#rachel’s project of doom
Text
Book recs: fairies
Fey, fae, fairies, faeries - pick your spelling, the fair folk are an undeniably popular trope in fantasy, and can be portrayed in wildly different ways, from cute pixies, to terrifying creatures of lore, to handsome and romantic beings of fairy tales. This list is a wild mix, all of them featuring fae or fae-like beings as central characters.
For more details on the books, continue under the readmore. Titles marked with * are my personal favorites. And as always, feel free to share your own recs in the notes!
If you want more book recs, check out my masterpost of rec lists!
Borderline (The Arcadia Project trilogy) by Mishell Baker*
Urban fantasy mystery. A year after a failed suicide attempt that cost her both her legs and her film-making career, Millie is recruited by a secretive organisation that works to control traffic to and from Arcadia, the land of faries, and given the assignment of tracking down a missing nobleman of the Seelie Court in Hollywood. Bisexual main character, excellent if you like me enjoy reading about deeply messy women.
Phaeton by Rachel Sharp*
Jack and Rosie, couple and hackers, just got their hands on a brand new device: the phaeton, a phone which, despite its crappy parts, is seemingly capable of doing the impossible. Utilizing their skills, they quickly realize it works not through technology, but by being remotely controlled by a living creature - a fae. This revelation throws them into a war between the fae of old and a new type of fae, able to withstand iron and looking to exploit their fellows through this advantage.
Rosemary and Rue (October Daye series) by Seanan Mcguire
Urban fantasy mystery. October "Toby" Daye is a changeling, half human and half fae, who, after having been burned by both sides of her heritage, has retreated to a "normal" life, away from the faerie world. But the murder of Countess Evening Winterrose pulls Toby back in, a curse forcing her to take on the mystery and find the murderer. While I found the first book a bit weak, the series does get better from there on, with engaging characters and interesting mysteries.
Knife (Faerie Rebels trilogy) by R.J. Anderson
Young adult. Young Knife is a Hunter, providing for a group of faeries living inside an oak, their population slowly dying. Long ago, their people lost almost all their magic, and without it they are doomed. But Knife isn't one to give up; recruiting the help of Paul, a human boy living nearby the faery oak, she is set on discovering the secret of - and solution to - her people's missing magic.
Among Others by Jo Walton
Magical realism. Growing up with a half-crazed mother, Morwenna found solace in two places: reading science fiction novels, and playing with the spirits of Wales alongside her twin sister. But after their mother tried to twist the spirits to her own whims with deadly consequences, Mori is sent off alone to private school, where she attempts to come to terms with what happened. This is less "teen girl on big adventure" and more "what happens after the trauma of adventure", with it being partly left up to the reader whether the fantastical elements are read as real or not.
Gossamer Axe by Gael Baudino
Centuries ago in Ireland, Chairiste Ní Cummen was trained in the secrets of music and magic. But her pride was her downfall, trapping her and her lover in the land of the Sidh. Only Chairiste escaped, hoping to one day win her lover's freedom in musical battle with the fairy that holds her captive. Now she is Christa Cruitare, harp teacher in the modern world and all but resigned to her loss. Until she comes across a great new music: heavy metal. Taking one last chance to win her lover's freedom, Christa sets out to gather other skilled musicians and bring them with her in her final battle.
In the Jaded Grove by Anela Deen
After years of war, pixie soldier Simith is tired of bloodshed and secretly sets up a meeting to discuss peace. But he’s betrayed and forced on the run - right through a door to another world. Meanwhile, Jessa is on her way home when she encounters a man about to be killed, and intervenes to save his life. With that simple act, the fate of the two - and that of the war - become interlinked. While I found the general execution of this one a bit weak, the concept and characters are interesting, and it’s a fun take on the portal fantasy genre.
Under the Pendulum Sun by Jeannette Ng
Catherine Helstone's brother Laon has traveled to Arcadia, the dangerous land of the Fae, and has since lost contact with her. Worried sick and desperate for news, Catherine embarks on the perilous journey herself, but on arrival she fins herself isolated and in danger of the Queen of the Fae, who is hard on her brother's heel.
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett*
Historical fantasy. Emily Wilde is a professor who prefers the company of faeries, dangerous but bound to rules she can understand, to that of humans, who she finds inexplicable. Working on her faerie encyclopedia, she travels on a research expedition to the faraway Hrafnsvik, hoping for some solitary months of study. Her hopes are dashed when Wendell Bambleby, rival scholar and possible faerie in hiding, arrives on her doorstep. But Wendell's aggravating presence is far from Emily's only problem, as the Hidden Folk of Hrafnsvik turns out to be far more dangerous than expected.
The Watchers by A.M. Shine
Horror. When her car breaks down, Mina tries crossing a forest by foot. As the sun goes down she finds herself lost with something dangerous closing in; at the last second, a woman appears and urges her into a bunker. Inside is a room with a mirrored wall, in which a group of strangers, stranded just like Mina, huddles through the night. Outside in the dark, something malevolent watches them through the glass. Will the group ever be able to escape the forest? While I found the characters somewhat unconvincing, this is a spooky story with fascinating lore.
The Call (Grey Land duology) by Peadar Ó'Guilín
Young adult horror. After having scorned the fae, Nessa's nation has been cursed: every teenager will, at some point, be called into the Grey Land for 3 minutes and 4 seconds before being returned. 9 out of 10 are returned dead. Trying to keep their country alive, children are sent off to training schools to prepare them and better their chances of survival. Her legs having been twisted by polio at a young age, Nessa's chances are worse than most, but she is determined to make it through her call alive.
The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher*
Horror. When her grandmother dies, Mouse takes on the task of clearing out the old woman's home. But as she arrives at her grandmother's home she realizes her mistake: her grandmother was a hoarder, and Mouse has her work cut out for her. As if this wasn't bad enough, among the things left behind Mouse finds her step-grandfather's journal, describing various horrifying encounters. All nonsense, Mouse, assumes - until she starts making her own encounters in the dark forest surrounding the house.
Faebound (Faebound series) by Saara El-Arifi
Elven sisters Yeeren and Lettle have grown up in the shadow of a forever war, one as a soldier and the other as a diviner and teller of prophecy. But when Yeeren makes a fatal mistake and is exiled, the two leave their familiar world for the first time - and end up with the mythical, and believed extinct, fae. Here they must juggle their own loyalties and hearts with political intrigue as they try to find a way to survive and return to their home. While I didn’t personally dig the romantasy vibes of this and found the elves and fae could’ve been more interesting, if you like epic fantasy with heavy romance, both f/f and f/m, you will probably enjoy it.
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik*
Historical fantasy with strong fairytale vibes. Miryem's father is a moneylender, but his inability to collect on debts has left his family on the brink of ruin. Desperate and ruthless, Miryem steps in to take his place, and suddenly the family's luck has turned. But Miryem's reputation of being able to turned silver to gold catches the attention of the Staryk King - dangerous creatures who seem made of ice body, mind and heart. In her schemes to survive the King's demands, Miryem's actions ensnare a local farmer's daughter as well as the new wife of the tsar. As their fates are bound together, the three girls may change their land forever, for better or for worse.
An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson
Young adult romance. Isobel is an artist with a particular and dangerous set of clients in the fair folk. The fairies cannot create art on their own, and her portraits are highly coveted. But as she paints a portrait for the autumn prince, Rook, Isobel makes a mistake: she paints human emotion into his eyes. This weakens Rook before the fairy court, and in his fury he spirits Isobel away to stand trial for her crime.
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
In a desperate attempt to win the heart of the beautiful Victoria, Tristran Thorn makes her a promise to fetch the falling star they both saw crash one night. But to do so, he must enter the land of Faerie, where nothing is as it seems, least of all the fallen star, who isn't very keen on being given away as a gift.
Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey*
Young adult. Ellie cares mostly about hanging out with her friend Kevin and pining after her crush Mark, but when a string of grisly murders - all the victims missing their eyes - starts taking place in her town, it’s the start of something ancient and dangerous, as vengeful fairies battle for immortality. Set in New Zeeland and based on Māori mythology.
Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower by Tamsyn Muir
Novella. When Floralinda was first locked in a tower by a witch, princes kept coming to try and save her. But none of them made it past the dragon on the first floor, let alone the monsters after it, and now the supply of willing princes seems to have dried up. Starting to grow desperate, Floralinda captures and makes a deal with a small fairy for it to assist her in escaping the tower.
