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ismellpestilence · 1 year

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Things to watch if your favorite show is being affected by the WGA strike

This is everything that I have watched and enjoyed. They are by no means perfect shows. This includes complete series, cancelled series, and series that are still in progress. Feel free to add your own recommendations.

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu; currently on season 3)

Murder mystery dramedy set in a wealthy NYC apartment complex

Staring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomes as three residents who decide to make a podcast about the murder

The cast has great chemistry and the twists are compelling

Gravity Falls (Hulu/Disney; ended after 2 seasons in 2014)

An animated show about a pair of fraternal twins who spend the summer with their con-man great uncle in a weird, monster filled town

Absolutely iconic children's show.

Dead End: Paranormal Park (Netflix; cancelled after 2 seasons in 2023)

Animated YA show about two teens, an exiled demon, and a pug, that all work at a haunted theme park and are investigating the disappearances of some of the staff

Similar in style to Gravity Falls

Sadly cancelled by Netflix, but there's also the graphic novels to enjoy

Reservation Dogs (Hulu, ended after season 3 in 2023)

Coming of age dramedy about four Indigenous teens living on a reservation in Oklahoma as they mourn a friend who died and dream of running away to California together

Made by an all Indigenous writers, directors, and main cast

Scrubs (Hulu; ended after 8 seasons 2010)

Workplace comedy about staff at a California hospital

Praised as the one of most medically accurate medical show

Very much a 2000s comedy. Humor can be jarring/mean by today's standards

What We Do in the Shadows (Hulu, currently on season 5)

A mockumentary following 4 vampires and their familiar that live on Staten Island as they go about their boring, pathetic lives

Makes fun of the "cool, sexy, edgy" vampire trope

Based on a 2014 movie of the same name

Dead to Me (Netflix, ended after 3 seasons in 2022)

A traumedy (trauma comedy) following a woman who's husband was killed in a hit-and-run and the perpetrator who lost her own partner and secretly befriends her

It's funny about what happens but does deal with some heavy topics so definitely look into that before watching

The Owl House (Disney; ended after 3-ish seasons in 2023)

About a young girl who wanders into the Demon Realm and decides to stay there and become of witch instead of going to summer camp

Celebrates being the weirdo and being kind to people

Made by many of the same people who did Gravity Falls

The Office (Peacock; ended after 9 seasons in 2013)

Workplace mockumentary about some bizarre people who work in a boring office space

Features a lot of cringe/second-hand embarrassment based humor

Based on the British limited series of the same name

Very much a 2000s comedy that can at times be just plain mean. Season 1 is the worst season by far so if you can get through it the character become way more likeable

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (Netflix, ended after 5 seasons in 2020)

An animated fantasy about a young soldier who simultaneously discovers that her side is the aggressor in the war and that the planet has chosen her to be it's legendary protector. This forces her to leave the only home she's known and her childhood friend to fight for the rebellion, who she thought were her enemies

A remake of the 1985 He-Man spinoff series

Very "defeat them with power of friendship and also this sword you found in the woods"

BoJack Horseman (Netflix, ended after 6 seasons in 2020)

An adult animated comedy about a self-centered, washed-up 90s sitcom actor (who is a horse) as he struggles to become famous again and break out of his destructive habits

Satirizes Hollywood, media culture, and American politics

One of those shows where you aren't supposed to admire the main characters

Big trigger warnings for this one. Seriously.

Good Omens (Amazon Prime, currently on season 2)

Follows the misadventures of a demon and an angel, a witch's descendent, two unskilled witch hunters, a sex-worker, and the antichrist and his friends as the antichrist grows into his power and brings about Armageddon, all set to Queen songs

Based on the 1990 book by Neil Gaiman and Sir Terry Pratchett

The fandom focuses a lot of the shipping side of the show but forget all of that if you plan to watch it

Season 2 wrecked me

Gentleman Jack (HBO Max & the BBC; cancelled after season 2 in 2022)

Based on the real diaries of Anne Lister, a wealthy lesbian in 1830s England who is looking for a wife and to expand her business enterprises

Sadly HBO pulled away and the BBC couldn't afford to make another season without them. What was made is still worth checking out.

Our Flag Means Death (HBO Max; currently on season 1)

A pirate workplace comedy/romcom that loosely follows the real life of Stede Bonnet, a wealthy landowner who ran away to become a pirate due to a mid-life crisis. He wants so badly to be a pirate captain but is far from qualified for the role.

"Traditionally, piracy is a culture of abuse...floggings, keelhaulings. And my thought is, "Why?" And also, what if it weren't like that?" really is the thesis of the show

(Edit) omg I cant believe I forgot:

Avatar: the Last Airbender (Netflix; ended after 3 seasons in 2008)

An animated children's fantasy series in which people can manipulate one of the four elements, and their peacekeeper, the Avatar, can manipulate all four. After being frozen in ice for 100 years, the 12 year old Avatar learns that the Fire Nation has begun a war that he must stop by next summer

Literally the blueprint for the modern animation that we enjoy today. IDK what else to say. It's iconic

Hilda (Netflix; ended after 2 seasons and 1 movie in 2021)

An animated children's fantasy series set in a world full of Nordic folk creatures

After spending much of her life living in the woods with her mom and her pet deerfox, Hilda is upset to learn that her mom now wants to move to Trolberg, a walled-off city where Hilda fears there is nothing interesting to do. She quickly discovers that there is just as much magic and wonder in the city as there is in the woods.

She's voiced by Bella Ramsay and the animation is beautiful. It's all all-around good vibes show.

Interview with the Vampire (AMC; currently on season 1)

After the first interview in the 70s that ended in disaster, Louis de Pointe du Lac reached out to Daniel Molloy and demanded a do-over. He goes back to his life as a black businessman in 1910s New Orleans and the complicated relationship between himself and Lestat de Lioncourt.

It's actually gay enough this time you guys.

I'd also like to add:

The Bear (FX/Hulu; currently on season 2)

A dramedy about a New York chef who inherits a failing sandwich shop after his older brother commits suicide.

Sometimes a found family isn't all sunshine and unicorns. Sometimes its a lot of screaming and resentment and cussing each other out.

It's a very stressful to watch so it's not for everyone, but if you're the type who finds that cathartic then you should give it a watch.

The Sandman (Netflix; currently on season 1)

Begins in 1916 with the capture of the god of dreams by a greedy sorcerer. After he escapes he must rebuild his realm and repair the damage done by his absence.

Trying to describe this show is really, really, difficult. It would be easier to describe what this show isn't.

Based on the DC comic of the same name by Neil Gaiman.

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linghxr · 10 days

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My spring 2024 cdrama/cmovie/cvariety updates

I can't believe it's already been over 6 months since my last watching updates post! I've been watching more movies, and I'll also mention a couple variety shows, so it's not just cdramas.

Shows/series:

Some of these were mentioned as “currently watching” in my previous post.

《不良执念清除师》 Oh No! Here Comes Trouble A young man learns to use his supernatural calligraphy powers to help strange beings, with help from his frenemy and a young police officer. This show was like a breath of fresh air and very humorous. That being said, it was difficult to follow all the storylines. If you're going to watch it, I think you should binge it if possible. Content warning: Death, gore

《此时此刻》 At the Moment An anthology of quirky pandemic love stories, not all with happy endings. It's kind of like Love Actually in that the characters are connected across stories. Initially I didn't plan to watch because of the pandemic through line—I thought it would bum me out. But it didn't, actually. My favorite episode was Head of the Family. Content warning: Unhealthy relationships, sex and nudity

《隐秘的角落》 The Bad Kids Three kids accidentally film a murder and try to blackmail the killer, resulting in devastating consequences. I felt the first half of this show was more captivating than the second half—the second half went a bit overboard IMO. Apparently the original novel is way darker so…! But I still recommend it wholeheartedly. Content warning: Death and violence (but not graphic)

《沉默的真相》 The Long Night The murder of a disgraced prosecutor seems like an open-and-shut case, but his past reveals a much more complicated story. This show masterfully weaves together three different timelines. I was so confused after the first episode, but it all made sense in the end. I don't recommend binge watching it—I regretted doing so. Content warning: Violence, death, sexual assault

《双镜》 Couple of Mirrors A young woman's personal and professional lives are turned upside down, and she befriends a mysterious woman with a dark past. You have to suspend your disbelief to enjoy this show. There was a ridiculous number of car accidents! It's a GL drama, but if I hadn't know that, I don't think I would have noticed until the end. Content warning: Death, violence

Variety/reality:

《披荆斩棘的哥哥》 Call Me by Fire In the past I didn't include variety shows, but this time I thought why not? I finally finished all 3 seasons of this show, the male spinoff of 《乘风破浪的姐姐》 Sisters Who Make Waves. It's similar to an idol survival show, but instead of trainees, the contestants are established celebrities. The sets are always amazing, and I might have enjoyed this show more than 《乘风破浪》 honestly!

