#also dracula i SEE YOU I KNOW THIS WAS YOU /POS

[cecilthecowardly]

What are your top three moomin adaptations (be detailed) (image accompaniment)

OKAY SO. for the uninitiated moomin is one of my biggest interests in the world. i am very picky about my moomin adaptations. i have beef with the 90s anime that i cannot ever discuss out of fear i will be crucified for it.

THAT BEING SAID!!! MY TOP THREE MOOMIN ADAPTATIONS EVER!!!

#3:

the moomin comics! originally beginning in around the 1950s, i'm hesitant to call it an adaptation necessarily since it was created by tove jansson and her brother lars. it's more of an addendum to the moomin canon, but it's different enough tonally and with the content itself that i feel as if it could be either a grey area or an adaptation. i love it for its plot and sense of humor like. oh my god

(the context is that the moomin family feels too basic and normal for how cool snufkin is, so moominpappa is lying for fun here) (i believe they do end up committing tax evasion, though)

#2:

moominvalley 2019! it's a computer generated adaptation made for modern audiences but it's very faithful to its source and was my first introduction to the moomins, actually. it's comedic while being very heartfelt and emotional in its themes, motifs, and characterization, and the relationship between snufkin and moomintroll is at the forefront of every decision made. the voice acting is phenomenal -- taron egerton of sing and rocketman fame voices moomintroll, for instance, and matt berry (lazslo from wwdits) voices moominpappa -- and the song choices are too! they got a lot of european indie singers like cavetown, girl in red, and dodie to compose and sing music for the show and it pays off so well. it embodies moomin perfectly and i adore it so much. also once again just Look

#1:

THE FUZZY FELT MOOMINS. it feels silly to put this at number one because of how strongly i feel about the 2019 adaptation but this one is just. so important to me. it's so comforting and sweet and a rather faithful adaptation in my experience. the music is enchanting and beautiful and the animation is so captivating and charming that it just has to be at number one because it's so SO GOOD. one guy narrates the entire thing and he does little voices for everybody and it's adorable to me. he narrates it as if it were the books -- and i believe they do just quote directly from the books' translations at times -- and it's phenomenal in every way. i just love it so much i have every one of the episodes on a USB

[booigi-boi]

Would love to know your favorite Joey character (also love the way your draw him)

Aw, thank you 🥺🐐🐇💛🤍

But my fav Joey character? Yeah, I guess I can turn this into a mini show and tell, lol 👍

From Starkid: Ted Spankoffski, which is kinda obvious. Is he a terrible person who deserves the title of "Most deaths in the Hatchetfield series"? Absolutely. Is he still my blorbo? Absolutely 👨🐐

This man has no shame and I love seeing him die anytime he appears in a HF story ✨

From Tin Can Bros: Scrags, but mostly because I am unable to rewatch SAF more than once a year, cause it gives me such slaps in my face after act 2 starts that I am emotionally unable to watch it (/pos ofc, I just can't go through sleepless nights over gay spies anymore 🥲)

So sorry Owen lovers, I just like this depressed dog dad more (Especially after the Grunch, go watch it 🐕❄)

From Shipwrecked: Easily Ernest Hemingway, no debating, lol. Funnily it's mostly cause I love his costuming/design, like this brown on brown on brown is really speaking to the artist in me, ugh 🔪🤎🥃

(Also, I own the jacket, and Joey said it's cool I own something he wore and get to make look cool again, but it's so goddamn big on my 5 foot self,,,,,,)

✨Honorable mentions✨

Sergio's design from the SAF Kickstarter, just look at this boy, peak villain Joey design 💣💼

Dash Gunfire, who I've named most of my plushies after and have a crack theory about 🐇🤍🐇🤍 (He and Agent Curt Mega are related. No I won't elaborate, iykyk)

Tripp, the Brom's Babe who is definitely the most dramatic of the three 💞 (Also, I love these three in general??? Let them be gay and do crime and be probably terrible wing men to Brom) (Someone also ask me about all the headcanons I have about them, there's a lot)

Dracula Joey

I JUST LOVE ANYTHING DRACULA RELATED, OK?? ESPECIALLY IF IT'S RELATED TO THE BOOK! IDC IF HE ONLY APPEARED FOR 3 SECONDS, HE'S A REAL CHARACTER TO ME ❤🖤🧛‍♂️🥀

[serial-serializednovelreader]

Nova’s Notes - DD - May 24

It’s officially Suitor Squad time!!!!!!!!!! Truly a beloved letter from our dear Lucy.

So we now know our girl has a September birthday and that she’s currently 19! I’m not a Zodiac girlie, but I’d love to see the discourse on whether she fits the type of a Virgo or Libra more (I have my guess, but I won’t say).

“Here am I, who shall be twenty in September, and yet I never had a proposal till to-day, not a real proposal, and to-day I have had three. Just fancy! THREE proposals in one day! Isn't it awful! I feel sorry, really and truly sorry, for two of the poor fellows. Oh, Mina, I am so happy that I don't know what to do with myself.”

