#there is so much art people refuse to look at because of some preconceived notion that it's not good enough

[pa-pa-plasma]

i'll never understand people who refuse to watch cartoons because they think kid shows can't be serious or cover mature topics. ignoring that not every cartoon is for kids, do you know how many cartoons i've seen where the main character straight up deals with realistically portrayed mental health issues?? this singing lion cub is prescribed medication for his chronic pain & PTSD. monkie kid tried to kill himself & his friends weren't strong enough to stop him. the dino kids have PTSD & OCD. these guys held a funeral for a purple gorilla that was brutally murdered & it was heartbreaking to the point I can no longer hear the phrase "easy peasy lemon squeezey" normally. the singing horse also tried to kill herself. not even a metaphor. just straight up. & it's all played seriously & consistently. crying

[thankskenpenders]

Yeah, this is the big one. Grab your popcorn

Sally finally gets a moment to talk to Sonic after being ignored all day, and tells him what’s up. With her being put in charge, and Sonic being her royal consort (basically, the guy who’s committed to marrying her someday but isn’t quite her fiance yet), Sally wants Sonic to stop going on away missions and lead Knothole by her side

Look. Let’s set aside all of our preconceived notions about what a Sonic comic should or shouldn’t be. Ignore the fact that we obviously want to see Sonic go on adventures. Forget it. Let’s look at it from Sally’s perspective for a second

Yes, this is the post in which I explain that “The Slap” isn’t that bad. It’s certainly not great, but it’s not The Worst Thing Ever like it’s been made out to be. I wish I didn’t have to spend my evening writing this, but 15 years of hyperbolic fan outrage (note: some Wikia rando added that “reception” section this year) have forced my hand

First of all, again, Sonic is formally committed to marrying her and ruling alongside her someday. This was established ten issues ago. He was already committed to this. Then, Sonic went and died. Sally still spent an entire year of her life thinking her basically-fiance was dead, and had to deal with shit in Knothole without him as things continued to get worse and worse. No one can just bounce back from that unscathed. After his return, she WANTED to help Sonic and go be a Freedom Fighter on the last mission, but her parents forbade her and the royal guards kept her in the castle. (That SUCKS, but is a whole ‘nother conversation.) She wants to fight by his side and keep him safe, but her parents are forcing her to stay home and be the princess, which only makes her more distraught. Last issue, she broke down into tears when she saw Sonic get shot by M over Eggman’s video feed, and her mother had to console her and reassure her Sonic wasn’t dead

Sally very clearly has PTSD over Sonic’s “death” a year ago. She doesn’t want to lose him again. She’s outright said as much

And also... when she says Sonic isn’t the only hero around, she’s got a point?Sonic barely did anything in the last arc! Tails was the one who outsmarted ADAM. Shadow dealt with Eggman. Bunnie did most of the damage to M and took out an entire fucking aircraft carrier on her own. Knuckles, the Chaotix, Rouge, and Amy took out the robot horde. All Sonic did was land the final attack on M--which, honestly, someone else could’ve done. And he got his arm injured in the process

Add on to this all of the chaos of the last few days. Sally’s barely had a free moment to see Sonic since she found out he was alive. They nearly got nuked by Eggman. They’re being harangued by the paparazzi. It sucks. And hell, it goes back WAY further than this! She spent years as a kid trying to save her parents, and now all they do is belittle her. She found out she had a secret older brother, and then her parents decided he was the more important child. She went through all sorts of relationship drama. She nearly died a few times herself. And now, her parents have decided to leave her in charge of their whole kingdom at a time of war, while she’s still a mess from the trauma of losing Sonic. The idea Bollers had was apparently that Sally had been bottling up her issues for years (which she totally had been), and this was just the breaking point

I know Sonic’s desire to keep being a hero is understandable. I know he’s right. That’s all he really knows how to do, and he feels useless in times of peace. And obviously, we the readers want to see Sonic go on adventures. But Sally’s concerns are valid. We don’t have to agree with her plan to have Sonic rule by her side for her emotions to be understandable

Sally’s been on the verge of a breakdown for who knows how long. She should be mad at her parents, but they’ve worn her down to the point where she thinks she’s unable to confront them. (It would be very, very easy to make a case arguing that Sally’s parents are emotionally abusive. Max especially.) She thinks that Sonic is the one person who will listen to her and have her back. They’re betrothed, after all. This is literally what he signed up for. After trying to get his attention ALL DAY, she finally gets a chance to talk to him. But he wants other things in life, and refuses. In front of a crowd, no less

So she lashes out at Sonic and slaps him

Then they both start yelling at each other and crying. Sally asks Sonic if she’s more important to him than fighting Eggman, Sonic can’t answer, and Sally runs away in tears. For all intents and purposes, Sonic and Sally are now broken up. (For now.)

Should Sally be lashing out at Sonic? No. Could this scene be done better? Oh, absolutely. This is not the direction I would want Sally to go in as a character, and if you ARE gonna have them fight, this wasn’t written with the care required to make fans sympathize with both parties. The fact that we’ve seen everything from Sonic’s perspective with barely any insight into Sally’s certainly doesn’t help. But as the several lengthy paragraphs above explain, this does not come out of nowhere. It’s easy to find lots of fans online calling Sally all sorts of names (sometimes very misogynistic or ableist ones) because they think she just flipped out on Sonic out of nowhere. But she didn’t. Sally having some sort of breakdown had been foreshadowed for several issues, and the reasons why make sense. No, she shouldn’t have lashed out at Sonic, but this isn’t just her going “Oh no, my period! Let’s nuke England!” as so many have made it out to be. (And hell, the comics already had a lengthy history of treating Sally even worse than this, with Gallagher making her the nagging girlfriend who bickered with Sonic all the time and Penders sympathizing more with her shitty dad.)

Again, this was supposed to be a turning point in which Sally bottling up all this crap and carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders finally leads to her breaking. It’s a dramatic low point to build back up from. The problem is that Bollers left the series only a few issues later, and Penders and “Chacon” never did much with this. So in hindsight, many view this as her randomly snapping “for no reason,” because the followup stories that would have explored how she’d been bottling up her feelings were never actually written. But it’s not hard to figure out what’s supposed to be going on in her head if you actually go back and look at the preceding Sally scenes

For the most part, this is just run of the mill relationship drama for Archie Sonic. You see this kind of shit all the time in serialized media. Characters date, but the writers need to keep things ~spicy~, so they break up, see other people... then inevitably end up back together, and the process repeats ad nauseum. You ever watch Scrubs? You know how JD and Elliot are obviously love interests from episode one, but they had to do that will they/won’t they shit for years and have flings with other characters to keep up ratings? Yeah, it’s just that. For Sonic, there’s also the added pressure from Sega, who never allowed Sonic to be in any stable relationship for very long. Several writers have talked about how this limited what they could do with Sonic and Sally. Do I like that this cycle of drama is the norm? No. But after over 200 of these comics, I’m used to it

(And hell, at this point in the comics, they had literally just broken up Bunnie and Antoine, and Rouge was starting to get in the way of Knuckles and Julie-Su’s relationship. Between Julie-Su and Knuckles’ first kiss and them actually dating, Penders had Julie-Su get mad at Knuckles and go out with some random other guy. They do this shit all the time)

The worst you can really say about this scene is that Jon’s art is a little too goofy and undermines the drama a bit. In his own words from his website’s FAQ: “I’m sorry. Like I said, I was an overeager noob and I drew what I was given.” But really, he had been drawing these sorts of exaggerated, frantic expressions throughout the entire issue. Not just with Sally. Look at all the panels of Sonic wigging out in the previous pages. I still think his work is fantastic. If anything, it was a bad call on Archie’s part to give this somber scene to a brand new artist with a very exaggerated, silly art style. He just drew what was in the script

You know what really blows about this whole thing, though? Jon Gray is still, to this day, over 15 years later, getting harassed for drawing The Slap

That is so utterly ridiculous and shitty. People have made up all sorts of conspiracy theories about the slap, saying that Jon had some sort of “anti-Sally agenda” and that it wasn’t in the script. (This is completely false.) People are so stuck in the past and bent out of shape over this one panel in a pretty run-of-the-mill Archie Sonic issue that Jon has to block people who come into his Twitter mentions accusing him of “sabotaging” the series on a regular basis. Y’all, Jon’s a good guy, and he doesn’t deserve to be treated like that

And lord. There’s so much nastier shit within this series. Penders hooking a 15-year-old Sally up with a dude in his 20s (and later saying that he wanted her to lose his virginity to said dude). Gallagher making Barby Koala have a creepy crush on Tails. Penders rephrasing a poem about the Holocaust to be about hedgehogs. Penders having Sally rationalize her dad’s attempt at genocide. (I could go on and on with Penders, can you tell)

This whole thing is just, so blown out of proportion. It’s not a great scene, but it didn’t “ruin” Sally’s character. Neither Jon nor Bollers had some sort of “anti-Sally agenda.” They weren’t out to ruin your fucking ship. And for god’s sake, quit yelling at them about it. This was 15 years ago and all parties involved have moved on. It’s just more melodrama in a series that’s always 90% melodrama

It’s a single panel in a comic about Sonic the Hedgehog. Can we move on

[shipping-receiving]

Fictober 2019 Day 13: “I never knew it could be this way.”

Rating: T | Word Count: 1936 Fandom: A Song of Ice and Fire / Game of Thrones Relationship: Jaime Lannister / Brienne of Tarth Tags: Alternate Universe – Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Fusion

(read on AO3)

//////

My name is Jaime Lannister.

When I was fifteen, I was bitten by a radioactive spider. Since then, I’ve been the one and only Spider-Man. Or so I thought. But I’ll get to that part later.

I’ve saved King’s Landing again, and again, and again. And yet, the people of King’s Landing hate me. The things I’ve done for them have been twisted over and over by my enemies, and I’ve never had the chance to tell the true stories behind them. No one would listen.

