#but if i do Brooke and Grace (and probably more characters) will be featured

[endead-art]

Lil(very little) animation I did of Creator (ft. Sinnoh Ourple Guy)

[helsgcddess]

— VEILED SPARKS; iv

READ ON AO3 || PINTEREST BOARD (in the works)

summary: "You should be more careful about what you draw, Toria." In which an artist with a knack for seeing things she shouldn't meets a suspiciously perfect stranger with glowing blue eyes and a possessive yellow Camaro. Set during ROTF.

pairing: bumblebee/original character

word count: 2.5k

a/n— okay so?? this chapter really said "let's introduce sideswipe and make toria question her entire reality" and honestly? here we are. also yes, our girl is still slightly high during this whole interaction which is probably not helping her process the whole "these men move like robots" situation also dylan o'brien as sideswipe is just *chef's kiss* and you can fight me on this. like the way he and bee just radiate "we're totally normal humans nothing to see here" energy? beautiful. thank you guys so much for all the love on this fic??

warnings— weed mention, anxiety/mental health stuff, vague mission city references, sam having a Bad Time™️

By the time I looked back, the Camaro wasn't idling on the curb anymore, but something about the engine noise lingered—the pier still busy for Friday, but different somehow. More charged.

"Toria! Table 11 menus!" Mom called from the back, her eyes ever watching the front door like she'd been doing since Mission City. My head swiveled toward the table, counting heads automatically.

Three menus in hand, I headed over, forcing the fake customer service smile on my face and praying my eyes weren't still red. "Hey guys," I set the menus down before I actually looked at the people sitting in the booth.

Oh. Oh fuck.

Oh fuck.

He was here. Looking exactly the same kind of beautiful as before—that engineered perfection that my high brain had definitely not been exaggerating. Even his hair was exactly the same, not a strand out of place. Those impossible blue eyes watched my movements like he was cataloging data, tracking how I wrung my hands behind my back.

I snapped back into work mode as I looked over the rest of his group. A college kid, wiry and looking slightly strung out—kind of how I probably looked an hour ago, if I was being honest. The other guy had that same level of uncanny perfection as Brooks, but with sharp cheekbones and a jawline that looked designed rather than natural. His buzzed hair somehow made his features more striking, and that grin—playful but predatory—matched the dangerous grace in his movements. His eyes were that same impossible blue as Brooks'—deeper in color, but just as bright and just as wrong for a human face.

"Can I start you guys off with waters, coffee?" My customer service voice came out steadier than I felt.

Buzzcut cut off the strung-out kid, "He'll have a water, I'll have a coffee." He gave me a grin—knowing, like we shared a secret I definitely wasn't in on.

"Whatever you recommend." I couldn't make eye contact with Brooks as I nodded, but his voice shot through me anyway. I couldn't help stealing a glance as I walked to the bar, my artist's brain already itching to capture the way light bent wrong around all of them.

I busied myself at the coffee station, trying to focus on normal things like water glasses and coffee mugs instead of the way both perfect strangers moved in sync when they'd shifted to let strung-out kid into the booth.

"You good?" Rosa appeared beside me, making me jump. "You look like you've seen a ghost. Or three really hot ghosts."

"I'm fine," I said automatically, even as I poured Brooks the café's specialty roast—the one Dad used to say had 'character.' "Just... table 11. The blonde one? That's the guy who helped with my car yesterday."

Rosa peered over my shoulder, not even trying to be subtle. "Oh honey," she whistled low. "No wonder you've been weird. He looks expensive. They all do. Well, except for the twitchy one."

"They look wrong," I muttered, then caught myself. Maybe I wasn't as sober as I'd thought.

"Wrong hot though," Rosa grinned. "Want me to take the drinks over?"

"No," I said too quickly. "I mean, they're my table, so..."

I balanced the drinks carefully, definitely not thinking about how I could feel Brooks tracking my movement across the room. Buzzcut's grin widened as I approached, like he could somehow tell I was slightly high and thoroughly unsettled.

"Water for you," I said, managing not to slosh it as I set it in front of the twitchy kid. "Coffee, black," for Buzzcut, who was still grinning like he knew all my secrets. "And..." I finally met Brooks' eyes as I set down his coffee. "Our house specialty."

"Perfect choice," Brooks said softly, and something about his tone made me wonder if he wasn't just talking about the coffee.

"Ready to order, or do you need a minute?" Please say you need a minute. Please give me time to process whatever is happening here.

"We know what we want," Buzzcut leaned forward, those impossible blue eyes dancing with amusement. "Don't we, Brooks?" The way he said the name made it sound like an inside joke.

"Actually," Brooks cut in, his voice carrying an edge that made Buzzcut's grin widen, "we need a minute."

I nodded maybe too enthusiastically. "Great! I'll just... come back. Later. With... yeah." Real smooth, Toria. Real professional.

I was halfway back to the safety of the coffee station when I heard Buzzcut say something that sounded suspiciously like "So this is why you've been distracted lately" followed by what might have been a kick under the table.

I practically dove behind the coffee station, immediately busying myself with wiping down already-clean surfaces.

"Girl," Rosa sidled up next to me, pretending to restock napkins. "The sexual tension at that table could power half of North Beach. What's the deal with you and Mr. Perfect Hair?"

"There is no deal," I hissed, even as my phone buzzed in my apron pocket. "He just... helped with my car. And maybe sent some cryptic texts. And possibly had it fixed. And—"

Unknown Number: Sorry about Sean. He's protective of family.

I nearly dropped my phone when I glanced up and caught Brooks watching me, that almost-smile playing at his lips while Sean—with his sharp features and knowing smirk—elbowed him. They could have been brothers, both carrying that same dangerous grace, though Sean's buzzed hair and more relaxed posture made him seem slightly more... human? If that was even the right word.

"No deal, huh?" Rosa peered at my phone. "Because that looks like some quality flirting from a guy who definitely isn't just a mechanic."

"I don't know what he is," I muttered, then froze as Mom appeared.

"Vittoria, those men in booth 11..." She lowered her voice. "They look like they're from the base. Like the ones who worked with your father."

I nodded, trying to look normal. Whatever 'normal' was when you were slightly high and serving coffee to impossibly perfect maybe-military guys. "Yeah, they're... from the base. The blonde one helped with the Chevelle yesterday."

Mom's expression did something complicated—worry warring with curiosity. "Be careful, tesoro."

I grabbed my order pad, heading back to the table before she could say more about the base, about Dad, about any of it.

"Ready to order?" My customer service voice was back, even if my hands weren't quite steady.

"The kid'll have the carbonara," Sean said before Sam (was that his name?) could speak, that knowing grin still in place. "I'll take whatever's spiciest."

Brooks looked up at me, those impossible blue eyes somehow both intense and gentle. "Chef's choice."

I scribbled down their orders, hyperaware of how they all moved in sync, how their attention felt weighted. Like they were something else just wearing human shapes.

"I'm, uh, going on break after I put these in," I said, not sure why I was telling them this. "But Rosa will take care of you guys."

"Enjoy your break, Toria," Brooks said softly, and something about the way he said my name made me want to grab my sketchbook and try to capture it.

I ducked into the alley behind the café, fishing out my cigarettes with shaking hands. At least I'd managed to borrow a lighter from Rosa this time.

"Okay," I told the brick wall as I lit up. "Let's review. Hot maybe-military guy shows up at your work with his equally hot friend who's definitely in on... whatever this is. They both move like they learned human behavior from a manual, they've got the same impossible blue eyes, and—"

"You shouldn't smoke," Brooks' voice came from the alley entrance, making me jump so hard I nearly dropped my cigarette. "It's bad for your health."

He stood there looking like something out of a dream—or maybe a government experiment gone impossibly right—the setting sun catching his edges in ways that didn't quite make sense.

"Jesus," I pressed a hand to my chest. "Do they not teach knocking in secret agent school?"

Sean's voice carried from somewhere behind Brooks, though I couldn't see him. "Told you she was funny."

"Sean," Brooks' tone held a warning, and I heard something that sounded suspiciously like someone being shoved around the corner.

"Right, right. 'Give them space.' Got it." A laugh, followed by retreating footsteps that sounded too precise to be natural.

I took another drag, trying to calm my racing heart. "So," I gestured vaguely with my cigarette, "is this the part where you tell me to stop drawing classified things, or the part where you explain why you're really here?"

Brooks moved closer, each step measured like he was trying not to startle me. "Can't I just want coffee?"

"Sure," I laughed, only slightly hysterical. "You and your perfectly engineered friend just happened to want Italian food at my specific café. Totally normal. Nothing weird about that."

His lips twitched into that almost-smile. "You're very observant."

"Yeah, well," I stubbed out my cigarette, suddenly needing something to do with my hands. "Art school teaches you to notice details. Like how you guys move too smooth. Or how your eyes glow sometimes. Or how—"

I stopped as he stepped closer, close enough that I had to tilt my head back to meet his gaze. Close enough to see that his skin really was too perfect, like something rendered rather than grown.

"Or how you both say human things like they're lines in a play," I finished quietly, my back pressed against the brick wall. Not backing away felt like the bravest thing I'd ever done. Or the stupidest.

That almost-smile widened slightly, showing perfect teeth. "Is that what we do?"

"You're doing it right now," I pointed out, artist's brain cataloging how the shadows fell wrong across his face. "Being all... cryptic and—"

"VITTORIA!" Mom's voice shattered the moment. "ORDERS UP!"

Brooks stepped back with that mechanical grace, but his eyes stayed fixed on me. "We should talk. After your shift."

It wasn't quite a question, wasn't quite a command. Like he was still learning the difference.

"Yeah, because that doesn't sound ominous at all," I muttered, pushing off the wall. "Very normal invitation from a very normal guy who definitely isn't—"

"Toria." The way he said my name made me stop. "Please."

"VITTORIA MARIE!"

"Coming!" I called back, already heading for the door. I paused with my hand on the handle, not looking back. "My shift ends at eleven."

I felt rather than saw him smile. "I know."

I burst back into the kitchen, face flushed and probably looking exactly like someone who'd just had a weird alley encounter with an impossibly perfect.

"There you are!" Mom thrust a tray at me. "Table 11's orders. And tesoro?" She caught my arm. "You look... bothered. Everything okay?"

"Fine!" My voice came out too high. "Totally fine. Just, you know, normal Friday stuff."

I balanced the tray carefully, very aware that three sets of eyes tracked my approach to their table—two impossible blue, one nervous brown.

"Carbonara," I set Sam's plate down first, noticing how the other two shifted slightly, almost protectively. "Extra spicy arrabiata," for Sean, whose grin somehow got wider. "And..." I hesitated at Brooks' plate, "Chef's special. Mom's experimenting again, so... good luck."

"Experiments can lead to interesting discoveries," Brooks said, and somehow it sounded meaningful.

Sean snorted into his pasta. "Subtle, Brooks. Real subtle."

I pretended not to hear that, or the sound of what was definitely another kick under the table.

I was stress-eating Mom's latest tiramisu creation at the counter (actually decent this time—crisis baking had its perks) when I heard the commotion from table 11.

Sam was half-standing, looking like he'd seen a ghost, while Sean and Brooks moved in perfect sync to block him from other customers' view. Their movements were too fast, too coordinated.

"Everything okay over here?" I approached cautiously, catching fragments of their whispered conversation.

"—can't just say that here—"

"—he's seeing them too—"

"—Brooks, we need to—"

Sam's eyes met mine, wild and panicked. "The symbols," he blurted out before Sean could clamp a hand over his mouth. "Do you see them too? In your dad's—"

"That's enough," Brooks cut in, his voice carrying an electrical undertone I'd never heard before. His eyes met mine, almost apologetic. "Just a caffeine reaction. He's... sensitive."

"Right," I said slowly, watching how they flanked Sam like bodyguards. "Caffeine sensitivity. Totally normal reaction to espresso. Definitely not concerning at all."

Sean's grin was strained now. "Maybe we should get the check."

"On the house," I heard myself say, not sure why. "Just... maybe get him some air?"

Brooks nodded, that perfect mask slipping just enough to show something ancient underneath. "Thank you, Toria."

"Wait, what—" Mom appeared as they practically carried Sam out, moving with that synchronized grace that definitely wasn't human. "Vittoria, you can't just comp meals without—"

"Trust me, Mom," I watched through the window as they loaded Sam into a yellow Camaro that definitely hadn't been there a minute ago. "It's better this way."

Sean caught my eye through the glass, giving me a two-fingered salute that somehow managed to look both playful and warning. Brooks... Brooks just looked at me, his impossible blue eyes promising something I couldn't quite name.

I went back to my tiramisu, but now it tasted like classified secrets and government cover-ups.

"So," Rosa slid next to me, "want to explain why the hot government boys just rushed out like a SWAT team, or should I pretend I didn't see Mr. Perfect Hair basically eye-fucking you through the window?"

"I think," I stabbed my fork into the innocent dessert, "the kid was having some kind of episode about... symbols?" The same word Dad used to mutter in his sleep after long days at the base. The same patterns I kept seeing in my dreams since Mission City.

My phone buzzed.

Unknown Number: Still meeting after your shift?

Unknown Number: Some things are easier to explain in person.

The rest of my shift passed in a blur of coffee orders and glances out the window, but no more yellow Camaros appeared. No more impossibly perfect men with glowing eyes. Just normal Friday night tourists asking if we had gluten-free pasta.

"You're distracted," Mom said as I wiped down tables for closing. "More than usual."

"Just tired," I lied, definitely not thinking about my upcoming maybe-date with a maybe-human. "Long day.”

She touched Dad's ring through her shirt—a nervous habit we shared. "Those men... they reminded me of before. Of when your father would bring his colleagues home. Always so... precise."

I paused mid-wipe. "What do you mean?"

But she just shook her head, already retreating to stress-organize the pastry case. Some things were easier not to talk about, I guess.

By 10:45, the last customers were gone and the café was as clean as it was getting. Mom had finally gone home after only three reminders to text her when I got in, and Rosa had left with a suggestive wink and a "don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Which left me, alone, watching the clock tick toward eleven and wondering if I was about to make a huge mistake.

My phone buzzed one last time.

Unknown Number: Look outside.

[gascon-en-exil]

Dark Deity Pre-Release Character Opinions

This isn't actually a tier list, but someone helpfully created a template for this game and it's as good a way as any to do a little visual showcase for this cast. Characters are listed by their class sets, which are fixed but offer a nice variety in terms of promotion options. My opinions on each are as follows, from left to right in each row. Most characters have introductory profiles written up on the DD subreddit, if you'd like to check them out yourself.

Warriors

Alexa

You know those buff female blacksmiths in Echoes and Three Houses that some people wish were playable characters? That's pretty much Alexa. Can't say I'm too hyped about her myself, but warrior + tomboyish female character will do that for me...or not do it, I suppose.

Benji

Seems to have been written to become a meme, and I still can't decide whether that's clever or stupid. Kind of like Raphael only with a bigger emphasis on training than on eating, and with brotherly devotion replaced with brotherly angst that might theoretically go somewhere if the character isn't reduced to being a goofy joke all the time.

Fenton

Doesn't have a character profile, so as far as I know he's just a generic dwarf because DD swaps out its inspiration's loli dragons and other vaguely fetishistic shapeshifters for the two most cliché non-human races in Western fantasy. I wonder whether his VA will voice him with a Scottish accent, to go all in on the (ironic?) laziness. There are a handful of elves in the playable cast, but Fenton is the only dwarf so for better or worse he's representing.

Helena

She's the embodiment of the FE exotic swordswoman archetype, but curiously DD seems to have turned that broad ethnic brush inward. Helena's last name is apparently a Japanese verb, her art shows her with a spear (as in the association of the naginata with women), and she studied and trained in a monastery that seems to blend elements of Buddhism and Shintoism. Not sure how all that fits into the larger setting yet, but at this point she's still got more background development than Petra.

Irving

Our Hero, the one front and center on the cover art. He sounds a bit on the blander side as far as lords or lord equivalents go, with his most promising hook for me being his established friendship with Garrick (see the ranger section). At best I can hope for a bit of a romantic friendship dynamic, although they sound a bit rougher overall as they're military academy schoolmates I wonder why DD went with that instead of lordlings of different territories.

Rogues

Brooke

Looks like Camilla; has a backstory like Niles. Cleavage aside though the sexual element of both is toned down here, and there might be some sapphic bodyguard shenanigans to be had as her current employers are a pair of highborn sisters further down this list.

Cia

For some reason she reminds me of Tressa from Octopath Traveler, only bustier and a bartender rather than a merchant. She's still just a small town girl with big city dreams, and this being a tactical war game following those dreams will inevitably involve stabbing people.

Corvan

Hard to judge him at the moment, as his profile was only the second written and so isn't terribly detailed. He's a moon elf with scholarly interests, apparently. Still, as of right now he's the only rogue who doesn't slot loosely into either a ninja/assassin or pirate aesthetic, so that's kind of neat. Also, he's one of several characters to have FEH-esque beach fanart made of them already, so clearly someone's into elf twinks.

Ford

A former officer at the military academy Irving attends and a smuggler who dotes on his niece, Ford has major dad energy. Per developer reveals he's also bi, and as I mentioned before I'm totally fine with that. More bear sex, please - but what guy in this cast would hop in the sack with Ford? Only time will tell. His personal skill makes him extra dodgy, which combined with the mug of booze in his art makes me think of WoW brewmasters who dodge-tank through the power of being wasted.

Wren

Like Brooke, he's an assassin from a foreign nation - in his case the same one as Helena so presumably he's a not!Japanese ninja. I'm not really feeling him at the moment. What is it about Hao'Fen (the city/territory he and Helena come from) and massive families? That comes up in both their backstories.

Rangers

Caius

I feel like this is the third or fourth character to grow up in some slum or other; at least they've all been in different towns so far. The relative rarity of noble characters is certainly different from FE, but it reduces the political stakes which leaves me wondering a bit about the story. Anyway, Caius is a small town desert hunter who learned how to make arrows out of animal bones. How aerodynamic is bone, I wonder?

Garrick

Irving's BFF and seemingly the Hector to Irving's Eliwood, only with more flirting (his intro doesn't specify that Garrick is flirting with women, but I'm not going so far as to say that indicates anything). He's the academy headmaster's son, with a strained relationship with his father for some of that hotheaded lead tension. Notably, his VA is the one I'm most familiar with in this cast, as he's the voice of Revali from Breath of the Wild as well as love interests in two different erotic gay dating sims I've played. In other words, I know what this guy sounds like making awkwardly simulated sex noises...and I have no idea what to do with that information.

Maeve

She's a half-elf with a very storied background, so much so that it's all rather hard to follow her exploits when little of what's being described has been fully revealed yet. I'm expecting her to be a mid/lategame recruit, unless she's dropped in early on to reveal that (sun) elves exist or something.

Rose

Imagine if Bernadetta were a commoner, although we can only hope they'll be less screaming. Alternatively, Neimi without an obvious boyfriend. She won the beach contest so now she has official swimsuit art, which I guess makes her a top-tier waifu in the eyes of players who care about such things.

