#Plus it has nostalgia value of course

[pant--eater]

Forever lamenting that Woody Woodpecker doesn't have a thriving fandom the way Looney Tunes does (and overall it's not nearly as popular in the US the way it's in my area), because I would kill for Mrs Meany x readers

[e-vay]

My In-Depth Review of Sonic X Shadow Generations (Spoilers!)

I completed Sonic X Shadow Generations so I'm ready to talk about it! Remember, these are just my personal opinions about the game, so don't take this review as me saying that my opinion is "right." I'd hate to accidentally spoil the game for you, so all my thoughts are below the cut:

Did you mean to click "Keep Reading"? I warned you, there's gonna be spoilers here! One last chance to back out...

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Okay here we go!

THE SHADOW PORTION

Let's start with what we've all been hyped about: the Shadow portion of Sonic X Shadow Generations. If you single out the Shadow story of this game, I think it is an absolute masterpiece! Everyone who worked on it gave it their all, and it clearly shows. I'd give it a 9.75/10.

THE GRAPHICS

The visuals of this game are STUNNING. These new models for Maria and Gerald Robotnik are perfection! I am so glad they went with the more 'cartoon' style for the human models, similar to what we saw in Sonic Unleashed. They feel like they belong in this world among these peculiar looking anthropomorphic animals, but they aren't so odd looking that they feel goofy. They found a perfect balance and I couldn't be happier with them. Speaking of character models, to see all the bosses throughout the years in this new high definition was a sight to behold! Though I do feel nostalgia for the lower-poly version of the Biolizard, it was great to see it as the creators originally envisioned. It went from this loveable (and admittedly silly-looking) salamander to a truly intimidating and disturbing looking beast. The animation is superb. The characters move so fluidly and the poses are dynamic and striking! The frame rate makes everything look and feel fast and smooth which is exactly what you'd hope for in a Sonic game. I also appreciated the variety of poses/animations even just for the different stage ranks. I found myself purposely replaying stages to get different ranks just so I could see the different animations Shadow had regarding his "performance" evaluation. That really adds to the replay value! I am a graphic designer for a living, so of course I have to gush about the design, too! The graphic elements that appear before, during, and after each stage are straight up BADASS! I love the 2D animated flame that appears along the stage name and the color scheme and sharp lines are so appropriate to Shadow, and are a very strong contrast to Sonic's graphic elements that are colorful and round in shape. These are small details that most people might not outright notice, but it really enhances the overall aesthetic of the game.

THE STORY

LOOOOORE! Sweet nectar of the gods, we were given so much more lore with this game! Even though the Shadow portion of this game was fairly short, they jam-packed a ton of information and I am forever thankful for it! If you didn't do so while playing, I highly recommend playing again and talking to the NPCs regularly for little nuggets of lore. I was initially worried that this was going to be a rehash of the same 'origin' story we've heard a dozen times already, but that was not the case! Instead of focusing entirely on the tragedy that happened on the ARK, we got to learn what life was like on the ARK while times were still good! Learning that Shadow didn't used to be confident at all, to the point where Maria basically doesn't recognize this confident version of him that we've all known him as. And that Shadow never did his homework??? HA! I loved the confirmation that yes, Maria WAS INDEED the person who gave Shadow his name, and the meaning behind it was EVERYTHING TO ME! (Also works so well for my my AU. IYKYK hehehe) Plus all the Robotnik family history?! MARIA HAD A LITTLE SISTER?!?! She'd be old now, if she's even alive, but will we ever meet her? Will Shadow ever meet her (and would he even want to, or does he feel like that chapter of his life is closed now)? What was she like, and how did Maria's death impact her and her parents??? I hope we'll find out some day! Plus getting to learn a little bit more about Gerald's sons was exciting too. Will more Robotnik family members make appearances down the line? What do they think of Eggman's misdeeds? I'm so curious for more! It was heartbreaking in the best way for Shadow to get to interact with Maria and Gerald again, especially knowing he can't do anything to change what will inevitably happen to them. His sense of desperation paired with the growing affects that Doom's powers were having on him really had me worried about what was going to happen to Shadow's state of mind and overall well-being. It was amazing to see the toll it was taking on his body and his mind. In particular, I'm thinking of the scene where Shadow goes to fight Sonic and you see him having to actually restrain himself and go easy on Sonic. I thought it a great scene to demonstrate how easy it would have been for Shadow to just give in to the rage and take Sonic out without hesitation, but his willpower was able to win in the end. I have heard some people saying they're disappointed that Shadow lost his Doom abilities by the end of the story, but I think it made complete sense for the story. Black Doom is insistent that Shadow isn't 'complete' yet and he has to be more like him in order to be 'perfect.' But that isn't true! Shadow is already the ultimate life form, especially because there's more to him than his Black Doom DNA. By rejecting Doom's influence in the end, that was Shadow's true evolution. He's perfect as he is. Obviously I could gush forever and ever about all the Shadow and Maria scenes, but words aren't going to do it justice. It was just so moving to see how different he is when he's with her. In fact, at the end of this game I believe this is the first instance we ever see a true, genuine, heartwarming smile from Shadow and it DEVASTATED ME! We are used to his smirks, but when he's trying to reassure Maria that everything's going to be okay, we get to see him truly smile and we aren't seeing Shadow the Ultimate Lifeform or Shadow the Destroyer/Weapon, we are seeing Shadow the Brother and it felt like the warm embrace of a security blanket. God bless the writing in this game.

THE ACTING

The acting in this game is incredible from a visual and auditory performance. The animators really pushed the acting of the character models and you can feel Shadow's transformations throughout the game and the toll it's taking on his body. The emotions are cranked up to the max and they didn't pull any punches. In the past, Shadow was often limited in his portrayal of emotions, but that wasn't the case in this game at all. We saw anger, we saw resentment, we saw panic and sadness, and affection. There was so much thought put into the shaking of his hands, the gritting of his teeth, the shrinking and dilating of his pupils, all to show what's going on in his head without even resorting to words. SO MUCH ATTENTION was put into how these characters moved and interacted with each other and it truly tugged at my heart strings. There were too many wonderful moments for me to break down, so I will just single out one for now and applaud the creative direction and the animators for these scenes as a whole. There's this moment right near the end of the story, when Shadow is trying to stop Gerald and Maria from disappearing for good. His gestures are wild and panicked, his pupils and irises are small due to fear, but then Maria simply frames his face and rests her forehead against his. It's subtle, but Shadow's eyes widen and then return to their regular size and everything from his stance to how his shoulders fall show what a calming presence Maria has and how she helped (and will continue to help) him find his inner piece. Those performances are going to stick with me forever! Mike Pollock as Gerald Robotnik was truly *chef's kiss* MP is such a fantastic actor with great range. Though his voice is easily recognizable, the manner in which he speaks as Gerald is so different compared to Eggman, that you couldn't mistake the two characters even just by listening. We have been so used to only hearing from the angry, driven-insane-by-grief Gerald that it was so refreshing to get to see and hear the calm, brilliant, caring genius that created The Ultimate Life Form. P.S. I'm going to be crying over hearing Gerald call Shadow "son" for the rest of my life, thank you very much. I don't care about the future crimes he commits, we got to witness Shadow's father in this game and I'm weeping. Kirk Thornton is not my favorite Shadow. That being said, he really gave it his all and I was pleasantly surprised by what he accomplished. One of the performances that surprised me the most was Mephiles! This is a credit to the writers as well as the voice actor. The sense of wild desperation in his voice as he fights to even 'exist' in this timeline was so visceral and terrifying. Sure the other villains had their "I'm the best, this world belongs to me" lines, but Mephiles' voice lines were on a completely different level to me. What a treat! Lastly, if you can, please replay the game in Japanese! Kōji Yusa's performance is STUNNING. Ooh I'm getting shivers just recalling his voice lines while you're playing through the stages. I don't mean to discredit the English voice actors, but I think this game is even better when listening in Japanese. Give it a try yourself!

THE MUSIC

This is a Sonic game we're talking about, of course the music is going to be fantastic! The score did not disappoint one bit. It was great to hear all the callbacks to songs in the past as well as new tracks that were catchy and enjoyable even after playing the stages several times. "All Hail Shadow" has always been one of my favorites, but the new instrumental version used for majority of this game was so haunting and eerie. It was a delight to my ears as well as my emotions.

THE BOSSES

I loved the chosen bosses for Shadow's story. It was great fun to revisit some of the more iconic baddies throughout Shadow's history, and even though some of the gameplay was the same, the battle would then shift and offer the player something new. However, it's actually the boss fights where I dock the game a few fractions of a point. The boss battles were far too easy to defeat, and I actually found them easier and easier as the game progressed. I beat Mephiles and Devil Doom so quickly that I didn't realize their fights were over already. One could argue this was intentional by design. After all, throughout the story Shadow is evolving more and more into the 'perfect' killing machine. It would make sense that the more Doom Abilities he acquires, the weaker these bosses would seem. Still, as a life-long gamer, I appreciate when I have to actually work to achieve the ending of a game. I would have liked more of a challenge.

OVERALL GAMEPLAY

Whether you're roaming about White Space or you're actually playing through stages, the Shadow portion of this game is an absolute blast. Even having played the Shadow the Hedgehog game (which I'm a fan of, btw), I feel like this game really gave you a better feeling of what it's like to be Shadow. I LOVED that I got to use Chaos Control way more than ever before in previous games. If you had the ability to stop time, wouldn't you take advantage of it every chance you could??? The opportunity to use Chaos (and Doom) Spear as frequently as you wanted and Chaos Control almost constantly really shows how formidable of a character Shadow is and just how different it is to play as him compared to playing as Sonic. I loved the 'free-roam' aspect of White Space compared to the 2D version in Sonic's story. Hunting for rocket parts or figuring out how to unlock collectibles was a lot of fun and let the player really explore these new Doom abilities to the fullest. I'll admit that I struggled with navigating some of the Doom abilities, but even so I still had a ton of fun. I already mentioned replay value, but before you even have to go about replaying the game, there is SO MUCH to this portion of the game! The amount of stages, challenges, collectibles within stages, FINDING the unlockables USING the collectibles you obtained from stages, even the mini challenges available AFTER you've completed the key challenges (I'm talking about the bell that's located above the challenge portal), all of it made for a ton of opportunities for play. I found myself wanting to take on every quest instead of begrudgingly going through it just because I'm a completionist.

My biggest gripe is that the game was too short. Am I greedy for wanting more? Probably, but I can't help it. The developers gave us a ton of content in the Shadow story, but I still would have loved to have a full length game of just this gameplay. I managed to complete the Shadow portion in a few hours, and that was even with me leisurely taking my time to get collectibles and get S ranks for stages before progressing through the story. I miss the days where games took much longer to complete. But hey, I'm a nostalgia-prone 33 year old, so I guess that's to be expected of me haha.

THE SONIC PORTION

Here is where Sonic X Shadow Generations loses more points for me, which is a shame because I think it's a great game overall. Admittedly, I was disappointed when I first learned that the Sonic portion of the game was just a remaster of Generations. I had really hoped we were going to receive something new to help elevate SXS Gens as an entirely new game, instead of just "Sonic Gens + Shadow DLC".

