#Luen loud

[pennyellee]

CHAPTER I - absquatulate

LACRIMOSA | MYG MAFIA YANDERE AU

pairings: mafia leader!yoongi x f!reader genre: mafia!au, yandere au, historical au

summary: Their interlocking gaze served as a butterfly effect on his heart, stirring it to the core. She, in turn, only dreams to find a way to escape. But perchance, over time she might forcefully learn to love the man who has taken so much from her.

Thus unfolds a twisted tale of love and loss, of hope and despair, of life and death. The music reverberated through the dimly-lit streets. Tears of sorrow, weeping symphony - reflects the hurt, the scars that linger deep within and the wounds that never healed. Lacrimosa.

chapter warnings: minors dni 18+ | mafia au, dark!yoongi, mafia!yoongi, yandere, kidnapping, mentions of God, graphic violence, manipulation, possessive/obsessive behaviour, angst, betrayal, mentions of death

word count: 2,11K

disclaimer: this story is purely fictional, it does not depict real-life events or involve any actual members of BTS. This story will contain depictions of violence, blood shed, death, mentions of abuse, smoking, alcohol drinking, illegal activities, old social norms and traditions, which we do not condone.

m.list CHAPTER II

absquatulate (v.) to leave without saying goodbye

October 1938

Her feet ached, the shoes she wore were mercilessly biting into her skin, and the clothes clung uncomfortably to her body. She couldn’t slow down though. Y/N was determined to push herself a little further to cross the borders of Luen’s territory in north side of Korea. She didn't exactly know what would happen next, nor did she care at this point. The vision of freedom kept her sane. Little did she know, fate had a different plan in store for her.

Tears of happiness streamed down her cheeks as she finally found herself beyond the imaginary border. She made it to South part of Korea — the port city Incheon, next, a ferry to Jeju Island. Y/N was moving down the coastline for days, and she feels more than happy to be nearing her final destination.

The moment of joy was short-lived as the sound of barking dogs and distant screams echoed behind her. Wiping her tears quickly, she looked around the area in a rush. A small old building caught her eye, serving as a warehouse of some sort. It was her only option. Casting one last glance behind her, she made a split-second decision and hurried towards the building.

Inside the building, the air was even colder than outside. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to warm up.

Suddenly, a loud thump reverberated through the air, freezing her in place. Instead of moving away from the source of the sound and seeking safety, an inexplicable force drew her closer. Y/N took small steps closer and closer to the voices that grew louder with each passing second. So far, she had guided her steps wisely. This next step, however, would prove to be a grave mistake. With just a slight twist of events, her fate would be forever altered by one hundred and eighty degrees. If only her curiosity and naivety haven’t gotten the best of her, her path could have been entirely different. Or would it?

One movement, one glance, one flutter of butterfly wings and her fate was sealed. Time stood still as she found herself gazing fearfully into his dark eyes. Y/N hadn't even noticed the red-tinged blood staining his white shirt or the loaded gun clutched tightly in his hand. She simply stared, paralysed by fear. It felt like an eternity to her, but it had only been seconds since she hadn't been careful before tripping over the empty wooden boxes revealing to everyone in the room that there was an uninvited guest.

She could hear the man standing nearby reloading his gun. Snapping out of her daze, she turned and fled, as if she had never stopped running. The cool night air lashed against her face as she sprinted with all her might, making her way towards the harbour. There were no more voices heard behind her. Y/N cautiously looked around, finding no trace of anyone following her, allowing herself to have a flicker of hope.

A shadowy figure appeared from behind a corner, blocking her path. It was one of the soldiers, armed and dangerous. Her heart raced as she searched for a way out. ‘This cannot be,’ she thought. The soldier was quick to close the distance between them, the command was loud and clear. “Bring back alive.”

The poor soul, who had only yearned for freedom, remained oblivious to the fact that her life was not in immediate danger. In the heat of the moment, she collected her courage and pushed the soldier forcefully against the wall with all her might. It took him a moment to collect himself as he had hit his head pretty hard. Y/N did not hesitate though. Her eyes spotted a rock earlier which was now in her possession — brought it up and smashed it against his head. Only after she realised what has just happened. She knew he might be dead and for this very sin, she will have to pay. But there was no time for regrets now. She took off running again.

Had she managed to escape? That remained to be seen. Hungry, thirsty, and chilled to the bone, she stepped onto the small ferry, placing one foot on its creaking board. Y/N paid for the journey with the golden hairpin that held her dark locks together. As the wind danced in her hair and frost began to paint her face, a kind-hearted passenger offered her a blanket, which she gratefully wrapped around herself while she watched the disappearing land, full of lights. In the distance, she thought she caught a glimpse of a figure dressed in black on the pier. Paying little attention to it, she unknowingly continued down a treacherous path.

Not far away, a man leaned against a car whose engine had only recently gone cold, asking.

“Shall we follow her sajangnim?”

“There is no need for that,” the man’s words hung in the air. As if he knew exactly that fate would lead her back to him.

She reached the other shore shortly before dawn. Though hazy memories guided her, she vaguely recalled the path she was meant to take. The last time she was on this island, she was barely fourteen years old. Yet, her feet seemed to instinctively remember the way.

She stood before the gate of a grand mansion, comparable in size to the one she had grown up in. Slowly, she opened it and slipped inside. There were no soldiers to be seen guarding the mansion.‘Strange,’ she thought to herself.

Slowly she walked to the door and grasped the large metal knocker in her hands, rapped it three times. The door swung open, revealing a middle-aged woman holding a small boy in her arms.

“Y/N?” the short-haired lady addressed her.

“I know I shouldn't be here, Daiyu, but I have nowhere to go right now,” she said with tears in her eyes and a lump in her throat. Daiyu opened the door more and let her younger cousin in. Placing the little boy in a wooden chair, Daiyu prepared tea, mindful of the chilly temperatures outside.

“What happened Y/N? Does Uncle know you're here?” She asked when she finally sat down next to her. There was a pleasant warmth inside that radiated from the lit fireplace.

“No, no one knows I’m gone” she admitted.

“That's not good at all Y/N, do you want to end up with a bullet in your head?!”

“I’d rather that than take my freedom by marrying that brute”

“You know damn well you won't get it,” she told her younger cousin. She knew what she was going through, but she couldn't help her.

“Auntie told me to come here once—” her voice faded away when she realised the sorrow within her. “—Maybe if Chan-yeol...” She didn't even have time to finish before the sound of a slamming door reverberated through the room, shaking Y/N to her core.

“What in God’s name is she doing here!” The voice echoed, filled with anger and disbelief once he saw her sitting in his kitchen. Y/N turned to face the source of the voice, her cousin's husband towering over her, his eyes blazing with fury. “Chan-yeol...my mother sent her here. She needs help,” Daiyu attempted to explain and pleaded for Y/N’s safety, but Chan-yeol’s response was cold and hostile.

“Our help? Amazing, now they’re going to kill us too!” he bellowed, his face turning a bright shade of red. Treason wasn’t tolerated among the Wang clan. By running away Y/N knew very well that she cannot come back if she doesn’t want to die.

Y/N began to realize the gravity of her situation, but she knew that it was too late. “They won’t kill you, just please get me to the west. I’ll help myself from there, Chan-yeol please,” she pleaded, falling to her knees in front of him. Y/N was not ready to die.

Chan-yeol’s expression softened for a moment, but it quickly turned to one of anger and frustration. “Daiyu, come with me,” he ordered, his voice cold and hard. Daiyu looked at Y/N with a mixture of sympathy and regret before following her husband out of the room. Y/N was left alone, her heart pounding with fear and uncertainty. She knew that her fate was now in the hands of her cousin’s husband, and she could only hope that he would have mercy on her.

Her feet carried her front and back while she was listening to muffled screams and thuds from behind the closed door. Suddenly, everything went silent, and a tearful Daiyu came out of the door. “Don’t worry Y/N, everything will be as it should be,” she said, her words laced with a bittersweet comfort.

Overwhelmed with relief, Y/N believed she would finally be free. Daiyu poured the tea she had set the water on earlier. She smiled at her through her tears and watched her drink it. The poor girl had no idea what was yet to come. Slowly, her eyes closed, and she fell into dreamland as Daiyu sat beside her and cried.

“You knew this will happen sooner or later, Daiyu. We cannot disobey him.” Chan-yeol said as he picked Y/N up in his arms and carried her away from his wife’s sight.

“This was your mother’s wish. Honour it.”

Never in her worst dreams would Daiyu have thought she would sacrifice her blood to protect the clan she despised with the same amount as Y/N.

