#alleycat code

[pezboisworld]

DCOMs that felt Gay-Coded

Cadet Kelly

Motocrossed

Rip Girls

Thirteenth Year

Alleycat's Strike

High School Musical

[youjustwaitsunshine]

jenson button is so alleycat coded

[itsahotminuteinbetween]

some quick fun facts about Ruin and Bloodmoon in the Dentist au (placed in no particular order because my brain is still booting up):

okay so in this AU when Ruin is defeated by the boys, the virus isn't really 'cured'-it's sort of just in a dormant setting, which can be broken with enough strain to the networking and systems. That's not really Sun and Moon's problem though, so they kind of send them on their merry way with a 'do what you want as long as you aren't plotting to kill us'. Ruin leaves the pizzaplex (unpleasant memories from their dimension linger in the walls) and ends up finding Eclipse's place (Eclipse forgot to turn off his GPS chip which means anyone connected to the Plex network can find him relatively easily).

After a hasty explanation under the influence of a lazer cannon held to their head, Ruin ends up being employed by Eclipse as a medical receptionist for the dentistry cuz Eclipse has no staff besides himself. Eclipse can't really offer them money at first so he makes a deal promising to fix Ruin up with a new body and try to permanently remove the virus in exchange for help-Ruin does end up being paid later on, they spend their first paycheck on a trip to IKEA with Eclipse for the legendary Blahaj the shark plush (because my own personal experiences dictated this as extremely enjoyable and shut up they get to have childlike wonder).

Oh yeah by the way, Ruin lives with Frank because I said so, hush they'd be great roommates and you know it.

Bloodmoon is sort of a similar situation-they're captured by the celestial twins and sent off to dentistry cuz it’s now the equivalent of the celestial trauma rehabilitation center or something in their eyes. The twins don't immediately go there, though, preferring to actually explore the city for a little bit (they despise the idea of having to live with Eclipse). Eclipse hears some noise outside his apartment and grabs a broom thinking he’s gonna have to scare off some alleycats only to find Bloodmoon screeching cuz they fell in a trashcan and can’t get out. Initially it's a very rocky interaction because on one hand you have Bloodmoon hissing and spitting at Eclipse and on the other our poor dentist is just standing with a coffee mug in hand blinking blearily at the red thing in front of him. He just invites them in and goes back to bed (a terrible decision really cuz he wakes up to all his furniture trashed), which they find a bit out of character of him. They don't work with Eclipse, both because they aren't interested in his business and because Eclipse doesn't want them around bleeding gums and sharper equipment.

They don't live with Ruin and Frank and kinda come and go as they please for a little while, which Eclipse slowly starts to get more worried about. After a particularly bad incident he lets them stay a night at his apartment, but it's not really an experience either party enjoys. Bloodmoon does eventually end up living with Lunar (Eclipse asked Lunar if he could house them and Lunar was okay with it) (Lunar has his own little apartment here by the way) (Earth lives with Monty, same as cannon) and Eclipse visits them semi-frequently. He puts his own personal project aside to try to figure out a way to pick apart their code and take out that bloodlust, but in the meantime he just procures bloodbags from undisclosed locations for the Blood Twins to feed on. He's unfortunately not equipped with behavioral therapy skills so he can't really help them with the violent urges that come with their programming, so Lunar's trying to help them with that.

[observer-anon]

*the voice heard.*

"Alleycat? Is that.. a code for one of the mutants?" *The voice spoke curiously*

it seems you got a signal from.. Somewhere?

RECIEVING TRANSMISSION FROM: UNKNOWN [RECIEVING TRANSMISSION...]

"Testing.. Testing..." [Crackling Noises....] "Alright.. Hello [static], dear surv...or. I *m 'Observer', th*ts what.. Ever*.ne cal*s me." [Static] "Sor*.[static] pe*.s*n, A#.ea diff.#ence to La#.ge, L.s*.ng S*.nal. can*.t c*.#i.ue an#mor*."[Static]

[TRANSMISSION END] (I'll link my blog in the Future, hopefully)

It had been months since the last transmission. It was only August and the summer rain was active then. Now it was December and the harsh winter had begun to settle in return. Moving boxes were everywhere in the Shoreside Drive-In with only a few things left to pack.

The upcoming transmission was late and the radio was old but the person on the other side was ever so lively.

B: “Hello? Who’s there?! I didn’t realize there was someone on this thing trying to contact! I’m s-sorry for being late!”

Boxten was shaky at first, being more than startled and lifting the receiver in his worn wooden hands. He was whimpering while trying to twist the knob and get past the static.

B: “Oh gosh, oh gosh, oh gosh! I didn’t mean to be late. Is anyone still there? Hello?”

Who are you?

OOC I am so sorry for the late response I didn’t expect to see anyone actually send an ask after so long i swear im alive on here 😭

[robotslenderman]

OK but here’s some gems I’ve found in the code so far for VTMNR.

You get Camarilla points for admiring Riga:

#I examine Lettow's eagle. How fascinating! And how dangerous! I approve.

*set bravo %+5

*set materialist %-5

*set eagle_examine true

*set camarilla %+10

*set riga_named true

"Her name is Riga," Prince Lettow says. "I named her after a city I always wanted to visit."

If you try to pester Lettow for more money and lack the skills, he fucks up his letter writing and gets mad at you.

"You and I both know that the road ahead will be more dangerous than you're letting on, Prince Lettow," you say. "I'll need more than a promise of payment at the end."

"$!{name}," the Prince says, "because of you, I just crossed an L in this letter I'm writing. This paper is expensive. Leave me alone and let me work. You will be paid fairly, just like I paid you fairly when you arrived earlier this evening."

Found out part of why Elisa’s humanity skill gets borked so quickly, because being an alleycat takes out a point:

#On beggars and vagrants. It was a hard, dangerous life, but it hardened me physically and mentally. I head for Tucson's alleys. *set first_feed "alleycat" *set alleycat_hunts +1 *set intimidation +1 *set combat +1 *set bravo %+10 *set humanity -1 *set vegan_possible false *comment You always get a humanity penalty here because of previous crimes, even if you don't kill this target.

