limits

Hes.. open. Chatty and willing to pick you apart to figure out what makes you tick- not in a malicious way to keep you in line... no no no, it's all mostly innocent for him...

He can be a little overstimulating sometimes, though, he talks a lot and he talks loud. Not quite shouting but his talking voice is definitely louder than most... he also moves around. A lot. Not just walking- he emotes a LOT. And laughs... a lot

Hanging out with him often times leads you hanging out with just about everyone for at least a few minutes

EYELESS JACK

He likes to spend his time alone. He doesn't... really enjoy spending time around others. Everyone's either too nosey or too loud. Your best bet at getting close to him is just... letting him take the lead

Small talk is going to be your best friend- slipping in some words in passing whenever you guys run into one another. He's reclusive but he's not outright rude... well... okay he's blunt and sometimes doesn't have tact but he's not going to ignore you if you haven't done anything wrong

It's like trying to befriend a cat. Give him time and let him warm up to you at his own pace. He won't be all over you when he starts seeing you as a friend but overtime those few shared words turn into sentences...

Maybe one day you can convince him to come hang out in your room to watch a show or something

[perotovar]

from May to August (or later)

hello friends! i really liked doing my Offering of Frith challenge last summer and have been wanting to do another one ever since. and well, if you've been following me for a minute, you know that Sleep Token is my favorite band. so i figured with their latest album having just released, this was the perfect time to do another one!

this one is going to go a little differently, and hopefully more people can join in on the fun this time around!

disclaimer: you do not need to listen to Sleep Token to participate, or even know who they are.

i'm hoping people will be open minded at the idea of having a song and its lyrics inspire them to write something!

let's get started!

shout out to @scenaaario @kedsandtubesocks and my mom for the help on this ♥

so, the way this will work is like this: i have 4 groups of pedro characters. one group per album. i'll list out those groups and you tell me which boy you'd like to write for and i'll assign you to a group.

for example: say you wanna write for Dave York.

calm down, grumpy pants, sheesh.

anyway, say you wanna write for dave. you'd send me a message saying so and i'll respond with what group you're a part of and most importantly, what your song is!

this way, if someone else wanted to write for dave, they could be assigned to a different group. this makes it a little easier for me to keep track of and hopefully more people happy!

if you have any further questions, don't hesitate to dm me!

now, what do each of these groups look like? here are your options!

GROUP 1

1. Max Phillips -> taken by @noxturnalnymph 2. General Acacius -> taken by @grogusmum 3. Marcus Pike 4. Dave York -> taken by @ghoulettesinspace 5. Pero Tovar -> taken by @clubsoft 6. Joel Miller -> taken by @evolnoomym 7. Lucien De Leon 8. Clint Flood -> taken by @mandaloriankait 9. Javier Peña -> taken by @stitch-away 10. Frankie Morales -> taken by @cosmickid-inmotion 11. Ezra -> taken by @cas-readsandwrites 12. Din Djarin -> taken by @probablyreadinsmut

GROUP 2

1. Joel Miller -> taken by @beardedjoel 2. Lucien De Leon 3. Marcus Pike -> taken by @crowandmousewritingco (crow) 4. Comandante Veracruz 5. Silva -> taken by @javier-pena 6. Dieter Bravo -> taken by @jessthebaker 7. Reed Richards -> taken by @obsessedwithpedritoofc 8. Jack Daniels/Agent Whiskey -> taken by @beelzebeth87 9. Dave York 10. Javi Gutierrez -> taken by @qveerthe0ry 11. Frankie Morales -> taken by @quinnnfabrgay-writes 12. Din Djarin -> taken by @dilf-din

GROUP 3

1. Ezra -> taken by @kedsandtubesocks 2. Javier Peña -> taken by @almostfoxglove 3. Lucien De Leon -> taken by @almostempty 4. Clint Flood -> taken by @sp00kymulderr 5. Pero Tovar -> taken by @eroticallywritten 6. Maxwell Lord -> taken by @everybodylovedcontractors 7. Frankie Morales -> taken by @jolapeno 8. Joel Miller -> taken by @millerillusions 9. Marcus Moreno 10. Oberyn Martell -> taken by @oonajaeadira 11. Dave York -> taken by @goodwithcheese 12. General Acacius -> taken by @ak-vintage

GROUP 4

1. Joel Miller -> taken by @pinkypromisepascal 2. Frankie Morales -> taken by @nonbinairyboi 3. Dave York 4. Max Phillips -> taken by @pedritofics | read it HERE 5. Dieter Bravo taken by @rulexofxnines 6. General Acacius -> taken by @cuppajoel 7. Javier Peña -> taken by @grayandthyme 8. Din Djarin -> taken by @5oh5 9. Lucien De leon -> taken by @whocaresstillthelouvre 10. Ezra -> taken by @beefrobeefcal

considering how my last challenge went, this tends to be on a first come first serve basis, but ST have a few singles/extra songs so if someone really wants to participate, i have a few more songs to hand out!

now, what are the parameters of this challenge?

i don't really mind how long your fic is. whatever the lyrics bring out of you makes me happy, so go nuts!

i'm also not super stressed about deadlines, but my little selfish self wants to read these fics super bad LOL and i'd love to see how creative y'all get! i'm going to have this go for the whole summer and you're free to post them whenever during that time. but if writer's block or life happens, there's no rush ♥

have fun!

[chronicalchaos]

Finally have some things about the Poppy Playtime AU that I can share.

It just doesn't have a name yet lol

It's a human AU, mixing my favorite book series (Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children) with the characters from PPT. Most of the plot stays the same (kids being experimented on, the hour of joy) and it still takes place in the factory.

If I get to write something about this AU, it would probably be separated in 4 POVs, I don't have any digital drawings, but, I have some doodles:

Group/Plot A - Safe Haven/The survivors

This group consists of Doey(Matthew/Kevin/Jack), most of the smiling critters, Kissy and a few of the smaller toys. They don't live in the safe haven we know from chapter 4, not anymore at least, now, they reside in playcare (there's 2 playcares, it gets a bit confusing, but I'll try to explain it at the end).

Their goal is to rescue kids/toys while trying to find a way out of the factory.

Who is the PoV wasn't decided yet.

Group/Plot B - Prisoners/The seekers

This group starts with only Yarnaby/Quinn, where he's been locked up on the prison for a LONG time, even before the hour of Joy. This plot starts with him being set free by the doctor, who asks Yarnaby to free him from... wherever he is. As he explores the prison area, the group starts to get bigger, as Pianosauros (bud's alive lol) and the Nightmare Critters join him.

Yarnaby/Quinn is the PoV for this Plot.

Group/Plot C - The Prototype Gang

The main danger of the AU, the 4 most loyal people to the prototype: Catnap/Theo, Huggy, Mommy/Marie and Boxy. Each takes care of a part of the factory, Huggy with the entrance floor and the catwalks where Poppy was, Mommy/Marie with the game station floor, Catnap/Theo with the playcare (the other one) and Boxy with the prison.

Catnap/Theo is the PoV for this Plot.

Group/Plot D - Game Station Duo/The Lost ones

This is a plot that is intertwined with Plots A and C, as it follows people Safe Haven is trying to save and the Prototype Gang keeps as hostage. It follows Bunzo and PJ as they escape the Game Station when Long Legs left for a meeting.

Other toys might join this group, buy I don't have who would join.

Bunzo is the PoV for this Plot.

The Factory

There's technically 3 factories, but only 2 will appear in the AU. Now, why is that?

This is where the Miss Peregrine's series comes into play. There's a thing called a loop, where the same day repeats in a, well, a loop.

In this AU, there's the present: the original factory where the hour of joy happened. Playcare/the worker's loop: Where the Peculiar kids stayed to be eventually trained to be toys, it's now on the hands of the prototype. And there's Safe Haven: the loop poppy made to keep the toys against the hour of joy safe.

Peculiar kids/The Toys

As mentioned above, all who would be a "living toy" in the game, are actually just peculiar kids persuaded to act like and answer as the toy character it was assigned.

What is a peculiar? It's a person who was born with a "second soul" that grants them a "super power", it's also what allows them to live in loops, normals (people without a second soul) can't even enter the loops, that makes it a safe place for peculiars to live.

At least, that's why a loop is normally created.

[mysticstarlightduck]

Supernova Initiative - WIP Intro/WIP Someday Tag

I wasn't tagged for this recently, but I wanted to make a WIP Intro/WIP Someday post for this story in the style of my previous post for Song of Thorns (here). So here we go😅! Feel free to make your own version of this Tag for one of your WIPs, if you'd like!

By the way, if you like this, please reblog, it helps a lot 💕

And tell me if you'd like to be added to any future taglists of this WIP!

Rules: Pick a WIP. Post something about it. On a Wednesday. Or whenever! It can be literally anything! (:

WIP INTRO - Supernova Initiative

Title: Supernova Initiative

Genre: Science Fiction/Space Opera/Adventure & Mystery/Whump

Tags: #wip supernova initiative #supernova initiative

Synopsis/What Is It About?

Jack Tithus, a young and charming intergalactic thief, along with his crew - Vesper Foxx, a feared cyborg assassin; Cassiopeia Tithus, his younger sister who is also a genius engineer; Aleks Keldora, a master in the art of temporary identity theft; and Artemis Zreeth, their edgy new recruit - are the most wanted criminals in this quadrant of the galaxy. Never once caught, the team defies their galaxy's oppressive government by using their combined talents to steal from the government as their own act of rebellion.

However, their luck takes an unexpected turn for the worst when they find themselves set up and arrested after a botched heist. Taken to the most secure facility in the whole Junction, the group expects nothing but problems in the coming future - instead, they are offered a strange deal: if they agree to work for the Junction and retrieve some highly classified files that were lost in a hostile planetary system, they will be spared from execution. With few other options, the group begrudgingly accepts to carry out this heist for the government they spent their lives trying to undermine.

Meanwhile, Jack finds himself trapped in a horrifying web of unethical experiments and illegal bioengineering when, while still having to carry out the heist along with his crew, he is secretly forced to become a test subject to the fearsome Director, head of the Junction's division of sciences, unbeknownst to his crew.

The team will need to count on the help of old allies-turned-rivals such as the cold-blooded mercenary and sniper Deimos Soll, their former crewmate, and the secret agent assigned to oversee their mission, an uptight and by-the-book young man called Noctus - if they wish to complete the most dangerous heist of their lives, and get their freedoms back.

Tropes and Nice Stuff! (Or, a.k.a. What you can expect in this book!)

Found Family/Team as Family!

Space adventure, exploration of unique, uncanny, beautiful, and outlandish alien planets, all the good science fiction stuff!

Robots, cyborgs, and sarcastically friendly AI!

A terrifyingly strict aspiring utopian regime that promises progress and freedom but is actually an unethical dystopia in disguise, with many bloodied skeletons in the closet, if you will.

Intergalactic politics, multiple alien cultures, and a bubbling interplanetary conflict about to explode between vastly different civilizations, each seeking either revenge or power.

Sibling bonds! A lot of this story centers around the siblings Jack and Cassiopeia Tithus, and the struggles they go through to keep each other safe and live another day, among some other notable siblings throughout the book.

Laboratory whump - A LOT OF IT. Also expect a crazy, unethical scientist/politician as a villain who is willing to do absolutely horrid things in the name of progress, even if it means human experimentation.

A suspicious, morally grey antihero with a reputation for being a cold-blooded killer, whom you'd expect is going to betray the group sooner or later, but is actually one of their most loyal allies and HAS A REDEMPTION ARC aaaaaa

Heists! Heists! Heists! And all the good stuff that comes along with this trope!

