#center is comic ellen

[rauberrauber]

shes so pretty 2 me ok

[lilpuffyart]

Fellas, next comic will be a discoverycule comic (Dave x Hal x Frank) and it'll have 4 pages bc I DID write a script

And also a short one page tedAM one bc I'm insane for them (maybe this one before actually but we'll see)

[slightly-unsure-buryatwoman]

Some IHNMAIMS sketches

I was looking for a suitable appearance for the survivors (the head in the center never came in handy, lol)

Ellen from the comic should also be with them, but she is not, because she's hard to draw and adapt to yourself ((((

And Pre-AM Ellen, she's cheerful and carefree ^^

[bestangelofall]

10 Characters, 10 Fandoms

RULES: List your ten favorite characters from ten separate fandoms, then tag ten people!

Thank you for the tag, @beautyconsumer ! 🖤🖤

Luv from Blade Runner (the Blade Runner 2049 movie, and the Blade Runner 2039 comics). She's my favorite character ever and I don't see that changing. I am completely unwell about her in a way that's not normal.

Sarah Connor from Terminator: before Luv, Sarah was my favorite character for the longest time.

Now, in no particular order:

Ellen Ripley from Alien

Natasha Romanoff (I'm thinking more about comics here, but she's my fav from the MCU too): *gestures at my blog*

Marisa Coulter from His Dark Materials (books, though she's my favorite from the show too)

Reva Sevander from Star Wars: she did nothing wrong ever

Jason Todd from DC comics: *gestures at my blog once again*

Louise Banks from Arrival: I love her SO SO SO MUCH and I think she had very difficult choices to make and she doesn't deserve any hate for what she did (yes I've seen discourse about a character from a movie that doesn't even have a fandom)

Ellie Arroway from Contact: my projection center xD

Demerzel from Foundation (the show. I haven't read the books): she also did nothing wrong ever

No pressure tags: @maryshellyswife @scarlethood @gecemi09 @solasdorian @redhoodscorvid @redhoodinternaldialectical @certifiedstray @burninblood @magpie-sherlock @likerubies @sasheneskywalker

[see-arcane]

I think you came close to real issue. Adaptations do not center on Jonathan and always somehow misrepresent him is because majority of male directors-screenwriters, adapting Dracula, associate themselves more not with Jonathan but with Dracula or Van Helsing. And it didn't begin with Coppola. It began with Murnau where his Hutter doesn't kill vampire and can't save his wife but instead it's his wife Ellen who dies to kill vampire. Then it's Browning who made Van Helsing into cool main hero who kills Dracula, while Jonathan is again useless in the movie. It's Fisher who kills Jonathan off at the start of the movie and again makes Van Helsing into cool main hero, who kills Dracula. So by the time 1970s rolled out and romantic versions of Dracula began to heavily pop up, Jonathan as character on screen was already heavily downgraded.

This honestly hits on something that unhappily fascinates me about the whole pattern. Unlike other stories that see adaptation, however classic or modern, I think the Dracula issue is the only one I can think of where a male main character--one of the two married protagonists! the guy who actually opens and closes the entire story! including beheading Dracula himself!--gets so thoroughly watered down, warped, or often just thrown out of the story entirely. Mina's treatment is unfortunately very much expected.

She is LAST GIRL STANDING. She is NOT ICKY SLUT-LUCY WHO LEADS THREE MEN ON EWWW. She is SO INTO HUNKY HE-MAN DARK PRINCE COUNT FUCKULA and doesn't mind the castle harem or the best friend assault or terrorized/deadified husband whatever who cares.

Mina's character-butchering hell is sadly a running theme in a lot of Classics! Now with (Off-Brand Hollywoodified) Feminism (tm)*!

*She is now simultaneously Mom to a bunch of rowdy dumb-boys and the hot anti-villain wants to do the sex with her so bad and it's sooo tempting because hot anti-villain is sooo much more forward-thinking than these icky Victorian guys ha ha

But Jonathan's situation is unique.

Because Jonathan is broken down for parts.

His sweet ingenue gothic heroine time in Castle Dracula is routinely handed over either to a stand-in (Renfield ala the original Dracula movie) or Random Damsel seen on every book and movie and comic book cover. Because you can't have a man in that situation. And if you do, shovel him out of the story immediately once the hetero-sexy part is over with, ala the Brides closing in. Maybe make him an unfaithful piece of shit who is SO down to ditch boring old Mina for the undead harem.

His stamp as a rightful nemesis-turned-badass vampire hunter is stolen and given to Van Helsing, including his kukri, including the defeat and beheading of Dracula.

His devotion and love for Mina to the point of blasphemy and inhumanity is ripped away and given to Dracula to romanticize and sexify him, which in turn defangs the Count himself. 'Ohhh I just did all this evil because I was depressed and looking for my Love~ :'c' rather than him being one of the most insidiously engaging and chilling villains in classic storytelling.

And all of that implies that writers and directors do like the character of Jonathan Harker...so long as he's split into pieces with the husk that once contained all those facets quickly discarded.

Because if they have to portray Jonathan Harker in his totality, with all his kindness, his femininely coded introduction, his trauma after assault, his adoration of Mina beyond human measure, and his ultimate conquering of Dracula the Monster/Abuser (their idolized macho surrogate) then that does something unthinkable.

That portrays men like Jonathan Harker in a heroic light. In a positive light, period. This milksop! This sweet, loving, bookish, preyed-upon, afraid-then-fierce, walking talking knife-swinging wall-crawling middle finger to the whole idea of the fantasy people project onto Dracula (read: Megabadass Immortal Vampire Man who gets Allll the Ladies Who Totally Wanted It/Had that Victorian Slave Leia routine coming~)! We can't put that on screen!

So what happens, happens.

And Jonathan Harker continues to be harvested for parts without ever, ever getting to be all of himself in a retelling. If he shows up at all.

[grits-galraisedinthesouth]

I was disappointed to learn that Mellody Hobson backs a bully. It gets worse.

No surprise: Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) is a DIRTY organization w/a history of workplace bullying. Seems every toxic workplace is tied to Weinstein & Theranos bullies: Boies Schiller Flexner law firm.

Well, well well and what do we have here another connection to George Lucas & his wife (Meghan Markle backer) Mellody Hobson: Former CEO Emmett Carson was placed on paid leave until hired to serve as the new CEO of The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. I thought Mellody had a hand in Arkie's "investments."

"The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is a museum founded by filmmaker George Lucas and his wife, businesswoman Mellody Hobson. Once completed, the museum will hold all forms of visual storytelling, including painting, photography, sculpture, illustration, comic art, performance, and video." (Wikipedia)

LABOR AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT SCANDAL (2018)

In April 2018, the Chronicle of Philanthropy published a scathing report which detailed allegations of abusive behavior and sexual harassment against Mari Ellen Loijens, the former top fundraiser at the foundation with a decorated past in finance. [65] The Chronicle interviewed 19 of Loijens’s former employees, many of which claimed that Loijens created a toxic work environment, which included screaming at employees, making lewd comments in the workplace, and attempting to kiss a subordinate. [66]

Several employees accused Loijens of sexually inappropriate behavior in the workplace, alleging that Loijens routinely commented on people’s appearances, made advances on subordinate staff, and so frequently made inappropriate comments that her subordinates developed a code word to say to her out loud each time she crossed a line. [67]

Rebecca Dupras, a former vice president for development at SVCF, told The Chronicle that Loijens’s abusive behavior was well-known among executives at the foundation, claiming that then-CEO Emmett Carson routinely shut down complaints of her behavior, even from fellow executives. [68] The Chronicle further alleged that Loijens’s behavior created high turnover within the company, having four vice presidents for development and three vice presidents for corporate responsibility who reported to Loijens in just five years. [69]

The Chronicle presented the allegations to Emmett Carson, the then-CEO of SVCF, prompting an internal investigation by SVCF into the allegations, led by independent investigators from Thompson Hine law firm. [70] Just one day after The Chronicle published the allegations, Loijens resigned from her position. [71]

Soon after Loijens resigned, allegations began against Carson, who was accused of sheltering her and enabling abusive behavior in order to maintain her stellar fundraising record and grow the foundation. [72] Former employee Maria Moreno publicly stated on Twitter that she had filed complaints against both Carson and Loijens, but that she was eventually forced out herself due to the “toxic work environment” at SVCF. [73]

One week later, Carson was placed on paid leave, and SVCF hired the Boies Schiller Flexner law firm to investigate the claims. [74] After interviewing 82 people, the firm found that “many allegations from current and former employees were substantiated.” [75] The firm further reported that Loijens and Carson contributed to a “workplace culture issues at SVCF, including a fear of speaking out or reporting workplace issues…as well as distrust of HR leadership.” [76] The report further found that inappropriate behavior “was often inadequately addressed or overlooked,” and that racial, sexual, and otherwise inappropriate comments were “‘normalized’ within certain divisions” of SVCF. [77] Carson left SVCF following the release of the report. [78] Altogether, the scandal cost SVCF more than $1.4 million between hiring investigators and fulfilling severance packages. [79]

In April 2019, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art hired Carson to serve as its new CEO. [80] In response, 23 former SVCF employees sent an open letter to the Lucas Museum board, requesting that the board reconsider the hiring and remove Carson from the position. [81]

SVCF’s finances declined substantially after the scandal. Between 2018 and 2019 contributions fell by 29 percent from $1.9 billion to $1.4 billion. Consequently, SVCF’s grantmaking also dropped by 25 percent from $1.9 billion in 2018 to $1.5 billion in 2019, and SVCF’s assets were $10.3 billion, a substantial decline from its 2017 peak of $13.5 billion. [82]

Mellody Hobson & the Oprah inter-racial marriage angle.

Mellody Hobson's odd skype interview with Meghan Markle.

