#i may not be trained in comics but i AM trained in storytelling so i like to think i at least half know what i'm talking about hehe

[7clubs]

hi just wanted to ask how. do i Read orv like what Is it

Hi... Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint is a super long Apocalyptic Fantasy + Psychological Korean Webnovel (complete) that also has an ongoing Webtoon adaptation.

If you like fun metanarrative bullshit, have ever been a little too dependent on your blorbo to get through life, if you love stories/storytelling as a concept, if you are a writer like me, and like epic complex women, you may just love ORV.

If you are a former homestuck like me and was dissatisfied with the ending: uh, this is kinda like hs if it stuck the landing. i am serious.

HOW TO READ ORV:

Novel: I used this epub file!

Webtoon: Right here!

The Webnovel currently doesn't have an official English translation (though it's in the works) and I believe the one that's out there is partially machine translated, so the prose can be rough.

But obviously, I still enjoyed myself plenty: ORV often goes through some scenes rather bluntly/directly anyway, and shines truly with what its characters and themes are doing.

There's more versions in this google doc too, and that has a whole bunch more info for new readers and a link to content warnings as well! But I want to keep this post simpler ^_^

I think the Webtoon comic is a pretty good adaptation, and might be a great starting point! (since... it's probably not going to be complete for. another decade) But ORV relies on a lot of the novel format's quirks for its full impact, and I truly think it's the definitive experience.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

It's a story about stories focusing on Kim Dokja, who is a nobody office worker about to lose his job, who has lived a life of mostly mundane, everyday tragedies.

He finds solace in his hobby, reading webnovels on the train to work, in particular his favorite story: a super long, super boring, and super unpopular webnovel called Three Ways to Survive the Apocalypse (TWSA) In fact, he's perhaps the only person who has read the novel to its final chapter, after over ten years of dedicated readership.

As he's waiting for the webnovel to update with its epilogue, suddenly, the world as he knows it is plunged into TWSA's setting, and Kim Dokja finds himself in the unique position of being the one person who knows how the story will play out... and perhaps, change the ending to his liking.

But he doesn't have to just contend with surviving the bloody challenges demanded by the godly beings of TWSA's setting... he also has to face the novel's characters becoming real people: in particular, its ruthless protagonist, Yoo Joonghyuk, who has his own plans for success and is more than willing to cut down any new threat that pops up.

ARE YOU NORMAL ABOUT IT?

No. I will never be the same again. see this attached post

[justanotherthrowaway1950]

Why I Headcanon Azula Suffering from Mental Illness, Pre-Sozin's Comet

Note: To make it super clear, I have no relevant training when it comes to mental health, or in psychology in general. I am just a fan sharing my headcanon based on what I think would lead into interesting storytelling. So if you have any problems (ex. you think I engaged in ableism) with my characterization and/or diagnosis of Azula, please let me know in the comments.

One of the more contentious arguments in the ATLA fandom is whether or not Azula has any mental disorder(s), and if so, what they are. 

Some fans think Azula suffered from some combination of antisocial personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, and/or bi-polar personality disorder, and so all the events of the back half of Season 3 did was make her actively psychotic. 

Meanwhile, there are other fans who believe that Azula’s problem was being a poorly socialized kid who was raised to be the perfect conqueror and tyrant, and so her mental breakdown during Sozin’s Comet was a temporary stress-based breakdown caused by her life falling apart.

And while the comics could have provided a clear answer, they unfortunately haven’t as of the time of this post. 

This is because while Azula suffered from constant delusions and hallucinations for at least a year, they can be easily explained by her less than ideal treatment in her asylum.

(Yes, apparently it is canon that there is systemic abuse present in the Fire Nation’s asylum system, and that it played a major role in not only Azula’s worsened mental state in the comics, but also why the Fire Warriors willingly joined Azula’s side as well.)

Moreover, despite her and Zuko claiming that she appears to mentally better off in Smoke and Shadow, with Azula claiming that she no longer sees or hears “Ursa”, she occasionally is drawn in the same fashion as an actively psychotic Azula is in The Search.

Which suggests that her escaping the asylum and finding a new purpose in life, turning Zuko into a tyrant or retaking the throne for herself, is just a temporary fix.

In addition, at least in the post-Sozin’s Comet comics written by Gene Luen Yang, Azula is supposed to be suffering from a split personality disorder. 

Yet I am pretty sure that a significant portion of fandom would agree with me when I say that did not appear to be the case in those comics considering Azula never appears to switch between her normal personality and any alters.

Therefore, considering the franchise refuses to give a clear answer on what, if any, mental illness(es) Azula has, what, if any, mental illness(es) Azula has is the realm of headcanons for now.

So, what mental illness(es), if any, do I headcanon Azula suffering from?

Well, I headcanon that Azula has (childhood) schizoaffective disorder plus complex post-trauma stress disorder (C-PTSD) caused by the fact that Ursa did manage to teach her morals, but she had to consciously disregard them to be her father's perfect heir. 

And that the first time she hallucinated Ursa was after her father made her do something heinous, like torturing an agitator in a prison at his command, or after she smiled after Zuko's burning, thinking that deserved it, even though deep down she knew it was wrong.

I also headcanon that she went to great lengths to hide her hallucinations and avoid triggering herself by doing things like avoiding mirrors to the point that no one other than Lo and Li suspected there was anything wrong with her.

But as Zuko, Ty Lee, and Mai “abandon” her before the events of the show occur, she starts to fall apart.

Hence why she seeks out Ty Lee and Mai, even though there are better fighters available like Combustion Man, and why she allows Zuko to "redeem" himself.

That and "Ursa" telling her that she has been a bad sister for trying to imprison or kill her own brother, and that he deserves to come back home, not in chains or in a coffin, but by her side as their father’s rightful heir once again. 

So, with her brother and friends back in her life, combined with the fact that she has succeeded in securing her father’s love by essentially winning the war as far as she is concerned, Azula is able to keep “Ursa” for the most part suppressed.

Hence why Azula appears to be happy and even somewhat normal during the first part of Season 3.

This, even though “Ursa” keeps telling her from time to time that it is wrong to blackmail her brother about the Avatar’s potential survival, and that it is a matter of time before Mai and Ty Lee stop tolerating her after everything she has done to them, especially Ty Lee.

So it’s no surprise that after Zuko, Mai, Ty Lee, and Ozai's "betrayals", especially considering the nature of their “betrayals” and how they all occurred within a short timeframe, that she becomes actively psychotic, with her condition then worsening due to the abusive asylum she was placed in, as well as the fact no one came to visit her until Zuko needed her to find Ursa.

But after Noriko apologizes for not loving her enough, plus Zuko affirming that he will always love her, she stops being actively psychotic due to a combination of no longer being in the asylum and her realizing her purpose in life is to "help" Zuko.

However, Azula hasn’t really healed, since her actions in Smoke and Shadow were essentially having a manic episode due to having a new purpose in life, no longer being in the asylum, and having new friends in the form of the Fire Warriors.

Moreover, her trying to turn Zuko into a tyrant, or if that fails, retaking the throne for herself, is a giant coping mechanism since actively coming to terms with the fact her trying to be her father’s perfect heir alienated her from everyone who she cared about would be too much for her psyche.

Especially since there doesn’t seem any way to redeem herself, let alone get her brother, Mai, and/or Ty Lee’s forgiveness and companionship again.

And why do I headcanon Azula suffering from (childhood) schizoaffective disorder alongside C-PTSD?

Well, initially, before rewatching ATLA, I used to think that Azula’s breakdown was a temporary, stress-induced breakdown caused by her life falling apart.

But after rewatching ATLA, or more specifically, the mirror scene, I picked on something very peculiar: Azula doesn’t appear to be shocked by the presence of “Ursa”, even though as far as she is concerned, Ursa has been gone for over five years at this point.

___________________________________________________________

Azula: “All right hair, it's time to face your doom.”

Azula grabs the bangs hanging in front of her face. She lifts them in the air and cuts them, with them falling near her feet. Her reflection in the mirror shows her grinning, with her hair a mess, but she stops grinning as she notices Ursa appears in the reflection, behind Azula.

Ursa: “What a shame, you always had such beautiful hair.”

Azula: “What are you doing here‌?”

Ursa: “I didn't want to miss my own daughter's coronation.”

Azula: “Don't pretend to act proud. I know what you really think of me. You think I'm a monster.

Ursa: [Cuts to shot of Azula looking at her reflection in the mirror, clearly angered; off-camera.] “I think you're confused. All your life you used fear to control people, like your friends Mai and Ty Lee.”

Azula: [Closes her eyes before turning around sharply to face her mother.] “Well what choice do I have?! [Cuts to shot of her standing in the room, her back to the mirror which still shows the reflection of her mother.] Trust is for fools. Fear is the only reliable way. Even you fear me.”

Ursa: [Sincerely.] “No. I love you, Azula. I do.”

Cuts to close-up of Azula as she bends over slightly, tears in her eyes, and her hair hanging down in messy locks. Cuts to shot of her hand gripped around a hairbrush on the table. The camera shifts as the enraged princess lets out a shout and hurls the brush at the mirror. The resulting impact shatters a large portion of the mirror, including where Ursa's reflection was seen. Cuts to overhead shot of the room as Azula kneels over and begins bitterly crying. The room is devoid of any other people, showing that Ursa's reflection was a mere hallucination.

___________________________________________________________

So, after reading the comics and learning that not only did Azula continue to suffer from hallucinations and delusions, but also that her “recovery” wasn’t really a recovery at all, I came to the conclusion that you can tell a compelling story of Azula suffering from (childhood) schizoaffective disorder plus C-PTSD.

Or more specifically, you can tell a compelling story of Azula constantly struggling to suppress her conscience after Ursa left and she got molded into Ozai's perfect weapon, with her symptoms worsening as her friends and brother slowly but surely leave her life, only getting better after she forcibly brings them back into her life.

But after Zuko, Mai, Ty Lee, and Ozai “betray” her one by one, making her (subconsciously) realize that all the people she had hurt and pushed away in pursuit of Ozai’s "love" was all for nothing, and that she was wrong to ignore to “Ursa���, she can no longer keep her symptoms under check.

And that her behavior from Sozin’s Comet onward can be explained due a combination of the asylum worsening her condition, her going through periods of mania and depression, and her trying to avoid consciously admitting that Ozai’s abuse and her own choices led her to lose everything that mattered to her since doing so might break her for good.

So to conclude, I headcanon Azula suffering from (childhood) schizoaffective disorder plus C-PTSD, even pre-Sozin’s Comet, partially because Azula was not surprised at the presence of “Ursa” during the mirror scene, and partially because she continued to be suffering from delusions and hallucinations long after Sozin’s Comet.

And while I wish the writers for the franchise would do more research before trying to depict Azula suffering from such disorders, I do think with has already be depicted and said that there is enough present already to tell a compelling story involving Azula trying to deal with and overcome such disorders, regardless if she actually does succeed in overcoming them, or at least learn how to manage them.

[nevertheless-moving]

Hi! I love your writing snippets - have you thought about posting them on ao3

Thank you!! Yes, I have thought about it, for sure! I'm nevertheless_turtle on ao3.

(I have... six fics, all of them star wars, half of them unfinished, last one updated in January 2022. Unless someone decides to put a million dollars in my kofi jar, this is for Fun, so unfortunately once the hyperfixation fades...it fades*.

:( star wars back and forth tumblr fics with star wars mutuals my beloved... murderbot discord i loved collaborative storytelling with ya'll and i miss you...i don't know how to make friends on the internet i just talk blorbos in situations and my blorbos drift over time... hello stormlight archive fandom)

! anyone want to talk about putting my type of blorbo, which when i check my notes is a pathetic wet person who is very good at killing but somewhat tries to avoid it, if you want to talk putting someone like that in a Situation, Hey! i may or may not be your person. this ask is really getting away from me i might be tired from walking a bunch of miles today...

*i do historically cycle back around to fandoms! i was lurking on tumblr for over a decade before i posted anything and there was definitely a cyclical nature to it! i consistently knit furiously for 3 months and then take a 4 year break! star wars fics wait for me!

aNYWAY writing fic directly into Tumblr adn/or Discord or if i don't have internet connection then a fuckin shitty notes app appears to be the Key for me?? like i tried fic writing before that in Word or Docs and it just didn't go?? idk! I think it's like the comic sans trick.

wait i still haven't answered the question.

you know, the thing is, when i write a snippet at the end of 5 paragraphs of background meta for an au, or a literal bullet point list, i'm not really sure how to post that to ao3. can you post chatfic and bullet points to ao3? it feels weird? idk. real question for the crowd in the midst of an extremely incoherent ask answer. let me know what you think!

me to myself: the question. scroll back up. what was the question. myself to me: that was answering the question! somewhat!

