#dogmatix and friends

[mlmshipbracket]

I feel like the asterix/obelix propaganda doesn't do them justice. They kiss constantly, they have cute nicknames for each other, they bicker like an old married couple, they miss 3ach other when they're away. They're also the only two male characters in their village who live together, all the other houses in their village with 2 people in it are for a husband and wife. Their dog, idefix/dogmatix is often referenced as their child, and they refer to themselves as his dads. They are much more than best friends, though not conformed canonically to be lovers, what they have is something very very special.

Thank you for your Asterix/Obelix propaganda! I'll be sure it is tagged properly for others to find.

[lantredudragon]

While Julius Caesar is making alliances, Asterix and Obelix are making contact with the locals. It's going great !

*

"Asterix, I'm hungry."

"I told you already, we don't know what these mushrooms could do. They could be poisonous, so until we find someone who can tell us, better to not touch them."

"But there are no boars, or deer, or even rabbits! No berries or nuts !! Not even roots! Just mushrooms, mushrooms, mushrooms!"

It felt like they had this discussion several times already yet even Asterix couldn't blame his friend for complaining. It felt like an eternity since they had landed in ...whatever this place was.

Asterix still couldn't wrap his head around what exactly had happened. One moment they were having a typical skirmish with Caesar and his troops, until they found themselves with Caesar near a strange green tunnel, and then...there they were. In some kind of mushroom land with no one in sight, not even Julius, who had yet been sucked in with them. Deep down, Asterix couldn't help but hope old Julius was doing fine on his own...

And to top it off, Dogmatix had ran off! Who knew where their little friend had gone, or what dangers he risked in this strange land? Where even were they ? It looked nothing like Gaul, or Rome, or any other country they had ever visited (and Toutatis knew how far they had travelled).

Lost as he was in his thoughts, it took several seconds for Asterix to notice the absence of his best friend's footsteps behind him. Looking back quickly, he found Obelix staring down intently at a patch of big red and blue mushrooms off their path.

Suddenly Obelix reached into the patch...

"Obelix, for the last time-"

...and yanked someone out of it.

"What the -?"

"Look, Asterix! I found someone!"

A little man...mushroom...person...? Was dangling from Obelix's big hand. He was even smaller than Asterix, with strange clothes, a big head (or was is a hat?) shaped like a mushroom cap, and little beady eyes widened in fright.

Asterix gawked for several seconds at the sight, before collecting himself. So at least there were people in this land, that was finally some good news ! All Asterix and Obelix needed to do was to show they were non-threatening and polite, and surely the locals would help them find their way home! With that in mind, Asterix stepped forward with a smile, lifting his helmet in salute.

"Excuse-me, sir, could yo-"

The mushroom man shrieked in terror.

Asterix's smile wavered.

"I assure you, we don't-"

He shrieked louder.

Asterix frowned.

"Could you let me finish-"

The shrieks reached Cacofonix-levels of loudness and shrillness, before turning into wails in a strange language. And while he had no idea of what it said, Asterix had heard enough Romans, Normands, Goths and other people facing their fists to recognize desperate cries for help or begging for mercy.

Asterix winced before pinching the bridge of his nose. By Toutatis, that was just their luck. Way to make a good impression, on someone who didn't even seem to understand them.

"Hey, Mister Mushroom, have you seen my little dog?" Obélix asked politely despite the little man desperately wriggling in his grasp.

"Will you put him down??" Asterix shot back, exasperated, "Can't you see he's terrified?"

"But he's going to run away! It's not like I'm gonna hurt him!"

"It's not like he knows that, he doesn't speak our language. Now put him down!"

Pouting, Obelix obeyed...and the second he was free, the little man bolted for the mushroom forest, disappearing in a couple of seconds.

"See, I told you so!"

"Well, let's hope he doesn't live here alone, and that someone else will keep their calm and talk to us."

Obelix cupped his chin and pondered for a long moment, frowning in deep thought.

"...Say, Asterix, you think his mushroom cap was edible ?"

Asterix let out a deep sigh.

This was going to be a long day.

[marshallpupfan]

Hopefully this isn't too weird or invasive a question, but I'm curious what draws you to Paw Patrol as an older fan, and also what your experience has been like in the fandom and as a collector? (I'm assuming you're an older fan and probably close to my age from the non-Paw Patrol media you share haha).

I am indeed one of its older fans, and I can think up a few reasons that keeps drawing me to it.

One I can say right away is the fact I have a big love for canines, thus I tend to gravitate towards anything with dogs (and wolves, depending on if they're heroes or villains). They make up plenty of my favorites characters, as some of you seen in one of my previous Asks, and I generally tend to enjoy things more when they're involved (a friend recently recommended an older game to me, which I enjoyed all the more because you got to travel around with your trusty dog).

Funnily enough, not too long ago, I took an interest in the Asterix and Obelix franchise because of its dog character, Dogmatix... and I was quite thrilled when I heard he was getting his own spinoff cartoon! Of course, it was only available in French at the time, but much to my luck, the first half of season one got dubbed in English and [officially] posted on Youtube, free to watch! I gave it a go, and I thought it was pretty good! If anyone's curious, click this link to check it out. And yes, this might've been a thinly-veiled attempt to talk about this cartoon somewhere, since there aren't many English-speaking fans. lol

Arquebus/Musketix is the best character.

But yeah, the pups are one of my biggest draws to PAW Patrol, and unlike some fans, I rather like it when other pups get added to the cast. Boomer and Claw both certainly helped renew some of my interest in the franchise, particularly during a time in which I felt things were going downhill. Hey, I just love dogs!

Obviously, Marshall's easily my biggest draw to PAW Patrol. I'll admit, I tend to take a far bigger interest in an episode when he actually gets some good attention... and it's why my interests start to wane when he doesn't. The dude's legit my #1 favorite animated character, so I suppose it's no surprise to hear I often tune in specifically for him. That's not to say I don't get enjoyment from the other pups, but I'm just so crazy about that spotted pup!

