#wonderland subplot !!

[leaderpinhead]

Trein - Adoption

Mozus released a deep sigh and closed his book. Lucius gave him a small meow before curling into a tighter ball in his lap. Mozus gave the feline a generous scratch behind the ear while he glanced around the small space that was his “home-away-from-home.” 

It was a cozy space—with a functioning fireplace, ample shelving for his history books, and an adequate kitchenette to brew his afternoon tea. His only complaint would be being able to hear Ashton and Percival when their drinking games went a bit too far, but that was the caveat for living on the campus with the other staff. Even now, he could hear the two men giggling through the walls, their Friday night drinking already started. 

Speaking of time…Lucius gave a huff when Mozus moved him just enough to retrieve the pocket watch from his pocket. The girls should be calling him soon, as they usually did when their stepmother finished her call to Asher. He had a bit to tell her tonight, especially concerning Palacios and his escalating antics with transformation potions. She had laughed off his concerns last week—stating Asher had assured her his little friend was harmless—but Mozus knew he could rally her support when he told her... 

A short knock on his door brought his strategizing to a halt. With an upset mewl, Lucius jumped from his lap when Mozus beckoned him. Pocketing his watch, Mozus shuffled across the room to open the door. 

He quirked a brow when he found Divus standing outside his door, looking like he had just sniffed the foulest potion he could possibly brew. “Yes?” 

Divus’s eyes rudely flicked up and down. “I didn’t realize you owned something other than a suit.” 

Mozus scowled at the young professor. Lucius emitted an unhappy rumble as he wrapped himself around Mozus’s ankles. “Did you knock on my door simply to insult my wardrobe?” 

One corner of Divus’s mouth quirked upwards. “Perhaps that would have been a reason when I was still a student, but at this age I’m...” Divus paused. His brow caved inward, and the bridge of his nose wrinkled. “I’m in need of advice.” 

Sensing the sober undertones in the younger professor’s voice, Mozus stepped aside and gestured Divus into his small apartment. Divus stepped in and quickly maneuvered around the room to stand in front of the two chairs framing the bookshelf. Divus didn’t sit until Mozus gestured him to, which earned him a bit of respect. Divus had been an outspoken rebel many years ago when he first stepped into Mozus’s classroom as a student, but that rebellion had tempered a bit during his tenure as a professor. He was still a bit of a hellion at times, but there was a maturity to it now that helped Mozus have a bit more patience. In front of the students at least. 

Mozus carefully sat across from Divus. He made a small gesture for Lucius to jump into his lap, which the feline did without hesitation. Lucius’s loud purr became background noise while he spoke. “I assume the advice you're searching for is on a serious topic. Over the last decade you have taught here, you have never once sought me outside of school hours.” 

Divus hummed his agreement. He shifted in the chair until one leg stretched comfortably across the other. The casual posture brought more attention to his foot jiggling in the air. “I know you haven’t made it public knowledge, but Asher Kindle is your stepson.” 

Mozus didn’t attempt to hide his surprise at the statement. “Indeed, he is. Though his mother and I both agreed it was for the best he maintain his father’s surname. I had believed that would keep anyone from drawing a connection between us after he enrolled.” 

Divus twitched one hand in a dismissive gesture. “I’m not here to accuse you of favoritism. I’m sure anyone would immediately catch on to such a thing considering your reputation among the students.” That singular curl of Divus’s lips returned when Mozus scowled at him. It quickly drooped again, and his foot jiggled a bit more. “If you don’t mind me asking, did you fully adopt the boy?” 

Mozus blinked, and his annoyance simmered once more into surprise. Lucius’s tail flicked under his chin when he stopped petting. “Indeed, I did. Just as my wife adopted my daughters. We are a family in every sense of the word.” 

Divus hummed and leaned back into his chair. His fingers steepled above his knee. “And the process—how difficult was it?” 

Mozus copied Divus’s motions, leaning into his chair and resuming his petting motions for Lucius’s enjoyment. “It was fairly easy. All that was required was our signing a few official documents.” Mozus quirked one brow. “It helped that there wasn’t another biological parent to contest the adoption and all of the children were born in Twisted Wonderland.” 

Divus gave him a nasty scowl, but Mozus challenged him with a haughty stare. The younger man wanted his advice, and Mozus wasn’t keen to dance around the topic he wished to address. When Divus’s lips remained tightly shut, Mozus continued. “In the case of Maddox, there isn’t much point in venturing down that path. At eighteen, he is considered a legal adult. I would advise more of a power of attorney status in that situation. That way if anything were to happen to the boy, you would be the one to make important decisions concerning his welfare, not his dubious father. 

“As for Yuu...” Mozus hummed. “That is a trickier matter. On paper, the child doesn’t exist. If the headmage fails to find a way to send the child home, then that may become an issue when the school year ends. At the very least, the child could become a ward of the state.” 

“Only because the child doesn’t exist on paper,” Divus repeated. His jiggling foot had calmed a bit. “Say there were papers that existed...papers that only needed another person to witness the signing…” 

Before Mozus could question the odd insinuation, another knock sounded at his door. Divus jumped up before Mozus could and opened the door without hesitation. Percival hiccupped as he took a swaying step into the room, his lanky form bending like a piece of grass in the wind. He saluted Divus, plastering his pink bangs against his forehead. “Dr. Percival Ellington—Head Nurse of Night Raven College—at your service, ringmaster.” 

“I thought I told you to hold off on drinking so early,” Divus snapped. “You’re already plastered.” 

“No, I'm—.” A hiccup interrupted Percival. He rapidly blinked and paused long enough to appear baffled by his surroundings. He giggled. “I use plaster for booboos.” 

Divus clicked his tongue against the back of his teeth. “You can still recite your name, which is good enough. Come here.” 

Percival allowed himself to be guided over to the chairs. He gave Mozus a friendly wave. “Heya, professor! Wanna come share a drink with me an’ Gassy? We’re gonna celebrate Dee being a new daddy!” 

Mozus didn’t bother answering Percival. Instead, he watched Divus pull a small packet of paper from the inside pocket of his coat and flatten the pages against the nearby side table. He shot a narrowed stare at Percival before manhandling the nurse into a position on the opposite side of the table. “Percy, just stand there and watch us sign the papers.” 

“Uh huh.” Aside from his loose movements and the slight slur in his speech, Mozus could almost believe the man was sober. Until he nearly faceplanted into the table. “I’ll watch real close!” 

Divus sighed and pushed Percival back into an upright position. “Just stand there, Percy. That’s all I ask.” 

“Okie dokie!” 

“Divus.” Mozus stood, placing Lucious into his chair. He stepped up to the table beside the younger men to get a better view of the papers Divus rapidly flipped through. His frown lengthened when he caught the heading of one page. “You can’t possibly think I would agree to this.” 

“You do tend to be a stickler for the rules,” Divus mumbled. His hand never paused scribbling his initials and exaggerated signature. “But tell me—what rules are we breaking exactly? You yourself admit the prefect doesn’t exist on paper. I’m simply creating the paper trail to give her existence legitimacy. It’s really no different than a doctor signing a birth certificate.” 

“Except you are no doctor,” Mozus snapped. “A child is no mere commodity to be flung around on a whim.” 

Divus sighed, and his pen finally paused. He straightened from his hunched posture. He tipped his chin higher and looked Mozus straight in the eye with an unwavering gaze. “I’m aware of that. Which is why I am creating an existence for the girl. On the off-chance Crowley doesn’t find a way to return her to her world—on the off-chance she has no world to return to. As a minor, she would become a ward of the state just as you said. Taken away from what she has become familiar with and thrust into a world she still grasps to understand. Do you think anyone would be interested in taking in a child her age? Do you think she would be allowed the freedom she has found here? Her mind would rot in the public education system, where she will be told her lack of magic is a defect that holds her back, though she’s proven a better grasp at potions and the understanding of magic basics than most mages twice her age. You would subject a girl to that life simply because of a technicality of her legal existence?” 

Mozus pressed his lips together. It wasn’t difficult for Divus to become...passionate on a topic. Mozus genuinely believed the younger man could have become the housewarden of Pomefiore dorm as a student had he shown more interest in potion making at the time. Tenacity was simply a nicer word than the bullheaded stubbornness Divus could embody when he wanted to. 

That wasn’t entirely what Mozus saw in Divus’s gaze though. The tension in his shoulders slackened a bit. He closed his eyes and rubbed at the sudden ache between his brows. “You could lose your position here if this forgery is discovered.” 

“Forgery implies these aren’t legitimate documents.” Mozus didn’t need to see Divus to hear the smirk on his face. “I assure these are completely legitimate along with the notarization stamped on them.” 

Mozus couldn’t help directing a sharp gesture at Percival, who could barely stand upright without Divus consistently pushing him back into place. “And I’m to believe Percival is the notary you chose to witness this signing?” 

Divus’s smirk widened. “As a matter of fact, yes.” 

Percival pulled a stamper from his pocket with a happy hiccup. “I gotta stamp too!” 

Mozus should have known. He had watched the two men—then students of Heartslabyul and Pomefiore—run amuck on the campus. Why wouldn’t they continue to support each other as staff? “And you truly believe you can fool the world into believing this child is a distant cousin you wish to gain guardianship over? What if someone from your family comes forward to expose you?” 

Divus’s expression barely shifted, but Mozus caught the hard glint that briefly passed over his eyes. “After fifteen years of openly shunning me and pretending I never existed? I would love to see them try. Now sign the damn papers, Trein. I only need your signature to prove it was really me who signed the papers and Percival who notarized them. I’ll even let you witness the papers when Maddox and I establish a power of attorney if that’ll help relieve that rule abiding Heartslabyul spirit of yours.” 

Sensing Divus wouldn’t budge, Mozus finally took the pen Divus held out to him and signed the lines Percival’s wobbly finger pointed at. Afterwards, while Divus reluctantly escorted a wobbly Percival back to Ashton’s apartment, Mozus flipped through the documentation. He paused on the front page. 

