#and there is so much stuff/stuff in it characters characterization development etc. etc. that i am really hoping future versions take from

[fire-on-fuel]

the most important distinction between boba fett and jango fett is that jango fett grew up on a farm and then in a traveling mandalorian merc clan and boba fett grew up in a city sized lab and then juvie and then every gutter in the galaxy from here to nar shaddaa

[chatxkilluaxnoir]

I have been thinking about some things about ROTTMNT and Some ROTTMNT Fandom Stuff lately...

It is both positive, and not as positive (I won't say negative, just things that kind of itch at my mind sometimes), and it is a few things too.

Though, I am going to stricture my post(s), to have things make sense.

Idk, when I will post these things, if I do. And I do what to post and/or reblog some more positive (again, these posts are going to have positive stuff too) first, esp. since ROTTMNT's 5th anniversary was recently (happy 5th anniversary to Rise btw!), but just in general, because I do really love ROTTMNT. So much of content I enjoy is TMNT, which heavily includes ROTTMNT by this point.

But there are just some things, that are bugging me, that I might end up talking about.

Again, if I do these posts, I don't know when. And they will probably take awhile, because knowing me, they will probably be pretty long and stuff.

But we will see.

[invested-in-your-future]

What's fascinating to me is that for a show where showrunners knew they had only one season left to wrap everything up, Arcane S2 feels filled with weird decisions.

EP7 as appreciated as it was, feels like a weird bottle episode that doesn't do much of anything for the overall story. It's the type of episode I could see in a longer show where it wasn't its final season, but here? Weird.

What does the detour with Vander and bringing him back add to the story exactly? It wasn't used to give Vi development or drama, nor was it used for Jinx. Sure, you could say it was something done to quickly resolve the sisters' feud, but that was already in the works naturally, and there was no need for an entire subplot that dumps a TON of new worldbuilding upon the show that has barely any time left to handle the worldbuilding it already got.

You'd think the final season would have key characters, like Vi, play the pivotal role and develop and grow, but Vi is sidelined for most of the show, despite her characterization being crucial in landing the conclusion of the two sisters subplot.

Caitlyn's classist dictator time feels like literal padding too—there's no follow-up or subplot where Vi has to make her see the reality of her actions or any subplot or characterization where the two reconcile. This subplot would make sense in a show where the class conflict and the possible civil war were front-and-center plot threads, but Arcane S2 is not that show—it refuses to touch upon the core themes Season One established. In fact, the show ends up completely ignoring what she did, so why is the plotline there then?

There are just a lot of additions that do the opposite of resolving plot threads or giving the time needed for the conclusion—everything to do with Noxous, the nigh incomprehensible Black Rose stuff, all the new side characters that appear and then disappear having done nothing, etc. You'd think for THE finale of their story, the writers would condense and connect the plot threads together toward the conclusion, but S2 spends a lot of time doing the opposite for no reason.

The final stretch has Silco basically speaking to the audience, telling them nothing new and just rehashing what's already been shown. What was the point of that? Is it insecurity from the writers that the audience might not have gotten what was being said? And what's more, how does that connect to the whole "main story" of S2 which is the machine god stuff? The monologue, as anvilicious and needless as it is, makes sense in a show about the cycle of violence and human nature, but Arcane Season Two is not that show—it's a show about how The Rich and The Poor will team-up for the common purpose of facing outside enemies, be it the non-descript Evil Country From Afar or Magical Zombies. So why were the writing staff so desperate to get the point "Silco" makes across as to literally break even the basic sense of show-not-tell?

The more I think, the weirder the structure of S2 is.

[starryinkart]

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Hey guys! Welcome to the next update of MD:Totality! Things are about to get fun in a few more pages, so hold tight, our boy N isn't looking so hot...is he...:P

Are you guys excited for the finale of Murder Drones? 2 MORE DAYS LEFT!!! The quality looks absolutely BONKERS GOOD in quality! Im so scared for all the characters, I've grown to love all of them so much, but hopefully we get a decent ending or cliffhanger! I know alot of people are upset they aren't announcing a S2 and the show feels rushed, but who knows, maybe it'll end in a cliffhanger and the show will be picked up someday again after TADC and GASLIGHT District come to a close! Don't give up hope yet!

In the meantime, the comic will be aiming to do the characters justice that 8 episodes couldn't give them on Glitch to the best of my ability! Just adding more characterization and info/personality of the universe/The Solver/JCJenson/characters etc. So I hope you all enjoy my spin on things!

(P.S Sorry for the late upload guys, real life stuff got in the way, got super sick and am feeling a bit better, but I'm aiming to have this comic out on time, minus exceptions!)

____________

Here’s the synopsis!:

Barely escaping the mass destruction of Copper 9, as well as losing Uzi to the Absolute Solver, N, V, J, Khan, Lizzy and Thad find their way through the galaxy to the Earth-like planet “Jericho”; where they look for refuge and plan to fight back. Their new goal, stop the solver from destroying the last remaining human colonized planet by any means necessary, find JCJENSON and report their findings. It shouldn’t be THAT hard…right?

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The idea is to have pages coming out @ around 7 pm US EST or every 2 Sundays (if life gets busy lol, I will let you guys know!)

I hope you guys really enjoy this comic, as well as the character development I have planned for it! Enjoy! <3

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< COMIC CONTENTS >

COMIC COVER < Get Comic Synopsis HERE!

The ASTRA Family INFO

SNEAK PEAK #1

ASTRA REFERENCES #1

(MORE COMING SOON!)

[the-one-who-lambs]

uhh hello!! sorry if this is a tall order LOL but I wanna ask, do you have any narilamb fanfic recs? :D I already read yours and I really like bamsara’s and I’m waiting for epicaandk’s to update (that one is my fav ever <3) but idk what to read now lol

Tall order?? Naaaaah, I'm always happy to give recs. Oh boy, I'm gonna go in reverse chronological order.

