#and sometimes i think about making it like.. a teaser/trailer for the comic when i release that but we'll see

[venterry]

love whenever i put my wallow playlist on shuffle and it throws in a random alt song from the early 2000s like oh hello H-Blockx. its been a while

[daily-crowley]

TELL ME ABT YOUR OTHER HYPERFIXATIONS!! Mine are currently Loki, ofmd, good omens, and Hozier :D

THANK YOU FOR ASKING, THIS IS GOING TO BE LONG!

There’s a few hyperfixations of mine I’m always talking about but right now there’s 3 main ones.

1. The Boys

2. Invincible

3. Peacemaker

The Boys is the main one; I loved it since it came out back in 2019. I moved on sometime after S3 ended and I found another hyperfixation but now new content is coming out with S4 so I’m back on my The Boys bullshit. I’m a Butchlander shipper, BILLY BUTCHER AND HOMELANDER CONSUME MY THOUGHTS. I AM BEYOND OBSESSED WITH THOSE TWO! I need them to kiss…. And-and more. Anthony Starr and Karl Urban are my current celebrity crushes that I’m only able to think about. If you follow me in insta it’s just been The Boys 24/7 that I’ve talked about since new content started dropping thanks to S4. HOMELANDER IS MY BABYGIRL I WILL DEFEND HIM I DON’T CARE FOR HIS CRIMES I DON’T CARE IF I’M SUPPOSE TO HATE HIM, I LOVE HIM. BILLY BUTCHER MY GOTH BOYFRIEND I WILL DIE IF YOU DIE. HE CANT DIE, HE JUST CAN’T. S4 teaser was insane, so much was going on, Black Noir is back?! And Jeffrey Dean Morgan is joining the cast! AND TEAMING UP WITH BUTCHER?! They said that trailer was just a scratch on the surface of what happens, wasn’t even a trailer just a teaser but it had so much going on WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT’T JUST A SMALL TASTE OF S4?! I’m scared but excited. I’m nervous but excited (Billy if you fucking die on me- that’s what I’m most worried about)

Invincible is my other current hyperfixation, S1 was so good and I can’t wait for S2 to continue. They should’ve dropped all the episodes at once that way I don’t have to wait but whatever. Vigilante is my little meow meow from Peacemaker. I love Adrian so much, hate that I gotta wait till like 2025-2026 for S2 possibly.

My other interests that I talk about all the time (not currently much though thanks to The Boys) are:

• NATM/JedTavius

• Venom/SymBrock

• SamBucky/Marvel in general

• FNAF

• Who Framed Roger Rabbit

• Maleficent

• The Simpsons

Night at The Museum came out when I was 7, I’m 24 now, I haven’t moved on. It was my first hyperfixation and ship before I even knew what that all meant. I’ve written like 30 JedTavius fics. I’m a Venom fan first and a Spider-Man hater second. I will defend Venom at all times and Eddie and him are definitely in love. When the FNAF film came out it brought me back to my FNAF phase, Foxy’s my favourite with Bonnie being second. I watched the film about 20 times. Then in November I started a personal rewatch challenge on Insta where I watched it all month long. Meaning I’ve probably watched it at least 50 times and I still haven’t gotten sick of it (also I love the Josh Hutcherson whistle meme. I don’t care how much people hate it I think it’s funny.) I’m a huge Marvel fan, I literally grew up with the comics, I’m not kidding those were read to me as my bedtime stories. My favourite characters are Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes as a result I ship them. I never shipped Stucky, that never made sense to me whilst Sam and Bucky have so much chemistry. Sam Wilson is everything to me, I adore SamCap he’s MY Captain America (still love Steve though!) Roger Rabbit is my favourite fictional character of all time, my biggest comfort character. Growing up I really tried to base my personality off of him, the world might be obsessed with Jessica Rabbit but I’m obsessed with Roger. People need to draw, edit, and cosplay him as much as they do Jessica. I’ve been a huge Simpsons fan since I was like 10 and my mother dropped me off at my aunts house and she left leaving me alone with my cousin who was watching The Simpsons and it took off from there. Nelson Muntz is my funky little son and they need to make Nelisa canon. Maleficent is my favourite Disney character (actually like quite a bit of Disney, second favourite character being Donald Duck) I based a lot of my style around her, and I have a lot of Maleficent collectibles. I absolutely love the Angelina Jolie’s Maleficent films (totally ship her with Diaval).

There’s a few other things that I really, really love. I’m also a huge horror fan my favourite being Chucky/Child’s Play as well as Killer Klowns from Outer Space, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (not 3D), Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, etc. Sanrio, Kuromi is my favourite second is Pochacco, I really love animated films and cartoons. IT, Monster High, and more. I’m also a collector of all these things.

So there you have it. Those are all my hyperfixation and fandom’s that I’m in. Right now especially those first 3 that I talked about (seriously can you tell I really like The Boys? Lol)

[libroseitm]

1. Share a song that makes you think of [fic title]

For reference, my name on A03 is Elithorn and I predominantly wrote Drarry :)

I feel like this is cheating but all I can think of is "All the Young Dudes" and it's song namesake by David Bowie

2. Do you read/reread your own fics?

Yes! Sometimes it makes me feel nostalgic and sometimes to help me improve.

3. What’s your favorite fic that you’ve written?

My first one I think, "Summoned"

4. How many WIPs do you have right now?

Two!

5. What’s a fic idea you’ve had that you will never write?

I haven't had one I've never written yet. Since I wrote my first fic last year I've been writing all of them. I've only dome 7 though :)

6. Are there any fics from others you reread all the time?

YES. I have some Harry x Charlie fics I go back to, and my favourite two Drarry fics "Coruptela Vox" by Constant Vigilance and "Interpersonal Relationships Year 7, Unit 3: How to Have Sex Like a Responsible Adult" by InnerLilith.

7. How many ideas for fics do you have right now?

That I'm not writing? None. Usually I can't think about other fics whilst I'm already writing one.

8. What project(s) are you currently working on?

Both Drarry fics as usual,

One is called "Cordis spissamentum" (that title is  a WIP), it's inspired by Heart Stopper.

The other is untitled currently and is inspired by a post I saw on facebook of Draco writing a letter to home. I decided to expand on it.

9. Do you write every day? If you wrote today, share a sentence of what you’ve written!

I don't, I write in big-ish chunks with big breaks in between.

10. Is there a fic that got a different response than you were expecting?

My first fic absolutley exploded and I was NOT expecring that right out the gate!

11. Do you have specific playlists for writing fics?

I typically listen to Mike Oldfield's album "Voyager" when writing.

12. Do you have a playlist for your current WIP(s)? Share it!

Nope!

13. How much planning do you do before writing?

Not much, I like to add smut at some point in all my fics so I usually note down the vibe, or a particular kink for that. Then I usually let the fic take the direction it wants to go :)

14. If you could see one of your fics adapted into a visual medium, such as comic or film, which fan fic would you pick?

I would LOVE someone to illustrate one, that would be awesome! Hmmmm... Perhaps my newest one "Teach me, Professor". It isn't my favourite that I've written but I envision Harry and Draco as being around 30-40 years old in that fic  and it's rare to see art of them over 30 years old.

15. How do you come up with titles for your fics/chapters?

I prefer to keep my titles short because I feel like it's more memorable. I also usually try to pick a title that encapsulates the vibe of the fic.

16. At what point in the process do you come up with titles?

Usually at the very end, so I can some up the whole fic with the title.

17. What’s something you’ve learned about while doing research for a fic?

I've mainly learned about how gay sex works a little better 😂 and also good words to use in smut scenes

18. What’s one of your favorite lines you’ve written in a fic?

"Just as Harry thought he’d convinced himself, a screaming Draco whizzed through the doorway, back facing all of them, and crashed straight into Harry sending them both careening into a wall." from "Summoned" I've mentioned it a lot but it is my best one, I had a whole bunch of fun with it :D

19. Give us a small teaser from one of your WIPs.

I don't have access to quote it, do I'll fo a kind of teaser trailer: Draco is convinced that Harry is a dark Lord... Until he's not.

20. What’s a favorite title for a fic you’ve written?

My first "Summoned".

21. Have you ever deleted an entire scene after spending hours laboring over it? If so, why?

All. The. Time. To quote drawfee "delete your art". It's good for your fics and it's food for your soul.

22. Do you know how your fic will end before you start writing?

Usually, yes. I find this helpful when writing the rest of the fic.

23. How do you choose where to end a chapter (if you have multi-chapter works)?

The two I'm working on right now are chapter fics. One is a series of letters, so that's straight forward. For the other, I just stop when it feels right. Some chapters end up super long, other end up super short. But if there's a natural break, it's meant to be :)

24. Share a moodboard for (one of) your current WIP(s).

I can't make a mood board right now D: I never have for a fic, actually.

25. Have you ever upset yourself with your own writing?

Nope. I don't need sympathy, but I feel sadness/negative emotions very easily. So I only write happy fics apart from one fic that was completely random, not happy but not upsetting :)

26. Is there something you’ve written that you would never want your family to see?

Yes. I write gay smut about Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. My parents are devout Mormons. Need I say more? :'D

27. Is there a fic you were nervous to post/share? Why?

All of them, really. It's like sharing a part of yourself. It feels extra personal with smut too.

28. Have you ever tagged a fic “Dead Dove: Do Not Eat”?

Nope!

29.  Share a bit from a fic you’ll never post OR from a scene that was cut  from an already posted fic. (If you don’t have either, just share a  random fic idea you have that you don’t plan on getting to.)

Argh, I don't keep stuff like that! And I don't have any ideas I won't get to at the mo ToT

30. Ask anything!

What's the most self indulgent fic you've written?

I’m Bored and Anxious So I Slapped Together a List of Fan Fic Writer Asks

1. Share a song that makes you think of [fic title] 2. Do you read/reread your own fics? 3. What’s your favorite fic that you’ve written? 4. How many WIPs do you have right now? 5. What’s a fic idea you’ve had that you will never write? 6. Are there any fics from others you reread all the time? 7. How many ideas for fics do you have right now? 8. What project(s) are you currently working on? 9. Do you write every day? If you wrote today, share a sentence of what you’ve written! 10. Is there a fic that got a different response than you were expecting? 11. Do you have specific playlists for writing fics? 12. Do you have a playlist for your current WIP(s)? Share it! 13. How much planning do you do before writing? 14. If you could see one of your fics adapted into a visual medium, such as comic or film, which fan fic would you pick? 15. How do you come up with titles for your fics/chapters? 16. At what point in the process do you come up with titles? 17. What’s something you’ve learned about while doing research for a fic? 18. What’s one of your favorite lines you’ve written in a fic? 19. Give us a small teaser from one of your WIPs. 20. What’s a favorite title for a fic you’ve written? 21. Have you ever deleted an entire scene after spending hours laboring over it? If so, why? 22. Do you know how your fic will end before you start writing? 23. How do you choose where to end a chapter (if you have multi-chapter works)? 24. Share a moodboard for (one of) your current WIP(s). 25. Have you ever upset yourself with your own writing? 26. Is there something you’ve written that you would never want your family to see? 27. Is there a fic you were nervous to post/share? Why? 28. Have you ever tagged a fic “Dead Dove: Do Not Eat”? 29. Share a bit from a fic you’ll never post OR from a scene that was cut from an already posted fic. (If you don’t have either, just share a random fic idea you have that you don’t plan on getting to.) 30. Ask anything!

[becomewings]

The Most Beautiful Moment in Life <I’M FINE>

     BTS Universe Story Highlights, pt. 1 / 4

» pt. 2

Introduction

BTS Universe Story, a mobile game published by Netmarble, was released on September 24, 2020. While the majority of the app is essentially a sandbox and engine for users to create their own interactive stories, it also includes official and canon BU content. The first eight segments were introduced between the release date and December 2020, gathered under the title The Most Beautiful Moment in Life <I’M FINE>.

“I’m Fine” is half of the I’m Fine/Save Me ambigram introduced in the Love Yourself era. Notably, all of the BU content available in the game so far falls between events of the webtoon Save Me (also called HYYH0 in its logo) and The Notes 1—chronologically, that is, while bearing in mind that time resets to the morning of 11 April Year 22 whenever SeokJin fails to avert a tragedy among his six friends. I want to assure anyone who is unable to play the game that you are not missing any new, major plot beats from the overall BU narrative. Instead, the stories provide more insight into the motivations and consequences of SeokJin’s decisions in the earlier time loops, as well as more depth to individual characters and their circumstances.

The goal of this guide is to summarize each of the eight stories and highlight noteworthy details, especially if they are not yet present in other BU media. Within each story (which I often refer to as an arc, due to their character-focused nature), episodes must be played successively, but the stories themselves can be played in any order. I will present them over a series of posts in the order they are listed under the <I’M FINE> heading. The Prologue and NamJoon’s arc are free to play; the rest are paid content. Please note that due to the app’s Terms & Conditions, I will not include in-game footage here. The images in this guide are sourced from the official trailers/videos and the live action MVs as appropriate.

Content warning: contains references to death, suicide, suicidal ideation, child abuse, domestic violence, blood, homicide, depression, trauma, PTSD

This guide contains major spoilers and includes references to other BU media

Do not repost, copy, or quote without permission

Game Mechanic

Before diving into the summaries, I would like to address the primary mechanic of the game: the user’s control of character choices at designated moments in the stories. It’s a primary marketing point that the player can influence the progression of the narrative, with a frequent in-app tip also declaring, “stories’ endings can vary depending on your choices.” The latter is not strictly true—and it cannot be true due to the structure of the game. Choices are presented within most (not all) episodes, but each episode is an isolated unit: episode 2 provides the same content regardless of what you choose in episode 1. Since the consequences of your decisions are not cumulative, each episode reaches the same ending, and each decision inevitably rejoins the “main” story path (effectively reducing the script size).

So what is the point of this mechanic? While the system is not nearly as complex as what major platform titles are capable of nowadays (I suspect due in large part to the story creation portion of the game), it does foster a sense of interaction with the narrative that isn’t present in static visual media like comics or film. The episodes with choices also have incentive for replay to discover the impact of changing a character’s dialogue or action. Sometimes the differences between the outcomes are inconsequential, but other times you unearth new details, interactions, or memories that are missing in the other path.

I say this partially in reaction to all of the comments and tweets I read for the game trailers and even Smeraldo Book twitter’s choose-your-own-adventure style teasers with The Notes 2 excerpts released last summer. Many users expressed excitement, through words or memes, about finally being able to give the boys the happy ending they deserved. I don’t fault anyone for wanting that happy ending—I wish for it, too. But no matter what the rather overzealous marketing has claimed, I don’t believe that the canon ending of BU is ever meant to be in the audience’s control. But I do feel that this mechanism fits the BU narrative. It echoes the “countless loops” SeokJin has experienced in an effort to save his friends, the choices he must make at every crossroad, and the butterfly effect those actions have on all of their lives. I think it is reasonable to interpret the simple branching paths in the game as alternatives SeokJin has explored across multiple loops in his struggle to find the “right” way forward. I’d love to hear if you have theories of your own!

Prologue

The prologue is a brief episode introducing SeokJin’s repeated struggle and failure to save his friends. He wakes up yet again in his bed on 11 April Year 22, the beginning of the time loop. After reflecting on the tragedies that keep befalling the others, SeokJin realizes that he has only tried to fix the problems he can see. He wonders: “Have I tried to understand the root of my friends’ misfortunes? How much do I really know about my friends? Maybe I was never brave enough to confront their real scars and the worlds they’ve been living in. But I need to do it. Because it may be the key to saving them all.”

How to Offer a Hand

In this story, SeokJin attempts to prevent NamJoon’s arrest after he gets in a fight with a rude customer at Naeri Gas Station, his place of work. The first episode opens on the night of 11 April Year 22 with NamJoon curling his fists, glaring as crumpled bills lie untouched on the pavement. (The money looks similar to the shot from the I Need U MV.) SeokJin reaches for his shoulder, but NamJoon shrugs him off and strides away to punch the customer who deliberately dropped the bills for him to pick up. The gas station owner runs over at the customer’s furious shouts and orders NamJoon to apologize. He refuses, and police officers soon arrive and charge him with assault. No one listens to SeokJin’s protests that the customer started it first. The man sneers as NamJoon enters the police car. “Do you even have money for a settlement? Hey, you’re done for.” NamJoon is sentenced to prison again, and SeokJin hears glass shattering before the loop resets.

