#crafty tracys

[whatgaviiformes]

Fic: Grannies - Part 4 (Finale)

Summary: Gordon's committed to the bit. The bit just happens to be an obnoxious amount of granny squares.

A/N- In the finale: warning for a bit of whump. Whole lotta love though. Words for this part come to 2K.

Part 1 here | Part 2 here | Part 3 here | AO3

Thank yous: craftyfam, patient readers, my yarn stash for inspiration, Kat for the read through and assuring me this was post ready. FFXIV I can't thank you because you are a menace and a distraction no matter how much I love you.

*****

Part 4: Finale

Because Gordon never goes half-assed into anything, Virgil is still finding granny squares. 

He has to keep reminding himself that he appreciates Gordon’s dedication. He actually relies on this part of his brother’s character. Frequently, in fact. 

But as he pries a stray granny square out of his sock drawer and tosses it into the project basket housing its companions, Virgil has to roll his eyes. Fondly of course. In the project management world, they call this scope creep - with no real end in sight, the project keeps getting bigger and more involved, and it’s all too easy for it to just keep living on indefinitely. But then, Gordon is one big Scope Creep anyway since he was never one for boundaries in the first place. 

His definition of an appropriate time to stop was very different from Virgil’s. 

At this point, the new square isn’t anything Virgil hasn’t seen before. He knows by now what to expect from Gordon’s work. And, honestly, it’s just like Gordon to somehow manage to desensitize Virgil away from everything he knows about color theory, however briefly. So, neither the presence of the piece of fabric nor the color combination provides any shock value anymore. 

What it does do is remind him that he’s got his own project balancing to do. That of actually… you know… finishing the damn thing. And figuring out what to do with the rest of the squares, he reminds himself as he slides on his socks and laces up his boots for the day. 

The newest acquisition - two rounds of golden yellow followed by two rounds of aubergine purple and a final in white - doesn’t look as visually discordant alongside its peers, the scrambled rainbow they are.  They are all the ones that didn’t make the cut for Gordon’s afghan, the  squares Virgil keeps finding anew, and inevitably the future ones Gordon will continue to make until he receives another lightning strike of an idea.

Right beside it is a second project basket. Gordon likes a big blanket, so enough squares to fit a king sized bed are already packed up and labeled in their sequential order. As he’s had time, Virgil has started sewing them together based on the design Scott helped with. There’s enough space still for him to store the bolt of fabric John helped him find too, once it finally arrives. 

Virgil’s grateful for their help, and their part in the project has made it just that bit more special. He hopes Gordon feels that way too. It took Scott reminding him that it wasn’t his own aesthetic he was trying to please for the design to come together. Otherwise, Virgil has no doubt what he would’ve designed would’ve been lesser for his own misery trying to force order into chaos. 

Somehow, with the power of math, Scott’s perspective on patterns and probability and randomization had been just the ticket. Gordon also probably hadn’t realized just how many squares he’d made that started with the shade of yellow or orange or his typical bright shades. Just that little bit of consistency was all he and Scott needed to figure the rest out as they laid out the squares. It wasn’t a pattern, a fade, or even entirely randomized. But a couple edits later, they had the final layout, the squares numbered, and Virgil had gotten to work joining his own granny stitches into his brother’s work in the only color Gordon considered “neutral” - yellow. 

Unable to resist the smile it brings, Virgil tugs the blanket out of the basket and unfolds the two rows he’s finished, with the third halfway complete. It doesn’t bother him that his connecting yarn is still live - the hook has his last loop stabbed into the working skein, and even if it does come unraveled a little, crochet is not so difficult to start again. 

It had taken a few tries to find the right hook to help him match Gordon’s stitches. Even though Virgil taught him a few years ago, no two makers’ work was exactly alike. And Gordon was as carefree with his gauge as he was in the rest of his life. 

Excitement thrums through him; it’s morning, the birds are chirping, and he’s feeling motivated and productive. The crochet work is soft in his hands, the next square in the sequence visible in the project basket below but hiding the rest of the queue for the third row. It’s the perfect day to grab some coffee, hide away in his studio for a few hours, and let the project surprise him. 

That’s the way a WIP should work: it should inspire along the way. 

Virgil has just thrown a towel over the basket to make it seem like it could be laundry - just in case he runs into a wayward squid - when the alarm in his room sounds and John’s voice comes over comms. 

They have a rescue. 

~*~

Virgil awakes to the smell of antiseptic and the uncomfortable feeling that his mouth tastes like cotton. 

Something about that makes him want to giggle, except he can’t actually do that. 

“Easy, Virg.” Hands, soothing, graze his hairline. “They’ve got you on the good stuff.”

He can tell. He hasn’t opened his eyes yet to know if he’s in a hospital or the infirmary, nor does he know what happened to land him there.

Based on the cotton in his throat and in his head and in his lungs, maybe he ate Gordon’s blanket. 

The giggle turns into a groan. 

“You’re okay now. Rest, Virgil.” 

Since the voice is Scott, he does so.

~*~

The next time he remembers waking, he’s in the infirmary on the island. Again, this he knows not because he’s opened his eyes to figure it out, but because his senses tell him so. Only one brother knows sea shanties enough to be familiar with that one and, if Gordon is here humming it, they’re both definitely not in a hospital.

The words he wants to say trudge through the molasses on their way out.

“Wha’ happ’n?” 

“Virgil!” It’s surprise, and excitement, and relief all rolled into one, but Gordon has the good sense to keep his voice low once the original shock of him waking settles.  

Gordon knows the drill well, his voice barely above a whisper as he closes the blinds and scoops some ice chips into a cup. Virgil’s grateful for the gentle way he moves about the room; he can hear him shuffling around, dictating as he goes. By the time Gordon returns with the cup of blessed relief for the feeling in his esophagus, Virgil has managed to tearily blink his eyes half-open. 

Beneath his brother’s brushed fringe hides a bruise the size of a fist, purpling so harshly at his hairline that Virgil ignores the ice chip Gordon offers him in favor of reaching up to check the injury out for himself. Immediately, his body protests the movement, and Gordon urges him to lower his arm back to the support of the bed.

“Yeah, maybe don’t try that?” Gordon waves him off. “I’m fine. What do you remember?” 

Through the pain in his lower half and the color of Gordon’s face, the memories of the rescue come back clearer. Unfortunately, of all things, they’d been called out to a mudslide. He’d checked Gordon out in the field, he remembers. A panicked civilian with a wayward right hook while Gordon was calming his husband. The man had been incredibly apologetic, and Gordon assured him no harm was done, but Virgil pulled him off duty as a concussion risk and left him in Two with  Grandma talking to him.

Then, when Virgil went after a lifesign in a toppling two-story… 

“A house hit me.” 

“Well, more mud than house. You’re ok though. You were buried from the waist up. Had some compartment syndrome. Everything you’re feeling - or not - is temporary.”  

“You came to get me.” Virgil could argue that grounded meant grounded, that Gordon should never’ve gone after him in such dangerous conditions, that he’s the big brother and Gordon’s the little one and he should keep himself safe when he’s told to do so. But there’s a challenge in his little brother’s warm honey eyes already, and he remembers faintly words spoken in worry and fear, assurances that tighten in a coil around his heart.

“I did. There wasn’t anyone else.”  

He owes Gordon everything.

Virgil hums, “Thank you.”

Between the pain medication and water soothing the grittiness in his throat, he feels more aware by the minute and ready to try sitting up for a time. Gordon helps him settle a few pillows into position and raises the head of the infirmary bed to the appropriate level. He’s got to let Scott know he’s awake - and Grandma -  Gordon tells him. Before either of them decide to have scolded Squid for dinner. 