Right now a bunch of fic writing is churning around and out of brain, and circumstances have aligned for better or worse such that i have time and mental energy and ideas to write. we'll see how it goes. Once I get a bit more posted on tumblr i'll probably put things together and either make seperate works for different aus, or a masterwork of different tumblr aus that i don't think i'll develop further. i may turn some of those bulletpoint lists into cleaner fics for posting, making my earlier point moot.

some of my aus i already have a bunch written on my phone over meals or stopped in the middle of a side walk or on bus and train rides (why would an ELEVEN HOUR TRAIN RIDE not have an outlet to charge my laptop??). so. if i clean that stuff up ill probably post it to tumblr, then immediately notice the spelling mistakes, edit, then post to ao3.

a perfect system.

for my most recent snippet, well, that's actually self contained (not an au that requires 6 paragraphs of background to understand the snippet) and not a chat fic, so i WAS thinking i would just post it to ao3 soonish. i asked in the tags if anyone felt like betaing for ao3, i am wildly but unquestioningly assuming that the sorta individual who would want to beta a fic for me are reading the tags on my tumblr fic post. if anyone likes betaing stormlight or is interested in betaing a specific au/fic idea i've mentioned, hit me up.

TLDR above, tumblr is a for fun rough draft looser writing form place for me. ao3 feels like its asking for a bit more polish and structure. i have writing bees in my brain right now so i'm slightly more focused on that then editing, but if anyone feels like doing some form of beta, reach out and we can chat about it. regardless, i will clean up at least some of my recent snippets and post to ao3 eventually.

[super-hero-confessions]

i want to take a moment to talk about the "whiteness" in the superhero genre.

not in anger or anything like that, this isn't really a rant. it's more of a run on thought than anything. but due to the ongoing calls, trends or whatever else proposing or promoting different forms of censorship, or even the schisms that fandoms seem to like creating between "canon" and "fanon". i wanted to try addressing this the best i could.

i don't mean how the characters are traditionally or predominantly white. while that is a conversation to have on its own, it mostly ends with "the industry was fucked up for a long time and is still kind of fucked up".

when i say "whiteness" in this context, i mean it through a story lens. "whitewashing" a story, "watering it down", i've seen it called "disneywashing", creating a "rose-tinted lens", etc.

in essence, boiling down or censoring a story so it's more "mainstream" or "comfortable" for what is essentially "white america" or white americans. people who are used to and brought up to expect a sort of "feel good" storytelling style with a happy ending where the perceived "hero" wins.

just to be clear, i am not blaming white americans for existing or being brought up with this sort of thing, nobody gets to choose their reality before they have to live it.

but that's sort of the problem.

as far as the superhero genre goes, the boys does a really good job at bringing attention to this issue. the comics especially are excellent for making a point of this.

"but the real reason you won't hear about it is cause the public don't wanna know about it."

with the g-men saga, they make it a point to show that even with "representation" for people of color, it's still often done in a "whitewashed" lens for "white america" in a way that "white americans" will understand and be comfortable with. in a way where black people or other people of color are presented how white people perceive them to be, or how they "should" be. as more caricatures than humanized people.

abducted black kids are expected to conform to "black behavior" as part of a "black" super group, under instruction and supervision from a white man. one of those kids even expresses his unhappiness with that situation and what's expected of him when he never got to choose that path.

with transwomen, we're shown how they get fetishized or disregarded. disrespected or made invalid when they haven't fully transitioned or are "clockable" in any sort of way. when they aren't the "right" type of transwoman for the "mainstream". even what women in prostitution may have to deal with, not limited to transwomen.

one of hughie's friends, big bobbi, is a big, muscular transwoman. she's a bit of an asshole with the brightest, most fun personality, and beautifully flamboyant fashion sense you have ever seen. she can't afford the care that would allow her to transition. but it doesn't matter what other people around her think of that, she still chooses to be herself. and if they object, it's their problem not hers.

she's valid no matter what they say and she's amazing for it.

we are shown harsh realities that real people may have to face or make choices on. realities that white people, especially americans, aren't really comfortable with seeing or acknowledging the existence of. like a sort of strange untold rule that if you don't personally see something, then it somehow can't exist or "goes away".

the show i think in some ways is more subtle, but also goes further in others. it's certainly more brutal and gory than the comic, although that may just be inherent with live-action footage being far more visceral than a drawn stylistic comic panel ever could be.

however, you can't really get more descript or direct than the scene where a-train is talking about his childhood and how he discovered his powers.

he's told, by the white director getting his story, to make his story "a tad more upbeat" and leave out the gun violence.

he's told directly, to censor his own life so it's more comfortable for the "right audience". he is clearly uncomfortable with this fact but goes along with it because he knows who he works for.

this kind of thing isn't limited to the superhero genre at all, although it is painfully obvious how interwoven with the mcu this has become (the now antithesis of the spirit behind the source material and even original direction), it can also be very obvious between american media and foreign media. or even white made media and black made media.

"the color purple" is a good example as well.

again, to be clear, there's nothing wrong with feel good stories or happy endings. there's nothing wrong with liking or preferring that sort of stuff.

but the fact is this.

people who aren't "white america" or the "right target audience" may live and have to face these harsh realities. may even feel seen and heard when they see these realities talked about or well portrayed in media. may feel just as good from the feel good stories and happy endings as the next person.

but at the end of the day, we don't get to come back to a feel good life or rose-tinted reality. we have to go back to our own and are expected to remain as quiet and unseen about it as ever. for the comfort of the people who don't want to see or hear that we exist.

from a personal place, it can feel pretty fucking invalidating and painful to see people complain about the harsh realities i have to face as "unrealistic" or "unnecessary" because they personally have never seen or faced such a reality and thus were "forced" to acknowledge it for a few seconds of their life.

except they didn't have to look.

that's what content warnings and disclaimers are for, right? to give people a choice and protect those who might be triggered by it.

and maybe they were "unnecessary", that is generally the nature of injustice and hardship. but i, and many others, still had to live through them.

the reality is that a call for censorship is a call for expulsion of anything that doesn't fit with the "white american" or "right" world filter. more often than not, silencing victims.

telling them "your story's not okay to tell because it makes me uncomfortable" when you didn't have to stick around and listen or watch their story.

no one "forced" you to sit down and stay. you could have just kept moving along and found one of the thousands of other pieces of media made for you and people like you.

but most importantly, it's not about "you". it wasn't made for "you".

and it doesn't have to be.

it goes even further with "canon" and "fanon". the point of fanfiction is for fans to take their favorite characters in the media they like and create their own stories however they want to.

in spirit?

this is a beautiful, wonderful, incredible thing to see. it's media and artists inspiring more creativity and artists. it's people having fun. it's people playing with art freely.

but like anything, it's not without its flaws.

there's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to save a favorite character or "rewrite" a story your own way. yeah, sometimes "canon" writers can drop the ball or even make very stupid messes. whether narrative inconsistencies, badly executed twists, there's room for critique for them too.

that's not the problem with "fanon".

the problem is that many of the fans participating in "fanon" that is built are still fundamentally "white america" or from similarly founded societies. they are still people raised or indoctrinated in a form of purity culture and pro-censorship ideas that ultimately silence and talk over marginalized groups.

i was raised in that kind setting too, so i get it. i was raised to be silent.

and it is so difficult to realize, self actualize, and to break out of it. i am still working through it. your own world views and core beliefs falling apart right in front of you is no cake walk. it hurts to know you've been lied to your entire life and have to acknowledge it.

and i think freedom in fiction, fanfiction, art, expression, and more are really just a few of those things that have the right foundation to build on and help people break out of that.

but not when the same ideas get recycled and repeated and reinforced, just with new packaging.

people of color. but portrayed through the lens of "white america". although i won't say it's limited to "white america" because there is racism all over the world that presents itself in different forms depending on where you go.

there's nothing wrong with practicing the features of people from other cultures and countries. nothing wrong with referencing and actually doing facial studies. that should be encouraged and cherished, not shut down. but it takes listening to the voices, experiences, and critiques of the people in those groups before we actually see good representation.

lots and lots of lgbtqia+ content made by fans out there. but also portrayed through the lens of "white america", or filtered and censored in a way that makes straight people with a kink feel more comfortable than people who are actually lgbtqia+.

the boys show even did a scene to showcase that too. when ashley tells maeve and elena that audiences will react better to their relationship if there are "clear cut gender roles" and that two "feminine lesbians" would be seen as a "problematic" image.

that's "heteronormativity". even the way that fandoms tend to use the words "twink" or "babygirl". it goes without saying that the way these fandoms, predominantly cisgender heterosexual women, define or redefine "men" and "masculinity" for gay ships ends up being one of the biggest promoters and perpetuators for toxic masculinity i have ever seen.

speculating the sexuality of real people, actors or actresses, based on the random things they like or do and how "masculine" the women or "feminine" the men are is no different than "transvestigating", something only transphobes do.

if we're trying to normalize free expression regardless of gender, this is not how you do it.

i really don't think i should have to spell out how fandom repackages this and perpetuates it further. if you know, you know already, but for those that don't?

switching, interracial relationships, and two "masculine gays" are going to be among your most rarely explored (not kinks) themes in fanfiction.

it doesn't make people wrong or bad to want to explore kinks their own way either. there is nothing wrong with preferring a "top" and "bottom" or having a "dom" and "sub" kink. writing fanfiction should feel safe for the author and readers alike. do what makes you happy, just make sure to tag it correctly.

but i've also seen people put that they are trans or whatever in the author's notes to specify that they write from personal experience to prevent getting attacked for "inaccuracy". let's not ignore that issue, absolutely no one should be getting harassed or attacked over fiction (this includes canon writers).

it just goes to show that "white america" doesn't just have the habit of silencing and speaking over minorities in their own work. the people often hurling out those attacks? "white americans".

the people i see most try to use personal victimhood to censor other people, including victims? "white americans".

i've seen way too many fans promote a bubble of "fanon" while complaining or dismissing "canon", not because of actual narrative inconsistencies or issues with the writing, but because the detail may make them "uncomfortable" or "unhappy".

so they "whitewash" their favorite characters to not have those "flaws". i don't mean create an "au" where their favorite character can, alternatively, not have committed that war crime or groomed someone. i mean they personally absolve and ignore whatever the character did so they don't have to feel "guilty" about liking them.

please stop feeling guilty over fiction. it doesn't matter what the least educated people on the planet say, it's not real and has no bearing on who you are as a person whether you like the villain or not.

what does have a bearing? whether or not you are willing to dismiss or acknowledge what the villain does when your reaction to their actions should be your reminder that "you" are a human.

and again, we can not choose the realities we are born into or how we are brought up. but we can become aware of the world that is around us. and in making ourselves aware, we can also choose whether or not we participate and contribute to those segregated "realities".

societal and fandom awareness, or lack there of, are the problem. but censorship is not a solution. censorship can only exacerbate this.

this isn't some sort of cry to shut down criticism either. on the contrary, we can't have proper critique on media, good or bad, we can't have nuanced discussions when censorship reigns. that is a huge part of what this whole thing even is.

but with censorship? we can have victims who feel marginalized, insulted, and silenced because their personal experiences and harsh realities were deemed "inappropriate" or "unsafe" for the "right" kind of people, thereby leaving them as the "wrong" kind of people.

content warnings and informed viewer consent are what protect people.

censorship only has the goal of being divisive and filtering "people" from "scum".

"whiteness" is just another pervasive, invasive way for people to keep pretending that everything is "fine", but only for the "right" type of people.

we all have a choice to listen. and we all deserve a choice to speak up. but no one should be silenced.

trauma does not come with a nondisclosure agreement, please stop acting like it does.

[niseag-reads]

Knock Knock by Frisson Comics, an observation

I'll come clear before saying anything else about this book: I don't like horror, and this is a collection of horror short stories in the form of comics and proze. I am not the target audience for this book, but I was interested as it was sold to me as a collection of folk tales, and I am a folklorist by academic training. I also enjoy art and supporting upcoming artists, so I don't regret buying this little book.

Over 102 pages, a variety of stories is presented, ranging from single page to 4 pages long. The comics are artsy, and the different drawing styles each have their own ways of invoking a sense of emotion, some of them particularly good at feeling uncanny. The proze is...less visually appealing. Multiple of the short stories are printed in a tiny, thin font that is hard to read to me, despite my vision being quite good. I imagine that to someone with worse vision, this might be an actual obstacle.

Story wise, my dislike of horror will likely be getting in the way of unbiased judgement on the writing. I enjoyed some of the stories more than others. I liked Fever Dream for its unique artstyle and simplistic yet impactful story. I also enjoyed Giant's Toe, which confused me but had a certain air of intrigue about it. The Horoscopes were an interesting inclusion that I found quite an appealing and novel way of setting up a horror story.