Rising from his bed on the morning of 11 April, SeokJin reflects on his failed efforts so far. He has hit the customer’s car, called for NamJoon in the middle of the incident, and stopped the fight himself, the latter of which caused his friends to avoid him later. The fight has even escalated; the details are unspecified, but the audience is provided an ominous shot of SeokJin speaking to a police officer alone at the scene. NamJoon is not the kind of person who would normally respond to that kind of provocation with his fists. SeokJin realizes that he cannot merely stop the fight but must discover and fix the true cause of it.

With this in mind, SeokJin heads to Naeri Gas Station during the day and tries to engage NamJoon. This is their first time meeting since they both returned to Songju, although SeokJin has experienced it in many loops already. “It’s been a while,” he greets (as he does at the end of the Blood Sweat & Tears Japanese version MV). Before SeokJin can dig deeper in their conversation, NamJoon is called away by his boss. SeokJin enters the small employee break room which serves as NamJoon’s living space when he’s not at the container, hoping to find some clues about his friend’s life. SeokJin locates something bundled in newspapers. If the player chooses to open it, he sees a strange shard of glass inside that may belong to a car or motorcycle headlight. He continues on, finding the book Cosmos by Carl Sagan and a notebook. SeokJin hesitates over the invasion of privacy but decides to read it since he needs all the information that he can gather. The journal entries detail NamJoon’s daily life since returning to Songju: his work at the gas station isn’t too bad despite the occasional rude customer; he purchased a book and hopes to get more in the future; he picked up a second job at a wedding hall to help catch up on bills; his brother NamHyeon got in trouble again, leading to more expenses; and his dad’s health has worsened, with hospital bills after an emergency surgery rising to levels that the family cannot afford. SeokJin knew that NamJoon was the de facto head of household due to his father’s illness but was unaware that it was to this degree. He feels sorry for NamJoon yet is also impressed by his maturity, for NamJoon never writes how difficult his situation is.

NamJoon arrives and asks what SeokJin is doing in the room. If the player chooses to answer “reading” instead of “just sitting there,” SeokJin privately observes that the conversation flows more easily when they talk about books. NamJoon says he must leave and declines when SeokJin offers to wait for him there. SeokJin knocks over a pile of books along with money and receipts as he stands. He thinks it is unusual that NamJoon picks up the books before the money. The books seem to be more than a hobby to NamJoon, holding special meaning. Walking to his car, SeokJin wonders if it is pride or determination not to falter that keeps NamJoon from journaling his grievances. He realizes that money is a constant source of frustration and misery to NamJoon, and that’s why he can’t stomach being insulted over the customer’s dropped money. SeokJin’s new plan is to prevent NamJoon from picking up the money. He also calls Palgok County Hospital and offers to pay the patient bill for NamJoon’s father. Anticipating that NamJoon will be angry if he finds out, SeokJin says the payer is Songho Foundation.

That night, SeokJin returns to the gas station with the excuse that he forgot to fill up earlier. The luxury car arrives with a honk, and NamJoon hurries over to assist. He shakes with anger when the customer drops the money on the ground. “Why aren’t you picking it up? You don’t want it? What’s with that look? Pretty arrogant for a part-timer, aren’t you?” goads the customer. SeokJin intervenes. Whether the player chooses to have him advise NamJoon not to pick it up or to order the customer to pick it up himself, the end result is the same. SeokJin asks the customer, “Why are you harassing a pitiful part-timer?” The customer drives away, and something about NamJoon seems off. His face is expressionless, not mad or humiliated. “SeokJin, you…” He stops. “Never mind. Thank you for your help.” The words sound difficult for him to speak.

SeokJin believes that he has saved NamJoon, although this ending feels sloppy. He continues on in the loop to rescue JungKook and later YoonGi, but uneasiness plagues him. Though he meant to help NamJoon with his actions, SeokJin wonders if he hurt him instead. On 5 May Year 22, he returns to the gas station and follows NamJoon when he leaves work early. NamJoon enters a bookstore, and SeokJin sneaks in after him to watch from afar. He overhears employees talking about NamJoon, worrying that he might dirty the pages of the book he’s perusing. NamJoon is too absorbed in the book to notice one of them calling for his attention. SeokJin recalls a memory from their school days when he found NamJoon reading alone in their classroom hideout: he asked why NamJoon read so diligently, and his friend explained that he found it comforting to empty his thoughts of everything else while focused on the book. In the present, SeokJin wonders how he forgot how much books mean to NamJoon. He sacrifices some of his food and transportation budget to afford them, but they enable him “to endure the weight of the world he’s forced to bear on his shoulders.” After realizing this, SeokJin wants to apologize for carelessly sympathizing with the reality that NamJoon has weathered alone.

The next episode is from NamJoon’s perspective, revealing his excitement over being able to purchase a book for the first time in two months. He wants to buy two but can only afford one. The employee at the register sighs and asks why he leafed through a book he wasn’t going to buy. NamJoon apologizes, and she mutters, “So dirty.” He notices his reflection, clothes worn and smelling of gasoline, and realizes she’s talking about him, not the book. He tries to shake off these depressing thoughts, but he is still not accustomed to this treatment despite experiencing it regularly at work. As NamJoon begins to exit the store, the security alarm goes off. The employees demand to check his bag despite his insistence that he didn’t steal anything. Their certainty of his theft angers him. NamJoon allows them to look through his bag, and they are suspicious of the like-new book in it which he brought from home. One begins to call the police until SeokJin appears, vouching for NamJoon by saying he saw everything. The employees accept that the alarm malfunctioned and excuse their suspicions as a mistake.

Outside, SeokJin asks NamJoon if he is all right. NamJoon is thankful but wonders how SeokJin materialized right when he needed him. “How’d you find me here?” he asks aloud. SeokJin explains that he happened to notice him while walking through the neighborhood. NamJoon wonders if it’s because they said goodbye on a weird note last time. He thanks him and turns to leave. SeokJin calls after him. “I’m sorry. I wanted to apologize. I didn’t mean to upset you that day at the gas station. It was a mistake to have called you pitiful. If my rash actions hurt you, I’m really sorry.” NamJoon accepts his apology, believing it to be sincere, and says that things would have turned out a lot worse if SeokJin had not intervened. Thunder rolls overhead, and NamJoon uses the impending rain as his excuse to depart. He declines SeokJin’s offer of a ride and runs home, feeling his friend’s eyes on him.

Before he can settle down to read at home, NamJoon receives a call from his cheerful mother. She thanks him for paying off the entire hospital bill. NamJoon is perplexed and asks what’s on the receipt, since he didn’t pay it. His mother wants to leave it be, but he insists that they investigate so they don’t get in trouble or sued. She reads that the Songho Foundation is credited as the payer. NamJoon calls the hospital, introducing himself as the guardian for Kim YoungMin, but they can’t transfer him to the administrative department at this time. Disappointed, he looks up the foundation’s website, unable to recall why it sounds familiar. He wonders why a scholarship foundation in the city would get involved with him. Spotting photos of a recent launch ceremony on the site, he recognizes a few people: Songju High School’s principal, the familiar-looking face of the foundation’s chairman, and SeokJin. First, NamJoon forces a laugh, and then it’s difficult for him to breathe. He thinks that SeokJin really had pitied him at that moment. The only thing keeping NamJoon going is the idea of getting through life on his own strength. Why does he have to live like this?

The last episode opens on 5 May back in SeokJin’s perspective. He is confident now that he has saved NamJoon, although it occurs to him that a better alternative may have been to simply pick up the money himself instead of stepping forward. (This decision is enacted in a later loop and depicted in the Euphoria MV.) While reflecting on what comes next to save his other friends, he receives a text from NamJoon. “What’s your account number? I’ll pay you back for the hospital bills. I don’t need your help. I’ll handle my concerns on my own.” Heart sinking, SeokJin wonders how he found out. With a sense of foreboding, he tries calling NamJoon, but no one answers. SeokJin texts him back, pretending that he doesn’t understand, and tells NamJoon to call him. SeokJin’s second attempt connects while he’s gathering his car keys to visit the container. “That’s enough. Just send the account number over text,” NamJoon instructs. SeokJin coaxes him to talk for a moment, and NamJoon asks flatly, “Are you going to apologize again?” SeokJin attempts to salvage the situation, but his friend turns cold when he insists that NamJoon is misunderstanding and that he just wanted to help. “So, why? Why are you helping me?! Yeah, you’re always a good person. You’ve done nothing wrong and I’m the one misunderstanding.” SeokJin apologizes again. NamJoon refuses his request to meet in person. “No, I thought maybe there was a reason for everything you did… But I guess I misconstrued it. I’ll pay you back, so I’d prefer if you stopped contacting me.” Long after the call ends, SeokJin stands holding his phone, feeling that the glass is going to break at any moment. He wants to believe that it’s not over, but hope is slipping through his fingertips.

The episode finishes in NamJoon’s perspective. On 8 May and 9 May, he accepts part-time delivery work and reflects on his three jobs. Whenever he thinks he’s at his breaking point, he focuses on his new goal of returning SeokJin’s money. On 10 May, NamJoon wakes up to his buzzing phone and is called in to work. On a scooter, he passes by a bus stop and notices graffiti. (This is the same bus stop, with matching graffiti, that appears in the Highlight Reel.) Mesmerized, he wonders if it’s TaeHyung’s. As soon as NamJoon looks up, the scooter’s brake fails, and he crashes. The shattered glass on the cold pavement reminds him of the headlight shard and the kid who looked like TaeHyung. (So the piece of glass SeokJin saw in April was really a memento NamJoon retrieved from the scene of the crash in the mountain town, where the delivery boy whom he privately called TaeHyung died. This event is described in NamJoon’s 17 December Year 21 entry in The Notes 1.) NamJoon’s vision grows blurry, and the distant sound of an ambulance doesn’t come any closer.

The arc concludes there, but it obviously marks another reset for SeokJin. It is interesting to note that in this failed loop, NamJoon suffers the same fate that he narrowly avoided in the snowy mountain town before returning to Songju.

Please stay tuned for the next Highlights post featuring JungKook and YoonGi!

[azems-familiar]

get to know the blogger

i was tagged for this by @starknstarwars, thank you very much! i am tagging @ipreferfiction @tarrevizsla @darthsassacre @glitter-cronch @reliable-apprentice and anyone else who wants to join!

1) why did you choose your url?

so i've been through a few different urls in the past, but i ended up settling on this one when i switched over to primarily kotor stuff. the canon "revanchist" url is held by an empty blog, so i took the next best available thing. (my previous url was skywalking-across-the-galaxy and it was chosen exclusively for the pun.)

2) any sideblogs?

i made one as a joke to make in-character sith years revan, malak, and jedi exile in universe social media posts with a couple friends about a year ago. i don't actually do anything with it but it Exists.

3) how long have you been on tumblr?

since early 2016, i think my blog's anniversary is in april? oh god that was a lot longer ago than i want to think about.

4) why did you originally start your blog?

because i had just gotten into the doctor who fandom and i wanted to reach a wider audience with fanfiction. i was 16/17 and brand new to fandom as a group experience and ended up on tumblr after discovering that ao3 existed.

5) why did you choose your icon?

my icon and header change from time to time, when i feel like changing things up a bit, but for quite a while now my icon has been this absolutely stunning portrait of my Revan done by my beloved @stellorc, who is a dear friend and an incredible artist. it is the best piece of art i currently have of my Revan and since she's the main character i focus on and write about these days, i figured she should be the centerpiece! also i just love looking at that art.

6) why did you choose your header?

my header is a color-changed gif from the kotor remake teaser trailer done by @tarrevizsla, with a quote that someone stuck on an edit of the early kotor comics to describe Revan going against the Council to join the war, which has always stuck with me as very appropriate. I Just Think It's Neat and also symbolism.

7) what is your post with the most notes?

uhhhh that's hard for me to tell because my blog is old. a tcw art i commissioned in 2018 is pretty big. a few chat posts i made during my sequels era. the HK-47 locket shitpost i made has just over a thousand and is definitely my largest-note kotor/swtor related post!

8) how many mutuals do you have?

unknown and i'm not going through to count all of them. quite a few. my entire discord server (or the people who talk actively at least). hello beloved tor hell friends. (pspspspsps come join tor hell)

9) how many followers do you have?

2014, somehow. not many of them interact with me. a lot are from my doctor who or tcw days.

10) how many blogs do you follow?

2285. i should probably go through and prune that there are a lot of people i don't even know who they are anymore lol.

11) have you ever made a shitpost?

more times than i'd like to admit to, yes. my most popular recent one is definitely this gif:

12) how many times do you use tumblr a day?

let's just say i'm terminally online.

13) have you ever fought another blog?

yeah. i'm proship and have been known to ship some "problematic" things back in the day. i haven't been as badly involved in discourse but yknow how things go. also i will go to war to defend my friends.

14) how do you feel about "need to reblog" posts?

fuck those. if you say i MUST reblog something i am immediately going to Not Do That just out of spite.

15) do you like tag games?

absolutely, just sometimes i'm slow to respond.

16) do you like ask games?

yes! i love interaction! i crave it! however sometimes i can be bad at responding and then i feel horribly guilty whoops

17) which of your mutuals do you think are tumblr famous?

none who are tumblr famous but i am mutuals with @renesassing my beloved, who is a pretty damn popular artist, so there's that

18) do you have a crush on a mutual?

not particularly no. i mean one of my mutuals (i'm sure no one can guess which one) is my platonic partner and best friend but like. that's it lol

[simplecatgirl]

 (Note: I know Fate: the Winx Saga had only a teaser trailer, despite it blatant whitewashing of the cast, it seems unfair to shit on it. However, Netflix had proven themselves to be awful at adaptations of more varied or light-hearted stories in attempt to chase the popularity that GOT and Riverdale had succeed. So, it is fair for people to be pissed at Netflix’s latest attempt to chase a false trend).  

I want to take the time to talk about something that resonate with me in the series and I prayed doesn’t happen in the show: Sky and Bloom’s relationship along with Brenden(?) and Stella. I mentioning these two as they are seen in the trailer for the moment. (I think Brenden is the brown guy throwing around a knife while walking. I also think he is the guy fighting another guy). This a lot more personal as I’m not the most prepared of talking about the whitewashing, or I’m good at explaining the weird idea of darking the show. 

I don’t want Sky and Bloom’s relationship ending up like Archie and Veronica’s relationship in Riverdale. I’m going laid that out quick. Archie and Veronica’s relationship always put me cause how sexualize it always felt or overly dramatic. Every clip, reviews, and episode I seen with Archie and Veronica made me uncomfortable. (Didn’t help for a good bit, they supposed to be my age, which is yikes forever). It felt more like a soft-core porn than a relationship at times, which is fine itself if they weren’t teenagers. Anyone can argue that teenagers do have this kind of relationship, and I will agree with you. I had been friends or met teenagers that had this kind of relationship, but the way Riverdale put it in your face is grosser than it suppose to be. 

I don’t know how the relationship between Archie and Veronica actually played out in the comics, but I know what sky and Bloom’s relationship was to me. Winx Club, Kim possible, and varies other shows made me fall in love with establish relationships or relationships that get establish in series and stays together for rest of the time. I eat that shit up every time. I think slow burns are really great but I can’t stand much of them for long. The pining phase is great but I get bored of it really quickly. Give me the two girlfriends that babysit a cyrtid child. Give me the two husbands that run constant get-rich-quick schemes. Give me the ploy couple that run a flying ship. Winx club gave me that itch, which stay for so many years. 

Most of the relationships in Winx club have a speedy pace of getting together, although some don’t stay long due story (Aisha/Layla and Nabu) and others are just tiring to me (Musa and Riven). 

I had always wanted a romantic relationship when I was young. Unfortunately, I didn’t have much of example of what a healthy relationship looks like snice my parents’ relationships grew more and more unhealthily. Then Bloom met Sky...I think that was my first realization that my parents’ relationship doesn’t have to be mines. 

