#it's so frustrating seeing what used to be my best and most favorite subject just slip right through my fingers

[gaybabything]

Sometimes I am violently reminded of the fact that I really do have like. Zero sense of self at all.

Like I'm pretty sure I have a favorite color, I give people an answer when they ask, but if I think about it for more than 2 seconds I'm not so sure anymore.

Or how I genuinely don't know what I like to do. I tell people I have fun when I bake and sew and read and watch silly TV shows but like... do I? Do I like doing that stuff? I don't know.

It just makes my dream of being a pilot so much more ironic, cause it's the one thing that I think I would actually like, actually enjoy, and find a real sense of fulfillment in, and it's the one thing I can't have.

[venusbyline]

Treatment ࿐ྂ Kinktober. 29, oct.

(late post)

— pairing: Spencer Reid x college student!reader

— type: smut, Kinktober (Criminal Minds Edition)

— kink: praise kink

— summary: Spencer needs to take out the frustrations of his professional life during sex with you, his girlfriend and his favorite student.

— word count: 1.2k

— tags/warnings: kinktober 29th day, female!reader, girlfriend!reader, professor!Reid, praise kink, aftercare, vaginal sex, rough sex, overstimulation, vaginal fingering, body worship, hair-pulling, butt slapping, biting, teacher-student relationship (NO UNDERAGE), secret relationship, dumbification, squirting, dacryphilia, creampie, cum dripping, subspace, fluffy ending, table sex, rough kissing, soft!Reid, dom!Reid, sub!reader. no use of y/n. english is not my first language.

— tagging list: @thatredlipped-classic @purplehaze206 @ehedrick012110 @hotchsmutrecs @slutcakes00 @emma-e-a @helo1281917

— crossposting: AO3

Ever since Spencer arrived at university stressed after a week solving an important case at the BAU, you knew he would need to take out all his frustration with you on sex. It was no longer news to the two of you how high Spencer's sex drive became after dealing with maniacal Unsubs, especially when he had to put up with so many students who seemed to have a below average IQ inside his classroom.

The opportunity to teach subjects focused on criminology, sociology and psychoanalysis had been incredible at first, but started increasingly unbearable as the final exams weeks approached. He was trying to get his students used to his assessment method little by little, giving them short and quick tests that contained only some topics that would be included in the final exams.

However, with each test he corrected, he cursed a different teenager. Spencer could barely read the answers without wanting to rip his eyes out of their eye sockets or tear his own skin. Maybe most of the students were really stupid and irresponsible, or maybe he was being very demanding due to the stress he was going through with the latest criminal case. After all, he could not judge someone's intelligence as truly inferior just because he had a real genius brain.

When Spencer saw that he would not be able to concentrate on correcting the tests, he huffed and threw randomly the pile of papers on his table, taking out his phone and sending an urgent text to you, his favorite student and secret girlfriend too.

Even though you were busy in the library studying for another professor's classes, you were more than a little eager when you saw the text from Spencer, or rather Doctor Reid, demanding your presence in his office immediately. You knew what was coming as soon as you had caught a glimpse of him walking through campus hallways earlier that day. He was stressed. And if Spencer was stressed, that meant you would suffer the consequences and be very rewarded later.

"T-This fucking good pussy!" Spencer growled, gripping your waist tighter, giving your ass a slap that made you roll your eyes in pleasure as he moved his hips deeper, more brutally, almost as if he wanted to break you into two parts.

You whimpered when the head of his cock almost hit your cervix, making you see stars. "S-Spencie!"

Your trembling moan came along with a sob, your legs shaking as you gripped the edge of his marble table, trying to steady yourself with each thrust, even though your legs were so weak that you were sure all the paperwork would fall to the floor soon. "You're doing so well, darling. Taking my thick cock inside you like a good girl..." He growled, lowering himself until his chest was against your back, biting your shoulder uncovered by the neckline of your dress. "My best student. The only one smart enough to be admitted to this stupid university."

You knew he was overreacting, but that did not stop you from smiling between moans, your pussy squeezing his cock even tighter while he praised you, fingers pressing the soft flesh of your ass and his lips whispering how smart and hot you were. His favorite. You would always be his favorite student.

Spencer pulled you by your hair, until you were standing as he held himself still inside you, grabbing your chin for a sloppy and aggressive kiss. His free hand pulled just one of your legs up onto the table, the new position making him hit deeper inside your tight pussy. "Fuck... You have no idea how much I needed this." Spencer moaned, taking advantage of the fact that you understood the angle he wanted to fuck you at and he held your hips to help you keep it that way. "I love your little pussy crushing me like that. So tight, even when I'm about to fill you with my cum. You want that, darling? Going around campus with my cum running down your thighs? For everyone to know that you're the best student ever?”

You did not answer your boyfriend, as you were too busy feeling your orgasm coming. Spencer's eyes rolled back as your ass began to bounce faster by the second and you started to moan loudly, forcing him to release your chin to cover your mouth. "Shhh, little girl... You don't want people to know that you're getting special treatment from your professor, don't you, darling? You want them to know how much I love fucking your pussy until you're a whining mess?"

You shook your head immediately, muffled sounds escaping when Spencer licked your neck, continuing to whispering and dirty talking to you, the fucking starting to get more intense after you climaxed and your hole started to get creamy due his pre-cum and your juices.

Noticing how your body began to shake more than normal and your walls were spasming, Spencer let go of your hips only to finger your clit, rubbing it so roughly that you screamed into his palm and finally came again, followed by the transparent liquid squirting from your pussy while Spencer continued fucking you. He stimulated your clit until he also was cumming, moaning in an almost guttural way as he watched the scene of you crying out and squirting, feeling you milking his cock until the last drop.

Spencer sighed at the overstimulation, withdrawing himself from you, causing you to groan in pain and melancholy at the sudden emptiness. "It's okay, darling. You were so good, you're always so good to me... my good girl." Spencer whispered, picking you up to lay you down on the table. It was not the most comfortable place possible for the aftercare, but both of you knew it was the most that having sex hidden in your university professor's office could offer you. He stroked your hair, taking a tissue from his briefcase so he could wipe off the remnants of his cum running down your thighs. He gave you a soft smile because you reflexively tried to pull yourself away, your mind still trapped into the subspace. "It's just me, darling. You're okay. I just need to clean you up now. Is that okay, my girl?"

You nodded weakly and also a little confused, low but less scared whimpers coming from your lips. Spencer was careful not to hurt your already so sensitive and sore core. "My beautiful little girl. You're so perfect, darling. I'm so proud of you..." You smiled with your eyes closed, hearing his husky but loving voice.

Spencer took charge of taking care of you during that moment, placing a soft kiss on your temple, putting your panties back on and fixing your dress. Spencer caressed your head, admiring your weak and sleepy form, trying his best to hold back the giggle that wanted to escape as he noticed that the papers containing his students' tests were damp with random drops from your sudden squirt.

He would have to think about some convincing explanation to give to the university president regarding the stains on those papers. However, for now, the only thing Spencer would do was make sure you were physically and emotionally fine again so both of you could return to your proper responsibilities when the next class started.

Criminal Minds Edition - Masterlist

HOTD Edition - Masterlist

Venusbyline's Kinktober 2024 - Masterlist

[marvelrivalromance]

Marvel Rivals has me in a chokehold so thanks for setting this blog up.

Now how about a Loki x Vanguard!Reader that always peels for him whenever he’s getting harassed by those pesky dualists and dive tanks?

GLHF with your matches and have a nice whatever time of day it is for you!

Thank you and I hope you have fun with your matches as well, and hope you enjoy this! Loki is real fun personality wise, that sort of pompous, smug, and a bit self centered at times. but because of that it kinda makes him endearing. Kinda similar to Astarion from BG3 if you know about him

• Loki is very much the type who looks down on his fellow teammates, they practically need him to survive and are constantly in need of his guiding hand to get things done. Safe to say he has a bit of a.. complex.. It's easy to hear when he groans in frustration seeing those fools leave him alone on an abandon point. When seeing a new face on the team it doesn't spark much confidence, he could tolerate at least another support, but no it had to be another probably meat-headed tank. His expectations are low, at least hoping for the best that you are at least some what cognoscente to stay with in sight that he could heal you so you might prevent those annoying types from getting to his actual self or his illusionary doppelgangers

• It doesn't take long for him to find himself at a nice vantage point at the start of the match, away from most of the others battling while he keeps the team alive. That is until that pesky Spider-man notices his location, the young idiot webbing him instead of his illusions due to that bothersome spider sense of his. He knows calling out for help is practically pointless when everyone else's attention is elsewhere, he could fight as best he could against this irritating bug, but Spider-man already got his advantage. Just as the punch flies toward his face, Loki watches as his opponent is slammed into the other wall, and before him stands you.

• You quickly use your abilities to defeat the enemy spider, before giving him a smile and a thumbs up before going back to the fight with the others. Suffice to say, you jumped up on Loki's list of who he prioritizes keeping alive, Even if it was a one time thing. Perhaps he was just lucky you had caught it in time or you had already been targeting the Spider-man. Then it happens again, cornered with low health by that Dreaded Hulk, only for you to step between the two and give Loki some much needed breathing room.

• Loki quickly finds himself kept alive a lot more with you on the team. You're one of the few who bother to check in with the strategist like himself. What turns into keeping you alive as priority and conveniences turns into blatant favoritism. It's easy to see how smug he gets when you save him, healing you when you take a bit of damage over the clearly more injured Iron Fist. Safe to say you've found yourself in the graces of the God of Mischief. It's hard to know if that is really a good thing or not.

• Most notice the change but are smart enough not to comment on it, rather not prod at something that is at least beneficial. You're a solid fighter, and with Loki's healing, you can stay alive even when clearly outnumbered. He preens when ever you thank him for his help. Sure others have made sure to give thanks to the God for keeping them alive as they should, But when you do it, he can't help but feel a bit more pride, he can tell you are doing it not out of keeping his wrath at bay, but because you understand his role as the true leader of the team (his thoughts of course) In turn he will thank you in a less backhanded way that he would some of the others, after all, while he might not admit it, he has become fond of you.

I imagine a few maybe interactions of dialogue might be a mix of his odd praise so to speak

"Finally, someone I know will listen to commands unlike the rest of you"

"Ah there is my loyal subject, I trust you will keep your God safe yes?"

