#solo nerd bird

[solonerdbird]

I feel like this level was longer than it needed to be 🤨.

[slugmentality]

Renaissance Faire TF141 x reader

So I know of tf141 in regency and renaissance eras. But what about these guys just simply going to a good old fashioned, 21 century, Renaissance fair!!! (I did my best for gender neutral!)

TW: sexual content(mild, mdni), more just thought then actual writing. Poor editing

 800+ words

These are my first thoughts

Kyle is a nerd, full “garbs” he made more personal as he got more adult money. Majority of his(final) props are handmade but he did buy the fucking coolest custom sword that just scratched that itch. (1,500 he would have burned if he couldnt have it. Money be damned) will do a couple's “garb”, his favorite one is the high fae (gaz)/wood elf (you). His favorite solo garb is his wendigo full suit, he gets the most pictures and likes chasing/scaring people as they pass. Mostly there for the vibes and to nerd out and forget about the world for a few hours. Knows how to sew. At the end of the day, he's the best to decompress with, talking about the day and all the cool things you did together. Showering together and rubbing circulation back to any body part that might need it and then some.

Johnny is kinda easy, full kilt, but shirts come off once he gets through the gate. Has on viking war paint on his face, patchy streaks across his face. He's getting a huge viking inspired Henna tattoo on his chest, arm, shoulder? One big ass one over it all? Two people worked on it, took 45 mins, and was a little patchy in the staining, he obviously didn’t leave it alone long enough. Plays all the battle games, wins the strong man category. Braided mohawk, whether it's you or a vendor, yes. Fucking loves showing off to his pretty elf, prince/princess, or really anything you want to be. Unless you match him the most couple thing will probably be matching hair ornaments. Wants a war ax, but by year three, he gets it. He's still as horny as he is anyday, eating you out under your pretty skirt, smearing some of the paint on his face on your thighs. And with a raging boner for the majority of the day, watching you watch him, he's begging for a handjob on the way home, after winning the strong man award, he's got you in a full nelson, right in front of the full length mirror.

Johnny and his bird got Simon to go. First year he is not dressing up or buying himself anything. When his bird falls in love with the fair he's taking them to get fitting for the costume they want. Likes that everyone there is a little weird, hates how hot it is. You're going to be fanning this man like a king so he doesn't get heat stroke but get a nice shady corner at one of the shows and he finds you enjoying yourself. Year two, wore his eye paint over his eye and forehead, got a kilt from Johnny the Christmas before, black, and a thin poet shirt. Big scary dog energy and fuck does her look good. You're definitely late due to a last minute blowjob. He finds out why johnny likes kilt so much, easiest fucking access. The handiest, tugging you around more than letting you lead. Won the ax throwing. Again he's got his hand on you, if you've got a lot to your costume, hes telling you to start taking it off when you get to the car when you leave, the chemise is fine, perfect even. 

John Price goes because his partner likes going, walking in normal and walking out a changed man. He found a dragon shoulder puppet two hours in. Made a home at the hookah lounge. Fucking loves his pretty love gorgouse and happy, so its a no brainer that your his favrote part but also looks around at all the cool costumes and wants to participate with you. Is either a dragon rider or the dragon itself. Will need the most help getting ready, his makeup is slay though. Likes picking out home decor the most with you, will not admit it out loud how much he loves the dragon hoard your home is slowly becoming as each year passes. Speaking of, once you're home with all your new trinkets, he's got in bed, talking about finally having his favorite treasure back where it belongs, satisfied under him.  

They compete at the ax throwing. Simon and John are most likely to stand in line for food while you watch a show. Johnny doesn't want to be alone for that long and Kyle gets the meal and show instead of the vendors. They all fuck with the music, idk its good and they get it.

[the-coffeeaddict-tim-drake]

Tim Drake Fics Part 2

Pretty Boys and Identity Problems by DarnGoshit

In an effort to get over his crush on Robin, Kon pursues a relationship with a civilian Gothamite, Tim Drake.

Or, Tim accidentally Hannah Montana’s his crush... and it works?

Leap, Fall, Fly by malcyon

He tries to use his voice, “You have one of my shirts?” Tim looks at him, amused.

“Dude, I have, like, four.”

*****

Kon figures some stuff out. Tim helps.

A Minor Inconvenience by Sishal

Tim knows he shouldn't make potentially dangerous decisions on next to no sleep. Ah well, it will be fine, right?

Only A03 users can read this fic.

Another Mistake - or is it? by Sishal 

Tim makes another stupid mistake. Jason is there to pick up the pieces.

Only A03 users can read this fic

Awesome Big Brother by Sishal 

Tim is maybe infiltrating the wrong club. To be honest, he's not really sure. But he will at least try. Or, well, he would if Jason would let him.

Only A03 users can read this fic.

Tired Brothers by Sishal 

Tim is tired. Really tired. So how bad must it be that he’s the epitome of rested when compared to his brothers.

Only A03 users can read this fic.

Every Letter Counts by timbitsandpieces

Tim would much rather be taking pictures of Batman and Robin than literally anything school-related, up to and including this stupid English essay he had to do by tomorrow. He’d been putting it off, and was actually putting it off even further, when he remembered one thing. Jason Todd, aka Robin, was an English nerd. Maybe Tim could do both.

Robin landed right next to Tim, immediately scanning the surrounding area for danger. “What’s wrong, kid? Are you okay? What -”

“I’m failing English. Or, I will if you don’t help me with my homework. Please.”

“I - what?”

“My English homework. My essay’s due tomorrow. On The Outsiders. And the role of physical violence in it. You need to help me.”

All He Could Bear by Kgraces

Tim has been avoiding the Bats since he managed to save Bruce from the timestream. He needs to use the Batcomputer for a case, and he plans on leaving before Dick and Damian return from patrol. His carefully timed exit goes awry when Bruce makes an unexpected visit to the Cave.

For the first time since Bruce's return, they talk.

Bruce realizes just how much his third son is hurting and is determined to fix things.

No More Dead Robins by Kgraces for alwaysbeenhim

Tim's heart stops for fifteen minutes after flying solo gets him into trouble he can't outrun.

Jason is determined to fix things between the kid and the rest of the Bats. He won't let Tim be on his own again.

It's Called: Freefall by Kgraces

In the wake of the Widower's attack, Tim Drake has been left for dead. Badly injured and clinging to consciousness, Tim thinks he's hallucinating when he suddenly finds himself back in Gotham. He soon realizes he's not in his Gotham, but he's somehow slipped into another universe, one in which Jason Todd never died. He's expecting to be cast aside, just as he was in his own universe, but that doesn't happen.

Bruce finds a broken bird and takes him under his wing. Tim somehow finds a family, despite his worst fears.

He Knows by Ortholeine

Timothy Drake is a civilian, a normal boy. Kind of. He's normal in that he keeps secrets and has some hobbies. Those secrets and hobbies, though, are a little unique...and completely, 100% revolve around the crime-fighting family of Gotham. A good friend of the Waynes, Tim finds himself dodging his heroes' attempts to reveal their identities to him in a misguided attempt to keep the status quo. No one seems to want to let it rest, unfortunately for Timothy Drake.

We're Not Driving (How did we get here?) by TimTheToaster (tabletoptime) for ReplacementRobin

Tim stared at his phone, as if that would change what was on the screen.

Dick Grayson @FlyingDGrayson

It took some doing, and in some cases a little blackmail, but we've finally got the whole family together for a movie night! #WayneManor #movienight #familytime #schedulingisanightmare

15 minutes ago

Everybody's Heard (Bird is the Word) by TimTheToaster (tabletoptime)

5 times Batman heard other heroes talking about his wayward brother,

And 1 time they were talking about his son.

Takes a Little Time, Takes a Lotta Twine (To Get Us Back Together) by TimTheToaster (tabletoptime)

Tim was in Gotham.

Tim had pretty specifically been avoiding thinking about Dick as much as possible for the last few weeks. For the last year, really. No need to open that can of carnivorous worms.

Dick had other plans.

RedBird of Friendliness (In the Outlet by the Lightswitch) by TimTheToaster (tabletoptime)

5 times villains had something to say about Tim Drake.

