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piebingo · 1 year ago

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Very good post. I’m still discovering loads of things about my own autism (and potential adhd, but I’ll focus more on autism), but I can add some things, if ever they are helpful. I should be sleeping right now, so if nothing makes sense, blame it on that.

I think that to write Sara well —and I don’t mean keeping her the same as canon, but simply to write a good character— the first step is to treat her with the same gentleness you would Wille or Simon or any other character you write. Sara is a complex individual with depth and qualities and flaws, and sometimes that’s what is lacking. And that goes for every character ever. Not saying that I always achieve it, it’s easier said than done ◡̈

Following rules: It’s said that autism often comes with this strong love for rules and routines. This is very true for me, but not necessarily in the way people tend to think. In high school I was both a dream and a nightmare for teachers. I could be your best student and follow every rule to a T, until I encountered one rule that made no sense to me. There was no way to make me follow that rule if I thought it was dumb or if it didn’t make sense to me. And when I say rules, I mean rules for everything. Rules for which flight of stairs to take in this particular building, for which way to work in an Excel sheet, for when to look at people and when to speak up in class and how to act in public and how to order food… you get the idea. It can also be really, really hard when people don’t follow my rules. And this is a me problem and something I work on, but when people do things in a way that doesn’t match with my own set of rules, it can sometimes be very deeply upsetting to me. Like "I’m in physical pain" because it doesn’t follow the rule.

In relation to Sara, we don’t really see any rules set by the school, but I think there are loads of times when we see her follow social rules in what reads as a very methodical way to me. There’s the whole sleeping with August for the first time scene and the awkward way the condom is brought up (I know that’s also seen as a pregnancy hint, but to me that reads as peak autism moment). There’s the way she learns how to greet the Queen, the teacher telling her she’s doing way too much. Of course everyone is different, but I do feel like Sara is probably, like me, living off of certain sets of rules. Whether I’m projecting or not, who knows. And it’s important to know that the rules that are follow or ignored can look completely random to other people.

And talking about social rule, here is a video of a poem that I can relate a lot to in terms of the struggle with understanding social rules.

The familial aspect: I wasn’t diagnosed as a kid so I don’t know what it’s like for Sara to grow up 1. knowing she’s autistic (growing up without a diagnosis comes with a bunch of trauma, that I know) and 2. growing up with a family that knows you are autistic. But, I do know that being the only one in your family that has this diagnosis is really hard, because no matter how much your family loves you and wants to support you, they can’t relate. And it sucks to have to mask at home, or to be dismissed, or to be infantalized, when the other aspects of your social life are also like that. And I think there are instances of all of those things in this show. Linda and Simon seem pretty great with Sara in general, but Linda doesn’t trust her, Simon tries to act like her parent, and as she told them herself, she feels like a burden to them. Canonically, Sara isn’t comfortable at home. They mock her sometimes (I’m sure it’s in good faith, but it has always rubbed me the wrong way whenever it happens and reminded me of when that would happen in my teenage years with my family).

Now I don’t have those same exact problems, my siblings are kind of aware I’m autistic I think, and my mom is pretty much the only one that accommodates my needs (especially concearning my sensory issues with sounds and lights). But what I do know is that masking doesn’t stop at home, and that as great as Linda and Simon can be, it will never stop the fact that they cannot relate or understand her, and since she doesn’t have a neurodivergent community or stable friendships… that explains imo a lot of the sometimes very extreme lengths to which Sara goes to have people in her life. Especially her friendships and the way she changes herself for them. Honestly, and I love Simon so much and Linda is pretty great in general, but I wasn’t surprised Sara wanted to get out of there.

Black and white thinking: I won’t go too much into this one because as I said I’m learning about myself and others too. But I’ll just put this video here because when I saw it it made me rethink my whole brain. It describes very very well how I see things, and I think it can be interesting food for thoughts about how Sara might be approaching things in her life too, most particularly entering this relationship with August. When you look at black and white thinking as absolute nuance vs no nuance at all… it might help understand how she could even be with August when he did that to Simon. And I’m a strong believer of "it’s not an excuse but it’s a reason" because I like to know the why of things, and it frustrates me when people, funnily enough, see no nuance in this situation. It doesn’t mean it’s not wrong, but yeah. I’m curious to know how other AuDHDers see black and white thinking, if that’s something that applies to them.

I’m sure there are more things I could add but hopefully this makes some sense and brings something to the table. I’ll go to sleep now.

A highly incomplete introduction to AuDHD for YR fans who want to write more Sara Eriksson

Greetings, friends! In my time in the Young Royals fandom, I’ve seen a few people mention they were interested writing Sara but they didn’t know how to approach her neurodivergence, or that they find it intimidating. I figured it might be worth compiling a post where I share both ADHD and autism resources I’ve found helpful, as well as elements of my personal experience I draw on when writing Sara.

This post is by no means exhaustive, and I could probably say a lot more. But I figured I’d get it out there in case it was helpful to anyone else.

Part One: Resources and Such

Yo Samdy Sam is an AuDHD vlogger who talks about her experiences, and I find her video about how autism and ADHD show up together pretty informative. Since Sara is both it’s good to have a grasp on these nuances! Yo Samdy Sam’s other videos are also ones I’d recommend.

I’m autistic, now what? is also a good channel to check out for someone talking about their day to day experiences of autism. Her videos are a little longer, but she focuses often on how things have changed from her childhood to her adulthood, which can be helpful if you’re thinking about Sara at different ages/writing flashbacks/working on fic set in the future/etc.

Chloe Hayden, who stars in another teen drama called Heartbreak High, is both autistic and ADHD, and very fun and positive. She presents quite differently than Sara does—lots more talking and energy—but I think she’s a good example of every neurodivergent person presenting differently. Also, people should watch Heartbreak High and write me some fic where Sara and Quinni meet because I want it.

How to ADHD is mostly geared toward practical life skills when you’ve got ADHD, but it doesn’t neglect the way those interact with emotional well-being. Sara might try some of these strategies while working on her school work and chores, either because an adult recommended she do so or because it’s part of a system she worked out for herself. Also, the videos are perfectly designed for ADHD brains, and i have acquired many ways to self-accommodate by watching them.