An edgy rogue-type character who is super impulsive and does not always make the best decisions, who only recently joined the group but would defend them with his life.

Traumatized - and hot - cyborg assassin lady on the path to have revenge on the people who destroyed her life in the past, and who is going to get said revenge in ✨style✨

A conformist secret agent who has always been "the perfect soldier" and follows rules like his life depends on it has an existential crisis and learns that his government has lied to him

A subplot that follows a young cadet from the Junction's Void Program, who discovers a dark secret about their government and starts investigating, but who needs to escape (and ends up meeting the MCs) after the government makes an attempt on his life + his war hero (adoptive) older brother who is a fighter pilot and really just needs a break and was tasked by their parents with trying to keep Pax from getting into even more trouble, but fails successfully.

Outcasts and society's "rejects" decide to make a better future together and it is great

Angst, team dynamics, and a lot of action-packed fight scenes!

And more! ✨

Meet The Main Cast! (The good guys)

Jack Tithus

A charming and rebellious intergalactic thief, Jack always sought a better life for himself and his younger sister, Cassiopeia, his only family - and he finally got his chance many years ago by joining a famous space pirate crew and leaving the dusty mining settlement moon he grew up in behind. After that, he took on a solo career - along with his sister and a few friends they had made along the way - and became the most wanted thief in the galaxy. He only steals from the government and seeks to help people who are oppressed or neglected by the system. He has a kind heart and a free spirit, and despite being a thief has a stronger moral compass than most, believing in breaking the rules to do what is truly right.

Cassiopeia Tithus

Cassiopeia - or Cassie, as she is usually called - is a brilliant robot engineer and inventor, able to build even the most complex machines from little more than scraps. She built her first robot when she was a child and has had a passion for mechanics ever since. A part of her older brother's outlaw team, Cassie uses her tech to aid in the heists and allow them to be mostly undetected. Most times. A lively young girl with a fiery personality, Cassiopeia has a lot of passion for what she does and is the glue that keeps their little team of misfits together.

Aleks Keldora

Raised by his two mothers on a struggling planet on the edge of the system, Aleks always wanted to help his family financially and give his mothers the life they deserved. However, struggling with self-esteem issues and often feeling discarded by society, Aleks knew what it meant to be invisible in the eyes of the world around him - with his family being the only ones who ever saw him for who he was. Tired of feeling left out by the world, and wanting to help his mothers - whose business was about to go bankrupt - Aleks decided to take a stand after winning a high-tech device in an underworld completion, a mask that allowed him to shapeshift into anyone he'd like. With the help of this mask and his other talents, Aleks completed his first heist in secret and was able to use the funds to help keep his family's business afloat, though they never knew the truth about how he got the money. After that, finally able to use his feeling of being invisible to his advantage, Aleks became more and more bold, eventually leaving his home planet in search of better heists to be able to continue to support his family.

Vesper Foxx

Traumatized by the day her home planet was raided by a ruthless group of mercenaries - who were hired by the neighboring galaxy's government to establish a Junction colony in Khosmonian territory - Vesper was kidnapped by the soldiers along with her oldest brother, Atheris, after their mother was killed in the raids. After witnessing him be tortured and killed, which scarred for life, Vesper was able to flee in an escape pod, being reunited with her little sister, Lysia, and their cousin, Deya, with whom she left their destroyed homeland behind. Despite settling down in another planetary system with the family she had left, the girl was never able to let go of the past, yearning for justice and revenge. Eventually, she left behind her sister and her cousin to pursue the deaths of the mercenaries who destroyed her life, using cyborg implants and upgrades to turn herself into the deadliest assassin in either galaxy.

Artemis Zreeth

The son of a renowned bounty hunter, Artemis never thought he would ever join their galaxy's criminal underworld, but after his father was betrayed by the crew he trusted the most, Artemis was left to fend for himself. Feeling betrayed by the system he trusted and lacking a purpose in life, Artemis survived by doing some gigs as a mercenary and pirate, a gun for hire in the criminal underworld. After winning a race and accidentally meeting the main cast, Artemis joins the group thinking this would just be another job to pay the bills, but as they spend more and more time together, the teenager finds that this group of outcasts might be the closest thing he's had to a family in a long while.

Pax Stellaryn

A genius young cadet, on his way to becoming the youngest cadet to ever graduate from the Junction's Void Program, Pax always wanted to make his beloved adoptive family proud, feeling oftentimes like a fish out of the water. After discovering a terrifying government intrigue by accident, Pax finds a chance to prove that he too can be a hero, and sets off to investigate more about this and seek a way to prevent the Junction's wretched plan from coming to fruition, after realizing his life too is in danger. However, he may have overestimated his ability to get out of this mess alone.

Deimos Soll

A cold-blooded and practical sniper, Deimos was Jack and Cassie's childhood best friend and their first crewmate. The trio split ways years ago due to conflicting beliefs and a few bad misunderstandings and ended up becoming rivals and competition when it comes to stealing from the Junction. Years later, however, after a harrowing encounter with a cruel and sadistic woman who sought to enslave him in order to force him to join her army, Deimos ends up fleeing to the only people he ever trusted - which unfortunately means having to confront his past and face Jack and Cassie again, who is very confused about his return to the crew - while being hunted down by the insane general he seeks to escape from.

Noctus

Though his full name is classified and unknown to the cast, his reputation precedes him. He is the single most successful special forces secret agent currently in the employ of the Junction - he has never failed a mission, never missed a target. And he always follows orders, always obeys the rules. However, is everything about him what it seems? A forgotten and suppressed part of his memory may prove that the system he fought so dearly to uphold may have actually made him into their perfect living weapon, and there may be many other lies yet to be uncovered

Ethean Mirannir

Pax's adoptive older brother, Ethean is a fighter pilot who has made a name for himself as a war hero and has always been the perfect soldier. Unexpectedly, he finds himself having to choose between his duty to the government and keeping his family safe when Pax discovers a secret that even he had no idea existed.

A few Plot Points, chaotically described🙃 (A.k.a - Badly Summarized WIP Tag but different)

Celebrating a successful heist on a space diner with the homies

I don't know why but I have a feeling this is going suspiciously well for our standards... Are we being set up? Hmm. Nah, I must be thinking too much into it-

Yep. Yes, we were being set up.

🎶Hell to the no, to the no, no, no🎶 WHAT IN THE DYSTOPIAN BULLCRAP EVEN IS THIS PLACE?

"Making shady deals with psycho government officers and bargaining for our freedom - with a bonus of Trauma✨"

THIS JUST-IN: 20-something agent totally done with everything must babysit this group of reckless space pirates that refuse to obey the rules

Cue the most uncomfy space travel in the whole galaxy~

"Hey guys, so yeah, this wasn't my plan either -" Promptly passes out, and everyone has more questions than answers.

Preparing to steal important files lost✨IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE✨ with a plan with came up with at 2AM with three bottles of energy drinks and a dash of improv

Operation "Let's Try Not To Die In Less than 20 Mins" begins and goes about as well as you'd expect

Losing communications with any backup we might have had and having a bit of group therapy because why not~

Things get Oh, so much worse, Special Edition - a.k.a - a not-so-nice crash landing on the worst possible planet ever

Let's improvise again Pt.2

Questionable problem-solving and emergency hot chocolate bottles

Cyborg Girl and Sniper Dude absolutely do not get along for a whole week and make it everyone else's problem

This is nice! Finally, something goes according to plan in this mess. I'm honestly surprised we got this far. Bravo to us!

(POV Shift) "Hi, yes, you're probably wondering how I even got into this mess. Let's start from the beginning."

This isn't a regular doctor's appointment, is it? What is that needle?! What are you doing -

Political drama, espionage, and manipulative teachers

And The Whump Begins

Well, well, well if it isn't the Consequences of my actions striking back at last. I probably should've mentioned this teeny tiny major problem sooner though. Yeah, my bad...

This is either the single most adorable little alien or the most concerningly ugly thing I've ever seen and now I'm confused

Cue existential crisis - "So no one was gonna tell me my whole life was a lie? Cool. Cool. Just checking... WTF"

HEIST! BADASSERY! BAD LIFE CHOICES!

Two tired older brothers try to keep their respective gremlin younger siblings from encouraging chaos and fail miserably

Insane Femme Fatale makes everyone hate her in less than 2 seconds and is so proud of it

Midnight Talks and Crispy Snacks

Things just got serious, Oh No.

How To Keep Two Rival Civilizations from Destroying Each Other 101 - We're still trying to figure it out

Hm. This plan wasn't half bad. Except it was. It was oh, so bad, OMG

To be Continued...

Playlist

Antigravity - Runaground

Superhero - Simon Curtis

Die For You - Valorant

Notorious - NEONI

Fighter - The Score

Glitter and Gold - Barns Courtney

Tagging (gently): @sleepy-night-child, @kaylinalexanderbooks, @smol-feralgremlin, @oh-no-another-idea, @littleladymab,

@winterandwords, @cowboybrunch, @eccaiia, @sarahlizziewrites, @illarian-rambling

@agirlandherquill, @anoelleart

@leave-her-a-tome, @writernopal, @anyablackwood, @unstablewifiaccess, @forthesanityofstorytellers

@i-can-even-burn-salad, @cakeinthevoid

@lassiesandiego, @thepeculiarbird, @clairelsonao3, @memento-morri-writes, @starlit-hopes-and-dreams

@the-golden-comet, @urnumber1star, @ominous-feychild, @anyablackwood, @amaiguri, @lyutenw @finickyfelix @elshells

@thecomfywriter

And OPEN TAG

[ariascend]

CK girls brain dump

I'm really bored and i wanna take a break from uni work so I'm gonna lore brain dump my creepy pasta coloured killer girlies on you guys.

these ocs are deadass nearly a decade old and I've periodically worked on them over time they do follow the old slender mansion format and idc if it's cringe that's a you problem not mine I'm just here to be whimsical and have fun.

they are oc x cannon so if that's not what you like then keep scrolling I will outright block any hate.

Blanca Gauthier

the first born child of Ck her representive colour is white and she wields a giant ass knife sword thing as her weapon.

Blanca Is originally from France and moved along with her parents to New  Jersey for a business opportunity when she was 10 years old. She lived an ordinary life earning good grades and getting into her local college she had a good group of friends and was regarded highly by many. 

One day on her way home from college, she was attacked by a mysterious man she managed to escape only to be taunted by the assailant and attacked once more later that night. That was when she met Jeff the slit-mouthed killer upon meeting and making contact with the powers that had been dormant in her unlocked earning her, her Proxy markings. Before she can question Jeff he escapes into the night out of a window. She was left alone for a few days and became paranoid that the attacker would return.

(the link includes all the extra info plus an ao3 link to the start of her fanfic thing)

Summer Rivera

her weapon is a big hammer :D

Her father passed away helping defend the rifts (result of an event that happens in Blancs story)

Her mother works two jobs to make up enough money to afford basic living expenses which means Summer is usually solo helping to raise her two siblings between classes Summer dreams of being an artist and during her little amounts of spare time practices graffiti and street art with her friends. Despite these dreams, she is currently studying to pursue a career in medicine hoping to get a good job so her mother wouldn't have to work as hard. 

She discovers the group when her city comes under attack by Zalgos shadows Toby along with Jack, Jeff and Blanc are dispatched to help defeat them Summer while saving one of her younger siblings gets caught in the crossfire and as Toby jumps in to save her the Powers that laid dormant are unlocked. Summer is very against leaving her family at first but after some convincing, she joins the Proxy warriors.

