#hopefully this leads for more fun adventures for u in the future if this is the first time youve mentioned it to them ^u^

[classicanalyzer]

Star Wars 2025 - Issue 1 "Out of the Darkness" Thoughts

"Believe me, I understand--the stories from the front lines were devastating. But we can't lose our sense of urgency either. This trade summit is a pivotal moment, Mon. We didn't fight these battles--these wars--to merely sit back and savor the victory. There's work to be done. And the onus is on us to spread the ideals that we hope to build this New Republic on. We've got to welcome the galaxy into our fold. And it won't always be easy--it never is." Leia Organa

The first issue of the 2025 run is a solid start to the rebooted mainline run. Most of this issue is just set up for future issues, however, there is some interesting details for what holds for the future of this run.

Luke and Rynn's section of the plot features a really cool retrofitted ISD. The Nagai pilot does raise some potential interesting storyline if they're the trouble from the Unknown Regions Valance spoke of in the Jakku comic. Luke's characterization here is much better compared to the FCBD issue.

I'm disappointed we didn't get to see Yeager, Gunny, and Blade Squadron in this art style. Hopefully, we'll get to see them. For that same reason, I also want to see Luke fly a U-Wing in Noto's art style.

The New Republic faces trouble regaining some former worlds of the Galactic Republic. This ties well with how the New Republic struggles to regain the glory days of the Galactic Republic. I like how Leia makes it clear how she's having none of Kezrin's BS. I'm pretty sure the Fenril Sector is collaborating with the Zantarrk gang. Kith becoming a Councilor is an interesting development.

I did laugh at how much they claim Adelhard's last stand had a massive impact in the same manner as the Battle of Jakku on the New Republic. It's just so jarring when you actually read the Jakku comic and see Adelhard bring one ISD to the Battle.

It's really fun to see Han Solo and Beilert Valance back at it again. I'm really interested to see what adventures the two will have in future issues of the comic. I also like the designs of the Zantarrak gang's scavenged Imperial gear.

Overall, this is a solid issue, but it doesn't have many moments where I was as pumped as I was about Legacy of Vader. I think future issues might have those moments, but for now, the first issue is a solid start. Let's hope Alex Segura brings his A-game like he did with Free Fall with this comic. Speaking of Free Fall, something I notice is how much Alex weaves elements from the novel into his Star Wars comics. After reading some of Free Fall, the novel makes its comics more interesting with an overarching storyline. It still doesn't fix the mistakes and boring elements of the Jakku comic, but the Spice Runner plotline in particular gained a lot more interest from me after reading the novel.

"--We've been expelled from the summit? How is that even possible, Bastion? Who--?" Leia Organa

"We're still trying to get to the heart of it, but Pirros and their allies are adamant--the New Republic is not welcome at the trade summit, no exceptions." Bastion

"This is madness, Bastion! What can be decided without us in attendance?" Leia Organa

"Quite a lot, Princess--further proof that your New Republic is not nearly as essential as you'd lead us all to believe... The New Republic offers us little, Princess Leia--and we require more than your half-chewed scraps, even those veiled in diplomacy. As of this moment, the planets of the Fenril Sector have united under one banner. Trade with the New Republic is suspended until a new treaty is agreed upon, and any trespassers into our territory will be dealt with--and met with lethal force." Kezrin Almovar

[theroundestoftums]

Hhh I've gotta share the amazing experience I had last night ahh - went out for dinner with my partner, spent the whole day looking forward to it, I didn't wanna eat much until then so by the time we arrive at the restaurant my stomach was already growling at all the smells. We had such a nice dinner and I ate So Much and still felt like there was room for more, but I managed to resist. We walked home and once we were back I just had to admire myself in the mirror for a bit. I've never been very comfortable seeing my stomach stick out after a meal, but this time I immediately loved it. The dress I was wearing could just about highlight the distention in my stomach, I could already feel it grumbling and working on such a nice meal, and for a moment I couldn't help but imagine myself carrying mine and my partner's child, imagining how they might take me out again to make sure our baby and I am getting only the best food to keep my tummie happy.

And then I sheepishly mentioned this thought to them - and they played along!! Acted slightly more possessively, gave me so many kisses and extra tummy rubs in bed ahh (really enjoy having a partner become slightly more possessive once they realise you're carrying their babies 💕💕💕)

- 🌸 anon

ThAT IS SO FUCKING HOT U HAVE NO IDEA HOW JELLY I AM GJSBCJSBFISB UUUUGH BRUH I NEED THAT IN MY LIFE GJSBFJS partners getting possessive and protective over their partners growing bump and future child lEAVES ME FERAL IN THE BEST KINDA WAYS GJSBCJEBG 😭😭😩😩😩

[izzyizumi]

Digimon Adventures ~ Taichi Yagami & Koushiro[u] Izumi {A.M.V. Out-lining/Timeline} for Koushiro x Taichi A.M.V.: Tsuki no Uta [#Tri Spoilers, #Kizuna Spoilers, #Digimon Adventure: Spoilers]… This is the current initial ‘previewed’ look of a mostly-finished A.M.V., but with sections I can easily jump around and edit in if I ever go back to it in the future.

... And this is what a full version/outline of 100~ clips may look like!

With this one, starting from after the big Kizuna moment leading into an OWG clip of Taichi, the editor was starting to bug up and lag, and it was honestly amazing this one didn’t crash for some odd, unknown reason before I could finish & save it (when I’ve had many others crash by 40, even just 17~20 clips on a bad editing day)

So this one managed to work out in the end, but I was concerned I wouldn’t be able to fill in the ending with much, and thus I started using some longer sequences by the end, since using longer ones seems like it’ll crash less than if you use a ton of clips at once. I still managed to convey the feel of what I was going for at least (including within the original psuedo-plans), I think, though also the psuedo-outlines had the ending move a lot faster with many shots (that’s usually my wishful thinking though, so I made do with this instead.)

