#hes the gem the heart and soul of the team and it shows

[itlswhatltls]

BARÇAS NEW VIDEO?! THE PICS?! I'M GONNA CRY

[ffruitsalad]

Fable SMP Commission Experience 7/7 + Bonus Images!

In this section, I'll be sharing sketches from what I call "Scene 6: Finale," which includes the moment Centross looks up at Fable up to the conclusion. Also included are some thank yous and some bonus images!

"Centross smiles at Fable. Centross pulls Fable close into a hug, stabbing through Centross' heart. Centross looks up across the cave."

In the colored version, I believe John was the one who added some purple in the eyes of Centross looking up! Very nice touch! It makes Centross look more like the one in control of how the fight will go.

When Centross gets impaled by the sword, I wanted to make sure to get a good shot of it going though his chest with some blood on the blade, especially the dribbling bits.

"The reaver is flung spinning across the cave towards both of them. It impales through Fable. A golden light glows around Fable and is sucked into the reaver. Blood begins to ooze from Fable’s wound for the first time ever. He is stripped of his immortality."

This is the big one! I was trying to figure out how best to portray the light absorbed by the Reaver. I settled for a crackling energy, kind of like Zeus and his lightning bolts!

In the final, I emphasized the impact of the Reaver through Fable with blood spurting from his mouth. His body is hazy near his waist because I wanted to show that the borders of his physical body were beginning to dissolve.

I'm not sure if this was an intentional part on the writers' ends, but I'm a big fan of how this scene is a direct contrast to Centross and the souls! The contrast between purple energy being given vs yellow energy being taken...cinema.

In the final, I snuck in a hazy image of a skull on the Reaver's gem as a little bit of a treat!

"Centross headbutts Fable, who falls backwards, stunned. Centross shakily stands to his feet..."

An unused close-up of a teary, bloody, sweaty Fable. He has been undone! He's never had to keep track of so many fluids before!

It completely slipped my mind to draw in the headbutt scene, so I mostly worked it in digital.

"A loud heart thumps as part of Centross becomes stardust... More of him becomes stardust..."

The doodles are a bit lackluster, but I knew that I wanted this sequences to be very colorful and luminescent with a hazy brush. The scene transitions back to the smooth brush in order to show that the action has mostly calmed down.

"He looks towards Icarus... He turns to Fable."

For the frame Icarus is in, I wanted to make sure to emphasize his distress, confusion, and sadness. Lots of tears and furrowed brows.

For the frame Fable is in, I wanted to emphasize the loss of his immortality and pride. He's on the floor, nursing a new wound and drained of power and life.

"His body is almost fully stardust...Blackness...Centross’ eyes flutter open, glowing violet irises and pitch black scleras."

His face was not at all legible in the sketch. I wanted his eyes to look like they were beginning to close, but it wasn't reading well in digital. I'm much happier with the final product.

Although Centross is inhabiting a void, I still wanted there to be a sense of space and emptiness, so I layered some thick black brushstrokes in an overlapping pattern in the final.

Last Words:

I understand that these past few posts have been very lengthy! I don't expect anyone to read ALL of my notes (but if you did, holy smokes, many thanks). These are just mostly here for me to practice explaining my creative choices.

This project had a pretty tight deadline (a little under a month), but I feel like our team was very efficient and responsible about getting the work done in time! A little pressure goes a long way.

I'm thinking of opening up commissions or a small print shop in the future! I'll be sure to make an announcement for when that happens.

I'm very open to any future Fable SMP projects or collaborations! You guys are all very lovely and creative, and I always like hearing about new projects.

And now, some thanks!

Thank you to Centross for the opportunity to create this cutscene! It was really fun showing you my sketches and getting your feedback on them. This project really helped me flex my art muscles, and I'm grateful to have met you and become friends!

Thank you to @strawberripine for keeping me company in the wee hours of the night as I was trying to finalize in digital! Your presence helped me to keep focus and not sweat about the small stuff!

Thank you to @sherbertquake56 for editing the scenes into a finalized product! It was really cool to see how the visuals and audio flowed together!

Thank you to @johnyyyyyboy, who put in a ton of work on backgrounds and lighting! It really helped to elevate all the action that was occurring!

Thank you to the Fable cast members for the kind words of support throughout the process! You all are a lovely creative bunch, and I'm sorry that when I met some of you in person, I was having a bit of trouble engaging in conversation!

Last but not least, thank you to the Fable SMP audience for enjoying the cutscene! A lot of work was put into it, and it was very gratifying to see everyone's reactions in real time! You all have a nice community, and it's so cool to see everyone's cosplays, fanart, fanfiction, etc.

Until the next time I crawl out from my cave,

Fruit 💙

[louisupdates]

[Translated from Spanish]

Red-hot musical maturity: Louis Tomlinson in Chile

By Savka Martinic | 25 MAY 2024

Louis Tomlinson, former member of the iconic band One Direction, dazzled Chilean fans with his concert as part of the 'Faith in the Future' tour, offering a show full of emotion, energy and a new, more rock-oriented approach in which has been working in the last few years of his musical career. The audience interaction, immersive graphics and exceptional musicians came together to create a magical night and from the moment Louis took the stage with ‘The Greatest’, it was clear that this was going to be a special evening.

Photo by Agustín León

The encounter was a flight through his greatest hits but also an example of the musical maturity he has achieved through this approach that at times nods to iconic bands like 'The Killers' and clear influences of indie rock. This musical progression is also reflected in the level of visual design of the concert, the screens that adorned the stage were not only a complement, but were an extension of the soul of each song where the color red predominated as evidence of the passion and rock vibe that he and his great team sought to capture. This color choice not only intensified the viewing experience, but also resonated with the energy and dynamism of Louis' performances. The light and visual effects were a true spectacle in themselves, elevating the sensory experience of the concert.

Along with this, and recalling the beginnings of his career as a boyband member, Tomlinson's constant interaction with the audience was the beating heart of the concert. Between songs, he shared messages of gratitude and part of the personal and artistic journey he has had in the last 3 years. At various moments during the concert, he stopped to look and interact with his audience, expressing his gratitude for being there and making evident his intention to generate genuine connection despite the magnitude of the stadium that made each person feel part of something special, something bigger than themselves. This type of authentic interaction is what Chilean fans needed to feel and what has also cemented Louis’ relationship with his audience over the years.

Along these lines, fans of the Brit expressed their gratitude with fan actions in songs like 'Kill My Mind' where the flashes of the cell phones in the chorus ignited a meeting that was beginning and that inaugurated the energy that remained high throughout the day. Each interaction elevated those present, creating a unique synergy between the stage and the crowd that did not go unnoticed by the singer, who was visibly excited and grateful.

Along with all the immersive experience that was lived in the stadium, the setlist of the concert was a perfect mix of songs from his solo career and some gems from One Direction. The singer performed 13 songs from the album that gives its name to the tour, 'Faith in the Future', 3 songs from his previous project 'Walls' and 4 covers including memorable hits from the boy band. Songs like 'Night Changes' and 'Where Do Broken Hearts Go' brought a touch of nostalgia and tears among loyal fans, while new songs like 'Bigger Than Me' and 'Out of My System' showed his evolution as artist. The closing with 'Where Do Broken Hearts Go' was the finishing touch to a night that will remain engraved in the memory of all those present.

