#ben h shepherd

[e350tb]

Hitler’s Soldiers: The German Army in the Third Reich by Ben H. Shepherd

During the Cold War, it was customary to believe that the Wehrmacht of the Second World War had fought an honourable and just war, unlike their comrades in the Waffen-SS - largely with the support of the NATO powers, who needed to make rearming West Germany against a potential Soviet threat politically acceptable. Since the 1980s and 1990s, this mythology has been steadily and comprehensively dismantled by academia, but it retains its toehold in the popular imagination. This is not only among terminally online ‘Wehraboos’ who have a near sexual fascination with Tiger tanks and can tell you the order of battle of Army Group Centre down to the individual battalions; it can also be seen in mainstream culture, be it in the form of the noble German General delivering the final speech in Band of Brothers, or in heavy metal songs about the last stand of the Ninth Army in 1945. So while Ben Shepherd’s Hitler’s Soldiers may not be bringing too much new to the table, it’s not hard to see while examinations of the criminality of the German Army might still be needed.

Hitler’s Soldiers concerns the development of the Heer - the German Army - from Hitler’s rise to power until the end of the war, examining it from both a military and moral perspective. Militarily, I would say Shepherd’s work is competent - looking at his previous works, it would seem he’s focused in the past on anti-partisan warfare in the East, and I did find his analysis of the war on the Eastern Front to be pretty good. As for the Western Front, while it’s certainly not bad, it does fall a bit into the old Monty-bashing cliches. He also cites a statistic that, man-for-man, 100 German soldiers in Normandy were worth 150, and while he does elaborate that wars are not fought man-for-man, such comparisons have always struck me as more than a little arbitrary. It must be remembered, after all, that the Allies were attacking an entrenched enemy, often in very dense country, and that no two engagements are the same. That said, the fact that I’m quibbling over a small statistic and the characterisation of one man instead of going over the book’s entire representation of tactics, strategy and logistics is a point in Shepherd’s favour, surely.

The meat of the book, for me, is its discussion of the growing criminalisation of the Heer, from general to private, and how this came to be. The highest ranking generals, it would seem, sold their souls to Hitler for political gain early on, but this did not turn the army into a Nazi organisation overnight. Indeed, brutalisation occurred for a multitude of reasons and was often unevenly distributed - younger men and elite units, or those in the East and the Balkans tended to be more receptive to ‘Nationalist Socialist Warfare’ then older men or ‘regulars,’ or those stationed in the West. Nevertheless, even the less-Nazified men of the Heer were still assisting the efforts of the SS and Einsatzgruppen, directly or indirectly, in their crimes against Jews and other targets, and were directly responsible for the mass deaths of Soviet POWs. The moral spectrum that Shepherd presents is too complex to do justice to in a short review, so I can simply say that his analysis here is well worth the price of the book on its own.

It’s hard to say I enjoyed this book, given the subject matter, but I certainly appreciated it. I would recommend Hitler’s Soldiers - there’s little new here, but it’s well written and argued, and would make a perfect gift for your friend who’s a little too into building plastic Panzer kits.

[cryptofmadness]

EC LIVES… AGAIN: The Return Of EC Comics

By Chet Reams

So folks, it seems that EC Comics is getting back into publishng yet again. You may be asking "Another new volume/series-run of Tales From The Crypt comics? More EC reprint volumes?" The answer is actually something else entirely. EC Comics (@ec-comics) (legally referred to "William M. Gaines Agent, Inc.") and Oni Press (@onipress) are teaming up to produce two brand-new EC Comics comic-book series! Following is the official Press Release (as provided to Crypt of MADness by EC Comics/William M. Gaines Agent, Inc.)!

EC COMICS IS BACK WITH A VENGEANCE – AND ALL–NEW PUBLISHING LINE – AT ONI PRESS

The Infamous and Influential Comics Imprint That Redefined Pop Culture Returns with Staggering New Titles and Superstar Creators – Beginning Summer 2024

Seventy years after the creation of the Comics Code Authority irrevocably changed the course of comics history, the most infamous, notorious and controversial comic publisher of all time is set to return from the grave in summer 2024…

Oni Press – the multiple Eisner and Harvey Award-winning publisher of groundbreaking comics and graphic fiction for more than 25 years – is proud to announce a brand-new publishing partnership with William M. Gaines Agent, Inc. that will see the full-fledged return of EC Comics to comic shop and bookstore shelves worldwide with a slate of all-new series beginning in the summer of 2024.

Beginning with EPITAPHS FROM THE ABYSS #1 in July and CRUEL UNIVERSE #1 in August – the first official EC Comics series produced in nearly seven decades – Oni’s ambitious EC Comics publishing program will be overseen by Oni Press President & Publisher Hunter Gorinson and Editor-in-Chief Sierra Hahn in partnership with Cathy Gaines Mifsud and Corey Mifsud, the daughter and grandson of legendary EC Publisher William M. Gaines and administrators of William M. Gaines Agent, Inc.