I love the way she writes in this letter, because it feels like the way she probably talks — very enthusiastic and just saying the first thing that comes to mind. Not in a bad way, just impulsive! Also, notice how she says “not a real proposal” — I wonder what that means. The fanfic potential is endless…

I love the modernity coming through with the “THREE proposals in one day!” and then saying she feels awful for two of the men (already implying she accepted one suit), as well as saying in the next sentence saying how perfectly happy she is. How very Lucy of her!!!! /pos

“But, for goodness' sake, don't tell any of the girls, or they would be getting all sorts of extravagant ideas and imagining themselves injured and slighted if in their very first day at home they did not get six at least. Some girls are so vain! You and I, Mina dear, who are engaged and are going to settle down soon soberly into old married women, can despise vanity. Well, I must tell you about the three, but you must keep it a secret, dear, from every one, except, of course, Jonathan. You will tell him, because I would, if I were in your place, certainly tell Arthur.”

A lot to take in here! So, of course by the “girls”, she must mean their former classmates and friends they keep in contact with. I know it sounds kind of pick-me-girl-ish of Lucy, but we all know that one person who wants to one-up you, so I get the need for secrecy. Plus, Lucy’s reputation with her mom will be dampened by this and might be led to think she ENCOURAGED three men to propose to her all on the same day (oh, what’s that? Hollywood producers have been portraying her as doing just that for years? My case stands.). Of course, she understands the need for Mina to tell Jonathan about this — who she likely assumes is already home with Mina since it’s been more than a week since Mina’s last letter :’(((( — and then she drops who’s proposal she accepted — to no one’s surprise, it’s Arthur!

I don’t know why, but the first time I read this part of the story, I guess I just skimmed over that part? Because I genuinely didn’t think she mentioned Arthur until the last possible second.

But rereading it here, she writes as if she can’t contain herself, like yes she wants to tell Mina about the three proposals — because why wouldn’t you tell your bestie about the THREE PROPOSALS IN ONE DAY — but she can’t help and drop the fact that yes, she’s engaged to Arthur, and yes, she’s as excited as Mina to be “old married women” who “despise vanity”. At least, that’s what I’m picking up. I think it’s another one of those things where the Dracula Daily memes gave me a Mandela effect of Lucy talking endlessly about everyone except Arthur, which she kind of does, but she doesn’t neglect him entirely.

On to the first proposal!!

“I told you of him, Dr. John Seward, the lunatic-asylum man, with the strong jaw and the good forehead.”

This sentence lives rent-free in my head. I absolutely love it. “Yes Mina, dear, the lunatic-asylum man with the good facial features, I would’ve set you up with him if you weren’t engaged already!” Strong start to this rollercoaster.

Previously she had described him as “imperturbable”, but she seems to have heavily amended that statement. Here, she describes him as nothing but nervous, almost sitting on his hat and…playing with a knife?!?!?! Seward, that’s not…how you….ok….she said he was “playing with it in a way that nearly made [her] scream” and I don’t blame her one bit — I would too!

What’s interesting about John’s proposal is that he doesn’t mince words here. He simply tells her she makes him happy and is dear to him, so marry him maybe? It does lean to this side of guilt-trippy when he starts to tell her that if she doesn’t care for him, he’ll be unhappy, until she *actually starts crying* because that’s the kind of empathetic person Lucy is!!!

That’s when John’s caring side comes out. He immediately chastises himself and promises not to add to her troubles. I wonder if, perhaps, he asked a colleague for advice on proposals and they gave him some ill-informed idea on how to “lightly encourage” (read: guilt-trip) a woman into accepting your suit.

It could have very well been his own idea (those who have read Dracula Daily before will know Seward is not as naturally empathetic as, say, Lucy); the only reason I think this is because he’s also socially awkward (if fidgeting with a knife didn’t give it away) and I could very well see him going to a colleague asking for advice on how to ask for a lady’s hand in marriage from someone who’s done it before.

This is when I think if he has been taking advice from someone, he stops and starts speaking from the heart.

“Then he broke off and asked if I could love him in time; and when I shook my head his hands trembled, and then with some hesitation he asked me if I cared already for any one else. He put it very nicely, saying that he did not want to wring my confidence from me, but only to know, because if a woman's heart was free a man might have hope.”

Awwwwwww his hands trembled?? 🥺 I’m so sorry Seward…this genuinely hurts to read. Although, just because someone doesn’t have another person they’re interested in doesn’t mean they’ll automatically grow to like you back — “might” being the operative word here, I suppose.

What I do love here is how well he takes it once she informs him she does love someone else. He simply takes her hands, looks into her eyes and asks her to count him as one of her best friends. This is still sad for Lucy, however, because while he has done this, she still feels like she’s “lost” him in a way and he still walks away with a broken heart, causing her to cry all over again, and defer finishing the letter. :(

Again, it just shows what a kind person Lucy is that even while she feels happy, she still can feel so upset on behalf of another person. That’s one of the things I love the most about her!!!

On to the next proposal!

Happy (belated) Quincey P. Morris Day!!!! Everyone get out your cowboy hats and get ready to lasso yourself into a world of fun with this cowboy. <3

Quick note: It looks like Arthur visited her and that’s what caused her to be able to finish her letter by lifting her spirits. So he must’ve visited her twice in one day, since she already knew about the proposal when she first started the letter? Ugh, love that for her!

“I know now what I would do if I were a man and wanted to make a girl love me. No, I don't, for there was Mr. Morris telling us his stories, and Arthur never told any, and yet—— My dear, I am somewhat previous.”

Hehehehe oh, Lucy!!! Even when talking about this dear cowboy and his stories you can’t help but bring up Arthur.

