#i always liked the idea of them being around in some respect during the comics

[thechekhov]

Hey Chekhov! How do you start converting an AU idea from character sheets and mini comics into a plot outline for a full, continuous comic? Especially if the series you're basing it on isn't complete?

I've been following your white diamond Steven comics for years, and frankly, I love how it builds and continues the scaffolding canon laid to be something that is thematically still the same but also very unique. And I never thought I'll ever say this, but now I'm working on a canon-divergent AU with someone that's I think aiming to do something similar(continue the themes of canon but different). So I'll just like some advice, I suppose!

You might've answered something like this before, honestly, but I tried to dig a little and couldn't really find it.

Thanks, if you do answer this! I just want take the opportunity as well to say also that your comic and blog accompanied me through parts of my late teens, and I'm very grateful for you being a stabilizing influence during that time.

Thank you! I really appreciate you saying that, and I appreciate you respecting me enough to ask for advice.

As for your question...

Well, to be frank, I don't START with character sheets and mini-comics. In fact, for WD!AU, I didn't have any character sheets until I started season 2.

Think of your story as an aquarium. Your characters are fish.

Yes, they're important, but having a whole bunch of fish without any substrate, tanks, feed and WATER..... will not really make for a memorable aquarium experience.

The reality is that all stories should start with an end.

That's my personal approach, anyway.

What I mean is - you need to know the general idea for your story before you begin to write or plan it.

Let's try this:

1.Tell me about your story in THREE sentences!

Just three. Not long ones, just regular ones.

For my AU, @ask-whitepearl-and-steven, it would be:

"A young orphan runs away from home with a mysterious lady who seems more cryptid than human. He realizes that he's not human either - he used to be the ruler of an alien planet! He and the other aliens he meets decide to (REDACTED) (REDACTED) (REDACTED) and he (REDACTED) (REDACTED) (READACTED) (READ ANDCTED) (READ AND FIND OUT)."

YOU should know how YOUR story ends too! Even vaguely.

It helps if you know at what point you plan to lay down the pencil. Because if you DO know, you are always going to know which direction to walk in, even if the end is so far away it's beyond your line of sight.

It's true that when I began WDAU, I didn't have much information about White Diamond and white Pearl, because they had literally ONLY been introduced. I had to guess a lot of the details (like WP being Pink's originally) and what White would be capable of. And thankfully, my original intent for the story's end fit pretty well with what was later revealed!

But don't forget - you could also just fuck around with stuff! It's your story, after all.

And don't forget... to also look back!

2.Tell me WHY the story is happening in the first place.

There's a reason that the beginning of your story happens when it does. If there is no reason to start somewhere, then find a different place to start.

You should be able to tell me "We're picking up the story here because something significant has happened... and that significant thing happened BECAUSE...."

That 'because' is your main background information that should be revealed slowly throughout the story. In WDAU's case, we only have a few pieces of the puzzle. We know Greg's side. He know Earl's side. But there are still little bits and pieces missing! And they're all important for finding out WHY Steven ended up an orphan and WHY he is being followed by White Pearl (Earl) at the very start of the comic!

3.Tell me what the coolest and most interesting things to happen would be....and then write them!

I think this may be something that's rarely said out loud, but I will speak on the behalf of the people...

We should write the scenes we want to read. If you don't want to read the scene you're writing, then DON'T write it!

If you feel like you "have to" do a page and a half of 'lore' because you think it's traditional to have that 'explanation' about the location of your story, or the history of the species or whatever, you're simply wrong. There are other ways to reveal information aside from just forced paragraphs upon paragraphs of information that would make an SAT Reading Section sweat.

Instead, I recommend that you find the most exciting or hilarious way for the characters to discover the most important bits of info. Find a dramatic twist. Shove it into the narrative. Then, figure out what needs to happen to get there.

Ultimately, though, remember this: When you're taking advice from me or from others, don't forget to take advice from yourself, too! It's your story, after all. You know it best, and only YOU can figure out how to get it written.

I hope that helps at least a little bit! Writing it never easy, but it should still be enjoyable!

[stormdash2]

Some Archie Character Reboot Ideas.

I've been thinking more about the return of Sally and The Freedom Fighters. Be it another reboot, a revival, a new show, IDW or even the games.

These are some ideas that have come to mind for me on any possibility.

First there's Nicole.

If Nicole got rebooted in any shape or form, I can see her as a hacker who assists Sally against Eggman in many ways. I also see her as a bit of a shut-in, due to her past prior to being adopted by Sally's family.

She strikes me as someone who could be socially awkward, and I imagine that in this timeline, she'd be an adopted sister for Sally, and fully Mobian rather than a computer.

I can imagine Sally being the only person she's comfortable talking to, but anyone else would be met with hesitation. As an homage to her shut in nature, I could see her using holograms or radios to speak with others, akin to how she first appeared.

If anyone could get Nicole to open up, it would be Sonic himself. He's very good at talking to others, when he wants to be. He's not the best for conversation himself, but his kind nature would be alluring for someone like Nicole who could just use some comforting words.

Nicole's backstory of being a shut-in hacker is partially inspired by a Persona 5 character by the name of Futaba Sakura.

A good friend could go a long way. I wouldn't mind if Sonic played the role that Ren Amamiya/Joker played in getting the shy girl to open up. Soon Nicole could have friends like Tails and Amy, just like Futaba eventually had friends in The Phantom Thieves.

I do feel like Bunnie's cybernetics would be Wispons this time around rather than actual cybernetics. It would fit the current direction that Sega is going. Just keep her southern charm, and you have potential for something good.

I can't see Antoine ever using a laser sword, even in a reboot he will stick with a classic sword. He believed his sword to be superior to the Z-Saber that Zero uses, and Zero is an iconic Mega Man character who's strong enough in his own right. That speaks volumes of Antoine's confidence in a sword.

I also believe that Monkey Khan should return somehow. Given that Chun-Nan exists, he could easily come back as a resident of that country, or even the Ruler of Land here. He has a lot of potential as a character.

Give him his own Freedom Fighters too, like the ones from the Archie Reboot.

If anything, they could borrow much more from Sun Wukong, the very character he's based off of. Imagine him going against Gaia the way Sun Wukong would against any deity that defied him.

Of course the Freedom Fighter story would just be an origin of them wanting to keep their town safe during the Phantom Ruby Incident. I imagine Sally has seen Infinite on multiple occasions.

Sonic Forces was just made for the Freedom Fighters' potential return. The fact that Sally and Bunnie cameoed in one of the comics is proof of that. Pictures only, but still worth mentioning.

And of course The Freedom Fighters would be allies with The Diamond Cutters should they appear in IDW. I can even imagine Sally as a mentor figure to Lanolin. Though I imagine it would be predated by a lot of bickering. Lanolin is stubborn and doesn't always listen to others, but may come to respect Sally while Tangle just admires her and Whisper respects her.

Then there's Mina Mongoose and Fiona Fox. I imagine their stories would cross paths with one another. Mina's good nature could balance out Fiona's cynicism, while Fiona is tough enough to watch out for Mina should she be too naive.

Mina's personality would be her cheerful and loving nature, while Fiona would be a nihilist due to old traumas, but not too anti-social. She just keeps a distance from everyone, except her best friend Mina.

I can't see any romance between either of them or Sonic, and that's fine. Last time there was, both girls ended up getting screwed over somehow and mistreated.

Mina would not be a pop idol per say, but it's a dream she's working toward while Fiona is still a medic.

I can see Mina at least admiring Sonic for his free will, while Fiona may find him a bit irritating.

Out of the Diamond Cutters, I can see Mina being best friends with Tangle and the two would interact a lot. All the while, Fiona may mess with Whisper a bit, but the two may find time to bond later.

They would also befriend The Freedom Fighters and be official members. Fiona's medical skills would come in handy more but Mina has plenty to offer.

Surge and Kit would be a fun interaction. Fiona might find the duo unsettling, and a look into what life she could have had if she had not befriended Mina.

Surge's personality around Fiona could mirror Scourge. Difference is that it's less likely to be romantic, and more that Surge wants to befriend Fiona, but their friendship is very toxic.

Surge could end up jealous of the bond that Fiona and Mina have with the other Freedom Fighters, The Restoration, and Sonic's friends.

When it comes to Tails, I can see Mina really admiring his intelligence, and wanting to be his friend. She may also find him really small and cute and dote over him.

Fiona may like Tails too, but that may take time. I can see her being annoyed by him at first, likely to call him childish insults (i.e. Twerp), and just mildly bullying him. She still has a soft spot for Tails though.

Lastly when it comes to Sally herself, she is the leader of her Freedom Fighter friends in their village of Knothole. They protected their town from Infinite and Eggman to the best of their abilities.

As mentioned prior, Sally could form a bond with Lanolin and in time be one of her dearest friends.

As also mentioned before, she'd have her big sister/little sister bond with Nicole. and always be ready to protect her.

She'd be a brave girl that goes after badniks, be it with Whispons or just on her own. She might even have an intensity that rivals Princess Peach in the old comics.

Like seriously, it's easy to forget how intense Princess Peach was in the old Mario comics (Or Toadstool as she was called at the time). Imagine Sally having this type of drive. Or maybe it might be too much.

