#because I consider it to be part of that ‘project bundle’

[elvneedleworks]

how are babies so small????

[sinsmockingbird]

Wrote this for my beautiful, darling (cosplay) girlfriend, @sea-lanterns. She's been in her MILF phase again and obsessed with Raven, so I decided to write this small thing on MILF!Raven from ideas we threw around at one another. This is a small part 1.5 for PTN Women As Parents btw.

CW: Just Fluff under the cut, with a hint of 18+ themes towards the end but nothing explicit!

• Raven absolutely adores children! She loves nothing more than sitting them down and helping with anything they need - whether it be homework, writing a letter and so on.

• She's always known that she wants kids at some point in her life, she was just waiting for the perfect person to enter it. Luckily for her, you came waltzing in and she was head over heels in love with you the moment your eyes met.

• When you start having children together, Raven has never, ever been more full of joy until she's cradling your new bundle of life in her arms. She'll be smiling so wide, her sharp teeth full on display but there's no hint of threat behind them - just purely a smile of pure, unadulterated love.

• She is going to spoil your kids purposefully and unintentionally so much. She'll get them whatever they want and will do anything that they want to do. There isn't a hint of hesitation in her mind.

• Considering she loves helping children in anyway that she can, be prepared for her to take your kids future school projects into her own hands. Doesn't matter what it is she's going to be there helping (rather doing it for) them.

• Raven gets more excited about working on a school project than her kids do. It's amusing to see how over the top she gets, yet you'll scold her on numerous occasions saying, "Don't do all the work for them, they need to learn!" She'll ignore your words as soon as your out of sight.

• Besides being a rather laid back and down to earth mom, Raven can be quite protective over your children. She's not as obvious about it like most PTN women are, rather she does it more subtly.

• You'll often get calls from the school saying that your children seem to be talking to themselves quite a lot. It'll leave you confused because they don't do that at home..?

• Your unaware of the fact that during the school days, Raven will send her trusty pet raven to look after your kids. It can usually be soon peering through windows into your kids classrooms, and perching on low branches near them when they're at recess.

• It's the reason why teachers think your kids talk to themselves, when in reality it's them talking animatedly to their mothers raven.

• Another big thing Raven does is read stories to her kids. Whether it be reading them to bed or just doing a casual story time in the middle of the day. Be prepared for her to do wild gestures and all sorts of voices for each character in the story.

• She's really such an amazing mom, probably one of the best. She cares so deeply for your kids and would do anything to make them happy and ensure their safety.

• Raven will get baby fever quite a lot, meaning she's gonna wish for more kids with you. But, if your the one with baby fever and say something about it to her- be prepared for her to not hold herself back as she drags you to your guy's bedroom in five seconds or less.

• You won't be leaving that bed again until she's sure your gonna be carrying another one of her kids.

[transmutationisms]

I am sorry if my English is bad. I didn't understand the mausoleum part of the episode? What kind of a mausoleum would have been socially acceptable? I often get confused on the cultural aspects of the show like this I have never been to a mausoleum but it looked fine to me.

ok someone else asked about logan having a closed-casket funeral so let me bundle these into one answer since they both tell us a lot about logan.

the mausoleum registers as tacky to the kids for a few reasons. first, if you're buying your own mausoleum in a city with no graveyard drainage problems, you're basically announcing that you consider yourself so important you need to, like, erect a monument for your grave. it's braggadocious. in logan's case, connor's probably right that logan didn't want to go underground, which is hard for the kids to think about because it makes them see logan as fallible and afraid, in contrast to the godlike image he always projected with them. second, logan bought it on discount from a dot-com guy, meaning some dipshit tech bubble scammer designed the place for his own aesthetic, and logan essentially just glommed onto it. which is like, not only a memorial to yourself, but one that's not even bespoke. third, it's pink marble and yet somehow simultaneously manages to look sort of tryhard dictatorial ("stalin and liberace"). so, architecturally, it comes off as overcompensatory and flashy, the sort of gauche new money shit that logan was always doing even though he really wanted people to perceive him as classy and dynastic.

basically logan's last impression on the earth is this fancy, overdesigned tomb that registers as accidentally cringey and pathetic to his own kids. it was an extremely expensive purchase by median income standards, yet extremely cheap relative to logan's wealth. it comes off like he half-assed the eternal display of his own body, the thing he always tried to use to telegraph strength and yet also the thing he perceived as failing him as he got sicker. and, with that in mind, i always assumed he would have a closed-casket funeral because he's always considered it humiliating for people to perceive his body as anything other than a powerful tool for doing business. he didn't want to be cared for physically when he was sick because it meant acknowledging that sickness; he hid his scars from his children their entire lives. he wanted to consider himself a rational being freed of all unruly bodily phenomena and illnesses, as he considered these things weaknesses. of course, the kids respond to this in different ways, most notably with connor's cryogenics thing and with roman's fixation on logan's body at the funeral, carrying around his sweaters and advil, and being the only one to visit the body on the plane yet being horrified by connor's photo of it at the funeral home and refusing to walk into the mausoleum.

[lady-wallace]

INTEREST CHECK RESULTS

Alright, it took me longer to get this up than intended, but mostly because I've actually been busy working on stuff behind the scenes for the paperbacks/merch the last couple weeks.

Thanks to everyone who sent in their feedback for the project! It really gave me some fun ideas for the merch that will be included.

First of all, I'm excited to announce that the 3rd title you all voted on will be FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS

(now I get to draw a lot of shirtless Abbacchio, thank you <;3)

Our full lineup for this round of paperbacks will be:

-Time in a Bottle -All Along the Watchtower -For Whom the Bell Tolls

All three will be released in both paperback and PDF copies, fully illustrated and with full edits/ possible additions. Time in a Bottle is getting a new one-shot addition involving Dio showing up at Giorno's graduation.

MERCH

With the breakdowns from your feedback, this is what I have come up with for the merch options.

REGULAR MERCH: (these items will be included in the base price of the paperbacks)

-Stickers -Prints -Bookmarks -Exclusive One-Shot PDF

BUNDLE MERCH: (these items will be available for the upgraded bundle option in addition to the items listed above. Please note that all of these items will show up in some form but not all of them will be available for every bundle, i.e. you might get an acrylic keychain with one book bundle, but an acrylic pin with another. I may also make a couple of these items into an add-on you will be able to add to any order)

-Acrylic Keychain -Washi Tape -Notebook -Stationary Set -Acrylic Pin -Buttons

The full merch packages will also be available as an upgrade for people purchasing just PDF copies or PDF bundles

Official pricing is still TBD as I will have to figure out base costs of items to make sure I can fit everything into the voted on price range if possible, but the aprox range of costs for each item is listed below (not including shipping):

-PDF (no merch) $5-8 -PDF (with base merch) $8-12 -PDF (with bundle merch) $15-18 -Paperback (with base merch) $15-20 -Paperback (with bundle merch) $45-55

~~~~

ONE SHOT IDEA SUBMISSIONS

Since an exclusive one-shot will be part of the merch pack, I am looking for ideas for the story. If you have an idea you would like to see, please submit it in the form below! I'm mainly looking for Part 5 based ideas--they can be related to one of the stories or they can be totally original. If I choose your idea, I will be crediting you in the author's note of the story.

This form will be open through mid-March so if you can't think of anything right now, you can come back to it later :)

SUBMIT HERE