Millicent likes to blow shit up, I fucking love her:

Elysium is one of the defining ideas of the Camarilla. It is a neutral meeting ground where violence and the use of vampire powers are forbidden. In many Elysiums, Kindred are allowed to exist as they are, not as the Masquerade demands they be. @{(clan = "Nosferatu") Even a Nosferatu can find acceptance there, if not necessarily respect.|} @{(clan = "Toreador") Your Sire dreamed of founding one.|} @{(clan = "Lasombra") Your sire dreamed of blowing up one of these.|} The Tucson Elysium is located on the roof of a nightclub called the Viper.

I love this game.

[blodreina-noumou]

Kind of a weird ask and you don’t need to do it if you don’t want to but I was wondering if you could match the 100 characters with the Halsey song you think fits their character

If I don’t answer this now, I’ll keep putting it off until Manic comes out - and then I’ll have sixteen more songs to agonize over, haha. I’m way overthinking this, and this ask has been sitting in my inbox for like, three weeks now. Thank you so much for your patience, and sorry for making you wait so long!

Here’s the songs I think match each character the best, along with the lyrics that convinced me!

(This was so tough - a lot of the songs don’t fit anyone at all, and some of them fit multiple people. But I did my best!)

Clarke - “Coming Down”

“I found god, I found [her] in a lover…”

“I’ve got a lover I love like religion, I’m such a fool for sacrifice… I’ve got a lover, and I’m unforgiven - I’m such a fool to pay this price.”

I’m definitely in a Clexa headspace for this song - there were others that suited Clarke, but I think this really nails her internal conflict, especially in s2 and s3. In this song, Halsey uses “it’s coming down” (a common phrase about the rain) to describe the inevitability of her affection for her lover, and the way this has the potential to ruin her life. But at the same time, the song is so soft and comforting, it feels like coming home. It fits Clexa so perfectly, and I always think about it now as a song about Lexa from Clarke’s perspective.

Octavia - “Control”

“And all the kids cried out, ‘Please stop, you’re scaring me.’ I can’t help this awful energy - goddamn right you should be scared of me. Who is in control?”

“I couldn’t stand in the person inside me, I turned all the mirrors around.”

“I’m bigger than my body, I’m colder than this home. I’m meaner than my demons, I’m bigger than these bones.”

“Control” is the perfect song for Octavia’s struggle with Blodreina, and her attitude when she decided to take on that persona. I love how Halsey claims her scariness in this song, how it becomes an anthem for rage and darkness, while also acknowledging that that darkness is destructive.

(“Castle” was a close second!)

Bellamy - “Empty Gold”

“We’re the underdogs, in this world alone - I’m a believer, got a fever running through my bones. We’re the alleycats, and they can throw their stones - they can break our hearts, they can’t take our souls.”

“If the morning light don’t steal our soul, we will walk away from empty gold.”

This song absolutely gives me s1 Bellamy vibes - the rebellious youth, hyping up his fellow outcasts, fighting and surviving, against all odds. Refusing to bow to the tyranny of the Ark any longer. Standing tall and firm as a leader and a role model - for chaos. It’s his love song to the delinquents, in my eyes.

Raven - “Nightmare”

“I’ve had the rug pulled beneath my feet, I’ve trusted lies, and trusted men, broke down and put myself back together again.”

“No, I won’t smile, but I’ll show you my teeth. And I’ma let you speak, if you just let me breathe.”

“I gotta recognize the weapon in my mind.”

Of course, Raven gets THE anthem for female empowerment, for badass adversity, for being an angry, snarling, back-talking, badass bitch who doesn’t owe anyone anything, and knows it. The weapon in her mind is literal - time and time again, she saves her friends with her brains. She’s been let down, over and over, by men who should’ve known better. She’s a nightmare, but she’d rather be that than die unaware. I love her, and I love this song.

Murphy - “Gasoline”

“Are you deranged like me, are you strange like me, lighting matches just to swallow up the flame like me?”

“Do you tear yourself apart to entertain like me?”

“You can’t wake up, this is not a dream. You’re part of a machine, you are not a human being… Low on self-esteem, so you run on gasoline. I think there’s a flaw in my code.”

Murphy fits the vibe of “Gasoline” well. A song about owning your darker side, finding some humor in it, but also recognizing that it’s going to be the death of you. And yet, he cannot escape it. Even as he finds family, and love, that darkness is still chasing him, and on some level, Murphy will never believe he’s good enough, or worthy of the love he has. He’s so self-deprecating - he’s always willing to make a joke out of himself, to make other people smile. A golden heart, cold hands. Embracing living and surviving within the machine. Murphy is a survivor, a fighter, and this song is all about pushing on when you’re empty.

Jasper - “Colors”

“You’re only happy when your sorry head is filled with dope/I hope you make it to the day you’re 28 years old.”

“You’re ripped at every edge, but you’re a masterpiece.”

I have so many feelings about Jasper. When I first got this ask, I listened to every Halsey song, all in a row, and tried to go with my gut on who fit each song the best. Once I thought of this for Jasper, I just couldn’t let go. 

His need for drugs to distance himself from the horror. How beautiful and special he was, and how little he knew it. The way the world was only red and black when he died… “so devoid of color, he don’t know what it means.”

(I made myself sad now.)

Lexa - “Young God”

“Babygirl, you know we’re gonna be legends, I’m the king and you’re the queen, and well, we’ll stumble through heaven.”

“I know you wanna go to heaven, but you’re human tonight.”

“Do you feel like a young god? You know, the two of us are just young gods. And we’ll be flying through the streets, with the people underneath, and they’re running, running, running…”

“Babygirl, don’t get cut on my edges - I’m the [queen] of everything, and my tongue is a weapon.”

I nearly smacked myself over how long it took me to get this one. Lexa is quite literally a young god, afterall. This song reminds me of the scene where Lexa and Clarke finally march on Mt Weather together - everyone running, with Lexa at the command, Clarke by her side. Heda and Wanheda (though she wasn’t named such yet) - two legendary women, both essentially gods to their people in different ways, conquering the world together.

Luna - “Hurricane”

“I’m the wanderess, I’m a one night stand - don’t belong to no city, don’t belong to no man. I’m the violence in the pouring rain. I’m a hurricane.”