And 1 time he was there to talk back.

buy the ticket, take the ride by Anonymous

Tim had always figured that if he ever woke up in Vegas sans-memory, it would be when he was older than fourteen. But there were some things he couldn’t control, and apparently whatever had happened last night that he didn’t remember was one of them.

Don't Feed the Birds (or they'll keep coming back Writer_loves_tropes

Red Hood is crossing the street one night and he's hit by a car. Tim Drake scrambles out of the passenger seat, but his Uber driver doesn't stick around to face Red Hood's wrath. Tim is 13 years old, so Hood knows he wasn't the driver, but Tim still wants to make up for what happened, so he says he owes Hood a favor. That is the beginning of an unlikely truce that turns into friendship that turns into little brother acquisition.

aka: Tim owes Red Hood a favor and through a series of back and forth favors, he gets adopted by the Red Hood and the Outlaws.

Enjoy!!

[erinnkenobi]

After the Fisher King | Spencer Reid x fem!reader

Chapter two - Chapter three

Pairing | Spencer Reid x fem!reader

Warnings | friends to lovers!?

Summary | You're always ahead of 'em, it seems we got another nerd.

Author's note | English ain't my native language, yet I still writing because I want to share the stories inside my head

You start living alone, since the moment moved to work for the FBI, especially in Quatico at the BAU department, surely that you missed your parents, but it was time for the little bird to leave its nest. Although to make you a company you have a trained female German Shepherd, only the both of you sharing a home. (IN a condominium of houses, kind of a safer option, both of your closest neighbours are an old lady and the other is a solo mom with two kids)

The last case you're with Hotchner team, the team that you belong to, you were the only that look askance at Bruno, you reported that to Gideon and he said:–"You always are inclined to think most people are the ones that you should mistrust and...You always get the right unsub, but now, wait a little and maintain this information for yourself, I'll talk with Bruno now."

When you left the room Spencer was following with curiosity:–"What were you two talking about?"

You just can't ignore and sound rude, so you stop and turns to him.

–I think I might know who is the spy..-he interrupts with ease.

Since you two met you were also a strange "kid" from the rest of 'em, you never drank alcohol, not even used to go to pub's, while on working you always were putting a puzzle together or sketching something that resembles the case the team was working, you're quiet most of time thinking while the others start with brainstorming to set up the unsub profile, but you, you always mistrusted people on these cases, except your team, you're the quickiest to ensure the final answer.

At first it was kind tough to get in with the team, although ye are finally were able to communicate with them, Spencer as both of you has the same age he feels comfortable.

– Who do you think it is?-he's by your side now.

– The headmaster...-you say with a unaudible tone, yet he didn't understood you, so he leans down making you blush.

– I didn't understood, could you repeat again?-he leans his face right by your face side, even being an agent this doesn't means you're free from feelings, you mind went blank for milliseconds but thou swear it was minutes.

Spencer Reid heard you plenty well.

– I said, I think 99% our unsub is the old mate of Gideon, the one that is at the command and I'm talking like that because i don't want anybody discovering beforehand it's time, Gideon asked me to hide it.

Reid thought for a couple of seconds.

– Where is the 1%?

– Really?-you rolled your eyes, but he doesn't smile yet still with his blues eyes gluet at your figure filled with curiosity.

– The 1% is just if I made a mistake judging his character, though I know I'm right.

– I believe in you, yet our team should still work on the case.. I won't tell anybody until its time.

– Thanks?

– You know.- he stands in front of you.-You could have said no, that it was confidential your thoughts.-you chuckle unbelievable.

– Why would I do this?

– Because Gideon asked you to do so.- yup, but as you have a crush on him you wouldn't deny it and if you were one more time right, who knows, you like comoliments.

– Because we're mates and you can say, if I were right, "y/l/n was right since the beginning, again".-he giggles shaking his head.

– I don't know what to say, really, but since you're working with us, sometimes you threaten my position and also Gideon's.-you laugh uncomfortably and he noticed apologising quickly.– Sorry I didn't meat to offend you, what I-I...-he stutters.– I'm trying to say is with you, with us, I have to give my best and be by your side.-you opened your eyes surprised, what was he saying?- How do you do that, always guessing the right unsub with lack information?

– Wanna know how?

– Yeah, tell me your secret and I promise I'll keep it, I mean it and I won't tell Gideon.

It was amazing this interaction, you're the first person Spencer was able to maintain a conversation without making him felt uncomfortable.

—Aristotle once said: "No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness", besides it's all my paranoia telling me, they say, to think outside the box and visualise, however, my paranoia is always thinking at the same time in and outside the box now, I guess that our problem is inside the box.-his face brightened, when he was ready to ask one more thing, Hotchner called Spencer.

You're at the hospital waiting for any news of agent Elle when you got a call from Reid.

–You were right, our unsub was Bruno and Gideon mentioned that you were the first to guess it right, is Elle alright?

–Hmmm, thanks.-you say sheepishly.-And yes, she will survive, Gideon is with her now, Nadir and the children are safe?

–Yes, and Hassan is under arrest.

You were able to smile when he said that.

Case closed

[Time breaks]

–Woah.- when you arrived at home last night you received a phone call from Hotchner demanding you show up at BAU, you thought you would enjoy your holiday travelling around London visiting historical museums and libraries, you paid for your ticket and even told your cousin you would pay if he/she helped you looking after your precious dog and now, for what? No London anymore baby.

At BAU, you sit with them around the table.

–What happened? I was supposed to take a plane to London today.

– I know.-Gideon says.-But Hotchner and I received a peculiar message, I received a head in a box, at the only place I thought I were safe with a note, mentioning your last name.-you opened your eyes in shock.

–What it says?

–Not only it says something as well Hotchner also received a phone call that somehow connect you.

– Then..?

– It says "The magician shall not help..."-Hotchner says coming inside the room, stern look as always.

You huff shrinking in the chair.

– and mine says "y/n shall stay out out out out out" repeatedly more than 20 times.

–Wow.-you smile with no humour.–Why? What does it mean?-you already know why.

– It means our unsub wants you out of this case.-Gideon says.

Garcia show up shameful of her acts, just for playing a silly game it exposed everybody position, except yours, why? Well, you used vpn, you're good at blurring your information, your address and even when you're out making your supermarket shopping.

– He has information about everyone.-poor Garcia.-He invaded my-my system, because I was playing a game, but not of BAU computers, yet in mine laptop, however I need to connect.

Yup, you don't blame her, well because you hide your own information, you house isn't addressed correctly and the unsub couldn't get a good picture of you, he knows that you're smart, he don't want the this case ending soon. He knew with you in, you would be the one going to discovery his profile.

Summing up, Hotchner had to ask you to retire only in this case, but you shouldn't go home alone, so Hotchner told an agent to follow with you back home and stay there. But you have a stubborness and reckless behaviour, which Reid knows as well the rest of the team, besides this, when Elle was shot, the plan to make you get rid of this case went downhill, now you're in and you brought your dog.

–Can I pet, what is the name of your dog?-Spencer asks you, getting you surprised, the dog just stared at you as if asking "Can he, mom?Tell my name".

You alert him:-Just be careful, she's trained, any false move and you got yourself a stump.-Reid hesitate and you laughed.-I'm kidding, just be gentle and it's Nala, you know, Lion King, Simba's wife.

He breathe in relief with a grin, he leans down so he could smooth her fur, she accepted without growling, what's a win.

She liked him, but you wouldn't tell, it's not important now.

The rest of the case went okay, the whole time you were found helping Garcia to check the information and between this time you were able to be alone with Reid deciphering the riddles.

He told you about his mother when he called the sanitarium and requested for her presence.

Your dog was asleep near the couch while you were alone with his mother, you were able to maintain a friendly conversation, talking about medieval literature, Spencer saw it before entering the room question his mother.

When everything settled down, Spencer wanted to talk with you in private which you all willingly agreed, when he asked it was so funny the way he asked while gesturing with his hands, you noticed he was nervous.

–So after all this mad case and the explosion afterwards you still up to a "meeting", where's the others?-you look around the table searching for them, you wondered if he'd invited the rest of the team, yet he did not.

Spencer is with pink tints in his face, you got you answer but you will wait for his.

– Well... I didn't invited the rest of the team, only you.

– And why? Did you want to question me why our unsub dismissed miserably my part on this case?