A note: all these Holly Black books are set in the same universe and do on occasion cross over, but can be read independently.
Tithe (Modern Faerie Tales trilogy) by Holly Black
Young adult. Sixteen-year-old Kade, used to traveling around with her mother's rock band, has just found herself back in her childhood home town. Here she meets up with old acquaintances - not all of them human. For Kade has always been able to see the faeries invisible to most humans. Among them is a handsome faerie knight she finds injured in the woods and chooses to help. In doing this, she becomes embroiled in a struggle between two rivaling and highly dangerous faerie courts.
The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
Young adult. Siblings Hazel and Ben live in Fairfold, a strange town where people leave out milk for the fairies and tourists come to look at a fairy prince locked in an enchanted sleep in a glass coffin in the woods. But things have been getting even stranger in Fairfold; the fair folk are getting more agressive, and the glass coffin in the woods gets shattered. As unrest spreads throughout the town, Hazel keeps a secret that may unravel it all.
The Cruel Prince (The Folk of The Air trilogy) by Holly Black
Young adult. When Jude was seven, her parent's were murdered by a spurned faerie lover of her mother's, while she and her sisters were stolen away to be raised at the High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong in this dangerous land. Her struggle is made all the harder by Cardan, handsome faerie prince with a knack for pestering her. As she strives for some semblance of power in this dangerous realm, Jude gets involved with a conspiracy that may change Faerie forever.
Bonus AKA I haven't read these yet but they seem really cool
Sinners (The Fae Feast series) by Eka Waterfield
Niavin isn't just a sidh Lord, he's also a drug lord, providing the fae's drug of choice: toxic human pollution.
Lore of the Wilds by Analeigh Sbrana
Romantasy. Lore Alemeyu's village is under ruthless Fae rule, trapped within a forested prison. To protect her village, Lore makes a deal with a Fae lord to organize an enchanted library which only a human can enter.
Black Sun Rising (The Coldfire trilogy) by C.S. Friedman
On a planet far away, a priest, an adept, a sorcerer, and an apprentice are drawn together to fight against the evil fae which preys upon humanity.
That Self-Same Metal (Forge & Fracture Saga) by Brittany N. Williams
Young adult historical fantasy. Joan Sands works as a stagehand for William Shakespeare's acting company. Secretly, she’s also blessed by the Orisha with magical powers, and the ability to see Fae. And lately, the Fae are up to something...
Euphoria Kids by Alison Evans
Three teens - one cursed to sometimes be invisible, one who grew from a seed in the ground, and one who has yet to find his real name - find themselves sharing magic and the ability to speak with dryads and fae.
The Wind City by Simmer Wigmore
Old forces are gathering in Wellington, as the displaced iwi atua of legend reappear and decide to make the city their home, and not all of them mean well.
Honorary mentions AKA these didn't really work for me but maybe you guys will like them: Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr, A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, Faerie Tale by Raymond E. Feist, Malice by Heather Walter, Poison Kiss by Ana Mardoll, Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones
26 notes
·
View notes
Text
DC Pride 2023 Tribute to Rachel Pollack
This is a transcription of the text that appears at the end of DC Pride, written by a variety of authors in memory of trailblazing writer Rachel Pollack. I've done my best to copy everything exactly as it was written, and I apologize for any errors. It's over 3,000 words, so I'm going to put it under a cut outside of the foreword. The rest of the tributes are in plain text and not italicized except in places where they were by the original authors.
(If you would like a PDF of the following transcription, one is available here.)
“On April 7, 2023, the legendary writer and Tarot expert Rachel Pollack passed at age 77. Her work for DC's Vertigo imprint—including the celebrated Vertigo Tarot deck and a long run on Doom Patrol that was a deep influence on the property's recent HBO Max series—was profoundly meaningful for generations of comics fans. She was a trailblazing trans woman in comics and sci-fi communities that were frequently male-dominated, and her lifelong love of both superheroes in particular and the comics medium in general allowed her to confidently turn their storytelling tropes inside out, truly queering her comics in every sense of the word.
In the months before her passing, the editors of DC Pride were speaking to Rachel about writing a new story for this very issue, and her enthusiasm for the project was boundless, as she planned to return to her themes of the superhero and the secret identity, of the "kink" of costumes, and of the revelatory freedom that she found in these characters. Unfortunately, just as work was set to begin on the script, completing it became impossible for her. In the absence of that last great work, but with gratitude for the incredible stories she did give us, we've opted to turn the pages we reserved for Rachel's story over to her friends, and to the fans whose lives she changed, to share their memories of her.”
—Unspecified Author or Editor
“I met Rachel Pollack in 1985, at a convention, where I was interviewing her about Salvador Dali’s Tarot, and then I met her again a couple of days later at the Milford Science Fiction Writers’ Conference, and we became friends fast. She was smart and funny, she was a brilliant writer, and she was the first person I’d met who knew more than I did about obscure Jewish mythology.
She told me off for writing a line of dialogue. ‘But that’s the only thing in the whole story that’s actually true,’ I told her, and she explained that art truth and reality truth were two very different things. And I knew she was right.
I don’t know how much I learned about writing, but listening to Rachel and Gwyneth Jones and John Clute and Lisa Tuttle and the rest of them, I learned so much about reading, and what I learned would change me as a writer.
Rachel was my friend. I had never met a person who had transitioned before and I had so many questions and, patiently, she answered all of them. She decided I needed to know Roz Kaveney, and Roz and I have been friends for decades now.
In 1988 I was writing Books of Magic and knew I needed a Tarot reading in the comic. Rachel was in London, and I asked her what the reading should be. She took me out to buy a Tarot deck that spoke to me, and I saw what happened when Rachel Pollack walked into a Tarot shop. It was a little like what happened when The Beatles went on Ed Sullivan. And then she gave me a beautiful reading of four cards, which encapsulated the whole of the story I was trying to tell.
She won the Arthur C. Clarke Award in 1989 for Unquenchable Fire, and I read it and suspected Rachel was creating her own school of fiction, her own brand of magical realism.
We argued, gently, about Wanda’s fate in A Game of You, and Rachel did what I wish everyone who had an argument about art would do, which is she took what she wanted to say and put it into a comic. Tom Peyer had asked her to write Doom Patrol after Grant Morrison left, and she did a remarkable job. I loved the delirious joy of her comics, the magic and the sense of fun, in Doom Patrol and in the comics that followed Doom Patrol.
I was thrilled to see Rachel when I moved to Upstate New York, and then I didn’t see her for years. I did that thing where you think you’re in touch with your friend, but really you’re just on social media at the same times. I was stuck out of the country during COVID, and Rachel had cancer. I was thrilled when I returned to hear that she had beaten the cancer, and then I was going to see her and she hadn’t beaten the cancer. A whole new cancer had turned up on the day she had beaten the first one.
I got to see Rachel more in the past few months than I had in the previous few years. She was as funny as ever, as sharp and as wise. I got to know her wife, Zoe, and to appreciate their love. I got to tell her bad Jewish jokes that, I suspect, I’d probably first heard from her. ‘Everywhere I went, people said ‘Look at the schmuck on the camel!’’ Some people die well—not necessarily bravely, necessarily, but gently and wisely and kind. Rachel was going to be one of those. She asked me to come to her funeral, and I said that I would.
Her funeral, several months later, was in the sunshine. It was filled with friends of hers from comics, from fiction, from Tarot, from writing, from teaching, from family, from the world, and Rachel lay above the grave on a wooden plank, wrapped in white winding sheet. We said true things about her, and we were funny and honest and there was so much love, and then we shoveled the earth on her, and cried, and said our goodbyes.
I’ve never met anyone like her. I’m glad she was my friend.”
—Neil Gaiman
“Rachel Pollack and I had the same favorite comic book—why, Doom Patrol, of course—and for a while she was its writer and I was its editor. She followed Grant Morrison, whose name was big and growing even then, and for years it seemed like Grant’s era might totally eclipse hers in memory. But DC released her Doom Patrol omnibus in 2022, and in the process unwrapped the radiation-proof bandages from her work, exposing the piercing and radiant appreciation that so many fans felt for it. On top of that, this year Dennis Culver and Chris Burnham, the creators of the excellent Unstoppable Doom Patrol, paid a moving in-story tribute to Rachel’s cast of broken-but-healing heroes.