“As my father said, ‘Only in the bounds of good taste!’ and I’m so excited to exhibit EC's good taste with Oni Press, who have distinguished themselves with both an award-winning library of comics and graphic novels and a passionate understanding of EC’s singular role in shaping comics history,” said Cathy Gaines Mifsud, President of William M. Gaines Agent, Inc.

“EC Comics is no stranger to a good comeback story! We’re thrilled to make this return with Oni Press and usher the classic EC sensibilities into the modern world,” said Corey Mifsud, Executive Director of William M. Gaines Agent, Inc. “It’s always been our dream to one day bring the fearless creative spirit of EC to a new generation. Working hand-in-hand with Oni’s award-winning team and a sensational cast of creators, it’s a pleasure to – at long last – shepherd EC into the 21st century with all-new series and stories.”

Edited by Hahn, Oni’s curated line of EC titles – which will include at least two series on a monthly basis from July 2024 onward in the genres of horror, science fiction, fantasy, and more – will feature contributions from a rotating cast of high-profile comics talents that includes writers Jason Aaron (Thor, Southern Bastards), Brian Azzarello (Batman: Damned, 100 Bullets), Rodney Barnes (Killadelphia), Corinna Bechko (Invisible Republic), Cullen Bunn (The Sixth Gun), Christopher Cantwell (Briar), Cecil Castellucci (Shade the Changing Girl), Chris Condon (That Texas Blood), Joshua Hale Fialkov (The Bunker), J. Holtham (AMC’s The Handmaid’s Tale), Jeff Jensen (HBO’s Watchmen, Green River Killer), Matt Kindt (BRZRKR, Mind MGMT), Sean Lewis (King Spawn), Stephanie Phillips (Grim), Jay Stephens (Dwellings), Zac Thompson (Cemetery Kids Don’t Die), Ben H. Winters (CBS’ Tracker), and more; artists Kano (Gotham Central, Immortal Iron Fist), Peter Krause (Irredeemable), Leomacs (Rogues), Malachi Ward (Black Hammer: The End), Dustin Weaver (Avengers, Paklis), and more; designer Rian Hughes (The Multiversity); alongside covers from Lee Bermejo (A Vicious Circle, Batman: Damned), Greg Smallwood (The Human Target), J.H. Williams III (Sandman: Overture, Promethea), and more to be revealed in the weeks and months ahead.

“Seventy years ago, EC Comics redefined what comics could be with shocking, confrontational and brilliantly crafted stories that challenged the existential issues at the center of American life – censorship, racism, sexism, nuclear proliferation, and more. Today, those battles continue in alarming and pernicious new ways.,” said Oni Press Editor-in-Chief, Sierra Hahn. “What better time to resurrect the undying spirit of EC Comics – one of the most entertaining, subversive, and influential publishers of all time – with an all-star cast of storytellers to examine today’s society through the lens that William Gaines and his legendary collaborators have left us.”

Founded by M.C. "Max" Gaines – often cited as one of the original creators of the comic book format – as “Educational Comics” in 1944, EC spearheaded a watershed evolution in the craft, quality, and power of the comics medium under Max's son, William M. Gaines, following the elder Gaines’ sudden death in 1947. Rechristening his father’s creation as “Entertaining Comics,” publisher, editor, and writer William M. Gaines recruited one of the most legendary creative stables in the history of the comics medium – including future Eisner Hall of Fame inductees Johnny Craig, Reed Crandall, Jack Davis, Al Feldstein, Frank Frazetta, Harvey Kurtzman, Joe Orlando, John Severin, Marie Severin, Al Williamson, Wally Wood, and many more – to oversee the creation of a revolutionary slate of new series that would soon grow to include TALES FROM THE CRYPT, MAD MAGAZINE, WEIRD SCIENCE, TWO-FISTED TALES, and more.

Widely celebrated for fearlessly confrontational stories that were as creatively innovative as they were culturally subversive – confronting racial and gender inequality, militarism, and environmental degradation in ways that would anticipate both the burgeoning counterculture and Civil Rights movements – EC’s urge to probe the darkness lurking beyond the edges of post-war America though tales of horror, science fiction, humor, and war earned the company millions of readers … and established a new high watermark for one of the first definitively American artforms: the comic book.

However, EC’s reign at the forefront of the American comic book industry – a period during which it eclipsed Marvel, DC, and Archie with sales of 10 million comics per year – would come crashing down in 1954 as an anti-comics moral panic swept America, inspiring book burnings, police surveillance, and a Congressional investigation that would see William M. Gaines’ testimony broadcast live in households across the country. This pro-censorship movement soon culminated in the creation of the Comics Code Authority, a sanitizing regulatory group whose guidelines were specifically tailored to remove EC’s comics from newsstands. EC’s final comics – until now – were published in 1956, and the hugely popular MAD was re-formatted as a magazine to escape Code scrutiny. Even so, the untimely death of EC could not erase the company’s far-reaching impact, having already inspired a young generation of readers – including John Carpenter, Guillermo del Toro, Matt Groening, James Gunn, George Lucas, Stephen King, George R.R. Martin, The Ramones, George Romero, Steven Spielberg, and hundreds more – who have cited EC’s iconoclastic brand of storytelling as a deep and primordial influence.

