#my inner comic book geek is thrilled at this

[idol--hands]

Mirror Data: Timelines

⭐ Source: https://sttwiki.org/wiki/Mirror_Data

[idol--hands]

IDOL ⭐️ HANDS: Firstly, it seems that since it was not Lore’s idea to be reassembled, that he should get handled PROPERLY this time as an extremely sentient being. Agreed. Although, since everything is being done illegally and Lore is (good God) actually “property of Starfleet™️”, then maybe that’s not going to be the case?? I look forward to seeing what Data will say next (assuming he will be heard over Lore’s imminent objections); it may be because despite their feelings for one another, he knows or fears that his brother is still unstable and prone to violence (Spock saw evidence of it). 🔫 It may be that the Commander has surmised information that we’re not aware of (in connection to the Klingon war and “Chaos Orb”). 🔮 Or that Lore being put back in storage is safer for Lore’s fate as well; good luck selling our “Dominar of The Borg” on that idea! It’s hard to imagine Data simply as angry or bitter, but he’s entitled to those emotions as well (especially now that he has them). Reactions to his older brother have been cold, repressed; we’re left wondering exactly what was meant by “appreciate”…surely that wasn’t sarcasm? 💭 We want to believe Lore is being earnest here despite his vast reputation to the contrary. For him, it’s an uncommonly good acting job, if he is not. It certainly is pulling at our heart strings. 💔 🎥 The comics are considered cannon and all this takes place before the movie Nemesis — the persona of Lore that we saw in Star Trek: Picard was bitter as ever (if not more so), unrepentant, and swift to delete the younger…is this meant to be the lead up? Personally, I’d rather not see the comic book writers strictly bound to Picard, but it’s expected. Although, technically, Data is already non-canonically “resurrected” in the Trek comics in B-4’s body (do NOT kill him again, srsly); it was a 1st major divergence, from what I’ve been told! So, perhaps Lore and maybe a few others (like Sela or The Unnamed Orion pirate*) will manage to get away for some adventures without Starfleet — he’s done it before! 🚀 But Lore sure does liven up the storyline and offer much needed comic relief! 🤝 I think, what us fans really want, always wanted, was a true resolution…however tenuous. Not death. 😝 🤔 👯 But, do tell me, whose brilliant idea was it to leave Data and Lore alone on a mission together? Again. As if Descent never occurred. If any body swapping occurs this time, then they asked for it! OTOH, it has been cool as an underground storage locker full of dry ice and android parts to read!! *Orion pirate dealings were an understandable, favorited concept for Lore’s free time in fan fiction. Just as the Trek Beta Universe of novels had already imagined a Data combined with other personas — in that case…Noonien!

I am still SUPER emotional about the new Star Trek Defiant chapter, in detail, about the Soong Bros.

I mean at first AWESOME SOONG BROS TEAMWORK fighting against Klingons!!!!!

But then...Lore wanting to say that he is sorry to Data for everything that has happend and that Lore only wanted someone that would appreciate him like a brother...

AND DATA SAYS THAT HE ALYWAYS APPRECIATED LORE AND SMILES SO SWEET AT HIS BROTHER!! *cries in forever*

BUT THEN DATA FUCKING SAYS THAT HE "WILL ENSURE" THAT LORE WILL BE DEACTIVATED AND DISASSAMBLED ONCE MORE!?!?!?

FOR REAL???

Lore was just on the way to "better" himself. Help the team of the Defiant and follow their orders, literally going out into space again, risking his life...

And then Lore's face as Data says to him that he will deactivate him again...

Lore was like 'dafuck?' but he also looked like he will get realy emotional maybe even angry at that sentence...

Now...I can imagine that this will be a trigger for Lore to distance himself from Data again and make something his own way, maybe even going against the team of the Defiant...

Data you cant just deactivate him again! He is no ones property and should have to face a trial like a person. He has rights, just like Data. Lore said that he is sorry, his anger has faded. I am getting super emotional about my favourite chaotic Soong android again...

Or...this is literally a (bad) joke from Data and we see in the following comic that Data goes "Aah! Got you bro! It was juust a joke!" which I would love more. The Soong brothers were figthing and working so perfectly together, Lore saying he IS sorry for what he has done...They cant seperate again and Lore deserves more rights.

Please, let the conclusion of the next comic be good for Data and Lore's relationship!

[psychedelic-charm]

What Your High School Group Says About the Games You Play

Google Play Store ran an editorial where they listed a selection of games for its users that were inspired by school cliques. Check out these games, and tell me in the comments whether you were a star athlete, a brainiac, an artsy free spirit, something in between or something different entirely!

Sports Stars

These games are for those who have a competitive streak. From intense showdowns on the football field to epic clashes, experience the thrill of competition and camaraderie of team spirit.

Madden NFL 25 Mobile Football

Brawl Stars

EA Sports FC Mobile Soccer

Stumble Guys

Brainiacs

These games are for those who embrace their inner geek and enjoy immersive, imaginative, and strategic gameplay. Celebrate the thrill of mental stimulation or just have some plain, old nerdy fun. Whether it's challenging puzzles, trivia quizzes or comic-book adventures, let your intellect and passion guide this trek to fun.

Learn Chess with Dr. Wolf

NYT Games: Word Games & Sudoku

Marvel Snap

orange by indie game developer Bart Bonte

Theater Kids

These games are for those who love a bit of drama. Whether it's swooning over a powerful on-stage performance or dining out on the latest tidbits of gossip overheard in the hallway, these games are all about pivotal moments. Direct the story however you want, just don't be surprised by your lights, camera, action!

Choices: Stories You Play

Episode - Choose Your Story

Mystic Messenger

Love Island: The Game

Art Aficionados

These works of art are for those who enjoy creative challenges, have an eye for aesthetics, or want to create masterpieces without fear of losing marks. Explore your artistic passions on a new canvas.

I Love Hue Too (I should really finish the first game, huh)

Art Puzzle - Jigsaw Art Games

Alto's Adventure

Monument Valley 2

Music Magicians

These games are for those who love music and want to step into the shoes of a rock star, classical composer or a hit producer - putting together beats and instruments to make intricate melodies come alive. Whether you want to beatbox with the best of them or raise musical monsters, there's something for you.

Deemo II

Incredibox

Beatstar - Touch Your Music

My Singing Monsters

Alternative Crowd

These games are for those who revel in the edgy, unconventional, and eerie - and are willing to embrace the emotional. If you're drawn by the allure of the macabre and the beauty of enigma, then these games are for you.

Limbo by Playdead

Cube Escape Collection

Beyond the Room

Opus: Rocket of Whispers

Pranksters

These games are for those who enjoy a laugh and pride themselves on their sense of humor. Get ready for a spunky dose of amusement and light-hearted fun with these otherworldly games!

Dumb Ways to Die 4

Goat Simulator

Clusterduck

Octodad: Dadliest Catch

Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion

Trendsetters

These games are for those who want to solve design challenges for the style-conscious or were once crowned prom queen or king. Live a virtual life as a fabulous fashionista and make choices to keep your life interesting.