One word I would described Sky and Bloom together: loving. The series establish quickly that Bloom likes Sky and Sky likes Bloom; there wasn’t a wait where they constantly stringing you along on whatever they actually like each other than pining. No, they said, “They attracted to each other, let’s go.” It just felt much more refreshing to me. As they got more comfortable together, you get so much sense of respect and love between sky and bloom. Sky knows that Bloom is quite powerful, though he sometimes fumbled his bag with this. Bloom knows that Sky is a pretty damn good specialist. They never quite a time where they undermined each other on their albites. Sky drinks that respect women juice like a sailor with beer. Sky is himbo that adores Bloom, and Bloom adores Sky so much; in fact, varies villains use Sky against her snice they all know how much she cares for sky as much she care for her friends. 

When drama happens in their relationship, I never roll your eyes at it. I’m so hooked on it cause I have seen their struggle to stay together. I have seen the struggle they face separately and together as a couple. They always grew stronger together and I love that. Simple nuisances are also what made it so great. Sky is a lot more considerate to his duty as a leader and a prince, which can make him bump heads with Bloom, a princess without a kingdom. Sky get jealous, and Bloom does too. Yet, they always come on top, and I love it. 

Now, Stella and Brendon’s relationship is something I never notice the first time until I got more into reading media analysts. Stella and Brendon are similar to the same tone of Cleo and Deuce from Monster High. A lot of teen movies, books, and shows would have a female villain that was either a popular ‘slut’ or popular egoistical/stuck-up girl. This is for our main character to look better and look like a downgrade. The antagonist has a ‘I’m better than every single one of you’ attitude; These stories would demonize these traits in a female character as if you are major ‘bitch’ to be overly confident. Some stories would a more nuisance point of this trait if this trait is use cause damages to other. Most of time, it just use to make you hate a female character in order to left up the main character. 

Now, both Stella and Cleo are very egoistical characters but they are never shame of having that level of confident. In fact, no one ever really hates her for it outside of villains. Cleo was shame for being a bully, but she never change her ‘I’m hotter than hot’ attitude. Her attitude make other really like her, and she uses it to help others. In usual shows, they would be shame for their attitude; in their stories, they just shame for being jerks to random people. That’s it. 

Another thing, these egoistical female characters have a boyfriend. This boyfriend is the main character’s love interest. However, these writer realizes you wouldn’t be on board if this turn out into a cheating story, so they make the female villain basically be controlling. It less the male love interest escaping a abusive relationship and more: ‘Crazy bitch, lol.’ This never happen with Stella and Brenden. 

Like Deuce, when Stella on her ‘I’m amazing’ talk, Brendon never seems annoyed with it or tried of it. Brendon knows that this make Stella, who is amazing. Like Cleo, Stella cares a lot about her man. Like Cleo, her boyfriend’s support mean a lot to her. Like Cleo, Stella does know that Brendon isn’t what people consider her level but she doesn’t care. Both Cleo and Stella live for popularity but they cared more for friends and their boyfriends. Brendon and Deuce never sit in on their attitude unless it going far to hurt someone. 

Stella proud herself on her looks and loved the praise from Brendon and her friends. In episode 3, season 3: Stella gets turned into a fish beast and she started to freak out. Not only was she ripped away from her proud: her beauty, she was sacred on how Brendon would react as she knows he likes her looks. Then Brendon comes in like, “I’m going to love you no matter how you look like, cause you will always be Stella to me.” (This episode is a refence to beauty and the beast, just pointing that out there). Stella loves Brenden and Brenden loves her. 

One thing I would say that if they put the characters in a LGBTQ relationship in the new series, I would be so down for it. Especially snice a lot of the fans had the show help them realizes they were LGBTQ. It wouldn’t fucking justified this shit series pulls.

The original always had a complex concept under everything, it just never force it down your throat. It cares more about your invest in the characters, relationships, and the story. It was colorful and a fun trip. This idea of that complex concepts have to come from dark and edgy shows isn’t true. I don’t think Fate will hit half of what the original show has, but maybe it can be something.

Thank you for listening to my weird rambles and have a good day. 

[chicagoindiecritics]

New Written Review from Mike Crowley on You’ll Probably Agree: 10 Reasons Why ‘Blade Runner 2049’ is better than ‘Blade Runner’

If you haven’t’ seen the movie, see it then read this. No intro, let’s jump right in.

1. K is a replicant

The reveal of K’s genetic code, or lack thereof, flips everything we assume the movie will be on its head. We are learning along with K what it means to exist. Do we as humans, live like replicants? Do we obey a society that treats us like trash but breath anyways out of the fear of death? Where we viewed “Blade Runner” mostly through Deckard’s eyes who didn’t have much of a personality, K’s lack of a character is his entire purpose for existing. For K to emote is to face death.

Where Harrison Ford’s Deckard entire arc was us questioning if he’s human or not (despite what Ridley Scott unequivocally says), there’s nothing much of substance to Officer Deckard. He gets drunk, retires replicants, that’s it. Name one thing that makes Deckard standout? I’ll wait. Ryan Gosling’s Officer K goes from a machine that is dying spiritually on the inside to someone wanting to have a purpose in life. All while maintaining his composure, if perhaps too much poise for the film. Anything with a conscious can feel. Whether or not how it was made is as relevant as where you were born or what skin color you are. The importance is that you’re here.

K doesn’t seek gratitude nor affirmation. He doesn’t suffer from a narcissistic personality. All he wants is not just to be another useless piece of metal.

2. Deckard has depth this time

Being a daddy changes you a lot. Rick isn’t just a slouchy drunk who likes to shoot robots out of legal obligation. He’s a man who’s principles and love for forbidden things cost him his life. What kind of soul did Deckard have in the first film? Who did he care for? Please don’t say, Rachel, we all know why he was attracted to Rachel. Like Winston in 1984, Deckard rejects Big Brother for a life of pain to gain a glimmer of happiness. 

3. It’s horrifyingly relevant

Denis Villeneuve based the imagery in 2049 on a planet that has become degraded with pollution. The buildings are extrapolating enormous amounts of water into the atmosphere, the sea wall at the end of the picture will be our new Mount Rushmore, the orange Vegas is happening now. Denis Villeneuve didn’t predict the earth looking like this, but his production team was still spot on. A picture that transcends its very style, developing a look that will be discussed on its merits separate from the ubiquitous original, is a stunning achievement.

Everything isn’t dystopian because that’s the way it was in the book. It’s what will happen to us in real life, why we’d look for colonies to live on if we had the technology or funding towards NASA to do so. God help us all.

4. The love story questions the essence of relationships

The story between K and Joi further examines the meaning of love, sex, and mortality, with the two being different versions of artificiality. When the default sexed-up version of a naked Joy pops up on the screen, we are emotionally mortified. Some of us may be repulsed to observe a character we care for utilized like a thirsty Godzilla.

The towering ad tries to seduce K tempting him to buy it, rendering everything Joi said to K throughout the picture questionable. Its manipulation solidifies his final decision in life to help another man. We’re not sure if she loved him or said what it thought it wanted him to hear throughout the narrative. Possibly Joi herself didn’t know her intentions. An unusual amount of nuance and uncertainty rests in the love story. Who do we love? Why do we love? Do we love by the heart or the heart of our designers whom we don’t know?

Meanwhile, Deckard was just drunk and horny when he bashed Rachel up against the wall. Sorry, that really was all there was to their passion despite what Wallace says.

5. The movie was an honest commentary about how the world views woman

Here’s a controversial one. A lot of women were disgusted by the way they were depicted in the film. Outwardly watching the movie, I can’t blame them. I’ll let Mr. Villeneuve speak for himself. “I am very sensitive to how I portray women in movies. This is my ninth feature film and six of them have women in the lead role. The first Blade Runner was quite rough on the women, something about the film noir aesthetic. But I tried to bring depth to all the characters. For Joi, the holographic character, you see how she evolves. It’s interesting, I think. What is cinema? Cinema is a mirror on society. Blade Runner is not about tomorrow; it’s about today. And I’m sorry, but the world is not kind on women.”

Villeneuve is right. Women today are still sexualized. Even with the Me Too movement, women are continually seen as sex objects or subservient slaves in a male-dominated society. Villeneuve isn’t interested in painting a rosy picture that Hollywood does for female roles to make the audiences feel comfortable. It’s an honest reflection on who we are. What we see is what we don’t want to see, but that’s part of the honesty of cinema.

6. The score is mesmerizing

Another point in which I may face some contention. Yes, Vangelis’ score is iconic, but it only works for the era it was composed in. Much of its mixture of bleeps, blops, and wind chimes are a product of its time. A lot of emotion is missing from the score other than the opening theme and “Tears In Rain.” Hearing much of the soundtrack while on the road, I sometimes thought I was listening to something from a porno. Take a listen to “Wait For Me” in the soundtrack and tell me otherwise. Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Walfisch’s score is timeless while also paying respect to Vangelis’ synthetic use in the original. It dives into the character’s mind providing a replication of something more human than what Vangelis composed.

7. It thematically ties more directly to “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep” than “Blade Runner” does.

“Blade Runner” got the overall gist of Phillip K Dick’s novel. Replicants are scared, trying to find a way to survive as Deckard hunts them down. However, the Andies in the movie almost deserve to die. In their quest for more life, they torture and kill multiple civilians. What did the guy making the eyes do to deserve being frozen to death? What about J.R. Sebastian? He was nothing but pleasant to Roy and Pris. Did Roy eye gauge him when he was done with Tyrell?

Aside from Luv (Sylvia Hoeks), our replicants are fully rounded people. Sapper Morton is a watchful protector who was meant to be a NEXUS 8 combat medic; Joi’s true intentions come into question for herself and us. K’s inner conflict is the central core of the story. All of this revolves around the meaning of existence within a world that has forgotten about you. The introduction of Robo procreation is an evolution of Dick’s ideas, widening his notion of why life exists in the first place.

8. It doesn’t get lost in the scale

Many sequels love scope over characters. Remember “The Matrix”? Remember how they talked about Zion and all these other things we didn’t see? When the sequels brought in Zion, the focus got lost in the spectacle. “The Matrix Reloaded” was a bumbling CGI mess of Agent Smith Clones and cave orgies. “The Matrix Revolutions” was a glorified “Space Invaders” game. Shoot as many sentinels as you can before becoming overwhelmed. Amidst the sequels bumbling chaos, I missed the smaller scale of the Nebuchadnezzar crew.

The story of “2049” could have focused on the replicant uprising with thousands of robots slamming into humans. We could have gone off-world to finally see what all these other colonies we’ve heard about are like. Some have argued that the movie could have borrowed some of its source material from the later novels about replicants creating humans, so on and so forth. All of that sounds incredible in theory. In execution, you would likely get “The Matrix” sequels.

A movie that overreaches in scope, attempting to please fans by showing everything. What we got was an incredibly meaningful story that further explores the themes of the original while building upon its world without going too far. We see what’s beyond L.A. on the dilapidated west coast. The answer is not much. The film aims at minimalism over extravaganza.

9. We’re still talking about it

After being MIA for decades, “Blade Runner 2049” isn’t forgotten. I can’t say the same for “Superman Returns,” “Monsters University,” “The Incredibles 2,” “Live Free or Die Hard,” and “Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull.” In fairness, people do talk about Indy 4, but not in a positive fashion. “Blade Runner 2049” returned to the limelight with disastrous box office results yet high accolades, even gaining the Academy’s attention. Ironically it seemed destined to live the life of its predecessor.

“2049” may have tanked because it was a multimillion-dollar art film that respected its audience’s intelligence. Maybe “Blade Runner” was too far gone amongst the public to gain an interest geared almost entirely towards comic books and Disney. I think the trailers after the reveal teaser looked too generic for my own two cents, turning me off from the film for a short while.

Here we are with Honest Trailers in 2020, making a video about a film that came out in 2017. Bloodsoaked orange skies from the headlines mention the atmosphere of this film. Somewhere, about 100 other people are writing their analysis of “Blade Runner 2049” as I type right now. Seven years from now, we’ll be talking about why the world is still like “Blade Runner 2049.” Villeneuve made a timeless sequel to be remembered.

10. It’s better than the first film and one of the best films in the last ten years

Here’s why you’ll probably agree with this one when you put your pitchfork down. Remove your nostalgia goggles. I know it’s hard to do, please, trust me. Look at the points I made above. Think about how ironic the love story is to our lives. The layers of meaning behind K’s existence is lightyears beyond the featureless Rick Deckard. The picture isn’t flawless. Niander Wallace is spectacularly corny in his scenery-chewing grim monologues. Dr. Eldon Tyrell had some ambiguity regarding the morale of his intentions. For that, I’ll give the original the benefit of my doubt. I understand Ryan Gosling was cast to be intentionally deadpan, but it’s okay to emote once. His distant stare in all of his other performances made it difficult for me to discern myself from the actor’s rather dull persona.

With this said, “Blade Runner 2049” understands cinema. Its atmosphere is why we venture into a dark room that takes us to a different place. Denis Villeneuve’s masterful follow up is one of the most orgasmic cinematic experiences I have witnessed in the last ten years that demands a re-screening in 2022 when theatres reopen at an entirely safe capacity. The style doesn’t overshadow its substance, which is far richer in detail than the original without grasping at blatant metaphors. “Blade Runner 2049” is slow cinema at its finest, letting us into the character’s heads, knowing when to be quiet and when to be loud.

Like “The Empire Strikes Back,” not everyone appreciated the movie at first. Time has been incredibly kind to it, though. I wish the Academy recognized “Blade Runner 2049” beyond its technical marvels in 2018. I suppose it wasn’t the type of picture that catches Oscar voter’s eyes. But it has acquired the audience’s to this day. Now, if you could just look up and to the left for me?

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[impracticaldemon]

The Road to Tokyo

Hakuouki fanfiction by impracticaldemon

Words: ~ 3200  Read also on:  FFN | AO3

Author's Note:

I decided to add some more to last year's story about Chizuru reuniting with Saitou after being told that he'd died in Aizu during the war (see “The Ghost” and “Reassurance”). The story is technically an AU, as it doesn't follow any of the canon good or bad endings for Saitou's route in the game. I note that, unlike in real life, I have had Saitou keep the name he had with the Shinsengumi post-imprisonment.

This is, in part, a promo-teaser-trailer for the upcoming SaiChi & Friends event that I'm co-hosting on tumblr. I hope you enjoy it!

~ Imp

The Road to Tokyo (or, Chapter 3 of "The Ghost")

Saitō stayed with Matsumoto-sensei and his wife for a week. Chizuru knew that he would have preferred not to impose on their hospitality for so long, but it wouldn't have been fair of her to leave without at least a few days' notice, and she was determined not to let Saitō leave without her. She'd found it difficult to sleep the night of his arrival���and every night since—for fear that he'd have vanished in the morning. Her emotions were still very near the surface, despite her best efforts, and she hated the way they seemed to swing from joy to fear almost at random.

Her conversation with Matsumoto-sensei about her decision to travel to Tokyo had gone better than she'd expected. She'd worried that the doctor might be upset, or even insulted, that she would choose to leave the security of life at the clinic for the uncertainty of travelling to the new capital without knowing what awaited. She'd also worried that he might—in her best interests—insist that Saitō's protection would be insufficient, or even improper. After all, it was a long trip to undertake with a man that she hadn't seen in two years, especially one who was neither relative, nor husband.

Her fears had proven largely unfounded, to a large extent because Saitō had evidently already considered the situation and decided on a course of action. The day after his arrival, Chizuru had found him in the kitchen preparing tea, even though it was very early, and Chizuru had been there to start breakfast. In retrospect, she realized he'd been waiting for her, although how he'd known she'd be there was unclear.

It had been an awkward moment, since Saitō had gone silent after the first polite greetings, and Chizuru had been forced to turn away to conceal tears of relief that he wasn't just some kind of delusion. That's when Chizuru had discovered that the tea was almost ready, and for some reason she'd frozen completely, unable to think coherently, or move. Saitō had gently turned her to face him at that point, although he'd remained mute for several more seconds before voicing—or at least introducing—his proposal.

