kmarttelescope13

[kmarttelescope13]

trying to make like semi-realistic jon sims fanart has me looking at pictures of wounds like why am i googling what a healed throat slit looks like the feds are going to find me

#jonathan sims #jon sims #tma #the magnus archives

[kmarttelescope13]

jonathan sims 🤝 riz gukgak

asexual characters with monsters that represent their fears of being alone, left behind, and hated by their friends

#they are so me coded #i'm rotating them both in my mind constantly #asexual #acespec #jon sims #jonathan sims #tma #the magnus archives #riz gukgak #d20 fantasy high #fantasy high junior year #fhjy

[kmarttelescope13]

THIS!!! El Paso has such great locations for battle scenes and such unique culture. I would've LOVED to see Blue Beetle flying around downtown or going to Bowie. Just IMAGINE a shot of Jaime as Blue Beetle looking down over Scenic Point... it would've been iconic.

I'm really disappointed that Jaime couldn't be from El Paso. I agree with the point about fictional cities being more marketable, but Peter Parker still gets to be from New York, you know? Also, taking El Paso out of the story made people from EP less likely to see it. I enjoyed Blue Beetle a lot, I thought it was funny and charming, but I think keeping Jaime in El Paso would make him a lot more relatable for the target audience. Granted, that would mean that the whole finding-an-alien-and-getting-superpowers thing would feel a lot more out of place, but I think the advanced technology could still work if it was El Paso in the future.

Even Kord industries makes sense. Several big companies have headquarters or big facilities on the West side. The islands are a little more difficult to work into a rewrite, but it's not impossible. There are tons of ghost towns, huge mountains, and miles of open desert that could have secret bases.

I also think the unique politics of El Paso and its location on the border would make it a very interesting location for a superhero. The border is an obvious source of conflict, and the economics of the West side vs. the East side are also an interesting thing to explore. I know that's most likely too deep and controversial for a DC movie, but with the right writers and enough time, it could be a truly great and authentic story.

I can't speak to what happens in the comics, as I haven't read them, so maybe they do everything I suggested here and it was bad. I'm not sure. But when adapting comics into movies, corporations generally play fast and loose with the comic lore, so nothing is above being changed.

Also, I totally agree that Jaime listens to Khalid.

I was really, really disappointed that Jaime wasn't from El Paso. I'm glad that the movie got made and that he's more mainstream, and I'm very glad that the Reyes family's story is able to be told on such a large scale. It sucks that El Paso lost one of our biggest cultural exports and that we can't step into the spotlight, but in the end, I think having a Blue Beetle movie at all is remarkable, and I'd take this movie over one that portrayed El Paso badly any day. I agree that an accurate El Pasoan Jaime Reyes can only be written by an El Pasoan. Banger post 10/10 💪

Blue Beetle and El Paso

I would be lying if I said that I was not disappointed by the canonical home of Jaime Reyes being changed both in the movie and in recent comics. However, I would also be lying if I said that I absolutely detested the movie for whatever reason. I enjoyed the movie for what it was and what it meant to the Hispanic and Latinx communities. It is a huge deal, and I think it was done well. Going back to my original point, it is hard to be disappointed when it feels as though I am not missing out on much when Blue Beetle's relationship with El Paso was never done true justice anyway.

The West Texan Mexican-American experience is hard to fully encapsulate into one solid thought or idea. I can confidently say that the approach DC had in most iterations of the comics, cartoons, recent movie, and other forms of media always toned the experience down and made it a duller aspect of his story. I can not recall even a single time when El Paso was brought up or portrayed in a way that was recognizable to an El Pasoan across any of the aforementioned media. It always felt disconnected and out of touch, but I still held it close to my heart because it was something alluding to home.

In a way, I am happy that Blue Beetle is now from the fictional (emphasis on that) Palmera City, because it reiterates that heroes can only be super in Hollywood when they are superficially placed in a cookie-cutter big and flashy city. All I really have to say to that is, good for them. They did what they needed to in order to reach a wider audience. I am sure that the payoff for the corporate powerhouses at the end was worth it even at the cost of individuality. Come to think of it, my mind cannot really conjure up any mainstream superheroes that operate in any desert long term. Any time spent in the less "glamorous" parts of the Southwest is almost always smaller plot-driving settings that act as a stepping stone for bigger heroes and not as a home.