Jessie Gender is autistic and does commentary about lots of nerdy things and trans rights. I really liked her video on The Queen’s Gambit where she talks about autistic girls and sex. If you’re planning to write spicer fic about Sara (which people should write more of imo) then Jessie might be a good resource!

Marieke Nijkamp is a multiply disabled author, and one of her disabilities is autism. I still have to get around to reading her novel length books but her short story “Better For All the World” made me cry and is one of my formative sargust mentor texts. I really recommend it if you can get a hold of the anthology The Radical Element. (Although, heads up, the story deals with the Buck v Bell case of 1927, which is difficult subject matter.)

Disability in Kidlit has some great resources on writing autistic characters from a craft perspective. If you’re going to write specifically from Sara’s point of view, or even if you’re not, it’s worth reading this article about the autistic voice in fiction and this article about humanizing autistic characters. Other articles on the site are also great!

I’m going to talk more about my personal experiences under the cut below…

Part 2: My personal experiences & takeaways

Sooooo if you’ve met one AuDHD person, you’ve met one AuDHD person. I can’t really claim to speak for all AuDHD people, and I’ve only recently gotten my diagnosis anyway. That said, a lot of my own personal experience colors how I write Sara. So in the interest of transparency, I’ve gone ahead and listed some of the things I’ve thought about when I write her.

An important note before I get started—this is not, actually, meta or analysis of the show. I’m not trying to tell you want I “really” think is going on with Sara Eriksson, or what the writers intended, or what the show is saying. You may read her differently, and I’m sure your interpretation is just as informed by your own experiences as mine. So please don’t take this as a criticism if your interpretation is different.

What I am explaining here instead are the ways that my personal experiences as an AuDHD person have influenced my perception of Sara, which in turn translates to how I’ve made sense of her storyline and written her in fanfic. None of these are “excuses,” but they are explorations. You can look at it as me examining my own thinking and writing process. I’m also opening up about some of my experiences and being a little bit vulnerable. If you have questions about any of these things below, or you want to know more for your own fic, you are always welcome to message me. I may not be able to get back to you right away but I can help however I am able. There are also some things I might feel more comfortable discussing in depth one-on-one, so direct messages might be better in that case, too.

Anyway, let’s begin…

Polarized strengths and weaknesses: In my own experience as an AuDHD person there are some pretty dramatic contrasts between what I’m good at and what I suck at. I’m in the 99% percentile in some skills and the 2% percentile in others. This adds up to stuff like, I read the Sherlock Holmes stories for the first time when I was eight and Les Misérables when I was eleven, but I cannot drive a car or learn a choreographed dance no matter how hard I try. This is inexplicable to some people because they’re like, omg but you know all these advanced words! Surely if you can’t drive a car, it’s just because you aren’t trying hard enough! Likewise I think it makes sense to write Sara with a spiky profile of her own, and have characters react to that accordingly.

Perceptions of maturity: AuDHD adults aren’t children. AuDHD teenagers aren’t children either. And yet part of ableism is the infantilization of AuDHD people. I don’t have a lot of huge narrative squicks, but this is one of them, and it’s rooted in frustrations I’ve had over people treating me like I’m still a child. I always write Sara as the age she’s intended to be in the fic. If I see fanfic scenes or headcanon scenarios where someone is treating Sara like she’s five, and that’s spun as positive or never questioned, it can make me really upset and it’s an immediate back button. This is something I would recommend writers be on the lookout for if they’re incorporating Sara into a scene. Maybe this one bullet point is spinning a little far into criticism of other folks, but I think if I could communicate one thing to other people writing Sara, this would be it.

Special interests/hyperfixations: The thing about special interests is that autistic people often turn to them to replenish their energy and get their nervous systems back to a state of equilibrium. (For instance, me writing this post right now about my blorbo Sara Eriksson is me engaging with a special interest to put my nervous system in a state of equilibrium and put energy back in my body.) Sara’s time spent with Rousseau isn’t just wonderful because she loves horses, it’s also something that’s probably helping her recharge after a complicated day of navigating social situations at Hillerska. This is why she panics at the thought of losing Rousseau. Now, there’s still issues here in that Rousseau isn’t actually Sara’s horse. And I do think many teenage and adult autistics with low support needs, like Sara, understand that they can’t engage with their special interests all the time. But in order to write and understand Sara, I have to understand that she’s counting on Rousseau and horses more generally as something that helps her self-regulate and stay grounded. (In Heart and Homeland I also added art as one of her hyperfixations, so she often draws to recharge and make sense of things.)

Alexithymia: Alexithymia is essentially a trait people can have where they struggle to read their own emotions. It’s pretty common in autistic people and other neurodivergent folk; I have a mild version of it. For me, tuning into my emotions is a bit like trying to figure out what song is playing on a staticy radio. I might have to wait and “mess with the dial” a bit before I can fully understand what I’m feeling in a given situation. The question “how are you?” is a bit of a nightmare for me sometimes. Because my alexithymia is mild, I usually can figure out what I’m feeling in time, but I still often need extra effort to discern the nuances. I tend to apply this trait to Sara when I write her, mostly because she seems to need to sit with her feelings to understand how they’re affecting her. This is most evident when she’s trying to figure out if she like-likes August, though it comes out in other ways, too. Sara might just need a lot of time to process her emotions. Even when she’s showing her emotions and in them, they might take a lot of time to leave her system, and she might not catch on to how they’re affecting her right away. In Heart and Homeland, part of the reason Sara keeps a diary in the first place is so she can sort through what she’s feeling.