I can also imagine Sally being in the movies as a girl who met Sonic once upon a time. Maybe they were childhood friends, maybe they knew each other in passing, but should Sally ever appear in the movies, there's plenty of story to be told.

I can imagine a situation similar to the anime Zatch Bell, where Sally is the one telling Tom and the others what Sonic was like back home, as she would be the only one from Mobius to know anything about him, even if it's something minuscule, like Tia having to explain Zatch's home life to Kiyo. She didn't know everything, but she knew enough.

I don't know what will happen regarding romance. In a perfect world, Sally is with Sonic. They are, for me at least, the definitive Sonic pairing in Sonic media. Like Superman and Lois Lane. Like Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson. Granted I prefer someone like Kitty Pride for Peter Parker, but you get my point.

Sonic and Sally are just it for me. But I know that Sega may believe differently. Be it the games, the comics, or the movies, Sonally just may never happen. That doesn't mean fans can't have some sliver of hope. Optimism is good, but be ready to accept reality.

I can see three potential replacements for Sonic if romance doesn't work out between them. Note, this is not mandatory for Sally, she doesn't need to be romantically paired off. But if they feel the need to, there are options.

First option, Monkey Khan. Back in Archie, I did not like the pairing between Sally and Ken. It was typical love triangle drama that did not need to be there.

This time around, there is no worry of that. Ken is there with his own story, and the romance thing could just be on the side or merely hinted at. If they want to go all in, they can do so without Sonic being pulled into that drama.

Option two is Mighty the Armadillo. The relationship between Sally and Mighty could mirror SatAM Sonally, without it being a complete copy. Maybe Sally's more chill, or Mighty is just a less hyper version of SatAM Sonic. Point is, there's potential.

Option three, one of my favorites, is Sally with Ray the Flying Squirrel. I feel like he'd know how to be that perfect mix of Adventurer and Freedom Fighter. He loves thrills, but shows some caution in doing so. I think Sally and Ray have potential for a good bond.

We could just skip the romance, or have Sally with a one-sided crush on Sonic. Sonic may never end up with her, but I can see something similar to Final Fantasy 7 with Cloud, Aerith and Tifa.

There was no major love triangle drama with them. Tifa and Aerith were good friends, and Cloud just have to make a choice eventually. It can be a nice running gag in the games and the comics.

None of this is fool proof, but it's better than nothing. Sometimes you just gotta take a chance, just be wise about it.

This is just more of my head canons on how to use the Freedom Fighters in the games, comics or movies. Or any other media. Perhaps one day, they truly can return.

[sickfictropes]

I just read a comic where one of the traumatized characters suddenly flinched and looked behind him while talking to his friend. Aforementioned friend said "is something wrong?" and traumatized character went "I felt like I was being watched... meh, false alarm."

(for context, it was a moringmark comic and the characters were Hunter and Gus from TOH respectively)

Two things about this. A, Traumatized Character (Hunter, but to avoid this turning into an analysis of TOH let's keep it anonymous in wording if not spirit) gets the feeling that he's being watched (and in this case, someone is watching him because Chekhov's Gun), which means he can tell when someone is watching him. B, he immediately backtracks on this, hinting that he has feelings like this regularly and that they're usually benign. What he thinks is a useless trauma response is actually a sharp instinct that serves a purpose.

I'm sure you're wondering where I'm going with this, and why I'm in your askbox about it.

It made me think, what if there was a whumpee, supernatural probably but could also just have really good instincts, has a sort of "spider sense" and can miraculously know when danger is afoot? The team uses this to their advantage, frequently checking in and going "Whumpee, everything good?" / "Hey Whumpee, think this path is safe?" because Whumpee's miraculous ability hasn't failed them yet and has gotten them out of a few scrapes. Whumpee relies on this ability too to navigate the world—and to help to their beloved team.

So. What would happen if this ability went haywire?

Whumpee is unwell somehow, but their symptoms are either ignorable or mild enough that they haven't even been noticed yet. So they haven't told the others, of course. At one point, something happens.

Now, I'm imagining this as high fantasy / travel whump, historical time period, maybe a bit inspired by The Dragon Prince on Netflix. ANY genre could work but I'm just gonna write out my ideas with this in mind

Here are the options.

Whumpee's danger alarm goes off. One minute everything is good and mellow, the next the hairs on the back of their neck are spiking and adrenaline floods their veins. Everything in their body is on high alert, and they know what that means—something's coming, something big. So they warn the team. The danger sense doesn't usually have this strong an affect on them, so it must be really bad. Their panicked tone and the way they're shaking wakes the whole team right up, and Leader is suddenly pushing the others behind them, looking around for any sign of trouble while interrogating Whumpee on what they think they could be sensing. They're too shaken to answer the questions all that well, and the sense is always vague anyway. They just know there's danger. But as the team goes into a frenzy, ready to defend themselves or run away if necessary, time passes. But like I said, Whumpee's ability hasn't failed them yet, so they trust it. If they say there's danger, there's danger, don't lower your weapons. But then Whumpee realizes that there are sensations they aren't used to—they usually don't feel this warm or dizzy during a "danger's approaching" moment. So... what's going on?

On the other end of the spectrum, there is danger, and Whumpee doesn't sense it. They're calm as ever, if feeling a little under the weather for reasons they can't place. They chat with their teammates, laughing along to their stories and acting like nothing's wrong. But something is wrong. Because something happens—a monster comes barreling through the trees, followed by a whole pack. A hostile monster. Everyone knows Whumpee should've seen it a mile away, so as everyone scrambles for a fight they didn't prepare for, some teammates try and focus on the task at hand while others scream at Whumpee, "Why didn't you warn us about this?!". But there's at least one who looks heartbreakingly concerned and just asks "you didn't sense this? are you alright?"

It might also be interesting if Whumpee's senses weren't going haywire in the sense that they were wrong, just that they were affecting them so strongly they couldn't really do anything.

Say there's something dangerous—really dangerous. Maybe the world is ending, even. I mean, we are talking high fantasy team whump, so it's within the realm of possibility. Everyone is trying to keep their heads together. But Whumpee's never had to physically feel impending danger this intense before, so they have the worst anxiety attack known to man and probably pass out.

Or maybe it hurts every time, no matter how mild the danger. Usually the focus isn't on them since when they sense danger, that means the whole team needs to focus on that. But someone asks, after the fight is over, "what does it feel like?" and Whumpee struggles to explain the acid in their lungs, the fire in their stomach and ice in their hands. The reason why they can hardly breathe when they so much as look across the tavern at someone with their hand on the hilt of their sword. They can't afford to focus to themself, though. So they swallow down and take it.

SORRY FOR THE WALL OF TEXT I JUST GOT REALLY ENTHUSIASTIC

OMG THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS NOVELLA I LOVE IT!! you were so thorough that i don't have much to add but i'll say i love when powers become unseless when they're sick. i used this trope a lot in my TMA fanfics on my AO3 and fic blog because it's just so so good!!

[demaparbat-hp]

I was the original Kintsugi anon! I love the lore you built around it. I love the idea that the origin of Kintsugi is hard to pin down given that before Sozin there was a lot of travelers and nomads who freely traveled all over, so it would have spread a long time ago. I think the original people who practiced it were actually the Sun Warriors (So kind of the fire nation but not quite) but they used red instead of gold. From there it traveled all over.

I definitely think the earth kingdom has mixed feelings on the practice give the Fire Nation is so proud of it. Perhaps those that live in areas like the colonies see the practice as more welcomed than those that live in areas that are holding strong against the FN. Also interesting to think about how in the colonies, especially newer ones, the bronze and gold difference causes a lot of butting of heads at best. Perhaps after the war people from both cultures like those from Yu Dao(Ignoring the hot mess that is the comics) end up mixing the two in a way that creates a marbleized pattern. The main reason I like the idea of it being something that started with the sun warriors is that it creates an interesting moment for Zuko to learn about the practice from a fire based culture but one that thinks differently than the FN. I also think this would let Aang and Zuko have a conversation after about Zuko's natural scar which is something that is super normal to Aang. I also love that the silver scar that Zuko has is one that was healed by Katara, a show of acceptance of him as her family whether that be romantic or platonic. I also love the idea of Katara having a moment when she healed Aang where she had to decide to seal the scar. She didn't in the end because of how he talked about the air nomad philosophy, but similar to Zuko she considered him family and someone who got injured in a way she was taught to honor and respect.

Hello you lovely, lovely person!!! You have literally no idea of just how happy receiving your ask has made me!!! I love every single one of these ideas, and have been working on a little something for them since I first read them (though it will take a while until anything is done, so don't get high hopes yet!).

The Sun Warriors being the first to ever develop Kintsugi as a practice, and doing so with a substance resembling rubies, is amazing! I love the parallels it draws with firebending itself, and I think it's a wonderful way to further explore the Fire Nation's corruption of their own beliefs, history, and culture.

It can be used to enhance the themes of the og show and this AU, and add a new layer of understanding between Aang and Zuko. The conversation they would have regarding the nature of scars... That scene... I can already picture it.

Can you see Zuko getting a small wound during the Firebending Masters episode and sealing it as the Sun Warriors do? Nothing too drastic, perhaps a scratch, or a mark inflicted by Druk's egg... A single ruby-like scar, so he may always remember.