I’m glad she got to see the omnibus, and I’m grateful for the chance it gave us to relive her perceptive, ironic, unsettling, and revelatory run. It was known for being strange and surreal, but there was so much more going on. Doom Patrol had been weird before, and funny, but never quite as wise or kindly meant.
A story that I always think of when I think of Rachel featured yours truly. At the end of my time as an editor—I had decided I wanted to write full-time—I called the creators I worked with to let them know I was leaving. Most of them, quite understandably, reacted with some implied variation of ‘What’s going to happen to me?’ It made me start to think I was being horrible and selfish. But when I called Rachel and nervously told her what I had decided, there was a silence, and then she said, ‘Quitting is good for the soul.’”
—Tom Peyer
“I met Rachel Pollack in the late ‘90s at WisCon, the feminist science fiction convention where we were both guests. It was the first day of the con, and they were introducing all the guests. I had read Rachel’s Doom Patrol comics and at least one of her books, Unquenchable Fire, and was excited about meeting her. She must have felt the same about me, because when the introductions were over, we headed straight toward each other as though we’d been magnetized, and we became friends immediately.
We lived on opposite sides of the continent, so we didn’t get to see each other that often, but thank the Goddess for email. I visited Rachel’s house once and she visited mine once. Her house was nicer. She took me to visit Hyde Park, Franklin Roosevelt’s old home, now a historic site—we were both FDR fans—and I taught her a Yiddish World War II song. We were both into our Jewishness, but from different angles. Rachel was interested in the mystic side, and I was into Yiddishkeit. Rachel had a bat mitzvah, and I studied Yiddish.
Rachel and I discovered we had the same birthday—August 17, which we shared with Mae West and Davy Crockett. So we sent each other birthday cards that also included happy birthday wishes to Mae and Davy.
I knew Rachel had written many books on the Tarot, so when one day I found a complete set of Tarot cards lying in the street, I decided the Goddess wanted her to have them, and I sent them to her on our birthday. After that, the Goddess would put out Tarot cards for me to find almost every year, often just in time for Rachel’s birthday presents. In return, she sent two Tarot cards that she had drawn for me when I was being treated for cancer. (I’m cancer free now!) I saved them and put them away safely—somewhere.
Last year a neighbor who was a collector of stuff died and left his collections to us, his neighbors, to take for free. Among all the stuff in his stuff-filled rooms was an unopened set of Tarot cards. Shortly after I found the cards, my Romani neighbors who lived around the corner put a book on Tarot out on the street, so I took that for Rachel. I mailed the book and cards to Rachel for our birthday.
For the first time, I got no answering card. I didn’t know that Rachel’s lymphoma had come back.
And somehow, it all got away from me.
Periodically, I would think, ‘Phone her—must phone Rachel,’ but something would come up and I’d forget to phone, or it would be too late to phone because of the time difference between New York and California. Damn it!
I miss you, Rachel. In our next lives, I’ll try to be a better friend.”
—Trina Robbins
“I first met Rachel Pollack when I was the assistant editor on The Sandman and she was the new Doom Patrol monthly writer. I shared an office with Tom Peyer, who was Rachel’s editor, and when Rachel swept in like a redheaded bohemian priestess, I always wound up putting aside my own work so I could chat a bit with Rachel as well. She had the rare gift of wielding her considerable expertise about comics and mythology in a way that made the person talking to her feel smarter.
After I left DC Comics to write full-time, I moved to Rhinebeck and discovered that Rachel lived there, too. We formed a small writing group that met once a week, usually in my kitchen. Always as kind as she was insightful, Rachel spent more time celebrating what worked than critiquing what didn’t. She did a lot of celebrating, of others’ writing and of her own, delighting in the words and worlds that moved through her.
She was, pre-pandemic, a frequent guest at my Passover Seder, the only person besides myself and my mother who knew all the Hebrew and all the traditional melodies. Her vast knowledge of midrash and Kabbalah made her comments more delicious than the charoset she made, and let me tell you, that was pretty damn good.
In October, when she started to get really sick and I started to visit more frequently, often with Neil Gaiman, Rachel defied any expectation of how a dying person ought to act. She cracked Borscht Belt jokes and talked about writing and writers, and then I went with her wife, Zoe, to pick out a grave. We discussed the Tarot, which I had belatedly begun to study along with her seminal book on the subject, Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom. I asked, ‘What does it mean when you get an auspicious card in a place that means it’s negative?’ ‘It means that’s what you’re struggling with,’ she replied.
I am struggling with this turn of the cards. I cannot fully fathom that she will not be sitting at our favorite local café, writing, but ready to put down her antique fountain when she sees me. Yet when I turn back to her writing, I feel her still with me: Doom Patrol Rachel, Writing Partner Rachel, Rachel of the Passover Seder, Rachel Poet, Rachel Priestess, Rachel Friend.”
—Alisa Kwitney
“Rachel Pollack loved comics.
When we first talked about comics, it was about her own. Eight years ago I asked Martha Thomases if the Doom Patrol run after Grant’s was worth checking out, as I hadn’t heard much talk of it. She said ‘Yes. Read it.’ I adored the run and reached out to Rachel via email to let her know. To my surprise, I heard back from her within 20 minutes.
Over time we talked about the comics and creators that she loved. Carl Barks and the Duck comics, particularly the characters of Huey, Dewey, and Louie, meant a great deal to her. Little Lulu was high on her list. And The Fox and the Crow inspired a whole arc of her Doom Patrol run. The works of Jack Kirby (particularly on Fantastic Four and the Fourth World saga), Steve Ditko, and Gene Colan were brought up often, as were series including Xambi and Promethea, which she revisited often. She had even reached out to Marvel back in the early ‘70s inquiring about writing opportunities, two decades before writing at DC.
Rachel saw the inherent queerness in superhero comics back in the Silver Age. One example she would reference was “The Town That Hated Superboy!” from 1967’s Superboy #139. In it, the citizens of Smallville turn against Superboy for nearly two pages. What stood out to Rachel was how Ma and Pa Kent pretended to hate Superboy out of fear that if they didn’t, those around them might suspect that Superboy was really their adoptive son, Clark. Though taking this sequence and relating it to an idea as heavy as the violent consequences of inadvertently outing someone by simply treating them with kindness was unlikely Otto Binder’s intention, the subtext was picked up on by many queer comics readers at the time in addition to Rachel.
Through the years I got to have a greater understanding of Rachel’s unbelievable kindness as well. She saw the world as a positive place and held out hope for just about everyone. Rachel discussed how attitudes with London’s Gay Liberation Front turned against the trans community in the ‘70s, but she would also talk about how some of the same people came back around and were vocal advocates for trans rights by the ‘90s. Whereas most, understandably, would allow themselves to be bitter and resentful, Rachel’s capacity for love and compassion was too strong for that.
I was devastated knowing just how many projects Rachel had in the works and how many stories she still had to tell. But after taking time to think on it, I know that no matter how long she stayed here with us, her work would never be done. Her stories will continue through those who love her and those who haven’t found her yet but will love her just the same.
I love talking about Rachel’s work and her kindness. I plan on doing so for the rest of my life.”
—Joe Corallo
“‘It’s so cool that you created the first trans superhero,’ a very nice person told me recently. Writing feels like stuffing a message in a bottle and lobbing it out into the open sea, so to meet someone who had caught one of my bottles and read what was inside was extremely exciting. Unfortunately, I am a nerd first and a lover of accolades second, so I had to correct them.
Galaxy, the character I created, is not the first out trans superhero in the DC Universe. Kate Godwin, created by Rachel Pollack 30 years ago, is. Kate is important, but more than that, she’s important to me.
I was a teenager 30 years ago. That’s also important.
There’s a lot of talk of firsts in superhero comics, most of it meaningless. Dick Grayson absolutely deserves the ‘Sensational Character Find of 1940’ label trumpeted on the cover of his first appearance, Detective Comics #38, but you don’t need to read it, even as a die-hard Robin fan.
You can’t say that about Doom Patrol #70, the first appearance of Kate Godwin. That issue changes everything. That issue changes lives. Because Kate, a kind and funny woman, with an amusing power set and questionable taste in superhero outfits, who is beautifully, unapologetically trans—Kate is the viewpoint character.