Roblox

The Sims Freeplay (I've been on and off with this one)

Design Home: House Makeover

Pocket Love

Wallflowers

These games are for those who prefer to stick to the sidelines and disappear into their own little world, where things are nice and cozy. Embrace the solace of solitude as you enjoy these games.

Stardew Valley

Amaru: The Self-Care Pet

Sky: Children of the Light

When the Past was Around

Rebels

These games are for those who think rules are there to be broken. Let out your inner rebellious streak as you break all the limits in these action-packed games.

Need for Speed No Limits

Free Fire MAX

Into the Dead 2

Shadow Fight 2

[supergirlmelbenoist]

How Melissa Benoist got ripped for Supergirl

She's not a bird or a plane, and she's definitely not Superman! In 2015, Krypton refugee Kara Zor-El — aka Kara Danvers — threw aside her glasses and donned her family's S-shaped crest to follow in her cousin's footsteps and give National City its very own superhero on the CW's Supergirl. Back then, Melissa Benoist — the actress playing both Supergirl the superpowered alien and Kara the shy personal assistant — was best known to TV fans for her role as sweet newcomer Marley Rose on two seasons of Glee, and she also had a small role in Best Picture-nominated Whiplash.

Taking the lead of a show — especially one with such a strong legacy on-screen and off — was a big step up for Benoist, both performance-wise and also physically. So how did she get ripped for the role? Well, Benoist said that landing the part meant stepping up her workouts, not just because we tend to take our superheroes with six-pack abs and toned biceps, but so that she could keep up with the action. The self-described pacifist and musical theater nerd suddenly found herself learning how to throw a punch and how to fly. So here's how Melissa Benoist toughened up to play Supergirl, at the gym, in her fight scenes, and high up on the wires.

She made it through a full-on audition process

Obviously the CW couldn't cast just anyone as Supergirl, which meant that Melissa Benoist had to go through a rigorous audition process before she got anywhere close to landing the role. The wait was made even more excruciating because, according to Benoist, "I believe I was the first girl they saw." That first audition was in October 2014, and it was just the start. In 2015, she told Entertainment Weekly, "It was a long, drawn-out, three-month process. I auditioned around Halloween 2014 and then didn't land the part until February 2015. I went through multiple screen-tests, multiple auditions with the producing team. There was a lot."

During that extensive audition process, Variety reported that Benoist found a champion in producer Greg Berlanti. "Greg championed me the whole time and was in my corner," Benoist remembered. "Even when I didn't think the part was mine, he was always rooting for me. That support goes a long way, especially when I'm fighting for something I want so badly. His belief in me really touched me." Berlanti echoed the sentiment, saying, "If we had not found her, I would have said, 'I don't want to make this.'"

The first episode aired almost a year after that first audition, on October 26, 2015, and since then, Benoist has seen hundreds of kids in their own versions of her costume. "Every Halloween there are quite a bit of Supergirls," she told Jimmy Kimmel, so it was worth the wait.

Melissa Benoist worked on her core strength

While comic book titans DC and Marvel have both made noise about introducing more diversity to their products, one thing that all superheroes have in common are incredible abs. Benoist's Supergirl is no exception. She told Entertainment Weekly that to prepare for the role, she did "some boxing, strength training, and a lot of core work." At Comic-Con, she said that her workouts included Pilates, boxing, and plyometrics.

If you've never had cause to get into superhero shape, you might be wondering what fresh hell plyometrics are. As Healthine explains, plyometrics involve exerting your body to its maximum ability for a short period of time — for example, by jumping — to improve strength, speed, and power. They're a pretty advanced form of exercise, as Benoist found out! On CBS's This Morning, she explained, "I did quite a bit of training. We did this stuff called plyometrics, which is like jump training. And all of it was really hard — just hard things!"

And the core work isn't just to look good. As Benoist added, the core work comes in handy when you're doing the flying stunts. "I'm up on a wire," she said, "and you have to hold your entire body weight so there's a lot of training involved."

Work is a workout on Supergirl

Melissa Benoist wasn't the only cast member who had to up her workout intensity to give the action sequences the effort they deserved. Chyler Leigh, who plays Kara's adoptive sister Alex, said that the actors work really hard with the stunt coordinators to get the fight scenes just right. And those action-packed days are full-on workouts in their own right. "When we do fight scenes, we're working out for six hours, just doing the same thing," she told CBS. "We are burnt for the next few days. I think that's really where I get my caloric burn count."

Even when they aren't shooting, Leigh and Benoist try to use those periods of waiting around that happen on the set of a TV show to stay in shape. "Melissa and I try to do as much as we possibly can," Leigh said. "In my trailer, I've got resistance bands and medicine balls and things like that. I try to do it in between, but we have very little downtime." The two on-screen sisters also have a shared interest in the same workout. "I love Pilates," Leigh told CBS. "It gives such a good core foundation. When I can go, it's awesome." And you thought TV sets were all craft services and hanging out in trailers.

Melissa Benoist learned to fight from the best

Thos Robinson/Getty Images Another crucial element of being a superhero is being able to kick butt convincingly. This didn't come naturally to Benoist, who confessed to the Chicago Tribune, "I had never punched anyone! I maybe slapped my sisters when I was a kid, but I'm not an aggressive, violent person, and I had no idea how to throw a punch." To help her find her inner fighter, Benoist took up boxing. "I definitely had to learn technique. Like how to actually punch someone and not hurt yourself more than you're hurting the person you're punching. And so boxing was part of it," she told InStyle.

Fortunately for Benoist, she had access to excellent tutors. In addition to the stunt team, former karate and kickboxing world champion Lexi Alexander (pictured above) directed an episode in the first season. Having worked on Supergirl's fellow Arrowverse show Arrow, Alexander said she was excited to work on a story about a female superhero. "I realized that this is the first time I'm choreographing and directing a fight scene for a female lead. I did some fight directing for a woman here and there … but for a female lead? I've never directed a female lead in an action," she told Den of Geek.

Her directing stint was short, but Alexander said that she pushed her star "to the next level of fight choreography," and that "they've now changed [Benoist's] fight style from [Alexander's] episode onward." Benoist might still be more lover than fighter at heart, but we wouldn't challenge her.

She does (some of) her own stunts on Supergirl

Believe it or not, it really is Benoist doing some of those hair-raising stunts on the show. The actress told Variety that she likes to get involved with the action when she can, saying, "I have been doing a lot [of stunts], and I want to keep doing them. Already I've fought a male on the show. Supergirl's fight moves are boxing. She's really heavy-handed. There's some flying that involves kicking and punching mid-flight that's kind of awesome."

