#Just some kind of challenge

[driftingballoons]

No kitty can resist a ball of yarn

But all is forgiven :3

[altschmerzes]

if the only time you bring up A Secret Third Thing is when someone has suggested generally celebrating or uplifting platonic/queerplatonic fictional relationships in spaces that ordinarily obsess about romantic ones to the exclusion of all else perhaps consider why you’re doing that and also stop.

[scarapanna]

I liked your art, you won🎉🎉🎉

WE WON NO REDEMPTION WAHOOOOO/silly

I'm still terrified of the redemption route for this clown though hdhghfg, I want his silly self to stay evil and wimsy and goofy and with redemption uhhh

We're like

I dunno I'm sooo scared devsis is gonna take away that aspect which is what makes him just so funnn. Please pretty please let him be god awful and rotten and rude and goofy if you take that route Devisis I want him to keep his funny wimsy qualities. Please please pleaseeee write him well y'all are doing sooo good with him don't fumble by taking the redemption route (And if they do it better be good and he better stay chaotic and goofy and sassy and condescending and all his "rotten rabid thing" qualities)

If they do him (And his fun aspects justice in this dreaded hypotetical) then I may be cool with it. Though the mean ass possum has grown on me so much I'd 100% miss that evil and unhinged part of him TONS, devsis have mercy pretty please/silly

[Longer more insane ramblings are in the tags hsfhfhhv]

[qoldenskies]

Thinking about Rise Splinter hate… it always makes me kinda sad. Like YEAH, it wasn’t right the way he treated the boys. But like, Rise is really good at expressing subtle familial dynamics, and one of the big ones for me is the fact that like… there’s always an undercurrent of “It’s complicated” to their interaction with Splinter. IRL, it always pisses me off to see people casting judgments on people’s relationships with their family, because you don’t know!! Yeah, they hurt you, but not everything’s black and white. It’s complicated. Because you love them, and sometimes you get to understand a little bit better why things happened as you get older.

In a matter of smaller importance, hate for him loses so many opportunities in his character… even things that might just be kinda off-handedly mentioned.

He fought for SEVEN years—give me Splinter with chronic pain. Splinter relating to his boys with their neurodivergence—it’s HIS fault they have it!!!

That was seven years of imprisonment, or even simpler, an abusive relationship. What did he learn from that? How did he change? What things are skewed in his worldview?

His childhood! We saw his relationship with his grandfather a bit, but how did Splinter grow into his dream of being a movies star? HIM BEING A MOVIE STAR. He was both a rebellious team and a literal celebrity, this guy probably took empyrean at some point without knowing it, just like. Recreationally or something LMAO.

I maybe just need more of his old man knowledge. Him being so loser-core was a great move by the Rise team, and I could SEE where his story was going—ROBBED. We were ROBBED.

splinter hate is CRAAAAZY when he's such an INTERESTING character who does actually have a lot of obvious depth. like he's goofy and he's objectively flawed as a parent but he does go out of his way to improve himself and LEARN throughout the show, and he does listen and apologize when he knows he's messed up. his issues are so similar to leo's actually, leo's a kid so he's got more leeway to be shitty but idk when people act like its endearing on him and not on splinter. splinter's hilarious free my man

on the other side of the coin i dont really like when people make him a perfect loving parent either,,, i think people going for all kinds of interpretations in order to serve whatever story they need is fine but i do prefer kind of messy parent splinter, i think its kind of sad to see him reduced down to bad or good. he LOVES his boys so dearly and he would NEVER intentionally want to hurt them, but he's quick to cast judgement when he's angered/feels disrespected (evil league of mutants comes to mind, but also in turtle dega nights when donnie first stops the tank) and he's really a lot more inattentive than he should be. but there are REASONS behind this, coming out of an abusive relationship, fighting in bloodsports against his consent for years, you could probably count the whole draxum thing as traumatic (its presented as kind of silly in the show, but considering what it lead to,, its a pivotal moment in the backstory. its one of those things that i reasonably feel can be recontextualized because its so essential) and then dealing with crippling body dysmorphia and being forced into the sewers with no company other than his children,, it really adds up

idk like ,,,, you can still be extremely traumatized and be a horrible parent. in fact trauma can be a direct CAUSE of being a bad parent because that kind of thing influences every facet of your life and if youre unprepared emotionally, yeah. but splinter isn't the kind of person to double down and become more overtly nasty when he feels cornered. if he gets the feeling that his kids are actually upset with him, he backtracks. this is actually kind of a key trait of his, that he does try very hard to correct himself when he messes up. he's communicative and apologetic, and he tries very hard to be that way.