Quincey exaggerates/makes up his American slang just for her!!! That’s adorable.

“'Miss Lucy, I know I ain't good enough to regulate the fixin's of your little shoes, but I guess if you wait till you find a man that is you will go join them seven young women with the lamps when you quit. Won't you just hitch up alongside of me and let us go down the long road together, driving in double harness?'”

If I’m not proposed to in this goofy — yet sincere — way I 👏 don’t 👏 want 👏 it. But I do love that once he sees that Lucy doesn’t *seem* to understand this approach, he becomes more serious and earnestly asks for her hand with a series of beautiful words.

Of course, Quincey can perceive this isn’t going the way he would hope and asks if she is otherwise engaged of the heart to which — poor Lucy!!! — she cries once more.

“Why can't they let a girl marry three men, or as many as want her, and save all this trouble?”

And so the polycula is formed!!! Hehe, but to be fair, I do read this in the camp of Lucy being a chronic people-pleaser who wants to make everyone happy and hates refusing Seward and Quincey. As someone who is also a people-pleaser, I can relate — I too often have things I wish I could do to just “save me the trouble” of having difficult conversations with people. But also, polycula, I’m excited to see what all of the fanfics and fanart that y’all come up with this year lol!

“‘Yes, there is some one I love, though he has not told me yet that he even loves me.’”

“‘If that other fellow doesn't know his happiness, well, he'd better look for it soon, or he'll have to deal with me…’”

“‘Won't you give me one kiss? It'll be something to keep off the darkness now and then. You can, you know, if you like, for that other good fellow—he must be a good fellow, my dear, and a fine fellow, or you could not love him—hasn't spoken yet.'”

I love this so much. I love that Lucy feels comfortable enough to confide in Quincey that she’s worried about Arthur’s reciprocation of feelings and he reassures her that a) she will make Arthur’s happiness and if he doesn’t get that, Quincey will intervene (in more ways than one, I’ll wager ;)) and b) he’s not jealous of Arthur and thinks of him as a good man, why else would Lucy love him?

I honestly think him asking for a kiss — and Lucy giving him one — is adorable because it’s done in a way where it doesn’t feel forced or that Lucy is uncomfortable. I think of it as a kiss goodbye or a kiss of what could have been, or, as Quincey himself puts it, a kiss sealing their friendship! No matter what way you read it, it’s sweet and I love this moment.

“Oh, about number Three—I needn't tell you of number Three, need I? Besides, it was all so confused; it seemed only a moment from his coming into the room till both his arms were round me, and he was kissing me. I am very, very happy, and I don't know what I have done to deserve it.”

I know we all make memes about this passage — and for good reason, but the way I interpret her not wanting to talk about Arthur’s proposal is that it’s too intimate to her. Do you know those moments where something so wonderful has happened that you just want to keep it all to yourself? Even though you know you need to tell the loved ones in your life the good news and they’ll want to know everything? I know I do! I think this is part of what Lucy is feeling here, but she doesn’t want to tell Mina that per se; after all, she just wrote to her about longing to be back together and sharing their deepest secrets. So, I think she chooses to lightheartedly brush this moment off with a “oh yes and btw Arthur proposed, you don’t need the details, right? I don’t remember half of them myself!”

I think that’s why she makes so much of describing Quincey and John’s proposals — both to make up for her lack of detail when it comes to Arthur’s proposal, and, perhaps, to distract from it as well. That’s just my interpretation, though, I’d love to hear what you think!

[strawberry-selfships]

I was wondering how many classic lit f/os you have now and went through your f/o list-

How does it feel to have such exquisite taste in media? /pos

SOBSSSSSSS THANK YOU SOOO MUCH AAHHH !!!!!!! <3<3<3

hrm let me see . i know i have 100 draculas but i havent read the original book (YET! yet.)

i dont selfship with ahab YET but give me like . another day . private igor is bound to be stationed on the pequod .

i have a kin selfship with ratty and badger from the wind in the willows if thats anything (im mole!) (tbh.. toad and otter too. its a big poly)

im trying to remember more um um um oh oh i selfship with major major major from catch-22! i did read that ^__^ i have a big ol crush on tappman too hehehe

i also have a crush on dr jekyll i read that too

OH AND I SELFSHIP WITH RODERICK USHER FROM THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER... i need to add him to my f/os list i forgot to put him on there.....

those are all the classic lit f/os i can remember at the moment but theres probably more

[rosetyler42]

My fattest OC is Simon Van Dracula since...all the Drericka children I saw were (understandably) thin, and I wanted to play with a shipchild OC that took more after his bulky Van Helsing ancestors. Plus, he looks like Pugsley and a Debbie/Fester fankid, so that works for HT. Though he's technically more muscle than fat, he's a big fella and as such has to deal with some of the same fatphobia and such, even though he's actually quite strong and athletic. He's also a shy reserved humany dhampir so he's sorta the odd one out in many ways. I tend to like the big softie teddybear types like Sulley and Ord. Not only is it a good inversion from what you expect in the big guys, but they remind me of my brother and dad in a way. Simon's also based on Normie!Pubert, so him being the more reserved braincell in this nutty monster-human family kinda makes sense. Especially considering Mavis and Dennis, also on the more reserved side. I don't really have a love of food particularly with him. Aside from perhaps him being an athletic growing boy. Buy he's no Agustus Gloop, Bruce Bogtrotter, or even Frankenstein. As for hot...I mean, I tend to not focus on sexual stuff myself as an aroace, but I could see him being well-liked by people. His father's got quite the following of witches, and he has a similar personality and look to him. (Girls also seemed to like my brother, too. XD) I've even debated making him Bi/Pan as I think it'd be fun to invert the stereotype a bit, make a reserved Mspec character.

