#Thunderbird Releasing

[idontknowreallywhy]

👀

It cannot be denied that the Chaos Crew theme is Stellar and seeing it being recorded like this makes me giddy with excitement!

[the-time-lord-oracle]

Thunderbirds Channel 5 VHS appreciation:

The 1980's Thunderbirds Channel 5 VHS releases, with cover artwork by Steve Kyte. Love the covers on these videos. Did you have any of these videos?

[hebuiltfive]

You know what will always be a crime? TAG S3's soundtrack never being released on CD. 😭

[dragonoffantasyandreality]

*huff... huff... puff...*

I'm almost done with my Thunderbirds Calendar :3

[gbhbl]

Album Review: Mothman and the Thunderbirds – Portal Hopper (Self Released)

An outstanding release, that sees Mothman and the Thunderbirds outdo anything they’ve done before. Experience the madness for yourself and be prepared to fall madly in love with what it offers.

Mothman and the Thunderbirds are back and soaring to new heights on their sophomore album ‘Portal Hopper’. This new installment is a concept album that sees the band melding elements of prog metal and dream pop with the central theme being about escapism and the eventual escape from escapism. It will be released on July 12th, 2024. A concept album with a creative story, Portal Hopper is a…

[squiddokiddo]

Lol did they mix in some shots from Team America just to mess with people?

Happy belated Thunderbirds day. I was at the Busted Concert in Manchester last night and of course they performed Thunderbirds Are Go!

Got some photos of the screens they had behind them and I did film the whole thing, but I'm singing in it and I don't really want to post it 😅 I'll find the video later and find the little preamble they did before

[tagsecretsanta]

TAG Team Secret Santa 2024

Well, that was a definite yes, so here we go!

What is Tag Team Secret Santa?

Just like normal Secret Santa, just for Thunderbirds fans!

Secret Santa is where the people involved give and receive gifts without knowing who they’re giving a gift to or receiving a gift from.

In the case of the fandom… no, we don’t expect you to go out and buy something for a perfect stranger! Instead, you simply create something to give to the other person. Most commonly this is fic or art but any form of media is welcome! Look at previous years for some examples!

But how do I know what to create?

Do not worry! We don’t expect you to go in blind. Anyone who wants to be involved needs to send in three prompts of things they would like to receive. Have a look at previous years for ideas on what sort of prompts to send in. These prompts will then be shuffled and sent out to participants… so anyone who sent in three prompts will receive three prompts to use as a guide of what to create. On Christmas Day the Secret Santa team will post all of the creations for everyone to see.

In summary…

1) Send in three Thunderbirds related prompts to this Tumblr account via chat.

2) This Tumblr account will send you three prompts in return when the prompts are released.

3) With the three prompts this Tumblr has sent to you, you create something that fulfills the prompts, one, two or all, whether it be fic or art. (You don't have to answer all the prompts, just one. If you feel inspired to answer more than one, go for it. We only ask for three so you have a variety to choose from)

4) Ask this Tumblr what email to send your completed creations to and send them in.

5) Sit back, relax, wait for Christmas where both your requested prompts and your completed prompts will be posted for everyone to enjoy!

Dates

Looking at times, here are some dates:

TSS starts today, so put your thinking caps on.

We need your prompts by no later than 25 October. We will get back to you shortly after that with your gift prompts.

Deadline for completed creations will be 16 December - please contact us if you don’t think you can't make it but give it your best shot.

Posting of gifts will start on Christmas day.

Any questions, send an ask or a message to this Tumblr.

But most of all, don’t forget to have some fun!

[wheelsgoroundincircles]

1960 Edsel Deluxe Hardtop

This Day in Auto History

6.7.1954

The Ford Motor Company formed a styling team to take on the project of designing an entirely new car that would later be named the Edsel. The decision came as Ford enjoyed its greatest historical success in the 1950s. The 1955 Thunderbird had outsold its Chevy counterpart, the Corvette, and the consumer demand for automobiles, in all price brackets, was steadily increasing. The Ford Motor Company consisted of four brand names: Ford, Mercury, Lincoln, and Continental, listed from lowest to highest in price range. Ford executives believed that there was a gap in the marketplace between the Mercury and the Lincoln, where a new car would compete against GM's Oldsmobile and Buick lines. In the mid-1950s, Americans seemed to have an insatiable hunger for high horse-powered, heavily styled cars, with lots of chrome and many accessories. So Ford planned to fill the public's appetite with a suitable answer. The company spared no expense in the development of its new car, even going so far as to employ famous American poet Marianne Moore to supply possibilities for its name. After an extensive name search and no satisfactory result, somebody suggested that the car be named after Henry Ford II's father, Edsel. Ford balked at the suggestion initially and later relented, on the grounds that his father deserved a tribute; he urged the car's designers to live up to his father's name. Edsel had always had a knack for design, even if his business sense hadn't always lived up to his father's expectations. The Edsel project was launched with great fanfare and vigorous advertising. During the years between the car's conception and its production, the American economy took a downturn. By the time the Edsel was released in 1957, the high end of the car market had once again contracted. Public reaction to the car's exaggerated styling was tepid at best, with particular objections aimed at the Edsel's awkward-looking "horse collar" grill. Sales for the car started slowly and foundered. Newly appointed company Vice President Robert McNamara was charged with the task of salvaging the operation. Had McNamara held the position years earlier, historians point out, the Edsel project may never have been taken on, as McNamara strongly believed Ford should concentrate on the economy car market. McNamara attempted to improve the car's construction and appearance, but when the attempt failed, he was forced to halt production of the car at a disastrous loss of $250 million. To this day, the Edsel remains the biggest failure in American car history, "a monumental disaster created for tomorrow's markets created by yesterday's statistical inputs." History has treated the Edsel more kindly, as its looks are now considered to be an attractive example of 1950s flair. Like its namesake, Edsel Ford, the Edsel has come to be known as an unfair victim of circumstance.

