#Shannon Drake

[sweetsavageflame]

6 Retro Vampire Romances You Can Sink Your Teeth Into

Some retro vampire romances to enjoy this Halloween

[mariaajade]

[astuteobservations]

remember in january when Katt Williams said all lies will get exposed in 2024?

“Race is not where the line is drawn. It’s God’s side and the other side. And we don’t care nothing about the other side. Period. All of these big d*ck deviants are all catching hell in 2024. It’s up for all of them. It don’t matter if you Diddy or whoever you is. All lies will be exposed, that’s all. And anyone who takes it the wrong way, know why they take it the wrong way. The truth is the light.”

[merrymarvelite]

Cover of the Day: Ghost Rider #28 (February, 1978) Art by Ernie Chan

[marvelousmrm]

Marvel Team-Up #15 (Wein/Andru, Nov 1973). MJ takes Pete, a former motorbike owner, to Johnny Blaze’s show at Madison Square Garden. Enter Drake Shannon — a former stunt rider himself, until a road accident turned his face into street pizza. Now he’s calling himself the Orb, and using a hypnotic helmet shaped like a giant eyeball, he intends to steal the rights to Johnny’s career. A surprisingly good team-up story! And I think this is Ghost Rider’s first crossover with another established Marvel hero.

[sinceileftyoublog]

Shannon Lay Interview: The Volume Meets the Medium

BY JORDAN MAINZER

Upon listening to “Angeles”, the Elliott Smith interpretation that opens Shannon Lay’s first covers album Covers Vol. 1 (Sub Pop), you’re struck by something familiar, yet different: her voice. Whether singing original songs, Karen Dalton on 2019′s August, or Syd Barrett on 2021′s Geist, Lay’s voice has always taken on an expressive whisper. You know--kind of like Elliott Smith. But on “Angeles”, she goes full force, unobscured by the haze of her past material. It’s the first song on the first album released since Lay’s taken voice lessons, taking advantage of a living situation and time in her career when she can sing out loud without bothering a roommate, with the confidence and good habits she’s developed over years of writing and performing.

Covers Vol. 1 is, in many ways, different than your traditional covers album. The artists included on it feel like an extension of Lay’s world, from the gentle caress of Nick Drake or Arthur Russell to the Bay Area scuzz of Ty Segall and OCS. (Lay’s spent a lot of time in Ty Segall’s Freedom Band.) Artists like Sibylle Baier and Jackson C. Frank are newfound loves, whereas Smith, Drake, Segall, and OCS are longtime influences. For an artist who wears her influences loudly and proudly while having still developed a unique artistic voice, a covers album is almost the perfect embodiment of Shannon Lay.

When I spoke again with Lay over the phone a couple months ago as she was about to embark on an opening tour for Whitney, she talked about why she likes not just recording covers, but playing them for an audience. “It’s such a great unifier, especially for an audience that doesn’t know you,” she said. “‘You like this? I like this, too!’” Lay plays Friday at the South Pasadena Masonic Lodge, Saturday at the Sebastiani Theater in Sonoma, and in July at the Permanent Records Roadhouse in L.A. Whether it’s a celebration of the release of Covers Vol. 1, Geist, her whole discography, or music in general, you can be sure to hear her as the messenger of some songs she didn’t necessarily write, embedded in the folk tradition.

Read our conversation below, edited for length and clarity.

Since I Left You: Both times we’ve spoken, you’ve talked about how much you like doing covers. You’ve included covers on your otherwise-original albums. What made you want to do a full covers album?

Shannon Lay: I think I had just amassed enough. I had so many under my belt that I loved playing live over the years, and it felt good to release something indicative of how I’ve been playing live lately, which is solo with this nylon string guitar, stripped-down, campfire style. It seemed appropriate.

SILY: Are there a couple tying threads among the range of artists you cover on here?

SL: I really wanted to be transparent about my influences, considering the fact that people who like my music would probably love these other artists, too. It felt like a nice way to let people in to the way I make music and open them up to the things I like, too. If you like me, you’ll definitely like Nick Drake and Elliott Smith.

SILY: It’s certainly a mix of eras. I was excited to see a couple modern day Bay Area luminaries in Ty Segall and OCS. How did those bands influence you as much as, say, Nick Drake and Sybille Baier?

SL: To have real-world experience with people I revere so much has been amazing. Ty and [OCS’] John [Dwyer] have been so supportive ever since I started playing music. It’s been super cool having them as a source of inspiration and support. I love them as people, but I absolutely love their music, so I had to pay tribute to those two guys. They’ve been so impactful on my life, musically and personally.