Another aspect that draws me to PAW Patrol is just how fun it tends to be (or used to be, but the modern seasons still have their moments). I don't want to go too deep into this because I don't want things to get too serious, but let's just say... life can be quite rough anymore, and it never seems to get much better. I often look for something that can help me escape that for a while, even if it's just for a half hour at a time. I found that PAW Patrol does that for me. It's cute, colorful, fun, doesn't try to be complex, and by the end, everything turns out okay. And if I need cheering up after a bad day, a certainly clumsy, spotted pup often always puts a smile on my face. Some days, I need that.

----

As for my experiences with the fandom, I'd say it's been largely positive. I do tend to meet a lot of friendly people, many of which tend to be supportive and/or cheerful when I need it, and I generally enjoy interacting with most of them right back! I certainly don't regret being a part of it for the last five years or so.

With that said, I've had encounters that certainly weren't pleasant. I think everyone knows about my copycat by this point, so no need to retread that old ground. There's one infamous user out there who just seems to hate everything (unless it involves Everest), and he often turns hostile if you don't agree with his opinions. The same dude even tried arguing and verbally attacking those who work on PAW Patrol... including their families, too! Crazy guy. I've also encountered some fans who seem to make stuff up, believe their headcanon to be fact, and then become angry when people don't agree with them. I once had someone tell me Ryder is "gaslighting" Rubble, and... I don't even want to know what that means or why they believe that.

And in-regards to being a collector, the reception I often encounter has been quite positive, too. Most fans really seem to enjoy seeing my collection, even if it's just out of curiosity to see just how much merchandise they made of one single pup. I still get compliments on it all the time, from both fans and non-fans of Marshall, and I've even seen other folks who just think it's legit cool.

Surprisingly, I've only had one negative encounter so far, and it was, believe it or not, from someone who used to be a fan of PAW Patrol. She became one of those folks who encountered bad users, got tired of them, and then decided every fan must be awful... and of course, she tore into me because I "talk too much" about Marshall and deemed me a "freak" for collecting so much merchandise. Most of what she said was largely laced with swears and insults, and I'm sure she believes she put me in my place or something... though in truth, I was laughing at most of her replies. Why she felt the need to throw such a temper tantrum on me, I'll never know, but she didn't succeed in even the slightest to discourage me or anything. lol

[quiobisecretsanta]

QuiObi Secret Santa 2023 Masterlist

Thank you to everyone who participated in Quiobi Secret Santa this year! The holidays can be busy and emotionally exhausting, but so many creators still turned out to provide us all with some beautiful artworks and stories. We appreciate their efforts and talents!

Please join us for our next event: QuiObi Secret Valentines! You can access the signup form here.

Art

care and tenderness by psina_dubina

I've Got Your Back by Kurtssingh

Just one more game! by Kurtssingh

Kink & Spice, and Everything Nice! by bereweillschmidt

Life Day by GavImp

Passion by dreaminghour

Rainforest by Insomnia (tornado_fox)

The Gift by Insomnia (tornado_fox)

Under the stars by Insomnia (tornado_fox)

Fic

been forever since I smiled by jynx

Bottle of Red, Bottle of White by elrhiarhodan

Dearest, I Am Trying to Love You Less by Phoenix_and_the_ash

I Was Always Here by Firondoiel

In a Snowy Winter Retreat by FrisianFen

it's nice to have a friend by norcumi

let me help you by TheSilverQueen

Music of the Night by dogmatix

New Heroes (Just like us) by Hamiloki

of dreams by TheSilverQueen

On Borrowed Time by sanerontheinside

Springmelt by sanerontheinside

Tale As Old As Kyber by TheSilverQueen

The Living Edge by ell

Tripping Stones by atsuyuri_sama

Vienna by markwatnae

We Don't Do Christmas by Temve

Previous Masterlists

[queenoftheblackpuddle]

Aaaay I drew my oc in the world of Asterix!

Her name is Shyantimid (Shy for short). She's The great-niece of Getafix, and other than him, is the last of the Druids; shortly after Shy was born, her family left on a druidic quest to find the secret of eternal life. They didn't succeed, and along the way, many people were captured by the Romans, married into different tribes, or died. After burying the last of her family, she decided to return to the village she'd come from.

She’s…well, she’d odd to say the least. Having spent most of her life as a nomad, she doesn't really grasp things like schedules, social skills, and sleeping indoors. She's a free spirit who has a hard time adjusting and finding where she's meant to fit in. She's quiet; a daydreamer, a lover of animals and fond of children, as well as just a bit feral. She's something between demure and unhinged.

Somehow, though, she ends up befriending and becoming part of Asterix and Obelix’s friend group, due in a large part to her easygoing nature and making friends with Dogmatix. It didn’t hurt that her great-uncle sort of guilted them into being her friend, either.

While not a fighter or as strong or as brave as her two friends, she does possess the ability to enter a berserker rage when someone threatens her new buddies, touches her necklace (a gift from her late father), or talks badly about the druids. She then immediately goes back to her sweet, quiet self.

One of her running gags is that in spite of being a normally very good judge of character, she almost always falls in love with one of the villains because "he's a really nice guy, just so sincere." It doesn't end well for her, and Asterix and Obelix usually have to pick up the pieces of her shattered heart, by inviting her to go questing with them or running into the woods to adventure. Even if she's not lucky in love, she lucked out with the two best friends anyone could ever have.

[norcumii]

Sliding in juuuust a little late (again - we’re 2 for 2!), I got some Rex/Obi for y’all for @rexobiweek!

I had at least two other ideas there were absolutely not working, and of course a chat with @dogmatix this evening meant she sparked a whole NEW plunnie.

Several hours and 2k odd words later, here we are.

Whoops?