Imagine the power of that. Holding up a trans woman—a lesbian trans woman, at that!—and saying ‘This, this is who you, the reader, should identify with.’ To have a trans woman be smart and pretty and likable, and not an object of scorn or pity, or a side character. She was the hero! I can tell you from experience, that is a tough sell now.
Reading that comic in the 1990s felt like a lightning bolt from heaven.
It was too powerful for my teenage self to handle. It was radioactive, and yet I would read my copy ragged to bask in its glow. I can call up its panels from memory. When I finally began my transition, many years later, I wore a lot of black tank tops and jeans, unconsciously aping Kate’s unofficial uniform. I didn’t put it together until recently, rereading those 30-year-old stories that I had imprinted upon like a baby bird. Early on, I wasn’t sure of the kind of woman I was, but clearly I knew the kind of woman I wanted people to see. Someone like Kate Godwin.
I never got the chance to meet Rachel Pollack and tell her how I had received her message in a bottle. How I had held it close to my heart until I finally found the strength to absorb its message. How she showed me I wasn’t alone, and I could be a hero, even if that just meant saving myself.
But I hear people say those words to me, having read about Galaxy. Which will have to do.
Thank you for being first, Rachel.”
—Jadzia Axelrod
71 notes
·
View notes
Note
I saw that you mentioned glee in your post about your fan cast for the twilight movie.
What gifts would the glee club members have if they were vampires? If the Cullen family broke up and Edward had nowhere to go, would Edward join the club to express his angst? I feel like Edward would view Mr. Shue as a father, like he does with Carlisle.
Rachel already has a gift, it's the power of making people think she's the best singer in the room when she's clearly not.
As for the Cullens, the beautiful thing is that they would fit right in with the Glee club. The members are all, with the sad pit of despair known as Quinn excepted, insane in their own way, the Cullens wouldn't stand out at all.
Sadly, they would never join of their own accord as they view the whole thing as beneath them. They wouldn't be at McKinley at all, it's always sunny at that school. Similarly, if the Cullens break up for whatever reason, I don't really think Glee club is going to be Edward's next move.
If, however, McKinley is in a more vampire-friendly climate and the Cullens are in attendance, and if Mr. Shue planted weed on them to force them to join, we get truly beautiful drama as Rosalie would project a little too much on Quinn and hate on her for giving up her baby, Rachel would be in a horrible love triangle of doom because Finn is her one true love but EDWAAARD (Edward has no idea she feels this way), and Brittany figures out right away the Cullens are all vampires but nobody believes her.
#and should this take place in forks 2005 then bella loses the yandere simulator#on account of not wanting to be seen anywhere near a glee club member#twilight#twilight headcanons#twilight renaissance#twilight meta#glee#glee headcanons#anti rachel berry
61 notes
·
View notes
Text
An Arkham family tree for my Blood of Arkham AU!
You can read the story here on AO3:
Full Description of the family tree under the cut
A family tree made in canva. Yellow boxes on a blue field.
Elizabeth Arkham- married to Ezekiel Arkham, her child is Amadeus Arkham. Elizabeth's subtitle reads "the inciting incident"
Ezekiel Arkham's subtitle reads "lucky enough to die before the curse."
The next generation focuses on Amadeus Arkham. His first wife was Constance McKay, and together they had a daughter, Harriet Arkham. His second wife was Olivia Elliot, and together they had a son Gideon Arkham. Amadeus' subtitle reads 'the reason they're curse, Asylum Founder.' Constance's subtitle reads 'doomed by the narrative and her husband'. Harriet's is similar with 'doomed by the narrative and her father'.
Olivia Elliot's subtitle reads 'asked for none of this'.
Gideon Arkham was married to Emma Arkham, together they had a son, Elijah. Gideon's subtitle reads 'Enthusiastic Demolitions Amateur'. Emma's reads, 'Don't say she didn't warn you'.
Elijah Arkham married Sarah Dawes, producing a daughter, Rachel Dawes. Elijah's subtitle reads a humorous 'bonk' while Sarah's reads 'divorced a curse'.
Rachel Dawes is married to Harvey Dent, and their unborn child listed as Baby Girl Dent. Rachel's subtitle reads 'Aspiring Final Girl', Harvey's is 'two different kinds of doomed by the narrative'. Baby Girl Dent's subtitle simply reads 'actual fetus'.
#dc#arkham asylum#blood of arkham au#amadeus arkham#elizabeth arkham#constance arkham#harriet arkham#rachel dawes#harvey dent#rachel dawes x harvey dent#harvey dent x rachel dawes#rachel x harvey#my stuff
8 notes
·
View notes
Text
‘Justice League: Warworld’ Cast Unveiled (Exclusive)
The Justice League is going to war. The upcoming summer animated home entertainment release Justice League: Warworld has unveiled its cast, which is toplined by Jensen Ackles as Batman/Officer Wayne, Stana Katic as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince and Darren Criss as Superman/Agent Kent.
Warner Bros. Animation, DC and Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment are behind the project.
The official synopsis reads: “Until now, the Justice League has been a loose association of superpowered individuals. But when they are swept away to Warworld, a place of unending brutal gladiatorial combat, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and the others must somehow unite to form an unbeatable resistance able to lead an entire planet to freedom.”
The cast also includes Ike Amadi as Martian Manhunter/J’onn J’onzz, Troy Baker as Jonah Hex, Matt Bomer as Old Man, Roger C. Cross as Machiste, Brett Dalton as Bat Lash, Trevor Duvall as Drifter, John DiMaggio as Lobo, Robin Atkin Downes as Mongul, Frank Grillo as Agent Faraday, Rachel Kimsey as Mariah Romanova, David Lodge as Sheriff, and Damian O’Hare as Deimos and Teddy Sears as Warlord.
Executive producers include Butch Lukic (Batman: The Long Halloween) and Sam Register, along with longtime Batman franchise executive producer Michael Uslan.
Jeff Wamester (Legion of Super-Heroes) directs from a script by Jeremy Adams (Supernatural), Ernie Altbacker (Justice League Dark: Apocalypse War) and Josie Campbell (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power). The producers are Jim Krieg (The Death and Return of Superman) and Kimberly S. Moreau (Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham).
#darren criss#the hollywood reporter#justice league: warworld#tomorrowverse#jensen ackles#stana katic#matt bomer#ike amadi#troy baker#frank grillo#roger c. cross#brett dalton#trevor duvall#john dimaggio#robin atkin downes#rachel kimsey#david lodge#damian ohare#teddy sears#press#april 2023
31 notes
·
View notes
Text
Why You Should Read Known Associates
might as well start shouting it from the rooftops now that i’ve got one of these, but if you are in the Detective Conan/Case Closed fandom and you haven’t read Known Associates by @halfpennyjones you are missing out. it’s easily one of the best fics i’ve ever read and blows its source material out of the water.
who it centers on: kogoro mori/richard moore, ran mori/rachel moore, and conan. the story is told entirely from kogoro/richard’s perspective, so the focus tends to be on the people closest to him, like eri and inspector megure. there’s not a lot of the black organization or heiji, so if you’re just here for them, maybe this isn’t the fic for you. there’s so much great stuff, though, so don’t discount it just because of that!
why you should read it: Known Associates is one of those fics that expands upon canon characters and events that its source material didn’t give too much time to shine. retelling a lot of the events of the story from the perspective of kogoro/richard, it has a much more realistic take on a lot of canon. stuff like kogoro/richard’s subpar parenting skills, his divorce, his alcoholism, and mental illness are all taken a lot more seriously here. the story doesn’t shy away from how flawed of a man he can be, but it treats him sympathetically and remembers the good stuff he does as much as the bad. it’s a tricky tightrope to walk, but the result is a fascinating character study of a deeply flawed, but ultimately good man with a metric ton of issues to work through. this extends to the rest of the characters as well! we get insight into how ran/rachel is affected by all the crime and disappearances around her, as well as conan struggling to cope with his new situation. the latter is especially great to read about because of the layer of dramatic irony where we know about his secret but the POV character doesn’t, which makes for some fantastic little details that are so, so satisfying to catch on reread. it’s not all doom and gloom either, since the narrative maintains a very wry sense of humor that never feels like it goes too far. if you’re a fan of twisted jokes, at least give this fic a try just for the narration. all this comes packaged along with a strong emotional core that adds so many layers to these characters that i promise you will never look at them the same way after reading this. and it has inspector megure being a great friend, so what’s not to love?
possible reasons to stay away: as mentioned before, this fic doesn’t shy away from themes of child neglect, alcoholism, and mental illness. it also goes into the full implications of conan repeatedly non-consensually drugging a man, which can be quite harrowing to read about. and it should probably go without saying, but there is a lot of murder and kidnapping going around, the main difference between this and canon being that people react to it somewhat more realistically rather than shrugging it off once the case is solved. all these subjects are handled with tact and are well-written, but if they trigger you then you may want to avoid this fic.