Heightened empathy: There’s an old stereotype that autistic people don’t have any empathy. This is not true, and some autistics even have an excess of empathy. I would argue that Sara (at least the way I interpret and write her) is one of them. This may seem counterintutive to some, as I have seen people argue that she is insufficiently empathetic to Simon and/or Linda. I see it differently, however. In my own experience, having an excess of empathy doesn’t always mean that I come across as loving and sweet to the people in my life. Sometimes it can make it so you’re so full of feelings toward others that you can’t act. I often function clumsily in conflicts, and feel like I’m caught between different parties, especially if it’s a situation where everyone appears to be hurting. It’s enough to make me shut down and not do anything, or even side with the person who to everyone else is obviously wrong. Especially when I was a teenager, the answer about “who to side with” in a conflict wasn’t always clear to me. For instance, in college, I dated a girl who constantly belittled me and many of my friends, and I let her get away with it because I was sensitive to the ways she was genuinely hurting about life. I am not proud of it now, and I did break up with her eventually and made efforts to patch things up with my friends when I could, but it also took me two and a half years to get there. Thanks to life experience and therapy, I am now better at recognizing red flags and overriding my excess empathy to call people out on their shit when they need it. It took me time, though, and I can’t help reading a lot of that into Sara. In a way, I tend to think her hope that August will own up to his actions is born out of heightened empathy for both August and Simon. She pins her hopes on this solution because, in her mind, it meets Simon’s needs because the person who harmed him has come forward and is willing to be held accountable for his actions and it meets August’s needs because he can find relief in owning up to his shit and stop drowning in regret. Now, yes, Sara is absolutely misleading herself and ignoring crucial details of the situation because she’s in love, and she does misread what Simon actually needs in the situation. This is very typically teenage. At the same time, when I write her in fic, I see this as tied to an excess of empathy, and not a lack of it.

Inertia/Executive Functioning Struggles: Building on what was said above… some AuDHD people (like myself) can really struggle with making a plan and getting started on tasks, and the bigger the task, the bigger the struggle. “Tasks” is a word we usually apply to things like doing laundry, so we tend to think of executive functioning as an unemotional thing, but it can also apply to emotional stuff like, say, having a big conversation that needs to be had or breaking up with someone you know you need to. (Like I said above. Two and a half years with that shitty person in college!) In fact, I would say inertia can even make things harder with social/emotional stuff, because math homework is at least consistently math homework, but social/emotional situations can shift and become more complicated over time. At Hillerska, we see Sara get involved in ever-shifting social politics, and it takes things escalating to the field scene for her to take action at the end of S2. (In a more minor example, Sara taking a while to get ready in the parents’ weekend episode, and Linda rushing her out the door, is a great example of Sara being affected by inertia.)

Menstrual ick: Increasing numbers of studies show that people with uteruses who have ADHD, autism, or both are way more likely to have painful periods and PMDD. This is true for me—one of the biggest signs that my period is coming is that I am absolutely convinced everyone hates me. I don’t know how to apply this to Sara directly, but periods are part of life and if you happen to write about her dealing with menstrual nonsense, this might be something to keep in mind.

Sensory issues: A lot of people are aware of sensory issues for neurodivergents, and every neurodivergent experiences sensory issues differently, and not always in ways that are immediately apparent to neurotypicals. For me, I hate vacuums and car horns and bananas, but for my roommate, she hates any lights on after 7 PM and finds chocolate overwhelming. Sara doesn’t mention any particular sensory issues, but presumably she has some and masks her reactions, so uh… make up the ones that make sense to you, I guess. Or, don’t make them up, but maybe read about a bunch of different people’s experiences of sensory issues and work from there. External stuff like being tired, sick, or being on one’s period can heighten sensory issues, so think about vulnerability factors that might increase them for Sara.

Rejection sensitivity: Many people with ADHD feel rejection or criticism from others with a high level of intensity, even as physical pain. (Fun fact: PMS makes my rejection sensitivity even worse!) I don’t know if we see Sara feeling rejection sensitivity onscreen much in YR, but I can’t help but imagine she’s dealt with it in the past, based on the way she says she sometimes feels like the worst person in the world, when she’s talking to August in 2.3. If Sara’s had therapy (which I assume she’s had in some form because she knows breathing exercises) then maybe this is something she’s worked on coping strategies.

Accommodations in school: I don’t actually know how this works in Sweden specifically or at a school like Hillerska, but I’d love to hear how it works! Someone else should weigh in if they know things. But I would not be surprised if Sara has the legal right to certain accommodations in school such as extended time on tests, guided notes, etc. (Not being Swedish myself, I’m not sure what the equivalent to the Americans With Disabilities Act would be in Sweden.) One thing to note here is that Sara would get to decide herself whether she actually uses her accommodations or not. I would say, based on my observations of teenagers, is that some neurodivergent teenagers tend not to use their accommodations so they can avoid sticking out among their peers. This seems like it might be the case for Sara, since she wants to make friends at Hillerska and not stand out. The other thing she might encounter at Hillerska specifically is teachers who don’t want to meet those accommodations because they’re “old school” and, frankly, ableist. Accommodations are something one should take into account when writing Sara’s academic life, though.

Double empathy problem: This is something that the psych community is talking about more lately, and essentially the idea here is that neurotypicals communicate best with other neurotypicals whereas neurodivergents communicate best with other neurodivergents. That doesn’t mean both groups can’t communicate with one another (and even reducing it to two groups is kind of oversimplifying things, because obviously culture and other things impact communication too) but there are different patterns of communication at work here. In my own life, I vibe well with people whose neurotypes are similar to mine—this is exactly why @coruscantrhapsody and I are such iconic roommates. The Double Empathy Problen is theorized to have played a role in stereotypes about autistic people not having any empathy. (PS: I don’t actually think August has undiagnosed ADHD in canon, at least not according to the writers. Still, I think it would be pretty interesting to write him in fanfiction as someone who has a missed childhood diagnosis given the way he struggles with rejection sensitivity, impulsivity, and emotion regulation, and the way that the adderall addiction could be a form of self-medication that has gone awry. For that reason I think it’d be interesting to see a fic where the sargust relationship is viewed through the lens of the double empathy problem. Obviously not in a way where the ADHD excuses August’s harmful behaviors, but you know. An added layer of delicious nuance. Alternately, I know some folks like to headcanon Wille as autistic. Sara really clicking with autistic!Wille when they finally get a chance to talk is something I’d like to see!)

Neurodivergent community: As far as I can tell, Sara doesn’t really have neurodivergent community. This makes me sad, as someone who strongly benefits from friendships with other neurodivergent people. I would like her to have some in someone’s fic, please! Let me know if you write it.

That’s all for now… maybe I’ll add more in a future post.

For any other AuDHDers, do you have any elements of your personal experience that you incorporate into how you interpret or write Sara’s character? Feel free to reblog and add on, if you feel so inclined. (But also, no pressure.) Like I said, every ND person experiences this stuff differently, so someone else may have completely different experiences than me.

#hopefully there’s some value in what I’ve said #sara young royals #autism #young royals #yr analysis

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tuiyla · 4 years ago

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Sentimental Affection: Hambo, the Shirt, and Objects of Psychic Resonance

Adventure Time and the mundane, aka Daddy, why did you eat my fries?