Don't get me wrong, the stages in Sonic Generations are fun to play. However, when you go from playing Shadow's story to Sonic's story, Sonic's side drastically pales in comparison in my opinion.

My other complaint is that for a remaster, they really didn't improve Sonic's portion of the game significantly (at least from what I can recall, as I haven't played the original Sonic Generations since it first came out in 2011). This was a missed opportunity to correct more of the drawbacks of the original game. However, I will admit there are some minor changes that were made that I was thankful for. Let's start with the positive before I point out some of the negatives.

THE STORY

As mentioned earlier, I acknowledge that Sonic Generations is just a remaster so it makes sense that the story didn't change much. That being said, there were some small changes that I did really appreciate and helped improve the story. One of the things that always bothered me about the original Sonic Generations was how indifferent/annoyed Sonic was regarding his friends. I mean, the story is about time being erased! His friends and home are literally getting removed from the fabric of time and Sonic seemed more inconvenienced than concerned. In more recent games, the writing has really focused on the value Sonic finds in his friendships and found family. He always has his signature cool, aloof attitude, but I think the writers in recent years have successfully showed just how much he cares about his group, whether the games were serious (Sonic Frontiers) or silly (The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog). The story wasn't drastically changed for Sonic X Shadow Generations, but some altered dialogue and blink-and-you-miss-it edits helped to cut that jackass attitude from the original and gave him more realistic reactions. Especially by having him respond when he rescues everybody this time! It never seemed right when Tails was first rescued and he's trauma dumping on Sonic about how awful the experience was and Sonic just sits there in silence haha. At least in the new version, Sonic reassures Tails that he's safe now. Also, huge kudos to whoever decided to alter that scene where Sonic is shoving Amy away by the face. I always hated that. Ship or not, you don't treat your friends like that when they're throwing you a bday party!

This is me getting nitpicky, but there were a few things I had really hoped they were going to improve, but remained untouched:

THE GRAPHICS

I was never happy with the visuals of this game outside of the stages (the visuals within the stages are great!). The colors are extremely oversaturated and the characters are way too intense and some are even off model (ex: Amy is so blindingly vivid magenta in this game instead of her signature blush pink. What the heck?!). What's worse, the cutscenes during the birthday party scenes are SO GREEN. The light bounces off the neon green landscape and reflects onto the already oversaturated characters, giving them an unappealing green glow. I get that the Sonic world is not realistic, but it felt like the scenery in these cutscenes made it look like we were watching a bunch of toys interacting on a playset instead of characters living in their world. Sure the visuals during the levels are great, but it's a real disappointment when I'm specifically not looking forward to the cutscenes in a game. I wish they would have tweaked that.

THE ANIMATION/GAMEPLAY

I have zero complaints when it comes to Act 1 (the "Classic" version) of the different stages. These look great, play great, and if you've played classic Sonic games then you can appreciate how identical the map of the level is compared to the originals. The issue for me lies in Act 2, aka Modern Sonic's gameplay. For the most part these levels are good, but there were a couple of small things that always bothered me that I was sincerely hoping they'd fix (and they did not). There are portions of Modern Sonic's gameplay that is SO. SLOW. I'm referring to when you are jumping from one Grind Rail to another, or when you are sliding under an obstacle. These animations are so bizarrely slow and make absolutely no sense when your character is running blindingly fast. I don't understand why they didn't use this opportunity to fix those animations. When you're playing the Shadow side of the story, his animations are constantly fast moving and appropriately paced. Why wouldn't they apply these physics to the Sonic side?

As a whole, the Sonic portion of Sonic X Shadow Generations is still a fun game, but I think it could have used a little more attention to help it feel more balanced compared to the Shadow portion.

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This game also has some notably fun DLC and the promise of more DLC in the future! I have my Sonic side of the story set to the Sonic Adventure Legacy skin and Sonic Jam Legacy skin and they are so CUTE! They win all the nostalgia points! I'll be honest with you, I have never been a fan of Terios' design hahaha. BUT! I love that they made a Terios skin for this game so players have the chance to play as him if you choose and we get to see how he was intended outside of the initial sketches we've all seen. (Still, y'all can keep your Terios skin. I won't touch it LOL!). And I am OVER THE MOON ECSTATIC for the upcoming Movie Shadow addition to the game! I still can't believe they got Keanu Reeves to voice lines for it! I'm sure it will be a small thing, but I am on the edge of my seat to see what that will be like.

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Overall, I'm super happy with the game as a whole and I enjoyed every minute I played of it!

If you read all of this, thank you for reading! Again, my opinion isn't fact and if you disagree with what I had to say, that's totally fair. And if you haven't played the game yourself, please go play it and see what you think for yourself!

[dayscapism]

So JK Rowling is shit, read this instead of Harry Potter - part 1/3:

Part 2 - Middle grade/children's books

Part 3 - Young Adult (YA)

This is a list of fantasy books (and some sci-fi) for people who no longer want to support a transphobe & bigot but are still having a hard time finding something that fills the void of Harry Potter. This is a LONG list, with adult, middle grade, and YA recs, divided into 3 parts, one for each age range. Most of these books are far better than HP anyway.

You can still enjoy your merch, books or movies you already own, no one is telling you you can't like or love Harry Potter and the Wizarding World, but please consider diversifying your media so you don't wrongly assume this franchise is the best fantasy ever and nothing can top it when that is simply not true.

As a guide, these are the things I associate with Harry Potter: wizards & witches, magic school, horror elements, mythical/magical creatures, mystery, nostalgia, magical trinkets & artefacts, themes of friendship, family & love and discussions of death/death imagery. Dark forest, ghosts, gloomy aesthetic, medieval castles, cosy reading rooms, libraries, very British, Christmas & Halloween, dark forests, a relatively modern world combined with magic/alternate world, astronomy/astrology, divination. Also tropes like magic politics & bureaucracy, prophecies, the chosen + dead parents, coming of age, discussions on discrimination and outcasts (sort of), good triumphing over evil, overcoming childhood trauma, school-bullying, and also the protagonist is sort of a celebrity for reasons they can't control which others them from society.

These recommendations are based on that, but of course, each recommended book is much more than its similarities with harry potter, a world in itself. This list is NOT comprehensive.

Let's go then!

If you take anything from this post, let it be this series because it is the perfect alternative:

The Nevermoor Series by Jessica Townsend!

This really should blow up worldwide, be the new fantasy phenomenon. It honestly pains me to even put it beside or compare it to Harry Potter. It feels disrespectful to Nevermoor, but it has everything and more you want out of HP. Traumatized kid protagonist who gets whisked away into an alternate world of magic, finds out she's special, meets a wonderful magical mentor/father figure (who isn't actually awful like Dumbledore is to Harry), lots of school friendships and found family, a wonderful setting including a magic school and a magical city with all kinds of fantastical landmarks and alleyways; with magical markets dark and whimsical both. There's magical trials, witches, oracles, fantastical giant creatures, sentient magical animals, and so much more. And it has good discussions on themes of discrimination, school bullying, and mental health. If you like Coraline or The Adams Family, this is perfect for you, too. Plus, this series is written by a queer author who has shown active support to social causes like Palestine.

The series is still releasing, so if you have kids in your life they could grow up with the series as it comes out.

Books in the series:

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow

Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow

Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow

Currently waiting on Silverborn: The Mystery of Morrigan Crow

Adult book recommendations under the cut:

Adult books: Great alternatives to the later HP books and for readers who don't vibe with middle grade or YA anymore.

★ Books I've read myself.

★ The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang (trilogy): A dark-skinned, low-class provincial orphan enters a military academy, and must prove her value as a soldier. She discovers she has a hidden, lethal power. High fantasy, based on the Chinese wars and history of the 20th century. Has a magic school/military school setting in the first book. Discussions on the horrors of war and a person's loss of humanity under extenuating circumstances. Excellent character work.

★ Discworld by Terry Pratchett (YA/Adult, different series set in the same world). In particular, the Witches, Death, and Ricewind sub-series have similarities to HP in subject, characters, setting or themes. These books have lots of British humour and excellent commentary on social issues, and a little bit of a magical school and magic learning too.

★ T. Kingfisher books: Nettle & Bone, What Moves the Dead, Thorn Hedge, Paladin's Grace, A House With Good Bones and more. The author does mostly fairy tale retellings and horror. Great for fans of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

★ The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (standalone): You want magic? Well, this is, I think, the most magical book ever written. It's so atmospheric, whimsical, historical, and dark. It's about two magicians duelling each other, showing off their magical abilities, under the wishes of their families/mentors (Dumbledore, anyone?). The competition takes place in a magical circus that only opens at night. It's full of magic, romance, betrayal, and wonderful prose. Perfect if you like The Goblet of Fire but you would want a more quiet, aesthetic version of the tournament.

★ Dead Djinn series by P. Djeli Clark (series, mystery, novel + novellas that can be read in any order): This is about supernatural detectives in an alternate history of the city of Cairo, a city full of otherworldly creatures. There's a Ministry of Alchemy, LGBTQ+ rep, discussions of colonialism (especially committed by the British), lots of cheeky humour and cool magical artefacts or magic mixed with technology. It's also set in the 1910s, so it's great for fans of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

The Name of The Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (ongoing series): This has a highly-praised magic school setting. It's about a notorious wizard who narrates his story; his childhood, years being a feral orphan, his school years and then life as a fugitive of the law. This series is hailed as one of the best ones in fantasy right now. Great prose too.

Black Prism by Brent Weeks (series): We all know HP is not applauded for having the most coherent magic system. Well, in this book you get a really inventive magic system based on light: in this world, some people can use different colours of visible light to do magic. The people who can use all of them are called Prisms. We follow this one magician who is the current Prism, most powerful man in the world, high priest and emperor, and also a man of wit and charm. He knows Prisms never last though... Great for people who would like a book about a powerful, high-achieving magician, like say, Dumbledore.

★ Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor (duology): A young librarian is convinced of the existence of the mythical city of Weep, which was cut from the rest of the world two hundred years ago. He is obsessed. No one believes him. One day an opportunity to travel to said city presents itself and all his dreams come true. But the city hides a dark past, and not all the inhabitants were always human: some were gods with blue skin. Beautifully written, whimsical at every turn but also full of complex, deep subjects.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (ongoing series): It's dark academia in Yale but if Yale had a bunch of occult secret clubs. A freshman, Alex, is the sole survivor of a multiple homicide and still searching for answers herself. She arrives at the school tasked to monitor the activities of the secret societies full of rich students. But the occult activities are more sinister and extraordinary than what she imagined.

Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna (standalone): Magic school but now the protagonist is the witch teacher instead of the students, and who comes to teach magic to three young witches. Her coworkers are all a little eccentric, and the love interest is the grumpy librarian. A wholesome, cosy fantasy romance set in alternate contemporary times. Also with the found family trope.

★ Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb (multiple series): Hobb is one of the big names of fantasy. This is a low fantasy medieval world, with dragons, assassins, animal familiars, royal courts and backstabbing politics. If you like Game of Thrones, you'll probably like this series too. These books are character-centric to Fitz, the protagonist and bastard-born to the late crown prince, and the court jester, the Fool. The first trilogy is about Fitz's apprenticeship as an assassin to the royal family, his coming-of-age discovery of multiple hidden magic abilities that connect him to his family and the world of beasts, and his journey to save his uncle and country. So basically a non-formal magical school. Hobb has some problematic LGBTQ+ representation, though; she couldn't write a good queer character if her life depended on it. She seems to have the biases of her time ingrained in her and it shows in her writing. So there's that to consider.