~~~~

In other news, considering the votes on the interest check, the Vampire Hunter AU will be next up on the docket for a paperback edition.

~~~~

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out via tumblr asks!

More news will be coming within the next month, but if you want to stay up to date or get to see things early, come join my discord server (we also just have a lot of good fandom chatting going on over there)

[thebumpermagazine]

Avoid Foamstars while you can. (Review)

Late review but who cares.

I tried this game out on a lazy day when I had nothing else going on, needless to say, it was a massive waste of time. This game has been labeled as square's attempt at a splatoon clone. While I think it's fine a label, it does not begin to fully describe the issue this project has.

The Style

The game tries to achieve its own unique Vegas inspired art style. But, in trying desperately to do so, it ends up not even having one. Everything you see in this game looks like it's from something completely different, and not in a fun quirky way, but in one where it feels as if there was no proper management amongst the dev team. While this part confused me during my actual time with the game, we now know that square used AI art for the development, and now it all makes sense. While they specified they didn't use it for the "Core Elements" it makes me think what they consider core elements to be.

The Gameplay

On top of trying to be splatoon, it also tries to be a new exciting team based shooter, while missing the point of what makes a good team based shooter. I felt that all characters were almost identical to each other and did not make me feel like I was playing with someone different. It just felt like they had different reload times and area of damage, but that's about it. While I would like to say more on gameplay, I really can't because it's just sort of nothing but a splatoon clone while also trying to be tf2 or overwatch.

The Micro-transactions

This is the biggest complaint I've seen from people, the price of customization. Listen, I play my fair share of free games with microtransactions. I mean, I even have over a hundred hours in pso2. But, this isn't a free to play game that has some dlc to help further development, this is a game that you have to pay for. It doesn't affect gameplay at all, but it does make the actual reason this game exist obvious if it wasn't already. I have seen costumes go for about 9.99 and bundles going into the same price range as the game itself. What's even more hilarious is that (in my opinion) the costumes aren't even good enough to pay for to begin with, let alone paying the same price you did for the game.

Verdict

While I didn't pay for this game and got it through ps plus (like a majority of people) I know that if I did, I would want my money back immediately. This game from where I stand has no future and even if it fixes the gameplay It's still a game that ask way too high a price for both the main product + add-ons and also uses AI art, something that if stays in the industry will be abused to the point of putting others out of a job. I think you should avoid this game if you were on the fence about it, or if you're like me and were just trying it because you were bored. Trust me, it will bore you even further.

3/10

[gothamhorrorzine]

Hello, Horror Enthusiasts!

Thank you so much for your enthusiastic response to our Interest Check so far!

In addition to your excited comments, we've received a couple of questions about the zine and its contents. You'll find answers to those below.

Haven't had a chance to fill it out? Our interest check will remain open until until July 28th 11:59 EST.

Interested in being a part of the mod team? Apply today!

INTEREST CHECK Q&A

Are you set on the zine only being available digitally? I personally would love to see it being made into a physical copy.

Just to clarify, a paper copy of the zine is off the table, even though you're considering doing physical merch? Although I guess I can print stories myself if i'm determined. What about just the art as a few loose pages of decent quality glossy prints in an envelope?

Yes, the zine will be digital only. For more information on why, please see this post from Mod Kay. However, based on the responses to our interest check, it is very likely that we will have flat merch available alongside the digital bundle. Flat merch would include prints, stickers, and other items that can fit in an envelope.

curious if shipping will be allowed or if it will be gen only

As mentioned in our FAQ and Info Sheet, this zine will be gen only: For this project, we’ve chosen to keep the focus on horror rather than romance and relationships. We understand that horror and romance have had a long history together and are often found living together, however, for this project we’ve chosen to keep the focus on horror.

What would be the word limit for prose writing contributions? Can writers make both feature fiction and comic script contributions? Will we have a server where we can interact and gather through events like movie nights using the examples in the About document? This is a very exciting project and I am so pumped to see it developed.

The typical word count for writer contributions usually falls between 2k - 4k words. However, as we are a digital zine, there is more flexibility for longer works. The mod team will make a formal decision about word count available as part of a contributor information document closer to the application period.

Because we often have many more writers apply than we can accept, we will typically only accept a writer for either a feature fic OR a comic script writer. Should we have fewer than anticipated writer applications, we will consider allowing writers to have multiple roles.

All zine communication will take place on a private zine server. We do not have any movie nights planned but that does not mean we do not encourage them!

Have another question not answered here? Send us an ask or fill out our interest check (if you haven't already!)

[gryphons-n-kelpies]

Yandere Bundle Pack Round 2

Welcome to the official opening stage of the Yandere Bundle Pack: Maid Café Edition!

Like my previous bundle, this event has the goal to spread some attention to other Yandere VN developers and their projects! However, we are throwing a twist and having fun with our precious Yans!

This will serve as the official Q&A for the bundle pack. If you want to see your favorite yans in this bundle or you are a dev and want to take part, feel free to throw suggestions or get in touch with me through here, Twitter (if DM's let you) or email me fireheartedmonster[at]gmail.com

The pack will be released in August!, so the month of July will be used as a teaser for the audience while collaborators decide if they want to join or finish their parts~

Who is going to be in the bundle!

You are going to have to wait until the sale is announced. Those who are official collaborators can choose to release their designs early will be reblogged to gain excitement.

How much will the bundle cost?

Ah well.. That depends on the final number. Considering I want to be able to pay for shipping and materials (I personally print and cut the stickers myself), and support my collaborators.. However, I will aim to be fair as best I can! My last bundle pack was roughly 20 yandere stickers that costed $15!

I'm a collaborator and want to drop out because of [reason] is that okay?

Perfectly! Life does happen. And if reasons get in the way, I don't want you to feel obligated to keep going and stressing out over this. If you can't join this pack, maybe you can join the next one? Who knows. Heck. Should I have time, I might try to include your yandere anyways so you still at least gain more interest.

I want this yandere to join but you said you won't include them. Why?

I have one personal rule. To never bash someone for liking a Yan/Project even if the creator isn't savory. I don't hold it against those who can still separate art from the artist. But I will not draw what I am uncomfortable with, nor will I seek out the creator and ask if they'd like to join the pack.

I don't like [x] character because [reason]. It's the only reason why I won't buy the pack!

I've considered this! So I am going to have two options available for that 1) The supporter can buy a smaller pack. They can select who they want in their bundle (collaborator included will be supported) 2) The supporter can request to replace the offending Yandere with a copy of another, OR whatever sticker that is in my shop!

This is what I can answer right on top of my head, I can add more in time as things get asked. Though~ I can reveal this: If you buy the full pack, I will include Finn from my Lament project (As the yandere in that project is you), and if I sell specific amounts of packs, I will reward everyone with sexy maid outfits of Morogh, Alec, and Sidney

[sunflowerharrington]

𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧 | 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞

part three: she looks just like a dream (the prettiest girl i’ve ever seen)

part one | part two | part three | part four

content warnings: a student referring to girls as bitches, swearing, lack of self confidence

summary: it’s billy’s first day at hawkins high and his english teacher gives him a project to do in two weeks. the catch is that somebody else will be doing it with him…

taglist: @myobmaya @thisishellfire @hellfirehaley @taecube @steveslittlesunflower @friendly-neighborhood-ghoul @wzrlds @eddies-bat @quickiesgirl @fxllfaiiry @liviawritesthings @corrodedhawkins @eddiebillysteve @wh0re-for-christian-bale @mvrylee dm comment or ask me if you would like to be added or taken off 🤍

notes: without further ado, here is chapter three even though i didn’t edit it because who has time for that these days? not me! i’m super busy with college which is why updates are really slow, please bare with me

Out of all the ways Billy expected his first day at Hawkins high to go, he never expected it to be this. Leaning against his cold locker with ink from a gel pen on his hand, reading the numbers jotted down and the surrounding area decorated with pink and yellow gel pen flowers and hearts. Out of all of the ways Billy Hargrove had expected to get Sloane Mitchell’s house phone number, a school project hadn’t been on the list.

It hadn’t even been considered.

And yet there he stood, his broad shoulders pressed against the cool surface of the locker doors behind him, looking down at her number… Until a boy who looked to be his age snatched his hand to look at it.

