#IZ JtHM crossover

[snappedsky]

@jhonen-character-poll

Wanted to draw something as a poll finale. It's not surprising that Zim is first, but it is surprising that he's the only Zim character in the top three. And it's truly astonishing that Devi is second. She deserves it though.

Zim better be careful. Those are Jhonen's two most powerful characters behind him.

[red-dye40]

my confession of the evening is that last summer i suddenly remembered this zadr fic i read on livejournal in 2008 called tuesday means ufos and i found it and reread the whole thing and that’s what got me back into writing fics

[adhdbisexualramblings]

Was scrolling through my notes app and

PLEASE WHAT DOES THIS MEAN??? I NEED TO KNOW?????

[catversary]

M-MY TALLEST!!

[laloward]

WORLDS BEST AND WORST UNCLE

[poobit]

OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG SOMEONE REPOSTED APARTMENT STORY OUT OF THE FF.NET GRAVE (PLEADIN)

[arzenart]

そろそろ消えてもらうよ、センパイ。

@snapped-pencil

[messinwitheddie]

Squee "I know I have a lot of nerve showing my face in this house considering...

But, my dad kicked me out. Officially. And... a few days ago, I got this email from some kid...She says she's my younger sister...

I hate myself for asking you this, but... I know you would do me this favor without my asking, so, here it goes...

Can I stay here a few days until I sort shit out...?

...

...Thanks, Nny."

[anthropwashere]

I really ought to dig through my favorites on AO3 and start saving all the ones that I can still genuinely call my favorite long after I first read them. I know every writer out there has every right to take down their work or delete their accounts, but I've lost far too many beautifully written stories that I still miss years later.

[yoaridk]

Walking quietly Down by the street ... when ... 😂😂

Zim looks too familiar to Todd 👀👀...

A little Crossover between Invader Zim and Squee, this Fanart was from last year 😅

[glassparty]

my headcanon is that Dib is a fan of the Happy Noodle Boy comics by Johnny ‘Nny’ C.

[snappedsky]

I’m having fun with @jhonen-character-poll so here’s the Fanatics crew asking- or not asking- for their vote

[red-dye40]

For the fic writing game - 1 & 4 plz! I hope your day gets better soon 💚

1.the last sentence you wrote

this is my last sentence from ancaux!

Her adrenaline runs so high and so cold she practically feels it pouring out of her ears.

4. a story idea you haven’t written yet

i have this stupid stupid idea for an iz jthm crossover fic where dib uncovers and subsequently reanimates nny’s corpse in membrane labs and they come to find out that nny was membrane’s first attempt at cloning. so then he kinda becomes dib and gaz’s very disturbed older sibling and then it veered off into more scifi horror territory w some wastelock alien lore blah blah blah basically i don’t enjoy writing for iz characters like i did way back when so i don’t think it will ever happen but i think it’s funny.

[spacebabe51]

OK so a couple people seemed interested in the fic rec list so here it is. I haven’t done one of these before so keep in mind this is just my personal likes, and idk if this is usual but i’m also going to put my little mini reviews + warnings (not content warnings but anything I think might deter someone from reading) on them so you kind of know what to expect. Obviously I can’t vouch for any of the authors on this list as I don’t know any of them personally, so if some fic ends up being written by a heinous person just know I didn’t raise them that way. List under the cut: 

OK! Without further ado, I’m going to be ranking these in descending order down to my all-time favorite, but first I'm going to add two fics that are kind of nebulous to rank because they are both crossovers. If I were going to rank them, both would be near the top of the list.

“Now You’re Thinking With Real Science” by Jaywings

This fic is just insanely good. It’s a Portal 2 crossover, and even for two franchises that already seem to blend together really well with the same brand of darkly humorous cyberpunk themes, it does a really good job of fitting the world and characters together in a way that makes perfect sense. Everything flows together really well, and every character from a large cast of characters is well handled and gets a chance to do something (or have something done to them). Fair warning, there are a few pretty intense scenes, and this one is as of yet unfinished, but still updating, and I highly recommend it. 

Warnings: This fic makes me want to like wheatley again and I won't, dammit. I refuse. Die you traitorous metal ball.

“Mad World” by iamwriting

This is a crossover between IZ and Jhonen Vasquez’ other most famous work, his horror/black comedy comic series Johnny the Homicidal Maniac. For those that have never read any of Vasquez' other work, it’s safe to say that JTHM makes Invader Zim look like Blue’s Clues, so fair warning before going into it this fic is dark. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s depressing, but it certainly handles very heavy themes (insanity, suicide...murder, obviously) and doesn’t pull punches. That said, it really surprised me just how well-crafted, compelling and moving this fic is. By the time I was finished with it, all the plot threads had pulled together so tightly I had to go back and reread chapters just to confirm that oh, yeah- I didn’t imagine that, the author set that up so subtly I didn’t even notice. An absolute 10/10 for plot, mood, and how well it kept me engaged (I spent an entire workday feverishly reading this and didn’t even notice the time pass) with a powerful and satisfying payoff. 