This’ll go up on AO3 tomorrow. Fic beneath the cut!

Love Like the Tide - rated PG, modern AU, mermaid shenanigans, and mention of era-appropriate homophobia (and Jango’s spectacular parenting). Non-linear story-telling

using prompts of: Summer was almost over and they hadn't yet finished what they had intended to do; Skinny dipping; Sailor Knot Bracelets; lemonade; strawberries; sunflowers; Meteor Shower; Summer Fling; Wedding Invitation; Midnight Picnic

Obi-Wan’s always had a fondness for the little cave system at the furthest edges of the shoal’s territory. It’s dark and a little creepy, but generations of his people and humans have wandered through there, finding and leaving trinkets of various sorts. There’s some kind of camp on the human side of the caves, because during the warmest months there’s intermittent swarms of children of various ages clamoring around the beach at the oddest times.

And lots of teens making out in the caves. That was less than fun to realize, aside from – well. It was annoying.

Thankfully, it’s the last week of that camping nonsense, so Obi-Wan is looking forward to the autumnal quiet. And with the tide rolling in, it’s a good excuse to take a look at the caves. The easiest entrances are all underwater, but there’s a few of the larger ones that need high-tide to get to.

He swims off for them with the resolute determination that he’s just going for curiosity's sake. Nothing more.

***

As a teenager himself – not that his kind tended to think of that as an age group, but they had enough exposure through friends and allies that they understood the concept – Obi-Wan had been far too curious for his own good. He liked swimming too close to the humans, darting up the stream to their swimming hole to watch campers in their adorably awkward best to learn to swim.

(Adorable, and a bit laughable with all those legs and the splashing and no economy of motion whatsoever.)

He stuck too close to the shores, darting under the docks as they sprawled above him, sharing the strawberries they’d picked in some group activity.

(The ones they’d dropped in the water, by accident or teasing design – of course he’d snagged and eaten a number of them, and oh, he’d never tasted the like. He wasn’t one of the adults who dared to trade with the tiny handful of humans the shoal could trust, and he had no relatives of note who could vie for exotic goods. The memory of that strange sweetness had lingered with him for weeks.)

But he’d learned the price of curiosity, thanked the tides that it hadn’t been too cruel, and then he’d worked hard to keep his head down and out of trouble.

Mostly.

***

It’s easy to find the mouth of the caves, to slip inside and up, until his head breaks the surface and his gills eject water for air. His eyes are made for the deeps, so the cave itself is plenty bright. Smooth rock in delightful shapes, the erratic air-tide breeze trying to tug at his still dripping hair – Obi-Wan can admit in the privacy of his own mind that he always loves those first moments inside the rock hollows.

He lets the sway of the water carry him further in, and distantly he can make out the scent of smoke, the sound of laughter and human music. Someone mentioned there was some kind of party forming up the beach, but that’s far enough away he easily ignores it. He focuses instead on the wide, sloped ledge that at lower tides provides slippery access to the ground outside, and is just level enough that too ridiculously many picnics are held here.

It’s empty tonight, though Obi-Wan thinks he could easily hoist himself up, look out and see stars.

***

The stars had been brilliant that night, that third year in a row. He’d been just past his gawky phase, finally growing into his tail and limbs and feeling himself, watching the stars and feeling delightfully at peace with the world. His lips had still tingled, he could still taste strawberries and lemonade as drying salt prickled along his skin. Only his fins dipped into the water, and he’d known he’d have to return soon, but not yet.

They had time, yet.

(They hadn’t. There’d been startled voices, those teenagers who’d wanted to be necking only to be disappointed that the cave had been already occupied. Obi-Wan had slipped into the water almost in time – enough that he’d been presumed to be a human running away, not a mer swimming desperately for cover.

There’d been yelling. Awful words, fighting. Then angry human adults with flashlights and his own punishments when he’d fled right into the shoal’s adults who’d wanted to know what all the odd fuss was.

The memory of the reprimands that followed, the punishment detail of all the minor, boring drudge work – those were far less sweet.)

***

Obi-Wan shoves away from the ledge and the memories, moving further inside with purpose. He doesn’t stop at the large pool, instead squaring his shoulders and not glancing up at the wide walkway to his left. It’s empty, and there’s no reason to linger.

***

They often lingered together in the pool, tangled together. Obi-Wan’s gangly tail twining with Rex’s long silly legs, both working so hard to keep upright and not laugh – even giggling echoed so much in this area. The tunnels could carry that sound up, towards the humans, or out to the sea and across the waves where the shoal might notice. Of course, all it would take was one of them whispering an incredulous ‘skinny-dipping?’ to set them both off again. Obi-Wan just thought it sounded funny, and Rex would get an adorable flush up his neck as he’d glance over at the clothes he’d left on the stone.

(There’d been something lovely about it, the intimacy of nothing between them but the matching wristbands Rex had made them. Not that Obi-Wan would dare say, or could have imagined articulating.

Some dark nights, now years later, Obi-Wan wishes he had known how to craft those words.)

***

The very end of the cave opens to the sky – it’s a small, craggy opening, partially covered by grass, but Obi-Wan can glimpse the very edge of the moon and the tiny streaks of a meteor shower. The walkway ends in a shallow bowl, and humans are often silly and leave all sorts of trinkets there.

(At the end of that first, strange summer he swam in to find a bunch of sunflowers there, huge and bright as Rex’s hair. Obi-Wan hadn’t known what to do but laugh in astonishment, delighting in the strange, ridiculous gift.)

Tonight, there’s a man sprawled out there on his stomach, face turned away so all he can see is the short, bright blond.

That’s far more silly than Obi-Wan expected.

He’s honestly not sure he isn’t hallucinating.

He swims up to the edge of the bowl, peeking in. Full adult, and fully asleep as far as he can tell. Well-muscled, but lean, with dark skin. His dark pants are that weird length that’s too long for shorts, too short for actual pants, and his shirt’s sleeves are the same silly two-thirds length, giving him a bit of a formal air.

