#the prism agents are so talented they are so lovely and this news really was so sudden

[shownusfool]

not to sound like a psychopath but i was wondering why jun wasn’t getting much support from management :///from what i saw none of his debut projects went into fruition (ie the gaming coaching for tier two and above memberships stopped there was only one stream, there were no shorts about gaming coaching tips like he promised, he said he hired an editor but i still think he edited most of his shorts himself). i’m just a fan, not a vtuber manager but there were a few times where i was like is management doing anything to help him??? because it felt like he was doing things by himself. heck he streamed only valorant and league for five (or more) weeks straight, and he honestly gets better numbers during zatsus//horror game streams (esp with donos in horror streams). when us in chat would bring up management he’d always skirt around the issue.

NGL i truly thought it was because management shafted him bc he was 1) the only male talent in the company 2) he was doing wayyyy less numbers than they expected and because he wasn’t getting dono spammed and wasn’t making too much money they thought they could leave him since their audience wasn’t “interested” in him and 3) he wasn’t super interested in music content creation. I legit was thinking that management ignored him because of all that but i can’t bring that up, it’s not my place as a viewer or fan i can only give support….but as a big fan of him i was always wondering where staff was doing when talking to him in meetings (if they had any).

i can only talk about jun because i’ve always been a big fan of his. like yes i follow the girls (mainly iku, rita, and shiki) but I’m also much more engaged with his streams/ content.

but seeing as how prism is dissolving…it’s just making sense. like everything to do with his management in particular is making sense to me….but also when i thinknof it outside of jun it isn’t. like the girls have been so successful lately. mako’s original song, non’s original song, iku’s original song, and rita’s ep!!! rita’s ep is sooooo good!! man i was so excited for everyone in prism project 😞 WE WERE GONNA HAVE CHIBI 3D MODELS!! we just celebrated three years of prism project!! like yeah half of the girls were on hiatus BUTTTTT at least the company was giving them breaks and taking care of their mental health. management seemed very lax and hands off..maybe too hands off. i have some other compliants but ive been rambling for a while lol. i just need it out of my system.

but before I go. the announcement of company dissolution makes the third anniversary merch much funnier to me. i was wondering why they were giving out such boring merch lol the keychain standee was so uninspired and basic. but im not here for merch im just here for my girls (and token white boy) 😤

#im just so sad i was about to sleep but now im so awake #i was shaking #the prism agents are so talented they are so lovely and this news really was so sudden #i was like is this a badly times april fools day joke it has to be #but also if it is a joke that would be so fd up like wydm its a joke what the he

[tacos-and-doodles]

So a while ago I made an IEYTD Phoenix oc but so far I've been OBSESSING over my reverse oc. Were Phoenix is the villain.

So here's some headcanons ig (idk what to call them)

When Phoenix became a big deal and was FINALLY able to become top with ZOR, she immediately got annoyed. For example Zor has a “world’s most evil boss” mug and they gave her a “World’s most evil boss Jr.” mug. Everything that she got from being top with Zor was always “Jr. this” and “Jr. that”. It really pissed her off since she was being treated like a low rank villain from a cartoon or something. Eventually after proving her talent to them, she ended up getting things like “World’s most evil female boss” and things like that. It was definitely better than being called the world’s most evil boss JR.

In the main world where phoenix is an agent, her and The fabricator are like enemies. By that I mean they roast each other like “I wouldn’t be caught dead in that stupid hat” or “Imagine looking like a gremlin? Couldn’t be me.” and weird insults like that. But where phoenix is a villain, her and The Fabricator are like major besties. Everyone working at Zoraxis, including Zor, obviously knows that Phoenix prefers Fabricator over anyone else. Fabricator needs funding for her own project? Phoenix got her back big time. Sometimes when they have nothing to do they will get coffee(or some ✨fance✨wine)  together and they will gossip about the other employees. If their feeling frisky, they will both secretly talk about Zor.

When Phoenix became the big bad with Zor, she was lazy so she sent 2 females to go get her clothes. She told them EXACTLY what she wanted. The girls she hired were slacking off so they got hivemind and professor X-Ray to go and get her the clothes, and they didn’t tell them what she wanted. When hivemind and professor X-Ray got to her office and gave her the clothes.. Well Phoenix wasn’t too thrilled. She ended up killing the 2 female employees. Now she does ALL of her shopping. 

Phoenix has gone to quite a lot of Juniper’s plays, but insists that they were all trash. When Zor mentioned blackmailing Juniper, she was ‘eh’ on the idea but it grew on her and she agreed to the idea at some point. When Juniper and Phoenix met face-to-face for the first time, Phoenix was like “Oh my god is this really happening right now??” So for like a second or two it was like an awkward silent hand-shake and it was forever documented as a cringe moment in her head forever. 

When Zor was planning on killing Juniper either way, Phoenix said that she was fine with it but she ended up binge watching everything that Juniper was in, in his memory. At this point, no one can tell whether she hates or loves John Juniper.