Ever a show to be full of hidden symbolism and so much more under the surface than its 11-minute runtime would allow, Adventure Time uses seemingly mundane objects like a teddy bear or a T-shirt to convey the monumental importance of character dynamics. This doesn’t only apply to objects but actual parts of one’s self, like Finn’s arm and the interwoven significance of his many swords. And then, there’s Marceline.

Like with many of the show’s more complex aspects, this is especially prevalent in Marceline’s story. How do you stress the sheer volume of having lived for a thousand years? How do you signify the lack of letting go of the past, lack of maturity? You give a girl a teddy bear and have her hold on to it for as long as she can. And it’s not just Hambo that adds unexpected depth to Marceline’s character and her relationship with others. There’s the infamous rock shirt, which we’ll get to, and then there’s the French fries eaten by Hunson Abadeer.

As iconic as the Fry Song has become and as synonymous with the complex Abadeer father-daughter relationship as it is, it seems silly, at first glance, that Marceline would be so upset over that simple transgression. But Adventure Time has a special talent for making the mundane whimsical and significant, so through the context of the full song, through little glimpses here and there, we understand the symbolism of the fries. It’s Hunson’s disregard for Marceline’s feelings, his carelessness, his lack of understanding, that really matters.

Just a teddy in the wreckage of the world

So what about Hambo? Hambo is, for a while, everything to Marceline. Hambo is the one representation of her relationship with Simon that she has left. It’s a remnant from the wreckage of the world, a plushie given to a scared little girl by an equally scared old man. It’s the one thing Simon leaves behind when he abandons Marcy, for her own good, and summons Hunson to take care of her instead. But Hunson eats those fries and so Marceline takes the family axe instead and keeps it as safe as she keeps Hambo.

Hambo stays with Marceline long after she turns into a vampire, ever a symbol of the tragic childhood she lost and yet is stuck in. It’s not a coincidence that she’s implied to tolerate much of Ash’s jerkish behaviour but draws the line when he sells Hambo for a new wand. That’s the only thing of Simon, the real Simon that she has left and it matters more than a boyfriend who doesn’t care about that. Disregard for Hambo is disregard for her. So Marceline keeps moving all across Ooo, both to escape from this new, twisted version of Simon and to find the one thing that proves he wasn’t always like this.

You kept the shirt I gave you?

Let’s take a break from Hambo for a moment. Let’s picture a time long before Finn washed up on the shores of Ooo, before the Candy Kingdom grew into what it is today. Marceline and Bonnibel are friends, maybe more - details depend on whatever nuggets “Obsidian” gives us. For a while, it works, and Marceline gives Bonnie a rock T-shirt. That shirt is so quintessentially Marcy that it becomes a symbol of their relationship when it’s with PB. The two drift apart, though, as Bonnie becomes known as Princess Bubblegum to everyone else and Marceline leaves before she can be left behind. The shirt becomes a sort of inverse of Hambo: a token of love that’s - as Marceline initially thinks - never cared for. Bitter as she might be over this, Marcy leaves it all behind as she left Hunson with the fries. She never really got to grow beyond being that young girl who was left Hambo in the snow.

Except, Finn does come along, eventually, and he brings Bonnie and Marcy together again. It’s intense and Marceline lashes out because, well, sorry she’s such an inconvenience. But in truth, it’s Marceline who tags along to defeat the Door Lord despite having no stakes in the mater, and it’s PB who wants to get her precious possession back. Her treasure is, of course, Marceline’s shirt. The one she always has worn, just in the comfort of her own room or under something else. Not out in the open, one might say, but constantly nonetheless, even long after Marceline was gone from her life. A reminder of what they had as much as Hambo is a reminder of who Simon was to Marcy.

That’s the wonder of “What Was Missing”. It lampshades the potential cheesiness of the message, that being “the real treasure is friendship”, but it is genuine in how it portrays that message beyond what would be expected of a kids’ cartoon. Finn keeps a piece of Bubblegum’s hair, but PB is right there to hang out with whenever they want to. Bonnie keeps Marcy’s shirt because she thinks it’s as close as she’ll get to be around her again, but Marceline tagged along just for the joy of being around them. What these two examples have in common is that both Finn and PB want something more from the relationship with the actual person, something they think is unattainable, so they hold on to the objects instead of reaching out.

I’ll get your kid back, toy

So what about Hambo and Marceline reaching out to Simon? When the Ice King inevitably finds her, again, Marceline is rightfully frustrated and just about ready to pack up and move again. But she’s grown these past few years since Finn entered her life and helped her face her past demons. It breaks her heart but she starts accepting Simon back into her life. They hang out and she insists on calling him Simon, because she never stopped viewing him that way. She knows who he used to be, even if he doesn’t, and she clings onto the representation of that hope, Hambo.

Marceline is already in a much better place by the time “Sky Witch” rolls around than she was at the start of the series. She kind of has Hunson, Simon and Bonnie in her life again. It’s all a bit complicated and unresolved - ”Stakes” isn’t for another two seasons - but she’s on her way. That doesn’t mean she’s gonna let the opportunity to get Hambo back pass by, so she asks for Bonnie’s help. It’s a bit awkward but she spent all this time being angry and feeling like she wasn’t good enough when PB cared enough to at least keep the shirt, so maybe that’s as much hope as Hambo is for Simon. And that’s exactly what “Sky Witch” proves, as Bonnie’s level-headedness helps Marcy navigate Maja’s treacherous turf and gets her Hambo back.

There's only one Hambo

There’s a misconception, a common and understandable one, but a misconception nonetheless when it comes to the shirt and Hambo. When Maja says that Hambo’s psychic resonance is nothing compared to the shirt’s, it’s easy to see the implication being that the shirt is that much more important. Therefore, Marceline is that much more important to PB than Simon is to Marcy. This isn’t entirely inaccurate but I also think that what’s important here is not to put these two objects and therefore the two relationships on the same scale. It implies that we’re comparing the familial type of love between Simon and Marcy to the romantic love between Bonnie and Marcy and that’s just a false and pointless comparison. Instead, the significance once again comes through trademark Adventure Time subtlety.

