#apparently it's just jack and annie

[lab-trash]

Yknow, I'm genuinely surprised there hasn't been some sort of weird horror/adult adaptation of The Magic Tree House.

Like, an It style thing. And I don't know why that surprises me. The books weren't particularly scary, and I don't know if I ever read the origins book, so I don't know how it ended up there or why those kids are there in it all the time.

But it's still really weird to me. Like, it feels like the perfect recipe for some sort of weird, dystopian horror. An isekai horror, if you will. These two early-to-mid teenagers getting shoved into the past or future or different dimension or however you have it. And they need to get home or whatever.

[decolonize-the-left]

This is Red Scare propaganda in 2023.

Did you know that a few days ago Democrats and Republicans voted to join sides against socialism and "socialist policies"(good welfare programs)?

According to Axios:

More than half of House Democrats sided with Republicans on Thursday in voting for a GOP resolution denouncing socialism. [...]

• The resolution denounces “socialism in all its forms” and opposes “the implementation of socialist policies in the United States of America.”

• A total of 106 Democrats voted for the resolution, while 86 voted against it and another 14 voted "present. "

What they're saying:

• “This [was] very much about politics and political messaging, and you saw that with some of the people voting present,” said Rep. Annie Kuster (D-N.H.), the chair of the centrist New Democrat Coalition, which supported the resolution.

• Kuster said leadership was attentive to swing-district members' needs: "It was very much open-door conversations this week ... just conversations about where our members were coming from and how they felt about this. They had strong feelings about this."

What we're hearing:

• House Republican campaign operatives are already sharpening their knives against Democrats who voted against the resolution.

• "It’s certainly a potent hit we’re excited about," Jack Pandol, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, told Axios. "If you can’t vote to denounce the horrors of socialism, yes, we will be letting your constituents know about it."

The other side:

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), the chair of the Progressive Caucus, told Axios that her faction recommended its members vote against the resolution and she advised colleagues “however you vote on this bill, they’re going to use it against you, so it doesn’t really matter.”

• Jayapal also argued the bill's sweeping rebuke of socialism conflates historical despots with modern entitlement programs and Nordic social democracies: "They're trying to tie those successful [welfare] programs ... to [former ruler of Cambodia] Pol Pot."

So Democrats and Republicans can unite over what's important to them: Capitalism.

More than half of Democrats in office right now would side with Republicans against your well being. Over half of them.

What we're witnessing is an abuse of power that Only serves to keep Democrats and Republicans as power players in politics.

Coincidentally this comes after a historic rise in union membership, calls for higher wages, protests, and it's also right before presidential candidates have started campaigning!

They didn't sign a resolution like this over Trump supporters literally attacking capitol hill. They haven't made Any reform or agreement that could stop another Trump from winning an election again either. They literally expose people to right-wing candidates on purpose just to help themselves win elections.

But this? Good welfare programs and left-wing ideas being spread before an election? That was a priority. That needed to be stopped. That's dangerous.

Let me ask y'all something: if you feel comfortable showing regular people a bunch of far-right ideas on primetime tv but you wouldn't show them any left-wing ideas at all... Wouldn't that make you right-wing? At the very least you've chosen a side, haven't you?

Democrats don't want to challenge the status quo. Apparently that's the ONE thing they can agree on with Republicans about. That's it's staying here and not going anywhere. That's what this tells me.

If you caught yourself thinking I'll vote for a democrat,at least they won't make things worse please consider that keeping things awful on purpose absolutely counts as making things worse. And also being comfortable with far-right ideology but not far-left ideology means Democrats are closer to being fascists than fighting fascism.

This year spend some time researching candidates that are listed as independent, green party, socialists, or communists. The only people worth entertaining are people who actually care and actually want to change things for the better.

[cfhllnd]

it's funny how much you learn about the waitstaff of the blue star lounge when all you want to do is sit there and drink. i've learned that jack the bartender just got freshly engaged, good luck to him. learned that annie the waitress is going to back to school, nancy who is the head of the waitstaff is celebrating her fifth grandbaby... apparently staff like chatting to the blokes who just want to sit there and contemplate their life choices, who knew! @glamourstarters

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

this was a lil while ago but it's been on my mind and it was rejected by actual Reddit for containing references to violence lol so it's c&p from back when this happened w a minor update but AITA for saying I'd curbstomp someone for saying the N word??

I, (27NB) attended a murder mystery birthday party back in May for a friend Annie (25F) with our mutual friends (24-28 various genders) (There was 7 of us total). We all had a pretty good time despite a lack of planning for the party and general weird vibes (Annie had been upset all day at something their partner, Sean had done).

Towards the end of the night, myself and a friend we're discussing anagrams, I believe specifically for the word "ginger", I was very drunk and did not hear the letters being spelt properly so I guessed the word was "Rigger". The other party goers conversations were coming to a natural end so they joined in mine and my friend's convo. Upon hearing me say "rigger" and pulling a face when I realised what exacty the bad word was my friend was referencing was, Sean then said "Oh it's (n word)!". Another friend, Betty did not hear what they said and asked them to repeat in, which they did loudly. The whole party stopped for a moment. At this point I think I fucked up because I was immediately shocked and said "You can't say that!" and then they said "what, (n word)?" and repeated it another time. I made a comment saying I believed the only person in the friend group to be racist was Dan. I've since privately apologised to Dan for this comment as I don't think Dan is racist at all, and Dan has accepted that apology.

Pretty much immediately after that everyone started making plans to leave, within five minutes cabs were called. Everyone left the room leaving me and Sean alone. I think this is also where I fucked up, I approached them and said they cannot say that word, it's not theirs to say etc, in which they just kept repeating "I'll use that word if I want to". (edit from months later: apparently Betty's boyfriend was in the room and didnt like do anything and just watched this play out). At this point I was pretty much blackout drunk and threatened to curb stomp them if they carried on. Betty came in and diffused the situation and took me home. Betty says myself and Sean were stood very close to each other but I was visibly drunk and stumbling and clearly was in no shape to carry through with the threat (Sean is also significantly larger than me in height and weight so I don't think even sober I would be able to land a punch, not that I want to).

Betty filled me in on a lot of these details the day after as I didn't remember a lot but apparently afterwards I tried to be extremely friendly to Sean and sort out plans for us to hangout this week, something I obviously won't be following through on. (edit: we haven't spoken to each other at all since this)

I messaged Annie on the sunday to wish her a happy birthday(edit: the party took place on the Friday iirc) and she also told me what happened (she was not present for any of this as she went to bed early at the party, feeling sick) undoubtedly hearing only Sean's side of the story. Knowing it's her birthday and I didn't want to bother her with drama I just said maybe their partner shouldn't of said what they said, and she stated after having a mild go for me for threatening to curb stomp her partner that she can't weigh in. So I stopped speaking about it to her and just forwarded her some videos I took from that night (silly videos, one of her blowing out her birthday candles, etc) and she replied saying thanks.

I've messaged Sean saying we need to talk about what happened and basically said while I'm sorry for it happening in their house during Annie's birthday party, I'm not sorry for calling out thag disgusting behaviour. Betty and another friend, Jack have both said I was well within my right to kick off like that, and that I was clearly not going to follow through with any threats, and Sean was wrong to not only say the words multiple times but then to double down when called out both in front of everyone and privately. But i have doubts since it was a birthday party and perhaps saying I'd curb stomp them is a bit much. I don't recall myself being particularly angry while shouting at them but they've said they definitely felt threatened by me and put off on talking to me.

I also find it odd they feel so threatened by me/find this behaviour of mine odd as I have reacted a similar way (less aggressive) when Annie was also racist in front of me, Betty and Sean. I've also spent the last two weeks meeting with Sean, bankrolling and planning this birthday party with absolutely no issue (i don't think a birthday person should plan/pay for their own party and Sean is unemployed) and we've had fun! We joked around a lot and I feel like I'm pretty open about being too weak to throw a punch but always ready to fight (like a chihuahua). I even came over early to help set up for the party, because I liked spending time with them. So for them to feel threatened by me is such an odd feeling. I also feel uncomfortable in the fact that Annie and Sean feel comfortable saying slurs in front of me. The whole friend group feels weird about this situation, no one really knows what to say.

(edit: ok this is where the original post ended but there's still some drama) so the day after I called Sean(with consent, to talk) but Anne picked up and said she would speak on Sean's behalf and I was on speakerphone. He did not apologise (neither did Anne) and Anne defended his behaviour pretty heavily. her/both of their's resolution was for Sean to just not say the N word around me. I obviously said that's still incredibly fucking racist and I don't want to be friends with racists? I cut them off after the phone call and said I'd like the money back I spent on the party from Sean. Anne ended up paying it back two months later when I politely brought it up at another friend's birthday.

