#the whole thing that kickstarted me doing more comics

[dashing-through-ecto]

The difference one and a half years can make

My first comic

My latest comic

It's been absolutely staggering to see the differences even though these panels have the same vibes.

#I've been reminiscing about my older comics #thinking if I should redraw the first one I've ever made because #holy shit that looks like hot garbage #but like #it's still one of my best posts #the whole thing that kickstarted me doing more comics #enjoying bringen stories to life #it's like a piece of my history #its just cool to see how fare I've come as an artist #also like... the first pic was drawn in about 30-40 min at max and the second pic took at least 2 hours if not more #the effort i put into my art has changed so much #i feel so much joy when people laugh at the dum jokes that i make in my art #even back then #all the comments and love and taggs people have left on my posts is what keep me going #y'all having fun with my art is what fuels me and motivates me to make more stuff #bigger projects #it's just been wonderful this last year

[art]

Creator Spotlight: @tinypaint

My name is Michelle Fus. I’m a Jewish, non-binary artist. I graduated from the School of Visual Arts for Computer Art and Animation in 2011. I’ve interned at Pixar and worked for a few years at Dreamworks Animation. Over the past ten years, I’ve self-published two books and have run three successful Kickstarters. I now work with Skybound (The Walking Dead, Invincible) in developing my webcomic, Ava’s Demon, as a physical book series for stores. I like hiking, cultivating plants, caring for my cats, and hanging out with my beautiful husband. You can read my webcomic at avasdemon.com.

Check out our interview with Michelle below!

How did you get your start in art, and more specifically, with Ava's Demon?

I’ve always been into art since I was very young. I started to gravitate towards it in first grade, where we were required to keep a daily journal. I found myself drawing in it more than actually keeping entries. From there, I got more and more interested in honing my skills as an artist. I started making my own comics for fun. I signed up for classes outside of school and put together a portfolio for the School of Visual Arts, where I majored in Computer Art and Animation. After getting my first job in the field, I realized that it wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life. After working my day job, I would come home and work towards building a career in comics for myself by creating and uploading my webcomic, Ava’s Demon.

What is one habit you find yourself doing a lot as an artist?

Looking things up to learn more before I make art or write. For instance, how many livable planets are in a Galaxy? What does a black hole actually look like, and can it give off light? How long would it actually take to travel through space if you had the fastest ship possible? I look up all of these things and then ignore most of them for the sake of writing a fun story and making fun art.

From idea to final piece, how long does it take for you to create something?

It depends on the feeling I want to convey. Sometimes I’ll work for a whole week on a drawing and then delete it because I just don’t feel good about it. Other times I’ll make something in a day that I absolutely love from beginning to end. Some drawings I never delete nor finish, and instead, the files just kind of sit in a folder. The time it takes varies a lot.

Over the years as an artist, what were your biggest inspirations behind your creativity?

I really love good stories. So movies and books with captivating stories usually motivate and inspire me; stories that stay with you permanently, with twists and turns that you can’t stop thinking about. I also love finding characters whose struggles I can deeply relate to. I try to hold onto those feelings and emulate them through my art.

What is the hardest part of your process?

Actually finishing a drawing. The anxiety of it piles on me sometimes. I’ll work for a while on a drawing and constantly ask myself, “Is this drawing really finished? What terrible things about it am I not seeing?”. My desire to avoid making something terrible can sometimes put me in a mental prison where I keep chipping away at a drawing until I no longer know what I am looking at.

What is one interaction you had from a fan of yours that has stuck with you over the years?

In general, I like letting young artists in middle school, and high school know that I wasn’t very good at art at their age (I really wasn’t, I didn’t have the same resources they have now, and I didn’t have any perspective on what it takes to have a career in art, it’s a different world). Kids have come to me at conventions with their work for critique and advice, and I have to tell them that they’re already miles ahead of what I could make at their age. I have to tell them that it’s okay if they can’t make what all the professionals make online, to know that they have SO much time ahead of them to work at what they love. If you love making art, do it often, study art throughout history, and over time you’ll be able to create everything your heart desires.

What is something other people find hard to draw that you find enjoyable?

I have no idea. Sometimes it feels like drawing anything is suffering, even if you like what you’re making.

Who on Tumblr inspires you and why?

@loish has been consistently inspiring me since my days in high school. Every new painting has so much grace and power and is so excellent to look at. Her skill in shape and form seems limitless, and I hope to someday achieve even a small fraction of her understanding of art. Seeing her new work on my timeline also makes my dopamine spike, so I’m always looking forward to updates from her.

Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing, Michelle! Be sure to check out their Tumblr blog over at @tinypaint and follow their webcomic, Ava’s Demon, over at avasdemon.com.

#creator spotlight #artists on tumblr #webcomics #michelle fus #ava's demon

[ohtobeleah]

Boundaries // Bradley Bradshaw

Summary: A call comes in on your day off about a hostage situation. Dragging your husband Bradley and his best friend Hangman into an active crime scene, the situation could not have turned out any worse.

Warnings: NCIS x TopGun Cross over. Bradley Bradshaw x F!reader. Gun violence. Shooting.

Word Count: 8k

Author Note: Holy shit we made it bois!! Here’s another instalment of to the NCIS Bradley Bradshaw series. If you haven’t read anything to do this this series—where have you been? The Masterlist is linked here for you and a special shout out to @belowtheharddeck300 for concepting with me the other day and inspiring this whole fic. Please also don’t forget about Minimal Losses which is another series intertwined with this! But for Jake Seresin. xx

“Are you enjoying that?” DiNozzo hissed from his seat in the back of your car, peering over into the front as he eyed off Bradley who'd been obnoxiously sipping on his green smoothie the entire car trip. 

“Oh, you mean my smoothie?” Rooster had been waiting for someone, anyone to bring it up. “Funny you should mention it because I really feel like it's missing something.” Inspecting the cup as if he didn't know what it was that was missing. He knew, oh boy did he know, and he was pissed. 

“He’s just upset because I finished his protein powder last night–” You were currently in the middle of moving boxes out of your townhouse into a storage facility. The process of moving across the country wasn't as easy as you originally thought it would be. But you knew it would all be worth it.

“You put it on your ice cream!” Bradley countered, oh he’d been waiting for this argument to kickstart. You could see it through the rear view mirror, the perplexed look of amusement Jake was giving you as he sat quietly in the back of your car. 

“Yeah and you left a tub of it at my house?” Your thought process had been this, surely Bradley had another tub of protein at his house in California. Whatever food or clothing or hygiene products he left behind whenever he came to stay with you in D.C, became fair game once he was gone. That was the unspoken rule you both had. It was hard being married and living separately, hence why you were in the process of a transfer out to California. To be closer to home. Your home. Bradley Bradshaw. “I didn't think you’d mind?” 

“I wrote my name on the lid!?” Bradley had slightly turned in his seat to face you a little more. He was seething. His smoothie tasted weird without the vanilla protein powder he always used. He thought he could trust his own wife to keep his things safe. Turns out you were just as bad as the rest of the people he chose to willingly surround himself with on a day to day basis. All vultures to some extent. 

“Who writes their name on things they then leave at their wife's house?” Your tone had changed, more annoyance than comic relief now shining through. That's what had drawn Jake Seresin into the conversation. He’d been trying not to get too heavily involved in whatever quarrel was going on in the front seat. 

“Do you still write your name on your underwear?” Jake finally intervened in the argument that was slightly getting out of hand. He came to Washington with Rooster to help him clear out the townhouse you'd been living in since well, since you first moved out of home really. It was a pretty big task, but Jake was just grateful to have a full week off work. 

“Only to mark my territory–” 

“Poor choice of words there Bradshaw.” DiNozzo snarled at the thought. Shaking the imagery of roosters tighty whities out of his head. You chuckled softly as you stopped at a red light. Sighing because you didn't really want to continue the conversation but in a desperate attempt to preserve your personal beliefs on the matter, you ventured on strong headed.

“The bottom line is you're just really bad with personal boundaries.”

“Oh!” Bradley exclaimed to the heavens above as DiNozzo and Jake burst into laughter they couldn't control. Sending the two men who sat with a box between them a look they'd never forget. 

“Is something funny?” 

“You two? Having a discussion about boundaries?” DiNozzo mocked as you sat back with a groan. His lumbar had been acting up. You liked to tease him about the fact his hair was going grey and his bones were probably in early stages of osteoporosis. “Isn't that a little ironic?” 

“Mind explaining that?” Rooster smirked as he sipped his protein-less smoothie so obnoxiously you were about five seconds away from throwing the damn thing out the window.

“Most people bring their work lives home, you two bring your home lives to work.” Jake added as he backed diNozzo up. “Boundaries get blurry.” 

“Uh, no–Rooster and I keep our work lives and our personal lives incredibly separate– you didn't even know me until like two years ago.” It had been a code you both lived and breathed by. For the longest time Bradley Bradshaw kept his private life with you just that, separate. And you did the same, never mixing work with pleasure until it just seemed to melt. “I have a rule about that.” 

“Really?” DiNozzo challenged your theory, your hypothesis was about to be diminished into nothing. 

“Yeah–”

“What about that little display of affection the other day over on Lincoln at the stop light?” Crap, he had you with that one– remembering the way Roosters hands seemed to glide up your shirt as you kissed him with nothing but a centre console stopping you from jumping his bones right then and there. 

“Ha!--” Rooster cheeks had turned a nice shade of crimson red. Flushed with embarrassment. “I didn't know you guys were behind us.” For the past couple of months, Rooster had been registered with the Naval Criminal Investigative service as a liaison officer for the Fighter weapons school, also known as TopGun. There had been some odd going on with the newest class currently going through. Rooster was just happy to give whatever intel he’d managed to gather over to the right people. That particular car trip you'd both been on the clock. 

“And what about the fight about who gets the side of the bed closest to the bathroom?” Jake added as he yawned with a gaped mouth. He was used to thin walls from when he used to bunk in the dorms but it seemed as though the walls at your home were ten times thinner. Or maybe he just wasn't all that interested in hearing his best friend moan like a needy bitch for his wife. “Oh!” Jake snapped his fingers. “Or Rooster here telling us how Gibbs likes to hang dry her underwear in the living room?”

“Okay, one it’s Bradshaw to you and two you hang-dry your underwear too!” Although you’d been married for six months now– everyone was still getting used to calling you Agent Bradshaw or even just Bradshaw. To Hangman, you’d always be a Gibbs. His Gibbs. 

“Yeah, in the bathroom where things are supposed to hang dry.” Rooster couldn't help but to laugh after he held your gaze. He was just waiting for the slightest smirk to creep across your beautiful smug face. The second he saw it, that ever present glint of love in your eyes, he knew he was off the hook. “I hang them over the rail! I don't display them like a taxidermist pinning moths to a dart board like you do!” 

“And there it is, boundaries obliterated.” DiNozzo clapped, “More stuff I can never unhear.” 

It had been your phone ringing through your bluetooth that interrupted the eyeroll of the century as you drove. Rooster saw the caller ID showing and immediately pressed answer on your behalf, not wanting you to be distracted for even a second. 

“Hey Mcgee what's going on?” You greeted him with a soft smile you knew he wouldn't see but he would indeed hear in your voice. Both hands still on the wheel of your Sante Fe. The back was completely stacked with boxes, after a quick drop off, the four of you were going out for a small lunch break. 

“Hey Gibbs I just–” 

“It's Bradshaw Mc-know-it-all”!” Tony shouted, any chance he got to mess with his partner he took it no hesitation. 

“Right sorry, anyway, Uh listen I know you guys aren't working today but Gibbs and I just got a call about a hostage situation going down at Benny's  cafe’” Mcgee explained through the phone. He must have already been on the scene because all four of you could hear sirens in the background. “It's all hands on deck gang.” 

“We leave you unattended for one day and look what happens.” Tony quipped again as he stretched his arms above his head as high as he could. “Be there in twenty, we’ll drop the kids to daycare and be round as soo–” 

“Uh, yeah no.” Mcgee sighed as the slap he’d just copped to the back of the head echoed through your car. “Uh Gibbs says come now.” There was no time to drop Bradley and Jake back home. “Bring the kids.” 

***~***~***~***~***~***~***~

The entire block had been evacuated as you ducked under cautionary tape strung up by on duty police officers. Flashing them your credentials, as you did so. It had gotten easier over time to wave people off–shrugging past with nothing but a soft “NCIS–” slipping past your lips. 

“Uh guys?” Rooster shouted after you and DiNozzo as you kept walking, the police officers had stopped the two off duty naval aviators at the tape. Sighing as you held the bridge of your nose, you gesture at the cops to let your husband and Hangman through. 

“They’re with us—“

“Ma’am this is an active crime scene.” One of the officers felt the need to remind you as you stared him down. Bradley placed his hand on your shoulder, shaking his head with pressed lips, scooting you along before you had a chance to shove your badge down the clearly just graduated beat cops throat.