(more to come when I finally get around to writing the full story <3)

Suzuki Midori (Jade Suzuki)

Her weapon is a bow and arrow

Born in Osaka Japan Jade was once part of one of the most popular Idol groups in Japan known as CharmZ she took on the role of their centre member under the alias of Lucky she was seen as the favourite which caused most of her groupmates to come to resent and hate her. 

One day she was assigned to do a photoshoot with a male model they soon became close friends both finding solace in each other's company in the grueling industry.  This enraged her groupmates more and they came up with a plan to take her down once and for all while they were out on an innocent date they followed behind secretly snapping pictures even managing to get one of them kissing.

The photos were leaked causing an uproar in the media their seemingly perfect idol was caught kissing another man which caused both her and the group to lose numerous fans and receive hate directed at not only her but also her other groupmates which subsequently led to her deciding to graduate from the group and flee from the public eye. 

She became a recluse she had no family to turn to as she was now seen as a failure so she spent most of her days in her house alone only ever leaving to get food or to pick up new video games and always in full disguise in fear that someone would recognise her she saw herself as a disgrace and found comfort in video games which is what brings us to now after buying a seemingly normal copy of Majoras mask from a local market accidentally summoning Ben and unlocking powers that had been laid dormant her entire life. At first, she was opposed to the very idea of becoming a soldier as she did not want to be in the public eye at all but after a series of ups and downs, she now resides in the mansion as one of the Proxy warriors.

I hope you enjoy my children as much as I do these girls are legit my pride and joy.

[awesam-sauce]

tell me about you + your friend’s 80s au?

oh lord where do i even start 😭 i’m about to be yapping for a long time i apologize in advance.

so, me n my group of friends got together and put an 80’s au together called Island Wheels! we’ve all been working on it for a while and i love it dearly i’m ngl. i write ralph’s perspective (might have been obvious..) and basically his whole character so most of the stuff in this ramble will be about his side of the story!! (we also assume that mulberry boy [we named him maxwell], simon, and piggy are still alive and just got really beat up or something)

we assigned each of the boys a type of skating/something on wheels!! so ralph roller skates (i think piggy would attempt to roller skate too? he just wouldn’t like it very much and opt to play the arcade games or smt lolll), jack and roger roller blade, simon and maurice skateboard, and samneric ride bicycles (or only one for both of them sometimes..)! they all hang out at the local skating rink to just get away from everything though.

to start: his family. i hc that ralph is a middle child! his older brother is robert and his younger brother is maxwell. his fathers name is felix allebach and his mothers name was clara, who passed away when ralph was seven. his father remarried to an american woman named trudy jennings. ralph’s full name is ralph rover jennings-allebach. his brothers are amazing; maxwell looks up to ralph like an idol of some sort, and robert would literally kill for his younger brothers. his relationship with his father is also really good too! the allebachs are british-german, making them practically fluent in both languages as they grew up around german speaking family. their family is more lower-middle class, leaning hard on the lower part.

ralph’s character: basically brother has issues. he has ocd, ptsd from the island, anxiety/hallucinations, and he tends to go into depressive slumps every so often; especially when things aren’t clean or ‘manipulated’ to how it wants them to be. this is what my most recent art was about!! he was freaking out because he looks “like a corpse” and how he can’t recognize himself anymore after getting smoked out of the island. yikes.

last section bcz i don’t want to spoil too much!! how did jack and ralph re-meet?: they wound up going to the same boarding school (wow shocker ikr) and ralph becomes distant after figuring that out. but one night during a party at the skating rink, roger shoves jack into ralph which leads into jack spilling his drink all over him. (fun fact this entire scene was inspired by Ribs by Lorde so um. thanks Lorde?) ralph still like hates jack at this time so jack is like “uhmmmmmhhh ill go get paper towels ahaha” and he just ditches and probably punches roger. and then (shocker again) their sophomore year they get put in a dorm together and simply have to Deal With It! they do end up getting along a little while into it though :)

i don’t want to spoil a whole hell of a lot but that’s a little bit of it :,) i’ve been waiting for someone to ask though i’ve been so excited FJSHSJJS. i have so much more i’m so sorry for the literal paragraphs already BAHAHAHA take some soggy ralph as compensation 🥹

please do ask questions if you have any!! i’m very willing to answer any questions about this au hehe

[faytelumos]

Happy blorbo blursday again!!! :D

How would your OCs do in a group project? How cooperative would they be and who would have what tasks?

I love this question, this should be on character development questionnaires.

Hhamath: He's quiet, doesn't like to offer up his ideas in case people don't like them. He'll happily just let everyone decide what the project is going to look like and the layout of the trifold, and then he'll do his share of the research and drafting. He also knows calligraphy, so instead of printing the project out, everyone gives him their share of the project and he wing-hand-writes all of the text. Everyone gets bonus points for style.

Athetæm: If everyone else on the project is a peer or friend, he will shamelessly sit back and do jack shit. He gets snacks and looks pretty, and that's the extent of his contribution. He has the brains and the eye to contribute, but he'd rather gab and hang out.

Fethu: She's the boss. Before the group is even finished forming, she knows who's doing what. Delegation and accountability are her domains, even while she's doing her own share of the research and drafting.

Meva: She's drawing all of the pretty pictures and cutting out all of the colored paper flowers. When it comes to crafts, there's no one better. She'd crochet a lace border for the trifold if there were time. As it is, she sets to work making sure her group's project pops on the table.

Lutem: She passes off the intellectual work because she's not confident she can do it, and instead focuses on helping everyone with their various assignments. Rides to someone else's house or another trip to the craft store? Need food for a late night session? Gotta get something off the classroom printer? She's your girl.

Ræs: He's picking up Athetæm's and Lutem's slack and taking extra work from Meva. Out loud, he sounds disgruntled about it, but he's never wanted to work so hard on anything in his life. He's blowing the lion's share of the research and drafting out of the water, and he's gonna argue with Fethu when she tries to tell him he's missing the point of the assignment. After they share words, the two come to an agreement.

Overall grade: A++

Shryth: She's not totally sure what's going on in any given moment. She does the work that's handed to her and then… sets it back on the table? She missed the discussion. It's kind of hard for her to stay focused in class. But she'll take everything where it needs to go.

Ohrik: He's doing all of the research and drafting. He's good at it, so he may as well. He doesn't really care; he'll just do all of the work and let everyone else put their names on it.

Shohm: She's gonna make this presentation shine. She's gotten a lot of craft materials, and she has the trifold at her house pretty much the entire time. It's all she wants to do in her free time, really. She never gets the chance to just be creative in class.

Ia: She's just gonna do all of the work. It isn't really like anybody else can make a good presentation. It's fine. She doesn't care. At least this way it'll get done fast and then she won't have to get everybody to work.

Syfreth: He keeps trying to figure out what he's supposed to be doing. Nobody will give him any work to do. So he ends up sitting in the corner and reading a book between looking up for a chance to actually help.

Toler: He makes cootie catchers and paper footballs out of Shohm's fancy paper. She doesn't mind it, and she helps him come up with some of the stuff in the cootie catcher. He hasn't looked at the assignment even once.

The day before, when Shohm finally brings the trifold back into class, Ia and Ohrik almost throttle each other over whose version of the project goes up. They end up rewriting the whole thing the night before. It barely fits into the blank spaces Shohm has left between the paper scenery and glitter borders.

Overall grade: B+

[endigreatcomet]

"I Never Thought that I'd End Up Like This" (Pierre, Pierre)

It was a cold November evening when those involved in the theater department got the email that we would be performing Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 as the musical for the upcoming spring semester. I remember being elated, as Great Comet was one of my favorite musicals, second only to Hadestown. After a sub-par semester, I had almost considered dropping theater to focus on other things, but I took the show announcement as a sign to continue on with it. Auditions for the show were scheduled the week after we returned from Thanksgiving break, so I had little time to prepare an audition song. Singing was never really my forte, I had always considered myself an actor, dancer, then singer, but considering that Great Comet was a show that was entirely sung through, I knew I would have to put a little more effort into how I presented myself to the audition panel. Standing at 5’10 and already having a deep speaking voice for a woman, I knew that I would most likely be lined up for more masculine roles (A reasonable assumption, considering I have only played male roles in the past). I went into the audition room, sang my 16 bars, did my range check with the music director, and stared at my email in-box for two days awaiting callbacks. Surprisingly enough I did get a callback, unsurprisingly for a male character. Vocal callbacks were on the same day as the dance call, so not only did I get to sing a very fun song, I got to dance my legs sore learning the hardest part of the longest dance number. Two birds with one stone I suppose. 

If waiting for the callback email wasn’t bad enough, waiting for the actual casting email was brutal. The theater department takes on the professional approach when casting shows, and sends out role offer emails in waves over the course of a week. At the end of the week if you didn’t get an email, you knew you were cut. I’ll never forget turning off my notifications on my email app so I wouldn’t be tempted to look at it and do nothing else. After the sun had set on the final day I still hadn’t gotten an email. I knew the worst had happened: for the first time ever I had gotten cut from a show. I was gutted, I love the show so much and I knew that not being able to participate in it would crush me. Now I couldn’t make this up if I wanted to, but literally seconds after I started to cry about being cut, I received my casting email. “Roving Guitarist” was what my role was officially called. My sorrow turned to confusion. I had no idea how to play the guitar.

Apparently, during the audition process I had written “willing to learn” on the audition form in the section where they asked if we were able to play any instruments. So they took that as a sign to assign me the task of learning how to play the guitar well enough to mimic the abilities of professional musicians in just four months. I got off easy though, two of my dear friends had to learn how to play the accordion. 

There were six “roving musicians” in all. Six people separate from the traditional ensemble and dance groups, tasked with walking around the stage and playing their instruments while also singing the songs, and interacting with the characters, throughout all two and a half hours of the show. The only one of us who already knew how to play their instrument was my friend Jack, who was also a guitarist. In total there were four guitarists and two accordionists, and we had to divide 27 songs amongst ourselves. Thankfully not all 27 of those songs used those instruments, so we averaged out to three songs per guitarist, and just under half for the accordionists. They were the real stars of the show.

Seeing as though I had no idea I would be asked to play the guitar, I had to borrow my suitemate's guitar, which means I had to wait till the end of January to start rehearsing. Luckily I had a bit of an incentive (besides the immense pressure of course). One of the songs I had been assigned to play was my absolute favorite song in the show, so I knew I would be practicing that one the most. The song, concisely titled “Pierre���, was also one of the more complicated songs I had to play, so I knew that if I could learn “Pierre”, I could learn my other songs with ease. My other songs were titled “Balaga” and “Natasha Very Ill”, the composer of the show Dave Malloy had a certain motif about him when it came to titling songs. “Pierre” is the second song in the show, sung immediately after “Prologue”, in which the character Pierre sings about how he wants to be a better man than he is, and then it just doesn’t happen until much later in the show. Pierre is also my favorite character in the show.

Guitar turned out to be a lot simpler than I had originally feared it would be. As long as you could memorize chords, strumming patterns, and chord progressions, then you could learn to play any song. The thing I had the most trouble with was learning the B chord. It required the use of the index finger to press down on the entire first fret of strings, and I did not have the grip strength to do so. I was always told I had a pianist's hands, which was ironic because I was horrible at playing the piano. I bypassed this anatomical flaw by replacing my occasional B chords with a Bm7. Bm7 only required three strings to be pressed, and they were all on the same fret. I don’t think anyone noticed the change.

