#clearly that has influenced my current art of him...

[sweet-rabbit]

it's late, but i got this GW anthology doujin yesterday and i've been overworked and underpaid and unable to draw or relax for the past two weeks until tonight and i have been REVIVED as i'm 90% sure this a two page comic of trowa thinking he's drinking quatre's used bath water only to find out it's duo's and proceeding to vomit

i am a simple thing with simple needs that have been thoroughly met

[oldmanjenkins985]

So, I wanted to talk about something since MD Twitter in particular seems to be having some issues with a current trend in the MD fandom. That being the Panic AU by @candyasbestos (apologies in advance for the ping, just felt like maybe you'd wanna see this)

So I'd like to start right off the bat by saying anyone who is uncomfortable with this AU is completely reasonable for being that way. It's more so that uncomfortableness leading to disdain for the AU that I wanna talk about.

So, I'm a horror fan. I watch plenty of things on horror movies and play plenty of horror games. And what exactly does horror media try and do? Make the player horrified and uncomfortable. Seeing grotesque imagery which may make you wanna vomit. One of the games that comes to mind for something that's definitely meant to make people uncomfortable and not just scared is Fear & Hunger. It's a game with incredibly uncomfortable imagery, sometimes due to gore and other times due to sexual themes. And it's perfectly reasonable for that to turn people off, yet I've never seen anyone have the kind of reaction to stuff like that compared to the reactions some people have had to the Panic AU

And that's the thing with the Panic AU, it makes *N* uncomfortable. Uncomfortable with himself due to Nyx's influence on him. That is the entire point of the AU it seems. And Nyx himself seems to be some kind of representation of mental illness (pretty standard horror trope, I know). I'm not an expert in the subject despite dealing with it quite a bit so I won't name any specific mental illnesses it could be, but it's clear to me Nyx is some kind of urge of N's.

I've made plenty of characters like Nyx for my original works that are also meant to be representations of mental illness. Voices that whisper to you to do terrible things, creatures that make you feel worthless and shut down, etc. I make these not only because I find them scary but also as reflections of my own experience with mental illness. And it's that first point again that makes me question people's reactions to it.

People have said "It's grossly out of character for N" and stuff like that which...honestly that makes me think they only saw the initial wave of art and don't really know how N feels about the whole situation. But the other thing is that so many AUs have intentionally mischaracterized N because of what the AU is. And I'm not talking just swap AUs, I've seen plenty where N's character is wildly different because of the circumstances of the AU. And I see the Panic AU no different.

I also saw another comment of someone saying "We shouldn't normalize behavior like this" and again, I question whether the person has actually researched the thing they're talking about. Nyx, the thing that makes everyone uncomfortable, is very clearly the *villain* of the AU. He killed Uzi, he wants N to kill Thad, he's a horrid little creature. Are villains not meant to do things we disdain? Murder, torture, etc. It's prefectly understandable these things would make people uncomfortable, but isn't that what many villains do? There's plenty of media with torture scenes in them which make people uncomfortable, but that's the point! Hell, some kid shows have torture scenes. What about the Lich's design from Adventure Time? He's a rotting corpse! In a kid show! His design is clearly meant to make the viewer uncomfortable.

So again, while I don't think anyone is in the wrong for being uncomfortable due to the AU, I think many of the criticisms are unfair. A piece of media which is specifically designed to make people uncomfortable should not be criticized for that very reason. Avoid it all you want, that's completely reasonable! Never feel like your reasons for being uncomfortable are unwarrented. But I'm just saying that if you were to critique Silent Hill because it's themes of mental illness and character depictions made you uncomfortable, and that was a *negative*, it just seems a little weird to me.

This is all just my opinion, obviously I'm not THE definitive person on the matter. And I'm not saying anyone who has the AU blocked or anything should check it out. I'm just saying, many people seem to be judging it unfairly.

[goingbuggy]

thank you, you’re the best. I will keep it short.

I wrote this to someone because I disagree with shuggy being great story in canon. But I thought longer and it turned out into more thoughts. First I do enjoy shuggy. I like them more as brothers and I like crocbug more. But I do like shuggy art sometimes.

Most of the story of shuggy is buggy being constantly angry at shanks. Every scene is just him being bitter, while shanks is chill. He’s angry because he’s not like shanks and blames himself for it. But shanks can’t help with that. It’s not abusive but you know how some DC fan are saying how joker is not harley LI but her origin story? I think it’s shuggy. Shanks is buggy begging. The have this bond but it’s over and not useful. What is left is buggy obsession which has to end. It’s without shanks reaction.

And both of those characters have more interesting and impactful relationships with other characters around them. Mostly shanks. He has people around him that are not jealous of him and are EQUAL. And buggy been replaced I think on purpose. Benn Beckman is there to be this close support that buggy could never be. Mihawk is rival, like buggy was in younger years but he’s meaningful to challenge shanks with respect and push him forward. Both of them make shanks better and fill those roles buggy couldn’t.

Buggy is just starting his bonds. He now has cross guild. And we know they’re gonna be for buggy in the future.

What do you think? I read OP many times and I think it does make sense and that is how the story will go. But you can call me out if you disagree. I respect you.

Woah, this is a long one! I just want to say, firstly, that you are entitled to your interpretations of Shanks and Buggy's relationship. However, I think you are going about this in a strange way. A bond is not measured by its usefulness, and claiming that Buggy has been "replaced" shows that you are viewing their dynamic from a distanced, almost utilitarian perspective; this isn't wrong, per se, but you are talking about characters who are meant to be people. And most people are irrational, emotional creatures who don't view their friendships as something profitable or disadvantageous. Buggy cannot be replaced by anyone, because Buggy is not a role to be filled in Shanks' life. Buggy was always just Buggy to Shanks. They were not friends because they only saw each other as useful. I think their interactions during the Wano flashback show that pretty clearly.

To address your point about Shanks and Buggy not being equals, though, I think this is a topic Oda has intentionally laid out, as it directly relates to Buggy's narrative. Buggy is someone who yearns to be seen as an equal -- just look at his reaction in Marineford when Whitebeard addresses him. (The blush is so cute, lmao.)

Buggy's insecurities are also the reason I believe he chose not to follow Shanks; my post here elaborates, but to sum it up neatly, Buggy immediately assumed he'd be working "under" Shanks, when Shanks only asked for Buggy to stay by his side. I truly think Shanks has always viewed Buggy as his equal -- it's just a matter of Buggy realizing that.

At this point in the story, they are more balanced than ever: both emperors with massive influence, albeit in different ways. As Buggy says himself, they are "on equal footing again." So, when you say their relationship has been unequal in parts, I don't disagree -- but that's not a flaw. That's intentional. It's an explicit aspect of the way their dynamic is written. It's a major source of their miscommunication.

Cross Guild is also currently a relationship in Buggy's life, but we don't exactly know where it's going. I would absolutely love it if Mihawk and Crocodile began to believe in Buggy and support him -- mostly because it would be hilarious -- but as of now, it is nowhere near a genuine bond. It is strictly business, and ironically, deeply unequal in terms of power dynamics. Buggy has only flipped the script on them recently, starting in chapter 1082, so we have to wait and see how that progresses.

At the end of the day, it's your opinion -- you can view Buggy's relationship with Shanks as uninteresting, and that's totally fine! But the lens with which you view their dynamic could use some adjusting. Your complaints stem from personal tastes, not fundamental problems with Shanks and Buggy's narrative.

[itsmaferart]

SPY x FAMILY x CHAIR Vol 10 - 11- 12

Continuing with this series of analysis of the covers:

SxF . Vol 10 - Redacted

Unlike all the covers so far, cover 10 is the only one that does not show us a chair, but instead introduces us to [Redacted]. So we can give a little deeper analysis.

We can highlight that behind [Redacted] we can clearly see the rubble of a house of which there is absolutely nothing left, a soldier's helmet with scratches and cracks, the toy gun and a radio that apparently announced the war and the look of a child who has lost all happiness in his life and now must learn to survive with no one to take care of him.

I think it goes without saying that this is the saddest cover of the whole collection so far. But we can talk about the influence of [Redacted] on the current story.

In previous reviews I have talked about how [Redacted] is the basis for the existence of Twilight, the great spy of Westalis, the metaphorical death of this child who has lost his parents and his friends due to the conflicts of his country, and who later, blinded by hatred, would want to destroy his apparent enemies, to finally learn the hard lesson from his father of always longing for peace above all else.

From my perspective the tragedy of [Redacted] is the basis of Twilight, it's why the spy fighting for peace exists, but more importantly, it's what allows Twilight to not be entirely a living weapon serving a specific side. And while Twilight you made remembering her past "Self" is weakness, it is also who reminds her of what is truly important.

And it is [Redacted] who gives authenticity to Loid Forger, who reminds him that in the past he could experience happiness, his more vulnerable and sweet side, a child who could easily cry and wished to be in his mother's arms every night. Someone who just wished for a little love. Redacted] may never come back, but it is because of him that Twilight and Loid Forger are genuine and real.

