progamer27

[progamer27]

internet politics and real-world politics have gotten so separated, and pretty soon all this internet weirdness is gonna come crashing into real life and politicians are gonna start throwing around words like “SJW” and “anime communist” and “dark enlightenment” and it’s just gonna be the most ridiculous fucking thing

[progamer27]

Sketches of Skylanders.

(And a Killing Joke reference)

[progamer27]

Thoughts on Helluva Boss "Mastermind"

It was... a mid episode.

I mean, glad to see Stolas get "punished" and Blitz getting some adoration... but it doesn't feel earned. It doesn't feel right.

We got to see the rest of the Sins and a good chunk of the Goetias... but they really didn't do much.

The "I love you guys" from Blitz was, admitedly, one of the better parts of the episode - as well as "take care of Loona for me" bit.

But it all just... felt like too little, too nothing.

Why couldn't Vivzie have had Stolas appear and do:

Stol: Actually, we had an agreement: he plowed me, I lent him the grimoire.

Blitz: And then we parted ways AFTER he gave me a crystal that does the same thing as the book.

THAT way, we would have achieved the same result: Stolas punished (this time for more justifiable reasons), Blitz and his crew off the hook (maybe the Imp population still appreciates Blitz, and takes his side a bit more), and Andri-Ice gets an actual useful reason to out Stolas.

Cut a good chunk of the Goetias that didn't do anything, cut Belphegor and Leviathan, cut Striker.

It could have been a lot better.

Which brings me to a "Problem" I've seen in past Helluva Boss episodes, but here it's too evident:

They (people working on the show) are less concerned about telling a story that is ENTERTAINING and that makes (at least a little bit of) sense, and more concerned about Songs (which I mostly skip), One-Liners/Action-Scenes (meh.), and Fan-Pandering (for a specific part of the fanbase)

So, those were my thoughts.

(And, for those asking "well, why do you still watch HB if you don't like it", I've got two things to say.

It mostly pops up every time a new episode or short is released, and my curiosity eventually wins.

I still (naively, hopefully) am waiting for an INTERESTING Episode. So far, most of the Season 2 ones weren't really that memorable (Exception being, the Blitz and Fizz Friendship Renewal one. And part of Apology Tour)

Alright, peace)

EDIT: And now, my opinion on the crator herself!

...is it just me, or does it feel like HH and HB have been Viv's Furry/Musical Ideas given life?

I mean, the whole of ZOOPHOBIA (Vivziepop's first project, who then got dropped) is essentially furry stuff. It's an all-too-easy joke to make.

And the majority of HH and HB has mainly animal-esque characters parading about (which, as far as Internet is concerned, means "Furry")

And no, I'm not going to talk about the "Acephobia" or "Mis-rappresentaion" or "Abuser-friendly" stuff that concerns her characters - mainly because I didn't experience these things, I should let someone who has actual experience with these things talk about it, and because I watch these two shows for the Entertainment.

no no no. My problem with Viv is that, from what I've seen, she seems like a Manchild who is trying to make "Cool, Dark and Profound Characters and Stories", but ends up making Edgy 2010's-like Characters and Stories. Of the mediocre-to-bad kind you would find on Deviantart.

Like, it would be half-understandable if Viv didn't go to Animation/Writing School: at least that way, she has an excuse for why her characters and world-building fall flatr.

Yet that isn't the case. She DID GO to Animation school. And She probably knows how to write a character, if Fizzaroli (the character who is considered the best-written in both shows) is anything to go by.

And then, there's Helluva Shorts. And these shorts... are actually fun. They actually make me smile or chuckle a bit, with some neat jokes at times.

So, why? Why doesn't Vivziepop show THIS level of care and consistency with her other crations? Is she still interested in these shows, or is she writing out of a sense of self-obligation (like "I don't feel passionate anymore, but dropping it is a personal loss for me" kind of situation.)?

[progamer27]

Another one of Batman's Rougues.

The Man With No Identity : Hush

[progamer27]

Saw "Inside Out 2"

It's a good movie. Mostly well-paced, incredibly comedic, INTERESTING for multiple reason....

But - and correct me if I'm wrong -, Joy seemed more.... unhinged? Than how she was in the first movie.

More fed up, a bit more sarcastic, and towards the end a bit more broken.

