#((I like them. I like them together a lot (their comedic duo charms please me) ))

[aglaean]

“I see your charm did not protect you from falling early in battle,” Azama notes as he comes by to check on his totally-honest-to-gods-definitely-absolutely favourite student.

"... You did make one for yourself as well, did you not?"

What escapes next can only be described as a long-suffering sigh, though Azama masks it (perhaps poorly) with a look of incredibly deep concern™️.

“… Mayhap next year I shall have to bestow one of my own to you. 'Passing beautiful' though yours may have been," gods, he needs to hold it in, he can't break down so soon, "it means little if it doesn't work as intended, yes?"

Dread and horror have never been writ more strongly across the face of one so marvellous. ‘Hold! Do you suppose that, had I procured further tokens, I would not have been so rudely removed from the field?’ 

This was a disaster of the highest order! Once again, it seemed, L’Arachel’s unfailing generosity had proven too great, too perfect, for this cruel world. 

Of course, this was not to say that she was disappointed that her latent powers had been bestowed upon one so grateful. The defence of innocents was, undoubtedly, one of the many goals the Gods had predestined her for, after all.

But she rather wished she hadn’t been so blind to her own virtues, so negligent of the budding talent she evidently possessed! Had she made multiples of the charm, the very tide of battle could’ve been changed. 

Well, it was little worth lamenting what had been fated to be. She would simply have to be prepared for the next trial. 

At his offer, she smiles graciously. It would not do to enlighten him as to the fact that she was the one gifted with the talent in charm-making. His proferred charm, unimbued with whatever hidden powers of protection she possessed, would be taken with thankfulnesss!

L'Arachel resolve to arise early the next morning, dedicating herself to securing more candles, more threads, and eventually, more charms. 

[kolbisneat]

MONTHLY MEDIA: October 2021

The spooky month! Not a lot of Halloween media consumption but still lots of stuff to recommend.

……….FILM……….

Return of the Living Dead (1985) Just fantastic. I don’t understand why there aren’t more horror comedies these days as I think the scary stuff hits harder when paired with some levity (as compared to the strictly serious/grim stuff). It almost feels like a parody of the 80s and I really respect that ending. Gosh movies sure are different now, aren’t they?

……….TELEVISION……….

The Bachelorette (Episode 18.01 to 18.02) A great start to the season. Lots of fun guys and Michelle is an excellent lead. I really hope they keep Tayshia and Kaitlyn as the Bachelorette hosts forever.

Bachelor in Paradise Canada (Episode 1.01 to 1.03) I was skeptical about this and while the cast is a little smaller, I’m digging the change of location (plus the theme song is just the best choice).

The White Lotus (Episode 1.01 to 1.06) I’m...not sure I liked this. I mean it was gripping television and a really stellar cast/plot/location, but it wasn’t fun? Maybe it’s just the ending that really left a pit in my stomach. Ooof.

LuLaRich (Episode 1.01 to 1.04) We actually watched this at the end of September but somehow I forgot this amazing docuseries! It’s such an interesting study of MLMs, pyramid schemes, and how folks suddenly find themselves knee-deep in them!  Also the duo at the top of this particular pyramid are...just wild.

Only Murders in the Building (Episode 1.01 to 1.10) Fun and silly and surprisingly good chemistry between the three leads. I wonder if it’ll hold up with a rewatch as I found the mystery elements to click better than the comedic ones.

Ted Lasso (Episode 2.11 to 2.12) Really excellent. Just...really really great. I look forward to rewatching the season without the add on eps (Christmas and Beard’s solo outing) to see how the entire season’s plot ties together. But gosh what a charming and sincere series of television.

Bachelor in Paradise (Episode 7.11) I mean how can you complain with an ending like that? Freeze-frame updates on all the couples and prominent cast members? Yes please.

Marvel’s What If… (Episode 1.09) This series started off being a really novel concept with stellar animation. After the last two episodes, I’d say it ended simply being a feature of fantastic animation. Well written but a very similar structure to Phase 1 or 2 of the movies.

……….READING……….

Who Censored Roger Rabbit? by Gary Wolf (Complete) Different enough from the film (in a lot of ways!) that it felt like a wholly unique experience. I’m not sure i liked it as well, but it was really interesting to see the source material for one of my favourite movies. Your mileage will vary.

Soul Music by Terry Pratchett  (Complete) Part of what I love about Pratchett is that the story’s structure will be so clear that you know where it’s going yet the fun is seeing how it gets there. Consistently funny and full of fun musical easter eggs. I wish there was more Death in it but his granddaughter, Susan, is a fun addition to the mythos.

Head Lopper, Volume 4: Head Lopper & the Quest for Mulgrid’s Stair by Andrew Maclean and Jordie Bellaire (Complete) The story seems to be heading towards one big culmination and there’s a lot of exposition in this one. I tend to prefer episodic adventures over serialized quests but that’s just me. And dang if the art isn’t some of the most fun I’ve seen lately! Oof so good.

……….AUDIO……….

The Dropout (Podcast) This podcast covers the Theranos scandal and season 2 is following Elizabeth Holmes’ court case. The whole thing stinks of hubris and a blatant disregard for humanity by the tech sector and it’s...just so infuriating. Totally worth the listen.

……….GAMING……….

Metroid Dread (Nintendo) Gosh it’s good to be back in the world of side-scrolling Metroid. I’m still not sure i have a feel for the controls but the tone and atmosphere are just stellar. I wasn’t sure I’d get into the 3D graphics but I was quickly proven wrong.

Oz: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Forthcoming, Andrews McMeel Publishing) So I’ve been playtesting my next TTRPG setting with my weekly group and it’s been a lot of fun! A better recap is over here on Reddit.

And that’s it! As always, let me know if you have any recommendations and happy Sunday!

[suffering-and-happy-about-it]

In and out (Part 1.) (Nathan Drake x Male reader)

Description: There was a deal between Elena and Nathan to make her way to Yemen for managing to get them to the city. But plans don't go so easily as they should. Well, isn't that pretty common thing for Nathan & Co.™?

@bechobbi , let me know if I should tag you in this! :)

A/N: So okay. Let me establish some things before we even begin.

I hate changing the game's/movie's official canons, so you gave me a proper hard time, darling.

So this is a bit AU like they'll happen events from the original game, but most probably NOT in the original order/how did they really happened.