Connecting the Markle Dots: Starbucks Gift Cards, Princeton (rejected) & Chase Bank/JP Morgan (Megxit backers), the Obama's, the DNC, Hollywood, "diversity/philanthropy"

Never forget Meghan Markle's ties to LA's Eric Garcetti via his mom's Hollywood nephew.

Baby Everest Hobson Lucas born via gestational surrogate

August 2013 George Lucas, 69, creator of Star Wars, and his wife, Mellody Hobson, 44, president of Ariel Investments, announced the birth of a baby girl, Everest Hobson Lucas, born via gestational surrogacy on Friday, according to the Huffington Post.

This is the first biological child for both parents. Lucas has three children: Amanda, 32, adopted during his first marriage to Marcia Griffin, and Katie, 25, and Jett, 20, adopted by Lucas on his own. Hobson and Lucas met at a business conference in 2006 and were married at Skywalker Ranch in northern California earlier this year. Last year, Lucas sold his famed movie studio, which is responsible for both the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises, for more than $4 billion to the Walt Disney Company. Hobson, in addition to her work at Ariel, is a regular contributor and analyst on finance, the markets, and economic trends for CBS News.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2390371/George-Lucas-69-wife-Mellody-Hobson-44-welcome-baby-girl-surrogate.html

The couple's baby joy comes after Lucas and Ariel Investments president Mellody tied the knot earlier this year.

The pair exchanged vows at the billionaire's Skywalker Ranch in Marin County, California, in front of 200 guests including Oprah Winfrey, Robert De Niro, Glenn Close, Harrison Ford, Calista Flockhart, Quincy Jones and his daughter Rashida.

The bride wore a white dress by Peter Soronen and carried brightly coloured roses as her 'something blue.'Former New Jersey senator Bill Bradley walked her down aisle, Francis Ford Coppola did a reading and journalist Bill Moyers officiated the ceremony, according to the Huffington Post.

Another Hollywood heavyweight, filmmaker and producer Steven Spielberg, is said to have given a toast, with a source revealing: 'He joked that the Force finally had a name: Mellody!'It was a family affair too, with Lucas' son, Jett, acting as his best man, while his daughters, Katie and Amanda, served as bridesmaids.

The reception included entertainment by Janelle Monae and Van Morrison.

Director Ron Howard was also among the guests and later congratulated the happy couple via Twitter.

'George Lucas Melody Hobson wedding was joy to behold,' he wrote. 'Bill Moyers service was beautiful, nothing short of profound. Congrats Mr&Mrs Lucas.'

Samuel L Jackson, who played Jedi Mace Windu in Star Wars prequels The Phantom Menace, Attack Of The Clones and Revenge Of The Sith, also tweeted his best wishes.

'Let's give a Galactic shout out to Master George Lucas & his bride Melodie on this, their wedding day,' he wrote.

Lucas and Mellody became engaged back in January 2013 and have been dating since meeting at a business conference back in 2006.

Hobson heads the investment management firm Ariel Investments and is also chairman of the board at Dream Works Animation SKG Inc.

The Star Wars supremo was previously married to film editor Marcia from 1969 until their divorce in 1983. 

Lucas and Mellody discussed their relationship during a joint interview with Oprah Winfrey last year.

'I think it works because we are extraordinarily open-minded people and we're open to what the universe brings us,' Mellody told the talk show host.

'I think we didn't have preconceived ideas about what a partnership should be and so we allowed ourselves to discover something that was unexpected.'

Lucas will have plenty of time to spend with his wife and new baby. He sold his Lucasfilm production company to Disney last October for $4.05 billion - most of which he donated to educational philanthropy.

[chopsyn]

The first story of my comic series Boom & Bust! centered on Ellen and Jackie’s passionate hatefuck of a mental processer.

[usagirotten]

Movie review - Alien: Romulus is not bad and not even the best of the saga

Carrying out a cinematographic saga with a coherent continuity that proposes new stories with old and new characters is not an easy task. We have seen good and bad stories, as an example we have the no longer-so-successful Star Wars franchise, or Terminator, which due to the stubbornness of innovating and modernizing have had great failures. Each one of them has contributed great things to the history of cinematography in the genres they occupy, another one of them, and no less important is Alien, a science fiction, horror, and action franchise centered on a series of original films that show its protagonist, Warrant Officer Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and her confrontations with an extraterrestrial life form commonly known as Xenomorph, a species dangerous to the balance of all life forms, it is destructive and a relentless killer. Created by writer Dan O'Bannon who collaborated with screenwriter Ronald Shusett on a story initially titled Star Beast and eventually changed to Alien, set in a dystopian future where humanity has advanced technologically and explores new planets for their resources, it features the work of Swiss painter and sculptor HR Giger who designed the adult form of the Xenomorph and its ship while French artist Mœbius created the futuristic/modern look of the spacesuits and Ron Cobb provided most of the industrial design for the sets. Without the aforementioned this franchise would not have had the success that 20th Century Fox Studios expected after investing millions of dollars in its production, the person in charge of bringing the script and this peculiar and terrifying story to life was director Ridley Scott in 1979, this was followed by 3 more sequels Aliens in 1986 directed by James Cameron, Alien 3 in 1992 directed by David Fincher and Alien Resurrection in 1997 directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2 prequels directed by Scott Scott also directed the prequel series films Prometheus in 2012 and Alien: Covenant in 2017, each with a very personal point of view on these adventures and their characters. Alien has been present and its stories have also been told outside the big screen, novels, comics, action figures, and video games are what have kept it within the taste of both locals and strangers, not everything has turned out to be as interesting as it was initially proposed, in this 2024 it is the director Fede Álvarez who tells us an interquel that pays tribute to the entire franchise in Alien: Romulus.

What is Alien: Romulus about?

A group of young people trapped on a mining planet owned by the Weyland-Yutani company plan to escape to a new world, to do so they need cryostasis chambers that will allow them to escape to the planet Yvaga while exploring the depths of the Rebirth space station that was abandoned years ago is an experimental laboratory where there are still traces of the terrifying life form in the universe, this group will have to use all their knowledge to work as a team and achieve their goal, to survive. After the failure of Prometheus and Alien: Covenant and the betrayal of the franchise by telling the supposed origin of these beings at the hands of a synthetic called David (Michael Fassbender) things seemed to have come to a standstill, there was still a lot to tell and the studios decided to take the easy way out, telling a story before any event that would explain where these deadly and dangerous beings come from, the result as we have seen did not work. Alien: Romulus is an experiment that tries to clarify and return everything to its original sequence using elements from the prequels, the black liquid, and the engineers, the film itself is a fan service, a hybrid project that is taking shape-taking key references from the rest of the franchise, a tribute if we want to see it that way to everything that was not explained and that in turn went wrong from the previous installments, the plot holes and the incoherent continuity and now the follow-up they want to give it along with the television series Alien: Earth that will serve as a prequel and will take place three decades before the events of the 1979 Alien film. It seems that 20th Century and The Walt Disney Company are in a hurry to give another franchise a hard time, although Fede Alvarez finds small and diverse ways to innovate a classic this may not be enough to fix everything wrong in the entire saga and this same film, each sequel and prequel of this franchise has been at war with itself, it has not managed to have a sequence of events that are up to date level of what they want to present and even more so to works that have already been done in novels, comics and video games that are the ones that form a canon that they want to forget to modernize it for the new generations. It's already annoying that studios want to come out with the same stupidity of wanting to reach a younger audience, one that doesn't care at all what is done or not in their favor, there are simply things that shouldn't be touched in this way and the question remains the same: will this be the definitive film that rescues the public's interest in a film franchise that should have been left alone years ago? The answer is that very few or almost no one cares whether this is successful or not, the golden age of Alien happened a long time ago and proof of that is that all this takes the best and tries to transform it. The first and supposed "great innovation" of this film is that it focuses on a group of stupid teenagers instead of adults and space marines led by Rain Carradine (Cailee Spaeny) who is trying to leave the mining planet after the death of her parents and stop being an exploited worker who sees her dream of escape very far away thanks to the oppressive policies of the omnipresent and evil Weyland-Yutani Corporation, a company that only cares about its development and the profit it can get from others, for them no one is expendable and this concept is obvious to us with the crew of the Nostromo.