★ The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin (trilogy): You want a series that you will be thinking about for the rest of your life?? This one. This one is it. This trilogy is about a world where every certain time, there's a worldwide cataclysmic seismic/volcanic disaster. Humanity has evolved strict tactics to survive this, but some individuals are born with the ability to affect seismic movements. These individuals are feared and are put as children into a school where they can learn to control their superhuman abilities and later be in service of the government. One of our protagonists is one of these children. It's about motherhood and community, and has LGBTQ+ with in-text trans, bisexual, and polyamory representation. It discusses subjects of technological advancement, society and discrimination.

Vita Nostra by Marina & Sergey Dyachenko (duology): This is often called "the anti-Harry Potter book". It has elements of mystery-thriller, plays with time/time loops, a magical university, post-soviet culture in Ukraine, metamorphosis, and it's very atmospheric. It's also recommended for fans of The Night Circus and The Magicians. It's best if you go into it not knowing much.

Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan (series): For fans of Charlie Weasley and Newt Scamander, set in a world where dragons are real. The protagonist and narrator is the world's preeminent dragon naturalist, who is set to bring these creatures of myth into the light of modern science. It's a coming-of-age story, about learning, and expeditions in search of magical creatures. It's more historical fiction than fantasy though.

The Chronicles of Between by L.L. Starling (ongoing series, romance, cosy, witches): The protagonist starts dreaming weird things when she accepts a position as a substitute teacher in a charmingly witchy village, and soon realizes they're not dreams, but magic. She gatecrashes a fairytale kingdom with drunken unicorns, bored dragons and sorcerers in leather pants. She accidentally performs a supposedly impossible feat and ends up tethered to this world by marriage and a title, but she forges an escape plan...

Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey (standalone, mystery, urban fantasy): About a private investigator who never wanted to be magical. Not like her estranged sister, who is a magically gifted professor. But when she is hired to investigate the gruesome murder of a faculty member in her sister's academy, the detective starts to lose herself in the crime and the life she could have had.

★ House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune: LGBTQ+ rep, boarding school, perspective from the teachers/caretakers PoV, and feral, traumatized magical children. Edit: This book has been criticized for being anti-indigenous, in particular with the boarding school plotline being a parallel to residential schools, thus being insensitive and trivializing the history of erasure, violence, genocide and forced assimilation done by the colonizers towards the indigenous people of Canada.

The Dark Fantastic by Ebony Elizabeth Thomas (non-fiction): Exploration of race in popular youth & YA speculative fiction. Analyzing popular media including Harry Potter. Explores radical imagination & Afrofuturism in Black feminism, books and fan fiction to reveal new possibilities.

Disclaimer: I'm just one person/reader, I haven't checked the political or moral views of all these authors or if they're a shitty person. Anything I know or majorly problematic stuff is considered and accounted for, but it's not realistic for me to deep-check each author I ever read. But anyone is welcome to chime in if you know of something we should be aware of about these books/authors.

Always remember to check for trigger warnings (TW), especially for adult books.

Happy reading!

Supporting Sources:

https://www.aspiraldance.com/middle-grade-and-young-adult-books-to-read-instead-of-harry-potter/

https://missprint.wordpress.com/2022/09/01/back-to-magic-school-harry-potter-alternatives-booklist/

Goodreads for synopses.

[trainerfuzzzz]

Since Sun and Moon is getting some nostalgia traction again, I thought it was time for me to reanalyze Gladion’s team.

Let’s start with his Pokémon in the normal Sun and Moon game, during his last battle:

Gladion has a Crobat, Weavile, Porygon-Z, Lucario, and, of course, Silvally in his team. Gladion fights with a pretty good mix of types, but they’re all in the same vein I feel. Crobat, Lucario, and Silvally all evolve with high friendship. I think this is unbelievably fitting for a character like Gladion who changes as the protagonist gets to know him and his reasons for being the way he is. Almost all of his pokemon have a super high attack stats too, showing his tendency to lean towards violence to solve an issue. I think this is a pretty good team for him, but I don’t like it as much as the other two.

Next up is his Ultra Sun and Moon game team:

He has all the same Pokémon as before, plus Charizard/Blastoise/Venusaur and Zoroark. While I don’t have much to say about the first ones, I always prefer to see him with Charizard rather than the other two. He doesn’t have a dragon type on his team, nor a fire type (unless you count Silvally’s changes). And I just think he’d look sick as fuck with a shiny Charizard. Zoroark is a great Pokémon for him for a few reasons. One of which is the plot in the anime, but I’ll save that for the next section. Zoroark also has a high attack stat, which I talked about last section as being good for Gladion. It’s also a pretty antisocial Pokémon, with one of its Pokédex entries being “Stories say those who tried to catch Zoroark were trapped in an illusion and punished.” Zoroark is notoriously hard to catch. However, following Gladion’s theme of closeness and bonding, it can be persuaded.

Next up, let’s talk about his Pokémon in the anime:

In the anime he has an Umbreon, Lycanroc midnight form, Zoroark, and his Silvally. This may be my favorite team for him, purely because of aesthetics and interesting facts. While I wish he had still had Lucario, I understand why Lycanroc took its place here (to show off for the anime). Lycanroc is a cool pokemon for him because it’s rebellious, much like him and many of his themes. One of its Pokédex entries says “It will even disobey its Trainer if it dislikes the orders it was given.” Umbreon is another great choice for him because it too evolves with friendship. Of course, he needs his Silvally. Zoroark is interesting here because of its ties to Gladion’s father in the show. In general I love the idea of Pokémon being passed down through generations, but it’s especially heartwarming here.

Quick bonus:

Noivern is Gladion’s Ultra Guardian Ride Pokémon, which is so perfect in my opinion. I wish he had a Noivern in his regular team instead of Crobat, but I know that would make him way too overpowered lol.

Overall:

I think Gladion’s team is one of the most thought out. His Pokémon are direct reflections of him and his values, which you can’t always say for characters. While there are minor changes I would make, I love his team.

Hope you enjoyed this very rushed analysis! I plan on doing Hau next, but drop any character you’d like to see in my ask box or in the replies.

[meltthefrozenheart]

FROZEN // FROZEN 2: An interesting parallel gives Weselton and Mattias the same "narrative role" ...

Because both rappresent the "ordinary people", but while the Duke serves in Elsa's side of the story as a contrasting force, a character overtaken by fear that incentrates on the contrasts between humanity and magic, while Mattias serves Anna's side in a supporting role, sharing the same values and nostalgia for Arendelle, plus his feeling fo Halima (which connects him to Anna's romantic view) and his friendship/rivalry with Yelena, as a first sign of acceptance between Arendellians and Northuldra. And, of course, not forgetting how the Duke is simply a rappresentative of Arendelle's closest trade partner, while the Lieutenant was the personal guard of Agnarr himself:

Both also "play a part" in the "twist villain" of the story, but while the Duke contrasting behavior towards Hans helps the former to further hide his true intentions and then finally use his fear against Elsa, Mattias is on King Runeard side the whole time until Anna reveals the truth about the conflict with the Northuldra:

Ironically, the Duke ends up being banished by Elsa, treated as a criminal and ruining the trade relationship between Arendelle and Weselton, while Mattias gets nominated General under Queen Anna and has a new chance with Halima:

[hoghtastic]

Even if he has new projects, people outside of denmark can't see that and he looks like a typical scandinavian influencer. He used to be a ray of sunshine 💔 but I understand that he has grown up and people change. I'm just afraid that I may never experience with him again what I experienced while he was on Vikings, you know, waiting for premieres, new content, all the nice things that seeing your favorite artist on television implies. Sometimes, I feel that it will never be like this again and that he will only want to work in Denmark. That makes me think that maybe it's not even worth it to continue being his fan and that's make me a bit sad because I really admired him :(

Dear anon, you have expressed exactly what I feel about Alex and being a part of the fandom at the moment. As someone who’d watched most of the Vikings series with my dad, I only actually joined the fandom during covid times, and while most of Alex’s funny and goofy behind the scenes videos with Marco and other colleagues/friends were already throwbacks to me, they were so fun to watch! Even the little tidbits of his daily life and the insta lives he did, they all came out as genuine and fun, they put a smile on my face and kept me in high spirits during a hospital stay. So I will always cherish these times for that. 😊 Plus, if you add Alex’s enormous talent and the values he seemingly defended back then, he did feel like a ray of sunshine, like you mentioned, and someone I was proud to support and be a fan of. And this is why it makes me sad to see all of that change little by little, as he grows distant not only from the fandom but also from the person he used to be (or at least presented himself to be) and what he stood for, in order to become just another influencer with a few mediocre projects here and there where, at least in my opinion, his talent is wasted and he can’t show his full potential and/or evolve as an actor. And yet, in a mix of nostalgia and optimism for the future, here I remain (like all of you guys) trying to prevent the fandom from dying and still wanting to see Alex succeed, both professionally and personally.

And about his projects, sometimes we’re able to see them outside of Denmark, it just takes a little longer for other countries’ platforms to distribute them (it happened to me with Nordic Narcos), or we’re eventually able to find them online, but of course it implies patience and research, and for everyone outside of the fandom he’s most likely that guy who was once in Vikings and nothing more, since none of his other projects are as popular or readily available internationally. But who knows, maybe that’s about to change and that trip with his agent to LA last year will reveal itself fruitful? (Even though I think if he’d auditioned for some role and had been chosen, we’d already have heard something about it by now. 😅)

[rabbitcruiser]

National Chocolate Milk Day

Satisfy your sweet tooth with this deliciously creamy beverage made from cocoa and dairy. Perfect for any time of day!

A tasty treat for breakfast or as an afternoon pick-me-up, chocolate milk offers some nutritional benefits that drinks with empty calories don’t. Plus, it offers some nostalgia from childhood! So grab a glass and get ready to celebrate National Chocolate Milk Day!

History of National Chocolate Milk Day

Of course, the history of chocolate milk is inextricably tied to the discovery of chocolate. It is believed that hot beverages made from chocolate have been enjoyed for around 4000 years. The Olmec people in ancient Mesoamerica (present day Mexico) used drinking chocolate for medical purposes and people have also used it for religious purposes over history.

While it is likely that someone thought to mix chocolate with milk earlier in history, it’s not recorded until the late 1600s. This record indicates that an Irish botanist who was living in Jamaica at the time was the person who first made chocolate milk.

The story goes that when the Jamaicans first gave Hans Sloane the drink, he was unimpressed with its flavor. So instead of making it with water, he made it with milk, which made the taste more tolerable. After taking the mixture of chocolate milk back to Europe, it was then sold as a medicinal substance by apothecaries for some time.

When the Hershey’s company began producing chocolate syrup in the early 1920s, and then made it commercially available to the public, it made drinking chocolate milk an option at restaurants and households.

Chocolate milk became even easier to make when the Nestle company introduced Nesquik chocolate milk powder in the US in the late 1940s and later in Europe in the 1950s. Now, it comes pre-made by many dairy companies as well as from brands that offer non-dairy, plant-based options for those who love chocolate milk.