This 1960 Edsel Deluxe Hardtop was photographed at Das Awkscht Fescht at Macungie Park in 2022.

[formlines]

Thunderbird

Shaun Peterson/Qwalsius

from the website: “This print is released in sync with the dedication of Tacoma’s first welcome figure that honors the Puyallup village known as spuy’elepebS. The design makes use of the symbolic colors of Native palettes. The earth red color here signifies the healing power associated with Thunderbird by the Puyallup people long ago. Although it was believed that Thunderbird had white feathers the print and the painted dress pattern worn by the welcome figure convey a healing that is called upon for the devastation of losing a prominent village. Contrary to surrounding tribes who envision the Thunderbird as a massive creature who consumes whales, the Puyallup perceived the being to be no larger than a small hawk. It is an indication that power was not associated with mass and that the strength to heal was of equal if not greater importance in the philosophy of our ancestors. One that we can learn a great deal from today as we look to the future from where we are today.” -Shaun Peterson / Qwalsius

[synthsamuri]

Happy Halloween! 🦇

Please enjoy the prologue of my newest 19 days fanfiction, Ravenous. A story about vampires, vengeance, a mysterious killer, and of course, tianshan.

Read here on Ao3 or see below! Enjoy!

1961 New Hampshire

It was the longest night of the year, deep into the month of December as fog rolled over the hills of the countryside. Evergreen trees towered high on either side of the winding highway, green pine speckled in white snow that was just beginning to fall. It was a cold night, made colder by an eerie chill that had settled on the valley north of the town of Larkspur. Off to the side of the road, high up in the trees stood a young looking man. The chill did not bother him, nor the white snow that gathered in steady piles on the dips of his body. He had been still for so long, nearly becoming part of the landscape.

The man’s blood red eyes watched the road, unblinking, unmoving. Not even a breath disturbed the air around him. He was starving. Hunger filled his every thought, every nerve of his being. He would have left days ago if not for being so cemently frozen in place, commanded to stay still until his release was given. He was drying out, blood vessels rubbing together like sandpaper under his skin. It was the first step into desiccation, an unpleasant precipice he had walked too many times before. He was on edge, senses focused onto every sound, every flutter of every wing, every footstep of every animal. He stared at the road waiting, endlessly waiting until his mind was so consumed by the thought of the hunt, of the kill, that he thought he might snap, but still, he stayed still. Then finally, a red Ford Thunderbird rounded the corner driving up the mountain. At the sight of his release, his body unlocked from its stasis, muscles engaging, heart beating once more.

In a matter of seconds he had scaled down the mountainside, ready in place as the shiny red car drove through the predetermined spot. The driver didn’t see him coming, swerving in shocked horror to miss the man that suddenly appeared in the road. Tires squealed on wet snowy pavement as the car came to a grinding halt, dipping into the dead grass and shrubs on the side of the road.

The driver, a man dressed in a brown, well worn suit, stumbled out of the car, desperately scanning the road through large wide rimmed glasses. “Stay in the car!” he shouted to a woman sitting in the passenger seat.

Bitter cold stung the man’s cheeks and fingers as he squinted into the dark, trying to see the road ahead. The only light available was from the red taillights of his car and the cold caress of speckled moonlight through the trees. He desperately searched for the man. Who would be out walking alone on these mountainous roads.

“Hello?!” he shouted but only the wind answered. He swerved his head as he heard a car door open. “Honey! Stay in the car!”

The woman took a step out and onto the wet dead grass, clinging to her jacket. “I didn’t even see anyone, Henry! Let’s just go!”

“I saw a man on the road. I swear! We can’t just–”

“There! Henry, look there!” The woman pointed and the man’s eyes went wide. A little down the street stood a man in an expensive looking pinstripe suit. He had bright white hair and he was slowly walking towards them. Despite the wind and the snow, two golden eyes shone brightly back, sending a chill through both of them.

“Get back in the car!” The man yelled, sprinting back to the driver’s side, but before he could reach it, a grip so strong ripped him back. Soon a shocking, searing pain pierced his neck and he screamed out in utter agony.

“Mo Guan Shan! Stop.” Harsh but firm words rang out, though the man didn’t register them, couldn’t with the white hot pain coursing through him.

The pain retracted from his neck but the grip remained. A growl rumbled behind him, deep and angry. His blood went cold, not just from the wind and the snow but it was a feeling, a dreadful knowing that death itself was right behind him.

“I’m sorry about my dog.” A sly, chilling voice said, and suddenly the man with white hair was right in front of him. “He’s on a tight leash but my influence only goes so far when he’s this hungry.”

“Who- who are you?” The man stuttered. He could feel the hot blood on his neck trickling down to his shoulder. “What do you want? Money? Please, I’ll give you anything just p-please.”

“I think you’ll find that you already know me, or, at least you know my kind. Isn't that right? Professor Henry Watkins?”

“Y-Your kind?”

“My name is She Li.”

The professor’s eyes widened with frightened realization, but he was quickly distracted by the woman who stepped further from the car. She looked terribly confused and kept her distance, remaining close to the vehicle. “Henry?! What’s happening?”

“Stay back!” The professor cried as tears welled in his eyes. The grip on him tightened.

“Careful,” She Li scolded with a mocking tone. “You’re riling him up. My compulsion is strong but as I said, he’s hungry. Starved even. Human emotions excite him. It’s part of the hunt, like a game. A game I doubt you want to play.”

The professor dared to look back and immediately wished he hadn’t. Two horrifying blood red eyes were staring at him, burning into his being with a beast like hunger. It was unsettling how unnaturally youthful the man looked, he couldn’t have been older than his own sons just starting to make their own way in the world. His skin was taut and pale, contrasting against orange red hair. Unlike the other, this one was dressed in nothing but rags, torn and bloodied. He smelled of blood, the stench of death was overwhelming. Was it a man or was it truly a monster? Blood dripped from his jaw and his grip was like steel cutting into him. The red eyed man snarled, baring sharp fangs hungry for another taste of his blood. The professor couldn’t help but cry out in fear, trembling and sniveling at his worst fears coming to life before him. The monster responded, eyes widening, jaw opening ready to take another bite.