Movies:

《家庭简史》 Brief History of a Family The description of this movie sounded dull, but I ended up enjoying it a lot! I've seen reviews compare it to Parasite and Saltburn. There is definitely some similarity–it's about a well-off family that takes in a mysterious, quiet boy–but the takeaway of this film is very different. It leaves a lot of room for ambiguity.

《流浪地球》 The Wandering Earth After being on my watchlist for years, I finally got around to seeing this movie. I knew the basic premise: humanity bands together to move Earth away from the expanding sun. I wasn't expecting that it would focus on one family, which gave the movie a more personal feel. I enjoyed it despite not being a huge sci-fi person. Content warning: Death

《美国女孩》 American Girl A family moves back to Taiwan for their mother's cancer treatment after several years in the US, and the eldest daughter struggles to adapt. It's set during the SARS outbreak, but I don't remember that being very prominent. This movie was quite bleak and bummed me out. And I found the ending rather abrupt. It wasn't for me I think. Content warning: Illness, disease outbreak

《你好，李焕英》 Hi, Mom This movie was super popular when it came out. It's about a woman who gets transported back in time and meets her mother (who is young and childless at this point). At first I was confused about where the movie was going—it didn't seem to be building to much. But it had a heartwarming and touching ending. Content warning: Death

《周处除三害》 The Pig, The Snake and The Pigeon After seeing a lot of buzz about this movie online, I had to check it out. It follows a terminally ill hitman who learns he is the third most wanted criminal in Taiwan and decides to kill the two criminals ranking above him. Despite this, the main character is actually pretty likable. I enjoyed the movie despite the violence. Content warning: Excessive violence, death, sexual assault

Currently watching:

《火星情报局》 Mars Intelligence Agency This is a variety show. The cast consists of celebrities who take turns telling funny stories and making jokes. I started watching because my favorite singer 薛之谦 is a cast member. I was unsure about the concept at first, but honestly it's really entertaining!

《摩天大楼》 A Murderous Affair in Horizon Tower I finally started this show, which has been on my watchlist for a while. I'm only 2 episodes in—so far it's mostly been about the past of the titular murder victim. I'm not yet sure what direction the show will go in, but I'm excited to find out.

Abandoning:

《你的孩子不是你的孩子》 On Children I got through 3 out of 5 episodes before abandoning this show. Each episode is the length of a movie, so they drag on. But I totally understand why episode 2, Child of the Cat, was nominated for and won so many awards. The acting was really strong.

《汉化日记》 God Troubles Me I wanted to try watching a 动画, but after a few episodes, I wasn't feeling this one. Each episode is quite short, so it's an easy watch. I think it just wasn't for me.

On my watchlist:

《漫长的季节》 The Long Season

《尘封十三载》 Thirteen Years of Dust

I'm trying to be better about content warnings. But please note, I only included them for things I finished watching, not things I'm currently watching or abandoning.

#my watchlist #cdrama #cdramas #chinese drama #chinese dramas #variety show #taiwanese drama #taiwanese movie #chinese movie #chinese #mandarin #mandarin chinese #chinese language #studyblr #langblr #chinese langblr #mandarin langblr #languageblr

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dapperenby13 · 1 year

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I fell like when all the kids came to the human world Camlia was worried about leaving them all at home while she went to work so her solution was to take them all to the library here’s what they all got

Willow: she immediately went to the garden section, as well as picking up a book on bees

Gus: he wandered everywhere, no section was safe. He ended up with multiple animal books, one on magic tricks and some graphic novels

Amity: she found some cool poetry about cats and the azura books she hadn’t read yet

Hunter: while looking at animal books with Gus is where he found his new love of wolves and he got three books about them. He also got a fun mystery adventure novel.

Vee: they go for books on gender identity and asl as they’re trying to learn

Luz: she’s going to go through every single book on gravesfield and portal conspiracy theories, she also grabs the first azura novel for comfort

Camila: books on trauma, parenting, and some cookbooks for big easy cheap meals

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fufuheheii · 2 years

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Tighnari’s Guide to Wooing You (Tips from Cyno)

Tighnari x female!reader

WARNING: A straightforward suggestive moment in the end, but nothing graphic.

Tighnari didn’t know how it happened.

He never had high standards; all he asked for was someone who could hold intelligent talks with him and rile him up on new research topics. Maybe look a bit decent at least.

So why in Teyvat did his heart explode when he saw you running towards him covered in Sumpter Beast’s dung and clothes half ripped to shreds by archons know what?

Collie was busy reading romance novels about a fox boy and a white haired human boy when Tighnari barged in, making the girl jump in horror.

“M-master!” “Go call for Cyno please. This is an emergency.”

Cyno appeared in his half naked glory as usual, and gasped when he saw Tighnari sitting with his head in his hands.

“Have you succumbed to the dark side of knowledge?” “I-what? No, this is about Y/N you lummox!”

After some tearful explanations, Cyno finally knew what was going on.

“Really? As in the Y/N that eats a poison mushroom at least once a day? The Y/N who wandered off to Liyue for three days without knowing?”

Tighnari sighed and nodded. “I just…was it her beautiful smile when she came over that captivated me? Or was it her sparkly eyes that caught me off guard?”

Cyno had to swallow back a ‘pfft’ at the tacky words the fennec boy was using. Oh how foolishly in love was he! Fear not, for Tighnari had asked for help from the right person.

Tighnari’s face paled when he saw Cyno take out a familiar book. “Oh you are not using that book-”

“Don’t worry about it, Tighnari. I’ve known Y/N much longer than you have after all. I know just the thing to get her to like you back.” “What? I’m not looking to get into a relati-”

And that was how Tighnari’s Guide to Wooing You was created.

Operation I: Date

You always loved the desert. Actually you loved it more than you loved the forest, but due not having a vision and no physical training you couldn’t go there often.

So when Tighnari asked you to accompany him to the desert you were elated.

Tighnari on the other hand, was nervous. He bought an expensive and shady desert kit from a merchant that assured him the kit could ease his body while in the desert. The problem was, he never used it before.

When you two arrived at the desert, he knew for sure he was scammed.

“A-are you okay master? You look super sunburnt.” “Yeah! Don’t worry about me rookie, I can handle a little heat. Besides, this ultra sun-blocking sunscreen is guaranteed to make me sunproof!”

Then he fainted away, his face planted into the sand.

You had to drag him all the way to Aaru Village to get help from Candace.

When Cyno arrived after getting distress calls from Candace, Tighnari used his last strength and kicked the boy off the village cliff.

Operation II: Intelligence Show Off

Who doesn’t love a smart man? Not you!

Okay, so Cyno didn’t know your exact ideal type, but he was aware that Tighnari’s popularity came mostly from his brains.

So it was planned that Tighnari would bring you to the library and culture you in all kinds of knowledge, and you’ll be super amazed that you’ll fall for him.

Unknown to the two boys however, you were in panic mode.

You knew Tighnari long enough to know the boy didn’t do things for no reason. He must have caught wind that you were barely passing your courses, and was going to embarrass you in front of your classmates in the library.

So when you two met up, you went full student-mode.

“Fungi monsters aren’t categorized by their attacks but by their genders right?” “What? No, that’s completely wrong. But anyways, I was thinking we could-” “Do math? I love the periodic table!”

The next three hours you were rushing through piles of research papers while Tighnari sat next to you, stunned at the speed you’re going at.

Needless to say, nothing happened that day.

Operation III: Physical Contact

Tighnari was aware that you stared at his ears and tail very often.

Many people do actually; there was a reason why the girls come by often to talk about ‘research’ while staring at his tail.