“What Was Missing” was mainly the Bubbline dynamic from Marcy’s perspective: her hurt, her anger over not knowing why it all ended. The twist with the shirt at the end only hints at PB’s side of things and “Sky Witch” takes it home. From the little moments at the beginning of the episode to the revelation that PB gave up the shirt for Hambo, it’s a full package. It’s in everything, including the scene where Peebs dismisses Hambo’s importance. It’s just a doll, totally replaceable, an insinuation which insults Marcy deeply. Bonnie doesn’t necessarily get why Hambo is so important but, in a way, PB does understand. She understands, because Hambo is to Marceline what the shirt is for her: hope.

When PB gives up the shirt, she gives up the only piece of Marceline she’s had for all these centuries. It wasn’t replaceable, just like Hambo wasn’t, but by giving it up she gives Marceline her most treasured possession, her hope. And you know what else? By giving up this remnant of the past, Bonnie gets Marceline back. “Sky Witch”, then, is the beginning of their new dynamic, as the lesson from the Door Lord finally sinks in. And by equating, in a way, Hambo and the shirt, after we’ve already seen in “I Remember You” and “Simon & Marcy” how monumental that relationship is, this makes Bonnie’s devotion to Marcy clear as day.

Magic, madness, sadness, and all the rest

Hambo becomes something even bigger in “Betty”. The reason why Maja wanted Hambo and then the shirt in the first place is because Adventure Time acknowledges within the logic of its own universe how important the love poured into these objects is. She uses the magic of the shirt and Simon uses the magic of Hambo. Marceline, reluctantly, lets go of Hambo because she just got Simon back, just as PB let go of the shirt and got Marcy back. Nothing is ever that straightforward in the land of Ooo, though, so Hambo brings Betty back but it can’t save Simon. Now Marceline got a taste of the old Simon, had hope, and it lives on in the person they sacrificed Hambo for: Betty.

Betty’s hope is misguided, though. With her time jump to modern day Ooo, a journey of denial and desperation begins that leads her and the whole land down a road of magic and madness. Betty’s shenanigans is its own separate post, really, and all the themes of acceptance, denial and change they represent. What I find fascinating in this context is how, again, in true AT style, the butterfly effect did its magic and the mundane lead into the whimsical and grandiose.

Right there where you left it, lying upside down

Simon gave a little Marcy her teddy doll and Ash carelessly passed it on. Marceline gave Bubblegum a rock shirt, something so quintessentially her that it was the one thing Peebs held onto even after all those years. The shirt was a symbol of their lingering connection and its sacrifice meant the start of a new chapter. The significance of the shirt was enough to get Hambo back, which in turn was powerful enough for Simon to get Betty back. And, eventually, by moving almost literal heaven and hell, Betty brings Simon back. Everything stays, but it still changes.

The shirt is not Marceline. Hambo is not Simon. Objects are not people, nor can we only be with people if we let go of those objects. That isn’t the message the show is going for. And these objects are only catalysts for character arc and dynamics in most cases, anyway. Marceline doesn’t grow up by letting Hambo go, she succeeds in leaving the past behind in “Stakes”. And, if the “Obsidian” trailer is any indication, even that doesn’t mean she’s done with all her demons.

What the intertwined stories of Hambo and the shirt tell us is that complex, emotional stories can be told through simple objects. A teddy doll can signify a thousand years of pain and yet provide hope, while a rock T-shirt can pack some good old-fashioned queer yearning into it. Hambo and the shirt aren’t even monumental parts of Marceline’s, Simon’s and Bubblegum’s stories, even if Adventure Time finds clever ways to use them in the plot. They are just two simple things that represent so much in terms of character development and some of the show’s central dynamics, and that’s damn good storytelling.

#bubbline #adventure time #marceline abadeer #princess bubblegum #obsidian #at #pb #hambo #simon petrikov #my thoughts #missed writing about at