National Chocolate Milk Day is just the right time to enjoy and appreciate the little things in life, including the delicious simplicity of a glass of chocolate milk.

National Chocolate Milk Day Timeline

Late 1600s

Chocolate Milk is invented 

Hans Sloane, an Irish Botanist, is given cocoa to drink in Jamaica but he chooses to make it with milk instead.

1700s

Chocolate Milk is released as medicine 

When Sloane returns to Ireland, he sells the mixture of cocoa and milk as medicinal.

Early 1900s

Cadbury creates drinking chocolate 

The brothers behind the Cadbury company market drinking chocolate in a tin.

1926

Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup is invented 

Hershey’s syrup is first produced for commercial use.

1948

Chocolate Milk Powder is created 

Nesquik makes it easy to drink chocolate milk at home with chocolate powder.

How to Celebrate National Chocolate Milk Day

A delightfully simple day, National Chocolate Milk Day is meant to honor and revere everything about this tasty and satisfying beverage. Consider implementing some of these ways to enjoy National Chocolate Milk Day:

Drink a Glass of Chocolate Milk

Of course, the best way to celebrate this day is to pour a tall glass of chocolate milk and drink it right up! Have it on its own or with a stack of cookies. While drinking it, don’t forget to make a delightful milk mustache and take a picture or a selfie. It’s a fun way to raise awareness for and promote the day on social media!

Learn About the Health Benefits of Chocolate Milk 

When compared to other sweet drinks, like sodas, chocolate milk stands up with more nutritional value that those drinks that are filled with empty calories. It still has quite a bit in the way of carbs and fat, but these can be minimized by drinking a low-fat, less sweet version.

Here are some of the health benefits that can be found in a glass of chocolate milk:

Protein Many athletes like to drink chocolate milk as a source of protein for muscle repair and acting as building blocks. Milk is a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids.

Skeletal Health Calcium is good for the bones and teeth, and milk contains this essential nutrient. And when milk is fortified with Vitamin D, which many brands of milk in the US are, it’s even more effective for the body to take advantage of the health benefits.

Workout Recovery Many athletes find that drinking chocolate milk after a workout helps to restore sugars, fluids and electrolytes that are lost during exercise.

Hold a Chocolate Milk Taste Test

Not sure which chocolate milk is the best? Naturally, National Chocolate Milk Day is a great time to hold a blind taste test to determine which version is the best. Several companies make chocolate milk out, so try out something from a local dairy or choose one of these brands:

Trader Joe’s Chocolate Milk. Sold in half gallon cardboard cartons, this chocolate milk is smooth and consistent in its taste, and it is very affordable. Plus, it is made with fair trade cocoa so everyone can feel good about drinking it!

Horizon Organic High Protein Chocolate Milk. This one is delicious and it also has a reduced fat option, making it even healthier.

Yoo-hoo Chocolate Drink. Okay, so it’s not technically chocolate milk at all because it isn’t made from dairy. But for folks who have dairy allergies or sensitivities, this can be really good news because it tastes great. Pro tip: Yoo-hoo is best when it is served very cold!

Fairlife Reduced Fat Chocolate Milk. With extra protein, this one is also ultra-filtered, offering a thick and silky smooth taste in the mouth. In addition, it has about half of the sugar, more protein and more calcium than regular chocolate milk.

Try Making Vegan Chocolate “Milk”

Whether it has to do with being vegan for health purposes, for environmental reasons, or simply related to a dairy allergy, making chocolate milk from a plant alternative is a super way to celebrate National Chocolate Milk Day! Try out some of these plant based, vegan milks mixed with chocolate:

Almond Milk. Low in protein and calories, almond milk may not be as good as a substitute for children–also watch for added sugar in some of the flavored varieties.

Oat Milk. This one has the most calories and carbs of any of the plant milks, but it has a creamy flavor that is great for drinks. It’s not suitable for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities.

Soy Milk. The most nutritionally balanced of all of the plant based milk alternatives, soy milk is close to cow’s milk but is also a common allergen for many people.

Rice Milk. People who have nut, soy or dairy sensitivities can enjoy rice milk, but be aware that it is filled with carbs so it’s good for active people prior to exercise.

National Chocolate Milk Day FAQs

Is chocolate milk good for you?

Chocolate milk does have some nutrients that are healthy for the body, so it’s healthier than soda. But it also contains a lot of added sugar and calories so it might be better to get those nutrients in another way.

How to make chocolate milk?

Making chocolate milk can be easy./ Just fill a glass with milk and add chocolate syrup or chocolate drink mix. Stir and enjoy!

Can chocolate milk make you gain weight?

Chocolate milk, especially made from whole milk, is filled with calories and can cause weight gain.

When did chocolate milk come out? 

Chocolate milk seems to have been invented in the late 1600s by an Irish scientist who was living in Jamaica.

Does chocolate milk have caffeine?

Chocolate milk does have a small amount of caffeine, about 2 milligrams in an 8 ounce serving.

Source

[velcrackers]

Experience the Joy of Wholesale Crackers Online with Vel Traders in Sivakasi

Wholesale Crackers Online

Why Choose Vel Traders for Wholesale Crackers?

Are you looking to add some sparkle to your celebrations? Look no further! Vel Traders Crackers  in Sivakasi offers a wide array of wholesale crackers online, perfect for all your festive needs. With their commitment to quality and customer satisfaction, Vel Traders stands out as a trusted name in the industry.

Quality Products at Affordable Prices

At Vel Traders,Crackers quality is paramount. Each cracker is carefully crafted to ensure maximum safety and enjoyment. From dazzling sparklers to thunderous rockets, their diverse range of products caters to every preference and budget. Plus, with wholesale prices, you can enjoy fantastic savings without compromising on quality.

Convenient Online Ordering

Gone are the days of hunting for crackers in crowded markets. With Vel Traders' Crackers user-friendly website, you can browse their extensive collection from the comfort of your home. Simply select your favorite crackers, place your order, and get ready to light up the sky!

Certainly! Here's the list of the best brands available for sale at Vel Traders for crackers:

Standard Fireworks: Renowned for their exceptional quality and stunning variety, Standard Fireworks is a trusted name in the industry. With decades of experience, they offer a wide range of crackers that guarantee a mesmerizing display for your celebrations.

Pandian Fireworks: Pandian Fireworks is synonymous with innovation and excellence. Their products are known for their vibrant colors, dazzling effects, and superior performance. Whether you're looking for traditional favorites or cutting-edge designs, Pandian Fireworks has something for everyone.

Mothers Fireworks: For those who value tradition and heritage, Mothers Fireworks is the perfect choice. With a legacy spanning generations, they specialize in timeless classics that evoke nostalgia and warmth. From elegant sparklers to majestic aerial displays, Mothers Fireworks captures the essence of celebration like no other.

Success Fireworks: As the name suggests, Success Fireworks is dedicated to delivering successful celebrations for their customers. Their products are synonymous with reliability and satisfaction, making them a favorite among discerning buyers. With a focus on quality and affordability, Success Fireworks ensures that every moment of your festivities is filled with joy and excitement.

Experience the magic of these top brands by purchasing wholesale crackers online from Vel Traders Crackers  in Sivakasi. With their commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction, your celebrations are guaranteed to be truly unforgettable!

FAQs

Q: Are the crackers sold by Vel Traders Crackers  safe to use?

A: Yes, absolutely! Vel Traders Crackers  prioritizes safety and ensures that all their products meet stringent quality standards.

Q: Can I track my order after purchasing wholesale crackers online?

A: Of course! Once your order is processed, you'll receive a tracking number to monitor its progress until it reaches your doorstep.

Customer Reviews

- Rajesh K.: "I've been buying crackers from Vel Traders Crackers  for years, and they never disappoint! The quality is top-notch, and the prices are unbeatable."

- Priya S.: "Vel Traders Crackers made my Diwali celebrations truly memorable. Their wide range of crackers catered to all my needs, and the online ordering process was a breeze!"

Conclusion : 

Experience the joy of wholesale crackers online with Vel Traders in Sivakasi. With their commitment to quality, affordable prices, and convenient online ordering, your festivities are sure to sparkle brighter than ever before. Don't miss out – place your order today and make your celebrations truly unforgettable!

[creatiview]

[ad_1] Conceptual display Logo Design. Business showcase a graphic representation or symbol of company name or trademark By Adam Peek, host of the People of Packaging podcast and a VP at Meyers Printing If you were asked to draw the logo of a popular food and beverage brand, which would you choose? Chances are you would go with McDonald’s. For one, its logo is easy to render on paper. Plus, all you need is one color: yellow. If you were more gifted than the average person in calligraphy, maybe you would go with Coca-Cola. Those strokes might be more challenging to pull off, but they are nonetheless easy to capture from memory.  Two reasons may explain why these logos have embedded themselves in our collective consciousness. The first is ubiquity. The second is perfection. There’s no denying that logo design is at the core of branding. Luck out on an excellent logo, and you give your brand a face that stands out, worthy of being remembered. That’s why brand specialists devote hours to logo creation. For 2023 and beyond, here are logo design trends for food and beverage products you might want to get behind. Whet the appetite When you’re selling edible products, it’s crucial to whet the consumers’ appetite even before they get to see and hold the actual food. That’s why snack food packaging usually uses drawings of what’s inside the package. You’re giving that potentially hungry person on the street a taste of your product. To take that up a notch, you can include a representation of whatever sumptuous treat you have on offer on the logo itself. That hungry person on the street will have to fight their urge to pass up doubly hard. Consider Mr. Frosty’s Ice Cream. The brand doesn’t shy away from selling what it’s selling. Even if it looks a bit of an oversell, you have to admire the persistence and consistency. Highlight your unique value proposition All brands have that one thing that makes them unique. Perhaps it’s your commitment to protecting Mother Nature. If that’s the case, get eco-friendly with your marketing efforts. Consider designing a logo that automatically paints your branding green. Take inspiration from Planet Protein, which sells vegan protein powder. The company logo is a green leafy vegetable—or perhaps it’s a sketch of a tree abundant with leaves.  Either way, it captures what the brand is all about: organic, sustainably sourced ingredients. Who would have thought you could sufficiently replenish your body’s daily protein needs without harming animals and Mother Earth? That’s what Planet Protein promises, which you won’t miss even if you only have their logo to go by. Take a nostalgia trip Humans can’t run away from their memories. That explains why nostalgia is a thing. You look at the past and see it from a much more positive perspective. As such, you may realize that nostalgia also has a place in logo design, especially in 2023 and beyond. The grunge movement will see a resurrection logo design-wise. And it’s most suited to food and beverage products that champion edginess. Think energy drinks and craft beers. Nostalgia extends beyond the 90s all the way to the groovy 70s. Look out for playful color palettes accentuated with fun and hip graphic elements. Think juice drink logos symbolic of peace, love, and all things positive. Go minimalist Of course, the oldies but goodies will remain. Again, think McDonald’s. That’s a simple-looking “M” right there, but it does the job. In 2023 and beyond, this simplicity and straightforwardness in logo design will continue to reign supreme. As long as you have an excellent grasp of color and font psychology, the minimalist design trend is something you can maximize. Leverage word marks This is another classic type of logo that won’t go away anytime soon. It’s font-based, highlighting the name of a business. Here, the most straightforward example might be Coca-Cola. Those carefree white letters on red are recognizable everywhere you go. Other noteworthy examples include the logos of Subway, Baskin Robbins, and Outback Steakhouse.

