#african super hero

[fyblackwomenart]

"Floral Beautiful Black Anime Girl With Afro hair " by Anass Benktitou

[three-cheers-for-my-balls]

MY FAVORITE RTC QUOTES

when you've been alone as long as i have, you tend to anthropomorphize your friends. (karnak)

-If you believe both armrests are yours exclusively, you are part of the problem. (karnak)

-even in competition against yourself, you can still walk away a loser (ocean)

-he was inspired by traditional african folk music, specifically the lion king (constance)

-raise a middle finger to that most ruthless adjudicator called time (karnak)

-i hope i wiped my browser history clean (constance)

-democracy rocks! (ocean)

-i trade mostly in prophecies that dont make any sense until they actually do (karnak)

-even in death i can't escape her- she's followed me to the afterlife! (noel)

-well played satan, well played (noel)

being the only gay man in a small rural highschool is like having a laptop in the stone ages. sure you can have one but theres nowhere to plug it in (noel)

When a lioness has children, she sops making love to the lion. the lion gets jealous, sometimes so jealous he eats the children. You think this would upset the lioness. far from it. they make love again like the children never existed. (jane/penny)

-noooo i cant get any wifi up in this bitch (mischa)

-my gansta persona is only armour to conceal the fact that i am naked child wandering through the wilderness holding in my hands my wounded fragile heart (mischa)

-that was wack (mischa)

-i dont know how it is in your culture but in ours, playing games with peoples lives? super illegal (ocean)

-if its yellow, let it mellow. if its brown scoop it out with your hand and put it in the compost (karnak)

-some people are right wing, some people are left wing but last time i checked it takes 2 wings to fly. we are community we are family, we are the world (ocean)

-what you need is a fother-mucking hero (ocean)

-your cousin was in grade 4 he had to get his stomach pumped (ocean)

-you challenged my preconcieved notion that all gay dudes are fun to be around (ocean)

-OHHHH sweet jesus christ. on a bike. (noel)

-its like a slurpee woodstock (noel)

-a s.xual provacetour and a novelist. who never wrote a novel. or had sex (noel)

-GOD DAMMIT CAN YOU KEEP IT IN YOUR PANTS FOR ONE SECOND YOU HORRIBLE SUCCUBUS (noel)

-that was DOOOOOPEE YOOOOO (mischa)

-mad wicked awesome! (mischa)

-fornication under consent of the king (jane/penny)

-in my country it is natural for 2 men to show affection by kissing… not always in heels (mischa)

-theres a difference between affection and smut (ocean)

-not in my bible baby, bonsoir (noel)

mine will only have profanity in chorus (mischa)

-little orphan a hole (mischa)

-teen sex? kills (ocean)

-porno is magical (ricky)

whattt just because im all gangsta dont automatically make me homophobic. its not cool to be homophobe in rap game anymore since macklemore dropped same love. that sh.t was emotionally devastativing yo. (mischa)

he turned to the last fashion of pure stregnth and masculinity in society, self agrandizing commercialized hiphop (karnak)

grab yo dicks if you in the 306 bruh (mischa)

-autotune will never die (mischa)

-my rage has subsided, i am vulnerable now (mischa)

and that is why not everybody should have a library card! and you should vote for me (ocean)

and this is why you both SUCKED at math (ocean)

-on the other hand, given the context of german history, being a party spoiler might be a good thing. (karnak)

-i guess you could say im pretty sexy on another planet (ricky)

i told you moneky lovedrop (ricky)

-life is hard enough without making up reasons to be dicks to each other (ricky)

-incredible~ (ricky)

-theres only one commandment in the bachelor man bible: dont be a dick (ricky)

-we listen to you now space jesus (mischa)

[fredwkong]

Hi I have a idea for a story if possible if it can be a race tf a chubby African American becomes a Greek God or Superhero basically

Thank you kindly

“I wish I was super.”

Well, we can’t possibly make you stronger than the genies, can we? So, instead of a genie coming to you while you’re awake, a masked man appears at the foot of your bed while you sleep. He leans over you and draws a magical sigil just below your belly button.

When you wake up the next morning, you feel lighter. You can’t quite put your finger on it while you wash your face, but you look… better. A little slimmer, perhaps? When did you get that tattoo on your belly? It looks… really good.

Your eyes empty and your face slackens as you stare in the mirror at the sigil on your belly. It begins to swirl, and as your body continues to slim down, the pattern spreads like ink across your body. Wherever it touches, your muscles bulk up, until you’ve become a tight bodybuilder.

You blink back to consciousness, and look at yourself in the mirror. It’s like your brain is filling with a totally new personality. You’re the hero Inked, now. Just by flexing your hot tattooed muscles, you can make any villain fall under your sexy spell and do whatever you say. Be careful, though. The power comes from the genie. If he decides that you aren’t seducing enough men using your power, he’ll be back, and he might transform you into a less virtuous kind of metahuman.

Another wish fulfilled.

Got a wish you need twisted? Send an ask! Remember to say “I wish” so the genie hears exactly what you’re wishing for.

[miguelswifey04]

telekinetic!spidey!fem! reader

note: my spidersona + my own headcanons of her <3

first of she’s from earth 1213 where superhero’s and supervillans don’t exist & if they somehow ‘miraculously’ do exist they are shunned by the world—that’s why there isn’t superheroes anywhere to be seen because they are most likely hiding their true selves.

she had already had telekinetic powers every since she was very young!! she was raised and born to a mexican mother and an african american father!! her first language was spanish then later on as she gotten older she’d learned english

currently a college student in her 20s!! the timeline takes present day 2023–she studies computer science at a prestigious university & works as a barista at her university’s coffee shop <3

she was bitten by a radioactive spider when she got out the shower 😭 & she didn’t know she was bitten after she saw a red lump on her knee but she brushed it off until her spider abilities on top of telekinetic ones manifested

her hero name is starlight spider & her suit consists of golden outlines and pink stars ✨ that glitter her suit—she got it tailored and had her artist friend design it for her (they’re the only ones who know her true identity)

her parents are long gone so she only has herself and she’s trying her best to juggle her college and hero life—it’s hard at times but with the help of her roommate she’s able to persevere 😣

now her telepathic abilities are a strong one—she’s able to levitate (float but can’t fly for long distances) short distance teleportation, can manipulate and control objects with just her mind, very good with creating strong energy fields & a telepathic <3 but for her spider abilities she uses webshooters, has increased speed and agility, increased strength, spider senses (don’t rly need em when you’re a telekinetic) can do pretty much what a spider can do <3

extremely flexible…she does gymnastics 🤸🏽‍♀️ and does yoga 🧘🏽‍♀️ to help center herself and it’s kind of an escape from her reality

miguel had an eye on her because he was curious and surprise to stumble upon a spider person with telekinesis—he eventually comes to her earth and scouts her…she’s very stubborn and snarky at first but agrees to join

i’d like to think that she would challenge him and be reluctant to follow him and in a way it’s a game of push and pull between them; she keeps him on his toes while he simply puts up with her because it’s something he looks forward to everyday

at first they wouldn’t get along pretty well just because they both think differently and are polar opposites 😭

when they do start to get along they form a rare bond it’s just an unspoken thing between them and many of the spider people don’t get how 2 diff people have a thing for each other but they make it work

miguel would be cautious of her but NEVER underestimates her just because she’s a rare gem and has such cool powers & a lot of the spider people admire her for that—she’d be close to spider people who have unique abilities like her tbh !!

she’s super close to the spidey gang and probably has a soft spot for miles, margo, & gwen LOL + hobie & pav would treat her as a sibiling more so :p

