#The only one I'm sure about is Don Cheadle... I just know he does

[goodluckclove]

Tag Game - Questions for Fellow Writers!

I was tagged by the talented @mushroommanchanterelle but I'm going to be a dingus about this, just you wait.

Last book I read: I'm reading an encyclopedia about birds that I got from a used bookstore because it's little and cute and I wanted it to get inspiration for Edgar in Songbird Elegies. I'm also reading The Dead Beat, which is a book about obituary writers. It's pretty good!

Greatest literary inspiration: I definitely get a lot of Vonnegut and maybe Hemingway in terms of accessibility in prose? One of the most important things to me in what I write is making sure that language is beautiful, but simple enough to be easily understood. I think the highest praise I've gotten is from non-native English speakers like my beloved compatriot @ivaspinoza who still really enjoy the excerpts I post.

Maybe also Palahinuik with some of the content and narrative gimmicks? Lil' bit of Kerouac, but like before On the Road? Does that sound like anything?

Things in my current fandom(s) I want to read but I don't want to write: My greatest shame of mine is that I don't really actually have a fandom. I don't like to admit that because it makes me sound like some hermit who only fixates on their writing, but that's...not entirely inaccurate. I consume a lot of media, but nothing that I'd consider myself part of the fandom of.

But I still want to be included because my friend Mushy wants to include me, so I'm making up a fandom. It's a TV show called Jonathan's Food Truck, staring Don Cheadle as Jonathan Fudtruk, a man with aspirations to start a food truck.

I really want to read an AU of Jonathan's Food Truck where he has to sell the food truck. What would happen? Where would he go? Imagine the outage. He fucks that food truck. I'm a Jonathan/Food Truck pro-shipper.

Things in my current fandom(s) I want to write but I think nobody would be interested in them but me: a whump fic where Jonathan is forced to operate a brick and mortar restaurant and also he can't stop pissing himself.

You can recognize my writing by: Apparently elaborate food descriptions. I think my dialogue is pretty distinct from what I've been told. Kind of experimental and not super literary. I don't really know how to answer this, maybe you guys can tell me.

My most controversial take (current fandom[s]): The analog horror ARG for Jonathan's Food Truck was not as bad as people say it was. And since it came out before The Mandela Catalogue, they're actually the originators of religious trauma in modern online horror.

Top three favourite tropes: Pathetic characters, abstract narratives, radical softness

What’s your current writing mood? (10 – super motivated and churning out words like crazy, 0 – in a complete rut) I mean it's mildly annoying to me but I'm deciding to put aside Book Two for like a week or so and re-edit Book One for a final run before I consider it fully ready to publish. But I'm down for that so - 10?

Share a random frustration: Itch on foot. I don't have one right now but I don't like when I do.

I tag @mercuryytheraven and @rkmoon and @ratracewriting, and I highly encourage you all to make up a fandom like I did because it's a very funny additional challenge.

#writeblr #writing community #writers on tumblr #on writing #writing asks

[wenellyb]

Serious talk, which MCU actor/actress writes fanfiction? 

I’m voting for Tom Hiddleston, Paul Bettany and Don Cheadle

I also want to say Tessa Thompson...

#tom hiddleston #paul bettany #chris evans #anthony mackie #sebastian stan #Scarlett Johansson #My three guesses are not random... I have thought about it it's just that I have no proof and all my guesses are based on my intuition haha #The only one I'm sure about is Don Cheadle... I just know he does #tessa thompson #don cheadle #vision #rhodey #james rhodes #valkyrie #loki #Paul definitely writes fanfics but not wandavision only vision ones hahah

[musette22]

I normally don't pay a lot of mind to award shows because most of it has more to do with background string-pulling than anything else. I mostly like to see the outfits and the jokes/gags prepared by the hosts but that's it.

But I really wanted Sebastian to get that Emmy nom, if not just for him to get that recognition. He's such a fantastic actor and I feel that sometimes that gets overlooked because he does a lot more independent/smaller movies than big flashy ones with great promotion budgets. The way there were so many posts like 'wow sebastian stan is a great actor' after the first therapy scene and the wakanda scene... I was like 'YES HOW HADN'T YOU NOTICED BEFORE' because he's so good in all the mcu movies!