But yeah, I think that my Nate Mate might be bisexual. He's not strictly gay, bc of Elena and Chloe and you can't deny that.

I will also use my old oc pal Florence, who has some posts somewhere in the hellhole of my Tumblr, for my own satisfaction and someone to make the goofball of. A lot of you maybe will not like who she is in this, but guess what - I don't care baby.

This will be written in the third person because I think it suits the story better, just as Golden's book showed us.

And also my adoration of Victor Sullivan will probably show too much. I don't care. He's my man.

Ok. That's all.

Warnings: Just Nate and Sully being the comedic duo we know and love. Also, the first three to four chapters are an establishment for the whole story.

Word count: 2 691 (+/-)

"Real “greatness” is what you do with the hand you're dealt." 

- Victor Sullivan, Drake's Deception

"Oh crap!" The man yelled as another shot was fired at him. He almost got shot, but he managed to hide quickly before that happened. No one knew how he was able to do so, but he guessed that he has an infinite amount of luck.

But even he got enough of everything at that point - he had to escape in front some black bullshit, which was actually afraid of fire, with a dying torch, almost died during that, the worst bad guy Talbot, who was working for their concurrent Katherine Marlowe, had stolen the amulet right from his hand and he was pinned down at gunpoint behind a stupid wall at some mansion in France. The only thing that kept his spirits up was that he managed to draw the amulet to his small notebook and that he wasn't completely clueless after all.

"Better watch your back before you get shot, kid!" A visibly older man shouted at him before he shot back from his revolver. Nathan owned his life to that man for an unfair amount of times, but he would be definitely dead if that man wasn't watching over him.

The old man's name was Victor Sullivan, whom everyone called Sully, and he had some serious amount of kicking ass behind him. He was notoriously known treasure hunter and an ex-marine who dedicated his talent for shady businesses to make a serious life-lasting job out of it. He became a treasure hunter in his late twenties and he was one of the most dedicated people to this kind of life you could ever meet.

He could sometimes seem like a cold blood jerk and Nathan sometimes thought that his decisions are not logical - and usually later showed that those decisions were very clever in fact. Sullivan, even in his sixties didn't show any sign of aging except few deep wrinkles and white hair. The only other fact you could consider was his Cuban shirts, but that man wore them for years, so you couldn't really count them in.

His partner, a lot of younger man in his best years, has been doing this job alongside Sully for almost twenty years. They became a truly coordinated team during that time, more like father and son than friends.

That man's name was Nathan Drake. He was a self-declared ascendant of the famous pirate Sir Francis Drake, whom he dedicated his whole. He was considerably pretty handsome with his wild, dark brown hair and eyes which sometimes seem to be blue and sometimes they looked almost green - so he usually tried to charm off the situations. And oh boy, wasn't he the goofiest man you'll ever meet?

Right now, they both went on a search for something great and most probably greater than great. Their adventure lures them into London and France to get the clues they needed and it almost cost their life a few times. And as it usually went, they weren't the only one who was after the treasure. And the outcome usually looked like this - a big loud shootout between Nathan, Sully and "the bad guys", as he called them.

Being a bad guy also truly depended on a point of view in Nathan's world, none of them was only white or only black, everyone had some motivations and some vision because of what they actually did that thing. Some of them wanted glory, some of them wanted money and there were even some of them that went into the fight just because they actually liked to fight. Nathan didn't judge, he didn't care in fact. Everyone in these shady businesses was partly black and partly white, so everyone was grey in the end.

Even Sully and Nathan were pretty grey. Nathan was in the business because of discovering the truth about the past, and yeah, he did that for the glory. And Sully? He went in for the money. There was actually a lot of money in that shady business, more than you would expect.

This world was just too big, it had many sides and nothing was only good or only bad, partially fucked up was maybe the best possible definition when everything went well. And now it didn't go well, oh boy, something went terribly wrong and Sully with Nathan was actually pinned at a gunpoint. They couldn't even move without increasing the chance of being shot right in the ass.

"It looks like they aren't exactly pleased to see us, Sully." Nathan looked at his older friend and throw a grenade in the direction of bad guys. "Haven't you done anything to them?"

"I'm only an old man Nathan. They are more afraid of you than they are afraid of me." Sully laughed with his raspy voice and shot again. And even though he was so much older, he didn't miss his target.

"It's getting ridiculous!" Nathan yelled to the bad guys with his teeth clenched together in almost hurting way. He slowly managed to sneak out of his hideout near Sullivan. Nathan has got enough, he just wanted to cut the chase and get directly to the climax. "Why don't you let us just pass without this theatrics?!" Nathan stuck out his wooden pillar which was getting a ridiculous amount of shots at that point. Big pieces of walls were flying around his head, there were, in fact, huge piles of it everywhere and that place was actually going to fall down in any minute. "You're ruining an archeological goldmine here and you don't even mind it, assholes!"

"Way to go, kiddo, they'll definitely listen to that!" Sully walked forward too and pointed his gun on another of those asshats. Drake had to stay low if he didn't want to die there. He went through serious loads of punches to the face kicks to the stomach, so handling a few of jerks wasn't really a problem for him. So he ran straight to the action, jumping at one man’s back, using him as a shield. But it didn't go as well as Drake planned. Another man hit him with his gun to the temple of his head and Nathan fell down to the dust as another ten men circled around them. He was trapped. 

If anything, Drake served as a great sidetrack of attention for Sully, who started to quietly put man after man down, getting to Nathan the fastest way he could, using literally anything. Even a pile of dust was great to blind the enemy. And as a bonus, he was tall and pretty heavy, so he was great at hand to hand combat.

But there was something, that didn't add up there. There was so a little of the men when they were in such a big mansion. But Nathan didn't exactly think of that that intensely when he had a gun pointed directly into his face.

Sullivan almost didn’t make it so save Nathan’s ass that time. They almost shot Nate to the head when Sully finally managed to get to him and Nate had to give him a grateful look with a small smile.

“You’re alright?” Sully helped Nathan to get on his feet and patted on his shoulder with the intention to clean him from the dust.

"Maybe shocked, but all right." Nate agreed and looked at Sullivan, making his way to touch his bum. The notebook was still there and he longly exhaled. That was the only reason why they got into the fight, after all. And when it was safe in his arms, he just felt relieved.

"You did pretty well, I would say." Sully looked around on that completely destroyed place. That mansion was completely ruined, it was a disaster.