"Yukimura-san, are you still of the same mind—that is, will you still accompany me to Tokyo?"

"Yes… yes, of course, Saitō-san. And please—please use my first name. I would prefer it." She hadn't thought to mention it the day before, when there'd been so much else to think and feel.

"…Chizuru-san?" She'd indicated no, that still wasn't quite right, and he'd finally managed, "Chizuru?" The extreme hesitation in his voice had made her want to laugh, but amusement had been immediately doused by sadness. She still mourned those who had used her name almost from the beginning: Heisuke-kun, of the bright smile and kind heart, and Harada-san, who had comforted and protected her, and Okita-san, who had mocked her, and pushed her—in good ways and bad—and needed her care. Fortunately, Saitō had continued almost at once.

"Would it be acceptable to you—do you think we might—for now—make a promise to marry?" He'd been visibly embarrassed, which was unlike him, and his voice had been almost too quiet to hear by the end. When she'd stared at him, bereft of speech, his colour had deepened even further, and he'd hurried to explain his sudden question. "I wouldn't ask—I know it's much too soon—except that it might make things easier with Matsumoto-sensei, and… in general. With officials, and others. For travelling, and so on."

Chizuru had been flustered, and undoubtedly just as red-faced as Saitō, but her answer hadn't been in doubt. She'd tried to make up for her initial stunned reaction.

"Yes! I mean, yes it would be—more than acceptable—but… are you sure you don't mind?" Then she'd cringed inwardly at herself. Of course he didn't mind, since he'd asked. Saitō wouldn't say something like that if he didn't mean it. Would he?

"I don't mind… That is—thank you for agreeing." He'd seemed genuinely pleased, and Chizuru had marvelled that after all the time apart, and so much grief, neither of them had had a change of heart.

It had probably been comical, from the outside—two awkward individuals, trying to express happiness at the prospect of being engaged. They'd done better after that, though. Saitō had managed a rueful smile—but a smile!—and then they'd been in each other's arms, the tea-making forgotten while they held each other. It was a balm and a blessing that Saitō seemed less aloof now than before—Aizu had changed him, a little, or maybe he'd just had long enough to think it all through. Fortunately, nobody had walked in, or if they had, Chizuru hadn't noticed.

Chizuru had spoken with Matsumoto-sensei after breakfast. He'd expressed surprise over the engagement, and genuine regret that Chizuru would be leaving the clinic, but on the whole, he'd taken it very well.

"It's the first time I've seen you smile in a very long time, Chizuru-chan," he'd told her seriously. "And besides, I've gotten to know you rather well over the past two years. I wish I knew Saitō-san better, so that I could be sure that he would take care of you, but I'm certain that you'd ignore any warnings or admonitions I might give you at this point regardless, so I might as well be gracious about it. This way, I know you'll write to me, both while travelling, and when you reach Edo." Matsumoto-sensei hated referring to the new capital as Tokyo.

He'd teased Chizuru a little after that, but kindly, and he'd assured her that he'd help in case there was any dispute over the house. Best of all—and Chizuru had been overwhelmed with gratitude—he'd promised to write letters of introduction to two colleagues in Tokyo, certifying that Chizuru had worked with him and had solid skills in basic medicine, including familiarity with both herbal remedies and Western medicine. Between that, and possible contacts among her father's former patients, Chizuru now felt more at ease about not being a burden on Saitō once they got to Tokyo.

For his part, Saitō had said very little to Chizuru about his subsequent, rather lengthy conversation with the doctor. If it had bothered him to answer questions about his intentions toward Chizuru, as well as personal questions about the true state of his health and fortune, he hadn't let it show. Truth be told, Matsumoto-sensei had found him a little difficult to fathom. In the end, he could only hope that the impassive young man cared about Chizuru as much as the girl evidently cared about him.

On the day of their departure, Chizuru rose early enough to make breakfast for the doctor and his wife. They'd given her a home for two years, and she was grateful. She assured them that she would write whenever she could, and that she would pray for the safe homecoming of various relatives still held in custody by the Meiji government. Saitō thanked them as well, his formal bow expressing not only his personal gratitude, but the gratitude of the now vanished Shinsengumi. Matsumoto-sensei had been a loyal friend.

Eventually, Chizuru found herself passing through the gate at which Saitō had appeared just a week before. She was assailed by a feeling of unreality, and not long after, she found herself reaching for the back of Saitō's coat. He must have sensed her movement, because he turned immediately, looking concerned.

"Is there a problem, Chizuru?" He'd become better about using her name now, although it was still new enough to make her at once warm and a little shy.

"No, Saitō-san." When his blue eyes continued to search her face, she decided it would be best to be honest. "I am just… very happy to be here with you. Sometimes it still feels like a dream, and I get anxious that you might go away and not come back." Again.

"I see." His face revealed very little of what he was thinking, but after a moment, he held out his hand. "There won't be many travellers on the roads, given the time of year. If you wish, I will hold your hand, so that you know I am with you."

Chizuru blushed at the unexpected offer. Tentatively, she took Saitō's hand. It was warm, despite the chilly air, and still noticeably calloused from so many years of using a sword. "Thank you, Saitō-san. I'm sorry for being so, um, strange about this."

"Īe. It is fine." He looked down at her, and she was reassured by the lack of either impatience or annoyance in his calm expression.

In the end, they held hands for most of the morning. It was so pleasant, and so reassuring, that Chizuru found herself tensing when they finally came across other travellers. To her surprise, Saitō kept his fingers firmly around hers, and showed no sign of letting ago. The older couple in the small ox-cart nodded politely to them, and if the man's eyes narrowed suspiciously upon making out the just-visible hilt of Saitō's sword, the woman smiled warmly at Chizuru, who immediately found herself smiling in return. She blushed when the woman winked at her, though.

Once the cart had gone by, and was slowly fading from sight behind them, she glanced up at Saitō, to find him looking pensive.

"Saitō-san?"

"…I believe that I will worry people less, now that I am travelling with you." Seeing that she didn't quite follow his train of thought, he added: "The roads are not very safe at the moment, as many were displaced by the war, and the northeast is still short of food. Also, the Imperial Army was large, and had its share of deserters; some of those men would not be welcome if they returned home." Chizuru sensed no particular contempt in Saitō's words, merely blunt assessment, but it was hard to know for sure what he thought.

"I had heard that there have been bandits on the road to Edo," she said cautiously.

"Tokyo," Saitō corrected gently. "The difficulty is that I look like I could be such a person."

Chizuru was immediately indignant. "No you don't! And besides, you would never stoop to—to—robbing people! It's just—obvious!" She came to a full stop, in order to emphasize her point.

Saitō looked at her in mild astonishment, then smiled. "I had… forgotten. How you perceive things." He cleared his throat, as though trying not to laugh. "My appearance has improved over the past week, thanks to your care, and that of Matsumoto-sensei and his wife; however, I believe that a more, ah, a more nervous observer would find my age, attire, and weapon of concern."

Chizuru frowned. Thinking about it more calmly, she could see his point, although she felt that a person would have to be very nervous not to appreciate Saitō's true nature. His clothes might be a little worn, but they were neat—not to mention clean and mended now!—and perfectly tidy. As for general appearances, surely nobody could find fault with his features, which were rather elegant—if a little thin—and in no way like a ruffian's. Perhaps she should have worked up the courage to ask to trim his hair—

"Yukimura? Ah—Chizuru?"

She blinked back to full awareness with a slight start, and was embarrassed to discover that she was staring fixedly at Saitō, her hands clenched into determined fists at her sides. Saitō was looking self-conscious, and a hint of red in his cheeks suggested that some part of her thoughts must have been visible on her face. Her own cheeks started to burn, and that probably would have made things even worse, but just then there was a faint cry for help from somewhere behind them, and they turned in unison, Saitō's hand falling automatically to the hilt of his sword.

It was late morning—surely an unusual time for banditry—but with the cold, and the absence of other travelers, perhaps the ox cart had made a tempting target. More likely, it was an accident with the beast drawing the cart, or with one of the wheels. Either way, Chizuru began to hurry back the way they’d come. Saitō immediately caught her shoulder.

"I will go first. Stay back, and be cautious."

"Hai!" Chizuru reached unconsciously to touch the hilt of a sword that she wasn't wearing, and had to remind herself that she was no longer a page with the Shinsengumi. Saitō's hand remained on her shoulder for a moment longer, and then he was past her, moving so quickly that she wondered if he had retained some measure of his powers as a rasetsu. Not that she'd be able to keep up either way, hampered as she was by her woman's clothing. At least she'd altered this kimono for travel, and wore leggings underneath against the cold.

It turned out that bandits could and did attack in daylight, when the roads were empty, and pickings were slim. Chizuru arrived in time to see one man holding a rifle, while a second stood guard over the ox-cart's owners with a drawn sword, and the third tossed items from the cart onto the road. The scene dissolved moments later, with Saitō's arrival.

They must have somehow missed his approach, she thought, as he effortlessly rid the swordsman of his weapon, knocked him sprawling, and put throwing knives—he was carrying knives?—through the hand and leg of the man with the rifle. He then closed with the third man, who appeared to be reaching for a weapon—whether a sword or a firearm, Chizuru couldn't make out.

Forgetting Saitō's command to stay back, she rushed to the couple kneeling at the side of the road, noting with dismay that the man was badly injured. He had a gash on his head, and his arm appeared to be broken, but he was still conscious, and looking murderous, rather than panic-stricken. His wife was clearly in shock, and had been roughly handled; Chizuru saw a bruise starting to darken under one eye. Tears in her clothing, and bleeding scrapes, suggested that she'd been dragged from the cart with far more force than necessary, and Chizuru felt a surge of anger.

"Knew your man for a soldier, miss, but damned if I expected a hero." The injured man was still surprisingly calm, although the sweat on his forehead betrayed significant pain.

She dove hastily into her bag for first aid supplies, but a shriek from the trembling woman beside her brought her eyes back up anxiously to check on Saitō. The former Shinsengumi captain was fine—unlike his opponent—but the bandit that he'd first disarmed had drawn a long knife, and was rapidly closing on Chizuru.

"Saw you two earlier," he growled, "an' I reckon your man would prefer ta keep ya in one piece."

"You're a fool to even try it," spat the ox-cart owner. "You're just going to get yourself killed."

"Shut it, you!" The bandit's hand had closed on Chizuru's collar, but he foolishly paused to aim a kick at the man taunting him.

Furious at the threat to use her against Saitō, and by the violence used against the cart owners, Chizuru snatched her scissors from the open medical supplies kit, and drove them as hard as she could into the bandit's closest leg. His agonized scream was cut off an instant later by a blow to the back of the head.

"Saitō-san!"

"Yukimura! Are you injured?"

They stared at each other over the bandit's unconscious figure. Blood was flowing freely down the man's leg, although Chizuru's blow didn't appear to have hit the artery, or any other significant blood vessel.

"She's fine, young bushi—though she's a lot more dangerous than she looks, it seems."

Chizuru immediately turned to the man and his wife in concern. "Oh! I'm so sorry—please, allow me to assist you! Your arm, and head—"

"What's she apologizing for?" the man asked Saitō, who gave a tiny shrug and turned away, his blue eyes not reflecting the calm he pretended. Chizuru might not realize it, but the blade in his hand had been aimed with killing intent. He'd changed his attack at the very last instant, and only because Chizuru had caused her assailant to stumble heavily. She'd saved the man's life—from Saitō, at least.

Eventually, they left the cart owner with his arm splinted, and his head bandaged, and the woman with the worst of her scrapes seen to, and recovering from her shock. She'd thanked Chizuru repeatedly for her care, and praised her courage. She'd completed the younger woman's discomfiture by adding that Chizuru had obviously chosen a strong, useful sort of man, who should be up to producing fine children. Meanwhile, Saitō had held a low-voiced conversation with the woman's husband that covered such topics as not wanting to delay their journey to Tokyo in order to look after formalities and paperwork related to the captured bandits. Saitō had made it clear that he'd gladly forfeit any bounty for the sake of remaining anonymous and free to travel.

Once back on the road, Saitō had taken the opportunity to regain Chizuru's hand—and to express his disapproval.

"You should not have gotten so close," he told her flatly. "I was in no danger."

"Gomenasai, Saitō-san." Chizuru hung her head. Now that the incident was over, she was feeling slightly sick—it had been a long time since she'd been in that kind of situation, and on top of that, she'd stabbed somebody. At the same time… if she hadn't been there, would the bandit have inflicted more harm on the nice couple before Saitō could subdue him? He must have been quite strong to recover as fast as he had from Saitō's initial attack.

They walked in silence for a bit, and then Chizuru was pulled abruptly from her thoughts when Saitō jerked her roughly into his arms and against his chest. It wasn't like him, and conveyed a great deal.

"…I should not blame you for my failure," he murmured against her hair. "It has been too long since I tried to fight without killing, and I misjudged. Gomenasai, Chizuru—he should never have been able to threaten you."

Chizuru couldn't respond; she was being held too tightly against Saitō's dark coat. But it pained her to hear the self-directed anger in his voice, so she finally made the effort to free herself—at least a little.

"You were wonderful, Saitō-san! You rescued everyone! Please—please don't be upset with yourself. I'll be more careful next time." When Saitō's embrace loosened enough for her to look up at him, she made the effort to smile. "Thank you for not killing anyone. I know they probably deserved it, and I know that they might end up dying anyway – as criminals. But thank you."

Saitō studied her carefully, then released his hold. Chizuru shivered involuntarily at the lack of his warmth, but she could hear other travellers approaching, and she knew that Saitō would be embarrassed to be caught in such an intimate pose—they both would, although privately she thought it might be worth it.

"Are you ready to go, Chizuru?"

"Hai!"

"…We are no longer with the Shinsengumi; nor are we with the army."

"I know. But you're still Saitō-san. I can't help it." This time her smile was unforced.

Saitō took her hand again, even though the other travellers were now in sight. "Let's go, Chizuru."

[END]

A/Note: Thank you for reading! I'm looking forward to SaiChi & Friends 2019 on tumblr from February 16 to 19, 2019. :) Also, please let me know if you'd be interested in seeing more of this particular "ghost" story

Tags:  @shell-senji @eliz1369 @nalufever @canadiangaap @rainylune @sabinasanfanfic @kondo-hijikata @hidetheremote @petri808 @hakuouki-or-hakuoki @soujthings   @iba-hime @moon-faced-pear-shaped @hakuyamazakisensei @nollatooru  @kurokiorya @ladyshiranui

@writer-appreciation

Note:  please let me know if you’d like to be added to, or dropped from, this list; my tag list is out-of-date, and I apologize in advance for omissions / extra adds.

[entireoranges]

Trek fans are here and proud

An open letter to those who pitch thine fit and whine thine selves to sleep:

Do you wish to have some sharp cheddar with your whine? Perhaps some Camembert or a nice Brie? No? Alright. Thought I’d offer.

You are allowed to not like something. Thought it’d be best to get that out of the damn way. It’s 1,000% your right and I’m fine with it. That is your opinion and this is mine:

What I’m not fine with is the constant, unending, trite badmouthing. The moronic telling of outright lies, the instigation and insinuation that things are going to shit. You don’t know that. You are assuming.

Now, I might be talking about any old show in any old fandom, but no. This time I’m talking about Star Trek. Specifically the anger cast towards Discovery, and by association Picard.

Discovery didn’t have a good first year. I’ll freely admit to it. I thought it was damn clever, I liked the character arcs, I thought it was interesting. A little Klingon-heavy for my liking but all-in-all not too bad for a new show.

Before anyone says one word in the series the fandom at large on the internet doesn’t just REVOLT, they pepper their anger with acidic, hell acerbic remarks. Now recall these are mostly the same fans who haven’t had any Star Trek on TV since Enterprise left the air in the early 00’s. A show that in of itself had plenty of anger associated with it.

Burnham is a Mary-Sue or Tilly is annoying or that the show has nothing but politically correct SJW’s in it…hell…I’ve heard it all trust me. They were carrying on since second one. Was it because they made Micheal the adopted sister of Spock? Was it because the tone was too dark?

