Jon was a better pick for head archivist (the profession not the godhood) than Sasha according to me, a Jon apologist/Sasha stan with a masters degree in information science

1) a disaster pit of an archive like Gertrude's requires a work horse like s1 Jon, not someone easily lost in the weeds like Sasha. For a body of information that huge, with subject matter that broad (even just 15 fear subjects is broad when you consider the overlap and highly subjective, contrasting nature of the statements), you want to create as little work for yourself as possible until you've built a foundation. Ergo, in this early stage you want a project manager who has the ability to burn through busy work, resists distractions, and remains open to his team's input for future endeavors while keeping them on track.

I also have a hc that a disorganized archive bolstered the Eye's hold rather than undermined it because that meant that only Eye-aligned people had the ability to navigate it. So in a normal case, I'd assume they could just call up one of their sister archives and borrow their database or taxonomy, because why reinvent the wheel, but here I suspect that messy records were an industry standard designed to lure in people with a craving for tidy answers. It's possible that no-one at any location had successfully organized their statements, or at least not before getting indoctrinated with some mark or another and abandoning the task.

2) Referring to statements by their dates isn't a bad idea when first tackling a project this unclear. When you create a spreadsheet map of your body of information (literally just a giant inventory list), I was taught to also provide an ID column to designate each collection item with a uniformed shorthand for easy, clear communication and notes. Think dewey decimal. It can be something simple as sequential numbers or dates. Why use dates and not statement giver names? Confidentiality is likely a behind the scenes factor in statement acquisition. Some of the statements are anonymous. Some names double. And the series demonstrates that statement givers rarely visit twice in one day, much less twice a week or month, and even if there are, they can tack a .1 on the end or something. This shorthand ID key will likely change no matter what once they familiarize themselves with the content enough to build a more thoughtful catalogue. So since that makes this a placeholder anyway, dates as a good-enough-lets-keep-moving ID would be my pick, too, ESPECIALLY because of point #3

3) the catalogue is nonexistent in s1, so the most pressing task is to create a taxonomy. Remember, a catalogue is a giant inventory list, a taxonomy is a predetermined, uniformed list of words to be used as metadata, which is like tags. We need taxonomies because a computer will think that The Eye =/= Beholding, so we build catalogues that only allow people to utilize one synonym to avoid inconsistencies. Building a taxonomy would be atypically difficult in the magnus archives, considering how unrelated or overlapping or contradicting all the statements are to someone not in the Know. Trying to pin down a vocabulary on day one will only create more work because it'll almost definitely need massive revisions. That's why it makes sense for someone to closely read several random statements with post-follow-up clarification in order to analyze the subject matter and slowly define a work-in-progress metadata. If they have a chance to kill two birds with one stone by making a recording? Go for it. I would not commit this task to EVERY STATEMENT EVER, but rather to a handful at first to help chisle out that high priority taxonomy, which is what one statement per week amounts to. Which leads me to point 4:

4) Jon's attitude toward s1 Martin was uncalled for and unprofessional, but Jon's frustration makes sense. Martin's existence on that team was likely justified to Jon by his fake masters in parascience, which makes Martin the technical subject matter expert. He's presumed the only one qualified to determine that critically important taxonomy because it'll have to be consistent with vocabulary and classification systems already established in Martin's field of study so that visiting experts can easily navigate it. Martin 🙃 is none of these things 🙃. So from Jon's pov, his technical subject matter expert is either A) being deliberately obtuse by offering tea and conversations about jigsaw puzzles with old ladies instead of results, which adds work to his already enormously laborious project For Funsies I Guess??? or B) Martin did not retain his masters program/doesn't know how to apply his skills practically and therefore isn't actually qualified to help with the task at hand. Or? C) Martin got a bullshit degree, landed a job where he can't get fired (supernatural contracts aside, libraries are famous for job security) and is now half-assing assignments that Jon is on the hook for since he knows he can get away with it, because tbqh some coworkers are genuinely Like That. All of which means that Jon now has to cover their collective asses by overworking to compensate for Martin's percieved fallthrough and record/analyze the statements himself to protect his team and to avoid admitting he couldn't succeed with Elias' hand picked resources.

This is maybe the most frequent citation against Jon's management skills, but the only reason Sasha may have avoided the same trap is because she invaded Martin's privacy and learned about his lie. Which... doesn't really improve the situation, just creates new problems. And also takes us to #5:

5) Sasha, light of my life, did not have people skills that made her excel at managment just because she's charming and confident. The main reason: she's habitually invasive as a coworker and employee. Imagine the conflict that behavior would have shifted into if the power dynamics tilted, if she was in charge of the people she wanted information from (it's an excellent, rich source of conflict, tho, don't get me wrong.)

