#penguin book of kites

[archivist-dragonfly]

Book 262

The Penguin Book of Kites

David Pelham

Penguin Books 1987

This book is kind of great, and, according to the reprint info, I’m happy to see that it was a rather successful little book. (First published in 1976, it was reprinted several times.) Beginning with a significant and well-illustrated history of kites, the book then has a small full-color gallery of examples from Japan, after which follows a gallery of over 100 detailed kite patterns, including all the information needed to build them. I think someone should consider bringing it back into print.

[catastrophicalcat]

OK, just saying - if I was the creator of any media featuring Batman, I would not REST until I managed to get in a scene of him going down on someone (but probably Selina).

Fingers crossed that the Caped Crusader showrunners, Harley Quinn showrunners, Kite Man showrunners, the Penguin showrunners, Matt Reeves, James Gunn, or anyone literally hopefully anyone whose opinion actually matters shares this view!

[the-bus-called-graveyard-8]

can you show your entire madagascar collection?? sorry if you already showed it 😭

Sorry to sit on this ask for so long anon!! But I've finally sat down and photographed everything I've got! Turns out, there was a lot. So without further ado:

Long, picture-heavy post ahead. Image descriptions in the post body. Click for better image quality.

DVDs & DVD extras

Madagascar 1-3 + Penguins of Madagascar

Merry Madagascar, Party with the Penguins, and Madly Madagascar

The Penguins of Madagascar, Operation: DVD Premiere, New to the Zoo, Happy King Julien Day, Operation: Get Ducky, Operation: Blowhole, and Operation: Special Delivery

Operation: Video Fun (cereal box prize! It has two episodes on it, off the top of my head I want to say they were "What Goes Around" and "Snakehead!") and Operation: Search and Rescue (redbox ebay buy, I think it has six or eight season two episodes)

Marty's Rainbow Wig (Mada3 bonus)

2 Poppin' Penguins wind up toys (PoM Blu-ray bonus)

Video Games

Mada1 for GameCube, Mada2, Mada3, PoM and Madagascar Kartz for Wii, TPoM, TPoM: Dr. Blowhole Returns Again and Madagascar Kartz for NintendoDS, and Operation: Penguin for GameBoy Advance

Literature

Mada 1-3 + PoM movie novelizations

Madagascar: It's A Zoo In Here!, Madagascar Little Golden Book, Meet the Penguins!, Fish Happens: Words of Wisdom from the Penguins

Mada2, Mada3, PoM Concept Art books

Two Feet High and Rising, Skipper's Log, Elite Strike Force, King Julien's Guide to Ruling the Zoo, Banana-palooza

Learn to Draw Madagascar, two Penguins of Madagascar sticker and activity books

Mada2, Mada3, and four TPoM coloring books

DreamWorks My Busy Book (also features Shrek and Kung Fu Panda

Comic Books

Operation: Wonder from Down Under parts 1 &2, Operation: Weakest Link, TPoM Comics issues 1&2

DreamWorks Madagascar issues 1-4 + Madagascar 3: Long Live the King

Five Penguins of Madagascar comics + 1 book compilation When in Rome...

Misc. Paper Stuffs

Penguins birthday card

Three issues of Nick Mag featuring Madagascar, a few cut-outs from other issues, and a one-page ad for DirecTV featuring Mada3

Mada3 2013 calendar, Madagascar Magic Pen book, two paper Skipper figurines

three boxes of Valentines (two Mada3, one PoM)

two boxes of Mada themed cereal and two boxes of Mada themed fruit snacks

PoM puffy 3D stickers, Madagascar The Musical button set (featuring Alex, Marty, the Penguins and King Julien)

Toys and Collectibles

Skipper Happy Feet plush, King Julien Tsum Tsum plush, mini Skipper plush w/mini Meet the Penguin book (I also have a King Julien plush that is packed away somewhere I didn't feel like digging out)

TPoM Return to the Habitat board game, TPoM Clementoni Impossible Puzzle, TPoM Kidz Cards (I got shorted buying this; it was supposed to have Go Fish as well but I only got Crazy 8s), TPoM Uno

Five Madagascar figurines of Alex, Marty, King Julien, Gloria and Melman

Ten various Mada McDonald's toys

Cake toppers and rings that the baker at the local grocery store gave to me

My birthday cake from 2016, PoM themed of course (I still have the toppers, the cake is obviously gone lol)

Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private Funko Pops

Super Spy Penguins Hallmark Keepsake ornament

Apparel

Disguise Master baby Penguins shirt (Zazzle.com, no longer available), I Like to Move It Move It King Julien shirt (ebay), caroling Penguins shirt (Zazzle.com, I think this one is still available)

two TPoM kids backpacks, King Julien Loungfly bag

Miscellaneous

Penguins kids drink cup, TPoM Activity Coloring Roll

PoM ice cube molds

Skipper shaped flash drive, PoM keychain

TPoM inflatable punching bag

TPoM kite (I think I still have the actual kite, if my mom didn't get rid of it without telling me, but it's unfortunately broken)

TPoM decal sticker I made in Web Design class in high school and never stuck to anything

TPoM Hot Wheels car

PoM movie poster (torn and wrinkled and stained from mounting putty because I never put it in a frame lol)

And I think that's everything! I'd love to someday have enough space to actually put all this stuff out on display. We're moving next year so maybe 👀

Things I'd like to get someday

the last three TPoM DVDs I'm missing

Mada soundtrack CDs

Mada1 on VHS tape (just for funsies)

the comic books I'm missing (several)

Madagascar Sorry! board game

an autograph from Tom McGrath

[chaikachi]

Hi, Chai! I've been following you for a bit, mostly for the RG content, and I've recently seen you talk about your other non-RWBY interests when I realized that I'm really curious on what other media do you like? (Be it shows, movies, music, games, books, etc.)

Oughh this is a very good question. I'll put them under a read more cause I have a feeling I took this question too literally and it might get just a little bit long because of that. 💦

I'm generally very passive with the media I consume and only draw as much RWBY as I do because RG has had me in a vice grip since V8E1 and isn't letting go anytime soon. 💀 But I do engage with lots of other stuff too! This isn't an exhaustive list, just ones I like lots or re-watch often enough.

Anime

I probably watch this stuff more than anything else. My favourite of all time is probably The Eccentric Family, both seasons. The art direction and the messages of the story just hit very hard for me and I re-watch it pretty much every year. My second favourite is Kekkai Sensen (i prefer the first over second season as they switch directors).

As for others enjoy:

Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood

Silver Spoon

Yona of the Dawn

Snow White with the Red Hair

Kyousogiga (recommend if you liked Kekkai Sensen)

A Lull in the Sea

Chaika the Coffin Princess [Now why does that name sound so familiar 🤔]

Anohana

Been really enjoying this season's shows and am looking forward to the Winter 2024 lineup (Dungeon Meshi and Yubisaki to Renren at the same time!!)

Shows

Dragon Prince

The Owl House

Good Omens

Games

Nier (2010),

Transistor

Pyre

Zelda Series (Ocarina of Time & Spirit Tracks are my favourites)

Nier: Automata

Honorary mentions to Grand Chase (an old MMO i used to be obsessed with), Avalon Code (a niche DS game that I really liked), Fire Emblem Awakening (a classic) and Animal Crossing (that I played like it was my day job in 2020).

Movies

Can only think of two live actions and the rest are animated/anime 😭

Stardust

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Howl's Moving Castle

HTTYD (1 & 2)

Kubo and the Two Strings

The Wind Rises

From Up on Poppy Hill

Penguin Highway

Books

I don't read as much as I did when I was a kid, but my top three are probably Runemarks, Howl's Moving Castle, and Stardust (I like the last two a lot because I liked their movies).

Webcomics

Used to be really into these and wanted to write my own before Webtoon kinda... gentrified the entire industry. But hey, I can still talk about some of my favourites!

Shaderunners (queer heist in a roaring 20sish setting)

Witchy (queer south East Asian inspired fantasy adventure)

Kochab (sapphic story between a skier that gets lost and meets a fire spirit I think? It's final updates are going up this month!)

Lady of the Shard (all time favourite. queer polyam lovestory between a goddess and her acolyte. Complete. I reread it every year, I love it so much. The rest of the authors work is also great, you might know them from Cucumber Quest).

Then lastly...

Music

I mostly listen to indie/folk more than anything else, with a bit of jazz/R&B thrown in for flavour. Favourite artists are probably:

San Fermin

Flock of Dimes/Wye Oak

Of Monsters & Men

Maggie Rogers

Florence & the Machine

Paper Kites

Matthew and the Atlas

Halsey

This list obviously isn't exhaustive because I have the memory of a goldfish but those are the highlights that came to mind at least.

Sorry for the long list, but thank you for the question!! It was fun to put all these in one place.