So they slowly and quietly walked out of the room, slow and carefully and not to be seen or heard. It was a long walk through an abandoned sample of mankind's crafting talent standing up in the middle of nowhere in France.

Both of them stopped at a sort of balcony which was created from molded wood that was just corrupted by the time. When they heard voices and steps, both of them shut up and crouched behind semi-broken brick walls. Nathan stuck out his head and tried to find out what's even happening.

"Empty those cans!" They heard a husky voice with a slight feel of the British accent. "Every last drop." The voice said again and Nathan with Sully just looked at each other.

"What the hell are they doing?" Nathan asked. Confusion and a sort of fear could be heard in his voice. Sully had a suspicion, but he didn't say anything out loud because of the fear it could be the truth.

"Hey Sully," Nate smelled the air and frowned. He looked around them and he just figured out that there is something that doesn't add up. There was so little of Marlowe's men, they were just trying to leave that place as soon as possible when Nathan, who had Drake's map in his notebook, was still inside of that building. Normally they would try to chase out the soul out of Nate and Sully. "Can you smell that too?"

Sully breathed the air deeply, looking into Nate's frowned face. He knew that smell very well. "Of course I do know that smell. It smells like,"

"FIRE!" Nathan shouted at the sudden realization, hearing another of the men shout Torch the place down!

"Sully we gotta get out of here," Nathan stated, extending for his gun. At the moment, some of the men noticed them and they started to shoot at them, mostly at Nathan. Drake and Sully didn't have a hard time shooting back, because Sully showed off his shooting skills again.

There wasn't even place for jokes at that time - Nathan felt his heart pounding hard in his chest. He didn't want to burn alive. He kinda liked himself too much for just burning alive. And Sully had someone who would kill Drake once more if he was hurt by his side, that was another reason he had to get sure that both of them manage to escape from that building.

"Ok Nate, go first, I'll cover your back." Sully patted Nathan's shoulder and loaded the revolver up again. Nathan wasn't completely sure about Sully's judgment, but he nodded and started to find a way out, or more like climbing out of the situation.

"Sully shoot 'em down!" Nate shouted over his shoulder with a furious look. Then he jumped over the beam he was hanging on and started finding some soft spots to climb. Sully followed him carefully and even managed to shoot someone down.

Everything went as usual - they almost died like twenty times, punched and shot on some bad guys and Sully had some seriously interesting curse words on his lips. What house was falling down at the speed of the light, which was caused by the old wood which caught on fire easier than normal wood.

They entered some halls which were completely red because of the consuming it without any problem, almost killing them by the pieces of beams falling down. But the worst ones were the staircases which didn't even hold together, there was no chance that they could climb them and yet they had to.

Sully saved Nathan a couple of times just as Nathan did saving him from falling down to the hell made of fire. They actually somehow, don't ask Nathan how because he doesn't know, managed to get to the rooftop and get out of that collapsing building.

Sully practically collapsed on a log there, fighting for every gasp of air he could get. Nathan did too, but he managed to pull back together faster than Sully.

"Here Sully," he offered him help with standing up, but Sully shooked his head and a disapproval gesture.

"Just gimme a sec. You always seem to forget that I have twenty-five years up on ya." Sullivan looked at Nate with frown and Nathan suspect which turn is this conversation about to turn. And oh boy, he wasn't fond of it.

"Oh come on Sully, you're strong as an ox." Nate put his hands on his sides and laughed uneasily at Sully's direction.

"Anyway, what's the hurry? They think we're in that." Sully pointed at the burning mansion and looked at Nate with a serious look. And they were on the path of that speech again.

"We almost were," Nate whispered, looking at the collapsing building again.

"I gotta say I'm losing the point here," Sully admitted with his look directed to Nathan's back. "Remind me again, why are we doing this?"

"No, no, no, no, no. If you're gearing up for one of those "I'm too old for this" speeches, spare me." Nathan turned around and looked Sullivan directly to the face. Sully had his age, he truly did, but that doesn't mean that he'll stop, at least for him.

Victor loved and lived for this kind of life without the option of woking up the next day safe and sound. He loved having adrenaline in his veins, that satisfaction when he shot one of those asshats down. He lived for this and Nathan knew that. And giving Nate speeches about how old he is and feels was his favorite way of torturing Nate.

"Nate these guys are playing for keeps."

"Yeah, so? What? You're just goin' to roll over for 'em now?" Nathan almost shouted with an unbelieving look on his face. If Sully thought about chickening out of this gig, it was already too late.

"Nobody's talking about rolling over," Sully answered in a calming voice. But Nathan was already too angry to calm down instantly.

"Then quit acting like you're ready to lie down and die, all right?" Nathan asked Sully with a frown on his face. He wasn't enjoying that conversation at all.

"Listen, kid. I've your back for twenty years. I'm not going anywhere, obviously. I just wanna make sure we're doing this for the right reasons. You've got your pride all tangled up in this thing. It's making you reckless." Sully stated and Nathan had to turn around to not giving Sullivan other shots.

Victor was right in everything he said and Nathan knew that. But he also knew that it was his life and his pride to discover the legacy of his ancestor. It wasn't the right of some blonde lady who looked like she's about to turn into dust in any minute. And Nate wasn't planning to give up any minute.

"I taught you better than that. Gonna get yourself killed." Sully finally got up and slowly went to Nate. "Damn. Hell, probably get us all killed." Sully slowly cleaned himself from the dust and stood up, putting his hands on his sides and shook his head.

"Oh, no..." Nate whispered and his eyes widened in the realization.

"What?" Sully asked while Nathan turned at him.

"Cutter and Chloe." Nathan reminded him and Sully's heart almost stopped too.

"Sully if we were followed, chances are they were too."

"Oh shit," Sully whispered and knew what is Nate trying to say. "We gotta warm them."

"Yeah, and get to Syria fast." Nate agreed and the moments Sully looked like he just saw a ghost. He could see the fear in his eyes and him gasping for air.

"And what about her?" Sully realized slowly that she was in danger too. Nathan took Sully's shoulder to his hand and shook him in a calming way.

"Sully, she would definitely kick those assholes into one small ball if they tried to hurt her in any way. Don't worry." Nathan promised him in low voice and Sully looked little relieved. Nathan was sure that she would be ok.