SILY: On your past couple records, your singing style seems more whispered and subdued, layered and affected. On here, especially on the Elliott Smith and Jackson C. Frank covers, you’re not obscuring your voice at all, which I found especially interesting on the Elliott Smith track, because that’s his singing style. Can you talk about how you adapted your vocal performance for these covers?

SL: I’ve been learning a lot about my voice. I’ve always loved to sing, but I think I grew up singing in these environments where I was living with someone, or roommates, and I didn’t want to bother anyone. I was always quite shy with my singing. Recently, I’ve had the ability to have my own space and explore what it’s like to go full-voice. Also, the way I’ve been tuning my guitar, which I got from Sybille Baier, is tuned down to C-standard. My voice fits so cozily in that zone. I started taking vocal lessons last year. It just blew the doors open, and I was able to find a much more powerful place to sing from. This record is the first place I’ve recorded that progress. Feeling it, and hearing how it hits the tape, particularly on the “Angeles” cover, was so delicious. I get why people love it: It’s this stunning compression that happens when you get that volume that meets that medium.

It’s been so cool. A lot of times, when you play an instrument or sing, you feel like you max out what you’re able to learn about it. I don’t think that’s true for anything. I feel like you can always learn more about what you love doing. With singing, it’s been really cool to expand the possibilities of it. I also want to sing for the rest of my life, so [it’s about] finding healthy habits and a new love for it. It’s stunning. I love it!

SILY: It’ll be cool to hear how you take this new approach into your original songs.

SL: Totally, especially if you see me live lately. It’s the new ingredient in the mix, which has been really fun in a simplified setting. It really maximizes the potential of how dynamic the vocals can be. It’s a really cool instrument, and it’s built into all of us.

SILY: Can you pinpoint your exact relationships to all of these songs, like when you first heard them or fell in love with them? Are there any that are newer to you?

SL: Sybille Baier is pretty new. I only discovered her in the last 4-5 years. Jackson C. Frank was also a pretty new love. The two of them have a lot in common. There’s a beautiful poetic melancholy to the way they make music, and two people I’d love to create a platform to lift them up on. They’re lesser known within this list of people.

The Jackson C. Frank song, I had never heard a cover done by a woman. I wanted to sing it from a female perspective. I thought it was interesting the way it took shape and became a little bit more wistful. I intentionally cut a verse that talked about giving up and not trying anymore. [laughs] I don’t agree with that. There’s something about heartbreak that propels you forward. It’s not about giving up, it’s about overcoming that moment. I liked bringing a more hopeful perspective to a very sad song.

SILY: The last time we talked, you said you always have a Sybille Baier track in your back pocket to cover at any moment. Why’d you choose this specific song?

SL: I wanted to pick songs that hadn’t been covered very much. [“I Lost Something In The Hills”] has some of my favorite lines I’ve ever heard in music. The whole arc of it feels like a coming-of-age story. Understanding yourself in an accepting light and that you’re kind of a weirdo, and these “strong and strange moods,” as she says. I can highly relate.

SILY: It’s a microcosm for the whole record, a curation of songs as a sort of mixtape, but you just happen to be the one singing.

SL: Yes! I love that.

SILY: “I’m Set Free” is a fun one because everyone says Lou Reed’s voice is deadpan, but your cover sort of reveals the song’s melody.

SL: [laughs] Totally. It’s a trip, man. I love transforming that song. The original has a washy thing about it, and I wanted to bring it down to Earth. The lyrics are so beautiful, and the message is, “I’m leaving the story behind,” having a clear perspective of a situation and it being up to you how to feel about things.

SILY: The Ty Segall cover is from Sleeper, his first “folk” record, but OCS have never gone through that folk phase to the extent Ty has. They’ve always maintained a certain level of noise, and "I Am Slow” specifically has a lot of weird instrumentation. How did you find adopting it to a folk song?

SL: That one was funny. With all the covers I’ve done, it falls into place so naturally, and that one just spilled out one day. I had to check with John on the lyrics because I wasn’t exactly sure what he was saying. [laughs] I got to play a few songs with OCS when they released their last record, which is one of the most stunning pieces of music, and I got to sing that song with Brigid Dawson. Every time I listen to OCS and play that song, I feel like I’m paying tribute to San Francisco. It just boils down the vibe of the [city], like a love note to the Bay Area.

SILY: What’s the story behind the cover art of this record?

SL: I do love a pun, so I wanted me under covers on the cover of the covers record. [laughs] It was a really fun shoot. My partner Kai MacKnight shot it on 16mm and grabbed stills, so it had this stunning texture about it. I was actually laying underneath a picnic table, and he was on top of the picnic table to get the shot. I love how it came out. It’s ethereal and ambiguous.