Time moved on, and rehearsals went under full swing. We learned the songs, we learned the dances, and the musicians learned how to play their instruments. It took just over two months, but by the end of tech week it was like most of us musicians had been playing our instruments our entire lives. Playing “Pierre” for the final time on closing night was such a bittersweet moment, my primary motivation for learning this new skill had passed. I would still have the ability to play the guitar, but never a good reason to play “Pierre” again. Sometimes I still strum out the chorus if I get frustrated while learning a new song. I bought a guitar strap specifically for the show. I will use it until it breaks, that way I will always carry a piece of this show with me, no matter where I go, what I do, or who’s guitar I am using. I learned a new skill, one I will keep forever, and it’s all thanks to an electro-pop opera set in Napoleonic era Russia.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

I cant be the only who doesn't have a favorite dorm? This may sound corny but why is it so hard to have a favorite dorm???? Like yeah I like ace and trey but that doesn't mean I like Heartslabyul. Like the dorms itself is interesting but they just???.Idk, maybe Im just a complicated person. Sorry if this came out as a rant 😭 feel free to ignore.

Weeeeeeell 🤔 Everyone has their own reasons for preferring one dorm over the others, and it's not always based on liking every single character in a dorm. Sometimes it’s the dorm aesthetic, sometimes it’s enjoying the group dynamic, sometimes one character in a group has a certain sway, sometimes they love the film/Disney villain the dorm is inspired by, etc. I get the sense that if someone claims a dorm as their favorite, it’s usually an evaluation made based on a combination of these factors (“averaging” them) and “rounding up” rather than loving every single aspect of said dorm.

I feel like certain dorms have that one character that weighs the group down. For example, when people say, “I like Savanaclaw”, they usually mean mostly Leona and sometimes Ruggie. Jack ends up being the odd one out since he's the least popular character of the Savanaclaw trio. Even for me, when I say I “like Octavinelle”, I mainly mean the twins, not Azul, and I only really enjoy Azul in the context of him bantering with the twins and not by himself. It’s also difficult for two member dorms (Scarabia, Ignihyde) to get much attention since they have fewer characters and thus fewer personalities to bounce off of. Some people just like the chaos of a larger group (like Heartslabyul) or like a found family dynamic (which I often see being assigned to Diasomnia), even if they don't give the same weight to their love for the individual characters. It really depends on how you evaluate each dorm and your own preferences. You don't need to have a favorite dorm 🤷‍♂️ If you don't find that any of them hit right for you, then it is what it is! Just enjoy whatever characters you like on their own.

[sanatik-aga]

Working with Disney

For today’s assignment I had to pick two people who worked with Walt Disney and write about them, and so today I chose Walter Lantz and Xavier (X) Atencio. So let’s begin!).

Walter Lantz was born on April 27, 1900 in New Rochelle, New York. He started his animation career at sixteen years old working for William Randolph Hearst at “New York American, William Randolph Hearst’s”, newspaper company that wanted to create cartoons from popular Comics strips. He was just simple office boy where he had to wash brushes for Winsor McCay. Since then company was closed and he moved to Universal Studios as a gag writer for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in 1927 and then in 1935 he was put in charge as a producer for the show. He distributed for the show many good things such as introducing new characters for the series including Andy panda and audience favorite Woody Woodpecker

He’s studio worked on shorter projects longer than any other studio before while they all increased their duration to grab viewers attention as long as possible. But in 1972 he had to stop due to shrinking revenues. In 1979 he received special Oscar for his special achievements and in 1994 he passed away.

He never actually worked for Disney, but rather for his opponents Universal Studio. But he was in friendly terms with Disney since both of them were in the association, the Animated Cartoon Association made of Leon Schlesinger of Warner Bros, Fred Quimby of MGM and Walt Disney. They were always cooperating and he said that in was very friendly group, for some people hearing that is something they would never believe in because everyone would rather imagine cutthroat type of relationship between big companies. But Walter Lantz said that he was in touch with Disney, if one of his employees thought about going to Disney instead, he would call Disney himself and tell about his employ that wants to work for him, Disney will ask how much Salter paying him, he would answer and then Disney would say that he won’t pay him more than Lantz already does.

I’m glad than I picked Walter Lantz for my blog because reading his interview with Don Peri definitely made me smile, this guy is very wholesome and nice guy. I picked him because I thought that his name is funny since Lantz part reminds me of name Lancelot. And I was even amazed when I found that he got an Oscar because back then really talented people were getting Oscar, and looking at his achievements, I can say that this man is really talented and hardworking man.

Second man that I want to talk about is Xavier (X) Atencio

So, Xavier Atencio was born on September 4,1919 in Walsenburg, Colorado. At the age of 18 he moved to Los Angeles as a student of Chouinard Art Institute and year later he began his career in Walt Disney Studio as an inbetweener on Pinocchio. Then he became assistant to Wolfgang Reitherman on Fantasia and Dumbo. After that he was in rolled into U.S. Army for WW2. After the war he returned to Disney and worked on small projects like Toot, Whistle and so on. His big projects he worked on were Jack and Old Mac in 1956 and then Noah’s Ark in 1959.

In 1962 he worked on A Symposium on Popular Songs as an instrumental in creating along side with Bill Justice. This duet also created the Special effects for Mary Poppins where the nursery magically tied up. Xavier shortly moved to WED in 1956 and worked on attractions there. His notable works are lyrics for Yo Ho for the Pirates of the Caribbean and Grim Grinning Ghost for Hunted Mansion. After his Retirement in 1984 he was labeled as a Disney Legend in 1996.

In his interview with Don Peri he was asked how did happened that he went to work for Disney.

He said that before that he was unrolled into Charles Mintz Studio because his uncle was a worker there. But he didn’t have enough experience with animations so they sent him to Chouinard Institute which had a preanimation. After the graduation his professors were collecting portfolio for Disney. At first he rejected offer, because he was committed for Mintz at first. But after the while he gave a shot and then they accepted him.

So, my thoughts on this man that he was pretty much an essential figure in Disney. If he wasn’t there I guess we can’t tell for sure how some works would turned out.

That’s it for now, thank you for your attention.

[violetsiren90]

Warning! My message is a lot longer than I actually meant to write.

What? No, no.. I'm not one to rush people into replying back. I am just the person who tends to have very good long term memories but bad short term memories. I don't know why my mind processes like that.

But I've had low battery lately, I haven't been social with anyone lately either. I haven't said or done much lately because of being so drained.

So no complaints from me.

When it comes to the actual obsessive compulsive disorder, the real disorder (not the "other" compulsive disorder)... I have mild obsessive compulsive signs and symptoms. Intrusive thoughts and ruminations are some signs, organizational and ritualistic habits, contamination - could explain my mild germaphobia. Basically every sign or symptom you could think of with obsessive compulsive disorder, just more mild though. At least maybe a milder diagnosis than yours? I don't know.

True. That's the whole complex situation involving characters in every fictional story you've ever read. People complain that they want some more representation, yet complain that the character is too Mary Sue for them to enjoy the story. Original characters (who do actually have face claims) are rare now, which is understandable for certain people, since you'd have visuals of the character and detailed backstories too - if you're the type of person who doesn't mind reading any character like that. Even insert characters could be a hit or miss for people too.

I was joking. Well... Kind of. Not that it would be noticeable over some screen rather than in person. But yes! When it comes to people who's short, or disabled, or whichever person you are. Having certain things on higher shelves does become frustrating. I know you could ask a lot of people for help, if they're considerate to people strangers, but it's a really annoying thing to do. Always relying on people to help you with whatever you might need help with. I'd really hate asking for help too.

Sadly, for me, I don't know how to create content like that.. I probably am the only person who doesn't know how to make edited pictures or gifs, banners, any visuals. So I doubt any visual content will be seen.

But arsonist Jack would still be an interesting story either way if you'll have good ideas to write for the story. An arsonist, a serial killer. I may be able to imagine Jack as a split personality. Wait.. Did I say this yet? Did I say that before? I can't remember. That can be another concept.

The xNTx in me enjoys overanalyzing everything that comes to mind.

Like I said.. I could easily imagine just about everyone being assigned to more than one sin and virtue but I'm only assigning one per person though. And this is just what I've noticed whenever people write a Sin universe concept. I rarely see Yoongi as any other sin besides Sloth so he would be Sloth and Diligence for me. Most of the time, I would just see people assign Pride to Jin or Namjoon. Jin seems slightly more of Pride than anyone else? In a good and bad way. But I think the reason many people assign Namjoon with Pride since he is the leader of BTS (not that he couldn't be prideful). But I would always see Jin assigned as either Pride or Gluttony, both seem fitting for his character. Joon is usually assigned to Pride, Greed, Gluttony, and maybe one other sin I can't remember. The sins could easily be assigned to any of them too.

I know just about everyone in the group says that Hope and Jimin are the scariest when angry. JHope could easily represent the Wrath and Patience in general. But I could also imagine him as Envy, Gluttony or Greed too. I see people assign him as Wrath, Greed, Gluttony or Envy.

Most of the time Lust is usually either Jimin or Taehyung in stories I'd seen. Jimin, Taehyung or Jungkook could easily be Lust in my mind.

Jimin is usually assigned Lust, Envy, Greed or Wrath in stories. Which I could also imagine? I know that I'm basically repeating myself now.

Taehyung's assigned Lust, Envy, Greed and even Wrath too. Between Jimin and Taehyung, there's roles are always switched between them from what I've noticed. But I guess it depends on how you write them too, like how you might want that sin and virtue represented in work.

Jungkook has been assigned just about every sin at some point so I'd say that isn't really surprising though.. But the sins I see assigned him the most are usually Gluttony or Greed, even Wrath - there is so many people I see assign him as Wrath that I've seen, and sometimes Envy.

Though I might have a slight twisted concept on sin of the sins. Like.. Envy, Lust, Greed and Wrath. So hopefully my explain makes sense.

"Greed may not be good, but its not so bad either. You humans think greed is just for money and power, but everyone wants something they don't have."

"You humans think greed is only about money and power. But don't forget: everybody wants something they don't have. So I want money, women, status, fame, and everything else in this world! And I want eternal life." Greed may be a neutral antihero character? But I'm still thinking about that though. So I'm not completely sure on that.

Before you ask, if you ask, this version of Greed would be inspired by inspired by an actual character so that's not even an original concept.

And Lust. Regardless of who represents Lust, obviously Lust's always going to represent sexual lust but not just sexual lust either since lust could mean many things. Lust for sex, power, people and materials - I know this is sounding like Gluttony and Greed. But what about lust as in bloodlust? Just combining the concept of lust as sex and violence.

Wrath is character that I could have many ways of portraying... Wrath is traditionally portrayed as hot explosive anger which could be a way for that character to express their temperament. But in my opinion to a character like Wrath, I could also imagine to other versions of Wrath that doesn't always have to represent explosive anger. There is two of these possible outcomes for Wrath. One: A really cold, calculated and deliberate anger. So the complete opposite of hot explosive anger. I'd say imagine a lot of your favorite mafia men (or maybe this is just me) in this scenario; those men are usually cold, calculated, deliberating a plan of revenge against their enemies in some way or another. Like as in Yoongi in Haegeum (but that doesn't mean I could not actually just write his character, and the other BTS boys, like that in mafia stories). And two: A self-hatred and inwardly turned Wrath, and this longing to be released from this feeling to find inner peace. “It’s about being relentlessly hard on yourself and no matter what you do and how much you improve, you will never be as perfect as you wish, because perfection is an illusion.” So this is why I am having too many conflicting thoughts on who portrays the Wrath in my story. Or, unless, in some way, I could combine every wrath into one character.

