#art attack weekly challenge

[sanchoyo]

reread Ekleipsis bc I got some very nice comments on it and wanted to revisit it 2 years later and u know what?? I think it still holds up p well! There are slight typos and parts I wish I could’ve lengthened, foreshadowed more, or gotten Deep into the lore/characters abt, but considering I was busting out a chapter a day and had it done in a dang month I do think it’s pretty good as a lil story!! Would love to do more art for it or revisit the world in some way some day. Babies first real Big Original work 🥺 in my mind it’s still kind of the first draft version, but I’m still proud regardless… ❣️

[threecowsusingthistoreadcomics]

Hermittober Week Four (Final Week) - Trickery

The final week! Technically it’s November now, but what kind of weekly challenge would it be if I didn’t wait until the last minute to post. More details about this under the cut!

Once more, this art takes place in the Hermit Hat Atelier AU which me and @activate-shadow-of-the-window have been working together on. They’ve been doing this weekly challenge as well, so go check out their art if you’re interested!

As for the actual piece, the trickery here is Grian’s excessive use of alter egos. To most, Ariana Griande (King Ren’s royal bard / sensational pop idol), and some office worker with a smudged nametag couldn’t be further apart. With Grian’s use of mind-altering magic tied to certain items, he intends to keep it that way.

His headband and nametag are two such items, enchanted to make Griande and his other alter egos unrecognizable as himself. When he removes one, a blinding sequence of sparkling lights surrounds him, allowing him to make a quick change without revealing his true identity. He is not beating the magical girl allegations.

Most of his forms are used for subterfuge, but Permit Grian is unremarkable enough that when things get tough, he gets brought out for the full-fledged attack. The cloaking spells on his nametag are particularly strong, so he doesn’t have to worry about a memorable fight interfering with a later office infiltration.

[ghostflowerhotpotch]

So I'll just tell myself all of the things I can't say to you yet (Fic)

First Chapter here

Pairing: Ghostflower (Miles x Gwen.)

Chapter: 2/4.

Summary: After a mission ends up with Miles injured, Gwen brings Miles to her home and hopes nothing bad comes out of it.

After all, what are the chances he would see that plushie?

"Shit, shit, shit!" Gwen thought as she helped Miles swing across her dimension, trying to look around just in case something else decided to attack them that day; may as well.

Why this was her luck?

Gwen and Miles were having one of their weekly calls, it wasn't scheduled or anything, however somehow they had fallen into the pattern of one of them calling the other at least once a week. Sometimes Miles had called to ask for help with homework or something, and maybe, the art class Gwen has picked up as a way to have a less demanding work course just so happens to be a bit more challenging than she expected, so she would need to call for help with those too.

During said call, both her watch and the police walkie-talkie went on at the same time with similar messages; a villain who has appeared in her dimension and was destroying some offices. She would need to deal with it one way or another, and surprisingly, Miles has offered to come.

Is not that Miles didn't help her out, however, he liked to stay away from things regarding the organization. Even now that it was run by Jess with Miguel only running the technological side of things (and from what she has gathered, self-banished himself on his lab;) Miles preferred to stay away. She couldn't blame him; she owed too much to Jess and the other spiders to feel okay with not helping out now that is only about the people ending in other universes, it didn't feel as gross as some of the other missions they used to have.

He shrugged, and said it was just a friend's favor; at which she smiled as she tried to remember that.

Friends, is what she has insisted upon, is what she should be grateful for, considering Miles could have easily shut her out of his life.

It didn't mean she didn't want much more.

As much as she liked spending time with him, part of her wished she could have found an excuse to just hang out like normal people. She liked being Spider-woman and it was fun doing it alongside him, yet putting her hero persona first for so long and focusing that as their connection with each other, made her wish for some time just like Gwen and Miles.

It didn't take long for her to fully regret accepting his offer when a Rhino from another dimension sent Miles flying directly to a giant picture of the CEO of the company the villain was raiding, which ended with glass getting stuck in his back.

They manage to finish the battle, but Miles wasn't looking too well; he didn't really want to go to HQ, insisting it wasn't that big of a deal, ("Super healing, remember?" "Not with glass in your back, dummy! It could heal badly or-") and of course, if he went to his universe and needed to change to Miles there would be a lot to explain.

And he didn't want to worry his parents now that they know he is Spiderman and promised to be careful.

Feeling especially guilty about it, she told him they could go to her place. She had a first aid kid and training (she did a course shortly after she got bitten, just in case she shouldn't pull to the hospital but needed help,) she would see what she could do there. In the worst-case scenario, she could probably call Peter B's universe and ask May for help.

"We are almost there, " She told him as they moved across the city, she staying beside Miles just in case.

"Good, good," Miles calmly, but Gwen takes advantage that her face is hidden under her face to look at him.

He hasn't really complained, in fact he had tried at first to insist on swinging by himself, shooting down Gwen's suggestion of carrying him (with super strength, she could do it with one arm really.) They had ended up agreeing to do it together, with Gwen having an arm around Miles' waist (being careful with the wound,) as he put it around her shoulders; they were throwing webs at the same time, as one.

She could feel his muscles tense, as well as the warmth he exudes contrasting with the coolness of the night during the summer. If she couldn't hear his hitched breathing, to feel the stickiness on her suit for the blood, perhaps she could have enjoyed this moment with him.

Was too sad how badly she wanted to cling to his side? She knew has always been affectional, but the last thing she needed was to become desperate.

Once they finally made it to the building, she gently guided him down the stairs, indicating for Miles to get against the rail as she slid the window open, "Sorry for the mess," she said as she helped him get in.

They entered the living room; she normally didn't feel too self-conscious about the apartment, yet she could see that not only there were papers on the table, but also both mugs were still dirty from this morning (Gwen has woken up late because of a mission she had yesterday, her dad probably needed to be ready for university, getting a new job as a coach for the gymnastic team.) one of his jackets was still on the chair. The rest of the apartment was still untidy, with shoes around as well as books that could belong to either of them.

Her dad and she were busy, and she got used to untidiness when she was growing up with him as an only parent with a very time-consuming job. It didn't mean that it didn't get to her at times. Her room wasn't much better-

Her eyes opened in shock as she remembered that the plushie of Miles was in her bed, close to her lyrics notebook that had her favorite polaroid beside it, as inspiration.

The only saving grace was that the door to her room was closed, yet all she could think of was "Why do I need to be such a lovesick idiot that I have literal evidence lying around?"

If Miles truly didn't suspect her feelings, god would only know how.

"Pff, I think is fine, you should have seen my room and Ganke's during finals week," He chuckled weakly, looking around "Um, should we do this in the living room or your roo-"

"Actually!" Gwen interrupted, a bit too abruptly and squeaky for her taste. Straightening her back, she tries to guide Miles as a distraction "Let's go to the bathroom, is easier that way!"

"Oh! Yeah that makes sense."

She is glad that she thought that one quick because certainly, the only thing she was thinking of was making sure he didn't get to her room.

It wasn't the first time he was here, however, he has never actively stayed for too long. Gwen had tried for the most to keep her hero life away from her dad; even if they were working on it, she didn't feel too comfortable with him about it. Funnily enough despite knowing what she can do, he also sometimes got a bit protective of her; and he was already paranoid enough about society to add her dad start getting the wrong ideas because Miles was alone with her in their house.

(It has been hard enough to convince her dad nothing happened the few times Miles came by; she had enough as it is to tell her dad how she is an absolute goner for a guy who had already moved on.)