SILY: The title of this album has “Vol. 1″ in it. Do you have other covers set to record and release?

SL: I don’t, but I wanted to establish this never-ending journey. I really appreciate music and sharing music. I love bringing my perspective to songs. I want Vol. 2 to be all duets. I’m going to amass a bunch of duets for that one and see where it goes from there, and eventually release a sick-ass box set. [laughs]

SILY: Are you working on any original material?

SL: I’ve been sporadically writing ever since I released Geist. I want to figure out what that wants to be. I’ve also been writing with other people. I have a few things on the stove simmering, and I want to see what they turn into. I feel it on the horizon.

SILY: Anything else next for you?

SL: Just enjoying the ride. I’ve been doing ceramics!

SILY: Anything you’ve been listening to, watching, or reading you’ve dug?

SL: I just finished Poker Face, which I absolutely loved. It gives me X-Files vibes, which is such a nice thing to have in modern television.

I’ve just been listening to Elliott Smith for like the last year. I can’t stop. [laughs] And Pavement. A modern artist I’d like to hype is Allegra Krieger. She’s fantastic, an East Coast gal who makes the most incredible folk music you’ve ever heard. Her last album Precious Thing has been on repeat. It brought me to tears the first time I’ve heard it.

SILY: Did you see a Pavement reunion show?

SL: I did. It was in-credible. They gave the people what they wanted.

[freshthoughts2020]

Cam Newton Compares J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, and Drake's Rap Beef To The...

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

Met Gala Thoughts

Best in "I thought you were someone else"

(L) Sydney Sweeney as not-Billie Eilish (R) Kendall Jenner as not-Kim Kardashian

Honestly, Kendall looks more like Kim than Kim does at this point.

Best in "Live from Broadway"

Usher, giving Phantom. I hope someone asked him about the Drake/Kendrick beef.

Best in "One Outfit, Two Looks"

(L) Rebecca Ferguson (R) Demi Moore

Best in Technology

Ambika Mod. It's a 3D print of a dress on top of a dress.

Best in "You Could've Done Something Really Meta"

Nicholas Galitzine, whose character in his new film "The Idea Of You" is based on Harry Styles.

Best Rihanna 2.0

Cardi B, who needed 9 assistants to lay out her train.

Reminds me of Rihanna's omelet dress.

Best in "New Look, Who Dis"

Zendaya in her second outfit of the night. Very Blake Lively-ish.

Somewhere inside The Met, Jennifer Lopez was screaming at her assistant for not preparing a second look.

Best in "Couples Who Slay Together, Stay Together"

(L) Eddie and Hannah Redmayne (C) No idea (R) Queen Latifah and Eboni Nichols

Best Cinderella

Quannah Chasinghorse

Best in "Get These People a Career Revival"

L-R. Jude Law, Meg Ryan, Charlie Hunnam, and Michelle Williams

Best of the Gents

(L) Jonathan Bailey (C) Barry Keoghan (R) Colman Domingo, in a tribute to Chadwick Boseman and Andre Leon Talley.

Best in "I Don't Know What You Were Going For But I Guess It Works"

(L) Harris Reed. No idea who that is. (R) Uma Thurman

Best in "Better From The Back"

(L) Tommy and Dee Hilfiger (R) Mindy Kaling

Best "Where Can I Get This I NEED One Yesterday"

A relative is obsessed with dachsunds. I would win Christmas if I got my hands on this. Or a cheat knockoff.

Best in "The More I See Them Appear Together Because They're Contractually Obligated, The Less I Want To See Their Movie"

Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) and Ariana Grande (Galinda), who've been joined at the hip for the last year to promote Wicked, which comes out in November so there are still six more months of this to go.

Best in "Celebs, They Get Peckish Just Like Us"

Michael Shannon, with a Balenciaga bag. So disappointed it wasn't a party bag of chips. The Balenciaga retails for $1,850 or 115 party-size bags of Lays potato chips from Walmart.

Best in Vintage

(L) Nicole Kidman (R) Lana Del Ray

I was so happy to see a McQueen antler dress show up.

Best in "Oh Dear God Why Are You Here Go Away"

Ben Platt

Kardashians

Jerry Seinfeld and Jimmy Fallon

Lea Michele

Lauren Bezos (though I didn't actually mind her dress)

My Top Looks of the Night

L-R: Karlie Kloss, Nicole Kidman, Elle Fanning, and Gwendoline Christie.

Ultimately...

