#a sense of the Black uncanny and the Black fantastic

[notchainedtotrauma]

Janelle Monáe by Justin French

#Janelle Monae #Justin French #visual art: when Black artists create #color theory #light and such #theory of bodies in space #ecstasy as honey drying on soft skin #embodiment as grace #pouring liquidity and grace #ethereal beauty #fun beauty #the coolest marvels in the underspace #and against the haze of the afternoon the softest light #real nude hours #a sense of the Black uncanny and the Black fantastic

[monakisu]

I want you to know that I came across a random post of your Death Note art, went "Awww, oh my gosh, with the way this person draws Light I think Akechi would look fantastic in the same style!", clicked onto your profile, and then saw your newest artwork was Akechi. I'm still kind of cackling over it and thought maybe you'd find it funny too. Your art is SO cute, I'm very happy I found it <333

HAHA THAT’S AMAZING (<< was an akechi artist wayyyy before i fell head over heels for light)

but rlly… theyre so similar:

- brunet

- asshole

- pretty boy

- mass murderer

- black-haired homoerotic rival

at the end of the day, the key difference is one is a top and the other is a bottom.

ok but seriously, they’re vastly different characters on a fundamental level:

- light was handed everything him on a silver platter: family, friends, looks, intellect, a comfortable life… as a bastard child of a sex worker and now an orphan, goro had to fight his way to his current position and will always harbor a terrible sense of inferiority (light is completely confident in his absolute superiority, Always (that’s why the challenge of L sent him off the deep end of obsession lol))

- light genuinely sees himself as a hero, while goro would like to feel the same but is nonetheless depressingly aware of his villain’s journey (his undesirable position as the detective vs the underdog phantom thieves, his string of assassinations, his ultimate dirty bloody goal, etc.).

- light’s motive is about the world’s salvation, cleansing, the birth of his ideal reality (very messianic of him with the slightest loving tinge of mary cradling her lamb hahaha) while goro is laser-focused on ruining this one asshole’s life in particular, vengeance and revenge at once! one’s focused on rebirth, and the other gunning straight for death! they both use murder to get what they want but light probably floats around thinking himself so clean and divine as mother of the world (ignorance is bliss) while goro is constantly desperately trying to cover up his suspiciously red hands with his gloves hehehe… they’re both constantly striving for perfection, just with varying levels of self-awareness!!

- goro is a canonical loner; light has a horde of friends; this is probably due to a difference in public persona! goro is an untouchable idea of what he thinks a human should be and is completely out of the loop when it comes to normal social interactions (believes opening with hegel will instantly endear himself to the average person (luckily he inflicted that upon akira who is decidedly not average in the slightest)), light is implied to be more down-to-earth and even slightly goofy (he’s gaming decorum like an advanced speedrunner)! it’s probably good how distant goro is, because getting any closer to him will allow you to see how off-putting and uncanny he is, sorta like an AI-generated image—seams in the wrong places and far too much teeth LOL. meanwhile light has this whole shebang so thoroughly figured out that he’s BORED with it all! he’d like to move on to the next game (with L), thank you!! light definitely still exudes uncanny creepiness (it’s his natural state of being) especially when he zones out or starts hysterically cackling out of nowhere at his own thoughts, but he’s a hundred times better at masking compared to goro due to a better upbringing. goro is starved for the adoring friends he sees akira easily picking up one after another; light couldn’t give less of a shit because he’s always had those trivial luxuries! he’d much rather prefer an adoring WORLD!!

- then there’s the difference in how they die… one started out surrounded with company but ultimately died alone, while it’s the opposite for the other (if you count the de-realization of maruki’s reality as goro’s “death” (which i don’t)).

- in conclusion, light and goro are like funhouse mirror reflections of each other!!! one is a pampered lapdog getting a taste of rabies and letting loose, while the other is a starving wolf trying to domesticate itself for treats and headpats!! and i <3 them both!!!!!

anyways i may be wrong about light because im going purely off of fics, tumblr shitposts, and my own imagination :] feel free to school me in a way that won’t destroy my delusions!

#美迪 archive #💡princess posting⋆˚✿˖° #mailbox 💌 #light yagami #death note #goro akechi #persona 5 #persona 5 royal #art #artists on tumblr #digital art #doodle #rkgk #画画 #涂鸦

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

Hi, Vesu!! I don’t submit asks a lot because I know what a box full of them is like 😭, but if it is within your range, could you do the M6 with an MC who is prone to fainting? Not out of surprise or fear, but out of weakness and bad health? I’ve been having frequent fainting spells from new meds and it’s a really scary experience… like nausea and sounding like everything is far away. Also, feel free to make this a mini hc if that’s preferable! :0

The Arcana Mini-HCs: M6 with a fainting MC

~ @taduki hi friend! Sorry this took so long, I didn't want to make you wait any more so I turned this into a mini-hc. I hope this brings a little comfort <3 Here you go! - brainrot ~

Julian: Please, he's a doctor, not only does he know the exact chemical composition of the meds you're on, he's been studying the condition you're taking them for for months now. He's got this - no wait, you're collapsing again - HE DOESN'T GOT THIS! (At least, that's how he tells you it goes. Anybody else on scene watched him take excellent care of you like the competent doctor he is.)

Asra: Reeaallyy wishes you'd let them give you an additional potion that would make blacking out a little less scary and a little more ... ~fantastical~. Regardless, he has an uncanny sense for when you're about to faint and is always quick to pull you into a quiet, shady corner and find a spot where you can sit down while he supports you. They totally never paint whiskers on your face while you're out.

Nadia: Way more accommodating of you than she needs to be. You had to mention it to her when you accepted her commission to investigate the Count's death and she took that as an assignment. Now she always makes sure to stand with you as close to a couch as possible and tries to keep cool, fresh water available in every room. If she's taught all the guards assigned to you first aid - what of it?

