#IT'S LIKE... i quite like the dynamic between him and reader hence i was obsessed with continuing it at a certain point in time LOL

[thomine]

🐬 & 🦈 - mimikyu (ps. Can I point out the shark emoji is super cute)

dealer's choice — any quote from any published work

— 🐬, from show off some published works! requested by @andromeda-nova-writing

this got long so i'm placing it UTC!

« the laughter dies down as the slimy fingers of fear chokes you. briefly, the myth of tantalus strikes your mind. forced to reach for the thing he desires but never touching—this is like his moment before his death.

it’s a chance to eat and drink before his knowing fate arrives. you don’t want it to end. you bite and chew and swallow and gulp to remember.

yet to remember only worsens the punishment. »

— reaching out (tighnari)

ohhhh. OHHHH. this was so tempting to quote something from one of my thoma works, but the thing that popped in my mind was these paragraph from reaching out. i guess because i really like this analogy. the knowing that you'll be receiving a punishment so you delight in the joys of what you're given, grasping at anything. but the more you do, the greater the pain of the punishment... it's such a great concept i hope to expand in the future!

recommend a complete fic!

— 🦈, from show off some published works!

you're... not going to like it.... but i might recommend you to read duet of one heart (alhaitham), hehe. it's not my best, but i do quite like the ending. and for a moment, i was a little obsessed about continuing this fic, lol.

[queen-haq]

Hey! I hope you’re doing okay and you’re having a good day :D I binge-read AWS yet again (I think is the third time) because why not, and God how bloody awesome this story is. Like, I feel every angsty and cute moment between them to the bone. And now with the sequel, Billy makes so much sense, how he just doesn’t quit, so pushy. Definitely the old him, even her pulling away. I’ve said this before, sorry for being repetitive, but I enjoy the consistency. Also, I know you’re very careful with drawing lines between fictional and real, this is toxic, but in the end they’re falling in old cycles, so it’s interesting how, or if, that’s gonna change: first Billy with Krista and now reader with the info about Rawlings.

Some silly thoughts came up while I was reading, like what their zodiac signs are. Don’t know if you believe in that, but like Billy is canonically a Scorpio, and it’s so obvious in your story, and then what sign reader might be… maybe another Scorpio, or an earth sign, like Virgo. Anyway, I was also wondering if they’d changed their mind about having a baby. What do you think? I dunno, I’d like that for some reason, but it still seems kinda out of character. Again, stranger things have happened haha sorry for the long nonsense, I guess just wanted to rant a bit

Sending you lots of good wishes and energy for next chapter ❤️

No need to apologize for the long messages - I adore them :)

It makes me so happy to know I have readers that like to go back and reread my stuff. It's very rewarding :)

Their relationship does fall into a certain kind of pattern but I'm hoping what's coming up next *will* surprise people. I can't say more for obvious reasons (*winks*) but it'll be a shift in their dynamic. Hopefully you guys will enjoy it.

I've never actually thought about what star signs they are. I don't know much about other signs other than mine (lol). I'm a libra, and usually that means I'm obsessed with myself and anything pretty that comes my way - hence my ignorance when it comes to astrology. You've piqued my curiosity about Reader's sign - I have no idea. I'll have to think about it.

As for the baby bit, let's just say he's actually thought about it. He considered it, not because he actually wants a kid - he doesn't - but because it would ensure a permanent bond with the Reader. Except all the hesitations he had came rushing back, and then he thought about Reader in pain and/or dying during labor, or putting Reader in a situation where she does have his child and ends up unhappy or resentful (remember she also doesn't want kids) and he basically remembered nope, bad idea. Doesn't want any part of it for him or her. I know that's not going to be a popular opinion, but I just don't see these two ever being happy with children. They are way too consumed with each other and they know it.

Thank you for the lovely message again. I love hearing from you and other readers because it keeps me inspired to continue writing. Last couple of weeks have been a bit blah for me and I haven't done much writing but your message helped me write a few paragraphs. Thank you!