“There are few things more sacred to the canon of comic book history – and global pop culture – than EC Comics. The company’s audaciously inspired sensibilities have continuously echoed through nearly all facets of entertainment – like pieces of shrapnel embedded in American imagination,” said Oni Press President & Publisher Hunter Gorinson. “It’s both a huge honor and immense responsibility to be entrusted to work alongside the Gaines family in inhabiting EC’s indomitable spirit for a new generation. At a moment when we find ourselves confronting the same reactionary forces – injustice, inequality, and of course, censorship – that EC challenged head-on, we intend to write a new and powerful chapter that honors and expands one of the most important legacies the comic book medium has ever produced.”

Oni Press’ first two new EC titles – EPITAPHS FROM THE ABYSS and CRUEL UNIVERSE, a pair of horror and science anthologies in the classic EC mold – will debut in July and August 2024, respectively, before the publisher introduces more series in genres and formats that will expand the scope and scale of the EC publishing line in ways never before attempted.

[derekfoxwit]

The Best Picture Oscar My Way (1951-1979)

Here is Part 3 of my “Best Picture My Way” series. The last two are found here. My stipulations can be found in Part 1.

For convenience sake, I’ll relay this message. For Best Picture, I’m only gonna list the nominated producer for newly added films (here’s the Wikipedia page for the rest). I will mostly go with the ones credited as “produced by” or “p.g.a.” (if the latter is shown) on IMDB as the nominees. Limit is five.

Also, if you’re wondering why there are more years listed here than the other two, that’ll be answered in the next part.

1951

Rashomon - Minoru Jingo

Ace in the Hole - Billy Wilder

A Place in the Sun

Strangers on a Train - Alfred Hitchcock

A Street Called Desire

1952

High Noon

Forbidden Games - Robert Dorfmann

Singing in the Rain - Arthur Freed

Moulin Rogue

The Quiet Man

1953

Roman Holiday

From Here to Eternity

Shane

The Big Heat - Robert Arthur

The Stalag 17 - Billy Wilder

1954

On the Waterfront (still)

Rear Window - Alfred Hitchcock

The Caine Mutiny

Dial M for Murder - Alfred Hitchcock

Johnny Guitar - Nicholas Ray

1955

Marty (still)

The Night of the Hunter - Paul Gregory

Rebel Without a Cause - David Weisbart

The Long Grey Line - Robert Arthur

Mister Roberts

1956

Tea and Sympathy - Pandro S. Berman

The Ten Commandments

Giant

The Killing - James B. Harris

The Searchers - Patrick Ford

1957

The Bridge on the River Kwai (still)

12 Angry Men

Nights of Cabiria - Dino De Laurentiis

Witness for the Persecution

The Seventh Seal - Allan Ekelund

1958

Vertigo - Alfred Hitchcock

Mon Oncle - Jacques Tati

Touch of Evil - Albert Zugsmith

Auntie Mame

The Defiant Ones

1959

Ben-Hur (still)

Anatomy of a Murder

North by Northwest - Alfred Hitchcock

Some Like It Hot - Billy Wilder

The Diary of Anne Frank

1960

The Apartment (still)

Psycho - Alfred Hitchcock

Elmer Gantry

The Magnificent Seven - John Sturges

The Alamo

1961

West Side Story (still)

Through a Glass Darkly - Allan Ekelund

The Hustler

Judgment at Nuremberg

Breakfast at Tiffany’s - Martin; Jurow; Richard Shepherd

1962

Lawrence of Arabia (still)

To Kill a Mockingbird

Mutiny on the Bounty

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - Willis Goldbeck

The Longest Day

1963

8 1/2 - Angelo Rizzoli

The Great Escape - John Sturges

Lillies of the Field

America, America

Cleopatra

1964

Mary Poppins

Dr. Strangelove

My Fair Lady

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg - Mag Bodard

Woman in the Dunes - Kiichi Ichikawa; Tadashi Ono

1965

The Sound of Music (still)

Doctor Zhivago

A Patch of Blue - Pandro S. Berman; Guy Green

Darling

Ship of Fools

1966

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woof?

A Man for All Seasons

The Professionals - Richard Brooks

The Sand Pebbles

A Man and A Woman - Claude Lelouch

1967

Persona - Ingmar Bergman

The Graduate

The Jungle Book - Walt Disney

In The Heat of the Night

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

1968

2001: A Space Odyssey - Stanley Kubrick

Oliver!