Another one which was almost painfully obvious, once I realized it. Luna was literally the violence in the pouring rain - she took out most of the combatants in the final Conclave, and her ability to withstand the black rain kept her alive where others perished. She’s so deeply associated with the water, and such a force of nature. Her absence in Polis completely changes the trajectory of multiple lives - Lexa’s in particular. It also speaks to her deep, tragic belief that she was ultimately a destructive force, a harbinger of chaos, and valued primarily for the darkness in herself - not the good she could do, but the lives she could take. But she chose to leave her city, to leave her Flamekeeper and her faith, and to wander the world, until she found a better place.

BONUS:

The Rover - “Drive”

“All we do is drive, all we do is think about the feelings that we hide…”

In honor of all the angsty conversations and near-death experiences that took place inside that wonderful little all-terrain vehicle.

Those are the ones I can think of, but I’d love to hear anyone else’s interpretations! What Halsey songs do you associate with what The 100 characters? Do you agree with my choices, or have your own? Let me know!

[blaithnne]

Never finished Inktober, but here are some prompts that I did in advance because I knew I’d be busy when I was meant to do them

1) Past

This one made me think of the time travel ep, so I drew young Donald and Della!

2) Legend

I considered doing Scrooge for this prompt, but in the end I settled for this random girl on a cliff

3) Isolation

This prompt made me think about alleycats, I’m not sure why? But I went with it and it took forever to colour

4) Spirit

Need I explain? Tis Duckworth!

5) Glitch

Ok, so this prompt actually made me think of a wholeass theory so strap in bois-

So Frank said that maybe “Agent 22” came before “Bentina Beakley”, and that made me think, what if Beakley’s a robot?

Maybe she was the 22nd attempt at creating the perfect simulation of human life, and was made to be the perfect agent, able to easily blend in, but also kick your ass.

It would explain why the crowd shout “22! 22!” at the party in the time travel ep, because in reality “Bentina Beakley” is her code name.

And maybe she stopped working for SHUSH because they discovered a glitch, and planned to shut her down and begin work on attempt 23

[fatesought]

☄ + Flea; from a certain tiefling ranger~

Acts of Affection: ☄ Leaning your head on their shoulder while they talk.

      He doesn’t have stories about constellations, or messages in flowers, or outlandish tales about comeuppances and scandal. He has memories, his and that of his long lost families. More importantly, he has long since taken the ballads written in honor of a certain member of his family to heart, etched them into the stone of his memory. It isn’t often he hears them from anyone other than himself -- one or twice they’ve passed through towns and he’s heard the drunks stumble through a coded chorus of devotion to ‘the fair lady’. A poor play on words for how his mother, long before disaster, was bestowed minor lands and rank by the Crown. He’s had a stupid smile on his face ever since hearing the fond reminder of her and he hasn’t been able to wipe it from his face even long after the drunks subside. 

     “The woman from the tune was a famous bard from the capital city,” he explains under his breath. Hushed not on account of content, but more from his instinct to switch into Abyssal so as to not be overheard. He begins to set into a familiar tale of a street urchin who tricked her way into the the king to try and earn herself a reputation and fortune, weaseling her way in and out of trouble, rounding up crooks and enemies alike that officially sanctioned forces had never come close to capturing. Flea is somewhere around the point of fawning over the moment in which his mother the sly teenaged girl had broken into the throne room to seek an audience the King when he feels Eira lay herself against his shoulder. 

     Like an alleycat that’s never been held, every muscle in his body tenses. Words cut short and in a moment, his pacing his gone. (Eira is close and warm, and she looks content -- everything a tiefling ought to be.) Flea by contrast, looks as though he’s just forgotten where he was. Breath beholden because he’s so unfamiliar by the little gesture, he expects something to happen. So he waits. He doesn’t know to expect good or bad. But whichever, he stays still and quietly like that until Eira tugs on a his sleeve expectantly. 

      “I -- uh. So... there’s more to it than just what they were doing.  But you can’t really appreciate the rowdier bits without knowing the whole story -- and really,” Oh look, still there. His tail twitches nervously from under the table. “Those aren’t really authentic. The original songs were written by a suitor once she got older. They were ballads, ones you didn’t have to be able to carry a tune to perform. All of his admiration for such a clever woman, his devotion to her once they met, all the praises she was owed by her countrymen and the crown. Things that endure now, even after --” He clears his throat. “If have half a command of words and voice as either of them...”

[aion-rsa]

New on Netflix UK March 2021: Shadow and Bone, Thunder Force, The Mitchells Vs the Machines & More!

https://ift.tt/3wkckPS

The headline news for fantasy fans on Netflix UK this month is the arrival of eight-part adaptation Shadow and Bone, based on Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha trilogy. It’s the story of Alina, a girl who discovers she wields a mighty power that sees her targeted by a covetous foe. You can read more about the cast here. For families, at the end of the month there’s Sony’s latest animated feature The Mitchells Vs the Machines, which is made by the creators of excellent animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

Comedy-wise, Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer co-star in regular-Joan-gets-superpowers movie Thunder Force. And for anybody looking to brush up their Spanish for a summer holiday (maybe next year, in the current circumstances), Netflix has the latest Harlan Coben mystery thriller, The Innocent.

On top of that, there’s a clutch of older films, from John Carpenter’s They Live to the Coen Bros.’ The Big Lebowski to director Dexter Fletcher’s terrific Wild Bill and Rocketman. Fill your boots below.

1 April Alleycats Beneath Castaway Death Becomes Her Esio Trot Grace Stirs Up Success In the Name of the Father Love Story Monsterville: Cabinet of Souls Mrs Brown’s Boys D’Movie Murder on the Home Front Out of Time Page Eight People Places Things Prank Encounters Raw Deal Shrek Shrek 2 Shrek: The Musical Sleepers Salting the Battlefield Sixty Six The Borrowers The Boy The Land Before Time: The Great Valley Adventure The Mexican The Time Traveler’s Wife They Live Turks & Caicos Wild Bill Worn Stories

2 April Bitter Daisies season 2 Concrete Cowboy Just Say Yes Madame Claude Run Sky High

4 April The Fisherman’s Diary

5 April Coded Bias Family Reunion Part 3

7 April Dolly Parton: A Musicares Tribute Snabba Cash The Big Day: Collection 3 The Wedding Coach This Is a Robbery: The World’s Biggest Art Heist

Read more

TV

Shadow and Bone: Why Netflix Cast Its Fantasy Adaptation With Relative Unknowns

By Kayti Burt

TV

New on Amazon Prime Video UK April 2021: Palm Springs, Sound of Metal & More!