Sophia

A ranger in the "has animal companions" sense, although whether that will come into play mechanically aside from her personal skill - Butter the ferret can attack with her! - remains to be seen. Her preference for the company of animals is explained by a lack of social graces, so prepare for klutz-related humor. Of note to those interested in F/F is that her introduction specifically brings up her connection with Sloane (see the mage section) and how close the two of them are.

Clerics

Faust

Doesn't have a profile yet, so not much to go off other than his decidedly unhinged look. The cleric class set does feature some darker-flavored options, so presumably he's more naturally aligned with those. His VA was announced to be the YouTuber behind So This is Basically Fire Emblem and other similar videos, so I'm picturing a kooky and somewhat demented Henry type.

Lincoln

Also lacks a profile at time of writing...clerics get so little love. The Discord has identified him a bland blond paladin sort, but as we know from the likes of Perceval and especially Dimitri that doesn't necessarily mean he'll be boring (or not gay).

Maren

The soft-spoken healer type, and also a childhood friend of Garrick although her intro sibling-zones him but then this game is inspired by FE so who knows if that'll stick. She may have some interesting thoughts on the theology of the setting, as there seem to be several faiths and she's said to have a complicated relationship with her own. I will be utterly shocked if she's not either Irving or Garrick's eventual love interest.

Samara

One of two princesses of the country of Aramor, which appears to be loosely inspired by the Middle East. Heaven help us if the Khalidstans ever get wind of this game. Unfortunately aside from her bond with her older sister (in the mage section) and the knowledge that Brooke has been hired as their bodyguard there's not much to Samara at the moment. Hopefully the clerics all do some comparative theology in their bond conversations, and this isn't like Sacred Stones where none of the clergy characters from different countries ever compare notes. The succession crisis involving Samara and her sister vs. their less-loved cousin the king's son might be a major plot hook? It's still too early to tell.

Vesta

Much like Maeve her backstory has entirely too much going on to really follow at the moment. Basically she's a human who grew up in a sun elf city because Reasons (seriously, I don't know what they are) and was called to a clerical vocation and also something about taking a journey. Has an unfortunate case of silly boob armor, which unlike a certain other character probably won't be rectified this close to release.

Mages

Alden

Maren's precocious younger brother, also basically Ricken up to and including the comically oversized hat. As a unit he follows the tradition of Donnel, Mozu, and Cyril of having a personal skill that buffs his stat gains, so it's safe to say he's a growth unit. At least he'll probably join early.

Liberty

Comes with dead brother angst and a connection to the "aspects" system that will hopefully make more sense once I've played the game and know how it functions both mechanically and from a storytelling perspective. Otherwise she looks to be a busty older - as in, not a teenage - mage in the vein of Calill.

Monroe

Got the first ever character profile, so it's really short. He's the son of a duke and sounds like a bit of a snob, albeit one that can make explosions happen to back up his haughtiness. He's got some scarring around his eye that surely must come with a story. Someone also made featured fanart of him in Heroes summer banner style, so I guess he's got somebody horny already.

Sara

Samara's half-sister, with comparable fantasy Middle Eastern flavoring. Has an interest in discovering magical artifacts and being a just ruler in the event she winds up on the throne (so, almost definitely), and she and Samara travel around with the assassin Brooke as their bodyguard. There's maybe some lesbian possibilities there? Either way, Sara has enough development where I could see her as a major supporting character.

Sloane

Comes with a genuinely fascinating backstory involving manipulative double-crossing parents, an education in the cruelties and deceptions of social life (reflected in her personal skill), and disinheritance - and yet it's all likely to be overshadowed because she may go down as DD's equivalent to Fates's face-touching. Her initial art is even more revealing than Camilla's, and while the developers later gave her a more modest redesign after negative feedback I get the feeling that this controversy may live on. Her introduction mentions her hunting for both heirs and heiresses and she's now been linked to Sophia, so safe to say she's another confirmed bi character.

Adepts

While the other class sets are standard fantasy fare adepts require a bit more explanation. They have innate magical abilities and appear to be feared and distrusted most places in the setting. Functionally they remind me of adepts from the Golden Sun series, if anyone is familiar with those games. The classes in the adept group tend more toward physical/magical hybridization than those of other sets, so that will probably be their mechanical niche. Oh, and their default weapon type is lances, which is a plus in my book.

Aurima

Along with Caius and the royal sisters, he's another one from the desert nation of Aramor. An arena fighter who got touched by a god in what I assume was a non-sexual way and came out of it with a new appearance and adept powers. Also, he's confirmed to be over 40 - how often do you see that in games like this?

Bianca

Looks like a more carefree Mathilda from Echoes. She's a ranking officer in the Delian army which sounds like it'd sit uneasily with her adept powers. Her profile describes Lincoln as her close friend, which is still about the most we know about him at this point.

Elias

This guy's writing plays more into the fairly standard coding that comes with adept powers, as we know they manifested shortly before he was going to confess his feelings to a male paramour and afterwards he was forced to flee his homeland and wander the world. He also spent time among dwarves, so insert short bear jokes here? In the present he's attached to Cia in what seems to be a platonic way; maybe she's a fruit fly, or maybe she just likes having a friend who can light drunken assholes on fire? Elias is definitely into guys, but I would still be a little surprised if he turned out to be totally gay as that's such a rarity in these sorts of things.

Iris

Oof, another lengthy and rough backstory. Iris had better parents than Sloane, but she also had to deal with permanent facial scarring (hence the mask) after a bandit kidnapping and the stigma of manifesting as an adept pretty much eliminating the prospects of her making a good political marriage. Also, she and Elias both come from Neullais, which is prominently featured on the continental map on the DD subreddit but doesn't seem to come up all too often in backstories. I think it's a not!France? Hard to tell.

Thae'lanel

A World of Warcraft blood elf, flowing anime hair and apostrophe'd name and all. I like WoW so that's not terribly grating, but as he has no profile yet there's little else I can say. Thae'lanel is mentioned in Maeve's introduction as a member of a sun elf group called the Exiled, which I'm guessing is tied to his adept status in some way. He and Maeve form yet another adventurer/bodyguard duo.

[belorage]

Wes for the full clear on the OC asks? 😘😘😘

— OC QUESTIONS

BASICS

What’s their full name? Wesley Daniel Brooks

What does their name mean? Why were they named that? Wesley means “western meadow,” Daniel means “God is my judge,” and Brooks means “stream.” You can find my real world reasoning for choosing his name here. As for the canon reasoning, Wesley is a family name on his father’s side and Daniel is a good Christian name. 

Do they have any nicknames? Lots. Wes is the big one (Hwes if you’re Hurk Jr.), Rook, Dep (Deputy if you're as extra as John Seed), Bright Eyes (Raf only), Sundance (Nick only), Darling (Lyra, when she’s being cheeky), and probably a handful more that I’m forgetting.

How old are they? 28, almost 29 as of the start of FC5.

When’s their birthday? November 11, 1989

What’s their zodiac sign/element/birthstone/etc.? Do they believe that holds any significance? Scorpio sun, Aries moon, Aquarius rising. Year of the snake. Birthstones are topaz and citrine. He isn’t aware enough of any of this to believe in it.

What’s their species/subspecies? Do they have any special/magical abilities? He is a natural disaster in human form. His special ability is that he somehow manages to survive that for as long as he does.

What “class” do they belong to (for fantasy characters)? If none, what weapon do they favor? A revolver (Steel & Ivory), a sawed-off shotgun (Sin Eater), or basic hand-to-hand. Close combat is preferable to range. He also uses homemade C4 in his tireless crusade against cult infrastructure.

APPEARANCE

What do they look like? He’s 6′3″, has brown-ish hair (specifically, a warm golden bronze color) and hazel eyes with long eyelashes. Fit, moderate-to-lean build. Sharp features, angular jaw, a pronounced Cupid’s bow. He has the facial hair of a man who has forgotten to shave for two weeks, because he is—you guessed it—a man who has forgotten to shave for two weeks.

Do they have a face claim? Tomas Skoloudik

What’s their style like? Clothes, hair, makeup? Casual clothing—flannels (often tied around the waist), t-shirts, henleys, jeans, boots, jewelry (gold, leather), leather jacket, cargo jacket. His hair is messy and soft, just like he is, because he doesn’t overload it with hair products unlike some people. He’s got an ouroboros tattooed around the lower part of his right forearm and (universe-dependent) John and Lyra’s names on the inside of his wrists.

How do they carry themselves? What’s their default expression? He attempts to project swagger and indifference, but to anyone who knows him and is paying attention, he’s an open book. In a comfortable environment, he’s loose and casual. His default expression is fixated if he has something to occupy his mind and distant if he doesn’t.

Do they have any physical ailments or disabilities? No, but he’s got bruises and flesh wounds aplenty! He’s got bite marks and scratches galore! You want knife-slashing scars? He’s got twenty. But who cares? No big deal. Wes wants mooooore! 🎵

PERSONALITY

What’s their alignment? Chaotic Good/Chaotic Neutral

Which one of the 16 Personality Types do they fit into? ISFP

What are their hobbies and interests? Do they have any particular “favorites” (food, books, and so on)? I answered for his favorite films and TV here, and his favorite book is Watership Down. He likes the Beatles and bar snacks and black coffee. His favorite cultists are Lyra, John, and Shaggy—please don’t judge him.

What are they bad at? Dancing!

What kind of things do they dislike/hate? Hates being controlled, dislikes very sweet things.

Do they have any vices/addictions/mental illnesses? Impulsiveness, reactive behaviors. He smokes and drinks, although neither of those are done with a shocking amount of excess. Previously, harder drugs. 

What are their goals and motivations? Freedom and acceptance.

What are their manners like? Any habits? He’s not a jerk; he has passable manners when the situation calls for them, but Emily Post would like him not. His habits are covered in much more detail here, but the big one is that he tends to busy his hands and/or mouth with things wherever possible.

What are they most afraid of? Rejection, abandonment, enclosed spaces, death (specifically, the possibility of an afterlife). 

BACKGROUND

Where were they born? What was their childhood like? Born in Hope County. He was an only child and his home life was suspect, but made moderately more bearable by his best friend. Once he realized trying to please his father was a losing battle, he said hell yeah to a downward spiral of rebelliousness and troublemaking.

What’s their family like? His dad was a jerk of the sort that would never be satisfied. Big on toxic masculinity, short on acceptance. His mother loved him, but she fell in line more often than not.

What factions or organizations are they a part of? What ranks and titles do they hold? Hope County Sheriff’s Office (probationary sheriff’s deputy), Hope County Resistance (figurehead, pot stirrer, problem magnet). 

How do they fit into their “story”? Barely. Next question. I hate to use this word yet again, but it’s the only one that fits: his story is mostly about acceptance—self, fate, fault, sorrow, joy—because as much as he desired acceptance from others, he denied a lot of it for himself.

Where do they currently live? What’s their place like? He grew up in the Silver Lake trailer park, way up on the northeastern end of Holland Valley, near the Whitetails. For the duration of the game timeline, I picture him spending more time crashing where he can—with the Ryes, in the woods, wherever—but his own place would be sparse and fairly untidy, with clothes tossed everywhere. 

How do they eventually die? Wesley intends to live forever. How dare you insinuate—

RELATIONSHIPS

Do they have any friends? Would they consider anyone to be their best friend? Within the timeline of the game, he has quite a few. Raf is his best friend (and has been since they were kids), but Nick (and Kim) are both up there. He has a soft spot for Mary May; that seems to be reciprocal. He appreciates Grace because she doesn’t ask unnecessary questions. Sharky and Hurk offer unconditional friendship, which he appreciates and sorely needs. Adelaide is the vodka aunt who thirsts after his ex. She tries to rile him up sometimes (in a myriad of ways), but he likes her. And if you account for other universes, his friend count goes way up thanks to the various and sundry brat squad kids.

What’s their friend group like? What role do they play in it? When he was younger, he was the introvert-adopted-by-an-extrovert. He was a bit too withdrawn to have friends outside of that, though he wasn’t unfriendly. For a bulk of the current timeline, his friend group is “ragtag misfits” status and he basically gets ping-ponged between them as they try—with varying amounts of success—to fight a cult.  

What’s their love life like? (See also: ship question meme.) Do they have any kids? Depends on the universe. In canon, it’s messy but becomes significantly healthier later on. His previous relationship was promising and likely would have been ideal, except that they were young and unable (or unready) to deal with the realities of their situation. In AU, he is enemies-with-benefits but also grossly in love with the Judge of Eden’s Gate and her husband (who was a fun surprise, but it’s fine, because Wes got Lyra back by giving her a gracious two-for-one deal on children)!

Who do they look up to? Who do they trust? Whitehorse is something of a father figure, though Wes would never say that out loud. For the record, neither would Whitehorse (at least not directly to Wes)—mostly for Wes’s benefit. He trusts Raf, Pastor Jerome, and the rest of his friends listed above.

Who do they hate? Do they have any enemies? Joseph, because Joseph is daddy issues incarnate. Jacob, because Jacob understands Wes well enough to yank him around like a dog on a leash. By the time the Collapse hits, everyone is his enemy to some extent (as evidenced by the adorable horns and pointy tails drawn all over his wanted posters). Notable exceptions are John, Sharky, Hurk, and Whitehorse; however, all but the first are functionally unknown to him.

Do they have any pets? Just Boomer, who is the best emotional support animal a disaster could ask for.

Are they good with kids? Animals? He’s naturally good with both children and animals, but he lacks practical experience, especially with the former (shout-out to the Ryes for finally adding that to his resume).

FUN FACTS

Which tropes do they fit? Which archetypes? Tropewise, he’s Troubled, but Cute and I can’t refute it; apart from the high school thing, it’s a full BINGO clear. He’s also Bruiser with a Soft Center, Inferiority Superiority Complex, Cosmic Plaything, Desperately Craves Affection, Hero with Bad Publicity, I Am Not My Father, and almost certainly a whole host of shameful others that I don’t dare brave the rest of TVTropes to find. Of the twelve classic archetypes, he’s some combination of The Hero and The Outlaw. Otherwise: fallen angel, antihero, byronic hero, prodigal son. 

Do they play any instruments? Sports? He can play guitar, but only at an intermediate level. He’s not big on sports, but he can ice skate and he likes to swim.

What are some items they always carry? Steel & Ivory and a lighter; later, Sin Eater. In New Dawn he carries John’s watch.

Do they collect anything? Bad decisions. Minicultists, apparently. Nothing in particular.

What position do they sleep in? His default position when he’s alone and in a comfortable place is on his belly. There are exceptions listed in greater detail here.

Which emoji would they use the most? Honestly, he’s not really the type to use emojis, but he will send his love interest pictures of things he likes or finds pretty with no context. Otherwise, his texts tend to be short, to-the-point, and lacking in punctuation or capitalization. Believe it or not, he’d much rather communicate in person. My most frequently used emojis for him are 🍰 and 🐍. (Awww, cake and snake... They rhyme. How precious!)

What languages do they speak? English. He knows a limited amount of Spanish, but he’s better at understanding it than he is at speaking it.

What’s their favorite expletive? Damn or fuck.

What’s their favorite candle scent? Pine.

What songs remind you of them? I have a playlist for him here, but it—much like him—is a bit of a mess. I also have a playlist based on his own taste in music here.

Which animal would you say represents them? Snakes, stags, swans, scorpions.

What stereotypical high school clique would they fit into? Loners or troublemakers, probably. Stoners on a technicality—he doesn’t fit the stereotype, but he does have a history. He has some of the soul of an art kid but, tragically, none of the talent.

What would their favorite ride at an amusement park be? At a real amusement park, probably the roller coasters. At something more lowkey like a carnival, he’d like the classic, aesthetically pleasing rides like the Ferris wheel or the carousel.

Do they believe in aliens? Ghosts? Reincarnation or something else? He’s not an “I Want to Believe” sort of guy, but he still can’t explain the Larry Parker debacle. He tries very hard not to believe (or at least not to think about) any sort of afterlife, because he fears it.

Do they follow any religions/gods? Do they celebrate holidays? His family was Catholic, but he endeavors not to be. He likely wouldn’t celebrate holidays as a bachelor overmuch, but he would take part in holiday activities with others.

Which Deadly Sin do they most correspond to? Which Heavenly Virtue? Pride and Fortitude.

If you had to choose one tarot card to represent them, which would it be? The Tower, The Devil, The Wheel of Fortune.

[papermoonloveslucy]

ELVIA ALLMAN

September 19, 1904

Elvia Beatrice Allman was born on September 19, 1904 in Enochville, North Carolina. She started her performing career on radio in the 1920s, as both a storyteller and singer. This led to work voicing cartoon characters for Warner Brothers. Simultaneously, she was pursuing stage acting, appearing at the Pasadena Playhouse. 

Allman made her film debut as an actress in 1940's The Road to Singapore as a homely woman who pursues Bob Hope.

On radio, she worked with Lucille Ball on “My Favorite Husband”. 

Her first TV credit came in August 1951, in an episode of “Hollywood Theatre Time” written by “I Love Lucy” scribes Bob Carroll and Madelyn Pugh Davis. This undoubtedly led to her first encounter with Lucille Ball.

Allman’s first episode of “I Love Lucy” is also one of the most memorable in TV history: “Job Switching” (ILL S2;E1) in September 1952.  She played the strident foreman of Kramer’s Candy Kitchen.   

This portrayal has been seen numerous times across various media, and often imitated, but perhaps none more brilliantly than on “Will & Grace” where Lucie Arnaz played the role originated by Allman. 

“I’m thrilled to be invited to the party and will do my best to honor the memory of Elvia Allman’s iconic performance.” ~ Lucie Arnaz

NEIGHBOR: “Do you wanna see Minnie or don’t ya?”

Allman returned to the show as one of Minnie Finch’s neighbors in “Fan Magazine Interview” (ILL S3;E17) in 1954, quite a change of pace. 

NANCY GRAHAM: “When did you first meet...himmm?”

Changing gears once again she played prim magazine reporter Nancy Graham in “The Homecoming” (ILL S5;E6) in 1955. The character is probably a tribute to Sheilah Graham, who was an English-born Hollywood journalist. 

Graham suggests that her article will be titled “NOW I AM HIS SLAVE” by LUCY RICARDO, a title that would raise more than a few eyebrows, even in 1955!  

She made two appearances on “The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour“ - first as Ida Thompson, Westfield’s PTA director who is enamored of Tallulah Bankhead in “The Celebrity Next Door” (LDCH S1;E2) in December 1957.  The character is likely named in honor of Maury Thompson, who was the show’s long-time camera coordinator.

She was Milton Berle’s over-protective secretary when “Milton Berle Hides Out at the Ricardos” (LDCH S3;E1) in 1959. 

Allman would also be seen on two episodes of “The Lucy Show.”  First as a customer shopping for a new hat when Lucy takes a job at Stacey’s Department Store in “Lucy Bags a Bargain” (TLS S4;E17) in 1966. Allman flips her wig when Lucy bungles the sale! 

Her second, and final Lucycom appearance, was in “Lucy The Babysitter” (TLS S5;E16) in 1967. Allman finally gets to use her own name to play the manager of an employment agency visited by Mrs. Carmichael. Coincidentally, the name of the business is the Unique Employment Agency, which will also be  the name of the Employment Agency on “Here’s Lucy.”  This pretty much brings things full circle for Allman, whose first episode of “I Love Lucy” featured the Acme Employment Agency, the agency that places Lucy and Ethel at Kramer’s Candy Kitchen! 