– No, this I already know the answer, you're like Merlin, the sorcerer, you're able to hide your address ip, so you're also a computer genius.

– You flatten me, yet I'm not into TI and software area, but I know a couple of things.

– Much to manage and hide your localisation from the F.B.I and even CIA.-you rolled your eyes with wit.

– You got me now.-you chuckle.

It seemed as a date, yet you strongly disagreed on that matter, you didn't fit his standard, he kissed an actress cases ago.

[...] Spencer escort you to your house, both of you all the way long speaking of nerd stuff, every single topic he was captivated by you and you for him, whatsoever you couldn't be in love, love is not for you.

–Now you're the only one that knows where I live, don't split okay.-you blinked opening hour door.-It's late and I don't think I can't let you go.-oh boy, his stomach churned, yet yours were in full adrenaline but keep with a cool face.– Come in, Nala already knows you.

He hesitated, but you're good at convincing, since the Fisher King case is not safe to be let alone, him in this case, you have your loyal Nala.

Nala is sleep on her own bed near the TV desk in the living room.

–Doctor Reid, I have only my room, you can stay with my bed, I stay with sofa, I don't mind at all.

– No no no, I can use the sofa and you stay with your own bed, please.-you cross your arms staring at him.

– Are you sure?

– Definitely, no worry with me.

You rolled your eyes again with a sheepishly smile.

–I'll change, do you mind?-Reid just reddened shaking negatively his head.

– No no, I don't and..

– I have men clothes, do you want?-for a moment his shy grin fades as quickly as your humorous expression.

– I bought a couple of jumpers and pants at the shopping mall, so I could use when..when..

–When?-Reid stares at you making you feel small.

– When I feel alone, I mean, I have no time to date or anything else rather work or read something to get me out of this world, with male clothes, bigger than my size, I feel comfy.

Oh he understood, first time that he seems you showing any feelings, everybody thought you were more cold-hearted than Hotchner, always cool in any case, as if nothing could surprise you anymore at such young age. How did you ended at BAU?

Well, as far as you can remember you only studied, an exchange program in the UK for 2 years and the other years at the USA and here we are, working at BAU alongside a beautiful colleague that you don't mind admiring from a far.

–I don't know if I..

– It's okay if you don't want and I swear, they're all clean and tidy.

– I didn't meant that they weren't is just

– Hey, I'm not obliging you, but I have an extra toothbrush, never used.

– Thanks.

Minutes later you appeared with a huge navy blue jumper with a star wars short, free hair nothing on it, his heart skipped a beat.

–Hungry? We didn't eat anything for a cozy night and as you're my guest, milk?

–Hm?-poor man is frozen.-I'd like, please.

You both were all smiley here and there while eating a soft lunch before bed time, it wasn't 00h yet.

–Poor Nala is staring at us.-Reid mentions making you look at her puppies eyes.–Can I give a piece of this bread/crackers?

–A medium to small size, just don't make her get used to it, don't fall for these puppy eyes.

He already fell for it, he fell for Nala's owner as smart as he is, he knows that you wouldn't get any of his feelings towards you, but inly if he didn't make a move...

[03h23 a.m]

You couldn't sleep well, so you get up, the funny and silly things is you're hearing voices and low growls trying to communicate .

The hallway heading to the kitchen, you has a roundy wood table and in there you see a sleeplessness Reid with your trained hunt dog, playing, you stood there with arms crossed staring at them, until they stop playing.

– Can't sleep?

– Yeah...

– Me neither.-you come a cross his chair side.-What are you doing, reading one of my books from my living room shelf?

‐ Sorry, I...

– Reid, we're friends, might not be best-friends, but I can believe you with my precious books.

– Wait.. We can be best friends?

– Hmm, I guess we can.-you smile without showing your teeth.

– I didn't know this was the way to claim somebody as best friends, you know, I thought this bond was supposed to happen without we even notice.

– Well, it can happens too, but I guess I'm making this clear now.-thumbs up, you make him smile again.

You both keep talking the whole night until you two fell asleep on the table near each other company, your hand touching his, his fingers slightly caressing yours, you didn't felt anything, you sleep like a damn rock, however Spencer is an early person, so with less than two hours to get up and go to work, he sees you and his hand caressing your, when he's aware he stopped yet still looking your hands near each other, you mutter something under your sleep.

He is now aware that he's fully awaken.

He doesn't want to wake you up, but he died anyway shaking you.

-Hmmm.-you unconsciously pushed him away.-No more cases for today pleasee, I just want to watch a period movie and feel in luuuv.-you complained with a tired tone.-but I work work work work in a madness world of crime.

-Y/n..-he approaches you again.-Wake up, we gotta go to BAU, you need to change and I'll head home.

You wake up atartled by his close presence, he gives you a smile.

–Morning, agent...I mean, y/n.-he says close next to your face with a husky voice.

Oh lord J.

[fufupng]

More splatoon x pikmin doodles !!!

I always come back to Dingo and Yonny 💀 pom, shep, and collin are sitting in my file but trying to finalize thatttt

As per usual, notes in the keep reading~

Dingo is sooooo the definition of the fuck it we ball in the frontlines, mainly playing skirmisher weapons. You need the backline to the frontline soooo Yonny fucks around with anchor weapons B) Mainly E-liter but doesnt mind flexing to other anchors like splatlings. Yonny is definitely the brains behind the operation lmaoo being the shotcaller of the two, Dingo hears and goes LMAOO yet Dingo has the habit of going anyways💀 the fighter mindset.

Dingo is definitely a solo grinder whenever Yonny isn’t available, hes a solid player mechanically but tends to struggle in teamplay. So he can make do in soloq for now- Yonny is alot more of the study type outside of games, lots of map n strategy review so his game knowledge is definitely up there. Backlines just overall have that birds eye in game too so hes solid at just planning in game overall, the backline of all time. Though he does carry a more anchor by definition playstyle, playing more on the defensive minimizing risk if possible.

Im a splatoon nerd so i have alot of fun figuring out of the playstyles of the two :3 tho i do wanna make the rest if the coorps as a bigger comp team!!

[gamesception]

Sception Reads Cass Cain #36

Batgirl (2000) #16 - July 2001 Writer: Puckett Pencils: Scott Inks: Campanella Colors: Wright

Another solo one shot, another resonant and memorable stand alone story that Cass fans from back in the day will remember clearly. Got a bit more time to work with, gonna try and pull some more images this time, because the art in this one is just really good. Honestly, this issue is peak early days Batgirl - the kind of story she was literally made to tell, and it's really well executed. If I had to pick a single issue of Cass's entire Batgirl run as sort of a 'this is what she's all about' encapsulation for someone completely new to Cass and her book, this would be on the short list. If you've never read her ongoing before, i strongly recommend you actually read the issue for yourself before the summary here.

The issue opens on a bunch of kids playing a mean game where they throw a rat in the air and get points if it lands in a circle they drew on the ground. The nerd in my has to point out that it's kind of unrealistic. Rats aren't quite as fall resistant as, say, cats, but while they could be hurt or maybe even killed by a fall from only as high as a grade school kid could throw them, most are going to scamper away and none are going to land so badly that they splatter like a water balloon.

Anyway, it's gross and its cruel but also kind of cute as the kids argue about the rules and 'nuh uh' each other, and Scott draws their faces really expressively, and the whole scene starts with a rat silhouetted in front of the moon mid toss in an image that's as aesthetically compelling as it is disturbing in context before plummeting back down

I could talk about how Cass is flying high through the city as Batgirl while her mental state is hurtling towards a painful crash, but that's probably reading too much into it.

Anyway, after the first splat there's this kind of cool sequence where the next kid throws the rat up and they all run back and look down at the circle...

Only the rat never comes down, and when they look up like 'where did it go?' there's Cass

The image of Cass swooping down from above with the kids all looking up is pretty cool, and the way the panels create a pacing for the scene is really good. Effective storytelling through sequential art.

Cass drops down, and the kids scatter. Not a situation that needs any more intervention then that, and we get a nice panel showing just her hands and feet as she crouches down to gently let the rat go. A pretty standard inverse kick-the-dog moment to establish Cass as the good guy by having her be nice to an animal, but for those who have been reading along from the first issues of her book it also reminds us of how Bruce once praised her for being 'gentle', and how despite everything that's happened that part of her is still in there.