All clips with a series of squares in the corner has effects (sometimes multiple fade-in to fade-out sequences) on.

Also, sometimes the previews on clips will glitch oddly, and then fun things like this may happen:

^ (BlackAgumon Appeared!)

{It Knows.}

(OK, but most of the time it just glitches the main charas in previews and you can barely see them, which means yeah, kinda hard to see on the timeline.)

This took almost 6~ hours of editing total, spread across two evenings. (I think I finished just under the 6 hour mark on this time, but these ‘totals’ also include a lot of boring loading of files, audio etc. & waiting. So it’s actually a bit less time than even that, but hard for me to keep track of.)

I didn’t even have a full-on psuedo-plan for this one, honestly? (Like, I had an initial overall 'concept’/idea in my mind, including for ending, but I always have trouble when it comes to fitting in the most scenes I’d love to use if possible. I couldn’t even add in 2020!Koushiro’s ep with Gerbemon + Chuumon [/Tyumon] here yet! Maybe in the ‘finished’ version, if I can attempt to go back in, fix those few things & add in subs, sometime hopefully...)

A.M.V.s take a lot of time to make, too! And as much as I’d love to produce them quickly like this, no, I can’t actually manage this kind of attempt every single time without being supremely wiped out mentally afterwards, but this one was a lot of fun to work on too, since it didn’t crash AS much for me this time around...

I’d like to be able to improve my focus to finish them slightly more quickly in time for when character or O.T.P focused events I’m interested in roll around, since it’s way harder to finish a series of A.M.V.s in this quality 7 days in a row, for example when it comes to weekly events, but we’ll see! (Also because I’m typically not the type to {personally} join in events much anymore either... well, I sometimes do try for any Favs though, we’ll see!)

[Note: replying/Tags that are Positive/respectful are OK!] (If you re-blog this, please out of courtesy tag ‘Tri Spoilers’, ‘Kizuna Spoilers’, and ‘Digimon Adventure: Spoilers’ for your mutuals if you feel it’s necessary!)

[ivyaugustetc]

hello!! i'm giving you pure creative freedom here, do whatever you please!!

i'll try my best to describe myself, as that is my fatal flaw. i have green eyes and messy brown hair. my classic scent is marine water and driftwood. im a entp, aquarius, and slytherin. i use the pronouns she/her. i'm extremely stubborn, i have a good sense of humor, and i love learning. i also love to argue/debate, and i'll do anything to win [even if I'm wrong, but i'm never wrong ;)]. i probably need glasses, but alas, my stubbornness kicks in so i'll never admit it. my favourite hobbies are reading, writing, researching, and baking. i love learning about all types of mythology + astrology. i have a knack for history, and i'm super into foraging, although I don't get to practice it much! i play many sports, some of which including ice hockey, baseball, and volleyball. i would describe my aesthetic as a mix of academia, cottagecore, and goblincore. i have an extremely flirtatious personality, even when i don't mean to come across that way. my friends say i have an old soul- they also say i'm a nerd but we don't talk about that. i was on our schools honor roll and I received two other awards, one for my academic achievement and one for my leadership skills. i am a die-hard romantic, although i'm the person you least expect it from.

hopefully this information will suffice!! I'm excited to see what you come up with :)

hey!! this is so much good information omg i love it i have SO MUCH, this one was so fun to write. okay okay here we go:

ship: i ship you with cameron + you would be besties with meeks and stick!

notes:

you're like a more adventurous version of cameron, and that's something that simultaneously draws him to you and give him a healthy fear of you ;)

allow me to elaborate: he's convinced that he can get good grades and keep himself stable whilst keeping his head down and doing his work—you manage to do both of those things while being an absolute firecracker of a person

and besides just school, you're into so many other forms of learning and all these other athletic pursuits that he's just like how can one person do all these things and be great at it???

little bit of enemies to lovers coming up here

at some point in class you'd get paired up for a debate and spend a lot of your time socializing with your group mates and having a good time, which cameron, in all of his smug hard work, thinks is a good thing because he'll be able to crush you in the debate

long story short, he does not

you end up in a heated debate in the front of the classroom, both of you just throwing knowledge back and forth at each other with so much aggression and of course you wipe the floor with him and win the whole thing

you just brush it off because duh, ofc you won you're always right, but cameron cannot stop thinking about it

it haunts him for so long that he eventually goes over to your dorm, knocks on the door, and when you open it he asks, "how did you do it." "what do you mean?" "the debate."

and so you invite him in and show him how you planned out your argument and stuff and he's like "...it's oddly simple?" and thus you introduce him to the fact that you can be smart and do well without being wound up so tight that you might spontaneously convulse ;)

he still doesn't believe you, so you take it upon yourself to show him the magic of not giving a shit while also giving a shit

you encourage him to have fun and think more freely rather than within the rigid guidelines of how the school teaches you to think

you show him that there's more to life than just work, something he probably wouldn't have been able to figure out on his own

and he starts to enjoy not just the new mindset, but hanging out with you and getting to know you :)

onto you and meeks!

you and meeks are similar in the having an old soul, he gives me really smart old man trapped in a teenager's body kinda vibes??

but you always want to be grouped with him for projects and stuff because you get the info dump and he makes it neat and organized

and at some point when cameron asks him about you, he describes you as someone who's really nice and fun to be around

i firmly believe that meeks loves mythology and astrology as well and therefore you would have conversations about it that would last HOURS about everything pertaining to those subjects

like a teacher would say something semi controversial and you'd lean over to meeks and whisper "that's very scorpio of him to say" and he'd be like "i was thinking the exact same thing"

onto your partner in crime (and my future husband but whatever), stick!!

this boy represents your chaotic side,,,, sO WELL

i have this weirdly specific idea that you would meet because you could simply not see the board (but again, you're too stubborn to get glasses) and you would ask to borrow his for a second and he would just. go with it.

and now every time the teacher writes something on the board, he just hands you his glasses long enough for you to write down the info in your notes

i just imagine you two walking down the hallways together, cackling over your own jokes and thinking you're the actual epitome of comedy (which u are, duh)

he would listen to your sports talk because he doesn't play sports but his brother does so he knows all about them

he gets the flirtatious personality and he also has one lmao which leads to some,,, interesting conversations that piss cameron off

but as i said, you're this free spirit that makes everyone around you smile, even richard "stick up his ass" cameron ;)

[iheartkyloren]

Teaser+

“Can you fly with those?” A middle-school-aged boy calls across the street as Rey walks out of the coffee shop with Ben.