It was an underwhelming red carpet. The Met Gala serves an incredible purpose, but they've moved too far away from fashion and costume. There are too many actors and people-famous-for-being-famous involved now that have really watered down the fashion, the themes, and the cultural significance of the event. It needs to go back to being the New York elite and High Fashion - people who know how to wear clothes instead of posing with their hands on their hips, sticking out their butts, and pouting.

[playchoicesconfessions]

Sent by anonymous

‘Idk why the fandom always target single LI stories like yes they are boring and plain but the no. of LIs is not the problem. There is nothing new about multiple LI books as well.

For example there is always a grave, brooding LI (Ethan, Eli, Drake); a fun, friendly one (Bryce, Troy, Liam); a quite one (Raf, Shannon, Hana) an unconventional and quirky one (Jackie, Angel, Maxwell).

I can give a ton of other examples but the bottom line is they recycle the same personality again and again with different faces just like single LIs.'

POST/CONFESSIONS DO NOT REFLECT THE MOD’S PERSONAL OPINIONS!

[mariaajade]

[should-have-been-at-the-club]

All brackets have been completed! A plaintext list of brackets is below the cut.

Round one will begin on Sunday, 10 March.

I plan to have all 32 brackets go out between 8 and 9 am Pacific time on Sunday, and they will run for one week.

List of brackets:

1: Hal 9000 vs Isami Ao 2: Heket vs Falin Touden 3: Kozuki Hiyori vs Kang Sae-Byeok 4: Elliot Schafer vs Squirrelstar 5: Gideon Nav vs Jane Olsen 6: Florence Vassy vs Lex Foster 7: Hamlet vs Sabriel Abhorsen 8: Tobirama Senju vs Buffy Summers 9: Jesus Christ vs Supreme Witch, Calamitas 10: Nico Robin vs Taimi 11: Mikudayo vs Winter 12: Beebee vs Tim Drake 13: K1-B0 (Kiibo) vs Cesare the Somnambulist 14: Goemon Ishikawa XIII vs Luo Binghe 15: Kira Nerys vs Rayla 16: Dovewing vs Mama Bear 17: Delia Ketchum vs Lewis Smith 18: Martha Jones vs Frostpaw 19: Kaneeka Forsyth vs Cybersix 20: Sanji vs ???/Inv/Enot/Sofanthiel 21: Marcille Donato vs Moash 22: Ophelia vs Drumbot Brian 23: Harrowhark Nonagesimus vs Ken Amada 24: Moonwatcher vs Nobara Kugisaki 25: Ianto Jones vs Tabitha Chrysanthemum Scarlet 26: Adora vs Noa Enomoto 27: Shadowsight vs Juniper Lee 28: Mary Winchester vs Shannon 29: Trafalgar D. Water Law vs Akiza Izinski 30: Uzumaki Kushina vs Lera Makarova 31: Max vs Anakin Skywalker 32: Kurumi Wendy vs Miorine Rembran

[merrymarvelite]

Cover of the Day: Ghost Rider #15 (December, 1975) Art by Sal Buscema

[theoutcastrogue]

Shannon - Bedlam Boys

For to see Mad Tom of Bedlam, Ten thousand miles I’ve traveled. Mad Maudlin goes on dirty toes, For to save her shoes from gravel

  Still I sing bonnie boys, bonnie mad boys   Bedlam boys are bonnie   For they all go bare and they live by the air   And they want no drink nor money

I went down to Satan’s kitchen To break my fast one morning And there I got souls piping hot All on the spit a-turning.

There I took a cauldron Where boiled ten thousand harlots Though full of flame I drank the same To the health of all such varlets.

Me staff has murdered giants And me bag a long knife carries For to cut mince pies from children’s thighs With which to feed the fairies

No gypsy, slut or doxy Shall win my mad Tom from me I’ll weep all night, with stars I’ll fight The fray shall well become me

So drink to Tom of Bedlam Go fill the seas in barrels I’ll drink it all, well brewed with gall And maudlin drunk I’ll quarrel

The spirits white as lightening Would on me travels guide me The stars would shake and the moon would quake Whenever they espied me

The moon’s my constant mistress, And the lowly owl my marrow; The flaming drake and the night crow make Me music to my sorrow.

Original tune by The Halliard, first recorded by Steeleye Span as “Boys of Bedlam”, 1971. The lyrics are from “Mad Maudlin’s Search”, the reply to Tom o’ Bedlam, early 17th century. Other versions: Hickey and Sparks, Heidi Talbot, Heather Alexander, The Bedlam Boys, John Roberts and Tony Barrand.

[periwinkle-the-11th]

Intro post!

i'm Peri!

I spend my time writing, reading, crocheting, embroidering, drawing, sewing, procrastinating my school work and complaining about everything under the sun.