TL;DR Known Associates is an amazing fanfic with a lot of humor, heart, and darkness. go do yourself a favor and read it if you haven’t already, but be wary because it treads some rough waters on a magnificently well-written journey
15 notes
·
View notes
Note
why do you think klaus wanted to find his mom so badly?
Because Klaus has always had a problem with projecting his innate worth onto an EXTERNAL source of validation (a common maladaptive habit of people with PTSD and C-PTSD, as well as addicts--and addiction almost never exists without trauma as its source) and can't figure out why his mother sold him for so much less than the other 6 mothers;
Because on some level, which becomes increasingly conscious throughout season 3, Klaus realizes that motherhood is antithetical to death, and getting in touch with the person who was meant to be his mom might offer some insight into what MORE his life's purpose can be than as a magnet for the dead (eventually, as he learns, he's a conduit, a door, between life and death, and he controls when it opens and closes...he's not just a passive receptacle)...and in fact, when he meets Rachel on the beach on the other side of the Veil, she DOES introduce him to the (unfortunate, grueling) process by which he develops his powers and learns that fact. Klaus is compelling as a character because he has seen and experienced so much death and yet is the MOST alive of the seven siblings, capable of an almost incomprehensible resilience, a silly affectionate joy, in the bleakest scenarios. He's the embodiment of "nothing matters!" while wearing neon and dancing. He's like those people who danced at the mouth of Vesuvius in Pompeii, knowing they were doomed and going to their end as inconveniently vivacious as possible, bodies illumined, outlined, in the orange light of the magma. And he came into the fullness of this identity after meeting his birthmother.
If you want to hear more about reason 2, I can go way WAY more into it. I have absolutely adored this element of Season 3 because I have played Klaus as stumbling, completely accidentally, with surprising skillfulness, into being not a father, but a mother--yes, a mother--in my mainverse, and now, I can say he did so because of the canonical fact that meeting his own mom in the afterlife left such a huge impression on him.
"I have her eyes. This is the thing! This is [the most important thing we should be focusing on]!"
(And actually, kugelblitz-wise, he was right!)
24 notes
·
View notes
Text
Rebirthing
Summary: The young Rachel has finally found a place to rest with her best friend Tracey among a remote community in Montana, and is about to meet for the first time the man who will revolutionize her whole universe.
Word Count: 2563
Warnings: Mention of drugs use
Comments: A lovely fic idea suggested by @i-am-the-balancing-point: “Rachel cleaning up a little after getting away from home and her eyes gaining their sparkle back when she joins the project.” I hope you’ll like it dear ♥ Same for you @deputyash! Thank you for being interested in my writing, you’re gems ♥
Please keep in mind that English is not my first language, and thus be indulgent ; enjoy your reading everyone!
Soundtrack: Skillet - Rebirthing (Acoustic)
Masterpost: Can be found under the “Masterpost” tag and here
Credits: Header by gangsterprayer, available here
“And she did not have to ask if this was right, no one had to tell her, because this could not have been more right or perfect.” - Patricia Highsmith, Carol
The water was softly running between her bruised fingers, soothing by its freshness both the pulling sensation of her cuts and her tiredness. Vagabond life was not tender for young ladies, but to be honest, life in its whole had never been merciful on Rachel, ever. What some scratches could be to a girl like her? Hand skincare was the least of her concerns, and none of the few luxuries that had brightened her days so far. Her old backpack, so worn out that she had to fix its straps multiple times along the way not to perpetually feel it falling from her shoulders on the ground, contained very few things, modest remnants of what have been left miles and miles behind. You didn’t need expensive creams when all that occupied your mind was survival. You didn’t need to pack all your belongings when your room was filled with cold and suffering. No photos, no keepsakes when family and friends were nothing but cruel ghosts. No regrets, because she had no future, no other option than an eternal run. In fact, her bag was light because it was full of so many agonizing emotions, fear, desperation, doubt, an eager need for something else, anything else. Her plan? Moving forward, as fast and as far as possible, pushed forward by this nearly overwhelming urge to escape all that she’d ever known. Running for her life, without catching her breath, had been devouring her mind with such hunger for so long that the fear of the unknown barely had a grasp on her heart.
In this restless headlong rush, Rachel had benefited from the benevolent comfort offered by her two best friends. Let’s be honest: without Tracey, the only spark of joy so far in her world, she would have never gone this far. The teenager admitted it with a gratitude tinged with fearful awe, as if showing her feelings too openly could scare away her yet bold travel partner: she would have been incapable of planning and embarking on such a runaway life. Her steps would have not crossed the threshold of her house and of her doomed existence, letting her rot there till the very last drop of life in her would have been vampirized. As far back as she could remember, Tracey had always been the more courageous of the two of them, always ready to fight back, always ready to protect her fragile acolyte. Rachel couldn’t help but never cease to be amazed by the profound differences between them, uniting them more than what could be expected at first, like two opposites attracting in a foolproof sorority –at least she was deeply convinced of this. Their friendship was her rock, as much as the driving force of their trip. She had no clue of when all of this would end, nor where they would finally settle down, but the simple thought of sharing a future with Tracey was enough for her, a comforting horizon, regardless of the struggles that they would have to overcome to reach this ideal. Oh dear, dear Tracey, her inspiring shield, her relentless compass… How devastating it was to, from time to time, catching her rolling her eyes because her protege had asked for a umpteenth break as they were walking on the side of an endless road, or begging her not to get into the truck of a driver she has a bad feeling about after hours of unsuccessful hitchhiking session. How saddening her frustrated sighs sounded when all that Rachel wanted was to live up to Tracey’s expectations.
… And that’s where cocaine came into play. Her second best friend, like a second shadow, had been following her and Tracey for quite a while, way before their great escape, another thing the young lady was trying to hide with all her strength, ashamed of always coming back in the arms of her addictions, incapable of not giving in to the siren calls for the soft comfort offered by the white powder and its sisters in arms. When the weather was too harsh, when she felt she had disappointed her role model once more, how could she possibly resist the only thing that could make her feel less useless, more powerful and capable than anything else? Even the dreadful fear of being arrested by the cops and brought back to her parents by force was not terrifying enough to overtake the despair that would be hers if once too often her weakness made Tracey lose her temper, to the point where she would just abandon her and keep going free from this burden. With a little more self-confidence, with a little more boldness and liveliness, she would surely never lose the only person that kept her on track, and luckily, the third-class gas stations interspersing their journey and groups of tramps they’ve met from time to time lacked a lot but rarely of a good soul more than willing to sell her some junk, whichever poison they had actually in store, slowly but surely consuming all the money she had stolen from her parents before fleeing. Maybe one day they would run out of cash and Rachel would feel guilty as hell for having spent so much on these delightful yet addictive sustainers, but Tracey would certainly find a solution, right? Like finding them some odd jobs offered by unscrupulous employers or any other means of subsistence; she had not the slightest doubt about her friend’s capacities to save their bacon.
This little boost was nothing but a temporary helping hand that she would drop as soon as they would have found a definitive shelter, a small secret that would hurt no one, especially not Tracey, because she was absolutely not aware of her mentee’s addictions, was she? If she had ever noticed something, she was kind enough to remain silent about it. Ignorance was bliss, as much as things left unsaid. Their next meal or the next place they would sleep at at night were enough trouble to deal with.
