#nycc is almost here

[charlierejouis]

Quick Notes: Chapter 259

Let's go!

I guess it's time for a good old-fashioned Mashima war-arc cover!

I don't know if we're ready for how a Wermit coding session will look. In my experience (almost a decade out of any serious coding), this will be much more dramatic to read than it would actually be.

Glad that oversight of Clown being on the ship has been corrected. Though this begs the question: when will/did Labilia and Couchpo gain their memories?

(Can we see them now, all things considered?)

Happy's about to pull of some elite foolishness and save everyone. Look, I've done this long enough. I know how this goes.

Honestly, I completely forgot about the rest of the Oracion (I have to assume) Seis Galactica. This probably won't be that long a fight. I give it three chapters.

It's crazy that Regret and Irvy are talking about their boss' name 20 millennia in the future. (The joke is that Ziggy and Shiki have the same name.)

See you!

[measureyourlifeincake]

Two things:

If you're going to read Homestuck, don't do it on the website. Like you said, the flash elements don't work on modern browsers and they really shat the bed attempting to preserve those bits. What you'd want to use is the Unofficial Homestuck Collection, a fanmade archive with its own bespoke browser that does a far better job at keeping the Homestuck-reading experience as close as possible to what it was when the comic was still running.

If you don't want to read Homestuck, but still want to know what the hell was going on there (or if you do still want to read it but want... a companion, of sorts. A chaser for each shot of Homestuck read, if you will), then I highly recommend the podcast Homestuck Made this World from Ranged Touch. The hosts are two academics—one of whom had been reading Homestuck since it started, the other of whom went into the podcast blind—who not only read through and critically analyze the whole thing, but also look at a lot of peripheral content from Hussie and the fandom in order to contextualize the reading (which is pretty important in understanding Homestuck today imo, as it is a piece that was so strongly in conversation with its readership that I feel like you'd be missing a lot by just reading the comic on its own in 2024—though that could just be my own bias as someone who was deeply into the fandom back in the day). And speaking of contextualization, I will say that you're spot on with the SA-style humor, but I do think that Homestuck sort of evolves with the internet culture as it goes on.

mr sims have you watched supernatural

The year is 2006 - I've just finished school for the summer holidays and am looking for something to fill my time. I am recommended by a friend a show called Supernatural as it's "pretty decent action horror" and it piques my interest. There's a whole four seasons of it available, so plenty to fill my time. I watch it through in a few weeks and enjoy it a medium amount, but not enough to keep up with future seasons, and I assume it ends not too long after that, as it feels like it's really running out of stories to tell.

The year is 2013 - I discover the show is still going somehow, and that things have gotten weird. I decide not to bother catching up, as nobody actually seems to think it's good, despite how intense they are about it.

The years are 2018-present - I am fully vindicated in my decision.

[spacefunclubs]

I really am gonna meet David Tennant in 4 more days what the FU CK

[lastcellontheleft]

We didn’t get a S4 announcement, but you know what the absolute best thing about today’s C2E2 Hannibal panel truly was? 

For almost the first time since the show ended, Fannibals showed how profitable Hannibal can still be. 

C2E2 sold out of their remaining VIP ticket packages with guaranteed panel seating within 48 hours of the reunion announcement. Paid PopVerse subscriptions to stream the panel spiked with previously untapped demos (if socials are anything to go by). The largest event hall at C2E2 was overcapacity 45 minutes before the panel; while that’s normal for cons like SDCC and NYCC, in my experience that’s less common at C2E2.

Not to mention Mads and Hugh making bank with autograph and photo-op sales; a huge component of drawing in good talent to table at cons as well, making sure they make enough over the weekend to justify their presence beyond panel appearances. From a talent booking/event management perspective, this is the absolute dream scenario.

So, here’s the super fun part: ReedPop, the company that owns C2E2, also owns/operates New York Comic Con (NYCC), one of the highest-profile US entertainment conventions after San Diego Comic-Con. Now that ReedPop is aware of the viability of Hannibal programming, it would be extremely surprising if RP didn’t attempt a run at a larger, proper reunion panel at NYCC.

Honestly, great job, team. 2024 could very well be the year we get real buzz going again!

[terezis]

ok here's the hot goss from the nycc taz gn panel

i don't actually know whether or not it was recorded/ if they're going to put it online so here is my summary. also if i miss anything and u were there pls feel free to chime in. spoilers obviously!!!

got eight new preview pages (four two-page spreads), not the pages on the macmillan website!!!

ok i will tell u about those pages but the main thing discussed at the panel was how they went about adapting this arc into gn form. the actual time spent in wonderland has been trimmed a lot bc they had to think about what was actually important to the narrative as they are building to story and song.

basically in planning out the suffering game they also really had to decide what the rest of the series would look like, bc whatever they include now is seeding the stuff that's going to happen later.

cam is not in this book. it was implied there's less wheel spins. rowan/ash/sterling get much less screen time

almost half of this book is lunar interlude stuff (pre and post suffering game, INCLUDING REUNION TOUR!!! no word on where it ends but they made it clear that a LOT of thought went into what to include and where to end it, and what that would mean for the next book)

ok so about those preview pages

first one was post-taakitz date with kravitz sensing a lich and the umbra staff shooting at him <3 <3 <3

i thought they were going to show us the preview pages that were on macmillan so when i saw kravitz i was so shook

second spread was magnus visiting the voidfish, which now happens right before they leave for wonderland; the whole beginning of tsg from magnus trying to talk to pringles to him kidnapping those guards to the chimera fight was cut LOL bc it never really got… addressed again in the podcast

angus comes to get him for the mission but magnus has been going Through It (outright stated, they were like. he found out he's a red robe. he would probably not be handling it well. he has eyebags now. LOL) and snaps at angus when angus presses him on what's wrong.

more angus content, he will be investigating what's going on at the bureau more (his scene w magnus ties into this)

same for lucretia! more content/ stuff for her to do

third spread was merle w his kids getting saved by the red robe, is at a carnival instead of a random street this time LOL

last one was the boys arriving just outside of wonderland

wonderland looks fuckign cool

what else… oh confirmed like eighty panels of bare ass naked magnus after he gets his body back. so i think we really are getting the full reunion tour this book???

ALSO NAKED BARRY COVERED IN SLIME. WHEN HE GETS OUT OF THE POD. CONFIRMED. CANON. LOL

omg ALSO!!! ben (editor) said he campaigned REALLY HARD to have the umbra staff break during the suffering game, freeing lup early, bc he really wanted more time with her, but griffin campaigned really hard NOT to do this, and in doing so his arguments solved a lot of other problems they had been having at the time LOL

travis is the fans' champion when the others get too edit-happy. he's the one who has a good idea of what moments are important to the readers so he's like hey… too far. don't cut that. and then they don't

justin leaves great notes and when they couldn't figure stuff out ben would often say "no it's fine justin will solve this." and he ALWAYS DID

this was news to justin

??? i think that's all the main points honestly i'm v picky about adaptations but overall i feel like these are good changes that make sense when translating the podcast to gn

that said i do hope taako still gets a washing machine dropped on him <3 do this for me carey <3

[raayllum]

Trailer Breakdown time

Important notice: There will be spoilers from 7x01 mentioned as well from NYCC as well as screencaps that were previously released. Read ahead at your own risk!