Now, one of the most notable elements of all for those who have witnessed the different facets of the singer, was the change in Tomlinson's musical approach towards a more rock style, more mature and with much more aesthetic-musical coherence. Louis was accompanied by a group of talented musicians who brought each song to life with their skill and passion. The concert had rockstar vibes portrayed especially during songs like 'Kill My Mind' and 'Walls', where the guitar solos and powerful drums provided a raw and authentic energy that made the entire venue vibrate. In this way, his artistic maturity was also reflected in his musical influences in recent years, where covers of Post Malone's 'Chemical' and Arctic Monkeys' '505' were highlights, showing the versatility of Louis and his band to interpret and make these songs your own.

All in all, Louis Tomlinson's concert in Chile was not only a musical event, it was a transformative experience where red, the talented band that accompanied him, his charisma and the genuine connection with his audience were the protagonists. With 'Faith in the Future', Tomlinson not only demonstrated his prowess as a musician, but also opened a new chapter in his career, defying expectations and captivating hearts with his passion and commitment to authenticity.

Photos [x] [x]

[primatechnosynthpop]

Being meguca makes me feel good

[ID: a drawing of the ghostbusters in magical girl outfits, with their cartoon designs. Ray wears a brown overall dress over a sailor uniform top with short puffy sleeves and a blue cape, goggles on his forehead with pink rabbit ears attached, and yellow shoes. There are dog face decals on his dress and heart decals on his shoes, and he holds a baton with a rabbit emblem. Peter wears a dark green vest over a white shirt with frilly cuffs, a brown plaid bow around his neck, a belt with a holster, a black skirt, and cowboy boots. He holds up three zener cards with a smirk. Winston has a gray top with buttons and white sleeves, a camo skirt, knee-high white socks, army boots, and a baseball cap with a wing decal. He has a choker and bracelets with crosses on them, and holds a staff that's a cross between a baseball bat and magnifying glass. Egon's dress resembles a high-collared lab coat, but the short sleeves and the lower half of the dress have mottled pink and blue colouration and evoke fungi in their design. He has black gloves and knee-high boots, mushroom decals on either side of his head just above his glasses, and holds a large syringe filled with green liquid and a star on the end of the needle. The team has matching soul gems in the shape of the "no" logo; Ray's is on his chest, Peter and Winston both have them on their belts, and Egon's is on his collar. The background is pink, with energy glowing around each of their weapons. End ID]

[ID: two bonus doodles branching off from the above. In the first, Janine addresses Kyubey, who's perched on her desk: "No way! I've learned my lesson about getting wishes granted." Kyubey replies "I assure you, my species is far different than anything you've encountered before--" Janine cuts it off, pointing angrily away, and snaps "I said I'm not interested! Now shoo! Go bother one of the guys if you're so desperate for attention." Kyubey obediently hops off the desk.

The second shows the guys in casual clothes clustered around Kyubey. Winston asks, "This thing's not a ghost, is it?" Egon, holding a meter up to Kyubey, replies "No. I have no idea what it actually is." Ray, who's holding Kyubey, says "Well, I think he's kind of cute!" to which Peter adds, "Sure... a lot cuter than the spud, anyway." End ID]

[skaruresonic]

Incidentally your analysis of Shadow's self dehumanization in Battle is what pisses me off with what Ian did with Shadow in early Sonic Universe. He took the "weapons aren't supposed to have hearts" severely out of context, applying it to all weapons even though we know Shadow was made more than just being one, and Emerl was modified in an attempt to no longer be one. He had Shadow randomly try to appeal to Omega and Metal as though they actually had individuality or thought to think of themselves when they never showed it. Metal fucking calls Shadow out on his "purpose" , but Shadow still naively keeps wangsting of "oh woe, another weapon didn't become good" which is stupid. Omega meanwhile had to have Gamma's "soul" uploaded to it to even change. Add to the fact that all attempts of Shadow doing this failed and eventually was abandoned, it's doubly infuriating

And then a couple Universe issues later he's being a sub wuss to Rouge being 100% with nuking Blaze's dimension just for gems :/

Flynn write moral dilemmas one way, and that's ripping off Batman Star Wars:

Kind of makes Shadow's refusal to give Blaze the Sol Emeralds in Team Treasure Tango even stupider in hindsight because this exchange occurred before TTT. Somehow he regressed from offering Metal mercy to refusing to let Blaze have the Sol Emeralds just because Rouge really, really wanted them.

The implication is supposed to be that Shadow's learned that he's more than a weapon, but the message I'm getting here is "he can turn his moral scruples on and off like a faucet"

---

Metal fucking calls Shadow out on his "purpose" , but Shadow still naively keeps wangsting of "oh woe, another weapon didn't become good" which is stupid.

It's funny too because Shadow pretty much takes the opposite approach in Battle. He's all gloom and doom, waxing poetic about how destruction is the fate of weapons of war.

Flynn really telling on himself with how much he hasn't played Battle xP

---

Omega meanwhile had to have Gamma's "soul" uploaded to it to even change. Add to the fact that all attempts of Shadow doing this failed and eventually was abandoned, it's doubly infuriating

Then he doesn't have free will? Then he's possessed? Then Shadow has no reason to be all "come to the light"? lol wtf there was no reason to assume Omega didn't have free will in Heroes, given that he has a personality and expresses anger towards Eggman.

tfw the peak writing raises even more horrifying existential implications than the original

---

And then a couple Universe issues later he's being a sub wuss to Rouge being 100% with nuking Blaze's dimension just for gems :/

Even worse, Blaze told him if she didn't get the Sol Emeralds back that her world would end horrifically.

Actually, no, he admitted he didn't know how Blaze's world would end, just that she needed the Sol Emeralds back. Which smacks of pedantry to me; did he really need to know the gory details to know that apocalypse is bad?

Amy told him that Blaze's world would end in more general terms and it took him at least three Sadboy Glances(tm) to get over himself.

bruh.png

[eyelessfog]

I have decided to take up the offer not extended to me to ask about the eswap sillies. any worldbuilding for Katherine and/or Dawn you're willing to share? 🥺

WIN FOR MEEEE i get to talk about katherine <- literally likes nothing more than doing this

there's a couple stuff i'd love to talk about that are big spoilers BUT should be dealt with in just a few interactions so whenever our bit of eswap starts back up again, you'll hear about it! i have a fic ready n loaded & im sooo excited 2 use it

but for now:

Dawn is a very close knit community! everybody knows everybody and people don't really act differently towards the monarch family than anyone else

they DO have a team of elders - sunborn who have passed their prime and not died about it yet. they're seen as people who were blessed by the sun to have longer lifespans, and therefore are given wisemen roles about it

The monarch family generally only has one child per generation. its. its a little lonely

the monarch family is set apart from everyone else just by having a certain kind of healing magic that no one else has

monarchs can only go from becoming princes/princesses to kings/queens through a coronation. it's about a year long process

let's talk about it ^-^

during this year, the current king & queen retract themselves from the ruling process except for whenever the prince or princess asks for something. This is in order to get the young royal to learn how things work, year by year. problem solving!

during this time, the parents plan the coronation. it's the largest party dawn hosts, and while they don't need the whole year, it's used well to make sure the party is perfect

the party starts at, you'll never guess it, dawn, and ends at dusk. one full day of celebrations!

everyone is dropped from the requirement to do anything, which means that nothing is perfectly fresh, but first thing in the morning, everyone brings out whatever they want to bring to the party and lays it out, and after that it's first come, first served. specific things are set aside to be eaten at certain times of the day (like breakfast, lunch and dinner).