“Ignore them, Ben. Kids, you know. You were that age once.” Her eyes scold him as he glares angrily at the kid until his attention returns to her.

Meant to be of comfort Rey, gives him a warm smile. Unfortunately, it doesn’t stifle Ben from smoothing his hair down with saliva-covered fingers. The ends reaching halfway between his ears and chin, it isn’t quite long enough to cover them all the way. He started growing his hair out at the beginning of summer. Now fall it’s still not long enough, but Rey is rather fond of his ears anyway. Has been for years, finding them endearing and unique only to him. Ben is simply a unique guy with a large, almost awkward nose to go with his rather large ears, but truthfully, everything about Ben is over-sized. Being his next door neighbor, Rey may have snuck a peek or two over the years through their windows that happen to face each other across a narrow gap between their houses.

Once the skinny, gangling boy with a terrible haircut he’s grown to be a handsome young man with a body hard as the brick walls their houses are held together by. A couple of years spent in the gym will do that to a guy. His pectoral muscles put her breast size to shame. In truth, he knew he had to do something to make himself feel better, even so, he occasionally gets teased. Rey reaches up and gives a gentle tug on his left earlobe, the one she is softly considering sucking between her lips if she were tall enough to reach.

“Leave the lil’ guy alone.” She giggles at his frown.

“I wasn’t as cruel at that age. I should go over and show him why he shouldn’t make fun of strangers.” Flipping the kid off, he allows Rey to redirect him down the sidewalk. “What a little asshole.”

“Ben, he’s a child!” She laughs at his shrug. “Let’s just get home.”

Home where she can say goodbye to her neighbor friend who isn’t a real friend, but also not, not a friend. Not really sure what he is, it doesn’t make a difference when she spies on him. A bit possessive of him, having watched how the neighborhood kids treated him at times, but she doesn’t have any claim on him. He’s two years older and in community college while she finishes up her senior year of high school a year later than she should have. They have only more recently become friendly towards each other again. For a few years he didn’t talk to her much because it added to his teasing with a diminutive, young girl defending him, but now that she is a little more developed with slim curves, and an obvious but small bosom. She doesn’t have to wear a bra under her tank tops, so she is quite okay with it. What matters is he sees her now more as a young woman than the little girl next door.

It’s quite possible that he’s been flirting with her as they’ve spent a few moments together here or there, walking to and from their collective schools located down the street from each other. A college man walking her home, she’s good with it, but she can’t be certain that he isn’t just being friendly with his generic touches on her shoulder and pats on the back. Utilizing those times to respond and feel all the work he has put into his body, that frankly makes her quiver a bit, imagining how someone his size could fit inside of her petite body. There has to be a way that works, because she is bound and determined she is going to let him fuck her into infinity sometime hopefully, in the near future. He has to, she has saved herself for him, he just doesn’t know it yet.

“You alright there?”

His question brings her out of her thoughts to realize she has pulled her thighs together a bit, making her walk a tad strange. But the pressure helps her imagine him invading that part of her crushed between her legs. The friction a yummy sensation to wait for him by.

“Oh, I stepped on a rock back there.” She motions over her shoulder casually with a grin.

Jesus, help me, he doesn’t see what’s happening to me. I need him to fuck me one of these days, I only need time to convince his respectful ass.

Walking it off, she hopes she isn’t contracting a blush. Or maybe that would be a good segue to her long developing crush on him. The crush that lead her to have her first orgasm rubbing herself with her hand, wishing it were him after watching a porno at a friend’s house. It’s hard to mimic the idea of his hands doing it for her seeing as they could palm a basketball like she can a tennis ball. A giant to her slim frame, they don’t make any sense physically. God, she has every intention of making it work though. It’s all she has ever imagined, her with Ben and his hands all over her body.

“Why do you always look at me like that?” His smirk bleeds a warmth across her cheeks.

“I don’t look at you in any way,” she defends.

“Rey, you are blushing so hard right now. What is with you these last few weeks? Are you getting sick?” He places the back of his hand to her forehead jokingly.

“Of course not.”

It is a warm enough fall day to blame it on the weather, but he already knows how easily chilled she becomes preferring the warmer days of summer. He has always thought she was crazy for it, but her skin is beautifully kissed with freckles and an everlasting glow because of it.

“Do you have a lot of homework tonight?”

“As always.”

“You can always ask for help, I’m right next door,” he offers with a smile.

“I don’t need help, but thank you.”

“Alright if you insist.” His hand glides quickly over her lower back before he heads up the path to his house, giving her a lovely view of his ass in his jeans. “Oh hey, Rey, next time a guy asks you to spend time with him, toss him a bone why don’t ya.”

Bowing her head to hide her embarrassment she runs up the steps from the main sidewalk to the path to her own house. Giving him a wave goodbye. This is a tasty new development.

“Rey?” Her name has a different distinction to it. “Same time tonight?”

Pulse throbbing in the middle of her chest with the sound of her heart pounding, she watches him standing on his porch, her mouth half-open. “What?”

“You know what I am talking about. Nine o’ clock almost every night. I’ve seen you, but if I keep letting you, you know I’m going to need something in return?”

Keep letting me? Something in return? What’s that sound in his voice?

“Ben Solo, are you blackmailing me?” Rey asks incredulously.

“Maybe, if you think you might be up for it.” His cheeks burn a bright red color.

“We’ll see.”