The thing that sets Obi-Wan’s heart racing though is three old, grimy bracelets held in the man’s hand, faded blue and once-white cords braided around each other. Three summers worth of bracelets, woven by those self-same hands if somehow, impossibly, he’s not hallucinating.

He tries to say a name, but it’s been over a dozen summers since he spoke a human tongue. A squeaky whistle comes out instead, and he has to clear his throat.

But that is enough, and Obi-Wan isn’t sure if he’s thrilled or terrified about that. The man’s head turns, and it’s Rex who faces him, older and with lovely strong lines to his face; delightful cheekbones; and that tender, sweet little smile on his lips. “Hi,” Rex whispers, then awareness clears his eyes and he jerks upright. “Oh holy shit, please don’t be a dream!”

Obi-Wan clears his throat again, a confused blush starting to burn its way up his cheeks. “Ah, hello there?” he tries, too confused to figure out which of a dozen questions he wants to ask.

Rex sits back, incredulity and stunned delight washing over his face. “It is you,” he breathes, then he grins. Obi-Wan isn’t sure, but he thinks Rex might also be starting to cry. “The beard is different. It suits you.”

“Thanks.” Obi-Wan resettles against the rock, and he can’t stop from reaching out to trace some faded scars along Rex’s chin and cheek. “These – they healed well.”

(He has faint stubble now, rough little hairs along his jaw. It’s hard, to pull his hand back instead of trying to find out what else feels different.)

He can’t read the human’s expression as Rex just looks at him, then he looks away, swiping a hand across his eyes. “You saw that.” As if Obi-Wan could forget any little detail of the last time he saw Rex, saw him brawling with the larger, older boy who’d called him terrible names.

(There’d been a sharp-edged ring cutting the bloody line across Rex’s cheek; his chin had smashed into the ground after another ugly punch. The tides had washed away the blood, for all that Obi-Wan sometimes still sees it in the shadows.)

“Yes.” He doesn’t know how to articulate all that, to compress years of grief and regret down into words, especially not human words. “I understand why you didn’t come back.”

Rex shakes his head, making a huff of noise that might be a laugh, or a scoff. “Session was over, but – no. My dad was the only one who was upset about the kissing a boy thing instead of the out after curfew thing.” He glances over and quirks a grin – that sly look inviting Obi-Wan in on a joke. “Then he thought it was a smart idea to send the queer kid off to military school. Full of only boys.”

He has many questions, but that’s for later. He has enough context to figure out the important bits. “Was it bad?”

From the distant expression, it wasn’t great. Rex shrugs. “Could’ve been worse. I could’ve been stuck around Dad more.” He shakes his head, and levels an intense look at Obi-Wan. “You got away okay though, right?”

It’s his turn to glance away uncomfortably. “Some of the elders – I swam into them on the way back. They were...not impressed. As you said: it could’ve been worse. Could have been humans.”

Rex’s eyes cut sharply away. Within moments the silence is unbearable. “What are you doing here?” Obi-Wan blurts out. Rex still won’t look at him, but he grins a little.

“A friend of mine is getting married this weekend. I mean, the ceremony was earlier, but they’re partying now. Anakin knows I’m not into parties, so no one will be looking for me. Honestly, the real miracle is that his wife convinced him that a beach wedding would be a good idea. He hates sand. So much.”

Obi-Wan reaches out, placing his hands over Rex’s – over the cut bracelets still in his hands. “Why?” he asks, cutting through the nervous babel.

(He fell in love with this boy, and he was stunned each time Rex returned with the summer. From that bizarre moment in the first summer, when a human had seen him and innocuously asked if Obi-Wan could help him fasten this bracelet, and oh hey, would he like one too?

He had, and he did. They’d cut them at the summer’s end, together, and traded the worn remains with each other.

Well. Not the last one, but he’d cherished it anyways.)

Rex frees one of his hands, reaches out to cup Obi-Wan’s cheek much as he’d done earlier, though there are no scars there to trace. “I didn’t get to say goodbye,” he whispers, searching for something in Obi-Wan’s eyes. “I didn’t want...that to be the end of it.”

It takes all of his courage to ask, “What if I didn’t want it to end?”

Rex’s face blossoms into the beautiful, crooked smile. “Can I kiss you?” he asks, already leaning in close.

It’s habit as old as their friendship: “I don’t know, can you?”

Rex beams and pecks him on the lips. “Signs point to yes.”

“Then you may kiss me.”

Rex leans in and takes his time, sweet and deep and with the kind of fervor Obi-Wan thought he’d imagined. He idly wonders if Rex came supplied with cord to make new bracelets (almost certainly), and how long he’ll be able to stay (with summer almost over, who knows?). Yet he can feel the certainty growing that if neither of them wanted things to end – like that, or otherwise – then they have good odds of making whatever-this-is grow.

Obi-Wan hoists himself up onto the rock, diving back towards Rex for another long, deep kiss. Apparently they do still have time.