If you've read all of my narilamb fics (have you seriously? I'm impressed, that's probably well over half the 150k+ I've written for this damn fandom. Also, to anyone seeing this from a reblog, my stuff is over at onethirdofimpossible!) then here we go!

You already mentioned it, but The Rehabilitation of Death is excellent so far! This one is by @bamsara who is new to the CotL fandom but apparently not new to fanfic writing; they have a really popular FNAF fic and I assume the well-deserved attention this fic's been getting is a byproduct of the popularity they've already gotten in other fandoms. :D Welcome, bamsara! Many of the fic writers in this fandom are friends with each other already, but we don't bite if you wanna say hi.

Feel No Evil and Language Barrier, both by @payasita. I always love how payasita portrays this duo (in both digital art and writing), with so much sass and repressed loneliness, knowing they're stuck together for eternity and making the best of it. (And maybe falling in love, depending on how dense Narinder keeps being.) What makes these come alive for me is how well thought out the setting is outside the Lamb and Narinder. The descriptions and weight of emotions really pop here.

LITERALLY ANYTHING written by pavi / @i-eat-deodorant. Depending on how spicy you want your fics to be he has even more here. Character analysis, diction, pacing, etc. are consistently 10/10. Top-quality banter between a sassy Lamb and tired old man Narinder. We constantly bounce ideas off each other and inspire each other a lot but I promise I'm not hyping him up just because he's my friend oh my god please just go bless your eyes.

It Was For You, O Death by blueberry-muffin-massacre (if they have a tumblr, let me know so I can tag!). An intriguing alternative ending to the final battle wherein the Lamb chooses a secret third option by refusing to give up the Red Crown and still observing Narinder as the God of Death. So many details are so well thought out and duality their relationship is nicely characterized-- both genuine care for each other and also quite unhealthy. A fine line treaded well!

Confessional by jusmove (again, lmk if they have a tumblr). Been a while since I've read it, but I love how the Lamb chips at Narinder's very carefully built emotional walls. Their personalities are very well fleshed out here, especially Narinder's cognitive dissonance at being able to process love.

Confession by @thewitchoftheweed. I didn't expect a part two to this one, but my god I was so thrilled when it did update. Narinder and Lamb with their unique and parallel loneliness and their fucked-up sense of everything. Their relationship is very rocky here, and I love how they navigate it: with tension and eventual, pained acceptance. Mind the rating.

Of Character Development and Being Dense by @calliecature. A short and sweet narilamb classic. They're both mutually pining and one of them is too emotionally repressed to realize it. Guess who.

Not An Offering, But a Gift by @checkplzjuliet. Small confession fic. I especially love how Narinder's descriptions twist the knife of his situation here, and how Lambert is a total foil for him! There are a lot of good things happening in such a short span, which is impressive.

Also, if you think you've read all my narilamb fics... I do have a secret one out there too. Just so you know.

Happy reading!

I'm already friends with many of the people here, but if any of the writers I've tagged have been kinda wanting to reach out for a while but feel a little anxious... Don't be. I've made my best friends in this fandom by literally just waiting for some of my readers to get over whatever assumption they have that I'm cool and say hi. Or being the more confident one first.

[jsmifty]

ONE MORE NIGHT (FNAF AU/REWRITE TIMELINE)

(This will be updated over time)

This is the general timeline in which my fic that I keep posting art of is in, just so the general idea is out there yknow. At the time of posting this, none of the parts have currently been released at all, this will hopefully change soon, and when it does, this will be updated.

NIGHT ONE (Part 1): (1/?? Released (all chapters planned)) POV: Majority Henry Emily & William Afton (Sometimes Micheal/Charlie) GAMES INCLUDED: FNAF 4

Link: One More Night Part 1

NIGHT TWO (Part 2): (Not in Progress) POV: Majority Micheal Afton & Jeremy Fitzgerald GAMES INCLUDED: FNAF 2 & SISTER LOCATION

NIGHT THREE (Part 3): (Not in Progress) POV: Micheal Afton GAMES INCLUDED: FNAF 1

NIGHT FOUR (Part 4): (Not in Progress) POV: ??? GAMES INCLUDED: FNAF 3

NIGHT FIVE (Part 5): (Not in Progress) POV: ??? GAMES INCLUDED: FNAF 6

Notes:

The different 'parts' will not be different chapters, but different fics entirely. There is so much stuff shoved into each individual part that if I put them all into one singular Ao3 fic it would be like 100 chapters. Sorry if thats annoying, I enjoy my organization. Each part for the most part should be able to be enjoyed separately, however they do all connect together like a big bad spiderweb.. or i guess a cork board with a shit load of red string.

Majority generally just means it'll be mainly part of their POV however in certain chapters it may change for story reasons.

"???" for the character POV's just mean I'm not willing to reveal that yet.

This is a rewrite/AU, its not going to be accurate to canon however I try to be. Most if not all main canonical events will likely happen in some capacity within the AU, generally it may be tweaked as some aspects of the story I do not like/I've changed to have a deeper impact.

(Spoiler Free) "What is this AU even about??" Below the cut

What is the AU even about??

Thought I'd properly go into it.

ONE MORE NIGHT is a Five Night's at Freddy's AU/Rewrite, that generally follows the main events and story of the original GAMES franchise, with some very minor inspirations from the books. The story will be written in third-person, and will occasionally swap point of views (in-between chapters) throughout the fic.

The story itself is more character and relationship focused. Themes i wish to explore include, the destruction of the mind/spiralling, (the stages of) grief, revenge , etc. Since generally, i dont really enjoy the fanon characterization of certain characters, I really want to explore them from my point of view, as well as develop the relationships and motivations of all the characters which I feel are sort of lacking in the main FNAF media? I'm aware its there, its never truly properly explored though.

I really like horror, and this is my first proper opportunity to get a crack at it. I highly doubt its going to be shiver me timbers terrifying, I try my best. If you want a reference for the type of horror I'm into and what I am inspired by, its mainly media such as, The Magnus Archives, as well as a few more gothic works such as Frankenstein (currently reading the book).