Yuki Crewel—a bit common, but an easy way to explain her “nickname” being Yuu. Mozus shook his head and placed the papers in a safe place for Divus to retrieve. He settled back in his chair with Lucious and searched his bookshelf for a new book to read while listening to Ashton’s and Percival’s loud voices insisting Divus join them. 

While he didn’t fully approve of Divus’s methods, he couldn’t deny the young man’s obvious attempts to give the two children under his wing one less thing in life to worry about. 

[sad-trekkie-life]

Sci-fi shows nowadays are dramatic and realistic. Give me the artistic lighting, give me awkward fight scenes, let aliens wear drag queen level eyeshadows, convince me that the same decoration in every episode is a different planet, make a whole Alice in Wonderland subplot just because you found a big bunny costume in the garage, let the space pirates wear pirate costumes, dress the dog in the secondhand unicorn costume and say it’s an alien species, give me the most angsty episode I’ve seen right after the episode about some moving mama rock, give me the bROMANCE, give me HONOR, LOYALTY, DIGNITY, and some cool unrealistic but beautiful spaceships, give me flip phones as the coolest device ever, give me dramatic zoom-ins, give me thoughtful stares in the distance with dramatic music. Then we’ll talk.

[witchofthesouls]

Unprompted but can’t stop thinking about transformers in a soul eater setting… what do u mean organics can transform. What do you mean they turn metal weapons like some of them??? Coughcough vos and megatron.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY CAN EAT SPARKS???

You! You get me!!!

This kind of crossover would undeniably be absolutely terrifying, bamboozling, and enchanting to Cybertronians on a Wonderland flavor of a Deathworld. I mean, it is an iteration of Earth when souls can become tangible to be used as a source of power. Of course, Cybertronians with their physical sparks will be terrified by such a place. It’s full of sparkeaters!

Personally, Demon Weapons would terrify Cybertronians on a more visceral level rather than evil souls. There would be Cybertronian folklore and parables that warn about sparkeaters and their frames warp and turn decrepit and rusted as they lose their sense of self.

Evil souls fit that moral parable as those humans lose their humanity, too. Now, demon weapons, on the other hand? Look, nothing the Death Weapon Meister Academy could say would make Cybertronians comfortable since Demon Weapons don't fit their cultural shape of spark eaters. Those humans look very human, yet have the capability to devour souls without destroying themselves...

Various Meisters and other Death Scythes can't fully shake the terror in their extraterrestrial visitors and cosmic cousins (Earth is Unicron subplot for the way!). The Academy's dealing with Demon Weapon clans going rogue wouldn't help. It just means that they have the means to actually hunt down sparkeaters.

People like Justin Law and Giriko are terrifying as they can utilize their forged Death Scythe abilities to create a fighting style unlike Cybertronians are capable of. Especially with their ability to expand their souls to clash with others as it's the Cybertronian-equivalent to overwhelm. Powerful sparks produce powerful fields that are capable of overwhelming and smothering others on a battlefield as a psychological tactic.

But anime-Maka? The girl who's not even a Death Scythe and never eaten a soul, yet capable of producing an enormous kinds of blades of shapes and ranges from her entire body? That girl is a fucking monster to Cybertronians. And they're collectively glad that she didn't set her sights at becoming a Death Scythe. If that girl gets cyberized, then she'll get immediately kidnapped, or assassination will be considered.

Shinigami-sama would be considered a Prime, particularly a Prime of the Thirteen due to his power levels and intense spark complexity, and treated as such. Death the Kid would have a Primal-descent status, and it's believable to Cybertronians since the guy is super weird, has weirder powers, and has an enhanced body and senses compared to humans. Nothing can shake the Cybertronians that Shinigami, humans, demon weapons, and witches aren't the same species. Nothing.

[epik-bylerfan]

thought it was abt dam (iykyk) time to make an intro post

FREE PALESTINE🍉

Basic Info/Fun Facts:

- My names are: Owen, Ezra, Ash/Ashen, Oracle, Glitched, and Doppelgänger

- I’m transmasc and I go by he/him/his pronouns

- MINOR!!!

- SAW AND MISSES SKZ🫩🫩

- I also hate nats park and LN🥰

- Mike Wheeler, EPIC Odysseus, and Jason Grace defender first, human second

- Furry! Antis and z00s dni

- Kandi kid X3

- I live in the EST time zone

- Violinist/Pianist

- Favorite color is blue

- ENFP

- Member of Cabin 7 (PJO ref)

- I’m trying to get into Hellenism/Polytheism so if you have any tips PLEASE GIVE ME THEM

Current hyperfixations:

- STRAY KIDS💥💥

- Stranger Things/Byler

- EPIC: The Musical

Other socials!!

- Twitter/X (i don’t suggest following this one bcs im barely active and there’s a 95% chance imma make a new account)

- My new Twitter/X

- Pinterest

- YouTube

- Archive of our own

Other fandoms!!!

- The Riordanverse (Percy Jackson, The Kane Chronicles, The Heroes of Olympus, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, The Trials of Apollo, The Senior Year Adventures, and The Nico di Angelo Adventures)

- Object Shows (It’s Time for The, hfjONE, Object Fool/Animatic Battle, Love of the S*n)

- The Life Series, Empires SMP (both seasons), Witchcraft SMP

- Stray Kids

- Hamilton

- The Song of Achilles (i finished it. end me.)

- Alien Stage

- Hunter x Hunter

- SK8 the Infinity

- My Hero Academia

- Demon Slayer

- The Owl House

- Toilet-Bound Hanako-Kun (i haven’t finished s2 yet don’t come for me pls💔💔)

- Five Nights at Freddy’s

- Nocturnals

- Tangled the Series (still on s2 no spoilers!!)/Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure

- I’m trying to get into Heathers and The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals

AU’s I am making!! Most of these are either byler or skz and these are all wips!

- Stranger Things (byler centric) x EPIC: The Musical

- Stranger things (byler centric) x The Camp Half-Blood Chronicles (PJO/HOO/TOA/TSATS)

- Stranger Things (willel centric with byler subplot) x The Kane Chronicles

- Stranger Things (byler centric) x Magnus Chase

- Strangely Wonderland (ST x Alice in Wonderland, El centric)

- Stranger Things (El centric with byler subplot) x

My Hero Academia

- Stranger Things x Demon Slayer (kinda ditched this one bes im stumped so if anyone wants to offer up ideas i'll take them and twist them in my own ways)

- Stranger Things (can't decide between elmax or byler centric) x SK8 the Infinity

- Stranger Things x Urban Legends/Creepypastas (drop some ideas but i have a couple alr)

- MCYT x Urban Legends/Creepypastas (abandoned, you can pick it up if you want)

- Stranger Things x The Owl House (byler centric)

- Stranger Things x Arcane (i have too many variations istg)

- Stray Kids x PJO/HOO/TOA

- Stray Kids x PJO

- Stray Kids x PJO/HOO/TOA except they don’t have the same quests as the actual books

- Stray Kids x TKC

- Stray Kids x MCGA

- Stray Kids x MHA

- Stray Kids x Demon Slayer

- Stray Kids x SK8 the Infinity

- Stray Kids as EPIC deities

- Stray Kids as literal gods and have their own Pantheon and shit like that

- Stray Kids x HxH (maybe?)

- Stray Kids x ALSNT

If you want byler fic recs click here!

If I have a poll happening, you can find it here!

Favorite ships!

- BYLER💙💛 from Stranger Things

- Minsung from SKZ

- Literally every SKZ duo

- Odypen from EPIC

- Percabeth from PJO/HOO/TOA

- Solangelo from PJO/HOO/TOA

- Valgrace from HOO/TOA

- Sodapack from hfjONE

- Lumity from The Owl House

- Lams from Hamilton

- Patrochilles from TSOA

- Mizisua from ALNST

- Ivantill from ALNST

- Killugon from HxH

- Leopika from HxH

- Hisoillu from HxH

- Renga from SK8

- Matchablossom from SK8

- Tododeku from MHA

- Izuocha (yes i ship both we exist) from MHA

- Inotan (LISTEN-) from KnY

- Mitsukou from TBHK

- Ted x Diego (someone pls tell me their ship name if they have one) from Nocturnals

To be read list (oh gods)

- Circe by Madeline Miller

- The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

- Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling

- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

- Wings of Fire by Tui T. Sutherland

- Warrior Cats by Erin Hunter

- Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli

- It’s a Love/Skate Relationship by Carli J. Corson

- If you have any recs lmk (fanfics too)!

DNI LIST! If you’re any of the following you are not welcome!

- Z*onists

- NSFW accounts (unless ur a gore artist)

- Antisemitists

- Islamophobes

- Homophobes/Transphobes

- Z00philes

- P3dophiles

- R4cists

- Gr00mers

- TERFs (Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist)

- Anti-furries

- Proshippers/Comshippers/Darkshippers

- TOXIC Noah Schnapp supporters AND antis. If you have a “I don’t support him but I don’t hate him” type of mindset or smth along those lines you are welcome.

- Will Byers antis

- Toxic milevens (i respect most of yall, but some of yall need to chill.)

- Sharpwolf (Antinous x Telemachus) shippers

- Hisoka Morrow defenders. If you just like him as a character you can pass, but don’t DEFEND HIM WITH YOUR LIFE because that is a KID LIKER YOU ARE DEFENDING😭😭

[yetanotherexhaustedalchemist]

Yuusona bingo

Template made by @starsilluminateourgalaxy

Here's the card for my Yuusona, Carys.

"Hate" is maybe a strong word, but she certainly does resent the amount of work Crowley dumps on her, as well as the lack of effort he seems to be putting into helping her find a way home.

Beyond Grim of course, the Heartslabyul group were the first friends in Twisted Wonderland she made. By Book 4, they're usually the first people she reaches out to for help.

