#aj-whitfield-real

[thankskenpenders]

Why do you think Paramount gets more creative leeway? My only guess is that maybe Sega won't have to deal with any, or as much, legal battles if they do something that pisses off Penders or anyone else.

It's understandable, but I think people who read this blog greatly overestimate how much people at the top of Sega actually think or care about Penders

None of us know the actual details of any of these agreements, so this is speculation. But Paramount probably gets more leeway because they're Paramount. They're a film studio that's been around for a century and they make billions and billions of dollars a year. That gives them more weight to throw around in negotiations compared to a midsize comic book publisher like IDW with a net worth that's several orders of magnitude smaller than either Sega or Paramount

[classicdaisycalico]

Best and worst Sonic games?

Which version of Sonic is your favorite? (Classic, Modern, Boom, Movie, etc?)

Worst is definitely '06 because of how rushed it was. And what a shame, too; it had a ton of potential.

Best Sonic game would have to be Unleashed. Part of it is the world you get to explore. The other part is the MUSIC!

And lastly, I gotta say Modern Sonic really does it for me. Having him go from a mute protagonist to one that talks (a lot) lends a lot of credence to the cool 90's teenager with plenty of sass to spare. It reminds you that he's...well, a TEENAGER at the end of the day.

[charlesoberonn]

You know, when I'm depressed, writing horror can be a cathartic and healthy way to release those emotions. You've seen to be in a tough mental spot lately, so maybe writing depressing and scary stories might be better than to write whimsical and adventurous stories.

Let’s hope so.

I do want to write something whimsical or even epic just this once.

Maybe next time.

[transdonaldduck]

Your icon being Donald Duck is a problem for me, because now I end up reading your posts in his voice.

*donald duck voice* I think hans from frozen is super hot

[takecake]

Is my William punchable enough?

Here’s your William rating!

0/10 will smile while murdering you like it’s nbd

He totally spends more time fixing his hair than his moral compass which is TOTALLY BROKEN. Like he spends SO MUCH time getting his hair JUST right, time that would be better spent paying attention to his family but does he care?? No. He probably laughs at Jerry Seinfeld jokes on the regular and kins Biff Tannen from Back to the Future.

[miles-b-morales]

Commission by @aj-whitfield-real of my beloved Pokémon trainer gf @discordsadvocate teaching a clueless me the basics of Pokémon. Based on this post.

[writingwithcolor]

Lizard People and Antisemitism: Avoiding Dogwhistles

@cursed--alien said:

Is it possible to make an anthro lizard character without being antisemitic? I know lizard people is an antisemitic dogwhistle, but I also think geckos are really rad and want to make a gecko dude.

@aj-whitfield-real said:

On the anti-semitism discussion: What about lizard characters in of themselves? Like, anthropomorphic lizard, or just scaly characters? What should be considered when writing them?

Great questions, y’all! I love lizards so I’ve been saving this one for when I had enough energy to have fun with it.

Short answer: no, lizard anthros are not offensive on their own. I, personally, adore them.

Why are lizard comparisons antisemitic?

In order to write a lizard anthro who won’t be read as a weird antisemitic thing, there are some steps you can take to distance the character from antisemitic tropes. But before I get into that, I want to make sure everyone understands why the lizard thing is bad. I love lizards. Like, a lot. Going back to being 5 years old. But when people make those comments it's not about "cute lizards" it's like... this way of saying we look so weird (or are so weird) that we don't even look mammalian. To compare a marginalized group you aren’t in to an animal (and we are far from being the only group to experience this) is often two different kinds of annoying at once: 1. It’s a generalization, and one that reduces us to some assumed common trait that we all have, and 2. Usually it’s a reference to something humans—all humans—find off-putting about this type of animal.

Distancing your character from antisemitic tropes

Anyway moving on to ways to distance your dapper adorable Geico lizard from us:

1. I’d avoid having them being bankers, debt collectors, or anything else associated with money (I’m okay with that iguanamouth cartoon of the lizard hoarding coins you lost in the couch, because it’s ridiculously cute. This is all mental algebra, with pluses and minuses, and things being lovable, cute, and safe can make it okay because the core of the lizard trope is the antithesis of lovable and the antithesis of safe.)