Pick pictorials You can’t blame new brands for getting inspiration from successful brands regarding logo design. In fact, some of the most popular brands right now rely solely on icons. Think Twitter, Target, and Apple. It won’t be long until the food and beverage industry catches up on this design trend. In the meantime, we have Chili’s. Wrapping It Up The food and beverage industry ranks high in the competitive market. The success of a brand like McDonald’s and Coca-Cola doesn’t happen overnight. It’s the result of careful business strategies sustained for years and years. Integral to that is excellent branding, which covers logo design. A logo is a brand’s representation at its most distilled. It tells a story, and logos that have evolved throughout the years make history. If you’re in the process of designing a new logo or tweaking an old one, give it the utmost care. Let color and font psychology inform it in such a way that it can resonate with your target market. Adam Peek is the host of the People of Packaging podcast and a VP at Meyers Printing. His passion for changing the world has led him to be a sustainability consultant, sales trainer, global keynote speaker/preacher, soon-to-be Children’s Book author, and a part-time rapper. [ad_2] Source link

[hakesbros]

5415 Donahoo Court Ne , Albuquerque, Nm 87111 Details

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[bigskydreaming]

So there’s a story in the 1999 Titans run where Dick and Kory argue after Kory kills a woman who was comatose, near death, and being ‘harvested’ of her blood for usage in some immortality ritual by Vandal Savage. Big yikes on that particular supervillain plot, but point is, that story is pointed to a lot to show that Dick and Kory have very different values and this is part of why they don’t work ultimately. With Dick judging Kory for having killed her even though Kory did it to end her suffering and because she couldn’t help but relate to when she’d been in a similar position in her youth and just wanted her suffering to end.

I’ve never been totally satisfied with that take because as I’ve pointed out in other posts about Dick and Jason, as well as the many times across continuities that Dick has worked with everyone from Tiger to Midnighter to New 52 Helena (oh he absolutely judged the hell out of pre-flashpoint Helena but I wanna say that was Simone and she tended to write a fairly judgy Dick in general, not my fave writer for him, could be wrong on this one though) to Deathstroke at times to Rose to yknow, DAMIAN - with him being judgment free in some cases and varying degrees of judgment in others, but many of the latter having their own context aside from just Dick being judgy - well IMO, Dick doesn’t really have a habit overall of judging the many many shades-of-gray people he comes into contact with or allies with, for disagreeing with their choices or values. Like, he’s not shy about expressing that he doesn’t agree with them, but he’s never really been shown as unable to understand where they’re coming from, y’know?

All of which leads me to have a fairly different read on that particular story and what else could have been at the root of that conflict between them. But first! A massive edited in detour that I do consider fairly relevant:

(Edited to add: this view of Dick as not particularly judgmental even when he disagrees is of course an oversimplification of decades worth of canon, much of it written during times there were very different standards of ‘acceptable/expected’ behavior from various character types and protagonists. I do have a tendency to over-romanticize the original NTT run in some respects, due to nostalgia and relative to other depictions of Dick, so it has to be noted that more recent rereads of NTT have me more keenly aware of Dick’s condescension and patronizing responses to Kory in a lot of her early adjustments to Earth. One of these elements being her aggressiveness in battle and more hardline view of what to do with their enemies, compared to what Dick considered the more expected or acceptable societal standard.

So it’s not like this conflict between them in this story arises out of nowhere and doesn’t have canon precedent in earlier interactions. I tend to ‘excuse’ or at least explain Dick’s early NTT dynamic with Kory in a way that doesn’t overly paint my view of his character by a combination of factors: first, there’s the existence of a long term brainwashing plot that was specifically about driving a wedge between Dick and his teammates and into the Church of Blood’s clutches. And this sort of thing absolutely makes sense as the sort of tendencies mind control would amplify in him. While a lot of people don’t like using the brainwashing to let him off the hook for this behavior or whatever, I get that but also I’m like…well it is there, it exists, so whatever their reasons for including it it’s not like it doesn’t explain a lot of Dick’s behavior in ways I’m a lot more okay with. Like, if you’ve got it, might as well use it, y’know?

Plus the recurring theme of Dick’s lack of agency and trouble figuring out where he begins and the influences others have had on him end…these are keys parts of what draw me to his character, so leaning into the brainwashing as much as I do isn’t so much about apologism as it is fundamental to my interest in his character in the first place. Or I mean okay admittedly it can be both, lmao.

Finally, then there’s the fact that Dick can only embody the attitudes and behaviors his writers instill in him and quite frankly I don’t think Wolfman saw anything wrong with the attitudes he gave Dick. I think he honestly thought he WAS characterizing him in good ways. Though I absolutely disagree with his assessment of what constitutes good characterization or dynamics, especially on a reread, I do at the same time believe that the degree of patronizing behavior and what it says about a character was indicative of how writers like him MEANT Dick to be seen but rather just indicative of what they themselves considered to be acceptable behavior and dynamics. 

So while it’s not ALWAYS possible to reconcile how past writers wrote a character with behavior that conflicts with how we’re ‘meant’ to view a character, when that behavior is scrutinized more critically….in this case I think the brainwashing plot makes it very possible to…course correct for Dick’s characterization from that era without changing events, just being particular in how we ascribe certain depictions to his ‘usual’ characterization versus a product of the brainwashing’s intent to sow chaos in his relationships.

Again, I think it all comes back to what I’m always saying about how fanfic and such is MEANT to be transformative and as such making changes to the canon and characters isn’t inherently a problem, it’s just a matter of…do you even KNOW where you’re making changes and why, and are you willing to stand by those changes and your reasons for them when they conflict with other fans’ interpretation and reception of the canon and what you make from it. In this case, I’m comfortable with the changes and interpretation I have because I don’t really even view it as trying to make excuses for a character I like but just as much about how I just think an exploration of agency and identity and how the influence long term brainwashing has on a characters actions and how people and characters perceive him because of those things is far more interesting and worthwhile than just….leaning into the character’s worse behavior from that time on a surface level and upholding it as indicative of him rather than just the values of those writing him at the time.

It’s like with Bruce and his more abusive actions, for another example. Obviously I tend to take how Bruce acts in things like NTT #55 as really him and explore the impact of those actions as is and how they inform his relationship with Dick moving forward….but that’s because this is another area I project onto Dick and so I absolutely see value in taking those stories at face value and delving into them for a number of different reasons. And also too, I’m strongly of the opinion that the ease with which so many people insist abusers fall into obvious camps of people that can be identified on sight and thus insist ‘so and so could NEVER do something like that’ is extremely counterproductive and a deterrent to so many necessary conversations about abuse.

Most people guilty of abuse have had that said about them at one point and it’s not a stretch even to see WHY before the instances of abuse many would never have believed them capable of it….because crossing the threshold into abusive behavior isn’t solely the province of irredeemable monsters unfortunately. It would almost be easier if that were true, particularly for survivors of abuse who often have to reconcile their abuse and the fact that they do believe that their abusers have at various points loved them and wanted what was best for them too.

I don’t lean into the stories about Bruce’s instances of abusive behavior because I think he’s inherently a monster or that there’s no version of events where he never turns down those roads, but simply because while it’s not to others’ tastes, accepting that Jason’s death and other similar instances could have pushed him past the threshold of behaviors he’d normally exhibit and do things he’d normally never do in a sound state of being…that this is NOT inherently the status quo of this character at those points and forever after….that’s the point of those stories for me, the value they hold as things worth exploring.

But just like me and some of Dick’s earlier dynamic with Kory, I can see where there’s valid arguments to be made that those actions by Bruce weren’t indicative of his character so much as indicative of the drama being deliberately amplified by writers who don’t even view those actions as abusive in the first place and thus weren’t writing them or Bruce through a lens that took ‘him being abusive’ into consideration at all. That’s not the scenarios they were writing, not because those scenarios weren’t abusive, but because their own perceptions of behavior didn’t categorize them as such when writing them, this an interpretation of them as abusive was NEVER something they intended readers to take away from those stories.

And like I said….I get that! And I get why other fans might lean into that awareness to avoid seeing and interpreting Bruce as abusive at all. This isn’t something I inherently have a problem with even if I don’t apply the same reasoning to this example myself….so long as the way other fans interpret or transform these bits of canon don’t make excuses for the actual behavior on the page in their quest to interpret Bruce as non abusive. Like, just don’t call a father hitting a son no big deal because the writer didn’t think it was, and we’re fine! It is a big deal regardless of what the writers thought, just like a lot of Dick’s behavior to Kory early on WAS patronizing regardless of whether they saw it that way when writing it.

And as such, I take no issue with fans who transform the canon of those stories with Bruce to something that keeps the conflict between him and Dick, AND the causality of the dynamic of the time…but changes the particulars of the actual behavior so Bruce might yell at Dick or even kick him out, but he never actually hits him. Stuff like that.

Personally, I think it goes too far if Bruce fans extend this to treating Bruce as the victim of Dick’s ungrateful refusal to come back and mend fences after Jason dies because he’s too selfish to care about how much Bruce is hurting, and thus reframes that whole period of estrangement as something Dick instigated instead of Bruce….nah. That gets pushback from me. If you transform canon to find a depiction or interpretation that keeps the things you value about a fave character and doesn’t ignore or erase the rest, but at least finds a context in which they don’t become indicative of that character or the specifics of these worse elements are wholly substituted with something softer….I get it.

If you transform canon just to completely flip flop conflicts your fave is involved with and always absolve them of responsibility or scrubbing their worse behavior WHILE making the characters they’re in conflict with somehow MORE culpable than for just their original share to compensate….that’s when you’ve lost me.

In that vein, and bringing it back to Dick and Kory….I can justify my interpretation of canon up until the point where I start pretending that Dick’s brainwashed behavior should have no impact on Kory due to his lack of full agency and thus I’m not down for stories with her engaging in conflict with him after the brainwashing plot but based solely on actions he wasn’t in full control, just to make her look bad and unreasonable and woobify Dick and victimize him at her expense. Nope.

However, stories where Dick’s behavior during the brainwashing era and how it impacted and yes, even shaped their early dynamic, like we see how those things did still impact Kory and she’s hurt or affected by them with total validity even while knowing the extenuating circumstances….and how this intertwines with Dick’s well-established guilt complex and hypersensitivity to thinking he’s to blame for stuff or people see it as his fault because the buck should always stop with him….forcing them both to contend with the fallout of circumstances that affected and left their mark on them both in different ways and relearn how to view and interact with each other all over again, at least in certain respects….

With Kory understandably cautious because she’s not sure yet and for awhile still, just how much of the things that negatively affected their dynamic WERE due to the brainwashing exacerbating conflicts or divergent opinions to distance him from his team versus which were natural to Dick and instilled by his own beliefs or childhood or echoes of Bruce’s that he’d picked up from him and failed to adequately challenge or reassess yet….and Dick literally unsure of the exact same things, trying to retroactively evaluate the actions he took and figure out where the line was between his choices and the ones he was influenced into making, how much of what he believes is him and his thoughts and his perspectives is REALLY him versus some leftover programming they failed to get out….well. Now you have my attention.

