#This isn't what the comic is going to be about

[prokopetz]

As someone who follows a lot of webcomics, including some very long running ones, I'm suddenly curious: have you any thoughts on the decline and fall of Sinfest?

I was there when Sinfest went off the rails, and it's kind of hilarious because it didn't go at all the way most folks assume it did. A lot of people have only seen the comic's early days and what it's doing this week and conclude it must have been a straight line from the former to the latter – which honestly isn't a bad guess! – but it actually went through a milquetoast liberal feminist phase somewhere in the middle, if you can believe it.

The trouble is, the comic's author had this whole Grand Philosopher of the Internet shtick going, and this was back when just having a regularly updating website made you kind of a big deal, so they were accustomed to being treated as an authority on whatever subject they saw fit to shoot their mouth off about. However, when the comic took a turn from edgy T&A pop culture parody to didactic feminist allegory, practically no one was prepared to take it seriously; the comic's established readership was broadly unreceptive, and whatever new readership the comic was trying to court found the idea of suddenly treating the Calvin-and-Hobbes-with-tiddies guy as an authority on the topic of feminism laughable.

Of course, I said practically no one. There was, in fact, one notable group who were perfectly willing to kiss the Calvin-and-Hobbes-with-tiddies guy's ass. I'm sure you can guess who.

(To be 100% clear, I'm not saying "oh, Sinfest's author was forced to go down the transphobic radfem pipeline because we nasty leftists were mean to them". They're a colossally entitled twerp who voluntarily got in bed with fascists because couldn't deal with not being taken seriously as an authority figure, and they made their own choices. I'm just remarking on the particulars of that trajectory!)

[shapeshiftersvt]

YEAH BUD first thing you do is you get yourself to CenterLink!

Find your closest one. Get to their website and sign up for their mailing list. Then go over to Programs or Events or Offerings or whatever they got and pick one. Put it on your calendar. Show up.

If you don't have transportation, if you don't know which one to pick, if you're not sure about any of this: EMAIL THEM. Introduce yourself. Say "hi, I need my people".

I'm so serious, there are people employed by centers all over this dang map whose job is to check their email and go, "oh! Hello, a new queer person near me! How can I get you hooked into our network of support and care? Here's three suggestions you tell me what works!"

If there isn't one near you, email the nearest anyway. Say "hi, I'm located here, you're the closest one I got, what you got for me?" The answer may be "sorry, nothing", but it may also be "here's a meetup right next to you! It's offline but we know about it because that's our job. Go say hi."

That's probably plenty for now. But just in case you want another way in, here is the NEXT THING YOU DO. Check the EIQ map:

and find you a gay third space near you. Coffee shop, bookstore, comic shop, what-have-you.

Go. Sit in the corner and be shy the first time. Check the bulletin board for events and meetups.

The best way to find good online spaces, too, is to show up offline and ask.

Good luck frand.

Anyway, I was queer before it was legal and I'm still queer now

I grew up not knowing a single trans person til I was in my twenties and I still turned out trans as shit

There's millions of us and we're everywhere and we're better than ever at connecting with each other.

join your local queer discord / signal / affinity space / community center wherever and whenever you can. as always link up with each other. c'mon out to OITO if you're local to us. go to that cheesy meetup for old gay fogeys if that's all you can find. whatever!!

that's how we've always survived. the joyful histories we have are of small groups loving each other closely. find you one.

[spread-the-influence]

What's up with the change in art style? It's a lot more sketchy than the earlier comics. This isn't a criticism btw, it looks really cool, I'm just wondering about the change.

idk the former art style never really fit the tone and atmosphere i want to go for but it took me a while to realize that i can just . not clean up the line art .

[justiceiscalling]

so i wanna get into batfam cause it seems fun. my introduction to this family is through some dceu movies and titans (show) only. is there any introductory ff or something? (don't wanna do comics idkw)

dude the way those were my introductions too (plus young justice)!!! i also refused comics in the beginning lol. first, disregard titans as a whole. i loved the show when i knew nothing of the batfam and dc in general but now that i do, i remember how wrong it was on so many parts.

i'm just going to do fic recs that i read and that i think helped me better understand some characters and then at the end i will add a 'quick' background on the 'lesser known' bats (duke, cass, and steph).

(nine fics plus an additional two crossovers)

here we go:

Worlds Saddest Breakfast Club by motelyfam

Summary:

Following a couple of Very Bad Weeks™ (which may or may not have involved being kidnapped and mildly tortured), Jason decides the best way to cheer himself up is to break into the Manor for a 3 a.m. snack. Turns out he isn’t the only one awake.

my opinion: okay i love love love this one. it includes every 'major' batfam member save for barbara gordon (so really just the one's considered bruces kids + steph). i think this one has extremely accurate characterization, it’s jason todd-centric but includes a good amount of everyone else.

greatest of ease by ijustwanttodestroy (ONGOING)

Summary:

The times people meet Dick Grayson. Not Robin, not Nightwing — just Dick. (Or: Dick Grayson is a hero, has always been and will always be, no matter what name he takes.)

my opinion: i actually just read this during the 12 hour tik tok ban and this is so good. it's dick centric and is just how random people who've met him in passing perceive him. i love it so much. there's still one chapter left to be written, but since the last time it was updated was 2019, i don't think it'll be updated lol. but, i think the last chapter isn't really needed

A Mediation on Railroading by eggmacguffin

Summary:

When he ends up ditched in Atlanta after a fight with his dad, Tim decides to do the only sensible thing: Tell no one and make the 800 mile journey back to Gotham on his own. Because the "call Batman when you're in trouble" rule only applies when he's Robin, right?

my opinion: okay, honestly i haven't rad this in forever--a reread is long overdo--but i remember enjoying this. this one is on the longer side, nearly 25k words. i feel like a majority of people in this fandom have read this, in 2023 i could not go anywhere without being recommended this. i'm pretty sure this started me into my jason and tim as a duo spiral, which i have since left because i now really believe that tim and jason would lowkey be beefing non-stop but like in a brotherly way? which most fics surrounding them don't quite capture in the way i want, idk i'm picky lol.

but yeah. this fic=good for new fandom people.

though your eyes will need some time to adjust by popsunner

Summary:

“I think…” Stephanie takes a deep breath, “I think I’m bad.” “I don’t.” “So what, I’m just supposed to believe you?” “I am Batman.” Stephanie snorts, “Yeah, you are… but what if I’m still bad?” “Then I forgive you.” _______ Or: Stephanie and Bruce, figuring it out

my opinion: i actually haven't seen a lot of steph and bruce bonding fics that i like but i really enjoyed this one. i read this a year or two ago, forgot about it and reread it today. steph and bruces relationship is complicated and i like how this captures them.

dick grayson: a case study by writersagainstwritersblock

Summary:

Dick rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “I’m mostly used to sparring with my little brothers, it’s kind of just habit, and I was having fun. I didn’t want the match to be over too quick.” “Too quick?” Derek asked, eyebrows raised. “I’m twice your size, kid.” Dick shrugged. “So’s Bruce and we’re pretty much tied at this point, or at least according to the score board the kids started to keep for Saturday spars.” “Saturday spars?” Derek repeated, following him towards the locker room. Dick flashed him a smile. “What? Don’t have any weird family traditions?” “Not ones that include hitting each other,” Derek said   OR The BAU gets a probationary profiler who is a little more than he appears at first glance. Or second. Or third. Just how many secrets can Dick Grayson be hiding from a team full of profilers?

my opinion: this one's a crossover but i love how it shows dicks relationship with his siblings, wally, and bruce. slades in here and so because of that theres implied sexual assault. the author has warnings on every chapter. i wouldn't read if you're not familiar with criminal minds though, it'll be really confusing

The Robin Generation by waterunderthebridge12

Summary:

"It's the dodging emotional conversations for me," Duke said. "Take the L." "Stop being such a cringefail edgelord," Tim said. "It's giving emotionally stunted," said Damian. "It's giving big yikes delulu."   In his ongoing search for better ways to fight crime, Tim comes up with a brand new method: bombarding bad guys with Gen Alpha slang. Recruiting Gen Alpha cusper Duke and full Gen Alpha Damian, shenanigans, chaos, and bonding ensue.

my opinion: i recommend this entire series, omg it's so unbelievably funny and good. great duke and damian bonding, great duke representation overall, and it also introduced me to the idea of duke hating dick and cass and jason just straight up beefing all the time which makes so much fucking sense. if you read anything on this list PLEASE read this.

Life Happens by Cdelphiki

Summary:

While walking home from an event at Wayne Enterprises, Tim and Damian are kidnapped and sent to an alternate dimension. In a world where superheroes are merely comic book characters and the idea of the multiverse is only a theory found within the pages of science fiction, how are Tim and Damian going to return home? How long will they be stranded on this strange Earth? And will the boys murder each other before they figure it out?

my opinion: by far one of the best tim and damian bonding things i read. it's 176k words so it doesn't make them bonding so straight forward, yk? not the usual 'they're both secretly jealous of each other' thing (which i lowkey love like i eat that shit up ngl), it's more complex. more 'i love you cause you're my brother, but i don't like you' which evolves into 'you're the only one around for me now' which turns into 'you're my favorite, please don't leave me.' i sob every time i read this story, it's so fucking heartbreaking. the other works in the exiled robins series are good but not needed to understand life happens.

All the Roofs of Uncertainty by Kieron_Duibhir

Summary:

For all the blood on his hands, Red Hood was never just a villain. And Nightwing never gives up on family, not for good. (Or: The one where Dick bleeds a lot and Jason argues with everybody.)

my opinion: i remember vaguely reading this when i first joined the fandom and loving it so much, it was my first introduction to jason and dick's relationship as brother that i thought actually made sense. if you like this one, check out Kieron_Duibhir's account, they're a really good author.

Martry Unmade by Here_we_go

Summary:

Jason Todd was loved best dead. Dead he was a saint. A martyr. Nothing was more sacred in the Church of Batman than martyrdom. - No one ever said that coming back from the dead was easy, not for the one who died and not for the people they left behind.

my opinion: catholic jason todd, my love. i'm always searching for catholic jason todd fics. i stumbled upon this a couple months ago and loved the fuck out of it. catholic jason is just so incredible to me, for some reason.

the entombment of idolization by make_your_own_world

Summary:

It turns out that growing up in the League of Assassins complicates your definition of self-worth. Or: Damian’s Saturday nights did not typically involve an underground sequence of caverns, a drugged brother, and a bloodthirsty monster snapping at their heels, but he was nothing if not adaptable. Or: If I am all you want to be, and you are all I want to be, why together are we not enough? (Can be read as a standalone)

my opinion: i did not read the other works in this series and i understood everything. this has tim and damian bonding which i will always look for, i'm pretty sure i stumbled upon this christmas of 2023 and i have loved it ever since.

okay that's it for the recs. if you want more heres the link to my bookmarks.

some have OC's or x readers, and i think theres one or two non batfam in there. still, feel free to look if you want. i also have some tim and damian bonding ones posted (Keep hanging on, Praise from a mother, Trust from a bother, the graves i dig series, and Growing apart), i don't think any of my other works will be of any use if you're just trying to get into the batfam because the rest are x readers or x OC's, save for one which is on a HEAVY hiatus lol.

quick background (as promised):

since your introduction was through DCEU and titans, im assuming you have no clue who duke thomas, cassandra cain, and stephanie brown are. duke is bruce’s latest foster kid, he’s black, his parents were rendered insane because of joker, he’s the vigilante signal, and he’s often forgotten by lots of the fandom. cassandra is one of bruce’s adopted kids (i believe) she came after tim but she’s jason’s age. she’s the daughter of lady shiva and david cain. typically she’s depicted as mute in fanon, but in comics she can speak her english is just very broken. depending on the fic, cass will be either one of those three vigilantes: batgirl, black bat, or orphan. stephanie isn’t bruce’s kid, she’s kind of an honorary kid though. she used to date tim but they’ve broken up in comics (tim is bi and dating bernard, as seen in the titans show), many people have her date cassandra. it’s a VERY popular ship in the batfam fandom, i think. stephanie is the vigilante spoiler though she was previously the vigilante batgirl and the only girl robin.

batgirl and robin are passed down. all the (main) robins in order are: dick, jason, tim, stephanie, then back to tim, and then damian (im pretty sure tim is robin in comics rn alongside damian but most fics have him as red robin). some people include maps in that but i normally don’t. batgirl has only three: barbara gordon, cassandra cain, and stephanie brown. then there’s also tiffany fox, who im pretty sure is said to be batgirl in the future? i’ve yet to see her in many fics and i think i read one comic that had her but that was forever ago.