Jon stalked Tim for a few weeks, maybe a month or two, because he was scared for his life and this became the catalyst for their relationship deterioration. Comparatively, Sasha stalked Jon and Martin presumably their entire working relationship, or at least enough to at least learn Jon's real age/multiple password changes and Martin's fake CV secret, all for fun. Moving past s1, Jon accidentally compelled mundane secrets out of Melanie and Basira which resulted in swift retribution. How long do you think those two would have humored Sasha's active, remorseless boredom?

Also? If the only issue is people skills, then tbh if I was coordinating this employee transfer, I would say to myself "I've heard that Jon's occasionally difficult to work with, but his work style is suited for the task. I'll just let him pick his team to make sure he gets along with everyone. We need a subject matter expert tho, so I'll include that one guy in the library who's a cuddly people pleaser, that will help smooth over any clashing personalities."

6) oh? Jon deniers say this is a public facing job and he needs to be more lovely? Bitch, the public treats jobs like this as basically free, walk in therapy. I've had public facing jobs similar to Jon's. If you don't go in with firm, predetermined boundaries, you'll burn out immediately and become a doormat. If anything, s1 Jon is the perfect combination of "my job is to offer One Service, and if that is not the service you need then move along, I'm not being paid to suffer fools." mixed with "I've decided my One Service includes a willingness to listen in full and let you define your experiences for yourself in a time when the world is likely trying to dismiss your fear and tell you what you saw."

7) insofar as formal training goes, information science is the type of field where sometimes people are just absurdly suited for it because they already interact with the world with those skills. I have a coworker who basically gave a work training on Info Sci fundamentals for fun and when I tagged up with her after, she had no idea that was even a field. Jon and Sasha imo are among those types that click naturally with information science, so I personally do not fault them for not having a specialized degree. If anything, Jon might have recognized his natural inclination and applied for the job for that reason a la "might as well, the worst that can happen is I'm told no." Did they all still need some kind of formal training to properly manage an archive? Yes. Was their need for guidance JUST info sci related or did they much more desperatly need real answers on malevolent eldritch forces delibrately obfuscated from them to, specifically, prevent them from safely doing their jobs? Probably a combination, but leaning much more heavily toward the later. So imo, they weren't unqualified because they didn't have a grasp on info sci, they were unqualified because there was a 200yo contrived plan to keep them ignorant.