The Witch's bothy was the only story I immediately recognised as local to me personally, and I liked this one a lot. It is not often that the stories of selkies are told from a perspective like this, someone not involved in the contract of the Fey but being roped and terrorised in regardless. This is probably my favourite from the book.

The poem The Witch's Hour was not spectacular as poetry, but I wish to mention it anyway as I very much liked its inclusion. Poetry is not a form of storytelling often appreciated in modern fiction, but it is an important form of storytelling in folklore so the inclusion was a nice surprise.

The seller did tell me most of the folkloric stories are from England, so that may be why I didn't find a lot of recognition in the themes, though the inclusion of a story about a wendigo does betray that this is not only stories from the UK, which leads me to wonder about the origin of the other stories. Indeed, I would have liked to have any kind of background for these stories at all, an introduction or footnote of some variety telling me what the authors inspiration had been.

All in all, an interesting little art book that I think some people will absolutely adore. I am not one of those people, but I appreciate it anyway.

3 stars. Recommended for those that enjoy a unique take on horror.

[thattimdrakeguy]

Frankly if you asked me, all of that unnecessary misdirection and twists that left poor Tim at the ‘make him angsty and edgier’ block for later writers to force upon him was the result of the whole darker and edgier train that permeated not just the Batbooks but the whole industry throughout the decade he was in.

Basically short, in my honest opinion, Tim Drake was the perfect character at the absolutely wrong time.

The 90s edgier nonsense (as foreshadowed by the marvelous competition’s hefty promotion of Venom, Cable and other like minded antiheroes, Early Image having a foundation built on that) made possible with the Batmania (since he’s naturally the perfect candidate for darker and edgier due to both his gothic aesthetic and his insane popularity) unfortunately gave the writers of that era and the 2000s the impression that since it’s Gotham, things in universe are just miserable and sucky

And since Tim lives in Gotham, despite meant to be the counter to that misery that permeates the city he helps defend, it was only a matter of time before that wrong impression got to him too

It’s why to this day, my preferred Tim Drake is that original Fanboy we saw in A Lonely Place of Dying since in the end, that’s what he’s meant to be, beginner or not and why I am still reluctant to get anything Dixon related on both him and Nightwing since those runs are built on that train of thought that says ‘misery in setting and edgier characters means compelling and mature storytelling, especially in Gotham’

I know, long winded, I just needed to vent. You may ignore this if you wish to

Bro, I just asked #cats what a raw potato tasted like, I don't feel like ignoring much.

And, I wouldn't say Tim was in the wrong time. He has his great successes in the 90s. The main reason he's talked about past people's obsession with one story in Red Robin, that has slowly lost popularity 'cause of people realizing it wasn't the best Tim--is 'cause of the 90s.

There was plenty of people who were sick of the big overexaggerated 90s crap even if it did infest Tim a bit when they'd draw him way buffer than he was clearly meant to be.

It's all just a matter of writers with the ability to do better either not advancing to the right places in comics, or throwing their talents down the toilet to be there.

It's all about good writing. That's it, really, that's the big secret.

Why is Dick a massive joke of a character now? 'Cause the writing got bad.

Why did Batman look like a total maniac more like usual for a while? 'Cause the writing got bad.

Why is Damian totally unrecognizable a lot of the time on nearly every single level for over a decade now(Though I have heard some aspects like art have been getting better, or so I've seen thankfully, but I'm still not trusting that all the way because now this fucking fucking hell)? 'Cause the work got bad.

Why is Jason just a fan fic edgy woobie fuck a lot of the time now? 'Cause the writing got bad.

How did Steph go from edgy, determined, "vigilante vixen", who was morally kinda questionable at times go to acting like a 12-year-old sometimes? 'Cause the writing got bad.

No matter what in the end. It's all down to the writing, and also art.

There's always been good movies in every decade no matter the taste, because people with true talent and knowledge, and know-how where out there to make so happen.

Comics being a dwindling medium that's how a down-turn in quality going on for a long time? It's just not a business worth getting into anymore. Passion or not, people just aren't good writers. And that can happen in any era.

But back to the main point, Tim was at his most popular in the 90s in an era you wouldn't think he'd fit into with all the Rob Liefeld stuff. Like he got an 80-page-giant in the late 90s over some characters you think would actually get one because he was so naturally popular.

But what made him work then isn't dated. It's timeless. They just haven't had good enough writers to make him work, and it sucks, but it's how it is.

The reason Tim really got changed so much isn't down to tastes in an era. It's down to the taste of a few people in specific positions. Things that made Tim work were still working wonders in other places.

[kifu]

I feel like I need a long-term list of projects I wanted completed. My manic drive from January/February has died down, but my will to create is NOT gone. That's ... a feat.

Limbo - this project requires research by way of rewatching some if not all of 2k3 (and my definition of this is seasons 1 through 4 only, as I do not include the Tribunal, FF, or BttS as part of my cannon). As I write this, I'm halfway through season 2 and I'm outlining the points that will help me structure Limbo physically. The more I watch, the more I'm pissed about my creative choices for Limbo draft 1. That might turn out in my favor.

◦ outline 2k3 and figure out WHEN Limbo takes place to ground it in cannon

◦ outline major plot points in Limbo

◦ detail major characters' growth throughout entire story

◦ fucking write the damn story

Horse Comic - okay, another one that has tickled me since my childhood. I wanna get it done. I swore to myself that I wouldn't start this project until I had the skill to draw horses unaided by references. Well, mostly. The point is drawing a comic - and I think this comic will be five issues/chapters long from what I figured out last night - depicting a rundown of a modified story that I remember from my breyer horse herd as a little kid. Well, now adult storytelling, years of stacked ideas that go well with the og story, color genetics, and actually having the drive to put a comic together (by myself) come into play. This ain't gonna be a light project.

◦ break the story down into five chapters and detail everything that needs to happen within each chapter

◦ break each chapter down into pages so that I don't have to worry about page pacing when I start putting it all together

◦ "pencil" the ENTIRE first chapter before I even think about "inking" or laying down color/background

◦ work on one chapter at a time, but don't expect more than one chapter per year if I can even keep up my drive for this

◦ come up with an intriguing title because I'm stumped

HARPG - so I even started a blog for this and have a few chapters uploaded already, but when I got caught up in that commission I fell a couple weeks behind already. I am NOT feeling this so much, but I still would like to crank out a couple years of story this year. I NEED TO DRAW RAMSEY RIGHT FUCKING NOW. And then continue to come up with a chapter and chapter art every other week. Like, c'mon, me.

New Nation - another story that haunts me every time I think about my stories. Maybe I'll love Kurt again through Limbo. Probably not. I think I'm falling out of love with the character that got me through ... everything ... the past decade. Is it the Catholicism? I've been at war with Catholicism since my job at the pig farm. It's gotta be more than that. But anyway, I really ... really ... I don't know if I can ever come back to this story anymore, tbh. But it would be cool if I could. I might just say that I need to animate the unpublished scene of the future, because why not add another large ass project to the list. But that fight scene? Is AMAZING.

The Tribes - let's be serious. This needs to be written. Though it would be cool if I could actually write down my plan of action so that I have something physical to fall back on when my brain farts again. As it do. I remember that my goal for this story is to end at around 150-175k words. I believe I have the first 25k words written, though a lot needs to be done to those words to make things better. Even so, this is the best iteration of the Tribes yet. And my crack fic? Is actually really, really helping. I did not expect that.

◦ first 25k words are Kifu finding Taya and Jiogi and getting brought to the Tribe

◦ next 25k words are Kifu fitting into the Tribe, and getting to know the other Tribeslings. Need to figure out Mai's predecessor's name

◦ next 75k words are Kifu training under Kumji, first learning what every Tribesperson knows: hunting, gathering, basic body training; and later he introduces her to his group, where she secretly learns how to fight and kill - more details about this to be figured out later

◦ last 25k words are Kifu's struggle with the group's goals and eventual loss of control

I dunno. The story is my pet and I actually do have the entire series vaguely outlined somewhere with names all of the fucking place in the margins. I *do* want to come up with back stories for each and every person of the Air Tribe so it's not just the Kifu show, but a cohesive land where people are more than welcome to hate the main character because she be a stupid ho, but come around for everyone else. idk Things get better after the first book anyway.

[manaofflame]

To those who are following me, I am not quitting or anything. I am just going through a training arc (specifically with background, full artwork, gesture, and such), so that the ISAT prequel fan comic would turn good. I really planned to make this comic and finish it. I just want to make sure my art feels dynamic and enjoyable. You could say I’m going through an art block somewhat (and also life), and I want to overcome it. So, I will be on hiatus for a while.

I apologize if you are looking forward to the comic soon, but if I manage to overcome it, I will make sure that comic comes to life. Again, I apologize for this indefinite hiatus, when I promised to make the prequel comic sooner or later. But I want to improve my art, before I return to this, and also improve my storytelling, and grammar.

So I hope during my hiatus, someone else may have fulfilled and created that prequel fan comic, but even if that happened, should I overcome the art block, I will return with the comic, and hope that you would enjoy my storytelling. I really hope to improve my grammar and vocabulary, and the ability to tell a story through drawings. Until then, should that future happen, see you.

[dottie-n-stripes]

i know this isnt a question about your characters, but do you have any tips on making comics? i’m trying to make one but i’m having such a difficult time (btw i absolutely love your art!)

it’s ok! i dont ever mind attempting advice! HONESTLY i have a lot of trouble doing slightly longer-form comics myself… in the past i usually just have the main idea and just hop right into sketching but that is hard if ur ideas are murky and ive moved away from that a bit unless my ideas are extremely thought out

what ive been doing lately to start is typing out an outline, aka write out the story beats i want to happen. with the points kept kind of brief and general, it’s easy to move them around, copy and paste them in different orders to finesse the story. it’s worth being familiar with important plot elements here, if u arent. ive found i tend to think out the climax of a story first, then craft the build up and aftermath around that. bc good stories need a bit of drama! even if ur comic is just a conversation and so is more char driven than action driven. u need some satisfaction out of reading it, theres gotta be some change from start to finish, again, even if small!!!

when the outline is more or less in okay shape i start typing out a script, aka like the specific dialogue, expressions, actions, etc that need to happen, divided into the chapters or parts. and when that feels solid enough i begin thumbnailing the panels and pages, pretty rough so its easy to move around stuff and not get too married to any drawings just yet.

and thats kind of how ive been working! stuff changes a lot along the way, like with the squid comic im working on rn, already some of the dialogue and story elements in the thumbnailing phase are kind of different from what i wrote out in the outline.

also i kind of let stories sit for awhile, mainly because i’m busy so it takes time for me to actually get to doing a project i had planned (lol!) but also its something i had a teacher recommend once. even if you’re not consciously thinking about your story, odds are your brain is actually still subconsciously working on it in the background, and u may come back days or weeks later with an idea on how suddenly ur plot can actually work or can be even better. and it def has happened to me! so if something isnt working, try not to force it or rush it maybe!

i also find as i go about my days or w/e i often randomly come up with shards of interactions or whatnot, like sometimes i’ll be doing errands and ill think of something that a character would say to another and its just so in character that despite me not having specific context for it yet im like GOTTA use this. in these cases, i alwaaays try to write stuff down, i have a bunch of stuff in the notes app on my phone that’s all these ideas ive gotten on the fly. often stuff comes to me while im lying in bed trying to fall asleep and even if im close to falling asleep if i come up with something i do grab my phone and jot it down hehe so i def recommend keeping track of ur stray thoughts

i digressed a bit but yeah!! making a longer-form comic is a bit daunting and i still havent (nor probably will i since im not particularly a trained comic artist) but you just gotta break it into parts so it becomes easier to tackle. storytelling is a lot of work but it is so rewarding and i kno u can do it!! ^^

[atla-suki]

nose animation in atla: a long ramble with no actual point.

before i go further, i KNOW that atla has anime-inspired animation/art style. i am aware that the characters are not white and the animation reflects this. i have no issues with the atla art style (i actually love it it’s so iconic), only some of the continuity. i’m just nitpicking because it’s fun and i’m never satisfied.

i’ve also done NO research at all on this topic. idk anything about the animation or character designs or inspiration, etc. and if i’m wrong on any points i apologise in advance.