Allman’s final screen appearance with Lucille Ball reunited her with Bob Hope: “Bringing Back Vaudeville” on November 16, 1971 on NBC. 

Back in 1952, the same year Allman did her first “I Love Lucy” episode, she was a recurring character on NBC’s answer to “Lucy”, “I Married Joan” which - like “Lucy” - also filmed at General Service Studios.  Consequently, the two shows shared many performers. Allman played Aunt Vera for six episodes during season one. 

In May 1953, Allman did a single episode of “Our Miss Brooks,” filmed by Desilu. She appeared opposite Eve Arden, Gale Gordon, Richard Crenna, and Gloria McMillan, all of who appeared on “I Love Lucy.” 

In October 1954, she played a maid on the Desilu filmed “Make Room for Daddy”.  In 1958, to symbolize the show’s move to CBS, the Williams family moved into the Ricardo home in Westport. In return, Lucy and Desi guest-starred on “The Danny Thomas Show” as the Ricardos.

Also in 1954, Allman started appearing on Desilu’s “December Bride,” doing six episodes until 1959, mostly playing Sara Selkirk.  In 1957, Executive Producer Desi Arnaz appeared as himself. In 1960 she was featured on the very first episode of the sequel series, “Pete and Gladys” and did another episode in 1962. 

In October 1958, she did a day on Desilu’s “The Ann Sothern Show.” In November 1959,Lucille Ball played Lucy Ricardo on the series’ season two premiere.  

In January 1961, Allman played Henrietta Swanson on “The Andy Griffith Show” filmed on the Desilu backlot. 

A few months later, she did a day on “The Real McCoys”, also filmed on the Desilu backlot.

In June 1964, Allman did an installment of “Vacation Playhouse” - a Desilu anthology series of possible pilots.  

In 1963 and 1965, Allman did episodes of “The Dick Van Dyke Show” filmed at Desilu Studios. The second featured Amzie Strickland, who also appeared with her in “Lucy Bags a Bargain” (TLS S4;E17). 

Allman has the distinction of appearing in all three of CBS’s inter-connected rural sitcoms (albeit as different characters): “The Beverly Hillbillies” (as Elverna Bradshaw); “Petticoat Junction” (as Selma Plout); and “Green Acres” (as Cora Watson). 

Her final screen appearance was on a 1989 episode of “Murder She Wrote” starring Angela Lansbury. 

Her first husband, Wesley B. Tourtellotte, was a musician whom she married in 1930. The marriage was short-lived and produced one child. Her second was Charles Pyle, who was often called Cash and Carry Pyle, an Illinois theater owner and sports agent. They married in 1937 but he died of a heart attack two years later. Her third and last marriage, to Jerome Bayler, lasted 33 years until his death in 1978.

Allman died on March 6, 1992, aged 87. 

[entamewitchlulu]

so i did a reading challenge this year and i wanna talk about what i read

transcription under the cut

i did Popsugar 2019 and wanna talk about what i read:  Book Reccs and Anti-Reccs 

1.) Becoming a Movie in 2019: Umbrella Academy (vol 1) by Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba

4/5. A fascinating take on superpowers, dysfunctional families, and the apocalypse. Can get pretty gory, confusing here and there and you have to pay close attention to panels for lore, but overall an entertaining romp.

2.) Makes you Feel Nostalgic: Circles in the Stream by Rachel Roberts

4/5. Middle grade novel about the magic of music, belief, and of course, friendship. Definitely written for kids, and has some unfortunately clumsy Native rep, but overall an absolute joy to dive into once again.

3.) Written by a Musician: Umbrella Academy (vol 2) by Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba

4/5. Ramps up the confusion to ridiculous degrees with some absolutely bonkers, unexplained arcs, but still fun to watch this dysfunctional family do its dysfunctional thing.

4.) You Think Should be Turned into a movie: All That Glitters by Rachel Roberts

4/5. Continuation of Circles in the Stream, but with more unicorns, more rainbows, and more fae, which makes it automatically even better than the first.

5.) With At Least 1 Mil. Ratings on Goodreads: 1984 by George Orwell   

1/5. I understand why it's important and all but wasn't prepared for some of the more graphic scenes and the overall hopelessness of the message.  Would not recommend or read again.

6.) W/ a Plant in the title or cover: The secret of Dreadwillow carse by Brian farrey

5/5. A fantasy world where everyone is always happy, save for one girl and the princess, who set out to solve the mystery of their kingdom. Poignant and great for kids and adults.

7.) Reread of a favorite: Cry of the Wolf by Rachel Roberts

4/5. Yet another installment in the Avalon: Web of Magic series, which clearly I am obsessed with.  Please just read them.

8.) About a Hobby: Welcome to the Writer's Life by Paulette Perhach

5/5. A welcome kick in the pants, chock full of great advice told without condescension, and full of hope and inspiration for writers both new and old.

9.) Meant to read in 2018: The Poet x by Elizabeth Acevedo  

4/5. Absolutely beautiful coming of age novel told in verse.  Do yourself a favor and listen to the audiobook version.

10.) w/ "pop," "sugar," or "challenge" in the title: Black Sugar by Miguel Bonnefoy

2/5. I think maybe I just don't understand this genre.  Or maybe the translation was weird. I was confused.  

11.) w/ An Item of Clothing or Accessory on the cover: Our dreams at Dusk by Yuhki Kamatani

4/5. It had a lot more slurs/homophobia than I was prepared for, but otherwise is a very touching, relatable collection of queer characters living in a heteronormative world.

12.) Inspired by Mythology or Folklore: Ravenous by MarcyKate Connolly

3/5. A girl goes on an impossible quest to save her brother from a child-eating witch. Really wanted to like it more because I loved the first one, Monstrous, but it dragged a little.

13.) Published Posthumously: The Islands of Chaldea by Diana Wynne Jones

3/5. I adore Diana Wynne Jones, but this one was missing some of the magic of her other books. Not sure if it was because it had to be finished by someone else, or if I just grew out of her stories.

14.) Set in Space: Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

4/5. Powerfully written story of a girl straddling tradition and innovation, who wields power through mathematical magic, surviving on a spaceship alone with a dangerous alien occupation after everyone else has been killed.

15.) By 2 Female Authors: Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

2/5. Ostensibly a story about a revenge pact in a small island town, but leaves far too many dangling threads to attempt alluring you to the sequel.

16.) W/ A Title containing "salty," "bitter," "Sweet," or "Spicy": The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith  

3/5. It's okay but I literally just never know what anyone means at any time. Are they being reticent on purpose or do i just not understand communication

17.) Set in scandinavia: Vinland Saga by Makoto Yukimura

2/5. Technically and historically accurate and well made, but the story itself is not my cup of tea.  Very gory.

18.) Takes Place in a Single Day: Long WAy Down by Jason Reynolds

4/5. A boy goes to avenge his murdered brother, but ghostly passengers join him on the elevator ride down. Stunning and powerful character-driven analysis.

19.) Debut Novel: Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

4/5. Charming and then surprisingly heart-breaking comic about Nimona, a shapeshifter who wants to become a villain's minion. Really love the villain/hero dynamic going on in the background, along with the dysfunctional found family.

20.) Published in 2019: The Book of Pride by Mason Funk  

4/5. A collection of interviews with the movers, shakers, and pioneers of the queer and LGBTQ+ community.  An absolutely essential work for community members and allies alike.

21.) Featuring an extinct/imaginary creature: Phoebe and her Unicorn by Dana Simpson

4/5. Incredibly charming, Calvin and Hobbes-esque collection of comics featuring the adventures of Phoebe and her unicorn best friend.

22.) Recced by a celebrity you admire: The Emerald Circus by Jane Yolen

2/5. Recced by my fave author Brandon Sanderson. An unfortunately disappointing anthology proving that any story can be made uninteresting by telling the wrong section of it.

23.) With "Love" in the Title: Book Love by Debbie Tung

4/5. One of those relatable webcomics, only this one I felt super hard almost the entire time.  Books are awesome and libraries rule.

24.) Featuring an amateur detective: Nancy Drew: Palace of Wisdom by Kelly Thompson

4/5. REALLY love this modern take on Nancy Drew, coming back home to her roots to solve a brand new mystery. Diverse cast and lovely artwork, though definitely more adult.

25.) About a family: Amulet by Kabu Kibuishi

4/5. Excellent, top tier graphic novel about a sister and brother who have to go rescue their mother with a mysterious magic stone. LOVE that the mom gets to be involved in the adventure for once.

26.) by an author from asia, Africa, or s. America: Girls' Last tour by Tsukumizu

4/5. Somehow both light-hearted and melancholy. Two girls travel about an empty, post-apocalyptic world, and muse about life and their next meal.

27.) w/ a Zodiac or astrology term in title: Drawing down the moon by margot adler

3/5. A good starting place for anyone interested in the Neo Pagan movement, but didn't really give me what I was personally looking for.

28.) you see someone reading in a tv show or movie: The Promised NEverland by Kaiu Shirai

4/5. I don't watch TV or movies where people read books so i think reading an adaptation of a TV series after watching the series counts. Anyway it was good but beware racist caricatures

29.) A retelling of a classic: Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy by Rey Terciero

5/5. We can stop the Little Women reboots and retellings now, this is the only one we need. In fact, we can toss out the original too, this is the only one necessary.

30.) w/ a question in the title: So I'm a spider, so what? by Asahiro Kakashi

4/5. Cute art despite the subject matter, and a surprisingly enthralling take on the isekai genre. Love the doubling down on the video game skills.

31.) Set in a college or university campus: Moonstruck (vol 2) by Grace Ellis

2/5. An incredibly cute, beautiful, and fascinating world of modern magic and creatures, but unfortunately falls apart at the plot and pacing.

32.) About someone with a superpower: Moonstruck (vol 1) by Grace Ellis

4/5. Though nearly as messy plot-wise as its sequel, the first volume is overwhelmingly charming in a way that overpowers the more confusing plot elements.

33.) told from multiple povs: The Long way to a Small, Angry Planet by becky Chambers

4/5. Told almost in a serial format, like watching a miniseries, a group of found-family spaceship crew members make the long journey to their biggest job ever.

34.) Includes a wedding: We Set the dark on fire by Tehlor kay mejia

4/5. Timely and poignant, a girl tumbles into both love and resistance after becoming one of two wives to one of the most powerful men in the country.

35.) by an author w/ alliterative name: The only harmless great Thing by brooke bolander

3/5. Much deeper than I can currently comprehend.  Beautifully written, but difficult to parse.

36.) A ghost story: Her body and other parties by Carmen Maria Machado

4/5.  It counts because one of the stories in it has ghosts. A sometimes difficult collection of surrealist, feminist, queer short stories.

37.) W/ a 2 word title: Good omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

4/5. Charming, touching, and comical, probably the best take on the apocalypse to date. Also excellent ruminations on religion and purpose.

38.) based on a true story: The faithful Spy by John Hendrix

4/5. Brilliantly crafted graphic biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and his assistance in fighting back against Nazi Germany.

39.) Revolving around a puzzle or game: the Crossover by Kwame alexander

4/5. The verse didn't always hit right with me, but the story is a sweet, melancholy one about family, loss, and moving on.

40.) previous popsugar prompt (animal in title): The last unicorn by peter s. Beagle

5/5. Absolutely one of my all-time favorite books, it manages to perfectly combine anachronism and comedy with lyricism, melancholy, and ethereal beauty.

41.) Cli-fi: Tokyo Mew Mew by Mia ikumi and Reiko Yoshida

4/5. Shut up it counts

42.) Choose-your-own-adventure: My Lady's choosing by Kitty curran

3/5. Cute in concept, a bit underwhelming in execution. Honestly, just play an otome.

43.) "Own Voices": Home by Nnedi Okorafor

3/5. The storytelling style was definitely not my style; while the first book was slow, too, it felt more purposeful. I found my attention wandering during this installment.

44.) During the season it's set in: Pumpkinheads by rainbow rowell

3/5. Cute art, but precious little substance.  The concept simply wasn't for me in the first place.

45.) LITRPG: My next life as a villainess: All routes lead to doom! by Hidaka nami

5/5. An absolute insta-fave! Charming art, endearing characters, an incredible premise, and so much sweet wholesome fluff it'll give you cavities.

46.) No chapters: The field guide to dumb birds of north america by matt kracht

3/5. It started out super strong, but the joke started to wear thin at a little past the halfway point.

47.) 2 books with the same title: Unfollow by Megan Phelps-Roger

4/5. A brave and enduring personal story of growing up in and eventually leaving the Westboro Baptist Church. Really called to me to act with grace and kindness even more in the future.

48.) 2 books with the same title: unfollow by rob williams and michael dowling

1/5. How many times do you think we can make Battle Royale again before someone notices

49.) That has inspired a common phrase or idiom: THe Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

4/5. Definitely good and deserves it's praise as something that pretty much revolutionized and created an entire demographic of literature.

50.) Set in an abbey, cloister, Monastery, convent, or vicarage: Murder at the vicarage by agatha christie

3/5. I just cannot. physically keep up with all of these characters or find the energy to read between the lines.

ok that's all i got, what did y'all read and like this year?  (oh god it’s gonna be 2020)

[luci-yabs]

The young Aun’Saal peered out from under her mother’s cloak with wide-eyed inquisitiveness at the flurry of action before her. On the other side of the dense pane of glass in front of the observational party, sparks were flying in a chaotic but beautiful dance as the swords of an Exodite warrior and a grizzled Fireblade flashed. Not against one another, no. The pair were trying with all their decades of experience to land a blow on the T’au girl between them.

Shas’Saal H’kek’an La’al was all but a blur between the two men, giddy at her own speed and seemingly untouchable, parrying their strikes or slipping between them with near supernatural speed and grace. In the young Aun’s eyes she was as a divine figure. The unique, lightweight alloy composing her limbs made her shimmer with every motion, the mirrored surfaces catching and reflecting nearly every trace of light pointed her way, while her eyes practically glowed a vibrant, almost radioactive green. In the sharp, appraising eyes of the Aun’Vre, however, her movements were skilled but still sloppy. The Shas’Saal was making numerous superfluous movements that, had she been of pure flesh and blood, should have earned her many a cut and bruise. She displayed a clear affinity for the martial arts of both her T’au teachers and those of the Aeldari, but she was still clearly a novice. Those augmentations, however… those certainly intrigued her…

The action in the other room came to a sharp, grinding halt as the three combatants turned to face the window. The Fireblade stood at perfect attention, blade slipped into its sheath once more and his face devoid of any visible emotion. Saal’La’al looked dismayed, her previous glee gone from her face and her own blunt blades sheathed as well. Only the Exodite warrior still had his own blade out, the psychically hardened dragon-bone dripping a slight trickle of blue blood from the small tear he had managed to make in Saal’La’al’s shirt at her shoulder. The small cut beneath her shirt stopped bleeding in seconds, but a cut had still been landed.

As the trio stood, the two T’au at their varying states of attention and the Aeldari with his hips at a slant and one knee bouncing, the other room became a buzz of discussion and motion. Most of the numerous Fio’faan began to discuss numbers and statistics with an almost jovial tinge in their voices, the Little Hero they had been watching grow over the course of their Sept’s isolation from the war with the gue’la thoroughly impressing them all. The Fio’O closest to the window’s perpetual smile had grown even wider, and, by the young Aun’Saal’s guess, seemed to have infected the Shas’faan girl in the other room, her disappointment no longer visible on her face. The young Ethereal’s mother, on the other hand, had a dour look about her as she turned to H’kek’an’s head Ethereal, ushering him and her daughter out of the room for a more private conversation.

“Saal’La’al has certainly grown into a fine example of the Sha-” the Aun’Ui began with a grin before he was sharply cut off.

“If we are able to make augmentations of such caliber, why in the name of the Tau’va would they be granted to a child with no combat experience, rather than to our tested and true war heroes, Ui’Erra’nan? It is foolishness of the highest order,” Vre’Da’ty hissed at her subordinate. “She is barely competent even with them but imagine what they could do in the hands of a truly skilled warrior!” She kept her voice low, much too quiet to be heard by anyone not invited to the conversation, but there was an unmistakable fury in her words. And that was plenty enough to cow the man before her and draw a whimper from her child, clinging tightly to her leg.

“Fio’O Yr’va’yan,” Erra’nan began with a barely concealed gulp of nerves, “Fio’O Yr’va’yan never expected her to be able to draw this much capacity from them to begin with, Aun’Vre. They are generally more potent than standard issue prostheses, yes, and he has submitted their specifications for mass production, but Shas’Saal La’al is a dramatic outlier.” Da’ty’s already hidden glare melted into nonexistence, replaced by an open look of curiosity.

“Really?” She responded with a cocked brow, picking her daughter up to calm her now that her anger was subsiding. The other Ethereal hid a sigh of relief as her mood shifted, nodding his head quickly.

“He believes that it’s due to her age when she received the first prototype. Children’s bodies are much more adaptable, after all. Supposedly, her nervous system has bonded to the connectors more intimately than an adult’s could ever hope to. Obviously, this is beyond my own specialization, but I do trust the Fio’O’s assessment,” Erra’nan said, his confidence returning as the Aun’Vre nodded thoughtfully.

“Then we obviously cannot ensure more troops of similar caliber…” she said, bouncing her daughter gently, the young toddler patting her mother’s shio’he. Vre’Da’ty smiled softly and playfully poked hers in return, the child’s not yet having taken on the distinctive diamond shape. “I presume she has been properly trained in Shas’faan protocol and combat doctrine?” The words were delivered happy and sweet, a voice to entertain her child, but that compared against the content they carried killed Ui’Erra’nan’s confidence practically as soon as it returned.

“Yes, Aun’Vre. She is something of a prodigy, in fact,” he said, hesitantly.

“Is she now? Then see to it that she is transferred to active duty as soon as possible. I would like to see exactly what she can do in combat.” The Aun’Vre’s words brooked no dissent even as they dripped with the almost sing-song tune as she looked into her child’s eyes with a broad smile. Ui’Erra’nan knew better than to argue, genuine fear of the woman before him creeping through his body.

“Y-yes, Aun’Vre…” the lower ranked Ethereal replied, slowly making his way back into the still jubilant room as he tried to wipe the obvious distress from his features.

(A couple of things should probably be mentioned, here.

First, there is clearly a timeskip here. This part is set just shortly after the Damocles cease-fire went into effect, giving civilians much more ability to travel. This also gives the situation on H'kek'an to settle a bit more, giving La'al time to actually train with her Caste-mates and largely acclimate to her limbs without making me write a training montage. It also gave me an excuse to skip past her actually getting the upgrades. I know I’m writing 40k fic, but I’m not comfortable actually writing a child going through that pain.

I will say though, she didn’t make a sound through the entire procedure

Second, I felt that Ethereals probably have a much more personal touch to their children’s upbringing, while also likely exposing them to as much of the Empire’s political world as possible from a young age. They need to know how to lead it one day, after all, and there’s no better way to learn than by directly seeing their parents work.

