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lyricwritesprose · 4 years

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My Good Omens Fic Masterpost For Those Stuck At Home

Pretty much what it says on the tin. The only thing I can offer during this crisis is fic to take people’s minds off things, so here’s some fic to take people’s minds off things. Please consider giving it a reblog and not just a like so that lots of people will see it.

The Thing About Apple Cottage

Easily my most popular story. Features married Ineffable Husbands in a cottage near the sea and a child who finds refuge in their cottage. Has transphobia, but also a happy ending. The Path From Fire To Snow

Read the fic that inspired this one first. Crowley has a trauma dream, and Aziraphale helps. This fic is part of the #ButterOmens project on Tumblr, meaning that it’s available for remixes, art, etc. I particularly love the chain that this particular fic inspired. Includes trauma angst, but is ultimately very hopeful and soft. Divinity

Mature and highly shippy Aziraphale/Crowley! Aziraphale perceives love, including being able to taste the love of cooking that people put into his food. Crowley perceives want. Aziraphale has a clever idea. Light angst, much fluff. Also part of #ButterOmens, so if anyone wants to remix it, do art, or anything of that sort, feel free! I have to admit, I would be very interested to know how an experienced NSFW writer would make of this general concept.

Going Fast

A night-at-Crowley’s-flat fic. Features no sex and an arguably asexual Crowley, who isn’t opposed to sex and is deeply in love with Aziraphale, but isn’t sure exactly what attraction is or how it works. Light angst, mostly fluff.

An Entirely Effable Game Of Aziraphale’s Devising

Fluffy drabble. Aziraphale asks a question. Crowley, for somewhat good reason, panics.

Disposable

The Disposable Demon comes to Aziraphale and Crowley while seeking a better life for themself. Features a good deal of angst, mostly stemming from the Disposable Demon’s awful life, but ultimately a happy ending. Also may count as xenofiction, since the Disposable Demon’s multi-body deal is really weird.

The Dove, the Serpent, and an Awful Lot of Water

One possible take on what Crowley got up to during the Flood. Doesn’t really fit with my other historicals. Less angst than you’d expect given the subject matter.

Series underneath the cut.

Charity Commission Fics

Not a formal series, because I want to avoid AO3′s rules about money for fic. The money for these commissions went to various organizations that fight for the rights of children on the US border, mostly RAICES.

“Being Seen” Crowley plays with gender; Aziraphale struggles with ideas about remaining inconspicuous. Contains some brief offscreen Islamophobia, with karmic or at least Crowley-ic comeuppance. “Book of Stairs” A Doctor Who crossover featuring Aziraphale and Charley Pollard. I feel like the two universes don’t fit together at all, but the characters played off each other beautifully.

Tales of the Them Series

Basically a number of stories that document the Ineffable Husbands interacting with Adam and the Them (and also Newt, Anathema, and Adam’s parents). Angst level: fairly low. Everybody has some trauma from the Apocalypse, but they’re all dealing with it. Might be continued at some point when I come up with a good story for Brian. The stories are:

“Godfathers” in which Anathema talks Aziraphale and Crowley into talking to Adam “More Fun With Fire” in which Crowley trolls Newt “Sharing the Stars” in which Wensley gradually gets used to the supernatural in general and Crowley in particular. Has a spin-off, “Hanging the Stars.” “Finding William” in which Adam’s parents find out—twice. It’s the only fic in the fandom that I know of with this particular plot. It’s also partially Adam’s narration and partially letters. “Ophidiophobia” Pepper has a phobia. Considering the company she keeps these days, it’s a problem. “Tartan” Why does Aziraphale keep putting tartan on things?

Warlock Dowling’s Not Entirely Normal Life

So far, only two stories, both of them about Warlock and the Ineffable Husbands. I am actively looking for ideas for more stories in this series. Fluff level: high.

“Happy Belated Birthday” in which Crowley has a nightmare about Warlock “What’s in a Name” Warlock joins some boys in a half-drunken attempted demon summoning, and (naturally) gets Crowley.

Myth-taken

Various outsiders encounter Aziraphale and/or Crowley and mistake them for various beings from myth, legend, literature and pop culture. Many feature some pretty heavy topics, such as Islamophobia, homophobia, and even suicide. There’s not a single unhappy ending in the bunch, however. Continued whenever I think of a new myth to riff on, or a new take on something I’ve done before.

