#also my to do list in general is massive and that's all other stuff that has to get done but can't get done because of this stuff

[phoenixyfriend]

Star Wars Time Travel Rec List

About time I put together a General Rec List for Star Wars Time Travel, yeah?

Organized by the time-traveling character(s). I'm adding a star for my favorites that imo you have to read. I'm not going to claim that those are necessarily the best, because I feel like that's not objective and also kinda mean to the ones that are good since they might just not be to my personal taste, but they are my favorites.

Obi-Wan

Anakin Skywalker

Ahsoka

Clones

Other Prequels-Era Characters

Two or more people

Luke or Leia

Other

Tagged authors where I could. If they aren't tagged, I either couldn't find their tumblr, they have their settings such that no one can tag them, or they blocked me for one reason or another.

Obi-Wan

It Was Another Time and I Another Man by Pell_Binterhol - under "Groups"

Ashes To Ashes, Dust To Dust by @livsy ~35k+, complete Obi-Wan is a time traveler, mental from the OT. What makes it unique is that the fic is from Anakin's POV. It's a very heartwarming piece.

⭐Take it from the top and try again by @mauverawrites ~170k, series - two fics complete, more on the way Possibly the best way to describe this series is as the platonic ideal of an Obi-Wan time travel fic. Weird Force stuff? Check. Obi-Wan having spent years on Tatooine? Check. Qui-Gon surviving? Check. Obi-Wan doing some shady illegal stuff to get money and infiltrate crime rings so he can save the galaxy? Check. Anakin being adorable as an initiate, and Shmi being saved from Tatooine? Check. Surprise Feemor? Check. It's all the bits you (or at least I) hope for when opening a new Obi-Wan Time Travel fic, and it never feels stale or repetitive or cliche. It's just a Very Good Fic.

The Exchange by @misslearn - under "Groups"

An Abundance of Obi-Wans by The_Last_Kenobi (orphan_account) ~45k, abandoned Unfortunately we'll never know how this ends, but it's a lot of fun while it lasts. Baby Obi is being haunted by three ghosts of his future self.

A Padawan at War (Again) by @itstimeforstarwars - under "Groups"

Free Jedi to Good Home by @itstimeforstarwars- under "Groups"

These Paths by HiddenEye - under "Groups"

⭐the massive machinery of hope by @killbothtwins 150k, complete Do you want comedy? Yes, you do. This one is great. Go read it. It's one of my favorites for a reason, and the reason is that Obi-Wan is a sarcastic little shit with a billion quips.

Living Memory by elsa3beth 353k, on hiatus, possibly abandoned? Obi-Wan Time Travel, leans a bit more heavily into the distrust and despair surrounding Anakin (due to Vader things from the future) than most.

⭐The Desert Storm/Rise and Fall by @blue-sunshine-mauve-morning ~1.6m (1592k), ongoing This is one of the longest, most consistent, best-regarded time-travel fics in the fandom for a reason.

⭐Reprise by Elfpen ~560k, ongoing Another Obi-Wan time-travel fic, this one using that favored cover story of "Ben is Obi-Wan's biological uncle," and I love it so much for how it explores both characters and political events.

Realign the Stars by @fortunerainwrites, @TerinAngel - under "Groups"

Current of Fate by @feybarn ~195k, on hiatus? It's been so long since I read this one that I can't quite remember what it was that I liked about it so much, and it's too long to do a reread right now... but I do remember loving it, especially when it switches to an outsider POV for the second fic.

Anakin Skywalker

The Exchange by @misslearn - under "Groups"

A Padawan at War (Again) by @itstimeforstarwars - under "Groups"

Free Jedi to Good Home by @itstimeforstarwars - under "Groups"

War Drums by @intermundia ~91k, ongoing Vader travels back to TPM. Runs off with Obi-Wan into the stars to Achieve Some Goals to take down Sidious. Gets quick-aged to 19 by some Dathomiri magic. Projected to be Obikin.

These Paths by HiddenEye - under "Groups"

Old Promises by @threebea ~65k, ongoing Time Traveler Anakin panic-kidnaps Initiate Kenobi. Absolute disaster of a man.

An (Un)fortunate Haunting by @kooriicolada, @scarletjedi 3.5k, oneshot Anakin thinks the Vader ghost haunting him is a hallucination. This one is technically more than just Anakin, but it's... mostly Anakin.

⭐Force of Many Sights by DAsObiQuiet ~480k, on hiatus? Vader to TPM, possessing his younger self. This fic has a heavy, and much-appreciated focus on therapy as it functions for someone of Vader's... particular situation. This is also technically a "Groups" series, since it's also got Siri Tachi as a time-traveler, but her POV is much smaller, and it takes... I want to say about 100k words for her to really start playing a more active role in the plot.

Realign the Stars by @fortunerainwrites, @TerinAngel - under "Groups"

Ahsoka

I don't know why all the good Ahsoka time travel fics are her as part of a team, but they do in fact fuck, so. I LIED I forgot to bookmark one of the Ahsoka fics I like.

Free Jedi to Good Home by @itstimeforstarwars - under "Groups"

These Paths by HiddenEye - under "Groups"

Realign the Stars by @fortunerainwrites, @TerinAngel - under "Groups"

Living in Borrowed Time by @scribbling-albatross - under "groups"

⭐Although He Smiles by @autumnillustration - ~157.6k, ongoing This one is amazing, it's an Ahsoka main, and she is very funny with Padawan Obi-Wan and adorable with 9yo Anakin. Lovely.

Clones

love is with your brother by Petrichor (Mythmaker) ~8k, complete TCW Rex bodyswaps with his baby self. POV is Ahsoka during the clone wars.

Free Jedi to Good Home by @itstimeforstarwars - under "Groups"

These Paths by HiddenEye - Rex and Cody - under "Groups"

Realign the Stars by @fortunerainwrites, @TerinAngel - Rex and Cody - under "Groups"

Living in Borrowed Time by @scribbling-albatross - Rex - Under "Groups"

⭐Dominoes by meridianpony ~380k, ongoing All five Dominoes go back to the beginning, from the points of their deaths! (Disclaimer: Echo's treated as having died at the Citadel. I think the fic started before his survival was revealed.) Technically this is a group, but all five are clones, so...

Other Prequels-Era Characters

there is no death by @ashkav ~140k, ongoing There is something really cool about Cal Kestis time travel fics, especially when he's got a decent amount of knowledge of The General Situations (e.g. Anakin will become Vader) but is missing so many details, like Why and How.

⭐An Echo in the Force (a whisper in a cave by @stardust2flame ~8k, complete Feemor is trapped in a time loop. This was actually written as a gift to me, so it has a special place in my heart.

⭐Mace Windu Fixes the Timeline... And Breaks it in Whole New Ways by AbsentmindedAuthor98 ~52k, ongoing Absolutely choice series based on an AU by @suzukiblu. Mace Windu does some time-traveling. He takes on Anakin as his padawan on an impulse, but he ends up doing his damnedest to be a Good Master for the kid. Depa helps.

Twilight on Owl Creek Bridge by @yellowocaballero - Fox - under "Groups"

Make a Brand New End by @batshieroglyphics ~120k, I think on hiatus Another Feemor fic! This one's not time-loop, just time travel. Lots of juicy Qui-Gon drama.

⭐Not a Good Man by @feybarn ~28k, ongoing Imperial era Boba Fett goes back to AotC. He decides to fix things, partly by trying to get his dad to fall in love with Obi-Wan Kenobi.

a distant fire is burning by e_va ~47.5k, ongoing This is another Cal fic! It's got video game logic in it. Also, Anakin and Cal are both being so weird about sort of being adoptive brothers, it's great.

⭐They Don't Care About Us by @ironhoshi Time traveler Boba! And Cal! They're doing great, sweetie. Their best. Obi-Wan and Jango are mostly just confused. (Has anyone checked on Anakin? Someone needs to go check on Anakin. Again.)

Groups

It Was Another Time and I Another Man by Pell_Binterhol ~200k, incomplete This is a very fun fic that involves multiple time-travelers from multiple points in time. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon from the Legends novels are pulled forward into TCW, and Old Ben and Luke are pulled back from the OT, and some spoilers as well.

⭐The Exchange by @misslearn ~120k, complete A swapping-style time travel. RotS Anakin&Obi-Wan end up in TPM, and TPM Anakin&Obi-Wan end up in RotS. Shenanigans ensue. (Also trauma.)

⭐Can We Start Over? by @triscribe ~22k, ongoing Most of the Jedi have time-traveled from the points of their deaths to about a year pre-AotC. Some handle it better than others. The POV is Aayla, which I find very cool.

A Padawan at War (Again) by @itstimeforstarwars ~183k, ongoing It's technically more of a de-aging than a time-travel, but hey! Still a good read! TPM Anakin and Obi-Wan take the place of their TCW selves, who no longer exist.

⭐Free Jedi to Good Home by @itstimeforstarwars ~complicated as the second fic has been hidden, ongoing This is one of my favorite series, but as you can see by the above, it's in a bit of a timeout right now. Bookmark it for later? Also, there's an entire side series called Inspired By One Hundred Hours To Rearrange The Stars.

These Paths by HiddenEye ~90k, complete Our five TCW mains (Obi-Wan, Cody, Anakin, Ahsoka, Rex) are booted forward to the Original Trilogy. The latter three are deaged to their TPM ages (9, 4, baby respectively). Also it's CodyWan.

Twilight on Owl Creek Bridge by @yellowocaballero ~33k, complete Leia and Fox time travel! This one is very dark. That said, it has a comedic counterpart that I love, which is only available on tumblr: ⭐Fox & Leia's Holiday Special

⭐Realign the Stars by @fortunerainwrites, @TerinAngel ~68k, abandoned Obi-Wan, Anakin, Ahsoka, Rex, and Cody, from TCW to TPM. Despite the unfinished state, I cannot deny the oddly intense level of influence this fic has had on my own approach to star wars time travel fics.

⭐Living in Borrowed Time by @scribbling-albatross 118k, ongoing Rex and Ahsoka are time-travelers! They are so, so very fucked up. Sure do wish they had access to therapists that could actually be cleared for knowing their Extensive Lists Of Traumas. This one definitely had a huge impact on how I characterize Rex and Ahsoka since I entered the fandom.

Luke and Leia

Twilight on Owl Creek Bridge by @yellowocaballero - Leia - under "Groups"

There is another Skywalker by WabiSabi ~85k, on hiatus? Time-Traveler Leia! Mentally in the sequels, physically in her thirties, and chronologically in the clone wars. Also Luke's sharing space in her noggin.

Shifting Sands by @chancecraz ~180k, ongoing "Ongoing? But it hasn't updated since 2021!" The last time it updated, the chapter was 65k, after over two years of radio silence. Trust me when I say that the lack of recent updates means nothing for this author. Anyway, Sequels Leia to about a year pre-TPM, hangs out with baby Anakin and Shmi and then neatly inserts herself in the plot.

⭐Of Queens, Knights, and Pawns by @chancecraz ~860k, ongoing Same author as above, same disclaimer for the gap since last update. Sequels Leia does a mental time-travel into her ANH self, specifically the 'being tortured on the Death Star' moment. It's so fucking good.

Old Man Luke by @scarletjedi ~110k, ongoing Sequels Luke to TCW! He is very cryptic, channeling the Jedi who taught him! Fun!

⭐Sith Lord Swell by AMournfulHowlInTheNight ~53k, ongoing Luke and his students (including Ben Solo) travel back in time to a bit before AotC. They decide the best way to proceed is to pretend they are Sith Lords. This is primarily a comedy fic. Luke really enjoys fucking with people.