Description+

Rey has grown up with a hardcore, stalker-worthy crush on the lumbering neighbor Ben Solo. Panties permanently soaked through at the very thought of his touch she would do anything for him to want her too. When Ben grows enough courage to give Rey a chance things get weird fast. Every orgasm is a new adventure connecting them between two universes through touch...

What is the binding agent that makes it all so real? or are they only dreaming?

A/U in a modern setting that has insets of cannon-divergent Star Wars Sequel Trilogy timeframe.

Story bounces between modern Ben x Rey and SW Kylo x Empress Rey for a taste of both worlds. 

Mature/ Erotic/ Fluff/ Angst

Incomplete- WIP

Word Count- 32,398

Read+

Aligned By The Stars

[gokinjeespot]

off the rack #1149

Monday, January 30, 2017

 It's the Chinese Year of the Rooster folks and there's a cock in the White House. We are living in interesting times indeed. I am trying my best not to get riled up by the d-bag but it's difficult. The empathy I feel for others means I cannot ignore the affect the changes have on everybody. I just hope we all get through these difficult times relatively unscathed.

 I'm going to have a fun Sunday on February 5. I'll be at the Walkley Arena for the Capital Trade Show where my partner Chris and I will be flogging old comic books. Then it's Super Bowl 51 with two gun slinging quarterbacks. I am cheering for a high scoring affair.

 Civil War II: The Oath #1 - Nick Spencer (writer) Rod Reis, Raffaele Ienco, Szymon Kudranski & Dono Sanchez-Almara (art) VC's Chris Eliopoulos (letters). Didn't see that coming. While it makes sense to appoint Captain America as the new Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. (again) the surprise is that I don't think it's Steve Rogers under the mask. I don't particularly like the new political landscape that the Marvel U is headed towards but it does make for some easy enemies for the good guys to fight with. Nick put in a lot of rah, rah patriotism in this book so it was a tough slog trying to get through it but the payoff at the end is worth it.

 Kamandi Challenge #1 - Part One: Dan Didio (writer) Keith Giffen (pencils) Scott Koblish (inks) Hi-Fi (colours) Clem Robins (letters) Part Two: Dan Abnett (writer) Dale Eaglesham (art) Hi-Fi (colours) Clem Robins (letters). He's the last boy on Earth and he's going on a wild adventure to find his parents. One of Jack Kirby's creations is getting a round robin of comic book creators to excite fans like never before. Each part of the story will be done by a different team that will end with a cliffhanger that the next team must find a way to resolve. I have a nagging feeling that this stunt has been done before but I can't remember when so I'm going to tag along to see who does what. I'm not a fan of Kamandi but I want to see who all are going to be involved on the creative side.

 Loose Ends #1 - Jason Latour (writer) Chris Brunner (art) Rico Renzi (colours). The cover says that this 4-issue mini is a southern crime romance. They got that right. We're looking at a trailer dwelling war vet whose friend gets him mixed up in running drugs. You can expect that the vet and the friend get into a heap of trouble and they do. I like how Sonny and Rej each wind up where they do at the end of this first issue so you bet I'm going to keep reading. Not much romance so far but I'm sure Jason will get to that.

 Star Wars #27 - Jason Aaron (writer) Salvador Larroca (art) Edgar Delgado (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Yay Yoda. Root for him I will.

 Batgirl #7 - Hope Larson (writer) Chris Wildgoose (art) Mat Lopes (colours) Deron Bennett (letters). Part 1 of "Son of Penguin" introduces Ethan Cobblepot and I don't care if there is no reference to him anywhere else in the DCU because he's going to be a great adversary for Barbara Gordon. I like how Chris draws her older than Rafael Albuquerque did. This is going to be fun.

 Briggs Land #6 - Brian Wood (writer) Mack Chater (art) Lee Loughridge & Jeremy Colwell (colours) Nate Piekos (letters). I really like Grace Briggs. The risks that she is taking will hopefully keep her people safe. Brian has crafted a story fit for cable TV.

 Totally Awesome Hulk #15 - Greg Pak (writer) Mahmud Asrar (art) Nolan Woodward (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Greg continues to feature heroes of the Asian persuasion in this story about Amadeus hanging out with Jake Oh, Kamala Khan, Cindy Moon, Shang-Chi, and Jimmy Woo. It does play on some stereotypes but I think it's okay because they're true for these guys.

 Odyssey of the Amazons #1 - Kevin Grevioux (writer) Ryan Benjamin (pencils) Richard Friend (inks) Tony Washington & Tony Avina (colours) Saida Temofonte (letters). This 6-issue mini has a lot of women but not a wonder one in sight. Kevin features Diana's sister Amazons in a tale worthy of Homer. If you like classic sword and sorcery, you'll like this.

 Dead Inside #2 - John Arcudi (writer) Tony Fejzula (art) Andre May (colours) Joe Sabino (letters). The plot thickens like congealed blood and murder suspects start to emerge. Linda has plenty to deal with inside the prison but she's surprised when she gets home after work by a sight I did not expect to see. This mystery is crazy good.

 Inhumans vs. X-Men #3 - Charles Soule & Jeff Lemire (writer) Javier Garron (art) Andres Mossa & Jay David Ramos (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). There are three more issue to this mini but it seems to me that Charles and Jeff have already come up with a solution to the Terrigen cloud that would end the war. The mutant Forge has built a machine that can collect the Terrigen gas and compress it into a solid in this issue. Wouldn't that solve the problem of the gas killing the mutants? Works for me.

 Justice League vs. Suicide Squad #6 - Joshua Williamson (writer) Howard Porter (art) Alex Sinclair (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). All is well that ends well. Both teams join forces to defeat Eclipso and Max Lord is at the mercy of Amanda Waller. Batman sees the light and gathers another team together to fight evil forces. Get ready for a new Justice League of America #1 hitting the racks on February 22. DC is sure spreading Bats pretty thin these days.