“Lair of the Elder Gay” A very queer Dungeons and Dragons group try to make sense of Mr. Fell. Contains an Islamophobic attack, shut down quickly. “On Gender And Snakes” A Tumblr post about a young person trying to figure out an odd encounter at the opera. Features that same young person trying to work through gender things. They are not out of the closet to their parents. “The Phantom of the Motorways” An old police officer briefs a rookie on an infuriating and untouchable black car. Pure humor. “Strength” A boy went to Pride, and his homophobic father followed him there. Violence is going to ensue, and a fussy old-fashioned gay man surely can’t help with that . . . can he? Includes some pretty heavy subjects like homophobia, and also trauma to a hand. “Soul of Soho” A young bi man has a supernatural encounter while trying to save the life of his boyfriend. Full of lots of heavy themes, including suicide, but ultimately has a happy ending.

Scatterings of History

Unfinished series that will be available both in chronological order and publication order. Various historical stories featuring Aziraphale and Crowley. The tone varies greatly. Will definitely be continued, since this series is meant to be more of a story arc than some of my others.

“Blades and Healing” Aziraphale saves Crowley in ancient Sumer, and has a crisis. Angsty as anything. Contains war flashbacks and violence. ”The Man In The Moon Came Tumbling Down” Camelot fic, with a discussion between Aziraphale and Merlin. Only light angst by itself, but some callbacks to “Blades and Healing.” “A Maiden, a Dragon, and a Unicorn, Roughly Speaking” A maiden is sacrificed to a dragon, and rescued by a unicorn—only the maiden mostly isn’t, the dragon is a very tired snake who doesn’t want to eat anyone, and the unicorn is a certain angel’s way of remaining anonymous. Very lighthearted. “Not All Right” Aziraphale shares his war trauma with a traumatized soldier during World War One. Angsty.

Damaged

Stories that focus on Aziraphale’s trauma (although the second one has a lot about how Anathema’s life was messed up as well). Angsty, with some heavy themes of fear, but still contains some humor. Both happy or at least hopeful endings. May be continued if I think of more stories that fit.

“Damaged” Madame Tracy tries to help Aziraphale, but has to get past the fact that he really wants her to go away, and he’s willing to weaponize the uncanny valley to make it happen. ”Hospitality” Anathema really shouldn’t use second sight on Aziraphale and Crowley.

#good omens #good omens fic #aziraphale/crowley #fic list #hope this helps some people cope

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hellzyeahthewebwieldingavenger · 6 years

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I am genuinely concerned that comic book youtubers are going to create a GamerGate situation where there are extremists who poison the mass perception of people who criticise comic books or certain decisions in general.

Like I have genuine problems with Amadeus Cho and Jane Foster being Hulk and Thor and I think Riri Williams and Miles Morales are bad characters (the latter being especially saddening because, unlike Riri, he had a strong initial concept powering him). I think Sam as Captain America was creatively problematic and that Marvel have been pulling the replacement hero thing for social/political reasons (and probably not sincere ones at that) as opposed to genuine creative ones. Similarly I think the America book is a lame super hero comic book and Gabby Rivera isn’t a strong super hero comic book writer. Similarly I think Marvel’s modern editors and assistant editors really do tend to suck at their jobs right now.

But my rationales for all of those things honestly don’t have much crossover with certain Youtube comic book commentators (I’m sure you’ve all seen the kind) and I actually disagree and believe in a lot of other types of characters and directions cut from the same kinds of cloths as those above examples.

I think Ice Man being gay made a certain amount of sense with his history and if you did have to pick a classical character to reveal as in the closet he was one of the best choices for it. We are in a position where Bobby could legitimately be given a strong romantic storyline and an iconic (for him, not necessarily within Marvel as a whole) love interest. I mean before Bendis had Jean out Bobby who honestly knew or cared who Bobby’s (comic book, not movie) love interests were? Hardly anybody aside from hardcore X-Men fans and most of them would argue Polaris was really the big one for Bobby. But at the same time most of them shipped Polaris with Havok anyway so what did that matter?