———

a/n: please let me know if you want a pt. 2 & elaborate more with the relationship between her and miguel <3 also these are mine headcanons so if you seen a similar one out there i didn’t take inspo from that!!

tags 🏷️: @kairiscorner

[prodigal-explorer]

i have an idea for an omori au

an au where all of them are dancers and each of them represent a different dance style

and it would be called omoriography like choreography

maybe it’s a mari lives au where all of them are dancers at a studio

but each of them have like a favorite style

and they do duets and group dances and stuff omgggg

sunny would obviously be ballet, precise and clean, beautiful in a quiet way, super technical.

i could see basil as acro because he can contort into different positions like he contorts into different personas and pretends to be something he’s not. (sorry i can’t not roast basil at every turn)

i love aubrey as contemporary. enigmatic, unique, something nobody’s ever seen before but so captivating. a strange amalgamation of every style and yet none of them at the same time. and it’s so versatile! it can be happy or sad or angry.

i ADORE kel being the styles of dance that make noise, specifically tap and african dance. you cannot tell me that kel wouldn’t be obsessed with making as much noise as possible, and considering how active he is, he’s got the stamina required for these very demanding styles! i also just love the idea of kel stomping a complicated gumboot combination with a grin on his face. also, those styles don’t require ballet technique as much as they require strength and dexterity. which kel has plenty of!

omg it would be so cute if hero and mari were ballroom and they danced together as partners!! they’re both so service-oriented, i could see them both not loving the idea of dancing solo but adoring the idea of dancing with a partner to support and to support them. they’re stronger when they’re together! also hero doing complicated lifts with mari omg it would be so beautiful and special!

i wonder if anyone else has come up with an idea like this-

if so i’m really sorry i deadass pulled this out of my ass while trying to sleep last night and i’m obsessed with it i will be writing fanfic asap

[dangara2610]

Hard to do Crossover

Time to time, watching the lots of crossovers fans do about Varian with anything, I thought about one of the fandom I liked and spend lots of years in it

Does any of you knew about the Hetalia fandom ?

Humanized countries anime, before the creation of Countryballs and Country humans but after the old newspaper cartoons about each one nation spirit like "Uncle Sam" for the USA and "John Bull"for the UK?

(My mind playing easy and silly after a whole day playing difficult xD)

Varian and Hugo cosplaying France and England because I can't decide which one fits better 🫠😎🤓

Super silly draw ~ hahahhahahahah

(My mind playing difficult before that fanart)

I tried to find who in the Hetalia cast would be fitting for a role swap with the Vat7k characters, but they are so different from each other , even the similar things between them have to be pushed xD

Long time ago, my favorite fanfics and fancomics were "Historical accurrate" focused, but most the content was about romance , so I endup becoming a big fan of:

FrUK : France x United Kingdom

USUK : United States x United Kingdom

Usually along with "FACE family" Dynamic, France and England as parents , Canada and America as adoptive sons

Then , I got a more deep liking for England , so I would get any England x (any other country) material

As well for USA x (any other country)

Varian: From a germanic country, so we have some to pick between the very Germany, or Prussia, Austria, Switzerland, Lietchestein, Bravaria or Kugel Mugel, but most of them have a serious stoic attitude

Except Prussia, who likes to play funny, is clean and disciplinated , writing a lot for his journal so everyone can know about his amazing adventures and goals, high self esteem, able to play teacher/mother/father/older brother role to any who wants to take lessons from him or who needs him, during the manga pages (and anime chapters) about Industrial revolution, he and his lil bro showed great engineering skills and enthusiasm.

Hey, when we think about Rapunzel, we were taught about her Germanic origins, then on the Tangled making, there was a mention about how the team wanted Germany as main influence and a few of Spain influence , and maybe not lots of you saw it, but there was a fanart about Prussia and Hungary cosplaying Eugene and Rapunzel that got re-posted on most old Facebook accounts about Hetalia

So feels like Prussia role was already taken at the Tangled cast, as well, Hungary on her cannon scenes, used a frying pan as weapon too.

Next pick for a fitting role for Varian, it may be , America? I don't know xD , joyful, friendly, strong, innovative, but doesn't knows how to measure his skills or social contact so he endups pushing everyone boundaries or ignoring safety codes, loves heroic tales and wants to be the hero of the situation at sigh, too bad he makes exaggerated bad takes due to his inexperience.

England, either for Hugo or Varian

A tsundere who suffered social exclusion during his early existence, who fought all the way to stop being poor, forgotten and put aside to reach riches, glory and power, not losing contact with his magical paranormal friends, yet, having difficult times to accept friendship or love from others, facing betrayings as well, a little bit of low self esteem, trying to compensate with other things (as with aggression and search for more power), for innovation, he tried engineering but his ideas were too eccentric so he would end up laughed at for his impractical machines, yet, searching ways to improve.

I need to make this shorter so I'll skip talking about France

As well about China or any other asian country for Yong

Sadly for Nuru , there are very few African or Oceanic based characters, most of them on a sole official videogame of the series with not enough screen time on the show, yet, nice to search around the fanbase

Any way, find something for an "accurrate " role swap is difficult, maybe cosplaying would be the only thing I would fantasy about xDdDDDDdD

The only "legit" version for a Crossover of Hetalia and Tangled would be creating brand new OCs of each one of the locations in the map of this world, specially about the 7 kingdoms

Bayangor looks kin to any country from Southeast Asia , so I would pick Indonesia (the series got a femenine character sketch, but then, changed it for a male one, either way, just for the manga and not the anime)

Galcrest and Nesdernia would certainly be about native american communities, sadly, most of them are drawn as OCs for the fandom, no actual cannon characters

Pittsford and Corona looks germanic enough, hehe, we could pick similarities with other European countries

The Dark Kingdom gave hints about Scotland , so it's easier

Ingvarr, according to some post, was supposed to be Persian/ Arabic influence, as well for Koto, African influence, but is vague, and both of them, reversing the role of colonization, looking like ... O dear, I have to go.

And that's all, I have to go 🥭⛅🥭🌟🌳🌟🫧⛅🫧⛅🌳🌟🌀🌀🌻 thanks for reading 🪷🌠🏵️🌹🏵️🌹🏵️🌹🏵️

[angevinyaoiz]

saw Dune 2 (2une?), and since I don't have my dune blog anymore I'll post here, since blah blah this is my place for posting about Dynastic Weirdos. This is long but NO MAJOR SPOILERS, except about like, small detail things that aren't plot things but whatever

Tbh it was disappointing. It had all the correct elements to be liked but one thing grated on me the whole time...the Bad Dialogue and lack of Elevated Speech! Why the hell were all these characters saying stuff like "these guys" "we're ok" and "literally" it took me out of the fantastical world sOOO bad. Super bummer because what I loved about Dune 1 (D-uno?) As someone who went into it before reading or knowing anything was how much it didn't explain, how it let the visuals and the world unfold before you, and how serious and somber it was in a way that gave it a sense of scale and time.

I can only wonder if WB saw all the complaints and tweets about people being like "we didn't understand the first movie!!! It wasn't funny and quippy!!!" And decided to simplify it down so characters just SAY things really obviously and inelegantly. The writing has some competence in moving the story forward but there's no poetry or rhythm to the way characters say things, it's serving "Rings of Power" scriptwriting to me lmao. And it's not like any of the actors are bad? I've seen them do well in the previous movie and in other things, so wtf was going on with the direction. I know people complained Abt Villeneuve saying that whole thing about being more into visuals than dialogue but maybe he was right...there needed to be LESS WORDS. bc much of the words we had were NOT GOOD.

