#ex-con thug

[dimxncixnezzzz]

More sillys :0

[doberbutts]

One of the really insidious ways black people in media get treated is that despite our stereotypes expanding outside of "thug" "slave" and "prostitute", we are still very limited on *what* we can be portrayed as.

It is no shock to me that the two black women in Veilguard, for instance, are either medium toned like myself or a nonhuman skin color (introduced as a woman). It doesn't escape my attention that the only black woman in Baldur's Gate list of companions is also a nonhuman skin color. Dark skinned black women are still considered too unattractive to include as potential romanceable candidates, as it *also* does not escape my attention that the darkest we've had was Vivienne who was simultaneously regarded as an incredibly unlikeable character by huge swaths of the fandom and also unavailable for romance.

But moreover- why can't the bubbley nerdy cute mage be a black woman? Why can't the shy but resourceful archer be a black woman? Why does the black woman have to be someone with their guard up, walls as high as a skyscraper, cynical and callous? Why can't the black woman be the warm and loving Wynne, or the somewhat naive yet devout Leliana? The stalwart and just Aveline? I know plenty of Isabelas, and Viviennes, and Neves, and Taashs, but I also know plenty who are Merrill, or Bellara*, or Harding, or Cassandra, and I even lived with a Sera for a while. Why can't she be Bethany or Morrigan?

The closest we had was Josephine, who again is still fairly light skinned, but at least she has a bit more flexibility. And she isn't a companion, so her screen time is fairly minimal if you're not taking the time to romance her.

*And I don't begrudge Bellara too much, as A: I adore her and B: I'm pretty sure she's our first visibly Asian companion which is a milestone in itself. My point is more that Bellara could be black with virtually no story change because I know plenty of bubbly chirpy friendly black women who have a deep love of their hobbies and interests, who are bisexual and even prefer women, with deep trauma in their pasts, and yet the choice to *not* do that speaks to a problem the media has in their depiction of black women that is far bigger than Bioware.

And it doesn't escape my attention that the men have this problem as well- Wyll and Davrin* are both regarded as boring by their respective fandoms due to the choice to play it safe and stick with the extremely good and upright and just knight character instead of giving them something more messy- Astarion and Lucanis could be black with, as said, little-to-no change in their storyline because I know-even have dated- pansexual former sex worker black men with intensely complicated feelings about sex and intimacy, and I've had plenty of ex-con soft yet dangerous men holding themselves at a distance to prevent themselves from hurting anyone as my friends and even extended family.

I know plenty of intensely nerdy and probably autistic black guys who will infodump gladly about their special interest to the point of it consuming them. I know plenty of black guys with martyr complexes who think they have to tear the world- and themselves- apart just to fix what is broken in this world. I know plenty of black guys who, despite their own inability to get their shit together, are like a port in a storm every time you talk to them. I know plenty of black guys who are extremely educated and well respected within their field, with gentle yet commanding demeanor. Any of these characters *could* be black, and yet they aren't, and the choice to do so is again far bigger than Bioware and Larian.

*Davrin, like Vivienne, being the darkest and first blatantly black male companion instead of potentially able to be ambiguously "of color" like Zevran, Fenris, and Dorian. Even more damning that they'd considered, like Sera, making Solas blatantly black in his concept art and instead chose to make him a pale egg.

As someone desperate for representation, it becomes quickly obvious as I take inventory of what roles black people are given that we still aren't considered as complex and nuanced and interesting. We're allowed to be more than we were before, but we still have a long way to go.

[theboookwitch]

I can genuinely say after 8 episodes My Sweet Mobster is one of my favorite kdramas I've watched in a while. I was trying to identify what was making it so special for me and I've narrowed it down to the below (mild spoilers below!!):

First of all, the plot is basically Korean Ms. Rachel and an ex-con and their found family. 10/10. No notes.

This show does not take itself seriously at all. It's silly and cute while still covering some serious themes.

If you really dig down to the bones of this show, it's all about healing your inner child. There is so much gentle parenting in this drama. As someone who has been working through a lot of childhood trauma lately, this shit is therapeutic. Obsessed with how even when Seo Ji Hwan is being seemingly harsh or strict with his little minions, he's actually doing it in such a gentle way. Ugh.

While the portrayal of formerly incarcerated people isn't perfect (and when will it ever be) it's one of the most humanizing portrayal of "criminals" I've seen in a kdrama. I have witnessed first hand how society throws away anyone with a criminal record - my brother went to prison for the first time when he was 18, and he was never able to bounce back because the world refuses to give people a chance. It led him to an early grave and watching this I'm just like wishing there were real people like Seo Ji Hwan in the world.

The leads are actually behaving like ADULTS!!!!!!! Way too often in dramas, when the main leads are meant to be traumatized but also innocent/inexperienced, this is written in a way that makes them behave so childishly and it drives me crazy. But for the most part so far while they do some silly things that can be classified as immature, overall they are still acting like grown ups. Which is refreshing.

This man's soft but low rumbly voice is 10/10.

We see a woman move in with a bunch of men and not immediately become the live in maid and cook. Love when expectations are subverted. They show how a woman in the house changes the dynamic without immediately making her the default mom.

Speaking of the men...I fucking LOVE the trope that is like "scary thugs" to loyal besties. Eat it up every time.

I will say, the actor that plays the prosecutor is annoying me even if he does have some redemption. I don't think I'll ever be able to like him after his role in Dali and the Cocky Prince. But also, prosecutors are basically cops and I'm ACAB till I die soooooooo.

[karasbroken]

I know, I know. But I wrote D'Argo's introductory scene for The Leviathan this last week, I had to share it!

I'm actually almost done with this chapter. And I'm ready to go back to Unfamiliar Idioms for a while.

But I had fun writing this small scene that introduces both D'Argo (Daniel) and Crais (though he only gets called "the Maori Samoan"). When thinking about what to do with D'Argo, how to convert him to an all human setting, I struggled a bit. I knew that he had to be a big guy, a scary looking guy, an ex con, a teen dad, older now but still immature, with an explosive temper. I also wanted to make him a guy in a band, as a nod to Anthony Simcoe's band that played at conventions a few times.

While I've been trying to be a little subtle about it, I've also been trying to make my AU Farscape a little less WASPy than the series casting. Chiana is part aboriginal, Aeryn is Jewish (another actor nod). I felt like D'Argo would be more visually interesting with dreadlocks to evoke his tentacles, and tattoos are common in many indigenous Oceania cultures. I could have gone with a white guy appropriating indigenous/African culture but D'Argo is problematic enough just being violent and possessive. So I decided to risk the stereotype of making my darker-skinned person of color the "thug" character, and chose for D'Argo to be of Fijian descent. Unlike Polynesians, Melanesians are more likely to have African textured hair that can be dreaded, and they're also one of taller average height peoples.

I hope his backstory will resonate with how non-white Australians are more likely to be the victims of prejudice and unjust criminalization. But anyway, blah blah blah, enough writer wankery. I probably think too much about this stuff for a crackfic-adjacent AU, so enough preface, here's the snippet.