“It would be better if I just ask her to touch it,” Tighnari said, crossing his arms. Cyno shook his head. “That’s not going to work if you want to let her know you’re letting her touch it because she’s special.”

And so, Cyno conjured up the plan.

Tighnari would brush his tail against you many times, and you would definitely get riled up by it. He would then proceed to wrap his tail around you and bring his head down to your face level. You would have the incredible urge to touch his ears and Tighnari would kabedon you against a tree and confess his undying love to you. Then you kiss and then make babies.

“Make babies? Are you serious?” “You’re right, it’s better if the children didn’t have your ugly looks.”

And so, you and Tighnari walked down the forest to gather some resources.

Tighnari immediately sprung to action. His tail swished against you and much to his delight, you stiffened.

“M-master your tail-” “Hm? What is it about my tail?” “...nothing!”

You were so red Tighnari found it adorable.

His tail started to wag so hard it smacked your butt. Twice.

Both of you froze, you flustered and him screaming internally in horror at what just happened.

“That was unintended, please excuse me,” Tighnari reached behind to grab his tail, but somehow his tail gained a mind of its own and started to swirl and curl and dodge his every grab.

“What in Teyvat-,” he turned his upper body and his tail came back right at you and smacked your chest.

You yelped and Tighnari panicked. “Oh my goodness this is not what I intended at all!”

He turned so hard he tripped over a tree root and fell on top of you.

Celestia must be trying to play pranks because Tighnari not only fell on top of you, but he fell with his face right into your chest.

As if the sand wasn’t bad enough, he had to land on the one place he didn’t expect to touch so soon.

Cyno was waiting for you guys, and when he saw your flustered face and an unhealthy amount of blood on Tighnari’s clothes that seemed to originate from his nose, he knew he needed to pray to the archons he could survive the deadly poison arrows that would soon fly his way.

Operation IV: Confess

“Oh Archons, this isn’t going to work,” the boy groaned as he paced around the empty Grand Bazaar.

He and Cyno came to a mutual agreement after a series of misfortunes that it would be better for him to confess.

And so Cyno was tasked with bringing you here and Tighnari would confess right there.

He didn’t do enough to woo you, he was sure of it. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t try.

Tighnari looked at the decorated stage nervously. Hopefully this isn’t too much.

He heard the doors open and four sets of footsteps could be heard- wait that meant four people came in.

He turned to see not only you and Cyno walking in, but also Collei and Dehya.

Cyno was mouthing words furiously and although Tighnari had no idea what he was trying to say, he already knew the plan failed.

“What’s this great thing Cyno said you wanted to show Y/N-,” Dehya stopped and looked around to see flowers everywhere. There was a huge poster with your face on it at the center of the stage, with words on it saying: “I LOVE YOU Y/N.”

All of them stayed silent before Dehya fell over, laughter erupting from her. “AHAHA what is this HAHAHA-”

Collei was tearing up silently. Her OTP had fallen.

You, on the other hand, were completely stunned.

Tighnari walked off before he could hear anything. He was heartbroken.

Final operation: You

You may not be as smart as Tighnari, but you were painfully aware of the events that happened in the past few days.

“Hey Y/N,” Cyno appeared at your meeting spot. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

He explained the whole situation to you, how he gave the best tips as Tighnari’s best friend but ultimately had bad luck along the way that caused everything to become..well, like this.

It was then you knew what to do.

You left the jackal boy there and stormed back to Gandarvha Ville.

“And take this medicine to him-,” he stopped when you barged in, your face red but determined.

Collei left and you went to stand before your master.

“Master, I accept your confession.”

Before Tighnari could say anything you leaned in and kissed him. He tasted like mushrooms (you didn’t expect that he'd taste like sweet flowers or anything) and you liked it.

When you pulled back you smiled at the fast swishes of Tighnari’s tail.

“I should’ve said something at the Grand Bazaar, master,” you looked into the dilated pupils. “I’ve liked you for so long I just didn’t think you would like me too.”

“It’s not master,” he breathed as he slowly leaned forward. “Call me baby.”

And for the next few nights the rangers had to cover their ears as you two made babies.

FFFFF ANOTHER BAD GUIDE

Sorry if Tighnari’s felt short, I couldn’t picture many funny moments with Tighnari since he seems a bit too smart to make mistakes Cyno did. Hoped you like Tighnari’s version, if you haven’t already check out Cyno’s Version of Wooing you!

P.S.: Scaramouche’s version in progress!

@yoshikuno

#tighnari #tighnari reader #Cyno stop #Collei finally saw the truth #genshin reader #this was so bad help

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oleanderblume · 2 years

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Hey Fuckers the next book is coming out this fall

:•) HONK HONK (info below)

Caring for Your Clown Book One: Aliens are Real

Oliver Tarsul is a mostly average 14-year-old kid; aside from being the unwilling roommate to an interdimensional space clown his step-father solicited to rebuild a portal designed by his recently deceased mother. Things are more than a little complicated. Regardless, dealing with a gelatinous slime monster in the shape of a clown girl named Dindet, while also trying to stay under the radar as the only trans kid in school, proves to be significantly harder than he imagined. But the fallout of his mother's supposed death didn't just bring into question what she was working on and who she was working with. It also brought along with it a part of Oliver's past that he'd rather just forget. His biological father.

Brief synopsis: a trans kid gets out of a shitty custody arrangement with the help of an alien clown.

Available in hardback, paperback, and audiobook (ebook is 4$ on my website)

You can buy it here!

Also book two is out now

Caring for Your Clown Book Two: Trial and Error

Overjoyed by his official adoption and with the completion of the molecular transporter coming closer, Oliver's excitement over the return of his mother conflicts with the ever-expanding mystery surrounding the circumstances of her departure and Dindet's increasingly suspicious behavior.

She's leaving, more often and for longer and longer periods of time.

And left alone with devilishly wandering thoughts and idle hands, Oliver craves a distraction-- and his name is Markus.

Brief synopsis: Same trans kid gets groomed while his alien clown tries really hard not to cannibalize herself. Doesn't end well.

Hardback, paperback, and audiobook (ebook is on my website for 4$) :D

~November 17th~

Caring for Your Clown Book Three: Letting Go of Things

Oliver began to walk backwards the moment he witnessed Dindet suffer a horrific fate at the hands of an electrifying scientific experiment. And it was his fault.

Or...so it seems.

As Oliver falls deeper into his own self destructive tendencies in the wake of Dindet's apparent demise, another far more sinister plot rears it's ugly head in the form of Poppy, bent on pulling every last string until all the pieces fall into place, her vindictive claws are dug into all the unfortunate residents at Amelis Behavioral Health Center.

But she isn't here for Oliver, he is nothing more than the pawn in Poppy's twisted game of manipulation.

The Clowns are coming for Pineton, for AKAN, and there is little to do to stop it.

Because they were already here.

Brief synopsis: (still the same) trans kid gets involuntarily admitted to a mental hospital that is actually very much NOT a mental hospital and his friends have to break him out before he gets murdered by a psychopathic alien mime. Major cliffhanger ending :)

You can support the graphic novels on my patreon here :D

#clowns #books #trans ftm #ya books #lgbt+ characters #lgbt+ books #caring for your clown #transgender #trans main character

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jobean12-blog · 2 years

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Your Boys in Bed with Books gives me so much life! How about that arrogant bastard, Lance Tucker? I can't help how much I love him 🥇

Boys in Bed with Books (17)- Lance Tucker

Pairing: Lance Tucker x reader

Word Count: 756

Summary: You distract Lance while he's reading in bed.

Author's Note: I love Lance and I especially love writing him a bit softer but still with that Lance edge haha this was a fun one. Thank you so very much for this request my sweet @rebel-stardust I hope you enjoy! Have a lovely day! HUGS💕 Thank you all so much for reading and for the amazing support for this series! Much love to you all always ❤️❤️❤️Divider by the beautiful @firefly-graphics thank you my friend 💕

Warnings: teasing, flirting, typical Lance, a curse here or there, smut (18+ ONLY PLEASE!!!)

Boys in Bed with Books Masterlist

“Lance.”

You call his name, turning back to the mirror to check your lip gloss.

“Lance.”

This time a little louder but the only response you get is the turning of a page.