So what a trailer am I right?

For this meta I'm gonna divide into sections in terms of episode order (largely 7x01, 7x02, and speculation to the mid season point) and then also talk about voice overs / clip placement from previous seasons when I think it's relevant. Let's go!

What we know

These shots of Callum and then Ezran and co. touching down in Katolis, as well as the vision Ezran has of his parents (which the fact he's seeing like that rather than how they actually were, sitting on the thrones side by side, is life ruining let me tell you) are all from 7x01, "Death Alive".

We know thanks to 7x01 that Runaan is arrested and everyone goes to the Banther Lodge to set up a temporary camp / plan their next moves, hence a makeshift council meeting (which Ezran having the throne brought with him... baby boy really isn't doing well). So it seems the following screencaps are all from 7x02.

We can also place this Callum and Rayla handhold at the Banther Lodge by the bridge outside.

They are probably (for whatever reason) conspiring/deciding to free Runaan and leave, leading to this scene with matching sky / colours - Soren and Rayla squaring off before Ezran arrives with more guards.

He might let them go or try to hold on, but they successfully flee / get away. I could also see Rayla and/or Runaan stepping in like "I'll stay behind, you go to the Silvergrove" (and if Rayla offers, that might melt Ezran enough to let them leave). Either way, I think Ezran's conversation with Aanya on the Banther Lodge bridge will either influence the choice(s) he makes here if it's before, or reference this crossroads if it comes after before we leave the Banther Lodge for the season.

We also know from 7x01 that Aaravos wants a Moon primal stone and to likely corrupt the Moon Nexus in order to invert life and death, destroy the Cosmic Order, and bring about eternal night. It seems likely Claudia and human Aaravos will achieve these aims by the mid-season point-ish. After 7x01 they have to go to the Puzzle House to get the map to the Garden of Innocence with unicorns, and they will likely require Terry's Pure Heart (my interview with Aaron Ehasz) to read the map to get them there. If 7x02 is "pure heart" that could be a nice parallel between Callum-Rayla and Terry-Claudia about a willingness (or lack of) to help and why.

From there, it's all speculation, so let's get into it.

What we can speculate

So first things first, we get Claudia and Human Aaravos at the Moon Nexus doing the Nexus inversion, presumably, and bringing people / creatures back from the dead. One looks rather like Ziard and brings up a staff, which Aaravos takes.

We also know this is earlier on in the season because Claudia's har is more white. During the spell, we also see Soren, Terry, Allen, and what seems to be Aanya holding a dead / unconcious Lujanne on the ground. It seems both Soren and Terry are running to stop her, though I don't know what Allen is doing (maybe holding back Ezran for some reason, if Ez is there).

Then we have more of the dead coming out, including a dragon that almost squashes Soren but does not have a rider, so it's not the same (assumedly) as before.

Later on, we see more creatures crawling out of the water at what seems to be the Nexus, since it's bordered by the same walls as the lake.

We also see Aanya and Ezran surrounded by the dead at the Valley of Graves (hi Sol Regem skeleton), but the moon doesn't look as... corrupted / taken as it does at the Nexus shot, so this could be happening in the early stages of the spell. Then Ezran could send Soren, who gets there too late, and who knows how fast Aaravos can travel on his own.

There seems to be some kind of confrontation between Ez, Aanya (hi exploding fire arrows), and Aaravos at the Valley of the Graves either way.

Since like I said the Moon isn't in the right spot, I'd wager the Ez-Aanya fight here is from 7x03 or 7x04, with the Moon Nexus inversion in 7x04 or 7x05. In the same timeframe, Rayla (and Runaan + Callum?) is going back to the Silvergrove and being put on trial.

The little tiny mushrooms here and in the section with her and one of the fallen assassins makes me think that rather than just standing around and talking, there could be an underwater dream-like portion to the trial as well. Something like "You touch the assassin and get blood on your hands (literally)" because they love their on-the-nose symbolism.

So I don't think the screenshots here are Rayla getting injured... Yet.

Now onto the harder to speculate sections, or what I like to call

What the Fuck is Going On

It seems, since Callum and Ezran learn that, "Aaravos is back. He wants to bring about eternal night. He's unleashed the spirits of the dead" (Callum) that the kids regroup and plan for what to do next. This could be 7x05 or 7x06. The trio (broyals / Rayla and Ezran) reconcile maybe from the Runaan fall out, with Ezran asserting that, "We have to be ready. We have to build our defences." (This could also be where Callum's line as a "the three of us have been through a lot together. We'll get through this, too" comes in as a parting goodbye before the group splits, as well as Callum's heroic rallying speech that is very reminiscent of 3x08: "There is a way out of this. With good people doing courageous things. Doing what's right!").

This "building our defences" could mean that the trio splits up to go get allies from prior seasons, like Rex Igneous (Ezran and co. shot) and Akiyu. They could also be fetching sun crystals for Aanya's arrows.

We see Callum defending an unconscious Akiyu (by the water) and Runaan (just under his tunic flare). His ice spell seemingly responds to Claudia's fire spell, and she has more white hair and is standing likewise near water. So it seems we'll get a Callum Claudia duel face off sometime in the mid to late season!

It also seems that Claudia's Laurelion dragon-scale necklace is just a dragon-scale, but gives her the super armour / fire power-up.

At some point we also meet up with the Sunfire elves, not just at their ruins / make-shift camp, but at the Sunforge palace itself, since Khessa's throne is in the background in these shots with Rayla. The purple background and Phyrrah also indicates that Soren and Corvus are in the same area.

Presumably, they've gathered all their allies (end of 7x08?) and are preparing for their final attempt to defeat Aaravos (and free Callum?). And Callum is going to get possessed, so when do we think it's happening?

Well, if the gang is travelling to get allies, Callum (and Rayla - and maybe Ezran or others?) have gone to get Zubeia perhaps from the mushroom mage. While there, shit goes down, and we get this shot of Callum (presumably from 7x06-7x07):

While the cube is angled the way it was in Callum's dark magic dreams, I don't think this is a dream. The background doesn't match up with previous, we've never seen this form of corrupted face for him with his eyes not black, and he has a white streak, which was never present when dreaming of himself as Aaravos' puppet last season.

I also don't think Callum is going to do dark magic to coin Aaravos (at least not for the initial corruption). Not only is it a little wonky pacing wise, it's a bit too clean, as it takes away the #1 threat Callum is scared of when it comes to doing dark magic. While he of course doesn't want to be corrupted at all, it was primarily the fact the corruption would make him Aaravos' puppet that scared him. It's also a bit too thematically contradictory for Aaravos to be successfully defeated in a 'bad way' rather than in a good way (teamwork, etc) nor does it work with the 6x03 set up for him and Rayla, but that's just me.

That all said, the fact that the trailer highlights his parallels to Viren and Claudia not just once, but twice (god bless that "however dangerous, however vile" and another "I would do anything for you") and through Kosmo's 6x06 voice over ("If you ever do dark magic again, the darkness and corruption will overwhelm you") makes it pretty clear that even if it hasn't happened here, it will happen in the season eventually. I don't think i have much to say on this plot beat / characterization that I haven't been saying for, well, the past 4 years, cause if you know, you know! (And I'll probably do a post just screaming about this + the cube later anyway.)