The crackling of wood in the blazing fireplace brought Y/N back to consciousness. Slowly, she widened her teary eyes and looked around the room, which was unfamiliar to her. Tall windows, obscured by long curtains that prevented her from looking out, darkened the entire room. The only source of light was the blazing fireplace and an oil lamp set on the bedside table. She sat her body down on the bed.

Y/N was no longer clad in her bright red qipao dress, but she was wearing a nightgown that wasn't hers. Nothing in this room belonged to her. She grasped the oil lamp in her hands and, with a small gasp, took her first steps toward the large door on the other side of the room.

Everything was sort of strange, the house looked Korean with some touches of Western furniture. For a moment she thought Chan-yeol had made it, and she was somewhere in a far-off land in a safe house.

She pushed the door open and carefully slipped out. Y/N found herself in a hall that was darker than night. The walls were littered with black and white framed photos and several doors. The petite Chinese woman walked slowly down the hallway, shining her light on the paintings. She didn't recognise most of the people, family portraits from generation to generation, until she came to the last one.

It was him, with his dark eyes and the long scar across, her own filled with fear. The lamp fell from her hands and her feet carried her unknowingly where. She rammed full force into several doors and wandered until she found the exit. Y/N looked around the area in every direction but there was no escape route anywhere. Abruptly, she turned back to face where she came from. She had an uneasy feeling inside her. As if someone was watching her. But she didn’t see anyone anywhere.

It was only the cold drops of rain falling on her shoulders which made her look up, revealing the reason for her inner unease. She saw him standing up there like a king, a God, looking directly into her eyes. His hands rested on the wooden balcony railing, smiling. The smile concealed darkness within. Her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed to the ground.

“No more fleeing away, my little butterfly,” his voice echoed in the air, and a feeling of satisfaction settled across his body.

I N T E R L O G U E

“Everything is going according to the plan, kkangpae. She came here” Said the man, holding the phone to his ear. His wife looking at him with tears.

“I understand,” said Chan-yeol, ending the call, and locking eyes with his wife. “Don’t cry Dayiu, you know this is the best for her.” He sighed.

“That is very easy for you to say, it’s not your life that is about to change.” She collected herself, ready to leave the room. “You managed,” said he.

“But you weren’t the head of syndicate Chan-yeol—” she began. “You know, I made my peace within this marriage, but I’m sure she won’t take it laying down.” Chan-yeol pursed his lips in annoyance.

“I wish I could know my mother’s reasoning for this ordeal, but it’s too late for that.” Said Daiyu, finalising her words and leaving the room at once.

to be continued

author’s note: AAAAAAA! The first chapter is here. This is just a little beginning and I promise that a lot more is going to come and be unveiled ♥ Excuse any ridiculous mistake I made, I just recently got back to writing and it's not beta read. If you want to be added to the taglist, don't be shy and lemme know. Dm's and asks are always open ♥ I'll try to adjust everything and you prolly will get second chapter soonish too.

I'm also not expert on chinese, korean and japanese culture, but I tried to research everything realistic I wanted to add to the story. Nonetheless, take it as a fiction.

Don't be a silent reader, comment, re-blog, heart, asks are more than welcome ♥

let's be friends chummers ♥

lots of love, 𝖕𝖊𝖓𝖓𝖞𝖊𝖑𝖑𝖊

taglist: @chaoticpuff17 @honsoolgloss @jingerbreadoutofstock @moocow778 @janura26 @dinosolecito @yoongislatinagff @xyahrinx @ruhmoojeonjunkook-blog @hi12345567 @nochuel @deltamoon666 @bbkissme99 @darkuni63 @nansasa @sazsazsaz @missmin @strxwbloody @royallyjjk @jaiuneamesolitaiire @shadowyjellyfishfest

©pennyellee. please do not repost

#bts #bts fic #yandere yoongi #yandere bts #yandere namjoon #soft yandere #mafia au #yandere seokjin #seokjin x reader #yoongi x reader #bts fanfic #hard yandere #yandere #yandere kpop #yandere taehyung #mafia bts #lacrimosa #myg angst #dark!yoongi #min yoongi x y/n #bts x you #yoongi smut #haegeum #suga x you #suga x y/n #suga x reader #historical au #bts historical au #bts yandere au #fic:lacrimosa

[maikingsenseofit]

Came back to my TL and saw discourse on how the comics permanently ruined Maiko/ highlighted why they were incompatible all along/ Mai and Zuko can never reconcile again after them.

This is an unpopular opinion BUT As much as I detest Gene Luen Yang in this context (by the way American born Chinese is AMAZING) - I think he didn’t fuck up Maiko entirely or put them in a state where they have no conceivable future. In his mangling of Mai’s character he actually ended up giving her more dimension and agency than we could derive purely from the show. And even at the height of his butchered portrayal of Mai and Zuko’s relationship as something that could be conceived as incompatible or “toxic” (both of which I staunchly disagree on) - he still wrote very salient scenes where Mai and Zuko confide in each other, help each other cope with loss/dysfunctional family relationships, and are clearly head over heels for each other. I’ll go into this another time.

There’s little wonder as to why a majority of the fandom and general public still ship them. Maiko won a poll of 700,000 votes with a 67% majority. There’s a reason why Mai and Zuko shippers were never really deterred by the comics and continue to support them. There will always be a group of folks who use the comics (despite how EVERY character and relationship was written horribly) as their fuel for why Mai and Zuko NEVER worked. But those are the loud minority - and I’m glad the rest and the authors themselves have realized that there is a viable path forward for them.

But also THERES a huge chunk of people who have never heard of the comics in the first place.

#mai #zuko #avatar the last airbender #maiko #atla maiko #pro maiko #maikoforeverbitches #atla

[richincolor]

Welcome to our group discussion of Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang and illustrated by LeUyen Pham.

Please note that this is a full spoiler discussion! You will be spoiled if you continue reading.

Valentina Tran was named after Valentine’s Day, which used to be her favorite holiday. But when Val learns the truth behind what happened with her parents and why she’s being raised by a single father, she realizes true love is a lie. This is reinforced when she meets the spirit of Saint Valentine, who tells her she and her family are cursed to always be unlucky in love. Val is ready to give into her fate, until one Lunar New Year festival, where a mysterious lion dancer hands her a paper heart, and ZING. Val becomes determined to change her destiny, prove Saint Valentine wrong, and give her heart to the right person. Meanwhile, lion dancing is the only thing that has given Jae peace after his dad passed away. It’s also what keeps him connected to his father’s side of the family. Both Jae and his cousin Leslie notice Val at the Lunar New Year festival, and for some inexplicable reason, Jae hands Val a paper heart. But it’s Leslie, with his K-Pop good looks, who starts to date Val. Jae still feels this connection with Val and feels it’s somehow tied to how he feels about losing his father. Both Val and Jae struggle with the spirits who haunt them as they are inextricably brought together in a love story that is satisfying, sweet, and moving.

Audrey: I had so much fun reading LUNAR NEW YEAR LOVE STORY. It’s been a while since I’ve had the chance to really dig into a graphic novel, and this was a great one. Gene Luen Yang’s story was compelling, and LeUyen Pham did such a great job illustrating characters’ expressions and conveying movement. I really loved how the lion dances were illustrated. What did you think?

K. Imani: I agree Audrey, I had so much fun reading this novel as well. There were so many moments where I had a huge grin on my face and moments where I laughed out loud. The storytelling was so on point with a number of twists that I did not see coming. I love when a story keeps me on my toes. I had an ARC so the paper quality of my book was not that great, but the art was still beautiful so I can only imagine what the final product looked like.

Jessica: I’m a huge fan of Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novels so I knew I would be in for a treat! And I was not wrong. I’d just attended the Lunar New Year parade in Chinatown the prior weekend to reading this, so it felt very fitting to read this. I just adore stories about lion dancing – Audrey, I also loved how the lion dances were illustrated.

Crystal: I really loved the whole experience. The lion dancing was super interesting. It was great to see them, but also to learn about the how and why of the dancing. The artwork was gorgeous and like you said Audrey, LeUyen Pham was able to show so much movement. The color palette was beautiful and rich and followed the feng shui color wheel that is connected to the elements of nature. You can read more about Pham’s illustrations and her very deliberate choices with the colors in this BookPage interview.

Audrey: Let’s start with Valentina! What did you like about her? I have a soft spot for characters who get disillusioned about something but then forge onward anyway. I appreciated her determination to break her family’s romantic love curse, but I also really liked her journeys with familial love and friendship, too.