And as for Envy. There's two ways I could portray Envy's character, so I might attempt to combine both versions. Obviously envy means one person is envious, jealous, covetous of other people and materials. So that stays. But what happens if people are also envious of Envy? Like, “Being resistant to other peoples hurtful words and actions. They might leave some bruises but they won’t get under your skin. It’s about never giving up and reminding that every hate stems from fear, insecurity, mistrust or malevolence.” Envy could still be some envious character, while other characters are also envious at the same time. It is still a concept I'm working on. But I might need to figure details out for certain characters. Though these are just some ideas right now.

And I don't know what the concept will be yet.. Maybe supernatural? I don't know. There are so many universes I can see this happening in a lot of the time so I might be fickle about the universe at the moment.

Though.. Not sure if I'll do this for the Sins & Virtues concept, or even a supernatural concept in general, but I would love to use Taehyung's visuals of him covered in tattoos. The Shadow Like Me, with the vines and tree looking tattoos. I'd love to use that appearance for a story.

Oh good! I tend to neglect social media when I get overwhelmed with life, and I just never want anyone to think I forgot about them!

On the Yale-Brown OCD scale I scored as severe at the time I was diagnosed. But I'm happy for you that yours is more mild, because it's just no fun!

You're very right, one could definitely assign any pairing for any member as far as the seven deadly sins/virtues goes. It's so fun in characterization to decide if you're going to lean into a person's known traits or if you're going to attempt to pull lesser explored sides out of them!

I have heard a lot that Hobi and Jimin are the scariest when mad. It's so interesting though, because I really think that also boils down to what you're afraid of? When I think of who would be the scariest when mad, I think Yoongi and Namjoon. Why? Because at his unhealthiest, I feel Yoongi would be the most likely to go silent-treatment/ice you out. And with Namjoon I feel like his anger would manifest strongly as disappointment. Scream at me, cuss me out, throw my shit down the stairs. But give me the silent treatment? Say you are disappointed in me?? (I'm kidding, by the way, screaming/words of degradation/physical violence of any sort are obviously abusive behaviors that should never be tolerated)

But yeah, I can see people being more afraid of their mood shift because it would be so jarring in contrast to their typical presenting persona.

I like the idea of Greed extending beyond the socioeconomic "miser" trope. I see what you're saying with basing Greed on a kind of hunger that can be a driving force (Like in J-Hope's song "More"? 👀).

And it's interesting that you correlate Lust and Greed, because they can seem so similar, right? But I feel like Lust comes from a basal function whereas Greed comes from a higher neurological function. Also, Greed seems to use acquisition as a means to an end, like, getting something to possess it. Whereas with lust, the ACT of taking, not having, seems to be the actual end goal. Lust is uncomplicated - a craving. Even if it's an insatiable one. Greed is more complex, even if it's basic, right? I have no idea if I'm making sense WHATSOEVER lololllllll. I'm probably (definitely) overthinking it. But I love tearing apart philosophical concepts like that! (Anyone who has an actual education in philosophy, please do not perceive me at this or any other time, lol).

Wrath is so interesting too, because it seems like anger that is specifically linked to demanding a kind of payment for its satisfaction, and usually a destructive/punitive one. So, you're right, it could be a cold and calculated cruelty or a heated and passionate rage. Though I never thought about Wrath in the sense of springing from a place of self-hatred, but that is such an interesting concept for a character as well!

I think that's interesting, about Envy. As opposed to Greed, Envy would seem to stem from a place of deep dissatisfaction with the self. Whereas Greed is focused on the object of acquisition, Envy is focused on the individual and the circumstances of the individual that the thing to be acquired must be taken from/modeled after. Like, Greed wants a sports car for the very sake of adding another car to the collection. Envy wants a sports car because individual X has a sports car and Envy seeks to emulate that person's life and in the hopes of self/social satisfaction. In a similar vein of distinction, Lust desires their friend's partner from a place of actual primal craving, disregarding the tenants of friendship in the name of satisfying a basic desire. Whereas Envy desires their friend's partner due to desiring a life like their friend's for themselves.

AAAHHHHH SO INTERESTING TO TRY AND DISTINGUISH NUANCES IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND MOTIVATION.

You've unleashed a monster in me, lol.

AND OH - Tae in tattoos??? Specifically that sort. *chef's kiss*

Sorry I got carried away with the philosophical blabbering - feel free to jot it down under topics to NEVER bring up with Violet lest you be met with word-vomit, lol.

But also, I've seen one too many reels today of Yoongi consuming a banana in a way that could be argued is the Eighth Deadly Sin, so my brain is at, like 2% functionality right now. 😅

[adamwatchesmovies]

Now You See Me (2013)

I don’t like dismissing premises outright. You never know. A sufficiently stylish presentation or engaging story might make it work. I'll make an exception for Now You See Me. This heist thriller was doomed from the start. It cheats so frequently and so obviously that even before the twist ending comes around, you’ve already started booing it off the stage. It’s less “sleight of hand” and more “pumping the auditorium full of knock-out gas”.

Magicians J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson), Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher) and Jack Wilder (Dave Franco) are brought together by a mysterious benefactor. One year later, they perform together as “the Four Horsemen” and baffle authorities when they transport an audience member inside a bank in Paris, steal all the money inside the vault and then give it away to their audience. FBI agent Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) and Interpol agent Alma Dray (Mélanie Laurent) investigate what HAS to be a trick… right?

Audiences are immediately suspicious any time we see magicians on-screen. These sleight of hand, escape acts, illusions, etc. are not the same as those that amaze us in person. They’re cheap facsimiles created by tricks of the camera. Ostensibly, this movie is about a quartet of magicians who use their skills to become Robin Hoods but every time you see them perform, you don’t buy it. The obviously fake tricks, which include Henley flying in a giant bubble and Merritt hypnotizing audience members to aid the group’s escapes, create a canyon between you and the investigators. You know what they’re doing is impossible. I don’t mean that it looks impossible. It's impossible unless they're all wizards and that’s just the beginning. Early in the film, we see the Horsemen interact with a hologram courtesy of “the Eye”, a Freemason-like group of magicians who steal from the rich and give to the poor. So it’s a science fiction film now? The FBI should be less worried about magic wands and more about alien tech teleporting people across the ocean.

This movie is like a four-year-old playing Snakes and Ladders against a blind man. It cheats at every opportunity. You don't believe for a second that the Four Horsemen - as wealthy and influential as they might be - could install a giant mirror in a secure location to make it seem like they’ve stolen an entire safe. Why? because you realize that if anyone stepped up close to check if it was actually missing, they'd spot the trick immediately. It’s one insult to your intelligence after another… and then we get to the ending

So it turns out Dylan was the one who brought the Horsemen together. Why? So he could get revenge on various people who contributed to his father’s death years ago, or failed to compensate his family after a tragic magic trick went wrong. Let's break down that sequence of events. Dylan spent DECADES plotting this whole thing, getting a job at the FBI, assembling a team, praying to the dark gods that he would get assigned to the Four Horsemen case, then thanked his lucky stars he took all those acting classes so he could act all frustrated when the Horsemen ran circles around him, even going so far as to maintain character even when alone, just in case someone was watching. His scheme involved chasing Jack through the streets of New York at high speed, the other Horsemen stealing a corpse from the morgue so they could fake Jack’s death in a fiery crash - a crash that conveniently does not burn a critical piece of paper that leads the investigation to the next clue. The Count of Monte Cristo must be blushing somewhere. The whole thing almost gets railroaded when Dylan begins falling for Alma - a magic trick in itself because there’s no reason the two of them should like each other, much less form any lasting attachment - so it's a miracle the thing worked out like it did.

Even if you can swallow the rabbit-sized ball of suspension of disbelief Now You See Me wants you to, the characters are thin and their motivations illogical. The plot tries to do way too much but I suspect that’s a deliberate strategy from director Louis Leterrier and writers Boaz Yakin, Edward Ricourt and Ed Solomon to keep your brain spinning past the ending. It's the only way to prevent you from realizing how little sense this story makes. One more thing. Some versions of the film feature a post-credit scene that hints towards a sequel (released in 2016). Others don’t. If you are determined to catch Now You See Me and want to get the most out of it, you might have to do a bit of digging. (August 27, 2021)

[writingpaperghost]

For one of my classes the other day, we were doing this exercise where we were tasked with creating either a version of the human race where they've always been in the sky, or always been underground. The idea was that they would never come into contact with the ground and water/above ground. And we were split into four groups to do this.

Now apart of this assignment was determining, as a group, what you considered the aspects that made humans "human", which would obviously need to be kept in the final design of your alternate evolution humans. My group was tasked with making an underground human, and we presented our creation third. We made this sort of weird worm with four arms thing. The group that went first also made an underground human, and their's was the one that most visually resembled a human. Pretty much a slightly odd shaped ape with a tail, sort of deal. Because they defined human mainly on a physical level (mostly, I think, it was one particular member, who I will call E).

The next group had a sky human, it resembled more bird than human, really, and the important part, for this story, is that in the name, they had the "homo" prefix. Then my group came. We open our little presentation with the information that we chose to base what made something human more by it's social and non-physical aspects (our reasoning boiled down to the age old sci-fi take of "if a robot gained sentience and acted the same as a human, then it is human"). Once we're done showing off our presentation, our classmates get a chance for comment and questions. This is where E comes in. E's question was "what makes this a human?". Which, we'd already established our criteria, so I can only assume they weren't paying attention. But, beyond that, they kept trying to argue that this wasn't human, as it didn't at all physically resemble one, and the last group at least put it in the name (never mind that the name has jack shit to do with whether or not it's human. By that definition, I could name a house plant "Homo-sapian" and it would be human. By that definition, any other creature of the "homo" genus was human, just the same as you or me).

I guess there's not exactly a real... conclusion to this story, not of much interest. E's entitled to the belief that the scientific definition of human is the only one that matters (though I would love to learn what they think about the story of media that clearly tries to present otherwise). I don't agree with them, but that shouldn't surprise anyone given my propensity for jerking the physical humanity out from under characters in my fics.

As one of my group mates put it, the question we're really asking is "Would you still love me is I was a worm?"

And the answer is, if all the social and mental things stayed the same, yes. We'd all love each other, even if we were worms.

[daydreamerdrew]

Comics read this past week:

Marvel Comics:

Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandoes (1963) #1-5

These issues were published across March 1963 to November 1963, according to the Marvel Wiki. All were written by Stan Lee and penciled by Jack Kirby. Issues #1-3 were inked by Dick Ayers and issues #4-5 were inked by George Roussos.

This book takes place during WWII and the premise behind the group is that the Howling Commandoes is a uniquely tough team that specializes in what are seemingly suicide missions. Nick Fury is a very abrasive man, which is partially an act that he lets up a bit when he’s not with his men. And when speaking to his own commanding officer, Captain “Happy Sam” Sawyer, the roles are reversed and Nick is respectful and sometimes almost meek. For example, issue #2, when he’s told that the Commandoes have been assigned a new mission right after they’ve just gotten back from one, Nick says, “The boys are pretty bushed, Cap’n! How much of a rest can they have first?” After being told none, he goes back to his men and wakes them up aggressively, acts like them needing a rest is silly and unnecessary, and insults them as he’s getting them going on their mission. In issue #5 Nick is temporarily stripped of his rank and made a private, and he expects his men to want to get back at him for how he’s been so rough on them, but instead they’re all really nice, making concessions for him and offering to trade loads. This makes him yell at them in anger and they respond with relief that he’s acting like himself and not all dejected.