⭐Don't Look Back by @this-acuteneurosis ~700k, ongoing Post-OT Leia (after the deaths of most of her friends) physically time travels to a year or two before AotC. She is taken in by the Lars family, and then she and Shmi start to head for Coruscant, run into Padme, and join the Nabooan government in Padme's employ. Do you want a fic that feels like 70% politics and logistics and trade routes? Because that's what this is and it's great.

Other

The Way of Conquest by pagination ~76k, ongoing There is something very funny about the time-traveler not even realizing they are about thirty years into the wrong time. Din has no idea when he is. Grogu does, but he's not telling.

[thydungeongal]

Hi, this might be a weird question, but if someone wants to get a proper groundwork of ttrpgs, really understand the medium and what it does, what games do you think they should play? Like which systems would be much checkouts to really GET what kinds of things happen in the space and what kind of games are out there?

I don't think there can be such a thing as a definitive list simply because the medium is so varied, but what I can give is a list of games that have had a massive effect on how I personally look at games. Mind you, I don't think you strictly need to play all of these games, although why not they're hella fun, because even reading them can mindblast you open:

Dungeons & Dragons, multiple editions. Ironically, even though D&D was one of my first games and it for a long time served as a template for what I expected games to be more or less like, coming back to it and exploring the history of the game after delving into a bunch of indie games that were doing completely different things was eye-opening. D&D is not only good to be aware of and keep track of because, for better and for worse, it ends up defining entire design movements (D&D 3e still has an effect on modern trad RPG design), but also because the game itself is a microcosm of how the changing design of a game can end up shaping play culture and the discourse around the game.

RuneQuest and other BRP games: RuneQuest was the first d100-based system but also very much a game clearly in conversation with early D&D, and it's neat to be able to look at two games from that same general period and see how games were already changing at that early a stage. Other BRP games like Call of Cthulhu, Stormbringer, and Pendragon are very useful to look at in the historical context of being some of the very earliest examples of very traditional RPGs incorporating mechanics that tied into character psychology and personality in a way that almost bordered on genre emulation (Sanity, the alignment tracks, personality traits and passions).

Vampire: the Masquerade and other World of Darkness games: these games were revolutionary at the time they came out because while they were still very traditional in structure at least on a discursive level they presented a clear unambiguous break from the hobby's wargaming roots and towards roleplaying games as a form of collaborative storytelling. They also represent a shift in terms of who the game was marketed towards, with these games' success being in no small part due to the fact that they actively catered to women and queer folks at a time when that was still out of the ordinary.

The Shadow of Yesterday and a bunch of other stuff that came out of the Forge: the Forge was a website dedicated to talking about tabletop RPG design and it was basically a gathering ground for people who were really into the promise of RPGs as collaborative storytelling but had grown to see, through play, that Vampire: the Masquerade the System had a completely different idea of what kind of story it wanted to tell than the text implied. TSoY is just one of my favorite games that came out of that design movement and it is a game that really tells you what it's all about, and it is fun to trace its effects on modern game design (it has had a measurable effect on Apocalypse World and Blades in the Dark and thus a significant effect downstream from those two).

Apocalypse World and Monsterhearts. This is my duo of the best PbtA games out there: Apocalypse World for being the first and still almost unparalleled in how it just completely ignored expected ideas of what the act of play should look like and also accidentally became one of the most copied games in the world. Monsterhearts is a fantastic example of a game that builds on the strengths of Apocalypse World's framework while doing a completely different genre and also a great example of a textually queer game.

Dream Askew and Wanderhome. Dream Askew was the first Belonging without Belonging game, a framework of games that very much developed out of a diceless variant of the Powered by the Apocalypse, and the framework is very much defined by its tagline "no dice, no masters." The best I can describe them is as games where the traditional role of the GM is divided across the entire group and while there are game mechanics at play (usually taking the form of using tokens) those are also entirely in the hands of players and not arbitrated by dice rolls. These games thus act both as great examples of what GMless play can look like as well as what diceless play can look like.

Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy: with this one I have to admit to being personal friends with the people behind the game, but my friendship with these people actually blossomed out of a shared love for games and talking about them, and Eureka is not only in my opinion the best investigative RPG ever made, it is a fantastic piece of design that clearly tells you what it's about (I like games that are loud about what they expect you to do: the aforementioned TSoY and Apocalypse World are two others). What it also does very well is re-evaluate a lot of what has come before and synthesize them: yes, RPGs are shared stories, but they are also games. We want stories about heroes succeeding, but in games it is possible to fail; and while the game does build into itself a lot of systems to mitigate the chance of failure simply via playing the game (what a lot of games have tried to do inelegantly in the past with "Idea rolls" and other contrivances to force the characters on the path to success if they fail simply due to bad rolls) it also very openly says "hey, a story about the heroes failing is still a story. Not every story will have a happy ending." And I think that is great, because RPGs are games in addition to being little story factories, and some of the best story moments can come from those times when the game itself says "not today" to your perfectly planned narrative moment and instead tells a completely new exciting kind of story. Anyway, check out @anim-ttrpgs for where you can find and download Eureka, and follow along for more exciting stuff they've got cooking :)

This is not by any means an exhaustive list, but just an "off the top of my head" of some games that I think are neat and that have blasted my brain and altered the way I look at the medium. Anyway once you're done with those be sure to check out Rolemaster as well for the best comedy RPG ever made,

[betterthanbatman1]

A list of the Batfamily members and the kpop groups they’d stan, that no one asked for :3

Dick: BTS, BlackPink- self explanatory. He’s an oldie, he likes the classics, he was a casual listener and got really into them once they sent waves through the kpop industry. He has a secret stash of PCs. Edit: Steph wanted to get him into the newer generation of kpop and introduced him to P1Harmony. (Pretty Boy was basically written for him).

Jason: Xdinary Heroes, IU — I can’t see Jason as a kpop stan, but if I’d have to choose a group then it’ll be Xdinary Heroes. They’ve got the punk down which I think he’d like. Steph definitely got him into them, he didn’t search on his own. He listens to their music but doesn’t go collecting their albums for the inclusions. HOWEVER, this led to Jason looking for someone more to his tastes…IU— Jason found IU and loves her music, her soft voice and meaningful lyrics really touch his heart and being the emotional boy that he is, he’s now obsessed.

Tim: TXT, Enhypen, Zerobaseone, Itzy — TXT because they’re funny and silly and Tim just gives off txt vibes I can’t explain. Enhypen because he’s like their darker concepts. Zb1 because there’s no way they’re straight T_T. /hj Their music is so good and catchy, he’d really like it,..and their outfits are always top tier. Itzy because they’re big on empowerment and self love whilst also ranging to edgier and mature themes and styles all of which Tim would love. he could use some self love motivation.

Steph: Nct is her ult, then Seventeen, TXT, Enhypen, Nmixx, New Jeans, (G)I-dle — She is a MASSIVE kpop girlie. I could go on. She likes a lot of groups but she doesn’t just put on random songs, she knows who she likes and why, and she appreciates each member. She geeks (and screams) over PCs and unboxes albums with Dick, Duke, Cass and Tim. Steph’s stack of PCs are taller than her arm. She’s a quick learner and can learn the dance choreo to a song quickly, often doing it with Cass or one of the other batfamily members and putting on her social media. It ALWAYS gets reposted by the artist.

Cass: Nct Dream, Stray Kids, Red Velvet, Big Ocean— Steph introduced her to these groups hoping she’d like them and so far she does. Nct dream warms her heart and they’re very cool. Stray kids remind her that she’s not alone + amazing concepts. And Red velvet have lovely visuals. Big Ocean, Steph introduced to her when she was new to the manor and starting to communicate in sign language. She was drawn to Big Ocean’s music and felt a deep connection with the way they communicated their music through sign language. All of the groups dancing mesmerizes her, and she studies them closely.

Duke: &Team, BigBang, Lesserafim— &Team are cinnamon rolls just like Duke and they’re chaotic just like him too (Steph should introduce him to Seventeen for ultimate chaos). BigBang/ G-Dragon because his fashion sense is crazy and Duke is a fashion icon in my head so I think he’d get into BigBang’s music through G-dragons fashion. Lesserafim because they’re badass and I think Duke would like their music and they’re cutiepies.

Damian: BTS, BigBang— Damian is a little old fashioned, he likes the old stuff. He likes having another thing to talk about with Dick. He doesn’t collect albums or PCs but the others bought him an old album and he was very happy about it

Babs: Got7, Riize — A litttle more emo than the other groups. Got7 because its older gen. Riize because they have darker concepts that she’d really like with very cool and unique styles, ranging from pop to ballads, with angst too.

Bruce: PSY— Bruce is olddd, all he knows is “oppa Gangnam” and says “Of course I know Korean popular music!!” after Steph asks if he likes Kpop.

Alfred: Steph’s taste in music because it’s so loud through her headphones, Alfred can hear it anyway.

[averyrosyyear]

Stop using Amazon!

I have been really frustrated lately with the blind spot people seem to have about Amazon, especially people who are "good liberals" and probably vote democratic and think they are on the right side of history, yet use Amazon without thinking very much about it at all. The degree to which we are pleased to exchange our values in action for what we perceive to be convenience is disappointing.

Amazon is so integrated into so much of the internet, Amazon Web Services notwithstanding. I am thinking about it again for two reasons. First, I had a long conversation with my sister about it this weekend, and we talking about convenience and the value of any type of action. We were talking about how much people order from Amazon, and how easy it is to throw something in your cart for two day shipping. She said, well what do you do? You still shop at Wal-Mart probably, or Target? And I said yes, sometimes I do. But sometimes I order from Swim Outlet instead of buying goggles on Amazon. I go to Dicks a lot more, which is a business that started locally. I order coffee from Deans Beans. It's a mild pain in the ass, but it is a very small amount of friction and I think that's okay. It's okay to not have things in your hand 3 hours after they pop into your head. I also sometimes just don't buy stuff. I think about the stuff and then I just don't buy it and that's okay too. Also, two day shipping doesn't exist for me anymore even when using Prime! It never came back in my area after covid, so half the time anything I would order on Amazon arrives in about the same time as anything else.

Amazon has a patina of convenience and ease. It purports to offer a frictionless shopping experience, but this isn't true. It has predatory and monopolistic business practices and the convenience it offers wanes by the day.

My sister also made the very good point that if lots of people absent mindedly put one or two items in their carts to order from Amazon and think it's no big deal, we should apply that same logic to acts of goodness or service. We often get paralyzed wondering how to do good things and help these days, but doing one good thing, or taking one action here and there adds up.

Secondly, there is a blogger I follow who makes a point to link books through bookshop dot org, which is a good website. She talks about supporting your local bookstore and she just posted today a massive list of her favorite amazon prime day purchases. I have like 4 disparate items that I wanted to buy before my trip next week, so I was looking to see if they were on Amazon so I could get them quickly. I forgot it's Prime Day or Week or whatever, and almost every item was like $15 cheaper if I just signed up for Prime at the same time. So many influencers post huge lists of their favorite Prime Day deals! These are people who would probably identify as democrats or even progressives and are just being fucking obtuse and not connecting the dots. Why is that? Why volunteer yourself to write up an unbidden multi-page ad for Amazon? I know the answer to that. They have affiliate programs and they profit from the links. They have an Amazon Storefront where they get money when their followers buy. Even charity orgs set up Amazon Wishlist where people can purchase things for others in need.

Amazon gets a pass when it absolutely should not. Their labor practices are abhorrent. They have begun their own shipping company but do not pay taxes to support the roads they place wear and tear upon. They do not offer health insurance, so they contribute to the general weakening of the US healthcare system. They do not offer fair wages, which results in stress on social services in the communities in which they operate. They are contributing significantly to excess waste in the environment. Prime Video is shit and Amazon music is fuckin stupid. Bezos was at the inauguration.