Virgil doesn’t have the energy to chuckle, but it does as he knows Gordon intended: leave him with a smile for the few moments Gordon needs to step away to communicate Virgil’s situation. 

His heart is music, his soul is color. Where sound is oversaturated with the wisps and hums of machinery tracking his vitals, his heartbeat in rhythm, color becomes his touchstone. Outside the window will be the cerulean of the sky and sea. Green, which he thinks in its most basic form because it’s every combination of the hue throughout the robust plant-life of their Island. Dandelion yellow - the sun and safety and Gordon’s baldric. 

Past the shut blinds, it’s all just a sliver. More prominently, there’s just white and infirmary clean grey.  He has to blink away the dullness, as he tears his gaze away from the window and finally musters the strength to glance at himself and especially at his lower half past the pain where Gordon promised his lack of feeling, muted through painkillers, was temporary. 

Color, so much of it that it’s blinding, greets him with the neon of signage amidst the Las Vegas cityscape and the celebration of the New York Pride parade they attend each year. The blanket draped across his lap is authentic Gordon through and through, in familiar squares assembled in a chaos true to their variety. No rhyme, no reason. 

So much care. 

“Grandma will be in shortly.” Gordon plops into the chair at his side, wiggling in the armchair to reacquire the work he’d placed on the seat cushion. He catches him looking, wide-eyed. “It’s not your project, promise. Though I did bring it in for you to work on when you’re feeling better. It’s over by the holoscreen whenever you want me to bring it over. You’ll be here for a bit healing, so I figured…” He shrugs, trailing off. 

“Gordon?” He slides his fingers between the stitches and curls them gratefully into soft, comforting colors. “What are you doing?” 

“I’m - uh -” Gordon flushes in dim light. “I’m weaving in my ends finally,” he admits, holding up the darning needle. “Sorry if you had another idea for the squares, but once I finished putting yours together, I realized we had enough still to donate some more blankets and those really should be finished.” Gordon weaves a red tail end back and forth between the strands the way Virgil taught him, and the way their mom taught Virgil. “I really did go a little overboard on granny squares didn’t I? I just figured it would be okay for me to help you along. So you could finish what you were working on. Was that ok?”

“More than.” 

It also tells him a significant amount about how serious his injuries were and how long he might have been out of commission, if Gordon’s found the time to finish as much as he has. The concern for what he’s put his family through spikes his heartbeat again, and his younger brother glances up to check on him, the monitors, back at him.

Virgil gives him a weary smile, tugging the blanket further up his chest. “I’m ok,” he assures him. “Thanks to you.” 

“Don’t do it again,” he admonishes, shaking his head.

Neither of them can promise the other, not in their line of work, and they both know it. 

The words go unspoken, but they are woven delicately in the strands of their gifts to each other. Virgil feels the care against his skin, in colors that chase away greys, and soft cotton that sifts fear and worry out through openwork patterning. And when Grandma finally makes her way in to check in on him, his heart is so full with the chance he’s been given, the support he’s always had by the people he cares for, that the love hits him with a wave of exhaustion. 

Into sleep he falls, deeply into dreamless rest by the time Grandma finishes her checks and  Gordon tucks him in with a thankful salute to the stars above.

The End

[lovely-lauren-arts]

All done!!

It took me a while, but I'm finally done with the finished product, and I'm so happy with how everyone turned out

(More about them below)

Ness

- Male, 13, human

- Weapon of choice: Baseball bat

- The leader of the group and the glue holding everyone together

- Orphaned at a young age, very loving adoptive family back home consisting of Rachael (mom), Tracy (younger sister), and King (pet dog)

- He feels like he's "too normal" and has doubt that his normalness would compare with Paula's psychic abilities, Jeff's intelligence, and Pū's ability to shapeshift

- Most stable of the four mentally and emotionally (which, unfortunately, isn't saying much)

- Gets homesick VERY easily, and calls his mom very often

- Has encountered Dolly and her gang several times, and prefers to stay out of her way

- Brave, determined, crafty

Paula Jones-Polestar

- Female, 12, cyclops

- Weapon of choice: Frying pan

- Has the ability to see into the future, but her ability is very limited

- After her parents died, she was in the process of being indoctrinated into Mary's cult because of her future vision, but she ran away upon getting a glimpse of what the future held if she joined

- Ness found her alone in the woods and led her back to his house so she could feel safe

- Subject to frequent anxiety attacks due to her visions of the future

- Has a crush on Ness, but is too shy to admit it

- Once tried one of Catherine's blood cupcakes; she said it was the worst mistake of her life

- Kind, caring, polite

Jeffrey "Jeff" Andonuts

- Male, 13, human

- Weapon of choice: Stun gun

- Father is a world-renowned scientist who has worked with Dr. Nightshade in his experiments, mother left the family and disappeared under mysterious circumstances

- Child prodigy in engineering, he has won numerous awards for his inventions

- Originally joined Ness and Paula as a way to spy on them, but he eventually grew fond of them

- Aside from his father, Ness, Paula, and Pū, he does not like being around others most of the time, preferring to work alone on his inventions

- Is gay and he has a crush on one of his classmates at the all-boys boarding school he attends

- Utterly loathes Daisy and Zeki, and the feeling is mutual

- Quiet, inventive, dependable

Pū

- Male, 14, bodyshifter

- Weapon of choice: Switchblade

- Crown prince of a foreign nation, now in exile as a commoner; believed to be dead in his home country

- Parents were assassinated by bounty hunters who were after their shapeshifting abilities

- Pū, in particular, has a huge bounty on his head because he has the ability to shapeshift his entire body

- Very distrustful of non-shifters until he met Ness, Paula, and Jeff

- Has a secret fondness of media from outside of his home country; only Ness, Paula and Jeff are aware of this

- A high-priority target of Mary's cult, he tries to stay hidden and not pay much attention to himself while outside

- Mysterious, stoic, perseverant

Looks fantastic! <3

[tarynisbunhead]

Man, CGI has really ruined Hollywood.

I've said how much I hate CGI in the past. How at this point I can't see the movie but just CGI blobs, or how about the fact that CGI takes away jobs like Make-up artists and costume design? "Hey if the computer can do it, why bother to wear the costume at all?" This is why corporations now turned to AI, and it's backfiring.

So why even bring this up? This summer I decided to watch Young Indiana Jones Chronicles again. I watched the first half of volume one, so far the first four adventures follow 10 year old Indiana Jones as he travels the world with his parents and tutor. Eventually the series tackles what happened to Indy's mother and the bitter relationship between father and son but as for right now Professor Jones is traveling and lecturing. This series was released in 1992 and as a kid when this series was released I didn't miss an episode, it was one of my favorite shows - why the fucking hell is Hollywood stupid now? This isn't some crummy nostalgia trip because I have the set and watch it on occasion, in the last 20 years Hollywood has given us reboots and self inserts, I'm not entertained watching someone's fan fiction play out.

This show starts off with a monologue explaining how Indy got to be an adventurous kid, and how he ended up with his dog. It then slides into how the family started their trip around the world - their house is a Victorian style house so you know the rest of this will be shot on location. Even as a kid I loved the location shots and costumes, I wanted to go back in time and wear Mrs. Jones clothes, I thought she was so pretty.

Okay now first of all, Professor Jones. George Lucas had to know after releasing Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in 1989, and having Sean Connery as Indy's father, that wasn't going to be easy. The actor, Lloyd Owen, not only has the look but his acting style follows Mr. Connery. Right down to saying "Junior!" almost exact.