As the other kids scatter, one stays behind to kick off the main plot for the issue. I like how awkward Cass is here, towering over this kid when she's used to being around allies and enemies taller than herself, not knowing how to talk to him.

Also, I haven't talked about it in a bit, but I just really love the way Scott draws Cass as Batgirl? Her proportions with her big head emphasizing her youth. The way you can make out her expressions despite the full face mask - and the way he gives her the same expressions that he gives Bruce. Her prominent jaw line making her feel tough and defiant and stubborn. The way you can make out her expression through the mask, the sleek lines of how her cape drapes from her neck to the point shoulders and then down, or the way the cape flows when he draws her in motion, all with an oil-slick feel that likely owes as much to Campanella's inking as to Scott's pencil work.

There are aspects of how others draw Cass in her batgirl suit that I like - most recently I love how Leonardo Romero draws the pointy ears on her cowl in the recent Birds of Prey run, it gives Cass a retro feel that really fits his vintage newspaper comic aesthetic. But Scott's version of Cass-as-Batgirl is always how I'll see the character in my mind.

The kid, Tim, takes Cass back to his home, a messy apartment with a mattress just dropped on the floor. You can feel the poverty, and start to form an image of this kid's dad in your head as, like, a decent man pushed into crime by desperation to provide for his kid.

An impression that Tim then explicitly reinforces.

The scene cuts to the bank mid robbery, and we meet someone who seems to fit the mold - Jake. The way Scott draws Jake's expressions, you can tell he doesn't want to be there, and when asked what he's going to do with the money they steal, he just says he's going to pay some bills. But when a security guard surprises them, Jake is startled and shoots him, almost by accident....

The boss, Chaco, compliments Jake on the kill, rubbing in how this isn't a guy who would normally do something like that with the 'didn't think you had it in you' line, and as they walk away you can see how horrified Jake is at what he's done.

In contrast, Chaco shows just how comfortable he is with killing by shooting one of his own guys point blank when he realizes the guy was stealing traceable jewelry from the vault, the way the panel suddenly goes red, and Chaco's calm expression just the panel before, emphasizing how sharp and sudden the violence is.

Chaco's a professional. Ruthless and dispassionate, about the job, about killing, even with his allies. He clearly didn't even feel any malice towards the guy he shot - he was downright friendly with all of his crew, even Jake, just a few panels ago, and that friendliness was probably even genuine. But this guy became a liability, and Chaco doesn't have any time or pity for liabilities.

It's around this time that they notice Jake is missing. More liabilities.

A couple of the crew find Jake in an alley, overwhelmed by guilt over killing that security guard, and again, I just have to say, the art in this issue is really good. The perspective in that first panel looking down, with the shadows stretching forward guns first, the expressions on Jake and the guy who has a gun drawn on him, the detail on the background cobblestones & brickwork. All really good.

Anyway, this is when Cass shows up, in terrifying shadow form, knocking out the two goons with the guns in as many panels.

Cass sees Jake, like us assumes he's Tim's dad, and takes pity on him. For Tim's sake.

But Jake is overwhelmed by guilt.

Guilt is one thing Cass understands.

Tim wanted Cass to stop his dad before he did something bad, something he wouldn't be able to forgive himself for, something Tim wouldn't be able to forgive him for. But Cass was too late. Once again, she's failed.

Only, Tim isn't Jake's son.

He's Chaco's son.

Chaco the remorseless killer. Chaco who can be friendly one moment and commit murder the next. Cass wasn't too late to stop Tim's dad from doing something bad, Tim's dad had been bad the whole time.

And bad dads are also something Cass understands.

I need to take a step out of the story for a moment here though to talk again about how Scott draws Cass, and in particular the bit about conveying her facial expressions through the mask. Scroll up a bit and look at the downcast resignation on her face when Jake says he has to pay for what he's done, then the surprise when he says he isn't Tim's father, and then the absolute fury here.

The expressions are so vivid, and carry so much of the load when it comes to conveying Cass's thoughts and emotions and personality.

Bringing back another old chestnut of this blog, Cass can speak now, and think in words and sentences, but there are no thought bubbles or narration blocks in the entire issue. The book just doesn't need them, not when Scott's Art is able to put everything going on in these characters heads right on their faces.

Cass lays into Chaco, stopping only when she realizes he's already unconscious, and you can feel the sharp snap of her attacks in how the panels are layed out.

Bringing back another old chestnut, the action panels are practically perfunctory. They're there, and they're good, but there's no back and forth, there's never any question of the bank robbers so much as landing a hit on Cass. Who will win in a physical fight was never where the story's tension was. It was all about the emotional stakes.

Tim arrives on scene just in time to see his dad carted off on a stretcher to the hospital, and as Cass takes him home he looks back, through the spikes on her gauntlet, as through through the prison bars that are going to separate him from his father for the rest of his life.

And the last page is this somber, heartbreaking moment of Cass trying to console Tim that just because his father is a bad person, doesn't mean he is too, and it's obvious that Cass is thinking about herself and David Cain here, but while I might be reading too much into the panel, the way Cass's shadow forms Bruce's symbol to me draws attention to the fact that Cass has two fathers, and just because one of them isn't a murderer doesn't mean he isn't also bad.

...

So yeah, this really is more or less the archetypal Cass Cain Batgirl (2000) issue. A somber, contemplative tone. Street level / no super-villains or over the top scenarios. A focus on the individual humanity of the minor characters, including criminals who would be faceless mooks in any other bat book. Story and characterization conveyed through expressive artwork and deliberate panel use rather than blunt narration, taking advantage of the specific strengths of the comic medium. Violence and action scenes sharp, short and snappy rather than heavily drawn out, with the main conflict grounded in personal and emotional stakes. Narrative themes - guilt, parenthood - that tie directly back to Cassandra's core themes, history, and character motivations. All concisely contained within a single issue episode that works as a stand alone story.

Although there might be a bit too much emphasis on the stand alone part. Sometimes Cass's stories do come back to be referenced again later, we'll have an example of that next week, but we never see Tim again, we never see Cass following up or checking on him which is kind of a shame.

[zippy-reacts]

Sonic the Comic Liveblog: Issue 84

Idk about anyone else, but I think Sonic using swimming aids is cute, like when he wears a lifejacket in the olympic games series

You know, I should actually try to learn about the StC artists myself. I have seen people mention them when talking about StC before.

New story with Sonic and the Chaotix! …man this artwork makes you realise how odd Vector's classic era design was.

Sonic: A god-like, all-powerful, perpectually pissed-off version of me is running amok in your home turf Espio: cool story bro

It does make for an interesting conflict though. I don't believe the Chaotix have ever witnessed Super, so they don't know how destructive he really is, meanwhile Sonic had recently spent the past few weeks concinved he had unwittingly murdered his friends.

Lmao that did make me laugh a bit

What a name for a group of people. "yeah bruv, we're The Bigots"

The cops are literal pigs. Amazing

It's a little funny hearing Knuckles talk about sleeping in the open when off the top of my head the only incarnation of him that lives in a house is Movie!Knuckles

Surprise crossover with Emmerdale /jk

Knuckles gets casually offered beer

Oooohhh… are we going in the 'idyllic village secretly has a cult' direction?

Unformately I cannot look at this panel without thinking of the multiple submitted readers questions from previous issues asking about characters feet

Yay! I was right about the cult thing! (Also that sheep lady is quite pretty)

And here's an article on Sega Channel! Think is actually the first I've actually heard about this specific service, I typically think of the website when I think of the name Sega Channel

Another solo Tails story.

A clever detail about this is that in previous panel's you can see the bear scientist's hands were green- not matching the head at all

Ignoring the apparent sex-appeal of these ugly-ass sneakers, that fella in the middle is wearing a crucifix pendant. That has many implications for the lore of this world that will give me a headache if I think about it for too long.