As she indicated Miles to sit on the toilet, she took the first aid from below the sink and was thankful that she had the provision to have it up to date; even when it wasn't for her it came in handy for her dad even to this day. She stopped once she turned around and saw him.

Miles was sitting awkwardly while showing his back to her, toying with the fabric of his suit around his knee, too casual for how his back was looking. The fabric was completely ruined on the back, with multiple cuts around as well as some glass still there (Gwen had done her best to take the bigger pieces before getting here, but she couldn't take everything with barely any light and her hands.) The bleeding seemed to have stopped for the most part, drying it up and some of the smaller cuts already closing; it didn't make the situation less dire.

Moving without realizing it, her fingertips caress the top of his back where his skin still was intact "Oh Miles, I am so sorry."

"C'mon, it can be that bad right? Is not like I am coughing glass," He jokes, half smiling as he turns his face towards her.

"It isn't good, if I just had been more alert I could have-"

"Hey," she tops rambling as he feels his hand on top of hers, with him turning his head the best he can in this position to look at her, "I signed up for this too, remember? It just comes with the job, and if me being here meant you didn't end up like this, then I am glad I did it."

Gwen was someone who for the most part, was able to control her emotions, or at least to keep her expressions blank enough to hide whatever she was truly feeling. It has become such a habit that she her eyes opened just the smallest bit to that revelation, and she was sure the way her breath hitched was as inaudible as it could be for superhumans.

Yet before she could feel her heartbeat pick up, he looked back to the front and moved his hand away casually, "I would have done the same for anyone in the spidey-gang you know?"

She moved her hand away from him, and felt lucky he has turn around so she didn't bother to hide the disappointment in her face, "Friends is good, being with the band is good, I should be happy I have that."

She is, not just while hearing this.

"Yeah, of course." She whispered in a response that seemed more for herself than for him.

Going back to the task at hand, she quickly realizes that she can't do this with him still dressed up with the top part of his suit, it was almost amazing it has hold up as well as it did. Making sure to keep her voice even, she says "Um, is there a way you can remove the top? I know is a one-piece but I don't think I can do this with you well, using it."

Feeling the redness in her cheeks, she mentally chastised herself; focus on your job dammit!

"Right, right," Miles said coughing a bit, before proceeding to move his arms out, not needing to bother with any zipper since the damage was that big.

Gwen helped him in what he could, including taking parts of the suit as gently as possible while they were kind of glued to his body; eventually, the top of his suit was lying around his lap, and she was staring at the muscles in his back.

The wound! Yeah, definitely what she was looking at.

While using tweezers to remove glass, debris, and such, she tried to not look too much at his skin and muscle tone. She try to avoid thinking about the pulse she felt in his skin as she cleaned with water and alcohol once she has been able to take anything that shouldn't be there.

She was satisfied with the job, it wasn't a nurse's job and his accelerated healing did help, but at least it seemed like Miles wouldn't risk infection now.

"I guess we are done," She said while caressing his shoulders, feeling bad for how she wished to have an excuse to continue doing so. She has always been a cuddle bug despite her struggles to talk about her feelings, and she always had the hardest time trying to not go to Miles and don't let him go.

"Thanks, it feels much better already," he said cheerily, and Gwen wonders if he was being honest or if he was just telling her so to make her feel less guilty about all of this "Do you have anything I can-"

He stopped talking when he notices her face morphing in concentration, and in doing so he seemed to notice a whistle that was becoming stronger. Miles may had not picked up because he wasn't used to it, Gwen however has grown up with that her entire life.

"That's my dad!" She said, cursing to herself, "I need to hide you."

"What?! Really? I mean-"

"He is paranoid! You know, dads with daughters tend to be a bit like that," She said hastily as an excuse, knowing very well her dad wouldn't be paranoid if he didn't know about the polaroid, and that was the tip of the iceberg. As she said that she quickly went out of the bathroom towards her room "Just let me tidy up a bit! DON'T COME YET!"

It was stupid of her to lose time like this, yet her mind couldn't decide if it was worse than her dad saw Miles with his entire top missing, or Miles seeing the plushie and the rest of her things; so deciding that neither was an option she threw the plushie, the notebook, and the polaroid all in her closet and shut the door close.

She was hearing the keys going on the entrance door when she pushed Miles as softly as possible into her room, "I will find a way to get him out of here soon, I am sorry."

Before he could let him say anything, she closed the door on his face, and turned around in time to see her father "Dad! You are here."

"Practice is already over, why I wouldn't be here?" He replied none the wiser, leaving his jacket in the same spot as the other one, not even thinking twice about things piling up.

Like her problems seemed to be doing.

"Is fine! I can find an excuse, then I can make sure Miles gets home okay, and everything will be fine."

She needed to hope for it at least, besides, how bad things could turn out?

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Okay, let's see how this experiment works out; remember guys, ao3 is down and they need us to stay away until they can fix what's going on.

If you like the fic, please leave a comment! Third chapter here!

[harmonytre]

What to Expect Coming Up

I am still sick, but thought it’d be fun to mention all the projects I have going on and my sort of process.

I’ve gotten into the flow of 3 art -> animate an hour -> 3 art -> reference sheet; and repeat! Now the “3 art” doesn’t include warm-ups, which I’ll discuss in a moment. This usually varies but does have a pattern of priority to it.

Commissions (none atm, but one has discussed interest) -> Deadline art (contest entries, featured character, birthday gifts) -> “Required” art (raffle prizes [2 remain], Benrey project, 11 Bulbasaur gifts, 42 late Artfight attacks) -> Other stuff

When it comes to warm-ups, I’ve gone 32 times in a row of purely HLVRAI. It’ll still be thrown in the mix, but I’d like to add Pokemon and OCs as a chance too! Warm-ups include any requests I get, and those increase in chance the longer they’re there. Meanwhile there’s still the chance my random wheel will choose something like “Sunkist” three days in a row lol.

Now to discuss all the projects! First off, my next three art will be: raffle prize, a small special RTVS animation, and a doodle of my next hyperfixation which I’ll then open up for requests as well!

HLVRAI

“Cabinet Man” Animatic: A more long-term project that’s fully storyboarded so far, but I plan on making rendered (or at least colored) illustrations for.

I have two parts in my Multi-Animator-Project! One part is Benrey and Gordon focused, while the other part is Tommy, Bubby, and Coomer focused, so I get to animate the whole Science Team and that excites me!! (One part still open by the way, hint hint.) The MAP itself is a third of the way complete let’s goooooo!

Other animation projects include: “Two Birds” Tommy and Benrey friendship animatic (fully written), “Eighth Wonder” Tommy animatic (just an idea, focusing on the others first), and occasional clips or mini animations.

Benrey Fanart (and then the other characters too!): I have 12 people left to reach out to, but I gotta do it slowly so my account doesn’t get shadowbanned again (that was scary ngl). But once I do, the sign-up post will be updated regularly as I work and I’ll DM everyone individually as I finish theirs!

@sweetvoicecafe ! I am very excited to get this up and running! I have 3 references remaining, and then I can work on the introductory comic. (I mayyyyyyyy call for voice actors.)

HLVRAI-based OCs: This is a more minor thing, but I want to finish 9 more designs before Artfight, as I’ve only finished Joshie.

Pokemon

It’ll be a while longer until it’s ready, but I’d like to restart my Shiny Living Dex Challenge. And it’ll no longer be discord only, I’ll extend it to tumblr as well! Especially since there’s art prizes involved.