However, not everyone was thrilled with Benoist's hands-on approach to fights. Her mom, Julie, told her that she found it difficult to watch her daughter's fight scenes, especially against men. But Julie Benoist needn't have worried. Benoist knows her limits, and she's heaped praise on her stunt doubles. In 2015, she said of stunts, "I think they're so fun. There are some that I just can't — I really could get injured. … My stunt double is amazing. She was Jen Garner's on Alias and Buffy's. She's all over the place, and she's so cool. I wish people could see what they go through. It's insane."

Benoist's stunt double in 2015 was Shauna Duggins, whose resume includes Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the recent Star Trek movies, and 2000's Charlie's Angels (as well as many other movies and shows.) After doing 20 episodes of Supergirl, Duggins went on to work as stunt coordinator for shows including Ray Donovan, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and GLOW. She's a real-life superwoman.

She likes to get out of the gym

Although Benoist diligently puts in her hours in the gym, the Colorado-raised actress is happier getting her exercise in the great outdoors. Her Instagram shows photos of her hiking with her husband (and Supergirl co-star), Chris Wood, and their dogs, Farley and Drift. She also recalled being jealous when she found out what her co-star and Supergirl predecessor, Helen Slater, was doing to get in shape.

After Benoist recounted the boxing and core work she was doing to Slater, "She gave me this look, and I was like, 'Why, what did they have you do?'" Benoist told Entertainment Weekly. "'Oh, I went horseback riding, and fencing and doing some archery, and I was swimming.' She went through this whole gamut of awesome outdoor activities that I would love to do to train." Speaking to E! Online, Benoist said of Slater's exercise regime, "She was on trampolines a lot and dancing and prancing and doing all these cool activities for training. I wish I had that much fun."

The conflicting training schedules aren't coming between the two actresses. Benoist added to EW, "Also, she's just so kind and such a sweet, sweet woman. That's really what I've learned from her. She really is a super girl. I'm so honored that I'm following in her footsteps." She'll just have to wait for a filming break to take a hike.

Melissa Benoist has a dance background

Glee was not Benoist's first experience with musical theater. She told Jimmy Kimmel that she did "tap, ballet, and jazz class at four years old" and children's theater, even performing at Disneyland. "In front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle, we sang a Stephen Sondheim medley where my solo was 'Send in the Clowns,'" she recalled. She also studied ballet, although she wasn't a perfect student. "All the years I took ballet class … I was the one kid in class who the teacher was always like, 'Urgh, her turn-out,' and, 'She is not standing up straight,'" Benoist told Kimmel. She did better with another form of dance. In a video for Glamour, she said, "I have a secret superpower — that I can tap dance," and she demonstrated to prove her point.

That dance training comes in handy on the set of Supergirl — and not just for Benoist's part in the musical crossover episode of The Flash. Benoist said that her dance background helps her with the wire work and even the fight sequences. "With the wire work and flying, even the choreography, I grew up dancing, so that kind of came like it would if I were learning a dance routine," she told the Chicago Tribune. Plus, it keeps her and the crew entertained between takes.

She learned how to fly (well, on wires)

Melissa Benoist's favorite thing about her superhero role is exactly what you'd expect: the chance to fly. When Jimmy Kimmel asked about the best part of playing Supergirl, Benoist said, "I mean, I get to fly!" Upon further questioning, she acknowledged, "I mean it's hard work, I'm essentially attached to a fork in the air." She also told Variety just how hard it was and how she prepared, saying, "The wire work for training is mostly core work. It's mostly ab-centric — the whole area of the body that nobody wants to work out. You have to get strong. You have to carry your whole body weight when you're up in the air."

However, it's worth all the working out. "The wire work is really difficult, but so fun. And when you get it right, watching the result is exhilarating," Benoist told People. "It's a really, really cool feeling to know what it felt like, the energy I had to exert to create those flying scenes. And then the way they look is really rewarding."

Benoist got some help perfecting her flying technique. When Kimmel asked how she figured out Supergirl's flying style, she said, "There's this sort of superhero physicality school that you kind of have to go to — at least we did on the DC shows — where the stunt team will teach you to walk like a superhero. … They're awesome and they've really helped me." And that's how to look fly in spandex.

Benoist eats healthy, but she's not a dieter

All of that working out and on-set action builds up an appetite. But as a female superhero who's expected to squeeze into a spandex suit every day and have the muscles to beat up bad guys without actually looking bulked up, Benoist can't go to town on craft services. Fortunately, she's pretty into fruits and vegetables anyway. "I love supermarkets, I love grocery shopping, I love the produce aisle, because to be super you have to be healthy," she told Glamour. "And I would probably stock up on all the fruits. I love fruit."

However, she isn't about to totally deprive herself of comfort foods. In the same Glamour interview, she said, "If I could supersize any food it would be [an] ice cream Drumstick, vanilla caramel. They're so good." In 2016, she told the Chicago Tribune that she was excited to attend that year's Chicago Comic-Con and Entertainment Expo (aka C2E2) because she wanted to check out the city's restaurants. As she explained, "I've heard the food scene is incredible, and I'm a foodie, so I can't wait to go out and eat."

Benoist also said that her own partiality to the occasional junk food splurge inspired the writers to add it into her character's personality. "I love junk food, I love doughnuts, and they put that in there quite a bit," she said, laughing. "There are these doughnuts all the time." This diet sounds super.

She got ripped to show women being tough

Kevin Winter/Getty Images One reason Melissa Benoist was so invested in making sure her character could be physically impressive was because she wanted to inspire other women to feel strong and powerful. In an essay for Time, she wrote, "I think the more the show goes on, the more you see this fierceness and what women are really capable of. It puts [Supergirl] on this equal playing field. … That's so meaningful to me to help children understand that girls can have just as much fun as their male counterparts in the superhero world. It's about confidence and hope, and Supergirl really embodies all of that."

Even though Benoist also wrote that she grew up in "this really strong, feminine family," she told the Chicago Tribune, "I didn't really believe that I could be that character or play a superhero. It's something I never thought of myself as doing, but I just knew I had to go for it because there's so few female superheroes and just strong females that fight back and do it with grace and do it with love." She's also said that she didn't want the character to be a female version of male superheroes, saying, "What I think is cool is to try to bring kind of a femininity to her strength. … I do like the idea of bringing in like a grace to it. And a fluidity and kind of this femininity to flying. It's fun." In other words, Melissa Benoist is out here bringing new meaning to (Super)girl power.

[impracticaldemon]

Graylu Week 2017: Fanfiction Warm & Fuzzy

by Impracticaldemon [art credit to @miss-zei ]

Author's Note:

This is Chapter 3 of the story that I wrote for Graylu Fluff Week 2017. I was unable to complete the story then thanks to Real Life(TM) and the need to prioritize my various ongoing writing projects in consequence later in the year.

Thank you to everyone who is willing to pick this up now and read the next chapter, which is actually being written during Graylu Week 2017. While I am either a multi-shipper or somebody who enjoys writing for a lot of ships, Graylu has a special place in my heart because Graylu Week 2016 was the first Fairy Tail ship week I knew about and wrote for.

Happy One Year Fairy Tail Anniversary to me and Thank You to all my readers!