But he's no wimp, though. He's secretly one of the most dangerous of the Drac pack since he's had to work to be scary, mom wanted him to know he wasn't just a weak human, and he tends to be the quiet sensible cinnamon roll. He's very much a "Beware the quiet ones/Looks like a cinnamon roll, could actually kill you" type.

His heroes include Po and Viper from KFP (big gentle giant of a guy learns he can be a warrior in his own way, and a fangless snake who learns she doesn't have to bite to be tough.) his own Uncle Frankenstein (Another good hearted big fella with fears he's overcoming) his Dad and other mother (Drac and Martha, who protected his older sister from an angry human mob) His Mom (who protected his father and the rest of the family by standing up for them to their Great-great-grandfather and was something of the odd one out of HER family too.) and Popeye (a little human with with good heart and head on his shoulders who's tough enough to take on anyone.)

Hey

- Make characters OTHER THAN VILLAINS fat too

- No not just the greedy or food loving ones

- Not just older people or moms

- Make more characters fat

- Like actually fat

- With double chins, bellies, thick arms, fat necks, rolls

- And let them be love interests or protagonists or in respected positions.

- Let them be portrayed as hot. While being fat yes

- Make more characters fat

[meggie-stardust]

I posted 1,335 times in 2022

181 posts created (14%)

1,154 posts reblogged (86%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@myletternevercame

@fantasmalresplendent

@teenwerewoofs

@feuer-bluete

@punchedbymarkesmith

I tagged 1,315 of my posts in 2022

Only 1% of my posts had no tags

#meg writes fic - 121 posts

#meg answers things - 80 posts

#meg watches teen wolf - 65 posts

#dracula daily - 31 posts

#steter - 31 posts

#count memeula - 28 posts

#says the girl with the elvish tattoo - 27 posts

#steter mini bang 2022 - 27 posts

#also doubles as an intro post - 26 posts

#fandom - 24 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#but familiar. you leave a valuable impression on those you meet. your humor is witty and smart and probably gets people to laugh so hard th

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

@steterweek Day 6: Epistolary elements. It took me like 5 mins to craft the "story" and then like an hour to make these dumb images, and I still got the date/time stamps messed up. OH WELL. Also, I of course, had to use these images that dropped this week. OBVIOUSLY.

Stiles goes on vacation without Peter

See the full post

45 notes - Posted July 29, 2022

#4

Friends, I'd like to present my @steter-bang 2022 fic and the stunning art by my partner @bettertasting. This is her first contribution to the TW/Steter fandom, and I am so damn lucky that she was my partner for this. Y'all have to tell her how amazing the art is so she keeps giving us Steter content. 💜

This fic wouldn't have gotten anywhere without the cheerleading from my co-mods @teenwerewoofs and @midmorning-bomb, and the words of wisdom and encouragement from @punchedbymarkesmith.

--

At This Truth We Have Arrived

After years of exacting revenge on the Argents for the murder of Laura, Peter returns to Beacon Hills only to be confronted by the truth that the pack has moved on without him. But the fact that everything he once knew has changed isn't necessarily a bad thing; not when there is someone like Stiles who is so full of possibilities.

OR as my WIP notes for this fic say: "Peter is curious. They do something. Murder murder. Sex sex."

“Okay, so the thing is, and I’m not criticizing you here,” Stiles says as they turn off the main road and onto a ranger access road, “but the thing is that when you got rid of all the Argents, some folks may have taken that as an invitation to, you know, take their place.” Peter slams on the breaks and turns to Stiles as the car skids to a halt on the dirt road. “Have you been dealing with other hunting families?” “Ugh, no,” Stiles says, rubbing at the spot where the seat belt tightened over his chest. “Not families. More like the odd vigilante.” “That’s still not great, but––” “Until now,” Stiles interrupts. “This one, Monroe, I think she might be a bigger problem if we don’t…” “Take care of her?” “Take care of. Murder. Po-tay-to. Po-tah-to,” Stiles says easily. “The point is she’s recruiting.”

Read At This Truth We Have Arrived and see the amazing art on AO3.

52 notes - Posted September 1, 2022

#3

"How dare you touch him, any of you? How dare you cast eyes on him when I had forbidden it? Back, I tell you all! This man belongs to me! Beware how you meddle with him, or you'll have to deal with me."

200 notes - Posted May 16, 2022

#2

Lucy writing to Mina like

2,889 notes - Posted May 11, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

I know a ton of people have said this before but for the love everything PLEASE stop treating AO3 like instagram. It is NOT cringe to comment on an old story. It’s an archive old stories are still meant to be found and read. Please think about interacting with the fic you read: at least kudos if you read it, a comment would be ideal. The authors will be over the moon. I guarantee you not a single author is going to ask why someone is commenting on an older fic.

23,026 notes - Posted October 23, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[mywingsareonwheels]

I posted 4,776 times in 2022

That's 855 more posts than 2021!