This is a good time to dry your tears! 😭 

SxF . Vol 11 - Emile and Ewen - Hill House Chair

The Hill House Chair was designed by Scottish architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh in 1902 for the Hill House residence in Helensburgh, Scotland. The design has a strong Japanese influence, which Mackintosh incorporated into his work after being exposed to Japanese aesthetics during the Glasgow International Art Exhibition.

The chair is in Mackintosh's "Glasgow Style", which is characterized by straight, simple lines and shapes. The chair, along with the rest of the furniture, was designed to integrate with the architecture and décor of the building, resulting in a harmonious and balanced ensemble.

Both the Willow chair and Hill House Chair are designs by Mackintosh, which is characterized by simple lines, geometric shapes and a modernist sensibility that gives them a unique and recognizable look. In terms of style and architectural context, the chairs have important differences in terms of form and functionality. The Willow Chair is a low chair with a curved back and woven seat, while the Hill House Chair is a taller, slimmer chair with a rectangular back and upholstered seat.

Damian-sama!!

There are two very interesting details that I could highlight and the language of the objects with respect to the chair, and the characters. Unlike Damian, the proportion of the chairs with respect to both children is much more harmonious unlike Damian whose chair stands out easily and its size is huge with respect to his size, indicating that while Damian projects greatness, Emile and Ewen are the complementation, both stand out, but balance each other at the same time, and do not overshadow Damian-Sama!

It is very interesting, given that the chair selection reflects this bond of friends/followers. While the chairs have different contexts, while Willow Chiar's has a primary function, the Hill House has the function of complementing the decor. Pointing out how the personalities of Emile and Ewen is to complement Damian.

Like Becky, the reflection of each other's personality is evident, they are notorious and not hidden. While Ewen has a passion for space, astronauts and the stars; Emile is a lover of sweets and all kinds of junk food. However, in the middle of both of them there is an obvious bond for explorer adventures. Having his picture with Damian in the center, because their bond as friends is very genuine!

SxF . Vol 12 - Sylvia Sherwood - Diamond Chair

The Diamond Chair, also known as the Bertoia Chair, was created by sculptor and designer Harry Bertoia in 1952. It was originally designed for Knoll International and has become a symbol of 20th century industrial and avant-garde design.

Bertoia designed the chair because of his desire to explore new forms and techniques of furniture making. Inspiration came from his interest in experimenting with steel wires, which allowed him to create light and elegant structures.

The motive was to achieve a perfect combination of form and comfort, which would be attractive but also ergonomic and comfortable to use. The chair's curved steel wire frame allows for breathability and provides flexible support, adapting to the user's body. Its design is minimalist and timeless, as well as its versatility and ability to adapt to a variety of environments.

"Stop waiting for easy answers to fall into your lap, Rookie. Use that head of yours to find them for yourself"

Both Fullmetal Lady and Diamond Chair could be described as elegant, sophisticated and modern. In addition, the attention to detail and quality workmanship reflect a high-end personality and refinement that projects the experience Handler has in executing its work. At the same time, its comfort and ergonomics demonstrate a concern for the well-being and experience of the user, which makes it friendly and welcoming, one of the most human characteristics of Sylvia who, although she is a relentless woman, also knows how to relate to her humanity, and reminds her little spies that having a soft spot is part of them.

While the folders and surely confidential papers are shuffled and exposed, reminiscent of Handler's main role, we can see subtly hidden the family photograph that is pierced by the chair leg reflecting the rupture caused by the war of losing her husband and young daughter. For no matter the passage of time, it will always be something that will accompany her.

.

You can read the previous part here

[pjunicornart]

Papercut (Reclaimed)

I've decided to reclaim Papercut for the fandom! Here's the explanation.

Papercut (a Fell variant of Paperjam) was originally created by the person who created PJ's Daycare and NaJ. I'm not name dropping them because... I just don't want to. Anyway, the creator (if you know you know) is not a great person. I believe fandoms can reclaim characters from people who were less than role models. Now, a QnA under a cut:

Doesn't Paperjam already have a Fell variant? Yes. They already have a canon Fell and Swap variant if I'm remembering correctly. That being said, this is what I propose for Papercut: He's a completely original variant away from the Fell labeling. He's from a universe where he was named Papercut instead of Paperjam. Outside influences made him edgy instead of it just being his nature.

What did you change about Cut's design? For starters, I made his design less "rule of cool" and more practical. Admittedly some of the AU Sans designs I think are bad because they follow too heavily on the rule of cool. His outfit ties into his new story. Plus, if I'm going to draw him again, I want his design to be simple. Second, I desaturated the color palette, except for around his face. I kept the "hairstyle" Cut had, because I think it makes him stand out compared to other Sanses.

What's his lore? Currently I'm going for a troubled teen angle. Gets mixed up with the wrong crowds, been in and out of juvie, that type of thing. He's clearly hurting, but his environment and home life make it worse and hard for him to stabilize his life. Speaking of his home life, Ink and Error are NOT his parents... creators... people. They don't even exist in this AU. Instead, his parents are two completely different people who will NOT be classified as Sanses. These two people are one of the many reasons for Cut's rebellious persona.

What are some specific details about Cut? He's 17, a cis boy (amab), and pronouns he/him. Because he's been suspended and put into juvie a lot, his formal education is lacking. He can read and write just fine, but he won't be able to answer questions about history or sex ed. If his parents cared, they'd realize he needs serious help in this regard. But they only care about themselves and making sure he's out of the way. He's been arrested for minor crimes - Theft, vandalism, and misdemeanors. His vandalism is graffiti, of which he is quite skilled. His graffiti includes the usual stuff (tagging and such), but also political and artistic pieces. He thinks he's only into girls.

Does he have any powers? Yes, but he's not especially powerful or skilled with them. He can control paint fairly well since graffiti art has given him practice with it. He got this power from his mom. His other natural born ability is a blade only he can summon. This is something he inherited from his dad's side of the family. All the men on this side have their own unique blades. His is a dagger with a serrated blade for a ripping flesh effect. As for learned abilities: Teleportation (short distances), Healing (can't heal major wounds, but he can heal a bruise), and various stat boosters (attack, defense, and speed - minor changes). He's not particularly powerful because he hasn't taken the time to learn his abilities.

Will his story have anything to do with The Playground? We'll see. His story is still in the early stages of being fleshed out, so things are definitely subject to change. However, if he were to be in The Playground, he would become Playjam's third little brother.

Since he's technically not a Fell variant, could he be put into RNaJ? Yeah, he definitely could! He'd probably skip class and hang out alone. Maybe smoke a joint or two. Very confrontational and rude at first, but if you tolerated him enough he might open up a little. His vulnerability will be layered under tons of jokes, though.

Outfits, roleplay, and fan stuff? Outfits: I don't have any more at the moment, but if you wanna design some, be my guest. Roleplay: I'm down to roleplay as him, but you can also rp as him if you wish. I'm not gonna police you about it. Fan stuff: Everything is pretty loosey-goosey right now, sooo... go nuts.

Any more questions I didn't address can be sent to my ask box!

[grimmbitty]

Introduction to the Rock of Eternity~✨

This was my first time trying to make a drawing with a full background, a character, and shading and it took soOoOo long 😭 lmfao.

Anyways, this is my finished concept art for the train car that Billy gets off of once he’s magically transported to the Rock of Eternity. This version of the Rock of Eternity is a series of floating island that is in the middle of The Magic Realm.

This version of the Rock of Eternity is filled to the brim with jungle and rainforest nature and animals. That is how Tawny comes into the story. Tawny is a magical tiger who is the Wizard’s right-hand pet. They have a magical gemstone embedded in their head that grants them the power of telepathy, allowing them to communicate with others around them. They are not humanoid. They walk on four legs like a tiger and aren’t really fond of wearing human clothes.

I still have to draw the throne room for the champions, that’s where I want The Wizard and Tawny to spend most of their time. Working together as they divide up their time between recording/collecting ancient magic artifacts, resolving magic-related issues, and overall just trying to keep The Magic Realm safe. The Rock of Eternity is a protected hub of information and resources for anyone who is interested in learning about magic.

[ WRITING CONTINUES BELOW ⬇️ ✍️📝 ]

⚠️ Content warning: mentions of slavery in ancient Egypt, mentions of tyranny, clear portrayals of villainous intent, moral corruption etc.

It is a tireless job, that always has a constant flow of work to be completed. This also explains why The Wizard is looking for a champion of magic. He is looking for a pupil to train. Someone who will assist him protecting/saving the other realm. The Wizard sees The Mortal Realm as a mess that is in desperate need of assistance.

The Wizard decides to launch a project where he will expand his influence to The Mortal Realm in an attempt to solve all the problems he sees that plague the mortals of Earth. This project starts roughly about 5,000 years ago, when The Wizard believes he has found a worthy champion, Teth-Adam.

Teth-Adam proves to be a very powerful champion, who actively trains his newfound powers to help harness them to their full potential. He also becomes very involved in his studies of magic. Spending his early adulthood growing alongside The Wizard and Tawny as they eventually form a family-like connection. This joyful aspect of Adam’s life is in sharp contrast to his life in The Mortal Realm. Where he is a slave in ancient Egypt, being forced to help with the construction of the pyramids.