Betty and her boyfriend still hang out with Sean and Anne and seem to be pretty good friends with them. Betty mentions Anne to me fairly often and all I say is why are you friends with a racist and then she goes quiet. Everyone still maintains I'm the asshole that ruined the friend group and I still feel pretty insecure about what happened. I don't think I should've threatened violence but they all say "chat shit get hit". so idk. AITA? sorry for how long this is lmao

What are these acronyms?

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Topsy Turvy Days in Diasomnia

Yes, I intentionally added the thorns in the background for… reasons :)) If you know, then you know—

SORRY FOR GETTING THIS OUT LATE I’VE BEEN TRYING TO WRITE SEBEK’S BROOMQUET FIC ON TOP OF SCREAMING ABOUT THE YEAR III ANNI STREAM 🤡 But with this, my blog event for TWST’s third anniversary comes to a close! Thank you for following me on this week-long writing prompt~

The Thorn Witch, and her Spirit of Nobility.

Riddle Rosehearts…

… stakes his claim in Diasomnia right from the get-go. Word quickly spreads, making Riddle out as the “fuck with me and find out” guy. For the students of Diasomnia, who take great pride in their magical prowess, to set Riddle off and be beheaded revokes the source of that pride. “Have you reflected on your actions? Only then will I remove that collar.”

Though he’s removed from his usual dorm, he takes care to still observe the rules of the Queen of Hearts! This earns Riddle no shortage of strange looks from Diasomnia, some of whom (mostly the strictest of Draconians) criticize his loyalty to Heartslabyul. He doesn’t relent though–Riddle tunes out the naysayers and stays true to his own ideals. His fellow queen, Vil, approves.

He’s a(n unwilling) bat magnet. Apparently, a cauldron (group) of them hangs out in Diasomnia—Riddle made the discovery when he was first strolling down a particularly dark hallway. Screeching had filled the air, and he was immediately swarmed by bats!! “I don’t understand why they’re so attached to me…!” Riddle protested, shooing one off of his shoulder. (E-Eh, isn’t it because he’s the closest in height to Lilia-shi? Idia wonders.)

The students of Diasomnia (and even Jack, a first year), he notices, are much more disciplined than those of Riddle’s own dorm. They stay in line and do their work, though with perhaps more arrogance than one would like. If only his own students were just as diligent!! Riddle gets a headache thinking about what Ace and Deuce must be getting up to unsupervised (and no, Azul is no role model for them!!)… but even so, he doesn’t wish for them to be carbon copies of the Diasomnia kids. Heartslabyul may be full of fools, but they’re Riddle’s fools and no one else’s!

He beelines to Diasomnia’s bookshelves every evening to stack texts up high before stumbling off with them to read until he knocks out. Riddle is on a quest to take in as much knowledge as he can, from new spells to tips and tricks to simplify the current spells in his repertoire–his ambition is apparent! Then, perhaps, he will be wise enough and strong enough to overcome the Malleus Draconia in combat.

Though Riddle’s specialty is practical magic, the level at which the Diasomnia students perform it is astonishing to him. He burns out so quickly, while they can change the color of a dress multiple times without batting an eye, and orchestrate many cleaning implements at once! It’s frustrating, but it’s from this feeling that Riddle is able to drive himself to work even harder to achieve his goals.

It’s so odd for him to see bramble bereft of any flowers. The sight is so depressing to Riddle, but he can’t put words as to why exactly. He’ll politely avert his eyes when he sees those ashen, creeping thorns, or make a passing comment about how the atmosphere feels dreadfully gloomy. It’s like being trapped in a cage, he thinks. Memories of his past prick him, but he is quick to dismiss them before they overwhelm him. Like a rose, he shall grow and rise above the thorns.

He develops a fondness for floral teas during his time at Diasomnia. Maybe it’s the absence of flowers that makes him feel nostalgic for the gardens in Heartslabyul. When he sips a cup of rosehip, he dreams of the red and white of the maze, of strawberries and porcelain, and the card suits that decorate his vision. Ah, he realizes, the warmth enveloping his chest. That was it—that was where his home, his hearth, is.

“I do feel as though I’ve gained knowledge in Diasomnia that I could not have anywhere else. However, the same can be said of Heartslabyul. There were many things I could only learn because I was in Heartslabyul. That is not to say that my dorm members did not get under my skin every now and again, but I will always be grateful for the lessons they have imparted in me. This, too, is an experience for which I am grateful for–but, if you would allow me to say… there is no place like home. Fufu. Perhaps I’m simply becoming too sentimental.”

Jack Howl…

… keeps to himself and doesn’t trouble anyone—not unless they start trouble with him first. Most face-offs with Diasomnia students involve them staring each other down until they get scared off by Jack’s menacing face. In a weird way, that makes him the conflict resolver of the group—because people tend to run away rather than face him!!

Jack feels as though he’s witnessing a lot of things that he shouldn’t. For example, Riddle and Vil have made it their personal mission to whip underperforming students into shape… starting with their temporary dorm mate, Idia!! They confront him together, taking turns knocking at his door and then physically dragging him out when Idia inevitably pretends that no one is home. (Jack stares after them, wondering if Ruggie ever had to do the same to Leona to get him to attend class.)

When in doubt, Jack tends to defer to seniority. Like the good boy that he is, he’ll follow his upperclassman’s orders with barely a second thought!! … But trouble arises when Idia is the upperclassman that’s giving the order 😅 Jack takes his hyperbole seriously, so when Idia says something outrageous like, “C-Could you please not get within aggro range of me? Lmao, I could be at a single hit point and I’d still not want to deal with face-to-face interaction. Kk, thnx,” Jack just shrugs and lets Idia flounder when the Diasomnia mobs are assaulting the dorm leader with Malleus facts.

His poor nose just can’t stop sneezing!! It’s not that Diasomnia is filthy, but his sensitive nose can pick up on all the dust and the secrets littering the castle. From the ancient tomes to the artifacts and relics of the past that line the walls, there’s no place where he isn’t met with an enigmatic history that tickles his nose.

Jack’s used to doing everything himself, by hand. It catches him off-guard when he sees the Diasomnia students so casually use magic for everything. He shouldn’t expect anything less from a dorm that is full of all-rounders, but the last thing he expected to see was silverware flying across a table and serving up breakfast by itself! And… is that a clock and a candelabra fighting?! Who’s ever heard of living furniture…

He tries to incorporate some older techniques (recommended by Sebek) into his exercise routine. (”Our dormitory is well-equipped with everything you’ll need!!” Sebek had reassured him. “See to it that you use them well!”) Jack didn’t realize that it would involve hauling around weighted weapons!! He thought they were just fancy-looking wall decorations, not actual morning stars, axes, swords, and javelins! “Is… Is this really how they train in Diasomnia?!”

By happenstance, Jack discovers a single red rose blooming amid prickly thorns in Diasomnia’s west wing. He becomes strangely protective of it–maybe because it reminds him of the flowers that sometimes grow on the (just as prickly) cacti he raises in his dorm room. One might say he’s the beast that defends a beauty.

The night is especially beautiful over Diasomnia. When the moon is full, Jack watches it through his window, drinking in the stillness of the night, the shapes of the shadows and the thorns that run contradictory to the bright, silvery orb above them. In these moments, he sits back and contemplates where he is, and where he’d like to be.

“I’ve never noticed it before, but the sky looks different depending on where you look at it from. What does it look like where Leona-senpai and Ruggie-senpai are, I wonder… Maybe they’re so busy that they haven’t even had a chance to notice the moon. If that’s the case, then I’ll have to catch up to where they are! When I get back, I’ll show them just how strong I’ve become!”

Vil Schoenheit…

… looks perfect laid out against the backdrop that is Diasomnia. His austere looks and overwhelming aura make him the perfect evil queen of the castle. Every picture he takes of himself inevitably involves his face being illuminated by sinister green flames or an imposing dragon glaring down at him. Fitted in his own Diasomnia uniform, he gives off stronger villain vibes than ever “… This is hardly the sort of thing I need for my image,” Vil sighs.

Indeed, Diasomnia can be quite archaic in its ways–but in coming from Pomefiore, Vil brings with him a certain sense of respect for the old. He recognizes the past as not superior nor inferior, but as a basis for which the future is forged from. To him, it’s crucial to understand and to be aware of what came before so he can build himself up from that. This philosophy is what guides him as he learns to adapt to the lack of modern amenities in Diasomnia.

Like Riddle, he is keen on doing his own thing, regardless of the comments that others make. (Since when has a queen like him let the thoughts of his subjects dictate his behavior?) That means rising bright and early to train with Jack, engaging in a thorough self-care routine, and maintaining a healthy diet and sleep schedule. Unlike Riddle though, Vil’s anger is more icy than fiery. If someone offends him, they’re met with a cold shoulder and perhaps a cool tongue lashing.