Positivity: the middle and latter part was where the movie picked up for me. The Harkonnen Freak Villain behavior was everything I could have wanted! Finally instead of EXPLAINING everything obviously we got to see a LOT of character building, for Feyd specifically in a very short amount of time. I know a lot of us complained about Bald Feyd-Rautha but Mr Elvis did a very good job. And we got Madame Fenring and weird scifi femdomming finally, which is Essential for the Duniverse! Wonderful fantastic no notes.

Of course, getting back to our heroes, I anticipated this 2 years ago sadly and it was true...the Fremen were badass but SWAGLESS. More Learned ppl have already written about the frustration with the erasure of the Arabic/North African cultural presence so I won't reiterate that here since I'm not super knowledgeable about the specifics of that but even as a casual watcher there was a weird emptiness to the way I feel the society was portrayed. There were individual good character moments, such as fun bantering among the Fedaykin etc, but for Pacing or Whatever they cut out the community aspects that served to make them feel more like well, a People rather than just either Grizzled Soldiers/ Religious Fundamentalists aka Marks/Panicked refugees. I have to guess this was ppl were like "we can't show a culture too cool and colorful and the part with Harrah (Jamis' widow) would feel too ORIENTALIST!!! But the result is something sadly very dry. At least in more older orientalist works, the interest comes from when the ~exotic~ stereotypes figures are able to have charming personalities and personalities and be known as people despite the cliches sometimes but this sadly wasn't even like that....

Jamis' funeral is a good example of this; in the Book, it's a moment where you first get a good look of what rituals are like in this world, and how people relate to each other and to the dead. In the movie, the funeral is looks more foreign and even a little creepy as the water is extracted from the body. There's not really a Personal or community connection aspect to it at all.

The ending was pretty good as it satisfied all the Cool Dune Moments I think we all wanted to see, and also did literally the end of The Godfather Part 1 Framing which was hee hee heh. Anyways, Messiah is MY favorite book of the series personally so curious how they get to that.

Maybe I've been too spoiled by Cool Historical Fiction lately? I've been watching too much of The Devil's Crown where action happens mostly off screen but the dynastic drama is written and acted so compellingly, the historical mindset and setting so alien and yet so human and relatable, it's frustrating to see when works try to do the opposite? Idk??? Dune books themselves is fun in how action is mostly an "offscreen, offstage"' thing.

*if ANYONE in the Universe is a quippy Bastard, it should be Leto II esp in God Emperor where he literally has nothing to do all day but quip all day to terrified acolytes

[theliterarywolf]

I watched Kizazi Moto and I really liked it a lot! One of the things I found especially interesting was the difference in…I want to say emoting? expression? with how some of the characters responded to things. Like with tongue clicking and some hand motions. I thought that was very interesting. Did you have a fave episode?

YES! Finally, someone watched/sent in an ask about this anthology!

And what you said here, noticing the differences in emoting. I am so glad you mentioned that because, yes: African storytelling, particularly when it comes to bringing stories to the big (or in this case, streaming) screen, does have its own style of emoting, staging, and composition.

And, yes, every culture does (for all people meme on Indian soap operas having the 'twenty dramatic zooms with matching music', you can tell that's a modernized carryover from traditional storytelling), but I have been yearning for African stories to be able to be seen by a wider audience so they can be a part of the conversation.

Because, yeah, we have companies like Netflix picking up a few Nigerian and Ghananian movies/shows for streaming, unless you're searching for them or your algorithm is trained, you'll never find them.

Also, shout-out to Supa Team 4

An upcoming CGI animated series from Zambia that is looking like a fusion of Miraculous and DC Super Hero Girls.

But, my rambling aside, for me there were three stand-outs from the anthology.

My favorite cultural-reflection, My favorite spectacle, and My Overall Favorite (kind of like a Best in Show).

My Favorite Cultural-Reflection

And by this, I mean which of the shorts reflected the culture it's creators are from the best (even though it may not have been my Overall Favorite):

Moremi (Nigeria)

(Hate that I couldn't find a gif for this one...)

Before this series aired proper, If you showed me 15 seconds of each short and told me to identify which country they came from, with this one it would have been a no-brainer. The staging and composition are such a strong mirror to Nigerian storytelling, a facet that is made even more obvious when we're introduced to the scientist character.

My Favorite Spectacle

Mkhuzi: The Spirit Racer (South Africa)

The sheer definition of 'Hype'. When I was liveblogging my first time watching some of the anthology, I made the comment 'Who at Triggerfish Studios marathoned Gurren Lagann and Kill la Kill before coming into work that day?!' But, yes, this short was extremely anime, extremely colorful, and extremely action-packed. All while still having a message about maintaining the connection with your ancestors.

My Overall Favorite (Best in Show)

Enkai (Kenya)

Everything about this short, the composition, the color-scheme, the acting, the setting, and the messages are beautiful. While the initial scenes give us the impression of a simple, more intimate story of a mother and daughter, as the story progresses, the audience is presented with themes of family, spirituality, environmentalism, and even a bit of generational trauma sprinkled in (if you know where to look).

In fact, I'm going to discuss the moment that solidified this short as Best in Show for me. Spoilers under the Read More

When Enkai and her mother finally escape the destroyed Earth and Enkai is showing the new world she's made, free of mankind's greed and destruction, her mother has a moment of hesitation and looks back towards the Earth.

Even though the Earth and it's people, the ones who she was trying so hard to protect, have hurt her so much, she still says, "...I can still fix this!"

And Enkai has to be the one to tell her mother, "If we didn't leave, we would never be free from them. They have to save themselves now."

As much as the environmentalist message is there, it also reflects a story of a woman being abused by her family, hurt by her family, and internalizing the fact that she has to stay; she has to take care of her loved ones, only finally being told by the next generation 'No, you have done enough! You have been hurt enough!'

I just... God, the beauty of African storytelling being presented in the medium of modern animation got to me, okay?

[drifting-pieces-blog-blog]

Oh Bushman and his super racist backstory (not that he wasn't a stereotype before). Again it could be done well, but it very much wasn't

also why is bushman and some domi are colored grey when African-American characters like Gena are colored a more brown color often in the same comic? Do you think there was a choice there or it's just the colorists fucked up?

(compared Shang-Chi being orange and his father Fu Manchu being bright yellow but all the other Asians and Asian americans were beige)

Hi there! Yeah... Any time a comic heads into Africa for a villain story I have to take pause and wonder just HOW racist this story is going to get. Or at least the art and the depictions of the locals.

I think in the case of the coloration of Bushman, if you look at the other characters that are coming from his homeland, they all have the same ashen black/brown color. Or… At least the bad guys are.

There's a lot that can be said about that.

I'm going to tred as carefully as I can but it's going to get dicey.

You might have noticed that people come in different colors. Even those colors come in different colors.

Not all black people are 'brown'. Some are lighter and some are much darker. The same goes for Asians and white people and all sorts of ethnicities.

BUT. How do you show that in comics? Comics are printed. And sometimes that printing isn't done well. And not all shades of ink print well.

If you use a darker color, you aren't going to see any shading, details, or ink. You can't use black or you lose everything and you have to start outlining in red, white, or green. Which can be jarring if you are using black outlines everywhere else.

So you get the gray color to show darker black toned skin.

HERE'S WERE THE RACISM COMES IN. Boy howdy.

Remember a moment ago when I said 'the bad guys are'?