“He’s not worth it.”

“Well I would’ve paid good money to see it.” Hangman smirked as he caught up. “So this is what a crime scene looks like?”

“Yeah, come on probie I’ll show you the ropes.” Tony teased as he roughed his hand on top of Jake's head, messing up his hair before making his way over to where your father stood with McGee. Taking in your surroundings as you followed DiNozzo over—your strides were smaller these days. Since becoming a married woman you were less and less inclined to be putting yourself in the line of fire if it could be helped. You’re ‘when’ still hopefully in the far distant future. 

“Do I get a badge?” Hangman smirked as he followed curiously. DiNozzo just side eyed him in response. “Damn, was kinda banking on a badge here—“ 

“You can have a vest? If that’ll shut you up.” 

“What have we got boss?” Bradley swore every time he saw Leroy Jethroy Gibbs he wore the same expression. Unimpressed and unimused. He was grateful though to see a glimpse of reassurance that his presence was justified. “I'm in the middle of moving across the country here, you concoct a whole ass hostage situation to keep me occupied or something?” As you crossed your arms across your chest and stood back a little, you were the spitting image of your father. 

“Because I’d go to these lengths to keep you around?” Gibbs cracks. “No—no, it seems the universe is telling you that your job here isn’t quite finished.” Rooster just admired from a distance as you worked. He noticed just how invested Jake was getting, it brought a temporary smirk to Roosters face. Until the feeling diminished into nothing at the explanation of what exactly was happening. 

“Able Seaman Theodore ‘Bomber’ Brown.” Mcgee started, fixing his own NCIS vest over his chest. Gearing up as DiNozzo handed one to Rooster. Gesturing for him to put it on before he put it on for him. For protection. A part of procedure. “For reason still unknown the guys walked in and has taken fourteen people hostage, only thing we might be able to see triggered the outburst would be the fact he was dishonourably discharged about three weeks ago, his attending officers said he was showing signs of mania, histeria–all claims Brown denys.” 

“Doesn’t seem too outlandish now, does it?” Tony replied with a huff. “You don't just randomly take fourteen people hostage for no apparent reason– gotta be something triggering the guy.” 

“Did you say Theodore Brown?” You knew your expression was one of concern as Bradley and Jake turned to listen to you more intently. Both wearing NCIS issued bullet proof vests. “I think I went to high school with him, yeah–his mother was a diagnosed schizophrenic.” You remembered the poor kid as clear a day, he didn't have all that much growing up but he had a decent smile and a heart of gold. “I remember him being heavily tormented by some stupid kids in the grade above us because of it.” 

“That would certainly explain something like this–” DiNozzo sassed. You shot him a look of disapproval. His accusing eyes staring directly back at you. 

“I wasn't insinuating anything, I'm just saying there's a high percentage of something like that being passed down through genetics. If it's underlying or even just undiagnosed he might be confused about what's going on.” 

“Since when are you an expert in behavioural analysis?” You could barely hear the question Tony had asked over the sirens and loud as all hell fire brigade horns rolling onto the scene. “I say we send her in for mediation if she already knows the guy.” Like a little light bulb moment when off inside your head, you raised a brow Tony’s way as he spoke– perhaps he was onto something? Maybe it would be the best idea for you to go in if Theodore was the Theodore you had known in high school? 

“I'm not an excerpt and I could be way off here, but if we’re already going off nothing, maybe DiNozzo has a valid point?” Shrugging your shoulders, you looked around all the men who stood around you. Two of which were quick to shut down the idea immediately. 

“No!” Jake frowned as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. “As if you'd send the only women here into the line of direct fire are you kidding?” He didn't mean any malicious intent, you knew that. And you hadn’t taken the comment to heart because it was Jake. He cared enough about the people around him to want to protect them himself. In a situation like this though? He found himself rendered useless. 

“Not a chance–” Bradley shook his head, his lips pressed together in a thin line as his fist balled briefly by his side. “Nope, not happening.” Bradley however, knew he didn't have a say. He’d been around this bloke enough times to know the second someone held you no you wanted to do it ten times more. Even if it was out of spite. “You don't know what this guys even capable of?” The only thing that filled the heavy silence that lingered in the atmosphere around you were the sounds of obnoxious sirens. Looking up at your husband with so much love and admiration, you took his hand in yours. 

“I think you sometimes forget what I'm capable of too–” Bradley knew he was out of line. He knew better than anyone not to step between you and your job. He remembered how the whole Bob situation at the Hard Deck had gone down, but he couldn't help it, you were his wife. The woman he loved and was in love with. His best friend. The hopefully future mother of his children. He had his justified reasons to stand between you and something dangerous. If he didn’t? Who the fuck was going to? “Roos– todays not my when baby, I'll be fine.'' He knew you couldn't really promise that, with reluctance and a tight grip on your hand–squeezing three consecutive times, Rooster nodded in response. “We’ll stop by United Sports Nutrition on the way back and get you some more protein.” 

“What, just so you can eat it all?” Bradley beamed as you chuckled softly. Resolving in his arms as you hugged him. Wrapping your arms around his shoulders as he wrapped his arms around your waist. Looking around your shoulder Jake saw the look of utter turmoil in his best friend's eyes. He’d never be able to handle this, your job title made his day job look like a hobby. “I love you so much.” 

“I love you, so much more.” It was a moment you both treasured amongst chaos. Pulling away as you fixed yourself up and nodded to your dad. “Okay, where do you want me?” 

***~***~***~***~***~***~

“Earpiece fit snug?” Gibbs asked softly as he fixed his own. Pressing it further into his ear before fixing his NCIS issued cap. Never one for an overt display of emotion, Gibbs settled for a one sided smirk, tipping your chin up as he looked you over—a younger version of himself. “You keep your wits about yourself.” 

“Always boss, always.” It was a gentle kiss to your forehead that had you closing your eyes and taking in the moment before you exhaled your nerves. Shaking your hands out before smoothing over your bullet proof vest. Hidden snuggly under your sweatshirt you had stolen from Bradley’s forever growing collection—this one? His favourite Phillies jumper. “If Bradley—“ You didn’t even need to ask, finish your sentence or explain anything. Gibbs already knew. Cutting you off with a hushed groan. 

“I got him, you just focus on getting those people out of that building.” Everyone was situated around it in the gazebo style monitoring station. They were all huddled around radio equipment that had been set up in order to monitor you while you were inside the cafe.”

“No matter what happens you keep them clear, you’ll know if I need backup.'' It was always a weird feeling talking to your father like he was your boss. Well he was your boss but you get the point I'm trying to make. Keeping conversation light and away from what you really wanted to say was always the general consensus of your talks before any major take down or subsequent hostage situation or kidnapping. You always said things like ‘I'll be fine, don't worry, piece of cake.’ When in reality all you wanted to say was ‘Make sure I go home to my husband in one piece because if I don't he’ll never forgive me for being too reckless.’ Like father like daughter though right? 

The two of you slowly but surely closed in on where DiNozzo sat babysitting your husband and Jake. Sitting between the two aviators who both looked far beyond their comfort zone. “Now I’m expecting Brown to be incredibly hostile at first so whatever you do, unless there’s a clear indication from me—don’t intervene, under any circumstances.” 

“What would a clear indication be?” Rooster asked as he squinted up at you, the gazebo doing little to keep the sun out of his golden brown eyes. 

“Hail of bullets a good enough indication?” Rooster could tell you were starting to compartmentalise, it was something you did to ensure rational thinking. You didn't like when emotions played a major part in your critical thinking process when you were on the job. Splitting your personality in half always seemed to be an easy way to process the idea of inevitable fate. Not if, but when. You and Bradley had discussed the when’s of life a million times, today you were sure it was not a when. Bradley however? Well he had a fear so primal lingering in the back of his mind that today would be the day he could taste it in the back of his throat. Undeniable heartache. But he wouldn't admit that, no. He couldn't. Not when you were gearing up to save lives and put the greater good before your own self. That would be a disservice to your own stability. “I know what i'm doing Rooster–” 

“I stopped questioning your judgement a long time ago sweetheart, doesn't mean I don't worry.” Bradley cooed as he stood from his chair, headphone hanging around his neck because there was no way he wasn't going to listen to every second. Reaching out to draw you in by your slightly flushed cheeks. His palms pressed softly against you as he brought his lips against your ever so lovingly–Like it could very well be the last kiss he ever got the share with you. “Go be a badass–” 

“When have you ever known me not to be one?” It was a simple answer, but a reaffirming one. You had always been a fierce woman, strong and independent. “United Sports Nutrition, my treat.” Changing the subject as you slipped through Bradleys fingertips. Nodding in response to what you'd promised him, Bradley committed to memory what it felt like to hold your face between his hands. Jake stood from his seat to keep his best friend grounded in reality, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. 

“I dunno how you do it man, if I were in your shoes I never would have let her do this.” Bradleys eyes never left you as you finally turned your back on him, being escorted by two general duties officers closer to where the cafe was. Tears threatened to spill as he held himself together with what felt like scotch tape and PVA glue. Forever his girl, always his badass. 

“I don't do it–” Bradley replied just barely under a whisper. It killed him a little bit more each time you worked a high profile case or put yourself in the line of fire more than was deemed completely necessary. He knew you knew what you were doing–but it didn't change the fact the bottom line was inevitably when. When would he get the house call that told him you weren't coming back? “Kills me every day man. But what good would it do holding her back?” 

***~***~***~***~***~***~

As you approached the front door of the small corner store cafe, you held in a deep breath–it almost felt like if you exhaled too fast your heart was going to fall out of your ass. You weren't a stranger to dangerous situations, but this time it felt different. There was an added layer of intensity to this particular situation. One part being you knew the suspect from highschool. The other part? Well, it wasn't every day your husband got to see you doing what you did best–being a menace to society only with a legal title that gave you a right to carry a weapon. 

A small christmas like bell rang throughout the building as you slowly but surely opened the door. Stepping in cautiously, you met eyes with Theodore ‘Bomber’ Brown. You greeted him with a warm smile, trying to keep your own nerves under wrap as he held the gun directly at you. Your hands came up slowly beside your head as you took small almost undetected steps. The door slamming shut with a thud behind you. 

The game had begun. 

“Hi Theo.” 

“What are you doing here Y/n?” He almost looked as confused as you were pretending to be. Shrugging as you continued walking closer to where he stood, you took a headcount of people cowering and hiding their children. 

“Oh you know, I was just in the area and thought I'd stop in for a coffee.” Bradley had never rolled his eyes harder at you. For a brief moment he questioned if he could even listen to you, ripping the headphones off as he squinted his eyes shut and held the bridge of his nose warding off a headache. 

“What's she doing? Is she being serious?” Jake questioned DiNozzo who stood trying to get a visitual through the cracks in the blinds of the cafe Theo had made his hostages shut. 

“She's doing what she does best–” Gibbs responded with a smirk evident on his face. “She's getting the job done.” Rooster felt as if he had no other choice but to pull himself together and put the damn headphones back on. If something were to happen and he missed it? He’d never forgive himself. 

“You want a coffee Theo?” You asked as you slowly lowered your hands, stepping behind the counter. “I used to work at this coffee shop down the street while I was in college, still make a pretty mean cappuccino if you ask me.” 

“What are you some kinda cop?” Theo hissed, it almost felt like venom against your skin as he whizzed around the counter. Pressing the end of his gun against your back, just between your shoulder blades. “Because if are–” 

“I'm not a cop.” Sometimes a sharp tongue could cut deep. “But if you feel the need to affirm your suspicions you can always pat me down.” It was probably the biggest bluff you had ever held. Of course you were wearing a vest, you didn't actually have a death wish. But if Theo were to pat you down? He’d feel it instantly. “Or you can just have a coffee with me and we can talk about what's got you so upset to the point where you think hurting these people will fix the issue?” 

“You really just wanna talk? No bull?” Theo removed the gun from where it had been pressed between your shoulder blades. Watching curiously as you started to tamper a puck of coffee from the machine. 

“I just wanna talk, but before we do–I reckon it would be really kind of you to let some of these people go?” Silence had never been so deafening before as you stood face to face with an active terrorist. “I'll stay as long as you wanna talk for, but come on Theo–there's children in here.” 

“I keep them all.” Theo growled as you reached down to grab a carton of milk from out of the bar fridge. Shaking your head in disappointment. 

“The Theo I know would never have harmed a soul, you cried when Lala Bigbe decided she was gonna be an underground Molly Grub fighter and was pinning them against one another on the oval at–” The jug of milk went crashing to the ground as you felt the back of Theos gun connect with your cheek. He’d pistol whipped you. Knocking you to the ground in shock before you could finish your sentence. 