[marinettesaltprompts]

Prompt by @kawaiichibiart

I was looking at some of my miraculous posts that I made to see if any of them inspired a prompt or two, and I across this:

HC: Marc and Nathaniel are so used to being dragged into Adrienette planning and having to make comics where Adrien and Marinette fall in love, they immediately assumed Adrien wanted them to do that (despite never once being a part of said planning) and were surprised when he said: no?...I was hoping to commission you for a one-shot comic about Chat Noir and Viperion where they maybe, sorta, possibly, fall in love?

Prompt:

Marinette and her friends have hounded Marc and Nathaniel into making countless of Adrienette comics with the same plot line: Marinette saves Adrien from a big bad (either his father, Chloe, Lila, any of the three working as a duo, or all three), and it ends with them getting together or married. It's cutting into the time they have for their own personal work and commissions they have set up for when they aren't working on their comic.

Since they're so used to Marinette and her friends asking for Adrienette comics, they immediately thought Adrien also wanted one when he approached them for a commission, forgetting in their tired state that he had no idea about those comics.

Marc was the first to realize their slip up and had to snap Nathaniel out of his rant so it could sink in for him. It was awkward for a while, and while the two tried to go back and ask what Adrien wanted, Adrien began to ask about the Adrienette comics.

And while they knew they shouldn't they were tired of Marinette constantly asking for comics, so they not only told him everything, they showed him. There were the comics, but also texts and notes from Marinette on how to improve the comics, and references of him she had that she shouldn't have. It's a bit too much for Adrien, but he thanks them and tells them he wants a one-shot comic revolving around Chat Noir and Viperion falling in love. It's not what they're expecting since it's pretty well known Adrien likes Ladybug, but it's better than Adrienette comic no. whatever. Once payment is settled, Adrien thanks them and leaves.

Nathaniel isn't surprised the next day when he sees Adrien has left their class.

[the-way-astray]

lyrical breakdown . . .

(Verse 1)

There once was a boy from a series for kids

Fan favorite, created as comic relief

exactly!!!! he was created as comic relief!!!! actually he wasn’t even supposed to exist, but. anyway why did shannon give him the legacy plotline . . . please . . . go back to when he was just a side character . . .

But there was a girl who didn’t find him comedic

Her name was Stria, his name was Keefe

accurate.

(Verse 2)

So let’s just say for this song they’re the same age

And either she’s fictional too or he’s real

he should be real so i can put him in the very real dirt

And Stria for some reason is her given name

lmfaoooo i have definitely explained this one. it comes from astray, like my username. astray -> astrya -> strya -> stria . . . we ignore that it means stretch marks. i did not know that

Just wait for what their story will make you feel

hopefully unadulterated rage. that's what it's making me feel

(Chorus)

An unlikely couple

Hatred to love

LOVE IS CRAZY . . . and yes we are unlikely. in fact we are extinct

She was nothing to him

Now she’s more than enough

keefe would not give two shits about me . . . i would be nothing to him. actually

She thought he was toxic

i still think that. actually

Now she understands

One must always follow

What their heart commands

MY HEART IS COMMANDING ME TO HATE KEEFE IRWIN SENCEN

(Verse 3)

She wrote a whole rant about everything wrong

With how he would talk and the way that he’d act

this is correct. almost the only part of this song that isn't slanderous lies

The day they met she said she was right all along

Told him off and rolled her eyes when he said he felt “attacked”

how did we meet in the song's lore . . . and okay keefe. feel attacked. see if i care. in fact this should encourage you to consider staying away . . .

(Verse 4)

But Keefe had this thing where he hated himself

He was going through it, that much was for sure

pro keefe propaganda in a strieefe song? fork found in kitchen . . . *stops myself from ranting about how i don't care if keefe is going through it, he still faces no consequ-*

He thought long and hard about Stria’s words well

Decided she was right and he should thank her

are we talking about the same keefe. i think you may be singing about a different keefe than i am

(Chorus)

An unlikely couple

Hatred to friends

i love how the first chorus goes "hatred to love" and then decides to dial it down a notch with "hatred to friends" in the second one

He was nothing to her

CORRECT!!!! RAHHHH!!!!

We’ll see how it ends

this song's ending is slander and lies. don't listen to it

She thought he was toxic

But she’s soon to understand

One must always follow

What their heart commands

KILLING KEEFE MAIMING KEEFE BITING KEEFE EXPLODING KEEFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Verse 5)

Stria couldn’t believe he would own his mistakes

yeah there's no way i'm believing that because it didn't happen

But he swore he got it and promised to change

. . . did he though. did he really . . .

She didn’t believe it and thought it was fake

it probably is. waiting for the other shoe to drop (it will, trust) (don't listen to katie's propaganda, this song is leaving some stuff out)

He took in stride, which Stria thought was strange

he would never . . .

(Verse 6)

Alayda watched from the sidelines and was grinning

yeah, sounds like her

And Katie (that’s me, I’m Katie) took notes furiously

and then warped and skewed the notes beyond repair and put them into rhyming verses and sang it in a song. but i guess that's too long of a line to include

Alayda said, “Katie it looks like we’re winning”

alayda is also a traitor to the sokeefe nation. in case anyone cares

But I ship him with Sophie, so I said “who’s we??”

YOU LITERALLY ADMITTED TO WRITING A STRIEEFE FIC AND YOU WROTE THIS STRIEEFE SONG DON'T PRETEND YOU AREN'T A TRAITOR TO THE SOKEEFE NATION

(Chorus)

An unlikely couple

Hatred to something

"something" is still hatred. hope this helps

He was nothing to her

Now he’s surely more than nothing

actually, he's less than nothing

She thought he was toxic

But soon she’ll understand

One must always follow

What their heart commands

my heart is commanding me to beat katie up with a shoe. and i still think he's toxic

(Verse 7)

Keefe day by day proved he meant what he said

. . . what version of keefe is this song about????