Graylu Week 2017 Prompt: Warm and Fuzzy [from Graylu Fluff Week 2017] @fyeahgrayluweek

The snow had been drifting down for about an hour, but the dancing flakes were slowly becoming heavier and faster, like weekend revellers transforming back into serious, weekday commuters. As dusk closed in, the wind picked up as well, and the temperature began to fall. It would be a cold night.

Gray and Lucy stood in the window embrasure watching the last of the light fade vanish from the sky. Gray had one arm wrapped tightly around Lucy, so that she was standing with her back pressed to his chest; he was feeling more relaxed and just… content… than he had in a long time. Lucy, looking adorable (in Gray's opinion) in soft, pink flannel pajamas covered with white bunnies, seemed happy as well. They both held mugs of steaming hot chocolate topped with tiny dollops of whipped cream—although the cream was quickly dissolving. Gray hadn't realized that he liked hot chocolate, but Lucy had assured him that it didn't have to be sickly sweet, and she'd been right.

Suddenly, Lucy shivered and her shoulders stiffened.

"Lucy? Luce—what's wrong?"

She shook her head, as if to clear it. "Sorry… I don't know what came over me. It felt as though all that snow was, I don't know, about to come piling in on me. Weird, right?" She laughed, but Gray thought it sounded forced.

He hesitated, unsure what to do. On the one hand, he'd heard that some people found the deep snows and encircling mountains made them uneasy. On the other hand, Lucy was a highly trained and perceptive mage. They'd both learned not to take odd situations at face value. Unlike FlameBrain. He takes everything at face value and deals with the consequences later. But as much as Gray loved to poke fun at Natsu, he knew that his best friend and arch rival had an unmatched ability for being happy and cheering up those around him. He envied Natsu in that way.

"Gray?"

Gray shook his head, unsure how he'd gotten distracted by Natsu of all things. "Yeah, sorry… Anyway, it's probably nothing, but in case you're getting bad vibes for a reason, let's finish our drinks in front of the fire instead of in front of the window." He made a point of sipping at his hot chocolate and realized that it had cooled far more quickly than he'd expected. That was okay, though. He glanced at the fire to make sure that it was still burning—it had given him trouble earlier and reminded him that he was getting too used to having people around to use magic for stuff.

"Is it okay if I read for a bit?" Lucy sounded tentative. Gray wished that they were past all this tip-toeing around each other, but he knew that it was just part of the shift in their relationship.

"Yeah, sure. I think I'll do the same." He rolled his eyes at Lucy's expression. "Oh come on, Lucy! Don't give me that 'wow you can read?' look!"

"I didn't!" But Lucy was grinning rather sheepishly. "I just figured that you were more into other things."

"Would it make you happier to know that I also have a brand new, hand-held game lacrima with me?" Gray reluctantly let go of Lucy so that she could get her book, and fished the third gen Crystal System out of a padded inner pocket of his leather jacket.

"No way! You have a 3CS?" Lucy was standing beside him, her book in one hand. "Two screens, bigger memory, and you can text other 3CS systems within range? Um." Lucy saw the look on Gray's face and stopped, blushing.

"Yep. Does it fit my image better than the reading?" Gray was just teasing, but Lucy looked embarrassed, so he kissed her—just to reassure her everything was fine. "Sounds like you're more of a geek than you let on," he murmured against her lips.

He always seemed to forget how great it was… She was warm, and soft, and had amazing curves. After a couple of minutes of being reassuring, Gray added: "Or if you really want to know how stereotypical I can be, we can put these… things… down…" He took the book out of Lucy's hand and used a wisp of ice magic to set it carefully with his game system on the nearest handy surface. With two hands free now, he could do a better job of kissing his girlfriend.

Lucy finally drew back slightly, laughing and flushed. "Your fire is going to waste," she told him impishly.

Gray blinked at her and then smirked, his dark eyes gleaming wickedly. "My fire is doing just fine, thanks. But if you insist"—he picked Lucy up and carried her over to the couch—"then we can get closer to this old thing"—he gestured to the flames dancing along the logs in the fireplace. Without giving himself a chance to second-guess, he trapped Lucy under him and went back to kissing her.

"I see you got your shirt off," the blonde muttered a few, very pleasant minutes later. Her eyes were half closed and her hands were running along Gray's arms and shoulders.

"… Doesn't sound like you're objecting…" Gray was in the process of adding a hickey to one of Lucy's creamy shoulders. He had to concentrate in order to prevent himself from pulling the fuzzy pink pajama top right off Lucy altogether.

"I'm not, I'm admiring."

Time passed, more snow fell, and the fire—the one in the grate—started to burn low from lack of tending. On the couch, Gray dragged himself upright and pulled Lucy into his lap. They were both disheveled and panting heavily.

"So…" Gray said, still running his hands appreciatively along Lucy's soft flannels, which were partially unbuttoned down the front. Neither of them knew exactly how, but the ice mage was down to his navy boxers. "How about we order some food, and fresh hot cocoa, and get our books out?" He gave Lucy a comic-book-villain leer and added: "If you're very good, you can even try out my 'game system'."

Lucy laughed despite herself—more specifically, despite her hormones, which were suggesting something else entirely. There was no secret about what Gray wanted, but he showed no signs of impatience and seemed honestly happier than Lucy had seen him in quite a while.

In a way, it was part of the thrill to know that she was one of the few to get to see the cheerful Gray, instead of the slightly negative, emo guy he'd become over the past several months. When they'd first met, he'd been the one she joked with and commiserated with when they were out on team missions—often over dumb things like how bizarre their enemies were (not to mention their teammates), or how joining a dark guild seemed to promote horrible fashion sense. She'd just started to really miss that side of him when she'd realized that part of his problem was that he'd fallen for her and wasn't sure how to behave. Of course, it was dangerous to mix your job, your friendships, and romance.

"Well too bad!" she said out loud, startling Gray. He recovered fast though.

"You don't want to try out my game system?" he asked slyly.

"I think it might be fun, actually," Lucy responded, batting her eyelashes at him and tracing a finger-tip along his chest. Her deliberately over-the-top manner made him grin, although her touch made his cheeks flush. "Although I suppose you have stuff like 'SuperSmashMage' and 'MakaroKart'," Lucy went on.

"True," he conceded, bending his head to nibble on her ear. "But I also have the most recent 'Legend of Zervis', and I hear that girls think the hero's cute."

"He is rather darkly attractive," Lucy conceded. "But I want to try 'Flame Emblem'—the stories look pretty good."

"Stories, huh? Let's face it, the game's gone from a great tactical simulator and RPG to a, a romance game!"

"Has not!" Lucy batted ineffectively at Gray—it was awkward to hit the person on whom you were sitting. "That is such a dumb complaint. Besides, guys are just as goofy about the pairings as girls are."

"Nope," Gray said firmly, wrinkling his nose and trying not to laugh (or put his hand inside Lucy's top, which was the most attractive option). "We just can't avoid the fact that good 'relationships' provide key attack and defense bonuses."