There was a very popular notion for hundreds and hundreds of years that the darker you are, the uglier and more inhuman you are. (Thank you colonialism). In fact, there is still a notion in beauty standards that many people are trying to change. The notion that dark is ugly. ANd good luck finding cosmetics for the darker colors. Again, companies are trying to change that and be more inclusive, but this is a VERY recent event.

So it's not uncommon in Hollywood to use the darker colored skin to signify the bad guys.

The same goes for comics.

You have "Beautiful and warm brown" for our heros like Luke Cage and T'Challa and Storm! Then you get ashen gray for Bushman.

Yikes.

And Asians? Well… The more yellow…

So next time you are reading a comic that actually includes POC, take note of the shades that are being used. Then take note of where those people stand on the good vs. evil scale.

If you are reading something more modern and they are still using that scale of shading to denote evil, you might want to stop and think about who wrote this and WHY they might be using that color scale. If you are reading an older comic, this is going to be hard to avoid. But pay attention to it. Realize that even the best comics were not immune to racism.

Good job on noticing this, my friend!

Comics can often show us a pretty good idea on the politics of what was going on during the time it was written as well the mental ideas/pictures of people.

I'm sure there's SOME paper or dissertation or thesis out there that talks more about this. If not, someone should absolutely do one! I'd love to read it!

[renyen808]

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The TV Show We (and Disney) Needed

Back when I was a child, I had a difficult time reading. In fact, I loathed it. I never understood why we had to read in the first place, it seemed extremely tedious to me. It had gotten so bad to the point where it became obvious that I just did not want to read. It wasn’t until my parents signed me up for this reading thing at my elementary school, where after hours, like dinner time, they would give us a book to read. I wasn’t a fan of this because why the hell would I want to be reading at 7 pm on a Wednesday night? Yes, you read that correctly, a Wednesday! The first session, they made us read a book from an author in Hawai’i. They wrote a children’s book and they made us read it, which I didn’t because it never interested me. So, the next Wednesday comes around and I just expect it to be the same. Just give me my copy of the book that I am never going to read again and I’ll call it a day. But that didn’t happen. For the first time, I actually found a book I was interested in: The Lightning Thief. 

(Credit: Goodreads)

Everything about Percy entrapped me in this mystical world of Greek Gods, monsters, and half-bloods. I was never like this before, reading page after page just to know what happens next. Along with that, since I started reading them when I was twelve, it was a great way to see myself in these different characters, feeling the triumph and betrayal throughout every twist and turn of their adventure.

I read all of Percy Jackson and the Olympians and The Heroes of Olympus throughout my time in school, and also watched the movies, but, while watching the movies, I was disappointed to find that it wasn’t like how I imagined it. They changed aspects of the story that didn’t need changing and in doing so, kinda destroyed the magic that made it so great. Grover was a kind hearted boy and while I like Brandon T. Jackson, I didn’t buy him as Grover. Sure he was a great friend to Percy, but he wasn’t Grover to me. Logan Lerman was the perfect Percy, just the wrong time for him. And do not get me started on Alexandra Daddario as Annabeth, she was the worst offender of the three in my opinion. Them changing every aspect of the story just made me super upset, and do not get me started on that second movie (Love you Blackjack). The point is, as a Percy Jackson fan, we needed better, we deserved it!

(Credit: Wikipedia)

During 2020, I finally got my wish when they announced that the show was greenlit. Everyone around the world rejoiced as we finally got our chance. Once that happened, everyone started to wonder about who would be casted as the titular character. Then, April 2022, Walker Scobell was announced. At this point, I haven’t watched the Adam Project or anything that he has done, but after watching it, I was stunned, I was like, ‘That’s Percy…’ Then, Leah Sava Jeffries and Aryan Simhadri were casted as Annabeth and Grover and the world lit on fire in the community.

(Credit: Polygon)

As a woman of color myself, not African American, but Asian, I was ecstatic to see Jeffries take on Annabeth. I’m the type of person that cares more about if they embody the soul of the character than the appearance. Daddario may have looked like Annabeth, but Jeffries IS Annabeth. There are still portions of the community that cannot wrap their head around that the beloved daughter of Athena is a different race, but I don’t care. It is especially prominent in this Facebook group (yes, I still use Facebook) I am a part of to share my love for Percy Jackson. I try to surround myself with like minded people, and sometimes, a few of the racist ones just come through.

As you can see, I loved the series. From the moment I heard Scobell’s voice, I knew the series was built with so much love. I always felt drawn to Percy, being from Hawai’i, the ocean is special to me. I always found his snark and humor relatable, since I am similar with my friends and family. I also was drawn to Annabeth with her no nonsense attitude, along with being a strong female character. Also, cannot forget Grover, the literal glue of the group. The quest would have gone completely wrong if not for him. Scobell, Jeffries, and Simhadri all played their roles to perfection. They are truly the Golden Trio come to life. 

(Credit: Town and Country Magazine)

I need to also call attention to all the different actors and actresses who played supporting roles throughout the series. Virginia Kull’s masterful performance as Sally, showing just how difficult it can be on the mortal parents of a demigod child. Glynn Turman as the perfect Chiron, showing a sense of care and concern as Percy’s mentor. Jason Mantzoukas’ performance as Mr. D is a standout, with him completely capturing what it means to be the punished director of Camp Half-Blood. Megan Mullally was an amazing Alecto, bringing a sense of fear immediately into Percy’s life. Timm Sharp played an amazing Gabe Ugliano, showcasing a different way that Gabe could be portrayed for an audience today. Adam Copeland, also known as Edge in the WWE, plays Ares, a terrifying force in the book that Copeland captures perfectly. Also want to shout out Nick Boraine, the voice of Kronos, who brings a sinister feel to the series, showing he is the big bad of this story.

(Credit: PopBuzz)

I wanted to make a separate paragraph for the last supporting character: Luke Castellan. Luke is played by Charlie Bushnell, who really sold me as a demigod feeling betrayed by the gods. Just from his acting in Episodes 2 and 8 solidified to me that this is how Luke is. Granted, the confrontation scene is not as sinister as it is in the book, I believe that the TV series did it better, where Annabeth is there in person to see the betrayal happen. I mean, that is literally her brother betraying her, I cannot imagine what she is going through. Bushnell really sold it as Luke honestly, showing he’s an upset demigod who believes the gods have turned their backs on them. He made use of his time on screen, and I cannot wait to see him in future installments as our big bad.

(Credit: IGN)

Overall, this series is what we all deserved! I understand that people are upset that it was not completely faithful to the books, and that is a valid argument, but I will say this: if you want a faithful adaptation, read the books and recreate it in your head. Nothing will ever be a perfect copy of another, not with humans around. I think instead of nitpicking the differences and inconsistencies between the two, we should embrace the changes. Embrace the fact that this was even created in the first place and be grateful for it. Embrace the fact that we have a great TV show, but god forbid they forget about the scorpion that Luke poisons Percy with. The books, movies, the TV show, they’re all interpretations of the same idea, and we all have different thoughts about the idea, that at the end of the day, at least one person will be a hater. Anyway, with millions of views each episode, I’m sure season two is coming, and with that my boy Blackjack!

[fizzigigsimmer]

I'm a little scared but could you tell us about the slave hurt/comfort caligator fic?

Haha, don’t be too scared. I am still working on the outline for this one. It takes place in an dystopian reality where there was a second civil war in America and the Coalition of Patriot States succeeded from the union. Technically the war is ongoing and the country is divided into two territories separated by a wall. But for the most part, the two halves are in a stalemate.