[thestruidora]

Landslide

The Avengers (MCU) Fanfiction

Rating: Explicit

WARNINGS: This story will contain but it’ll not be limited to explicit 18+ content including Obsessive Behavior, Smut, Shower Sex, Edging, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Fluff, Oral Sex, thigh riding, Dirty Talk, Praise Kink, Jealousy, Possessive Behavior, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Dominance, Submission, Knotting, Scenting, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Rutting, Rut Sickness

Category: F/M

Pairings: Steve Rogers/Reader, Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov

Summary: Steve was never quite sure if he truly was an alpha. Genetically he should be, coming from a long line of alpha males. But due to the several health conditions in his youth, his poorly functioning body never presented. But now, because of the serum reacting to his true designation, a terrible case of rut sickness takes hold of the super soldier, threatening his life. Being a beta, Natasha can’t offer him what he needs, and since omegas are rarer today then ever, she is forced to hire a foreign girl to tend to Steve during these desperate times.

Chapter One

Language Barrier

It strikes first in March.

In the beginning it wasn’t as much of a problem as it was an annoyance. It started out as a tiny itch under his skin that he just couldn’t seem to be able to scratch. He would feel hot under his leather jacket even while driving his bike at the highest speed acceptable. His vision would get blurry and his breathing heaver, reminding him of his long forgotten asthma attacks.

Even working was proving to be a difficult task on it’s own.

The lighting from Tony’s office would become unbearably bright all of the sudden, and the smell of his fellow SHIELD agents would soon start to taste foul in his mouth during a simple elevator trip. But what really did him in was the repulsive growl that he let out when Bucky stopped by one weekend.

It flared from his chest all the way to his vocal cords, turning into a vibration that he had never emitted before but felt familiar all the same. Like it had came from an instinctual part of himself that he wasn’t even aware he possessed.

“Wow, buddy, are you ok?” Unconsciously Bucky knew not to get to close, examining the way his friend puffed out his shoulders in an uncharacteristic show of dominance.

“Steve, what’s going on?” Natasha, who had accompanied Bucky on his visit, seemed unaffected by their exchange, coming right up to the distressed blonde and putting a hand on his arm.

“He...” Steve begin to answer, his attention flickering between the threatening male presence in his apartment and the calming redhead looking up at him gently.

“He what?” She asked.

“He’s stinking up the whole place.”

At the time he said it, it sounded like the most natural way to phrase it. But now, sitting in Banner’s lab, picking up on the underwhelming sterilized scent of cleanliness of the place and feeling the now common headache getting stronger, he wasn’t so sure.

“So, what do you think has been triggering this episodes?” Bruce had an all-knowing look about him, fixing the frame of his glasses to his face before pulling a thermometer from his coat’s pocket and sticking in Steve’s mouth.

“Anger, mostly. But I’m not even sure what I’m angry about. Lately every small thing can set me off.” Steve kept the device on the inside of his left cheek while answering.

The blue and white room had a soothing effect on the super soldier, making him think back to the patterns of his reactions to other people and the elements surrounding them, even though now in front of Bruce he was as stable as ever.

“He hasn’t been feeling his best for a while now, hence the anger. I still think he's got the flue.” Natasha said from the chair close by, watching Bruce work on Steve attentively.

“I wish it was this simple.” Dr. Banner frowned after removing the thermometer from Steve’s mouth. “Your body temperature it’s running extremely high.”

“I feel fine.” He shrugged.

“Yeah, for now, in this sterile facility talking to two betas. The minute you get a whiff of an alpha your hormonal charge it’s gonna go haywire.”

“What does that mean?” Natasha questioned.

“It means that the serum has amplified Steve’s designation as an alpha, which had been lying dormant during his youth because his body couldn’t take the presentation. Now, his going into rut, and a mean looking one at that.”

“So that’s it? He just needs to get laid?” The russian spy laughed, noticing a blush taking over Steve’s cheeks. “I kind saw that coming.”

“Again, not that simple. A rut can take up to ten days in cases like this, with the alpha needing continuous…” Bruce fixed his glasses once more, coughing mildly. “Release… from, hum, a compatible match, that this.”

“Match?” Steve’s mind was spinning. His hands were getting sweaty and he felt like hyperventilating.

Ever since he was found in the ice he hadn’t had the best experiences at dating in the twenty first century, let alone finding a compatible match.

To be honest, at this point, he had given up on that aspect of his life, understanding that the purpose of his existence was to protect and salve as many people as he could as Captain America.

And… that was pretty much it.

But clearly his body didn’t seem to be on the same page.

“Well, in our current culture, omegas are almost extinct and alphas themselves are becoming fewer in number when compared to the beta population. Now days, there are rut apps, and pheromone based perfumes made to replicate omega’s natural scents for moments such as these… When, once a year, an unmated alpha ‘needs to get laid’.” Bruce made air quotes with his fingers, ignoring Natasha’s chuckle. “But what that serum did when it came in contact with that particular code in your biology, the one that had failed to present in the passed, was put it under a magnifying glass strong enough to force those mating instincts to emerge.”