Anyway, all of this is to say that I understand why they did what they did with the setting. I even still happen to think the entire production team did a great job, but that does not stop me from wondering what could have been at any point in Blue Beetle's recent history if someone had used the beauty, culture, and complexity found uniquely in Sun City far more productively. There was so much more potential than the oftentimes vague and noncommittal nods given to the setting. It just was not utilized to its fullest potential, and if that would have been a continuous theme, then I am glad that they are no longer working with it.

Shifting to something less ranty, I absolutely suck at drawing. I am a STEM person through and through, but that did not stop me from visualizing all of the things I would have loved to have seen portrayed in a Blue Beetle story while experiencing being a teenager in El Paso. He was my absolute favorite superhero because he was one that I saw every single day in my hometown, and there were several things I felt he would have enjoyed doing.

For example, we have a ton of high schools. If I had to narrow down the ones I think Jaime Reyes would have attended, I would probably say my top three picks would be: El Paso High School, Bowie High School, or Austin High School. An interesting custom that schools in El Paso have is placing the first initial of a myriad of our high schools on the mountains. They are huge and visible, as well as a testament to our school spirit and pride. The Top 10 percent of most of our graduating classes wear different colored gowns at graduation than the rest of their peers, which is something I was told was not a common occurrence in most other states.

Homecoming is a huge deal, and people will buy, make, or sell Mums and corsages. It is kind of difficult to explain to people from around the states who may not be entirely familiar with what it is, but it is an old Texan tradition that is typically shared between sweethearts (dates) on the last day of Homecoming spirit week. It is something that a lot of people go all out for, and plenty of pictures exist on the internet of the various ways that they can be customized. I always thought it would be cool to see what Jaime Reyes would do for his Mum.

Prom is pretty much Prom wherever you are in the States for the most part, and ours are held at some great venues in the city, so there is not much more to say about that part of the high school experience. As far as colleges go, some of the most popular for teenagers at El Paso high schools to apply to are UTEP, EPCC, TTU, Texas A&M, and any of the other UTs (UT Austin, UT Dallas, and UT San Antonio to name a few). There are even several private universities like Rice, Baylor, and Trinity to name a few more. Hell, a lot of us even go to schools like NMSU in what is essentially our sister city of Las Cruces, there is also UNM, ASU, U of A, and CU. There are so many different choices for universities that are realistic and in the general area that Jaime absolutely could have chosen to apply to and attend. I think that seeing him initially as a Junior or Senior in an El Paso high school, and subsequently watching his transition into a college student in the city or elsewhere while grappling with his powers and responsibilities as Blue Beetle would have been so fascinating.

As far as places that it would have been nice to see him interact with at some point, it would be easier to just give a general list of my favorites. I wish that the following places could have been incorporated into the Blue Beetle story at some point long past: Chico's Tacos, Franklin Mountains State Park, Transmountain Road, Downtown, The Plaza Theater, Cielo Vista, The Fountains at Farah, Sunland Park, the Outlet Shoppes, Rosa's Cantina, Southwest University Park, Don Haskins Center, Concordia Cemetery, Scenic Drive-Overlook, the El Paso Star, Hueco Tanks, San Jacinto Plaza, St. Patrick Cathedral, any farmer's market or swap meet, any of our museums (Art, History, Archeology, Border Patrol, Science, Chamizal), the Coliseum, Ardovino's, Orange Cow, Burrito House, Bowie Bakery, Lucy's Cafe, any of our dulcerias, as well as literally any of our regional and national recreational chains. Obviously, there is so much more, but all of what I listed could have definitely been used for something whether it be a fight with a villain of the week, or opportunities to flesh out Jaime's character more socially and individually. That, and it tickles my funny bone to imagine the Teen Titans trying something like Chico's Tacos for the first time.