Basically, it’s the difference between looking for excuses to constantly cast Kory as giving Dick crap for specific things he said to her during that era even knowing the full context of it, versus using the same opportunities as space to explore Kory bringing those things up as stuff that bothers her or left a mark and so it’s important to know where the un-brainwashed version of him, in full control of his agency and opinions, stands on those topics and what he WOULD say with no doubt of external influence.

Similarly, people know my pet peeve with the fight between Dick and Donna during that era, and an example here would be stories or takes that hold Donna accountable for her side of the fight and how she ignored Dick’s repeated attempts to disengage BEFORE things ever escalated to the point where he lashed out at her, or just….literally not treating it as though those things he said were the whole fight and existed in a vacuum while she was out there throwing him through walls in the actual pages lol (as I said, I’m fine with not wanting to validate writers’ seeming perception that certain acts aren’t really a big deal by rewriting a scene like that fight so it DOESNT involve Donna getting physical with him even as he’s just actively trying to leave….where you lose me is keeping the events the same but just trying to spin them as no big deal yourself or paying lip service to how they were wrong but not in any way changing how acceptable or not characters in story viewed them as being).

Anyway, all of the above, again, I’m fine with, but not just reframing Donna as a bully who was doing all that devoid of context rather than just saying the context does not justify these specific parts of her behavior there. Or if you’re going to bring that up after the brainwashing plot is resolved, like I said at the beginning…the WHY of your canon transformation matters. If you write fix that air drops in another conversation or callback to this fight where canon never brought it up again, and do so in order to give Donna a chance to apologize and Dick a chance to ensure she knows where he doesn’t agree with what the brainwashed version of him said to her then or would never have ever said it that way and it’s not a true representation of what he feels or believes…yes. Good. I’m on board.

But if you just bring it back up again to further victimize Dick at Donna’s expense and have her obstinately double down or alternatively just have Dick give her crap and hype up how wrong it was while paying no deference to the extreme events and their impact on her usual mental or emotional state during that time…I’m gonna be like okay but literally did we need this. Did this make anything better. Is a ridiculously imbalanced dynamic all good as long as it tilts in our fave’s favor? No? Well okay then. Let’s just not do that.

Aaaand to bring this edited in essay to a close and get back to the original post….I don’t treat or view a lot of Dick’s early dynamic with Kory as central or even in accordance with his character as I interpret him. I do think he was MORE likely to be that judgmental about those things when he was that age because he’d yet to define his own moral flexibility to the degrees he later exhibits, but honestly I’m happy to just blame as much of that on the brainwashing as possible and explore the way things change if he’d after the fact used all that as a jumping off point to interrogate himself on his true feelings on much of that, and have this be in part what INFORMS that moral flexibility and willingness to work side by side with all kinds of people without judging them every step of the way in later stories.

And personally, I don’t think that it fits him to ever be as hardline as Bruce is about stuff like that, even when younger, because as much as Bruce influenced him, Dick was not a sponge who uncritically absorbed and regurgitated every belief Bruce voices to him, he already had a POV and a willingness to stand his ground on it by the time he even met Bruce. Frankly, I don’t think a Dick who was that derivative of Bruce’s mindset towards things would have ever become as close or vulnerable with the Titans - many of them superpowered and already holding multiple advantages over him without the advantage of holding his cards close to his chest the way Bruce would in similar company, at least for a good while before unclenching. No, IMO the same differences that account for their vastly different approaches to their teams and openness towards other ways of doing things is far more defining for Dick’s character in my eyes than the times he defaults to Batman soundbites based on what reads as the writer just hand waving oh of course that’s what a son and partner of Batman would think here.

So that’s why I jump off from that early point and don’t factor it into my interpretation of them overly much…it doesn’t IMO. I see plenty of room for them to revisit those subjects post brainwashing and for Dick to offer up a vastly more empathetic and openness to understanding Kory’s POV and different background.

But at the same time, I don’t delude myself that a basis for writers seeing that conflict between them doesn’t exist, and that this isn’t exactly why this later story happened. It didn’t come out of nowhere and treating it as if it does would be equally disingenuous when I KNOW that’s not the context of it, even if I don’t personally subscribe to the same interpretation of that leads to its actual context.

And I definitely try not to make a habit of going around and telling people that conflict just never existed, there’s zero basis for it, and thus this story and Dick’s behavior in it is wildly OOC and shouldn’t be acknowledged as ‘the real him.’

Nope. That’s be fake as fuck and destined to just create conflict or division with people who know better and have every right to their own interpretation, which is still more than valid.

But if I can’t just ignore or discredit the reasoning behind this story and specific Dick characterization just because it’s not the one I prefer….then this story and characterization have to be treated and addressed on their own merits. And unfortunately, there’s no canon brainwashing in this time period TO blame it on.

Worst case scenario, I can just consider this story’s characterization fruit of the poisoned tree, born directly from an interpretation that I disagree with and thus beyond my ability to reconcile WITH my own interpretation. In that case, I acknowledge the story exists, I respect that people factor it into their own view and interpretation of Dick’s character even if thanks, I hate it…and I just….don’t have anything to say about that story myself. It exists, I wish it didn’t, but beyond that there’s nothing more I can or want to do with that story as it just doesn’t fit into the interpretation of the characters that I’m a fan of personally and work off of when crafting my own meta, headcanons or fic.

But before I get to that point, I do take another look at the story as is to see if there’s another angle or interpretation by which I CAN fit it in with the overall perspective I have of Dick’s character. Brainwashing might not fit here like with the stories that inspired this one, and would be a cop out to introduce just because I need it in order to justify Dick’s stance here…but something completely or largely unrelated could still exist separately.

And in the case of this particular story…that’s true. And that’s the lens through which the rest of this original post is envisioned. So voila now you have the context for how where I make distinctions between characterizations I disagree with personally and how I go about reconciling them, for the most part.)

I was rereading that Titans story recently, and something hit me. All of Dick’s protests hinge around him saying that they COULD have saved her, that they don’t KNOW that there was nothing they could do to help her recover. Almost nothing he said was focused on Kory or what she did and why, it was really more focused on the woman who died and the possibilities she could have been saved or recovered from what was done to her.

And see, I think a case could be made that none of that was really about Kory or Dick’s views on killing at all.

I think it was about Joey.

Its always been my opinion that Joey’s death is waaaaaay underrated in terms of “things that haunt Dick.” It impacted him in a huge way. And IMO its not just because Joey was one of his best friends, or that his death was compounded by how many other Titans died during Titans Hunt, or the fact that all of this happened less than a year after Jason died.

Because Joey’s death happened because Joey was possessed by spirits of Azeroth for a long time without anyone knowing, and when he briefly broke free of their control when Slade and the Titans came to rescue Dick and the other Titans from where Joey was holding them captive in this other dimension, he begged his father to kill him before he could hurt anyone else, and Slade did.

There’s no way this didn’t bring back memories of what happened with Brother Blood for Dick. On some level, he has to have resented his friends and teammates for not realizing he wasn’t himself all that time, even if just a little bit......but then how could this not make him feel like a hypocrite for that? Because here he’d done the same thing in failing to realize Joey wasn’t himself and getting him help before it was too late. There was bound to be some measure of identification/projection happening for Dick there, where he correlated what happened to him and what happened to Joey, imagined what if things had gone for him the way they ended up going for Joey and he begged to be killed to escape the Church of Blood’s control.....but with the reverse also holding true: with Dick imagining that if he could be freed from the Church’s control, they could find a way to break Joey free of the spirits’ too.

And the whole time Joey held Dick captive, he was trying to do just that. Dick was his prisoner for awhile, with the beings controlling Joey mocking Dick and gloating over their plans for the rest of the Titans, with the superpowered members of the Titans who were also held captive being kept in comas, preparing them to be turned into vessels for the spirits. So it was basically just Dick and the spirits puppetmastering Joey, alone together there for that whole time until Slade and the others got there. And the whole time, Dick was trying to get through to Joey and figure out a way to break their control of him.

Thing was.....he DID, even if just slightly. It wasn’t for long, but it was enough for Joey to surface during the rescue attempt, and for him to beg Slade to kill him.

And this IMO, is the ultimate root of what Dick hates Slade for, on top of the events of Judas Contract and everything with Tara. He blames Slade for killing Joey rather than try and save him, break him free of external control. Whether Slade was right to abide by Joey’s wishes and end his suffering and forestall the possibility that he might be used to hurt more people or not, Dick hates him for being the reason he never got to TRY to save Joey.....with this all being compounded by:

a) Dick likely blaming himself too for letting it come to that and not having figured out a way to save Joey before Slade got there, b) Dick being unable to not project on this to a degree and with conflicting thoughts about being able to relate to wanting to be killed rather than be used to hurt people vs being glad that he wasn’t killed and a way was found to save him and break him free instead, and c) the actual trauma of watching Slade kill his son, Dick’s friend, right in front of Dick while he was powerless to do anything to stop him, after being tortured and taunted with his powerlessness by beings with the face of his friend and his friend’s intimate knowledge of all Dick’s failings and insecurities and fears as confided in Joey by him over the years.

In short, Joey’s death was a complicated, very fucked up mess of events, feelings and fallout, and it left definite scars on Dick which have no doubt contributed to his choices and behavior ever since.....including, IMO, that later story with the fight between Dick and Kory about whether she was right to end that woman’s suffering out of sympathy or whether Dick was right that she still could have been saved and might have wanted to be. With both of them actually able to relate to wanting to end it all rather than be used by others and able to relate to being glad that things didn’t end for them there and they went on to be freed and recover later. That argument never actually got any resolution or was referenced again, but to be honest I don’t think there really was any resolution to be had there because it was never about STANCES there really, but rather was impossible to fully separate from both Kory and Dick’s personal experiences and feelings on a matter they both were projecting onto just from different angles and perspectives.

And of course, the other reason I think this, for Dick, was about Joey and the feelings about his death that this parallel situation brought up for him?

The woman who Kory killed to end her suffering and that Dick was distraught they couldn’t save?

Was Adeline Kane.

Joey’s mother.

[cto10121]

Twilight Fanon vs. Canon

A dozen years plus too late with Starbucks, but whatever, because I’m tired of these uncharitable Twilight-is-problematic meta that twist canon to the limits that give me great agita and that are. so. easy to refute???? By anyone who has read the books??? Well, here are some of the most egregious ones in no particular order:

“Meyer’s portrayal of the Quileutes/Leah is negative and racist!!!” Dude. They are at worst antagonists. Actually Quil and Embry and even Paul are portrayed with fun, boys-will-be-boys bonhomie in NM. Most of them are loose mirrors or foils of the Cullens (Sam-Carlisle, Leah-Rosalie, Jacob-Edward, etc.). Bella even briefly joins the Quileute crowd (she is at La Push constantly in New Moon) and even has a wistful, almost romantic vision of her and Emily waiting for the pack to return as “wolf girls.” It is understood in the text that had Edward not returned, or if Bella had not met him, she would have ended up with Jacob and thus the Quileutes—and this is framed as the normal path for Bella. As for Leah, Bella’s narrative is consistently sympathetic to her—she is the one to notice her silent tears during the legends part in Eclipse. The pack and Jacob, on the other hand, resent her because they have to deal with her unfiltered pain and rage every time they phase. But there’s no real animosity from the narrative itself. The tribe is less developed than the Cullens, but then the Cullens aren’t as developed as the leads. It be a romance, after all. As for the controversy regarding Meyer’s reworking of real-life Quileute legends as “cultural appropriation”…somehow I don’t see anyone screaming “cultural appropriation” because she reworked real-life Romanian/Slavic legends of bloodsuckers for her YA romance and calling it racist/problematic as well. But Romanians/Slavs are “white” so the century-old “appropriation” of their cultural monster doesn’t count, amirite?