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pjstafford · 8 years ago

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To Video or not to Video? Fan Blog on David Duchovny Hell or HighWater Tour: (Second blog in series) I recently attended a book event and concert in Seattle and had intended to write one blog about the experience. I quickly came to the realization that I needed to write several blogs to do the experience justice. I decided the morning after the concert that one blog needed to be on my conflicted viewpoints related to the issue of taping, periscoping, phoning the concert. I want to begin with three contextual things to consider in terms of the experience. 1. Any live concert experience has the potential to be transcendent.. Seeing a performance live is different than a recording, a streaming, viewing concert footage. The concert experience includes the interactions with the people around you and how the artist responds to that audience. Certain artists make each concert experience unique which is why people will go to see one artist night after night in the same tour. At its heart, the best rock concert experiences are a communicative exchange of love and appreciation between the artist and the fans. The musicians’ performance is enhanced or worsened by the audience. Fan enjoyment of the music can be greatly increased by an artist, like Mr. Duchovny, who is working to interact fully with members of the audience. Fans who might have not known each other before the event might feel a special bond with each other because the experience is so magical and unique. I have seen this, for instance, with the Dead. Ever witnessed two Deadheads realizing they were both in Ithaca on the night of whatever in the seventies? Forty years later they are bonded, discussing the moment, heart beating as one. Mr. Duchovny made a statement in the book event in Seattle related to why he toured. He is motivated by the experience with the audience that exists only on that specific night. I’m an experienced concert goer. I have never experienced anything like my experience in Seattle in terms of being in the moment. 2. David Duchovny has a fierce, strong passionate fan base. Mr. Duchovny repeatedly says in interviews that he is not vain enough to think people are coming to see him as a musician but because of his fame. If they come and they don’t like the music that's valid, but if they like the music then that's valid too. I heard people in Seattle say “I just touched Mulder.” I get that. However, I am not sure if Mr. Duchovny and his band fully realize how things have changed in the last year within his fan base. I met in Seattle the Dutch Duchovniacs who, having seen him in Amsterdam, came to the US to see his Portland and Seattle shows. I am virtual friends with people who saw him in Europe who are here for the Eastern half of the tour. They don’t do that because they want to touch Mulder again. They are doing that because they love the music and because they love the concert experience which David Duchovny provides. Also, they come because they love one another: their fellow travelers in the Duchovny community. Much like the Deadheads, the fans of Mr. Duchovny’s music have formed a special bond. They are small but strong. I stood in the rain eating pizza with my friend Cathy to assure we were the first in the line for Duchovny’s Seattle concert. I had just met the man at a book signing. I didn’t stand in line for hours in the rain for a concert for any other reason than a sincere desire to see the musician/songwriter. I hope that David Duchovny recognizes that we didn’t do that because we are crazy for Mulder (although of course we are), but because we truly love the music and the experience –that he doesn’t see us as crazed fans, but as part of a community some call Duchovniacs who want him to feel supported and loved in his musical endeavors. We are grateful for his touring and giving us the experience. We know he has a day job acting and a side job novelist and he doesn't have to do this. Mr. Duchovny has a fandom for his music because of his music. This fandom is growing due, at least partially, to the efforts of this fan base. 3. Mr. Duchovny arrives here as a new musician already a mega star as an actor. That does change the dynamics of the experience. If he was any other musical artist at this stage of his musical career, the desire to take videos and pictures would be less strong. However,he is not. I cannot imagine what it is like for the private individual, David Duchovny, to exist in his day to day world of fandom obsession for Mulder and Moody.. I knew when he left Seattle on Monday. Not that I wanted to. It came up on my Twitter feed. I saw pictures of him on his day off between the West and East Coast tour. Is there anybody on the planet photographed more than him? Yet I’m the first one to say that the planet needs more photographs of him. (No, truly, we need more photographs of David Duchovny). The concert photographs of Duchovny are among the best. He hasn’t banned photography from his concerts. I hope he doesn't. He has at concerts, from time to time, asked people to put away their phones. As much as I love the videos and photographs, if Mr. Duchovny wants this one small aspect of his career to not be about filming his performance, but to be about the opportunity to have a interactive experience with him audience to artist that is in the moment-I’m all in for that. My Seattle experience on this topic. For the book discussion we were told photography was allowed but no flash and no photography for the signing portion. I videotaped a total of ten minutes of the discussion and Q and A. This was my contribution to the fandom now loaded on YouTube. It was various portions of the discussion. I am happy to have my friend’s Cathy’s question and Mr. Duchovny’s funny reaction, thoughtful and in depth answer. She will always have that and is able to share it with others. . I did not feel it was intrusive or would keep me from living the experience as it was happening. It was during this discussion/QA that David made the statement related to why he tours and then said that everyone has a fucking phone and then it's on YouTube and then it's forever. He did not sound happy about that. Therefore, I made the decision not to film any footage at the Seattle concert, not to tweet during the concert, but to be at the concert engaged. It was incredible. Add to David Duchovny’s many varied talents his ability to make everyone in a crowd of 500 feel like they had individualized interactions with him. Two memories are particularly strong from the concert. In Unsaid Unsung, his angry song, he was on the stage near us, bent all the way down so his face seemed within inches of ours when he singed /yelled “I said I’m done.” Then, something I had never seen in concert footage, still bending, his facial expression cold, he put his hands up so they were just beneath his eyes, held them as if in a fist, but not as if about to hit, more as if closing himself off, then backed away while maintaining eye contact. At least it seemed that way to me. I mean I don’t know how he could maintain eye contact with more than one person, but it felt like he was staring directly at me. It was so intense and so appropriate for the song. I can close my eyes right now and see that. Incredible! If I had been trying to capture the moment instead of living it I could not have lived it in the same intense manner. The other moment was during the encore when Mr. Duchovny came into the audience to dance. I was very near but did not move to dance with him. Instead I stood very close to the scene as an observer. Women surrounded him touching him and dancing. There was one moment when he kind of wiggled down and the women around him were wiggling down as well. There is an image framed in my mind’s eye of him with his eyes closed, butt out for a wiggle, hands up, and a facial expression of such joy. It was a beautiful thing to see and for me completely illustrates his reason for touring as stated in his book discussion. The interactive experience with the audience brings him joy. It brought the audience members joy as well. The next day, however, I was delighted when a friend sent me a screen cap from a video of David Duchovny singing with a picture of us looking up at him. Through out the day we found others. Someone near where we sat captured a couple of songs and we kept saying “ooh remember when he did that.” We saw a video of him and Keaton Simon together on stage from the other side of where we were and saw interactions we would not otherwise have seen. There is a video tape which clearly shows me moving out of the front row so another fan could be close for her favorite song and then that fan taking off her bra, throwing it on stage and displaying her breasts until Mr. Duchovny’s fatherly steen shaking of his head convinced her to cover them again. The best part of the video for me is seeing the look on Cathy’s face when it happened. That was part of our concert experience. Even though we were upset by that aspect of the evening at the time, it was certainly fun to watch it the next day. I was concerned about the young woman who had thrown her bra being in the picture, but she has tweeted herself a picture of her bra on stage. She owns the moment and does not seemed regretful. Those videos and photographs enhanced our concert experience. They allowed us to return to the moment in a different way. We watched the footage of “the weight” with David Duchovny and Keaton Simon on repeat. Cathy and I also discussed that without the Duchovniacs footage of the European tour we would likely not have had a desire to attend a concert. It is the fans footage that made us aware of how awesome this live experience might be. The original Duchovniacs have increased the fandom, increased the people who call themselves Duchovniacs, in much the same way the boot legged recordings of Dead increased the fandom of Deadheads. So there’s the dilemma. These videos enhance the post concert experience for those who attended. The videos are important to the fans who cannot afford to travel to the limited locations he is performing. The videos increase the fans desire to go and build the audience. Yet at the actual concert they distract from the experience and might actually impact the quality of the performance. No easy answers here. Mr. Duchovny would be within his rights to prohibit photography and filming. He hasn’t done that yet. He has asked people to turn off their phones during some concerts. One option might be to have each concert professionally videotaped and edited and offered for sale. If there was a video of the concert performance I saw, I would want it. Another option would be to have a section where photography and videotaping was allowed in the audience and ban it in other sections- perhaps in one section of the floor or a higher up section. Again no easy answers. I have conflicted feelings about the issue of whether or not to “phone” the concerts. Those conflicted feelings are also part of my concert experience from Seattle.

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comicsbeat · 7 years ago

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We’re into our fourth day of creator thoughts, inspirations and projects. As always, thanks to everyone who took the time to participate. As you can see, the biggest story of last year was definitely #metoo and the revelations of sexual harassment in the comics industry. We all have a lot of work to do to make our industry – and the ones around us – a safe, inclusive place for everyone.