We also have some misc screencaps that could go about anywhere (Terry running, him + Aaravos and Claudia in the woods with the flying primal stone? Seeker or guider?) even if I do think they continually point towards Terry defecting this season.

Conclusion

If I missed any screencaps or you have any questions feel free to send them my way in my askbox! What do you think is going to happen and what are you most excited for this season?

[lilpotatjj]

Here we go guys. Poll is over.

After NYCC we all know what Sam was thinking about John...let's just find out in what mood he was when he was with Cait all alone ;)

Warning: just sweet and adorable Cait and Sam. Some jealousy Sam and lots of kisses🫠

(GIF is not mine)

!You belong to me!

"Are you still hungry?" Cait asked Sam with a questioning face as Sam held the door outside for her. The NYCC was once again one of the big spectacles, just like every year. He hesitated thoughtfully. "Not really". The Scot made a strangled sound that did not go unnoticed. Cait looked at him quietly, thought her part and they both left the forecourt to Sam's car.

Back at the hotel, it was raining. It was a chilly October, rather unusual for LA's warmth. They both got out as Sam parked the car and walked through the large main entrance of the hotel. He was rather quiet until then. Unusual for him. The usually so jittery and yet relaxed Scotsman was anything but deeply relaxed, to Cait's disadvantage. 

'Ok Mr Heughan... are you going to spit out what's bothering you or do I have to tease it out of you?'. Her gaze playful, with an underlying seriousness.

'Nah...nothing,' he poured himself the whisky as they both arrived at the hotel room. His Sassenach whisky. He didn't get a chance to sip as Cait took the drink from his hand and almost emptied the whole glass herself in one big gulp. She frowned at him and he rolled his eyes, playfully annoyed. With a jerk, he drops onto the large, comfortable couch in the centre of the room and lets out an exasperated breath. 'Well... it's been an exhausting day today,' he rubs his face tiredly with his hand. 

'Aha,' says Cait ironically and sits down next to him with his glass in her hand. 'It was emotional...and we haven't had as many fans as today at the venue for a long time,' she said contentedly, draining her glass. 'But that's not it...isn't it?' she said. 

Cait set her glass aside on one of the dressers next to the couch. 

'Right,' he said 'Richard was still half drunk and Sophie was totally in her element'

'I see.' Cait raised her eyebrows questioningly and looked at him with mock conviction, crossing her arms. 'Right and John...' she paused to tease him a little more and sat down next to him. He raised an eyebrow, lifted his hand and guided it to her back, which was still only slightly covered thanks to her outfit. 

'How dare he just touch you,' he said through clenched teeth. She smiled at him and savoured his touch. 'it's all so relaxed between us all, whether it's on set or off, but slowly....' he paused to sort out his words. '...I'm getting tired of holding back. Making sure we don't stand out too much'. Cait gave him a warm smile. 'You don't seriously think John had ulterior motives, do you?' She looks at him scrutinisingly as he pressed his hand more firmly into her back. 'Of course not, but I still don't like to see others getting too close to you.' He looks at her penetratingly, pulls her closer to him and kisses her with an underlying jealousy. With his other hand, he takes her face and holds it firmly so that she can't run away. As if she would do that. Of course she wouldn't. He released the kiss slowly and looked piercingly into her eyes. 

'So many people have touched you today,' he said in a rough and discreetly dominant voice. 'It doesn't bother me...' she said quietly and the thought of seeing her own husband so jealous for once appealed to her. She watched him closely. A different side to the usually so relaxed Scotsman.

He kissed her shoulder and arm as if he wanted to mark every single spot on her body. Every now and then he bit a little harder, only to kiss over it apologetically afterwards. She grinned and hid her face in his neck, tolerating his actions. She inhaled deeply, savoured his scent and closed her eyes. 'You almost scared the poor boy,' she said with amusement. 'John was totally uptight after that. What did you actually do? beating up his tiny ass?' she laughed softly and looked up at him. 'I gave him a very warning look, one he could feel.

He approached her with a playful soft growl and kissed the tip of her nose. She giggled her typical laugh and raised an eyebrow. 'I'm tired' Cait stood up and changed her outfit provocatively in front of him, but so that he could only see her back. Standing in front of the wardrobe, she took a loose jumper from him and a short trouser, put them on and hopped onto the bed in the same room, relaxed. 'You're showing me every nook and cranny you've been touched today!' He got up from the couch and hastily and very clumsily took off his jacket, threw it on the couch and disappeared into the bathroom.

He came back just in his white bathrobe. Cait scrutinised him in detail and raised an eyebrow questioningly in the air. 'That's not exactly fair of you ma laird.. to appear here like this. Naked and only in a bathrobe,' she said.

He grinned cheekily at her words and slowly leant towards her, leaning on his hands and pressing her gently onto the bed with a kiss. It was soft and gentle, just right after such an exhausting day. 

She surrendered rather reluctantly and grinned into the kiss. 'Then you'll have to undress too...we want to keep to the bed rules Mrs Heughan' he purred lovingly and helped her undress. 

'Show me...where has everyone touched you today?' his voice sounded possessive and left no room for discussion. She loved the side of him, playful with a touch of dominance. Anything but how he showed himself in public. Here just for her alone. 

'There...' she pointed slowly at her shoulders, then wandered to her neck and back. His eyes watched her every movement closely, never leaving her.

It was so quiet that you could only hear her breathing as well as his. The air was literally charged. He leant down to her again and kissed her shoulder delicately, repeating it over and over again, careful not to miss an inch. Her breathing quickened and she gasped for air as he moved to her neck. 'Sam...' he couldn't help but grin as he kissed her neck one last time. All at once he raised his eyes to meet hers, completely befuddled by what he was doing, hoping for more. 'Turn round,' he said with a cheeky undertone and grabbed her by the arms to turn her round. She squeaked in surprise and before she knew it, she was lying on her stomach. He looked at her back as if he were a T-Rex looking at his prey. The thought of John's hands over her back made him sick to his guts.

'Here?' She flinched slightly at his first kiss, gentle and loving on her back. 'Sam!' He ignores her and carries on. A second...a third... 

'Darling! That tickles!' she giggled softly and did everything she could to pull herself together. 

'tickle huh?' He bit gently and she drew in a soft, sharp breath as she struggled. 'Stop it! Otherwise you'll leave marks!' she said, looking sideways at him. 'So be it...let everyone see that you're happy!' He bit gently again without hesitation, alternating with his kisses. Bit by bit, he worked his way up her back to her neck. 

'Sam, babe don't!' She looked at him pleadingly and yet you would have thought she was begging him to continue rather than stop. She was tired of playing hide and seek too. He looked at her free neck and began to kiss it in slow motion. Carefully and just so hard that you could clearly see that she belonged to someone. The marks were impossible to miss. When he cuddled up to her shortly afterwards, he took her in his arms. She buried her face in his neck at first, but then looked up at him reproachfully and pouted at him.

'Don't look like that my love....or do you want more?' he said quietly. Her gaze darkened playfully and he raised an eyebrow. 'I think if we're going to show who I belong to, we should do it properly...!' He suddenly looked at her questioningly. 'Wha-...' before he could say anything, she pushed him into bed by the shoulders, sat right on his lap and gave him the most diabolical look she could. 