Thinking about it, StC's concept of Zones really does give the writers freedom with settings in a similar way to the islands in One Piece. From jungles to bustling metropolises, the story can be placed wherever the fuck the writer feels like

Forced makeovers via kidnapping. Probably not legal, but then again it's not really like this world has a super concrete justise system

This is something I actually learned myself the other week. Apparently in the 80s and 90s it was a Thing in Britain to call people who were giant nerd Anoraks, because people who had hobbies like train spotting or bird watching will often wear practical, but unfashionable clothing such as waterproof jackets. Thinking about it, it's a slightly roundabout way to insult autistic people.

Imagine the keystone of your evil plan relying on being able to tie a decent knot and you cant even fucking do that correctly.

[blaintism]

this morning i decided to rank every episode in which blaine appears or is mentioned by the merit of their blaine content. because, i don't know, i'm very neurodivergent or something. so here is, in my opinion, the best to worst blaine episodes:

1. 3x15 “Big Brother”: has a micro celebrity older brother, gets very upset about everyone pointing at him, skips skip day, gets a stuffed animal from his boyfriend, doesn’t feel good enough with his brother around, and reconciles

2. 5x07 “Puppet Master”: has an autistic meltdown, gets gas poisoning, imagines everybody loves him, wants to share his core wounds, gives jake strange advice, steals, and sends puppets to new york city

3. 4x07 “Dynamic Duets”: creates a superhero alter ego, meets evil warbler #2, does autistic stuff, and wants to stop feeling like he’s a bad person

4. 2x12 “Silly Love Songs”: makes a fool out of kurt accidentally, makes a fool out of himself in a gap, becomes a part of a ‘when harry met sally’ situationship, and sings two solos

5. 4x03 “Makeover”: becomes a huge nerd and the president, makes a friend, lies to artie, and realizes he is sad and alone

6. 2x20 “Prom Queen”: delivers part three of his traumatic backstory, is very afraid, makes his solo story relevant, and saves the prom!

7. 4x17 “Guilty Pleasures”: likes wham, is a swiftie in the alternate universe of the promo, sings sam a strangely emotional song, and sam is not homophobic to him

8. 3x17 “Dance with Somebody”: tells everybody that it’s not right but it’s okay, doesn’t want to talk about new york, and has weirdly tan hands

9. 2x16 “Original Song”: forms blaine and the pips, ignores mourning a bird in favor of love, conceives of the worst duet idea of all time, gains +1 boyfriend, and sings two solos

10. 2x06 “Never Been Kissed”: shifts the tectonic plates by making his first appearance, sings teenage dream, delivers part one of his traumatic backstory, and thinks that karofsky isn’t coming out anytime soon

11. 4x16 “Feud”: has cement hair, has his identity stolen, is on the bottom, and is forced to join the cheerios again by nicki minaj

12. 6x07 “Transitioning”: gets hit with some eggs, has a serious case of heart eyes, and cheats but in a cool way this time

13. 5x14 “New New York”: cheers up sam, becomes elliott’s facebook friend, has a good talk with kurt, and moves in with mercedes

14. 3x05 “The First Time”: gets virgin shamed, canonically masturbates, meets evil warbler #1, makes out with kurt hummel drunk, and has sex

15. 2x14 “Blame it on the Alcohol”: thinks it’s cool that kurt and finn are brothers, makes out with rachel berry drunk, defends bisexuals, and is 100% gay

16. 3x11 “Michael”: wants to be starting something, gives the warblers sensitive information, and could lose an eye!

17. 4x11 “Sadie Hawkins”: gets asked out by a girl, has a crush on a boy, and finds out the warblers are taking steroids?!

18. 6x04/05 “The Hurt Locker”: forgets his mom’s name, finds a bear in his house, remembers fettuccine alfredo, and sticks his tongue right in someone’s mouth

19. 4x14 “I Do”: gets groped in a prius, has his honor defended, has sex in a hotel room, and knows he and kurt will not be just friends

20. 5x16 “Tested”: has body image issues, watches porn, admits that he’s scared kurt will stop loving him, and is misinterpreted by the entire fandom

21. 4x04 “The Break Up”: screams, cries, throws up, sobs, falls to his knees,

22. 2x09 “Special Education”: helps kurt out at his new school, doesn’t audition for the solo at sectionals, sings the solo at sectionals, gives kurt bird advice

23. 4x10 “Glee, Actually”: who’s blaine? ice skates and has a mature talk

24. 3x01 “The Purple Piano Project”: joins the new directions, unknowingly blows up a piano, and tries his best to be friendly

25. 4x15 “Girls (And Boys) On Film”: sings three duets with three different duet partners, and has a starring role in kurt’s imagination

26. 4x21 “Wonder-ful”: understands kurt unlike anyone else, and wants to marry him

27. 5x01 “Love Love Love”: sings the best duet with kurt, gets back together with him, is more asian than sam and ryder, gathers every show choir in the state, and proposes

28. 6x02 “Homecoming”: gives us some information on his depression, wears curly hair until he remembers people are racist about it, and attempts to solve misogyny

29. 2x15 “Sexy”: takes advice from sue sylvester, is very cringe, and delivers part two of his traumatic backstory

30. 3x02 “I Am Unicorn”: #juniorgate, is the only person respectful of kurt, and gives great audition #1

31. 4x06 “Glease”: continues to suffer, breaks character, and stands hollow eyed in the hallway

32. 3x08 “Hold on to Sixteen” fights sam, fights finn, and does what his father said and let his mother mold him

33. 5x06 “Movin Out”: visits new york, considers being a doctor or a teacher, and is the piano man

34. 2x11 “The Sue Sylvester Shuffle”: sings a banger solo, mercedes and rachel talk at him while he eats, and he attends a mckinley football game

35. 4x01 “The New Rachel”: tells kurt to leave (affectionate) and is the titular character

36. 3x14 “On My Way”: has an emotional breakdown in front of god and everyone, and then raps

37. 4x05 “The Role You Were Born to Play”: cries and sings his best solo, which is great audition #2

38. 2x18 “Born This Way”: sings somewhere only we know, which should make the top but it’s his only scene

39. 6x13 “Dreams Come True”: becomes a father, and loves kurt very very much

40. 3x22 “Goodbye”: is now in ‘the notebook,’ shares a lot of meaningful looks, and wears a lobster cardigan

41. 6x08 “A Wedding”: he gets married i guess. points for his vows

42. 4x22 “All Or Nothing”: is insulted by brittany once again, buys a ring for kurt, and sings a duet with marley

43. 3x09 “Extraordinary Merry Christmas”: is kurt’s best friend and holiday roommate, and gets some good gifts from rachel

44. 4x08 “Thanksgiving”: doesn’t exist until kurt calls him on the phone, and yet it’s such a good phone call that it beats the episodes below

45. 5x11 “City of Angels”: is too gay to lead the glee club, reads the show choir blogs, and has sexual tension with skylar astin 

46. 4x12 “Naked”: becomes santa, gets an unnecessary spray tan, and is a supportive friend

47. 5x20 “The Untitled Rachel Berry Project”: is given kurt’s trust, doesn’t want to sleep with brittany fictionally, and defeats a homophobic old lady

48. 2x17 “A Night of Neglect”: he gets taken on a date to a high school and pushes some people around

49. 6x01 “Loser Like Me”: has been in his flop era since Kurt broke up with him, but he does have a new boyfriend!

50. 2x10 “A Very Glee Christmas”: he sings a flirty christmas duet with kurt, who is much better than that girls gonna be

51. 6x03 “Jagged Little Tapestry”: sings in kurt’s imagination about how much he misses kurt, and gets a bad home makeover

52. 3x03 “Asian F”: gets flowers and a leading role

53. 2x22 “New York”: loves kurt

54. 5x19 “Old Dog New Tricks”: likes seeing kurt so happy

55. 4x09 “Swan Song”: joins the cheerios

56. 2x07 “The Substitute”: sees a purse fall out of kurt’s mouth, and is discussed by kurtcedes as if he’s kurt’s boyfriend 

57. 5x17 “Opening Night”: knows a good gay club

58. 3x16 “Saturday Night Glee-ver”: loves dancing and otherwise disappears

59. 3x13 “Heart”: is back from the dead and more cute and compact than ever!