Entering the shop, it was busier than he expected for the middle of the day, with a few solo men, and one couple browsing the aisles. This made John too self-conscious to immediately approach the counter. Besides, Jan was helping a stocky Maori man with a mass of hair pulled back tightly in a way that tugged at his memory. That first night, at the bucks party, Officer Soon had ��her’ hair bound that same way into a short, leather-wrapped queue.

But the man whose wide back was to him now could never be mistaken for Aaron. “I am not interested in excuses,” he snapped, in a resonant baritone that filled the store. “Just tell me when the rest of my order will be complete!” John couldn’t hear Jan's response, just the level murmur of her voice, placating.

“I hate that cunt,” came a gruff comment from the next aisle, not particularly quiet either.

The speaker was a startlingly tall man, that John hadn’t noticed because he’d been kneeling down stocking dirty magazines when John came in. Like everyone working at The Leviathan, this guy had a walky-talky clipped to his shoulder, and like almost everyone working there, he didn’t look like a retail clerk in any other way. Not only did he tower over John by several inches, he was intimidatingly buff. Heavy muscles were barely contained by a frayed gray long sleeve worn under an oversized black band shirt that was loose everywhere except his chest and shoulders. Tribal tattoos showed at the neckline, coming up one side of his throat and along the right side of his face. John still wasn’t great at identifying ethnicity in this part of the world, but from the man’s size, darker complexion, and long dreadlocks, gone red at the ends from time and sun-bleaching, John thought he was either part African, or from Fiji or somewhere else in Melanesia, though his accent was pure Aussie.

“Is he a regular?” John asked after a moment, following the big man’s gaze back to the register, where the jerk was throwing his credit card on the counter rather than putting it in Jan’s outstretched hand.

“Kinda,” he shrugged, turning to face John more squarely. “You lost?” The look he was giving John was somewhere between speculative and hostile.

John didn’t know what a Leviathan customer was supposed to look like, that meant he didn’t fit; maybe it was his accent again. This didn’t seem to be a part of Sydney that got a lot of tourists. “No, I'm here to drop something off for Aaron.” He tried a friendly smile, holding his hand out. “I’m John.”

The offered handshake was ignored, and the smile unreturned. The other man just frowned. “You making a joke, or is that just a coincidence?”

A joke? His name? The big guy continued to stare at him so speculatively, John had to fight not to straighten up for an extra inch of height. “Just a coincidence. My parents had boring taste in names.”

This finally elicited a small smile, which changed the whole character of the guy’s face. He looked like he liked to laugh, but maybe like he didn’t get a lot of chances. “Mine too. I’m Daniel.”

“Hi Daniel. Do you think she needs help?” John nodded over at the counter again. Peter was there too, of course, he was a fixture apparently. But the quiet giant had slumped behind his monitors, clearly staying out of whatever fuss the Maori man was making.

“Nah, Jan can handle him. She’s better at dealing with assholes than I am.” Daniel shrugged. “He spends a lot of money, and that’s just one of the reasons not to piss him off.”

John wanted to know the other reasons, but just then a pointedly insincere “Thank you," marked the end of the encounter. "I suppose I’ll return next week,” was the big spender's final parting snarl.John turned back to see the ‘cunt’ heading their way.

John caught a good look at the irate customer as the man stomped back up the aisle. The Maori was maybe a decade older than him, and powerful in build, not just energy. Not quite as tall as John, but outweighing him by a good thirty pounds that looked solid, only a slight softening as concession to maturity. He would be handsome too, if not for the expression on his face so sour you’d think he’d never been impressed by anything in his life and had no plans to ever be pleased in the future. He had a powerful jaw, and close-clipped goatee that accented the angles of his face. Black-brown eyes flickered over John, sweeping him up and down and dismissing him again in the space of two steps. The dark gaze skipped over to Daniel, next to him, prompting an even more immediate sneer, but he was moving past and out the door too quickly for either of them to comment.

“So….” John twisted his head both ways, to loosen his suddenly tight neck. “Anyway…” There was an awkward weight to the air, even now that the Maori man was gone. “Do you know if Aaron is around?”

[pathfinderunlocked]

Biker Gang - CR12 Humanoid Troop

You ain't a soldier. You're a scumbag with a few paid skills. You're a thug, just like the rest of us.

Artwork is from Shadowrun, copyright FASA and Catalyst Game Labs.

This is a troop version of the CR 3 Chain-Wielding Biker stat block that I posted a few days ago. Note that a troop attack is a free action that happens at the end of a troop's turn, so it can use its molotov attack and its troop attack on the same round.

Biker Gang - CR 12

This gang of rough-looking, burly bikers is drowning the area in deafening noise from their engines. They're swinging metal chains, and wearing matching leather jackets.

XP 19,200 CN Medium humanoid (troop, human) Init +2 Senses Perception +13

DEFENSE

AC 28, touch 21, flat-footed 17 (+1 armor, +1 armor focus, +2 Dex, +9 dodge, +5 natural armor) hp 175 (13d8+117) Fort +15, Ref +8, Will +8 Defensive Abilities troop traits

OFFENSE

Speed 80 ft. Melee troop (6d8+8 plus debilitating injury) (see surrounding attack) Ranged molotov +11 touch (5d4 fire plus 5d4 fire one round later plus 10 fire splash (DC 18)) (10 ft. range increment) Space 40 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Special Attacks debilitating injury, surrounding attack

STATISTICS

Str 26, Dex 15, Con 23, Int 14, Wis 18, Cha 17 Base Atk +9; CMB +17 (+19 overrun); CMD 37 Feats Armor Focus, Dodge, Greater Overrun, Improved Overrun, Lightning Reflexes, Toughness Skills Craft (mechanical) +6, Disable Device +10, Intimidate +20, Knowledge (local) +9, Perception +13, Ride +22; Racial Bonuses +4 Intimidate, +4 Ride Languages Common SQ rowdy gang Gear flails (actually just 4 ft. metal chains), padded armor, molotov cocktails (function as alchemist's fire), motorcycles

EQUIPMENT ABILITIES

Insignia Jacket A biker gang's padded armor bears the insignia of the gang, and provides a a +2 circumstance bonus on Diplomacy and Intimidate checks to influence a person from that organization, similar to parade armor.

Molotov As a standard action, a biker gang can toss molotov cocktails at a target within 50 ft. This is a ranged touch attack which counts as a thrown splash weapon with a range increment of 10 ft. A target struck by this attack takes 5d4 fire damage, plus an additional 5d4 fire damage 1 round later. If desired, the target can use a full-round action to attempt to extinguish the flames before taking this additional damage. Extinguishing the flames requires a DC 15 Reflex save. Rolling on the ground provides the target a +2 bonus on the save. Leaping into a lake or magically extinguishing the flames automatically smothers the fire.