Shoot on location or green screen? I understand budget, but if you were given the money to show off the beauty of a country, why destroy it with computer generation?

I mean even the silent film Phantom of the Opera, that music hall set was designed using sketches. People thought that scene was filmed in an actual music hall. Lucas filmed on location in several episodes, using props that fit the time period, with 10 year old Indy the journey began in 1909.

Props and costumes really make a difference in transporting the audience back in time.

But even at that, through the series Indy meets several historical figures. Some show up several times like T. E. Lawrence and Howard Carter, so of course they had to look like the person they were portraying but what about Sigmund Freud? Tolstoy? Even a young Norman Rockwell?

This is the first episode, Carter and T. E. Lawrence are at a digsite. The crafty thing about Lucas is the characters mention King Tut so yeah you're gonna see these guys again

Here's a young Norman Rockwell

Here's Puccini, the opera composer who gave us Madame Butterfly. I watched the episode last night and didn't realize just how much it showed the actual Puccini - in the episode he went after Indy's mom, the real Puccini was a womanizer so there was no holding back

You can say I'm nostalgic and defend 2024 Hollywood but look at Who Framed Roger Rabbit that was released in 1988

Or how about Dick Tracy, released in 1990

Then there's Rocketeer in 1991

And then the same year that Young Indiana Jones Chronicles was released to TV, there was Newsies - 1992

Can we go back to movies and TV shows that look like the time period they were set in?

[tonydaddingham]

Your single favourite trait from each character? (Well, obviously not literally each and every character, but, like, the ensemble, not only exclusively our boys.)

hi anon!!!✨ sure thing, i'll give it a go - let me know if i've missed anyone obvious!!!

aziraphale: i actually really enjoy aziraphale's wit; how at times it's rather dry and deadpan, and the way he's often so unintentional with it (like crowley remarks in ep6), along with his timing and sometimes obliviousness - i find it incredibly funny. there's obviously his kindness and open-minded nature too, but his humour is my favourite trait that springs to mind.

crowley: 100% his wonder, to soak up experiences, and admire them - not just with the stars that he creates, or even humanity and what they create, albeit those are the two main examples... but at little things - like, how he reacts to aziraphale when he does something unexpected, or to children (his favourite animal). i do love how personable he is too, even if he'd deny it, as well as his spontaneity.

mix of s1 and s2 cast:

madame tracy: open-mindedness/worldliness (especially in the book), she's just down for anything and open to anything, without an inch of hesitation or cynicism

shadwell: genuinely, to a certain point (so obviously casual homophobia notwithstanding) like his lack of self-consciousness, how unapologetic he is for his interests/job, even if it's something everyone else thinks is ridiculous

anathema: her tenacity, doesn't give up one bit throughout all of s1, stands steadfast to agnes' legacy until she feels she can put it to rest and carve her own way instead

newt: affability, he's just very polite and courteous, and is just generally happy (ish) to be there. fucking aliens pull him over and he just... goes with it - legend

maggie: her bravery - i know a lot of people have doubts about her motives in eps5 and 6, but the way she overcomes her fear and just goes ham is really likeable; a very quiet and understated character development

nina: lack of bullshit, calling things as she sees them, even if it comes from an unfortunate place/experience. she puts crowley in his place and if nothing else i have to admire that

muriel: their ability to follow their gut and do what they feel is right; like how they continue to help crowley in heaven, or when they speak out to call aziraphale nice, despite him being a 'traitor'.

gabriel: it's not necessarily a good trait, but i like how he just... bluffs his way throughout the majority of his character arc; the whole ribs thing, armageddon, the trial in ep6. takes a particular mind, i think, to be supreme archangel and just... make it up as you go along

michael: their cunning, even when they are a little clueless, you know that they are actually pretty intelligent in a tactical context

uriel: outspokenness, willingness to speak up, especially against quite a combative and devious character like michael

shax: how, in her own quiet way, she's so willing and eager to soak up knowledge - regardless of her motivations for doing so, she takes in the knowledge that crowley teaches her greedily

furfur: his intelligence, because actually - his whole scheme about catching out crowley and aziraphale in 1941 was, by and large, rather ingenious, and would have been successful

metatron: his deviousness; obviously not a good thing, but his whole five, ten, minutes? on a screen in total showed a lot about just how sly and crafty he is, a master of manipulation. quite a feat, really!

think that's most of the main cast, but happy to answer on anyone in particular!!!✨

forgot about beelzebub because im an idiot

[thesevenravenswriting]

Funny little Introduction

Hello all! I'm new to the whole writing and book community here on Tumblr, so I wanted to go ahead and make my introduction!

My name is Taylor Howell, Tay if you'd like! I'm 23, use she/her pronouns, and I'm a Leo. I like to think of myself as a chaotic bisexual who is a little too into horror movies and occasionally practices witchcraft :). I've been writing since I was in middle school and wrote fanfiction up until 2017. Since then I have been published in the Rio Review in the Spring of 2019, and in the Surrentium (a local magazine in Sorrento, Italy) in the Summer of 2022.

My favorite authors include but are not limited to, V.E. Schwab, Aiden Thomas, Samantha Shannon, and Erin Morgenstern.

My favorite artists include but are not limited to, Halsey, Hozier, Lil Nas X, Dua Lipa, and Florence and The Machine.

My favorite media includes Kiki's Delivery Service, Clue, X, Hereditary, Fullmetal Alchemist, The Twilight Zone, Final Fantasy VII, and Legend of Zelda.

What I like to do when I'm not reading or writing is cook/bake, Color Guard, watch silly horror movies, try to find my crafty sapphic hobby, and find a nostalgic game to hyperfixate on (we've graduated from Wizard101 to Diner Dash).

The last book I finished was A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon.

I'm currently reading Inferno by Dante Alighieri, Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark, Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn, and Circe by Madeline Miller.

My favorite genres to read are fantasy and horror. I won't turn down a good contemporary though!

My WIP is currently the first in a fantasy horror trilogy that is a retelling of The Odyssey by Homer with Fullmetal Alchemist influences. But if you wanna know more, you'll just have to stick around! ;)

With that, I'm excited to be here and I can't wait to be a menace on main.

[halfwayinlight]

Things I'm absolutely sick of, in no particular order:

Portia. Portia talking. Portia existing. just... Portia

Joss & Dex. it's going nowhere. she's being a whiny, entitled brat again and ignoring the family she'd do "anything" for

This road to nowhere with Willow. I don't even care any more. live or die, just pick one and DO it

Nina and Carly. separately or together

Gladys. She's sooooo bad at being crafty

Drew and everyone fawning over him for doing... almost nothing??

Esme in all forms.

Curtis. plz go away. join the WSB and adventure elsewhere

Things I'd rather have:

Kevlaur.

Kevin Collins

Charlotte Cassadine

Ava having an actual plot

Laura having ANY plot that's not about her being mayor or Nik or a grandkid in danger

Cameron Webber

TJ Ashford

Violet. omg my kingdom for some Violet but sans her dad & grandad

Leo Falconeri

Tracy Quartermaine

Avery Corinthos

Trina Robinson being a student, talking about art, without her family drama or just sprina (I like sprina but round her out again)

Nneka getting actual plots

[go-to-two]

Tracy takes her backpack and water bottle everywhere! Any guesses at what is in her backpack or what might be essential to have with her on set?

Ooof this is going to vary person to person but the first things that come to mind are:

1. Jacket- it can get cold on sets

2. Book- down time, pretty self explanatory

3. Snacks- whether from home or crafty, just to have them nearby

4. Basic toiletries like a toothbrush or deodorant- you can't always get to your trailer in the middle of the day.

[ginaraemitchell]

Fun Friday Finds | 12-13-2024 | Books, Crafts, Holiday Recipes, Indie Authors, & More!