Muriel: SO FLUSTERED the first time it happened, because he didn't see it coming and he hadn't even touched you yet but now he's holding you and inwardly panicking because you just fainted for no apparent reason and there's nobody else to take care of you and he doesn't know what to do - now he and Innana just position themselves as living fall cushions like it's second nature (he still worries).

Portia: The ultimate girl scout, she is borderline overprepared. Cold water and mint for nausea? In her bag. Protein rich snacks? In her pocket. Handkerchief for any cold sweats? Right here. She's even starting planning any shared schedules with extra flexibility/buffer times in case you need to take a moment and lie down. Just expect to share at least half of the snacks - that's her homemade trail mix!

Lucio: thought it made you easy pickings at first and falsely assumed it was because he was sooo intimidating in his ghostly goatman form. He was a little disappointed when you told him it was meds, but then he realized that you fainting -> physically catching and supporting you -> getting to act like a dashing romance protagonist -> CUDDLES! (he will panic if you don't wake up in under ten seconds)

#ask arcana brainrot #the arcana #the arcana game #the arcana headcanons #the arcana hc #asra the arcana #julian the arcana #nadia the arcana #muriel the arcana #portia the arcana #lucio the arcana #asra alnazar #julian devorak #nadia satrinava #muriel of the kokhuri #portia devorak #lucio morgasson

[adobe-outdesign]

Will you review the Maraquan pets? I think Buzz is my favorite based on design, and there are so many really creative/punny ones. Personally, I’ve never liked Wocky.

Maraqua is probably one of Neopets' most distinct lands given that it's, you know, underwater. The idea of making a color that fits with the Atlantis-esq aesthetic just makes logical sense, and the actual designs tend to be pretty cool. I like how there's actual thought put into how [X] Neopet would function if it was adapted to life underwater, with the bubbling pit area vaguely implying it might be a natural mutation (given the amount of "painted" Maraquan pets we see in Maraqua).

Maraquan also didn't do too badly with customization, mostly because they're not compatible with normal clothing anyway so the poses are at least somewhat distinct. That said, it is weird that they changed the poses at all; they already have to have clothing drawn specifically for them, so why force things like fists onto some of them? It's so weird.

Even weirder is the seemingly arbitrary decisions regarding which ones got UC versions; Maraquan Chombys barely changed at all yet somehow got a UC, while Maraquan Zafaras changed drastically but never got a UC. What gives?

(I can't count it on the favorites list because there are too many good still-obtainable Maraquan pets, but shoutout to the unconverted Maraquan Zafara for being one of my favorite Maraquan pets. Shame it's no more.)

Favorite Species:

Gelert: While the unconverted Maraquan Zafara is my all-time favorite Maraquan pet, the Maraquan Gelert is a very close second, and is definitely my fav if we're talking pets that are still obtainable. I love Maraquan pets where the design is just abstract, taking cues from various sea creatures without being a 1:1 parallel of them, and the Gelert is particularly beautiful in this respect. It plays with the Gelert's long ears and tails by making it vaguely eel-ish—adding in a back fin, a few spots, and a lovely green and purple color scheme.

The UC version is particularly gorgeous, having this lovely flow that curves back from the head and leads straight into the curled tail. The converted version is still fine, as it's a fairly accurate recreation all things considered, but the pose is much more awkward (the body suggests an S shape, but the paws and ears are going opposite directions and the chest sticks out too much).

It does, however, at least fix the shading; for some reason the UC Maraquan Gelert has one layer of shading with no highlights or shadows to speak of, which is really weird. (See the above, which is an edit I made years ago that just adds the layers of shading that the actual UC is missing. The lineart should also probably be thinner but I digress.) Anyway, the point is that both are beautiful designs.

Uni: Maraquan Uni are also really beautiful. Similar to a Peophin (arguably too much so, but hey, there's no Maraquan Peophin at the time of writing anyway), they've swapped their legs for a tail and their wings and mane have become fins themselves, with a pretty curved horn and some subtle striping to boot. Even better, the converted version is basically the same as the old art, so there's no difficulty in obtaining one (other than the PB cost, of course).

Lutari: While there are still a lot of great abstract Maraquan designs that I love (Eyrie, Draik, etc.), I have to give a shoutout to the Lutari for being a really great design based off of an obvious animal (in this case, an axolotl). The cream and pink color scheme is lovely, and I love the subtle mottle gradients on its limbs. The multiple sets of ears forming the gills is fantastic, the tail is pretty, the black claws add contrast, and it still reads really clearly as a Lutari despite the animal influence. Really good stuff.

Least Favorite Species:

Kacheek: The Maraquan Kacheek just looks incredibly uncanny to me. The best Maraquan pets are either ambiguous or choose an animal that fits the Neopet, but here they just... took a Kacheek head and slapped it on a goldfish body??? Don't like that at all. The head in isolation isn't terrible and I could see it working on a more Kacheek-ish torso, but this... no. At least it's nicely drawn on a technical level, I suppose?

#neopets #neotag #maraquan #gelert #uni #lutari #kacheek #neopet reviews

[lipglossanon]

Where is your pfp from if you don't mind me asking :]?

Hiya anon! 👋

And I don’t mind at all! 💜 It’s from a black and white psychological horror movie from 1962 called Carnival of Souls.

It’s one of my faves; it’s weird, dreamy (in a fantastical sense), and uncanny. The characters are memorable and the music is creepy and just I love the whole premise 😌

My header is also from the movie (well quote and pic that is 😝 the border not so much 🤭).