Alien: Romulus exists between Alien from 1979 and Aliens from 1986 but it also takes in parallel the timeline of the Alien: Isolation video game from 2014 acting almost at the same time in different places and scenarios, while the film takes place in the year 2137 the game is in the year 2142, it is inexplicable how the same Xenomorph from the Alien film from 1979 coexists and is discovered in space, likewise the plot is very similar, while on one hand, we have the Rebirth station that is divided into 2 parts the Romulus and the Remus on the other we have the Sevastopol space station that is only a screen to continue studying, cloning and trying to control these creatures and make them a biological weapon, and here we ask ourselves: a biological weapon for what, to conquer uninhabited planets? or only to satisfy the desire that the human being has to want to control everything? Very little or almost nothing has been told to us in the cinema about the cursed Weyland-Yutani company, being better explained in the Dark Horse Comics publications, an idea that was taken to be part of the script of Prometheus where they told us in more detail the origin of this mega-corporation and that in the end was discarded by Scott himself, and then, we are left the same, with more questions than answers about a material that stays halfway between an I want to but I can't and as spectators and many fans of the saga we will have to start accepting that this is not giving for more and that we are already tired of clumsiness. This story gives Fede Alvarez the chance to do something new that feels thoroughly studied and at the same time completely modern, the script written by Rodó Sayagues and Alvarez himself is more concerned with the multiple references than with doing something more decent and coherent, it is inexplicable how the xenomorph is not now the protagonist and has so little presence and time on screen, in fact this is a major failure if it is a movie with the title of Aliens what we want to see is this creature doing its thing and in what we see it fails to transmit that feeling of constant horror and danger, perhaps the real protagonists are facehuggers that we see slightly mutated and in a new color the rest are just there to make a pretext for the previous to be what looks like that without more, there is no memorable death being Andy the android the most outstanding character of the rest that lack that charisma and personality that we have seen before and although all this seems to be a good idea it is poorly executed. This group decides to steal a ship from the company to go to an abandoned scientific space station that has floated in the orbit of their planet without any consequences, that is, nobody notices and they can do whatever they want or after searching for this life form for so long they leave it just like that in an abandoned space station, the personality of each one of them tries desperately to resemble the protagonists of other films in the saga and they don't even manage to be minimally memorable because from the beginning we know that everyone will die except for the artificial person and its protagonist, who we don't see at any time that transmits to us a feeling of being in imminent danger, everything is resolved by chance and to the benefit of a weak script and its references that once again advocate nostalgia. Álvarez and Sayagues realize that they have to make the most of the comfort zone they are in and they do so in the way they integrate elements from the previous six films including the two prequels in an equally desperate attempt to make this not seem like such a bad idea, references such as the axis of the creatures having as its origin the first Xenomorph that Ripley fights in the first film and that was frozen in space, the android Ash from the first film along with the computer called mother, the company directives to safeguard and prioritize the specimens, the use of footwear and weapons from James Cameron's Aliens, the mention of the refinery/prison planet Fiorina "Fury" 161 from Alien 3 or the new half-human and half-xenomorph/engineer hybrid from Alien Resurrection as well as the black liquid from Prometheus and the evolution of the creatures from Alien: Covenant to mention only the most interesting ones. The film itself suffers from little or no commitment to continuing with the canon, the idea of ​​a Xenomorph creature that can adopt characteristics of its host makes it extremely fascinating and that has only been presented as such in Alien 3, at this point what was done here had everything to pave the way to present new things and as a result, we have something that helps us see what happens later, something that doesn't care about contributing or being successful in itself, a whim to maintain and now modernize and make a new saga based on another that also doesn't care whether it has a continuation or not, in short, we take another story with other characters, we give them some references and that's it. Not everything is so bad, it has some technical advantages. Director of photography Galo Olivares tends to recreate dark and sinister settings, something as claustrophobic in a more industrial and retro-futuristic style as what Scott did in Alien. At the same time, production designer Naaman Marshall relies almost entirely on the sketches of conceptual designer Ron Cobb that we already saw in Alien and Aliens and also takes elements from the Alien: Isolation video game, which makes everything we see more concrete and rounded, returning to science fiction and horror. The special effects mix CGI with practical effects, at every moment they make us notice the sets, the animatronics, the costumes, and the makeup, everything is perfectly well cared for and balanced so that at all times its narrative surprises us momentarily and not because of how guessable it may be but because it strives to constantly recreate past scenarios and as an audience it makes us think that things can be turned around and used to our advantage. The first film was not conceived to start a saga, it was the need that cinema had at the end of the 70s to innovate and at the same time compete with others that took space themes very lightly, it renewed the belief that space science fiction had to do with silver suits and shiny ships with attractive main characters who could solve anything at any time, it went from being simple to showing the horror that can be facing a hostile and dangerous creature from another planet and the risk that it represents for whoever has the misfortune of crossing paths with them.

HR Giger created this being but it was Scott and his team who gave it that personality that became iconic in the history of cinema, a meta-story that still has a lot to tell if it is in the right hands, proving that all this can stand out without a character like Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is extremely difficult, her character and performance marked a before and after for the leading women, her participation has been relevant and of utmost importance in this saga and having said all the above is not a direct comparison, it is the fact of recognizing that this is a mix of everything to get something that later may or may not work. The cast is made up of Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, and Aileen Wu, teenagers who play other teenagers where the only one who stands out is Jonsson and his character. The music composed by Benjamin Wallfisch follows the same line as the film, recreating with samples the scores composed by Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner, Elliot Goldenthal, John Frizzell, Marc Streitenfeld, Jed Kurzel, Christian Henson, Joe Henson Alexis Smith, who appear at the right moment and are fully identifiable as a tribute to these great creators. In conclusion, Alien: Romulus is not bad but it is not the best of the saga either, a closing and an opening of a very low-risk proposal from which one could expect more than what is delivered and which fulfills its purpose of entertaining. Let us hope that the already inevitable next installment can be more daring in itself and contribute more than just a simple and trite modernity and can finally take us to a truly unexplored territory of which, as was said before, there is still much more to tell. Alien: Romulus is now available in movie theaters in your country. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0XDEhP4MQs Read the full article

[theultimatefan]

Kubert, Johns, Fabok, Hitch Headline Talented Comic Creators Attending FAN EXPO Philadelphia

Batman/Superman #8 - Andy Kubert and Ghost Machine #1 - Geoff Johns, Jason Fabok, Bryan Hitch

A vast array of talented comics artists and writers, spanning more than a half century of work and encompassing dozens of the most popular franchises in the history of the medium through the present, will be on hand as FAN EXPO Philadelphia today announced the Artist Alley headliners for the convention, set for May 3-5 at the Pennsyvlavnia Convention Center. Among the superstar writers and artists are Andy Kubert (“Batman: The Dark Knight III,” “X-Men”), Geoff Johns (“Geiger,” “Junkyard Joe”), Jason Fabok (“Rook: Exodus,” “Batman: Three Jokers”), Bryan Hitch (“Redcoat,” “The Ultimates”), Francis Manapul (“The Rocketfellers,” “The Flash”), Peter Tomasi (“The Rocketfellers,” “Hornsby and Halo”), Ryan Ottley (“Invincible,” “Amazing Spider-Man"), Frank Cho (“Liberty Meadows," “Wolverine"), Jae Lee (“Seven Sons,” “Stephen King’s Dark Tower”), Stephen Platt (“Moon Knight,” “Wolverine”), and Joe Wos (“Mazetoons,” “Charlie the Tuna”).

Just about every franchise imaginable will be well represented, and comics fans will revel in meeting the creators who have made them possible. Q&A’s, interactive demonstration sessions, autographs, commission opportunities, and more make the experience a can’t-miss for comics lovers.

The FAN EXPO Philadelphia field of creators also includes talents such as Rodney Barnes (“The Boondocks,” “Killadelphia”), Yanick Paquette (“Wonder Woman,” “The Incal”), Tom Grummett (“Thunderbolts”, “Superman”), Brad Anderson (“Geiger,” “The Rook: Exodus”), Heather Antos (Group Editor Licensing/IDW Publishing), Russ Braun (“The Boys,” “Jimmy’s Bastards”), Hailey Brown (Dark Horse Comics, Brink Literacy Project), Chris Burnham (“Unstoppable Doom Patrol,” “Batman, Inc.”), Jim Calafiore (“Exiles,” “Aquaman”), Joe Corroney (“Star Wars,” Lucasfilm), Mike DeCarlo (“The Simpsons,” “Archie”), Guy Gilchrist (“The Muppets,” “Nancy”), Jonathan Glapion (“Batman,” “King Spawn”), Scott Hanna (“Amazing Spider-Man,” “Superman: Lois and Clark”), Ben Harvey (“Star Wars: Darth Maul,” “X-Men”), Mike Hawthorne (“Batman,” “Deadpool”), Tim Jacobus (“Goosebumps,” “Spinetinglers”), Bob McLeod (“New Mutants,” “Superman”), Jonboy Meyers (“Venom,” “The Inhumans”), Rags Morales (“Identity Crisis,” “Batman Confidential”), Carl Potts (“Alien Legion,” “Punisher War Journal”), Aaron Reynolds (“Effin’ Birds”), Alex Saviuk (“Spider-Man,” “The Phantom”), Keith Williams (“The Hulk,” “Action Comics”), Ron Wilson (“The Thing,” “Marvel Two-in-One") and many others.

See the full list at https://fanexpohq.com/fanexpophiladelphia/comic-creators/.

The quality of the creators in Artist Alley mirrors that of the FAN EXPO Philadelphia celebrity roster, which features a first-rate list that includes the National Lampoon’s Vacation foursome of Chevy Chase (“Clark Griswald”), Beverly D’Angelo (“Ellen”), Randy Quaid (“Cousin Eddie”) and Dana Barron (“Audrey”), Hayden Christensen (Star Wars franchise), Rosario Dawson (“Ahsoka,” Rent), Rainn Wilson (“The Office,” “Lessons in Chemistry”), Marisa Tomei (My Cousin Vinny, The Wrestler), Adam Savage (“MythBusters”), Danny Trejo (Machete, The Book of Boba Fett), Alan Tudyk (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,”), Mario Lopez (“Saved by the Bell,” “Access Hollywood”), Natasha Liu Bordizzo (“Ahsoka”), Kate Mulgrew (“Star Trek: Voyager,” “Orange is the New Black”), Rose McGowan (“Charmed,” Scream), Holly Marie Combs (“Charmed,” “Picket Fences”), Felicia Day (“The Guild,” “Dragon Age: Redemption”), Emily Swallow and Gina Carano (“The Mandalorian”), and more.

FAN EXPO Philadelphia will also feature a variety of comics creators who have written and drawn many favorite stories over the past half century, exhibitors featuring classic and unique pieces from the thousands of memorable characters and scenes that Star Wars and all of its offshoots have produced, and programming panels and special events to help fans across any empire show their love of one of pop culture’s most enduring series.

Single-Day Tickets, Three-Day Passes, and Ultimate Fan Packages for FAN EXPO Philadelphia are available now. Advance pricing is available until April 18. More guest news will be released in the following weeks, including line-up reveals for additional headline celebrities, comic creator guests, voice actors and cosplayers.