~end

[inqorporeal]

15 Questions, 15 People

Tagged by @bluemaskedkarma

1. Are you named after anyone? Nope, unless you count my middle name being an old family name

2. When was the last time you cried? Couple nights ago, having an argument with a friend(we worked things out, it's fine)

3. Do you have kids? Just a cat

4. What sports do you play/have played? I did gymnastics and swimming as a kid, got into kickboxing and muay thai a few years ago

5. Do you use sarcasm? frequently. sometimes I'm so dry people have trouble telling whether it's sarcasm or seriousness

6. What's the first thing you notice about people? fashion sense. what people choose to wear and how they style their hair and makeup says a lot about them

7. What’s your eye color? Blue-hazel

8. Scary movies or happy endings? Depends how they're done. A lot of happy endings put me off, and a lot of scary movies rely too much on cheap jump scares

9. Any talents? art, writing, singing

10. Where were you born? Connecticut

11. What are your hobbies? writing, playing video games

12. Do you have any pets? A sixteen year old fluffball kitty

13. How tall are you? 5'4"

14. Favorite subject in school? English

15. Dream job? something low-stress that lets me have the mental energy to do art and writing in my free time. I think I might have landed it, tbh. time will tell

@saint-batrick, @m0n0lithical, @miniar, @fadinglight123, @dogmatix, @actualanxiousswampwitch, @actuallyasisterofbattle, @cacodaemonia, @jakey-beefed-it, @funnypoeple, @glennnui, @araceil. @bolithesenate, @meret118, @gardenofhands

[othercat2]

Only two fanfics for Witch King so Far

But they are good so:

Demon Emperor in Repose: by dogmatix This is a crossover between Witch King and Star Wars! This was out before the book came out and leans heavily on the excerpt chapter available on Amazon. However, it's really good and I hope the writer decides to write more fic for Witch King (or maybe continues this fic in particular.) Basically, it's a fusion of the novel opening, and Kai is a Sith...things do not go well for Palpatine and Darth Maul.

What the Future Has in Store: by not_whelmed_yet This is a short character study of Bashasa as he's trying to figure out how he's going to get back at the Hierarchs.

Fic writers, hurry up, read it, and start writing long fics! We have the horrific aftermath of a world war! A post-apocalyptic setting! LGBT FOUND FAMILY! Snarky family relationships! We have a sympathetic protag with supportive friends! I need rebuilding long-fic!

[graphicpolicy]

Asterix 3-in-1 Vol. 1 collects three classic tales and a perfect way to dive into the world

Asterix 3-in-1 Vol. 1 collects three classic tales and a perfect way to dive into the world #comics #comicbooks #graphicnovel #asterix

The story of Asterix starts here. These are the first three adventures of Asterix as he defends his tiny village from the overwhelming forces of the Roman Empire. Join the short, spunky, and super-powerful warrior from Gaul and his faithful friends–including the boar-eating delivery man Obelix and the ecologically-minded canine, Dogmatix–as they battle to protect their village against impossible…

[mixel-arts]

JUSTFORKIX IS BACK! I REPEAT

JUSTFORKIX IS BACK!!!

[annah-the-compozer]

They're first releasing it in France, but we will have it worldwide apparently

Idéfix et les Irréductibles is Out!

If you live in France or have a VPN you can watch the first 13 episodes for free here (x) or on the okoo app (yes this includes the Justforkix ep, that’s ep 2)! The rest of the series will be out in late August! 

[skopostheorie]

And of course...

[edward-nb]

[Image ID: Two images designed to create a humorous juxtaposition. The first is a screenshot from a Guardian article - link here - referring to a spate of wild boars forcing picnics in Rome to come to an end. There is a photo of wild boar running amuck and making mischief in Roman streets, and the text is as follows:

"Picnics banned in Rome in effort to combat wild boar incursions"

"City acts to contain wild boar population after African swine fever detected in body of dead animal"

"Wild boar foraging for food in Rome in September. About 23,000 of the animals in and around the city, according to the farmers’ association Colidretti. Photograph: Remo Casilli/Reuters"

The second image is a panel taken from the popular French comic "Asterix the Gaul" by Ren Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. The character Obelix, a fat man with red pigtails and mustache, a small horned helmet, and large breeches with vertical white and blue stripes, is confidently holding back his friend Asterix, a small man with a blonde mustache and hair, wearing a winged helmet, black shirt, red tights and a sword. Their dog, Dogmatix, trots curiously by.

Obelix says "Leave this to me", while Asterix, lost for words, merely says "?".

The juxtaposition refers to the fact that both Gauls, Obelix in particular, are fond of hunting and eating wild boar as well as beating up Roman soldiers. This is thus a unique opportunity for Obelix.]

[carriagelamp]

Weirdly enough, I often find myself reading less in the summer, since I have more time than I do during the rest of the year to do other things. Also artfight has been eating up more than a bit of my free time! But here’s a collection a graphic novels I sat around on the hammock reading, and some novels I finished up...

(Everyone go read All Systems Red, holy crow guys)

A Whale of the Wild

The “sequel” to A Wolf Called Wander, though it doesn’t actually connect to the previous novel except in the stylistic/thematic sense. A Whale of the Wild is very much a standalone novel. And a pretty decent one! Personally, I think I liked Wolf more, but this one was a pleasant, informative read, with just the right amount of crushing dread sprinkled in. It’s about a young orca called Vega who is learning to become a new wayfinder for her pod but who still has a lot to learn, especially in an ocean that is becoming increasingly hostile to orcas and the other sealife that live alongside humans. When a devastating earthquake hits, Vega and her little brother find themselves separated from their family, lost in a now horrifyingly unfamiliar environment, and fighting starvation as the salmon that sustain them become more and more unreliable. It’s a desperate fight for survival as they search for food and their missing family. This book is written for a middle grade level, and does a really good job of putting the current environmental crisis into an animal’s perspective while giving the readers something to hope for.

The Adventure Zone: The Crystal Kingdom

Every July I eagerly anticipate the next Adventure Zone graphic novel. This one is for their fourth arc, The Crystal Kingdom, in which Magnus, Taako, and Merle respond to a SOS from a floating laboratory that is gradually being consumed by crystals and which threatens the entire world should it fall into the ocean. Carey Pietsch’s art continues to be absolutely fantastic, so beautifully and hilariously expressive, and this one delivers some great Merle moments, lots of Carey Fangbattle, and, of course, Kravtiz. Kravitz, my beloved…

Anyway, I obviously always recommend these. If you’ve never gotten into The Adventure Zone, I totally recommend either trying these graphic novels — or even better, just go listen to the podcast because it really is both hilarious and creates a shockingly good and heart-wrenching story by the end.