"Your talents are wasted on these fools, tell me, how would you like to be my most trusted knight? A king is not without his royal guard"

[zepskies]

What Does "Supporting Writers" Mean? ✍️

Apparently it's Fanfic Writer Appreciation Day! To all my fellow writers, I truly appreciate you for bringing me joy, making me smile on rough days, and giving me my weekly/daily dose of escapism and warm fuzzies. (Shoutouts to you personally below.) 💓💓

But what does it mean "practically" to appreciate your favorite writers, especially on Tumblr?

For example, I know some fanfic authors are starting to block "serial likers": people who'll go through someone's entire masterlist and hit the "like" button on 20-something stories without commenting or basic reblogging.

While I think blocking them is extreme, I understand the authors' frustrations. I've actually been asked if I'll ever leave Tumblr, since many of them have dropped off over the past few months, or even the past few years.

I'm still here for two very important reasons:

I love to write about my favorite characters. I write primarily because I love it, not just for the kudos.

I'm friggin' blessed to have a lot of friends and lovely readers on here and Ao3 who support me immensely on my writing and on this blog in general. I love and appreciate each and every one of you! Which is why I do my best to reply to your comments and reblogs. 💖💖

Of course, there are many reasons why a writer might take a break or stop writing entirely, but one of those reasons is also why the #supportwriters tag exists...

And why you'll see us include banners like this on our posts:

(Credits: cafekitsune, me, inklore)

That being said, here's my own rule of thumb on how I try to support my fellow writers when I read something I enjoy:

If I "liked" something, it means I had the time to read a story all the way through and I enjoyed it! (Or I'm bookmarking it for later in the day lol)

If I have the time to read it, I have the time to leave a comment on what I liked the most about it.

If I have the time to write out a comment (anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes), I typically put that comment in a reblog -- maybe even add a gif or two for ✨razzle dazzle.✨ That way I can share it with the rest of my followers, so they can see it and hopefully enjoy it too...

Why? Because Tumblr isn't TikTok or IG. Reblogging is the best way to help a post gain traction on Tumblr. The algorithm doesn't care much about likes.

But on a more human level, supporting writers is just the basic thing of -- if you enjoyed something you read (that a writer shared for free), just let them know what you liked about it.

Remember that there's a person behind the content you enjoy. They might have been working on that story for weeks or months, or even years before they got the courage to post it.

They might really be putting themselves out there, writing about a topic or subject matter that they're not sure people will even like or engage with.

Maybe they're exploring something new, like a character or trope they've never written before.

Maybe they're expressing part of themselves that they haven't even told another living soul.

Maybe they just wanted to write something fun and smutty or angsty or fluffy and want to share the escapism with you.

Whether they've been writing for years or are just starting out, any and all is valid.

For me, as a writer and a reader, supporting my fellow writers often means supporting my friends. And 9 times out of 10, the way we became friends was by leaving feedback on their work and asking them questions, or responding to their awesome feedback on mine.

If you want a little jumpstart on how to leave feedback, whether encouraging or constructive, here's an awesome post about it (not mine).

Shoutout to some of my favorite writers 💞:

(In no particular order)

@waynes-multiverse @luci-in-trenchcoats @dean-winchester-is-a-warrior @thatonewriter15 @rizlowwritessortof

@waywardxwords @tofics @kaleldobrev @deanbrainrotwritings @deanwritings

@jawritter @deanwinchesterswitch @justagirlinafandomworld @ravengirl94 @waywardxwords

@spnbabe67 @deanwanddamons @ejlovespie @kittenofdoomage @venus-haze

@talltalesandbedtimestories @sam-is-my-safe-word @jacklesbrainworms @artyandink @princessmisery666 (I just starting reading your stories, but I'm continuing with Samnesia soon!) -- and I'm sure many more! 💋

[etrsilk]

Please can we get a main 4 x reader during ovulation? It's coming up and I'm literally like a feral beast 😭 also I love your writings so far 💕💕

₊✩‧₊˚ ᡣ𐭩 𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐍 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑 ⇝ 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐝

˗ˏˋ ➛ 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙨: 𝘒𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘢,𝘎𝘰𝘯,𝘒𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘬𝘢,𝘓𝘦𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘰

˗ˏˋ ➛ 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 — ✘

˗ˏˋ ➛ 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚 — 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧

⎝ 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚:: I love this request so much!! also sorry, it’s quite short 😭 and thank you very much <3💕

 —𝐊𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐔𝐀ꫂ ၴႅၴ

➘ Killua would be a bit embarrassed; it’s not that it was really a taboo subject for him, but rather that among the many blood-related topics discussed, this one wasn’t the most frequent (lmao)

➘ If you tend to have very painful periods, he would probably do his best to be as attentive and caring as possible. If your periods aren’t very painful, he would allow himself to tease you and be a bit playful, but nothing too harsh… he’s just trying to lift your spirits in his own way!

➘ In reality, he worries a bit and tries to be as comforting, patient, and empathetic as possible, although he can be a bit clumsy

➘ he would act a bit like in this headcanon, He would act a bit like in these headcanons, trying to take care of you as he would with a sick reader, with lots of tenderness and attention !

 —𝐊𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐈𝐊𝐀ꫂ ၴႅၴ

➘ He would be absolutely the best. You wouldn’t even need to tell him what you need; he would already show up with a prepared hot water bottle, the necessary medication, and your favorite snacks.

➘ He would feel really sorry for you if you had painful periods and would do everything he could to ease your discomfort. He’d offer massages, keep you company, and find ways to distract you to make you feel better.

➘ He would also be incredibly cuddly, showering you with tenderness and affection. He would make sure you exert as little effort as possible and get plenty of rest. He’d take care of you by serving you everything you need and handling the small tasks so you can relax.

➘ Regarding your mood, he would try to be as tolerant and patient as possible. He’d always give you the benefit of the doubt to avoid arguments and support you in every difficult moment. He would do everything to make you feel loved and understood, even during the most uncomfortable times.

 —𝐆𝐎𝐍ꫂ ၴႅၴ

➘ Despite growing up surrounded by women, he knows very little about it… He barely understands what it is. I see Mito as a rather “conservative” person, and his grandmother simply never had the chance to discuss this topic with him.

➘ Even so, I don’t think he would be particularly embarrassed when you talk about it! It’s just frustrating because he doesn’t know much and therefore doesn’t really know how to help you or what you might be going through. But fortunately, his savior was there to explain everything and give him advice…

➘ LEORIO!!

➘ He would try to be as attentive, caring, and gentle with you as possible. He would frequently ask if you’re okay and would bring you hot water bottles or medication on his own initiative.

➘ he would act a bit like in this headcanon, he would try to comfort you and distract you by planning movie nights or fun activities like that!

 —𝐋𝐄𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐎ꫂ ၴႅၴ

➘ Leorio would know you’re going to have your period even before you do.

➘ As a doctor, he is VERY knowledgeable and would do everything possible to relieve your menstrual pain with all the existing methods available. He would give you massages and use innovative, and maybe even a bit surprising, techniques to help you feel better.

➘ The fact that he’s a doctor makes him even more understanding and attentive to your needs!

➘ Being a true gentleman, he would offer to do all the housework and daily chores, of course. He would make sure you don’t have to do anything other than rest.

➘ To comfort you, he would try to make you laugh with his jokes and charming humor. He would do everything to make you feel loved and supported during this time.

—English is not my first language, so sorry for any mistakes!!

[stiltsthegm]

What if you just had fun?

When I'm really bored at work and need something to distract me, but can't get TOO distracted (due to the aforementioned work), I like to watch challenge runs. This inevitably leads to me getting other videos that are tangentially-related to the game that was the subject of the video I just saw, and that's how I stumbled upon this one:

And it was fascinating to me in a way that made me feel a need to say something about it. Not in, like, a mean way (I'm aiming for a gentle ribbing, at most). There's been thoughts stirring in me for a while now about how disconnected I can sometimes feel between the ways I experience games and how "content creators" play games that are simply fascinating to me.

Although I do recommend watching at least some of the video to get the gist of what's happening, I'll do my best to accurately summarize the main thing that prompted this whole post. The author has played Skyrim a lot, almost always with a bunch of mods, and nearly always played it the same way: stealth archer. However, he recently tried a challenge playthrough that essentially forced him to engage in a bunch of systems he never paid much attention to before: alchemy, blacksmithing, mining, herb gathering, and shouts to name just a few. He even found himself using fast travel less, because it meant he could do gathering and transmutation magic while going to his next destination instead of going out of his way to grind out everything right before he needed it. This ended up giving him a greater appreciation for how an un-modded Skyrim actually works and is deeper than he originally gave it credit for.

My first reaction to this was perhaps a little uncharitable: "Were you even playing Skyrim at all until now?"

In a previous video he made (which I also watched), he talks about why stealth archery is so popular. He posits that it's the only combat method that plays well with Skyrim's other systems, since its damage scales well, it's precise (very little worry about hitting friendly NPCs), it's the easiest way to engage in stealth mechanics, and it's just generally pretty powerful. I'm mostly sympathetic to that opinion, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't find stealth archer to be my favorite way to play.

However, I was completely blindsided by someone saying they didn't engage in so many of these other systems. Like, yes, you can simply buy armor and weapons and potions, so alchemy and blacksmithing isn't mandatory. You can ignore it if you want to. But to not EVER try to engage with it?

I've encountered this sort of disconnect before in a way I found much more frustrating. You see, I really like the Civilization games, but I'm kind of bad at intuiting the systems at play on my own. I often look up videos from much smarter people to help me build a foundation of understanding so I can then at least make terrible choices on purpose rather than on accident. I was watching one particular Youtuber's reactions to some Civ 7 gameplay previews and found myself constantly baffled by the statements they were making. There were several little things that irritated me, but the one that finally made me turn off the video was a criticism of Civ 7 trying to implement story events like Paradox games do. They mentioned they hated that kind of mechanic and completely ignored the writing, just picking whichever choice offered the best mechanical advantage at the time. It was then that I realized this analysis video was going to be completely useless to me. We had very different priorities, and they had no interest in considering the changes from any angle other than the very narrow one they've always used. Like, sure, maybe it will end up being bad, but this is one preview video of one playthrough. Being angry at just the concept of story events seemed absurd.

There are folks out there who like "solving" video games. They find the most efficient, most powerful thing they can do, and they do that. Over and over and over again. I think what hit me most about the Skyrim video was that I wasn't expecting to find that kind of playstyle applied to that game. Skyrim exists so you can play in it. I sometimes make characters that run up to guys and hit them with a big sword not because it's the best way to play the game, but because it's just funny to hit guys with a big sword. I explore the map because Skyrim's world is beautiful, and I like simply being in it. I gather herbs because it gives me something to do while hiking and I like how the plant's graphic changes after I collect it. I do things in Skyrim not because I'm forced to, but because I want to explore what the game has to offer. And lately, I sometimes choose to not do things because I want to play a role.