It was Tommy Hagan.

“Got yourself a bitch already, pretty boy?” He asked with a smirk, nudging Billy’s shoulder. “Is she hot? Fresh meat like you could snatch up a girl here in seconds, they’re all so fuckin’ desperate these days.”

“Call her a bitch again and I’ll carve your fucking eyes out—- I mean, she’s the most beautiful girl in the world. I met her last night,” he admitted, smiling to himself, her kiss still lingering on his slightly flushed cheek from the night before. And he mentally kicked himself off the roof of the building. No more aggressiveness.

Tommy clapped his shoulder twice and shot him a knowing look before turning to leave, walking down the hall, a short girl with brown hair joining him shortly after.

Let’s rewind a little to seven hours ago, 7 minutes and 6.547826 seconds to be exact before English class with Mr Green in room 34E would commence:

“A-are you Billy… Hargrove?” A bundle of energy in the form of a girl asked, bouncing up to him with a school planner encased in her arms.

“Mhmm,” he nodded. “Who are you?”

“Robin. Robin Buckley. I’m… I’m kind of nervous because you’re really intimidating looking and I… don’t know why Miss Weiss asked me to do this because she knows how nervous I get when meeting new people and I don’t know why she couldn’t just get Sloane or Chrissy or someone else to do this because everyone here likes them and they don’t like me and I’m sure you’d love them because they’re both super smart and really pretty and Sloane is the nicest person in Hawkins by far and- and she knows where everything is in here and I forget sometimes because my mind goes ninety miles an hour sometimes and it’s doing that right now and I’m rambling again, aren’t I?”

“Sloane goes here? As in Sloane Mitchell?” He asked, barely noticing how much his hand that was holding his water bottle was shaking.

“You know her?”

“I met her last night,” he sighed, his eyes clouding over dreamily as they followed the constellations of freckles on her button nose, a smile playing on his lips.

Her nervousness was cute in a way Billy couldn’t quite put his ring-clad finger on.

“Oh, cool cool. I’m meant to be showing you around the school so we can talk about that if you want to while we do that— Oh look, there she is!” she said, leaning against the locker next to Billy. “Sloane Nadine Mitchell, the queen of Hawkins High… Who now needs a king. You’d be a good king for her, I think. Your edginess would balance her out. And I’m about to go on a tangent so I’ll stop talking now.”

She in fact did not stop talking. For a while.

Does she introduce everyone this way?

As Robin continued, he couldn’t help but let his eyes wander over his peers, lots of bright colours and secrets splashing around the room. And then his eyes fell on her.

There she stood; the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, as he’d admitted to Tommy and Robin not too long ago. But just like she was beautiful she was way out of his league. The most out of his league a girl could possibly get.

Shit. His chances of getting on her good side, and even getting to talk to her again were slim to none. He didn’t even think he was worthy enough to look at her. But he did anyway.

She had her back turned slightly to him but he could still see her face, her ash blonde hair in a high ponytail with a slight curl to the end, held together with a green scrunchie. A scrunchie that would match her classic yellow, white and green cheerleading uniform.

Wearing his leather jacket, which made his heart skip a beat.

She’d been hugging her paper and textbooks for Physics with Mr Kaminski, tapping a pink pen to her lip as she listened to something another girl with the same cheerleading uniform had been saying.

“And what else did he say?” The other girl had asked, her midnight black waves swaying as she spoke, bouncing on her heels. “Did he kiss you?”

He felt his breath escalate, an ocean of a hazy feeling filling every little cell in his mind, washing away his memories, leaving only one. Last night when he met her. When she wore his jacket. When she kissed his cheek. When she looked up at him with her doe eyes, silently begging him to kiss her.

“No but I really wanted to kiss him. I had to stop myself, I didn’t wanna scare him off,” Sloane whispered, still not having noticed Billy standing three feet away from her with Robin, the raven-haired girl squealing before she could even finish her sentence.

“Tina!” She screeched, calling Tina over. “Did Sloane tell you about the boy she met last night?”

His heart sank. Did she meet somebody else after he’d taken her home? Surely not.

“No? You met someone?”

“Oh my god…” The girl who’s name Billy didn’t know asked, interrupting Tina, her eyes locking with his for a moment. “Who is that?”

“I have no idea,” Tina chimed in, biting her bottom lip, nudging Sloane’s shoulder. “Would you check out that ass?.”

Sloane smiled, her eyes finally finding Billy’s, her hand reaching up in a little wave, and he felt his world caving in from beneath him. If he were to die right now, he’d die happy, knowing that he’d captured her eye.

Billy had heard before from his biological mother that people were attracted to voices, and he didn’t believe it until he heard Sloane’s last night, each and every syllable that left her lips bouncing around his mind like a ball on a basketball court. He probably hallucinated the wave, but he could have sworn she sent him one.

“Hi.”

“Hi,” he replied, the smile on his face growing even wider.

“Never thought I’d see you again, heartstopper.” Her eyes widened as soon as those words left her lips, covering her own mouth with surprise.

“Heartstopper?” He asked. “That’s a new one, pretty girl.”

Heartstopper.

Am I hallucinating this?

“It just came out… Sorry…” She looked up at him, only just noticing how close they’d both gotten to each other. The other two girls dispersed, leaving them as alone as they could be in a crowded hallway since another student that Billy didn’t know called Robin away.

“What did I tell you about apologizing?” He asked, brushing a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

“Don’t apologize unless I’ve done something wrong?” She stated quietly, more of a question than anything, and he nodded bringing his hand back down to his side.

“Exactly,” he started, internally groaning as the school bell rang in his ears for class to start.

Laughter rang through the classroom, but it died down upon his entrance, with all eyes falling on him. Though his eyes were only on one girl in the room.

“I’d like you all to give a warm welcome to William Hargrove, he moved here recently from California. I’m sure I don’t have to remind you of this but please be nice to him.”

“It’s Billy.” He forcefully grinned at his teacher, screaming internally when she asked him to take a seat next to Robin and not Sloane, but he took his seat anyway.

Sloane sat in the middle last row to the left of the classroom, two seats diagonally away from Billy. From where he sat he could see her perfectly, watching as her hair swished in her ponytail when she turned around to flash him her pretty smile.

His breath stuttered, but he covered it up quite quickly by winking at her with a grin. Her smile widened as she turned back around into her desk, just as Mr Green began speaking again.

“As you all know by now, including Mr Hargrove, each year we do a big group assignment that spans over the course of two weeks dedicated to the art of literature. Today I will be talking about this project and separating you into groups of two. We are starting a new unit on romance literature for this upcoming semester, but before I begin I would like to see what you all can do on your own. While you are doing that I will be splitting you up into pairs”

Billy turned to look at Robin who was busy doing her math homework on her lap, straining her eyes to look at the math book she’d placed on the floor. He casted his eyes down towards the table, trying to get rid of the feeling of somebody staring intensely at the back of his neck, making his hair stand on end. But he didn’t turn around to see who it was. And it wasn’t Sloane, because she sat at the front of the classroom.

“I would like to see what works of romance you can find and how you interpret them without any help from me,” Green explained. “You’ll work in groups of two, looking for a work of literature that relates to love. It can be a poem, a short story, a play, a tragedy or a song, and I want you to make a short video that relates to your piece. You have two weeks to write and record it. At the end I expect a paper on your interpretations of the piece no shorter than 1500 words, a video that relates to your piece and a copy of the work of literature. Before you ask any questions, yes, both people have to be in it and I’ll be assigning you your partner.”

Billy shifted in his seat slightly, his knee bouncing up and down in anticipation, why was he so nervous? There was not a chance that his teacher would partner him with Sloane. Mr Forsythe Green was anything but Cupid.

“Your partners are on these sheets that I’ll be passing around along with guidelines on the project. I’ll give you a minute to look at who your partner is before I show you an example of a project two students did similar to this one three years ago.”

Billy looked down at his paper after Green had passed them around; his name written out in barely legible handwriting. Before he looked at the name beside his, he looked up at Sloane, who had a small smile creeping into the corners of her ever-so-kissable lips.

William Hargrove and Sloane Mitchell.

His heart dropped into his stomach, skipping a beat before protruding from his chest like those cartoons he used to watch when he was younger. There was no way he was reading this right. He did not just get paired up with the prettiest girl in Hawkins. The prettiest girl in the world, he corrected.

“I thought Steve and Sloane would be paired. Today’s your lucky day,” Robin said, reading Billy’s sheet. “I got paired with Nancy.”

There was absolutely no way he could focus on anything else no matter how hard he tried. Well… there was always time for gawking at Sloane. Sloane who now had to do a project with him, more than likely against her will. She probably wanted to be partnered with somebody she knew, or Steve that Robin was talking about. He wondered if Steve was the handsome boy at the back of the room with the long, shiny brunette hair.

The bell rang and Billy stood abruptly, wanting to get out of that classroom as soon as possible, until none other than Sloane Nadine Mitchell stopped him in his tracks. Remembering her middle name would be important. For when? He didn’t know. He just knew he needed to remember it.