“Enough!” She Li commanded, pupils dilating and shrinking as he stared down his pet. The professor felt the man, or rather the beast behind him shiver and sneer in submission. Soon the grip on his arm grew softer as the white haired man exuded his will over his lesser. “Behave for me, and I will let you feast on the woman.”

“No!” The professor immediately pleaded, pulling at the grip on his arm. He was filled with terror at the idea of his wife being mutilated. “She’s innocent, she knows nothing! Leave her out of it!”

“Ah,” She Li laughed. “So you know something? Where is it then? You know what we are, so I assume you know what we seek.”

“Just promise you’ll let my wife go, spare her!”

“Of course,” She Li smiled darkly. “My word is my bond. I won’t lay a finger on her.”

The man behind him growled, fingers gripping down once again, blood dripping from his mouth onto the professor’s neck. He could all but feel the blood stained breath inches from his neck. The white haired man raised a palm to his beast, warning him to back down. “Give me what I ask and no harm will come to her by my hand.”

The professor sniveled and cried, clinging to the desperate hope that his sins would not claim the life of his wife. “I-in my office, b-back at the university I have notes tracking down my findings, all of them are yours! My key is in the car!”

She Li frowned. “So you don't actually have it.”

Desperate laughs erupted from the professor's twisted face, tears streamed down his cheeks. “No one has seen it in decades! My family is dying out, only a few of us are even left to care. It could be a myth for all we know! I’m just a researcher! I did what they asked! Only what they asked!”

She Li scoffed, wiping back his silver white hair from his face. “We both know the role that you’ve played. You can try to pretend that you were a mere follower but I see through your lies, Professor Watkins.”

“Look, I told you what I know. You’ll, you’ll let us go now?”

“Let you go?” He laughed, so loud and long that it sucked the life right out of the air. It was as if his very voice was ice down their throats. “No. Your family’s work has led to the death of so many of my people and I’m nothing if not a just and fair leader. You will die, a slow, painful death. Justice for my little family. But first, you will experience the pain of losing your family, just as I have lost so many of mine.” He looked up and nodded to his fledgling.

The iron grip detached from him immediately, and the professor dropped to the cold paved ground, watching as the beast stalked towards his frail wife. She shivered and groveled, falling to the cold wet earth and begging for an explanation, a reason why.

“Wait! Wait, you promised!! You swore you wouldn’t hurt her!”

“I swore I wouldn’t hurt her. I said nothing about my companion here. And, well, I wouldn’t advise getting between him and a meal.”

“Run!!” The professor screamed, and watched as his wife clumsily got up and began to pitifully run towards the woods.

She Li hummed in amusement. “That’s good, he likes it when they struggle. I really should be thanking you. The entertainment does him good, keeps him well behaved. Eternal life can be so monotonous, boring really.”

The professor struggled to get up and help his wife but She Li shoved him back down, resting his foot on his back. She didn’t last long, tripping on the long drapes of her expensive dress, a gift he had bought her for her birthday. She screamed, wailed and pleaded for her life, for his life, but it meant nothing. Gnashing teeth and rivers of blood were next. Her cries faded as her life force drained away. The monster was all consumed, devouring her, ripping her skin with such force that it tore and bled. He ate so ferociously that her head was ripped from her shoulders and even then, the monster lapped at the blood, unable to stop.

The professor went numb, going into shock until those red eyes turned on him next. The red eyed beast stalked towards him, licking the blood from his lips. The foot lifted off of the professor's back as She Li stepped in front of him. “No sudden movements now,” he warned. “I need you alive, professor.”

The professor sat up slowly. Deep sadness, rage, and utter humiliation filled him. His hands shook and his tears stilled. All he could focus on was the deranged man stalking towards him. “What?! Was my wife not enough!!! Still hungry for more? You sick twisted creatures! You deserve what you got! You’ll all burn in the end!!”

Something sparked in the eyes of the bloodied monster, a glimpse of humanity perhaps shining through the consuming hunger.

She Li quickly approached and placed a hand on his fledgling’s shoulder, pushing his attention back to his golden gaze. “You’ve had enough now. This one is mine. Return to the house and wait for me there.”

The professor looked around. He was going to die. Here in the mountains where no one would know. All his research to uphold his family’s legacy, all his hard work, for nothing. No. He wouldn’t die for nothing. He wouldn't let his wife’s death mean nothing! With a leap, he jumped up and started to sprint towards his car.

The sudden movement was like a trigger. Instincts of a starving hunter took control, and before She Li could stop him, Mo Guan Shan reacted. He chased down the professor and sank his teeth into his skin. The professor screamed out, squirming and fighting for his life. But with every drop of blood that was taken from him, his drive and ability to fight was drained as well.

“Enough!” She Li commanded but Guan Shan did not respond, sucking, eating, devouring. Trying to satiate the incurable hunger.

“I said enough!” She Li grabbed his pet and ripped him from the professor, throwing him to the ground. The professor dropped as well, dead or soon to be. His wounds were far too great and he had lost too much blood to be healed now.

Riled up and angry about being stopped, Guan Shan flipped back up to his feet, growling and baring his fangs. Any lucidity or humanity was gone in that moment, it was all just the unyielding hunger. He immediately went for the professor’s body once more. There was still more blood to be had, it was going to waste!

She Li grabbed him harshly by the neck. He was older and stronger. An elite from an old family of which there were only a few left in the world. Guan Shan was but a fledgling in comparison. His speed and strength though incomprehensible to the human eye was nothing to She Li. “You will listen,” he hissed.

Guan Shan shriveled and whimpered under the compulsion, losing his will and his mind to the great weight that settled on it under She Li’s golden gaze.