2. “Invading.” Because that’s the rest of the antisemitic lizard trope, that we’re infiltrators. I think some of this might come from the fact that some of us look really white, but have customs that the local Christians super didn’t associate with whiteness so it seemed sneaky to them. Like we were something foreign and other-y but in a white-person costume. But that’s just a guess. (I am thinking of the “your skin is hanging off your bones, Edgar” thing at the beginning of Men in Black or the Slitheen in “Aliens of London” in Doctor Who, but specifically with lizards. Please note I am not a Whovian so I don’t really know anything else about them, I just randomly saw the Eccleston season with a friend a looong time ago. If you avoid having your lizard anthros evoke this trope that is a very good way to save them.)

3. Master manipulators, government conspiracy etc. I suppose this is related to point #2.

4. There are certain stereotypical professions that I would be shy about unless you have a definitive way of showing you’re not talking about Jewish people (such as, having Jewish humans in the story/universe, or making the lizards pagan or Christian or something) -- tailors (this is more historical than current), doctors, lawyers especially sleazy ones. This one is more murky because you can probably get away with a lizard anthro orthopedic surgeon or whatever if she’s super lovable. Consider #4 more of a yellow light than a red light.

Speaking of being lovable making it okay, this post I wrote about my own approach to writing a literal Jewish lizard-shifter character from the inside might be helpful, with the caveat that I would absolutely not write a characters as trope-reclaiming as Isaac from the outside of any group. I am fully aware what a thin line I am walking here.

In concusion

Look, I love lizards, and I love being Jewish, so I wish I could enjoy things like the “shalomander” meme unconditionally, or put Isaac in an umbrella as a kippah when he’s in his dragon form in an art commission without being nervous. But unfortunately there are teeth and history hidden in some of these things so it’s a good idea to tread lightly.

I think you will be fine because there is plenty of room for anthro lizard people without the kind that sets off the trope.

P.S. If you love lizards as much as I do, you should check out @daftpatience ‘s lizard wizard series.

--Shira

[island-in-the-shadows]

Tag a quality blog, You’re it! Quality doesn’t mean that you have a lot of followers, or a lot of messages. It means that you’re nice to other people, and you deserve to be happy. If you get this message, someone is telling you that they love you as you are, and they don’t care how many followers you have. Send this to 15 blogs who deserve it. If you break the chain, nothing will happen. But it’s just good to let someone know that you love them⭐️⭐️⭐️

@jandjsalmon @lolableu @sweetsoundsofignorance @aj-whitfield-real @myrandomstuffpage @moondaughtxr @dropkickdisco6 @liquidsun-sets @murasaki69 @arreish

@im-a-cynical-idealist @pentopaper23 @androidtwin @harryshumjrdaddario @francesca-wayland

[sextonsharpwinhalstead]

Okay, so I’m a slut for medical dramas but I also get frustrated when there’s a lack of diversity or when queer/PoC/disabled etc characters exist solely to suffer at the hands of writers. Could you rank the current medical dramas from best to worst in terms of diversity?

 HO’S UNITE! 

I completely understand. Not only in the lack of diversity but also a lack of the KIND of diversity. I have a weird theory about television and often movie casts. Of course this ranking is only of the shows I watch. Worst to Best.

The Resident

The Good: 

The show begins with the audience following Devon Pravesh, a Gujarati and South Asian man. He’s on of the most realistic characters considering most medical shows seem to gloss over the fact that most people in medical school as well as working practitioners look an awful lot like Devon and less like Conrad. They have the shoot-for-excellence-at-all-times Nigerian immigrant surgeon and all around bad-ass Mina Okafor, and of course The Raptor, AJ Austin who was adopted by a Chinese man and a Black American woman. The newest edition of Dr. Barrett Cain adds another bit of chocolate goodness to look at too.

The Bad:

Aside from Mina’s poorly cast mother Lynne Whitfield and the introduction of Devon’s parents the show hasn’t figured out how to weave in the different ethnicity's and backgrounds of their characters of color. No one speaks in their mother-tongue, celebrates any holidays or traditions tied to their respective cultures and religions and of course the most obvious. EVERYONE here is straight and able-bodied. And there are only TWO female leads, with most of the other recurring female characters being sent away or killed off.