A few years ago, I married someone I shouldn’t have married. But I never told her about this other life of mine. I managed to keep it a secret from her, even though I’d known her pretty much my whole life, even though she was my other half. Even though being Spider-Man was half of me. She knew me only as Jaime Lannister.

Through all of this, I just kept saving the city. I couldn’t seem to stop. Until one day, a few months ago, the city and its enemies decided for me.

I lost my right hand. I couldn’t be Spider-Man anymore.

Then, my wife left me. And it felt like I couldn’t be Jaime Lannister either.

I didn’t know who I was after that. I’ve not known since.

Three days ago, I discovered that even when I thought I was the one and only Spider-Man, I was wrong.

About the ‘one and only’ part, that is.

——————————

Jaime Lannister had been minding his own damn business in his own damn universe when he was thrown into this one.

All he really remembers is that he was lying in his bed, contemplating the futility of life, as he was wont to do these days. He was also in his full suit, without the right glove of course, because how else can a former Spider-Man missing a right hand best contemplate the futility of life?

Suddenly, there were violent tremors, and funny colours, and the distinct feeling of wanting to vomit. Not just the contents of his stomach, but all the internal organs in his body.

And then he was in the middle of King’s Landing.

But it wasn’t King’s Landing.

It called itself King’s Landing, but it was different. Everything just seemed slightly… off.

At first, he thought he was dead. But everyone else could see him, and bump into him on the street, and give him strange looks, and say the words “disrespectful” and “impostor” under their breaths. Not the cruellest things the people of King’s Landing have said to him while he’s been in his suit, but they might have been the strangest.

He soon discovered the reason for those words. There was another Spider-Man in this universe, and it hadn’t been a Jaime Lannister. It was, bizarrely, Renly Baratheon. The brother of one of his own nemeses, in his own universe. And this Spider-Man had just died.

In this universe, the people of King’s Landing had loved Spider-Man. Jaime stood at Renly Baratheon’s grave under the dark of night and looked at the massive pile of flowers and gifts and candles and assorted Spider-Man memorabilia that had been left for him. Gods, the man had memorabilia.

That was where he had met her. Brienne Tarth.

And by ‘met’, what he really means is, she had body-slammed him into the ground.

Then it was all, Who are you? How dare you come here dressed like him? and then they were struggling, and making far too much noise for a cemetery at night, and then there were cops, but the cops weren’t interested in him, they were interested in Brienne, for some reason, and then they were running, and then he very conveniently ran up the side of a building—he didn’t need a right hand for that—before he realised that Brienne was following close behind him. Running up the side of a building. She was far too awkward and uncomfortable about it, like he had been when he was first bitten, magnified a hundred times by her too-tall and too-broad physique. She had no litheness to her, not like a Spider-Man—or Woman, or Person really should. But there she was, defying gravity.

He would find out later that everyone thought Brienne was involved in Renly’s death. She had been his personal assistant—because in this universe, Spider-Man actually had need for a personal assistant—and she was the last to see him alive, the one who found his body. His death had been so quiet. No fanfare at all, unlike his life, from what Jaime could tell. But there was something about it, Brienne said. Something she thought might have been related to how Jaime was flung into their universe in the first place. She thought, in fact, that it might have had something to do with Renly’s brother. (The other one, not the one who was Jaime’s nemesis in his own world. The Baratheons were truly a choice bunch in any universe.)

Before the police had really got their bearings about whom they wanted to blame for Renly’s death—bearings likely provided by Stannis Baratheon—Brienne had been trying to conduct her own amateur investigation, which Jaime thought was the most absurd thing in the world for a personal assistant to do. But she had apparently managed to break into Stannis’s apartment, so she must have had skills, or perseverance, or dumb luck on her side. She had been at Stannis’s apartment, in fact, when she had felt a sting on her hand. Brienne had thought nothing of it—she was too preoccupied with trying not to get caught—but then, on the way home, she was getting stuck to everything.

Sure, Stannis obviously had something to do with his brother’s death, if there had been a radioactive spider loose in his apartment. But when Jaime first met Brienne—when she had first body-slammed him into the ground—she was a mess. A Spider-Mess, as he took to calling her. When she realised he had the very same powers, she had badgered him to teach her. Train her. He had refused vehemently, and pointed at his stump equally vehemently.

She had just looked at him with those unnecessarily blue eyes of hers, looked at him like it didn’t matter that he was missing a right hand.

Jaime gave in, after that. What’s the point, he supposed, of having superpowers if you didn’t know what to do with them?

They had spent the past three days training. Figuring things out, while keeping under the radar, though Jaime knew Brienne was anxious to get to the bottom of whatever Stannis Baratheon was planning. Brienne knew how to fight, even before she had been bitten—she had wanted something to do, with a body built like hers, begged her father to send her to a variety of martial arts classes since she was a kid. But being a Spider-Man, or Woman, or Person—that takes a different approach to the body. And Brienne was stubborn. She had such set ways of using her body, and Jaime had to get her to break all those habits. Even more so when he finally started her on the whole web-shooting part of it. Gods, that had been disaster after disaster, and he had honestly been concerned that they might end up breaking her nose a third time.

Now, three days in—during which Jaime had felt, maybe, a little bit like Spider-Man again—they are finally getting somewhere. They’d had to split his two existing web-shooters between them, so far, so they will need to sort that out first thing tomorrow, but in the meantime, they had earned themselves a break. A break far away from the city they’re meant to protect, though Brienne hadn’t quite gotten to the city-protecting stage yet.

In Jaime’s opinion, far above the city works just as well as far away. So they are lying on a rooftop—his favourite rooftop, from his own universe, and he is glad it exists in this one too. He is using his mask as a pillow, and Brienne is doing the same with her own makeshift one. (They’ll need to sort out her suit too, tomorrow, in addition to the web-shooters.)

For the past hour, they have been doing nothing but talking. He doesn’t remember ever doing this with anyone, not even his ex-wife. And Brienne knows. She knows he is Spider-Man, and Jaime Lannister. He tells her some of those true stories behind all the times he had saved his King’s Landing, and she actually believes him. Doesn’t have any preconceived notions about a hateful Spider-Man. As Jaime stares up at the handful of stars he can see in the light-polluted night sky over King’s Landing, he thinks perhaps that he might be feeling something stir within him, with Brienne.

“I’m not sure what it’s like for you, Jaime,” she is saying now, “But I never knew it could be this way.”

Jaime feels his heart beat a tiny bit faster, but he’s frankly relieved that he resists the urge to say something stupid like, “Me too,” because he soon realises Brienne isn’t talking about what he thought she was talking about.

“My body—it was always strong,” she muses to the sky. “All muscles, and brute force. That was how I had always moved. Always fought. I was strong, but I was also… dragging this huge weight around. I learned to use that weight to my advantage, but it still hung heavy on me, you know? Then, this happened.” She lifts her arms up, looks at them like she is seeing them for the very first time. “Suddenly my body has this agility, this—this lightness to it, that I’d never thought I’d feel, in a body like this.”

Jaime takes some time to consider her words. “I don’t think I can claim to understand, not exactly,” he replies, after a while. “But the truth is, before I met you three days ago, I’d forgotten what being Spider-Man can feel like. The freedom of it, of soaring through the air, of going places no other person could ever go. Even with all the shit I had to endure back in my world, that was always a solace for me. When I lost my hand—I didn’t know who I was, anymore.”

He sees Brienne turn her head out of the corner of his eye, and he turns his head to meet her unnecessarily blue gaze. “Didn’t you ever try?” she asks. “Figuring out how to make it work, without your hand.”

“Not really. Between that, and—and how everything unfolded with my ex. And the whole population of King’s Landing hating me. I suppose I—I never really had the motivation to try. When I go back—”

Jaime pauses. Brienne had flinched a little, when he said those last four words.

“If I go back—” He’s not sure, really, how things are going to unfold—whether he can even stay in this universe, with Brienne, and whether he should. But that ‘if’ is what he can offer her, now. “If I go back, I don’t know if I could keep going. I was… Just before I came here, I wasn’t sure if I could—go on.”

Brienne grabs hold of his wrist, then. “Jaime,” she whispers, so faintly he thinks he might be dreaming it. “You must. Go on, I mean.”

“I thought I’m the one who should be telling you what to do, Spider-Mess,” he quips, but she doesn’t laugh.

“Live,” she demands, and it seems to Jaime that this one word drowns out everything else but them, lying here on this rooftop. “Live, and fight, and take revenge.”

[judgeanon]

The Way of Masters

(art by Phil Noto)

So with her likely upcoming appearances in Young Justice and maybe Gotham and maybe Birds of Prey, I’ve had Lady Shiva on my mind again. Well... more than usual. And I managed to keep it bottled up so far but now I feel those urges again so let’s at least try to channel them into some hopefully decent comic book analysis. Today’s subject: why I can never get really behind any story that involves Lady Shiva teaching anyone martial arts. 

Expect the usual copious amounts of NOT MUH under the jump:

The concept of Lady Shiva as a teacher comes from two main sources: Jim Starlin’s Death in the Family, which established her as a teacher for hire, and Chuck Dixon’s first Robin miniseries, where Tim Drake ran into her and asked her to train him. It was further solidified in Gulacy and Dixon’s Knightsend, where she helped Bruce get his kung fu mojo back after healing from his spine injury. And then there was Gail Simone’s Birds of Prey, where Shiva trained Dinah Lance to try and turn her into her successor. On top of all that, there’s New52 Shiva having trained Jason Todd, and while I have no idea if it’s been confirmed in canon, I’m like 90% sure she must’ve trained Damian at some point too. So it’s pretty much a solidly established fact that Shiva trains people.

And I personally find it to be a fundamental misunderstanding of her character.