Warnings: This story is told in a very restricted first person pov, which can sometimes feel awkward, but is necessary for setting up an unreliable narrator. Characters, particularly Zim, can also sometimes feel ooc, but this too has an in-fic explanation that I won’t spoil.

OK! Enough crossovers, onto the ranked fics:

#6: “Hey, Spacejerk” by HeCallsMeHisChild

This particular author and her series of fics were some of the first that I read in the fandom, and one thing I can say with absolute certainty is that she has the most original ideas I’ve ever seen. Hey Spacejerk is strange, and that’s not a bad thing. It starts out as sort of a self-contained exploration of isolation with elements of psychological horror, and blossoms into something totally different by the end. If you don’t mind suspending disbelief and being taken along for the ride, I really think this it's an enjoyable read, with a strange but satisfying conclusion. 

Warnings: not really an issue for me, but this fic was written before the movie release, and Prof. Membrane takes on a villain-like role in this story so if that’s a deal breaker, you’ve been warned. 

#5 “A Parade of Indignities” by RissyNicole 

A LOT has been said about this fic and how good it is that there’s almost not much left to say. This story is epic in scope and very good at maintaining the nail-biting suspense it sets up early on. Supporting characters who didn’t get much focus in the show are a big part of this one, and help the world feel more fleshed out and alive. This story isn’t finished, and I have to admit I’m actually not caught up with it, but regardless. The fandom considers this one a must-read and I do too. 

Warnings: If you are an anxious hypochondriac like me this one can be a psychological horror as well! Little added bonus :)

#4 “Important Messages From Beyond the Stars” by myrskytuuli

This one is very niche and catered to my interests. I love stories that utilize the Resisty, and I'm an absolute sucker for anything exploring Zim’s time working as a scientist on Vort. Is it canon compliant? Not even close. Is it fully in character? Highly debatable, but this fic rec list needs some of the heartwarming found family healing only fanfic can provide, and goddamn it this fic provides. This one is also unfinished but still updating, and as new chapters and plot threads are introduced I’m more and more excited to see where it leads. 

Warnings: Again, if you’re looking for canon compliance and the usual dark cynicism of IZ, this is not the fic for you. 

#3 "Forced Perspective" by 0palite

I read this fic more recently after stumbling across some of the adorable drawings the author did for each chapter. This fic is quintessential zadf, and that’s a-ok with me. It’s character driven all the way through, and great care is taken in examining the different ways they think, as well as their motivations and worldviews. Everything feels in line with canon, and the development of the plot as well as the central friendship is natural and never feels too contrived. Really enjoyable read, and the drawings and animations created for every chapter are so charming and a huge added bonus to this one.

Warnings: None really, if slowburn zadf isn’t your thing you won’t enjoy this. 

#2 “Experimental” by HideousBlob 

 I don't think it would be an overstatement of any kind to say that Experimental and its lost? sequel Hypothetical are sort of the golden standard when it comes to Invader Zim fics. Butingly funny, very in character, bordering on psychological horror in places, this one excels at utilizing Zim's manic hypochondria to create a real sense of paranoia and keep the reader guessing. A great story with or without the slowburn zadf going on in the background, this fic is also available in the form of a great 8-bit RPG game with multiple choices and endings. One thing to note is that this particular author has since distanced herself from the fandom, so although you can still find the fic on archive.org (dm me if you’d like to play the game) please don’t go attempt to contact her about it. 

Warnings: I just wish I could read her other fics again. Thats all 😭😭

#1 “Leaving Home” by DiscoTeriyaki

This fic is the bane of my existence. It’s so good I hate it. And the worst part is that I can’t even put my finger on exactly what makes it so good. Leaving Home’s main idiosyncracy is that it’s very grounded in the real world, much more so than most other fics on this list. For example, Dib and Gaz have (or, had) a mother, real-world cities are mentioned, and the author utilizes a soundtrack of real-world songs from the late 1970’s to tell the story. This fic is very self-contained and small in scope, but it has a cutting, straight-forward and bittersweet take on the characters and their relationships. Exploring themes of growing up, death and remembrance, forgiveness, and what it means to be important to someone without particularly liking them. Everytime I read it (and I’ve read it a few times) I notice something new, and I’m in awe of how well this author is able to say so much in so few words. If you read this, do yourself a favor and listen to the music the fic provides. 

Gripes: I’d really like to stop crying everytime “The Lights Go Down” by ELO comes on please and thanks. 

And that's it! If you decide to read anything on this list, let me know what you thought of it, and please show these authors some love. And if there's a fic you think I would enjoy based on these recs, I'd be thrilled to check it out (and YES that includes your own fic). Thanks for reading!

[catversary]

wack

[calamarispiderart]

thinking abt jthm and iz crossover. nny membrane. imagine. siblings.