That person was Sully's soft spot and his only other two soft spots were his ailments (like his cigars and airplanes or money) and Nathan's life.

"Sure hope you remember where we left the car, 'cause I've completely turned around," Sully exclaimed as they walked from the mansion at a fast pace.

[maneaterwithtail]

Fangbone PageとScreen

Yep, another at long last, I have a terminal some free time, and some actual encouragement.

Sorry but as these screenshots from me from a hastily web-based editor ... but well I just gotta continue

Shout outs to @badkunrules @brusk-ghost @nubeth @cricketgreens @its-yasleepygal @ghostofawolf300 @vaultpanda101 @rosy319 @cartoonfan7 @tortugadechocolate

And not forgotten the aid of

 @book-series-fandom and @cordset

And any other Suburban Barbarians I missed and I hope you keep with the encouragement or make or share love of your own of the series

Again this is as amateur as gets but hope to have some insights and sometimes, with a web project, its about just keeping it going.  And thanks for the encouragement to do thatl

I updated the last installment for a *brief* look on how the toe ended up in Bill’s backpack and Fangbone ends up meeting him compared to the graphic novel

This is, now that I think about it, really and VERY strongly where the two stories and depictions diverge.  GN Fangbone is sly, wily, and cunning. But with our increased kinetic action.... well

Fangbone accuses Bill, ignorant of everything of theft but the Krakken catches up snatches him yanks him about, to comedic affect and then...throws him

With REMARKABLE Hangtime,

Moreso factoring in the scene where Bill is in his PJs, presumably after dinner being tucked in by his mother, notices glow and effluvium from it leading to the toes discovering presumbling parallel to the above.

Likely screaming and flying some hours in the air 

He does need a nap.

Needless to say this if VERY different from his ‘infiltration’ into class 3-G of the same day

TBF the Forging of Friendship is combination of the Summit of Swords plot, where the Shadowsteppers and Mighty Lizard Clan meet to negotiate their feud to non-mutual extinction levels, AND the flashback to the cartoon’s version of their first adventure.

The change up in pacing as well as circumstances lead for a more dramatic arc and number of action scenes as to the immediate friendship that forms then grows stronger as the stakes get more severeof the GN.  And also illustrate the difference between GN and CN Fangbone and Bill.

Like so,

 as on the next day, and start of the next Flashback framed as Bill reasoning with Axebear on a trampoline and Fangbone with One-Eyed the Slippery at Weinerdogs, Bill is admiring the toe when fangbone attacks

. . .Or tries too

Despite this amazing lack of tactical comprehension and proof of his safety Bill panics and RUNS OUTSIDE where

He is snatched up by a prepared trap, which does show while more obviously buffoonish this Fangbone DOES have his own means and cunning.  In fact this slightly turns around the near constant humiliation and embarrassment that’s been befalling our favorite 3rd grade barbarian.

While STILL insisting Bill is a thief this is where, unable to show you proper with just pictures (please don’t get struck down) 

We finally get their first proper meeting and for all that its got Fangbone raging and being stubborn its actually a nice bit of characterization for both individually and set up for how we can see these two getting along.

Taylor and Colin really deserve a thumbs up for the rapidfire overlap filled with characterization.  As Bill seems more intrigued and gleeful and Fangbone is fronting.  To a degree, he HAS to know this is *his* screw up and he’s projecting some and puffing himself up to assert himself over his plain as day weakness and poor performance and confusion.

Bill does prove not *quite* as foolish as thought, between jumping out of the door it seems he hid the toe in a gambit.

This is sort of the closest analogue in the GN

Eventually Bill is cut down 

questions fangbone and then reveals where hid toe, his locker, 

But then finds it *wiggling* and that means

Heh, the CN REALLY emphasizes action in these encounters as the characterization, buildup, and worldbuilding is in the framing device... and also past episodes. 

 Fangbone is eager to stand his ground and “dance the dance of death”  But Bill, as can imagine, RUNS

This leads to Fangbone being distracted at the fleeing toe and gaining concussion number six or so (this episode) running after pursued by krakken.

As can see we really don’t emphasize the bond with the class this episode or encounter them as the GN was building things up with Fangbone and establishing a more...well I’m not sure mature but as least not the same overaggressive character.  Plus setting, and general sense of boys adventure written and pictured story.

I mean GN Fangbone knows to ask to be excused to “make droppings” During which we get the stranger in a strangeland cliches people can note like this

Also meet Duncan,  he didn’t make the adaptation.  At all.  Not even a hint.

PRAISE BE TO STONEBACK (and his prophets Simon Racioppa and Richard Elliott)  But seriously ANOTHER character difference

Like night and day.  Part of it is the style choices in the artforms.  Fangbone even when gesticulating never seems that out of it.  And he handles this challenge smoothly and like he knows what he’s doing.  whereas, admittedly because unlike this one which hasn’t have a different battle (aside from a rusted scrapheap) we haven’t seen him fail or tricked yet.  In fact he’s, more out of luck but still, being the clever one.

This is even more of a divergence.  See In the GN Fangbone is very focused on mission and life.  While it is here at long last we see monsters, though some were in a narrated flashback to the class, attack Fangbone and see the writhing of the foul footfinger macguffin of Morg

And the attack of the first of three monsters

the Dirt devil trio

Admittedly not the most clever or involved of fights but they indicate Bill’s quick wit and how this will contribute to Fangbone and Bill’s friendship and battles.  At first Bill thinks Fangbone is cool and has obvious vulnerabilities. They talk and interact.  Bill sees fangbone triumph over things big to him that are as nothing to Fangbone.

And Fangbone sees the immediate benefit to Battle in bill’s awareness, dovetailing with his ambitions to build an army, making him remarkably more controlled and yet less obedient or drone like? Less a model barbarian?  Its just something that stands out.

Also this leads to a feature of both series, what every adventurous duo needs hideouty/digs

Cavebania is found and was introduced to Fangbone by Bill.  This is a touch that’s put aside in the Forging of Friendship but a similar scene could be 

afterwards with Bill freaking out at home somehow ditching Kraken and Fangbone by bus, hoping he doesn’t know what one is and then.  okay damn

Again after the near humilation conga of incompentence Fangbone is proving himself more than the buffoon he’s played as the closer his and Bill’s worlds meet.