“Banner, I just love how you can say so much without actually saying jack shit.” Agent Romanoff jumped out of her chair, coming closer to the doctor, her stoic expression returning with full force. “What exactly does he need?”

“Hum…” Bruce trawled off, gulping with the tension that had suddenly taken over the lab. “He needs an omega.”

Chapter Two

[dio-roga]

‘AskMarshandBroflovski’

Author/Artist:              jovishark Additional Credit:        puppetamateur Status:                         Complete Links:                           Tumblr Rec No:                        #2 (Part One)

The Gist of It (aka. TLDR)

‘Stan and Kyle go through a whole lot of shit during their last couple years of high school; with side-characters and sub-plots galore. Honestly dudes, it’s hard to summarize this one since it’s just so jam packed with all kinds of everything. This askblog, maybe more than anything else I’ve read, really does encapsulate that whole ‘something for everyone’ feeling. Just trust me my dudes, ships galore, on-point writing, and gorgeous art. Go go.”

Also putting this before the page break: I know, it’s technically not a Cryde work, but I guarantee, there’s more content between those two in there than in most exclusively cryde-centric things. For a bit of trivia, it was this blog that got me into Cryde as a ship to begin with. So c’mon below, and I’ll try and reassure you…

Also also: Fair warning, this rec’ll be long af. I’m a little obsessed. So, get yourself a drink or something?

Storytelling

So like I said in the gist, the premise is fairly simple from the outset; Stan and Kyle start up an askblog, and your usual mix of hilarity, drama and ‘will-they, wont-they’ romance ensues. Now I had read askblogs before this one, and generally found them a lot of fun, but holy shit− from the get-go dudes, from the absolute start, this one had its hooks in me like nothing else has ever quite managed before or since. I’d originally just come across it after seeing some of the Craig/Clyde panels on some google search one weekend; then before I knew it, it was Monday morning and I’d read the whole blog front to back, and was experiencing like, genuine feelings for the first time in a long while.

A lot of what snagged me was the writing, which I walked in totally not expecting to take my soul hostage the way it did. The dialogue I’ll talk about with the characters, but as far as the actual story elements were presented? It reads like a god damn mini-series, with actual self-contained story arcs, side-scenarios that mesh in with the A-plot and oh my sweet jesus, the world building in this thing… Seriously dudes, I normally try and stay more grounded in tropes and clever literary devices and what have you, but with this blog I have a lot of trouble not getting like, emotionally invested.

I think that really is what makes this one so special; the atmosphere. There’s this underlying theme of determination and overcoming adversity (mirroring the writing of the blog itself, if you read the authors notes throughout− something I’d defiantly recommend) It’s the sort of writing that genuinely inspires people, deals with difficult subject matter and just generally gives off a positive vibe about soldering on and making good on big life changes, and that includes everyone, of every age and background.

And therein lies another giant strength, the variety. I would think it a very difficult task for someone to not find something they enjoy in this story; it’s a god damn carnival ride− not to spoil too much, but there’s a wash of different genres, different dynamics, different methods of storytelling and different perspectives on those stories. There’s music, there’s action, audience-participation, and enough backstory and little details that I’m still picking up new things even after having read through multiple times.

And lastly, oh boy− pitchforks and torches at the ready –there’s the content between Craig and Clyde. Now I’m not going to sugarcoat it, or really bother trying to hide the fact that these two don’t wind up in a happy relationship here. But please, and I really do mean this, don’t let that dissuade you. They have a very complicated relationship that keeps changing throughout, but their bond never goes away− so just because it isn’t all kisses and romance, I’d say it’s still one of the most endearing relationships I’ve seen written about the two (hence why I’m sticking to my guns on calling this a cryde-recommendation). Honestly, and I can say this from experience here, it gels with how boys like that can end up acting at that age. Despite everything, they still wind up being the biggest player in each other’s lives.

Characters

There is just characters bursting at the seams here, if you’re a fan of someone in the show, you can bet they’ll probably make an appearance somewhere along the line; or at least get a mention. Even Scott Malkinson gets namedropped, and that’s the first time I’ve seen him show up in something I’ve read in this fandom in like, forever.