I have 11 remaining Bulbasaur/Ivysaur/Venusaur gifts to finish!

The occasional warmup, request, doodle, etc.

“Close Up Meme” Phanthop AU Animatic that I would love to polish and color.

“Never Love an Anchor” Hop and Leon animatic that I have indeed started (just an animatic this time, not polished)

I’ve started releasing collab (with @mr-web ) Art Podcasts on my youtube channel hint hint ;)

Misc.

Streams: Over on my Twitch (same name): I stream weekly (maybe more, depending on my new work schedule, just finished moving after all). At the moment, I’m taking turns with Half Life (nearly done with game one) and Omori (collab with Doglord15). Soon it’ll (hopefully) include Pokemon, but I’d also like to try Undertale Yellow, Portal, Hollow Knight, and more! As well as a return to art streams, that’d be cool.

Artfight Prep: I am mostly done, but remaining I have: 3 SVC refs, 9 HLVRAI OC refs, and fully updating my spreadsheet, which will also be updated on tumblr! (I may do this today, as it’s something I can do while bed-ridden.) Plus the 42 leftover revenges.

Among Us “Bark Bark” Animatic: nearly 3 years in the works but it’s chugging . . . there were complications with the cameos involved that hurt my motivation and the progress, but it’s still in the works haha…

“Haunted House” Vent Animatic: This is 2/3s of the way complete! As it’s something personal, I worked on it quickly after a certain event, but I’d still like to finish it. <3

New Hyperfixation: Surprise reveal! It’s Wreck-It Ralph (and specifically Hero’s Cuties). It won’t be a huge thing, but I’d like to doodle here and there, open requests for it, and draw up three AU designs that have been in my mind for nearly 13 years.

@theairshipexperiment : Yes yes, I knowwwwwwwwwwwww y’all are mad at me. It’s been three years and I still get people upset that it hasn’t continued. It’s not completely canceled, just very very slowww. I’m nearly done writing chapter 3, but that means there’s 7 chapters to go. At least I’ve started giving myself completely random reminders for times to write haha. It’s my only writing project atm, but writing takes so much more effort from me than art, I’m sorry.

@absurdamongus : Very low on my list, but I still enjoy their designs and would one day like to continue finishing their refs and maybe reopen an ask blog. An animated series would still be cool, but it’d be a long way off if so.

So yeah, a lot of projects and a lot of excitement! I’m going at a fair pace (when I’m not sick) and art continues to be my passion! <3

[xero-jsketchbook]

KiriAsu Miniseries

October 24, 2024 is a special day for Kirito and Asuna, so back in June, the Japanese KiriAsu fan circle on Twitter started a weekly art event based on specific themes!

I've been participating by way of drawing quick sketches of FEH-style miniature versions of the two, while also personally challenging myself to put a Nintendo spin on the concepts given!

Were you able to guess them all?

6/1: "Shared Umbrella" x "Forgotten Items" + Pikmin

6/8: "Holding Hands" x "Uniform" + Fire Emblem Three Houses

6/15: "Ramen" x "Incident in the Safe Zone" + ARMS

6/22: "Marriage" x "Quarrel" + Super Mario Odyssey

6/29: "Surprise Attack" x "Moon" + Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon

7/6: "Waking Up In Bed" x "Sunshine" + Pokémon Sun

[lefinx]

Dredge - Review

I've had a rough time this last week juggling work and sickness, so I've not had a lot of time for gaming as most evenings I'm choosing just to sleep. However, I'm still determined to bring you my weekly spooky game review.

Currently, I'm playing through Bloomtown, but I haven't finished it or played enough to write an informed review yet. So, instead, this week I'm bring you Dredge, an eerie fishing game I completed back in February!

You're the new fisherman of Greater Marrow, spending your days catching and selling fish to the local townsfolk and listening to their tales. But not all is as it seems. As the sun goes down, strange creatures lurking in the depths rise to the surface, rocks appear out of nowhere, and the feeling of being watched slowly consumes you…

Dredge is a Lovecraftian inspired fishing horror role -playing adventure game developed by Black Salt Games and published by Team17 on March 30, 2023.

As explained above, the main concept of Dredge is that you play as a fisherman, sailing around collecting and selling fish or other treasures you find to local towns or traders. Fishing is done using a fairly simple mini-game you've probably seen a thousand times before, where you must press a button when a marker hits a certain area. The game also provides you with an encyclopedia to track the fish you find throughout the game.

You can also catch aberrations, which are mutant variations of fish that are slightly more difficult to find and yield higher rewards. Additionally, you have the option to upgrade your boat. By dredging materials from the sea, you can access higher upgrades to increase your storage or equipment size. By buying different rods and engines, you can catch new types of fish and traverse the ocean faster.

Near Greater Marrow, you will meet the Collector, a mysterious character who tasks you with retrieving enigmatic relics. In doing so, you will explore different areas of the map, encountering new NPCs and quest lines, as well as discovering various fish to collect and sell.

But at 7 PM, when the sun goes down and the fog rolls in, is when the fun with Dredge really starts. You'll have to try to keep sane as unknown Lovecraftian creatures start to attack, mysterious ghost ships appear and disappear before your eyes, rocks not previously there emerge in the ocean, crows attack and steal your daily catch, and unknown entities creep aboard.

As a coward, I did not sail out a lot at night. However, on the odd occasions I did, it definitely increased the game's intensity and experience. I would recommend anyone interested in picking up the game to do the same.

The art style is beautiful, transitioning between a simple, smooth, and sometimes horrifying over world, to its unique, detailed, impressionism-like paintings for each character. The music adds to this, bringing a sinister and creepy feel to it, whilst also giving that old-timey pirate feel with its use of instrumentation.

I completed Dredge at the beginning of this year, so it is difficult for me to recall any major drawbacks I experienced while playing the game. However, after speaking to some friends about their opinions and looking at some sources online, I found that I agree with the majority of the criticisms.

One of the main criticisms online is the lack of importance fishing holds. Dredge is presented as a game where your main involvement is fishing, with other quests providing a side line for the story. However, fishing ends up being a minor part of the gameplay. The task gets repetitive and dull the further you get into the game. There's no real challenge to the mini-game, and aside from the compulsory fish you need to catch for the story or side quests, there's not much point in fishing outside of making money.

One reviewer pointed out that they never felt a need to search for high-value fish or aberrations, as they didn't notice a significant difference in the rewards received for each one. They also mentioned the lack of actual management with your storage. While out at sea, you only have a certain amount of space on your boat, so you have to arrange your resources or toss them depending on what you are looking to collect. Additionally, there is no real risk of losing items, as each port has universal storage. This means if you wish to transport a valuable item for a quest or to a trader, there is no risk of losing it to the sea.

Another point my friend and I noticed was the lack of relevance of the aberrations in the story. For me, the story presented the aberrations of fish as a significant plot point and one of the world's mysteries, but this is never really developed. At the beginning of the game, there is a small story section with the fishmonger and a quest to bring him an aberration. Without giving away too much, after doing so, something clearly goes wrong and things change. This same idea is presented again in a side quest later in the game.

For my friend and me, this seemed like it was going to lead into a deeper and more significant part of the story. However, nothing ever comes of it. It gives you a teaser of a deeper narrative and hints that something more is going on in the game, but it never elaborates on it, leaving the mystery feeling slightly unfinished.