Why do they get a pass? Why do people who otherwise think they care about things like the environment, labor practices and local health care have this persistent blind spot when it comes to Amazon?

STOP USING AMAZON! Cancel PRIME!

You probably won't be perfect at it, I know I am not. I still order a few times a year. Sometimes I make the choice for convenience. But what the fuck! At least we can all agree to try!

[mossy-green-aka-ferrythem]

Hong Lu ID Attractiveness Rating (THIS IS NOT AN ORDERED LIST)

(By the way, I think every single Hong Lu's cock size is the same, in that they're all absolutely MASSIVE, at least a foot long. Some exceptions are made though.)

LCB Hong Lu: The gold standard. Shining example. Our beloved Jia Baoyu. Always love to see him get down with it. Always want to see him get down with it. He's amazing.

Kurokumo Clan Hong Lu: Fucking amazing. Clearly lacks conviction to do the entire syndicate bad stuff. It's okay babe. You can rest with me anytime~ I'm sure I can convince Kurokumo Captain Ishmael to take the edge off, maybe even bring Kurokumo Heathcliff in and make it a threesome. Amazing ID in terms of attractiveness. Love it. Can just imagine his clothes coming off so easily...

Liu Hong Lu: Very good. Okay on a more serious note his ID really does show the kind of emotional maelstrom he has brewing inside in his ID story :(

Either way. He's beautiful, and I'm sure that beauty can easily be stripped, laid bare, for all to see. Also a lot of amazing pairings for Liu Hong Lu, you got Yi Sang, Faust, Ishmael and Rodion... Ryoshu and Gregor as well. Ryoshu is really hot in that tanktop of her's... mmmmm~

Anyways onto... oh.

W Corp Cleanup Agent Hong Lu: No. Just no. Warp Corp is off limits. Sure there's probably downtime after hours but I'm not letting someone explore someone's insides (sexually) who so frequently explores other people's insides (non-sexually). Not fucking a butcher. Besides, light's completely left this one's eyes. Different cock ranking for him as well. He gets.... erectile dysfunction 💔.

Hook Hong Lu: He's kind of. Well on one hand he has that Baoyu beauty but at the same time he's just like. Too murderous. Too little reason as well. Rebel without a cause really. This one's too lost in this world. Dunno if I'm that into him. He's plenty beautiful, but his outlook on life is sort of a dealbreaker for me, I can't lie.

Fanghunt Hong Lu. No. Fucking. No. I am not gonna fuck a racist. I am not gonna vouch for a racist to fuck. I don't even think a racist should even be ALLOWED to fuck. Shoot this Hong Lu on sight. He's lost his way. Kill both him and Jia Huan, put them out of their misery 💔.

Anyways. Moving on from. That. Hehe. Don't mind that entire things right there ^_^

Tingtang Gang Hong Lu: Somewhat half and half on him, but at the end of the day... Oh FUCK YES. HE'S SO HOT. Also. Those arms. People forget Hong Lu is toned. Some people see him as a twink. Those people are wrong. Also his attitude leave a bit to be desired, but I'm sure he still has potential to change his ways here. Either way it's pretty hot. Also. His little dialogue about wanting to gamble against Rodion. That made me think. If he was gonna go up against Rodion he'd get his shit clapped. His legs will be trembling as he tries to walk it off. She would drain him of every last drop... erm, of his confidence of course! Yes, that! Eheh~

K. Corp Hong Lu: Beautiful princess locked away in a tube. He can probably get it but also reading his story... makes me sad. Does he really feel that refreshed by that tube? So happy to have a mind bereft of thoughts and desires? Either way, what really brings him joy actually, upon finishing reading that, is experiencing new things. Lovely general sentiment, but here, his new experiences are mostly fighting and killing people... 💔

Anyways time to sexualize him. I bet K. Corp's serum could make him more virile than normal. Length is practically unchanged, he's pretty much always consistently packing down there, but he can stay hard for way longer and cum more frequently. No more can he shoot out one or two volleys of cannon-quality cum shots, I'm sure he could do a little bit more. Continuous effort adding up to the kind of excessive cum you'd see in gay furry porn. Good stuff.

Dieci Hong Lu: FUCK. YES. Potentially my favorite. He's so hot. I would teach him so much about sex. I would get Rodion out of that stagnating stupor to join me. Tag team. Still dripping wet after his time with me and seeing him just start to go down on Rodion. IDGAF I NEED TO SEE HIM FUCK!!!!!!! SPEAKING OF WHICH, god damn this ID would look so perfect to me doing both. Dieci Hong Lu probably has a fat ass. Fatter than usual. Hong Lu probably normally has a fat ass, but Dieci is probably next level. Also. For his level of being clothed. I think he'd look best fully clothed while sucking dick. I mean come on. Look at him. Got a perfect dick-sucking get-up with how he looks here, arguably more so than usual. For everything else though, I'd like to see him completely nude. Maybe he could keep that golden cloth thing he has draped over his shoulders, but. Nude. Wanna see him doing all sorts of things. Meursault pounding his ass. Him fucking Rodion is so many wonderful ways. Him and Yi Sang locking fingers and making out. I will show him a world of wonders. I need him so bad. He needs to fuck. Like wild. Please. 😭😘😍🥰🤤🤤🤪🥺

ANYWAYS

Yurodivy Hong Lu: Absolutely love his attitude here, shows how astute our beloved Jia Baoyu is when push comes to shove. However. That outfit...

Dude he's got that Hoyoverse shit on 😭😭😭

He's got the british twink get up 😭😭😭

He's not even a twink like he said but he dresses like a lame twink here 😭😭😭

PLEASE JUST STRIP HIM NAKED. NOT ONLY WOULD IT BE HOT BUT ALSO. THAT OUTFIT IS SO. NAH. LMFAO.

(to be honest it can look cool sometimes and Yuro HL is amazing in Gameplay. However. I strongly believe more-so that his outfit is not it here. He is NOT serving 😭😭😭)

Anyways, last one for now.

Full Stop Hong Lu: Most pleasing indeed. Not that into the hair normally, but I think it's a very nice haircut at the end of the day. Very practical. Fits his profession. This one is more cool than anything. Arguably the coolest Hong Lu. Looking at him more... I would be lying if I said he didn't make my heart a flutter. He should get behind me and fuck me. I normally don't give out that honor, because I don't like anal. Hong Lu though... he's earned it. Also. I think him, Heathcliff, and Sinclair should have a massive gay orgy. Normally not that much of a fujo, not that into BL sexually speaking, however. Think of it. The cocks. The cum. Yes please. You just know Sinclair is packing. Just around the same size as Hong Lu. Either a few centimeters shorter, or straight up equal. Sinclair and Hong Lu frotting, him laughing in delight as their two massive erect cocks make such intimate, intense contact... mmmmphgggg...~~~

Anyways, that's my list closed! Nice way to cap off Season 5 of Limbus!

I love Hong Lu so much holy fuck.

Hope he comes out of Canto 8 the best he can be though. However... I do know it will be painful for him. That makes me sad 💔💔💔

Anyways. Yeah. Hong Lu. Yay! Mmmmphhgggggg...

[angelicsjn]

May I please have some crumbs of general information on laten?? Pretty please 🤲🤲🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️

LATEN REED.

A N: Laten, my beloved Laten, how I have missed you...

A B O U T: General information about Laten Reed.

W A R N I N G S: None.

— general.

To start with the basics; the things that I've mentioned in other posts — Laten is a rugby player, he goes to university, he's very popular, but he's a massive sweetheart!

Laten is kind and very giving. He loves those close to him, and he'd genuinely do anything to keep them safe — especially you, his mom, and his brother, Daniel.

Laten became the man of the house when his dad died, and honestly, it changed him as a person; he became avoidant towards emotional bonds, but he also grew obsessive with those he does care for.

He likes baked goods, actually, he's a massive foodie, so he'll eat anything and everything — he is a big boy with an even bigger appetite.

His style is the just basics, things that are comfortable, sort of sporty, and light. He likes brighter colours.

You'll often see him wearing bright pink socks, or even worse, pink undies with random cartoon patterns on. Is it sexy? Hell no, but it's Laten and it's just funny.

He's got a very quirky personality. He laughs at everything, he's very imaginative, and comes up with stupid scenarios.

He also laughs in his sleep, so be aware of that.

He cries over videos of cats and dogs...

Laten is more emotionally smart than academically, but generally, he's better with his hands. He's a very hands-on and active person.

Beach days are his favourite. He loves the beach, to swim in the ocean, to play in the sand, and to soak up the sun.

He also tans very well. His skin is already sun-kissed, anyway. He just drinks in the sun, you'll have to apply sunscreen because this man will forget.

He may come across as childish at times, but his heart is made of gold and he'd do anything for those he loves.

— relationship.

In his notes app, there is a list of everything you tell him. From the names of your parents and family to your favourite colour and food.

He will also surprise you with your favourite snacks on a daily basis.

Laten is really good with families, so they'll love him. He's very polite and kind, and honestly, he is the type you'd take back to your father. He's got the approval.

He dreams of moving out with you, having pets, and a happy little home.

Go to his games, watch him with pride, and give him a big ol' kiss when he makes his way straight to you — seriously, he'd melt.

He likes to study with you, to help each other and solve stuff together. Maybe you can help him, his spelling is terrible, he needs all the help he can get...

Laten also likes it when you turn up to his practices. He likes to show off how far he's come with his training and so you can see the team and how much fun they have while training together — they're always up to something stupid.

Midnight drives, late night conversations, sunrise cuddles, and midday naps are things you both often indulge in.

He gives you a quick peck on the lips before leaving yours to practice and deepens his kisses in the lonely hallways of the university you both attend.

[death-at-20k-volts]

On the subject of AI...

Okay so, I have been seeing more and more stuff related to AI-generated art recently so I’m gonna make my stance clear:

I am strongly against generative AI. I do not condone its usage personally, professionally, or in any other context.

More serious take under the cut, I am passionate about this subject:

So, first thing’s first, I’ll get my qualifications out of the way: BSc (Hons) Computer Science with a specialty in Artificial Intelligence systems and Data Security and Governance. I wrote my thesis, and did multiple R&D-style papers, on the subject. On the lower end I also have (I think the equivalent is an associate’s?) qualifications in art and IT systems. I’m not normally the type to pull the ‘well actually 🤓☝️’ card but, I'm laying some groundwork here to establish that I am heavily involved in the fields this subject relates to, both academically and professionally.

So what is 'AI' in this context?

Nowadays when someone says ‘AI’, they’re most likely talking about Generative Artificial Intelligence – it’s a subtype of AI system that is used, primarily, to produce images, text, videos, and other media formats (thus, generative). 

By this point, we’ve all heard of the likes of ChatGPT, Midjourney, etc – you get the idea. These are generative AI systems used to create the above mentioned content types. 

Now, you might be inclined to think things such as:

‘Well, isn’t that a good thing? Creating stuff just got a whole lot easier!’ 

‘I struggle to draw [for xyz reason], so this is a really useful tool’

‘I’m not an artist, so it’s nice to be able to have something that makes things how I want them to look’

No, it’s not a good thing, and I’ll tell you exactly why.

-------------------------------------------------

What makes genAI so bad?

There’s a few reasons that slate AI as condemnable, and I’ll do my best to cover them here as concisely as I reasonably can. Some of these issues are, admittedly, hypothetical in nature – the fact of the matter is, this is a technology that has come to rise faster than people and legislature (law) can even keep up with. 