Jessica: She was a really interesting character! I didn’t expect to get a window into her childhood first thing, and the change from her childhood to when she is a teen in the present day was fascinating and really served to give us a full picture of who she is — it made me feel for her, too! Yet, at the same time, the way she throws herself into whatever she does – whether that’s making valentines or learning lion dancing – makes you really want to root for her.

K. Imani: I found Valentina so compelling. She had such a caring heart at the beginning of the book and to have it broken in such a way made me really feel for her. I really enjoyed traveling with her on her journey as she learned the difference between fantasy love and what real love is. Like Jessica said Ioved that she was so open to trying new things and when she put her mind to something, she went all in.

Crystal: I too appreciated seeing her relationships over time. It was good to see some of her childhood and to see her keep moving forward even when things were difficult. She picked herself up many times and kept on going. She was scared, but did the hard things.

Audrey: We can’t forget about Jae! He and Val didn’t have a great start, so I appreciated the slow burn of their friendship and eventual romance. He was quieter compared to Val, but he clearly was observant and thoughtful, and I appreciated how the two of them complemented each other.

Jessica: Jae! I love Jae so much. I love how much they complemented each other, and how Jae had his own struggles and his own story running parallel to Val. When they performed the lion dance together at the end – I loved that scene. And I cannot say enough about how fabulous the lion dancing illustrations in particular were. I went around showing it to people like, “hey, you should really read this – LOOK AT THESE ILLUSTRATIONS.” Another of my favorite scenes was when Jae’s uncle showed them Korean lion dancing and talked about eum and yang, and how the lion is 100% yang. That was so much fun. It makes me curious about the different kinds of lion dancing in the world beyond the style I’m familiar with.

K. Imani: Yes, we cannot forget about Jae. He was such a perfect balance for Valentina because he was the quiet to her loud.  I liked that he was surrounded by so much love so he was able to recognize that Val wouldn’t be ready for a real relationship and that she had to find her own way. I loved that they both had the same reasons, somewhat, for doing the lion dance and when they danced together it was a powerful experience. I loved those scenes and the happiness that came across through the illustrations just brought a smile to my face.

Crystal: I really adored Jae. He paid close attention to others and really tried to be respectful in his choices. Like Jessica, I totally loved the lion dance with Jae and Val at the end. It visually reminded us how much they complemented each other.

Audrey: Family and grief/loss were huge parts of this book as both Val and Jae were dealing with the loss of a parent and complications in their relationships with other family members and friends. What was most memorable for you? I really loved Val’s grandmother—she was great as a comedic character, but she also had some great moments with Val that showcased her depth and her love for her family.

Jessica: I found the different ways people processed loss so compelling – how Val coped versus how Val’s father went into full denial mode and lied to Val about her mother versus Val’s grandmother. Val’s grandmother bursting into their lives was a breath of fresh air. And both Jae and Val finding solace in lion dancing, something that brings good luck and joy to others, was such a powerful image. It makes me really appreciate the local organizations in my community that keep these traditions alive and provide this outlet for teens in my area.

K. Imani: What stood out to me with the theme of love & grief were tied together in the novel. I like how Val had to learn to love her father again after her hurt, how she was beginning to love her mother in a new way, and the relationship with her grandmother. On the other hand what motivated Jae to dance was his love for his father. This subtle theme was a lovely contrast to Val’s search for true love as it made her realize the difference between a fantasy type of love and what real, true, actual love is.

Crystal: With their losses, what stands out to me is how avoiding things compounds the problems. The lies and the silence only makes the grief and pain stretch out. As Jae’s uncle encouraged, being straightforward and direct can bring healing in a relationship.

Audrey: To wrap up, what YA graphic novels, romances, or contemporary fantasies are on your radar this year? I think The Marble Queen by Anna Kopp and illustrated by Gabrielle Kari looks fun! It just came out last week, and I’m a sucker for arranged/political marriages, and this one is set in a fantasy world with a sapphic main couple. Four Eids and a Funeral by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and Adiba Jaigirdar also sounds delightful.

Jessica: I’m really, really excited for Bunt! by Ngozi Ukazu and Mad Rupert (which Crystal has reviewed here). I’m a huge fan of the webcomic OMG, Check Please by Ngozi Ukazu, so of course I’m on board for Bunt! as well. And since we’re on the topic of lion dancing in this discussion, I’m going to shout out these two short stories (read them here and here) about lion dancing by Zen Cho, which I adore.

Crystal: I really enjoyed A Magic Steeped in Poison and its sequel by Judy I. Lin, so I’m excited to get my hands on her romantic fantasy Song of the Six Realms. I’m also looking forward to the contemporary romance True Love and Other Impossible Odds by Christine Li. The supernatural romance Hearts of Fire and Snow by David Bowles and Guadalupe Garcia McCall is also on my list. As for graphic novels, I’m eager to read The Worst Ronin by Maggie Tokuda-Hall. So many books!

K. Imani: There are a number of fantasy trilogies that I’m looking forward to reading when I finally have some free time. All the Twisted Glory, the 3rd book  in the This Woven Kingdom series by Tahereh Mafi,and The Merciless Ones, the last of the Gilded Ones series by Namina Forna, is on my TBR list so far.

#lunar new year love story #gene luen yang #leuyen pham #graphic novels #contemporary #fantasy #romance #group discussion

[graphicpolicy]

The Books of Clash Vol. 1 has its moments but is more fun for those that play the game

The Books of Clash Vol. 1 has its moments but is more fun for those that play the game #booksofclash #clashroyale #comics #comicbooks #graphicnovel

In this epic new series set in the world of Clash of Clans and Clash Royale, experience a laugh-out-loud tale of friendship and fun! Story: Gene Luen YangArt: Les McClaineInk: Alison ActonColor: Karina Edwards, Alex Campbell Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links…

View On WordPress

#alex campbell #alison acton #featured #gene luen yang #graphic novel #graphic novels #karina edwards #les mcclaine #the books of clash #video

[estrelitavi]

;Irmãs Loud icons

;like/reblog if you save/use. ♡ 

#icons with psd #cartoons icons #disney channel #the loud house #The loud house icons #Lincoln loud #Lisa loud #Lola loud #Lana loud #Lucy loud #Lori loud #Lene loud #Lily loud #Luen loud #Lynn loud

[norangeyyy]

Late post but here they are.

Y'all, meet the first 3 OCs i made from 2 years ago: Cho Bae-sun, Stellax Eclaire, and Maurice Lemieux 🌟🌻

(HCs and random stuff about these trio is under cut! I really just feel like writing about them since i have no one to talk to lmao)

Long post ahead!!

Cho Bae-sun

Age: 17

☀️ Bae-sun was the only child of a family wherein he was barely taken care of since he was little.

☀️ It all started when his mom married the wrong man and once he was born, his mom took him with her and ran away.

☀️ His dad being quite a powerful man, found them after 4 years and a fight for custody over little Bae-sun began.

☀️ After the constant feud between his parents and their families, they all finally came into an agreement that Bae-sun will live into two different homes for the rest of his childhood. Shortly after, his parents finally got divorced.

☀️ Though it didn't end there as when Bae-sun turned 8 years old, his mom and dad remarried and in just a few months, the old cycle of abuse came back.

☀️ This caused Bae-sun to grow old faster than he currently is after all the pain he shared with his lovesick mother. Going so far that he—a literal child—started giving his own mom advices about leaving his father.

☀️ But she couldn't because of many reasons, reasons who got her sentenced to prison when her son turned 12.

☀️ Bae-sun would later find out his father's history in the criminal world and how he accidentally sent his wife to jail by being too much of a coward to admit the murder he committed.

☀️ It didn't take long for regret to catch up to him and out of guilt, he tried to reconnect with his only son, only to be left to wither away by a 15 year old Bae-sun who already lost his faith on him.

☀️ Bae-sun became much more of a dedicated child than he already is so he can pursue the job of being a lawyer and serve justice for his mom which is unluckily for him, wasn't in fate's list of what is planned for him yet.

☀️ After being dragged by a couple of clueless peers into a nightclub, Bae-sun is yet to discover the secrets the latter holds when by the end of the night, he was bathing in the blood of his 'friends' and his life being the prize of the sick game they had to play to enter the one and only, Luene d' Solei.

☀️ A twisted part of the world buried deep within it, with the only entrance being the unsuspecting nightclub is what Luene d' Solei truly is. It is a realm where capable humans work together to balance humanity by deciding one's fate such as where a child would be born and how they will die as they grow old or if they ever will.

☀️ Bae-sun, who proved himself useful, was accepted into the organization and was given the job to be the executioner whether he likes it or not since there's no coming back now that ha has shed blood on his hands.