In this world, some of the Zoraxis operatives also have telekinesis powers because Phoenix, secretly, was able to steal Dr. Prism’s tech. But both she and Zor agreed that only some of the operatives should be given the powers (Cough, cough, Favorites, cough). So people like Hivemind and Fabricator got the telekinesis powers. 

When Phoenix stole some of her tech, Dr. Prism was super mad, but the other half of her was like "Damn I have some mad respect for her now" But since they were on opposite sides, Prism never really showed her respect for Phoenix

Headcanon: Every morning, Phoenix has EVERY single Zoraxis employee stand in two straight lines, one against each wall. She walks from the start to the end. She does this because every now and then (Almost every day) The agency and other people or organizations, will place a spy there. And Phoenix can spot them from a mile. So its kinda like spotting the difference and eliminating the difference. And if your not there at 7:30 AM SHARP? Well she’ll just oof you. 

Unlike Zor, Phoenix can remember every single operative. First and last name. Whether old or new, SHE REMEMBERS.

Thank you for coming to my talk.

[raphaels-prism-crew]

Prism Characters - Full List

Patricia Sanders (Pat, Trish, Trisha) - 19 at beginning of series.  Aspiring Pangaean bard.  College student.  Long, red hair, blue eyes.  Full of hope until a certain asshole (Vlad, see below) shows up and by a certain series of events permanently damages her left hand.  After a while she realizes he’s cool (most of the time) but there’s still issues.

Leland Sanders (Lee) - Pat’s older brother (26 y/o).  One of 3 people who call her “Trish/Trisha”.  She would call him an asshole.  She wouldn’t be wrong.  Matching hair and eyes, easy to tell they’re related.  Has a dragon brand on his left arm, a bond to the Golden Crown. In a complicated relationship with Lindsey.

Lindsey Praett (Liz) - Faerie con artist, wanted by a lot of people - not least of all the Golden Crown.  Brunette hair worn in a bob, blue eyes. Because of faerie biology she ages twice as fast as a human, so she’s 14 with the body and mind of a 28-year-old (feel free to ask me about the Seelie! I’d love to talk about my worldbuilding!). In a complicated relationship with Leland.

Eva Renfield-Blake (Eva Blake, Eva Stockton) - Helsing (vampire hunter) bloodline, raised by vampires, mostly Todd.  Married to Ren Blake, mother of triplet boys with a fourth on the way.  25 at beginning of the series, at the University with the intention of becoming a social services equivalent (that bit of worldbuilding is still under construction). Blonde hair worn in a wedge, green eyes, outgoing and headstrong.  Friendly personality.  Pat’s roommate at college.

Ren Blake (Renfield) - Eva’s husband, one of the few Renfields to have actually escaped from Dracula.  (for more Renfield information feel free to ask me, it’s a bit of building I’m really happy with).  Brown hair, brown eyes, quiet demeanor. Stays at home with the triplets while Eva finishes school; plans to be a stay-at-home dad when she’s finished, even though they haven’t quite decided yet.  

Leanne Sterling (Ash, Detective Sterling) - 22-year-old police commander in the New Pangaean Capital.  She’s clever, shrewd, and an excellent actress.  One of the few people who can meet Erik Dracula head-on in a battle of wits.  In “a simple relationship” with Doc.  Hair is somewhere between ash-blonde and mousy brown, long but usually worn in an updo so it’s out of the way; fair complexion; delicate features; grey eyes.  Can and will kick your ass.  You will thank her when she’s done. Best in her field and up for promotion soon, likely to be chosen as Head of New Pangaean Intelligence after completing officer’s training at the University.  Only competition is Luc.

Draeven Rafel Agon (Doc) - draconic veterinarian, laid-back personality.  Loves his job.  Dark hair, dark eyes.  Been friends with Ash since childhood, now in “a simple relationship” with her.

Marcus Benipe - 21-year-old Bouda (like a hyena werewolf, but it’s completely voluntary, transformation is complete, and it can be “cured”) prince with an attitude.  Dark hair, dark complexion, dark eyes.  Excellent warrior, smart but comes off as a class clown. Can’t seem to take anything seriously, least of all himself.  But is extremely loyal and a trusted friend of the Princes, especially Charles.

Lucian Bubioscandia (Luc) - 22-year-old military intelligence officer. Half-Fae. Calm, collected, serious.  A double-agent (triple-agent?) against the Golden Crown.  Very close to Prince Henry. Grey hair, green eyes.  Big grey wings.  Seems compliant most of the time but often out of loyalty to an individual rather than a cause.  Can be stubborn.  Is very smart.  Has done his job so well that he is one of the top choices for Head of New Pangaean Intelligence, his only real competition being Ash.