Stealing Is Bad, M’kay?

Now you’re probably thinking, hold on, where does theft come into this? So, allow me to explain.

Generative AI systems are able to output the things that they do because first and foremost, they’re ‘trained’: fed lots and lots of data, so that when it’s queried with specific parameters, the result is media generated to specification. Most people understand this bit – I mean, a lot of us have screwed around with ChatGPT once or twice. I won't lie and say I haven't, because I have. Mainly for research purposes, but still. (The above is a massive simplification of the matter, because I ain't here to teach you at a university level)

Now, give some thought to where exactly that training data comes from. 

Typically, this data is sourced from the web; droves of information are systematically scraped from just about every publicly available domain available on the internet, whether that be photographs someone took, art, music, writing…the list goes on. Now, I’ll underline the core of this issue nice and clearly so you get the point I’m making:

It’s not your work.

Nor does it belong to the people responsible for these systems; untold numbers of people have had their content - potentially personal content, copyrighted content - taken and used for data training. Think about it – one person having their stuff stolen and reused is bad, right? Now imagine you’ve got a whole bunch of someones who are having their stuff taken, likely without them even knowing about it, and well – that’s, obviously, very bad. Which sets up a great segue into the next point:

Potential Legislation Issues

For the sake of readability, I’ll try not to dive too deep into legalese here. In short – because of the inherent nature of genAI (that is, the taking-and-using of potentially private and licensed material), there may come a time where this poses a very real legal issue in terms of usage rights.

At the time of writing, legislation hasn’t caught up – there aren't any ratified laws that state how, and where, big AI systems such as ChatGPT can and cannot source training data. Many arguments could be made that the scope and nature of these systems practically divorces generated content from its source material, however many do not agree with this sentiment; in fact, there have been some instances of people seeking legal action due to perceived copyright infringement and material reuse without fair compensation.

It might not be in violation of laws on paper right now, but it certainly violates the spirit of these laws – laws that are designed to protect the works of creatives the world over. 

AI Is Trash, And It’s Getting Trashier

Woah woah woah, I thought this was a factual document, not an opinion piece!

Fair. I’d be a liar if I said it wasn’t partly rooted in opinion, but here’s the fact: genAI is, objectively, getting worse. I could get really technical with the why portion, but I’m not rewriting my thesis here, so I’ll put it as simply as possible:

AI gets trained on Internet Stuff. AI is dubiously correct at best because of how it aggregates data (that is, from everywhere, even the factually-incorrect places)

People use AI to make stuff. They take this stuff at face value, and they don’t sanity check it against actual trusted sources of information (or a dictionary. Or an anatomy textbook)

People put that stuff back on the internet, be it in the form of images, written statements, "artwork", etc

Loop back to step 1

In the field of Artificial Intelligence this is sometimes called a runaway feedback loop: it’s the mother of all feedback loops that results in aggregated information getting more and more horrifically incorrect, inaccurate, and poorly put-together over time. Everything from facts to grammar, to that poor anime character’s sixth and seventh fingers – nothing gets spared, because there comes a point where these systems are being trained on their own outputs.

I somewhat affectionately refer to this as ‘informational inbreeding’; it is becoming the pug of the digital landscape, buggled eyes and all.

Now I will note, runaway feedback loops are typically referencing algorithmic bias - but if I'm being honest, it's an apt descriptor for what's happening here too.

This trend will, inevitably, continue to get worse over time; the prevalence of AI generated media is so commonplace now that it’s unavoidable – that these systems are going to be eating their own tails until they break. 

-------------------------------------------------

But I can’t draw/write! What am I supposed to do?

The age-old struggle – myself and many others sympathize, we really do. Maybe you struggle to come up with ideas, or to put your thoughts to paper cohesively, or drawing and writing is just something you’ve never really taken the time to develop before, but you’re really eager to make a start for yourself.

Maybe, like many of us including myself, you have disabilities that limit your mobility, dexterity, cognition, etc. Not your fault, obviously – it can make stuff difficult! It really can! And it can be really demoralizing to feel as though you're limited or being held back by something you can't help.

Here’s the thing, though:

It’s not an excuse, and it won’t make you a good artist.

The very artists you may or may not look up to got as good as they did by practicing. We all started somewhere, and being honest, that somewhere is something we’d cringe at if we had to look back at it for more than five minutes. I know I do. But in the context of a genAI-dominated internet nowadays, it's still something wonderfully human.

There are also many, many artists across history and time with all manner of disabilities, from chronic pain to paralysis, who still create. No two disabilities are the same, a fact I am well aware of, but there is ample proof that sheer human tenacity is a powerful tool in and of itself.

Or, put more bluntly and somewhat callously: you are not a unique case. You are not in some special category that justifies this particular brand of laziness, and your difficulties and struggles aren't license to take things that aren't yours.

The only way you’re going to create successfully? Is by actually creating things yourself. ‘Asking ChatGPT’ to spit out a writing piece for you is not writing, and you are not a writer for doing so. Using Midjourney or whatever to generate you a picture does not make you an artist. You are only doing yourself a disservice by relying on these tools.

I'll probably add more to this in time, thoughts are hard and I'm tired.

[anbaisai]

Finally had time to sit down and write, but honestly there’s not much to be said other than thank you to everyone who wrote a message on my tree! I really enjoyed reading every single message and screenshotting to save them into a folder for when I need a lil boost ww (including one from Mr. Viper himself above that got a laugh out of me, thanks Jamil really appreciate you thinking I’m cool)

Some sappiness under the cut:

I never expected to receive this much support for my silly yume/oc ship content when I began posting, and I really don’t have the words to express how grateful I am. I’ve met many wonderful people through this fandom, and also just had lots of fun in general making art. I mean it when I say I genuinely never had this much motivation and inspiration to create for any fandom (or original content) in the past. There was a long, long period in my life during which trying to find even a crumb of motivation to draw felt impossible. There was always some reason that I couldn’t - be it school/life being too busy, feeling too tired, having other stuff to do first, etc. I thought I’d never rediscover my love and passion for art, until I finally pushed myself to design my Yuu for real (instead of just thinking about it) and then everything just snowballed from there. (For context, I began playing TWST in 2020 and, despite being very much in love with it, only began drawing anything for it this year.)

I have such a massive list of ideas that I still want to draw (plus several asks that I want to answer that I just haven’t had the time to yet), so I’m certainly going to be kept busy for a while. After previously making every excuse possible for not drawing, I’ve learned that yeah, once you really love something you will squeeze time out for it no matter how hard things get, because it kills you not to. All those times when I wondered when I’d ever be able to draw as much as my favourite artists now feel like a distant relic of the past, and I have Twisted Wonderland (especially Jamil) and this community to thank for it. If anyone reading this is going through something similar, I promise it gets better - you will need to put in the effort to make it start, but you will get there.

There’s also my past experiences of being in fandoms that, well, did not welcome yume/self-shipping type content. If I so much as thought of creating any, the fear of being ridiculed would make me back away from the idea immediately. I’m glad to see that sentiment seems to be no longer the norm, but also the TWST fandom has been one of the most supportive of yume content I’ve ever seen. To everyone wanting to participate but has been hesitating, you absolutely should! My only regret is not starting sooner, seriously. In a sense I feel like I'm fulfilling a childhood dream of mine, and all of my past hesitation and anxiety just dissipated once... as cringe as it sounds - once love took over. So go pour your love and passion into that character you adore, they deserve it.

Anyways, wishing everyone a happy holidays and happy new year! Here’s to another year of enjoying TWST and creating for the things we love ❤

[microwavesaferat]

Batfam Headcanon Time!!!!

I'm bored, so I'm gonna list some of my headcanon about different Batfam members.

🚨 Disclaimer 🚨

Most of my shit is made from an evil concoction of DC canon in various shows, movies, and comics, along with some fanon for flavour.

Dick Grayson

Was trained to be a Talon but unknowingly. Still does shit that only a Talon should be able to do, but people chalk it up to the acrobatics.

Speaks several languages semi-fluently from life in the circus, is a bit out of practice though since that was a long time ago.

Given that the Joker exists, circuses are not common in Gotham (like I'm sorry, are you gonna go see a clown when there's a chance it's the Joker?) so everyone assumes that Dick misses the circus to some degree cause it's home. As such, they take him to a circus for his birthday one year and it's instead a massive trigger. This makes him really sad as his connection to his parents has been tainted.

Eventually overcomes the fear surrounding the circus, but, despite doing what he does every night, will not go anywhere near a trapeze.

Still says old Golden Age catchphrases out of habit like "Holy blank Batman!" The others poke fun at him for it.

Superman's favourite nephew. If you've seen some of those old comics where Dick, Bruce and Clark are just doing random activities, you'll know what I mean. Superman is like a jungle gym for him to climb.

Jason Todd

All his hair turned white/grey after the pit but he thought it made him look old so died it back to black. Started keeping parts white for the vibes. (This also explains why designs are inconsistent with the white streak, he is inconsistent when dyeing it)

Ages and timelines are inconsistent with DC, so while Jason was only dead for 6 months - 3 years depending on the source, he still missed 1988 - 2005. So he has no idea that the USSR is gone, that the Berlin wall fell. He also doesn't know who Bush is, or what the hell the "world wide web" is. Dick is very excited to introduce him to the concept of the Pokémon TV show.

The Bats realise he's missing a substantial part of history when they're going to Germany for something, and he asks if they're going to the East or the West.

Moves to a different safehouse every time a member of the family shows up at his current one. It's not that he's trying to be tough and mysterious, they just keep eating all his food.

Sneaks all the money he makes off of being a crime lord into the manor then asks Bruce to transfer him some money for stuff. Bruce thinks he's building bridges with his son, Jason is just laundering money through him.

Has mostly adjusted to the sound of laughter so it's no longer a trigger every time. Maybe occasionally if there's some particularly loud laughing or Joker Venom Victims, it'll fuck him up a bit. (Tim's laugh always sets him off though, there's just something about that giggle and the way the corners of his mouth twitch up almost uncontrollably)

Tim Drake

Not a big fan of the idea of him addicted to coffee, but I do think he would like caffeine in general. He strikes me as a fan of Monsters.

Also not a huge fan of the whole sleep deprived vibe. I do think he's got something wrong with his sleep schedule (I mean, he's really busy) but I think it's more an inconsistency than anything else.

Looks almost exactly like Cassandra. One day she cuts her hair the same length as his and it's genuinely confusing to people. They both get sick of being confused to decide to get an eyebrow piercing to help distinguish them. Issue is they both have the same idea and go get the exact same thing done, so now it's even worse.

Stephanie is concerned that, with Cass looking like Tim, she has a 'type'.

Tim will regularly get lifts home from Kon rather than ride home.

Bruce: Good job today Red, want a lift back to the cave or?

Tim: Na, got my own ride.... KONNNNN!!!!!!!

Kon, appearing for a split second to pick Tim up then fly him to the Manor: Hi B! Bye B!

Tim doesn't laugh much after the whole ordeal with Joker Jr. Every time he does, Bruce and Babs get a Look (TM) on their faces and Jason gets mildly triggered (he also has a chance of triggering himself). As such, he restrains himself to small giggles in the manor. With the Young Justice though, he is free to fully belly laugh without risk. His full laugh doesn't sound like He did, so it's safer.

From growing up a Drake, he has his own "Brucie Wayne" persona. Not quite as severe as Bruce, but still got a charming, if dumb, persona he can adopt at the drop of a hat. Uses it infront of everyone once and, while the majority are shocked, Bruce couldn't be more proud.

