#with that last panel i was just hoping to get the vibes of Something fantastical happening so yall can find out thr specifics

[chimeofthecomet]

@newsiesminibang24 art piece #1 !!! ta daaaa ✨✨

Building Momentum - @agentsnickers

story link here!! - https://archiveofourown.org/works/55304677/chapters/140300932

lyrics from rises the moon by liana flores !!! ok yall have GOT to read this fic its immortal au its found family its gender and time shenanigans you will get so invested into their livesssss,,, and i had so so much fun with this art i put some fun little details in :D

[chidoroki]

TPN - “Dreams Come True”

What better way to cheer up the TPN fandom after the second season’s final episode than with the special exhibition chapter finally being fully translated. I caught glimpses of a few pages here and there over the past couple months but seeing all the children live happily together in the human world in their own little village that they made close to Emma and Alex warms my heart. Of course I would’ve loved if we got to see more of the GP Resistance (because the anime denied us of them) but following the GF kids around the world as they experience their dreams is fair enough. We started the series alongside them so might as well finish strong with them too. I really loved seeing everyone grow up but no matter how old they get or how much time passes, I’ll probably never get used to seeing Emma without her iconic “63194.” It’s a bittersweet feeling for me, but her smiles bring me so much joy and I’m beyond happy that she accepted everyone into her life as they accepted her without her memories.

I haven’t a clue on how much time passed since everyone found Emma in ch181 to now, but seeing her call out everyone’s names is a little detail that I love so much considering she had no idea who anyone was at first. Trying to remember 60+ names doesn’t seem like an easy task to me. No doubt I was just as shocked as our girl upon learning these mere children bought a goddamn plane! We learn in a couple pages that it’s because of Norman’s company that they can afford it, but still, he’s like 15 or 16 now? He’s still a child! And I’m impressed! Not only at him, but that Oliver and Violet became pilots as well! It’s especially cute when you remember that Lucas gave Oliver a little toy plane during their time at Goldy Pond.

Speaking of GP, is it just me or does Emma’s current outfit resemble her GP one just a little bit? Sure we have no idea what color scheme this one has but come on, the short jacket, the dark shirt and jeans.. just imagine it! Jemima, Yvette, Alicia and Mark remade Gillian’s original GP outfit sometime before the Grace Field Raid arc (ch137 extra page) so I don’t doubt they could’ve done the same for Emma. Of course that’s just me being completely hopeful and missing the Goldy Pond arc to death but yeah! I’m also so happy to see Chris up and moving again! Seeing him wake up briefly in ch181 was nice but this is so much better. I imagine he and Emma have a lot to catch up on in terms of stories, with him being unconscious since ch105 and Emma not remembering anything.

But here we go, the original 15 escapees plus Norman, Phil, Sherry, I believe I saw Carol somewhere and a couple other random kiddos ready to see the entire world. They get to accomplish so much.. and in a single day too I believe? At least that’s what Phil and Alicia say a bit later about everyone’s wishes, but aahh what a lucky bunch. Hell, I’ll say we’re lucky readers too to be able to see such a great story. Can’t thank Shirai and Demizu enough y’all. I wish we got to see more of Alex though. He’s such a kind soul but I’m sure he’ll be just fine staying behind with everyone else.

This entire page where we learn about Norman as a CEO is gold. I still can’t believe this child successfully built up an entire multipurpose company not only to help their search for Emma but also because he didn’t want to live off the Ratri clan. I wish I knew about this last week when writing out Norman’s birthday post because hell yeah this deserves some praise! AND he managed to graduate school as well during all that! Well, by skipping grades which totally makes sense. I mean, if he managed to pass all the Grace Field and Lambda tests effortlessly I’m sure normal human world school was a piece of cake for him. Holy shit dude, keep on impressing me why don’t ya. Not only him but Nigel and Sonya too! I’m not surprised that Vincent helped out but I’m glad those two got a tiny moment to shine as well! Ray is another obvious choice when it comes to helping Norman, as they’re best friends and he’s always been good with machines.. but boy, I can’t take you seriously when you’re just sitting there unamused and eating chips! Hahah I love him so much! And the fact he replies to Norman’s idea with just a simple “kay” is an eternal mood.

Okay boys aside, can we talk about our fabulous girls now? Because oh my god, they’re so darn beautiful! They’re more fashionable than I’ll ever be and it’s so cute how they drag Emma along to take advantage of the 3-for-1 deal. But our girl pulls off that sporty look so well! (r.i.p. goldy pond outfit ver2.0). I’m not at all surprised that Nat wanted to go see the opera. That's perfect for him and I’d like to think the anime did something similar with that one shot we see of him in the human world. We don’t see him in a theater like this but to me it looks like he’s on the streets of Broadway? At least that’s the vibe I get from it. I’m sure there was something music related on one of those signs.

I can’t get over how adorable all the children look and how happy they are fulfilling their wishes, even if some of them aren’t as extravagant as others. Like eating a fluffy pancake and a ton of ice cream? We can do that whenever we want. But for these kids, it means everything and they absolutely deserve to experience such simple joys like that after all the harsh nonsense they’ve been through. I also love how Ray continues to be such a great older brother by still looking out for them too. The fact he remains completely unfazed by the haunted house is perfect. This boy has been haunted by his own nightmares and demons his entire life, there’s no way a couple of lousy jump scares are gonna spook him. Though I do find it funny that Alicia and Rossi still manage to get scared while Yvette is having the time of her life. I can’t help but laugh at Thoma’s “Shirai face” as well.

I find it interesting that out of all the different kinds of exhibits they could’ve shown us while Rossi visits a museum, they give us dinosaurs.. like that seems so silly to me. Y’all have seen several demons in your young lives already and yet dinosaurs manage to amaze you too? God these kids are precious. And then our boy Phil finally gets to see and ride a train! Just look how happy he is! The poor kid can’t even sit still he’s so darn excited and I can’t help but smile with him! Thankfully the anime showed us this too.

We eventually get to Ray’s wish and guys.. oh my fucking god. Tell me that this is not the absolute best and prettiest smile we get to see from him!! It honestly leaves me speechless okay? Ray never imagined he would ever get to see the outside world, let alone live past the age of 12, and yet here he is, seeing such a beautiful sight such as this, right in front of him instead of from inside a book. You can’t believe how happy and proud of him I am right now. Did you see how ecstatic I was when the anime kept Isabella alive? Multiply that feeling by ten and there ya go. That’s my level of happiness upon seeing my favorite boy smile like THAT! AAHHH!! That panel is gonna live rent free in my head until the end of time. I can’t get over how damn perfect it is. His smile is so pure and how he looks like he’s in complete awe is beautiful. He’s about to burst into tears and I swear I might do the same because I’m making myself emotional over this fantastic boy. Someone hold me.

No seriously, hold me because we’re about to get into some angst as we move onto to Emma’s wish. We all know that ever since 2039 her one dream was to ride a giraffe once they got outside, so here we are, about ten years later and the animals in question are within reach. Our girl should be totally excited, right? Ha, not quite.

That wish was something the old Emma wanted, but since demon god had to be such a bastard, this Emma doesn’t know what to think, let alone what to even feel. She hasn’t experienced the same hardships as her family. She hasn’t gone through hell and back while holding onto that one wish that would make all the suffering worth it. The amount of joy everyone else felt upon living out their dreams, she wonders if she would be able to feel it too.

They brought her here to make her happy, but is this truly want she wants as well? This is old Emma’s wish after all. What about her and what she wants? Could this wish make her just as happy as her old self? She knows her family is only trying to help, but seeing her doubt herself does a number on my heart. Even without her memories, she’s still the same Emma deep down, as she doesn’t want to disappoint her family. She spends so much time worrying about living up to her family’s expectations, to try and be that Emma they all love so dearly.

Little does she know that she acts the exact same as usual, almost as if nothing has changed when she finally expresses how much she wants to ride a giraffe. And that’s great considering when they first arrived at the giraffes, no on had even mentioned riding them. She came across that feeling all on her own and everyone else can’t help but laugh and feel relieved. Her mind may have forgotten but her heart remembers everything. There is no “old Emma” and “new Emma” to her family, just “Emma” and words can’t express how wholesome that is because they love her regardless. All that matters to them is Emma’s happiness because if anyone deserves to feel and experience that, it’s her.

I just made myself tear up, damn it. I started this series with season one okay? I heard about this precious girl’s dream within the first minute of the first episode and here I am, a little bit over two years later, finally reading about it coming true and seeing that bright as hell smile on her face. Do you know how amazing it is to come full circle like that? My heart feels so full right now. I’m beyond proud of her and love her to death. Say what you want but I believe this to be the true manga ending in my eyes.

(damn this series for always getting me emotional)

[robinchan-hananomi]

One Piece 1023

I have a lot of thoughts here about the new chapter. There is a lot of things to unpack here!

So first, things I loved! I absolutely loved Zoro and Sanji’s dynamic in this chapter. Yes, the two were bickering a bit but honestly it felt like their comments were more to reassure each other than anything. Zoro immediately noticed that something was wrong with Sanji and Sanji responded honestly, that his body has felt funny ever since using the raid suit a second time. Zoro probes to see just how deep the concern is, asking if Sanji is going to slow him down, and Sanji’s answer seems to reassure him enough that he almost jokes, teasing Sanji about his eyebrows. One the flip side Sanji knows better than almost anyone just what kind of shape Zoro is in right now. They both look out for each other and they tease each other during the start of this fight, but it is mostly them being more like ‘look asshole, I know you’re trying to see what the extent of the damage is but I swear I am fine enough to knock this son of a bitch out’.

And make no mistake, Zoro and Sanji are probably going to have a lot of physical issues after this chapter. Sanji mentions that his body is feeling weird. This could be anything from the raid suit being intentionally designed to hurt Sanji to his body just not being able to cope with the strain the new technology is putting on him. The mink doctor also just reminded Chopper that while Zoro is up now, he won’t be for long and that he doesn't even want to imagine what kind of shape Zoro is going to be at the end of the fight. No matter how Wano shakes out, Zoro and Sanji are going to be hurting and will require some serious rest and TLC.

After Sanji and Zoro face off against King and Queen, we also get a small moment for the opponents to communicate. On Queen and Sanji’s side, Queen talks about how Judge experimented on his children and questions the validity of Sanji’s claim of being completely human since he can light his body on fire. Sanji admits he’s probably just that dramatic. On the other side Zoro notes King’s unorthodox fighting and when King points out there is no need to follow technique and method in combat, Zoro agrees and reminds King there really isn’t anything preventing Zoro from ripping out King’s throat with his teeth.

Now Zoro and Sanji are only able to fight King and Queen in peace due to Hyogoro and Kawamatsu’s efforts. Kawamatsu prevented a Beast Pirate from taking a shot at Zoro and Hyogoro explains that anyone who tries to help either side at this point would just be in the four combatants way. While they watch the fight, they comment about Zoro.

The thing is, Zoro has been connected to the Shimotsuki Clan from the start. Zoro’s hometown is Shimotsuki Village. In the SBS corner, Oda explained that the village was founded about 55 years ago by Shimotsuki Kozaburo, the man who forged Wado Ichimonji and Enma. Kozaburo’s son Koshiro ran the Isshin Dojo, which used the Shimotsuki Clan crest as it’s symbol and Zoro had worn that crest his entire childhood. Koshiro’s daughter Kuina was Zoro’s best friend and rival. Then Zoro met and fought Shimotsuki Ryuma, whose family name was again confirmed in the SBS corner. More on Ryuma in a minute. Ever since Zoro has entered Wano, he has been even more connected to the Shimotsuki Clan. The Clan had two Daimyo’s that we know of, Ushimaru and Yasuie. Zoro has spent a lot of time in Ringo, Ushimaru’s territory, and even combated with Ushimaru’s retainer Onimaru a few times now for Ryuma’s sword Shusui. On the other side Zoro befriended Yasuie and his daughter Toko. While all the strawhats were seen to be fond of Toko and quite a few met Yasuie, Zoro spent the majority of time with him.

Now as for Ryuma. Ever since the Monsters oneshot was tied to the One Piece Manga, fans had noticed the similarities between Zoro and Ryuma. The two look very alike in appearance and they had many similar mannerisms. They also have the connection of sharing a sword, Shusui, and both decapitated a dragon in the air. And now, apparently, Ryuma had lost an eye in his adventures and was known as a one eyed swordsman...which I mean his zombie did have a scar on his face that would have gone over his right eye along with bandages covering his right eye so it’s not really a surprise.

The two citizens of Wano comment that Ushimaru is a direct descendant of Ryuma and note that Zoro has a similar appearance and style of fighting to Ushimaru and by extension Ryuma. Now if this is because Zoro is somehow part of the Shimotsuki Clan (which I actually kind of hope not), or if it is just a coincidence about appearance and the other similarities are because Zoro trained at a dojo from the Shimotsuki Clan is still up in the air. Either way, I really do like the idea of developing Zoro more and I have been waiting for someone, anyone, in the manga to finally notice just how much Zoro seems to be connected to this family.

Anyway, back to the chapter! While Zoro and Sanji keep two of the three calamities busy, we see there is a LOT of other things going on. I’m not going to go in order of the rest of the chapter because I want to organize my thoughts a little.

So first, which is actually the last thing to happen, is Momo is now 28 years old. He has Shinobu turn him into an adult because he can only do so much as an eight year old. It is a fantastic way to follow the panels of the battle that came before it, because we see the samurai are willing to die to bring about an age where Kaido’s reign has ended and Momo’s time can start. They believe that Momo will bring Oden’s will and bring Wano to a wonderful future, they believe it so much that they are willing to die for it. Momo answers that belief by giving up twenty years of his life. Understand while twenty years have passed for everyone else, it hasn’t for Momo. Momo just had Shinobu mature his body by twenty years in order to get stronger, bigger, and be able to take a stand against Kaido. There is going to be a lot of issues in the future with having an eight year old in a twenty eight year old man’s body, but just like Zoro and quite possibly Sanji’s physical health; this is a bridge to cross when we get to it. After all everyone has to survive the battle and win before they can worry about what is next. So now as a much bigger and stronger dragon, Momo and Luffy can go face Kaido together.

On a side note with everyone talking about being ghosts and all, it’s kinda fitting that it is implied that Momo looks like Oden. Now we really will have people think they’re seeing ghosts.

We also have Inu and Neko fighting Jack and Big Mom’s son. These fights are not just about defeating Kaido either. There is an element of revenge to them both. As Inu sends Jack through a wall, he expresses recalls all the pain Jack brought to the people of Zou. Just like Neko talks about Pedro while fighting. And yet the two talk about how everything they lost, all that they suffered through, was all part of the road to get there, now, to bring Kaido and his Beast Pirates to an end. And the two are using their badass Sulong Form.

The last big note for this chapter is Marco’s memory of his discussion with Whitebeard. It is implied that King’s race are the Lunarian, and that King is the last one. They lived up on the Red Line in a long ago past. Marco recalls Whitebeard talking about how it was ‘God’s Land’ which is honestly giving me super Skypeia vibes. What exactly is this God’s Land?

Because we hadn’t talked too much of the Red Line, I for whatever reason, always imagined other people living up there. We knew the Celestial Dragons lived on the Red Line, but because it is like a long continent of linked together islands I just naturally assumed other races and beings lived up there. That doesn't appear to be the case. Which to be fair I am a fool for even thinking that because now that it’s put that way I realize a group so pompous and self important as the Celestial Dragons would never allow anyone so lowly as normal people to live so high in the world as they do. So they enjoy their life in the clouds while driving any peoples and race either off the Red Line or to extinction.

Marco brings up the old conversation to Izo, after the latter saves him for drifting off in a battle, and Izo says Marco sounds like Whitebeard when he was drunk. Whitebeard was part of the Rocks Pirates, the Pirate crew that shook the world to it’s core almost a whole generation before Roger even appeared. Whitebeard has seen some real shit. I wonder just what all Whitebeard knew about the world, and I wonder just how much he tried to impart on his children only for them to think he was drunkenly rambling?

Anyway, it was a fantastic chapter and I am so freaking excited to see where we go next!!!