The Good Doctor

The Good:

Although not the first medical drama to introduce a character with Autism it is the first to have one as the lead and his autism is a focus of the show. In the beginning there was the English born Dr. Jared Kalu, we know he comes from money and is assumed to be Asian, the actor is actually Nigerian and white, after he left the show Dr. Park was introduced. The Good Doctor has had the most Asian representation on a medical show I believe EVER in the history of prime-time television. Allegra Aoki, Dr. Aurdrey Lim, and Dr. Jackson Han round the out the Asian representation on the show.  Carly Lever, Dr. Claire Browne, and Dr. Marcus Andrews are represented as black or mixed-race Black Americans. Dr. Neil Melendez is the only Latino or Hispanic character he really doesn’t lean into it. Dr. Glassman and his wife are both Jewish.

The Bad:

The Good Doctor is doing something different having an autistic character as the lead, and although Freddie Highmore is a talented actor, he isn’t autistic. Also it would’ve been even better if Shaun could’ve been Shauna. A chance was missed here by taking a look at the often under diagnosed sect of girls and women who are autistic. The show has a lot of women on it both recurring and regular but ALL of them, just like the men,are straight. And a missed opportunity too considering the actress who plays Carly has been married to a woman since 2013. Also, Carly and Claire can pass the paper bag test, NO ONE is bilingual, and if they are they don’t show it or any of the other aspects of their cultural differences it’s very “American.

Chicago Med

The Good:

Out of all the One Chicago Shows, Med has the most racially diverse cast as well as diverse recurring characters. They have four black women on the cast. April Sexton whose real surname is Suassuna is Afro-Brazilian, who speaks both Spanish and Portuguese, attends family functions based on her heritage and has even shared a few anecdotes and beliefs from her culture which also include her brother Dr. Noah Sexton. Ditto for the recurring character Dr. Isidore Latham. He has Asperger’s, is Jewish, and observes all aspects of Judaism including wearing a kippah, and sharing some Jewish based jokes. Dr. Ethan Choi is believed to be Korean and Iranian born Dominic Rains has been added to the cast as Dr. Crockett Marcel rounding out the leads of Asian descent. 

The Bad:

Ethan’s ethnicity and race has only been brought up when it was being demeaned. Other than that the show leans heavily on his military background to give him depth but gives zero basis for any customs or cultural traits he probably had growing up. Nary a mention is given about Crockett’s race only his southern New Orleans heritage leaving us as an audience wondering if he’s Creole? Spicy White? No idea. Also April is Brazilian but almost exclusively speaks Spanish when not speaking English to her brother which is by far the strangest considering I have never met anyone who chooses English if they are raised in a multicultural household, and definitely not in conversation with their family members. But never Portuguese. All of these shows fail at representing Black American cultural, which leaves Maggie and Sharon with very little to share. And of course the most obvious. There are no LGBT characters on the show. None are leads and it doesn’t appear as though they are adding any or thinking about opening any new doors within the characters.

New Amsterdam

The Good

New Amsterdam does a lot of things right. My dear Vijay Kapoor who’s Indian identity is very wrapped in who he is, from his accent, to his prayers, mannerisms, and discussions of his past he isn’t just a token he’s a full character. Although the show has yet to address it Dr. Helen Sharpe who is obviously black is played by Freema Agyeman who is not so obviously half Iranian on her mothers side. But she is English and her disposition, her language and slang are represented in that regard. Lauren Bloom is a neurodivergent character with ADHD and a struggling addict. Dr. Floyd Reynolds is Black American who has Sunday dinners at his mothers. And Dr. Iggy Frome is a gay married man with 50 bajillion Pakistani children and aiming for one more. Recurring characters, Dr. Valentina Castro, Dora, and Casey are all  Latino and Evie Floyd is mixed race, white and Black American. Not to mention this show has plethora of diverse peripheral characters, little people, hijabs, turbans, kippahs,everywhere, you name it you’ve probably seen it. The show has to be diverse because it’s in New York and it’s supposed to be an international hospital. The place is MASSIVE. 