Fire is life and scars are beautiful.

I could also see it the other way around. Perhaps the Sun Warriors did seal their scars with ruby in the past, but their land has long-died, and the substance has not been available for centuries. All they have left of the beginnings of their practice is a memory.

Their time was of glory and pride and wonder, but it is over now. Yet they survive. Yet they thrive in secret. Yet they remember. And maybe, just maybe, that glory and pride and wonder can grow out of the ashes of the world and begin anew. But it doesn't change the fact that their time is over. And over it must remain.

There's something poetic about both paths, I believe. Resistance or remembrance. Rebirth or peaceful rest. Which option do you think would work best? Why?

Zuko's silver scar means so much to me. Some parts of it heal naturally, like his first Agni Kai scar, while others are decorated in wave-like patterns of the brightest silver. And right in the center, a small golden (or red?) sun.

This mix of Kintsugi styles slowly becoming commonplace after the War (starting with Zuko himself, and within the colonies) is so dear to me. I love the entire progression of Kintsugi you have mapped here—it is truly amazing.

Using Kintsugi as a way to mark someone as part of your clan in the SWT is such an interesting concept! As is the idea of Katara struggling during Aang's healing process and choosing to respect his beliefs and traditions. I love them all so dearly.

All in all: your ideas have taken over my brain and they are now canon in my heart. I cannot thank you enough for sharing them with us! All the best ❤️

[blabberoo]

You know, it makes sense why so many people love your art.

Just speaking from my own experience, I’m only really familiar with Hyper Light Drifter, and tangentially familiar with Dead Cells. I scrolled through your work because I really like how you handle line weight and color. I stuck around because I enjoy your writing style and the story concepts you come up with for these characters. You put genuine thought into the interactions you’re creating and that’s what makes it interesting.

Hell the first time I said “Goddamn” aloud when looking at you art was that line from V1 asking the Drifter if there was an afterlife, correcting itself, and specifically asking if the Drifter has an afterlife waiting for him.

That’s a raw ass line! The concept of a murder robot that knows for a fact the afterlife is real but not if you personally get one? Terrifying concept! Love it!

This was also literally the first time I’d ever heard of Ultrakill. Neat game, I dig the premise.

My point being, you come up with some really damn interesting concepts and then have the skills to execute those ideas.

I have almost no idea what’s going on otherwise, but I’m a fan of the silly bits regardless.

I am also super curious what your digital art process looks like

OHHH???? 🥺🥺🥺🥺

Man. I am. Speechless. This is insane. This truly means a lot. Im really happy that you liked all of that and the character interactions. I've always thought of headcanons for these characters with their personalities and how their respective environment shaped them, and ive always loved it when I see their personalities interact and clash with one another.

The three of them having to deal with death in such a different way is such an interesting concept to me and i inhale that dynamic.

What I also aimed to achieve when I make these comics is that even people outside of it would enjoy these characters and their dynamic :D because I really just do love writing a story about them.

Thank you so much!! You made me ramble about these guys hahhaaha

Also, not much really happens during art process because my attention span is sometimes too short to make a much proper art Lmaoo. I mostly use 2 layers, for the very sketchy lineart and flat colors. And i sometimes add airbrush for lighting or mood. 👍

[ratwars]

thoughts on fyokuchi (fyodor/fukuchi)?

Before we knew anything about Fukuchi's end goal, Fyodor's age, or any of that I always thought that there was potential there for them to have had some sort of close interactions or at least be "in on something" together that the rest of the Decay wasn't.

For multiple reasons (at the time) first of all Fukuchi seemed to be either driving the ship, or if their goals turned out to be truly in conflict of each other, at least the type of person that could be seen in a positive light by Fyodor. My reasoning for this was just thinking that despite the mess that is the DoA, there had to be something there that Fyodor respected, found interesting, etc. To work with Fukuchi. Obviously a lot of this is all turned on it's head now but that was my thoughts with them back then. The other reason I figured they had some potential for *off screen interactions* in the past was the length of time these plans were being put into motion, and the complexity of them. I liked to imagine Fukuchi and Fyodor being the founders of the Decay (potentially with Fyodor thinking he was truly in charge and Fukuchi thinking the opposite) and hashing out their schemes together over drinks and then bringing Nikolai into the fold later. (And then Fukuchi providing Bram, and Fyodor providing Sigma).

That brought up the question of "how the fuck did these two even meet?" which also in my mind involved them speaking more one on one. I never really thought more beyond this myself when it came to how they met though. But I did see a few things other people came up with that I did like, some having more to do with shipping some not. I can't remember which was which but there were a couple posts and some comic style art too. One idea was centered around the "wait, how the fuck old *is* Fyodor even?" question that existed before we had any kind of confirmation or were close to having one. And that was Fukuchi running across a (immortal or super old) Fyodor during the war and Fukuchi trying to help him from serious injuries and them speaking more and bonding from that moment. Also Fukuchi being immediately charmed by Fyodor. But it still was like, scheming Fyodor I think, as in he got found like that on purpose. I'm so sorry I can't remember where this came from, and I may have mixed this person's idea up, but I just know it 100% was not originally mine lol. Another was just Fyodor finding Fukuchi charming and that coupled with a shared world view (not the case now I know this is still older stuff) building the basis for them being more comfortable with each other and just vibing well.

Anyways now alot of that is obviously completely unrealistic if you don't take into account Fyodor's manipulation of Fukuchi and how shit went down. But eh, developing stories can be like that so in my mind dumping canon out the window is always an option. I sure af did it when everything was actively falling apart with the DoA and I was writing various other members lol.

In terms of a ship I think the fact they have an age gap in the opposite direction I would have thought earlier on is absolutely hillarious, Fukuchi is not the old man at all in comparison really like "who are you calling old man?" he can pull that out and it isn't wrong lol. I still wish the DoA had turned out to be a bit of a more cohesive organization despite their ridiculous messiness (that is just part of their charm) and I will probably continue to write and think of them that way. Like damnit let them exist together (I do like that to do this Fyodor must be nerfed though like yeah, sit down shut up stop scheming no you did not set everyone up to get completely fucked shhh you can have some schemes as a treat but not the *big one*). And because of that I still very much enjoy the "Fyodor and Fukuchi having conversations without the rest of them" thing and the DoA being at the end of the day their organization originally.

And then there is the big thing, and that is that I will ship Fyodor with just about anyone. So now that you have asked me about Fyokuchi dear anon I am now considering Fyokuchi more lmao. In my mind it really has to completely diverge from canon (not a bad thing which I kinda said before but just reiterating my stance on that) now to ship them though, well I guess unless you make it really fucking tragic and put some hidden feelings of regret in there for Fyodor despite still using him for his own goal. Like maybe spending so much time with him he still is going to *do the thing* and keep manipulating him all the way there, but it isn't without some personal emotional pain (that he isn't going to share). Enough to hurt but not enough to change his mind and abandon his final plans in the end. Sry sry I went off on some kinda brainstorming tangent with canon compliant tragic Fyokuchi. I'll stop here. (This is what I mean though with me and Fyodor ships, like I start considering it and with him it becomes "So how could this work actually?" And it is fun for me to think about, other people experiencing him or how their relationship could work (or begin or end).

[librarylexicon]

20 Questions for Writers

EDIT: Now with question 17!

Tagged by @cuephrase (ty bb!!)

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

32 (that are attached to my account).

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

283,405. I very nearly posted 100,000 of them last year, and only noticed when I looked at my stats in January. If I'd known, I would have posted something else to get it over that line!

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Right now, just Batman, but in the past I've written for Harry Potter, Anne of Green Gables, Little Men, Tintin and a handful of other fandoms. I have a Road to Avonlea fic tentatively in the works, and might return to any of these fandoms if inspiration strikes.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

All the Corners That Are Left is an outlier in my stats because it has more than three times as many kudos as the runner-up. It's an exchange fic that was my first foray into posting Batfam fics, and I liked writing it so much that it actually sparked a loose series of Post-Crisis oneshots, currently called Corners.

Family Crisis is my beloved canon divergence AU of War Games. It's the first fic I started writing for Batman, and I'm so happy that people are reading it. It's very comics-oriented, but still easy to follow without having touched a comic (imo).

Harry Potter and the Time-Turner is the first multichapter fic I ever wrote and completed, back when I was in my early teens. I won't reread it, lest I die of cringe, but I'm bemusedly grateful that it still gets hits and kudos.

Home Assignment is a Dick whump fic I drafted quite a while ago, and finally had an opportunity to finish and publish when I signed up for a Dick Grayson event. I had fun playing around with unreliable narration in this one!

In Retrospect is a HP fic that was written for a challenge where I was given five prompts and a week to produce five one-shots. I chose to make mine interconnected missing scenes set during and after Deathly Hallows, and particularly like how Painfully Abnormal turned out.

5. Do you respond to comments?

Yes! It's a habit that's carried over from my fanfiction.net days, and I receive a manageable amount of comments, so I try to respond to every one. (The only reason I might not is when someone leaves a string of comments that are all very brief. In that instance, I tend to reply to the final comment only.) I adore reading and replying to comments! 🫶

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I've always been an angst lover. The Last Enemy, one of my oldest fics, ends with (canonical) apparent character death, and For the Sake of Our Son ends with both main characters (canonically) dying. How fun!