Content Warnings:

This story will likely include pretty graphic depictions of violence, ESPECIALLY when in referral to Micheal Afton, Jeremy Fitzgerald and William Afton, you'll never guess why. I will tag these chapters, and if needed, will provide a brief summery at the end if a person is to skip past it but doesnt want to miss what happened. Generally, i will try to avoid describing the children too graphically, since theyre, yknow, kids. But uh, yknow, its FNAF, so be warned.

Other general warnings, outside of the warnings I'll give on individual chapters include, Abusive relationships, (mild) suicidal thoughts, and sensitive topics such as grief and loss. I'm sure theres stuff I'm missing, these will be tagged in specific chapters.

Extra content?

If you want content for this AU, itll be on my page under the hashtag (#OneMoreNightFNAFAU) or (#OMN FNAF AU). Generally I have no idea if anyone ever would read this fic, so if you, specifically, the one guy reading this, IS interested, most of the stuff will be on this page. Tumblr only likes my FNAF stuff so its all i post really on here, and I love FNAF so thats fine with me.

If this is the first post you've ever seen of me and like, you dont know what i usually post, I usually post art, specifically of this AU, so if you want to get a general looksie about the vibes of the characters and stuff, its on my page under the hashtag mentioned above.

(Side note: For the record, when i say 'relationships' this mainly refering to platonic relationships within the story. Theres a very minor romance side plot which you can like, easily choose to ignore, but its there, and its horrifically slow slowburn, so its like barely there 90% of the time. If i was to do anything too romance based, it would probably be separate one shots.)

(side note note: if you.. read this far.. once i finally finish this.. my magnum opus... i will probably finally move on to security breach and all that, if youre interested. but to get to that you have to get past my 5 evil fnaf fics first.)

Any support would be deeply appreciated, you have no idea. :) I'd love to know if anyone would be interested.

[swordofazrael1992]

Sword I am soo curious about your thoughts on Sister Lilhy. I have so much to say about her villain arc and characterization but I want to see how other people felt about it as well.

oh man. i am truly ambivalent towards sister lilhy. i see what dennis o’neil was TRYING to do with her character and placing her as a narrative foil to jean paul, and i think the idea is really interesting, but something about the execution just makes it come off so wrong for me.

there’s really just so much potential for her character and there are so many ways she could be SO interesting. she could be used to untangle the way gender roles were performed in the order, show the difference between the way jean paul was raised (almost wholly unaware of the order) and the way she was raised (directly in the middle of it). and there’s so much interesting stuff when her role in the order is compared to azrael’s! they were both made to be obedient in their servitude—but in entirely different (and gendered—there’s a lot to unpack about gender in the order. i need at least one reread of the major arcs involving the order to fully flesh it out though) ways. and the roles she had in the order are also reproduced in such fascinating ways after they destroy the order. lilhy falls back into the survival mechanisms she learned in the order in a very similar way that azrael does, but inverted—where azrael is upfront violence, lilhy becomes deceptive and manipulative, things she had to be if she wanted to survive with any modicum of dignity and obtain the barest flicker of autonomy when she was with the order under brother rollo’s command. honestly, a lot of sister lilhy’s character can be found in her desperation for and fear of autonomy.

and the obvious conclusion, narratively, is to make lilhy into a villain, or at least a more antagonistic role. because that raises so many interesting questions: what is different about jp/az and lilhy that lets them make the choice to move on, and what makes her believe her best option is to restart the order? is that what she actually wants to do, or is it something she feels like she has to do (see the last laugh issue, which is honestly so interesting character wise for her)? etc etc. and i think it’s also interesting to make her honestly fail at being a “villain”, in parallel to jean paul and azrael fail at being “heroic”. it all goes back to the themes of grayness in o’neil’s azrael comics—one of them fails at being a hero, one of them fails at being a villain. but can they choose a new path, on wholly their own, and work to make the world better in the way they can? unfortunately jean paul dies before we can find out. party pooper

but there’s something about the way o’neil wrote her that just. makes her feel so off to me and i do t know what it is. maybe it’s that she was too parallel to jean paul and azrael and was never really able to be developed as her own character, only a character in the context of azrael. maybe it’s another flaw in the writing or in my own reading of her. there’s just like. something i cannot get past, a disconnect. so i am VERY curious to hear your analysis

tl;dr: i find lilhy fascinating and i think she has so much potential but theres something about the execution of her storyline that disconnects me from her and her characterization

[protemporescitor]

"Um Ackchyually…"

Rant incoming. Gird your loins.

It's like every time Cloud does anything even remotely cool-looking, someone in the fandom will invariably go "um achshyelly he can't be doing kewl stuff because you see he's actually a massive dweeb and…"

Every goddamn time, like clockwork. I swear, it's become a kind of mass neurosis for the fandom at this point.

I'm sorry, but "Oh he's just some try-hard dweeb" is such a paltry reading of this character, one that only furthers my belief that this fandom is mentally unequipped to parse any real kind of psychological complexity.

Yes, he can be unsubtle, envious, socially awkward, even dorky at times. That's part of the character's appeal. His extremely human frailties in that regard are what make him such an endearing and interesting (dare I say relatable?) character. He's also the man who ended the world's greatest soldier, so what does that say about his critics, the fans who believe he's just some feckless dork while ignoring that side of him entirely?

Now, lest you think I'm just headcanoning the character this way and talking nonsense, here's a quote from Yoshinori Kitase himself: "He isn't a straightforward hero like Superman; rather, he has lots of mysteries, self-doubts, and a real dark side."

What truly grinds my gears is the smug, gratingly knowing insinuation that portraying Cloud as a badass is somehow "wrong", or naïve characterization at best. and that only works which portray him some other way (awkward, goofy, insecure, etc…) are showing you the "real" character. And that, to me, is just nonsense.

Here's another example:

Same character, two different aesthetics, with different traits being emphasized. Both depictions are considered canon.