Philadelphia is the eighth event on the 2024 FAN EXPO HQ calendar; the full schedule is available at fanexpohq.com/home/events/.

[jdtrashman]

The most reoccurring motif for Allie throughout the first four expansions is that every time she encounters Elidibus, they greet each other the same way

"Hello Elidibus"

"Hello, Shepard."

It acts as a reaffirmation of the strange hold the two seem to have on each other that neither can explain. Culminating in Endwalker, where Elidibus remembers everything, and the two part with

"Goodbye, Elidibus"

"Goodbye...my Atalanta..."

For Beloch, the motif is music, specifically sea shanties. If this were a comic book or TV show, I would have every story centering him be titled after some nautical song (something by the longest johns or Stan Rogers, to give you an idea) and even have songs play at key moments of his story.

For example, the Doma arc would be defined by two songs, illustrating his arc of learning what became of Yotsuyu and then resolving himself to face her.

First would be The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, a Melancholy song telling the true story of a ship that wrecked in Lake Superior. Reflecting Beloch's descent as he learns what the little girl whose life he saved became in his absence.

Then the Steppe arc, in which he gets his second wind with the help of Allie, rhea, lyse, and the others, would be set against Stan Rogers' Mary Ellen Carter, a hopeful tale of the crew of a sunken ship working together to repair it.

And what draws Allie and Beloch together is that singular motif that binds them. That central message of Mary Ellen Carter: Rise Again. No matter what you've lost, be it a home, a love, a friend, like the Mary Ellen Carter, rise again.

oh? what's this? a little wol question for the night?

what reoccurring symbolism do you have for your wol/oc?

a color? a flower? an animal? perhaps a certain phrase? what motifs follow them through their story?

[chasingpj]

𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞

"Bye, for now, puddles."

pairing: percy jackson x child of hecate!reader

words: 6,220

warnings: a little angst, missing a meal, death of a parent, i believe that is all.

timeline: post sea of monsters

if you want to be tagged every time I update this story, click here

a/n: hi hi! I'm so excited to finally get this chapter to you guys. I'm sorry this literally took a month. i was taking two writing-intensive courses this summer and i was just burnt out. i hope you enjoy it!

Part One Part Two Part Three Part Four Part Five Part Six Part Seven Part Eight Part Nine Part Ten

A grunt escapes you; your contorted body weighs down the top of your suitcase as your damp fingers slip off the metal zipper. The unforgivingly humid weather provokes the heat of your efforts, adding to your discomfort. There’s urgency in your fingers, your frustration growing at each failed attempt to close your suitcase.

“Y/n! Hurry up!” Atticus shouts from outside of the Hermes cabin. As the zipper slips out of your grasp once again, you throw your head back in annoyance, hand coming up to push away wisps of hair that fall on your face. A familiar chuckle comes from the corner of the room, grabbing your attention from the wooden ceiling. Connor sits on the side of his bed; his comic book forgotten beside him as you fussing over your suitcase seems to be more interesting to him.

“It’s not funny,” you grumble, sitting onto your heels.

Connor rises from his bed, shrugging his shoulders with a smirk. He kneels by your suitcase, “It’s kinda funny.”

The corners of your mouth almost curve up, but you stop yourself, opting for a roll of your eyes instead.

“What the hades do you have in here?” The tips of his fingers turn white as he pulls on the little piece of metal. You shift your weight to the corner he works on, but it helps him as much as it helped you earlier.

“My brother’s left a bunch of books behind, so Lou Ellen and I split them up. She’s taking half, and I take the rest. We’ll study them and then exchange notes.” A hum of acknowledgment comes from Connor’s lips as he inches the suitcase closed.

“You guys are a bunch of nerds.” You squint at the other with a playful offense, and he laughs at your hardened features. “I bet you guys study more than the Athena Kids,” he teases.

“There’s a lot to learn,” you say simply, watching as he brings the zipper to the end. He leans back on his heels, and you move to take in the half-empty cabin.

The sight of the Hermes cabin being this tidy was foreign. There aren’t any sleeping bags on the floor; the belongings of your many cabin mates didn’t clutter the walls or the corners of the room as they usually do. It’s funny. There are always complaints of the cabin being too small, but it appears bigger without the mess.

“Will you and Atticus visit throughout the year?” Connor’s expression is hopeful. As the last day of camp approached, Connor’s wishes of a full cabin all year round became more apparent. The shift from a max-capacity cabin to a half-empty one must be a tough transition for social people like Stoll Brothers. If it were you, you’d be counting down the days of everyone’s departure.

You ruffle his brown locks, “we’ll probably stop by for, maybe, spring break?” Connor’s hopefulness begins to sag, and you frown. Spring break is pretty far from now, huh? “Depending on how mortal life treats us. You know, we might be back soon,” you add on quickly, hoping to lift his smile.

Though you wish to go home, you’re dreading all the supernatural activity you’ll have to deal with once you leave. Your father works tirelessly to protect the house, but entities always manage to get in. And if they can’t, they don’t mind hanging outside.

The hopefulness that faded from Connor’s face restores, and he gives you that famous mischievous smirk. “Well, I hope the ghosts bother you guys enough to come to visit early.” His tone is playful, but you can tell he meant some of his words. You laugh hesitantly and nod, rising from your suitcase.

“I’m glad you’re that eager to see us again.”

You thank him as he leans down, lifting the heavy suitcase from the ground for you.

“Y/n!”

“I’m coming!” You tug on the handle, glancing at Connor. “The year will go by fast, and soon this cabin will be bursting at the nails with new unclaimed people. Atticus, Lou, and I included. Anyways, you have your brother. You guys will find something to entertain yourselves.” You nudge him as you make your way outside.

“Yeah, you’re right. You will write to me, yeah?” Connor asks.

“Of course. I’ll send you snacks that you can’t buy at the gas station.” Connor’s arm pumps back to his side, hand in a fist as he hisses a “yes.”

The corners up your mouth hesitantly pull up as you push open the cabin door, finding Atticus and Travis talking on the porch. For the past week, the anticipation of your departure was killing you, but now that it was time to leave, you feel gloomy.

You knew the cause of your heavy heart was the uneasy tone of your going. Living day by day with the intention of moving on was hard. Because every time you look at their newly occupied beds, the sinking feeling in your chest returns. Every time you find yourself wandering in the forest, the memories of your often chaotic magic lessons flood your mind. You remember when Alice misaimed her wind spell, shooting Alabaster far into the trees. While you all rushed to check on him, Alice burst into tears because she was convinced she killed him only to approach a laughing Alabaster who shouted, “Right on!”

Every time you were in the Arts and Crafts center, you remember how you, Sage, and Lou would do Tarot Readings for the campers and how you would argue with the Apollo kids when they insisted your tarot cards are as honest as fortune cookies.

At the armory, you remember how Ambrose ran into James so hard, he stumbled and knocked down half of the shelves of weapons.

In the courtyard, you remember how Ernest, horrified by heights, produced the highest pitch scream he possibly could as he rode a pegasus for the first time under the persuasion of Alabaster.

All these memories, whether hilarious like your spell mishaps or bittersweet like when you and your sibling’s group hugged around Sage when she cried about her abusive stepmother, held a special place in your heart. Because the times where you laughed and cried together reminded you of the genuine bond, the family that was ripped away from you overnight.

“We'll see you guys soon. We should go. Argus will leave without us," Atticus says, relieved that Argus is still waiting for you on top of Half-Blood Hill.

“Have a safe trip, guys,” Travis says, patting Atticus’s shoulder before reaching out his arm and giving you a short side hug. You grab your things, hastily saying a final goodbye, and soon, you and Atticus are trudging up the hill.

Your free hand pats the pocket of your shorts, calming your worry of forgetting the necklace at the cabin. What rests in your pocket is a raw tourmaline crystal, now smooth with the help of Beckendorf, encased in a silver spiral cage.

You and Atticus carry protection crystals all the time, and they help with staying out of the radar of monsters and entities. After hearing Percy’s many stories of monsters bothering him, you figured he couldn’t be too cautious. Then after finding a spell in Alabaster’s many books that can dim down a demigod scent for a while, you decided to make him an enchanted necklace to wear.

You pack into the truck with Atticus right on time. Atticus sits in front of you, chatting away with Cecil as you make yourself comfortable in the back row with Ambrose. You frown; among the three other campers in the van with you, Percy isn’t one of them. Argus peeks into the back, doing a rough headcount. Great, now you’ll have to wait until next summer to give it to him.

Right, when you were going to chastise yourself for not giving him the necklace yesterday when you were done with it, a distant voice shouts, "wait!"

Argus halts in the middle of closing the sliding down and turns around. He shakes his head with disapproval while opening the door all the way, revealing out of breath Percy.

A smile widens across your face as he gets into the back seat with you, and you nudge Atticus’s seat.

"See, I told you we wouldn't be the last ones here.” You side-eye Percy, seeing the corners of his mouth pull up in amusement.

“Some people just don’t know how to get to places on time, huh?” Atticus says, and his eyes flicker to Percy before giving you a wide grin.

“Didn’t sleep in today, firefly?” There is a playfulness in Percy’s voice, and you smile proudly,

“Nope, not today.”

“It’s a miracle,” Percy mutters, loud enough for you to hear, and you scoff. Atticus snickers and nods in agreement.

“We were supposed to gang up on him, not you two on me.” You stick your tongue out at Atticus, and he returns the action.

“It’s more fun making fun of you,” Atticus teases.

“Rude,” you mumble with a slight smile on your face. The two boys chuckle, Atticus turning more into his seat to tell Percy something about a new Marvel movie. Excited voices fill the van as the other boys join in the conversation, and soon they are debating if Batman is really a superhero or just a rich guy in a suit.