“TUCKER!” you shout as you stomp over to the bed.

“What the fuck buttercup? WHAT?” he yells.

Your smile is saccharine as you lean over him. “I called your name three times before you answered.”

His gaze instantly drops to your cleavage and he lifts his hand to cop a feel.

“So?” he replies, smiling back with his signature head tilt.

You smack his hand away with a grumble and roll your eyes before pushing away from him and sauntering back to the dresser.

“I need your help,” you tell him. “Can you come here please?”

You search for your necklace, sifting through your jewelry until you find the one you want. You lift your eyes to the mirror and see Lance still sprawled out on the messy bed with his focus back on the book.

Your hands land on your hips and you curse under your breath. You walk back to the bed and pull the book from his hands.

“Break the Fall…” you read. “Isn’t this my book?”

He makes grabby hands but you keep it out of his reach, raising an expectant eyebrow. With a sigh he shifts his attention and let’s his eyes wander down the length of you.

“You look amazing,” he murmurs.

“Lance don’t change the subject,” you chide. “Are you reading my young adult romance novel?”

His mouth opens and closes but no words pass his lips until you start to giggle and he finally finds his voice.

“It’s about gymnastics!” he whines defensively.

“Looks like you’re enjoying it,” you tease as you hand it back to him.

He grabs your waist when you start to walk away, spinning you back into his arms.

“Why don’t you stay home with me beautiful?”

“And what? Read?” you giggle.

His plump lips lift into a sideways smirk. “Hell fucking no.”

You give him a soft kiss and throw him a wink.

“You know it’s girls night. Now, come help me with my necklace, I can’t get it closed,” you say as you wiggle out of his arms.

“You bring it here,” he says, patting his thigh.

“Lance,” you whine.

“I’ve got the perfect seat,” he croons.

Your lips form a thin line and your eyebrows lower.

“You’re such a pain in my ass Tucker,” you huff.

“You love my ass!” he states proudly.

“This has nothing to do with your ass. Now shut up and help me.”

“Please,” he says.

You walk back to him, necklace in hand and crawl into his lap, settling your thighs on either side of his. The hem of your dress rides up, exposing your bare skin. His eyes automatically drop between your legs and he licks his lips.

“Lance my love, will you please help me with my necklace?”

You bat your lashes and press your breasts against his chest before taking his chin and lifting his eyes to yours.

“Where are your panties?” he hisses.

You give him a nonchalant shrug and kiss his cheek, feeling his jaw tighten just as his cock throbs beneath you.

“Thank you so much Lance,” you gush as you turn in his arms and make a kissy face. “You’re my hero.”

You shiver when his fingertips ghost over your skin to close the clasp and when you try to stand he stops you, digging his fingers into the soft flesh of your hips and holding you in place.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he hums.

“Out with the girls?” you answer, already feeling your resolve slipping away.

“Is that really what you want to do?” he says, his tone haughty.

“Aren’t you going to be busy reading all night?” you counter.

“Don’t change the subject,” he mocks, throwing your words from earlier back at you.

His thumbs hook under your dress and he slides the material up and over your hips before he dips a finger between your thighs and glides it through your arousal.

He flashes you his best cocky grin as he drags his teeth over his bottom lip.

“I think you’d rather stay here and sit on my face baby,” he hums, teasing your clit.

“Lance,” you gasp, doing your best to suppress your body’s instinctive reaction to his touch.

“Come on baby girl. You know you want to. I’ll even let you suck my cock while I eat you out.”

@book-dragon-13 @christywantspizza @dreamlessinparis @goldylions @hiddles-rose @jhangelface0523 @justile @loricamebackyetagain @lookiamtrying @maladaptivexxdaydreaming @loki-laufeyson-1054 @nano--raptor @randomfandompenguin @seitmai @turbolisedcomet @breakablebarnes @weekendgothgirl

#lance tucker #lance tucker x reader #lance tucker x you #lance tucker fanfiction #lance tucker imagine #sebastian stan x reader #sebastian stan characters #the bronze #boys in bed with books

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wordlywriter · 9 months

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WRITER GEM:

Two weeks ago, at the Half Priced Bookstore in my area (one of my greatest loves :)), I wandered into the clearance section and found a book called DIY MFA. When I pulled it off the shelf—randomly, I might add—my immediate reaction was visceral. I gasped and clutched it close to my chest. Because as writers, we’re often told that graduate school is a must-do for publishing, right? We see it written on the backs of novels in author blurbs all the time. We hear it from our undergrad schools and professors. To “make it” is to burn through academia according to a certain timeframe and by a specific age. Such are the expectations, anyway.

But what if this isn’t practical? Whether its finances, time constraints, or another completely valid and reasonable explanation, that envied master’s degree can pose a problem. As a rising junior in college, these problems have been on my mind for many months already. And as someone who is constantly searching for writing advice to share with others, I thought this would be a great feature for the page.

DIY MFA is a book, and general model of learning, with three core principles, all of which can be found on the website: http://www.diymfa.com. These principles are: writing with focus, reading with purpose, and building community. The “about” section states that “the beauty of DIY MFA is that while it covers most of what you’d get in a traditional MFA, you get to decide how to structure your writing, reading and community so you can reach your goals.” Pretty cool, right? I thought so! And while I haven’t immersed myself just yet, on account of wanting to structure my newest WIP before jumping in, both the book and website have given me a lot to reconsider.

Other notable exploratory sections on diymfa.com include the “writer igniter,” which is a prompt generator, in addition to free starter kits, podcast episodes, articles, and speaker videos.

As far as I can tell from Amazon and Goodreads reviews, this might not be the greatest option for those seeking advice for less traditional writing forms such as comics, graphic novels, and children’s books, to name a few, but the concepts and tools will work well for any genre and aspiring writer, provided you are dedicated to see your project through. I actually think that this could be an avenue of exploration for the project in the future. It was published in 2016 though, so I’m excited for whatever might be in store in the next few years!

Have you tried this book or learning model out? What did you think?

Follow @diymfa for more information ✏️

#writers #writerslife #writing community #writersociety #writing #writing problems #writing advice #writing tips #masters fine arts #alternative

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whatmathgodwrought · 2 months

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Salad Bar Theory of Popular Culture

This is going to be a long post. It will discuss "The Salad Bar Theory of Popular Culture," and why Tumblr dot com is the ideal, overgrown petri dish on the web for this phenomenon.

It's a bit of lark, but I do hope you'll laugh at least once if you read to the end.

Imagine you're dining at an all-you-can-eat restaurant. The restaurant is massive. The self-serve food bar has every kind of dish imaginable, and what's more, there is a construction crew adding more space, and new chefs are constantly adding new entrees, remaking old favorites, and sometimes they even invent new cuisines altogether. All of your friends and acquaintances are there. Sometimes you eat together, sometimes you talk about what you ate, sometimes someone excitedly comes to your table raving and telling you to try something new or an old favorite. There is more than you could ever possibly eat in several lifetimes, and it only keeps growing.

This metaphor is the current state of entertainment in the 21st century for all forms of media: music, movies, books, TV shows, ebooks, audiobooks, podcasts, talk radio, art, comics, graphic novels, manga, webcomics, cartoons, anime, newspapers, infotainment, online journalism, live-streaming, plays/dramas, console gaming, PC gaming, smartphone gaming and more. Thanks to the internet, streaming, global-shipping, viral-meme-culture, commodification-of-the-invidivual-via-the-social-media-grind, (and let's be honest, piracy and archival culture), people have access to and are exposed to more entertainment than they could ever hope to consume in several lifetimes.

So, where does leave the typical diner at this restaurant? Well, as the next paragraphs will show, there is no such thing as a "typical diner." There are no gourmets, no gourmands. There is just the Cornucopia and groups of people wandering the endless salad bar. You can be first in line and pay a premium to experience the brand new dish. You can go back to the same section and reload your plate with the same thing as many times as you want, and people will ask if you don't ever get tired of the same thing. You can be a vegetarian. You can eat only meat. You can eat a bit of everything. You can brave the sneers and jeers of the gatekeepers as you sample something--with tastebuds aglow--for the first time and rave about it to all your friends.

So what kind of dining experiences are there in this cultural canteen, this pop-culture pizzeria, this taverna theatre? What do you see there?