60. 4x02 “Britney 2.0”: sings my favorite mashup

61. 3x18 “Choke”: is a supportive boyfriend

62. 3x20 “Props”: wonders what a guys gotta do to get a little candy situation, and gets a hot pretzel at the mall with kurt

63. 5x04 “A Katy or a Gaga”: is obviously a katy

64. 4x13 “Diva”: points for him being a guy diva, singing don’t stop me now, being cute when he’s sick, being gay, and liking asian representation, but a huge subtraction for the non consensual touching from tina and him apologizing to her at the end

89. 3x19 “Prom-asaurus”: experiences discrimination, but at least he watches lesbians on tv, is an expert on the bill of rights, and has a very sweet boyfriend

65. 5x09 “Frenemies”: people are mad at him for having good grades, but he’s actually really cool about it and offers for them to share his valedictorian speech

66. 5x05 “The End Of Twerk”: unfortunately causes the entire twerking situation

67. 3x04 “Pot O Gold”: sings last friday night, to the dismay of people who usually sing all the time and will not sing any less in the future

68. 3x07 “I Kissed A Girl”: sings a corny duet to my delight, and otherwise has no thoughts about the difficulties of being gay suddenly

69. 5x02 “Tina in the Sky with Diamonds”: is as always a good friend, hits a really high note

70. 3x21 “Nationals”: is simply present, sings come on! hold tight!, and is the only person who isn’t kissed after they win

71. 6x12 “2009”: has stopped living a lie, but starts living a plot hole

88. 5x15 “Bash”: is strangely sidelined in an episode where his fiancé is attacked, but at least he reads star wars fanfiction

72. 5x13 “New Directions”: gets into NYADA, and makes out with kurt in tina’s mind

73. 5x12 “100”: gets his song stolen, and is given a gift for his wedding night sodomy

74. 6x10 “The Rise and Fall of Sue Sylvester”: is very very sad dalton burned down

75. 4x20 “Lights Out”: gets mostly cut from the episode, and is still a cheerio

76. 3x06 “Mash Off”: looks like a time traveler with quinn

77. 6x11 “We Built this Glee Club”: thinks glitter is pretty

78. 4x18 “Shooting Star”: is scared and sad, BUT PARENT MENTION???

79. 3x10 “Yes/No”: does not say a word but gives kurt a cute look

80. 5x03 “The Quarterback”: is understandably not in this episode very much

81. 6x06 “What the World Needs Now”: certainly appears as some point

82. 2x19 “Rumours”: doesn’t appear but is the subject of rumors, rachel thinks he’s better than sam

83. 3x12 “The Spanish Teacher”: burt wants to tell him kurt got a NYADA audition

84. 6x09 “Child Star”: he’s on his honeymoon off screen, which kinda rocks

85. 5x18 “The Back Up Plan”: is a lying liar

86. 5x08 “Previously Unaired Christmas”: gets told to shut up, and does

87. 4x19 “Sweet Dreams”: gets yelled at for not being responsible for a group of traumatized children by Mr. Schue, the teacher

[deadpoolgirl23]

Scoundrel and princess

Dick grayson x reader

Warnings: none

Word count: 1,629

Authors note: I don't even know if this is good, I literally just finished watched Empire strikes back and this popped into my head. I'm sorry if this is terrible.

First person pov:

It was a calm night in the tower everyone was in the living room ready for annual movie night that happened every Thursday after Gar made the notion that "we should all should spend more time together" and Dick agreed.

Which leads us back to the living room. Currently me and Rachel are trying to decide what movie to put on. "Why don't we watch Empire strikes back?" I ask Rachel as she's still scrolling through the thousands of titles, " didnt we just watch star wars last week?" "Yeah but that was a new hope! We can't just start the original trilogy without finishing it!" I try to entice her to side with me but all I am met with is silence and a squint in her eyes seeing that she is contemplating. Gar had decided that last Thursday we should watch A New Hope so Konner could quote on quote "be whole". As a advid nerd I immediately said yes and with the whole group not caring that is what we watched.

I normally would have enjoyed watching Star Wars, being able to quote it word for word in my head with the occasional slip, but I wasn't able to out of the corner of my eye all I could focus on was the way that Dick and Kory sat close together as he whispered in her ear what was happening in the movie to make sense to her as she would continously question the movie.

It sucked having to see that and hear the little laughs that would come out of her mouth anytime Dick made a joke or the way that he would run his hand up and down her arm when they quited down. They claim to be just friends, but it just never looked that way and to be stuck not being able to tell him how I feel hurts even worse than any punch or knife thrown at me.

" Okay fine we can continue star wars, but it's just because I want to see more of luke skywalker" Rachel finally states, "really! And I happen to be more of han solo girl myself" I replied back biting my lip to hide the smile threatening to come across my lips. "Of course you are" she replies back winking, Rachel is the only one to know about my crush on Dick. She had read my thoughts one time when I got hit badly while out on a mission, she was trying to see if I was stable but came across all my thoughts about the bird brain. I was just lucky she never said anything about what she saw to anyone, but now she just teases me about it any chance she can get.

"Rachhh, let's just put the movie on and tell the others" I whine while changing the subject getting up to tell Konner, Krypto and Tim what we chose, while goes to get Gar, Dick and Kory.

I head back to the living room but make a quick stop at the kitchen grabbing some soda and popcorn to snack on while the movie plays, "hopefully this can distract me enough to tonight" I say to myself in my head. Carrying all the junk in my arms I place down on the table moving to get settled in my spot on the couch, the corner that's covered in a blue and grey flannel blanket that is only ever used by me when I'm sitting there. I close my eyes at the warm the blanket brings and open then when I hear the sounds of foot steps and voices fill the air.

As everyone takes their place in their normal spots I notice that Dick instant sitting besides Kory but is actually making his way towards me. I look over to the spot he's been sitting in for the past couple of weeks and see that Gar and Rachel have taken it over, Rachel turns her towards me and we make eye contact, she winks at me and shifts her head back towards Gar.

"Hey is it okay if I sit here?" The voice I've grown to love asks me, "Yeah sure go ahead" smiling waiting for him to take the seat. As he sits my heart begins to flutter like crazy, I know that Konner and Krypto can probably hear it and are confused as to why it sounds like I'm gonna have a heart attack but I can't find myself to care. He could have sat on the floor with Kory and Konner but he chose to sit next to me.

"Thanks, I was not going to be able to sit down there and actually enjoy the movie" " I get, that's why I got here first, you can never trust one of them to not take your seat" I reply which earns a playful "hey" from Gar and causes Dick to smile.

We start the movie after that, everyone gets comfortable and entranced into the movie as the opening sequence begins but instead of just reading the words Gar starts to them allowed in a funny voice that you can't help but laugh at. Rachel gets him to quiet down after a few jabs to ribs with elbow.

Everyone is quiet after the movie has been playing for a little bit, and this time I don't have to hear Kory and Dick laughing to eachother the entire time which feels nice. Although I still have to listen to myself repeat the words and the fluttering heart beat that hasn't slowed since Dick sat.

When Han and Leia begin to argue I have to hold myself back from whispering the scene, I did begin to do it without realizing and it earn a glance from Dick which made me stop immediately, but he leaned down to whisper in my ear the line Han said next "afraid i was gonna leave without a goodbye kiss?" . I swear if I hadn't been blushing already I was turned into a tomato right in that moment. I had to shake myself back into reality, but it didn't stop the smiled that appeared on my face.

I decided that instead of him doing it to me first again I was going to, I waited until Han and Leia were in the millennium falcon to say Leias line quiet enough in his ear "when you aren't acting like a scoundrel" and he didn't waste a second to repeat Hans line to me and we went back and forth, but when he got to last line he only looked down at my lips but never made a move. In a more hushed voice than the other lines he says " you like me cause I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life" breaking the entranced look on his face to meet my eyes and we don't move. The sound of the movie eventually snaps our attention back to it, but this time Dick doesn't just go back to sitting normal he puts his arm around me pulling me closer to him.

I've seen him put his arm around Kory multiple times when we watch movies, but this feels different. He's never pulled her close into him like this. I don't let myself over think it to much as I focus back into the movie taking one last look at him before I lay my head on shoulder. I feel a slight jump from him as if he's shocked I actually did it.

None of the others around us have said anything to us either they don't care or they haven't heard us.