“Jesus fucking Christ–” Rooster hissed as he stood up, Gibbs was quick to shove him back down into his seat by his shoulders. “Gibbs she–” 

“Knows what she's doing, Son–give her time.” Bradley didn't hear the word son enough in his life, and it was a word that always truly impacted him. Sitting with his father in law's hands on his shoulders—he wanted so badly to trust the process. “She’ll tell us when she needs us.” 

“I'll give him that one for free, maybe she’ll try another angle now.” Tony tried to lighten the situation, noticing just how badly Rooster was holding it together. Maybe it was the wrong call bringing the fighter pilots along after all.

“I am not in the mood to play childish games.” Theo spat as he leaned in and over you, watching as you backed yourself into the corner. Covering your cheek. “You wanna talk, we’ll talk, but it'll be on my terms, about what I wanna talk about—” 

“That's perfect, great plan of attack.” You quipped. Standing to your feet again as you went back to making your coffee. Fetching a new carton of milk from the bar fridge. “What’s on your mind?” Theo didn’t respond as quickly as you’d hoped. He looked around the cafe, taking in how everybody looked at you like some saving grace. 

“I'm not crazy–” He mumbled as you steamed your milk. “I’m just—I wanted someone, anyone to hear 

me.” Theo sounded as sincere as they come. A plea for help, crying out for someone to pull him out of whatever train wreck his life had become.

“Well considering I never asked if you were, it's awfully sad that you feel like you need to state that as a matter of fact.” You and Theo used to be quite close in high school—you’d eat lunch together more often than not, you’d stand by his locker most mornings because your presence alone would deter Frank Jackson and his bunch of goons from stuffing Theo into his locker. He was your science partner from what you could remember and he even helped you a time or two with some physics homework—but looking at him now? There was something behind his eyes that told you he was sick. “I don’t think you’re crazy—“

As if those five words broke down a barrier, Theo sauntered over to the front door. Deciding that your open mind was a good enough reason to let a few people out as a show of good faith. You scratch his back he’ll scratch yours.

“You three, go—NOW!” Theo shouted as he fired a single round into the ceiling as the three people he’d told to run ran for their lives with their hands above their head. At the sound of gunfire you ducked behind the counter, holding your earpiece. 

“I’m good, he fired into the roof.” You mumbled just above a whisper, hoping Bradley had been one of the people who were listening in intently. He had been. At the sound of gunfire he jumped out of his seat, instantly panicking because what if you’d been shot? “I’m good—“ 

“Copy, standing by with backup.” McGee responded loud and clear in your ear as you peaked out from behind the counter. Catching a glimpse of what Theo might have been experiencing as you watched his gaze linger into a void as he mumbled something under his breath, almost as if he was shrugging someone off. 

“I thought my commanding officer would be here this morning.” Theo explained as he made his way to you. His head hung lower as he almost gave off an ora of remorse. “I just wanted to talk, explain that I’m not crazy—I, I panicked when someone spotted my gun.” It was irrational behaviour, but you couldn’t help but to understand how Theo thought he was justified. Sipping your coffee casually as you kept Theo occupied and distracted enough so that two other hostages could slip out the front door. One had been clever enough to take the Christmas bell with him. 

“Why do you have a gun if you were looking for your commanding officer Theo?” Your question must have made Theo feel a little caged. His defences coming back online as he closed the space between you. His eyes full of rage, anger bubbling to the surface. 

“Because he had me dishonourably discharged, he ruined my life! It's only fair I ruin his no?” 

“She’s losing him–” Gibbs groaned as he clicked at Tony. “Get ready to go.” Bradley and Jake continued listening as you tried to take control of the situation again. “I'm pulling the plug.” At the mere mention of the plug being plugged being pulled, you spoke back to Theo in a way you hoped your team would understand. 

“I got it–” You paused briefly so that your team understood you were talking to them. “I mean I get it, I do, if someone had me fired from the only job I ever really enjoyed I'd be upset too.” you weren't sure when your hands had started to shake but they were. 

“What do you do now?” Theo asked. You couldn't keep up with his very wiry personality changes. The Theo you spoke at this very second was not the same version of Theo who had shot a single round through the roof not a few minutes prior. 

“Im a florist–” It had been a blatant lie, but a quick and believable one. Brandley scoffed to himself in amusement, his mother had been a florist. “Maybe you can come see the shop once this is all over huh?”

“Oh I dont think I'm getting out of here.” Theo softened his gaze. “Can't you hear the sirens?”

“They just wanna make sure these people get out unharmed Theo that's all, I reckon if you walked out with me, they'd lower whatever weapons they have and would let you explain why you felt the need to do this.” It was your way of telling everyone to lower their weapons and stand down if Theo were to come willingly. You knew your dad was smart enough to decipher that. “Doesn't that sound like the best way to get justice?” 

“Y/n, what's in your ear?” Fuck. You froze as Theo reached his hand out, turning your head away–Theo got a good look at the earpiece that was in your ear, delivering your entire conversation to whatever authorities were outside. “You fucking bitch you set me up.” 

“No no, I didn't Theo listen to me!” You were in the eye of the storm now. Rooster shot up from his seat yet again as his heart beat so hard against his chest he felt like it might burst through his sternum. 

“Gibbs, get her out of there–” Jake had never heard his friend and colleague sound so panicked before. “NOW!” Holding the headphones against his ears as people rushed towards the building, Bradley’s stomached dropped when he heard the crackling noise of static. You weren't there anymore. “FUCK! Y/n–!!” Bradley Bradhsaw had never moved so quickly in his goddamn life before. But Jake Seresin? He’d never had to hold back a pleading husband before. Jumping up and after Rooster, bear hugging the six foot wide shouldered blonde as he struggled against him. 

“You can't go in there Bradshaw–” 

“She's my wife!” Jake had to clench his jaw as he struggled with Rooster, holding him back as shots rang out and hostages bolted from the front door, DiNozzo and Mcgee quick on the draw as they entered soon after with their guns drawn. 

“But right now? She's a Federal Agent.” 

“Jake I swear to fucking god if you don’t let me go right now you’ll be dead before you hit the ground, DO YOU HEAR ME?!!” Bradley shouted as he continued to struggle with Hangman who wasn't letting go for nothing. Holding back Rooster as people rushed the cafe. His eyes were trained on the front door, just waiting for you to appear. 

But you never did.  

***~***~***~***~***~***~

“No no, I didn't Theo listen to me!” You were in the eye of the storm now. He’d ripped your earpiece from your ear, crushing it in his palm before shoving you backwards into one of the dining tables. 

“You are a cop!” 

“I'm not!” You pleaded, your hands coming up to protect yourself. “I'm not a cop, you just never asked if I was a federal agent, that's what I am, but I swear to you it doesn't change anything!” You tried to reason with Theo as his hand came down to around your throat. “I don't think you’re crazy!” 

“I don’t fucking believe you!” That's the moment you knew you’d lost him, deciding against your better judgement before anyone else got hurt to rush him. Clawing at his hand before tackingling him around the waist back into the counter. 

“RUN!!” You shouted. “Everybody out! Now, now, now!!!” Struggling with Theo as you tried to disarm him. He’d managed to gain the upper hand and throw you down onto the ground, pinning you down only for you to flip the cards and straddling him for a brief moment as you searched for his gun. “Theo, I promise, I can help you–” He wasn't listening. Scrapping around on the floor for dominance and his weapon. 

You didn't even hear the gunshots. 

You just felt the two jolts of pain rush through you. You held your breath and counted to ten. You felt the earth move before your heart burst again. For this was your when, You’d drowned and dreamt this moment. So overdue, you felt like you owed them. The hands of time. Swept away, you were stolen as you fell to your side. Cupping your lower abdomen as blood stained your hands. 

***~***~***~***~***~***~

Bradley was by your side within seconds after first responders had brought you out, already working to fit you with oxygen and stop your bleeding. A paramedic sat straddling your legs as she applied pressure over your stomach as the gurney you laid on was wheeled up into the ambulance. 

“Rooster–” You mumbled softly from under the oxygen mask, you couldn't train your eyes on him. Everything was blurry. But you knew he was there. “Bradley–”

“Im here, hey–I got you baby, I’m here.” The way Bradley held your hand broke Jake's heart as he stood back and watched with Tony and Tim. They were all as stunned as each other. Gibbs? He was still inside the cafe. As your boss he hated that he’d let the situation escalate to a point beyond saving. As your father? He was proud you’d managed to get every single person out of the cafe–his only wish was that you'd been one of them too. 

“I'm okay–” You tried to promise your husband as he followed you up into the ambulance, there was no way in hell he wasn't going with you. “I'll be fine.” 

“Oh I wouldn't doubt it baby, you did so good.” Rooster knew this wasn't good just by the looks that gave no ground for hope that paramedics shared between themselves as they worked around him. “But you gotta keep fighting yeah? Don't you give up on me now, today wasn't supposed to be your when.” You just shook your head softly in response as your hand slipped from your husbands. “Y/n? Hey, baby you open your eyes for me okay?” It took everything you had, but you did what you were told. Bradley beamed as he blinded away tears that fell freely down his cheeks. “There she is, hi beautiful.” 

“Hi–” You mumbled back before all the bells and whistles rang out through the back of the ambulance. 

“Okay we’re losing her.” one of the paramedics announced as she pushed Bradley aside. “Sir, we need all the space to work on your wife, please step aside.” Bradley did as he was told, he stood in the corner and watched as paramedics worked to save your life. His bottom lip quivered a little as he started to lose control. 

“Don't you dare take her dad, I need her here, with me.” 

***~***~***~***~***~***~

Leroy Jethro Gibbs hated hospitals as much as the next guy. It had been a few hours since you had been brought into emergency for emergency life saving surgery. Jake sat beside a clearly not alright Braldey. His hands were still covered in your blood. At least his shirt was black so if there was any on him? It was at least discrete. 

“Bradshaw, Your father in laws here.” Jake didn't think for a moment that Bradley would jump to his feet and rush at Gibbs. But that's exactly what he did. Leaving Jake Seresin in the dust completely dumbfounded. “Dude?” This was not how his annual leave would have gone.

“You son of a bitch!” Bradley spat. “Where the fuck have you been!?” Calmly and every so collected Gibbs raised a single brow at his son in law. He understood what it was like to lose his wife, so he accepted Roosters' anger. 

“I was with Brown, making sure he was in custody.” Gibbs handed the obviously distressed husband the coffee he’d ordered him before stepping around where Bradley stood to hand Jake the same. “He’s with Tony and Tim now–charged they’re charging him with attempted murder of a Federal officer first and formost, everything else will be left up to whatever the phyc deems–”

“You should have been with your daughter!” Rooster interrupted with a hiss laced with venom as Gibbs turned back to face where Rooster stood seething in anguish and heartbreak. “She needed you–” 

“Who she needed, was right with her.” Gibbs said calmly as he pressed his index finger into Roosters chest. “And you don't get to diminish her ability because it's hard to accept the fact things went wrong, she's a good agent–she knew what she was walking into, you accept the risk–” 

FUCK THE RISK!!” Bradley shouted with enough gusto to catch the attention of the entire waiting room. “She’s everything I have! I can't lose her.” 

“Since when is this about you Bradshaw?” Gibbs questioned as calmly as ever. “Are you the one on the operating table right now or is it your wife and my daughter?” It was a hard truth Bradley had to hear and accept. “You don't get to not be a solid foundation for her to lean on when she comes out of this, just like she doesn't get a choice to not make it through this.” For a split second, Rooster saw Gibbs clench his jaw tight, holding his emotions back as per normal. But for a moment? He saw it in his father in law's eyes. The guilt he felt for being the one who signed off on such a suicide mission. 

“Uh, Bradshaw?” An attending was coming through the double doors in her scrubs, looking for Bradley. “Bradley Bradshaw?” 

“Yeah? Over here.” Jake answered as he stood from the seat he felt like he’d been glued to watching the most daytime emmy scene play out before him. 

“I have an update on your wife.” Bradley couldn't breathe as he nodded in response, swallowing the lump in his throat as he sat down. Theattending did the same beside him. Removing her scrub cap. “Do you want the good news or the bad news first?” 

“There's good news?” Bradley let out a sigh of relief as the attending just smirked his way. She’d seen far too many husbands with chewed up nails beds to not know what Bradley was feeling right now. “That first, please.”

“She’s stable, for now–Doctor Daz is just finishing up now and we’ll let you know when you can come see her.” The attending Bradley didn't quite catch the name of paused briefly before continuing on. “However, unfortunately because of the specific type of bullet that your wife was hit with, it did leave a pretty big mess and she’s lost an ovary.” Rooster wasn't the best person when it comes to female anatomy. He carried a few tampons and liners around but that was about it. From the look on his face the attending knew he cared, he just didn't really know what she was saying. “Sir, your wife may find it a little harder to conceive if you were ever planning on having a family. Not by much, only around the thirty for forty percent mark but it's still something to be aware of.” 