Also, the only cast nomination going to Don Cheadle when there were such great performances on that show...

Anyway, I'm sure Seb is genuinely happy for the nomination for the stunt team and he doesn't need the nomination to know he's a great actor and to love what he does. That's the thing I love the most about him - seeing how passionate he is for his job and how much he truly enjoys himself embodying his characters. I would absolutely love to work with someone like that by my side, that kind of energy is so uplifting. I guess it just would have been nice to see him get that sort of 'shoutout' to his work (also satisfying af after all that hate he's been getting but that's another story and it's not even worth mentioning those awful ppl😤)

Don't know if this is the kind of thing you're interested in (if not, really feel free to ignore the ask 😅), but as soon as I saw it I felt like coming here and sort of share cuz I got a lil bummed out, idk ahahahah it's silly.

Hope you're doing well ❤️

Christy! Thanks for your message, lovely ❤️ I would agree with you about award shows, yes 😅 And I know what you mean, Sebastian is SUCH a talented, dedicated actor, he definitely would've deserved an Emmy nom purely based on his talent, dedication and that Wakanda scene lol. It's great the general public is recognising his talent more and more (but yeah, HOW some people didn't see it before is a mystery to me), but it would be nice if critics/award shows showed him that recognition, too.

I totally agree with everything you said about Seb and how supportive and hard working and kind-hearted he is, and yeah it's a shame he didn't get the Emmy recognition this time around, but for this show, it was always going to be super complicated, and I guess there's something to be said for him receiving one for a show that isn't part of the big Marvel machine, some day down the line? Who knows, maybe Pam and Tommy will do it for him! All is not lost <3

Also yeah, as much as I love Don Cheadle, it's a bit odd to me that he got a nom but no one else did... 😅

Anyway, I totally understand that you were feeling a bit bummed out about it and you can always come here to vent about this kind of thing, my love! Sending you lots of hugs and hope your day is going very well 😘

#sebastian stan #minnie answers

[redspiderling]

i really want black widow to perform well and as much as I'd like to believe it will, I fear that it will fall short due to the inevitable need for it to push the mcu forward. this is why we needed black widow to come out earlier so that by now, she'd have a completed triology that not only completes her arc but also can push forward phase 4. I don't see how a solo movie can do both. I'm scared that her story will be overshadowed by a storyline that pushes the mcu forward (aka thunderbolts)

Dear anon, listen. 

This is the 3rd message along those lines I’ve received today. I know it’s annoying to see how awesome things could have been, and I know we’re all really worried and stressed, and the film getting postponed hasn’t helped at all. But there are issues here much greater than story arcs to be honest.

We need to discuss the reality of discrimination, racism and sexism in Hollywood and what it really means beyond the pointless twitter rage.

There are so, so many things that happen behind closed doors, and not even half of it reaches our ears. And even that is enough to allow me to tell you with absolute certainty that there is no way we would have gotten a Black Widow movie anytime before now, and that even now it’s a miracle that we’re getting it.

Let me start with who was the boss at Marvel HQ until 2015, a man who even up until last year had a great deal of creative influence at the studio even if he wasn’t calling the shots anymore. A man by the name of Isaac Perlmutter. 

Here are a select few headlines the man, and Disney’s gender and race politics in general, have made over the years.

“[...]The first movie featured an African-American actor, Terrence Howard, as Colonel Jim Rhodes. Don Cheadle, another African-American actor, was hired for the same part in the sequel at a cheaper price. Mr Perlmutter apparently told Mr Mooney the change cut costs. He allegedly added words to the effect that no one would notice because black people "look the same".

3 African American Female Executives fired from Marvel and seek legal settlements. Link 1 Link 2 Link 3. (You will notice that most of these articles forget to mention that the women were African American, which is significant given how big a racist Isaac Perlmutter is known to be. Plus, I had to dig really deep into google news to actually unearth these).