We settle back down and continue the movie not saying another line to eachother until the end when he decides to grab my hand. I look up at him to see if he's waiting for my response but his gaze is on the tv. So I turn my head back and squeeze his hand in response

It's the Carbonite scene, it always crushes my heart but also makes me smile widely. Playing with Dicks fingers the scene begins to escalate when Chewie starts to fight the stroom troopers. I know this scene inside and out and I know that if I repeat the line I so desperately want to it will be towards the man holding in his arms.

I can't even catch myself before I say Leias line as she does " I love you", I don't expect any remarks from him but I hear the two little words said back to me everything around me feels to have stopped.

"I know".

This time it's my turn to be shocked, Dick has turned his head towards me eyes looking down at lips and back up to my eyes doing that a couple more times before we both move in at the same time and finally kiss. I thought that when he said Hans line that the room stopped moving but with the way his soft lips are moving against mime I definitely have to say I am on cloud 9.

We break apart after a minute to reclaim oxygen and to look at eachother, but what we don't realize is the yells and "finally's" that come from everyone.

" I've been wanting to do that for a while" Dick states, "me too" I say moving to hide my face into his neck so I don't have to face the others, especially Rachel.

Dick laughs and wraps his arms around me. The others finally go back to the movie but I can't I finally got what I have wanted for so long and now I know he wanted me too.

I hear one final whisper from him as he holds me "I love you princess".

" I love you too scoundrel".

[josiebelladonna]

i’d like to be controversial for a second.

i hate—genuinely hate—the general attitude towards baking.

remember at the beginning of the 2010s, when the great british baking show came about and spread an interest to baking to the general public? i caught a newer episode of their celebrity edition and i think all of two people on the last three or four seasons took it seriously. everyone else thought it was just a joke. and it’s not just with cooking shows, either. i see it everywhere, on tumblr, on facebook, on instagram…

“I have a recipe here but i’m going to read between the lines and add more shit to it. oh, no, why does it look like that? oh, no, why is it burning? oh, no, why is it raw?”

i’ll never forget seeing someone on here post about making chocolate chip cookies and they added a bunch of shit to their mix and just about set a fire in their oven. i still wonder if op even had a recipe on hand or if they were just trying to see if they can get away with it by guessing. they’re like the easiest cookie in the world to make, how do you fuck that up?

yesterday, i saw a post saying “bake 10-12 minutes is obviously code for bake 11 minutes��� and i couldn’t reblog it because op turned off reblogs for some reason. it’s that way when you’re cooking: a recipe card from hellofresh will tell me to cook an onion for 4-6 minutes until it’s soft and browned, it’ll take 5 minutes to do that just from how the stove works when i turn it up to medium heat and i just let it cook. baking is a whole other animal: if it says to bake for 10-12 minutes, bake for 10 minutes first and then check it, and if it’s not done, give it another 2 minutes or until it is.

my mom tells me i’m a patient cook and… i am. just let the ingredients do what they do at medium heat and watch over it. trust the recipe. put your fucking phone away. and you don’t need to cook something in a skillet at high heat because it’ll burn on the outside and be underdone inside.

bread is a living creature, especially sourdough.

i guess it’s just the nerd in me, but i find it all incredibly insulting. it’s insulting to the person who penned the recipe, to the chef who tried it out and mastered it, to the wheat used to make the flour, the sugar cane used to make the sugar, the bird that gave us its eggs, the cow that gave us its milk so we could have butter or cream, the cocoa beans used for chocolate, the vanilla beans used to make extract, the vegetables used to make veggie oil or olive oil… and it’s insulting to us, the viewers, the followers, the readers, the people on the other side watching this shit happen and feeling helpless to stop it. the culinary world has been humbling for me, the same way chemistry and biology labs, ceramics lab, all my machine shops, and welding class have been humbling; the difference is cooking and baking get personal really quick. you put your heart into the dish or the cake, all while following a recipe. it’s a meeting of mind and heart (if you’re making bread, it’s mind, heart, and body).

a recipe is nearly identical to a science experiment, like it’s an experiment that had been tried out and written down for us to try out ourselves. just like how in laboratories and the machine shop, you have things in the kitchen that don’t care if you have hair, or jewelry, or appendages. things that can cut and burn you. things that can burn your nose with the smell, like vinegar poured into a hot skillet. things that don’t seem hot but don’t assume anything (never forget the time in high school chemistry class where my first lab partner picked up an erlenmeyer flask and didn’t listen to me when i told him i just had it over the bunsen burner; i worked solo after that).

i think that’s why i have such a hard time agreeing with this general consensus that baking is a feminine or girly endeavor when it’s not, it’s very cerebral and often technical (and women in baking is actually a relatively recent trend, too, it was only a couple hundred years ago when women started undertaking it themselves). it’s an art as well as a science. if anything, cooking is more of the art here, because even though you’re following a recipe, there’s a great deal of craft involved.

i also think of the general attitude towards science now that i write this out. the number of people who think covid is fake. the number of people who think the moon landing was fake. the number of people who think skinwalker ranch is fake. the number of flat-earthers still running around. i’m actually not at all surprised that people think baking is this girly thing that’s also a joke now that i think about it.

and all you people who are like “i couldn’t even make a sandwich let alone make dinner”, just follow the recipe and turn on your burner to medium heat at the most—you never turn a burner on high unless you’re boiling water. it’s literally not hard.

[altocat]

Genesis: What up nerds *flexes by singing with an angelic voice and wows everyone with his amazing vocals*

I feel like he'd always flex in the most unconventional ways possible

Angeal: "Same to you, loser."

*Plays entire Free Bird solo and casually walks away*

...And Sephiroth just flexes by being Sephiroth

[solonerdbird]

He’s a wizard. Of course he is.

[blackholefriend]

next show:

Marnie Stern: probably one of my favorite “solo acts” of math rock time, who also made one of my most listened to albums ever (effortfully titled This Is It And I Am It And You Are It And So Is That And He Is It And She Is It And It Is It And That Is That). so excited for her, especially after her recent album (comparatively effortlessly titled The Comeback Kid).

Quasi: also amazing. Featuring “Birds” is still one of my favorite indie pop / indie rock albums ever, with vulnerable lyricism and earworm melodies all over it. they’re touring for the anniversary of this album, but i would love to see a song from their most recent (titled Breaking the Balls of History).

nerd out over, i feel like they’re about to come on soon

[hades-10397]

31 days of Harringrove

Prompt: The Christmas Song

Once Billy got full custody of Max, he thought it was best to move to a new town for a new start. Max was surprisingly on board. The battle was hard for her wanting to be with her mother but knowing she chose his father over Max. So they moved to a town called Hawkins in Indiana. Small town with not much going on. It was honestly the best place to start a new life.

They had been there since October and Max was able to make friends right away. They were a bunch of nerds but they were nice to her that’s all the matter. Thanksgiving was simple and nice. Just them eating some store bought food dinner and watching tv. Now it was Christmas. Well it was almost Christmas and the tree was filled with presents under the tree. Billy figured he’d try to distract her from this being her first Christmas without her mother.

One thing he was surprised by was Max joining chorus at school. He thought she was joking at first but sure enough here he was at her Christmas performance for school. Apparently she was good at it because she had a solo. He helped her pick out an emerald green tux and put a rose in the jacket pocket. He could give two shits what this town thought he wasn’t going to force Max to wear something she didn’t want to.

“Billy seriously stop! You’re embarrassing me you jerk!” Max snapped at him. Billy was laughing as he took more picture of his sister. What could he say. He was proud of her. “Alright shit bird I’m done.” Before she could get away from him, he pulled her into a hug. “I’m proud of you kid. Now go rock that fucking solo.” Max smiled at him and muttered a soft shut up before leaving him.

Billy went and found a sit as close to the front as he could. He managed to get a sit in the second row right in from of the stage. He read the program pan flit while he wanted for it to start. He was surprised to see that the chorus teacher was a man. ‘Maybe this town is more progress than I thought’ He smiled seeing Max’a name under the solo list. They music started and Billy put the pan flit in his packet. “Alright ‘Steve Harrington’ let’s see what you got.