[frayed-symphony]

Since Twitter might not be a thing for much longer I wanted to move the trivia threads for my picture books to tumblr.

OC lore dump and sketches for my first self-published picture book Hurricane Lane under the cut;

The number one thing I'm worried about is people thinking my book is related to the hurricane of the same name. I wrote this in 2010-2011 which predates it and the title is meant to convey Amelia's life in her suburban town and how she views it more dramatically then it is.

The name was also inspired by this beautiful song by The Hush Sound which I was listening to a lot whilst concepting and really influenced aesthetics (more subdued colour, the inclusion of the piano being an important story point etc).

I started getting interested in children's illustration when I saw the Penguin Design Competition advertised at my uni in 2010. I didn't make the cut but figured I'd go ahead and finish my book anyway because at that point I was invested in my story and wanted to complete it.

The contest called for an ebook with interactive pages so I made Hurricane Lane have seven special pages of  'wonders' Amelia finds throughout her story. Unfortunately with flash player gone the interactions don't play but they're still found online here;

I based Amelia's design on a Mii I had made which was supposed to represent a human Pikachu. You can see the Mii on the bottom left here. I really liked how it looked and she gradually evolved into what she is today.

Initially the dinosaur suit that her brother has was going to be worn by Amelia but I preferred her without it and thus Bailey was born. The dinosaur itself was based on a purple stegosaurus keyring I had when I was younger and loved even though I had no keys at the time.

Here are some more initial outfit designs for Amelia but in the end I went with the one on the right, inspired by Miku Hatsune's 'Out and About' module from Project Diva.

The family's father Rupert was partly based on my own dad (definitely the dress sense) but in 2010 I was also really obsessed with the BBC show Merlin and may have tried to age up Colin Morgan a bit to make this character.

The mother's design was a little based on my own Mother's and a little the title character of the film Amelié (she evolved beyond this quite early so there's not too striking a resemblence). I was also obsessed with the music in that film which inspired this book a lot.

I kept it vague whether she worked at the hospital or was staying there as a patient because at the time I had an idea for an overarching narrative where the families of Hurricane Lane and 256 Postcards Ago meet. This didn't pan out so feel free to have your own interpretation.

Here's some initial concepts of the logo which I was mostly scribbling during my Uni classes.

One more random tidbit is that I based the background of their journey home from the Toad's Turnpike track in Mario Kart 64. I really loved that game and it holds a lot of childhood memories for me so the nostalgia felt fitting. Maybe that's too weird to mention!

Towards the end I was concepting the protagonists of Hurricane Lane and 256 Postcards Ago meeting in a connecting rpgmaker game but sadly that never came to be. I'll talk about it more in my thread for the next book though!

I also made a little soundtrack for my book here

1) Kiara 2) Cornflake Girl 3) Indaco 4) La Valse D'Amelie 5) 春よ、来い (kites) 6) The Heart Asks Pleasure First 7) Lotus (dragon hunters) 8) Nightbook 9) Reverie 10) Hurricane

I listened to these songs a lot while reading and the final track inspired the title.

And final last tidbit- Hurricane Lane takes place in my childhood hometown. It doesn't have too many standout locations but I took photos for background references and anyone who lives there may recognize the small nods to it.

(Almost forgot links to where you can read my book) Amazon paperback; https://amazon.com/dp/1475009097 eBook; https://frayedsymphony.gumroad.com/l/LuNug

Thanks for reading!

[salmonellaandcheese]

Image ID under read more (I know its bad accessibility but she's longer than "do you like the colour of the sky"). font standard but includes bullet points

Image ID:

Five screenshots of white text on black background, blue text for all links.

Hozier reading list

Literary references in Hozier music

Alighieri, Dante; Divine Comedy or Inferno

The story of Francesca da Rimini as told in canto V inspired the song Francesca.

The album Unreal Unearth is arranged as a journey through nine circles of hell as they are described in the Inferno part of the Divine Comedy.

O'Brien, Flann; the Third Policeman

The character of de Selby in the Third Policeman inspired the songs de Selby part 1 and 2.

Mack, dr. Katie

Astrophysicist dr. Katie Mack is mentioned by name in the song No Plan. A quote from the song is used in her book The End of Everything (Astrophysically speaking)

Neruda, Pablo, Sonnet XVII

The song de Selby (part 2) takes some inspiration from this poem.

Ovid, Metamorphoses

The story of Icarus is mentioned in the song Sunlight and inspired the song I, Carrion (Icarian).

The story of Orpheus and Eurydice is mentioned in the song Talk.

Swift, Jonathan; A Modest Proposal

Inspiration for the song Eat Your Young.

Yeats, W. B.; The Second Coming

The line "To Bethlehem it slouched" in the song NFWMB is almost directly copied from this poem.

Yeats, W. B.; Leda and the Swan

Inspiration for the song Swan Upon Leda

Books recommended/mentioned by Hozier

Amis, Martin; The Zone of Interest

(Source?)

Beckett, Samuel; Not I

Hozier joked the album Unreal Unearth would contain four tracks, two of them being recordings of him reading this play with his mouth full of marshmallows.

The cover art of Unreal Unearth is said to reference this play.

Bukowski, Charles

Mentioned as a teenage favorite (https://youtu.be/e5pFwDvc|GA)

Ó Cadhain, Máirtín; Graveyard Clay (Cré Na Cille)

(Source?)

Eliot, T. S.

https://www.thedailymeal.com/irish-born-musician-hozier-slithered-here-eden-bring-us-his-gospel

Heaney, Marie; Over Nine Waves, a Book of Irish Legends

(Source? Mentioned on social media?)

Heaney, Seamus

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/hozier-why-seamus-heaney-s-last-words-mean-so-much-to-me-1.3797926

Joyce, James; A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

Mentioned as an inspiration for Hoziers first EP and the self-titled first album. (https://www.thedailymeal.com/irish-born-musician-hozier-slithered-her e-eden-bring-us-his-gospel)

Kierkegaard, Soren; The Sickness unto Death

(Source?)

Orwell, George; 1984

https://www.thedailymeal.com/irish-born-musician-hozier-slithered-here-eden-bring-us-his-gospel/

Rubin, Rick; The Creative Act

(Source? Mentioned in an interview/podcast?)

Salinger, J. D.; Catcher in the Rye

https://www.thedailymeal.com/irish-born-musician-hozier-slithered-here-eden-bring-us-his-gospel/

Wilde, Oscar

https://www.thedailymeal.com/irish-born-musician-hozier-slithered-hereeden-bring-us-his-gospel/

Yeats, W. B.

https://www.thedailymeal.com/irish-born-musician-hozier-slithered-hereeden-bring us-his-gospel/

Poetry/stories read by Hozier in livestreams/videos (and the books he read them from)

3 July 2020 Instagram live

Seamus Heaney; Postscript (the Spirit Level)

Seamus Heaney; A Kite for Michael and Christopher (Station Island)

W. B. Yeats; No Second Troy (W. B. Yeats Poems selected by Seamus Heaney)

W. B. Yeats; To a Friend Whose Work Has Come to Nothing (W. B. Yeats Poems selected by Seamus Heaney)

Ovid, Daedalus and Icarus (Metamorphoses, translated by David Raeburn, penguin classics)

Sinéad Morrissey; & Forgive Us Our Trespasses (Being Human edited by Neil Astley)

Also mentioned; Staying Alive edited by Neil Astley

Seen on the table; Fear Not by Stephen James Smith

10 July 2020 Instagram live

Seamus Heaney; HÖFN (District & Circle)

Seamus Heaney; District & Circle (District & Circle)

Stephen Dunn; Sadness Stephen Dunn; Sweetness

Ovid; Orpheus and Eurydice (Metamorphoses, translated by David Raeburn, penguin classics)

T. S. Eliot; The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock (Collected Poems 1909-1962)

Brendan Kennelly; Begin

17 July 2020 Instagram live

Ezra Pound; And the Days Are Not Full Enough

Wilfred Owen; Futility

James Joyce; A Flower Given to My Daughter

Pablo Neruda; Keeping Quiet

Langston Hughes; 1, Too

Imtiaz Dharker; They'll Say She Must Be From Another Country

W. B. Yeats; When You Are Old

Stephen James Smith; On the Bus (Fear Not)

Seamus Heaney; Saint Kevin and the Blackbird

Seamus Heaney; Sweeney Praises the Trees (Sweeney Astray)

Maya Angelou; Touched by an Angel

Garrison Keillor; Supper

Pablo Neruda; Sonnet XCIV (If | Die) (100 Love Sonnets, translated by Stephen Tapscott)

T. S. Eliot; Ash Wednesday (Collected Poems 1909-1962)

Ovid, the Four Ages (Metamorphoses, translated by David Raeburn, penguin classics)

Also mentioned; Ireland, My Ireland by Stephen James Smith

25 July 2020 Instagram live

Anne Stevenson; The Spirit is Too Blunt an Instrument

Katie Mack; The Slow Fade to Black (the End of Everything, Astrophysically Speaking)

Pablo Neruda; Sonnet XVII (100 Love Sonnets, translated by Stephen Tapscott)

Kahlil Gibran; On Love (the Prophet)

Sharon Olds; True Love

Rita Ann Higgins; The Did-You-Come-Yets of the Western World

7 August 2020 Instagram live

James Joyce; Araby (Dubliners)

Also mentioned A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce

17 march 2021 Tiktok live

Brendan Kennelly; Begin

Derek Mahon; Everything is Going to Be Alright

Sinéad Morrissey; & Forgive Us Our Trespasses

Faisal Mohyuddin; Prayer (The Displaced Children of Displaced Children)

Pádraig Ó Tuama; How to Be Alone

Stephen James Smith; Dublin, You Are

Paula Meehan; Seed

Various reads

Seamus Heaney; At the Wellhead

https://youtu.be/ulBpTrqUfA

Patrick Kavanagh; Peace

https://youtu.be/lz10XOFua4w

W. B. Yeats; He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven

https://youtu.be/e5pFwDvc/GA

W. B. Yeats; A Coat

https://youtu.be/e5pFwDvc/GA

So I made a Hozier reading list...