So the real question is, why does it have to be one or the other? Why is it so hard for people to reconcile the two?

I sometimes think we're in need of two separate fandoms, one for fans who want to Cloud continue to grow and develop as a character (like me), and the fans who just want him to remain the same awkward, insecure boy forever, i.e. people who prefer cartoon FFVII, and those who care about mythology and prefer to look at the story as a kind of bildungsroman. In any case, there's a reason why I keep underlining the darker, more feral side of this character, even to the point of over-emphasis, because it's at risk of falling prey to a fandom pseudo-narrative that simply rings hollow. Remember, his proper animal motif is that of a wolf, and that "cloud", as a verb, means "to darken, to obscure".

(Not just any wolf, by the way. The wolf.)

Lastly, I get the distinct feeling that we don't mean the same thing by "cool". Presumably, by "cool", some of you mean "cold and uncaring", which he is not. (Or possibly suave, depending on your definition.) The other is more a question of aesthetic cool on the one hand and valour on the other, both of which he possesses in spades. Cloud keeps taking on fights he shouldn't win, and yet often comes out on top, anyway, usually while pulling one insanely cool-looking stunt or another (e.g. the Shinra building escape, or putting a stop to Sephiroth's plans even without SOLDIER enhancements.)

It doesn't matter how much dorky nonsense the world tries to put him through; he'll always remain effortlessly cool in that regard.

While I've got your attention, I want to bring up one more thing related to mischaracterization (or rather, misperception): Aerith's temperament in Advent Children, specifically the idea that she's lost her original characterization and is just being depicted as some simplistic, incorruptible pure pureness (tm) messiah figure. Again, I don't think that's right. (It might be true for Kingdom Hearts, but tbh I never cared much for that series, so I'll refrain from further comment.) It's a long-running bit of accepted wisdom which, as far as I can tell, has no basis in reality.

The truth is, Advent Children's brief running time means there isn't a whole lot of opportunity for Square to focus on character building, but I contend that both Cloud and Aerith's original characterization is intact, just handled in a more subtle way. Note her comportment in scenes like the one above. She still evinces the same kind of playfulness as she did when she was among the living. For example, when Cloud tells her that he wants to be forgiven, her reaction is to ask "By whom?" in her usual, cheeky manner. She's still subtly poking fun at Cloud's tendency to take himself too seriously, while hinting at the fact that she doesn't blame him for her death. Or later, when she tells Zack "I don't want a kid that big!" She's still very much cracking wise, even in the Lifestream.

If she comes across as more ethereal than she did in the original story, well, that's because she is. Given that she's now in the afterlife, being that scrappy, streetwise flower girl from the slums is obviously less of a concern for her, at least as far as actual, physical scraps are concerned. But it's clear that her original personality is very much intact.

The same is true of Cloud and fans who grouse that he's being "emo"* in Advent Children, which is equally false. (*Lord help me but I detest that word. Being emo is when you're moping about listening to MCR after your girlfriend broke up with you, not dealing with the shattered pieces of your life and mourning the deaths of two of your closest friends. To call that "emo" is insulting to the character and narrative alike. In fact, it's an insult to language itself. If you care about good writing at all, I implore you to let this dreary, monosyllabic pustule of a word wither away and die in favour of more literate, meaningful descriptors.) He might be far more world-weary and disillusioned at this stage, but he still show various shades of mood (gentle, furious, defiant, haughty, protective, uncertain, disdainful, imperious, even cocky, much like OG FFVII):

Lastly, griping about this also denies character development and growth commensurate with where both of them are at this point in the story. During the events of the original FFVII, Cloud is still boyish and uncertain much of the time, whereas by the time Advent Children rolls around, he is older and tempered by experience. The same goes for Aerith. Same essential character, just acting according to her newfound circumstances.

I think that's it for now. I leave this rant here in the vain hope that somebody has something more interesting to say than "lawl emo chocobo-head boi!!!" for the millionth time.

I won't hold my breath, but it would be nice to be proven wrong for a change.

[meowmeow518]

The biggest problem with most portrayals of hetero ships in media is the laziness of making them work. Particularly in shows like invincible, shows centered around male main characters, superhero stories, etc. we will see the main guy and the main girl get together but there is no real buildup. If there is buildup, it’s falsified in the form of the characters being in other relationships. Typically these relationships are only treated as obstacles to the main goal, they are either framed as unhealthy or toxic, possibly missing something or they portray it as meaningful by doing that one great writer son of telling rather than showing.

For instance: Amber in invincible is a pretty girl, she’s sweet and caring but predominantly we see her angry and frustrated with mark for various reasons. Resentful he’s not around more or whichever which is absolutely valid (aside from that first bit where she actually got mad at him for not just telling her his secret? That was dumb) now I can understand that writing a female character angry is not the end of the world but the first and only time I see a relatable, meaningful reaction from amber is when she is threatened by that evil viltrumite lady. That was interesting, mark trying to comfort her after was interesting.

In the instances where they are being loving to each other, amber and mark only say that they like each other, that they care about each other. There’s no other real signs shown in body language, or interactions. No meaningful arcs where there is fun tension. If they weren’t together I would barely consider them close friends.

Now with Eve, she is much better characterized, she has development but she is very much given the same treatment when it comes to bonding with mark. The girl characters are treated like rewards to the male characters, like hot accessories for being so cool.

Part of the issue I see is that mark doesn’t get frustrated with amber or Eve enough. There’s no equality in the relationship, he doesn’t laugh with them or seek them out to hang out with aside from dating. It’s a frequent issue I see with many het ships and even some side queer ships (which are usually either used for representation brownie points or just poorly done)

Mark and Rex, or mark and William make a better ship given the complexity of their characters and the equality and banter between each of them. They are written like friends which should be the baseline for any written couple.

I will also mention that the relationship between William and his boyfriend is also incredibly dry. The design in my opinion is very poorly done for a character who is supposed to be “super hot” he looks like a generic muscle dude. Him and William do the same “I care about you” routine instead of anything that feels more real. There is the arc where wills boyfriend does go through the cyborg angst thing but even that felt a bit dry.