(art by Brian Bolland)

Now, first of all, logistics-wise I have a problem with people repeatedly going to train with a known killer when guys like Richard Dragon are just, y’know, there. And while there’s a dozen of possible in-universe explanations that you could possibly wield (It’s faster! It’s harder! It allows you to learn her techniques should you ever have to fight her!), ultimately I think the best explanation is just that it’s more dramatic. To be trained by someone diametrically opposed to your ideology in stuff you want to know but have vowed not to use is an absolute no-brainer in terms of dramatic tension. And that’s exactly why I don’t like it from the start: because every. Single. Story. That involves Shiva training anyone always ends in the exact same place: with Shiva ordering her student to kill and her student refusing to. Or in Bruce’s case, just pretending he killed someone. 

This is nothing but a pointless exercise in character reaffirmation that does nobody any favors. Of course Batman/Robin/Black Canary is not going to kill anybody. Tempting them with it is just going through the motions. It was old hat in the 90s, let alone now. And yet, in one form or another, it just keeps happening. And it keeps happening because none of these stories are really concerned with Shiva herself. They are stories about Batman/Robin/Black Canary getting stronger, with Shiva used as a tool whose characterization is based on the most surface-level reading possible of her. The problem is that these stories also feed into each other, just like how Hush establishing Shiva as a member of the League of Shadows snowballed into this hellscape where she’s literally nothing but a member of the League of Shadows. Lack of interest in her actual character creates and perpetuates these misunderstandings until nothing else exists. But now the question becomes, well, what is her actual character? Good question.

So in Denny O’Neil’s Question run, which I am never going to shut up about until everyone who even thinks about writing Lady Shiva reads through at least twice, Shiva physically and metaphorically kills Vic Sage, then saves his life. I’ve talked about this before but the short of it is that not only does she kill his body, but by presenting him with something he can’t understand, she also kills his stoic, narrow-minded idea of a black and white world. But once she’s saved him, she doesn’t stick around to train him. Instead, she gives him the address of the aforementioned Richard Dragon, who takes him in as a pupil. And this is where things start getting a bit floaty.

(art by Denys Cowan)

Because there’s a difference between teaching someone and helping them learn it on their own. Zen Buddhists know this. The idea is not to build a path for someone, or to guide them through it. The path is unique to every person and they have to walk it by themselves. But that doesn’t mean you can’t at least point them towards it. Which is what Richard does. Sure, he teaches Vic how to fight, but way later in the run, Richard explains how unimportant that is:

And make no mistake: Shiva is very similar to Richard in this aspect. Her interest in Vic is not about whether he can become a mighty warrior, but in what motivates him. She’s interested in seeing how Vic develops, and her reasons are, in her own veiled way, pretty much the same as Richard’s:

Right before this page, Richard explained that Shiva thinks Vic is fueled by a lust for combat, while he argues that it’s curiosity that motivates him. And the book never gives a clear-cut answer, showing Vic as an intensely curious creature (in fact, it was his curiosity about Shiva’s motivation that helped tear down his old black-and-white worldview) but also as someone prone to seeking the simplicity of punching dudes in the fucking face when the world gets too complex. Which is part of the genius of this Question run: nobody is ever that simple.

Now, it’s possible to transfer this to the exampled provided below and say that Shiva is similarly interested in Robin/Batman/Black Canary’s development. But only if you don’t really go any deeper than the pure surface. Because the difference here is that at no point through the entire Question run does Shiva demand that Vic take a life. She doesn’t want to prove to him that her way is superior, or that killing people makes you better. She doesn’t want Vic to become like her. She’s just interested in seeing how, once violently stripped of all his preconceived notions and brought back as an almost clean slate, he evolves. And it’s an evolution Shiva has respect for.

And that’s why I can’t get behind any story about Shiva as a teacher. Because just like Richard, she’s not there to try and tempt people to walk her same path of slaughter, sneering smugly at their heroic ideals of the sacredness of life. That’s a dangerously bi-dimensional reading of her that leads to endless rehashes of tired plotlines that go to the same wretchedly familiar places we’ve been to a thousand times before. There’s no deeper insight into the character of Tim Drake or Bruce Wayne to be gained by putting them in a situation where they’re forced to kill but they don’t. There’s no evolution, no characterization, there’s nothing to be gained except for a physical upgrade. And while they may not lose much from just going through the motions over and over again, Shiva gets it so much worse because her character is eroded by these nothing plots.

(art by Ed Benes)

In BoP, Simone tried to give Shiva a new reason to actively seek an apprentice, which at least demonstrates more agency on her part than the usual row of Bat-people knocking at her door. Simone’s Shiva is preoccupied with the future and creating a legacy, but again, that’s an idea I just can’t get behind at all. To have a character as steeped into Zen Buddhism and Taoism as Lady Shiva worry about life after death feels like a betrayal, and wanting to turn Dinah into a new version of herself clashes with everything explained above. And Starlin, Dixon, Gulacy, Loeb, Gabrych and Tynion IV don’t even try. It’s enough to make one wonder, is there any writer who actually paid attention when reading Question?

(art by Damion Scott)

Look, call this a reach, but I think there’s a pretty good reason why Lady Shiva’s first appearance in Kelley Puckett’s Batgirl has her wearing a purple coat that’s basically an update of her design in the very first issue of Question. And considering Puckett actually collaborated with O’Neil on the tail end of that run, it’s not even that far of a reach. More importantly, however, Shiva treats Cassandra pretty much the exact same way as she treats Vic: she tears her apart and then leaves her alone for a year so she can rebuild herself. That’s not to say it’s a 100% perfect callback. She does help Cass get her body-reading skills back, and sadly, some of Shiva’s kill-crazy personality has seeped in, making her give speeches about how Cassandra is a waste because she doesn’t kill and how if they are to fight they must fight to the death and whatnot. Which makes sense for Cassandra’s development since rejecting such notions is a big part of her character, although that doesn’t make it any less tired.

But ultimately, the reason why I bring up Puckett’s Shiva is because he’s pretty much the only one to actually take those aspects of O’Neil’s Shiva and bring them back into the light. In a perfect world, the whole “you must kill” thing wouldn’t exist and Shiva would just be satisfied with seeing Cassandra develop on her own. And as we move further into pure headcanon territory, I think O���Neil’s Shiva would be downright fascinated by the idea of someone becoming stronger than her in their own terms rather than just by trying to be like her in every way. Sadly, Puckett’s Shiva doesn’t stick the landing, since the respect she shows for Vic’s personal growth is nowhere to be seen here. And once Gabrych takes over, we’re right back into caricature mode, where we’ve stayed for over a decade save for that one Blackest Night Question special. Which was co-written by, big surprise here, Denny O’Neil.

I understand why writers go for it. It’s simple, it’s dramatic, it’s familiar, and it gives their characters something to brag about. “Trained by the greatest martial artists in the DCU, including Lady Shiva” is used to describe even people like Cassandra who never actually trained under her. But I think it’s an error. And I find the alternative not just more gripping and compelling but also ripe with possibilities for both characters in the equation. It forces the person writing it to sit down and think what could Shiva find interesting in each character, and how they could be changed by her presence, framing it all as a two-sided journey of self discovery rather than a melodramatic ideological struggle of which we all know the ending. All you have to do is stop treating one of the most interesting characters in modern DC as a tool to make others get better at punching.

[momma-mogai-sphinx]

hi! i’m a 15 y/o lesbian who’s really struggling with her identity. my dad and siblings both disagree with the idea of gay marriage and i feel pretty rejected. i keep wondering if i’m just faking my sexuality for attention, even though i know i’m not. i feel weird and abnormal, and worst of all, my friends think it’s trendy and funny to be apart of the lgbtqia community when it comes with a lot of struggles. could i possibly get some positivity or kind words? or a way to feel better? ty. 💞

I have a few things I could share, actually…

I definitely understand how it is you might be feeling right now, so let me tell you—as someone who grew up in quite the inhospitable home, in a wildly homophobic town, who continues to live happily in said town despite all the odds—it can get better.

I know that can be hard to believe sometimes. I know there are things in your life which are far out of your control; systems that you might not understand, but which have a powerful effect, not only on how much you’re allowed to do and say before your identity is called into question, but also on the very course and structure of life itself. I know it can be suffocating and feel like there’s no escape. I know following the axiom “work hard and have good morals” to a t will never be enough to grant you your personhood in the face of blind bigotry.

But let me tell you why holding on is worth it.

It can be exhausting to be endlessly scrutinized by “normal” society. A single slip up could have you mercilessly questioned on the basis of whichever marginalized identity they decide is going to be society’s downfall today (one that could be and often is largely irrelevant to whatever situation led you to such a discussion to begin with). One false move might see you kicked to the curb (or worse) by your so-called “allies,” your friends and family when they deem you too low in the social hierarchy to risk their image. When you try to argue for or against something, they will see you as nothing more than your marginalized identity, see you as a spokesperson for others who share this identity. And they will use this not only as a way to dismiss you as foolish and “backwards,” but as a means to bully and harass you into complete silence.

It can be frustrating to be erased. When you find a character in a work of fiction that you see a lot of yourself in and headcanon them as sharing an identity with you, they’ll ask, “Why does everything have to be about you?” “Why do you have to make it political?” “Quit sexualizing them, they’re a child!” They ignore the fact that your group has gotten next to no representation in the past (and that you can’t influence the text just by having a headcanon); they fail to see the problem in politicizing someone else’s identity when they’re just trying to be; while they get to flaunt their sexuality around and have it catered to wherever they go, you can’t even mention the fact that you’re of a marginalized orientation without being demonized for it. And when you try to bring any of these things up and discuss how and why they should be changed to give people of all marginalized orientations and gender identities a fair share of the “privilege?” They say, “You have marriage equality and can identify as whatever gender you claim to be. What more could you possibly want? Why are you asking for all these special privileges?”