'Sassenach...? What are you going to do?' he asked, looking frightened. 

Before she spoke, she kissed him firmly on his neck and shoulder.

'Show everyone that YOU are mine!' 

[mintywolf]

(I wrote this on the train coming home on August 26th although I am just getting around to posting it now because time is a weird soup.)

So okay.

****

I haven’t written a personal journal post in a long time but I want to write down EVERYTHING I can remember about my adventure to NYC to see the Critical Role cast so I don’t forget. It was SUCH a moving experience and I’m so glad I went even though I was scared.

So okay my big goal for this year was to finish the first chapter of my C3 prequel fan comic A Long Road Home (southerngothiccomic.com), have a print edition made, and meet Laura and Marisha at a convention so I could give copies of it to them in person. When the CR cast announced they were going to be at Anime NYC this year I figured that was the closest they were probably going to get to me in Virginia. (And getting autographs at NYCC is reportedly like hunting a unicorn so I figured this would be my best chance.)

I was also terrified, and almost talked myself out of it because I was nervous about giving them the comic, even though I already had a badge and it was what I really, really wanted to do. I know the cast loves to see fanart — and also, it has been revealed, reads the fanfic — but it’s also a pretty well-known taboo for a fan to show their fanfic to a creator and a graphic novel is an unholy hybrid of the two. I was also worried that it would seem presumptuous of me to present them with a fanmade prequel graphic novel because there’s almost certainly going to be an official one at some point, and afraid that at best they might politely tell me they couldn’t accept it (for the reasons that comic writers aren’t “allowed” to read fanfic), and at worst they might be kind of annoyed that it exists. Either way I’d be REALLY sad, and in the weeks leading up to the con I worked myself up into an irrational panic about this. Fortunately my friends managed to talk me into not backing out (and spoilers: it turned out okay in the end!) but I was still very scared.

Also I was so focused on the comic stuff that I forgot until after GenCon earlier this month to think of what I wanted to actually have autographed. I decided to get a big print of the chapter one cover from INPRNT, assuming that since I ordered it two weeks in advance with an eta of 5-7 days that would be plenty of time for it to get to me. Well, reader, it was not. (But please do not let me dissuade you from using INPRNT! To their credit when I contacted them and asked if I could upgrade to rush delivery, they expedited it for free. Unfortunately even with rush shipping it just missed me, arriving at my house while I was on the train to NYC.)

Pâté on the train going to see his biological parents. (Laura and Marisha.)

When I saw that it wasn’t going to arrive in time I was starting to panic because there is nowhere near me to have art prints made. It’s a 15 minute drive (past the alpaca farm) just to get to the nearest grocery store. Grasping at straws I was kind of like Should I . . . draw something? On paper?? With real media that I haven’t used in like 10 years??? I only have 3 days!!!

Fortunately my life was saved by @emphaticembroiderer who had the brilliant suggestion of sending my art ahead to a print shop in NYC and picking it up before the convention. There are indeed MANY of those in New York and I managed to find one that was open on Saturdays and able to make my print on short notice. (567 Framing on W 14th street. The owner, Jack Hu, did excellent work and was very kind!) By that point I was frazzled and didn’t want two of the same print so I decided to be self-indulgent and had this one made. Not my showiest piece but it is one of my favorite things I’ve drawn. (This turned out to be the correct decision.) It’s a 6 1/2 hour train ride from here to there (and it got a little delayed along the way) so by the time I got there it was after 5 and the print shop closed at 6:30 so I zoomed over there straight from the train station to pick it up. It turned out BEAUTIFULLY, and the owner was pleased with how happy I was with it and that he’d been able to help.

He enjoys that he is included.

Then I went and checked in to my hotel and that point really just wanted to lie down on a bed but I had plans to take Pâté to see Hadestown on Broadway that night because I wanted to make the most of my trip. (Also it’s important for our scrungly son to receive a cultural education.) In keeping with the theme of the weekend I wore the Laudna-themed sundress I made for GenCon with one of the poppies in my hair. An usher told me they liked my ensemble. :) I had decided to go for a front row mezzanine seat because I didn’t know when I’d ever have this opportunity again and I didn’t want to risk my miniature self being stuck behind a tall person. It was perfect; I could see everything and the performance was AMAZING. Pâté had a very good time too.

The next day was the CR panel and autographs!! I decided to wear my 1950s Laudna cosplay from GenCon. I had some doubts about it when I got there because without the rest of 50s Bells Hells the theme isn’t as clear and outside of a DnD-focused convention the recognizability of a CR character is kind of low, let alone an AU variant on one. But once I found the Critters my Pâté poodle skirt was appreciated. :)

This is Rach @dadrielle, Astoria @astoriacolumnstaircase, Abby @overnighttosunflowers, and me as 50s Hells at GenCon!

And okay I know this said a lot but it’s true, CR fans are the NICEST fandom to be a part of. <3 If you’re ever standing in line for a CR thing by the time you get there you will have new friends. (For comparison the other-fandoms cosplayers I saw at the hotel and on the way to the con didn’t even return my smiles, even though we were all clearly going to the same place.) I fell in with a group of people who were near me in line (including an amazing Owlbearman cosplayer) and we decided to all sit together. The panel was really great. I don’t remember everything that was asked because of everything ELSE that happened later that day but they hinted that Big Things are coming (including multiple live shows!! Please come to Richmond! Or DC! Or at least somewhere on the East Coast!) for the 10th anniversary and Momlan stepped up to the mic during the Q&A segment and revealed that Sam has achieved his childhood dream . . . to become a minotaur. :D

With the mindset of making the most of this trip I had intended to try to get a spot in line to ask a question but I was hesitant about being on camera (even in cosplay) and while I was dithering about it like 50 people got in line. (I was also Suffering by that point because my rockabilly Laudna shoes have like 3 inch heels and after walking from the hotel to the convention center I didn’t have the fortitude to dart over to the line in them.)

My question, which I hope to submit next time there’s a Q&A opportunity, was this: For Marisha. We’ve seen Delilah’s influence manifesting in Laudna’s fashion choices recently. Now that she has the means and the freedom to do so, what kind of clothes would she choose for herself?

(Because I am a little sad that — until a possible post-campaign oneshot — we’ll never get to see a high-level Laudna costume that’s totally of her own design and I’m really eager to know what it would look like! Let her be spooky and free!)

Afterwards the cosplayers were being rounded up for a photo shoot but I was anxious to get a good spot in line for my autograph with Laura at 2pm so I stealthed away with Ken (@elissabrat), a Jester fan I had met in line, who knew where they were and had one with Travis at the same time. When we got there we were told No, go away and come back in an hour and a half, because it was still only 12. So we went to the Artists Alley where we found a girl named Lea whom we had also met in the panel line and collected a few other stray Critters (Ken has a boisterous and inviting personality and importantly, is very tall, preventing the rest of us from getting lost in the crowd) and we wandered around seeking out all the CR fan artists we could find. (There were a lot! It was great. I got some prints.)

by Cait May and Maliveth

Around 1 we decided to go back and see what the line situation was. Before we parted ways I exchanged twitter handles with Lea, who looked at my profile and said “Wait . . . this is you?”