Here’s a link to the movie which is free on YouTube. And here’s the poster I used for my pfp:

#ask box #anon #lipglossanon #lipglossanswers #pfp #sorry for the rambling #I love talking movies that I enjoy ☺️ #carnival of souls #1962 carnival of souls

[finisnihil]

I feel like there’s such an untapped potential in Fair Folk/Fae based horror because when you look into their folklore it’d be perfect for something spooky.

The Fair Folk are fucking terrifying entities, you can never let your guard down around them, you can never accept their hospitality but you cannot for an instant cease being polite and even when you go out of your way to avoid them they still will creep into your life like mold or rot and steal your children for themselves or even pieces of your body. You have to be aware of every loose hair, every drop of blood, because they can use it against you. You have to bargain with the forest if you want anything back from them even your soul and that’s even more dangerous because the forest wants to devour you so bad. They’re eldritch in their horror.

In most modern stories based on them they’re very sexualized and they have a lot of their core traits stripped from them, they come to resemble more so the modern idea of a fairy like the kind you see in Peter Pan. Petty but ultimately possessing some sense of benevolence (Ex. Tinker Bell getting the Lost Boys to shoot Wendy but still having her existence tied to the belief of children). Sarah J. Maas’s fairies are hot guys with neat powers.

On the topic of ACOTAR I struggled to get invested in it because it lacks the tension of an encounter with the Fair Folk, the mind games, the stakes. The powerlessness of not only you becoming more aware of your surroundings but your surroundings also becoming more aware of you. Sure Feyre was spirited away but her place in the world of the fairies was mostly of little struggle beyond being lonely and feeling out of place. The fairies around her could be mean yes but there was an absence of the cruelty, the biting pettiness, the suffocating fear of saying just one wrong thing. When you compare it to works of authors like Holly Black, who is extremely faithful to the folklore, it’s easy to see just much of the Fair Folk’s base concepts were stripped from ACOTAR’s worldbuilding.

In The Folk of the Air series by Holly Black there’s a constant sense of powerlessness in the protagonists and the quiet understanding that kindness doesn’t get you very far with creature like the Fair Folk. Jude only because somewhat respected when she becomes cruel, she only assimilates fully into the world of the Fae when she abandons her notions of her humanity, when she acts like them.

The House of Furies series by Madeleine Roux also has a fantastic grasp on the horror of the Fae. In House of Furies there’s the ever prevalent feeling that the protagonist doesn’t belong among humans because she gives the people around her a sense of uncanny valley. The Fae are these eldritch beings far beyond the understanding of the protag, and they constantly haunt the narrative in the way that they are nature and you can run as far as you want but you can’t outrun what watches you from the trees.

#Nihil Dreams #Fair Folk #The Fae #Folklore #I love Holly Black #The Fae are a special interest of mine #I there was more horror centered in the idea of them #One of my favorite comic artist/writers have a horror comic based on the premise of the Fae and I’m eating it up #I ever roped Doc into it #And she Hates horror

[beeejayy]

Back with more soul eater au . Sun eater. Omori eater. Uhh. Soul omori.

Anyways me ranting about this au down here .

First, soul eater premise so I don't confuse people!

"Death City is home to the famous Death Weapon Meister Academy, a technical academy headed by the Shinigami—Lord Death himself. Its mission: to raise "Death Scythes" for the Shinigami to wield against the many evils of their fantastical world. These Death Scythes, however, are not made from physical weapons; rather, they are born from human hybrids who have the ability to transform their bodies into Demon Weapons, and only after they have consumed the souls of 99 evil beings and one witch's soul."

Omori spoilers probably too

------------------------------------------------------------

Aubrey, Hero and Sunny are all meisters! What does that mean? It means their job is to turn their friends into death weapons, they're all partners and fight together!

Sunny: Sunny wants to become a miester for his sister, he's only doing it because Mari wanted him to be by her side and not leave him alone.

Hero: His parents wanted him to be born a weapon but since he never did he still wanted to do something so he became a meister and wants to be one of the first to make one of his friends (Mari) a death scythe. Hero prefers using Mari's scythe form the most since their wavelengths get along the most and they're just both good as a team.

Aubrey: She always wanted to be a weapon, it sounded the coolest to her but she is just a human. But, she can see souls! What does that mean? It's called Soul Perception, Aubrey herself possesses a keen sense of soul perception in which is due to the fact that she possess greater courage then others when fighting fear. Not only can she sense souls herself, but also attributes and estimated capabilities and later even the emotional state of others. (I totally didn't copy and paste what soul perception means) Aubrey is extremely jealous of Kel due to the fact he can turn into different weapons and she can't even be one. (Will get into Kel soon.) Aubrey and Kel are the best pair but also cannot work together. Their wavelengths never match and they can barely use soul resonance, when they fight their souls reject each other which causes Aubrey's hands to burn and Kel to feel very ill and his nose bleeds. Aubrey's hands are burnt because of how many times this happens!

------------------------------------------------------------

Mari: She is the only Scythe in the group! She is a perfectionist and her soul is the most determined out of everyone. Mari can actually use her scythe as a piano!

Basil: Basil is gardening shears! (Yeah I know, real original) When he and Sunny first paired up they had a fight over trying to do witch hunter (a fighting technique to kill witches) and Basil accidentally hurt Sunny and now Sunny has less eye coordination! Basil works best with Aubrey because of how long the two have been working together. (I'm still considering giving Basil black blood so he can be stranger but I don't know.)