You had to admit, as the conversation became more passionate, you were pretty entertained, but as you catch sight of Camp Half-Blood growing farther in the distance, you’re reminded of the ache in your chest. It’s only a temporary leave, but when you return, things will never be the same, and the false hope of your siblings returning has been proven to be foolish.

☆’.･.･:★:･.･.’☆

Following a ghost dog while weaving through the hustle and bustle of Grand Central is almost impossible. Atticus’s hand is latched to the straps of your bookbag as you move through people, trying not to roll your eyes at the way Ambrose turns to bark as if he was reprimanding you for being too slow. Easy for him to say when he can walk through walls and people.

“Track 28,” Atticus reminds you as your eyes find the number written on the tan bricks of the high walls. You make a sharp left towards the entrance of another hallway, ignoring the groans of a grouchy bystander that you may have cut off. The next hallway you enter is a lot less crowded than the main floor, and you slow down your pace.

“Where do you guys live again?” Percy asks as he jogs up beside you. He had insisted on walking you guys since his train departs in the same station.

“Sleepy Hollow.” Percy scrunches his face as if he recalls something, and you smile, waiting for the question everyone asks when you say you live there.

“Have you seen the headless horsemen?” Percy asks, half-joking. A snort leaves your throat, and you look at Atticus, who’s equally amused.

“Oh yeah, plenty of times.”

“Really?” Percy asks, his eyes wide with surprise, and you laugh.

“No.” Your response makes his face drop comedically fast, and Atticus bursts into laughter. “It’s just a story, but there’s a lot of history there, so the place is crawling with ghosts. We’ve met the guy who wrote the story, though,” you mention.

“No way,” Percy squints his eyes in disbelief.

“I’m serious! Atticus and I take walks in the cemetery sometimes. We leave drachmas on the graves of newly passed people, so their venture into the underworld is smooth, but some people like to wander.” You shrug. “Washington Irving is one of those people.”

“Cool,” Percy says with such enthusiasm that it makes you smile. Ambrose turns around and barks again, standing at the golden entrance that leads to the grey tunnel lit with fluorescent white lights where your train waits beside the concrete platform.

“He always rushes us,” Atticus complains, and Harvey lets out a coo that sounded close to a groan as if he agreed with him.

The marble floors turn to concrete as you enter the tunnel. The blue and silver train on your left hums as it sits dormant in its station. Ambrose trots ahead, peaking into the doors and windows to find an empty cart to occupy.

As you follow a few feet behind him, your fingers fiddle with the necklace resting in your pocket. You’re regretting not giving it to Percy earlier because, for some reason, the idea of giving it to him now was more intimidating than if you had done it earlier on the bus.

Ambrose decides on a cart, and Harvey jumps off Atticus’s shoulder, squealing happily as he follows the hound while completely ignoring a worried Atticus trailing close behind.

"I, uh, made this for you," you sputter, the words coming out fast like vomit. Your fingers pull out the crystal necklace abruptly, and you put it in the palm of his hand. "It's black tourmaline. It has protective qualities; good at keeping negative energy, negative auras, things like that. I put a spell on it to dim down your demigod scent for a while, so you catch a little bit of a break. It'll last for a few weeks, maybe a month or two if the spell caught on well."

You bite your lip as Percy studies the necklace resting in his hand. "Wow, really? Thank you, Y/n. This is great.”

Nervous, you shift on your feet under his bright, smiling orbs. "It's no problem. After everything that happened at camp, I think it’ll be good for you to have one.”

Percy nods, his features softening all of a sudden, and he shifts. “Thanks for protecting me,” he says, and you feel heat rush to your cheeks. “Getting rid of that thing became more than you expected. I felt bad that I couldn’t help. Swords aren’t really useful when it comes to demons, huh?”

A small laugh of agreement leaves your lips. “It was nothing. I wasn’t going to let you be tormented by that thing if I could help it.”

An announcement echoes in the hall, reporting the departure of your train in a few minutes. You glance over, catching Atticus, Ambrose, and Harvey with their noses practically pressed against the window as they witness your interaction with Percy. The amused smirk on Atticus’s face makes you roll your eyes; he’s definitely going to tease you when you get on the train.

"I should go.” You face Percy again, catching him securing the necklace around his neck. The stone rests a few inches under his camp half-blood necklace. "Thanks for walking us here. Be careful getting home."

"You too…” he trails off, noticing your brother looking out the window. For a second, he seems as embarrassed as you do and a nervous chuckle leaves his lips. “Your brother is waiting."

“He’s so annoying,” you complain, and Percy’s next chuckle doesn’t sound as hesitant this time. "Well, uh, bye, for now, puddles,” you tease, butterflies dancing in your stomach.

"Bye, for now, firefly."

You both awkwardly wave at each other before you turn around, getting on the train with Atticus. With your gaze fixed on the floor, you plop into the seat next to him. You don’t even need to look to know he is smiling teasingly at you.

"How cute,” he teases, nudging your shoulder repeatedly with his own.

"Ew, shut up.” You shove at his shoulder, your nose scrunching as he flails his arms against yours as if you were fighting. Atticus chuckles and a string of sounds come from your familiars as they join in to tease you, and you couldn’t help but laugh too.

☆’.･.･:★:･.･.’☆

The suburban streets of your neighborhood are filled with the chirps of birds and bugs and the sounds of cars that pass every once in a while. There isn’t much conversation between you and Atticus as you trudge up the hill leading to your dead-end street.

“Gods, I hope we can get inside without being seen,” you manage to say through your heavy breaths, lazily holding on to the handle of your suitcase as it rolls behind you. Ambrose’s nose nudges the back of your knees as if to encourage you, but it’s more cute than helpful.

“There’s no way that we are. Janie and Celia are always sitting on the neighbor’s porch.” You grunt in acknowledgment, knowing that Atticus is right. The neighborhood ghosts are friendly enough, but their company can be annoying.

As if on cue, you hear a delighted squeal from ahead the moment you reach the top of the hill. Two ladies wave their handkerchiefs in the air a handful of houses away.

Celia, the tallest of the two, wears a steel blue dress with a high neckline and a big bow tied on the base of her neck. She has a jacket button closed over her corset with a frill at the end of her sleeves. Her skirt is floor-length and complete, with ruffles cascading down its entirety. And, of course, no one can miss the high-crowned hat decorated with fake flowers, bows, and crimped fabric as it all sits on top of her blonde hair in an intricate updo. Janie, her sister, wears the same style of dress and headpiece only in a burgundy red. The resemblance between the two makes it clear that they’re siblings close in age. They have the same high pinched noses that jut in the air; both of their faces are regal like those in renaissance paintings.

You’ve seen them around for as long as you can remember. They were two sisters who died of scarlet fever a year before their first courting season, which was a big deal according to their constant moaning and groaning about it.

You look ahead, your expression blank as if their high-pitched voices didn’t fill the streets and they weren't racing toward you with their skirts in their hands.

“My word! It’s the end of summer already?”

“Atticus, you’ve grown taller!”

“What a handsome boy! Y/n, your shorts are too short, don’t you think?”

“It’s quite bizarre how such clothing is acceptable these days.”

“How beautiful you’d look in a gown like ours!”

“Where’s Alabaster?” Janie asks, attempting to circle her arm around Atticus’s, but he raises his arm to push back his damp hair to avoid the contact. She scoffs at his rejection and sighs.

“Alabaster was sweeter to us than you guys!” Celia pouts. Your heart sinks a little at the mention of him. Of course, they’d ask about him, and of course, your father will ask too.

Gods! Your father will ask about him.

You had forgotten you’d have to break the news today. These past few weeks, you debated whether or not you should do it by letter, but it felt wrong. It was only right that he’d find out in person.

“We know you can hear us,” Janie huffs.

“I hope dad doesn’t work late tonight. Do you think Grandma will be waiting for us?” You ask. As annoying as it was having spirits follow you, it was a little fun ignoring them when convenient for you. Atticus nods,

“Probably-”

“No one’s home,” Celia cuts in, and Atticus pretends to shoo a bug away to conceal that he paused from her interruption.

“But I don’t think dad is going to take long. He said his last lecture ended at three,” Atticus continues, and you nod.

‘I hope grandma came by to visit. I missed her.”

“I just said no one’s home.” Celia snaps, and you press your lips together to hide your smile.

Atticus sighs. “I know, I’m dying for those moon cookies she makes us.” At the mention of those cookies, your stomach grumbles. You hope Celia was wrong because you’re suddenly craving your grandmother’s cooking and her company. Her funny stories and voice that’s always a little too loud for the indoors never fails to cheer you up. As short and frail as she is, her voice and personality could fill a room.

“Me too,” you say shortly.

“Hello?!” Celia waves her handkerchief in your face, and you persisted in ignoring her. Suddenly, a sound of disgust comes from Janie as she brushes off her skirt.

“Y/n, retrieve this monster of yours!” She squeals as Ambrose bites the fabric of her dress, tugging on it with a growl.

“Damn this dog,” Celia shouts, attempting to shoo him away, but yelps in surprise as Ambrose snaps his jaw shut near her hand. “Get this thing under control! Y/n!”

Your hand comes up to cover your smile even though the two are shuffling behind you and a stifled chuckle comes from Atticus. The sound of Janie’s heels on the concrete becomes louder as she rushes beside Atticus again, and your smiles drop. The sight of your house comes into view, and you tilt your head confused; your father’s car is parked in the driveway.

“You said no one was home?” You say out loud, and Celia gasps beside you,

“Now you speak to me?” She snaps, halting as you approach the fence. She stands tall, hands folded in front of her elegantly as Janie’s expression is gleaming like a child on Christmas. “Your father requested to keep it a secret, so I obliged his wishes. He canceled his last lecture today to make you both a meal. What a lovely man.”