The various members are not all super distinct to me. Gabriel Jones stands out, not because he’s the one Black man on the team, which is not consistently and always noticeably portrayed, but because he’s always carrying a bugle with him. This is sometimes used strategically in missions where he’ll play to pull the enemy’s attention towards him. In issue #3, as the Commandos are charging at opposing forces, he’s playing and one of the others says to him, “Hey, Gabe! Enough with that bugle, huh? They know we’re here!” Gabe’s personal thing is that he’s into jazz. When the Commandoes are taking a stop at a base in issue #3 he says, “Man, wouldn’t I like to be wailin’ with Jonah Jones back at the Embers right now!” And then, “Man, I’ve been waiting a long time for this visit to town! Hope they have a good jazz combo somewhere!”

Corporal “Dum Dum” Dugan also stands out because he has a unique hat. His personal thing is that he joined the army to get away from his wife. In issue #2, as the Commandoes are grumbling about their mission being yet another suicide mission, he says, “Well, you don’t catch me complainin’! Any kind of mission is more peaceful than going back to my wife!” Nick tells him, “Dum-Dum, I don’t think you got a wife! Who’d marry an old walrus like you??” In issue #3 Dum Dum says, referring to Nick, “Of all the crummy luck! I joined the army to get away from my battle-ax wife, and now I’m stuck with a cigar-smoking human gorilla!” In issue #5 he says, “Look alive, you deadheads! Even my ball and chain, bless her pointy little head, is a better soldier than you slobs!” And one of the others tells him, “How would you know, Dum Dum? You ain’t been home to see her in twenty years!!!” Dum Dum also has issues with his mother-in-law. In issue #3, as the Commandoes are being fired at, one of the others says, “Hey, Dum Dum! Isn’t that a field piece barkin’ at us?” And Dum Dum responds, “Either that or my mother-in-law! Naw, it’s not loud enough for her!”

In issue #4 one of the Commandoes is killed, Jonathan “Junior” Juniper, who’s character description in the first issue reads: “Fresh out of an ivy-league college, Junior is the cheerful, eager-beaver of the group! But don’t let his youthful smile fool you! He’s fast as a panther, and just as dangerous!” The scene he dies in isn’t noticeably more dangerous than the types of situations the Commandoes are in regularly. In issue #5 Nick is noticeably very upset about his death and one of the others thinks, “Never saw anything like it! Fury acts just like Junior was his own son! He’ll never forgive himself for what happened!”

Black Widow: Deadly Origin (2010) #1-4

These issues were published across November 2009 to February 2010, according to the Marvel Wiki. All were written by Paul Cornell. The present day parts of the book were penciled by Tom Raney and inked by Scott Hanna and the flashbacks that are throughout the book were drawn by John Paul Leon.

Both writing and art-wise the flashback parts of the story were much stronger than the modern day parts. The flashbacks retold her origin and revisited various parts of her publication history in a way that impressively strung together various surprise reveals and retcons that had been made over the years to actually make them make sense together. The modern day part of the story is set into motion with the murder of Ivan Petrovitch, which leads into a plot where Natasha discovers that she was made “filthy” and infected with “microscopic biomachines” that she infected anyone she was close to with, which when activated make the loved ones of her loved ones brutally attack them, and which is revealed at the end to be the work of Ivan Petrovitch, who faked his death and turned himself into a cyborg.

Black Widow (2004) revealed/retconned that Natasha’s backstory of growing up as a ballerina and then wanting to become a spy when her husband was killed was actually false implanted memories and that she’d been raised in the Red Room and trained to be a spy since she was young. I’ve been confused since then about how Ivan would fit into that, because his role in her backstory was that he saved her life when she was an infant, and he continued to be a positive part of her life when she was an adult. According to issue #1 of this book, Ivan had to leave Natasha in someone else’s care when he was called for military service and, not wanting his “little girl” to go to an orphanage, he brings her to a comrade high in the military, who unbeknownst to Ivan takes Natasha to the Red Room. Later, when Natasha is an adult, Ivan is injured and Natasha accepts a deal, though Ivan tries to resist, for them both to take a super-soldier serum-like thing to save his life. This explains how they can both be from the time period they were originally based in and still be alive and young in modern comics. Significantly, to me, Ivan’s intended final words were: “Just you from now on… Proud of you, my little girl.”

In issue #2 Natasha is confused between her cover as a ballerina in the Bolshoi and as a Black Widow of the Red Room, which is also attributed to the serum she’d been given being unstable. This explains how she didn’t know about her real backstory until the time of Black Widow (2004). Natasha tells Ivan, “I can’t tell what’s true anymore.” After the “death” of Natasha’s husband, Alexei, she volunteers to become a spy against the west, which is what her original backstory is. She says, even though she believes herself to be an “ordinary Soviet housewife,” “For some reason I feel I have skills I can offer- women I can be!” The person she’s making the request to was not involved in the Red Room and doesn’t approve of it and says, “She’s still trying to work it all out, trying to explain all the things she is… Casting off the peaceful retirement I tried to give her, not willing to vanish into being a normal person.” Ultimately, the decision is made to “follow her wishes.” The rest of Natasha’s history largely plays out as it did, but with the timeline changed so that she spent decades as a spy for Russia. This is so that her defection can happen as it did in the 60s comics, after she’s met Tony Stark and Clint Barton, but so those events can take place more recently and not age all of those other characters considerably. In Black Widow (2004) it was also revealed/retconned that Natasha’s defection was because Nick Fury was manipulating her with pheromones and not actually because of her own principles, which seems to have been dropped here as the focus is on Natasha trying to be a “whole” person and working towards that. I appreciate that because that reveal was a horrific removal of her agency throughout her whole history. Similarly, I appreciate that Natasha, despite brainwashing, is made to be the driving force behind her work against the west.

I have more mixed feelings about the changes to Ivan Petrovitch. The explanation for his plotting against Natasha in the modern day parts of the book is that he’s obsessively in love with her and hurt by her rejection, which she attributes to the unstable serum. I had enjoyed their positive father-daughter relationship in the previous stories I read with him and Natasha. And I do think that that he was fully aware of her Red Room backstory for decades while she wasn’t is a little unideal. But ultimately the story doesn’t not work and has compelling moments. In a flashback in issue #3 to a few years ago, before this book but long after Natasha defected from Russia, Ivan tells her, “You never understood… I didn’t want to be your father. Or your guardian. Or your uncle. Or your friend. I wanted more than that.” Natasha tells him, “If I didn’t understand… It’s because I wanted the father, the guardian, the uncle and the friend.” In another flashback in issue #4 he tries to convince her to work with him again on what ends up being his big evil plot in this book. He tells her, “You’ve had your chance to be Natalia for the world. Maybe it’s time to go back to being my little Natasha.” Then he forcible kisses her and she pushes him off and says, “You must know, after all these years… I don’t think of you like that. I can’t. I can’t think of you as a-” He tells her, “You have no idea how you’ve hurt me all these years. Watching you pick favorites as the old certainties fell apart.” Later, in the modern day part of the book when he’s an evil cyborg, he tells her, “This body is fully functional, you know. Ha ha ha!” And then, “Come and sit on Uncle Ivan’s lap.”

There was also a flashback in issue #4 dated “four years ago” in which Natasha tells Yelena Belova, “Yelena, I accept you’re the latest brilliant graduate of the Red Room… But you have to see you’re being manipulated. You have to do the right thing.”

Black Widow (2010) #1-5

These issues were published across April 2010 to August 2010, according to the Marvel Wiki. All were written by Marjorie Liu and drawn by Daniel Acuña.

In this book Natasha is being plotted against by someone who keeps leaving roses and ribbons for her to find, which are revealed to be a reference to a deeply personal and secret experience from Natasha’s youth. During WWII, when Natasha was 16, she fell in love with a fellow soldier named Nikolai. They had no way to officially get married, but he gave her a ribbon to wear as a wedding ring. Natasha got pregnant, Nikolai died, and the baby, which she named Rose, was stillborn. Natasha learns that she’s infertile because of the Red Room in Black Widow (2004), which is referenced again in Black Widow: Deadly Origin and therefore is still canon, so it was shocking to learn that Natasha had gotten pregnant before that. But it’s unfortunate timing for this to come right after a whole book about Natasha’s past, my reaction was largely that it’s just unnecessary.

Part of the villain’s plot against her is revealing that Natasha had been secretly spying on everyone with super-powers and framing that she tried to sell that information for profit. While this causes problems for her with the government, the reaction of her friends in the superhero community is largely just that that’s unsurprising and they don’t care because they trust Natasha. When Natasha is defending herself to Elektra she says, “You and I both know that any of us can be turned. How many times has it already happened? One of us, going bad? Against our will? By choice? How many friends have betrayed us, Elektra? How many times does it take, before we start arming ourselves with knowledge?” Though I believe it wasn’t just for that reason. In an earlier scene she said, “Good times don’t last forever,” and then referred to the data chip as her “plan B.”

Also, I enjoyed the depiction of Natasha and Bucky’s relationship in this book.

Black Widow (2010) #6-8 and Widowmaker (2011) #1-4

These issues were published across September 2010 to February 2011, according to the Marvel Wiki. The Black Widow issues were written by Duane Swierczynski, penciled by Manuel Garcia, and inked by Lorenzo Ruggiero. Of Widowmaker, issues #1 and #3 were written by Jim McCann, while issues #2 and #4 were written by Duane Swierczynski. And issues #1 and #3 were penciled by David Lopez and inked by Alvaro Lopez, while issues #2 and #4 were penciled by Manuel Garcia, with issue #2 being inked by Lorenzo Ruggiero and Javier Bergantiño and issue #4 being inked by just Lorenzo Ruggiero.

The Black Widow (2010) issues had Natasha working to figure out the identity of someone plotting against her which did not get resolved in those issues and instead lead into Widowmaker, but that book only referenced the specific events of the Black Widow (2010) issues once when Natasha gets hit in a fight in the same place that was injured in the Black Widow (2010) issues. Honestly, I didn’t think that they were necessary, I could have just been told that Natasha was in the middle of uncovering this conspiracy against her, which I was told at the beginning of Widowmaker #1, and that alone would have been sufficient.

Widowmaker starred Natasha, Clint Barton, Bobbi Morse, and Dominic Fortune, who are all being conspired against for various reasons. In the end the person behind everything is revealed to be Alexei Shostakov, Natasha’s husband from before she defected from Russia to the United States, who’s motivation is that he’s still very dedicated to Russia but feels that his Russia no longer exists, so he’s going to take over the country to remake it. And also he hates Natasha. I was very surprised that Alexei was alive because he died in the 60s and in my readings I missed the modern story that revealed him to actually still be alive. I was also surprised that he hates Natasha as all the stories I had read that referenced him up to that point depicted her sincerely mourning him.

Note: That Alexei is alive is actually briefly portrayed for 1 page in Black Widow: Deadly Origin #4, which I missed until I was working on this round-up amidst everything else that happened in that issue. Their dynamic there is actually portrayed positively, which makes more sense to me.

In Widowmaker #4 Natasha makes a plea to Alexei that was actually intended for a young woman working for him, which works. Natasha explains this plan as: “She was like me, once. Young. Impressionable. Eager to please. But not beyond redemption. […] I know the things Alexei promises impressionable young girls. I know how it stings to hear he’s promised others the same things.” I haven’t read Alexei’s original appearances in the 60s yet, but this doesn’t really match up with how their relationship has been portrayed in the various flashbacks I’ve seen.