Welcome to the Friday Finds for December 13, 2024! 🎄 Have you finished your holiday shopping? If not, don’t worry—you’re not alone! I’m wrapping mine up this weekend, just in time to dive into cookie-baking and holiday fudge-making. This week’s finds are packed with festive recipes, fantastic reads, and heartwarming traditions to inspire your season. From a nostalgic 4-ingredient Jell-O salad to sweet and salty popcorn perfection, you’ll find something to add to your holiday table. Bookworms, don’t miss the lineup of reviews, spotlights, and gift-worthy reads—including thrillers, cozy mysteries, and children’s tales that make perfect presents. Also, a huge congrats to Tom Tracy, whose book Jazmyne’s Big Emotions is up for two prestigious awards! And for those feeling crafty, I’ve included simple knit and crochet patterns to make your own festive hat. Let’s keep the season fun and stress-free (we’ll try, right?). Check out my weekly fun question—this week, we’re talking holiday traditions. What’s yours? Peace, love, and holiday cheer! 💖 —Gina https://ginaraemitchell.com/friday-finds-12-13-2024/

 Friday Finds | 12-13-2024 | Books ~ Crafts ~ Holiday Recipes ~ Indie Authors ~ Contests Welcome to the Friday Finds for December 13, 2024! 🎄 Have you finished your holiday shopping? If not, don’t worry—you’re not alone! I’m wrapping mine up this weekend, just in time to dive into cookie-baking and holiday fudge-making. This week’s finds are packed with festive recipes, fantastic reads, and…

[girl-tips]

[charlesandmartine]

Monday 21st October 2024

Our first outing of the day was to stroll a few hundred metres up the road to the Waterfront Area and harbour with the purpose of visiting the Oil Tunnels from the wartime era. We need however to skip back to 1923 when the decision was made to construct eleven huge surface oil storage tanks. Darwin was seen as the gateway to Australia and the first flight from London landed here in December 1919; a Vickers Vimy bomber that four Aussies had successfully flown from England in 28 days! So in 1923 the mammoth project to build the tanks began. The first was completed in 1926 and finally the eleventh was finished in 1942. In 1937, the Australian government was concerned that an attack could happen from Japan. They understood that London was not going to give the support they needed so defence forces were stepped up against a possible sea lead assault. On 19th February 1942, 5 days after the last storage tank had been completed and filled with oil, Japan launched a surprise attack, the first of many air raids and destroyed the lot! All that planning for a sea invasion and they unexpectedly flew in! Crafty these Japanese. Clearly Darwin needed a plan B. This one slightly more cunning. They were to build new storage facilities, but underground this time. By now they were at war clearly and the need for oil to feed the refineries was paramount. So they drummed up 400 navies to start digging by hand. Over a million pounds was thrown at it and 6 vast Tunnels out of 11 were built; each tunnel was 77 meters long, 4.5 meters high by 5 meters wide. Each in a horseshoe shaped concrete shell and then lined inside in plate steel. Despite all the soil that was removed to build these things and dumped just to one side, this failed to attract the attention of Japanese surveillance aircraft and the whole thing remained a secret! Designed to hold 20,000 tons of oil they were never used in wartime. They leaked. Hey ho. One was used after the war for kerosene storage. Even in 1974 when Cyclone Tracy whistled through they thought residents might hide safety down there. Unfortunately the floods created by the Cyclone were at a higher level than the front door. Great exhibition though so not all bad news there then.

Since we were in the right part of town at this stage we immediately thought of a number 4 bus. As you do. This was to be a bit spontaneous so logically doomed to failure, but we are fundamentally pessimistic optimists. The number 4 route was to be stretched even further than previously used, all the way to Fannie Bay. When the British settled anywhere around the world one of the first big solid buildings it tended to construct was a prison. No exception here; so in 1883 they built a very sturdy one which was to stay in business until 1979. It clearly survived the Cyclones of 1897 and 1974. Sadly it was closed to visitors when we arrived. Still, a ride on a number 4 is not to be sniffed at. Two security guards ride shotgun on these buses keeping law and order. An Aborigine was holding a conversation from row 6 to someone in row 14 without the need for facial recognition. A man sitting next to Martine at the bus stop had a snugly fitting ASBO bracelet around his ankle. Nice people.

Well at least we managed a steak slice and a Coke from the bakery at Fannie Bay.

Martine managed a few swims in the afternoon prior to the next excitement; the deckchair cinema, also close to the Oil Tunnels incidentally, which tonight will be showing Thelma, a 2024 film written about the experiences of the producer's grandmother.

Now here's something we didn't see coming. We got all spruced up and ready to go, and then there was the most almighty clap of apocalyptic thunder. Lightening streaking across the skies and storm clouds gathering over to the north. Dilemma, will they cancel the cinema? Well the rain seemed to be missing us, so we set out. As we got closer to the open air cinema we could see lights on so possibly all was well? 2 tickets please. Are they concessions the nice man asked. Collect cushions, select 2 deckchairs, settle down with a couple of bottles of Little Creatures beer, our favourite Brewery in Freemantle. The adverts were showing for little local companies and the lights were still on so we tucked into our sandwiches. The lights dimmed and the film started. What a good film it was. It started raining, the couple next to us loaned us an umbrella and all was well. No stars, but it was warm and we were dry. Thelma is a 93 year old widow of 2 years. She gets robbed by a telephone scam and determines to get her $10,000 back when the police seem disinterested. I think it would come in the category, heart warming. The rain stopped two thirds through and we were just a little damp as we walked the short distance home. We have been to deckchair cinema in Perth. Melbourne and now we can add Darwin to the list.

Great day and we enjoyed every minute.

[whatgaviiformes]

Fic: Grannies - part 3

A/N: Sorry this took so long. Unedited.

Summary: Gordon’s committed to the bit. The bit just happens to be an obnoxious amount of granny squares

Part 1 here | Part 2 here

Also just added to AO3

In this part: Virgil

“Your brother,” Virgil says, sinking heavily across from Scott at his work desk. The words trail… “Infuriating.” The chair was only there some of the time - mostly when more than one of them had to be on a conference call. 

Scott raises an eyebrow, his typing unhindered by his younger brother suddenly resting his cheeks on the wooden desk in defeat. “And? What did Gordon do now?” 

It’s of no consequence to Virgil that his big brother can tell just who’s the problem. It's obviously Gordon. They all have their little tiffs every now and then, but none of them would ever headdesk over the youngest, John's too far away for arguments to linger, and since Virgil is coming to Scott…

Virgil and Gordon work together too closely sometimes.

The interesting part is Gordon's off duty; he was called out to Eddington to spend some time on site with his marine research and would continue to be on leave for another four days.

“He leave you with a parting gift?” Scott asks. “Replaced your hair gel with Vaseline? Reorganized your paints? Switched your phone to pig latin?”

“Ugh, do not put those ideas out in the Universe,” Virgil warns, warily raising his head from his hands to glance around the villa. He doesn’t put it past Gordon to have ears around, especially those named Alan. Feeling safe that no one is hiding nearby, he swings back to Scott, his eyes narrowing as he catches sight of familiar stitching resting on the desk underneath Scott’s coffee. “You!”  

Virgil clambers for the square, pushing the mug to where the desk is bare. Luckily, Scott’s mostly drunk it through and so the liquid barely swirls halfway up the side in his haste to grab for the fabric below it. 

He glares at Scott.  