Stan and Kyle are great picks for the leads, it feels easy experiencing the events unfold from their perspectives− honestly, it’s like watching a more grown up version of the TV-show for the most part, with Cartman and Kenny filling in with their usual contributions of being an asshole and a sweetheart respectively. (I really do love the way Cartman’s handled; he plays a tremendous bastard to be sure, but in a way you could imagine his childhood-self becoming- he makes a delightfully hammy and worryingly formidable antagonist) Also features pretty much my favorite version of Wendy I’ve come across; she’s the real MVP.

Craig’s low-key stealing scenes at first, before kicking things into high-gear and trying to take over the show throughout the run, to the point where he’s pretty much the focal point of all the drama several times. He’s a bit of a mess, but understandably so. Truthfully, all the characters have a unique take on them (all in keeping with how you’d imagine their canon counterparts at that age) and it’s a delight to learn what makes them all tick. I think with Craig especially, his views often radically differ from what you’re presented with by the other characters (including Stan and Kyle) and it’s never written in a way that forces you to side with any particular party as being ‘in the right’. Something I always find refreshing when it’s done as well as it’s done here. Everyone is presented with both strengths and faults, with actual long-running consequences for past actions, good and bad, and it’s up to you as the reader to make what you will out of it.

But then you’ve got the dialogue, and my god, it really takes the cake. There’s not much I can say apart from I legitimately thought some scenes and mannerisms must have been penned by Trey himself− the humor especially. Truly guys, you’re in for a treat. I would have loved to have asked the boys a question back in the day.

Style

Since I’ve gone long on the writing, I have to pretty much devote this section to the artwork because it’s fucking magic. Picture paints a thousand words and all that, and my god, does it ever do that here− the way things are scripted and tied in with the respective art? It makes for all sorts of amazing comedic timing, adds tenfold to any of the emotional scenes and just makes the story flow like a dream; I always have trouble putting it down once I get started.

Jovi’s just an incredibly talented artist, there is simply no escaping this fact. Each and every character has a unique design that fits their character and− I realize this one’s super subjective –to me, they all have such charm and personality in the way they’re drawn. It’s this masterfully presented cartoon-style with an emphasis on expressions, movement and color that I honestly just adore. Even at the very start of the blog, where the art is almost entirely different than it winds up looking at the finishing point two years later, I just love it− again with a South Park comparison, it reminds me of the watching the early cardboard-cutout style of the show compared to its newer 3D designs, both holding a special place in my heart in their own ways.

It floors me to think this was the author’s first major project. As mentioned above, I’d greatly recommend reading through the blog in its entirety, including all the commentaries by the mods, the funny tags, the side-art. One of the most inspiring things about this work is getting a sense of the love and dedication that was put into it over the years it was running; like watching the behind-the-scenes on some giant motion epic and coming to terms with how much effort went into producing what you’re seeing. It’s practically another story itself, and no less heartening than with the boys and their trials and tribulations. Seriously dude, so much kudos.

Favorite Things

The content variety. There’s just so much to love here, things being kept fresh and exciting throughout the super long run-time of the blog without feeling disjointed, on top of managing a satisfying conclusion. There’s a lot of fun to be had, no half-measures.

The character dynamics are a treat. With such a big cast, there’s all sorts of different personalities playing off each other, with dynamic relationships that all manage to evolve and grow. Definite love given to proper character arcs.

Inspiring themes and feel-good moments really do make this a gem to read when you’re looking for a pick me up. The messages about dealing with depression and addiction, managing your health and fitness and even studying and making smart choices− all of them really hit home.

Relationships of all different types; one’s that work out, one’s that don’t, some being easy, some being hard, long ones, short ones, mistakes and awkward surprises. Romance is well and truly covered, and I like that it doesn’t shy away with the stuff that just doesn’t end well.

Some of the best artwork you’ll come across (and so utterly fitting of the material), drawn to such a quality standard and on such a short time-frame that it kinda makes my head spin. I’m now at the point that when I think about the characters, these versions are the ones that appear in my head.

It’s honestly a little embarrassing for me to talk about AMAB, and god knows it’s pretty presumptuous, y’know? New guy recommends beloved artwork that already attracted thousands of followers back in its day. I’m going to guess this’ll end up being the rec that I’ll have needed to have written the least− since like, all of you have probably already devoured the blog long before you learned about it here.

But you know? If anything, I hope this ends up reconfirming what an excellent choice it was for you to have read it. And as always with these review things, if the author should read this, I hope you know just how much what you’ve made affected me and countless others; how good you deserve to feel, and how proud the people in your life must be of you for doing something so important and worthwhile.