ANYWAYS one thing about atla that has, for some reason, stood out to me is the way the characters’ side profiles are drawn. i’ll give you an example.

characters such as aang, toph, katara, and even ty lee are drawn like this:

their noses, mouths and chins jut out from the rest of their heads at a quite sudden point on the face. what i mean, is that their noses are very rounded and soft. this is usually used to depict innocence and youth, which makes absolute sense considering all of these characters are children. they’re little. they’re immature. they have faces that reflect this.

on the other hand, characters such as hakoda, iroh, zhao, and any other older character have much more defined noses - like this:

now see how zuko, mai, jet and azula also have this feature? the sharp, defined nose? this never sat right with me. i’ll explain why.

you could argue that it’s a fire nation trait. that they just happen to have sharper features. and i wouldn’t disagree - they DO typically have sharper features. however there’s people like ty lee who don’t fit into this. and with the continuity of soft features for the rest of the young characters, it seems strange to have these few YOUNG characters have such adult features.

one guess is that they’re designed to be more menacing. they are, after all, antagonists in the story (ik jet isn’t a proper antagonist ok but he’s an antagonist for the purpose of this post). this explains the sharp features, the maturity and higher level of knowledge that comes with characters who are trained to be lethal and who have less distinct morals.

visual storytelling is just as important as actual storytelling. we, as an audience, see sharp features and we connect this to danger, to someone who’s probably AGAINST the protagonists. similarly, soft features welcome a sense of security, a sense of trust. aang wouldn’t be nearly as loveable of a protagonist if he had sharp features and a permanently serious expression.

i just don’t think this is the case with atla, though. atla does a great job at reminding audiences that both the protagonists and antagonists are still YOUNG. they are CHILDREN. they aren’t painted to be adults or leaders (well… sorta. this doesn’t fully apply to azula but i’ll psychoanalyse that another day). and that’s what makes the idea of these characters fighting a war so tragic - they are children. they act like children, so naturally they should look like children too, no?

so my question stands thus: why, when all of our main characters (on both sides of the story) are children, are certain characters given soft features and others sharp?

like, sokka is the eldest of the gaang (excluding zuko), so why is he drawn to be so immature when he ISN’T? or, why is azula drawn to be so mature when SHE isn’t? are we meant to forget shes only 14? she’s the same age as katara and yet they’re drawn so differently.

simple answer: characterisation.

i’m gonna use sokka as an example because he’s the best his nose animation changes significantly more than any other character’s. sokka is notably portrayed as the goofy, comic relief, older brother. i personally don’t agree with this description of sokka but there’s no denying it’s true. anyways sokka is ALSO portrayed as the intelligent, paranoid, organised to a fault, mother of the group from time to time. with this description, you’d expect him to be drawn with more mature features. however, he is most often drawn with soft features, as such:

it’s only in scenes where he is being very serious, or acting as an adult, or in the middle of a dramatic fight, that he is drawn with sharper features, as such:

so, like i was saying about the visual storytelling, the way sokka is animated reflects the story that is being told and his place in it (actually i’ve noticed sokka looks way too goofy and lanky sometimes omg justice for sokka). aang has soft features to reflect his gentle nature, his morals, his kind heart. similarly (oppositely), azula’s features are always sharp and distinct, and so is her character and her place in the story as an antagonist. zuko as well. mai is always in a mood, and so her features and expression reflect this. the list goes on.

anyways i just. i know this is so long and so pointless. but i think if zuko can be given sharp, defined, adult features, so can sokka (and so can suki, now that i think about it. they are the eldest of the gaang, and yet…)

something doesn’t sit right with me in terms of the lack of continuity in the characters’ noses/side profiles and the way they are designed to express age, personality, etc.

BUT, as usual, i’m just being picky for the sake of it and i love this show to bits and everything i say is said out of love.

[sweetescapeartist]

MY DBS MANGA CHAPTER 70 REVIEW

We learn in the last chapter that the Cerealian Dragon's name is Toronbo when Granolah speaks Namekian. Toronbo grants Granolah's wish but can't make Granolah stronger than the gods.

Here's the confusion I have... Goku is a mortal beyond GoDs so making Granolah the strongest mortal is making him stronger than gods. If you wanna say Beerus has been training and is now stronger than Goku, there's still a problem. It was said that Goku and Vegeta were stronger than some GoDs right before the ToP (but that might be anime only, so maybe it doesn't apply here). So Granolah is stronger than GoDs no matter what. If the gods that Toronbo is speaking of are the Angels, then that means Granolah is Ultra Instinct level of power since Goku is the lowest in Angel tier. But whatever. Bottom line is Granolah is temporarily stronger than Goku who may or may not be stronger than Beerus.

Granolah gets his wish granted and the cost is shortening his life... cool. Not much to say except let's see how its executed.

(I recently read that in DBXV2, during the Infinite History Saga, Videl is enchanted with Towa's Dark Magic spell by Dabura shaving off her life but granting her greater power. So granting power at the cost of lifespan has been done in DB before. Not in canon but in the games.)

Also, Granolah's life being shortened to 3 yrs got me thinking... Currently it's almost AGE 781 in the DBS manga timeline. Goku leaves to train Uub in AGE 784. We got 3 yrs left. The original manga shows Bulma said she hadn't seen Goku in 5 yrs. How I see DBS is that it is an alternate timeline that just happens to have a similar outcome to the EoZ.

So... why is Vegeta learing from Beerus again if Beerus isn't that strong now? Is Vegeta being like Krillin and continuing his learning from a master weaker than him, but gaining wisdom & knowledge? I-is Vegeta becoming Krillin 2.0?! (More like dollar-store Krillin)

I do think beerus got stronger tho. He seems very confident that Vegeta can get stronger from learning from him. Beerus probably saw Goku get UI then decide to train aftet the ToP

Anyways, Beerus is teaching us about hakai/destruction energy. Its erasing something from existence, not just destroying it (we already knew that). But, Vegeta quickly figures out how to do it anyways. By destroying a tiny pebble...

A tangent again but I personally think Piccolo is capable of easily learning Hakai energy. Think about it. Piccolo can create clothing out of nothing, why could he not do the reverse?

Goku is uninterested in what Beerus & Vegeta are doing. I dont know about you, but it sounds like Goku thinks that he's above Beerus in strength. Beerus & Vegeta aren't considered a challenge to him in any way. Goku sees UI as more important & better than anything Beerus has to teach, and Goku is right. Plus Goku learned Hakai on his own while Vegeta needs Beerus to teach him. It's a waste of Goku's time to learn it again.

(God Comics is funny. I imagine Toribot writes them)

Goku says "Let's see which one of us can be the strongest in the universe!" Really, Goku...? At present time, Goku is the strongest mortal in the universe already. He should know that. Then Vegeta for some reason thinks he will become the strongest in the universe. The last time manga Vegeta was the strongest mortal in the universe was... never. He's always behind Goku or whatever new opponent arises. This scene is meant to be comedic that they're arguing over who will be the greatest but it's not funny to me. And yet Vegeta fans still hold on for hope.

But why is Goku concerned about being the strongest between him & Vegeta? Goku is far above Vegeta. They're not rivals at this point. Also, Goku was the strongest in the universe until just a few moments ago. Goku should be saying "I knew bein' the strongest wouldn't last for too long. Roshi did tell me there will always be somebody stronger out there. Hehe! This is gettin' me excited! I can't wait to meet 'em!" (This would alsp parallel Monaito giving Granolah the same advice Goku already knows.)

Also, I guess Broly isn't that strong after all. Bye Broly, you served your purpose. And to think that Goku had said that he thinks Broly is stronger than Beerus...

Oh yeah. So Vegeta destroys a pebble. Impressive? Goku kinda gives a compliment or he is practically saying "Good job Vegeta! You're doing great following in my footsteps!" Seriously, this would be so much better and cooler if this seperate paths of training began right after the Universe 6 vs Universe 7 tournament. That would be the perfect spot to have them train under Beerus & Whis. [Vegeta using Hakai against Merged Zamasu, Goku able to fight Merged Zamasu temporarily because he is getting better at letting his body move on its own, Toppo & Vegeta using Hakai against each other as Goku & Jiren use power above GoDs. That would work so much better.]

Then Vegeta says he's gonna destroy bigger things soon... is that supposed to be more impressive? Its not. But this it to build up Vegeta even though there is nothing amazing about anything he is doing at the moment. Maybe later tho.

So Cerealians can't grow beards. Also I guess Granolah's race don't age? His hair grew when his lifespan was shortened but he has no wrinkles. It seems that they age more gracefully than Saiyans. If he has some wrinkles he would have looked cooler imo. Or those lines under the eyes at the very least. If the wish shortened his life & made his hair grow, it should have also showed that he aged. (Here's an edit I made of "Grampa Granolah." You're welcome)

And remember Vegeta destroying a pebble? Granolah can suddenly destroy big rocks! Cool right?! No? Its not cool? Showing Granolah destroy a much larger object right afterwards kinda belittles Vegeta's accomplishment.

Oatmil is surprised by a boulder exploding. This means one of 2 things. Oatmil is stupid & never saw an Granolah explode a boulder. Or it's implying that the boulder exploding is some technique Oatmil doesn't know of. Idk how he can tell its any different from just blowing up a rock with ki. I think it's supposed to be destruction energy. If it is then, ok. If getting his wish was so easy, then why can't he suddenly learn destruction as well?

Yay! Monaito! (This really should be a Namekian focused arc)

Granolah reminds me of Zamasu with his attitude a bit. Monaito tells him somebody stronger will definetly appear. Granolah has become like Vegeta and is over confident, so he is destined to get humbled. And think about this. Goku can probably train a bit and surpass Granolah within a week.

Granolah can now sense ki. Meaning he can have the destruction technique or UI, because why not?

Monaito blames himself for Granolah's actions. Its not your fault Monaito! You did nothing wrong! Dont be so hard on yourself.

Whis being a creep and peeping on people lol.

Granolah's hair growing was pointless because he cuts it off soon after. Nothing changed visually. This kinda reminds me of how Moro lost his arm. Goku gave him a senzu, Moro grew it back, & then Moro broke his arm when attacking Goku. Then Moro tore his arm off & reattached his old one. There was no need for Moro to grow his arm back then tear it off. Similarly, there is no need for Granolah to have grown long hair then cut it off.

Maki still brings a smile to my face. She & Gas stand out the most out of the Heeters. Maki's personality is kinda like Zangya combined with a teasing Bulma. Gas reminds me of a Krillin/Piccolo fusion with dreadlocks. I also ship Maki x Gas cause they're short and look cute together. (please don't be siblings so I can draw them together🤞)

Granolah fights Oil & Maki. I'm not impressed. They seem like they could be defeated by Chaoitzu (he's stronger than Raditz and probably Nappa now too). Granolah's movements could be seen as UI. If it is or isn't UI, it doesn't matter. Showing off that kind of power is like Goku using Ultra Instinct during a rematch with Nam or King Chappa. Its not effective storytelling. There had to be a better way of showing Granolah's new strength than making him fight opponents that give him zero challenge.

The art is good as usual and the panel flow is nice. Toyotaro is improving at creating the illusion of motion. The environment being used in the fight was smart and a good visual. Toyo still uses a ton of panels almost every page tho. But he's still a better artist than I am.

Granolah appears to have used Hakai again. Not the explosive variant but the sand variant (yes I think there are 2 ways of using Hakai).

The "Sand Variant" that Beerus & Goku (& maybe Granolah) have used.

The "Explosive Variant" Beerus & Vegeta (& maybe Granolah) have used.

Maki thinks the "Hakai" is magic so that's interesting. I would say I'd like for the next enemy to be a magic user but, we know how Moro turned out... 😓

Maki has "ki claws" & I like the idea but it would be better if she had used it against an enemy she can defeat. It doesn't make her look useful in this fight. Gas seems confident when he is about to fight Granolah, but Elec stops him. Gas would've gotten beaten but it make ya wonder what Gas can do.

Granolah appears to be a person that is easily manipulated and persuaded. He even gave information they weren't even asking for. He'll probably be easily convinced and manipulated by Freeza/the Hedters or quickly have a truce with Goku.

The Heeters plan to go to Planet Cereal to get the Dragon Balls. As I suspected, the Cerealian Dragon Balls were created so that it would be easy for wishes to be granted. Gathering 2 Dragon Balls on a nearby planet instead of gathering 7 on New Namek or Earth. Plus these new Dragon Balls ensures no interaction between Earthlings & Granolah/the Heeters. A perfect way to write Gohan & company out of the story... *sigh* 😔😒

We learn Cerealians live for 2 centuries. How's that compare to other races in Universe 7? Freeza & King Cold apparently can live more than 200 yrs, But that may be because they are mutants. Namekians can live for like 500 yrs & its possible for them to reincarnate themselves too. So in a way, Namekians can live forever. Saiyans stay youthful & live to be in their 80's, but rapidly age when they reach their 60's or 70's. Average Earthlings appear live to be in their 80's or 90's but some are over 100 yrs old (Dr. Briefs, Panchy, & Ox King are in their 90's in GT) and others can increase their lifespan through elixers or the Paradise Herb. Just some thoughts of mine.