I don’t know what set them off but allow me to air some grievances:

1.) They’re all Politically Correct SJW’s: Well in a strictly Sci-Fi sense aren’t all members of Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets PC SJW’s? I mean think about it for a second. They are a society that values truth, honesty, even footing for everyone, it’s a culture of inclusion (example: Geordi with the VISOR is treated no differently than anyone else with normal sight), they are even a bit self-righteous sometimes (Captains Janeway, Sisko) but they operate within a society at large that is open and by and large inclusive to everyone as long as you aren’t a homicidal maniac hell bent on destroying the galaxy. Remember they tried to make friends with the Borg before they were forced to cede that they were unreachable. You make it sound like it’s a bad thing to have virtues that the characters of this series have always had. And you make it sound like it’s a bad thing. It’s not. It makes sense.

2.) Micheal Burnham is a Mary-Sue. Nope. She’s not. If you didn’t watch Season 2, go do that. Again the first season of any show is uneven at best and we saw growth in her character by the end but it was still very much in the awkward first season way. The second season she grows in all sorts of ways. The character comes alive. I for one loved Sonequa Martin-Green from moment one. She commands the scenes with substance and a sense of purpose.

3.) It’s not Star Trek. This is patently absurd. It is Star Trek. It might not be what you grew up with but it is Star Trek. I’m sure this is what the parents of TNG fans thought when that show began airing in 1987. Think about it. Did any of those sets look “correct” or in line with what had been established? It’s a generational gap. This is how the creators want it to look and feel. But it’s still Star Trek.

4.) It’s in an alternate reality/it’s not chronologically accurate: Nope. Prime timeline. Look…was I disappointed that the sets didn’t look like 1966? A little. A very tiny bit of me, sure. Did I realistically expect it? No. Is chronology ruined? Not at all. People forget that ships can change, tech can advance quite fast, and Starfleet loves to change uniforms, and interfaces on a whim. Did Enterprise look like it was 120 or so years before TOS? Nope. Did anyone bitch? Yep. Was it a bad idea to do a prequel? Not at all. But Discovery isn’t alternative timeline. It’s merely a cosmetic choice to have it look different. And they’ve been true to established canon too. The Cage happened before Discovery and TOS after it.

5.) I gotta PAY for it? I never PAID for it before! Physical media is dead. Streaming is king. From a business standpoint this makes sense. Discs are comically available for holdouts on Discovery Season 1. At $50 you are essentially paying for as many months as it would’ve cost you to buy the service and have access to a huge library of other content not just Discovery or all Star Trek TV Shows. Broadcast TV wasn’t going to take a risk on a prime time Star Trek TV show but much as UPN was anchored by Voyager when it began they surmised All Access would have similarities and it’d do good there. It has.

6.) Cut the female empowerment crap out it isn’t Star Trek: This one cracks me up. It isn’t? So characters like Uhura, Crusher, Janeway, Torres, Kira, Dax, and T’Pol aren’t all bad asses? They are. All of them. Strong, powerful women who excel at their jobs. What’s truly sad is I just mentioned about every series regular on all the shows and I didn’t even come up with enough for a bridge crew. I for one am happy to see the empowerment. Keep it up. It’s very Star Trek.

7.) Fine but I’m not treating this as canon: Fine sit in the corner and cry. This is stick in the mud to no end! Believe whatever you’d like, just realize that everyone who enjoys it realizes it is canon and you’re woefully behind because you’d rather believe your own headcanon rather than capitulate to what is on the screen.

8.) I’m going to derisively refer to the show as STD even though the official abbreviation is DIS and that fits in line with every one word Star Trek title since Voyager (VOY, ENT): Sure man whatever floats your boat or flies your starship. You do you. Does it annoy me? Absolutely. Will I probably assume you’re a troll if you use that abbreviation? Yup.

Fact is: I realize not every fan is going to like every show. I’m not honestly expecting them to. That’d just be foolish. But the amount of pure anger and vitriol hurled at Star Trek is insane.

When I was a kid, the show was nerdy, outcast, people didn’t watch it mainstream and it wasn’t cool at all. Star Wars was, but not Trek. Now? It’s trying to be cool. More space battles, epic panoramas, vistas, planets, exotic aliens…they want to create more. Do more. Be more. If you can’t appreciate that then I’m sorry.

There’s a lot more of this kind of Star Trek on the way. You won’t be seeing a return to TOS or TNG anytime soon so either buckle in for the ride or sit at home and rewatch those shows on your choice of discs or streaming services.

Gene Roddenberry created this franchise, Rick Berman and Brannon Braga changed it, and Alex Kurtzman changed it again. It’s just what it is. And at its core it still stays true to the original concept. Again I’m sorry if you can’t or won’t see that but that’s what’s happening.

If you’re looking for new TOS, check out Star Trek Continues on YouTube. Fantastic acting, storylines, etc. a virtual love letter to 60’s-era Trek.

As for Picard: You have seen one teaser trailer lasting under two minutes. Patrick Stewart is heavily involved in its production. It won’t be bad. Trust me on this.

If you’re looking for new Star Trek, sit down and get ready. There’s a whole lot of it coming soon!

[brothermouzongaming]

E3 2019 overview

I wanted to take the time to look at and talk about some of the games we’re more than likely seeing at the conference. E3 is...dying and it’s misleading trailers don’t help, but despite this, the show is still important and at least gives us a little insight into what may come in games/tech. So let’s cross our fingers and dive in. I’ll be focussing more on main titles and not DLC and updates. Available footage will be linked in the corresponding title.

Avengers project (Crystal Dynamics/ Square Enix)

It feels like ages since the teaser for the Avengers project dropped. Since then I have been trying to keep my hopes high, I even thought it was canceled for a time when we heard literally nothing since that trailer. I know nothing about this game, but I just hope Crystal Dynamics and Square are treating something this big with the care it needs. The last thing Marvel, more importantly Disney, want is another Battlefront 2 situation on their hands. If Square can incorporate their over the top combat style to the Marvel universe, it could be amazing, incredible, invinci- okay I’ll stop.

Borderlands 3

Getting back into Borderlands just before the big press release was very serendipitous. Something about this made me even more excited for some of the additions coming like loot instancing, slide/mantle (finally), secondary fire weapons, more diverse and varied play spaces, and a lot more. So many of BL2 and the Pre-Sequel’s flaws are glaring with me having played them recently and to see the long-awaited title addressing these exact issues so comforting when I get to thinking about this next adventure into the wastes. It isn’t some massive leap forward or anything, it’s more Borderlands and there’s nothing wrong with that to me. Finally, an online optional looter shooter that isn’t some strange mmo lite, long live the king. Randy Pitchford is a weirdo but I’m not gonna hold that against the devs lol.

Cyberpunk 2077

This is more than likely going to be my game of the show. E3 is typically full of surprises and anything can happen but in all honesty, I just can’t see much coming close especially since we aren’t seeing Death Stranding (thattrailertho). I was literally giddy when they released the gameplay trailer that they showed press and influencers and the FPS RPG looked very good but not unrealistic. Recently it’s come out that the game is “pretty different” from that showcase and that statement interests me as much as it gives me pause. Regardless, we are going to be seeing more of this game with CDPR claiming they’ll have an even bigger presence than last year. I just hope that we get solid gameplay footage and not buzzwords and theatrical trailers.

CoD 2019

Black Ops 4 came out guns drawn and it really impressed at first. Since that time Activision has found a way to completely reverse the conversation around BO4 and where the franchise is headed/ is as a whole. Activision needs a win, and with this being their main and essentially only franchise it has to be big. The rumor is that it’s Modern Warfare 4 which would be a “soft reboot” if that is the case. If not this year then next, I’m surprised it’s even taken them this long so hopefully all this time will lead to something good. Honestly, I’m shocked we’re still getting annual releases of this game. I don’t forsee CoD lasting much longer and this tug at our nostalgia may be a sign of that. 

Destroy All Humans (THQ Nordic)

I spent so many hours with my friend Walter terrorizing the meat bags between the tools the game devs gave us and some gamer creativity that was a relatively new aspect of gaming compared to nowadays where player creativity is often an aspect of gameplay. THQ has reported something insane like 50+ games in development which...sounds like a stupid choice but if this is one of them it’s definitely going to get people’s heads turning. Can you imagine what they’ll be able to do with today’s tech? They don’t have to go crazy but then again for the sake of a concise vision but...maybe they should?

Dino Crisis (Capcom)

Let’s talk more about old ass games I’m completely shocked could be coming back. So in light of Capcom bringing back past titles and breathing new life into them, it is reported that Capcom is looking to bring back...Dino Crisis? I swear to god if they make Dino Crisis before Viewtiful Joe and Onimusha? POWER STONE ANYONE?? I’m more than willing to suspend my meh-ness because Capcom has proved that not only can they bring back an old game we love, but they can do it damn well. If this is true, then maybe there is hope for some of my favorite Capcom titles from the past but mother of god why Dino Crisis?

Doom Eternal

Doom 2016 was one of the best first-person shooters I’ve ever played. “Smooth as butter” isn’t something I would use to describe most games but god damn if that game wasn’t lubed up before they packaged it because it’s damn slick. So imagine the stiffy I got when that gameplay was dropped and mobility was increased. Can we talk about the grappling hook shotgun? The new demons and takedowns to dispatch said demons? God knows what else is under the hood for us to find out when it releases let alone when they talk about it during the conference. A more open level design in tandem with the conventional “kill room” here and there is gonna really spice up the combat especially if exploration is properly rewarded. Rage 2 was a disappointment but I do have hope this is gonna live up to the hype the way it did the first time.

Gears of War 5

Lawd Microsoft needs a win. This is quite clearly their attempt at a blockbuster event like God of War was for Sony. Everything about the trailer screams “Oscar bait but for games” and I hope they do the damn thing. Make me sad I don’t have an Xbox dammit! This could be a big step for Gears and could even lead it down a more character focussed design. The world of Gears of War is rich for a deeper explanation, and I know that isn’t what Gears is known for but I won’t be told that they can’t do both. It appears to be heavily cinematic though gameplay can be seen in the trailer above. It seems interesting and I hope they really make something worth owning an Xbox for. The fans deserve it.

Halo: Infinite

Did I say Microsoft needs a win from the software perspective? Cause they do. The Xbox One is fine, the One X is a huge step up and is the most powerful console but there are next to no exclusives for this console. Ya know, the reason why you buy a certain console outside of interface and services. What better way than to bring back the most successful franchise Microsoft has associated with. There’s talk of it having an open world which is jarring initially especially when the history of Halo is rich with environments that tell stories alongside the mid-range combat. If they can properly expand that baseline to fit an open world format, it’ll be amazing. Whether or not they can is the question.

Harry Potter: Magic Awakened

Warner Brothers does a great job of shooting themselves square in the foot. They just put on the finest shoes money can buy and BAM queue the red kool-aid fountain. Shadow of War is the pinnacle of such stupidity with the way the monetization completely bankrupted the integrity of the game. The brief footage that was up involved a third-person real-time action reminiscent of the original games. Warner Bros. jumped on the trailer takedown but it’s safe to say the cat is out of the bag and casting spells in the kitchen. This could be a unique adventure involving a custom character, it could involve something more directly related to the books. Anything is possible but if we heard about it this year it wouldn’t entirely surprise me.

My Friend Pedro

A twin stick shooter of a different kind. Imagine stranglehold but cartoony, John Wick but even more comic book like. It looks like the entire game is going to be centered around ballerina jumping through levels and enemies leaving every enemy in your wake riddled with bullets. It seems light, fun, and self-aware in it’s silliness which can lead to the most fun type of games.

Session

Oh boy, SKATE was my jam back in high school and if you’re anything like me you’ve been waiting for the next game/ literally anything like it to come along. Session appears to be that game, we weren’t told a lot when it was revealed so I’m hoping that E3 will lead to some more information on gameplay and ya know, a release date. 

Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order

Anthem is in shambles and in my opinion, it’s this year’s No Man’s Sky. Between the games they put out, and the Star Wars games they put out (or don’t put out depending on your perspective); this does not bode well at all. Respawn is working on the project and their track record is very good, but I can’t help but worry about what EA is planning. They always find a way to put their hand directly into a project and do exactly what needs to be done to ruin it. Sometimes that’s on the front end in development and planning or lack thereof, and sometimes it’s on the back end with moving devs to other projects/ not hold their devs to the post-launch promises they tend to make and not fulfill. This story of a padawan in hiding after Order 66 is ripe for gameplay development and storytelling. So long as Respawn has the vision and can execute, all we need is for EA to stay the fuck away and let them work. We’ll see.

honorable mentions: Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Vampire Bloodlines 2, From Soft and George R. R. Martin collab, Fable remake, Rocksteady’s Suicide Squad, Wolfenstein Young Blood, Afterparty, Beyond Good and Evil 2, Bleeding Edge (Ninja Theory’s new game), Last of Us 3 (v hype just not a lot of info)

[tweenw]

Legit- (Dylan O‘Brien)

Characters: OC’s, Dylan O’Brien and (Y/N)

Word Count: 1219

Warnings: none

Pairing: idk man I got bored I guess some Dylan x Reader

Summary: an interview with your fellow cast mate Dylan goes totally aloof 

(Y/C/N)- your character name

“Run!” (Y/C/N) yells into the darkness of the hospital. Lights flash, the elevator opens. A shadowed figure starts laughing. Stiles grabs (Y/C/N)’s hand and starts dragging her down the hospital corridors, the running is slow motion. The lights shut off. Silence. 

The hospital scene fades away on the large screen behind me and the audience begin to clap and cheer. Dylan and I grin at each other, already knowing what happens after that scene. 

It’s always a thrill to do interviews with a live audience, whether it’s at comic con or just anywhere else really. The vibe of the audience is incredible, and the support we get is even more extraordinary. It’s near enough breath taking how many fans hearts Teen Wolf has managed to capture in just a few years of airing on TV, and how close we have all become. It’s a shame that most of the time we all get split up doing different interviews, but at least I’m with Dylan on this one.

“Well, that was quite a teaser! Who’s excited for this new season of Teen Wolf?” Allie, the red-head interviewer asks the audience, who erupt in screams and cheers. They’re joined by Dylan who starts cheering too. A massive smile appears on my face as I see how excited everyone is, and how much Dylan is enjoying himself.

“So, last season a new character and love interest for Stiles has been introduced to the show, (Y/C/N). We have seen some rivalry between Malia and Stiles’s new love. Will there be more bad blood next season, or will the hatchet be buried once and for all?” Allie reads off her notepad before looking over at me for the answer with an excited smile. The audience is quiet as they await for my response.

“Well, I can’t say much of course. But I think the way the situation plays out is definitely unexpected. A lot of the fans will be knocked on their asses. Hell, when I read the script I had to take a few minutes to process what’s going on. But Stiles is silly, so he’ll attempt to approach it with a hint of humour.” I chuckle as I remember the moment that happened. I literally had to sit down to take in the new plot twist. 

Dylan and I look at each other knowingly with small smirks. He was the one that came to my trailer and started freaking out over the whole plot twist of my character getting pregnant and Malia moving away because she can’t really cope with it.

“Oh, I can’t wait to see it. I bet it’ll be worth the wait. Now, it’s time for our round of ‘Who Would You…’. Tweet your questions at #teenwolffanasks.” Allie announces to the audience as she opens up twitter on the tablet next to her to check the questions. Surprisingly, there’s a lot popping up already. I don’t think I realised how big this fandom is just yet, and I’m not sure how long it’s going to take before I do. 

“Okay, this one’s for Dylan. Who would you bring back to Beacon Hills that’s no longer on the show?” Allie prompts Dylan to talk. She’s got this way around her which makes you feel excited and giddy. It’s really contagious, and good because nobody wants to be in an interview where the interviewer looks bored to death. 

“Hmm, Gage’s character Erica. She had a short run on the show but when she was around it was easily the funniest of times both on and off screen.” Dylan answers, and I couldn’t agree more. Gage was a banger on set, she’d always pull pranks and make everyone laugh even when we had to film a heavily packed action scene at 2am.

“Couldn’t agree more. Next question is for (Y/N). Who would you want to be roommates with?”