She Li took in the scene with great disapproval before returning his gaze to the struggling man in his clutches. “You are proving difficult to break, but you will break. Even if it takes a hundred more years, we have all the time in the world. It’ll only get worse the longer you fight it. You know nothing of hunger!” he spat.

Sputtered, bloody wet coughs erupted from the professor lying on the ground, interrupting their squabble. “V-vampires. You’ll all burn.” More blood came pouring out of his wounds, out of his mouth. His voice was garbled, he was drowning in it. “You'll… burn.” With that he breathed his last breath and his body went cold.

[rei-ismyname]

Giant-Size Wolverine retcons

Marvel, famously, loves having Wolverine as a cash cow, to the point it has its own entry on TVTropes. This manifests as a LOT of Wolverine #1s being released as well as the clawed-one showing up on deceitful covers and guest starring anywhere they think they can justify it. Less common (but still frequent enough) is Forrest Gumping him into historical events or rewriting events he was there for as a character study cynical profiteering.

Sunfire is still great - 'banal prattle.' You tell em

This is the latter, foregrounding Logan in Giant-Size X-Men to the detriment of almost everyone else. In the original Giant-Size X-Men, Logan sits at the back and says very little. Here he takes charge and uncharacteristically identifies that the new squad lacks synergy and a sense of teamwork. He opens with 'it's your first day as new X-Men, people. I'm going to show you how this works.' Uh, isn't it yours too? Did I miss a meeting?

Poor Kurt. Eddie Munster is just mean

So he starts a fight, telling everyone there's one too many people. Colossus objects for sexist reasons (not objection to killing lol) and Storm puts him in his place. Sunfire and Thunderbird both have little patience for white people or bullshit and Logan catches a fireball...

... and an elbow to the spine. Ororo goes off with electricity and Kurt just doesn't want to die, so he BAMFs behind her and starts choking Storm from behind. Logan turns the tables on Proudstar and drops a one liner about metal conducting electricity. I'm no wizard, but I don't think it interacts well with human flesh, either, especially if they have a metal skeleton. Obviously he takes everyone down and has the biggest dick in the world.

Yeah... about Thunderbird.

Banshee bursts in and reveals Logan is acting against Chuck's wishes. I'm generally in favour of that but I'm not fond of its narrative function at all . He has an open shirt, a toothpick in his mouth, and looks oh so pleased with himself. I'm not some reactionary purist who worships the sacred texts and pushes back against retcons. Quite the opposite, in fact. Additive retcons are fantastic when done well - Magneto being a Holocaust survivor stands as one of the best in fiction.

I don't think that's what this is, or at least it's not successful. In Giant-Size X-Men #1 there's no time for this pissing contest because all the other X-Men need rescuing ASAP. Chuck rounds them up and handles the basics then defers to Cyclops, the field leader of many years. They leave immediately and nobody is getting along. Sunfire leaves then comes back. Scott is all business because he's worried about the folks on Krakoa and there just isn't time. If they respect the chain of command in the field that's good enough. Team building can come later.

What's achieved here besides sidelining everyone to centre edge lord Logan? Not a lot, in fact I'd say it minimises Logan's character arc most of all. He was a grumpy loner who eventually learnt to trust people, came to see the X-Men as family, and committed to the team. Logan knowing half this stuff already and having this degree of social confidence just undermines that, as well as Cyclops' leadership of this ragged band. Not sure what Whedon was thinking tbh.

That wasn't the end of it, though. Interestingly, this is Chris Claremont writing here. Again, I'm not a purist and I'm under no illusion about CC's later X-Men work. He'd worked with these characters for a long time but Giant-Size was Wein & Cockrum, so he's choosing to expand the origin story. Thunderbird is still alive so they're still pretty new here. Anyway, Cyke is running a danger room training session - Storm vs Thunderbird.

After some kinda bizarre ethnic posturing Ororo is pinned.

Unsurprisingly, she starts to wig out due to her claustrophobia. Logan picks it up with his advanced senses and jumps in. Scott owns the mistake and ends the training session.

I find it hard to buy Scott would feel like his authority was undermined here. Logan is being as paternalistic as ever, but Scott blames himself for failures. He doesn't externalise it and he understands he's not leading children anymore. It's Chuck who has difficulty adapting to this specific dynamic. Also, Logan had zero interest in leadership. None. It was Ororo who was a friendly rival to him and ended up succeeding him as leader. He also didn't especially trust or show respect to anyone. Everyone else has problems but the focus and Charles' confidant is Wolverine. That's silly as hell.

Okay, private insecurity and self-doubt, totally Scott's thing. I'm just going to ignore literally everything else that's happening, especially 'damaged goods.' Ugh.

The second story came out in 2005 in Giant-Size X-Men #4. Aside from the Wolverine oversaturation and other weird shit I've pointed out, I feel like there was a concerted effort to bring certain characters closer to their FOX movies counterparts. Chuck started looking like Captain Picard, Scott was Flanderised a bit but moreso deemphasized, and Logan started to look and act more like Hugh Jackman. He joined more teams, regressed in social growth yet became way more important to the X-Men. More important to the very fabric of the Marvel universe.

I get why it happened (capitalism) but I think it was executed poorly in many instances. These are particularly egregious, but Wolverine was and is fucking everywhere - under many different writers. There's always going to be a sense of asynchronicity under those circumstances. I've actually come to really dislike Logan lately. Obviously it's an issue for most long running characters, but his particular regression to the mean every new book bores the shit out of me. He's not growing at all, even when everything around him changes. On Krakoa he was mostly just gruff and stabby, monologuing about hell, beer, time, nature, poison, and being the best he is at what he does. 🙄

He'll usually find someone worse than him to point at and call out with transparency he never applies to himself. Magneto, Scott, Beast, Scott, Chuck, teenage Scott, Sabertooth, Omega Red, Beast, Chuck, and Scott again. Someone please deconstruct this guy! Send him to therapy, break him down to his base components and examine them. Fuck his moping or running naked with wolves or fighting the W-digo - give him a messy boyfriend and force him to get the fuck over Jean Grey.