The more I thought about Thane's Skyrim video, the more I grew fond of it. It starts out as just another challenge run where he's thinking about mechanical efficiency, and ends with him appreciating just how many different things he can do in the base game (Building a house! Marriage! Praying at shrines!) and how these systems interact with each other. That's neat! I genuinely love that someone who plays these games from a completely different mindset than I do can keep an open mind and learn to share my love of these mechanics. I wish I saw it happen more often.

[queenshelby]

Our Little Secret (Part 52)

Pairing: Cillian Murphy x Reader

Warning: Infidelity, Age-Gap, Triggers, Smut

Despite Mark's persistence however, Sean declined his offer for now, wanting to win you over fair and square, but when Mara's birthday came finally around, he was in two minds about it.

It was a Saturday morning and you were up early, preparing everything for the party. Mara was in her playpen, occupied with her toys, while you were rushing around the house, making sure everything was in order for your guests.

You were dressed in a casual summer dress and your hair was tied up in a messy bun, but you still felt self-conscious when the doorbell rang, and Sean stood there with a big smile on his face. 

He had not been around Mara before but arrived early to help you with hanging  decorations and preparing the food. "Hey, you look great," he said, handing you a bunch of sunflowers making you smile softly.

"Thanks, so do you," you replied, admiring his button-down shirt and jeans even though the moment was short-lived.

You led the way into the living room where you had a designated area for the kids' party. "I thought it would be best to keep it separate from the rest of the house so we don't end up with sticky fingers all over," you chuckled to yourself.

"A room full of toddlers, huh? Sounds fabulous," Sean  joked, looking slightly nervous at the sight of the colorful balloons and animal balloon sculptures scattered around the room.

"Oh, don't worry. They're all really well-behaved, trust me. Mara is actually the most boisterous one of them all," you laughed, feeling yourself relax a little more in Sean's presence.

"That's good to know," he said, taking a deep breath with a nervous smile on his face. "So, uhm, just checking, what did you tell people about us? Because, I know that your ex's family is coming and all, so  I just don't want to cause any awkwardness or something," Sean inquired, scratching the back of his neck nervously.

"I told them that you are a friend of mine, who has been helpful lately, and that you are coming over to help me set up and all. I didn't mention anything about us being together, you know?" you told him, feeling the need to reassure him once again.

"Yeah, I figured as much. I just wanted to make sure," he said, nodding his head in response.

"I am sorry Sean, it's just, Cillian wouldn't even agree to you being here, around Mara, unless I kept this platonic and I can understand him too," you told him sympathetically, understanding the frustration he was feeling.

"Why do you care so much about what he wants

, though? Surely he should be happy for you, if you have found someone else that you like?" he asked, a slight note of confusion in his voice.

"Sometimes, it's complicated Sean. Cillian and I are working through things and, to tell you the truth, since you and me aren't in a relationship, I too want to keep this platonic for Mara's sake. It would just confuse her, you know," you  tried to explain, being as honest as you could.

Sean didn't seem totally satisfied with your answer, but he understood where you were coming from and decided to drop the subject for now. You both worked in silence for a while, hanging decorations and setting up tables, but there was an underlying tension between you.

As you were arranging the food on the table, the doorbell rang and you felt your heart skip a beat at the thought of Cillian's mother arriving. However, it was just your best friend Emma. 

"Where is my favorite Babygirl?" she  grinned, taking Mara from her playpen and blowing raspberries on her chubby cheeks.

You couldn't help but laugh at the sight of your best friend, who had known you since you were in high school, playing with Mara. You two had been through so much together and you were grateful to have her in your life.

"I have a super cool present for you,"  she winked, pulling a wrapped gift from her bag.

"Oh my god, Emma, you didn't have to. But I am so excited to see what it is," you grinned, helping Mara opening her first present for the day, inside of which was a beautiful stuffed giraffe  , complete with a pair of pink and white crocheted booties.

"Gigi," Mara smiled, which was what she had called the giraffes at the zoo , her favorite animal.

"I know. Isn't she beautiful?" she said, pointing at the stuffed animal in Mara's arms, already covered with enthusiastic kisses from your daughter.

"Best friend ever," you smiled, hugging Emma tightly. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Emma said warmly before turning to Sean, introducing herself for the second time around, the first time having been at the nightclub where you had met him.

"Is Cillian okay with this?"  Emma asked, eyeing Sean up and down.

"Yes, I cleared it with him," you told her which is when, again, the doorbell rang and more guests  began to arrive one by one.

Sean remained helpful and kind, keeping his distance from your friends but assisting where needed. You watched him from across the room as he chatted with some people, sipping on his beer, wearing a polite smile on his face. He looked so at ease that you almost forgot about your complicated arrangement until, an hour into the party, the door went off once more.

"I will get it," Sean offered, seeing how busy you were with Mara and her toddler friends.  You nodded appreciatively, relieved to have some extra help at the party. As he opened the door, he was greeted by the sight of Cillian who was meant to be in the UK, filming. 

Surprised, Sean took a step back while Cillian stood in the doorway, his eyes narrowed as he looked at Sean.

"Sean," Cillian said with restrained hostility as he walked inside. 

Sean tried to keep his cool but couldn't help feeling nervous at Cillian's presence.

"Cillian, what are you doing here?" you asked, surprised, as you made your way over to him.

"Well, I decided to surprise Mara for her birthday. I'm only here for the day though. I got to go back tonight," Cillian explained, unable to take his eyes off Sean and you could sense the tension in the air growing with every passing second.

"Well, I am glad you could make it," you said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Mara is over there if you want to say hi to her," you gestured towards the living room where the children's party was happening.

Cillian hesitated for a moment before nodding and making his way towards the noise and laughter emanating from the other room. 

"There she is," he smiled, picking up Mara and kissing her chubby cheeks. "My little princess," he said as Mara beamed at her father and hugged him tightly. "Happy birthday Sweetie," he told Mara who went straight for Cillian's hair.

"Dada," she grinned, running her tiny hands over the shaved sides on his head, which was clearly a haircut she wasn't too fond about.  "I've missed you Babygirl," Cillian told her affectionately, noticing how Mara's eyes brightened at the sight of him. "Missed me too, huh?" he teased, receiving an adorable giggle in response and, just as you watched this tender moment unfold, you felt a swirl of emotions in the pit of your stomach. You were glad that Mara had her father there for her birthday while Sean, on the other hand, seemed displeased. 

It was clear that he felt uncomfortable around Cillian, and you couldn't blame him. After all, you were still unsure about where you stood with both men, and you knew that keeping a clear mind would be crucial to avoid making any unnecessary mistakes.

As the party progressed, you found yourself caught in a never-ending cycle of keeping a close eye on Mara and making sure that Sean was relaxed and enjoying himself while Cillian socialised with his family and the people around him. 

Mara clung to her father, clearly pleased to see him  and looking adorable in her brand new party dress, complete with a matching headband and shoes. Her laughter filled the air as she played with the other children, who seemed equally delighted to have Cillian there as he was fabulous with young kids, engaging with them in their games and being purposely silly and entertaining. 

Sean, on the other hand, remained somewhat reserved, occasionally joining in conversations but mostly standing off to the side, observing everything. You caught his gaze several times throughout the party, noticing the steady glance he gave you, the subtle twitching of his lips, and the raised eyebrow.

It was as if he could see the turmoil brewing within you, sensing the conflict that raged on inside. You wondered if he knew that you were struggling with your feelings. To what extent and in what ways was he aware of your internal struggle? His knowledge about you had been growing with each passing day, and that realization terrified you. He had been observant and intuitive, but was stopped short of fully understanding what was going on within you. You felt safe, yet vulnerable, anticipating the reckoning that was surely coming.

Cillian's attention seemed focused solely on Mara as she was having the time of her life, laughing joyously and blissfully oblivious to the drama unfolding between her parents. The laughter and chatter of the other children echoed throughout the room, punctuated by sporadic fits of giggles that seemed amplified because of the sheer innocence of their pleasures.

"She is growing up so fast," Cillian murmured, standing up from the floor and watching as Mara sat amongst the other kids her age, playing with blocks. "And yet, I feel like I haven't been here for any part of it lately," he added softly, the regret in his voice unmistakable as he turned his gaze toward you.

"I should have declined that role, Y/N. I've missed so much," he sighed, his eyes searching your face for any hint of understanding. "Only being here every fortnight isn't good enough," he told you, not knowing that Sean was listening in, and you said nothing for a moment, merely holding his gaze as you reflected on his words.

"Life happens, Cillian," you said finally, opting to keep your tone light and neutral to avoid causing any unnecessary drama. "This is your career and we knew this before we brought Mara into this world. In fact, we talked about the logistics of it many times," you  explained gently, trying to make him understand, knowing that this was an important point for him.

"I know, but I would be lying if I said that I didn't miss seeing her every second day or so," Cillian sighed, his eyes softening, "It's just, I don't. It's hard I suppose," he  admitted, looking away briefly before turning back to meet your gaze.

"You know, after my final exams next week and the wedding the week after, Mara and I could stay in Liverpool for a bit," you proposed, thinking that it would be good for Mara to have more time with her father. "After filming, you could spend some time with her, just for an hour or so, and I could take her to the zoo over there and all the other cool places during the day while you are on set,"  you added enthused, wanting Mara to have a good relationship with her father.

Cillian looked surprised but also pleased at the idea. "Really? That would be great, Y/N. Not just for Mara, but for me too," he admitted, smiling at you fondly. "I could rent you a unit and car and you could cruise around with Mara during the day. Maybe the two of you could even visit me on set, unless you think that's weird,"  Cillian offered, taking another sip of his beer.

You shook your head and smiled at him. "No, not weird at all. Unless it's weird for you," you said, seeing how you were no longer together and Mara's visit could even affect his performance on set.

"I think it would be fine. I would love to see her, even if it's just for a little while," he replied with a smile, touching your arm affectionately. You noticed the way Sean was watching you, the subtle tightening of his jaw and the narrowing of his eyes. You pulled your arm away, feeling suddenly uncomfortable under his gaze.

"Alright, let's plan it out then," you  said, changing the subject before Cillian could say anything else. "I'll call you next week and we can arrange everything."

Cillian nodded, seemingly satisfied with your response. "Sounds good," he said before making his way back to Mara while you went and stood next to Sean who was nursing a beer. 

"I should go," Sean said after a little while, breaking the silence and you were too busy to notice that he was struggling internally.