“But she's alive?” Bradley didn't care about what he did not have right now, all he cared about was that you were still earth side, his dad had heard his prayers. “She’s gonna be Okay?” 

“She very much should be.”

***~***~***~***~***~***~

The steady rhythm of your heart rate monitor was the first thing that you heard as you came to after surgery. The next thing? It was the gentle snores that escaped an exhausted Bradley Bradshaw as he sat beside your bed. His head in your lap as he snored away. Completely oblivious to the fact you had come to. Oxygen flowed through the little tube connecting up around your ears into your nose as your head felt heavy against the pillow that proped you up. 

“Too much adventure for you huh Roos?” You smiled softly as you carded your fingertips gently through his sun kissed hair. Disturbing the clearly mentally and physically exhausted aviator who held your whole heart in the palm of his hand. “Hi–” 

“You don’t know how good it is to hear your voice.” Rooster groaned as he came to, sitting up with a yawn. “Never again.” 

“Bradley, I’m okay–” 

“Yeah no this isn't the first time you've been shot on but it's gonna be the last.” You didn't want to start an argument right now, but you couldn't help but give Rooster the normal level or attitude you normally would. 

“Okay Lieutenant Bradshaw, say that again when you aren't literally flying fighter jets for a living.” You had rendered Bradley speechless as you eyed him down with an all knowing smirk. “Yeah, think before you talk shit.” 

In comfortable silence Braldey held your hand and read your chart as you went in and out of a light sleep. He wondered when the most appropriate time would be to bring up the whole ovary thing would be. Perhaps it would be less of a hit coming from him, or maybe it would be less confusing to hear someone explain it who actually knew what they were talking about. Regardless, Braldey stayed by your side all night, watching as you slept, keeping you company when you were awake. 

“Hey Roos?” You mumbled as you lulled your head to the side. Yoru eyes were barely open as you caught his attention. 

“You okay? Do you need anything?” 

“You believe in life after death right?” He wasn't all that sold on the idea, but he liked to keep an open mind purely because of his parents and the way his mother would always say his dad was watching over them. 

“Depends on the circumstances I guess? Why, what's on your mind?” 

“I think I met your dad for a moment there, unless it was just a very vivid surgery dream.” Bradley believed wholeheartedly that if you had really seen his dad then he owed him everything he had for sending you back to him. 

“Did you say hi for me?” Rooster smiled as he rubbed his thumb across your hand as you nodded. 

“I did Roo, I did.” You cooed just barely above a whisper. Letting your eyes rest as you chuckled softly to yourself. “Do you think this obliterated our blurry line between work and home life?” Bradley Bradshaw knew he’d met his match with you all those years ago. But looking at you now? He honestly couldn’t imagine a life without you. He wasn't prepared for a when. You’d just have to settle for a never from now on. 

“Yeah, oh yeah big time.”

***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~

Tags: @auroraboreallisfine @tigerfan24 @atarmychick007 @rosee-sensuelle @unhingedhousehold @belowtheharddeck300 @daisyhollyxox @luckyladycreator2 @86laura11 @justanothermagicalsara @taytaylala12 @rhirhikingston

#ncis // bradley bradshaw #bradley bradshaw #bradley rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw imagine #top gun bradley bradshaw #top gun maverick fanfiction #top gun rooster #bradley bradshaw x reader

[theliterarywolf]

So as a fan of indie animation, I've been so happy to watch the Lackadaisy backer kit raise a little over 2 MILLION DOLLARS to fund more work. That's awesome and I really enjoyed the pilot (and the comic) so I think they'll do good work

HOWEVER I noticed some weird drama getting stirred up on Twitter that seems to have gotten a bit tangled and frankly is really disappointing

So one of the Lackadaisy crew members I guess had been under a microscope for liking TERF-y rhetoric on Twitter and that was a whole thing. One of the leaders of the project is trans and they said they really think it was a misunderstanding/whatever. Of course people are still upset about it but I'm not sure how much the original person addressed it. I think that crew member was just retweeting a bunch of people that were defending her as not transphobic, not sure if she said anything particular in her defense

BUT THEN that same crew member also was weirdly catty towards Vivzie because when she tweeted about the Spindlehorse crew pooling towards a 5k backer tier for Lackadaisy, I guess Viv didn't include a direct link (although it was very clear what project it was).

Also I don't know how real these discord screenshots are but apparently that same Lackadaisy crew member was convinced Viv was only supporting the project to "get her claws in the credits."

AND THEN for whatever reason the Lackadaisy project rejected Viv/Spindlehorse's funding which Viv seemed confused about. One of the leaders of the Lackadaisy project gave this vague reason that Spindlehorse has done enough for indie animation but it's all really weird and feels rather unprofessional

I would hope they're not so blind to their friendship with their troublesome crew member that they'll stir up this weird unnecessary drama with Spindlehorse. Some Spindlehorse crew members said they felt really hurt by this behavior. It's not like Lackadaisy and Spindlehorse are fighting over a single spot on a network or something. . . they aren't rivals?? Idk

Like it's just so weird to me that yes, jesus, Viv is not perfect but so many people just seem to have it OUT for her I'm just genuinely confused

I'm going to go ahead and tag @topazdragoon since they were sending some asks about this as well but I was waiting to see if the situation would iron itself out.

The situation did not iron itself out.

But I'm just going to summarize my thoughts and observations on this whole situation with the following sentiment:

People who have the socioeconomic maturity of 13 year-olds should not be allowed to work in professional settings.

Because there should never have been this immature 'rivalry' between Hellaverse and Lackadaisy. The people working on the latter should have realize that 'hey, IanJQ was put under a microscope and nearly got cancelled for having a loli pic in his Twitter likes and he was a mainstream showrunner. How the fuck do you think people aren't going to look at your shite?'

When you apply for a job, especially in the creative sector, your sole responsibility from that point onward is presenting the project you're on in the best, SHINIEST fucking light like your breath depends on it.

'Starting incessant beef with creators I don't like' should be nowhere near that job-description.

And the fact that the latter team has had nothing but documented instances of someone on staff trying to start drama, someone on staff trying to start drama, someone on staff trying to start drama just shows that, despite dropping a technically sound pilot, I don't trust you guys with shit!

And the biggest signifier of this was the botching of Spindlehorse's donation to the Lackadaisy Kickstarter. 'Oh, I spoke to Viv about why we returned the donation in private', 'Oh, the BackerKit had a bad glitch', 'Oh, Viv only donated so she could have producer credit in another show!', 'Oh, we don't want the negative press from Hellaverse lingering around our show'.

Stop. Acting. Like. The Independent Animation Sector. Is Your Chance. To Relive. Your Middle School Drama Days.

If the situation was handled amicably in private, Viv wouldn't have posted the update about the donation being returned (even if the post she made was amicable). If the BackerKit had a bad glitch, you needed to fix it and remedy any understandings before it all burst into the spotlight. The donation was under Spindlehorse. Not just Viv, but multiple people from that team wanted to support another Indie project.

And, well, congratulations! Now you don't just have negative sentiments from the Hellaverse side of things, now you have to deal with the fact that, despite the Kickstarter being successful, when some people think of your bootlegger cat show, all they're going to think about are TERF-y middle schoolers.

[michaeljoncarter]

do you have any recommendations for dick and jason (together or separate, both is fine) comics for someone who’s just starting to read them? i have some knowledge of the characters and batfam and i’ve read several batman comics, but i never really got into the robins-after-they-were-robins comis so i’d like to start with dick and jason…thank you so much :)

okay, this was meant to be a sort of joint answer to this & another ask that was someone interested in getting into comics for the first time asking for recs, but then i accidentally deleted it :'') so just. pretend all the references in here to being a first time comic reader make sense in response to this question (and sorry to whoever sent that other ask!!!)

i'm probably not the best person to ask if you're looking for more up to date stuff, since i lost interest in the bats when i got to the new 52, and it's been… a while since i actually read either of their comics. so i'm just all around not the one to be answering a bat-ask with any sort of authority, but! jason & dick were two of the first characters i read when i was first getting into comics, too, so i can say with some level of confidence that they're a pretty good place to start, and i think i can maybe provide a bit of perspective that way by steering you toward the things i found easy & away from the things that were difficult as a newer reader?

so basically, this is going to be an extremely biased rec list where the most important thing is essentially just whether or not i had a good time reading it when i was like 17 that i'm writing while hopped up on cold medicine. so i don't know. it might (??) be a little helpful for brand new people, but hardcore fans might wanna just... keep scrolling & not click to see the details on this one lol

for jason, there are, sadly (?), way fewer comics to have to sort through

i can't tell if you only wanted post-robin comics or not, but just in case, jason's robin run was from Batman #408 - 429. if you're just starting out, this might be a bit… boring in the middle. the most (arguably only) important issues are #408 - 411, #416 for our first post-crisis jason & dick interaction, and #424 - 429. the Batman: The Cult miniseries is also set during his robin era, and is probably one of my all-time favorite comics, so that's definitely worth a look, too

post-resurrection, the first thing jason technically appears in is Batman: Hush (Batman #608-619). i don't know if this will be seen as a horrendous take because i've never really been able to get a read on what the general consensus on this arc is, but i think it's… fine? kinda boring. as someone who was just getting into comics for the first time when i read it, it just lost me. too much going on, too many characters i didn't know or care about yet. granted, i'm kinda dumb with zero attention span, so you may well have a very different experience... but i just think it's worth mentioning. jason's only there from #617 - 618, so if it ends up being the same sort of trial for you that it was for my impatient ass, you can just skip it and come back later when you're more familiar with batman comics as a whole (like i did)

and with that: THE BIG ONE

Batman: Under the Hood runs from Batman #635 - 641, then a pause for unrelated issues of bruce running around gotham (strongly recommend skipping these), then picks back up with Batman #645 - 650 and Batman Annual #25. Batman Villains: Secret Files and Origins (2005) also happened somewhere in here. it was published right after Batman #640, i think. it doesn't actually matter because jason doesn't even show up, but he DOES have a little character page. i just think it's Neat, and i never see it getting mentioned anywhere else. so here you go. a mention

also while this arc was going on, geoff johns went rogue and dropped Teen Titans (2003) #29 to kickstart jason's character assassination before they'd even finished establishing his character to begin with. this issue is one of those things where discussion of it usually ends with the internet equivalent of someone throwing a chair, flipping a table, or trying to burn a house down, so… all i can really say is i, personally, hate everything about it and as far as i'm concerned, it's non-canon. never happened. i don't know who that man is, but the things he does in this issue are, for whatever reason, pretty important to the history of jason todd as a character, so it's still a necessary read

now, from here, i'm gonna need you to BUCKLE UP because you are about to be exposed to some weapons grade comic book nonsense. Brothers in Blood (Nightwing #118 - 124) was the first we really saw of jason after his comeback arc ended. it's where he and dick interact for the first time after his death, and it is absolutely cuckoo bananas insane. if you've never heard anything about this storyline before, i am BEGGING you to not look anything about it up before you read it. go into this blind. it's so much more than just a story. it's an experience. this is unironically one of my favorite arcs of all time. going into this with zero prior knowledge as someone brand new to comics as a medium & still very unfamiliar with all their eccentricities is still to this day one of my FAVORITE comic book reading experiences ever. some truly groundbreaking stuff here

the next time (as far as i'm aware) that we get dick & jason interacting, it's very briefly in Outsiders (2003) #44 - 46

the only other jason book i really remember enjoying was another of the classics, the Red Hood: Lost Days miniseries that explores the time between his resurrection and reappearance. this one is a favorite, too, but for the right reasons this time lol

as for dick, there's… a lot

i'm gonna try to whittle it down to just the all-time faves, but if you're up for tackling whole series, pretty much all of The New Teen Titans (and all its variations/retitles) are at the top of the list. it's a lot of issues, yes, but it's very self-contained and imo a very easy read, which is important when you're new

i can never quite put my finger on what, exactly, it is, but there's something about some comics that just makes them hard to read--bad composition or pacing issues or something. especially as a newer reader, i had a hard time understanding wtf was happening in a lot of books, but New Teen Titans is one of those books that just flows. your eye naturally knows exactly which panel to find next, characters are distinct & easy to tell apart even in crowded scenes, and you're never confused about who's saying what. the number of issues can be intimidating, but it's a really, really good place to start for new readers, including and especially if you're interested in nightwing. here's a full reading order, if you're interested in giving it a go!