This is what I have so far.

For some books I'm still missing sources, and I know it's not complete or ✨️Aesthetic✨️. But if there is anything that you think should be on there, let me know.

[originalkingdomwombat]

Cinity

H20 Aholic

Uh yo Watch The sky above as I disappear into the bitter darkness of the night some would call Witching hour an that Be part of the magical world we live In right so spark up the afternoon delight as I type write Counter Sue Illegals Snitching To the law against me and the pen is heavenly rocking near a broom Explaining Fly my pretties like a lost kite Levitation Direction upwardly Ghost in America written not that of ai Spit hot stuff torch passed on from being carried merrily no rude boy quite awaken nor to be forsaken As I am Lyrically clam Baking the Nation earth is abroad feel my frustration Name one person in all the galaxy better than me also Hip hop Artist name Cinity as i Justin Stauffer spit all whom ride the saliva down to the ground for infinity penguin Riddler Popping Batman Mags But it must be the spiderman of Dracula Ripped bitten disruption of mint condition pep pee that's frustrating me soo why not put the whole lot of music industry majority in shadow also my very mood Displaces Public Figures under me still popping Off while I thunder and Lightning downward from the skies Verbally whom's Little J Big words and names gift in me chosen one vocabulary inconspicuously drifting Off subject matter into the cosmos end victoriously last stone Cinity J.A.S lyrics created by a one human being Army world record forever set just placed terrifically in a state of perfection as the earth ball lyes to talk highly of self pity me and God almighty bless pertaining pain & Suffering uh yo check it ones money is in the multiple registers self financially enormously an don't Talley the unknown stunter of growth while Palace a book keeper Real and true to me yo yo your like the first immortality rain drop from the sky dripped on me empowering soul highest life form within eternally and don't you lie nor dip out on me at the cross Enter the light Home and rest peacefully

[wtirentacar]

Top 10 Family-Friendly Attractions in Dubai

Top 10 Family-Friendly Attractions in Dubai  

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1. Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark

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Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark Dubai

2. IMG Worlds of Adventure

Immerse yourself in a world of imagination at IMG Worlds of Adventure. This indoor theme park features themed zones like Marvel, Cartoon Network, and Lost Valley - Dinosaur Adventure. It's a perfect escape from the desert heat.

3. Dubai Mall

More than just a shopping destination, Dubai Mall offers a plethora of entertainment options. From the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo to the Olympic-sized ice rink, there's something to keep everyone entertained.

4. Dubai Miracle Garden

A floral paradise, Dubai Miracle Garden is a breathtaking sight. With millions of flowers arranged in intricate designs, it's a perfect spot for family photos.

5. Ski Dubai

Experience the thrill of skiing or snowboarding in the desert! Ski Dubai offers indoor snow slopes, penguin encounters, and other winter-themed activities.

6. Global Village

This multicultural festival brings together people from around the world. Enjoy shopping, dining, and entertainment while exploring different cultures.

7. Kite Beach

For a day of sun, sand, and fun, head to Kite Beach. Enjoy swimming, sunbathing, kite surfing, or simply relaxing by the sea.

8. Dubai Frame

This iconic landmark offers stunning panoramic views of both old and new Dubai. Learn about the city's history and enjoy the breathtaking skyline.

9. Dubai Creek

Take a traditional abra boat ride across Dubai Creek and experience the city's heritage. Explore the bustling souks and enjoy the charming atmosphere.

10. Al Mamzar Beach Park

Escape the city's hustle and bustle at Al Mamzar Beach Park. Relax on the beach, enjoy water sports, or have a picnic with your family.

Planning Your Family Trip With a WTi car rental, you can easily explore these fantastic family-friendly attractions and create unforgettable memories with your loved ones. Book your car rental today and embark on an adventure in Dubai!

Conclusion

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[aastha-t]

few posts from bookstagram

[villainsletter]

Characters/Personagens

Characters that I write about. This list can update from time to time.

Personagens que eu escrevo, a lista pode atualizar de vez em quando.

Fandom List/Lista de Fandom

Request rules and blog rules/ Regras de pedidos e regras do blog

Playlist

Animation/Animação

Castelvania

Alucard Carmilla Drácula Hector Isaac Sypha Belnades Trevor Belmont

Anime/Manga

Boku no Hero Academia

Atsuhiro Sako/ Mr. Compress Aizawa Shouta/Eraserhead Mirai Sasaki/Sir Nighteye Nemuri Kayama/Midnight Rumi  Usagiyama/Mirko Sekijiro Kan/Vlad King

Bungou Stray Dogs

Akiko Yosano Ango Sakaguchi Arthur Rimbaud Chuya Nakahara Doppo Kunikida Edgar Alan Poe F. Scott Fitzgerald Fyodor Dostoevsky Howard Lovecraft Ivan Goncharov Katai Tayama Koyo Ozaki Louisa May Alcott Mark Twain Nathaniel Hawthorne Nikolai Gogol Osamu Dazai Ranpo Edogawa Sakunosuke Oda Sigma T.J. Eckleburg Tatsuhiko Shibusawa

Death Note

L Light Yagami Misa Amane Naomi Misora Raye Penber Touta Matsuda

Haikyuu

Asahi Azumane (Time Skip) Daichi Sawamura (Time Skip) Ittetsu Takeda Keishin Ukai Manabu Naoi Taoki Anabara

 Hellsing

Alucard Seras Victoria Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing

Hunter X Hunter

Chrollo Lucifer Franklin Bordeau Feitan Portor Illumi Zoldyck Jed Kastro Kite Knov Kurapika Kurta Leorio Paradinight Machi Komacine Omokage Pakunoda Pariston Hill Phinks Magcub Sadaso Sedokan Shaiapouf Shalnark Shizuku Murasaki Shura Uvogin Wing

JoJo's Bizarre Advetures  

Part 1

Bruford Dio Brando Erina Pendleton Jonathan Joestar Robert E.O. Speedwagon Straizo

Part 2

Caesar A. Zeppeli Esidisi Joseph Joestar Kars Lisa Lisa Suzi Q. Wammu

 Part 3

DIO Hol Horse Holy Kujo Jean Pierre Polnareff Mariah Muhammad Avdol Steely Dan Telence T. D’ Arby  

Part 4

Akira Otoishi Jotaro Kujo Kira Yoshikage Mikitaka Hazekura Rohan Kishibe Shinobu Kawajiri Terunosuke Miyamoto Tomoko Higashikata Tonio Trussardi

Part 5

Bruno Bucciarati Diavolo Formaggio Ghiaccio Guido Mista Illuso Leone Abbachio Melone Prosciutto Risotto Nero Scolippi Vinegar Doppio

Part 6

Enrico Pucci Ermes Costello Gwess Johngalli A. Jolyne Kujo Narciso Anasui Weather Report

Naruto

Asuma Sarutobi Chojuro Deidara Ebisu Genma Shiranui Hidan Iruka Umino Kabuto Yakushi Kakashi Hatake Kimimaru  Konan Mizuki Naruto Uzumaki  (Boruto Era) Orochimaru Sasuke Uchiha Tsunade Zetsu

Sailor Moon

Souichi Tomoe

Shingeki no Kyojin

Armin Arlet Bertholdt  Hoover Erwin Smith Hange Zoë Jean Kirschtein Levi Ackerman Marco Bodt Miche”Mike” Zacharius Sasha Braus 