Popularity is the Objective Word Here

When something is popular, it spreads like wildfire. This has always been true of popular culture even before the internet. Humans are social, they tell stories and they share. This may seem obvious, but it's also bedrock for the other observations.

Originality is Dead: Long Live Reboots and Remixes.

Show of hands to three questions:

How many people recognize the reference of a gorilla carrying a woman, climbing the Empire State Building while bi-planes shoot at it?

King Kong right? A cultural icon for many years.

How many people have actually seen the original King Kong (1933) starring Fay Wray and directed by Cooper and Schoedsack?

Not as many right? Maybe you only saw one of the many remakes in 2021, 2017, 2005, 1986, 1976, 1967 or 1962.

How many people are alive today that saw King Kong (1933) in the cinema?

Not many I'll bet.

I'd wager the number of hands goes down with each question. And yet the staying power of the original story remains burned into film history and memory. The point is this. Humans retell stories. This is not a bug. It's a feature. "Tell me the story again of…" There is joy (and profit) in the retelling.

Derivative Reference is Often the Primary Way of Experiencing Pop Culture

OK, so people are sharing things left and right. They're retelling, remixing, rebooting, writing fan-fics, etc. All of this creative effort means that your first-time encountering something new may be a reference, rather than experiencing the original. People rarely experience the true original firsthand anymore. They're going to experience things second-hand.

This is especially true with older media. A first experience with something will often be a derivative reference. An example: Back in the day, in school, we watched Planet of the Apes in class. (I don't know, probably the teacher was hung over.) Want to know how I figured out before the big reveal that the Planet of the Apes was really Earth?

Troy McClure spoiled it for me. In Season 7 Episode 9 of the Simpsons, "A Fish Called Selma," McClure takes an acting gig in a musical adaptation of Planet of the Apes, and he sings the following lines:

Oh my God, I was wrong It was earth all along Yes you finally made a monkey out of me.

So there I am, watching Planet of the Apes for the first time, and Troy McClure's big number starts playing in my head. I sit there in disbelief, remembering the Simpsons, and then practically crying into my desk with laughter.

Probably the teacher thought that "kids these days" don't appreciate cinema, but it was just so absurd to have the movie spoiled by a bit in the Simpsons.

Want to know something else? In doing research for this essay, I discovered that Planet of the Apes film isn't even the original. The original story was a French language novel "La Planète des Singes" by Pierre Boulle. So again, people love retelling, often in different forms of media.

Point is, the longer something has been out, the more it tends to be referenced in other forms. TV talk shows will make jokes referencing the new popular thing. Popular phrases quickly become part of the everyday lexicon. People talk at the water cooler. A tech mogul names their new software after one iconic word in Heinlein's 1961 sci-fi novel.

Any piece of popular culture could be "spoiled" for you at any moment, which brings us to....

Spoilers are Everywhere but Do They Just Act as Adverts?

King Kong dies in the end. Dumbledore Dies. Both of these are spoiler memes (and I'm not sorry), but consider the amount of time passed between the original release of both. How long is the statute of limitations on spoilers? How long before a popular piece of media saturates public awareness so much that it becomes unavoidable? Is this ultimately unavoidable because of the viral nature of advertising, marketing and sharing?

In the modern day, it's increasingly hard to avoid spoilers. I've heard of people going off social media for weeks before a major film release so it doesn't get spoiled for them.

People seem divided on the topic of spoilers, but it's a very good question: Would you still enjoy a story if it was spoiled for you? Shakespeare spoils Romeo & Juliet in the first 14 lines:

Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; Whose misadventured piteous overthrows Do with their death bury their parents' strife. The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love, And the continuance of their parents' rage, Which, but their children's end, nought could remove, Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage; The which if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

Do you still want to see the rest of the play? What if it had Leonardo DiCaprio as Romeo, Claire Danes as Juliet and Harold Perrineau as Mercutio? There is something to be said for knowing where the story goes, yet still enjoying the teling of the tale.

I'll go on record and say I don't really care about spoilers. They've become adverts to me, hooks of interest into things I might not have discovered otherwise. I have to encounter new media somehow, and I try to take a positive outlook on it, saying, "I was meant to discover this." If I like something, I'm going to like it unabashedly and still find a way to enjoy it.

Delayed Gratification

If you are PC gamer, let me ask a question: How many unplayed games do you have in your Steam library? Games you haven't even downloaded and opened for the first time. What about unfinished games? Played-once-and-dropped-it games? Now ask yourself: Did you buy this game when it first came out? Did you pay for early access? Would you have still enjoyed it, even if you had to wait a while? Consider the Reddit community r/PatientGamers. They don't care to line up and pay a premium for a brand new release. They know it will still be the same game (often less buggy), and they will even be able to get it on sale. They know the salad bar is vast. There's lots of content, and there's no hurry. They let it come to them when the time is right.

I Don't Want to Hear It

Similar to r/PatientGamers, there is also the phenomona when it seems like everyone is raving about something, to the point where you begin to actively block it out. It doesn't seem to matter what it is; even if it's something good that you would ultimately enjoy. Something about the repetition or the messaging rubs you wrong, and you innoculate yourself against it. You avoid that part of the salad bar at all costs, even if you might like it.

Interpreting the Rules: Remixing as Fan Behavior.

How dooes your social circle play the game Uno? Fandom has a tendency to take what's been created and modify it, remix it according to their own rules, according to fanon's own internal logic. Sometimes it's seen as an act of repair, sometimes a love letter to canon. Sometimes it's shipping characters. Sometimes it is a what-if. What if all these different characters from different properties got together in a story?

Dismay at Media Conglomerate Strip Mining

Has one of the five mega media conglomerates "ruined your childhood" by making a live-adaptation of your favorite childhood cartoon? Well, buckle up, because they aren't going to stop. The big five are hungry for content, and they are actively strip-mining your childhood favorites. It doesn't matter if it's a live action remake of Avatar the Last Airbender or CATS the musical, eventually some studio exec is going to see dollar signs, and your favorite thing is going to get a bad remake. It's best to just accept this.

Further Dismay at AI Strip Mining

If you don't like what the big five are doing, you will hate what AI is doing, and if you're an artist you probably already know you are getting robbed by AI companies. Large language models (also known as Plausible Sentence Generators) and text-to-artwork tools like Stable Diffusion and Midjourney are getting more sophisticated.

They're still scraping the web, and more sites seem to be selling user-generated content to these places, prompting artists to use Glaze and Nightshade to protect their work and poison AI data-models.

People are selling their likeness for permanent use in perpetuity for use in crowds. Lord of the Rings used AI-enabled CGI units in some of the battles, and that was over 20 years ago. How long before they don't hire extras for movies anymore?

The year is 2100. You put on a vid. It is the usual cast, starring: Tu-Pac Shakur's avatar, Hatsune Miku, the latest Disney princess avatar, and the disembodied voice of James Earl Jones. All of the original flesh and blood actors are long dead, but their AI avatars and copyright ramain. Some were never were alive in the first place. It's all necrotainment. You turn off the TV.

Back to the present year, James Earl Jones's voice is now in an AI model, so Disney can give us the same Darth Vader forever. The year 2100 seems not so far away.

On the plus side, there seems to be a growing backlack against AI-generated content. People consider it cheap, shoddily-made and flimsy, and the quickest way to associate a brand as cheap garbage. At the Glasgow Willy Wonka's Chocolate experience event, the organizer used AI generated visuals for the marketing, and people arrived disappointed at the "dirty old warehouse." According to Paul Connell, the actor who played Wonka, the script was "15 pages of AI-generated gibberish."

"I never knew I would have liked this"

OK this is getting a bit grim, so here's something fun: People are getting exposed to other cultures' entertainment, and they like it! Netflix reports that 60% of their users have watched a Korean drama, and they plan to invest USD $2.5 billion in future Korean drama for the platform. Like anime booming outside of Japan in the 80s and 90s, or the British Invasion in the 1960s, people try out other parts of the salad bar, and discover they quite like it.

Archival Behavior

Abraham Lincoln once said, "You can't believe everything you read on the Internet." This is why screencapping and archiving things has become more important. Tweets get deleted, accounts get banned, and users deactivate. Capturing and archiving things here at least preserves some of the conversation.