What happens is the series taking advantage of motion and set up action scenes happening so fast aren’t robbed of threat or excitement.. even if the direct confrontation is ended 

Because fangbone impaled his sword at a door and Bill pulled out a cheap plastic light up toy that scares him.

But then bill *gets it* Fangbone “isn’t from around here” and this is the scene it feels they genuinely calm down and commiserate.  Fangbone finally being allowed to chill Bill returns the toe .. then it writhes

Fangbone actually suggests luring it to Bill’s room as believes it will trap and confuse and scare it like it has him.  But instead...

Another opening image shout out

As they pedal away to better ground as Fangbone awkwardly rides in back swording off arms in desperate attempt to avoid attack.

Really the differences is this is more near the end of the series and giving us a lot of charming firsts, made all the moreso with the framing device, how we see Fangbone can be loudspoken and childish but plenty focused and consider even wise, to a degree, as to overly severe and fruitless.  Bill is more childish but more...socially aware and intrigued.  And that exchanging of names works to get them on the same page and already cooperating and appreciating each other more.

The GN is building the concept and characters from ground up  Taking its time.  It also gives us more sense of two pals growing closer as to a whirlwind happenstance slamming them together.

But the snappy action and turn and reversals in such short time is efficient in the television series, while the more casual development of a regular day of a refugee also trying to see to his objectives is also nice in the graphic novel.

And the Graphic novel has even more encounters, including the more... involved bit about Fangbone and Bill’s developing friendship along with Fangbone’s with 3-G.

[thecartoonarchivist]

Weekly Spotlight #3

Alrighty!! Onto week 3 of the Weekly Spotlight!

In honor school starting up for many individuals all around the U.S. in the next week or two, I’m going to be discussing the TV show--- Drum roll, please!

*a very vibrant drum roll*

Class of 3000!

When I first decided to do a Weekly Spotlight on this show, the only thing I could really remember about this show was part of its theme song. Not the intro itself, but its theme song. To be completely honest, I often find myself humming it or playing it over in my head when I’m doing tasks that don’t require a whole lot of thinking. I also remember an old flash game that Cartoon Network used to have on their website but... that’s not really conducive to this Spotlight.

I have the distinct feeling that when you hear the theme song, a lot of you will start to remember it too. Warning! This theme song is will get stuck in your head if you’re not careful. You have been warned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSpEd7XI1Fg

To give a little bit of background into this series, this show was produced in a joint venture between the Tom Lynch Company, Andre 3000, and Cartoon Network. Some of you may know Andre 3000 (a.k.a. André Benjamin) as a famous rapper, part of a duo known as Outkast. For those of you who don’t know who this individual is (like me,) Andre 3000 is the musical genius behind the famous hit, “Hey ya!” and worked with other famous individuals in the hip hop genre such as Drake, Jay-Z, B.o.B., Lil’ Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, and many others. To say that Andre 3000 is talented would be an understatement. Of course, going into this, I was a bit skeptical since a lot of series based on famous personalities not only tend to age extremely poorly, but also because the entire foundation for the series itself ends up being built on very shaky ground in the first place.

That being said, rewatching a couple episodes of this series, I ended being shocked at how charming and unique this series was. I actually could believe how much of this show I had ended up forgetting and instantly started to wonder whether or not I realized how good it was when it was still airing.

So! The premise: Sunny Bridges is a famous musician that has many individuals that look up to him as an idol, including a local Atlanta, Georgia boy named Lil’ D. However, having spent so long in the music industry with its main goal to make more money, Sunny has lost his love of music and decides to quit the music business. Lil’ D, having lost both his idol and his school music teacher in the same day, is completely heartbroken along with the rest of his other musical classmates. Desperate to find a new music teacher, the class band together to help raise money for a new hire. After a series of quirky events and shenanigans, Sunny becomes aware of their plight and decides to become their new music teacher. And that’s the basic situation that sets up for the rest of series. The show then follows the wacky situations and crazy solutions that Sunny and the rest of the music class come up with in order to solve their outlandish problems.

And honestly? This show was fantastic. For a show that premiered over ten years ago, I’m completely shocked by not only how relevant the show continues to be, but also how well all of it has aged!

I think one of the things that works in its favor is the strangely unique character designs. Sure, they have the iconic noodley arms, lack of ten fingers, and very exaggerated defining features. But all of it is done in such a way that leaves an imprint on your mind that these characters are their own thing. It’s their own style and their own personalities that even simple “archetypes” fail to do justice to their own individuality. And I absolutely loved it.

One of the things about this series is that it prioritizes fun over everything else. And when I say that, I absolutely mean it. Everything about this series absolutely screams experimentation: from the hand-painted, messy, watercolored backgrounds, to the bizarre, psychedelic, music sequences, you can tell that the creators of this tv show just when hog-wild with it and simply had fun. The jokes are corny, yet surprisingly real. The situations are over-the-top and ridiculous. The dialogue is quick-witted and snappy. I even caught some insane subtle 80′s pop-culture references, such as references to Jumpman (the original Super Mario game) and Flashdance, complete with their own water scene and references to Michael Sembello’s hit song “Maniac.” And the craziest part about all of this? I had fun too.

Did all of it age great? Certainly not. The music sequences constantly made me question: Am I high? Did someone slip something into my drink? 

(Yes. This all came from the same exact show. No, I am not joking.)

Some of the music absolutely screamed early 2000′s. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZhXkq9kTNk&index=5&list=PLBB2FE6AE00856C63

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn_EGLtOVGU&index=6&list=PLBB2FE6AE00856C63

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XBRMpvW_mQ&list=PLBB2FE6AE00856C63&index=11

At times, some of the jokes and the writing felt predicable. But honestly, when you put “fun” first and foremost in this series, those flaws don’t seem as completely egregious as your first impression lets you believe.

The music, overall, was extremely catchy. The comedic timing was spot on. Even the situations, although blown completely out of proportion, felt so realistic that I was reminded of my own headaches and frustrations living through music class in high school. Honestly, this series was just fun, interesting, and a great breath of fresh air after watching so many cartoons that use the same episodic formula with no love in what they do. 

So from a musical standpoint, how does it fair? Is it actually, you know, accurate?