☀️ His normal life outside continued but when nighttime comes, he has to do as he was told by the order and use his blade against those on his list.

☀️ Though it wasn't just any normal assassinations, no, it couldn't even be called as such when all Bae-sun does is to shine the reflection of his ssangsudo to those who was listed to die.

☀️ And right there and then, what was decided for them will happen right before his eyes.

Stellax Eclaire

Age: 16

🌙 Eclaire is one of those unfortunate children who was taken away from their genuinely loving family by a snake.

🌙 She was left in Korea, far from where her parents are and was found by a kind old lady named Jang Min Daseul near a secluded pond that same day.

🌙 Since then, Eclaire grew in a simple home taken care of by that same woman, who happen to have fail to raise his son unlike with what she did with Stellax.

🌙 While she was growing up, Eclaire would often see the cold treatment Min Daseul got from her own child and swore to be there for her no matter what.

🌙 And though she was raised properly, Eclaire still turned to be too mischievous and callous at times.

🌙 She would sometimes play mean pranks on those who wronged her and would definitely curse out those she hates even on public, which gets her a flying shoe from Min Daseul everytime.

🌙 This was the same reason why she immediately got along with her uncle, Maurice Lemieux, who was Min Daseul's adopted son.

🌙 The two would often do silly things just to annoy their mother such as playing anime openings or any song in general way too loud. They'd usually get an earful but by the end of the day, they'll still be enjoying each other's company.

🌙 But unbeknownst to them was Min Daseul's nearing end.

🌙 At a sunny monday morning, the same day where a new student was introduced to Eclaire's class, the call that broke the girl into tears came.

🌙 From then on, knowing that Min Daseul's biological son wouldn't even bat an eye on her, Eclaire was taken to Maurice's home where she'll now live until she's able to afford an apartment of her own.

🌙 Not wanting to be too much of a burden for her uncle, Eclaire started to look for jobs behind his back so she could surprise him.

🌙 Luckily, the new student knows a thing or two about jobs and instantly, Eclaire was hooked. She was then told to bring a couple of people she hates for that night and although confused, Eclaire did as she was told.

🌙 Her eyes almost bulged out of its sockets seeing where they were led by none other than the boy named Bae-sun himself. Only if she knew what was coming to her...

Maurice Lemieux

Age: 33

🌟 Maurice is the son of Min Daseul's half sister who early on died as she gave birth, leaving Min Daseul the responsibility to raise him as his father's whereabouts are still unknown.

🌟 Maurice soon became the eldest child when after just 2 years, Min Daseul birthed her first child.

🌟 Unlike his younger brother, Maurice grew up to be a loving and thoughtful son even when he ended up in a place he shouldn't be standing on back when he turned 19.

🌟 So he knows what exactly Luene d' Solei is as he was working there for almost his entire adulthood.

🌟 Which is why this man almost had a heart attack hearing his niece's name going around the realm.

🌟 He immediately rushed to where she is and if it weren't for the guards around, Bae-sun would already be dead. Fortunately for the young man, all he got was a kick in where the sun doesn't shine so bye bye babies.

🌟 He's now both the cool uncle that will rap Nicki Minaj's Super Bass with you and the overprotective dad that will give you clothes made by the church.

🌟 Also, he's not a stripper by the way, i just wanted to practice anatomy and accidentally took it too far and created Maurice.

🌟 And yes, he's single 👁️ but plans to grow old as that one rich uncle who travels the world in Gucci instead of having kids and getting married.

Fun facts:

• All the characters(not from jjba itself) and part of the plot of my books from Wattpad actually belong to/with these three so yeah, i made those books because i wanna practice my writing skills before jumping to a whole story i entirely made and is not a fanfic :>>

• That's why these OCs have names and stuff that are heavily tied with astrology shit just like my books (I didn't even got to that point of story ༎ຶ‿༎ຶ)

• Don't worry tho, if i ever came back to writing in Wattpad or writing in general, i wouldn't include these three since they're the protagonists of their own world and they wouldn't just fit in with the story.

• Btw, this whole AU is inspired by Vento Aureo and a bit of Harry Potter (Didn't see that one coming didn't you ツ)

#i actually enjoyed writing this :DDD #damn i wanna go back to writing now #also not much effort was put to these hcs so don't be surprised if it sucks hHSHS #ocs #original art #original character #oc headcanons #headcanon #headcannons #my art #i have no idea what to tag anymore #lol

[shelfindulgence]

Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Promise

Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Promise by Gene Luen Yang

Genre: YA fantasy graphic novel Rating: 5/5

CWs: PG level fantasy violence and post-imperialism/war conflict Complete list: [here]

Summary:

Picking up right where the television show leaves off, Aang and Zuko commit to fixing the consequences of the Hundred Years War. But after time passes, the Earth King and Firelord Zuko find themselves on the opposite side of a conflict, and Aang finds himself grappling with the promise he made to Zuko: that he would never let Zuko become his father.

Review:

This was incredible. It’s almost hard to find all the words to describe exactly how much I loved it.

The characterization of the Gaang we know and love is perfect. It’s a little surreal to see this continuation of the story, but there’s not a moment that feels like it wasn’t already a part of the story that the creators had in mind. The world itself developed in ways that felt so natural, and most wonderfully, the characters each still retained the exact same humor from the show, and the novel itself made me laugh out loud multiple times.

There is a definitely a sense that these characters have grown, and it’s apparent in little ways but also in the major promise that kicks off the conflict of the novel.  It’s perfectly done, giving us the familiarity of the characters and world, but with just enough older conflict and complications from those same aspects that it really feels like just as we have grown, they have too.

The only thing slightly not positive I could say is that the pacing is a little quick. There are some moments that felt like they could have been lingered on.  However, that's the way the cartoon was as well: focus on the emotion and the conflict and trust that in working through it, a resolution will follow. And the novel did linger on the emotional and vulnerable moments. The book never shies away from the emotional turmoil of the characters, and it makes them feel authentic and nostalgic.

I was really impressed with the way that the novel managed to juggle its whole cast of characters. There were so many cameos that I wasn’t expecting, and the main cast is already pretty large, but they managed to give all the characters moments that really reflected the core of who they are.

And the cliffhangers at the end! Impeccable. I will be picking up The Search immediately.

Recommend for:

Anyone who has seen the show.  Trust me.  It’s worth it.

#avatar the last airbender #avatar #the promise #avatar the promise #avatar the last airbender the promise #gene luen yang #book review #book blog #book recs #book recommendations #dark horse comics #dark horse #graphic novel #aang #zuko

[hellyeahheroes]

In celebration of Superman Smashes the Klan #1 premier, here is Gene Luen Yang TEDx talk. And bellow is part of his Interview for POCCulture.

POC Culture: Switching gears to Superman Smashes the Klan, a really unique and timely project. You mentioned that you were reluctant in terms of taking it on, where did that come from and why did you ultimately decide to do it?

GLY: For this project I put in a proposal for it with DC Comics, but shortly after I did, I did feel kind of freaked out about it. It deals with a lot of subjects that are touchy in modern day America. It’s about racism – the fundamental question behind it is whether or not a multicultural country can work. It was a question that was around after World War II ended, which was when the original story came out, and I think that question has reared its head again in very intense way. And it’s not just in America, the question of multiculturalism has reared its head all over the globe right now. As someone who grew up in the 80s and 90s, it’s really unexpected.

Q: The book is inspired by the Superman radio story Clan of the Fiery Cross, which itself is credited with subverting some of the KKK’s efforts in the 40s. What is the message that you’re hoping to get across?

GLY: I went into the project wanting to learn myself. I wanted to learn about the 40s and what America was like after the end of the war. After doing my research, this is what I came away thinking – before World War II there had always been two streams in America: One stream that was “All human beings are created equal” and then there was another stream that was “These particular people are worth 3/5ths.” And these two streams were competing. Then in World War II, America went across the ocean to fight these Nazis. but really a big core of the Nazi philosophy was centered around Madison Grant, who was an American. He was an advisor to President Theodore Roosevelt. He was a conservationist but also a pretty intense eugenicist and deeply racist. He wrote this book called The Passing of the Great Race and Hitler called this American book his Bible. So in some ways, as an American, you can see World War II as our country going across the ocean to face ourselves, or the worst version of ourselves. And when the war ends and the American troops come back, I think they saw what one of the streams of American history led to – it leads to concentration camps, it leads to genocide – so there was this embrace of the other side, at least in these really big and influential corners of America. It wasn’t 100%. It was an imperfect embrace, it was incomplete, but there was this sense that we saw what that other way of thinking leads to and we don’t want that. I think we’ve forgotten that. Whatever we learned by fighting the worst version of ourselves in Europe, we’ve forgotten.

