#Joelle King

[lestatlioncunt]

i was tagged by @shadowglens and @risingsh0t to make some ocs in this picrew. thank you so much besties, i loved this picrew so much!! <3

vesper moxley (cp2077) • victoria gray (cp2077) joelle knight (fo4) • nina bower (fo4) selene (oblivion) • hiraeth (skyrim)

tagging: @uldwynsovs @arklay @devilbrakers @nuclearstorms @morvaris @girlbosselrond @indorilnerevarine @moiragf @cultistbase @faarkas @steelport @nokstella @reaperkiller @malefiicarum @brujah @calenhads @lightwardens @aelyosos and whoever else wants to do this or that i missed bc i'm terribly forgetful sorry!!

[t-is-for]

⏳Counting down every number till our First Home Match in Club History!⌛️

via wearebayfc March 27, 2024

[joellesolo]

I just took Peanut to see The Little Mermaid in theaters...

And I finally understood why Ariel was willing to give up EVERYTHING for Eric 😂

I mean, HOT DAMN 😏 That guy needs to be a Bridgerton!

I’ve got a crush 😂

[toribookworm22]

5 Songs

Thank you @writeintrees for the tag!

No pressure tagging: @darlingletmesing @minutiaewriter @honeysoiair @pluttskutt & leaving my open tag!

Today, you get the latest 5 songs I've liked on Spotify, three of which are brand new to me:

Better Friends by Abby Cates

She by dodie

Haunt You by Haley Joelle

I Don't Need You to Survive by Delaney Bailey

mercy by KiNG MALA

[graphicpolicy]

Preview: Wonder Woman #800

Wonder Woman #800 preview. Whatever Happened to the Warrior of Truth? concludes in a landmark 800th issue! #wonderwoman #comics #comicbooks

[carminamasoliver]

Freelance Reflections #72

[thetreetopinn]

Sources for Somerton's Plagiarism from Hbomberguy's Video (as much as I could get)

I went back through Harry's video, focused entirely on the sources James Somerton pulled from in the hopes of creating as much of a comprehensive list as I could--though my Google-Fu is not very strong. I did however find something I thought was forever lost and that made me very happy--specifically the magazine Midlands Zone containing the column by Steven Spinks that Harry poignantly used as an illustration of gay erasure... while Somerton uses it to sound like HE is waxing remorseful about the very subject.

This is not a complete list, I'm sure. For one thing, I was only able to attempt to pull sources that Harry himself mentioned in the video. Surely there's so very much more out there. I expect there to be a great deal more internet archeology to unearth just how much writing and culture Somerton has stolen like he's the British Museum of Natural History but for gay people.

- - - - -

Harry's list of mentioned youtubers:

Alexander Avila - https://www.youtube.com/@alexander_avila Matt Baume - https://www.youtube.com/@MattBaume Khadija Mbowe - https://www.youtube.com/@KhadijaMbowe Lady Emily - https://www.youtube.com/@LadyEmilyPresents Shanspeare - https://www.youtube.com/@Shanspeare RickiHirsch - https://www.youtube.com/@RickiHirsch VerilyBitchie - https://www.youtube.com/@verilybitchie

Harry created a convenient playlist of videos by these and other people he wants to bring to everyone's attention.

Please give them your support.

- - - - -

Midlands Zone Magazine - Column by Steven Spinks

After a great deal of searching, I found an archive of the "Midlands Zone" magazine, where you can read through past issues dating all the way back to February 2014. I have also found the issue from which Somerton took Spinks' poignant discussion of gay erasure: Overall archive Specific Issue - Pages 16-17

It will not allow you to download it, but you can read it exactly as it appeared in print form.

- - - - -

My best effort to find the exact book or article Somerton lifted from to be able to get attention to the original writers

Tinker Bells and Evil Queens By Sean Griffin

The Celluloid Closet By Vito Russo Wikipedia article about the book Wikipedia article about the documentary My weak google-fu could not find where you can access the book or documentary. Check your local municipal or university library for book or documentary, or if you know a good source for one or both, please reblog with it added

Camp and the Gay Sensibility By Jack Babuscio

The Groundbreaking Queerness of Disney's Mulan By Jes Tom Personal site with links to social media accounts

Why Rebel Without a Cause was a milestone for gay rights By Peter Howell

Why "The Craft" is still the best Halloween coming out movie By Andrew Park

Opinion: From facehuggers to phallic tails, is 'Alien' one of the queerest films ever? By Dani Leever

Women and Queerness in Horror: Jennifer's Body By Zoe Fortier

[Pride 2019] We Have Such Sights to Show You: Hellraiser and the Spectrum of Queerness By Alejandra Gonzalez

Revealing the Hellbound Heart of Clive Barker's 'Hellraiser' By Colin Arason

Queering James Cameron's Aliens (1986) By Bart Bishop

Demeter and Persephone in space: transformation, femininity, and myth in the 'Alien' films By David Greven

Fears of a millennial masculinity: Scream's queer killers By David Greven (Scholarly site, unable to access original work, offers a way to request a full copy of the text in PDF)

Queer Subtext in Stephen King's It - Part 1: 'Reddie' Character Analysis By Rachel Brands Rachel is the very unfortunate lady who found out she was being stolen from because she supported Somerton through Patreon and saw one of his videos early with her writing--lacking any form of citation or credit

How 'It: Chapter Two' Leaves Richie Tozier Behind By Joelle Monique

When Horror Becomes Strength: Queer Armor in Stephen King's 'IT' By Alex London

Why Queer People Love Witchcraft By Amanda Kohr

'The Favourite' Queers The Past And The Present By Giorgi Plys-Garzotto

(Wuko) Crush (Mako x Wu) By MoonFlower on YouTube

5 Terrible Movies With Awesome Hidden Meanings By J.F. Sargent

The Radicalization of Sexuality: The Queer Casae of Jeffrey Dahmer By Ian Barnard

Netflix's 'Dahmer' backlash highlights ethical issues in the platform's obsession with true crime By Shivani Dubey

The Possible Disturbing Dissonance Between Hajime Isayama's Beliefs and Attack on Titan's Themes Original Article by "Seldom Musings" (Author has made all posts not related to Attack On Titan private and has retired from the blog)

Everyone Loves Attack on Titan. So Why Does Everyone Hate Attack on Titan? By Gita Jackson

- - - - -

The following people are otherwise named in the video. There are no direct citations of articles or books by them in said video. I am unable to guarantee that I have identified the correct individual.