Adjacent targets (including the target, if the attack misses) take 10 fire splash damage, and can attempt a DC 18 Reflex save to halve the damage. The save DC is Dexterity-based.

Motorcycles A biker gang rides Large-sized motorcycles which give them an 80 ft. move speed. If a biker gang uses the Run action for multiple rounds in a row without changing direction, its speed increases to 160 ft. after the first round.

A motorcycle is treated as a mount in many ways, although a biker gang cannot dismount (if all of its members dismount, it ceases being a troop and no longer uses this stat block). Motorcycles do not have any actions of their own, and the biker gang must expend its own actions to control the vehicles. A biker gang is treated as mounted for all feats and effects unless otherwise noted.

For additional information on motorcycles, see the Chain-Wielding Biker stat block.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Debilitating Injury (Ex) Whenever a biker gang deals troop attack damage to a foe, it can also debilitate the target of its attack, causing it to take a penalty for 1 round. A target that is immune to flanking or precision damage is immune to this ability. The biker gang can choose to apply any one of the following penalties when the damage is dealt.

Bewildered: The target becomes bewildered, taking a –2 penalty to AC. The target takes an additional –2 penalty to AC against all attacks made by the biker gang. Disoriented: The target takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls. In addition, the target takes an additional –2 penalty on all attack rolls it makes against the biker gang. Hampered: All of the target's speeds are reduced by half (to a minimum of 5 feet). In addition, the target cannot take a 5-foot step.

These penalties do not stack with themselves, but additional qualifying troop attacks extend the duration by 1 round. A creature cannot suffer from more than one penalty from this ability at a time. If a new penalty is applied, the old penalty immediately ends. Any form of healing applied to a target suffering from one of these penalties also removes the penalty.

Rowdy Gang (Ex) A biker gang's speed, motorcycles, coordination, and bravado grant the troop a +5 natural armor bonus and +8 dodge bonus to AC. The biker gang also gains an additional 2 hit points per hit die. These bonuses are already included in its statistics above.

Surrounding Attack (Ex) A biker gang's troop attack includes 3d6 sneak attack dice to represent the bikers surrounding their targets. The troop attack's damage dice is reduced by 3d6 against targets immune to flanking or precision damage.

[tobiasdrake]

This is a good time to talk about the friction inherent to the characters of V3 once again.

As previously noted, there's an inherent friction between the actors LARPing in the Killing Game and the characters they play, which is visible in many of them.

Kaito is an astronaut so great that they gave him special permission to train despite being underage, but he's also a beanpole in dire need of a sandwich. Himiko is a supreme sorceress, but she needs to use stage magic to cast her "spells". Ryoma is a jaded prison ex-con who serial-killed his way through a mafia but he's also like eight years old. And Tenko?

Tenko Chabashira is the tough guy badass of this group. She's their Sakura Ogami or Nekomaru Nidai. On paper.

Her character-as-written is a violence-hungry orphan trained in martial arts to control and channel her aggressive instincts. Trained, specifically, in aikido, quite possibly the most non-aggressive form of martial art, because Tsumugi I guess picked it at random.

She practices Neo-Aikido, a form of aikido invented by her master focusing primarily on offense. This is quite like saying "I'm a master of Neo-Golf, a special golfing tactic primarily suited towards maximizing my score by reaching the hole in as many shots as possible." There are far better martial arts to give this character, but that would require Tsumugi to have a larger frame of reference than popular battle anime.

In any case, as a master of the self-contradictory Neo-Aikido, Tenko is on paper our resident ultra-badass martial artist. Together, she and the monk who taught her worked as a superhero duo, fighting crime and saving young women from rapists and kidnappers and the like. That is the character.

However, as this is a LARP, Tenko runs afoul of that same circumstance that happens to D&D players so often, when they try to play a character that's off-personality from themselves. No matter what she might be on paper, the character in play is... Well....

Despite being a costumed superhero in her backstory, Tenko is a paper tiger. She crumbles instantly at the very notion of a real, violent threat. In moments like these, it becomes hard to imagine how this person was supposedly wandering the streets of a city fighting off thugs and sexual predators in the name of women everywhere.

Her bravado is the persona she was given to play; The true actress underneath is too much of a wimp to back up Tenko's bluster. Thus, we once again see the friction inherent to the roles.

[independent-fics]

Inde Watches “The Mastermind Job”

Leverage Redemption 1x08

The previous episode in this one I feel like I always see things about on Tumblr so I’m very excited for this one

Already off to a kooky start I love it

Love the kids trying to help mom 

I knew Sophie would notice them letter her run the cons

I would do the same Sophie

What’s on page 42 WHATS ON PAGE 42

“So we lure him in.. take turns staring him with a fork so no one can pin it on one of us” “yeah” ELIOT JUST AGREEING HAHA

Love everything they do to steal spaces they need

AYE STORK JOB REFERENCE

Loving the homage episode so far

Parker’s hair flip imitation hahaha

Parker I can’t haha Eliot’s little “what” haha Eliot you are legendary still just not for the same reasons you once were

Noooo Harry

Ooo France

Dang wow a bad guy who doesn’t want to say his whole title

That is a lot of TMI bad guy

I love the guy realizing who they are

Why is there a “The Accountant” reference is that what that’s supposed to be hahaha

Omg them so shocked about his perspective on Nate haha

Eliot’s growling and looking him up and down hahahaha

“He was so proud of you guys” 🥹

“We are getting our mr Wilson back and going home” I love it Sophie

Love Parker being able to estimate everything in the warehouse

I love even Harry laughing about this guy not having a clue

“I did it but it ain’t cheap” okay but WHEN ELIOT

“Please don’t put that in my pants” I’m crying hahahaha

They look so scary surrounding him like that “ain’t you the mastermind”

No offense ck but why you constantly mewing I’ve noticed (I hate that word but idk how else to word puckering your lips constantly haha)

Goodness Sophie my heart is breaking for you rn

Oh, I’m thinking long-term coup between the ex-wife and ex King because why wouldn’t she insure it properly

Will forever be shouting “there must be balance!!!” At people now

Eliot “I’m more than just a hitter” Spencer about to put on his greatest performance in dying hahaha

HIS YEESH FACE AFTER I CANT I HAD TO REWIND

Me too girl me too

Harry setting up the thug with a retirement account I can’t

I honestly don’t think boring people to death is a bad superpower

Not the balloon, you’re better than that

“Calm and confident” books it 

“Even if it’s from myself” I can’t with this

Of course Nate wouldn’t tell your secrets Sophie they were the most important to you

Can’t help bragging about his kids tho

“We have a whole bond” I love you Harry

Yooo interpol (and helping move peoples careers along heheh)

“ i’ll look at the cute little Swiss Bank account number so adorable. delete” Breanna I love you

Kinda love them, falling back into line with him just to give the feel of when Nate was still there

Ahhhh Hardison

“ because of you I got to pull one last job with Nate Ford” ahhh my heart

Not quite Nate Ford tho hahah

[rayslittlekitten]

I Almost Told You That I Loved You Ch 14

Chapter 13 | IATYTILY Masterlist | Chapter 15

A/N: Look y'all. This is a bit of a hot mess. I mean, it's supposed to be, but like, it's a hot mess. Had to carefully walk a very thin line with how I wanted Jax to come off. This hasn't been beta'd.

