#i mean i understand if you’re not a diehard but it’s just like ooooh that’s the whole entire beginning…

[goldensunset]

ik what nomura says but in my mind i break down the kh series/timeline into arcs like this:

arc 1: khχ, χ back cover, khuχ. the age of fairytales and its end

arc 1.5: khml. once the game is actually out i will might be able to sort it into either one or two but for now it’s going in between

arc 2: khdr and bbs. the stories of xehanort and eraqus and the dying legacy of scala ad caelum

arc 2.5: kh1. yeah this one is kind of a stand-alone to me as the first ever game. i know 0.2 is kind of happening at the same time but i’m sorting more by metanarrative focus here and sorry but those three kids and ansem are their own deal

arc 3: com, days, kh2. the story of organization 13 and the existential tragedy of the nobodies and replicas

arc 3.5: coded. i actually do not know a lot about this one (sorry fake fan moment) but i can only assume it’s chronologically between kh2 and ddd? from what i understand instead of furthering a particular narrative it’s sort of a character study stopping point between them. let’s just breathe and analyze the state of things

arc 4: ddd, 0.2, kh3. revival of the organization and master xehanort, tying up plot lines. so you thought you were done with all these villains? you fool. it’s all coming together now. now we will finally wrap it up. maybe

arc 4.5: kh3 re:mind (counting it as its own thing bc i said so), melody of memory. ok NOW we will finally tie things up while also continuing to transition into the next saga!

arc 5: kh4. we do not yet know exactly what’s gonna happen of course but it’s clearly and officially a marked beginning of something new. and also going back to the chronological beginning featuring many characters from arc 1

#kingdom hearts #which uh. also serves to illustrate how wild it is that a lot of people just don’t pay attention to the first several #i mean i understand if you’re not a diehard but it’s just like ooooh that’s the whole entire beginning…

[raisingsupergirl]

Comic-Con-fusion

So, I drove up to Iowa this past weekend and stayed with some good friends in order to experience my first comic-con. Some of you are giddy with excitement to hear how it went (you’re the ones who probably recognized the above picture of Carey Means, Aqua Teen Hunger Force’s Frylock). Others of you are wondering why this is a big deal because comic-cons are stupid and colossal wastes of time and money (though I DID go to represent Havok--my publishing company--and to support the book releases of my aforementioned friends). And still others of you are completely lost because you’ve never heard the term “comic-con” (or you have a vague idea that they're a place where comedians gather). For you skeptics, I concede. Like most recreational things in this world (baseball, fishing, quilting, video games, etc.), it is a waste of time and resources. But only in the shallowest sense, and only to those who don't understand it. For a large percentage of humanity, these conventions represent a collection of the things that bring them joy. And more importantly, they're collected in a safe place filled with other like-minded fan boys and girls, free from ignorance or judgment. And for those of you who are oblivious, let me just say this: stick with me. By the end of this post, you'll have some understanding of what a comic-con is and why people attend them. At least… you'll have some understanding of what I experienced while at my first con, which was not what I expected…

First, I'll admit that a part of me still doesn't get it, and maybe it never will. But the rest of me is totally embarrassed by that practical, "normal" part. "Ooooh, I'm Andrew. I do my own taxes and wake up at a sensible time so I can exercise before work. Then maybe I'll mow the grass and watch a documentary before I fall asleep and do it all again." Gag me. Life is about balance. There are countless ways to break the monotony and make life memorable, so don't imagine that I believe that things as… unique as comic-cons are appropriate for everyone. I get it. They're pretty out there. Like, "a-body-painted-woman-casually-strolling-through-hundreds-of-sexually-frustrated-boys" out there. But we're all just little specks that make up a huge world, and just because something's foreign to me doesn't mean it's not healthy and enjoyable for others, right?

I know, I know. I'm opening a huge can of worms here. And I'm doing so on purpose. As I said, this was my first con, and I was struck with a lot of surprising aspects, the biggest one being the sexual dichotomy that pervaded everything. Like I said, right next to my booth was a body painter, and each day she covered a new "canvas" with a work of art. The canvas was always female, and she always had bikini bottoms on and pasties covering her breasts. Well, covering as much as pasties are designed to cover. The first day this took place, I couldn't believe it. Here we were, sitting quietly behind our vendor tables, giving away stickers and selling books to kids and fairly conservative-looking adults (not counting the occasional light saber or pair of fairy wings), and this woman was sitting twenty feet away wearing nothing but pasties to keep her warm.

But slowly, this artist covered her "canvas" with what I would truly describe as art. And it was incredibly frustrating because I couldn't bring myself to give more than a cursory glance without feeling like a pervert. Many of the passing convention-goers seemed to be in a similar boat, but curiously, they seemed to feel better about staring when they actively discussed and critiqued the artwork. It was as if continuously reminding those around them that they were looking at everything except this woman's ta-tas made them seem less like voyeurs. And you know what? I did the same thing. And it wasn't just with the body painting. A lot of the cosplay costumes (people dressed up in various costumes based on characters from video games, movies, cartoons, etc) were also sexually provocative. Most of them came by it honestly since the source material is often hyper sexualized, but seeing an animated blonde bombshell poured into a latex outfit is a little different than seeing someone try to replicate it IRL (in real life for all you noobs out there. And a "noob" is a newbie… a newcomer. Gosh, I should do a blog post just on gamer—video gamer—lingo.). And while I had no problem sizing up the more modest costumes (you know, the bloody zombies and ten-foot demons), when a woman would walk by in a Jessica Rabbit costume, I couldn't look at it without assuring the guy next to me that I appreciated its attention to thematic detail. All in all, the situation just made me want to crawl away and hide somewhere no one would find me.

But here's the thing: the fact that I didn't understand how to act in this environment didn't cheapen the experience. The work that these people put into their creations was seriously impressive. The merchandise for sale (costume jewelry, original paintings, metalwork, hand-made toys) was truly awe-inspiring, and the costumes were no less so. These people were dedicated. They were expressing themselves in unique and extremely talented ways. Yes, some of the art played on sexual attraction, but what era of human history hasn't (our current society's inability to process that appreciation in a healthy way is a MUCH larger and different topic)? And there was so much more to it than that, as well. Decades worth of stories, characters, and story worlds—which have all been heavily inspired by centuries-old, real-world cultures—were represented beautifully, and their creators all poured their own style and flavor into their work.

The longer I was there, the more I was able to appreciate this culture. Yes, some of the costumes and creations were beyond what I could understand, and yes, some of the attendees undoubtedly had unhealthy relationships with these fantasies, but no more so than the obsessions of baseball fanatics or diehard fishermen. That's the nature of passion. Kept in balance, it brings us joy and motivation to do great things. Left unchecked, it will destroy us. And in the end, I finished my weekend with a deep appreciation for this passion that the con-goers shared, both the vendors and the guests. And this fact alone would have made the five-hour trip worth it, even if I hadn't shared delectable drinks, decadent food, and more laughs than I've had in a long time with some amazing friends (though the drinks, food, and laughs certainly helped).

Okay, so if you had no idea what a comic-con was when you started this article, you're probably more confused now. Sorry about that. But for those of you who knew just enough to be judgmental, hopefully I helped shed a little light on the inspiring culture behind all the "weird stuff." And maybe next time I go, I'll learn to not be so cheap so I can actually buy my daughter that $5 pair of unicorn earrings I saw. Or maybe I'll just make her some myself. I've been known to be pretty creative, myself.

#comiccon #comic-con #comic con #planet funk comic con #planet funk #cosplay #art #creativity #recreation #frylock #aquateenhungerforce #flash fiction #havok publishing #body paint #amwriting #comic books