Dredge is currently released on Windows, Nintendo Switch, PS4/5, Xbox One/Series X/S, and is scheduled to release on Android, iOS, and mac in December 2024. The main story will last you around 10 hours, though there are other side quests/collectables to extend your gameplay, and retails for around £21.99.

I really enjoyed Dredge. When I first started the game, I had a fairly neutral opinion, but as the story progressed and I discovered more about the world, I became increasingly intrigued. I had a lot of fun piecing together the mystery of the world and was blown away once everything clicked into place.

I would recommend Dredge to anyone interested in Lovecraftian-style horror or those who enjoy fishing and exploring open worlds with a twist. It's perfect for this October.

Get Dredge here!

If you enjoy the base game of Dredge, it also has two DLCs you can play after or alongside your adventures traversing the watery depths. Although I haven't played them myself yet, they seem well-suited for any fan of the original game.

Dredge: The Pale Reach

The Pale Reach is Dredge's first DLC. This DLC adds an ice-themed biome that you will have to suitably equipped your boat to explore. In this DLC you'll navigate ice fields, looking to discover a mystery trapped under the ice as you unravel the stories of a bitter betrayal from the past.

The pale Reach will provide you with around 3 hours of extra content, new fish to catch, areas to explore, and story to uncover. It retails for around £5.99.

Get The Pale Reach Here

Dredge: The Iron Rig

The Iron Rig is Dredge's Second DLC. This DLC adds a constructible destination, with a new story, equipment, fish, and challenges. Assist the Ironhaven Corporation in constructing facilities in this DLC. Gather and craft new equipment as you revisit familiar areas to investigate ancient disturbances. All the while uncovering the secrets of what Ironhaven are truly after.

The Iron Rig adds around 5 hours of extra content to the game and retails for around £11.99.

Get The Iron Rig Here

[dropintomanga]

Does Shonen Jump Really Have to Be the Grand Goal?

"The first place I submitted a manga to was Shonen Jump. I want to brag to the me back then, saying that I’m a Jump challenger now!" - Ken Wakui

Even though I'm in my '40s, I still love Shonen Jump stuff. I grew up on Dragon Ball. From Naruto to Demon Slayer to My Hero Academia to whatever's next, I've been there and will continue to see what Jump does. I remember once upon a time where the future of Shonen Jump was somewhat in question before My Hero Academia blew up.

Yet lately and especially after My Hero Academia and Jujutsu Kaisen ended, I've been thinking about fans who grow up via Shonen Jump series and wanting to be a part of the phenomenon. What if they want to be mangaka for the same magazine that drove their youth?

But what if those same folks got rejected? What if they learned that Shonen Jump isn't the be-it end-all of manga?

The best example of a Shonen Jump rejected mangaka is Hajime Isayama of Attack on Titan. Once told by Shueisha editorial to change things to his story and art in his submission for Attack on Titan, Isayama went to Kodansha Publishing instead. And you can say the rest was history.

Now we have another 2nd example in Ken Wakui, whose hit manga, Tokyo Revengers, became a global phenomenon. He tried to get a manga into Shonen Jump a long time ago, but was rejected. Wakui said that editorial told him to draw his story elsewhere where they would appreciate his interests. Wakui would go on to Kodansha and start off with Shinjuku Swan before creating Tokyo Revengers. He's currently back on Shonen Jump with Astro Royale, which is a story about a young heir to a yakuza family trying to help the world after a meteor hit the planet and gave a lot of people superpowers.

One can argue that Wakui went from, in the theme of WWE Superstar Cody Rhodes, undesirable to undeniable. Astro Royale has only been around since April 2024, but it's clear that Wakui intends to be a main-stay in Jump. He sounded like he always wanted to be a part of Shonen Jump.

And now I think about fans turned artists who aspire to draw for Shonen Jump. Over the summer, I've noticed how many artists tried to pitch manga ideas to manga industry professionals at U.S. anime conventions. Viz Media has taken notice of this demand and started a program for one-shot manga for future manga artists. Yet I sometimes wonder how many of them know what it actually takes to make it to Jump.

And I think about this statement from Takehiko Inoue in an interview alongside Akira Toriyama spotlighting 50 years of Shonen Jump in 2018.

Then I see threads like this one on Reddit about whether it's okay to apply for Shonen Jump after having experience on other platforms like Webtoons.

It sounds like things haven't changed. Some people still find so much value in the Jump brand.

That's why I want to say that it's okay to draw for other publishers and outlets (especially for Japanese creators). The thing is about people who follow Jump (especially here in the West) can be a bit insular with their manga tastes. You get an exciting breadth of manga, but it's not the full picture. There's also exposure to some of the nasty aspects of shonen fandom like leak/spoiler culture. Another thing is that fans love to compare shonen titles (past and present) quite a lot. Some are still obsessed with a "Big 3" ideal that isn't highly relevant anymore.

Sure, there's a lot of fame and attention with being associated with Jump. But creators have to deal with the vicious weekly ranking system where deserving stories sometimes get the axe out of nowhere. There's also the problem of trying to end the story the way you want and not being able to because popularity has a curse in where certain plots get throw aside and the main plot gets drawn out longer than it should. I sometimes argue that Shueisha series focus a bit too much on style over substance at times.

That's why I appreciate the American Manga Awards. The staff behind the ceremony have done a great job in acknowledging manga from all genres and publishers (not just Viz Media's Shonen Jump). Mangaka have shown appreciation in knowing that they're being recognized by folks who know the manga world is more than just Jump. Shonen Jump may have started it all for many of us and provided value in our lives. One can use that value in a way to help promote non-Jump and other non-mainstream stories that are worthy of recognition.

The beauty of manga, whether it's the creator side or the fan side, is that there's something for everyone of all kinds of backgrounds. That should be the grand goal to promote when it comes to making manga and showcasing its rich diverseness. Manga comes from all kinds of notable places, not just the brand names.

[bvannn]

Weekly Update June 28, 2024

Artfight is on Monday and I’m really not as ready as I’d like to be but it’s fine. I have a plan it’ll be fine. I was pretty productive this week, additionally.

So the main issue is I’ve been hit with the overwhelming urge to work on music again even though art stuff is more urgent. That’s fine, I have a plan, basically. The plan is alcohol. I’m gonna have just enough that I won’t be finnicky over the lines, and I’ll try to plow through the last of the assets I need to draw in clip studio. And tomorrow I’ll keep going if I don’t finish it tonight, and then finish up the actual animations. Jack is like 80% done I just need to do the BG, mouth, and like one more movement tween, and then Anastasia will be the last one. I’ve already started on her assets, I don’t expect it to be that difficult because she doesn’t have visible eyes. I’d like to push through the last of the ref sheets that I can update, although that isn’t necessary. I’m going to try anyway because I’m nuts. Then I’ll go through the informational blurbs that I have posted and make sure they’re all up to date.

I did do a good amount of work on music as well, I have fixed my volume issue, and learned how to use a compressor, and dipped into vocaloid again, found a plug-in that I can use on the wav files to make the Zolas growl (because apparently they couldn’t before because they’re V3s. I was wondering why I didn’t really hear much of a growl when I got the wav files back). I also learned that you can just import midi files into vocaloid. Which is going to make everything so much faster. So I will at some point sit down and get a bunch of midi stuff recorded, but that will not be sooner than Monday.