Kel: (Kel's weapon choice was hard for me so I did just take another character's abilities and gave it to him but it works well with him.) He is classified as a "shadow weapon" who has the power to transform into a variety of ninja weapons including a kusarigama, a shuriken, a ninjatō, knife and a smoke bomb. His ability was passed down by previous family members. His parents wanted it to be for Hero but they couldn't control that! Kel can use his soul to resonate with whoever wields him! It reflects his character and how he can befriend anyone. Each person has a preference of Kel's weapon ability that they like to use. Mari uses Kel's smokebomb form, Aubrey uses his Kusarigama, Basil uses his Shuriken, Sunny uses his knife form (obviously) and Hero uses the ninjatō! Hero is the only one who can use it, its full name is the uncanny sword. One of the Uncanny Sword's known abilities is "Soul Possession", in which exploits the fears in people's hearts to possess the body and soul of the person who carries it. In the end, it absorbs the person's soul entirely. Another is Shadow Manipulation, the Uncanny Sword is capable of controlling a meister's shadow at will for a variety of effects. Hero is the only one who can use this weapon form because using it takes the users soul and Hero has the most experience with this form.

All of them are a group and switch between using each weapon because they can't pick only one pair together (by them I mean me)

#wow i ranted a lot #sorry . #dont have to read you can just like jt for fun art :] #i jist went a bit craazy #omori #soul eater #my art #omori fanart #omori au #hero omori #sunny omori #aubrey omori #mari omori #kel omori #basil omori #too many thoughts in head

[the-last-ballad-of-olympus]

War and Wisdom

An uncanny ship

Greek mythology has been a fascination to many. it is timeless that many great artists made it as the inspiration for their Magnum Opus. With its many tales involving gods, demi-gods, fantastical creatures, and even the blacks and whites of humanity--there is no question why many still regard Greek mythology as one of the best literary works to ever exist.

With that in mind, the gods and goddesses had been the aged-old subjects of every known art, whether in writing form, a play, or in paintings.

And mine is no different...

Writing the novel, The Last Ballad of Olympus, I was immediately drawn to the concept of "star-crossed lovers" and even "enemies-to-lovers", hence why I have Athena paired with Ares--her most hated foe.

The pairing of the Greek god of war and the Greek goddess of wisdom is indeed uncanny, even to some considering it forbidden. But to my colourful head, Athena and Ares made sense.

What is war that does not involve wisdom?

War is chaotic--disruptive in nature. Many would hypothesise that ending war should involve love. it is the reason why Aphrodite and Ares are a couple in the mythology. However, in reality, to end the war, it must involve a great understanding and use of wisdom.

I understand Athena and Ares as a couple in a "fanfiction" is still something odd to some, but I see it as going beyond the norm without compromising much of the known myths and legends.

Read the story here...

WEBNOVEL

WATTPAD

#athena x ares #athenares #greek mythology #greek mythology retellings #greek gods #god of war #goddess of wisdom #goddess athena #god ares #athena and ares #webnovel #wattpad #enemies to lovers #fanfic

[proudfreakmetarusonniku]

youve got based thoughts on primeboys tbh. metal tommy is a fantastic idea. like. imagine being so obsessed with the image of this kid you have in your head that you make a copy of him?? or better yet we go the rusty rose route and he was the tommy we knew at one point but hes so warped by the upgrades and such that hes near unrecognizable. woof dude.

oh i have a lot of detailed thoughts on him based off a dream i had last night!

so basically, instead of straight up killing sam, dream forces him to build him metal tommy instead. he's this uncanny valley nightmare creature, being very clearly tommy but also being built entirely for combat with sharp edges and raised armoured sections, big ass claws, a million embedded weapons, and jets in his feet to improve his mobility. also the black and red eyes and lack of mouth bc i gotta pay homage to the little terminator hedgehog who named my blog after all 🥰 dream is the only person who doesn’t find him inherently terrifying and offputting.

mentally, he's designed with two goals- first, capture tommy dead or alive and keep him from escaping for his “papa” dream, and second to obey all of dream’s orders without question. sam deliberately programmed them to take priority in those order in the desperate hope that if he malfunctioned due to that dream would just discard of him. obviously, he’s not designed to outright defeat tommy- dream doesn’t need him as his protege anymore, he’s got metal tommy for that, but he still finds him entertaining and sees him as a friend in a deeply unhealthy and dehumanising way, so he wants to keep him alive, just not free, and if he has to revive him a few times so be it.

dream is… not a good dad to his new robot child. he's expected to basically be the protege version of tommy that dream was working towards in exile, but he’s an entirely new person who's literally just came into existence and despite having a wealth of mad science, necromancy, tactics, and combat knowledge in his head he's still essentially a newborn. while he can’t physically hurt metal tommy, since he's basically indestructible and can’t feel pain, he sure as fuck can mentally abuse the shit out of him for failing to live up to an expectation he could never be reasonably assumed to reach!

so metal tommy is like, a fucking mess personality wise. he's essentially an emotionless quiet killer robot out of choice, because he's terrified of ever saying or doing the wrong thing. he mimics tommy obsessively, because if he doesn’t act close enough to him he's punished. he literally has no sense of right or wrong. he's desperate to please his “papa”, knowing nothing but him and his very conditional love, but he's perceptive enough to pick up on the fact he’s just a substitute for his “uncle” tommy in dream's head and desperately wants to prove that he's the better tommy, and that he deserves love more than him- because as much as dream's friendship with tommy is incredibly fucked up and obsessive, metal tommy has known literally no other.

also, y’know. tommy might essentially be sonic personality wise, but he’s also way more traumatised and physically destroyed from the world around him. he's not going to be able to have cool fights with his robot doppelganger or anything, he's going to get fucked up. he can’t fight- his only options are to use his wits, his words, or to run like hell. and it’s not like metal tommy is an undefeatable threat, but he’s not a fightable one. nor is he able to be reasoned or sweet-talked out of his obsessive goal- he has no choice but to fulfill his programming, whether he wants to or not. and it’s only a matter of time before he decides he’s going to prove to his papa that he’s the only one worthy of his twisted affection whether he wants it or not, and then he won’t even be taking orders from dream anymore.

so yeah that’s how u make metal sonic an even more fucked up concept.