 Skybourne #3 - Frank Cho (writer & artist) Marcio Menyz (colours) Ed Dukeshire (letters). The identity of the bad guy was a nice surprise. I like Frank's comic books because they're simple stories about good versus evil that are beautifully drawn.

 Hulk #2 - Mariko Tamaki (writer) Nico Leon & Dalibor Talajic (art) Matt Milla (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Waiting for Jennifer to Hulk out is one of the things I like about the new book. She has a lot more self control than I have. The scary thing about the eventuality of her losing control is that this new Hulk will be an uncontrollable creature of rage but we'll have to wait and see what happens. Until then I'm enjoying Jen's life so far.

 Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #13 - Robert Venditti (writer) V Ken Marion (pencils) Paul Neary & Dexter Vines (inks) Alex Sollazzo (colours) Dave Sharpe (letters). Now that the planet Xudar has been saved, what now? It's time for a bedtime story that's what. This is a nice interlude issue before we launch into the next story. I've been enjoying this team book now that my loyalty to the Avengers has waned. We'll see if Robert can keep me hooked with his next adventure.

 Saga #42 - Brian K. Vaughn (writer) Fiona Staples (art) Fonografiks (letters). And fade to black. No, really. It's hiatus time again but this issue didn't leaving me screaming profanities about the long wait until the next issue hits the racks. There is a new character introduced who I will be very interested to find out more about.

 Doctor Strange #16 - Jason Aaron (writer) Chris Bachalo with Cory Smith (art) Al Vey, John Livesay, Victor Olazaba, &  Tim Townsend (inks) Antonio Fabela & Java Tartaglia with Chris Bachalo (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Dormammu is finally going to get his chance to kill Doctor Strange after he has been weakened by his fight with the Empirikul. Jason does find a neat way to save Stephen however. The next bit of nastiness involves someone close to the Doc. Oboy.

 Wonder Woman #15 - Greg Rucka (writer) Liam Sharp (art) Laura Martin (colours) Jodi Wynne (letters). Part 1 of "The Truth" finds Diana in a mental hospital. How she got there has yet to be explained but I'm sure I can handle it.

 Punisher #8 - Becky Cloonan (writer) Laura Braga with Iolanda Zanfardino (art) Frank Martin (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). That little old lady toting the double barrelled shotgun from last issue is named Ethel. She looks scary but she's not what you think. The change in art took some getting used to but it isn't bad enough to make me bench this book. I do have a couple of complaints though. If you're going to call a motorcycle a Harley, don't show what looks like a BMW logo on the gas tank. Also, draw the bad guy from the chest up when Frank says that he opened up his guts, not a full body shot that clearly shows an abdomen without any wounds at all. I don't know if the art had to be rushed after Steve Dillon passed away unexpectedly but that's just shoddy editing.

 Action Comics #972 - Dan Jurgens (writer) Stephen Segovia (pencils) Art Thibert (inks) Ulises Arreola (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). Trust Dan to come up with a non-violent way to stop Lex from being executed by the bad guys. It also served to show what possible futures are in store for this new Superman. DC has managed to revive my interest in this iconic character.

 Daredevil #16 - Charles Soule (writer) Goran Sudzuka (art) Matt Milla (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). We find out why Daredevil put out a hit on himself to lure out Bullseye. There's some soul searching this issue which leads into the next storyline. I liked how Charles sets it up.

 Detective Comics #949 - James Tynion IV & Marguerite Bennett (writers) Ben Oliver & Szymon Kudranski (art) Ben Oliver, Gabe Eltaeb & Hi-Fi (colours) Marilyn Patrizio (letters). The finale of "Batwoman Begins" is a very good prelude to Batwoman's solo book which hits the racks on February 15. It looks like James and Marguerite are going to have a Raymond Reddington and Agent Keen thing going on between Kate and her dad. That's got me interested.

 Infamous Iron Man #4 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Alex Maleev (art) Matt Hollingsworth (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Brian must have a thing for mother and son stories. He did it in International Iron Man where he introduced Tony's biological mother. Now he's showing us Victor's mom. I really do believe that Doom has reformed and I hope he stays a good guy.

 Spider-Man/Deadpool: Monsters Unleashed - Joshua Corin (writer) Tigh Walker (art) Rachelle Rosenberg (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). The boys save Toronto eh.

 Thanos #3 - Jeff Lemire (writer) Mike Deodato (art) Frank Martin (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). It's the Imperial Guard of the Shi'ar versus Thanos. A perfect opportunity to give a history lesson on the life of the Mad Titan.

 Spider-Woman #15 - Dennis Hopeless (writer) Veronica Fish (art) Rachelle Rosenberg (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). Jessica subdues the new Porcupine and finds out who put the hit out on her friend Roger. Now she's gunning for the Hobgoblin but he's protected by an army of super villains. I hope little Gerry doesn't become an orphan.

[jaketheaudiophile]

Best Albums of 2018.

This is the thing I look forward to most every year. I probably start internally ranking albums after purchasing them and have a conversation with friends and fellow musicians about their favorite releases starting in September. 

I personally thought 2018 was a very good year for music, and already have some stuff I’m excited about in 2019. Let’s just jump right in.

HONORABLE MENTION

TTNG: “Animals Acoustic” released October 5 via Sargent House

It doesn’t feel right to consider this a “true” new album since it’s only an acoustic reworking of TTNG / This Town Needs Guns’ seminal debut album. However, this is more than just a re-release; there’s unique, varied instrumentation added cleverly to every song, including strings, pianos and The Kraken Quartet on percussion. It also never gets old hearing Stu Smith sing again or hearing Tim Collis recreate his wizardry on an acoustic guitar. It feels like a brand new thing, which is impressive considering the source material is a decade old.

#15.

The Decemberists: “I’ll Be Your Girl” released March 16 via Capitol / Rough Trade

Props to my buddy Branden for recommending this, but in general Decemberists albums are an automatic purchase for me. I wasn’t crazy about their last few releases (particularly the collaborative Offa Rex LP) so I wasn’t completely up to date on their current activities, but this is another solid entry into a pretty stellar catalogue of music. The lead single “Severed” is a bit of a curveball, but it shouldn’t scare off old fans. In a strange way, this album is a reinvention of sorts but also a harkening back to the songwriting and cleverness that made these alt-rockers famous (”Everything is Awful”, “Once in My Life”). Perfect for old and new fans.