Comic is still coming along slowly but well. It’s around 25.5% done, but I’ve only really been able to do sketches, which will probably continue for a while. I’ll try to sneak in some soon but with Artfight that might be more of a challenge. OEB video is in about the same place as last week, although fwiw I did plan out the unfinished segments a bit better.

I’m really hoping Artfight goes well. I want to unload tomorrow and tonight and then spend all Sunday exercising to feel less like shit then go to bed nice and early. I’ll sketch out attacks while I’m at work, line them at home, and color during lunch, then shade at home. Hoping I can get a good amount done. I want to maybe try more tween animations, or pixel art again, but no promises. I’ll post my link as soon as I’m ready, although I’m sure you could search my blog and scroll for it since I did post it last year.

[satoshi-mochida]

Some thoughts and details on my latest Gamefly rental, Rayman Legends Definitive Edition.(Switch version)

This is the first Rayman game I've actually played. I've always been curious, but never got the chance to play the others. This is also a sequel to Rayman Origins(which I haven't played yet), being in the same graphical and gameplay style.

Rayman's basic controls are:

Y to attack. Pressing and holding it will have him charge an attack that will go farther.

B to jump. Pressing and holding it after jumping will have his hair spin and let him glide.

Holding ZR while moving will have Rayman Dash. Doing this towards slopes will have him run up them.

There actually are many unlockable characters beside Rayman, though they're more like Rayman and other characters(Globox, Teensies and new character Barbara), but in different costumes since I think everyone plays the same, but their actions look different, for obvious reasons.

The game's main hub is set up like an Art Gallery, with each Mode/World/Stage being a painting to jump into like in Super Mario 64. More are unlcok as you progress and collect blue creatures named Teensies(who I found out are from older Rayman games after watching videos on them), who are held captive in the game's stages.

There's not a lot of detail to the story ingame, aside from the intro and a few short cutscenes here and there, and that makes the ending feel kind of abrupt.

At the end of stages, you're given trophies based on how many Teensies you've saved and how mnay Lums you collected. I've only ever gotten up to Gold, but can apparently got up to Platuinum.

One of the rewards for getting enough Lums in a stage is a Lucky Ticket, which is basically a scratch-off ticket, having you move the cursor over the 6 spots on it until they're all revealed, and you're rewarded based on what there was 3 or more of.

Creatures, which go to a certain room in the Gallery, and once a day, give you Lums.

'Back to Origins' stages, which seem to be levels from Rayman Origins, which also have Teensies to collect.

Lums. Getting more of them unlocks more chracters/skins in the character select, needing 1 Million to get all of them.

Teensies, 60 of which have to be found from the Tickets.

One of Rayman's allies in this is Murfy(also from the older games), who appears in some stages to help out. When he does, he'll hover over certain parts as you proceed, and hitting the A button will have him do something, such as poke an enemy in the eye or move a platform. There are also touchscreen-only versions of these stages to do where you need to tap, slide and rotate the screen at parts to have Murfy do these actions.

There's some Minigames to play, which seem to be sports related, but I didn't try them out much. ^^;

The second to last stages in a World are Boss levels, which all felt pretty fun, and were unique to each other, such as one against a giant Luchador.

The last stage of each World is a Musical level, which are my favorites. They have Rayman running through the stage to the timing of the music, which are also great to listen to, and are very quick and frentic. After getting 400 Teensies, you unlock the final World, which is ALL Musical levels. They have a screen filter applied in each that makes the platforming much harder, though.

Each Stage feels unique and different enough from each other to keep it interesting.

Rayman normally can only take 1 hit, but collecting a Heart gives you an extra hit. There's no Lives or Game Over in this, just getting booted back to a checkpoint if you get killed.

There's a Challenge Mode that has weekly Challenges that I think can use to farm for Lums. More become available as Rayman's 'Awesomeness Level' incresses, which I think rises from getting better Trophies from Stages.

There are a whopping 826 Teensies to collect in total; I stopped after getting 400+. ^^;

When finding/near a secret area, Rayman will say "Ooh" to tell you about it, and if a Teensy is nearby, you'll hear them call out "Help me'. They are also shown in order of their appearence in a Stage in the top right/top of the Stage's portrait to make collecting them a bit easier(except for ones behind hidden doors, which are in the middle).

This was pretty fun. I may get to Rayman Origins at some point, too.

Next game being sent is: Mega Man Zero/ZX Collection.

[fiftytwotwentyfour]

Puzzle 14: Mixed Puzzles - Speed Puzzling:

Four - 100 Piece

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem Jigsaw Puzzles

Created by Spin Master Puzzles

Puzzle Classification: Jigsaw Puzzles

Price: ~ $9 per "Egg" in stores

Prices online are wildly different

(All four puzzles were gifted to me - Mikey and Donnie puzzles were "used" - Raph and Leo puzzles were brand new/never been open)

Review/Commentary:

First off - I am by no means an expert/competitive puzzler, but I do enjoy doing puzzles.

"Fun" Fact:

A Dissectologist is a term to describe a person who enjoys puzzles - a puzzle enthusiast. The term derives from the "original" name for jigsaw puzzles - supposedly in the late 1700's early versions of puzzles were referred to as "Dissected Maps". Currently you wont find "Dissectologist" defined in any dictionary as the term is currently under review even though the word has been reportedly used since the mid 1980's.

"Fun" Fact over... Anywhosel...

I told friends that my weekly challenge for myself this year would be solving puzzles - so - I had few friends donate puzzles to the cause.

Enter these (4) Teenage Muntant Ninja Turtle Puzzles - I have a soft spot for Ninja Turtles - a well known fact amongst my friends. I have been a huge fan since I was a little tyke and I kinda still am - I really enjoyed Muntant Mayhem. So, mixing my passion for Turtles and Puzzles felt like a no brainer.

One interesting thing - well, interesting to me - I have been doing puzzles for years - but - just recently it was brought to my attention that some hardcore/avid puzzle enthusiasts will challenge themselves by mixing multiple puzzles together. It has never dawn on me, but to be fair I don't think I have ever owned multiple puzzles of the same "caliber and difficulty" level in order to mix them up.

With these four puzzles being donated to me I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to dip my toes into the Wild World of Dissectology.

Now - Granted - upon reviewing all the puzzles at the same time they are uniquely different - they have vastly/starkly different backgrounds and font styles and of course if you vaguely know anything about TMNT you know each Turtles brand of color and weapon - so separating the pieces was not all that difficult.

Also, the there was only 100 puzzle pieces per puzzle - 400 total - not too bad, normally when I do puzzles I am doing 500-1000 piece puzzles.

Where it became "challenging" is the puzzles didn't fit the conventional square/rectangular shape - the edges where fluid and fit the form of the Turtles' poses.

All the turtles belts, shells, green skin blended together. Unless there was something distinct to separate all the pieces I pretty much had to make fifth pile just for undetermined pieces.

With a portion of the puzzles being "used" I was without image references for two of the puzzles (Mikey and Donnie) - so - for added challenge - I decided to do all the puzzles without reference images.

Even further I was having issues distinguishing between between Raph and Mikeys red and orange (respectively) elbow/knee pads. Not sure if it is due to the art style or if I suffer from some sort of minute color blindness.

And another bit that added to the "fun" - I put on some tasty tunes.

Yep, popped on the headphones, settled into my "This Magic Moment" Pandora radio station, and melted into the pieces.

It was very chill and helped me reach some zen I haven't had in a while. It has been a long time since I was able to sit down with no interruptions and just focus on a "simple" task without worry.