He can still fight ninjas and mentor troubled teens and sulk about whatever his latest thing is - just have him grow! His books will still sell, people will still cheer when he says bub, and snikt isn't going away. Hire Al Ewing to do it like he did with Loki, Hulk, Magneto, Sunspot, etc. Some of those changes actually stuck and the characters are more popular than ever! Is that too much to hope for? Almost certainly, but one can hope.

Boy I got carried away on that outro, lol.

[idontknowreallywhy]

Following in his footsteps

Finished this idea off on the commute so apologies for typos, clumsy wording and for inconsistencies in the sounds Brains stutters on…

It’s a bit of a mystery as to why Scott, the first born, was named after the 4th of the Mercury Seven whose flight and piloting decisions were somewhat controversial and left him in conflict with flight control (sound familiar?). Anyway I find myself intrigued by that particular 1960’s flyboy, particularly as to one thing he did 1/3 of the way through his trip with his fuel running low…

✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️

“S-SCOTT C-C-CARPENTER TRACY!!!”

John later confirmed that this was indeed the first time in Tracy history that Brains ever been apoplectic enough to middle name any of them. His ire was usually quiet and dry, with occasional sarcasm. Every so often some non-vital but comfort-providing item might be removed from a Thunderbird for “essential maintenance”… the cushioning of One’s pilot seat, the power supply to Two’s coffee machine…

But generally, after more than a decade living with the Tracys, their long-suffering engineer had cultivated the talent of providing emotionally restrained feedback. Albeit there was good reason MAX was unable to mimic the phrases that were muttered over mangled landing gear, flooded engines, overstrained thrusters and the like.

This Wednesday morning, however, something had clearly pushed him over the edge.

“What did you doooo?” Alan hissed in alarm and was immediately shushed by a heavily frowning Virgil, whose fingers appeared unable to release the unfortunately tense chord he’d just leaned into. John’s hologram popped up looking serious. Even Gordon looked incredibly uncomfortable.

From the guilt-ridden look on Scott’s face, he could think of least three reasons his neck might be on the block this morning.

A tightly wound ball of fury approached the seating area and the speed with which International Rescue’s commander leapt from the couch betrayed his initial instinct to bolt from the room and never stop running. However, decades of experience of facing the music from many and varied sources meant his feet remained firmly rooted to the floor, while the rest of his body sought the security of parade rest.

Brains stood in front of him vibrating with rage. The ends of MAX’s arms were positioned at an approximation of where the robot’s hips might be. The room held its breath. Virgil’s foot remained wedged against the sustain pedal. The melodramatic chord continued reverberating around the lounge.

The engineer suddenly raised a hand and everyone flinched. Had their friend finally resorted to violence?

Scott closed his eyes and awaited whatever engineering justice was deemed merited for… whatever it was he had done.

But the shorter man’s movement as he reached up to Scott’s face was slow, deliberate and with a slight frown of concentration he stuck a 75mm square of blue duct tape precisely in the middle of Scott’s forehead.

Virgil jaw dropped and his foot finally slipped off the pedal. The dampers clunked back into place, allowing an ominous silence to reign for a few moments.

The colour coded rolls of multi-purpose tape included within each baldric was one of Brains’ affectionate little thematic touches but also acted as a crude fingerprint… blue tape could only ever have been used by one person.

The Commander’s eyebrows twitched almost audibly as he tried to puzzle out the strange sensation but his eyes remained screwed shut.

When Brains spoke it was barely more than a whisper and the brothers in the room found themselves leaning in. The brother in space appeared to have located a bucket of popcorn.

“D-do you h-happen, to know how l-long I have spent p-perfecting One’s fuel reserve s-system, S-Scott?”

Scott swallowed, hard, and opened his eyes again.

“Quite a long time?”

“Yes.”

“Ahh, did I ever thank you? I should have, I’m very sorry - thank you for that and for all your work, Brains. It really is appreciated.”

“Is it?”

“Of course!”

“Hmmm.”

Scott opened his mouth again but, accepting that his attempt to divert the conversation had failed, clearly thought better of digging any deeper until the nature of the situation became more clearly defined.

Brains’ hand lifted for a second time, another square of blue tape delicately held between thumb and forefinger. This was placed with some care on the very tip of Scott’s nose.

Alan snorted. Gordon punched him in the arm and was elbowed back. Virgil glared them into silence then nearly lost control himself at the sight of his elder brother going cross eyed in an attempt to establish what on earth he was being decorated with.

Brains spun on his heel to face the rest and they all leaned back hurriedly, feigning casual interest. Nobody wanted to appear to be aware of, to be accidentally associated with whatever crime it was Scott had committed.

“Th-thunderbird One uses t-two fuels but h-has th-th-three fuel tanks. As you all know, th-the balance of fuel t-to achieve m-maximum speed is p-precisely c-calculated and th-the system that g-governs it is h-highly sophisticated.”

Everyone nodded except Scott who was trying and failing to pretend he was unbothered by the additions to his face. His nose twitched compulsively.

“D-due to certain t-tendencies of her p-rimary p-p-pilot, One h-has a reserve t-tank. Th-that blend of fuel w-will not achieve the h-highest speeds b-but will ensure she is able t-to return h-home if a SENSIBLE…” the word was ground out as if it was painful “…speed is m-maintained.”

Brains paused. Every eye in the room shifted to Scott. Max bleeped, judgementally. Brains continued, his voice deadly calm and deeply terrifying for it.

“T-to ensure One’s p-pilot d-does not m-miss the fuel status w-warnings amongst th-the p-p-plethora of information on the h-holographic display I installed th-three LED bulbs t-to m-make it QU-QUITE CLEAR w-when l-levels w-were running low and w-when speed n-needed t-to be m-m-m-moderated in order t-to avoid d-damage t-to her supply p-p-p-p-pipeline a-a-a-and e-en-en-engines!”