Soul Eater

Franken Stein

Books/Livros

Carmilla

Carmilla

Drácula

Count  Drácula Jonathan Harker  Lucy Westenra Mina Harker

Frankstein

Victor Frankstein

Fallen Saga

Ariane Alter Cameron Briel Daniel Grigori Roland Sparks

The Phantom of The Opera

Christine Daaé

Erik

Visconde Raoul de Chagny

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Basil Hallward

Dorian Gray

The Scarlet Letter

Arthur Dimmesdale

Hester Prynne

The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde

Beatrix Emery

Dr. Henry Jekyll

Edward Hyde

Twilight Saga

Alice Cullen

Caius

Dr. Carlisle Cullen

Jasper Hale

Comics/ HQ

DC Universe

Bane Bruce Wayne/ The Batman Clark Kent/ Superman Corinthian Death Desire Dick Grayson/ Nightwing Edward Nygma/ Nashton/ Riddler Harleen Quinzel/ Harley Quinn Jason Todd/ Red Hood Jervis Tetch/  Mad Hatter Johanna Constantine John Constantine Jonathan Crane/ Scarecrow Kate Kane/ Batwoman Koriand’r/ Starfire Lucifer Morningstar Morpheus/ Dream Oswald Cobblepot/ Penguin Pamela Isley/ Poison Ivy Selina Kyle/ Catwoman Victor Fries/ Mr.Freeze Zatanna Zatara  

Marvel Comics Universe

Bucky Barnes/ Winter Soldier Bruce Banner/ Hulk Carol Danvers/Capitan Marvel Charles Xavier/ Professor Xavier Clint Barton/ Hawkeye Durig Eddie Brock Elektra Eric Brooks/ Blade Erik Killmonger Erik Magnus/ Magneto Gamora Hella Odinsdottir Jake/Steven/Mark Grant/Moon Knight Jane Foster/Lady Thor Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk Kang Karen Page Kate Bishop/Hawkeye Kürt Wagner/ Nightcrawler Layla El-Faouly Logan/ Wolverine Loki Laufeyson Makkari Mantis Matt Murdock/ Daredevil Maya Lopez/ Echo Monica Rambeau / Spectrum Natasha Romanoff/ Black Widow Neena Thurman/ Domino Ororo Munroe/ Storm Peter Parker/Spider-man Peter Parker/Spider- Noir Peter Quill Pietro Maximoff Raven Darkholme/ Mystique Remy LeBieau/ Gambit Sam Wilson/ Capitain America Scott Lang/ Ant-Man Shang-Chi Steve Rogers/ Capitan America Stephen Strange/Doctor Strange Sylvie Laufeydottir Thena Thor Odinson Tony Stark / Iron-man Valkyrie Venom Vision Wanda Maximoff/ Scarlet Witch Wade Wilson/ Deadpool  

Movies/Filmes

Bram Stoker's Drácula

Count Dracula Jonathan Harker Lucy Westenra Mina Harker  

Scream

Ghostface Sidney Prescot

The Boy

Brahms Heelshire

Greta Evans

The Phantom of the Opera

Christine Daaé Erik Visconde Raoul de Chagny

 Underworld

Amelia

Karven

Lucian

Scott Speedman

Selene

Van Helsing

Anna Valerious Aleera Count Drácula Gabriel Van Helsing  

Series

Doctor Who

Doctor (9th-12th ) Rose Tyler

Midnight Mass

Erin Greene Father Paul Hill Riley Flynn Sheriff Hassan

Sherlock (BBC)

James Moriarty John Watson Mary Morstan Sherlock Holmes

Supernatural

Arcanjo Gabriel Castiel Charlie Bradbury Crowley Dean Winchester Lucifer Sam Winchester

The Boys

Annie January/ Starlight Billy Butcher Earving/Black Noir Frenchie/Serge Hughie Campbell Kimiko Margaret Shaw/Queen Maeve Mother’s Milk/ MM 

Tumblr Sexyman

You can ask me any Tumblr sexy Person

Video Games

Detroit Become Human

Connor Gavin Reed Hank Anderson Kara Luther Markus RK900  

Five Nights At Freddy's

Phone Guy

Purple Guy

Genshin Impact

Albedo Arataki Itto Baizhu Beidou Capitano Cyno Diluc Dottore Eula Jean Kaeya Kamisato Ayato Kequing Kujou Sara Lisa Ningguang Pantalone Rosaria Sangonomiya Kokomi Shenhe Shogun Raiden Tartaglia Tighnari Thoma Xiao Yae Miko Yelan Zhongli

John Doe

John Doe

Persona 5 Royal

Dr. Takuto Maruki Goro Akechi

Resident Evil

Ada Wong Alcina Dimitrescu Carlos Oliveira Karl Heisenberg Leon S. Kennedy

Twisted Wonderland

Carter Diamond Dire Crowley Divus Crewel Idia Shroud Leona Kingscholar Rook Hunt Sam Trey Clover Vil Shoenheit

Thank You Very Very Much!

[themattress]

Rouges Gallery Grading

I’ve seen much talk of “A-List Villains”, “C-List Villains”, and the like when it come to talking about comic book baddies, and I’m sure many have as well. But I feel people sometimes throw these terms around incorrectly. Hell, sometimes I see mentions of “E-List” and “Z-List”, which aren’t even real things since this is supposed to be based on the educational grading system which doesn’t include E or Z! So allow me to set the record straight with this post.

A-List = The arch-enemies. The biggest names who have posed the biggest challenges or hold the most personal connections to the hero on a consistent basis throughout their career.

B-List = The recurring villains. While they haven’t reached the same level of notoriety that the A-Listers have, they are still well known for how often they show up.

C-List = The occasional villains. These are the foes that writers will turn to if they don’t want to use an A-Lister or B-Lister but still want the hero to face a sufficient challenge. They may not usually be a big deal when they appear, but they are still formidable. 

D-List = The obscure villains. You’ll be lucky if you end up seeing any of these guys, since after a few appearances they tend to be forgotten about and only trotted back out if a writer remembers that they exist.

F-List = The failed villains. The ones that go beyond mere obscurity and into “who gives a fuck?” territory. For some reason or other, they did not resonate and are thus even less likely to pop up than the D-Listers.

Let’s use Batman villains as an example:

A-List: The Joker, The Penguin, Catwoman, Two-Face, The Riddler, Ra’s al Ghul

B-List: Bane, The Scarecrow, Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze, The Mad Hatter, Clayface, Killer Croc

C-List: Hugo Strange, Firefly, The Ventriloquist, Mr. Zsasz, Professor Pyg, Black Mask, Deadshot, Calendar Man, Owlman

D-List: Maxie Zeus, The Tweedles, Spellbinder, The Clock King, Anarky

F-List: Condiment King, Polka-dot Man, Kite Man, Crazy Quilt, Zebra Man

[uwmspeccoll]

Mother’s Day - Sunday Funday

For our celebration of Mother’s Day we are sharing our copy of Coming On Home Soon by Jacqueline Woodson, with illustrations by E.B. Lewis. It is the story of a mother going away to work during WWII and the daughter who is waiting for her to keep her promise to come on home soon. Our edition, part of our Historical Curriculum Collection, was published in 2004 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons in New Work, a division of Penguin Young Reader’s Group.

Jacqueline Woodson is a four-time Newbery Honor winner, a four-time National Book Award finalist, and a three-time Coretta Scott King Award winner. Coming On Home Soon was a 2005 Caldecott Honor Book and was on the ALA notable list that year. She was inspired to write the story by the work of African American women during WWII, stating:

 “I had been reading stories about Rosie the Riveter and couldn’t find any with African American women in them so I started researching. With the small amount of information I gathered, I began to write this book.”

The illustrations were done in watercolor by E.B. Lewis, self-proclaimed Artistrator. He attended Temple University Tyler School of Art and has since illustrated over 70 children’s books, also continuing to show his work in fine art galleries. His many honors include the New York Times 2016 Best Illustrated Book Award, and a 2016 Golden Kite Honor .

The origin of Mother’s Day is accredited to Anna Jarvis, a women’s rights activist living at the turn of the 20th century who campaigned for it to become a national holiday. Interestingly, Jarvis moved to end the holiday after flower and greeting card prices rose significantly, saying:

“A printed card means nothing except that you are too lazy to write to the woman who has done more for you than anyone in the world. And candy! You take a box to Mother—and then eat most of it yourself. A pretty sentiment.”

See more Mother’s Day posts

See more Sunday Funday posts

-Claire, Special Collections Graduate Intern

[frangipanidownunder]

Top five books!

Top five dream vacation spots!

Top five animals you would want as a pet but can’t because they can not be kept as a pet!

Top five books (this changes often):

1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

2. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

3. Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver

4. The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams

5. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Top five dream vacation spots:

1. Tahiti

2. Portugal and Spain 

3. The entirety of the British Isles 

4. New York and San Francisco

5. New Zealand

Top five animals for a pet:

1. Penguin

2. Dolphin

3. Whale

4. Donkey

5. Capybara

What fun asks! Thanks, lovely.