it's almost impossible for me to cherrypick a few "most important" issues for dick because there's an important character moment nearly every other issue, but if i absolutely had to pick just a couple: The Judas Contract, (along with being arguably the most iconic arc) is where he stops being robin & takes on the identity of nightwing for the first time. it starts way back with deathstroke's introduction in The New Teen Titans (1980) #2, but doesn't really kick off proper until The New Teen Titans (1980) #39, and then just after this, the book was renamed to Tales of the Teen Titans, the arc continued in Tales of the Teen Titans #42 - 44, and then wrapped up in Tales of the Teen Titans Annual #3

later, on the dick & jason front, in The New Titans #55, we get a bit of jason action with dick finding out about his death in this issue & going to confront bruce about it (it does not go well), and then Batman: Year 3 (Batman #436 - 439) is an arc that is both a sort of re-exploration of dick's origin and about dick & bruce dealing with the aftermath of jason's death

Titans (1999) is always high on the list for me, but it's hard to really think of any specific issues for dick specifically, so here's just a general rec. maybe something to come back to a little later, since there are a lot of characters involved, and you're sort of expected to be at least a little familiar with them beforehand

i'm doing some truly extreme time skipping here, and i'm sure more devout dick fans will (validly) have Thoughts about this (i'm gonna link some better rec lists from more competent people, dw), but outside of The New Titans, i have no strong feelings about, like, anything that dick grayson did throughout the entirety of the 90s. sorry! my recommendation is to skip straight to the mid-2000s. Outsiders (2003) is one of my all-time faves in general and definitely one of my favorite takes on dick

Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day is the thing that kicks off the Outsiders era, then Titans/Outsiders Secret Files (2003), and then starts Outsiders (2003). the first ~25 or so issues are full of the highest quality dick content

and, horrifying quite a few people, i'm sure, i am going to recommend jumping directly to devin grayson's run in Nightwing (1996). and then, insult to injury, i am ONLY going to recommend devin grayson's run

i'm sure a few people just closed the tab in a fit of rage, but just to preemptively defend myself here, this isn't necessarily a glowing endorsement of her take on dick (though i do like her run just fine & think she gets way more flack than she deserves, which is something i'm absolutely not interested in arguing about lol). it's just that i remember trying to read Nightwing (1996) as a newer reader, and i remember giving up on it multiple times because it just wasn't fun until someone finally recommended that i start with grayson. this is obviously a very subjective thing, but i think a big part of what made those early issues so difficult was just how much was going on around them

earlier issues crossover and tie-in and reference all these events that were happening elsewhere in the universe and just generally expect the reader to be able to roll with the punches a lot more, which is fantastic & exactly what you want when you've been reading comics for a while, but for someone still trying to get a feel for all of this, it just made things kinda frustrating and confusing and could be a pretty big turnoff. grayson's run is much more self-contained and easy to follow without needing that much prior knowledge (without going too far & ending up feeling detached & unrelated to the world around it). big disclaimer/warning that the portrayal of romani people here is… Not Good. to put it mildly

it starts with Nightwing (1996) #71 and runs with no crossovers all the way until War Games begins with Nightwing (1996) #96. i cannot in good conscience recommend that anyone read War Games, so… maybe (maybe.) just skim the tie-in issues and come back later if/when you're more invested in batman comics. otherwise, it might turn you off altogether, and that's… barely an exaggeration. it's pretty much exactly what happened to me when i stared my getting-into-comics-books journey with Nightwing (1996) very early on and made the mistake of actually trying to read it when i reached it. it may not be as bad in retrospect, but i'm biased and i hate it and i don't care. fuck War Games

Nightwing (1996) #101 - 106 are Nightwing: Year One, which retells dick's early days as nightwing & includes a revamped first meeting with jason. mixed opinions on this one all around, from what i understand, but here it is. after this, grayson's run ends right before Brothers in Blood starts in #118, and i can't really say much for the title past that point, as it was incredibly obvious nothing would ever top that masterpiece, and i decided to stop there

and i cannot, in good conscience, recommend anything past this point to a new reader. or anyone, really, but especially not a new reader. from this point on, things are messy, especially for jason. the only thing i really enjoy about post-Final Crisis batfam is damian's existence, and even that comes with its own set of asterisks because everything about this era was… something. it's not all bad, but i remember naively wandering into morrison's Batman & Robin as someone still new to all this, and all it did was make me question whether or not i should just call it quits & give up on comics as a medium right then and there lol

don't let that scare you away from those comics altogether, just don't be frustrated if you do give them a go & find yourself not understanding wtf is going on. no one knows wtf is going on half the time, especially where morrison is concerned. it's fine

and with that, i have talked WAY too much, so to close, let me offer you a few way more extensive recs from a few way more qualified people:

here's a general batfam reading guide

some dick recs: one, two, three

and jason recs: one, two, three

this post is sort of a big, rambling mess, but... hope it manages to help somehow! and for anyone else who manages to actually make it this far, feel free to add on if you think of anything else that might be helpful

#ask #anonymous #long post #comic recs #LORD this is such a mess #i have sick brain and it shows anon(s) i'm sorry #hopefully you can get... anything from this lol #and hopefully everyone else can forgive me for the things im saying while under the influence of all this dayquil

[theinstagrahame]

One of the things I like to do on Twitter is periodically post all of the stuff I've gotten from various crowdfunding and other Indie RPG sources. I am (apparently) a Kickstarter Superbacker, not in the sense of "Person who's constantly in the comments asking where something is", but in the sense of "Now that I've got some disposable income, I put a lot of it into the Indie and Small Press TTRPG scene."

This represents about 2-3 months of Crowdfunders coming to fruition and a couple of purchases from a couple of stores. Here's what's in the list (and a bit about why I'm hype for it!):

Top row

Arcon: The City of Neon Daylight - This year, I've getting into system agnostic setting guides. I recall hearing a lot about this one, because it set out to make a Cyberpunk setting that avoided some of the problematic tropes that tend to fall in with that aesthetic.

Public Guest 5 - It's an RPG on a poster! I was intrigued to see how it would play out, and really like the aesthetic. I have it framed and sitting behind my desk. Been thinking of working it into a (stalled) Ironsworn campaign to create an in-world artifact.

Die RPG - I'm admittedly a big Rowan, Rook and Deckard fanboy. I also read and enjoyed some of Kireon Gillen's work, and was intrigued by the team-up. Having since read the first 5 issues of the comic, I'm super into this whole thing. It seems like a really powerful skewering of some tropes in fantasy gaming, combined with an emotional intelligence that I'm really curious to dig into.

Upper-middle row

Anyone can Wear the Mask - I'm admittedly a big Jeff Stormer fanboy... (I was doing a bit, but honestly, he makes rad stuff. Check out Party of One asap). I loved Dee Pennyway's work on the system this is based on, and having heard a couple of playthroughs of this game, it's a must-have. Jumped on it as soon as it was available.

Scraps - Cesar Capacle's work in the scene is one-of-a-kind. I have yet to read it, but it bills itself as a crafting RPG with a hopeful streak, which I'm super intrigued by. I think I can learn a lot of design stuff from it, and I think it's going to just be a great game.

Derelict Delvers - Another Capacle banger idea. Again, got it in part because of the creator, but the concept is one I'm also intrigued by. Scrapping in space is something I've been more and more intrigued by. So, I'll have to make some time to get into this one.

The Vaults of Vaarn - I'm admittedly susceptible to peer pressure... I mean. Wait. No. I've heard really good, intriguing things about this, and Games Omnivorous has made a ton of really amazing, high-quality volumes that I guess I'm starting to collect? Lately, I've been getting a lot of Weird Sci-fi stuff, and I understand this is part of that world.

Lower-middle row

Broken Cities - I picked up another of Come Martin's works, Meanwhile, in the Subway, a little bit ago. It's an RPG printed on a subway map, that takes place in a weird public transit. This game takes place in the city that the transit serves. It's standalone, but I can't wait to see how they connect.

The Fall of Home - Zinequest is a rough month for me, because so many people make such rad stuff that I struggle to control my purchases (see, Superbacker, above). Fall of Home hit a lot of intriguing touchstones, and... well, I'm fascinated by a lot of things, but exploring ruins with a very personal touch just grabs me.

Rad-Hack - I've got a couple of other Skullfungus titles, and I keep hearing about the Black Hack. This was an impulse purchase on Lulu, where Cesar Capacle's books are printed, but I'm curious to see how close this skews to the Fallout series, and whether it's a better fit for my tastes than the Fallout RPG...

Bottom row

Spindlewheel - Honestly, when I backed this, I expected to get a beautiful, tarot-like set of cards to use as an oracle or for games of its own. I underestimated how beautiful this set was going to be. Gold-edged, they're shiny and printed on fantastic card stock. I've mostly stared at these things, I almost worry that if I play them too much I'll damage them.

Down we Go + Beneath the Necropolis - Backed this initially because I've been getting more embedded into the Plus One EXP community of late, and I think this is their flagship title. Having heard a couple of APs, and played around with the system a little, I'm super hyped to really dig into the system.

No Way to Make a Living - Early on in my time in the indie RPG scene, I recall hearing Sandy Pug Games talk about this book. A series of interviews with creators in the space, from huge names down to the more esoteric folks. When I heard this was being printed by Metal Weave Games, it became a Must-have. (Arcon was an impulse purchase to go along with it).

The Million Islands of Doom - I really love Snow's work in general, and again, setting guides are my go-to. It feels a lot like Zelda (a series that means so much to me, my therapist has told me to play more of it as therapy homework...), specifically Wind Waker, but with a more RPG-flavored world. I've skimmed it, but really want to dig in. I'm constantly trying to figure out how I'll pair this up with either Games Omnivorous' Bottled Sea, or Skullfungus' Isle of Ixx.

Dinocar - Dinoberry Press makes the raddest stuff. I nearly passed on this, but I do spend some time with some family friends whose kids are into dinosaurs, the parents are into RPGs, and I figure if we should start them early. Plus, the thought of building a city and sending dinos in cars through it? Yet another of my many jams.

On Twitter, because I kinda hate typing stuff on my phone, I don't really get this deep into why I'm hype for the stuff I get. This was kinda fun, though! Maybe I'll do it again in a couple of months.

Bonus, some other gaming and game-design stuff I've gotten

Thunder Road Vendetta - When I was a kid, a friend's family owned the original version of this game. I never played it, but always wanted to. I very loosely understood some of the components, and wanted to see how they fit together (why it took me to my mid-30s to get into game design, I'll never know). So, when Restoration Games announced a revamp, I was in. I've picked up a couple of their other titles, and they make good games.

Self Made Man - Several years ago, I went to visit a friend in Portland, ME. They had gotten really into the community for a local comic shop up there. Periodically, the owner (and some other folks in that community) make comics, like this one. I like to support them both because they're friends, and because their stuff is always fun.

The Affinity Designer Workbook - I didn't pick up the Affinity Publisher workbook when I first got Publisher, and kinda kicked myself when it fell out of print. When Affinity put out their 2.0 suite, I grabbed it, and Designer is the next on I want to learn, so when I saw it on Thriftbooks, I snagged a copy.

My hope is that these posts don't come off as anything other than me being hyped about all the really rad stuff that the Indie RPG and small press gaming scenes are coming up with. I try to give each of them a similar amount of hype, because there are some really cool designers toiling away in near obscurity, and they very much deserve to be mentioned in the same breaths as some of the bigger names.

So, if any of my hype rubs off on you, go check 'em out!

#indie ttrpg #ttrpg design #scifi rpg #ttrpg

[barclaysangel]

Okay....hear me out....Chucky/Big Hero 6 AU

Here's who would be who:

Jules ~ Sadly, I can Imagine him being In Tadashi's role as the supportive and Incredibly Intelligent Inventor big brother who dies In the fire at the beginning of the story and kickstarts the whole superhero team Idea

Junior ~ He'd definitely (and obviously) be Hiro as the Incredibly smart, but reckless younger brother who graduated high school extremely young (13 years old to be exact) and Is always getting himself Into trouble, but he has to try and work through his grief over losing his brother and meets a sweet and huggable robot that his brother Invented and showed to him shortly before he died

Lydia ~ I can maybe Imagine her being GoGo as the steadfast adrenaline junkie who's always on her feet and needing a piece of the action, but Is Junior's biggest supporter after Jules’ death. Only thing Is that she may just have to be a friend of Jules and Junior's rather than their cousin to fit Into the story

Lexy ~ Idk, she could most likely be Honey Lemon even though Lexy Is a reformed mean girl while Honey Lemon Is a huge ball of friendly energy. But she could still work by being the sweet and supportive friend (and eventual girlfriend) of Junior's that tries to be there for him as much as he can. I think that It'd be Interesting for her and Junior to start out as friends and maybe build up their relationship throughout the story

Jake ~ It took a bit of thought, but I really think Jake would be Wasabi as the smart and awkward clean freak that can't stand the sight of blood and Is always trying to keep things tidy. He's really anxious about a lot of things and thinks that Junior Is crazy for wanting to build a superhero team Initially, but he gives In for his sake and for the sake of keeping an eye on him for Jules. Once more, none of the Wheeler's would really be related except for Jules and Junior for the sake of the story.