By Louisa Mellor

8 April The Way of the Househusband

9 April Have You Ever Seen Fireflies? Heaven’s Official Blessing Night in Paradise Thunder Force

10 April Don’t Be the First One

11 April A Star is Born

12 April Nezhu Reborn

13 April Mighty Express My Love: Six Stories of True Love

14 April Chestnut: Hero of Central Park Dad Stop Embarrassing Me! Love and Monsters The Circle USA (four new episodes) The Soul Why Did You Kill me?

15 April Ride or Die

16 April Arlo the Alligator Boy Into the Beat Why Are You Like This

21 April Zero

22 April Searching for Sheela Stowaway

23 April Shadow and Bone

28 April Sexify

29 April Things Heard and Seen Yasuke

30 April Rocketman The Innocent The Mitchells Vs the Machines

Also arriving this month with no fixed date yet: Arrival Jackie The Big Lebowski The Death of Stalin The Flintstones Twister White House Down 

Coming to Netflix UK in May Army of the Dead – May 21st Eden – May 27th  Ferry – May 14th Jupiter’s Legacy – May 7th Oxygen – May 12th  The Kominski Method – May 28th The Upshaws – May 12th 

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

The Woman in the Window – May 14th

The post New on Netflix UK March 2021: Shadow and Bone, Thunder Force, The Mitchells Vs the Machines & More! appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[englishmansdcc]

Y’know those snappy blurbs that you get on the covers of comics from either well-known creatives, comics news websites or high-brown periodicals? The ones that are one part heavy-handed sales pitch, one part ‘famous-mates-back-patting-exercise’, designed to entice your hard earned cash out of your pocket and into the tills of your LCBS? We’ve yet to have one of those, mostly because we don’t review as many comics as I’d like*, but for Si Spurrier and Caspar Wijngaard‘s ANGELIC, we’re going to be cheeky and presumptuous enough to come up with one of our own:

Okay, sure, it’s no Kieron Gillen quote – he’s a lot, LOT smarter and pithier than we could ever be – but we stand by it: ANGELIC is truly one of the highlights of our regular pull list each month and Si and Casper (along with crisp design work from Emma Price and some really inspired lettering from Jim Campbell) have come up with an original creation with a lot more than just a WIZARD OF OZ motif flittering around the page. This is some really meaty stuff – if you’ll pardon the expression – that sits very nicely alongside our regular purchase of Marguerite Bennett‘s ANIMOSITY (AfterShock Comics) as a true one-two punch of fantastical storytelling and social commentary.

Admittedly, very unlike the afore-mentioned ANIMOSITY, one of the big draws of ANGELIC is that it’s an all-ages book, one of the first published by Image Comics that I’m aware of, and also one of those rare beasts that has a female lead character. This means that you can buy this for your kiddiewink, safe in the knowledge that, as well as being as a right rip-roaring yarn, there’s some strong, responsible reinforcement of social and religious themes that they can take and adapt for their own judgements. Told you it was smart.

The even better news is, even if you’ve missed the floppies at your friendly neighbourhood comics vendor, you can now pick up the first trade of the title this May. We say… Well, you can read the quote for yourself, can’t you?

See? Told you we were fans.

A BITTERSWEET ADVENTURE OBSESSION ARRIVES IN ANGELIC, VOL. 1, THIS MAY

“Eisner-nominated writer Simon Spurrier (THE SPIRE, CRY HAVOC, X-MEN LEGACY, GODSHAPER) and star artist Caspar Wijngaard (LIMBO, DARK SOULS, ASSASSIN’S CREED) present readers with an all-new Young Adult fantasy adventure in ANGELIC, VOL. 1: HEIRS & GRACES. It will collect issues #1-6 of the series and hit stores this May.

Winged monkeys! Techno-dolphins! Quantum alleycats! In ANGELIC, humanity’s long gone. Its memory lingers only as misunderstood rituals among mankind’s leftovers: the genetically modified animals they used and abused for eons. But for one young flying monkey, QORA, the routines are unbearable. All she wants is to explore. Instead she’s expected to settle down, to become a mother…to lose her wings.

ANGELIC, VOL. 1 is a powerful and timely parable about religion, repression and female rebellion, but all layered beneath joyous animal antics in the ruins of civilization. Expect WALL-E by way of Animal Farm in a watershed title among YA comics, which will tug at readers’ heartstrings.

ANGELIC, VOL. 1 (Diamond Code MAR180601, ISBN: 978-1-5343-0663-9) will hit stores on Wednesday, May 9th and bookstores on Tuesday, May 15th. It can be pre-ordered at Amazon, Barnes & Noble,, Books-a-Million, IndieBound, and Indigo.

Select praise for ANGELIC (which doesn’t include our quote, and are probably a lot better):

“Angelic is beautifully illustrated, pure imagination from one of the best writers in comics. Plus monkeys. I love it.” —Brian K. Vaughan

“It’s Animal Farm meets A Clockwork Orange, with some Watership Down, The Handmaid’s Tale and a hefty dose of the best kinds of girl-centered YA adventure.” —Caitlin Rosberg at The Onion’s AV Club

“Angelic is giddy, fierce and fun. It’s a coming of (monk-)age story in a wild post-apocalypse with rocket-propelled dandy dolphins, bickering baddies and a rebellious girlmonk beginning to question the coda of flying monkey society. My eight year old daughter and I love it.” —Lauren Beukes

“Smart, gorgeous, & weird. An epic adventure in a world without humans. Go get it.” —Matt Rosenberg

“As much as ANGELIC is about questioning authority and history in a post-apocalyptic world, it’s also full of humor. It kind of has to be, with flying monkeys and rocket-powered dolphins who sound like they’re in a Oscar Wilde play… It’s got action, jokes, and a moral compass that points towards healthy skepticism and questioning authority. It’s an entertaining read for adults and kids alike. Anyone who has a little adventure in them should read it.” —Comic Book Resources

“ANGELIC from Image Comics is fantastic. It’s the futuristic teenage flying monkeys comic that I can read with my kid.” —Gerry Duggan

“It’s easily one of the most compelling debuts of any comic I’ve read this year. Fun, thought-provoking and gorgeously drawn.” —SYFY Wire

“A lot of colourful fun with clever, playful language.” —Duncan Fegredo

“A post-apocalyptic WE3—and gorgeous looking too .” —P.J. Holden

*If you’d like to review comics for us, and you can string a sentance or two together without just, y’know, recapping the plot of the issue and saying it looks pretty, we get lots of preview materials sent to us that you can look at and appraise for us. You don;t have to glowing about everything, just give your honest opinions and we’ll do the rest. If you’re interested, drop us a line at www.anenglishmaninsandiego.com/contact-us.