In the Art of War, Sun Tzu wrote, "If you know yourself and you know your enemy -- and let's be clear the enemy are techbros, who are fundamentally lazy and want to cut corners for the sake of a quick buck and flashy, fake-innovation. Even their own mothers don't love them. They stole this content from Tumblr username whatmathgodwrought, original posting date 2024/03/03, and this should be used as evidence in the lawsuit against the responsible parties -- you need not fear the result of a hundred battles."

If the internet is just 4 websites containing screenshots of the other ones, many are doing the good work of archiving for posterity.

Wasn't this Post also about Tumblr?

Yeah, yeah, we're taking the scenic route. (If you actually read this far, thank you. Send whatmathgodwrought a message and I'll read your blog, maybe reblog some of your stuff, maybe even follow you.)

Let's recap: pop culture spreads like wildfire. It gets retold/remixed/rebooted. Reference and spoilers are everywhere. You can delay and still enjoy a thing anytime, or you can resolutely choose to avoid a thing completely. You can remix, recreate, and fan-theorize canon ideas to their natural conclusion. The big five entertainment corps and AIs are strip-mining the heck out of it. People loves to try out things they never would have had access to before. So, after having some of these kind of experiences, you can post your fandom thoughts on Tumblr, add tags and watch it blow up (or not) or don't add tags (and watch it somehow blow up anyway?). Posts with "10k note energy" have slept for years before someone fired a reblog chain heard round the world. So what makes this environment the Galapagos Island or Cambrian period of websites for this Salad Bar idea?

Repeat and Resurgence

So the thing about a recurring joke is that it keep recurring. People will often write: "I will always reblog this." There are also seasonal examples. King Taejong falls from his horse, Feb 8, 1404. Julius Casear's assassaination on the Ides of March. Voyager's "Threshold" season-2, episode 15, Jan 29th. The clay tablet to Ea-nāṣir complaining about inferior quality copper. People like retelling, and reblogging with scheduling or queue contributes to the seasonal nature of repeat themes.

Tag You're It

Tags kind of help with the spreads-like-wildfire aspect. I've always liked tags as a general concept, because they're a flat, non-hierarchical, multi-category way of organizing information. In the Dewey Decimal system, your number is the category, and that's it; no nuance, no second-guessing, no argument. With tags, you add as many as you want, and then off it goes--haphazardly careening about the Tumblr ecosystem. Tagging is also broken, but whatever.

Goncharov

my favourite thing about the goncharov nonsense is that it relies on the tumblr culture of watching ur mutual posting about something but not really paying attention to it. the reason it slips so easily under the radar is we’re all used to seeing people’s random sudden fixations on our dashes and then just letting them do their thing - you don’t unfollow, you often don’t even filter it out, you just think ‘hey, glad they’re having fun’ and scroll past. i went like two days before realising it was a mass joke because i assumed one of my mutuals was just Really Into some old mafia film from the 70s all of a sudden. because why wouldn’t they be

User @watchmakermori hits the nail on the head. Tumblr's ecosystem exposes the user to random fandoms, which they might like, might look at later, or might actively avoid. It is within that space of ambiguity that the Goncharov phenomena thrived.

Trending By Organic Pollination

On this hellsite, it's possible to completely overwhelm the tags and get something trending, but at least this is mostly driven by human interest. In this case, Tumblr's lack of an algorithm is actually a feature. When a mutual reblogs something, at least I know that a human did it, unlike algorithm-based, auto-served content. We've seen what algorithms have done to Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and even Google search. Algorithms drive "engagement", endless scrolling, and are likely contributing to Dead Internet Theory. At least Tumblr users are continuously blocking bots, trying to inoculate against AI-generated content, and are reblogging human content.

Parallel Play

Tumblr users' tendency to engage in parallel play also contributes to the remix factor as users reblog, retag and recontextulize. A shitpost becomes educational. Two isolated fandoms collide accidentally because of a poll. Someone makes a spelling error and it goes viral. Users play with JPEGs like dolls. Everyone is just out there doing their own thing in the big sandbox, and emergent behaviors result.

In Conclusion?

This post ended up more Tumblr-positive than I intended, even though that wasn't the original idea. The idea was to be more dispassionate, more objective, a casual observer. But like any participant-observer, I've gotten a bit caught up in the phenomenon.

So let's call this a Love Letter (academically aggravated) to Tumblr. Suffice it to say, I hope y'all keep blocking bots, reblogging humans, spiting the great AI content harvest, and keep enjoying the Salad Bar.

#salad bar theory of pop culture #tumblr

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greentrickster · 2 years

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..dang, was just thinking about the Parable itself in The Ace Parable and Stanley Attorney AU, and what happens after Stanley and the Narrator return to it. Like... Stanley’s got a lot of new areas and items he can mess around with, but they’re still kind of both stuck there.

Except, the thing is, Miles and Phoenix got a lot done in the approximately two weeks they had in the Parable, they came up with new endings much faster than the Narrator ever has. And part of that’s because they were collaborating and having fun together, and I think that’s reflected in the endings they create - these are the first endings the Parable’s had that are meant to end with mutual satisfaction regardless of what choices the ‘protagonist’ makes. Which definitely shakes up the routine a bit, because that’s an even more novel concept in the Parable than the idea of going on the roof or adding stickers or something, normally there’s a struggle between the Narrator and Stanley for who’s going to ‘win’ this ending.

And like... maybe, having gotten to see his character in a new setting, it encourages the Narrator to create more opportunities and options in regards to different things Stanley can do, ways they can interact. Perhaps one day Stanley makes the off-hand comment that it would be nice if the outside part of the Freedom ending was a little longer, so he could enjoy the outside a bit more. That’s one of the things he misses from the AA world, being able to go outside. What if the office had windows you could look out of, wouldn’t that be nice? Add a little more life to the game.

Just the idea that, slowly, over time, instead of struggling against each other, Stanley and the Narrator start working together a bit more to expand the game, see how far they can push it, how long and exciting they can make the endings, how detailed the graphics, how rich the lore, how neatly all the settings can fit together...

And, by the time they really stop and look at what they’ve done, the Parable has become so big, convoluted, and complicated, that the Narrator doesn’t really have control over it anymore, it’s this huge, self-sustaining thing that he and Stanley both exist within and yet created at the same time, and Stanley’s not the only person there, and it’s... strange. Huge. Magnificent. A little terrifying. It works on the rules they made, which can be rather strange rules at times (how can they not be, when Lines (tm) are a popular pet?), but it works. Somehow. There are samurai, and mixed levels of technology, and rain that falls in gentle colours like the Zen room, and characters wandering around making new characters and scenarios, and more buckets than the Narrator really approves of, but still...

It’s enough to take your breath away, really. The sort of project that, if you’d seen the size it would end up when you started it, you would have quit immediately, sure it was impossible, at least for you. The sort of thing that, if you were to try and explore it, could take a lifetime, two- no, three- no, dozens of lifetimes to see every path, find every ending, turn over every stone, with more sprouting out all the time, who has the time to see it all-?!?

Which is probably why it’s a good thing that the end is never, isn’t it? And better still when you’ve got someone you care about to explore it all with you...

And somewhere in the corner of this vast, strange place, there is an office building. If you were to go in and explore a bit, you might find the office of employee 427 (ignore any voices you may hear, they’re not talking to you). It’s a plain, dull room, with a boxy old computer and swivel chair, and a little plaque on the desk. The plaque is made of cardboard, with ‘The Stanley Parable’ written on it in bold, relatively neat black sharpie, beneath which are eleven little golden star stickers, and the smaller words, ‘Excellent world-building.’

#the stanley parable #The Ace Parable and Stanley Attorney AU #tsp stanley #tsp narrator #stanarrator #hello my name is GreenTrickster and I make no apologies #but I will confess to getting the idea:#what if instead of escaping the Parable to the real world #the Narrator and Stanley worked together and made the Parable INTO a real world #and then went off to explore it and have adventures together

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theluckybard · 7 months

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A bunch of sketches of my bard Vincent, from the graphic novel I'm cooking...

I'm spending more quality times on my sketchbook than digital lately (using tablets and computers more for work), with more loose drawings and trying not to be much a slave of references, and well... it's refreshing.