music is made either by jukeboxes or by volunteers who are excited to show off a fun project

over all it's just a fun time to get morale up and bring everyone together with no stress

um!! katherine moments!

she doesn't actually wear the pink robe that gem has on her skin all that often

although that's just because she's a workaholic and that robe is to put on top of her farming outfit in order to come across as more princess-like

she would totally wear that thing (and other pretty things) more often if she wasn't always scared to get them dirty because. again. workaholic

her favourite dawn holiday is when she officially gets to introduce the bees to the dawn children

she also finds a lot of joy in hanging out with the bees :D she likes headbutting them. they're cute

her parents are dead

she has beef with the elders

katherine is. a woman with so much rage in her soul and she is stopped from using it because she is a pacifist

she is aware of how to use a sword but has never used it against a person. i'll actually say that most dawn citizens know how to use a sword properly but have never used one against a person

she is. sooo so oblivious she does not know things she does not notice things she does not get things. okay.

she is irresistible to women and also joey. she is now less irresistible to him because he has a boyfriend. sausage :D

she forgets (often) that kissing is generally a romantic thing

she stops forgetting this when it comes to her crush

she has a crush on pearl of the escent moon. don't worry about it

she has so much guilt in her heart and she will not tell you about it thank you very much. you aren't her therapist

she does not have a therapist

she is polyamorous. i hope this helps. she does not yet know she is polyamorous. she is really bad at being normal about her crushes EXCEPT when talking to them. but if you catch her talking about them while not in front of them then. literally she looks like this the whole time: 0/////0

i love her with my whole entire heart

[forabeatofadrum]

The first El WooWoo of the year! And as the banner says, I’m still reading instead of writing. So here we go. Buckle up, Klainers and ... Snovians (???? is there a name for Snowbaz shippers? This is just Simon. Snowbazzians?) (What would you call Baz fans? Bazzies?).

I am really enjoying these fic rec posts, more than I thought. It also motivates me to read more, which is a win-win. I do have some ideas for Ljubim te again, so I think I’ll start writing them soon. But maybe I will make a separate post for fics, aside from Wip Wednesday and Six Sentence Sunday? Fic Rec Friday?

ANYWAY, buckle up, it’s a long post, so the entire rec + tags will be under cut today!

Some non-fic recs first. Some? One, actually. I am rereading my Kickstarter books for Check, Please! in preparation for the delivery of the Year 4 Kickstarter. I... uh... asked the shipping costs for that campaign as a Christmas gift. But God yeah, I love this webcomic so much. Time to get back to the SMH (Samwell Meme’s Hockey Team).

Up to the fics!

@martsonmars wrote a fic about “consensual biting” between 6 years old: Love Bite. It’s adorable. I love how silly kids can be. And I am a bitch for fics where Lucy lives 😭!

I am catching up on The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow by @confused-bi-queer. I last read chapter 5, and [Jason Mendoza voice] oh Simon and Baz, we’re really in it now. I am upsetti spaghetti.

I am still riding the angst train right into Is It Over Yet? by @jayne89. God I really wish Carmen was actually this good, instead of a plot device for Rachel’s.... uhm... questionable storylines. Really excited for more of this verse.

God, I am really going through it, huh? @thnxforknowingme wrote a 2022 fic in review where she mentioned True Colors, a character study of Quinn between season 2 and 3, and I like the premise. I really enjoyed it. Damn, skank!Quinn had so much potential, but RIB just had to do the wack baby storyline.

This isn’t Jenna’s only fic that I have read. I finally, finally read Miles To Go, and I know a fic this wonderful should have a long and coherent comment, but I am just speechless. So utterly speechless. I started it when it was originally posted, but I had just lost my grandmother and yeah it was the wrong time. Now, we got the message that it’s time for my uncle to collect her ashes. Weird way to go back to a fic, but that’s what happened, and this fic tugged at my heartstrings. I definitely recommend it to everyone.

Also, more Jenna stuff, but insert the Chris Fleming meme here. Was no one ever going to tell me that Jenna has written Hades fic, or was I just supposed to find out by browsing through her AO3 by myself? Aíma.... YOOOO. The relation between Zaggie and blood? Jenna, your mind!

More sad shit? More sad shit! @wellbelesbian really made me say FUCK THE MAGE with the latest chapter of blow on the tinder. Guys, this is such a good fic. Alex, I am so glad you’re continuing it!

Okay, okay, whooo, time out with the angst. @redheadgleek‘s Pierce My Soul is a fluffy gem and I am a bitch for costume crew!Kurt. Although he got promoted here and he designed the costumes, including Blaine’s. There are so many great gems in this fic, but I lost it at Brad Ellis being the piano man. And when the fic mirrored dialogue from the show.... my heart!

I definitely boarded the fluff train now. I saw @letraspal‘s art for @skeedelvee‘s Drunken Kisses. I am all 🥺🥺🥺🥺 about this fic. Simon “He Is Plotting” Snow is amazing. Mix it with Baz “Gay Yearning” Pitch and voila!

@facewithoutheart delves into Simon’s sad childhood, but in a fluffy way, in What I Wouldn’t Give. Simon gets his first plushie and we all cry. I am such a bitch for this concept and Christina helpfully linked to another one, namely to @lifewithoutmotivation​‘s Flamey. I am just overwhelmed on Simon’s behalf! This guy deserves all the gifts and birthday parties! (Also, congrats on the new URL!)

And we’re going to end this rec post with more holiday cheers from the holiday queers (really, did anyone watch The New Normal?) with @1908jmd​‘s Klaine Advent 2022 - With their favourite people. Jen did a true drabble challenge and all the snippets are about the people in Kurt and Blaine’s lives and look I just got very emo over it.

If you’ve already been tagged in a rec, consider that a tag for WIP Wednesday (or Six Sentence Sunday). Also tagging @quizasvivamos @crissmastrees-and-candyklaines @coffeegleek @esperantoauthor @otherworldsivelivedin @caramelcoffeeaddict @sillyunicorn @bazzybelle @dragoneggos @raenestee @tectonicduck @nightimedreamersworld @urban-sith @thnxforknowingme @captain-aralias @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @takitalks @justgleekout @cerriddwenluna @tea-brigade @ivelovedhimthroughworse @moodandmist @whogaveyoupermission @bookish-bogwitch @aroace-genderfluid-sheep @ionlydrinkhotwater @special-bc-ur-part-of-it @larkral @chen-chen-chen-again-chen​ @cutestkilla​ @artsyunderstudy​  

[soliloquent-stark]

i am constantly awestruck by the fact that so many of the most iconic tony stark lines are improvised, including the insanely influential "i am iron man", the heartbreaking "no trust, liar", the light-hearted and tension-cutting shawarma mention which led to the scene... and there's so many other instances where unscripted moments were left in (him telling pete to move his leg is probably one of my favourites, as well as saying "that's my man" to steve, which, ouch). robert is a gem and a comedic (and dramatic) genius, and i am so glad the directors worked with him and allowed him to be part of the creative process freely — not only he's the king of quick and witty ad-libs, but also a visionary for his character's arc, and so in-tune with tony's personality. i don't want to discredit the wonderful and extensive team of creatives who made tony stark be the layered personage he is (in comics, films, and otherwise), but the relationship between rob's brilliance and tony's substantiality in the mcu was, in my opinion, a wonderful pillar that allowed the cinematic universe to authentically develop into what we all grew to love. actors being protective of their characters (and critical of them when needed) and listened to by writers is essential, and i do feel like a part of that soulful element is missing nowadays. yes, this is biased coming from an avid lover of tony and steve, but i truly believe that both robert and chris showed by example that actors being their characters' biggest guardians will always be beneficial to the story and evident to the fans. ❤️

rdj as tony stark + favorite improvised lines

[whatsonmedia]

Music Monday: Latest Music Tracks of This Week!