Eventually, Adam starts to corrupt. He returns to The Mortal Realm and begins to use his powers as a tyrant. He successfully frees the people of Egypt from their current enslavement however, instead of letting them roam free and begin to build their own lives, Adam has a different plan in mind. With his arrogance and ego afoot, he decides that he is the one true ruler of Egypt, and seizes complete control of the country.

Adam believes that he is the best possible person to rule over Egypt. He sees himself as a strong, competent leader. A pillar of strength who wants to optimize Egypt to it’s fullest potential. As his overt political power starts to corrupt him, Adam starts to micromanage the Egyptian people, turning the country into a complete and total dictatorship.

The Wizard sees this corruption that Adam is forcing over the people in Egypt and tries to talk some sense into him. Telling Adam that he did a good thing by freeing the people of Egypt however, in seizing complete control over the country he himself has become the one of tyrants he swore to destroy. Adam isn’t hearing any of it, he believes he is different from any previous leaders of Egypt because he has the country’s best interests at heart. Everything he has done in his rule has only improved the country, so he was clearly destined to be Egypt’s one true leader.

The Wizard then realizes that there is no getting through to Adam. They have a dramatic confrontation. The Wizard with a heavy heart, realizes that Adam has grown to be a very powerful advisory and is willing to fight for his rule over Egypt.

The Wizard eventually wins the battle however, doesn’t have the heart to kill Adam because they formed a very strong father/son relationship over the years as The Wizard was training Adam as his champion. As a last resort The Wizard decides to banish Adam to the furthest star in the galaxy. The Wizard reverses Adam’s influence over Egypt. He helps them to establish a proper democracy before returning to The Magic Realm to grieve over what he had to do to Adam, someone he saw as his own son.

The Wizard and Tawny mourn for many moons, causing the Wizard to put an indefinite pause on his project, leaving The Mortal Realm with no champion for the time being.

Fast forward about 5,000 years, The Wizard realizes in his old age, that he is growing weaker and weaker as the centuries pass. He ponders the idea of trying to find another Champion of Magic. Tawny tries to talk him out of it, reminding him of how poorly that went last time and saying there is no reason to want to do that again. The Wizard eventually changes Tawny’s mind once he reminds his fuzzy friend that once the Wizard is dead and gone, that Tawny will be unable to keep up with the responsibilities of the Rock of Eternity all by themselves.

The Wizard doesn’t really want to find a new champion, but he deems it necessary because he wants to make sure there is always enough people/resources to keep the balance of magic. He wants to personally train a mortal to eventually one day take over his duties, guiding them closely to make sure they are on the correct path. Hoping that now that he and Tawny are both wiser and older that they can find one pure, good soul to build into the perfect hero, and avoid repeating their old mistakes.

The Wizard and Tawny search for hundreds of years in an attempt to try and find a new Champion of Magic, but no one they bring to the Rock of Eternity seems to have a completely pure and good soul.

After years and years of tirelessly searching, they eventually stumble upon Billy Batson. Unfortunately Billy, like everyone who came before him, has imperfections and moments of human weakness that lead The Wizard and Tawny to initially discard him as a possible champion.

Then Billy questions their judgment, questioning them if there is such a thing as a “completely pure good person”, explaining that everyone has their flaws no matter how “good” they are. Suggesting that The Wizard and Tawny have been searching for so long because they’re looking for peoples flaws instead of their strengths.

This convinces The Wizard to change the conditions of his search. Deciding to comb over Billy’s mind again, but this time looking for the good within him instead of his flaws. The Wizard begins to see that Billy has a lot of moments that show him being a good kid and genuinely trying to help people, showing that Billy genuinely has a good heart.

The Wizard and Tawny mull over this decision and bicker amongst each other. They eventually decide that the Wizard has already burned thousands of years on this search so far, and they don’t know how much longer he has left to live as it is. Better to choose this kid who obviously has a good heart, and help mold him into a hero than to wait around for another thousand years, possibly having The Wizard die before he ever found a replacement.

And then, The Wizard decides to bestow the powers of Shazam to Billy Batson, making him the next Champion of Magic.

Very shortly after this decision is made, Adam returns to Earth. He has spent the last five thousand years traveling across the galaxy in an attempt to eventually make it back to Earth. He is very hurt by the Wizard’s decision to banish him to the furthest star in the galaxy and seeks to make amends.

However, when Adam finds out that The Wizard has chosen a new champion this sends him into a complete and utter rage. He sees this as The Wizard trying to replace him, both as a champion and as a son.

It’s a total slap in the face to Adam since he just spent the last 5,000 years traversing the cosmos to see The Wizard again. Adam sees it as a complete dismissal of the deep and meaningful familial connection they once shared to replace him with his new champion, Billy.

Adam knows that Billy is on the same path that he once was, being trained by The Wizard and Tawny to become the new Champion of Magic, and that they eventually plan to have him manage/protect The Rock of Eternity.

Adam resents the idea that he could ever be replaced and seeks to seize control over The Rock of Eternity. He plans to kill both The Wizard and his new champion to prove his superiority and “show them” that he was always destined to be the one true champion of magic.

His villainous behavior is not only motivated by his desire to have control, but also by his deep internal hurt of being replaced by Billy. Adam sees the terms “champion” and “son” as interchangeable. To him they mean the same thing, and Adam will stop at nothing to prove himself because deep down he wants The Wizard’s approval.

The Wizard and Tawny were the closest thing Adam ever had to a real family and after spending thousands of years trying to get back to them, he returns only to find he’s been replaced, and that is a pain he’s never felt before.

Adam doesn’t know how to cope with the feelings that erupt within him besides crushing all competition and once again using his tyrannical personality traits to try and prove his worth.

End. ⚡️

Wow that was a long one, lol. Anyways I hope you guys enjoyed. I know the writing of this post was a post about Black Adam’s origins rather than The Rock of Eternity, but I hope you enjoyed regardless.

As always let me know what you guys think. I’m always open to suggestions since I’m making my own version of Shazam anyways lol. ⚡️💕

[maedelin]

Negative Romys (bc I know there must be chill ones out there) @ Roguneto in Xmen 97: “NOOOOOO HOW COULD THE WRITERS DO THIS AND DESTROY ROGUE X REMY?! POOR GAMBIT!!!”

Me: *side-eying all of the Marvel material that clearly shows that Romy content severely outnumbering Roguneto content by a landslide and the same Roguneto content winding up being ruined anyway by later writers just because they can* “Ah, yes…poor Gambit…”

All jokes aside, I wonder if the Romys’ concern is that if Roguneto is positively received = somehow becoming canon in the comics later? Because I know Marvel (and DC) has a history of taking a few things that the movies/shows/ side comics have done that were well received by fans or were anticipated to be well received ahead of time by fans and sometimes the companies themselves and incorporating them into the comics later

(ex. X-23 from X-Men Evolution to actual comics, Tony Stark’s personality eventually just becoming Robert Downey Jr as a comic book character, Samuel Jackson!Nick Fury from Ultimate Marvel to MCU to secret son of original Nick Fury and goes by the same name, Magneto’s Helmet protecting him from telepathy in Xmen First Class Movie to comics, Comic!Rogue’s real first name being a combination of her movie self’s name and that actress’s first name, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver not being related to Magneto after all bc their movie selves weren’t, Gwen Stacy’s fun alternative existence as Spider-Gwen/Woman , Miles Morales’s (yay!) existence, Tom Hiddleston’s portrayal of Loki influencing the comic version of him to become a sad little meow meow, Age of Apocalypse’s version of Changling/Morph being brought into X-Men 97, etc)

, but if one truly counts all of the slight/significant changes Marvel Comics have made to the main timeline because of other material, it’s REALLY not a lot.

There’s no need for anyone who ships Romy (which I also ship in addition to Roguneto bc yay multishipping!) to feel threatened by potential romantic alternatives.

And just in case the romantic ships might be altered after all (not likely): if the Multiverse is a thing, maybe we consider it’s not the end of the world if the relationships in the X-Men animated universe is not 100% going to follow how they played out in the comics.

ALSO also, when all else fails, they can just develop their writing/art skills and make fix-it aus 😆

The chaotic neutral part of me actually kinda still hopes that enough people with get on board with Roguneto though so that the comics will see the enthusiasm for them and bring them back in the main universe and shake things up again or in one of the official alternate universes and give them the love and respect the pairing deserves 🤪

I really appreciate your comments. I suppose there could be concerns from the Romy contingent regarding this. Sadly, I think at this point corporate IP is too dedicated to keeping the status quo maintained as it is for the longest time.

I agree with you, I see her relationship with Magneto as brief trysts in the mainstream universe, and an occasional AU marriage reveal. I think that Rogue and Gambit will remain a couple in the mainstream universe despite this current twist in the '97 series. There's too much time and money spent into the material, merchandise, and story that's been built for Romy in reality across various media, and in the perception of people's memories which sometimes have a rosy nostalgic glow. It takes a lot to re-educate an audience and I don't see corporations having that time and patience.