"Of course, you don't have to stay," you said, offering him an easy exit.

Sean hesitated for a moment before nodding and making his way towards the door.

You followed him, feeling a sense of guilt wash over you. You had known that inviting Sean to the party would make things complicated, but you hadn't expected it to be this difficult.

"I am sorry Sean. I didn't mean for things to get so awkward," you said softly, as you stood by the entrance.

"It's fine. I knew what I was getting myself into, although I didn't expect HIM to come," Sean replied,  his voice low and gruff as he looked at you, his eyes filled with a mixture of anger, sadness, and something else that you couldn't quite put your finger on.

"I know, but he is Mara's father and I am glad he came, for her," you  said, your voice barely audible as you stood just a few feet away from him, feeling the tension between you grow thicker.

Sean sighed deeply and ran a hand through his hair, looking you in the eye for a long moment, before replying, "I know, you're right, and I should just leave. But, I hate to admit it, his presence makes me feel like you still belong to him and it bothers me," he admitted and, with that,  the tension between the two of you grew palpable like a storm on the horizon.

Feeling the weight of the situation bearing down upon you, you glanced back into the room, wishing that Cillian could somehow disappear, like a mirage in the desert heat, leaving both you and Sean alone, untouched by the web of complications that had ensnared you both. But, you knew better.

"I belong to no one Sean," you  spoke softly, feeling a sickness rise in your throat at the thought. "Not to Cillian, or you either. I have a life of my own to live."

Your words hung heavy in the humid air, letting the weight of their meaning sink in. Sean looked at you with a troubled gaze, unsure of how to respond.

"I will call you tomorrow?" he then simply asked, causing a flash of confusion in your mind.

"Sure, I would appreciate that," you managed to say before Sean disappeared and drove off  in his car. You returned to the party, feeling lost and confused, trying to shake off the awkward energy that lingered between you and Sean.

Sean, on the other hand, made a call to his friend Mark. "Fuck morals. I am done playing nice. Give me all the dirt you can find on him," he demanded, wasting no time to beat around the bush.

Tags:

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[rouge-fauna]

Hi! I wanted to ask, do you have any tips in doing research for a essay? like how to identify truthful sources or detect strange sites? I always saw how well researched your essays are and i wondered if you have any tip on this. Hope you have a good day

In general I like to go straight to the source. For dsmp research, if possible I watch the actual stream and watch a good bit around it to get the context of the situation. As for non-dsmp research, I follow similar rules to how I was taught to do research in school. Firstly, keep in mind that .gov .org .edu (with .gov probably being the most preferable and .org being the more questionable) will typically be better sources than .com, anyone can own a .com so just something to keep kn mind. Secondly, if possible try and go to the most official information you can whether that’s the National Health Organization, the CDC or Department of something. Government sources, or international or national organization websites are the probably the best sources. Everyone one else is gonna typically reference them, so might as well go straight to the source if able. Thirdly, (if it’s not about politics so you aren’t dealing with bias in that sense), then articles from like Forbes, New York Times, The Guardian, Washington Post, Economic Times can be good sources as they are written from actual reporters and often site their sources in their article so you can see for yourself. Britannica Encyclopedia can be a good source to consider as well as more academic websites like Science Direct which has a collection of scientific essays and documents if that applies. In general, I’d also recommend reading multiple sources if possible. You can do a little fact checking on your own this way to see what people are saying. Is it consistent is it or not, can you compile all the info to form a reasonable picture. Even looking at Quora or Reddit questions and answers can be interesting to get first hand and personal experience with things, which you can then compare with the other information.

Depending on the subject and seriousness of needing to be super factually correct, you can always ask ChatGPT or Gemini to see what they say. They are compiling all the information on the internet which can be helpful, which you can then always fact check yourself and even ask for its sources. I mean AI is flawed and has certainly given me false info before but it can be helpful, so just use it wisely. Over all, read multiple things, probably ignore the sponsored websites at the top who paid to be there, don’t be afraid to click to the next Google page, and if you need scholarly sources, going to Google scholarly can be helpful. Also, change your wording, searching things is like a game if you don’t find what you need, try to reword and search again to see what you get. Maybe do that multiple times. It’s not a perfect science by any means and can be very frustrating and sometimes you don’t find what you’re looking for, but these are just the strategies I keep in mind. I swear googling things didn’t used to be so hard but now I feel like the first page is all sponsored and it’s hard to find what you need.

As far as strange sites go, I know there are websites that actually check for you whether they are a scam, sometimes you can kinda just tell by adds or whether you browser gives you an alert, hopefully you have some vpn or online security on your device. I typically don’t make accounts, subscribe to anything or give information to websites so if they are asking for that then even if they were reliable, I ain’t doing it. If it seems more like an website with articles vs some blog or whatever, like Psychology Today, while not my favorite source I might give it a read to see what they say.

Hopefully that is some helpful tips. As an aside, legal things I have found to be one of the most annoying things to research as it’s so freaking hard to find consistent information and like more legit information. Also, as word of advice if you are researching torture methods and things of that nature, be advised that the real world is a dark place and I have learned things I really wish I hadn’t. Sometimes fantasy should stay fantasy and it’s best not knowing about the facts… anyways good luck :)

[monkey-d-ezekiel]

I totally understand why manga readers hate the One Piece anime. like, the anime borderline ruins a lot of the important aspects of the show. I see so many one piece anime watchers who are frustrated with so much stuff in the anime, and like. please try the manga. for your own good. it'll take some effort getting used to, but once you get in the groove you won't be frustrated in that way at all. i promise. Oda has created what is more or less a masterpiece, and here's some ways in which Toei botched it and watered down the experience.

1. Art + Animation

the OP manga has some of the most consistently good art compared to a lot of other series. The shading conveys emotions well, the atmosphere is well built, and Oda makes pretty good usage of the 2D page in conveying 3D movement. The biggest difference is that while the women are still not the most accurately proportioned, there's a lot more emphasis on their facial expressions and overall aura and demeanor.

the anime spoils all this by giving us sloppy character design and lazy animation. since the episodes are still weekly and not seasonal, they have to pump out fast and cheap animation, which makes them overuse still frames, motion blur and overall just not give the source material the effort it deserves. the women in the show have zero detail paid to their facial features, and they all seem to have had their breasts artificially endowed to 3x the size of their head by the ever generous toei animators.

Honestly, the One Piece anime is on par with shows like Dragonball Super when it comes to bad art and animation. Especially post-timeskip.

2. Pacing

pacing is always a big issue that anime watchers point out, and at this point bringing up this issue is like beating a dead horse. it's still extremely important though, because the manga is most definitely not this badly paced. 1 chapter worth of content is animated into 1 full length episode. the length of all the impactful scenes is elongated with reaction shots, exclamations of "woah! a very obvious thing is happening in front of us! unbelievable!", as well as stare-offs, wide shots and unnecessary flashbacks that all seem to last for an eternity.

there are 2-5 minute recaps in every episode as well, just in case you lost track of everything that has happened so far in the story you're following with interest. the manga has none of these issues, and the best part is that you can decide your own pace. if something is boring, just read past it quickly. if it's dense or interesting, slow down, take your time and savor it. the emotional impact of scenes is not lost simply because of how often they're repeated/elongated, as often happens in the anime.

In conclusion, the pacing and art quality of the source material is far superior to that of the anime adaptation, and while I do find it very epic when my favorite manga scenes are animated in the show, I don't think it's reasonable for anyone to put themselves through the grueling ordeal of watching the dragged out episodes of this anime simply for those moments/fights.

If you like the anime, that's great, im happy you're following the story of one piece in the way you find most suitable, and i don't wanna demean you at all because these are all just subjective opinions. but if you're an anime watcher who finds themselves to be frustrated with some of the issues in the anime, i think you could give the manga a try. it'll take some getting used to, but you won't have any of the frustrations that will persist as long as this anime is airing.

[the-bed-gremlins-reading-list]

If you wanted to get the cast talking for hours uninterrupted, what’s your best bet? What subjects are they most knowledgeable/passionate about?

Oh man. That's a good one. We've a very large cast so let me know if I forgot anyone you were curious about!

Let's see -

Auberon is that annoying brother who will absolutely gush about his sibling and not be stopped once he's begun. Less effusively: he also legitimately enjoys cooking and he adores Ausones and is usually happy to talk about home. Just be warned he WILL end up on a tangent about how the year's fishing prospects are affecting his tax calculations and why he wants to murder his ancestors for literally carving a city into a mountain - do you know how much of a pain it is to do road planning when you have a giant cliff between the harbor and market?! He's probably the only of my nobles who legitimately enjoys being a noble because he LIKES handling that responsibility, just he will get caught up about it if given a long enough chance. Modern AU he'd probably end up like a DA or some other kind of politician.

The mentors are all passionate about the areas they teach, unsurprisingly. Not sure if any of them have proper hobbies outside that besides Zaphon and his gardening. I mean, I'm sure they do, just I don't know them yet. I suppose Halli would claim watching Zaphon garden counts, but he'd mostly be joking since he sunburns so easily he doesn't get to linger long.

The Luxes take some prying to get them to open up verbally, though they're more open in letters. They haven't let themselves think about much but their army and how best to take care of the people in it and the empire at large since Octavia's death and they ended up pushed into the role of a Commander earlier than they expected. They do enjoy magic and swordplay but it's something they'll probably only share with MCs that are Viria's or Halli's students. Often if they have any free time it's spent doing whatever their closest ones want to do. When they were younger their favorite thing to do was getting a picnic packed and going riding with their siblings (and whatever guards were stuck watching them) away from all the eyes in court just to be for a little bit.

Marcus is better at pretending he's happy to be focused on but he's a lot like Lux where he's happiest when allowed to quietly exist in the company of those he loves. He likes music, though he doesn't play anything since his mother dismissed the need for it, and loves art. Octavia liked to sketch and paint so she used to bully her siblings into doing it with her. Marcus took to it too though he usually only talks with Rossella about it as an adult.

Rossella is actually happy to talk to, well, anyone. She'll talk about almost anything remotely interesting to people she trusts enough to leave off her Court Persona for. That's mostly Lux or Marc but she's legitimately friendly if you can survive finding out that her greatest joy in life tends to be pranks of mostly benign nature on her loved ones so even unromanced MCs have a good shot at being subjected to her terrible humor. She's also legitimately interested in medicine and healing, and frequently frustrated by her limitations as a court noble - she'd rather be using her gifts where they are needed instead of just quietly making sure that none of the poisonings she witnesses are actually lethal because that's just what Nasenii nobles do for fun.