Welcome to the ultimate dancefloor experience, meticulously curated by music editor Adam Humphries. Prepare to ignite your soul and unleash your inner groove with this precision-curated playlist. Featuring recently released upbeat tracks, this selection guarantees a non-stop music extravaganza that will leave you breathless. Get ready to dance like there’s no tomorrow and embark on an unforgettable week of electrifying beats and unstoppable moves. Let the music be your guide and let the rhythm take control! International project THE ELIALI PROJECT release gorgeous third single 'Virtuality' Israeli singer songwriter has teamed up with highly acclaimed musician, Lucky Ali to create what can only be described as something quite extraordinary. Acoustic yet raw and heartfelt, Virtuality is a gem which has gone viral in the Indian continent, and it's not hard to see why. He may not be well known over here yet but this song is a great introduction for him  https://open.spotify.com/track/1RLm2JvBrBQGwEUKv982A9?si=57ab6eb5514445c2 ERIN K releases cathartic new single 'Goodbye Song' If break up songs can make for great listening then this little sparkler of a song is no exception. American British singer songwriter writes about an end of a relationship yet is not downbeat about it. If anything, the Goodbye Song is interestingly upbeat and has that infectious element where it's more uplifting than down hearted  https://open.spotify.com/track/6XVEtNIaCKIMvHD54cGlKj?si=dbf75c25b2704591 https://youtu.be/hGY8W1120KM Former Noah & The Whale guitarist Fred Abbott announces new album as Fred Abbott & The Wild Unknown! - Shining Under the Soot Every so often indie-rock gives you that one track which is an absolute banger of a gem, and this is definitely that. What Kind of Trouble is testament to Fred Abbott's musical genius as both a songwriter and musician. It remains faithful to his music background in indie but shows us what he's about as an artist  https://open.spotify.com/album/310pfrsgGV5GpfVke62Dv3?si=ZAMKJp9iS0ubw9cEd8oFiQ https://youtu.be/jXXsmBcpf2Q MULL HISTORICAL SOCIETY - Announces Brand New Album: 'In My Mind There's A Room' (21 July) Commencing next month and for five select dates, Mull Historical Society showcases their latest album In My Mind.  If you are an avid fan of these guys then this is a must for you. Full details on tour dates and the album below MULL HISTORICAL SOCIETY - 'IN MY MIND THERE'S A ROOM' - TRACKLISTING:  NOT ENOUGH SORRY – Jennifer Clement FEATURING GUEST CONTRIBUTIONS FROM:  IAN RANKIN / NICK HORNBY / JACQUELINE WILSON + MORE PRE-ORDER HERE https://tinyurl.com/56ehfm6j 1952 – Liz Lochhead WAKE UP SALLY – Alan Warner KELSHABEG – Sebastian Barry PANICKED FEATHERS – Nick Hornby THE RED FLAME DINER – Stephen Kelman SOMEBODY ELSE'S LIFE – Jacqueline Wilson MY BEDROOM WAS MY ROCKET – Ian Rankin SEEDS – James Robertson MELTWATER – Jackie Kay ALL EMPTY ROOMS MUST BE MOURNED – Jason Mott ROOM OF MASKS – Val McDermid ANAGLYPTA – Liz Lochhead MEMORIES OF MULL – Angus MacIntyre Mull Historical Society / Colin MacIntyre - 2023 Live dates 3rd June - HAY Festival  https://www.hayfestival.com/p-20266-colin-macintyre-aka-mull-historical-society.aspx - 17th June - Borders Book Fest — with crime writer Val McDermid  - 29th July - MHS Belladrum - 4th Aug - MHS Edinburgh Festival Fringe @ Summerhall  - Sept - Wigtown Book Fest  - 27th Oct - Tobermory Book Fest  Read the full article

[multistoty]

Continued

@multi-royalty​

“Well, being a pheonix is not as cool as it sounds. I sort of can’t die though I turn into smoldering rock. I have been working on flying but that’s about it.” The boy mused as he rubbed the back of his neck. A slight smile playing across his lips as he looked at a woman who looked nothing like his lover and somehow stood and moved like her. They had similar action based quirks and wide set bright eyes. Same capable grace. Though he was slightly afraid of her from what he had read of Stefan Salvatores diary and Damon Salvatore’s occasional visits to the school. It unnerved him to try to be good enough for a tight knit wonder of a family like the Mikealsons. He didn’t even know why Hope had liked him. Alaric being kind almost made him snort. It often felt like the students were running this school instead of the old headmaster though he showed him respect. Not many adults stuck around for him. Her slight change in expression and countenance at the word ‘lovesick aunt’. Sometimes, his mouth shot out without him. Although, he had gained Elijah’s approval. Sort of Klaus’s considering how he had watched them attempt dancing as languid beings. “ No offense, but being an original and- looking like a reniassance painting. I am surprise you don’t have some sort of fan club. Hope is actually more nerdy than she would like to admit though she would murder me for saying so. We have a dnd team and our making our own sort of comic book. I am not- I know I am not what you all expected or wanted for her. But I have never met someone with such a beautiful soul. Falling for Hope is like reading a book. Knowing and loving someone’s brains and souls in lieu of pretty packaging or sensitivity. She has every reason to play supervillian and still spares and cares for those around her. I can’t promise to be perfect, but if she puts her heart in my hands, I can promise I will hold it in a reverent embrace instead of crushing it. I’d let you kill me to test it out, but I don’t want Alaric to hurt us for causing a fire. Of course, she told me about you. The Mikaelsons are the gems in her crown. We would all have been dead and buried without Freya. And we also sort of learn about you in history. Mostly from people not fond of the family. You know- Klaus Mikaelson- the great evil.”

[oshiawaseni]

I was looking through old posts and remembered this Smash! comic story because I’ve been wanting to talk about how romantic this gem is.

It’s a story of Kacchan going hiking, which is one of his hobbies. In the right panels Kacchan saw someone that looked like Izuku but when the dude turns around he’s kind of disappointed and then Izuku sneezes because of that Japanese superstition of someone talking about you but in this case Kacchan was thinking about him 👀

In the left panels it shows Izuku looking up at Mt.Fuji at the same time Kacchan has made it to the top and is looking down at the world (indirectly looking at Izuku as Izuku indirectly looks up at Kacchan) I mean how much more overtly romantic could they have made this?

This is honestly some soul mate type shit which reminded me of the far away lovers staring at the same moon trope and it all comes from a published spinoff gag comic… So Team, I ask you this, why are these two written so gay for each other? You couldn’t even make this shit up. QUICK EDIT: GDI THEY’VE ACTUALLY SUBVERTED THE “UNDER THE SAME MOON” TROPE WITH - DRAWING “THE SAME SUNSHINE RAYS” SHINING ON BOTH OF THEM.