Brains’ veneer of calm was cracking and Scott, who had clearly solved the mystery, appeared to be chewing through the inside of his face. Brains spun back to face the object of his wrath. MAX’s mechanical eyes narrowed.

“W-warning l-lights are only effective w-when th-they are v-visible!”

Scott gulped and fell back on the only defence he had left - he gave his old friend a dimpled half-grin and a doomed attempt at mitigation:

“They were a little… distracting?”

“D-distracting.”

The full stop was potent and echoed around them. Brains appeared on the edge of an eruption the like of which Tracy Island had never seen, even when the volcano was active. But he mastered himself and produced a final square of tape which he held in front of Scott’s face for a moment before slapping it down on to the top of his head, rubbing it slightly to ensnare as much perfectly styled hair as possible before storming from the room.

MAX remained just long enough to shake a medium-weight hydro-spanner with extreme prejudice before flouncing impressively and trundling after his master.

Alan and Gordon clung to each other, faces contorted with silent mirth. Virgil caught John’s eye then cleared his throat and appeared about to speak before being forestalled by his Commander’s raised palm.

Lacking a little of his usual gravitas due to the tape fluttering gently in the huffed breath from his nose, Scott still poured every ounce of authority he had left into an order of three short syllables:

“Not. A. Word.”

[the-time-lord-oracle]

Thunderbirds Carlton VHS appreciation:

All of the 2000/2001 Thunderbirds VHS releases by Carlton. The two yellow tapes were promotional videos; Trapped in the Sky was available through a promotion with the Daily Mirror and Security Hazard was packaged with Tracy Island playsets sold at Argos. Which of these videos did you have?

[gumnut-logic]

Music for Virgil was magic.

No other interest, not even his painting or his love affair with Thunderbird Two could give voice to his feelings as much as his connection with his piano. He could lose himself in its notes. Time stopped and he could exist outside of reality, suspended by sound and emotion.

Often, he reached for it when things were bad. Everyone in the house knew when Virgil was hurting. The music would tell them. The only times it could be worse, was when the music stopped.

If it was physical injury, it was likely frustration and their brother would become a bear. He was a gentle soul, but artistic frustration was his kryptonite and the whole house suffered.

If it was emotional injury, the whole house would hurt beside him. There would be attempts to draw him out, quiet words.

Sometimes tears.

But if the Tracys were anything, they were tight knit, supportive and a very strong family. It would be worked through. It would be tackled and whatever was necessary would be done. And eventually, each and every member of that family would breathe a sigh of relief as the first notes of their musical brother at the piano wafted through the house.

But music wasn’t only for mourning and sadness. Music covered the entire spectrum.

Virgil played when he was happy, too. Bright, uplifting music for Christmases and birthdays. Special pieces for special people. He played one of his best compositions ever at his brother’s wedding.

Penelope actually cried on the dance floor and Gordon nearly killed him. He thought his brother had broken his brand new wife.

But Penelope had discovered that there was one thing in the universe that could crack her shell of defence, and that was her brand new husband. Virgil just supplied the last emotional straw.

Gordon paid him back later with a massive hug that strained even the heavy lifter’s bone structure.

Plus, the aquanaut stole a recording of the piece and released it world-wide to standing ovations. Virgil became famous, well, more famous, overnight. Gordon hid on his honeymoon and the bear lost its target. When Virgil realised Gordon had released it for charity – the supreme barrier reef, no less – the engineer was a little more mollified. But it was safe to say that Gordon and Penelope’s honeymoon was an extended distance and time away from the second eldest for a reason.

Penelope just laughed her musical laugh and petted her new brother-in-law on the arm.

With the return of their father, the music changed. It faltered for a while, unable to find its place, unsure if it was welcome due to memory and time. But the ill man caught Virgil playing late one night when the engineer didn’t know his father was on the Island. Between three rescues and exhaustion, he had missed the sleeping man and had thought himself free to play.

And play he did.

Jeff was drawn to the piano like a moth to a flame. He hid in the shadows, watching his son, watching his expression, the exhaustion on his face…

The elation at emotional release.

And he had seen it before.

On softer but similar features.

Ever so loved.

At the same piano.

He watched until the music finished and his son folded over the keys, head in his hands. Only then did the older man emerge from his hiding place and move towards his son.

His faltering footsteps were heard and that dark head shot up. The worry on Virgil’s face, pushed away the exhaustion.

Jeff waved his hand away as the young man immediately rose to help him. Jeff made it to his desk and sat down, his eyes on the musician. “That was a beautiful piece, Virgil.”

Virgil looked down at the piano a moment before brushing his fingers gently across the keys. “It’s nothing, just playing.”

“You do your mother proud.”

Those brown eyes shot up and Virgil’s mouth opened as if to say something, but closed again.

So Jeff added more. “She would love the man you have become.” A pause. “As do I.”

His son just stared, shock his most prominent emotion.

Jeff knew he was to blame. He had never been one to express himself emotionally when the boys were growing up. But eight years in nowhere changes everything.

Virgil stared for a moment longer before managing to find his broken voice. “Thank you, Dad.”

Jeff didn’t miss the extra blinks as if his son had dust in his eyes.

Quietly. “Play me something, son.”

Those blinks increased for just a moment longer before Virgil nodded and turned back to the piano.

Lucy’s favourite song wafted up softly from the keys.

And it was Jeff’s turn to blink rapidly.

So yes, Virgil found magic in his music, and sometimes his family did too.

It was his goto, his reassurance, his passion. He played for himself, he played for those he loved and he played because he had to. It was part of him.

And while his brothers teased and cajoled, they would not have it any other way. The sound of those fingers on piano keys meant more to them than Virgil would ever know.

Because the music was magic.

And their brother was home.

-o-o-o-

[yallemagne]

So I finished the first season of X-Men: The Animated Series of course. Highlights?