Funny Girl

The Lion in Winter

Rosemary’s Baby - William Castle

1969

Midnight Cowboy (still)

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Z

The Wild Bunch - Phil Feldman

Easy Rider - Peter Fonda

1970

Patton (still)

M*A*S*H

Five Easy Pieces

Love Story

Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion - Marina Cicogna; Daniele Senatore

1971

The French Connection (still)

The Last Picture Show

McCabe & Mrs. Miller - Mitchell Brower; David Foster

A Clockwork Orange

Fiddler on the Roof

1972

The Godfather (still)

The Emigrants

Cabaret

The Heartbreak Kid - Edgar J. Scherick

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie - Serge Silberman

1973

Cries and Whispers

The Sting

The Exorcist

American Graffiti

Paper Moon - Peter Bogdanovich

1974

The Godfather Part II (still)

A Woman Under the Influence - Sam Shaw

Chinatown

The Conversation

Blazing Saddles - Michael Hertzberg

1975 (kept the same)

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (still)

Barry Lyndon

Dog Dag Afternoon

Jaws

Nashville

1976

Rocky (still)

Taxi Driver

Network

Mikey and Nicky - Michael Hausman

All the President’s Men

1977

Annie Hall (still)

Star Wars

The Goodbye Girl

Eraserhead - David Lynch

3 Women - Robert Altman

1978

The Deer Hunter (still)

Heaven Can Wait

Midnight Express

Days of Heaven - Bart Schneider; Harold Schneider

Dawn of the Dead - Richard P. Rubinstein

1979

Apocalypse Now

All That Jazz

Manhattan - Charles H. Joffe

Alien - Gordon Carroll; David Giler; Walter Hill

Kramer vs. Kramer

[obscure-song-tournament]

ROUND THREE !!!

Round two polls still ongoing, so this will be updated !!

A Pulp Friction - Fool Heavy VS. Sad Hit Song- V is forVillians

Patches - Jawbreaker Reunion VS. New Dance - DEERPEOPLE

B

Mama - Eudora June VS. There's a Darkness (but There's also a Light) - The Wild

You are loved - David Lamotte VS. Alive - GON VS. For Me - Dearlie

C

Low rent Truman show - Marc with a C VS. The Hidden Word - Noe Venable VS. Call Me Captain - Emrys Layne ( @callmecapt )

D

PIANO GAMES - Hazma Notes VS. Hokutoshichisei no Ichiya - Akiko Ikuina

There'll be Someone at My Funeral Who Doesn’t Want to Be There - Sammy J VS. Imagination - Niel Innes

E

Eat Your Heart Out, Sigmund Freud - Mollie Maxwell VS. Runaways - Big Tree

Rotten - Missouri Surf Club VS. last week/month/year-rain

F

execute - ninty VS. Ego - Powderpaint

Nighttime (I fall asleep) - Sam X VS. GOTH BITCH DUB - 621 gecs

G

Dusk and Dawn - Das Fi VS. Can Graze the Roof Bring you back to Childhood? - Anomaly Vector VS. Monmon Fanmoran - Mochitsune

Ode to Janey Lou - FOE VS. The Dreaming - Marquis of Vaudevill

H

Rusalka and The Shepherd Girl - The Forgetmenauts VS. Captain Ward - Tempest

He of Sidhe - Alexander James Adam VS. The Phoenix- Julia Ecklar

I

Liar and the Hound - Beneath Eden VS. Death is a Girl - Skippocalyptic VS. 山谷澗 - Mysterain小雨樂隊

J

Lhasa - Shapaley VS. 412 (coffin built for two) - Mollie Maxwell

Unretractable Fact - Second Person VS. No Proposals - Physical Plant

K

Maneater- Blue Eyed Blondes VS. Gears of the Atom Man - Angels of Liberty VS. Center Stage - Howard Martin

Dark Rip - Teen Girl Scientist Monthly VS. Not Yet - Leo and the Little Things

L

Animal - Xisco Feijoó VS. Hyperphantasia - Fearful Earful

Cardigan Sweater - Jasmine Kennedy VS. The Binding Of Isaac - Schmekel

M

Burn it Down with Math - Deuce of Gears VS. Haircut Song- Shannon Moser

Sunshine and Lollipops 2020 - Sad Snack VS. Say What You Want - Growth Spurt

N

Housekeeper - Faun Fables VS. Have You Ever Seen a Duck, Like, in Real Life? - lisa the beauty queen VS. Tales of the Phantom Ship - Nathan

Raising the Dead! - Jessica Law VS. All For Me Grog! - Spud Bugs

O

Violin Concerto In the Key of Crippling Regret - The Small Calamities VS. Homme Offer Knee - Ben Below

Each Time She Calls - Jessie Gosling VS. Blooming Strangely - Ginger & Pear

P

恐竜あげみざわ★ - Kyouruu Friends VS. 運命は “I” Love You - チームDEKARIS

Ultimate Performance of Abandoned Magic Boxes ~Rack of Junks - KR. Palto47 VS. They'll Make a Monster Out of You - Freefonix

[20thcentutygeek]

EC COMICS IS BACK WITH A VENGEANCE – AND ALL–NEW PUBLISHING LINE – AT ONI PRESS

Seventy years after the creation of the Comics Code Authority irrevocably changed the course of comics history, the most infamous, notorious and controversial comic publisher of all time is set to return from the grave in summer 2024… 

Oni Press – the multiple Eisner and Harvey Award-winning publisher of groundbreaking comics and graphic fiction for more than 25 years – is proud to announce a brand-new publishing partnership with William M. Gaines Agent, Inc. that will see the full-fledged return of EC Comics to comic shop and bookstore shelves worldwide with a slate of all-new series beginning in the summer of 2024. 