Also, on a lighter note, the quality of creator portrait photos has vastly improved since I started doing this 14 years ago. Whether that’s a function of comics folks being better known in general or just the Instagraming of everything, I’ll leave you to judge.

Brandon Graham, cartoonist/editor

2018 Projects: I’m finishing up my Multiple Warheads book along with a Royalboiler art book and then a new new series.

What was the biggest story of 2017? This has been a bizarre year in that the world outside of comics I think affected the tone of readers and creators in ways that was certainly new to me.

I was disheartened by seeing things like Aubrey Sitterson, catch flack and seemingly lose the backing of his publisher over people being upset at (some fairly mild things said) his twitter. DC continues to plunge the depths of Watchmen for no good reason. & only seemed to care about dealing with a sexual harasser when the outside world started to take notice -While Marvel made some attempts at doing socially progressive comics while at the same time their chairman is funnelling money to the right wing.

It got me to the point where I was actively trying to distance my everday from looking at mainstream comics, spending more time reading work from publisher like Koyama, NoBrow, Fantagraphics and Peow — ( I read a lot of Image too but they’re who I work with so I’m biased)

Creatively I got a lot out of Connor Willumsen’s Anti-gone (Koyama)

What will be the biggest story of 2018? I’ve seen some really exciting work on the horizon. Sloane Leong’s Prism Stalker (Image comics) Dilraj Mann’s new Nobrow book, more from creators like Simon Roy, Farel Dalrymple, Grim Wilkins. & Emma Rios.

Guilty Pleasure of 2018: I’m dipping my toes into doing more artwork with the porn company Woodrocket, I dunno if there’s any guilt in that for me, but I wouldn’t wanna talk to my mom about it.

Who or what inspires you? Connor Willumsen really got me thinking with his work. & on a more personal level I spent a lot of time hanging out with Farel Dalrymple this year & seeing his process and the work he’s doing in inspiring.

Glenn Hauman, editor ComicMix

2018 Projects: Pushing “Mine!”, our anthology benefiting Planned Parenthood (even though it came out at the very end of 2017, most of the work hyping it is yet to come.)

What was the biggest story of 2017? I feel the biggest stories are the ones that haven’t been covered yet. Why did Axel Alonso leave Marvel so suddenly? What’s going to happen to BOOM! now that minority stakeholder Fox is merging with Disney, who already has Marvel?

Of the stories we know about, it’s obviously Bendis leaving Marvel, an event as big as Kirby leaving Marvel.

(I’m partial to the Ninth Circuit court ruling that you can’t trademark an illustration style, but that’s me.)

What will be the biggest story of 2018? Sadly, the one most people will care about isn’t even technically a comics story: how the Marvel Cinematic Universe will integrate the Marvel properties controlled by Fox. Will the FF pop in the post-credits sequence of Avengers: Infinity War?

Second place: who’s the next person to get fired over sexual harassment accusations?

Guilty Pleasure of 2018: A ruling from the Register of Copyrights.

Who or what inspires you? Neil Gaiman. His story for “Mine!” took what was one of the most painful moments of his life, ripped out his heart and turned it into artâ€” and turned it into art to help people who are going through the same sort of pain, and to explain to people who don’t understand how painful that can be.

Neil Kleid, writer

2018 Projects: Several anthology stories, including “Babel” with my KINGS AND CANVAS partners, Jake Allen and Frank Reynoso, for the second volume of the Jewish Comix Anthology; mostly a creative/building year for me, working on a novel, a TV pilot and several pitches/projects yet to be announced.

What was the biggest story of 2017? Hands down the last-straw, breaking of the dam, simply not going to take it public airing and (in some cases) termination of known sexual predators in comics . In addition to that, the further discussion as regards diversity and women in comics and the empowerment/need for both on creative and editorial levels.

What will be the biggest story of 2018? The growing move by established creators away from comics and into alternative mediums that pay well. I believe the moves being made in Washington by the Orange Skull will result in many a creator being unable to pay their bills or write of expenses, forcing the need for either a shift to better paying work in the arts or having to embolden their bank accounts with day jobs, in some cases. Without enough paying work to go around and a potential hurt coming in terms of taxes and available healthcare, you’re going to see a lot of creators making tricky decisions in the coming years.

Guilty Pleasure of 2018: Well, I’m addicted to the CW DC TV shows and just devoured NBC’s THE GOOD PLACE, but the kids and I are really looking forward to the eighth volume of Kazu Kibuishi’s AMULET series

Who or what inspires you? I spent a lot of my year re-reading old Joe Kubert comics and books – RAGMAN, SGT ROCK, JEW GANGSTER – as well as a bulk of Will Eisner’s original graphic novel library. Something about immersing one’s self into a master class of sequential storytelling always helps stir the creative juices.

You can read previous installments of the survey here.

Ronald Wimberly, cartoonist

2018 Projects: LAAB, Sunset Park

What was the biggest story of 2017? I got a decent check from Prince of Cats and Black History in its Own Words

What will be the biggest story of 2018? LAAB and Sunset Park

Guilty Pleasure of 2018: Hopefully traveling back to see my friends in Japan or France.

Who or what inspires you?

Jose Muñoz

Brandon Schatz, retailer

2018 Projects: What was the biggest story of 2017? The gradual and continual collapse of Marvel.

What will be the biggest story of 2018? The slow refocus of the comic book industry outside of the direct market.

Guilty Pleasure of 2018: Whatever Marvel comes up with next for their line. Partly because it will be a “make or break/mission statement” moment for sure. And admittedly, they have my favourite characters, despite my current apathy for much of their line that didn’t just get cancelled.

Who or what inspires you? Shelley Bond. Her curation of a line true to her roots, but with an eye to the future made for an interesting mission statement. Marry old creators with fresh voices so they can “learn from each other”, instead of using the old ways as the de facto guide.

Mike Zagari, cartoonist/SVP-Aftershock

2018 Projects: AfterShock Comics: Overseeing the Brand, Marketing, Promotional, Digital + Various Creative Aspects of titles such as ANIMOSITY, ALTERS, PESTILENCE, BABYTEETH, JIMMYâ€™S BASTARDS, DARK ARK, ROUGH RIDERS and more.

What was the biggest story of 2017? There were so many big stories in the industry in 2017, but I believe the most shocking aspect was how divisive the opinions to the major topics were.