A Suit Against Disney Claims Unequal Pay for Women

Another woman joins gender pay lawsuit against Disney

Why Rich Ross Was Fired At Disney: What Does It Say About Bob Iger's Leadership? “He had an ‘awareness’ issue,” a Disney source explains to me. 

Marvel’s Trump Donor Ex-CEO Is the Reason There Was no Black Widow Merchandise 

Marvel CEO Says in Leaked Email That Female Superhero Movies Have Been a 'Disaster'

I know we all have our reasons, lots and lots of reasons, on why it would have made sense for a Black Widow solo film to have happened years ago. I’d like an origin story before Iron Man 2 for example. But that was never in the cards, ok?

It was never an option and it’s not like Scarlett didn’t try.

Why do you think she made Lucy in 2014? 

Or said yes to Ghost in the Shell around the same time Margot Robbie dropped the project due to scheduling issues (circa 2014-2015)? 

Because of the awesome script? 

Maybe because she wanted to steal roles from minorities? 

Hell no. She wanted to prove the simple fact that she -a woman- could star, alone, in a film and still bring in box office results, ok? 

Scarlett already told us just how shitty things were behind closed doors back in 2015 when they gave her that disgusting storyline in AoU, and were trying to block Captain Marvel from happening. 

Ok, phew.

Sorry about that anon, it’s getting a bit much reading all the crap that’s happening and all the shitty people that run away with being shitty people (and getting tons of money out of it too).

Lets move on to the storyline of the Black Widow film that we are miraculously getting now.

There is always the possibility that they will include some elements to push forward the MCU, but I think they’ll keep those for the end credits scene, mostly. From what I’ve seen in other MCU solo films, the do add these hints here and there, but there is always a dominant story at play, and you don’t want to lose the viewers by focusing too much on the sidelines of it. 

Finally, like I’ve said before, I truly, honestly believe, that after all the shit Scarlett has gone through in these past 10 years, I am absolutely certain that she wouldn’t put herself through this if it weren’t worth her while. I’m not saying that it’s a given that the film will be good, ok? Nobody can guarantee that. But we can hope. If it makes you too stressed, don’t watch it opening day, or opening weekend. Get some feedback from some trusted friends, ok?

Stay strong anon. Oh and one last thing. After living though a toxic work environment like that, I’m pretty sure Scarlett would want Natasha’s film to be glorious. And she got a big win the day the film was announced. A really, really big one. So that’s something to celebrate, I think. Women really won that day at SDCC last year :)

#asks #ANONS #I really went off on this one #sorry anon! It really isn't you #it's me #I get so pissed off reading this crap #Perlmutter is a fucking piece of trash #oh #and a trump supporter #like #of course he is #*long sigh* #Marvel #Scarlett Johansson #the same vent

[fly-pow-bye]

DuckTales 2017 - “Quack Pack!”

Story by: Francisco Angones, Madison Bateman, Colleen Evanson, Christian Magalhaes, Bob Snow

Written by: Bob Snow

Storyboard by: Vince Aparo, Kristen Gish

Directed by: Tanner Johnson

TGIHD. Thank God It’s Hump Day.

Our episode begins with Huey preparing his Uncle Donald for his big family photo opportunity, an opportunity he never seems to have due to various mishaps. He hired a professional photographer, and even had him practice his million dollar smile. Huey says that nothing is going to stop this day from being ruined, and then Dewey, the one-liner-spewing stand-out sibling, shows up. We know he's the stand-out because the laugh track cheers as soon as he comes in. Yes, a laugh track, just like this series always had.

Some other characters show up, mostly to reintroduce them to the audience. We have Louie, the schemer who is currently trying make his mother jump off the roof and get people to pay to see it. Said mother is Della, a former moon-dweller who is perfectly fine with because she used to be on the moon, and will seemingly bring that up with almost every line of dialogue she has. Finally, we have Scrooge, the relatively down-to-Earth, no pun intended, person who knows this is ridiculous, though he does ponder if he can make a lot of money from that dangerous stunt before saying "no".

Instead, they have to get the study ready for the photo, something Scrooge promised he would have done already. Though he tells Donald that he would never break a family promise, the sweat he's wiping off his brow is telling a different story. He, Della, and Louie slowly back away into the office, and nobody is the wiser. Oh Scrooge, I’m sure he has some money related reason for it.