Rating: E (18+ ONLY)

Word Count: 1,956

Pairing: Jax Teller x F! reader

Plot: This takes place shortly after Tara leaves Charming. You start working at Teller-Morrow and an unlikely and messy relationship forms between you and Jax.

WARNINGS: non-con/dub con elements, oral sex (M receiving), protected P in V sex, fingering, triggering momenets, degradation, humiliation, name calling, face slapping, angry Jax, anxiety

This feels all too familiar, except this time you know what’s bothering him. You can’t seem to have a drama-free night out with him in this smalltown.

“Are you okay?” you look over at Jax who clearly still looks pissed as he’s driving.

“I’m fine,” he grits. “But that asshole better hope I never see him again, because I won’t be so courteous next time.”

“Forget about him. You’ll just give him the satisfaction and prove him right.”

“About what? That I’m a thug? That I’m some stupid, low life criminal? I’ll make him regret his words,” he growls.

“Exactly!” you exclaim.

“So you think I’m stupid too? Not classy enough to eat in a place like that?” he accuses.

“No, that’s not what I meant!” You shake your head.

“You just agreed with–”

“No, I’m on your side Jax, but by acting out, you’re just giving him what he wants.”

He just continues to look ahead with a scowl on his face, gripping the wheel until his knuckles are white. He’s shaking his head while still seeing red, and you don’t mean the traffic light.

After a few quiet moments, you reach over to his lap to put your hand over his.

“Hey.”

Jax looks down at your hands and then over at you.

“You’re better than those people,” you tell him. “You’re the prince of Charming and one day you’re gonna be the king and then you’re gonna be the one looking down your nose at them,” you state as-a-matter-of-factly.

Jax studies you while waiting at the light, taking in your words also as his eyes scan your face and body. 

It almost frightened you how that just so quickly and smoothly came falling out of your lips. Years of having to praise and stroke your ex’s ego is so ingrained in you, that you didn’t even have to think about it. It was a reflex. Your heart is now racing and adrenaline is pumping waiting for his reaction.

“You’re right,” Jax nods, smirking. “That guy is probably on our payroll and he doesn’t even know it,” he chuckles.

You smile and let out the breath you didn’t realize you were holding.

“What a fucking idiot,” he shakes his head. 

You relax back into the seat looking straight ahead, relieved his mood has eased up. Your head jerks back to him for a moment when you feel him gently squeezing your fingers with his own and caressing you with his thumb. His eyes are focused on the road and can still see remnants of his hurt lingering on his face, but you smile at him anyways and give him a squeeze back.

“Where are we going?” You ask as you see him pull into a secluded area surrounded by overgrown weed and tall barb-wired chain link fences with a DO NOT TRESPASS: PRIVATE PROPERTY sign hanging from one of them.

“You’re gonna service the king,” he finally answers.

Once he parks and shuts the car off, he takes no time to smash his lips against yours while releasing his seatbelt. He hungrily sucks on your mouth and licks your tongue. His blonde beard scratched against your face so hard, you know it’s going to leave a burn.

You’re thrown off by this spontaneous makeout session. You knew sex was most likely happening tonight but not at this moment, especially after what had just happened at the restaurant. You can’t complain though. Horny Jax is much more pleasant than Angry Jax, although you’ve noticed sometimes there’s an overlap.

As one of his hands massages one of your breasts, the other works quickly to undo his belt and fly of his pants. You unbuckle your own seatbelt and turn your body towards him. After he successfully frees his hard cock, he jerks himself a few times, testing the rigidity of it. 

“You wanna be a good little cock whore for the king?” He asks after breaking the kiss.

Just as you nod, he fists your hair and pushes your face down to his crotch.

“Use that pretty mouth of yours,” Jax commands.

For a moment, you tense up, jarred by his sudden aggression, but you then push the tip of his thick cock into your warm wet mouth when you feel his grip on you loosen. You reposition your body so you’re kneeling on the seat to get a more comfortable angle and leverage. You start slowly, taking your time to lick and lube him up with your spit until he glides comfortably between your lips. You can feel him getting harder with each stroke. As you move up and down his length, he reaches behind you, pulls up your dress and palms your ass, rubbing it and giving it a squeeze. 

“Mm. Your mouth feels so good,” he moans and then starts thrusting his hips upwards.

His fingers slide over between your legs, teasing you through your underwear. You moan around his cock as you rock back against him. He pulls your panties to the side and dips the tip of his middle finger into your slick hole, feeling how wet you’re getting.

“You like sucking my dick, don’t you?” Jax asks rhetorically. “You get so fucking wet when my cock is in your mouth.”

He tilts his head to the side and looks down, watching his cock go in and out of your mouth. He gathers and bunches your hair to get a better view, but he also starts to move with you, his fist following you as your head bobs up and down. You hear him hiss and feel his grip tighten when you swirl your tongue around the rim of his tip.

His finger plunges deeper into you and you try to fuck him as you suck him harder, but he’s not allowing you to experience full penetration yet so you whimper. His ring is also in the way but you don’t even care if that goes in as well.

“Look at you,” he laughs. “So fucking needy. You really want this dick, don’t you?”

You pull him out momentarily and jerk him to look up at him and nod.

“Mm hm,” you answer, but your face is shoved back down to his crotch.

“Did I tell you to stop?” Jax asks.

You slip him back inside your mouth and start to deep throat him.

“Fuck,” he groans. 

He slips another finger inside you and starts pumping in and out of you, going in as far as your pussy would allow him. You clench around him and continue to deep throat him, coming up for air before you can gag. 

“You’re so good at this,” he praises you. “Do it again.”

You wrap your lips around his cock and dip back down to deepthroat him again, swallowing down as much as you can, eliciting a moan out of him. As you come back up, he pushes his hips up and holds your head down, preventing you from moving. 

“Fuck, yessss,” Jax throws his head back against the headrest and arches up against your face.

You end up gagging on his cock, one trigger hair away from choking on your dinner and spilling it all over his lap.

He eases the pressure and you instantly pull him out, taking a deep breath and a moment to gather yourself. 

He pulls his fingers out of you and grabs your chin. He tilts your head up towards him seeing your mascara-smudged misty eyes looking back at him. 

“You’re a queen,” he says as he drags his thumb over your shiny pouty bottom lip as he looks down on you, admiring your tear-streaked face. “My queen.”

A proud smile plays on your face.

“Queen of sucking dick,” he smirks and lets out a chuckle while slipping his fingers inside your mouth. 

You suck and lick on his fingers, tasting yourself like it’s your reward for being crowned this new position. You want to satisfy him and there can’t be any higher slot than a royal majesty.

