#Vashti

[deadwooddross]

More old art that I think might exist in some sketchbooks somewhere! I think may have been saving them Just In Case I do story stuff, but who knows if I ever will...so here's the original first passes at Vashti She's a very hydrated mummy who absolutely should not be out on the loose. And also umami's jugs

[gayaest]

h'lo! I know you made it a while ago, but I wanted to thank you again for the Tsukishima design you did. I don't know the character my self, but it meant so much to me to feel like I was recognized ^^ just cause marfans syndrome is a medical condition that doesn't usually show up in a lot of media. I personally have a form of marfans syndrome, where the connective tissues in my muscles contract and get tighter, compared to getting longer like other people :3 thank you so much again <3

Hello!

I’m so glad my AU and art means so much to people, hearing from other disabled people really brightens up my day and makes me feel so much less alone and like the world is so much bigger.

That’s interesting! I’ll definitely do research on your presentation of marfans too, since I haven’t heard of that before! Thank you for telling me and trusting me with the information 🩷

I have another OC with Marfans too! Her name is Vashti, and she is a kindergarten teacher as well! I hope to be able to give people good forms of both representation to see themselves in — and just fun characters to relate to!

[chinesegal]

@oldshrewsburyian

in regards to my earlier question about what would be the likely reaction of a royal court to a queen committing adultery, I want to tell you about a fantasy story I want to write:

I'm thinking of writing a story meant to be a retelling of The Book of Esther from the Hebrew bible with Vashti and Esther as protagonist with the story being told from their POVs.

In The Book of Esther, the king of Persia throws a huge banquet attended by all the members of the court, dignitaries and afterwards all the inhabitants of his capital as well. On the last day of the latter banquet, Ahasuerus orders the queen, Vashti, to display her beauty before the guests by coming before them wearing her crown. She refuses, infuriating Ahasuerus, who on the advice of his counselors removes her from her position, and that's the end of her appearance in the story.

Vashti is portrayed in a rather unsympathetic light in traditional jewish sources, and the things written about her by the authors would be interesting to analyze from a feminist perspective to say the least:

(in my opinion it comes across as twisted to assume "sinful intentions" despite the men and women dining separately, since by our standards that's rather modest).

Traditionally, the king's command was for Vashti to appear "wearing nothing but her crown" which means her refusal was standing up to sexual coercion and exploitation.

I've been told by the historian that "The decadent hypersexual elements are characteristic of both Greek views on the Persian harem and exaggerated Jewish portrayals of eastern conquerors immediately before and after the Persian period." In light of this, I want to create a depiction of life in the Persian royal court which while not historically accurate, faithfully captures their social attitudes and material lives, especially when it comes to gender and sex.

In contrast to the rather sexualized depiction Vashti has in traditional sources I wanted to explore feminist themes by showing what it would actually be like for royal women when it came to sexual freedom and the lack thereof-while men had access to multiple wives, concubines and courtesans, women needed to appear pure and virtuous at all times and to have sex outside of marriage would be an extreme transgression with dire consequences if found out.

I was surprised to learn that it is possible for medieval European royal courts to have a "live and let live" attitude in regards to a queen taking an extramarital lover, causing me to doubt my earlier assumption that it would be nearly impossible for a queen to get away with an affair, but I'm still determined to explore sexual double standards for men and women in my story.

If it's OK I want your opinions on my ideas.

[a-drama-addict]

im back jn the fucking building again

[browsethestacks]

Atlanteans

The Official Handbook Of The Marvel Universe #01 (1983)

Art by Paty Cockrum And Joe Rubinstein

[hamliet]

Love your blog, Hamliet and also your take on theology. What do you think about Jezebel and Vashti? Now, as Christian myself, I've been told since childhood to not grow up to be like both queens above but become like Eshter and Ruth. But as I grew older, I started to think differenly of those two queens. I grew to like their characters and think they are more interesting than Eshter and Ruth (not that I think badly of the later, I also like them).

What do you think?