The thing about this series is that it didn’t focus on musical lessons per say. Yes, they did have lessons that hearken back to my high school days in the band room with my director standing at the podium, waving his baton like there was no tomorrow. But really, these lessons were more life lessons wrapped up in musical clothing. The pilot opens up with the idea that you shouldn’t forget where you came from; you may want to leave this place behind and throw away all the things that you considered “boring” and “uneventful” but when you get out into the real world, you start to appreciate all the things that made you who you are now. And that lesson? In a kids’ tv show?!  That’s crazy. I could feel myself reflecting on each moral with every passing episode, and I just was surprised on how real it was. I never felt like I was being talked down to, or that the production team was cutting corners, just for the sake of putting out another episode; really, I just felt this outpouring of love and passion into a crazy project that felt like the creators never thought it’d see the light of day. 

As a musician, however, I’m able to notice a few inconsistencies here and there that make the magic less ever so slightly. I was a little disappointed to find that a lot of times whenever the character Madison, a derpy, blonde violinist with a heart of gold, it wasn’t played by a true violin; in all reality, a lot of the music that was supposedly played by Madison was actually just a synthesizer. (In English, that means that they had a violinist play each individual note from lowest to highest; record it; and then use those recording on an electronic keyboard, so that they can play it as if you play a piano. It’s very hard to spot the difference, but as a violinist myself, the difference is rather stark for my ears.) I can understand why they did this--- hiring a violinist for every small violin sound that your character makes just doesn’t make sense on a cartoon budget. Still, it saddens me how little there was of actual violin audio. Speaking of violins and “faking” sounds, I also found that the music that was playing and the music that the kids were supposedly “making” had a surprising disconnect. Often, I see scenes where Tamika, a sassy harpist, Madison, and even Eddie, the rich clarinet player, were all playing and yet... those instruments were clearly absent from the song. Again, the rule of fun first, but still... it always urks me as a musician to see instruments playing when they are obviously not playing in the song. It just looks so stupid. 

There were also a lesson or two that I felt were very important life lessons but were a little... lacking in the musical department. Take “Peanuts! Get Yer Peanuts!” for example. Sunny opens up with a question on what he should start teaching as a music teacher, as he has never done it before. Kam suggests that they do finger exercises, as that’s what their old music teacher used to do. Sunny, instead, decides that he’s going to have the kids be “artistically free” and just... play what calls to them. Have fun with it! Play what it feels like to be in a cave, or on a busy street, or to knock the walls down! What Sunny fails to realize in this situation is that, although having fun with your instrument and feeling what the music is trying to tell you is important, “finger exercises” are the foundation of good playing. Are they boring? Absolutely. Are they tedious? Oh, sweet Macy, yes! But are they important? You better bet your bottom dollar they are! If you can’t play at all, how are you supposed to play challenging music? How are you supposed to play what you feel when you can’t even play with good form? Having fun with your playing is important; you aren’t going to even pick up your instrument if you aren’t having fun. But if you don’t have a certain level of discipline, there’s no way in hell that you’ll ever succeed on a professional level as a musician. That’s just how it works. Of course, the lesson in this episode is focused on working together and how important communication is when working as a group, but I still felt that this... inaccuracy gave a false representation on how being a musician actually works.

But at the end of the day, this is a show about having fun with your art as well as learning some life lessons on the side.

Overall, this show is extremely charming. The jokes were extremely clever and enjoyable. (Tamika: Are you sure you saw Sunny Bridges go this way? Lil’ D: Unless I mistook him for a bear driving a Jaguar. *Bear speeds off in a sports car* Lil’ D: That was a Lamborghini!) And the art was something interesting and stunning to look at. I was surprised over and over by the limits that they tried to take with this show (how many new and interesting was can you draw caricatures of your own cartoon drawings?!) and honestly, this show was just some good wholesome fun. 

Rating this show, I’d have to give it an 8 out of 10. 

It was great. A little weird at times, sure! But that’s the cool thing about experimentation--- you get some weird stuff sometimes. This series is going to the top of my rewatch list because, really, I remember so little about it and the show was so enjoyable that I absolutely want to sit down to relive all the silly adventures that the Class of 3000 will bring me. 

I highly recommend you give this show a chance and see what it’ll give you. You never know--- you might just have a little fun while you’re at it.

[Edit (8/23/2018): I forgot the read more tab... *deep sigh*]

[Edit (9/22/2018): How the fuck did I miss tagging this as the Weekly Spotlight?!? I am so sorry!]

[Edit (11/21/2018): Fixed a broken tagging system.]

If there are any corrections you’d like to make in regards to this post, please feel free to send me a message with your corrections and I’ll get back to it as soon as I can!

Do you remember a cartoon your friends have never heard of? Got a scene from an animated film that you’re dying to know the name to? Send your questions to The Cartoon Archivist and I’ll see what I’ve got in the vault!

[spiceukonline]

Georgia Meets "Dark Pop" Duo City Conga

THE first thing I notice about City Conga before the interview has even started is how accommodating they are.

A few days before the interview is due to take place, I confess to one-half of the music duo that as hard as I may try, I am not a London girl and cannot think of a “cool” enough interview location. Taking pity on my country ways, they email me a location and we sit down to chat in The Troubadour in Earls Court, which is possibly the most indie bar I’ve ever stepped foot in.

In typical “me” fashion, I walk straight past them to the other end of the bar, looking hopelessly lost, until one of them taps me on the shoulder. This is 22-year-old James-Eden Hutchinson, who I will come to learn likes to refer to himself in the third person. He’s dressed like an advert for Urban Outfitters, and I will spend the whole interview trying to match up his aesthetic against his well-spoken demeanour.

He embraces me and tells me it’s “lovely” to see me again, and introduces himself to my photographer, before pointing over to where his other half, 23-year-old Dan Choppen, is sitting. Dan does not get up when we approach him and watches us cautiously, and I instantly notice he appears a lot more reserved than James, who seems eager to please. Dan’s aesthetic is what I call “effortless,” dressed in a simple T-shirt featuring a scene from a movie I am nowhere near cool enough to have seen.

By this point, I’m confused about a lot of things. I’m confused about how these two found each other, confused about what genre of music they belong to and furthermore, still confused about how to operate the Circle and District line.

Firstly though, I want to address where in the world they got the name “City Conga,” and whether they are aware it has the potential to sound like the next dance craze or a strip club in Soho.

James (left) and Dan (right).

Dan admits that they went through a lot of potential names, but the penny finally dropped for him after spending a weekend back home. ‘I thought about the massive contradiction between the city, the business people doing the 9-5 type thing, and students like us stressing about not having a job after uni,’ says Dan, ‘and then I just got this image of all the business boys in like a conga dancing to work. I came back and said to James and he was like “that sounds cool.”’