“It’s finished.” He raises the granny square up to Scott’s eye level, his fingertips white where he holds up the coffee-stained yarn. “How is this one finished?”  The confusion on Scott’s face dissipates, and Virgil notices the quirk of his smile that tells him Scott is biting the inside of his cheek to keep his expression in check.  “Why are you laughing? Stop it,” he says. 

Scott takes this as permission, of course, to crack a smile, and Virgil’s eyebrow twitches indignantly. 

“This is about the blanket, then?” Scott calmly and gently pries his coaster from Virgil’s fingers and straightens it back on the desk, followed by the mug in its proper position. “Before you start shouting betrayal, Gordon is still a shit and equal-opportunity pest. John wove in the ends for me last time he was here.” 

“John did?” 

“Yes.” 

Virgil deflates; the sigh deeply lodged in his chest as he squeezes the bridge of his nose. “Do you think he’d be willing to do about, oh, 200 more? And how do you know about the blanket?”

“Neither one of you are entirely subtle.” 

“Gordon figured it out, didn’t he?”

Scott hesitates. Nods. “There’s really only so much you can do with them. Retaliate, or make something. Gordon knows you well enough to know you won’t discard them. So…”

“So, he already knows I’m making something. Left all of these ends unwoven on purpose? Chose the most offensive colors known to humankind, specifically to annoy me?” Virgil shakes his head, groaning. “Nevermind, I don’t need you to answer.” 

“You know who he is,” Scott says with a grinning shrug. “I can’t let you disown him.” 

“Pity.” 

“Is that what dragged you down here all defeated?” 

Virgil points a finger. “I am not defeated. I’m frustrated. And I’m not sure there’s a point to all of it if there’s no element of surprise.” 

“Virg-”

“I’ve been trying for,” he checks his watch, “five hours to arrange these squares together, and nothing looks right. So what do I do? I take a break, weave in some ends, come back to it after. And after - I have more ends and still no design.” 

“That sounds pretty defeated to me.” 

“He wants me to go insane!” 

“He wants you to embrace his chaos,” Scott amends. “Come now, Virgil. You got this. Let us help,” he encourages, and Virgil has no choice but to sigh as his brother reaches for the comm to Thunderbird Five. “John, we have a situation.”

Their brother smirks when he answers. His hair is a shade darker than usual and waving in its wet, unstyled shape, indicating that John’s only recently gotten out of the shower. He’s dressed, but hasn’t switched his glasses for contacts. “You know, that’s my line,” he responds dryly. “Good Morning, Virgil.” 

It’s 3PM. 

But it is the first time Virgil has had a chance to speak to John since he spent the bulk of his morning with the project at hand. Virgil usually checks in with their distant space monitor during his morning coffee, so Virgil internally scolds himself for the rude gesture he was about to make and recognizes the irritation he feels is not John’s - or even Scott’s - fault. He waves instead. 

It’s easier to let Scott explain. As the oldest of them, he has a way of focusing on facts and details for emotionally charged situations. It’s one of the reasons he’s a great commander. Of course, if he’s the one emotionally charged, that’s a different story.  

“Show me his stitches, again?” 

Now, John however, he’s concise - often three steps ahead before he clues the rest of them in. 

Scott picks up the coaster and pushes his chair back to come around the desk to give John a better view. Once Virgil spins his chair to fully face John’s hologram, Scott places a hand on his shoulder. 

“Yeah, you’re not doing that,” John tells him, matter-of-fact. “Crochet what ends you can when you join squares together. Measure everything so I can get enough fabric, and I’ll help you put a lining on it.” He says the list of instructions with the same inflection as when directing a rescue, his hands flying across the resources in front of him. 

It’s not a bad idea. With a lining, the most weaving he might need to do would be ensuring all ends were on the “wrong” side of the squares.  

“What about if something pokes through the spaces of the granny square?” 

John raises an eyebrow at Virgil’s question. “He’ll deal. He knew what he was doing when he didn’t finish them off properly. Don’t worry, we’ll find something so obnoxiously fishy, he won’t care. I found a pattern here with anemones in little hats.” 

Virgil can’t help but giggle at that, and John smiles at him brightly, his eyes larger behind the wire frames. 

“I’ll keep looking,” he tells him. “We can keep workshopping ideas.”

“Thanks, Jay. Now about the arranging,” Scott says. “I have some ideas about that, Virgil, if you’re willing to show me what you have.”

Grateful, Virgil nods. “Another set of eyes would be great.”

“F-A-B! Let’s go make order out of chaos.”

[zablionsea]

i want to hearrrr some lore about Vivian. or any of the other 'supplemental' characters you have of your choosing

I'll do a bit for Vivian and Tracy. Both aren't as developed as characters as Kyraam, though, nowhere close. I'm coming up with some of this on the fly.

First, Vivian was named before I ever really thought about the character from Paper Mario TTYD. It's pure coincidence but bears mentioning since the character is popular right now, and rightly so. It was meant to represent how she's rather lively and intense.

Vivian Brooks a student at University of Goldenplume, I'm gonna say some sort of Business major. She's a mountain lion/cougar/panther/puma/gosh these have so many names with pink hair in a mohawk. I feel like she's quite into athletics as a hobby, more specifically parkour and gymnastics.

Between her and Kyraam, she's the one actually paying the bulk of the rent, as her job is full-time. She's rather self-absorbed and tends to view things in more pragmatic terms. This serves her well in school and work, but puts strain in her relationships. Very passionate about her hobbies, but the lack of common ground with Kyraam on that front creates tension.

Then, Tracy Garner is an arcade technician who works at Longplay Game Center during the later night hours. Longplay is a barcade with a mix of retro and modern games, striking a balance between fighting, rhythm, and retro classic games. The most important thing to me is that they have Mappy (1983), NOISZ ARC⌖CODA, and O.N.G.E.K.I. because it's my OC universe and I get to decide what video games my fursona gets to play......

wait that's uh that's just worldbuilding. Okay, one moment, I'll get back on track.

Tracy is a gaming enthusiast (a gaming mouse if you will), and working at this place is her dream job. She's quite crafty and will tackle problems from a variety of technical approaches. However, she is terrible with people and tends not to go out much besides for work or errands.

Considering how much rambling I've done already, I should probably, like, make an organizational tag for these and slap some of this info into a spot on my Neocities page. Eh, well, I'll do the latter after I get more work done on a certain wiki project I've been on hiatus from.

[freelancershahin]