The man, the legend

[ID: A digital drawing of Jonathan Sims on a white background. He is a thin Arab man with brown skin and short, curly black hair half-pulled-back in a bun with bangs. He has light facial hair, small black earrings, black nail polish, and half-moon glasses on a green beaded chain. He is wearing a baggy gray t-shirt, a thick black cardigan rolled up to his elbows, a long black skirt, dark green chunky lace-up boots, and green socks. He is also wearing a black bracelet and a green and pink bracelet on his wrist. He is smiling brightly, sitting slightly slouched with one hand behind him, the other holding a cigarette by his face. His feet are not touching the ground. The smoke from his cigarette swirls beside his head. end ID]

~~~~

apparently?? i never posted this uni!jon?? anyway have a Him. im proud of the boots and hand and smoke uwu

[ID: A digital illustration of Martin Blackwood and Jonathan Sims from The Magnus Archives. Martin is a fat white man with short curly light coloured hair. He rests his face against his hand and smiles with his eyes closed, daydreaming. There is a large thought bubble that takes up most of the image, showing different images Jonathan Sims. Jon is a thin man with brown skin and short dark brown hair streaked with grey. The first of four images of Jon shoes him looking up at something with a somewhat disgruntled expression. The second image is a close up of Jon's eye, looking at the viewer. The third image is an imagined kiss between Martin and Jon. The fourth image is of Jon's hands holding a steaming mug of tea. Little hearts are doodled around the images of Jon. End description.]

Well Jon did you ever think that maybe Martin would be better at his job if you weren't so damn cute??

I find it hilarious that despite the show ending in April, Jonmartin is still in the top 20 ships and TMA is top 4 web series. No we will not shut up ❤

the characters in the magnus archives are all named for famous horror authors, such as tim stoker being a reference to bram stoker or melanie king being a reference to stephen king

jonathan sims is, of course, named for horror author jonathan sims, author of the magnus archives and thirteen stories

Some jmart selkie au character designs

[ID: The two people from the two people on a bus meme, photoshopped onto a London-Edinburgh train. They have been edited so they are on the same side, with the sad figure curled against the happy one.] 

Wow, love safehouse journey fics (Based on this) 

Creating stuff is hard rn so I made some low stakes, feel good sketches <3

[ID: two sketches of Jonathan Sims and Martin Blackwood from the Magnus Archives. Jon has short hair, a patchy beard and a faint eye halo. Martin has a baby-face and messy hair that is longer, but still short. Martin is much taller than Jon.

The first sketch shows the two looking down at something behind the viewer with serious expressions.

On the second sketch Martin and Jon have their foreheads pressed together, they are both smiling. Jon has his eyes closed and Martin looks at him, stroking Jon's cheek with one finger. /End ID]

I think the RQ crew has a pattern

[pats the eye manifestations like they’re lil cats]

I tried to paint an Elias vaguely in the arcane style because I have no shame & that show’s style fucks. I think I kinda over did it but I’m trying to find a balance between details vs the painterly quality the style has. Also yes I know he’s doing the meme face it just felt right for him!

[ID: Seven drawings of Tim Stoker wearing entity-inspired button-down shirts all drawn from the waist up on a light pink background. He is a slim Latino man with light brown skin and a lilac mullet with the sides shaved, a small goatee, ear gauges, painted nails, and a wristwatch. All drawings have the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and some have him wearing rectangular purple glasses. His gauges and nails all match the shirts he's wearing.

The first image has two drawings. One of him wearing the glasses with a dark blue shirt with a purple flame coming up from the bottom. He is gesturing and smiling as if speaking. The other drawing is of him wearing a dark purple shirt with a swirling purple fractal on it. He is also wearing a dark magenta necktie. He is leaning on something with one elbow resting up high, gesturing and smiling smugly as if talking.

The second image has two drawings. One of him wearing a slightly unbuttoned bright orange shirt with pink paws all over it, raising his hands in a claw-like pose, and making a playful growling face. The other drawing is of him wearing the glasses, a muted pink shirt patterned with cartoon hams, and a white apron. He is standing with his back turned, mixing something in a large purple bowl with a wooden spoon, smiling over his shoulder.

The third image has two drawings. One of him wearing the glasses and a pale green shirt patterned with colorful gummy worms. He is smiling shyly with his shoulders up, one hand in his pocket, the other scratching the back of his neck. The other drawing is of him wearing the glasses and a bright green shirt with a repeating eye-like pattern on it and a black neck tie. The glasses obscure his eyes as he stares down at his purple phone, the other hand in his pocket. His expression is neutral.

The fourth image is a drawing of him wearing round sunglasses and a black shirt with a lightbulb on the pocket. The shirt is completely unbuttoned and half of it is tucked in, exposing his chest and stomach, including chest hair and top surgery scars under his pecs. He slouching back with a surprised expression with one hand raised by his chin, almost limp-wristed, the other in his pocket. end ID]

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tim wears patterned shirts. what if they were vaguely entity themed.

(i am going to do the rest of the entities!! just wanted this up for tim stoker tuesday :3c)

so. jonbinary huh

Zolf and Wilde: if I was fighting the apocalypse with my life partner I would simply not die. Rip to Jon and Martin but we’re different

[ID: digital drawing of jon and martin from tma in lingerie. martin is a fat polish man with pale skin, short white curly hair, stubble, freckles covering his entire body as well as a few scars on his neck and back. he is wearing a rounded glass, orange colored cheek bites, matching lipstick, and a black top with lacing on the chest, as well as matching black pants that connect to thigh high stockings. there is a purple kiss mark on his cheek. he is looking confidently to the side, smiling, both arms raised as if thru comb through his own hair. the background is a single purple square Jon is a slim british indian person with a medium brown skin tone, long dark wavy hair with silver streaks, stubble, and a vast array of scars on their entire body. They are wearing a choker, as well as some purple-colored accessories, mainly a medusa piercing, as well as purple lipstick. for clothing he is wearing a top with lace connecting the top and bottom piece, the bottom also connecting to thigh high stockings, as well as to a half mesh skirt. in addition, he is wearing some long mesh gloves and a matching hat. they are looking to the side, smiling, their left arm resting on their hips and their right arm raised at an angle away from them. there is an orange lipstick mark on his cheek. the background is a single orange square. End ID]

smth about ace people confidently wearing stuff like lingerie is so personal actually. 

The Catnus Archives

Just some sketches but I’ve been thinking about season 5 Jonmartin and bad home haircuts.

Made a drawing series about podcast besties!! :DDDD (click for quality)

in order:

Eiffel and Hera (wolf 359)

Tim and Sasha (the magnus archives, + a camp here and there reference)

Sir Caroline and Sir Angelo (the penumbra podcast, second citadel)

The Audio Tour Guide and Clockwork Mother (mistholme museum)

Juno and Rita (the penumbra podcast, junoverse)