The performance was going well. Billy could tell a few kids didn’t know all the words but the way this Steve Harrington was smiling at them the kids seemed to not care. It was hard to keep his eyes on Max because this teacher was… attractive is the most PG way to put it. But then Max stepped forward towards one of the mics and smiled at her teacher. She started singing “The Christmas Song” by Nate King Coke. She sang beautifully and all he could do was smile. She hand a soft voice which was surprising because he had a hard time making her use her ‘inside voice’

After Max’s solo the choir sang one more song. Everyone started clapping and ‘Mr. Harrington’ turned around and smiled. Billy’s eyes widened. This guy had it all! The looks, the smile, hell the ass too. He watched as the teacher turned and clapped for his students and then everyone made there way out into the hall. Billy found Max fairly fast. She was talking to her teacher. She looked so happy talking to him she even gave him a hug. “Well done Max. Never told me you had a voice like that.” They both turned to see Billy smiling at them.

Max sighed. “Mr. Harrington this is my annoying brother Billy. Billy this is-“ “Steve Harrington. Yea saw in the program. Now Max why didn’t you tell me your chorus teacher was this hot.” Billy winked at Steve who proceeded to blush. “Ew Billy! Ugh can’t you keep it in your pants for once god.” She walked away joining her friends. He turned his attention back to Steve. “You sure live up to the name Mr. Hargrove.” He laughed. “Please never call me that again. Billy is fine now what should I call you. Pretty boy.” He grins as Steve puts his hands on his hip.

“Real funny Billy. This might work for other people but it’s not going to on me.” Billy smiled. He was going to keep trying because this guy has a fire in him that Billy wanted to see more. “Alright Harrington how’s about I take you on a date on new years. What do ya say pretty boy.” He puffed his chest out while Steve looked him up and down. Praying that this guy would give him a chance.

Steve sighed and laughed. “Alright fine. Just because you’re to interesting to say no.”

[spacefinch]

A list of my favorite characters associated with the sky, birds, and/or flight.

Tom Paris (Star Trek Voyager)

Callum (The Dragon Prince)

Skyla (Pokémon)

Winona (Pokémon)

Falkner (Pokémon)

Kahili (Pokémon)

Hera Syndulla (Star Wars Rebels)

Mart Mattin (Star Wars Rebels)

Wedge Antilles (Star Wars original trilogy)

Hikaru Sulu (Star Trek TOS)

Hailey Turner (The Search for WondLa)

Jason Grace (Heroes of Olympus)

Nyx (The Dragon Prince)

Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel

Clint Barton/Hawkeye (elder)

Kate Bishop/Hawkeye (younger)

Sam Wilson/Falcon

Dashi (Octonauts— she flies the Octo-Ray!)

Nausicaa (Studio Ghibli— Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind)

Pazu (Studio Ghibli— Castle in the Sky)

Aang (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Luke Skywalker (Star Wars)

Anakin Skywalker (Star Wars)

Han Solo (Star Wars)

Sabi (Braviary’s warden in Pokémon Legends Arceus)

Hækel (The Search for WondLa trilogy)

Hope Van Dyne/the Wasp (MCU)

Montgomery “Scotty” Scott (Star Trek TOS— he might not be a pilot, but he sure as heck loves the feel of flying.)

Sabine Wren (Star Wars Rebels)

Jinora (The Legend of Korra)

Nyota Uhura (Star Trek TOS— her first name means “Star!”)

Zinnia (Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire)

Elesa (Pokémon)

Zym (The Dragon Prince)

Queen Zubeia (The Dragon Prince)

Note: I use “sky” in a very broad sense here. It could mean the air itself or the wind. It could mean clouds and rain. It could even mean thunder and lightning storms. It also means the night sky as well.

Anyway, I think it’s safe to say I have a type when it comes to characters I like. This probably isn’t even all the Sky or bird associated characters that I know of.

Some things about me (which explain my taste in characters)

I am a huge bird nerd, both on this site and IRL.

Everyone who follows this blog knows I go by “Finch” for my online persona.

There was a time I wanted to be a pilot, before realizing it was too hard

I’ve wanted to be an ornithologist since I found out what it is. I want to study birds for a living.

I went through a WW2 aircraft phase during my sophomore year in high school

[clay-cuttlefish]

Finishing out post-Crisis continuity on all Renee's highest notes. I miss her (characterization that was outdated by more than a decade before I started reading)

The Question #37

I am going to eat this.

Shiva and Renee are great here, I love how they both work with the theme of rebirth, but it's Tot's driving emotion being greed that makes this issue so critical to me. He's so consistently restrained, the sensible one to Vic and Renee's burning curiosity, and that facade completely shattering to show that he's just as driven to find answers as they are? Chef's kiss.

Tot is the first person to ever shoot Shiva. David Cain has nothing on the power of old man lunacy.

"Charlie, son... Goodbye..." UNHINGED.

The absolute Question dream team on this one: Dennis O'Neil and Greg Rucka on writing, Denys Cowan on pencils, Bill Sienkiewicz on inks, even Cully Hamner doing the cover.

IT'S THE FIVE HUNDREDTH ISSUE TOO???

I don't have the words so please imagine me biting my hand because the normal chewing stim is not powerful enough to vent the feelings.

It helps/worsens the feelings that this is a single issue with no buildup that comes after a few bad minor appearances and Final Crisis, so I've let my guard down.

Pipeline Chapter One (Tec #854-858)

Into Pipeline now. It's not technically a Renee solo, but it's about miniseries length.

She's got a website! And takes cases!

It's nice to have a return to the classic Question staples of being nosy, fighting thugs, trying to help the vulnerable, and getting shot. Good to end up in the river sometimes, yknow? Not everything can be grand evils and crisis events.

The Eighth Deadly Sin (Batman Annual 27, Tec Annual 11)

Dick is way less uptight about getting help than Bruce, so he calls her in to help with a case.

Not important or anything but it's a good time.

GO (Tec #859-860)

Renee's first relationship with Kate, and their first breakup.

Pipeline Chapter Two (Tec #859-865)

Helena!

Renee and Helena reminiscing over Vic is very sweet. It's nice that he's still important to Helena despite how badly it ended.

Nobody tells either of them anything about the superhero community, apparently.

Love that Renee's broke. Charlie left her a lighthouse and Tot's fairly well off but she doesn't have private jet money.

I like that it calls back to 52 with Veronica Cale before following up on Revelations.

"I believe in friendship." I LOVE YOUUUU

The most powerful forces in the world are friendship and also gay longing.

All the Rage (Tec Annual #12, Batman Annual #28)

I don't like this plot at all, but this is important for Renee bearing the Mark of Cain - it doesn't get followed up on in anything else.

Paralleling the Mark with the double Venus scar Renee has from Gotham Central as two scars that provoke religious rejection.

It's wild to me that I didn't come across this the first time I did my Renee reading. I had interpreted the ending of Pipeline as ambiguous, and her appearance in Convergence without it to mean she never received it, but that's just not at all true.

Extending the metaphor here Dick is a kind of insensitive but generally well-meaning lesbian ally. That checks out.

Generally she's written fine in this. Not amazing but it's solid and it gets the point across.

Marked Woman (Tec Annual #12)

The real Mark of Cain was internalized homophobia the whole time, and the reason she's able to bear it is because she's learned to accept herself.

Adding transformative queer self-acceptance to the list of the most powerful forces in the world.

Hostile Takeover (Birds of Prey #12-13)

Important note: the Question that Helena calls Q as a cute pet name in the comics is Renee. IIRC the only person who calls Vic Q is Ted. Make of this what you will.

Slight variation on the drowning motif - Renee only ends up in the sewer for a moment, but Helena goes apeshit and tries to drown a guy in it, so it counts.

"Our first date." "*Snerk.* Shut up. Nerd." This is just fully gay. They are dating.

It actually pisses me off that this is such a promising setup. I'd be able to handle the New 52 more if Renee was left off right after the Mark of Cain arc, I might be able to convince myself it works as an open-ended "and the adventure continues" for her, but no I have to live with the knowledge she was going to be on the Birds of Prey and be adorable with Helena and then DC blew everyone up.

Guess I'll go fuck myself then.

Danger Drive (Batman 80-Page Giant 2011)

Sneaking in just under the reboot, it's... basically just that time Vic punched the Riddler, but with a different terrible Riddler outfit and a Jeopardy theme. Well. That's disappointing.

If I was less masochistic I'd end the project here, but if I was less masochistic I wouldn't have started it in the first place.