As they back away into the office, we get two more stand-out characters: Mrs. Beakley, who constantly has to deny being a spy despite coming in through one of those wires on the roof, and Webby, who introduces her grandmother as a professional spy. She's the quirky one!

At this point, Huey starts to think that something is very off with everything around him, and asks his Uncle Donald if he feels the same way. Donald turns to Huey, and responds in the familiar way we all know and love.

Donald: (clears throat) Well, everything seems perfectly normal to me!

Ah, Donald, with his distinctive voice by Don Cheadle; perfectly normal, and yet suave enough to make the laugh track cheer. See, everything is normal, from the way Donald Duck talks, to the laugh track laughing at even Dewey's cheesy one-liners, to the 90's TGIF sitcom-like establishing shot this scene started with. Nothing wrong at all...except for everything.

Yeah, if this is the first episode of DuckTales 2017 somebody watched, they're going to be very lost. I mean, people are saying this is an adventure show where they go all around the world, using their wits to fight criminals, monsters, and aliens, but this is a sitcom with a laugh track! There are some ways people could figure it out already, namely that cartoons would never use laugh tracks unironically, but it's good that this originally aired right after a normal episode.

After a really short version of the usual theme song that consists solely of "DuckTales, woo-oo" and a commercial break, we get the theme song showing off the cast of characters. This includes Launchpad McQuack, who even has his own rock band, the Crash Happies. In we end, we get our title screen: Quack Pack. Yes, this is what the show's called now, taking the name from the infamous DuckTales spinoff where they decided to age up Huey Dewey and Louie to teenagers.

Outside of the title and a very similar pose for the title shot, it doesn't take anything from that show, just the 90's sitcoms it was trying to ape. Huey, Dewey, and Louie are still kids, and the plot for this episode is kind of pedestrian compared to the teenaged siblings turning into superheroes and battling a planet-sized Uncle D who just wants them to clean their rooms while his rage makes him destroy the galaxy. Even the theme song is just instrumental soft rock. It is possible they felt lines like "I feel like quacking, so I think I will, I'm gonna quack quack quack until I get my fill" are too cheesy even for a parody.

As our episode truly begins, we meet another soon-to-be-beloved character, and one that isn't one of the familiar ones: Knox Quackington, that photographer Huey hired. He's an artiste, as described by Huey and himself, and he has the accent for the kind of stereotype that term was made for. Unfortunately for him, he describes himself as someone who uncovers the world's secrets, and Webby knows that could only mean he's a spy. That quirky character ends up taking him to a dark room, where she beats him up. Oh, Webby!

While this is happening, Scrooge decides to try to ready up that study.

Unfortunately, the study is in even worse shape than he imagined. Scrooge didn't want to pay for actual repairmen to fix his problems, and the problems just got worse and worse. I'm sure there's a metaphor in there somewhere. Louie responds that Scrooge's lack of responsibility legally makes him liable for his own lack of responsibility. He didn't really change much at all for this sitcom plot, huh.

Huey and Donald show up to see Scrooge's study in ruins, and Donald explains why he can't just go to a different room: this is the only room where the buttons glint in the way he wanted! Louie says, with sarcasm, that the button glint issue is so much more of an unsolvable problem than a broken room, and everyone just makes an "oh, Louie" pose as they pause for the laugh track. Huey is a bit more optimistic, as he happens to have a Junior Woodchuck Guidebook...

...a Guidebook that is completely blank. Donald speaking like a regular duck and the blank book makes him notice that the mysterious laughter that happens constantly doesn't seem to be coming from anyone in the room, and realizes something is very, very wrong. He runs out of the room as everyone else makes an "oh, Huey" pose as they pause for the laugh track.

This episode definitely gets the sitcom parody down to a T. They even have transitions where they're just dancing or flicking hearts from their smartphones. It reminds me of That 70's Show, and I don't watch enough sitcoms to know if there's an earlier example than that.