I think that Superman radio show, it came out a year after the end of the war, in some ways you can see a crystallization of what America learned in World War II.

Q: Backing up a little bit, how familiar were you previously with this radio show and where did the inspiration come from to propose it to DC Comics?

GLY: I learned about it the same way a lot of other folks learned about it, I read Freakonomics and they devoted an entire chapter to this. After I read that, I told my son about it and talked with him about it. Then I found this middle-grade book called Superman versus the Klu Klux Klan by Rick Bowers and it goes into detail about the creation of Superman and the Klan and how they eventually came to a head in 1946. So it was always in the back of my mind. Then after I began working for DC Comics, I was at a book conference, I had breakfast with a couple of the editors at DC Comics and we were talking about this and this project came out of that conversation.

Q: I’ve heard you say that Superman is a symbol of American tolerance and his story is, at its core, an immigrant story. How much of that do you get to tackle in this book?

GLY: When I first signed on to do Superman, I did 10 issues beginning in 2015, that was my connection point with the character. I had always thought of Superman as this dweeb and kind of a square. That flipped for me when I realized the reason he’s a square is the same reason my parents are square – it’s because they’re immigrants. They know they’re foreigners and they know that there’s a part of them that’s deeply threatening to the people around them. So they gotta hide it under this perfect facade. They have to be the perfect citizens because if they’re not, people will start questioning their citizenship. That same dynamic is there for Superman. So that was my connection point and that’s kind of what I wanted to talk about. Writing mostly superhero comics is really crazy! I had a great time doing it, but at the same time, I felt like I never got to explore that core of the character and that’s what this is. This is me being able to talk about that.

I actually think that’s one of the big differences between Batman and Superman. Batman dresses up to be scary. Batman’s a WASP! [laughing] He fits right in! There’s nothing scary about him. If things had gone the way they were supposed to go, if his parents were never killed, he’d probably be like some kind of politician or something. You know? Everybody would love him. He’d go to these fund raising galas. He’d become the mayor of Gotham. But Superman, deep down inside, is legitimately scary. He’s this foreigner, he’s an immigrant, he’s from this completely different culture. So I think he wears these bright colors so people don’t freak out about him as much.

Q: Wow. I love it but after this interview posts, you’re going to get Batman stans all up in your mentions! [laughing]

GLY: [Laughing] Yeah sure. That’s fine!

Q: I love it because it’s so true to my own immigrant experience. Growing up, my parents were always like “Don’t make too much noise at home. Don’t play your music too loud because you’re going to bother neighbors.” So that experience of needing to be so perfect so others don’t start questioning whether you should be here is so true but I don’t think anybody has talked about that with regards to Superman.

GLY: I think that’s exactly it. He’s the boy scout because he has to be. He’s trying to get people not to question whether he should be a citizen.

Q: Prior to this you created and wrote Kenan Kong and the Justice League of China, which is one of my favorite stories ever. I know you initially had some reluctance to do that project and Jim Lee encouraged you. Looking back now, what was the highlight of that project and is there anything that you wish you had gotten chance to do?

GLY: That was super fun. I’m really glad I did it even though I was very hesitant at the beginning. I was hesitant because they didn’t want a Chinese-American Superman. I felt like I could’ve done a Chinese-American Superman. They wanted a Chinese Superman living in China. I’d never lived in China before and I’d only visited twice. I just felt like I didn’t have the insider’s knowledge to do it right. Ultimately I had to make peace with that. I had to make peace with the fact that this was going to be an American take on a Chinese superhero. To anybody who lives in America, I’m sure it feels very American. Have you ever heard of this comic called Lucky Luke? It’s a French comic set in the American West. It’s like a Western with cowboys and high noon shootouts but it’s done by a French cartoonist. It’s set in America but it feels very French but I still think it’s an awesome comic. I was hoping that’s what this was going to be like – it going to feel like an American comic that’s set in China. So once I got over that hurdle, I started working on it. In the end, I think I feel like my favorite part of that project was being able to do a chubby Chinese Batman (Wang Baixi). I’m super proud of that!

Q: [Laughing] And he was great too! What’s amazing is that at first you think “What in the world? Is this a parody?” but you made his character awesome!

GLY: Well thanks! I wanted to play with this trope. It’s like a kung-fu movie trope where you have this chubby guy come on screen and everyone laughs at him and he just whoops everybody’s butt. He turns out to be the best out of all of them. I think there’s a subversiveness to that in kung-fu movies, where it’s a warning to not judge people by appearances and I wanted to play with that too with Batman.

Q: Sammo Hung fans agree with you!

GLY: [Laughing] Exactly! Sammo Hung is Batman!

Q: You mentioned that you would’ve been interested in doing an Asian-American version. That’s the tension right now. China is a huge market that everyone wants to tap into, but there’s also this Asian-American market that’s very hungry. Do you want to do more Asian-American characters and stories. Is there anything like that on the horizon for you?

GLY: Yeah I absolutely do want to do more Asian-American characters and stories. There’s nothing…concrete yet but that’s definitely on my to-do list.

Q: Kenan Kong and the Justice League of China, are we going to see them again soon?

GLY: I hope so! There’s nothing concrete yet but I would love to do more stories. I feel like the Asian corner of the DC universe in general has plenty of material there that ought to be fleshed out. And hopefully we’ll be able to see that happen soon.

Q: Agreed. Whenever there’s a new diverse character that’s created, there’s always the conflict of whether they should be given a wholly new identity and try to build them up, or should we allow them to share an iconic mantle like Kenan and Superman. Not promising anything but what would you like to see in terms of the next evolution of Kenan Kong and any of the others?

GLY: We did talk about giving Kenan his own identity apart from Superman. We didn’t get to that point of the series where we were able to introduce that but that was something we definitely talked about. In terms of diversity, I think you need both. You need characters that take on established legacies and you also need characters that establish new identities and new legacies. When you have something like a Korean-American Hulk, or Miles Morales, you’re tapping into a name recognition that I think is really important for visibility. But at the same time, as popular as Miles Morales is, Spider-Man is still going to be Peter Parker first for most readers. So the way to overcome that is to also have characters of color establish new stories and identities.

Q: There’s a significant burden that comes with being one of the primary Asian-American writers in comics. How do you manage that?

GLY: I’m interested in doing that. Maybe it would be different if I didn’t want to write Asian-American characters, but I really want to write Asian-American characters, so I don’t know if I even think of it as a burden. It’s just something I’m naturally interested in. It’s actually something I want to do. Even if they didn’t pay me, I would being doing this. Even when I was losing money in comics, I was doing this.

Q: I love that you embrace that. Going back to Jeremy Lin, he’s talked about how at first he didn’t know that he wanted to be the Asian-American standard bearer, but he’s come to embrace that. You’re the Jeremy Lin of DC Comics!

GLY: [Laughing] I don’t know about that! There’s Greg Pak, though he hasn’t written in DC in a long time. There’s Amy Chu. There’s a lot of us.

Here is first part of that interview

- Admin

#Superman Smashes the Klan #New Super-Man #Super-Man #Kenan Kong #Kong Kenan #DC #DC Kids #Long Post

[writingbaby]

We could get arrested for this - Tom Hiddleston

Gifs not mine - credit to the owner.

Pairings: Tom Hiddleston x reader

Warnings: None.

Word count: 1000k+

Author’s note: Hi! I know this is my first proper post in awhile but I would like to thank everyone for understanding the lack of posts - also some of the tags in the tag list still don’t work! but if you’d like to be added to the tag list, just let me know; make sure to comment, like and reblog - follow for more content like this - enjoy!

“We could get arrested for this!”

You walk down the street occasionally brushing your arm up against Tom as he walks alongside you. The soft glow from the street lights above highlights Toms features as you glance up at him “thank you for the ice-cream, I can pay you pack, I have some money in my pocket” you say, your voice getting softer on the last three words as you turn your attention to the notes and loose change you can feel in your dress pocket.

“Don’t worry, my treat” Tom says with a soft smile, “are you sure?” you say reaching your hand into your pocket, “I’m sure y/n, it was only four dollars” he says with a soft laugh then linking your arm around his - causing your hand to softly come out of your pocket and wrap around his forearm. You begin to talk about all sorts of things with Tom; the conversation flowing effortlessly, “I never noticed they finished the renovations at the pool” you say as you stop walking as you read the sign against the fence surrounding the outdoor pool. “Re-opened and ready for business! $2 dollar entry *all proceeds go back to the community*” Tom reads the sign out loud intimidating an old presenter by changing the tone of his voice causing you to laugh.

