#this is the one i randomly selected

[deanofsam]

i don’t care for this destiel fellow and u may quote me on that

[beaft]

i must admit, the "man or bear" debate is confusing to me. i have been hiking in the woods several times. on all of those occasions there have been other people in the woods with me, some of whom were men. i would have felt significantly less safe hiking in those same woods if i thought there were bears around. is this hypothetical man in the woods just some random guy, or does he have ill intent towards me specifically? i feel like i'm misunderstanding something.

[telekitnetic-art]

Art fight attack on ChaoticEchoes of her character, Archipelago! 🐉🏝️

Formline dragons are really fun, I've found.

[valentjin]

this is just what being friends with me is like unfortunately

[sisaloofafump]

I read Superman: Secret Identity today by Kurt Busiek and illustrated by Stuart Immonen. It is incredible, hands down one of the best alternate universe stories I’ve read. It is a beautiful slow exploration of centre stones of Superhero personal fears: facing the decision of whether to hide one’s powers or go to the press; of the dangers of the government and how to live amongst humanity rather than separate from it; whether and how to raise children and keep your family safe; and how to age and retire. Each aspect is thorough and presented in beautiful prose and illustration. If you’re interested in superhero studies or superman-specific character work, this is mandatory reading. It is really great.

The thing is? It’s not about Clark. Or at least, not as we know him. It’s about a kid in Kansas named Clark Kent who lives in a world with the same superhero comics as us, that for all intense and purposes is our world, and this Clark Kent grows up under the shadow and mockery of having the same name as a comic book hero. Then he develops Superman’s powers. It’s inspired by an old one shot in DC Present’s about a superboy of Earth-Prime, if you want to read more of the premise.

Anyway, it’s real great and I cannot recommend it enough to those interested in more contemplative superhero/superman comics.

[umberpath]

Happy tdov! I'm a genderqueer transman and I'm loving my outfit today 🖤

[of-mutts-and-men]

Slowly working on the “get what you get” randomized monster commission spectacular extravaganza thing. Are there anymore monsters I should consider adding to my list 🤔 I feel like I’m missing some obvious ones. These commissions are going to be slightly tailored more towards the things I can write about easily/ enjoy the most so I may not include every single thing out there. (My og commissions you can specify anything you’d like :3)

Werewolf, Alien, Dragon, Naga, Orc, Tentacles, Plant Monster, Demon, Minotaur, Merfolk

[dailydemonspotlight]

Camazotz - Day 63

Race: Raptor

ATMA Avatar of Bat

Alignment: Dark-Law

July 3rd, 2024

I've been playing Digital Devil Saga lately, and combined with my erratic mood swings, what else would be more fitting for today's DDS than a blood-draining bat who leaves those in its wake feeling hollow? This also marks the second demon in a row to originate from South American mythology, though this one is its own can of worms- or, maybe, bucket of blood...? No, that's stupid. Regardless, though, today's Demon of the Day is a curious fellow originating from very specific Mayan cults, and a personal favorite of mine- Guatemala's own lord of the night, patron of giant vampire bats, and a terrifying blood-sucking deity, Camazotz!

A lot relating to Camazotz is hard to dig into, let alone digest- purportedly worshipped as a central deity in ancient Mayan culture, this great-winged bat appears scantly, yet its influence cannot go understated. This is made even more confusing by evident conflation between Camazotz and a completely different concept, that of 'The Camazotz,' a race of giant bats found in the underworld in the Polpol Vuh, a chronicle going into the creation myth of humanity itself in Mayan mythology. As is purported in it, the Camazotz weren't actually a single, unified deity, and instead were an entire separate race of giant bats found in the Mayan afterlife, known as Xibalba.

People also often purport that this race may have been a mythological explanation for the extinct, but then-present giant race of vampire bats called Desmodus draculae. This, of course, makes things a mite more complicated- the death bat may have been conflated with recollections regarding a completely separate bat god that is left unnamed, as there is evidence of worship to a single, unified bat deity in ancient Mayan culture. Camazotz itself is also purported as being a single, great bat spirit in the underworld, not quite a god but still immensely powerful in its own right. And, well, let's get into that.

The main appearance of the Camazotz comes in the Polpol Vuh, as is to be expected, and they have quite an interesting role- in one of the trials the two protagonists, Hunahpu and Xbalanque, have to survive during their expedition into Xibalba, they're challenged with staying the night in Zotzilaha- the House of Bats. The legend tells of how they had hid away within their blowguns to last the night, but eventually, perturbed by the lack of the wings flapping from the bats outside, one of the brothers dared to stick his head out. This is when Camazotz, who was watching, striked. In an instant, the brother was decapitated, and his head used as a ball for the deities to use in their next ballgame. As morbidly hilarious as this story is, it does give us some insight into Camazotz's role- as a spirit of the night, he clearly showed both trickery and strength.