[rockmiyabideusexmachina]

2021 Megaman Valentine’s Day Contest Results

Among the many things this past year or so has tested us with is delays, and I apologize that this year’s Valentine’s Day contest results are included in that. I certainly did not plan on this taking until March to get completed, and I am sincerely sorry to have kept you all waiting. But hopefully it is all worth the wait!!

Thanks once again to every single one of you who participated! I will be contacting the winners soon enough. Work will probably keep me from replying to everyone immediately, but I will send a message about prizes hopefully within 24 hours.

Also, my thanks to @subzeroiceskater​ for helping out with judging this year. Not to mention the promo pic above and other assorted bonuses that always bring me a big smile. I might say this seemingly every year, but you all made judging this VERY hard. It might have something to do with the themes as well, but I think both of us flipped and rearranged our rankings repeatedly, and even then, it was hard to decide on who would place. XD Each one of you did an amazing job!

After the break, you’ll see the winners for both categories, along with all of the entries. Raffle prize winners will be noted below by their alias, as well.

Category 1: Kiss From a Rosered (Talent)

For our talent category this year, the theme focused on your favorite Megaman characters giving roses to their special someone, along with incorporating the symbolism of specific rose colors within the piece. That rose color was also to be the predominant color within the piece, to the best of your ability.

A grand total of 9 entries were submitted for this category. You can see the full gallery of all entries at full-size [HERE]. Each entrant’s name will also link to their individual pieces at full-size.

1.) Sapphire: *$100 prize*

Subzeroiceskater said:

Oooooh, this is so cute and pink! Piiink~ Ehem. I love the depth, angle, and color grading of these—notice how Roll’s black linework is at the forefront of the pic but colors mixes with the lights and colors from the sun further along the pic. There’s a lot to admire about how everything easy to read with so many competing elements like the similar hues and bright lighting.

Pink roses usually mean a gentler sort of love but did you know that different shades of pink could signify different things as well? A darker shade may mean gratitude; medium shade could be about a first love or congratulations while a light shade may mean admiration. Tron holding a singular pink rose with varying shades of pink while literally tripping over herself and a Servbot could only mean—that this is hilarious.

Miyabi said:

From a technical standpoint, I think your piece clearly felt the most polished, crisp and virtually professional of the bunch. But more than that, I felt it also best gave off the vibe of the rose color dominating the piece, but in very subtle, beautiful ways. Where as the pink sunset causes many of the normally white areas, like Roll’s collar/sleeves, parts of Gustaff, and more, to ooze that pink lighting. Even with her klutziness, you still also portrayed the feeling of sweetness, admiration and appreciation that a pink rose conveys. Just so pretty, calming, and joyful to look at!

2.) Forceway: *$75 prize*

Subzeroiceskater said:

There is a sort of gentle irony with how Skull Man and Shade Man are both robots modeled after horror symbols—skulls and vampires—but are here surrounded by a soft sea of pink roses. The dark night is often depicted as a primal fear because it hides our deepest fears but here—illuminated by the bright shining moon—the night is transformed into a scene of love—perhaps devotion, with how Shade is gently cradling Skull, as well with the church bell in the background. This is a very tender piece mixing the shadows and the sweet.

Miyabi said:

I know most digital art programs have the brushes and shortcuts to make detailing things like roses a lot easier, but your bed of roses certainly look all done by hand on your own, and that alone impressed me a ton! Based off of the Ariga Megamix tale of Skull Man not feeling appreciated or having a family after Cossack stored him away, I felt the pink roses and Shade showing him that he is actually appreciated here was a fantastic conceptual choice. Purples in the sky and Shade’s body split the canvas and contrast with the pink well, including how you used the pink for some of the stars in the sky. Beautiful job!

3.) DigitallyFanged: *$50 prize*

Subzeroiceskater said:

Yellow is a bright color, often evoking the sun, warmth, light, joy and hope. With roses, its positive connotations continue with possible meanings of friendship, care and remembrance. Tabby’s piece seems to evoke the last one the strongest—with Zero, broken and forgotten in a lab—but, not entirely, because of a bond that is stronger than apparent death lives on—even if in this moment, it’s only a memory. Even the roses are not real—just projections of what was once alive. This is fantastic use contrast with the dark, moody blues against the vivid, almost defiant yellows; and the repeated little motifs such as X crying and the water drops falling all over Zero. It stands out from the rest of happy entries with how sad it is but it still manages to be hopeful.

Miyabi said:

Zero’s blonde locks certainly are an iconic part of his design, so playing off of that and focusing on yellow as your rose color fit perfectly. You definitely made this a very emotive piece considering technically, neither of these two are even alive and moving here! As mentioned above, the little details like the water droplets balancing against Cyber Elf X’s tears, the digital lines to make it appear like X has created the cyber-roses for Zero, and Zero’s battle damage caught my eye immediately. You certainly captured the yellow rose symbolism of remembrance and friendly affection beautifully!!

And the rest of the wonderful entries, in alphabetical order by alias:

AbilityField: [Page 1] [Page 2] [Page 3] [Page 4]

*Raffle Prize Winner* Captain N Mega Man Cel

Subzeroiceskater said:

It’s so poetic about how this contest theme is about how the language of flowers is used to communicate feelings beyond just using words; and so, the comic is completely silent, relying on actions to convey its meaning. Yellow roses could mean friendship, care and affection; and it’s shown wonderfully with how Iris and Lan are so thoughtful with one another. It’s so cute how Iris missed Lan only because he was already out buying roses for her. Given how hard comics are to make and how this is fully colored, I really wanted to give this first place—however I felt the color usage of yellow could have been stronger, especially with the last page, where it would have had the most impact. I had to squint and zoom out to even see if the lighting had changed. Still, it’s such a very warm and lovely work.

Miyabi said:

I always appreciate the effort people put into making multiple-page comics for these contests, and this is no exception! Even without dialogue, you did a great job at conveying your story through your art in each panel and it was easily understandable. Another utilizing the yellow rose, I certainly felt the friendship and warmth in your tale. As Subzero mentioned, the only thing keeping it from placing was that the yellow colors weren’t as dominant in other areas of the pic, besides the panel by Sal. Still, your coloring was very crisp and vibrant throughout each page, and it was an awesome submission!

aw-colorcat:

Subzeroiceskater said:

With the red for Metal Man, orange for Cut Man and the explosion of yellow flowers, that’s the trifecta of warm colors. Yellow roses could mean delight and this pic is delightful in all ways. Cut looks so cute practically swimming in the sea of flowers and greenery, as does Metal’s adorable expression—which is a feat since he only shows his eyes. I also really like the juxtaposition and balance of this piece from: the rust-brown car against green-yellow nature running wild, and Metal holding a bouquet meanwhile Cut’s covered with plants. It makes me want to get some fresh air myself!

Miyabi said:

Cut Man looks grateful for being able to ride in that pickup bed of flowers, and I have a feeling the two of them had a wonderful time just snipping and sawing away at all the stems to gather them all. XD Love how the yellow and oranges play off of both character’s color schemes nicely. The subtlety of the yellow flowers in the foreground, along with the sun and tree in the background all play off each other well, too! Just an absolutely cute pic!

Dark-Dullahan: 

Subzeroiceskater said: 

What a fantastic composition. Dark-Dullahan does away with most color, leaving the colors of the mixed-bouquet roses as the main focal point. Classic red for romance, a gentler pink for affection, mixed yellow roses to signify caring and probably so much more—seems like Nana can’t contain her feelings for Massimo. I love how the close up of the bouquet doesn’t just form a kind of heart at the top but serves as the divider between the two, like a diptych. With such a wonderful offering, Massimo would surely accept her feelings.

Miyabi said: 

As you brought to my attention, your mixed bouquet had a few different meanings, such as the dark pink representing thanks to Massimo for saving Nana from Silver Horn, and the red tips on the yellow roses to symbolize falling in love. Certainly got those vibes from her shy demeanor, as she sheepishly tries to hand them to him. Also agree with Subzero that the line from the bouquet nicely works as a way to separate them uniquely with the background. Sorry you weren’t able to complete it as fully as you had hoped, but the concept behind it certainly was strong!

Donnie:

Donnie also sent in an alternate version made during the creative process, in a different artistic style, that I still feel needs to be shared, as well. Fun to see the contrast, yet still have the same feeling and mood to the piece. 

Subzeroiceskater said:

Oh, I adore this one. It reminds me of a movie poster with the tagline. I love the extra PINK flourishes of the letterings like with the Mega Man logo color change and cute pixelated font and heart. Both Rock and Roll’s expressions are so cute, too—with his more subdued smile contrasted with her exuberant grin. Much like how the pink rose could mean many things like thoughtfulness, cheer or as a show of appreciation, this piece is positively sparkling with affection, hearts and all. It’s clever how the sunset is giving the picture an overall pinkish-red hue while having the yellow light as an outline. A darling piece.

Miyabi said:

With pink roses again, I truly liked the additional hue adjustments where you can feel the warmth and see the lighter pink mixed into their skintone, or areas normally of white - from eyes to teeth to the Megaman logo - that have taken on the pink in it’s place. With the painterly watercolor style you used, it all blends in nicely. Even in your earlier version, I feel you brought a strong game with the hues, but toned down the red from that version to make it feel much stronger towards pink, with a tighter crop of your canvas. It was fun to see how it evolved, and strengthened your piece in doing so! Fabulous job!

DragonMarquise:

Subzeroiceskater said:

No better way to show how madly in love you are than a bouquet of roses that run the gamut of—I can’t call these warm colors because these passions are running hot. Orange seems to be the dominant color here—which in roses could symbolize a love that’s passionate, fierce and deep. It’s also expressed nicely with the two lovers embracing, engaged in mid kiss, their bodies also forming a subtle heart shape, to emphasize the flurry of hearts around them. The bouquet is not just orange roses, however, but a mixed bouquet of the classic romantic red and the more affectionate pink—it’s a piece that’s bursting with all degrees of love.

Miyabi said:

You also certainly mastered the limited color pallette challenge as you tackled this piece! Orange, the color of passion, is certainly felt in their deep kiss and embrace. I too caught the heart shape their heads essentially form, which is then further enforced with the heart of hearts behind them. I thought that concept was pulled off very well. Perfect for the fiery intensity of Match, this turned out to be a very hot pic!

Mattasaurs:

Subzeroiceskater said:

This one has a very clever framing (eh? EH?). The color white is often associated with purity, innocence and hope, and with white roses—weddings and marriage. Sonia dons the classic white wedding dress which has a très élégante design—and the little Lyra on her belt is very cute. The pink background is also very romantic and a nice way to tie in with her theme colors. I dig the lovey-dovey feel of Geo doing the classic bridal carry while clasping a single white rose...but seeing the thorns, I think he better watch his hand!

Miyabi said:

For a theme emphasizing color within the pic, I salute you for taking the biggest challenge in choosing white. In many ways, it could have been the hardest to keep as a predominant color, but still make the pic interesting and visually appealing. Choosing to have the petals all around the frame, with the bouquet nearby was a clever touch. With white often used for weddings and new beginnings, I think the concept of your piece worked just right, where it was subtle, but still incorporated enough other color to give the piece some life. 

Category 2: Kawaii-rimi (Humor)

For our humor category this year, the theme focused on your favorite Megaman character gifting the plush form of another Megaman character to their crush, instantly created by a ninja-like character, to play off of the Kawarimi concept from the EXE series. 

With just 3 entries in our humor category this time around, every entrant placed. You can see the full gallery of all entries at full-size [HERE].  Each entrant’s name will also link to their individual pieces at full-size.

1.) Mattasaurs: *$100 prize*

Subzeroiceskater said: 

Y’know how blocks of wood are sometimes used by ninjas when they do that whole body switching thing? I think it’s clever how this pic has Sal—Woodman.exe’s operator—conjuring the doll. Everything about the pic is so fun and colorful: from Sal’s mischievous grin of accomplishment, Miyu being completely shocked by her chibi doppelganger (check out that body language!) and Masa’s confused expression.

Miyabi said:

Yes, while to some, Sal might not be the first one they think of when they think ninja in the Megaman Universe, but I certainly thought she still fits the bill in her design. Usually we don’t see this much emotion or shock out of Miyu, so seeing her torque her body, taken aback at a doll of herself, is amusing in it’s own right. Meanwhile, nothing fazes Masa. And a bit of randomness: oh man, seeing Masa’s head in profile, with his bandana...wow, I never realized how much his head shape with the bandana looks like a fish’s. I can’t unsee it now. Anyways, I also agree that the color, polish, and fun vibe made this a worthy winner!

2.) ColeManX: *$75 prize*

*Raffle Prize Winner* Captain N Cutsman Cel

Subzeroiceskater said:

E-Eyes? What did you mean by that, Mr. RT-55J?  Although judging from the sparkle on those booblights… I understand, Cinnamon—if that happened to me, I’d be making asides to the camera, like I was in “The Office”, too. Cinnamon’s enthusiastic smile with this whole bizarre scene really sells it for me but shoutout to Marino’s smug satisfaction in the background.

Miyabi said:

🎵 I kind of liked it your way How you shyly placed your eyes on me Did you ever know That I had mine on you?🎵

RT says it only has eyes for Cinny right now, but it’s also known to be a little grabby hands, so I don’t know if I’d fully trust it...but good thing this is just a plush version. Time for the tables to be turned, and Cinnamon to get her claws and paws on it, instead. Very cute, although after the DiVE V-Day event, we all know this is a ruse and your pal boobeyes only belongs to the Ferham Fanclub. XD

3.) Ronin-Apprentice: *$50 prize*

Subzeroiceskater said: 

This whole comic is so sweet and fluffy, nya!  ~(=^‥^)ノ☆ It’s adorable how Proto brings up his gift first and the surprise is how Shadow handmade his gift. The little cat-eared Blues design is so darling--almost as cute as him fussing how totally NOT a cat he is. “Did you steal my cat.” had me snorting. Now I’m wondering where Tango went off to…

Miyabi said:

FU-SION-HA! 

Aside from getting his own Super Adaptor, this is probably the closest we’ve got to seeing Tango and Blues merged as one. LOL I’m sure that plush would have a ton of fans wishing it actually existed. The panels where Blues embarrassingly hides behind his scarf and gets pet like a cat had me laughing! Very cute and adorable comic, that certainly had the most depth in terms of the theme of this category!

[thefuzzbuzz]

Hello Friends

It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for! 

My opinions. 

(long post ahead)

I will start off by being honest and confessing. I haven’t kept up with reading the comics. I stopped reading a little over a year ago whenever Kitty became Kate and Gwenpool became a mutant and all that jazz. I dropped off because at that moment the writers started doing something I abhor in comics and that’s changing the foundations of the characters. Granted, I know they fixed a lot of the Kate stuff and gave her a nice revenge point and everything, but it still rubbed me the wrong way. Anyway, I digress. The thing that got me to read Way of X was that it was the first comic update I got that really, really made me go “What the fuck are they doing?”

I’m gonna cover three different things in this post: the state of the comics themselves, Nightcrawler’s character, the religious perspectives of Krakoa. 

As you probably know, people don’t generally like anything that happens in the comics. We’ve been trampling the idea of a mutant utopia for decades now, and my theory on this is that it simply can’t be done. We know that, the writers know that, the Marvel execs know that, and that is precisely why we keep getting them. They know that we’re going to scramble to pick up scraps to love between failed utopias and mass murder. They can give us comics we love to hate, pander to their own little pissing contests, AND have plotline after plotline after plotline to release. Everybody wins(even if it’s massively disproportionate).

The few scenes and moments that I love in the Krakoa story are honestly really warm. The initial scenes of bliss when the first mutants stepped onto Krakoa and Logan was playing with the kids and Jean seemed fine for once. The huge party scene? Amazing. The worldbuilding it took to make Krakoa make a little bit of sense? Amazing. Imagine if they applied this to something that wouldn’t inevitably fall apart. Way of X has it’s good moments too. Seeing Kurt continue to reflect the role of the Soul of The X-Men is always a good time. Seeing more of how resurrection is affecting the mutants and their world view is predictable but well-executed. The art is fantastic, and it doesn’t seem to ever miss any of the designs. The new plotline for the introduction of Onslaught? Equally predictable, and I’m a little excited for it. I’m always down to show how ridiculous Magneto and Xavier are, especially when they’re  working together. But, they always fall short on character representation and how they interact with the plot they’ve chosen, which leads me into my next point:

What are they doing with Nightcrawler? 