Darren Elliott-Smith Michaela Barton David Church Claire Sisco King Amanda Howell Jessica Roy

- - - - -

Telos announced and cancelled a film likely based on this book: The Final Girl Support Group - By Grady Hendrix

- - - - -

I refrained from including certain sources.

First off only focusing on Somerton's work.

Secondly not including anything that might be visible enough to not require amplifying their voice (I cannot speak for all of those I have found links to, but journalism is frequently a thankless job).

Thirdly any source that is of a nature that is antithetical to the very existence of the queer community, such as the right-leaning source that didn't make it into Somerton's video, but Harry was able to identify as a source he had considered using.

If you feel I have missed a mentioned source--or you know of a source from material that was not covered in Harry's video--please do not hesitate to reblog with added details.

- - - - -

Please share this information far and wide, and please add to it if you find more material that can be positively identified and linked to the creator/writer.

[the-djarin-clan]

Batman Damian Wayne in Wonder Woman #800

Writers: Becky Cloonan, Michael W. Conrad and Tom King Art: Joelle Jones, Alitha Martinez, Mark Morales, Nick Robles, Todd Nauck, Skylar Partridge, Cully Hamner, Jen Bartel and Daniel Sampere

Colors: Jordie Bellaire, Tamra Bonvillain, Jen Bartel and Tomeu Morey

Letters: Pat Brosseau and Clayton Cowles

[richincolor]

There are four books coming out tomorrow, plus one we missed earlier this month. Which of these have caught your eye?

Flower and Thorn by Rati Mehrotra Wednesday Books

One girl. One boy. A promise broken. A magic stolen. Irinya has wanted to be a flower hunter ever since her mother disappeared into the mysterious mist of the Rann salt flats one night. Now seventeen, Irinya uses her knowledge of magical flowers to help her caravan survive in the harsh desert. When her handsome hunting partner and childhood friend finds a priceless silver spider lily--said to be able to tear down kingdoms and defeat an entire army--Irinya knows this is their chance for a better life. Until Irinya is tricked by an attractive imposter. Irinya's fight to recover the priceless flower and to fix what she's done takes her on a dangerous journey, one she's not sure she'll survive. She has no choice but to endure it if she hopes to return home and mend the broken heart of the boy she's left behind.

If You'll Have Me by Eunnie Viking

Momo Gardner is the kind of friend who’s always ready to lend a helping hand. She’s introverted, sensitive, and maybe a little too trusting, but she likes to believe the best in people. PG, on the other hand, is a bit of a lone wolf, despite her reputation for being a flirt and a player. Underneath all that cool mystery, she’s actually quick to smile, and when she falls for someone, she falls hard. An unexpected meet-cute brings the two together, kicking off the beginning of an awkward yet endearing courtship—but with their drastically different personalities, Momo’s overprotective friend, and PG’s past coming back to haunt her, Momo and PG’s romance is put to the test.

A Bright Heart by Kate Chenli Union Square & Co.

What if you could avenge your own murder? A brilliant young woman gets a second chance at life in this debut YA tale of vengeance, court intrigue, and romance, inspired by classic Chinese tropes. Mingshin outsmarted three princes to help the man she loved become king. But she doesn’t see Ren’s betrayal coming, not until she’s lying in a pool of her own blood on the palace steps. As she’s dying, Mingshin makes a desperate plea to the gods to turn back time and give her a chance to make things right. Mingshin wakes up two years earlier, her prayer granted, and swears two things: Ren will never become king, and she will never fall in love again. But the timeline in this life has changed: a dignitary gifted with dark magic is threatening her kingdom’s peace, and Ren’s thirst for power runs deeper than Mingshin could have imagined. She finds herself allying with Jieh, another contender for the throne. Mingshin knows better than anyone not to give her heart to a prince. But in the viper’s nest of the royal court, she and Jieh prove a phenomenal team. Can Mingshin avert the catastrophe of her past by once again learning to trust…and maybe even love?

All These Sunken Souls: A Black Horror Anthology edited by Circe Moskowitz Amberjack Publishing

Welcome to the Dark. We are all familiar with tropes of the horror genre: slasher and victims, demon and the possessed. Bloody screams, haunted visions, and the peddler of wares we aren’t sure we can trust. In this young adult horror anthology, fans of Jordan Peele, Lovecraft Country, and Horror Noire will get a little bit of everything they love—and a lot of what they fear—through a twisted blend of horror lenses, from the thoughtful to the terrifying. From haunted, hungry Victorian mansions, temporal monster–infested asylums, and ravaging zombie apocalypses, to southern gothic hoodoo practitioners and cursed patriarchs in search of Black Excellence, All These Sunken Souls features the chilling creations of acclaimed bestsellers and hot new talents, with stories from Kalynn Bayron, Donyae Coles, Ryan Douglass, Sami Ellis, Brent Lambert, Ashia Monet, Circe Moskowitz, Joel Rochester, Liselle Sambury, and Joelle Wellington.