Preview: @SiSpurruer / @Casparnova's ANGELIC Vol. 1 "full of magic and wonder" comes to trade from @ImageComics this May Y'know those snappy blurbs that you get on the covers of comics from either well-known creatives, comics news websites or high-brown periodicals?

[paladinsheadcanons]

I imagine that many skins are actually their respective character in a different dimension/au. (Generally skins that share a type of loot chest are from the au w/ that chest theme)

I would agree! My biggest thought on this would be the following groups with their themes/verses. Sorry if I missed a few - I ignored default uncommon and above recolours like Quicksilver Ying and Pilot Suit Skye.

Steampunk - Steam Demon Androxus, Clockwork Torvald, Viceroy Willo, Eclipse Jenos (?), 

Victorian - Chancellor Mal’Damba, Exalted Androxus, Defiler Mal’Damba,

High Fantasy - Pumpking BK, Terramorph/Dreadhunter Drogoz, Goddess Lian, Raven Strix, Code Green Viktor, Hemlock Willo, Doom Shroom Grover, Wickerman Mal’Damba, Pandamonium Pip, Infernal Seris, Genie Ying, Bewitching Evie, Heartbeaker Skye, 

Feudal Japan - Oni Talus, Ronin Ask, Kunoichi Skye 

Arguably Modern - Buck Wild, Starglam Evie, Vigilante Sha Lin, Baroness Tyra, Biz King BK, Night Bane/Blood Moon Cassie, Sun Kissed Cassie, Red Winter Tyra, Frosty Foliage Grover, Infiltrator Pip, Mad Scientist Pip, Snapdragon Ying, Triggerman/Kingpin Buck, Commando Buck, Troublemaker Evie, Merrymaker Evie, Longboard Lex, Alleycat Maeve, Dreamhack Maeve, 

Space - All the obsidian and cosmics, DZ-03 Drogoz, FN-01 Helious/Erebos Fernando, Starslayer Ruckus, LEX-O Lex, Star Silver/Nova Strike Kinessa, Invader Pip, Replicant Ying, Brawler/Envy Buck, RAEVE Maeve

The Ancient Times - Ice Walker Inara, Dire Wolf Tyra, Stone-Cut Barik, Volcanic Makoa, Conquerer Zhin, 

Pirates - Dutchman Makoa, Swashbuckler Barik, Viking Kinessa

[cagliarifixed]

20% OFF ON HOODIES. Only this weekend. Add their code: DRINKHARDER to your order!⚡️ web store: cagliarifixed.bigcartel.com #fixedgear #fixed #bike #bikes #fixedgearbike #alleycat #ridefast #fixedboys #drinkhard #fixiegram #nobrakes #fixiegram #pista #fixedlife #fixie #fixies #clothing #brakeless #fixedlove #fixedforum #vintagebike #fixieporn #singlespeed #cycling #hoodie #trackbike #cagliarifixed

[fixiegirls]

Repost from @nvayrk #tori.duke #CyclingConnects | Paul Williams (@gingerbeard_photo) . Tell us a little about the cycling culture in Manchester: There is a big road bike scene in Manchester. 15 mins outside the city and you are in the countryside so lots of great climbs like Mam Tor, Winnets Pass and the Wizard. . There is a Fixed Gear scene as well, 01FIX1 (A play on the 0161 Manchester phone area code) good bunch of guys/gals who usually meet up at Sandbar off Oxford Road which is a popular pub for messengers before heading out for local rides, alleycats and skills sessions. READ MORE ON CYCLING CONNECTS, link in bio. . Follow @gingerbeard_photo . #nvayrk #boundless #manchester #england

[comiccrusaders]

A selection of eye-catching preview pages revealed 

Eisner-nominated writer Simon Spurrier (The Spire, CRY HAVOC, X-Men Legacy, Godshaper) and star artist Caspar Wijngaard (LIMBO, Dark Souls, Assassin’s Creed) present readers with an all-new Young Adult fantasy adventure in ANGELIC, VOL. 1: HEIRS & GRACES. It will collect issues #1-6 of the series and hit stores this May.

Winged monkeys! Techno-dolphins! Quantum alleycats! In ANGELIC, humanity’s long gone. Its memory lingers only as misunderstood rituals among mankind’s leftovers: the genetically modified animals they used and abused for eons. But for one young flying monkey, QORA, the routines are unbearable. All she wants is to explore. Instead she’s expected to settle down, to become a mother…to lose her wings.

ANGELIC, VOL. 1 is a powerful and timely parable about religion, repression and female rebellion, but all layered beneath joyous animal antics in the ruins of civilization. Expect WALL-E by way of Animal Farm in a watershed title among YA comics, which will tug at readers’ heartstrings.

ANGELIC, VOL. 1 (Diamond Code MAR180601, ISBN: 978-1-5343-0663-9) will hit stores on Wednesday, May 9th and bookstores on Tuesday, May 15th. It can be pre-ordered at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, IndieBound, and Indigo.

Preview: ANGELIC, VOL. 1 A selection of eye-catching preview pages revealed  Eisner-nominated writer Simon Spurrier (The Spire, CRY HAVOC, 

[thesassybooskter]

A STARDANCE SUMMER by Emily March: Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

A Stardance Summer by Emily March Series: Eternity Springs #13 Published by St. Martin's Paperbacks Publication Date: June 27th 2017 Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction Pages: 320 Source: Publisher Format: eARC Goodreads Buy Online: Amazon ♥ Barnes & Noble ♥ Kobo ♥ iBooks

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Return to the beloved small town of Eternity Springs in the newest installment of Emily March’s New York Times bestselling series with A Stardance Summer.