I think the overall representation of Kurt(and some other characters) is completely lost on these guys. I don’t think Kurt would ever move towards a “new religion” and their decision to simply make a new religion is really not cool. I think that Kurt consistently is hands-off with most of these things until he has to be involved. He’ll give it his all but someone else has to pull it out of him. Whether it’s love or the greater good or Scott just asking him, he only goes out of his way when people are in danger and no one else is stopping it. Even in the moments he’s died, he understood his role as foot soldier, a disciple, or a supporter. His first death on Krakoa was to help someone else destroy Mother Mold. His first death ever was to save Hope Summers. Another death was to help Bloody Bess. Even in these moments, he sticks to his morals and works to continue to be kind. They mention this several times throughout Way of X #1 and #2. He’s the kindest of them all. 

That being said, his alliance with Legion and the whole issue of the religious aspects of Krakoa are way out of proportion for Kurt’s character. Not only is he abandoning his personal faith, he understands that he would be asking everyone else to adopt a new religion that is missing a lot of aspects that current religion has. Working with Legion simply because he seems to pick out the shitshow of Xavier and Magneto? Are we just ignoring how notably bad he is? Are we just going to kill him repeatedly and hope that he doesn’t get too bad before you noticed he needs to be killed again? Make it make sense, because that doesn’t exactly support the spirituality that Kurt is approaching. 

Religion deals a lot with afterlife, but it also touches so many other parts of creation, conduct, and deities that are meant to drive these two aspects. Way of X looks to afterlife and conduct but leaves out the very supportive parts of religion. It also struggles to address the issue that I don’t think they know they’ve missed. Kurt states that Krakoa houses all of the different belief systems, which is likely as the mutant population grows. While some mutants, like Pixie and Loa, have almost no concern for the spiritual aspects, it’s not up to Kurt to rekindle this. He’s still holding on to whatever beliefs he has. If anything, I think it would be more likely for Kurt to say “God allowed us to resurrect, so we should be graceful with his gifts” or some shit, rather than think he has to find a new way to convince these kids that death is much more than whatever they’re thinking it is. I don’t think Kurt is one to push his religious beliefs to this extent either. He accepts everyone else’s religion to some extent, and everyone else accepts his faiths. 

Way of X’s problems would be more easily solved by drawing everyone back to their own beliefs already. Even if they hold no specific beliefs, it’s not anyone’s position to worry about another person’s beliefs. Essentially, mind your business. We’ve seen resurrection before, hundreds of times, maybe we should work on how murderous and cult-y the whole island is before we do something like convert everyone to a mutant religion. Maybe we should just check in on Magneto and Xavier. They’ve got bad vibes.  

There’s also one last thing I would like to touch on from the comic and it’s this specific panel: 

There’s layers in this one. For context, it’s Xavier asking Kurt to go find out wtf Legion is doing and he says “I have been an abysmal father” but it’s layered over a scene of Kurt praying. There’s so much to interpret from this one and I’m kinda stuck on what we’re supposed to draw from it. Are they alluding to God being an abysmal father? Is Xavier admitting to being an abysmal father to David? Is Xavier hinting at himself being a terrible “God-like” figure to Krakoa’s inhabitants? Is it all three? Probably, but it’s more likely that the writers didn’t even know what they wanted to imply here. 

To wrap up: They’re dong some good shit, and they’re doing some bad shit. I’m not excited to see where the mutant religion goes; it’s a terrible plotline and story idea. The Onslaught situation seems like it’ll be a little fun. I have hopes for it. 

[uzumaki-rebellion]

Forty-Seven G [Part 2 of 3]

"Hot thing, barely twenty-one

Hot thing, looking for big fun

Hot thing, what's your fantasy?

Hot thing, do you want to play with me?"

Prince – "Hot Thing"

Summary: Erik Killmonger runs into his favorite flight attendant again. Payback is not always a bitch...

Mature Content.  Smut. 

Fa'aana stood in the aisle of the business class section of the plane watching passengers board at a snail's pace. She scratched the back of her neck while keeping an eye out for people who needed help.

The last few days had been a breeze with the flight team she was working with. Mark, Mavis, Lucy, and herself were in sync and had the uncanny ability to anticipate what they all needed from each other at any given moment. The long haul they were about to embark on from Italy back to Atlanta was going to be packed. When she checked the passenger manifest, there were only about seven open seats available.

She and Mark were able to catch a fantastic brunch at the hotel they stayed overnight in while on a layover in Rome. Munching on a croissant with a thick smothering of Nutella and the best espresso ever, she detailed the birthday dinner she had with Hugh back in the states.

Mark didn't seem impressed, and after sharing the deets, she realized it was a pretty poor date. They visited the Atlanta aquarium first because she loved the place, but Hugh gave off bored vibes so they left early. The restaurant he made reservations for had pretty bland food despite the expensive menu and all the hype she had heard about it. The strip club he took her to afterward that she was excited about going to wasn't as impressive as she had hoped. The exotic dancers were athletic and did amazing things on the pole, but all the music sounded the same and all the women looked cut from the same cloth: Ultra-colorful wigs. Overly injected ass cheeks and breasts augmented into unnatural sizes and shapes that looked uncomfortable. Plus, all the bored facial expressions.

She wanted a sexy good time that would lead to some amazing sex with Hugh, but instead, he served her mediocre peen. Bad food, bad company, and bad sex. Ugh.

The only highlight of her birthday was finding herself on the lap of a stranger getting fingered on the back of the plane almost a week ago. Forty-Seven G. Erik from Oakland. Thinking of him made her nipples perk up. She hadn't cum like that since…wow, when had she ever cum like that? It was explosive. Primal. It felt like he was introducing her to her own vagina for the first time.

She sighed thinking about him.

After he made her cum, she had to go into the lavatory and change her panties from the fresh pack she had in her carry-on stored in the galley. She wanted to reciprocate the pleasure back to him, but Mark had woken up and they had to prep for the breakfast run before landing and serve a few early coffees and juices. She felt bad because his erection was something she wanted to see and touch.

Before Erik left the plane, she had given him her number because he had promised to send her a picture of himself at the wedding he was attending. Two days later, as promised, a number she didn't recognize popped up on her phone with two attachments. One was a picture of Erik smiling with a bride and groom, and the other was a candid shot of Erik straightening his bow tie.

He was disgustingly photogenic, and she wished she had never asked for a picture because now she would be stuck with a memory of a man she would never see again. He knew how to wear a tux, and he knew how to serve face for the camera. And those damn dimples. Yummy.

She texted the number back thanking him for the picture and she was so glad that she hadn't sent anything else beyond that message because the response she got back was not from Erik, but from a woman who said he asked her to send the pictures. So much for that. He didn't want her to have his number apparently.

She did catch herself staring at the pictures every now and then, and then she would get a shiver up her spine thinking of his lips and his fingers…

"If there are some open seats available, do you think I could move to one of them?"

Fa'aana was broken from her thoughts of Erik and found herself staring into the eyes of a pink-faced older man who seemed disgusted that he had to sit next to a couple with a small child that looked to be about five.

"Once everyone is seated and we know our final headcount, I will let you know," she said.

"Thank you," he said glaring at the couple.

She was tempted to ignore him and pretend they were full even if they weren't. The child had been nothing but quiet and polite since she was placed in her seat. Some people just hated children for no reason.

Fa'aana saw Lucy waving to her from the first-class section. She made her way up the aisle to see what Lucy needed.

"Do you mind taking this and storing it in the back? All the bins up here are filled up."

"No, problem," Fa'aana said grabbing a small roller bag.

The hairs on her neck stood up when she saw Erik walk aboard. The same round black shades, a magenta jacket over a white t-shirt and gray jeans, and that same swagger. He was with a light-skinned Black woman and a white man waiting to head into the first-class section.

"Fa'anna, one more small bag, please. Thanks," Lucy said.

Erik turned his head when he heard her name. She couldn't see his eyes behind the dark frames. There was no hint of recognition really, not even a smile. He heard her name, turned to look at her and then kept it moving up into first.

Oh, it's like that?

Fa'aana headed to the rear of the plane with the bags feeling a bit vexed. The least he could've done was given a head nod or even a "W'sup." Nothing. Nada. Zilch. A cursory glance and then he was stepping. That's why she didn't fuck with young dudes. That man had played all up in her pussy, watched her face and thighs have an intense orgasm too, and he walked by her like he didn't know her.

Well. Be honest. He didn't know her. He probably didn't expect to see her again either. And if the roles were reversed, what would she say to him?

Let it be.

Fa'aana found space for the bags and went back to Lucy to inform her of the aisle numbers so the passengers would know where to retrieve them. She saw the back of Erik's head in first-class. He was seated next to the light-skinned woman who was having a heated conversation with the white man who came with them and was seated behind them.

"My oh my," Lucy said giving Fa'aana a look.

"What's up?"

"A little lovers spat," Lucy said glancing back over at Erik and his companions.

"The Black guy and woman—"

"No. The woman next to him is with the white guy behind her. She made the Black guy switch seats with the white guy."

Fa'aana saw Erik talking to the woman and she was shaking her head and pointing her finger at the man behind her. It was difficult to hear anything from them clearly, but it sounded like Erik was saying "Not my problem."

"Hopefully they simmer down soon," Lucy said.

Fa'aana nodded, but her eyes were still on Erik's face. Mark strolled up to them.

"So we have seven open seats available, three in the back, and four in business," he said.

"Be discreet, but if two of you want to fill in the seats in the back, do it," Lucy said.

"Cool," Fa'aana said taking one last look at Erik, then heading back to her station.

Turbulence.

They hit some on the way out of Italy and had to endure more as they passed over France. Fa'aana and the other flight attendants had to wait to do snack and beverage runs. By the time they were halfway over France, the airstream was smooth again.

They made swift work of giving out snacks and libations. She moved the pink-faced complainer to another seat and helped an elderly passenger up to the business class restroom and back. By the time the dinner run was complete two hours later and cleaned up, she was able to kick back for a moment and rub her feet. She snagged an empty aisle seat in fifty-seven G but had to keep getting up for some wine thirsty passengers.

She was mixing a Bloody Mary when she heard a soft "Hey."

Glancing up she saw Erik leaning against a panel next to one of the lavatories. Dark glasses off, his face looked soft and open. She stared at him for a moment.

"Just a sec," she said moving past him to deliver the drink in her hand.

She felt her heart do a little double time. When she turned to walk back to the galley, he was watching her approach. She stepped past him and moved further into the galley. Mavis was in a seat in business class and Mark was sitting on the other side in seat fifty-two A. She had the galley to herself. Normally she would tell passengers they couldn't be near the galley. But this was different.

"Thanks for the pictures," she said trying to figure out the best opening.

"The wedding was great," he said.

Standing near him was so different than when they had been sitting next to each other, and when she had been sprawled across his lap. He towered over her…

"When you came aboard, I thought you didn't recognize me," she said, "is it the hair?"

She twirled a finger into her thick twist out hairstyle.

"Nah, I wouldn't forget you, trust," he drawled out, "I was just caught up with some drama."

"That's what I hear," she said.

"Whatchu hear?"

"The woman you were with seemed upset about something. You had to switch seats."

"Yeah, Chloe. My Ex."

"Who is the guy with you two?"

"Her boyfriend."

"What? Oh, I need to hear this," she said. She gave him a friendly smile. He moved in closer so that he was no longer near the two lavatories. She could really feel his height now. The vibratory hum of the plane masked their conversation.

"Nah, this shit is boring—"

"To you maybe. You go to friend's wedding and your ex-Girlfriend is there with her current boyfriend…and now the three of you are bosom buddies riding in first-class together. Yeah, total dullsville."

He laughed.

"Ain't no bosom buddies—"

"Speak then. How long ago has she been your Ex?"

"A year—"

"Wait, how old is she?"

"Twenty-four."

"How old is he?"

"Thirty."

"So, what happened?"

"First of all, it wasn't a surprise that she was going to be at this wedding. My boy already let me know that she was going to be there with her new man. She and I been cool for a minute, so it wasn't like shit was going to pop off when we saw each other. She introduced me to her man and everything was cool breezy y'know, mellow and shit. Wedding was dope as hell. But I notice that her man is making these reckless comments about her that I don't think is cool. Like he's saying shit to try and fit in because the majority of the people there are Black—"

"What was he saying?"

"Dumb shit not even worth repeating. So I pull her aside and tell her that I think her man is only with her because she's Black, but the type of Black that white guys like—"

"Which is?"

"Ambiguous Black women. Light bright, wavy hair…but this dude has a thing for big asses too….which I can understand…but still, I was getting fetish vibes. She and I have always been 100 with one another so I felt comfortable giving her my opinion. She didn't believe me so I just let it go."

His voice was getting heated telling the story. His facial expressions were interesting to watch.

"We're all doing the wedding party stuff and having a good time for four days. But then last night, she gets drunk and they start arguing over some personal shit, and my name gets thrown in there and he accuses her of wanting to sleep with me. I have no interest in her whatsoever. She's an Ex for a hella good reason…"

He shook his head.

"You don't need to hear all this boring ass shit. They got issues and I'm not going back up there until they go to sleep or something."

"You better go back up there and enjoy your first class—"

"I didn't pay for that. She upgraded my ticket, and that just added fuel to the fire. I was hoping to eat my fancy food and mind my business, but they kept at it."

"You can't stand for seven hours."

"Any open seats back here?"

"There's an aisle seat that's open. There's a man in the window seat—"

"Show me," he said.

She moved past him and pointed out the aisle seat that she had vacated.

"Yo, my man, you want to switch seats? You can have my first-class spot."

The passenger who had been trying to get comfortable against the window looked shocked.

"Are you serious?" he asked.

Erik handed him his first-class ticket receipt. Fa'aana nodded to the passenger.

"Wow, thanks a lot buddy," the man said as he stood up and took the ticket stub.

"Enjoy," Erik said.

"That was nice of you," she said.

"Be right back, I need to get my computer bag."

She watched him walk the long trek up to first-class. A passenger requested her assistance and she tended to them, bringing another blanket and a bottle of water.

She was making herself a cup of tea when Erik slipped back into the galley to stand near her.

"All good?"

"They sleep. Didn't even see me leave."

"Nice."

"How was your birthday dinner with your boyfriend?"

"Trash."

He laughed and she laughed with him. She ran it down for him without mention of the bad sex and he shook his head.

"You went to the wrong strip club, Ma. I know some places down there you should go to."

"You going to take me?"

"Next time I roll through."

"Hit me up then."

She waited to see how he would react to that.

"I got your number, girl."

"Alright. We'll see," she said.

She turned and sprinkled a sugar packet into her tea and she felt him get close behind her, his body heat radiating into her back. He leaned down to her ear.

"I ain't forgot about the last time I saw you," he whispered.

She closed her eyes and put down the tea. Sweet cornrowed Jesus.

"Erik, I'm working."

"You were working last time too—"

"Erik!"

He jerked back from her when he heard the shrill female voice.

"Chloe," he said stepping out of the galley and back into the aisle.

Fa'aana ducked her head out and sipped on her tea. Chloe's face was flush, her lank dark hair swept to one side of her left shoulder. Her thick lips were curled up into a scowl.

"You just let some strange man come sit next to me?" she hissed to Erik.

He pulled her closer to the lavatories and the galley.

"I'm not tryna hear your bullshit, Chloe. I said what I had to say and I'm done—"

"No, we're not done. Come back to the front—"

"Nah—"

Chloe clutched at Erik's arm.

Fa'aana stepped forward using her trained de-escalation voice.

"Ma'am, I'm going to need for you to go take your seat."

"You just mind your damn business. Go serve some coffee or something," Chloe said with a clipped voice.

"Don't talk to Fa'aana like that—"

"You know this bitch?" Chloe said stepping toward Fa'aana like she was ready to throw hands.

Fa'aana felt her neck tilt.

This heffa could catch some hands…

Erik stepped in front of Chloe.

"Take your ass back to your seat."

Fa'aana and Chloe both heard the rumble in his voice. It made Chloe's face switch up real quick and Fa'aana's knees quake.