In the states governed by the Coalition (CS) slavery is constitutional but following the collapse of the African slave trade they reverted to a feudal/classist system. The idea being that everyone should do their part to build up society and no one can be a drain. People who the government stamp “deviant” in any fashion lose all of their rights and enter the slave class. The only way out of this class is to have the government remove the ‘D’ from your citizenship papers (which rarely happens) or of course to escape to the free states. It’s a tragic fact that even in countries where slavery isn’t legal wealthy people like to purchase slaves from the CS and bring them back as domestic “staff”. The CS basically has a whole trafficking system set up to make money to fund their military etc. But there are lots of hoops that foreigners have to jump through before they are allowed to be buyers which means there is a certain amount of time they have to reside in the CS rubbing elbows with the first class. So it’s super dangerous, because if they are found out they’ll be killed.

Max is part of an organization that works to extract slaves from the CS and reunite them with family members in the free states. Her client is Dot who escaped her husband Roy and the CS after Roy discarded Gator due to an injury that ended his football career. Due to the high cost of his medical bills he had Gator stamped in order to pay back his debt - an extraordinarily cruel thing to do to ones own child when they have the money to care for them. Gator has spent the last ten years as a slave in his own father’s household with the possibility of re-earning his citizenship dangled over his head like a carrot.

Billy’s no hero and he’s not trying to risk his life to be one, but Max ambushes him with Dot and he can’t hear her story without thinking of his mom and how things might have been even worse for him if he’d been born south of the wall.

So Billy’s under cover in the CS playing a dangerous game with Roy and the big whig officials, and he really can’t afford to make any mistakes like fall in love with Gator - but of course he does. 😆 Lots of danger, intrigue and of course hurty bits but lots of comfort too as Billy becomes Gator’s anchor and and slowly helps him find his pieces and remember that he is in fact a person, worthy of dignity and love.

@martyreasemymind @adelacreations

[thelivebookproject]

Reading Wrap Up | October - December 2023 + 2023 Recap

One more year has gone by, I almost can't believe it and yet it's already time to review how the year was.

[Jan-March] [April-June] [July-Sept]

Code: books read in English are in black, books read in Spanish in red, books read in French in blue & books read in Portuguese in purple.

OCTOBER (3)

West With the Night - Beryl Markham -> 4/5

Desencajada - Margaryta Yakovenko -> 3/5

Death and the Penguin - Andrey Kurkov, trad. George Bird -> 2.5/5

My favourite was definitely Markham's: as a British woman in colonised Kenya, I was wary of starting her memoir, but it actually was a really pleasant surprise. Her love for the country where she grew up in was palpable with each description of the land and the sky, and her life as a rancher, horse trainer, and chartered pilot was fascinating and full of adventures. Desencajada was a good insight into the life of a second-generation immigrant, but it was too similar to Supersaurio (by Maryam El Mehdati), which I read earlier in the year, to offer anything different. Kurkov's book was curious, but not enough for me to really recommend it.

NOVEMBER (4)

O Alquimista - Paulo Coelho -> 2/5

The Intimacy Experiment (The Shameless Series #2) - Rosie Danan -> 4/5

Greek Mythology: The Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes Handbook: From Aphrodite to Zeus, a Profile of Who's Who in Greek Mythology - Liv Albert (ilustrado por Sara Richard) -> 3/5

The Housekeeper and the Professor - Yoko Ogawa, trad. Stephen Synder -> 3/5

Coelho's was for a book club and it was as simple and as bland as I expected, but it was my first ever book read in Portuguese so yay for a landmark! Rosie Danan's was great, and I actually added her new book to my TBR because in just two books she's become a trusted author for romance.

DICIEMBRE (7)

A Viagem do Elefante - José Saramago -> 3.5/5

Infocracy: Digitalisation and the Crisis of Democracy - Byung-Chul Han, trad. Daniel Steuer -> 4/5

My Roommate is a Vampire - Jenna Levine -> 2.5/5

Demigods & Magicians (Percy Jackson + The Kane Chronicles) - Rick Riordan -> 3/5

In Bed with the Stablemaster (The Rogue Files #6.5) - Sophie Jordan -> 2.5/5

¿Para qué sirve realmente la ética? - Adela Cortina -> 2/5

Le Testament Français - Andreï Makine -> 2/5

December was very good in terms of numbers but not in terms of quality. Infocracy was super interesting and I do really recommend it as a good intro treatise on contemporary debates about democracy and information. Saramago's was also fun if a little overlong, and as usual Riordan is a good comfort read. But the rest of them? I've already forgot what they were about, definitely meh.

As usual, if you want to have a chat about anything I read just send me a message!

Yearly Recap

[Hello 2023 post]

Reading (at least) 55 books [59/55]

12 books in French [4/12]

12 books in Spanish [12/12] [Plus several books translated into Spanish!]

12 non-fiction books [11/12] [So close and yet so far...]

12 LGBTQ+ books [3/12]

12 books by European writers (excluding British ones) [10/12]

12 books by African/Afro-Caribbean writers [1/12]

12 books by Asian writers [3/12]

4 books by writers from Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, etc.) [1/4]

4 books by Latin American writers [4/4]

Okay, so I didn't do THAT great in my goals, actually. A couple of them were reeeeeally close, but some others were so far away it's actually a little embarrassing. But oh well, we live and we learn, and we try again...

I'm actually fairly happy with how my reading year went, even if I didn't manage to read one single 5-star book in the whole year (something to improve for next year for sure!). I think that after a couple of years of stallment and block, I'm really getting my groove back and I'm really excited for what the new year will bring! I have also been curating my TBR this past month to make sure everything on it brings me joy, and now all of my picks excite me. I can't wait to get to them in 2024; you can follow my reading adventures over in GoodReads if you want to take a look at my shelves :)

I hope you all close out 2023 in style and have a wonderful start to 2024. May it bring happy adventures and many good books!

[hasarjunadoneanythingwrong]

what is this pattern where fgo overstates how ~special~ and ~overpowered~ japanese servants are? genuine question bc none of the grand servants or candidates are japanese. there are no japanese lostbelt kings. none of the japanese servants listed on ooku's event bonus even stand out to me as especially strong in lore

It’s one of those weird things that you at first don’t think is a thing and then you start actually reading and it’s like. O_O.

Like Japanese buddhist religious interpretations are given a stronger influence than other religions that run parallel to Buddhism (see kama/mara: mara is only really linked to kama in Buddhism and it’s basically maras presence alone making them an assassin despite both kama AND Sakura being notable archers, also the fact Indian god kama decided to make a Japanese themed hell depravity pit and that no Indian servants besides kama and parvati have bonuses despite ooku being a lb4 prelude and kama also being an Indian god as an example; also how the Buddhist priestess kiara is essentially always one step ahead of kama even if she does get destroyed at one point) this is also linked to how fate tends to sort of be anti god in the sense they don’t really believe in humans ‘relying’ on gods-whether through worship or actual divine intervention

There’s also the fact that they’ve just straight up released far, far more Japanese servants than other nations. Obvs some of this is just a familiarity bias, but when you also look at how there’s basically no African or South America heroic spirits it’s a bad look that they keep putting them out

This is an older map and it’s just Asia, but you can get a decent idea of just how heavily weighted it is

That being said, even if there are no grand servants who are Japanese they’ve still been either hyped up plenty in story. Fgo went out of its way to establish that more modern heroic spirits are always going to be weaker than ones with greater mystery, yet the shinsengumi and artists like hokusai or bakin are both ssrs and treated as powerful characters by the narrative. In Babylon king gilgamesh specifically tries for summoning Japanese heroes bc, in his words ‘they’re better at slaying demonic creatures’ (says this in the anime at least)(like…there are lots of cultures that have legends of heroes killing monsters????) and out of the eight servant he summons, only two, leonidas and Merlin, aren’t Japanese.