S05:E96 KellyAnn Tracy of Beads-N-Buddies on Passion & Purpose

✅ S05:E96 KellyAnn Tracy of Beads-N-Buddies on Passion & Purpose 🙏🙏 Watch The Video & Don’t Forget to Like, Comment, Subscribe, & Share 🧡 💠 KellyAnn Tracy (Owner and Founder of Beads-N-Buddies) sits down and discusses her journey, and how she moved past the pain and found her passion for helping others. 💠 With a background in healthcare, she merged her love for caring for others with a crafty activity, and developed Beads-N-Buddies: Providing bracelet crafting parties to help foster creativity, build community, and encourage connection - with an emphasis on Senior Living Facilities. 🌟 GET SOCIAL WITH BEADS-N-BUDDIES 👉 Website: https://www.beadsnbuddies.com 👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beadsnbuddies 👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beadsnbuddies ______________________________________________ 💠 The PHILLIP Show is a platform that celebrates YOU!!! From personal stories, shared ideas & inspiration, the goal of the show is to inspire by celebrating the uniqueness of individuals, brands, and businesses. Remember: You’re the best YOU in the world! #BeYou #ThePHILLIPShow ............................................................................... 🔶 WATCH MORE EPISODES ✅ S04:E85 Actor & Songstress Angela Birchett - Life, Health & The Stage 👉This Video Link: https://youtu.be/_NbHF7gmqSM ✅ S04:E84 Identifying the need for therapy to start healing with Tracy Hunt 👉This Video Link: https://youtu.be/cxaEssMQ6sw ✅ S04:E83 Michael Knote - Founder & Director of Have A Gay Day 👉 This Video Link: https://youtu.be/gAupGro7Ots ✅ S04:E82 Filmmaker Baxter Stapleton & The Power of Vision 👉 This Video Link: https://youtu.be/8Z0y9LIFHA4 ✅ S04:E81 Iden Crockett on Art & Life - Being Authentic 👉 This Video Link: https://youtu.be/uK1R2OOyQH8 ..................................................................................... 🌟 LET'S STAY CONNECTED... 🔶 https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-o-rourke-38b19267/ 🔶 https://www.instagram.com/philliporourke/ 🔶 https://web.facebook.com/philliporourke 🔶 https://www.tiktok.com/@philliporourke 🔶 https://twitter.com/philliporourke 🔶 https://philliporourke.com/ 🔶 SHOP: https://www.shopphilliporourke.online #Yellow #Springs #Yellow_Springs #beyou #entrepreneur #podcast #business #businessowner #founder #phillip #ceo #beyourself #thephillipshow #philliporourke #purpose #passion #Beads-N-Buddies #KellyAnn #BeYou #ThePHILLIPShow

[astranite]

Socks!!! Yes to the socks!!! Awww and him borrowing them from John before John gets him his own. Warm good socks are the best.

Oooh even some home knitted ones with the various crafty family members.

Also what about ugg boots? Better than slippers because they also keep your ankles warm and you can walk around in them. And wear socks at the same time.

Also also the Tracy villa has prime open spaces and wooden polished floors for sock sliding competitions.

Scott Tracy’s Guide to Essential Soft Furnishings - A Bingo Card

*throws gauntlet*

@janetm74 @sofasurf @astranite @womble1

[thecreaturecodex]

Black Howler

Image © Traci Shepard, accessed at Arcane Beasts and Critters here

[The Ozark Howler is a more successful hoax than the Awful, if only because more people believe it. It is continually being reinforced as well, with recent efforts playing into token diversity for cred. No matter what Amazon says, there was no book about the Ozark Howler written by a gay communist in an interracial relationship that proves that the creature was known in the 1930s, only to have been suppressed for decades. It’s a modern day forgery. As Loren Coleman covers quite thoroughly, the Ozark Howler originated as a prank pulled in the late 1990s attempting to prove that cryptozoologists are gullible and credulous. Seeing how many “legit” crypto books I’ve seen that cover the Ozark Howler, gotta say the hoaxer has a point.]

Black Howler CR 9 NE Outsider (extraplanar) This creature appears as a shaggy black cat the size of a bear, its fur seeming to drink in the light. A pair of horns grows from the back of its skull, and its red eyes glower with a cruel smugness.

Black howlers are more intelligent and crafty kin to shadow mastiffs, appearing as monstrous cats instead of monstrous dogs. A single black howler will occasionally lead a pack of shadow mastiffs, but they prefer to act on their own, stalking prey across either the Plane of Shadow or the Material Plane. They are tireless predators, hunting as much for the thrill as anything else, and will often appear to challenge themselves on renowned heroes or monsters.

A black howler is seen as an ill omen in any land it appears, and for good reason. Its echoing howl can be heard for miles on a good day, and engenders terror over a wide range. Creatures close to a black howler when it howls freeze in their tracks instead of fleeing, allowing the black howler easy access. Black howlers play with their food, batting them around before eviscerating them with their claws. The horns of a black howler are for show—the claws and fangs much less so. A black howler that finds itself significantly challenged will often escape through magic, only to pick up the trail later in order to strike back.

Unlike shadow mastiffs, black howlers can speak, although they do not talk to their prey. Undead creatures or other evil outsiders, however, they may have a conversation with or even ally with if the spoils of doing so are good. They will deign to be ridden as mounts, but only if the rider shows proper respect—being treated as a mere animal rankles black howlers, and they will usually get revenge on such slights.

Black Howler     CR 9 XP 6,400 NE Large outsider (evil, extraplanar) Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +17, scent, see in darkness Defense AC 22, touch 11, flat-footed 20 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +1 dodge, +11 natural) hp 115 (11d10+55) Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +8 Defensive Abilities shadow blend Offense Speed 50 ft. Melee bite +15 (1d12+5), 2 claws +15 (1d6+5/19-20 plus grab) Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Special Attacks howl, pounce, rake (2 claws +15, 1d6+5/19-20) Spell-like Abilities CL 9th, concentration +12 3/day—darkness, dimension door, shout (DC 17) 1/day—shadow walk Statistics Str 21, Dex 13, Con 21, Int 8, Wis 16, Cha 16 Base Atk +11; CMB +17 (+21 grapple); CMD 29 Feats Dodge, Improved Critical (claw), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack, Stealthy Skills Acrobatics +17 (+25 when jumping), Climb +13, Escape Artist +11, Perception +17, Stealth +15, Survival +17 Languages Common Ecology Environment any land or underground (Shadow Plane) Organization solitary or pair Treasure incidental Special Abilities Howl (Su) When a black howler howls as a standard action, all creature except for evil outsiders within 300 feet must succeed a DC 18 Will save or be panicked for 2d4 rounds. A creature that fails its save within 30 feet instead cowers for 2d4 rounds. A creature that succeeds this save is immune to the howl of that black howler for the next 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma based. Shadow Blend (Su) In any condition other than full daylight, a black howler disappears into the shadows, giving it total concealment (50% miss chance). Artificial illumination does not negate this ability unless it is a daylight spell or more powerful magic. A black howler can suppress or resume this ability as a free action.

[twistedtummies2]

Top 15 Portrayals of The Penguin

Alongside the Joker and Catwoman, Oswald C. Cobblepot, a.k.a. The Penguin, is arguably Batman’s single most iconic villain. At least outside of comics, he’s long been considered Batman’s “Number Two Rogue”: if the Joker is Batman’s arch-nemesis, then Penguin is usually considered his SECOND worst enemy. In comics, that role has not been so stable; since the Bronze Age, other characters like Two-Face, Scarecrow, and Ra’s Al Ghul have sort of superceded Penguin. Nevertheless, the character has endured over the decades, and virtually no Batman imagining worth their salt would dare to completely leave this Pompous Waddling Master of Fowl Play out of the running entirely.

With numerous takes in movies, TV, video games, and so on, there’s a lot of Penguins to choose from. So, here is my CURRENT ranking for My Top 15 Favorite Portrayals of the Penguin!

15. Terry McGovern.

When I made my list for the Riddler, I mentioned a PC game entitled “Toxic Chill”: a puzzle-based game developed by The Learning Company, made for children and incorporating an aesthetic style seemingly inspired by the DCAU (with some hints of Dick Tracy, of all things), but with lore elements based on the then-current depiction of Gotham in the comics of the early 2000s. “Toxic Chill” wasn’t the only game TLK made, however: they also made a sequel, “Justice Unbalanced.” In this game, Penguin ends up playing both victim AND villain, as he winds up on the receiving end of Two-Face’s ire: while trying to stop a series of strange robberies Penguin is involved in, Batman discovers that Harvey Dent is planning to get revenge on the Buccaneer of Birds for crimes past. I love the use of the Penguin in the plot of this game, and McGovern does a decent job with the character’s voice, plus I have some good nostalgia for these games.