Your hand finds the latch for the white picket fence as you smile at the familiar narrow victorian-style house ahead of you. A path of cobblestone leads you to the brick steps of the small porch.

Your home sticks out from the more modern American houses that surround the area. It’s an antique, a snippet of history, as your father likes to say. The house is a russet brown only because the bricks are so old they’ve darkened in color. The house accents such as the window trims, porch overhang, and columns are copper, and the hipped roof has brown tiles that look like fish scales. Beside the porch, the bay windows from both stories stack on top of each other, and above the porch roof is the dormer that’s a part of your bedroom.

Gods, you’re yearning to be in your room. You just want to pull out your Murphy bed from the wall and bury yourself in your sheets. The idea of being in bed puts a pep in your step, and you are careful to avoid the salt ring that surrounds your house.

A butterfly passes by your face, flying to the bunchberry bushes your father has planted in the front garden. Among the grass, there are various flowers and herbs that your father grows in the summer. You’ve inherited many things from your father, but his green thumb isn’t one of them. He takes his gardening seriously while you can barely keep the cacti in your room alive.

“Enjoy your meal! Come talk to us one of these days. We missed you two!” Janie shouts after you as you make your way up the stairs. You turn around, Atticus smiling at them.

“We missed you, girls, too,” he says as if he didn’t want to admit it. Janie squeals something about how handsome his smile is, and you scoff, amused as you grab the doorknob.

Once you push the door open, you're hit with a rush of deja vu. The history channel plays faintly in the next room as you take in the home you’ve missed dearly.

There are two bookshelves against the wall on your right, a wide ledge with pillows under the bay windows. A messy coffee table filled with letters and stacked with books sits in front of the comfy reading nook, letting you know that your father was recently hanging out there.

There is a brown mahogany staircase that ascends upstairs to your left, and right beside it is the altar for your mother. A statue of her rests in the middle of the rectangle table covered in a black table cloth. On top of it lies the many offerings for your mom. Herb-dressed candles burn beside bowls of fruit, bouquets, a crystal enamel wine glass filled with alcohol, feathers, and other things. You ignore the altar as you put down your stuff beside the door, following Atticus as he takes off his shoes.

“Kids?” You hear your father call enthusiastically from beyond the foyer, and you persist forward into the entryway ahead of you.

“We’re home!” Atticus announces as he enters beside you. Ambrose barks making a beeline to the right and behind the kitchen counter. He jumps on your father with so much force he stumbles back.

“Gods! Why does he look even bigger?” Your father exclaims through a laugh, fixing the round glasses that threaten to slip off his nose as his other hand grips Ambrose’s paw. He yelps in surprise as Harvey's claws rest on top of his head, clinging to his hair to steady himself.

The warmth and smell of home fill your senses as you catch your dad’s gaze. “Well, come here! Are you going to hug your pops or what?”

You rush over with Atticus. Both of you hug your dad tightly on either side of him, and you smile as he presses a kiss on your temples. “I missed you guys so much!”

“We missed you too!” The smile on your face falters as he looks up, scanning the archway as if he was waiting for someone else. You shift, not ready to be faced with the question, and you peer around his body to look at the food on the stove behind him.

Your father notices your interest, and he chuckles. “Come on, let’s eat. You guys came right on time.”

You shuffle through the kitchen with Atticus, making your way to the rounded table at the end of the kitchen.

“Dad, what have you been up to?” Atticus asks teasingly, and your father perks up.

“I've done a lot of things to keep me busy. I volunteered to teach summer classes while you were gone. I’m reading this book with a fascinating perspective of the shift from Paganism to Christianity in Rome. It’s an amazing read; I highly recommend it. Though, I don’t quite agree with it.” Your father hums thoughtfully. “Oh! And I bought gnomes for our garden! And the thrift store had this little house and this old lady figurine! I put it on the porch. I don’t know if you’ve seen it, but she’s the official guard of the door," he declares proudly. "And…” He twists and turns before heading to the bookshelves in the living room area. He grabs something from the shelf then he showcases a cartoon Dobby bobblehead with wide arms. A high-pitched cackle leaves his lips. “It completes our collection!”

“Woah! Where did you get it? We went to three different places for it, and we couldn’t find it.” Atticus matches your father’s excitement, and you snort at the two.

“I went to a mythology convention in Boston a few weeks ago. There was a game stop across the street from the center, and I thought, ‘why not?’ I went in, and I saw this little guy by the register.” Your father is giddy as he nudges the head and watches it jiggle in his hands.

You think of what your grandmother’s reaction would be if she saw all the things he bought on his trip to the thrift store. She’d definitely complain. She always said that even growing up, your father had a liking for knickknacks. On your shelves and counters, there are always little trinkets lying around. It even extends to the walls, a variety of paintings and diagrams are neatly hung beside each other. From the state of your house, it’s clear your father is a maximalist in its purest definition.

“Wow! That’s awesome!” Atticus reaches out his hand for it as your father brings over his entire collection of Harry Potter bobbleheads, the toys huddled in his chest before he places them on the dining table. “The whole gang can hang out with us for dinner.”

“I hope they like pasta,” Atticus comments, lining them up as your dad retrieves the pan of food.

Your stomach grumbles at the sight, and you’re quick to serve yourself as Atticus and your Dad talk about anything and everything. You guys discuss what your grandmother has been up to, how your father’s classes were going, which led your father to ramble so much he formed a tangent on top of another. The conversation was going so well that you were sure he wouldn’t ask about your summer, but you had assumed too soon.

“So enough about me! How was Camp?” Your father chirps, and you shift in your seat.

You smile with confidence to hide the wariness you felt. “It was great!” You figured if you keep your answer short, you could move past it quickly.

“Yeah, the usual. Fun as always,” Atticus adds.

Your father’s eyes flicker between the two of you, and the first thing he notices is the way your smiles don’t reach the rest of your face.

The clanging of metal utensils on glass plates fills the room as the both of you fixate on your food but neither take a bite. The camp was never a touchy subject. The sudden unwillingness to speak about it makes his eyebrow cock up in suspicion. His eye averts to the empty dining chair beside you and the dinner place settings that remained untouched. Alabaster was supposed to join your return home. At least, that’s what he had assumed.

“Did Alabaster decide to stay at his foster home?” There’s caution in his tone, and he’s taken aback at how both you and Atticus tense up. The clings of metal halt abruptly, and slowly, you move to glance at your father.

“Dad, something happened at camp this summer.” Now, it was your turn to have a tone laced with caution. Alabaster lived with you for months and quickly became a part of the family. Your father saw him as his second son, and you were afraid to break the news that he may never see him again.

“What happened? Did he get into trouble?” You frown at the sudden edge in his voice. Atticus shifts beside you,

“He took the others to go fight for the Titan Lord.”

“What?”

“Mother came to speak to him and told him that it was best to fight for the other side since their chances are better,” you say slowly. “They left at the end of July. Only Atticus, Lou Ellen, and I stayed at camp.”

Your father’s expression darkens, grief written all over his face. “And you haven’t seen them since?”

You shake your head, not wanting to delve into the details. “I don’t think we’ll be seeing them again in a while and not in the best circumstances.” Your father nods, understanding the implication in your words. “Mother promised that she’d take care of them if they fight for the other side. I didn’t want to go; it wasn’t right.”

“That must be why everything is rotting,” your father mutters more to himself. You furrow your eyebrows.

“Rotting? What’s rotting?”

“Our offerings to your mother,” he clarifies. “All the fruit I leave on her altar goes bad in a few days. The flowers wither quickly too. The garden, in general, hasn’t been doing well either. I didn’t understand why.”

Your focus returns to your plate. Suddenly, you weren’t that hungry anymore.

She must be angry, you think to yourself. A part of you wanted a sign from her to let you know if she was bothered you didn’t join. When the sign didn’t come, you assumed she didn’t care; that, in a way, you were dead to her. It didn’t dawn on you to ask how the altar or the garden your father dedicated to her was doing.

“Can I be excused?” You strain, your face a little hot, and you’re not sure if it was from your anger or from the tears you’re blinking away.

“Of course.” The warm smile on your father’s face fails to budge the dread you’re feeling. “You can be excused as well, Atticus.”

You miss the way your father and Atticus exchange looks as you stood up. There wasn’t a verbal agreement, but Atticus stands up tall, determined to make you feel better. He trails behind you, and suddenly, he slings his arm across your shoulders. “You know what’s one of the things I missed at camp?”

“What?” You ask, trying to ignore the heavy feeling in your chest.

“Beating you at Tekken,” Atticus teases. Your lips curve slightly; his playful nature manages to brighten up your mood a little bit. “Let’s play. I’ll go easy on you, but I’m sure you’ll still lose regardless.”

“You’re on,” you nudge him, and Atticus chuckles, walking ahead of you and up the stairs. Your hand grips the railing, and you walk up a few steps before halting, and your eyes find the front door.

“You don’t get it!”

“I don’t.” You shrugged, amused at the way Atticus’s eyebrows knitted in disbelief. He ignored you, grabbed the remote, and played the Star Wars movie again. You groaned, seeing the slanted letters move up the TV screen. “Atticus! I can’t watch this!”

“Why not?!”

“Well, first off, my dyslexia won’t let me read that quickly, and if a physically written prologue is needed before a movie… it’s not a good movie!”

“How dare you!” You threw your head back as a laugh bubbled in your throat. The exasperated look on his face was too funny. You had no desire to watch these movies, and you figured if you bothered him enough, he’d give up trying to show them to you. The shrug of your shoulders made him scoff. “Just watch it!”

A huff left your lips, and unwillingly, you returned your gaze to the screen. Suddenly, a hollow knock came from the front door.