Episode 1 & 2: Night of the Sentinels

Jubilee's father really fuckin sold her out huh? And holy shit the fucking sentinels. Dog, why did you MAKE THEM SO BIG. I had expected like that they started small and got bigger ones when the X-Men were revealed, but no, without even alerting the nation that they were making these robots, they sent a giant ass robot into a mall to capture one teenager.

Me pointing out "huh Morph is getting a lot of moments here, I like it" followed by them immediately dying. Like damn. They really did that. No wonder the creators backed out of having Thunderbird be in Morph's role, that would have just been insulting. Especially since he probably wouldn't have been brought back.

"Tell Cyclops... I made him a convertible."

Cyclops refuses to apologize for leaving without Morph and Beast but instead offers Logan an opportunity for revenge. It's so them. These petty bastards.

Episode 3: Enter Magneto

Beast... you're so silly. So, Beast refuses a rescue by Magneto (he's imprisoned) because "I'm awaiting a fair trial that will prove my innocence"... girl. You are a giant blue man. So, yeah, another case where Magneto was right.

Sabretooth is such a fake-ass bitch, I love it. So, he shows up at the trial causing a ruckus and gets injured and the X-Men take him in and start treating him like their pathetic little meow meow. This couldn't possibly go wrong.

"Come on, they're gonna kill him!" "Good." *turns around* "WHAT?"

"He's a threat." "He was near death." "Not near enough."

They just keep giving Wolverine all the best lines.

Episode 4: Deadly Reunions

Sabretooth, my poor little meow meow... all you did was a few itty bitty kitty murders... That's what Charles is saying at the start of this episode.

Xavier truly does try to get to the root of Sabretooth's anger with some super therapy, but alas, Sabretooth is just That Bitch. We do know that a competent telepath can temper his anger though, just look at Birdy.

They leave Jubilee alone with him acknowledging full well "this man is more dangerous than Wolverine... have fun babysitting!" He's restrained in a chair growling "let me at 'em" as Senator Kelly is being racist on TV and Jubilee very kindly turns it off and he's like "sowwy I'm twying to be a good boy... 😿" So of course Jubilee sees his restraints are hurting his wrists and releases him to help. Hahahaha. Oh girl.

If this were a show being produced today, I could totally see Sabretooth being accepted by the X-Men because "daww look he's angry just like you Wolverine" being drawn out into a longer arc where he actually gains their trust so it creates a genuine rift in the team... but also maybe he's not that patient for a scheme like that.

(also I know the show probably isn't going with the continuity that they're blood-related, but Wolverine telling them Sabretooth is nothing but trouble and getting hit with "but he's just like you 🥺" is very brother-coded okay?? Anyone who has a terrible older brother can relate.)

"Alright you egg-sucking piece of gutter trash. You always liked pushing around people smaller than you. WELL, I'M SMALLER! TRY PUSHING ME!!" << that's some little brother dialogue.

(… Morph would have listened to Wolverine about Sabretooth. Morph knows the Deep Lore.)

Episode 5: Captive Hearts

Callisto saw Cyclops and immediately said "I'm gonna make him my trophy husband", and while that is a valid reaction, no means no, hun.

They literally establish Storm as the Morlock's future Moses basically with her promising to come back for them when the time is right and they feel safe to breech the surface. And then they gave Magneto that role in '97. Ugh. He has the nerve to say Xavier just left them down there when it was in fact Storm that respected their right to self-determination.

Episode 6: Cold Vengeance

I love every time I see Sabretooth, he's just so silly-looking. No wonder everyone else imprinted on him like "hehe silly orange kitty" he's so BIG. He's incredibly top-heavy, just look at his bazongas.

We got through this with no sacrifice of Inuit life but a sombre sentiment that they'll be abandoning the old ways rather than rebuilding their homes.

Episode 7: Slave Island

Jubilee and Gambit have a nice little dynamic. He's the first person Jubilee used her powers to protect and she does it multiple times. I imagine he's like her cool older brother with street smarts.

No wonder Gambit was suspicious of Genosha in '97. Can't really trust that all is well when the foundation of that place was quite literally built with slavery.

This just makes Magneto's "tsk tsk Charles didn't use his wealth and resources to ship a load of UNWILLING Morlocks to Genosha for their own good" comment in '97 all the more frustrating. Man can be a dumbass.

Anyway--- CABLE CABLE CABLE. My silly little big boy.

Episode 8: The Unstoppable Juggernaut

Juggernaut is such a funny guy. I feel like usually, the big guys don't get to be the wise-cracking type, so this piece of shit was fun to watch.

Also just love Colossus, he's perfect.

Episode 9: The Cure

It's hard to feel bad for Warren when he's literally rich and funding a project that can be easily weaponized to hurt mutants. Sure, he was tricked and wasn't actually funding his "cure", but it would have been awful even if he got what he wanted. Just wear one of those collars for the rest of your life, jackass.

HOW IS NO ONE CHECKING IN ON THIS RESEARCH?? This experimentation on human beings is taking place with no government interference???

Pyro and Avalanche are fucking don't even try to convince me otherwise. Pyro, I don't care where you are from, I'm gonna be so weird about you calling every man you meet “darling”.

Episode 10: Come the Apocalypse

The public will see literally any villain and be like "A RENEGADE MUTANT!!" Like yeah sure I think Apocalypse technically is a mutant?? But like they really just profile all criminals as mutants.

Again, not sorry for you, rich boy.

Poor Rogue, having to absorb all these men's damage.

Episode 11 & 12: Days of Future Past

Bishop is a fucking traitor holy shit. Sure he gets better but damn. Girly was really like "The face-eating jaguars would never eat my face." and then was immediately told he was no longer needed.

"Someone... or something has come back through the time portal." "CHECK PLEASE! TIME PORTAL?"

"You kids better behave yourselves; I'm staying behind to babysit."

"Okay, ROUND BOY. Let's dance."

Wolverine has all the best lines.