And Stria rethought the whole rant that she’d made

rethinking some parts, but definitely not the entire thing

She said “fine okay, I guess we can be friends”

i hate his sense of humor i would never be able to get along with him

He wanted more than that and asked for a date

can i please leave now

(Verse 8)

She said before they could be something more

She had a condition, he must be okay

i would never consider this. this is stria slander

With sharing her eternally with four times four

Just like the amount of letters in his name

THIS SEEMS LIKE A WELL-INTENTIONED SIXTEEN MENTION BUT IT'S JUST AN EXCUSE TO BRING UP THE FACT THAT SHANNON HATES ME AND WANTS ME DEAD AND MADE KEEFE'S MIDDLE NAME HAVE FIVE LETTERS SO THAT HIS FULL NAME HAS SIXTEEN LETTERS THIS IS KATIE MANIPULATION I'M NOT CRAZY

(Chorus)

And he said yes!

he could never live up the the very high bar that my true love, the number sixteen, has set

An unlikely couple

Hatred to love

THIS VERSION IS BACK

Just him and sixteen

Now that’s more than enough

just sixteen is more than enough. sixteen and keefe is less than enough

She thought he was toxic

Now she understands

One must always follow

What their heart commands

my heart is commanding me to elope with sixteen and leave keefe in the dirt

*ridiculous electric guitar solo by Katie’s brother*

the best part of the song. also you forgot some key lyrics. here, i'll fix it for you

*katie laughing*

okay, that's enough of that

i agree. that's enough of strieefe for a lifetime

As promised, 8-verse song about strieefe!

featuring my brother at the end 😭😭

For those who don’t know the joke, Stria @the-way-astray HAAAATES Keefe Sencen. So naturally it’s a ship! And after this memories post happened, well, I had no choice!

LYRICS UNDER THE CUT

(Verse 1)

There once was a boy from a series for kids

Fan favorite, created as comic relief

But there was a girl who didn’t find him comedic

Her name was Stria, his name was Keefe

(Verse 2)

So let’s just say for this song they’re the same age

And either she’s fictional too or he’s real

And Stria for some reason is her given name

Just wait for what their story will make you feel

(Chorus)

An unlikely couple

Hatred to love

She was nothing to him

Now she’s more than enough

She thought he was toxic

Now she understands

One must always follow

What their heart commands

(Verse 3)

She wrote a whole rant about everything wrong

With how he would talk and the way that he’d act

The day they met she said she was right all along

Told him off and rolled her eyes when he said he felt “attacked”

(Verse 4)

But Keefe had this thing where he hated himself

He was going through it, that much was for sure

He thought long and hard about Stria’s words well

Decided she was right and he should thank her

(Chorus)

An unlikely couple

Hatred to friends

He was nothing to her

We’ll see how it ends

She thought he was toxic

But she’s soon to understand

One must always follow

What their heart commands

(Verse 5)

Stria couldn’t believe he would own his mistakes

But he swore he got it and promised to change

She didn’t believe it and thought it was fake

He took in stride, which Stria thought was strange

(Verse 6)

Alayda watched from the sidelines and was grinning

And Katie (that’s me, I’m Katie) took notes furiously

Alayda said, “Katie it looks like we’re winning”

But I ship him with Sophie, so I said “who’s we??”

(Chorus)

An unlikely couple

Hatred to something

He was nothing to her

Now he’s surely more than nothing

She thought he was toxic

But soon she’ll understand

One must always follow

What their heart commands

(Verse 7)

Keefe day by day proved he meant what he said

And Stria rethought the whole rant that she’d made

She said “fine okay, I guess we can be friends”

He wanted more than that and asked for a date

(Verse 8)

She said before they could be something more

She had a condition, he must be okay

With sharing her eternally with four times four

Just like the amount of letters in his name

(Chorus)

And he said yes!

An unlikely couple

Hatred to love

Just him and sixteen

Now that’s more than enough

She thought he was toxic

Now she understands

One must always follow

What their heart commands

An unlikely couple

Hatred to love

She was nothing to him

Now she’s more than enough

She thought he was toxic

Now she understands

One must always follow

What their heart commands

One must always follow

What their heart commands

*ridiculous electric guitar solo by Katie’s brother*

If you made it this far, congrats! Check out my serious kotlc songs by looking up #kotlc songs or #original music on my blog!! Or not. You could always just judge my musical abilities forever and ever by this recording of me making Stria angry, which, okay, valid.

@the-way-astray @alaydabug2 @thishumanformislimiting @worldsunlikemyown @permanently-stressed @lisalovesapplesauce @jeannefostergoriot

[bimboficationblues]

one thing that I think typifies bad or ill-conceived comic book opinions: the idea of a character being "out of character." this is not a purely audience problem; by emphasizing historical continuity and the relationship between the texts, Big 2 Comics invite you to think about their characters as though they possess a contiguous identity through all or most of their appearances. this is most evident in Spider-Man where the 2007 decision to keep Peter Parker locked in perpetual stasis infuriated fans so bad that you can't talk about contemporary Spider-Man anywhere without people malding. (that was not the only factor behind said malding.)

but, my point is comic characters only really have the appearance of unity or identity; all the different incarnations of Batman over the years from different writers and artists are really just different characters wearing the same collection of symbols as skin, with different emphases and additions or subtractions, and it's how those symbols get combined and new elements are introduced - and how those speak to the reader - that makes or breaks a good Batman story. the paranoiac thug, the man with a plan for everything, the urban myth, the jetsetting detective, the incarnation of everlasting grief, the one that is George W. Bush, the one who takes a bunch of Joker juice and becomes The Debil, they're all real and what lands or doesn't will probably depend on other, higher aesthetic priorities, what the representation *says*.

another comic opinion: the idea of a "love letter to a character" or whatever is not an inherently virtuous trait of a comic. superhero characters are not like inherently interesting, they are interesting for like, their ability to mix genres in a dynamic way, and for what they say and represent about us, for the philosophies and irrationalities that they conjure in us. something like Waid and Samnee's Daredevil or Ewing and Bennett's Immortal Hulk or Morrison/Quitely on All-Star Superman, I think go beyond just expanding or exploring a mythos and touch on bigger and resonant emotional ideas (depression and optimism, the social meaning of rage, mortality and legacy and symbolic aspiration). I don't think every comic can or should be on that level, and there is respect to be found in stuff that isn't that, but just fixating on the character's in-universe features at the expense of their symbolic, resonant qualities, what they communicate to and about us, is a missed chance.