The Bad:

All that diversity, all the difference, cultural richness, ripe stories running amok and the entire show is centered on a cis-het white man. Not mention Casey and Dora don’t even have last names. Maybe that’s why the actress isn’t on the show anymore and is now on Emergence, New Amsterdam’s rival at that time slot. 

Grey’s Anatomy

The Good

Where do you start with the longest running medical drama on television.

They’ve had it all and still do. They constantly have LGBT characters, who are shown to get hot and heavy the same as their het-counterparts. Where other shows have two men bird-kissing like they don’t even want to touch, Levi and Nico are rolling around in ambulances and hooking up in on-call rooms. Ditto for the women, I stan Callie x Arizona especially their golden years. Nothing will ever touch the way Arizona used to say “Calliope” when they first started dated, it still makes me smile thinking about it. They’ve had addicts, alcoholics, neurodivigent characters, every race you could think of, Muslim, Christian,Jewish,and atheists. All kinds of socio-economic backgrounds. If you can think it they’ve had it and there really isn’t much reason or room to list all the characters both recurring and regular who have checked damn near every box.

The Bad:

It’s time for more brown Asians. And a regular neurodivergent character although there is more than enough room to diagnose a few of the characters if they wanted to. I’d be happy with a deaf doctor too. Also Carina DeLuca is currently the only Bi-character and she’s been kind of only used as a bed warmer which is...well, yikes. 

[jules-morales]

@aj-whitfield-real

I'm terrified of speaking to people in real life because one of them could say "I'm a chuckster!" and just hurtle me three hundred feet up in the air

[jules-morales]

IT SPOOK MONTH thanks to @aj-whitfield-real for the avatar, go commision him he’s awesome

[classicdaisycalico]

For the word fic thing: "Heck"

Drop a word in my inbox and I’ll write three sentences of a fic based on it

“Look at you, kid,” Snake said as he knelt down to Kirby. “I bet you wouldn’t even think about saying ONE swear word.”

As if to prove his point, the pink puffball looked him dead in the eyes with the most serious expression he could muster, only to interrupt their impromptu staring contest with a harmless exclamation of “Heck!”

[charlesoberonn]

Apparently the air kicking and punching in LOK were based off of MMA fighting and boxing, which is what they wanted to go with since the setting was 1920s-1930s and that was a popular sport of the time. It's also what influenced pro-bending. So they were trying to give the same amount of attention and detail, but put their stock in forms of fighting that were more common and less interesting than the specific martial arts of the previous show.

That does exonerate the punch bending a bit, but it was still a bad decision. I’m glad it’s not due to laziness like I thought.

[jules-morales]

@aj-whitfield-real @gemprincess10

“The Rabbat” by Annie Stegg Gerard

[miles-b-morales]

I’ve finally gotten to publishing the fanfiction idea that I’ve been gestating since the day I saw the finale of The Legend of Korra. It’s all based on a simple question and prompt: “what if Korra died in the final battle against Kuvira and the next Avatar was born in the Earth Empire?”

Avatar Korra selflessly gave her life to save the Great Uniter Kuvira in the climax of the Battle of Republic City. As a favor to the fallen Avatar, an armistice was signed between the United Republic of Nations and the Union of Imperial Earth States. All out war has been prevented between the two superpowers due to the development of the most powerful weapon ever created by humanity: the spirit bomb. If both nations unleashed their arsenals at one another, it would surely result in the extinction of all life on the planet. 

Under the leadership of Empress Kuvira, the Earth Empire has become a technological and infrastructural superpower, and has achieved a level of power that arguably eclipsed both the Fire Nation and United Republic at their peaks. The United Republic struggles to keep up with the arms and science race, and funds covert proxy wars to undermine the global influence of the Empire. One of which is a rebellion in the Foggy Swamp that has raged for nearly eight years. 

Eighteen years have passed since Korra’s death and a new Avatar has not been found. Some have begun to believe that the cycle has ended for good and that the world must adapt to one without the Avatar. However, one such hopeful youth, the respected son of Baatar Jr and Kuvira, Baatar III, has made it his life journey to find the Avatar and restore order to the world.

The link to the fic is above on Ao3. I will try to update new chapters weekly. The art (more is to come as the story progresses) is provided by @aj-whitfield-real​, give him some money, he’s great!