The Blackwoods by Brandy Colbert Balzer + Bray

The Blackwoods. Everyone knows their name. Blossom Blackwood burst onto the silver screen in 1962, and in the decades that followed, she would become one of the most celebrated actors of our time—and the matriarch of the most famous Black family in Hollywood. To her great-granddaughters, Hollis and Ardith, she has always just been Bebe. And when she passes away, it changes everything. Hollis Blackwood was never interested in fame. Still, she’s surrounded by it, whether at home with her family or at the prestigious Dupree Academy among Los Angeles’ elite. When private photos of Hollis are leaked in the wake of Blossom’s death, she is thrust into the spotlight she’s long avoided—and finds that trust may be a luxury even she can’t afford. Ardith Blackwood has always lived in the public eye. A television star since childhood, she was perhaps closer with Blossom than anyone—especially after Ardith’s mother died in a drug overdose. Ever since, she has worked to be everything her family, her church, and the public want her to be. But as a family secret comes to light and the pressures from all sides begin to mount, she wonders what is left beneath the face she shows the world. Weaving together the narratives of Hollis, Ardith, and Blossom, award-winning author Brandy Colbert tells an unforgettable story set in an America where everything is personal, and nothing is private.

[dcbbw]

Single Mom

This story is born of this week’s @choicesflashfics prompt #3 (which will appear in bold). It’s not the story I had in mind but was able to explore Riley as a mother, along with her fears and hopes for the lives she has brought into the world.

THANK YOU to all who will read this story; I hope you enjoy it. Please excuse and all typos, missing/extraneous words, and/or grammatical errors. I was fast and loose with editing and revisions, but MS Editor has this rated as 99% error-free.

The song inspiration has absolutely nothing to do with parenthood or jellybeans; rather, it was chosen because of it’s fun, relaxed vibe which I feel captures Riley as a parent and her relationship with her sons.

Song Inspo: Recess, Eli “Paperboy” Reed

Pairing: Riam and family

Word Count: 2500ish

Rating: T for Teen

The royal family stood inside the private terminal at Cordonian International Airport; through the wall of floor-to-ceiling windows one of the airliners in the Crown’s fleet sits on the tarmac, waiting for its most important passenger to board.

The King holds his youngest son, Theodore, in his arms feeling the toddler’s tears dampen his shirt collar. His oldest sons, Francis and Jonathan, cling and pull at his pant legs demanding Dada come home with them.

His wife, his Queen, just stares at him. Her eyes are shiny but remain dry. Her husband, along with Rashad Domvallier and Kiara Theron, is going to Sweden for an international conference on linguistic resources to aid the immigration crisis.

Riley realizes that travel is a large part of being ruler: networking, being seen places other than thrones and golf courses, sitting on international boards and committees.

It doesn’t mean she likes it.

“It’s only three days, and I’ll call often,” Liam reassures his family to no avail.

“We’ll be fine,” Riley says as she pries six-year-old fists from his clothing.

She holds her arms out for Theodore as Fric and Frac wrap their arms around her legs, their own tears beginning to fall.

“Hey!” she says brightly. “We’ll go to McDonald’s on the way home, and NO SCHOOL until Dada returns,” she promises.

The twins immediately stopped crying, speaking excitedly to each other in their secret language.

Liam’s look is stern as he double-takes at Riley’s words.

“Oh, NO! There will be school! The boys need structure and to continue their educational routine.”

Riley frowns at her husband over her baby’s head full of black, curly hair.

“And I told YOU, MY children will NOT be attending a school that changes its name from La Petite Academy to The School for Spoiled Kids after our sons enrolled! I will be getting them transferred to a public, Crown-sponsored school while you’re away.”

“The security issues with that …”

“Are NO different than with that private school you insisted on! In fact, aren’t many of the Safety Resource Officers in the public schools members of the King’s Guard?”

Liam rubbed his palm over his face. “We’ll discuss this when I return.”

He held his arms out to embrace his family once again before boarding the plane. He kissed all of his sons on the tops of their heads before his lips lingered over Riley’s.

“I’ll miss you,” he whispered.

“You’d better!” she retorted, her palm cupping his cheek.

With a sigh, the King grabbed the handle of his rolling suitcase and began the walk to the plane. He looked back once; his family was still there. They were waving and blowing kisses and wiping tears from their eyes.

He did the same.

Day 1

It was 8am when Duchess Joelle Theron tucked her large, brown-paper wrapped package underneath her arm and smiled in greeting to Mara as she entered the royal family’s quarters. And stopped in her tracks.

The Crown Prince and the second-born were fist-fighting; Grunts, yells, and cries of “STOP THAT!” were uttered by both parties as well as their mother. The sounds of hands slapping skin ended once Riley was firmly in between the children.

The baby sat on the floor, eating dry cereal out of a bowl as he watched it all unfold. Occasionally Baby Theodore took a sip of juice from his sippy cup.

“Your Majesty?” Joelle asked hesitantly.

Riley turned, a confused smile on her face at hearing her moniker; she had made sure to clear her calendar while Liam was away.

“Joelle! What a surprise.”

The Duchess’ eyes took in the situation: Six-year-old boys in dinosaur-emblazoned pajamas with mussed hair, scratched cheeks, and angry splotches along their forearms; they glowered at each other with mistrustful eyes as their chests heaved. The Queen’s natural hair was an unkempt afro and she wore a too-big chenille robe with frayed sleeves, deep purple in color. A television blared the theme song to a children’s show. The kitchen counters were filled with dirty dishes and cut fruit.

“Is everything okay here?” Joelle asked in genuine concern. There was nothing noble or royal about any of this.

“Oh yeah. Just that Mr. Frac here woke up choosing violence,” Riley clarified as she glared at her oldest. “What brings you to the Palace?”