#14.

The Wonder Years: “Sister Cities” released April 6 via Hopeless Records

I can’t quite put my finger on it, but this is probably my least favorite Wonder Years album. It should have worked perfectly on paper: The old pop-punkers expand their sound and influences and graduate to a new level of maturity and success. And in a way, this is exactly that. However, the last half of the album, particularly the closing track, “The Ocean Grew Hands to Hold Me” just feels uninspired and lazy. There’s something to be said for purposeful dynamic choices, and that was something these Philly rockers nailed on previous releases. Still, TWY are master craftsmen, and there are a few great songs and moments throughout this record (”Pyramids of Salt” in particular), but this feels more like a transitionary phase than a masterpiece.

#13.

Mouse on the Keys: “tres” released May 23 via Topshelf Records

Japanese jazz aficionados Mouse on the Keys were a relatively new band for me this year, and their latest record certainly lives up to hype that I’ve seen them receiving. Bringing in a strong, varied collection of guest musicians works out splendidly at times (such as vocalist Dominique Fils-Aime, who absolutely kills it on “Stars”, and CHON wunderkind Mario Camarena’s solo on “Time”) and falls slightly flat at others (unfortunately, La Dispute’s Jordan Dreyer’s spoken word contributions to “Shapeless Man”). When left to their own devices, however, the skills and performances of these three dudes are admirable (”One Hundred Twenty”). The album feels a bit more of a collection of ideas than a full record, but is still worth checking out for any technical music or jazz fans.

#12.

mewithoutYou: “Untitled” released October 5 via Run For Cover Records

This album is a textbook example of what could have easily been a classic, or even an album of the year contender. However, it seems like these Philly indie rock mainstays lost all momentum halfway through and ended not with a bang, but with a whimper. The last two songs on this album are basically useless and meandering. It also seems like the band tried to get in the headspace of their earliest material, maybe pulling some influence on a few album anniversary tours, which is a welcome return to form (”9:27A.m., 7/29″). With that in mind, why are Aaron Weiss’ vocals so low in the mix or drowning in effects to make them unrecognizable? His poetic lyrics are what make so many fans keep coming back, so the choice to completely smother them is an odd one. The highs of this album are here, but they are too dragged down by the uninspired lows to make this a completely stellar record. I hold these guys to a pretty high standard, though, so maybe I’m more critical than most here.

#11.

Between The Buried and Me: “Automata I” and “Automata II” released March 9 and July 13 via Sumerian Records

It doesn’t feel right to separate these albums as its considered one long story and they really do work in tandem. Personally, I like Automata I a smidge more, but they are both pretty damn good. I is a more traditional metal (with the exception of the the epic Dream Theater-esque closer “Blot”) and II allows the band to sow their wild oats a bit, worshipping at the altars of Queen and Danny Elfman at times. Regardless, this is a mammoth achievement for these metal titans, who seemingly never seem to run out of ideas for brilliant, varied albums. Some songs are a bit overlong, and the few purely filler tracks may be a tad unnecessary, but it’s still a rewarding listen.

#10.

Horrendous: “Idol” released September 28 via Season of Mist

Perhaps the only disappointing part of this technical death metal release is the fact that it’s only 40 minutes long. Most bands in this genre would be content to tease out a riff or interlude and create a 12-minute song, but not these guys. Not that there are a lack of ideas; they’re just packed in so tightly and laser-focused to make every track feel adventurous, varied and finely tuned. Combined with one of the most unique vocalists I’ve ever heard (the most apt comparison is “Wolfman transforming from Wolfman back into man”), the listener is left with an album that truly leaves them wanting more. Also, kudos for the creepy Clive Barker-esque cover art.

#9.

Mom Jeans.: “Puppy Love” released July 3 on Counter Intuitive Records

Mom Jeans. scratch an itch I’ve always had for quality emo music and nicely fill a void You Blew It! left when they broke up last year. There’s certainly not a ton of brand new ideas on display in their music, but its earnestness and heart make up for it. I’m willing to overlook a few cliche moments (the acoustic album closing cut, the more-or-less straight up rip off of Weezer’s “The Sweater Song” on “Glamorous”) and instead be grateful that tracks like “Sponsor Me Tape” and “Pickle Bart” took up permanent residency in my head for most of the year. Keep doing what you’re doing.

#8.

Delta Sleep: “Ghost City” released August 10 via Big Scary Monsters

Longtime friends may remember that Delta Sleep’s 2015 effort “Twin Galaxies” was my favorite album of that year. The bar was set pretty high for the follow-up, and for the most part, they delivered. The production is top-notch, the arrangements are all over the place but locked in and expertly performed, and the band cements their status as one of the best in the genre. Unfortunately, there are just a bit too many filler tracks and interlude cuts to really make it stand out, and they tend to make me either skip songs or not want to jump back into the album. This is particularly odd as I didn’t mind this much on their last record or previous EPs, but I feel like they need to ditch this particular crutch in the future. Again, I’m most critical of the bands and groups I adore the most, so maybe I’m nitpicking. This is a really fun record (“After Dark” and “El Pastor”) and is certainly worth your time.

#7.

Tangled Hair: “We Do What We Can” released March 16 via Big Scary Monsters

Without overhyping it, this was easily one of my most anticipated releases for 2018, and something I was hoping for for several years. I quite enjoyed the two EPs this British math rock trio had previously released, and was a huge fan of Colour, a legendary group two of Tangled Hair were a part of. This album did live up to these hopes and dreams, but sadly the last third was lacking that extra “oomph” to make this a perfect record. That said, the drum work of James Trood is well varied and creative (”Keep Doing What You’re Doing”, “Yeah, It Does Look Like a Spider”) and while not full of over-the-top tapping riffs, the songs and riffs have a fun technicality to them (”Nao is my Driver”, “Catalina”). Tangled Hair have a way of crafting songs that don’t beat you over the head with their musicianship but incentivize the listener to pick them apart and then be amazed. This is why I’m a fan, and why I adore this record. Hopefully a US tour is their next big step.