Heather Titian - Faerie of an influential (and highly criminal) family trying to escape that life, unlike her adopted sister, Abathy.  Fair complexion, hair colored light purple like her natural eye color.  Really just wants a simple life but the way events are going it’s unlikely.  Looks and acts 22-ish but is around 11 (like Lindsey and all faeries she ages twice as fast as humans).

Charles Werner - Second Prince of the New Pangaean Empire, and a complete dork.  Dark brunet hair and hazel eyes.  Is 20 at the beginning of the series but acts younger.  Not exactly leader material, nor does he want to be.  His brother is the heir, not him, he’s just a guy who happens to be a prince.  Second of three people to call Pat “Trish/Trisha”.

Henry Werner - Crown Prince of the New Pangaean Empire, anticipated heir to the throne.  Fair hair, brown eyes.  Is 25 at the beginning of the series but acts older.  Has most good leadership abilities and is very familiar with the cultures under the Empire’s banner and a few outside it.  Well-educated, well-liked.  A good kid really.

Ninko - daughter of Lord Tenko of the Kitsune.  Four-tails, most likely heir of the nine-tails title (feel free to ask about kitsunes, another proud monument of worldbuilding).  Another skilled warrior with proud heritage, but is also a talented healer and fast learner.  Typically kitsune red hair and dark eyes.

Yako - two-tails, one of the few kitsune with black hair.  He’s a bit of a self-made outcast, he prefers his own company or that of the Kappa outside the village to that of other Kitsune.  He doesn’t know much about Southern culture but is more than willing to learn.

Todderick Howards (Todd, Howards, Millennium) - Unseelie who’s put himself into a neutral position, not an easy thing to do but considering he’s one of the oldest vampires alive (second only to the Golden Crowns) there aren’t many who are willing to mess with him.  After the death of his maker, Sarge Garrett, he adopted Eva Stockton.  He looks to be in his 20s - maybe early 30s - with black hair and green eyes.  He’s also very tall, more than six feet.

Vlad Dracula (Drake) - Younger Golden Crown Brother and apparent villain until you get to know him.  He’s the scary one: in your face, fangs bared, apparently a sadistic asshole.  But in reality? He’s a big softie.  He gets easily attached to people.  He admires Ash Sterling and would consider himself friends with Pat (“Trish/Trisha”), though whether that feeling is mutual varies between points in the story.  Also tall, dark hair and dark eyes that, like all Unseelies’, reflect red in the light.  

Erik Dracula - Older Golden Crown Brother, and at first glance, the tame one. Seems introverted, quiet, polite.  But he’s the manipulative one, the brains, the leader.  He lacks empathy.  His only loyalty lies with family: his brother, his wife, and his son.

Abathy Titian-Dracula (Abby) - Faerie changeling (human adopted by the Seelie and imbued with magic), adopted sister to Heather and wife of Erik.  To put it crudely, a crazy bitch. She’s sadistic, strong, and smart, with a few glosses of charm if she needs them. She loves her husband, but the only person she would be willing to sacrifice herself completely for is her young son, Agravein.  Seelie magic and proximity to Unseelie has made her aging a bit weird but biologically she’s in her early 30s.

Agravein Dracula (Aggie) - 1-year-old son of Erik and Abathy, making him half-Unseelie, half-human, with Seelie attributes.  There isn’t much to say about him in Prism as he’s a baby through most of the main series but he’ll be the star player in the sequel series.

That’s it for now! It’s a lot but there are other characters who might be mentioned - they’re either minor or dead.  Depends on the character.  

[maybeyoumissthisf-kingpost]

Donald Trump: 4 years, 1 clown, and 25 achievements for the American circus

America has a clown. The guy is good at comedy. Daft. Freaky sometimes. But he is the voice, in the middle of society is a big circus. I'm not talking about the famous Joker Arthur Fleck in Gotham City, but I'm talking about a president of a democratic America. Donald Trump. For years, people called him "the clown" in the White House. Never before has the image of an American president been so indiscriminately spread hate by the media. They use the most disgusting words to describe Trump. They cursed like delirium over his every word and action. But it is he who, despite the ridicule, is the clown who rips through American politics, unmasks all politicians hiding in the guise of democracy, and exposes the monsters lurking in the swamp. So he was hated, even hated. But if you ignore the blind love and hate, what remains in you about the things Agent Orange has done in the past four years?

What the clown Donald Trump has done for America and the world in the past four years

1. America's "aggressive" clown has brought home four (04) Peace Agreements in the Middle East, which no one has been able to do in the past 71 years, despite all efforts to intervene in politics and constant warfare. Still no results. This achievement, so much so that US Defense Secretary Mark Esper had to say that "this is really a great success for Trump".

2. The clown who "doesn't know anything about politics" silenced the world's cynical name, North Korea, without spending a single bullet, helping the United States and the world escape a devastating nuclear war, promoting inter-Korean peace and bring safety to ally Japan and the entire West Coast of the United States - something that made Obama headache unable to find a solution after 8 long years.