Heres my pronoun page!

If you know me irl, i am begging you to leave. you know who you are. I know who you are. go away.

I post all my writing and various creations over on @pericreatesstuff and my ao3 is Peri_Writes

I don't post works on ao3 until they're finished and gone over by my beta, but my writing blog is mostly unedited snippets!

I'm in way way way to many fandoms so heres an incomplete list:

dc (specifically batfam and yj98)

pjo/hoo (I haven't read toa yet but its on my list)

kotlc

Voltron (ik, i'm judging me too.)

bridge to terabithea

Atla

Daylight Shooting Star (if you know dss I am begging you to be my friend I have literally never met anyone else who's read it)

Marauders

Sk8 the infinity

Ohshc

The Sky Fall Trilogy by shannon messenger (once again if you've read it (and liked it) I am begging you to be my friend its so so underrated)

The Lost Books: Scroll of Kings (SO SO SO UNDERRATED)

I listen to way to much music way to often, heres some artists/bands i like: Set it off, pierce the veil, taylor swift, Fin (steffan argus), conan gray, PEGGY, olivia rodrigo, alec benjamin, one direction, Natalie jane, sadie jean, my chemical romance, fall out boy, NF, MARINA, Maren Morris, Dove cameron, girl in red, sabrina carpenter, melanie martinez, Avril Lavigne, Madonna, Ke$ha, little mix, Queen, Billy joel, Zara Larsson, Maisie Peters, Lauren spencer smith, ABBA, and literally so many more

and my tags:

#peri personal - just about everything not fandom related/interactions w people/my life

#peri complains - self explanatory really

#music rambles - rambling about music, mostly when new songs/albums come out

#allis adventures - various stuff about my sourdough! her full name is Allison Breadorthy and she is ALIVE

#baking Breadorthy - actually baking her

#my memes - crappy memes i make, mostly reblogged from my writing blog

#writing related - self explanatory but its mostly me complaining about my fics, plot holes i find, and polls bc i'm indecisive

#friends <3 - my actual conversation style interaction with my mutuals

#wtf dc - for whenever i find out that something that sounds just a bit to out of pocket to be cannon in dc, is cannon in dc. (ex: bruce's grandmother killing her husband, the candle ritual, dick shaving his hair and going by rick, etc)

#janet's life - my self indulgent canon compliant backstory for Janet Drake

#lena and tim - my even more self indulgent au where Lena Luthor adopts Tim Drake after his parents die, the fic is being plotted currently. THE FIC IS CANCELED!!! LEX IS LENA'S BROTHER! LENA IS KON'S AUNT!! THE PLANNED TIMKON IS LEGAL INCEST! (why does this keep happening??? TvT)

#bravery points game - I've started playing a points game with my anxiety, where every time I do something that scares me/my anxiety told me would end in disaster I get a point! It's stupid but it's motivating, I'm being brave! (Even tho it's terrifying) I do really have a points goal but I wanna try to get to 100 before the end of the year!

Thats all for now!! I'll probably update this once i realize i forgot smth tho

[unblogparaloschicos]

TV: Doce personajes LGBTQ de la franquicia "Degrassi"

Un blog que hable sobre la infancia y adolescencia LGBTQ no podía dejar de lado a una de las franquicias más celebradas de Canadá. Un verdadero semillero de artistas que contribuyó a mostrar el ser adolescente desde una perspectiva más realista y diversa.

Tiene sentido que todo haya nacido de dos maestros: la británica radicada en Canadá Linda Schuyler y el local Kit Hood. "The Kids of Degrassi Street" (1979-1986) fue el primer vagón de este tren imparable: sólo 26 episodios de una serie, en principio, destinada al público infantil. La idea comenzó a tomar velocidad con "Degrassi Junior High" (tres temporadas de 42 episodios entre 1987 y 1989) y "Degrassi High" (dos temporadas de 28 episodios entre 1989 y 1991). Ambas entregas comenzaron a delinear la variedad de temas, controversiales pero necesarios, que tocaban el mundo adolescente: homosexualidad, abuso sexual, delincuencia, drogadicción, embarazo adolescente, alcoholismo.