219 posts created (5%)

4,557 posts reblogged (95%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@harperhug

@youhavenoideahowmuchihatethis

@akindplace

@indieninja92

@vaspider

I tagged 2,962 of my posts in 2022

Only 38% of my posts had no tags

#itv endeavour - 258 posts

#fanart - 250 posts

#gifs - 234 posts

#endeavour morse - 221 posts

#art - 152 posts

#dracula - 145 posts

#dracula daily - 143 posts

#roger allam - 138 posts

#endeavour - 131 posts

#bucky barnes - 130 posts

Longest Tag: 133 characters

#but there are some superb works in all of the fandoms i've read extensively (the witcher   mcu/stucky   endeavour   discworld   etc.)

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

How to tell a theatre reviewer doesn't know as much about Shakespeare as they'd like you to think:-

- they say a production of "Richard III" is too funny

- they say a production of "Cymbeline" is too weird

- they say a production of "Coriolanus" is too gay

- they say anything bad ever about Jade Anouka's Shakespearean acting (NB if they do this it also means they are almost certainly a massive bigot)

- they criticise a production of "Macbeth" for being too straightforward and as-written

- they criticise a production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" for not being straightforward and as-written "enough"

- they criticise any production of any play for having too much: politics, queerness, transness, singing, dancing, sexual innuendo, proto-feminism

- they criticise racially-diverse, disability -inclusive, and gender-flipped casting (this also usually means they're a terrible person)

- they think it's an actively good thing if Rosalind in "As You Like It" is still really feminine when dressed as Ganymede

- they think they're being really cool and subversive by not liking Shakespeare

- they think they're being really awesome and arty by not liking anything being written now

216 notes - Posted August 21, 2022

#4

Happy Hobbit Day!

Today being the birthday of Frodo and Bilbo Baggins (September 22nd, that is).

Here are some suggestions for things to do to celebrate:-

- eat mushrooms

- and/or po-ta-toes

- and/or fisheseseses

- have two breakfasts

- be generally lovely and compassionate, but never in awe of anyone

- drink beer (alcoholic or non-alcoholic as you prefer)

- have fun times with people you love, even when things look rough

- go on a little walk somewhere green that makes you happy

- wear a good weskit (waistcoat)

- go on an adventure, and embrace being considered a bit weird :-D

220 notes - Posted September 22, 2022

#3

For those new Sandman fans who haven’t read the comics: Gault is an original character for the show! Replacing two others who did something similar for very different reasons.

And of all the changes made (not that there are many, tbh!), this is my favourite. I love Gault so so so much I can’t even describe it. She is beautiful and glorious and magnificent and she deserves the world. <3

232 notes - Posted August 8, 2022

#2

SEEING FROM HIS VIOLENT DEMEANOUR THAT HE WAS ENGLISH

[may not stop laughing about this all day]

234 notes - Posted August 12, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

People can be very down here on those who only leave kudos rather than a comment on AO3. And just. I love comments, don’t get me wrong. They fill me with joy!

But getting those emails that something I wrote weeks or months or years ago has got a new kudos or two still absolutely delights me. Please don’t underestimate how wonderful and heartening that is.

Similarly, reblogs here on tumblr are the *best* and are how things get noticed and spread given the way tumblr works, but that doesn’t mean I don’t notice or am not very pleased when some thoughts or a ficlet I wrote here gets a heart too.

I know how much energy it takes sometimes to leave a comment or to reblog something. Far too much, sometimes. Far, far too much. And knowing that my efforts are appreciated even with just a click of a button... still special and good. And sometimes I’m worried that all the “don’t like, reblog!” posts on here discourage people from doing that because they feel like it’s worse to like but not reblog than to not react at all, and... no. No, really no.

To conclude: comments and reblogs are the best. But kudos and likes are still good and encouraging things! If you want to show appreciation for something I’ve written or made? Then a) thank you, how lovely of you! <3, b) please don’t be put off doing it in a way that actually works for you. <3

609 notes - Posted September 21, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #389

Top Ten Things I Want from The Batman

So last week I celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of Tim Burton’s Batman by listing the things I thought he got “right” about the character (“right” being, I acknowledge, arbitrary). This time around, sticking with a similar theme, I’m going to flip the switch and look to the future. Matt Reeves’ long-gestating Bat-pic The Batman is finally gearing up, having recently cast its Dark Knight in the shape of erstwhile vampire Robert Pattinson. The saga of The Batman, its Affleck-ness and its connectedness with the DCEU as-was, is almost worth a movie on its own (I really hope there’s a book written about it at some point, or at least a long-form essay; the ins and outs of what became of the DCEU and the de-Snyder-fication of their film slate is potentially fascinating). At any rate, we’re going to get another Batman film and that’s quite exciting. Especially as it is – potentially – a chance to course-correct issues that I had over the previous incarnation of the Caped Crusader. Ben Affleck was very good, but he looked a bit sad and hefty in the suit (the silly cowl essentially removed his neck), and he killed a lot of people. Like, tons. What’s up with that?

So with all that in mind, and given everything that’s come before, here’s a list of places where I hope Reeves and Pattinson go with their Bat-epic. Or even don’t go! You’ll see what I mean, as we get into a list of things I want from the new Batman, The Batman.