I’ve said numerous times before Kamala Khan is the best new superhero character to come out of Marvel in the last 20 years. My problems with her series stem from the decompression alongside the fact that I don’t think her villain pool has been managed as well as it needs to be to enable her to last long term.

Carol becoming Captain Marvel is something I find profoundly organic and logical, a brilliant stroke of character development that makes use of an iconic title by giving it to an iconic character who truly has claim to it. Look to me Carol’s outfit is always going to be the Ms Marvel outfit she wore for decades but at the same time to me Carol’s codename will always be Warbird, not Ms Marvel or Captain Marvel. I’m just from that generation.

I think the general idea of temporarily having a black person become Captain America is interesting and understand the logic of making it Sam but at the same time I think the book never fulfilled it’s potential and ultimately Issiah Bradely or even Patriot would’ve been a much more interesting choice. But at the end of the day I cannot accept the creative bankruptcy of replacing Steve for the THIRD time and doing it the SECOND time in less than 10 years.

I like Jane Foster’s Thor outfit, there are moments and aspects to her stories I find interesting but the way the series went about it overly denigrated the real Thor (and yes I will call him the real Thor, it is literally his name and he is supposed to be the actual figure from Norse mythology). I mean he was literally called out as ‘unworthy’ and the reason for his unworthiness made no sense at all. He realizes the Gods are assholes so he loses his worthiness. That isn’t how the hammer works, it’s just a binary ‘you are worthy or you are not’. Conviction in your personal beliefs doesn’t matter or else countless bad guys would be able to lift the hammer too. Additionally there were times where he narrative divulged into cheap, shallow in-universe attempts to ‘comment’ on the backlash against the concept. The Absorbing Man was at least somewhat exaggerating the complaints over a female Thor and at least dabbling in strawman arguments whilst Titania’s solidarity with Foster because she was stepping into the role of a man was utter out of character nonsense considering Titania’s arch nemesis is SHE Hulk. Jane consequently knocking out someone who’d surrendered was also ill considered. And I also cannot get over how we’ve been here before. Beta Ray Bill and Thunderstrike are testament to that. Once again creative bankruptcy.

I’ve spoken countless times before how I think Miles had a good concept and still has potential but he’s been mismanaged and currently sucks shit as a character and how Marvel and certain fans and certain media outlets building him up as the best thing since sliced bread (or at least as great as Peter Parker) is profoundly unearned.

I think the quality of editing at Marvel has clearly gone down hill but unless there really is some weird ass super Secret Empire conspiracy wherein Marvel went hardcore into hiring people because of their gender regardless of their qualifications, I don’t think the reason for that decline in quality is due to some (but far from all) of the editors and assistant editors being women. Frankly Steve Wacker is/was a major editorial player for awhile and his only legitimate qualification for being a Spider-Man editor was he could get the product on the shelves on time. The editing present in that product and their overall quality was shit 99% of the time. The guy lacked sufficient knowledge, passion or understanding of the character to really edit Spider-Man properly. This is a guy who was an amateur stand up comedian before entering comic books and has to my knowledge zero writing experience so why the fuck he was qualified to edit anything is beyond me. Maybe the new slew of editors and assistant editors are the same bunch of unqualified morons but I don’t think that’s got much to do with their sex or gender. After all Ann Nocenti was a solid X-Men editor and Molly Lazer edited Spider-Girl which was obviously a brilliant book. And shit Jeanette Kahn was President and EIC of DC comics for over 20 years and MOST of the stuff under her tenure was baller as shit. John Byrne Superman. Frank Miller Batman. Perez Wonder Woman. Wolfman Titans. DeMatteis/Giffin JLI. Kyle Rayner Green Lantern. Vertigo. Milestone. Watchmen. Frankly she oversaw what was maybe the single best EIC tenure for DC EVER in terms of quality.

I gave up reading Coates’ BP run because I found it dull but I think T’Challa SHOULD have a book along with Blade, Luke Cage, Shang Chi and Jessica Jones.

I think the America Chaves series was problematic as a superhero story but the times where it does focus on the normal life stuff are generally good.