Devon ~ Again, It took a bit of thought, but I genuinely think Devon would be Fred as the super nerdy guy who's not only Into true crime and comic books, but science as well. He just wants to give Junior as much comfort as he can and Is ultimately excited to be a part of Junior's superhero team

Baymax can stay the same as the loveable healthcare robot that Jules creates not only for the sake of helping other people, but for the sake of helping Junior the most, which definitely happens once Jules Is gone (Thinking of doing the scene where Baymax shows the testing videos of Tadashi to Hiro with Jules and Junior Is already making me wanna cry😭)

Nica could be In Aunt Cass’ role because my girl definitely needs more love. I can definitely see her being the lovable and supportive young aunt to Jules and Junior. Maybe Andy can be thrown In as their uncle just so he can be there, lol

Idk who would be Professor Callaghan (a.k.a the villain of the story), so maybe he can stay the same? Either that or Andy can be In his place?

But I really hope you've seen Big Hero 6 because It's my all-time favorite Disney movie and I really love this Idea and have been thinking about It for a while!

Oh

My

God

THIS!!!!

This is awesome!!!

Man, the first time I watched Big Hero 6, it made me cry for 20 minutes after it ended…

I LOVE THIS AU THO!

[flower-boi16]

Why I LOATHE The "Amity Hates Hunter" Headcanon

In the TOH fandom, there's a certain headcanon that's been floating around in the community. You've probably seen a fan comic or two about and even an animatic video, that being, the "Amity hates Hunter" headcanon. After analyzing the show further and gaining a better appreciation for it, I can safely say that this headcanon absolutely sucks. Now there's nothing wrong with people having headcanons or anything, you can headcanon whatever the hell you want, but I really feel that this headcanon in particular spreads a really bad misconception about Amity and Hunter's relationship and kind of misses the thing the show is going for. So in this post, I'm going to analyze this headcanon and why it just. Does not work.

1. What Is The Premise of The Headcanon?

Before I dissect this headcanon let's first establish what this headcanon is about. Basically, the premise of the headcanon is that Amity doesn't fully trust Hunter after his redemption since she hasn't forgotten about the time he threatened Luz's life so he could get the titan blood key from her, and so she still dislikes him and hasn't bought his change yet. She would be more skeptical of him, basically.

Alright, so now we've established what the headcanon is based on, let's now get into the real meat of why this headcanon doesn't work. I'm going to talk about Eclipse Lake, Any Sport in A Storm and Labyrinth Runners and analyze each episode in terms of how they demonstrate why Amity wouldn't hate Hunter.

2. Eclipse Lake

Eclipse Lake seems to be an episode that is heavily misunderstood by the "Amity hates Hunter" crowd to me, as some people seem to forget certain things about Amity and Hunter's relationship here and ONLY focus on Hunter threatening Luz to Amity's face. This is where I bring up my first major point here; that being, Amity relates to Hunter. Amity and Hunter are directly meant to be parallels to each other, and Eclipse Lake does pretty clearly show that. Hunter throughout the whole episode basically does a "you and me are not so different" thing with Amity, with how they both have to live up to the standards of the people they care about and are afraid of disappointing them, and eventually, when Amity sees Hunter literally dig his own grave, Amity realizes that he is right, they are both kids held up to high standards by their shitty parents that they are afraid of not meeting.

And THIS is what people often miss here; Amity relates to Hunter. She's been in the same position and circumstances as him - after all, she knows exactly what it's like to have shitty parents, so she would empathize with him given their similar circumstances. And this could also mean that Amity would realize that Hunter, in some way, is being abused by Belos - which again, she would empathize with given she used to be in similar circumstances to him. She wouldn't hate Hunter, she would empathize with him because she sees herself in him, she knows what it's like to be in his position, to have parents who force you under pressure to meet high standards that you may struggle to meet.

Then we get to the moment that kickstarts this headcanon - Amity giving Hunter a hand in friendship, only for Hunter to betray her trust after he notices the titan blood key, and then threatens Luz's life in front of Amity so she could give him the titan blood key. After that, Hunter flies away with Amity having a disappointed expression on her face while she looks at him. I think some people tend to misunderstand this moment too - now, do I think Amity would trust Hunter after this? Not exactly, but that's until we get to...

3. Any Sport in A Storm & Labyrinth Runners

I'm gonna cover Any Sport in A Storm quickly since there isn't much to say, but it and Labyrinth Runners support my second major argument here; Amity doesn't have a reason to hold Hunter's past actions against him anymore. In Any Sport in A Storm, Hunter disobeys a command he was given by Darius just so he could protect his friends and fix his mistake, and at the end of the episode Willow shows Luz and Amity a group picture of the emerald entrails, ofc they see Hunter in the pic and they gasp and the episode just kinda ends after that.

Now, after Eclipse Lake, it is correct to assume that Amity wouldn't trust Hunter, though she could still heavily see herself in him and relate to his situation. But now in Any Sport, Amity is just given the information that Hunter disobeyed an order he was given and went out of his way to protect his friends, we don't know the exact conversation that happened after that moment but it's still a sign to Amity that Hunter's making a turnaround. "But Hunter kidnapped Amity's friends!" Why yes, he did, but he also went out of his way to fix his mistake and again, disobeyed an order he was given which would have risked his position in the EC. I don't think the other characters, including Amity, wouldn't factor that in. So while Amity still wouldn't fully trust Hunter - she would still see some signs that he is making a turnaround.

Then comes Labyrinth Runners. Now, I want you to pay attention to what Hunter does in this episode, because it illustrates my point of why Amity wouldn't hold any of Hunter's past actions against him anymore. In Labyrinth Runners, he...

Saves Gus from Adrian

Helps save the school

Gives clear information on what's going to happen on the day of unity

I think what Hunter does in Labyrinth Runners does make up for his past actions, which keep in mind aren't the worst things characters in this show have done (Cough Cough Lilith kidnapping and almost killing Luz in her battle with Eda Cough Cough, Amity almost getting Luz dissected Cough Cough), and so it wouldn't be out of character for Amity to trust him, especially when he saved Gus, aka, one of Amity's friends. This combined with the past stuff I mentioned about how Amity sees herself and relates to Hunter AND how Amity could just see Hunter as someone who was just lied to and manipulated by Belos which, I'm pretty sure the whole hexsquad would see him like that, means that Amity doesn't have much of a reason to be an ass to Hunter.

He's fully proved he's trustworthy, the others trust him, and so would Amity. I think it's also worth pointing out that, I don't think Amity would blame Hunter for what he did in Eclipse Lake. She knows why he did what he did, and again, she's been in the same circumstances as he was; I don't think she would blame Hunter for being desperate to gain his abusive parent's approval to meet his expectations since she was in the same position too.

So, in conclusion, Amity wouldn't hold any of Hunter's past actions against him, she doesn't have much of a reason to do so, since now he's proven himself trustworthy. However, a lot of people tend to ignore all of the stuff I just mentioned, and they create fanworks where Amity threatens Hunter in some way, which leads to a certain thing about this headcanon that pisses me off...

4. It Makes Amity into an Asshole

I think this is my biggest issue with how the fandom often characterizes Amity and Hunter's relationship; Amity just becomes an unlikeable asshole in all fanworks that spread the "Amity hates Hunter" headcanon. I am not going to name any examples here because you've probably already seen at least one fan work portraying Amity this way. Fanworks like these tend to ignore all the stuff I previously said in the last two sections and have Amity be an asshole to Hunter, which actually VERY OOC for her.

As if these works try to portray Amity as some kind of girl boss who "Is so protective of her girlfriend and will murder anyone who tries to harm her!", which is fine until you factor in all the outside context, once you do, Amity doesn't come across as a protective girlfriend in these fan works, she comes across as an asshole bullying an abusive victim when she has NO REASON to. Amity isn't a girl boss in these fanworks, she has no reason to treat Hunter like this for the reasons I already mentioned, yet people ignore ALL OF THAT in favor of Amity threatening Hunter cuz it makes her "cool" I guess.

Amity would be the first person to understand Hunter's situation and why he did what he did - she's been in the same position as him, and now, when he's proven that he's trustworthy to her, why should she be an ass to him? Do you see why it's annoying how OOC Amity is made in these fanworks? Really, this headcanon should just be called "Amity bullies Hunter" because that's what it is, Amity being an asshole to an abuse victim when she has no reason for doing so. I don't mind the idea of Amity being a protective girlfriend for Luz, it makes sense for her character, but when it comes to Hunter the fandom flanderizes it to an absurd degree.

5. Conclusion

I could talk about this longer and mention how this headcanon was basically formed from nothing but avatar comparisons and nothing else but I haven't seen Avatar yet so I can't really comment on that. Besides this post getting long enough already (I saw when I've made far longer essays on the internet). In conclusion; Amity wouldn't hate Hunter. Not in the slightest. This idea thankfully is starting to become abandoned by the fandom with more people recognizing that it is just. Does not work. And while that's nice I still kinda thought it was time for someone to fully analyze why this headcanon does not work (and that person was me babeeeeeeeey). So uh ya....bye.

#toh hunter #amity blight #toh #the owl house #toh fandom critical #toh analysis

[vo-kopen]

Hey comic mutuals and followers, just heard that Zip has a kickstarter for a second issue. I missed the kickstarter for issue one, so I am excited to finally get the chance to get it and the upcoming issue two. I just hope they make their goal, they are only a little over a fourth of the way there and they only have seventeen more days.

For those interested, Zip is described in the kickstarter synopsis as “a British comic about imperfect superhumans (secretly about disability)” and it further notes that it will explore the more passive side of prejudice, rather than blunt and simplistic hatred. That might be honestly tough for me to read, physical fist fights are easy, societal conflict and systematic oppression are what I fear. Still it definitely has me interested, and it’s good to get challenged sometimes. Zip is also a speedster, so a part of me wonders if this will touch on the details that made some of my friend group love Impulse. Like if they go through an ADHD route, though the book is going to be a bit grungy, and I have never read Impulse so I do not know Bart’s tone.

I personally have a real fondness for disabilities in superheroes, for those who know of my personal projects I have a ton of short stories about original superheroes who are Autistic and often disabled in other ways. One for instance is a Hulk/the Thing pastiche who can hardly breathe or speak because of the metal grafted to their skin, and their fat fingers make it impossible to use sign language and write without disability aids. Another is a astral projecting werewolf that is distrusted by everyone not because he’s a werewolf, but because as an Autistic he verges into their idea of the uncanny value. Another is a swan maiden who cannot grab things or talk in swan form, so her ability to help or communicate is limited. Yet people are less hostile to the wild (and cranky) animal shape than they are to the unhoused and physically ugly human guise she also has. And almost every Autistic superhero of mine also has a heaping dose of anxiety. It’s a concept that I find really interesting, so I m so excited to have the chance to help this exist, and to get the prior issue.

So for those of you with money to spare and who want to support independent comics, as well takes on superheroes that are not just by the big two and that are about disabilities, consider donating. I have only donated a little so far, but I will get paid before it ends so I plan to bump up my donation a bit when I know I can. Also Gail Simone tweeted about this comic I think so you know, those of you who like her might enjoy this. It’s pictured up in the kickstarter, though I do not use tweeter so I cannot comment on it.

Tagging @thefingerfuckingfemalefury @nitpickrider @renaroo @akirakan @paulsebert @majingojira @littlemissonewhoisall @espanolbot2 and anyone else in my friend group who might want to check this out. Fair warning, I did not watch the video yet (if that’s what the header thing on the page is, I think it has a play icon) but I never do that on kickstarter because the neurons won’t link. I do not know why, but I can’t do it. Still read the whole page and the endorsements, so I am intrigued.

#superheroes #indie comics #Zip #kickstarter

[thankskenpenders]

Updates on the Boingkid shit (go read the previous post if you have no idea what I’m talking about) because yes he is still at it:

1. People (myself included) have wondered why the creator of Boingkid would only be taking issue with Belle’s design now, in the form of Twitter DMCAs, when she’s been in the comics for almost two years at this point. Why not go to IDW directly, and why not do so sooner? Well, here are some responses:

“We did from time to time because we were busy with other projects. We sent an email and got a response from IDW's secretary and she insist to know the details of what we want to share with the CEO. Despite the gut feeling we shared the potential of illegal action & get blocked.”