Overall, it's an 8/10

[progamer27]

[progamer27]

EPIC: The Musical - Character Growth

I like it when characters aren't one-dimensional, especially main characters.

Sure, it's fine and fun to have characters who are solely evil or solely good from time to time.

But I vastly prefer characters that go thru some sort of development - that takes its time -, and then come out changed by the experience.

Enter: Odysseus and Athena (and also Eurylychous)

I think it's pretty safe to say that, at least at the start of the musical, a lot of people didn't like Athena and Eurylychous too much - and were quick to label them as, at the very least, "villain-adjecent".

But now that we have had 6 out of 8 Sagas released, we can understand them better. And same for Odysseus.

Eurylychous: In the Odyssey, he is a minor character whose only role is to be a plot device (killing and eating Helios's cattle). In EPIC, Eurylychous is shown as someone more focused on the crew than anything else. Brash and Hot-headed, he is the opposite of Odysseus.

So, why is he interesting? Because we SEE (or HEAR) how he grows from just; a soldier whose first instinct is to murder (Lotus Eaters) or flee (After blinding Polypheamus), to a desperate man who wants to get back home as fast as possible - even if it means leaving his comrades behind (Circe), to a man who needs to confess his guilt (Scylla, as a follow up to Keep Your Friends Close and Puppeteer), to someone who's desperate and has given up entirely (Mutiny and Thunder Bringer).

In conclusion: Eury isn't a villain, but Just a Man. He made mistakes and was abrasive, but so would many people in his place.

ATHENA: In Greek Mythology, Athena is one of the most Hubris-Filled (Prideful) Goddesses out there. In EPIC, she is much of the same... at the Start.

Because Remember, prior to the Wisdom Saga, we only really saw/heard Athena 3 times. And in those 3 times, we get presented with who she is at the moment; A Goddess who views Odysseus as a "project/creation" (Warrior of the Mind and Remember Them), and as the less rose-tinted Goddess who lost her friend because of the circumstances (My Goodbye).

Now, at this point in time, most people would simply label Athena as a "typical greek goddess" - that is to say, a deity who doesn't really view humans as equal to her, and who lacks Humanity.

....until she meets Telemachus.

Then, the characterization... matures; she becomes less closed-off (We'll Be Fine), admits that she was pushing too hard (Little Wolf), realizes that what she did to Ody was HORRIBLE - and, if I may interject, she will probably be a bit shocked/traumatized at seeing Ody trying to kill himself (Love in Paradise), and finally as someone who realized they STILL CARE for their friend, and that tried to do everything to save them (God Games)

In Short: Athena went from being an unlikable cold goddess - one who refused to comprehend human emotions -, to being much more "human".

(And please, if you are a fanfic writer, try to write a story where Athena just... realizes how shitty her life was, and how badly she treated others, and let her have an home with the Itachan Family. She needs her friends, and she probably needs to express her emotions in an healtier way)

ODYSSEUS:....

....

....

What is there to say? The musical is ABOUT HIM, and about how the line between man and monster (good and evil) is incredibly thin... but also about how you CAN come back from the brink, how you can "Become Yourself" again.

In the Odyssey - even if the story is a banger -, I didn't get the impression that Odysseus changed too much. Sure, he may have some trauma and suicidial thoughts, but he didn't do a 180°, then another one, and finally got a better understanding of life. He was still just... Odysseus, the King of Itacha and Father of Telemachus. Odysseus, the Silver-Tounged Liar. Odysseus the sacker of cities.

In Epic....

...Well, I think you know where I'm going with this..

In Conclusion: The EPIC versions of the characters feel like Actual Characters - almost actual humans - who make mistakes and aren't wholly "pure villainy" or "goodie two-shoes".

Sure, we have example of both of these things (Goodie = Polites, Penelope, Astynax; Villains = Poseidon, Polyphemus, Scylla, Zeus, The Suitors), as well as some morally-grey ones (Dark Grey/Leaning toward Evil = Calypso; Light Gray/Leaning towards Good= Circee, Aeolus, Tiresias)

But i think that I've said enough.

[progamer27]

How I would write a Medusa Story

It starts out with Medusa as a Monstrous Gorgon, who then goes to a temple of Athena because she wants to not be hunted down. She prays to the goddes to help her, and in exchange she'll serve her like a devoted soul.

Since Athena is still relatively happy about winning the city of Athens, she accepts Medusa and gives her a boon: a human look.