[nocturnalsleeper]

500 Drawing Prompts

waterfall

wizard's staff

zombies

sandcastle

fangs

tattoo

family crest

spaceship

mythical beast

spooky tree

alien

tropical cocktail

robot

dragon

tombstone

medieval goblets

king's throne

mermaid

vampire

witch's cauldron

tooth fairy

deep sea monster

magic carpet

sculpture

coral reef

wine bottle

statue of liberty

beast

beauty

elephant

Mayan ruins

birds

cameras

bowl of soup

breakfast

lunch

snack

dinner

flower vase

ladder

full moon

bright sun

autumn

summer

spring

winter

butterfly

caterpillar

troll

roller skates

rain boots

weeds

flowers

bedroom

kitchen

dining room

bathroom

egg hatching

wrist watch

night

harvest

pond

raincoat

hat

water bottle

flashlight

sailboat

dandelion

earthworm

bank robber

policeman

superhero

villain

view out a window

cactus

sunflower

mosquito

spider web

star fish

flip flops

lawn chair

trampolines

pots and pans

sword

lighthouse

pie on a windowsill

house plant

soldier

chimney

barbed wire

squirrels

hot sauce

chain

beehive

helicopter

hot dog

venus flytrap

stained glass

sphinx

skateboard

serenity

open book

werewolf

hourglass

tower

camel

Cleopatra

favorite book character

desert

forest

mountains

ocean

pumpkin seed

pine cone

octopus

mannequin

lollipop

something sticky

footprints

tractor

slime

island paradise

sand dune

archer

my favorite outfit

trophies

fishing fly

black hole

cyclops

swan

mirror

microphone

pretzels

newspaper

submarine

scrambled eggs

eel

wave

bike

leather boots

keys

coffee cup

self portrait

snake charmer

playground

sumo wrestler

crystal chandelier

eight ball

secrets

treasure chest

children's toy

something that sparkles

penguin

unicorn

pirate

tribal pattern

suit of armor

pinball machine

erupting volcano

seahorse

ninja

happy monster

futuristic car

three little pigs

magic amulet

yeti

toolbox

fish bones

zipper

carpenter

handcuffs

doll house

mask

telescope

piano

windmill

double sided axe

samurai

ghost

hot air balloon

bubbles

polka dots

plate of cookies

snake scales

pair of socks

high dive

belt

figure skater

fisherman

space

jack-o-lantern

Cinderella's glass slipper

hay bale

bumper cars

cover wagon

spy

fighter jet

parachute

tree bark

radio

art gallery

bow and arrow

pepperoni pizza

snail

bushel of apples

doorknob

talking object

harp

chess pieces

sprinkler

electricity

computer keyboard

presents

barn

plaid

jewelry

ballet

curtains

tripod

sunglasses

bow tie

Saturn's rings

birdcage

swap creature

horse and carriage

banana peel

stapler

toothpaste

thunder storm

movie poster

video game controller

cinnamon sticks

target

skull

elf

alien plant life

first love

new baby

kids jumping

glaciers

shark

scarf

wheelchair

blacksmith

four wheeler

cowboy

crossroads

pedestal

police car

pug

someone who is full of joy

what's under your bed

hieroglyph

dolphin

wooden shield

laughing

jump rope

desk

something big next to something small

taxi

staircase

tomahawk

hummingbird

hedgehog

gorilla

firetruck

soda can

teddy bear

fortune cookie

fruit basket

smirk

game of marbles

crumpled paper

swordfish

alarm clock

goldfish

puppet

salt and pepper shakers

jet pack

time machine

hands

wood fencing

cave mouth

milkshake

high heeled shoes

music

smile

mad scientist

telephone booth

skyscraper

gargoyle

diamond

sushi

brier patch

something that comes in pairs

box of chocolates

brick wall

bat

chicken

bonsai tree

headphones

a new typeface

jellyfish

candy canes

lawn mower

rain puddles

school

lamb

wolf

bed

bowl of popcorn

lampshade

peacock

turtle

bear

ceiling fan

yo-yo

oil spill

kite

invisible man

casino

Abraham Lincoln

ice cream cone

corn on the cob

claws

beekeeper

coins

watermelon

landing on the moon

rotary telephone

brain

rocks

needle in a haystack

picnic basket

fireplace

bottle of poison

genie in a bottle

knight

hammer

acorn

orange

owl

hair

wheel barrel

pyramids

exploding dynamite

shrimp

guitarist

keyboardist

drummer

singer

griffin

carousel horse

bunnies

puppies

board game

a famous painting

stone walkway

maple leaf

lizard

eyes

ears

nose

mouth

leopard

record player

bulldozer

bride

snowman

feather headdress

playing cards

windy day

sleeping bag

dancing skeleton

piggy bank

wizard

evil prince

lantern

beach ball

cherub

sprout

aircraft carrier

olympic swimmer

wedding dress

feather

baseball glove

noodles

cat

dog

happy

sad

angry

relaxed

graffiti

motorcycle

tornado

caveman

pineapple

Lock Ness monster

flag

gas mask

starry sky

dream house

deer

Goldilocks

frog

tadpole

swing

circus clown

earth

cupcake

lace

rocking chair

bravery

Big Ben

doctor

railroad car

parade

Christmas sweater

Ferris wheel

sci-fi gun

medicine cabinet

birthday party

cutlery

great wall of china

umbrella

traffic sign

catapult

light bulb

bamboo

heart

moon colony

sandwiches

juice box

lake house

bushes

hard candy

camouflage

platypus

football helmet

soccer game

balloons

astronaut

missing teeth

memory

jukebox

tulip

ladybug

birthday cake

t-shirt

igloo

golf ball

fossils

your least favorite food

pencil cup

half eaten apple

food with a face

horseshoe

daffodil

castle

tea party

scared

bag of chips

camping

cabin

bonfire

ship

watering can

palm tree

wind chimes

armchair

fireworks

knife

wine cork

waitress

farmer

fountain

last leaf on a tree

saber toothed tiger

grocery store

rainbow

typewriter

engine

bluebird

shooting star

a new invention

school of fish

bearded lady

secret garden

suspension bridge

viking artifact

Eiffel tower

a feast for a king

guitar

tree house

seashell

dinosaur

sea lion

Taj Mahal

your favorite animal in a tuxedo

[thatrosewoodwriter]

Bloom

Title: Bloom

Character Pairing: Sayuri Chiba x Miko

Words: 943

Summary: Learning someone you trusted would not be there for you no longer can break someone. Having one person remind you that you’re not alone can make all the difference.

Song: Bloom by The Paper Kites

━━━━━━━༺༻━━━━━━━

『 In the morning when I wake… 』

The night Sayuri found out her partizan, Haruki Hinamori, had joined Leviathan destroyed her. She lay in her futon, hair sprawled out along the floor behind her like tree roots, desperately trying to ground itself on a sliver of hope. Her mind filled of thoughts of doubt, in herself, Haru and those around her.

Days passed; nothing had changed. Haru hadn’t come back to her. She hadn’t done anything to stop him. No one was there for her.

“Sayuri, get up,” a demanding voice called. Cracking her eyelids open, Sayuri was met with an unimpressed face, pristine periwinkle hair and a blue penguin plush. “If you’re going to be miserable, do it elsewhere. You’re oozing unwanted negativity.”

“Miko…” Sayuri grumbled.

“It’s a huge surprise, I get it, but don’t you want to try to find a way to keep other people we care about away from Leviathan instead of feeling down in the dumps and remaining oblivious to everything this organisation is?” the girl asked gently. Sayuri hid her face in her pillow. “Sayuri…” Miko pushed the head of her penguin plush against the top of Sayuri’s.

『 And the sun is coming through… 』

As Miko helped pick out an outfit for her beloved friend, she pondered what she would do to take Sayuri’s mind off everything that was bothering her.

“How about we go out for lunch and dessert?” she suggested, turning to face the queen of Takeshin, only to earn a sheepish shrug. “Lunch and dessert, it is!”

Sayuri’s lips tugged upwards, the familiar but distant feeling of happiness returning for a brief moment.

『 Oh, you fill my lungs with sweetness... 』

As they sat in a small cat café, Miko beckoned a black feline, similar to the large one back at Takeshin, over to their table successfully. Sayuri eyed it cautiously, unsure of everything. Gingerly, she reached a hand over to stroke its soft fur. The sensation of the cat’s head rubbing up against her hand caused a small laugh to escape her throat. It had only been a short time since the shock of Leviathan had consumed the dark-haired girl, but hearing her laugh seemed contagious at the time. Miko’s laughter chorused with Sayuri’s.