As usual, next post’ll be spoilers and artwork− and I’m just going to bury my head in the sand so hard because my artwork is garbage compared, but we’ll have to muddle through. Join me there for second hand embarrassment, okay?

[thebookaholicsph-blog]

Book Review: Carry On: The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow

Author: Rainbow Rowell Publisher Information: Macmillan | October 08, 2015 Format: Paperback; First Edition Genre/s: Young Adult, Contemporary, Fantasy Page Count: 528 Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

BOOK SUMMARY (as seen at the back) Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who's ever been chosen. That's what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he's probably right. Half the time, Simon can't even make his wand work, and the other half, he starts something on fire. His mentor's avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there's a magic-eating monster running around, wearing Simon's face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here--it's their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon's infuriating nemesis didn't even bother to show up.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS When I first saw Carry On displayed at our local bookstore, I almost cried. I knew of it because I previously read Fangirl and wanted to know more about the characters Cath wrote about. (A drarry inspiration also gave this book plus points for me.) I loved the cover of the book, loved the size of the book. I just loved it. Fangirl didn’t really give anything away for Carry On but the snippets were enough to give me enough hype for this book. (Enough to make me buy three so far.)

WHAT HAPPENED? Simon Snow returns for his final year at Watford, a magical school in England. During this time, Simon learns to accept his reality of being the most powerful magician alive. As the Chosen One, he’s set to defeat the Insidious Humdrum, a magic-eating monster that has been running around England. He meets a surprising ally in Basilton Grimm-Pitch, his roommate and antagonist, as they uncover the mysteries of Watford and Baz’ deceased mother, the previous headmistress of Watford, and truth behind the Insidious Humdrum.

THE CORE This is a cute love story but also a book about desire, the consequence of it, and the power of simply letting go.

WHERE IS HERE? The book is set in present-time (contemporary) featuring Watford and its surrounding magical communities. The World of Mages is simply a distinction of the magickal community compared to the non-magic community. The setting is very stereotypical England which various magic folk - numpties, dragons, etc.

As the magical boarding school is not a new concept, and because the story is set in present time, it’s fairly easy to imagine the setting of Carry On. The border concept is Harry Potter meets Camp Half-Blood --  or at least that was how I saw it.

WHO ARE YOU? Simon Snow/Oliver Salisbury is the main protagonist of Carry On. As Chosen One, he affords to win battles that comes with his power with very little effort, but it seems that his naivety closely compensates for it. He appears to be very confused or lost at times, and sometimes obsessive towards his belief that Baz is a vampire and that he is out to kill him [Simon]. I think this makes him hard to like for some people. It can be frustrating to get to know someone who is naive and oblivious and seems lost all the time. But he’s also a person with a big cross to carry. Imagine being so powerful but be unable to control your magic. Imagine a monster equally powerful that is always out to get you. Imagine putting the very few people who actually cares for you at risk just by being the Chosen One. He’s the most powerful magician but he also seems powerless in a lot of areas.

Tyrannus Basilton Grimm-Pitch is Simon’s renowned nemesis. He is cocky but smart, as his aunt puts him. He shares an antagonistic relationship with Simon that shifts within the course of the story. He is also very, very gay.

The Mage (Davy) is the headmaster of Watford, the head of the World of Mages (Hence, the title “The” Mage) and is the only one Simon shares a familial relationship with. He was the one who got Simon from the world of Normals when he “set off” his magic and introduced him to the World of Mages. He endorsed Simon as his heir so Simon can attend Watford.

Penelope Bunce is Simon’s best friend. She is immensely intelligent, always top of their class. She is also the brains of her and Simon’s duo when they’re off saving the world.

EVERYTHING AT ONCE Carry On is a very easy read, language-wise. It’s written simply, targeted towards a younger audience and is fairly easy to understand. It may be hard to follow for some as the way the book is presented is like you’ve been reading it a while and that it needed to catch you up to what had happened before. (Think recaps in first episodes of sequel seasons of any story-driven TV series.)

The book also showcases multiple POVs that gives you a glimpse of other perspectives involved in the books many arcs. The central arc is of Simon’s battle with the Humdrum. The secondary arc is of the war between the Old Families (Baz’s Family included) and The Mage. The tertiary arc is the mystery behind the death of Natasha Grimm-Pitch (Baz’s mom). These arcs tie together at one point but plenty are left unsaid and unanswered in the arcs apart from the central arc. (Did they target the Headmistress or the babies in the nursery? Does Simon figure out who his parents are eventually? Does he not experience any sense of loss from not knowing who they are?) The different POVs gives the reader snippets of what is happening to the people involved in these arcs.