"Erik, baby, I just want to talk…"

Chloe's tone had shifted. Coquettish. Soft. Pacifying. She was trying to wrap him around her finger. Fa'aana wanted him to wrap his hand around her own throat and choke her slowly while talking forcefully like that again. She imagined him bending her over—

Erik's eyes swept back to look at her.

"Sorry about this," he said. His face looked tired like he had been dealing with Chloe and her boyfriend all day and he was just weary of it. A passenger light signal went off and Fa'aana was happy for the distraction.

"I'll need you both to return to your seats please," she said in her professional voice. She left them to go tend to the service call.

A woman with a French accent wanted water for some aspirin she was taking. Fa'aana went to retrieve it and across the aisle, she saw Erik walking back to first-class with Chloe.

Sitting in the aisle seat, Fa'aana started a game of Blackjack on the vid screen in front of her. The cabin had quieted down and she could finally rest her feet after completing several walk-throughs checking on passengers. Most were asleep or trying to sleep.

"Mind if I sit in my seat?"

Erik watched her face as her finger lingered on the vid screen. She started to scoot over.

"I want the window," he said.

She stood up and let him haul his body over to the window. He took off his jacket and sat it on his lap.

"Sorry about that Chloe shit," he said.

"Already forgotten," she said starting a new game on the vid screen.

He reached for her hand on the screen and held it.

"Nah, for real. That wasn't cool."

"So that's the type of women you go for?"

"Chloe is a little hot-headed—"

"Entitled—"

"That too sometimes."

"What did you ever see in her?"

"She's fine—"

"Typical—"

"Typical? Men like fine women. Physical beauty is what we see first. Straight up."

Fa'aana rolled her eyes.

"Women do it too. Don't act like y'all don't check for fine niggas," he said.

"Why did you break up with her? That sparkling personality of hers didn't keep your interest?"

Erik's eyes dropped to his hands.

"She's looking for a husband, picket fence, kids, all that rah rah. I felt like she was grooming me to take home to her parents. I'm too young for all that. I got shit to do and I have my own timetable for how I want my life to proceed. She didn't respect that. Got a little pushy so I bounced."

"What's your timetable?"

"Finish grad school. Then I'm going into the Navy. Become a Seal—"

"Wait, grad school and then the Navy? You don't strike me as a military man."

"I graduated from Annapolis before going to M.I.T. Been training for this life for a minute."

His eyes were so focused when he talked about his plans. She noticed a silver chain around his neck with a heavy and expensive-looking silver-black ring on it. She reached out and touched it and his hand shot out to pull it away from her.

"Sorry. I should've asked to touch it. It's beautiful."

His hand released her hand and she turned the ring with her fingers.

"It belonged to my father. He was killed when I was younger."

"Sorry to hear that, Erik. What language is this writing on it?"

"Wakandan. East Africa. My father was from there."

His demeanor became somber. This was something painful for him. She released the necklace and he tucked it inside of his shirt. They were silent together for a moment. She stepped away from her seat to go check the galley and to see if any passengers made any service calls. There were none and hadn't been any for a long time. The people in front of them and across from them were knocked out with headphones on and movies playing.

Back at the seat, Erik had fired up his own game. When she plopped down next to him, he seemed more cheerful.

"I didn't think I would run into you again," he said.

"Me neither, but there was always the small chance."

"You were hoping to see me, huh?"

Her lips curled up in a sly smile.

"You can admit it. I wanted to see you again myself. You been on my mind the whole time I was in Rome…"

She felt herself getting warm again. His voice was low and he was giving her bedroom eyes that she couldn't resist. He lifted up the middle armrests.

"C'mere," he said reaching for her.

"Erik, there are too many people—"

"Give me those pretty lips, girl…"

Her body ignored her brain, and she was scooting over to him and giving up her mouth freely.

"Hmmm, you taste so sweet," he said. He sucked on her tongue, the cranberry and apple tea was still strong on her breath. His right hand reached up and touched her blouse, his fingers feeling for her left breast. He tweaked her nipple and then his whole hand squeezed her plum-sized breast. He released her lips from his and his forehead pressed against hers.

"Open this up," he breathed out to her.

She didn't move.

"We're good, no one is paying attention. I want to touch you. Let me touch you," he whispered. His full lips were taunting her. He was nothing but trouble. Good trouble.

She allowed her fingers to open only four buttons, just enough to let him get his hand inside. He opened a fifth button himself and thrust his warm hand down on her. The thin silk of her bra cup was forced aside so that his fingers found her pebbled nipple. He pinched it and she gasped.

"Erik…"

His fingers went to her other nipple and plucked at it. His mouth found hers again and he pulled her closer to his side. He tongued her down until her toes had curled and uncurled several times. He released her lips and she felt breathless. His hand reached under his jacket.

"You owe me," he said. She saw him tugging on himself under the jacket. She squirmed in her seat, her hips rotating slowly from need. He pushed his jacket aside and unfastened his jeans.

"Play with my dick."

Her hand slid down and reached for his pants.

"I want to see you pull it out."

She used both hands, one to pull back his boxers, the other to release the bulge that waited for her. When she gripped his erection, he let out a soft groan.

"Soft ass hands…"

She pulled out his dick. It was so heavy and so full of heat. Fuck. The weight of it made her mouth water. She stroked him.

"Ooh, yeah, just like that. Keep doing that."

She circled the head with her fingers and he widened his legs pulling down on his boxers so that his balls were accessible for her too. His fat sack was so hot to the touch.

"Stroke that shit. Make me feel it, Ma."

She whimpered, fisting him just under the mushroom head, hitting his frenulum and twisting her fingers a bit.

"How you know my spot already, girl?" he gasped, shifting in his seat. Beads of pre-cum seeped out and dripped on her fingers. She played with it and rolled it across the wide head. His slit leaked more. "You want to taste me? Go 'head, put your mouth on that shit," he said.

She lowered her head and licked the clear fluid. More spilled out and she gobbled it up.

"Stick your tongue on that hole…yeah…just like that…I got some more for you."

She squeezed the head and his natural lubricant trickled out onto her wet tongue. She smacked her lips and looked up at him.

"Let me stretch that mouth," he said. She moaned. She cared about nothing else at that moment. They could fire her for all she cared. She just needed this man's fast ass cock in her mouth.

He thrust up his hips and the bulbous head touched her lips. She opened as wide as she could and took him in. His lips pressed together tightly as he swallowed a deep groan. Her head bobbed in his lap and his left hand hovered above her hair, touching her head and pushing down when he wanted her to go deeper...harder.

When she raised up to catch her breath after she started gagging, he pulled on her hair. He gripped his dick and squeezed the head so that his wide slit opened.

"Spit on my dick," he said.

She swirled her tongue in her mouth collecting saliva and spit on the head making his dick sloppy wet.

"You like being nasty, huh? Spit on it again, bitch."

She felt her stomach twist up and a strong pulse made her pussy throb from his words. She spit on his dick again and then he was shoving it back in her mouth. He reached for his jacket and used it to cover her lower half. His left hand frantically raised up her skirt and then shoved down into her stockings. She wiggled her hips so that his fingers could reach her panties and soaked folds.

"Damn…you know how to suck dick…swallow this shit baby…yeah… keep going…keep going…"

Her folds were so wet and her pussy so engorged, he was able to slip his fingers in and out with ease. He flicked her clit in a delicious rhythm and she felt an orgasm building. He was making her work her neck out as he fucked her face trying his best to keep quiet. He was beginning to inhale with harsh sounds.

"I'm 'bout to feed you, girl. You betta swallow this nut—"

That's all it took. Her release was tight on his fingers, her walls throbbing with intense pleasure that made her skin tingle.

"Ohhhhhh…" Erik groaned, his legs seizing up tight as a hot load of cum shot up into her mouth. His dick swelled in her mouth and she felt it spasm several times. She swallowed what she could and then had to let him go because she was choking on his girth.

"Damn, girl, damn."

She held onto his cock as a final stream of creamy white spilled out from him. He looked down at his dick.

"Clean me up. Lick all that shit up."

She did what she was told to do. His fingers were still inserted in her pussy. And she was grateful for his touch.

"Fuck, that was a lot," he said.

She giggled and sat up. He re-fastened his pants. She fixed her skirt and buttoned up her blouse. He stuck two of his fingers in her mouth.

"You suck dick like a champ. World class head game, baby."

She circled her tongue around his fingers then pulled them out, licking up and down each digit.

"You should be ashamed of yourself. Sucking dick on the job…"

"That's good customer service," she quipped.

"You right, Ma. Serving excellence. I'ma tell your boss to give you a raise when I leave."

She felt her face flatten.

"What's wrong?"

She shook her head and pulled back from him. Passengers around them were still knocked out.

"Hey, Fa'aana, w'sup?"

Stupid. It was stupid. She was catching feelings.

"I need to freshen up," she said.

He pulled her in tight and fast.

"I'm feeling you too, Ma."

When his lips pressed into hers and she gave into his tongue and the heat of his mouth, she knew he wasn't lying.

Forty-Seven G [Part 1]  Forty-Seven G [Part 2]  Forty-Seven G [Part 3]

Tag List:

@fonville-designs

[pitiless-achilles-wept]

Shake It Off: Love and thanks to the cast of SAA 2019

Hello friends, I've just returned from a week in Washington DC where I spent a few days at the Folger Shakespeare Library followed by a few days at my all-time favorite conference, the annual meeting of the Shakespeare Association of America. I would say that it's like Comic Con for Shakespeareans but there's a lot less cosplay (no, we're not a Ren Faire) and a lot more intellectually crunchy panels featuring the newest scholarship by brilliant scholars in the field. Some people in my position would, I'm sure, not be so invested in attending an academic conference that they spent the night before their first chemo treatment completing the paper in time for the participation deadline (perhaps the most on-brand thing I have ever done). They're occasions that we often grouse about, after all: the timing is bad; the flights and hotels are expensive; the schedule is too packed; the program doesn't have what we want on it; we have to grade/prepare lessons/do admin work when we get home. Admittedly, this is a more fun conference than many and I see a lot less general grumpiness about it than some I could name (*cough* MLA *cough*). It does share a little bit of the carnival atmosphere of Comic Con, culminating in a dance on the last night that could feel hokey (and does to some people...the conference is divided pretty sharply between dance-attenders and dance non-attenders) but which gives me the kind of warm feelings of kinship that you get from dancing at a wedding. Like: ah, nerdy as they are, this is my family.

[Below the cut: thoughts and thanks to the members of my profession.]

Perhaps this trip was kind of a weird thing for someone with Stage 4 cancer to be doing. I have, potentially, precious little time in this world (even in the best case scenario it's far less time than I'd anticipated) so why spend so much of it on work? The simple answer is that, with less time, it has become all the more important to spend it doing the things that make me feel the most like myself. And that means a trip to a rare books library where I can spend 8 hours a day combing through 400-year-old plays in search of annotations. It means doing a survey cross-indexing my list of plays against the library catalog while listening to all the Girl Talk albums in succession. It means the giddy satisfaction of closing out the library and going to happy hour with my fellow researchers. It means 10-hour conference days where I work hard and play hard and take copious notes in appreciation of my friends' and colleagues' fantastic minds (and maybe sneak a nap in my hotel room during the late-afternoon slump). And it means closing out the weekend with a community that has stepped up in incredible support of me in the time since I've made my diagnosis public in a way I did not expect and am profoundly grateful for - a fact which is the point of this post. I found myself in the hotel bar somewhere in the neighborhood of 2am on Sunday morning, quite literally weak in the knees from so much dancing, guzzling water and keeping company with colleagues who I've come to call friends as we all, exhaustedly, said repeatedly "we should go to bed" and subsequently did not. There was a real last-day-of-camp vibe that infused the whole thing with preemptive nostalgia for the time--so soon!--when we would not be together in the same place. This is the thing about assembling in person only for a few days every year. There is never enough time to catch up one-on-one (or even many-on-many) among the events of the days. It's both the best and worst part of attending a conference where your colleagues are also friends. You're left wanting more time, more conversation, more connection. Many conversations and much of the friendship continues over various forms of social media, which I have a very deep attachment to and which has helped me make it through these years of instability and separation from people I care about. Some people regard social media or blogs (like this one) as a stand-in or poor substitute for the intimacy of real-world friendships. But for someone like me who became a teenager at the same time instant messaging apps came into existence (shoutout to AIM!) and who has had the repeated experience of developing a friendship or a friend group only to have to bid farewell to its members they are a godsend. They are a conduit for intimacy, fostering it but not replacing it. At this conference I had the unusual and somewhat surreal experience of having people--some of whom I knew well, some of whom only in passing or from Twitter, some not at all--reach out and thank me for writing and sharing so much of myself. Some of them had been through something similar, either on their own or with a loved one. Others hadn't but wanted me to know that my experience had affected them and that they were on my side, hoping along with me for things to get better. I was moved almost to tears several times because, in that way that happens when you write and then post into the void, I wasn't sure anyone was listening. But they were and responded with manifold kindness. It seemed somehow symbolic of my experience with the academic profession overall. It can seem cold and empty, as we are all separated by space and time (especially the lack of it). And when we speak into it not as a professional academic but as a person the likelihood of getting any response, let alone a positive one, seems so slim. That is, I think, why revealing so much of myself on here seemed somewhat risky to me and would to many people. We cultivate very carefully our professional selves, even in casual interactions, because the line between the personal and the professional is so blurry in academia. Often we use this fact to impute great skepticism to our readers (our colleagues); better not to show any vulnerability in case someone, some day, may want to hire you and who would want to hire a vulnerable human being? But in this case I've seen the other side of that grey area. I found a wealth of empathy where I did not expect it. And that as much as anything has made me want to keep working, to keep writing, to stay in this academic community. Your continued and continual support has really sustained me. I do recognize, however, that one reason I'm able to share all this is that I have a secure job. I think I would still be posting about my experience in any case simply because it isn't in my nature not to share thoughts on the most important thing in my life. But I also know that it's my privilege to be able to do so, to even have the choice. And it is a choice that I have made in smaller ways in the past too. I still recall several years ago during one of my turns on the academic job market when I received an unsolicited email from someone I did not know (although we had a friend in common) informing me that my Twitter account was unprofessional and that I was likely writing myself out of a job. Of course, I cracked my knuckles and wrote a pointed reply about how I had quite literally written a dissertation on the concept of the public sphere and thought very carefully about what I wanted to put in public or not and, what's more, that it was only for me to decide and not for him to arbitrate. (For the record, I do not consider my account "unprofessional" since it is a purely personal account from which I sometimes tweet about work-related things. Also for the record, this person wrote back with an apology.) But that fear, stoked by incidents like that, would keep many junior people (or even senior people) from publicly showing their wounds--literal and figurative--in a situation like this. I am glad to be able to speak. I am more than glad that someone is listening. As I return home from the conference, prepared to resume chemo again on Thursday, I feel sadness and trepidation, sure, but I do also feel energized and supported, raised up by a larger community of far-flung friends, colleagues, acquaintances; people I've never met face-to-face and people who are an integral part of my daily life. Friends, academics, Shakespeareans, you are a wonderful bunch. Thank you for making this trip and this conference an occasion to recharge and return to fight another day.

[yourthyla]

I am here with my enthusiastic report about how I met Jeffrey Combs for the first time at Sheffield horror con, cosplaying Herbert West. If this post triggers you in any way, feel free not to keep reading. Sounds strange but these posts did trigger myself, that’s what you get for unhealthy celebrity crush. Because, this post is also going to relate to platonic love a bit because that was a big part of this experience to me and sometimes it can get out of hand, sometimes this is a very intense moment for people. For that intensity, this might be a trigger.

Honestly, not gonna lie with you folks but I have a huge crippling platonic crush on Jeffrey and when I saw him from distance, when he raised his head to look at the next person in the queue, his eyes were sparkling and his smile was engraved in my mind as the warmest thing I’ve seen. The man is 63 and I am not ashamed to say he is beautiful. He just is. And first time he looked into my direction, probably not even seeing me, I was weak in knees, butterflies in my stomach, adoring warmth in my heart. For a person who has problems experiencing real-life love because they can’t help but compare it to something unreal, fictional, without reach, I am sure many of you have been there at some point, this was..simply very intense. I’ve been dreaming about this very moment most nights for the past month. 