“We have to go again” you say, thinking out loud, “especially with the weather we are having” Tom says nodding in agreement as the hot breeze flows gently through the air. “Shall we go for a dip?” you say smiling as you look up at Tom, after a quick pause Tom replies “okay, lets go then” as he starts to walk towards the pool on the opposite side of the street. “I was only joking” you say laughing, “come on, lets do it - why not?” Tom says shrugging his shoulders before he turns around to check that there is no cars coming in any direction before jogging across the street.

“wha- Tom!” You yell out to him, “hurry up, slowpoke!” Tom replies turning around to face you for a second before walking closer towards the metal fence surrounding the outdoor pool. “Oh geez” you say softly to yourself before following tom’s actions by checking for traffic then jogging across the street, “we can’t swim now, it’s closed!” you say as you walk up to Tom, “the sign clearly says “re-opened and ready for business”” he replies emphasising the words re-opened and ready.

“Yes but it’s closed now” you say, “well how will we know if we don’t find go and find out” Tom replies as he reaches up to hold onto the metal fence pulling himself up to begin climbing over it. “Tom! the lights are off, I don’t have to be over the fence to see that” you say laughing, “sorry can’t hear you down there” he replies sarcastically as he swings one leg over the fence followed by the other then landing on his feet on the other side of the fence causing a small thud as his shoes hit the concrete, “what am I going to do with you Thomas” you reply as you begin climbing up, following his actions jumping over the fence.

You walk up to Tom who is standing closer by the pool, “the water looks pretty” you say as you admire the different patterns that are illuminated by the pool lights, “see? you wouldn’t have seen that on the other side of the street” Tom says nudging you softly “yeah, yeah” you say sarcastically. “Come on then” he says walking closer towards the water, “what?” You say “we came here for a swim and thats what we will do” he says beginning to un-button his shirt “we could get arrested for this!” you say still worrying.

“If we get caught we can just say it was an accident” he replies as he drops his shirt on the ground and starts taking off his shoes and socks. “Oh yeah, we “accidentally” broke into our local pool and “accidentally” started swimming” you say “it’s called breaking and entering darling” you add, “its a public pool - its made for the public!” Tom replies as he takes his belt off. “It’s closed!” you reply re-stating your earlier statement, Tom takes off his pants leaving him in his boxers “I don’t suppose you’re swimming in your dress darling” he says before turning around and running towards the pool, “last one in is a loser!” he yells running away.

“oh what the hell” you say before grabbing the bottom of your dress and pulling it over your head then kicking off your flats, then running towards the pool. You jump into the pool just after Tom does a cannonball causing water, you come back up from the water and see Tom laughing across from you; he swims towards you wrapping his arms around your waist “see no one is here, you can’t deny this isn't fun” he says smiling “it is pretty fun” you say smiling back at him; you lean in to kiss Tom; he leans in following your actions but as you’re just about to kiss you’re interrupted by a deep voice yelling “HEY! WHO IS IN THERE” causing both of you to quickly turn your heads towards the direction of the sound only to see a bright light shinning at the two of you from the life guard building.

You both look at each other “run!” Tom says as he starts to swim to the edge of the pool, “technically it should be swim as you can’t really run away when we are in water becau-” you say but are interrupted by the mysterious man yelling out “THE POOL IS CLOSED, I WILL CALL THE POLICE”, you quickly swim over to the edge grabbing Tom’s hand before he pulls you up and out of the water. You both grab your clothes and begin running the the fence “well this certainly is an adrenaline rush” Tom says laughing, you throw your dress and shoes over the fence and start to quickly climb over the fence once again “well I would hate to say I told you so but I told you so!” you say to Tom as you both land on the other side of the fence before grabbing your clothes and running down the street with Tom as both of your laughs fill the air surrounding you.

Tag list: @theoneanna @fightuntilyoucan @lokigreyvatore @fairlightswiftly @arttasticgreatnessoftheawesome77 @lokilvrr @bubbash125 @plainoldblogs @omgimafuckingmermaid @atotallyhopelessfujoshi @elthanin-adhara-black @luenes @devikafernando @wolfsmom1 @legolasothranduilion @chubby-tink @originalsoulcollector @1v-kayla

#tom hiddleston #tom hiddleston fanfiction #tom hiddleston fanfic #tom hiddleston x reader #tom hiddelston imagine #loki #Loki Laufeyson #loki fanfic #loki of asgard #loki x reader #marvel #marvel fanfiction #fanfiction #fanfic

[jeanmoreaux]

october wrap up

we have officially arrived in autumn, which makes me incredibly happy! finally, i have a valid excuse to spend all weekend indoors buried in a pile of cosy blankets, reading books and sipping steaming hot tea and cacoa. 

Almost half of the reading i did in october was for class which is why i didn’t give them a proper review. i don’t like reviewing books that i have to analyse for class for some reason... however, i wanted to write a review for wayward son, but i never got around to it due to my current workload at university. i simply don’t have time to compose an eloquent review. if you’re interested in my opinion, for whatever reason, you can drop an ask or message me, tho!

I am so stressed atm that the one and only thing i did managed to pick up was my number one comfort read: the all for the game series. it’s also my 2019 reread of the series! i can’t believe i haven’t read these babies in close to a year!! i finished tkm a couple of days ago and now i feel like doing aftg edits again but i barely have any spare time on my hands... so yikes! i miss having aftg content on my blog!! so that’s it for now with my reading update.

as alway, feel free to drop book recs, questions, or opinions in my inbox; i am always happy to talk about books with you!

* –> newly added to my favorites shelf

follow my goodreads | previous wrap ups

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell | ★★☆☆☆ | review

* The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter | ★★★★★

Swing Time by Zadie Smith | ★★★★☆

Avatar: The Last Airbender: Smoke and Shadow by Gene Luen Yang, Gurihiru (Illustrations) | ★★★★☆

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer | ★★★★☆

Rereads:

The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic | ★★★★☆

The Raven King by Nora Sakavic | ★★★★★

#wrap up #goodreads #mish reads #book recs #i thought i had put this in my queue but apparently i didn't #so here is my super late warp up for october

[radedneko]

Top Graphic Novels of 2020

I read a ton of graphic novels this year, and they were almost all wonderful.  Middle grade graphic novels are hitting it out of the park and I spent well over an hour narrowing this list down to just 11 series/titles.  When possible, I chose series, and all but one are new reads to me this year.  There’s no number one title/series here; everything’s just in alphabetical order.  

The Avant-Guards by Carly Usdin and Noah Hayes: This series absolutely hasn’t gotten the recognition it deserves.  No, it’s not earth-shattering literature, but it’s well-done and I look forward to reading each new volume.  I don’t even like basketball and I would happily read about 30 games play-by-play to see more of these characters.  It reminds me a lot of Giant Days and Questionable Content in ways I can’t quite explain. 

Azumanga Daioh/Yotsuba&! By Kiyohiko Azuma: Yes, these are both old and are not even a single series, but Azuma’s work kept me going during the quarantine and I couldn’t in good conscious leave it off this list. Do yourself a favor and re-read these.  She also wrote Sailor Moon doujinshi, which...is exactly what you would expect it to be given the humor in her official works.  

Class Act by Jerry Craft:  Did you somehow miss Craft’s Newberry-winning New Kid last year?  Go read it.  Now you’re ready for the sequel, which does not disappoint. I’m predicting this one also racks up the awards; it deserves it.  I’m not even going to bother summarizing it; just read it.   

Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang: No really, I don’t like basketball.  But this made me care about the (real) people involved in this school’s hunt for athletic glory.  I would probably automatically put anything by Yang on my best-of lists, since every book he writes is gold, but to make me learn basketball terms and care about whether some kids throw a ball into a hoop? Yang is a genius.  If this doesn’t win some major awards, I’m going to be pissed.  Go read a real review of this, then pick up the graphic novel. 

I Know What I Am: The Life and Times of Artemesia Gentileschi by Gina Sicilano: This was the very first book I read in 2020, and it’s still stuck in my head.  It shouldn’t be surprising that an artist’s biography has beautiful artwork, but I could look at any panel in this book for hours.  I had no idea who Artemesia was before reading this (you probably don’t either) and spent way too long looking at her pieces during and after reading this.  As a biography, this would have been an impressive read, but as a graphic novel biography, it was a visceral experience.  Read this even if you dislike graphic novels or art history; you won’t regret it.