Hi! Thank you for this ask; I love talking about Biblical narrative!

To start with, I'm gonna chat about Vashti-Esther, and Jezebel, under the cut. But first I'm gonna go to bat for my girl Ruth, because she is so not the "good girl" modern Christians depict her as. Her story is so much more complex, and there's a reason a lot of modern churches ignore talking about the Jewish context.

Ruth: Brave, Bold, Thirsty

Ruth is a go-getter. Ruth didn't patiently wait like a meek girl. Ruth took her destiny into her own hands--with her mother-in-law's guidance.

See, when Ruth goes to lie down with Boaz at night and uncovers his "feet," she didn't uncover his feet. Feet is a euphemism. It is indisputably his penis.

Like, Christians rarely talk about this because they don't want to acknowledge it because it goes against their image of Ruth. But they also don't have a counter for it because it factually is Ruth, y'know, having agency.

So, Ruth is trying to seduce Boaz, because she knows he likes her. And being crafty about it, because if someone catches her there, Boaz (being an honorable man which she already knows he is), even if they haven't had sex he'll have to marry her because everyone will think they have. Genius.

And despite people trying to say Boaz and Ruth are too honorable so clearly it was just about marriage and nor her actually attempting to initiate premarital sex, the Bible expressly has another widow called honorable for initiating premarital sex that actually happens (with her father-in-law no less) specifically to ensure her survival when she would else wise have been left childless and abandoned. tl;dr: Ruth was attempting to seduce Boaz. That's the obvious meaning of this, and whoever wrote the story wasn't obsessed with getting the audiece to think otherwise.

Thematically, also, Ruth going outside of the norms of what is considered moral (via asking for sex before marriage, even if there is an understanding that sex would lead to marriage) is kind of a major tie-in with the other aspect of Ruth's story: she's a foreigner. The Law frowns on marrying foreigners for the most part. Yet, by going outside the normal parameters, they get King David and later, for Christians, Jesus himself.

Ruth left her homeland after losing her husband and stuck with her mother-in-law, knowing that doing so meant that she had no future (she would need children to provide for her in her old age; as a foreigner, she likely wouldn't be able to marry again and have kids. But she went with Naomi so that Naomi wouldn't be alone, because she could ensure Naomi had someone to take care of her at the very least, without any hope for herself).

But when she saw a chance to secure her future, she took it. And Naomi encouraged her to do so. Ruth is brave, and smart, and kind. And Boaz is also a good man who not only helped Ruth, but didn't take advantage of her desperation on the threshing room floor. He didn't have sex with her, and he forbade others from talking about her coming there. Instead he went about it the honorable and human-affirming way--marrying Ruth according to traditional cultural customs, at the city gates.

In other words, Boaz said this isn't going to be a shameful, backroom thing. He says, I'm going to make it public, because I'm proud to have you as my wife.

Honestly, healthiest couple in all of Scripture.

Others below!

Esther and Vashti: Bringing Good from Bad

Esther and Vashti I see as a story about making the best of a terrible situation. Vashti deserves no hate, and I do see Christians coming around to that as well. I mean, her husband essentially said come parade yourself naked in front of all my drunk friends. Sounds like he wanted an orgy, or at the very least public sex with her. And she said no, like she should have. King, you're gross. Vashti did nothing wrong.

But Ahasuerus is kinda portrayed like a... very passionate but not very wise person throughout the story. So not really surprising. But the point also is that while he doesn't want to acknowledge his stupidity or allow a woman to counter his authority, he does eventually not only pardon Esther when she flouts his authority by entering without permission, but comes up with a counter to his previously issued decree to slaughter the Jews. A king can't go back on his word, but he can give others power to counter it when he's wrong. Which is kind of the main theme--making the best out of a shitty situation.