For the most part, Vil acts courteous to his other dorm members–for it is easier to attract bees with honey than with poison. His natural charisma and charm get him in the good graces of some students, who pass on their knowledge of certain potions and curses. One sleeping curse he hears of is so powerful that it could only be broken by true love’s kiss! Vil shivers, praying that such a thing would never come to be weaponized.

He continues to work on crafting his own homemade cosmetics. Vil has to change up the ingredients in them, since he no longer has access to the same things he’d have back in Pomefiore. Thanks to his new connections, he’s able to obtain rare plants from the Briar Valley to use in his lotions and liquids. Vil also experiments with repurposing the creeping bramble around Diasomnia in various forms—dehydrated to brew a tea, powdered as a setting product, pounded into a paste for a wash-off mask…

He changes up his style to feel more “at home” in his new territory, adopting more vintage clothing and accessories to suit the era which the castle comes from. At any given point, Vil will look like he has just walked out of filming for a historical drama or a period piece.

Vil had always thought that Epel would be his biggest problem child… but hey, Idia is a close second. While Riddle harps on his in-person attendance, Vil focuses on how Idia chooses to present himself in both appearance and behavior. “For Sevens’ sake, you’re the son of the distinguished Shroud family. It’s high time you started acting like it,” he chides his peer. “You’re wasting your good looks with that gloomy expression and hopeless slouch!!”

After witnessing how well-trained the students of Diasomnia are, Vil has a newfound respect for his fellow dorm leader, Malleus. It’s not like he’d ever share the compliment out loud, but for him to have a positive opinion of the man who constantly misses dorm meetings is still a step up. It seems that they do have some things in common.

“It is said that the Thorn Witch boasted great grace and decorum. If Diasomnia is a reflection of her character, then I can say with confidence that my expectations have been met. Beyond the superficial aspects–although I do find them to be in good taste–there is a noble spirit that runs throughout the dormitory. As much as it pains me to say this, not even Pomefiore would be able to replicate such elegance. Hmph, we’ll just have to polish our own unique traits such that our sparkle rivals Diasomnia’s.”

Idia Shroud…

… couldn’t be more unenthused. Not only has he been forced out of his room and deprived of his vast collection of tech, anime, manga, and games–but now he’s trapped in the same living space with all kinds of super strong personalities! It sounds like a plot straight out of a meta harem manga where the main character wants no part in any of it, he grumbles. S-Save me from this living hell, Ortho!!

He tries to minimize his presence as much as possible, but it’s difficult to do when his flaming hair makes him easy to spot in every dark corner or amid the sconces lit with green flames. (Everyone’s so quick to hone in on him, it gives him near heart-stopping fright!!) Because of this, Idia has chosen to wear his hood up most of the time (in hopes of diminishing any light he’d be giving off). 

He’s so disappointed that he didn’t at least get lumped into a dorm with a cute cat (Idia had been praying for Grim, but even Leona would have been acceptable). But nooo, instead he gets stuck with a muscly dog man. Why’s my gacha luck so bad IRL?! Cats are obviously far superior to dogs, NO QUESTION!! (Jack wonders why Idia stares so intensely at him, but maybe it’s best he doesn’t ask…)

Diasomnia has wifi, but it’s not nearly as fast as Idia would like for it to be. He constantly complains about missing the high speed internet of Ignihyde, though he supposes it’s sufficient for gaming. Idia laments to his online gaming buddy, Crimson Muscle, who reassures him that all will be well; Gloomy Samurai will surely get over this rough patch!!

This man can’t be left alone to just be a nerd in peace!! Idia could be playing a fantasy game, watching an anime, or reading a manga, and out of nowhere a Diasomnia kid will pop up and lecture him about how actually the depiction of dragons in that game/anime/manga is inaccurate, or how it spits upon Malleus’s image to indulge in such materials. Idia often doesn’t have the energy or the confidence to fire back, so he’ll pack up his stuff and rush away. In his mind though, he’s cursing out the killjoys! (Idia gatekeeps on a regular basis, but he can’t take it when others do the same to him.)

He doesn’t get the hype around all the Draconians who stan Malleus or claim him as their oshi. Idia’s just smart enough to know when to zip his lip so as to not incite an angry mob. (What’s so great about that guy anyway? It takes more than being an OP character to get Idia’s attention!) Unfortunately for him, a Diasomnia mob mistakes Idia waving green glow sticks for an online concert as a sign that he, too, is a massive Malleus fan. This leads to Idia being introduced to other Draconians (he was too timid to correct them) and thus getting locked into a miserable cycle of being force fed boundless praise for their dorm leader and expecting Idia to echo their sentiments.

He takes solace in knowing that the biggest Draconian of them (Sebek) all isn’t around to shout in his ear about WAKASAMA this, and HUMAN that… but it’s honestly just as bad to have Riddle nagging him in one ear and Vil nagging him in the other! Idia feels like he’s playing a stealth level every time he has to exit his room—cuz once either of them catch wind of him, it’s Game Over!! It’s safest for him to just hole up forever…

Because Ortho begged him to try and make new friends, Idia attempts to try and start a D&D (or whatever the Twisted Wonderland equivalent of it is) campaign up. Something simple that allows for socializing! … The problem is, the Diasomnia students are WAY too competitive and take the game super seriously. They even have the gall to defy HIM, the DM! (“Womp, womp, womp. Your character died! Sure sucks to be you, hihihi!” “I roll to stab the DM and claim his position as god of this world!!” “LOL, you can’t do that, dude…” “… I roll to stab the DM.” “I LITERALLY JUST SAID THAT’S A NO-GO!!”) They get nowhere, so Idia has to shut it down.

“D-Did all the elements of the world come together one day and decide to dunk on me or what?! E-Every time I leave the safety and comfort of my bedroom, th-there’s some kind of world-ending event thrust in my face... I-I’ve been kidnapped by a ghost, pulled out of school to run tests on my classmates, possessed... B-But even worse than all of that is... being forced into social situations I didn’t ask for!! Seriously, not a single soul wanted that birthday interview ‘oh, if you had to pick a different dorm to join’ hypothetical to come true!! If this is some kind of cruel and unusual joke, you can pop out and point and laugh at the geek already! J-Just get it over with so I can go back to my uneventful otaku life already!!”

[gunnerkriggcritical]

The ambiguity in Annie's love life has always been really compelling to me. I'm gonna discuss some of the facets of this below.

First off, Annie responds to Mort's supposed romantic "claim" on her (via the blinker stone) with a level of anger that shocks both Mort and Kat. That's such a fascinating scene to me. I think it's the first time in the comic that we really get a taste of Annie's temper, and it's in the context of her not wanting to be claimed by a suitor against her will.

Then there's Jack. Annie doesn't seem to know how to act around him, while the question of whether she genuinely has a crush on him is left unanswered; she veers between acting awkwardly and not seeming to know how to treat him, to deliberately manipulating him to hurt him after hearing about her mother doing the same to Renard (and based on Irial's advice), to - this is my interpretation, anyway - offering him a kiss because she thinks that's what you're supposed to do in such situations, not because she genuinely wants to. The way Jack refuses her kiss and gives her a hug instead always seemed to me like, to a certain level, pity? He's learned over the course of the chapter that Annie is a mess who has no idea what she's doing, least of all romantically, and he doesn't want to take advantage of that. At least, that's how I always interpreted that moment.

"The Torn Sea" really makes a point of emphasizing that Annie has no partner while most of her friends have paired off. I'm still not sure why - and it's possible, I guess, that the chapter only does this for comedic effect. It's also more than possible that we haven't reached the point in Annie's arc that will make all these past moments make sense in retrospect. There's also, of course, the moment in "Dealing With HER" where the Annies briefly discuss having a crush on someone. And the moment in "Annie and the Forest" when Annie is asked if she has a "love back home," misunderstands the question and says "Yes, my friend Kat," and then, when it's clarified, mentally scrolls through the list of boys she knows before settling on Jack with a confused look on her face. And speaking of "Annie in the Forest," there is, of course, her crush on Kamlen, which is also contrasted with a (maybe?) crush on Jones in "Divine," hinting that Annie might be bi.

A lot is going on here, but it all fits into the broader context of who Annie is. This is way more apparent in earlier chapters than later ones, but socially, she's a strange, underdeveloped girl who was raised in isolation and doesn't quite know how to navigate the world of school-age drama. Her awkwardness and lack of experience in romance are part of a broader character arc that highlights her social ineptitude; while her peers pair off, she's left alone, and attention is drawn to this by the narrative, both in terms of friendships and romantic relationships (although she does have a small group of friends other than Kat by the later days of the comic).