There’s also the fact that writers are implied to be weak heroic spirits, and as a result shakespeare and hans are both low rarity units-but then both sei AND murasaki, semi-obscure-outside-of-Japan authors, are 5stars? They also noticeably buffed murasaki’s combat ability by giving her the ability to use onmyouji, something which she herself says she never really used in life. Of course unit rarity doesn’t necessarily mean anything, but why is Sei so much more powerful than Shakespeare? Shakespeare is literally one of the most famous authors in the world, and his noble phantasm is described as being able to completely mentally cripple someone, yet this isn’t reflected in his gameplay at all

There’s also the fact tametomo is a grand archer candidate, can easily and effortlessly pierce through things such as Constantine’s np with his own, and was able to apparently create a large struggle for a group consisting or servants like super orion (an actual grand archer) Chiron, arjuna, and Ishtar simply to stop one of his arrows. For a guy who’s legend was sinking a boat with his shot. It’s true he had grails powering him both times, but it does read very ‘our guy is the most specialist and coolest of them all’

Musashi also runs into this issue tbh-she’s a much more modern swordswoman, but she had mystic probability deducing eyes, can cut the void, leap through reality, everyone loves her, while non-Japanese people from the similar time period are usually given far less to work with. Or how they insist you need to have a strong, well known legend to manifest as a servant, but then choose relatively obscure tales like the cut tongue sparrow and make her a limited 5 star.

Like idk there’s more to proving a certain group gets favored than JUST having grand servants. I’m not sure how much sense this makes bc it’s late and my typing is NOT working but I hope the gist comes across? I think the thing is we expect there to be SOME favoritism and prioritizing of Japanese myths and history, it is made in japan after all and may hold biases, but it’s annoying when that’s all they ever do

[ausetkmt]

"Mardi Gras Indians are secretive because only certain people participated in masking--people with questionable character. In the old day, the Indians were violent. Indians would meet on Mardi Gras; it was a day to settle scores." - Larry Bannock, Past President, New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian Council

Masking Indian Indians Ranks Super Sunday Keep-N-It-Real Indian Videos

Mardi Gras is full of secrets, and the Mardi Gras Indians are as much a part of that secrecy as any other carnival organization. Their parade dates, times and routes are never published in advance, although they do tend to gather in the same areas every year.

The Mardi Gras Indians are comprised, in large part, of the African-American communities of New Orleans's inner city. While these Indians have paraded for well over a century, their parade is perhaps the least recognized Mardi Gras tradition.

"Mardi Gras Indians--the parade most white people don't see. The ceremonial procession is loose, the parade is not scheduled for a particular time or route...that is up to the Big Chief." - Larry Bannock

Traditional Mardi Gras organizations form a "krewe." A krewe often names their parade after a particular Roman or Greek mythological hero or god. The ranking structure of a Mardi Gras Krewe is a parody of royalty: King, Queen, Dukes, Knights, and Captains, or some variation of that theme. Many of the more established krewes allow membership by invitation only.

Few in the ghetto felt they could ever participate in the typical New Orleans parade. Historically, slavery and racism were at the root of this cultural separation. The black neighborhoods in New Orleans gradually developed their own style of celebrating Mardi Gras. Their krewes are named for imaginary Indian tribes according to the streets of their ward or gang.

The Mardi Gras Indians named themselves after native Indians to pay them respect for their assistance in escaping the tyranny of slavery. It was often local Indians who accepted slaves into their society when they made a break for freedom. They have never forgotten this support.

Long ago, Mardi Gras was a violent day for many Mardi Gras Indians. It was a day often used to settle scores. The police were often unable to intervene due to the general confusion surrounding Mardi Gras events in the city, when the streets were crowded and everyone was masked. This kept many families away from the "parade," and created much worry and concern for a mother whose children wanted to join the Indians.

"'I'm gonna mask that morning if it costs me my life!' That morning you pray and ask God to watch over you, cause everybody is bucking for number one." - Larry Bannock

Today when two Mardi Gras Indian tribes pass one another, you will see a living theater of art and culture. Each tribe's style and dress is on display in a friendly but competitive manner. They compare one another's art and craftsmanship.

The Big Chiefs of two different tribes start with a song/chant, ceremonial dance, and threatening challenge to "Humba". The Big Chiefs demand that the other Chief bows and pays respect. The retort is a whoop and equally impressive song and war dance with the reply, "Me no Humba, YOU Humba!"

"You know when you've won, you see it in their eyes." - Larry Bannock

Although there was a history of violence, many now choose to keep this celebration friendly. Each Big Chief will eventually stand back and, with a theatrical display of self-confidence, acknowledge the artistry and craftsmanship of the other chief's suit.

Before the progression can continue, the two Big Chiefs will often comment privately to one another, "Looking good, baby, looking good!"

"After Mardi Gras, you thank GOD that you made it." - Larry Bannock

The good news is Mardi Gras day is no longer a day to "settle scores" among the Mardi Gras Indians. Now that the tradition and practice for the Indians to compare their tribal song, dance, and dress with other tribes as they meet that day, violence is a thing of the past.

The Mardi Gras Indian has invested thousands of hours and dollars in the creation of his suit, and will not run the risk of ruining it in a fight. This tradition, rich with folk art and history, is now appreciated by museums and historical societies around the world. It is a remarkable and welcome change from the past.

We hope you enjoyed reading about the Mardi Gras Indians as much as we have enjoyed bringing you the information about them. We thank the Mardi Gras Indian Council for opening their history books and sharing their history and traditions with us.

The History behind the masking of the Mardi Gras Indians is an extremely rich one. "If I had a heart attack at 92, I'd still mask. In New Orleans, you don't need a reason to do what you do, you do it because that's the way it is!" - Larry Bannock, President, New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian Council

When we first talked to Larry Bannock about the traditions of the Mardi Gras Indians, we didn't realize how fascinating it would be. We would like to thank Larry for opening up his world and his home to us as he shares this long-held but little-known Mardi Gras and St. Joseph Day tradition with us. Most importantly, we have learned a lot about character.

Mardi Gras Indian Masking means designing /creating a new costume each year. Larry Bannock wears a hand-beaded and feathered suit of original design that weighs between 100 and 150 pounds. He wears this suit as he marches throughout the city on Mardi Gras Day, meeting the other chiefs along the way (see history). At times, he removes the heavier part of the suit, replacing it as he approaches another Indian Chief.

"Downtown Indians use sequins, feathers; Uptown Indians use beads, rhinestones, feathers. The only time Downtown and Uptown Indians come together is to parade on St. Joseph's day." - Larry Bannock

There are distinct design differences between the costumes of the Downtown Indians and the Uptown Indians. When these tribes meet, each Indian is so proud of the costume he has created...and a silent comparison of their beauty takes place. To honor the Italians, the Indians again suit up and meet on the evening of St. Joseph's day in and around their neighborhoods. However, all of the Mardi Gras Indians come together to celebrate what they call "Super Sunday" with a parade. It is a beautiful sight and occurs during the day on a Sunday near St. Joseph's Day.