Jean and Scott will always remain together. Meggan and Brian are a duo for all time. Sue and Reed Richards are going to stay married.

No matter what, the story will always return to that. In this reboot, I think it's to give Magneto an extra angle and further reason to stay at the mansion if you leave in doubt his and Rogue's activities on and off camera.

I think my biggest complaint is how there's a circling of the wagons around Rogue when anyone (but particularly Magneto) is interested in her. It frustrates me because I believe characters should experience a lot of different relationships. It builds for a more well rounded person in reality, and a better character in the story. But with Rogue, why isn't she allowed to have other romantic encounters? Why must there be a strange arguments about age, about experience? These are traumatized beautiful people with fancy abilities in a soap opera. With capes. (And occasional opera gloves)

In short, I believe that instead of one ship, a character deserves an armada. I agree, alternate universe pairings would be fun too!

I too enjoy drama and can't wait to see how the show plays out this romance.

[sang8262]

in a yapping mood, and i cant draw well, so here's some *gasp*, self insert-OC related ramblings?!?!?

the elevator pitch summary is:

A fledgling author and researcher who becomes unwittingly enthralled in JP's schemes after visiting Nayshall for a thesis project.

Forced to work for his NGO (and later Neo Shadaloo) as an advisor after showing promise with Psycho Power.

Wrestles with doing the right thing and opposing JP's influence, yet unable to abandon her deeper emotions towards him.

...with more deets below-

I don't even have a proper name for her yet, since I'm bad with that lmao. But I guess as a sorta self insert, they could be Millon.. for now?? Eh I'll figure it out later.

---

The impetus and circumstance for which she meets JP is that,

she's researching Nayshall's rapid devlopment, and the public health problems its facing as a nascent country. Particularly, how the visitors and participants of the Suval'Hal Martial Arts Tournament (SMAT) have access to the best doctors and emergency aid available... yet the greater local population lacking reliable access to affordable health care.

She has the chance to interview and speak with tournament organizer, Johann Petrovich, about the SMAT and current issues. She surprisingly finds him agreeable, polite, and level-headed. Realizing he has a lot of power as the country's policy advisor, she tries to convince him towards implementing healthcare policies that would allocate more resources for those who need it.

Her mistake is trusting JP as someone willing to aid the suffering, someone who wants things to be better for everyone. Once she does though, it's far too late to rid of his clutches on her.

---

I'm imagining she initially is on good terms with him. She respects his investment into developing the country, and even finds his NGO, Terra Network Partners (TNP) potentially a place to work at. Of course, this is before realizing the money laundering and his connections with Shadaloo.

I can see JP convincing her into relying on him and being complicit in his schemes by offering her a stable position within his NGO. Or funding her research and writing. Having the support and endorsement of someone his calibur would be a huge boon to her academic career afterall...

Then, maybe it's either from her own prying, or after a not-so-chance meeting with Kalima and the resistance, but she eventually realizes the kind of person JP is.

By then though, she's far too entangled with JP and his organization to cut ties and escape. In fact, she realizes that her discussions with him have been helping him make more predatory decisions.

---

In a heated revelation of the truth, he might use Psycho Power to fully subdue her: mostly with expectations that she'd not survive it, silencing any incriminating publication about him in the future. And because even if she didn't die, she would now be dependant on him as a mentor, to continue surviving the awful power forced upon her.

Turns out she has a lot of disdain and despair, enough to fuel and sustain Psycho Power. He's not fully interested in helping her per se, but decides she will do less potential harm if kept close under his watch. And so she struggles now, to find a way to escape Shadaloo and quell her bloodlust. But it's not an easy influence to overcome...

---

I mean, it's a self SHIP afterall, so I'm having it be like a development of:

-wow this guy is GREAT, i respect him a lot! he's so kind! we could work together to do a lot of good things :)

-wow nevermind, this guy SUCKS, i have to escape/ stop him!! >:(

-Psycho Power makes it very difficult to think clearly and all my worst emotions are amplified a ton! i am also forced to learn under JP, and work for him, and woah did he always look so handsome :0

Then throw in a healthy amount of manipulation and sweet talking on JP's behalf and poor self insert OC is doomed to tragedy.

---

Design wise, I have no idea!!!! I guess I would make them The Cooler Me, but right now I got nothing. I'll come back to it lmao

[brendanjharkin]

Tag meme- get to know you game: answer the questions and tag the people you want to get to know better

It has been insanely long since I've done one of these things, cheers for the tag @poorpoorpitifulme.

- last song you listened to

Gates of Heaven - The Mary Wallopers The start of this song can be deceptive, it's a light and cheerful tune as the lyrics centre around the dogmatic influence of Catholicism upon Ireland and the church positioning itself above the people. The latter half of the song gives its way to the rage that should be felt about the above and leads out on an incredible rendition of the Dawning of the Day (the musical air against which Raglan Road is famously set).

- currently reading

The Collected Poems of John Donne I barely take the time to read regularly these days but have been working my way back through this collection (since you can do so in small sessions). If you can get used to the language of a boyo born in the 1500s it's quite a thing to be able to sit and enjoy his work and feel that connection of understanding whilst you're 500 years in the future.

- currently watching Shogun: Greatly enjoying Protestant vs Catholic antics in the Sengoku period in Japan although the lead actor was quite clearly told "we were going to cast Tom Hardy but couldn't get him so act like Tom Hardy would've acted in this role". Dungeon Meshi: Extremely fun anime antics that usually end up giving me some kind of food craving for the rest of the week. Masters of the Air: This was supposed to be "Band of Brothers but with WW2 pilots" and instead it's "jesus that Unreal Engine screen has gotta be like 2ft away from yer man's head this looks like shit" Compartment No.6: Saw this a few years back in the QFT and it's been stuck in my head ever since. I'm not going to explain what it's about because frankly it's better going in blind. It is very good.

- currently obsessed with

I set a new years resolution to take up an "art school" course type thing to learn how to draw. Currently doing daily sessions of practicing fundamentals as part of a 2 year course, I am very shit at it but slowly and surely there are improvements and some things make more sense. Spending time on it is its own reward and with the current onslaught of generative AI and a general sense of human decline right now, I feel like immersing myself more in art is helping get back in touch with appreciating manifestations of goodness whilst we are subjected to daily news of a genocide nobody is permitted to interrupt, a Cold War revival and unstoppable environmental collapse. On that cheerful note: @sceneabomination @smallgamedev @northirish @bluevioletcat @gingerslicer Get ye to work or further chain-mail posts will get you in your sleep tonight

[tomwambsgans]

i think a lot in general, really, about greg's culturedness (and lack thereof) and his interests, both what he's canonically known to like and what i can imagine he'd like -- and, also, what the fandom has often seemed to just decide he likes. and it's funny bc he's kinda shoehorned into the trope of the bookish type, when like... he's not, lol?

not that he couldn't be, like i do like to imagine him having been a bookworm as a kid, and getting (back) into reading through tom, but imo the wider fandom's desire to actually characterize him this way comes at best from greg being really verbose and awkward. and a little bit from the way he occasionally dresses. and like, yeah, he clearly is kinda cultured. he (probably) went to college for a period of time. he knows a lot of fun facts. particularly about animals. he's familiar with the blue danube waltz.

...and he maintains likely performative knowledge of current events prior to that being his job. he almost certainly got/gets the majority of his news through twitter. he doesn't know any philosophers or historians despite that being something ewan has clearly been talking about forever. he listens to self-help podcasts. he enjoys the in-universe equivalent to shitty marvel movies (though he's at least self aware about it and calls them mediocre). and he's got entry-level art on the wall of his office.

he's also often figured to be a musichead - and yeah, i like the idea of midwest/canadian emo greg. death cab and weezer and records from the 70s, especially as a teenager. But the only music we know for a fact that he listens to is rap. and i think the reason that this (and similar) facts are touched on so little by the fandom (including myself, ngl) is that it's a point of non-relatability for people. so much of greg is deeply relatable, as well as aesthetically aspirational. but the bits that aren't relatable, particularly for tumblr users, are really unrelatable. acknowledging some of greg's few canonical interests (especially just working with how few there even are without inventing new ones) creates an image of a whole different and kinda uncomfortable type of guy. whether it's the fact alone that it's rap (which i'm sure is not a common interest among tumblr's userbase), or the specific discomfort of the vibe that greg gives off re: enjoying it, that has to be what's going on. or a big part of it.

also i obviously don't think there's anything wrong with headcanoning particular interests and just assuming that we barely have an opportunity to see them, but i do think it's noteworthy that in general we very rarely if ever hear greg make any cultural references, especially compared to other characters. my personal take on this is that a combination of 1) a pathological need to Fit In, 2) being a stoner for possibly all his formative years, 3) genuinely not having access to a lot for a while, and 4) putting focus mainly into conventional success for the show's timeline, has helped craft a greg who just did/does not interact with media very much or very deeply. unlike others, he has not been afforded that leisure time.

it's the desperation to convince ourselves that greg is not the Normie With Nothing Going On Upstairs that he sometimes seems like, i think, that mostly motivates all this. he's simultaneously too relatable and too unrelatable for the average viewer. like, when you relate to any of the sibs you're perfectly ready to ignore the parts of their life that are related to their wealth and to focus only on the family aspects, bc that's what matters. there isn't the same kind of wall between the audience and greg, so he inevitably gets reshaped. not just getting toploaded with headcanons but having the character traits that influence his canon interests, or vice versa, ignored.