another comic opinion: over-fixation on writers. comics are a visual medium with a relatively low barrier to entry as reader or creator and this is what distinguishes them from other narrative mediums. one thing that the best of shonen manga excel at while Anglo-American comics flounder is their visuals. there are artists who are willing to play with the Anglo-American form but there's a lot who are just doing swagless versions of Jim Lee and Bryan Hitch.

it's very noticeable to me that the Absolute and Ultimate books that have been the most successful have been those that have really distinct visual styles, a lot of dynamism or expression, and really talented colorists working with top-notch artists (Marco Checchetto, Peach Momoko, Nick Dragotta, Hayden Sherman, and although he's very much in house style I really love the character expressions and vibrancy of Juan Frigeri's Ultimates - despite being understated it has a real energy to it).

[yourresidentstanlover]

I can't sleep and I have to get up in less than 4 hours for school n shit, so have some of my thoughts about fiddlestan and fiddauthor.

DISCLAIMER: I have not read the entirety of The Book of Bill, or Journal 3. I've only seen snippets online. I want to get them both, tho. I'll get my hands on em once it gets less cold and icy around here.

Sooo fiddlestan. I like it, and it has a loooot of potential for angst. HOWEVER, I don't like when people villainize Ford just to make Fidds get with Stan. I do think that Ford cares deeply about Fiddleford, he just doesn't really know how to express it, and is entirely oblivious to any feelings Fiddleford may have for him (c'mon man, he left his wife and kids to study weird shit in the woods with you).

Now for Stan with Fiddleford, I don't really see that relationship lasting, at least not healthily (is that an actual word?? Whatever, you know what I'm sayin). If going the angsty route, I think Fidds would at first try to replace Ford with Stanley in an attempt to regain the man he lost. And Stanley would be open to the affection Fidds gives him cause he's touch-starved, and I don't think anyone's said "I love you" to him for a minimum of ten years. But Fiddleford would realize that Stan isn't Ford, no matter how much he tries to delude himself into thinking he is. And Stan would realize that Fidds just isn't his type or somethin.

Ok now fiddauthor. I love this so much, both when Stanford and Fiddleford are young and when they're old (people are sleeping on that old man yaoi!!). I also headcanon Ford as asexual. I looooveee the thought of fiddauthor in the 70s while they were in college, breaking up for whatever reason (or just kinda drifting apart if it wasn't a committed relationship or whatever), and Ford's lil heart breaking when Fidds marries Emma May.

Alternatively, I do kinda like the thought of a poly relationship between Fiddleford, Emma May, and Stanford. That would be a fun au to make a comic about. I have been wanting to make an Emma May design for a bit now lol.

But when they're older and working in Gravity Falls, oh god sooo much angsty potential with infidelity and unrequited feelingsss (technically they're both in love with each other, but neither are good at ✨️ communication ✨️). Ford would probably be so absorbed with Bill, and listening to his manipulations to actually recognize Fiddleford's feelings for him.

And when they're old ass men? Ugh so much fluff can happen from them finally making up for lost time or somethin. People really sleep on the true old man yaoi lmao.

On a slightly separate note, I do ship Billford, and I have thoughts about it that I'm not gonna get into here. But I'll give ya the abridged version: I like shipping it, I don't like romanticizing it, and i like seeing how the relationship had a lasting effect on Ford. I don't like shipping them post-weirdmageddon, and i don't think Bill can truly be redeemed. I have mixed feelings on those redemption au's. I also like triangle fucking jokes. I'm sorry but that is comedy gold.

Also I'm gonna (eventually) make a post talking about my oc x canon ship (Kyle x Stanley). I personally love them (obviously), they're two gay old criminals who have shockingly similar pasts. What's not to love? Also it's a fun way to explore writing older characters with different body types, since before, most of the characters i drew were young twinks, beefed up guys/girls, and skinnier women. Drawing these old men has really helped with diversifying the body types I draw.

Alright, ramble over. Goodnight everyone.

(Also while writing this, I broke into a coughing fit. I hope i didn't catch my dad's cold lmao. God is trying to stop me from talking about yaoi, but dammit, I can't be stopped >:3)

[shadowonwater]

The Wild Kratt bros go feral (fic recs)

A collection of Wild Kratt fanfic recs about one or both of them going feral to some extent. Assume the work is finished unless I mention otherwise. Some things in here are feral-per-say and more strongly being influenced by animal instincts.

Feel free to give recs in comments that are not mentioned in the list.

Post last updated: 1/20/25

Tazzy Section

This is stuff specifically about going feral as a T-Devil.

Empty Stomach (A short piece in which Tazzy Chris eats a dead animal and throws up)

The Blood on Your Teeth (the take on the Tazzy Chris episode in which Chris is more feral than he was in the episode. Currently unfinished)

Stuck as a T-Devil (short light-hearted fic set right after the end of the Tazzy Chris episode. Due to the amount of DNA in suit, Chris will be stuck as a T-Devil for a few days)

Tazzy Brother-Mine (Tazzy Martin. Zach's disrupt-o-bots copy this malfunction from Chris's suit to Martin's. It doesn't activate til awhile later when Chris and Martin get stuck in a cave-in. Martin still pretty much himself but he's hungry and that doesn't bode well for animal instincts.)