Diving In - I did have a plan of attack.

Assembly the puzzles based on my Least Favorite Turtle to My Favorite... JK.

No, I my plan was to start off by attacking the most identifiable pieces/character to help clear up the table and that just so happened to be Leo.

Leo's heavy hues of blue stood out immediately and were the easiest to separate followed by Donnie - again - the Reds/Orange pieces were touch my for my eyes.

The order of attack ended being - Leo, Raph, Donnie, Mikey - BUT - the actual order which they were completed (100% finalized) was Donnie, Mikey, Raph, Leo.

In Summation:

It was fun, relaxing, and refreshing to work up some puzzles instead doing another tabletop escape room like I have been doing for last month or more.

If trying mixing the puzzles - Inthink I would take it to the next level - more pieces or puzzles and similar theme/color palette.

So what will the next puzzle/theme?

Tune in Next Week!

... My One Follower...

or Dont!

Like I said it just gonna be me talking about puzzles and to be honest - believe you me - I am surprised at the amout of syllables I spewed out on the stagnant subject matter of Dissectology.

Check you later.

Total Completion Time:

2hr50min09sec15ms

Sorting Time: 12mins18sec82ms

Leo's Time: 36min38sec18ms

Raph's Time: 45min35sec50ms

Donnie's Time: 48min16sec59ms

Mikey's Time: 27min20sec04ms

Average Puzzle Time: ~39min27sec

Hints /Clues Used (0)

Items Not Included / Needed:

Large Clean Surface

Optional: Tasty Tunes

Personal Rating: 7.5/10

2024 Puzzle Record: 12/14

[wickedsrest-rp]

Welcome to our WRW! We do these weekly to provide plot drops, challenges, and highlight starters. Anyone is welcome to use these bullet points. Let us know if you want us to include one of your setting-related plots in here for next week by sending us a bullet point!

The giant leg that erupted from the ground is like nothing anyone has ever seen before. Is it a coincidence that Wicked’s Rest is full of bad omens around the same time it showed up? Check out our current plot of the week of Season 2 for ways to interact!

Our summer seasonal event is here, and so are the cicadas! Enjoy the faire, have some fun at the beach, and look forward to the town bonfire.

It's spring migration time for migratory birds, and they're stopping in Wicked's Rest and using the leg as a resting spot. A new warbler species call the 'leg warbler' has been identified. Birders flock to add the warbler to their life list but they might just die for it.

Bigfeet's Adventureland has opened a waterpark section to their theme park! Rather than building genuine waterslides, they just have an employee spraying down the rollercoasters with a hose as they go by. This has caused many of the tracks to become slippery, leading to some coasters flying off and landing who knows where! That's just part of the fun.

Complete challenges and claim prizes!. You can read more about how they work and what prizes are available here. Bonus challenges are an opportunity to earn an extra point per week but are harder or weirder.

This week’s challenge:

Send 2 IC asks to characters you haven’t interacted at all or very much with before

Bonus challenge:

Make a moodboard (or similar type of content)

Teddy is back and wants to know what's been going on!

Emilio wants to know more about the shrimp.

Lara has a warning about the fog. Best mind it.

Alistair is not enjoying the cicadas...

Marcus wants you to know about the lighthouse tours! Check 'em out!

Jonas is back and ready to get baking again!

Charlie is seeing some hungry, hungry sandcastles...

Metzli is home and the art licker is back!!!!

Winter saw a guy try to attack a woman in broad daylight! The nerve!

[dollycas]

Special Guest - Lawrence E. Rothstein - Author of Venetian Bind #AuthorInterview / #Giveaway

Venetian Bind by Lawrence E. Rothstein I am happy to welcome Lawrence E. Rothstein to Escape With Dollycas today! Hi Lawrence, Please tell us a little bit about yourself. I call writing mysteries my third career. I am retired from being a lawyer and a university professor. After these retirements, I find myself busier than during my work life. In addition to writing, I play the clarinet in three musical groups, play tennis two to three times a week, cycle, and love to cook. What is the first book you remember reading? Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Princess of Mars What are you reading now? Erle Stanley Gardner, The Case of the Gilded Lily What books have most inspired you? The mysteries of Rex Stout, Erle Stanley Gardner, Sara Paretsky, Linda Barnes, and Sue Grafton. Also the books of Umberto Eco. What made you decide you wanted to write mysteries? I love to read them and, as a university professor, I enjoyed writing hypothetical cases for my law courses. Do you have a special place where you like to write? I have an upstairs office in the middle of a large open room. I love to write there. Where do the ideas for your books come from? The news, other detective stories, cases I researched as a lawyer and professor, and my travels. Is there anything about writing you find most challenging? Carving out the time for writing with all of my other activities. In general, I am able to write about six hours per week. I am fortunate to have an excellent weekly writing group. In addition to their helpful critique and suggestions, this group requires that I have something to share with them each week. Our procedure is to have someone else read our work. I find that very helpful. What do you think makes a good story? A puzzle; a cerebral detective assisted by an active, street wise, intrepid leg person; humorous incidents; an intriguing locale; culinary delights. Which, of all your characters, do you think is the most like you? Kelan Su. Although she is much braver and more of a criminal investigation expert than I. What makes your books different from others out there in this genre? I hope that my inclusion of all the things I noted above that makes a good story distinguish my novels from many others in the genre. What’s next on the horizon for you? I have embarked on a series, the Tri-Star Investigations stories. I am in edits with my publisher for novel number two Ripped Genes. I have also started a third novel in the series The Tell-Tale Art. I hope to continue the series beyond these three. Thank you Lawrence for visiting today! ___ Keep reading for more information about Lawrence and his book, Venetian Bind. About Venetian Bind Venetian Bind Cozy Mystery 1st in Series Setting - Venice Publisher ‏ : ‎ Wild Rose Press (May 15, 2024) Paperback ‏ : ‎ 236 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1509254153 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1509254156 Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CX5T3CP5 In Venetian Bind, Detective Marko Korb and his associate Kelan Su, a Chinese-American woman, must hunt down a murderer and prevent a devastating terrorist attack in the romantic city of Venice. Korb, a fat, egotistical, and brilliant detective, and Kelan Su, a former Chicago police officer, licensed attorney, and martial arts expert, arrive in Venice to investigate the murder of Stefan Pakulić, a former Serbian paramilitary leader and accused war criminal.The daughter of a Bosnian expat who had rescued Korb from Pakulić’s clutches during the war is a suspect in the killing. Korb is torn between finding the murderer and his sympathy for the Serbian’s killer—the Venetian bind. The investigation leads to Pakulić’s connection with Italian neo-fascists planning a terrorist action in Venice. It takes Korb’s genius and the intrepid sleuthing of Su to find the murderer, forestall the terrorist action, and protect the daughter of Korb’s rescuer. Venetian Bind by Lawrence E. Rothstein is the first book in the new cozy mystery series, Tri-Star Investigations. I enjoyed it so much! It’s filled with great characters and lots of mystery. ~Christy's Cozy Corners About Lawrence E. Rothstein I am a retired lawyer and university professor who has published in constitutional law, privacy law, political theory and labor law. Born and raised in Chicago, I am now residing with my wife and family in beautiful southern Rhode Island.  I have lived and traveled widely in Europe.  As an avid reader of crime fiction, I have always wanted to write detective novels. As a lover of food and cooking, I include many scrumptious meals and some recipes in my novel and on my website. Webpage    Facebook  Purchase Links:     Amazon   B&N    TOUR PARTICIPANTS - Please visit all of the stops.  July 8 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT July 9 – Christy's Cozy Corners – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST July 9 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT July 10 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT July 10 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT July 10 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT July 11 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW July 11 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT July 12 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT July 12 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT July 13 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT July 13 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST July 13 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW July 14 – Boys' Mom Reads! – REVIEW July 14 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT July 15 – Elizabeth McKenna - Author – SPOTLIGHT July 15 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT July 16 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR GUEST POST July 17 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW a Rafflecopter giveaway Have you signed up to be a Tour Host? Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today! Want to Book a Tour? Click Here Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Escape With Dollycas. Read the full article

[droctaviolovecraft]

ANM-122: Big Boy Lizard (art by Viper11)

http://mothrainstitution.wikidot.com/anm-122

"Useless..."