The girl characters are frequently not allowed the same personhood a man would be, which seems to be coming less from an outright misogynistic perspective and more from an attempt to be politically correct. The girls are only allowed to be angry and content. They are superheroes so they don’t get scared, they don’t get needy, they are just these vehicles of feminism. I don’t think I even know any of their hobbies aside from ambers activism and eves bigger activism. Mark is into comics and nerd stuff, Rex is an asshole (his hobby), will could use a hobby tbh but he is opinionated and has what i would call a more distinct personality.

What is ambers personality? She is nice? Sure. She likes to help people? Okay. What are her quirks? Flaws? Interests outside of helping people? She was dating mark for a while and the audience doesn’t know any of this. I’m aware that she was a place holder character but that is a cheap tactic to make Eve and marks relationship seem like it has build up. It feels unnecessary and those scenes with amber should have been interactions between Eve and Mark, building their friendship, sharing their worries and thoughts. Disagreeing with each other, compromising, etc.

[leverage-ot3]

Is leverage redemption worth watching? I love Leverage but idk if i could enjoy the show if hardison isn't in most episodes or if the reboot sells out in some way.

okay so I showed up to this ask like four months late with a smoothie so I'm sorry about that BUT

does redemption have it's flaws? yes, I will be the first to admit that!

however, as someone who deeply loves leverage, the characters and what the show stands for, I still can find myself enjoying redemption.

there's one post that's in my drafts talking about the differences between the og and redemption and the so-called universe physics (how logic works in both shows and how they are the same/differ) and there are definitely some differences. there are some really good posts comparing them in the tags and I'll try to tag them as watch redemption when they come up!

I'm going to be really honest right now and say that (no shade) I feel like redemption s1-2 were lacking because john rogers was not a main writer for them. devlin and the others are great and know their stuff, but redemption was missing some of the grit (balanced with everything else) that the original run had. redemption is more fun and lighthearted (where the og was still fun and had comedic elements but also had a more jaded perspective). I think part of that change is the absence of nate as a character and what he brought to the table, but the other part of that is very much the way the show is written overall

I have seen some criticism about parker being a caricature of what she was in the original run (ex: how she goes to a child's psychologist and uses puppets sometimes, is overtly weird, more loud about stuff, etc) BUT I will say that I think there's some nuance to that

I don't think the child psychiatrist thing is infantalizing- some methods of therapy work for people more than others and that is me speaking as someone who works in mental health. if play therapy and stuff like that work for you as an adult, good for you! whatever works for you is more than enough the overtly and loudly being weird thing I really do think can be taken either way. in the original run part of parker's character progression was that she was learning how to interact with people normally (or at least more efficiently), but her being more out about that now can be taken as she is more comfortable in her skin and acting like she wants because she is surrounded by people who love and support her. maybe she doesn't want to (or have to!) mask all the time and I don't see a problem with that

HOWEVER! there are certain criticisms that are related to her characterizations and overlaps with her autism and I don't want to speak over the autism community about those aspects and how they have manifested in her character in redemption so I'm leaving it there

as for the hardison being absent aspect- I was REALLY afraid of that at first BUT the loss isn't so deeply impactful when you have characters like breanna and harry added to the mix. I went in ambivalent about harry and excited to have breanna (a canon queer) joining the team, but I have come to love and cherish both of them dearly and wouldn't want to replace them or lose them as characters in this found family ensemble. I think the writers handled aldis' packed schedule really well and even though he isn't there in most episodes, his presence is still very much around. parker and eliot talk about him and reference him when he's gone. so do sophie and breanna, even harry. he isn't on the screen but the relationships he's formed with the other characters and the impact he's had on them is very evident.

there are some takes from users about whether or not the ot3 was queerbait, un-canoned, etc in redemption. I have a lot of thoughts about it and a lot of them are incomprehensible but what I can say is that I have renewed hopes for the progression and canon development of their relationship now that john rogers is back as the main writer for s3

[ouran-honors-student]

My opinions on Ouran ships change drastically depending on whether we're talking about the manga, anime, or both.

And before I get into this, I just want to say that I'm not trying to start any fights, and I would be happy to keep discussing my thoughts if you want. Also, I'm not hating on anyone's otp, just talking through my own opinions and biases. ❤️

Okay, so I ship TamaHaru all the way (when I'm not wishing Tamaki was my own husband lmao), but only after I read the manga. Their relationship definitely grows in the anime, but primarily on a friendship level. For the most part, we don't get to see the romantic development in the anime (at least, not from Haruhi's side). We do see Tamaki start to work through his "parental" feelings towards Haruhi and start to process them as something potentially romantic, but it's very minimal in the anime compared to the manga.

We miss out on most of Tamaki's trauma and lore, and we don't get to see how he and Haruhi connect over their moms and family stuff, among other things. Haruhi clearly cares for Tamaki in the anime, but not in the same ways as she does in the manga. Granted, I acknowledge that their connection couldn't be as deep when the manga is so much longer than the anime, but I felt like they ended up rushing everything in the final episode just to have their romance. (I have lots of beef with the final episode, but that's another post. Lmao)

I watched the anime first, and before I read the manga, I lowkey shipped Haruhi with Mori. She comments on how nice it is when he calls her by her name for the first time, she doesn't mind being carried by him, he offers her extra strawberries for her cake from his own plate because he knows how much she likes them, etc., etc. Like, there was some cute content. But these moments were played up more in the anime than in the manga, so this is an anime-only ship to me.

I can understand HikaHaru people because both the anime and manga show Hikaru's inner turmoil with his feelings for Haruhi. But like... it's personally hard for me to see Haruhi liking him like that. I just think they make the best of friends.

After reading the manga, it's hard to ship Haruhi with anyone who isn't Tamaki. Even Hikaru acknowledges that they're a better fit together than he and Haruhi would have been, but that also stems from how much he cares for Tamaki's happiness. Tamaki's and Hikaru's friendship is also much stronger in the manga.