“Edward is an insane weirdo!!!” Right? It’s almost as if he is a 100+ year-old vampire turned in 1912 and loosely based on tormented Victorian-era Gothic heroes like Rochester and Heathcliff (although granted “insane weirdos” could be a valid description). Also, he is in love (see “Bella is insane!!!” bulletpoint).

“Bella has no personality/the worst personality!!!” No. Here is an actually good meta as to why that’s wrong. I will also add that as the whole series is narrated from her point of view, her thoughts and desires and wishes, this take becomes downright stupid.

“Jasper was a Confederate soldier and therefore [insert Confederate/Jasper is a racist/Dixie memes]!!!” There is nothing in Jasper’s backstory that says he joined the Confederate Army because he believed in slavery and there’s nothing in the text that indicates he (still?) believes in the Cause(tm)—if he ever did to begin with. In fact, considering his empath abilities, the chances that he’d still be racist is zero. Edward himself speaks ironically/deprecatingly about his 1912 boyhood dream of fighting in WWI, and he is definitely frozen in those Edwardian attitudes! Jasper, being the most “vampire” of the Cullens, probably dismisses it all as “human” concerns. The Cullens, of course, do cling to their human pasts, but most of the regular vampires don’t show much nostalgia/hang-ups over their past life. Vampires in the Twilight universe are different and outside from humans in every possible way. Why should they give a fuck about human politics and attitudes except maybe where it directly concerns them?

“Edward hates Rosalie and Jasper and anyone not Carlisle!!!” Edward helps Rosalie get her revenge on her rapists. That’s canon. Of course they clash horribly, because they have two wildly different personalities and values, but out of all the Cullens, they act more like actual brother and sister to me. He hovers anxiously over Jasper because he is new to the coven and the whole non-human diet. Also, Edward is neurotic af.

“The Cullens are like a cult!!!” A cult that has non-cult international friends to help out in a pinch and even has ties to the non-cult (loose) governing body, which is acknowledged as very much needed to get rid of threats like the newborn army. Needless to say, the Cullens know they are the weirdos of the vampire world and are accepting of the vampire norm of drinking humans. Also, no cult would welcome back a member fallen off the wagon the way Carlisle forgives the others.

“Jacob’s character was butchered in Eclipse to try to force Bella/Edward!!!” Try New Moon. Jacob was sunny and sweet until the exact moment he turned werewolf. He becomes a bit of a macho dick from then on (except when Bella finally puts the pieces of the puzzle together and realizes he is a werewolf, then he is just relieved and happy) and of course pulls a truly dick move by telling Charlie about the motorcycles. When Edward returns, it’s a full-on dick measuring contest between him and Jacob. Eclipse is a continuation of this new, more fraught dynamic. As for the shipping wars, Jacob is so obviously set up as the Paris of this series, and anyone who has read beyond their own nose could see Bedward as endgame from a mile away. If you prefer Jacob/Bella, it’s cool (I personally don’t). But let’s keep it real and admit he was never a true option for Bella within the narrative—just a viable one with many, many conditions.

“The other humans are better/more interesting than the main characters/the Cullens!!!” No offense if you like Jessica Stanley or Mike Newton, etc., but this is going a little too far. I like how they are normal, down-to-earth high schoolers and how Meyer just yeets the whole set of stupid high school clichés and conventions out of the window, but I can’t really say they are nicer to read about than the supernatural characters or plot. They obviously just like Bella because she is new in town, not for what she is herself. They are definitely not secretly nicer than Bella’s narration has them. Which leads me to:

“Bella is insane/depressed/an unreliable narrator!!!” Friendly reminder that Bella is 17 and in love, which quite literally changes your brain chemistry. And of course even before then people have known the crazy shit people in love have done since time immemorial. Has nothing to do with “mental illness.” As for unreliability, the series is written in the first person, which is necessarily subjective, but that doesn’t mean the narration is unreliable. Otherwise we’d have to distrust literally everything, even the existence of the Cullens as vampires. Bella is in love with Edward, and that colors a lot about him, but that doesn’t mean Edward is written without flaws. He has obvious hang-ups, and that drives a lot of the conflict of the books. Also also—way to call a female character in love “crazy.” Totally not problematic or anything.

“Meyer shouldn’t have privileged the love story over the worldbuilding/the worldbuilding sucks because [insert nickpicking over worldbuilding detail here]!!!” This is definitely the effects of romance-free epic fantasy action shit for 12-year-olds the mass media has piled on for decades, but friendly reminder that Twilight is not a fantasy novel. It is not even a vampire novel. It’s a romance with some elements of mystery and fantasy. It was never meant to be an epic of worldbuilding or fantasy. The YA copycats that followed Twilight concerning vampires or some supernatural entity did not realize that, and that is why they are mostly forgotten. The film adaptation was doubly clueless, bizarrely veering into teen rom com territory. For my part, I like to think of it as Jane Eyre, Romeo and Juliet, and Wuthering Heights mixed in a blender and poured into a high school AU-shaped bowl.

“Edward would have left Bella in a heartbeat had she become a vampire via James/the Volturi!!!” Edward does have his issues with self-loathing and his human>vampire values, but by Eclipse it is 100% clear that his priority is being with Bella. In their meadow at the end he decides to let Bella have what she wanted—sex, to turn her himself—with no conditions or strings attached. It’s Bella’s own decision to have the wedding after all that prevents this. When Bella is turned, his reaction is nervousness as to whether Bella would still like him or even recognize him as a vampire (of course she does). He states explicitly to Jacob that he learned his lesson from the whole New Moon debacle and he would never leave Bella again. He also admits that would have returned to Bella anyway by a few months.

“If you think about it, Twilight is dark and disturbing!!!” You guys have never even heard of dark/Gothic romance, the myth of Hades and Persephone, the plot synopsis of a Walmart bodice ripper, or the words “You’re fine” from a doctor. And it shows.

[la-appel-du-vide]

A Season of Change

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - CHANGE IS HARD. Especially for me. I'm the type of person who holds onto EVERYTHING as hard as I can, for as long as I can. Even when something is gone, I have a tendency to be crippled by the nostalgia of whatever it is I've lost - even if it's for the better.

So this year is going to be challenging for me. And lots of the people around me.

First off, I'm super proud of Beach for buying her own house. Isn't that amazing? She's really out there doing hard things all on her own. But at the same time, I'm going to miss living with her so much. Our cute little apartment... just the two of us for so many years. We've relied on each other through the good and the bad for a long time now, and of course we'll still have each other, but it just won't be the same. And I'm mourning that for sure.

We're planning now to have Brayden move into Beach's room once she leaves, so that we can save some money and be in a better place for a down payment when the time comes. But that means furniture and boxes stacked up for a few months during this weird transitionary period waiting for our house to get done. Donita asked that we take some photos of the apartment before all that starts happening, so they'll be able to re-advertise it for rent when Brayden and I also move out, and I've been working on that a little at a time. I got my room, our living room, and kitchen all cleaned and cleared and took some photos - now we just need to do Beach's room and the laundry room/bathroom. The busy is good, because it keeps our mind off of the emotions, but I still feel it from time to time.

(Also, yesterday I got a text from Beach saying that she'd need a ride because she hurt her knee skiing and couldn't drive. She had to have ski patrol sled her down the mountain. I picked her up and we went to Urgent Care, and she has possibly torn her meniscus, MCL, or both?? SUCH bad timing with all that's coming up.)

Second, my family has all felt the pain, heartbreak, and anger of my Dad losing his job back in January, after over 20 years devoted to that stupid company. He's now started a new job with Whitaker Construction, and they asked him to take over the Southern Utah branch... and he accepted. It's so great that he'll have purpose and value again, but losing my parents and my little best friends to St. George sucks SO bad. Those pups bring me more joy than anything, and now they'll be hours away from me. Plus, our family will end up pretty broken after this. The only reason I see any of my siblings at this point is because of Sunday night dinners at our parents' house. Now it'll be a pretty rare occasion. It'll be great to visit every once in a while, of course, but nothing will ever be the same. I'm also sad at how fast everything is happening. They've already found a house. It's beautiful, but my poor dogs will go from having a big, beautiful yard to play in and RUN to having almost no space at all - I really hate that.

I was planning to move into their basement until my house was finished, if Beach were to buy a house, so that I didn't have to pay double the rent in the meantime, but since that's no longer an option we turned to the previously mentioned plan to have Brayden take her room instead, and we'll save money by continuing to split the rent. What a mess.

We're going to get through all of this.... one day at a time. The loneliness is hanging overhead for sure.

[pointnumbersixteen]

The Ghosts and Their Favorite Disney Cartoons

Just for funzies: 

I think most of the ghosts would like stories of the sort they’re familiar with.

The Captain would like Peter Pan, once you got him to admit to liking something not having to do with war, for sheer childhood nostalgia value. The stage play of Peter Pan would have first been shown when he was five or so, in 1904, which is about the youngest you can take a child to see a play and expect good results. I imagine it as the first play he ever saw and it stuck with him. Of course, he’d like the 2003 version with Jason Isaacs and Jeremy Sumpter better, for the real-life performers and special effects and costumes, and the brief shot of the significantly-younger-than-he-is-now Jason Isaacs shirtless, but still. As a plus, the cartoon has songs, and he likes songs.

Lady Button would like Aladdin, I think. The One Thousand and One Nights, which it derived from, was translated widely into English and quite popular in the late-Victorian period, when she would have been a girl/young woman. Plus, I think the idea of the street ruffian dressing up to get the girl he has the hots for away from her proper and dutiful life would appeal to her greatly.

Kitty’s preference would rotate between the princess-trifecta of Snow White, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty. In each case, it’s a story of a lonely and largely isolated young girl, as she probably was, meeting a handsome prince who saves her from her troubles before they live happily ever after together. Which one she would say was her favorite was probably based on whichever she saw most recently. 

Pat, I think, would like Toy Story. I was tempted to look into the movies that were out when he was alive, but I think Toy Story would trump them, as the story of very different toys finding themselves placed together in situations they don’t necessarily have control of doing their best to succeed and form a sort of family would appeal to him greatly, as that’s what he is trying to do with the other ghosts.

For Mary, I’d have to go with either Robin Hood or Alice in Wonderland. Robin Hood because the stories would be familiar too her, whilst- not having any sort of education or life experience outside of Stewart peasant- some of the other stories might be a bit hard for her to understand or identify with. Once she got over the talking animals being witchcraft, of course, I think she’d be enchanted with that bit. But a bit of me says Alice in Wonderland, because her POV in s2e4 makes me suspect that she might have some sort of hallucinatory/psychosis based mental illness (possibly the reason she was burned as a witch) and the trippy nature of Alice in Wonderland might appeal to that. 