Carys's room is usually in a state of organized chaos. Boxes on the floor, stacks of papers on all the surfaces, and such. She knows where everything is despite this, though.

Carys has been a romantic since childhood, always hoping to fall in love with someone who'll love her back. She loves romance subplots in stories - as long as they're not badly written - and even takes on a role a bit like a matchmaker or couple's therapist for some of the students at NRC.

She's dreamed of being able to fly since she was a child, so flying class has been a literal dream come true for her, even if it can be a bit nerve-wracking at times.

Aside from the shock and confusion of her orientation, Carys has social anxiety disorder. (Although it's much better than it was in her world, somehow.) The atmosphere of NRC's ceremonies make her a bit (understatement) overwhelmed, especially if she has a role in said ceremony.

Carys is very homesick, although it comes in waves. Her missing her home, friends and family torments her deeply, especially when she thinks about her loved ones not knowing what's happened to her. It's also a source of conflict for her, because as much as she misses her home, she's grown to love Twisted Wonderland and her friends here - she's even fallen in love! - and she can't stand the idea of leaving them behind. Who knows how this'll be resolved?

Snow looks so ethereal when it's fluttering down from the clouds, and the atmosphere that a fresh layer of snow creates is unbeatable. She assumes growing up where snow - and winter - wasn't really a thing makes it feel all the more special.

As exhausting as being a student, NRC's therapist, problem-solver, negotiator and beast-tamer is, Carys continues to do her best. (She's not exactly happy about it, though.)

Grim reminds Carys of her cat in her world, so she was very protective of him on instinct, and now that they've gotten to know each other? They're the closest thing each other has to family in this world.

Koi no yokan is a Japanese phrase that refers to, upon meeting someone for the first time, the feeling that falling in love with them is inevitable. It's not love at first sight, but the sense that it's only a matter of time. That's what Carys felt when she first met Malleus. Since their first encounter outside Ramshackle, they've become close friends and confidants, understanding each other on a deep level and providing each other feelings of belonging, normalcy, and safety. And, as she suspected, Carys did fall in love with Malleus. Neither of them have acted on their feelings yet, because they're both worried that they're reading the situation wrong and don't want to make things awkward, but... Anyone who's seen them together for a minute knows.

Carys is a caring and empathetic person by nature, to the point of getting more upset at someone else's misfortune than they are, for them. (It's a bit overwhelming for her, honestly.) That makes her a bit out of place in the generally selfish student population of NRC, but it also means she's able to help a lot of people out.

She zones out sometimes when she's deep in thought, and staring vacantly is a result. It usually only happens when she's tired or really stressed, though.

Despite her 'tender disposition', as Azul puts it, Carys isn't as naive as one might think. She can be pretty cunning and cutthroat if need be (although she'd prefer that not be necessary). Not many people could get through that many overblots unfazed, and she isn't one of them, but she's determined to keep a hopeful and idealistic perspective on things.

Here's some art I've done of her, as well as a few picrews :) Thank you any one who read this much!

[strawberryteabunny]

I went to the Chicago Joffrey Ballet’s production of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland! 🐇♠️♥️🌹

The ballet was amazing- I sadly only have a mirror selfie of my coord because I didn’t have time for photos, but I was trying to imitate the classic Alice look.

The plot setup is really similar to the Nutcracker actually; a bunch of guests arrive at a party, and then the female protagonist falls asleep and experiences a nonsensical dream sequence where the guests re-appear as different characters in her dream.

The costumes are beautiful (especially the Queen of Hearts!) and they got really creative with the set design and how they showed all the ‘magical’ moments; when Alice looks through the door and sees the living flower garden was a particular favorite of mine- paper flower petals rained down on the audience and the flowers danced down the aisles!

There was also a lot of really cool and creative use of puppetry in different scenes, especially for the Cheshire Cat. The sets were all just really cool, with giant playing card houses, a cross stitch sampler house for the Duchess, the topiary for the garden, everything. They used video projections as well, in a way that I think worked well for the show and wasn’t overbearing.

There’s also a lot of details you’d get if you’re really familiar with the book rather than just the Disney movie, which was nice :) And I like that Alice isn’t styled/costumed like the typical blonde in a blue dress like Disney made popular, it’s a unique production of its own (whereas a lot of Alice media feels derivative).

The not-so-good: the music for this ballet in my opinion was not the best unfortunately, in some spots it reminded me of Danny Elfman’s soundtrack for the Tim Burton Alice film, but I listen to Elfman’s soundtrack on its own, whereas I don’t think I’ll look up the soundtrack to this ballet to re-listen to. (The Mad Hatter’s costume also strongly resembled the one from Tim Burton’s movie; green suit with a pink coat and hat ribbon- but the film only came out a year before the ballet so I think it’s just a coincidence, considering how long it takes to write, choreograph, and produce something like this)

The not stellar music especially comes through in the (several) pas de deux between Alice and the Knave of Hearts; tbh I think the whole shoehorning of a romantic subplot was unnecessary, but I don’t hate it- but these sequences went on for quite a while and felt pretty plain when the rest of the show was so over the top and fantastical. You’re kind of just left there with the music, and none of the effects that make the rest so compelling. (They really could have used that time in my opinion to expand the first flower garden scene or the mad tea party or the caterpillar. These two danced together four times and I still felt more compelled by whatever was going on between the Duchess’ cook and the executioner.)

The Queen of Hearts though had a fantastic parody of a pas de ‘deux’ that she danced with several playing card courtiers; absolutely hilarious and really demonstrated all their characters. She also danced a bit with her executioner and I think that could have been expanded; maybe cutting one of the Alice/Knave dances instead.

Overall- I’d highly recommend any Alice fan if you have the chance to see this ballet! It’s really amazing in person. If not, I believe there’s recordings out there that I would suggest checking out :)

[floridaboiler]

BREAKING NEWS: Study Confirms Die Hard is More of a Christmas Movie Than Rudolph! In a shocking turn of events, researchers at the Yuletide Institute for Cultural Studies (YICS) have released a groundbreaking study proving that Die Hard qualifies as a Christmas movie more than Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. The study analyzed over 1,000 holiday films based on five criteria:

Presence of Christmas Themes

Amount of Holiday Music

Family Reconciliation Subplots

Christmas Eve Setting

Use of Christmas Decorations as Plot Devices Lead researcher, Dr. Holly Evergreen, explained, "While Rudolph is a charming tale, it scored surprisingly low on Christmas ambiance due to its lack of Christmas Eve stakes and overly generalized 'holiday cheer.' Meanwhile, Die Hard scored off the charts with its heavy use of Christmas songs, a plot centered on a Christmas party, and Bruce Willis literally using wrapping tape to save the day." Key Findings: Die Hard features 21 Christmas trees, while Rudolph has only 4. The soundtrack of Die Hard includes “Let It Snow” and “Winter Wonderland,” compared to Rudolph’s singular titular song. Bruce Willis shouts “Ho-ho-ho” (albeit sarcastically) after defeating a bad guy, adding bonus points. Dr. Evergreen also noted that Die Hard depicts family reconciliation on Christmas Eve—a hallmark of the holiday genre—whereas Rudolph, "while adorable, is more of a tale about workplace discrimination……

[yuurei20]

Hi hi hi

I saw the post talking about mc not being a therapist, and that makes me wonder about what you think, what is Mc's purpose there? Going off the prologue, I'd guess it's to encourage teamwork but I wanna know what you speculate:>

Hello hello hello! ^^ Thank you for this question!

I think you are maybe right! (original ask for reference)

Here is a quote from Yana's game guide interview:

"The theme of the game is 'making problem children cooperate with each other'..."

-Toboso Yana, Twisted Wonderland Magical Archives Game Guide

As touched upon before, "friend" seems to be a very loaded word at NRC, and there is a significant moment in Book 6 where Azul calls Riddle a friend to Riddle's confusion, in what is an extremely rare example of a non-first-year, non-light-magic character using the word to reference someone else.

And it is possible that this sort of relationship building is one of the things that the prefect is there to help facilitate!

There are many theories about why they are there, and another popular one is Crowley needs to them to make something happen, or to stop something from happening--and what if the way they do that is by helping everyone get along?

If Crowley is experimenting with who is enrolled at the school, what clubs are available and who participates in what events in a trial-and-error process of creating the perfect combination of elements to achieve the ending that he wants, it is possible that the prefect is another one of these constantly changing factors.

Another part of the theory is possibly being upheld by the manga (but is still unofficial in the game), where the prefects are being changed out by arc.

We never saw the first prefect make it past Heartslabyul, while the second has not appeared since Savanaclaw, and the third experienced both those two arcs before reaching Octavinelle.

If they are astral projections (as certain other theories attest), did they get dragged out of Twisted Wonderland after waking up back in their own world, requiring Crowley to find someone else and try again?

Or did they simply fail to accomplish what what they were meant to do: make everyone be friends?

As of the second novel the prefect is still refusing to refer to Ace and Deuce as his friends, out of concern that they might dislike it, and him intentionally not making any friends in his home world is a large part of the character.

But there was a subplot in Book 2 of Ace and Deuce coming to understand Riddle as a person and Riddle confessing his respect for Leona, so relationships are definitely evolving and it is fascinating to think about where they might lead :>

[dichenlachmandaily]

Gemma Scout, Ms. Casey, Cold Harbour, 25 Innies—there are more questions than answers when it comes to Dichen Lachman’s Severance arc this season. So, what’s her hot take on Apple TV+’s most-watched show? Wonderland DM’s her to find out…

[Contains spoilers of Severance Season 2]

If Dichen Lachman doesn’t win an Emmy for her gut-wrenching performance as Ms. Casey/Gemma’s many innies in Severance’s season finale, we might just go and get severed ourselves. No, seriously.