“There you are, handsome,” her sweet voice rang like the most beautiful melody in his ears.

“Here I am,” he said, leaning against the doorframe to let other students pass him out of the classroom, false confidence taking the place of his anxiety. “You okay?”

“Just wanted to see how your first day is going,” she smiled at him. “Did you make any friends? I saw you talking to Robin a lot.”

She shoved her hands into the pockets of his her jacket and leaned against the wall next to him, their arms brushing, igniting a little flame.

“Is somebody getting jealous?” He asked, a little smirk playing on his lips.

“Um…”

“I’m just joking with you, pretty girl,” he chuckled, tucking that loose strand of her soft hair that had fallen out of her ponytail behind her ear, running his fingers through his own hair afterwards, assuring her with, “I’ll let you know when I’m being serious around you.”

“Thank you, it’s hard for me to interpret people’s emotions sometimes and sarcasm flies right over my head. Thank you for being so considerate,” she smiled and looked at him with those gorgeous amber eyes of hers, and he feels his knees begin to weaken as she looks up at him.

There was a moment of comfortable silence between them before she spoke again. “And since we’re going to be working together on Mr Green’s project I figured I’d… Um… Can I give you my number?”

Billy blinked rapidly. Did the most popular, most beautiful girl in the world just offer him her number? Oh God, reply quickly you idiot!

But his response didn’t come out as quick as he wanted it to.

“If you want to of course, it’s okay if you don’t…” Her gaze drifted to her white converse with pink and green hearts drawn on the sides with gel pens.

“I— Sorry, yes, please give me your phone number,” he stumbled over his words, and the brightness of her smile returned as he did. He let out a dreamy sigh as she took out her pens, his breath hitching in his chest as she took his hand in hers and began writing her home phone number on his skin in the most pretty writing he had ever seen.

He blushed deeply as she wrote the numbers, her tongue sticking out in concentration, before putting the cap of her pen back on. But she didn’t let go of his hand.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Trouble,” she said, lifting his hand up to her lips to give his skin a little kiss before heading in the direction of the school’s cafeteria.

Now he definitely had to do the project with her. It was solidified. Once you have their phone number that’s some serious business. He snapped back into reality a moment later when Robin tapped him on the shoulder, bringing him back to seven hours later, present time. And time to go home.

“Do you think Mr Green is trying to set me up with Sloane?” He mused, tapping his pen against his math book that he’d just taken out of his locker.

“Duh,” she scoffed, fiddling with the collar of her beige flannel. “I think he’s just looking out for you, since you’re new here. And Sloane is the sweetest person in the entire school. Including Hawkins’ Middle School.”

“And so he paired her up with me. Has he not seen my record? I got kicked out of my last school for setting the cafeteria on fire by accident,” he whisper-shouted, and Robin smirked.

“Was it really an accident?” She raised an eyebrow.

“No…” He said, a little laugh in his voice, which heightened when she elbowed him in the ribs.

“You better tell me the full story later, Dingus. Maybe he put you with Sloane because she strikes me as the type who won’t do all the work and just put your name on it and she’ll make you do your half of it.”

“How do we know she wants an A? Maybe she’ll settle for a D?”

“Keep it in your pants, Hargrove,” she snickered.

Billy rolled his eyes, a smile playing on his lips. “Oh fuck off. But seriously, do you think I have a chance?”

“If you play your cards right, I think so. But I guess we’ll just have to wait and see…”

Two weeks to make her fall in love with him sounds as easy as tying shoelaces, but except these laces were full of spikes and on fire and he would have no fingers.

That’s how easy it was going to be.

[upagainstthesunset]

Thinking about Death of the New Gods and how it makes me feel bad. Or: I had to read this terrible interview, so now you do too.

Jim Starlin wrote these characters in the past, notably in Cosmic Odyssey, which I did not enjoy. I don't know a lot about Starlin and his work other than that he was a very active comics writer, and hes created some well known Marvel characters.

I've long wondered why Final Crisis needed to start with the New Gods dying. Especially when Final Crisis #1 seemed like a totally different thing going on. I heard somewhere that Starlin's work was not necessarily in line with Grant Morrison's plans. I get there was this concept of ushering in the Fifth World, but boy did DotNG go in a weird direction to get there. Why have it be a murder mystery? Why have these characters who care and love for each other go through such an ordeal? And why, WHY have the Source be a floating ball with a cheeky attitude that was apparently never behind the final barrier or the wall? Maddening.

No, seriously: everything you think you know about the Source is wrong. This is the part that the really fanatical Kirby fans are simply going to hate.

- Jim Starlin, Interview with Newsarama 2007

The really fanatical fans? I'm wondering what fans of the time actually liked the story and what was done with the Source. So based on this interview Starlin did, it sounds like some of the direction came from Dan DiDio (makes sense sadly), but that he himself was totally in favor of killing off the New Gods anyway.

I sort of think of this project as putting an ending to Jack's New Gods' saga. Since Kirby's initial run on the characters others have presented them with mixed results. Looking back I'd say at least half of the past New Gods series have done more harm than good. So for me, Death of the New Gods is half honoring Jack Kirby, half mercy killing.

- Jim Starlin, Interview with Newsarama 2007

Let those words sink in.

Yeah so, I just really dislike how someone could treat not only fans, but the work of other fellow comics writers with such disdain. And then to claim that this "mercy killing" is simultaneously honoring Kirby somehow. So upsetting and just plain disheartening.

So why am I writing about this? Because I'm a Metron fan and I can't think about this stupid Final Crisis lead in without thinking about Metron. I mean, my tumblr header is edited art from the series, believe it or not. And I do own DotNG floppies, one of which is displayed on my wall (placeholder for when I get New Gods 1971 #1 someday). So yeah there are constant reminders.

And the reason I've given this series a couple read-throughs (which is a couple more than it deserves), is because it was at the time considered canon, and for these characters I enjoy it's integral to what was going on for them at that time. The story makes me mad, a lot of the characterizations make me mad. But I have to admit it is what we were given, and it is a part of the New Gods history. Like it or not. And sadly, I come back to it now and again because it's one of the few comics that gives Metron a large chunk of focus. And that also makes me mad.

We all know Starlin liked Metron enough to inspire Thanos, but here in DotNG we see the Source straight up saying, "You were always my favorite of the New Gods." At first that line made me laugh. I feel the same way. But I cannot ignore the rest of the story just for a few bright moments. And then of all of the New Gods (except Darkseid), Metron is the last one alive, dying finally at his own request. So this knowledge makes me mad because it means Starlin truly was a Metron fan. There's not many of us out there. Just me and maybe some random other people scattered across the internet, and a handful of professional comics writers that I dislike, all grouped into one unholy bundle :/ That's the upsetting thing about this. It's me and Jim Starlin, Metron fans. That's the company I'm in. :(

So anyway, this is all to say I have incredibly mixed feelings (mostly negative) about DotNG, and I wish so much that the writers who like Metron and want to put him on the page weren't Like That.

I'm putting the full interview under a read more for safe keeping.

The Wikipedia reference links are broken but I found the interview in a message board from July 26, 2007.

JIM STARLIN: FERRYMAN OF THE NEW GODS

by Steve Ekstrom

In February of 1971, Jack Kirby introduced DC Universe to the New Gods and Fourth World books. After years of failed revamps and re-boots, critically acclaimed industry legend Jim Starlin gives them a proper burial in October with the release of The Death of The New Gods eight issue mini-series by Jim Starlin.

So far of course, the death toll sits at "one" currently-Lightray was mysteriously killed in Countdown #48.

As most hardcore fans of Kirby's Fourth World will know, the New Gods played a central role in DC's Cosmic Odyssey which was also penned by Starlin. Newsarama sat down and talked to Starlin about his upcoming project and he elaborated elaborate on some interesting objects featured in DC's second Countdown teaser image; as well as, just how dead the New Gods are really about to be.

Newsarama: It's been indicated that the New Gods play a very crucial role in Countdown--can you elaborate as to where your story starts or picks up?

Jim Starlin: Let's see, Lightray died early on in Countdown. I'm not sure which Countdown week The Death of the New Gods begins, but as I understand it, several other New God characters appear in various DC comics before my series begins. I never use any of these said characters in my series. To my knowledge, no one plans to use any of the characters I use in Death of the New Gods, other than Superman. You do the math.

NRAMA: In his interview about the first Countdown teaser image, Dan Didio spelled out the writing on the wall--Big Barda and Mr. Miracle's feet are touching the ground--and touching the ground means you don't make it out of Countdown--so to speak. Is your project, "The Death of the New Gods" a literal massacre or more of a metaphorical change in the status quo of Jack Kirby's Fourth World legacy--or both?

JS: Dan's the boss. Myself, I sort of think of this project as putting an ending to Jack's New Gods' saga. Since Kirby's initial run on the characters others have presented them with mixed results. Looking back I'd say at least half of the past New Gods series have done more harm than good. So for me, Death of the New Gods is half honoring Jack Kirby, half mercy killing.