She learns how to behave based on mimicry, which, in the romantic context, is especially apparent in "Faraway Morning," when she mimics her mother's behaviour and Irial's advice to manipulate Jack, to disastrous results, before eventually relenting and admitting she regrets it. She does have crushes, but she doesn't know how to act on them properly. In fact, since the question of whether she actually has a crush on Jack or was just trying to manipulate him for revenge is left unanswered, I don't know if we've ever really seen Annie acting on a crush at all.

With all this in mind, I don't really have a concrete opinion or theory on "who Annie will end up with," only my personal opinion that I would rather she didn't end up with anyone at all.

It's very very common for main characters to "end up with" somebody, but the way the comic has treated Annie's love life has, so far, been much more complex and nuanced than that. I don't think she's aromantic (although I totally understand and respect why someone would headcanon that) - I do think she has romantic crushes, that there's canon evidence for her being bisexual, and that the comic wants us to pay attention to everything it's doing in regards to her romantic leanings. I also think, and hope, that Gunnerkrigg intends to subvert the "who will the main character end up with?!" question that every other piece of media in history has asked, by saying: "No one." That answer is, to me, far more in keeping with the nuance the comic has managed towards Annie's romantic leanings than "she ends up with Kat," or any other possible pairing, would be. I would rather the answer be left cryptic instead of made concrete, like many other concepts in the comic have been.

To finish: I have long thought Gunnerkrigg is about the fierce, loyal, powerful platonic love between Annie and Kat. The dyadic friendship that unites forest and Court, technology and magic, fantasy and science fiction. The idea of them being in love with each other is nowhere near as compelling to me as the idea of them caring about each other so deeply they would do anything for the other, without being in romantic love.

(If Annie and Kat do get together, I would also question how quickly and unceremoniously Paz got booted out of the comic to make way for this pairing, but that's neither here nor there, lol.)

[copperbadge]

Radio Free Monday

Good morning everyone, and welcome to Radio Free Monday!

A note before we begin -- normally I don't do this (as you all know) but I happened to see a comment on one of the RFM posts this week by someone offering help in their crowdfunding campaign, and it reeks so strongly of the worst kind of predator that I wanted to get the word out -- kendrajanesblog is apparently running around fundraising posts offering to help, but the only post on their own blog is an offer to build an email campaign on kickstarter for $20. I don't think this is reportable but it is absolutely appalling, so I suggest blocking this person and passing the word if you see them commenting on a fundraising post. I'm hoping this is not a new trend but given the last spam trend on Tumblr was people sending asks about fake fundraisers, I can't be sure this isn't the next wave.

Ways to Give:

Anon linked to a fundraiser for Jack "Rocky" Payne and his wife Cloie, who are trying to offset the cost of his care for ALS, including medical bills, equipment, and accessible renovations to their home. He is no longer able to work due to the disease, and she has had to take leave in order to care for him full-time, which has obviously left them struggling financially. You can read more and give to the fundraiser here.

kitsumo linked to a fundraiser for his family, a single autistic mother with five neurodivergent kids, which has recently become homeless in California and need funds for necessities like food, covering phone bills, and shelter. You can read more and reblog here or give directly here.

grindthebones linked to a fundraiser for Kelsey and her dog Annie; Kelsey is a young disabled woman who isn't on social security yet, and her family recently stopped paying her rent and will not allow her back in the home; they're trying to prevent homelessness while she finds housing and aid. You can read more and support the fundraiser here.

gorkhandsmcschmuck is raising funds to cover an overdraft; due to some banking nonsense around Memorial Day he ended up with a negative balance, and needs to raise $50 to cover it, hoping to raise $100 to help with food until the first paycheck comes in. You can read more and reblog here or give directly via paypal here.

wolfsbanesparks linked to a fundraiser for friends who just lost their house in a flood, including almost all of their possessions; their insurance is balking at covering anything, so they're having to pay for repairs out of pocket. You can read more and support the fundraiser here.

News To Know:

blackestglass is running the fourth annual Chromatic Characters Podfic Anthology, which collects podfics of stories of less than 1500 words and center characters of color. This year's optional theme is "solidarity" and the due date for submissions is September 12th; this is a final call for volunteers of color who would like to lend their services as contextual content betas (formerly known as cultural sensitivity listeners) which is their biggest need at this point. You can read more and comment here to volunteer or ask a question, DM the mods on twitter at ccpamods, or email ccpamods at gmail.com.

Recurring Needs:

Anon linked to a fundraiser for dee-the-red-witch, a trans woman who needs to raise $10K to keep her home. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information here, give via paypal here, or purchase her leatherwork here.

frenchroasted's cousin, who has been fundraising for a used wheelchair-accessible van after herniating her back lifting her stepson's wheelchair and had to have surgery for it, has partnered with MyDMDHero which is now hosting their fundraiser on GiveButter so that their donations are tax-deductible. You can read more and support the fundraiser, formerly at GoFundMe, here. (Also to Frenchroasted -- got your request, can do.)

alirhi linked to a fundraiser to get herself, her mother, and her sister stable housing; they are currently staying in their cars in a a dangerous parking lot. They have a friend who will let them park a camper in her yard, but the camper there currently is unlivable, and they haven't been able to find an affordable replacement. With two of the family on disability it is difficult for them to keep up with bills and also save for housing. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information here including a few new ways to give.

And this has been Radio Free Monday! Thank you for your time. You can post items for my attention at the Radio Free Monday submissions form. If you're new to fundraising, you may want to check out my guide to fundraising here.

[drifting-pieces-blog-blog]

Breaking down the comics: Committee of Three (Issue #4)

Moon Knight, Issue #4: A Committee of 5

Written by Doug Moench and drawn by Bill Sienkiewicz

I’m back! Took a little break to get caught up on some more modern Moon Knight and now I’m ready to jump back into the past! 

Now this is an interesting one because “The Committee” was the original group of people that first hired Moon Knight to hunt down Jack Russell (Werewolf by Night). But back then, he and Jack took down the Committee. What could they possibly want with Moon Knight now? Let’s find out! 

"Life is seldom easy for the mysterious man called Moon Knight--And it's about to get a whole lot harder! Five seasoned hit-men are out for his blood! They are a committee of: 

One: Boom-Boom, explosives expert. 

Two: Razor, blade freak. 

Three: Ice. Sniper assassin. 

Four: Dragon, karate black belt. 

and Five: Bull, just plain animal!

All five are professional killers--and they enjoy their work. So it's rather simple really, either they're put out of business--fast--or the shadows will soon run red and echo with ghastly laughter." 

I feel like Moon Knight faced a lot of professional assassins in the early runs. The one with them in the snow, then the one with him in Israel...  

Also, LOOK AT THIS ART! I love this! Look how they put the words in his cape! 

Also LOL. 

We see Moon Knight landing awkwardly next to Rockefeller ice rink while a sniper lines up a shot. He takes aim and fires and we see Moon Knight fall! 

He runs down to the rink to check the body. He needs proof of the kill for his bosses. But there is no body! 

Moon Knight drops down behind him. 

"Still alive--If you believe I have nothing worse than a bullet-hole through my cape... Or still dead--If you prefer to believe that I really AM a ghost. Take your pick, Annie Oakley." 

I miss the days when Moon Knight really had a hard time convincing himself that he was alive. He played up the ghost angle so much. 

He charges the gunman only to have the gun go off in his face, blinding him! Good job. 

The sniper takes the opportunity to smash him in the head with the butt of his rifle. ....Moon Knight sure did take a lot of blows to the head in his early years. 

Lucky for him, the gunman is still rattled by the whole ghost thing and flees in a panic, rather than finishing him off. 

Recovering, Moon Knight wonders how long the assassin has been stalking him and who sent him. 

On the other side of town, The Committee meets to get an update on Moon Knight's status. 

Ice, the gunman, tells them that he had him but he's some sort of "spook"! 

Ah! It IS the same Committee that hired him to hunt Jack Russel back in his first appearance of Werewolf by Night!!! 

One of the guys was apparently on vacation and missed the memos so he asks who they're going after and why. 

I love a good excuse for exposition. 

"These five gentlemen have been retained to dispose of our personal Frankenstein monster. You DO recall our creation--Moon Knight-- Don't you? He nearly destroyed the original Committee. Now that we've reorganized, we owe it to the committee's honor to settle the score." 

The assassins review their plans. 

The dynamite guy, Boom-Boom, plans to blow up Moon Kight's vehicle. (Not the cab! Or maybe the Chopper?!) The rest just want to get up and personal. 

The guy that was on vacation takes a minute to ask if going after Moon Knight is actually a good idea or not. You know... considering... 