Cool indeed, and that’s the vibe they seem so keen to give off, so much so that I feel artsier just breathing the same air as them.

James and Dan met when they were both students at The University of Westminster, studying mixed media arts. I nod when they mention this last part, even though I have no idea what such a degree entails. Initially working on their own “soundscapes,” they eventually “jumped in” on each other’s solo work and began writing together. Not only are they now one another’s bandmate, but they also live together and are best friends.  How do they work together when they’re always in each other’s space?

Dan explains the creative collaboration process in possibly one of the best-worst analogy I’ve ever heard. ‘It’s kind of like that game you played as a kid called “hot potato,”’ he says, (it should be noted that I never played this game as a child), ‘I’ll have the potato and then I’ll chuck it on to James, and then he’ll add something and then I’ll add something and then the potato is perfectly cooked at the end.’

They admit that their “sound” is difficult to describe, and having seen them perform live, I would also agree. Experimental, angsty and synth heavy, their vibe is reminiscent of The 1975 or The Neighbourhood, without the poppy overtones and the floppy-haired poster boy. I recall being at a recent gig of theirs not being sure whether to sway thoughtfully, whoop like a teenage girl or start forming a mosh pit.

So how would they describe their sound to someone who was approaching it for the first time?

They look at each other as if they’re sharing some kind of inside joke that I’m not allowed to be privy to.

‘We’ve come up with a one liner,’ says Dan finally.

After a prolonged and slightly awkward hesitation, James pipes up: ‘I want to say Dark Renaissance.’

‘Dark Renaissance?’ I repeat uneasily, which perhaps gives the impression that I’m challenging his creative authority because in a moment of insecurity he backpedals and says “I’m not quite sure that fits.

Dan tries to save James from the hole he has dug himself, but that doesn’t go to plan either. “We say dark pop duo because influences range from…it’s weird really because one minute we’re listening to the Clash and the next minute we’re listening to Biggie.”

Biggie? I didn’t see that one coming.

“Yeah, I guess I’m slightly more hip-hop, broken beat more like actually DJing and producing music,” says James.

Who would be their dream collaboration?

‘I mean Kanye West would be class,’ James declares. I didn’t see that one coming either.

‘I just find him so intriguing and interesting,’ he elaborates, ‘and even if you try not to like him, I think his ability to instigate and play around with his image and music and everything that he’s pioneered is just very, very interesting. I’d just love to see how his brain works.’

“Dark pop” aside, they seem to be quite positive individuals. There is a sense of charming awkwardness about Dan and a sense that he would happily give you his undivided attention for hours on end. James is careful with his words and avoids eye contact, so much so that multiple times I wasn’t sure if he was talking to himself or not.

But they are fun and interesting, and to all intents and purposes, just like us regular young folk. They enjoy nights out (Peckham’s infamous “Soultrain” is a joint favourite night of theirs), are partial to a bit of laddish debauchery and despite seeming to have it all figured out, come across as being a bit lost post-graduation.

  “Having a diverse range of musical influences is really important. There’s so much stuff out there now.”

  Listening to the one song available on their Soundcloud called “Family Feud,” I’m surprised such dark lyrics could’ve been created inside the minds of the two charismatic lads in front of me. Are their lyrics always so dark and damning?

Dan laughs, aware that they’re never going to be asked to debut on a Disney soundtrack anytime soon. ‘I think our lyrics do often take quite dark turns, maybe because of our course. The lecturers were always like “you’re never going to be able to buy your own house,” “you’re always going to be struggling for money,” “you’re going to die alone,” and we’re like “fucking hell.” And then as the course developed, we realised that there’s a lot of shit wrong with the media industry, and I think that’s where a lot of dystopian or apocalyptic blues all stems from.’

The mood shifts and I suddenly want to order an entire bottle of wine to myself. ‘I mean, “Family Feud” is probably the most depressing song we’ve got,’ Dan clarifies.

What’s so wrong with the media industry then, I ask, aware that the answer is most likely “everything.” 

‘Fake news’ says Dan, and I subconsciously clutch my notebook tighter to my chest, aware that as a journalist, I’m the creative industry’s public enemy #1.

‘The thing that really winds me up, I see it on my Facebook all the time, is that people believe anything they’re given. People say “oh my God, so-and-so did this,” but I’m like yeah but where did that come from? Billybob’snews.org.biz.za or something saying shit and everyone’s like “oh, it must be real.”’

This is the most animated I’ve seen Dan thus far, and I’m slightly taken aback but also want to hear more of what he has to say about the very industry he’s trying to break into.

James fails to outdo Dan on this one, telling me that we’ve “slightly been sold a lie” by the media, and I think reading too much George Orwell can sometimes be a bad thing in situations such as these.

Despite their differences in just about everything, it is that difference, at its very core, that seems to make City Conga what it is and has acted as a help, rather than a hindrance to their collective project.

‘I’d never think to do some of the stuff [Dan] says,’ James confesses, ‘but then [he] does it and I’m like “wow, I was wrong, that was quite good!” And same with me, I’ll be like what about some bongos here and he’s like “really?” and then we do it. Diversity is important, there’s so much stuff out there now.’

They both seem to realise that they have chosen an ever-saturated market to break into. Are they worried that they’ll never “make it?”

James disappears off into his own world again and seems hopeful. ‘ I guess sometimes it’s a challenge to make any noise at all because so many people are doing it,’ he ponders, ‘it’s wicked now that with like £20 you can buy a little sim thing and you can write an album on it and upload it and two million people can hear it. But I guess sometimes it’s like, you wonder…’

Dan finishes his sentence as it becomes clear James is about to venture off into his own personal monologue. ‘How are we going to get ourselves heard?’

On Saturday night, where they play a live set at The Water Rats in King’s Cross, they appear to answer their own question. Playing to a larger audience and their sound significantly more fine-tuned than the last time I saw them, they seem to be actually enjoying themselves this time, even if James’s interpretation of dancing was a bit dodgy, but 10/10 for comedic value.