NRAMA: Black Racer's broken skis and a Mother Box of sorts are pictured on the ground in the second Countdown teaser image; care to throw in your "two cents" with an observation about this particular portion of the larger image?

JS: Didn't realize that was a Mother Box until hearing your question. You know they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. As for the Black Racer clue—well, the Racer was easily my least favorite of the New Gods. So no one should be surprised to learn he doesn't last long in Death of the New Gods. Never could figure out what Kirby was thinking when he created this one. He should have been gotten rid of a long time ago. Then again, that's just my opinion.

NRAMA: Can readers expect to find answers in regards to the more vague aspects of New Gods mythology and status quo? Will there finally be a peek behind the Source Wall at The Source?

JS: Big plans for the Source. You'll never guest whose father he turns out to be. No, seriously: everything you think you know about the Source is wrong. This is the part that the really fanatical Kirby fans are simply going to hate.

NRAMA: Will Mr. Miracle divulge the secret of the Anti-Life Equation or will he be taking that to his deathbed?

JS: Circumstances will get Scott using the Anti-Life Equation freely and to his own detriment. Won't say anymore than that.

NRAMA: Who are some characters for readers to keep their eyes on during Countdown and The Death of the New Gods who will provide insight into what's coming down the pipe for the DC Universe?

JS: Well, coming out of Death of the New Gods, I guess, the only one that it makes any sense keeping an eye on is Superman. He was strictly on loan and I had to promise not to break him.

NRAMA: If the end is nigh for the New Gods, where do Darkseid and Apokolips weigh in? Or are they in danger as well?

JS: I'm not sure why folks keep asking me questions like this. The name of the series is The Death of the New Gods, not The Death of Some of the New Gods.

NRAMA: Got it. Finally, then, will this project lead to a re-iteration of the New Gods in the foreseeable future? Or do you think it is time to close the final chapter on an old idea and try a new concept?

JS: DC owns the rights to the character's names. There's some great names there. What do you think?

[uncommondumdum]

Transcript

Murch: Listen up. We have a problem.

Coyote: Uh, who's that?

Murch: I'll get to that.

A.I.L.A.: What did you do this time, merchant?

Murch: Last night I sent 3 survivors on a supply run. I was monitoring them the whole time just in case our new "friends" decided to pay them a visit. Something attacked them and by the time I got there to help, it was too late.

Coyote: Sounds like a typical evening here.

Murch: No, Coyote this is different. I had positioned outside the deep night's range, and the aftermath there were none of the usual signs left behind. Before they died, one of the survivors took this picture. This isn't deep night. This is-

Val: -a Yeti.

Coyote: Ok what. Seriously who is she?

Murch: This is Val. She is part of my old crew back in my home timeline. You can trust her. I brought her here to help because she's an expert hunter. The best one I know. We need to take this thing out before it finds our camp.

Val: It is a pleasure to join you all. I wish it were under better circumstances. I have hunted many creatures in my time, but the yeti are illusive, and we should not take this threat lightly. We have to thread very carefully.

Coyote: Great, this situation just keeps getting weirder.

Murch: Val is going to track the yeti and prepare our survivors to take it down.

Val: I crafted a bow that should aid the survivors in our hunt. It won't deliver a killing blow, but it will slow it down enough to create a window of opportunity.

You then receive the Longbow gear and the Broadhead Arrows bundle.

Murch: A.I.L.A., it's time to field-test that new project you have been working on.

A.I.L.A: Excellent.

A.I.L.A.'s deconstructer charges up.

Murch: Yetis exist where Val and I come from but I didn't think there were any in this timeline. I'm curious to see what we'll find out. Let's get to it.

Commander: I don't appreciate your rag-tag team meddling with my operation.

Murch: Meddling? If you and your men had done your job, we wouldn't even had to intervene!

Commander: Well that "intervening" has created a problem. You didn't bother to clean up the body, did you? Do you have any idea what else was down there.

Coyote: Uh, Murch? What's he talking about?

Commander: My team was never there for the yeti. We were there to contain an infectious anomaly. The yeti, was unexpected. You left the body behind. You gave it exactly what it needed. You gave it a host. Now it's attacked our main outpost, infected countless men. It's spreading.

A.I.L.A.: This is not first time the merchant has made a critical error.

Murch: What do you need us to do?

Commander: I need you to clean up your mess. Unfortunately, most of my team has been wiped out in the attacks and we're short on men. You need to contain this, now.

Murch: We'll handle it. A.I.L.A., Coyote, let's get a sample of the substance, see if we can jerry-rig a technical solution together. Val, you mind sticking around a little longer?

Val: Whatever you need, Murch.

You then receive the Longbow gear and the Broadhead Arrows bundle.

Murch: Commander... sorry about your men.

Commander: Then let's consider it even.

Transcript

[The Survivors return to the cabin via car with groceries]

Coyote: Oh, you're back? Did you get my slushie-

Murch: Ehem, welcome back. We just finished cleaning up down here, and got most of the debris blocking the lab's sub-level cleared out. Come on down.

[The Survivors take the groceries out of the car and enter the cabin, they put the groceries inside the fridge and then head to the basement lab to meet with the crew]

[Dialogue with Murch and Coyote before you trigger the first cutscene]

Murch: Could you even make it out? I had almost no time to grab anything before I left.

Coyote: I should myself, was stuck in there for like decades. This landscape full of nothing. Time felt like it was out of stance to me, just kept going until I found these exits, holes, things that led to places. Timelines, probably. Eventually found one that led here.

[The first cutscene starts to play]

Coyote: Anyways... There you are! ...Wait, no slushie?

Murch: Down to business, Coyote. Not the time for joking around.

Murch: As I'm sure you're all aware, last night the survivors ran into something unexpected. That monster from the attack of the cabin. The one that "killed" the slasher...

Murch: This one is real, it's not a manifestation like we're used to seeing. We already lost someone, and had serveral others injured.

Coyote: It seems like the Deep Night's starting to catch on to our plan.

Murch: We need to be much more careful going forward, and we need more info.

Murch: A.I.L.A., you've been sorting through the records and databases on these terminals, correct?

A.I.L.A.: Affirmative.

Murch: Do you have anything?

[A.I.L.A. displays the "Project Nocturne" hologram]

A.I.L.A.: I have found several references to a project called "Nocturne", records indicate they were attempting to fuse Deep Night matter into living organisms.

A.I.L.A.: ...The project was shuttered, after control over specimens had failed.

A.I.L.A.: ...Project was overse N B Y -_#"<^-_#"- Doctor Malcolm Orvhill.

Coyote: Wait wait wait. The owner of the cabin? Orvhill Energies? Didn't you guys tell me the guy died a few years ago?

A.I.L.A.: Accessing H.U.N.T. files on Doctor Malcolm Orvhill...

[A.I.L.A. accesses the H.U.N.T. Files and displays Dr. Malcolm Orvhill's data file hologram]

A.I.L.A.: Name: Malcolm Orvhill/ Occupation: Former Orvhill Enegeries CEO / Age: 84 / Status: Deceased / Cause of death: Natural causes

Coyote: This dude was tied up in some serious business. If that monster has been down here this long , how did it even escape? DId someone let it out?

Coyote: ...Are we sure that Orvhill is dead?

Murch: He's dead. If H.U.N.T. has files on this guy, then he's got to be.

Coyote: ...Hmm.

Murch: Regardless, looks like we have even more of a reason to check out the sub-level of the lab. We need to see if there is any information about this "Nocturne" project somewhere down there.

Murch: Maybe we'll find a weakness, and be able to put that monster down for good. Head on down, we'll wrap up here and be right behind you.

[The survivors head down to the lab stairwell and finds the first old computer (if interacted some dialogue will play), they head left and find a security center]

[The survivors enter the security center and pulls a power lever. The power lever activates the security cameras of the cabin and allows the survivors to open the blast door]

[The survivors interact with the blast doors but it doesn't open, it instead deactivates]

Murch: What was that? Survivors, did you touch something?

[The survivors triggers an alarm]

[Laboratory Security Intercom message starts playing in a distorted voice]

Lab Security Intercom: Se-urity al-rt. Warn-ng. Unat-orized person-el have entered th -ab-rato-y. Lock-own in-ti-ed.

Murch: Ahh, thats annoying. A.I.L.A., can you shut this thing up and remove the lockdown?

A.I.L.A.: Already in progress. [Hacking sounds]

Murch: Just hang tight, we'll have you out in a second.

[After a short amount of time, a loud roaring sound is heard and "Nocturne" starts breaking down the door]

Murch: What?! The monster! A.I.L.A., where are we at?! Can you get this open?!

A.I.L.A.: Negative. "Nocturne" will breach the room before i can override the lab security protocols.

Murch: Aagh! Put up a barrier at the lab entrance!

["Nocturne" starts breaking down the blast door with the 20-second death timer appearing on the survivor's screen]

Murch: Sorry survivors, but you got to find a way out of that room, and fast! In the meantime we'll work on finding you an alternative exit! Now go!

[The survivors enter a ventilation shaft to escape "Nocturne". During the vent sequence, "Nocturne" walks pass a vent and checks the vent before immediately running away]

[The survivors head towards the end of the vent which leads to a large office with the second old computer]

Coyote: Have you found them an exit yet, A.I.L.A.?

A.I.L.A.: Yes, forwarding location.

Murch: Alright you got that, survivors? We're on our way, and will meet up with you at the coordinates.