Unrelated, Jaime would totally listen to Khalid.

Naturally, there are so many other locations in surrounding cities and states that easily could have been used as well for any plot points that would have added even more Southwestern charm. I mean, part of New Mexico's tourism schtick is literally aliens (Roswell), and the scarab is in fact an alien now. However, for the purposes of this, I focused on El Paso. That is really all I have to say about all of this, if you stayed for my entire rant I appreciate it. If not, I totally understand, and I really just wanted to put my thoughts out into the world and write this love letter to my home city.

I love that Blue Beetle is now further into the general public's eye, and that his character means something for the entire extended community. He now has room to change, grow, and evolve from what he was before in a way that is far more defined by the expectations for a mainstream hero. Even if the El Pasoan Jaime Reyes can only exist truly in my mind, it is an okay price to pay for a narrative that touches my heart specifically. I am most certainly not a writer, so I hope that the next time we have a hero from El Paso, some of my city's charm can truly be done justice. After all, the only person who can characterize an El Pasoan correctly is an El Pasoan.

#blue beetle #el paso #jaime reyes #mexican #chicano

[kmarttelescope13]

"Fire Tim" so what if that was it for me

#the magnus archives #the magnus institute #tim stoker #timothy stoker #tma #tma podcast #tma s5 #tma season 5 #tma season five #the magnus archives season 5

[kmarttelescope13]

been listening to The Magnus Archives and it's my hyperfixation now sorry!!!! it's time for me to be annoying about it!!!!

[kmarttelescope13]

i lied. i don't actually like sex. put your clothes back on. i'm going to explain the entire plot of the magnus archives.

[kmarttelescope13]

mirror conversations

imagine i am a diorama--

an elementary schooler has taken a vested interest in the Rockies,

and my chest cavity is their shoebox.

my fragmented ribs are their dollar-store dinosaur figurines,

my intestines their fake-moss trees.

imagine my spine is a ridge of mountains.

imagine there is a cabin tucked up on top of my sternum,

and imagine a waterfall pouring out of my heart,

foaming out from behind the bone,

a little cave, a niche in my chest where you can stand on a ridge and see the silhouettes of people walking back and forth behind the red stained glass of my ventricles.

imagine caring enough to scale the cliff face and enter the cabin.

inside, you'll find the prom photos, the sticks with googly eyes glued on, dinosaur stickers, the deadly serious letters masked with humor.

it's yours. there's a room for you. two, actually. if you don't like the first one, the one i decorated.

the second is empty save for a credit card. buy what you like. fill me with you. make me a reflection.

imagine that God in His high heaven has decided to take pity on us.

imagine anyone caring when you're in pain.

imagine me making dinner after you limp through the front door for the third time this week,

and imagine me bringing it to your room, sitting down and talking for a while, or if you’re not up to that just leaving it with you and going down the hall to watch TV.

imagine me borrowing your car and bringing it back with a full tank.

imagine soft blankets, lavender-scented lotions, warm kitchens, rainy days. imagine comfort. imagine a world where your hands and shoulders hurt a normal amount for your age.

imagine a world that understands you, one where you don't have to explain yourself. imagine being normal. imagine being tolerable. imagine explaining yourself perfectly on the first, second, third try. imagine explaining yourself at all. imagine getting a word in edgewise. imagine an equal conversation, where nobody waits for their turn to talk. imagine sitting in silence that feels like a bonfire at your back. imagine stinging warmth, feeling coming back to your toes after being out in the snow, scraping the ice off your windshield.

imagine i take the scraper from you. i give you a break. i turn on the heater. i warm up the car for you.

imagine being loved. unconditionally.

we in the biz call that a "pipe dream."

i keep asking you to go on a vacation. a cabin in the mountains, above a waterfall. i show you the brochure.

“it looks lovely, doesn't it?” i ask, and you're staring at your hands. they're shaking and cracked and a little bloody.

“yeah. real pretty.”

“we could go next week.”

you run your index finger over the curve of your wrist, leading into your thumb.