She told me she was a big fan of my comic and looks forward to it every week! and we were both kind of like !!! at each other for a moment. I had never met someone who recognized my art in the wild before. (On ANY other day this would have been the most amazing thing that happened to me, haha.) I was so touched to meet her. <3

I took out the two books I was carrying and explained why I was there and we all got hyped up about it. And it made it feel a little less daunting, to know that there was someone there who understood the quest I was on and how close I was to the end of it.

I was like 5th in line for Laura and since it was still early I got to participate in that bonding experience integral to every con, sitting on the floor in cosplay, with a very good Vex behind me. (Hilariously, even after the dig at them — or maybe unaware of it — in the most recent episode, there were a lot of Funko Pop resellers around us, haha.)

I sent word to Southern Gothic Discord to remember me fondly in case I died here. In fact I'm not entirely sure that I didn't.

It felt like there was a disproportionate amount of fanfare revealing my print because I kept it how it was packed by the printer, wrapped in paper in between two pieces of cardboard so it wouldn’t get bent, so there was this whole ceremony of peeling back the tape, turning under one of the cardboard protectors, unfolding the paper, and turning over the print. But Laura loved it. She made like a happy sob when she saw it (it was really cute) and she looked at it for a long time taking in all the details and said it was beautiful. <3 <3 <3 (No matter how much we love and ship Imogen and Laudna, NO ONE loves them or is shipping them harder than Laura Bailey. She asked if I was going to bring it to Marisha too and was careful picking out a spot so there'd be room for both of their signatures. :))

I told her I was really happy to meet her because I’ve been a fan since BloodRayne (so, um. 20 years) and she said “oh wow, that was OG days!” And she gave me just a really kind look like she understood how much it meant to me to be there.

Then I gave her the comic. You all were right, I was worried about nothing! because she is the sweetest and she loved it. I very nervously pushed it across the table and said it was a comic I had made and wanted to give her. She picked it up and started turning the pages and was surprised when she saw what it was. “Wait, this is a whole novel! You made this?”

I confessed that I had, and she asked how long it had taken, I told her about a year (it was actually longer; in the moment I kind of forgot not how many pages there are in the first chapter but how many weeks are in a year) and she looked just really impressed that I had made it and touched by how much work had gone into it. She said she couldn’t wait to read it and seemed really excited to hear that it’s still going online! (So no pressure on me there if she's keeping up with it now, haha. o.o) And she kept looking between the book and me like she couldn’t believe it.

Then she asked me if I would sign it for her. :')

Somehow I survived long enough to do so! (a little wobbly because my hands were shaking) and someone (I think it was the ticket scanner) made a joke about how I was the first person to give an autograph at a signing, haha. And then she came around the table and gave me a hug. <3 <3 <3

After that my soul was still on the ethereal plane but the rest of me managed to find my way (after a brief wrong turn) to Marisha’s line. (There was a really good Keyleth and Caduceus in line behind me and they kindly noticed and returned the Pâté sticker that fell out of Marisha’s book).

She recognized my cosplay as 1950s Laudna right away! which was very validating after my earlier indecision haha. She loved the Pâté skirt and thought the scissors embroidery on my collar was adorable. She really liked the art too and was kind of like “Awww” about the book like in an “aww it’s an Imogen and Laudna thing” kind of way (she also liked the glass bottle windchimes on the cover and I love that she noticed that detail because Laudna’s penchant for turning things other people have thrown away into arts and crafts is one of my favorite aspects of her character) until she opened it and started looking through it.

Then she said, “Wait, this is actually really good," and she asked me seriously if Liam “Art Dad” knew about it (I said he had liked some of my other art on Twitter but I didn’t know if he knew about the comic) and then she said — still looking at it, more to herself than me — “We’ll have to add it to our art catalogue.” I don’t know exactly what that means (and I don’t want to get my hopes up too high by speculating; I was too !!! in the moment to ask and now I’m going to be wondering) but . . . it sounds . . . exciting??

They also both enjoyed Pâté and his lil sunglasses. :)

I had gone up with the intention of asking my other burning question: How does being cold-blooded affect Laudna in cold climates? If she gets too cold will she enter a state of brumation like a lizard? Will she freeze solid?

But I forgot. And it really wouldn’t have been the right moment. Maybe when I come back with Volume Two. :)

You’re supposed to pay extra to get a quote put on there but they both did it anyway without even asking. I think they must be really pleased when someone brings them something personal that they’ve made to have signed and not something they’re planning to sell.

After that I just kind of floated away from the con even though it was only like 2:30 haha. Nothing else could have happened there that would have equaled or improved upon that experience. Although I did adopt a Tentacle Kitty. The vendor (correctly) guessed “you look like you’d vibe with our spooky collection” so I had to get a new buddy for Pâté. (50s Laudna, still readily identifiable as a witch wherever she goes.) Also I saw a very chill emotional support pomeranian in a backpack.

(On the way back I saw the mark of the Traveler graffiti’d in green on the sidewalk. Truly a blessed day. :P)

Afterwards I just sat on the bed in my hotel room amid the floof of my crinoline wondering what even is my life for the next few hours and being like !!!! at Discord. Then I met up with Abby (whom it was wonderful to see again!! thank you so much for coming to see me) for dinner and had a really lovely time going over the What Just Happened of it all and talking about Imodna over strawberry pancakes. As one does. Perfect ending to an amazing day. <3

It was SUCH an incredible, exhilarating experience, thank you everyone who pushed me into not giving up out of fear. Laura and Marisha are SO nice and gracious in person and it was just so rewarding, after all the work and love and time I’ve put into this comic, to be able to finally bring it to the people who inspired it! And to see it appreciated and admired by them! It was more than I ever could have imagined.

This fandom is the best. My heart is so happy and full of love right now. <3 <3 <3

[joannhutch1976]

My meeting Chris Evans

Now i know how alot of you feel about Chris right now but this is my experience meeting him.

It was an amazing time at New York Comic con and i would like to share my experience in Meeting Captian America himself Chris Evans

I walked around to kill some time before my photo op and saw all the different vendors and exhibits i was blown away, I went to a comic con about 4 years ago it was called wizward world but it was nothing like NYCC.

I looked at my watch and saw i still had two hours to kill until my Photo Op with Chris Evans so I looked for the place where it would take place once i found it the hubby and i just sat on the floor and killed time playing games. 

And than it was time for the photo op and when i tell you my nerves were running ramped i may have started out on level 2 but by the time i got up their i was on Level 1,000,000. Now i’ve met celbs before. 

I’ve met Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift and steven Amell but this this was different, This was chris evans, my hollywood crush since his days as Johnny Storm, and i never thought i would ever meet him let alone talk to him. But here we are. 

The pic line moved fast and when it came time for me i was mesmerized, i was about to meet Chris Evans Captain America himself, when it was my turn in line he finished up with the person before me, turned looked at me and smiled and said I love that dress and look we match we have on the same color, I almost forgot to speak, my brain was screaming to speak and when i did i asked if it was ok to have a hugging pic. 

He said OH my god yes come on babe bring it in, and yes he called me babe which kinda shocked me, he put his arms around me and pulled me close to him, when the pic was done i didn’t wanna let go. But I did , he thanked me and I said thank you back and headed out to get my picture. 