I guess part of me doesn't want to ship Haruhi with anyone else because then Tamaki would be alone (unless we got KyoTama), but that's a very personal addition to this post. I just want the world for Tamaki and Haruhi (and all the characters, tbh).

So yeah, I see a lot of people have very strong opinions on Ouran ships (clearly, I have them, too lol), but I always wonder if they've engaged with both source materials, because the relationship are characterized and developed so differently. I just find it so interesting.

I'm curious what everyone thinks though. Please, I want to yap about this!! 🫶

Anyway, Ouran needs a reboot, not a second season. Thank you for reading my rambling!! ❤️

[cooketimm]

Hardboiled #10-25 (1990-98) cover artwork by Bruce Timm

Interview from Cool Stuff Magazine #1 (1995):

Gary Lovisi: Much of your work is characterized by raw, intense energy and action, or beautiful women in stylish, dangerous settings. Some is obviously influenced by the pulps.

Bruce Timm: I’m big pulp fan, have been since the early 70s, when I started reading Doc Savage and Avenger reprints. I can’t really say how they’ve influenced my artwork much, except when doing pulp-homage stuff like the Bob Price books. But I do sometimes wish I was born decades earlier so I could have worked for some of the old pulps, which was why it was so much fun doing the Price stuff, and the «mock 50s» paperback covers for your Gryphon Books.

The hero pulps — Doc Savage, The Spider, The Shadow, etc — did have a big impact on my approach to the Batman cartoons. It’s something I tried to inject into the show from early on, the atmosphere, danger and illicit excitement, and especially that Norvell Page-type feeling of impending doom — the «doomed city» mood. It’s also why I set the sense in a timeless, 40s-styled world of big cars, padded shoulders, gangsters, shadowy streets, etc. I only wish we’d gone farther with it.  

For instance, my original version of Batman himself was actually close to the Shadow: rarely seen close-up, speaking in short, clipped phrases, more mysterious, literally. I wanted to play him cold and remote, almost unhuman. But the network and our various story editors would have none of that!  «We need to humanize him», «He needs to have a sense of humor», «We need to more about Bruce Wayne, the person», etc! Whereas I could care less about Bruce Wayne! He’s much more fascinating if you don’t know what he’s thinking, or what drives him.

A few «Shadowy» touches did survive. Batman is rarely seen be the public, almost never on TV. Even when dealing with the police, he’s usually off in shadows conferring with Commissioner Gordon only. And when he’s in the Batcave, he’s almost always in costume. My way of saying he’s Batman, not the other guy, not Bruce Wayne. Like Lamon Cranston, his true, «legal» identity is a facade.

I’ d love to do straight-ahead pulp hero adaptation someday. Doc or The Shadow or The Spider, either in comics or animation, without the senseless updating and over-explaining «character development» like in the Alec Baldwin-Shadow-fiasco-film.  

Gary Lovisi: Your stunning covers for my Hardboiled mag are very popular with everyone who sees them. What are your feelings on hardboiled crime-related art?

Bruce Timm: It’s hard, actually, to define «crime-fiction» art. There’s pulp crime-fiction art, and digest crime-fiction art, both of which cross over with paperback crime-fiction art. Basically, I’m a fan of good illustration. Period. Regardless of subject matter. Composition, emotionally intensity, color and lighting effects are what I look for. And pretty girls, of course!   

My favorite pulp crime artist is H. J. Ward, hands down. Gorgeous gals in twisty curvy poses, painted in luscious, creamy, wet-on-wet oil technique. My favorite paperback artists include Robert McGinnis, Robert Maguire, and Mitchell Hooks, the usual suspects.

My approach to the Hardboiled covers is different from my earlier «homage» work. When the covers were black and white, I used to experiment with different b&w textures, coquille board, zip-a-tone, xeroxed newsprint, whatever worked. Now that I’m doing them in color, I’m trying to make them as exciting and eye-catching as possible, with loud color, sexy gals, exaggerated action, and simple, graphic, almost cartoony styling.

[eldritch-elrics]

one of the most interesting things about the silent hill 2 remake to me is the sort of... cascading effect that its particular brand of realism has on the entire experience, especially when it comes to james's characterization.

i'll try to explain concisely what i mean.

both 2001's SH2 and 2024's SH2 have what you could call a realistic artstyle. between the two games, this is achieved in very different ways. the original game uses realistic textures, proportions, animations, and especially lighting. this is what gives the fmv cutscenes their uncanny feel - the low resolution means that we focus not on the details, but whether the overall shape and lighting of the scenes feels consistent with reality.

the 2024 remake, meanwhile, follows in the tradition of recent AAA releases by upping the detail. silent hill, as a location, feels more real than ever. now, you can debate about what this does or doesn't add to the game - is an important part of the character of silent hill the eerie, empty, and unreal atmosphere it gains from the limitations of the ps2? that's a valid question. but being a 2024 AAA release, and one that clearly has a lot of effort put into it, the remake goes for realism by adding a whole lot of stuff.

now you have a game that is full of stuff. objects. clutter. this creates a problem. in the original silent hill games, important objects are not indicated with any kind of ui. instead, they're highlighted with particular colors, textures, lighting, etc. the remake does this too - but it also adds a little nondiegetic indicator when you're standing next to something you can interact with:

for a game with this artstyle, this is 100% a necessity. sure, some objects (especially stuff with uniform designs, like ammo or health items) stand out regardless. but for other things... it just isn't always clear!

imagine the game without these indicators. you would probably be able to find most of the important objects. but you'd need to spend way, way more time searching through rooms full of clutter in order to pick out the stuff that's necessary to progress. this is how the original game works! and it works in that game because the levels are smaller, and there is less random crap. but it would just be so tedious to do in the remake.