Sometimes the end of one road Brick Callahan enjoys every minute of chaos at his campground, Stardance Ranch, especially after the Tornado Alleycats arrive for an extended summer stay. The members of the all-female glamorous camping club are primarily seniors—active and adventurous, friendly and fun. But when he discovers Liliana Howe frolicking with the glamping grannies in a late night skinny-dipping session, he fears he’s in for a summer of trouble. Because his best friend’s kid sister has grown up to be drop-dead gorgeous.

. . .is the start of another Betrayed by those she trusted, Lili decides she’s put her career first for too long. She sells her practical sedan, buys a travel trailer, and heads to Eternity Springs for a summer of rest, relaxation, and reassessment as the newest member of the Alleycats. The last person she expects to find running an RV resort is her high school crush. Their undeniable mutual attraction is a reminder that life is full of surprises. But when the past comes calling, will their summer romance stand the test of time?

  Review

A STARDANCE SUMMER captures the array of emotions that come with struggling to find yourself, letting go of a dream and starting afresh; and Eternity Springs has a proven track record as the perfect place for healing and new beginnings, especially for those who have lost their way or have completely given up. This is the perfect summer read for any fan of contemporary romance or women’s fiction.

Liliana Howe comes from a family of overachievers and has always struggled to measure up. At a crossroads in her life and unable to find support from her family, Lili must decide her own fate and chart her own course, but first she needs a break from life and joining the all-female camping club, the Tornado Alleys for an extended summer vacation is the way to go. But Lili’s vacation is not exactly what she expects because of the surprise she finds on vacation: her childhood crush and a chance for a guilt-free summer fling.

Brick Callahan enjoys his life in Eternity Springs, even though he has pretty much given up on relationships and limits his entanglements to three dates max per woman. Having Lili show up at his campground, all grown up and so gorgeous is going to test his restraint and the bro code, but Brick still has the scars from being burned in love and is not interested in going back for seconds.

I enjoyed reading this book a lot and not just for Lili and Brick’s romance and everything that came with it. I enjoyed the other characters in the story and their own paths, as well as the many lessons the story gives us. One thing is certain, life is a cycle and people pass through each other’s lives for a reason. 

This book will resonate with readers and leave them assessing their own lives, as well the connections they have formed with others. The biggest takeaway for me was that we are in charge of our own lives, choices and happiness, and are the only ones who can make the decisions that bring us the best life has to offer. 

It was great catching up with characters from previous books and I look forward to what Ms. March has in store for us next.

    Excerpt

Chapter One

Twenty years later

I won’t cry. I absolutely, positively will not cry.

Liliana Howe silently repeated the mantra as she rang the doorbell of her parents’ home in Norman, Oklahoma. She still had a key to the house, but her arms were full with two large white paper bags of her father’s favorite Tex-Mex from the taqueria over by Oklahoma University.

Brian and Stephanie Howe met at home for lunch every day, but it was rare for Lili to join them. She usually worked through lunch. But then, today was not a usual day, was it?

Her father answered the door. His gray eyes rounded in surprise. “Lili? Did we forget a lunch date?”

“No, Dad. I was in the neighborhood. Thought I’d surprise you with lunch from Miguelito’s.”

 “Well, that’s nice.” He opened the screen door. “Come on in. Let me help you with those bags.”

He led her through the house back toward the kitchen. “That smells wonderful. This is a real treat, Liliana. Your mother doesn’t let me have Mexican too often.”

“It’s been too long since I’ve seen you guys.”

They walked into the kitchen to find her mother seated at the table staring intently at her computer. Typical Stephanie Howe. Always working. Without looking up, she said, “Stevenson has the best rating, but—”

“Look who’s here, honey,” Lili’s father interrupted.

Stephanie Howe finally glanced up, her thoughts obviously somewhere else, because she gazed at Lili as if she didn’t recognize her. Lili waved her fingers. “Surprise.”

“Oh.” Stephanie gave her head a little shake. “Lili. Hello. Did we forget a lunch date?”

Inwardly, Lili sighed. “No. I was in the mood for Mexican and I thought of Dad.”

“It’s not good for his cholesterol.”

“No, but once in a blue moon won’t hurt him. Dr. Derek told me that himself.”

She unloaded the bags, setting tacos, cheese enchiladas, refried beans, guacamole, and tortilla chips in the center of the table. Her mother brought plates and silverware from the cabinet. “Nevertheless, it’s nice to see you. It’s been too long. How are you, Lili? Have you recovered from tax season?”

“It’s definitely behind me,” she replied with a wry twist of her lips.

They all filled their plates. Not anxious to spill her own beans, Lili took an extra spoonful of refried and asked, “So, what do you hear from Derek?”

Her parents spent quite a bit of time talking about their renowned heart surgeon son. Nerves caused Lili to make a pig of herself on chips and guacamole, and she didn’t miss her mother’s judgmental frown.

Finally, after extolling Derek’s most recent peer recognition award, her father asked Lili what was new with her work and the moment was at hand.

She sipped her water, wished it were a beer, and summarized the sequence of events that had led her to this crisis point. Then she waited for them to react.

And she waited.

And waited.

Her parents shared one of those long, hard-to-read looks that made Lili’s stomach do a bit of a sick flip. Her father cleared his throat. “It’s an incredible tale.”

Her mother nodded. “Unbelievable.”

Lili sucked salt off her bottom lip. She hadn’t expected them to jump to their feet and vow to make the villains pay, but she’d thought they’d be angry on her behalf. Not . . . reserved.

Deep within her, despair kindled to life. They were her parents. She was counting on them. Nevertheless, she pressed ahead, calmly and logically laying out the approach she wanted to take and the assistance she needed from her mother and father.

Again, her parents shared one of those inscrutable looks. Lili’s heart began to pound. “I don’t know, Liliana,” her father said, rubbing the back of his neck. “It would be hard to fight them. They’re powerful people. I hate to say it because it’s not the way this country was supposed to work, but if a Normal Joe tries to go up against powerful people, most often he loses.