UNDER THE SAME SUN MY HEART IS SCREAMING AT THE BLATANT GAY

[friendodo]

shen yuan and shen jiu fic recs

Anon wanted some recs for fics with shen yuan and shen jiu interacting as the focus of the fic. None of these are shipping the two -- not that i’m against it at all, just a bit harder to find so just focusing on platonic here! Please enjoy, these are in no particular order: 

A Pairing of Souls (series) by @muzu-writes

This is a buddy cop movie. SY wakes up in the plant body and a ghostly SJ is right next to him and basically says “alright wake up hurry up let’s go get my body bitch”. These two teaming up to get into Huan Hua Palace and steal SJ’s body from the disaster that is LBH is so fun and well written. It’s a series now and the focus in the current instalment has shifted to Bingyuan but it’s still so good 🥺  I actually drew fanart of this lol x x

Local 12 Year Olds Refuse to Be Separated; What Happens Next Will Warm Your Heart by @alllula

Very well written fic set in the PIDW world but where cultivators can fuse like gems for advantage in battle. SY and SJ (brothers) fused for safety when they were sold to the Qiu and continued living that way even when they became a peak lord. Soooooo interesting and seeing SJ and SY so perfectly in sync is really fun. Especially love that SY, SJ and YQY can all form a perfect fusion while in battle and everyone else is like 👀 👀 👀  like YES GIMME THAT GOSSIP PLEASE

Two for the Price of One by Empressed (@EmmyEmberossa on Twitter)

ngl I can’t remember this one perfectly but I remember really enjoying how close SY and SJ got. They eventually become sworn brothers and SJ is so happy to have a friend 😭  Cue the rest of CQ meddling to find out which demon has bewitched their shixiong into being so happy!!!

indulgence Points +100 by Shoutowo (Twitter)

beautifully written from the start to the end with an extremely adorable piece of art to accompany it. SY is the son of SQQ and YQY and SY wants to be just like his papa SJ!!! I die from all of the cuteness and softness in this fic, so grateful it exists 🙏

Baptism of Fire by Zyva (@Beiyuann on Twitter)

SY is SJ’s biological son. This is....Mwah. Masterpiece. MASTERPIECE. The way SJ is written here is perfect. It’s a really convincing representation of a genuine father and son relationship between the two. Shen Jiu really really cares for SY and it’s so sweet and he struggles so hard to learn from his quickly growing son. Bonus awkward YQY and LBH having an embarassingly massive crush on SY and having to suffer through SJ absolutely knowing all of this makes this perfect.  💖

The Life of Times of Peerless Green by Eram_Quod_Es

Superhero AU with some transmigration flavour. SY and SJ are brothers. SY is constantly getting into deep shit and gets battered so SJ is constantly worried. He shows how much he cares in an extremely SJ way and it’s very sweet and also a bit sad tbh!! The writing for this is amazing and you can tell that a lot of thought has gone into the world building. 😊

Nothing Gold was Good Anyway by @alllula

This is probably the first ‘SY as SJ’s son’ fic I read. The entire starting sequence is so fun, SY and SJ just immediately vibe with each other. SY is a kid working part time as a laundry worker at the brothel that SQQ frequents. He looks just like SQQ so SQQ decides to freak out CQ and brings back SY and claims he’s his son. Antics ensue!! Not complete but definitely a fun read

[canmom]

Animation Night 109: Short Film Night!

Hey friends! It’s the time of week where we watch animation!

Tonight is something of a successor to Animation Night 9: web animators and 48: independent/web animators 2, as well as 99: Love Death and Robots.

For there has indeed been a new chapter of Blur Studio and friends’ animation festival, and I’ve been holding off watching the new entries to enjoy them with you~ There’s also been a new crop of CalArts student films, and I thought it would be fun to dig into those as well, plus show a few more gems of the web. And if that’s not enough of a runtime, I still need to show you Belle after we didn’t have time two weeks ago...

So, Love Death and Robots! Honestly, as much as I have found many entries in this series underwhelming compared to classic package films like Robot Carnival, Memories and Short Peace, and the approach to sexuality and violence frequently unimaginative despite the effort to be shocking, I am glad the series exists. There are very few ways for shortform animation to reach a wide audience, and it is good to see these studios get to make something under their own direction rather than to promote a franchise.

No Robert Valley this time, alas. Hopefully that’s a sign he’s doing some more exciting things elsewhere. We do have some enemies that suggest some fascinating imagery, like Alberto Mielgo’s film Jibaro about a deaf conquistador fighting a siren:

Mielgo directed one of the ‘artier’ entries in the first season, The Witness, in which a man pursues the witness to a murder he committed through a city streets and a sex club, trying very forcefully to explain his innocence. I’m not sure if we knew what to make of it back then; it fell rather awkwardly in the running after Blur Studio’s very goofy and heavy-handed Sonnie’s Edge and the polarising Three Robots, so ‘benefit of the doubt’ was in short supply. Nevertheless, it definitely established that Mielgo has quite the visual library and approach to expression and colour, so I’m looking forward to seeing what he does this time around.

For traditional animation fans, the main attraction this year seems to be Jennifer Yuh Nelson’s film Kill Team Kill, which seems to follow in the footsteps of Studio La Cachette’s film Sucker of Souls in season 1 in seeing (stop me if you’ve heard this one before) a bunch of soldierly types fighting a scary monster. Visually it’s going for a very 80s vibe...

For all that it’s a familiar story, it absolutely is the case that Titmouse have some seriously talented animators, so I’m sure it will have quite a lot of appeal visually. As for Nelson, she’s had quite a career; she’s probably best known for directing the Kung Fu Panda movies at Dreamworks, but the one that jumps out at me is that she was story director for Ralph Bakshi’s bizarre horny sci-fi series Spicy City. Her entry in Season 2 was a dystopian noir film leaning heavily on Blade Runner, about a world of immortals in which a cop shoots anyone found to have kids but has a last-minute change of heart upon finding a nice little family, which was... ok, I can’t really defend that premise on a thematic and metaphorical level, but a fascinating window into some sort of anxiety.

Another promising entry is the cel-shaded CG adaptation of a Swanwick story, The Very Pulse of the Machine, directed by newcomer Emily Dean with Japanese CG studio Polygon Pictures - known for their work with Mamoru Oshii on films like The Sky Crawlers (Animation Night 38) and GitS 2: Innocence (Animation Night 39). As a CG studio, they have a bit of a mixed legacy: I can’t say I love their work on Knights of Sidonia or Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter, but a lot of that might be the pressures of TV animation production so it would be good to see what they can do with more time to work on their animation. The clips of this one definitely look cool, at least!

Also returning is Jerome Chen, who in season 1 directed Sony’s very reserved mil-sf film Lucky 13, which invited you to feel sad about the tragic death of an aeroplane - something which honestly worked a lot better than you’d expect, if only because it was one of the few films that didn’t rely on squick factor to sell its beats. This time around it seems that he’s once again returning to that territory, with a bunch of space marines fighting some kind of eldritch abomination. We’ll see.

Oh and, if you’re one of the side who liked Three Robots last time (and, I’ll admit, I feel like I was too harsh on it), there’s a sequel to that! And, of course, Blur themselves have a lot of entries. In all honesty, I think it will be like the last two seasons: one or two absolutely standout entries and a lot of others that are just so-so, but that’s always the risk you run with original short films, and I’d rather try and fail than not!

For our second block, we’ll be making use of this helpful playlist of every CalArts Character Animation student film this year.