Also, in Widowmaker #1 Dominic Forture makes a reference to working with Yelena Belova in the team Vanguard in Marvel Comics Presents (2007) by telling Natasha, “Ran with a Black Widow once, not long ago. She was a blonde.” Natasha responds, “She was lucky. She got out of here years ago,” referring to the Red Room.

Daredevil (1998) #61-64 and #77-81

The first batch of Daredevil issues was published across June 2004 to September 2004 and then the second batch was published across September 2005 to January 2006, according to the Marvel Wiki. All were written by Brian Michael Bendis and drawn by Alex Maleev.

I read the first batch of issues because it was the storyline where Alexei Shostakov was revealed to still be alive and then the second batch of issues because Natasha also appeared in them. The inciting incident of the first storyline is a deal being made where the U.S. will trade Natasha to another country in exchange for one of their prisoners. Natasha is tipped off by Nick Fury and goes to hide in plain sight with Matt Murdock, her ex-boyfriend who’s having a lot of personal problems and is in the media a lot because his secret identity as Daredevil is barely a secret and is constantly publicly speculated to be Matt. When Matt asks why she’s there she tells him, “I was in London, on a crap assignment. And it was getting to me, okay? I was getting the jitters. I’ve been on the road for over a year without a break and I’m not doing well in my head.” And then, “I just wanted to crash for a day or two. Maybe get the old juices flowing again, you know. Nothing- no hidden agenda. I just needed a friend.” The plan to hide in plain sight goes awry because Natasha didn’t realize that the people who want her would accept her dead or alive and they try to have her assassinated in a way that’s disguised as a part of Matt’s ongoing problems. Then Natasha finally tells Matt the truth and says, “I am glad I’m here, Matthew- I do miss you. And I do love you. You know that. I miss us. I do. But I’m sorry, that’s not why I came.” In the very end it’s revealed that the person who made the request for Natasha is Alexei Shostakov without any explanation as to how he’s alive. It’s a little wild for me that this reveal was just dropped and then nobody did anything with Alexei until 2010. When Natasha asks him why he wanted her he says, “I don’t like you.” And then, “I don’t like to lose.”

When Natasha is explaining the true story to Matt she says, about Nick Fury, “He told me to run. Even though it might have cost him his job to do so. That is loyalty. That is why I put my life in that man’s hands.” Nick is working to resolve the situation while Natasha is with Matt, and at the end of the story he tells the American side of the deal, “My agents aren’t for sale or trade,” and then threatens him if anything like this ever happens again. The second storyline is the chaos as Matt’s secret identity is finally revealed and he’s arrested. In the beginning Natasha tries to intervene on Matt’s behalf by going to Maria Hill, the new commander of S.H.I.E.L.D., in an awkward scene where she requests that S.H.I.E.L.D. gets the case against Matt dropped and she’s told that, “Nick Fury owes you a favor or two,” and, “Nick Fury’s business was Nick Fury’s business. What you had with him was all well and good… But he’s not here now. There is procedure and inter-departmental protocol and I’m not going to make one of my first moves as acting director of this world-wide peacekeeping task force a muscle job on the feds over something that frankly is none of our business.”

Captain America (1968) #615.1-619

These issues were published across March 2011 to June 2011, according to the Marvel Wiki. All were written by Ed Brubaker, except for issue #616 which was a special 94-page anniversary issue with stories written him as well as Howard Chaykin, Cullen Bunn, Mike Benson, Frank Tieri, Kyle Higgins, and Alec Siegel. Issue #615.1 was drawn by Mitchel Breitweiser. Issue #616 contained stories drawn by Mike Deodato, Ed McGuinness (with inking assistance from Dexter Vines), Howard Chaykin, Jason Latour, Paul Grist, Paul Azaceta, and Pepe Larraz. Seventeen pages of issue #617 were penciled by Butch Guice and inked by Stefano Gaudiano, 6 were drawn by Mike Deodato, and 7 were drawn by Chris Samnee. Eighteen pages of issue #618 were penciled by Butch Guice and inked by Stefano Gaudiano and 12 were drawn by Chris Samnee. And 6 pages of issue #619 were penciled by Butch Guice and inked by Stefano Gaudiano, 17 were drawn by Mitchell Breitweiser, and 7 were drawn by Chris Samnee. I was particularly impressed with the art of these final 3 issues.

Issue #615.1 was a special issue that focused on Steve Rogers when Bucky Barnes was still the focus of the main book. In it a well-meaning person tries to fill the void of the Captain America mantle, then gets captured by A.I.M. and has to be rescued by Steve on his first day. Steve tells him to stop trying to be Captain America and the guy agrees, but he also tells Steve, “But someone’s gonna have to wear it eventually… You know that, right?” Then Sharon discovers that Nick Fury was the one behind giving the well-meaning guy enhanced strength, as well as orchestrated him getting captured by A.I.M. She recognizes that Nick is trying to manipulate Steve into becoming Captain America again, and she’s not happy about it, but she agrees to not tell Steve what Nick did because she ultimately agrees with him when he says, “Somebody’s gotta carry that shield… That’s a fact. Only question is, how long it’s gonna take Steve to realize who it has to be.” I liked Sharon being willing to lie to Steve. I had found her to be a really interesting character in Captain America (2005) and so far largely haven’t been compelled by her portrayal in the comics I’ve read since then, but this felt like a return to the differences between Steve and Sharon before Dr. Faustus messed with her head.

The first story in issue #616 and the rest of these issues make up the “Gulag” storyline, which has Bucky in a Siberian prison. In the first story in issue #616, Steve says, “Listen to me, Bucky… I don’t care what I have to do. I will fix this.” This does not end up happening. Steve’s in a difficult position, considering his job, where if he does anything illegal to help Bucky he’ll cause an international incident, and trying to get Bucky released legally doesn’t work out. In the end, Natasha ends up breaking him out because he’s going to get killed there. I honestly would have liked to have seen Steve be a bit more reckless and willing to be self-destructive in order to help Bucky, thinking back to how intensely he mourned Bucky in the early issues of The Avengers (1963). It’s a disappointment to me that we didn’t end up getting a bit of that energy again. And it’s also disappointing to me that the characters have been largely living separate lives in separate books since Steve has come back, when a big part of the tragedy of Steve’s death to me was that Bucky had been avoiding him and had only briefly interacted with him once since regaining his memories.

These issues felt like bad thing after bad thing happening to Bucky. In a bit of characterization that I liked, in the story in issue #616 he thinks, “This is the trajectory of my life… Every time things are finally stable… finally good… something sudden happens… to wreck it all… and then I learn to live with that… And after a while… worse-off becomes the new normal… and then it starts all over again. I didn’t try to explain that to Steve the last time I saw him… He wouldn’t have understood.”

In issue #619, after Steve tries to defend Bucky for escaping, the president tells him, “No matter what happens, James Barnes can’t be Captain America anymore.” And then Nick Fury tells him, “Barnes is way too tarnished now to carry the shield. But he never wanted it, anyhow. He just wouldn’t let anyone else have it. And after that… He was only tryin’ to impress you.” Even though it’s true that Bucky had wanted to give up being Captain America when Steve came back and had to be pressured into continuing by Steve, this still made me feel really bad for Bucky.

Captain America (2011) #1-19

These issues were published across July 2011 to October 2012, according to the Marvel Wiki. All were written by Ed Brubaker. Issues #1-4 were penciled by Steve McNiven and issue #5 was penciled by Steve McNiven with Giuseppe Camuncoli. Issue #1 was inked by Mark Morales, issue #2 by Jay Leisten and Dexter Vines, issues #3-4 by Jay Leisten, and issue #4 was inked by Jay Leisten and Matteo Buffagni. Issues #6-10 were penciled by Alan Davis and inked by Mark Farmer. Issues #11-14 were drawn by Patrick Zircher. Issue #15-18 were penciled by Scot Eaton and inked Rick Magyar, except for issue #16 which Rick Ketcham and Mark Pennington also worked on the inking of. And issue #19 was drawn by Steve Epting.

There was not a lot in these issues that was of interest to me. In issue #4 we see a depiction of Steve’s idealized dream-world. In it the American dream has been achieved, which looks like a fairly generic futuristic sunny utopia. Steve is long retired from being Captain America because, as he explains it, the world doesn’t need Captain America anymore. And he’s glad for that, but, though he’s modest about it, he’s also still revered and thought of as Captain America by people he meets. And in this dream-world Steve and Sharon are astronauts. As he sees it, they’ve “got a front row seat to the future.” Sharon tells him, “Our children will be born on the moons of Jupiter and populate the stars.”

Steve being an astronaut has come up in other Ed Brubaker-written comics before. In Captain America (2005) #1 he explains to Sharon that he feels bad that he was frozen in ice during the space race, saying, “I feel guilty when I think of all those men who died trying to reach the stars… That it should’ve been me taking those risks. That’s what I was built for, after all.” And Captain America (2005) #10 was a tie-in to the House of M event and explored an alternate universe in which, among other things, Steve was never frozen in ice and did actually participate in the space race and was the astronaut who took the first steps on the moon, instead of Neil Armstrong.

The emphasis on Sharon and Steve’s (presumably super-serum enhanced) children being the future read strangely to me. I don’t personally have a valorization of bloodlines and certain genetics or really just family more simply. But the idea in Captain America comics of Steve’s physical and moral superiority and how they are tied together stands out beyond that. Like the idea that he is of a different, special breed partially because he comes from the past, a better, simplier time, or because he is an American. I don’t mean that in a negative way necessarily, it’s part of what interests me about these comics. But I do think that these things generally have an innocuous intention.

In #6 Clint refers “losing Bucky” as something that Steve has gone through recently and Steve thinks, “I feel bad lying to Hawkeye… But Bucky wants the world thinking he’s dead. So it’s not my decision.” This is the only comic I read this past week that said that Bucky was believed to be dead. Where we left things off in Captain America (1968) #619, he was correctly believed to have escaped from his Siberian prison. Clint also refers to Natasha being on leave, which is presumably with the cover that she’s mourning Bucky. Where we left things off in Captain America (1968) #619, it seemed that she was going to be a wanted fugitive alongside Bucky for helping to break him out of prison.

Issue #19 was a decent conclusion to Ed Brubaker’s run writing Captain America. It went over Cap’s history and therefore Ed Brubaker’s vision of it in the format of Steve talking about himself to William Burnside. I was a little bit confused by that premise because Bucky shot him and was very confident he killed him in Captain America (1968) #605. And if Steve was aware that William Burnside was alive, I would think he would tell Bucky considering that he and Sam have an intervention for Bucky in Captain America (1968) #606 about his reckless behavior that they correctly attribute to the trauma of killing someone who looks and sounds exactly like Steve. And even if Steve only met with William after that, Captain America (1968) #605 made a point to show that Bucky intended to wait at the site until William’s body was found out (he fell into a lake after taking several bullets to the chest) of respect for him. The opening of this issue is William acting as Captain America, being confronted by Steve, and then getting hit by a car while running away, so I thought at first maybe this whole issue took place in the past before Bucky killed him, but the ending makes more sense for it to be in the modern day and his Marvel Wiki page lists him as alive. This is actually a little unfortunate to me, because when he was thought to have died I thought that at least he and Jack Monroe were both dead now, because it seemed unfair that he would get to live while Jack was tragically dead.

Captain America and Bucky (2011) #620-624

These issues were published across July 2011 to November 2011, according to the Marvel Wiki. All were written by Ed Brubaker and Marc Andreyko and drawn by Chris Samnee. The artwork of these issues was also notably really great.