"Making an Indian suit comes from your heart; the Indian suit for next year is in my mind. You have to feel something about the patch. It has to mean something to you--the eagle, the buffalo--every patch I do is a spirit. You have to be on fire." - Larry Bannock

Making a new suit is time-consuming and must be planned carefully. An Indian's costume may take up to a year to complete, starting with the conception of an idea for next year's suit. Ordering material, designing layout, sewing and beadwork follow. Larry, an uptown Indian Chief and President of the Mardi Gras Indian Council, had the design picked out for his '97 suit before Mardi Gras of '96.

After an artist friend draws the image upon the canvas, Larry decides upon the colored beads he will use to create a patch for his costume. The beadwork is done entirely by hand...and he does all of it himself. This bead art and the plumage selected each year make a glorious combination of color and texture that render his costumes such extraordinary works of art that some are now on display in museums throughout the country.

"Masking as a Mardi Gras Indian...it's dying, because it costs...over $1,000 for rhinestones, $320.00 for velvet, hundreds for beads, hundreds more for the feathers...it costs, yeah. People with families to support find it difficult." - Larry Bannock

One of the reasons there is so much interest in the Mardi Gras Indians is because it seems to be a dying tradition. When the costumes were made from whatever material could be found, there were many Indians. However, the designs of the costumes have become so elaborate that it is very difficult for many to afford the expense. Larry is able to afford to make his costume due to the generosity of some of his friends who contribute their skills and hard work. He is also asked to speak to others around the country about the rich history of the Mardi Gras Indian, and whatever he makes helps finance his next year's costume. However, it is often a struggle.

"Rex has designers; its King has no say on his costume. My suit is ME! I do the patchwork and rhinestones. I have people helping me hook up now, but there's only two patches I didn't do: a rattlesnake and a hatchet-- given to me by two older Indians. I'll always wear those patches." - Larry Bannock

Typical of Mardi Gras tradition, rarely will anyone outside of the immediate family and close friends have an opportunity to witness a suit's creation before Mardi Gras. National Geographic and 48 Hours, however, were lucky enough to go behind the scenes while doing a special on this tradition. The television crews even pitched in during the last hectic days before Mardi Gras.

It is all worthwhile for Larry when he steps out of his home, on Mardi Gras morning, into his waiting neighborhood in all of his glory.

His Mardi Gras Indian costume often surpasses the quality, intricacy and artistry seen in the costumes of many Mardi Gras Kings and Queens. Seeing the Indians in their suits marching, singing and dancing is to watch art come alive.

"The Spy Boy is first in the front: he is the baddest of all the Indians… he is ahead looking for trouble. Only a chosen few can be Spy Boy. It's his job to send a signal to First Flag when he sees other Indians. First Flag signals back down the line to Big Chief. Big Chief has a stick that controls the Indians. When he hits the ground with the stick, they better get down and bow to the Chief." - Larry Bannock

On Mardi Gras Day, if you're lucky enough to see some of the Mardi Gras Indians, the first Indian you're likely to see is the Spy Boy. His job places him ahead of the Big Chief's procession. Each Spy Boy has a method to signal potential trouble or approaching rival Indian tribes… with dancing, whooping, hollering, and hand language. His observations are communicated to the Big Chief who, in return, sends a set of directions and instructions back down the parade procession.

"I 'took' my position as a Spy Boy. Nobody gave it to me. I took it when someone else didn't do their job. Your heart and soul has to be there." - Larry Bannock

It is through this elaborate system of dances, whoops, flags and hand signals that the Big Chief is able to direct a progression multiple streets long… even though he is far away from the front of the parade. This communication network is important, as it allows the Big Chief time to adjust his suit, don his headdress, and prepare a song for an impending meeting with a rival tribe. Marching the streets on Mardi Gras Day on the way to meet other Indian tribes is a tribe's opportunity to have an entire year's worth of artistic effort appraised by an opponent artist.

"The route on Mardi Gras is always secret. Nobody knows where anybody's gonna be… that's why Spy Boy is ahead and looking for Indians. If he sights a gang, he tells Flag Boy that a gang is on its way." - Larry Bannock

The Flag Boy is the next ranking Indian. It is he who carries the "gang flag" – a huge staff decorated with feathers (seen on left) and the gang symbol. Generally Flag Boys are a block or two behind Spy Boys, and at least a block ahead of the Big Chief. Their responsibility is to pass along Spy Boy's information to the Big Chief, and return the Big Chief's response back to the Spy Boy. By raising his gang flag high in the air and using prearranged signals, the Flag Boy is able to keep the Big Chief and Spy Boy in direct communication. This allows the Big Chief control over the direction of the route his tribe will take. As mentioned, the progression can be many streets long. "Second Liners" are always present between the ranking Indians. They are usually not costumed, but provide much entertainment as they follow along dancing, singing, beating drums and playing tambourines.

Enjoy rarely seen videos of the New Orleans Mardi Gras Indians on Super Sunday (St. Joseph's Day).

Enjoy some of our favorite video clips from Mardi Gras.  You can also watch video footage from years past, including celebrity interviews and the Zulu parade, from the Mardi Gras Inside and Out Video Series. For more videos, visit our YouTube Channel.

Mardi Gras Indians New Orleans Louisiana

Mardi Gras Indians New Orleans Louisiana

Mardi Gras Indians New Orleans Louisiana

Mardi Gras Indians New Orleans Louisiana

Mardi Gras Indians

Mardi Gras Indians New Orleans Louisiana

[aronlewes]

Diversity in my books

I've been reluctant to make this post, because I feel like my intentions could be easily misconstrued. People might think I'm trying to make myself look a certain way or support some kind of agenda, but no. I've just ALWAYS written diverse books. Simply put, I think there should be all types of characters, for all sorts of people to enjoy. So I feature ALL KINDS of characters -- white, black, abled, disabled, straight, LBGT, pretty, plain, old, young, etc, etc. Writing the same character over and over again just isn't fun to me! (I've also had people personally thank me for Asian and disability representation, which is another reason I'm compiling this list)

So, without further ado, here is a (mostly) comprehensive list of my stories that emphasize diversity (these are major characters and plotlines, btw, not unimportant side plots or characters)

(P.S. - this includes a few books written under my other pen name, Caylen McQueen)

Books with diverse lead characters:

The Darker Ages: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077HVG9YW (Alfred du Bois is black and I love him and I will take that love to the grave with me!!! He's my guy for life. I'm putting him first because I think he might be my favorite character of all time.)

School for Spirits: A Dead Girl and a Samurai https://www.amazon.com/School-Spirits-Dead-Samurai-Spirit-ebook/dp/B078YNFD4F/ (Taishi is Japanese)

School for Spirits: Rebel Archangel https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GCXT6WV (Chris Pho is Asian-American)

School for Spirits: Angel of Death https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K5ZF89N (Luciana is Hispanic)

A Crew of Criminals and Cutthroats: https://www.amazon.com/Crew-Criminals-Cutthroats-Aron-Lewes-ebook/dp/B0BTS5MJLW (Jean-Rene is black... also, I like that Davin is 70+ and kicking ass)

School for Spirits: Almost an Archangel https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SQW9NN4 (Kaylene is African-American)

The Fourth Dragon: https://www.amazon.com/Fourth-Dragon-Aron-Lewes-ebook/dp/B096QB3MBP (Esmay is black)

An Elven Debutante: https://www.amazon.com/Elven-Debutante-Airships-Dragons-Book-ebook/dp/B0BGJLSMZP/ (Julian is Asian; so is Himiko in book 2)

School for Spirits: Pretty Dead Girl https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09HN5ZYK2 (Vineet is Indian-American... I SUPER love Vineet, he's one of my favorites of all time)