El nuevo siglo ofreció una renovación en el elenco juvenil, aunque no tanto en el temático. Esta vez, la serie fanatizó a las nuevas generaciones, que fueron premiadas con catorce temporadas ininterrumpidas. "Degrassi: The Next Generation", que en Latinoamérica pasó por Nickelodeon y MTV, gozó de 385 episodios, emitidos entre 2001 y 2015, y de un gran impacto de rating, crítica y reconocimiento. Algo que caracterizó a esta etapa, además de la consabida variedad temática (suicidios, asesinatos o transexualidad se añaden a la lista), es la gran gama de personajes celebrados por el público merced al talento y el carisma de sus intérpretes, las escenas memorables (y algunas con un dramatismo que sorprende en una serie dedicada al público teen) y las estrellas que emergieron de esta etapa de la franquicia, como el rapero Drake (aquí acreditado como Aubrey Drake Graham), Nina Dobrev ("The Vampire Diaries"), Shannon Kook-Chun (de la saga de terror "El conjuro") o Ricardo Hoyos (de la serie "Riverdale").

Netflix fue la casa que acogió la última entrega de la franquicia para su lanzamiento internacional. "Degrassi: Next Class" continuó "Next Generation" y recibió cuarenta capitulos divididos en cuatro temporadas: arrancó en 2016 y finalizó en 2017 (en efecto, cada año abarcó dos temporadas), siempre con la idea de transmitir las diversas problemáticas que acuciaban a los adolescentes, concediéndoles un espacio que les ayudase a entenderlas y salvarlas.

Ya lo hemos dicho: la sexualidad siempre fue un factor esencial en la narrativa de las series de "Degrassi" y, dentro de ese espectro, muchos fueron los personajes con los que se procuró representar a quienes escapaban a lo heterosexual o lo cisgénero. Aquí, un breve repaso con una docena de ellos:

Marco del Rossi (Adamo Ruggiero):

Gran personaje que aparece en la segunda temporada (en el episodio "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun") como estudiante y termina en la novena ("Heart Like Mine") como profesor (una breve reaparición en "Degrassi: Next Class"). Su experiencia como adolescente gay, su arco durante su paso por la serie, fue muy conflictuada. Sus primeros amigos, gracias a sus dotes como bailarín, fueron Jimmy (Aubrey Graham) y el inefable Spinner (Shane Kippel), y, aunque este último no se tomó a bien cuando le reveló su homosexualidad, la relación entre ambos se recompuso. Su primer noviazgo fue con una chica, Ellie (Stacey Farber), pero lo concluyó tras advertir que el género femenino no era lo suyo. Su siguiente amorío, tan intenso como problemático, fue con Dylan Michalchuk y, en el medio, con un tal Tim (Alex House). Luego llegaría Eric (Dwain Murphy) y conformaría una relación que abarcó la mitad de la séptima temporada.

Dylan Michalchuk (John Bregar):

Hermano mayor de Paige, Dylan es un deportista de alma. Tanto es así que su sueño es convertirse en jugador profesional de hockey en Suiza. Su primera aparición data de la tercera temporada ("Pride") y su amor por Marco, a pesar de ser intenso, no evitó que le fuera infiel con otro chico, o que mantuviera relaciones con Tom (Darryl Armstrong) o Eric (Justin Atkinson).

Paige Michalchuk (Lauren Collins):

La fuerza del gen LGBTQ es (valga la redundancia) fuerte en esta familia: hermana menor de Dylan, Paige es uno de los personajes más representativos de "Degrassi: The Next Generation". Inicia su travesía en la historia como una chica arrogante, manipuladora e incluso cruel (en "Family Politics", tercer episodio de la primera temporada), pero la concluye como alguien que ha aprendido a abrazar un costado más amable. Capitana de "Power Squad", el equipo de porristas del colegio, su mundo da un vuelco cuando es violada por Dean Walton (Shawn Roberts), que acaba impune por su crimen. Paige, que padece frecuentemente ataques de pánico, tiene una vida amorosa pródiga: Alex Nuñez es la única chica entre varones, entre los que se cuentan Spinner, su profesor Matt Oleander (Christopher Jacot) y Griffin Pierce-Taylor (Nathaniel Stephenson).

Alex Nuñez (Deanna Casaluce):

Alex provee el sabor latino, ofreciendo un rol complejo, rebelde con causa (viene de un hogar roto en el que, además de la pobreza, debe hacer frente a los novios abusivos de su madre). Su paso por el colegio, en el que su fama de "chica mala" la persigue, logra ofrecerle un punto de contención a través de sus nuevos amigos Ellie Nash (Stacey Farber), Marco Del Rossi y su antes rival y luego novia Paige. La adolescente inicia la travesía por la serie en la tercera temporada ("Gangsta, Gangsta") y la culmina en la séptima ("Love Is A Battlefield"). Un personaje fuerte que se ve obligada a crecer por sí misma y a tomar decisiones vitales que acaban fortaleciéndola.