#metal tommy au #primeboys (derogatory) #dream smp #abuse tw #kidnapping tw #obsession tw #posessive behaviour tw

[albumwalloffame]

Top 10 Worst Album Covers of 2022 - Part 1

Everyone’s doing their worst albums of 2022, why can’t I do a list about the worst album covers of 2022? If you weren’t around for last year, I did this list pretty much to riff on and have some fun with album covers that I thought were pretty bad, and I actually thought I’d be unable to do one again this year, but I pulled through, so here are the worst album covers of 2022.

#10. Scorpions - Rock Believer

Honestly, I’m mostly just putting this here because it’s a Scorpions album cover. The Scorpions are notorious for their weird, bizarre and gross album covers, and this one is actually rather tame by their standards. I mean, there’s no gross implications, no weird imagery, no... straight up illegal anything on this cover. I mean, it’s still absolutely silly, it’s the Scorpions’ “Blackout” cover by way of The Rolling Stones’ “Goats Head Soup” and it’s just silly. again, tame by the band’s standards, but still not a great cover.

#9. Editors - EBM

Okay straight up, this one is just my autistic ass getting frustrated here. The symbol in the middle is meant to be the “EBM”, and I get that, it’s just it looks more like “E3M”, and the one way to fix it would actually make it worse, because you would either be left with a very unsymmetrical image, or it would look like “8B∞” and that would... just be nonsense. I really do get what the artist was trying to do here, and I want to like this album cover, but... I’m way to autistic to be happy looking at this.

#8. Three Days Grace - Explosions

I have a rule when it comes to art for the masses, if it looks like something I would have drawn or liked when I was a miserable teenager reading creepypasta, it goes onto the worst pile. Broken hearts were one of my aesthetics as a teen, and a heart made out of fire would easily have been one of the coolest things at the time. Thankfully, I grew up, found actual hobbies and have come to realize that I was super unwell mentally and emotionally, so anything that I would have liked back then that I wouldn’t like now, immediately terrible.

#7. Black Dresses - Forget Your Own Face

This one joins in the ranks of Senses Fail’s “Let It Enfold You”, Shinedown’s “Us and Them” and Little Steven’s “Summer of Sorcery” where the album cover is almost good, almost really good, almost one of the best, but there is just one major flaw holding it back. Why did the artist choose this goopy, sticky looking material or effect to cover their faces? Why not just use a smudge tool and a butt-ton of Photoshop effects? Or if you wanted this clay look, why not just make the whole thing out of clay? Seeing two real people and then this obviously fake fleshy looking stuff is very uncanny valley. Bet the music is good though, I should get into this band.

#6. Black Midi - Hellfire

Though here’s a band I just can’t get into. Look, I’ve heard nothing but good things about Black Midi, I’m sure they���re a fantastic band. I’d love to give them a shot, but their album covers are so full of random crap, so overstimulating and just so unappealing that I just can’t. The point of an album cover is to draw people in, and Black Midi’s covers do the opposite for me. That being said, at this point, I’m almost positive it is just their style and aesthetic, so what can I really say? If this is the type of imagery they like, I can’t take that away from them, and I wouldn’t want to, I guess I’ll see them next time they release an album, and carry on.

Part 2 is coming up.

#music #art #album archive #album covers #bad album covers #top 10 list #Album Covers Wall (Hall) of Fame

[superpaws478]

Super Pets

In a world where heroes and villains clash in epic battles for justice and domination, there exists a group of extraordinary beings that often go unnoticed—super pets. These remarkable companions possess abilities beyond those of ordinary animals, serving as loyal allies to their superhuman counterparts. While they may not don capes or masks, their contributions to the fight against evil are invaluable, their loyalty unwavering, and their powers awe-inspiring.

One of the most iconic super pets in comic book lore is Krypto the Superdog, the loyal canine companion of Superman himself. Krypto shares Superman's Kryptonian physiology, granting him super strength, speed, and flight. His unwavering loyalty to his master and his determination to protect the people of Earth make him a formidable ally in the ongoing battle against tyranny.

Similarly, Batman's faithful companion, Ace the Bat-Hound, patrols the streets of Gotham City alongside his master. Trained in the ways of detection and combat by the Dark Knight himself, Ace possesses heightened senses and an uncanny ability to track down criminals. With his keen intellect and fierce determination, Ace proves that even the most unlikely of heroes can make a difference in the fight against crime.

But super pets are not limited to the realm of superheroes alone. Villains too have their own loyal companions, often twisted by evil and used as tools of destruction. One such example is Catwoman's feline companion, Isis. Though small in stature, Isis possesses agility and cunning that rival even the most skilled of adversaries. With her razor-sharp claws and quick reflexes, she strikes fear into the hearts of those who dare to cross her mistress.

Beyond the realms of comics and graphic novels, real-life examples of super pets abound, showcasing the incredible bond between humans and animals. From search and rescue dogs who brave treacherous conditions to save lives, to therapy animals who bring comfort and healing to those in need, these unsung heroes remind us of the extraordinary capabilities of our furry friends.

Take, for instance, Lulu, a black Labrador retriever trained by the CIA to detect explosives. With her keen sense of smell and unwavering focus, Lulu is able to sniff out danger and keep her human partners safe from harm. Her dedication to duty and her willingness to put herself in harm's way make her a true hero in every sense of the word.

In the realm of science fiction and fantasy, the concept of super pets takes on new and imaginative forms. From dragons and unicorns to mythical creatures of all shapes and sizes, these fantastical companions captivate our imaginations and inspire us to dream of worlds beyond our own.

One such example is Toothless, the lovable Night Fury dragon from the popular animated film series "How to Train Your Dragon." With his sleek black scales and razor-sharp teeth, Toothless is a force to be reckoned with in the skies. But beneath his fearsome exterior lies a heart of gold, loyal to his human companion Hiccup and willing to risk everything to protect those he loves.