Distracting us from Huey slowly figuring out what's going on is Dewey doing what he does best: giving himself and Donald mohawks. Oh, that rascal, that's going to be a real problem for the photo op. Huey shows up only to see that they paused in place, because it's time for a commercial break. Of course, Huey is the only one aware enough to realize everything is getting darker. Plot important forth-wall jokes is this episodes forte.

After all the real commercials, because it would have been a missed opportunity if they didn't do a real commercial break there, we get a commercial for the fictional Pep, featuring a guy who's clearly played by the same actor as the photographer. If Disney XD didn't require "now back to the show" bumpers, this would have caught people a little off-guard. This ad specifically features him opening up a can of pep, causing a tidal wave of Pep. This actually becomes important later, though I won't go into detail.

We then cut to the channel ID, which is exactly like the old and current Disney Channel channel IDs. The big difference is instead to drawing Mickey ears, Dewey, the lovable breakout character everyone loves, is drawing a lamp. It's the kind of lamp that would hold some sort of djinn, and not the djinn that looks for found lamps, either! Also, it's the Baba network...hey, just like that Baba guy the show is now credited to! Hmm...

Huey, of course, managed to notice all of this, and he runs back to the study after Donald tries to convince him to get some rest. Meanwhile, Mr. Quackington is all tied up by Webby, thinking he is some sort of suspicious special agent, and has Launchpad keep an eye on him. This leads to Launchpad and his band thinking he's a different kind of agent. Those are all about as far as they get with those plots, to be honest; it mostly focuses on Huey's plight and a plot with a certain other character that will appear in a few more paragraphs from now.

Huey's plight is about why he's in this strange realm where people are constantly laughing at him. He then sees tiny versions of Randy and Johnny from the Ottoman Empire. No, I'm not going to do the joke this time. That's in the past, much like 3 tiered rating systems. Huey figures out that is is an ad, and the dominoes just drop from there as he realizes the guidebook he was holding was a prop, the room doesn't actually have any pipes, and one of the doors just leads to a brick wall.

Nobody is convinced, and they're just thinking he's going coo-coo. However, he does have a fool-proof plan: point to the fourth wall, which they only now notice is missing.

They see some lights and some strange creatures that look sort of like those hairless apes Ludwig Von Drake was warning us about, but that can't be it! This is definite proof, and they all take it. Glad they won't take the entire episode to realize this.

Meanwhile, Donald shaves off the mohawk, only for him to have a bald spot. What's only slightly better is that Webby, who wants a meat tenderizer for some "cute girl stuff", still doesn't want to tell Donald where the photographer went. What else could go wrong?, says Donald, clearly signalling for something to go wrong. Though, if anything, something is going to go very right for us, because what would a sitcom be without a guest star?

Appearing for the first time in DuckTales is Goofy. This is heavily based on the Goofy from Goof Troop and A Goofy Movie, even wearing the same outfit and making the same pose he does in the former's intro a few seconds later. Donald doesn't seem to think too highly of him, though, and the way he "borrows" some ketchup by squirting it into what I hope is his pocket is not helping matters. Nonetheless, his appearance is just like one would imagine an appearance of Goofy would be like in DuckTales.

He does fit into the photography plot pretty well, as his job in this appearance is a photographer, but I'm more willing to focus on how Goofy is also someone who notices a change in Donald. Maybe it might be something else, but I'd like to think that Goofy is more familiar with Donald's usual voice. As in, he's a real person and not just a construct of whatever this is. There's hints of this throughout the episode, and we did get to see Roxanne and Powerline before, so it's not that much of a stretch.

It doesn't take long for the A plot of Huey dealing with this strange realm he's in and the B plot of the kidnapped photographer to crash into each other. I mean that literally, too, as Team Believes They're In A TV Show collides with Team Gotta Impress The Agent as the floor of the study collapses right into the room the photographer was kept in.

Slowly but surely, Huey convinces the rest of the people that something is wrong by simply saying that they should be going on an adventure. This is supposed to be an adventure series with an adventurer, and the biggest adventurer of them all, Scrooge McDuck, realizes it, too. However, he has no idea what would happen to get them into this realm.