Imogen Moreno (Christine Prosperi):

Su personaje es introducido en la onceava temporada, en el episodio "Cry Me A River (1)", y concluye en la catorceava con "Finally (2)". Moreno es una chica tímida y creativa que ansía una personalidad más sociable. Su estilo único le permite conquistar a chicas (como Fiona Coyne o Jack Jones) o chicos (como Eli Goldsworthy, interpretado por Munco Chambers); incluso a su historial debe añadírsele una historia breve con Adam Torres.

Jack Jones (Niamh Wilson):

Jacqueline Jones, tal su verdadero nombre, aparece en la decimotercera temporada ("What It´s Like") y congenia desde el principio con Imogen debido a su estilo tranquilo, alejado de los escándalos y las discusiones, su confianza y su afición atlética. Claro que el costado negativo de su personalidad recae en su escaso interés en mantener noviazgos a largo plazo. En su tiempo en la serie, Jack tiene dos etapas con Imogen Moreno, siendo en la primera una relación casi secreta (Imogen llega a presionarla para que saliera del clóset).

Fiona Coyne (Annie Clark):

En 2015. el cantante estadounidense Ryan DeRobertis (alias Skylar Spence) lanzó su álbum debut "Prom King", adonde incluyó una canción titulada "Fiona Coyne", en obvia alusión al personaje que nos ocupa. Su nombre completo es Fiona Celestine Arabella Coyne y aparece en la novena temporada, en el episodio "Just Can´t Get Enough (1)". Gemela de Declan (Landon Liboiron), tiene una vida errante: nació en Japón, vivió en Nueva York y, tras su paso por Degrassi, se fue a vivir a Roma. A pesar de todo, no puede decir que su existencia sea fácil: con una madre en arresto domiciliario por fraude y su propia experiencia de alcoholismo y ansiedad, su lista de relaciones amorosas es amplia y abarca chicas (Imogen Moreno, Charlie Lima) y chicos (Sebastien, Riley Stavros, Bobby Beckonridge, Adam Torres); luego se asumiría como lesbiana.

Riley Stavros (Argiris Karras):

En un principio, la ira ha sido su defensa contra lo que negaba vehementemente: su posible homosexualidad era inadmisible con su presente de muchacho atlético. Tras su primera aparición en la octava temporada (en la primera parte de "Uptown Girl"), su camino es sinuoso y problemático. Tras una breve relación con Fiona Coyne, la primera persona que le demuestra que no debería tener esa clase de conflicto es Sam (Wesley Morgan), el apuesto salvavidas con el que recibe clases para convertirse en uno y que le da la confianza para aceptarse a sí mismo. Sin embargo, su verdadero amor, el más impercedero (aunque con interrupciones), siempre será el que lo une con Zane Park, que prácticamente lo fuerza a salir del clóset.

Zane Park (Shannon Kook-Chun):

Todo lo contrario a Riley, Zane es un gay atlético y orgulloso. "In Your Eyes" (novena temporada) es su episodio debut. Allí, tras una breve experiencia con un chico llamado Thomas Faron (Will Bowes), su personalidad explosiva sorprende al atónito Riley, a quien conoce en una clase de yoga. La forma de entender su propia sexualidad, entre la negación y la aceptación convierte un juego de contrastes en un romance intermitente que, tras el final de la serie, continúa en pie.

Adam Torres (Jordan Todosey):

En Todosey recayó el honor de interpretar al primer personaje transgénero de la franquicia y, como es lógico, su rol en la historia es el de alguien que busca su transición a varón. Hermanastro de Drew (Luke Bilyk), Adam apareció en la décima temporada, en el episodio "I Just Don´t Know What To Do With Myself (1)" y no tardó en sorprender y conquistar a los fans, que quedaron devastados con su partida en la decimotercera temporada. Y no es para menos: aparece en el Degrassi Community School tras un pasado de bullying, adonde su presencia recibe más apoyo que burlas. Aunque ser transgénero le representa inconvenientes a la hora de pensarse en una pareja, Adam tiene una historia que incluye a Becky Baker (Sarah Fisher), Fiona Coyne y Missy Parker (Kendra Timmins).

Tristan Milligan (Lyle Lettau):

Una de las últimas incorporaciones LGBTQ de la serie, debutó en la onceava temporada (la primera parte de "Dead and Gone"), cuando "Degrassi: The Next Generation" pasó a ser conocida como, simplemente, "Degrassi"; su última aparición sería en el episodio "#KThyBye", el final de la cuarta temporada de "Degrassi: Next Class" y, por el momento, de la franquicia. Tristan es abierto, orgulloso y ambicioso y posee una gran pasión por las artes. De personalidad arrolladora, también es un chico soñador y de buen corazón en busca de una pareja cálida y amorosa. En su búsqueda encuentra (o cree encontrarlo) en el maestro Grant Yates (Marc Bendavid), expulsado por la relación, en Vijay Maraj (Dante Scott) y, en el medio, el noviazgo más importante de su vida, tanto que abarca "Degrassi" y "Next Class": el que mantiene con Miles Hollingsworth III y es interrumpido por inseguridad de ambos (y porque, en su primera relación, Miles todavía tenía sentimientos por Maya).