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Other than a shipfic that's now anonymous, I don't know! I tend to go for uplifting or satisfying endings without necessarily aiming for happy ones (although I rarely have unhappy endings). Maybe You Know I Love You? I do also have a handful of Batman ficlets that I recently wrote for a zine, and there's definitely fluff among them.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I think I got some on fanfiction.net back in the day, but the most hate I've received that I can remember is people being salty about a couple of fics I began when I was a teenager and never finished. I'm sorry, but it's been almost a decade! Yes, you can and should resist the urge to tell me that you don't respect authors who abandon fics!

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Nope!

10. Do you write crossovers?

While I've toyed with quite a few crossover ideas over the years, I've only published one, which is a Rise of the Guardians and Peter Pan one-shot called Lost Boy.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I can't recall any specific instances, but many of my fics have been on the internet for a long time, so they've definitely been scraped for knockoff sites, if nothing else.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes, three times! Harry Potter and the Time-Turner has been translated into French, Shirley Not has been translated into German and At Home, They Call Me Tintin has been translated into Chinese. (Links to these translations are in my fanfic masterlist on Dreamwidth.)

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, but I'm open to the idea! I'd have to really know the other author and get over my control freak tendencies, though...

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

I don't ship much (to the point where I have plenty of NOTPs), but I do love TimSteph, and I have soft spots for DickBabs and BatCat (Bruce/Selina) as well. All-time favourite, though? That would have to be Anne and Gilbert from the Anne of Green Gables series.

15. What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you will?

Before the War(drobe). Narnia fandom, I really want to return to you someday, but I have a couple things to do first!

16. What are your writing strengths?

My most positive comments almost always mention characterisation. I also think I write dialogue pretty well. In my mind, well-written dialogue is essential to good characterisation.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Even though I write about characters who are superheroes, I rarely write about them BEING superheroes, because I struggle with action scenes. Also description, but I like to think I've grown better at it.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I don't like to use non-Latin characters in my fics for readability reasons, and I don't like to include dialogue in another language if I don't know the language. So, when my characters speak a language other than English, I either just use an English translation with a dialogue attribution (e.g. She said in Spanish) or just use the attribution without the dialogue, depending on whether or not the POV character understands the language.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Harry Potter! I wrote for it before I knew what fanfic was. I also joined the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges forum on fanfiction.net back in the day, which led to my most prolific ficwriting period.

20. Favourite fic you've written?

My favourite fics tend to be my most recent ones, because they're the ones I've spent the most time on and am most proud of. I can never pick one of anything (as you've probably noticed), so my current favourites are:

Family Crisis – longtime labour of love and Bruce character study

All the Corners That Are Left – Dick character study feat. Jason

Flight Mode – Tim character study feat. Bruce

Phew, that was a lot of questions! I think a lot of people have already been tagged 😅

Scrolling through my mutuals and no-pressure tagging @silverwhittlingknife @geevesthevieve @batrachised @freyafrida and @silent-silver-slip and any other fic writers who see this! 🫶

[cherrytimemachine]

Breakdown: Deathsaurus

HELLO THANK YOU FOR ASKING ME ABOUT MY WIFE.

How I feel about this character: He's one of my favorite Transformers actually. I love his cheeky attitude in Victory, his protection of his people and his human son Solon (and his fear of caterpillars for some reason) in the Victory manga, and his strong leadership and advocacy for his troops in MTMTE.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Esmeral, of course. I'd love to see more people talk about her and her dynamics, both as an individual character and alongside Deathsaurus. I do think that the slight homoerotic beef going on between him and Star Saber is funny tho.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Star Saber. Their rivalry is extensive, beginning before the war. In my AU, Star Saber was the head of the Elite Guard during Sentinel's primacy. Sentinel was an avid hunter, and he was not shy about it either. He ended up crossing a major line when he decided to bring the guard with him to Kalis on a hunting mission. It had always been an aspiration of his to kill a Predacon and add the beast to his trophy case. Star Saber did question the importance of it, to which Sentinel reassured him that it was well worth their time as Predacons are considered a dangerous species that poses a major threat to Cybertronian lives. It was at this time that Deathsaurus was the new young leader of his tribe. They ended up slaughtering most of Deathsaurus's tribe mercilessly, and ever since Deathsaurus hated anyone from the guard. Once Sentinel was dead, his hatred turned to Star Saber, who had enlisted in the Autobot ranks and became on of the Prime's generals. Deathsaurus's grudge turned personal when Star Saber imprisoned his fortress in the Dark Nebula. He didn't know it until much later, but Star Saber had just stranded over half of Deathsaurus's forces, including his wife, taking the only family he had left. To him, Star Saber had taken everything he'd held dear once again, and he was determined to make him pay for all the destruction and misery he brought.

My unpopular opinion about this character: He should be recognized as part of the Predacon species, like the ones in TFP. His alt mode is a Kaiju, which is a big monster not specifically like a dragon, but there are types that are very dragon-like. I want there to be Predacon tribes on Cybertron that persisted after the Great Cataclysm, and for them to have their own cultures. Because of his striking similarity to Onyx Prime, I'd like to think his tribe was the remains of Onyx's empire in Kalis, which is now mostly uninhabited by Cybertronians due to it being considered too dangerous. There's a larger population of Predacons there, and the lack of Cybertronian civilization had the city nicknamed the City of the Dead. I think it's fitting for Deathsaurus since he was from a place called the Death Zone in Victory. I have more thoughts on Esmeral's tribe as well, so feel free to let me know if you're curious.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: His wife wasn't in the Victory cartoon, nor was she in the MTMTE comic. Esmeral needs more love, and an updated design. I would also like to see more backstory with the rivalry between Star Saber and Deathsaurus. According to Ask Vector Prime, they have known each other since childhood and have always had beef. Their parents knew each other, and I would like to see someone take the ideas of Terrorsaurer and Galaxy Saber (their respective parents) and make some canon or fanon media around them. I also wanted some more collaborative shenanigans between Deathsaurus, Tarn, and Overlord. People make such funny interpretations of their reluctant alliance that I really want to see it now.

Ask me more about my blorbos!

[just-a-carrot]

Hello Carrot!

Ok so I was the anonymous poly asker but since I wanna draw some of the Au’s I yapped about I don’t see a reason to ask anonymously anymore.

that and I was originally soo terrified of asking a question cause I’ve been in many many toxic fandoms (I had to be hyped up to even originally ask my question )

First of all, this fandom has been one of the nicest and most respectful fan bases I’ve ever encountered.

Second, Ow was one of the first media’s to ever make me shed a tear I honestly loved everything about Ow (I also developed I mini obsession with Jerry, that and I sounded like an absolute crazy person playing the game while on call with friends and during arc 5 I out of nowhere yelled “NO MOTHER JERRY”)

But the reason I wrote Is because I got an Au idea and ist been plaguing my mind all day.

Basically at the end of every arc Iggy wished for smt and the two that stuck with me where the wish he never existed and the wanting to make his friends happy one.

And in the Au that popped up he kinda gets that wish with everyone waking up back at home with like a déjà vu feeling and since I think bucks ended up there too ig the reason she goes to wonderland is to save their kid.

They all end up in Wonderland at the same time with the feeling of wanting to find smt and end up hearing a conversation of one of the bunny soldiers scolding someone for exploring all by himself and that dinner would be soon.

Fast forward and their at the town and find the younger versions of Bucks and Gidget and they offer to take them “home” witch is similar to Gidget’s house in arc 5 but with the downstairs area being filled with toys and plushies with caretaker bunnies running around and the upstairs being more nicer and put together kinda like an apartment

They they end up meeting Iggy who’s like also kind of a caretaker with him occasionally joining the kids for dinner or to play games with them on their request (which refers slightly back to the wanting to make all his friends happy wish)

But the others want him back of course, which would lead to like a minor conflict of him not wanting to leave the kids but also wanting to make Wonderland safer because it was not safe when he first entered etc.

I’d dunno how I’d end it might make a comic about it cause I feel like there’s some potential in the Au I’ll have to see.

BTW SOO SORRY IT BECAME THIS LONG !!

I’ll most likely take a brake of asking questions (and also learn to yapp less) to focus more on drawing Ow stuff until I get a good grip on how to draw everyone.

Again soo sorry for yapping this much 

ahhhhhh i'm sorry you felt nervous!! i get it though it's really hard for me too to reach out or message someone / send in an ask, etc.

i never mind long asks! though i don't always know how to respond very well all the time lkdjfad so you'll have to sometimes forgive me. and hahaha i'm really glad you liked jerry!!

that sounds really interesting. like an AU where somehow the kid versions of them are also there in wonderland or something?? unless i'm misunderstanding. admittedly the "make my friends happy" wish was the wish he made AS a kid (and why he's now stuck in loops trying to make them all happy, except that he can't), but i could see like, some interesting possibilities where it somehow becomes even more morphed and convoluted with the different versions or something, perhaps if like, there just get to be too many different timelines so they all start to converge perhaps. i've never thought about something like that before

a version of wonderland that's NOT all messed up even when they're adults would be particularly interesting to explore. well, i suppose that's what bucks, gidget, and orlam experienced at first when they first went in LOL

[fullscoreshenanigans]

What if uh...what if Michelle and Olivia? W little Ray

And AU with post canon Olivia and Michelle w Ray:(

Going to preface this with how amazing it is people will send me asks on topics I've had vague drafts of for ages but for whatever reason never published them.