Of course, this origin is hard to pinpoint, and I'm honestly unsure as to if there was a single Camazotz or an entire race of them who were attacking the brothers, as a lot of things surrounding this great vampire bat are frustratingly murky. Of course, as it comes down to a lot of the time with these demon spotlights, a lot is left up in the air due to the loss of primary sources through history, but with the connection to the long-dead Desmodus draculae species of vampire bats, it's possible to come to several interesting conclusions. There are even beliefs that the traditional blood sacrifices that the Mayans were known for were partly inspired by Camazotz, but that's a rabbit hole I'll leave you to dig into.

Now, as for how Camazotz is depicted in the series, the design has grown on me a lot. While originally seeming to just be a giant bat with sickles, the strange, wrapping hands, the ornaments, and the skulls all paint it in a uniquely Mayan light that I'm really quite fond of. Of course, it also appears in Digital Devil Saga, but frankly I'm not quite sure what to make of a lot of ATMA avatars, and Camazotz is no real exception. As much as I love DDS, the avatars definitely need to grow on me a bit more for me to really appreciate them.

Overall, though, the design works wonders, and I really do enjoy it. Too bad the sprite compression in SMT IV makes it almost completely incomprehensible, but... well, alas, that's what happens to games on the 3DS.

[pokeberry5]

I just love ur drawings of Tim smiling, him as Stray, and the video of Tim being all cat like smiling, do you think he and Selina are close (like mother and son)? Also are you okay with fanfics based off ur drawings?

thank you!!! i'm very fond of kitty tim so im glad you like him too :)

to be honest, i don't see tim and selina as very close, unless im reading a fanfic where that's the specific setup--i do enjoy that trope

i actually like the dynamic i've seen a little of in the comics (i'm thinking of batman: contagion), where tim is willing to work with catwoman but is still wary of her, while selina is fondly contemptuous of the new little robin. i like tim as the annoying but earnest kid who still manages to grow on people. like mold <3

and yes! i'm ok with fanfic based on my drawings as long as you link back to the original piece (and maybe let me know if you're comfortable with that :])

[tetzoro]

going to a wild west murder mystery party tonight >:3

[ameriel]

more art fights!!

dreali belongs to @tipsytech !!

harley and sage belong to kaiballzz on art fight!!

[an-inky-fingered-lass]

i still have SO many feelings about the may & robin storyline, and just robin in general, honestly. like, i will seriously try and write a coherent thing about this at some point, but just. awestruck feels of the Soft Variety. it’s just- things brought full circle in the most gorgeous way. it’s a such a kind story, and it’s one of the most special to me in anything ever, i think. may has lost all hope so many times in so many ways. but she’s spent building so much time building herself back from so many personal ends, and when everything ends she becomes the person who keeps hope. she from not wanting hope she becomes the person that carries that hope for everyone.

robin is so young and has lived through so little and at once so much. more than anyone can fathom. she sees death and destruction behind her eyes all the time but that also makes the only person who sees the possibility of hope, the possibility of something that seems inevitable going differently. a chance for a better world, a better future. and it’s may who takes her in, takes care of her - in so many ways robin represents everything may never thought she could have, could be ever again: a mother. someone who could nurture, protect, love, hope. a source of comfort. unafraid.

You weren’t afraid of what I could do.

may knows what it is to have a hell inside your head. to find a way out, to find the hope, the light. it’s not the same thing, but it IS. robin knew, all her days, that she was safe. may believed in her. may was herself- everything she was, everything her life had made her, and that meant someone who made a little girl feel safe. that meant someone who never gave up hope. she lost so much and she loved even harder and because of THAT- because she believed in a little girl who saw a better world- because of that the world was saved.

AGH.

their exchange in the flashback is one of my favorite bits of dialogue.

may: you tell me your vision of us saving the world.

robin: but I’ve never seen that vision.

may: you will.

i’ve been feeling like I need a break from writing may lately, and have simultaneously been having kind of a hard time with that (in all fairness, i’ve written two frickin novels’ worth of her over the past almost two years and little else… this relates to both points). so. working on giving myself less of a hard time about, um, most things really, but especially ebbing and flowing inspiration. but i really really want to write something for them someday. this story is so, so special to me.

[shirleyjacksonesque]

had the weirdest dream where someone i haven't been friends with since 6th grade was like 'okay everyone, after my birthday party, we're all going on a long winter expedition through negative degree weather led by my mother and will include having to balance on like train tracks suspended 100 ft above frozen water' and everyone else was like yes this is a normal birthday thing to do

[goblin-enjoyer]

*draws something for the first time in a while. “Man I suck at drawing! Maybe go back to being good at it if I draw more!”

*doesn’t draw

*doesn’t draw

*doesn’t draw

*doesn’t draw

*doesn’t draw

*doesn’t draw

*doesn’t draw

*doesn’t draw

*doesn’t draw

*doesn’t draw

“Oh I got a neat idea for a drawing! Surely I have gotten better by now!” Loop post

[stagehunt]

i'm so upset let me talk about my stupid oc right now

[phagodyke]

crimes of the future was sooo much fun actually... not quite on naked lunch level but straight to 2nd in my cronenberg rankings 😏