Tazzy Martin (Zach's disrupt-o-bots copy this malfunction from Chris's suit to Martin's. It activates right away and Martin soon ends up running off into the woods while the crew tries to find him. They end up having to save Zach from Martin)

Tazzy!Martin Comic: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 (not a fanfic exactly but a fan comic)

Light-hearted (for the most part)

Were-Kratts! (Martin and Chris are were-mountain cats. They have been this whole time but the others didn't find out til now. They aren't dangerous towards the crew but they do cause a mess)

A cute little comic in which bird!Chris makes a nest in Martin's hair

Board Games and Burnout (Martin stays up way too late learning how to play a board game he just got. He and Chris then have to stop an evil plan of Zach's and afterwards have to round of a bunch of zebras. Martin stays with the zebras as he zebra himself to make sure no more wander off. Zebra herd instinct makes him really want to be with the crew)

Cheetah Panic (Martin worries about Chris being late to show up their meeting spot. He then has a cheetah panic attack, only a little bit of feral-ness here) there's also a comic version

Otterly Ridiculous Instincts (Martin and Chris are otters but Chris's suit has malfunctioned turning him into a baby otter. Martin gets in danger from a shark and Chris's animal instincts cause him to really freak out)

Other

Control (Some random villain tries to use Zach's mind control technology to get Martin to attack a de-powered Chris. Martin ends up attacking the random villain instead after some struggle, it's bloody.)

A Foreign Sense of Flavor (Martin has a nightmare in which he goes hunting as a Florida Panther and kills a "deer")

Influence of Instincts (Chris and Martin are hanging out as cheetahs but then run into some poachers who think they are mutant cheetahs and not human. Martin is out cold and Chris ends up attacking the poachers to protect them both)

Intentional Misconduct (Zach uses his disrupt-o-bots to make the bros go feral while they are in wolf form. They attack him and he runs off to the Tortuga to help undue what he did, the wold bros follow him. Currently unfinished)

The Sea Forgets; The Sky Remembers (Zach's evil cousin has a traveling cryptid show and show wants to get some living specimens for it. She has Zach help her by capturing the bros and messing with their suits to make Martin look like a merman and Chris look like the mothman. Chris is able to get away to get help but isn't able to bring Martin with him. Neither of them were living in good conditions but things get worse for Martin after Chris escapes. Sadly, being part-goldfish is bad for memory)

Physical Instrument (Chris messes up his suit and ends up being a hybrid of multiple animals. He runs around in the woods trying to hunt and not being good at it. The crew have to capture a starved feral Chris. Even when they can fix his mind, they can't fix his body. Currently Unfinished)

Animalistic (turns out using shapeshifting suits a bunch can cause permanent change. Also shows sick!Chris. Currently Unfinished)

Of Claws and Stripes (Tazzy Chris but with tigers instead of T-Devils. Chris poses a very real threat to Martin and suit poses a very real threat to Chris)

[to-boldly-ship-mcspirk]

okay so people seemed to actually like my post on having read the tos mirror universe saga comic (and thanks for the further comic recs!) so I thought I'd share my thoughts because I have SO MANY. I was not prepared for how married mcspirk was gonna be in this, especially kirk and mccoy.

as for the actual plot of the series: it picks up after the search for spock, with spock still recovering while kirk and the rest have to face off with their evil versions from the mirror universe episode. It was published by DC comics during the 80s in eight issues, and later turned into a graphic novel with eight chapters, which is the one I read. So, because I also intend to add as many photos as tumblr lets me, I thought I'd split my thoughts per chapter and if you're interested you can read my thoughts on CHAPTER ONE under the cut:

so this is literally how the comic opens, spock is recovering on vulcan and this is the first thing he says:

like come on, he's so in love. Also the "jim, his name is jim" mirroring his exchange with kirk from the search for spock, where he says: "jim ... your name ... is jim" and kirk says "yes" (which lives rent free in my mind) is so cool!

then we have a glorious exchange with bones, whose first words to spock after the events of wrath of khan and search for spock are "you look good" ... okay, I know he meant it as a medical opinion but come on. Also the fact they're immediately back to bickering, I love their relationship so much. Spock paying him a compliment and calling him excellent and bones just going: "yeah, something's up, he's lost his mind", they are so MARRIED

the next exchange is so funny to me because mccoy's "you bet" and saavik's "indeed" are so unnecessary but they're all being so supportive 🥺🥺 it's so sweet

and then of course spock and jim holding hands and being all lovey-dovey. Like, "you came back for me once, Jim ... I have no doubt you will do so again" is insane, and they're holding hands again .... just kiss already

I also love how obsessed amanda is with kirk in this one, she treats him like her son in law and it's so sweet

and of course kirk says sth like "I have to do this but I can't order you all to follow me into danger" or sth similar like 3 times and of course everyone (and mostly sulu, the adrenalin junkie he is) always goes "stop being stupid, of course we'll come with you" and it just warms my heart

then we have more of mccoy being the most relatable ever, and this exchange with kirk just screams married to me. The way I was giggling every time bones had a line is definitely not normal

also the death of david is still so fresh and kirk is clearly suffering and bones is just so worried.

it's so sweet! And then mccoy, who canonically hates/fears nothing more than transporters doesn't just agree to beam down with kirk solely for support, no, he immediately OFFERS it himself. Like, no questions asked, he sees this is important to jim and he's just like "what can I do to make him feel better". Bones I love you so much (and so does kirk) and if this isn't husband behavior then idk what is

and kirk admitting "I've never been okay" is wild. Yes, it's about Carol but still.

mind you, we're 15 pages in and kirk is already so depressed. I know david just died but he literally goes "I wish I could die" every other page and it ripped me apart, like this is literally what he says:

meanwhile bones is constantly trying to cheer him up, the whole thing just went: mckirk being married - depression - mckirk being sweet - depression - mckirk - depression ... the whole time

also we have a scene between sulu and uhura being besties and singing together in the botanical gardens and it made me SO HAPPY. And then chekov comes in and they're all like: "oh shit we stole the enterprise to rescue spock, that might have consequences", so then they're worried and uhura is just the biggest badass (which, we all know already)

like, she's so done with it. Literally like "yeah I might lose my job but who cares, spock is more important" and it's so valid.

also, I didn't expect to see so much friendship between scotty and saavik but I'm so here for it, they have a bunch of scenes together just playing chess and being sweet

then mccoy is taking carol to david's funeral because she and kirk are not on speaking terms, like, the man loves jim so much he's doing everything he can. And at the end of the chapter kirk and carol are able to talk it through and make up solely because mccoy talked to her and convinced her that blaming jim wouldn't help. Anyway, just another example of bones being the best

that's all I have to say on chapter one, or at least all I could think of with the photos that tumblr let me include. Let me know if you want me to continue? I'd love to make a post like this for every chapter and guess what? They're even more married in the next one

[shnowyfox]