adding an interaction indicator doesn't so much create a clear boundary between "important" and "not important" - plenty of the stuff you can interact with in the remake is random stuff like posters that add nothing but worldbuilding detail, or drawers that don't actually contain anything - but it does create a clear boundary between "things the developers meant for you to focus on" and "things the developers meant as background details." this cannot help but change the entire experience of the game. in the original game, anything has the potential to be interacted with - you don't know whether you can or not until you've walked up to it (and made sure you've walked up to it at the right angle...) and pressed the button. this makes you consider your surroundings in a different way! it makes you search differently! it makes you more aware! it also adds more mystery - it makes the world feel that much more complicated, because there is so much stuff you could be missing!

one detail of the original game that i was very sad not to see in the remake is the abundance of commentary that james has on a bunch of the objects around him. and they could have added at least some of this! just a couple dozen more voice lines! but a lot of it is, well:

it is usually not particularly profound commentary. but it encompasses far more than the sorts of things to which the remake adds an interaction indicator, and i assume that is at least one reason (apart from its general characterization of james as taciturn) why the remake does away with it entirely. because there is such a black and white distinction between "interactable" and "non-interactable," they can't justify adding that little symbol to every potentially interesting thing in a game full of interesting clutter. why would gamers want to be told to focus on something, only for james to tell them right back that it's not worthy of his focus?

now, these objects things may not be important or noteworthy. but what makes them interesting - and what makes me as a player want to interact with every possible thing i can, just so see if it has associated dialogue - is that james tells you that they aren't important or noteworthy, and this tells us a lot about james. it makes us feel like we're seeing the game through his eyes, not the eyes of the developers who are putting in the buttons telling us what to focus on. instead, james is deciding what is "not a particularly special photograph," what is "...just a regular stage," and what is a collection of bottles so mesmerizing that he feels compelled to expatiate on his alcohol problems.*

*this is a particularly interesting example, because it's a completely missable detail from the original game that, as far as i'm aware, isn't in the remake's version of heaven's night. and yet... the remake references it! the scene in the remake where james refuses to drink the glass maria offers him in heaven's night reads completely differently whether you know this detail or not!

it's also possible that the lack of random commentary from james - the more substantial stuff, that is, not just "i don't need toilet paper right now" - is a deliberate choice on the part of the remake dev team to get rid of something that they saw as only in the game because the design decisions of the original silent hill games necessitated it. maybe they thought that the only reason for james to have that much commentary at all was because the game needed to give players feedback as a little reward for exploring around - a type of exploring that the remake does not incentivize. maybe they thought that a more "true" version of james would not say anything at all when faced with an object he had no strong feelings about. (especially as opposed to a protagonist like heather, for whose characterization this object-commentary is vital.)

but the thing is... even the presence of the less substantial commentary adds substance to james's characterization! it tells us what he's interested in, what motivates him or doesn't, what reminds him he needs to get a move on (shows us his one track mind - his drive towards his quest!), and what he's noticing but deliberately not thinking about (for example, sexually charged imagery). and it's so interesting that, very likely, this design decision is in part a consequence of an entirely different decision that was made because "that just how AAA games are" !

so, in short, the cascading effect is:

realism -> more detail -> harder to see what objects are important so devs need to add ui elements to point out what you can interact with -> you're not going around and interacting with everything you see -> james doesn't do random commentary on unimportant stuff -> changes how his characterization feels

[airasora]

My (non)Disney cast choices for Love And Deepspace

This is my personal casting choice for the Love & Deepspace love interests as (non)Disney men! My choices are based on 80% personality and 20% ✨vibes✨ NOT looks, just so we're clear lol.

Thank you to @crys-sp, who, as usual, helped me brainstorm these choices and allows me to spam her with Love & Deepspace stuff. I started playing less than a week ago, but I am very much obsessed 😍

I have just a few things I'll say about each casting choice, but if anyone wants me to dive deeper into my reasoning for my casting choices, feel free to send an ask! But, FYI, if your ask is simply you whining that you dislike my choices, all I can do is tell you to make your own casting list. I'd love to see other casting choices 😽

Christopher as Xavier

I chose to cast Prince Charming as Xavier because both characters share key traits of charm and leadership. Christopher is often portrayed as diplomatic and gracious, qualities that align closely with Xavier’s role as a mediator and a leader. Additionally, Christopher's ability to connect with others through his calm demeanor and approachable nature mirrors Xavier’s empathetic approach to his crew and situations.

Also, both are cinnamon buns lol.

Shang as Zayne

I chose to cast Shang as Zayne because both characters embody discipline and strong leadership. Shang is known for his strategic mind and exceptional combat skills, which aligns with Zayne’s role as a tactical leader in the series. Both characters exhibit a deep sense of duty and responsibility, taking their roles seriously and often pushing themselves and their teams to excel. Shang's development from a rigid leader to one who values his comrades' unique traits mirrors Zayne’s journey of growth and adaptation in space missions.

And they are both kind of stoic and only truly soften around their partners.

Dimitri as Rafayel

I chose to cast Dimitri as Rafayel because both characters share a cunning and resourceful nature. Dimitri is known for his cleverness and ability to think on his feet, qualities that Rafayel utilizes as he navigates the complexities of space exploration and diplomacy. Both are also charming and skilled in persuasion, traits that help them in unexpected and challenging situations. Dimitri's journey from a schemer to a hero who values honesty and integrity parallels Rafayel’s development from a lone operator to a committed team player.

Both are also playful and flirtatious and clearly enjoy annoying their partners while also having the audacity to get almost offended when their partners tease them back.

Thrax as Sylus

I chose to cast Thrax as Sylus because both characters exude a menacing and formidable presence. Thrax, as a villain, is characterized by his lethal efficiency and charisma, traits that echo Sylus's own formidable and strategic nature. Both characters are driven by a deep-seated determination to achieve their goals, often displaying a ruthless streak when faced with obstacles. Thrax’s cool and calculated approach to his objectives mirrors Sylus’s tactical and sometimes cold demeanor.

"But, Aira, Thrax is the only non-human here!"