I didn’t even feel like I was walking, I felt like I was floating. Now I had to wait for my autograph session. 

A couple hours later and it was time for the autograph session, what i had signed was the new GQ mag with him on the cover, since the photo live moved fast this line wasn’t as fast, when i got up to the table he said there she, there's the pretty lady and her beautiful dress. He asked where he should sign the cover and I said across that amazing chest, he literally blushed. 

I said thank to him for getting me through a really tough time in my life, i told him about the time i had to spend in the hospital last year and how my anxiety level was so high it was scary but watching his movies or interviews calmed me down. He grabbed my hand and just held it, he said thank you for being sweet, he signed the mag and i said again thank you and handed him the bracelet i made him and smiled so big. He handed me back the mag, grabbed my hand again and we said goodbye. 

Ladies let me tell you he is the sweetest most down to earth man i have ever met. 

So in closing my time at new york comic con was. AMAZING, and i would do it again.

[ingravinoveritas]

Follow-up to this post and a point-by-point recap of last night's events:

- Definitely thought I would be nervous, but as soon as I saw Neil waiting backstage from the vantage of my fourth row seat, all that went away.

- The event was a tribute to Ray Bradbury, with Neil and several actors reading different short stories and Neil talking about them in between. He started off the night by talking about being a TikTok meme ("Neil Gaiman, why are you in my falafel?") and how his time as a meme was almost up.

- There was an after party in the bar following the show, and the ticket I had purchased allowed me to attend. I didn't even realize Neil was there yet because he was so low profile and just chilling while a line began to form at his table.

- When I went up to him, he was very smiley and kind and soft-spoken. I mentioned really enjoying the Bradbury story he read ("The Homecoming") because it felt like an allegory for autism, for an autistic person in a family full of neurotypicals, and it really resonated with me. So we talked Ray Bradbury and writing and it was lovely. - I also mentioned the tweets from a few years ago (here and here) that involved him commenting on a photo of me in a red bikini and me offering to cook him dinner if he came to New Jersey, and he remembered! Haha. He also still seemed very interested in the offer and said, "It's a date" and "We'll do dinner." Oh, Neil... - At the end, I somehow finally remembered to tell him my name and said "I'm Amy" as we shook hands. To which he replied, "It's lovely to meet you, Amy. I'm Neil." - After we took the picture, I wished Neil a good flight (the venue staff said they were trying to hurry up the queue because he had an early flight today) and safe travels, and he said "Thank you!" and was again so sweet and lovely and just a person. - Didn't talk to Neil about anything Good Omens, but I did end up chatting with a woman who knows Rob Wilkins (someone waiting in the queue asked Neil how to get in touch with Rob and he pointed to this woman, so that was how I first became aware of her). Later on in the evening, after Neil left, we were on the other side of the bar and struck up a conversation about all things GO, Terry Pratchett, fandoms, Michael and David's chemistry, and much more. She also told me to follow her on Instagram and message her if I ever needed tips for navigating the overwhelm that is NYCC. A totally unexpected and thoroughly enjoyable conversation overall. - Also got to talk with Yetide Badaki (who was in American Gods and one of the actors who performed last night) and she was beyond lovely. I complimented her performance and said how it was "like Siri, but less creepy" and she burst out laughing and asked if she could put that in her résumé. Haha. The topic of autism came up and she said how it was so important to her and how there needs to be more awareness. I mentioned being a professional speaker and that I've done a TED talk on autism, and she said she wanted to watch it. Again, completely unexpected interaction, but so delightful and so much fun.

My overall thoughts and takeaway from this is that real life is very, very much different and not the same thing at all as online fandom. It was incredibly refreshing to see Neil and talk to him in a non-fandom context, and to see how gracious he was with every person in line (adults, kids, couples, all of it). He signed books, took pictures with people, and hugged fans who seemed to be sharing particularly emotional moments. I feel like the fandom tends to treat Neil like some kind of god, but for me, I truly enjoyed seeing and getting to meet him as a person--charming, intelligent, funny, polite, and just a bit awkward...

[jewishgirlrevolt]

Fun Story to Share regarding Kieron Gillen

I got to go to NYCC this year and I got to chat with a LOT fo Marvel people, some of them remembered me from past cons and said hello. But that's not the point.

You know who was there too? Gillen.

You know who was two feet away from me at one point? Gillen.

You know who I didn't say a word to? Gillen.

Here's the thing, for all the hate I got for my v2 criticism, and my alleged unprofessionalism. I have never spoken to Kieron Gillen. I have no interest in interviewing Kieron Gillen, or if I do, it would have to be conducted by someone else. Because I understand my own bias, and my own feelings enough and hey. I have this thing called professionalism. Cause I am an adult. So I walked past him, said nothing and moved on. Because talking to him about v2 will not bring me peace, and it will not stop Jewish erasure, or anything else.

And while I do know there are professional ways I can approach it if I was in the same room and had to make small talk with the man. And boy are there so many things I would like to say to him. Those are things that are just in my head and he will never hear, and that's ok. Because my criticisms were for me.

It's almost like you can dislike someone without attacking them, or sending them hate, etc.

[herwrittenuniverse]

The Dragon Prince's "Mercy" Motif

TDP Fam, this is so fascinating.

I made this post about the connection between two characters' names. Nothing is coincidental in this show. The creators have things mapped out for future seasons.

🚨Spoilers below! 🚨

We know this arc is called The Mystery of Aaravos, and so far - in the show, anyway - he does appear more malevolent than benevolent, using characters as pawns (Viren, Callum, Claudia) to achieve his means (freedom). He was one of the Great Ones, but he lost privilege and title, becoming known as The Fallen Star. It was revealed that he's been behind wars, manipulating leaders for centuries, and so he was locked away because he was too dangerous. (If you're reading this, you've seen the show and know all of this.)

Now...E1S6 (which was previewed at NYCC) opens with a conversation between him and another Startouch Elf. He's distraught - it's the first time we've ever seen Aaravos showing such incredibly desperate emotions. (As I've mentioned, he's being painted as a sympathetic character.)

First, you wanna make a bet these statues depict the very scene featured in S1E6?

It's too perfect.

Now, this elf is called The Merciful One. As I pointed out in my other post, there is another character that is associated with mercy. You guessed it:

Her story is literally called The Queen's Mercy and one of the many titles bestowed upon her (if you read the story) is Queen Aditi, the Merciful. (I've already done the math in this post here.)

Now, why is this so fascinating?

Mercy, by definition, is compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm. (Thanks dictionary.com.) But as we know from reading The Queen's Mercy, Aditi isn't merciful at all. She's cunning. Kim'dael goes to Aditi seeking sanctuary. What does she get in return? A Mercy Debt.

Could this be considered merciful? I mean...she did not banish or harm Kim'dael. But she's trapped eternally, and literally owes her life. Kim'dael is a villainous character, no doubt - but that is not compassion or forgiveness. (Whether or not she deserves it is a different conversation.)

Now let's go back to Aaravos and the Merciful One, shall we?

If you look the images, Aaravos is clearly distraught, and yet the Merciful One appears calm, cool, collected. We can assume he's...well, granting mercy.

By what? Imprisoning Aaravos? This could very well be the moment he is imprisoned.