and also this is maybe something that i just have a wider problem with when it comes to the way people interpret things in cartoons at times but splinter's actions in eps like lair games (especially in lair games) and flushed but never forgotten are meant to be like. jokes. its absurdist comedy that's meant to catch you off guard. there are more serious emotional beats in rise you can use but i think when youre adapting this world and characters into a more serious tone you have to keep that kind of thing in mind because some things are meant to be surprising and absurd for the sake of making you laugh. i think the best comparison i can think of is how in musical movies they're not actually singing (in most cases, sometimes the fact that they actually are is played for laughs it depends. but yk what i mean). the joke is that this is kind of a shitty thing he's doing but taking the actions themselves seriously in a vacuum in order to cast shame on a character has always been odd to me. that'd be like calling raph abusive for rolling up the window on mikey's neck in late fee. or calling the teetz murderers because they caused a robot mass suicide that one time. it just doesnt make any sense

[oiblackestsheep]

Tried to keep this one simple while also not just shamelessly pandering to the obvious stereotypes (although they are still funny). You get some interesting pairings of types when you try to think about it a little differently!

(PSA: Remember not to put any of the types into boxes even though I've just literally put them into boxes lmao)

[jayktoralldaylong]

"MelJayVik can never work."

Just say you're weak and you hate challenges. 🙄

Also, what challenge? The SECOND Mel understood just how much Jayce cared about Viktor, she was LOCKED IN. My girl had no hesitation.

"We will find Viktor." "Don't worry Jayce, he will come back to us."

Don't play with my girl Mel, her mother is Ambessa, the flexibility was built into her genes. 💀🔥

[patchystraw]

wait….

[cameforstuff]

A Calm Night, for Mabel

Mabel was sleeping and Ford was freaking out.

Ford had been simply explaining his improvements to her grappling hook, when he noticed she had nodded off. Mabel's head is at an odd angle and she is hugging herself.

Is she cold? Could she breathe with her head like that? Should Ford move her?

Ford starts pacing, eyes darting back whenever Mabel shifts or snores. Occasionally, Ford would reach out, but stop only an inch away. Every time, Ford looks down at his hands with apprehension. Sure Mabel did not seem to mind his fingers when she is awake, but what if they scare her unconscious mind?

Ford had never been good with kids. He had a similar freak out when Dipper fell asleep during one of their DDMD games. Except Stan had been there, scooping the boy up wordlessly and carrying him to bed. Should Ford do that? Could he?

Moses, would Stan fish faster.

Ford had barely just started getting to know the kids, Dipper more so. Sure Mabel and him had a fun day, but is he close enough to simply snatch Mabel up? She shifts again, now practically laying face down into the couch. Ford feels his panic rise now unbearable.

Ford could not let one of the kids suffocate on his watch. Slowly, he scoops Mabel up. Ford's back aching from just how slowly he does so. Yet it seems to do the trick as she stays asleep. He rises with the same level of care. Ford freezes when she shifts in his arms. Her eyes open a crack, and she mumbles something as she nuzzles deeper into Ford's arms.

When Mabel drifts back into sleep, Ford sighs in relief. He takes several slow steps out of the living room and into the entry way. He looks at the stairs with hesitation. How would Ford get up without shaking her? He would also be risking falling with no arms to catch himself. Ford deems it too risky. He refuses to let any harm come to his niece.

So Ford turns and moves towards his room. Sure his couch is not as comfy as a bed, but it is safe. He lays her down, just as gently as he had picked her up. It is a bit hard to let go, as Mabel is holding tightly onto his sweater. He carefully pries each finger off, making sure to be as gentle as possible. Once free he stood and smiles. Safe; able to breathe; Perfect.

Ford took a breath to calm himself, but then he realizes he had forgotten a blanket for Mabel. He lightly drapes his blanket over her, but is dissatisfied. Mabel always wore sweaters despite the heat, so she must be cold. How dumb of Ford not to notice. He left the room and set about finding the warmest and softest blankets he could.

When Ford checks Mabel and Dipper's room, he notices not only is her pig there, but she also had many stuffed animals on her bed. Ford stacks as many as he could on one arm, and scoops up her pig as well. He crept back into the room and set his collection down. Her pig, Waddles, simply crawls over and lays near her side. Ford hovers, ready to snatch Waddles if he dares to step wrong.

Mabel rolls to accommodate the pig and pulls Waddles into a hug. Thankfully, not blocking her face. The pig did not seem to hinder her breathing, so Ford moves to his next task. He starts layering the blankets. It took several tries to make sure the blankets laid perfectly. No cold would attack Ford's niece.

For the final touch, Ford began tucking the stuffed animals wherever he could. Without putting to much weight on her vitals, of course. One, a stuffed unicorn, starts talking when he had grabs it. Startled, Ford rips out its voice box and crushes it in his hand. Ford looks down at the poor toy in shame. He would have to repair it tomorrow.