Beginning with EPITAPHS FROM THE ABYSS #1 in July and CRUEL UNIVERSE #1 in August – the first official EC Comics series produced in nearly seven decades – Oni’s ambitious EC Comics publishing program will be overseen by Oni Press President & Publisher Hunter Gorinson and Editor-in-Chief Sierra Hahn in partnership with Cathy Gaines Mifsud and Corey Mifsud, the daughter and grandson of legendary EC Publisher William M. Gaines and administrators of William M. Gaines Agent, Inc. 

“As my father said, ‘Only in the bounds of good taste!’ and I’m so excited to exhibit EC's good taste with Oni Press, who have distinguished themselves with both an award-winning library of comics and graphic novels and a passionate understanding of EC’s singular role in shaping comics history,” said Cathy Gaines Mifsud, President of William M. Gaines Agent, Inc. 

“EC Comics is no stranger to a good comeback story! We’re thrilled to make this return with Oni Press and usher the classic EC sensibilities into the modern world,” said Corey Mifsud, Executive Director of William M. Gaines Agent, Inc. “It’s always been our dream to one day bring the fearless creative spirit of EC to a new generation. Working hand-in-hand with Oni’s award-winning team and a sensational cast of creators, it’s a pleasure to – at long last – shepherd EC into the 21st century with all-new series and stories.”

Edited by Hahn, Oni’s curated line of EC titles – which will include at least two series on a monthly basis from July 2024 onward in the genres of horror, science fiction, fantasy, and more – will feature contributions from a rotating cast of high-profile comics talents that includes writers Jason Aaron (Thor, Southern Bastards), Brian Azzarello (Batman: Damned, 100 Bullets), Rodney Barnes (Killadelphia), Corinna Bechko (Invisible Republic), Cullen Bunn (The Sixth Gun), Christopher Cantwell (Briar), Cecil Castellucci (Shade the Changing Girl), Chris Condon (That Texas Blood), Joshua Hale Fialkov (The Bunker), J. Holtham (AMC’s The Handmaid’s Tale), Jeff Jensen (HBO’s Watchmen, Green River Killer), Matt Kindt (BRZRKR, Mind MGMT), Sean Lewis (King Spawn), Stephanie Phillips (Grim), Jay Stephens (Dwellings), Zac Thompson (Cemetery Kids Don’t Die), Ben H. Winters (CBS’ Tracker), and more; artists Kano (Gotham Central, Immortal Iron Fist), Peter Krause (Irredeemable), Leomacs (Rogues), Malachi Ward (Black Hammer: The End), Dustin Weaver (Avengers, Paklis), and more; designer Rian Hughes (The Multiversity); alongside covers from Lee Bermejo (A Vicious Circle, Batman: Damned), Greg Smallwood (The Human Target), J.H. Williams III (Sandman: Overture, Promethea), and more to be revealed in the weeks and months ahead. 

“Seventy years ago, EC Comics redefined what comics could be with shocking, confrontational and brilliantly crafted stories that challenged the existential issues at the center of American life – censorship, racism, sexism, nuclear proliferation, and more. Today, those battles continue in alarming and pernicious new ways,” said Oni Press Editor-in-Chief, Sierra Hahn. “What better time to resurrect the undying spirit of EC Comics – one of the most entertaining, subversive, and influential publishers of all time – with an all-star cast of storytellers to examine today’s society through the lens that William Gaines and his legendary collaborators have left us.”

Founded by M.C. "Max" Gaines – often cited as one of the original creators of the comic book format – as “Educational Comics” in 1944, EC spearheaded a watershed evolution in the craft, quality, and power of the comics medium under Max's son, William M. Gaines, following the elder Gaines’ sudden death in 1947. Rechristening his father’s creation as “Entertaining Comics,” publisher, editor, and writer William M. Gaines recruited one of the most legendary creative stables in the history of the comics medium – including future Eisner Hall of Fame inductees Johnny Craig, Reed Crandall, Jack Davis, Al Feldstein, Frank Frazetta, Harvey Kurtzman, Joe Orlando, John Severin, Marie Severin, Al Williamson, Wally Wood, and many more – to oversee the creation of a revolutionary slate of new series that would soon grow to include TALES FROM THE CRYPT, MAD MAGAZINE, WEIRD SCIENCE, TWO-FISTED TALES, and more. 