Caerwyn by virtue of being old AF has gone through many hobbies. Romanced MC's WILL be learning how to defend themselves with knives or daggers, that is not optional even if he has to make you practice using surprise attacks without your permission. That's mostly out of guilt concern but he also legitimately enjoys a spar. He's another one that enjoys talking as long as he likes who he's talking to, but you'll probably need to be prepared to be made fun of. He's rather fond of teasing. He's secretly very fond of reading travel diaries, for all he's lived centuries he's never left Ithel before coming to Ausones, but he's always wanted to just go exploring and so he's fond of anything that lets him learn more or talks of hypothetical plans once he's more trusting.

Rune would really just like the Medulloi siblings to stop giving them headaches. (Not really, they love them both.) Rune is good at what they do - fighting, protection, and all those knightly skills they've learned as a Leleux. (Their relationship with their adoptive family is... complicated. Their father is sworn as a knight to Evil Uncle and Rune takes the oath of fideles to Auberon as soon as they are old enough for it to be allowed. They are loved and love their father too but it's complicated since their father to know that he only lives because Auberon is a better man than his liege had been and refused to betray Rune.) They enjoy reading and usually have something tucked into a pocket or carried around that they can read while waiting around for Auberon to finish committing treason. They also just like company when they exercise. Auberon, Viria, and Halli are frequently running or sparring partners for them as they reach adulthood because sometimes they just have to burn off energy but it's not fun for them solo.

Robin.... Robin enjoys fairy tales, fiction, history, manga, and the bardic arts. She loves music and composing - it's why she's a bard at all. Also meeting new people and seeing new places. She also adores magic but the only kind she can do is the stuff done with enchanted items since she doesn't have a magical Knack (which is very disappointing but who needs magic when you can smile and play music instead?).

[nerdy-frog98]

Finished s1 of 911: Lone Star. My initial thoughts (these are personal opinions and are subject to change);

-TK and Carlos are very cute, but we got soooooo little of their story that I was getting frustrated by it. They’re boyfriends by the end of season 1, but we got so little development with them that I was just like “oh. that’s it? hm, okay. cute.” TK and Carlos individually are amazing though.

-Actually, I was getting frustrated at the overall lack of storylines for everyone except Owen and Michelle. They would do one tiny storyline for each character then never focus on them again (like Marjan and the storyline with the mosque slut-shaming her. I need more of that shit and less of whatever is going on with Owen).

-Owen rubs me the wrong way. Maybe it’s because I’m so used to Bobby, but his ego is too much for me. He’s always gotta be the hero, the center of attention. Does he get better? I do like him when he’s with TK! He’s a good dad, just a very annoying person generally.

-I love Judd and Grace! They’re very sweet. It took me a min to warm up to them, but they’re probably my favorites. Probably because they’re the only characters besides Michelle and Owen getting any screen time lmao. Maybe a hot take, but Grace as a dispatcher has the same energy as Abby as a dispatcher. No, I will not elaborate.

-The emergencies do have the same vibe (and I like that we get to see the other characters shine a bit during the emergencies). Would like to see more of the team doing rescues together though.

-As a deconstructing ex-Christian, the amount of religion within this show makes me very ✨uncomfy✨. I am aware that Texas be like that, so I am doing my best to accept it for what it is. However, there are moments like when Judd was refusing to go to church because of trauma and Grace guilting him into going…that do nawttt sit right with me. This is very liberal for being a texas yee-haw show though, so I’m a little more forgiving of that. [& the emergency in the second episode with the lady who was racist, transphobic, and homophobic - that was probably the funniest thing to happen in both the 9-1-1’s combined. Probs wouldn’t have happened in LA, California]

- Overall, I’m mildly underwhelmed by it. The premise is really good and I like most of the characters. I am mostly hoping the stories get better (more development). It was a short season, so maybe that’s what it was. idk. I’m optimistic.

I went into the og 9-1-1 with some pre-knowledge of characters and a few storylines spoiled for me. The only thing I know about 9-1-1 lone star is that TK & Carlos get married eventually. I know nothing else of literally any other character or storyline. So. 🙏🏼

Also the crossover episode is in season 2, so I am absolutely looking forward to seeing that again.

[spiderwovendreams]

Along with more contained episodes, the new season has brought another crucial change: the addition of fan-favorite punk vamp Spike (James Marsters), last seen sacrificing himself to save the world in the "Buffy" finale. Now a ghost of sorts, the delightfully sarcastic anti-hero provides an intriguing foil for Angel: Both vampires have a conscience, and both are desperately in love with Buffy. "Some people were like, 'Uh-oh, he's the other vampire with a soul; it's redundant,'" Whedon says. "But he couldn't be any more different from Angel. I think of him in a way as the new ingenue. It's a very intense, contentious situation, and they bring out the worst in each other -- but ultimately, it's one of the strongest and certainly the oldest relationship in Angel's life."

Honestly, what's most fascinating is that every post here tells me more about the poster than about the subject matter. That's what makes fiction grand. I will say a few things: 1)When I called James "the best ingenue Angel ever had" I merely meant that there was enormous acting chemistry between them. After throwing different actresses up against David (sometimes literally) it was gratifying to find someone who brought out passion in David's performance that I'd never seen. I mean, look at Caveman vs Astronauts, for god's sake! David is off the charts hilarious. I learned early on to film those two in one-ers instead of regular coverage because their energy just kept increasing. Others have misinterpreted that quote before. 2)What may or may not have happened is entirely up to the viewer, that's what makes it art. Having said that, I know EXACTLY what happened and it's funny that I'm never going to tell anyone. But did no one see the obvious smoldering passion between the Blue Hand guys? MAN, did you guys miss the boat. 3)In my world, heroes bugger each other senseless. Not all of them, but more than you'd think, and probably not who you're thinking. But seriously, Anybody here care to tell Apollo and the Midnighter how a hero should behave? To their faces? joss | January 20, 12:00 CET

(4-05 Houston) Joss, uh….basically I was not going to let him get to me, I was not going to run screaming saying "how dare you, grouse grouse grouse…" Joss has a problem with people thinking anybody's really cool. When he perceives that anybody is getting a lot of attention and all of that, his big instinct is to rip that down. So, it's really good for scripts because he goes after lots of sacred cows, but when he rips me down, grrrr. (laughs) He called me an ingenue the other day in US Weekly. "Spike was the best ingenue Angel ever had." In 15% of the bars, that'll get you killed. I've seen what happens when you call a man a pretty, little girl. All joking aside, I wanted to go and find him and show him what kind of ingenue I really was. But I got over it and I realized that's the downside of working with Joss. There's a lot of upsides, but that one is a frustration. He does like to humiliate people.

Probably the most interesting part of Marsters' panel was a confession about his time working with Joss Whedon. The actor rightly calls Whedon a genius, but he pointed out a spat in which Whedon was in the wrong. The "Buffy" creator apparently told Marsters once that Spike was "Angel's greatest ingenue." The Wizard World crowd groaned in response -- not a lot of team Angel fans at a panel with the man who played Spike. Marsters said he and Whedon actually had a tense moment of disagreement over that comment, and he wishes he could do that conversation over and apologize. (But just because he's sorry doesn't mean he wasn't also right.) 

Someone asked him if Joss Whedon had talked to him about playing Quicksilver in the sequel to the upcoming Avengers movie, but James stated that Joss hasn't spoken to him since he threatened him following a quote Joss said about him. Joss called him "Angel's best ingénue" in U.S. Weekly, which was meant to be a complement, but James saw it as insulting, almost as if he was calling him "a pretty little girl." Joss wouldn't apologize, and James was threatened him. James said he should call to apologize before the Avengers comes out so Joss wouldn't think he was just kissing his ass and the audience egged him to call Joss right then, but James just laughed.

[jacenbren]

Ok I’m real sorry to everybody who came to my blog for trigun and shit but my Ninjago hyperfixation is coming back with a vengeance so I’m subjecting y’all to another Nonsensical Insomnia Rant!!! this time it’s about my favorite little greasy dead bitch Morro and how freaky powerful he could’ve been (and definitely already was)

Spoilers for the entire Ninjago series ahead lol

So yeah. Morro. Ninjago’s biggest cautionary tale. He is everything Lloyd feared becoming and everything Kai could’ve became. His jealousy and desperation for approval killed him, and his inability to understand that love isn’t won purely via accomplishments ate him alive (he’s an icon for burnt out gifted kids everywhere lol), and most of all: he died tragically, and before he could reach his true potential.

So in the series, we never really got to see any other masters of wind before, and thus we didn’t have any strong guidelines for Morro’s inherent power level. All we know is that he was a prodigy at both martial arts and his elemental powers, so much so that Master Wu assumed that he’d be the Green Ninja (until the Golden Weapons didn’t react, that is). Even in death, Morro was easily one of the ninjas’ more challenging opponents, especially with his great tactical intellect factored in. In a nutshell, he was powerful, skilled, and more than determined to get his revenge on Wu, and the ninja were very lucky that Nya figured out her powers in time to be able to stop him.

Now, going back to the original point, we had no idea if Morro’s power level came from his ancestry, or from his prodigious skill. We do know that he died before he fully mastered his powers, and even then, he’s incredibly powerful. When he first showed up at the tea shop while possessing Lloyd in season five, rocked everyone’s shit almost effortlessly, easily besting all of the ninja in hand-to-hand combat. A case could be made that he was able to defeat them so easily because he was possessing Lloyd’s body, but then again, when they fight him later in the season while he’s not possessing a body, he seems to be just as, if not even stronger. Morro displayed incredible control over his elemental powers as well, being able to summon tornadoes, rip apart buildings, achieve sustained flight, and even alter the weather to his liking, all while canonically having died before he could fully master his abilities. Not only this, but his physical abilities also seemed to have been hampered slightly by being a ghost, which Morro voices frustration about, if I remember correctly.

So, for the longest time, therein lies the question: is the elemental power of wind always that strong, or was Morro’s prodigious strength biasing us? Now, with the introduction of Euphrasia in Dragons Rising, we kinda have an answer: yeah, the elemental master of wind is pretty much always gonna be scary fucking strong.