The other guy is angry at Moon Knight for taking their money and not delivering the wolf. Also because he turned on them and pretty much nearly wiped them out. 

This is just a petty revenge mission. 

Back at Grant Mansion! 

We find Marlene working out and Moon Knight changing out. 

"Well, aren't you the bundle of joy this morning, Mr. Grant? Or is it Mr. Lockley? Spector? Moon Knight--?" She takes playful jabs at him. It's...It's early in the comics so I'm not going to harp on this. Early enough where he himself really doesn't know what's going on and the others are still just him pretending to be someone else. 

"Every identity has its place, Marlene, and every identity IN its place. We're in Grant Mansion--Ergo, I've just become Steven Grant." He's a bit snappy about it. He's still trying to compartmentalize and in deep denial. 

"Okay, Steven. Bad night?" 

"Routine. Seen Frenchie around?" 

Frenchie has a place in the committee so he can keep track of their movements. This dates back to WBN. 

Frenchie tells him that they've reorganized but he hasn't attended enough meetings since to know what's going on. But he has a feeling that something is going on behind closed doors. 

Steven tells him that someone tried to knock off Moon Knight and they weren't an amateur. 

The Committee predates Marlene. Or at least they never brought it up to her. 

She asks just who these guys are that want him dead so badly. 

Frenchie answers for them. "Several years back, Marlene, I learned of a group of international financiers...So I told Marc and we decided to investigate... posing as a French industrialist, I infiltrated them... I told them of a mercenary named Marc Spector who might take zee job, were he provided with anonymity and suitable weapons." 

Marc approved the plan and they went back to the committee to introduce Moon Knight, who up to that point hadn't been a household name. Only Bushman had delt with the Moon Knight. 

They detail about their efforts fighting the wolf. 

"At first it seemed like killing two birds with one stone--Getting to zee bottom of zee committee's crimes while ridding zee world of a monster. But when he saw zee tortured humanity of a young man named Jack Russell locked behind zee horror, he freed zee werewolf and together they destroyed zee committee. This was before Marc became rich as Steven Grant, so he took zee committee's money--ANd left zee werewolf go free to find his own fate." 

REALLY?! THAT'S where they got the money from!? What happened to all their money made as mercs? Did they blow it? No wonder Steven's so pissy all the time. He's worked his ass off to make their millions and Marc is just out there blowing through it. 

The next day, Jake hits the streets to see if Crawley has any tips. 

He does his usual 'gmorning to Gena and asks about her boys. 

Then he immediately sides up to Crawley: "Any hitmen in town Crawley?" 

Apparently there are five and they all hit the same nightclub in Queens. That's convenient. 

He hires Gena's boys to find out the names of all the assassins and if they'll be back at the club. 

He loves those kids. 

He calls up Marlene and tells her to have Frenchie attend the next committee meeting. He also tells her to "practice your bump and grind, Lady." 

Jake's got a way with words. 

Oh no. OH NO. I know what issue this is. 

The...The night club... It's an airplane. They have a theme. 

Gena's sons go to the club to get info. 

At the committee meeting, Frenchie busts in pretending to be pissed off not to be included in the previous sessions. 

"We were concerned that you might object." 

"Why shold I care? I knew zee mercenary Spector, oui, but he was hardly a FRIEND." 

Up on the roof, Moon Knight listens in on the meeting as they inform Frenchie of the details. 

In the club, the boys get into a bit of trouble but their manage to not only get out of it, but to also get the info they need. 

Outside, Marlene is applying for a job in the club. 

Yeah... It's...It's this issue. 

The meeting over, Moon Knight switches to Lockley to get the info from Gena's boys. 

A lot is about to happen here folks. Just…Just get ready for this. 

(early Moon Knight tumblr fandom… If you know you know.) 

Here we see Moon Knight startled by some firecrackers. He knows it’s a trap. But we see a cat sniffing at a box while Boom Boom waits. 

IN A RARE EVENT. Moon Knight is not left fighting a random animal, but being saved by and saving that animal. 

Boom Boom makes a run for it and Moon Knight stops another dynamite stick from going off with some sharp Crescent dart action! But Boom Boom manages to give him the slip and get away. 

He takes defeat so gracefully. 

So next day he heads out as Jake again. 

He patrols the streets in his cab looking for news. 

I just... I love Jake. 

We see Jake come into the mansion to see Marlene heading out to her new job at the club. 

Dealing with Marlene, he's instantly Steven. Then the phone rings and it's one of Jake's contacts so he's Jake again. That pose is 100% Jake. 

Early issue we see them just cycle through easy peasy but still acting like it's pretend. But it's SO obvious when it's with Marlene. Jake really has no interest in Marlene as anything more than the lady his headmates care about. 

It’s something I’ll contend with over and over again. Especially as the much later comics decide that Jake was really the one dating Marlene… But that’s an argument for another day. 

We head over to the Madison Square Garden where Marc and Frenchie attend a boxing match. 

They spot some that look like they might be the other assassins and move to follow them. Steven heads to the bathroom to change. 

There's so much going on here that I love so much. 

Steven changes in the bathroom. So a tuxedo man walks into the public bathroom... Probably in a stall... ANd changes into Moon Knight... 

He left his tux in the bathroom. Probably on the floor or in the trash? 

The jab that Grant can afford it. Poor Steven. 

The champion boxer being like "Oh man. That's one fast cat. I don't want to tango with that dude." 

Also him asking "Wonder if he's got any color under that white mask..." Implying that Moon Knight's so cool that he hopes he's a black man. Which I can respect. He’s got some style. 

Then we have Moon Knight jumping into a typical rich person car to tail a cab. 

I miss these simple Moon Knight days… 

In the next panel we find that he didn't even ride IN the car, but hung onto the side as Frenchie drove. 

"Twenty minutes later, North of central park, Moon Knight vaults from the Limo's running board..." 

Moon Knight knows that this is another trap. It's a dark and abandoned building. 

Yup. As soon as he's inside, he's ambushed by Dragon, the karate guy and the knife guy. 

Karate guy pulls out his nunchak. Moon Knight also turns his truncheon into nunchak. 

It's the first time we see Moon Knight's new weapon and it remains in the comics for a very long time after this. I love seeing his weapons advance in the comics! 

He takes out the knife guy quick then turns to the Dragon. 

He comes at Moon Knight, who doges each attack then lands a blow, taking out the blackbelt. 

Which is hilarious because he's just a blackbelt in karate. We know at this point that Marc Spector had to learn a lot of different fighting styles in the Special Forces, not to mention his early street Boxing days as a young man. A simple black belt really has nothing on him. 

Two down, he gets clocked in the back of the head by the Bull. 

Moon Knight lands a few hits but he's still dizzy from the blow to his head. (again with the head). 

Frenchie rushes in with a gun and scares off the Bull, who busts through a wall and dissapears. 

"I'm getting just a little sick of this, Frenchie--That guy hits like a truck. Why didn't you stay with the limo?" 

"I got Board, Marc." 

I love Frenchie... 

"Now there's a refreshing complaint...But taking there two to the mansion for safekeeping--Blindfolded--Oughtta keep you busy. Then get over to tonight's meeting of the committee." 

Back at the club, Marlene has made it in with the head guy of the assassins, Ice, pulling her charms. 

Sitting down for a private drink, they are interrupted by a phone call. It's from Bull!

Seems Bull and Boom Boom have decided Moon Knight is more than they really want to deal with. 

"We're quittin'. Gonna put the squeeze on the committee instead--easier to just take the money than earn it by tacklin' Moon Knight again. You shoulda seen the way he took out Razor and Dragon! 

He's too much, Ice! He's got helpers everywhere--They found Eddie tied up in the back room of Inn Flight--Coupla kids took his gun! They'll pick us off one by one! He's got spies everywhere I tell ya!" 

Whoopse. Ice takes note of Marlene who is still sitting right there. 

Ice tells them to do what they want. He's still got a job to do. 

He tells Marlene he's got a meeting to get to, but she should stay there and wait for him. 

Marlene quickly leaves to a payphone (despite a phone being right there in the office. But I guess.) She calls Jake's cab phone to tell him what she just heard. 

Ice was waiting and watching the phone. He now knows Marlene is one of the spies. 

Back at the main office, Boom Boom and Bull make their play against the committee by rigging the whole building to explode! 

Outside, we see Ice climbing the outside of the building next to the warehouse to claim the money for himself! 

On the otherside, Moon Knight starts to scale the building itself! 

Boom Boom and Bull snag the money and move to make a run for it, but Ice has padlocked the exits! The building is set to explode in five minutes! 

Moon Knight figures it out and notes that Frenchie is also trapped inside! 