3. America's "warlike" clown is the first President in the White House who has not brought the United States into a new war, since Eisenhower's time.

4. The "stupid" clown has rearranged the NATO order, forcing allies to fulfill their responsibility for contributing to their defense budgets, not relying on the US forever.

5. The "cowardly" clown eliminated the world terrorist - Iranian Islamic general Qasem Soleimani of the Quds Force, even though he knew that he would have to face retaliation from the enemy, without Specifically, a reward of $ 80 million for those who successfully assassinate Trump.

6. The "incompetent" clown (according to a survey by ABC News) single-handedly rebuilt the US military's strength to re-establish world order, curbing China's aggression in the East Sea, as well as protecting small countries from threats and invasions from big countries. Who remembers what a crippled U.S. military was under Obama, when 214 key generals and admirals were fired in just his first year in office? Who else remembers how China grew and thrived in the South China Sea under Obama's 8 years? Does anyone remember the president of the world's number one power being sent to the alley after visiting China?

7. The "rogue" clown was the first president to visit and pray at the Wailing Wall and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. He was also the first head of the White House to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move the US embassy to this city.

8. The "dangerous" clown is the only president who has successfully destroyed the terror named ISIS - the world's largest Islamic terrorist organization to bring peace to mankind. Fulfill his greatest promise to the American people and the people of the world.

9. The clown "religious oppression" is the one who called for an end to religious persecution and signed an executive order promoting international religious freedom, calling for $50 million for programs to quell the violence. religion and persecution abroad, as well as to protect religious minorities.

10. The clown "ruining the US economy" has turned the tide of US-China relations to bring hundreds of businesses back to the US, reduce taxes and protect them from the scheme to steal intellectual property and technology. of China, recovering the ups and downs of the economy from the Obama era, setting a historic record high on the stock exchange, making the economy vibrant again, bringing interest rates to near zero and income per capita highest (since 1967).

11. This "cruel" clown helped Americans pay less in taxes, increasing the tax deduction from $12,700 to nearly double $24,000 per couple, and from $6,350 to $12,000 for singles, with a positive impact. up tens of millions of American pension accounts.

12. The "greedy" clown only received a salary of 1 USD a year during the presidency, in support of cutting government spending and the tax burden of the people.

13. That "racist" clown is the president that provides the most jobs for blacks and Latinos, making their unemployment rates the lowest of all lifetimes. US president. Again, ALL.

14. The "ignorant" clown is the one who sees the lies and injustice in the Paris Agreement (or Climate Change Agreement), pulling the US out of the plot to destroy the coal - oil industry and the risk of widespread unemployment for the United States.

15. The "tricky" clown is the one who stands up to oppose the absurd COVID-19 relief package of the leftist politician, to return the correct amount of support of 2000 USD for each citizen, instead of only 600 USD and the share The rest are distributed to irrelevant useless items.

16. The clown who often creates "hate speech" is the recipient of the most attacks, insults and reproaches from the left (supporters of Socialism in the US). Ironically, he was nominated for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize.

17. The clown or "disgusting woman" is the President of the Republic who appoints the most female Federal Appellate judges since Ronald Reagan, losing only 1 person compared to the Obama era. If you count the single-term presidents alone, no one appoints as many female judges as Trump.

18. The "liar" clown has exposed the face of hypocrisy in the rest of the world, exposing the entire corrupt swamp of Democrats, and Republicans, FBI, CIA, NSA and Big Tech . The clown tells you things the media wants to keep hidden. He criticized all the bureaucracy in the government. He, simply, just raised the voice of an ordinary citizen in front of the current state of the country.

19. The clown who "failed to fight the Wuhan virus" was the first to call for a closure with China while the left was still struggling about racism and xenophobia. He successfully promoted the process of preparing and producing the Chinese flu vaccine in just ONE YEAR, helping America once again affirm its leading role on the world's scientific and technical map. Don't forget that the world still has no vaccines for SARS, Ebola, bird flu and other diseases under the previous president.

20. The clown who is labeled "dictator", "fascist" or "second Hitler of the world" is the one who gets hit the most by the media. He wants to protect Americans, they call it Populism. He wants America great again, they call it White supremacy.

21. The "perverted" clown has a well-ordered and warm family, a good wife and all children are talented and human; rather than smoke marijuana and join the antifa rebel organization like someone's black daughter; not like the Hunter who was addicted, corrupt and kicked out of someone else's army.

22. The clown who "smashes American democracy" is the one who is most tragically suppressed by that democracy, permanently banned from speaking on social networks and behind the cheers of the left. (including Michelle Obama) – who always preach about democracy and human rights, oppose censorship of authoritarian regimes in the world. When he was in office, he did not forbid anyone to speak. When he was about to leave the White House, they tried to silence him.