『 And you fill my head with you… 』

As Miko ran a hand through her periwinkle hair, she wondered what else she could possibly do to keep Sayuri away from the depressive state she fell victim to. A text from Rio brought her attention to her phone. Deciding to ignore it, she swiped the notification ribbon away, staring at her lock screen. A photo of herself and Sayuri with identical smiles, Rio photobombing in the background and Wei dragged into his schemes, evident by his surprised expression and open book. Thoughts of what had brought Sayuri happiness previously took over her mind.

『 Shall I write it in a letter…? 』

Normally, Sayuri’s red lips would speak into her phone as she contacted Emelia. Though, now, she found her nimble fingers picking up a pen, letting the tip glide across paper as she recounted the recent turn of events. Her hand stopped as she wrote Miko’s name onto the paper, leaving no words to follow. She suddenly became aware of her racing heart, frowning slightly. Deciding to only mention going out for lunch, she continued to write.

『 Shall I try to get it down…? 』

Miko slowly grew agitated with her sudden protectiveness of the headmaster’s daughter. After Wei and Rio had contacted her, suggesting of creating a group to investigate Leviathan, to which she agreed. As they sorted out the details of everything, Miko brought out a design sketchbook, drawing the figures of her and her friends; Rio, Wei, and Sayuri. By the time she had designed hers, Rio and Wei’s outfits, heat rushed to her cheeks when she began drawing the dark-eyed girl she’d become so close with, sketching her ideas down onto the paper.

『 Oh, you fill my head with pieces of a song I can’t get out… 』

The hum of motorbike engines filled everyone’s ears. From underneath her helmet, a large grin spread across Sayuri’s face. It was fun being free. It was fun leaving everything behind in the dust as she chased a goal she swore to complete.

“Are you OK?” Miko asked from beside her, riding her own blue bike. Sayuri erupted into a fit of laughter.

“Are you kidding? Never been better!” she responded gleefully, racing forward to catch up with Wei. “Hey, if you think you can overtake me, you got another thing coming, Book Boy,” she threatened playfully.

『Can I be close to you…? 』

Everyone removed their helmets, placing them with their matching motorbikes.

“That was awesome!” Rio cheered, victory punching the air above his head.

“Yeah, it really was,” Wei agreed, brushing his hair out of his face.

When they all got back to Takeshin, Sayuri wrapped her arms around Miko.

“Thanks a lot, Miko…”

“Who replaced the Sayuri I got to know?” the short female teased, returning the affection.

“Leviathan, perhaps.”

『 Can I be close to you…? 』

From a classroom, Sayuri’s dark eyes watched as the rest of Banshee talked in the gardens; without her. A disappointed feeling filled her heart as she watched them converse with each other happily. She kept her eyes trained on Miko, taking in her immaculate hair, soft lips and small frame. A smile formed onto her lips and she looked away.

“Maybe something will bloom…” she said to herself, packing up her belongings and heading out to join her friends.

[stereogeekspodcast]

[Transcript] Season 1, Episode 1. Detective Mode – Batman’s Worst Enemy is Himself

In our first Detective Mode episode, we discuss why Batman is his own worst enemy, and consequently, bad for Gotham City, and the Bat-Family.

Listen to the Episode on Anchor.

[Continuum by Audionautix plays]

Ron: Today we're talking about Batman.

Mon: Yes, welcome to our first episode of Detective Mode.

Ron: Batman is a starting point for all superhero fans and he was for us. Mon: Yeah, we started off by watching the 1960s show with Adam West, and that really shaped our love for superheroes. It was camp but it was fun.

Ron: Yes, we struggled with the other versions of Batman because we loved the Adam West show so much. But once we started reading the comics, we definitely changed our minds about how we felt about Batman yeah exactly because Mon: Bruce himself is a complicated character but also a very inflexible person.

Ron: Yeah, that's a good point. Well, Shelfdust has this whole series about Batman's worst enemies, and he has a huge rogues gallery. But finally, we decided that Batman's greatest enemy is himself.

Mon: Yeah, and in this episode, we’re really going to be discussing why we think that.

Ron: Because, as much as everybody loves Batman, and we do love Batman, there are a lot of flaws with this character. In many ways he's making his own life, and the life of the citizens of Gotham, nd the people of the Bat-Family, very difficult.

Mon: Exactly. I mean, when we talk about Batman's enemies, we have Riddler, Joker, Penguin, Poison Ivy, Bane. these are just the compelling ones. There are so many more. But they are his own enemies, his personal enemies, and yes, they wreak havoc on Gotham. But why do they keep coming back?

Ron: And that's actually the only way to look at Gotham City. It's a place where crime happens but justice is never really served. And that's the whole point of Batman to actually bring justice to his city, and looking back at his past, Batman lost his parents. They were killed right in front of his eyes when he was a small boy, and that shaped his future. That shaped the person that he was going to grow up to be, and that shaped Batman. But the set of rules that he set for himself when he was a child… He was a traumatized child, and that completely colored the way he looked at justice, and that's shaped the way he's tackling the villains that attack him, and the city.

Mon: Yeah, that's true. I mean, it's a child's point of view. It's good. I mean, he's innately a good person. He has a code of honour which he usually doesn't break. There's always going to be a chance here and there, where it's going to change.

But while I like that code of honor, I feel like Bruce is working on crime in Gotham from the top down. It's easier for him to be Batman, to use his face to beat up these bad guys and throw them in Arkham. But what is he doing to make the city better?

Bruce is the wealthiest guy in the whole of Gotham. I mean, he comes from the wealthiest family, who have a history of wealth and a history of power and influence over people. So why isn't he using that? Instead he's just, you know, putting these bad guys away in Arkham, and they're breaking out of there, like every three weeks or so.

Ron: Yes. Nobody really stays in Arkham for very long. It's really a revolving door.

Mon: Yeah, and let's talk about Arkham for a minute. Like every iteration of Arkham, be it in the comics, in the games, in the TV shows and films. It's this horrible, wretched place. All it does is re-traumatizes anybody who goes in there. And it makes them worse.

Ron: So, where does the rehabilitation happen? Can you get justice in a city like Gotham without actually rehabilitating these people? All these criminals, you know, Poison Ivy, Joker, Bane, they come from great poverty, great deprivation, and they're trying to make sure that not only they can have some kind of luxury, but they can give it to their cohorts that they work with. So, where is Bruce Wayne? And where is Batman? When those people need help, before they become Joker and Poison Ivy. Mon: Yeah. And another way that I feel that Batman is not only his own worst enemy, he's also Gotham’s worst enemy is that he's fighting bad guys, he's putting them away, they come back out way stronger. But all he is doing all the time, is using his power and wealth to give himself and the Bat-Family better tech, better weapons. And that's something that's alluded to in the Christopher Nolan films. In Batman Begins where detective James Gordon says that if you're more invincible, they're going to start bringing out more powerful weapons.

Ron: Exactly. And that's actually a concerning issue, especially as we look at the world in 2020. There's so much money being spent on the police force, they have tanks, they have Kevlar, and the kind of weapons that they have access to, they could do real harm. And that's just to protect the city. I mean, that's exactly what we've been seeing in Batman. He has a suit that protects him. He has a utility belt that has all sorts of gadgets. But these are not just for him, he's making the same things for the GCPD. So, what we've seen in real life has actually been reflected in the Batman books for a very, very long time. He's actually making a world around him that allows for, even gives permission to, people to create super weapons, and that becomes dangerous for the common man.

Mon: Absolutely. The most recent arc in the Batman comic series deals with a new character called Clown Hunter, who has been killing Joker's henchmen. And Batman is dead set against it. When the Clown Hunter is introduced, Batman speaks to him about his murderous ways and Clown Hunter tries to explain to him that he lost his parents and he was orphaned. He's homeless, he's squatting in this place because of a fight between Batman and Joker. So, this young boy is collateral damage. And these are the characters that we don't often see, or we don't often see Batman engage with. But this clown hunter character, he's presented as a villain, or a villain-to-be. But he's just collateral damage in a fight that really shouldn't have happened.

Ron: We see that quite often. Even Kite-Man, he’s probably one of my least favorite characters in the DC Universe, he's extremely irritating.

Mon: I can’t believe he's such a huge part of the Harley Quinn TV show!

Ron: It actually did a really good job with him in that show. I was quite impressed. But otherwise, he's not a very good character; he's not very interesting. But his villain origin story comes from Batman. He lost somebody in his life because of Batman. It comes back to the same thing. Is Batman really helping the people of his city? What is he doing for people like Clown Hunter, for Kite-Man so that they don't end up on a path to villainy? How many heroes are in Gotham City, that will actually bring about something good? Apart from the Bat-Family. Even Nightwing, he's left, he's gone to Bludhaven. There's Red Robin. He's usually with his group of superheroes. There's Robin, who well, he doesn't really have a choice. He's Batman’s son. There’s Batgirl. At least, she is trying to do something. But she has a connection to the GCPD, because Gordon is her father. So, in a way, she has a very blinkered view of crime fighting, as well. Again, it comes back to the same thing. What are they doing to actually rehabilitate these people? What are they doing to mitigate the kind of collateral damage that they're causing?