In the world of literature, authors have long explored the concept of super pets in their works, weaving tales of adventure and heroism that capture the imagination of readers young and old alike. From the magical creatures of J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series to the talking animals of C.S. Lewis's "The Chronicles of Narnia," these beloved characters remind us of the power of friendship and the importance of standing up for what is right.

But perhaps the true power of super pets lies not in their extraordinary abilities or their larger-than-life adventures, but in the bond they share with their human companions. In a world filled with chaos and uncertainty, these loyal friends offer comfort, companionship, and unconditional love, reminding us of the importance of kindness, empathy, and compassion.

As we celebrate the heroes—both human and animal—that populate our favorite stories, let us not forget the unsung heroes who walk by our side each and every day. Whether they possess the ability to fly, to leap tall buildings in a single bound, or simply to offer a comforting paw in times of need, super pets remind us that true heroism knows no bounds.

#Pet Shop Online Singapore

[notchainedtotrauma]

Indigo seldom spoke. There was a moon in her mouth. Having a moon in her mouth kept her laughing.

from Sassafrass, Cypress and Indigo by Ntozake Shange

#Ntozake Shange #Sassafrass Cypress and Indigo #Indigo #a sense of the Black uncanny and the Black fantastic

[oxyvisualanalysis-fa23]

Thriller by Micheal Jackson and La La La by Naughty Boy ft. Sam Smith

Luella Ottmann

Thriller by Micheal Jackson was released by Epic Records on January 23, 1993, as the seventh and final single from his sixth studio album. John Landis directed the "Thriller" music video, which debuted on MTV on December 2, 1983. It was the first music video to be placed into the National Film Registry, and many of its components, like Jackson's red jacket and the zombie dance, have remained iconic in popular culture. Numerous magazines and reader surveys have deemed it the best music video ever made. The Thriller video cemented MTV's status as a significant cultural force and changed the creation of music videos for those ahead of him. It also assisted in the dismantling of racial barriers for Black musicians.

Michael Jackson's Thriller music video can be connected to Freud's definition of the uncanny, especially in the thematic elements of disrupting reality and blurring the lines between fantastical and real. Primarily, the video mixes aspects of horror with what appears to be a typical date night scenario, which throws off the viewer's sense of reality. As Micheal Jackson transforms into the werewolf, we experience how the transformation from reality to the supernatural evokes feelings of uneasiness or uncanniness. As Freud states, “Uncertainty whether an object is living or inanimate…is quite irrelevant in connection with this other, more striking instance of uncanniness. It is true that the writer creates a kind of uncertainty in us in the beginning by not letting us know, no doubt purposely, whether he is taking us into the real world or into a purely fantastic one of his own creation.” (Freud, 423) Freud is highlighting how the feeling of uncanniness can be evoked by uncertainties regarding what's reality and what's fantastical. After Micheal Jackson turns into a werewolf and the video transitions, showing us that Jackson and his girlfriend are simply watching a scary movie, our understanding of reality is challenged. When elements in a narrative challenge our ability to clearly distinguish between the real and the unreal, or between the living and the inanimate, it creates a sense of eeriness and discomfort. 

In relation to Frantz Fanons The Negro and Psychopathology, Micheal Jacksons Thriller video can be seen as a commentary on racial stereotypes in media. Fanon states that “In the magazines the Wolf, the Devil, the Evil Spirit, the Bad Man, the Savage are always symbolized by Negroes or Indians; since there is always identification with the victor, the little Negro, quite as easily as the little white boy, becomes an explorer, an adventurer, a missionary "who faces the danger of being eaten by the wicked Negroes." Fanon is criticizing the widespread and media-perpetrated racial stereotypes. Black people are frequently symbolized in fictional media an evil or dangerous characters, and according to Fanon, this type of representation serves to dehumanize and legitimize the oppression of certain groups. In the Thriller video, Michael Jackson could be exploring this concept through his transformation into a werewolf/zombie. He goes from being a sweet and polite gentleman to an aggressive and abusive creature, which could correlate to how the media contributes to the maintenance of certain stereotypes. Fanon talks about how these kinds of media representations become ingrained in the unconscious of children. When black people are associated with negative images such as "the Wolf" or "the Devil," young brains are conditioned to perceive black people as innately dangerous. Micheal Jackson’s transformations in the video could be critiquing this idea. 

"La La La" is a song released by British record producer Naughty Boy, featuring vocals from Sam Smith. It was released on May, 18 2013 as the second single from Naughty Boy's debut album Hotel Cabana (2013) and it appears on the deluxe version of Smith's debut album In the Lonely Hour. (2014). The track reached number one on the music charts in 26 countries.

The “La La La” music video contains many visual references that align with Freud's theories of the uncanny. Primarily, as soon as the video starts, the door with the number 1111 opens up, which relates to Freud's exploration of how “involuntary repetition… forces upon us the idea of something fateful and inescapable where otherwise we should have spoken of "chance" only.” Essentially, in alignment with Freud's ideas, the encountering of certain repeating events or in this case, numbers becomes eerie to us because we begin to feel that there is a hidden inevitability or significance behind it. This being the very first thing in the video, sets the stage for feelings of uncanniness.

Generally, we can see that the narrative is based around the Wizard of Oz, which is presented through the characters; the lion as the dog, the young boy as Dorothy, the old man as the Tin Man, and the final character as the scarecrow. These characters, despite being representative of reality, contain certain unsettling and fantastical elements. There is a blurring between what we recognize and what is unfamiliar, which produces elements of the uncanny. In addition, these characters are generally unsettling because it is difficult to distinguish their personhood or their animatness. Typical human characteristics are obscured, such as the Tin Mans's gray skin and the Scarecrow's lack of a face. Freud articulates this by saying,  "In telling a story, one of the most successful devices for easily creating uncanny effects is to leave the reader in uncertainty whether a particular figure in the story is a human being or an automaton". Our inability to distinguish the humanity in a character as well as the blurring between fiction and reality, produces uncanny characteristics that are present in this video. 