Ice makes it to the roof on the other building and spots Moon Knight on the roof, putting him back in his crosshairs. 

Bull manages to bust through the door like before, but Frenchie is still deep inside the building. 

Just as Ice takes his shot, the building explodes and collapses, sending the bullet right over Moon Knight's head as he falls with the building. 

Gotta love that glider cape. Also gotta love Frenchie’s smarts. 

Moon Knight makes a break for Bull. 

As he runs, Ice opens fire again. 

Moon Knight dives through the bullets, still after Bull. 

Yeah he...He takes another blow to the head, knocking him to the floor of the little motor boat. 

Moon Knight rolls, trying to knock Bull over. Unfortunately, this puts Bull right into Ice's bullets and he takes one to the chest. 

The boat crashes, sending Moon Knight flying. He's having a good night. 

Laing stunned on the dock, he's back in the crosshairs. Just before Ice can take his shot.... 

Marlene kicks the gun away! 

And we see Moon Knight again, a sad wet cat crawling on the ground. He does this a lot. 

"Like a ragged creature escaped from hell, he stands on the roof, the precious rifle clenched in granite hands..." 

Moon Knight snaps the riffle in two over his knee. Then he knocks Ice out. 

The cops later find all the remaining assassins on their door steps with a note "Night deposit" nailed to the door with a crescent dart. 

He's got class. 

Back at the mansion, Grand invites everyone over for a feast. 

Which is funny considering that it's not till a later episode that he reveals himself as Jake and Steven and Marc and Moon Knight and that he's rich. But who's keeping track of continuity? 

Grant reveals all the money that was supposed to go to the assassins from the committee. He divides it up among the friends, with a good amount going to charities. 

I love this issue. It’s fun, it’s quirky, it’s an early issue that is still trying to establish who everyone is and how the dynamic functions, and you have a LOT of Moon Knight getting hit in the head or having the bad guys get away with him getting frustrated over it. 

It’s got so much character! And maybe this is just me coming off of reading…the worst issues ever (Bemis, Aaron, Bendis)... But this was much needed. Really refreshing. Even the art style is so clean and just full of everything I love about Moon Knight. 

[nekoannie-chan]

Urban building

Title: “Urban building”

Ship: Brock Rumlow & Jack Rollins (Friendship).

Word count: 530 words.

Rating: Teen.

Square: G1 “Scary urban legend”.

Summary: Urban legends aren’t real, are they?.

Warnings/Tags: Urban legends come true, enchanted building.

A/N: This is my entry to @marvelrarepairbingo​  @marvelrarepairs​ MarvelRarePair Bingo Round 2 2023. Annie MRP-066.

You can read it on Wattpad and Ao3 too.

@saiyanprincessswanie

My native language is Spanish so I wanna improve my writing skills in English if you notice any mistakes, please let me know and I will correct them.

I don’t give any kind of permission that my fics to be posted on other platforms or languages (I translate myself my work) or the use of my graphics (my dividers are included in this), I did them exclusively for my fics, please respect my work and don't steal it. There are some people here who make dividers that anyone can use, mine is not this type, please look for the other's people. The only exception is the ones I gifted 'cuz now belong to someone else. If you find any of my works on a different platform and are not one of my accounts, please let me know. Reblogs and comments are always welcome.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Marvel's characters (unfortunately), except for the original characters and the story.

Add yourself to my taglist here.

My other media where I publish:  Ao3, Wattpad, ffnet, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter. 

If you like it, please vote, comment, and give me feedback to improve my skills and reblog.

Tags: @sinceimetyou​  @unnuevosoltransformalarealidad​ @navybrat817​ @angrythingstarlight​ @shield-agent78​ @charmed-asylum​ @caplanbuckybarnes​  @sapphire-rogers​ @nana1000night @talia-rumlow​ @writingshae​ @alexxavicry @azulatodoryuga​ @daemonslittlebitch @chaoticcollectivenightmare​ @endlesstwanted​  @chemtrails-club​ @whiskeytangofoxtrot555​ @here4thefanfics​ @theestorm​ @patzammit @kmc1989

Brock was going over the plan in his head; it was one of the first missions he had ever had, not to mention that it was the first unsupervised mission in which he was in charge. Jack, on the other hand, was better at appearing calm, although in reality he was completely nervous.

They were both adventurous and always looking for new thrills and experiences. One day, after training for such a mission, they heard about a gloomy place on the outskirts of town—an old abandoned building that was shrouded in urban legends.

They adjusted their flashlights as soon as they arrived; somehow Brock needed the mission to go well.

As they walked through the dusty hallways and dilapidated rooms, they began to talk about the urban legends they had heard. Jack mentioned the story of a ghost that was said to inhabit the building, whispering in the ears of those who dared enter. Brock, meanwhile, shared the story of a curse that befell anyone who dared to spend a night there.

As they continued to explore, the strange sounds and whispers seemed to increase in intensity. The tension in the air was palpable. Jack and Brock began to question whether the stories they had heard were more than just scary urban legends.

Suddenly, as they stood in a room whose appearance looked exaggeratedly ancient, the doors slammed shut behind them. They were trapped in darkness, with only the dim glow of their flashlights to illuminate their surroundings.

Their hearts pounded as they tried to find a way out. The whispers became more audible, and shadows seemed to move around them. Jack and Brock were plunged into a nightmare.

The first thing they did was to calm down; otherwise, they wouldn't be able to think clearly. Jack had noticed that in all the rooms there were different doors, so he somehow managed to open one. As they made their way through dark corridors and abandoned rooms, they heard footsteps that seemed to follow them. Fear and paranoia gripped them as they struggled to remain calm.

Brock looked at Jack, who, despite his apparent calm, was also showing signs of nervousness. They knew they had to find a way out as soon as possible.

They continued to explore the building, following the sound of footsteps that seemed to be chasing them. The shadows seemed to dance around them, playing with their minds and increasing their sense of unease.

In a moment of desperation, Brock remembered something he had learned during their training—the way they could escape from there and that they brought the right equipment—so he began to search through his backpack.

After several minutes, they finally found the exit. Fresh air greeted them outside. They looked at each other, exhausted but relieved to have escaped that nightmare. Although the mission had not gone as they had hoped, they would not give the details of what had happened.

From that day on, Jack and Brock never spoke of urban legends again without a slight shiver running down their spines. They had learned that some stories may have some truth in them, and ignoring them can have unexpected consequences.

[inposterumcumgaudio]

Uncle Jack & Foggy Jack

So if you're asking about both of them, I'm assuming that's because you're into the idea that they are one and the same.

I don't dislike the concept, but I like it much more for that the game seems to push that notion while simultaneously giving you nothing to substantiate it and, at times, even giving you details that seem to contradict it than the idea for its own sake. Good shit!

It's another one of those things you'll never have a canon answer for!

And frankly, I've never really found the question of whether Uncle Jack is Foggy Jack that interesting. It's a little contrived, a little obvious, a very basic bitch story. The most famous man in town has a mental breakdown and becomes a serial killer? And he somehow does this despite being instantly recognizable by everyone? And also he's doing this while he's still filming his show every day and looking all normal and shit?

Too, the whole Foggy Jack thing intrudes on the natural predisposition of fledging fanartists to make serial killer OC's.

Foggy Jack also exists as an urban legend in the town in a way I think predates even the toxic fog (and I was given a separate ask about this as well so I'll save my thots about that for then!)

But suffice to say, because I do not find the whole Uncle vs Foggy Jack thing compelling and I'd never really devoted much thought to it, I struggled to think of something interesting to say about it. The only chapter I ever wrote about the subject was actually about why Ollie's surface-level investigation of the crime scene in "A Pomaceous Puzzle" did not arrive at the correct conclusion. It simply doesn't fit the MO.

However... in reviewing what we know concretely about Foggy Jack from the main game, I actually did arrive at a fascinating new theory.

Because we think of this as a duality, do we not? Uncle Jack is one side of the coin, Foggy Jack the other. That's why you asked about both.

Let us go over what we know for sure about Foggy Jack, that was reported in the game, to separate out the unreliable information given in "Lightbearer". There are only two sources of "solid" information about Foggy Jack in the main game:

In "The "O" COURANT - Article 3", we learn that five Wellie women - Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, Mary Jane Kelly, and Mary Anne Nichols - have been found hacked to pieces in the streets. All of these women are named for real-life victims of Jack the Ripper.

Stated in the above and reiterated in "Interrogation Report", these murders seem to take place on particularly foggy nights. "Interrogation Report" also states that the witness, Daniel Dunglass, reported that the apparent murderer's face looked "oddly familiar" to him.