"And you don't play the Catch-a-Critter game because of the cute Critters, right?"

"Right."

"Aha! You do play it then!"

"... Possibly. But only so that I can have a better fighting team than Natsu."

"And the Critters are cute."

"No."

"Show me who you've got and I'll find the one you've kept just because it's cute."

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours."

Lucy snatched up one of the cushions that had fallen onto the floor earlier and whacked Gray over the head. "Ugh!"

"Sorry, sorry, that was really lame!" Gray threw up his hands to protect his face, and Lucy took advantage of being able to move to shift so that she was sitting across his lap.

Her intention had been to get a better angle of attack, but the result was that Gray's face ended up in her cleavage. She both heard and felt him react to the distinctly provocative situation, and felt herself blush. Not that this was much different from the way they'd been messing around before.

"I'll just go stand out in the snow for a while," Gray muttered against her skin. "Maybe that will help."

"Do you want to build a snowman?" Lucy quipped softly, knowing that Gray had gotten really, really sick of that line lately. Personally, she'd found the movie a lot of fun and rather moving, but Gray had started to react violently when people told him to 'let it go' any time he got irritated. Even Erza hadn't been able to stop the fight that had erupted when Natsu had asked if 'Elsa' was ready to head out on a quest. The unfortunate thing was that Natsu hadn't really been responsible—Gajeel had set him up.

Gray breathed out and hugged Lucy close, arms wrapping tightly around her waist and shoulders. Then he laughed, and Lucy smiled. Slowly but surely they were figuring each other out. The shared humour was still there.

"No, no I don't," he said, answering her question with mock seriousness. "What I want… is something else."

"You know, I thought that snuggling on a couch in my pajamas in front of a fire would just be kind of warm and fuzzy," Lucy told him, sitting back a little so that she could see Gray's face.

"It is," Gray replied immediately. "I'm warm and you're fuzzy." He ran his hands down the back of her soft, pink, bunny-covered top. "Why don't you go get your book and my CS? I figure one of two things will happen eventually: either we'll be attacked by malignant cold spirits—I think there's actually some out there—or I'll beg you to let me take you to bed."

Lucy shivered slightly. Gray could be all too good at putting distance between himself and others. But right now she had the feeling that he was being completely honest. Pink-cheeked, she hopped up and fetched the book and the small gaming lacrima. As she settled in against Gray to read—or try to read—a large snowflake with a little heart in the center fluttered down onto her page.

"You can always, always say no. Remember that, okay?"

"I will," Lucy answered. "But it's hard to turn down a chance to fight malignant cold spirits, you know?"

[END]

A/Note: Thank you for reading and for any reviews or comments, likes or reblogs, kudos etc. depending on your PoP (Platform of Preference). I do plan to write a little more for Graylu Week 2017 (September), so hopefully the stars will align - I'm looking at *you* Lucy!

Tags:  @miss-zei @nalufever @gsut  @eliz1369 @shell-senji @sassyhazelowl @lockandk3yfiction

[loquaciousgamer-classpecting]

Alright, it’s time for my very first request! This one is for 105northtower, asking about Knight of Heart.

Heart indicates personality and individuality along with romance and emotions.

Knights are insecure about their Aspect, and craft an Aspect-related persona to cover it up.

A Knight of Heart would feel insecure about their sense of identity... which pretty much just sums up being a teenager, doesn’t it?

You know that guy who sorta hangs out on the fringes of those counter-culture cliques, like the goths or the geeks or the hipsters? He technically wears the right clothes, knows the right stuff, and would really really like to get involved in the community, but... he doesn’t quite fit in? He the guy who tries talking X-Men with the comic book nerds after watching the movies, or hangs out at Starbucks and wears a scarf to try and fit in with the hipsters. That’s the Knight of Heart.

The Knight of Heart desperately wants to be interesting. They want to be recognized as a unique individual. They love in-jokes, something that is special and shared between two people. Relationships are important to them, especially romantic ones, because that means they are recognized as somebody you want to spend time with above other people and that. That just makes their day. The fastest way to a Knight of Heart’s... heart is to remember their interests. If you say “hey, KoH, I saw this thing and I know you like things so I thought of you”, or better yet “Hey KoH I had a question about this topic, and I know you know a lot about this topic, can you help me out?” they will be. SO. THRILLED. You don’t even know.

It’s hard to say what exactly the Knight would be like under the armor - Heart is the Aspect of Individuality, after all. Chances are they have a few special interests that they are sort of low-key interested in, and they would be ecstatic to share them if someone showed interest. 

Once the Knight grows up a bit and learns to integrate his armor with his personality better, he’s likely to grow up into one of those people who fits in basically everywhere. A social chameleon, the full realized Knight excels at filling in for missing roles in a team. Friendly, gregarious, and helpful to the extreme, the Knight of Heart is happy to be all things to all people.

...Wow that personality analysis sure went on, huh? Didn’t mean for this to get so long. Let’s talk powers!

Knights arm themselves with their Aspect.

Heart gives power over the soul.

A Knight of Heart arms themselves with their own soul. That’s... weirdly deep. Feel like there’s a poem in there somewhere.

Knights have very varied powers, and Heart is a very individual Aspect, so there’s a lot of potential here. However, my first reflex is that the Knight can harness the power of their own soul as a sort of psuedo Ki energy. In this case, they’d be able to create shields and weapons out of their own inner energy. Their emotions would have a heavy impact on this power - if they’re feeling uncertain, their power would peter out, but confidence makes it roar with power. Their interests and personality would also influence the exact manifestation - I can’t get this image out of my head of a Knight of Heart who’s really into entomology manifesting insect body parts out of their own soul to fight with.

Their full realization power would be pretty simple, actually. When their own energy is running out, they can call for aid from their friends and loved ones, allowing them to provide energy to the flagging Knight. Heart has a lot to do with relationships and bonds, though not to the level of Blood, and so a strong relationship would allow more energy to be contributed.

That’s right. Knights of Heart can pull off a Spirit Bomb. How’s that for awesome?

[aion-rsa]

Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III Coming This May

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Batman and the TMNT have taken on Shredder, Ra's Al Ghul, a mutated Joker, and Bane. Now it's time to save the multiverse from Krang!

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News Gavin Jasper

DC Entertainment

Feb 15, 2019

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Batman

News recently broke that in a few months, we’ll be getting a Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie because sometimes the universe truly loves us. The Dark Knight and the Heroes in a Half-Shell have crossed paths a handful of times in the last couple years of comics, starting with early 2016’s Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by James Tynion IV and Freddie E. Williams II. It’s since gotten a sequel and a reimagining.

Now it’s time for part three...or four, technically. On May 1, we’ll be getting Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III, again by Tynion and Williams. Oh, and TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman will not only be returning to do some covers like the previous miniseries, but he’ll be doing some interior art during, “a pivotal point in the new run.”