“I don’t want to see you get involved with making a charge against the police. That could turn nasty real fast. This cop . . . you said you think your bosses might have threatened him, too? He might be in an even tougher position than you.”

“But he lied, Dad! He falsified records.”

“But you have no proof of that, do you?”

“Just my word.” Isn’t that enough, Dad? At least for you?

“Maybe you should let things lie for a while. Give it some time. See how things work out. I think it’s simply too soon to call the governor and ask for a personal favor.”

That, Lili knew, was a no. A no and a verbal punch to the gut. After her father’s heroic efforts during Central Oklahoma’s most recent tornado outbreak, hadn’t the governor given Brian Howe her direct phone number and instructions to call if he ever needed help with anything? Lili could think of only one reason why he denied her request, and it made her want to toss her guaco.

“Maybe later on when everything settles down we can look at the situation again.”

He didn’t believe her. He didn’t believe in her. Neither did her mother. Lili’s heart twisted. She knew her parents. They wouldn’t come right out and say it, but she saw the significant looks they’d exchanged. Noticed the way they wouldn’t meet her eyes.

They believed she’d been driving drunk last night and the DUI was legit. They did not believe that she’d been set up.

They thought she’d lied.

Lied!

Hurt like nothing she’d ever known washed through her. Lili had never been a liar. Even as a child she’d been frightfully honest. Hadn’t that been her way of attempting to gain favor with her parents? Her brilliant older brother spun stories that had fooled her equally brilliant parents, but eagle-eyed little sister often knew the truth. And tattled. But always with the truth.

Always.

Yet now, they doubted her? They believed her so irresponsible that she would climb behind the wheel of a car after she’d been drinking, thus risking her life, the lives of others, and her license to practice her profession?

Good grief, did they think she’d embezzled money from senior citizens, too?

Lili swallowed hard. Inside, her heart was bleeding. I will not cry. I will not cry. She couldn’t believe this. What was she going to do now?

The only thing she was certain of was that she needed to leave. Immediately. Before she lost her enchiladas all over her mother’s Italian tile.

But Lili couldn’t make herself stand up. Her knees were too weak.

“I think your father is right.” Stephanie Howe reached over and patted Lili’s hand. “You know, dear, maybe this is for the best. You haven’t been happy in your work for some time now.”

“You never liked accounting,” her father added helpfully. “Perhaps it’s best that you look on this event as an opportunity.”

An opportunity? For what? Prison? Hysterical laughter bubbled up inside her, but Lili swallowed it down.

Lili’s mother rose from the table and removed a glass pitcher of iced tea from the refrigerator. She topped off her husband’s glass and changed the subject.

Lili didn’t really care about the plans for their next-door neighbor’s upcoming retirement party. Nor did she give a fig about OU football recruiting rumors. She spent the rest of the meal in a distracted fog.

Finally, having cleaned his plate—twice—Brian Howe set down his fork, wiped his mouth with a napkin, then checked his watch. “I’ve gotta run. I have a one o’clock conference call.”

Standing, he leaned over and pressed a kiss against Lili’s hair. “It was nice to see you, sweetheart. Don’t be such a stranger.”

Minutes later, he walked out the door and Stephanie was preparing to follow. “I hate to rush you, Lili, but I have office hours before my two o’clock lecture.”

Stephanie Howe taught advanced mathematics at OU. “That’s okay, Mom. Why don’t you go on? I’ll stay and load the dishwasher.”

“Thank you. You’ll lock up when you’re done?”

“I will.”

Her mother ducked into the master bedroom and returned a few moments later with her hair and teeth brushed and wearing new lipstick. On the way out the door, she paused. “Lili, things happen for a reason, and often, we don’t know what that reason is. Sometimes you simply need to give it a little time.”

She gave a little finger wave, then exited the house. Lili stood in the center of her parents’ kitchen, her arms hanging limply at her sides. She heard her mother’s car start, then back out of the driveway. Lili was alone. Alone and . . . lost.

Her parents didn’t believe her. Why not? What had she ever done to earn this lack of faith?

 Nothing. She might not have been the smartest Howe sibling, but she’d made it a point to be the one who never screwed up. Derek the Favorite couldn’t say that. The time her brother had come within a phone call of getting an MIP, he’d deserved one. He and his trouble-magnet best friend had celebrated the no-hitter Mark had thrown in the regionals of the state baseball tournament by buying a fifth of bourbon with fake IDs and drinking themselves silly in a public park. Neither had gone near a car, but still.

Derek’s good luck was that their father’s administrative assistant’s husband was the chief of police. Dad had called the chief on Derek’s behalf and worked out a deal. Derek would pay the required fine and do the required community service, but it wouldn’t go on his record. Gotta protect the college applications, you know.

He’d called for Derek.

He won’t go near the phone for me.

Pressure filled Lili’s chest. It reminded her of that achy feeling she got when reading a novel where the protagonist discovers that her loved one has betrayed her. At that point in a book, Lili invariably skipped ahead to read the ending. Lili needed happy endings.

Satisfying endings didn’t work for her. She wanted happy-ever-after.

Once she knew the book was a safe read, the emotional grief she experienced eased. Then she invariably read the rest of the book backward. She was weird that way.

She’d never expected to be the wronged character in a real-life novel. Not with her parents cast as the betrayers, anyway. She wished she could skip to the end of this story. Maybe then she’d discover that her parents had believed her and believed in her all along and they had a really good reason for doing what they’d just done.

Yeah. Right. And I’ll win the next season of Who’s Got Talent because of my spreadsheet expertise.

Ordinarily, pity parties were not Liliana’s style. Today as she picked up her father’s plate from the table, she had a star-studded gala going on.

Mom and Dad didn’t believe her.

She took two steps toward the sink, then abruptly stopped. She dropped the plate.

Actually, she threw the plate. With both hands. Hard.

It smashed against the floor, shattering into dozens of pieces. Next she threw his glass and her mother’s plate and her own plate and glass. And Liliana realized she was panting as if she’d run five miles. Tears pooled in her eyes, but she blinked them away.