Maki says "If he ices Freeza..." Ha, an ice pun. Elec wants to defeat Freeza so he can control his army. Its revealed they wanna kill Granolah & that they worked with Freeza to destroy his planet & race. Well... that more than likely means they're gonna die by Granolah's hand or Freeza's. This info is also an attempt to make the reader more sympathetic for Granolah. Granolah is too bland (pun intended) so I don't feel any more sympathy than I already had for him. Elec plans to make Goku & Vegeta fight Granolah since Granolah hates Saiyans. Smart but we all kinda expected it. Not bad writing tho.

The final panel talks about fate bringing the 3 (Goku, Vegeta, & Granolah) together. Sounds like a repeat of the Broly movie.

We've had 4 chapters in this arc & not 1 panel of Freeza... If Freeza doesnt appear & do something in the next chapter then I will be disappointed in the writing. Showing Freeza here and there would give tension and build up until we get the encounter with him. We also have no idea who Oatmil is. Is he an A.I. or a person? Not that big of a deal yet, but I would like to find out soon. Either show Freeza or tell us more about Oatmil next chapter pleaae

This chapter was like oatmeal (the food not the character) without butter, brown sugar, milk, & honey or raisins. Not bad, but not very good either. 

So here's my thoughts on the things that could or could not happen in this arc.

Goku vs Granolah. I don't care for the fight because the power is at a point that it doesnt make sense for enemies to get to without cheating somehow. The fight will look cool but I have no interest in it.

Vegeta vs Granolah will have Vegeta being stomped as always and Vegeta fans will make excuses & complain how it's not fair. A lot of Vegeta fans often make fun of Yamcha & Krillin for getting beat up even though those 2 bravely fight opponents leagues stronger than they are. Vegeta has gotten stomped by opponents more times than Krillin & Yamcha combined but the fans gotta deflect somehow. I don't care to hear or see the complaining again.

The interaction and dialogue between Granolah & Vegeta is going to be more interesting than their fight. But I worry because Toyo isn't the best at writing dialogue.

I have no reason to care about power growth, certain interactions, or Goku & Vegeta's training.

What I am curious about/want to see?

Monaito's well being. I want him to reunite with other Namekians. But I think he's been set up to die.

Lore about the dragon gods & Namekian lore we probably wont get.

I want Piccolo, Krillin, Gohan, & others will be involved. Piccolo because of the Namekian & wosh granting dragon lore. Gohan because his interaction with Granolah eould be interesting since Gohan is half Saiyan & views himself as an Earthling. Krillin & other Earthlings because they can bring tensions where characters like Goku & Vegeta can't. Those 2 are too strong for there to be any real tension. However Earthlings aren't all powerful so them using wits to survive is more exciting. But I doubt any of their involvement.

How long a Cerealian year is? Is it shorter than a Namekian year? How much time will pass for the Cerealian Dragon Balls to be active? How much stronger than Granolah will Goku get? Hopefully the answers aren't lazy...

Will Beerus finally fight somebody? There are 6 mortals that are near or above his power (Goku, Granolah, Vegeta, Broly, Freeza, Gohan).

Who's the villian of the next arc & what explanation is going to be given for them having power on the level of Angels? Angel tier fights don't sound interesting to me anymore. After those kinds of battles, Goku will have no challengers left.

Will Goku disappear to train or something so the story can TRY to match up with the EoZ?

Will Goten, Trunks, & Marron hit their growth spurts within 3 yrs?

Will we get spin-off manga about other characters? PLEASE!? 🙏

Also DBS moved too quickly when it comes to power. Now we're at the point that Goku & Vegeta need to stop being involved in fights for there to be any actual threat or tension. The Buu saga took place in AGE  774. After training for 4 years of peace, Goku thought SS3 & fusion was his limits as a Saiyan and he was right. Well, kinda... Goku was introduced to god ki near the end of AGE 778. Then in AGE 781, Goku masters Ultra Instinct... He mastered an Angel technique in 2 year or 2.5 yrs. That was waaaay too fast. As a result the storytelling & writing are suffering from this rushed progress. Now we're gonna have an Angel tier opponent? According to the pattern of DBS, Goku's gonna end up surpassing the Angels within 2 or 3 yrs after learning god ki. Thats not impressive for Goku, that's terrible writing. And no, Goku getting this strong so fast is not a benefit to Saiyans either. It just shows us that without god ki, Saiyans ain't all that powerful unless they're the legendary Saiyan like Broly. Saiyans didn't even have a concept of training until Goku was trained by Earthlings. Gohan, Freeza, 17, & I'm pretty sure Piccolo as well have all surpassed SS3 without the help of god ki. God ki makes Saiyans look like they have limits. With god ki, the writing is broken....

I got off topic again... Anyways that's the end of my review.

[arthurtristankingsmen]

More and longer theory chatter with @flash-the-geist with guest stars who popped in. This one is longer since it’s theorizing but turned into something Flash affectionately named the ‘Esprestissimo AU’ which I am keeping because I love it so much.

Most of this mainly features Duet thoughts and then shenanigans ! The most I did was add a missing thing in my own comments for clarification or that my brain skipped over when typing it before, or where I adjust the order of the messages for cohesiveness

please enjoy jdjd

flaaaash — Today at 4:35 AM

hmmm what if the note-taker is Duet, taking notes about "Solo"? that implies they're two different people

Arthur — Today at 4:36 AM

that's what i was thinking-- that the ‘He’ in the note is reverb, and this note is in reference to reverb, but also a comment on Solo, and the Duet 'wrote' this character profile as like-- a case file if they're in charge of the organization

so duet is like 'solo' claims she still needs to study him for research in a note on the file he's taking on reverb or something like that

flaaaash — Today at 4:37 AM

this might be my deep, unfortunate familiarity with bureaucracy talking, but- if the person in charge is also the one taking notes, it's a very small organization

Arthur — Today at 4:37 AM

oh yeah

i imagined it was tiny personally

tempo seems on the smaller side so if it's all based there, i was imagining it was relatively small

flaaaash — Today at 4:38 AM

not international then, perhaps

adkjfakjf oooh now I want to make a little card for Flash

Arthur — Today at 4:39 AM

yeah no-- at least since the name tempo of the town following the motif like seemingly implies it's based in/related to the town since if follows the reference style

or that's my thinking anyways?

flaaaash — Today at 4:39 AM

very true

imagine if Tempo is just Like That and the rest of the world is totally normal

Arthur — Today at 4:40 AM

i personally think vivi didn't grow up in tempo now more tho-- because i think if she did and there is an organization, they woulda gotten wind of her and she probably would've been recruited since she's smart and clearly into that kind of thing

and if she was in the org and knew what she was doing, i don't know if she would've gone to the cave if she was at all in the Know 

flaaaash — Today at 4:40 AM

or they would have tried to study Mystery?

Arthur — Today at 4:41 AM

that too!!

even if they brought her in just because of mystery i imagine they would've brought her in

flaaaash — Today at 4:41 AM

maybe that's what the "her research into "REDACTED" is referring to. Research into mystery?

it all does seem to come back to him

Arthur — Today at 4:42 AM

or maybe she's relatively new to tempo still, and duet gave her a job because they intended to bring her in at some point but hadn't yet

like there were steps to take and like-- the cave happened before things could get fully underway

i mean at my job i applied in like-- march, and i didn't get an interview until may, and then i didn't get any training until november, and then i didn't get brought in to learn the job until december. so it'd be easy to imagine that if there was a reason, bringing her in could be a slow process 

flaaaash — Today at 4:43 AM

that might also explain why there were all these "go back" signs in the cave

clearly someone with English language skills put the signage there

Arthur — Today at 4:43 AM

that too! it definitely felt like it was to warn off people and keep them from tresspassing

but the gang were kids and also ghost don't haunt the places that aren't super scary and dangerous! so of course they gotta go in!

flaaaash — Today at 4:45 AM

maybe they weren't expecting someone like Vivi at all

she was a wild card that popped up and threw a spanner in the works accidentally

Arthur — Today at 4:45 AM

yeah!

i can imagine her just coming in and completely bamboozling everyone

duet is like 'okay we'll get her in on this but we'll take some time to sort everything and judge where she's at skill wise since we have time and it's not like she can get into any danger with all our protective me--oh no'

flaaaash — Today at 4:48 AM

that calls Duet's motivation into question a lil bc - there's at least a significant amount of time between Lewis dying and them finding him again

since their search is reasonably extensive and Arthur's had time to heal up. So why didn't Duet do anything during this time?

Arthur — Today at 4:50 AM

hmmmm--- well we know it's been less than a year since the cave happened at least, and i think the way Ben talked about it  sounded like it was a relatively short time table of only a few months, so maybe they wanted to give them recovery time or they weren't sure how to broach it-- i'm not sure. maybe the comic will give some kind of insight hopefully if the case is that vivi came in like that

i feel like it'd be interesting and make more sense given what she has available magic wise and mystery-wise if she wasn't in town until much later in life to explain why she wouldn’t already be working with the organization. but i'm still like hmm

because you do have a point that there would be a fair bit of inaction, unless for some reason vivi's memory issues or something was a problem or something happens in the prequel to explain or hint

tho now that brings into question if duet knows Lewis is dead, how are things not being managed better

i mean i've had arthur say in the past and i've said once or twice that like-- i think arthur was already working with prosthetics. so he could've had an arm mostly built and just had to make a more functioning one so that could've been fast. so hopefully maybe the prequel comic is set a bit before and might explain duet helping or something in a way that could make sense of it?

especially given he did make galaham's wheels already and such. he might've already built one but needed to make a new one set up for him

flaaaash — Today at 4:54 AM

I'm fairly sure people would at least know he's missing

I guess it's possible that the 'memory magic' thing that makes Vivi forget - it could affect everyone except Arthur and Mystery?

Arthur — Today at 4:56 AM

that's possible--

we have only seen mystery and arthur in the world seeming to know what's going on, so we don't know who knows what. just that vivi doesn't know lewis

but maybe nobody else does either to some degree

flaaaash — Today at 4:56 AM

Arthur being possessed at the time, and Mystery being a magical being himself. We don't have any evidence that anyone else remembers Lewis, although he seems to still be in pictures

Arthur — Today at 4:57 AM

people did seem confused arthur was freaking out in the store in the comic and like

idk. if i knew he lost his best friend i'd be more sympathetic/not look at him like he was crazy. I’d assume something set him off but probably feel bad for him if i knew what happened in the last year?

because i would imagine mental health is in the toilet after going on a trip and losing a friend even if he was only 'missing'

and the way arthur mentioned lewis and when vivi forgets he's just like 'nevermind'. if no one really remembers Lewis, then maybe giving up trying to explain is because he’s used to no one knowing who he means

flaaaash — Today at 4:58 AM

yea h

Arthur — Today at 4:58 AM

what if arthur only remembers lewis? (and mystery does)

Don't forget to take your meds ❤ — Today at 4:58 AM

In fairness most people would be confused if they saw someone having a panic attack in public, no matter how much was known about the person

flaaaash — Today at 4:58 AM

also if Lewis looked like himself for a moment just before dropping Arthur - does that mean Lance saw him?

or did he only see skele-version and thus didn't recognize him as Lewis

Arthur — Today at 4:58 AM

hmmmmm--- i lean to skele vision. he turned back pretty quick iirc

flaaaash — Today at 4:59 AM

I'm torn between analysing between a storyteller perspective and an in-world perspective

Arthur — Today at 5:01 AM

por que no los dos?

also

hmmm-- i think given people were like 'what's up with that guy', it seemed either not knowing what was going on with him or what it could stem from, but if lewis disappeared in a small town i feel like a lot of the details would've spread. so they might assume it had to do with that instead-- so it feels like maybe most people don't know

which seems strange in a smaller community because stuff gets around

flaaaash — Today at 5:01 AM

especially since the Peppers own a restaurant

Arthur — Today at 5:01 AM

yeah-- in a small town place a restuarant is usually a social hub of sorts

so if lewis disppeared i'm sure people would talk given he was a waiter and thus kind of a face for the restaurant

flaaaash — Today at 5:02 AM

also if they think he's missing and not dead, his family would be looking for him too. which means missing persons pics and all that

Arthur — Today at 5:02 AM

yeah and we didn’t see any. and some people not knowing or visitors i could get, but everyone seemed surprised by arthur freaking out, and if they knew lewis was missing and lewis and arthur were friends, it feels odd to like-- none of them to even look sympathetic

i would imagine if they knew lewis was gone they'd assume arthur would be more emotionally reactive than usual-- unless they have no idea that something is going on with arthur because you know-- lewis is erased jdjd

i mean the reason we know vivi doesn't remember is because her eyes glowed as lewis got phased out of the photo

but who knows maybe him being phased out was in general and that just meant she was affected too. everyone gets amnesia

flaaaash — Today at 5:03 AM

also slightly cracky theory but - if they ended up accidentally in the research facility during Ghost, that would explain why Vivi found a fully-stocked fridge alkja;gl

Arthur — Today at 5:04 AM

DSJDDLJSDLFJDSJL

that would be hilarious

lewis is his own scp in his tantrum mansion

they just keep an eye on the lot

flaaaash — Today at 5:05 AM

well what else are they gonna do with him??? xD

Arthur — Today at 5:05 AM

dslsdjdsfljdsfd

''welp no one knows who this guy is soooooo manor in the middle of nowhere time'

flaaaash — Today at 5:06 AM

"so the waiter turned into a vengeful spirit?" "oh uhhhh ok put him in a box i guess until we figure something out?"

ok theory- Duet knows Lewis is dead, but is trying to figure out a way to help/break the memory magic on Vivi, and that's why he's in the mansion/cave for a while before Ghost?