Anyhoo, as always please feel free to send any questions or critiques my way. I know a lot more of what’s going on in the background and the characters’ heads than I could conceivably fit in the story without bloating it to oblivion)

Thanks again! One thing I was intrigued by particularly is the notion of the Ethereal children. It’s because I don’t think it’s ever been brought up or mentioned before. The Ethereals remain largely unexplored among the T’au fiction, little of it that there is, so that’s an interesting idea which I enjoyed seeing.

A question I do have though; the Ethereal objects to the notion of the cybernetics being used on children. For some Ethereals I can imagine this being an issue but we do know the likes of Aun’va, for example, was fine with even a project like the Puretide Neurochips which, though not being used on children and so that is an important distinction, were rather callous seeing as they left the users largely brain-damaged afterwards. Admittedly in-story this was supposedly only discovered after the fact, and so is more a testament to the device being rushed out without full safety testing, rather than purposeful cruelty, but it is something to keep in mind.

An idea, for example, would be that if you required an internally antagonistic character that having an Ethereal who did not share such objections could serve that role. 

[joyofcrime-elinorhigh]

2016 Year in REVIEW Part 2:

  Hello there, everybody! My name is JoyofCrimeArt and this is part two of my two part "2016 Year in REVIEW. If you haven't seen part one yet I recommend that you do so before reading this part. So here's the link 2016 Year in REVIEW: Part 1 and let's just jump right back into it.

   So last we left off Nickelodeon created a new show that is both critically loved and is doing strong in the ratings. Things are looking good for them, there back in peoples good graces, so what does Nickelodeon do next? Admit that everything they've done for the last decade in a half has sucked and goes full 90's kid on us of course! Screw everything we've made since "Rocket Power" THE 90'S WHERE ALL THAT, SON! NICKELODEON WAS A MISTAKE!  Yes, right as summer was starting to roll around Nickelodeon decided to go back to the days when people liked them with a plethora of reboots and revivals. Cause why move forward, when you can move backwards, am I right? All jokes aside, the idea of reboots and revivals, as I've stated before, are not bad. But only if it's with a property that has potential with a continuation. or if the series can be done differently, with a unique spin to it. It's just that Nickelodeon announced so many so fast, that it feels like an act of desperation. Cartoon Network announced a lot of reboots too, but 1.) They didn't announce as many and 2.) They had shows on there network that had critical success while Nickelodeon has not. So it feels like there just trying to get that old success back. But whatever, it might feel a bit desperate but that doesn't mean the reboots and revivals will be bad. So let's go through all the stuff Nickelodeon has announced and see how it looks.  First Nickelodeon rebranded the "The 90's are all That." into "The Splat" which is a much catchier name, though not much other than that seemed to change. At first there were showing a lot of shows that weren't on "The 90's are all That." but now it just seems like it's the same stuff "The 90's are all That." use to show. Though now the block is much longer, so there's that. Not anything that really interest me, but I'm sure it interest some other people.  A "Legend of the Hidden Temple" movie was announced. I watched it, and I didn't really like it very much, though my older brother who did grow up with Legend of the Hidden Temple seemed to like it. I've never seen the original game show except for once or twice, so maybe it wasn't "for me." but a revival should be made for anybody to enjoy, not just old fans. The whole movie was pretty much just "Hey look, a purple parrot! Look, the steps of knowledge. Remember the steps of knowledge. I 'member." In terms of story and acting it was about on par with your average Nickelodeon original movie.  A two part "Hey Arnold! Jungle Movie." was announced, and while I've never seen Hey Arnold! I'm glad that they get to conclude the series, especially since the only reason it wasn't made was because of some weird legal reasons. Also a "Rocko's Modern Life" tv movie was announced and I'm just like, why? Is there more potential with this idea? Like I'm not saying the show is bad or anything, and I'm not saying that the tv movie will be bad. I'm just what can you really do with a modern day "Rocko's Modern Life?" I mean they could make fun of some modern things I guess, but I don't know. It just seems like there are better choices for shows to make specials out of.  What I am interested in is a "Ren and Stimpy" theatrical short, set to play before the third Spongebob Squarepants movie. I'm shocked they got John K. back after what happened between him and Nickelodeon. I think John K's style would work better in a short, so he'd have more time and budget to make it the way he wants to, and wouldn't have to worry about deadlines.  So yeah, it's kind a mixed bad with these revivals. Some of them sound cool. It just feels weird to me that Nickelodeon is just starting to be good again, but then they go through this midlife crisis and act like everything they did after 1999 was crap. Nickelodeon has made good shows after the nineties ended, and are even making some good shows now, so I don't see why they need to do this. I do wonder how successful these revivals will be though, as the "Hidden Temple" movie only did "okay" ratings wise. (Though they did post it on iTunes first, so maybe that was a factor.)  Anyway, speaking of reboots that people were actually excited about animation fans where greeted to a reboot that they were actually pumped for with Netlix's "Votron: Legendary Defender"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXW1waqRCb0

This show is a bit hard for me to talk about. I can definitely say that I recommended it, but I'm not one hundred percent sure I can say I loved it. What do I mean by that? Well I can say that the show has a lot of amazing elements.One, it's an action show through and through, which is kinda rare these days. It has a really great voice cast, featuring Jeremy Shada (Finn from Adventure Time) Kimberly Brooks (Jasper from Steven Universe) Josh Keaton (Spider-Man from Spectacular Spider-Man and Hal Jordan from Green Lantern TAS) Along with several other talented actors. The animation was also really good! It was a bit choppy at parts but for the most part it looked really good. The show was created by two people who worked on "Legend of Korra" and it shows in the art style and even the storytelling. (Cause let's all be real here, Hunk is pretty much just Bolin in space.) The story was told pretty well and overall it's a great show but...for some reason I could never really get that into it. And I don't know why! I mean sure I have some problems with the show. The villains where kinda bland, (except for Cree Summer's character, oh by the way she's in this.) A lot of the action was kinda repetitive, and there's a subplot with Pidge that, while interesting, didn't really serve much purpose. Also I wish we could of seen more locations other than just the castle and a couple other planets (but season two seems to promise that if the finale was any indication.) But still these are mostly nitpicks. So why don't I love this show like I thought I was going to?  I don't really have a answer for that. It's weird, cause I should love this show! But it never really connected much with me, and I don't know why. Maybe it was the generic villains making the threat not seem that dire, or maybe it was the somewhat repetitive nature of the show. I don't know, and it makes this show hard to talk about. Maybe It had something to do with the way I watched it, as I watched all eleven episodes over the course of three months. Maybe that's part of it, but I feel that if I enjoyed it more In would of wanted to watch the series much faster. Like how I binged Bojack Horseman over a couple of days. The Nostalgia Critic has a video about movies that are so good it's bad, [link] and that might be a bit of what's happening here, maybe? I don't know. I am going to check out season two. And I do suggest you watch it, as everyone else I hear talk about the show seems to love it, and it's probably just some problem that I have with it, that most likely won't effect what you guys. Check it out if it seems interesting to ya.  Anyway as May began to come to a close online production company Rooster Teeth produced the web show that we didn't ask for, but turns out we secretly needed, with RWBY CHIBI!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu6D5jR1rSQ

 I'm going to just quickly talk about this because I do want to do a full review of both RWBY and RWBY Chibi at some point, so let's breeze through this. RWBY Chibi is a comedic spin-off of the RWBY webseries. It focuses on the more comedic aspects of the RWBY characters when there not off fighting monsters and bad guys. If this description sounds familiar to you it's because IT'S TEEN TITANS GO BUT GOOD!  The show is adorable, and really really charming. The show isn't perfect though. I first six or so episodes start off pretty meh, with some very repetitive jokes (specifically about Blake.) but as the season goes on they start adding more and more characters into the show, and they show begins to improve a lot. The more characters they add the more opportunity for jokes they create. And once they start adding the Chibi-fied versions on the villains, the show becomes God-tier. The animation on the show is also kinda bad. The models themselves look great but whenever a character isn't talking or doing something they just stand perfectly still, not blinking or moving any part of themselves for twenty to thirty seconds at a time. But this also improves a bit as the series goes on, and it's not like the main series where the animation is the big draw. Also sometimes the jokes can go on a bit long.  This series is great if your a RWBY fan, but sadly I do say that you do kinda have to be a RWBY fan because the series does spoil some stuff. Episode six and eight are really the only ones that spoils anything huge, but a lot of the jokes are in jokes and is better to see if you've the original show. You'll still get em without seeing the original, but there better if you've had. So go watch RWBY and RWBY Chibi damn it! They even had an entire episode that was just adapting RWBY fan comics! This show is so cool!  So after that amazingness happened more amazingness, Steven Universe came back with a Summer of Steven bringing us everything we wanted out of Steven Universe. More backstory on Gem Civilization! More Pearl being gay! More new Fusions! More Pearl being gay! More episodes focusing on the humans that everyone hated because it didn't give more backstory on the gems even though the episodes were still really fun and people should really just chill! More Lapis being salty as fu*k! And more Pearl being gay! We even got an new half hour episode where we meet an old Crystal Gem name Bismuth. An episode that got so divisive when debates broke out weather or not murdering all the homeworld gem is okay. And a smaller discussion on weather or not Avatar TLA finale was good or not. Okay, not really the last thing, but still. It got to the point when fans started attacking Lauren Zuke on twitter, even though SHE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE EPISODE! But that's what they get for trying to gemsplain towards Bismuth about morality. (For the record gemsplaing is like Mansplaing but with Gems.) Dumb jokes that'll make people hate me aside, it was the Summer of Steven was a blast, and a highlight for the whole year in the animation world.  But Roster Teeth animation wasn't done with just RWBY Chibi, as they made another new web series with there adult animated series, Camp Camp.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv5JfMDLgCU

 Like Powerpuff Girls, this is a show I've already talked about before, PLUG! Camp Camp REVIEW: So I'll try to be brief. Camp Camp is a great web seires that manages to do a great job mimicking the art style of a PBS show, which hilariously contrasts the raunchy adult humor that the series offers. It does adult humor really well, and never fells like it's being raunchy just for the sake of being raunchy. As I said in my original review the show feels one half Total Drama Island and one half South Park, and the combination works. The show has a stellar voice cast that includes Yuri Lowenthal, Travis Willingham, and even Dante Basco in one episode. It's really a rather impressive production for a web series, and the shows only main flaw stems from a rather unlikable lead character, which does hinder the show quite a bit. Still though, it was a fun show all things considered and the speech in the final episode was a fantastic moment for the series that gave a powerful lesson about nihilism vs idealism. I don't want to give to much away but it's interesting to compare it to a lot of the adults shows out there like "Rick and Morty" and "Bojack Horseman" as it offers a bit of a different perspective on the issue. (Not that the way Rick and Morty and Bojack talk about these themes are bad per say, it's just neat to see a slightly different perspective.) Camp Camp is a show I highly recommend.  So Sanjay and Craig also ended this year. I never really watched the show, wasn't really my thing. Not much to say about it other than, it was event that happened this year.  Meanwhile back on Netflix Bojack Horseman aired it's third seasons. (WARNING! SPOILERS FOR BOJACK! SKIP THIS PART IF YOU WANT TO REMAIN UNSPOILED!) So this season follows Bojack trying to get the fame and aspiration he always dreamed of by being seen as a serious actor. He gets a girlfriend who helps him, they end up breaking up by the end of the season. The season starts with Bojack holding on to the development that he had from the previous season, but after realizing that the thing he though he wanted wasn't what he really wanted he ends up relapsing and goes on a binger, possibly scars his ex-crushes daughter, and ends with him learning that he has to be a better person, and is inspired by a runner.  Oh wait, that was the season two plot description. Here's the season three plot description. So this season follows Bojack trying to get the fame and aspiration he always dreamed of by being seen as a serious actor. He gets a girlfriend who helps him, they end up breaking up by the end of the season. The season starts with Bojack holding on to the development that he had from the previous season, but after realizing that the thing he though he wanted wasn't what he really wanted he ends up relapsing and goes on a binger, possibly scars his ex-crushes daughter, and ends with him learning that he has to be a better person, and is inspired by a runner. Again. (Oh my God! This is a joke! Please don't kill me internet! I still like the show!) SPOILERS ARE NOW OVER!  Then, as yearly tradition, Cartoon Network played a new mini-series. Though I don't think people were as excited for this one as they were for some previous ones...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EMC9jnFAG4

(Love this show or hate it, you got to admit that the this theme song is pretty great! When was the last time we even had a minute long theme song?)  So Teen Titans Go! had a miniseries this year with a five part "Island Adventure." Though like "Long Live the Royal" it's not really a continuous story and more just a couple of episodes with a vague through line. The premise of the mini-series isn't a bad one. I like the "trapped on an island one." plot and there's lots of different stories you can tell with that plot, so Teen Titans Go! decided to simply do the plot five times, with each episode parodying a different island themed story. It was cool seeing a change of location for the Titans, as most episodes don't really have them leaving the Titan's Tower, so that was nice. But sadly the good idea was ruined by the fact that it's still Teen Titans Go! and it still had the Teen Titan Go! style of humor which, in my humble opinion, isn't really that good. It's definitely not the worse thing Teen Titan's Go! has done, but if you don't like TTG I don't think this miniseries will really sway you. Overall it was pretty meh. Though if you like TTG than you'll probably enjoy it fine.  Also, (spoilers, I guess?) the twist turns out that the whole time...It was really a hater bashing episode the whole time. Ha ha, what a twist- (Next thing please.)  Harvey Beaks was announced to end. I never really watched Harvey Beaks, though the couple of episodes I have seen kinda make me wish I did because the show seemed like it was pretty good. Nothing amazing, but the show looked good. So I'm kinda sad to see it go, because a lot of adult fans seemed to like it. It would of been a good show to pair with The Loud House I think, but sadly the numbers just didn't lead that way.  Also in BIG animation news for Cartoon Network it was announced that Adventure Time and Regular Show would be ending. Adventure Time still has two seasons to air before it ends and Regular Show is going to be ending in January. It's kinda a bittersweet feeling seeing these shows go. It's not really surprising to see these shows go, considering how Cartoon Network barely reruns them, but still. Adventure Time has been a bit rocky lately though I do think it still has some great episodes. Though these great episodes are becoming rarer as time goes on, so I guess it is good, from an artistic standpoint to see it go. As for Regular Show I think the show was pretty solid throughout. The newest season's been a bit of a dip (I'll get to that in a minute.) so I think, from an artistic standpoint, It's the perfect time to stop. That way the show will be looked back on fondly in the future.  And speaking of Regular Show the show went into SPPPAAAACCCCCEEEEE this year. Now for a little while my family was a cord cutting family, we have satellite now, but the last time I saw Regular Show before we cut the cord we where in an arc about Rigby going back to high school, and when we get satellite again there suddenly in space, and I'm just like "Yup! Okay, this is happening now!"  While I do admire them changing up the formula by sending them to space, I honestly don't love the change. Something that I really liked about Regular Show was the contrast. The episodes would start mundane but end up being fantastical. But now that there in space all the time it gets rid of the contrast cause it's weirdness on top of weirdness. But maybe it could work in a Steven Universe kinda way, where it's like an awesome space opera or something. Well it doesn't work that way either, because they still treat outer space like it's mundane, but it's not, it's space! They try to do both, and I get why they tried that, but It doesn't really work. Also they've been to space before! And where is party horse, everyone's least favorite character? He's in space, why isn't he here?  That being said, the show isn't awful or anything. There still are some good episodes, like "Terror Tales of the Park VI," "No Train No Gain," and especially "Christmas in Space." So let's hope Regular Show can go out with a bang. A BIG BANG! GET IT CAUSE SPACE! HAHA! (Kill me now!)  Anyway, at least Cartoon Network has made some shows to fill in those time slots because CN's made not one, but two cartoons this year. Powerpuff Girls 2016 and our next entry, Mighty Magiswords.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0pArLEicSM

 Mighty Magiswords was based on a series on online digital shorts on the Cartoon Network app. I haven't seen these shorts, and thus will only be talking about the eleven minute series here. The show...honestly I'm not crazy about. It's not awful on anything, but I think it's just a personal preference. The main problem I have with the show is the pacing! Every character talks so frickin' fast, and the show throws so many jokes at you in such rapid succession that there's no time to process it. Also beyond that the show just doesn't seem that interesting. I don't know, I just feel like everything this show is doing was done better in like "Dave the Barbarian." (I think. Was Dave the Barbarian good? I liked it when I was, like, seven or eight. But I was also pretty dumb when I was seven or eight, and I've never really gone back to it.)  I mean the shows not awful or anything. I like the voice acting on the main two characters. Also Egoraptors in the show, and it's cool to see a guy like him make the jump from internet to television as an actual recurring character. That's pretty neat. But overall I wasn't really able to get that into this show. It just seemed very...average, y'know? But maybe if they slow the pace down a bit it could improve. I don't know, we'll have to wait and see.  Also Archer was announced to end after season ten, due to the creators choice. Wha-What the heck is going on! Why is 2016 the year that all celebrities and cartoons die?! Well, at least this means the show will actually have a conclusion, so that's nice.  Meanwhile, Disney XD aired there new show, "Milo's Murphy's Law" or as I call it "Phineas and Ferb: Weird Al Addition!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARTRJQfV90k

 This show is pretty good, all things considered. It's basically what would happen if someone with Candace Flynn's luck and gave them Phineas Flynn's personality. The show is fairly entertaining and features Weird Al Yankovic in his first staring role in a cartoon, though the voice is a little jarring what with it being a 57 year old man voicing a thirteen year old. Did you know Weird Al was 57? Did he like, find the fountain of youth or something?  the show's main problem though is the fact that the humor is very reminiscent of Phineas and Ferb, so it kinda has trouble getting it's own kinda feel. If you liked the early seasons of Phineas and Ferb you'll like this show, and if you don't like early Phineas and Ferb than you won't. Also Milo, like Phineas, is a very static character who pretty much only has "happy." as his only emotion. But the show is still funny, having the same quick wit that Phineas and Ferb had, while also not be quite as formulaic. Note I said quite, as the show is still pretty formulaic, but not as much as Phineas and Ferb.  In other news there was a controversy going on where C.H Greenblatt called out Nickelodeon for how they treated there show, and was forced to issue a retraction against his own wished. I get why some people are so upset, but are people really surprised? Like C.H Greenblatt publicly insulted his bosses. What did he, or anyone else, think was going to happen. I'm sure if someone at Cartoon Network or Disney tried to call out the networks they would be told to make a retraction too. That's kinda what happens when your a notable figure and you publicly denounce your boss. And people are saying that this is proof that Nickelodeon is a terrible company to work at, to which I say "Um, yeah. Duh." The Loud House is the first Nickelodeon original series to be treated decently on the network in years, of course it's an awful place to work. The creator's behind "Legend of Korra" never made a formal address calling out Nickelodeon, but we don't need them to do that to know that they most likely weren't to thrilled with what the channel did to there show. I just don't get what the big deal is. I thought we all already knew this.  And in other news Young Justice was announced to get a third season and...wait, third season? Ha ha! Very funny guys and...wait, it's real? This is for real,this isn't a joke? OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! THIS CALLS FOR A DANK LOUD HOUSE MEME!