What will be the biggest story of 2018? Making the single issue comic a more anticipated experience than anything on TV or Film.

Guilty Pleasure of 2018: The Avengers: Infinity War film. They did a great job juggling all the characters in Captain America: Civil War. This looks like it’s doubled the cast.

Who or what inspires you? In no particular order, I enjoyed the art of Terry Dodson, James Jean, Babs Tarr, and Ben Caldwell.

Jason Leivian, retailer/editor

2018 Projects: Publishing Coredoor with Brandon Graham and Emma Rios. A follow-up/evolution to their popular Island magazine.

What was the biggest story of 2017? #visiblewomen was a powerful, inspiring project and the internet was a nicer place for a few days.

What will be the biggest story of 2018? Comic Aht? magazine from Domino Books

Guilty Pleasure of 2018: Fiffe’s Bloodstrike

Who or what inspires you? I had a recharging Fall con season, between SPX, Short Run, and CABF. Meeting kindred spirits and making new friends like Jon-Michael Frank, Charlene Man, and Orion Martin.

Taimur Dar, journalist

What was the biggest story of 2017? CB Cebulski replacing Axel Alonso as Marvel EiC

What will be the biggest story of 2018? Probably whatever the latest Marvel blunder will be

Guilty Pleasure of 2018: Whatever Brian Michael Bendis’ DC Comics project will be

Who or what inspires you? Late/Great Dwayne McDuffie

Thomas Ragon, editor, Dargaud

2018 Projects: From the USA, here are some of the projects that are official.

After “Musnet”, There will be another project by Kickliy. A western. Two books.

Tim Hensley’s “Sir Alfred #3” will be released in August or September, with additional material by the author. This will be a 24×32 cm hardcover. Here’s the exclusive new endpaper.

Then, the French edition of Hartley Lin’s “Young Frances”. I’m proud to be working soon on this one, “Pope Hats” quite impressed me by the maturity at work.

From the French scene, Thomas Gilbert’s take on the Witches of Salem case should not come out without being noticed.

After “Audubon” (published in English by Nobrow), Fabien Grolleau and Jeremie Royer will be back with “H.M.S. Beagle, les origines de Darwin”.

Art : Jérémie Royer, Writer : Fabien Grolleau.

“Renaissance”, is a very strong science fiction series by Fred Duval, Fred Blanchard and Emem. Art : Emem & Fred Blanchard ; Writer : Fred Duval.

Lucas Varela and Diego Agrimbau join us for “Le Roi de la forat”, another science fiction book, with a completely different approach.

What was the biggest story of 2017? In France, I would say the tremendous success of humor comics. More precisely, non-fiction treated with humor, “L’Arabe du Futur”, “Dans la combi de Thomas Pesquet”, or plain humor comics like “Les Vieux Fourneaux” (more than one million copies sold with four books in four years).

Guilty Pleasure of 2018: Attending Napoli Comicon, in May.

Who or what inspires you? Blutch literally saved my professional life, in 2017, with his “Variations”. He’s so dedicated to his work and art, always trying to move forward, to try new things, to be working, whatever the difficulties are. He’s so talented, of course. And friendly. A real inspiration. Thank you, Blutch.

Reilly Brown, cartoonist

2018 Projects: Outrage at Line Webtoon and Dash Hudson at GhostekProducts.com/Dash

What was the biggest story of 2017? CB Cebulski taking over at Marvel

What will be the biggest story of 2018? Non-Marvel/DC publishers (such as Webtoon) signing deals with Marvel and DC creators, and rivaling their readership.

Who or what inspires you? Sanford Greene

Dave Elliott, editor

2018 Projects: MEND and CLICK. First two graphic novels that I am editing for Zuiker Press. Zuiker Press is a new publishing company founded by Anthony Zuiker (creator of CSI) and his wife Michelle. I’m the editor. Graphic novels based on true stories of kids that have gone through something traumatic. First books are Divorce (Mend) and Cyberbullying (Click). Currently in production are books on racial prejudice, body dysmorphia, and autism.

What was the biggest story in comics in 2017? Mark Millar/Netflix.

What will be the biggest story in comics in 2018? Maybe someone starts producing mass market comics again?

Guilty Pleasure: Black Panther movie!!!!

Who or what Inspires you: Rick Remender, only because Seven to Eternity is the only comic I look forward to these days.

Erica Schultz, writer

2018 Projects: Twelve Devils Dancing (Writer) with Dave Acosta and Andrew Covalt, Bingo Love (Editor) with Tee Franklin, Jenn St-Onge, and Joy San, I have a back up story with Natasha Alterici (Heathen) in Destiny NY Vol. 2 from Space Between Entertainment, I’m also working on the Corpus anthology, as well as Where We Live, the anthology benefitting the victims of the Las Vegas shooting drawn by Liana Kangas (Blackout).

What was the biggest story in comics in 2017? I’d say Bingo Love getting picked up by Image Comics is a big story, seeing as it’s the first time Image would be publishing a graphic novel by an African American woman.

What will be the biggest story in comics in 2018? The launch of books from Black Crown and Berger Books, two new imprints will be exciting. Emma Beeby and Ariela Kristantina have a great book about Mata Hari coming out. Also, several comics properties have been optioned lately, so it’d be interesting to see how far that goes in 2018, especially with platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, etc. looking for content.

Guilty Plesaure: Hmm…Maybe a new season of Sarah and Duck?

Who or what inspires you? There are so many incredibly talented creators out there, I don’t know if I could narrow it down to a few. I adore Tee Franklin (Bingo Love), Meredith Finch (Rose), Emma Beeby (Mata Hari), Eric Palicki (No Angel), Vita Ayala (The Wilds), Natasha Alterici (Heathen), Emily Pearson (The Wilds), Liana Kangas (Blackout), Erik Burnham (Ghostbusters), and so many others. I’m very inspired by my peers who challenge me and push me to do better.

The Beat’s Annual Creator Survey, 2018 Edition, Part Four: Including some incredible preview art from Dargaud We're into our fourth day of creator thoughts, inspirations and projects. As always, thanks to everyone who took the time to participate.

#brandom graham #brandon schatz #creator survey 2018 #Dave Elliott #erica schultz #glenn hauman #jason leivian #mike zagari #neil kleid #Reilly Brown #ronald wimberley #taimur dar #thomas ragon

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