“I painted a portrait of the heirs. It’s not a traditional painting as I’m dabbling with abstracts now. I’m headed to Krona for lunch with Adelaide, and thought I’d drop it off.”

“Let’s see it!” Riley exclaimed as she led the twins to separate corners, sitting them in chairs facing a wall; their backs were to each other and the room itself.

“Mommy?” Frac’s querulous voice called out softly.

Fric heaved a laborious sigh and placed his face in his palms.

Riley whirled. “It’s QUIET time, young man! Unless you want a spank-spank, which you may get anyway, keep those lips zipped!”

She shook her head. “Puttin’ hands on folks first thing in the morning,” she muttered as she watched Joelle unwrap the painting.

The Duchess Theron arched her eyebrow slightly, giving the Queen a nervous glance. “Is Liam aware of your parenting style, Riley?”

Riley’s face hardened imperceptibly; when she spoke, her tone was tight. “My husband and I are in agreement as to how to raise our children, Duchess.”

"No judgment, it’s just not an approach seen before in Court,” Joelle murmured with a nod of acknowledgement and an apologetic smile before proudly displaying her portrait.

Riley was rendered speechless. And not in a good way.

Against a background of thick, layered cream-colored paint were three-eyed penguin heads with bright orange beaks interspersed with what were either Fred Flintstone’s big toes or inflamed nipples. Top hats and brown leaves completed the portrait.

Abstract, my ass. THIS is indescribable.

“Can you see them in the painting? Is it obvious what I was going for?” Joelle asked eagerly.

The Queen quickly morphed her expression into one of pleasant surprise.

“It looks just like them!”

Day 2

The Rys boys were seated at the dining room table, coloring and drawing. It was the art portion of their homeschooling day, which was a one-off project Riley pulled out of her ass while waiting to hear back from the Prime Minister of Education.

She agreed with Liam that their sons’ education shouldn’t suffer, and that structure and routine were important.  She enlisted Annabelle Parsons, and the women came up with a lesson plan:  Science, which was focused on the solar system with particular interest on the sun. Math, where the boys reinforced their counting skills; Fric and Frac could count to 100. Their younger brother made it to 20 before getting confused. After playtime and lunch, they would have their weekly self-defense class with Mara.

Riley and Annabelle were seated in the living room, enjoying a quiet conversation.

“I’m worried about Frac,” the mother confessed. “He’s taking these separations from Liam harder than the others. I don’t want to punish him for having emotions, but he can’t run around beating up his brothers and calling his mother a heathen!”

Annabelle Parsons carefully sipped her sparkling cider as she considered her friend’s plight. Normally, Annabelle tended to imbibe harder drinks but whenever she visited the Queen, she partook of alcohol-free beverages out of respect for the children.

“Francis loves his father deeply, there’s no doubt about that. Perhaps you and Liam could make a game of it? Maybe a week-long countdown until the day of the trip? And you could have another countdown until his return? Like Christmas, but instead of Santa, it’s Daddy.”

Riley drank sparkling water and lemon. “That’s an excellent suggestion, but how to get my child … all of my children …  to express themselves in healthier ways?”

The Queen adjusted her wig before letting out a heavy breath.

“I want them to be well-adjusted and social, not cooped up in palaces and estates with only adults for socialization. Not saying that being exposed to different levels of experience and maturity isn’t good for them, but they also need time with children their own age, doing regular kid things. They need playmates. They need friends! That’s why I want them in a public school. They can’t rule if they can’t relate!”

“There’s that Beaumont child,” Annabelle reminded her.

Riley looked at her friend in shock. “OH NO! HELLLLL NO! That child is half Walker, half Beaumont and ALL creepy!”

Annabelle snickered. “Well, he is a member of the next generation of Court. Perhaps you can start now sowing goodwill.”

Riley rolled her eyes before laying her head back against the cushion. “I’m going to speak with Liam about a therapist for the twins. Everything about their lifestyle is so … unorthodox, or maybe it’s me that’s not used to it. But thinking counseling can help us help them navigate.”

“I think that’s a brilliant idea,” Miss Parsons encouraged.

“Mommy, I finish!” Fric half-hollered.

A smile came easily to his mother’s lips. “Well, let me come see what masterpiece you’ve created!”

She rose, making her way to the kitchen with Annabelle Parsons close behind. Theodore glanced up and returned to his paper, drawing circles in red crayon. Frac raised his head from his drawing, his eyes meeting his mother’s.

“When is Dada coming home?” he asked sadly. “I want my Dada.”

Riley’s eyes locked with Annabelle’s before returning her gaze to her oldest son. “In two days!” she replied brightly. “And you know what? We can make a game out of it. Want to?”

Day 3

Riley was boiling hotdogs and heating canned barbecue beans for the boys’ lunch. Outside, rain fell steadily; she and the Princes had made it back inside just in time.

After breakfast, Riley had taken the boys to the hedge maze so they could run off excess energy and touch some grass. Until the dark clouds had rolled in and completely discombobulated her sons. All three children had a … thing about getting wet outside of a bathtub.

Her preschoolers were in her and Liam’s bedroom (where they had been since Liam’s departure), playing with blocks. Her toddler was hoisted up on her left hip, watching food cook. Both looked up hopefully when they heard the front door open.

It was Drake.

Both went back to watching hotdogs boil.

“THAT’S the greeting I get?” Drake demanded as he crossed the living room and settled at the kitchen island.

Theodore hugged his mother more tightly. “Hi,” he greeted shyly.

“He’s my moody child,” Riley explained as she used a fork to turn the pinkish meat.

“NO HOLES!” the toddler shrieked in her ear.

Drake looked around the otherwise empty room. “Liam not back yet?”