#sketchbook #traditional pencil drawing #bard #fantasy #oc: vincent #graphic novel: Three Wanderers #renie draws #the lucky bard draws #original character

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zahri-melitor · 5 months

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Recent DC Reads:

Under the Moon: A Catwoman Tale

This is another book from the DC Ink teen graphic novels line and it’s a bit of a headscratcher for me. I don’t mind that the line leans heavily into reinterpretations of a general three sentence outline of a character’s past (there’s been some great work done here, and Oracle Code is probably the top of the list for ‘wide reinterpretation update that works’), but on some occasions when you know a lot about a character it can be to your detriment, just in terms of characterisation.

Art and design wise, this felt particularly like a webcomic in collected form, more than a graphic novel in and of itself. It was very episodic and chunked in a way that my brain could separate it into each webcomic post, complete with titles for each post. Also in terms of its episodic nature was that the plot tended to wander: the writing would pick up a storyline and get distracted by the new shiny, forgetting the previous plot thread. However, I did enjoy that the story ended on an open question over whether Rosie had made the right decision or not for herself.

It hit enough of the basic beats of a young Selina Kyle to be recognisable as Selina, but it was definitely one of the more divergent stories in this line in that the elements really didn’t line up with any of the origin stories I’m familiar with for her. I also found the inclusion of Bruce rather gratuitous and unnecessary.

I think the point where it had difficulty the most is that a lot of the beats of a good Catwoman tale (the love of cats, the fitting in to high society to act as a thief, the heists, the flirting, the athleticism) were all present but fragmented. They were largely dealt with separately and didn’t really pull together into a coherent whole. Which, this Selina is 14! She’s not fully competent yet. That’s fine. But it was a bit too early edition without acknowledging that in future all these elements will combine together into one seamless act.

I generally like the DC Ink line, they’re nicely accessible introductions to characters, particularly leaning into what is mythologically true about the character’s archetype more than any sort of canon-faithfulness. But this one just didn’t quite pull itself together in a satisfying way for me.

The Sandman Universe #1 and Books of Magic #1-6 (2019) I picked this up entirely on the promise of Bilquis Evely art, so I got…half an issue of that? It was beautiful, in any case.

Every time I try to read one of the continuing Books of Magic series, rather than the original mini, I’m reminded that a lot of what I love most about the mini is its contained, complete nature. It’s very much a story with the attitude that underlies the creation of the Vertigo line, but it’s also a really good realistic-edged sampler of the various corners of Magical and Dark DC. You can pick it up and get a taste for a lot of different characters/magical realms in DC and it works as a sort of directory to go find new things to try.

While the continuing stories focusing on Tim Hunter? They’re okay. They’re not Giovanni Zatara holding an eviscerated rabbit, or soaring Charles Vess art of magical realms.

Those complaints aside, this was well set up for a new run. I didn’t need to be fully across all the events of previous runs; it would be a slog to come into this if you were completely unfamiliar with the basics of the Endless, Dream’s realm, and who Tim Hunter is, but it was entirely accessible for someone who has only read the original Books of Magic and enough of Sandman to know what it looks like (though there are definite spoilers for both the end of Sandman and events during previous Books of Magic runs).

I’m not going to continue this, but I do have to say one of the reasons I regularly dip into the extended Sandman Universe is that it gets some of the best DC artists in the business at decorative and creative art assigned to it. At this point I go here for artists like Charles Vess, J.H. Williams III and Bilquis Evely being allowed to go rogue and as hard as they want with their art, and being supported in that.

#z canon read throughs

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almalvo · 2 years

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In honesty,

though perhaps I may comprehensively recount one day, but for now, in brief, I feel that my... "history" with Star Trek thus far has been particularly strange, if not only personally, and here is why.

My actual first meet with Star Trek occurred to me in a way that, under the circumstances, feels... surreal, if not symbolic in my mind in some way, which moved me enough to write this short post.

I got into Star Trek through the latest Paramount + series "Strange New Worlds", introduced to me by my greatest companion, approximately only 6 weeks ago. However, this was not my first pass into Star Trek.

Prior to this, I was a Cumberbatch fan, which led me inevitably through all of his filmography - eventually leading me to his turn with Star Trek: Into Darkness. I understood that this was a second installment to a series, of which, at the time, all three have already been released - which I now know to be referred to as "AOS".

I remember - I watched AOS 1 to get to AOS 2, but thoroughly enjoyed AOS 1 even with my circumstances of being terribly ignorant and dry of anything Star Trek. Unequipped as I was as yet an outsider to the Trek universe, I did not understand nor experience the film(s) beyond the average unacquainted viewer - though I did recall AOS 1 impressing on me to be a pleasant, solid film in general. I proceeded to the second installment, easily enjoying Cumberbatch's rare role of a villain, and actually continued into watching the third member of the (so far) trilogy. But this was not my first brush with Star Trek.

Before my introduction into AOS, in the first year of my university career (which was now five years ago), I had joined my then roommate to go with them to a pop culture museum in my city to which I had never been. I was not, and still am not but markedly seem to be growing into, an intensive celebrator nor partaker in pop culture by any means, but out of a simple intrigue and "why not" attitude, I went. Forgoing a description that would rob you of a tour yourself, the museum had (and still has for it is a permanent exhibition as I have gathered from a more recent trip, though one still before my discovery of Trek) a science fiction exhibit that housed a little bit of some of the greater artifacts that shaped the genre throughout history. Inside, there were original samples and props and a dedicated little section for Star Trek, of which now I know to be from The Original Series. I, of course, had no understanding of any of it whatsoever. But even this was not my first encounter with Star Trek.

I remember, in my second year of university, now four years ago, I had one day wandered once again to my institution's bookstore as I would do especially when I am most troubled by studies or life itself. Bookstores have been my favourite places of stay ever since I became literate, so, naturally, it is where I went to in crisis. When I enter these stores, I would always take my full rounds of all the shelves to soak in the atmosphere, to explore the old and very latest, to have my thoughts provoked by compelling or questionable book covers and their titles - and I, as an enthusiast for art, would always end in the comic section if there were any. This is what I did that day. I perused the graphic novel section for inspiration or the like, when my eyes alighted upon this thick volume that I knew nothing about. What usually my calculations involve in my decisions to consummate a purchase of art books or books with art rely on my creative intentions and intrigues of the time. Based on what I saw inside this volume, I felt artistically satiated and found it worth the price - so I became its owner. Oddly, I never actually opened and read the comic in all the time that I had it, save for occasionally opening to a random spot inside to give me some visual inspiration for art I might be thinking about. When those rare moments were not present, the novel sat silently and undisturbed upon my shelf for years.

Fast forward - when after I had gotten into Trek and been pleasantly and cordially enthused by Strange New Worlds, I was curious about what I did barely know before SNW - which was the Kelvin timeline. So, after four years, I decided to re-watch the trilogy and found the movies to be even more enjoyable after the context I was educated with from the latest Paramount series - to the point that I was exclaiming when I saw these characters I had glimpsed years before.

And then, when these young flitting sparks settled and a anticipating silence was filling the warm lull upon the completed visitation of both SNW and AOS, I felt it was time that I watch what had started it all - TOS.

I had to brace myself for I was not so accustomed to consuming television this aged (call me a millennial, which I am - but not as so often insufferable haha), and pressed play. And there was no turning back, for there was nowhere I had rather return to than to be right there.

Learned, I then followed the path of where a great many others before me had come upon 2009 and so screened AOS 1 once again.

And did I race.

And did I shout.

And did I cry.

Music I had already loved but never realised in brevity - I cried. Moments that I had already seen but never felt - I cried. Faces I had already met but never yet knew - I cried. For I understood. I understood.

It has been scarcely one month since then, and I had by this time already completed the 6 original films and nigh finished my run of The Next Generation and have recently begun a mini-project in drawing my first small comic for Star Trek.

Doing so struck in me a pang of remembrance; I stood up and retrieved from my shelf the graphic volume I have had for a while, and, instead of simply glancing as I previously had - I read it.

My composure saw wreck and my eyes ravaged by the tears that fell as I beheld its contents - for how much better or for worse was it to be the very story of the canonic conclusion to my greatest passion and inspiration - Spock and Leonard Nimoy.

It was not my friend's suggestion, not SNW, AOS, a museum exhibit, etc., but a book. A book I had had years before my entry into Star Trek - of which I have only finally read this day.