Murch: If you can swipe any info on your way without becoming monster chow, at least this situation won't be a complete loss. Stay safe.

[The survivors approach a second vent to reach sublevel exit to regroup with the gang while suddenly a barrier automatically shuts down the door next to the vent, which makes an alarm sound]

[The survivors enter the vent which they are now at the other side of the previous blast door with more alarms blaring, they then approach another vent to bypass a locked blast door]

[The survivors are now at the other side of the blast door which leads to a extremely large room with a Deep Night reactor core in the middle of the room, they then approach a cargo elevator to go to the lower floors]

[They went to the lower floors with more barriers blocking the door to reach to the exit, but suddenly "Nocturne" breaches the topper blast door and starts swinging at the ceiling to block off the survivors path, but he somehow doesn't attack]

[The survivors take an alternative route which a pair of black tentacles eat up the doors. The doors leads to a large ventilation shaft hallway with large wall fans, overgrown plants and even more dead bodies. The end of the hallway leads to a small room with multiple bunk beds, the third old computer and a vent. The survivors enter the final vent which leads to the laboratory's control centre, the final area before the survivors finally regroup with the gang]

[A cutscene plays which Murch, A.I.L.A. and Coyote are running in the halls to regroup with the survivors]

Murch: Survivors, you're still alive. Good, Let's get out of here, come on-

[A pile of goo in the middle of the room starts to emerge a large figure]

Murch: Everyone, get behind me.

[Murch takes out his revolver and nervously aim at the pile of goo]

[Unknown FIgure]: I have anticipated this moment for a very long time.

Murch: What is this?

[Unknown Figure]: Ah yes. The Great Merchant, savior to the timeline, how noble of you. To think that you can stop what is coming.

Coyote: Midnight's Shadow...

[The Unknown Figure's name is revealed to be Midnight's Shadow]

Midnight's Shadow: Thank you for fulfilling you end of the deal. I knew you were a wise one.

Murch: No... Coyote... What's going on? What did you do?

Coyote: I...I had no other choice. It either was help him, or stay stuck in there, forever. I'm sorry.

Murch: Coyote...

[Coyote takes out the Amplifier and hands it to Midnight's Shadow]

Midnight's Shadow: So cold of you to lie to your friends. Don't worry about it, I'm sure they will understand. After all, Murch is no stranger to manipulating those that trust him most. You told me to see purpose. And i have certainly found it.

Murch: Oh my god... Aiden? What happened to you?

Midnight's Shadow: I have become an emissary! You pushed me down this path, for that, I will grant you one mercy. Consider this the only opportunity to get ahead.

Midnight's Shadow: Embrace the cover of midnight now, for you cannot run from it much longer.

["Nocturne" teleports behind Midnight's Shadow and the door behind the gang closes]

Murch: A.I.L.A., find us an exit, now.

A.I.L.A.: In progress.

[A.I.L.A. uses her panel to find the nearest exit]

Midnight's Shadow: Pity, I had a feeling we would not see eye-to-eye on this. Do not worry about fleeing to the cabin. Consider this an eviction notice.

[Rubble starts falling off of the the ceiling]

Murch: I'm gonna kill you!

[Murch shoots Midnight's Shadow with his revolver four times]

Midnight's Shadow: [Laughs] Sorry to dissapoint you. I have to admit, I didn't expect you to find three of the amplifiers so fast, very good planning on your part. Orvhill hid them well, the things we can accomplish with this...

Coyote: I don't think so.

Midnight's Shadow: ...What?

Coyote: Well it all went according to plan right? I brought them hereand you got an "Amplifier"; just like you asked. We're done here.

[The amplifier on Midnight's Shadow's hands start to make an alarm sound which its pitch rapidly increases, seconds before exploding]

A.I.L.A.: Exit located.

Murch: Run!

[The crew runs to the exit and the amplifier explodes on Midnight's Shadow's hand]

[The gang escapes via a long catwalk which leads to a cargo elevator with a 30-second death timer initiated]

Midnight's Shadow: This is the beginning of the end! You have no idea how hopeless you are to stop us! Keep running! I WILL END YOU!

Murch: Go! Get to that cargo elevator!

[The crew successfully escape via a cargo elevator which leads to the outside, but the cabin they stay in had burned down, killing all the avatars inside the cabin]

[A.I.L.A. calls in a Tech V-tol to pick them up]

Murch: ...We need to leave

[The Tech V-tol arrives]

[The crew enter the Tech V-tol, only the avatars Chad, Hazmat and Hunter survived from the cabin fire]

Coyote: Listen, Murch. I'm sorry. I had no other-

Murch: I'll deal with you later!

[A.I.L.A's Tech V-tol warning goes off]

A.I.L.A.: Warning, incoming attack. Hang on.

[A.I.L.A.'s Tech Vtol gets shot down by an unknown object]

Murch: Everyone, brace for impact!

-The Story Mission Ends-

Old Computers Transcript

3 Old Computers can be interacted inside the mission which will have dialogue relating to Malcolm Orvhill's plans, the voice recordings are not Orvhill's voice but rather an unknown scientist working for Orvhill Energies. (Since there are no subtitles for old computer dialogue, some of the dialogue might be incorrect)

Old Computer 1 dialogue

[Cassette Tape activates, which makes a loud activation sound. The screen of the computer turns purple]

[Cassette Tape starts playing, making a short beep]

Unknown Orvhill Energies Lab Scientist: [Sigh] May 13 was another failure. Nothing seems to survive beyond the first few days. Orvhill suggesting try something larger and uh.. more resilient to the source. Even sent us a few new genome examples. A uh... Dire Wolf, two subspecies of leopard and uh [scoffs] an actual komodo dragon, if you could believe that. [ugh] At least it's better than rats, I guess.

-Old Computer 1 dialogue ends-

Old Computer 2 dialogue

[Cassette Tape activates, which makes a loud activation sound. The screen of the computer turns purple]

[Cassette Tape starts playing, making a short beep]

Unknown Orvhill Energies Lab Scientist: [phew] We finally have it. One of the subjects to survive the procedure. The changes for its physical structure were uh.... a mix to say the least. It's several times larger than we previously predicted and somewhat bipedal as well. But [ugh] just as expected though, there's no change in the subject's cognizant behaviour. Uhh... For a lack of a better phrase, it's as dumb as bricks. Still runs on animalistic instinct and adrenaline. We can't control it, yet. Surely there has to be a way, right?

-Old Computer 2 dialogue ends-

Old Computer 3 dialogue

[Cassette Tape activates, which makes a loud activation sound. The screen of the computer turns purple]

[Cassette Tape starts playing, making a short beep]

Unknown Orvhill Energies Lab Scientist: Human trials? What a bunch of corporate hacks. When you register human trials, we haven't even begun to understand the substance we're dealing with. Even if we did, even if we had enough subjects willing to volunteer, fatality rates are over 96 percent. No, no. We have to do better, or this won't end well....

-Old Computer 3 dialogue ends-

sigh

[justahappycloud]

i was tagged by @duquesademiel to share the current first lines of my wips so you are once again forced to take a look at what I'm writing, #sorrynotsorry

so here we go!

star-crossed

Our story begins with a world. It’s not a new world, but it isn’t old either. Its history books count with a considerable amount of pages, its entries recalling generations and generations of human lives who’ve left their mark in this world’s ground.

halloweentown

Harry has the worst friends in the entire world. Alright, maybe that’s not right. But oh, boy; don’t they try to earn the title.

reputation

The December ice-coloured sky hides behind a wall of cinderblock clouds. Outside, the tops of the trees shudder violently, a whistle audible even through the double glass. A dull thought strolls past his mind. 'The wind must be fierce outside.' Harry tries to hold onto those words, even if they don't mean anything, perhaps because they don't mean anything. Either way, it's useless. They're gone as soon as he reaches out to grab them.

thank you future ex

Winter in London is a beautiful sight. Snow glistens while it falls from the sky in cotton tufts similar to white bunny tails. On-walkers get their hats blown by cold breezes of air, the sound of chatter and laughter carrying them away. The city comes alive under the lights of a Christmas that comes early when businesses put up the first decorations to prompt passersby to consider walking in.

Table for Two

“Fucking hell,” Louis mutters under his breath, the curse muffled by the cigarette dangling from his lips. It’s a cold night out. The people who walk past him chat amicably with each other, bundled in coats and scarfs that they take off as soon as they cross the restaurant’s double doors. Louis isn’t so lucky.

Not the Jealous Kind

Laughter fills the dressing room as soon as the main doors open. A bunch of security guards and management interns come in first with a rush. ‘Oh, Simon is gonna be so cross about this,’ they say. ‘We need to call the PR team to make sure this is nothing but a small mistake.’ ‘Look, I know this job is supposed to be hard, but these guys, I swear…’ After them, and with much less stiffness in their bodies, four men enter the room cackling.

take what's broken (make it whole)

“And you’re really, really sure you can’t come even for a few months? Not even one?” Harry grimaces while he waits for an answer. “Yes, Gemma, of course I’m being serious!” He stands up from the couch, running a hand through his tangled hair. The tips tickle his shoulders when he releases it, and Harry frowns a little. He needs to get it trimmed soon. “Okay, but surely the company understands you aren’t leaving for no reason. This is an emergency, an important part of your life is in danger here.” He crosses his arms over his chest. “What do you mean which part? Me! Your little brother!”

and because of who tagged me, here's a bonus snippet

the Divine Series long fic (From the Vault)

Look, Charles wanted to be a demigod. In fact, not only did he want to be a demigod—he wanted to be the demigod, like the figures that were at the front of the legends that passed from mouth to mouth at Camp Half-Blood. Legends, that’s what they were: heroes who fought against terrifying monsters, overcame impossible missions and defied the Gods with a powerful look that seemed to say ‘Come on, try to kill me. I’m not afraid of you.’