When it was finally my turn (kudos to the convention system - you got a number like in a bank and didn’t have to stand in the queue until your number was nearing) I froze for a moment a meter in front of Jeffrey and his eyes were on me then. I stepped closer at last, no idea what my face must have looked like, probably awe. And Jeff went “Look at you!” So I melted. He seemed proud of me to wear a nice cosplay of him, later on he even showed some person next to him “Look, that’s Herbert West.” Anyway, I shook his hand and then I showed him my wristwatch to have something to go from. I had sent him a pic of my unfinished cosplay some time ago on Twitter and he actually replied then, saying it’s excellent and not to forgot “Herbie’s” wristwatch. Which I might have if he didn’t say. When I showed them, he immediately remembered with enthusiasm, again pointing out the story to his assistant or whatever, about how he saw my tweet. Then we had a little chat about what hand Herbert had the watch on, where I found out Jeff was left-handed. Moving on, I handed him my Lovecraft Re-Animator short story to sign and he wrote my name and all, we also took a selfie. 

Look at him, he looks so proud. Seriously guys, he was such delight. And I will fight you on the opinion that age just adds to his charm. Beside a few other comments, that was it. Oh yes and I actually asked to hug him which was...fucking nice. Jeff then had a panel with Barbara Crampton, who played Meg on Re-Animator and who was actually a sweetheart too. Because I was extra, I snapped a pencil in the audience for some Herbert vibe but unfortunately it was too far for him to hear lol but some people behind me laughed. 

We had a quick photo too! Where Jeff immediately reached for my Reagent because he does love to use our props guys. I asked him if he wants to use that on me, to which he always goes “Uh-hmm!” with this..smooth excitement, it was really cool. 

And after that, staying in the room for few minutes to realise my friend and I are the last ones there who aren’t staff, I left, super embarrassed like what the hell? I realised I should stop staring. But sometimes I could not help it, especially in the beginning when I just watched from far distance. He was just glowing, you know? No less than in TV. And I kept telling my dude, I could just look at him all day, it’s mesmerising, I just want to watch him, that’s all, watch him do his thing, mundane as it was, I watched him smile and enjoy his job and it made me satisfied and there was no time-space, there was just Jeffrey. But there was also the constant feeling at the back of my head, yelling loudly, don’t be creepy though, don’t be a crazy fan, don’t linger too much and give him a chance to respect you. But it’s hard.

Anyway, after that, while I decided to join cosplay masquerade just for the hell of it (which was fun and successful, although i obviously didn’t win) I was overwhelmed by intense melancholy. Because this was it. It was literally like a drug, when you get high and you are somewhere else for a while, you just live in a state of agitated happiness. And then it’s gone. And I don’t know when, and if, I see him again. This man I am ashamed to say I love. I know, it’s more like a big admiration, call it obsession or whatever you want, I am not stupid, I experienced a feeling like this before and I am mature enough to control it and express it to the person in an adequate and appreciation-worthy way, but that doesn’t change the fact that I felt love, and I felt heartbreak, and I was empty without him next to me. Because you had it within reach but then you have to leave it. Because obviously, you love it, you must let it go. 

Despite that, I couldn’t stand the way I felt and decided to see him one last time, luckily finding him signing his last autographs. I came to his table and he was first to greet me again, in a very nice, tireless (what a guy) voice. I stuttered out something like I couldn’t help it not to say a proper goodbye to him. That fantastic man stood up and hugged me over the table once more while I was telling him how much much much this meant to me, close to crying but I didn’t. Jeff thanked me for representing him. Then I again lingered more than I should have lol, but I left, much more satisfied this time with some sort of closure. I am currently working hard on my Weyoun cosplay so I really hope to meet him again to be able to bow to him in it! So, that was that? One of the most important events to me, for sure. Thanks for reading my reflective essay whoever did, take whatever you want from it and know that Jeff won’t disappoint in giving you a very delightful experience if you meet him! What a sweet, sweet man.

[oosteven-universe]

Defenders #1

Defenders #1 Marvel Comics 2021 Written by Al Ewing Illustrated by Javier Rodriguez Inked by Alvaro Lopez Lettered by VC’s Joe Caramagna    When existence itself faces extraordinary threats, it needs an extraordinary defense! That’s when you call...THE DEFENDERS! DOCTOR STRANGE and the MASKED RAIDER take a non-team of Marvel’s weirdest, wildest heroes on a mission that will uncover the hidden architecture of reality itself! This cosmos was not the first to exist...but if the DEFENDERS can’t track Marvel’s oldest villain through the deepest trenches of time — it might be the last!    I’m a huge fan of The Defenders and mainly thanks to its original run.  There is something about classic characters mixed with those we don’t see everyday that makes for some interesting reading and oddly enough those felt organic as if they were meant to join the team when they did, this seems more contrived to me.  Betty Banner just cannot find a home, there’s a reason for that and it’s because she’s just an interesting character, The Masked Raider however is intriguing enough that I want to see more of him and then there’s Cloud and not the one from the Initiative if I’m reading this right.  I will however give points for originality in how the group was formed as that was pretty cool.    I do like the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exceptionally well.  The character development is interesting and how we see this through the dialogue, the character interaction and how they act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter as it fleshes them extremely well.  The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages introducing the story, the characters and gets things underway it all just brings the spirit of the title alive.    I appreciate the way that this is being structured and how the layers within the story begin to emerge and grow.  The idea of the book and how we see this ensemble come together is great, I still question the selection process as I’d like to see more classic members but that’s just me.  How we see this process come to life adds some great depth, dimension and complexity to the story.  The way we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is extremely well achieved.    The interiors here are interesting.  The idea of the tarot cards is fantastic.  I’m not sure the style is for me, it’s good and has a very distinctive feel to it and there is some fabulous use of creativity and imagination but I like stronger, cleaner and tighter linework more detailed I suppose this has a retro vibe that makes Stephen look like Clark Gable, specially during the tea steam creating that imagery page.  The composition within the panels brings out this great depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story.  I will say I wish we’d see more backgrounds, I mean Stephen’s house alone is a playground for creativity to shine.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a remarkably talented eye for storytelling.  The colour work is extremely nice to see.  The various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and highlights is really sensational and I have to say the stained glass windows, or the tarot cards are really impressive. ​    There’s potential with this series and I hope that it has the chance to really shine with a good long run.  I wouldn’t mind Stephen and the Masked Raider being the staple team members with a rotating cast, or bring back Hellcat, Gargoyle and Nighthawk heh.  The writing here is strong and interesting with some solid interiors creating an intriguing beginning to this series.  

[sparda3g]

Tokyo Ghoul:re Chapter 173 Review

The grand finale has arrived. Well, at least that’s what I’m going by considering this has the last battle vibe written all over it. Not necessarily the final one since we got other pieces left to cover but considering how this is the end of :re, it only leaves a new part to explore. With that said since the very beginning, it all comes down to this faithful moment. If this is indeed the finale, it’s no wonder Ishida is going all out in an incredible fashion.

This chapter is mostly action-packed, though not without a few insights on the characters. Furuta’s past is shown briefly but it holds a lot of weights. It’s good to see Arima again albeit in a flashback, but there is a sign that the backstory behind Washuu and the Sunlit Garden could be explored deeper in the future. With V and Washuu’s reveal slowly coming out of the dark and a theory for the next part to be largely about  them, its chance increases.

The flashback helps to prepare the prowess of Furuta in terms of combat skills. While it’s not a secret that he’s really strong, Arima’s praise is a good insert to increase the expectation. One of the most interesting part is how Furuta was seen at the early day. According to Arima, he takes it after his mother, loved by others. Ironic considering how much he has fallen into abyss of insanity. Tsuneyoshi actually adored him, which is odd because didn’t Furuta interpret that he didn’t care for him? Was Furuta lying or as time passed, it became true by the end? Perhaps a flashback to the moment of Furuta and others killing him would shed a light.

What’s also interesting is how the metaphor line in the end of the flashback holds a significant value that practically reveal Furuta’s agenda. Not as a whole, but part of the motivation that drove him to this path. It reads that despite Furuta’s promises, his ceiling is set as in destination end, because he’s part of Washuu. Half-Human are destined to die young, so it’s no wonder Furuta fits perfect with V since they got the cure they wanted from Dragon. More importantly, Furuta most likely went out of his way to show that his limit is like many: the sky. It’s an intriguing single page that had me compelled and interested.

Once that is taken care of, the rest is action-packed brawl and it’s as intense as I was hoping for. It’s hard to cover the battle without resorting to a play-by-play commentary. Of course this is a review of a series’ chapter that fans would have read already, so you can see it for yourself. I can pinpoint on why it has been fantastic so far; possibly the best fight of the series to date.

One of the strong elements of it is how it reminisce to the old days of combat in which captures the emotions and thrills of two men going all in for the win. For example, when Furuta aimed for the neck to decapitate, Kaneki reacted with deep pain, clenching to embrace it. I always adore how the series captures the realistic expressions, describing how painful they’re in.

Not only that, but they also expressing their character very closely. Furuta portrays like a serial killer or The Joker as Kaneki portrays like the white knight. It also helps with the illustrations of their outlook. I like to think they are similar yet different on their path, when you consider the first page that evaluates the thought of their similarities. It’s the first time you’ll see Furuta more than just a goofy guy; he is hell-bent to kill him. Kaneki expresses more of culmination of everything he is, especially that scene which we will get to that.

Another strong element is the panel work. Each moment grasp your attention of their movement and slowly succumb to fear for what could happen next. The way how the last panel leading to the next page left me tensed, expecting the worst outcome; whether Kaneki takes the stab to the face or dodges the fatal blow. It goes back to how expressive they are, so the pain is believable, discarding the thought of tyrant taking anything without reaction.

Lastly, many of its panel has strong impacting feel to them, which also credited the artwork. When Kaneki takes out a sword from his Kagune, I marked out like a complete fanboy. It reminds me of the old days with Sasaki, so seeing this was a crowd pleaser. The mouth grabbing the sword was an awesome moment. The look of his face shows the psychotic side of him, which reinforces the idea of his being to be the embodiment of all himself. The strikes, the twists and turns, and the delivery are greatly impactful.

The choreograph is one of the best of the series so far, especially how those two is all about giving everything they got; no more holding back or joking around. It all comes down to their skills with no luck or power-up; all bets are off. I love the fact they mixed their combat of human and ghoul style, which brought the best of two worlds vibe. It’s also easy to follow, at least to me it was, so I can grasp the intensity at its finest.

It has a video game’s epic boss battle vibe to it. Furuta started off with his sword only; once he gets hurt, he steps into the next phase: sword and Kagune. His Kagune looks vicious as hell with those eyes. Ishida continues to do impressive work on capturing the horrifying display. Kaneki gets wrecked badly, but that biting scene shows how much energy he has left in the tank. Damn, that moment is seriously crazy. Only badass can obtain that ability.

The action does go to a halt by the end, only for Kaneki to deliver a really nice speech that perfectly describe his development. The standing pose in one panel oozes a sheer willpower; something he lacked a long time ago. It’s funny since it is something you would hear many times in other series; however, it’s because of his background that evaluated his words into a powerful one.

I like the fact he acknowledges all of his faults and how he has been nothing but a toy for Furuta, which is sadly true. I recalled Kaneki to be overly confident, hence his loss against Suzuya off-panel, so this is a great step-up. Admitting faults can make you a better fighter. His will to fight is genuine rather than coming off just saying it. I also recalled him believing that despite wanting to bring peace, he didn’t really mean it; like he has no intention to make it happen. This time, he really wants to do what he said because he has a sense of purpose. He wants to defeat Furuta and protect everyone, human and ghoul. No more being told by others, this is all him.

It’s wonderful to see him come this far. It’s a simple purpose, but the weight behind it made it a heavy one. The double page at the end is great; nothing but incredibly hype for the next. Kaneki is in that form, assumingly his new Kakuja, when he saved Urie and Saiko from the monsters. It’s like an angel or butterfly, however you like to see him as. All it matters is he is about to go all out and the end for Furuta is near.

The artwork is great. The choreograph is very solid and capture point of its impact is at a high point. The expressions of the two delivers the intensity and magnitude of the damage they received. The pacing is fluid with each moment is captivating with mixed combat with new tricks. As said before, the display of their Kagune at its best form look great.

This was a hell of a chapter. There were interesting moments such as displaying Furuta’s backstory and Kaneki’s newly form character after amount of developments. The action was top-notch with great visual. There were plenty of picture perfect moment that I would love to see it colored. It’s all around enticing and the cliffhanger promises for more intensity that is likely to be the end. It’s going to be a carnage.

[ravetaper]

Svdden Death Live Set - February 2020 at the Hollywood Palladium (Full Set)

Svdden Death live set recorded February 14, 2020, at the Hollywood Palladium. 90-minute audio recording. The set began at 12:30 am the following morning (Feb. 15).

Every year, someone puts together a spreadsheet of all the artists performing at EDC, with links to various live sets. In the weeks leading up to the event, I do my due diligence and try to preview as many of those live sets as possible, to discover new artists and decide which sets I want to hit. Svdden Death was on last year's list (EDC Las Vegas 2019). I scanned his live recordings and thought they sounded good – I would try to make his set. And since he would be playing the Basspod stage immediately before Snails – who I wasn't going to miss – the plan made perfect sense.

The only question was if I could get to the Basspod on time. I had only 15 minutes to get there after Chris Lake's set ended at Cosmic Meadow. I would have to circumnavigate thousands of bodies and literally jog across the Speedway to catch the beginning of Svdden Death's set.

Unfortunately, I encountered a problem. I thought I dropped the battery cover for one of my cameras, and I felt compelled to retrace my steps and search the ground for it. Of course I didn't find it. I forgot I had slipped it into a small pocket in my backpack – which I only discovered once I was back home. That delay would cause me to miss the beginning of Svdden Death.

When I finally reached Basspod and moved into position, I realize how bad I screwed up. Svdden Death was playing some really heavy tracks, and I instantly regretted I wasn't recording. But I wasn't only moved by the music. I was struck by the unusual visuals displayed on the huge LED panels.

The imagery included computer generated skulls, skeletons, demonic-looking warriors, pagan symbols, horned figures. Quite frankly, a lot of the imagery looked satanic in nature! I was intrigued. Not because I'm attracted to Satanism – I'm definitely not – but because the whole production was a novel approach I hadn't seen before, at least not in any genres of dance music. Such imagery had been used by several hard rock and heavy metal bands – Ozzy Osborn and Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, and Metallica, to name a few, and helped create many memorable – and financially successful – brands. Furthermore, this was the imagery of Dungeons & Dragons – one of my childhood passions! To be sure, videos of demons and devils and skulls contradicted the PLUR vibe that characterizes EDC, but that was one of the reasons I found it so endearing. It was so different, and so unusual in that context.

Of course, video alone doesn't make a great set. But Svdden Death was dropping tunes that were extraordinary, hard riddim and dubstep that perfectly complimented the eerie visuals. The whole experience really left a positive impression on me. To me, it was the most unique set of the weekend.

Indeed, not recording Svdden Death's set was my biggest regret from EDC 2019. I vowed to catch him again, as soon as possible.

So I was elated when I saw that Bassrush would bring him to the Palladium in Hollywood. Tickets were a bargain - $40 for GA if I recall correctly. This was a no-brainer. I secured my ticket and waited for the days to pass.

Originally, I hadn't planned on recording. I figured trying to sneak in some kind of gear would be a hassle and cause unnecessary stress. I thought I would just go to the show and enjoy the music.

But my compulsion to record got the best of me!

I can't stand the idea of missing an opportunity to record really good music! Going to a show and enjoying the moment, living in the present, sounds reasonable – I get it. But there is something in my DNA that makes me want to document things. I just love capturing the good moments of my life and having the freedom to enjoy them again and again.

So with only a few hours before show time, I decided I would go for it. But I wasn't sure what gear I would use. I could try to bring in one of my Zoom cameras. At the security checkpoint I would have to put it in the tray along with my cell phone, wallet, and keys, and hope the security guard didn't think it was a "professional" recorder, which is prohibited by the house rules. In reality, the Zoom cameras do not qualify as pro gear – they are designed for armature use. But, I didn't want to risk getting denied and having to do the walk of shame back to my car.