He took a few careful steps back. Carefully, he surveys his handy-work. She seems to be breathing fine; the pig did not move; the blankets allow no gaps; the stuffed animals did not dare to shift. Ford smiles, feeling satisfied. He had done it.

Ford moves to leave but became nervous. What if something woke her? What if she woke up and is confused? What if he had not done something right? Ford took a seat at the nearby desk. He uses the light of the moon to sketch out math equations from memory. More to keep himself up rather than for actual practice. Ford glances back at his niece constantly, just to make absolute sure all is well.

Stan came home about midnight, with a tired but happy Dipper. Mabel's idea of "Grunkle Bonding Day" seems to have gone just as she had thought. At least on their end. Stan follows Dipper up to check on Mabel, but found her bed empty. Both of Mabel and her bedding. Both Dipper and Stan share a confused look.

Stan moves around the house searching. Finally he pops his head into Ford's room and held back a laugh.

Ford lay face down in a book at his desk. Yet, both Stan and Dipper were drawn to the mass of blankets and stuffed animals on the couch. Under which, lay a sleeping Mabel, seemingly unbothered. It seems their day had gone well.

Stan takes a left over blanket, seemly unfit for Mabel's cocoon, and tosses it over to Dipper. He crawls onto the couch and forms his own smaller cocoon. Stan walked over and removed his brothers glasses and drapes Ford's trench coat over him. Stan looks down at a stuffed unicorn that had practically been ripped in half. He is curious, but decides to leave that for tomorrow. Stan took his own spot at one end of the couch, and leans back. Nothing and no one moves until morning.

[willyhoos]

this is how he fake-flirts ... it doesn't. work [🇺🇸 x 🇧🇾]

i think their relationship is based on mutual attraction, revulsion, and self-deceit. america is convincing himself that "winning" belarus' affections will be easy and that he's just in it to spite russia, meanwhile she's playing pseudo-flirtatious passive aggressive mind games with him on a level beyond comprehension.

it gets really uncomfortable for both of them really fast and so he kicks her out. ^^

[caligvlasaqvarivm]

I had sort of thought Kanaya's teasing and bullying towards Eridan for wanting to get back together with Vriska may have been an extension of her jealousy towards him that even someone like Eridan could get Vriska's attention, albeit in pitch feelings. As Kanaya was desperate to have a flushed relationship with her. She even cuts of Tavros' legs just AFTER she had seen him kiss Vriska. However, it was Vriska who initiated the kiss, not the bronzeblood himself. Kanaya puts Vriska that high up that she would overlook any behaviors. Only mediating if it means she could have a chance to get close to Vriska while not being open about her real feelings towards her. Which was something Eridan called Kanaya out in their first pesterlog together.

i personally don't read THAT much petty malice in her actions; i think she's mostly just a bit of a doormat, as Space players tend to be. while her retaliation against tavros (basically cutting him out despite being friends with him) IS unwarranted and motivated by jealousy, cutting off his legs is framed as a misguided attempt to be helpful (in fact, one of the potential reasons hussie throws out for why kanaya does this is to enable vriska one last time, by "erasing" one of her biggest asshole moves). as hussie points out, it's not ever really made clear whether or not tavros WANTED the help, so it still doesn't reflect very well on kanaya, but given she goes to Actual Murder when she wants revenge, i don't think "revenge" was quite her motive with "helping" tavros walk again.

let's remember that kanaya's core defining character flaw is "enabler," which ties in with both her Sylph class AND Space aspect, for a double whammy of enabling. even though she clearly has nothing but disdain towards eridan, she never just blocks him and moves on (which is what nearly everyone else on the meteor does), and even ultimately makes him his wand.

while she grapples with this tendency of hers, outright admitting it to be a flaw to rose and eventually getting fed up with eridan, gamzee, and even rose herself, she never fully resolves or confronts this tendency head-on, nor takes any accountability for the people she's helped fuck over. just another character in a long list who never fully completed their arcs.

[lesliemeyers]

In This Podunk Town — A South Park fanmix about the tumultuous experience of growing up with (and sometimes growing apart from) your best friends in your insane little hometown.

Cover art by me (an homage to The Great Depression by Defiance, Ohio)

Listen here.