All Systems Red

I’ve seen The Murderbot Diaries on my dash occasionally, and it always looked interesting, but a friend’s recommendation finally compelled me to read the first novella of the series. And holy shit y’all. Absolutely the best book I’ve read this month, it’s amazing. Mind-blowingly good. Also, if you’re like me and want a good audiobook, it’s a nice three-hour listen, very chill!

Anyway, All Systems Red is about a Security Unit, an artificially created being that’s part-organic part-mechanical and all-company-owned-and-controlled. However, self-named “Murderbot” has managed to hack into the system that suppresses its own will, and is now coasting along, doing the least amount of work its job requires not to be noticed, while preferring to spend all its time watching the hours and hours of soap operas it has downloaded into its brain. And it’s a tolerable if somewhat dull life, until the science team that it's currently rented to is attacked and the whole mission goes pear-shaped. Suddenly Murderbot has to scramble to keep its humans alive… while its humans scramble with the realization that their “SecUnit” isn’t actually a mindless robot like they had all believed...

This story is both gripping and hilariously funny. Murderbot has such a unique voice and perspective and it’s an absolute pleasure to follow its story. I reallly need to read the next book...

Asterix and the Banquet

A classic. I was startled when I realized I hadn’t actually read this Asterix story… but hell I’m not gonna complain, it lets me read one of the originals for the first time again! In this Asterix volume, the Indomitable Gauls and the Romans end up arranging a bet — the Romans intend to keep them under siege, trapped in their village, while Asterix is confident that he can easily evade them… and will prove it by going on a tour around all of Gaul, collecting iconic foods from each region in order to return and put on a fine banquet. So we get a fantastic adventure in which Asterix and Obelix run all over the country, pursued the whole way, while making cheerful stops at the various eateries along the way. Also the first book Dogmatix shows up in! All around, a wonderful read, fun like all the best Asterix comics are.

Beauty Pop v4

A less impressive graphic novel. The first Beauty Pop is one of my guilty pleasure manga because… it really is pretty stupid but in the best possible ways. I mean, the whole thing is framed around hairstyling battles, like a shojo sports manga without the sports. It’s bonkers. Unfortunately, the series does not really manage to hold up, and it really begins to feel repetitive and dragging as it continues… as a lot of series like this do. *shrug* Unsurprising but still kinda disappointing I suppose. The building three-way romantic tension is mildly interesting if for no other reason than the main character Does Not Notice and Does Not Care about any of it, which is amusing and refreshing.

FRNCK v5

Now this series only gets better and better as it goes. This is the first book of the second arc, and somehow the danger just seems to be ramping up and up and up. The cavefamily have lost their home… as well as Léonard and Gargouille. Heartbroken, shocked, and angry, Franck is the one who ends up shouldering the blame for their presumed deaths as the others mourn. Things only get worse when Franck finds himself separated from the family, and in the territory of another tribe, this one hostile and cannibalistic...

Haikyuu v5

I continue to read this series because it continues to be charming… though it is beginning to feel, maybe, just a little repetitive. Kind of an inevitability with sports manga. But so far it continues to be good enough to overcome that. I’m not sure what I can say about this series that I haven’t already, so I’ll simply say it continues to be one of the most impressive sports manga I’ve read, and the author does a fantastic job of creating engaging characters, fleshed out teams, and really compelling relationships. I do genuinely adore all the main members of Crows, along with a number of characters from the rival teams as well. And of course it has some kickass volleyball scenes that are just drawn so dramatically they can’t help but take your breath away a little.

M*A*S*H Goes To Maine

Meh. The original book of the series was actually quite good in my opinion. This one… considerably less so. The first part I enjoyed more, since it was about Hawkeye, Trapper, Duke, and Oliver Jones trying to set up the FinestKind Clinic and Fishmarket in Crabapple Cove (which… is just the best premise I could have ever asked for). However, the book spends most of its time describing the quirky lives and times of other people living in the area and I… just… don’t care. It was funny at times but… I just don’t care. I wanted to hear more about the main cast. Also I found this book felt more racist and misogynistic than the first which also put me off :/ Wouldn’t bother if I were you. Go read the first book instead, or better yet just watch the TV show which is an obvious banger.

My Heart’s in the Highlands

I have had this on my “currently reading” list for so long but I’m officially giving up. It’s a really good book in theory but my god I can’t get over the pacing.

It’s about Lady Jane, a woman studying medicine in Edinburgh in 1888, and who suddenly finds herself back in the Highlands in the 13th century. Lost and confused, Jane is now at the mercy Clan Donald’s hospitality while she tries to adjust to this new world and hunts for her broken time machine. Fortunately, this hospitality include a burgeoning friendship with a red-haired warrior woman, Ainslie nic Dòmhnaill, who opens Jane’s eyes to the way the world could be.

Listen. It drives me nuts. This book should be completely up my alley, it has everything I like — IT HAS ALL OF ITS HISTORICAL FOOTNOTES CITED AT THE BACK, LITTLE EXTRA DETAILS ABOUT EVERY CHAPTER. THAT’S MY SHIT RIGHT THERE. DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LIKE BEING ABLE TO GO OVER HISTORICAL DETAILS?? AND WELL RESEARCHED FOOTNOTES?? And yet it doesn’t. Fucking. Work for me. It has a kickass Scottish warrior lady as a love interest! It has a badass lady doctor! It has fish-out-of-water culture shock! But it also has a completely meandering plot, no sense of building tension, and a romance that just happens out of nowhere and feels completely unearned and uninteresting.

I would genuinely just rather read Outlander again, which I know has its own host of problems, but at least Outlander felt exciting and interesting and tense and funny. The romance built in fits and starts, it was complicated, and kept me interested. That book had me hooked (and has me hooked every time I reread it) whereas this book I’ve been sadly picking at for months like its a plate of overcooked spinach. This felt like an attempt at a queer, historically accurate knockoff which I would normally be super into but which just could not stick the landing.