Then, because she was Liliana, she got a broom and dustpan and cleaned up her mess. About the time her mother would be pulling into the faculty parking lot at OU, Lili exited the house and locked the door behind her. Then she removed her parents’ house key from her key ring and dropped it through the mail slot in their front door.

As she walked down the sidewalk toward the slate-gray sedan she’d parked at the curb, the soon-to-be-retired neighbor drove into his driveway. They exchanged waves and Lili extended a trembling hand toward her car door.

“I absolutely, positively won’t cry.”

Maintaining her composure, she slid into the driver’s seat and calmly buckled the safety belt. She started her engine, shifted into drive, and slowly pulled away from her childhood home. She wouldn’t cry. She wouldn’t curse. She wouldn’t break any more dishes or squeal her tires in a fit of temper.

Lili wasn’t reckless. She didn’t act rashly and seldom lost control of her temper or emotions. She was logical and deliberate and controlled.

And honest. Totally honest.

Just the way a good accountant should be.

The faintest of sobs escaped her at the thought.

She’d broken her mother’s Fiesta. And yes, she had goosed the gas on her practical sedan, though not enough to squeal the tires. She wasn’t certain that her engine even had enough power to do it.

Her landlady’s voice echoed through her mind. I think this car’s get-up-and-go got up and went before it ever left the showroom floor.

“I bought it used,” Lili had defended.

Patsy Schaffer clicked her tongue and shook her head. “Oh, honey. Of course you did.”

Buying this car had been a good decision, Lili told herself now. A practical purchase. Cars lost value the moment they were driven off the lot. The last thing she needed was a big car payment.

Especially since as of today, she didn’t have a job.

She sucked in a shuddering breath. What am I going to do?

“Fight.” That’s what she needed to do. That’s what she’d come to her parents’ house to do. To gather her resources. To prepare for war. This injustice could not be allowed to stand!

So fine. She’d go into battle by herself. Work from the bottom up instead of the top down. She could do it. She was a grown-up. She didn’t need her parents to fight her battles. She was accustomed to doing things alone, wasn’t she?

She’d go back to the office. Today. Now. What could it hurt? They couldn’t fire her again. She’d demand to speak to Fred Ormsby, the other founding partner. She’d outline her case and demand that the situation be investigated by an independent party. Then she’d go to the police and do the same thing with them.

She could do this. She was strong.

She was scared.

By the time she pulled onto I-35 headed north to her office building in downtown Oklahoma City, she’d lost the battle to hold back tears. Soon she’d soaked four tissues and was on to drowning her fifth.

Then, just as she signaled her intention to take the upcoming exit, a motorcycle screamed by, passing on the right. Only by the grace of God did she avoid hitting him.

In that instant, the blaze of Lili’s temper evaporated her fears. If she’d had another dinner plate, she’d have thrown it at the fool. She was furious that the rider had endangered himself by riding recklessly without a helmet. She was incensed at her former friend and mentor in the firm and at his criminal connections in the police department who were able to create false DUI charges out of nothing.

 And her parents . . . Lili swallowed hard. Her parents. For them, she had no words.

Downtown, she found a parking spot two blocks from her building, so she took it. She grabbed a fresh tissue, flipped down the visor mirror, and wiped away mascara tracks. She blew her nose, put on fresh lipstick, and pinched some color into her wan cheeks.

Drawing two calming, bracing breaths, she stepped outside and prepared to go to war.

Lili marched up the street. You can do this. You can do this. Right is on your side. Justice will prevail.

She was halfway to her building’s front door when the problem occurred to her. They’d taken away her credentials. She wouldn’t be allowed upstairs.

They’d taken her credentials. They’d taken her reputation. They’d taken her license. A great yawning sense of despair opened up inside her. I’m powerless.

The door to her building opened and her former mentor and the firm’s other founding partner stepped outside. Okay. Okay. Her luck was turning. Here was an opportunity. Approaching them on a public street wouldn’t be her first choice, but the fact that they’d come out of the building right at this particular moment was a sign, was it not?

She took one more step forward, then stopped abruptly. A third person had joined them. A third person smiled and laughed and flirted up at the two men old enough to be her father.

Tiffany Lambeau.

Lili’s nemesis.

When Tiffany had followed Mark Christopher to the University of Hawaii, Lili had hoped Norman, Oklahoma, had seen the last of her. Instead, Tiffany had come home with an MBA and a “broken” heart quickly healed by a prominent banker. Now Tiffany was on the prowl again, and she’d started working at the firm late last year as a consultant. She knew everyone of consequence in town— maybe the entire state—and she’d quickly weaseled her way into visiting the corner offices. Often.

Lili watched the trio turn the other direction and stroll up the sidewalk, arm in arm, and she had no doubt that she was looking at Ormsby, Harbaugh, and Stole’s newest partner.

The guacamole in Lili’s stomach made a threatening rumble. “Oh yes,” she murmured. “Talk about a sign.”

She could possibly face the powers that be at the firm. She might even be able to hold her own while presenting her case to the cops. But Tiffany Lambeau? Forget about it.

Some parts of high school a girl simply couldn’t leave behind.

Lili pivoted and returned to her car. She thumbed the lock, opened the door, slid inside, and calmly fastened her seat belt. She sat with her hands on the wheel for a full five minutes, the events of the day running through her mind like a bad movie. How many times today had she asked herself, What am I going to do?

Now, finally, at—she glanced at the clock on her dash— 2:27 p.m., she knew the answer. “That’s it. I’m done. I quit.”

Lili switched on her ignition, shifted her car into drive, and spoke her life-changing decision aloud. “I’m going to join the Tornado Alleycats.”

  Copyright © 2017 by Emily March and reprinted by permission of St. Martin’s Press.

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  About Emily March

Emily March is the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty novels, including the critically acclaimed Eternity Springs series. Publishers Weekly calls March a "master of delightful banter," and her heartwarming, emotionally charged stories have been named to Best of the Year lists by Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Romance Writers of America.

A graduate of Texas A&M University, Emily is an avid fan of Aggie sports and her recipe for jalapeño relish has made her a tailgating legend.

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A STARDANCE SUMMER by Emily March: Review, Excerpt & Giveaway was originally published on The Sassy Bookster