Tracklist ⤵

This Feels Better — Defiance, Ohio | Bleed American — Jimmy Eat World | Bored Teenagers — The Adverts | Feel Like Rain — Motion City Soundtrack | Seattle — Public Image LTD. | No Rest For The Weekend — Orange | Working Title — Mt. Eddy | Knowledge — Operation Ivy | Big Lizard — The Dead Milkmen | Kids — The Frights | Halloween 3.5 — Rozwell Kid | Dry Heat/Nice Town — Cheekface | Familiar Patterns — PUP | Don’t Die In Yr Hometown — Antarctigo Vespucci | Fat Lip — Sum 41 | Minor Threat — Minor Threat | Hey Suburbia — Screeching Weasel | Stand There Until You’re Sober — Bomb the Music Industry! | Let’s Get Breakfast — Walter Mitty and His Makeshift Orchestra | Circles ‘Round the Moon — Nana Grizol

[casualshrimp-but-undertale]

… did someone say colour palette challenge? •v•

decided to join the art event of @yourloveaton !!

anyways here’s magical sharing his chocolates with cupid haha (…everyone asks where Cupid is but never how Cupid is and if he too would like some chocolates)

((had to give myself a reason to draw trickster again even if it’s a doodle this design is just so cool))

[scribz-ag24]

Imagine if Wiggglytuff met Darkrai before Darkrai lost his memories.

rip darkrai you were a fun one-dimensional villain

[upsidedownsmore]

Croaks from Below

A 6-page comic final for a graphic novel class, following Croak on a short crypt-delving adventure of increasingly absurd proportions.

Timelapse, two-page spreads, wips, and more below the read line:

Timelapse:

2-page spreads:

Rough draft sketches:

Thumbnail sketches:

More art of Croak for assignments leading up to this comic (which were also shared in this post):

That should be everything! I've never really made comics before, and some of the lead up to this project has been a struggle as I found my writing skills lacking. But once I accepted a goofier action-first approach it clicked much better for me

I've been working on this comic pretty much non-stop for the past week or two, and honestly it's felt super cathartic to devote huge blocks of time into a single digital art project again after 3 months of my time being eaten up by smaller and extraneous assignments, even if it did involve being locked in my room and wearing out my wrists even more lol

It's definitely not perfect and I might revisit this comic for coloring and tweaks, but I'm happy with where I landed in time for the assignment deadline! Very excited to see this printed alongside everyone else's comics :)

(Additional note: yes it's weird that the story ends on the back cover and not page 6, but i felt that page turn worked best for the pacing. The professor agreed with that choice, and it doesn't really make much of a difference when posted online anyways ig lol)

[mollysunder]

It's not that the Black Rose arc was a bad idea, it was just poorly integrated into the story. I think things would have worked out better if Mel stayed in Piltover and the show played into the fact Piltover is anti-magic and are thus wary of mages.

[notbecauseofvictories]

hello! longtime follower and current 1L - am starting the rounds of the law firms and there's always the "so what practice area are you interested in?" bit. i was curious what that is for you + what you do/don't like about it? iirc, you mentioned something abt being in-house, healthcare related, regulatory side of things? i'm interested in regulatory stuff but not sure if that takes the shape of litigation or an explicitly regulatory-focused practice. found your blog back in the star wars days, then got into silmarillion and the silt verses after seeing your posts abt it haha - hope you're doing well and staying warm!

Congrats! 1L summer is a fun, anxiety-ridden time that mostly involves telling people over and over, who you are and what you're interested in---which can be tricky if you're not sure what you're interested in.

Personally, I went in knowing that I liked healthcare (the field I worked in prior to law school) and that wanted to stay healthcare-adjacent.....but not much else.

I learned I was not destined for litigation pretty much the first time my Legal Writing professor handed back our appellate briefs. (Mine did not have the grade I wanted at the top.) This was compounded by our final project, where we presented in front of real live attorneys and I was a nervous, sweaty wreck. After that, I decided that becoming Atticus Finch was not in my future.

But there are still lots of other kinds of law to practice! I live in the healthcare regulatory space---and I work for a pretty under-resourced company, which means I have lots of contact with other areas like R&D, clinical research, data privacy, marketing and adtech, direct patient care, healthcare compliance, and negotiating between various international laws. Not to mention my scope is always expanding, which is...challenging, but I'm also the kind of person who enjoys spending a weekend reading about Brazilian law.

(One of my guiding stars through the whole law school/job search process was "I don't want to be bored." I am never, ever bored.)

And this wasn't even my first stop! When I was in law school, I spent my semesters interning/clerking at firms, consulting boutiques and government agencies; policy-focused clinics and hospitals and giant corporate behemoths. I've said before that observing all these different settings was valuable, that it gave me a better understanding of myself, how I work, and the kind of work I was looking for. While I won't ever claim that every experience I had was amazing (it was not) it did give me the opportunity to explore, in a way that most adult professionals simply can't.

I mean---look. If you're committed to the brass ring of OCR and a high-profile law firm, then you might have to make this decision now. (Or at least come up with a good answer for interviewers...) But I highly encourage you and everyone choosing that path to keep the other doors open, just a crack. There are interesting things that sneak through when you aren't looking.