The book features a refreshing take on the whole “Chosen One” trope - Simon being a mess of a magician despite being the most powerful one alive. Most of the time, I would wonder how a chosen one is chosen and this book gives us an angle that makes a lot of sense -- that he has a lot of power means there’s a point in the universe that lost a lot of power as well. How people make magic in this world is not new to me. The whole putting magic into your words is reminiscent of Lark’s magic in Amy Harmon’s The Bird and the Sword. It places magic as a skill, a power that not all have, but also tying it with words and phrases that are common. It makes sense. It feels closer than how fiction usually feels.

Rainbow Rowell said that this book is what she felt that she somewhat owed to her characters in Cath’s (Fangirl) fanfiction so it’s understandable that the book widely focused on the development of Simon and Baz’ relationship. That’s not to excuse where the book lacks, but shows why it has been written as it has.

ALL THAT I AM; ALL THAT YOU WERE This corner of the review is for me and my spazzing over this book (and ask the others, I have SPAZZED). I love this book so much. I consider Simon and Baz my sons. Simon, my unlabelled little child and Baz, my gay son. I love them both. I love their relationship and how it got to that point. I love this book because it’s a gay one. I love this book because, yes they are two males who happened to fall in love. IT JUST HAPPENED. And that that’s not the only interesting part of their characters.

Carry On is a love story. It’s a coming-of-age love story where the conflict is anchored from a deeper and far darker past. I personally believe that this has been executed wonderfully.

My only issue with the book is how some details seem so unnecessary. The mystery of Natasha Grimm-Pitch felt very staged and mostly a token to reach from [Simon+Baz = Enemies] to [Simon+Baz = Friends, and so on]. This is a disservice to Natasha’s character, like she died only to bring her son closer to his long-time crush.

I also would have done without Agatha (Simon’s ex-girlfriend and Penelope’s other friend). She seemed to only be present to stir some drama in the group’s dynamic and doesn’t service the plot to move forward at all. (I would say she’s a bottleneck - but maybe that was the point.)

As far as the other arcs go, there’s not a lot of closure in this book. But in spite of these shortcomings, Carry On is still an entertaining and refreshing book to read. (Especially to those who love YA and Magic.)

THE FINAL SCORE 3.5 out of 5 stars. This book is a personal favorite of mine, but I did find that there were elements that were lacking and some characters and sub-plots that strayed too far from the central arc (and it quite unnecessary in my opinion). While we had closure from the central arc, there wasn’t a lot of closure with the other arcs. x, CLAUDE

[ MOOD BOARD | PLAYLIST | AMAZON | GOODREADS ]

[pluckyredhead]

Daredevil 101: Fall from Grace

And we’re back! It’s time for the death of Matt Murdock (again). Also, a lot of 90s-style grimacing. Most importantly, ELEKTRA RETURNS!

Content Warning: Some extremely racist (specifically, anti-black) imagery behind the cut.

When we last left our hero, he had returned to New York, regained his memory, and patched things up with Foggy. And aw, they’re being so cute:

YOU GUYS FOGGY MADE A MODEL OF THE OFFICE SO THAT MATT COULD FEEL WHERE EVERYTHING WOULD GO. AND JUST LOOK AT THEM CUDDLING OVER THAT SIGN. I’M CAN’T.

Now up there I mentioned 90s-style grimacing, and I just...I feel like if you’re not familiar with the aesthetic of comics in the 90s nothing can really prepare you, but basically, picture a lot of veins and teeth, flowing hair, everyone wearing armor and wielding two swords and six guns, POUCHES, and very questionable anatomy. This cover is a pretty good example:

No, I cannot explain anything that’s happening here. Just accept that the next few posts are gonna look like this until we round the horn into the late 90s. We’ll get through this. It’ll be okay.

(That art, by the way, is by Scott McDaniel, who is responsible for most of this post. The writer is still D. G. Chichester.)

Despite that cover there’s not a lot of Frank in here, but I do have something behind the cut for the Fratt fans:

That’s real gay, Frank.

In between fellatio metaphors with Frank, reestablishing Nelson and Murdock, and trying to patch things up with Karen, Matt also tries to protect a Haitian immigrant from a convoluted protection racket and winds up tangling with a “voodoo priestess” villainess named Calypso. Here’s where that content warning comes in:

Like honestly what the actual fuck. I don’t even have words for this bullshit.