To briefly introduce for those unfamiliar, CalArts in California is one of the most prestigious three international animation schools, alongside Gobelins in France and Sheridan in Canada. All of these schools are ridiculously selective and demanding, but they are also one of the surest routes to a job in the animation industry (typically these days in work like storyboarding and character design). In the past we’ve watched a lot of Gobelins films, but this time let’s take a look at what’s going on in @mogsk​‘s neck of the woods~ <3

Like Gobelins, the students make a short film each year; unlike the Gobelins approach where the students generally divide into small teams, at CalArts the rule seems to be that each student makes their own film, typically around 1-2 minutes long, for which they do all the animation (typically not music or voice acting). So the animation may not be as ridiculously polished, but also that means more possibilities for people to try out novel things.

I haven’t yet watched more than a few of them and won’t have time before tonight, but here are a few I’ve enjoyed so far...

Operago by Rayna Buxton: two girls whose design resembles a medieval tapestry battle a gigantic opera singer. Extremely cool visual style and the action choreography is very well handled; not surprisingly this one has been blowing up on Youtube.

After the Rain by Chelsea Yijia Li; a sweet atmospheric animesque film about a migrant returning to see her friend in China. Strong voice acting and direction; I like the bilingual dialogue.

Mahou Shouject. This one’s cute. An egg (or maybe a boymoder...) sees a magic butterfly and does a magical girl transformation sequence.

The Pretty Duckling - fun little musical one, you can see the twist coming but it’s nicely executed. Also technically another entry for ‘hard vore night’.

Opera by Janelle Feng - this one fully feels like a Gobelins film, and not just because they also made one about performers preparing for a show. Anyway, the dialogue is really strong, and the character animation has a lot of subtlety; those simple eye movements do a lot to expressing the main character’s performance, and it does a great job showing the many different feelings of a group of Chinese opera performers performing for a foreign audience without really knowing on what level their performance is received.

...and with that I’ve reached the video limit for my post, RIP. But do also check out NOHARM_INTRO by Wesley Joseph for some very fun stylised dance animation - not sure if rotoscoped or just closely referenced.

That’s barely scratching the surface, and I’m looking forward to digging into the whole list. Since I would like to continue posting Youtube videos, let’s put this out now and continue in a reblog~

[magnetic-rose]

Why Spones is a top-tier ship

AKA “the inherent homoeroticism of annoying the shit out of your co-worker.”

Spock and McCoy have a complicated relationship. A lot of their bickering and ideological differences lead fans to believe that they hate each other, but that’s an over-simplification of the truth. The reality is that Spock and McCoy are extremely close friends who care about each other deeply. Though sometimes their bickering turns serious during stressful situations, for the most time they seem to enjoy the banter. A common mischaracterization of their relationship seems to put McCoy as the bully and Spock as the victim. In truth, there are many times where Spock will say something specifically to get a rise out of McCoy. They fight. That’s how they show affection, not disdain. In fact, one could argue that some of their bantering have a flirtatious tone to it.

Kirk: Mister Spock, regaining eyesight would be an emotional experience for most. You, I assume, felt nothing.

Spock: On the contrary Captain. I had a very strong reaction. My first sight was the face of Doctor McCoy bending over me.

McCoy: ‘Tis a pity brief blindness didn’t increase your appreciation for beauty, Spock. (Operation -- Annihilate!)

Spock is a half-Vulcan, half-Human who has mostly chosen to follow his Vulcan heritage. As such, he is a being of almost pure logic. The truth about Vulcans are that they are secretly beings who feel things very deeply and intensely, and they feel the need to keep a tight lid on their emotions as to not succumb to them. McCoy, on the other hand, is a regular human. He’s a deeply emotional man who cares about others. One could argue that McCoy is almost too empathetic, as he lets his emotions rule him. Spock and McCoy are polar opposites; the brain and the heart, the logic and the emotion, the super-ego and the id.

Despite these differences, the two men are similar in a lot of ways. They’re both men of science, men of peace, and they both care very deeply for their Captain. They’re both self-sacrificing morons, to the chagrin of the other. Spock will prioritize McCoy’s life even when both of them know it’s not the logical choice to do so. Likewise, McCoy will take a hit for Spock even when they both know the Vulcan is stronger and better equipped to deal with pain than the doctor.

Spock: (In the middle of a blizzard) In this severe cold, we cannot survive much longer.

McCoy: Leave me here, Spock.

Spock: We go together or not at all.

McCoy: Don’t be a fool. My hands and face are frostbitten. I can’t feel my feet. Alone, you have a chance. Now do what I say. Go try to find Jim.

Spock: We go together! (All of Yesterdays)

In the episode, “The Empath,” Kirk, Spock and McCoy have to choose someone to be offered as sacrifice to be tortured by a group of aliens. Kirk obviously volunteers, but gets put to sleep by McCoy with a tranquilizer. Spock then states that he’ll offer himself up, as he has the higher chance of surviving the torture. McCoy then proceeds to sedate Spock as well, and sacrifices himself to be tortured by the aliens.

Spock: While the captain is asleep, I am in command. When the Vians return, I shall go with them.

McCoy: You mean, if I hadn't given him that shot

Spock: Precisely. The choice would have been the captain's. Now it is mine.

(McCoy turns away. Spock sits to carry on working. Gem puts her hand on Spock's shoulder, and smiles. McCoy comes up behind him and gives him an injection.)

Spock: Your action is highly unethical. My decision stands. (Spock falls asleep next to Kirk.)

McCoy: Not this time, Spock.

Underneath all the fighting and disagreements, there is a deep caring between Spock and McCoy that manifests itself into protectiveness towards each other. In “All of Yesterdays,” Spock is constantly showing concern for McCoy after he almost died of hypothermia. In aftermath of McCoy’s torture in “The Empath,” Spock is seen hovering over his body and caressing his face, worry written into his features. On the other hand, while McCoy constantly makes fun of Spock for his lack of emotions, he’s also highly aware of the Vulcan’s mental state and protective of it when others threaten to shatter his resilience.

McCoy: He's a Vulcan. You can't force emotion out of him.

Philana: You must be joking, Doctor.

McCoy: You'll destroy him.

Parmen: We can't let him die laughing, can we?

McCoy: (Watching as Spock starts to cry) I beg you! (Plato’s Stepchildren)

The episode “Amok Time” also demonstrates McCoy’s perceptiveness of Spock and Spock’s true feelings of friendship towards McCoy. McCoy is in fact the first person to notice that something is wrong with Spock:

McCoy: Oh, captain. Got a minute? It's Spock. Have you noticed anything strange about him?

Kirk: No, nothing in particular. Why ?

McCoy: Well, it's nothing I can pinpoint without an examination, but he's become increasingly restive. If he were not a Vulcan, I'd almost say nervous. And for another thing, he's avoiding food. I checked and he hasn't eaten at all in three days.

Kirk: That just sounds like Mister Spock in one of his contemplative phases.

Kirk doesn’t notice anything wrong with Spock, and initially dismisses McCoy’s concern, but McCoy immediately picked up on Spock’s mental turmoil. Despite his cantankerousness, McCoy not only cares about Spock but goes out of his way to look out for his mental state. Part of it might be because he’s his doctor, but how many doctors go so far as to monitor someone’s eating habits because they notice that person’s suddenly being fidgety? On Spock’s end, when it comes time for him to beam down to Vulcan to complete his marriage ceremony, he specifically asks for McCoy to be there:

Spock: By tradition, the male is accompanied by his closest friends.

Kirk: Thank you, Mister Spock.

Spock: I also request McCoy accompany me.

McCoy: I shall be honoured, sir.