I had another option. I had an old Tascam mic that attaches to older iPhones. I would have to use an awkward Lightening adapter and find an app that worked with the mic – the original Tascam app was no longer supported. After searching Google, I found an app that supposedly was compatible with the mic. I downloaded, tested it...and it worked! I quickly freed a few gigs of memory on my phone and headed out the door.

I arrived at the Hollywood Palladium not long after the doors opened. Suffice to say, I got the mic through security – I was in the clear!

There were several opening acts: AHZ, Neonix, Aweminus, Phiso, and Marauda. AHZ was cool live band that played dubstep. Neonix and Phiso were good. I decided I would get into position and do a test run of the app by recording Marauda's set. The app seemed to work, no crashes or any other issues. Marauda's set was pretty good, too.

Finally, it was time for Svdden Death!

The set started strong, the music was like what I heard at EDC – deep, dark, and powerful. Sure enough, the massive screens showed images of red and white skulls, barbed wire, and ominous figures. YES!

Let me take a moment to describe how I capture the audio in situations like this. Selfie sticks are not allowed, so I have to literally hold up my arm high enough above the crowd to get a clear line of sight between the mic and the speakers. Every few minutes, as one arm gets tired, I have to switch hands. Now, if I was doing this at a nice classical music concert, that would be easy. But this is the opposite that! I am positioned in a sea of tightly-packed bodies dancing and jumping to the music. And of course, there's another interesting phenomenon seen at many dubstep shows: the mosh pit.

Every few songs, a pit opens up and the sweaty bros (and a few brave gals) do their thing – pushing, flailing, and bouncing off each other as if they were human pinballs. I myself am not into mosh pits, but I can tolerate them. If others enjoy moshing, good for them – have at it! The problem for me is that I'm standing in the middle of the floor, with my arm up in the air, trying to make a recording. More than a few times there were two pits happening, one in front of me and one in back. I'm a pretty sturdy guy, so I can usually keep my balance and stay stable. But a few times a mass of bodies slam into my area causing me to stumble. You'll be able to hear it a couple times on the recording. Luckily, I didn't get hurt, and the recording never stopped. And a few times a few observant fellows noticed what I was trying to do, leaned in and told me they "had my back", and made sure no one came crashing into me.

By the end of the night, I was covered in sweat...other people's sweat! LOL.

I guess I just want my followers to know what I have to go through to get some of these recordings – it can get pretty extreme at times. But I wouldn't have it any other way. Despite the fact that I'm twice the age of most of the audience, I love getting down there into the mass of bodies and fully experiencing the energy of the event. At least once in a while. ;)

About 45 minutes into Svdden Death's 90-minute set, there was a noticeable change. Whereas the first half incorporated some uplifting tunes by Marshmellow and other "poppy" artists, the second half had a darker and more underground sound.

And then, it happened...

For a moment, Svdden Death disappeared behind the table. Then, he reappeared...wearing a sinister-looking mask! I guess it's an elk's skull complete with horns! Seriously, it looked like something out of a Netflix horror series. It was freaky, but somehow completely appropriate. Think about all the artists that use some kind of headgear – Deadmau5, Marshmellow, and of course the dance music robots, Daft Punk. So for Svdden Death, a satanic-looking animal skull worked perfectly.

A few minutes later, I was in the throes of a particularly intense mosh pit. I had to fully concentrate just to stay upright while keeping the phone in the air. Then, I looked up and had to do a double-take.

There he was, with the animal head mask on, floating 20 feet above the DJ table, looking like the incarnation of some kind of pagan deity. He had hooked into a high wire rig and was hoisted into the air. With the lights and lasers running full blast, the sight was surreal and amazing! This was a fantastic show!

Again, I take such imagery with a grain of salt. Is Svdden Death really caught up in the world of Satanism or pagan rituals? I have no clue and I really don't care. And I doubt he is. I think it's just brilliant marketing, and it makes for a very entertaining experience.

During this second half of the show, another logo was broadcast on the screens that I didn't recognize. The text wasn't easily legible – the font looked like a mess of tangled tree roots. It wasn't until I got home that I learned about Voyd, Svdden Death's alter ego who wears the mask and plays darker variations of riddim and dubstep. So this show featured both sides of Svdden Death, and it was a perfect mix.

I consider myself very lucky. I was there that night in Hollywood, when Svdden Death sold out the Palladium. I got to see a "regular" set and a Voyd set. And I predict that Svdden Death's career is just beginning. Wait and see how he gets better timeslots at EDC and other festivals. But I was there is the early days, when he was still young up-and-coming. I was lucky.

Fortunately, the recording came out pretty good. The raw file sounded rather flat, but with a bit of tweaking and massaging, the final product sounds decent. In fact it sounds really solid. I'm listening back to it right on now on headphones, and it brings me right back to that special night. My obsession for recording live events has paid off big this time. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I do.

Listen to Svdden Death on Spotify!

Follow Svdden Death on Twitter!

Buy Svdden Death music on Apple Music!

[comicteaparty]

October 7th-October 13th, 2019 CTP Archive

The archive for the Comic Tea Party week long chat that occurred from October 7th, 2019 to October 13th, 2019.  The chat focused on Liars Go To Paradise? by AvianSkies.

Featured Comment:

Chat:

RebelVampire

COMIC TEA PARTY- WEEK LONG BOOK CLUB START!

Hello and welcome everyone to Comic Tea Party’s Week Long Book Club~! This week we’ll be focusing on Liars Go To Paradise? by AvianSkies~! (http://puddlecomics.com/comic/book1-lgtp/)

You are free to read and comment about the comic all week at your own pace, so stop on by whenever it suits your schedule! Remember, though, that while we allow constructive criticism, our focus is to have fun and appreciate the comic. Below you will find four questions to get you started on the discussion. However, a new question will be posted and pinned everyday (between 12:01AM and 6AM PDT), so keep checking back for more! You have until October 13th to tell us all your wonderful thoughts! With that established, let’s get going on the reading and the chatting!

QUESTION 1. What has been your favorite scene in the comic so far? What specifically did you like about it?

QUESTION 2. What significance do you believe the title has to the overall story, whether in terms of plot or meaning? How do you think it ties into Key specifically as a character and how his future actions might proceed?

RebelVampire

QUESTION 3. At the moment, who is your favorite character? What about that character earns them this favor?

QUESTION 4. How do you think Chas, who originally pushed Key into the puddle, ties into the rest of the story? How did he know Key was the chosen savior, and do you think he might show up in Paradise?

snuffysam

Favorite scene has gotta be the fight between Crenen and Kirid. At this point I really shouldn't be rooting for Crenen to win anything. He's clearly a horrible person, so I have no reason to want him to survive this fight and rule over even more people. And yet... that fakeout with Kirid's hand seemingly going through Crenen's chest had me at the edge of my seat.

snuffysam

I'm curious how question 2's subject matter ends up playing out. Looking at the synopsis... Jason “Key” Sterling is a liar, and he knows that liars don’t go to Paradise. So when he’s pushed into a puddle and wakes up in a fantastical world called just that, he knows there’s a catch. There's potentially thematic relevance in that Key thinks he isn't deserving of being the subject of this prophecy, because he believes he's a bad person at heart? Alternatively... do we see anyone besides Key lie in this world? Maybe this truly is Paradise, but it just ain't all it's cracked up to be.

snuffysam

(i suppose i could just read the original book to find out but that would be cheating :p)

For favorite character... I have a hard time deciding between Crenen and Veija. Veija is such a fun take on the "seer" trope with how ditzy and unfocused she is on everything. But Crenen... he's so entertaining. Like I was clicking from page to page just to see what horrible and/or crazy thing Crenen would do next.

RebelVampire

QUESTION 5. What has been your favorite illustration in the comic so far? What specifically about it do you like?

QUESTION 6. Why do you think Key chose to go to Paradise despite the experiences he had there? Overall, what do you think this choice says about destiny and free will thematically? Additionally, do you believe what Key is experiencing is truly real?

RebelVampire

1) I think my favorite scene in the comic is the one where Key talks with Veija in the dreamish world. Veija is all around a super entertaining character and it was hilarious every moment she was in the scene. But I also liked that we got some heavy exposition for Key as well cause it added some weight to the story. It was a good best of both worlds scenario that really got me more invested in the story as a whole. 2) I want to get super metaphorical and say that Key seems the most dishonest with himself. Like he really holds himself back, possibly as a defense mechanism, so if Key is lying to anybody, it's him about what he wants, what he thinks he's capable of, and so forth. However, the strongest people tend to be the ones who overcome that sort of adversity, which might make Key be the, well, umm, key to overcoming the general complacency brought on by despair. At the very least you could argue hope can sometimes be a lie, but sometimes that lie is what pulls you through.

3) My favorite character is probably Veija. Veija is like this beautiful existence of contradictions, and I think Veija legit gets the best facial expressions in the comic. She was the one I was most excited to appear again in the comic a second time, so gotta go with her. 4) I feel like Chas definitely has to be from paradise. Like maybe he's a secret agent sent there to find Key. I def hope we see him again, cause I feel like he knows things even other characters like Crenen don't know that could be vital. As for how he knew to choose Key though, I assume he just had some prophecy to go off of. Although I personally find it more entertaining to think that Chas just pushes people into puddles and hopes eventually one of them with go through.

RebelVampire

QUESTION 7. Which characters do you enjoy seeing interact the most? What about their dynamic interests you?

QUESTION 8. Do you believe that Key can actually help everyone as was foretold? If so, how do you think Key will manage to do it? Additionally, what do you think is the root cause of everyone becoming sick?

RebelVampire

5) I definitely have to go with the large panel on this page here for fave illustration http://puddlecomics.com/comic/loss-12/ I'm really in love with the contrasting colors cause you got this magic stuff juxtaposed against a beautiful night sky. It gives it this beautiful, mystic quality that I'm an absolute sucker for. 6) I think there's kind of two parts to Key's decision. The first part is the fear of what if. Cause at this point, if he doesnt try to help, hes going to live with the eternal regret and thought that maybe he really couldve helped - and that he essentially sentenced a bunch of people to die because he was too afraid. The other part of Key's decision I think is just him wanting to find purpose. In regards to choice and the themes and stuff, I think this choice kind of says what is usually the case for destiny. You always have a choice on whether to follow it or not. But sometimes destiny knows what it's talking about. And in other cases, destiny is somewhat similar to duty. Also, last part, yes, I think Key is experiencing something very real. But I'd also argue dreams are real experiences even if that aren't experiences that happen in the real world.

7) I enjoy seeing Key and Crenen interact the most. Crenen is by and large a very entertaining character. From manner of speech to how he conducts himself. Yet it's pretty clear he cares about things in his own way, including Key a little bit. Whereas Key seems to have this strange almost stockholm-y syndrome thing with Crenen going on where he hates him and doesn't want him to die. So overall their relationship gives me many conflicting feels and I like that, cause relationships don't always have to be clean and straightforward. THey can be a mess of questions. 8) I think Key can actually help. At the very least he's more hopeful than everyone else it seems, and as I said earlier, bringing hope can mean a lot. As for actual concrete results, maybe they'll use Key to make a magic vaccine. Or maybe Key will kill the source somehow. Which I do kind of feel like the sickness isn't just a normal sickness. So not just some rando disease that sprouted up. Like maybe Paradise as a world is decaying and that's affecting the people, or something.

RebelVampire

QUESTION 9. What sorts of art or story details have you noticed in the way the comic is crafted that you think deserves attention?

QUESTION 10. Why do you think Jenen refuses to take over the Yenen clan, and why did that involve him seemingly leave the clan? Do you think Jenen will have a change of heart? Regardless, how will his original choice be challenged?

RebelVampire

. . . 9) One of the details I really appreciate is the details on the foliage. Foliage is super tedious in any regard. There's a lot you can get away with passing first glance test though. THat being said, when its up close, this comic really goes all out and doesnt skimp on the foliage. For example, this page http://puddlecomics.com/comic/midnight-duel-17/. You can see the little vein stem things in the leaves, and that's just such a beautiful detail that really sells the nature when you stare at the image longer. I love it. <3 10) I think there's two parts to why Jenen won't take over the Yenen clan. The first part is just that being a leader is a burden and actually kind of sucks. XD THe second part, though, I just feel like Jenen is searching for something that being tied down to one place would not serve. Cause he gives me the kind of vibe of someone who doesn't care about the physical world all that much and is more into the abstract. As for why this all caused him to leave, well, would you want Crenen breathing down your neck? XD I don't think Jenen will change his mind about leading, but I do think he'll stick around to help Crenen of his own free will. I do think being around sick people is kind of gonna make him question everything though. Cause like Key, it's not easy to do nothing when you can see a ton of people need help.(edited)

snuffysam

4) For Chas - it is worth noting that we never see his ears. So I could definitely see him being a plant from Paradise. Perhaps an aide of Veija? It's odd that he wouldn't have been mentioned yet, but Veija might have forgotten that she sent him there...

snuffysam

5) I absolutely love the page @RebelVampire mentioned, though I have to give an honorable mention to this page: http://puddlecomics.com/comic/the-seers-test-17/ The way the light beams were drawn just gives the whole page a serene feel.

6) Honestly, I think Key has kind of gotten fond of the people's he's met. Jenen showed kindness to him, and Crenen... also has sometimes, but mostly Key seems to have a bit of Stockholm Syndrome lol. Anyway, that plus knowing that people will die if he doesn't go back helped him come to that decision.

RebelVampire

QUESTION 11. What do you think are this particular comic’s strengths? What do you think makes this comic unique? Please elaborate.

QUESTION 12. Do you think Crenen will come to believe in Key as a savior as some of the other characters do? What is your takeaway from the sentiment that it’s better to hope than despair, and how might we see this theme throughout the comic?

RebelVampire

QUESTION 13. What are you most looking forward to in the comic? Also, do you have any final thoughts to share overall?

QUESTION 14. Overall, how do you think Key’s adventures will change him as a person? What sort of experiences do you think will be the catalyst for those changes? Additionally, do you think Key will want to return home after all is said and done?

RebelVampire

@snuffysam I like the idea of Veija just flat out forgetting she sent Chas. So Chas shows up and Veija is like "hello who are you" XD

11) I think this comic's strengths are the beautiful art. The style is unique, the character designs are interesting, and overall its just a joy to look at just because everything is so cohesively designed. 12) I personally think Crenen will come to believe. Honestly I'd argue he kind of believes already in his own way. Not that he'll put all the eggs in that basket, but I think he'd rather bet on Key as opposed to nothing at all. Which this ties into my takeaway from the sentiment that it's better to hope than despair. You're more likely to make a change when you hope and strive to fulfill that hope. Which I feel is something we'll see Key inspire in a lot of people. And because they'll start hoping again, they'll start making changes for the better.

13) I am looking forward to more Veija being a doof and getting some more concrete info on how Key might help. The former for just the pure entertainment, the latter cause I'm eager to see the large direction the story will take, cause then more theory floodgates can open. 14) I think overall the adventures will instill more self confidence in Key. He strikes me as the type who really doesn't like himself, so I think he'll get some self love in there as well as he learns there are things he can do, even if they don't seem to matter in the short term. As for what will cause them, I think it'll just be the overall where he helps someone -> sees effects. Cause it's easier to believe stuff like that when it's obvious and concrete. I actually don't think Key will want to return home at the end. Maybe to say good-bye, but I could legit see Key just wanting to stay in Paradise with the companions he's made. Granted hopefully his good-bye would be less depressing than the one that just recently happened XD

snuffysam

That is a good question, whether Key will return home or not. He's definitely growing to like the people he's met along the way, but it's not like he hates his family back home. Could be a thing where he lives in one world and pays the other a visit every once in a while? As for what I'm looking forward to the most... I'd say even more interactions between the main cast! Key's spent a bit of time separated from the others recently, so I'm yearning for more of that!

RebelVampire

COMIC TEA PARTY- WEEK LONG BOOK CLUB END!

Thank you everyone so much for reading and chatting about Liars Go To Paradise? this week! Please also give a special thank you to AvianSkies for volunteering the comic and creating it! If you liked Liars Go To Paradise?, make sure to continue to support it via some of the links below!