(Evidence of my drafts and queue being fucking messes)

But yes, I'm still really attached to the idea of young sister candidates who still have siblings alive old enough to remember them being able to reunite with said siblings upon the farm system being dismantled, and one of the things that's most appealing about the Emma and Ray & Goldy Pond Resistance kids dynamics for me is them regaining that type of older sibling relationship after they had been the oldest siblings of their family for months if not two years since Susan was shipped out (this is also applicable to Norman with Vincent, Cislo, and Barbara post-imperial capital battle).

It's also a bit funny how CloverWorks provides a bit of foundation for this AU, saving Michelle from death because they wanted to save time and resources by reusing her model for one of the sisters that shows up in S2 episode 10.

Arguably one of the best changes they opted for, though they do nothing interesting with it. There's so much melancholic and healing potential upon a reunion with the younger siblings who still remember her and Olivia after spending years in a cutthroat environment that fostered division and systemic exploitation.

With Ray specifically, there's the belief he failed them by letting them walk off to their fate without lifting a finger to stop it or even just provide them with a warning, anything to give them an advantage and show he loved and cared about them, but in his pragmatic planning, he prioritized Emma and Norman over them, and that old regret and shame resurfaces.

And they're left with that dawning, muted realization of "ah, that explains why he'd get so sad every time a sibling left."

(Chapter 181.1)

Knowing he suffered in silence for so long and having been unable to provide him with a true sense of safety like an older sibling should, a new layer of sorrow tinging the memories of attempting to comfort him, sometimes with him maybe briefly lashing out due to something they said being unintentionally hurtful (e.g., "I'm sure they're happy with their new parents" because no they're not they're not they're not they're dead) but always ending with him curling in on himself and wanting to be left alone. Even during the few times it seemed like they were successful (though looking back, Susan and the collective efforts of Emma and Norman probably held the higher success rate), that ache is still present.

Again, lot of healing potential in that initial reunion hug between them and subsequent late night talks of mutual support where tales of their respective horrors slip out and worries over the search for Emma ebb and flow. (You could also go the route of him opening up about the full extent of his relationship with Isabella, though I'm firmly of the "there is no way in hell he is ever bringing that up until his 20s at the earliest unless prompted by an outside force" camp).

I would extend this out to all the older Grace Field kids from Ray through probably Nat though, if only because the first light novel already highlights Ray has a special attachment to Susan that it feels like he's taking up a disproportionate amount of spotlight without inherently offering a more unique spin on such a relationship, and we see Michelle and Olivia interacting with Emma and Norman a bit too, which is also precious.

(TPN Light Novel 1: A Letter from Norman - “The Ghost Incidents at Grace Field House;” the younger siblings listen to Olivia recount her sighting of a ghost with rapt attention.)

(S1 Ending 1 & Ending 2; some younger children sitting around Olivia as she reads them a story.)

(Chapter 12 Bonus Comic; Michelle and Olivia being won over by Emma and Ray to push for being able to see a sick Norman.)

(Minerva Confidential Report Key Animations for S1 Ending 1 & Ending 2; Michelle having a lively conversation with Emma and Norman as they walk through the first floor hallway of Grace Field. There's an argument that this isn't Norman because we can't see a hint of his shark fin cowlick, but unless this is when they're all walking to to push to see a sick Norman, I default to it being Norman since Ray is in the full shot so there's a complete trio babies snapshot.)

(Chapter 181.1; Michelle and Olivia trying to help ease the distress Emma and Norman are going through at seeing Ray cry.)

(Chapter 181.1; Michelle and Olivia with Norman wishing one of their young brothers well on his shipment day.)

(Chapter 17 | Chapter 32; Don and Ray fondly remembering Michelle and Olivia among their siblings who were shipped out, respectively, and interestingly both deeply internalizing how close the two were with each other by each remembering them in a side hug, though this might have just been for Demizu's drawing convenience.)

[thatoctokittenclutchinganotebook]

I’ve read a lot of AUs where DAnny Fenton gets adopted by the Bats (actually what got me to watch Danny Phantom in the first place) but what if it was Dani who was taken in? This little ghost girl, who looks a lot younger than Danny, is flying around Gotham and has various encounters with the Bats, but keeps flying away or running away. They don’t realise at first that both her forms are one person. Jason looks out for the street kids in Gotham, and this one avoids all the gangs. She’s gone to Gotham to hide out from Vlad, because he’s afraid of going into Batman’s city.  She stays away from Batman herself as much as she can. She doesn’t want to be forced out of Gotham. Phantom (she uses that name still) is hardly seen, except at night committing very minor crimes (like for food, or mischief like breaking into an aquarium to see all the animals at night).  Dani is seen at homeless shelters and in the streets, always vanishing before anyone can approach her. Until she starts destabilising again.  It’s hard to get news from Amity in Gotham. A lot of things just don’t seem to get out. She tries to fly there, to get to Danny, but she’s destabilising and falls. One of the Batfam (I’m not sure who - Duke or Cass?) finds her and tries to help her.  “A kid, a meta I think, she’s almost dissolving and reforming-” They take her to the Justice League. They manage to use a form of stasis to keep her from destabilising completely, but are at a loss about how to save her.  Except for a theory that ectoplasm might be related to Lazarus water. She’s in stasis, but I would handwave it (like all comic books science) so she can talk but not move beyond that. She’s conscious but not able to use her powers. She and Damian have a combative relationship that becomes a grudging respect. I’m not sure how it would get to this point, but I have the idea of Damian stealing Lazarus water for her, believing it will help her. Bruce, during all this, would be looking for clues to her identity. Not to return her to a family she ran away from, but to find out if they know how to help her. He doesn’t find anything except a missing persons report for a Daniel Fenton, and some pleas broadcast on television funded by Vlad Masters (the most suspicious millionaire after Lex Luthor).  Dani is clearly not Danny, because she’s younger etc. But Bruce also finds records of a Danny Phantom. If he hadn’t seen Dani’s two forms, he wouldn’t have realised that Danny Phantom and Danny Fenton were the same. He has this time. And the two ghost hunters who were Danny Fenton’s parents must know something. Danny was identified as having ectoplasm in his body by the Guys in white, and he was carted off to be “cured” by them. Maddie did not approve. Jack did, because he’s a huge fan of them. During their attempted to “cure” him, they nearly kill him and cause him t come close to destabilising. He loses control of his powers and they discover he’s Danny Phantom. He lets loose with a ghostly wail and causes an ice storm through amity park. He, and other ghostly or “ecto-contaminated” prisoners make a break for the Ghost portal with help from Jazz, Sam and Tucker.  Once inside, Danny tells Jazz, Sam and Tucker they should leave, because he’s got to make sure the GIW can’t get in, and that no more ghosts can haunt Amity Park. They refuse. They’re pretty sure they’d be next on the list to be “cured”, anyway. Jazz had moved out at this point, having become 18. Danny uses all his remaining strength to help the others through the portal before turning back to destroy it. He nearly kills himself doing it, and falls into a deep unconsciousness. He spends nearly a year being cared for by Frostbite before he recovers enough to leave.

Danielle is not going to tell these superheroes or millionaires about ghosts or the ghost portal. She’s certain that if they know for sure she’s part ghost, she’ll be in big trouble because of the anti-ecto laws. She lets it slip to one of the other kids that it’s illegal for her to exist (Damian? Jon? I could set it in a different time and have it be a Titan?).  Bruce arranges a Bat-Burglary of Fentonworks. Jason sets off a Ghost Alarm. No one knows why. They can’t find anything that they think would work, but do find a weirdly encrypted set of files on the computer that had belonged to the missing Danny Fenton. They take them. The Fentons are woken by the alarm, but are restrained by whichever disguised Batfam member is there. Valerie also hears the alarm. Hoping it’s Danny (she knows his identity by this point), but fearing that someone’s managed to reopen the ghost portal, she heads towards there. After a complicated confrontation, she’s taken to see Dani. She explains how they helped her before. They treat her with the ecto-dejector, but they know now that it might only be a temporary fix. Dani is furious that Valerie has revealed she’s part ghost. Valerie’s like “They were searching Fentonworks, they already knew.” Valerie and Dani end up being pals. Dani and Valerie both end up joining whichever young superhero team is in place - the Teen Titans or Young Justice - and Bruce Wayne, Oliver Queen (if he’s still rich?) and Mento (can’t remember his real name) fund the repealing of the Anti-ecto laws. Tucker has figured out a way to, with help from the infinimap and clockwork, get signals from outside the ghost zone. Sam, Jazz and Tucker are all developing powers at this point due to the ongoing exposure to the Ghost zone, so know it’s not safe to leave. Possibly one of them actually died and became a ghost, and has really strong powers?