No Guns, No Killing: this is a big one for me. The Batman I love in the comics – most of the incarnations, anyway – is very strict about this. For him, murder is the worst crime, and his whole deal is being Anti-Crime. Therefore he would never, ever kill. Also he views guns as, literally, the “weapon of the enemy”. Even Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy – which is probably the closest to the comics in terms of his “one rule” – had him bedecking his equipment with guns and “not saving” people. Here, I’d like a very strict code.

White Eyes: okay, I’m not asking for an MCU Spider-Man here; I know comics characters have whited-out eyes in costume and that doesn’t usually translate to live-action. But Batman would/could/should wear some kind of eye-piece. Even if it’s goggles that he removes/retract into his cowl. What I want to avoid is the blacked-out “panda eyes” look of seeing his real eyes within his cowl. I just find it a bit daft for Batman.

A Working Batsuit: whilst I’m on the subject of Batman’s Bat-duds, one thing that I loved about the Nolan-verse was that his outfit was sensible. Obviously not too sensible, as he’s, y’know, dressed as a bat, but it looked like a suit designed to fight crime in. The Burton/Schumacher suits looked like sculpted pieces of rubber, no good for movement; the Snyder suit looked like fancy dress with “cosmetic damage” and rubbery wrinkles. The MCU, on the other hand, is great at making superhero suits that look iconic and super-y but also workable; Captain America wears some kind of oversuit with, presumably, armour on the inside, and also a cowl of sorts, but one which allows him to move his head and which looks functional despite also having a dirty great “A” on it.

Sweet Wheels: similarly, I’d like a Batmobile that’s more “car” than “tank”. The Burton/Schumacher films, as was their want, gave Bats a car that was more form than function; going the other way, Nolan and Snyder had heavily-armoured war machines that owed a big debt to The Dark Knight Returns. I’d rather lean towards the former, but really, can’t he just have some souped-up Knight Rider thing that’s fast and stealthy? He’s more Black Widow than War Machine don’t forget.

Heh: Batman has, by his own admission, “a sense of humour that nobody gets”. I don’t want a relentlessly dour grimdark Batman. Give me a Batman who can crack a wry smile or a sardonic one-liner, even if he’s being bitterly ironic. To be fair most screen incarnations of Batman have had some sense of humour, but Batman v Superman in particular was almost relentless in its miserableness so I’m hoping The Batman has a funny bone, pitch black as it may be.

A Real Gotham: although I praised to the heavens last week the Anton Furst-ified Gotham of Batman and Batman Returns, I’d like it if the new film hewed closer to Nolan’s vision of the city as a “real” place. Sure, give it stylised embellishments; make it “New York at night” or some twisted version of New Jersey or Chicago or whatever. But I don’t think we need the ridiculous mile-high statues of the Schumacher films, and the less said about the frankly terrible CGI cityscape from the opening minutes of Justice League the better. Shoot on location, or use really good CGI. Make it 10% weirder than normal and I think we’re onto a winner.

Make Batman John Wick: I love how John Wick fights. He’s all business. Boom, boom, the guy’s down, blam, blam, he’s dead. It’s all about minimalising risk, fighting as efficiently as possible. He gets the guys down because, well, the longer they’re up the more chance that they’ll kill him. Batman should fight like that. As few moves as possible, but target them precisely; nothing flashy or extravagant, just get the guys down. Obviously he doesn’t kill or use a gun (see point number 1) but I want a Batman who looks cool when fighting, looks like he trained with monks and ninjas and assassins and wizards. Basically, let’s have some genuinely impressive-looking fight scenes for once.

Make Batman Sherlock: I have high hopes for this one, as the word round the internet campfire is The Batman will be much more detective-focused than previous films (to this date, the two Batmen who are the most sleuth-y are Adam West and Kevin Conroy). But Batman is supposed to be the World’s Greatest Detective so, y’know, let’s see him detect. Greatly. Er, around the world. Make it a proper crime film, a whodunnit. That’d be good.

Make Batman Weird: not necessarily “Tim Burton weird”, but just give us a sense that this is a Batman who has a sci-fi closet. A Batman who, maybe, has fought Monster Men, Killer Crocs, sentient mud and murderous flora. Nolan’s Batman was super-serious and Snyder’s Batman was super-miserable so whilst I applaud a more street-level focus and a noir-ish tone, I hope the possibility exists for a world full of Man-Bats, immortal warlords, dollotrons, and more.

A Wider World: I really hope this one is viable. The plan was for the Justice League-centred movies to form a spine, telling a story arc over multiple films, with the stand-alone tales functioning as spin-offs. As it turned out, the “spin-offs” were the successful ones, and with Batman being rebooted from Batfleck to Battinson, it looks like the “Extended” part of “DC Extended Universe” is up in the air (so is the “Universe” part too, I guess). I don’t know if Justice League or the preceding films are still in continuity even, or if continuity is still a thing, but all the same what I want from a DC Comics adaptation is a shared universe. I’m not a big fan of Zack Snyder’s incarnation of that universe (too dark, miserable, and po-faced), but I still want to see Bruce hanging out with Clark, teaming up with Diana, arguing with Arthur… I want that feeling you get from the MCU (and the comics, for that matter), that Wakanda going public or SHIELD being disbanded or Tony Stark dying is going to have repercussions in other films. I think The Batman is going to be pretty much self-contained in the same way as Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Shazam, but all the same, I hope the potential is still there. In much the same way as I’m very happy for the film to be a street-level noir with the potential to one day have a sequel featuring Batman and Robin fighting off Mister Freeze in a Bat-UFO, I hope it focuses on Bruce and Gotham with the potential to segue into a Justice League movie or have a sequel set in Themyscira or something. Don’t close off the universe, is what I’m saying.