Forgive me for any errors since I’ve only seen the first season of DR, but from what we’ve seen of Euphrasia, she’s had her powers for a few years at most and is already a force of nature. With minimal to zero training, she was able to achieve sustained flight, finely control wind currents and air pressure, and even use her powers to help seal an interdimensional rift. She’s already easily on par with characters we’ve seen training for most of their lives, and if we compare her to Morro, they’re pretty damn close when it comes to raw prowess. In a fair fight Morro would likely beat her due to having superior experience and training, but it would still be close. So it’s not unreasonable to assume that wind is a powerful element in its own right, and with the right master, it can be really fucking deadly. For example:

Sucking all of the air out of an opponent’s lungs and suffocating them on dry land, á la Zaheer in Legend of Korra

Causing the air pressure in a given area to drop dramatically, inducing hypoxia in everyone present and rendering them unconscious

Manipulating wind currents in a given area on a large scale, altering weather patterns to a high degree

Emitting hyper-compressed blasts of pressurized air that break the sound barrier and rupture the eardrums of everyone in the area, as well as slicing through many materials like a knife through butter

Creating pockets of air in someone’s brain or bloodstream, resulting in an instant embolism

So yeah! The ninja are damn lucky that a) Morro died before he could unlock his true potential, and b) that Euphrasia seems to be on their side, because if not… oh boy.

[msweebyness]

Miraculous Barbie: The Magic of Pegasus (Starring the Bourgeois/Lee Sisters)

Welcome to the fourth chapter of my Barbie movie adaptation series, starring Zoe and Chloe! @artzychic27 @imsparky2002

"There is always hope!"

CAST:

Zoe Lee as Princess Annika

Chloe Bourgeois as Princess Brietta

Cosette Bellamy as Aidan

Pollen as Shiver

Xavier-Yves “XY” Roth as Wenlock

Mme. Dahlia Winters as Rayla, the Cloud Queen

Candace Fletcher, Staci Kwan & Eloise Matuidi as the Cloud Princesses

Audrey & Andre Bourgeois as Queen Elvina & King Marcus

Wayhem as Farris

And so our story begins…

Long ago, in a faraway and snowy kingdom, there lived a princess. Her name was Zoe…and today was her 16th birthday! Zoe’s father, King Andre, approached his daughter’s room, armed with her birthday present…only to discover she wasn’t there, immediately sending the whole palace into a panic and infuriating her mother, Queen Audrey. (If they had bothered actually looking in her room, they would have found the note she left.)

Meanwhile, a ways away from the palace, the young princess is enjoying her favorite pastime, ice skating, at which she’s the best in the kingdom! Just then, she happens to crash into an adorable polar bear cub, who she quickly befriends, and seeing she seems to have no family, names her Pollen for her love of flowers and decides to take her home!

But when she arrives, she finds her angry mother and worried father waiting for her. Her mother reminds her that she is absolutely forbidden to leave the castle, with her father hastily adding ‘without permission’. Frustrated with their constant restrictions, Zoe asks for the hundredth time why they are so against her leaving the palace, and for the hundredth time, her mother’s glare silences her father’s attempts to explain.

Disgusted that Zoe brought a wild animal home with her and fed up with her ‘defiance’, Audrey forbids Zoe from ever going skating again, devastating the girl, who runs to her room in tears as Andre feels this may be going too far.

That night, as Zoe lays on her bed, frustratedly ranting to Pollen about her controlling parents, she hears music out of her open window. Stepping out on the balcony, she sees many of the villagers skating on the frozen town square, having a celebration to honor the princess’ birthday, go figure. Smiling to herself, Zoe decides that, what better way would there be to thank them for thinking of her today than to make an appearance? She almost never gets to meet any of her subjects, after all!

Donning her favorite dress and stealing back her skates from where Audrey hung them, Zoe sneaks out of the palace. As Zoe arrives, everyone seems to freeze as they watch the princess skate, but she quickly resumes the party with her good humor, skating with a few of the village children before dazzling everyone with her amazing talent on the ice.

But it’s at that moment that the sky is filled with a strange green mist, and from this a griffin swoops down, a man with an arrogant but dangerous air about him astride it. Swaggering up to Zoe, the man declares she is indeed the most beautiful girl in all the land. He introduces himself as Xavier…her future husband, which Zoe does not take very well at all, because who does this guy think he is?

Having seen the mist appear in the sky, Audrey and Andre arrive, with the latter telling Xavier firmly to leave Zoe alone, a demand which is sneeringly denied, along with a smug reminder of what happened to their ‘other daughter’, which confuses Zoe, because since when did she have a sister?

Having had enough of this situation, Zoe demands answers from her parents and for Xavier to leave, because no way in HELL is she going to marry him! In response, Xavier uses his staff to turn both her parents and all of her subjects into statues, with the ultimatum that he will only free them if she gives in, horrifying Zoe. He also adds that she’s more than welcome to join them if she’s still getting cold feet.

But it’s at that moment that something crazy happens. A beautiful golden pegasus with a shining blonde mane swoops down from the sky and rescues Zoe, whisking her away from Xavier, who warns that Zoe has three days to change her mind before his spell becomes permanent.

As they ride through the sky, the dumbstruck Zoe is surprised to discover the pegasus is able to speak, explaining that Xavier is an incredibly powerful sorcerer who takes what he wants when he wants, and that she’s taking Zoe to the Cloud Kingdom, where she’ll be safe. But when Zoe asks who she is and why she saved her, the pegasus answers that her name is Chloe but hesitates on the second question.

They then arrive at the beautiful cloud palace, and are greeted by the three princesses, Candace, Staci and Eloise. Zoe then meets the Cloud Queen, Dahlia, and explains her situation as best she can with Chloe’s help. Dahlia gives her a beautiful new dress and a comfortable room to stay in, and it’s then that Zoe learns from Staci that Chloe, as in the pegasus, is her sister.

Sensing Chloe’s distress, Dahlia steps up to explain. Just like with Zoe, it had been Chloe’s 16th birthday, when Xavier appeared from the sky. When Chloe, just like her sister, had refused to marry him, and her parents ordered him to leave, he transformed the young princess into a pegasus, inspired by the kingdom’s coat of arms. With the spell unable to be broken, Chloe had fled the kingdom and taken refuge with Dahlia and her girls. Zoe is extremely upset, because why the hell was she never told any of this?! Chloe honestly can’t think of a good answer in defense of their parents.

Desperate to save her people and help her sister, Zoe is certain there must be a way to defeat Xavier, with Staci suggesting something called a Wand of Light, only to be shushed by Candace, who reminds her that Chloe doesn’t like talking about it. At Zoe’s insistence, Dahlia explains that a Wand of Light has the most powerful magic of all, but you can’t just find one, you have to build it. And to do that, you need three things: a measure of courage, a ring of love, and a gem of ice lit by Hope’s eternal flame.

Zoe is sure that they can gather the components in time, it’s only three things after all! But Chloe bitterly insists that it’s only a fairytale, she’s tried for years and accomplished nothing. But after encouragement from her sister, she agrees to give it one more shot! Before they leave, Chloe takes Zoe to see the Cloud Princesses paint the clouds for the sunrise, filling the sky with beautiful color and giving both girls the courage they need. Dahlia gives Chloe a necklace with a magical bell that she can ring if she ever needs the Cloud Queen’s help, and they’re off.

Meanwhile, back at his dark palace, Xavier is, as always, cruelly berating his three previous wives, who he transformed into trolls once he grew bored of them, and forces to serve his every whim. He prepares the castle to welcome his new bride, hoping this one won’t…disappoint him.

The two sisters begin their journey in the deepest, darkest part of the Forbidden Forest, a place filled with shadows and monsters. They’re both more than a little rattled…even more so when they hear footsteps besides their own, and a frightened Pollen falls through a hole down a long slide, and the sisters are suddenly caught in a net trap! It’s at this moment, they meet Cosette, a surly young blacksmith who’s lived in the Forbidden Forest for years. She cuts the two down and they exchange introductions. Zoe asks where the tunnel Pollen fell through leads to, to which Cosette only sarcastically answers ‘big trouble’. When her request to be taken there is declined, Zoe promptly jumps down the tunnel, leading Cosette and Chloe to deduce that she’s crazy.

It turns out that the tunnel empties directly into the cooking pot of a giant named Ollie, who plans to cook the princess and her cub for lunch. However, with some quick thinking, Zoe is able to get him to try and prove his strength as a giant compared to others she’s met (a lie, but he doesn’t need to know that), culminating in him chaining himself to the wall, while Zoe uses her hair ribbon and a fork as a grappling rope to climb out, bidding the giant goodbye before he manages to collapse his entire house on himself!

When Zoe reunites with her sister, and surprisingly Cosette, who cared a bit more than they let on about Zoe getting hurt. It’s then that Zoe’s hair ribbon starts to glow, and Chloe notes that it’s her exact measure! A measure of courage! Now that they have the first piece of the Wand of Light, Zoe is feeling a great deal of confidence about their chances, but Cosette believes that they’re chasing fairytales. It’s then that Zoe realizes that once they have all three pieces, they’ll need a smith to put them together, and she asks for their help. Though she doesn’t let on, what Zoe says about needing to do the right thing gets to Cosette, and it agrees to help them. With that, they set out to find the gem of ice!

The two make their way up into the snowy mountains, where they come to a ramshackle shop run by an old acquaintance of Cosette, Wayhem. The young blacksmith states that he’s a good-for-nothing thief, but if there’s one thing he knows, it’s jewels! They enter the shop, and are both flustered when Wayhem mistakes them as a couple. Zoe explains what they’re looking for, and gives him her skates in exchange for what he knows. He tells them about a gem that may fit the description, but that it’s cursed, which is why he never went after it himself. Taking the map he gives them, they make their way further up into the mountains.

After traveling for hours, they decide to rest in a cave for the night so Chloe and Cosette’s horse can rest. Cosette builds a fire to keep them warm, and they get a good night’s sleep. As they exit the cave, Zoe notices the peak of a mountain in the distance, gleaming like a gem in the rising sun, and knows that’s where they need to go. Chloe flies them up to the mountain peak, and they enter an icy cave.

Back at Wayhem’s shop, Xavier arrives after being called by the scavenger, who shows him the princess’ skates, but refuses to divulge any more until given proper incentive. Xavier realizes that Zoe intends to build a Wand of Light, and goes to leave… but not before he changes Wayhem into a literal doormat and takes back the money he paid him!

Back at the icy mountain cave, the four companions stumble upon a message on the wall, which Cosette is able to read: “Beware…take only what you need, but never from greed.” A passageway opens, and they make their way down into the cave, emerging in a cave filled with beautiful gems made of ice. Zoe is drawn to a particular one, and chooses it as the gem for the wand…but Cosette also takes one. However, the cave doesn’t collapse, revealing she needed it for an unselfish reason. Zoe wants to ask about it, but must hold off until later, as unfortunately, the cave now IS collapsing because Pollen, who has more than once shown a love for shiny things, has taken as many gems as she can hold. Thankfully, Chloe gets them all out just in the nick of time!