Komi Can’t Communicate by Tomohito Oda: I am also jumping on the Komi bandwagon.  It’s fun, humorous, gives you the feels, and plays with manga tropes.  It’s also notable for having a character whose expression of gender isn’t played for laughs; everything else about their personality is, but Najimi is one of the most popular students at the school despite refusing to adhere to any form of gender binary.

Our Dreams at Dusk by Yuhki Kamatani: Even if this series wasn’t great all-over, I would have still included it in my list for this simple fact that this is the first manga I’ve ever seen with an explicitly ace character.  But is a great series in all aspects.  The art style is unique, the characters are all explored in as much depth as you can expect for a four-book series, and it ends on a good note, even if everything isn’t tied up into neat, little bows.    

Satoko and Nada by Yupechika and Marie Nishimori: This short series is slice-of-life but with the twist of exploring religious and cultural differences between two study-abroad students who end up roommates in America.  It’s never heavy-handed despite the fact that it was absolutely created to teach Japanese people about Islam and I’m honestly sad it only has four volumes.  Take the afternoon and binge-read them all.

The Way of the Househusband by Kousuke Oono: There is a reason why this series has been on pretty so much every best-of list.  It’s laugh-out-loud funny, heartfelt, and weirdly, has taught me laundry tips.  I can also say that it’s my mom’s favorite graphic novel series. 

The Witch Boy books by Molly Knox Ostertag: When I said middle grade is hitting it out of the park, this is one of the series I meant. Class, gender roles, race, friendship, and more done well for a middle grade audience in a series masquerading as a magic adventure?  I didn’t have this kind of quality when I was growing up and I am slightly jealous that today’s kids do.  I also can’t wait to see where this series goes.    

Witch Hat Atelier by Kamome Shirahama:  This won an Eisner, with reason.  This series may be the most inventive fantasy I’ve seen in years, and the artwork is just beautiful.  I’m completely hooked on the storyline, with hints of lore handed out between lovely character development and critters I’d love to see in real life (brush-buddy?  I want 20).  If you haven’t given it a go, do so immediately. 

#graphic novels #manga #middle grade lit #ya lit

[fakesurprise]

“You busy?” Tanya asks when then I open the door.

“No?” “Good. The rec room is free, if you don’t mind?”  I shrug and follow her down the hallway. She waits until we’re in the room and closes the door. “The Tragedy of Luen. I am Luen. You are the lover, and the guard and general. Act 3, scene 2.”

Text snaps into existence, keyed so that only we can see it.

“I am never lost when you are here,” Tanya says, falling into the role of Luen easily. Everyone in entertainment who is anyone has done the play, and been Luen if they could. The role had been designed to fit any actor, and led to some absurd interpretations. She goes with the classic default, eyes desperate with feigned loss. “You are my compass. Every compass I know is false that points north, but my heart is a compass that points only to you!”

“Luen,” I say as the lover, soft, timid. “I am a wind swept up in your words.”

“The guard enters from the left,” Tanya says flatly, gesturing, then as Luen: “And as you are the wind, I am the sail in desperate need of air to lift me aloft from this life, from this place, from the torment of every day that passes where you are anywhere but by my side!”

I pause a beat, then make a duplicate of me that enters from the other side of the room. As the guard, my steps are sudden and loud. “Time is up!”

“No,” Tanya breaths as Luen. “Our time cannot be up. Time is the water in which we bathe for a moment to tread in eternal love!”

“I am afraid you have to leave,” I say as the guard to myself as the lover. I smile,. and it’s a private smile that doesn’t include Luen, the soft intimacy suggesting the guard and the lover have a secret together that Luen knows nothing of.

I leave with myself, and Tanya does Luen offering the genuine tears of one who is unaware and blinded.

As the general, I give it a few moments and elder. I do the general as old, fatherly as gentle as a man with the blood of Luen’s worlds on his hands can be. “Luen. I bring news.”

“Not news! In this cell I am beyond news, not a prisoner of time nor space! Every word you have ever told me was only a wound in disguise! Every truth you ever offered was barbed with lies! You say my lover betrays me but have only words. Words, from one who holds weapons so tight. Words, from one so prone to savage action!” “I have tried to find words to apologize, Luen, but there are none. There are some things beyond forgiveness.”

“I don’t believe you! I forgive you. I forgave my lover for being your child, I can forgive you for trying to hide the truth! You are so scared that truth will hurt, afraid even of your own shadow! You walk like a man but speak like a child!”

“I am unmanned by you, Luen, but that does not put my beyond the walls of reason. See!”

And there is a camera, and it pans to two images of me. The guard, and the lover, in an embrace.

“False! Oh, false your images and false every seeming,” Tanya cries out as Luen. “My lover would not betray me, not with the guard who keeps us apart! My love is a compass –.”

“Love is no compass, Luen! Love is a barmoeter,” I say as the general, moving closer. Luen’s tale is that of forbidden love, taken to the extreme. In some versions, the audience themselves are intended to fall in love with Luen as well. “Love is pressure, and you are my chef, my cook, the only dish the universe produced that –.”

“Sir general, you are married!”

“I am not! I was, and thought it was true love, until I met you! Oh, Luen, I love you as a metaphor loves a simile! I love you, but your heart lies only for your loved! And your loved knows this, and in the knowing betrays you with all others!”

“Even you, given it is your son who is my loved?”

“Of course not!” We pause for audience laughter as the general hesitates.

“See?” Tanya says. “You could have been Luen as well, given the play.”

I sigh. “I don’t see your point, sister. I have played every part in Luen over the years, but that was because few actors get to play every single part over their career and Merideth wanted to use that. I believe April-Li has done the same in voice-over versions where they put the Tragedy of Luen over other works and go nuts with how absurd it gets.”

“Jeff. My point is that you aren’t human anymore.”

“I know that.”

“No, I don’t think you do. Word will get out about you, but you’re an idiot if you think people will care about it as much as they will. Not once the producers and executives realize that your unique situation means you could play all of Luen at once. Or any other play. Or even some series. Has there ever been a role you couldn’t act, brother?” “Not yet,” I admit. “But that doesn’t mean I’d somehow... supplant people being in the industry.”

“You could. You are a unique case. You always were one. Even Aswag, for all his talent. Even April-Li, for her genius with dances – once – and voice. None of us are as good at roles as you are, Jeff.  Merideth knows this. She went to extreme lengths to make certain that dying wouldn’t end your career. You are the Umbridge-Basiq dynasty, if we’re to have one at all. And as part of the Companion ship, you could have a career that spans centuries, perhaps even longer.”

“The hingari and the El might put a stop to that,” I say as dryly as I can.

“Well. Even our mother can be thrown off her game by a war that is thirty thousand years old.”

#writing #prose #nanowrimo #the long and war of it

[sammychien]

I’m stoked to be part of Pride in Chinatown this year!  I will be repping Chimerik似不像 with really unusual kind of format, sharing a brand new mini durational performance art piece, weaving qi gong (Nature Centre Gong自然中心功) with my last intern student Ivan So who happens to have 10 years+ of martial arts training (Northern Shaolin 北少林), setting structural improv/contemporary movement score. Also with special surprise guest artist Jackson Wai Chung Tse. Aug 1st also happens to be Jackson’s and my birthday, it will be our double birthday celebration! Please do get your tickets asap, last year the event sold out and so many ppl couldn’t get in. Would be sad if you have to be turned away. Let me know if you need me to rsvp you as friends (small discount). PRIDE IN CHINATOWN Curated by Paul Wong August 1, 2019. 7PM – 11PM 50 East Pender St, Vancouver, BC. A one night only magical twilight event in a spectacular setting in the heart of Vancouver’s historical Chinatown. Pride in Chinatown celebrates queer Asian-Canadian art and artists that will tantalize all five senses. Pride in Chinatown will be a momentous and historical festival for LGBTQ2 people, our allies, friends and family to be out loud and proud in Chinatown. It has been 50 years since the start of decriminalization of homosexuality in Canada and the Stonewall riots in New York City, which triggered the modern day Pride movement. Presented by On Main Gallery, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, and Vancouver Art and Leisure as part of Alternative Pride Vancouver 2019. This will be an interdisciplinary art experience that will feature new experimental and traditional art forms which include electronic music, immersive theatre, media art installations, lion dancing, martial arts, drums, opera, culinary treats, drag and other non-binary encounters. artists includes: 🔴House of Rice, 🔴 Onibana Taiko 🔴 DJ Which Nancy 🔴 Rachel Iwaasa 🔴  Chimerik 似不像 🔴  Feral 🔴 The Chau Luen Athletic Club 🔴 Tien Neo Eamas 🔴 The celebration #pride #chinatown #queer #asian #gaysian #martialarts #qigong #social #politica #durationall #performance https://www.instagram.com/p/B0gUjEHhRyf/?igshid=1a80bzi2ikvtl

#pride #chinatown #queer #asian #gaysian #martialarts #qigong #social #politica #durationall #performance

[daniellethamasa]

Hey all, Dani here.