Okay so u ppl like the horseformers it seems heres some more designs :D

swindle isn't even rlly in the story tbh but here he is. he should NOT have an insignia because this is moreso a civilian swindle. he's a strong and resiliant little feller but really probably shouldn't carry all that shit around on a battlefield. i just dont feel like going back and fixing it. also! combiner teams uhhh they exist! but i think maybe instead of combining they're just in a herd together like soulmates but its besties u know what im sayin. heavily taking from his wfc design (why he has cloven hooves... i love his silly pedes) since we don't get any CONFIRMED visuals on him in tfone..

considering changing jet wings to "feather" wings? and making megatronus prime a griffin because the seekers are griffins.. The two chains across the chestplate btw are like a motif in his court. Megatron, Ironhide, and the high guard all fall under his court

and a d-16 :) dont mind why he looks so judgmental.. this was supposed to be a comic. giving arcee the side eye... glad i focused on the designs first i fucking love his shin guards he's so pretty

griffin seeker! specifically starscream here :) there is lore reason why they get a mane and organic wings btw

hound! under liege maximo's court, and like megatronus' chains, liege's court has a motif in the horns. again, no cogged form so i had to kinda blend his cogless one design with his idw and foc designs? i really like his funny chestplate in g1. forgot his insignia but he is a decepticon in this one he was one of the first teehee

still going between horse and lion for optimus. heres pax though with victory leo's body as his lower half :) he was born under alpha trion's court and also all the lions in the japanese continuity?? forgot his insignia but maybe this is also civilian era (drops my head on the table and screams) also theres no reason for him to have a halberd he doesn't use one i just.. put it in his hands.

and alpha trion these last two admittedly arent great because i drew them just now when i woke up. way too top heavy but i'll fix it later when i start finalizing everyone's refs (this fool thinks he'll be interested long enough to finalize designs).. forgot hsi fucking autobot insignia too </3 also might give those under his court a cape which would mean i could give orion pax a cape too teehee.

ty everyone for encouraging me btw i was straight up about to redesign them to not be centaurs (cringe) but i kept them as centaurs and i'm figuring out how to make it work in the story (based)

[karizard-ao3]

If you made a teen pregnancy fic how would it go?

Since I get to pick, I choose Ranma and Akane for this one, because even though it is FAR less likely that Ranma would, of his own accord, be able to work up the courage to even kiss Akane, let alone knock her up, any time before his 21st birthday, his world is rife with magical charms and nefarious potions etc, so there is no reason that he and Akane couldn't both, through a comic series of errors, both ingest some inhibition inhibiting bon bons one night while they are alone at the dojo (perhaps Genma purchased them for Nodoka, who won't give him the time of day now that she has her son back), and, thanks to their effects, one thing leads to another and they declare their love and then consummate their relationship. They wake up the next morning back to their old selves and wildly embarrassed. They can't even look at each other. Ranma is beet red and runs away every time Akane tries to talk to him about what happened because he thinks she'll be mad at him, but him avoiding her hurts her feelings, and then it hurts her feelings even more when he finally gets brave enough to apologize and makes it sounds like he regrets it.

By the time their families return from wherever they were, Ranma and Akane are in what appears to be a run of the mill fight, so no one thinks that much about it.

They sort of make up and individually resolve to ignore what happened until a few weeks later when Akane realizes she's late (maybe she and Ranko are synced up? Or would Ranma only have the outer female sex organs but not a uterus? How thoroughly does the curse affect his insides? I guess it doesn't matter since he's not the one pregnant - although imagine an AU where Akane falls in the Spring of Drowned Boy... Oh, the gender bending hijinks).

Anyway, her period is late. She skulks off to get a pregnancy test. It's positive. She freaks out. Now she's mad at Ranma again. He corners and demands to know what he did this time. She shows him the test. He doesn't know what it means. She has to explain, and then he goes white as a sheet. Falls all over himself apologizing, promises to marry her. She is like, "No, thank you! I won't be have you marrying me out of obligation" which makes him super mad because he takes it as a rejection. It's a whole thing.

They try to hide it while they figure out what to do and how to tell their families, but Nodoka sniffs them out almost right away. You know how she is. She pulls Akane aside and asks if she is pregnant and, a little coldly, who the father is. Akane says it's Ranma and Nodoka is ecstatic. Starts tearing up and saying how her boy is a man among men because he ruined a young girl's future by getting her pregnant out of wedlock. You know how she is.

She scampers off to tell the rest of the family.

And thus, the secret is out.

The rest of the fic would be them dealing with becoming young parents, discussing whether they want to keep the baby (they do), and Ranma sorting out all his various suitors so he can show Akane that he is really serious about making it work with her when he finally tries proposing again. Maybe this isn't the order he would have picked to do things in, but he's a School of Anything Goes Martial Artist. He can roll with the punches.

I'm sure there will be all kinds of shit going on. The other girls won't take it well, and Ryoga will for sure try to kill Ranma. Kuno also will probably try to start some shit.

But, in the end, they have their baby and Nodoka babysits for them so they can go to school and Ranma and Akane make absolutely certain that Genma never, ever, under any circumstances takes the baby away to train. He is probably not allowed alone with the baby at all. But, he's a bit better as a grandpa/ panda, so they don't have to worry.

[siriuslysapphicmoony]

First dance — word count: 809

tw: references to period typical homophobia

@wolfstarmicrofic

Sirius is the person who cries the most at the Potters’ wedding. More than Euphemia, more than Lily’s mum, more than Mary, even more than James.

And yes, it’s because they're perfect for each other, it's because they're so happy they're glowing, it's because there’s a war going on and this is a very much needed reminder that good things exist as well.

Sirius is sobbing because of all of that, but there's also the other reason. The one he can't even fathom saying out loud.

See, the moment his sobs are at their worst is not when his sight is on the happy couple. Sirius sobs the hardest each time his gaze finds Remus.

It's a kind of sorrow that is hard to describe, that one can only understand if they experience it themselves.

It's that excruciating, all consuming longing, of craving the same thing for himself and the person that is currently sniffing at his side, trying his hardest to hold back tears.

It's that harrowing, loud void that had taken place in his chest the moment he had realised (when James had proposed to Lily) that the only reason he had ever thought he hated the mere concept of marriage had been because of what it meant for his family. It's the sudden, startling realisation that he would absolutely love the idea of marriage if it was something he could have with the person currently standing by his side.