Riley shook her head. “Tomorrow.”

“Where’d he go again?”

“Dada make rain with skinny witches,” Theodore replied.

“Not what he’s doing, where he is,” Riley corrected. She looked over at her company. “Sweden. Conference on immigration and linguistics resources. We’ll hear all about it at the special Council meeting.”

Drake gave his friend a long, hard look. “You really told your KID that?”

Riley pointedly avoided Drake’s accusatory gaze. “I never said that.” A pause. “Around the boys.”

She set Theodore on the floor. “Go tell your brothers lunch soon, okay?”

Her son nodded his head vigorously as he ran down the hallway.

The Queen turned the burners off on the stove, and began draining boiling water down the drain, careful to keep the hotdogs from spilling out.

“I know you think I’m unconventional, but I’m a good mom. Well, as good as I can be given I was only supposed to be the cool aunt … the auntie mommy as they say in America.”

Drake looked at her thoughtfully; a pensive look shadowed her features.

“Hey, Brooks,” he said softly. “I see all mommy. No auntie.”

Surprised relief lit up her face. “Really?”

“Really. Parenting is always a hit or miss, and I guess it has to be. I mean, there isn’t enough training and skills and experience to raise human beings, right? All you can do is better than what you were taught and use the lessons you’ve learned. At the end of the day, good examples and bad examples can achieve the desired results. Although telling children their fathers are a fictional TV character and a Korean actor, neither who has no idea any of you exist may be pushing boundaries.  But, I’m just the cool uncle talking.”

Riley smiled gratefully. “Thanks, Drake. That means a lot. And for the record, I don’t tell the children that anyone other than Liam is their father. No one has ever heard me tell them that. Liam … that’s a different story. And I did NOT tell the boys that Liam was making it rain with skinny bitches.”

“BB said it was ‘witches’, and you admitted to saying that.”

“SEMANTICS!”

They both turned at the sound of running footsteps.

“Hot dogs, hot dogs!” Fric chanted.

Frac held his stomach as if in pain. “I’m sooooooo hungry!”

As if all of them hadn’t had plates of apple slices and cheese crackers not an hour ago.

Theodore scrambled into his chair at the dining table. “BEANS!”

“Uncle Drake, did you bring us something?” Frac asked after determining his mother was fixing lunch plates.

Drake’s hand ruffled his godson’s hair. “You gotta share, big guy.”

Frac nodded in agreement. “What is it?”

Drake fished in his jean pocket, pulling out a sizable bag of jellybeans. “Here ya go.”

“Eat lunch with us,” Fric demanded as his mother slid a plate of plain, sliced hotdogs and a spoonful of beans in front of him.

Drake’s eyes met Riley’s; she nodded and smiled.

“Okay, deal!”

“And after lunch, you can play with us!” Fric chimed in.

Drake’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. Brooks’ children tended to not play fairly. He was still healing from the trauma of their last game of hide-and-seek in the hedge maze.

“Play what?”

Riely feigned hurt. “I can’t play?” she whined.

“YES! You know you always play with us, Mommy,” Fric replied as he warily inspected a circular piece of meat.

Homecoming

 Riley treaded lightly down the hallway, careful not to wake her children. It was just past 7am, and she both wanted and needed the quiet time to at least get the night’s dinner prepared and in ovens and slow cookers.

Glazed lamb, Chicken Tagine, potatoes au gratin, curried rice, and a vegetable medley. Desserts would be baklava and banana cream pie.

Her husband was coming home today!

She set a bowl of jellybeans and her phone on the kitchen island before rummaging through the refrigerator; the chicken had been marinating overnight, and the lamb had thawed. She placed them both on the kitchen counter, then placed a pod of green tea in the beverage maker.

The machine hissed as it heated water to brew her morning drink. When she heard the door to the quarters open, she didn’t bother looking around. Given the hour, it was Mara.

“Ahem.”

Riley whirled at hearing the familiar baritone.

“LOOOVE!!!” she quietly yelled as she ran to Liam’s waiting arms.

The couple kissed passionately: tongues probing, hands feeling and groping, noses touching. When they finally released the other, both were breathless.

“You’re back early! I was expecting you at dinnertime.”

Liam smiled tenderly as his eyes gazed into hers. “I couldn’t stay away another second.”

He heard the quiet and asked an obvious question. “The children are sleeping?”

Riley nodded. “In our bed.”

“I trust all went well?” he asked as he placed his luggage and bags filled with presents for his family in one of the time-out corners.

His wife was placing a pod of his favorite coffee in the brewer. She nodded.

“You basically know everything. Joelle came over; we were unprepared.”

Liam chuckled. “Where is this portrait she gifted us?

Riley looked over her shoulder and rolled her eyes. “THAT is a drunk date night reveal. It’s the only way it’ll make sense.” She turned back around to grab Liam’s mug.

The King looked over the jellybeans in the bowl and popped one in his mouth.

“And I told you about the boys’ counting prowess, and excitement over the solar system.”

“Krona has a new planetarium opening soon; we should make it a weekend trip for all of us.”

Liam grabbed a handful of the jellybeans this time around; they were delicious, and he was hungry. He hadn’t eaten since dinner the night before.

Riley was blending sugar and sweet Italian cream in their beverages.

“Did you and the boys have fun?” he inquired.

“We need to have a husband/wife, mother/father talk. I’m worried about Frac’s separation anxiety.”

Liam nodded somberly. “I agree. I’ve been thinking about your suggestions; we can discuss now, or this weekend.”

“This weekend will be fine. I won’t have you to myself until then anyway. But we went to the hedge maze, had reading time, and today is facial masks and dance party day!”

“Oh, I came home just in time,” he joked.

“And we played bean butt.”