Also, his parents weren't neglectful and abusive, not the best parents, but not actively hateful. All around C+ or B parenting. They were out a lot, but never left him alone with no food and shit. Bruce is also a C+ parent, still emotionally stunted with a weird thing about killing.

Damian Wayne

Stopped calling himself the "Blood Son" after someone said that meant he was the only kid Bruce didn't choose.

No longer trying to kill Tim, but will put stuff like food dye in his drinks, or throw a pebble in to prove how easy it would be to poison him.

Will work on cases in the barn with the Batcow because he finds comfort in it and being close to someone/something without being vulnerable. Will claim it's because Batcow gives better advice than the others.

Legally, Talia has visitation rights and used this initially to flirt with Bruce. Damian has given up trying to get his Mother's appreciation and, at some point, switched from calling her Mother to calling her Talia. Eventually, begins calling her "Al-Ghul".

Claims he is not the youngest as Jason is technically like 3 since the Pit reset it.

Jon will stay the night and the conversation will go like this:

Damian: Father, Jon has provided insight into this case I am working on and I believe his presence will prove useful later into my investigation. I would like to complete this in a timely manner, so I am requesting that that Jon is permitted to remain here until dawn.

Bruce: ?

Jon: We're having a sleepover!!!!

Damian: It is more akin to a stakeout as we will be using security footage to track the movement of the Condiment King.

Jon: We're gonna stay up aaaaallllll night, and read scary stories, and watch movies, and paint our nails!

Damian: Also we wish to paint our nails.

I'll write more about the extended fam some other time as this has gotten long.

[musical-shit-show]

bad idea, right?

Pairing: Adam (Hazbin Hotel) x Sinner!Reader

Inspiration: Prompts #47 (“you’re so fucking hot when you’re mad.”) from Prompt List 1 and #34 (“hate is not the word. i loathe you.”) from Prompt List 3

Warnings: Spoilers for Season 1 of Hazbin Hotel, heavy cursing, homophobic language, Adam is just generally an asshole (duh), mentions of murder, depression (?), angst, digital stimulation, choking, general kinda rough smut (18+, minors DNI!!!)

Word Count: 1,657

Author’s Note: So ever since that Hazbin finale, I’ve loved the concept of Adam getting sent to Hell, mirroring how Sir Pentious was redeemed to Heaven. So, since it’s Hell, I figured this would make sense to have it be a little darker and more mature than my typical stuff. So yeah, minors DNI (for real, I don’t want to have to block anyone). If people like this, I might try my hand at other Hazbin characters if I feel so moved (or if anyone sends in a request). As always, check out my Masterlist, About Me page, and Prompt Lists if you do want to send in a request! Happy reading, you degenerates.

“Would you get your hands off me? I just stepped in the door, asshole.”

“Did anyone see you?”

The door slammed behind you, shaking the walls of the seedy motel room on the west side of Pentagram City. Needy hands were already roaming over your figure, and you groaned in frustration.

“No,” you hissed, shrugging away from Adam’s grasp, taking off your overcoat. It was raining heavily that night, so most of the denizens of Hell had confined themselves to the indoors for the evening. That is if they weren’t working the corner or trying to find their next fix.

“As if I want to be spotted here anyways,” you huffed, “I have a reputation to uphold too, ya know.”

“Reputation,” he repeated, his golden eyes glowering beneath the horned mask that he still insisted on wearing. He chuckled darkly, “If I was seen cavorting around with a fucking sinner, there would be zero chance of me getting back to where I rightfully belong.”

Adam couldn’t fathom how this happened to him. He was then first man, the first human, and wielded unimaginable angelic power beyond comprehension.

But he was taken out by a two-foot tall, one-eyed maid with a penchant for stabbing. It almost would’ve been badass if it didn’t result in his untimely demise.

Next thing he knew, he woke up hours later, his angelic form altered into a tacky red and black cloak and broken wings. He still maintained his gold pupils, a haunting reminder of his previous afterlife.

And now he was a fallen angel.

Fallen.

Fallen. All because of that clit-licker Charlie Morningstar and her merry band of misfits. Which, at the present moment, included you. You had decided to take up residence at the Hazbin Hotel, and it made his blood boil.

So why did he still feel so drawn to you?

“Newsflash, but you’re down here too, dickwad,” you spat, taking offense to his comment, “You fucked up big time going after Lucifer’s daughter, and you’ve got no one to blame but yourself.”

Before you could launch into a tirade, Adam grabbed you firmly, pulling you flush against him, “Ya know,” he purred, “You’re so fucking hot when you’re mad.”

“Pig.”

“Talking back will only make you pay for it later, dollface,” he growled, his dick twitching under his robe as he eyed you hungrily, “And if you didn’t like it, why do you keep coming back for more, hmm?”

You glared at him. The truth was, you didn’t know. He was the antithesis of everything you were trying to work toward; ever since the Princess of Hell had let you seek refuge in her hotel, you felt like you actually could be on the path to redemption.

That is, before you had a chance encounter with a fallen angel—and not just any fallen angel, but Earth’s first man—who also happened to be a massive shithead. You almost felt bad about lying to Charlie and the rest of the crew, but there was something about Adam that made it impossible for you to stay away.

You felt your insides twist as Adam spun you around so your ass was pressed against him, his form much larger and intimidating than your own. You let out a groan as his fingers weaved through your hair, giving it a slight tug as he pulled it back to expose your neck.

He nipped at the sensitive skin by your collarbone, while his other hand deftly palmed around the front of your skirt until it was hiked up to expose your panties. You should’ve been disgusted by the thought of him—and oftentimes, you were—but that didn’t stop your body from tingling with arousal.

He could sense it, the anger radiating off of you. It only turned him on more. These days, he only felt this kind of thrill when he was taunting you, teasing you until you came undone around him.

It was almost as good as when he would come down for his yearly visit, slaughtering sinners with his faithful lieutenant by his side.

Almost.

“Can’t hate me that much when you’re wet as fuck for me, huh hot stuff?” he said, his voice low in your ear. His grip tightened, the discomfort of his clawed fingers becoming almost unbearable.

“Hate is not the word,” you muttered, venom laced in your words, “I loathe you. I should do all of Hell a favor and kill you for good.”

You both knew your threats were empty. Having been an angel, Adam possessed more power than half the overlords of Hell. There was nothing special about you. If he wanted, he could snap you like a twig.

But despite his best efforts, Adam was incredibly lonely. Despondent, even. He didn’t know who he was without his legion of exterminators and Lute.

He had no plan to take over even a measly quadrant of Pentagram City, because he was struggling with the point of it all. Most overlords were now armed to the teeth with angelic weapons, which meant one more stab to the back and he was done for good.

Maybe an end to this misery would be good, but he so desperately wanted to claw his way back to Heaven that it wasn’t a risk he was currently willing to take.

He felt like a pathetic coward. But at least he had you to torment. At least when he was with you, he could stifle the cacophony of melancholia in his head. For a little while, anyways.

“Ugh, I love it when you talk dirty,” he mused, unphased by your aggression as he removed your shirt, exposing your breasts. His fingers moved your clit as he stroked you through your underwear, making you flinch, “Face it, toots. You might not be as fucked up as I am, but you have to admit this is adds just the right amount of spice to your miserable fucking existence.”

“If you’re gonna monologue all night about me being demon scum, I can go,” you shot back, glancing back at him with an annoyed look splashed across your face. “Besides, I told you last time, I’m not fucking you if you keep that stupid mask on.”

The digital façade he wore fell into a scowl, but Adam caved almost immediately and tossed the mask aside, revealing his tousled brown hair and piercing eyes. A five o’clock shadow adorned his face, and you’d almost consider him handsome if you knew nothing about his personality.

He pushed you onto the bed, his fingers threading to grip your hair again, making your back arch. Your comfort was the last thing on Adam’s mind. A part of him actually liked that you fought back against him; being challenged made fucking you even more interesting. 

You could feel how hard he was against your ass, and the pit in your stomach started to tense as you felt his cock rub against your folds, your panties now hanging pathetically from your ankles after he ripped them away from your waist.

Satan forbid he actually take off that stupid outfit of his; he had no problem disrobing you, but you didn’t have time to protest. With a sudden thrust, he sheathed himself into you, making you moan involuntarily.

You could almost hear the smirk coming from behind you as Adam began to pound into you almost immediately, his pace steady and rough. “You’re gonna take it like a good little slut, aren’t you?” he mocked, not letting on how perfect you felt around him, “You know there isn’t demon dick in all of Hell that’s as good as the original.”

How this guy got into Heaven in the first place, you’d never know. “Wouldn’t be too sure of that,” you needled as he pulled you to him again, his strokes getting deeper and making your abdomen tighten, “I’ve heard Lucifer is amazing in bed.”

You knew this would set him off; any time you invoked Lucifer’s name, you knew you were playing with fire.

Adam growled in your ear, his temper flaring. His rhythm quickened, becoming more frantic and desperate. You felt your eyes starting to water as he slammed into you, causing your pussy to throb around him.

Before you could utter another insult, you felt his hand finally loosen its grip on your hair and rest on your throat, squeezing the sides of your neck as he continued fucking you from behind.

He wasn’t going to forget that comment, but he could bitch about Lucifer later; he had more pressing matters at hand.

“Doesn’t matter, babe,” he said, his breathing starting to get ragged as he inched closer to coming inside you, “Your cunt is mine.” Adam might’ve been a sadistic asshole, but he was no idiot; he knew you were just as wretched and alone as he was.

You had to be if you were willingly sneaking around with God’s former favorite on a regular basis.

Which suited him just fine. If he was really damned, he might as well fill his time filling someone else.

His grasp tightened around your throat, and you felt your climax building inside you as he rutted against you at a now punishing speed. “Fuck you,” you squeaked out, trying to sound intimidating, but it was hopeless.

You unraveled around him a few moments later, spasming as you gasped for air, the constriction around your throat deliciously agonizing. Adam spilled into you soon after, a low hum of pleasure emitting from him. Him coming inside you was the most intimate he’d get as far your hookups were concerned.

Feeling equal parts disgusted and satisfied, you pulled your underwear back on, resting on your elbows and finally able to look him into the eye again. Even in the lusty post-sex haze, you could feel the sadness in his stare.