23. The Clown DOES NOT "Make America Divide". That division has existed as a smoldering cancer in the heart of America for a long time. The lovable people I know, the respected professors, suddenly defiantly insulting those who do not share their views as stupid, are a disgrace. It's all at Trump? Are not. It is by themselves. Deep down they absolutely disagree with different opinions, whether Trump-Trump or not-Trump, they themselves have divided themselves from those who do not think the same. Trump is not an angel of healing, but tearing down the hypocritical veil of false political correctness and oppressing the true inner thoughts of each person.

24. The "loser" and seemingly "most hated" clown is the most respected man in America according to a Gallup survey, taking the position that Obama has occupied for the past 12 years. While the president-elect with the highest popular vote in history, Joe Biden received only 6% of the support (one-third of Trump), reflecting the exact opposite of the presidential election results.

25. Finally, the clown that everyone considers "arrogant" is a man who bows to God, to the American flag, to prayers for the victims of Hurricane Harvey, to his promise to make America. great again. He does not mock God. He did not burn the flag. He does not stand on the rule of law. He does not consider himself to be the truth. He also did not ordain anything as orthodox. He was not complacent, he just wanted to continue writing the American dream. Therefore, he never let America be threatened and had to kneel before any force.

In just two days, the clown Donald Trump will leave the White House in the joy and ecstasy of vengeful souls. The hatred for Trump is so deep that it doesn't matter who will give his inaugural address on January 20, as long as #NoTrump, the other replacement is anyone, even a person all the time. 47 years of no political achievements. Perhaps, the emotion of love and hate has completely obscured human reason. They are unable to view Trump's legacy fairly, their prisms clouded by overwhelming hatred of an individual. Although they talk about democracy all the time, they are willing to trample on their long-held values ​​to eliminate the opposition from the game. We say, look inside from the outside and see yourself from others, what kind of person you are, you will think others are like that.Life is like a mirror. When you look at people, you can't see people, only you. Now you laugh at the clown, tomorrow you will see your mind reflected there.

Honestly, are you fair to Trump?

All credit goes to trantuansang.com.

[eddycurrents]

For the week of 9 April 2018

Quick Bits:

Animosity: Evolution #5 gets to the heart of the criminal enterprise undermining Wintermute’s authority, operating the black market, and what they’ve been trying to accomplish. This arc has definitely been interesting so far, showing that the animal organizations aren’t really all too different from their human counterparts.

| Published by AfterShock

Avengers #688 raises the stakes higher as we speed towards the conclusion of “No Surrender”. While the Challenger flips the table on the game, this issue takes its perspective from Quicksilver, setting up the next stage for his forthcoming Quicksilver: No Surrender limited series.

| Published by Marvel

Barbarella #5 tosses in some more weird science as Barbarella and Vix go prospecting for RUST.

| Published by Dynamite

Bloodshot Salvation #8 begins to marry up the timelines, such that the present is becoming the “soon” timeline that began in the first issue, as Bloodshot travels through the Deadside and we find out how he got tossed into the future. It’s interesting to see how Jeff Lemire’s non-linear threads have been playing out through the story.

| Published by Valiant

Brothers Dracul #1 reunites the team of Cullen Bunn and Mirko Colak, having recently completed the Unholy Grail series, here for an interesting take on the Vlad Tepes story and the Dracula myth. Bunn takes a different approach to the myth, rooting it in much of the recorded history of Vald, his family, and Wallachia under Ottoman rule and it results in a much more grounded story. At least for the first issue. The art from Colak, with colours by Maria Santaolalla, is also great.

| Published by AfterShock

Captain America #700 is Chris Samnee’s last issue on the series, and the last of his work at Marvel for the time being, and he sure does go out with a bang. Samnee and Mark Waid stitch up a conclusion to the Cap in the future arc, although there are some interesting ramifications of the story to unpack, including presenting an idea of the futility of hope. That’s probably bleaker than the creative team necessarily intended it to be read as.

| Published by Marvel

Champions #19 begins the next chapter in the team’s chronicles, with Jim Zub and Sean Izaakse taking over as the new creative team. The art from Izaakse and colourist Marcio Menyz is wonderful throughout, including some great character designs. It’s also interesting to see how Zub has the team approaching new recruits like Ironheart as they try to figure out how the new pieces fit.

| Published by Marvel

Cold War #3 dives into the past of two survivors this time, giving us a look into the history and personalities of LQ and Johnny. Even as the latter fights for relevance and control in the present, seemingly unable to accept the leadership of Vinh or her attempts to protect everyone remaining. Then Christopher Sebela drops another bomb on us as to the state of this future.

| Published by AfterShock

Crude #1 is an interesting beginning, setting up a bit of a mystery involving the death of the son of a former Russian agent, as he gets dragged back into a seedy, harsh existence to hunt down his son’s murderers. Steve Orlando begins this first issue mostly as set-up, flashing back through both Piotr and, his son, Kiril’s lives before getting us to the main plot and arrival at the setting, and source for the title.