Danny finds out when he sees his “little cousin” on the news. The Fentons raise a fuss, saying that she’s a ghost, and the Justice League close ranks around her. Dani yells at them on live TV that they got Danny killed by the Guys in white, revealing his identity (she genuinely thinks he’s dead).  Danny is prepared to fly out and protect her with everything he’s got, but the Justice League are protecting her. WHen asked why they are breaking the Anti-ecto laws, they make a statement that those laws are unjust and that Danielle Phantom is a child, not a monster. The Fentons do not come across well. Danny doesn’t leave, doesn’t dare leave, until the Anti-Ecto laws are repealed. Even then, he’s scared it’s a trick.  He leaves, and tries to find a safe way to approach Dani. The Boo-merang finds him first. Not because it was set off on purpose, but because it’s still keyed to his ecto signature. While he was in the ghost zone, with no stable portals, it functioned like a normal boomerang. The Batkids (possibly Duke?) are messing around with it when it flies off in a bizarre direction. THey follow. They see Danny Phantom, a little dazed and rubbing his head but gearing up to fight. Dani runs past the others to hug him. Dani Wayne is the adopted child of Bruce Wayne, with a whole host of siblings. That doesn’t mean she isn’t delighted to have her “cousin” back.  Danny can’t do the secret identity thing anymore, after everything was revealed, and ends up splitting his time between one of the super teams and the Ghost Zone. Close on Frostbite whispering “Did anyone ever tell him that he’s the Ghost King?” I’ll probably never end up writing this, because I never have the spoons or time to write anymore, but writing out the idea was really fun. If anyone wants to “adopt” the idea let me know :D

[thegayhimbo]

Stranger Things and Dungeons and Dragons Review

WARNING: The following review contains MAJOR SPOILERS from this comic and Season 4 of Stranger Things!

If you haven't yet, be sure to check out my other Stranger Things Reviews:

Stranger Things Six

Stranger Things Halloween Special

Stranger Things The Other Side

Stranger Things Zombie Boys

Stranger Things The Bully

Stranger Things Winter Special

Stranger Things Tomb of Ybwen

Stranger Things Into The Fire

Stranger Things Science Camp

Stranger Things "The Game Master" and "Erica's Quest"

Synopsis: Taking place before and during seasons 1-3, this comic chronicles the origins of The Party, their discovery of D&D, how the game impacted their lives, and how their shared love for fantasy and adventure allowed them to bond.

Observations:

Fantasy has always been appealing to me since I was a kid: The idea of creating worlds with your own characters, creatures, mythology, and story. The idea of universes out there more extraordinary and unique compared to the one we live in. The idea your imagination can bring some semblance of peace and security to your life. I know this and have lived through it. Even 27 years later, despite becoming more cynical and jaded through trauma and bitter experiences, I will always understand those who use fantasy to confront the harshness of the real world. It's why Mike's words hit home for me when he's telling the bookstore owner about why he's interested in D&D and wants to spend money on it:

"It really is like a war. We just want to fight on our own terms." Isn't that how we all feel at times? Some days, you're trying to survive the chaos of life, while other days involve you making choices between what is right and what is easy. Some days, everything is a shit-show, and you're trying to find something to keep you motivated. Some days, you have to deal with truly vile people and accept that they exist whether you like it or not. We all fight battles of some kind. We all have different ways of coping with how cold and indifferent reality can be. We all crave some sense of control in our lives.

For Mike and his friends, D&D provided that. Not only did it allow them to process their world easier, but it also gave them a sense of liberation from how oppressive the (as Eddie would put it) "forced conformity" of their society is. It's their world, and it's where they are the masters of their own destinies.

Now I'll admit I never really got into D&D. Both my brother and my college roommates tried to rope me into the game, and at the time I didn't have the patience for it. However, I do understand its appeal, and respect how it's a game for both kids and adults that forms friendships and can be a fun, shared experience for everyone. Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons is not only a story of how D&D influenced each member of the Party, but also a love letter to both the show and the game itself.

The artwork for this comic is incredible and some of the best I've seen so far. I love the drawings of the various D&D campaigns and the creative designs for the creatures the group encounters during their travels.

I also love how each campaign either draws upon the Party's experiences from school and their daily lives, or from the trauma they've endured since their encounters with the horrors of the Upside Down:

That last part is significant because at one point in the comic, Mike seriously questions whether or not D&D has any real meaning for him or his friends following his first meeting with the Demogorgon and the revelation that monsters exist:

Just like in the short story "The Game Master," Nancy is the one who comforts Mike during his crisis. She helps him realize that even though things can't go back to the way they were after everything that's happened, he still has his friends, and what made D&D valuable to them in the first place (aside from it being a means of dealing with the world around them) is that it brought and kept them together as companions.

Nancy recognizes the value D&D has to Mike. It's why she dressed up as an Elf for his Elder Tree Campaign all those years ago, and it's why she still encourages him despite his doubts.

(Side Note: I've always enjoyed the sibling dynamic Nancy and Mike have, and I'm praying season 5 includes more interactions between the two of them).

Speaking of which, this comic does a great job cementing the importance of D&D to Mike and Will's relationship. Mike is the one who introduced Will to D&D and even coined the nickname "Will the Wise" for him:

On top of that, in a deeply heartwarming moment, Mike goes out of his way to craft a specific campaign for Will following Will's rescue from the Upside Down. He knows Will is struggling and scared due to what happened to him, and works to help Will feel better and regain his confidence by giving him the opportunity to be a hero again. As Mike explains to Nancy:

This even extends to Mike handing over the role of Dungeon Master to Will by the time Max and El join The Party:

I know it's pretty common these days in the fandom to bash Mike for being insensitive and oblivious, but moments like these demonstrate he is capable of putting thought and effort into helping and encouraging his friends and loved ones. A big reason Will is passionate about D&D is because Mike inspired Will to embrace his talent and imagination. Will isn't likely to ever forget that.

Another aspect I enjoyed was getting to see how Mike, Will, and Lucas met Dustin. Back in season 1, Dustin remarks that he didn't become friends with them until around 4th grade, and the comic elaborates more on the circumstances of their meeting:

Turns out D&D appealed to Dustin's love for math and probabilities. There's also how he expressed interest in the game and didn't belittle it like Mike's other classmates did. Dustin is a curious person after all, and is more interested in figuring out how something works instead of dismissing it like other people do when they can't understand it.

Finally, there's Lucas's interest in D&D. At the beginning of the comic, when he and Mike are hiding from Troy and James, they go into a bookstore where they see the owner has created a display of The Battle of Waterloo, which is something that impresses Lucas:

There is the possibility I'm reading too much into this, but Lucas's comment about his dad's service in Vietnam and his refusal to talk about it makes me wonder if Lucas's interest in D&D isn't just because of the fantasy-adventure elements, but because it's his way of trying to understand what his dad went through during the war. The game has those battles between good and evil, as well as teaching people about making tough choices and relying on your companions when the going gets tough. Lucas is smart enough to piece things together, and even if his dad was reluctant to talk about Vietnam, he may have figured out aspects of that war based on what he was taught in school and whatever small details he could have picked up from his family.

Mike talks about how D&D for him is about fighting a war on his own terms, and the same goes for Lucas.

But it goes beyond that: D&D gave the boys memories to cherish, and the means to not feel alone while growing up:

Something else I want to discuss are the dates presented in the comic:

I don't know what information (if any) that Jody Houser or Dark Horse Comics were given about season 4 when this comic was written (which came out in late 2020/early 2021), but I find it to be a pretty big coincidence that the date Mike and Lucas discover D&D for the first time is on September 8th, 1980, which is exactly one year after the Massacre at Hawkins Lab took place and El banished Henry/One/Vecna to the Upside Down.

We also find out Mike's birthday is on April 7th, 1971. Granted, this is what the comic presents as his birthday, so I don't know if it's his actual birthday on the show. Regardless, it's still a cool detail.

And this was the gift Mike's friends gave him on his 10th birthday:

Finally, there's the last D&D campaign the Party plays in 1985 before El and Will leave Hawkins for Lenora. On the surface, there are callbacks to season 2, with Will's character in the game getting taken over by an evil entity (similar to how he was possessed by the Mind Flayer) and the Party having to work together to save him:

The big difference is while Will was able to be rescued in season 2, his character dies tragically in the game:

Again, I'm not saying the comic creators have any foreknowledge of what's going to occur in the final season, but I've been firm in believing that one or more main characters will end up dead before season 5 is over. I did a post a while back speculating that Mike was marked for death (and giving my reasoning for why), but I also wonder if it could also be Will, especially because of Vecna's creepy interest in him. There's a connection between the two of them the show hasn't fully explained yet, and (as I talked about in my review of Stranger Things The Other Side), I've seen fans on social media note the parallels between Vecna and Will and speculate on the idea of Will possibly turning evil in the last season. I'm skeptical of that happening (mostly because of the backlash the Duffer Brothers would face for it), but I do question what Will's fate will be in the final season. For what it's worth, Ross Duffer mentioned in an interview that Will's arc in season 5 will tie the whole series together, so make of that what you're able to.

There's also the final battle:

I remember the vision Vecna shows Nancy in season 4: A dark cloud spreading over Hawkins. Downtown on fire. Dead soldiers. A creature with a giant gaping mouth. An army of monsters invading. The death of her family (including Mike). Most of this is likely foreshadowing for what's to come. Just like the Party faces down an army of demons in their final game, they will also be facing down Vecna's army of monsters in the final season.