And, because of all of this, it can be infuriating to be right. It can be maddening to know that, no matter where you go, there will be people with their “hot takes,” prepared to tell you (or, rather, other bigots who already share their opinion of you) why your identity is “a phase”; why it’s sinful or perverse; or even why it can be reasonably commodified for the consumption of another group that doesn’t understand your struggle one bit (and largely doesn’t care to). And their audience will nod along, taking notes on how to “debate” those nasty SJWs and secretly feeling validated in their sheer contempt for those fellow human beings who don’t fit their preconceived notions of what is good and natural. They’ll be told that, when you speak up and point out how there are many examples of people happily identifying as non-straight and/or non-cis for most of their lives (and that it really shouldn’t matter to them whether or not some teen they’ve never met is questioning their identity), they can make leaps in logic to show how “gay marriage is just a ploy to destroy the family and western ideals! We have to stamp the gay out of these kids before they get indoctrinated!” and then show you some bunk statistics about cis people who detransitioned or something (something that really doesn’t matter, given the fact that plenty of trans people are much happier living as their actual gender). When you explain that they shouldn’t be using their religion to justify hatred of an entire group of people, and that calling someone’s identity sinful isn’t much of an argument since you (likely) don’t share the same principles of morality, they’ll gaslight you and say you’re against freedom of speech and freedom of religion (ignoring how such notions have historically been used to enact physical violence against groups whose very existence they disagree with, without ever asking, “Who’s silencing whom?”). When you try to explain how homosexuality is perfectly normal and the existence of trans and nonbinary people is just a side effect of building a complex society that puts value in both emphasizing personal identity and categorizing patterns… When you try to explain why consuming queer media without having at least a semblance of understanding of queer struggles… When you try to explain why all of this can make being queer dreadful at times–not because of anything inherently wrong with us, but because of the way society alienates, silences, and enables violence toward us–and that our “pride” comes from a place of resistance against it all and not because being queer is “cool” and fun… They will not listen.

But there is relief. From all of this.

There is solace in knowledge, comfort in history. When you find yourself in times of despair; when you wonder whether or not it’s worth it pressing onward, knowing how much suffering there is to come…

Remember where you are. You are a young branch atop an oak tree that is both vast and timeless. The tree needs you to survive. As you stretch your wanting leaves toward sun, you may forget that, far below you, there are roots, ever-boring their way deeper into the earth. For as long as this tree has tasted the sunlight, it has been anchoring itself into the soils of time. The roots refuse to be forgotten. When the sun feels like a lifetime away, remember the roots. Remember where you came from.

You come from fire, an untamable flood. You’re descended of wild spirits, unrelenting.

Their Excellence is in you.

Before you is a legacy of roaring lions. After you? That’s for you to decide.

Let your exhaustion be a name. When society tries to dictate who you’re allowed to be, be uncompromising. Refuse to be silent about who you really are.

Let your frustration be a voice. Make art, make music. Tell your story. Refuse to have your struggles erased.

As fury entwines itself with passion, you will become unbreakable as you are unsilenceable.

Emboldened. Empassioned. Empowered.

And when you tire, come to the fountain of knowledge and drink. Know their names, know their stories. Know your roots.

Know Marsha P. Johnson.

Know Silvia Rivera.

Know Harvey Milk.

Know Gilbert Baker.

Know Karl Heinrich Ulrichs.

Know Michael Dillon.

Know Lili Elbe.

Know Lucy Hicks Anderson.

Know Christine Jorgensen.

Know Bayard Rustin.

Know Magnus Hirschfeld.

Know Simon Nkoli.

Know Ifti Nasim.

Know Jason Jones.

Know Barbara Gittings.

Know Audre Lorde.

Know Angelica Ross.

Know Emil Wilbekin.

Know Frida Kahlo.

Know Nancy Cárdenas.

Know Your History. Know how Far we’ve Come.

-

And, look. No one expects you to be passionate at every stage of the game. You don’t have to be the paradigm of the perfect activist every second of the day. You’re allowed to just be exhausted and need a break to recharge. You’re allowed to just be frustrated when people treat you like you’re a representative of the entire LGBTQ community and expect you to know everything about our history and be able to recite all of our “policies.” Never forget that just being you is powerful enough.

Hell, you’re even allowed to feel sometimes that it’s hopeless and wonder if there’s even a point to all this work we’ve done if bigotry still prevails. But what’s important to understand is that is that how you feel and what is true—while both very real and very important to your lived experience and absolutely worth taking seriously—are not one in the same. You may feel that there is no purpose in continuing on with what seems to be a never-ending fight; but know that there is a community, all around you. There are ears to listen, hearts to sympathize, words to encourage, and hands to guide. It may get dark, may become hard to see the way forward. But it’s okay to cry out into the darkness and watch it illuminate with love and compassion and understanding. We are here.

-

There’s a GSA at the school at which I work, and one thing I always try to tell the students who attend about is (what I like to call) “The Breath of Absolute Clarity.” Unlearning the lies we’ve been taught from birth and learning ourselves is a long and arduous process, one that may take even a lifetime. But in every story I’ve ever heard about a queer person accepting themselves (including my own), there is always described this moment; this one instance (or perhaps several) of perfect understanding of oneself. For some, it can be a spiritual experience, tied to their religious beliefs. For others, it can be seen as a moment of self-actualization—where the turmoil of human existence ceases its chaotic chorus, if only for a second, leaving nothing but the sound of a beating heart. Whenever and wherever this moment comes to you, whatever you see, however it must happen… You will know. In this moment, you will know, beyond any feasible shadow of a doubt, Who You Are.

This moment will not last. It is not unquestionable. You may forget it in your darkest times. But if you really try to hold onto it, it will come back to you. Like a towering tsunami, it will invade your senses so completely, you will know as intimately and as viscerally as the human mind can comprehend anything what it is to be unapologetically you.

This moment is not the be-all-end-all of understanding yourself, but it is a start. It’s the moment where questioning and certainty are no longer mutually exclusive; where not having all the answers doesn’t equate to a dizzying network of what-ifs; where you understand just being is enough. Maybe you’ll wake up one morning, years in the future, and your partner will be laying in bed next to you, and you’ll think to yourself, “They know me.” And in a single breath, you will feel absolute clarity.

-

So, with all of that said, I hope your takeaway here can be this:

You are more than the lies and the misunderstandings about your identity.

More than a cog in a monstrous machine.

More than the exhaustion and frustration you feel in the face of unyielding bigotry.

More than the questions you have about yourself.

More than even the history and the legacies that precede you.

You are a human being

You are not broken

You are not worthless

You are not a disappointment just for being you.

But above all this, the one thing I want you to know is that

***TL;DR***

You Are Not Alone.

Just keep holding on. Things can change if you just keep holding on.

[idreamtofmanderleyagain]

I really kind of dislike it when ultra-feminine characters are given a more “masculine” design when they’re put in a more adventurous storyline.

For example, I saw a post on my dash where an artist put Princess Peach in pants and eliminated much of the design of her dress entirely, with the exception of the color pink, so Peach can go adventuring. There was nothing wrong with the beautiful artwork, and I loved the concept of the storyline the person had, and to be fair, she didn’t look legitimately masculine (pants aren’t automatically masculine). That said, as a really ultra-feminine woman, I always feel a little let down when people design these types of characters in a way that removes some aspect of their femininity.

I want to be clear that I do feel like there’s a distinction between people re-designing a feminine character they like or identify with as masculine in order to explore and celebrate their own gender expression, and people who re-design this way because they are under the impression that it makes them more “practical,” or “serious,” that “legitimizes” their pro-active role in a story. Masculine women and non-binary individuals deserve cultural representation, and I don’t want to downplay the importance of these types of characters having just as much of a presence. 

That said, ultra-feminine, frilly-dress-wearing women can be few and far between outside of media made for little girls. In our quest to depict girls and women doing things outside of traditional gender roles, we’ve created this underlying idea that feminine = outdated and bad, and that kind of message distances feminine women from being a respected part of the group, as well as denies the experiences of women who rarely get represented as ultra-feminine and thus crave it (black women, for example).

To put that into perspective,  almost every major fairy tale princess in the hit ABC show Once Upon A Time had a sequence or several episodes in which she is depicted dressed in pants, at least some leather armor, and wearing weapons of some kind. Were they not legitimate pro-active characters unless they went adventuring at least once?

And should I even mention the difference in fandom behavior towards Arya Stark vs. Sansa Stark?

It’s possible to give feminine characters “practical” adventuring clothes and designs that also celebrate their femininity. frillier, flowy tops. lace. bows. feminine embroidery. Skirts with slits in them + tights/leggings underneath. Skorts. There’s lots of things you could do. One thing I love about Peach in Super Smash Bros. is that she kicks ass and has fun Martial Arts moves all while wearing her super girly hot pink princess dress. It may not be physically practical, but Peach in Smash Bros. has absolutely zero fucks to give about your preconceived notions of what is acceptable clothing for traditionally masculine activities. 

The same goes for fanfiction and romance novels when a modern character in a historical or fantasy setting refuses to ever wear dresses because she clearly has an internal disdain for femininity and thinks her actions make her more feminist..

[chrissy96trans]

[MAGAZINE INTERVIEW] 170418 JINWOO & SEUNGYOON for CECI May Issue

Another long hiatus that lasted 1 year and 2 months, reorganization from 5 members to 4. Upon its release, WINNER’s third mini album, “FATE NUMBER FOR” wiped out all doubt that surrounded them and recorded first place on the iTunes Charts in 21 different countries. Even now, two weeks since the release, “REALLY REALLY” refuses to drop from the top of the digital charts. We met with the two people who are at the center of all this talk, Kang Seungyoon and Kim Jinwoo of WINNER. We will suppress the urge to share all the details about how they were deeply natural with each other and how the melodies they hummed together matched so well. That is because it is unnecessary to talk about how WINNER is strong like they always have been and the fact that they still have much to show us.

I saw you two at a restaurant the other day. It was the day after the release of your album and the music videos for “FOOL” and “REALLY REALLY”.

JINWOO

Really?

SEUNGYOON

Oh, that was the day we went to eat nasigoreng and pasta!