You might suppose that this graphic novel was, at last, my first with Star Trek.

You would be right. And wrong.

Right, because it is the first component of Star Trek that I ever physically browsed, however purely superficially. Wrong, because... There is one other.

There is something that I had secured even before my university years - in highschool.

Back in 2016, when I had gone Christmas shopping with the family, us taking advantage of any sales we could find, I had, naturally, opted to go to the largest bookstore in the area.

There, I was met with the usual trove of tantalising holiday deals and exciting new covers for texts I have both heard of and never seen before; however, there was only one thing I had taken from the bargain.

After my routine shop-wide patrol, my final stop was before a stand of specially bound editions of novelties and some of the most famous texts written in literary history. And it was there that I brought with me my spoil from the bookstore.

In honesty, even if in some wee way, though some words like "destined" feel too lavish and exhausted, I would almost like to think that Star Trek was supposed to happen to me.

Sealed still, it was the special edition 50th anniversary textual collection of Star Trek's Classic Episodes from TOS.

🟥🟨🟦

#thoughts #star trek #almalvo #thank you for reading

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fantasticwolfpenguin · 2 years

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Do you like adult/teen oriented comics that's colorful and psychedelic, yet still delivers some gore? Get out your divining rod and something that plays tunes and check out Witchblood!

With people obsessing over Dracula, there's a new modern take of the vampire lore I wish people would talk about.

Witchblood is a comic book series created by and Matthew Erman and Lisa Serle. When I first made this post in August 2021, there were four issues out so far as of August 2021. Now all 10 chapters are out and you can get the full graphic novel at your local store. It seems to be super popular with some running out when I was collecting individual issues.

I would say the vibe the story gives off is Demon Slayer at times, but something more familiar to Americans. Such as the wild west, vampires, and witchcraft. The art is amazing here are some of my favorite panels:

Basic Summary: There are three main groups in the story: witches (who have been blessed with magic from Esme the original witch), vampires, and witch hunters (who seek to find witches due to them destroying human communities). Yonna is a witch wandering the South West with her crow familiar. She unfortunately meets the Hounds of Love a group of vampires lead by the charismatic Paxton. Paxton has found that in drinking a witch's blood you gain her powers and seeks to find the original witch. Yonna must find the other witches before the Hounds get to them, but she finds out she can't do it alone.

And there are so many collectible covers made by famous artist Yoshiyoshitani.

The first two images in this post is from my own copy of the novel while the last panel is a digital pre-print version which I received from Matthew Erman.

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ash-and-books · 1 year

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Rating: 5/5

Book Blurb: Following Brenna Thummler’s bestselling and critically acclaimed graphic novels Sheets and Delicates, Marjorie, Eliza, and Wendell the ghost are back to uncover the secrets of Wendell’s human life in the third and final heartwarming installment of the Sheets trilogy. Marjorie Glatt’s life was forever changed the day she discovered a group of ghosts hiding in her family’s laundromat. One of those ghosts was Wendell: a lonely phantom turned Marjorie’s best friend. When he and Marjorie are joined by ghost-enthusiast Eliza Duncan, the three friends band together in friendship, bravery, and all things paranormal. Wendell died far too young and now must wander the Land of Humans with nothing more than a sheet for a body. He knows how he died—a tragic drowning accident—but lately he’s grown curious about his past life. He wants to know more about why he died, not just how he died. It’s not easy, though, since Wendell’s memory of his human life has grown increasingly blurry. With Marjorie and Eliza’s help, they set out on a journey to find out more. When they hear a rumor about Wendell’s death, they wonder if it might not have been an accident after all. Meanwhile, Marjorie and Eliza’s friendship is tested when Marjorie starts to befriend the very people who used to bully Eliza. In the third and final installment of the Sheets trilogy, Wendell will finally uncover the truth of his human life. Marjorie and Eliza will learn that some people really can change. Most of all, they start to see that everything can cast shadows, but if you look hard enough, you can find the light.

Review:

The third and final book in the heartwarming story about a girl and her best friend, a ghost who lives undercover beneath a sheet. Majorie Glatt’s life has been changed ever since she discovered the group of ghosts hiding in her family’s laundromat. One ghost in particular has made a huge impact on her life, Wendall, a lonely but charming ghost who has become her best friend. Soon they are joined by ghost-enthusiast Eliza Duncan, and now they have become three best friends. This book deals with trying to figure out Wendall’s death, he died very young and he needs to know how he died and why. Wendall’s memory is barely there and so its up to his two best friends to journey with him down memory lane and try and discover what happened to him. All the while Marjorie and Eliza’s friendship is put to the test when Marjorie starts to befriend the very people who used to bully Eliza. This was an absolutely beautiful way to end the trilogy and it was so heartwarming to see the friendship and growth of these characters throughout the books. I adored the mystery and the way that friendship is depicted and healing as well. It truly was such a magical read that I think will stick with me for a long time.

*Thanks Netgalley and Oni Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

#book review #bookish #sheets #ghost graphic novel #sheet series

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hagatha-christie · 10 months

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Books in June, whatever

The bad:

Triple Duty Bodyguards by Lily Gold - I have to admire her “work smarter not harder” mentality because I have read two of her books now and every character is exactly the same from book to book with like 2 details changed about their physical appearance. I had essentially a 2 day long panic attack and my brain was on hyperdrive and this literally made me stop thinking any thoughts for the 5 hours it took to read this so like, do with that what you will.

Something Spectacular by Alexis Hall - the sequel to a pretty mediocre Alexis Hall book but in this one oh my GOD the romance didn’t work for me at all. We were constantly told how interesting and captivating the love interest was but I cannot tell you a single thing about them other than they’re an opera singer. V boring, only finished it because the friend group dynamic was fun

The fine: Killadelphia, Vol. 1-3 by Rodney Barnes - cool concept but it kind of felt like the author was like a 12 year old kid who didn’t know when to stop. “What if there’s vampires in Philadelphia right now and former president John Adams is one and so is his wife! And so is Thomas Jefferson! And Sally Hemings is too but she and Abigail Adams are in love! And then Tituba shows up and she’s a WEREWOLF.” These are all things that happened, I will not be continuing.

Radium Girls by Cy - another graphic novel bc I was on a kick this month? Anyway the art is cool but the translation from French to English is not great and kind of distracting!

She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen - what if we pretend to date for Reasons and you’re the cheerleading captain and I’m a basketball player and we kiss and we’re both girls? V cute v fun

We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian - what if we’re best friends working at the same paper in the 1950s and I move into your apartment after my fiance leaves me for another man and then we kiss and fall in love and we’re both boys? V cute v sweet

The good/great:

Your Driver is Waiting by Priya Guns - viscerally sweaty and dirty and ANGRY but in a good way. Also made ME angry which I thought was a sign of good writing. Read for a little bit of catharsis if you’re upset that you’re fuckin broke and will always be fuckin broke bc nothing seems to get better and you kind of want to set something on fire, just a little bit, as a treat.

Pardon My Heart by Marcus Jackson - really honest poetry about Black masculinity that’s sweet and heartbreaking. Favorite poems were the title poem, and the three poems at the end that are about Jackson’s wife and how much he loves her.

The Woods, Vol. 1-9 by James Tynion IV - scratched the Stranger Things itch in my brain. Twisty and never went the way I thought it would. Loved these characters and their journeys!

Sweeney Astray, translated by Seamus Heaney - this weird-ass book from the 17th century was a WILD ride and I loved every second of it. Read it more for the historical info rather than its literary merit, if that makes sense? Sweeney gets cursed by a Christian king for being a dick and spends the entire book wandering the Irish countryside, eating watercress, and insisting that no one wants him around even when several of his family members say “WE WANT YOU AROUND”

Bitter Root, Vol. 1-3 by David F. Walker - read if you liked Ring Shout because the premise is so similar! The art style was great and I liked how expansive the world was. Great characters and a great storyline.

Electric Arches by Eve L. Ewing - fuck Eve Ewing for being so GODDAMN talented, it makes me sick, please read this.

Currently reading: The Devil’s Element by Dan Egan, which gave me like 4 more solid examples of the British Empire being fucking monsters (and American companies causing so much environmental harm and then saying it’s too expensive to fix)

#reading

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