(NOT trying to conflate liking rap with being uncultured btw, just the fact that we don't know of almost anything else he likes, and it appears so little anyway and doesn't seem in line with the rest of his aesthetic and therefore feels easy to ignore. and liking marvel movies DOES in fact make you seem less cultured, so.)

thing is, i think there's a lot you can do without compromising greg's core traits and a lot of it is just up to personal taste and what any given person wants to project onto him. in any case it IS very congruent with canon that greg would develop new interests, or deepen more shallow ones, throughout the timeline of the show and especially after. he's got more time and money and opportunities now. he has a favorite champagne now. greg's journey is partially, ostensibly, one of him honing his taste.

[pagingdoctorbedlam]

I’ve written a few fics about Czerny now, and at least one specifically around the idea of him being autistic. I received a lovely comment where a reader was interested in the idea and was curious about textual evidence, and seeing as others have written in-depth posts about autism headcanons...well, I decided to do the same, and to post it here instead of in a long rambly comment-response!

So without further ado...some headcanons on Czerny, how he could be read as autistic, and how this influences his character, under the readmore. Light spoilers for Lingering Echoes, Ebenholz’s operator record, and Czerny’s trust files are included for those who haven’t read. (And for those who don’t want to read: enjoy this art from his creator!)

I didn’t set out to headcanon Czerny as autistic when I first read him, I swear. However, as I read through his dialogue and operator files, as well as overanalyzing some of his design choices, I realized that an argument could at least be made for him having a Sensory Processing Disorder (something that runs in my own German/Swiss-Austrian family). Thus, let's start with some of those points:

Stimming. He outright states this one in a trust dialogue: "My hair, well...I often unconsciously grab at it while composing, if that explains its current unruliness".

Speaking of hair: in both his official art and all the art by his creator, he always has his hair braided directly above his ears. The outfit, collar, and even his eyewear changes, but that element of his hair remains. Wouldn't it make sense if he's overly sensitive to his ears being touched by stray hairs, so he takes extra pain to maintain those braids?

Issues with food. There are repeated comments about Czerny not eating when he's in the throes of composing, which at first glance I took for hyperfocusing on his work. He's also the most wary of Hibiscus's cooking in Lingering Echoes, which is clearly meant to be played for laughs regarding her cooking. However, I also read it as someone who's used to having his food a very particular way, and when the food is changed up or replaced entirely, adapting to new textures and flavors can be difficult.

It makes sense that Czerny would take special care of his hands, and this comes up in a lot of dialogue. The medics even comment that he'll panic if he has "so much as a hangnail". But if he's sensitive to touch and texture, AND he takes extra care over his hands, an overblown reaction like that would make sense.

Now, as I was reading into his files and dialogue for these points (as well as other fic research), I was struck by a few other elements.

One is his blunt, honest manner. Both in-universe and as noted by fans, Czerny can be a harsh but fair critic. He himself states that "Any charm or taste I may have had has been poured entirely into my compositions." For the most part, he doesn't concern himself with pleasantries or making nice; if he has an opinion, he'll state it. But he's not one to lie, and even espouses the importance of earnestness to Ebenholz during Lingering Echoes.

Despite this though, Czerny does have to hide a lot of his own emotions in order to deal with his circumstances, at least in Lingering Echoes. He has to bow to Nobles and their whims despite his loathing for them, and there are numerous points where he holds himself back from voicing his opinions in public. He also identifies himself as a coward, and has multiple dialogue lines denoting his own fear. "I'm terrified, Doctor. Always have been."

Looking at these elements together, I'm under the impression that this man has learned to mask a lot in order to survive. And when under the constant pressure of not only poverty and illness but also supporting an entire community? No wonder he’s considered tempermental.

The only times he seems able to truly express himself is through his music (note how he emphasizes the importance of emotion in music during his 2-star clear line) and in battle, where he goes from polite to screaming at his enemies. We also have the note in an operator file from a professor that Morgen und Abend was one of the few glimpses through his "iron body". And there are multiple times in both files and dialogues where it’s noted that he’ll refuse to budge from his desk until a composition is complete...that moment, perhaps, when he finally figures out the feelings in his heart and how to express all the things his words fail to convey.

Music is how Czerny expresses himself, though one should also note that empathy for others is also important both in and out of music. After all, he corrects Ebenholz that Morgen und Abend wasn't written from his own grief, but out of indignation for how she suffered. He gives up the rights to his music in order to save the people of the Afterglow during the events of Lingering Echoes. Hell, even in Ebenholz's Operator Record, Czerny is touched that Ebenholz is the one defying orders and performing for the Afterglow's residents, but also begs him to stop in order to keep him safe. He loves music, true, but he loves people even more, and he cares so damn much he’ll repeatedly put his life on the line for them.

So, whether or not it was intended by anyone who worked on his character, Czerny reads to me as autistic. Passionate about what he loves, keyed into the feelings of others while having notable difficulties with conveying his own emotions outside of music, and processing the world a little differently from those around him. And I think that’s all key to not only how he creates his music, but how he connects with others, and how he’s learning to move on in a world so much bigger and stranger than where he grew up.

And even if he's still figuring out how to balance the new and familiar...even if he's scared of it at all times...Czerny keeps going anyway. He helps others with music and arts. He expands upon his own skills, even developing new hobbies in habits. Hell, he even gets a motorcycle to go exploring across “those faraway lands roaring through Czerny's mind without abate.” He's going to be okay.

(And watching Czerny be brave and move forward in the face of so much change...well, it inspires me to bravery too.)

Well, those are my thoughts with evidence on the matter, and I’m sure I'll pick up more when I do a full reread of Lingering Echoes. In the meantime, feel free to share your thoughts, and I hope you enjoyed reading!

(and have some more creator-art because I am incredibly gay for this image okay byeeee)

[raytorosaurus]

not to get into the philosophy of real person fandom over a random tweet but ngl the brian schechter thing is quite unsurprising to me considering how he has spoken about the music industry in the past and running bands as businesses - remember that 40 year old guys with money do not run in the same online circles as left-leaning teenagers/youth no matter how cool they are skdjfjd. it's probably a pretty logical jump for someone in that generation and wealth bracket to go from profiting off one kind of art to another in a new context, even if we know it's ethically unsound on multiple levels.

the part i don't get is the perhaps overblown emotional response to this news tbh. it's interesting how fandom will fixate so heavily on certain specific non-public figures in the mcr sphere to the point of including them in the band's "narrative" while entirely ignoring others who are presumably equally or more significant. it's based entirely on fandom characterisations i think - i don't just mean in fic but also in the general fandom consciousness, though these two things definitely influence each other. when most people talk or write about brian they're basing like 90% of their information on him off about 15 minutes of screentime in lotms and a vague knowledge of his career trajectory, or off what other fans have said and written about him first.

this isn't me saying "we should stop talking about brian until we know more about him" or "we should learn more about the other people close to the band, not just brian" - more the opposite. i honestly think this is a timely reminder that, although i'd say we can all pretty safely bet that the four guys in mcr are solid dudes worthy of our respect and support, we really truly do not know anything about their personal lives outside the band besides the very little they show us. even within the context of the band we see very little. as a quick and obvious example, can you name four people on mcr's current crew off the top of your head? no? cool, that's totally normal and you absolutely don't have to. just keep it in mind that you can't. no matter how many interviews they do, we see so little of their lives - and they very clearly want it that way. real people aren't fictional characters - like honestly imo if you really want fictional characters, go and read fanfiction about them and consciously create a solid boundary in your mind between those fictional constructs and the real people you don't know and aren't entitled to know. don't let it influence the way you think of the real people, but instead use it as a way to get the narrativising and over-familiarity out of your system if you must. just don't fall into the trap of thinking you really know or understand these guys - it's doing you and them a disservice and can only lead to disappointment. save the sense of connection with the real guys to the music and the live shows in the context of their art and the community they've inspired with it.

i guess my point is i totally understand that we're all emotionally invested in these guys and care about them and feel like we can trust them - i absolutely do too - but i think it's healthier all round to actively remind ourselves how little we know about them every now and then. things like Brian Schechter NFT Boss Reveal are good opportunities to do so. try to avoid that nasty pang of cognitive dissonance when these 40+yo people do something that doesn't match up with the simplified and idealised version of them in your head <3

[kakushino]

hello hello! To answer your questions, yess they have evolved more fish like features. they have webbed hands, and their feet are longer and webbed as well. they also have small spine spikes that are similar fish, also webbed. and yes the markings glow dimly, they have a bit controll of the glow so they can make them glow in patterns like cuttlefish display their markings.