| Published by Image / Skybound

The Dead Hand #1 is an impressive debut, capturing perfectly the intrigue and action of a Cold War thriller, matched with the bleakness of more modern interpretations of Russia and a twist that you’ll never see coming. Kyle Higgins’ Image outings tend to be wonderful reads, like COWL and Hadrian’s Wall, and this series seems no different so far. It’s also great to see Stephen Mooney providing the line art here, his style is perfectly suited to spy and thriller stories, especially as coloured here by Jordie Bellaire.

| Published by Image

Deadly Class #33 continues to tear everything down, blow everything up, or beat it into a bloody pulp. Nothing seems to be safe. Rick Remender and Wes Craig seem intent on putting everyone through the wringer, and Craig (with colours from Jordan Boyd) is reminding everyone why he’s one of the best artists working in comics today.

| Published by Image / Giant Generator

Doctor Strange #388 is another integral part of the Damnation event, diving into Strange’s possession and what’s going on with the other fallen heroes current plaguing Vegas at Mephisto’s behest. The story from Donny Cates is good, weird, and has Niko Henrichon at the very top of his game.

| Published by Marvel

Domino #1 is damn great. In some ways, it feels like old home week, as Gail Simone brings back some of the characters and stylistic quirks from her time writing Deadpool and Agent X, complete with the humour, action, and absurdity, but at the same time, this feels fresh. It’s not as over the top as the other two outings and it makes for what feels to me like a better story. It also makes the humour pop a bit more as it feels natural. Also, the art from David Baldeón and Jesus Aburtov is gorgeous. Baldeón surprised me with how great his art has become on Spirits of Vengeance and here he’s bringing it to an even higher level. This first issue is fun and comes very recommended.

| Published by Marvel

Dry County #2 sets up the mystery. After being embroiled in Janet’s life as a kind of sad sack saviour in the first issue, Lou gets his hopes dashed by her kidnapping this issue. If it follows traditional Miami Noir themes, I have my suspicions about it, but here Rich Tommaso plays it straight and uses it to start Lou down the path to find out what happened to her.

| Published by Image

Exiles #1 begins a gathering the team arc, as Blink is drafted back into the multiverse-saving business by the reappearance of the Tallus and the Unseen’s premonitions of the white fire of nothingness caused by the Time Eater. Saladin Ahmed does a great job of playing with Exiles history and Marvel ephemera in constructing this first issue, but the real star is the artwork. Javier Rodríguez is one of Marvel’s underrated talents who really should be heralded as a superstar. Here, he, Álvaro López, and Jordie Bellaire make this issue one of the most visually interesting on the stands, with great page layouts, interesting panel transitions, phenomenal use of page for storytelling effect, and unique character designs. This is a great start and I’m dying to see more.  

| Published by Marvel

Gideon Falls #2 continues a slow burn through the story, focusing on both Norton and Father Fred’s experiences with the black barn, and the world beyond them not believing their respective stories. It’s a common horror and mystery thread, but it’s still interesting how Jeff Lemire is framing the narrative and building the characters through the dialogue. Also, the art from Andrea Sorrentino and Dave Stewart continues to be amazing. 

| Published by Image

Ninja-K #6 plays with a number of the messes that have yet to be cleaned up across the Valiant universe. It’s interesting to see Christos Gage play with the toys, with visceral art from Juan José Ryp and Jordie Bellaire.

| Published by Valiant

No. 1 With a Bullet #6 is a brilliant end to what has been an excellent series. Jacob Semahn, Jorge Coello, and Jen Hickman have a story here that is relevant in today’s society obsessed with social media, and delves deep into what can happen when that obsession turns deadly and debilitating. There’s one last twist this issue and the art, especially as it simulates the current state of Nash’s eyesight, is amazing. I highly recommend this series.

| Published by Image

Oblivion Song #2 fleshes out a bit more what happened from Earth’s perspective on the day that parts of Philadelphia fell into Oblivion. It’s interesting to see it unfold, especially in relation to the two recent survivors who came back. It’s slow going, and there are oblique character moments, but it’s enthralling.

| Published by Image

The October Faction: Supernatural Dreams #2 sees the summoned demon wandering around, causing havoc, raising hell. Oh, and Geoff and Vivian get their butts handed to them.

| Published by IDW

Prism Stalker #2, like the first issue, is very, very strange. On the one hand, it’s presented and illustrated by Sloane Leong as this surrealist weird comic that almost defies classification. Kind of like some of the silent indie comics out there that are more experienced than “read”. On the other hand, the story Leong presents is fairly mundane, one of coming of age in what appears to be an oppressive alien society. I’m not really sure what to make of it still, but it has my attention.

| Published by Image

ROM & The Micronauts #4 gets the full band back together in our world as the final battle against Baron Karza and the Dire Wraiths looms on the horizon. Christos Gage waxes philosophical on physical and emotional change, and how love will find a way in strange cases, but what’s really pushing us towards the final battle is the promise of raising the Lovecraftian monstrosity at the heart of the Earth.