It was fascinating. Your songs swept the charts and your music videos recorded ten million views in a day but you guys were eating lunch as if it was just another ordinary day. How did you feel?

JINWOO

The amount of attention and love we received for our debut album was unusual for a rookie group. We experienced many different things after that and after a long hiatus, we’re receiving so much love with our comeback so the greatest feeling we have right now is gratefulness.

SEUNGYOON

Oh, could you wait a second? Song Mino just video-called me saying that he wants to be interviewed with us. Hello? Hello? Oh, I can’t hear him well so I’ll hang up.

(Laughing) Is it really Mino?

SEUNGYOON

I just hung up (laughing) Like Jinwoo-hyung said, we received a lot of love with “Empty”, which was in our first album. Personally, I think I tried not to have much expectations for this album (FATENUMBERFOR). I put in the effort not to get excited even when our song got first place on the charts because it might drop soon after.

But even after 2 weeks have passed, it is still at the top of the charts. Is that satisfying?

JINWOO

It is very satisfying.

SEUNGYOON

I am a little satisfied? We were in a situation where we had to prove to people that it was possible for us to overcome the unfortunate things that happened to us and I think that’s been proven to some extent. Also, how it does on charts isn’t very important to me. I’m satisfied that our fans are liking our music.

You talked about which song you liked better in your V LIVE, right? I like “REALLY REALLY” a little more than “FOOL”.

JINWOO

Seungyoon made that.

Seungyoon took part in writing lyrics and composing the songs, right? And Jinwoo shouldered more weight as a vocalist. How did you feel when you listened to the songs for the first time?

JINWOO

Seungyoon usually sings the guide. He knows the color of our group and the vocal tones of the members so he makes songs that suit those things. Seungyoon took a large part in bringing a song that matches my voice well. I practiced and thought about how I should sing it but it feels like I didn’t need to prepare something more than my usual singing voice.

(Laughs) Aren’t you being too thankful to Seungyoon?

SEUNGYOON

I think the reason why “REALLY REALLY” is doing well is because all the members shine in it. For a group to get known by many people and to receive love, it is important for one member to really pull in the attention but the whole group getting shown is also important. I felt that this song could spotlight Jinwoo-hyung so I purposely put a lot of emphasis on Jinwoo-hyung’s parts. When someone thinks, “This person’s voice is pretty good,” then they can comfortably listen to the song while enjoying that vocalist.

Thanks to the start of the song, Jinwoo has also been called the “Where Are You Man” so it seems like what Seungyoon wanted is coming true.

SEUNGYOON

I’m personally very happy because Jinwoo-hyung’s voice tone and singing method and his other styles balance the song.

“REALLY REALLY” is a feel-good love song because it is really honest. Have you ever taken the step forward to honestly confess your feelings like the song?

JINWOO

I did have a time when I was innocent.

Do you think honestly confessing to someone would be difficult now?

JINWOO

No, I think I’ll always be like that…

SEUNGYOON

I didn’t write my experiences into the song. I just wanted to write the feelings I felt when I was very young. In a vague context. If you look at the lyrics, it doesn’t sound like a love story between adults. It has the vibes of a middle school student in a shoujou manga saying, “Where are you? I came because I missed you so come outside.” I purposely did not include the words, “I love you” in the lyrics. It’s not about loving someone, it’s about liking them.

Because you didn’t use strong words, it became a more lighthearted and innocent love song.

SEUNGYOON

It is also my style. I’m straightforward on a daily basis but when I’m confessing my feelings to someone, instead of saying, “I love you”, I say, “I like you” like a tsundere.

So it’s something like, “I love… I love… No, I like you”. On the other hand, “FOOL” is a breakup song. Excluding dating, what is the most regretful thing you have done?

SEUNGYOON

Hmm. You can say that we were at fault for our long hiatus after releasing our second album, “EXIT:E”. That is regretful to me. When I think about our fans who waited for such a long time, I become more regretful about that. I feel like I should’ve worked harder to do something. When I think about it now, I might’ve been blinded by the overwhelming response we got with our first album.

JINWOO

I regret small things. For example, if I had worked harder and studied a foreign language or learned how to play an instrument when we debuted, I would be really good at it now. I regret how I started learning how to play the drums but that has fizzled out now.

You learned the drums? Why?

JINWOO

There were no special reasons at first. But while I was learning it, I relieved stressed with it and my sense of rhythm improved too.

Talking about instruments reminds me about Seungyoon’s guitar. You were always with your guitar when you were on “Superstar K2”. What about now?

SEUNGYOON

I always have my guitars in my room but it’s been awhile since I properly played them. There is a preconceived notion that playing the guitar means that the person does rock or acoustic music. Because of that, I felt that WINNER’s music was getting discolored by me. It’s possible for people to think, “Kang Seungyoon probably does this kind of music. He plays the guitar so he probably can’t do that kind of music.” I wanted to avoid those kinds of obstacles when I’m promoting as WINNER. It is not like I didn’t practice at all but in the past year, I haven’t purposely used my guitar.

There are many people who look forward to your solo activities. Is the music you are working on right now going to influence solo activities?

SEUNGYOON

I think there will be some influence to an extent. Acoustic and rock music will not be completely gone. That type of music is one of the fields I can do. However, once WINNER solidifies as a group more, if I receive the opportunity for a solo album, I have an indefinite wish to title it, “Everything You Want” and include hip-hop, jazz, ballad, rock, and dance songs. I want to make an album that contains all kinds of music so that I can enjoy it, as the person making it, and so that people who listen to my album can enjoy it too.

Both of you are members who act. Jinwoo, do you have plans for any solo or acting activities in the future?

JINWOO

Hmm. Firstly, I’m still scared about challenging myself in releasing a solo song. I lack the certainty in knowing what song or style that will suit me best. I do think about continuing my acting. Since I started it, I want to properly work hard in it.

You made an unprecedented decision to perform in the Korea National Contemporary Dance Production of “The Little Prince” last December.

JINWOO

I really wanted to challenge myself in a new experience. When I was spending my days working out, taking lessons, practicing, and wanting to do something other than those things, I received a very good offer. I thought to myself that I needed to work really hard for it. The Seoul Arts Center stage is not a stage where even modern dancers perform on often. I also received a lot of stress because I was worried that I would be told “he’s like an idol”.

You two are part of a company that is known to make the most “hip” content in Korea. There are sub-labels of YG that produce subculture content too. Is there something you find interesting in the mainstream right now?

SEUNGYOON

DPR LIVE. I think he’s cool because he makes his own music, performs alone, produces videos alone, and just makes everything by himself. I also get inspired by what he makes.

JINWOO

I like DPR LIVE too and contemporary dance is fun too. It’s very liberating. I’m not saying this because I was in “The Little Prince”... (Laughing)

There are many WINNER songs that deal with loneliness and empty feelings. It is a universal emotion but are there times when you are more lonely because you are celebrities?

JINWOO & SEUNGYOON

Yes, very often.

JINWOO

It can’t be helped because there are always limitations on what people do every day and where people can go.

SEUNGYOON

I think celebrities are a little different from people who are recognized by others. We are aware that we are people who are recognized by other people, not celebrities. It’s not just about not keeping ourselves from drinking excessively or having harmless hobbies, we can’t easily do anything. In this context, we ended up growing apart from [non-celebrity] friends and the people who we can meet gradually become limited. It’s not like Jinwoo-hyung and I don’t contact our childhood friends at all but because we can’t meet each other comfortably like in the past, it feels like our surroundings are being compressed.

JINWOO

Once that happens, you naturally end up being alone most of the time. Even if I meet someone, it’s usually my members.

On top of that, both of your hometowns are far from Seoul. Jinwoo is from Imjado Island in Sinan and Seungyoon is from Busan. Do you guys like Seoul?

SEUNGYOON

We really love Seoul! There’s so many things to do here.

(Laughs) That’s a relief.

SEUNGYOON

There are many things to do but there’s not many things we can do. But I like shopping and I can do that to my heart’s content. Most of the friends I’ve met while working are in Seoul anyways so I’ve become comfortable with this city. It’s like my home.

JINWOO

There are really not many people on Imjado Island. I like Seoul because there are so many people. But I don’t like how there are many cars too.

You’ve been to many cities [in and out of Korea]. Is there a city you want to live in?

SEUNGYOON

We went to LA recently. Seunghoon-hyung says he wants to live in LA because the weather is nice and it’s relaxing. But if I were to choose between LA and New York, I would live in New York. For now, I like being in a busy place. I feel like if I live in a relaxing place, I would get depression. I think that’s because I don’t have a peace of mind yet.

JINWOO

I want to live in Sokcho. Unlike my hometown which is in the west coast of Korea, the east coast of Korea has really blue seas. When I saw it for the first time, I was really surprised. I thought I was overseas! I want to live in Korea while looking at a clean ocean. I don’t really like busy cities.

Your choice makes sense.

SEUNGYOON

But I still like Seoul best. New York is nice but Seoul is better.

JINWOO

That’s right. I like being in Korea the best.

I’m going to ask a heartwarming question. What are you to each other?

SEUNGYOON

You go first because you’re the hyung.

JINWOO

Hmm… I’ve been with Seungyoon for a long time. I’ve received a lot from Seungyoon but I’ve never directly thanked him before.

Then can you two say thank you to each other while looking into each other’s eyes?

SEUNGYOON

(Laughing)

JINWOO

Thank you, Seungyoon, really! I want to tell my other members thank you too. Hmm. I’m really thankful for them.

SEUNGYOON

I’m also thankful. I get lonely easily and even though we’ll probably live separately in a few years, I feel safe that my family lives with me. Jinwoo-hyung is more special to me because we’ve been together for the longest time.

JINWOO

When I look at Seungyoon, I feel really proud.

SEUNGYOON

Hyung raised me like a parent. When I joined YG, he took care of me a lot.

When Seungyoon joined YG as a trainee, he was already pretty famous but Jinwoo didn’t feel burdened by him?