(A Greg Weisman show got a third season and the very next day Donald Trump was announced our President. Ladies and Gentlemen Hell has officially frozen over!)  I'm excited. Very excited. We don't know where the show will air, but the most likely theory is Netflix. I am very happy about this.  So over Thanksgiving weekend Cartoon Network had a had a three day long Teen Titans Go! marathon. Seemed innocent enough, but then people started screaming how this was the DEATH OF CARTOON NETWORK! Apparently this marathon was proof that Cartoon Network only cares about Teen Titans Go! and the network is only going to continue to over saturate itself! People where furious about this marathon, and I really don't get it at all. I mean, I don't like Teen Titans Go!, but it's just a marathon for Thanksgiving. That's not really that strange. Remember when Cartoon Network use to marathon The Iron Giant twenty four hours on Thanksgiving? It's the same principle. Yes, Iron Giant is a lot better than Teen Titans Go! but it's not the end of the world. And while everybody was complaining about this marathon Disney XD did the exact same thing with Gravity Falls. They had another three day marathon in which they showed the series four times! Or FXX which did ANOTHER "Every Simpsons Ever" marathon for thirteen frickin days! How come those channels aren't being called out for over saturation? The only difference I see is that one is a show people online like, while the other is a show that people online hate. It was just a Thanksgiving marathon, not the end of the whole frickin world. If you don't like Cartoon Network's over saturation with Teen Titans Go! complain about the five hours of it that they show on days that aren't special occasions.  In other news Disney XD bought the rights to the entire Pokemon anime library, and is expected to start showing it sometime next year. It's really weird for me, cause growing up Cartoon Network always had Pokemon. I know Kids WB premiered it, but Cartoon Network always had the rerun rights. It'll be weird seeing it on Disney XD, though this is probably for the best honestly. Cartoon Network did not treat Pokemon right the last few years. It aired early on Saturday mornings and still got really high ratings, sometimes beating Uncle Grandpa and Powerpuff Girls 2016. Imagine how much better it would of done if it was advertised and given a good time slot. But Cartoon Network never did this. I think Disney XD will realize the potential Pokemon has, given there treatment of Yo-Kai Watch. I can see them giving it a good time slot, and rerunning it, and it doing good there. Also between Yo-Kai, Pokemon, and the upcoming Beyblade show that they acquired Disney XD's really getting quite a collection of Saturday Morning Anime. All they need to do is get Yu-Gi-Oh rights from Nickelodeon and they'll be set!  Then Cartoon Network unveiled there newest superhero cartoon, Justice League Action! Finally a DC show that isn't Teen Titans Go! and-Awwww Crap!

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6anrDYEacg

(Well on the plus side, at least they advertised it.)  I was hyped for this show before it came out. Now I want to preface part by saying I've only seen the first four episodes of this show. That's what happens when you review a show that premiered in December. But judging it by what I've seen, I really like this show. It's a fun superhero comedy action show featuring a ton of characters both iconic and obscure. The episodes may be eleven minutes long, but this is an action show, but a lighthearted one. Think Batman Brave and the Bold meets the Justice League show form the early 2000's. The action is good, even though there are parts where you can tell they most likely had a smaller budget than say Young Justice. My only problems with the show is the pacing, (which isn't as bad as I thought it would be but still seems a bit rushed) and there are several plot holes just in the one hour special alone. But other than that the show is pretty solid. It's great to see an action superhero show on Cartoon Network again. So....how long you think It'll be before it get's replaced with Teen Titans Go! reruns?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTkFgj4dA1w

 Now when I first planned this review out, I was intending to end with Justice League Action but then, literally just a few days ago, I decided to check out one more show for this review. That show would be the Netflix original series Trollhunters created by Guillermo del Toro.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2oNgZlbSKI  I want to preface this review by saying that as of the time of me writing this, I have only seen four episode of this show. So everything I say here should be taken with a grain of salt. If I wasn't on a deadline I wouldn't even be talking about this show yet, but since I am on a deadline let's talk about it. The show has a lot of good elements to it. It has great animation for a tv budget. (Well, not a tv budget, but still.) This show also has a great voice cast including the late Anton Yelchin, Kelsey Grammer, Ron Perlman, and Tom "I make all the fan girls wet" Hiddleston. The show has a nice sense of adventure and there is also a lot of creativity with the world building. Also Jim, our main protagonist, is a very likeable character. There's only one big problem, and this may go away as the show goes on, but the show uses a lot of cliches. It's another "kid is the chosen one, and he has to balance his secret life with high school, and he starts letting people down because of this. He has a fat comic relief best friend and all he want's to do is impress the pretty girl AND THE PROMS TOMORROW!" But again, they don't do these cliche's badly per say, they just don't add that much new to them. So far. Again, I've only seen four episodes so far, so please be spoiler free in the comments. I've heard good things about this show, so I'm assuming this improves as the series goes on. Or maybe it doesn't. I don't know. Check it out if your at all interested and find out for yourself.  So that was 2016 year on animation reviewed. It was quite a year! There was some bad, I'd maybe say even more bad than the average year, but there was a lot of good too. It was a wild ride and I'm looking forward to what 2017 brings to the table. So to cap this year off, allow me to present the top 9 best shows of 2016 (out of the ones I reviewed here!) We're just going to breeze through em, and keep in mind this list is a little bias, as shows from the earlier part of the year have a higher chance of winning me over than shows at the end of the year, due to me having seen more episodes of them. Ready? Here we go! 9. Mighty Magiswords 8. Powerpuff Girls 2016 7. Voltron: Legendary Defenders 6. Troll Hunters 5. The Loud House 4. Milo Murphy's Law 3. Justice Leauge Action 2. Camp Camp 1. RWBY Chibi   Though this is all subject to change. Also keep in mind that I'm not very good at ranking things. A lot of these things could be swapped around, as my opinion on things as specific as placement change very often, sometimes even day to day. So take this list with a grain of salt. Also keep in mid I haven't seen every show made in 2016, and missed out on a bunch of them. Like all of these ones!  (Bordertown, Brad Neely's Harg Nallin' Sclopio Peepio (Da hecks with that title?), Camp WWE, Dream Corp LLC. (Not fully animated but still), Elena of Avalor, Future Worm, Get Blake!, Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh, Kong: King of the Apes, Kuu Kuu Harajuku (Saw half an episode once, though I was on drugs), Legend of Chamberlain Heights, Lego Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures, My Knight and Me, Pacific Heat, Peanuts, Right Now Kapow, Son of Zorn (Also not fully animated, but still)  But hopefully I got most of the big ones. So that's my review. If I had to grade this year for animation, I'd give B-. Good, but could improve. I hope this list was able to act as a brief distraction from all of the tragedy that happened this year. I know these reviews don't do much but if these reviews are able to bring somebody a brief moment of joy, and make someone forget about there problems for a little bit and just make them laugh or see things from a different point of view, than it's all worth it. At least that's my point of view. What did you think of 2016 as a whole for animation? Leave your thoughts in the comments down bellow. I'd love to start a discussion, even if you disagree with some of the stuff I said. I think it's important to start conversations like this, otherwise you end up in an echo chamber. If you have thoughts on any of these shows or events tell me what you think. Please fav, follow and comment if you liked the review, (Cause if you can't tell I put a lot of work into it, so I'd be very appreciative!) And have a great year! (I do not own any of the images or videos in this review all credit goes to there original owners.) All credit for the "Lisa Ships Meme Blank" goes to https://www.deviantart.com/mixelfangirl100 It was a lot of fun to fill out, so here's the link to the original Lisa Ships Meme Blank

[impala-dreamer]

Escape - Chapter Twelve

SPN FanFic

~Y/N and Dean are abducted after a night at the bar and thrown into a maze of horrors. Can Sam track down his brother and girlfriend in time? Can they even hold on that long?~

Dean, Reader; Sam

1,339 Words

Series Warnings: Angst. Show level violence. Graphic gore and blood. Extreme situations that may cause anxiety and fear. Character injury and trauma. (Extra Warnings in the tags)

~Feedback is the crack that keeps the Writing coming back~

ESCAPE Masterlist ~  My Masterlist  

Chapter Twelve: The Gates of Hell -

Y/N crashed to the ground feet first; the impact of hitting the hard cement jammed her upwards with a force that rattled her bones. She felt her left leg buckle and she shrieked as pain ripped through her system. It sparked like fireworks up her legs and into her chest, lighting the edges of her vision with bright white. She fell forward, pressing her forehead to the cold floor and retching as a wave of nausea flowed over her.

Dean called to her from above, but only bile fell from her lips, and she could not move to answer.

He took the fall better than she had, rolling out of the somewhat controlled drop after landing on his back. He was dazed and probably bruised internally, but he shrugged it off; it was just one more injury to add to the list.

Y/N was gagging on nothing. Without replenishing food or water, their journey had left her stomach empty, but that didn’t stop her body from attempting to purge what little fluids she had left.

Dean flipped over and crawled towards her, inspecting her trembling body with hovering hands, afraid to touch her. When she could breathe again, she fell back onto the ground, twisting awkwardly so as not to move her leg. No blood showed through her jeans, but she feared the bone had snapped. She gasped, cringing in pain when Dean’s hand fell against her knee; the gentle touch sending shocks through her.

“That bad?” he asked, recoiling instantly.

“Yeah…” She nodded and raised her arm to her forehead, struggling not to cry again. She’d cried enough for a lifetime. She was tapped dry.

“Shit, I’m sorry, Kid.” He shook his head and went up on his knees to look her over. “Anything else busted up?” His fingertips brushed her over arms, he inspected the cuts on her hands, the bruise on her collarbone, and finally went for her leg, pulling the loose denim up to her knee. Gingerly, Dean lifted her leg and ran his hand down her shin. “It’s bad,” he sighed. “But I don’t think it’s broken. Probably jammed up your knee pretty good.”

“Lovely,” she whimpered and sat up on her elbows, finally looking around.

They were in a basement. It looked like one of a million such places, with cement walls that sported damp patches, and a cold, unyielding floor that was punctuated every few yards with steel columns that held the foundation in place above. The hole they had journeyed through was directly above, and while the basement around them was dark, the light from their Mirrored Hell shone down in thick beams. Looking up, Dean estimated they had dropped about fourteen feet to their current spot, and how they’d each landed without cracking their spines was a miracle in his eyes. The floor had buckled under their weight, but their drop was predetermined; they had passed through almost a garbage shoot, designed and built to deliver them to the basement.

When his gaze fell from the busted floor above, it landed on another miracle. Not thirty paces from where they lay was a steel door with a push bar handle, and above it, a glowing, red exit sign.     

Sam was startled awake by his dream, though, when he opened his eyes, the details fell quickly away, leaving him panting and sweaty without cause. He rolled over and blinked into the late morning sun, trying to call back the dream, but all he remembered was Y/N’s scream as she fell through blackness away from him.

He scratched at the four days worth of beard on his chin and yawned as he stood up, ready to get back to work. He stumbled into the bathroom with his eyes still half-mast, and turned on the shower. When the water hit his wrist as he tested the temperature, he remembered the message that Drunk Sam had left for Morning Sam, and he made his shower a quick one. He would have skipped it altogether, but he needed to wake up fast.

Fifteen minutes later, not so fresh faced, but wide eyed and on alert, Sam sprinted towards the main lobby and waited impatiently as Roger finished up a phone call. When the receiver hit the base, Sam set his arms casually against the top of the high desk and looked down at the awkward man.    

“Good Morning, Agent Tyler,” Roger greeted him with a smile that didn’t move his gray eyes.

“Morning,” Sam returned with an equally unconvincing smile.

“What can I do for you today?” Roger asked, but did not keep eye contact, dropping his gaze to his computer and typing something quickly on the keyboard.

Sam’s nostrils flared a bit at the rude action, but pressed on. “I was just wondering about all the construction around here. Been going on long?” He raised his brows and feigned a kind, interested smile.

Roger shrugged noncommittally and lifted his chin. “I suppose. About four years.”

“Wow,” Sam commented, shaking his head and tossing his hair back. “Long time. That’s a lot of work.”

“There’s a lot of rooms,” Roger offered and chewed anxiously at the inside of his cheek.

“I bet.” Sam nodded, and turned away as if his line of questioning was complete. Roger seemed to settle back into his chair, but Sam spun back around with one finger held high. “Just one more thing, if you don’t mind.”

Roger stiffened and sat up straight. “Yes?”

“Saw a big guy last night, about, yea high…” Sam raised his hand level with his nose and went on, “…disappeared behind the caution tape. You know him?”

Roger stroked his chin in contemplation and then tapped his index finger against his lip. “That may have been Kevin, our maintenance man. He keeps odd hours.”

Sam nodded in understanding. “That’s Kevin,” he said rhetorically and turned back towards the door. “Huh.” Something was off. His gut was burning, twisting around inside trying to tell him something, but he couldn’t reach it. It was right there on the tip of his nose, but Sam couldn’t see passed the years of monsters and demons to put the clues together.

“Have a nice day,” Roger said with a smile as Sam reached for the door.

He turned to reply, to wave, to return the wish, and as he did, a ray of sun struck Roger’s giant glasses at the perfect angle, illuminating the reflection from his laptop screen. He wasn’t playing a video game. At least, not one in a virtual world.

A genuine smile spread across Dean’s face for the first time since their hug on the street; that drunken night seemed like weeks ago now.

Y/N scrunched up her face as she saw the happiness leak onto his features. “What’s… what?”

“Y/N/N…” He pointed behind her at the door as a relieved laugh shook his shoulders. “We made it.”

“What?” She twisted around, flipping over onto her side, and gasped at the exit sign that greeted her. “Holy… fuck… Dean!” Her heart skipped too many beats to count and her eyes welled with grateful tears. She turned back and reached for Dean, grabbing his shoulders and pulling him into a hug that had never felt as sweet. They had done the impossible, made it through Hell together, and they were finally free.

“I-I can’t… that’s… that’s it?” Y/N clutched his shirt and stared up at him with hopeful and innocent eyes.

His cheeks twitched with a smile and he nodded gently, covering her hand with his, so thankful to be alive, thankful that they had both made it out. “I think so,” he whispered.

They held each other’s gaze for a long moment, just breathing and letting hope wash over them.

“Y/N/N?” Dean said softly, patting her hand and pushing himself up. “Let’s get outta here.” He bent down and held out his hand, gripping her tightly when she slipped her palm against his.

“I thought you’d never ask.”  

TAGS ARE CLOSED!

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[fleur-quinn]

Side Fic v: Maroon

((Thanks @brooks-schreave aka Grace for the dramatic and specific rp haha. This takes place after side fic iv aka the rp with Vic. ~2.6k words))

After showering, I figure I’ll go and visit the movie theater and maybe watch something. I walk in only to realize someone is there, watching something.

“Oh I’m sorry- I-“ I pause as I see my face on the screen. “O“Oh my god is that Serendipity?” I quickly hide behind the couch, not wanting to see my face. Confession: I’ve never watched Serendipity on my own before.

The tv is switched off immediately and a tall figure turns around. “Hello?”

I stand up slowly, peeking at the owner of the voice through my fingers. “Oh hey, it’s you!”

“It’s me…” Brooks drawls.

Brooks is watching Serendipity? I never thought he was the type to do so. Serendipity doesn’t seem like something he would like…

“Actually, I was channel surfing. But I saw it was on and thought I'd maybe check it out?” He replies hastily. I squint my eyes at his questioning tone at the end but decide to let it slip.

“Ahh.” I nod and plop down next to him. “How is it?”

“The title confuses me.” He admits.

“What?” I laugh. “Explain.”

“Serendipity means the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. This show doesn't seem happy.”

I laugh. “Well that’s a first. It’s actually mixed with comedy, drama and romance. I guess you just landed on a more dramatic scene or episode.” I pause and quirk an eyebrow. “Or you’re just weird.” I finish with a giggle.

“Someone just died, Fleur.” Brooks states.

“Oh oops.” I smile sheepishly as I try to think of something to say. “uh But hey that was how Jade met Louise.”

“Through murder?” He deadpans. Gosh, this boy ain’t giving up, is he?

“Okay fine, that part of the show was a bit weird... but you still can’t deny that’s serendipity! Or is it?” I question, wrinkling my nose. “Now you have me all confused! Well at least I can tell you Malika Snow’s story is 100% serendipity!”

“How’s that?”

“Well for one, for the most random reason, she decided to go to the cafe at the other side of town and met Josh and then for some reason, he gets intrigued by her despite her bitchy ways.” I explain.

“You play a…” He began before dropping his voice to a whisper like a little kid saying a bad word. “Bitch?”

“Uh yeah.” A smile tug my lips at his childish behavior. “I thought you knew coz like…” I pause before mumbling it quietly. “Everyone says I’m a bitch as well…”

“Really? Why?” He asks, confused.

“Why? You mean, you don’t think I’m a bitch?” I ask, shocked. “The reason is that I am a bitch, or at least I pretend to be one.”

“Well, I don't think you're one, and I'm an outstanding judge of character.”

I peek at him through my eyelashes, trying hard not to smile. “Really?”

“Sure, you've never been rude to me. Or others that I've seen.” He reassures me. Before I knew what I was doing, I throw my arms around him and hug him.

“Thank you so much for saying that!! I’ve been trying soooo hard to get the ‘bitch’ reputation off of me ever since I’ve stepped into the palace. And I know I’ve failed sometimes…” I gush, I feel his face get hot and I let go.

He rubs the back of his neck. “It’s just the truth.”

I beam and decide to change the topic. “So what tv do you like to watch then? Are you more of a reality show guy, soap opera guy or like I don’t know documentary guy?”

He laughs. “I know I'm boring, but I'm not a documentary guy. Truthfully, I don't watch a lot of tv. I like old movies.”

“You’re not boring. There’s nothing wrong with liking documentary. Ooh what kind of old movies?”

“Hitchcock films to be specific. Put me in a room with a ton of books and Rear Window playing, and I'll be set for life.” He answers, sitting back a little like he’s ‘set for life’.

“Ah ha so you’re a suspense kind of guy! His films are great!” I smile. “Although one of my favorite old movies will always be To Kill A Mockingbird! I love both the movie and the book.”

“Me too! When I was little, I was set on changing my name to Gem.” he admits. “Or naming any future daughter of mine Scout.”

I laugh. “ That’s so cute! Scout Schreave does have a nice ring to it! I’ll let you in on a secret, as a kid I always thought Scout was called Scott.”

“I thought Gem was Jim.” He replies with a smile.

“Jim and Scott…” I muse. Quite a pair. “Did you read the sequel?”

“Yep, is it bad if I didn't like it?”

“Yes, it’s bad! Coz I HATED it. I almost didn’t finish the book! And I can’t believe she killed Gem off and Dill was nowhere to be found!” I groaned, filled with emotions I once felt when I first read the book.

“'Twas highly disappointing, I must say.” Brooks agrees.

I sigh and laugh at the thought of us bad mouthing a book together. “I read it back in high school and my English teacher saw and was like.” I change my tone into a dramatic one. “You’re reading that?”