Humphrey I think would like the Sword in the Stone as Arthurian legends would be just the sort of thing a young nobleman in Tudor times would be well versed in. 

I sort of shot myself in the foot with Robin, because I don’t think his favorite cartoons would Disney, they’d be something like Ice Age, which would be familiar (although I guess Disney just purchased Fox, so maybe that does count as a Disney movie now? I imagine eventually all cartoons will be Disney movies eventually, if Disney keeps buying cartoon studios... Pixar didn’t start out as Disney, but Disney bought it and got Toy Story under their belt in 2006) or something space and technology themed like the Iron Giant, which is Warner Brothers. If he had to pick a Disney movie, maybe Wall-E or Lilo and Stitch? Still space themed, with good aesops I think he would like. 

And then there is Julian, who is a Tory who hates animals. I can’t imagine him liking anything from Disney, although I bet he’s secretly one of those people who cry during Bambi. He’s the one who cried during Thomas’s story in s2e4 after all. 

[ryuichirou]

“Please, ask me about my favorite manga...”

Okay, then. What’s your favorite manga, Ryu-san? 👀

+Anonymous said:

What’re some of your favourite manga? :)

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I love you guys… :”3 You always make my dreams come true haha. I hope I’m not forgetting anything, these are the ones that come to mind first:

Shingeki no Kyojin by Isayama Hajime – the most obvious thing in the world lol Of course, it’s a very dear manga to us, but even if we forget all the sentimental value it has, it’s still an amazing manga both story-wise and art-wise. For some reason Isayama is still considered a bad artist, which is a shame, because not only has he gotten much better with time, he also does the thing that I love very much: he draws whatever he wants even if he isn’t sure how to draw it. The very first chapters are so bold in that regard. And the way Isayama draws expressions is amazing: he draws faces that I’ve never seen in any other manga.

Do I even need to talk about story and characters after all the meta posts we’ve written over the past year… And the fact that we haven’t gotten tired of it despite the fact that we’ve reread it 1000 times already is very telling. There’s just so much stuff going on, so many details and elements that you can miss when you read it for the first time… rereadability is one of the greatest things about SnK.

Litchi Hikari Club (and Bokura no Hikari Club) by Furuya Usamaru  – another favourite of ours and an obsession of mine. I have volumes both in English and Russian, some Japanese magazines with chapters/mangaka’s art and artbooks… LHC is such a bleak story. It’s dark and messed-up just for the sake of being dark and messed-up, and I love it: it’s theatrical and morbid. It also manages to still be comedic and entertaining. Plus, the story behind the manga creation fascinates me (it was based on a stage play from an underground theatre ok I won’t go into details now lol), it’s like an entire phenomenon for me haha. I think this manga started my obsession with gakuran uniforms and student caps.

Uzumaki and Tomie by Ito Junji – I genuinely enjoy all of Junji Ito’s work whenever we reread them, but Uzumaki and Tomie are my faves. It’s very fun to watch how Ito-sensei takes one simple concept (spirals in “Uzumaki” and ehhh idk a beautiful but deadly girl in “Tomie”) and takes it further and further with every chapter, making it more and more creepy and grotesque. He’s extremely creative.

Berserk (Golden Age Arc) by Miura Kentarou – not to spit on everything that went before and after the Golden Age, but let’s be real: the Golden Age is special. The art of Berserk is absolutely stunning. It’s one of those mangas that belongs to museums honestly: every page is worth looking at for hours. The level of details and design of characters and the world… unreal.

The relationships between Guts and Griffith are also so beautifully written, we didn’t expect them to be this painful and deep. Talk about misunderstandings and breakups with consequences, geez. Griffith’s story build-up is just... amazing. The whole eclipse thing is wow, and the events that happen before it are as well. It’s like its own story within the whole story.

I also want to mention Maruo Suehiro, because he is another horror/guro author we like a lot, but I can’t pinpoint one manga of his that could count as a favourite just yet…

Hetalia by Himaruya Hidekaz – it’s stupid, it’s funny, it’s educational (in “it makes you interested in history and politics” way, not in the “it tells you what exactly happened” way). It doesn’t take itself seriously, it’s here to have fun and make its character as gay as possible, which I appreciate a lot. I feel like Hetalia influenced the way I draw comic strips and my humor in general. But maybe I’m just imagining it lol, it’s hard to tell at this point.

Gravitation by Murakami Maki – I’m forever obsessed with Gravi. Of course, a portion of it is just out of nostalgia, but we actually read the manga fully a couple of years ago, and god it was much better than we anticipated. It’s extremely stupid and fun (how many BL mangas have tom and jerry style slapstick comedy??), but at the same time sometimes the jokes are surprisingly clever. Nothing is too serious though, every character is a clown to some extent, and this is exactly why all of them are so fun to watch. The relationships are also… surprisingly well-written in my opinion.

It’s an old school BL, but I still think it’s a bit different from other BL mangas from 90s-early 00s… Also the fact that Murakami-sensei draws smutty doujins of her own manga under a different pseudonym is still the most awesome thing I’ve ever heard; I’ll forever respect her for that.

And ofc Yuki Eiri is a bottom for us, like... duh.

Otome no Teikoku by Kishi Torajirou – it just makes me a bit happier when I don’t want to think and just want to look at girls having crushes on each other. I usually hate yuri manga with school setting, but this one slaps me in the face with how good the cast is and how unusual some of the themes in it are for a yuri manga. I feel like the author actually wants his characters to be interesting and not just gushes over how pure and innocent they look when they hold hands, and it makes a huge difference.

[filmadaydiary]

1/18/21 to 1/21/21

Marvel Part 2

I was nervous about watching this set of films, because I know they are the least critically-acclaimed. I figured they would be a slog to get through, mostly filler between the big Avengers events. But I was surprised to find that these films were actually quite character-driven and plot-heavy, albeit relying on the previous events to make everything that much more satisfying. There’s definitely something to be said for knowing what’s going on when you watch a film, as opposed to passively being engaged in the spectacle (which I am often guilty of). I wouldn’t be so quick to write these movies off in the future. 

1/18/21

Thor: The Dark World – Alan Taylor, 2013

Bookending The Avengers with the first two Thor films made for an interesting viewing experience. As mentioned earlier, watching things in chronological order made the overarching plot much easier to follow. I liked seeing what happened with Loki immediately after the events of New York, and that was a nice reminder that not much time has passed between the first Thor and this one. People hate on this movie a lot, and even Ragnarok makes fun of it, but it’s really not that bad. Yes, it’s incredibly dramatic, but it’s also pretty darn exciting! There’s magic, there’s aliens, Chris Hemsworth does that cute Thor smile that melts hearts everywhere. It’s a grand old time. Phase 2 of Marvel is typically regarded as the worst of the bunch, but in my opinion these movies are still pretty darn enjoyable. 

Iron Man 3 – Shane Black, 2013

Speaking of movies that I thought I hated, there’s this. I only saw it one time and then let the popular opinions sway me into dissing this movie again and again. Turns out this is an introspective look at how being in a war zone will negatively affect even the most confident of civilians. Tony suffers from extreme anxiety after New York and has to confront who he is without his armor (literally and metaphorically). It’s so rare that we get to see superheroes get this stripped down, and it’s a nice reminder that Iron Man is really just a guy under all that bravado. My boyfriend thinks that the hatred of this film comes from the portrayal of the Mandarin and how that differs from the comic books, but I think the way they did it here is a really interesting take on a cookie-cutter villain. Don’t write this off so quickly. 

1/19/21

Captain America: The Winter Soldier – Joe and Anthony Russo, 2013

Aka the film where everyone fell in love with Sebastian Stan. No? Just me? What can I say, there’s something about guyliner that really gets me going. Seeing Cap get gritty and real after the optimism in his first outing makes it clear why the Russos were handed the keys to the MCU kingdom. This is a very well-constructed movie, deftly introducing new characters and story elements that feed into the greater plot without compromising what we already know and love. It sets the foundation for Steve and Natasha’s friendship going forward and helps fill in the blanks for what’s happening on Earth while there are galactic happenings in the other films. Plus the fight scenes in this film are truly epic. Steve’s takedown of the Hydra agents in the elevator is for sure one of the highlights. The ending does drag a little, but the rest of the film sets the tone for many of the other MCU entries going forward. 

1/20/21

Guardians of the Galaxy – James Gunn, 2014

And now, onto something completely different! This movie, much like Captain Marvel, does feel slightly out of place when watched in sequence with the others. But since it takes place in 2014, we have to watch it here. I can understand why this is the favorite of many Marvel fans. In many ways, it feels much more like a comic book than the others. It’s colorful, it’s chaotic, and being set against the backdrop of ‘80s pop music gives it a certain sense of nostalgia. You can’t help but dance along with Quill in the opening number, and it does wonders to endear him to the audience. The ragtag gang is always a fun dynamic to play with, even more so when they’re criminals. Oh, and Lee Pace is there, which means I will automatically like the movie more. The characters are edgy and unique, each with distinct personalities and quirks. Those do soften out a bit over the course of the movies, which is a shame as they all get lumped into one ensemble and become flatter for it. But there is no doubt that this is a very fun time. 

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – James Gunn, 2017

This movie was slightly disappointing, thought it was much more enjoyable right on the heels of the first one (as opposed to three years later in theaters). I don’t love the Guardians sense of humor, it tends to be a little bit too goofy and rely on cringing or making fun of others as opposed to real jokes. So for me, I didn’t have the best time here. The only thing of value to the overarching storyline is the evolution of Nebula as a character, and builds connection between the characters. Although much of that connection is built off-camera, between the two movies. There aren’t even any Infinity Stones in this movie. It feels too unnecessary to have a whole movie just about getting the characters where they need to be when we won’t see them again until Infinity War. Space escapades are fun and all, and Baby Groot is always a bonus. Okay, and the soundtrack is also excellent, and there were a few moments that genuinely did make me laugh. My problem is it makes the jump back to Earth very jarring, and I wish there was a way to smooth that out somehow. 

1/21/21

Avengers: Age of Ultron – Joss Whedon, 2015

Ah, Age of Ultron. Another movie that seems to be widely disliked by the fans. I saw this at a midnight premiere as well, and I had a great time. I had a great time watching it now as well. Ultron’s creation is truly haunting, and his cold, calculating logic in destroying the human race feels almost reasonable. If you’ve been paying attention, then Ultron no longer seems like an overreaction from Iron Man, but instead an extension of his anxiety and his drive to protect everyone now that he knows what’s out there. The movies in between the first Avengers and this one actually did a good job of setting up where everyone is emotionally and why it’s important for them all to be back for this major event. Plus, here we get some nice character-building for Hawkeye, my main man. This pushes the Avengers in a new way, with world-ending stakes, and I think it’s great. Not only are they fighting an endless army of robots, but this time they’re also racing against the clock because they’re on a city in the sky. It’s so cool! Not to mention loads of other things get set up in this film, from Vision to Thor’s epiphany about the Infinity Stones. It sets the stage for a whole new era of Avengers, one that I’m very excited to move on to.