I was very impressed by Spider-Gwen when she debuted and looked forward to her ongoing, even defended her debut issue until I realized the critics were ont he money and it sucked and continues to suck to this day. It’s a profoundly shallow book but it could have been great and I supported it initially hoping it would be great.

I felt the Chelsea Cain Mockingbird series had moments of poor research, mischaracterisation and disingenuousness. I am specifically talking about how in issue #3 (I think) Cain uses Bobbi as a mouthpiece to criticise the lack of female representation within superhero comics. Okay cool. But she did it by essentially pretending that there never were any in the Marvel universe, that they got no respect in-universe and that Bobbi herself was at most a teenager growing up inspired by those male heroes whom she could never be like because she was male. Except there were female heroes, they did get in-universe respect (maybe not as much as was deserved but it wasn’t like people forgot they existed) and Bobbi is clearly too old to have grown up with any of the heroes other than the WWII guys like the Invaders.

Similarly her retconning of the Phantom Rider thing in her final issue fixed one problem but did so utterly illogically whilst opening up multiple other problems. Look I’d also retcon the Hell out of Phantom Rider gaslighting and raping Mockingbird if given the chance I hate that plotline. But Cain retconned it by just having Mockingbird say that the stuff we have clear on the page evidence of didn’t actually happen. She was saying the colour blue is the colour red and always had been but it wasn’t. And Cain’s new spin on that Phantom Rider thing essentially threw Hawkeye under the bus by making him profoundly insecure and an asshole, because he’d rather believe his wife was raped rather than she cheated on him. Not to mention if Cain’s story is to be believed Mockingbird let the man she was sleeping with die for exactly no reason. There were other times during Cain’s run where I felt she was mischaracterizing some people or else was being too on the nose about stuff.

But there were other times I thought the series was really funny, really action packed, i generally loved the pacing and I felt when it did cut more realistic (like the first issue when Bobbi is having a health check up) or in issue #3 when it was discussing the psychology of a sixth grade girl (even though said girl’s story had insufficient resolution, like did she go to jail or what?) it was incredibly refreshing. Truth be told a lot of the stuff in that series writing wise becomes easier to understand when you realize it’s partially a zany comedy and not really taking itself too seriously nor is it asking you to do the same, which is starkly different to say Spider-Gwen’s approach wherein it is playing stuff seriously but there is arbitrarily zany shit thrown in for the sake of it.

I think Laura becoming Logan’s successor makes sense but it doesn’t mean it’s okay to just axe off Logan because he’s broken. FIX him and then down the line replace him. Laura’s book as is frankly just...an okay X-23 book with a new costume. I never cared for Laura outside of X-Men Evolution or the Logan movie (where she was more endearing) anyway.

I didn’t agree with the female exclusive screenings of the Wonder Woman film but I also felt Zeus’s involvement in her origin was an unacceptable compromising of the specific feminist ideas and messages Wonder Woman was supposed to represent. I felt the same way about Azzarello’s run on the character which is where the Zeus origin came from and was happy Greg Rucka tried to fix that in his 2016 run.

I’ve said before a poc actor playing Peter Parker is fine and dandy in my book and I was very open to Zendaya possibly playing Mary Jane (until I saw the movie...ugh...). My only concerns were in a significant way having the characters change to reflect the realities of them now being poc.

I’ve suggested some basic ideas on how to maybe get more representation in Marvel and DC, including for queer, Trans and mentally ill characters and as I’ve seen it I’ve called shit out I found to be racist, sexist, homophobic, etc, e.g. I was disgusted by Civil War II killing off Rhodey and called out the way Cindy Moon was initially handled by Slott. And my frequent lambasting of MJ’s depiction under Slott (especially in Superior #2) should I hope by this point go without saying.

So yeah my views don’t line up with those of Diversity and Comics but nor do they line up with those of ComicsAlliance and their hordes either. But because of people like the former people like the latter are going to broadbrush label and demonize people like me. People who might SEEM like we agree with guys like D&C but actually we’re coming at it from a very different angle and we don’t actually agree with their rationales 99% of the time.

But in the times we live in right now nuance is apparently as dead as Batman’s parents.

Frankly as I get older I guess I see myself socially/politically speaking being more of a moderate when it comes to comic books...and right now that feels like a profoundly lonely place to be.

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