“Do not despair, sweetheart. He's just getting married, you're still his platonic soulmate.”

Remus’ joking attempt at soothing him sends him over the edge all over again and more sobs break through.

Great, now all those attending the wedding will know he's not as badass as he wants them to believe. How is he ever going to survive that?

“‘s not that,” he mumbles anyway between sniffs.

He feels Remus’ hand graze softly against his. Sirius grabs it like an anchor. Not caring about who might see, what might they think. He doesn't care. There's so much he isn't allowed. He at least gets to have this.

By the time the first dance comes around, Sirius has recovered just enough. He has fixed his eyeliner and he's determined not to cry anymore.

Then James and Lily step on the dancefloor, they swirl to their favourite song and Sirius is once again ruined.

He can't help the sob that escapes him. The unreasonable grief where there should only be joy for his friends.

His mind goes miles away. He imagines himself slow dancing with Remus, at their own wedding, at their own first dance, surrounded by their friends and families, celebrating their love. And he wants it. He craves it. Oh, he so desperately wants it.

Remus is at his side once again and this time he's the one silently reaching out, subtly embracing him, surely thinking he can pass it off as a friendly embrace.

“Are you alright, love?” he asks in his deep, concerned voice.

Sirius considers lying, but opts for the truth. He shakes his head meekly, another sob shaking him.

“I want this, Remus,” he confesses. “I hadn't fully realised it until today, but I want this. All of this. Marriage, a house, kids. I want the whole deal.”

Remus frowns a bit. “What are you saying…?” And damn, he looks scared now. He thinks Sirius wants to leave him for a traditional marriage.

“No, silly,” he sobs once more, a breathy laugh escaping him at the absurdity, a sad smile on his lips. “I don't mean it like that. I want it with you, but we aren't allowed and it's bloody destroying me.”

“Oh.”

It's almost comical to see all of the emotions that go through Remus' face. It goes from surprise, to adoration, to sadness and everything in between.

“I love you so much, Sirius,” he vows, gaze focused on him, the rest of the world forgotten. “Me too,” is what he says next. “I also want it all. With you.”

And that's the saddest thing, isn't it? They want the same thing for each other and yet they live in a world that won't let them have it. It's a crushing realisation. Discovering something you've known all along, but have never fully realised the whole weight of it, just how much it defines your life, that something someone has arbitrarily decided long ago has the power to determine the whole course of your lives. It's painful, it's unfair, it's soul-sucking, it's enraging, it's rubbish.

For how powerful his magic is, he feels completely powerless in front of the way the rest of the world sees their love. All he can do is hold on to Remus and silently promise himself that he'll do everything in his power to get them what so many couples have the luxury of taking for granted.

[fuck-edfrugs]

I was looking into it with my dad, we genuinely couldn't find much of anything that wasn't people talking about bechdel. There was really only one quote from her which seemed to be in support of trans people. There just isn't anything concrete (other than attending much fest BUT she was apparently under the impression that they had reverted their position on trans women for at least a portion of the time she attended due to a false statement she was given in an email. One of her comics is about this) at least as far as me and my dad could find in a few hours of looking into it even going to the sources linked in the previous ask you received about this.

And actually the citing of her friend (last name is rich but I can't remember her first name I'm just brain dumping right now) and Rich's status as a terf is questionable and the primary citation for it seems to be her involvement in a book written by a terf but every source is inconsistent on what her involvement actually was, ranging from she was quoted in it to she proofread it and helped write it. And due to her literary work previously she really doesn't seem like a terf.

But also none of this is definite and I'm definitely not an expert researcher so I could very well have missed something or a lot of stuff.

Overall I don't think bechdel is a terf, but she definitely has criticizable actions.

I'm sorry for rambling but I got really into this last night

I do think it sucks that Alison Bechdel continued to go to Mitchfest and I understand why people find that deeply hurtful and troubling. It's also true that she was in support of camp trans and contributed comics to Transsisters(a journal of transsexual feminism) in protest of the policy. It's also true that she collaborated with and worked with trans women in support of their struggles. She had friends that were transmisogynistic feminists and she's consistently advocated for trans rights and inclusion (Especially of MTF dykes in dyke spaces).

It strikes me as deeply dishonest for anyone to call her a TERF and I don't think Riki Wilchens would characterize her in that way. I think there are problematic aspects in her model of feminism and she can be clumsy when it comes to these issues. I also think it's relevant and valid for people to criticize transmisogynistic bias in her work. I do think she's said and done things that demonstrate transphobic bias...I don't think it's healthy to conflate that with a committed ideology based in hatred and exclusion. I do get that it's disappointing that she kinda tries to have it both ways.

Starting in 2006 MWMF shifted more towards a don't ask don't tell policy (still bad!) and Trans women ran workshops on trans inclusion within the festival. Yellow armbands activists also worked to build support and solidarity for trans women's inclusion within the festival. I don't believe it's true or accurate to say that TERF was created as term to talk about anyone that attended MFWF.

that's very important context, thank you so much for providing this!

i didn't think it was appropriate to call her a terf either, so i'm glad to hear that it's not as bad as it could be. people are not perfect. some one you agree with often can still do questionable or shitty things sometimes. it is human to be flawed. i really appreciate the additional info!

[goosemagician]

I was listening to this song while working on the Anti-Hero comic, and got an idea I had to get down

Technically an AU of an AU lol XD

scrumptious explanation under the cut

In this teeny little aside, Hero was never able to save her friends. Everyone in The World of Make Believe was killed except for her. Hero, at the age of 15, gains Hate's trust, and then kills Her when she least expects it. Left all by herself, going mad, Hero rips out her own heart and uses it to restore the keyframes, enabling her to venture back into the real world and, unfortunately, take on RGB's job to find "Heroes". Her methods, however, are far more sinister than his.

Hero takes the hearts of her Heroes and uses them to try and bring back her friends (primarily RGB and Magnus). She's convinced that her methods are moral because she's "doing what she has to do" in order to save the world, even though there is no world left to save, and the only antagonist left is herself.

So yeah, serial murderer Hero AU :P

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Cite your sources.

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