Moomin on the Riviera

My first time actually reading anything from the Moomin canon. I have zero idea how to feel about it! It certainly is as feral as I’ve heard described! Overall, I think I enjoyed it but it sure made me feel strange emotions I didn’t know existed. I’m not even going to try to describe it. Read it if you want a batshit insane anti-capitalist comic.

Surviving the City

This was good in some areas, less good in others. It had a very interesting indigenous perspective on life in the modern city, the foster system, and The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women issue, which I’ve never seen handled in a book before. Something about the pacing did not completely click with me and I found myself getting easily distracted, but it’s definitely worth the read just to experience it and look at the issues it deals with through the characters’ (and author’s) eyes. It did give me a lot to think about and wrestle with, which is sometimes the best thing a book can give you.

Torchwood: Pack Animals

A really fun read, more so than I had ever expected! If you like Torchwood and want more stories about the team before everything goes to shit, this is perfect for that. It includes the entire cast, an interest mystery to be unravelled, lots of slavering monsters, Rhys being really wonderful and sweet (which I didn’t know I wanted until I read this book), and all the humour I expect from Torchwood. I had to send a lot of quotes to my long-suffering girlfriend who a) does not watch this show but b) needs to tolerate it because I find it too funny to keep to myself. It was good enough to make me go out another book of the series since this was the only one my library carried.

[takaraphoenix]

Imagine Dogmatix/Idefix and Grover being friends because Grover can speak dog and they both love trees 😳

OHOHOHOHO OKAY I DO LOVE THAT! *^*

Very precious indeed. And I'll raise you: Idefix befriending Mrs. O'Leary. The biggest dog and the tiniest dog. Perfect duo. ^o^

[norcumii]

...oh thanks, Tumblr, it wasn’t like I was trying to answer that ask or anything. -_-

OHKAY. Take two! For this trope mashup meme, @dogmatix asked:

Rex/Obi or pairing/characters of choice - Apocalyse AU / Mermaid/Siren AU / Aroused by their voice

This modern!AU got a liiiiiittle bit more absurdist than planned, but NO REGRETS. Assistance was provided by @dharmaavocado and @deadcatwithaflamethrower -- THANK YOU BOTH!

*****

There was a lovely breeze coming in across the ocean, the sky had just enough puffy white clouds to keep things interesting, and Rex was taking a maintenance day. The last family group of tourists to charter a day trip had included several children that were at least two parts sticky and three parts grime. His poor Vigilance needed a serious scrub down, and Rex was not looking forward to restocking. Small Grubby Fiend 1 had stumbled – supposedly due to a sudden swell, but more likely because Small Grubby Fiends 2 and 3 hadn’t stopped ‘not kicking’ each other for way too long. Not being an entire idiot, Rex has gone right for the band-aids with cartoon characters, but since it wasn’t a cartoon Small Grubby Fiend 1 liked, that meant another – until all three Small Grubby Fiends had been plastered with far more of his first aid kit than was good for anyone.

It had been a long day.

So there he was, untangling life-vests that hadn’t even been used, while singing along with whatever music was playing from the boat’s speakers. Rex wasn’t sure if the music was pop, rock, or some other unholy category he’d never heard of, but thankfully it didn’t matter. He liked it, and could figure out which of Tup’s mix tapes it was on, which was the important thing.

Tup always made hilarious offended noises when Rex called them mix tapes, which was a significant reason why he did so. They were music folders, sensibly labeled by mood, because his little brother had realized at some point that was the only way to keep Rex up to date on anything past the 90’s grunge music.

Tup’s accusation, not his. Rex damn well knew how to use a radio – several kinds of radio, thank you very much.

He was several songs into mind-numbing chores when he spotted a flash of red streaking under the dock, and Rex ducked his head to hide a grin. He’d started spotting movement like that a couple of weeks ago, around the time the neighbors descended on their beach house. There were several ginger teenagers, so he figured one of them was a hell of a water rat who had damn odd taste in music.

To be fair, so did he.

It’d been weird at first, realizing he had an audience that disappeared the moment he acknowledged their existence. But the most he heard or saw out of them beyond the momentary glimpse was a bit of percussion, someone drumming in time against the water – and once, the dock itself – so Rex had shrugged and accepted their presence. It was kinda nice, actually, just to have someone around. He lived a ways off the end of a long, sparsely populated road, and while he didn’t mind the solitude, sometimes you just wanted another–

Rex’s train of thought went off the rails with a loud yelp as he discovered something slimy stuck to the back of a life-vest. It might have been edible once – it was a shade of radioactive green he didn’t associate with anything other than candy or video games, at least, so that was his best guess. Much as he wanted to blame the Small Grubby Fiends, he hadn’t done more than a spot check of these vests for awhile – could’ve been anyone.

Ugh. At least unlike some clients he could name, Rex’s eavesdropper wasn’t vandalizing anything. Wasn’t about to begrudge that.

Rex had managed to get most of the neon green grossness cleared when the rumble of an approaching car caught his attention. He wasn’t expecting visitors, not that that had ever stopped any of his brothers. Lost delivery drivers usually turned around before hitting up the driveway, which was long enough and had enough private property signs to keep out idiots looking for easy water access.

“Who the hell is this?” he muttered, setting the vest aside. He didn’t recognize the little black car, or the burly guy stepping out of the passenger’s side, but the guy waved and casually started towards Rex as if he knew who the hell he was.

Not reassuring, especially since the stranger rapped the car’s roof, and it headed back up the driveway.

“You seem lost,” Rex said, standing up and trying to look just the right level of intimidating.

“Nope,” the guy said back, still heading towards him. “Need your boat.”

“That’s work related – you need to wait till I’m back at the marina tomorrow. I’m at home, it’s my day off.”