Arthur — Today at 5:06 AM

i like it! i think them knowing and approaching arthur in the comic and using 'rancid vibes' as an excuse would make sense

flaaaash — Today at 5:07 AM

"so that Vivi person wandered in again somehow and now the vengeful waiter ghost is loose?" "for fuck's sake you had ONE JOB-"

Arthur — Today at 5:07 AM

they know what's actually going on but they kinda act like everyone else while also getting arthur something that might help him in that book that i think will be important in the plot of the prequel

DL;G;HDGSAL;HKGSDHL;DGS

flash you have the biggest brain

 flaaaash — Today at 5:08 AM

,kadjgalgkj

"also there was this killer tree-" "I do not care about the tree, one problem at a time"

Poor Duet is having A Week

but the mental image of them trying to avoid Arthur and Vivi investigating, while trying to find ??? and re-capture him while shoving Lewis in a box is hilarious, and then they run into Shiromori and just throw their hands in the air like "can u not????". And then Murder Mystery shows up and they just quit

Arthur — Today at 5:10 AM

dlaajldkljjdl;dldjlfkfd

duet is just like

on their tenth cup of coffee

Don't forget to take your meds ❤ — Today at 5:10 AM

Arthur: Those are rookie numbers

Arthur — Today at 5:11 AM

they see murder mystery and go back inside the shop like 'can you add like 5 espresso shots to this'

flaaaash — Today at 5:11 AM

explains why they're like "Arthur pls your vibes. Do you KNOW what I've been dealing with"

Arthur — Today at 5:11 AM

asdl;;dfslhsdahg;as;dghkghsdllhsgd

flaaaash — Today at 5:11 AM

"five extra shots and a red bull chaser please-"

Arthur — Today at 5:12 AM

(also just still crosses my fingers for medium/spiritually-sensitive!arthur to be canon but if not it will live on in my fannon)

dsldjllssfdf

they just start shoving coffee grounds directly into their mouth

flaaaash — Today at 5:12 AM

this series has a lot of antagonists

akjdalgj just crunching beans down whole

Arthur — Today at 5:13 AM

i need-- to draw duet

looking tired with a coffee

flaaaash — Today at 5:14 AM

Duet with a giant cup of coffee, staring at Murder Mystery with a deadpan stare and going "Absolutely not, I forbid it, there is not enough coffee in the WORLD."

Arthur — Today at 5:14 AM

flash and will if i share this chatter on tumblr would you be okay with it ? or would u rather i block out names if i do

i feel like some of this is hilarious and people need to experience it

flaaaash — Today at 5:14 AM

akdflaf no go for it

I will out myself as a sham of a storyboarder

Arthur — Today at 5:15 AM

duet is that gif of the ghost busters lady going 'mmm nope not today, room full of nightmares'

and turning and walking away

duet is doing their best and needs a nap

tired as Arthur

flaaaash — Today at 5:15 AM

Duet walking around the corner to see the gang facing down Murder Mystery: swivels on one foot and goes right back the way they came

Arthur — Today at 5:15 AM

ldjldljd EXACTLY

Don't forget to take your meds ❤ — Today at 5:16 AM

Heheheheh

Arthur — Today at 5:16 AM

like look at this person

look at their eyebags

they are Tired

they have deal with this bullshittery

they have sass to provide

but they also are Tired and done with this shit

flaaaash — Today at 5:16 AM

I want Duet and Arthur playing a game of caffeine chicken

Marshy — Today at 5:16 AM

Huge massive sigh as they see the whole bullshit situation go down and turns around to go back to the bookshop

flaaaash — Today at 5:16 AM

just lined up at the cafe bar, espresso shots in rows down the counter as they lock eyes-

who shall win- the CAFFEINE-OFF?

Arthur — Today at 5:17 AM

flash

pls if you right that i will pay you money

or maybe art

Marshy — Today at 5:17 AM

It's me I'll win

flaaaash — Today at 5:17 AM

SLFKJLKGS

Arthur — Today at 5:17 AM

dlasd;sdgkd;djslj;dags

i'm rooting for you take those nerds OUT

flaaaash — Today at 5:18 AM

"Duet gives him a look of Supreme Weariness and Nopery. Arthur counters with a double eye-roll of Resignation and Angst. In the true synchronicity of the Absolutely Done, they each take an espresso shot and slam it down."

Arthur — Today at 5:20 AM

djdasd;ds;lsda;ldj;lkdsl;jkdsj;lkasljkdjlkdg

they clink the little cups together first before taking their respective shots

flaaaash — Today at 5:21 AM

they do the thing where they turn it upside down to prove it's empty

by the fifth they're trying to outcompete each other with anecdotes

by the tenth they've moved onto toasting each other

Arthur — Today at 5:21 AM

Bonding!

Don't forget to take your meds ❤ — Today at 5:22 AM

The anecdotes get concerningly similar to each others

flaaaash — Today at 5:22 AM

by the twelfth, Arthur begins weeping. Duet pats him in solidarity and knocks the next shot clean off the counter due to caffeine-induced twitching

Arthur — Today at 5:22 AM

DSGLAHGLDGHDGHAAHDSGDG

EXCELLENT

i

want them to be friends now

flaaaash — Today at 5:23 AM

by the thirteenth, the barista stages an intervention and starts giving them decaf

by this point, they don't notice 

Arthur — Today at 5:23 AM

asdlaadjsdsajd

thank you they owe you their life

they could taste the difference if they weren't vibrating into the 28the dimension atm

flaaaash — Today at 5:24 AM

after the fifteenth shot, the counter is clear and they're both full of sympathetic outrage for the other's plight. They sprint from the cafe, steamroll right over Shiromori, and punt the colours right out of Murder Mystery in a fit of industrial-strength caffeinated indignance.

Don't forget to take your meds ❤ — Today at 5:24 AM

Hahahaha

Arthur — Today at 5:25 AM

h;lsadlf;dsldj;fsljl;dfsajdfsa

flaaaash — Today at 5:25 AM

The newly Monochromatic Mystery has to then help Vivi contain the pair before they wipe all paranormal activity off the face of Tempo.

Arthur — Today at 5:25 AM

that's how the fifth video ends

flaaaash — Today at 5:25 AM

Lewis narrowly escapes by hiding in a box. THE END

Arthur — Today at 5:25 AM

dsal;gsdhldgsa;dgsdgs;hldgs;lhdsa

beautiful thank u flash

i owe you my life

flaaaash — Today at 5:25 AM

you're welcome it's my magnum opus

Arthur — Today at 5:26 AM

A+ story telling

i'm including it in the post

flaaaash — Today at 5:26 AM

ALKJGAGK

it's okay I don't have a reputation to ruin xD

Arthur — Today at 5:26 AM

dlasdl;dhsgldgdgs

this is a callout for flash being the funniest person alive--

or undead

flaaaash — Today at 5:27 AM

dead-

sfkjga

l

Arthur — Today at 5:27 AM

djdjdjdj

i thought about it and corrected myself xDD

flaaaash — Today at 5:30 AM

ok I have no idea if anyone will get this pun, but I dub this the Esprestissimo AU

Arthur — Today at 5:36 AM

djalsd;ldsjdsjldf

i LOVE THAT

music puns but espressos EXTRA ESPRESSOLY

flaaaash — Today at 5:49 AM

xD

[sandrinachi]

DIY-University: Graphic Design, Illustration, Comics and Marketing

Hi,

I think we haven't talked in a while. Some of you may follow me on other social media accounts but tumblr is the only platform I use where I can write longer texts properly.

You're probably wondering what the title of this post is all about.

I have decided to honestly pursue my dream of being an artist. Some of you may say: but haven't you said this already? This is not news! And you'd be right. I did say this but it feels like it's been a hundred years since.

(Beware this is a long text. It also mentions depression)

For the ones that started following me at a later period: i've wanted to be a comic artist when I was a teen. However I thought my art was not good enough and when my time came to apply for university I got scared and didn't choose art, design, painting etc. I chose Japanese and English literature.

Fast forward 8 years later and I finally(!) got my BA. I wanted to work at a publisher. Most of the time you'd need a MA for that unless you learned the profession of book seller then you'd also have a chance. (Or so I was told.)

I did not want to study anymore and chose that road. I also thought that it's a great opportunity because I'd have an income for the next three years. In those three years I wanted to advance my artskills and become an independent self-publishing artist. What a great plan!

I became a bookseller in January. Two of those three years were just filled with pain and depression. I realized that I am not made for working in retail. I was dead inside all the time but I didn't want to stop learning the profession as I didn't know what else to do. I also felt it looked bad on a resume if I just left.

So I've been jobless these past 10 months. I applied to entry level positions at different publishers. Unfortunately I'm bound to my region to look for jobs because of the horrendous uptick in rent everywhere. I will never find a cheap one bedroom apartment like my current one anywhere else. It's corona time too which makes finding a job even harder.

The job centre allowed me to pursue further education. (while still giving me money!) At the time I was still thinking about working at a publisher and chose the print/publishing specialist module. It's been 5 weeks (of a 5-month course) and it was eye-opening. I really, really want to work in graphic design or marketing as a day job. (The independent comic-artist route has not died yet.)

Now let's talk about the title of this post.

I have lessons in Adobe Photoshop, Indesign, and Illustrator. These are all part of my job centre-paid further education. On top I have access to LinkedIn Learning which is a video platform with lots of courses. (In my country LinkedIn is not used as much as in the US) I can also use the city library for free.

I can't study at a university and the profession training pays too little so my plan is to do the most intense self-study session of my life. I was a bit overwhelmed by all the knowledge at my finger tips. So I searched for university graphic design course overviews and looked at what they're actually teaching there. I then made my own (DIY) course book which I can use as guidance during my studies.

Left picture: Photo of a purple scrapbook titled DIY course book in German.

Right picture shows the table of contents: Design Basics, Communication, Design/Art/Media History, Drawing, Typography, Photography, Software, Writing or Storytelling, Social Media and Online Marketing, Media laws and Self-employment. After all this in the second module I have electives where I can pursue whatever lesson I want.

The content of the book is a list of books and videos I should read/watch. There's also active software training and drawing practice included. As this is not a real course book I could include stuff you wouldn't see in a usual graphic design course like marketing for example.

The goal is to create a proper portfolio this time and apply for jobs. The city I live in has a lots of agencies where I can apply. More than publishers to be honest. I'll cast a net and hope I can find a job early next year

I have no idea if this is going to work out but I'll keep you posted!

[dkniade]

Perfection/Cowardice: A Look at Perfectionism in Art

Note

A personal comic. Please do not worry about me! I have no intentions of hurting myself whatsoever. This was just experimenting a lot with storytelling in a comic and metaphorical imagery. I guess you can call this a self-conscious canvas?

Warning: blood, caps, metaphorical self-harm

[middle left]

1. are you thinking of using the grid tool again? but would it look better? or just more ���ordered”?

[bottom right]

2. In fact, what even is perfection? Oh! haha, did I already ask that question?

[bottom left]

3. and due to such a mentality, you feel guilty, don’t you?

[top left]

4. hmm… one’s own image…

[top middle]

5. while I like this concept, I wonder if it’d be better with straight boxes?

6. are you aware that these strokes were redone so they’re not uniform?

[top left]

7. Are you aware that the once-black lines were changed to this then this?

[bottom left]

8. Do you realize how much more fun it is to converse on the canvas as you draw? This train of thought…

[middle right]

9. oh my. When have you become so critical of yourself?

[bottom middle]

10. Oh but you do hesitate to open Procreate… I wonder why? similar looseness from zoomed out canvas

[middle center]

11. Are you aware that this edge was done with the rectangle tool but then erased at the edge to fake natural imperfection?