“i have to work.”

sometimes, i wish i could make you look. i wish i could shove the glasses on your face and show you my ruined chest under my shirt, screaming for you to just look.

but i just smile.

“maybe next time.”

imagine things going our way.

no. i shouldn't even say that. false hope will make a fool out of me.

get an elementary schooler and a dull X-ACTO knife. i need to feel something.

#ace poetry #queer poets on tumblr #queer poetry #poetry #original poem #queer

[kmarttelescope13]

So legally they can't shove romance in your face

they'll be fined 1000 dollars if they do

you are so real and right for this ^^^

[kmarttelescope13]

real as fuck

Don't get it twisted. I don't hate being Aroace I hate allo/amatonormativity making me feel like I've morally failed in some way. Don't put words in my mouth.

[kmarttelescope13]

happy valentine's day to all my aros, aces, and general aspec folks!!! be nice to yourself today!!! get a little treat, watch your comfort media, stay inside or go out, just have fun and remember that being aspec does not make you a freak or broken or anything like that. being aspec is a natural variation in human sexuality!!! we're stronger together, and we're strongest when we're together and happy!!!! stay fuckin fresh!!!

#ace #aro #aspec #acespec #asexual #queer #aroace #aromantic #arospec #valentine's #valentines day #valentine's day #valentines

[kmarttelescope13]

going outside in February is like. "oh i'm getting reminded that i'm a freak and society hates me." which is like normal but it's cranked up to eleven bc of valentine's day and then you go home and you have emails about valentine's day sales and people are posting their partners and if they don't have a partner they're being insanely self-deprecating about that and everything at work is heart-themed and everyone's talking about how they're not complete without their "other half" and all that bullshit and overall it's all just so exhausting as an aspec person. like can i just exist peacefully without sex and romance being shoved down my throat 24/7 PLEASE

#like i'm cool with me the problem is that nobody else is #and nobody really gets it #so i'm just mad as hell but quietly #aro #ace #aromantic #asexual #aspec #acespec #queeer #aroace #arospec #valentine's day #valentines #valentines day #valentine's

[kmarttelescope13]

followup to my last post: are all het couples insufferable and whiny and overly coddling to one another or is it just my roommate and their boyfriend

#despite what it sounds like i do not hate them #but GODDAMN

[kmarttelescope13]

are all white people insufferable while talking about politics or is just my roommate and their boyfriend 🤔

[kmarttelescope13]

college is so unserious why do i have a tumblr post due on friday at 11:59 pm 💀

#college #collegecore #bruh #it's for a class about fandom but #it's even funnier bc my roommate is a poli sci major and has like books to read and papers to write and shit

[kmarttelescope13]

i'll be thinking about the raven cycle and SPECIFICALLY adam parrish until i fucking die

i reread the raven cycle and the dreamer trilogy

[kmarttelescope13]

i'm laying on the grass. it's not late, only around seven, but it's dark.

january. we made it another year.

i'm laying down and i'm thinking about you. i'm listening to country music, which you hate, but maybe i'll bring you around someday. the way Tyler Childers talks about love reminds me of us.

to us, love is inconvenient. it's hard work, but it's worth it. it's dirty hands and cracked lips, but the reward at the end is softness. it's watching someone you love sleep in the bed you built and getting to share it.

i'd move the world just to make the sun shine on you every day.

we made it another year. i'm staring up at the sky, a tree root digging into my back, and i'm feeling my stomach rise and fall.

i'm breathing. my heart's still beating.

three hundred miles away, i know yours is too.

i hope you're thinking of me. i hope my messages make you smile as much as yours make me.

clouds form in a funnel around the moon. i take a picture and i think about sending it to you. i wonder if it looks the same where you are. i wonder if you take pictures of it too.

i wonder if it makes you think of me. i wonder if you feel the silver thread that connects our hearts.

i'm laying on the grass. it's not late, only around seven, but it's dark.

i wish you were here.

#poem #poetry #queer poetry #ace poetry #acespec #platonic #original poem

[kmarttelescope13]

i'm back in the fucking building again (at college)

#:( #college