To recap: this season of the Ben Stiller produced phenomenon sees Mark S. [played by Adam Scott] discover that Ms. Casey is actually his outie’s wife, Gemma Scout, who was believed to have died in a car crash. Then, Gemma—now Lumon’s resident lab rat on the testing floor—reveals herself as Cold Harbour’s focal point, splitting her consciousness into, what’s revealed as, 25 different innies. Yep, take a second. As the season wraps up, Gemma’s fate hangs in the balance: Mark S. swoops her out of the testing floor and away from Lumon’s heart, only to leave her, well, banging on the door while he runs off with his innie sweetheart, Helly R. And just like that, the fate of Lumon and its employees is left up in the air.

But amidst all the jaw-dropping revelations and even quirkier subplots, it’s Dichen Lachman’s performance that truly stole the spotlight this season. Her ability to craft and embody Gemma’s fractured existence in the span of one episode—and make her grief, suffering, anger, and confusion so palpable—turned the finale into a nerve-wracking,  every-tissue-in-the-flat-is-now-sopping-wet-in-my-hand, emotional endurance ride. In the middle of her press tour, she took 15 minutes out of her packed schedule to DM us some of her thoughts…

Severance has become the most-watched Apple TV+ show to date, prompting viewers to reflect on deep themes ranging from human morality to the nature of existence. What complex questions from the show have kept you up at night?

Dichen Lachman: One of the questions that’s haunted me the most is: ‘What parts of ourselves are we willing to surrender in the name of comfort or productivity?’ Severance really taps into that eerie possibility of segmenting our pain or trauma and whether doing so is freedom or just another kind of prison. It’s made me rethink identity, memory, and the value of suffering in shaping who we are.

The reveal of Ms. Casey’s true identity was a pivotal moment this season. When did you first learn that she was actually Gemma, and what was your initial reaction to that storyline?

DL: I found out pretty early on in a phone call with Ben [Stiller] before I had the part. He was reluctant to tell me because no one knew if I was going to be able to do it at the time. It was a quiet reveal in the most Severance way. I felt honoured to carry that arc forward.

Do you think of them as two halves of the same person, or separate entities? How did you approach playing them differently, and was there any particular material you drew from for inspiration?

DL: To me, they’re fragments of the same soul, separated by design but aching to reconnect. Ms. Casey is restrained but so curious… Gemma has more depth in terms of a life lived, a history… she has knowledge. I drew inspiration from [psychiatrist] Carl Jung, [German-born spiritual teacher and self-help author] Eckhart Tolle…The physicality of each one helped me a lot. The subtle differences in posture, cadence, and breath were key.

In the finale, Mark’s innie and outie communicate through a camcorder. How do you imagine a similar interaction playing out between Ms. Casey and Gemma, and what would they admit to each other?

DL: I think it would be quiet at first. Like looking into a mirror that remembers more than you do. Then I think it would be quite awkward and funny

Gemma/Ms. Casey has been a pivotal yet mysterious presence throughout the series, often remaining off-screen. How does it feel to have your character finally becoming more understood by fans?

DL: I’ve loved inhabiting the mystery, but watching the audience connect has been amazing. She’s gone from a symbol to a person… and seeing fans empathise with her, with them, is fantastic.

Cold Harbour is finally revealed in this episode—‘the clusters are tempers, the building blocks of her mind.’ Essentially, they are constructing the files that make up Gemma’s consciousness to create her 25 innies. How do you think fans will react to this storyline?

DL: I expect Reddit will be very busy!

Ben Stiller directed many episodes—what was it like working with him? Did he give you any specific notes on playing Ms. Casey/Gemma, or did you bring any personal touches to the characters that weren’t in the script?

DL: Ben is incredibly detail-oriented but also collaborative. He trusts actors to explore, which is rare and generous. His notes were often subtle and we would discover things together. I enjoy working with him very much. He would sometimes play music before a scene…which was the first time I experienced that on set. He has such a creative mind and is so nurturing of talent. I feel very lucky to be able to work with him.

The chemistry between you and Adam Scott is crucial to the emotional core of the show. What was it like developing that dynamic on set, and how did it evolve leading up to the reunion scene between your characters in the finale? What was the experience of filming that moment like?

DL: Adam is so present, it makes everything feel alive. That final scene was electric. So much history in a glance. We both felt it… the weight of a love that has been forged by joy, grief, happiness… ups and downs… everything that makes an enduring relationship special and worth fighting for.

The world of Severance is so meticulously crafted—from the eerie Lumon offices to its unsettling corporate rituals. What aspect of the Severance universe unsettles you the most?

DL: The way people accept the system… the construct, without too many questions. It’s reflective of real-world complacency. It’s a little close to home in a way. Don’t you think?

From the number 7 to erratic elevator doors, were you aware of all the ‘Easter eggs’ referenced whilst filming, or is this something you learnt as you watched the series back?

DL: Oh, I definitely learnt a lot after the fact! The number of things I missed on set is almost embarrassing. I was just really focused on the character. The props department deserves an award.

Have you seen the Ms Casey internet memes? How do you feel about being an internet phenomenon?

DL: I have! And they’re amazing. Some are hilarious, some strangely profound. I never imagined Ms Casey would become meme material, but hey, I’ll take it. It’s a kind of love, right?

If you had to have dinner with three characters from Severance, who would they be and what would you ask them?

DL: I’d invite Irving, Helly, and Milchick. Irving because he’d bring poetry, Helly for fire, and Milchick for dance… also because I want to know what’s really going on.

Is there a Severance group chat, and what was the last message sent in it?

DL: We have an iMessage thread. Mostly it’s just sharing love for each other’s work. It’s a very supportive group of people… real gems.

Season 3 has been confirmed! If you could write Gemma’s fate in Season 3, what would you want to see happen?

DL: I won’t speculate [laughs]. As far as Gemma‘s fate, maybe she opens up a flower shop… but seriously, I will continue to live in the unknown and just stay excited. I trust that Dan Erickson will do an incredible job.

[friendofyourboyfriend]

opinions i have on fran bow after my boyfirned and i have played like 85% of it

the art style is genuinely quite chilling, despite its simplicity. it calls back an old era and haunts you in its nostalgia

it's a good thing he's already played it because I can very easily see myself committing crimes out of rabid frustration due to the stupid puzzle mechanic

that is to say there are a few instances where he's gotten frustrated, but it's in such an adorable, quiet, way. like. "*under his breath* i already did that fuck this game"

itward and palontras my beloveds

clara and mia are interesting but their subplot was DEFINITELY inspired off some nazi experiments, esp since the story takes place in the 1940s. as a jew, I'll give them a pass, because those 16 year old girls are very fun characters

there are so many scenes she pops the pills and i just go, loudly, "EWWWWWWWW"

the sfx are kinda grisly and I usually mute the stream because they trigger my misophonia, it's gotten better though over time. the OSTs are cool except the one that's like...whisperng nonsense. that one is creepy!

i like that this game is in the spirit of alice in wonderland, without directly ripping characters off from it. the little alice easter egg was so cute!

also the dialogue is very 1940s. "oh my dear, my darling, come here, i think not!" It's so polite

the weird psychiatrist doctor guy can kinda get it, but not really, bc he's a pretty bad person, but also...freud if he slayed

[sitp-recs]

Hello, I was wondering if you could have any friends to lovers drarry fic rec for me? I enjoy slow burn with a kind and soft Draco (where he isn’t a bully) or one where draco stood for the light side of the war (so preferably during the war). I just want want to see Draco have a strong friendship with the golden trio, really! (I don't mind if the romance is a subplot. I just want a focus on Draco)

(I quite literally watched Harry Potter with my sister thinking Draco was going to have a hell of a redemption arc and was sorely disappointed... So here I am seeking for comfort fics)

Anyways thanks in advance!

Hi anon! I feel you, Draco’s redemption arc was poorly done and so frustrating :( I hope you’ll enjoy these as they combine slow burn, friends to lovers and redeemed Draco. Some are told from Harry’s pov and while Draco’s not always soft I think his characterization will be right up your alley. You might also enjoy GallaPlacidia’s Draco, her fics were taken down but you can find them here. Finally, I have also added my personal favorites redemption arc as a separate category, highly recommend them. Enjoy!

Friends to lovers slow burn:

Vortex by @xanthippe74 (T, 20k)

The idea of perfectly-matched soulmates feels more like a curse than a blessing to Draco. Who would want a soulmate who was a schoolyard bully, a Death Eater, and a convicted felon? Certainly not Harry Potter. And Draco is determined to take this secret to the grave.

Nice Things by aideomai (M, 22k)

The first thing that happened was Theodore Nott came back from France.

With Great Yawns and Stretchings by sugar_screw (T, 22k)

The coffee is very good. Really. And the cats are so cute. That's why Harry goes so often.

Moldova's Magical Tea by @aibidil (E, 32k)

Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, and—to everyone’s surprise—Draco Malfoy are opening a magical tea shop to revive wizarding tea culture and, hopefully, to bring the community together after the war. Harry, who is unemployed and trying to find his way in post-war society, wants to help his friends with their new business—but that means spending a lot of time around Malfoy.

Open For Repairs by @drarrytrash (M, 35k)

After the war, Draco works at a tv repair shop and Harry breaks things.

Follow the Water by @xanthippe74 (T, 38k)

Harry Potter’s life is fine. Maybe a little dull and predictable, but he shouldn’t complain about that, right? When he unexpectedly finds himself at Luna’s house one afternoon, Harry gets invited to join the secret wonderland that she’s creating with a surprising group of friends. Maybe a summer outdoors is just what a former hero needs to bring some zest back into his life.

Modern Love by @tackytigerfic (E, 61k)

Harry Potter, of all people, knows that life isn’t always fair. And no one gets to be happy all of the time. But surely there’s something more—something better—than a rubbish Ministry job, and a lonely old house, and that feeling that everyone out there is doing a better job of living than Harry is.

Cauldron Full of Hot, Strong Love by @aibidil (E, 80k)

In which a group of wizards' rights activists goes on the offensive after a prohibition against love potions, forcing the magical world to confront the horror of magic's role in sexual assault and the murky legal nature of consent. Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Draco are swept together to solve the case, and in the process they're made to confront their own love and lust—with and without potions.