Esther is then taken from everyone she's ever known and forced to become a concubine wherein most of the girls around her will be used once, probably not get pregnant, and live the rest of their lives alone and untouched in the king's harem. But Esther, like Ruth, is clever. She asks for advice from the eunuchs to endear herself to the king because she wants more than a life of luxury and loneliness. Because of her attempts to save herself from a fate that, on the surface, isn't nearly as terrible as what Ruth was facing but is still emotionally devastating, she ends in a perfect position to save all of her people from annihilation.

Jezebel (and Athaliah): A Critique of Power

Jezebel... well, she's kind of portrayed as vain and cruel. Plus she murders some people whenever they flout her authority. So she's not like, a morally awesome person.

That said, I always felt sorry for her. She also clearly wanted power and lived in a society where women had little say and little power, even as queen, which is probably why she lashes out so brutally at those who threaten her power and position--the vineyard owner, the prophets, etc.*

But instead of Jezebel being seen as a sign for how marriages to foreigners is a way of corrupting the Israelites with foreign gods, I wonder whether the story would be different if people had treated Jezebel more of as a potential Ruth, as a human being, instead of just a symbol of political power.

Because that's what she was--her marriage is a symbol of power for King Ahab and for her father. I see her corruption and cruelty as a condemnation far more of what happens when we focus on gaining political power than what happens when we marry the wrong person or whatnot. And also, like, maybe the way women were treated may have led to her desperation for power. Just maybe.

Along those lines, I also wonder if the prophets had been less condemning of her as a person and more corrective (and if her husband wasn't himself such a spineless meatbrain), if her story might have been more of an Esther's.

But patriarchy is far more interested in condemning Jezebel as a whore despite like, there being no record of that, rather than in, like, examining their own human desire for control and political power and how that can corrupt (but also! doesn't! have! to! see Esther).

*Like, Jezebel's flaw being her focus on power is very clear not just in her actions but her daughter Athaliah's--Athaliah marries the king of Judah and then massacres all his sons to take the crown for herself, with only one son, a baby, surviving thanks to a princess named Jehoshabeath, who was married to the chief priest, smuggling him out. Later on there's a coup and Joash, the son, reclaims his father's throne. Yes, the classic fantasy trope of secret son reclaiming a father's throne is partially Biblically based.

[the-invisible-bunny]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Namor the Sub-Mariner (Comics), Marvel (Comics) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Major Character Death Relationships: Attuma of Atlantis & Namor the Sub-Mariner, Fen of Atlantis & Namor the Sub-Mariner, Vashti Cleito-Son & Namor the Sub-Mariner, Dorma of Atlantis/Namor the Sub-Mariner Characters: Dorma of Atlantis (Marvel), Attuma of Atlantis (Marvel), Fen of Atlantis (Marvel), Vashti Cleito-Son, Namor the Sub-Mariner (Marvel Comics) Additional Tags: Character Study, Grief/Mourning, Namor isn't actually dead but they don't know that Summary:

After his encounter with Destiny, Atlantis has no way of knowing that Namor is still alive. Dorma, Attuma, Vashti, and Fen grieve in their own way for the prince and outcast who will not be their king and emperor.

[afrotumble]

[comicavalcade]

Submariner Summer 23

Hey hey everyone its time for #SubmarinerSummer read through, part 23. Diving into Tales to Astonish #90: To Be Beaten By BYRRAH! The cover paints quite the tableau, too. Byrrah, a Golden Age rival of Namor, now makes his Silver Age debut to bedevil our sea prince once more.

On the Title page, we are quickly reintroduced to him just as his long-laid plans to destroy Namor are ready to begin. The fiend! Truly an appropriate antagonist for issues with art by Bill Everett, and I'm sure that's no coincidence. Also dig those Forbush water ballets! 🤭

Fair warning, I'm likely to get a little ranty since this ish leans on a key element of Namor lore that deserves highlighting. Case in point: racism. Namor has faced it his whole life from other Atlanteans, including and perhaps especially from other royal Atlanteans

Being mixed-race has been a challenge he's had to struggle with; his arrogance, insisting on his own worth and excellence, is a *response* to that struggle. He'll show them who's a "mongrel" "half-breed"; and of course, his physical power has been his avenue to that validation.