“We did not write even a single line about this publicly, until one of the IDW artists cry out that Twitter has accepted the claim. Then after that upon fans reach out we shared what happened. We tolerated this for 2 years as Belle was just a spinoff but they continue to bring her“

So, yeah. He’s supposedly believed this the whole time, but IDW ignored him because of course they did. (Lord knows how, exactly, he tried to contact them in the first place, or if he even sent his pitch to the right email.) It was Jen Hernandez publicly calling him out over the DMCA on Twitter that was the last straw, and now he’s making this extremely public in retaliation

2. He now seems to be demanding that IDW simply alter Belle’s face “to avoid any resemblance to other copyrighted work in US.” This would be reasonable if he had a case, but, again, he did not invent the concept of a character having a clown nose and freckles

3. I previously said the guy was from Italy (both his ArtStation account and the unsuccessful Kickstarter for the Boingkid game have their locations set as Rome, and the demo was shown at an expo in Rome), but people dug up the copyright registration for Boingkid and found out that he’s originally from Iran. Either way, t’s likely that a language barrier is part of the confusion here, as his English isn’t the best (although it’s certainly readable)

4. Much of his case, as he presents it on Twitter, is predicated on Twitter support believing him when he filed his DMCA claims. This obviously doesn’t hold any water as social media companies accept false DMCA claims all the goddamn time due to the inherently flawed nature of the law, but his fundamental misunderstanding of how this system works may be partially due to that language barrier

5. People keep comparing this guy to Penders. I just want everyone to understand that, even with his outlandish claims about Julie-Su and Shade being legally the same character and things like that, even Penders has waaaaaaay more to back up his  argument there than Boingkid guy has against Belle. Penders worked on Sonic for 13 years and the BioWare team literally said they were inspired by the comics. Boingkid guy is just some fucking guy no one’s heard of who allegedly got ghosted on a pitch to IDW. There’s no reason to believe that Evan even knew who he was before Friday

6. There’s a lot of question about the guy’s motives. Whether he actually believes this, or if it’s just a publicity stunt. I don’t think there’s any reason it can’t be both. He absolutely seems to believe his claim, at least to some extent, but he also seems to be relishing the attention

I feel cynical for saying this, but like. The guy’s been trying to make Boingkid a thing for years. The Kickstarter in 2017 only got nine backers for a total of $667 against a $53,000 goal. The team moved to a Patreon page which is now all but dead. If we believe his claim that he pitched the comics to IDW, that went nowhere. The demo for the game got a few positive previews, but as a dev myself believe me when I say that in this day and age a few blog posts are not enough to move the needle on their own. Again, I sympathize with the guy on that level, because he’s a good artist and GOD is it hard to make it out there even when you’re giving it your all. But this controversy is by far the most attention Boingkid as a brand has ever gotten. Thousands upon thousands of quote tweets for an account that had 150 followers at the start of this, and that follower count has only been going up. As they say, any press is good press. It’s hard not to look at that and assume the worst. If he had actually designed a character that was much more similar to Belle, or if I believed even for a second that Evan was the type of person who would plagiarize someone else’s work like that, then this would be different. But when the argument is so flimsy...?

I don’t believe he’s purely a troll, as some artists really are just like this. (Lord knows I’ve seen some people get in extremely heated feuds over superficial similarities between furry OCs and the like.) But at the same time, I do believe that at this point he’s acting in an intentionally incendiary way to get attention. Whether it’s a desperate attempt to drive attention to the Boingkid IP after years of floundering, or it’s purely to try and get IDW to respond to a genuine plagiarism claim and right a perceived wrong and nothing else, I can’t say. It’s quite likely a mixture of both, though

But either way, this whole situation continues to suck. I hope this is resolved soon. Belle’s a great character, and Evan, Jen, and anyone else who just wants to draw Belle in peace doesn’t need this hanging over their head

#tkp post

[denimbex1986]

'“What? …What?” were David Tennant’s first words when, to everyone’s surprise, including his, he regenerated out of Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor, and not Ncuti Gatwa, as we all expected. For three episodes the 10th Doctor is back as the 14th, before Gatwa takes over at Christmas, and in his first proper episode – after a neat appearance in a Comic Relief sketch – he has moved onto “Why?”

Allow me to help you there, David: falling ratings.

Oh, you feel bad for Jodie Whittaker, a great Doctor unfortunate to be trapped in a wormhole of so-so episodes and constantly under attack from galactic sized fury-bots, slamming down their GB News mugs (filled with good, white tea, love) and taking to the social medias to cry about the bloody woke mob at the BBC filling our children’s heads with stupid ideas about tolerance and being nice.

But really, the problem, to my mind, was that while showrunner Chris Chibnall threw everything at Whittaker’s Doctor, he didn’t truly hit upon a transcendent stone-cold classic episode, and the whole thing felt like it was trying too hard; it lacked a bit of easy-to-watch magic. Something which is immediately back with “the one in the skinny suit”, under returning showrunner Russell T Davies.

As Dr Who’s 60th anniversary approaches, this should turn into something of a celebration of Davies, the man who kickstarted the new Who back in 2005 with Christopher Ecclestone as the Doctor, before hitting absolute gold with Tennant. While Chibnall was working on multiple meta-levels leaving us all trying to keep up, Davies pitches this first episode as more like E.T. in Eastenders. This sense of bringing things down-to-earth is helped further by the return of Catherine Tate as Donna, easily the funniest of his companions.

Taking place in London – and I do love Davies’ London, he was a pioneer in showing positively, and accurately, a city remarkable for its peaceful diversity (don’t believe the hype) – The Star Beast sees a cute little Furby-like alien called The Meep ‘crash’ into the city, which falls under the protection of Donna’s daughter, Rose, as some other ant-like aliens hunt it down.

The Doctor is back to help, with the catch being that he has to prevent Donna from remembering who he is, otherwise She Will Definitely Die. Without getting too bogged down, the last time we saw Donna, she basically had to have her mind wiped for her own protection, after she took on Time Lord powers that were too strong for her human body – her tragedy, heartbreaking at the time, was that she’d have to live her life without remembering her time with the Doctor.

However, as we all know in post-Marvel entertainment, there’s always a way around She Will Definitely Die – but the particular way this episode plays out is really going to upset the Woke Police. For Donna’s daughter Rose is trans, people – cue GB News mugs smashing against flat screens – and her trans-ness is very much central to the plot as well as the thematic ideas of identity crises and Otherness (not least with regards to the Doctor) and what do we do, attack these people or rally around them. Oh boy, is it going to drive people mad.

It's actually an almost touching move by Davies in the way it backs up the seriously upfront progressive humanism of Chibnall’s tenure, and comes in defiance of those who thought featuring Rosa Parks in an episode was the end of the world. What people seem to forget about Doctor Who, both the Woke Police and those other furrow-browed joy deniers, the Fanboy Police, is that it is a family show, designed to be watched with kids.

Yes it should be clever and mind-bending but it’s not supposed to be careless or cool. You need a bit of Horrible Histories, you need a bit of future thinking around humanity, because, well, this is science fiction – it’s the nature of this game even more than dressing up as Klaatu.

Anyway, the truth is this episode is a little bit thin, the big twist around The Meep pretty obvious (though not to my shocked 8 year old), and the saving of Donna does end up being really quite clunky. But it doesn’t really matter.

It’s about the magic: the chemistry between Tennant and Tate is winning, the laugh out loud moments hit double figures (I particularly like Donna’s repeated disses to the cutesy Meep – “space rat”, “ferret from Mars”), the Tardis has had a rather natty Modern House renovation, and the Disney money now coming into the show is well spent on set-pieces that manage to be Spielberg-ian in uniting the spectacular with the suburban.

It’s a hoot, and as a way to drum up attention and goodwill towards the series in the run-up towards Gatwa taking over, it’s quite irresistible.

Gatwa will certainly have a lot to live up to, mind. For Tennant truly is the best Doctor ever. Yes, yes, I know you liked Tom Baker when you were a kid, but really, you're wrong: Tennant is the best. Like a Tex Avery cartoon trapped inside Camus’ Meursault, he’s an existentialist hero for all the family. Saturday night must-watch TV is back, and it’s Woker than ever, folks...'

#David Tennant #Jodie Whittaker #Catherine Tate #Donna Noble #Ncuti Gatwa #Doctor Who #60th Anniversary #the Meep

[burningexeter]

The Wildwood Chronicles

I've talked about this for what seems like to me, to death about this so I want to close the book on this and finally sum it all up because I finally have everything to say it about it in just one place.

It's now a full-on passion project that I really want to do, create and make a reality and that's The Wildwood Chronicles, an epic and ambitious adult-animated series that is a grand crossover between over hundreds — and I mean HUNDREDS — of media (movies, TV shows, anime, comics, video games) that retroactively establishes them all in the same shared universe all along.

Here is all the information, all of the notes/trivia/details, everything that I can tell anyone on this without spoiling anything about it because I'm keeping this shit under lock and key pretty much:

• The ambition with this project is anything but small. How I'd best describe it is a mix of Avengers: Infinity War (the last great MCU movie with only two exceptions afterwards) and Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino's greatest achievement since 1994) with the influences being not just those two but also Godzilla Minus One, Grand Theft Auto V, Red Dead Redemption 2, Gore Verbinski's Pirates Of The Caribbean Trilogy and the original Die Hard for many aspects of the series whether it'd the size, scope, scale, balance of characters, action, emotional moments etc.

• As for who's the lead and who'll voice him, the answer is Reese Miller both voiced by and modeled directly after Walton Goggins. When he's introduced, he's a down-on-his-luck, alcoholic, cynical, sarcastic and narcissistic schmuck with a criminal past who after an incident that caused his downfall had no choice but to crawl back to his family that he abandoned years ago and now has to deal with his ex-wife wanting him to do just one good thing in his life now and that's be there for his children. Only thing is it's on a certain day where his daughter is his that the main event that kickstarts everything happens and he's left in and later wakes from a months-long coma while his daughter, for a while, has an unknown fate. It's from then on that he becomes a man who is consumed with guilt and regret and is haunted by his past actions and the dirtbag he was with him wanting to and even becoming a better person in this world that's now falling apart. Unfortunately, all of the events that he's put through ultimately turn him into a tragic anti-hero who wants to see this world burn to the fucking ground and without giving any spoilers away, deals the final blow that seals this fictional universe's fate. Or does it? I seriously can't imagine anyone else in this role but Walton and Walton only.

• As for how it will be a crossover, not only will it be a sequel years later, months later, weeks later depending on which media but also it's a strong balance of differentiations. Some like the three here will be major players and have major roles....

.... while others will be surprise supporting roles or even cameo appearances from supporting characters like these three here....

.... or are objects and items that serve as easter eggs that imply or show they're in the same world as well like these beautiful bastards here.

• As for the actual show itself, it will be a 65 episode limited series event with a clear and more than definitive beginning, middle and end. I want the whole show to feel like one long 65 episode feature film while at the same time giving each episode their own stand-out distinctions enough to make them stand on their own. Top of all that, there will be no commercial breaks and every episode will be a full two-hours long with them being treated as events you can't miss. What makes this more special is that there's only one network I have in mind for this series and that's FX.

• As an added bonus, the show will be incredibly and viscerally violent and even brutal with its gore. Hundreds and hundreds of people, creatures, superheroes, supervillains, zombies etc. will be killed in thousands of different and horrific ways with Rambo (2008), Blade II, aforementioned Inglourious Basterds, The Night Comes For Us and Hard Boiled serving as the main influences for the violence but it's not shock for the sake of shock, it's to show that the world is now somehow more dangerous and visceral than it's ever been before and to show that absolutely no one no matter who they are are safe.

• As for who are the directors, I want there to be several distinct and interesting filmmakers to helm episodes but the main one who'll direct the most episodes for he's the main director of the series will easily be Gore Verbinski.

#the wildwood chronicles #crossover #shared universe #fan concept #walton goggins #easter eggs #Youtube

[slasheru]

Heyyyyy Slasher Nation! 🖤 First of all - HOLY CRAP THANK YOU!! Even though the Kickstarter didn't hit the goal, the fact that 98 of y'all (!!) got us a SIGNIFICANT part of the way there (almost $3,000!!) is MINDBLOWING!! <3333 I can't thank you enough 😭

So What Now / Wait you had a Plan B the whole time?!

Yeah, man, you thought I was just gonna leave you guys hanging? ;) We're gonna try this again with a WAY smaller goal on Crowdfundr! (I'll talk more about this below!) Short pitch is: $1,125 goal (which we nailed in 48 hours here), keeps SU running, launches September 7th, Crowfundr is being hella cool and sponsoring it for SPX Spotlight, follow along HERE! [https://crowdfundr.com/slasheruact2]

But ALSO, holy crap, you guys are AMAZING:

I can hardly call this thing a wash, though, because the amount of love, attention, and SOLD COPIES OF SLASHER U: ACT 1 have been ABSOLUTELY FUCKING WILD. I just wanted to shout out to:

More than 600 new Slasher U: Act 1 players downloaded the game since the Kickstarter launched

Slasher U: Act 1: Alpha Edition maintains a whopping 4.9 out of 5 Stars average rating on itch (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

I sold enough copies of Slasher U: Act 1 to cover MORE THAN HALF MY RENT THIS MONTH!! If this Kickstarter stopped right here, you guys would've been able to cover 4 MORE months of rent & production time! Which is HOG WILD.