At Your Service by Faith Wood (E, 95k)

Hogwarts students are in danger; Harry is determined to save them all. There's only one thing he knows for certain: Draco Malfoy is somehow involved.

All Life is Yours to Miss by Saras_Girl (M, 114k)

Professor Malfoy's world is contained, controlled, and as solitary as he can make it, but when an act of petty revenge goes horribly awry, he and his trusty six-legged friend are thrown into Hogwarts life at the deep end and must learn to live, love and let go.

My favorites - Redemption arc:

And Save Me From Bloody Men by @blamebrampton (T, 10k)

Draco Malfoy once watched others fighting to stop the world falling apart. This time, he's not just watching.

Slithering by astolat (E, 27k)

Draco found the nest down in the Manor’s cellars, while he was clearing them out.

Heal Thyself by astolat (T, 47k)

"Are you going for the course?" Lovegood asked. "You have the NEWTs.” “What course?” Draco said, then, “No, don’t be ridiculous,” when he realized she meant the notice pinned up on the board he’d been staring at: Applicants To The Introductory Mediwizard Course For The Coming Term Shall Present Themselves In The Chief Mediwizard’s Office By August 24th.

A Young Radical's Guide to Love by @blamebrampton (T, 66k)

Memories of the war are still fresh, which is all the excuse Decent People need to do appalling things. In this quietly waged conflict, Draco Malfoy is happy to be on the right side of things for once, and even happier to find he’s not alone.

A Thousand Beautiful Things by geoviki (M, 104k)

Draco Malfoy struggles with changed fortunes, shifted alliances, an ugly war, and an unusual spell, with the help of a concerned professor, an insightful house-elf, and an unexpected Gryffindor friend.

Changing Tides by carpemermaid (E, 109k)

Draco has spent half of his life spouting the things his father has taught him without much thought about how he feels about what he says. When he unexpectedly comes face to face with the Dark Lord, he grapples with the harsh realities of the world and struggles with his changing views on life.

Far From The Tree by aideomai (E, 112k)

The arrival of Harry Potter’s children—snapped back in time, the children themselves guessed, twenty or so years—was the most interesting thing to happen at Hogwarts for years.

By the Grace by lettered (T, 140k)

Harry is an Auror instructor. Malfoy wants to be an Auror.

Eclipse by Mijan (T, 287k)

Draco swore his revenge on Harry for Lucius's imprisonment, and Harry all but laughed at him. But Draco is planning more than schoolyard pranks this time. The old rivalry turns deadly when Draco abducts Harry for Voldemort. It's the perfect plan, guaranteeing revenge, power, and prestige, all in one blow. But when Draco's world turns upside down, the fight to save himself and Harry begins, and the battle will take them both through hell and back. If they come back.

Twist of Fate by Oakstone730 (T, 302k)

Draco asks Harry to help him beat the Imperius curse during 4th year. The lessons turn into more than either expected. A story of redemption and forgiveness.

[lost-inanotherlife]

finished my rewatch of "lighthouse". i honestly don't know where to begin. like, my brain was ON FIRE, the episode is just soooo packed and sooooo juicy but also, ngl, there are a couple of things that i don't like. i'll give it a 10/10 though bc of THE FEELS, THEEEEE FEEEEEEEEEELS that only the jackepisodes by lindelof&cuse give me. i'm sorrryyyyy i'm partial but listen to me anyway:

things I love:

Jack literally says the following in this episode:

HURLEY: What? If you have a good reason for coming back, let's hear it man. JACK: I came back here because I was broken. And I was stupid enough to think this place could fix me.

I mean, WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT. Like, ARGH! How can you write this TO ME PERSONALLY? This is Lindelof stuff FOR SURE because EYE REMEMBER that in "The Leftovers" Laurie tells Kevin: “I think I’m supposed to STAY broken”. Like, this man is a menace for depressed people and I could smell his writing from a thousand miles.

2. this episode ties up everything that was started with "White Rabbit" and continued with "316". like, i feel like i should write a meta about it but i still have lots of things to write/finish writing so I won't go there for now. but I WILL.

3. Jack in blue and Hurley in red going places without knowing why, Jack following Hurley who follows Jacob who's actually following Jack because

JACOB: Jack is here because he has to do something. He can't be told what that is. He's got to find it himself. Sometimes you can just…hop in the back of someone's cab and tell them what they're supposed to do. Other times…you have to let them look out at the ocean for a while.

LIKE! When I'm telling you that THIS is the whole point of Jack's stoy!!!! YOU.CAN'T.BE.TOLD.WHAT.TO.DO.YOU.CAN'T.BE.CONVINCED.TO.HAVE.FAITH.YOU.GOTTA.KNOW.YOURSELF!!!! Why don't people get Jack, aaaaargh!!!

4. the lighthouse, THE HOUSE, THE MIRROR, THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS, THE RABBIT, THE KEY, THE MIRROR AGAIN, THE SCAR, THE ALICE IN WONDERLAND OF IT AAAAALLL! Like, no wonder I'm so jackobsessed, his story is Alice's story and I LOOOVE Alice in Wonderland!

5. Jack smashing the coffin, smashing the mirror, smashing EVERYTHING. YOU GO BOYYY! Kate was right! let that island siiiiink!!!

Things that were potentially good:

the jack&claire parallel story to jacob&mib that could have been. Underrated relationship of all time;

david shephard: i understand him intellectually and i see what the writers wanted to go and it makes sense AND it's also beautiful but... I dunno... there's something OFF... i wouldn't have added a whole new character bc jack's storyline is already so FULL of themes, subplots, characters etc. that, like... I dunno... let me think about david shephard, okay?

jin&claire like jin&rousseau: okay i see the writers' vision but honestly? i have a better storyline for claire in my mind and jin's not in it (sorry jin but you're wasted on this one).

Things I hated:

claire killing justin. like, don't get me wrong, go claire, do crimes! but also can we stop killing/torturing black and poc folks almost every other episode? thank youuuuuu.

everything that has to do with aaron's storyline. sorry but it's just bad for me. like, we have these huge parallels: mother stealing jacob&mib from claudia, ben stealing alex from rousseau, and kate... stealing aaron? like, am i remember incorrectly that things didn't go exactly this way????? they're still framing it as "kate took aaron (away from claire)" but it's, like, not true????? i mean, it's true but not the way it's framed, i.e. as if kate wanted to really steal claire's baby (like ben did, for instance)... what was she supposed to do? i don't know, maybe i have some personal limitations wrt this storyline but i just hate it while it could've been SOOOO good? like, it could've been one of theeee best things in LOST bc it's so CENTRAL and yet it's.... less than meh.

anyway, please do remember that jack shephard WANTED TO BE FIXED AND YOU KILLED HIM! You writers killed him, i will never forgive you! he wanted to liveeeeeeeeeeee!!

[burins]

I wrote up half of my Eisners roundup back in May and then my arm crapped out profoundly. But here is the rest of my thoughts about all the comics and graphic novels I read this year, of which there were many! As usual particular faves are bolded.

JAN

Delicious in Dungeon v6-12

FEB

MAR

The Chromatic Fantasy - HA

I think that if you are following me you will probably like this book. Great stuff on gender and sex and religion in a deeply fun art style. (Best I can describe it is the really trippy bits of Alice in Wonderland.)

Gleem - Freddy Carasco

Fluid, delightful linework.

APR

A Guest in the House - E M Carroll

E M Carroll has been doing some of the best horror comics in the business for about a decade and this continues the streak. Twisty, turny psychological horror

MAY

Where I’m Coming From - Barbara Brandon-Croft

Collection of Brandon-Croft’s wonderful 90s newspaper strips about Black womanhood. 

Roaming - Jillian and Mariko Tamaki

Love letter to being messy and gay and young in the city.

Local Man v1-2 - Tim Seeley and Tony Fleecs

This is a fun little deconstruction of comics tropes. Inga, the love interest slash female lead, is the best part of the comic.

Danger and Other Unknown Risks - Ryan North and Erica Henderson

Great story, great characters, great art. What if you were in charge of preventing the second end of the world, and also your mentor figure was SO dubious, and also you had the world’s biggest, cutest dog?

Family Style: Memories of an American from Vietnam - Thien Pham

First of a number of immigration memoirs nominated for the Eisners. The storytelling here is excellent; the art wasn’t my personal favorite.

In Limbo - Deb JJ Lee

I always have such a hard time judging memoir comics, but I think this walks a good line between gesturing at and directly portraying its fairly heavy subject matter, and the art is stunning.

Last on His Feet: Jack Johnson and the Battle of the Century - Adrian Matekja and Youssef Daoudi

Probably my favorite thing I read in this batch. Lyrical, poetic art that plays with paneling and pagination to incredible effect. Does not shy away from the everyday brutality of either boxing, racism, or Johnson’s personal life. 

Messenger: The Legend of Muhammad Ali - Marc Bernardin

I read this right after Last on His Feet and boy did it suffer for it. Unfortunately, this is just an entirely forgettable bio of Muhammad Ali. 

Sunshine - Jarrett J. Krosoczka

I wish I liked Krosoczka’s art. This did make me cry but it’s a memoir about working at a camp for kids with cancer, so it would be pretty hard for it NOT to.

Blackward - Lawrence Lindell

This would have been a perfectly serviceable 2010s-era webcomic. Not everything needs to be a book!

The Out Side: Trans & Nonbinary Comics

Graphic anthologies are deeply hit or miss for me but this one was extremely solid!

Frontera - Jaco -  Salcedo and Julio Anta

Excellent story about the violence of the border, deeply undercut (for me) by a very jarring ghost subplot. 

A First Time for Everything - Dan Santat

Sweet little story about a class trip abroad with glowing art. 