Read and Comment: http://puddlecomics.com/comic/book1-lgtp/

AvianSkies’ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/puddlecomics

Liars Go To Paradise?’s Novels: https://www.amazon.com/M-Woodscourt/e/B00WERJG02

AvianSkies’ Twitter: https://twitter.com/PuddleComics

[artificialqueens]

Dancing Shoes - Chapter 2 (Biadore)

Adore step foot into the small oak shop, a quiet ding on the door causing the woman that Adore saw Tuesday to snap her head up, her loose curled hair swaying when the cold air entered, the coconut smell from Bianca’s hair combed her nostrils as she focused on the blurred figure in front of her. Bianca and Adore’s eyes connected for 5 seconds, until Adore was interrupted with the oak wood door with stained glass hit her in the shoulder, causing her to trip to the left, grabbing shoes that were neatly presented. Adore fell, like a damn idiot. She blushed furiously as she heard Bianca chuckle to herself, pushing her black long hair to the side to see Bianca run to her, containing a hysterical laugh between her tinted red lips.

“Are you okay there?” Bianca grabbed the shoes that fell, looking at a red Adore that tried relentlessly apologising only to be silenced by Bianca.

“It’s okay, I know its horrible weather out there. Come sit by the heater.” Bianca smiled, motioning to the little heater at the side of the shop, a wooden cushion bench positioned opposite.

Adore looked at the cosy shop around her then into Bianca’s warm honey like eyes, looking at them.and falling into them again. It was like a swimming pool of chocolate and Adore couldn’t resist coming back. Adore was eventually brought back to reality, snapping her head back a little as Bianca’s long legs stretched up to stand up, walking to her front desk where a customer waited patiently.

Adore whimpered at the embarrassing moment where a possibly mid 40-year-old man holding a pair of fluffy size 4 heels for his possible 6-year-old granddaughter who held a teddy bear that stared a little too much into Adores soul. With that, Adore stood up promptly dusting her boyfriend jeans. Bianca shifted her eyes quickly to Adore then smiled to the man handing him change. Adore smiled nervously as they walked out the door, staring a little too much at her still tomato face. The wind blew in her face as the door opened then turned yellow where the heater tinted the oak shop yellow.

“He had something up his ass,” Bianca checked the till checking the suspicious bill the man handed to her.

“I could tell.” Adore chuckled, nodding her head as she walked up to the till.

“Let me guess, you’re either an accountant,” Adore motioned her head to the ordered dollar bills. “A teacher,” Adore referenced them mass amounts of paperwork Bianca had in their first meeting. “Or just a normal shoe shop owner.”

Bianca looked at the orange glimmer her skin then back to her eyes, she smiled cracking and her dimples beaming. “You got two right.”

Adore looked up from her long lashes, puckering her lips. She observed a quick minute and thanked whoever brought Bianca here today for Adore to witness her beauty. “I never would have pegged you as an accountant.” Adore made the remark, smirking a little contently as she looked at the shoes on the self.

“I help run this shop with my friend Raja,” Adore cut of off quickly knowing that wasn’t all the answer. “But?” Bianca cackled, bringing her hand up to her lips. “But, in daytime, I’m a professor at NYU and a fashion designer.”

“Hot.” Adore blurted out, already feeling comfortable with Bianca already to joke around with her. It definitely was a weird feeling, it was nice but Adore couldn’t put her finger on why she was trusting this stranger, it certainly is weird, her mother would not be proud. In her mind, adore was freaking out.

This beautiful, nice looking lady who may be a little older than her was a professor at a university. How fucking cool is that? Adore already made the assumption she was highly intelligent, something adore thought she wasn’t. Bianca cackled a little louder leaning against the oak counter, observing Adores outfit choices a little more, getting the impression of a grunge and hippie vibe.

“This bitter old bitch? Never,” Bianca remarked whilst walking towards where Adore was standing. “How could I help you today?” Adore took her bag from her bag and ruffled about in it, holding the petit back on her ripped jean knee. There was an oof and ah from Adore until she pulled out a stingy old pair of tap shoes.

“These. These need an upgrade.”

“A barista and a dancer.” Bianca smiled a little, she never would have imagined Adore to be a dancer, she had imagined she would be a great dancer. The stage lights bouncing off her skin, her long hair whipping every time she turned.

“Tap dancer?”

“Tap, Ballet, Street. Y'know the normal things.” Adore chuckled, her eyes looking bright and starred as Bianca stared contently at Adore and her shoes. Bianca’s mind grew happier thinking about Adore dancing and loving the art and sport.

“I think I can find your something for you,” Bianca smiled, motioning Adore to the stock room, watching Adore falling behind like a lost puppy. “Got a competition coming up?” Bianca asked curiously, looking through the boxes stacked in the cold room.

“Kind of, my dance teacher suggested I needed new ones. I guess I was just holding back but I knew myself I needed new tap shoes. Oh, I like those red ones!” Adore shut her mouth up as soon as she mumbled a lot to the older women that could probably read her to filth.

Bianca just stopped to look at the shoes for a moment, going back to looking through the boxes. “What’s your size?” Bianca asked quickly, shocking Adore a little.

“Size, Uh um Size 6 and a half.” Adore nodded to herself watching the older woman stack a few boxes, and sorting a few untidy things in the stock room. The headed out to the normal shop. Does Bianca do this for all her customers?

“You go dancing school?”

“Yeah, Beyond Belief.”

“Oh, I know a teacher there, Alyssa Edwards?” Adore smiled at the mention of her teacher as she nodded to Bianca. “She’s one crazy bitch.”

“I second that.” Adore giggled into her small hand as Bianca grabbed 4 boxes in her hand for Adore to try on. Bianca sat on a small couch patting the seat beside her, Adore obliging quickly hoping it will bring them both closer. Bianca undid the laces of a black coloured tap shoes, shined to perfection and laced up, they were beautiful but Adore focused on Bianca’s reflection.

“So is tap your favourite kind of dance?” Bianca asked, genuinely curious.

“Not really, My friend Trixie is amazing at tap though. I like all of them, me and my friend Violet both do aerial lessons every Wednesday. I like that too.”

“Aerial, like burlesque?” Adore nodded as she felt Bianca’s eyes burn into her face, trying to figure out the girl. It was weird, but comforting.

“Try these on.” Bianca handed her the black shoes, Adore slipped them on then proceeded to shake her head, feeling like they’ll be a while yet but the warm, cinnamon aura surround the two that stole glimpses and giggles.

-

Adore decided on a burgundy pair of tap shoes that fit her feet perfectly and hit perfectly on the ground. Bianca had got a taste of a little tap when she was trying it against the wooden panel floor, and in her opinion, it was fantastic preview of 5 seconds. Bianca was at the till, Adore opposite as she took her ruined wallet put her bag, Bianca looking down briefly then to look up again.

“You are very talented at tap dancing,” Bianca smiled, putting the box in a small brown bag. “Good for a kid.” Adore giggled into her hand and smiled, clutching her wallet.

“My friend Trixie that I mentioned earlier, she is much better.”

“That’ll be $24.69 please.” Bianca popped open the small till, accepting the $10 and $5 bill Adore handed, counting the change.

“She even performs every Saturday at the bar downtown,” Adore smiled, picking the brown bag up gracefully. “I’m going to see her tonight.”

“Sounds lovely, I should drop by sometime.” Bianca leaned against the desk, feeling the desk between her.

“Sometime. Thank you so much again Bianca, I hope to speak soon.” Adore giggled lightly and waved at Bianca before exiting the door.

The bell ringed through Bianca’s ears and caused her smile to turn bigger and cheesier. “You’re welcome, dove.”

The last few moments replayed in Bianca’s head, making her head spin at an opportunity of a new friend.

An actual friend.

[falkenscreen]

Film Festivals Bridging the Void

“My son turns around to me and says, take it online, go for it”

A record number of Australian Film Festivals have now either transitioned events or gone entirely online in 2020, with two new Festivals in this day past announcing digital programs the length of traditional runs and five events set for this very evening.

“We were all very happy planning for our second Festival and of course COVID came along,” continued Sydney South African Film Festival Co-Director Claire Jankelson; today announcing a heft of features set to stream from May 16-26. “We ran our first Festival in 2019, we played at Event Cinemas and we sold out six out of eight films.”

“The essence of our Festival is that we are a not for profit and are funding Education Without Borders, a project in the Western Cape in South Africa. It was announced that cinemas are going to shut and I was completely devastated and upset because we have a commitment to Education Without Borders.”

Originally slated for May 7-17, the turnaround of several weeks saw the Festival crew and Claire’s immediate family developing the online platform to deliver flicks only 8 days later than originally scheduled. Permitting patrons to access features and indeed an all-in pass, for the first time SSAFF will go national, with a focus, much like the recently announced We Are One, very much on getting the support to those who need it most.

“This time of COVID has brought everybody much closer to their screens; there have been people approaching us from Melbourne and Perth and other places already after last year’s Festival longing to get the Festival to those places,” said Claire. “We haven’t had the wherewithal to take it there but we’re so excited it now has this reach; we would have liked for it to have an international reach but there are of course so many restrictions because of the licensing agreements with the filmmakers given fears about piracy and security – at this stage it’s only Australia wide.”

“We’re so strongly driven by our commitment to the infrastructure that has been created through Education Without Borders, that was our strong motivating factor; not knowing when the shutdown would end. We didn’t know if and when we would be able to get the money that is needed to South Africa – we’re holding out for a really fantastic response.”

Melbourne’s St Kilda Film Festival have too only just announced an online run for June 12-20; set to replace the beach-side Fest previously scheduled to commence only two weeks prior.

“The screen culture environment is a dynamic one and in recent years it has seen massive changes in digital exhibition and a trend toward embracing streaming services – as audiences have changed, so have how to reach them,” said Festival Director Richard Sowada. “It’s up to Festivals – and the film industry at large – to keep moving, experimenting, seeking out new audiences and shape-shifting accordingly in this new landscape.”

“For us, it’s become a great opportunity and something the team were able to launch into by virtue of our collective experience. It’s quite exciting for us to explore new directions, new contexts and new audiences despite the challenges. Our program content naturally contains a high level of experimentation and motivation, so the filmmakers are right behind everything we’re doing.”

Slated to screen dozens of shorts, the communal atmosphere essential to audience participation at any Festival and moreover continued investment online has remained no small factor, with fixtures at Festivals across the country too poised to reflect, thematically and technically, the challenges uncommon to filmmakers beset by the current circumstance.

“We’re taking that spirit and giving what we can a red-hot crack by re-interpreting the Festival with talks, professional development, retrospective and curated programs, all of which are free to view on the website,” continued Richard. “The most important thing for us is providing access to an already intelligent and sophisticated program that speaks to the high standard of Creative Play short-form filmmaking in this country.”

With a record number of online events scheduled to take place tonight from numerous Festivals that have either gone online or had runs postponed or cancelled, Tasmania’s Breath of Fresh Air Film Festival will become the first major regional Festival to go online, with three weekends worth of screenings commencing this evening. Monster Fest will continue their Friday Fright Night Watch Parties with ‘Sheborg Masscare,’ SF3 will host multiple screenings of 2019 Feature Winner ‘Blue Moon,’ Static Vision will for the first time join Film Club in any evening of Canadian-centric Canuxploitation and the Melbourne Queer Film Festival will too host the Fest’s first virtual watch party.

“We have ‘Freak Show’ playing this Friday; it was actually our Opening Night film a couple of years ago at the Festival,” said MQFF CEO Maxwell Gratton. “We’ve got so far a thousand people interested to join, we’re expecting a reasonable patronage.”

“What we’re really hoping to do is engage with our audience during this challenging time. It can be isolating for many people, particularly those living alone and the elderly, but anyone during this time needs to reach out to other people and we’re hoping to create a forum where people can connect with each other. The moving image is such a powerful medium to build communities and we’re hoping to do this for those who may be isolated, who are alone, who may be vulnerable and everyone who misses that contact and connectivity; hopefully we can help build a little bit of solidarity.”

MQFF called off the remaining 8 days of their 12-day run originally scheduled for March 12-23. Devastated to do so, the Festival underlines that it was the correct decision to ensure the safety of those in the community including those with compromised immune systems, even if the sense of community the Festival engenders couldn’t be realised in its traditional form.

“COVID-19 caused us to look at our online and innovative offerings; I suspect into the future these would be good mediums and avenues to build on our existing audiences and to reach out to audiences who are unable to engage with the Festival say due to geographical constraints, for people in regional areas or for those who are for whatever reason unable to attend in person,” said Maxwell, who is hoping for a physical event in the fourth quarter of the year. “We create safe spaces, a community vibe – for that reason online offerings wont necessarily replace anything we do but can very much complement our activities in the times ahead.”

MQFF have too instigated Couch Critic; a forum where MQFF devotees can still share any and all of what they’re watching.

“It’s a lighthearted way to encourage our audience to remain connected and to share with each other queer films they’re currently seeing in isolation,” continued Maxwell. “We encourage you to do your own review, you can do it on your phone, as fancy or as simple as you’d like; what’s good about it, what’s bad about it, what’s funny, then share it with the MQFF audience.”

“We’re going to have a finale where the weekly winners will become the finalists and there will be a judging panel to present the winner who will become the MQFF Couch Critic at the 2021 Festival, write further reviews and attend films and signature events with an all-in-pass.”

Not alone, the Setting Sun Film Festival, a stalwart of Melbourne’s Sun Theatre, will too venture online for it’s seventh edition and prize-giving with an abridged series of shorts set to screen during the Fest’s original dates of May 6-12, now accessible via the Festival’s website. tilde Melbourne will likewise bring it’s community together for an online event on May 15. The Human Rights Arts and Film Festival will screen online, only four days later than its originally planned run, from May 18-24. Slated to feature one film per day each with an allotted themed, the initiative has been named ‘Humankind.’

With so many Festivals going online, the lack of technical expertise, resources and indeed tight turnovers can be hugely prohibitive. Responding to the barrier, Screen Queensland have launched the V-Fest initiative to reach Festivals where they’ve found themselves.

“The $50,000 V-Fest initiative is intended to help Festival organisers develop and deliver online experiences for existing events, or for entirely new virtual events,” said Screen Queensland via Zoom. “We believe that V-Fest has the potential to help existing events retain audiences that enjoy their physical events, but also engage with people that may have never connected with them before – this is incredibly exciting for us to be in a position to expand the reach and engagement for screen culture in Queensland.”

Helping the successful applicants address the costs involved in running and delivering a virtual screen Fest in the next 6-12 months, no doubt with a reach not limited to the north, the initiative is now open.  