Of course its no easier for him on the surface; he doesn't even pass for *human*, let alone white (he's typically described as looking asian, traditionally, if he's described in human terms). He is absolutely always an outsider there. So why is Namor so angry all the time? Lol. Rofl. LMAO, even. Why *wouldn't* he be?

ANYWAY, back to Byrrah, blond racist of Atlantis. He's been biding his time, using his aristocratic influence building up trust and influence with people and connections that will help him take control for his own selfish gain

Now he sees his chance, and starts a full public relations campaign, painting himself as peace-loving and Namor as a warmonger, as well as a "freak" who's just dumb and strong because again, metaphorical racism. And it seems to work well as people start to call for a plebiscite

Of course, he's pulling this little Game of Thrones move while Namor is away. Luckily, Lord Vashti comes to let him know. Namor doesn't believe it could work, but Vashti disavows him of that, so Namor returns to Atlantis to try and counter Byrrah.

Byrrah had planned for just that, and takes the opportunity to demand a royal challenge for Namor calling him a coward. This seems counterintuitive, since Namor is more powerful, so Dorma is suspicious, as is Vashti, but Namor is Namor, and Byrrah knows him well...so its on!

Incidentally, this is like the third trial by combat we've seen; seems pretty ingrained in Atlantean culture. Makes for exciting stories of course, but also lends context to Namor solving things by insisting on fighting about it since he sees himself as embodiment of his culture.

At any rate, it doesn't take long for Byrrah to start using loopholes to gain an advantage on Namor. Namor has advatages of his own, of course, but Byrrah was two steps ahead, and doses Namor with a strength-draining chemical applied via saw-fish. Ah yes, oldest trick in the book, saw-fish injection

Now weakened, Namor is unable to take down Byrrah, who takes the offensive and delivers the knock-out blow on Namor. Imperius Rex?

Namor is devastated, of course. But not because of his loss so much as that the people have turned against him and cheer his enemy. Dorma and Vashti try to comfort him, but Namor is worried that all his enemies will now team-up, dooming Atlantis and then the rest of the world!

Call me crazy, but I like the internal Atlantean politics stories, bringing back the racism against Namor that would pop up in the Golden Age and will pop up in future stories, delivered by a Golden Age adversary that's fun to dislike as a low schemer in Byrrah.

The art really works for the story too, Everett hasn't lost a step. The man knows Atlantis, and he adds in little details that remind me of the Golden Age Atlanteans/"submariners", which is cool to see if you've read Namor's oldest stories.

But, our cliffhanger left Namor at this low point, and NEXT we'll see what happens in the reign of Prince Byrrah of Atlantis in Tales To Astonish 91: Outside The Gates Waits Death!

[goldenguillotines]

Vashti! Sorry for not answering your question sooner <:3c I also really happen to love fantasy settings when I read! Ehe, I do like more dark settings too, BUT only when there's hope written into it, you know?

I really like stories about defying fate!!

"It Is Alright."

-> They listen.. nodding along occasionally..

"I Understand, I Usually Avoid Darker Settings For My Own Sake.. But If Someone Writes Them Well- It Is A Riviting Tale."

"I Think You Would Enjoy A Fair Few Books In My Collection.. Most Were Gifted, But I Haven't Had The Chance To Read. You Can Borrow Them If You'd Like."

[justdealingwithsomeissues]

So the real Fen is also still very much alive, trapped by Socus... and also she now has black magic powers...

[chinesegal]

writing story about Vashti

for some time now I've wanted to write a fantasy story with Vashti from the Hebrew Bible/torah as a main character. I know she is interpreted negatively in a lot of traditional sources, but many jewish feminists have reclaimed her and I feel like I wanna write a cool fantasy story with her that explores misogyny, abuse, victim-blaming etc.

But since I'm not jewish I dont know if I should, if it would be appropriation. Mind you, I dont plan on publishing it.