Shubeik Lubeik - Deena Mohamed

I'm so bummed I couldn't hear Mohamed speak at MICE because I LOVED this. Uses genies as a vehicle to explore the fault lines of class and politics in Egyptian society. 

A Boy Named Rose - Gaëlle Geniller

Lovely art but this was entirely nothing. Remember Teahouse? This is that but sfw and also without any narrative tension. 

Comics for Ukraine

Almost universally bad, with the exception of "Talking to a Hill."  I think sometimes the medium of superhero comics is not the one with which to tackle every issue, 

Parasocial -  Erica Henderson and Alex de Campi

Tense paneling, solid art, I didn't care for the ending of the story. 

Are You Willing to Die for the Cause? - Chris Oliveros

This relies almost entirely in first person accounts, which I like as a device for exploring who gets to claim historicity, but it means that the actual narrative is kind of incoherent. 

The Great Beyond - Léa Murawiec

My other favorite from this batch! This is a story about celebrity and fame and being remembered, but the art is some of the most fluid and expressive stuff I've seen in years and the creativity of the conceit keeps it from ever feeling run of the mill. 

Memento Mori - Tiitu Takalo

I am pretty down on illness memoirs, but I liked this more than I thought I would. 

Swan Songs - W. Maxwell Prince et al

This collection of stories about endings was going to be a winner for me and then the final comic was SO bad it soured the whole experience for me. 

Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story - Sarah Myer

This (like a lot of the comics in the teen category) did make me cry! The art is a little too scratchy for me at times- it's intentional, but not always deployed to best advantage. 

Phantom Road v1 - Jeff Lemire and Gabriel Hernández Walta

Is this basically Alice Isn't Dead with a guy as the driver? Well, yes, but it is good. Lemire always nails creeping dread and Hernández Walta's art is ominously flat in an excellent way. 

Black Cloak v1 - Kelly Thompson and Meredith McLaren

Compelling story undercut by webtoony art that's way too cute for the fantasy noir vibe of the narrative. 

My Girlfriend's Child v1 - Mamoru Aoi

It's always kind of wild to me to see a completely bog standard teenage pregnancy narrative get nominations like this and then I remember that most people making these nominations do not like, know a lot of people who were pregnant as teens. 

Godzilla: Here There Be Dragons - Frank Tieri and Inaki Miranda

This is simply not very good art or story. 

The Cull v1 - Kelly Thompson and Mattia de Iulis

The story here is really intriguing! I wish we had a little more time to get to know the characters before getting thrown into Plot but it's real solid. I don't always love this hyper realistic 3D rendering but it works for the story. 

The Summer Hikaru Died v1 - Mokumokuren

I could wish that the translator hadn't rendered all of the dialogue as weirdly southern but this is a really good gay rural horror. Came back wrong simply hits! 

Mabuhay! - Zachary Sterling

Cute! Didn't really slam me but I would have had a lot of fun with this as a kid. 

Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir - Pedro Martín

This was both lovely and deeply felt and also laugh out loud funny. 

Saving Sunshine - Saadia Faruqi and Shazleen Khan

Extremely sweet sibling story. 

Fire Power v1-4 - Robert Kirkman and Chris Samnee

The Good Asian v1-2 - Pornsak Pichetshote and Alexandre Tefenkgi

Eden II - Kenny Wroten

This has great moments and is also deeply irony poisoned. I would love to read a weird queer comic by someone who was not Online. Also I could not tell any of the characters apart, because they were all thin white-presenting people from fake Seattle. ALSO the speech bubbles were so clearly added in after the fact that it was often difficult to tell who was saying what. I'm not a purist about speech bubble rules or anything but I gotta be able to tell what order to read your dialogue!

Three Rocks: The Story of Ernie Bushmiller: The Man Who Created Nancy - Bill Griffith

The frame narrative is solid, but the best part of this was just the actual Nancy comics included within.

The Horizon v1 - JH

This is just apocalypse torture porn tbh. 

Thing: Inside the Struggle for Animal Personhood - Sam Machado

Here's the thing. I think there are compelling arguments for animal rights. I would also like to see us put that same kind of energy towards ensuring full rights for people first. Also the art and writing here are simply not very good.

Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons - Kelly Sue deConnick, Phil Jiminez, Gene Ha, and Nicola Scott

I wasn't sure I would love this because of my noted Picky Feelings about feminist Greek myths but I liked it more than I thought! The art is phenomenal.

Superman (2023) v1 - Joshua Williamson 

The annual is what was nominated, but the single issues are the actual stars of this trade. Williamson does a really solid job of situating Clark in community.

Wonder Woman (2023) v1 - Tom King

I find the story pretty grating (why does Diana need to be fighting the entire US government?)

Poison Ivy (2022) v1 - G Willow Wilson and Marcio Takara

YAY we love an ecoterrorist getting her due. Takara's art leans full Annihilation. 

My Picture Diary - Maki Fujiwara

This suffered in comparison to last year's alt-manga diary comics from a similar era, Talk to My Back, which was one of my favorite books of the year. Fujiwara's art is very stolid and pretty simplistic and while it works for the subject matter it wasn't my favorite.

River’s Edge - Kyoko Okazaki

This is SO messed up! We are right in the violence and emotional mess of teenagerhood. 

The Yakuza’s Bias v1 - Teki Yatsuda

This gets a little one note by the end of the collection but yakuza falls right into Kpop stan culture is such a funny premise that I didn't mind.

How to Love: A Guide to Feelings and Relationships for Everyone - Alex Norris

This is much cuter and more charming than I thought it'd be.

The Talk - Darrin Bell

Bell is best known for his political cartoons and this brings the same kind of incisive political wit to a longform piece while adding a great deal of empathy.

Transformers (2023) v1 - Daniel Warren Johnson

I am so sorry to DWJ who did his very very absolute best to make me care about Transformers. The art and writing are great I just don't go here. 

Kill Your Darlings - Ethan Parker and Griffin Sheridan

Pretty mid dark fairytale.

PeePee PooPoo - Caroline Cash

Diversity win this lesbian alt comic is just as annoying as the straight ones!

Superman: Lost - Christopher Priest and Carlo Pagulayan

Ugh. Superman: Lost was one of my favorite takes on Superman and Lois last year and I still think the first like… five issues are phenomenal. As soon as we get the weird infidelity/assault/pregnancy narrative I was out. 

Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees - Patrick Horvath

I simply hate cutesy animal horror. 

The Devil’s Cut, edited by Will Dennis

I know I read this but I have no memory of it. My notes say I liked it, and I'm generally in support of DSTLRY and creator-owned comics as a concept.

Marvel Age #1000, edited by Tom Brevoort

Deeply masturbatory.

JUN

Deep Cuts - Kyle Higgins et al

I liked this so much it was my end of the year staff pick! It's hard to do comics that really capture the collaborative and improvisational feeling of a good jazz session but this anthology absolutely does.

Somna: A Bedtime Story - Becky Cloonan and Tula Lotay

Tula Lotay's art is absolutely gorgeous but I was kind of bored by "what if a Puritan housewife was fucking the devil." 

Watership Down: The Graphic Novel - James Sturm

I think these rabbits are too cute to really capture the horror of Watership Down.

Delicates - Brenna Thummler

It's really difficult to tell a story about a kid who is bullying someone else and have it land sympathetically for both parties and Thummler manages it with an uncommon emotional depth.

Buzzing - Samuel Sattin and Rye Hickman

OOF this hit me right in the psych kid feelings. Very sweet and really captured the feeling of the complicated family dynamics that surround kids with mental illness.

#DRCL midnight children v1 - Shin’ichi Sakamoto

Insane choice to make Lucy Westenras a bishie.

Doctor Strange: Fall Sunrise - Tradd Moore

Did not think I would ever be rooting for a Doctor Strange comic but this is the kind of psychedelic universe bending art I would love to see more of from his whole character premise!

Bea Wolf - Zach Weinersmith

Absolutely delightful adaptation of Beowulf for children. Weinersmith really captures the feeling of the old English language in a story about a bunch of little kids defending their treehouse.

HP Lovecraft’s The Shadow over Innsmouth - Gou Tanabe

I don't feel qualified to examine the choice by a Japanese artist to adapt a story about Lovecraft's fear of Chinese and Pacific Islander genes entering Massachusetts. I haven't read much actual Lovecraft but did we all know it was that racist? I mean, I knew he was racist but my god.

The Monkey King v2 - Chaiko Tsai

EXCELLENT adaptation of Journey into the West! I couldn't get v1 in time for voting but the art and the pacing here are just so much fun.

It’s Jeff! - Kelly Thompson and Gurihiru

This is extremely cute but it is ultimately just a cute animal comic.

Earthdivers v1 - Stephen Graham Jones and Davide Gianfelice

I hope you don't need me to tell you Earthdivers is good. It's good.

Birds of Prey (2023) v1 - Kelly Thompson and Leonardo Romero

I was so dubious about this one that I ended my yuri zine piece talking about it. And then it was in fact really really good. The team dynamics are excellent here and the art is perfectly suited to it (except for one issue with a guest penciller where the art is execrable.)

Shazam! (2023) v1 - Mark Waid and Dan Mora

Waid and Mora are sort of the DC powerhouse couple at the moment and I know that at any minute Mora is gonna switch to only doing covers, which will make me very sad. This was way more fun than I expected to have with a Shazam comic but the kids here are delightful without being cutesy and Waid does a great job balancing Billy being a real character and also a believable hero.

Four Gathered on Christmas Eve - Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, Becky Cloonan, and James Harren

Becky Cloonan's was the story that was nominated in this but unfortunately I didn't really care for it. 

Spa - Erik Svetoft

This was hard for me to read because it is just body horror from start to finish. I think it runs a little long but as far as the horrors of capitalism and the tourism industry go it doesn't get much better than this.

JULY

The Most Costly Journey: Stories of Migrant Farmworkers in Vermont Drawn by New England Cartoonists

Really, really good cartooning and storytelling. Vermont is not really what you think of as the front lines of immigration but it's a farming community!