One further piece of information that we learn in Ollie's act is that Foggy Jack apparently kept a hideout in the Gardner House, at least until plague wastrels overtook it. We know this from the suitcase which contains a cleaver and the "Mystery Note" with the only the phrase "I'm afraid you've come to the end of your time" on it.

And here we learn that Foggy Jack has some interest in Margaret. And that makes sense if he's actually Uncle Jack.

But... what it's it's not a duality.

What if it's a triptych?

What if it's not Uncle Jack, but someone who would have us come to that conclusion? Someone who would want us to think Uncle Jack is avenging his murdered daughter, but is in fact trying to frame him for it?

Why, who would have motive to do that?

Who indeed.

But DJ, you say, that's crazy. You play through Ollie's entire act and not once do they ever imply that he could be Foggy Jack.

Yeah, well, there's a lot of stuff they don't imply through his act, ain't there?

And just like with Uncle Jack, the details don't say anything conclusive but consider.

Ollie is said multiple times over his act to have periods of lapsed memory, both due to the Oblivion he took and excessive drinking. Margaret mentions specifically in both "The Camp of Thine Enemies" and "Cache as Cache Can" that Ollie has trouble remembering things due to his drinking. And it's an interesting coincidence that Ollie also "vaguely remembers" leaving himself a cache of supplies in that quest and its the same sort of vague notion that leads him into Gardner House where he finds Foggy Jack's suitcase.

He's also in deep denial about the limits of his morality and how far he'll go to see traitors get theirs. Still, killing innocent women just to make Uncle Jack look bad? Surely not! Maybe Ollie ratted out a little girl and got her chased down and murdered, but he's not a serial killer!

Then again, if there's one thing Ollie hates, it's a collaborator. Deutschland Über Alles special and all. And you know who about the first people to start collaboratin' with an occupying force are?

Prostitutes.

All of Foggy Jack's not-hallucination victims are named for the "Canonical Five" of Jack the Ripper's victims, all known prostitutes. Which, sure, maybe that's just the reference, but we actually meet Elizabeth Stride before her apparent death. As Ollie. At the Jack O Bean Club, where she works as a cook serving a bunch of collaborationist traitor lovers. She has no love for them, calling them toffs and wankers as she does, but she does also muse aloud to herself about it: "Take the job, she says. You'll never have to suck another cock, she says." Which sounds an awful lot like a thing a (former?) prostitute would say, making it two separate issues to Ollie, really. And why else would a fine upstanding Wellette be out on the streets at night anyway? That's how Foggy Jack gets you!

And for my most tenuous point: remember that guy from the Interrogation Report? Daniel Dunglass. I looked his ass up and

Reminiscent!

Dunglass (the character, not the actual guy) also says that the murderer's face is "oddly familiar" to him. Uncle Jack is familiar, but not oddly so. Ollie isn't exactly a nobody in town, but he's definitely odd looking in a world that conformist.

And as long as we're drawing specious connections, Daniel Dunglass (the real guy, not the character) was a Scottish medium famous for levitation and speaking with the dead. You know who else does a lot of that?

But... even if Ollie is Foggy Jack, I don't think he killed the constables at the apple tree. Which means there's copycat killer pretending to be the guy who's pretending to be Uncle Jack pretending be urban legend Foggy Jack.

[glass-needles-and-futurisms]

I keep thinking back to Muse playing Survival at the closing ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics, and I keep saying that one of these days I'm just gonna spew all my feelings about how it's not just one of my all-time favorite Muse moments, but also a hilarious, if perhaps unintentional, moment of social commentary.

I still remember our postgrad professor showing those same closing ceremonies in class, explaining the not-so-subtle propagandistic purpose the entire spectacle served on the global stage. (For those who don't know, the 2012 Olympics closing ceremonies were essentially a three-hour star-studded tribute to UK music and pop culture.)

Picture this: you just sat through about two hours of the UK's various national exports - One Direction, the Spice Girls, the Pet Shop Boys, George Michael, Ed Sheeran, Annie Lennox, erm, Russell Brand. You've just seen live performances of Bohemian Rhapsody, Imagine, Wonderwall, and Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, alongside tributes to David Bowie and Freddie Mercury. And you still have Queen, Take That and The Who to go after this.

Interestingly, that class glossed over what an afterthought the Muse performance felt like by comparison. You could argue a lot of extenuating circumstances: the controversial reception of Survival as the official London Olympics theme song, the infamous NBC debacle where it inadvertently got cut from the US broadcast of the ceremonies, or the simple fact that this far into the festivities, a fairly straightforward stage performance* by a band with slightly less name recognition than Coldplay was pretty underwhelming.

* Not sure if this is common knowledge, but apparently this performance was mostly playback with the exception of Matt's vocals. Which also makes this an underappreciated entry in the annals of Muse miming shenanigans.

But something becomes very apparent once you actually reach this part of the show: Survival is fucking bananas. I'll never forget that one internet commenter calling it the world's most epic villain song that doesn't know it's a villain song. I mean, just look at the lyrics:

Life's a race / and I am gonna win

And I'll light the fuse / and I'll never lose

And I choose to survive / whatever it takes

You won't pull ahead / I'll keep up the pace

And I'll reveal my strength / to the whole human race

This is how the song starts! You can sort of see the logic behind making it the Olympics theme song. And then it gets weirder from there:

Yes, I am prepared / to stay alive

I won't forgive / the vengeance is mine

And I won't give in / because I choose to thrive

Yeah, I'm gonna wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin

Good grief. No wonder it's called "Survival". The song makes slightly more sense in the thematic context of The 2nd Law, the album it was released on. But on its own it's just.... yeah.

And this performance ramps up the insanity even more by just taking the piss. Between Matt Bellamy peacocking in a sparkly suit and Union Jack t-shirt, the batshit guitar solo, the pyro, the backing choir, and the fact that everything onstage (including the grand piano) is pretty much just for show (and wobbling like mad), Survival feels cheesy and irreverent in a way that makes you suddenly hyper-conscious of how tightly orchestrated everything else you just saw (including the Monty Python and Mr. Bean stuff) was. Remember that this was all broadcast to an international audience of millions.

Pairing the sheer pageantry of the ceremonies thus far with the actual lyrics of Survival kinda puts everything in an uncomfortable new light. Then it dawns on you that you pretty much just watched an accidental three-hour love letter to British imperialism. (Okay maybe that's overselling it a bit but it's still pretty funny.)

[cowperviolet]

43 Literary agents who represent historical fiction

I wanted to include detailed instructions for submission for each, too, but apparently Tumblr has a 4096 letters limit per text block (?!). Good news is: even if I could have included it, it would have just been a copy-paste from their agencies' websites (these are easily googlable: just type in '[name and surname] literary agent' .

Let's go:

Sarah Bedingfield

Marina de Pass

Liza DeBlock

Sam Farkas

Ciara Finan

Katie Fulford

Hattie Grunewald

Cate Hart

Cassandra Rodgers

Grace A Ross

Rayhane Sanders

Shannon Snow

Hannah Strouth

Kari Sutherland

Olivia Maidment

Shaheen Qureshi

Bernadette Baker-Baughman

Annie Bomke

Alicia Brooks

Lucy Carson

Bill Contardi

Ian Drury

Olga Filina

Susan Finesman

https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/erin-niumata/ - submit in March, July, or November

Jack Fogg

Molly Friedrich

Miriam Goderich

Margaret Halton

Anne Hawkins

Christina Hogrebe

Wendy Levinson

Giles Milburn

Justin Nash

Emma Paterson

Ariana Philips

Susan Ramer

Victoria Sanders

Victoria Skurnick

Robin Straus

Alice Tasman

Zoe Waldie

Mitchell Waters

[koffing-time]

Hi hello, got a little bit more stuff to do and a little hectic around the café again. They are the reason for this, so I didn't get to introduce them yet, but you maybe have seen me mention them already?

I have two more guys adopted to my really not little anymore family:

[a photo of a cranidos. It is peculiar looking, almost like a shiny, but not completely. It's head is red like a regular shiny, but the pattern on its back is completely white and shines in the sunlight!]

This is Annie, he followed me home after my little vacation to white forest last week. I was a little worried, because fossil Pokémon are usually not wild, but there was no trainer registered to him, so i eventually decided to take him in. Btw, his full name is Annie Stonefruit. //Credits to @prof-lemon for this absolute fucking BANGER of a name

[another picture. It shows a relatively small pumpkaboo who is holding a trowel. It's back is turned to the camera, apparently it is inspecting a berry bush. A roselia is standing next to it, watching closely]

And this is Jack! He just got here today, but he's already criticizing my garden and giving me valuable tips. Thank you so much again, @floaroma-sanctuary for bringing us together! //I had hoped a little to make something bigger of it, but tumblr ate the notification to my ask, and then i had exams and everything just piled up, so we decided to let the adoption process happen behind the scenes. Again thanks for dealing with my antics.