“The story for volume three is a blast, and I am having the time of my life illustrating it,” said Williams II in a statement. “And lucky for me, I’m not alone in this grand task. I’m having a huge and exciting personal crossover of my own with one of my all-time heroes and favorite artists, Kevin Eastman! Say what? Yup, you heard that right! We’ve got something so fun and exciting planned! I’m geeking out about it every day, and I think all of you will, too!”

“I’m absolutely thrilled to have Kevin Eastman, co-creator of the TMNT, as our creative partner on the series,” adds Tynion IV. “Kevin will be working closely with Freddie, contributing art on part of the run in a really exciting way that I can’t wait for fans to see. We’re going to see Bats and Turtles collide like never before in a story so big, it’s the perfect way to conclude our Batman/TMNT trilogy.”

The original Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles miniseries dealt with the alliance between Shredder’s Foot Clan and Ra’s Al Ghul’s League of Assassins, which led to an army of Arkham inmates being turned into animal hybrids via mutagen. It also gave us a panel of Batman explaining his origin to Raphael, which had gone a little viral back in the day due to its own innate ridiculousness. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II focused on Bane being unleashed in the Turtles’ New York City and running a venom-laced Foot Clan alongside more-jacked-up-than-usual versions of Bebop and Rocksteady as well as a mutant fly incarnation of Baxter Stockman.

Then there was a Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures by Matthew K. Manning and Jon Sommariva, where instead of being based on the modern comic incarnations of each party, it was Batman: The Animated Series crossing over with the CGI Nickelodeon version of the Ninja Turtles. That one even gave an in-universe explanation for why the Scarecrow’s design changed up in-between seasons.

read more: The Many Crossovers of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

In this final chapter, Batman will be joining Leonardo and the rest as they take on Krang and the Technodrome. Because if you’re really going to end your trilogy, you’re going to want to go big. I know my inner-ten-year-old is losing his mind over getting to see Batman punch that son of a bitch in his brain-stomach-face.

Shut up, Liz. Batman knows Krang. That’s all we need.

This joint celebration for Batman’s 80th anniversary and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ 35th anniversary will hit this May.

Gavin Jasper writes for Den of Geek and now wants to see Michael Keaton Batman team up with the Jim Henson Turtles. Read more of his articles here and follow him on Twitter @Gavin4L

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[365daysofj2]

Comme Tu Veux (Library AU, 7/?)

Jared can’t wait to hear what Jensen’s surprise is. All he knows is that he’s supposed to wear nice clothes and they’re getting on a train, so he can bring snacks if he wants to. He doesn’t know where they’re going or what they’re doing when they get off the train, and Jared is thrilled. All Jensen would tell him is that they’re covering both of their areas of interest this weekend. Jared rings Jensen’s doorbell, although he’s starting to wonder if he should ask Jensen if he can just start letting himself in. They’ve been officially dating for two and a half months now, and while Jared’s not going to ask for a key or anything, he thinks he should get front-door-opening privileges. Jensen lives in the safest neighborhood in the entire township—it’s not even on GPS, and unless you live nearby, you wouldn’t even know it’s there—so there’s no reason he needs to keep his door locked all the time. Although it’s Jensen, so he probably does anyway. Jensen opens the door. He’s wearing a gray argyle sweater vest (Jared’s favorite, actually) with a crisp white shirt and black trousers, and he looks every bit the stuffed-shirt librarian. But he grins when he sees Jared’s black Deathly Hallows sweater and gray trousers. “That’s perfect, actually,” he says with a chuckle. Jared’s eyes widen. “Really? It’s a Harry Potter thing?” “Of sorts,” replies Jensen with a smug smile. “You’ll find out soon enough.” Jared hoists his BB-8 bag higher on his shoulder. He’s got his iPad full of comics and Rifftrax videos, which Jared said to bring, and Jensen said he’d watch one of Jared’s movies if Jared listened to some poetry. “You got everything? Water, snacks, entertainment? It’s not a super long train ride, just about three and a half hours.” Jared nods. “I’m ready. Let’s do this mysterious thing.” Jensen grins and grabs his leather briefcase. Jared rolls his eyes, but he’s smiling. “God, you are such a nerd.” “You’re a nerd, too,” retorts Jensen. “I’m a geek,” Jared corrects him. “There’s a difference.” “Tell me on the way,” says Jensen, nudging Jared out the door. Jensen locks up and unlocks his Mercedes. Jared didn’t think Branch Librarians got paid that well, but Jensen explained that his family was rich by central Pennsylvania standards, and he’d bought both the car and the townhouse in cash. He didn’t have any student loan debt either, which made Jared so unbelievably envious that his head actually hurt. Jared clambers into the front seat and swings his bag into the footwell. Jensen turns on the car and immediately the stereo comes on speaking a language that Jared can’t immediately identify. “What is that?” Jensen blushes. “It’s Harry Potter à l’École des Sorciers—i.e., Harry Potter in French.” Jared stares at him. “Harry Potter in French. Because you couldn’t be caught dead reading an American children’s book?” Jensen shrugs, apparently unoffended. “I wanted a challenge.” “So you speak French? That’s real useful in an inner-city library.” Jensen’s face falls. “Yeah, I mostly wish I’d taken Spanish or Mandarin in school.” “Your school had Mandarin?” “The college did.” Jensen backs out of the parking space and points them toward the train station. They’re going to Middletown instead of Harrisburg because the parking is free there. It’s one stop further east, but it’s only a few minutes’ difference. They board the train and get a whole row to themselves. There aren’t many people on the train yet. Most people will get on at Harrisburg. Jared opens his bag and gets out his iPad. He opens Comixology and starts catching up on Injustice: Gods Among Us Year 2. Jensen gets out his own tablet and opens Kindle to something Jared can’t identify because once again, it’s in French. “Showoff,” mutters Jared. Jensen puts his arm around Jared. “Does it really bother you?” Jared shrugs. “A little. I’m an actual educator and I feel stupid next to you sometimes.” Jensen kisses his temple. “I don’t mean to make you feel inadequate or insecure. I’m just a really huge nerd. Believe me, you’re superior to me in a number of ways, not least of which is your ability to socialize like a normal person. I mean, you can talk to anyone. I envy you that.” Jared forces a small smile. “Is that my superpower?” Jensen nods, grinning. “That and being really, ridiculously attractive.” That makes Jared smile for real. “You’re not so bad yourself in that area.” “I look like a nerd, and an effeminate one to boot. You look like Conan the Librarian.” Jared laughs at that. “Conan the Librarian. I really want to get that on my nametag now.” “I dare you to put that in as a print request,” teases Jensen. “You know I actually will, right?” Jensen chuckles. “That’s what I love about you.” He kisses Jared’s cheek. “Well, that’s one thing out of about a thousand.” Jared grins and tips Jensen’s face towards him so he can give him a proper kiss. “We should compare lists sometime.” “My list is in French,” replies Jensen, but he quirks an eyebrow to show he’s joking. “You should teach me French,” says Jared between kisses. Jensen grins. “I would love that.” “How do you say, ‘kiss me’ in French?” “Embrasse-moi or fais-moi un bisou,” answers Jensen. “Embrasse-moi,” repeats Jared as best he can. “Ouai, comme tu veux,” says Jensen, capturing Jared’s lips for another kiss.