Green Arrow (1988) v1-9 by Mike Grell and others

Honestly the highlight of these for me is that the scans on (website redacted) maintain the letters pages! Grell's Green Arrow tackles a lot of capital I issues with mixed results but I do enjoy seeing the attempt. And it comes off a lot better than Batman comics of a similar vintage that attempt the same thing.

Robin (2021) v1-3 - Joshua Williamson, Gleb Melnikov, and Roger Cruz

Honestly? Delightful. I love to see Damian come into himself and I love to see his cute little romance and I love to see him reading shoujo manga.

AUG

Are You Listening? - Tillie Walden

Tillie Walden always hits!

Hunter x Hunter v 1-13 - Yoshihiro Togashi

Sometimes you read 38 volumes of manga in two months after watching 130 episodes of the show and listening to hundreds of hours of podcast about it. And that's just what HxH does to you. It's normal, and fine.

The Yakuza’s Bias v2 - Teki Yatsuda

The bones of the premise are starting to show - I think this really would have been better as a single volume. Still very charming but probably not gonna pick up any third volume.

The Boy Wonder (as it came out) - Juni Ba 

BOY WONDER COMIC OF ALL TIME! Wonderful take on Damian wonderful art wonderful Al Ghuls.

SEPT

The Summer Hikaru Died v2 - Mokumokuren

Hunter x Hunter v13-38 - Yoshihiro Togashi

OCT

The Concierge At Hokkyoku Department Store, v1 - Tsuchika Nishimura

What if working retail was not a horror show but was instead deeply fulfilling for everyone involved? This can only happen in a world where the customers are animals. 

NOV

Iris: A Novel for Viewers - Lo Hartog van Banda and Thé Tjong-Khing

The gender of this is kind of crazy (derogatory) and it could not more clearly be from the 60s. I don't think I'd recommend it but I don't regret reading it as like, a historical document.

Space Mullet - Daniel Warren Johnson

DWJ really doesn't miss. This is a very classic grungy space noir in the vein of a Cowboy Bebop or an Expanse but I liked it quite a bit despite being made to feel sympathetic for a space Marine. 

DEC

Nightwing (1996) v1-3 - Chuck Dixon and Scott McDaniel

Flush! Those! Blood pressure! Meds! Is Nightwing 96 a good comic? Who can say. Babs is there and Dick Grayson is experiencing the full spectrum of human emotion deep in his #failgirl 20s so I'm having a great time. 

[thelazyhermits]

Do you think Twisted Wonderland will end their services after Chapter 7? And how long do you think the game will last? I’ve played other gacha games before and all of them had yet to close their servers yet but I’ve seen some other gacha games close their services after 5 years or so and with Twisted Wonderland already hitting their fourth anniversary it made me sad to think about it 😞

While I'm no gacha expert, I personally don't think TWST is as close to ending as most people might assume. The reason I say that is because I believe we're gonna get a chapter/book 8 that will focus on the Yuu/Grim subplot that main story has only just begun really digging into. Like the game devs can't just throw freakin Mickey Mouse at us and NOT address whatever the hell is up with that plotline 😂

And obviously we need answers about what brought Yuu to TW in the first place, and I highly doubt that will be addressed in chapter/book 7 since that thing is already ridiculously long as it is.

Not to mention the fact that we all know something is gonna happen with Grim thanks to the tutorial battle we all played when we first started the game. That is definitely not something that can just get crammed in at the end of chapter/book 7, although it could be used as a cliffhanger lol

Another thing that hasn't been covered that I think the main story will eventually get to is the interscholastic games - the interschool Spelldrive tournament that was mentioned in Book 3, which RSA has beaten NRC at for the last 99 years. While I'm not necessarily saying it'll be a super important part of the plot, I just think it's something that will be covered since why else bring it up, you know? Plus, it would be something that can be going on while we're learning more about Yuu/Grim.

Honestly, I keep thinking they'll make like a chapter/book 7.1 and chapter/book 7.2 where the first part ends after everyone's dreams have been visited since I don't think the Malleus battle will be a quick one like the other overblot battles cause he's so strong, and chapter/book 7 really doesn't need to get any longer 😂 But more than likely that won't actually happen, which makes me fear chapter/book 8 cause the chapters/books keep getting longer and longer with each new one we get lol

So, even though TWST JPN's 5th anniversary is next month, I don't think we're close to the end with TWST, especially since I'm fully expecting a long break between chapters/books 7 & 8 because of how long 7 was. Plus, in JPN, there was a year break between chapters/books 6 & 7.

Considering all the chapter/book 7 updates that came out on the JPN server in 2024, it's entirely possible that they'll finally wrap things up by the end of this year, but I think TWST will still be around for another two years at least after that.

But yes, it is sad to think that TWST won't last forever since that's just how gacha games are, but I really don't think the end is anywhere in sight because the game has been doing so well and the story doesn't feel like it's almost over. There's still so much we can learn about this crazy world and its fun characters, so I'm gonna remain positive 😊

[jerreeeeeee]

i also read the suffering game graphic novel. here's praises and criticisms. this one is also more negatives than positives unfortunately, i tried to be fair and thoughtful but i did not like it very much

things i liked:

-lucretia prologue establishing that she went to wonderland + talking abt missing the crew. fun & mysterious

-hi mavis and mookie :) they are cute

-HI BARRY sometimes i forget he stalked merle’s family outing. i love that freak

-magnus and angus scene!! fisher showing angus the statue drawing!! ango detective subplot!! this is a nice and natural addition since we know he was sleuthing around the BOB

-merle teasing taako about his date is kinda cute actually love seeing them be friends

-thank god they got rid of the chimera. idk if this is a hot take or anything but its probably my least favorite fight in the podcast its so out of place and unnecessary. there are lots of fights that didnt really matter in the beginning like all the gerblins and the slime swamp in rockport but they were still like getting their bearings and the show was more like a real dnd campaign than a typical actual play, but by the time you get to the suffering game there’s more interesting things to do and you're like god why are we still doing random forest encounters just get to wonderland already

-not a positive per se but i’m not that upset about sterling and his party being cut. i feel like an adaptation would’ve had an opportunity to make that little c-plot matter more, and that would’ve been awesome, but as is in the podcast, i never felt particularly strongly about it? not enough to miss it. idk like magnus and merle were already for ‘trust’ even if it were strangers and taako never seems all that regretful about it (which like. fair. he’s the pragmatist and that’s how the prisoner’s dilemma works. he played the game right because he couldn’t afford to lose, knowing they hurt some slightly-less-strangers doesn’t really change that).

-i dont remember which of the boys discovered it in the podcast but merle noticing the smoke thing is good. he actually is competent and especially in an arc that’s meant to make him feel useless that’s a good little reminder

-i do like that the liches say the bell is very powerful & is threatening to destroy them like both keeping in theme with the rest of the relics and an introduction to the idea that sharing an incredible and dangerous power between two people makes it easier to keep your sanity, similar to lichdom

-griffin getting cut off with the hunger is awesome finally we’re taking advantage of the medium. nothing more to say that choice rules

-posts on tumblr hyped me up for taako recognizing barry’s dick but unfortunately that’s not really what happened and now i’m disappointed. but the graphic novels arent canon so i’ll just have to continue with my barry/taako awkward past one night stand agenda despite it all

-i dont quite know how to feel about the umbrastaff leaping to barry to replace the “love barry, trust barry” moment. on the one hand, having lup actually speak to taako wouldn’t work super well in graphic novel form, not to mention the whole band of projected thought thing was kinda convoluted and they are clearly very limited on time, and taako choosing to trust the umbrastaff in this way is a creative way to get that same effect. on the other hand, its so unclear what even happened or why it changes taako’s mind without podcast context. that’s one of my big gripes, you’re expected to be familiar with the story already, but if you’re familiar with the story, the graphic novels are… worse in every way. also, i really really liked the original scene so even though it doesn’t work, i miss it. this isn’t as effective—we don’t find out there’s a person missing from taako’s memory, his heart doesn't swell at the sound of her voice, he doesn’t know with certainty that she’s someone dear to him. it's just like, another instance of the umbrastaff acting weird. maybe you put together that 'LUP' is a person but you don't have any indication until the moment of remembering how important she is. all of that would be really difficult to get across in a visual medium anyway, but still, yknow, it doesn’t hit as hard.

-ango!! his mage hand is coming along so well!! although. why is his wand just like a stick. did he pick it up off the ground. taako needs to take better care of his boy this reflects badly on him as a teacher lmao

-i felt this way about the eleventh hour too but there’s so many little details of taako and merle’s friendship i feel like they have little asides and jokes together a lot and i love that

-the looming dread of the hunger is done pretty well (as well as it can be with such time restraints)

-merle trying to commune with pan and seeing john instead is good. very ominous and intriguing for new readers and exciting for podcast listeners

-really liked the panel of barry in the red robe against the stars and the bond engine’s white ring as he’s remembering. very cool very cinematic

-i actually also really like the framing as taako remembers, filling in the memories we’d seen previously and clearing out the static while he looks so broken, and merle asking him what he’s remembering, and then finally speaking his sister’s name. its framed very powerfully. i wish he and lup didn’t look awful so i could actually feel something at that part. like they are my favorite characters ever their story makes me so emotional and i just. they’re unrecognizable. the character designs are terrible and taako has spent 6 books now being mischaracterized and flattened to hell so i just can’t muster any emotion. maybe i'll redraw that page someday though because the panelling is genuinely very good

-the ending lucretia monologue is good she's the narrator she's the main character she's everything. love the portraits staticking out and mirroring and changing, and ending on the beach painting is great. very cinematic and a natural way to phase into the stolen century

things i didn’t like:

-i dont think taako’s deepest desire is his own brand of fashion forward athleisure wear if i’m being quite honest. these little things irk me

-why is liches get stitches all the way in the beginning… ill portent for how the rest of this book will go

-i think they shouldve introduced the flaming raging poisoning sword of doom way earlier. the payoff isnt nearly as good without the setup of having been magnus’ white whale for like fifty episodes. maybe they did mention it in earlier books and i just forgot though

-^ i hate his stupid ugly oversexualized stereotyped ass so fucking much its unreal

-why are edward and lydia ugly :( —(they're not ugly because they're chubby they're ugly because their color schemes and outfits are fucking awful) (fr though why are all their colors so muted and dingy?? why are their outfits boring?? at least their heart attack looks are fun)

-oh so there’s just no trust or forsake at all. yeah i don’t like that. in the end no great loss since i don't think it really says anything about thb's characters that hasn't already been said, but so much of thb's characters and arcs have been cut from the gns already

-i get that they’re low on time trying to fit in reunion tour but like come on part of the suffering of the suffering game is how long and painful it is cutting it down really just. makes it not matter as much

-magnus looks no different after aging LMAO he gets like 2 gray hairs and that’s it

-edward and lydia’s lich forms are also boring unfortunately

-no tasha’s hideous laughter on the heart attack mannequin? lame. although i have for the first time realized that dnd shows kinda have a thing for characters uninterested in romance being forced by mysterious powers to be haunted by creepy puppet-like “romance partners” huh

-magnus doesn’t forget kalen?? why cut that out? i guess because there was never closure for it in the original story?