“So,” he drawled, leaning down to close the gap between you, “Same time next week?”

~~~~~

thanks for reading, depraved sinner! as always, please like/comment/reblog if you enjoyed! <3

[ratlesshonret]

RatlessHonret's (Totally Biased) Ranking of RPG-Maker Horror* Games

*Some games, namely Yume Nikki/2kki and OFF, may be argued to not be "horror" games. However, I included them because, even if they do not fit the genre of RPG-Maker Horror, they are both adjacent to and incredibly influential upon the genre

This is gonna be a long post. But I love RPG-Maker Horror. I've loved it for a long time. So I decided, why not take every one I've played, and put them in one big tier list of Twenty-Three Games.

Below the cut, I'm going to explain my rankings of each game. So if you disagree with me, then uh. At least read that first, and then mald in the comments about OFF only being C or some random shit nobody has ever heard of making it into A.

(Also, every game will have a link to download/buy in this post, in case one interests you)

Pocket Mirror / Pocket Mirror ~ GoldenerTraum 10/10 Creator: Astral Shift Original Release: July 22, 2016 (Free!) GoldenerTraum Release: February 6, 2023 ($20 USD)

Originally released in 2016, I was just the right age for this game to leave a massive impression on my psyche. This game has shaped who I am as a person in ways that I'm still just coming to understand (like possible plurality?)

A young girl wakes up in a room with no memory of who she is or what she must do. With nothing but a Pocket Mirror in her possession, and a voice telling her to keep her memories close to her heart, she must navigate a frightening world full of the unknown and the untrustworthy.

The music? Amazing. The graphics? For the time, amazing, and only improved in the remaster. The story? Top tier for a game of its kind. Characters? Super memorable. The scares are not that great, but honestly you don't play any of the games on this list for the horror.

I love every single thing about this game. It changed who I am as a person for the better, and has become the lens through which I view most things in my life. I frequently refer to it as my favorite game of all time, because it is.

This game is also the axis upon which every other game on this list is judged. If a game is a 5/10, it does not mean its a 5/10 game necessarily, just that it is when I compare it to Pocket Mirror.

So please, play Pocket Mirror. I beg of you.

.flow 10/10 Creator: lolrust Original Release: February 15, 2009 (Free!)

The single best Yume Nikki Fangame (ynfg) ever released, in my humble opinion. A combination of small worlds, a hostile feeling environment, and a general eerie ambience make this game an unsettling one to walk around in.

The game follows the traditional Yume Nikki formula. Go to computer, enter dream world, walk around, see random shit, gather effects, get endings.

The smallness is what I enjoy about this game. Some other ynfgs (and even the original) tend to have massive worlds, and a lot of them at that. It isn't as though navigation in .flow isn't confusing, but its not as much of a chore as a game that makes you run for two hours to get anywhere.

The story is also not clear. Up to interpretation. Kind of like the original Yume Nikki before they made a bunch of stuff trying to add a story to it and canonize fan theories, or whatever is happening with that game. lolrust has been very cagey about a lot of aspects of the "plot" to the game, and aside from occasional talks of a potential sequel, the game has been dormant for about six years now, with its last update in 2019.

If any developer mastered the Yume Nikki formula and made it into something I actively enjoy playing, its lolrust. I have to give massive props to them for making such a great game. (Also, I gotta support fellow enbies in gamedev when I can)

Lily's Well 10/10 Creator: PureIceBlue Original Release: January 4, 2022 ($10 USD)

A delightful little body-horror focused mindfuck of a game. In fact, if you like body horror, this may be the best game on this list. And there's lots of bonus content beyond the game as well, such as the Lily's Birthday video, for those who really wanna delve deep into the lore.

A young girl is home alone, and hears a voice coming from her well outside. She must gather materials for a rope, to descend deep into the well. But what is truly at the bottom?

This game's story is told brilliantly, and the twist really is a horrifying one to think about for too long. I don't wanna say too much, so I'll just recommend you to play it for yourself. Its only like, 3-4 hours long at most.

I Cannot Drown 9/10 Creator: PureIceBlue Original Release: June 30, 2019 (Free!)

A sort of prequel to Lily's Well, I Cannot Drown is a game about trying to be returned to the mortal realm. Another body horror adventure, this game focuses a lot more on the eerie ambience typical of the ynfg genre.

Honestly, there isn't much to say. Its a ynfg, there's body horror, you know the deal. Though I must say, it is probably the only ynfg to genuinely creep me out. So pick it up, its free, and play for a few hours. It isn't that long.

Ib 8/10 Creator: kouri Original Release: February 27, 2012 (Free!) Remake Release: April 11, 2022 ($13 USD)

You know this game. I don't even need to explain it, honestly.

What is there to say about Ib? It's Ib. Better puzzles than usual for an RPG Maker Horror experience (though not quite top tier imo), an interesting story, INCREDIBLY charming characters, and its just. Fun to play, I find.

I get why this game is a classic I have dissed on it too hard over the years, I've come to learn.

Cat in the Box 8/10 Creator: Gustav Original Release: May 1, 2020 ($7 USD)

This is probably one of the most confusing games on the list in terms of placement for many. This small game, which many have never heard of, getting this high of a placement on the list?

You are a content creator for an unspecified video sharing platform, looking to hit it big. So, you decide to head to a haunted house, said to be home to a cult that mysteriously disappeared. In your chase of the content, you become trapped inside, and must find your way out.

In a nutshell, this game is a twist on the typical "girl gets stuck in big house with scary killer" genre of RPG Maker Horror. However, the twists, turns, and visuals within this game make it an interesting take on the formula. The art that is original is good, which more than makes up for the default assets that make up the majority of the game (which imo, isn't much of a negative in the first place.)

Give it a look if you have some free time. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Project Kat - Paper Lily Prologue 8/10 Creator: Leef 6010 Original Release: October 15, 2021 (Free!)

Another smaller game, with less of a fanbase. I want to be clear that I haven't found the time to play the game to which this is a prologue, of which the first chapter came out... semi-recently.

An occultism-obsessed girl sneaks into her school at night, looking to perform a ritual to test its validity. As a skeptic, she doubts it'll work, but tries it out regardless.

I love the writing in this game. The characters are strong, there's some cute moments, and it gets appropriately fearsome if you follow the intended path to the "true" ending.

Though honestly, this is one of those games where the true ending is so depressing I almost want some of the happier alternate endings to be canon instead. Either way, its a fun way to kill some hours, and a good take on a classic formula. You can't go wrong with that.

Little Goody Two Shoes 8/10 Creator: Astral Shift Original Release: October 31, 2023 ($20 USD)

Going to be up front: This game was saved from a 7 rating by it being Pocket Mirror's prequel.

Elise is a girl tired of living in her boring old town with her annoying neighbors. So she does what any reasonable person would do: partakes in a deal with a demon. What will happen next? Find out for yourself.

This game for sure has its issues, but I love it. The art is phenomenal, and the story is great. My main issues come from how much dialogue you need to skip through on replaying for endings and some of the puzzles being a bit obtuse and annoying.

Overall, I do love this game. I may have overhyped myself for it, causing a touch of disappointment when it wasn't literally a perfect game, but I think anyone playing it will heavily enjoy their time with the game if they're inclined to liking these sorts of games (which, if you're reading this post, you probably do)

Sorry, We're Open + No Delivery 7/10 Creator: Oates Original Release (SWO): February 17, 2023 ($8 USD) Original Release (ND): September 26, 2019 ($5 USD)

The first "VCRPGs" by Oates on this list, these two games are being ranked as a pair due to their similarities with each other and my identical overall ranking of the two. I'd say Sorry, We're Open is a bit stronger overall, but not enough to bump it up a point for me.

No Delivery follows a pizza restaurant in the 80's, with a mysterious past and odd rumors floating around. As a roguelike, your job is to delve deeper into the pizzeria, gaining more knowledge with each new employee you control.

Sorry, We're Open is a very similar premise, although following a retail store instead.

These two games sort of blend together in my mind, but I think you'll know if you like them just on sight. The aesthetics are good, the writing is good, and overall I really enjoy these games for what they are.

The Boogie Man 6/10 Creator: Uri Games Original Release: Feb 13, 2018 ($3 USD)

The third game in the "Strange Men" series, you follow a detective sent on vacation to an old castle by your boss. As you're there, your strained relationship with your wife comes to a head, your past comes to haunt you, and some fucking guy is also trying to kill people or whatever.

This is much closer to "classic" RPG Maker Horrors than some of the previous entries on this list. Many endings, obscure requirements, and frequent tropes that aren't as common now as they used to be.

Overall, this game is my favorite in the series. Its very rough around the edges, but has enough intrigue to it that I don't mind it so much after getting used to it.

Ann 6/10 Creator: Rong Rong Original Release: August 26, 2021 (Free!)

This game, while short, has a lot of charm to it. The art is great, and the story, while maybe a weak point of the game, does have its moments for sure.

An art student named Ann is locked in her school after hours, and strange events begin to occur. As she's helped by the security guard, she must uncover the history behind the school and attempt to escape with her life.

Overall, this game's main strength is just the charm it carries. Its very earnest in a way I love. And as mentioned earlier, the art really carries it. If you're just looking for a free, low-energy way to pass a night, this game is perfectly good. Who knows, you may end up liking it even more than I do.

Turtle Head / Turtle Head Unmasked 6/10 Creator: Pikasprey Original Release: May 3, 2016 (Free!) Unmasked Release: May 9, 2021 (Free!)

What happens when a YouTuber known for making RPG Horror content decides to create his own RPG Horror game? The answer is a veritable love-letter to the genre, with enough of a following to create a fanmade (and officially endorsed) remake five years later.

You and your friends sneak into school after hours to look into rumors about whether or not it is haunted. Along the way, you encounter spooks, scares, and the titular Turtle Head.

This game is practically the definition of traditional. As I mentioned, it is basically a love letter to the classics of the late-2000's to early-2010's. And while many of its ideas are old, they're executed rather well, and the game has no lack of charm to back those ideas up.

If you want to play a nice homage to games of eras past, both the original release and the remake are free to play whenever you want, and only take an estimated 2 or so hours to clear. I think the short length is actually the only thing holding it back from being even higher on this list for me.

(Also, this ranking is totally biased by my being a Pikasprey fan, and him having been what got me into this genre in the first place all those years ago)

Nobody's Home 6/10 Creator: Oates Original Release: March 25, 2020

Another "VCRPG" by Oates, this game is much shorter than the ones higher up this list. However, it carries the exact same style as the games before, albeit with slightly different gameplay.

After a rager of a party, you wake up in a house, and must wander around to figure out why... Nobody's Home.

I think the short length of this game compared to the other two is the only reason I placed it so low compared to them. If this game were much longer, I'd place it higher. But if you want a bite-sized Oates experience to introduce yourself to these "VCRPGs," then this is the place to look.

OFF 5/10 Creator: Mortis Ghost Original Release: May 14, 2008 (Free!) Remake Release: 2025 (Not Yet Released)

This ranking may be divisive. I don't think I even need to explain what OFF is, since you've probably heard of it if you're reading this.

I don't dislike OFF. I simply don't find much enjoyment in it, either. That's why I give it a perfect 5/10. Middle of the road for the genre, to me. I also have no nostalgia for this game, having only first experienced it like... last year?

I get why people love it, and if you haven't tried it you totally should, but its just not for me.

Coffin of Ashes 5/10 Creator: Ladomu Original Release: December 8, 2016 ($7 USD)

Another one very few have probably heard of.

Tell me if you've heard this one before: A girl gets caught in the rain, takes shelter in a mansion, and has spooky stuff happen.

The art of the game is really good, which makes up for all the default assets used. The plot is also pretty good, which is this game's saving grace to becoming memorable for me.

...Until the end. Honestly, the game really drops the ball with the plot in the last, like, five minutes. Which is the only reason this game isn't a 6 or maybe even a 7.

Overall, this is a good one to check out if you've played through a bunch of other games like this and are looking for something new to play. One of those "make fun of it but because you kind of like it" kind of games.