Wonder why Mystique specifically chose to impersonate Gambit for the assassination. Perhaps he seemed the most likely? Perhaps a grudge against him for his relationship with Rogue?

Episode 13: The Final Decision

I'm so fucking disappointed that the fate of mutantkind lies in the hands of Senator Kelly because, dog, I wanna shoot him.

When you make a giant racist robot factory and even the giant racist robot factory is smart enough to recognize that mutant rights are human rights and so it resolves to protect humanity by replacing it with robots. Fucking dumbasses.

Honestly makes you wonder what the fuck Trask thought he was doing coming back in the new series. He knew that starting up another Master Mold would inevitably lead to the robots replacing politicians' brains with computers and he DID IT AGAIN ANYWAY.

Seeing Chuck and Magnus working together always warms my heart. And then they go right back to being enemies.

That Mister Sinister teaser at the end was... I'm not gonna say it.

[theholmwoodfoundation]

THE HOLMWOOD FOUNDATION PILOT EPISODE CAST/CREW - PART ONE

REBECCA ROOT - MADDIE TOWNSEND/MINA HARKER

Rebecca trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Theatre credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Shakespeare’s Globe, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time for the National Theatre (UK and Ireland tour); Rathmines Road for Fishamble at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin; Trans Scripts at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts; The Bear / The Proposal at the Young Vic; and Hamlet at the Gielgud Theatre and Athens International Festival. TV, Film and Video Game credits include Monsieur Spade, This Is Christmas, Irvine Welsh’s Crime, Hogwarts Legacy, Horizon Forbidden West, Heartstopper, Annika, The Rising, Sex Education, The Gallery, The Queen’s Gambit, Finding Alice, Creation Stories, Last Christmas, The Sisters Brothers, Colette, The Danish Girl, Flack, The Romanoffs, Moominvalley, Hank Zipzer, Boy Meets Girl, Doctors, Casualty, The Detectives, and Keeping Up Appearances.  Radio credits include Clare In The Community, Life Lines, The Hotel, and 1977 for BBC Radio 4. Guest appearances include Woman’s Hour, Front Row, Loose Ends, Saturday Live, and A Good Read.  She plays Tania Bell in the award-winning Doctor Who: Stranded audio dramas. Rebecca has also recorded numerous documentary narrations, audiobooks, and voice-overs. Rebecca is also a voice and speech coach, holding the MA in Voice Studies from Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.

SEAN CARLSEN - JEREMY LARKIN/ JONATHAN HARKER

Born in South Wales, Seán trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. He has worked extensively in audio drama, television, theatre and film.  Seán is perhaps best known to Doctor Who fans as Narvin in the Doctor Who audio series Gallifrey and has appeared on TV in Doctor Who - The Christmas Invasion and Torchwood. Recent TV credits include Mudtown (BBCiplayer/S4C), Dal y Mellt (Netflix), His Dark Materials (BBC1), All Creatures Great and Small (Channel 5), A Mother's Love (Channel 4) and Series 5 of Stella (Sky1).  Films include supporting leads in Boudica - Rise of the Warrior Queen, cult horror The Cleansing,  the lead in Forgotten Journeys and John Sheedy’s forthcoming film ‘Never Never Never’

SAM CLEMENS - ARTHUR JONES

Samuel Clemens trained at the Drama Centre London and is an award-winning director with over twenty years’ experience. Samuel has recently written and directed his debut feature film ‘The Waterhouse’ with Take The Shot Films & Featuristic Films and represented by Raven Banner Entertainment, which is due for release this coming year.  In addition, he has directed fourteen short films, winning awards all over the world including shorts ‘Surgery (multi-award winning), A Bad Day To Propose (Straight 8 winner 2021), Say No & Dress Rehearsal’. Samuel also directs critically acclaimed number one UK stage tours and fringe shows (Rose Theatre Kingston, Swansea Grand, Eastbourne, Yvonne Arnaud, Waterloo East Theatre) and commercials include clients JD Sports, Shell and Space NK. Samuel is also a regular producer and director for Big Finish Productions & Anderson Entertainment. He has cast, directed, produced and post supervised numerous productions of ‘Doctor Who – (BBC), The Avengers (Studio Canal), Thunderbirds, Stingray (Anderson Entertainment), Callan, Missy, Gallifrey’& Shilling & Sixpence Investigate’ and many more. Samuel has directed world class talent such as, Sir Roger Moore, Ben Miles, Tom Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Alex Kingston, Frank Skinner, Rita Ora, Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley, Rufus Hound, David Warner, Celia Imrie, Samuel West, Youssef Kerkour, Sophie Aldred, Ian McNiece, Colin Baker, Olivia Poulet, Stephen Wight, Jade Anouka, Mimi Ndwendi, Michelle Gomez, Peter Davidson, Paul O’Grady and many more. Samuel is one of the founding members and directors at Take The Shot Films Ltd and is Head of Artistic Creation and Direction. Lastly, Samuel is a regular tutor at The London Film Academy, The Giles Foreman Centre for Acting & The Rose Youth Theatre and is a member of The Directors Guild UK. As for upcoming projects, Sam is currently in pre-production on his next feature film “On The Edge of Darkness”, which is based on his dad’s stage play “Strictly Murder”.

ATTILA PUSKAS - DRACULA

Attila Puskás is a native Hungarian Voice Actor born in Transylvania – Romania, so Romanian is in his bag of tricks too, but most of his work is done in English, in a Transatlantic Eastern European Accent, but is quite capable of Hungarian, Romanian and International Eastern European accents, plus Standard American. His voice range is Adult to Middle Aged (30-40+) due to his deep voice. Vocal styles can range from authoritive, brooding to calming and reassuring and much more. He’s most experienced in character work, like Animations and Games, but his skills encompass Commercials to Narration as well. He’s received training through classes and workshops, pushing him to the next level to achieve higher standards. Now on a journey to perfect these skills and put them to good use!

PART TWO: HERE

PART THREE: HERE