“Now sit on this throne and ride me like the good little cock whore that you are,” he commands, pulling his fingers from your mouth and wiping them on your face and smearing your lipstick. He then smacks your face. It wasn’t hard, but the slap was as unexpected as realizing that you might have liked it. 

You sit up and reposition yourself. As you work to pull your panties off, you see Jax reaching into the glove compartment to pull out an opened box of condoms. He takes one out and tears it open before slipping it on himself. He adjusts his seat back to make room for you and pats his thigh.

You hike up your dress and straddle him, reaching down to grasp his hard cock you’re hovering over and align yourselves until you finally sink down. He groans and you start riding him, bouncing up and down on him, holding on to the back of the seat as leverage. 

Jax moves his hands under your dress to your ass. He palms it, squeezing hard with both hands while guiding you. This is the first time actually that you’re on top of him. He’s always been the one in the dominating position. Even still now, he is. 

When you lower yourself, he grips your hips and holds them down while pushing his up against you. A guttural noise slips out of him while trying to fit all of himself inside you. You can feel heavy pressure on your cervix and you stiffen up. You try to ease the discomfort, but he’s not giving you any breathing room.

“Jax…” You wiggle on his lap and try to push yourself off a bit again. “You’re too deep.”

“Is my dick too big for you?” he asks smugly. “Because you sure do take it well for a good girl.”

You instantly freeze up and feel your mushroom risotto threatening to come back up again.

“Don’t call me that.”

Jax’s eyes are on your face for a moment, confused.

“Good girl?” he asks with a raised brow. “I’ll call you whatever the fuck I–”

“No! Don’t fucking call me that!” You snap back and then quickly dismount yourself from him, moving back to the passenger seat.

Jax looks over at you and studies your face with knitted brows.

“What the fuck just happened?” he asks while you’re looking for your underwear.

When you find it, you pull it back on, but you never answer his question.

He silently looks down at his still hard cock and then back at you, trying to process what just happened.

“Look, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you,” he apologizes. “I won’t call you that ever again.”

You glance over at him with crossed arms, clearly still upset, and make eye contact with him. He looks sincere.

“I promise,” he adds.

Jax notices your body’s defenses easing up as you look away.

“You alright?” he asks.

You simply nod.

“Hey,” he cautiously reaches over to gently grab your chin and turns your face towards him.

“You sure you’re okay?” he asks again.

“Yeah,” you answer. “I’m sorry about that. Can we please go?”

“Yeah, of course. I’ll drop you off.”

Jax pulls the condom off his limp cock, tossing it out the window and then pulls his jeans back up before starting up the car. 

“Can we go back to your place instead?” you suddenly ask. 

“Are you sure?” he asks hesitantly, looking at you intently.

You nod.

“That is, if I’m still your good little cock whore,” you bite your lower lip.

The corners of Jax’s mouth slowly turn up.

“My queen,” he praises as he reaches over to affectionately pinch your chin.

[runthepockets]

Finished Shameless. Thoughts:

Gallavich 5ever bitch.

Frank dying actually made me pretty sad. I assumed he would have gotten covid or something being that he's old and conservative, but watching him slowly get worse with his dementia and watching his body fail was way more tasteful and actually made me feel bad for the old bastard.

Liam ended up being pretty awesome by the end. I wondered if they were just gonna be colorblind to him being the only black person in a white family but they actually handled his character arc really well and made him really well rounded and sympathetic. He's got all the street smarts and wit and charisma of his family but he's also the only Gallagher that you can say is a good person, which is a great balance for a little black boy to strike.

Carl's character arc with the police force was actually really tasteful? I was expecting him to just be a sadistic asshole and that it was gonna get played off / played for laughs the whole time, cus, ykno. But he was the only guy on the force who actually cared about doing the right thing and they just demoted him to a meter maid over it, and he just dished out justice via writing parking tickets for rich assholes and letting the poor people off scott free. Imo his character wasn't actually that inconsistent he went from a boyish thug, to a "tough guy" lout, to a kind, respectful, upstanding young man who still maintained a charming level of mischief and a disturbing interest in violence. He was younger than his other siblings and had a much different temperament than all of them (most noticably Debbie) so his ending just made sense to me.

I wish Fiona got to be in the finale, and I wish we got to see Mandy one more time too.

Lip's character arc wasn't actually that disappointing to me, it felt very real? Yeah he's a smart guy he went to college and tried to do everything right, but has always come up short cus he's constantly getting in his own way, be it via his lack of impulse control or his anger issues or both or neither. Him being stuck working doing Doordash or Postmates or whatever to make ends meet feels very real. Him fixing that guy's Crypto code and saving that guy's business only to get tipped a meager 4 bucks in the end is pretty all encompassing of being a smart guy with no money or connections, like it just is what it is sometimes.

Imo Debbie had the most disappointing character arc of the series. I wouldn't say it's a surprise she grew up crazy considering she, like, stole a baby from a birthday party as a kid cus she was lonely, and followed Jimmy to his mom's house to figure out about his double life, but a lot of her charm in those days was due to an integral childish innocence and naievete that everyone runs out of by the time they're like, 15. I like that she still had a strong sense of justice, I still think she was pretty smart and tough for the most part, I don't hate her or anything, but Jesus. A lot of the shit she did toward the end was just super frustrating and made no sense, she was just really bratty and bitchy and kind of a woman child toward the end, just starting a bunch of pointless beefs for no real reason, dating that ex con with a huge rap sheet cus she was a worse / "more pathetic" person than Debbie. Idk bro it was just weird. I did like her dynamic with Fiona as the only two female Gallaghers to Fiona leaving and her becoming the "matriarch" figure from then on pretty interesting but ultimately Lip was the better "parent". Lol.

[gallavichfanficlibrary]

Any fics where Ian and Mickey meet for the first time after Mickey gets out of prison?

There are a few fics we can rec, the only thing is that some authors put more emphazis on the prison thing than the others :) Here you go:

You Deserve Good Things - Mickey has been out on parole for a year and is finally feeling good about himself--feeling free. [...] However, he soon discovers how fragile those things can be when a new parolee walks through the door, bringing with him some of Mickey's demons.

Paragraphs - Ian has an opportunity to be a reading tutor for ex-convicts. He meets one in particular that catches his eye.

Miles Between Us - In 1975, Mickey is released from Beckman Correctional in California after a seven year prison sentence. On the way back to Chicago, he picks up a hitchhiker who teaches Mickey that life on the outside has changed and the road home is never easy. (currently abandoned).

Last of a Dying Breed - After the death of his sociopathic PO, Ian’s sent to work at XK9, the dog rescue that gives second chances to the unwanted pets and ex-cons of the southside — and it just so happens to be run by the most unlikely success story of them all.

second chapters - When Mickey’s PO assigns him a job at the local library, he’s pleasantly surprised—not that he’d ever admit it. Practically lived in the prison library, and what better way to start his new life than with a career he might actually enjoy.