But in spite of how bad circumstances get, the one thing I trust is the Party will still have each other to rely on. I will be sad to see them all of them go once the show is over.

Overall, a solid comic and one of my personal favorites. I highly recommend it.

Coming Soon: Stranger Things Kamchatka Review

[anderscim]

@eventide-roses asked:

I would like to drop in something that has been.....kinda bugging me??? Not really bugging, but idk if you can even make a theory off of it. It's more Xanvid inclined anyway (and ig Teruvid if you squint really hard), but it's something that I found kinda interesting imo

Ask yourself this. How much screentime did David even have before chapter 2? I find it odd (my brother and I joke about him being the "Levi" of chapter 1 - having very little screentime) that he wasn't on screen for.....really most of chapter's 1 daily life, except for when he intervened Teruko and Xander's conversation in the dining hall (where he went on about how there is so much pressure on his shoulders from being looked up to a lot). Keep in mind Teruko knows his optimistic facade is merely an act. Lots of ppl (included myself) think that David only intervened cause he was watching Xander and Teruko, cautious cause one person knew something that they shouldn't have. But that also sounds a little too cautious, wouldn't you say? Sure, as an inspirational speaker, you are expected to be always happy and cheerful, seeing the world through rose tinted glasses. But surely, as a human being, you are also not immune to being sad. His slip up in the introduction just sounded like an introvert to me. Maybe a bit of a bitchy introvert, but not......something worth total contempt from someone. Yet, David is paranoid enough to keep to himself for the majority of chapter 1 and (most likely) just watched Teruko and Xander's interactions carefully. Why would he do this? Obviously he doesn't want anyone else to know about how his facade is just....well, a facade. But it honestly seems like he genuinely values Xander's opinion about him. He doesn't want anything negative to smear Xander's opinion about him. And keep in mind, ever since the killing game was announced, David (most likely) automatically went in his head "Well, it's only a matter before we all die" yet he still desperately tries to keep up his happy go lucky facade, even when he knows he could die the very next day

I found it kinda odd he never really played a big part until after chapter 2, episode 4 where he became the so called 'leader' and started the plan to share secrets again. But wasn't this also after the end of the first trial where he says "I lost hope, I won't bother to keep it up anymore, we are all going to die here" <- paraphrasing rn, don't kill me. And yet he STILL tries to keep up the persona. I remember one blog made a post about how David's plan was actually better than what the cast could've done (sit around the let the motives be revealed or reveal them without permission) which I agree with. But then it backfired and everyone started to gain up on David during the trial. I think the straw that broke the camel's back was when Teruko said David has been faking not only his personality, but also being a good person. Like damn girl, you think he's a bad person just cause you caught him saying a few negative things to himself? It fits with her character of not trusting people, but still. All that was revealed about his 'true true' personality was that he was some mildly bitchy introvert that wanted to sleep in I have no idea where I am going with this, but these are some findings that I thought was interesting enough to share with you (hopefully I'm sending it to the right blog as well). I guess what I'm trying to say is not only does David truly care about Xander, but possibly everyone else in the cast (he probably even had some respect for Teruko, until Xander died, which is a whole other can of worms, but I also think he blames her for Xander's death and her secret he received in chapter 2 only verifies his belief) And (this is also an extremely long stretch but also worth considering) the gag comic that the dev made I think? 2021 ish? Where David received too many letters and he was worried how he would get through all of them? It wasn't even his idea to throw them out, it was Whit's (to which, David even asked him isn't that a little mean?). It shows that David still cares about his fans (again, it's a really big stretch, but still has the character's canon personalities, since the dev themself made it)

first off, thank you for the submission lexi! i hope you don’t mind that i transferred your ask to this blog ^^

and yeah, i noticed these things too, but in my opinion it may mostly be an indication that david is adamant about maintaining his persona and what the cast expects from him.

(take this with a grain of salt)

despite his (at the very least) pessimistic dialogue at the end of chapter one, i think he tries to consistently keep the “ideal image” that the rest of the cast expects from him as the ultimate inspirational speaker—leading the group, presenting that entire plan (despite likely making it up on the spot), etc—in the beginning of chapter two. similar to what you said, i think it’s a very interesting contradiction to have david act so pessimistic and say that they’re “all certainly going to die here,” and then suddenly find him within the next few days leading the group and doing everything he possibly could to keep his plan going. like i mentioned in this older post, david’s plan was likely better than any of the alternatives—and based on the fact he could potentially convince everyone to follow a separate path from what he outlined in ch2 ep4, it’s likely that he wasn’t actually attempting to “foster the right atmosphere for murder to occur,” like he claimed in episode 11.

so if he was trying to help and prevent another murder despite the (very) limited means to do so—despite him clearly saying how they’re all going to die the chapter before—it might point to the fact that david is pressured by his own reputation to act in a way that is fitting for an inspirational speaker, regardless of all of his slip-ups from earlier. after all, david may have felt that it was wrong to watch all of the discourse happening in ch2 ep4 and not do something about it, especially since he has a career that literally helps other people for a living.

however, this internal(?) pressure could imply that he sets unrealistic expectations on himself to maintain that image—which might explain why, despite his slip-up in the prologue only showing us that he was more pessimistic and lazy than the cast expected, he was paranoid enough to check on xander and teruko. as implied from the MV and all of the secrets that it has, there’s a lot of evidence that points to david not feeling human (the dolls, the albino mouse / arabidopsis / footnote 2)—instead, he thinks of himself as a sort of “model organism” and someone who’s supposed to hold up an ideal for everyone else to follow. if this is true, this may explain why he felt cautious enough to go out of his way and monitor(?) the two people who may know something past his persona/reputation—true, it is only human to feel negative emotions and express them outwardly, but in david’s case he may hold incredibly high expectations for himself as a role model and pretend that he’s immune to those emotions. after all, he doesn’t feel like he’s human.

i also agree on the “he at the very least had an iota of respect for the rest of the cast at one point” part <-paraphrased. no specific evidence for this but i might get to it later

i hope you get what i mean. (-.-;) thank you again for the submission!

[honeyedheartss]

making a separate post for this so I don't hijack a gifmakers post but

@burntstay u literally have no idea! the entire past 2 years have been insane so excuse my rambling post

1. I went to see Dan last Nov and Dec. I went in November when he came to Seattle and got SO excited to finally meet him after so many years that I stumbled all over the MnG and couldn't respond to his very gentle kind compliments. So I flew to Oakland to see him again 😭 It hurt my bank account but not only did I meet him at that show during the MnG but he talked to me during the show too (interactive comedy show and I said I'd fuck the cinnamon toast crunch mascot bc he's a twink. he booed me but then brought it up several more time 💀)

November and December, respectively. (yeah he did accidentally get that fucking silver marker on my arm 💀)

2. Also in November, I had the opportunity to catch Kurtis Conners set he was doing in Seattle :] I went to the early show in the balcony bc it was what i could afford and Loved it sooo much but couldn't see bc I didn't have glasses at the time and at the end when I was calling my friend to talk about it, someone offered me 3rd row tickets because they had to cancel for a family emergency. I took them, could see the set, and it was just as funny the 2nd time!

the next day I'd taken my friend to Pikes Place (popular indoor/outdoor multi-vendor permanent market in Seattle) and ran into him and Jenna in the comics store!

^ me being so insanely happy but embarrassed bc I was partially non verbal and was trying so hard to communicate with him. (he was so incredibly kind and patient and then I helped him find the script he was looking for 😌 <- I do not work at that store)

now rapid fire! I also got to finally see Cirque! my old boss at the club had an extra ticket and brought me along!! (I have tried to sew Cirque THREE times and circumstances have always gotten in the way. mostly me moving abruptly like a week before the date they were in town)

In April, I got to see Hippocampus (one of my FAVE indie bands idc idc) and the guitarist Nathan gave me a pick! I also got to see Conan Gray again (saw him in 2019 without knowing who he was and got obsessed) and Cavetowns show with Tessa Violet. and Tessa RECOGNIZED ME which would have been insane anyways but I look SO different from the past times I've seen her!! I also saw some smaller bands and they were some of the most lovely kind caring people ever!

and then in June I saw 5SOS for the first time. I've been listening to them since I was a little tumblrina in 2014 and I cried so hard during their show. pure unadulterated nostalgia and joy. it was a really good show too (and that month my BFF who I usually go out to Philly to see once a year was able to come to ME because of a work conference 🥹 and my partner came up for our yearly 1 month together!)

also that month I met a comedian I ADORE!!! I found him by accident on Dry Bar Comedy in maybe 2015? and have watched his stuff on YouTube and followed him on Twitter since and I randomly ran into him in a vintage store in Tacoma??? And of course the first thing my dumb ass said instead of "oh wow it's Shayne Smith!! I'm a huge fan" no... I said "YO it's the guy I showed u that one time when I was drunk!!!" to my sister 😭😭 He luckily is a really dope guy, thought it was very funny, and danced around with me

In October I went to a music festival out east and saw a BUNCH of my favorite bands and King Princess said I looked hot, so highlight of my compliments fr (and saw mitski!) Lorde was coming but her set got massively delayed due to faulty tech and I had to make the last train so I didn't get stranded and did not get to see her.