The Witch's House / The Witch's House MV 4/10 Creator: Fummy Original Release: October 3, 2012 (Free!) MV Release: October 31, 2018 ($15 USD)

The classic of classics, this game exploded when it released, and really served as an inspiration for the entire genre.

Which means it, to me, suffers the problem of "everything in the genre was inspired by it, so by the time i first experienced it, it felt super basic and bland"

I get why it is important! And why people still like it! I just, like some others on this list, have no nostalgia for it and wasn't gripped by the plot or characters or art. Or really anything about it. Maybe if I had seen it earlier, or it had been my first RPG Maker Horror, like it was for so many others, I would like it more.

As it stands, this game is a classic, for better and for worse.

The Sand Man + The Crooked Man 4/10 Creator: Uri Games Original Release (SM): February 28, 2014 ($3 USD) Original Release (CM): April 1, 2013 ($3 USD)

The first two games in the Strange Men series, The Crooked Man and The Sand Man are basically one long game in my mind. So I ranked them together.

These are also classics among classics, albeit maybe not to the level of OFF or Witch's House. Overall these games are fine, but suffer for their age.

Both games are obviously dated, using tropes and design elements characteristic of early-2010's RPG Maker Horror games. But they're good overall, with decent enough plots and art. I'd say give them a try if you have a spare afternoon or two to play through them. (There are also ways to get the original versions of these games for free, but from what I can tell the Steam versions are identical. You can search out those other versions if you don't wanna blow six bucks on them)

Yume Nikki 3/10 Creator: kikiyama Original Release: June 26, 2004

This may end up being the most controversial placing on this list. A THREE? FOR YUME NIKKI? JUST WHO ARE YOU???

I don't like this game. I'm sorry but I don't. And I won't go on a long diatribe about how its actually bad or anything, because that'd be boring, but I just don't.

I think this game suffers from what came after. Every subsequent attempt to make some "official" Yume Nikki thing that came after was terrible. And in my mind it made the original less and less interesting over time. It also just suffers from oversaturation to me.

Finally, there's just SO MANY ynfgs out there that are better. There's not much reason to play the original, in my mind.

So, let me give you a list of Games I'd Rather Play: .flow answered prayers deep dreams muma|rope amillusion dream genie mikan muzou

Ao Oni 2/10 Creator: noprops Original Release*: October 2008 (Free!) Remake Release: July 25, 2024 ($10 USD) *no link is given for the reason of too many versions of the game to choose which one i want to link as the "definitive" one

If you read my sections on OFF, Witch's House, Ib, and Yume Nikki, then you'd know why I don't like this game. Its kind of a combination of all of the above, to be honest.

No nostalgia, not gripped by the art or plot, and kind of milked to death after release, as well as being oversaturated in the culture of those who play these games.

Truly suffering from success, I'd say. Though to be honest, this game really feels like a relic of its time to me. Something better left in the past.

But maybe to some, its more of a treasure of a bygone era.

Mad Father 2/10 Creator: Sen Original Release: December 10, 2012 (Free!) Remake Release: September 23, 2016 ($10 USD)

Where to start? A plot that I remember as "confused," a remake that was plagued with bugs on release, and a cultural impact that I'd best describe as "overrated," Mad Father is obviously, by its ranking, a game I have never enjoyed.

You've heard me say this all a lot, but: No nostalgia, not gripped by the plot, and not caring for the fandom. Truly a triple-threat.

I don't want to keep talking shit about Mad Father, because I know fans of it are probably reading this, but it is one of three games on this list I genuinely do not like.

And the third game is...

Yume 2kki 1/10 Creator: Various Original Release: May 26, 2007

If "Quantity over Quality" was a video game.

[searchforahero]

Hi I finished up my Secret Six reading list on my website and uploaded it. It's currently just using my basic text page CSS but I plan to expand it into an entire shrine-style page soon. The list covers from Villains United to Secret Six vol 5. I am also working on spreadsheets for the Secret Six that I will link on my blog as well.

This page should be mobile compatible, but in case anyone prefers to see it directly on Tumblr, I've copied the list in text form under the cut. Some of the nuances of my formatting are however lost, sorry about that!

Pre-Villains United: 1950-2005

Villains United is generally a fairly beginner-friendly comic that doesn't expect you to have too much context leading into it so this section can be largely ignored if you want to jump right into the Secret Six stuff. The team featured in Villains United consists of Thomas Blake | Catman, Jade Nguyen | Cheshire, Floyd Lawton | Deadshot, Ghkeyy't | Parademon, Peter Merkel, Jr. | Rag Doll, and Scandal Savage. Luckily, Villains United is half of their first appearances, so there's not actually a lot you need to get caught up on. While characters like Deadshot and Cheshire have a longer history before Villains United, you don't really need to have a particularly deep grasp of either of them to enjoy Villains United.

-Green Arrow (2001) #16/17, #20 -Deadshot (2005) #1-5

Villains United

Villains United is a tie-in to the massive DC crossover event Infinite Crisis. Being a Crisis, Infinite Crisis is huge and 99% of it does not feature the Secret Six, so I will not be including it in this reading list. Events of Infinite Crisis are mentioned in Villains United, but if I included all of the Infinite Crisis tie-ins in this reading list, there would be more issues for that than there would be for the actual Six themselves. An Infinite Crisis issue list is available here on League of Comic Geeks.

Villains United

-Villains United #1-6 -Villains United: Infinite Crisis Special #1

Secret Six (2006)

There's nothing to read between Villains United and Secret Six (2006) as the Infinite Crisis special leads directly into the first Secret Six mini just a month later. The Secret Six (2006) team consists of Scandal Savage, Floyd Lawton | Deadshot, Thomas Blake | Catman, Peter Merkel, Jr | Rag Doll, Kay | Knockout, and Jervis Tetch | Mad Hatter. Out of the two new additions, Kay is the only one who will remain relevant to the Six after this series concludes. She was primarily a supporting character in Superboy (1994), but you do not need any of this background information to understand Secret Six (2006).

-Secret Six (2006) #1-6

Pre-Secret Six (2008): 2007-2008

Between the 2006 mini and the 2008 ongoing, the Secret Six are mainly featured in the Birds of Prey (1998) storyline "Whitewater", which was also written by Gail Simone and is essential reading for understanding the first arc of the 2008 series.

-Birds of Prey (1998) #104-109 -Detective Comics (1937) #837

Secret Six (2008)

This is where the meat of the Secret Six team lies. This team consists of Scandal Savage, Floyd Lawton | Deadshot, Peter Merkel, Jr | Rag Doll, Thomas Blake | Catman, Jeannette, Bane, Lori Zechlin | Black Alice, and Nanaue | King Shark.

-Secret Six (2008) #1-16 -Suicide Squad (1987) #67 -Secret Six (2008) #17-28 -Action Comics (1938) #895/896 -Secret Six (2008) #29/30 -Doom Patrol (2009) #19 -Secret Six (2008) #31-36

Secret Six (2014)

The Secret Six in The New52 was... weird. The only characters who returned to the main roster for this series are Catman and Black Alice. Rag Doll, Scandal, Knockout, and Jeannette appear scarcely, and the continuity seems to have reset, with the original Six members never having met each other. This series has an almost entirely new line-up, and seems to have been retconned out of existence after Rebirth. As it is no longer canon, this series is entirely optional, but it's still written by Simone and is an overall fun read. The line-up for this comic includes Lori Zechlin | Black Alice, Thomas Blake | Catman, Ralph Dibny | Big Shot (Elongated Man), Kani/Kevin | Porcelain, Mary Turner | Strix, and Shauna Belzer | Ventriloquist.

-Secret Six (2014) #1-14

Pre-Secret Six (2025)

There's a lot going on in Secret Six (2025), it introduces three new characters to the mix: Jon Kent | Superman, Jay Nakamura | Gossamer, and Nia Nal | Dreamer, and unlike with the previous Secret Six comics, their comic histories are vital to understanding the events of this mini series. Secret Six (2025) also brings back Lori Zechlin | Black Alice, Thomas Blake | Catman, and Floyd Lawton | Deadshot.

Full credit for this section of the reading list goes to @Chaa on League of Comic Geeks, their list was invaluable to me while reading up for Secret Six (2025) and the list below is essentially just a shorter version of the one they made. If you want a more comprehensive readthrough definitely check their list out (they also have other equally as helpful reading lists on their profile).

-Suicide Squad (2019) #1-5 -The Flash (2016) Annual #3 -Suicide Squad (2019) #6-11 -Superman: Son of Kal-El #1-5 -Superman: Son of Kal-El Annual #1 -Superman: Son of Kal-El #7/8 -Nightwing (2016) #89 -Superman: Son of Kal-El #9-18 -Task Force Z #2-5, #11/12 -Suicide Squad: Dream Team #1-4 -Absolute Power: Ground Zero #1 -Absolute Power #1-3 -Absolute Power: Super Son #1 -Absolute Power #4

Secret Six (2025)

This takes us to the present day, at the time of writing the final issue of this series is about to be released and that's all we know about the future of this team for now. I hope you found this list useful and I will continue to update it as these characters (hopefully) continue to get new comics.

-Secret Six (2025) #1-6

Other Stuff That Didn't Fit Anywhere

This is Secret Six specific comics that didn't have any easy place for me to put it in the main list. None of these are required reading.

-Convergence: Wonder Woman #2, Story 2 "Divergence: Secret Six" -DC's Batman Smells, Robin Laid an Egg #1, Story 2 "Secret Santa"

[cr0ftisprocrastinating]

(apologies in advance for the sycophantic screed you are about to read)

I have just binged your fics and feel compelled to tell you that they made me laugh out loud, kick my feet in glee, and weep uncontrollably. I loved them all but Nowhere Else To Go is my favourite bc I’m an absolute glutton for punishment and the agony of angst was particularly delicious (and obviously the cause of my weeping).

Anyway, I mostly want to thank you because, one PhD candidate to another (I know you’re doing a DPhil but, yknow, tomato tomato), I want to thank you for providing me with a much-needed escape from all of the theory that is constantly threatening to completely colonise my brain. I’m such a snob when it comes to FF and romance, so it’s so refreshing to find fic that makes me FEEL something for once in my goddamn life while also having beautiful prose AND correct grammar.

Also, massive props for somehow finding time to write fic while studying?! I am incapable of pretty much anything but getting stoned at the end of every day so my hypothetical hat goes off to you. I can’t wait for whatever your brilliant brain cooks up next.

So that this isn’t just me gushing I suppose I should ask a question: what are some of your favourite romance novels? I am constantly chasing the feeling of reading Conversations With Friends for the first time (which I saw is also a fav of yours), so I trust that any rec of yours will be a good one.

Oooh my god what lovely words!!! Ackkk!! Thank you!!!!!! You are both extremely kind but also extremely generous in coming here to say this after enjoying them - so thank you very much :’)

Also: solidarity! I hate theory. I said at the beginning that my thesis was going to be ‘vibes based’ and now I’m near the end and it KEEPS SNEAKING IN (like…obviously) and it makes my brain melt so yeah. Ugh. I hope you are doing well and all your friends and family are telling you regularly how clever and brave you are for pursuing this. At this point compliments are my only coping mechanism 😭

Please also share your recs bc you sound like my kind of reader!!! My FAVOURITE things in a romance are: really good characterisation, yearning, men who do not know what to do with their feelings. Like, I need that man to be suffering and longing. With that in mind it will come as no surprise that I truly love Pride and Prejudice so, so much. There’s also a fic version! Universal Truths by @scullymurphy is a delight and does yearning very well. There is also a published fan fic esque novel about their marriage which I really enjoyed (this made me feel very sad at points so fyi if you want pure fluff: Mr Darcy Takes a Wife by Linda Berdoll) (this might not actually have been sad but it really put me in a melancholy yearning mood for some reason).

I was raised, perhaps slightly too young, on Philippa Gregory novels. The Other Boleyn Girl still has a special place in my heart. (There was also a really dirty one with a young girl who was a witch who was drugging the man she wanted to marry, sleeping with him and having threesomes with his wife?? Definitely lower on the romance list but in terms of smut…. The Wise Woman). (That one obvs was my actual favourite, lol).

For the classics Georgette Heyer is very good, but sometimes I want a quick read and one with smut, so for more contemporary, ‘fill the void and gobble them up in the evenings’: Scarlett Scott for regency, Annika Martin for billionaire romance, Ursa Dax for alien stuff, especially the Alien God series omg they’re so good, and then Kimberley Lemming for genuine fluff and jokes in a fantasy setting.

I actually really love alien romance as a sub genre and find it fascinating and could talk for hours about why, but it is high risk high reward, in that sometimes they are not good. But hey! Such is life.

Anyway v invested if you have any recommendations to share. I feel I am missing like a major major romance series that I adore but I can’t think of it at all, alas. Very much in the market for some good ones though, I’m currently reading Connie Willis’ novels and oh my good god. If you haven’t read To Say Nothing of the Dog you must, it is perfect and exquisite in every way!!

[thebaldursmouthgazette]