This fic almost fits:

How are you? - Ian was best friends with Mandy growing up but him and Mickey never got together. Ian is now an EMT with his mental health mostly under control. Mickey has gotten his life together enough to be the owner of a pawn shop. They haven't seen each other in years.

Bonus fics, meeting for the first time while Mickey is still in prison while Ian is not:

Temporarily Yours - Ian is a newly licensed foster parent and he’s getting ready to welcome a little boy into his home named Yevgeny Milkovich.

The Question of Normal - Ian Gallagher is a prison counsellor. His life is finally steady and stable and that's just fine. Until one Mickey Milkovich is assigned to him and he has to try to find a way to help an inmate who may be more than just the Southside thug he first appears to be.

Happy reading! :)

[strangeduckpaper]

You Are Being Deceived...

TF136′s OG Decepticons

The Founders

The Big Three, the Brains, the Brawn, and the Charisma (whose who varies). The founders of the movement.

- Megatronus-A miner with a big chip on his shoulder and even bigger ideas. 

- Orion Pax-Archivist turned activist and Robin Hood-esque outlaw.

- Elita One-Triorian Guard turned ‘Bot on the inside and military commander.

The Allies

Close personal friends and allies recruited by the OG three.

- Roller-A military/enforcer bot and cohort of Elita’s, proved surprisingly amenable to the cause.

- Dion-A dock worker and surprising friend of Orion Pax.

- Alpha Trion-One of Orion’s mentors, and a student of Logos Prime. The one who first opened Orion’s eyes to the Functionist’s bullshit.

- Soundwave-A communications unit who picked up transmissions of the trio’s manifesto and was inspired. Helped coordinate the ‘Cons early efforts.

- Longarm-A cycloptean Senator, Longarm hoped to make shockwaves within the administration, but found his efforts stymied by the corruption of the Senate, Functionists, and the current Prime. Thus he turned to more...unorthodox allies.

- Chromedome-A mnemosurgeon turned forensic scientist, recruited by his friend Roller who would prove vital to the theft of a false Matrix.

- Prowl-Chromedome’s partner, and a very reluctant ally in this endeavour. Waiting for the other shoe to drop.

The Enforcers

A collection of Outlaws and Outliers gathered by Orion Pax to “push back” against the more tyrannical elements of the current government.

- Arcee-Ex Courier turned Gladiator, cohort of Megatron recruited for her own unease of Functionism

- Whirl-Ex Aero-Trooper who hoped to become a clockmaker, only for the Senate’s thugs to come a’callin. Has held a vendetta ever since.

- Trailcutter-Forcefield user. Issues with self confidence. Chronic alcoholic.

- Glitch-Tactile tech wrecker. Quiet and unsure. Re-reads the Decepticon Manifesto like a religious text.

- Windcharger-Magic magnetic arms. Speed demon. Prone to power overloads.

- Skids-Super learner. Cool under fire. Devoutly religious.

[priwenshallprevail]

Heɑɗcɑƞσƞs / Cɑƞσƞ :

Priwen , like the Brotherhood it once stood part of , held many sanctions during it's prime. The Militant force we get glimpse of is but a one part to a six piece fold swept on secrecy. Fragmented during 1918 to a lesser faction. From war to the epidemic being prime culprits that crippled their numbers.

They have/had their scholars , their watchers , emissaries , priests, alchemists -- but unlike the Brotherhood of Saint Paul's Stole , despite profession , all knew how to fight and preserve the Guard as a unit if the need were to arise. Especially in times ordained as Great Hunts. They were soldiers first and foremost. The enforcers out on the front line.

McCullum's unit is in fact a band of misfits to be putting it lightly. A few veterans here and there, scattered. Old comrades that maybe even predate Geoffrey's succession. Those that held rank in the Guard and an even greater pull when concerning their Leader. But most were profoundly new to the world of darkness. That majority of them hadn't known what to expect. Never having the misfortune of seeing a vampire in their life...up until their first patrol; where enthusiasm suddenly shifts to trepidation. Contaminating them as more the liability than aid.

Some , however, were legitimate thugs extracted from the very streets as bodies to fill the chess board between the living and the dead. They knew how to fight. Knew how to stave fear in the face of an even greater threat to accomplish the mission. Ex gang members, con artist , deserters. Perhaps using the Guard to meet their own. For then, they met as one to rid a common enemy. Despite often abusing their power on the common folk and slurring the Guard's name as permissible access in impropriety.

However, the Guard had always held a reputation of barbarism toward the undead. Or even their sympathizers. But to the common folk which they vowed to protect ? During 1918, they turned a blind eye on their own corruption. Hard times called for desperate measures.

[chlodoll]

my top albums (and songs) of 2022 (with some links to my fav performances 😆)

1. le sserafim - antifragile | the live performances are so damn good! | antifragile, impurities, good parts

2. sabrina carpenter - emails i can’t send | i love when i can just depend on an artist to always put out good albums | nonsense, tornado warnings, bad for business, already over, emails i can’t send, because I liked a boy 

3. 4*town - turning red ost | this boy group is everything | nobody like u 

4. red velvet -  birthday | a hit after some misses | bye bye, on a ride

5. sza - sos | it just came out but idc | nobody gets me, f2f, conceited, shirt, gone girl, kill bill, smoking on my ex pack, good days, blind

6. beyoncé - renaissance | hey, look at us! who would’ve thought? not me! now if only we could get the visuals... | church girl, america has a problem, alien superstar, cozy, plastic off the sofa, virgo’s groove, energy 

7. taylor swift - midnights | here i am again riding for one of blondies albums | lavender haze, paris, sweet nothing, glitch, bigger than the whole sky

8. rm - indigo | it feels like the last archive of my 20s too... damn | closer, wildflower, yun, still life, change pt.2, lonely

9. flo - the lead | i have loved seeing their rise this year | cardboard box, immature, summertime

10. nayeon - im nayeon | my girl! | love countdown, candyfloss, no problem, pop!, sunset

11. summer walker - still over it | it came out in 2021, i know, but i really wasn’t vibing until 2022 | circus, bitter, insane, no love, 4th baby mama, 

12. new jeans - new jeans | i got my braids and i’ve been flipping my hair like they do in attention all the time haha | hype boy, hurt, attention

13. jhope - jack in the box | this is so him... and i saw it performed live?! | arson, safety zone, more, what if 

14. encanto ost | i was so scared this would get on my spotify wrapped lolll | what else can i do?, we don’t talk about bruno, surface pressure

15. harry styles - harry’s house | no one is more disappointed than me, but he did something here | satellite, daydreaming, keep driving, late night talking, daylight 

16. euphoria ost | shut up i know... and when s3 comes out i will be back playing the songs everyday | all for us, still don’t know my name, formula, nate growing up, forever, i’m tired, elliot’s song 