[namor-the-submariner-dot-net]

Sunday Sub-Mariner's World

Some Atlanteans from the OHotMU Deluxe Edition. Could probably play bingo with this for the ones that were killed off. :( Here's a cool modern redo of these images.

by Stefan Gambart

[aces-and-kings]

A recurring dream you’d had? (Grey)

The dream had come to him time and again, ever since the night he'd made the pact. Much of his youth had been spent entertaining far less dangerous methods of being useful, but in becoming a reaper Greyson had set those delicacies aside in exchange for raw power.

The things ones family could force upon them, especially when there was an image to uphold among high profile society. He was a man of only twenty four at the time. Young, full of passion and promise.

At first, drums. Deliberate. Aggressive. An excessive shout for attention. The precursor to a velvet whisper. A momentary silence, and then, like a gentle sway in the breeze, a violin begins.

All around him snow is falling. It seems to softly glide to the ground, swirling in time with the rhythm of the sound that floats between each flake. One more heavy beat of the drum. A proper announcement. And there she is, Vashti.

She isn't an avatar. Not some shadowed figure with features unidentifiable. Her hair is chestnut, sunset upon the Thanalan desert.

A spotlight falls upon her and she is untouched by the elements. Flawless, bronzed skin, adorning a vibrant cherry sundress that'd see a woman dead were it truly worn among the frozen tundra that is Illsabard.

Her eyes are closed, body crouched low, one arm stretched out to the sky. As the violin comes alive once more, Vashti rises along with it. Each movement she makes pierces the white veil beneath her bare feet.

She is the sound the violin makes.

A second spotlight falls upon Greyson, the melody starting over, quickly rising in tempo as the unseen drums accompany it this time.

Every move Vashit makes grows increasingly fierce, covering greater distances as shadowed figures appear, surrounding her in synchronized maneuvers.

There is a collision of instruments, yet his violin is all he knows, all he can see.

The phantoms overtake Vashti and her dress is turned black with a clap. It all happens so quickly, at once she is revealed to be forever changed.

Her dance now seems less graceful, each jerk of her arms and legs becoming more than movement but meaningful actions.

Grey doesn't see this, but he doesn't need to. He can feel it all as she draws closer, and closer still.

Collapsing at his feet behind him Vashti grips his slacks and slides up to drape herself across his back and shoulders, the physical manifestation of the vigorous violin. They part, but the music only intensifies.

By now the snow has transcended being a mere environmental prop. It's a terrifying force that threatens to consume them both with as much ferocity as their individual artistic displays.

A gust of wind pulls them back to back like magnets. As Vashti dances, Greyson plays on, and the pair slowly turn, embracing the chaos unfolding within and without.

It crescendos until it's final note, struck emphatically, when the wild woman vanishes into a fog that Greyson absorbs. His eyes glow a vibrant gold for the length of a breath before fading back to steel.

As quickly as it'd all stirred up, the weather dissipates and Greyson is left alone in the cold, nothing but his bow in hand which drops into the snow, defeated.

But what does it all mean?

@thefreelanceangel thank you for giving me an excuse to write something for Grey. I've been itching to for awhile.

[deviousshadow]

Tried to do a bit of a cloth practice with my alchemist gal Vashti. Never been terribly good with rendering cloth but every little bit helps I suppose.

[phoukanamedpookie]

Hi, I'm an atheistic gentile but some years ago I became interested in the "Book of Esther" story, especially the character of Vashti. I'm aware that there are a lot of negative things written about her in the midrash.

I read your post saying that you can't handle the "demonize Vashti train this year". If its OK, I want to ask for your opinion on her and why you feel that way, I have a feeling our opinions on Vashti align.

I think I wrote that last year or the year before.

In a nutshell, Vashti in the Book of Esther is just a queen who says no to her husband and king. But the Rabbis elaborated on her character and went out of their way to depict her as uniquely cruel and oppressive toward Jews, despite Ahashaverus and Haman being right there.