But is it true compassion? Is it true forgiveness? Or is it, "I'm granting you something in my power because - even though it seems wrong to you - it's for the greater good." I could see Startouch Elf philosophy being cold and factual, distant and matter-of-fact - leaving no room for matters of the heart or emotions. (Doesn't this elf reference that Aaravos is in this position because of love [and I suspect has something to do with Leola]? If someone can get me their exact quote, that would be fantastic.)

This opens up a really interesting conversation regarding the term 'mercy' - because what I think is happening here is that there are two characters in power (The Merciful One and Queen Aditi) who are technically granting 'mercy' (although I am only hypothesizing based on the new Startouch Elf's name), and yet it is not at all merciful to the character. It's almost as if they're both saying, "Yeah, this sucks for you right now, but it's going to be better off for everyone else in the end." Kim'dael is 'imprisoned' by the Mercy Debt. Aaravos is literally imprisoned.

I mean, Kim'dael is in the same position as Aaravos' statue in the Sea of the Castout.

I don't think this is a coincidence. I think both of these things will come back to bite our beloved Dragang. They are the ones who have to deal with the consequences, after all.

Did they deserve this treatment? For Kim'dael - I'm leaning towards yes, she is clearly a villain and has done horrific things.

And...we know that Aaravos has something to do with Aditi's disappearance.

But did Aaravos deserve this - imprisonment?

Now that is yet to be seen. And I have a feeling S6 will leave us all questions more than answers.

[willtasker]

NYCC 2024: A (Redacted) Review

I had planned out NYCC months ago, back when they announced Hayley Atwell in the spring. Everything else in 2024 had the volume turned down after that announcement. And with time, they also announced some of the cast of Starship Troopers and then Rachael Leigh Cook.

I'm happy to say that everyone was wonderful, glowing even. Some maybe a little more than others but over all, this was by far the best year I had at a convention in terms of people just being... nice.

So foremost is that I overbooked myself. Five cast members from Starship Troopers was at the same table and I'll be damned if I'm gonna let that slip by. I had to go Thursday, as Dina Meyer ((see above)) was only there for one day only. She was an absolute sweetheart, despite trying to duck out to make her plane on time. I almost walked away before they called me back because I forgot to take this photo with her. "Give me some sass" is what I heard in my ear over the deafening crowd and ... well, its not my worst photo but certainly not my favorite either. But she has these huge, chonky glasses I wish she'd kept on for the photos.

Michael Ironside was incredible. I've been a fan of his for decades and despite having a voice like a gravel quarry and that constant sneer painted over his face, he was very funny and very warm. He noticeably perked up when I mentioned his performance in "Crime & Punishment In Suburbia" and how Roger Ebert said it was the best work of his career. He nodded in approval, "I'm glad someone saw that. The director is a a good friend of mine."

Casper Van Dien was ... actually exactly what I suspected. He was standing in front of his table, talking to everyone, pitching the new SST Extermination game. He's high energy, happy to see you, quick with a joke.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a lot of time with either Seth Gilliam or Denise Richards. Seth was on his way out but seemed to be overly kind with everyone there? Does that make sense? Denise was rushing to get out because she had some sort of socialite appointment elsewhere in NYC but she was trying so hard to be accommodating and patient with people. I think she was aware of what her legacy is with men of a certain age. I purposely didn't take too long at her table - it was 7 pm and everyone was tired - and I think she appreciated the fact I didn't make a bad pass at her or stop the line for 5 minutes to show her art I had done in the hopes she'd follow my Instagram (witnessed both of these things happen in real time).

Now on to the main event:

I didn't know what to expect from Hayley. I'd never met anyone who had interacted with her, so I was a little pensive at first. I had brought two photos for her to sign - the one above I had blown up to an egregious size - but it was the other one that rang her bell.

The person running the cashbox passed my photos down and said "Hayley we have some very nice photos from this gentle..."

"This is from Howard's End!" Her eyes popped, a mix of genuine surprise and appreciation behind them.

We talked a little bit about her Margaret Schlegel versus the 1992 movie. She asked me a couple of small questions before we really hit it off on something I wouldn't expect: I told her how I found a lot of American television too "active" and how much comfort I found in rewatching not only Howard's End but just UK television in general. She sized me up quietly before agreeing, telling me she watches the same handful of shows over and over to unwind, as a comfort.

She signed the Howard's End photo first (not pictured here, I've determined it is a little too personal), then the above photo before going back to the first photo with "May I add a quote to this?"

I was left with words in my mouth for a second. I managed to say "Please!" once my brain rebooted and she said "I loved this character so much. And this quote." After we said our goodbyes - she's so effusive, high energy - I quietly found a corner of the convention hall to see she'd written "Only Connect" under her name and I sighed like an old dog sleeping on a cold kitchen floor.

I later had a photo op with her. I look pretty stiff and not my best but I've taken worse photos. She was extremely gentle with everyone in line, I think getting a sense that most everyone was having the same "Holy shit, thats Hayley Atwell" realization.

Finally, and certainly not the least of all...

Rachael Leigh Cook came out an hour late, wearing a cream colored sweater and necklace. Laugh as you must, gentle reader, but I'm absolutely going to my therapist this week to ask why a stranger like herself is so completely nice to everyone (but especially: why is she nice to me). She's the type who touches people on the hand or arm as they talk - she hugged the couple in front of me when they mentioned their engagement - and she has this natural ... I honestly don't know what to call it - grace? vibe? spirit? ... that makes the cold hearth of my soul blaze like a Christmas fireplace. I don't mean to suggest theres any sort of connection, simply that she gives off a vibe of generosity and familiarity that I've only ever felt with old girlfriends.

I thanked her for her performance in Stateside, which made her eyebrows go up like a Tex Avery cartoon, and complimented her on getting her character's diagnosis so wonderfully right. She listened to me, stopped writing, listened some more, would write some more. I'd hate to think I somehow overwhelmed her - I am often told I don't "play my cards" despite my being afraid I'm overplaying them - but she was sincere and gentle, her voice this almost ASMR tone. We took a selfie (THAT photo looks awful, I need to learn to not only pose in photos but not to cock my head away from the other person) and later a photo op (Which looks better! But like the one with Hayley, I look rigid compared to her practiced grace) where she invited me into her hooked arm with a "Hey you, wow, sharp dresser!" and straightened the front of my shirt with a pinch.

And finally! Mystery solved?

This is an update for @justrachaelleighcook - this photo was taken at Cannes! She'd not seen Anna in some time and the press (or whoever was behind the camera) asked for a photo together! "I've never seen this photo but I remember taking it because Bookies was running out of competition". So that dates this photo as 2002? (She'd also not heard Anna had been unwell of late and regarded what little I said with a bit of a furrowed brow.)

Needless to say I wish I had more time to talk to her but I'm forever aware theres a line of people behind me hoping for some time as well.

It was an exhausting two days at NYCC. I probably spent 15 hours there and of that, more than 13 hours was standing in lines. Overall, it was one of the - if not THE - smoothest and more effortless visits to a convention I've ever had. If any of them come back around, I'd love to meet them again. <3

[dragonsarecats]

I haven’t seen anyone talking about this yet, but the NYCC Hannibal panel’s moderator was like. Super unprofessional to the point where the panel was almost unwatchable.