oof! there we go. so many projects, so little time to write them. as usual, i'll tag @nooradeservedbetter, @enchantedlandcoffee (if you want to participate), @larrysballetslippers, @red-pandaaa and @hellolovers13. have fun with this! can't wait to see what you're working on

[chocolatepot]

Some disjointed thoughts on diagnosing fictional characters (particularly with autism) ...

So it's generally understood that you can't diagnose fictional characters or historical figures with any disorders or diseases, physical or mental. You don't have access to all the details. You can't run the kinds of tests you need to run. Fictional characters in particular may not have a coherent set of symptoms at all - they're not real people.

(This got long, so it's under a cut.)

However, the thing that has me thinking is that autism and ADHD are ... collections of traits. There is not an autism chemical in the brain that you can check for to see if a living person is autistic (or an ADHD switch) - psychologists observe children and talk to adults to figure out if they have enough of the traits in the bundle to be considered autistic(/ADHD). And that is mainly for the purpose of determining if they qualify for assistance of some kind, not to make an absolute proclamation. There are certain issues that will get them to that conclusion faster because they more clearly require that assistance, like being non-verbal, but that doesn't make those traits more or less essential to the condition itself.

And the fact is that a lot of the traits are generally considered part of normative human personalities. Probably everyone diagnosed as an adult has spent a lot of time considering themselves insensitive, stupid, careless, forgetful, messy, selfish, etc. Being able to pin these negative traits to a diagnosis often helps people stop castigating themselves because now they don't have to blame themselves for these things - it's not my fault, I don't forget to do my homework/misunderstand what people are saying to me/etc. because I'm a bad person on a moral level, it's because of the way my brain is.

I feel like a lot of the hullabaloo over self-diagnosis comes down to the idea that people with negative personality traits are trying to wriggle out of being held culpable for them. You see it from both sides. I am constantly forgetting things because there is something wrong with my brain that prevents me from retaining that information OR I only forget things when I'm deliberately not paying attention: you need to stop claiming that there is something preventing you from retaining information and accept that you are careless and choose to forget stuff. It only counts when you spend $1000 on a psychological evaluation and basically list the symptoms you found in the much-derided social media posts and have a doctor confirm that yes, those are all signs of ASD/ADHD and yes, you do seem to be describing incidents where you displayed them. (And also talks to your mother with you and the whole thing is incredibly embarrassing and your insurance decides they just aren't gonna pay for it!) But do we actually need to parse out who's "allowed" to be forgetful, or to have any other traits that can be seen as symptoms of neurodivergence? Isn't it possible that we are all at the mercy of our brains' mechanics to some extent? Again, there's no autism chemical that makes a diagnosed autistic person's natural bluntness more "not their fault" than the natural bluntness of someone not diagnosed.

Or, to bring it back to fictional character diagnoses, which is where this actually started, this turns into the idea that fans are trying to help the character get away with something by imposing a diagnosis on them, often with a side accusation that people are just projecting their own disorders onto characters they like (which in fairness we ND folk do joke about doing). But the thing is, if you've been dealing with your neurodivergence your whole life, you have quite a lot of expertise in what it looks like, and again, all psychologists do to diagnose ASD or ADHD is observe and compare what a patient does and says to what they know about how ASD/ADHD present ... which is what fans do when they watch a show or movie or read a book and come to the conclusion that a character is ND.

This feels unfinished but I can tell I have a headache coming on and besides, my lunch break is ending, so toodle-oo.

[cosmiccowzine]

From mod @mochosum : The prices of shipping and manufacturing has gone up. I know it doesn’t seem that way because I try to keep the price of the zines and shipping the same throughout the projects. But with the past few projects, many manufacturers and shipping carriers have let me know that basically the economy sucks right now and fees go up. I just haven’t been raising the fees against everyone until now. So consider the past year a discounted thank you from me. Honestly, I do not want to change the price but cosmiccowzine can no longer absorb these costs without making some changes. This is not an easy decision. My favorite part of leading cosmiccowzine is the many people I get to work with on our passion project. I don’t want the contributors’ payment to be less and less as manufacturing and shipping fees go up. I will still continue to pack and transport for free, but prices will still need to be adjusted. Prices will increase an estimated $5 USD for bundles and shipping fees increased by $2 USD. I will still be doing stretchgoals, as that’s a part of the project loved by everyone. I truly appreciate everyone’s continued support, and hope that you can understand the necessity of this price adjustment. I look forward to making more projects with your continued support!

[devsgames]

Bombing!! A Graffiti Sandbox: 1 Year Revenue Breakdown + Retrospective

I'm going to give a little breakdown of the cost/profits of my solo developed creative sandbox graffiti game Bombing!!: A Graffiti Sandbox, from a one-year snapshot after release.

Disclaimer: This information was originally posted in July 2022 on my Twitter, and I'm reposting it here because I believe it's incredibly useful information for other developers to have when publishing something. It's the exact kind of information I wish I had when first venturing into gamedev solo!

Profit Breakdown

Units Sold (Steam): 1,167

Total Grossing (Steam): $5,792 USD

Total Net (Steam): $4,133 USD

Units Sold (Itch): 20

Total Grossing (Itchio): $106.00 USD

Cost Breakdown

Unity Plugins: $100.48 USD

Music (Licensing): $190.39 USD

Localization: $87.08 USD

Promo (Event fees + VO for reels): $55 USD

Steam listing: $125 USD

Total non-labour costs: $557.95 USD

Observations

Itch Organic Discoverability is typically very low. I tend not to use Itch as a primary host for my work because of this reason alone. It's pay structure is more equitable, but people rarely discover my games there. I use Itch to put my game in charitable bundles for good causes and for giving people an option to buy through there if they prefer, but I don't promote my work via that because I've never found success there.

At time of writing (July 2022) I was averaging ~$120 USD per month from Steam sales. As of November 2022 this has decreased to ~$90, which means my Steam profits of both Bombing!!: A Graffiti Paradise and Lofty Quest don't make enough sales to pass the $100 monthly Steam payout limit.

I don't plan to recoup labour fees on nay project, ever. Simply put, with how the market is and the devaluation of games in general I don't anticipate ever becoming sustainable enough to afford the price of the actual work I put into my projects. Bombing!!: A Graffiti Sandbox was made over the course of ~7 months with hundreds of hours of labour put into it - even in terms of minimum wage rates that's a lot for an indie title to try and make back on, so planning for that has always felt unrealistic for me.

I'm lucky I found a niche. Non-VR painting simulators are in short supply, and there was a lot of people who wanted to be able to draw in a world without an expensive VR barrier to entry. I think knowing the market and planning for that ended up being a smart move on my part.

A lot of success has been due to my network. Word of mouth spread on Bombing!!: A Graffiti Sandbox was pretty solid, and without word getting out early on I suspect these numbers would have shaken out a fair bit worse.

In Summary

I think Bombing!!: A Graffiti Sandbox was a success.

Honestly, as my first published digital title I expected it to flop and my goal was to simply make back the cost it took to get it onto the Steam store (~$125 USD). I think it had made that back in roughly a week after it launched, which blew me away.

I do think it was largely privilege and luck that got me there however. Even considering how rough the game is (looking at it now it's crazy to me that I actually shipped it) I'm super grateful it found its audience and a community that cared so deeply about it despite its flaws.

It's also a big reason why I want to make Bombing!! 2: A Graffiti Paradise the best that it can be, to properly give the people who supported me something even better to play around with :)

(As with anything else, I'm totally open to asks for specifics or further observations on this sort of stuff if there's anything else you'd like to know, or even just have any curiosities about! As I mentioned, when I was starting out I wish I had more bizdev resources that were transparent about raw numbers like this from the perspective of people working at a similar scale to myself, so I wanna give back however I can.)

[phantomato]

[F]or a long time I stuck to writing pre-canon fics or AUs because I felt intimidated by the need to Address The Thing. And eventually, I did…. 197,000 words of Addressing The Thing. It was a lot of fun to write, it got a good reception, I was pretty happy with it overall.

But then the fic was finished, and I went on to writing other things…. I had a reader ask me “Do you ever plan to Address The Thing in this fic?” I felt kind of jarred. Because… I already wrote that fic….

And that’s just it! That’s just so exhausting, both from a writing and a reading perspective. I don’t want to have to wade through ten thousand words of Addressing The Thing, over and over and over…. An entire fandom full of fics that are about exactly the same thing would be awful.

Clipped from: mikkeneko

Thoughts on this and why I’ll never order two cakes below the cut.

With apologies to those who will always order two cakes.