Miles Hollingsworth III (Eric Osborne):

Por supuesto, llevar un nombre como Miles David Hollingsworth III nos da una idea de que estamos frente a un muchacho de familia adinerada y modales refinados y aristocráticos, pero él es otra cosa. Su historia se inicia en "Degrassi" (la primera parte de "Summertime", en la temporada n° 13) y concluye en el último episodio de "Next Class". La tensa relación con su padre se agrava tras ser expulsado de su colegio anterior, al que iba en condición de pupilo, por iniciar un incendio. A pesar de los problemas en los que se mete, es notoria su desesperación por intentar agradarle, deseando aprobación. Ha tenido relaciones con chicas, como Maya Matlin (Olivia Scriven), Zoë Rivas (Ana Golja) o Esme Song (Chelsea Clark), pero lo que nos revela que es un personaje bisexual (el primero varón en la serie) es su romance con Tristan. La relación es tumultuosa, pero no tanto como la que mantiene con Lola Pacini (Amanda Arcuri), a quien deja embarazada tras un momento de pasión; finalmente, ella finalizaría voluntariamente su embarazo.

Nota 1: por falta de espacio, pues este post lo ha excedido para los requerimientos de tumblr, en una próxima ocasión publicaré sobre Glen Simpson, personaje gay que aparecó en "Degrassi Junior High".

Nota 2: aunque fui espectador de la serie, me fue imposible realizar este post sin la valiosísima del blog "Degrassi Wiki": https://degrassi.fandom.com/wiki/Degrassi_Wiki

Nota 3: Asimismo, algunas de las imagenes provienen de la cuenta oficial de tumblr de Degrassi: https://degrassi.tumblr.com

[elfdragon12]

So you know how Simon Furman's big justification for how he handled Arcee being a female Transformer in the Marvel UK issue "Prime's Rib" was "it was the times!" as if 1989 was some ancient history? Also that there wasn't really a female readership?

Yeah, here's a letter in Marvel #18:

"Dear Bob,

TRANSFORMERS #13 was great. You guys were sooo right about that being an off-beat story. Megatron is my favorite character and I have been worrying about what was going on with him. Boy, if I had Megatron as my servant, that would be great. He is the coolest Decepticon around. On a different subject, though, why aren't there any female Transformers? Hey, we're in the eighties now, Bob. Male dominance is a thing of the past. Robots shouldn't be any different from humans. You have me thinking you guys are male chauvanists or something! Come on, guys, let's have some female Autobots tangling with Megatron or Shockwave. Maybe you can have a love interest for Optimus Prime! Please consider my suggestions. I think you would really benefit from the addition of a female Transformer. JoAnn Teen 320 Drake Road Honolulu, HA

That settles it, Shingo, you've officially started a craze--even people in Hawaii think we're cool! Our Transformers comic just might put Emerson Air conditioners out of business! But seriously, JoAnn, you've got a point. There definitely seems to be a serious lack of femininity within the pages of TRANSFORMERS. But, in the near future, you will be seeing a female Autobot. It will not be in these pages, though, but in the upcoming TRANSFORMERS film (which Marvel just happens to be adapting in a three-issue limited series--so be on the lookout)."

Not only is this a letter from a female reader (there's also a "Shannon" on the same page, but that writer is from the South, so possibly a boy named Shannon), a female reader pointing out that they should be past this "no girls allowed" mentality. They're in the 80s!

This is from the US side of things, but I don't think the climate regarding feminism and girls either choosing to read Transformers based on their own interest or any brothers' (pre-mobile device, you often shared books or TV time in a family with more than one or two kids) would be so different in the UK.

While folks might argue about JoAnn's point of "robots shouldn't be different from humans", we should recognize that she isn't making a point from the viewpoint of hard science fiction but as a girl who wants to see her gender represented in the stories she enjoys. I, for one, definitely don't fault her for that. If you're going to write male robots (which even Furman admits they were), it's ridiculous to say that female robots don't make sense.

Either way, Simon Furman's portrayal of Arcee and women in "Prime's Rib"... Was perhaps not a result of "the times" and maybe... His own personal view on women that has lurked in how he has written them as recently as 2008 with his Spotlight: Arcee issue.