The fans start shouting out various names of my costars, like Holland or Tyler Posey and even Arden, since there’s been videos recorded each time I share a room with either of them. The room sharing is mainly due to the way our agency books hotel rooms, which I don’t really mind. Because with Holland, we do each others makeup and with Posey and Arden we all play Uno. It’s always fun, no matter who I’m sharing the room with.

I laugh at how eager the fans are. Honestly I would be down to chill with every single person if I could. The tight schedule sometimes doesn’t allow that though so we all enjoy interviews as much as we possibly can.

“Well, I think Dylan because he doesn’t snore and always lets me shower first. He’s also really bad at Just Dance so it boosts my self-esteem.” I laugh at the memories of us two dancing to ‘Daddy’ by PSY and him knocking over several things in the process. Music is his strong suit, just not when it comes to dancing to it.

The audience goes crazy and Dylan wraps his arms around me in a hug, which will no doubt spawn some edits on Tumblr. 

I hug him back and watch all the camera flashes and fans jumping all over the place. A surge of happiness fills me out of nowhere. 

“Aw, you two are just the cutest! We’ll take some questions from the audience now.” Allie announces as Dylan and I let go of each other and watch in anticipation as a guy walks down to the microphone. He’s wearing a blue shirt with the Teen Wolf logo and looks kind of cute. 

“I’m Troy, I’ve got a question for both of you, um, do you date in real life too as well as on screen?” The boy asks with a shy smile. He bites his lip ring in a nervous way. 

I blush a little and look at Dylan to answer this one. It’s not like we’re dating, but I also can’t ignore drunk kisses and cuddling at night, each of which we haven’t spoken about at all but we should. 

Dylan chuckles and smirks a little before grabbing a hold of my hand and raising it up in the air. “Near enough, yeah.”

My heart skip a beat and I look over at Dylan with wide eyes, not believing that he actually said that. The fans are all eerily silent as they watch in anticipation at what happens next.

Dylan intertwines our fingers and places a kiss on my knuckles before turning back to Troy with a grin.

Troy looks how I feel, starstruck. The guy slowly walks away with his mouth wide open and is replaced by a tall girl with blue hair.

“Samantha here, are you guys legit or just fucking with us?” She asks, eyes wide as if she’s just seen a ghost. I’m pretty sure I’m mirroring her expression right now.

Dylan grins at the girl before his hand caresses my cheek and places a gentle kiss on my lips. 

The kiss feels like it lasts for ever, during which my stomach collapses in on itself and a massive smile breaks the kiss apart. 

The audience screams and yells so loud I feel like my ear drums are going to burst, but I can’t focus on anything else but Dylan’s smile.

“Legit?” He whispers as he leans his forehead against mine. 

I bite my lip a little and grin.

“Legit.” I whisper.

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #384

Top Ten SDCC 2019 Predictions

Every year when I do this sort of thing, it gets harder. Like I said before with E3, it feels a bit like my nerd tastes have narrowed, and I have a lot less free time to enjoy the plethora of nerdy things out there. Plus, it feels like these big multimedia showcases have expanded to the point where announcements are made over a period of a fortnight or so as companies hold their own side-conferences, or smaller players wait until there’s more oxygen in the room once the big guns have had their say. Add to this the fact that Sony skipped E3 entirely this year, and DC is more or less doing the same with SDCC (at least as far as movies are concerned), and you have a recipe for me just making stuff up. I could have done an E3 Top Ten just about Xbox rumours, and I could have done this about the MCU (when do we think we’ll see the X-Men in an Avengers movie?!). Maybe I will!

Regardless, we amble once again towards a San Diego Comic Con. This year is probably going to be most notable for Marvel’s contributions; sadly with no comparable DCEU panel we won’t get any more info out of Batman, Wonder Woman, or Harley Quinn. I’m a little bit out of the loop with what the Big Two are planning comics-wise, and anyway, SDCC isn’t quite the hotbed of comics news it once was. But with a few exciting-looking panels, I’m sure there’ll be lots to talk about.

Usual caveats apply: I’m not insider, I know nothing, these are all guesses, some more educated than others. Sometimes this turns out to be a wishlist. Let’s see how wrong I was, eh?

MCU Overload: now Endgame is out of the way, I think Marvel will be a lot less cagey about their future. I predict release dates and official announcements for most of Phase Four (Black Widow, Eternals, Shang-Chi, a few sequels); the surprise tease of some Black Widow footage; something we really weren’t expecting (Squirrel Girl, perhaps, or a Captain Marvel sequel featuring Kamala Khan). In short, I think Marvel will seriously dominate all the headlines and get us thinking eagerly about what we’ll be watching this time in 2024.

Avengers Re-Assemble: there’s going to be a couple of Avengers retrospectives, and I predict we’ll see a repeat of the 2011 SDCC when the cast of The Avengers/Avengers Assemble (delete as regionally appropriate) appeared on-stage together for the first time. This may very well turn out to be Robert Downey Jr’s last panel appearance to discuss Tony Stark (funnily enough, however, I don’t think it’s the last we’ve seen of Chris Evans as Steve Rogers…). This will be a big event, and rather melancholic, too.

Disney Plussed: as well as all the Marvel film shenanigans – most of which are still too deep in pre-production to offer juicy morsels to the faithful – I think we’ll see loads of stuff about the MCU Disney+ shows. A proper, full trailer for Loki (which I think is the first to film), as well as oodles and oodles of info and maybe even footage from whatever’s lining up next. I think we’ll see Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, and Jeremy Renner all on stage. We’ll get proper synopses for all of these shows. And, yes, I think Falcon and Winter Soldier will still be called Falcon and Winter Soldier, and it will sort of be about Sam Wilson’s journey into becoming Captain America.

Making it So: okay, moving reluctantly away from Marvel, I think the Star Trek: Picard panel will be another highlight. Jean-Luc himself, I believe, will be on stage, alongside some of the cast, and one of the show’s directors: Jonathan Frakes. They will release another, fuller, trailer for the show, and a release date too. And maybe – just maybe – we’ll even get a tease for the next season of Discovery. Engaging!

Top TV Trailers: keeping things on the small screen for the moment, there are a few panels dedicated to upcoming genre TV. TV shows which, to be honest, I probably won’t find the time to watch. But even though production has only just started on some of these shows, I still think we’ll see some footage. The Witcher, the Netflix book/game adaptation starring latter-day Superman and best-case-scenario moustache model, will have a full trailer; meanwhile, the as-far-as-I-know-still-untitled Game of Thrones spin-off will have some kind of Con-exclusive sizzle reel or teaser. I’m way, way behind on Thrones anyway so the spin-off doesn’t really interest me, but I do hope I can find space in my busy schedule for The Witcher.

Continued Transformations: the new Transformers comic feels like it’s taking a while to build, and moves a mite slowly at times, but it is building a new and compelling world, amazingly finding a unique spin on the 35-year-old franchise. A spin-off mini-series focussing on the Constructicons has already been announced, but I think SDCC will see the unveiling of another mini; maybe a prequel detailing the war with the Threefold Spark? Alternatively – if the core series is not expanded – maybe we’ll get another crossover. My personal preference would be Rodimus and Megatron’s Lost Light crew winding up in Equestria. What? A guy can dream!

Teen Titans Go! Straight to Video: after the My Little Pony movie a couple of years ago, I thought a sequel would make its way to our screens before the series wrapped up; I was sort-of right, but the second MLP movie is going straight to Netflix. I wonder if something similar will happen with my kids’ other favourite movie based on one of their favourite shows, Teen Titans Go! Maybe it’s early doors, but I think a sequel movie to the utterly fantastic Teen Titans Go! To the Movies will indeed happen, but it’ll wind up on the DC Universe streaming platform rather than go cinematic.  

OG Titans FTW: sticking with superheroes too young to drink, and again following on sorta-kinda from Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, I think as a SHOCKING TWIST we’ll get official confirmation – but no other information – about a revival of the original Teen Titans cartoon. Just a teaser trailer, and a “COMING SOON”… but this would really, really make my SDCC.

She-Ra’s Sibling, Take a Bow: so the new season of the excellent She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is coming next month; this we know. There’ll be a panel about the show, and given that it must be essentially completed, we’ll get a nice full-fat trailer. But. Here’s the thing. I think we’ll get the barest – barest – tease of a wider universe beyond Etheria, perhaps by the merest suggestion of She-Ra’s brother. I don’t actually think we’ll see He-Man in season three, but I think She-Ra will perhaps learn the word “Eternia” and discover that she may, indeed, have family out there. I imagine – and hope – that they want to keep the focus on Adora and her friends, and not drag the show’s centre of gravity off in the direction of a big, strong, and more famous male character.

Yesterday’s Agents: finally, we go full circle, back to the MCU… sorta. Because at this point, can’t we all agree that any Marvel TV show – apart from, presumably, Agent Carter – takes place in an alternate but very similar universe? I mean, there’s no way the characters from Agents of SHIELD or the Netflix Defenders series exist in the mainstream MCU without their being called up during the whole “On your left…” bit in Endgame. But regardless: Agents of SHIELD. A show that has had mixed fortunes but which, on the whole, has been really compelling and entertaining. I’ve just started on season six but so far it’s been great. But like many great things, I think it must end. Season seven is coming, but – unless they do eight at more or less the same time – I think that’s it. You had a great run, with some cracking stories and wonderful characters that I’m going to miss. But with the whole Disney+ thing, I feel we’ve seen the end of, well, all other Marvel shows. And this is what they’ll announce at SDCC.

So there you go. Not necessarily a vintage year but enough to get excited about. For me, really, it’s all about the MCU! Let’s, shall we?

[mannartt]

Funny Star Wars Shirts & Tees for Men, Women & Kids | Memories of Star Wars

If you're looking for original, unique, attractive, one-of-a-kind funny Star Wars tshirts for men, women and children, you've come to the right place. Our chief designer and creative force has been a Star Wars dork for decades, and it's reflected here in some of his humorous, satirical designs for the genre. But wait, as they say, there's more! Yes, Mann has more such work soon to be available. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy what you see here, and like it enough to share it and even buy it (hint, hint).

HAND SOLO's Dirty Little Secret....

THE FARCE has Awakened...

Storm Trooper Marksmanship. Wow.

A Long Time Ago, In A Movie Theater Far, Far Away... or, How It All Began for Mann.

Our resident artist was a lucky kid. Even though his parents worked in more or less mainstream professions, he had friends whose parents were employed in Tinsel Town. Through these connections, he sometimes got advance information on upcoming movies, and even the chance to see them before anybody else. That same year, he heard about Star Wars through another young friend whose mother worked in "the biz." He was able to see advance press materials on it, and even got his hands on a limited edition full color promotion package, which he cherished for years and which would probably be worth some very nice coin today, if it still existed (sadly, it was lost long ago). Later, he heard more from another kid whose father worked on Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and who saw to it that our young artist got to tour the production offices (an experience so powerful and formative, it may well have changed Mann's life and career path (and arguably, not for the better)). To our young artist, Close Encounters looked pretty cool... but nothing, seemingly, could compare to Star Wars. And then, somewhere along the way, seeing one movie or another, Mann experienced the first trailer for what would become his favorite movie of all time (at least for many years), and that was that! Star Wars was the film by which all others would be measured. Mind blown, for the young man interested in both movie making and stories of wonder, the wait for the film's arrival was excruciating torment, exacerbated by growing media interest and endless teasers, of one form or another, showing up everywhere. The young Mann was among the first owners of Star Wars shirts in all of Los Angeles, including one with the old, disused early-version logo and another with the infamous Brothers Hildebrandt poster, long since fallen away to dust.

Hollywood Blvd. and Mann's Chinese Theater, the way it looked, May 1977, during the opening days of Star Wars. Notice that the crowd is so big, it has spilled out onto the main drag. Somewhere in there may well be the young Mann and his friends... look closely! More importantly, however, Mann was lucky enough to see George Lucas' epic at the world famous Mann's Chinese Theater during it's opening week in... OMG... wait for it... May of 1977! Yeah, like we said: A long time ago... To be clear, the Mann theater operation had absolutely nothing to do with the young artist who would later be known by that same moniker (though he wished then and still does that it did). It was, in retrospect, just a strange coincidence. And it didn't help in any way with obtaining tickets! :-(

The Night After Opening Night...

Mann had to stand in line just like everybody else. The only saving grace was that the line standing began on a weekday afternoon when demand, while still high, did not necessarily require camping out. For those unfamiliar with such ancient rites, in those days of yore, weeks worth of showings were not sold out in minutes online. Once upon a time, you actually had to and could show up at the box office, wait your turn and secure some tickets. People who were willing to put in the time and burn a little shoe leather (or tennis shoe rubber, as the case may be), actually had the advantage back then. Imagine that.

Mann's Chinese Theater – but not Mann's – the way he remembers it from the Star Wars release period (1977), as seen from Hollywood Blvd. Unfortunately, Mann didn't get to see Star Wars opening night. Snif. But he did almost as well. School was winding down and the parents of friends who understood the nearly out of control excitement of their son and his friends (Mann among them) arranged to take the group for a showing on day two of it's run. Mann was just a young kid then (as opposed to an old one now), and otherwise pretty mature for his age. But leaving the burbs and going to Hollywood to see the film on a big screen with great sound – the day after the big premiere, no less – was almost more than he could stand. The entire experience left an indelible mark on his psyche, soul and sanity which impacts him to this day. Within a few months, by the summer of 1977, the movie was playing widely across all of Southern California, and you didn't have to go far to see it. For example, it was running continuously at a shopping mall not far from Mann and his friends, which made it possible for them to see it over and over and over again... It's hard for a lot of people to imagine today, but Star Wars played theatrically across most of North America for OVER A YEAR! It was unprecedented at the time, and still represents a phenomena which will almost certainly never be duplicated – if for no other reason than we live in a time wherein movies are available for view weeks after release. It's really amazing when you think about it. Even six months after it's premiere, you could say: "Hey, I wanna go see Star Wars," and it was not impossible. You could get in your car – or, if you were Mann and his friends, hop the bus or deploy the ten speeds – and go to the not-too-distant metroplex. Odds were it was still playing in the main cinema, too. And if you were particularly sneaky, you could even figure out a way to see it several times on the same day. Not that we're saying Mann did such a thing – just that it was theoretically possible! There was one constant though, for many months: you didn't go on a Friday or Saturday night, because of the damn lines!

More of the crowd thronging Grauman's Chinese Theater during the premiere of Star Wars. In the background is the famous Roosevelt Hotel, where many a dignitary and star has stayed down through the decades. Marilyn Monroe is said to still reside there. Spooky, right? During that long, hot summer of '77, Mann would drag everyone he knew to see the movie, including his "very boring, conservative parents," who didn't quite know what to make of the film or, it became increasingly clear, of him. His father, he later learned, had at least some basis for understanding the film, having read the pulps as a kid. But as for his poor sainted mother... well, let's just say she thought The Wizard of Oz a bit too bizarre. By comparison, Star Wars was a personal affront and attack on all that was sacred and holy and... well... just... normal.

One Star Wars T-shirt Which Led to A Lifetime of Star Wars Shirts...

CLICK HERE to Read More… To say that Star Wars was an international hit and global cultural phenomena would be the understatement of all time. It was so big, it spawned everything from the obligatory Star Wars tshirts and posters, to toys, lunch boxes, collector cards, comic books, calendars, etc., etc., etc.. Like many of us, Mann wishes he'd A) kept his memorabilia, and B) kept it in primo shape. It would be worth a small fortune today. Mann's first "movie t-shirt" was also his first official piece of Star Wars merch. It was the now world-famous painting by the great Brothers Hildebrandt, who would later go onto much fame, fortune and glory, and serve as ongoing artistic inspirations for the young Mann. Their shirt was only the first of many Star Wars shirts, but by far not the last.