[bottom left]

12. you took your time to shade the skin and erase edges to make a watercolour effect… Does it look better?

[middle left]

13. The bed’s inks were all black before…

[bottom right]

14. Doth this canvas bleed from cuts?

[top right]

15. to mimic cuts on hand… Metaphorical

[bottom left]

21. I remember only painting this panel due to not wanting to do finish this comic

—-

[middle right]

16. WHAT’S HAPPENING?! I feel sick… blood…?!

[bottom right]

17. ARE YOU STILL ANGRY AT YOURSELF?

18. IN MY EYES. IN THESE EYES WHICH ONLY SEE MISTAKES AT TIMES

———

[top left]

19. WAIT— NO! NO!! PLEASE!! I… wish I could kill that part of me…

[middle]

20. This is rather cruel of me, isn’t it? … 「But why…?」 … I don’t know…

———

[bottom left]

21. I remember only painting this panel due to not wanting to do finish this comic

———

Artist’s Comments:

Maybe it’s ‘cause I made this myself, but while viewers may look at this with worry, I find it’s just another exploration of a line of thought.

Rather than

“:( are you ok?😢”

It’s maybe more

“ah yeah art is like that”/“this hits”

The scribble notes were what I was thinking when drawing it so the process of how I went around the canvas is also there.

By the time 14. “Doth this canvas bleed from cuts?” came my mind suddenly went to the concept of bleeding/blood and then there was this anger almost, as expected I guess, haha

Aaand then more blood, then screaming, the act of yelling at oneself, then the last thought was “I only painted the eye at first because I didn’t want to finish this comic” but alas, here I am!

And really… because I found the act of making a fully inked comic with tones “too stagnant with all that effort accumulating to what exactly?!”, this act of conversing with myself on the canvas may have been the most fun I’ve had in a while with art, analyzing intrapersonally, possibly cutting at every aspect and decision behind this comic, and writing everything down.

[dwellordream]

“If any character in English popular culture stands for the sheep, it is Griselda. Her chief detractor is, not surprisingly, the shrew. In Robert Snawsel's A Looking Glass for Married Folks, Eulalie preaches the Griselda gospel to Xanthippe and Margery, urging them to bear their husbands' blows and drunkenness with meek loving kindness. This is too much for Margery: "Are you a woman, and make them such dish-clouts and slaves to their husbands? Came you of a woman, that you should give them no prerogative, but make them altogether underlings?" Margery's scornful reference to slavery goes to the dark heart of the Griselda myth. Folklorists have argued about the ancestry of the famous tale for more than a century. 

William Edwin Bettridge and Francis Lee Utley have made a strong case that Griselda owes her features to a folktale from medieval Smyrna called "the Patience of the Princess." A prince buys a poor girl from her father and lays a wager with her that she will not be able to submit to all his demands with utter composure. The prince shuts her in a tower alone and tests her for twenty years, repeatedly impregnating her and then taking away her newborn infants, telling her that he is going to kill them. She builds a mother doll out of clay to talk to and cry to but never loses her patience, and in this way she wins the bet. 

The tale, which matches the European narrative more closely than any other yet found, throws into stark relief the specter of female sexual slavery that haunts Griselda's story. The most striking variance between them is that the girl from Smyrna is sold into involuntary servitude by her father, whereas Griselda has a choice and agrees to voluntary and total obedience. Passing into European culture, the story came to Boccaccio. In reworking it for the Decameron he reclothed it in local garb, fashioning his novella partly in terms of Italian wedding and dowry customs that were sharply weighted against brides and wives. Boccaccio thought Griselda's story significant enough to give it pride of place as the last tale on the book's final day of storytelling. 

Petrarch read the novella and converted it to an exemplum in Latin for male scholars. Griselda entered English culture through Chaucer's "Clerk's Tale," which is largely based on Petrarch's version. Plays, ballads, and pamphlets on Griselda issued forth on the continent and in England throughout the early modern period, with a cluster of publications and performances in the mid- to late sixteenth century. Arguably the most radical change between versions occurred when Petrarch reworked Boccaccio. The Decameron's final tale is told by the satirist Dioneo, a crucial choice by Boccaccio. Refusing to let the happy ending stay happy, Dioneo spells out the political import of the story and caps it off with a horn joke against the marquis: 

Everyone was very happy with the way everything had turned out ....Gualtieri was judged to be the wisest of men (although the tests to which he had subjected his wife were regarded as harsh and intolerable), and Griselda the wisest of them all ....What more can be said here, except that godlike spirits do sometimes rain down from heaven into poor homes, just as those more suited to governing pigs than to ruling over men make their appearances in royal palaces? 

Who besides Griselda could have endured the severe and unheard-of trials that Gualtieri imposed upon her and remained with a not only tearless but happy face? It might have served Gualtieri right if he had run into the kind of woman who, once driven out of her home in nothing but a shift, would have allowed another man to shake her fur to the point of getting herself a nice-looking dress out of the affair. 

Scholars often downplay Dioneo's bitter words about pig-tending and his final putdown of Gualtieri, attributing it to his cynicism; but their labors to match the tale's disturbing sadism with an uplifting exemplary meaning are less than persuasive. The passage is much more than a glib throwaway, as Edward Fechter points out: "the climax angrily repudiates theological allegory and exemplum." Certainly, it seems fitting that the last lines of the last tale in the Decameron should recapitulate the Boccaccian theme of cuckoldry as female revenge. Dioneo's parting shot about "the shaking of the fur" is also an invitation to his listeners and the book's readers to come up with better interpretations than do the silly sheeplike courtiers of the tale, who judge "Walter wise and Griselda the wisest of all." 

Furthermore, it is a jest that asks for scornful laughter, especially from listeners who have grutched throughout the tale at Walter's arrogance, egotism, and sadism. Petrarch told Boccaccio that the story so fascinated him that he decided to spread the tale to scholars abroad. So "snatching up my pen, I attacked this story of yours." The angle of Petrarch's attack on the novella (which he termed "a little too free at times") becomes manifest at the cuckoldry-free conclusion of "A Fable of Wifely Obedience and Devotion," in which he erases Boccaccio's satire and his bawdy call for female revenge: 

This story it has seemed good to me to weave anew, in another tongue, not so much that it might stir the matrons of our times to imitate the patience of this wife-who seems to me scarcely imitable-as that it might stir all those who read it to imitate the woman's steadfastness, at least; so that they may have the resolution to perform for God what this woman performed for her husband ...Therefore I would assuredly enter on the list of steadfast men the name of anyone who endured for his God, without a murmur, what this obscure peasant woman endured for her mortal husband.

Petrarch's straight-faced version has none of Dioneo's political satire or irony. He is writing in Latin to male scholars, not in vernacular Italian to women and men, as Boccaccio had done. Nonetheless, it is Petrarch that Chaucer credits by name in the vernacular, mixed-audience "Clerk's Tale," although he departs from Petrarch in crucial ways. The Clerk does follow his source in insisting that his moral applies not to wives but to all humankind: This storie is seyd, nat for that wyves sholde Folwen Grisilde as in humilytee, For it were inportable, though they wolde; But for every wight, in his degree, Should be constant in adversitee As was Grisilde .... (I 142-47)

Chaucer actually intensifies Petrarch's warning that wives should not try to imitate Griselda, calling her example "inportable," or unbearable. (The Merchant, whose turn comes next, blatantly ignores this caveat, complaining "Ther is a long and large difference I Bitwix Grisildis grete pacience I And my wyf the passyng crueltee.") Still, scholarly attempts to align Chaucer's Walter with God do not work because Walter is described as "tempting" his wife, a word almost always associated with sin and vice. In another departure from Petrarch, Chaucer's Clerk breaks in several times to condemn the marquis. After Walter first decides to try his wife, the Clerk interjects hotly what neded it Hir for to tempte, and alwey moore and moore, Thogh som men preyse it for a subtill wit? But as for me, I seye that yvele it sit T'assaye a wyf whan that it is no nede, And putten hire in angwysshe and in drede. (45?-62) 

Chaucer's version subtly calls Grisildis's ovine quality into question. The lamb of God is Christ, of course, and Grisildis' meekness when her daughter is taken away resembles his suffering: "Grisildis moot al suffre and al consente, I And as a lambe she sitteth meke and stille" But "moot" she? Within English popular culture, sheep and lambs do sometimes stand for the positive values of resignation and endurance-for example, in emblems on patience. But there is no doubt that sheep generally connote passivity, cowardice, and stupidity. In terms of sheer frequency, the negative secular connotation overwhelms the positive religious one.

 A related complicating effect is the criticism leveled at "the unsad" (that is, fickle and sheeplike) people of the realm, who at first deplore Walter's acts but change their minds when they see the pretty new queen (actually his daughter), leading "sadde folk" to exclaim: "0 stormy people! unsad and evere untrewe!" As the Clerk finishes his tale, he shows that he is fully aware that not all his listeners will appreciate Griselda's virtues. With teasing wit he acknowledges the Wife of Bath, who has been called the tale's motivating force and dialogic counterpart. Just before the comic envoy he promises "for the Wyves love of Bathe" to gladden her "and al hire secte" with a song urging them to ignore Grisildis and revel in shrewdam (rr69-74). 

By shifting the Clerk's role from that of the preacher of a pious exemplum to a merry jester-singer, Chaucer undercuts his clerkly authority and blurs the moral legibility of his tale, already obscured by Griselda's lack of moral agency and her husband's viciousness. Nonetheless, Griselda quickly proved alluring to husbands, and she retained that allure despite proving highly problematic as a pattern for wives. Like the new husband in the jest about the pottage, men who wanted very much to promote Griselda as a model found her too hot to handle. 

In the training manual he prepared for his young wife in the 1390s, the Menagier de Paris offers a confused and troubled account of why he wants her to learn about Griselda. He rushes to assure his wife that he'll never torment her "beyond reason" as the "foolish, arrogant" Walter does Griselda, nor does he expect such obedience: I have set down this story here only in order to instruct you, not to apply it directly to you, and not because I wish such obedience from you. I am in no way worthy of it. I am not a marquis, nor have I taken in you a shepherdess as my wife. Nor am I so foolish, arrogant, or immature in judgment as not to know that I may not properly assault or assay you thus, nor in any such fashion. 

God keep me from testing you in this way or any other, under color of lies or dissimulations …I apologize if this story deals with too great cruelty-cruelty, in my view, beyond reason. Do not credit it as having really happened; but the story has it so, and I ought not to change it nor invent another, since someone wiser than I composed it and set it down. Because other people have seen it, I want you to see it too, so that you may be able to talk about everything just as they do.

What he really wants, it seems, is for his wife to be au courant. Griselda had "much currency off the page as a talking point in the late fourteenth century" and was "a subject about which wives might be expected to have an opinion." Codified as a way to get women talking (instead of shutting them up), the narrative about testing is itself a means of testing a woman's opinions and conduct. Is Griselda sick or stoic? Enslaved or free? Is hers a saint's tale, with Walter an abstract tool in the central mystery of her endurance, or is it as much a story about Walter and his court? Is he a cruel tyrant or a stern but loving husband with every right to test his wife? Is Walter God and Griselda a female Christ or Abraham or Job? All these positions have been argued during the six centuries of the debate.

Some recent readers still find Griselda admirable and even question whether she should be regarded as a passive victim. Harriet Hawkins has argued that Chaucer's tale should be read as a criticism of unquestioning obedience to authority, even divine authority, while Lars Engle hears "an implicit voice of sane moral protest" in Grisildis's mild objections to her husband. Such strained attempts at recuperation show that Griselda disturbs more than she edifies, raising but failing to answer questions about the limits of obedience in the face of tyranny and the conflict between Christian duty and wifely subjection.”

- Pamela Allen Brown, “Griselda the Fool.” in Better a Shrew than a Sheep: Women, Drama, and the Culture of Jest in Early Modern England

[ariainstars]

Star Wars, the Last 20 Years or Can We Please Try to Stop the Blame Train?

I would like to touch a subject that’s starting to grate on my nerves a little.

Anyone here knows that I disliked The Rise of Skywalker heartily. And I’m not the only person here or elsewhere who tore it to shreds. But I am reading (again) over and over why and how JJ Abrams, Chris Terrio, Kathleen Kennedy and Co. made this mess. Instead of searching for culprits, this time I would like to point out a few things.