#6.

Antarctigo Vespucci: “Love in the Time of E-Mail” released October 26 via Polyvinyl

For those unfamiliar (which included myself until I heard “Freakin’ U Out” through Anthony Fantano), Antartigo Vespucci is a project made up of Chris Farren (Fake Problems) and Jeff Rosenstock. I have never been a huge fan (mainly out of ignorance) of either’s previous work, but that seems to be at my detriment because I really, really love this record. It’s minimalistic, straightforward and effective. Most songs aren’t longer than 2 minutes and are chock full of hooks and fun instrumentation (”Kimmy”, “Breathless on DVD”) that keep you coming back. The word that resonates and fits most for this record is “sharp”. The songwriting, production and attitude is such. It’s a truly fun little release that came out of nowhere for me.

#5.

Tiny Moving Parts: “Swell” released January 26 via Triple Crown Records

I’m quite impressed with the consistency of these Minnesota rockers. They seem to crank out a quality record every 18 months or so, and their latest offering is no exception. It’s airtight and jam packed with energy and emotion, not to mention the occasional insane guitar tapping lick (”Feel Alive”, “Caution”). Perhaps not as polished as 2016′s “Celebrate” but still damn good. Damn damn good good (”Applause”, “Wishbone”). Anything these guys put out seems to be a lock to be in my Top 5 every time until proven otherwise.

#4.

Justin Courtney Pierre: “In The Drink” released October 12 via Epitaph Records

Like most people, I was incredibly sad to learn Motion City Soundtrack decided to call it quits a few years ago. Frontman Justin Pierre decided to at least make the transition easier by releasing his debut solo album, and it’s full of so many of the things that fans of MCS came to adore. It’s not quite as diverse or well produced as their material, but still contains Pierre’s trademark honest lyricism and songwriting chops. Also present are a few of the members of longtime Pierre side-project Farewell Continental, which makes this feel closer to one of their albums, particularly with the presence of guitar feedback and female vocals. I wasn’t really expecting this to blow away anything Motion City has put out, but it holds its own quite nicely without overstaying its welcome only being 28 minutes long. I’m just so happy Justin is continuing to put out music.

#3.

Vein: “Errorzone” released June 22 via Closed Casket Activities

It’s so fitting that this band is named after a vital part of the human body. They feel essential and basic, but not in a boring way, and aren’t too flashy or breaking any molds. I guess the theme of most of my favorite music of 2018 is “Well, it’s not reinventing the wheel, but it’s still awesome!”. This bleak and brutal hardcore record sums that up quite nicely. Taking influence from Glassjaw, Deftones and every knuckle-dragging breakdown factory playing on the side stages of every Warped tour and sharpening the edges with razor blades, this album’s raw energy and brazenness makes it feel bombastic and energizing. This is also the band I’m most excited to see what happens in the future, as this is their debut full length, and I imagine giving them room to grow and mature will lead to some outstanding things in the future. The traditional hardcore moments are awesome (”Old Data in a New Machine”, “Demise Automation”), but the occasional breaths of melody (”Errorzone”) and clever electronic samples (”End Eternal”) are surprising. Far and away my favorite heavy music record of 2018.

#2.

Lifted Bells: “Minor Tantrums” released March 30 on Run For Cover Records

Bob Nanna must be one of the coolest people ever. The longtime Braid and Hey Mercedes frontman seems to have his fingerprints all over great bands and projects, and this Chicago indie rock collective is certainly no exception. Each song feels like a symphony of spastic drums, distorted bass and Matthew Frank’s (he of Loose Lips Sink Ships and Their / They’re / There fame) insanely varied and skilled guitar lines (”Inevitable Devil”). Every song feels completely unique and different, making it a pretty perfect rock record (”Follow Me”, “Choir Sings The Cure”). Nothing feels unnecessary and it’s infinitely re-listenable. Pretty good for a first full length, huh?

#1.

Monobody: “Raytracing” released November 1 via Sooper Records

I’ve been playing music in some capacity for 25 years and generally try to go to as many concerts and buy as many records as I can afford. With all that said, I have a hard time fully grasping what this Chicago jazz collective have pulled off on this gargantuan release. Seemingly going in every musical direction at once while somehow being accessible and downright fun to listen to, it’s kind of hard to describe exactly how it all works out, but it does. I can’t really recommend it to casual music fans, but if you’re willing to take the plunge into something dense and different that is truly at its best as a whole album and not individual songs, this will reward you. I can’t put any other full-length record above it, so it is without a doublt my favorite LP of 2018.

...except...

So, about that word “full-length”...

...welp...

ACTUAL FAVORITE RELEASE OF 2018:

Invalids: “Fulfillment EP” released March 28 via Choke Artist

I’ve never been in this situation before. I can’t in good consciousness say that I liked any music that came out this year more than this EP, so it feels wrong giving it any other spot. Invalids is a math rock project that was essentially just guitarist / vocalist Pete Davis until recently. For this EP and a few recent tours, he joined forces with 3 amazing musicians who could keep up with his absurdly technical yet melodic songwriting. I hesitate to use the word “perfect”, but I cannot find a flaw on this EP. Earlier records were perhaps impressively performed but lacking in memorable songs, or meandering or bloated. This EP instead sees Davis and company trimming the fat but still keeping things varied, clever and jaw-dropping. Yeah, it’s a technicality calling this “album of the year”, but it’s a glorious album and one I’m willing to make an exception for. Thank you, Invalids.