Mon: Yeah, I mean at the end of the day, Batman is working on a surface level. He's not trying to structurally make a change to Gotham itself, and he's one of the rare people who has the power to do that.

Ron: Exactly. I mean he does have limited unlimited resources. So, what is he doing with that money?

Mon: Exactly. And we're always hearing about the corrupt cops in the GCPD and the mayor, who's usually being bribed by the Penguin or whoever. I mean, Penguin becomes mayor in several iterations of Batman series. So, we have to ask ourselves: why is Bruce just standing by and letting all this happen? And, of course, we're talking about a comic book character here, and he is just a reflection of the people who create him or writing. So, is it that much harder to think of a good character, a heroic character, who does the dirty work, but doesn't necessarily do it with his fists? Ron: Yeah. Gail Simone had an interesting Twitter chat with a few people some time ago about Batman. Quite a few people were asking, why does Bruce Wayne not do something with his money to save the city of Gotham and actually put an end to crime? And she was saying, it doesn't really make for great comic book writing, because the visceral action of somebody hitting somebody's face, or punching them in the solar plexus, that makes for great art, that makes for great reading. Somebody sitting behind a desk crunching numbers, trying to run an orphanage, or pay off some bills, that's not very exciting.

Mon: And also, I know that the diktat from up above in DC is that every comic book needs to have an action scene. It’s something Tom King alluded to a couple of years ago about his series, which is a little bit more cerebral from time to time. But yeah, he said basically every issue must have some action in it.

Ron: I think you can still have some kind of action. While also acknowledging the fact that Bruce Wayne has to do something with the money he has.

Mon: Something more. Because at the moment, what he's doing is, it looks like he's hoarding it.

Ron: It's actually quite interesting because the current Rebirth run has Bruce pretty much losing all his money. All of its been transferred to Lucius Fox. So, what is he going to do now? And another thing that we're seeing is Bruce is actually being questioned about what he's done for the city. He's actually having to rethink his war on crime, and whether it's actually brought anything to the plate.

Mon: Exactly. How effective is Batman?

Ron: We haven't seen him be very effective at all. Somebody like Joker; he's been around for quite a while. There used to be kind of comedic elements to him and the Adam West shows and. And we've seen that character become darker and darker. We've seen The Killing Joke, where he maimed Barbara. He was one of the more terrifying villains that we saw, when he was portrayed by Jack Nicholson, and he was portrayed by Heath Ledger. Let's not go into the Joaquin Phoenix Joker movie, which was not good.

But this is a person who is still a mystery in many ways, but he keeps harming the city, he keeps coming back. He harms people he causes damage, and he ends people's lives. And he causes a lot of pain in the process.

Mon: Exactly. And the worst thing is, at the end of it all, because the DC executives are so keen on keeping the Joker alive in some form or the other, it almost seems like Batman forgives the Joker. Yeah, that's why he always lets him live or sends him to Arkham, but it's not enough. Something more needs to be done about somebody who constantly returns and destroys the city.

Ron: Yes, I mean, he's a dangerous, dangerous man, and he has shown time and time again that he does not care about getting better.

Mon: So, something needs to be done. Maybe Arkham needs to be redone or restructured completely. Bruce has the power to do that. And unfortunately, he really just hasn't. So, in a way, you have to ask, is Bruce enjoying this? Maybe Bruce just keeps these people around so that he remains relevant.

Ron: Yes, it does. But in a way it makes sense because if there are no criminals, what's Batman going to do? There is no need for Batman. The whole point of Bruce becoming Batman was that he would make a city that would one day not need him. But it's been, what, eighty years of Batman and he’s still needed. Mon: Exactly. In fact, more so, because every time there's a colossal fight or battle, it seems like the city is completely at its end and there are even more new villains coming up. Just now, we've got two new different iterations of villains who are out to take on Batman and able to fight him toe to toe.

Ron: And the other thing is that, the newest villain that's been introduced, we don't really know very much about him, but it seems that he has history with Bruce. So, this is a personal battle that is being fought, and the victim is once again Gotham City.

Mon: There's so much collateral damage in the city, but even if we don't care about the poor faceless Gotham-ites, Batman's own family have been affected by his incompetence.

Ron: How can we forget Jason Todd, his second Robin, a feisty character, in many ways, but he ended up being murdered by the Joker. And because comics, he came back to life; he was resurrected. And he is still, after very many issues, very angry with Batman, who basically is a father figure to him. Because Batman never did anything to the Joker despite Jason dying. And that ended up leading to Jason becoming Red Hood, and he was a villain for quite a while.

Mon: Yeah, and it's funny because Batman basically saved Jason from being a villain. When he was young, his greatest concern was, if he left Jason out on the streets, then Jason would just become a bad guy. He would just be another one of Batman's rogues’ gallery. So, he invited him to the mansion, taught him to become the Robin. And that was great. And then, because of Batman's forgiveness of the Joker, when Jason does come back, he comes back angry, because it's constantly fueled by the fact that Batman refuses to act on what happened to him. Ron: That's how he keeps going. It's this vengeance that has shaped his relationships with almost everybody around him. And it's made him a very, very despondent, angry young man. We've had an issue with writing for Jason. It's not been good for a long time, but he can't grieve properly, he can't be a relatable person.

It seems like, because Batman is basically the flagship of DC, to make him as interesting as possible, everybody else around him is suffering.

Mon: Yeah. And let’s take Barbara Gordon, for example. We, especially nowadays, everybody talks about Jason's pain and Jason's anguish about what happened with the Joker. But people tend to forget what happened to Barbara Gordon. In The Killing Joke, which is a huge favorite among a lot of people.

Ron: It's not a very good book, actually.

Mon: It's quite problematic by today's standards, anyway. But for Barbara, she was left in a wheelchair after being shot by the Joker. And she took that opportunity. She saw it as an opportunity and became Oracle, still a very, very helpful superhero to the Bat-Family. And in the Rebirth comics, she was able to get some surgery, and she's back to being Batgirl.

But the writers, in general, tend to forget that the Joker had a lasting impact on her, as well. And while with Jason, it’s very much about his anger, with Barbara, she has to deal with it. And I don't think she's allowed to be angry at Batman. Even though she should be.

Ron: Yes, exactly! She's always been by Batman’s side, but has he earned that? Has Joker earned her forgiveness? Of course, it comes back to writing, and how female characters are never… It's a huge problem with the big two, that female characters have had certain personality traits that are not very realistic, at all.

Mon: So, it's hard to see them as rounded, fleshed out characters because that's not how the people see them.

Ron: And they have largely been written by men who seem to have very strange views on women. So that's also quite unhelpful. But again, it comes back to the same thing. What is Batman doing for his city, for his people, for himself? Because people are getting hurt. And nothing's being done about it.

Mon: There's the old adage that goes: violence begets violence. And, in essence, that's exactly what Batman is doing. Because every time he brings out his Kevlar and his armor and his fancy batmobiles, somebody is trying to figure out a new way to get through all that.

Ron: You don't want to say that it is an invitation, but because nothing is being done to keep these people behind bars or to find a way to make them better, then, it does become an invitation. Because they know that they're not going to be in Arkham for very long. Somebody is going to break them out or they're going to find a way to break themselves out. And they're going to have an upper hand because they've already fought Batman and now, they've actually learned the things that Batman seems to be working on

The principle that all the henchmen, they're desperate people so they're aligning themselves with the Riddler or Joker or whoever is the villain of the week. But those people, they're easy to grab. They're easy to punch, they're easy to put behind bars. What happens to the bosses?

Mon: Also, we have to ask ourselves: why are there so many henchmen lining up for these jobs with the Penguin and whoever? Where are the other jobs?

Ron: Exactly! That means there’s a high rate of unemployment in Gotham.

Mon: And again, that comes down to structural, systemic issues. Even if the bosses, none of them really do any work, all the henchmen have to do all the hard work and dirty work. So, if they didn't have a huge rotating door of henchmen coming in and out, they wouldn't be too effective.

Ron: We know that Bruce Wayne has a very large corporation, and obviously people are working there. Maybe there are opportunities to make new jobs. Why isn't he taking that up?

Mon: Exactly, exactly. It seems wrong to lambaste Bruce Wayne and Batman so thoroughly, since he is definitely one of our favorite superheroes. But at the same time, I feel like after 80 years of reading pretty much the same thing over and over, I think that, especially the most recent disappointment would have to be when The Joker War was happening in the Batman: Rebirth series. And by the end of it, he’s still a threat, an insidious threat, but he's still a threat.