Anyway, that’s obviously Calypso on the bottom. At the top is Hellspawn, a doppelganger of Matt created during Infinity War? I literally just had to look this up because large parts of Chichester’s run are incomprehensible and I honestly had no idea where he came from - I thought Calypso created him, but apparently not. Anyway, it’s during this plotline that Hellspawn encounters and becomes obsessed with Matt.

I’m skipping a lot here but I want to get into the meatier plot as opposed to the more episodic storylines, so we’re going to scoot ahead to “Fall from Grace,” which is what I used for the name of this post because it’s the most major event here. Again, this story falls under the category of “unnecessarily complicated Chichester nonsense riddled with cameos, crossovers, and incomprehensible McDaniel-scribbled fight scenes” and I’m not going to get into the details of it because...like. It’s such nonsense. Even the simplified version I’m about to share with you is going to make no sense. (I don’t hate Chichester, who I think writes a really interesting Karen, but his character stuff is much better than his confusing plots.)

SO. The plot revolves around a defunct, shady government program wherein they created a chemical called About Face that altered people’s appearances, put it in glass balls, and sent telepaths out to secretly drop the balls in heavily populated areas, where they would break and...change people’s faces??? It makes NO SENSE. One of the balls never broke, and the guy who broke it - a telepath named Eddie - ran away, horribly traumatized by his experience with the government, and has hidden as a street person for the past few decades.

Now it’s become clear to multiple interested parties that there’s one remaining ball of About Face somewhere in the subway system, and they’re all after Eddie to find out where it is. Matt discovers this and steps in to protect him:

What’s Eddie running from? Oh, just Hellspawn, and also maybe how veiny Matt’s chest is:

I’m concerned about your neck, Matthew.

While all this is going on, the Bugle is temporarily shut down because of *handwave* plot stuff, idk, but Ben freaks out because all of his in-progress articles are on the Bugle computers, which he now can’t access. He asks a Bugle intern named Sara to help him out:

omg those references

Unfortunately for Ben - and Matt - when Ben’s not looking, Sara stumbles across an unpublished article that Ben has idiotically saved to the Bugle server: the one he wrote about Matt being Daredevil, before he decided not to publish it. Oops!

Meanwhile, as we saw above, Matt’s classic suit has taken quite a beating, so he decides that he needs a tougher look:

Parts of it or armored, or the whole thing is, or something? Armor was very on-trend in the 90s. Anyway this is not a good sign, any time Matt is in black and it’s not Charlie Cox in skintight army surplus you know the story is going downhill.

Matt is so busy with Eddie and the virus and his new threads that he’s neglecting his day job, and Foggy has gotten tired of the same old patterns:

I find this page fascinating, because this arc is the only time it’s implied that Foggy knows Matt is Daredevil before, uh, Foggy officially finds out Matt is Daredevil. (And it’s made clear when that happens that he had no suspicion beforehand, so this aspect is dropped.) But also, Matt is being SUCH a dick here! “I’m responsible for more important things that you don’t know about”? If Foggy didn’t do your paperwork you wouldn’t be able to pay for that fancy armor, bucko. And you can’t lie to Foggy and then blame him for not knowing the truth.

Anyway I just love Foggy’s “Don’t forget your CANE” and Matt storming out and knocking a wastebasket over with his cane all “HOW DARE YOU I AM SUPER BLIND,” even if it never went anywhere. (Though Foggy does go talk to Karen after this and ask her to talk to Matt about...the other aspects of his life that he and Matt don’t talk about. So Karen gets involved in this dancing around the subject too.)

Meanwhile...*sigh* So. Okay. Remember how I said there were a bunch of people after the About Face virus? Well, they include government agents, bounty hunters, Hellspawn, A VAMPIRE, and the Hand. (The Chaste is bopping around here too, trying to stop the Hand.) The Hand sends an elite sect called the Snakeroot after About Face, plus these two:

This is sleazebag former SHIELD agent John Garrett, and Elektra’s “dark essence” Erynys. Garrett kind of explains their deal up there, but the short version is: after killing Elektra off in Daredevil, Miller still wanted to write her, so he did a miniseries called Elektra: Assassin. I’m not a fan of it, despite stunning art from Bill Sienkiewicz. We’ll see this next time, when I cover the Man Without Fear miniseries, but basically the more Miller wrote Elektra, the more he wrote her as sort of this fascinating, dangerous fetish object instead of as a person. Even though she’s ostensibly the star, Assassin is narrated by Garrett and is told through the lens of his fixation on her. It’s pretty gross.