-

other songs i was obsessed with: 

black panther: wakanda forever - con la brisa (foudequesh), alone (burna boy) interlude (stormzy), no woman no cry (tems) | bts - run bts, yet to come, left and right (jungkook and charlie puth), stay alive (jungkook), the astronaut (jin), bad decisions, dreamers (jungkook) | chlöe - treat me, surprise | fka twigs - jealousy (feat. rema), oh my love, tears in the club (feat. the weeknd), papi bones (feat. shygirl)  | glorilla - tomorrow (with cardi b) | gracie abrams - block me out, better  | ice spice - bikini bottom | ive - love dive, after like | jessie ware - free yourself | latto - it’s givin, sunshine, big energy, wheelie (feat. 21 savage), like a thug (feat. lil durk) | loona - pale blue dot | kelsea ballerini - heartfirst | marren morris - circles around this town, background music | megan thee stallion - budget (feat. latto), not nice, her, plan b, sweetest pie (with dua lipa) | muni long - hrs & hrs | omar apollo - want u around (feat. ruel), hijo de su madre, tamagotchi, archetype, hey boy (feat. kali uchis) | paramore - this is why | red velvet - bamboleo, beg for me | stayc - run2u, same same | suki waterhouse - moves, good looking | taeyeon - some nights, sirens, invu, weekend, timeless | twice - talk that talk, brave

[lcnelyday]

AVAILABLE VERSES BREAKDOWN:

THE GOLDEN RANCH: the biggest cattle ranch in montana/texas, run by tyler hancock. publicly deals with cattle and horses, training and raising. privately has a grow op for marijuana. possible triggers: crime, drugs, drinking, violence, smoking, death available muses: adam mcgill (wrangler), bo linklater (wrangler, foreman in training), judas palma (foreman), lincoln ward (wrangler), lori gallagher (residential vet), maggie hancock (heir and smartass), nellie dawson (barrel racer and troublemaker), sawyer linklater (wrangler & trainer), tyler hancock (owner), willa hancock (hurricane willa aka tyler's cousin that was born of chaos). inspiration: yellowstone.

VOLCANO GIRL: an alternative rock band, up and coming, two albums released. possible triggers: drinking, drugs available muses: danny rollins (drummer), hanna rollins (vocalist & bassist), walker 'texas' reid (vocalist & guitaris) inspiration: this band. this album.

THE SUPERNATURALS: a collection of unrelated characters for supernatural plots. possible triggers: horror, religion, witchcraft, violence, blood, murder, drugs, smoking available muses: julie petrichor (podcaster), lila barton (coven witch, see the barton legacy below), sera poriosolo (seraphim angel), silas barton (vampire ex witch, see the barton legacy below), thane reynolds (god of death), winnie barton (coven witch, demon hunter, see the barton legacy below) inspiration: the x files, lore (podcast), wynonna earp, beautiful creatures, supernatural, good omens

THE BARTON LEGACY: a group of witches that operate and control the pacific northwest. run by a matriarch, works with other supernatural beings, compared to a mafia/gang type deal. possible triggers: torture, abuse, alcohol, drugs, witchcraft, supernatural, blood, murder, death available muses: lila barton (matriarch witch), silas barton (400 year old vampire & ex witch), winnie barton (reluctant witch, demon hunter) inspiration: beautiful creatures, wynonna earp, hell's angels

IT'S ABOUT CRIME: a series of connected and unconnected criminals or those connected to criminals. possible triggers: murder, crime, death, blood, drinking, drugs, violence, torture, available muses: elena toro (daughter of a shady billionaire), lila barton (head of a crime family that runs the pacific northwest), millie woods (the daughter of a media conglomerate), noah pendragon (hired thug), richie pearson (counterfeiter with a team of criminals), tate o'brien (con artist in training), whitney fernstrom (con artist & assassin), winnie barton (part of crime family running the pacific northwest), wolff weiss (assassin) inspiration: succession, sons of anarchy, focus, killing eve, james bond, anything with a mob/mafia/gang, that one scene where jon bernthal's character kills a man because a pretty girl is scared she killed a man listen i know i reblog it once a week and sometimes once a day but it lives in my head rent free and i need all the plots regarding this idea okay?

[toddlazarski]

“This Fool”

The A.V. Club

Nobody “Motherfucker”’s like Michael Imperioli. The mother is draaawn out, fired with the snarl of a just-pulled lawnmower, peppered with a deep intestinal rancor, the fucker coming almost as the release, the exhale, the purr of pissed incredulity as to whichever injustice the world has placed before him. In this case, it is Richard Branson, or, the “space knight motherfucker” who cheap-skated his donation to Hugs Not Thugs, the “fifth largest gangster rehabilitation center in Los Angeles,” that was founded by Imperioli’s Minister Leonard Payne. It is a welcome introduction to his character, and a delightful reintroduction to the livewire frustration bits Imperioli cooked up as Christopher Moltisanti on The Sopranos. There he was one one of the key comedic pieces on one of the funniest comedies nobody was ever even entirely sure was a capital-C comedy.

As it happens, here he is one of the key comedic pieces on a show that leads with a much more troubling type of tone confusion. In the first two episodes of This Fool, a drive-by is played for chuckles, a gang brawl is treated with nostalgic revelry by former members slowed by time and life and sciatic nerve hangups, and “Don’t Text and Drive” displays across the screen as an epitaph with operatic flippancy.  

There’s also maybe a bigger conundrum facing the writer’s room, namely whether or not the comedy, in which Julio (Chris Estrada) counsels ex-cons, including his recently-released cousin, is actually, you know, funny. It certainly can be, as in the front-loaded first episode, where intimidating men with face tattoos perform trust falls, and Julio extolls the virtues of the place to a new arrival: “we remove more tattoos than anyone else in Los Angeles,” and offer “free legal counseling, solar panel installation classes.” Or, later, when he describes why there’s no reason he couldn’t be Bourdain: “I’ve eaten foy gray before.” To which his ex-girlfriend, Maggie, replies, “you don’t even know how to pronounce foy gray.” Imperioli, for his part, steals most every one of his scenes, especially striking an early chord on an extended lecture on failure, all wide eyes and faux wiseman profundity, his ability for humor amped by the ability to appear to take himself so stupidly serious.  

It can certainly also be, as many characters chide, repeatedly, anything seen as less than real, “corny.” A Salvadoran is irked by being called Mexican, a deceased friend nicknamed “Fatass” has, yes, “Fatass” inscribed on his urn. Vacillating between groan and cringe, Julio’s cousin, Luis (Frankie Quinones), peppers ceaseless ball-busting with “gay boy,” and the likes of “y’all talk more than the motherfucking View” or, somehow, “you need a Viagra?”  Perhaps it’s just more uneven than corny, more awkward than ha-ha, as smart as it is obvious, as oblivious as it is comfortable, taking real issues of modern L.A. — gun violence, gang culture — and setting them as backdrop thematic annoyances to be casually riffed on, as Bradley Newell might rap about the city on a Sublime track.      