Widely celebrated for fearlessly confrontational stories that were as creatively innovative as they were culturally subversive – confronting racial and gender inequality, militarism, and environmental degradation in ways that would anticipate both the burgeoning counterculture and Civil Rights movements – EC’s urge to probe the darkness lurking beyond the edges of post-war America though tales of horror, science fiction, humor, and war earned the company millions of readers … and established a new high watermark for one of the first definitively American artforms: the comic book. 

However, EC’s reign at the forefront of the American comic book industry – a period during which it eclipsed Marvel, DC, and Archie with sales of 10 million comics per year – would come crashing down in 1954 as an anti-comics moral panic swept America, inspiring book burnings, police surveillance, and a Congressional investigation that would see William M. Gaines’ testimony broadcast live in households across the country. This pro-censorship movement soon culminated in the creation of the Comics Code Authority, a sanitizing regulatory group whose guidelines were specifically tailored to remove EC’s comics from newsstands. EC’s final comics – until now – were published in 1956, and the hugely popular MAD was re-formatted as a magazine to escape Code scrutiny. Even so, the untimely death of EC could not erase the company’s far-reaching impact, having already inspired a young generation of readers – including John Carpenter, Guillermo del Toro, Matt Groening, James Gunn, George Lucas, Stephen King, George R.R. Martin, The Ramones, George Romero, Steven Spielberg, and hundreds more – who have cited EC’s iconoclastic brand of storytelling as a deep and primordial influence. 

“There are few things more sacred to the canon of comic book history – and global pop culture – than EC Comics. The company’s audaciously inspired sensibilities have continuously echoed through nearly all facets of entertainment – like pieces of shrapnel embedded in American imagination,” said Oni Press President & Publisher Hunter Gorinson. “It’s both a huge honor and immense responsibility to be entrusted to work alongside the Gaines family in inhabiting EC’s indomitable spirit for a new generation. At a moment when we find ourselves confronting the same reactionary forces – injustice, inequality, and of course, censorship – that EC challenged head-on, we intend to write a new and powerful chapter that honors and expands one of the most important legacies the comic book medium has ever produced.”

Oni Press’ first two new EC titles – EPITAPHS FROM THE ABYSS and CRUEL UNIVERSE, a pair of horror and science anthologies in the classic EC mold – will debut in July and August 2024, respectively, before the publisher introduces more series in genres and formats that will expand the scope and scale of the EC publishing line in ways never before attempted. 

[daddyscore]

CSK vs LSG

Both teams are coming with a terrible loss in their previous fixtures. LSG are currently at the third place in the IPL 2023 points table with 10 points whereas on the other hand CSK also have 10 points and are placed in the fourth spot. In their previous match, LSG were defeated by Royal Challengers Bangalore in front of their home crowd. Meanwhile, CSK suffered a loss against Punjab Kings at their home ground, the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Check all the details given below regarding the match:- IPL Match 2023 Teams: Chennai Super Kings vs Lucknow Super Giants

Captains:  MS Dhoni is going to lead Chennai Super Kings

KL Rahul will lead Lucknow Super Giants

When: May 3rd, 2023 Match is going to start at 3:30 p.m. IST

Venue: Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow

Head to head of these two teams from IPL: Both the teams have met each other on 2 occasions where Lucknow Super Giants has won 1 match whereas Chennai Super Kings have also won one match.

Likely playing XI

Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, Ambati Rayudu, Ajinkya Rahane, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Tushar Deshpande, Matheesha Pathirana/Mitchell Santner, Maheesh Theekshana

On Bench:  Ben Stokes, Mitchell Santner, DL Chahar, RS Hangargekar, SP Senapati, Shaik Rasheed, Nishant Sindhu, Simarjeet Singh, SSB Magala, Dwaine Pretorius, Bhagath Varma, AJ Mandal, Mukesh Choudhary, Prashant Solanki, Akash Singh

Lucknow Super Giants: KL Rahul (c), Marcus Stoinis, Yash Thakur, Kyle Mayers, Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, Krishnappa Gowtham, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Ravi Bishnoi, Amit Mishra, Naveen-ul-Haq

On Bench:   Mark Wood, Jaydev Unadkat, DR Sams, A Mishra, PN Mankad, Q de Kock, Romario Shepherd, M Vohra, Karan Sharma, Swapnil Singh,  Mohsin Khan, Mayank Yadav, AN Guleria, Yudhvir Singh, Avesh Khan, A Badoni

New rules Impact player: Both captains of  CSK and LSG will have a list of four substitute and one of them can be called in as the impact player to bat and bowl Name playing XI after the toss: Both captains will be allowed to pick playing 11 they have pre decided depending upon the outcome of the toss. 

Pitch report

The pitch of the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium is a bit slow. The ball tends to hold a bit on the surface; hence the batsmen will have to be on their toes while batting here. Spinners are going to play a major role while batting on this surface.