“Why’d she say that?”

“Coz she read about the bad reviews and didn’t even bother picking it up.” I reply with a chuckle.

“She was right.” He says, tapping his head like he’s a meme.

I smile at his mimicking. “So what else does Brooks Schreave like except old films and books?”

“Well,” He begins in a dramatic tone. “Brooks Schreave absolutely loves holiday music.”

I nod excitedly. “I love it too! I’ve already been listening to it for like at least a month!”

“Seriously? Too soon, Fleur. I'm disappointed.” He replies, shaking his head playfully.

“Too soon?” I quirk an eyebrow and crosses her arm childishly. “When do you start listening then?”

“December 24th.” He jokes.

I nod head and clap slowly. “Yup, can totally see how you love holiday music.”

“I actually start the day after Thanksgiving.”

“So you’ve been listening it for at least a month as well.“ I reply with a slight roll of my eyes, fighting a smile.

“Helps me focus.”

“It cheers me up.” I reply with a smile. “Christmas is my favorite time of the year!”

“Of course it is. Put you in a green sweater and you'll look extremely festive.” He says.

I gasp dramatically. “Green sweater? How could you!?” I flip my hair. “I will always wear a red sweater.”

“But with the green and red, you'd be showing off your holiday spirit!” He argues.

“Hmm.” I pretend to think. “I’ll take it into consideration. So you’re gonna wear a green sweater? Or a red and green one?”

“Nope, a black sweater.”

“Like a funeral.” I point out.

“My own.” He says, pretending to wipe tear.

I give him a weird look. “I dare you to wear a green sweater on Christmas.” I smirk.

“Green doesn't complement me. You, however,” A smirk disrupts the younger Prince’s perfect features. “should definitely wear Viridian. I'm told I look nice in blue.”

“Excuse you! I will not wear that color!” I say with a shake of my head. “Blue... well you should wear turquoise then.”

“I'll do my best. Excited for the ball?” He promises.

“And I’ll try to add green to my outfit. Yeah, I’m excited! I love Party and of course, dancing! What about you?”

“Not my scene, actually.”

“I guessed. What do you usually do during balls?” I ask.

“Stand against the wall like a nerd from a cheesy highschool movie.” He answers solemnly.

“I can totally imagine you doing that!” I laugh.

He rolls eyes playfully. “What do you think you'll be like at the Ball?”

“Hmm I’ll mostly dance, chat with some of the girls and eat. But I’m not gonna drink. Do you drink?” I answer truthfully.

“Never. It doesn't seem like something I'd be into.”

“Same here. I’ve tried alcohol. Ew.” I say with a disgusted face.

“Ever been drunk?”

“Not really, I got into the show biz before I was old enough to really drink and my assistant has always been there to test my drinks to make sure they’re not alcohol so I don’t get drunk and do weird stuff and embarrass myself.” I explain with a laugh.

“The only thing that I regret is not knowing what kind of drunk I am.” He replies with a small shake of his head.

“True. Let’s try to guess... I think you’re gonna have an extremely red face and you’re gonna walk around blushing at every human contact you make, making your face even redder. And then you’re gonna say and do all these awkward things, more awkward than usual that is... And everyone’s gonna have a great laugh with you!” I declare with a giggle at the thought of Brooks doing exactly that.

“That sound awful.“ He laughs. “I feel you'd be a philosophical drunk.”

I frown. “Philosophical drunk? Tell me more.”

“Well, you're already a pretty lively person, so I think you'd be the opposite when drunk. You'd be maybe a little low about things or talk a ton about the meaning of life.” He explains.

“Meaning of life…“ I repeat with a giggle. “Well if I ever get drunk, please record it for me. I wanna see myself talking about the meaning of life!”

“I'm sure you'd evoke some real thought on the topic.” He muses.

I giggle. “Probably give in a lot of legal advice as well! So what’s your favorite part of Christmas besides the music?”

“I like seeing everyone together.” He says with a smile.

I raise an amused eyebrow. “Together? That’s Valentine’s Day, Brooks.”

He rolls his eyes in response. “Not like that. I mean like family.”

I smile. “I know what you mean. Do you royals do anything as a family besides the ball?”

“We have secret Santa amongst the kids and we spend the day together. I'd say that's normal.” He tells me, a smile tugging on his lips. “What about you? I'm sorry, I don't think I've asked about your family before.”

“Aww yeah that’s pretty normal! Nah it’s alright. I have an uh um tw- twin brother. We usually go to my grandma’s for lunch and then we spend the rest of the day together. Similar I guess.” I say, stuttering through the word twin. What’s wrong with me? I’ve always been at ease to call Lucas my twin, to lie to others. Why can’t I do the same with Brooks?

“You have a twin?” He questions.

Flower. Flowerity flower flower. ((Fleur swears using the word flower hahahah))

“Uh um y- y-yes.” I answer, looking super uncomfortable.

“What's his name?” Brooks being Brooks, is obviously oblivious.

“L-Lucas.” I stutter.

“Is he a redhead too?”

“Uh yeah of course. My parents are both redheads.” I reply, trying to pretend to be confident and relaxed.

“Are you alright?” Brooks asks. Flower.

“He’s not my brother. Please don’t put my parents in jail.” I blurt, covering my face. Oh Flower.

Suddenly Brooks starts laughing a bit awkwardly.

What?

I look up at him with teary eyes. “Why are you laughing?”

He looks alarmed. “Why are you crying?” He asks, placing a hand on my shoulder. If this had been any other situation, I would’ve laugh at his alarmed face.

I blink furiously, trying to stop my tears from falling. “I just... I don’t want my parents in jail…”

“Why would they go to jail?” He asks, still incredibly confused.

I take a deep breath. “Coz Lucas was my dad and a prostitute’s son and then the prostitute abused him and he came to us and we took him in. He had no birth certificate so my parents made him one so that he would be my twin brother.” I say in a rush,breathless when I finish.

He looks at a loss for words for a moment. “E-excuse me?”

“Oh flower. I just told a flowering prince about it. Oh my god.” I groaned, hot tears streaming down my face. “I’m so sorry. Please don’t hate me.”

“Wha- I don't hate you! Please don't cry!” He cries.

I look up in surprise. “You don’t?”

“Why would I hate you? Nothing you said sounds wrong.”

I frown. “...but I just told you my dad committed two crimes. And and you’re a prince?”

“It sounds like unofficial adoption and adultery.... Neither are great, but I don't understand what you expect me to do about that.”

“I don’t know... Put my father in jail or something. It’s just that I’ve never told anyone about this, well except for my best friend and Venus, who figured it out on her own. So uh…” I wipe my tears. “I’m so sorry for acting weird.” I apologize with a nervous giggle.

“Hey, it's alright! Don't feel bad, I understand. I know how it must suck to hold things in.” He replies kindly. I exhale a breath I never knew I was holding.

I smile. “Yeah it’s really hard. I’m usually quite good at concealing it but... I don’t know what happened.” I confess with a nervous laugh.

He cocks his head. “You just burst.”

I laugh. “I did, didn’t I? Gave you a bit of a scare!”

“Just a bit.” He jokes.

I laugh and decided to joke to make things lighter. “I’m sorry for scaring you and making you even more awkward.”

He laughs lightly. “It's okay.”

I smile. “Let’s put that behind us then.”

He rubs his arm absentmindedly. “Sure.”

“Are you cold?” I ask, noticing his not so subtle gesture.

“A little. I checked this morning at it's like 68 degrees. That's a bit cold for Angeles.” He says. ((Ahhh I love how Grace is so specific hahahahha))

I look down at my mid-sleeved dress then to his long sleeved shirt. “Uh yeah I guess.” Then I have an idea. Eyes dance mischievously, I rub my hands together real quick and place them on one side of his face. “Better?”

“Ever so slightly, yes. It reminds me of defibrillators.” He muses.

“Defibrillators. Really.” I deadpan. “This is defibrillators!” I rub hand together and pushes his chest, imitating defibrillators.

“You could've killed me!” He cries.

“Let’s see…” I pause to count my fingers. “Since I’ve met you, I’ve almost killed you twice... wow I feel sorry for the guards here.”

“Incompetent fools.” He puffs.

“Ow come on, they’re that bad?”

He laughs. “They let me almost die twice.”

I laugh back. “Well... yeah.”

“I've gotta go, meetings and such.“ he smiles, suddenly becoming all polite. “It was nice seeing you.” Then he adds, becoming more Brooks-like. “I'll make sure to wear turquoise.”

I smile back. “It was nice seeing you too. And I’ll add some green to my outfit!”

“Good.” he chuckles before leaving.

I shake my head as I turn on the tv.

And I also make a mental note to discuss with my maids how to add green to my outfit.

[prawnlegs]

WEBCOMICS

I think I broke my links page with too many links, so it’s about time I made a rec post for some of my favorite webcomics! MAYBE YOU’LL FIND SOMETHING NEW TO LOVE.

This will always and forever be an incomplete list as I am always finding/looking for more stuff to read. I’ll probably reblog it every so often when I add more.

COMPLETE: Lady of the Shard by Gigi D.G. - I still haven’t gotten to Cucumber Quest but you had better believe I read this the day it came out. Follows a temple acolyte who is in love with the goddess she serves, and all the complicated turns of events that come out of this. Drawn in a loose, experimental pixel art style that makes it all the more immersive to read. The Less than Epic Adventures of TJ and Amal by E.K. Weaver - Eisner-nominated gay roadtrip romance you’ve probably already heard of. Some of the best character acting I’ve ever seen. The Muse Mentor by Amy King - Artistic muses (and one vague notion) try to find their purpose on the astral plane, which happens to look sort of like a cute fantasy version of San Francisco. A sincere and kind-spirited read, highly recommended if you struggle with feeling adrift and inadequate. Also, many drawings of delicious-looking food. Power Ballad by Molly Brooks - I just started this but it’s really fun and funny. A masked vigilante/pop star’s personal assistant develops a crush on her boss. It’s gay, it’s got superheroes, and it’s complete! IN PROGRESS: Agents of the Realm by Mildred Louis - I had a couple false starts getting into this one, not having grown up on Sailor Moon, but then I picked up the first volume at a con and I’m really enjoying it. The unclear, complicated intentions of the mentor figure(s) are intriguing, and I love how the artist draws faces, especially funny reaction faces. Alice and the Nightmare by Misha Krivanek - A magical uni/boarding school piece with super cute art, compelling mysteries, and a Lewis-Carroll-inspired world that’s fresh and fun I.E. not another Hot Topic rehash. FINALLY. Away to Nowhere by Ezra Shape - Monsters and magical beings adapting to life in our world (or a world like ours)--currently just scratching the surface of what seems like some really cool worldbuilding. Features Zio, my nonbinary dragon grandma. Balderdash by Victoria Grace Elliott - Cute coming-of-age witch adventures. Beautiful colors and a richly-textured world. FOOD. So much good food. Banquet by A. Szabla - [coming soon]

Beauty by Eric J. Lee and Rhiannon Rasmussen - From the about page: “Bugpunk Beauty and the Beast” and honestly WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED TO KNOW. Okay I’ll tell you some more: There’s a baroque alien bug civilization rendered in incredible detail. It’s gorgeous.  Blackwater by Jeanette A. and Ren Graham - Episodic supernatural comic set in the small fictional town of Blackwater, Maine. Just started, but the art is extremely polished, expressive, and atmospheric, and the characters are cute. Also it’s queer and full of monsters. Sold.

Brainchild by Suzanne Geary - Paranormal mysteries on a college campus with supremely cool monster designs and great art. The monsters: So cool. I also really like the attention to fashion details on the characters--you can tell a lot about each of them by how they present themselves. Demon Street by Aliza Layne - All-ages fantasy adventure starring queer kids with magic powers! Great use of vivid, saturated color to set otherworldly scenes. Excellent queerification of folkloric tropes.

False Edge by M. R. Shaw - Just started, but a long-awaited comics debut with fantastic art. Features adorable big-cat shapeshifters. Warning, it’s supposed to get nasty (there’s an advisory page with specifics when you start). Feast for a King by Kosmicdream - I just started this (”just started” = 300+ pages in) but HOLY CROW it’s one of the most bizarrely creative comics I’ve seen. Warning for like, unrelenting gore/body horror (and eventually monster sex I think?) Gotta admire the scope of this one. Galanthus by Ashanti Fortson - [coming soon] Goodbye to Halos by Valerie Halla - Fantasy/action-adventure with an all queer-and-trans cast! Huge-scale, trans-dimensional cosmic plot stuff. The art is supremely cute and the color design is fantastic. Harlowe Vanished by Amy King - A lonely teenage girl accidentally finds herself in some kind of oceanic fantasy world! Scary military stuff is going down! BEAUTIFUL scenic art and a colorful cast that we’re currently just getting to know. The latest from Amy, who did The Muse Mentor, rec’d above. Heirs of the Veil by Phineas Kaldinski and Jassy Klier - Urban fantasy with lots of cool magic, a queer cast, and amazingly detailed environments that feel lived-in and full of history. Can’t wait to see where it’s going. Hilga from Below by Val Wise - This just started but that means I’m COMPLETELY CAUGHT UP on the  archive and so far I can tell that it has: Excellent colors, a cute dog person, a fallen angel or alien or something, and some really unsettling stuff lurking under the surface. How to be a Werewolf by Shawn Lenore - Another one I just started, but really enjoying it so far. After twenty years of isolated lycanthropy, an urban werewolf is mentored by the first of her kind she’s ever met, amidst a mysterious lurking threat to their kind. Kidd Commander by Aria Bell - This is the most fun I’ve had reading a webcomic in a long time. Kidd Commander is an epic shonen-style adventure with an immensely likable cast. Seriously, I love every last one of the characters, and their perils and triumphs and misunderstandings hit me right in the emotions like a ton of bricks. I’m probably gonna cry at some point in this comic. I KNOW I’m gonna cry at some point in this comic. But it’s also hilarious, with really well-timed comedy beats and expertly deployed reaction faces. The world also feels HUGE and full of interesting lore. This is just one of those ones where you can tell it’s an absolute labor of love and the creator enjoys every minute of making it. I could gush about KC forever. But I won’t. This time. I’M DONE. Kids These Days by Noora Heikkilä - Fresh webcomic from the creator of Judecca and Letters for Lucardo, which, if you’ve read either YOU’RE FREAKING OUT TOO, RIGHT. It’s about a group of young adults in the eighteenth-century-flavored city of Osk, refusing to fit the molds society has created for them. And it’s already great. Killjoys by Woods - Criminal mayhem set in a squishy cartoon circus toyland. Had me at “Fluffy hot-tempered clown bunny with they pronouns, in a suit.” Something about this one speaks directly to my id. Kill Six Billion Demons by Tom Parkinson-Morgan - SPRAWLINGLY EPIC action-adventure in hell with vast-scale environments that will make you fall to your knees weeping. Also, like everyone in it is super hot and also a monster or some kind of divine construct. Violence. Lots of that. Larkspur by Grace Mulcahy - Post-apocalyptic action/crime/comedy piece centering on girl gang rivalries. Everyone is some kind of really cool-looking post-radiation mutant. Lush, vibrant colors set against dark comedy. Warning for some sex trafficking stuff at the start (not explicit) and general CRIME/VIOLENCE. Log Date by H. Kasof - [coming soon]

Monster’s Garden by Ash G. - Urban sci-fantasy about a misunderstood prizefighter (who happens to be a lizard-man) who just wants to be left in peace--but is suddenly faced with the challenge of caring about others and having them care about him. Full of cute and sympathetic characters. Monster Pop! by Maya Kern- Light and fun college dramedy with a cast of colorful monsters (and some humans), including a cyclops, gorgon, and witch. The art is super cute. Queer and trans characters! Never Satisfied by Taylor Robin - A group of flawed, complicated teens compete for a prestigious role that is basically something like State Wizard. The characters are SO GOOD, sympathetic across the board even when they’re being misguided jerks, and the comedy highs and dramatic lows are equally prime. The main character is nonbinary and they are my sweet, emotionally stunted child. Oglaf by Trudy Cooper and Doug Bayne - Everyone’s favorite bizarro-comedy-porn medieval fantasy comic. NSFW, as if I had to tell ya. Parhelion by R. Smith - Sci-fi adventure featuring a huge and hugely-gender-various (and queer) cast with a lot of choice trope subversions. The writing is super witty and I find myself laughing out loud a lot. Puu by Ashkay B. Varaham - An own-voices slice-of-life webcomic about gay/trans roommates and the people connected to them, set in India. Look, I am a huge goopy romantic and this comic has EVERYTHING that feeds my soul. The Sea in You by Jessi Sheron - Lonely, environmentally-conscious goth girl with a jerk boyfriend makes the acquaintance of a MUCH BETTER (girl?)friend in the shape of a mermaid. Another one with very cute art and an interesting, creative mermaid design. Everything teen me ever wanted in a comic. Warning for the boyfriend being an emotionally abusive jerk. String Theory by Dirk Grundy- Probably the comic I’ve been reading the longest. Sci-fi/post-apocalyptic/alternate history/crime stuff centering around morally sketchy characters on their path(s) to super villainy. The art is frigging phenomenal and the comic has been going for like, ten years so if you wanna see some art evolution, check it out. Laurence is my fave. Superpose by Kieran and Han - [coming soon] Unconvent by Emil N. Tót - Romantic historical fiction about queer nuns in eighteenth century Brazil! I like how simple and straightforward this comic is. We are promised happy endings. (Update: Unconvent is now on indefinite hiatus but the author has started a new comic, Dead Scholars’ Whispers) That’s it for now! Let me know if I screwed up any of the links or attributions.

[womenofcolor15]

The Internet Savagely Drags Tyler Perry For The Bad Wigs & 'Selling Out Black Women' In 'A Fall From Grace' + Flicks From The NYC Premiere

Tyler Perry’s A Fall From Grace debuted on Netflix over the weekend. And the Internet was NOT here for the bad wiggery and non-acting extras. Also, some women have been calling Tyler out for cashing in on black women stereotypes. More inside…

Tyler Perry’s crime thriller A Fall From Grace made it’s debut on Netflix over the weekend and the Internet didn’t waste any time to pick it apart. 

We gotta say, if TP flicks aren't your thing, that's more than fair to say.  But, is bashing it publicly necessary?

While Tyler has made history as the first African-American to own his own film studio, it seems the hair department is still lacking. And viewers had NO problem letting him know it on social media. The wiggery just wasn’t up to par that some could argue is a theme in most of his work.

Here are some of the reactions to the wiggery below:

  Y'all, I'm really trying to watch #AFallFromGrace, but I can't seem to get past the bad hair.