Arriving back at the cave they spent the night, the only component remaining is a ring of love, with Cosette suggesting maybe they could forge one. As she gets a fire going, Zoe asks what Cosette needed the second ice gem for, and reluctantly, they tell their story. Its mother abandoned their family, taking most of their money with her, and Cosette accidentally blew the rest of it while trying to earn more in a game with Wayhem. She had resolved not to return home until she could pay their father back, and the ice gem should be able to do that.

Cosette will need metal to make the ring of love, and to Zoe’s surprise, Chloe offers her crown, which she deeply treasures as a reminder of what she once was. Cosette offers to use their sword instead, but Chloe insists, because she loves her sister and her people, transforming the crown into a ring. Now united, the three components of the Wand of Light begin to glow, showing they are all present. With the fire ready, Cosette begins to weld them together into the weapon that will hopefully defeat Xavier.

Once the Wand of Light is complete, Cosette presents it to Zoe, wondering how they can see if it works, but Zoe has an idea! Holding up the wand, she wishes with all her heart to break the spell on her sister. The wand begins to glow…and Chloe is changed back into a human! Overcome with joy, the two sisters share their first real hug! (Also, apparently the curse kept Chloe from aging, because she looks like she’s the same age as Zoe even though she should be like twice that, but whatever. (It was that way in the movie with Brietta, just fyi.))

Resolved to defeat Xavier, Zoe declares it’s time to go home!…the only problem is they’re miles away and Chloe can’t fly anymore… Thankfully, Chloe remembers the bell Dahlia gave her, and the Cloud Queen sends two of the Royal pegasi to transport them. It’s here that Zoe bids a reluctant goodbye to Cosette, who she has been developing mutual feelings for, and the blacksmith goes on their way.

But as the sisters are flying back to the Cloud Castle, they are attacked by Xavier and his griffin, who chases them into an icy ravine. He hits Chloe’s horse and sends her tumbling to the ground, Zoe racing down to her sister. Furious with Xavier for harming Chloe, Zoe grabs the Wand of Light, she commands it to destroy the sorcerer…but it doesn’t work.

Feeling she has no other option, Zoe agrees to be Xavier’s bride if he releases everyone. But he now rescinds the offer, as he’s not too happy about the “Destroy Him!” thing, stating that she is ‘just like his other wives’. He steals the wand of light…and then buries Zoe in an avalanche!

Having now woken up, Chloe looks for her sister. Directed by Pollen to the massive pile of snow, she begins to panic, crying out desperately for Zoe as she digs. Cosette hears her, and begins frantically helping her look. They find Zoe, but she’s ice cold and unconscious.

They bring her back to the Cloud Kingdom, where the princesses tend to her. After a few hours, Cosette and her sister’s pleas seem to reach Zoe, and she wakes up. In the heat of the moment, the princess and the blacksmith share a kiss.

Zoe realizes that it’s almost sundown, and this is the third day! They are almost out of time! The three race to Xavier’s dark castle to retrieve the Wand of Light and stop him once and for all! The Cloud Princesses slow down the sunset as much as they can to give them more time, but it may not be enough…

Back in his fortress, Xavier attempts to use the Wand of Light on his wives to make them work faster, but obviously fails, declaring it useless and tossing it aside, which causes the gem to break loose from the hilt. This happens at the same time Cosette and the royal sisters arrive, preparing to launch an ambush. While Chloe stays and tends to the horses, Cosette and Zoe skate down through a narrow tunnel, each surprised by the other’s skill. Cosette then moves to distract the griffin while Zoe sneaks into the main room, trying to find the wand. Xavier returns and nearly catches her, but he is quickly distracted by Cosette fighting his griffin. Zoe manages to find the wand, but not without the gem falling off and slipping over the edge of the balcony or before Cosette is knocked over a cliffside by the griffin!

Distraught, Zoe drops to the ground, feeling she has failed. Thankfully, someone pulls themself up from the cliffside and offers her the backup gem they took from the cave. It’s a perfect fit, but only in time for Xavier to arrive and steal it with his magic, as his griffin tackles Cosette. But he himself doesn’t hold the Wand of Light…one of his former wives does. Zoe reaches out to them, appealing that they deserve better than this, that she can make a better future for everyone. Moved by her words, they give the wand to Zoe, who wishes from the bottom of her heart, not from anger this time, to break all of Xavier’s evil spells. She is changed into a beautiful dress, and her people are unpetrified, and Xavier’s former wives are changed from trolls back into themselves! Xavier himself is changed into a pathetic little man, who will now be forced to serve the women he mistreated for the rest of his days!

Zoe returns to the kingdom with Chloe and the two confront their parents about keeping all this a secret, with Andre apologizing, stating that he always wanted to explain but Audrey forbade it. The two sisters make up for lost time and prepare to rule the kingdom together. Cosette returns to her home, and is welcomed back by their father with open arms.

A couple years later, the entire kingdom is at the Cloud Castle, celebrating Zoe and Cosette’s engagement. There’s a huge ice rink and everyone’s eyes are on the couple as they skate in a beautiful waltz.

And they all lived happily ever after!

No matter what, we always have hope! Leave your thoughts in the comments and reblogs, and watch for the next installment!

[doomerpatrol]

Comic Log: The Year So Far

this does not include the assorted works of Grant Morrison which will get their own effortpost(s).

Astonishing X-Men by Joss Whedon: Truly rancid. Fundamentally does not work. I'm softer on the first and third arcs, while I think the fourth is a letdown and the second is abysmal. While Whedon's humor is characteristically hit or miss, and his characterization of just about everybody except Cyclops and Emma Frost is quite poor, what actually frustrates me is the way Astonishing squanders its opening ethos of reinvigorating the status of the X-Men as classic "traditional" superheroes (rather than the soap-operatic introspective subjects of Claremont or countercultural militants of Morrison). Despite this being the explicitly stated function of the ongoing series, it's only told and never shown. Instead we get a few different arcs themed around mutation and guilt, which is also fine, but again, those themes are barely fleshed out (the "mutant cure" that seems like it's going to be a really big deal and presents a lot of interesting thematic questions is summarily handwaved away).

Favorite arc/issue: "Torn" is a compelling exploration of Emma Frost's survivor's guilt, and the dynamic between her and Cyclops which extends into the final arc (which I otherwise loathe) is really great. Sad that it doesn't exactly get a real ending, just so the X-Men can go to space and endorse biological determinism, though!

Detective Comics by Greg Rucka: What could have been! This has some really brilliant creative decisions going on, particularly in the beautiful artwork which uses monochromatic color palettes based on the theme and tone of an issue, but ultimately gets taken out and shot by the event mandates of "Bruce Wayne: Murderer?/Fugitive." The central idea here is the fallout of the "No Man's Land" event, which shifts the social and political tensions in Gotham, and causes Bruce to get saddled with a new bodyguard, Sasha Bordeaux. Having a constant tail that he needs to be able to shake without exposing his dual identity is a fun idea, but I don't think it gets as much time as it deserves, and the treatment of Sasha as a character isn't my favorite either. She's basically turned into a disposable love interest by the events of Fugitive/Murderer and the way it all resolves left me really cold. Ultimately the best ideas here get picked up in Gotham Central.

Favorite arc/issue: "A Walk in the Park" which covers Poison Ivy's expulsion from Gotham City's park after the "No Man's Land" crossover, with some nice characterization for Bruce and Ivy (if you like a redeemed/sympathetic Ivy).

Wolverine by Greg Rucka: Inherits the Frank Miller treatment of a solo Logan as a sort of wandering ronin or cowboy. I have some complaints - I really do not like the characterization of fellow Weapon Plus victim "The Native," because it hews too close to gross racial stereotype, and the AFT agent that basically falls in love with Logan at first sight because she just loves a bad boy is CORNY. However! These three arcs have great action and tightly knit simplistic plots, which see Logan forced into morally and personally tight spots - a vengeance quest on a trafficking ring, a moral dilemma over how to deal with a pregnant cartel leader, Wolverine and Sabretooth begrudgingly teaming up against Weapon Plus as both of them look for the first opportunity to betray the other. It's not the most amazing set of stories ever, I don't think any of them would make a Top 10 Wolverine stories list, but it's very well-executed pulp fiction.

Favorite arc/issue: "Brotherhood," the first arc, which sees Logan hunting down a misogynist cult who sent assassins after one of its runaway victims, and its follow-up featuring Nightcrawler having a beer and shooting the shit about the soul. I love how squat Wolverine is drawn in this arc. That's not the deepest commentary but it is true.

Catwoman by Ed Brubaker: Pretty solid! Has some of my favorite creatives (Brubaker, Darwyn Cooke, Mike Allred) on board. This series brings Selina back into the DCU after some time away, trying to turn over a new leaf and reinventing herself as a kind of defender of the downtrodden in Gotham's East End. An excellent new costume, a new attitude, new supporting cast - it's such a step up from the 90s Catwoman book. To be honest, the art from Cooke and (terrible person) Cameron Stewart and the various colorists is the big draw here, turning this part of Gotham into something both vibrantly cartoonish and appropriately noir-inflected: alternatingly poppy and moody and sensual as the story necessitates. At issue #25 the art team turns over, and the tone of the comic shifts towards something more conventional and "realistic." This was pretty much my jumping off point - I think it loses a lot of its charm and heart at this point and then has the misfortune of intersecting with the "Batman: War Games" event (not to mention that the new art is, uh, quite bad). But up through #25, the stories are pretty solid with some fun heists and capers, with a strong supporting cast and central arc of Selina figuring out how she wants to exist in the world.

Favorite arc/issue: "Disguises" is a highlight, which sees Selina going up against crooked cops as she and Slam and Holly very actively get in harm's way in pursuit of the truth. I also like "Relentless" where Black Mask tries to very ruthlessly destroy Selina's life; it's exceedingly dark and definitely derivative of "Daredevil: Born Again" but I appreciated its bleak, expressionist qualities. And the road trip arc "Wild Ride" is also really fun and cute!