[adventuresinmorocco]

It's been 4 months since I first came to live in the city of Tangier and in just one day, this adventure will come to its end. I can't even begin to put how much this experience has impacted me into words, but let me try to tell you the best things. I've been welcomed into an entirely different world since coming to Morocco both literally in the physical sense and mentally in the sense that it's changed me as a person. The people I've been living with and come to know through my experiences have become a second family to me, one that I will never forget for the rest of my life. To all of my new second family, I love you all and appreciate every moment that we've shared in the past months. To @badr.debbach I have to say a special thank you to you and your family for sharing your home and friendship with me, giving me my own Moroccan family. To @mourad.benkirane and @douaben thank you for all you've done to keep us all safe, happy, and loved. Finally, to @haileyfragerthank you for being the best room mate and friend a girl could ask for. You helped make this trip even more of a crazy, exciting adventure everyday. Morocco, thank you for the adventure. It's time to say goodbye. 🇲🇦Delete Commentbadr.debbachIt s been a giant pleasure to know you @emmarichard13 we ll miss u here, thank you for writing this, it means a lot, i hope to see u again soon, and it is not really a goodbye , just a goodbye for now hopefully, much love ❤❤Well everybody, it’s been just about a week since I left my adventures in Morocco behind and returned to the states. Let me tell you, I did not miss the cold, snowy weather while I was away! I thought I would do one last post and tell you about my final days in Tangier, my travels home, and the overall impact this experience has had on me, just to wrap everything up. 

So the first thing that happened in the week leading up to our departure from Morocco was a trip to my good friend Badr’s house. Now, my friend Badr lives in Tangier and a fellow student and I met him through past study abroad students and immediately became friends. He not only welcomed us into his home many times throughout the semester, but he also took care of my friend’s dog which she found in Tangier and ended up bringing home (it’s a long story, but everything worked out in the end and her dog, Kenzia, is now back in the states in a happy, loving home). Anyway, on this day, my friend, Erynn, and I headed to Badr’s house for a home made lunch and movie day with each other and all the dogs. This time around, there was not only Kenzia and Sammy, Badr’s dog, but also a new little addition to the family. Erynn and Badr had taken a little puppy off the street and brought it to a vet to be vaccinated and cared for before it was able to find a home. Badr was caring for the dog while we searched for it’s home and that’s why little Emmett joined in on our movie day. It’s always so fun to hang out with my friends and of course some loving dogs and I’m so grateful to Badr and his family for being so wonderful and giving me my own Moroccan family. 

Something else that happened during the last week was a soccer game! As a treat after final exams, the school set up a trip to one of the Tangier soccer team’s games. Because of the recent political issues that are happening around Jerusalem and the United States, the school had to take extra precautions and provide a police escort and private box for the game, but putting all of that aside, it was so much fun to watch the game and cheer on the Tangier team. What was even more exciting was that we were also watching one of the players who is on the Moroccan national team, the team that is attending the FIFA World Cup in Russia. 

The next thing to happen was an amazing opportunity that was provided to me by my room mate and good friend, Hailey. For one of her papers, she interviewed a Moroccan musician named Younes Fakhar who is most known for his skill with an instrument known as the oud. Younes has a project he is working on where he combines traditional, cultural music pieces with more modern pieces or with pieces that pertain to countries where he travels. He and Hailey had worked for several weeks on a piece that combined traditional arabic music with the well known song Hotel California to create a new and exciting piece to perform in front of the students. Because this particular piece needed a few background singers for the chorus parts, she asked if myself and a couple of other students would join in on the performance. By the end, it was such an amazing time and it was wonderful to get to know and work with Younes. 

By this point, the final week was drawing to a close and we had official come to the last night in Tangier. To our surprise, the night became quite eventful as our campus cat who we lovingly came to call Stick went into labor and had her 2 little kittens, Twig and Branch. Everyone had been waiting for quite a while for Stick to give birth and by that point we were all feeling the disappointment at the thought that we’d miss it. Low and behold, she had them just before it was too late for us to see the babies! 

But the next morning, it was time to say our goodbyes. As we started to leave and make our way towards the gate for our flights, we said our final goodbyes to our Moroccan friends and family and said a more temporary goodbye to our fellow students. Despite the fact that we will see each other again in the future, we had all formed a family while abroad and it was hard to say goodbye knowing that it would never be quite the same again. We soon boarded our first flight from Tangier to Madrid. The flight went smoothly and soon enough, we were landing and Hailey, another friend named Kayla, and myself were making our way to our hotel for the night as we had a 22 hour layover ahead of us. We spent the evening exploring a bit of Madrid and relaxing before our long overseas flight the following day. By a stroke of fate, we ended up switching hotels for no extra cost and going to a much fancier hotel. We took full advantage of the amazing accommodations getting a good rest before the next day. When we were boarding the flight from Madrid to Boston, we were dreading the thought of the next 8 hours cramped on a flight. However, we were pleasantly surprised when over half of the plane was completely empty and we were each able to move to completely empty rows and lay down comfortably for the whole time. After 8 hours of movies and mediocre plane food, we touched down in Boston, made our way through the airport, and reunited with our families after 4 long months. 

And that’s it. That’s the end of this particular adventure, but I can promise that more adventures will come in the future. Now that I’ve traveled far and wide on my own and with friends, I can feel the urge to continue traveling becoming stronger and stronger. I can't even begin to put how much this experience has impacted me into words, but let me try to tell you the best things. I've been welcomed into an entirely different world since coming to Morocco both literally in the physical sense and mentally in the sense that it's changed me as a person. The people I've been living with and come to know through my experiences have become a second family to me, one that I will never forget for the rest of my life. This whole experience is something I would do again in a heartbeat. The amount of empathy and understanding you gain of the world around you just from traveling and getting to know people in different places and different cultures is vast and unimaginable to those who have not experienced it first hand. I urge everyone to take any and every opportunity they get to travel and see the world. Go talk to people, get to know them and their stories. You can meet some of the most amazing and interesting people just by starting a conversation with them. 

Adventure is out there. Seize the day and never let it go.