JINWOO

I thought he would act like he’s all that but he wasn’t like that at all. Almost to the point where I found it fascinating.

SEUNGYOON

I really started from the bottom~

You two are more heartwarming than I expected. It’s a beautiful sight

JINWOO & SEUNGYOON

Thank you!

Translated by @chrissy96_

Scans by @goduandme5 ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

[firefaerie81]

Webtoon Reclist

So I discovered a bunch of webcomics on Line Webtoon recently.  I keep binging things, so here’s a list of recommendations from what I’m up to date on.  Links to the comics themselves are included.

Completed

Always Human - Sunati Raval lives in a world where genetic modification is easy and hip, and she loves changing her look.  Meeting Austen, a girl whose immune system rejects mods, makes Sunati see a new angle of things.  She and Austen are interested in each other, but they only just met, so making this relationship float will take work from both parties.

Girls Have a Blog - Sarah and Tara had a webcomic while they were in art school, but after Webtoon found it years later and asked to feature it, they decided to make a new version on the same premise: the two of them living together and having adventures in art, writing, and adulting.

My Boo - Yuri So can see ghosts, but ever since she was young, she’s made it a point to never let anyone know, not even the ghosts.  No matter what, when someone finds out it becomes a burden for her.  Unfortunately, a careless mistake leads to her moving into a house inhabited by a ghost named Jun Ko.  Yuri’s only able to ignore Jun for so long, and it’s time she finally confronted her personal demons.

Note: My Boo is on Webtoon’s “Daily Pass” system.  The first five episodes are freely available, then every successive episode requires a Daily Pass to unlock for two weeks, of which a user will only get one a day without paying for more.

Oh! Holy - Jamie Oh has had a hard time making friends due to his ability to see ghosts.  The one friend he had, Holy Joo, moved away long ago, abandoning their promise to see the world together.  After that, he gave up on trying to connect with anyone but ghosts.  But after Jamie crosses paths with Holy again in high school, an accident threatens her life, forcing the two to make a deal with a reaper to stay alive.

Orange Marmalade - Mari Baek is a vampire who only wants to live quietly in one place instead of being run out of town every time someone finds out what she is.  Unfortunately, the most popular boy in her school takes a shine to her after her instincts get the better of her in the presence of his strong-smelling blood.  She doesn’t like attention, but maybe a few friends and a boyfriend wouldn’t be so bad.  Assuming, of course, that she can trust them.

Note: Orange Marmalade is on Webtoon’s “Daily Pass” system.  The first seven episodes are freely available, then every successive episode requires a Daily Pass to unlock for two weeks, of which a user will only get one a day without paying for more.

Shard - Shay is a witch on the run from her coven, desperate to keep out of their control and live her own life.  There’s a certain spell she wants to cast, a portal she wants to open, and the missing piece is a virgin.  Her best bet is one of a group of geology nerds she manages to come across, but the trick will be getting him into the ritual before her coven can get their claws back on her.

Super Secret - As far as Emma Ji knows, she’s just very close with her next door neighbors.  But the truth is that her parents signed a Rapunzel-esque contract with this family of supernatural beings after wronging them before Emma was born.  The son of the family, Ryan, developed feelings for Emma over the years, but he’d rather do things on her terms than because of some contract.

unTouchable - Vampires have evolved over the centuries, moving from consuming blood to absorbing energy through touch.  Sia Lee is one such vampire, and Jiho Shin – the best target she’s ever set her sights on – has extreme OCD, so she decides to help him get over it.  Is Sia really going this far just for a meal, or is there actually something to her claim of feelings for Jiho?

Where Tangents Meet - Landon Takahashi was left cynical and bitter by 17 years of people pretending to like him for his money and balking at his geeky hobbies.  Rachelle Fletcher is a year older, yet so sweet and flighty that she blows away all of Landon’s preconceived notions about people.  They grow close quickly, and decide to navigate the foibles of their first serious relationship together.

Ongoing

#Blessed - Joanna is young and frustrated with her love life.  She thinks playing around with a dating app will improve her situation, but things only get worse when a mistaken swipe locks her into a contract with a gaggle of godly beings who all want a chance at dating her.  She has to choose one of them in the end, and they won’t leave her alone, but the rest is in her hands.

Aerial Magic - Wisteria Kemp is a textblind mage who dreams of doing aerial magic professionally.  Her only hope of joining a guild and being officially qualified is an apprenticeship.  Apprentices are a dying practice, so the only person who would take her on lives in a city far away from her town.  Wisteria has to not only learn as much as she can from Cecily, but navigate interacting with Cecily’s son Lachlan and her employees Amal and Killian.

Assassin Roommate - Mags isn’t the most adept in social situations with new people, but she needs a roommate to afford her new place.  She’s read all about the problems of being too close to one’s roommate, so she’s determined to be strictly professional.  And as friendly and gorgeous as her new roommate Kurt is, he could never know about her job as an assassin even if they did get close.

Castle Swimmer - Many of the underwater kingdoms of merfolk have prophecies, but they all have one thing in common: they center around a golden mer called The Beacon arriving and bestowing some boon upon the kingdom.  The shark kingdom is a cursed community, hoping against hope for The Beacon to arrive and fulfill their prophecy… of being killed by their prince to lift the curse.  But what happens when neither prince nor beacon want any of this prophecy burden?

The Croaking - Humanoids with the wings of birds populate an island civilization.  As an Osprey, Ky Cedoc is an unusual recruit at the Roost military academy.  As a Crow, Scra Eldwode is even more unusual.  How perfect, then, that these two misfits are placed as roommates on top of having met right before the semester started.  Well, not so perfect, since Scra is hardly around, sneaking out every night, and there are whispers among the city gangs about something called The Croaking.

Crumbs - Urban fantasy meets easygoing slice of life. Every Friday, Ray makes a trip to her favorite magical bakery, where customers can buy pastries imbued with confidence, inspiration, anything you can imagine.  Every week, Ray walks in and has her favorite flavor: romance.  And one day, the baker’s nephew reaches out to her.

Empyrea - Soul-stealing demons known as keres plague the twelve realms, and only the Aetherborn knights have the power to combat them.  Tristan, otherwise known as Hawk, is a strange knight who refuses to serve a lord.  Kira is a young inventor straining against the expectations of her family.  The two cross paths one night, and their lives begin to change.

Freaking Romance - Zylith is striking out on her own after being thrown out of her parents’ home at age 18.  The only apartment she can afford on her savings was reported by previous tenants to be haunted, which only intrigues Zylith more because of her fondness for the paranormal.  She’s excited to start seeing a boy who seems like a ghost around her apartment, until she and her friend do some digging and find out the last girl who lived there disappeared after seeing him.

I Love Yoo - Yoo Shin-Ae couldn’t care less about romance.  She cares way more about food and making ends meet, and she loudly rejects any sort of advances.  Through a series of shenanigans at a party, Shin-Ae’s life ends up entangled with two boys, one who takes a shine to her immediately and one who’s just as prickly about girls as she is about boys.

Ketchup - Soulmates aren’t necessarily a romantic relationship, but they do have a link that can pass glimpses of the five senses as well as emotions between the pair.  Riley and Kelyn were childhood friends, but right when Riley was figuring out that they were linked, one wrong move destroyed their friendship.  Years later, they’re reunited when Kelyn finally discovers their link.  Kelyn wants to rekindle their old bond, but Riley still carries a grudge from their falling out.

Lackadaisy - In a version of prohibition-era St. Louis populated by anthropomorphic cats, the Lackadaisy speakeasy was once a booming beacon of night life.  But with its owner dead, his widow Mitzi is left with a ragtag handful of employees and not enough booze to go around for her few customers.  Mitzi will be damned before she sees the place her husband built die, and she will do whatever it takes to put Lackadaisy back on top.

Lore Olympus - This modern retelling of the Taking of Persephone sees the mythological Greek gods and heroes in a metropolitan setting.  Persephone is a country mouse at her first big city party, and Aphrodite decides to play a trick on her and grim Hades.  Persephone and Hades end up thoroughly embarrassed, but also oddly enchanted.

Mage & Demon Queen - The demon tower is a gauntlet where adventurers of the highest order test their mettle, but very few make it to the top, where the demon queen Velverosa dwells, and no one has ever managed to kill her.  Many have died trying, respawning back in town to tell the tale.  Malori is a young mage who climbs the tower countless times.  She faces the demon queen over and over, in hopes of wooing her.

Melody of Orange - The Curse of Eve binds soulmates together, not by a love link but by a death link.  When one dies, the other will die in the same manner, no matter the situation.  While love isn’t explicitly part of the curse, soulmates are generally encouraged to be together.  However, when Mikan meets a scary boy she finds to be her soulmate, she wants nothing to do with him.  It’s not for the reasons you might think; it’s Mikan herself who’s carrying an intense guilt that makes her feel unworthy of happiness.

Nothing Special - Callie doesn’t think of herself as anything special, not when there are fairies, demons, and all sorts of magical creatures just beyond a doorway.  A boy from her school disagrees when he’s freaked out by his sudden ability to see spirits and impressed by her knowledge of the supernatural.  Together, they embark on a journey through the spirit world to save Callie’s dad, and maybe learn a little about themselves and each other along the way.

Siren’s Lament - Lyra is a bit of a wallflower, content with her ordinary life, content to run her flower shop and silently pine for her friend Shon while he dates someone else.  But one night, her emotions get the better of her, and she ends up involved in a curse with a siren named Ian.  Ian is the opposite of helpful, and the curse he brought with him is nothing but a burden, but he does challenge Lyra to seize the day and ask for more from her simple life.

Strawberry Seafoam - The Delphic Academy teaches magic to young mermaids who hope to one day become powerful Delphiniums.  Frasei is one such mermaid, eager to follow in her mother’s footsteps, and her life does not at all go according to plan.  Dark forces begin to mobilize around the academy, and Frasei finds herself the only one able to combat them with her newfound unique ability to transform her tail.