DO NOT PRETEND…FOR ONE SECOND… that Sylus doesn't give Thrax vibes and vice versa. Could I have tried to find a human to cast Sylus as? Maybe. But Thrax would always be the obvious choice in my mind. Besides (LADS spoiler) the game already has AUs where Sylus is a dragon, Rafayel is a merman and even when they all become "cats" etc. Clearly, we're already being pretty lenient with what "species" everyone is lol.

Jim as Caleb

I chose to cast Jim Hawkins as Caleb because both characters embody the spirit of adventure and a strong sense of personal growth. Jim is known for his rebellious nature and his journey towards maturity, traits that mirror Caleb's own development from a youthful enthusiast to a seasoned space explorer. Both characters are driven by a quest for discovery and face challenges that test their resilience and shape their identities. Jim's adaptability and his evolution from a troubled teen to a courageous leader parallels Caleb's transformative experiences in the series.

There's also just something slightly whiny about both characters - and I don't mean that as criticism. Caleb teases MC a lot, and I could see Jim acting the exact same way towards a romantic partner. With everything Jim has been through, I could also see him go down the road of being very protective of his romantic partner, just like Caleb... to the point where it becomes too much lol.

I am definitely way too obsessed with this game right now… and… yeah, there'll probably be some fan videos 👀

[starryinkart]

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Hey guys! Welcome to the next update of MD:Totality! Things are about to get fun in a few more pages, so hold tight, our boy N is gonna go through it!

Are you guys excited for the finale of Murder Drones? The quality looks absolutely BONKERS GOOD in quality! Im so scared for all the characters, I've grown to love all of them so much, but hopefully we get a decent ending or cliffhanger! I know alot of people are upset they aren't announcing a S2 and the show feels rushed, but who knows, maybe it'll end in a cliffhanger and the show will be picked up someday again after TADC and GASLIGHT District come to a close! Don't give up hope yet!

In the meantime, the comic will be aiming to do the characters justice that 8 episodes couldn't give them on Glitch to the best of my ability! Just adding more characterization and info/personality of the universe/The Solver/JCJenson/characters etc. So I hope you all enjoy my spin on things!

(P.S Sorry for the late upload guys, real life stuff got in the way, but Im aiming to have this comic out on time, minus exceptions!)

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Here’s the synopsis!:

Barely escaping the mass destruction of Copper 9, as well as losing Uzi to the Absolute Solver, N, V, J, Khan, Lizzy and Thad find their way through the galaxy to the Earth-like planet “Jericho”; where they look for refuge and plan to fight back. Their new goal, stop the solver from destroying the last remaining human colonized planet by any means necessary, find JCJENSON and report their findings. It shouldn’t be THAT hard…right?

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The idea is to have pages coming out every Sunday @ around 7 pm US EST or every 2 Sundays (if life gets busy lol, I will let you guys know!)

I hope you guys really enjoy this comic, as well as the character development I have planned for it! Enjoy! <3

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< COMIC CONTENTS >

COMIC COVER < Get Comic Synopsis HERE!

The ASTRA Family INFO

SNEAK PEAK #1

ASTRA REFERENCES #1

(MORE COMING SOON!)

[squidthusiast]

What’s your favorite fic by theashemarie? I want to read her stuff, but I’m so intimidated by how much there is!! Where do I start?

OH ANON HOW I’VE BEEN DYING TO ANSWER THIS ONE!!!!

You’ve opened up THE can of worms my good fellow…

I am so sorry for the person i’m about to become

I’ve actually spent the last couple days making a simplified compilation of Ashe’s works, to make it easier for new readers to visualize them.

It’s the reason why it has taken me some time to answer this haha.

As for my favourite fic…. That’s such an insanely hard question to answer T_T

I’ll put the compilation & my thoughts under the cut to minimize dashboard noise.

(Disclaimer: i’m not a writer so some of the terms I use are from my loose understanding of literature!)

Warning for rambling ahead!!

I tried to make the fomatting as straightforward as possible! If there are any other questions you can drop a comment :)

As for the fav fic stuff:

I don’t think I can have a hard singular favourite of Ashe’s fics, because they’re all different and encompass different themes and vibes and ideas, and fuck man they’re just so good. Ashe has a masters degree in writing and it SHOWS, but also just her writing style & way of developing stories.. it’s so captivating, rich and thoughtful. I love analyzing their work & being rewarded with the amount of detail and effort that is put into it.

Here’s a couple that fucked me up particularly good though, if you must know:

LDR AU | Meet Me on the Rink | And Take Off Your Mask | Simulacrum | Language Barrier

At least two of these majorly impacted my life & mean a whole lot to me because of the themes, topics and characterization in them.

I think one of my favourite things about Ashe’s works is how visceral and raw and real they feel while you read ‘em. There’s a real strong focus on the plot, which makes for a fantastic build up throughout the story. There’s also emphasis on characterization, and by the gods it’s deliciously crafted. The direct and indirect ways in which Ashe portrays the personalities, flaws and motivations of characters… MAN.

A lot of people read fics for a quick hit of fluff or angst, so plot-heavy, meaty fics with a lot of undertones and somewhat unconventional themes can be very different from typical expectations.

Still, I stand by the fact that it’s exactly because of this that Ashe’s work is so refreshing and fascinating to read through, and I strongly encourage everyone to give it a try, especially if you like Off the Hook.

She also has a lot of oneshots and shorter stories that I listed above, if longer ones feel daunting. They’re just as good!!

I’m really grateful that they share all of this work online; creating entails a lot of work, whether it be art, writing, cosplay, etc.

Posting it for free on top of that??? I think we need to appreciate our fic writers more, honestly. They’re a huge pillar in fandom spaces that often goes unnoticed.

That’s my little ramble on the topic, thank you for reading if you went this far!

I hope this helps Anon, and if you need more pointers or thoughts you can hit me up again.

With all that said, big shout out to @theashemarie , this is my big propaganda post for you all to follow her and/or check out their work, and leave her a comment if you enjoy the fics!! I know they appreciate them a lot :)