| Published by IDW

Sleepless #5 works further on the intrigue going on, revealing that some of the plots may not have been put into motion by who we may have be led to believe previously.

| Published by Image

Sword of Ages #3 has the crap hit the fan. Some of the political machinations come to a head and it’s all pretty glorious. Gabriel Rodríguez is telling an incredible story here, adapting Arthurian legend in a very unique way.

| Published by IDW

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #81 is a densely packed narrative, picking up on the threads from the recently concluded Triceratons arc, the running undercurrent of Splinter’s ideas for the Foot Clan, while also spilling out the return of the Rat King after TMNT Universe #19. There’s a lot going on, but I’d argue that Kevin Eastman, Bobby Curnow, and Tom Waltz make it accessible and interesting. Aiding in that effort is phenomenal art from Dave Wachter and Ronda Pattison.

| Published by IDW

Thanos #18 concludes “Thanos Wins” and with it this chapter of the Mad Titan’s adventures (apart from a forthcoming annual in a couple of weeks). This issue is big and epic and has a very interesting ending. Donny Cates, Geoff Shaw, and Antonio Fabela have outdone themselves.

| Published by Marvel

Vs. #3 gets a look at the ruling class in this world, trying to figure out why Flynn’s ratings remain high despite him continuing to suffer losses. It’s a little dry, but it does set up some further conflict between Flynn and Devi, and continues to draw some beautiful art from Esad Ribić.

| Published by Image

X-Men Blue #25 gives us a main story with Magneto’s confrontation of Miss Sinister and her allies, while Polaris and the other remaining X-Men lick their wounds in Madripoor. There’s also a back-up that serves as a bridge between the “Poison X” and Venomized stories for the original five and Venom, with some really nice art by Mike Perkins and Andy Troy.

| Published by Marvel

X-Men Red #3 gives some more oblique hints at what’s really going on, as anti-mutant hysteria begins reaching critical mass and attacks, protests, and riots begin to spill over. Tom Taylor is aptly using parallels to current events across America and the world here and it makes it a bit scarier.

| Published by Marvel

Other Highlights: Algeria is Beautiful Like America, The Archies #6, Astonisher #6, The Beauty #21, Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider #17, The Despicable Deadpool #298, DuckTales #8, Eternal Empire #8, Falcon #7, Ghost Money #9, James Bond: Casino Royale, Minky Woodcock: The Girl Who Handcuffed Houdini #4, Old Man Logan #38, Planets of the Apes: Ursus #4, Resident Alien: An Alien in New York #1, Rick Veitch’s The One #3, Rose #10, Shock, Spider-Man vs. Deadpool #31, Star Wars: Darth Vader #14, Star Wars: Thrawn #3, Tomb Raider: Survivor’s Crusade #4, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #31, Venomized #2

Recommended Collections: Aliens/Predator/Prometheus: Fire & Stone, Cable - Volume 2: Newer Mutants, Clover Honey, Coyotes - Volume 1, Deadpool vs. Old Man Logan, DuckTales: Mysteries and Mallards, Family Trade - Volume 1, Jean Grey - Volume 2: Final Fight, Lazarus X+66, Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man - Volume 2: Most Wanted, Rock Candy Mountain - Volume 2, Spider-Man/Deadpool - Volume 5: Arms Race, TMNT/Usagi Yojimbo - Expanded Edition, Transformers: Till All Are One - Volume 3, The Unbelievable Gwenpool - Volume 5: Lost in the Plot, Underwhere

d. emerson eddy tried to make a souffle a few days ago. It fell.

#This Week in Comics

[benningtonalumnirelations]

Q&A with Janet Capron ’69, author of “Blue Money”

Blue Money, a new memoir by Janet Capron ’69, chronicles the author’s time as a prostitute working in New York City in the 70s. This “bracing personal narrative” has been praised as “thoroughly new and uniquely feminine” and “intense, electrifying” by fellow authors and critics alike. Excerpts from the book were featured in Playboy and LitHub.

In the following interview with Alumni Relations Kilpatrick fellow Olivia Judson ’17, Janet reminisces on Bennington and offers some advice to writers wanting to hit that big break.

OJ: What was your time at Bennington like? What did you study? In which house did you live?

JC: As long ago as that time was, some memories are still vivid. From the day I arrived, I felt set free. I was relieved because all of my peers, it seemed, were at least as smart as I was—I was in my element. I lived in Dewey, and I can still recall a lot of my housemates—I loved every strong character in that house: Nan, who I think was the head of the house; Joanna Pousette-Dart zooming away on the back of her gorgeous boyfriend’s motorcycle;  Connie Kheel in deep contemplation in her single room; my darling and extremely tolerant roommate, Brenda, to name a few. My close buddy, Margaret Wise, introduced me to a dashing prince who later, briefly, became my fiancé and then lifelong great friend.