“It’s late,” you said, but Atticus was too caught up in the beginning battle of the movie to pay any mind to you. Rarely did you get visitors, definitely not past midnight on a Friday. Cautiously, you rose from the couch and moved toward the door.

Rain erratically hit against your curtain-covered windows; the wind and cold made the walls around you creak as they adjusted. Whatever waited for you at the door, you just wished it was a person, not a weird ghost or monster. Your finger latched on the side of the curtain, allowing you to peek through the glass of your front door.

A gasp left your lips. Alabaster, soaked from the ruthless rain outside, was the last person you expected to see. But even though you didn’t expect him, you had an inkling as to why he was here.

Hastily, you unlocked the door and flung it open. “Al?” You sputtered; his green orbs were surrounded by tired eyes and puffy skin.

“He died this morning,” he strained. Your expression softened, and before you could say anything, Alabaster stepped forward and hugged your shoulders tightly. The raggedness of his breath, the shutter of his body, sent your chest a weight of sorrow. You couldn’t imagine being in his shoes and losing your father to a long battle with cancer at 14. Tears threatened to spill from your eyes; the person you looked up to the most was breaking down. You never thought he would need your help for anything, but it seems that you were wrong. “I’m sorry. You guys live the closest to me, and I didn’t know where to go-”

“It’s okay,” you interrupted. “Oh, Al, I’m so sorry,” your voice cracked, hands rubbed his back as a sob left his lips. A creak of a floorboard caught your attention, and you turned to see a confused Atticus emerging from the living room. With a sad look, he understood what happened, and soon his expression was mimicking yours.

“I’ll wake dad and get clothes,” he said, then rushed upstairs.

Your father didn’t even hesitate to help Alabaster, opening the doors of your house to him. In his greatest time of need, the three of you stood beside him, and overnight, he had a place in your home and in your heart. The three of you spent so much time playing video games, getting into trouble around town, learning magic. All the good times you and Atticus shared with him, were they really worth throwing away to fight with Kronos? You realize now that his departure was never only a betrayal to the camp but to you, Atticus, and your father, and you couldn’t help but think perhaps, you guys didn’t mean as much to him as he meant to you.

A shaky sigh leaves your mouth at the thoughts persistent to ruin your mood. The desire to leave camp was to avoid all the things that reminded you of your siblings, but now that you returned home, you realize that running away isn’t as easy as you thought.

masterlist taglist: @xxyrr @nct127bee @mochabreezeee @minamisulemisa @yanfeisluvr @Slytherclaw-kitten @zhethugisa @-thatgirloverthere- @sanovr @passionswift @nanskidoodle @idk-bye-no @ilvermornyidiot @all-hailreyna @blackpopcorn @autmngirlworld @sunkissedskin1328 @Hermioneswifeee @quteez @hajigayy @aleksanderwh0r3 @drayshadow @tonyedwardstarkk @londoncherry @ashookykooky @lotusnegra666 @loverstyless @t0xicmuse @ohmydamgods @jordannfields @tomriddles-wh0re @chasingpj @pixietilly1924 @amy-writes-blog @muted-mayham @shawkneecaps @cbmelody @dreamerball @earthtokace @thehighladyofday @theverydramaticcabbage @lala-llama123 @tootsdoll @slytherindaughterofposeidon0 @black-rose-29 @somekidnamedkai @possiblylostchasecousin @silver-gemini @vodkavanity @hamdehlesmis @shadowsndaisies @cami05sworld @does-anyone-hear-me @scarlets-widow

if your username is bolded that means i can’t tag you ! you probably have your visibility settings on!

[lesbianjoannaharvelle]

Charlie and Jo moving in together, sharing a little apartment with Charlie’s nerd memorabilia and Jo’s knife collection; Jo making breakfast and Charlie infodumping on her about the newest game releases and comics and Jo is listening while smiling at her fondly; Charlie always feeling safe when she is with Jo; them going to gay bars and community centers and Jo being awkward with other people at first while Charlie is a social butterfly; them regularly going to the Roadhouse to see Ellen and Ash - with whom Charlie naturally bonds because of their hacker skills; them being lesbians and in love <3

[lacktastrophe]

Do you read or follow other comics beside BCB? – If so, do you have recommendations?

Ah, gonna have to think long and hard about this one.

I used to have a bookmark folder full of comics I'd open every morning and check the ones that updated, but most of those are dead in the water these days. I feel like my interests in comics fell off the side of the planet when Covid started hitting, so I haven't done as much comic reading or comic searching these days to replace the ones I've dropped.

My tastes seem to go in a lot of different directions, unfortunately of these titles, BCB is the only one like it in the ones I do read. I'm still reading through some other ones I've been meaning to get into and can't really easily advocate for them. The ones I do recommend though in no particular order:

Parisa - Stars two characters helping an amnesiac spirit who's dropped in on them through their world, what was to be an easy job turned into a journey. If you have any interest in Sonic and/or Klonoa then you'll fit at home. Ellen is an acquaintance I've known through a number of websites.

Death-Head's deal - I'd been following an artist who had recently started their hand at a comic and uploading onto webtoons this year. Follows a mute character in a legal mafia involved with some illegal dealings at the right price. Pleased with the writing. Hoping it goes places.

Sleepless Domain - Needing to catch up on this myself but think Magical Girl School.

Blastwave comic - Pretty good, remember reading this when I was in highschool, that being said it hasn't updated much since highschool either. The art is good, the comedy has its moments.

Belzebubs - Not exactly a webcomic and is meant to be the book but the author's tumblr often updates individual pages. Deathmetal family cross modern day Addam's Family. There are some pretty good strips here and there. Be forewarned some strips get particularly horny so...

Shag and Scoob - Haven't honestly read this in a year and due for a catch up but pretty sure this story goes off the planet eventually. If you're a fan of the old Cartoon network/Hanna Barbera stuff then this is pleasant.

Witch Hunter/Buster - By Jung-man Cho, can't link to this one specifically. Amazingly good story but my only gripe about it personally is the story takes a huge hiatus from the main characters for some of the volumes? A character part of a larger organisation at war with witches has ties to his enemies.

Kemono Jihen - By Aimoto Shou. Pretty good manga if you're into a combination of shonen, mystery and the occult. Deals with a detective who investigates into the occult and takes a boy in from a nearby village who has a particular affliction.

Senpai ga Uzai Kouhai no Hanashi/ 'My Senpai is annoying' - Shiro Manta, Read this while it was a 4koma. Very cute story of a short office girl who starts falling in love with her office senior.

Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru/'Even so, Ayumu draws closer to the endgame' - Soichiro yamamoto. Done by the same person who created Teasing Master Takagi-san, this story takes place in the same universe and same school however centers around the club president of the shogi club and it's only member who has a crush on her, but won't admit it until he beats her in shogi. Personally, I'd rate it a far better story because I'm not a huge fan of the 'in your face' aspect of Takagi.

Isekai Ojisan/'Uncle from another world' by Hotondo Shindeiru, probably the only isekai manga I'd advertise. Stars a hopeless character who wakes from a coma they entered towards the later end of the 90's but was really teleported into another world, now having to re-adjust to modern day Japan. Pretty good but if you don't like to cringe every so often, you're not gonna like it.

Do let me know what comics you'd recommend.

[thejazzywaffles]

Decided to try and put most of the stuff from above into a speculative timeline of sorts, an attempt to make a roadmap of where EGS is going over the next several years. Also, I added some stuff possibly implied in Parable, which I accidentally skipped when rereading NP.

THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE WEDDING (MAY to JULY)

Pandora needs to reveal herself, likely to Sarah, and either fulfill or begin to fulfill her vow. The most likely timing of this is before Edward and Lavender's wedding in July (<2 months left). Pandora also needs to reconnect with Tedd, Adrian, Susan, Diane, and Noah.

Adrian also needs to be present in Moperville before Diane goes to college so that she can explain things to her adoptive parents. For Adrian to be in Moperville, the situation with Magus needs to be wrapped up. For this to be the case, Kaoli needs to have finally made contact with Ellen so they can try to send Magus home, likely in the final "Sister" arc.

Adrian, Susan, Diane, Pandora, Nanase, and Nanase's family are likely to be on Edward's guest list once the wedding happens. If Nanase's mom is there, it's possible that the kids will finally find out that she knows about magic. And, more importantly, her sister is Noriko, possibly giving a vector for Noriko and Van to enter the story and cause some pre-wedding drama while giving Tedd the opportunity to deal with some of their trauma.

Finally, since Lavender is an Uryuom, it's possible that, on accident or through the machinations of the recent trouble-making trio of "First-Half" Uryuoms, the existence of Uryuoms may be revealed to the public to some degree around the time of the wedding. If it involves the trio, this may further the plot with Lord Tyrant Slayer and the First Half of our universe. Also, that one unicorn from Parable.

GOING TO COLLEGE (JULY to SEPTEMBER)

At some point during the summer, likely around August or September, Tedd will see their new lab for the first time, which is at Moperville University, the same place where the flow of magic's center will come to rest around that same period of time. Prior to attending college, Tedd needs to confront their father about their genderfluidity.

With everyone going to Moperville University, including some of the side characters like Adrian and Tensaided, some characters may become more relevant, such as Jay, Luke, Camdin, and Camdin's crew of Marked individuals. Since Camdin's group had a run-in with Catalina and Rhoda’s powers, it's possible they may have a hand in revealing that the two have magic to the main crew.

THE END-GAME (END OF COMIC?)

There may be a potential arc about the Dunkel parents and their strange level of chillness and competence. However, we know that the final arc will deal with the Master of Fire and Lord Tedd. Parable implied that an Evil Seer (Lord Tedd, or maybe Arthur) would want to sacrifice Grace (the Master of Fire), Rhoda, and Jay in some sort of power ritual. The exact details of Parable may differ greatly from the final arc.