And it just makes us wonder why DC is so against letting go of this character. Its comics. If a character dies, they'll be back in a year. It's fine. But give us a year where we do something different with Bruce Wayne.

Ron: Yes. And you know what, I would say, make a huge change. You know what this is making me think about? There's been a lot of discussion about colorblind casting in films. And we have seen different versions of certain characters. We've seen Thor, the mantle was taken up by Jane Foster. We've seen Miles Morales’ Spider-Man. Maybe we need a Bruce Wayne who is not so white.

Mon: In fact, we are going to get a few. I don't think they’re canon versions, but we do have a few things coming up in the DC future slate. The publications which will try and expand the variety and diversity of characters, even characters that we are familiar with. I hear that there's going to be a Batman who isn't exactly all white. Ron: Okay, but again, that's not the main title. That's always going to be a problem because I think, up until this year, we felt like whatever Batman was doing, it was fine. We were okay with it.

Mon: Yeah, as long as the stories are entertaining, we will keep coming back.

Ron: The stories have not been entertaining, that's a different matter altogether.

Mon: Yeah, that's it.

Ron: But since 2020 has happened. Since we’ve seen what an extremely rich, white man can do when he is in a position of power, right now, Bruce Wayne's entire arc really needs to be rethought. Because it is very difficult. The two of us are women of color. We're immigrants. Reading Batman do what he does, it's not relevant anymore. It's actually a slog for me to read Bruce Wayne’s stories. I feel really bad saying that because Batman has been in our lives forever.

Mon: Yeah. Can't remember a memory without Batman in the background

Ron: I have to really prepare myself to be like, okay a new issue of Batman has come out, let me read it. It is really difficult, because there is nothing about this man that I'm interested in or that I care about.

Mon: Yeah, I mean, he's gruff, he's rugged, he's always talking about how he works solo, and he must work alone. He has a gigantic Bat-Family. He would be so much more effective if he actually invited them to help him, instead of fighting on his own. I can't say I look forward to reading the Batman title, either. Which, again I feel really bad. But I think it's because there's a predictability that has crept into his comics. And it's because it's the safety net.

Ron: And it's the same kind of people writing the same kind of stories over and over again. I think, now is the time to really make a change.

Mon: Yeah, behind the scenes. And on the page. To really shake things up and make Bruce a compelling character again and even if it means a romantic getaway with Catwoman for seven-eight issues, we’re fine with it. It's okay! It's still different. If that makes him change his mind about how he does this war on crime.

Ron: Because Catwoman comes from nothing. Maybe that's what he needs. I do like BatCat, and I did like those issues in the Rebirth comics, but we haven't gone anywhere with it. That is the problem. There is so much that can be done with it.

Mon: Catwoman is far too restrained in her relationship with Batman. I think it again comes back to the safety of not pushing the boundaries of what Catwoman can do or can say to Batman. Because half the time I'm like, really? Why is she with this guy? He's Batman but, she deserves better.

Ron: Yeah, she's smart. She's seen a lot of the really bad parts of the city. She knows what can be done to make things better, because she's been on both sides. She's fought by Batman’s side. She's fought to save Gotham City. But she's also fought to steal stuff.

Mon: So that she can survive!

Ron: Exactly. She changes the perspective. Batman has not really had to do that. In a way, I kind of like the Christopher Nolan movies because we saw him leave Gotham City behind, leave his life behind, and actually have to be out on the streets. We see him trying to steal an apple. sharing it with another fellow thief, because he had nothing.

Mon: But in the comics, it feels like he hasn't learned from any of those kinds of experiences, or at least he's so far removed from those experiences now that he can’t really put himself in the shoes of anybody who is in that state. Ron: Yes, that's true. You were mentioning how we're going to have a future DC book where we're going to see a different version of Bruce Wayne, but I'm not sure what that's going to give us. Because I just read Batman: Overdrive which was quite enjoyable. And it wasn't written by a white man, but the ethos of Batman is somebody who has money, who has privilege. And it doesn't seem like he is able to see beyond that. And that is the problem that we have in 2020.

Mon: Interesting. So even in this Batman? I haven't read it yet.

Ron: Yes, it's a YA book, it's quite enjoyable. He's a young man. This is teenage Bruce Wayne, but he just doesn't see the privilege that he has. And it's a bit jarring when you're reading it, because… Yes he has friends who come from the wrong side of the tracks, who don't have as much money as he does, but he is just so self-absorbed. I think that's what's the problem with Bruce Wayne's money and privilege. He can't see beyond himself, even in his crime fighting. It's not how much of it is for Gotham City, and how much of it is for revenge for what happened to his parents. Mon: Wow. Yeah, that's it. I'm a little disappointed to hear that, because I was quite excited to read it. I kind of agree with you because , the problem with a character who is self absorbed or the issue with such characters, it's about them being—not being apathetic towards other people's pain and suffering, and their situation.

I think therein lies the problem with Batman. He is so absorbed with him being the sole protector of Gotham when he has so many people he can rely on. He's got Lucius Fox backing him up right now. He has Barbara who is back in the Oracle chair when she really should be fighting as Batgirl. He has all these safety nets. And he's not really doing anything with these partners that he has. And it really just comes back to the same thing that he doesn't see beyond himself. And that has repercussions on the people around him, on his city, and on the villains that he's been fighting all these years.

Ron: Exactly.

Mon: They're always saying, yeah, Batman he has his rules which is why he can't step over the boundaries. But that's not the point. Batman doesn't have to go around killing people to make a point. He needs to just make sure that Gotham isn't a breeding ground for these people.

Ron: Make structural changes when you have the ability to make those structural changes. And we're not really seeing that. I'm not saying that we need entire issues dedicated to Batman trying to build the halfway houses or something. but at least give us an inkling that he is doing something like that. And when they are introducing new villains like Clown Hunter, this is a boy who is murdering people, because of the deaths that have been caused by Batman.

Mon: And he's not just murdering common people. He's murdering people who worked with the Joker.

Ron: And who are also in some way, just regular people in difficult circumstances. So, it's such a vicious cycle.

Mon: Well, it actually reminds me off the first season of Batwoman on The CW. In Batwoman, where Ruby Rose’s Kate Kane, she's Bruce’s cousin, so she's also a person of wealth. She returns to the city and while at first, she really does want to fight as Batman, and then as Batwoman, she also starts making little changes. She buys those halfway houses, she's making a little club, which is friendly towards queer people. So, she makes her own little changes. Unfortunately, we won't be able to see more of that.

But we have a new hero in Javicia Leslie’s Ryan Wilder who is going to be debuting next year. 2021. And she is also affected by the structural issues, the systemic problems of Gotham. And she will be fighting for those people.

Ron: Javicia Leslie is a Black woman. She's playing the first Black Batwoman. And this is the kind of change that we need to see.

Mon: Exactly. Who knows, if Rose had remained as Batwoman into the second season, we probably wouldn't have seen this. But she stepped back and they saw what was happening around the world, and they made a positive change by bringing in a Black woman who can give us a completely different idea of what it is like to fight crime in Gotham. Ron: And is this something similar with Sophie Moore. They didn't have to have a Black woman in that role, but they did, and we get a completely different perspective because she's a Black, queer woman. We don't get to see characters like that. So for me, the Batman comics, if they really want to make Batman more relevant, maybe, to make sure that Batman doesn't seem like an enemy to his own people, maybe start making a big change like that.

Mon: Yeah, I, for a very long time, I've always wanted to make a sort of Elseworlds story where Batman is like sort of, half-Asian or full Asian, who knows. And the problem is that they will be rich, but because of the systemic racism and societal racism, he's not quite accepted by everybody else which is why he works alone so often. You need to sort of mold it, so it makes a little bit more sense.

Ron: But I would take that even further. What if Batman, an Asian Batman, whose parents built Gotham City, ended up seeing his parents being killed in front of him, because they were immigrants, because they were doing something for the city. We've managed to get a completely new perspective. I'm looking at it this way: we were in Dubai for so long, and there were so many South Asians who stayed there and built the city from the ground up. And it makes a difference to what the outcome of the city is. So, maybe that's what Gotham needs. Maybe that's what Batman needs. His titles need a refreshing change in point of view. Mon: Exactly.

Ron: Unfortunately for us, though we really do love Batman, we do have to admit that he has not been good for his city, for his close friends and relatives. Or for himself. He's not healing, he's not getting better. He's doing the same thing over and over again, which is quite literally the definition of madness. So, we need to see something new in Batman. We need to see him change. We need to see him held accountable for what he's been doing wrong. And maybe we just need a new Batman.

Ron: You can find us on Twitter @Stereo_Geeks. Or send us an email stereogeekspodcast@gmail.com. We hope you enjoyed this episode. And see you next week!

Mon: The Stereo Geeks logo was created using Canva. The music for our podcast comes courtesy Audionautix.

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Transcription by Otter.ai and Ron.