“V-Fest is part of our core Screen Culture funding program that promotes and highlights screen content that inspires, entertains, informs and connects audiences. While the focus for V-Fest is primarily for Queensland-based audiences, we hope to support events that may also reach a larger virtual audience across Australia and potentially the world and that V-Fest will ignite the passion for Queensland-made screen stories in local, national and international audiences.“

on Festevez

[recentanimenews]

Bookshelf Briefs 6/19/19

Anonymous Noise, Vol. 14 | By Ryoko Fukuyama | Viz Media – Well, that didn’t last long. In a series about the heroine singing in a band, when she can’t sing if she’s dating one of the guys she likes, it’s best to end it. Or at least that’s what Momo thinks, anyway. Time to see who wins the battle of self-sacrifices. Elsewhere, it’s dawning on the band that they need to think past high school, and Haruyoshi is waffling about the direction he wants to go next. I won’t spoil how this is resolved, but it’s sort of hilarious *and* touching. And of course there’s Nino’s part in all this, as she has to deal with a breakup as well, in addition to trying to find her voice—again. Anonymous Noise never seems to lack for things to happen, and it continues to putter along smoothly. – Sean Gaffney

Ao Haru Ride, Vol. 5 | By Io Sakisaka | Viz Media – Sadly, going to the festival turns out to not happen—again—as Kou is once again being drawn away from Futaba, this time because he’s trying to help a distant friend with personal problems. And also possibly because Futaba is hanging out and chatting with Toma, who’s handsome and nice and also has fallen head over heels for her, something Futaba realizes not one bit. And so much of this volume returns us to the halcyon days of Kou being avoidant and difficult. At least Futaba angsting over telling her friends about her feelings for Kou is quickly nipped in the bud. I do really like the reverse costume cafe they do. (They’re right; Murao does look amazing as a butler.) Will this cliffhanger affect anything? Oh, probably. – Sean Gaffney

Ao Haru Ride, Vol. 5 | By Io Sakisaka | VIZ Media – Futaba and Kou had gotten close to confessing their mutual feelings, and he even invited her again to the summer festival they didn’t get to attend in junior high. But then he suddenly cancels and is incommunicado for the rest of summer vacation. When school resumes, it seems he’s actually in good spirits, but is preoccupied with his phone. Eventually it emerges that he’s helping a former classmate get over the death of a parent, and though Futaba thinks this is admirable, she nonetheless feels left out. The fact that this classmate is female is obvious but is held as a reveal until the final page. Meanwhile, a male rival must be introduced too, and so we meet Toma Kikuchi, a boy who Futaba accidentally groped, who comes to like her after realizing she’s perceptive, honest, and not as tough as she might appear. Standard shoujo, but still enjoyable. – Michelle Smith

As Miss Beelzebub Likes, Vol. 6 | By Matoba | Yen Press – No one seems to be more surprised than the artist that this series has reached six volumes, which results in a meta gag when Azazel’s assistant Samyaza appears, and they note it’s far too late in the series to introduce someone like him. He bounces off Mullin well, though—perhaps a bit too well for Beelzebub’s taste, as she worries that they’re both too shippable with each other. Elsewhere, the exchange diary between Belphegor and Azazel is actually not a half-bad idea, but too many cooks spoil a bit of the pie. Unfortunately, there’s more Eurynome as well, and trying to indicate she’ll eventually be shipped with Samyaza does not balance out her continued lust for young boys. Read it if you already are. – Sean Gaffney

A Certain Scientific Accelerator, Vol. 9 | By Kazuma Kamachi and Arata Yamaji| Seven Seas – As it turns out, the girl that Last Order ran into in the previous volume, despite giving off immense “I am a secret villain” vibes—mostly to Last Order, to be fair—turns out not to be a villain. She is, however, a twin, and it’s her sister who seems to have the villain card as well as the tragic past. It’s also startling to see the princess from the previous book captured fairly easily (possibly as Accelerator is healing so AWOL this book), and the cliffhanger, which involves repeated use of the food/death metaphors that litter the book, is really chilling. That said, if there’s one thing that defines this volume of the series, it’s the big ol’ fight in the middle of it, which is very well done. – Sean Gaffney

Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction, Vol. 5 | By Inio Asano | Viz Media – I admit I avoided reading this for a while. I still expect it to end with everyone either dead or depressed. I mean, it’s Asano. But as always, when I finally started to read it it was fantastic. The art alone is a main reason to read this. Plus, now that everyone is in college, relationships are allowed to develop more naturally. Unfortunately, in both cases this may end up being a mistake. Oran has bonded with the alien in disguise, and hides him by saying he’s her boyfriend… something that may be coming true. As for Kadode, I was sort of hoping that graduation would mean the end of the crush on her teacher, but apparently it means there’s nothing standing in the way anymore. Will either girl find happiness before the end of humanity that continues to be implied here? – Sean Gaffney

My Solo Exchange Diary, Vol. 2 | By Nagata Kabi | Seven Seas – The sequel to My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness ends with the second volume; the conclusion of the series is just as achingly and brutally honest as its beginning. Kabi’s struggle with anxiety and depression continues through its highs and extreme lows. The success of her autobiographical manga ultimately compounds the issue for her as she starts to feel guilty about some of the things that she’s said about family members and has to deal with the consequences of revealing so much of herself to a public audience. A central portion of the second volume of My Solo Exchange Diary is devoted to Kabi’s stays in two different hospital wards—part of her ongoing efforts to get her life back on track. Due to the subject matter of My Solo Exchange Diary, the series isn’t always the easiest to read, but it is still an approachable, compelling, and noteworthy work. – Ash Brown

Queen’s Quality, Vol. 7 | By Kyousuke Motomi | Viz Media – We’re down to twice a year for this series now, the same as Japan, but it’s making those volumes count. We get lots of Fumi being awesome (toilet brush or no), lots of romantic sizzle between her and Kyutaro, overcoming self-loathing and doubt, and a whole lot of testicle jokes. In case you wondered what all the “golden ball” stuff was. The beauty of this artist is that she’s not afraid to have things get completely silly even in the middle of a dramatic fight, and alternatively have the silliest moments give way to drama. We also get a lot more insight into Kyutaro’s late parents here. But, and the cliffhanger doesn’t quite tell us, will someone finally realize that Fumi + Fuyu = Fuyumi? – Sean Gaffney

Ran the Peerless Beauty, Vol. 4 | By Ammitsu | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – Ran and Akira are now officially a couple, and this volume features milestones like calling each other by first names, going on a real first date, holding hands, and Christmas. While it cannot be denied that the plot is fairly formulaic at this point, there’s still something special about Ran the Peerless Beauty. Part of it, I think, is that we see just as much of Akira’s emotions as we do Ran’s, and it’s often the case that when she’s nervous or embarrassed or unsure, he confesses that he’s right there with her. Too, Ammitsu’s art is very expressive. I loved a particular smirk of Akira’s (after purloining a strawberry) very much but actually laughed out loud at the panel in which her father finally comprehends that Akira is Ran’s boyfriend. I hope this one gets a print release so it might reach a wider audience. – Michelle Smith

Sweetness & Lightning, Vol. 12 | By Gido Amagakure | Kodansha Comics – I wasn’t prepared for the final volume of Sweetness & Lightning to make me verklempt, but that’s because I didn’t know the final chapter would see Tsumugi going off to college in Hokkaido. Before this, we got a sequence of chapters with Tsumugi at various ages, where we see her growing in independence and culinary skill. And, finally, heading out to experience life on her own. It’s very nice! Too, I really appreciated that nothing about the finale hinges on whether Inuzuka and Kotori might get together now that she’s somewhere in the neighborhood of 30. It’s clear that Tsumugi would like that, but to the end, this is the story of a father and daughter and how they have stuck together after the loss of someone they love. I enjoyed it very much. – Michelle Smith

Takane & Hana, Vol. 9 | By Yuki Shiwasu | VIZ Media – I know it’s contrived and rather over-the-top, but the meddling chairman forcing his grandson and the Nonomura family to live together really works for me. In order to convince Takane to go along with it, Hana has to honestly confess that she wants to live with him, something she later reiterates to Okamon, who is very worried about her whole situation and finally ends up confessing. I’m not sure Hana and Takane are really getting closer—for every sweet study session there’s a misguided, extravagant bedroom redecoration—but the whole setup does at least put a fresh spin on their arrangement and provides, in the chairman’s words, “a place for you two to become certain about each other.” This series continues to be a lot of fun. – Michelle Smith

By: Ash Brown

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #339

Top Ten Things to Remember About TF Nation 2018

It’s been a fortnight, by the time you’re both reading this, since I was at TF Nation. In that time a lot has happened. Well, not a lot a lot. I’ve zipped about the country a little bit. It’s nearly time for school to start. I’ve made about six different promos. So some stuff has happened.

Anyway, I'm finally ready to talk about it. I’ll be posting pictures this weekend too (hopefully they’ll be up by now). It was a strange TFN for me in a number of ways, and I'm going to self-indulgently reflect on that.

Normally I drive from My Home in The North, down the M6 to Brum, and get to the Hilton Metropole around late-afternoonish on the Friday. Dump my stuff in my room, head out for a mooch, check out the Friday night festivities, hopefully catch up with friends in the bar, and try to get a relatively early night to feel rested not just for the first full day of the con but also for the inevitable Long One on Saturday night. But a couple of things were different this year. For one, I was working in London, so I caught the train from Euston instead, and go to the hotel quite early. For another, I had what we in the trade refer to as a Minging Cold and felt Proper Rotten. So apologies to anyone who I gave my lurgy to. Anyway, an upshot of this is that I didn’t feel too much like hanging out in the bar or really being all that sociable. I think if D.C. Douglas hadn't been doing his excellent Erotic Fan-Fiction Show on Friday night I'd probably have just hidden in my room to play Civilization VI on my own. But I really didn’t want to miss Chase from Rescue Bots delivering a bit of late night smut, and I’m glad I stuck it out, because it was fantastic.

Although I always love TFN the holy-cow-wow factor from my first con visit a few years ago waxes and wanes. This year I knew I wasn’t looking for any toys so I didn’t engage quite as strongly with the vendors. And I still felt crap for most of Saturday, popping back to my room a couple of times for a rest, and taking a long walk back into the NEC to try to find some drugs. Fortunately, the addition of concentrated Lemsip to my system gave me sufficient strength to power through the afternoon, and by the evening’s festivities I was feeling much, much better. The Stan Bush concert was incredible, and I spent the rest of my time in the bar, chatting to friends old and new.

Sunday, by contrast, was a hardscrabble day of running around and trying to get everything signed by the guests, as I’d squandered Saturday on feeling poorly and taking it easy. But I spoke to everyone and got all the signatures I wished, even if I was trying To Be Good and not spend several hundred pounds on artwork. But I did, at least, get a beautiful Spiderling picture from Nick Roche, which will eventually hang on my daughter’s wall.

So anyway, it was a really cool convention, but it felt slightly disjointed and I left with a melancholy feeling. I think a lot of that was due to me being away from home, and spending the weekend I'd have ordinarily used to go back and see my family at TFN instead. Plus, as is always the case with these things, I like chatting to people more than mooching and purchasing, and there just isn’t enough time, especially when you’re friends with the creators themselves. But it was great. I love TFN, it’s one of the highlights of my year. I hope I can go again next year; obviously it’s an expense, but more than that it’s time out during the summer holidays and time away from my kids. It's always going to be a tough decision, at least til they’re old enough to want to come with me (I don’t think they’ll be staying up till 2am discussing celebrity sex abusers for quite some time, however).

Here, then, are my favourite bits. Or at least the bits that have hung around my memory most powerfully. Cheers, TFN, and thanks loads to everyone involved in the organising.

Stan Bush: “I would have waited an eternity for this,” said Nick Roche when introducing him, and I think he meant it (although it does sound suspiciously like a line from a film. Lord of the Rings, maybe?). Mr Bush did not disappoint. Quintessential 80s rocking, with lots of implied slow-motion montages. Music to drive motorbikes to as the sun goes down over the naval base. It was amazing.

Saturday Night: Like I said, I spent the rest of Saturday night with friends in the bar. It was great fun, and really affirmed my love of the convention, and of Transformers fans in general. Everyone just seems so chill, and all on the same page, just sharing in their love of the franchise and its associated art. I’ve been very lucky to get on friendly terms with various Transformers creators over the years; I hope by calling them my friends I'm not overstepping any boundaries and coming across like some weird stalker. I really like these guys, and chatting to them is an annual highlight. Wish it could happen more often.

Sunday Afternoon: I normally leave fairly sharpish, to be honest, once the con winds down, but with no real hurry to get home (no excited children waiting for me, alas) I hung about a bit longer, and sampled some of the famous Sunday night vibe. I was chatting with a different set of friends, people I see at the Travelling Man store in Manchester, and it was a really nice come down after the highs of Saturday night. I can see why people like staying Sunday night, and not just out of a desire to make TFN last as long as possible.

The Lost Light Love-In: I love Lost Light, and the final (?) TFN panel dedicated to the book was a delight. Revelations, discarded plots, behind-the-scenes info, some subtle teases; it was everything a fan could desire. But the real takeaway was the display of friendship between writer James Roberts and artist Jack Lawrence. It was so, so cool that these two old buds got to make a comic together based on one of their favourite things in the world, and that we all got to read it. It was the perfect, bittersweet end to a long and lovely ride.

An Annie for Annie: my kids might not have read a lot of comics but at the end of the day, most kids still love Spider-Man. My youngest is called Annie; Spider-Man's daughter is called Annie in Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows; the artist of Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows is Nick Roche; Nick was at TFN. It's not hard to get from one thing to the other, and now I have a really great Spiderling picture. I'm hoping it’s something Annie (my Annie, the IRL Annie) will cherish as she gets older. And don’t worry about my eldest, she’s already got three Nick Transformers headshots.

Filth: I’d heard of, but didn’t really know much about, D.C. Douglas’s “Erotic (Zombie-Related) Fan-Fiction" show. I’m not a big Resident Evil fan so I’m almost entirely unfamiliar with his work as Albert Wesker; as far as I’m concerned he’s Chase from Transformers: Rescue Bots. But he’s funny on Twitter so I thought this would be funny too, and quite frankly who wouldn’t want to go see something about erotic fiction at a Transformers convention? Anyway, it didn’t disappoint; it was hilarious and proper mucky. Kudos to the organisers for putting it on, because it’s not the sort of thing I've seen at TFN before. The icing on the cake was the fact that I got to go up on stage and take part, although I reckon my bits could have been dirtier. So to speak.

Blimey!: there was a period of my life when I was probably just as excited for the Combat Colin strip in Transformers as I was by the ongoing story of those robots in disguise themselves. So to finally meet Colin’s creator, Lew Stringer, and get an original Semi-Automatic Steve sketch, was marvellous. I really wish I'd had more time to chat to him, though; he’s a font of knowledge about British comics and their history, and more than that, he was a massive influence on me, my artwork, and my writing. It’s funny sometimes, when you think back, the things that shaped you creatively. Combat Colin is, I think even Lew would admit, fairly niche in terms of popular culture, but the books I’m writing at the moment owe just as much to the adventures of Colin, Steve, the Giggly Sisters, Megabrain, Madprof, Combat Kate and the rest, as they do to the various superhero writers and great novelists that I've cribbed from disgracefully over the years.

Where it All Began: I started collecting Transformers with issue 11 of the UK comic. The lead story in that issue – “Man of Iron” – was illustrated by Mike Collins. Mike was at the convention, and he signed my VERY FIRST ISSUE OF TRANSFORMERS EVER. I mean, how cool is that? Like with Lew, though, I didn’t have much chance to speak to him unfortunately, and I never managed to get an original sketch either. Hopefully he’ll be back!

Those Wonderful Toys: I didn’t really buy anything this year. Most years I either get myself something or at least pick up a couple of small things for the girls. But I knew I was spending more on artwork than usual, plus in general I just wanted to be more frugal, so I didn’t want to go flinging money on “Plastic Crack”. The only thing I really, really wanted was a Power of the Primes Rodimus Prime, which comes with a little Hot Rod that you can combine with his “trailer”, Powermaster Optimus Prime style, to turn into Rodimus. Rodimus, of course, is my favourite character, and this was a gimmick I came up with myself when I was a little kid, so of course I was super excited at the prospect. I think I saw one, briefly, on Saturday morning, but that was it: one. And it was gone so quickly I began to doubt myself. Anyway, with my One True Love not being present, buying toys was kind of an afterthought, but all the same: I love looking at them. Especially the third-party/custom jobs they have in the Forge. The huge Optimus was terrific, but I especially loved the life-size (well, human-sized, I guess) Optimus rifle. They should sell that thing at Toys R Us! Oh...

Geoffrey and Helpers: speaking of TRU (RIP), cosplay. Cosplay is Gold at TFN. This year was no exception. Utterly fantastic Vortex, Functionist Council, humanised Rodimus and Magnus, and loads more besides... it was great, really great. The sheer scale of the undertaking, the finesse, the performances: hats off to you, one and all. But the icing on the cake, for me at least, was the guy who dressed up as Geoffrey from the Toys R Us adverts, except wearing an Infinity Gauntlet. I mean, come on. That’s just incredible.

So there you have it: TF Nation 2018. It was a very emotional experience for me this year. Really, really cool. I do love it. I hope I can go to one of the meet-ups, especially if they have one in the north. And I hope I get to see people in between now and next year, too. Having said that, for a variety of reasons I’m thinking I might give next year a miss, or maybe just go for one day or something.

Unless they get Judd Nelson as a guest. Or anyone else from Rescue Bots. Or Peter Cullen. Or if they have a Weird Al Yankovic concert. Or if they do a huge “End of IDW (version 1.0)” retrospective. Or if they have all the new creators. Or...

Jesus, it never ends.