Hello! I deeply enjoy your write-ups. Would you like to talk about the criticisms you have of DA:I that are not applicable to DA:TV (i.e. the issues DA:I had that DA:TV fixed/avoided running into)? I'm genuinely curious to hear your opinion because I've also been thinking that DA:TV fixed what it could of DA:I issues but my list is probably incomplete.

So, would love to hear what you think? Thank you in advance!

In no particular order and of varying severity (and also probably not exhaustive):

- much better stakes and pacing.

- no endless filler that you have to complete to move on

- companions feel like people who have a life outside of you instead of employees who only ever really talk to the player character

- the villains felt like actual villains who were doing stuff and had a plan. They felt like evil gods. Corypheus was like. Barely even there.

- characters are mostly voiced by VAs that represent them. Eg Maevaris is voiced by a trans woman, not a man putting on a high voice. Nb characters are voiced by nb actors. Asian characters are voiced by Asian characters. Etc. In inquisition, krem was voiced by a woman putting on a voice.

- Felt like thedas. Inquisition did not feel like thedas to me. I felt like I was being told I was in thedas, but nothing felt right. We even went to locations we visited in origins, but no effort was put into making them feel the same. In veilguard, I felt like I was in thedas. A thedas 20 years out from origins, but still thedas.

- better lighting in character creator. And eyebrows that weren’t shit. And hair that wasn’t shit.

- we didn’t have to do a massive fetch quest to specialise our class. We could just do it

- no endless fetch quests in general. The world is ending, why is the inquisitor collecting elfroot

- much better balance of background vs character creation. I think this is as close to origin quests as we were ever gonna get again and it worked great. The inquisitor felt like no matter their background you’d just been dropped into a one size fits all story. The only real difference in backgrounds was how racist people were to you. You had a handful of letters and war table missions with people related to your background, but that’s it. In veilguard each faction had a different way of meeting varric and getting to where they were. You directly meet people from your characters background, and the events that led you to meet Varric come up. You talk about your background with others, repeatedly.

- all companions get involved on important missions. In inquisition there were big battles and most of your team just chilled at skyhold. In veilguard, everyone joins you on the big quests.

[draculings]

Heyyo, I'm making a mafia inspired fanfic (on something unrelated to Longshot) and my only reference to investigation is wikipedia. Do you recommend other sources to investigate how mafia works? Or how was the life like?

Hi there! If you're using wiki, my first recommendation would be to check out the sources that the wiki page you're using links to, and see where those take you - wiki gets a bad rep, but that's truly a solid place to begin! Encapsulating an entire time period can be pretty much impossible - I aim for authenticity more than anything, in understanding it enough to feel confident in my depiction. Questions to ask yourself are, where does this project take place, and what's relevant to the story/characters - narrow down your focus! For instance, my looking up information about late 1940s/early 1950s life in New Jersey, for Longshot, is very different than just 1950s America, or the 50s as a whole. As for mafia history... that gets its own kind of complex. I have a personal interest in and a decade's collecting worth of books about the mob's history in America. I'll include some recommendations below, but for the mob in the 1950s - I think one of the most important things to factor in, is that the early 1950s is when the US government formally recognized the mob as a national criminal issue, rather than an unrelated bunch of hooligans. In 1952, we had the Kefauver hearings, and in 1957, a massive scandal in the form of the Apalachin Meeting - basically a group of gangsters got busted and chased through the snow by cops in slapstick fashion. The mafia also assisted the US government in the war effort during WW2! Lots of stuff... You can find newsreels about much of it on Youtube! (It's worth considering, too, that nobody could actually be IN the mob unless they were Italian-American - anyone else was an affiliate/associate. So if your characters are just non-italian criminal guys, you have some degree more of freedom to play around, and maybe they're scared of, or in competition with, the local "real" mob...?) If your issue is "how does organized crime work???" (a common discussion I've had with friends while we all write various crime dramas), I have some podcasts and books to recommend, which I'll list below! Not all of it needs to be expressly 1950s - there's a lot of "if it ain't broke don't fix it" going on when it comes to "stuff that people have made money with illegally for most of time". Ultimately, everyone's research journey is going to be different, so explore and see what interests you and fits to what you're making! No one has a time machine, nothing will be 100% "accurate", but putting yourself in the shoes of someone living then (how does this character's life differ from mine? what do I take for granted that's a thoroughly modern thing?) is a great place to start. Links under the cut!

For general time period references: Vintage Dancer (for clothing) British Pathe, and generally finding things on Youtube, like newsreels & informational PSAs of the period. Internet Archive - you can find and borrow lots and lots of old magazines/books, as well as archival footage (and declassified FBI stuff!) Old Car Brochures (car culture was huge in the 50s, so) Mob history & "how does crime work" refs:* Criminal podcast: Into The Vault, Five Stars, The Mirage Crimetown podcast, season 1 The Mob & The City - the history of the mob in NYC and the reasons it was able to flourish there The Last Testament of Lucky Luciano - an absolutely deeply shady and biased firsthand(?) account of the one of the US mob's founders Havana Nocturne - a WILDLY sensationalist history of the mob's involvement in Cuba This is my own preference/Longshot vibes showing, but Mob Queens, I think the story about a mob wife running a gay bar in her husband's name for 20+ years is Very important, and women are always, always erased from these stories Also, The Case Against Lucky Luciano, one of the few writings to focus on the women/sex workers involved *pretty much all mob history is warped by the decades of secrecy/half-truths from the mob itself, by pop culture, and propaganda from the US government playing cops and robbers with them - so I think it can be very, very important to take all of the stories with a grain of salt, and get very practiced at reading between the lines. Some of my recommendations are for that purpose, to show what awful childish losers these guys often were. I also recommend watching The Sopranos and Takeshi Kitano's Sonatine for similar purposes. also because they rule.

[batsplat]

your top 5 fave motogp races? or alternatively what races you’d show to a newbie to get them into the sport or smth

one of those things where it's painful to pick five, but at least this ask gives me the chance to hedge my bets and pick five different races for each category (most of these races will be featured in the recs lists; 27, 4+93, 46)

laguna '08: works wonders to bring both that season and the rivalry alive. delightfully visceral and vicious, there's few duels that tell you quite so much about both participants. I have lap-by-lap notes for this race. I have points tables assessing how much of a turning point it was in the season. I have read the bit in casey's autobiography about this race about a million times. how their expectations going in influenced the dynamics of the race, how the slower man won the race, what valentino was attempting to do to casey, casey's response... I could quite literally talk about this race forever

phillip island '17: idk I don't think this is objectively 'better' than the other two infamous dogfights of that era (pi '15; assen '18), but sometimes you just notice which one has the most rewatch value for you... I really like races where risk/reward calculation is a big deal, where at least one of the riders is having to actively judge how much they're willing to do to win... with the hard style of racing in this one, those calculations feel particularly present. phillip island is in such a perfect calendar spot for generating maximum drama

misano '17: maybe the quirkiest pick. marc is too good and too successful for me to ever really have been 'stressed' watching him in his prime, but bloody hell did he run me close here. something so satisfying about being so adept in wet/mixed conditions... love the spite element of this race, love the risk/reward calculations, how marc just needs to go for it in the very final lap, his dogged determination... a race where he doesn't have a massive margin over the field but just wants it so so badly that he goes for it. he's making a statement, bouncing back from a low point in the season, super compelling stuff

mugello '04: just love races that are kinda a mess! lots of twists and turns... bunch of riders fighting it out, the sete duel, the rain interruption, bunch of riders fighting it out but now on a way more slippery track... I don't know, there's just something charming about a race that has a bit of everything! of course it's also part of my beloved 2004 season, from which I could have easily included five different races (and if you're ever looking for a full season to watch, 2004 2006 and 2017 are the holy trinity - mix of title fight drama and banger races)

okay listen I'm gonna cheat here because I wrote out the word 'catalunya' and then had a crisis staring at this post. '07 I need to include because it's my favourite casey win and it's how he establishes himself as an all-round threat and is so important in the overall context of the valentino rivalry, but '09 is like... right up there with laguna as season lynchpin races and also somehow jorge has been left out from these picks... I love big momentum-switchers I love races that have so much meaning in the context of a rivalry AND season. I also love how they're connected! that valentino did the same move on casey (just not on the final lap) and had basically already rehearsed his coup de grâce two years in advance, before visualising it the week before the race... casey joking about it in the catalunya '09 presser, jorge knowing he kinda should have seen it coming, casey kinda ragging on jorge for not having seen it coming... idk!! I like this little legacy they built there together

for newbies

phillip island '23: you need to include something a little more current to give new fans a reason to watch now... phillip island races are reliably great - this one introduces you to two of the major protagonists of the current game in a way that kind tells you a lot about both of them, gives you a demonstration of one of the best types of races (the multi-rider dogfight), and it also is the most brute force way imaginable of explaining how tyres work in motogp. pedagogically pleasing! it's the kind of race new viewers will be able to enjoy in the moment, but have a lot of questions about afterwards - the sweet spot

assen '15: easily makes my top five rewatched races too, but I put it under the newbie header because again... tells you a lot! it's very likely this hypothetical newbie will have at least have SOME knowledge of who the two protagonists are and know they've fallen out, though I suppose it'd be funny to go in completely blind. obviously a great duel and a very nice introduction to the two big names plus their respective riding styles... what you really want is some late drama and a controversial finish that you can immediately have a hot take about

donington '05: we need a full wet race, not just mixed but wet wet... this one's got one hell of an attrition rate but also proper tussling between the different riders, rather than everyone just riding out on their own. it really gives you a feeling for how these kinds of races work... lot of riders wobbling around, saving near-falls, trying to get a sense of how much they can risk, riding behind each other to have somebody else test out their conditions... plus, the valentino performance kinda slaps

austria '17: got to be a marc/dovi duel in here, and this one has the clear edge not as much for the race itself but a) the novelty at the time, and b) the significance in the title fight. in dovi you've got somebody who is emerging as a threat and is providing a new flavour of challenge.... there's also that fun tension between how marc logically very much should just be happy to be there as a result of what a ducati circuit it is and he's simply supposed to be limiting the points damage... but he also really, really wants to win... actually either this or motegi 2017, almost want to change my pick. one of those two!!

brno '03: sneaking in an old race as a gateway drug, and I think this one is quite 'accessible' to the uninitiated. I considered other ones like phillip island '01 (valentino's first premier class matchpoint race, classic dogfight) or welkom '04 (first yamaha race and one of the duels) - but I think you don't need much context to get absorbed in this one. the race commentary already gives you the most important information... valentino's struggles that season, the criticisms he was facing from the italian press, how badly he wanted to win, the haircut, all of it... and then you get to see the post-race prisoner's celebrations, a flavour of the proper classic camp dramatics

slightly silly number of honourable mentions, each of which I was extremely tempted to include: motegi '10, jerez 2005, misano '19, laguna '11, jerez '10, assen '04, catalunya '04 '05 '16, mugello '05 '06, sachsenring '06, assen '04, phillip island '04, le mans 2005, qatar 2005, suzuka '01, thailand '19, austria '19, qatar '18, silverstone '19, sachsenring '10, qatar '15, mugello '16, sepang '10, assen '07 (and ones I did already kinda mention above: phillip island '15, assen '18, phillip island '01, welkom '04, motegi '17)