Liam’s chewing slowed. “What exactly is that?”

Riley slid his mug across the granite countertop; her eyes widened when she saw the candies in her husband’s palm. With her giddiness over Liam’s early return, she forgot to empty the dish's contents in the trash.

She slapped the side of his hand, causing him to spill them.

“DON’T EAT THAT!”

“What’d you do that for?” he demanded angrily, wincing at the stinging on his skin.

“Bean butt? Long story short, I put a whole bag of jellybeans up my ass. One at a time. And then pulled them out."

Liam frowned and looked askance at the bowl. His thoughts tumbled in his brain.

Riley was his wife. His loyal wife.

She was clean. THAT was important.

He had put his tongue in her forbidden places before.

He’d already eaten some!

The King would take the risk. He scooped more.

Riley had her back to him, pulling out breakfast meats and eggs for breakfast.

“Drake played bean butt with us too.”

Liam looked aghast at his palm, and poured his jellybeans back into the bowl as if they were live fire. He then threw the entire bowl in the garbage can.

Welcome home.

Tagging: @jared2612 @marietrinmimi @ao719​​​ @indiacater @kingliam2019​ @bebepac @liamxs-world @mom2000aggie​​​ @liamrhysstalker2020​​​ @twinkleallnight @umccall71 @superharriet @busywoman​​​ @gabesmommie1130 @tessa-liam​​​ @beezm @gardeningourmet​@lovingchoices14 @mainstreetreader @angelasscribbles @lady-calypso @emkay512 @princessleac1 @charlotteg234 @alj4890 @choicesficwriterscreations

[blackcharactertournament]

Black Character Tournament: Left Side!

adding a post break to make this more rebloggable

—

Chidi Anagonye | The Good Place vs Bow | She-Ra & the Princesses of Power

Marina Ida | Splatoon vs Youngblood Ra | Roleslaying with Roman

Barret Wallace | Final Fantasy VII vs Lunella Lafayette/Moon Girl | Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur

Lucas Sinclair | Stranger Things vs Gus Porte | The Owl House

Carole Stanley | Carole and Tuesday vs Garnet | Steven Universe

Aisha/Layla | Winx Club vs Carter Kane and Sadie Kane | The Kane Chronicles

Martha Jones | Doctor Who vs Death | Sandman (TV)

Finn | Star Wars vs Oluwande Boodhari | Our Flag Means Death

Leshawna | Total Drama vs Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic the Hedgehog

Jodie Landon | Daria vs Helen Brand | Glass Onion

Wolf | Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts vs Benson | Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts

Mike Hanlon | IT (Steven King) vs Burton Guster | Psych

Flow | Roleslaying With Roman vs Nasuada | Inheritance Cycle/Eragon Trilogy

Jordan Hennessey | Dreamer Trilogy vs Ava Coleman | Abbott Elementary

Duke Thomas | DC Comics vs Mel Medarda | Arcane

Molly Blyndeff | Epithet Erased vs Michael Burnham | Star Trek Discovery

Neena Thurman (Domino) | Marvel comics / Deadpool 2 vs Nyota Uhura | Star Trek The Original Series

Gregory Eddie | Abbott Elementary vs Kipo Oak | Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts

Elena Amamiya | Star Twinkle Precure vs Simon Aumar | Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Karli Morgenthau | MCU: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier vs Enfys Nest | Star Wars: A Solo Story

Connor Hawke/Green Arrow | DC Comics vs Myla | One Last Stop

Winston Bishop | New Girl vs Khalil Harris | The Hate U Give

T'Challa | Black Panther vs Dr. Charlotte | Falsettos (Revival)

Gigi Thompson | Inside Job vs Isaiah | One Last Stop

Ivan Taylor | The Wilds vs Nathan Byrne | The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself

Miranda Bailey | Grey's Anatomy vs Essun | Broken Earth Trilogy

Agent 355 | Y : The Last Man vs Audacious Opportunity (A.O.) Rooke | Friends at the Table (Partizan)

OJ Haywood | Nope 2022 vs Nubia | Wonder Woman

Mr Nancy | American Gods vs Storm | X Men

Ambrose Spellman | Chilling Adventures of Sabrina vs Louis | The Walking Dead Game

Angela Moore | Boy Meets World vs Hilary Banks | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Junko Saotome | Nana vs Wes Gibbins | How to Get Away with Murder

Turk | Scrubs vs Wallace Fennel | Veronica Mars

Frozone | The Incredibles vs Kendra Young | Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Joelle Brooks | Dear White People vs Sans | Undertale

Anissa Pierce/Thunder | Black Lightning vs Koriand'r/Starfire | Titans (DC TV show)

Andre Harris | Victorious vs Sara | Over the Garden Wall

Samol | Friends at the Table vs Taion | Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Emerald Haywood | Nope (2022) vs Genly Ai | The Left Hand of Darkness

Sarah Miller | The Last of Us (TV) vs Pinkie Pie | My Little Pony

Muhammed Avdol | Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure vs Dr Foreman | House MD

Efi Oladele | Overwatch vs Jason Hauer | We only find them when they are dead

Bram Greenfeld | Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda / Love, Simon vs Zélie Adebola | Children of Blood and Bone

Nick Fury | Marvel vs Sam Wilson | MCU

Uniqua | The Backyardigans vs Alexx Woods | CSI Miami

Rue | Euphoria vs Bill Potts | Doctor Who

Nadine Ross | Uncharted series vs Jalil Sherman | Everworld

Baal (Valentine) | The Wicked + the Divine vs Jamal Saturday | Locke and Key (comics)

[omegaremix]

Omega Radio for May 4, 2019; #194.