Reflexively, the young woman took a glance at her backpack, as her musing lead her from her pale reflection to the thought of the secret pocket where her precious remedy was hidden: checking on it, even simply by noticing that no one has touched her stuff, calmed her down, silencing her brief and irrational wave of anxiety. She had no reasons to worry at all, she thought: Tracey was sincerely convinced that giving a chance to this remote Montanan community lost in the middle of nowhere was worth it, and once more her sound decision had made their trip more comfortable. Since the day they had settled down in Hope County, Rachel had never ceased to be amazed by the warm welcome given by the group they had joined. Tracey’s enthusiasm about this little congregation called Project at Eden’s Gate had been quite a surprise for her young friend but without a doubt, she couldn’t agree more on the fact that their spirit of community made her want to permanently stay by their side –to her delight, Tracey seemed to share the feeling. No more mistrust as a protective reflex against strangers and their potential faked good intentions, no more walls to keep between them and the rest of the world, no more dangers or threats: this place was like a haven in the storm, and the two young ladies gladly savored each moment spent along with the members of the church. Their church, from now on? Rachel’s heart bubbled with joy: the followers were so kind, so generous! As if a light had been planted in their souls, radiating through their bodies like a seed growing into a beautiful and prolific fruit tree –really the last people who would rifle through her personal effects. Feeling safe somewhere, and not only by Tracey’s side, was something new but more addictive than most of the drugs that used to run through her veins.
“I brought you a towel and a few spare clothes,” trumpeted a sing-sing voice on the doorstep.
Rachel’s smile widened to greet the lady who helped the two newcomers to take their first steps into the Project and move into the dormitories of the Convent, one of the nerve centers of the teeming flock. Her host were so different from the shadows she had left behind – they all were-, a living proof that a different path was possible, not just a never ending absconding.
“Thank you so much.”
“You’re very welcome. It’s always a pleasure to integrate new novices… I’m so happy to have the chance to lend a hand, it reminds me of my first days here.”
In her eyes, Rachel could easily read that she was reliving her memories, and she wondered what it could feel like, to find so much delight in dwelling on the past. If only one day she was able to do so with as much glee as her…
“And the best is yet to come,” she assured the teen, putting her hand on her forearm. “I’ve heard that the Father himself is going to pay us a visit. How lucky we are!”
The mention of the leader of the Project made her thoughts race, spurred by curiosity: she had only met him a few times during masses, but it was undeniable that the preaching of the founder of their movement had left a deep mark on the young lady. Moved by the messages delivered during those sermons, the delicate passion he put in every intonation and the sheer emotion that ran through the audience, she hadn’t had yet the opportunity to talk to him in a small committee –something Destiny seemed to want to fix on that very same day, nearly making her hold her breath with anticipation. Rachel had never really shared the same dreams as the girls of her age, swooning at the idea of their favorite singer or actor walking into their local grocery store and falling in love with them at first sight while holding a bag of frozen peas; let’s be realistic, no one with some semblance of success would notice someone as ordinary as her. Yet, over the ceremonies, she felt connected to the others present in the chapel, overcome with the exaltation thrilling the people sited by her side, making her tangible, real. And this miracle was due to a voice, a blue stare hidden behind shades so yellow that the eyes they covered were turned green, an inspiring presence that made her discover that she, too, could feel alive in a way she had never experienced, not even with Tracey. And the man able to make this very feeling blossom in so many lost souls was about to visit them? That was all it took to color her cheek with a touch of pink that turned redder with the chuckle of her interlocutor.
“Don’t worry, dear sister. Our beloved Father is impressive, for sure, but he’s a simple man at heart, truly. And taking care of our new brothers and sisters matters a lot to him, you can believe me.”
Could a first impression not work against a poor little timid thing as Rachel? A part of her was burning with the hope that a captivating being like the Father would see something behind the vapid shell that had been her armor for so long, but that had lately started feeling tighter and tighter. Oh, to hear his words of wisdom voiced for her and no one else, some words of encouragement to praise her for all her efforts… Disappointing him during her first one-on-one would be dramatic, and thus, proportionately, her motivation to exist in his world was skyrocketing with the chance to spend time with him alone. The chance of a lifetime.
With a shy nod, she thanked her visitor before staring again at her reflection, checking the paleness of her skin, replacing a curl of hair behind her ear, barely noticing her sister leaving. Her nostalgic abandonment to thoughts chained to the past had its day, now it was time to face her future, to hang on to it as hard as she could. Even her inner voice, trying to convince not to dream too big or not to sink into self-delusion about the possibility to be more than nothing to someone as exquisite as the Father, would not silence her will to shine.
Now fully focused on what she could say and how she could act to be sure to turn this first encounter into something worth remembering, Rachel fell out of time again. For how long did she stay like this, a secret spiral, unbeknownst to the teen, beginning to wrap around her nothing less than a tragic fate? Hard to say, as a deep metamorphosis was also slowly taking possession of her, with consequences that she was so, so far to suspect ; nevertheless, time waited for no man, nor for innocent and determined damsels.
A soft greeting made her startle, promptly turning around with her hair whipping the air.
“Good morning, Rachel. I am glad to finally meet you.”
The lean figure by the door instinctively inspired her confidence: an impeccable white shirt, with a black vest and black borders, was giving him a soothing poise, and his yellow shades were the only touch of color in his outfit, but all that she could perceive in this moment was his warm smile, his presence, his intense yet gentle gaze upon her and only her. If only moments like this could last forever, so that a whole life of struggling leading to them would really be worth it.
“Nice to meet you too, Father...”
So many words were colliding with each other on her mind, on the tip of her tongue: words of thanks, of hope, of admiration, all mixed together and blocked at the gate of her lips. Fortunately, her eyes spoke for her, and a little something in his expression showed that his benevolence had turned both pleased and amused. A small laugh from him would probably have ruined it all, shattering her newborn spirit like hailstones tearing flower petals, but he didn’t mock her manners of debutante; he had so much to give, you see. So much that she wanted to take, while she also had so much that she wanted to give him freely, without any need to make any request.
All it took for that was reaching for her hand.
“Would you like to join me for a stroll?” the Prophet offered, his palm and fingers displayed like a promise for guidance and safety to come, something a fond father did for his child, something her real dad never did for her. “The place is lovely, and we could talk a bit. There are so many things about us I’d like to show you.”
A frantic nod from Rachel sealed the deal, and probably her fate: only a fool would have not let him take the lead. With complete trust, the young lady delicately held his hand and abandoned herself to the irresistible momentum they were sharing, his calloused skin feeling so pleasant against hers.
When they went out, a light breeze caressed her cheeks; the bright sunshine had her close her eyes, her free hand hiding her face from the sun.
All along, she never stopped smiling.
17 notes
·
View notes
Text
I had no Support from Anyone to Keep the Baby
Theresa
Pennsylvania, United States
Hello, I had 2 abortions back in 1978 and 1979 when I was a teenager and both by the same father who is my husband now. The first abortion, I do not remember as much as the second. I do remember telling my best friend at the time and she said right away to get an abortion.
The second time my boyfriend and I decided to have the baby and get married. when he told his family, his mother and sister decided to have a sit down and basically convinced me into choosing to have an abortion. Also, I had told other friends about being pregnant and everyone I told advised me to have an abortion.
So, I panicked and gave in to the pressure put upon me. I had no support from anyone to keep the baby. And back then there were no protesters or prayer groups outside the abortion clinic. I remember lying on the table and feeling horrible and knowing that it was wrong and just wanting to get it over with. The attendant stood over me during the procedure dangling her necklace and telling me how shiny and pretty it is while my baby's life was being snuffed out.
When I was in the recovery room It felt like I was in hell. I could not look at anyone I felt doomed. After that I buried my emotions, and never felt truly happy or joyous, like the bright light inside of me had been replaced with a dark empty space.
Like, I had sacrificed my baby to please others. Only until 40 years later when I returned to my faith and finally confessed to a priest after hearing about project Rachel at my local parish did I begin my process of healing.
There are many women silently suffering and I want them to heal as I did and unburden themselves and Know that God will forgive them if they just ask Him. And that's why I am so very grateful for pro-life organizations like silent no more!