During the day, they either hide in underwater caves they call home, on land in caves or deep in the mountains to hide from scientists.

I'm glad you like Daisuke! He's the meanest of the bunch! His twin Osuke is quiet but very blunt. He has a hard time reading the room. Then there's their beloved older sister, Mizuki. She's taller than both and is currently far more aggressive towards humans. She has a young son, a mutt!

She was caught by poachers who tried to breed her so they could have more to sell. They were successful and Mizuki had one child, a son she named Tashiki. They impregnated her medically because the natural way she committed cannibalism.

Mizuki managed to get tashiki into the ocean were her brother found him, she joined them a few days later. During that time she stayed away from sunlight for two months, Osuke figured out she ate fhe poachers, or at least some.

Tashiki sometimes runs off and sneaks around the town but no ones able to catch him as he slips back into water quickly.

I wonder how you think they'd react to Muzan or the Kamados, what if someone was called to peacefully collect the Nakamuras before its allowed to actively hunt them as they are considered a danger to the people. Mizuki wouldn't like Muzan, Daisuke would insult him and Osuke is unbothered but clearly watching carefully.

I don't think they could properly getting along with other demons unless either a water demon. Or if you bribe mizuki with moon jellyfish, then she'll get her brothers to behave and be nice, just dont touche her lil baby tashiki!

In the next ask I'll send art of the other's >:]

Hit me up with fun images or thoughs i could doodle too! :0

Nooooooo! Poor Mizuki :(( she was so brave 😭 pls I'll feed her all the jellyfish she wants

Tashiki the troublemaking mutt my beloved 🫶 Do you think he gets a kick out of pranking Daisuke or Osuke? If yes I can totally see him dashing back to hide behind Mizuki while his uncless hiss and growl 🤭

Kamado family has their hands full with Muzan, but you know who doesn't have a demon per se? Ubuyashiki 😈 I think Mizuki would get along well with Amane - the burden of being a matriarch shared - and perhaps Tashiki could play and bond with the quintuplets under the mothers' watchful eyes. Of course Kagaya's presence could heavily influence the atmosphere - he has a calming effect of sorts, doesn't he? Add to it the fact Ubuyashiki are Old Money and definitely own a huge beach (maybe??) where the demons can chill uninterrupted

But do correct me if my assumptions are wrong!

Would they then get along with Giyuu? I kind of want to know their reaction to "properly domesticated" water demon, I think it would be interesting to see them compare marks and horns!

[kyuoki]

Hey!

I saw your recent art post about Davy and Abby, so first of all: they're very cute💕 Davy needs to be loved and I get exited whenever I see someone expressing love for him or shipping their oc or self-insert with him, there isn't a whole lot of them out there for our poor cursed man😭

Secondly, would you maybe like to share some more about your oc, like for example her backstory or how she and Davy met? I find it so interesting to learn about other people's ocs especially when they're from fandoms that I'm in as well^^

I hope you have a nice day! Also no pressure with answering the questions rightaway of course :)

Hi! <3 Sorry for the late reply. ^^"

First of all - Tysm! 💕 And I agree 100%. He needs more recognition and love, there is not much content of him so I am more than happy to be able to create it myself and share it with people who like him as much as I do.

And secondly - AAAAAAAAA! it makes me so so so happy that you are interested to hear about her. 🥰 She is my rp/original character I use in the rp I am writing with my bestie (it's still in the making). My friend is a writer and she is currently rewriting it in a form of a book/ fanfiction that we will, hopefully, post online once it's done (wattpad and maybe other platforms). For now it will be only in Polish though, but maybe one day we will try and translate it. My artworks however, have English dialouges to try and hopefully reach a wider audience. :)

The title is "Krew, seks i piraci" ("KSiP" in short) which stands for "Blood, sex and pirates" in English. The whole thing is 18+ because of violence and erotic scenes. (the title clearly indicates it.)

The book is completely fanon. We just took what the canon gave us and created our own headcanons for the PoTC characters and lore for our original characters.

As for the plot...

The story begins with two sisters living in Cornwall who come into possession of two Aztec gold coins. When the crew of the Black Pearl attacks the city, Abigail and Layla Morgan find themselves aboard Barbossa's ship, where they are forced to survive. They endure the hardships of life on the ship, while still planning and trying to escape. During one storm, Abby falls overboard and ends up aboard the Flying Dutchman as a part of his crew. She goes through a mutation after which she has shark-like teeth and gills, but her body doesn't transform completely because of the effect she has on the cursed Captain Davy Jones. She also befriends Maccus and Crash (they are her besties, her bigger brothers she can always rely on). Here the adventure divides, a clear transformation of both sisters is presented. At the same time, feelings develop both between Barbossa and Lee (Layla's nickname) and between Jones and Abby. Each sister has her own adventures, trials and tribulations. While Lee discovers her past and destiny, Abby experiences perturbations in her relationship with Jones, when the obsessed with her James Wincott (a narcissist who wants to continue Blackbeard's glory) appears. In addition, several more characters are introduced who influence the development of the plot - primarily Jack Sparrow, but also our original characters, such as Lobart (a Frenchman, Abby's 'adoptive' father, an emotional trickster with a clouded past) and Johnny the Buccaneer (an elderly hustler who hates the French). There are also other characters involved in the story. Both plot paths intertwine, striving for a common culmination and ending.

When it comes to fanfic tropes we decided to go with enemies to lovers for Lee/Barbossa and with slowburn for Abby/Jones. There are others such as agegap, height/size difference + a few other sexual themed tropes but I don't want to spoil everything.

When it comes to Abby I can say she is a great thief with a short temper and she is quite a rebellious little creature, which makes her relationship with Davy only more interesting.

Thank you so much for the ask again! I hope my answer is good enough, if you have any other questions feel free to ask.🥰

[trashlie]

ILY FP 206

Oh my god oh my GOD what an episode, right?! It’s going to take everything in me to not spoil this outside of my read more text cut lol but MAN what an episode. I think this might go up in my top 10 favorite episodes, if I were to create one of those, if only for the good material we got and the art. WOW! I feel like quimchee is personally catering to me and everything that I covet lmao we’ve got CALLBACKS we’ve got further parallels we’ve got explanations of the past, we’ve got TENSION! I, for one, feel like a cat who discovered the bag of catnip, and I’m going to yell SO MUCH in this post!

Man, the lighting and expressions in this particular episode are so good - the flashback was largely simplistic in its work, simple backgrounds, simple expressions, things mostly expressed through use of color. But we’ve returned to the present where Nol is holding back nothing - he is comfortably Nolan in his skin, no loner putting on a front or hiding his darker, potentially scarier side. When he found the Math Club photo in the previous episode, we didn’t see his eyes, which alone gave some indication to his feelings about his discovery, but that expression we finally get to see as he looks at the photo and talks to Shinae - WOW. In the past, as Yeonggi, he would never have allowed himself to show that side of him and was always so careful about the image he presented.

Nol is holding nothing back, now. With Shinae, he’s showing an authentic version of who he really is. 

The way the shadows fall on his face makes him look almost haunted. 

There’s so many good details in the art of this episode, ngl. The sequence of Shinae’s memory being jogged and snippets of that meeting flooding back to her, culminating in that close up of her eye, that red pupil with the scratchy jagged lines around it. A+ art, the shock of both the return of those memories and the realization that Nol has pieced together what she tried so hard to keep from him, something she did not want to b the one to tell him about, aaahhhh! 

Something interesting about this is that despite how things ended between Shinae and Alyssa, in a way, Shinae is trying to protect her (just as much as she’s trying to protect Nol). It wouldn’t be difficult for her to just admit the truth upfront - that yes, it turns out the ex-friend who kind of ruined my life is, indeed, your girlfriend. There’s something almost sweet about it - Shinae has been very careful to not influence Nol’s relationship, to not be that kind of person. Even before she ever knew who he was dating, she drew clearly-defined boundaries in effort to ensure that her involvement couldn’t lead to a falling out with his girlfriend. And here she continues to do that. She doesn’t want to influence how he sees Alyssa, she doesn’t want to be the reason they might fall apart. But at the same time, she is protecting not only Nol, but also herself and Alyssa. Shinae never says “Alyssa isn’t like that anymore” or anything like that. Her entire point of reason is that she knows her memory isn’t reliable, and that she doesn’t know the full story. It’s awfully mature, tbh, to be able to acknowledge that her experience is not the sum of that whole affair, that Alyssa’s side of the story is something she lacks and never had a chance to know. In contrast to her current situation with Nol, where he has inadvertently come clean and she now understands why he left, Shinae still has no idea why things with Alyssa played out the way they did, only the vague assumption of what Alyssa wanted vs how she acted. 

To be honest, I think as much as Shinae wants to protect Nol and Alyssa’s relationship, she also wants to protect her memories and the handful of good she experienced with Alyssa. Though things ended badly and she internalized that hurt and repressed it for so long, that was Shinae’s first friend, someone she was so eager and excited about. When we’ve been hurt or betrayed, it’s easy for those good memories to become soiled, to become infected by our bitter resentment. You forget that there was ever any good, because all you can remember is the bad, and how it makes you feel. 