Subject Classification: PH-01-122

Damage Type: Allgemein 💀

Risk Level: STERBLICH ⚫️

Anomaly Type: Prehistoric

Discovery Classification: Captured (01)

Department: Base 12

Responsible Researcher: Dr. Maicon

Identification: Big Boy Lizard

Containment: ANM-122 is to be kept in a level 4 containment cell, reinforced with steel and concrete. The cell must be monitored by security cameras and motion sensors. The cell door must be locked by an electronic and mechanical locking system, which can only be opened by two Level 3 or higher personnel. Containment must be cleaned and inspected weekly by a level 2 cleaning team, accompanied by two armed level 3 security agents with shock weapons. Any damage to the structure of the cell must be immediately reported to the Responsible Researcher. Any attempt by ANM-122 to escape must be contained with lethal force, if necessary, and immediately reported to Base Command. No personnel are allowed to enter the chamber without prior authorization from at least two (2) members of the research team of level 4 or higher. Any interaction with ANM-122 must be conducted through remotely controlled drones, equipped with firearms and explosives.

ANM-122 must be fed once a week (every 5 days) with a carcass of a large animal, preferably bovine or equine. Any sign of aggression or hostility from ANM-122 must be responded to with lethal force.

Description: ANM-122 is a bipedal humanoid entity, approximately 3.80m tall, weighing 1 ton and 200 kg. The creature demonstrates human-level intelligence and relatively rapid regeneration and adaptation, being able to walk quadrupedally. It has four horns, black blood, and four red eyes, in addition to a bony shell on its back and a pair of extra arms than normal tetrapods. Part of its tail has been torn off and does not regenerate, seeming to view the escape from its containment as a game, as after being contained, it will remain "calm" for 10 days before attempting to escape again. The creature sometimes responds to researchers' questions but prefers not to reveal its name or origin. The creature shows a preference for human or anomalous meat and shows disgust at the mention of the name "Purple". 122 has bones made of a material that appears to be originally made from something unknown, possibly extraterrestrial.

ANM-122 appears to be, after advanced studies, a mutant specimen of saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). ANM-122 has an intelligence and speaking ability comparable to that of an advanced human being, being able to communicate in few languages; broken English and Portuguese, and Australian aboriginal. ANM-122 demonstrates an extremely arrogant, aggressive, and sadistic personality, claiming to be the "King of Reptiles" and the "Supreme Predator", expressing a deep hatred for humanity, considering it an inferior species and unworthy of existence, sympathizing solely with other crocodiles and reptiles.

Note: The anomaly demonstrates the ability and skill to control any reptiles at long distances, turning them into its minions. This ability also extends to reptilian anomalies.

The creature also shows abnormal interest in other ANM objects, especially those of biological or reptilian nature, such as ANM-134, ANM-077, and ANM-017. Frequently requests or demands to be transferred to the same facility as these objects, in order to "challenge" or "dominate" them.

ANM-122 was captured by the Foundation in 20██, after a series of attacks on coastal cities and ships in northern Australia, resulting in hundreds of deaths and significant material damage. A Foundation hunting team, supported by Australian military forces, managed to locate and immobilize ANM-122, using a combination of heavy weapons, explosives, and strong tranquilizers. ANM-122 was then transported by air to Base 12, where it was placed in containment. Since then, it has attempted to escape several times, causing injuries and deaths to several Foundation personnel, as well as damage to the Department's infrastructure.

History: Results have shown that ANM-122 has a unique physiology and psychology, which make it a potential danger to humanity and reality. ANM-122 has also demonstrated the ability to regenerate from serious injuries within minutes, as well as to adapt to different environmental conditions and threats. ANM-122 has also demonstrated a playful, sadistic, and manipulative personality, which leads it to provoke and attack Boitatá employees, as well as to try to escape from its containment. The creature seems to have knowledge about other anomalies and about the existence of an entity called "Purple King", which it hates and fears.

[pashterlengkap]

LGBTQ+ women are often discouraged from running for office. They’re doing it anyway.

When queer Washington state Sen. Emily Randall (D) decided to run in the most competitive legislative district in her state, folks told her again and again that she was “too much.” “I was born and raised in my district – but political consultants and insiders told me that because I am queer, because I am Latina, because I worked for reproductive freedom at Planned Parenthood – I couldn’t win a tough election in a swing district,” she told LGBTQ Nation. Related: Sen. Dallas Harris is a martial arts master who co-founded Nevada’s LGBTQ+ caucus Here’s why she would rather fight Nikki Haley instead of George Santos. But Randall was determined to prove the skeptics wrong – and she did. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Daily * Weekly * Good News * “My neighbors have elected me twice now to represent them as deputy majority leader in the state Senate. Now I am running for Congress to solve the problems we continue to face every single day.” Randall’s experience is not uncommon. An exclusive report from the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute – which works to uplift LGBTQ+ political leaders – found that 27.2% of LGBTQ+ women candidates were discouraged from running for office due to their gender, while only 7.1% of gay and bisexual men reported the same. The report also found that trans women are about 10% more likely than cisgender queer women to be discouraged from launching a campaign. If elected, Randall will become the first out queer Latina to serve in Congress. But as shown by the data, her identity as a queer woman makes the fact that she’s even running a massive accomplishment. What they fear While all LGBTQ+ politicians face outsized barriers when running for office, the Victory Institute’s report shows it’s especially tough out there for LGBTQ+ women. The survey was conducted by Victory Institute in partnership with Loyola Marymount University’s LGBTQ+ Politics Research Initiative. The data is part of the Institute’s larger When We Run report, which examines the experiences of the record-breaking 1,065 out LGBTQ+ people who ran for office in 2022. 470 people participated in the survey. In addition to confronting doubters, LGBTQ+ women are often plagued with fear when weighing the possibility of launching a campaign. 83.7% reported fearing harassment and attacks should they take the plunge, compared to 77.4% of gay and bisexual men. The study’s authors deemed these hesitations “a potentially significant deterrent for running for office.” These worries are not unfounded, either. The report found that on the campaign trail, 5.4% of LGBTQ+ women endured gender-based violence, compared to 1.9% of gay and bisexual men. The number is even worse for trans women. 7.1% said they faced gender-based violence while campaigning, compared to 5% of cisgender queer women. Additionally, 15% of LGBTQ+ women endured prejudice due to their gender, compared to only 2.3% of gay and bisexual men. The number skyrockets for trans women, 32.1% of whom reported experiencing prejudice versus 10.9% of cisgender queer women. LGBTQ+ women candidates also reported disproportionate challenges in being taken seriously and said the media was more likely to question their qualifications. “During my latest race, an opponent who had never been elected told a debate audience that it would be wasteful to elect me and that I should stay in my state house seat,” Texas state Rep. and current congressional candidate Julie Johnson (D) told LGBTQ Nation. “Another opponent said religious groups would never vote for me because I am gay, even though I had been elected three times before by general election voters in a diverse district.” Like Randall, however, Johnson said voters proved they were not okay with those comments. “On the campaign trail,… http://dlvr.it/T4hy3q

[gertlushgaming]

The Outlast Trials Review (Xbox Series S)

The Outlast Trials Review, Red Barrels invites you to experience mind-numbing terror, this time with friends. Whether you go through the trials alone or in teams, if you survive long enough and complete the therapy, Murkoff will happily let you leave… but will you be the same?