I. Star Wars Prequels

Jake Lloyd, Ahmed Best and Hayden Christensen had to endure awful harassment in their time: the audience largely vented their frustration on them because when the prequels hit theatres, they did not get the Star Wars they had wanted. Politics are a dry subject, and young Anakin and the Jedi Council were all too human to be liked by fans who expect coolness in a hero more than everything else; which is probably why Darth Maul is a huge favorite although we hardly learn anything about him and he says almost nothing. Ditto Obi-Wan although he is clearly not suited to train Anakin and it’s him who maims him and leaves him to burn in the lava. (Until I saw the film, I had always assumed Palpatine had tortured Anakin to push him to the Dark Side.) 

The prequels’ messages in general were not liked: the Jedi were not perfectly wise and cool wizards, the Old Republic was stagnant, Anakin was a hot-headed, frustrated young man desperate to save his wife and unborn children. The films do not want to excuse what he did; however they portray him not as a monster but as a human being who was under an almost unendurable pressure for years and years until he finally snapped.

These messages may not be “cool”, but they were realistic and most of all, humane. Portraying the Jedi as well as Anakin as powerful, flawless heroes and the old Republic as a just, prosperous and balanced place would have meant undermining a central theme of the original trilogy: the former generation could not have been all that powerful and wise, else the collapse of their world and the failure of their convictions would not have happened in the first place. It is a sore point, but still twenty years later Obi-Wan and Yoda denied that Vader was human and expected Luke to commit patricide. 

All of this goes to show that the Jedi’s moral standard was flawed and their attitude not rooted in compassion and pacifism the way they claimed. In the end, what they cared about was winning, no matter the cost. In this, they were no better than the Sith.

~~~more under the cut~~~

II. Star Wars Sequels

J.J. Abrams, Kathleen Kennedy, Bob Iger and company were the ones who introduced the Star Wars sequel trilogy and with it its themes, characters, setting etc. to us in the first place: I think we should give them credit where it’s due. Rian Johnson made a very beautiful second chapter with The Last Jedi, but he did pick up where the others had left. 

Kelly Marie Tran made experiences similar to Jake Lloyds or Hayden Christensen’s when The Last Jedi was hit theatres. She was disliked for not being “Star-Wars-y” enough, chubby and lively instead of wiry and spitfire, and also taking a lot of screen time while many fans were impatiently waiting for some grand scenes from Luke and / or Leia. 

That Episode VIII, the central and most important one, was called “The Last Jedi” cannot be overstated. Luke was literally alone with the heavy task of rebuilding a religious order that was gone and destroyed long before he even learned about it, and at the same time he had to patch together his own family and atone for his father’s sins. This is a crushing burden for anyone to carry. It was important both for Rey and for the audience to meet Luke to see that he was a good man, but still just a man.

When Luke spoke openly to Rey about the failure of the Jedi Order, it was the first time he ever spoke about it that we know of; this wisdom he obviously acquired only after his nephew’s fall to the Dark Side. Luke has understood that the ways of the Jedi were wrong; but he does not know a better alternative. Force users are still born all over the galaxy, and they have to learn to use their powers - only how? Again, Luke is not to blame. How is he to know, when the Jedi of the Old Republic had lost sight of Balance in the Force for so long that they didn’t know what it actually meant anymore? 

Same goes for Leia, the princess without a realm, who tried to rebuild the Republic after the galaxy had been terrorized by the Empire and devastated by war for many years. She assuredly did her best, but she was only human. That she failed her son is of course shocking, but after the horror she had to endure at the hands of her own father it is not surprising that she would be terrified of her son possibly going the same way. Ben, like Anakin, was crushed under a legacy and responsibility that was by far too heavy for him. The tragedy of his life and the disruption - and in the end, obliteration - of his family was another proof for the failure of the ways of the Jedi. 

All of these lessons until now were not learned from. But let’s be honest: how many of us come from dysfunctional families? If we do, was getting away from them enough to heal the wounds of the past? Did we find out what to give our children on their way in life, or did we fail them because we had not elaborated the past enough to make way for a better future? Such problems are very common, and to heal them is complicated and takes time. A “happy ending” e.g. in form of finding a new family is not enough, on the contrary, it can lead to wanting to leave the past behind, leaving wounds unhealed that will fester their way through our lives again, sooner or later. Star Wars always was an allegory of the human mind, even if deeply cloaked in symbolism. The saga also abundantly takes inspiration from the Bible, and I think it’s not coincidentally said there that the sins of the fathers are visited upon the children. 

As fans, we would have wanted to see films that cemented the Jedi as guardians of the galaxy, with the Skywalker family right at the center. Which in itself is impossible because Jedi are supposed to remain unattached, making the mere idea of a Jedi having a family absurd. If the prequels told us that the Jedi were flawed, the sequels tore down the myth of the Skywalker family. And both trilogies showed that you can’t be a Skywalker and / or a Jedi / Force user and have attachments and a happy family of your own at the same time. At least, not until now. 

 III. Film production

Many fans of old complained because the sequel trilogy implied that the “happy ending” of the original trilogy’s heroes had not been so happy after all and that after having made peace for the galaxy, they had failed to keep it that way. Other viewers however liked the new trilogy and new characters right away and began to root for them. But they, too, jumped on the blame train when the trilogy had ended: expectations were not met, and now director, producers, script writers, cutters etc. are faulted all over again.

The first person coming up with the idea of Han’s and Leia’s only child turning to the Dark Side was Lucas himself. It always was a main theme of the saga that war separates people who actually belong together, like family, couples or close friends; that is not played for mere drama, but because it emphasizes the absurdity of war.

We as the audience do not know how production went - it is very possible that Lucas approved the general storyline, and there is always a whole team on board. It is not easy to purchase such a large and immensely popular franchise; it was to be expected that if things went not the way the audience expected, the Disney studios would be blamed harshly for having “ruined Star Wars”. With the prequels, at least Lucas was still at the helm; it was conceded that maybe he had lost his magic touch with storytelling, but certainly not that he was trying deliberately to ruin his own creation. And the fans who could not praise the Disney studios enough after The Last Jedi came out, now blame them over and over.

The Disney studios have long-term politics to consider and contracts to observe, and we don’t know their contents. We have every right to be disappointed, but I think it’s not fair to blame one or a particular group of persons who are trying their best to satisfy as many viewers as possible. If they simply wanted to satisfy the average dudebro who sees nothing but clichés, two-dimensional characters and Good against Evil - then why did they allow The Last Jedi to be produced in the first place? The studios obviously are aware that there are fans out there who are ready to look deeper in the saga’s themes, who wish to see the Force coming to Balance, who value family, friendship and love over “victory at any cost”, and who do not place the Jedi on some kind of pedestal.

In a sense, The Rise of Skywalker seems like a bow before The Last Jedi: the weakest chapter of the saga followed one of its strongest. Maybe the authors were aware that equaling or even topping what Rian Johnson had created would be next to impossible, so they patched up the open threads of The Force Awakens together with some fan service hoping to be out of the business as quickly as possible.

In retrospect, the infamous podcast with Charles Soule might also be tell-tale: Soule obviously is not elbows-deep in the saga and largely ignores its subtext. Since his The Rise of Kylo Ren comics are quite well-made, I assume that the general storyline did not stem from his own creativity and that he only carried out what he had been advised to do. The production of the whole sequel trilogy may have happened in a similar way. I am not excusing the poor choices of The Rise of Skywalker; merely considering that one or a few persons cannot be blamed in a studio that has thousands of creative minds on board.

I am still hoping for the next trilogy to finally bring Balance to the galaxy, and also into the fandom. Rian Johnson had negotiated the rights for the next trilogy along with The Last Jedi; I assume it is very possible that there was a clause about intellectual property saying that only he would continue Episode VIII’s topics, nobody else. This would at least be an explanation, given the embarrassing, jumbled mess that Episode IX was.

The overall title of the saga assuredly never wanted to inspire the audience to start online wars attacking the studios or the actors or other fans out of the conviction of being entitled to blame someone else’s worldview. The saga’s message is compassion. Both George Lucas and the Disney studios are telling us their story; the idea and the rights do not belong to us. Harping on “whose fault” it allegedly is won’t bring us anywhere; what we can do is make the studios understand that we’re not too stupid not to understand the subtext, the symbolism and metaphysics of the saga beyond the action story. If they listened to the Last Jedi haters, in all fairness they are bound to listen to us, too. 😊

  IV. Will Ben’s story continue?

My husband already warned me years ago that Ben most probably wouldn’t survive, or at least not get a happy ending. As Kylo Ren he had already been the head of a criminal organization for six years at the start of The Force Awakens, but all of that perhaps could still have been condoned within the scope of war. It was the very personal and intentional act of patricide, the killing of an unarmed, forgiving man, who turned him into a damned person. And after the deed, Ben was aware of it. He knew there was no way out for him, he had gone too far.

Many members of the audience did not understand that Kylo / Ben is not an out-and-out villain and that this narrative ultimately was about his redemption. Bringing him back to the Resistance after the Exegol battle alive and by Rey’s side would not have been accepted; how was Rey to explain everything when she hardly understood it herself? How would the audience have reacted to the former head of a criminal organization, a patricide, suddenly standing out as a hero? Remember how in Return of the Jedi Luke asked Vader to come away with him. Now suppose Vader had complied? It would have seemed (and been) sheer madness. Nobody would have believed neither father nor son that the terror of the galaxy had had a sudden turn of heart. Nobody knew that he was Luke’s father; Luke himself did not know Anakin’s backstory; nobody knew what had transpired between Luke and Vader so far. Yes, Ben was young and healthy, but he still had terrorized the galaxy for years and killed his own father. He knew himself that he was damned and could not go back to normality, as Vader did.

Rey was coded as the heroine: narratively, the sequel trilogy was her story. Ben couldn’t become the hero, with or without her, at the very last moment. She usurped power like her grandfather in his time, the Skywalker family was obliterated the way the Jedi were, she takes over another mantle (Skywalker) the way Palpatine did (becoming the Emperor). Balance in the Force never was truly in the cards, it was only vaguely hinted at in The Last Jedi by the Force mosaic in the Ahch-To temple. Balance is a complex and difficult subject; it would have been extremely difficult to develop it in the sequel trilogy together with introducing the new characters and giving the old ones closure.

However: if Ben is brought back in the next trilogy, his sacrifice for Rey will have been his atonement. If his role this time is not that of the villain but of the hero, it would reverse Anakin’s path and make clear that he no longer is the same man. Vader was redeemed, not rehabilitated. His grandson might still have the chance to go that way.

- Luke had promised Rey a third lesson, and it happened. He also had promised Ben to “see him around”, which has not taken place yet.

- On Tatooine, Rey watches the twin suns setting, same as Luke before he met the other half of his soul (his twin sister) again.

- The studios had said that the sequels would be “very much like the prequels”; the prequels were a tragedy where the Dark Side (Palpatine) won that was followed by a fairy tale where the Light Side won.

- The Skywalker saga is closed, so if Ben comes back it would be justified by his being a Solo, i.e. the story of his own family and not his grandfather’s.

- Given the parallels with Beauty and the Beast, the Beast died before the broken spell brought him back, making him a wholly new person - his past identity, purged and redeemed.

- George Lucas repeatedly said that the prequels and the classics belong together as one narrative, with Anakin Skywalker at its center. First news of the next trilogy came up with The Last Jedi. Since there are strong parallels between Ben and his grandfather, we may assume that this six-chapter instalment will be his; Anakin also was left for dead but came back with a wholly different role and name.

- When Anakin was reborn as Darth Vader, he “rose” slowly from the ground, clad in his black armor. Ben fell to the ground abruptly and shed his black clothes, disappearing. This could be another clue. (It was also already speculated that Leia’s body dissolved exactly in this moment because she gave her life-force to her son for him to have another chance to live. Both Han and Luke had done what they could to atone for their remorse towards Ben; this might be her turn.)

- Much as I love Luke Skywalker, I can understand that Lucas did not see him as the saga’s protagonist. The overall arch is not so much about Luke’s heroism than about Anakin’s redemption and atonement. It is unusual because we expect the story’s “hero” to be the one who kills the Bad Guy; and indeed Anakin is, because he kills Palpatine in the end, the twist being that technically he is also a villain though not the archvillain.

- Ben had promised Anakin he would finish what he started. Anakin had been meant to bring Balance to the Force, and he had started a family. Until now, Ben did neither.

- If Ben and Rey are a dyad, i.e. one soul in two bodies, then Rey is in urgent need of her soulmate for her future tasks. She has her friends of course, but none of them gets her the way he did.

So, I still see reason to hope for a continuation, and, hopefully, satisfying conclusion of The Last Jedi’s themes.

  Film production: on a side note…

In the Nineties, Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale were the directors both of Beauty and the Beast and Atlantis: two more different stories are hardly imaginable with regard to everything - drawing style, setting, characters, development, music etc. This outcome can’t have been only due to the director’s choices, there must have been a wholly different idea behind both films right from the beginning. Just saying.