August is over already, and I have been 30 years old for a whole month now. Wow, time just keeps passing by so quickly. Where is my ability to pause time for a bit so I can catch up on all of this reading I need to do? Anyway, August was a pretty productive month, so that was nice.

Of course, when it comes to looking back over the past month, it also shows me just how lazy I have been when it comes to reviews. Over the last few months I have read quite a few books, and yet have only written a handful of reviews. So I need to try and get some more of those prepped up for all of you.

Let’s start with everything I read in the month of August.

Game of Secrets by Kim Foster – 4 stars

Beyond a Darkened Shore by Jessica Leake – 5 stars

My Hero Academia, Vol 14 by Kohei Horikoshi – 5 stars

Dawn of the Arcana, Vol 1 by Rei Toma – 4 stars

Blue Exorcist, Vol 1 by Kazue Kato – 5 stars

Avatar: the Last Airbender: North and South Part One by Gene Luen Yang – 5 stars

Avatar: the Last Airbender: North and South Part Two by Gene Luen Yang – 5 stars

Avatar: the Last Airbender: North and South Part Three by Gene Luen Yang – 5 stars

Blue Exorcist, Vol 2 by Kazue Kato – 5 stars

Blue Exorcist, Vol 3 by Kazue Kato – 5 stars

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows – 5 stars

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken – 3.5 stars

Black Clover, Vol 1 by Yuki Tabata – 4.5 stars

I’m in the middle of reading a book right now. I was hoping to finish it before August ended but that didn’t happen. Still, I’m pretty happy with the number of books I read.

Next up is what I watched in the month of August. I started my month watching Legally Blond while finishing up a costume for Gen Con. It is still a cute and fun movie, and I give it 4 stars. Then we all sat in our hotel room and watched Monsters University, which obviously still gets 5 stars. My fiance and I finished watching Legend of Korra, which I give 5 stars to as well. Then we watched Ready Player One again, and I still have to give the movie 5 stars. I’ll do a multi-format review for the book, audiobook, and movie soon. After that I got to see the Disney movie Bolt for the first time, and I give it 4 stars. Next up was Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which gets 4 stars. Then it was time to watch the cuteness that was To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, which definitely gets 5 stars from me. After that I finally got to see the new-ish Goosebumps movie, which I liked and gave 4 stars to. At the very end of the month I managed to watch The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (4 stars), so I will try to have my review of both book and film up fairly soon.

We are still keeping up with Critical Role Campaign 2, and as always, I am finding the storylines and character development to be really interesting. We are also keeping up with the current season of My Hero Academia, because we are both obsessed with it. Finally we are continuing to try and get me all caught up on Fairy Tail, which is going to take a lot more hours. We’re only on the second season right now, but I am really enjoying it. Oh, and my fiance decided to start watching Black Clover as well. It is an interesting premise, but we are both annoyed by the gratingly loud voice of main character Asta. He really doesn’t have to yell everything, but he pretty much does.

Okay, that’s all for what I watched over the month, so now let’s jump into the book haul and OwlCrate unboxing portions of this post.

Fun fact…my September book haul is already looking a bit crazy, because my fiance and I went to both Barnes & Noble and Half-Price Books on September 2nd. The deals were just too good, you guys. I regret nothing…but I may need to try and do another book unhaul sometime soon, or at least a reorganization of my bookshelves.

The last portion of this post is the TBR, and as per usual, I should really spend a little time staring at my bookshelves before I try to write these. I need to go figure out what books I’m going to try and read this month. Hmm… Okay, so I think I’ve found a pretty decent list.

And that is all I have for you guys today. Did you have a nice reading month in August? What books are you hoping to read in September? Let’s talk books in the comments. As always, I’ll be back soon with more bookish content.

August Wrap-Up and September TBR Hey all, Dani here. August is over already, and I have been 30 years old for a whole month now.

#Book Releases #Book Tag #Books! #Calendar Girls #Gen Con #Manga #Reading #Review #TBR

[maneaterwithtail]

New Superman Collection (1-5)

Read the newly released ebook version of The New Superman by Gene Yang.  Its.. well there are cringy parts.  The Chinese Batman-Justice League, etc.  The waay WAAAAY overly rapid and busy construction in panels and the page.  I've been reading manga for too long.  Too much overload for me.

Mind Gene does rely on his personal standbys.  Ideals versus human failings and human connection, apprehensive connection to chinese or christian tradition and internal identity conflict from heritage to desire to conflicting ideals.  Also unsure male sexuality (no he's not gay he's horny and that messes with him). 

 He's also got to to do too damned much at once.  which is sad.  I think he can handle crowds but too much is rushing but I do like some of the hints of his trademark humor are here too.

I like Kong.  Again more Gene artifacts with a bully getting a heart and humiliated and a nerd with a complicated homelife with the Bully's own sense of issues and desires leading, over time, to redeem him, maybe.

All this and he has to handle The Great Ten AND sort of kind of fit in a sort of kind of version of China (which as largest nation on earth with a ridiculously long history has us beat on the urban coastal liberal- midwest rural conservative divide.  There are seriously people out there who live not THAT unlike Where The Red Fern Grows!!!) This is the most explicit inter-generational conflict he's had, to my knowledge.

Gosh Baixi is fucking cute.  A genius engineer who wants to be batman.  A Cracked.com guy who is Chinese and a brilliant engineer and inventor with some decent investigation skills.

And of course the conspiracies...hmm Actually I appreciate this part.  At least with the ADMITTED PAINFUL pastiche of X but IN CHINA (wince) its embodies well that complexity in division that China has even at a glance.  Even the internal factions are messed up and they are in conflict with each other AND there is a massive class divide. We Are Struggling Together too much a feature of the realities that inform China’s current and immediate before or after to NOT fit in there somehow.

I do like each superteam, so far, kind of represents a ready made style of Superhero.  So while not how I would do it (being perfect for it is me) its making it so China isn't 'getting' superheroes.  It has had them but now that the world is "shrinking and westernization all the more prevalent” we have competing franchises and styles.  The super-celebs meets shonen-jump influenced type of Kong's generation.  The more Outsiders meets revolutionaries meets, kinda, X-men only ya know in midlife complete with revolutionaries indefinitely jailed and released and the radicalization of that. The Great Ten...

All this and Dr. Omen might be his mother (or another ex-girlfriend of his father Mr. Haggar.)

Just it feels, like everything western in comics or just DC connected, its TOO bright and gaudy and fast and easy and sudden and loud and thematically blunt.  That the simpler human story isn't given time to simmer to point to the themes.

Lan is going to turn out to be a spy, right?  I mean she was tracking Kon through that card she gave him.

Hehehehe, Kong's dad, a mechanic, is a...gadgeteer (I refuse to get addicted to Wormfen terminology I will fight it)

Not sure how I feel about "Kong's powers work as Qi"  In a way it helps give him a distinction and the ki/energy user is generally understood in the post Naruto now DB Super generation.  The idea he's got to tap into an archetype higher than himself to use his powers more reliably and control his emotions ... well lets say Gene Luen Yang’s dipped into this before.

No I haven't read masked hero.

Gawd Dr. Omen and her silly guns.  Fat Bat is nice.  I would like that Baixi and WW of China get their own codenames.  then again they likely do as their names aren't in Blue so likely in the Mandarin equivalent.

Have I mentioned Baixi is cute!

#New Superman #DC Comics #gene luen yang #Superman is dead again #jiggegity jig #sigh #Baixi is Cute #Bat utility vehicle

[loudinthelibrary]

Ep. 008: Things Are Just So Complicated in the Superhero Universe

Ep. 008: Things Are Just So Complicated in the Superhero Universe

Teacher Librarians Chris Patrick and Tracy Chrenka present “Loud in the Library Ep. 008: Things Are Just So Complicated in the Superhero Universe” in which they speak with comics author Gene Luen Yang about his role as national ambassador for young people’s literature, his new job writing for DC Comics, and his roots in the comic book industry. Chris and Tracy also discuss the upcoming Newbery…

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#Betsy Bird #books #Comics #Gene Luen Yang #Graphic Novels #Jon Scieszka #kidslit #literature #Meg Medina #Nathan HIll #Nicola Yoon #Raina Telgemeier #reading #school library journal #Superheroes #Superman #ya