From the Silent No More website
23 notes
·
View notes
Note
ideally Eliot will calm down having now merged with Beverly... and since she's keeping her within, she 'll have to keep up with a better behavior not to fuck it up. IDK how feasible it is in a real world, but their universe felt very otherworldly to me at times so who knows. I do expect Genevieve to realize it at some point? Since it was established they couldn't live without the other, I do think this swap was a sacrifice too. Of course it was needed because otherwise Eliot would have gone to jail and it was Beverly's idea to find peace, but I did view it also as a final act of servitude after a life where Elliot did anything Beverly asked. Because at first I was a bit confused at how quickly Elliot was on board with the murder-pact. But then I remembered Elliot was likely tipsy/high and filled with longing when it happened, touch-starved and so happy to be reunited with her "baby sister" after who knows how long, so she would have agreed to anything. She was literally living in her lab? I went back and forth, again, between realism and this fucked-up dynamic they had going on. Beverly seemed to truly think Elliot was the "better me" and used her to navigate through her struggles in life, but Elliot thought Beverly was the "deliciously perfect" one. Rachel Weisz said she doesn't know how good Elliot would feel without Beverly, but I like to think she could learn to be happy embodying Beverly in her everyday life, plus it's been implied she will go to those grief sessions too, to find a way to talk about Beverly. I guess it was like a doomed romance
a doomed romance without a doubt.
not to mention the twin babies! will Elliot project a fucked up, codependent relationship onto them like she had with Beverly? or will she see them as a "second chance?"
it's interesting to ponder about whether how much Elliot "absorbed" Beverly was real, and how much of it is a placebo effect Elliot needed to stay sane. also, as you said, to Elliot it was like a final act of service, so that would probably help her feel better as well.
the thing is...Elliot isn't Beverly. and Beverly, intertwined with Elliot's soul or not (I'm willing to accept some supernatural elements to it, thinking about the original movie having a tagline about the twins sharing a soul), is no longer there. but hey, if it's true that they share a soul, perhaps being together will calm Elliot down. although I can't imagine them without disagreements, even if they're all internal, lol.
loving your asks, btw!!
2 notes
·
View notes
Text
june 2023 jams 🍓
"Beloved Writers on the Mightiest Antidote to Depression" by Maria Popova (article featuring walt whitman, rachel carson, and others)
"Finding Your Illustration Style Through Iteration" by Greg Kletsel (short guide)
"MyHouse.WAD - Inside Doom's Most Terrifying Mod" by Power Pak (mod artwork)
"Sara Hagale On The Therapeutic Nature of Her Practice" by Grace Ebert (interview with an artist about the benefit of simplicity)
"How To Find Your Artistic Voice with Lisa Congdon" by Creative Pep Talk (podcast episode)
"How To Analyze And Critique Art Plus Questions To Ask Yourself" by Dan Scott (article on composition study in visual art)
"The Stallion Theory: How Aimless Creativity Ruins Your Life" by struthless (alternative strategy for project completion)
"ASMR: Cozy Sketchbook Painting Film Studies in Bed" by PearFleur (relaxing asmr painting with water-soluble graphite)
4 notes
·
View notes
Text
Doom WADs’ Roulette (2005): Congestion 1024
As of writing these words, I’m done with my indefinite hiatus. After playing the rest of the WADs spoiler-tagged by Dean of Doom, checking out the ones that might mind-fuck your brain, and watching some stuff not related to Doom, I am confident to come back and take care of the rest of the WADs from the 2005 roster. And considering what WAD I’m about to review, it will probably help me even further.
G6: Congestion 1024
Main author(s): Various (project kickstarted by Rachel Schmitz (Negatronica) and led by Thomas Lutrov (Lutrov71))
Release date: November 25th, 2005 (original release)/ December 2nd, 2005 (database upload)
Version played: ???
Required port compatibility: Boom (the text file recommends ZDoom and PRBoom)
Levels: 32 (standard 30 + 2)
Congestion 1024 is the second WAD on this shitshow that has restricted rules after 10 Sectors; this time making the playable parts of a map no larger than the size 1024*1024 (going larger when it comes to backgrounds was fine). It was inspired by Exquisite Corpse, a map with a similar gimmick but instead of one big map stitched together with twelve smaller maps, this WAD is basically structured like a regular MegaWAD.
Now the maps with 1024^2 size tend to be small (supposedly smaller than Dead Simple), so we will see what the mappers have to offer when it comes to the limited size.
The restriction definitely didn’t tarnish how the maps look. While most of the time the maps look just fine, some of them look incredible like Garden of the Descent and A Jagged Stroll, both maps taking place in a canyon-like area. There is also Nullspace Junior, a condensed version of the original map, and yes, it was created by the same person. There might be other maps with stunning visuals but these three are the ones that I can think of the most.
Without counting MIDIs from other WADs, rendition of songs/music tracks from other games, and Bantam (which has an unchanged track), the soundtrack was created by Rachel Schmitz, who we met earlier due to her Happy Time Circus map (she was also a founder of the WAD project). These tracks were good to listen to. Other tracks were (almost all the time) also good.
What’s funny is that this version of Death Bells (played in A Bridge Too Far), is the same, scuffed one from Alien Vendetta, missing bell noises. I don’t know if the track broke while this map was created, or was it from some rare version of Final Doom that I don’t know about.
I don’t really think this MegaWAD is convoluted (asides from Bantam during my first playthrough). Despite being small, these maps have something to offer to differentiate themselves from each other.
While you will encounter maps that are nothing more but a bunch of squares and rectangles squished together to fit the restriction, some maps like Claustrophobic Sting try to make something more uniquely shaped rather than introducing another squared arena/arenas.
House of Shadows is probably the worst example of squishing as many tight corridors as possible. Not to mention shitty chess stairs.
I guess some individuals still thought that such a thing was a good idea back in 2005.
There are three instances where you end up forced to Pistol-start the next map. The exits where you die happen in Gothika 1024, the previously mentioned Claustrophobic Sting, and Magus.
Caco District has a fun moment where some of the buildings in the background start to go down as you progress, implicating that these are crumbling down due to demons destroying them.
There is also another Dead Simple copy with barely any changes. And yes, this WAD does end up on another shitty Icon of Sin map. And this time you are forced to wait God knows how long before finally being able to press the switch that will end the last map.
Speaking of waiting, some of the maps think that stagnating the progress by shoving really long platforms to lower is a good idea. Well, here’s a spoiler for you: it’s not. It makes playing the map boring; not as much when fighting monsters but when there is nothing else to do... well, bring some snacks, pal. You are going to wait for a few moments.
Congestion 1024 is rather challenging, especially its last third; although I question the fairness of the difficulty since there are maps that tend to forget their sizes and shove as many monsters as possible to these already cramped maps, with the previously mentioned Magus being the worst case of being too cramped with monsters.
This WAD project isn’t really that buggy from what I’ve encountered, but there are at least a couple of these described on Doomwiki if you are interested in reading that. The worst case I encountered is definitely with Close Quarters, to the point of not being able to finish this map properly unless you noclip through a door that acts like an invisible wall for some reason. How did this was even greenlit to this project, is a complete enigma to me.
Congestion 1024 is a fine WAD, I guess. I would say that it’s good at best. Some of the maps are great, some are the opposite of great, and most of the time it was... eh.
Honestly, if I could choose between this WAD and 10 Sectors, I would still prefer Congestion 1024 because while it has bad maps, none of these come close to the awfulness of 10 Sectors’ MAP21.
Thankfully (for me), this is the last megaWAD with over 30 maps from the 2005 roster. The next one has seven of these, so hopefully I won’t spend that much time finding secrets for the second playthrough for the lack of better words.
I’ll see you then.
Bye!
#doom#Doom WAD#review#doom mod#Doom 2#doom 2005#2005#congestion 1024#doom congestion 1024#Doom WADs’ Roulette#cacowards
3 notes
·
View notes
Text
Relinookton Story Chapter 7
Arriving at the main Sewing room, many students you walked by seemed to be exhausted… working hard but also draining themselves, some have this odd Status like the ones you thought did. As you got more into the back you heard two voices arguing.
"Tyler, we can't continue like this… all of the Students are exhausted."
Looking from the corner you saw Tyler, Irene and many other students surrounding them…
"The deadline is in 5 days, do you really want to waste our time and Doom this project to failure."
"If you don't stop now we will all collapse and won't be able to continue at all… Tyler I promised I would help you manage the dorm but… this is too much."
He slammed on the table, his eyes had Black rings around them.
"If we don't beat Rachel now she will get more popular, more people will fall victim to her schemes… and my chances get lower to build something up and prove all those Kids who mocked me cause I was not as rich as them…."
As he got louder and screamed suddenly Irene pulled him unexpectedly in a Hug….
"Please calm….I promise I have asked someone to investigate what Rachel does. And I know how Important this is to you, but look at the other dorm members too. "
He looked around to see many people exhausted, some had bandaids on their fingers from the Work… The racoon sighed.