Tyran Awakening - Zoe is an average teen living in the not too distant future.  When she picks a fight with some bullies, however, something unbelievable happens.  She survives certain death, and she begins to feel powerful.  Almost like a dragon.  Ancient forces are awakened, and the only one Zoe feels she can trust with all this is her friend (or maybe more) Marthe.

unOrdinary - It’s a given in this world that just about everyone has some kind of superpower.  John Doe is a rare exception, having no ability at all yet somehow going to a school with a high premium on abilities.  He firmly believes that might shouldn’t make right, but it’s only due to his high-tier friend Seraphina that he hasn’t been beaten to death several times over for ignoring the hierarchy in place.  (Warning for repeated use of the word “cripple” to describe John’s lack of powers)

[ygunitedfamily]

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]A[/su_dropcap]nother long hiatus that lasted 1 year and 2 months, reorganization from 5 members to 4. Upon its release, WINNER’s third mini album, “FATE NUMBER FOR” wiped out all doubt that surrounded them and recorded first place on the iTunes Charts in 21 (latest count is 24) different countries.

Even now, two weeks since the release, “REALLY REALLY” refuses to drop from the top of the digital charts. We met with the two people who are at the center of all this talk, Kang Seungyoon and Kim Jinwoo of WINNER. We will suppress the urge to share all the details about how they were deeply natural with each other and how the melodies they hummed together matched so well. That is because it is unnecessary to talk about how WINNER is strong like they always have been and the fact that they still have much to show us.

I saw you two at a restaurant the other day. It was the day after the release of your album and the music videos for “FOOL” and “REALLY REALLY”.

JINWOO: Really?

SEUNGYOON: Oh, that was the day we went to eat nasigoreng and pasta!

It was fascinating. Your songs swept the charts and your music videos recorded ten million views in a day but you guys were eating lunch as if it was just another ordinary day. How did you feel?

JINWOO: The amount of attention and love we received for our debut album was unusual for a rookie group. We experienced many different things after that and after a long hiatus, we’re receiving so much love with our comeback so the greatest feeling we have right now is gratefulness.

SEUNGYOON: Oh, could you wait a second? Song Mino just video-called me saying that he wants to be interviewed with us. Hello? Hello? Oh, I can’t hear him well so I’ll hang up.

(Laughing) Is it really Mino?

SEUNGYOON: I just hung up (laughing) Like Jinwoo-hyung said, we received a lot of love with “Empty”, which was in our first album. Personally, I think I tried not to have much expectations for this album (FATENUMBERFOR). I put in the effort not to get excited even when our song got first place on the charts because it might drop soon after.

But even after 2 weeks have passed, it is still at the top of the charts. Is that satisfying?

JINWOO: It is very satisfying.

SEUNGYOON: I am a little satisfied? We were in a situation where we had to prove to people that it was possible for us to overcome the unfortunate things that happened to us and I think that’s been proven to some extent. Also, how it does on charts isn’t very important to me. I’m satisfied that our fans are liking our music.

You talked about which song you liked better in your V LIVE, right? I like “REALLY REALLY” a little more than “FOOL”.

JINWOO: Seungyoon made that.

Seungyoon took part in writing lyrics and composing the songs, right? And Jinwoo shouldered more weight as a vocalist. How did you feel when you listened to the songs for the first time?

JINWOO: Seungyoon usually sings the guide. He knows the color of our group and the vocal tones of the members so he makes songs that suit those things. Seungyoon took a large part in bringing a song that matches my voice well. I practiced and thought about how I should sing it but it feels like I didn’t need to prepare something more than my usual singing voice.

(Laughs) Aren’t you being too thankful to Seungyoon?

SEUNGYOON: I think the reason why “REALLY REALLY” is doing well is because all the members shine in it. For a group to get known by many people and to receive love, it is important for one member to really pull in the attention but the whole group getting shown is also important. I felt that this song could spotlight Jinwoo-hyung so I purposely put a lot of emphasis on Jinwoo-hyung’s parts. When someone thinks, “This person’s voice is pretty good,” then they can comfortably listen to the song while enjoying that vocalist.

Thanks to the start of the song, Jinwoo has also been called the “Where Are You Man” so it seems like what Seungyoon wanted is coming true.

SEUNGYOON: I’m personally very happy because Jinwoo-hyung’s voice tone and singing method and his other styles balance the song.

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“REALLY REALLY” is a feel-good love song because it is really honest. Have you ever taken the step forward to honestly confess your feelings like the song?

JINWOO: I did have a time when I was innocent.

Do you think honestly confessing to someone would be difficult now?

JINWOO: No, I think I’ll always be like that…

SEUNGYOON: I didn’t write my experiences into the song. I just wanted to write the feelings I felt when I was very young. In a vague context. If you look at the lyrics, it doesn’t sound like a love story between adults. It has the vibes of a middle school student in a shoujou manga saying, “Where are you? I came because I missed you so come outside.” I purposely did not include the words, “I love you” in the lyrics. It’s not about loving someone, it’s about liking them.

Because you didn’t use strong words, it became a more lighthearted and innocent love song.

SEUNGYOON: It is also my style. I’m straightforward on a daily basis but when I’m confessing my feelings to someone, instead of saying, “I love you”, I say, “I like you” like a tsundere.

So it’s something like, “I love… I love… No, I like you”. On the other hand, “FOOL” is a breakup song. Excluding dating, what is the most regretful thing you have done?

SEUNGYOON: Hmm. You can say that we were at fault for our long hiatus after releasing our second album, “EXIT:E”. That is regretful to me. When I think about our fans who waited for such a long time, I become more regretful about that. I feel like I should’ve worked harder to do something. When I think about it now, I might’ve been blinded by the overwhelming response we got with our first album.

JINWOO: I regret small things. For example, if I had worked harder and studied a foreign language or learned how to play an instrument when we debuted, I would be really good at it now. I regret how I started learning how to play the drums but that has fizzled out now.

You learned the drums? Why?

JINWOO: There were no special reasons at first. But while I was learning it, I relieved stressed with it and my sense of rhythm improved too.

Talking about instruments reminds me about Seungyoon’s guitar. You were always with your guitar when you were on “Superstar K2”. What about now?

SEUNGYOON: I always have my guitars in my room but it’s been awhile since I properly played them. There is a preconceived notion that playing the guitar means that the person does rock or acoustic music. Because of that, I felt that WINNER’s music was getting discolored by me. It’s possible for people to think, “Kang Seungyoon probably does this kind of music. He plays the guitar so he probably can’t do that kind of music.” I wanted to avoid those kinds of obstacles when I’m promoting as WINNER. It is not like I didn’t practice at all but in the past year, I haven’t purposely used my guitar.

There are many people who look forward to your solo activities. Is the music you are working on right now going to influence solo activities?

SEUNGYOON: I think there will be some influence to an extent. Acoustic and rock music will not be completely gone. That type of music is one of the fields I can do. However, once WINNER solidifies as a group more, if I receive the opportunity for a solo album, I have an indefinite wish to title it, “Everything You Want” and include hip-hop, jazz, ballad, rock, and dance songs. I want to make an album that contains all kinds of music so that I can enjoy it, as the person making it, and so that people who listen to my album can enjoy it too.

Both of you are members who act. Jinwoo, do you have plans for any solo or acting activities in the future?

JINWOO: Hmm. Firstly, I’m still scared about challenging myself in releasing a solo song. I lack the certainty in knowing what song or style that will suit me best. I do think about continuing my acting. Since I started it, I want to properly work hard in it.

You made an unprecedented decision to perform in the Korea National Contemporary Dance Production of “The Little Prince” last December.

JINWOO: I really wanted to challenge myself in a new experience. When I was spending my days working out, taking lessons, practicing, and wanting to do something other than those things, I received a very good offer. I thought to myself that I needed to work really hard for it. The Seoul Arts Center stage is not a stage where even modern dancers perform on often. I also received a lot of stress because I was worried that I would be told “he’s like an idol”.

You two are part of a company that is known to make the most “hip” content in Korea. There are sub-labels of YG that produce subculture content too. Is there something you find interesting in the mainstream right now?

SEUNGYOON: DPR LIVE. I think he’s cool because he makes his own music, performs alone, produces videos alone, and just makes everything by himself. I also get inspired by what he makes.

JINWOO: I like DPR LIVE too and contemporary dance is fun too. It’s very liberating. I’m not saying this because I was in “The Little Prince”… (Laughing)

There are many WINNER songs that deal with loneliness and empty feelings. It is a universal emotion but are there times when you are more lonely because you are celebrities?

JINWOO & SEUNGYOON: Yes, very often.

JINWOO: It can’t be helped because there are always limitations on what people do every day and where people can go.

SEUNGYOON: I think celebrities are a little different from people who are recognized by others. We are aware that we are people who are recognized by other people, not celebrities. It’s not just about not keeping ourselves from drinking excessively or having harmless hobbies, we can’t easily do anything. In this context, we ended up growing apart from [non-celebrity] friends and the people who we can meet gradually become limited. It’s not like Jinwoo-hyung and I don’t contact our childhood friends at all but because we can’t meet each other comfortably like in the past, it feels like our surroundings are being compressed.

JINWOO: Once that happens, you naturally end up being alone most of the time. Even if I meet someone, it’s usually my members.

On top of that, both of your hometowns are far from Seoul. Jinwoo is from Imjado Island in Sinan and Seungyoon is from Busan. Do you guys like Seoul?

SEUNGYOON: We really love Seoul! There’s so many things to do here.

(Laughs) That’s a relief.

SEUNGYOON: There are many things to do but there’s not many things we can do. But I like shopping and I can do that to my heart’s content. Most of the friends I’ve met while working are in Seoul anyways so I’ve become comfortable with this city. It’s like my home.

JINWOO: There are really not many people on Imjado Island. I like Seoul because there are so many people. But I don’t like how there are many cars too.