We got shoutouts from:

Beautiful Glitch, the team behind Monster Prom, Monster Camp, & Monster Roadtrip!! Beautiful Glitch are one of my most inspirational/aspirational heroes of game dev, and the Monster franchise was a HUGE inspiration for SU, so I can't BELIEVE this happened!!!! Thank you guys SO MUCH!!! <333

WWAC (Women Write About Comics), where journalist Alenka Figa wrote SO MUCH NICE STUFF about my storytelling I'm gonna fuckin cry!!

Corinne Halbert of ACID NUN - she and I are actually gonna do an Acid Nun x Slasher U collab where you'll be able to unlock an Acid Nun player skin!! Shhhh!!

The crew at Lewdgamer who wrote an awesome writeup of the KS campaign!

Indiepocalypse - we made it into Issue #42 and Alex had us on his podcast, which was SO MUCH FUN!! According to Alex, Slasher U had one of the highest audience participation/engagements he's seen on Indiepocalypse Radio, and it was MEGA FUN watching him parse some of your saucy Sawyer questions, LMFAO.

And here's some Slasher U & SUKS stats for you:

More than 2/3rds of you ended up dating either Sawyer or Tate. >:)

In total, 94 of you backed the game here on KS!!! YOU ALL KICK SERIOUS ASS

Almost 1,000 new copies of Slasher U: Act 1 (both Regular and Premium) were downloaded during the campaign!

During the campaign, at least 3 people personally thanked me for Slasher U completely changing their life by discovering something about themselves or making them feel seen and heard, which is going to make me FUCKING CRY and is the ENTIRE REASON WHY I MAKE THIS GAME IN THE FIRST PLACE. I love you all so, so so sosososoososososos much, Student Disembody. :'))))))

So this "Plan B", eh?

Some of you know I'm a cartoonist by trade (I drew for the official FNAF franchise and more!). This year, I ended up talking to some sponsors for this upcoming SPX (Small Press Expo), which is like SDCC for indie comics, including Crowdfundr - one thing led to another, and now I'm partnering up with Crowdfundr and SPX to bring you a WAY SMALLER but also WAY MORE PERSONAL campaign to keep the lights on here at SU, as part of Crowfundr's SPX Spotlight event! For the non-comics folks here, Crowdfundr is basically the indie comics Kickstarter - I've been buddies with this crowd (pun vageuly intended) for a while and I'm psyched to be doing this with people I've been meaning to collab with!!

The new goal will cover the absolute bare minimum of making SU - $1,125, which includes font licenses, the Mac port, and taxes. Then, any EXTRA will go to more production time on Slasher U! Basically, I'm swinging the campaign around so the minimum amount is the goal, and the goal-goal's the reach goal. The GOOD NEWS is we apparently smashed this $1k goal within 48 hours of THIS Kickstarter, so I'm VERY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT ROUND 2 OVER HERE.

(You'll ALSO still be able to snag one of those custom player skins I'm drawing - there's gonna be only 5 slots this time!) Aaaaand you can click to follow when the Crowdfundr launches in a month, here:

P.S: estimating the first Early Access build with *just* Laila's Act 2 content, plus some core extras, in the next month or month and a half >:)))

xoxoxooxoxoxoxo, love you guys SO FUCKIN MUCH, and, as we like to say on campus:

STAY HORNY!! xxoxooxox Professor Plutonium

#slasher u #slasher u act 2

[kinocomix]

TSTW devlog 14: PHASE B HAS BEGUN 

a lot of comic artists do this thing that i will actively attack them for in the form of this devlog which is that they say they’re going to make a comic but fall down the rabbit hole of the endless development loop where they insist on doing sixty things in parallel and that they’ll start it when they figure out the story or once they make a bit more concept art or once all the pieces are together as if their comic is a magical goblet that needs to touch all the creatures in the forest to give you the special secret.

SO.

I’m kickstarting phase B of the devlog since I think 3+ months of research and preparation is more than enough information. beyond that, I think the returns are quite diminished. here’s what happened this week. 

I wrote more detailed character descriptions. 

I fixed some things about the logo that were bothering me:

I also wrote the first three scenes. here’s scene 2 out of context, skip to the dotted lines if you don’t want spoilers:

………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………….

 [camera shows a tire shop with a second floor. speech bubble is coming from second floor]

voice through wall: what the fuck do you MEAN you’re microwaving your socks?

cut to inside. rami and jamil are there. jamil is at the drums and rami is holding his phone talking to rabih.

phone: well you see, ya boy is out of socks. so i washed some by hand cause it would take too long to do them in the machine. then i realized, shit. the socks are wet–

rami: -can’t you just use an iron?

phone:-you think i own an iron?

rami: well i don’t know put them on a heater or something?

phone: -you think i own a heater?

rami, putting his hand against his eyes: I hate that It’s beginning to make sense

Phone: yeah so i put them in for the first 5 minutes and it kind of worked, for now they’ve been in there for around 20, they still need a bit of microwaving

jamil: is that even safe…?

Phone: oh yeah yeah I did some research It’s fine

rami: you did RESEARCH?

phone: well yeah i’m not putting my socks in a microwave if it’s going to set the building on fire, plus i learned it’s surprisingly easy to make bleach shirts, where can we get freezer paper?

rami: what the fuck does this have to do with you being two hours late to practice

phone: well you see in the article i looked up on how to microwave socks the picture was a man with a nice beige and white shirt which i would totally wear so i got a bit distracted

jamil, looking at his phone: we can get some off amazon

phone: ayre b amazon* * fuck amazon is there nowhere else?

jamil, a little disappointed but in a cute :( way : no

rami: WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT FREEZER PAPER

jamil: i mean he’s already late might as well

rami: AYRE FIKON TNAYNETKON* *fuck both of you

phone: by the way, am i on speaker? I want to say something.

jamil: dude i’ve been talking to you this whole time

phone: just checking, but… i’ve been meaning to tell you guys something, i think we need a manager

rami looks to the side, averting eye contact.

jamil: … 

yeah…

[everyone looks at each other awkwardly for way too long, empty speech bubbles with beginnings of sentences and such]

rami, Annoyed: anyways just fucking get here please…

………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………….

I estimate the script will need around three months to finish. before i explain what’s going to happen as i do that let’s quickly recap what we did so far as pre production:

we learned about the musical elements and the sensibilities therein including metal, punk and classical music

we learned about the spread of information and how ideas live and die like languages

we talked about mysteries and how the most mundane things can be interesting when framed with the right narrative

we learned about dogs and how they’re trained

we figured out what our thesis is and discussed our themes

we drafted out the characters and gave them nice designs

we named the band they’re in and made a cool logo for it

here’s what we DIDN’T DO:

i have yet to learn musecore. this is mainly because i try to not move my computer around often so i couldn’t dedicate time to it but this is something i can do while writing the script.

I didn’t make style pages. these are comic pages you make just to show what the comic looks like but i’ve grown well acquainted with the tools and the designs are going to evolve no matter what i do, so this felt pointless to some extent

so what does this mean?

i have a different project that can’t really work as a webcomic, so i’m going to be working on that while i write the script and releasing it as one big thing when it’s done. next week, there won’t be an update for TSTW, instead there will be one for this second project that we will discuss and make as we go. once that’s done, the devlog will be over and will be instead replaced by the actual comic.

that’s it for now.

devlog updates on tuesdays. 

#comic #webcomic #kinocomix #devlog #graphic novel #metal #writing

[spotsupstuff]

Do you have least favourite iterator(ofc all the iterators are interesting/endearing in their own way but like which one do you kinda feel the most put off by)

-long suffering sigh as i painfully ponder- hhhhhhhhhhrhgrghrhg i'll,,,,,,,, have to say Wind- like assumin we talkin my takes on 'em, top three iterators i don't have the emotional/interest connection developed to is Wind, Moon and one of mine own- Haboob

Wind gets to be the last cuz while i adore them visually a lot, i don't really know how to make them Interesting. at least not yet. their whole thing is that they are the fussy caring sunshine teacher without any spice/proper conflict n that kind of kills the engagement in a character for me

Moon is amazing n i Know that all i need to do is just fuckin dedicate some proper thinking time to her to fall in love the whole way, i just haven't quite gotten to it even tho i have some faint lines of plans for her

Haboob is prolly my least developed oc as of right now in a way? Euros is gettin a shitton of spotlight on here along with Sparrows; Fish kickstarted all of this and serves as the more detailed exploration of the religion; Zephyr's existence and suffering is what is dictating like 80% of the vibes of the oc story; Boreas' existence is extremely unique, gives root to The Mission, he's basically the Capital City of the Children of Eo group, the way he ends up emotionally dealing with Zephyr's loss (aka he does not deal) shoves him into the position of an antagonist which i adore him So much for and Notos is growing on me a lot now with this comic i'm making right now cuz it opened my eyes to some possibilities for it and how much of a complicated person Notos can be. Boob is just.. kind of on the side right now when it comes to actual stuff made for her, put into action or connected to the stories even though i DO have some solid ideas for her n that kind of makes me sad

the last two are pretty easy fixes, it's all about more dedicated thought, but Wind, my gods, i don't know if she will be ever able to move out of the least fav spot at all

#Spot says stuff #rw #i understood that clarification with my Soul bro my heavens. #everyone else feels like a standing ovation to some degree and Wind is meanwhile this awkward little "yaaaay....'' from the back #Innocence is hardcore saved by being candace kinnie- I FORGOT ABOUT CROWS oh whatevs crows a filler ittie thats okay #those arent meant to have emotional investment put into em we sweep the france under the carpet n dont talk about her again 🤫

[aurum-rays]

**contains spoilers from Yumi's Cells and Little Women(2019)

In both Yumi's Cells and Little Women (2019) the endings don't reveal if the protagonist finally gets the guy or not but she gets her passion fulfilled. Thank god for movies/shows like this that showcase the girl still being happy regardless of her finding a man. Yes, it's open-ended. We don't know who Jo March falls for or if she ever falls for anyone. We don't know if Yumi and the new employee who'll be working with her on her next book are compatible. We don't see that on screen. It's left to the audience. We don't know what's going to happen in both their romantic lives but we know that their passion is being fulfilled and their writing careers have kickstarted.

I haven't watched many k dramas. I liked Yumi's Cells comic so I was drawn to the show. I loved it. I love the comedy of the cells, I love the CGI, and the voice acting(which played a huge part in giving life to the cells).

Yumi as a character, I'm sure if you've watched the show is pretty relatable to most of us. I get excited about food just like her and get really conscious while stuffing my face when I'm wearing white. I worry about my skin, my self-esteem is not that great, and I often seek external validation. The cheapskate cell, the hunger cell, and even the detective cell felt a lot like me.

After I finished both seasons I was surprised at the ending. I still didn't finish reading the comics by then and I was rooting for Yumi and Woong all along. I have to say even after they didn't end up together in the show I wasn't disappointed. Life happens. Relationships happen. We embrace some, we outgrow some. Yumi still had a place for Woong in her heart as she thought he was a good person and I'm glad they didn't burn bridges. I'm okay even if they don't get back together and decide to be good friends. The show, in the beginning, was all about Yumi's romantic life and I love how it transitioned to the journey of her becoming the writer she always wanted to. I breathed a sigh of relief because the show didn't make Yumi one-dimensional.

Even though there are things I disliked about the show I realize I haven't watched many k dramas so I'm not sure about the pulse of Korean cinema but I thoroughly enjoyed both seasons. Also, does anyone else hate yu babi?

After I finished the show and mused about it for hours it suddenly struck me that Jo from Little Women (2019) too gets the book and not the guy. And I like this. Most cinema that I've watched has always portrayed women as being a man's love interest while the whole story revolves around the man so any story that doesn't do that draws my attention.

Jo from Little Women by Greta Gerwig has a different ending to Jo from the other versions of the movie. In the 2019 version of the movie, Jo insists on her protagonist not getting married even though the publisher says stories like these don't "sell". The woman has to either get married or die in the end for the book to make an impact and sell the publisher says in the movie. Fortunately this "mantra" may not be as evident today as it was some years ago but unfortunately, we still see a lot of writers and filmmakers take this path to conclude their stories. At the end of the movie, we see Jo March's protagonist get the guy like the publisher wanted and Jo gets the book. Yes! Jo gets the book.

I love to draw parallels in media I have watched and I loved that two of my favorite on-screen characters had this unique ending about them. I love Jo and Yumi and I love that women in cinema are being written in a way that doesn't make us women in front of the screen feel like having a partner is the apex of romantic life or even just life. I hope we get to write more fleshed our female characters. I hope we get to see women that represent us.

I hope we get to see more stories where women get their "book".

#yumis cells #little women #greta gerwig #kim go eun #saorsie ronan #kdrama #korean drama