With time, the gratitude that Medusa felt for Athena saving her life - and giving her a human form - turns into arrogance.

She starts to brag, brag about how she's even more beautiful than Athena. Athena ignores this.

She then starts to lure some people away in order to devour their flesh - she is still a monster, even if she has a human body now. Athena notices and starts growing angry.

Poseidon notices Medusa - in either forms - , and does his thing.

Athena -who is disappointed and angry that Medusa became a vain, cannibalistic backstabber - decides to add injury to the insults-and-grave-injury : she takes away her human-looks-boon and makes Medusa even uglier, with a Stone gaze to boot.

The pain of losing it all drives Medusa - over the years - insane and resentful. Now she is delusional AND deadly.

Cue the Perseus story. Everything goes on as the myth says, but there are a few more desriptions of Medusa.

Feathered legs, Raptors feet, a bloated Scaly chest and arms, face full of Tusks and Hairs, Snake hairs, double chin, wings at the back of her head and under her armpit, handsnthat look like they've been inflicted with every type of STD....

In short, a truly disgusting and horrifying depiction of Medusa.

[That was, my re-interpretation of the Medusa story/backstory. I took all 3 "original" versions of Medusa, and tried to crate a nice blend.

Every character in that story is both unlikable and kinda understandable;

Medusa wanted to survive, she asked help from a God and recieved that help - but then she grew arrogant, was double-punished and became an even worse monster than before;

Athena was doing some goodwill - and felt betrayed/disappointed when her boon was used against her -, but she also went way overboard when punishing Medusa;

Poseidon is a creep who generally had little involvment in the original 3 stories, so he still remains a petty god who does horrible things. He thinks that he is in the right, but he really isn't.

Really, in an hypotetical retelling that includes this backstory, the only good guys would be Danaê, Perseus and Andromeda. And even then, only Perseus tends to have a good deal of spoken lines.]

(Yes, I wanted to get that thing out of my system. Hope it inspired some of you. Maybe send some horrific fanart if you feel like it)

{Yes, I took some inspiration from "Arkham Asylum: a serious house on a serious Earth". Go read that story if you like disturbing stuff or the Arkham games}

[progamer27]

Charybdis. From the Odyssey (And EPIC: The Musical, soon enough...)

Went with the basic description:

"A whirlpool in the Strait of Messina" and "A monster who sucks the sea three times a day, before spitting it out"

[progamer27]

Scylla.

I took inspiration from Jenova (Final Fantasy) for the Main "Human" Body of Scylla, and then I took 6 images of "furios, angry dogs" for the Dog-Heads.

And yes, I got the idea of using Jenova from "EPIC:The Musical" 's creator, when he described how he wanted His Scylla to look.

Extra Scylla, now sligthly colored.

[progamer27]

The Killing Joke(r)

Hand-drawn by me.

[progamer27]

Lute. Becoming even more insane after the Epilogue.

(Faces on the right side were inspired by the Joker in "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker")

[progamer27]

Sideshow Bob, Captain Bob.

"He remains an English-man!" - The Simpsons : Season Five, Episode "Cape Feare"

[progamer27]

My contribution to "Mickey Mouse is in the public domain".

[progamer27]

Expurgation Mirabel!

A crossover idea between MIRABEL MADRIGAL(ENCANTO) and EXPURGATION TRICKY(MADNESS COMBAT).

[progamer27]

Lego Store - Milan

Basilica di Milano fatta di Mattoncini Lego.

È stupenda.

[progamer27]

*Observer Mirabel inside her Casita, inside her room nursery*

Observer Mirabel, sewing: Finally, no work, no Julieta or Agùstin, no Tìo and Tìa, no hermanas and primas. I'm finally at peace.

*Nursery door opens, revealing Observer!Isabela*

Observer!Isabela: I'VE BEEN CHASING YOU FOR 3 DAYS

Observer Mirabel: *Screams and activates her gift*

Observer Mirabel: ¡ALÉJATE DE MÍ, DEMONIO DE LA FLOR ROSA! (GET AWAY FROM ME YOU PINK FLOWER DEMON!)

Observer!Isabela: Demon!? Do I look like-

*Observer Mirabel makes a dash to her window, jumping off the window*

Observer!Dolores: You know she jumped off a 2nd floor room, right ¿prima?

Observer!Isabela: WAIT WHAT-