Dewey: If only I could remember... (scratches his chin)

Everyone notices the world around them swirl around, and they panic until it stops. Huey tells them that this is a flashback, and they could use this power to try to figure out how they got into this mess in the first place.

At this point, Donald is the only one that thinks trying to get out of this world is just a waste of time, even stating that they should get back to the plot, er, photo. Yes, in that way. At this point, it was pretty obvious who is the culprit, but this scene in particular reveals a different co-culprit.

Finally, we get to see what was really happening: during an adventure to find the lost lamp of Collie Baba, they were stuck in a trap involving a ton of scorpions. Donald, in the barely comprehensible voice we all know and remember, decides to wish to himself that he would have normal family problems.

Donald's actions in this episode do make sense. Even though one of the main reasons why Donald Duck gave up on adventuring has been resolved, one cannot help that Donald just wants to be with his family, doing family things, and not getting into adventures that may risk his and his nephew's lives. I'd imagine being kidnapped by Moonlanders would do that to a guy.

After they get out of the flashback, they notice that the photographer is slowly trying to leave the room, and everyone knows at this point that this guy is not who he says he is. I mean, we got to see him quite clearly in that flashback.

The photographer is revealed to be Gene the Genie. We managed to get two rebooted characters out of Treasure of the Lost Lamp, and somehow they're completely separate from each other. He's here to make his master's wishes come true, and that master happens to be Donald. Donald still has two more wishes, and he could use his second to undo the first. One problem: he loves it here.

We also learn the reason why this show is dated: he hasn't been out of the lamp since 1990. This is another nod to Treasure of the Lost Lamp, as that was its release year. Goof Troop was a few years after that year, but I'll let that pass. What I might not let pass is the sheer amount of internet references, something that wasn't too widespread in 1990. Huey sure wouldn't have his emoji hat, also. Maybe their modern technology combined with Gene's sitcom world, but I felt that was a little missed opportunity to see some time-related shock.

Anachronisms aside, I have to mention this particular scene when the siblings ask how long they're going to stay in this realm if Donald decides against ever letting them out.

Gene: Probably at least three seasons, plus spinoffs. And I assume they'll reboot the show eventually!

It's pretty obvious why that line stood out. He really must be stuck in the past; most reboots are softer and rounder nowadays. I'd say more, but I'm trying not to fill that "YOU-KNOW-WHAT potshot" jar.

They want to go home, forget the three seasons, the spinoffs, and the dark and gritty reboots. Not speaking of softer in any sense of the word, that line does not go too well for those fourth wall dwellers...

...and we get our answer to how the ducks would react to hairless apes in the same universe as they are. Granted, when they're all grinning these horrifying open mouthed grins, it would make even people in this universe shudder. I know I am!

We get this big scene where they beat up the humans while they wait for Donald to come to his senses and wish them out of here. I'm not going to describe this scene in detail because there's just so much here. The mentioning of different episodes, the realm trying to fix itself, and a big rotation scene, pictured, that was put to good use in the trailers.

Another line in particular that stood out for me: Louie says that the episode where his pet snake gets loose isn't a well written plot. Gene tells him everyone's a critic. I can't help but feel that one.

I will mention that we do get to see Goofy have a parent-to-uncle talk with Donald, and, yes, this leads to even more for the Goof Troop/A Goofy Movie fans. This is a very pivotal moment in the plot, and it's all because of the guest star. Honestly, even if they're trying to get out of the sitcom, that is a very sitcom thing to do!

It shouldn't be much of a spoiler to reveal that they do manage to get out of the sitcom universe. We got a F.O.W.L. plotline to get to. How exactly do they do it? Does Donald get his two other wishes? Go watch the episode and find out for yourself, but I'll say that it is satisfying.

How does it stack up?

This is a very interesting and very funny episode. Purists may be a little upset by this episode focusing more on mimicking the 90's than take any inspiration from the comics, but this is a good tribute to the era. It all hold up together, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Fantastic episode, 5 Scrooges.

Next, we finally get to that F.O.W.L. plot, not so oddly enough!

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#fpb dt 2017 #ducktales 2017 #ducktales #fpb reviews #disney