Idk if I can do this. Tyler Perry has a gazillion dollars & still can't get his actors to have decent hair

— Slade Wilson. (@_aries92) January 20, 2020

    #AFallFromGrace @tylerperry why my boy .... i liked the movie it’s just this damn hair... pic.twitter.com/FWCp1cySlH

— Chef_Winnie_ (@ChefWinnie504) January 19, 2020

    #AFallFromGrace Did they repurpose Shannon's hair for Jasmine's husband? I'm all for saving the environment but recycling that wig? pic.twitter.com/cDdsd8E6K0

— Wherever I Look (@Wherever_I_Look) January 19, 2020

    At this point Tyler gotta be trolling us with these wigs. What decade was their hair supposed to be?! #AFallFromGrace pic.twitter.com/vkuHMS8dUE

— Elle TeeKay (@ElleTeeKay) January 19, 2020

    Has anyone discussed #TylerPerry’s history of putting cornball wigs on men yet? Including himself #AFallFromGrace pic.twitter.com/XcpXrW08mp

— Johnie Baltimore (@johniebaltim0re) January 17, 2020

  Not only were folks upset over the wigs, they also pointed out the bad acting by the extras. In one scene, an extra is seen in the background where he's supposed to be eating and drinking - yet - there wasn't anything in his glass and nothing on his fork when he put it up to his mouth:

  Y’all. Look at this extra in #AFallFromGrace doing the most w/ the least. Eating and drinking air. If this ain’t acting... pic.twitter.com/i1xq6GwSUb

— Mercy Bae-coup (@MercyC) January 18, 2020

  Come on now, extra!

Outside of the wiggery and bad acting, some women are also fed up with the storylines Tyler uses in his films. And this one was no different. It didn't help that Tyler made it known they shot this movie in 5 days.

The Daily Beast's Cassie da Costa claims Tyler is cashing in by "selling out black women."

But in Perry’s dramas, there is no Madea, hunky basketball scout, or kindly Latino laborer to hand down wisdom and watch the kids until the stubborn black lady comes to her senses enough to get married. Instead, the women must fall hard; their desires—to be loved, have sex, and take risks—leave them incarcerated or with HIV. Perry claims that this is the kind of salt and sap his audiences love, that they want to see Bible verses translated into the most base and conservative interpersonal dramas starring all-black casts because these are the stories that ring true to them.

But in the end, with or without a writers’ room, Perry is in the game to make money off of the non-cinephilic black Americans looking for entertainment featuring characters who resemble the people they know. By using his company to reproduce prejudices primarily about black women his audiences may or may not already hold, Perry does not simply capitalize but proselytizes. In the name of “representation,” a new holy grail in the mostly empty response to racism in the film industry, he lifts the worst ideas and impulses into plain view—a fall from grace indeed.

ZORA's Morgan Jerkins seems to feel the same way. In fact, she has given up on movies created by Tyler. She wrote:

The older women were characterized as lonely and downtrodden as if these were justifiable reasons for the abuse they suffered. The main indicator that the charming man was not all that he seemed was because of his distant attitude during a church service. The motives for why anyone was doing what they were doing have as much of a probability to be found as Jimmy Hoffa’s grave.

Perhaps I could not disavow my “bougie” enough to enjoy a film in which Black legends played alongside Black actresses who have waited decades to be a lead. I wanted more and because of this, I’ve given up on Tyler Perry and his movies. They have suited me and my colleagues for a particular time in our lives but he has been unable to speak to a larger, multigenerational Black audience who’s grappling with more than just cheating and the politics of the Black church. His decision to stick to what has been profitable is one I can admire from a distance, even if I’m not his intended viewer anymore.

On "Strahan, Sara & Keke" today, Tyler seemingly responded to the criticism basically saying he makes movies for a specific audience and THEY love him for the content he puts out. He said everyone isn't going to like his work and that's OK.

Hate him or love him, he has definitely helped pave the way for many black actresses to prosper, and for that, we're grateful.  And we all know the hundreds of horrificly written and shot movies from white creators that magically find their way to Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and sometimes even the movie theaters.  If they're continuously given a shot, we should be given one too. 

At a recent event...

Tyler Perry was joined by the cast of A Fall From Grace, including Matthew Law, Mehcad Brooks, Bresha Webb, Cicely Tyson, Crystal Fox and Phylicia Rashad. Love to see the legends that are Ms. Tyson & Ms. Rashad in the mix.

Grammy Award winner Mariah Carey - in her black tights & knee high boots - stepped out for the NYC screening.

And her man Bryan Tanaka was there as well. Yep, they're still going strong.

The film was "The Have & The Have Nots" actress Crystal Fox's first time leading a film. She looked amazing by the way.

  Black DEF doesn't crack! Ms Rashad is 71 and Ms. Tyson is 95! Just gorge.

Come all the way through #BlackExcellence!

Mehcad Brooks brought his girlfriend Frida Kardeskog along for the screening.

"Power" star Naturi Naughton made an appearance. By the way, did y'all see this week's episode of "Power?!" Whew, lawd!

"CBS This Morning" co-anchor Gayle King came out to support her friend Tyler.

And "ANTM" alum J. Alexander aka Miss Jay struck a pose on the carpet.

A Fall From Grace is now streaming on Netflix. Have you watched?

If so, tell us what you thought about the thriller in the comments!

Photos: MEGA/Backgrid/Getty

[Read More ...] source http://theybf.com/2020/01/20/the-internets-savagely-drags-tyler-perry-for-the-bad-wigs-extras-in-%E2%80%98a-fall-from-grace-fl

[greaterthannine-blog]

Quarter-Annual Favorites: July, August & September 2017

A Richer Take on "The Favorites"

You probably know the term "favorites" from the plethora YouTubers and beauty bloggers of past and present plastering their half-formulated opinions on a monthly basis. Those dodeca-doses of diluted opinions more often than not have about as much substance as an unfilled cream puff; decadently appealing on the outside, but wholly disappointing in their entirety. 

I believe those sorts of monthly reviews are too time and money consuming to be sustainable. A month just isn't enough time for me to purchase, use and adequately evaluate things I want to use regularly. For me to be thorough, I need more time. Plus, I don't want to scour retailers and internets just for the sake of producing "monthly favorites" content. That's a fuck-ton of cash and I don't want to gain readership based on displaying exorbitant consumerism. That just doesn't feel genuine.

Altogether, those factors considered, I'm going to do Quarter-Annual Favorites! Every quarter or three months of the year, I'll publish a collection my favorite things. A year will be divided into quote-on-quote "seasonal" quarters with the first being January, February & March, followed by April, May & June, then July, August & September, finishing with October, November & December. Since I didn't launch this site until August, I missed the first two quarters, so I'm just jumping right in with the summer one.

Style

Tom Ford Grace Cat-Eye Sunglasses in Brown & Tan: 

If there's an accessory that I love most, that would be sunglasses. I'd been on a hunt for these Tom Ford's when I stumbled upon a pair for sale on my favorite website ever: The Real Real. These sunnies retail for $480 but I copped them for $95. They have been sitting on my face or top of head ever since. 

Printed Scarf: 

While we're also on the topic of the head, I have to mention this lil' cherry & pear print hair scarf that I snatched from my mom's closet (I honestly couldn't find an equivalent for the life of me, so here's a lovely Hermès scarf). This is a perfectly sized small scarf that I either wrap a French-girl-esque manner snugly around my neck with a lil' knot or tie it around my hair to frame a ponytail.

Dr. Martens Valentine Arcadia Shoes:

While I've had these shoes for many months now, I've only been wearing them regularly as of the past couple months. They're leather and have a English school-boy feel, which gives them quality yet quirky character.

Riveted Leather Bracelets: 

I love consignment (and if my love for The Real Real doesn't show that then I don't know what would) and a while back I purchased these genuine black leather studded bracelets (a not-quite-so-similar similar) at a local consignment shop for $12. Adorned with denim rivets, these bracelets are a chic and spunky wrist accessory.

"Tomorrow Will Be Better" Strap iPhone Case: 

I'm a sucker for phone cases, and this one has been horribly useful. The strap on the back has a velcro strip on that allows you to strap the case (and your phone) to almost anything. Because I like to use my phone as an activity tracker, being able to attach my phone to my belts is ingenius.

Miscellaneous

Tod the Succulent: 

In one of my many farmer's market excursions, I purchased a succulent for $1. His name is Tod and he's great. If you want a Tod, please go to your local nursery.

Bonsai Care Set: 

Speaking of plants, I began a grand plant-care experiment by purchasing three bonsai trees. I am determined to keep these high maintenance shrubs thriving and this  has aided in my quest with tools to move soil and trim. 

J. Herbin Roller-ball Fountain Pen & J. Herbin Éclat de Saphir Ink Cartridges: 

The allure of fountain pens is real, but I could never get used to their somewhat scratchy writing. Then I found this J. Herbin roller-ball one that I use with cobalt blue ink. The roller-ball nib makes writing graceful, smooth and scratch free. It's honestly the only pen I've used all summer.

Duck Silver Duct Tape Regular and Mini: 

This is silver duct tape, and not the regular-duct-tape-silver, it's chrome. I've been using it to tape photo prints and paper into my sketchbook and journal to add a dash of reflective dimension to pages.

IMG Fashion Camp: 

I attended this camp at IMG Academy campus in Bradenton, FL and boy was it fan-freaking-tastic. I talked bunches of amazing people in the industry, my favorites of which were Bon Duke, Jimmy Moffat, Ivan Bart, and Brooke Wall as well as IMG WME peeps Rachel Fleitell, Jibran Siddiqui and Peter Knell. I also made some great buddies, Alexandra, Shawn and Ian, at the tennis courts. I'm going to make an entire post or two about this camp and my experience, so keep a look out for it.

Now for the Actual Favorites

I now present to you the first Quarter-Annual Favorites for July, August & September 2017. There are five categories for this first post. If I ever have the time or desire to expand for more than five areas per edition then I will, but for now five non-exclusive categories are the way to go. This quarter's categories are:

Style: which encompasses clothing, shoes, accessories, jewelry, etc.

Photography & Tech: which is exactly what it seems.

Beauty: which is very self-explanatory for today's day and age.

Media: which includes books, magazines, films, TV shows, podcasts, YouTube, other blogs, websites, you get the gist.

Miscellaneous: which is a complete mishmash of things that don't fall under one of the other categories.

For each thing I mention, I've written lil' tidbits that I recommend you read because information is important and all that snazzy-jazz. Plus, I imagine you want to know why I like these things above others, right?

IMPORTANT:

item links are attached to their names, so to go to that thing's page, just click on the name in this black typeface.

Beauty

Fresh Vitamin Nectar Moisture Glow Face Cream: 

Brightening, whitening, radiant, glow are the four adjectives plastered all over my top shelf. So, when I laid eyes on this moisturizer I knew it was love at first glance. It smells of citrus-y creamy candy and evened my complexion in a couple weeks. I swear I will never use another moisturizer. Ever. Go buy it.

Glossier Balm Dot Com in Cherry: 

My lips are about as dry as a prune buried for multiple millennia under 50 feet of Sahara Desert sand. So, in short I need some heavy duty moisture for them, even during summer. This Glossier one hydrates without seeping into the face flesh surrounding the lips (which is a real and legitimate problem people) and gives a lil' pop of cherry red tint. It does smell of cherry medicine or Icee, but I can ignore that.

Burt's Bees Lipstick in 502 Suede Splash: 

For as long as I can remember, I have been an advocate for very light or "no-makeup makeup." Luckily, there lip colors that aren't matte and are formulated to look like your lip color. This one is my lip color but better, and elegantly fades with time. And it's cheap. Perfecto.

Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in 55 In Love: 

I love blush. A nice flush of a peachy beige nude suits my skin best and this Chanel blush has been my go-to this summer. It possesses a barely detectable smidge of in-pan shimmer that brings just a tad of definition to the cheeks. The only issues are it's price and it smells of old fancy lady. But then again... It's Chanel.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer in Nude Bronze Light:

My issue with bronzing and contour is it makes people look like they've smeared sparkly dirt on themselves and have been burnt to a crisp. And for those reasons I've disliked bronzer. That is, until I discovered this Hourglass one. It produces a light sun-kissed shade that hardly looks like a contour. It looks ultra natural; a criteria that makeup must meet for my approval.

Photography & Tech

Olympus 35 RC Point & Shoot Camera:

Out of my two metal-body point & shoot cameras this one works best. It has a nifty-ass manual rangefinder focus which allows you to focus (albeit limitedly) on the subject in frame.

Kodak Professional Ektar Color Negative 100:

 Typically I reach for AgfaPhoto Vista Plus 200 but that has recently become difficult to acquire, so I've branched out a bit. This Kodak is slightly more saturated and the temperature is minutely warmer than the cool-prone Agfa.

Nintendo 3DS XL & Pokémon Moon:

I've been a Pokémon fanatic since I was seven and only recently have I had time to get back into the games. The 3DS I bought two years ago and Pokémon Moon have been a wonderful get-to-know-you-again experience this summer.

Aukey USB-C to USB 3.0 Adapters:

For graduating high school I received a new laptop from my Paw-Paw (grandmother). However, it only has USB-C ports so these adapters have been lifesavers to connect anything to my laptop.

Media

Vivi Magazine October 2017 Issue:

I know that October isn't a month in this quarter of the year, but because this is fashion, this issue was available in August and plus it featured one of my three role models Kiko Mizuhara (who funny enough is a professional model). This is a very vibrant and stylish magazine that I pretty much buy every month. I purchased my copy from Magazine Café and requested in the comment box the October 2017 issue, but you can also order it here.

her. magazine v. 04 spring/summer 2017:

Another favorite magazine!  This mag was created by The New Order founder James Oliver, a native New Zealander. It features Asian women in creative and artistic fields. I love reading about how these ladies started out, made it to where they are now and what they currently do in their craft. Terribly inspirational for a lil' hapa like myself.

Ready Player One by Earnest Cline:

I brought this book with me to IMG Fashion Camp in August. Some good ole science fiction was the perfect escape from the social-media obsessed teenage girl demographic surrounding mefor the week I was down in Florida, and I believe this book lives up to the hype. While it had a fairly predictable plot, it was a very interesting and detailed read. And the protagonist, Wade Watts is the ultimate lovable nerd-geek.

Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew:

If you didn't know, Pokémon is the best thing ever. And accompanying my game-playing revival has been a resurrection of watching Pokémon the series and especially the movies. Getting to sit back and rewatch one of my favorite films (no joke this is one of my Top Ten Favorite Films) has been exceptional, especially since it features Lucario, one of my favorite Pokemon.

The Grand Tour Season 1 (Not Pictured):

Top Gear was one of my all-time favorite TV shows. That is, until the departure of the best and most nincompoop-ish hosts in the world. And now it has become terrible. Fortunately, the three British Stooges have made a deal with Amazon to produce The Grand Tour. It's not quite as good as Top Gear used to be, particularly regarding the weird-ass Celebrity Brain Crash segments. But regardless of it's oddities, it is still hilarious. Go watch it. Now.

Hope that this Quarter-Annual Favorites: July, August & September lives up to some already sky-high standards.

Tell me your quarterly favorites in the comments! I really would love some recommendations and feedback!

And as always,

Thanks for popping by.

Toodles.

Abe

[geektified]

New Post has been published on http://www.geektified.com/2017/04/25/the-raw-expose-night-of-the-dumpster-aka-kalistos-last-ride-not-based-on-a-power-rangers-story/

The Raw Exposé: Night of the Dumpster - AKA Kalisto's Last Ride (Not Based on a Power Rangers Story)

By: Keila Cash

  Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The Raw Exposé. Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from The Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri. This is the last show before Payback and with the Superstar Shakeup blurring the brand split lines, it’s a tricky PPV to figure out because some wrestlers are trying to hype their matches alone while their opponents are on another show doing the same thing.

  It’s awkward, but this should be a one-shot deal to wrap up outstanding storylines dating back to WrestleMania. Did WWE work out the kinks in terms of logic or was this a case of the blind leading the blind heading into the PPV in San Jose? The answer to that question can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s episode of Raw in no particular order.

  The Highlight Reel/Miz TV/Ambrose Asylum hybrid featuring Chris Jericho, The Miz, Maryse, and Dean Ambrose was a fun way to start the show.

  The segment dragged at times, but I appreciate WWE remembering the Jericho-Ambrose feud from last year as Ambrose brought up how Jericho smashed Mitch the Plant over his head and how he returned the favor by ripping up Y2J’s Light Up Jacket. Jericho reminded Ambrose that he still owed him $15,000. Ambrose didn’t have any cash on hand, but he gave Jericho a jacket adorned with Christmas Lights as a peace offering.

  Jericho put the Jacket on and struck a few poses while Miz whined about not getting a gift. Ambrose responded by nailed Miz with Dirty Deeds while Jericho put Maryse on LIST for marrying a stupid idiot as the opening segment came to an end.

  This was a long talking segment, but I enjoyed it for the most part. Jericho’s material was so-so as his jokes about Kevin Owens were a little flat which did little to hype their United States Championship match at Payback. Things got better once Miz and Ambrose came out which ended the opener on a high note.

  Matt Hardy defeated Sheamus with the Twist of Fate, but it wasn’t without controversy. Sheamus nailed Hardy in the face with a sick high knee. Hardy tried to counter with his finisher on the floor, but Sheamus laid him out with a rolling senton instead. Jeff tried to check on his brother, but Sheamus pushed him out of the way.

  Jeff climbed on the ring apron to confront the Celtic Warrior, but Cesaro yanked him off the apron which led to the finish.

  The Mutual Admiration Society between both teams was about to hit the skids, but cooler heads prevailed as everyone shook hands which kept the babyface vs. babyface dynamic intact heading into their Raw Tag Team Championship match on Sunday.

  Jack Gallagher and Austin Aries defeated Neville and TJ Perkins when Aries nailed Perkins with the Discus Five Arm for the win. The match was short, but Aries maximized his minutes when he made the hot tag midway through the match.

  Aries put on a one-man show when he took out Neville and TJP with a suicide dive. Aries was about to make TJP tap out to The Last Chancery, but Neville broke the hold in the nick of time. Gentleman Jack evened the odds when he nailed Neville with a head butt. TJP tried to capitalize on Gallagher knocking himself loopy, but Gallagher was alert enough to steer Perkins in Aries’ direction which set up the finishing sequence. Overall, this was a fine way to hype the Cruiserweight Championship match between Aries and Neville at Payback.

  Did Kalisto use Kane’s old masks to create his new Lucha mask? Hmm…

  The record will always show that Kalisto defeated Braun Strowman in a Dumpster Match. However, the victory became mute when Strowman destroyed Kalisto when he dropped him with a series of one-handed slams before tossing him against the barricade.

  Strowman put Kalisto in the dumpster and pushed it up the ramp. WWE officials tried to stop Strowman as he strapped the dumpster shut. He pretended to head backstage only to push the dumpster off the stage as the segment came to an end.

  The spot was nice, but it wasn’t spectacular because the drop wasn’t that steep. In comparison to Strowman’s recent feats of strength, The Dumpster spot was more meh than wow.

  Strowman’s promo before the match was good as he tried to generate heel heat by calling the fans trash. At least the creative team is trying to get him over as a badass heel who should be jeered instead of cheered.

  Bray Wyatt cut another rambling promo about Randy Orton leading up to their House of Horrors match at Payback. Yawn…

  Dana Brooke defeated Alicia Fox when she dropped Fox with an ugly version of the Michinoku Driver for the win. The match was short, but it was still rough in spots.