"Fine… today we take a break… but tomorrow I will see you on your best work, alright. "
As he said this however suddenly he swayed oddly and collapsed in Irene's arms. The students worked together to carry him away as Irene approached you. "Have you found something out?"
You shook your head as Rouge came out and explained everything in Detail.
"Maybe it would be best if you two do not find those passwords… Not that she would turn you like those students… I am worried because just more and more students seem affected… it's like they are Zombies when you talk to them… it's also why Tyler has to do double the Work and…"
Irene sighed a little.
"If you really want to risk it I can't stop you, but be careful interacting with Rachel… that she doesn't get the upper hand on you."
She got back to discussing it with some other students. Tyler and many others rested up for the next few days in hopes to get the rest of the collection done.
Irene by @in-that-deep-blue-sea
#twisted wonderland oc#twstoc#twstocs#twst oc#twst ocs#twisted wonderland#twst#twistedwonderland#twisted oc#twisted wonderland fanschool#disney twst oc#disney twst#twisted wonderland ocs#disney twisted wonderland#relinookton#relinookton story#hsa story
9 notes
·
View notes
Text
Artist Ask Game
1. When did you start creating art?
My mother is a costume designer and textile artist, I was born into it.
2. Do you do art in any professional capacity? (Graphic design, commissions, animation, etc.)
I complete commissions in collage: paper and epoxy; as well as weaving.
3. What are your favorite subjects to draw? (OCs, your fan faves, etc.)
I am a poor drawer but I practice weekly.
4. What's your least favorite part of the body to draw, if any?
All of them.
5. What piece of art are you still proud of to this day? (Show or describe)
I made a drum head that was played at at Cake show, it currently lives next to a Travis Louie drum head.
6. Favorite and least favorite angles/perspectives to draw?
I hate them all.
7. Who are some artists that have inspired you?
Martha Stewart.
8. How would you describe your art style?
Paper: I glue tiny pieces of paper in sacred geometric patterns.
Weaving: Tweed. I make tweed.
9. What's the longest you've ever suffered from artblock?
Years.
10. How do you deal with art block?
Take a shower.
11. Have you ever drawn a meme with your OCs or canon characters from a fictional media?
No.
12. Ever participated in a multi-artist collaboration (3 or more) such as a multi-animator project?
Not like you think.
13. What kind of art do you personally not see the appeal of, and why?
No.
14. Do you prefer to make fan content or original content?
I make original content.
15. Do you/have you participated in Artfight or art trades in general?
No.
16. What was something you used to struggle to draw with confidence/ease, but have now mastered?
I do no draw well.
17. Your personal favorite works of art (not made by you) are...?
I really love monsters, comic panels, whimsy, doom, and color. I own a breathtaking painting by Rachel M. Bray.
18. Do you typically use filters on your art?
No.
19. What's your biggest insecurity when it comes to your artwork?
I don't have any.
20. What motivates/inspires you artistically? (topics, emotions, etc)
I put on this record, Pleasure Forever, and my mind gets blown. I've listened to it weekly since 2003. Their drum beat and piano plink are my marching orders. https://pleasureforever.bandcamp.com/album/pleasure-forever
1 note
·
View note
Text
Optimistic As We Head Into 2024, Wheels Of Justice Are Turning, Republicans Ongoing Betrayal Of The Country
Political strategist Simon Rosenberg speaks on his optimism for 2024 and the threats Republicans should be panicked about.
Yesterday, I dropped a new analysis I hope everyone here at Hopium reads in the coming days. It reviews what are in my mind the three most important story lines in US politics as we head into 2024:
The ongoing strong Democratic election performance since Dobbs - it’s the most important electoral data out there now
The remarkably robust American economy gives Biden a strong foundation for his re-election
Trump’s historic baggage is being overly discounted in current analysis about the election next year
I talk about these three story lines in my new year-end video briefing 2023 Was A Very Good Year for Democrats. Let’s Make 2024 Even Better, and in this terrific new Vanity Fair podcast and article, A Dem Strategist Calls B******t on Biden Polling Doom.
The Wheels Of Justice Are Turning, and Republicans Should Be Very Worried - Let’s review the progress being made in the courts against the Trumpian and MAGA crime spree of recent years:
Yesterday, Rudy Giuliani was ordered to pay $148 million (!!!!!!!!) for spreading lies about the 2020 election, endangering the lives of two elections workers
GOP leaders in AZ, GA, MI, NV have been indicted for their efforts to interfere with and overturn the 2020 election. Some have plead guilty and are cooperating with prosecutors. Republican leaders in WI who participated in these schemes have struck a deal with prosecutors, admitted their wrongdoing and are now cooperating. Prosecutors in New Mexico have also begun an investigation in GOP leaders who worked to overturn the 2020 election
Over 1,000 people have been successfully prosecuted for crimes related to the violent attack on the Congress on January 6th
Trump has been found to have attempted to rape E. Jean Carroll in a department store changing room, and ordered to pay $5,000,000 in penalties
Trump has been found to have committed financial fraud in New York State, and his trial, which wraps up in mid-January, is about how much he pays not whether he is liable.
So Rudy G - liable. Republican party leaders in AZ, GA, MI and NV have been indicted, and some have already plead guilty in the same conspiracy involving hundreds of GOP party leaders Trump and his team led in 2020 and 2021, and which he goes on trial for in early March. Over 1,000 people have already been successfully prosecuted for another branch of that conspiracy, the violent assault on the US Congress on January 6th. Trump has already been found to have committed sexual assault/attempted rape and a massive years long financial fraud.
I will let Lady Ruby Freeman capture where we are now - progress yes, real meaningful progress, but as she says “we still have work to do. Giuliani was not the only one who spread lies about us and others must be held accountable too.”
The Republican Party’s Ongoing Betrayal of the County - This week Republicans in the House went home and walked away from our two allies, Israel and Ukraine, in a moment of extraordinary need. They have still yet to pass a budget for the 2024 fiscal year which began on October 1st, recklessly forcing America to live within the spending priorities of last year. As Rachel Maddow recounts in this must-watch clip this Congress may be the least productive in American history, which is itself a betrayal of our democratic project:
But of course it gets worse. Republicans are attempting to disband the State Department agency which battles foreign disinformation. They continue to block critical cybersecurity legislation, and forced the shutdown of a DHS program called Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards. They continue to block the appointment of 43 top diplomats (via NYT):
And now there is this stunning new report from CNN:
Washington (CNN) — A binder containing highly classified information related to Russian election interference went missing at the end of Donald Trump’s presidency, raising alarms among intelligence officials that some of the most closely guarded national security secrets from the US and its allies could be exposed, sources familiar with the matter told CNN.
Its disappearance, which has not been previously reported, was so concerning that intelligence officials briefed Senate Intelligence Committee leaders last year about the missing materials and the government’s efforts to retrieve them, the sources said.
In the two-plus years since Trump left office, the missing intelligence does not appear to have been found.
The binder contained raw intelligence the US and its NATO allies collected on Russians and Russian agents, including sources and methods that informed the US government’s assessment that Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to help Trump win the 2016 election, sources tell CNN.
The intelligence was so sensitive that lawmakers and congressional aides with top secret security clearances were able to review the material only at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, where their work scrutinizing it was itself kept in a locked safe.
2023 has been a very good year for Democrats, and we know what we need to do, together, in 2024, and why we need to do it - to ensure that freedom and democracy prevails here and everywhere. People here and around the world are counting on us to get this done, and I am excited to get it done with all of you next year - Simon
0 notes
Text
mmm steam has a sale going on so i bought myself like 4 new games lol (city ski lines, among the trees, unravel two, and doom) and i also gifted my cousin some games too
today i went to the grocery store and to barnes and noble (worked on the dumb work project thing i have) and i also played some more of the game “suicide if rachel forest” and absolutely freaked out about it had had to shut it off
here is voice chat to my best friend who made me play the game (sharing because i think it’s funny lol)
i think the next time i play it i’ll have to be on the phone with her lol or like not alone in my room playing while it’s dark lol (and i have to freaking restart because i had to shut it off—the game only had auto save)
anyway now it’s 2am and i don’t want to sleep (this isn’t due to being scared btw i just have something that i have to do tomorrow that i don’t want to do and to combats that feeling my brain wants me to have fun and enjoy my time home for as long as possible so that just means struggling to sleep lol)
0 notes
Last Seen Blogs