Most probable best performers in CSK vs LSG

Probable best batsman: Devon Conway

Probable best bowler: Tushar Deshpande

Weather forecast for today in Lucknow

Maximum temperature: 29°C Minimum temperature: 22°C Wind speed: 5km/h Chances of rain: 30% Capacity of stadium: 50,000 Prediction to win: Lucknow Super Giants is most likely to win the match

Where to Watch Live Streaming: Download The Our App For Fastest Live Score

[benwvatt]

Grey’s Anatomy Has a Toxic Workplace Problem in Season 18 - aka why everyone keeps bullying Meredith into staying in Seattle

(Why is no one talking about this???)

Read my grey’s anatomy meta on ao3! Same format but I would love hear your thoughts

I can’t believe my biggest gripe with Grey’s season 18 is… fair labor practices? I mean, it’s usually more soap-opera stuff. Dead fiances come to life, disappearing girlfriends, surprise pregnancies, etc. etc.

But I keep seeing the same subtle problems arise. I’m going to call this the Webber-Bailey-Fox problem, because it seems that the ‘leaders’ of Grey Sloan Memorial are the most egregious and at fault. In short, why on earth do Webber, Bailey, and Catherine act as if the entire fate of this hospital hinges upon Meredith? Why won’t they let her leave for Minnesota?

She’s a famous surgeon who works there, not a goddess. The hospital isn’t going to magically disappear into dust and shadows if she moves to another state with her kids. If other key characters who are part of the Grey’s universe (Cristina, Alex, Jackson, Arizona, April, Callie, etc.) are allowed to move away and find new jobs, why do her bosses keep guilt-tripping Meredith into staying?

In general I’d give Season 18 a B+. In general my rule about TV is ‘keep watching if you’re having fun. Quit if you’re not!’ and I enjoy spending each Friday morning watching last night’s episode of Grey’s. I thought that many parts of S18 (like the introduction of Kai! Or letting us explore Bailey’s burnout and Maggie’s marriage to Winston!) were handled delicately. But at the same time, Webber, Bailey, and Catherine 一 mostly Webber and Bailey, obviously, since they’re series regulars 一 are just being manipulative toward Meredith.

Again and again on Grey’s, we see management whining whenever people don’t agree with them. In season 2ish, when Bailey considered switching from general to pediatric surgery, Webber was consistently whiny and cruel to her. He acted like she was throwing her career down the drain for changing. Bailey also sort of did this when Jo switched to OBGYN, and when Ben decided to become a firefighter instead of continuing his residency.

The Grey’s timeline is a bit wonky since seasons 1-3 take place during intern year (which I assume is 12 months), but I’d wager Meredith’s literally been working at this hospital for 16 years, give or take. She had her children here. She lost her husband. She dated and re-realized what it means to find love after loss. Is it so wicked and awful that she might want to move to Mayo Clinic instead of growing old and (pardon my pun) grey in Seattle?

During all of season 18, Webber and Bailey are just awful to Meredith. They treat her like a traitor and whine that she isn’t being ‘loyal’ to the hospital where she grew up (reminder: Meredith literally grew up here. Ellis trained at Seattle Grace and there are flashbacks of Meredith as a 6-year-old walking the halls.) If it’s indeed true that Meredith has lived much of her entire life in this one building, why on earth do her bosses keep manipulating her into staying? This is a textbook hostile work environment and it’s so puzzling that no characters in the Grey’s universe are acknowledging it.

A workplace culture where your bosses call you ‘disloyal’ for wanting to submit your 2 weeks’ notice is… not good. No wonder Meredith wants to leave if Webber and Bailey, who are supposedly her old friends and mentors, are so willing to turn on a dime and snarl insults at her.

Don’t even get me started on this Accreditation Council Lady in the finale, who acts as if Meredith’s departure is a key reason why the hospital is unstable. Sure, I assume Mer is good at bringing in fundraising money and good PR (and I know Council Lady feels that she’s been lied to so she’s lashing out), but Mer’s just the chief of general surgery. There are plenty of good general surgeons who can take her place.

And I know, the show is called Grey’s, not Pierce’s or Shepherd’s Anatomy. We all know Meredith is important. But it feels cruel to tell Meredith that she matters so that we can guilt-trip her into staying at Grey Sloan instead of moving away. When does it end? Will Meredith be tied in one place and forced to work at the hospital forever just because they can’t afford to lose her? What kind of awful workplace is this, where you aren’t allowed to leave because people seem to need you too badly? It’s kind of like a desperate boyfriend or girlfriend who refuses to let you break up with them because “they’ll fall apart without you.”

This is an incredibly toxic position from Webber and Bailey, and it makes me dislike them. They’ve been written so oddly this season, acting as if they’re gods who are above criticism and flaw. Their inability to recognize their own flaws is actually the reason they keep hurting the people around them.