So there we are. I’m aware that this is, essentially, a fanboy wishlist of My Ideal Batman, coming from a straight white bloke in his thirties who graduated from Year One through Knightfall then “New Gotham” and found his Batman apogee in the works of Grant Morrison. Matt Reeves has his vision and it’s good that he sticks to that (for better or worse, I still would have liked to have seen how Snyder’s proposed Justice League arc had played out – although I am emphatically not a “Snyder Cut” devotee). But I feel there’s a sweet spot between stylised and realistic, between comics-accurate and designed-for-film, that hasn’t quite been reached with Batman yet (The Animated Series came closest). Nolan’s films are obviously the best, but I do think that the more realistic you make Batman’s world, the less realistic he himself becomes, and you make the central conceit (trust fund orphan did a lot of push-ups then dressed as a Dracula to Fight Crime) all the more silly. I’m still a bit sad that we lost Affleck, but I’m very excited by where we’re going to go. I just hope it doesn’t preclude a World’s Finest, Justice League Unlimited, or – heck – even a Robin movie somewhere down the line.

[thewhiterabbit42]

Dark Drabble Requests

Dark Drabble requests are open!

For those of you who aren’t familiar with these, they are the opposite of fluff.  There are no sunshine and rainbows here, only dark and delicious things that don’t likely end in happily ever after.  

Because I have some leftover from last year, I am only guaranteeing the first 3 that come in.  If more than 3 do, I will add the rest to my pending list in case I have extra time to complete more.  

If you’re interested in making a request, the details are below the cut.

First three requests are in.  While requests aren’t closed, they aren’t guaranteed at this point. 

GUIDELINES

To make a request send an Ask with the character/pairing and a prompt.  

Kinks may also be requested, but are not guaranteed (though I will do my best to write them in if I can).  

Please do not make a request unless you are 18 or older.

All requests are reader insert female by default.  Please let me know if you want gender neutral instead.  (Male can also be requested, but I have a harder time with those, so I can’t guarantee I could write it).

I will not write: Wincest or incest of any kind or underage readers.  I will write dub-con and consider non-con secenarios, but I am not looking to go into super dark and heavy territory with these.  

I reserve the right to refuse any requests that make me comfortable, include a squick, or just aren’t my cup of tea in general.  

CHARACTERS

Characters with links have headcanons attached to give you an idea of what you’re in for.

Dark Gabriel

Leviathan Gabriel

Dark Loki

Dark Gadreel

Dark Chuck

Leviathan Cas

Casifer

Demon Dean

Soulless Sam

Dark Debriel x reader

Dark Sabriel x reader

Dark Gadreel x reader x Dark Gabriel

Dark Chuck x reader x Dark Gabriel

Demon Dean x reader x Soulless Sam (non Wincest)

Dark Loki x reader x Dark Gabriel

PROMPTS

Quotes vs Statements

Quotes will be used verbatim, statements may or may not be, and may be incorporated more loosely.  

Please choose a quote OR a statement

Quotes

“Hell is empty.  All the devils are here.” - Shakespeare, The Tempest - @revwinchester (Dark!Sabriel x reader)

“Be afraid, be very afraid.” - “The Fly”

“I'm every nightmare you've ever had. I am your worst dream come true. I am everything you ever were afraid of!" - It

“Welcome to my nightmare, I think you’re going to like it.” - Alice Cooper “Welcome to My Nightmare”

“The greatest trick the Devil pulled was convincing the world there was only one of him.” - John Dies at the End - Anon (Dark Chuck x reader x Dark Gabriel)

“You smell different when you’re awake.” - @nobodys-baby-now (Dark!Gabriel)

“Why are you screaming?  I haven’t even caught you yet.”  Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

“You better leave while it’s still possible.”  Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

“Admit it.  You liked it didn’t you?”  Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) - @idabbleincrazy (Dark Loki x reader x Dark Gabriel)

Rule #1: Never open portals to Hell. You broke it; now deal with the consequences.

My fantasies are much darker than you think, my dear. - @calamitychaos (Dark Loki)

The only thing I can tell you about revenge is that it fulfills a need. What that need is, I can't say, but every time I exact it on the deserving, I feel good, if only for a moment.

“I promise to kill you quickly when the time comes.”

“It’s not hands that summon us. It is desire.” - Hellbound: Hellraiser 2

“There are worst things out tonight than vampires.”

“Like what?”

“Like me.”  Blade (1998)

Statements 

Monsters are real, ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win. - Stephen King, the Shining

Is evil something you are? Or is it something you do? - American Psycho - @blondecoffeecake (Casifer)

Sometimes, the things you see in the shadows are more than just shadows.

Nightmares will come pouring out of Hell when the Devil gets desperate.