I think we see that with Nol. The way he reminisces on Alyssa almost suggests that they were never very close, that his relationship with Alyssa never compared to his relationship with, say, Dieter or Soushi. Again, this episode plays with expression and framing SO MUCH and it’s SO well done. “She’s not important to me. So don’t feel bad.” We don’t see Nol’s expression when he says this. In fact, we only see a close up of his face, eyes hidden, as he asks Shinae to be honest. Quimchee uses the hidden eyes a lot, especially with Nol lately. I think it’s less that Alyssa was never important to Nol as much as she no longer is. Once upon a time, she was a friend he tried to steer straight, to save from Yui’s villainous grip. Again, we see that down-up view of Nol, his face cast in shadows, eyes cold as he states that he hates Alyssa’s nature. In a way, Alyssa is a failure of Nol’s - at least, this is probably how he views it. There was nothing he could do to keep her out of Yui’s grip, to save her from that woman. In fact, Alyssa continued to willingly walk into the lion’s den. 

We have that contrast again of Alyssa and Shinae - how Alyssa was unable to see beyond Yui’s facade, or even worse, how she was willing to endure Yui to get what she wanted. It makes her look selfish and spineless, wishywashy. Nol resents that, in the end, Alyssa made her choices, and in the end, all that remains of their former friendship, of the relationship they had, is one that is transactional. Don’t get me wrong, I think Nol does care about her still, in a way. I think there’s a high likelihood that Alyssa also still cares about Nol and Shinae both, but in a way she can’t act on, that she has to repress and shove away. I don’t think she feels particularly good about what she does, which is why she deflects. It’s easier to place blame on others than acknowledge that you are the one actively hurting people you care about, right? 

In a way, Shinae and Nol both care about Alyssa to some capacity, and largely in a way that is rooted in the past - who she was, what their relationships were. That’s the thing, right? You don’t have that kind of bitter, festering resentment towards someone if you never cared about them, if some kind of affection (whether romantic or platonic) never existed. There was a time when Alyssa was a person Nol wanted to help, maybe even when she was a person he enjoyed talking to and hangout with along with Soushi and Dieter, but those days are long gone. 

On the balcony at the hospital, he asked Alyssa what if they start to resent each other, because he already did. Because the weight of their transactional relationship had become that much of a burden, because there was nothing he could do to help her anymore and she felt more like a leech than a balance, because she had become the very kind of person who he resented. Swept up in the world of the Hiraharas and networking, Nol had become as invisible to Alyssa as he was to anyone else. Whatever remained of their friendship had run its course. 

Where Nol has allowed his memories to fester - the way his memory shows the gap between him and Alyssa increasing as he turns away from her and eventually has his hood up, back to her, the use of that intense red, Alyssa’s hollow puppet eyes, Yui a marionette puppeteering Alyssa, so menacing - Shinae has tried in vain to protect it, to reassure herself that there must be more to the story or maybe she’s made it all up, that maybe Alyssa was not as horrible as she looks. Both of them seem to acknowledge though, what praise does for Alyssa and the extents she’s willing to go to to earn it. 

And again, that juxtaposition - Alyssa is so malleable, is (or at least was) so willing to do whatever if it earned her praise, where Shinae’s integrity refuses to accept undue praise or handouts. It’s not explicitly stated, but it’s easy to glean that this is likely a big reason Nol was so drawn to Shinae, who always expressed concern for him, who never saw him as invisible, who has made a point to demonstrate how much she cares about him. When tempted by Yui, Shinae fought back and sees through her shiny veneer. Of course it must be intriguing, that someone can push back against Yui and not be poisoned against him by her. 

In fact, everything about this episode is SO heavily laden with how much their relationship matters. Shinae cares enough about Nol that she refuses to be the reason that his relationship with Alyssa is ruined. Nol cares about Shinae enough to start to feel comfortable as himself, doesn’t wear his mask, and offers her honesty, going as far as to call her out on her refusal to be honest. They’re taking turns baring parts of themselves to each other, sharing things they likely have never shared with anyone else. It can’t be that Nol is still drunk and his inhibitions are lower - he’s calculating looking over Shinae clutching the book to her chest, takes a step back and looks at her like that, admonishing her for lying when he’s being honest. They are actively acting on that importance to each other, the understanding that they have to be honest in order to understand each other. 

Nol is so comfortable, in fact, that he even shares a tender little memory - just a little snippet of it - about his mom. He’s always been careful not to mention her to his friends, to not bring up anything about her. The day he crashes the study session at Dieter’s, Shinae asks him about his mom, meaning Yui, and without knowing what Shinae means he switches mood completely. But here, he shares just a little piece of the distant past, and Shinae, realizing that he must be talking about his mom, offers her hand.

And GOD I love this moment SO MUCH. The dance that never was at the formal, a deal made at the masquerade. Everything comes full circle in that moment. It’s Shinae to Nol’s rescue, it’s Shinae making an offer, it’s Shinae offering friendship needed. Throughout the series, Nol has reached out to Shinae so many times, never letting himself close the gap except the one time that he hurt her. Once upon a time, Shinae drew boundaries between them and here she’s the one crossing them. Knowing what she knows now of Nol’s life, of his family, of his mother, it’s a gesture I don’t think is made lightly. Could Nol be happy, if only for a moment, if she sings and dances around to Christmas music with him like they once did? 

And god, listen, there’s a LOT of reading into this that we could do. The dance at the formal that never was - Nol denying a dance with Shinae to keep his distance, as Kousuke requested, as Nol surely had already decided upon. Maybe had Kousuke not demanded that Nol keep his distance, Nol still would have refused the dance (especially given that Shinae had previously drawn those boundaries around them), but what is to stop them now? There’s no Kousuke in the room to express disapproval. Shinae knows the relationship isn’t real, that it’s nothing that needs to be respected as she was before. Now it’s just them and the bits of their souls they’ve bared here alone in the dark. 

And again, back to the way Nol has spent so much of this series reaching out to her and refusing to close the gap - that he even did it just last episode! For it to be Shinae, this time, who reaches out to him, who offers the hand he continues to deny himself, is just SO SO SOOOOOOOO good and satisfying! Shinae is taking the initiative that Nol won’t allow himself. 

And listen man, I try, I try really hard not to be overly shippy about things but GOD the seeds have been sown, haven’t they? I have so many FEELINGS about how INTIMATE these last few episodes have been, the way their angry exteriors have thawed away and left these pockets of honesty. Shinae has been spending this time doing her best not to spook Nol - won’t ask about his mom lest he bolts again, careful about what she asks and says - and it just feels so intimate, to sit here in the dark together and bare their souls a little bit. Nol telling Shinae things he’s probably never told anyone else, just as Shinae told Nol a story she probably hasn’t told anyone else. I love the way they are just drawn to each other and let their defenses down. Nol has spent so much time trying to put distance between himself and Shinae, to escape her gravitational pull, but so many times he always wound up drawn back in. AND I LOVE IT, OKAY. 

Do they realize the ways they play off each other? Shinae has started to see their parallels (and the way they foil each other there, too - Shinae has become aware of her internalized self-loathing in a way Nol has yet to) and has a tendency to always respond to him even without realizing it. Last episode we see her response to his proximity and honesty, confused about why her heart is reacting lol. There’s also her raw anger at Nol still putting that distance between them, pointedly calling her Yoo. What she hates is that he’s trying to create that buffer, because using her first name is too close. If he keeps calling her Yoo, he can pretend that they’re not as close as they really are, that she isn’t as important as he’s already proclaimed. Shinae doesn’t want the distance, she doesn’t want the buffer. 

I also really love that she continues to call him out, and how her experiences with Alyssa have given the ability to see things how she does. In the way that her truth and Alyssa’s truth are not the same, Shinae notes that Nol’s truth and her truth are not the same - her image of him is not the way he sees himself, and neither one of them are more true than the others. In that regard, I think we will see that Nol isn’t as “innocent” in whatever it is he thinks he’s being punished for, but that he’s also not the one wholly responsible for it. Suppose this is about the incident with Kousuke, maybe Nol has internalized that he possibly hurt someone, without giving acknowledgement to what could lead to it. Was it self-defense, was it him reaching a snapping point, was it instigated, did something push him and his buttons? Nothing in I Love Yoo is black or white, only shades of grey. 

Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself, but I can’t help but feel that all the foundation that’s been laid is slowly building now. The sown seeds are slowly, SLOWLY, maybe starting to sprout. The way Shinae has always played off of Nol and has subconsciously responded to him so many times - as he pulls away, she pulls closer; as he stops chasing, she begins to - makes me think that maybe we are seeing a little spark. I don’t think anything romantically would come of them for a long time, until we have a time jump, maybe, since Shinae is not really aware of what she’s feeling, or why she’s reacting the way she is. And frankly, Nol is so full of self loathing that I don’t think he could entertain the idea of it. I do think it could be there between the lines - he made an effort at one point with Alyssa and gave up when he realized it was fruitless, when she became someone he couldn’t stand. Does he ever think about the ways Shinae foils Alyssa? Is that why he tried so hard to keep that distance between them? He must be aware of how he succumbs to her - that whole incident in the rain proved it when he finally reached out and held her in that tight hug, before he finally steeled his resolve against her. I’m always so curious of what goes on in Nol’s head, what he tells himself about their relationship. The admission that Shinae, like Soushi and Dieter, is important to him is probably something he denied to himself for so long. 

And look, maybe just this once, he could let himself have this. Just this once, a stolen pocket of time with no one else around, no one to approve or disapprove, nothing but their own choices and intentions. The dark is for lowering inhibitions, for authenticity, and maybe for allowing yourself what you ordinarily wouldn’t.

I mean, yeah I do think they’ll probably be interrupted lol - wasn’t Minhyuk supposed to be bringing them medicine? and we heard Kousuke grousing about needing to get away from the singing lol, though I don’t think he’s the type to just go barging into random rooms - but I hope if they DO get interrupted, it’s only after they’ve allowed themselves to indulge. 

Sure, Nol could refuse her, and maybe Shinae might even feel disappointed if he did. But, idk, maybe it’s just the hopefulness speaking, but the whole thing about being vulnerable in the dark, under shadows shielding you from what might ordinarily prohibit you, I can’t help but to feel (or maybe just hope) that Nol will indulge himself. Shinae’s extended hand isn’t just an invitation to dance, but an offer of her friendship, of their mended relationship. Take her hand and become partners in crime once more. Once upon a time he extended an offer to her he didn’t really mean, and this time she does the same, but full of sincerity, on the hope that maybe she could rekindle a long lost memory of his that he can no longer enjoy. Nol will never again dance around and sing with his mom, but maybe he could build new versions of that memory with Shinae. 

ALSO someone pointed out that next week’s episode comes close to Nol’s birthday, which it finally is in the storyline, and LISTEN you can’t tell me that we’ll see nothing of it, right?! AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I’m so excited for this next episode I’M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TOOOOOO IIIIIIIIIIIIIT. 

I could write so much more about just... the nearly tangible tension, the redevelopment of their relationship, the ways they affect each other, but for now I’ll refrain. Maybe I’ll babble in another post lol. I just. I HAVE SO MANY FEELINGS about where they currently stand. Nol is so certain he’s a monster, someone dangerous, and he isn’t holding back anymore. He shows dark, shadowed expressions he’d ordinarily refrain from letting anyone see, and though there’s plenty of reasons for Shinae to have reservations or to doubt herself, she continues to believe in him, unflinchingly unafraid of him. Though Nol can only see himself as a monster, she’s still able to see the humanity in him, the heart of gold he doesn’t acknowledge, and will continue to hold onto that for him. And I’m a SUCKER for that, I’m A SUCKER for how they’ve developed, how they’ve grown so important to each other through these shared experiences but more importantly, by what they’ve seen in each other, what they believe in, and trying to preserve that for one and other. 

Once again, the thing I love so much about them, especially as of late, is that aspect: that they can see in each other things the other cannot, or couldn’t. Nol saw in Shinae a person who had built walls around herself, who kept people out, and wanted to help her do what he couldn’t, wanted to help her open up. Shinae is returning the favor - she sees in him what Nol can’t yet, and continues to fight for him until one day he’ll be able to see it himself. They hold mirrors up to one and other! They respond so intimately to each other! Nol knows how to read Shinae like a book, what her body language is saying, what she means even when her words say something else, and Shinae is learning the same. Don’t ask about his mom, he seems angry, he’ll bolt, how does she placate him instead, how does she get him to continue to open up? Their development is SO well done and GOD I cannot get enough of it I AM SO! LKAJFJKFKJFJKFJ living for this episode, living for this ENTIRE ARC. 

God I’m so satisfied lmao 

[buzzsawbrando]

I’m not sure if this has been already asked before, but what inspired you to make art?

First time someone's asked me this, actually!

But, my art is a very strange amalgamation of inspired things, because I take inspiration from everything I get into to be able to improve my own artwork. But if you're asking direct inspirations (as in what really started me to draw) then I'll end up talking about both. Because I like rambling lol

What started making me draw probably isn't what most people expect from me,

Since I was a young kid, I would primarily stick to drawing really simple shaped characters. Kirby and Starfy characters were really easy for me to draw, and it helped me branch out to drawing more complex things like Pokemon or characters I liked from Brawl. (Captain Falcon was a character I mained extensively in Brawl and REALLY wanted to draw him as a kid. I still main him in SSB Ultimate alongside Kirby!)

Though, I did have way more relevant things from my childhood that probably left WAY more of an impact on my current art style today than anything else.

Resi 4 and Resi 6 specifically are the RE games I remember the most clearly from my childhood. ESPECIALLY Resi 4. Kind of strange to hear that 8 year old me ended up getting into these games alongside shit like Kirby, but my parents were never ones to really 'censor' what kind of gaming content their kids consumed and I would always watch my mom play through Resi 4 and Resi 6.

Resi 6 especially had a big influence on me because of one certain guy...

It becomes a common theme with me and evil blonde men, for some reason.

LIST OF AMALGAM'D INSPIRATIONS I'VE ACQUIRED FROM OVER THINE YONDER YEARS

This is either going to be really long or take nearly no time at all to write out. So here we go.

The most GLARINGLY obvious inspiration in my work (and has been for years) is Jojo's Bizarre Adventure.

Jojo part 1 and 4 had probably the biggest impacts on my art-style today. I even own Hirohiko Araki's Manga in Theory and Practice book which helped me draw muscles the way I do! He has an entire section in that book showing off his sketches and how he drew bodies during the development of Jojolion, which helped me out tenfold in regards to drawing muscular bodies to get results I wanted.

Also can't forget the.. Most glaring awakening I had in my entire life because of this series.

fuck you jojo

Berserk is a much more recent inspiration but its weaseled its way into my art in quite a few ways.

I've always loved Dark Fantasy as a genre, but consistently despised how it was handled. I avoided Berserk for a lot of reasons, but man binging it was probably the best decision I could've made even if I'm late to the party. It is DEFINITELY not a story for everyone, but I read it at a time when I think I needed it most in my life and it'll always stick with me for that. Berserk isn't a perfect story by any means, but I will always appreciate its influence and the ways it handled trauma as a subject. I still hope one day to capture some of the gorgeous aspects of Miura's artwork in my own, if that's even possible.

Skullgirls was a big inspiration in my work as a young'un, surprisingly enough.

It was a Fighting Game that really got me into FG's as a whole, and I think its really cartoony and 'bubbly' style absolutely inspired the way I draw a lot of things today. Eye shapes, thick lines, bright and poppy colors etc etc.. SG definitely had an influence on my work, even if it's hard to see today buried underneath all my other inspirations.

Osomatsu-San is probably my most shameful inspiration. To date.

It's not a bad anime or anything. In fact, it holds up really well. Hell, I've been planning to binge it again someday when I get the chance.

It's shameful because I got into it at its peak, where people really had a hard-on for shipping the brothers. And still do. I will refrain from commenting on that, but speaking as an ex-"blmatsu" it was probably the most shameful time of my entire life LMAO. I was a stupid fucking kid and I am extremely glad I grew out of it.

Despite my frankly cringe-infested past, this was still an anime that ended up really kickstarting my artstyle into the more cartoon-y side of things. It also is the anime that made me love coloring my lineart things other than pure black, the deep blue of the Osomatsu lineart has always been really appealing to me and I've always liked it from an artist standpoint. I've always been meaning to draw more matsu stuff.

Yeah yeah, hold your horses, but I read Chainsaw Man before the anime was even ANNOUNCED so give me a break here.

I'm an insanely huge shounen fan, if it isn't obvious already. The only thing is that I am a picky shounen fan. Chainsaw Man ended up scratching an itch other modern shounens like Demon Slayer or whatever couldn't really reach, which was how it handled monsters.

The monster design in CSM is probably the BIGGEST reason it's up here, it is one of my biggest inspirations with creature design and generally making unique looking beasts. This mixed with Berserk ends up making a horrid amalgam of beasts in my head and what I want to create someday.

Speaking of creature inspirations, here's something that isn't a manga or anime.

Gemini Home Entertainment is, in my personal opinion, one of the better analog horrors out there.

Analog horror is really oversaturated nowdays, but GHE is such a cool end-of-the-world scenario with peak body horror that I can't get anywhere else. Scarcely uploads, but christ when it does it's haunting and I love it. GHE is also a big inspiration for a character I have that i've been working on!

Do I have to explain this next one. I never shut up about Guilty Gear. No big surprise.

GGST is the first FG i've gotten into that really kicked in how much i really love FG's as a whole.

Plus, buff men. I'm a big fan of tit what can I say.

And before this post gets too long, here's some honorable mentions.

sorry this post is so long but . I have a LOT of inspirations always.