Once the show settles though, finding a groove akin to the svelty Chicano Batman theme that opens each episode, and with the delightful reliance on old school Soul — Brenton Wood, Bill Withers — and palm trees and Dodgers decorum and shit-shooting around the dining room table with elderly relatives, a lived-in flow emerges, settling on a rhythm somewhere between a bilingual Modern Family and a less lesson-y Gentefied. The stakes are mostly low, it’s always sunny in South Central, even when meeting “at the park at sundown” for a brawl, and by the fourth episode even the tightest of TV reviewers may do very well to take Julio’s epiphany to heart: “how about this? I’ll stop being a little bitch.”

At that point anyone can appreciate the physical humor of, say, Julio giving his nephews fireworks to shoot off to distract the family so he can slink away from birthday engagements, or Luis putting Julio in a headlock to keep him in place while the family sings “Feliz Cumpleanos,” or an elaborate and preposterous slow-motion ball-kicking scene, an entire episode homage to Austin Powers.    

Estrada, who co-created the show and used his real life as inspiration, plays Julio with the same button-down, clean-shaven, subtly-pomaded nice guy turn that fills his standup comedian persona. He is mocked for having “lawyer hands,” is seen by his abuela as someone “always crying, just a little bit.” He is a man who sincerely and fully enjoys his pour-over coffee situation, coming off alternatively between sweet and cloying (“The life expectancy of a gangster on average is 24 years old, but the life expectancy of a punk ass bitch, 76 years old”), between big-hearted and petulant martyrdom, his use of “big dawg” renders him some varying mix of jovial and punch-worthy. As his on again, off-again ex, Michelle Ortiz breathes fire into the manic pixie ex-girlfriend template, with high-pitched outbursts turning to raunchily smitten tenderness. She steals/borrows Julio‘s Accord before berating him that the Check Engine light is on, she hits with lines like: “we’ve had sex in the backseat, it’s our car,” and interrupts‘s his date to get him to come over to help find a disappeared pet bunny, a la Annie Hall’s spider-in-the-bathroom scene, eventually trying to coax him to stay with, “I got Wendy’s.  In the obvious spirit of ying-yang buddy comedies, Luis seems overtly ex-con doltish, overplaying the easy parts, leaning brashly into the casual homophobia. It’s not 2005 anymore, as he is constantly reminded — “Tobey Maguire ain’t Spiderman no more” Julio tells him. But has he been in prison, or a coma? Were we still making Viagra jokes and asking “does that make your boyfriend jealous?” in 2005?  

Yes, it is a show about redemption. About tempering recidivism with good cupcake sales —  “people love buying cupcakes from ex-gang members, if girl scouts ever start getting face tattoos we’re fucked,” states Imperioli, in one of his many steely deadpans. And it is about family, however dumb and unfortunate they sometimes might be. So, the standard themes of any harmless Thursday night family sitcom. Of course you can watch it when you want, as one of the best back-and-forth’s, between Luis and his ex-fiance, reminds us:  

“You’re a fucking loser with a weird dick.” “Fuck you, curvy dicks are normal.” “You know Judge Judy will rule in my favor.” “Her show is over, idiot.” “She’s got a new one, idiot.” “What time? I wanna watch.” “It’s streaming so it’s available whenever.”  

Within such ping-pong banter is where This Fool finds its pocket. Like when Imperioli, uber-stoic, over-intense, gets asked about his documentary, “Game Set Hope,” a chronicle of an actual ping-pong tournament on “skid row.” A tag line at the bottom of the poster for the film that hangs in his office declares: “A film you might soon forget, but shouldn’t.” So it feels things might go here. While we seem past the peak of standup’s getting TV spots, this is the type to be lost in a sea of professionally funny shows. Once rhythm is achieved though, This Fool is joyously, even exceptionally hilarious because of what it is really about: who will watch your shitty documentary, even though they think there’s too much flute in the soundtrack; who cares enough to steal you toilet paper from work, even if it is single-ply; who makes you your favorite Tres Leches cake, even though you hate your birthday; who shows up for you, even if a “homegirl” stole their Honda; and it is about being there for your cousin, even when he won’t stop quoting Austin Powers.

[kudosmyhero]

Batman Annual (vol. 1) #11: Mortal Clay / Love Bird

Read Date: September 23, 2022 Cover Date: July 1987 ● Writer: Alan Moore ● Penciler: George Freeman ● Inker: George Freeman ● Colorist: Lovern Kindzierski ● Letterer: John Costanza ● Editor: Len Wein ●

Synopsis: Preston Payne, "Clayface III," recalls the events following his last encounter with Batman and how he risked everything for the love of his life, the store mannequin named "Helena".

Following Helena's trace, Clayface III takes up residence in the department store that houses her, hiding all day and coming out only at night to be alone with her. Although they begin very much in love, their relationship takes a turn for the worse when Clayface begins to suspect she is committing infidelities. He finds her missing one night from her usual spot, and after wandering through the store finds her in her underwear in the lingerie section, unaware that she was purposefully moved by the staff members of the department store. The next night, she has been moved back and they continue their relationship. Later, Clayface finds a security guard taking a necklace off of her neck (stealing it to give to his wife), which he can only assume is a token of an affair they've had. After they leave her sight, he brutally murders the man.

The next day, when the body is found, the Gotham City Police Department summon Batman, who deduces Clayface's presence in the store. He tries to confront the villain that night, and finds Clayface waiting in ambush for him, believing Batman is also having an affair with Helena. Clayface almost kills Batman, but at the last moment, he looks into Helena's eyes and sees that she's taking joy in men fighting over her. Batman is able to talk Clayface down, and offers to help him.

As Clayface ends his recollection, he finds himself locked in Arkham Asylum, sharing his cell/room with Helena, although Clayface is beginning to contemplate a divorce. However, he dismisses the idea, choosing to wait instead, and thinks to himself happily, "After all, she can't live forever."

Synopsis:
The Penguin is released from prison on parole, and claims to have completely reformed. Nonetheless, Batman insists that he is pulling something, and has the Penguin under constant surveillance to find out what.

However, Penguin is romantically seeing a woman whom he met through the mail and shares a passion for birds, just like he does. She insists that for them to work, the Penguin must give up his life of crime completely, and he professes to Batman that he has gone legitimate with an umbrella factory. When Batman sees several known felons entering the building, he bursts in to investigate, and after fighting the warehouse of thugs, confronts the Penguin. The Penguin is forced to reveal that although his business was legitimate, he has been breaking the law. His employees are all ex-cons who have a lot of trouble getting steady work, and he has been hiring them as a sympathetic gesture. This, however, counts as "consorting with known felons," which is a violation of his parole.

Although the Penguin does go back to jail, Batman personally explains the matter to the prison authorities and to Penguin's partner, who soon visits Penguin in prison.

(https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Batman_Annual_Vol_1_11)

Fan Art: Clayface by EdwardDelandreArt

Accompanying Podcast: ● Overlooked Dark Knight - episode 05