Also I got matching tattoos with my other bff who I flew to seattle to stay with me for a week 🥹 hi @catholicdaredevil

which circles us back to the November/December stuff I talked about first cuz I got excited

The rest of the winter was just struggling through till I saw the sun again but I DID get to meet a long term internet friend at the convention in Seattle (s/o to @pjsforestkid for so lovingly dealing with my low energy the whole day)

April I saw Noel Miller live!!! June my partner came up and we traipsed around

and then September and October I got to sew 4 hozier shows, was barricade for 3 of them (and have professional photos for all 3 times I was barricade which is INSANE!!!!!), hozier called me out on stage for my shirt, I got posted on his ig, and I met almost the entirety of a friend group I've had since 2019 AND DanandPhilGames returned from the hiatus

it's been an insane almost 2 years I finally feel like my life is sorting itself out and I'm so overjoyed

this is such a long fucking post but your tags just reminded me of all the joy and love I have been experiencing and the love that continues!!! I am so happy :)

[phantomss-pain]

Alright I'm just gonna dump a bunch of my Marlie headcanons in one big blotch of dumbassery. Just a warning, aside from various second hand accounts and a comic dub of The Silver Eyes, I know nothing about the books 

Anyways, let's-a go

Charlie is older than Michael by only a few months and constantly holds that fact over him (especially during their younger years where Mike's still a chaotic gremlin child)

They were both around twelve years old when the bite of 83 happened

After the bite of 83, Michael just shuts down. He stays home most of the time, he doesn't talk to any of friends, and he starts thinking some pretty bad thoughts about himself. Charlie is initially appalled, but after seeing that state that Mike's in, she tries to help him, and their relationship starts to change (until she gets murdered in the "Canon" timeline, but that's besides the point)

Also in the "canon" timeline, Michael and Charlie both act as guardians to the MCI victims

Michael has some bad dysmorphia when it comes to his face, which is part of why he wore his Foxy mask all the time. Charlie was one of the few people to see Mike without his mask on during their childhood

Charlie's the only person who can call Michael "Mikey"

I have a weird habit of imagining Charlie with a British accent whenever I read fanfics, so let's say that she got it from being babysat by William/hanging around Michael 

I just now realized that my take on Michael and Charlie's dynamic when they were kids weirdly parallels William and Henry. The Emily is the calm voice of reason while the Afton is the off the walls visionary who ends up killing someone oops

When drawing, Michael has a habit of doodling cartoon-ish caricatures of him and Charlie (who are a fox and black bear respectively) doing stereotypical romantic stuff

Growing up Charlie always got on Michael's case about him bullying Evan, always saying that one day, he'd go too far. Guess she was right

Charlie likes to doodle even though she's not that great of an artist

Charlie is definitely the type to listen to lo-fi beats with noise canceling headphones when doing chores/stuff in general

Michael used to love screamo stuff, but now he's more of a general rock and roll kinda guy

Michael discovered a pack of his dad's cigarettes when he was ten and started smoking in secret. Charlie eventually found out and scolded him, suggesting that he chew gum instead

This isn't really a headcanon, but I've been playing with the idea of Charlie being the Bonnie-mask bully, making her partially responsible for Evan's death and giving William more of a reason to kill her specifically. Also her and Michael being rebellious little snot faces while she's still the voice of reason is a mental image that I personally love. (Also in this headcanon Au thingy, the Chica and Freddy-mask bullies would be Jessica and Carlton respectively)

Finally, Charlie could absolutely whoop Michael in a fight, she just chooses not to

Ohh okay so let me get the first thing out of the way that I don’t like. I really don’t like the idea of Charlie being the Bonnie mask bully. Simply due to the fact that it does go against her character completely and it’s just not her if that makes sense. That being said that’s the only thing I don’t like.

Some of these I agree with myself like Charlie being older than Michael by a few months and Charlie drawing a lot (my personal headcanon is that she designed the mediocre melodies before she died and that’s why Henry used them in fnaf 6).

[m00n-d34r3st]

Ok, I love all of mikey's life interest even sara hill, because they all said something about it no matter how it panned out in the end, but with the expection of Wood by a bit is, I 100% always perfer him being with an oc one the basis of when we do see mikey finally give himself some distance from the environment he grew up in which is a goal is some iterations, it kind of a bummed we never really see mikey having anything beyond his established social circle and I feel like it such a waste in storytelling.

I don't want them to disappear, but with the young adult experience, it's normal and healthy for them to start building a new circle and spending a bit more time with them. My idea is kind of im the vain of urban legend and mirage to an extent having towns and cities were mutants and other people that would not fall under the human umbrella can lead civilian lives with Mikey getting a scholarship to go to college in one and meet other people his age that are mix of ocs and recurring characters in the fanchise. I love the idea of playing with the concept of mikey being the one out of all his brothers having a life that is normal in the traditional sense, he going off to college and building his own life and his family unit really dealing with such a change. I mentioned mikey having arcs in the early comic days of moving out or deciding to have living arrangements away from his family and I realized that at it's core is a family experiencing empty nest syndrome, which can be experienced by siblings. And it makes me so sad, because thinking about it while many families at least know and even expect that day to come, in their situation, they didn't have such expection or evne a chance of looking forward to such a day coming, so when Mikey did make that reality they were blindsided in away and left trying to find ways to cope. And I feel like it will be the same song and dance when it comes to finding his soulmate and future spouse, especially with them being an outsider.

For the type of person I think they would be, I love the idea of him being a man that is equally as invested in his career and trade and have the upmost respect for it. He's an ace in his field, but still uses has time for the people in his life and to better his community. Personality wise, I can see him being laced guy that knows how to work hard and play hard. Loves to engage in conversion, especially around the arts and definitely not beating the obssessed with his work vibes, which would match mikey's freak.

The thing is I can see them being a slow burn couple, they likely met during college, but had grown within themselves and with each other and generally had a deep connection that took time to create. They aren't always the bestest of friends, but there would never be a time when the other didn't have some level of respect and understanding. While, they weren't each other's first, it clear when they do finally start to claim each other as romantic soulmates, because the experiences they had together created that for them.

I have a couple more ideas like meeting ans becoming apart of the family but that's what I can think of now.

Mikey and April

They are each other’s stray cats

When Mikey meets April he literally acts in the exact same way he would if she were a frightened kitten. Beats up the thing threatening his creature, scoops her into his arms, and says to his brothers, “Can I keep her?” And then takes her home and gives firm instructions they should get him when she wakes, he’ll be listening to music. Tell me it wouldn’t be the exact same story on Mikey’s part if she had been a cat.

And meanwhile April allows her creatures to approach at their pace, let’s them into her home, bribes them with food (okay food Mikey and Donnie ordered but still), and tries to keep them—especially Mikey—away from fragile items. They are all cats in this show. Except for the, uh, rat. Sorry Master Splinter.

April and Mikey understand each other on a spiritual level. It isn’t very long after they meet that the banter begins, with her pretending to have ruined his comic books and him turning the lights off on her. They have fun and make each other laugh. They’re also very respectful of each other’s boundaries. Like when Mikey comes into her shop during a fight to say hi, when she protests and he realizes, he immediately gives the most sincere apology we’ve heard from him at that point in the show (maybe ever?) and backs right out. Or when Mikey wants to be a superhero and all of his brothers are making fun of him, but April rolls up her sleeves and helps him find an outfit. It takes them very little time to earn each other’s trust, and once they have it they never betray it.

I think the show under utilized their youngest sibling solidarity. Makes sense because Robyn is in one episode, and I don’t think age order is even stated (is Robyn younger in 2003? I’m pretty sure she’s older in Mirage and I like younger sibling April so I’m gonna pretend Robyn’s older). Anyway it would’ve been fun to see April remembering what being the youngest is like and sticking up for Mikey, reasonably or unreasonably. Could’ve been a cool bonding opportunity with Angel, too. But not very plot relevant so makes sense. I guess.

This friendship is so important for Mikey because she really is his first human friend. Donnie and Leo both seemed closer with the Professor (especially Donnie, but Leo is also shown to be trusting of the Shredder and the Utroms so I feel like it’s implied that the human thing isn’t a big deal to him), and Raph is close with Casey before he gets close with April. Mikey is the turtle who would want human friends the most. He shows the most interest in NYC culture and verbally states a desire to be part of the community more than once (the greater good thing). April’s first reaction on meeting them is screaming and fainting, so not great, but things turn around pretty fast and that had to have done a world of good for Mikey’s confidence.

You know how he’s obsessed with monster movies? I don’t think the irony is lost on him. Especially considering how quiet he immediately gets when Don points it out to him during Notes from Underground. The internalization of societal prejudice against him specifically is strong with this one. And in Mikey’s world, at fifteen, “society” irl is pretty much made up of April, Casey, and people who want to kill him. Thank goodness for April and Casey.

Some headcanons:

April is Mikey’s maid of honor just like he was hers

They are the party planning duo. Birthdays with the Splinterson-O’Neil clan are off the charts

They would have so much fun shopping together

April buys all the Turtle Titan merch

Most likely duo to argue about food. Does pineapple go on pizza? Sushi yes or no. How much hot sauce is too much. Why are you adding cilantro I hate cilantro—