The pre-release original Star Wars promotional poster, painted in 36 insane hours by the Brother Hildebrandt, who would become major artistic influences on the young Mann. He also wore out his shirt with the same artwork… three times! Now, for the kids out there, if you didn't know already, this was an era (gasp) some years before video tape, a decade before CDs and decades before movies on demand. There was no Blockbuster or Netflix. The way it worked back in those days was (gasp) – when a movie closed, that was it! Period. It was gone, for all intents and purposes, forever. You might… I say, might… pick it up at a film festival or possible revival some years in the future. You couldn't realistically expect a mega-hit like Star Wars to be on TV any time soon. I mean, we're talking years. So… Fuggedaboudit. Disney (which would later buy out George Lucas and end up owning not just one but two of the greatest movie franchises of all time (Star Wars and Indiana Jones)) was known, in those days, for doing what other studios generally did not do. That being, re-releasing their classics every five years or so, so that every age group would have fond memories of Cinderella and Bambi, and be sure to bring the next generation a few iterations down the road. Mann remembers sobbing, as a young boy, during one such re-release of Bambi. And it was all damn smart marketing, of course. But nobody had any expectation that 20th Century Fox would do the same with Star Wars, so it was imperative for the devoted fan to see it as many times as possible during it's initial (and likely only) run.

Formative Life Experiences: Girls, Cars and Star Wars (Not Necessarily In That Order)

CLICK HERE to Read More... For one movie to be readily viewable at the local theater for an entire year, when most movies were gone in, at best, a month or two, was quite the thing. Two years earlier, another one of Mann's formative favorites, Jaws, had had crowds lined up around the block too. It was, for a few short years, the biggest blockbuster of all time, and the one by which everything else was measured. In fact, the term "blockbuster" was put into common use by the long, box office busting run of Jaws. But the lines and showings faded out within a few months. Star Wars seemed to go on forever and ever and ever...

If you wanted to see Star Wars in the summer of 1977, you got used to lines like this... My friends and I joked that Star Wars would be the first movie in history to be showing somewhere in every big town, on continuous loop, forever... The ubiquity of the film meant young dorks like our insane genius could see Star Wars multiple times over a period of many months. Being a teenager then, he was old enough that he didn't have to drag anyone along with him, either. Young Mann saw Star Wars over 30 times – quite a few times by himself – during that year long period. It got to the point where he could recite entire sections from memory! And he would have seen it more but, sigh... allowance only went so far. Most of his family, of course, thought he was absolutely insane – an opinion that many still hold. And perhaps he was. He had no inkling back then, as a budding artist, that his "insanity" would hold him in good stead, and that one day he'd work on Lucasfilm projects as a professional, or design funny Star Wars tshirts for other fans decades later.

Cosplay? Maybe. But fan boys? Clearly, yes! This line is probably for Return of the Jedi in 1983, but it shows the kind of fanatic dedication to Star Wars found in those days (note E.T. tshirt in background; the film came out in 1982.) Despite it all, Mann's final watch tally paled in comparison to that of other even more hard core devotees (i.e. other young lunatics). He later had a frenemy who bragged about seeing Star Wars over 100 times during that same period. Now that, Mann commented recently, tongue in cheek, "seemed a tad bit obsessive." But given the time, it was understandable too. If you were a dork in those days, you knew you might never see Star Wars again till your kids were in college, and all you would have to go by was your old, worn-out Star Wars shirts and fond recollections. It was best to top off the memories as much as possible, as they were all you would have for many years to come.

The trip to the video store is no more... Well, market forces and technology changed everything in the ensuing years. By the time of the release of Return of the Jedi in 1983 (a shocking six years after Star Wars; it was originally going to be called "Revenge of the Jedi" and released in 1980), video tape was making it's impact all across America. People were theoretically able to own their own copies of Star Wars movies and watch it whenever they wanted, in the comfort of their own homes! Of course, this was pragmatically impossible for most, as actually buying commercially recorded movies in those days was prohibitively expensive. Getting your hands on movies was what the local video store was for. Parenthetically, this was a time of great panic for the movie business, as it was believed that "home viewing" would kill theaters. The same fears were floated (even more so) when DVD arrived. Ironically, overall, the new technologies actually increased public interest, gave the studios a means to monetize their enormous back catalogues (which had never really existed before), and in general, made the studios more money, and more consistent money, too. Instead of living and dying by their latest films, the big, well-known studios had a source of ongoing revenue. Who knew that video tape would force them to change their business model – kicking and screaming the entire way – to something even better? The relentless march of technological progress would continuously bring the price of actually owning a movie down. The arrival of video disks, followed by DVDs and then Blu-Ray, made it possible. But streaming services and ultimately, video on demand, have made owning a movie unnecessary. Taken together, it all ultimately spelled the end of that long-time staple of American life, the video store, for good. Yes, kids, another whole business category time and technology has wiped out. For Mann, the "Star Wars experience," such as some have characterized it, was profound. Luckily or unluckily, our artist came of age when George Lucas' fervid imagination and blockbuster films were a powerful force on both the culture and the collective imagination. For a guy like Mann, it's all inextricably tied to seminal life events, like graduations and girlfriends, first jobs and cars, the early phases of adulthood and the departure from childish things. To some extent, anyway. The girlfriends, the cars, the jobs – even most of the buddies are vanished to the mists of time – but the love of Star Wars lingers on. It probably always will...

Some Guys Get "The Force" – Other's Get "The Farce" – And It Is With Them, Always...

Mann shudders when recounting all the different ways he has "bought the whole farm, manure and all" more than once, and is sure the evil genius behind it all, George Lucas, has laughed all the way to the bank – repeatedly! There were the innumerable versions and editions of the Star Wars saga, on tape, video disk, DVD, Blu-ray... not to mention all the other related memorabilia... many thousands of dollars worth, at least...

The three young stars of Star Wars, with imperial escort, unaware of what the future will bring. For years, Harrison Ford seemed embarrassed by his role (he doesn't look too happy here), but went on to great stardom. Poor Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher (RIP) were forever typecast, though she seemed to suffer the most from it all, at least personally. Today, Mann's enthusiasm for Star Wars has waned considerably; the inevitable result of the distance of years, decades of life experience and, as Mann is pained to say, what he would consider very bad creative choices made by Lucasfilm over the course of time. Many highly personal Star Wars-related memories, good and bad, which we've only touched on here, don't change his fundamental love for the pastiche science-fantasy universe of George Lucas. Yes, it's difficult to feel great affection when still smarting, decades later, over the existential and unforgivable threats of so-cute-I-might-puke ewoks and an entire race of Rastafarian gungans, or forgive such transgressions. It may even explain his "The Farce" series of tees, and other somewhat caustic, satirical Star Wars-inspired designs. But despite it all, the unrequited love lives on... Or maybe Mann's just fixated on getting back at George Lucas for "the slight" all those years ago. But that's a long Seinfeldian tale of bitter Hollywood resentment and revenge, better left for another time... Read the full article

[saberghatz]

In which sense Angel helped you?

It took me awhile to answer this ask because every time I see it I just look at it like, “Well, my entire life changed. How am I supposed to sum that up.”

But I’ll try to do that now.

…UNDER THE CUT CAUSE THIS IS EXTREMELY LENGTHY.

Angel was my very first memory of X-Men. I remember being like 8 years old and seeing the beginning of it on TV, where baby Warren was cutting his wings away. To be totally honest, it freaked me out but I couldn’t look away and I ran into the other room after the scene was over LOLI NEVER FORGOT THAT SCENE.

Since then, I’d seen the other x-men movies on in the background, I watched Days of Future past in the theaters, I really enjoyed them but none of them really struck me. At the time, I was mostly into animated movies such as How to Train Your Dragon, Rise of the Guardians, etc;

FAST FORWARD TO 2016, X-Men Apocalypse comes out. I didn’t see as much as a TEASER trailer for that movie before going to the theater. I didn’t even know it was out until one day my dad was like “Let’s go see the new X-Men movie.” And I was like “Oh theres a new X-Men movie? Those are cool movies, okay lets go.”

When the Berlin scene came on, and The Blob fell down to reveal Angel, it was KIND OF A JAW-DROP MOMENT FOR ME TBH because the last thing I remembered 100% X-Men was that scene of kid Warren in the Last Stand, and suddenly he was just THERE all grown up, kicking ASS.

As an artist, I find myself analyzing special effects and such. I remember getting really attached to how they designed his wings, I loved the talon, and the way they were animated was so life-like, it just COMPLETELY HOOKED ME. And I was like DAYUMM I want to draw like that! 

I remember just being completely entranced throughout the whole Cage Fight. Between Angel and Nightcrawler, I was just overloaded. When they escaped, I was hoping they would escape and go to Xavier’s school together ((keep in mind I never saw a trailer, so I had no idea Archangel was going to happen LOL)) So I was disappointed when Warren just ran away on his own. I thought that was going to be the last we saw of him.

BUT SURPRISE, BITCH, CAUSE

Fast-forward again to the warehouse scene and I was like hOLY SHIT ITS HIM AGAIN, HE MADE IT OUT ALIVE. And he’s listening to Metallica???? I grew up pretty much purely on rock music, it was and is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE, so the music in that scene took me way back again. 

I just left the theater of X-Men Apocalypse, completely buzzing with excitement. The main thing I loved about that movie as a whole is how all of the characters are teenagers. Because, being 18 myself, I just find them much easier to relate to and I got attached to them very easily.

So, BOUT TIME, I then completely fell in love with the X-Men franchise.

I think I saw the movie three times in theater, and each time it just got BETTER and I noticed more and more things, and got more attached to the franchise, exclusively to Angel.

I’m always drawn to what I’d classify as tragic villains, ones with very much potential to be a hero but just get hooked on the wrong path.

We all get sucked into fandom because of that ONE character we just utterly attach to, and this is exactly what happened with me and Warren. I was drawn to him firstly because of his wings. To me, wings represent freedom, which freedom is the most important thing in my life. It’s why I hated school so much which tries to put us in a box, why I couldn’t stand growing up and being forced to work for someone else. I wanted to be free, and live by my own riles.��When I was a kid, like 12 years old, I had SUCH a vivid dream that I was flying with these MASSIVE angel wings and I could just feel every stroke, the wind under my wings, the cool fresh air, and just that brief dream was just. The definition of freedom, and everything I strived to find in life. So ever since that, powerful characters with wings just take me right back to that wonderful night and give me so much joy.

After that movie, I started listening to rock music a lot more than I had been recently. Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Motley Crüe, Bon Jovi, etc etc, it was what I listened to through out my entire childhood, and getting back in touch with that music again lately has been amazing. Music can have very powerful effects on us, and rock music is what’s always made me feel alive.

X-Men Apocalypse is the first live-action movie that ever hooked me. Before then, I solely studied other artists’s work, and animated movies from Dreamworks/Disney, etc. I never used to study from life, which LOOKING BACK, was a HUGE set back on developing my art skills. X-Men Apoc inspired me so much, and last summer around July 2016, I would often grab screencaps and do speed-paints to try to capture the overall mood/motions present in the scene. 

Ex:

I was in love with how his wings moved, and just his character in general so I quickly just got ADDICTED to drawing him, I’d draw him all the time. And each time, I’d learn new things and my art skills would bump up.

I was blown away by Hardy’s acting, how the way he walked really sold the illusion of him carrying massive wings on his back. As I looked up references to draw Angel, I was steadily getting hooked on Ben as an actor, too. I found him really admirable, and started getting really interested in acting, health, and fitness because of it. Seeing for the first time how hard actors worked for their roles opened my eyes to perhaps working on films one day in the future, something I’d never even considered doing before.

Last summer, I started watching the episodes of Eastenders that Ben was in. It’s just one of those things I look back on with such a positive vibe. I hardly ever allow myself to sit down and just watch something for fun. I’m kinda a work-a-holic in a way that I always want to be working on something and not just lounging around. But I remember just relaxing with warm tea on cool summer nights and just watching Eastenders all night until I passed out.

It got me interested in London, and now it’s a huge dream of mine to go visit there. It sounds crazy, but in a way it sparked a long-lost childish sense of adventure back in my heart. Before, I just wanted to stay in one place and live out my life. Now, I want nothing more than to take my sketchbook, and travel the world to see everything our beautiful planet has to offer. The coolest thing about freelance is I’m quite literally FREE to travel wherever I want as long as I make enough money to support my travels, so that’s something I definitely plan to do in my future.

Back to Angel, I met so many amazing friends online through X-Men, people who I now couldn’t live without. @x-men-headcannons who I talk to all the time, and has impacted my life so much with her wonderful personality, support, and her artistry is just astounding! We now plan on moving in together in summer of 2019.

Warren also spared my interest in comics, which I now read and draw inspiration from all the time. I now aspire to make my own sometime, something I also had never considered doing before. I’m constantly being inspired by the iconic poses, the dynamics, and I feel that studying comic book artists have helped me expand my own library of knowledge.

In short, Angel helped me find myself. He helped me find friends, find happiness, find more dreams, and set me on track for the future I’ve always dreamed of. He may be fictional, but the effects that character has had on my life are very, very real.

[wbwest]

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New Post has been published on http://www.williambrucewest.com/2017/07/21/west-week-ever-pop-culture-review-72117/

West Week Ever: Pop Culture In Review - 7/21/17

I haven’t been doing such a great job with my movie tally for 2017. We’re more than halfway through the year, and I’ve barely watched anything. Well, I kinda made up for that last weekend, as I caught Keeping Up With The Joneses on HBO. This is one of those movies that came and went, and might find a fan base on TV, but will probably just be forgotten. If it should be remembered for anything, it’s that it features both Gal Gadot and Isla Fisher in lingerie. That’s about all it’s got going for it. What’s it about? Well, Isla Fisher and Zack Galifianakis star as a milquetoast suburbanite couple who become suspicious of their new neighbors, Jon Hamm and Gal Gadot. So, they’re pushed out of their comfort zone when they find out Hamm and Gadot are spies, and they get wrapped up in their latest mission. This is the kind of movie I would’ve killed a chunk of a Saturday afternoon on had it aired on Fox 5, but I can understand why nobody went to see it in theaters. Folks loved Don Draper, but for whatever reason, they have no desire to help along Jon Hamm’s movie career. And this was pre-Wonder Woman Gadot, so there was no heat on her yet. It doesn’t suck, but it’s got no Wow Factor either. Once it hits FX, it might be a good way to waste away a rainy Sunday afternoon.

I finally got around to watching The Nice Guys, too. I’d tried a few months ago, but I only got as far as the Ryan Gosling fully clothed in the bathtub scene, where I went, “What the eff am I watching?” I wasn’t ready for the absurd that night, but I was ready now. Like everyone had told me, it was really good. I still have trouble with heist/mystery films because my brain doesn’t work as fast as the film, so sometimes I have to reflect back on the thing when it’s over just to make sure I didn’t miss anything. Ryan Gosling is a private investigator who teams up with local tough guy Russell Crowe to track down a missing girl. Sure, there’s some stuff about porn, and the Detroit auto lobby, but that’s the gist of the movie. It’s got a precocious kid, a cool 70s aesthetic, and titties. Can’t really hate on any of that. Anyway, I could see this as one of those movies I drop everything to watch whenever I see that it’s on. If you haven’t seen it, definitely check it out.

My new favorite reality show debuted this week on Bravo, called A Night With My Ex. It’s just what the title says: a former couple spends the night together to see if the spark is still there and/or to reopen old wounds. In the premiere, 28 year old virgin Rachel is reunited to smarmy douchebag ex-boyfriend Fabian. They dated for four years, but he cheated on her with a sexy Tinkerbell at a Halloween party because he had a major case of blue balls. When the show starts, you don’t think Fabian is really that bad of a guy. He knows he made a mistake, and he even plans to propose to Rachel because he wants her in his life forever. But things go south quickly. He chastises her for scraping her plate with her fork as she eats, and he tries to make her give him a handjob once they’re in bed. All the while, she’s trying to actually apologize for basically pushing him to cheat by withholding sex, but he never lets her get a word out before saying/doing something stupid. Finally she declares that she deserves better than him, and basically laughs in his face when he proposes. That was some damn good television! If anything, I’d say the show is too short at 30 minutes, but they only spend one night together, and not the whole weekend, so I guess that’s all they could edit together. It’s a lot like MTV’s old show, The X Effect, only the couple’s current partners aren’t spying on the date like they were in that show. Anyway, it’s only been one episode, but I count me in for the next nine!