Alchemist, The “The Realist” (INS)

De La Soul “Nosed Up” (early)

A Tribe Called Quest “The Killing Season” (ft. Consequence & Talib Kweli & Kanye West)

DJ Shadow “Systematic” (ft. Nas)

DJ Forgotten “No Option” (ft. AZ)

Hus Kingpin “Serotonin High” (ft. Milano Constantine)

Da Grassroots “Drama” (INS)

Rapper Big Pooh “Stop” (ft. Steve Roxx)

Edo. G & Shabaam Sahdeeq “Play To Win” (ft. Torae & DJ Eclipse)

Meyhem Lauren & DJ Muggs “Hashashin” (ft. Conway)

Supawave Osbourne “Iron Fists” (ft. Vast Aire & Double AB & Mo Iz Real & An Hobbes)

Illogic “Time Capsule” (ft. Vast Aire & Aesop Rock)

J Dilla “Show Me What You Got” (INS)

Vast Aire “Dark Metropolis”

Aesop Rock “Labor”

Madlib & Sam Herring “Trouble Knows Me”

Styles P & Talib Kweli “Nine Point Five” (feat. Sheek Louch, Jadakiss, Niko Is)

Rock (Heltah Skeltah) “Fax Machine” (ft. M.O.P.)

Group Home “Express” (INS)

Beneficence “Anyway It Goes” (ft. MC Eiht)

Ras Kass “Back Again” (ft. Shabaam Shadeeq)

Ill Bill “The 3 Wise Men” (ft. O.C. & Jeru The Damaja)

Apollo Brown & Joell Ortiz “Timberlan’d Up” (RMX)

Timbo King “The Alliance” (ft. Math Hoffa)

Q-Tip “Let’s Ride” (INS)

Run The Jewels “Let’s Go (The Royal We)”

Warporn Industries “Triple Beam Team” (ft. Vinnie Paz)

Raekwon “This Is What It Comes Too”

Ghostface Killah & Vinnie Paz “Herringbone”

Vinnie Paz “The Ghost I Used To Be” (ft. Eamon)

R.A. The Rugged Man “Holla-Loo-Yuh” (ft. Tech N9ne & Krizz Kaliko)

9th Wonder “Away From Me”

Hip-hop and golden-era veterans promoted to deluxe airplay.

[pluckyredhead]

as someone looking to get into the Supergirl comics, what titles/runs would you recommend? I started reading Tom King's Woman of Tomorrow and didn't think it was that bad (though I never finished it) but seeing people's anger about it makes me think that my enjoyment might be because I'm not familiar with her character before this and thus don't get why it's a bad take on her like what I've seen.

Well, first I should disclaimer that my very loud opinions on Woman of Tomorrow are opinions, lol. I firmly believe that I'm right but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it! You're allowed!

But here are my recs for comics to get into Supergirl that feel...more in keeping with the spirit of the character, imo.

In Continuity:

Supergirl (2005) #34-59: After dying in Crisis on Infinite Earths, Kara came back to the post-Crisis DCU in 2004. For the next four years, she was treated very badly by DCU, who positioned her as a jailbait sexpot "bad girl" who was maybe evil but also totally wanted to date you, 45-year-old cis guy in the audience! Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle's run changed all that, letting Kara be three dimensional and human (well, Kryptonian, but you know what I mean) and not miserable softcore porn 24/7. (They put bike shorts under her skirt and it was wildly controversial.) She gets to smile and be friends with women! It was a breath of fresh fucking air, I tell you what.

Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes: During those years DC was treating Kara like shit, we could at least escape to the future, where Mark Waid and Barry Kitson let her be her best self. This is an ensemble book so it's not totally focused on her, but the whole ensemble is pretty great.

Supergirl (2011): Honestly, I thought the New 52 run was pretty solid. Or maybe it's just less bad than every other New 52 comic I've ever read? Either way, it's an easy jumping-on point. And there are actually female writers and artists involved!!! AMAZING! (In the interest of full disclosure, the 2005 series had a couple of female creators towards the very end - Kelly Sue DeConnick and Amy Reeder each got a couple of issues - but they sadly didn't have a lot of time to do much with the character.)

Supergirl (2016): Cute! Cheery! Too good for this world! This takes a lot of inspiration from the TV show, which was on the air at the time.

Kids Comics/AUs/Elseworlds:

Adventures of Supergirl: This is a tie-in comic to the TV show, but you don't need to be super familiar with the show to read it. And Sterling Gates is back!

Supergirl: Being Super: This is a standalone graphic novel in which Kara, who doesn't know about Clark or that she's an alien, discovers her powers after her friend dies in a tragic accident. It's definitely on the angsty side but in a way that feels relatable and compassionate to me, rather than gratuitous. And it's by Mariko Tamaki and Joelle Jones, so it's fucking stunning, of course.

Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade: This is for kids but it is SO STINKIN' CUTE. Highly recommended.

Superman Family Adventures: Also for kids and I cry happy tears at how precious it is every day.

Not Actually Kara:

Supergirl (1996): So after Kara died in 1985 and before she came back in 2004, there was a completely different Supergirl named Linda Danvers. She wasn't from Krypton, she was a mortal girl merged with a protoplasmic being from an alternate dimension who was also an angel. YES, IT'S BONKERS, AND IT'S GREAT. This series is 80 issues long and it's the best Supergirl comic ever published. I know it's not Kara, but if you only read one Supergirl comic, make it this one.

[graphicpolicy]

Preview: Batman: The Brave and the Bold #2

Batman: The Brave and the Bold #2 preview. Tick, tick, tick goes the clock as Gotham City prepares for another shocking murder at the hands of The Joker! #comics #comicbooks #batman

[donnatroyprincessofthemyscira]

ComicList: DC Comics New Releases for Wednesday, August 16, 2023, by Charles LePage.