If there’s one thing I love, it’s older meta. I came across the linked piece tonight, and I don’t even fully agree with the discussion that led to mikkeneko’s addition, but I adore that addition, so it was a worthwhile read. I’ve carved out the core part of it, if you’ll excuse my ellipses; it’s worth reading the less-choppy version.

Anyway, what I enjoy about older meta is seeing how the same thoughts and conversations have been circling through the fan community for years, even decades, in essentially recognizable forms. I’ve felt this for a long time, as my very patient and wonderful friends can attest, and here I am, quoting a six-year-old post, finally able to put my thoughts in order thanks to it.

There’s that adage that goes around tumblr, and fandom more broadly, about authors who worry whether their take on a recurring trope/premise/etc. will be welcome. “Well, of course,” the tumblr post/comic assures the reader, “what’s better than two cakes?” And I am so glad that fandom makes space for that, joyfully encourages it, and that readers and writers who love revisiting the same moments in canon, the same plot inspiration, the same tropes or kinks for their favs, can find all that they want in this space.

With that said, I don’t want a second cake. It’s just not my temperament—if I’ve had a satisfactory/enjoyable cake, I will next want a pie, or something to drink, or something that’s not sweet at all. This goes double for my work as a creator; perhaps I will circle back around to wanting to eat yellow cake in a few weeks or months, but I don’t want to bake it again for years. I like variety!

I write pre-canon, primarily. It’s not a coincidence. The character I like best lives for 64 years before canon starts up, which is most of his life. He experiences everything you would expect of someone that old, and more, and there are dozens of jumping-off points in even the scant history we get about him. On the other hand, canon lasts seven years, and he dies at the end of it. Canon doesn’t account for every second of his life in those seven years, no; there are many plot threads to pick up. However, by virtue of being the antagonist, canon brings bundles of baggage—if you diverge in year three, what about XYZ other plot events that we know are taking place? If you do anytime before the end of year four, you’ve got to reckon with how he gets a body, and after year four, his body looks a certain way that you’ll have to address. Don’t forget about his supporters, and his housing situation, and the increasing degree of investment from the protagonist towards destroying the antagonist, and…

It’s a lot.

It’s a lot that I have, quite neatly, sidestepped (re)writing.

I took it on in Oily Water, a project that had a false start, 10k words deep before I realized I wasn’t satisfied, needed to scrap it all, and restart. That’s over a sixth of its finished length, mind. I rewrote it from an entirely new POV. And while I love what I created, I consider that exercise finished. I’ve written the canon-era fic; I’ve eaten that cake. It was a chore for me. Perhaps I’ll want to eat it again in two or three years, but probably not before. I don’t care about canon—and not just in the sense of “screw the rules, I have money I can write a different plot,” but very, very sincerely: I don’t care about anyone or anything that defines the canon era, and I don’t want to write there.

I’ve done it already.

I’ve Addressed The Thing.

Not every story needs to be about The Thing, even when The Thing is defined as “the canon and core of this universe.” I write a villain; I am so tired of the set of expectations that demand answers as to how he deals with his boy-hero nemesis and how he wins or ends or survives his war and how his magic macguffins are dealt with. The boy hero’s never born, and if he is, he’s irrelevant, not fit for even a one-line mention. The war doesn’t start because my story changed so much in the decades prior. I don’t give a shit about magic, let alone macguffins, and they’re not named. I free myself from baggage by refusing to pick it up in the first place.

And that’s lonely, as it happens. I think it’s very reasonable and expected that most fans of a thing will want to spend the majority of their time in the canon, playing with the main characters, and revisiting the events that define the series. I know it’s a little silly to look for community in the vast blankness of the extra-canonical timeline, where there are few signposts to guide the way, but I do. I relate very strongly to the statement that it is exhausting to both encounter the same types of content over and over again, and to deal with the expectation that my content provide those same elements. I would stop writing before I put myself through replaying canon endlessly—it is, again, just not my temperament. I need the change and lack of expectation that comes from looking at other parts of the timeline in order to feel creatively fulfilled.

There’s no takeaway message in this, I’m afraid. I don’t come out of reading mikkeneko’s post with any great insights into… how to be more content with my role as a fic author, or how to navigate membership in the wider fandom. I am glad to see someone else express that desire to avoid particular areas of canon baggage, and the associated pressure to do just the opposite, that’s plagued me in my time here. I just don’t want to Address The Thing, and each time I flirt with it, with taking on some part of the mantle of expectation, I become only more convinced that it’s a poor fit for me and that I shouldn’t try again.

I only wish it were easier!

[wroteonedad]

Stop Making Sense (1984) Review

About 5 years ago, I went to visit my hometown after a long 2 weeks of being a fresher. I was just so exhausted from eating dry cereal and drinking a bottle of wine at every fresher pre-drinks before not going out because I didn't have a valid ID, so I went home. I'm sitting in the back of my grandparents vintage car, one so old it only has a cassette player. My grandad pulls out a handful [of tapes] and goes, this one is a classic I'm going to put it on. Below and behold, it was a cassette of the live recording of Talking Head's Stop Making Sense. I had never listened to the band before then, but I fell in love with the recording of Psycho Killer immediately. Flash forward to October 2023 where my boyfriend has taken me to the cinema to see the the 4k restoration edition of Stop Making Sense; the film begins with David Byrne on the stage. 'Hi, I've got a tape I'd like to play' and the exact version of the song I had heard on my grandad's copy of the cassette starts to play.

I know that sounds silly, but as someone who has been familiar of the band for years, but never really knew them enough to consider myself a huge fan, I was in shock. I spent most of the concert movie watching in awe, footage that had been taken originally from 4 days of playing Pantages Theatre in Hollywood in 1983. The first 5 or 6 songs have stage progression, it starts with Byrnes and his acoustic guitar and as every song plays, you watch as the stage men roll across new instruments, more equipment and more band members take to the stage to play their role in the show. It is like watching a pantomime in real time. The stage presence of every person involved was electrifying, there was constantly something to look at.

When the curtains finally fall to create a full set design, you know we're finally in the zone, the next segment of the show begins. David Byrne rotates between slim fitting to super baggy extra large grey suit, you know *the* grey suit. He swings his arms and legs around in directions that doesn't make sense, he constantly looks like a drunk man about to topple to the ground after a few too many and uses a lampshade as a swing during the film.

As far as the character of Stop Making Sense goes, it is the perfect analogy of an autistic person after three cups of coffee, I love it. Ednah Holt and Lynn Mabry, the backing vocalists for this particular tour bring in strong complimentary vocals and bringing in two big personality characters to jump along in time to David Byrne being David Bryne clamouring across the stage in all directions at once.

Jerry Harrison became every man through the film rotating between guitar and the keyboard. I remember that one part of the film where he lifts his arms up after playing on the keyboard and seeing the sweat stains the size of a country, it was so real. I was sweating just from watching them all bundle around the stage in a hot theatre with variations of lights beaming on them for an hour and a half straight. There were no breaks, there were barely time for costume changes and there certainly wasn't an encore, but it just made sense.

The closest we had for a break was when Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz became centre stage, performing Genius Of Love by Tom Tom Club, their side project. A song which I also knew of, but had no idea it had anything to do with Talking Heads, I felt flummoxed. After this song was when Byrne came back to the stage in the two piece suit which seemed to consume him.

Towards the last couple of songs is when the whole band are finally introduced to the audience, to which they then play one of their best hits and pan to the crowd dancing, laughing, having the time of their lives. Half of the audience looked like a Chad, a typical jock character you always see on the 80s cult classic movies, but the guy that stole the show was the child with the unicorn stuffed toy in his hand, standing up and watching the show.

It was impossible to take my eyes off the screen for a second and I wouldn't dare think of going for a quick toilet break during this show. You truly never knew what David Byrne was going to do next on that stage, he was unpredictable, like a child after too many blue sweets containing e numbers. He did laps around the entire stage the way I used to as a toddler after a slushie. The whole band gave a show that didn't feel like a concert itself, it felt like a theatrical show and it is very fitting that this was also filmed in a theatre.

I would also like to note that there are definitely times where David Byrne reminds me of Cillian Murphy and I also think that when Byrne was in the big suit, that he looked like a larger than life Oppenheimer.

Like I really hope this makes sense.

Also, much to my boyfriends disgust, when Jerry Harrison first came out on stage I said he looked like Nick Jonas.

And as for Tina, she really reminds me of Stevie Nicks. I think it's mostly something about the blonde hair and her eyes.