Finished my re-read of @egscomics! Also the canon bits of EGS:NP, for how much that might matter. I also made notes about plot hooks for potential storylines. I've tried to group thoughts I had by how related I think they are. In no particular order...

The final arc will likely deal with Lord Tedd and the Master of Fire prophecy. Dan mentions, possibly jokingly, in one of his commentaries that he would likely be considering doing the Lord Tedd storyline around the time EGS is 30 years old (around 2032).

In an arc that will likely be called "Sister 4: The Final Chapter" - Abraham, Vladia, Adrian, and Agent Wolf are tracking Magus. Ellen has a plan to help Magus get back to his universe as soon as Kaoli finally shows up. The significance of the Dragon Scale from the Dewitchery Diamond may be involved in the storyline somehow.

Uryuoms have access to magic now, and there is a trio of Uryuoms from the Other Half who snuck into Our Half. Lord Tyrant Slayer's schemes and whatever the deal is with those three needs to be dealt with. Also, Uryuoms existing has yet to be revealed to the public.

Van and Noriko are going to enter the story at some point, probably ending up in Moperville. Given the emphasis on Edward and Lavender's wedding guest list being "heavily lopsided" in favor of Lavender, it's possible that Lavender moving into the Verres Household (June) and marrying Edward (July) may coincide with Noriko and Van coming to Moperville, because of drama and irony.

Tedd will get to see his new lab at some point in Summer (June~August). Soon after (August~September), everyone will be going to Moperville University, where the center of the flow of Magic will have relocated by then. Tedd needs to come out as genderfluid to his dad before leaving for college. Also, Mrs. Kitsune knowing about magic may have to be revealed before college as well, possibly during the wedding mentioned in point #4. Related to the Lab is Tedd's goal of wanting to reveal Magic to the public once it's safe.

Pandora made a vow to Sarah before she did her refresh that she would help Sarah awaken, and would discuss the method of awakening with Sarah first to get her full consent. Her refreshed self has not yet reappeared in the narrative and may reappear before Edward and Lavender's wedding so she can help fill out Edward's less-than-full half of the guest list. Also, refreshed Pandora may have been the one to save Diane at the end of "Brother".

One of the commentaries mentioned a potential late-game arc about why the Dunkel parents are so chill and competent. It's possible Dan wasn't fully serious about it, but it's in the cards.

Catalina, Rhoda, Liz, and Diane have yet to go on their double date that was mentioned back in "The Legend of Diane." Catalina and Rhoda's powers may be revealed on accident, and Diane will possibly let slip stuff SHE'S aware of, leading to Catalina and Rhoda finally being let in on the bigger picture and no longer isolated.

Sam & Sarah's relationship needs to develop a little more, and Sam needs to be introduced to the rest of the group so he's not kept in the dark.

Jay, Luke, Camdin, et al are all going to be at Moperville University when the main group goes there in autumn. It's possible that they'll be relevant to the story then.

Hanma hasn't really appeared in any notable canon capacity aside from a single panel, for what that's worth.

...I think that's everything from my notes, organized as best as I can.

[cinaed]

March 2022 Monthly Media

* = Rewatch/reread

Anime/Cartoons

Amphibia 3.09-3.11

Bob's Burgers 12.12-12.15

The Owl House 2.11-2.12

Books

What's Your Pronoun? Beyond He & She by Dennis Baron

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Devil House by John Darnielle

Fireheart Tiger by Aliette De Bodard

The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish

Passing Strange by Ellen Klages

Pahua and the Soul Stealer by Lori M. Lee

The Family That Couldn't Sleep: A Medical Mystery by D.T. Max

Homerooms & Hall Passes by Tom O'Donnell

On Basilisk Station by David Weber 

The Honor of the Queen by David Weber

The Short Victorious War by David Weber

Comics/Manga

The Secret to Superhuman Strength by Alison Bechdel

One Piece Volumes 10-12 by Eiichiro Oda

The Four of Them (ongoing webcomic)

Oglaf (ongoing webcomic)

Order of the Stick (ongoing webcomic)

Paranatural (ongoing webcomic)

Wilde Life (ongoing webcomic)

Movies

 Elvria: Mistress of the Dark (1988) 

Ladyhawke (1985)

Turning Red (2022)

Podcasts

Dungeons and Daddies

Not Another D&D Podcast

Theater/Concerts

Firebringer (Starkid YouTube)

Jesus Christ Superstar (Kennedy Center)

Mitski (Anthem)

Starship (Starkid YouTube)

Trail to Oregon (Starkid YouTube)

Twisted (Starkid YouTube)

TV Shows/Web Series

Abbott Elementary 1.10-1.11

Call Me Kat 2.09-2.12

Critical Role 3.14-3.18

Dimension 20: Starstruck Odyssey 8-12

The Endgame 1.01-1.04

Ghosts CBS 1.01-1.15

Is It Cake? 1.01-1.08

Next Level Chef 1.11

Our Flag Means Death 1.01-1.10

The Untamed 23-24

[theshmeepking]

A friend and I recently decided to watch the entirety of Arthur now that it’s officially over, and now that we’ve finished the first (and longest) season I feel the need to point out some things we noticed:

Bullying is a serious problem at Elwood Elementary. These kids literally bully each other over the stupidest shit every single episode.

Mr. Ratburn has always been gay coded, actually.

Also they really like pretending that he’s a bad teacher? Even though they also keep proving that he’s actually the best at his job???

Buster is neurodivergent. My god is that rabbit boy neurodivergent. No wonder he was always my favorite.

D.W. is an annoying brat but she also gets the best lines in the entire show. Like it’s not even a competition.

Arthur is kind of a narcissist? Like, D.W. will do something that is perfectly normal for her age and Arthur will think he’ll get bullied for it for some reason.

Muffy and Francine’s friendship is one of the most toxic things I’ve ever seen in a kids’ cartoon, honestly.

Mr. Ratburn and Francine’s dad are literally the only good adult figures in the show so far.

The show’s timeline is all out of whack. Like yeah there’s tons of flashbacks and stuff like that but I mean sometimes the characters will forget things they learned about the literal episode before.

It’s weird how fondly and vividly I remember Mrs. McGrady considering there’s an episode where she accidentally puts quarters in the brownies and nearly kills several children.

There’s another episode that’s probably about not being gullible or falling for scams or something like that but we honest to god read it as a cult allegory. Like the entire cast centers their lives around this fortune teller that seems to accurately predict the future and only stop listening to it when it tells them they can.

Prunella’s sister is clearly supposed to be a hippie who’s into the occult or something like that but like. She is actively spreading misinformation and harming the children of Elwood in the process. Same goes for Prunella.

Arthur’s actually always been a pretty artistic kid! I don’t know why we thought that was something they pulled out of their asses for the last episode.

Buster will refer to himself and other characters as human but also comments on the fact that he has fur. I am unsure what to do with this information.

Apparently Mr. Ratburn and Arthur’s dad went to school together and were on the same football team. Like, I was only saying that they fucked as a joke, I didn’t think it was actually a genuine possibility.

Arthur and D.W. are (or I guess were) both played by boys named Michael.

D.W. has exclusively been played by young boys, apparently.

George does not get a speaking role until near the end of season 3 but we’ve already made a game of pointing him out whenever he’s on screen. This isn’t an actual observation at all I just wanted to mention it.

Ice cream gives Muffy nightmares? That’s a thing that happens???

Sue Ellen can and will kick ass and I love her for it.

There’s also a great segment in the first episode centered around her where the cast are all sharing rumors they heard about her and one of them deadass thinks she used to be a master thief who has successfully stolen several paintings from the Louvre. I know this is definitely not canon but I am choosing to believe it is anyway.

D.W. gets a pet bird named Spanky who is almost immediately killed off.

I know this is probably common Arthur knowledge but Binky being a big, intimidating bully who’s really just a massive softie putting on an act is actually great and I genuinely adore watching him slowly make friends with the rest of the cast. Buster may be my favorite but Binky is definitely the most interesting.

There’s an episode where Arthur, Francine, and Buster draw a comic about ancient Rome for a class presentation that I distinctly remember watching in class in high school. They do in fact mention Julius Caesar’s assassination, and ironically we did in fact watch this episode on the Ides of March.

Literally every character D.W.’s age is awful, including D.W.

Apparently nobody checks to see if everyone’s left the library before locking it up at night because Arthur and Francine get trapped there at some point.

The realization that every single child on the show is a fully grown adult now.

Arthur, Binky, and Sue Ellen are all actually really good musicians!

D.W. has an entire character arc while she is lost in the mall. For five minutes.

I don’t know if this was like, a revolutionary concept at the time, but I really like how unapologetically pro sanitation and/or blue collar worker the end of season one is! Seeing kids be proud of their parents who are garbage collectors or plumbers makes me really happy!

It’s pretty minor (because you know, this is season one of 25) but there’s some actual character development! Like, Binky and the Brain both slowly work their way into Arthur’s friend group! And Binky also starts standing up for his younger classmates when his older friends try to bully them! Arthur starts acting ever so slightly nicer towards D.W.! Muffy slowly starts showing genuine empathy towards her less fortunate friends! The kids learn to appreciate their teacher! It’s really sweet!

The season ends with a cute little New Year’s episode where Arthur is trying to find ways to stay up until midnight. His friends tell him about their traditions and why they think they participate in them (like Francine thinking it’s illegal to keep old calendars after New Year’s because the first thing her family does is throw them out, for example) and it ends with Arthur reminiscing about all the memories he made with his friends the past year/season. Yeah it’s cheesy but it’s honestly a pretty satisfying end, especially when you’re watching the series in order.

There’s definitely more I could go into, but I fear I might repeat myself and this post is long enough as is.

Go rewatch Arthur.