-no boss rush?? that was fun :(

-magnus and taako aren’t surprised merle has kids??? did they know???

-dupree looks terrible but i guess props to carey for giving him feathers even though it looks bad

-just axed the liches’ backstory?? that was kind of important?? the fact that they turned to necromancy out of love for their family & powered themselves with positive emotions too? that like, has relevance later…

-NO BAD LUCK FOR ARMS OUTSTRETCHED? COME ON

-the framing of magnus’ soul being removed is so anticlimactic in general like the POINT of a VISUAL adaptation is to have interesting & cinematic VISUALS its just so messy

-all of arms outstretched didnt look very good in general sorry. its just such a big important moment and to make it so mid… a tragedy

-“i guess we still needed each other after all” doesnt work anymore because they removed all of edward and lydia’s backstory and character but it was an interesting line to me that i wish had been kept. hammering in that liches need anchors is, again, pretty relevant later on, getting rid of that foreshadowing sucks, and it also humanizes these villains in an interesting way that really highlights their powerlust as their downfall rather than just, like, cruelty for evil’s sake. like yes they torture people and find it fun because they’re so distanced from their own humanity but they also truly believed it was necessary for their own safety and seemingly only became sadistic after they desensitized themselves. i wrote a post about this a while ago but idk if i’ll ever post it

-not a fan of barry killing lydia either. idk why, its not like he hasn’t killed other people to protect the boys before. but that’s earlier in the show before we know he’s not just a villain and is in fact meant to introduce him as a villain. now he’s a friend so idk if you can just go back to having him murder people? again its not a wrong choice but it feels like messy storytelling. also like i think seeing a lich grieving her anchor and a sister grieving her brother would pull some heartstrings for him. it would maybe remind him of some people he loves and garner some sympathy and give him some pause. and i liked that in the podcast even though lydia was so distanced from the idea of positive anchors, killing edward just immediately undoes her, fits in with the themes and the way we understand liches to work, another powerful example of what bonds can do, and that's kinda lost here

-magnus’ answer to the bell sucks so badddd lmao when these books NEED context they’re devoid of it but when they actually have the necessary plot points/character arc established for the reader to put something together they have to go and spell it out like the audience is stupid. there was something so raw and powerful about magnus’ original “i’d hate it. shut the fuck up.” like just shutting it down and not even considering it. that’s completely lost when he has to be like “recap time! my wife, julia,” eugh just didnt like that. there are so many powerful lines from balance that i don’t hate on principal that they’ve changed, but there was no good reason to change, and so the new version just falls flat and there was no reason not to include the original lines verbatim? i get not wanting to just deliver a podcast highlight reel and have the gns be their own story or w/e but if you’re gonna do that you have to do it well, and they just keep being worse unfortunately

-they don’t get the chance to go off the grid themselves and choose to trust barry?? come the fuck ON that is IMPORTANT to the STORY

-this may or may not be an unpopular opinion but i’m not a fan of barry’s design either. i don’t like the hair and he’s not fat enough. less egregious than others but its still another instance of being like who tf is that

-barry’s little coin monologue was kinda fun and dramatic and i (finally) liked the visuals of him falling from the sky/silhouette of the starblaster against faerun’s single sun. but i wish they’d kept more of the original. add drama that’s fine but the point of it is to humanize him after we’ve spent so long thinking of him as a villain and a ghost and a force of the story and now it turns out he’s barry bluejeans. he’s just a guy. he loves his mom. he’s allergic to dairy. he’s afraid of the dark.

-especially not a fan of cutting out the “love that defined and redeemed you” and “dull weight in your chest” in barry’s coin monologue. those are important parts of his character. whether you interpret the love and the weight to be for lup or for the whole crew, you need to know that the red robe has lost people, and that everything he does is to try to get them back. he’s the lover and he’s grief personified. his mission is to save the world AND recover his family. thats like. kinda important for his character and role in the story. if you ask me.

-again the “we’ll get em next time” magnus flashback is not BAD but it could’ve looked so much better? carey definitely has strengths as an artist but her fight scenes and character design tends to be very weak so its unfortunate that this is an adaptation of a dnd podcast where those 2 things are like, the most important. idk i feel like i should be articulating what i mean better but i’m not sure how. the fights just are often really cluttered and framed in an odd way that doesn’t look very good or dramatic or dynamic. i don’t want to say carey is a bad artist, i really don’t think she is! but i think she was not the right artist for this project. the magic of a visual medium is, well. the visuals. when they’re mid the whole story suffers.

-taako and merle not just saying magnus is dead is sorta unnecessarily confusing since everyone like assumes he’s dead anyway? idk i don’t understand that choice. kinda fucks with his moment with carey. not a big deal in the end but it does seem unnecessary

-MAGNUS DOESN’T GO SEE FISHER?? the mannequin dies in fantasy costco??? what about johann???

-“you stole half of my fucking heart” i know a lot of people loved this line but it genuinely baffles me. Why Only Half. not only referencing one of the most heartwarming (and heartbreaking) lines in the original show with no context for why its meaningful at all yet—but also minimizing it? why soften that blow? why detract from the raw intensity of that grief? why reduce a very powerful sentiment? an adaptation of balance that doesn’t allow itself to be earnest and wholehearted (ha) about its platonic bonds is not a good adaptation, straight up. maybe its not that deep but it is To Me. maybe it has no real import and i’m just being stupid but like they made that choice to write half instead of just “my heart.” Why, genuinely

-hey what the fuck happened to johann for real though. that was a really important part of the story. hey. hey. what about johann. like are we just ignoring johann. am i insane. how has no one mentioned this. what’s up with johann

-

so all in all, again, rushed pacing, axing of a lot of very important plot points, shoddy visuals.

it did not make me relive the emotional journey of the suffering game and reunion tour. it inspired a vague nostalgia for the first time i experienced reunion tour, reminded me of how much i love the original show, and made me want to listen to the podcast again. especially reunion tour good god i love reunion tour. and it made me desperately wish for a good adaptation. i would do fucking anything for a good adaptation. the longing is making me sick. at least we always have podcast reunion tour.

the graphic novels are just so empty and soulless compared to the original show. i wouldn’t have an issue with changes, except that the changes, at every turn, gut the emotional core of the story that makes it so special, and ruin the strong themes throughout the story. they fundamentally misunderstand what is so good about balance. and also, like, basic storytelling. they’re poorly designed and poorly written, so they don’t even stand on their own as a different story. i'm not expecting an exact replica, but i am expecting good writing, good changes when necessary, and respect for the original beloved story. without those, the soul is gone, the spark of what makes balance so compelling and emotional.

i am dreading the story and song graphic novel. i don’t think it will be any good. the themes and character arcs and plot of the show have been mangled beyond belief so nothing is really meaningful anymore. can we go back to the johann thing for a moment—

[tomatosoupandpasta]

TBHK SPOILERS AHEAD

so in my mikudemy ghost au, it's not NECESSARY to read tbhk which is different compared to it's origins

ORIGINALLY, it was going to be called "Toilet-Bound Saki-chan!" or "Toilet-Bound Tenma-chan!" And it would necessarily be the plot of tbhk, except that Honami helps clean the bathrooms free of charge meanwhile Shiho is the youngest exorcist of the Hinomori clan (inspired by Kou).

The giant thing is that Ichika, Shiho, and Honami were all childhood friends, but BIG something happened (idk what) and they broke up. Ichika summons "Tenma-chan" to help her regain her friends and it follows the similar shenanigans of tbhk.

I was really fond of this because the Broadcasting Club would've been Wonderlands×Showtime with Nene being inspired by Sakura, Rui being inspired by Natsuhiko, and Tsukasa would fundamentally be Tsukasa Yugi. Emu would be this girl who decided to join them all she'd have Tsukasa Yugi's more hyper personality, but Kasa (tenma) would be a lot more deranged.

I had this whole other subplot too where Ena would be like Shijima-san of the art room (Shinonome-san of the artroom) except she ACTUALLY offed herself. Akito would be depressed™. Minori would be basically Akane (the clock keepers would be Minori, Rin, and Miku). Haruka would be like Aoi and give Ichika all these rumors (which is also why Minori loves her so much she's Aoi and Minori is Akane except she'd be a lot less violent ig).

I was unsure of whether to make Luka or MEIKO Tsuchigomori (KAITO didn't fit the bill for me for some reason) Len was MOST LIKELY gonna be Mitsuba, however I also wanted to make Mizuki Mistuba at times (hehe more mizurui /p)

It's just really fun to see how my au has changed DRASTICALLY from being tbhk lore heavy, to having its own unique world and lore.