* * * They arrive in Johnstown about three hours later. Jensen calls them a cab, which takes them to Hoss’s Steak and Sea House. “This isn’t the surprise, right?” Jensen laughs. “No, we’re eating first. Then we’ll head to the concert hall.” After they eat, Jensen gets them another cab and they drive to a college campus. The cab lets them off at the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center, and Jensen leads Jared to the concert hall inside. He hands their tickets to a student usher and she hands them two programs, which is when Jared sees what the surprise is. They’re at the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra’s performance of The Music of John Williams. Jared smiles so wide he can feel the stretch in his cheeks. “Oh my God, this is awesome!” Jensen grins and takes Jared’s hand as they walk to their seats. “I figured it was the best of both worlds.” Once they’ve taken their seats, Jared draws Jensen close for a passionate kiss. “I love it, thank you. This is perfect.” Jensen grins and takes Jared’s hand in his. “You’re very welcome. I’m glad you like it.” Jared sighs happily. “You’re the best boyfriend ever.” Jensen beams. “Je t’aime,” he whispers as the lights go down. Even Jared knows what that means. “I love you too,” he whispers.

[aion-rsa]

Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge & Andrew Scott to Reunite in His Dark Materials

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San Diego Comic Con may not be the same this year, as the pop culture event is being held completely online, but that doesn’t mean it can’t pull out some exciting and unexpected surprises. One such reveal came during today’s His Dark Materials panel. The HBO/BBC series based on Philip Pullman’s iconic children’s fantasy series will be returning for an already-filmed second season and the cast and creators were on hand to promote the upcoming release (which has yet to get an official date).

Amongst them was Andrew Scott, who will be playing John Parry in the series based on The Subtle Knife, the second book in the trilogy. Scott has been a much-respected actor in fan circles for a long while, probably since his brilliant turn as villain Moriarty on BBC’s Sherlock, but he has more recently found himself in the glow of fan appreciation for his role as The Priest in the second season of the Emmy-winning Fleabag, written by and starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge. In a reveal exclusive to Comic Con at Home, Scott announced that Waller-Bridge will be voicing his daemon in the fantasy series.

“So much of the stuff that’s so beautiful to me about the books and the series is the relationship with the daemons,” said Scott during the panel, “so I do have a relationship with my daemon and I think this is the first time we’re revealing this, but my daemon is going to be played by somebody who is very close to me in real life, which is a young performer and a writer called Phoebe Waller-Bridge.”

Scott continued: “I’m really thrilled about that because it’s all about companionship and friendship and loyalty and that’s what I feel about Phoebe in my real life, so it’s wonderful that that’s happening.”

For those who are unfamiliar with the world of His Dark Materials, a daemon is a physical, external manifestations of a person’s soul or inner self. In the series, they are created using CGI and voiced by some very impressive actors. In the books, John Parry’s daemon is called Sayan Kötör and has the form of an osprey. If everything goes according to plan, Phoebe Waller-Bridge will be playing an osprey.

Speaking more generally about his role in the series, Scott said: “It was really exciting. I mean everybody just went ballistic about the first season so it was a little bit intimidating to come in and you don’t want to mess it up so hopefully the photo [John Parry is seen in a photo in Season 1] will be not as disappointing when it comes to life. But it was really brilliant and, you know, I got to work with incredible actors. A lot of my stuff was with Lin[-Manuel Miranda, who plays Lee Scoresby] and we had such a good time, we really did. It was a total joy to do that. “

More news on His Dark Materials Season 2 as we get it.

The post Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge & Andrew Scott to Reunite in His Dark Materials appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[aion-rsa]

Holiday Gift Guide 2018: Books for Geeks

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Here's what you'll want to be reading this holiday season.

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Feature Chris Cummins Kayti Burt

Gift Guide

Nov 21, 2018

It's one of the last remaining universal truths: Books are never bad presents.

We here at Den of Geek love giving and getting all sorts of books...during the holidays and year round. While our inner-Luddite has come around to the pleasure of digital reading, there is still nothing as aesthetically pleasing as turning the pages on a great volume. This holiday season sees the launch of all sorts of can't miss tomes for the geek in your life. Then again, there's no shame in treating yourself while buying books for others. After all, you've been good this year!

Here's a rundown of 2018's must-have geekcentric books:

Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy

Every year is a year to celebrate Star Wars, and 2018 is no different. Delight the Star Wars geek in your life with this beautifully-illustrated book featuring 75 profiles of some of the women from the Star Wars universe, including the films, fiction, comics, animation, and games. Characters featured include: Leia Organa, Rey, Ahsoka Tano, Iden Versio, Jyn Erso, Rose Tico, and Maz Kanata.

Each profile includes key story beats, fresh insights, and behind-the-scenes details, which means this is not only good for the Star Wars fan who knows everything about this universe, but for the more casual fan looking to get into the world or even for a future Star Wars fan you are cunningly trying to convert so you can nerd out about Star Wars together. You're welcome.

Buy Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy

The Making of Planet of the Apes

Well they did it. They finally did it. No, not blow up the Earth (yet!), but rather Harper Collins has released the definitive book chronicling the creation of one of the best-loved science fiction films of all-time. Written by J.W. Rinzler (whose behind-the-scenes chronicles of the original Star Wars trilogy should earn a place on every self-respecting nerd's bookshelf) The Making of Planet of the Apes charts the difficulties 20th Century Fox had in translating Pierre Boulle's 1963 novel to the big screen and into pop culture infamy through an insanely researched volume that is just as compelling as the feature itself. Our fingers are crossed for future volumes chronicling the saga's various sequels.

Buy The Making of Planet of the Apes

The Atlas Obscura Explorer's Guide for the World's Most Adventurous Kid

We all know that holiday gift-giving tends to be all about the kids in your life. This explorer's guide featuring profiles on countries all around the world is the perfect gift for the child in your life who nerds out about geography and cultures. (We all know one... many of us have been one.)

Billed as "a thrilling expedition to 100 of the most surprising, mysterious, and weird-but-true places on earth," The Atlas Obscura Explorer's Guide for the World's Most Adventurous Kid takes its readers to a 355-foot waterfall in Zambia, to Antarctica's Blood Falls, and through ice caves in Argentina and Austria. You might not be able to actually zipline with your kid through rainforests, but this book is the next best thing until you do get there.

Buy The Atlas Obscura Explorer's Guide for the World's Most Adventurous Kid

The League of Regrettable Sidekicks

Look, not everyone can be a Robin or Jimmy Olsen. With that in mind comes Jon Morris' The League of Regrettable Sidekicks. Following up his previous works (The League of Regrettable Superheroes and The League of Regrettable Supervillains), this time around Morris sets his comedic sights on second and third tier associates like Thor's pal Volstagg the Voluminous and Little Archie's off-abused pal Little Ambrose. While most of these characters are lovable -- if downright forgotten -- would-be assistants, others are absolute oddballs like Plastic Man's trouble-prone pal Woozy Winks who are captivating footnotes in comic book history.