14. Bobby Moynihan.

I first learned Bobby Moynihan’s name because of his role as Louie in the DuckTales reboot. How fitting is it that a duck would also play the Penguin? Moynihan voiced Penguin for “Batman: The Audio Adventures,” a series of radio-play-style audio dramas for HBO Max, which sort of ride a fine line between the campy goofiness of the 60s series and the more dramatic, darker intensity of most modern incarnations. It mixes the moods surprisingly well, allowing the characters to be both funny and yet also dangerous. Moynihan’s Penguin is no exception: this take on Oswald Cobblepot has a voice and sense of style and vocabulary heavily influenced by Burgess Meredith’s portrayal, but he can also be legitimately scary and a canny manipulator. This Penguin is an opportunistic, crafty Bird of Prey, who has a habit for finding people’s weak spots and exploiting them for various purposes. For all his humorous elements, one shouldn’t underestimate him.

13. Stephen Root.

With a design directly lifted from the pages of the Golden Age of Comics, and a vocal performance seemingly inspired by Lennie Weinrib’s portrayal from the filmation cartoons (Root gives the Penguin several of the same affectations), “Batman: The Brave and the Bold” certainly gave us a fun take on the Bird of Ill Omen. Like most villains in the series, however, this Penguin had a fairly small role in the way things played out; the only major role Root’s portrayal had in the show was in the episode “Aquaman’s Outrageous Adventure,” where he was effectively the main villain of the story…but even then, most of the action and conflict revolved around the protagonists, not so much their struggles with Cobblepot and his crew. (He also had a supporting role in the Scooby-Doo crossover, but in that appearance, he was given a whole different voice actor, for reasons I know not.) He was always fun to see hanging around, however, and the show made great use of the character’s classic gimmicks and quirks. If he’d had more focus, he might have made my Top 10. 

12. William Salyers.

Bill Salyers portrayed the Penguin in the animated features “Return of the Caped Crusaders” and “Batman vs. Two-Face.” Both films were set in the same universe as the 1960s TV series, where Burgess Meredith had played the Penguin. However, since sadly most of the performers who appeared in that show have long since passed away (Meredith tragically included), new voice actors had to be selected to portray the many colorful baddies of the series. Salyers’ impersonation of Meredith’s Penguin is pretty spot-on, and he gets a bunch of fun lines and moments throughout both films. However, much like with Stephen Root, it’s focus that ultimately drags him down a peg: Salyers spends his time in both movies surrounded by a cavalcade of other crooks, and is never the villain chiefly in charge of the many dastardly plots that occur. As a result, while he does a great job with what he’s given, he’s just not enough of a presence to make it past this place.

11. David Jennison.

In “DC Universe Online,” the Penguin pops up several times throughout the course of the game. It’s revealed that - much like in the popular Arkham games - Oswald Cobblepot and Two-Face are engaged in a turf war, and throughout the story of the game, the player gets roped into the conflict, or has to visit the Iceberg Lounge for other purposes. At one point, the player may even have to face Cobblepot in a boss battle, where he attacks them using a machine gun umbrella, assisted by an army of mooks. David Jennison really plays up the “old time gangster” side of the Penguin; this version considers himself a “businessman,” above all else, and sees crime as simply an opportunity for growth and profit. I really like this interpretation, and it’s fun to hear a Penguin who just so thoroughly embraces that quality of the character.

10. Dana Snyder.

Snyder first played the Penguin in the “Batman Unlimited” series of films and shorts. Used as promotional vehicles to sell toys, Unlimited created a unique take on the universe and visual style of Batman, the stories of each film largely focusing more on action and comedy than anything else. Snyder’s Penguin looks…weird, I’d be lying if I said I was crazy about the design, but the character is VERY well-portrayed, and Snyder’s vocals fit like a glove. In the first film, “Animal Instincts,” the Penguin assembles of a team of animal-themed supervillains in a plot to destroy Gotham City: it’s a twisted sort of revenge scheme on his part, as Oswald has always felt mistreated by the human race, and despite his success as a businessman, has never gotten the things he truly wanted in life. It’s a surprisingly sympathetic motivation, but the character’s schemes and methods are so dastardly and destructive, it’s arguable how sorry one feels for him. He later returned in the movie “Mechs vs. Mutants,” teamed-up with Mr. Freeze, with a new plan to try and get back at the City, as well as Batman. Snyder would reprise his role as Penguin in a few episodes of the show “Justice League Action;” the character had less to do in this version, but also looked much more traditional in style, so one can pick their poison with this interpretation. Both are good, but good for slightly different reasons, and the voice actor plays both off very well.

9. Elias Toufexis.

I never expected Adam Jensen from “Deus Ex” to make such a magnificent Oswald Cobblepot, but life found a way in the video game “Gotham Knights.” While the game itself has many flaws and foibles (or so it seems; as of writing, I haven’t actually played it yet, just watched videos), one thing I do like is the way the Penguin is portrayed. This version of Oswald plays off the idea of him as a “retired” criminal in a new way: evidently, this Penguin didn’t decide to “go straight” until after Batman died. In typical Penguin fashion, he’s suspected of still doing dirty deeds out the back window from the Iceberg Lounge, but what’s interesting is that, in this game, we don’t actually get too much PROOF of that. Penguin actually acts as a sort of tenuous ally of the heroes in the game, giving them gear and offering information about the Court of Owls. Naturally, he’s not a fully trustworthy associate, but that’s par the course for the character. I loved the way they played with the Penguin’s “legitimate businessman” angle in this version, and I also love how Toufexis’ portrayal sort of blends elements - both visually and vocally - of the sort of “mafioso” Penguin popular nowadays with the more classic character of yesteryear. If he were in the game even more prominently, he could have been a bit higher in the ranks.

8. Ted Knight.

It is perhaps stubborn nostalgia and personal fondness, above anything else, that lands this Penguin so high in the ranks compared to others below him. Knight was the second person to ever play the Penguin, and the first voice actor to handle the role, in first Filmation cartoon series. More famously, however, he would reprise the part in “The New Scooby-Doo Movies,” appearing in both of the classic ���Scooby-Doo Meets Batman & Robin” episodes of the show. In these episodes, Knight’s Penguin was always joined by Larry Storch as the Joker. While the two characters had teamed-up in comics and even in the 60s series a few times, I would personally argue that it was these appearances that led to the popularity of the characters as a duo for many years. Knight plays the Penguin with a foppish, flutelike sort of voice, foregoing the quacking and squawking of Meredith in favor of presenting the character as a more gentlemanly, posh fellow. Probably the most noteworthy thing about this Penguin was his love of alliteration; Meredith’s Penguin enjoyed repeated letters and sounds, too, but Knight REALLY played around a lot with the concept in dialogue, and apparently some of it was improvised as much as scripted, which to me only makes the moments more impressive. Seriously, just sample THIS beauty: “We are prepared, Professor, to purchase your praiseworthy product. Not for a piddly, paltry pittance, but a prodigious payment!” I sure hope the pop filter was attached firmly to that poor microphone when he said those lines!

7. Colin Farrell.

Out of all the different takes on Penguin that embrace his “mob boss” side, none has latched onto that element quite so firmly as Colin Farrell’s portrayal in “The Batman.” Farrell plays Oswald Cobblepot in the style of a stereotypical gangster, with his heavy “Brooklynese” dialect, and various little quirks and traits that seem taken straight from the pages of a 1940s film noir...which is fitting, since this movie basically IS a film noir, just with...you know...a detective in a bat costume instead of a trenchcoat. Farrell is honestly my favorite part of the movie; his melodramatic but convicted performance, combined with the absolutely ASTONISHING makeup job, allows him to completely and entirely disappear into the part. There were seriously multiple moments watching him throughout the film where I forgot it was Colin Farrell in that outfit, and while Penguin isn’t the primary antagonist of the picture, he’s definitely the scene-stealer of the film. The only reason - and I do mean the ONLY reason - he doesn’t rank higher is simply that, perhaps because the film is so new still, I tend to think of other portrayals that I’ve known much longer before this one, whenever I think of the character.