The “La La La” music video can also be analyzed in the context of Jacques Lacan's The Mirror Stage as Formative of the Function of the I as Revealed in Psychoanalytic Experience in how the boy in the video interacts with the external world. Lacan's mirror stage theory suggests that individuals develop their self-identity through the encounter with their own image in a mirror. As Lacan puts it, “We have only to understand the mirror stage as an identification." This self-image becomes an idealized, unified image that emerges from the previously fragmented bodily experience. In the video, the young boy's refusal to see or hear the harsh realities of his surroundings, by covering his ears, can be seen as a form of self-protection, where he constructs an idealized self-image as a means of coping with a difficult environment. In addition, Lacan's theory emphasizes the sense of alienation that occurs when the idealized self-image becomes a source of emotional dependence, despite it not being reflective of reality. The Wizard of Oz characters, which can be seen as figments of the boy's imagination, represent how he escapes into a world as a response to this alienation. He constructs a protective mental space to deal with his inability to reconcile the harsh external world with his idealized self-image.

Discussion questions:

How do you think we unconsciously gain prejudice through media portrayals? Do you think Michael Jackson is explicitly exploring concepts of race in the Thriller video?

How do you think Freud's concept of the uncanny is utilized to create feelings of uneasiness in other pieces of horror media? How do the feelings of uncanniness differ from typical feelings of fear?

Do you think the use of imagination as a form of escaping harsh external circumstances is a healthy practice?

#Youtube

[the-witcher-parks]

The Monstrous and the Fair par TheOneAndOnly UnicornWhisperer Via Flickr : In the dim days of autumn's mist, as leaves descended from trees and the wind keened through narrow town lanes, there dwelt a maiden named Eliza, possessed of entrancing beauty. Her existence remained secluded, far removed from raucous revelry and the tempestuous world. Her fervent passion lay in crafting fantastical tales wherein she wove worlds of wonder and summoned enchanting creatures. One somber afternoon, rain beating against her windows and Eliza lost in her tales, a gentle rapping sounded at her door. She rose in bewilderment, unbarred the entrance, and there stood a mysterious lady. This stranger bore raven-black tresses flowing in cascading ringlets and eyes aglow with eerie emerald light. "Eliza," spoke the stranger in a deep and smoky voice, "I bear a gift for thee." She proffered a modern contraption, a laptop, its exterior a mysterious shade of dark violet. "What is the purpose of this?" inquired Eliza, her perplexity growing. "This device shall bestow upon thee the power to transform thy tales into reality," the enigmatic lady explained. "Write what thy heart desires, and it shall materialize." With a final enigmatic curtsy, the lady vanished into obscurity, leaving Eliza alone with the uncanny bequest. Initially dismissed as jest, curiosity impelled her to open the laptop and let her fingers course over its keys. Eliza embarked on her literary endeavor, plunging into a narrative titled "The Monstrous and the Fair." It told of a maiden who fell in love with a grotesquely disfigured creature, not for its semblance but for the purity of its heart and nobility of its soul. As Eliza inscribed the final words, she sensed an oddity in the atmosphere. A faint yet ceaseless knocking reverberated at her portal. Her heart raced as she threw open the door, revealing an incredible tableau—a monstrous yet gentle creature before her very eyes. The beast she had conjured stood in her presence—a hideous entity, its visage grotesque, yet eyes that burned with kindness. Eliza could do naught but succumb to an affection for the beast, not for its appearance, but for its intrinsic virtue. Together, they composed further tales—of monstrous beings with noble hearts who traversed the realm of humankind. These chronicles became corporeal, and people discovered that beauty dwelt not merely in outward semblance but, crucially, in the core of one's being. Eliza and the beast embarked on a journey across the world, penning narratives and uniting mortals with creatures once deemed monsters. Their tales erected bridges betwixt realms, imparting unto humanity a profound lesson: genuine beauty resided within the heart, and love acknowledged no boundaries, in reality or fancy. And thus, they existed, in a world born through the sorcery of their words and the potency of their love. In the arms of the beast, Eliza found ultimate fulfillment.

#midjourney #storytelling #flickr

[of-daydreams-and-demons]

My first little story I post here :3

Of daydreams and daemons

I don't think I dream at night, bar the occasional nightmare or two, so I make up for it in the day.

When there is a calm enough atmosphere, drowning out my active thoughts with soft sounds, I close my eyes, and what should've been dreams now happen when I wake. Albeit a lot more hazy, and without any sense other than sight, and rarely sound, but it's dreams alright. Fantastical happenings one after the other, connected with segues that are only noticeable in hindsight, like a cloud changing shape ever so subtly, that, after a minute, you might think to yourself "wasn't this a bird just now? How did it become a dog?" As dreams are.

And when I realise that it is done, as ascertained by noticing relations in dreams to current or recent events, I hastily leave. Wouldn't want to know what the stuff beneath is. Creeps up every now and then, but that's what being awake is for. To keep it contained. And that's what the videos are for. So it may never escape and terrorize me again like it did all the years back. When no one would listen. When no one would believe. It was there. For me. To make it worse, mind you. Not any better. Sleepless night after sleepless night ad nauseam. At points I'd even ask a guardian to sit beside me until I fell asleep with lights on, and an audiobook playing. Other occasions I'd tire myself to a point my brain was too weak to dream, just to not have to live that waking nightmare any further.