  After the match was over, Emma got in the ring and gave Brooke a half-hearted hug before heading backstage. That was odd…

  Before the six-man tag team match featuring Enzo Amore, Big Cass, and Seth Rollins vs. Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows, and Samoa Joe got underway, Anderson, Gallows, and Joe ambushed Enzo and Big Cass during their in-ring introductions. Cass went flying over the barricade while Anderson and Gallows took out Enzo with The Magic Killer onto the floor.

  Seth Rollins ran out to make the save, but he was tripled teamed until Big Cass evened the odds.

  After the commercial break, Kurt Angle announced that Enzo wasn’t medically cleared to compete. Angle added Finn Bálor to the match as the six man tag officially got underway.

  Big Cass, Finn Bálor, and Seth Rollins defeated Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows, and Samoa Joe when Rollins nailed Anderson with a knee to the face for the win.

  The match started off slow as Bálor was in sell mode early on, but things picked up down the stretch. It appears that Rollins is retiring his Pedigree finisher because it’s a reminder of who he used to be before getting his much-needed epiphany a few weeks ago. Bálor’s interaction with Gallows and Anderson was nice and I hope WWE plays into their history in New Japan because the possibilities are endless in terms of storytelling and future feuds. *Cough* The Balor Club vs. The Shield *Cough*

  Alexa Bliss powered through the “What?” chants and delivered a solid promo as she vowed to put an end to Bayley’s Cinderella Story at Payback. Bliss wanted to embarrass Bayley in her hometown by winning the Raw Women’s Championship while her father was sitting in the front row.

  Sasha Banks came to her best friend’s defense and challenged Bliss to match. Bliss tried to dodge The Boss, but Banks clocked Bliss in the face to signal that the match was still on.

  Banks defeated Bliss via count-out when Bliss decided to save her energy until Sunday.

  Bayley tried to drag Bliss back in the ring, but Bliss ran for the hills. However, Bliss attacked Bayley from behind which added some heat leading up to their Women’s Championship match at Payback.

  Banks chased Bliss away before checking on Bayley as the segment came to an end.

  The promo exchange leading up Banks vs. Bliss was good. The creative team had to build up the Women’s Title match between Bayley and Bliss in one night. Considering the tight deadline, they managed to make it work. However, Bliss’ lines were recycled from her feud with Becky Lynch as the Cinderella comparison was a direct lift from a segment on SD Live last fall. Outside of that, the promo work was solid for the most part.

  Apollo Crews pinned Curt Hawkins with the Spinout Powerbomb in a decent match. I guess Crews will be elevated to the main event next week after passing through Curt Hawkins’ Star Factory.

  Dean Ambrose and Chris Jericho vs. The Miz and his mystery partner ended with no clear winner as Bray Wyatt showed up to save Miz from getting dropped with Dirty Deeds on the announce table. Wyatt attacked Ambrose and nailed him with Sister Abigail which sent The Lunatic Fringe head first into the LED board.

  Jericho tried to make the save, but he was double teamed by Miz and Wyatt.

  Miz threw Jericho back in the ring only for Jericho to nail him with the Codebreaker. Wyatt laid out Jericho with Sister Abigail as Miz smiled like a Cheshire Cat.

  Miz’s cockiness got the best of him as Wyatt took him out with Sister Abigail to complete the trifecta as Raw went off the air with Wyatt telling everyone to “Follow The Buzzards.”

  The Good News: Bray Wyatt is not a Hollywood Elitist because the mere thought of him teaming up with The Miz would have been a classic case of character assassination.

  The Bad News: The ending of the match was lame.  This was such a weak way to end the show. The main event was pretty one-sided with Miz getting his ass kicked for 95% of the match. Wyatt being the last man standing was fine, but it was counterproductive for a number of reasons.

  Ambrose gets beat up which means he should want a piece of Wyatt next week even though he’s been feuding with Miz since the Superstar Shakeup.

  Jericho looks weak heading into his United States Title rematch against Owens because he hasn’t picked up any key wins to build momentum. With Y2J going on tour with Fozzy next month, he should’ve been built up as a legit contender instead of a lame duck opponent who has one foot out the door.

  Miz looks like a chump without a clear sense of direction. Instead of Ambrose and Miz facing off for the IC Title, The Hollywood A-Lister is probably going to be on the receiving end of another ass whopping courtesy of Bálor at the Payback Kickoff Show. Coup de Grace, anyone?

  As for Wyatt, he looks strong heading into his House of Horrors match against Randy Orton. However, the WWE Championship is not on the line which makes this camp fest extravaganza pointless outside of Wyatt picking up a moral victory to avenge the spirit of Sister Abigail. Regardless of the outcome, I’m glad the Wyatt-Orton saga is coming to an end because it’s way past its expiration date.

  Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of Raw was pedestrian at best. The opening segment was entertaining, but the in-ring action was hit and miss. The go-home show didn’t give me added incentive to watch Payback on Sunday. The card looks solid, but it’s a show that is very skippable based on the so-so build.

  On the bright side, WWE played it smart by keeping Roman Reigns off the show for another week. Braun Strowman has been built up like an indestructible monster in recent weeks. It is imperative that Strowman beats Reigns on Sunday. If not, it’s another questionable booking decision that puts his push into a state of flux once again. We shall see how it all plays out on Sunday.

  The Payback PPV should be a good show, but the buildup leaves a lot to be desired terms of excitement and anticipation. Here’s hoping the wrestlers have their working boots on because they have to over deliver in order to make up for the uneven booking decisions over the past couple of weeks. Fingers crossed!

  On that note, this wraps up another edition of The Raw Exposé. I hope you enjoyed it and I will be back tomorrow night with another installment of The SmackDown Files. See you later, boys and girls!

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The Secret of BOOM! Box’s Success: Diverse, Hopeful Comics

Imprints are a tricky thing in comic book publishing. Pay attention to the industry long enough, and you’ll see plenty that come and go after an initial burst — or some stick around but noticeably divert from its original vision.

BOOM! Studios launched BOOM! Box in December 2013 with “The Midas Flesh” #1, from the team of writer Ryan North and artists Shelli Paroline and Braden Lamb. a href=”/tag/lumberjanes”>”Lumberjanes,” from Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis and Brooke Allen, followed a few months later, and soon became the line’s breakout hit. The stated goal of BOOM! Box upon its initial announcement was to “push the envelope with experimental content from some of the brightest, forward-thinking creators in comics today,” and the books have remained consistent with that initial promise, with a robust line of original series from the Los Angeles-based publisher.

EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW: “Lumberjanes” #37

Now, with “Lumberjanes” entering its fourth year later this month with issue #37, and John Allison, Max Sarin and Liz Fleming’s “Giant Days” hitting the issue #25 milestone this week — fairly lengthy runs in the relaunch-happy comics market — CBR talked in-depth with BOOM! Box founding editor (and “Lumberjanes” co-creator and co-writer) Shannon Watters and BOOM! Studios editor Dafna Pleban (editor of “Lumberjanes” and “Goldie Vance”) about the importance of providing “joyful, gleeful comics” targeted at a diverse audience, along with a look at the recently debuted “Coady and the Creepies” from Liz Prince and Amanda Kirk, and the May-debuting “Misfit City” by the writing team of Kiwi Smiith & Kurt Lustgarten, and artist Naomi Franquiz. Plus, CBR has the first look inside “Lumberjanes” #37, by Watters & Kat Leyh, and artist Ayme Sotuyo.

“Lumberjanes” #37 cover by Kat Leyh.

CBR: Shannon, Dafna, to start out, BOOM! Box has been around now for almost three and a half years, and a lot of imprints have come and gone in less time than that. Even BOOM! has had some trouble getting them to stick, but this one has. For both of you, from your perspectives, what do you see as what BOOM! Box has provided to the comics medium that was needed?

Shannon Watters: What we strive to do with BOOM! Box is provide really joyful, gleeful comics. Specifically, joyful, gleeful comics that are targeted not just at folks that are looking to show up and get the same old things that they’ve always gotten. It’s a perspective that I think a lot of folks in indie comics, especially webcomics, have been trying to put forward for years and years, and all we’re doing is attempting to amplify that for the mainstream comic book market.

Dafna Pleban: I think it also helps that it was, by accident or design — and I think it’s a little bit of both — a bit of counter-programming to what was happening in the stores at the time. I think we got really good momentum with KaBOOM!, and the “Adventure Time” comics, that showed there was an audience that is looking for something that is all-ages in a sense that anyone could read it, but not necessarily dumbed-down as if it’s only for kids. I think over time, other companies — IDW as well, and DC and Marvel — have been seeing that there’s an audience for people who want to be able to share this with anyone, not just people who are up to the last 20 years of canon.

That started bringing in enough people to take a chance on something like BOOM! Box, which was a bit older than all-ages, also more different kinds of readers, like women and teens — a more diverse audience that doesn’t necessarily find a work that speaks to them in the mainstream space. I think we kind of lucked out. There’s good stories to tell, there’s stories that haven’t been told a thousand times, and there was an audience that was already coming in for all this other good work that we and other publishers were doing, that were ready to try something new.

I’m sure you’ve experienced it on your end — there are some great books that get overlooked all the time, and everything about them works. The artist works, the writers work, what they’re trying to tell works. I can’t count — I think my favorite one recently was “Omega Men.” You look at Tom King, and he blew up right after that, and it’s not that it wasn’t good — it was amazing. It just hit at a point where people weren’t paying attention. And I think that book’s going to live on in trade. It’s weird to equate “Omega Men,” which is really dark and more adult-oriented, with “Lumberjanes,” but I think it’s a fair comparison to make. To some degree, we were really helped by people noticing at the right time, and telling their friends.

Watters: I said this a lot when we were getting the imprint off the ground: We wanted it to be kind of a clubhouse for everybody. We wanted it to be the cool kids’ clubhouse that everybody could join. We wanted everybody to be a part of it. That continues to be a guiding principle today.

“Giant Days” #25 cover by Max Sarin.

Certainly my guess is a big reason these books have been successful is that they’re appealing to an audience that is growing, but has often been underserved by mainstream comics. Is that a deliberate focus with the line?

Watters: Absolutely, 100 percent. There are a million places in this town where you can be a sad boy telling a sad boy story. That’s fine.

Pleban: I’m probably reading a lot of those!

Watters: That is the “mainstream.” We all have been raging against the machine re: the New York Times Best-Seller list taking their graphic novel list out of commission. It is a damn shame, because it was such a valuable tool for telling everybody the truth, which is the books that people are reading are by women and marginalized creators, and telling stories that are not about straight white men. Literally, the biggest contingent of people reading comics today are young women. Raina [Telgemeier] has been at the top of the New York Times Best-Seller list for how long? Years. Dominating. Multiple books.

What we’re talking about, we refer to direct market comic books as the “mainstream” comic book market, but that’s nonsense. It is not the mainstream market. It’s not. We are making the kind of books that serve the people that should have been served there for the last 10 years, and were not.

Pleban: The last time publishers remembered female readers exist was manga — 10 years [ago] is actually the last time a huge amount of women were welcomed into comic shops; comic shops started stocking manga. I think we have this cultural forgetfulness that women read comics and make comics, because at the end of the day, if you don’t make your space welcoming, if you stop offering the content, they’re not going to show up. I think BOOM! Box is tapping into an audience that’s hungry, and has been reading comics for ages.

I think you see that kind of genre reflected in the tone of BOOM! Box books. They tend to have the kind of — I call them “extreme swings of emotion” — that manga popularized. It helps give that whimsy to a medium that has been a bit navel gaze-y and serious for a couple years now.

Watters: Couple? Couple of years? Sure. Just a handful.

We’re approaching creators and doing the comics that we like, as queer women in 2017. Ask us about our agenda in comics. We could talk forever!

“Misfit City” #1 cover by Naomi Franquiz.

The New York Times Best-Seller list was such a good reality check to people in the direct market bubble. And in three and a half years of BOOM! Box, if you look back at the announcement of the line back in 2013, it’s striking to me that it seems like it’s remained very consistent — it’s grown, expanded, but that general mission statement appears to still be very much defining what a BOOM! Box release is. In what ways do you see the line as evolving, experiencing important growth, in that time?

Watters: I think as far as the mission statement, [it] has always been “make gleeful comics for everybody.” But I do think we’re narrowed our focus tonally to the kinds of comics we want to be making. Generally, they feature lady protagonists kicking ass in a variety positive ways. But that feels very derivative to reduce it to that.

It’s hopeful to write stories that exist in that space, because it gives you strength. Because the real world is not like that, it gives you strength to read stories about people who are living in that world, and who are able to tell their stories in that safe space. I think it’s very valuable and very important. We’re going to continue to refine our mission statement, and continue to get better at things that are goals for us, in line with our mission statement. It’s been quite a lovely few years, and I’m very happy with how it’s gone.

For whatever reason, I feel like hopeful stories are uniquely important in 2017.

Watters: No kidding. No flippin’ kidding. It’s hard times to make hopeful stories. Thank goodness this train is already on the track.

Pleban: We tend, for the longest time, to tell limited runs. BOOM! Box has most of our longest-running books, outside of “Adventure Time.” “Lumberjanes” is about to pass year four.

Watters: 36 issues. And it’s sold something like 800,000 units in single [issues].

“Giant Days” is going into its third year, and “Lumberjanes” is going into in its fourth year, which is massive, that there’s a market for that out there. They’re being sustained.

Pleban: “Goldie [Vance]” is going into its second.

Watters: It’s amazing.

Pleban: It’s rare for a lot of independent publishers to have ongoing, universe stuff, and we feel comfortable in that space.

Watters: I think BOOM! Box has always been this way, but has developed even more so over time; a very character-driven imprint. I have a unified theory of character in monthly comic books: Nobody comes back month after month for super-duper involved plots. You have all these big companies with these amazing characters that have been developed over years and years and years, and they just drown them in these over-complicated events and plots.

The reason that people come back to something every week, or even why somebody watches a television show every week, or comes back month after month for a comic book, is because they like spending time with these characters. That’s the thing we really feel strongly about at BOOM! Box. It matters less what Jo and April and Molly and Mal and Ripley are doing every month, because you enjoy hanging out with them.

“Coady and the Creepies” #1 cover by Kat Leyh.

BOOM! Box has had big hits like “Lumberjanes” and “Giant Days,” and also “Goldie Vance” and “Jonesy” as newer successes, but at the same time, it’s not easy for any new concepts — let alone an imprint that’s solely new concepts. What are some of the challenges you’ve experienced with the line? We talked about how some series appear to have everything going for them, but don’t find the audience they merit.

Watters: Obviously, any new series runs that risk. We try to engineer series that sell themselves. But obviously not every series is going to find a foothold or an audience that it deserves. However, I always feel like those series are learning experiences for both me and the creative teams, and if they touch someone the way that our mission statement wants people to be touched by our books — if somebody is affected or inspired by a series, and has discovered it because it was out through BOOM! Box, then it’s worth it. It is building a brand in a different way. Maybe we didn’t have a ton of readers on a series, but that reader who showed up feels seen and understood that they don’t in a lot of other contexts at a comic book shop, and that’s somebody who is going to come back. That is somebody who is going to come back for the next series, and the next series, as long as we’re doing our jobs right.

Launching a new series is always a challenge; always a gamble. But what I hope is that each series that we do continues to find a foothold — a very strong foothold — with some readers, and those readers trust us to be making content that feels true and relevant to them, and they’ll be back for the next one.

It’s always going to be a challenge. Every single part of it is a challenge. Comic book publishing is a horrible racket, and it’s always a challenge — but overcoming that challenge is a matter of self-examination, and learning from those experiences, and trusting that if you do honest, high-quality work, you will have touched someone and they will give you another shot.

Pleban: Also anxiety.

Watters: So much anxiety.

Pleban: I think what Shannon was able to do with BOOM! Box — BOOM! Box was Shannon’s baby, let’s be clear about that — is that it comes from such a specific point of view, and it’s an unconscious specific point of view. You can sometimes see when someone’s trying to tap into a zeitgeist, and it feels a little constructed, and it feels a little planned. I think what was helped with BOOM! Box is, Shannon just innately responds to people speaking their truth — which sounds like a collection of phrases, but it’s true. I think “Lumberjanes” is a very clear example of that. It helps that Shannon co-created it, but I can’t count on how many years Shannon talked my ear off about “Baby-Sitters Club” and I could care less, but then I see what she responded to in “Baby-Sitters Club” unconsciously filtered into something like “Lumberjanes,” and it makes 100 percent sense. I think every single book there you can tell comes from a place of, “This person has that story to tell, whether they realize it or not.”

On that subject, in the three-plus year history of BOOM! Box, are there specific titles that maybe readers didn’t check out as much as they should have, and should go back and take a look at?

Watters: I felt like Jake Lawrence’s “Teen Dog” should have gotten a zillion eyeballs on it. That’s the most lovely, honest, beautiful little book. It was very much a passion project for me, bringing that on to the imprint. I feel like if it launched at BOOM! Box today, it would have a much higher readership than it did. Same with “Help Us, Great Warrior.” Those are just two very intensely emotional honest and true and kind and powerful comics that I wish more people had checked out.

Let’s wrap by taking a look at the newer books coming out this year — Liz Prince has a new series from the line.

Watters: Yeah! We’ve got “Backstagers,” which has been just such a lovely book for us. Again, just people telling their truth, like James [Tynion IV] and Rian [Sygh] just telling their truth. “Jonesy” is wrapping, Sam [Humphries] and Caitlin [Rose Boyle] kicking butt on that.

We’ve got the new Liz Prince series, “Coady and the Creepies.” It’s such a pleasure. It’s one of those things, you don’t expect it until it comes together. It’s kind of a punk rock — if you know Liz’s earlier work, you’re going to love this. It’s very much her sensibility. It’s “Josie and the Pussycats” meets “Scott Pilgrim” meets all of Liz’s work over the years. It’s supernatural punk rockers trying to complete a pin quest, but one of them is a ghost. It’s just so fun and funny, and beautiful, and again, you just read it, and you’re like, “I love these characters. I just want to hang out with them. Let’s hang out every month.”

Then we’ve got “Misfit City” coming out in May. It’s going to be real good. If you’re a fan of very classic ’90s teen movies, you’ll really respond, I think, to this one. “SLAM!” is continuing, that’s just lovely as heck. I love girl friendships — I could just watch girls be friends all day long. As we’ve talked at length about, “Giant Days,” “Lumberjanes” and “Goldie Vance,” but I’m so proud of my little corner of the publishing world. I’m happy that people keep showing up for it. I really appreciate it.

“Giant Days” #25 is on sale this Wednesday, April 5. “Lumberjanes” #37 is scheduled for release on April 26.

“Lumberjanes” #37 interior page by Shannon Watters & Kat Leyh and Ayme Sotuyo

“Lumberjanes” #37 interior page by Shannon Watters & Kat Leyh and Ayme Sotuyo

“Lumberjanes” #37 interior page by Shannon Watters & Kat Leyh and Ayme Sotuyo

“Lumberjanes” #37 interior page by Shannon Watters & Kat Leyh and Ayme Sotuyo

“Lumberjanes” #37 interior page by Shannon Watters & Kat Leyh and Ayme Sotuyo

The post The Secret of BOOM! Box’s Success: Diverse, Hopeful Comics appeared first on CBR.

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