Anyway, Elektra’s trying to stop a demon called the Beast from installing one of its pawns as president of the US (insert political commentary here), so she uses the psychic powers she occasionally has to get Garrett to help her. The story ends with her victorious and Garrett mostly cyborg parts, but now, during the Fall from Grace arc, the Hand is able to use the traces of Elektra left in Garrett’s mind from her possession of him to create Erynys, a separate being who embodies all that is dark and evil in Elektra. She wants About Face, which will enable her to be a full human being and not just an offshoot of Elektra.

Understandably, she’s a pretty upsetting figure for Matt to run across, especially since he thinks the REAL Elektra is still dead. (She’s not, as the reader knows.)

And that’s not the only bad news for Matt, because Bugle intern Sara has taken the story that Matt is Daredevil and gone to the tabloids:

Matt’s teeth are so dismayed!

Obviously Matt’s friends all see this story too, and Karen for one is not about to let it stand:

I LOVE NINETIES KAREN!!! She is so tired of men and their ridiculousness, she has shit to do and papers to throw! And again, Foggy’s still carefully talking around the whole thing, which I still find fascinating - but in the clinch, he’ll always be here to save Matt from himself.

Matt, meanwhile, has another shock waiting for him:

It’s Elektra! Bald Elektra! How very Sinead O’Connor.

(If you’ve forgotten, the Hand attempted to resurrect Elektra after she was killed by Bullseye and Matt was able to purify her soul with the power of his love (hence her white costumer), but thought the resurrection itself failed. She’s basically been meditating on a mountain ever since.)

While Elektra fills Matt in on where she’s been, Ben and Foggy team up to save Matt’s secret:

Sara basically ignores Foggy and his restraining order and barges past him and Ben with a camera crew to find...an ordinary apartment, filled with the kind of accommodations a blind man might need, like foam bumpers on the sharp edges of furniture and a Braille subway map. Humiliated, she departs.

Meanwhile, Matt and Elektra are still catching up as they try to keep anyone else from getting to About Face before they do:

If you can look away from Elektra’s weird seamless naked plank-butt there, basically she’s upset because she was finally at peace meditating up on that mountain (and also when she was dead) and now she has to, like, be alive and deal with the forces of evil and confront her own evil nature and UGH. Matt is not threatening to punch her there but reminding her of how much she loves punching??? Sure.

Despite all this embracing, Matt goes straight to Karen and tells her that Elektra’s back, but he knows who he really wants to be with:

WHEEZE! WHEEZE AGAINST EACH OTHER’S CHINS!!! No, seriously, despite the crappy art and the tiresome love triangle and the hilarious childishness of that crayon heart drawing, this is close to the healthiest Matt and Karen have ever been and I’m happy for them. I love their late 90s dynamic.

With Karen thoroughly kissed, Matt suits up again and heads back into the fray. (It’s important to note here that Karen doesn’t know a) about Matt’s new costume or b) about Ben and Foggy’s successful dismantling of the “Matt is Daredevil” story.) They finally find the About Face virus, and Hellspawn tries to take it to make himself...a real boy, I guess? A real demon boy? Idk.

Hellspawn uses the About Face, but Erynys kills him before he can do anything with it - and then Elektra kills her before she can use the About Face, thus reabsorbing Erynys’s evil into herself. Or something. THIS COMIC IS A MESS.

The weirdest aspect, though, is that in death, Hellspawn’s About Faced corpse turns to...Matt Murdock. He is an absolute spitting image of a dead Matt, which gives Matt an idea. Remember, Matt doesn’t know that his secret identity is a secret again, and as long as it’s out there, the people he cares about are in danger. Plus, like, Matt Murdock’s life is really hard and stuff?

So he bundles up the Mattcorpse and dumps it off at a police station or something, and Matt Murdock is declared 100% Dead and Probably Not Daredevil. Giving this story something of a downer ending:

If I’m not mistaken, this is the third time Matt has faked his death, counting Mike Murdock and that time he crashed a plane with a Matt dummy in it. MATT. WHY IS THIS A THING FOR YOU.

Anyway, tune in next time for a detour into the Frank Miller/John Romita, Jr. miniseries Daredevil: Man Without Fear, followed by Black Armor Matt making more bad decisions!