One episode I find extremely fascinating in terms of McCoy/Spock moments is “Mirror, Mirror.” In this famous episode, half of the Enterprise crew get transported into an alternate universe dubbed The Mirror Verse, in which evil versions of the characters exist and terrorize space as a fearsome military force. McCoy is part of the team that gets transported in the Mirror Verse, while Spock stays in their regular universe. Mirror Spock immediately realizes that half of the crew, including Kirk and McCoy, are acting strangely. When he corners Kirk to question him, he does so by threatening McCoy: “I shall not waste time with you. You’re too inflexible, too disciplined, once you’ve made up your mind. But Doctor McCoy has a plenitude of human weaknesses, sentimental, soft. You may not tell me what I want to know, but he will.” This Spock seems to have a intimate knowledge of McCoy’s mind.  When the party decides to attack Mirror Spock, he fights all of them except for Uhura and McCoy, who he simply pushes out of harm’s way.

When Mirror Spock gets hurt as the crew is trying to escape back to their own universe, McCoy is suddenly unable to leave his side. Kirk allows him to stay to nurse Spock back to health, and McCoy risks almost staying in the Mirror Verse forever for him. When Mirror Spock awakes, he backs McCoy into a wall and initiates a forced mind meld onto the doctor. The next scene has Mirror Spock holding a disoriented McCoy up and bringing him back to his crew; he now understands what is happening and he wants his regular crew back, and thus he allows Kirk and company to make the switch back to their own universe.

Other Star Trek properties have gone more in depth on how a forced mind meld can be extremely traumatizing on the person receiving it. Star Trek: Enterprise has an entire story arc dedicated to the Vulcan T’Pol trying to heal from a forced mind meld. Unfortunately, because the nature of TOS episodes were episodic, we never got the chance to explore the emotional fallout of McCoy’s forced mind meld and how that might have affected his relationship with Spock. The franchise also never went in depth on Mirror McCoy outside of what Mirror Spock speaks of him, since Mirror McCoy died of xenopolycythemia in 2269.

Closing the list of evidence of Spock and McCoy’s affections towards each other are the Star Trek movies “The Wrath of Khan” and “The Search for Spock.” Towards the end of Wrath of Khan, Spock sacrifices himself to save The Enterprise in one of the franchises most heart-wrenching scenes. Moments before his sacrifice, he knocks McCoy unconscious, touches his face and whispers “remember.” What happened in this scene was that Spock, knowing he was about to die, transferred his Katra to McCoy. The katra being the Vulcan equivalent of a soul. This speaks to the amount of trust that Spock has in McCoy. For someone who keeps most of his emotions under a tight lid, it’s a huge gesture to entrust another with the essence of their entire being. The next movie, The Search for Spock, is a journey as the Enterprise crew fight to return to Vulcan so they can reunite Spock with his body. When they finally arrive, the Vulcans warn McCoy that the process is extremely dangerous and could even result in his death. McCoy calmly replies that he “chooses the danger.” He cannot fathom living his life without Spock.

McCoy: (Speaking to Spock) I'm going to tell you something that I... I never thought I'd hear myself say...But it seems I've missed you. I don't know if I could stand to lose you again.

So in conclusion, Spock and McCoy have a rich and complex relationship that is much more than simply just “they dislike each other because they bicker a lot.” Their bickering is more akin to that of an old married couple. There are plenty of examples not even included in this post of how deeply they care for each other. Despite their ideological differences, they balance each other out quite nicely. McCoy is finely attuned to Spock’s emotions, arguably better than anyone else on the ship. Spock in turn is protective and gentle with McCoy. Once you stop looking at their interactions solely on the surface level, you’ll be able to see the tenderness and years of love and friendship between them. This is why I think Spock/McCoy is one of the most underrated and misunderstood relationships of TOS. Don’t let the constant arguing fool you into believing these two dummies don’t adore each other.

Shout-out to Tempest for their extremely lengthy ship manifesto on Spones called “Spiced Peaches,” which goes even more in depth on why Spones is a great couple. Using their manifesto as a reference was key to remembering Spock/McCoy moments. Also shout-out to the site chakoteya for having full transcripts of TOS episodes, so I could easily find quotes for this. If you’ve come this far, thanks for reading!

[ask-whitepearl-and-steven]

do you read any fancomics? i feel like there aren't any good ones other than yours so if you like some maybe I'll like them too

There are TONS of good fancomics, but the thing is, everyone has different tastes to everyone’s ideas of what is ‘good’ is going to be different. 

Here’s some fancomics in the SU-sphere that you can check out!

Disclaimer: A few of the comics mentioned below contain heavier themes dealing with things like abandonment, abuse, grief and death. Although I believe these themes should be explored in art, they have the potential to be stressful and I have done my best to put warnings on all of them. Please READ THE WARNINGS. There is not anything wrong with reading about difficult or dark things, but you need to be conscious of how/what you are consuming and how it’s affecting you emotionally. Part of consuming content responsibly is knowing when to stop consuming, take a break, and put your mental health first.

Without further ado!

SU Fancomics 

SU-B-Sides: A Steven Universe AU fancomic that reimagines the Crystal Gems as a different team - Bismuth, Lapis and Peridot take the center stage! This comic is wonderfully expressive with true-to-canon silliness and opens up a fascinating world of possibilities while staying true to the direction of the show! (Read here!)

Twiniverse: A Steven Universe AU fancomic about twin half-gems - Steven and Nora! When Rose discovered that she was pregnant with twins, she was devastated by the prospect that only one of the children would inherit her gem. Pearl fused with her instead and as a result, Nora now has Pearl’s gem! (Read here!)

Bad Prediction AU: This Steven Universe AU follows the timeline where Sapphire’s vision from The Answer came true - the Rebellion stopped 5750 years ago. Pink Diamond was captured and forced to be a puppet government figure, stripped of her power and instead given the Zoo to watch over. She still met Greg and had Steven - who has now grown up as a Diamond. (Read here!)

Tourmaline: A fan comic of Cartoon Network's 'Steven Universe', set in an alternate universe where Peridot never got caught. (Based off of PhantomRose96's story by the same name.) (Read here)

YellowDiamond!Steven AU: An AU that reimagines Steven as the son of Yellow Diamond. (Read here)

Pressure: A fanmade comic of the time Lapis and Jasper spend together as Malachite. Intense amount of action as well as a fascinating look into both characters’ psyche. Warning: This comic deals with a lot of trauma and includes violence and body horror. (Read here)

SU AU Gone Wrong: If you like dark stories - and I do mean DARK, as in ones that address *major character death* - you can venture into this comic. I need to stress that this deals EXPLICITLY with death, loss, grief and etc. WARNING: Death, blood, gore and very realistic depictions of grief and mourning. Do NOT read if you know you are not in a state of mind to consume this kind of content.

. . .

Original Fiction Webcomics:

I actually read very little of original webcomics lately but I feel I should recommend the ones I do know of: 

Stand Still Stay Silent: This is one of my favorite comics and I own two hardback volumes of it. The story is a bit darker - set in a fantastical post-apocalyptic nordic landscape full of creatures the humans no longer have an understanding of. It’s beautifully illustrated and incredibly poignant. 

Warnings: It does feature heavily in death and leans a little bit towards horror. (Read it here!)

The Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn:  Follow the journey of the world's greatest paranormal investigator - Oscar Zahn. Friend to lost souls, enemy of evil, he may lack a body but that doesn't mean he's missing a heart! This one fits into the slightly-spooky-but-not-quite-horror category. Loved the atmosphere of it when I read it. (Read here!)