Vixen's Chosen https://www.amazon.com/Vixens-Chosen-Fox-Assassin-Book-ebook/dp/B08ZD63ZXQ/ (Kylin is a kitsune, and it's strongly hinted that she is Japanese)

Angels & Outlaws: https://www.amazon.com/Angels-Outlaws-Aron-Lewes-ebook/dp/B0BDGBK95Y/ (Bo Lightfoot is Native American)

A Family of Wizards: https://www.amazon.com/Wizard-80s-Family-Wizards-Book-ebook/dp/B0B478DMNP/ (the titular magical family is Chinese)

Pride & Prejudice & Airships: https://www.amazon.com/Pride-Prejudice-Airships-Steampunk-Book-ebook/dp/B07G38N7FF/ (Bin Li is Asian)

Whispers of Steam: https://www.amazon.com/Caged-Princess-Whispers-Steam-Book-ebook/dp/B088PF6K36 (leads in this book are a pair of brown-skinned mercenaries, an Asian hero-turned-villain-turned-hero, and a bisexual woman)

Ghost of Redemption: https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Redemption-School-Spirits-Story-ebook/dp/B096Q9Q5ZY/ (Johnny Wong is biracial)

Little Alien on the Prairie: https://www.amazon.com/Little-Alien-Prairie-First-Contact-ebook/dp/B08PDGS9PC/ (Rain is Native American)

The Wishing Princess: https://www.amazon.com/Wishing-Princess-Magic-Dreams-Book-ebook/dp/B09ZVL578X/ (the MC's eventual love interest, Nils, is a dark-skinned elf)

Palace of Maids: https://www.amazon.com/Palace-Maids-Weird-Portal-Fantasy-ebook/dp/B098TNW5K5 (Dustin is indigenous)

Books with disability representation:

School for Spirits: Rebel Archangel https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GCXT6WV (Anna uses a wheelchair)

The Darker Ages: https://www.amazon.com/Darker-Ages-Aron-Lewes-ebook/dp/B077HVG9YW/ (Alice has quadriplegia)

Vixen's Challenge: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08ZD26H6H (Sara uses a wheelchair)

A Sheriff's Redemption: https://www.amazon.com/Sheriffs-Redemption-Lady-Robin-Hood-ebook/dp/B0784QFSKX (the Sheriff of Nottingham's younger brother, Kinlay, is disabled)

Cinderella & Dragons: https://www.amazon.com/Cinderella-Dragons-Complete-Aron-Lewes-ebook/dp/B07D3GLSPW (Terra uses crutches)

Books with LBGT+ characters:

My Lady Robin Hood series https://www.amazon.com/Lady-Locksley-Robin-Hood-Book-ebook/dp/B077LJ9G8N/ (there are many diverse characters in this series, but my trans Little John is most prominent, imo)

The Darker Ages: https://www.amazon.com/Darker-Ages-Aron-Lewes-ebook/dp/B077HVG9YW/ (Jalen/Jai is trans)(Jonathan is bisexual and ends up in a relationship with a man)

The Darkest Knight: https://www.amazon.com/Darkest-Knight-Black-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B07HFTSNDD (Daniul is asexual... and autistic, for that matter... he's another one of my all-time favorite characters)

The Barefoot Barmaid: https://www.amazon.com/Barefoot-Barmaid-Belles-Bullets-Book-ebook (there are a ton of diverse characters throughout the series, but there is a gay couple, and Vee is a lesbian)

(I could have more LGBT+ characters, imo, but there are other authors do it better... actually, I'm thinking of one author friend in particular, and if she's reading this... DO write that gay historical, please! I want it!!)

I've probably forgotten some, but I'd say this is a pretty decent (and growing!) list. Also, many of my series starters are free, so they should be easy to get into!

Whoever you are out there, I hope you check out my work! <3

[vampiremeerkat]

Why do you think Pocahontas, Mulan and Moana are official Disney Princesses? My mom says this bc a point of ''diversifying'' the line-up, since only Jasmine and Tiana are actual princesses of color, but you have another vision or argument?

If you want a quick answer to that question, I more or less agree with your mother on this. I think Disney wants to own at least one prominent female figure from every country/of every race to flaunt with, which is fair, since they got way too many German and French characters in their Smash Brothers roster. Like the rest of the world, they probably noticed how seldom their animation department leaves the European border, and they wish to seek out more stories. Of course, with the expectation people will love them for it and open up their wallets some more. I said it before: Don't think even once these companies are your friend. The Disney Princess line-up has plenty of rules, but some characters are given special treatment for reasons I'm not wholly certain of. Most of the "princesses" featured aren't even princesses. Their story ended with them becoming queen, so the brand was a lie from the start. In any case, just being a princess isn't enough. These are basically the requirements:

Be 100% Disney. Characters from Disney-owned studios are not allowed.

Be female.

Be human.

Be attractive (though honestly, Disney has rarely to never bothered to design an unattractive main character).

Wear/Have worn a dress.

Be a main character.

Be a hero character.

Have any kind of status that deems you an authority figure.

Come from a mostly successful (theatrical) movie.

Eilonwy, Nala, Kiara, Kida, Raya, maid Marian, and even Meg who's in a relationship with a literal god match most of the criteria, but Disney probably has access to tons of documents with pretty numbers on them that help them determine when a character is "worth it". It may be the case that certain princesses rake in so much cash, Disney is able to take a risk with less popular ones who'll definitely lose them money, but earn them brownie points, which the company lives for in today's age. For example, Belle and Ariel are so loved, their toy sales might be high enough to fund the production costs of two or three lower ranked ladies, like Snow White and Tiana. Snow White is a classic oldie who started off the brand, Disney can't throw her out without everyone who never cared about her going ape shit anyway, and The Princess and the Frog was marketed (perhaps only by spectators, not Disney) to be for African American girls as "finally having a princess to relate to". Because a raging workaholic frog is super relatable to children. Anyway, what I'm saying is that Tiana was put on a political pedestal, and when that happens to a character, creators become afraid to touch them. Kida from Atlantis, on the other hand, wasn't marketed as any kind of trendsetter, and so, Disney is allowed to forget her. I understand Kida doesn't represent a real race, but that never stopped people from projecting their face on a fictional character before. If Amethyst from Steven Universe is "black", why will no one call Kida "the first black princess"? Concerning Pocahontas and Moana, they're Disney's only Native American and Polynesian (?) character. They wouldn't dare to let go of them, regardless if their movie is popular, because the backlash of not letting them join will be greater. And really, it's the same case with Merida, because she strongly represents a culture Disney never bothered with before. With seriousness. Then there's Raya, who I think wasn't welcomed in because of the same reasons Kida wasn't. The movie didn't sell well enough and you can't pinpoint one definable race to her. Why settle with Raya, if we have the infinitely more liked Mulan -who has a clear Chinese origin? Announcing a character to be Asian is not enough; you're not truly exploring a culture if you mix it up with 4 other cultures. Jasmine is the only exception in this category, because she's a classic oldie that helped start off the brand. Assumedly. Some movies come with a message, intentional or not, and this kind of thing causes a born and raised princess from one unpopular movie to get snubbed, and a frog from another unpopular movie to get VIP entrance. Also note that I grade popularity not in terms of box office sales, but how much viewers liked the product. It helped that The Princess and the Frog enjoyed pre-release attention, but it didn't necessarily make people like the story more than that of Atlantis. It's great when you earn back your budget, but how will you sell merchandise if everyone thinks your movie is average? It'd be a waste of money. Many movie studios are that dumb, though. But be happy, at least the abandoned princesses were spared from that unfunny Wreck-It Ralph 2 scene.