The Outlast Trials Review Pros:

- Decent graphics. - 30.4GB download size. - 1000 Gamerscore. - Graphics settings - brightness calibration, and motion blur on/off. - Network settings - turn region servers in/off individually. - Two ways to play - solo, and multiplayer (in multiplayer you meet and can group up with other players). - Extensive opening tutorial. - In-game cutscenes and character interactions can be skipped and fast-forwarded. - Excellent voice work. - The character creator lets you pick a preset avatar and then tweak it and set a voice. - First-person view. - Cross play - on/off. - Three interface presets - standard, accessible (all options are enabled), immersive (hides all Hud elements), and classic Co-op (has all party member info displayed). - Horror survival gameplay. - Night vision goggles play a huge part in the game but require you to find batteries to keep the power on. - You can hide in cabinets, cupboards, etc, and leek out. - Doors can be opened slowly and quietly allowing you to look around first. - Uses the stealth mechanic where you have to crouch and hide to avoid enemies. - Gore galore. - A lot of jump scares. - A full 3D world with 360-degree camera control. - Handy mission and objective markers can show on the screen. - Nails the tense atmosphere from the music to the footsteps and rapid heartbeat sections. - You can get infected with psychosis which changes how you see the world, how you see people etc. You need to either wait it out or find an antidote. - When carrying items your mobility is compromised but you can drop the item at any time. - The stamina system is in play. - To keep the tension going you cannot pause the game even in solo. - The terminal is your hub where you select trials, do upgrades, etc. - Loadout allows you to equip rigs, tools, skills, and medicine. - Badges act like in-game achievements. - Earn experience from playing trials and level up to increase your therapy level. - Evidence is lore-based Collectibles found in the game world. - Weekly therapy is weekly challenges that change. - The game is split into programs that house multiple trials within them. - You are trying to achieve rebirth through therapy and trials so you can leave this place. - Easy to invite friends into your game. - You have your cell that you can decorate and customize. - Joined players can explore your terminal and visit your cell etc. - Such cool art and posters are everywhere. - The game is best played with headphones. - Very handy button prompts. - Anything you can pick up or interact with lets off a shiny glimmer. - It's a game that is a mix of stealth and puzzle because you have to navigate these labyrinths, avoid enemies, and do your task. - Unlock and lock doors to open or shut shortcuts. - Glass on the floor or running on metal are a few examples of how you can alert enemies to your presence. - The game does have a degree of helping in that you can usually run and hide from triggered enemies. - Use bottles, bricks, and whatever you find to cause distractions. - It gets very addictive. - The gameplay and level design are done so that you have a lot of freedom and choice to attack each objective. The Outlast Trials Review Cons: - Limited character creator. - Very slow starter. - Loading times are up and down in terms of length. - The game doesn't pause even in solo. - Cannot remap controls. - It takes a lot of time to get used to enemy detection distance. - Learning new trials is difficult as you are not always sure what or who you are after. - You cannot tone down any of the blood or Gore. - Early days the game is frustrating especially if you never played the first game. Related Post: Unables Review (PlayStation 4) The Outlast Trials: Official website. Developer: Red Barrels Publisher: Red Barrels Store Links - Xbox Read the full article

[whywhywhymoney]

"Shouldn't you just start a Youtube channel instead?" AKA Influencing without the Influencer ™️

Youtube - while most definitely evolving considerably from its early days - still has "Broadcast yourself" at the root of it's platform. (Definitely not the heart of it though.

I can't speak for others, but I generally don't think many people get into the business of launching TV channels to put themselves on air (there are many exceptions though).

Almost always, it's to influence people.

The most predatory reasons are ones I already spoke about but it's to use it as a vehicle for influencing opinion in a very polarising way. Mostly, it's for the right wing.

inherently, wanting to influence people isn't bad, it just depends where you're coming from. This thought probably chafes a lot of people, but it's true! I don't think there's a single TV channel that was created without the attention of influencing *somebody*, including the beloved channels of your childhood.

For the most part, Kids TV (pre rapid commercialisation) existed as an opportunity to educate youngsters. This is pretty too still for channels like PBS and various European state broadcasters.

Jeem TV is an interesting example from the Arab world, where they mix dubbed anime and Cartoons with panel shows about current affairs, all catered to kids. It makes sense when you realise that the parent company is Al Jazeera (Qatari state broadcaster).

When kids TV isn't seeking to educate, it's seeking to entertain, often as a direct reaction to the previous example.

Lets look at the UK - CBBC (Children's BBC) had gotten a bit of a reputation in the 60s and 70s for being a bit staid. "Too much like school!"

Now, in 1983, CITV (children's ITV) launched, with american programming, adverts between programmes, and an invested desire to always be "cool". Honestly, for the entirety of its existence, CITV managed to capture that, which isn't easy!

Both of these channels had educational content, but CITV presented theirs in a way that was decidedly more.... chaotic, and appealing to the scatter brained.

Of course, when I was growing up in the 2000s, both channels were cool. You went to CBBC for the homegrown content, and CITV for anime and american cartoons. A healthy equilibrium achieved between the both, while both still had distinct motivations.

CBBC had a daily news broadcast which covered everything, whereas CITV had weekly and monthly "news" roundups that covered games, films and toys. You can already how each channel decided to use their influence!

When you decide to make a YouTube channel, you decide to make YOURSELF and YOUR content the "influence", and the brand, whereas when you decide to make a TV channel, you decide to cultivate an environment which pulls from many different sources to push out your MESSAGE. It's a nuanced difference but I'm very sure it's the truth. We can always be wrong however.

When it comes to my personal desires and I look back on the diary entries I wrote on this topic as a teenager, I wanted desperately to be catered too, but there wasn't much there for it, and when there was, it was very brief. I'm grateful to have gotten to witness it anyway.

I wanted to have something "cool" which challenged me, I wanted anime, action and humour that was just naughty enough but not rude.

If I get to be in the position of being a channel controller, the first thing I'd look out for are programmes which really showcase various relationship dynamics, because that's what I'd want to promote for kids. I'd want to look out for shows that put a child led approach to exploration first, such as Nina and the Neurons or Art Attack or Backyard Science or Tricky TV.

And lastly, I'd want there to be a strong helping of ever so slightly bad behaviour.

Challenge kids, and entertain them too! They'll find so much more value out of interacting with presenters who take calls, show emails and artwork, and hold various segments with viewer participation than they ever would from the daily binge!

I strongly believe it, and the facts back me up too.

Its not a coincidence that kids replaced TV which was ditching live action presenters for streamers and insta/tiktok lives.

As always with the Internet, it's trying to capture a facsimile of television with more of the problems and none of the regulation.