[a third picture: it shows a torso with a Koffing-Time apron. In front of it, on the flat palm of Olivia sits a small humanoid creature with two antennae on a small stack of coins. It's a Gimmighoul who smiles mischievously and waves into the camera]

And that guy is Gregor. They are on Olivias care though, which explains the name. He was thinking about some cool names like "Diamond" and then a hyperfixation on Franz Kafka swooped in and subjected the little dude to this fate. Oddly enough i think they're vibing with it. With this, another rule applies even more strictly at the café. GUYS WATCH YOUR CHANGE. //Thank you very much AGAIN @thetravelingymleader for doing the arc with me that Olivia got this little dude.

[puffdenlilledragen]

ok so I watched the last ?????? 5 ?????? seasons of spn as background noise while doing chores. I tried to match it up to where I fell off sometime in like. 2014 or something. it was not supposed to be serious you know just for laffs we ALL know it's a lil rough round the edges & has some serious problems. BUT I

got invested & now I

why they did the ending so bad??? like the execution???? sloppy?????? there were so many episodes that did not contribute in a meaningful way to characterisation or plot that could have been cut & the last like 5-8 eps could have been the last 3-4 eps. the actors CARRY the series in the end the writing/editing does nothing but drag them down bye

& the bury your gays. EVEN IF they didn't know how to handle the confession it just feels SO DISHONEST to not show how absent Cas was in the last two eps ESPECIALLY the last when the high stakes have been resolved and the tempo is slower. & how Dean handles that absence (poorly done) AND ALSO they left so many canon ways to pull someone out of the empty it just makes 0 sense that they (Dean) wouldn't you know. Try to make Jake pull Cas outta there after him ascending to Unity wHEN LUCIFER HAD BEEN PULLED BACK LIKE 30 MIN EARLIER BY CHUMARA???? Or the resurrection thing that Nick tried on Lucy that Jack&Mary stopped?? and then last episode we just get to know that Jack pulled Cas out off screen & Cas dIDN'T EVEN PAY SAM&DEAN A VISIT?????????????? what happened to I come every time you call

I get that covid was an issue but we were robbed of a Cas apparence in the end

the network can go stuff several buns in its face why couldn't they just allow the series to make sense

never was much of a destiel girlie but you know this dumpster fire of an ending might change that

& I really wanted to see Donna Jody Annie Claire & Kaia again for like a resurrection of the hunter collective that Sam had running during the Michael arch after Dean died

(the editors should have taken notes on supercut montages from fan edits for the final episodes as well omg. both for the ep 19 supercut & the ep 20 Sam reel)

Also what the heck was the deal with that fricking dog

[cursed-herbalist]

Thank you Annie for tagging me @potionboy3 🫡❤️

Four ships:

Hades & Persefone (Greek Myth, I guess?) Princess Leia & Han Solo (Star Wars) Jude & Carden (The Cruel Prince) Captain Jack Sparrow & his jar of dirt (Pirates of the Caribean)

Disclaimer: Erm, I didn't know what the criteria were so ... these are the ones that came to my mind first. Interesting. Apparently, I like drama and heartbreak 🥲😅

Last song:

Venus As A Boy - Björk

Currently reading:

Nothing atm but just got 'Book of Night' by Holly Black. Hopefully, I'll find the time to read it soon.

Not sure who has been tagged already but here we go: @kc-and-co, @usernoneexistent, @nicos-oc-hell 💗

[docrotten]

HALLOWEEN II (1981) - Episode 205 - Decades of Horror 1980s

“He was my patient for fifteen years. He became an obsession with me until I realized that there was nothing within him, neither conscious nor reason that was… even remotely human. An hour ago, I stood up and fired six shots into him, and then, he just got up and walked away. ” He shot him! Six times! …or was it seven? Join your faithful Grue-Crew – Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, Crystal Cleveland, and Jeff Mohr  – as they count the shots The Shape takes from Dr. Loomis in Halloween II (1981).

Decades of Horror 1980s Episode 205 – Halloween II (1981)

Join the Crew on the Gruesome Magazine YouTube channel! Subscribe today! And click the alert to get notified of new content! https://youtube.com/gruesomemagazine

While Dr. Loomis hunts for Michael Myers, a traumatized Laurie is rushed to Haddonfield Memorial Hospital, and The Shape is not far behind her.

Director: Rick Rosenthal

Writers: John Carpenter, Debra Hill

Music by: John Carpenter, Alan Howarth

Cinematography by: Dean Cundey (director of photography)

Film Editing by: Mark Goldblatt, Skip Schoolnik

Selected Cast:

Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode

Nichole Drucker as Young Laurie Strode

Donald Pleasence as Dr. Sam Loomis

Dick Warlock as Michael Myers / The Shape / Patrolman #3

Adam Gunn as Young Michael Myers

Nick Castle and Tony Moran as Michael Myers (archive footage)

Charles Cyphers as Sheriff Leigh Brackett

Lance Guest as Jimmy

Pamela Susan Shoop as Nurse Karen Bailey

Hunter von Leer as Deputy Gary Hunt

Tawny Moyer as Nurse Jill Franco

Ana Alicia as Nurse Janet Marshall

Nancy Stephens as Marion Chambers

Gloria Gifford as Nurse Virginia Alves

Leo Rossi as Budd Scarlotti

Ford Rainey as Dr. Frederick Mixter

Jeffrey Kramer as Graham

Cliff Emmich as Bernard Garrett

John Zenda as Marshal Terrence Gummell

Anne Bruner as Alice Martin

Lucille Benson as Mrs Elrod

Catherine Bergstrom as Debra Lane

Anne-Marie Martin as Darcy Essmont

Dana Carvey as Barry McNichol

Billy Warlock as Craig Levant

Nancy Loomis as Annie Brackett (corpse cameo)

Brian Andrews as Tommy Doyle (archive footage)

Kyle Richards as Lindsey Wallace (archive footage)

Jonathan Prince as Randy Lohnner

Jack Verbois as Ben Tramer

Halloween II, the sometimes denigrated sequel to the original, is Jeff’s pick. The film picks up right where Halloween (1978) left off but with much more of an 80s slasher feel than the first entry in the franchise. Jeff laments the “apparent” loss of Dr. Loomis and thinks Laurie Strode is more of a target than an active participant. Crystal advises viewers that if they watch Halloween II without thinking too much, they’ll have a good time. She doesn’t care one way or the other about the reveal that Laurie is Michael’s sister and points out Michael’s move into the realm of the supernatural with his ability to survive umpteen point-blank gunshots.

Chad is glad Halloween II is different from the first entry in the franchise. To his mind, it would have failed if the filmmakers had tried to copy John Carpenter’s seminal work. He agrees that the filmmakers beefed up the gore and the violence to compete with early 80s slashers. He liked it coming out of the theater in 1981 and he still likes it. Though admittedly not fond of the Halloween franchise, Bill enjoys Halloween II more now than when he first saw it. He still doesn’t care for the Laurie-is-Michael’s-sister twist, pointing out that the idea doesn’t really go anywhere in this specific movie.

Collectively, your 1980s Grue-Crew enjoy Halloween II and though admitting it doesn’t reach the heights of its predecessor, give it a hearty recommendation. Hey! It’s Halloween! At the time of this writing, Halloween II can be streamed from Shudder and Tubi (w/ads) and is available on physical media as a SHOUT! Factory Collector’s Edition [4K UHD] and on Blu-ray as a stand-alone or in a variety of box set combinations from multiple companies.

For more Halloween franchise-related podcasts, check out these episodes from the Gruesome Magazine family of podcasts:

Halloween (1978) — Episode 82 — Decades Of Horror 1970s

HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH (1982) – Episode 198 – Decades Of Horror 1980s

Monster Movie Podcast – Episode 63 – Halloween III

Halloween – The Haunting Of Hill House – Episode 295 – Horror News Radio

HALLOWEEN KILLS (2021) Spoiler Review | A Brutal Sequel to the 2018 Reboot – HNR 471

[Interview] HALLOWEEN KILLS – Jamie Lee Curtis and Andi Matichak

[Interview] HALLOWEEN KILLS (2021) – MALEK AKKAD, Producer

[Interview] – David Gordon Green and Jason Blum – HALLOWEEN KILLS

Every two weeks, Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1980s podcast will cover another horror film from the 1980s. The next episode’s film, chosen by Bill will be Tobe Hooper’s Lifeforce (1985). 

Please let them know how they’re doing! They want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans:  leave them a message or leave a comment on the gruesome Magazine Youtube channel, on the website or email the Decades of Horror 1980s podcast hosts at feedback@gruesomemagazine.com

Check out this episode!