No living organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream.  - The Haunting of Hill House, Shirley Jackson

Yesterday, upon the stair, I met a man who wasn’t there He wasn’t there again today I wish, I wish he’d go away -- Hughes Mearns, Antigonis

The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents.  We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it as not meant that we should voyage far. - Lovecraft, The Call of Cthulu

Even the dead tell stories. - Marcus Sedgwick, Revolver

Home is the place where when you go there, you have to finally face the thing in the dark.  Stephen King, It

It is the eve of St. George’s Day.  Do you not know that to-night, when the clock strikes midnight, all the evil things in the world will have full sway? - Bram Stoker, Dracula - @authoressskr (Dark Gad)

There is comfort to be had in the company of wild things and delight to be found in their trust. - Paula Braskton, The Witch’s Daughter

Maybe ghosts always haunted minds, not places. - Joe Hill, Heart-Shaped Box

Things trapped for years fly free, ready to explode in pain and drive us to dangerous behavior. Thomas Harris - Silence of the Lambs

The scariest monsters are the ones that lurk within our souls. - Edgar Allen Poe - @winchestergirl-13 (Dark Gabriel)??

When there’s no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth.  Dawn of the Dead

[languageleo]

I posted 219 times in 2022

That's 219 more posts than 2021!

25 posts created (11%)

194 posts reblogged (89%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@adieupanache

@frenchwordsdaily

@aro-langblr

@fluencylevelfrench

I tagged 52 of my posts in 2022

#leo posts - 22 posts

#langblr - 20 posts

#languageblr - 13 posts

#french - 13 posts

#language learning - 13 posts

#francais - 12 posts

#french langblr - 12 posts

#resources - 10 posts

#journal - 6 posts

#get to know me challenge - 6 posts

Longest Tag: 88 characters

#j’ai cru que c’était une publicité pour une application de l’amour ou qq autre chose mdr

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

bonjour!

i am leo, welcome to my blog!

currently, i am trying to learn french. im around B1 level and i am taking classes to get better :3

mi lengua nativa es español but i know english to a native level too

i have many languages of interest but my main focus right now is definitely french

future target languages -> LSQ, nahuatl, toki pona, german, arabic, korean, japanese

9 notes - Posted July 16, 2022

#4

Le passé récent

(english and spanish explanations below)

(explicaciones en inglés y español debajo)

Le passé récent est utilisé quand on veut parler de quelque chose qu'on a fait très récemment

Le format de ce conjugation es le prochain:

venir conjugué au présent + de + un verb infinitive

Par example: Je viens de manger avec mes amis.

Une activité pour vous:

Pour chacun des verbes suivants, formulez deux phrases au passé récent

regarder

voir

finir

achèter

passer

Mes phrases sont dessous du reste du post, si vous voulez comparer :3

English version

The passé récent (recent past) is used when someone wants to talk about something they did very recently.

The format of this conjugation is the following:

venir conjugué au présent + de + un verb infinitive

For example: Je viens de manger avec mes amis.

The English version of this sentence would be "I have just eaten with my friends."

An activity for anyone reading this:

For each of the following verbs, make two sentences using the passé récent:

regarder

voir

finir

achèter

passer

Versión en español

El passé récent (pasado reciente) se utiliza cuando queremos hablar de algo que acabamos de hacer.

See the full post

11 notes - Posted July 19, 2022

#3

ahora que estoy leyendo dracula, me puse a pensar cómo se escribiría mi acento fonéticamente, ya que bram stoker hace eso bastante seguido en su novela

mis amigos me dicen que sí tengo un acento regio marcado al hablar, y yo sé que a veces digo pa’ en vez de para, eso es algo que creo que es específico a mi acento. también está el decir ‘amonos en vez de vamonos o ‘tonces en vez de entonces. creo que el cambio más drástico sería algo como p’allá en vez de para allá, efectivamente ignorando tres letras. obviamente está también el cambio de decir pos en vez de pues, alguien una vez supo que yo era mexicano porque dije eso

sí veo por que mis amigos brasileños dicen que hablo muy rápido en español para ellos jajaja

20 notes - Posted October 4, 2022

#2

Comment écrire l’heure en français

(English version below)

(Versión en español debajo)

Pouvoir écrire l’heure correctement est très important pour bien se communiquer avec des autres personnes.

En français, on utilise surtout le format de 24h et pas le format de 12h avec AM/PM. Plus, au lieu d’utiliser le séparateur “:” entre l’heure et la minute, on utilise “h” car celui représente le mot “heure.”

Donc, des exemples d’heures qu’on pourrait voir sont:

0h00 (minuit)

9h15 (9:15 AM)

12h00 (midi)

18h20 (6:20 PM)

How to write the time in French

Being able to write the time correctly is very important to be able to communicate properly with other people.

In French, people tend to use the 24 hour format rather than the 12 hour AM/PM format. Also, they use “h,” representing the word “heure” (hour), between the hour and minute instead of “:”.

So, some examples of times that you might see are the following:

0h00 (midnight)

9h15 (9:15 AM)

12h00 (noon)

18h20 (6:20 PM)

Cómo escribir la hora en francés

Poder escribir la hora correctamente es importante para poder comunicarse bien con otras personas.

En francés, se suele usar el formato de 24 horas en vez del formato de 12 horas con AM/PM. Además, en vez de usar el separador “:” entre la hora y los minutos, se utilisa la letra “h”, que representa la palabra “heure” (hora).

Entonces, algunos ejemplos de horas que uno pudiera ver son:

0h00 (medianoche)

9h15 (9:15 AM)

12h00 (mediodía)

18h20 (6:20 PM)

20 notes - Posted November 15, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

some people say that wanting to learn toki pona is dumb but its like… you dont appreciate her??

soweli?

shes so shaped… how can you not love her

111 notes - Posted December 5, 2022

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