Absolute V For Vendetta HC (2023 Edition), $125.00

Batman Detective Comics Volume 1 Gotham Nocturne Overture HC (2022), $29.99

Batman One Bad Day Complete Box Set, $159.99

Batman One Bad Day Ra’s al Ghul HC, $17.99

Batman Superman World’s Finest #18 (Cover A Dan Mora), $3.99

Batman Superman World’s Finest #18 (Cover B Darick Robertson & Diego Rodriguez Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Batman Superman World’s Finest #18 (Cover C Rafael Albuquerque Blue Beetle Movie Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Batman Superman World’s Finest #18 (Cover D Ariel Colon Card Stock Variant), AR

Batman Superman World’s Finest #18 (Cover E Meghan Hetrick Card Stock Variant), AR

Batman Superman World’s Finest #18 (Cover F Dan Mora Foil Variant), AR

Batman Volume 2 The Bat-Man Of Gotham HC (2022), $24.99

Batman White Knight Presents Generation Joker #4 (Of 6)(Cover A Sean Murphy), $4.99

Batman White Knight Presents Generation Joker #4 (Of 6)(Cover B Mirka Andolfo), $4.99

Batman White Knight Presents Generation Joker #4 (Of 6)(Cover C Walter Simonson), AR

Harley Quinn Black + White + Redder #2 (Of 6)(Cover A Chris Samnee), $4.99

Harley Quinn Black + White + Redder #2 (Of 6)(Cover B Joelle Jones), $4.99

Harley Quinn Black + White + Redder #2 (Of 6)(Cover C Annie Wu), AR

Hawkgirl #2 (Of 6)(Cover A Amancay Nahuelpan), $3.99

Hawkgirl #2 (Of 6)(Cover B Derrick Chew Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Hawkgirl #2 (Of 6)(Cover C Kaare Andrews Blue Beetle Movie Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Hawkgirl #2 (Of 6)(Cover D David Talaski Card Stock Variant), AR

Icon Vs. Hardware #4 (Of 5)(Cover A Rahzzah), $4.99

Icon Vs. Hardware #4 (Of 5)(Cover B Edwin Galmon), $4.99

Icon Vs. Hardware #4 (Of 5)(Cover C Sean Damien Hill), AR

Knight Terrors Catwoman #2 (Of 2)(Cover A Leila Leiz), $4.99

Knight Terrors Catwoman #2 (Of 2)(Cover B Tula Lotay Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Catwoman #2 (Of 2)(Cover C Corin Howell Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Catwoman #2 (Of 2)(Cover D Dani Black & White Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Catwoman #2 (Of 2)(Cover E Corin Howell Black & White Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Nightwing #2 (Of 2)(Cover A Daniele Di Nicuolo), $4.99

Knight Terrors Nightwing #2 (Of 2)(Cover B Francesco Mattina Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Nightwing #2 (Of 2)(Cover C Jason Shawn Alexander Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Nightwing #2 (Of 2)(Cover D Vasco Georgiev Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Nightwing #2 (Of 2)(Cover E Francesco Mattina Black & White Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Punchline #2 (Of 2)(Cover A Gleb Melnikov), $3.99

Knight Terrors Punchline #2 (Of 2)(Cover B Dustin Nguyen Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Knight Terrors Punchline #2 (Of 2)(Cover C Ejikure Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Knight Terrors Punchline #2 (Of 2)(Cover D Lucas Meyer Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Punchline #2 (Of 2)(Cover E Gleb Melnikov Black & White Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Superman #2 (Of 2)(Cover A Gleb Melnikov), $4.99

Knight Terrors Superman #2 (Of 2)(Cover B Jon Bogdanove Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Superman #2 (Of 2)(Cover C John Giang Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Superman #2 (Of 2)(Cover D Mikel Janin Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Superman #2 (Of 2)(Cover E Pete Woods Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Wonder Woman #2 (Of 2)(Cover A Jae Lee), $4.99

Knight Terrors Wonder Woman #2 (Of 2)(Cover B Sebastian Fiumara Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Wonder Woman #2 (Of 2)(Cover C Jeff Dekal Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Wonder Woman #2 (Of 2)(Cover D W. Scott Forbes Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Wonder Woman #2 (Of 2)(Cover E John McCrea Card Stock Variant), AR

Monkey Prince Volume 2 The Monkey King And I HC, $24.99

Nightwing The Joker War TP, $19.99

Penguin #0 (Cover A Belén Ortega), $3.99

Tales Of The Titans #2 (Of 4)(Cover A Nicola Scott), $4.99

Tales Of The Titans #2 (Of 4)(Cover B Christian Ward Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Tales Of The Titans #2 (Of 4)(Cover C Max Dunbar Blue Beetle Movie Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Tales Of The Titans #2 (Of 4)(Cover D Riley Rossmo Card Stock Variant), AR

Tales Of The Titans #2 (Of 4)(Cover E Dani Card Stock Variant), AR

Tales Of The Titans #2 (Of 4)(Cover F Chris Smanee Foil Variant), AR

Teen Titans Go Box Set Volume 1 TV Or Not TV, $29.99

Vigil #4 (Of 6)(Cover A Sumit Kumar), $3.99

Vigil #4 (Of 6)(Cover B Nimit Malavia Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Vigil #4 (Of 6)(Cover C Anand RK Card Stock Variant), AR

Wonder Girl Homecoming TP, $19.99

Wonder Woman By Brian Azzarello And Cliff Chiang Omnibus HC (2023 Edition), $150.00

Wonder Woman Volume 4 Revenge Of The Gods TP (2021), $19.99

Wonder Woman War Of The Gods Special Edition #2 (Of 4)(Cover A George Perez), $4.99

ABRAMS BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS

DC Super Heroes The Multiverse Unfolds HC, $19.99