The first term of my freshman year, I took a class in English literature with the now legendary Claude Fredericks. The first month was devoted to the poet John Donne, the second to William Blake and the third to Ezra Pound, including the Cantos. This class transformed how I read poetry, and it transformed me—week upon week of revelations.

The second term of that year, I took English literature with Howard Nemerov, who had been or was even then the Poet Laureate. He wanted to read Finnegans Wake by James Joyce and decided to tackle that with our class. I circulated a petition, reminding him we were freshmen and most of us had never read Ulysses, let alone Finnegans Wake. There were so many great works of literature I was dying to read first. Everyone signed the petition and, without much or maybe any resistance, Nemerov changed the syllabus, which became highly varied and extremely interesting. Probably only at Bennington would a professor think to assign Finnegans Wake to a freshman class, and only at Bennington would a student petition be so willingly honored.  

Barbara Hornstein Smith’s class in English Renaissance Literature was perhaps equally as meaningful as Claude Fredericks’ class, if in a less dramatic way. To this day, key bits of information inform me as a writer. The contrast between the Silver and Golden Poets of the 16th century, for instance, continues to be a useful prism.

I remember the stunningly beautiful and outspoken poet, Anne Waldman, a senior when I was a freshman and a wielder of tremendous power it seemed to me, nixing the possibility of a poet whose work she did not like from joining the faculty. No doubt hers was not the only decision or even the deciding one, but the idea that an undergraduate would even be allowed to participate in choosing faculty blew my mind.

Of course, a lot of memories were extracurricular: SDS meetings at Bennington and Williams full of firebrands hammering out policy; Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee members, proud young black men who belonged to an intelligentsia that was new to me, swooping onto campus like missionaries. After that, all of my black friends suddenly had afros and were glowing. This was the sixties, and the campus was alive with politics.

Before I leave the first question, I have to talk about Williams, where I spent a lot of time drinking beer with frat boys. Sadly, those outings cost me the last few years at a college I dearly loved. Finally, 15 years later, right after I stopped drinking, I went back college, this time to Columbia, where I got two degrees. But my inability to function at Bennington is one of those regrets I have had to learn to live with over the  years.

However, I do have one caveat. I am glad Bennington is now co-ed. When I was there in the sixties, all of the academic student population was female, and almost all the professors were male. I felt as though I were being groomed to be a dilettante. This was not Bennington’s fault—it was the times, the dark ages just before the swell of the second wave of feminism we are still riding—nevertheless, that discrepancy between students and faculty galvanized me to become, for a time, a militant feminist.

Throughout my life, I have always been afraid of not being heard or not being taken seriously—partly because I grew up in an era when women were, with a few monumental exceptions, without a voice.

OJ: Describe what the process of publishing Blue Money was like. Were you approached by a publisher, or did you present them with an outline first? Was there anything unexpected about publishing this book?

JC: My luck finally changed the day my brilliant literary agent, Emma Parry, signed me. Emma is at Janklow & Nesbit, one of the top literary agencies in the world. She fell in love with Blue Money, met with me for two hours before submitting it, and the upshot was her pitch was supremely better than any previous agent’s had been.

Unnamed Press, the hip, enterprising young publishing house I like to compare to Barney Rosset’s Evergreen Press, bought Blue Money and has done a superb job of distributing and promoting it.

With very few exceptions, the only way to get published is to first acquire a literary agent. I had several of them, and all of them meant well, but Emma is the only one, I believe, who really got the book and therefore knew how to pitch it. She has had my back every step of the way since.

As far as unexpected goes, the most astounding parts of my journey, beyond my wildest dreams, are: First of all, Emma; second, my terrific publisher, Unnamed Press; and then seeing my book in the window of Three Lives Books, my favorite bookstore in the West Village. When Huff Po’s National Book Review made BLUE MONEY their #1 pick the week it came out—now that was a surprise!

OJ: Describe an experience where you learned that language had power. What inspired you to become a writer?

JC: My mother, Jill Stern, was a writer, and I’m sure that influenced me. We had a huge library, and I began reading on my own when I was still in nursery school. My mother had been reading to me before bedtime J.M Barrie’s Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, the precursor to Peter Pan. But she often went out, leaving me with my governess. On those nights my mother was out, I was dying to find a way back into J. M Barrie’s fairyland. Somehow, as a direct result of that frustration, I learned to read. Most likely my governess helped. By the time I was four, the written word was already all powerful! By the time I was eight, I knew I was going to be a writer.

OJ: What is your advice for people who want to write or are just starting to write?

JC: Only write if you have to, if you are driven, because it takes years to find your voice. The road is narrow and hard. On the other hand, if you discover you have real talent, not just cleverness but undeniable talent, and you realize you have something, or maybe even a lot, to say, you better nurture and grow that talent—you better honor it, because a writer who isn’t writing is a bitter, frustrated human being—take it from me.

Blue Money is available on Amazon.

#bennington college #bennington alum #literature #writing