6. Danny DeVito.

While most people nowadays, especially major comic book fans, concede there are some flaws with the execution of DeVito’s Oswald Cobblepot in writing, this version still has plenty of fans, and for good reason. I myself sometimes forget how much I enjoy watching DeVito’s Penguin, until I actually sit down to do just that; then I get all wrapped up in it again. Seemingly owing more to Killer Croc than any take on Oswald in the comics, Tim Burton and company created a particularly grotesque and gruesome Penguin: a depraved monster of a man with flippers for hands, jagged teeth, pale skin, and a more Gothic, Victorian sense of style. Mixing the basic imagery and tropes of the Penguin in comics with the shadowy dramatics of German Expressionism, the visual design of this character remains highly influential. As for the performance…yeah, it’s a bit over-the-top, but I don’t think there’s a way to go subtle with a character like this in these cases. DeVito actually finds ways to give this character surprising nuance and depth, which leaves one unsure on how to react to this Penguin. You often get the feeling one is supposed to feel sorry for Oswald, but he’s still a thoroughly nasty, menacing creature.

5. Nolan North.

The Arkham games did something similar to the Tim Burton movies, but in a different way: once again, they put aside the Penguin’s more debonair elements, instead focusing on his rougher edges. This Cockney-accented Cobblepot was a truly nasty customer; a gritty mobster who loved the finer things in life, and would stop at nothing to make a profit. Sadistic to a fault, this Penguin loved carnage and cruelty, as long as he wasn’t the one getting the butt end of it, and demanded loyalty and respect from his associates. While a departure from the dapper little crook of yore, the character still felt distinctly like Penguin at heart, and even kept many of the character’s typical aesthetics, albeit giving them a more grimy, grungy sort of demeanor. (For example, instead of a monocle, this Penguin has a piece of broken glass stuck in his face. Ouch!) Nolan North voiced Oswald in the games, as well as the “Assault on Arkham” spin-off film, and did a dandy job maneuvering through the character’s nasty demeanor and inner cowardice delightfully. Alongside the version from Gotham, it’s arguably the most popular Penguin to date, and influenced both the comics and even recent other versions a surprising amount.

4. Robin Lord Taylor.

When “Gotham” started out, to be honest, I wasn’t a big fan of Penguin...but, like many other things in the show, he grew on me over time. However, in his case, it was in the best and smoothest way he could. The series does a very good job showing the progression of Oswald Cobblepot into becoming the Penguin we all know and love. We see him struggle from the odd little wimp in the corner to becoming, as he so triumphantly puts it, “THE KING OF GOTHAM!!!” over the course of the first season...but his wicked adventures don’t stop there. You see, as Penguin quickly learns, gaining power is only half the equation. You also have to hold onto it. Throughout the remaining seasons, that becomes his real journey. Robin Lord Taylor’s Oswald became probably the most popular character in the show, and while the Penguin has always been an iconic character, I would argue his work helped reinvigorate interest in Gotham’s Bird of Prey. The character’s tragic past and sense of vulnerability draw us to the Penguin and make us empathize with him deeply...but he is more than capable of horrendous and frightening acts, able to make us fear and revile him as much as we adore him. There are multiple layers to him as a character, as we come to find Penguin is not merely a greedy monster, but a rather broken human being. At the end of the day, he just wants a few simple things he never had: to be loved, or to be feared, and to DEFINITELY be in control of his own life…and maybe a few others, as well.

3. Tom Kenny.

Yep. Spongebob himself not only played the Penguin…he’s been doing it for years. Kenny first played Oswald Cobblepot in the TV series “The Batman” (long before the oncoming storm of the Farrell). Fans seem split about this Penguin, and this show as a whole; personally, I love both. This Penguin mixed elements of the portrayal popularized by Meredith with things taken straight from Danny DeVito’s book, and created a really fun and unique take on the villain. In this show, while the Joker was imagined as Batman’s arch-foe, the Penguin was meant to be Bruce Wayne’s: a sort of dark reflection on what Bruce could have been like if he’d let the wealth and power his family had go to his head. After this show, Kenny would go on to reprise the Penguin MANY times, and still voices him repeatedly to this day: he’s played Oswald in most of the LEGO games AND direct-to-video appearances, had a minor role as the character in “Batman: Ninja,” replaced Stephen Root in “Scooby-Doo and Batman: The Brave and the Bold,” and - my personal favorite - had a supporting role as Cobblepot in “Batman vs. TMNT.” Indeed, some would argue Tom Kenny has become to Penguin what people like Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy have become to Joker and Batman, and for that above all else, he earns VERY high marks here.

2. Burgess Meredith.

Robin Lord Taylor and Nolan North may have rejuvenated ol’ Pengy for more contemporary audiences, but Burgess Meredith is the actor who has probably done more for the character than any other. While the Penguin was already popular in comics before Meredith came around, it was Meredith’s portrayal of the villain - possibly the single most popular character in the show - that arguably allowed the cagey little bird to become a pop culture icon. Not only did Meredith’s costume and makeup allow him to look like the character had practically come to life, leaping right out of a Silver Age illustration, but the portrayal of the character was absolutely brilliant. Meredith’s voice carried a sense of grit and toughness, which, when combined with the character’s dandified sensibilities and vocal mannerisms - emphasizing certain words and consonants in interesting ways - helped to sell the core concept of the Penguin in a wonderful way: he looked and spoke like a gentleman, but he was ultimately still a slimeball at heart. Meredith also invented the character’s waddling gait and “Quacking Laugh,” both of which are still featured in various takes on the character in and out of comics to this date. If it weren’t for this man, we simply wouldn’t have the Penguin we know today.

1. Paul Williams & David Ogden Stiers.

Williams voiced the Penguin in “Batman: The Animated Series,” and most of its subsequent spin-offs. However, in the spin-off movie “Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman,” David Ogden Stiers (most famous for his appearances in various Disney movies, such as “Beauty and the Beast,” “Pocahontas,” and “Lilo & Stitch”) played the character. While Ogden Stiers only had the one movie, I would honestly argue his performance is more than a match to Williams’, and to this day, I’ve never been able to decide which of the pair I like more. Whichever actor tackled the part, they aren’t the REAL reason this is my favorite Penguin. The reason, really, is because in my opinion, this was sort of the Penguin who offered a little bit of everything. In the first three seasons of the show, Pengy was portrayed in classic style as a sort of gentleman thief; he had henchmen, but he wasn’t a crime lord. These early seasons also featured a design influenced by the version from “Batman Returns,” due to contractual obligations. In the fourth season, things changed: keeping with the lore of comics at the time, the Penguin openly retired from crime to manage the Iceberg Lounge…but of course, he was still up to his old tricks, using his business as a front for the capers he would mastermind. In this fourth season, the creators were allowed to depict Penguin in a more classical aesthetic style; this is the version Ogden Stiers would play. As a person who loves ALL these different angles with Penguin, I personally felt there was just no way to lose with this one, and while his actual APPEARANCES weren’t always top notch (he seemed to just be the bad guy the creators would use when the Joker wasn’t wanted, with only a few exceptions), the actual portrayal of the character was truly brilliant, and he did have a few golden moments to shine. As a result, the DCAU Cobblepot takes top billing as My Favorite Penguin.