Issue #620 depicts Bucky’s upbringing and training and ends with him becoming Captain America’s partner, issues #621-623 depict him as Captain America’s partner, and then issue #624 is about Bucky’s time as the Winter Soldier.

In Captain America (2005) #31 it’s referred to as that, “How you talked them into letting you stay on the base while your little sister was sent away to boarding school is a mystery even to you.” But in Captain America and Bucky #620 it’s depicted that Bucky was told after his father’s funeral that that was what was going to happen, that “I would stay on the base with my dad’s old pals looking out for me,” with the reasoning given that, “That’s how Jimmy would have wanted it, kiddo.” And Bucky just accepted it, saying, “Sure, Major Samson… Whatever you say.” That phrasing of it in Captain America (2005) #31 makes sense to me as how Bucky would have misremembered that event as him having more agency in it. I still found it very striking how there were tears in Bucky’s eyes as he waved his sister goodbye, which was paired with the narration, “I used the mask Dad taught me to wear even more, then… to hide how scared and alone I really felt.” Also, Major Samson is the one who recommended Bucky for the job of Captain America’s partner and these issues made me wonder when exactly that idea was first had as it’s something that was just sprung on Bucky; he doesn’t know.

In Captain America and Bucky #621 Steve expresses some concerns about Bucky’s eagerness to get involved in the war and tells him, “Taking a life can be simple… but living with what you’ve done… that’s not so simple.” The events of this issue end up having Bucky have to kill someone for the first time and while he says, “It had to be done… so I did it… Simple as that,” he’s clearly really affected by it. This made me think of how Bucky’s role as Captain America’s partner was both to be a symbol and to do some dirty work that Captain America couldn’t, which was explained to Steve right before he first meets Bucky in Captain America (2005) #12 as, “And if he gets his hands a little dirtier than most soldiers when no one’s looking… Well, that’ll be our secret, right?” And Bucky feeling guilty about the things he did during the war was brought up when he was being manipulated in Captain America (2005) #33 and he’s told, “You were barely human. A killer of men.” Steve seems to me to feel a bit guilty after Bucky first kills someone. I’m also struck by Bucky did not have any idea that that was the role he was being prepared for throughout his whole training. He does, while reminiscing on it in retrospect, make a joke about it that I found charming in Captain America and Bucky #620: “If I’d known how valuable I was to the U.S. government, I’d have pawned myself for a profit.”

Captain America and the Secret Avengers (2011) #1

The Captain America and the Secret Avengers issue was published in March 2011, according to the Marvel Wiki. It was written by Kelly Sue DeConnick and drawn by Greg Tocchini. I’m not interested in reading Secret Avengers (2010) right now, but I read this one-shot because it was focused on Natasha and Sharon Carter. But, unfortunately, the story and the portrayal of their relationship wasn’t really interesting.

Captain America & the Incredible Hulk (1981) #1 and Spider-Man & the Incredible Hulk (1981) #1-2 and Marvel Team-Up (1972) #104-105 and Captain America (1968) #257

The Captain America & the Incredible Hulk issue was a 7-11 promotional giveaway one-shot from 1981. The story, which was 11 pages, had them fighting Magneto. There was also 10 pages of Captain America or Hulk-themed games and 2 pages of advertising for Super Slurpee Superheroes t-shirts. I couldn’t find any information on who the creators of the comic were.

The Spider-Man & the Incredible Hulk issues were given out with the Dallas Times Herald in 1981 as advertising supplements for the department store chain Sanger-Harris. I could only find scans of two of them; it looks like there are 3 others that I’m missing. I couldn’t find any information on who the creators of these were, either. The stories were 15 pages, which were interspersed with a generous amount of advertisements for Sanger-Harris. The stories also both had multiple scenes, which were not very closely related to the supervillain plots, of various characters having a wonderful time shopping at Sanger-Harris. In the first issue the Sandman is framing the Hulk for his crimes by covering himself in green dye before them. Even before he discovers this, Peter knows that the Hulk is innocent. When he does discover it, he thinks, “Well, I always told Sandy he should pick on someone his own size!” Peter attacks the Sandman with his webs while he’s fleeing from the Hulk, causing the Sandman to change course and attack Peter, and the Hulk sees this and says, “Ugly man who becomes dust is chasing Web Man! Web Man tried to help Hulk! So Hulk will help Web Man!” He does this by picking up the tower that Peter is on so that he can hit the Sandman with it. As Peter floats down with a web-parachute, he says, “Thanks, Hulk- I think!” Also, in the second story Peter is searching the desert for a missing friend and thinks, when he finds the Hulk, “I forgot! The southwest is where the Hulk comes- to get away from people!”

Marvel Team-Up #104 was published in January 1981, according to the Marvel Wiki, and was written by Roger McKenzie, penciled by Jerry Bingham, and inked by Mike Esposito. It was a team-up between the Hulk and Ka-Zar, Master of the Savage Land. The Hulk’s part of the issue starts in media res with him on top of the Golden Gate Bridge with a young girl. One police officer goes up alone try to convince the Hulk to give him the child, but the Hulk says that the girl is his friend and accuses, “Banner sent you, didn’t he? Banner always torments Hulk!” But the girl protests, “Hulk, no! If you’re my friend don’t hurt him! Please… I want to go with him!” The Hulk acquiesces, then he becomes concerned that the police officer is going to slip and fall while trying to climb down with the girl, so he tries to take the girl back so that he can get her down himself. The Hulk explains his intentions, but the police officers down below can’t hear him, and so in a classic Hulk comic misunderstanding, they fire at the Hulk thinking that he’s attacking. Later, when the Hulk is alone and away from the chaos, the narration describes him in a roundabout way, saying, “Their lives are filled with darkness and pain and little else. No wonder they clutch with child-like desperation- to whatever shred of comfort they can fine.” And the Hulk thinks, “It is quiet here. Hulk likes quiet. Hulk would bring friend here… if Hulk had friend.”

Marvel Team-Up #105 was published in February 1981, according to the Marvel Wiki, and was written by Mike W. Barr, penciled by Carmine Infantino, and penciled by Mike Esposito. It was a team-up between the Hulk and the Heroes for Hire, Power Man and Iron Fist. At one point the Hulk sees a man slap his young daughter and goes to smash him, so to save the man’s life Luke runs over and punches him and says, “I hit ‘im for you, Hulk- He can’t hurt nobody now!”

Captain America #257 was published in February 1981, according to the Marvel Wiki, and was written by Mike W. Barr, penciled by Lee Elias, and inked by “Many Hands.” In this issue Steve and Bruce are both kidnapped by a villain group that is made up of Baron Zemo’s old henchmen. Specifically, Steve is kidnapped because they know that he visits the same cliff side spot overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in England on the same day every year, which turns out to be the anniversary of Bucky’s “death.” The villains used their study of Bruce’s body to perfect a weapon which they want to then use on Steve in order to avenge Zemo’s death. Bruce gets excited and turns into the Hulk during the escape attempt and Steve then tricks the Hulk into helping him by telling him that the villains are working for Bruce. When the Hulk gets stuck in Zemo’s Adhesive X, Steve tries to help get him loose, which the Hulk reacts to with fairly calm confusion, saying, “Huh? Why does Star-Man hit Hulk with plate? Hulk doesn’t like it!” I thought that this was cute. Later, when Steve has set the villains’ base to explode, he works hard and persistently to get the Hulk out with him even though the Hulk is making it difficult, which I also enjoyed.

Timely Publications:

the Jimmy Jupiter stories in Marvel Mystery Comics (1939) #28-35

In this batch of 8 Jimmy Jupiter stories I went from February 1942 to September 1942, according to the issue cover dates. The first 3 stories were 6 pages and then the rest were 7 pages. All were signed as by Eddie Robbins. His Who’s Who page says that he was just the penciler, and not the writer.

I started reading through Jimmy’s Golden Age stories because I was so emotionally effected by his role in the first arc of Captain America (2011). In issue #2 of that book his powers were explained as having the (possibly mutant) ability to enter what he called the Land of Nowhere, which was a surreal place he could shape with his imagination and take things out of, which is depicted as happening through portals. And he could also connect to other people’s dreams, so he was recruited to take a group of soldiers into the Land of Nowhere, connect to the dream of a Hydra agent, and then let the soldiers out so that they could raid a Hydra base that the Allies didn’t know the location of. Unfortunately for Jimmy, a Hydra spy hits him over the head with a heavy object to mess up the plan, which leaves him in a coma for 65 years (and also traps the soldiers in his dream-world for that length of time). He has limited brain function when he does wake up, and then he gets shot and killed having missed out on so much of his life.

I was struck by the thought while reading these stories that Jimmy is such a kid, he never really stood a chance. It’s hard to imagine him growing up. He’s very much well-suited for the adventures he goes on in the Land of Nowhere. He’s a sweet kid and doesn’t get into unnecessary trouble by being rude to the magical beings he meets, he can realistically get scared at times, but he’s also able to handle himself there and is really just having a lot of fun. I liked seeing in his second story how, when he was trapped with a rabbit companion in a magical circle by witches and needed a lucky charm to get out of it, he picked up his rabbit friend and rubbed his left foot three times to escape. Then, when lost in the witches’ complex castle with many doors, he just closed his eyes and spun around really fast and dizzily chose whatever door was in front of him. And then, when fighting a witch, he popped her by stabbing her with a pin he stole from one of her Sunday hats.

Throughout his stories there are times where it seems as though Jimmy is in real danger, but he largely doesn’t need anyone to tell him what to do. An exception to this is in the story in issue #34 when Jimmy is tempted by man named Temptation and another character, Werjil, tries to get Jimmy away from him. He accepts candy from Temptation despite Werjil’s protests, he refuses cigarettes on his own, then he goes on a merry-go-ride with Temptation which Werjil says he can only go on once or he’ll be trapped there forever. As Temptation is trying to get Jimmy to stand on the ride longer, a big muscular man named Will Power suddenly appears and beats up Temptation. So it seems that whatever happens, Jimmy can’t really be harmed in his dream-world.

The first time Jimmy visits the Land of Nowhere, in his first story, he falls out of a plane because he was too excited to buckle his seat belt and then seemingly lands in a cloud. And then end of the story a dragon is crying on Jimmy, getting him all wet, and then he wakes up to find that he apparently fainted while falling, but his parachute opened and saved him, and then the pilot poured a bucket of water over his head to wake him up. This kind of pattern continues to play out over the course of Jimmy’s stories in this batch, though in more mundane circumstances, where he often is somewhere where he could conceivably fall asleep, seemingly doesn’t and instead is whisked away on an adventure, and then wakes up at the end back in that mundane setting, with his fantasy adventure turning a little weird right before that. But the way that Jimmy falls asleep so often outside of his bed may be a part of his powers: the story across issues #31-32 seemingly takes place while he’s asleep on a roller coaster.

Jimmy has yet to take anything out of his dreams. He collects a handful of moonbeam in the story in issue #30 but then has to use it later when fighting gnomes that ride on bats. And he picks golden rods for his mother in the story in issue #35 but has to get rid of them because his dragon friend is allergic to them. I’m not expecting Jimmy to actually connect to anyone else’s dreams or to take anyone else into his own dreams in these Golden Age stories; I’m assume that that that’s something that Ed Brubaker made up. But Jimmy does believe that the adventure that he goes on are real, though nobody else does. In the story in issue #30 his mother tells him, “Jimmy, if you don’t stop telling these impossible stories, you will be punished!” And the opening narration of the story in issue #31 reads, “Hoping that the Land of Nowhere will be erased from Jimmy’s mind, his mother sends him to an amusement park.”