Disclaimer here that I’ve never seen the show, but I’m a con veteran and I often see panels of shows I’ve never seen and enjoy them. Don’t need to watch Hannibal to know the questions were bad.

Okay, first of all— the moderator was star struck in a bad way. She didn’t interact with Mads or Hugh in a normal, interviewer way, she did so like she was an amateur fan and not an editor for the Nerdist. Her voice was weak, and her questions were weaker— she kept trying to get them to talk about the Hannibal/Will ship as if it was a cute romcom and not a psychological horror drama. The complete disregard for the drama really made the tone awkward, in a way that made her feel as if she wasn’t a fan of Hannibal the show, but the version in her head.

Her starstruckness wouldn’t have been an issue if she was able to ask good questions, but she barely talked about the show. She asked inane questions to fish for ship bait, tried to get Hugh to do the Enchanted dance, and asked a question so irrelevant (what’s your dream play role?) that Hugh literally did not answer it because he explicitly implied it would be a time waste of a question.

She fished for a season four—and didn’t stop until after they both stated they were busy and politely shut her down. She tried to imply Will made Hannibal better and Hannibal made Will worse, only for the baffled duo to tell her that they’re both bad people. She asked what would happen to the living half if they successfully managed to off the other, and both gave mundane answers one could easily get if they simply watched the show.

It felt like the SAG/AFTRA struck panels from last where actors couldn’t talk about the media they were in except in vague terms, only this time they kept trying to pivot but the moderator was just not good enough at her job to work with them. Mads didn’t even answer half her questions and Hugh Dancy carried it on his goddamn shoulders.

I have no idea how this interviewer got such a big gig. It was the LAST empire stage panel of the con, and it was run by a woman who couldn’t put her personal feelings and fandom experiences at bay to have a genuine conversation.

She didn’t even fucking mention it was the ten year anniversary of the show’s last episode.

What a disappointment.

[broadwaydivastournament]

Broadway Divas Tournament: Round 2B

Bernadette Peters (1948) “BERNADETTE PETERS (Sally Durant Plummer) reprises the role she originated in the Kennedy Center production of Follies. Her Broadway credits include A Little Night Music, Gypsy, Annie Get Your Gun, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, Song & Dance. She has received two Tony Awards, a Golden Globe and two Grammy Awards. She has 20 feature films to her credit, including the upcoming Coming Up Roses, and has recorded six solo albums. Ms. Peters devotes her time to and talents to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and Broadway Barks, an annual star-studded dog and cat adoption event, co-founded with Mary Tyler Moore. She is the author/songwriter of two children’s books, Broadway Barks and Stella Is a Star!” – Playbill bio from Follies, September 2011.

Victoria Clark (1959) “VICTORIA CLARK (Sally Durant Plummer. Encores!: Bye, Bye Birdie. Broadway: The Light in the Piazza (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics, Joseph Jefferson Awards), Titanic, How to Succeed…, Cabaret, Urinetown, Guys and Dolls, Sunday in the Park… Carngie Hall: Stephen Sondheim: Opening Doors. Film: Cradle Will Rock. TV: “Law & Order: SVU.” Off-Broadway: The Agony and the Agony by Nicky Silver, Marathon Dancing. Concert: American Songbook Series, Allen Room. Regional: Long Warf, Goodman, Intiman Theaters. Director: 92nd St. Y Lyrics and Lyricsts, Mack Gorden. Faculty, Yale University. www.victoriaclarkonline.com” – Playbill bio from NYCC Encores! Follies, February 8, 2007.

NEW PROPAGANDA AND MEDIA UNDER CUT: ALL POLLS HERE

"Bernadette Peters: Broadway's Hottest GILF. Seventy-six years old and still performing sold-out concerts in gorgeous Bob Mackie gowns with her titties on display. Broadway Barks is the best charity event of the summer, and I dread the day I won't be able to watch her parade around with a bevy of the sweetest shelter animals you've ever seen."

"Victoria Clark in a blue dress receiving a Tony Award almost twenty years apart. Her 2005 dress was scandalously backless and I *love* it, but her 2023 dress had me swooning. I love this woman, and I know she's doomed, but I still need my adoration on the record."

[smoliboops]

Almost done catching up on nycc stuff, and so I'm sharing my 14th/15th doctor tardis console cosplay that I wore on Saturday!

Lots of fun to wear, had a lot of pics taken of me (which was so sweet/suprising especially since I went alone on Saturday and almost lost my sanity with making 2 cosplays for the con). Also Jodie!!! Absolutely lovely, pure sunshine who was so excited to sign my hat (she loved the details and said I should be proud which 😭😭😭!!)

First of, this was a lot to do xD. My original concept had a LOT more details I wanted to include that I sadly ran out of time (among them: adding tardis doors to the skirt, adding purple/pink/orange ruffle to the skirt to look like the time vortex from the s14 opening, adding a sutekh plush sticking out of my backpack, incorporating the jukebox in some way, and SO CLOSE TO ADDING LEDS TO THE VEST I MADE SO THAT IT COULD GLOW LIKE THE CONSOLE ROOM WALLS BUT I COULDNT FIX THEM IN TIME 😭) so with all that being said, the reactions to the outfit really cheered me up! 💙 and maybe next time I'll be able to make a 2.0 version of this lol.

Other note, this was made on and off over a few weeks. Skirt from thinkgeek that I got for 5 bucks at a yard sale and that inspired all of this (as well as the mushroom hat cottagecore outfits from tiktok, binging Sarah Spaceman's cosplay videos especially her TLOU cottagecore video and the tardis console dress from @gallifrey208 from 2013).

I sewed the vest with a pattern from KatieSewss on etsy (it's reversible and the inside is a cute pastel space fabric i got at another yard sale for a dollar). Blouse from thiftstore. And hat:

- made from a free hat (yard sale), thick cardboard for structure, covered in 2mm eva foam, primed with plastidip, painted with acrylics (it now glows in the dark too lol). Worked like this: one layer of cardboard, hat brim, another layer of cardboard to sandwich the brim later on the bottom, and the cardboard structures constructed on the top cardboard layer.

- Time rotor/tube made from a translucent binder divider (i spray painted it with clear spray paint to make it more clear), round blue things made with a blue binder divider, the little support beam? things for the round things are zip ties (i cut little slots in each blue thing for each zip tie to pass thru), and a paper straw with mini leds stuffed in the middle

- control panels made out of thinner cardboard (empty tissue box and fig bar box), and buttons/coffee machine/other details made from foam clay, more foam, dollar tree glass squares and pearl beads, and googly eyes 👀. Also added strips of black fabric (yard sale) to quickly cover the inside (floor?) of the panels/hat and filled empty space with copper/gold jewelry wire (more yard sales!)

- also, I did not want this falling apart on me, so the felt part of the hat was glued to the cardboard with tacky glue and I think gorilla wood glue, cardboard to cardboard was with wood glue and hot glue, and foam to foam to cardboard was contact cement, wood glue, and hot glue! So many glues!

If you got this far, here's the few wip bits I got before giving up on recording everything including a clip of me losing my sanity /j (a clip for if I ever do a tutorial vid but I don't think I'll ever get around to that aha 😅)

More rambles on the details/how i made it in the read more ^-^