"It's not real it can't hurt you" only has credibility until you feel it grab you. Until you swing to and fro like a tree in a storm. Eyes wide open in terror, but incapable to see. There should be light, you know there should. Yet now it is but blurry blackness where your hand just was, where the outlet just was, where your pillow just was, where reality just was. Swirling, taunting blackness. Nothing I see now, if even I see anything, is real. All wrong. Slightly off from what they used to be. Uncanny. A chair in my room, but the wheels are off. Not round. More organic. I can't avert my eyes either. I consider it blessing and curse simultaneously. I can't see the rest of it's deformities, but I can't see anything else. I bask in oblivion of what what is happening, and wallow in the filth of not knowing. I can't move at all. And just when I am about to scream, it stops. Like nothing ever was there. I never wake up, of course. Because I never slept. My eyes don't slam open, they continue staring in disbelief. At what just happened, and at the thought it might again. And it does. Unrelentingly.

#writers on tumblr #writer blog #nightmare #sleep paralysis #horror #criticism gladly accepted

[dourpeep]

back again with the kazuxiaoreader (which i’ll shorten the kaxire)

xiao is such a picky eater, in the sense that a lot of textures turn him off to certain food; he does still like bitter and sweet tastes though (i feel like he’s the kind of monster to like straight black coffee lmao)

in comes kazuha and reader to take whatever xiao can’t really stomach. kazuha is down to eat anything, so he’s xiao’s go to when the latter picks off pickles from his sandwich. regardless if he likes that one food or not, reader gets xiao’s scraps when he knows it’s their favorite; he lives for that heartwarming smile when they realize what he’s up to.

depending on reader’s taste, they’ll either enjoy all of their meal or just give some of their food to kazuha. he’ll always accept it with that soft smile of his. reader learned the hard way not to share meals with xiao because of the cold stare he gives. reader tries to give some of their food to him because they know he likes it regardless if they themselves like it or not, but those cold eyes of his stop their fork from sliding off the extra tofu onto his plate. xiao passes it off like he could always get more and not to bother, but instead he never wants reader to cut themselves of from food just for his sake. only when reader is insistent on how they’d like to share with xiao will he bring up the previous point

kazuha, our resident cook, always has his sweethearts in mind, so he does all he can to cater to their tastes while making sure there’s enough to go around. what a dedicated king. but yeah, this is a general thought when it comes to eating out of the trio being gifted food so they feel like nothing goes to waste ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

- umi

YESYESYES Absolutely Umi!!!

I haha...wrote a lot

Gotta love translating the quirks of characters to modern day stuff hehe. Picky eater Xiao is very likely--and the fact that Kazuha isn't? Very good very good.

And to be the type...Xiao-

Xiao having some sweet dessert that has strawberries and knowing that you like them, he picks them off and gives them to you. You can protest all you want, but there's no chance that you'll be able to give them back. No--no being sneaky, he won't eat it off your fork.

With Kazuha, he's just very grateful for the gesture. You, caring and loving him so much that you want to share your meal? How can he refuse? In return, you'll get a bite back all while Xiao's grumpy. He would share just for the cute reactions that you and Kazuha give...but he doesn't. He'll just live vicariously through his loves feeding each other now and then.

Kazuha, being considerate as he is, definitely will cook according to the tastes of whoever he's feeding, and that especially includes the loves of his lives! He probably goes to the grocer and has a whole internal monologue-

'This can be made similar to that one dish Xiao liked last time...maybe this would be good?'

Ahh which reminds me.

Hotpottttt

Considering hotpot is very common in Asian culture, there's no doubt that you, Kazuha, and Xiao have gone out to eat at a hotpot-based restaurant!

It's fun, you can customize what meats and veggies and misc additions you want!

You and Kazuha really enjoy it, but Xiao? Not so much. But it's because his little thing about not liking stuff that you have to put together despite buying it for the purpose of eating out. Why don't they just put the meat in there already? You have to wait for the stuff to cook? What's the point?

But he'll eat it regardless because Kazuha's cooking the meats and stuff for him.

Another that Xiao's not too keen on is Korean bbq. Very tasty and lots of options, but it's another problem of 'order and cook it yourself'.

Kazuha doesn't have a particular favorite, but there is a really nice Mom & Pop style place tucked away downtown. He loves the care that's put into the meals made, the attention to the cooking. It's important, after all. Why not put the effort into cooking if you're going to be cooking either way?

It's also a good median because they have a few different dishes that he knows you and Xiao really like!

Everyone is happy!

Speak of which, another thing that all three of you would enjoy would be dim sum! :D

You can pick and choose what dishes you want among a ton of options, and, though a bit costly, it's very filling. Xiao would like the radish cakes, I think.

Oh! But also going back to Kazuha just cooking at home, whether alone or with you!

He's a fantastic chef, has a knack for just knowing what's missing or what alcohol would taste best paired with that very tender beef stew he prepared for tonight. It's a little intimidating for him to be so keen-

Not to mention his cutting skills. So fast.

But despite his uncanny ability to cook, no matter your skill level, he's over the moon when you want to prep something. One of his loves? Making food??? For him?? You'll be getting compliments and kisses for days- (not that you already don't).

Xiao tries to not help as much as he can when it comes to cooking. It's not that he doesn't want to help. It's just...he's not the best cook out there and his impatience with the process ends up making him frustrated and grumpy.

Luckily he's aware it makes him frustrated and grumpy, so to spare you and Kazuha, he'll watch from the table or counter while either of you cook instead.

#anon asks #umi anon #umi sounds like uni which then makes me think of sea urchins #speaking of sea urchins Kazuha's favorite foods would probably be seafood #kazuha x xiao x reader #xiao and his two lovely dumb s/o's #kazuha #xiao #genshin impact #genshin impact drabbles #genshin impact headcanons #genshin impact imagines #musings