In TV news, it was announced that Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have lined up their post-GoT project, Confederate, which is an alternate history series set prior to the United States’ 3rd Civil War. Well, this rang some alarm bells for some folks, as you can’t really get into the Confederacy and Civil War without dealing with slavery. And folks weren’t really happy about these White showrunners making what some considered to be “slavery fanfic”. What hasn’t been covered extensively, though, is that the project is really just coasting on the fact that the GoT showrunners are attached, but they’re not the only ones involved. Husband-wife team of Malcolm Spellman and Nichelle Tramble Spellman , who are Black, will be partners on the show along with Benioff and Weiss. Plus, the show it’s so deep in its infancy that there aren’t even character names or an outline yet. It was originally developed as a two-hour movie, but they decided it could be fleshed out and taken to television. There’s basically nothing on paper for it yet, though, so there’s not much for folks to be upset about at this stage other than mere speculation. The Spellmans acknowledge the criticism, but say that they’d rather it had followed the premiere of the show instead of starting now, as it’s being announced. At this point, I think it’s safe to say that this criticism will go into shaping the show going forward, so we may never get what they originally intended to put out.

We got a new trailer for Marvel’s Inhumans. Still looks like garbage. I’ve loved Iwan Rheon since Misfits, but I can’t follow him here. This just looks so bad. Look, I’m gonna watch it, but I really don’t see how there’s any damn way I’m paying for an IMAX ticket to see it in theaters.

We also got a new teaser for The Defenders, which teases the Punisher series at the end. People are going nuts online about this thing because it’s narrated by Stan Lee, but I actually think he’s tonally wrong for this clip. When I think of Stan, I think of his marquee, larger than life characters – NOT the street-level vigilantes. I almost feel like it would’ve been better narrated by Bendis or Brubaker, but they don’t have the recognition factor that Stan has. I get that. Still, it just feels like a hollow waste of a cameo.

 Things You Might Have Missed This Week

The good Lord answered my prayers, as Chris Hardwick and Comedy Central have “mutually decided” to end @midnight. I won’t miss his smarmy face or those stupid hashtag games.

I guess the third time’s the charm, as Paige Davis will start her 3rd hosting stint on Trading Spaces when it returns to TLC later this year

Ed Sheeran was on Game of Thrones this week, and I guess some folks didn’t like that. I dunno. I kinda couldn’t care less about Sheeran or GoT, but folks were hatin’!

Meanwhile, it was reported that Lena Dunham will join American Horror Story for season 7, and folks lost their shit about that, too. Apparently she’ll only be in one episode, but that was enough for some folks to claim they weren’t gonna watch anymore.

Transformers: Titans Return will debut in November as an animated micro series on the Go90 app, featuring the voices of Green Ranger Jason David Frank and the original Rodimus Prime himself, Judd Nelson.

MTV is in talks to reboot Teen Wolf before this iteration’s final season has even concluded. Slow it down!

Sega broke up with Archie Comics over Twitter, thereby ending the Sonic The Hedgehog comic after 24 years of publication

Seacrest IN! Ryan Seacrest has officially signed on to host ABC’s revival of American Idol. I feel like I’ve written this sentence 3 times in the past already, but now it’s for real for real.

Coming as no real surprise since The Vampire Diaries ended, The CW announced that its spinoff, The Originals, will end after its upcoming season.

In an odd choice, the directors of the original Catfish documentary (the movie, not the show) are in talks talks to helm a Mega Man film that will be produced by Masi Oka of Heroes fame.

Words with Friends is being developed into a television game show. Ya know, so it’s basically the Scrabble game show being rebooted.

Meanwhile on Black Twitter, R. Kelly is allegedly running a sex cult, Usher paid a woman $1.1 million for her to keep quiet about the fact that he gave her herpes, and Kevin Hart allegedly got caught cheating on his pregnant wife. I’m just waiting for some crazy Steve Harvey news to round out the week.

At San Diego Comic Con, MGM announced Stargate Origins, which appears to be a prequel webseries that will run on the Stargate Command website this fall.

Shazam! will be the next DC film to go into production, following Justice League and Aquaman, but it’s unclear if Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will co-star as Black Adam.

There might soon be a new Cutco salesman on the block, as OJ Simpson has been granted parole from the armed robbery that landed him in prison nine years ago. The Juice is almost loose!

I love those weeks when the West Week Ever recipient presents itself early in the week, ’cause it’s pretty much smooth sailing after that. This was one of those weeks, as history was made across the pond. The Doctor Who franchise is over 50 years old, but every time the Doctor regenerates (a clever in-story mechanism for recasting the actor), he just turns into another White dude. That’s pretty much been the unending pattern since 1966, when the first regeneration occurred. Folks have been saying it’s time for a change, and they were hoping we’d either end up with a Doctor of color (with The IT Crowd‘s Richard Ayoade coming up in a lot of the discussions) or a woman Doctor. Well, half of them got their wish, as Attack the Block‘s Jodie Whittaker was announced as the 13th Doctor. And, as you’re probably not surprised, folks lost their shit.

We’re always taught the the Brits are so proper and upstanding, but the comments sections of several sites proved that they can troll with the best of them. At the end of the day, it’s a bunch of folks who are afraid of change. A friend of mine, however, did point out that the victors in these circumstances also tend to trigger the backlash against themselves. For example, it would be one thing if this was seen as a bold move forward for a progressive franchise. The problem, however, is that some people take it too far, and get on the “I’m savoring these fanboy tears” soapbox, making it about something that it really didn’t need to devolve into. Sometimes the winners can suck just as much as the losers in these scenarios. This can be seen as a “win” for some without it being a “loss” for someone else. How about framing it as a win for everyone? Nah, the internet doesn’t really work like that.

I have never gotten into the Doctor Who franchise because it just seems so daunting. Sure, folks claim you really only have to start with the Eccleston season, but when I get into something, I go ALL IN. To me, that’s like telling someone they can start Star Trek with The Next Generation (which I’d probably do, since I hate The Original Series, even though I’d still feel like I was cheating them out of an experience). I feel like I’d have to watch all 54 years of the show, which is impossible because those seasons ain’t streaming anywhere, and a good chunk of them have been lost to time. It’s a franchise that cannot be wholly consumed! I hate mysteries that can’t be solved. Still, I can respect a longstanding institution, and I understand when change is a big deal. It’ll be interesting to see how fans take to the new Doctor, but the one thing to remember is that she’ll probably do it for 2 years, and then regenerate into another old White guy (the Doctor role has the retention rate of a community college). So, everyone gets their wish! I am kinda curious about the next season, though, as rumor has it Kris Marshall (Colin: God of Sex from Love Actually) is going to be the Doctor’s next companion. I loved that dude!

Anyway, I know which side of history I want to be on, and it’ll be interesting to see this all play out. The way the franchise works, we won’t see her until the Christmas special, and then won’t see her again until late 2018 at the earliest. So, folks have got some time to get used to the idea. Still, I think it goes without saying that Jodie Whittaker had the West Week Ever.

[gerardwayisarchive]

Gerard Way Talks 'The Umbrella Academy' Netflix Series & Why the World is Ready For Superheroes With Demons

https://gerardwayisalive.tumblr.com/post/182279958074

https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/television/8494811/gerard-way-interview-the-umbrella-academy-netflix-series-trailer

1/24/2019 by Taylor Weatherby

The official trailer for the Netflix adaption arrived today (Jan. 24).

Twelve years after Gerard Way unveiled the first installment of his comic book series The Umbrella Academy, the singer is seeing his dysfunctional superhero story come to life on screen. Netflix has adapted the comic for a 10-episode TV series called The Umbrella Academy, with the official trailer arriving today (Jan. 24).  

The show -- which debuts on Netflix Feb. 15 -- marks another dream come true for Way, as he always envisioned the comic series on a screen. The former My Chemical Romance frontman is credited as co-executive producer for the Netflix adaption, and showrunner Steve Blackman (Fargo, Private Practice) made sure both Way and The Umbrella Academy illustrator Gabriel Bá were as involved as possible. In turn, the TV series has all the same weird ideas as the comics, which was particularly important to Way.

The story's wackiness is apparent in the show's trailer, which sees six estranged super-human family members reunite upon the passing of their adoptive father Sir Reginald Hargreeves. Coincidentally the superhero reunion comes as the threat of an apocalypse arrives, with only eight days to stop it -- so the team immediately gets to work. The trailer also features Way's electric cover of The Bangles' "Hazy Shade Of Winter," setting the tone for the show's facetious vibe and extreme happenings -- as well as his own music the show has inspired.

Ahead of the trailer's release, Way chatted with Billboard about bringing The Umbrella Academy to life on screen, the musical aspect of the show, and why the world is ready for a team of flawed superheroes.

You’ve said that one of your favorite things about the series is that the showrunners "kept the weird ideas." Was that something you were concerned about when the show was first conceptualized?

That was a concern of mine way back when Universal Pictures had it as a film option. At the time, the world really wasn’t ready for something like Umbrella Academy, so there were some directions that Universal had gone with it to take some of the weirdness out, and I wasn’t really happy about that. But later on, years passed, and now the world is ready for something deeper on superheroes, and they’re ready to move past the origin story.

What makes you feel like the world is ready now for a superhero series like this?

In the 10 years that’s been out, we’ve had a lot of superhero movies, and I feel like some of them kept progressing forward and forward to the point where now we see a Marvel film and they’re really bringing Jack Kirby and Stan Lee’s world to life. It’s really like a living, breathing comic book now. So people are ready to go deeper on superheroes to deal with dysfunction and demons and addiction, but you won’t really find a comic going so deep in a mainstream comic.

You've also said that comics were your first exposure to things like mental health awareness and group therapy – would you say that The Umbrella Academy TV show has brought a new layer to that?

Yes, I think in some ways it does deal with mental health, and it deals with a lot of really fractured individuals. It’s funny -- we haven’t seen it yet in the comic, but the Umbrella Academy is a group of people that can really benefit from group therapy.

Are there any characters you’re particularly excited about?

I really like how Steve [Blackman] handled Spaceboy. At first he kind of pitched me on it and I was like, “Oh, I don’t know if that’s going to work,” and then it worked extremely well. I think he made that character understandable to a broad audience. Also, Spaceboy is wearing clothes. The funny thing about that is that no only does it make more sense to me that he’s wearing clothes, it really adds to the character.

Some of the characters went in a little bit of a different direction, like Klaus in the comics is this kind of dry goth, and he’s a little bit sexier in the show. The way Robert plays him is sexier and maybe a little more rock ‘n’ roll.

But they all did a phenomenal job. And they really cared about this. It was so wonderful to watch this cast work and bring their own ideas to these roles. They all had ideas, and they made them even more fleshed out. And the cast gets along wonderfully, which I’ve been told is not a common thing [Laughs]. Apparently they were going to dinner together all the time. They have some really hard scenes together in the show, and I’m like, “Man, how are they going to dinner after this?”

The show also stars Mary J. Blige as Cha-Cha. How do you feel about how she brought that character to life, especially because it's a male in the comic book?

I was so incredibly floored and blown away that she even wanted to have anything to do with something that I was making doodles of on airplanes. I love the fact that Cha-Cha is a woman and I love that it’s Mary. She brings so much to the role. It’s amazing.

One of the really great differences of the show is that it’s more diverse in its casting than the source material. And that was something that we talked about very early on that we wanted to correct from the source material. It was the perfect scenario for that to happen because they were all adopted, so it was kind of a no-brainer. I think diversity is the best change.

How does what you envisioned for the comic when you first started writing it compare to how it ended up, both in its storyline and in the TV show?

The thing I like the most about the show is that the core of it is really there -- the dysfunction and the relationships and the characters. To me, it was always about the characters. Even back then when I was first conceptualizing these characters -- I value characters so much and they drive the story.

[As for what’s] changed, I’m writing Hotel Oblivion right now, and it reflects more who I am in my 40s than who I was in my 30s, when I was writing the last ones. I have a road map of eight graphic novels total when all is said and done, and some of these things have changed so many times. There was such a gap that every time I went to work on Hotel Oblivion again, that I needed to make it new, fresh, and reflect who I am. I think, in ways, the show really does that. It looks at this original source material, but it updates it in a lot of ways. Even though it’s a timeless thing, it feels very current.

Can you give an example of how who you are in your 40s impacted the story compared to who you were in your 30s?

[The characters] deal with trauma and their past a little differently now. You understand your childhood a bit better as you hit your 40s, and I think they’re all starting to understand their childhood a bit better. They’re starting to really ask themselves questions about Hargreeves and what he was really doing -- they’re constantly learning things about their father.

I figured fatherhood probably also had an impact on how the story has continued.

Absolutely. Becoming a parent is the key to understanding your own parents.

You've also previously alluded that real-world political events have had an impact on how this storyline has unfolded. Can you elaborate on that?

It’s crazy -- [the story] has had to change, but had we never taken a break from Umbrella Academy the comic, I think we would’ve looked like total geniuses or storytellers with where the story was heading politically [Laughs]. Politics were becoming a factor in Umbrella Academy, but all those notes and ideas were from the Obama era. We’ll still see that, but it’s not an accurate portrayal by far of our current climate and the country.

[The show] says some things, because good art talks about what’s going on in the world sometimes. But there’s a definite division that happens in the comic series, and politics become a factor in the middle of this story arc. Then toward the end of the graphic novels, it starts to shift in a different direction. So there is kind of a shift in the middle of the story that deals with America in a big way.

Well and even just in the trailer, there’s an apocalypse, and some people may be feeling like there’s an apocalypse coming with our current state of the world [Laughs].

Absolutely. That apocalypse really exists because of what I witnessed with 9/11, which is kind of another reason why I started [My Chemical Romance]. I was writing Umbrella Academy when we were working on The Black Parade, and that very first video that Sam Bayer directed ["Welcome To The Black Parade"], it kind of looks like 9/11 and Ground Zero. And then when you see the apocalypse in Umbrella Academy when Number Five goes back there, it kind of looks like Ground Zero. Reflections of real-world stuff.

And yeah, you’re totally right, people are probably afraid there might be an apocalypse at some point given the state of the world, so in that way, yeah, a decade later, it’s really relevant, the end of the world.

Also featured in the trailer is your cover of "Hazy Shade of Winter." "I Think We're Alone Now" was featured in the initial teaser for the Netflix series as well -- is '80s music going to play a role in soundtracking the show?

The soundtrack really runs this whole spectrum. If you asked me when I was writing the comic, the ‘90s were a big part of the soundtrack in my head: The Pixies and Teenage Fanclub, that kind of stuff. Steve has a very distinct idea of what he wants the songs to be, because he writes the songs into the script -- so I didn’t get to weigh in very much on the soundtrack of the show.

[“Hazy Shade of Winter”] was a situation where I got to weigh in because we needed a song for the trailer, and I suggested we do “Hazy Shade of Winter” the way The Bangles did it for the Less Than Zero soundtrack and use them as a guide, and he loved it.

We have Jeff Russo doing the score, and he did an amazing job. There were very early conversations about me potentially scoring, but there was no way given my schedule that would work. But I’m sure down the line I’ll be covering more songs for the show.

Has the TV adaptation inspired any music of your own?

It has. When I was on set the very first day and we were watching the very first shot which was a scene between Ellen [Page, who plays Vanya] and Aidan [Gallagher, who plays Number Five], it’s the very last shot of the pilot and they’re talking about the end of the world and it’s supposed to cut to black. And a song popped into my head for that, and I started writing this song that I ended up recording. I haven’t finished it yet, but it’s a song I would love to give to the show.

Are you doing anything else music-related at the moment? Or just focusing on Umbrella Academy?

I’ve been writing a lot. There’s three things that are kind of the focus of my life besides family as being the most important thing. One, writing these two comics I write, Umbrella Academy and Doom Patrol. Two, making music once a week and releasing new songs -- I was trying to do it every month but it’s now going to turn into longer gaps of releasing songs. And then my well-being is the other thing, like my physical fitness and my diet, making big life changes and quitting smoking, things like that. I did not take care of myself for the last two, three years writing comic books. I’m starting to really take care of myself again.