Buy The League of Regrettable Sidekicks

Stranger Things: Worlds Turned Upside Down

If you're anything like everyone else on the planet, then you're desperately awaiting the arrival of more Stranger Things content. This book is not a new season, but it's still pretty darn awesome. The official behind-the-scenes companion to the Netflix show's first two seasons, it includes concept art, original commentary from Matt and Ross Duffer, interviews with the cast, and some of the earliest pitches and story drafts from the show's start. 

The kicker? It's all delivered in the form of a "used" book, which means the book itself is distressed to look like it has been around for awhile. This may strike you as the most millennial thing yet, but, for me, it makes the book not only a fascinating deep dive into this iconic show, but also a physical object that adds to your bookshelf, coffee table, or wherever else you (or your present-receiver) may want to lay this thing down and wait for friends to excitedly discover it. Oh yeah, and it includes some sneak peaks into season three!

Buy Stranger Things: Worlds Turned Upside Down 

The Prisoner: The Uncertainty Machine

Be seeing you! Earlier this year, Titan did comic fans and cult TV obsessives a solid by publishing an artist's edition of a failed attempt by Marvel to bring The Prisoner to comic books in the 1970s that featured art by Jack Kirby and Gil Kane. It was a fascinating experiment, and one we wish had come to fruition. Eventually the series -- ostensibly about a secret agent who resigns and subsequently finds himself in the mysterious Village, although it explores much bigger issue -- was given a DC Comics sequel as 1988's The Prisoner: Shattered Visage mini-series. While by no means a failure, the book largely ignored the show's bonkers finale and thus wasn't fully satisfying. The same can't be said of Titan Comics' current The Prisoner series, an audacious contemporary take on the story that succeeds in all the ways that the regrettable AMC remake of a few years back failed. The first four issues of writer Peter Milligan and artist Colin Lorimer new take on the saga are collected in The Prisoner: The Uncertainty Machine. Having the thankless task of trying to put their own stamp on Patrick McGoohan's allegorical tale, the duo offers up a story rich with interesting new characters and the sort of mindfucks you'd come to expect from The Prisoner. In other words, it's great stuff.

Buy The Prisoner: The Uncertainty Machine

The Phantom of Eternia

For the past decade, a performer in Philadelphia named Carmen Martella III has been hosting a monthly karaoke night/comedy show. While this seems like a fairly ordinary occurance, there is a deliciously nerdy catch--he does so in the guise of an over-the-top spoof of Skeletor. This leads to such madcap fun as the performances being more Gong Show then anything (for example, attempting to sing "My Way" will earn you an instant booting off the stage). Adding to the insanity, 'Skeletor' peppers each event with his own custom song parodies, such as an evil take on Bell Biv Devoe's "Poison" in which he sings the praises of, well, poisioning the audience. One Skeletor Karaoke devotee is Kelly Phillips. Part of the all-girl comic art anthology collective Dirty Diamonds, Phillips is a bona-fide nerd whose Weird Me explores her Weird Al Yankovic fandom. In The Phantom of Eternia, she presents a compelling story about friendship and singing terrible songs in public that will forever change the way you think about both karaoke and Masters of the Universe.

Buy The Phantom of Eternia

Worlds Seen in Passing: Ten Years of Tor.com Short Fiction

Tor.com celebrates its tenth anniversary with this anthology of science fiction, fantasy, and horror from its first ten years as one of the go-to places for speculative fiction shorts. Edited by Irene Gallo and including work from some of speculative fiction's most exciting writers, such as N.K. Jemisin, Charlie Jane Anders, Ken Liu, Kameron Hurley, and Jeff VanderMeer (to mention a very few), this is the kind of present that can be savored over the course of many reading sessions. It's the perfect gift for the person in your life who is really up on their speculative fiction or for that literary friend you're trying to get into speculative fiction.

Read Worlds Seen in Passing: Ten Years of Tor.com Short Fiction

Chilling Adventures in Sorcery

Long before Archie's current horror renaissance, the publisher originally dipped its toes in the genre with the short-lived 1970s comic Chilling Adventures in Sorcery. For the first two issues, the title was narrated by Sabrina the Teenage Witch and featured spooky stories done in the typical house style. From the third issue onwards, the book was issued through Archie's Red Circle imprint, Sabrina was jettisoned, and art was handled by the likes of Gray Morrow. This revamped work was just as compelling as the earlier weirdo dark Archie-style stories, and more than holds its own with classic horror comics like Tales from the Crypt and The Witching Hour. With Chilling Adventures of Sabrina once again stirring a cauldron of interest in spooky Archie tales, this book should be an in-demand item this holiday season...even if Halloween is long gone.

Buy Chilling Adventures in Sorcery

A History of Video Games in 64 Objects

We're getting to a place in the evolution of the video game where its history is valued, which means wonderful potential gifts like this one: A History of Video Games in 64 Objects. Inspired by A History of the World in 100 Objects, this book attempts to chronicle the history of video games so far, from Pong to first-person shooters, as told through the stories of some of the medium's most important objects.

Each object is paired with an in-depth essay outlining its significance in the history of gaming. Objects featured include: The Oregon Trail, the Atari 2600, and a World of Warcraft server blade. If you're based in New York City, pair this gift with a visit to the Museum of the Moving Image's sports video games exhibit. If you're not in New York City, no pairing needed!

Buy A History of Video Games in 64 Objects

The Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories, Volume Three

There's all different kinds of nerds out there, and the history nerd is a special variety. This third volume of Christmas ghost stories from the Victorian era is the perfect gift for that person in your life who thinks learning and indulging in cultures past is just the coolest thing ever. Apparently, following the success of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Christmas ghost stories became all the rage in Victorian newspapers and magazines. Some of these stories have never been reprinted since... until now. The collection features 20 stories, and will make any holiday gathering just a little bit creepier.

Buy The Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories, Volume Three

The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition by Ursula K. Leguin

We lost Ursula K. Le Guin, one of the greatest speculative fiction writers of all time, this year, but we didn't lose her stories. Her legacy lives on in the many classics she left behind, including her beloved Earthsea series. Released to coincide with the 50th anniversary of A Wizard of Earthsea's release, this complete illustrated edition of the entire Earthsea chronicles includes over 50 illustrations done by Charles Vess and selected by Le Guin.

In addition to the main books in the series, The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition includes early short stories, Le Guin's "Earthsea Revisioned" Oxford lecture, and a new Earthsea story. If that wasn't enough, the book also includes a foreword by Le Guin herself. This is the perfect gift for fans of Earthsea and Le Guin or for friends who have yet to venture into this magical world.

Buy The Books of Earthsea: The Illustrated Edition by Ursula K. Leguin

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