Lady of the Shard: This comic is one of those that bread the barriers of the medium it’s in and absolutely grow onto you despite the fact that you’re only reading it on a screen. The story has it all - heart, kindness, beings that seem beyond our understanding but end up being more human than meets the eye... and love. (Read here!)

17776 aka What Football Will Look Like In The Future: I hesitate to call this a comic because it’s more like an immersive web novella. Or rather, it’s more like a time capsule from the future that ends up being silly and moving and sobering and inspirational all at once. If you like satellites developing personalities, if you like humans fighting through the boredom of immortality by inventing and reinventing the game of football into more and more convoluted ways of playing it - this story is for you. 

Warning: The very beginning of the comic contains multiple animations, and starts with a web-page morphing into something else that might be disorienting/startling for some. (Read here!)

Barbarous: I will sheepishly admit that I started Barbarous back when it came out and never caught up - but maybe recommending it will help me restart again! (Read here!)

.

This is, of course, a non-exhaustive list and I’m sure I missed many wonderful comics. Feel free to drop recs in the comments but please tag and warn for non-general themes so people can know what they’re clicking into. 

[calaofnoldor]

My Own Hidden Gem Masterlist

as a tangent to the hidden gems reblog challenge, i've compiled a list of writers and the fics they've deemed their most underrated!

go show them some love and maybe tell them i sent you? 😉

if you'd like to add yours, please see this post :)

@alleiradayne ~ There's Something Strange | Sam Winchester x Reader Series - When Y/N Y/L/N escapes to the upper Midwest for a weekend of inspiration to begin her tenth paranormal thriller novel, she never imagined the source of that inspiration to be her own life. Between the old mansion, two peculiar men posing as antiquers, and the mysterious death of the heiress of Hill Manor one-hundred and fifty years ago, Y/N learns the truth about far more than the paranormal.

@allys-creative-bubble ~ The Masquerade | Sam Winchester x Reader Series - To the outside world the Winchesters are just running an MNC and are really good people. Only few people know what they actually do and reader is one of them. Who also happens to work for FBI and go undercover to investigate them. Things went well until she stated to fall for the younger Winchester.

@calaofnoldor ~ Sixth Time's the Charm | Sam Winchester x Reader Series - All the times Dean has tried to get Sam to admit his feelings for you.

@carryonmywaywardbucky ~ Spring Break | Sebastian Stan x Reader - The reader and Sebastian’s friend group is headed to Myrtle Beach for spring break for some much needed R&R before finals. Their friends have a plan in place to finally get Seb and the reader together, something they’ve been trying to do since freshman year of high school.

@danneelsmain ~ My Angels | Danneel Harris x Etla Harris x Rachel Harris x Reader - Being an Omega is tough and Y/N thought she'd never get picked and escape the auction palace but little did she know an Alpha or a pack of them would. Certainly the angels that would take her away from a place of horrors.

@deanwanddamons ~ Women Are Always Right | SPN Gen Fic - Sam and Rowena have a disagreement about the use of ingredients for a spell.

@deanwinchesterswitch ~ Sacrifice | Dean Winchester x Reader - sac’ri·​fice’ v. 1 to give up something that is valuable to you in order to help another person  2 to give up something for something else considered more important (Cambridge Dictionary, 2020)

@downanddirtydean ~ Let the Light In | Dean Winchester x OFC Series - Tess Sands has spent the last eight years searching for the remaining Men of Letters bunker that her father has told her so much about. When she finally finds it, she discovers that the Winchester brothers are already living there. In almost no time, Tess joins Team Free Will… until she finds out that for her, will has never been free.

@hoboal87 ~ Elastic Heart | Sam Winchester x Reader Series - Y/N Y/L/N, a recent nursing school graduate, life is turned up-side down when, out of sheer circumstance, a certain Winchester walks back into her life. Neither one ever expected to see the other again, they most come to terms with how their relationship ended, and the secrets unspoken between them.

@idabbleincrazy ~ Go Out with a Bang | Spangel Series -Spike’s already faced down his last day on Earth once, hell if he ain’t gonna do it right this time. Stuck at Wolfram & Hart till the sun goes down, he decides to finally take it upon himself to fix the rift between him and his Grandsire. If Angel’s so certain they won’t escape the Senior Partner’s wrath, then he’s got nothing left to lose…right? Follow our two Vamps with Souls as they bare their hearts to each other and take a leap of faith that they just might make it to see tomorrow.

@iguana-eyanna ~ What Was Left Behind Pt. 7 | Steve Rogers x Reader - After the events of the Sokovia Accords, Steve is now a fugitive to the U.S.A. government and has left you in the worst way possible. What happens when fate reunites the two again when you are most vulnerable?

@katelynw93 ~ Dean fucking Winchester | Dean Winchester x Reader - Dean is out looking for someone or something to entertain himself with. Turns out that thing is you.

@myinconnelly1 ~ Throwing Pebbles | Sam Winchester x OFC Series

@peridottea91 ~ Holding Onto You | Sam Winchester x OFC Series - In 2012, Bobby Singer was killed by Leviathan Dick Roman. The aftermath of his death leads to a division between the Winchesters and Sam’s girlfriend, Kasey. Guilt-ridden and driven to her breaking point, she gathers her stuff and leaves in the middle of the night without a word. Four years later, she calls Sam’s phone after a hunt gone wrong in the hopes of hearing his voice one last time. Suddenly they are swept back into each other’s lives, but a lot has happened in four years. Can they rekindle what they had before, or is it too late?

@sams-sass ~ Secrets in the Snow | Sam Winchester x Reader Series - You and Sam get trapped in a cabin for Christmas. Fluff ensues.

@sofreddie ~ Chasing Shadows | Sam Winchester x Reader Series - The Shadow. A Hunter’s Legend, a Fairytale. At least, that’s what Sam thought until The Shadow showed up and saved him on a hunt. In his search to discover and know this mysterious Hunter, Sam runs into a woman from his past. Can she help him get to the bottom of this mystery?

@supraveng ~ Girls Night | SPN Gen Fic

@swiftlymoniquesblog ~ My Daughter's Nanny | Jensen Ackles x Reader Series - The hardest part of losing someone you love is trying to move on after they’ve gone. What’s even worse is having a 5-year-old daughter that you are the sole caretaker for. On top of that, you have to balance a career on a very successful television series. Hiring someone to help out around the house came with a lot more than I ever thought it would and I found myself compromising a lot of things I should never have. Believe me, I know that what I’ve done can be frowned upon but when there’s a hole in your chest the size of an entire human being, you’ll do anything to fill that hole once more, no matter what the cost. Desperate people do desperate things, right? Well, look at me; I’ve become desperate.

@there-must-be-a-lock ~ Gift-Wrapped | Bucky Barnes x Reader x Steve Rogers

@thinkinghardhardlythinking ~ Wish | Sam Winchester x Reader - Sam, Dean and the Reader make a wish. The reader has a dream. Friends to lovers with Sam but leading up to Priest!Sam naughtiness.

@thoughtslikeaminefield ~ Where is My Shiny Gun? | Sam Winchester x Donna Hanscum x Dean Winchester Series - Sam finds himself in a quandary when he realizes he has feelings for Donna by way of the obvious mutual attraction between her and Dean.

@wonder-cole ~ Captive | Dean Winchester x Reader