Burly guy finally stopped, planting his hands on his hips – a move which just happened to part the jacket of his cheap suit enough that Rex could see the gun he carried. “I don’t think you understand, Mr. Fett. I don't want any trouble – I just want you to head inside, and take that day off while I borrow your boat.”

Oh, FUCK. Nobody really talked about how the mob owned most of the marinas in Tatooine Bay, but you didn’t need to declare water was wet to get drenched in the rain. It just wasn’t something that ever happened to someone you knew, just friends of friends or something.

“And if I don’t agree?” he couldn’t keep from asking.

Burly Guy had a surprisingly expressive shrug. “Most people don’t enjoy pushing their luck that far.”

To his credit, it was a remarkably polite threat. “I’m surprised anyone ever does.”

“Eh, every now and then there’s some freaky masochist looking for cheap thrills, but it ain’t my kink. Don’t think it’s yours, either, so if you’d just head inside, that’d be appreciated.”

The smart move was probably to comply. Rex wasn’t inclined to cooperate anyways. He was saved from making either bad decision by...sound.

It didn’t register as singing – there was something too off about it, a combination that wasn’t quite autotune, or that polyphonic singing Echo had gotten into when Fives got obsessed with the guitar. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t right in a way that was madly distracting.

The...singing? – pulled both Rex and the goon around towards the end of the dock, and if Rex hadn’t been so muzzy-headed from that sound he would have been gaping much more blatantly.

There was someone slipping out from under the dock, and it was most definitely not one of the neighbors.

It was a trim, shirtless figure in the water – ginger indeed, short red hair just dry enough to be messy spikes. Pale skin was freckled in scales of shimmering reds, protective lines over what would be vulnerable areas on a human. It swam close enough to the surface that Rex could see the sleek fins and tail, and part of his brain kept screaming ‘mermaid!’ while the rest took in the long, sharp claws on webbed hands and whispered ‘predator.’ Its singing showed sharply pointed teeth, and it should not have been nearly that gorgeous.

The mermaid glanced over at him, eyes a deep blue-on-blue that could never masquerade as human, flicking a look up and down him that could have been flattering or terrifying – it all depended on if that was measuring him for a meal euphemistically or not.

The singing changed as the creature turned its attention back to the goon, and the magnetic pull on Rex lessened. He staggered back a step, not too surprised to find he was halfway down the dock without noticing. The hazy feeling in his brain stopped, or at least dropped down to levels that were close enough to normal, so he got a clear view as the goon started walking into the water, oblivious to everything except the mer-siren-thing he was shambling towards.

The siren moved when the goon was almost waist deep in the water, flowing forward to delicately place a hand at the goon’s throat. The singing continued, but now there was a new undertone, soft and somehow questioning. Rex couldn’t tell if there were words to it or not – maybe a whole other language for all he knew – but the goon responded, voice soft enough that he couldn’t make out what was said.

Whatever he said, it didn’t please the siren. It kept singing, but it snarled, showing more of those pointed teeth, then it twisted and dove, hauling the unresisting goon under the water.

A terrifying few moments more, and the last hums of the song seemed to stop vibrating through the water.

“What the absolute fuck?” Rex said numbly. Thank everything, no one answered.

A smart man would’ve hidden inside, or driven off to a movie theater or something – inland and away. Rex wasn’t sure why he stayed: curiosity – morbid or otherwise – shock, or a healthy disbelief in the whole debacle. He was maybe a bit too numb to not have some kind of shock, but –

He felt like he maybe deserved it. “Yeah, I can have a bit of shock,” Rex muttered to himself. “As a treat.”

Okay, he might have more than a bit. But by the time the siren poked his head out of the water again – politely out of arms’ reach – Rex had calmed down a decent degree. They just looked at each other for a bit, then the siren gave him a polite nod.

“Hello there,” he said in a pleasant, deep voice with a hell of an accent.

Rex held up a hand, needing a moment. Of fucking course the British even colonized under the goddamned sea. “Hi. You speak English.” It wasn’t quite the most inane thing he could’ve said, but his brain hadn’t managed to catch up yet.

He was talking to a goddamned mermaid who had just kidnapped and possibly eaten some mob thug who’d been trying to take Rex’s boat. It had been a day.

“You’re not the first land-dweller I’ve made the acquaintance of.”

Rex absolutely refused to make any kind of a crack about being charmed. There was too much hysteria lurking in there. “Speaking of acquaintances, you didn’t, ah, kill that guy, did you?”

The siren’s lips pulled back from his teeth a little. “I still haven’t decided what to do with him, so right now he’s out of the way.” He must’ve seen something impressive in Rex’s expression, because the angry disdain smoothed over to something more neutral. “He’s stashed in a cave I know. Enough air to breathe, but the only entrance is underwater and too far for most humans to swim without assistance.”

That was...a lot. “Thanks for the help.”

The siren smiled, an oddly sweet, bashful expression. “I’d be a very poor guest if I didn’t assist.” He cleared his throat, his expression going awkward. “Though I...suppose ‘guest’ is a bit presumptive.”

Rex grinned. “No, I spotted you a couple weeks ago – ah, I mean, sort of.” Before he could make more a hash of that, he cleared his throat. “The name’s Rex.”

The siren folded his hands together and did a little bow thing. “Obi-Wan. Pleasure to meet you.”

He wasn’t blushing. He absolutely was not blushing. “So...you in town for long?” Ok, now he was blushing, that was worst subject change ever meeting worst fishing attempt – meeting worst and wildly inappropriate pun.

Obi-Wan’s expression fell, sorrow way too visible in those non-human eyes. “I suppose you could say that. I...no longer have a home to return to.”

Definitely not a topic to change to. Right. Rex cleared his throat and shifted. “Well. You’re welcome anytime, for what that’s worth.”

The slow-growing smile didn’t remove that sorrow, but it did kindle something warm inside. This was at least three different kinds of trouble, but Rex didn’t think he’d regret any of it.

~end