You’ve been to many cities [in and out of Korea]. Is there a city you want to live in?

SEUNGYOON: We went to LA recently. Seunghoon-hyung says he wants to live in LA because the weather is nice and it’s relaxing. But if I were to choose between LA and New York, I would live in New York. For now, I like being in a busy place. I feel like if I live in a relaxing place, I would get depression. I think that’s because I don’t have a peace of mind yet.

JINWOO: I want to live in Sokcho. Unlike my hometown which is in the west coast of Korea, the east coast of Korea has really blue seas. When I saw it for the first time, I was really surprised. I thought I was overseas! I want to live in Korea while looking at a clean ocean. I don’t really like busy cities.

Your choice makes sense.

SEUNGYOON: But I still like Seoul best. New York is nice but Seoul is better.

JINWOO: That’s right. I like being in Korea the best.

I’m going to ask a heartwarming question. What are you to each other?

SEUNGYOON: You go first because you’re the hyung.

JINWOO: Hmm… I’ve been with Seungyoon for a long time. I’ve received a lot from Seungyoon but I’ve never directly thanked him before.

Then can you two say thank you to each other while looking into each other’s eyes?

SEUNGYOON: (Laughing)

JINWOO: Thank you, Seungyoon, really! I want to tell my other members thank you too. Hmm. I’m really thankful for them.

SEUNGYOON: I’m also thankful. I get lonely easily and even though we’ll probably live separately in a few years, I feel safe that my family lives with me. Jinwoo-hyung is more special to me because we’ve been together for the longest time.

JINWOO: When I look at Seungyoon, I feel really proud.

SEUNGYOON: Hyung raised me like a parent. When I joined YG, he took care of me a lot.

When Seungyoon joined YG as a trainee, he was already pretty famous but Jinwoo didn’t feel burdened by him?

JINWOO: I thought he would act like he’s all that but he wasn’t like that at all. Almost to the point where I found it fascinating.

SEUNGYOON: I really started from the bottom~

You two are more heartwarming than I expected. It’s a beautiful sight

JINWOO & SEUNGYOON: Thank you!

Translated by @CHRISSY96_| Scans by @GODUANDME5 ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

[INTERVIEW] #WINNER Jinwoo & Yoon Interview for CECI Korea Magazine Another long hiatus that lasted 1 year and 2 months, reorganization from 5 members to 4. Upon its release, WINNER’s third mini album, “

[brown-eyed-wanderer-blog]

Can Museums Be Biased?: A Look at The Benin Plaques and the Sainsbury African Galleries

Nia Dove

Professor Lee Arnold

London Colloquium

27 November 2017

           With around 6 million visitors a year, the British Museum is one of London’s leading tourist attractions. Museums are widely regarded as a place of learning. It seems to place visitors in a place of control as opposed to other institutions such as formal education where students follow a guided curriculum. Visitors can come and go as they please and they can visit any gallery for as long or as short as they want. Like many other museums, the British Museum prides itself in being able to present objects from numerous different cultures. However, some of these items currently have heated controversy concerning their placement in the British Museum. For example, the Greek government has repeatedly called for the repatriation of the Parthenon Marbles. Half of the marbles are on display in London while the other half are on display in Athens. Another case for repatriation are the Benin Plaques that are on display in the Sainsbury African Galleries. These bronze plaques were looted from Benin City in the late 19th century and many Nigerians want them to be returned. In response to the controversy, the British Museum has self-proclaimed itself as a universal museum, meaning that it has the unique position to be able to showcase world artifacts to the highest volume of people because of the large amount of people who visit London and so it makes more sense for these items to remain in London. This proclamation is quite interesting because it not bestowed upon them by an outside force, but rather it was made by the museum itself. Additionally, this supposed status as a universal museum falls short and it only takes a mildly critical eye at most to see that. In this paper, I will explore the Sainsbury African Galleries and the Benin Plaques in order to assess if the two are put on display in a fair and universal way.

           The location and architecture of the Sainsbury African Galleries contradict the promises of universality made by the British Museum. Right above a staircase is a giant sign that says “Africa” with an arrow pointing down. Visitors then descend the staircase and enter the gallery only to be greeted by an extremely dimly lit white cube space. It feels like one is descending into darkness or into a backwards, primitive age. This experience starkly contrasts to the uplifting experience of ascending the staircase to the main entrance of the museum. Having the entire continent of Africa and its plethora of varying cultures, tribes, countries, kingdoms, traditions, religions, and histories lumped down into this cellar-like area really sends a message that each and every visitor is affected by whether they are conscious of it or not. On cannot tell where or when they are in Africa, just that they are in the African Galleries. Furthermore, the items are primarily composed of woodcarving, potter, forged metal, masquerade pieces, brass and bronze casting, personal adornment, and textiles. In her essay “Where is Africa?”, Ruth B. Phillips points out the issues with staging Africa from a viewpoint of material culture. She calls it Eurocentric and old-fashioned; however, the curators of the museum attempt to defend this set-up. “The curators, Christopher Spring, Nigel Barley, and Julie Hudson, have written that this rather startlingly Eurocentric and old-fashioned material culture classification ‘is less arbitrary than it might at first seem, as a whole philosophy often underlies each different material and technology, and this can be used as a means of shedding light on African history and social life’(2001:21)”(Phillips 760). The claim that this set-up educates visitors on African history is far reaching and falls flat. The entire narrative that the British Museum puts forth surrounding the Benin Plaques is overwhelmingly Eurocentric. For example, the description talking about how Britain obtained these bronzes leaves out crucial information that would totally alter a visitor’s perspective on Benin City, the Benin Plaques, and Britain’s history and contact with both. The description tells readers that British forces sacked the city as a “punitive expedition” following a fatal attack on one of their prior expeditions. Phillips notes that there are plenty of flaws in how this history is presented. “In this narrative, the ‘victims’ are white the soldiers are guiltless, the Victorian rationale for the sale and dispersal of the kingdom’s treasures is repeated uncritically, and the tropes of wonder and curiosity are exploited” (Phillips 760). The curators made no mention of the fact that British forces were previously warned not to return to Benin because the Oba (king) was wary of their colonialist desires. It makes no mention of the murdered citizens of Benin but instead, the curators go out of their way to defend the sack of the city and items being sold to “compensate the victims”. The curators’ language is very passive and the truth about the massacre is sugar-coated. To go even further, the description tells visitors how people did not believe that art of this caliber could have come from Africa. “Benin brasswork was totally unknown in the West as it had been confined almost entirely to the royal palace and it so confounded current ideas about Africa that some refused to believe that it could be of exclusively Benin origin”. That is how the Gallery’s historical overview of Benin City ends. It gives the message that the violent acts carried out by the British were justified in the end and that some good came out of the experience.

           The Eurocentric way in which the Benin Plaques are presented are not the only case of a biased perspective in the Sainsbury African Galleries. Many of the pieces on display are accompanied by descriptions that have very similar affects to the above-mentioned influence of placement and architecture. Five such items are an “Ancestral Screen”, “Pair of Door Panels”, “European Swords”, “Two Pots”, and “Whicker Shields”. The ancestral screen of the Kalabari people in the 19th century is discussed in a manner of how European contact with the Kalabari elevated them as a society. “For several centuries, the Kalabari acted as middlemen, importing Europeans goods into the African interior and exporting African produce to the West. Through that contact, they were transformed into a society of competing trading houses containing large numbers of foreigners”. The history of the Kalabari is entirely put into the context of their relationship with Europe. It is no surprise why this item was chosen for display. Each of these displays basically say the same thing in different ways. Visitors go from piece to piece being told “this is an artifact from Africa influenced by Europe, by the way-here is how Europeans massively improved Africa”. Phillips explores the persistence of these types of displays. “Why, in the light of three decades of poststructuralist and postcolonial critique, do these object-centered and objectifying modes of installation continue to retain their exclusive holds on museum display? The answer, I think, is both simple and complicated. It has to do, on one hand, with a profound desire that remains deeply rooted in Western cultures or the experiences of ‘resonance and wonder’ that are produced by the presentation of objects as artifact and art”(Phillips 771). Phillips argues that the reason why the British Museum and other Western museums have such a biased presentation is that historically, Westerners have been captivated by the “other”, but only in a manner by which they feel comfortable. To many, Africa is and always has been a monolithic entity living in the dark ages, practicing primitive magic, and adhering to backwards societal norms. This is what people believe so museums entertain these preconceived notions. In the case of the Sainsbury African Galleries, the British Museum is saying “this is Africa”, but what it really should be saying is “this is how we perceive Africa, this is what we think of Africa, and this is how much worth we attribute to Africa”.

           Engaging with this concept of a universal museum has shed light on the fact that museums absolutely can be as biased as formal educational systems. Museums have agendas and depending on the agenda, visitors leave feeling one way or another. In the case of the Sainsbury Africa Galleries, the British Museum constructs a devalued outlook on a continent that has been devastatingly looted and colonized by Britain. Britain gained mass amounts of wealth from its contact with Africa, yet all the Sainsbury African Galleries portray is how apparently Africa was enhanced by its contact with Britain. The narrative is completely one-sided. There does seem to be an attempt to correct the issue in the form of a YouTube video on the British Museum’s YouTube profile. It is a spoken word piece by George the Poet and in the video, he personifies the Benin Plaques and narrates a more truthful history. It is a narrative that should be in the gallery itself seeing that the views that this video has numbers at 8,782 while last year the British Museum had over 6 million visitors. This clearly puts the museum at a unique position in which there is still an advantage over online resources. This narrative would better be heard if it were actually in the museum itself. The British Museum’s grand promise to serve as a universal museum falls hopelessly short. Not only does it fall short, but it is also adding to damaging stereotypes about Africa that still negatively impacts Africans and the African diaspora in this current day and age.

  Works Cited

Ruth B. Phillips “Where is ‘Africa’?: Re-viewing Art and Artifact in the Age of Globalization”