Hawkeye by Matt Fraction: A total treat. Interestingly bifurcated - the first half is slightly more episodic, putting a bunch of assorted pieces into play (our two leads Clint and Kate, the Tracksuit Mafia, Cherry the runaway mob wife, the Polish clown hitman, Lucky the dog, and the local community), with a domino effect from a particularly cruel death to our two Hawkeyes splitting from each other. From there, I do think the series spins its wheels just a squeak too long, as we alternate between Kate pounding the pavement trying to make some cash in LA and Clint steadily trying to figure out how to shoulder the burden of protecting his community, with some filler for good measure. But once Clint concludes he can't do it all on his own, and circumstances force the Hawkeyes back together - oh man! The last two issues are excellent, one of the most satisfying conclusions I've read in a comic in an age. I particularly enjoyed the communitarian theme. And the paneling and layouts and especially the artwork from David Aja and Annie Wu are all so delightfully creative and colorful and expressive. (The cover portrayed above is indicative of the kinds of spreads and layouts that we get throughout the book.)

Favorite arc/issue: definitely the two-part finale. Also loved the issue focused on the dog Lucky. The whole thing is immensely readable, it really works together holistically.

Punisher (and Franken-Castle) by Rick Remender: Starts strong with Frank trying to take a shot at the politically ascendant Norman Osborn, which is an inspired choice: it automatically makes Frank a touch more sympathetic because we know Osborn is a sadistic fascist, it gives him the motivation to really up the ante with a high-tech arsenal (so a little bit of a sci-fi twist), and it offers an opportunity to do some of that hack sociopolitical commentary on post-9/11 American society that Marvel loved at the time. But the series finishes super weak. Most notably, the Osborn plotline is unable to meaningfully advance because all the relevant players were under Brian Michael Bendis' purview, so the series quickly devolves into a dull supernatural slapfight with The Hood and throwaway villains, and then quite abruptly turns into the underwhelmingly odd "Franken-Castle." The action is solidly drawn but the plot wears thin because it hinges on shallow contrivances, and there's an odd refusal to commit to any big thematic ideas or strong emphases of characterization, like the main supporting character of Henry. Honestly, I don't think Garth Ennis' run is likely to be outdone, it really captured the only version of Punisher as a protagonist that I think is particularly tolerable to read.

Favorite arc/issue: honestly really didn't care for this one, but I'd say the first arc "Living in Darkness" is the strongest - it sees Frank brutalizing his way out of tight spots in some fun ways, and I really like Opena's artwork. But the ending (featuring the return of old Punisher supporting character Microchip) is just really lazy and uninspired.

JLA by Mark Waid: A rare Waid miss, unfortunately. I like the first arc, Tower of Babel, for its examination of how Batman's paranoia and isolation and obsessiveness can blowback without leaning into full-throated "Batjerk" characterization, but the "Ra's al Ghul destroys language" plot is a little underdeveloped for how high-concept it is. And the subsequent arcs, which emotionally center around Batman's reincorporation into the group, really didn't land for me, both because of the departure of Howard Porter as penciller and because the stories are just less interesting. I really did not like the "Queen of Fables" arc, which I found to be corny and overplayed (I feel like I've seen or read some version of this in cartoons and comics and speculative fiction media a million times), while the rest were just kind of middling. These later stories carry less thematic weight when compared to the parallel "communication breakdown" of Tower. It's not terrible, but just pales in comparison to the Morrison run that preceded it, despite trying to speak in a similar register. I hope that I will like Joe Kelly's run more!

Favorite arc/issue: Uh. Tower of Babel, if that wasn't clear.

[suckitsurveys]

Which fictional character can you not stand? Ross Geller from Friends and Andy Bernard from The Office.

What was the one subject in school that frustrated you because you just couldn’t process it? Chemistry.

What’s the weirdest compliment you’ve ever gotten? I don’t recall.

What is an occupation that you would like to do just for one day if you had the chance? Probably like a taste tester or something lol.

What do you think people have an unnecessary stick up their ass about? Ugh don’t get me started.

What common advice do you think never works? "Time heals all wounds.”

What’s the best movie without a happy ending? I’m not sure.

What is something you think is actually better about today’s generation? I feel like they’re a lot more outspoken in some ways.They fight for causes and stick up for themselves and it feels like they’re overall more accepting of people’s differences and advocate for them. 

What movie has a worse love story than Twilight? Romeo and Juliet.

What seems obvious to you that doesn’t seem to be for other people? God this is a loaded question.

If your partner in the zombie apocalypse was the main character of the last movie you watched, would you survive? Well, seeing as Beetlejuice has experience with the dead and undead, I feel like I’d be pretty safe.

What’s the worst episode of your favorite TV show? I've never watched an episode of BoJack Horseman I haven’t loved.

You can pick two artists to do a song together, dead or alive, but they have to be from different genres. Who do you pick and why? Lana Del Rey and Dolly Parton might sound good together.

What is something you would never buy again, even if you were rich? I’m not sure.

What do you do regularly despite it being considered very unhealthy or unsafe? Overeat.

What is something that most people find attractive in a person that you find unattractive? A ton of muscles.

Do you ever use facial masks or scrubs? Yeah.

What do you think of the recent trend of adult coloring books? I don’t mind them, I’ve done it a few times.

Which fictional character do you think you’d be great friends with? Princess Carolyn from BoJack Horseman.

What would you do if you found out your toys came to life similar to Toy Story? I have no idea. I’d probably think it was kinda cool.

Do you own any cook books? Yes. My favorite one is the Bob’s Burgers cook book.

Is there anything that you’d like to eat right now? Sushi, always.

What book are you currently reading? I’m not.

What is something that you believe in, but aren’t very outspoken about? A lot of things.

do you think weird it’s for someone to have never tried soda? WHY ARE SO MANY SURVEYS BEING COMBINED WITH OTHER SURVEYS i wanna jump off a cliff. I’m just gunna cross off the rest of these in case whoever is reading this wants to do the rest but I just did this not that long ago.

is there any foreign film you recommend? Naw.

do you have the same religious beliefs as your parents? There are definitely some overlaps. My dad is Jewish and my mom is what I would call casually spiritual. If you made a Venn Diagram of their truest beliefs, then I would probably fall somewhere in the middle. Then there are my own interpretations and understandings which expand into territory beyond either one of them. Overall, though, I think I have more in common with my dad because he’s a deep diver within his own religion, and religion and spirituality are topics that interest me. We can have some really great discussions on the matter.

which floor of your house/building are you on now? I’m on the second floor.

are there any maps hanging in your room? No.

are you often a third wheel? or is someone a third wheel to you? I felt like that for the longest time at the animal shelter. I knew people generally liked and appreciated me, but I wasn’t really fitting in. However, I don’t feel that way as much now, not with the new batch of workers back in cattery. I’m still kind of third-wheely (because I’m shy/socially awkward and also a good deal older than they are), but not to the same drastic extent. I feel much more included, relevant, and free to be my silly and sarcastic self. I had it in my head that the problem might be me (and admittedly, some of it probably was and I do still have some work to do), but now it’s like…oh. I was likeable the whole time?!?!

what’s the last dvd you bought? I’m not sure.

tell me about your favorite pair of jeans. I don’t have a favorite pair of jeans. I basically don’t even wear them anymore.

would you ride a motorcycle if given the chance? (or have you?) I’ve been on the back of one a few times, but I don’t think I would like to ride one myself. Driving a car is enough responsibility for me.

is your hair healthy? Ehhh.

if a hotel offered free breakfast in bed, what would you order? I’d go all out. Pancakes, bacon, eggs, biscuits, maybe some fruit, coffee…

how often do you take a train? Aside from the kiddie train at the city park, I don’t think I’ve ever been on a train. I might have gone on the one at the Royal Gorge, but I can’t be certain that’s a real memory and not some false recollection I settled on after the fact.

what’s your favorite led zeppelin song? Kashmir.

does your home have a balcony/deck/porch? We have a back deck and a front porch.

what does your closet/wardrobe say about you? That I spend a lot of time at an animal shelter. Probably half of my shit is animal shelter shit.

do you enjoy theatre? I don’t not enjoy it. It’s just not really my thing. I wouldn’t want to be in a play, but I would probably go see one with someone if they wanted me to.

how would you feel about traveling abroad alone? Scared, unprepared, inexperienced, lonely, bored…like I had so much to share and no one to share it with. I’d much rather travel with someone.

who would you call a lyrical genius? Idk.

how do you treat yourself? It’s time to make dinner, so I’m going to pause this here (9.10.24) and resume it sometime tomorrow… Okay. I just arrived home from a trip to the Mountain Park - which is one of the ways I plan on treating myself this autumn. I feel like I’ve spread myself too thin with volunteering, so I’m going to take a step back, take an extra day off here and there, and spend more time in the mountains with my dad. Other ways I treat myself include eating fun/favorite foods (so excited for holiday treats!), making time for art, and curling up in bed with my kitties and some YouTube.

do you have an interesting passport? I don’t have a passport.

are you going to pursue a career according to what you enjoy? Yeah.

what’s your favorite frozen treat? Ice cream. You know what else I’ve been enjoying lately? Otter Pops. They’re not typically something I would think to eat, but they’re great for hot afternoons at the shelter when I need a quick chill out/sugar rush combo.

who supports you financially? Social security and my dad. We share our incomes.

if you wanted to go to the movie cinema, how would you get there? I would drive (or be driven).

how many pillows are on your bed? Two regular pillows, three body pillows, and two decorative pillows.

would you pay more for organic food? I might if I preferred the taste of a certain brand, but otherwise it’s not something I pay much attention to.

do you prefer being awake after everyone goes to bed or before they get up? I don’t really have a preference.

do you know much about feng shui? (do you use it?) I know very little, and no, I don’t use it.

how would you make friends in a quiet class? Make meaningful eye contact? Lmao heck if I know. I’m quiet myself, so if other people are quiet, then it’s just gonna be quiet.

are you generally a quick learner? Yeah.

what’s your favorite spot to read? At my computer desk.

did you know that buddha is not considered a god to buddhists? I was aware of that.

do you save tickets from movies, etc.? Not really.

without looking him up, who was jim morrison? The vocalist for The Doors.

when’s the last time your bedroom was painted/wallpapered? Gosh, idk. As far as painting goes, that would have been years and years ago. It wasn’t even finished. As for the wallpaper, that was put up before we moved in.

teach me something in another language. Naw.

what type of music do you like and why? I’ve developed a fondness for classical over the past couple of years.

if you randomly want to eat something in the house, do you eat it or wait? It depends on what it is, what I’ve already eaten, how close it is to meal/snack time, etc.

who knows the most about you (besides yourself)? My dad.

do you have a nervous habit? (e.g. biting nails, tapping feet, smoking) Picking at my nails.

how’s your favorite pro sports team doing lately? I don’t follow any sports teams.

would you be/are you a good role model to a younger sibling? No.