Dan clocks me after the gig and admires my “dedication” since I have to make it back home to Kent from here. I joke about being eligible for a free T-shirt, and he says I’m like their “no. 1 fan,” by which he means to say “crazed groupie.” I’m not sure whether now is the appropriate time to tell him that my attendance was a personal challenge to see how much I would need to drink to approach edgy indie boys who play the guitar. I wouldn’t say no to a free T-shirt, though.

Nonetheless, with promises of “plenty” more music and a lit music video to come, the conga line is only just getting started.

 City Conga’s EP “For Our Friends” is available on Soundcloud and Spotify 

You can also stay updated on all things City Conga via their Facebook, Instagram and YouTube (yay, new fans) 

WORDS by Georgia Chambers (@Just_GeorgiaSD)

PHOTOS by Robert Bruce (@RobBruceK)

[rndyounghowze]

Anything Goes at Hammonton High School in Hammonton, NJ

By: Ricky Young-Howze **Note: Please read my disclaimer below** Hammonton High School took on a monumental task with their production of Anything Goes. This Cole Porter musical with book by P. G. Wodehouse, Guy Bolton, Howard Lindsay, and Russel Crouse is full of old timey wit and humor, elaborate dance routines, and music from the Broadway Canon. That is a tall order. However with director Marissa Carafiello this musical sailed away and took us all on a pleasure cruise! If you don’t know the story let me fill you in. Nightclub singer (and sometimes evangelist) Reno Sweeney (played by Montana Macrie) is traveling from New York to England. Billy Crocker (played by Sam Mossop), her pal, has stowed away to be near his love, Hope Harcourt (played by Julia Gibbons). We find, however, that Hope is engaged to the wealthy Sir Evelyn Oakleigh (Brendan Rucci). Reno and Moonface Martin (played by Zachary Taglioli) join forces to help Billy win Hope’s affection. Look out for elaborate disguises, gags, laughs, and a lot of singing and dancing. Now let's talk about our actors. Macrie as Sweeney had a voice that reached so high that it pinged the harp strings of real angels up in heaven. She could dance and sing very well and Just had this energy that really filled the whole stage. And she needs to with songs like “I Get a Kick Out of You” and “Anything Goes” which she does all by her lonesome. One’s a whole lot of energy and the other is a heartfelt torch song. Macrie tackled them both beautifully. Reno forms a comedic duo with Taglioli as Moonface Martin. His voice and his one liners kept us laughing and you could feel his energy coming out of his performance. That's something I always love to see. Mossop as Billy Crocker completed the trifecta. It's surprising to see a little kid with the voice of an old time crooner. Hear him do a verse of “You're the Top” or “All Through the Night” and you tell me if I'm wrong. I could tell he was having fun and because of that I had fun too. This trio has several moments together. My favorite one is the musical number “Friendship”. All three of them danced and sang their hearts out. I never thought of that song as a standout in the musical but with the performance these kids do it's now one of my top five. My supporting standouts in this show are Brendan Rucci who played Sir Evelyn and Alexis Rudisel who played Bonnie. Rucci took on the hard part of making a comedic character like Oakley not just likeable but believable. It takes some talent not just to make us laugh but make us feel something about the character. Rudisel also had a true comedic talent and made me like Bonnie. I never like Bonnie in this play! But not only did she turn on the charm but she also wowed us with her own song and dance number in “The Heaven Hop”. She really wowed me and I found myself watching her in other dance numbers. It's a hard thing to command attention that much. My background shoutouts go out to Skye Egan and Mr. Bill Willman. Egan kept my attention in their work as a sailor and ensemble. Whatever it was they were doing onstage they managed to do it with gusto. Mr. Willman was a teacher mixing it up with students and playing what some people may call a trivial part. But he did his part well and showed his kids that no matter what you're doing you strive to do it well. This musical was directed by Marissa Carrafiello. She is the Chorus Teacher at Hammonton and she also served as the vocal director. This part is really important because you can tell she put in the time with the kids to make sure they got every note correct and that all the musical numbers really shone. I do feel that the comedy gags and talking scenes take the passenger seat to the music in this production. The songs and dance numbers didn't dazzle dazzled so the other scenes paled in comparison. That's not a bad thing and all the kids did amazing job. There were just some little comedic timing issues and dropped jokes that I really hope get more emphasis in tonight's production. Carrafiello did, however, do the best job organizing an ensemble that I have seen this season. A ship is a bustling hub of people and I felt those people all the time during the performance. They never steal the limelight but you always seem to know that they are there. I was very impressed that Carrafiello constantly worked in background actors in such a way that I didn't really notice them until they were exactly where they needed to be for a big dance number. It's like they're invisible one moment and then they spring out the next. It is so hard to do that (trust me I know) and she did it very well. I'm actually very jealous! Dawn Baldwin choreographed the dance numbers. She deserves a medal! This musical has a couple full company numbers numbers like “Anything Goes” and “Blow, Gabriel, Blow”. To get a mixed group of actors doing the same thing at once is hard. To get them all to tap dance and not drop the beat is a miracle. She also choreographed several dance numbers with the Angels that I really loved. You have to go see them for yourself. The musical numbers of this show really made my night. Conductor Tim White brought Cole Porter’s music to the stage with a fourteen piece orchestra that really raised the roof. I could also tell that he collaborated with Carrafiello to make sure that the orchestra didn't overpower the actors onstage. It's very easy for a great orchestra in the pit to drown out the singers by sheer force of volume. I've seen it happen in other shows but it never happened here. I want to know their secret. Set designer John Toothman is an art wizard and found a way to take a show that has a set that doesn't change much from production to production and make it new. In just about every production out there there is an empty downstage with the raised top deck of the ship backstage. But in this production the set folds out to reveal two inner staterooms. I have never seen this done with this show and I'm amazed at how well it worked! You have to go see this show just to see how it's done. All in all this was a great show for a music department to do. This is a superb collaboration between the choral and the music department. The music wows us and the dancing dazzles us. More importantly you see a department that knows exactly what it can do and showcases its best talent. And most importantly the kids have fun and the audience goes on the ride with them. That is the most precious part of any Highschool musical. Running Time: Two hours and twenty-two minutes with a ten minute intermission. Anything Goes runs until March 25 at 7 PM at Hammonton High School. You can buy tickets at the door. **Disclaimer/Disclosure: I am a substitute teacher for the Hammonton school district. My paycheck does not pay me to write nice things about them. The nice things and opinions I share about all the schools I visit are my own and I receive no promise of compensation, promotion, or employment for my work.**