So the Minnesota plotline may have its flaws (I’ll get to that later! What on Earth does Mer actually do at Mayo?) but it’s Meredith’s right to leave if she wants to. It’s not like she’s signed some lifetime contract or a blood oath tying her to one place. She’s successful, she’s excited to travel and spend more time with Nick, and the city of Seattle is always going to be haunted in some part because of Derek’s death. Why shouldn’t she get to leave? Why are Webber, Bailey, and Catherine allowed to intimidate and jeer at Meredith? Why do they feel entitled to her time and work? It’s starting to feel like Bailey and Webber are just bad bosses. If you can’t handle the fact that your employees may get a better offer and leave you, you shouldn’t be an employer.

[hannahhook7744]

Haul Bjorgman Page;

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

--------------------------------------

ALTERNATIVE NAME(S);

Chuckles, Teddy Fluffkins, Big H, Princey, Mountain Man, Troll Boy, Prince of the Trolls, Prince of the Mountains, Dragon Boy, Snowgie boy, reindeer games, Reindeer Boy, Chess Boy, the Chess Master, The Mountain Cryptid, Blondey, CareBear, Dreamy, Green eyes, freckles, sunshine, shepherd, Birdie, Sunny, The Animal whisperer, Snuggles, Prince, Music Man, Love Bug, Honey Bee, Dream Boat, Music Bug, Siren, Beats, Harmony, Lyric, Cheekie, Hummer, and McDreamy.

HOME;

Arendelle (During Summer and breaks),

The Enchanted Forest (During Summer and breaks),

Auardon Prep (During the school year).

PROFESSION;

Lead singer and guitarist of the Misty-eyed Knights (currently),

Prince of Arendelle (currently),

Student at Auardon Prep (currently).

--------------------------------------

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

--------------------------------------

PERSONALITY;

Socially awkward, kind, sweet, loving, creative, loyal, hardworking, ambitious, cunning, brave, intelligent, caring, Bit of a loner, lonely, curious, responsible, sad, level-headed, homeless romantic, impulsive, goofy, anxious, reserved, graceful, multi-talented, open-minded, insecure, and friendly.

LOVE INTEREST(S);

Hannah Hook (current crush),

Tiger Poeny (Past Crush),

Tahki (Nakoma and Thomas' daughter) (ex)

Opal (ex).

ALLIES;

Coach Jenkins, the trolls, Tahki, Ben, Doug, Jane, Lonnie, Hannah hook, Tiger Peony, Bobby Hood, Opal, Artie Pendragon, Miguel Thatchet, Skia Aoratos, Brendan Westergaard La Bouf, William Darling, Yi-Min, Princess Jamilah, Amira Bint Aladdin bin Cassim Al Hamed of Agrabah, and any ally of Hannah's.

ENEMIES;

Mr Deley, Queen Leah, the core four (sometimes), Barnaby Teach, Blackbeard, Queenie Bog, Wolfrick Wolfee, Kingsley King, Gothel, Barnaby Teach's crew, Mr Deley, the Duke of Wesleton, Wesley Weselton, Hans' brothers (minus Lars and the stabbington brothers), Hans' parents, King Runeard, The Westergaard cousins, Arianna Rose, and Queen Leah.

FAMILY;

King Runeard {Maternal Great Grandfather},

Queen Rita {Maternal Great Grandmother},

Queen Iduna {Maternal Grandmother},

King Agnarr {Maternal Grandfather},

Unamed Maternal Great Grandfather,

Unamed Maternal Great Grandmother,

Queen Elsa {Maternal Aunt},

Queen Anna {Mother},

Grandpappy Troll {Adoptive Paternal Great Grandfather},

Cliff {Adoptive Paternal Grandfather},

Bulda {Adoptive Paternal Grandmother},

Rock Trolls {Adoptive Extended Family},

Prince Consort Kristoff Bjorgman {Father},

Prince Aksel Bjorgman {Older brother},

Ryder Nattura {God Father},

Honeymaren Nattura {Godmother},

Oaken {Godfather},

Oaken's family {God Family},

Olaf and Elsa's other creations {cousins?/pets?}

POWERS AND ABILITIES;

Master Baker,

Master Puppeteer,

Master Musican,

Enhanced Strength,

Enhanced agility,

Enhanced flexibility,

Outdoor skills,

Master sledmaster,

Master mountain guide,

Great Strategist,

Good eyesight,

Translater,

Great aim,

Great gymnastist,

Fast,

Okay mediator,

Animal linguistic.

POSSESSIONS;

Lute,

Guitar,

Poorly Handmade scarf (made by Hannah),

Various Daggers and throwing knives,

Pickaxe,

Sled,

Bike,

Various notebooks,

Forest baby blanket,

Bear necklace,

Snowy satchel,

Stuffed dragon.

Pets;

Sven (reindeer),

Oskar (reindeer),

Boreas (Snowgie).

--------------------------------------

Protrayers

--------------------------------------

LIVE-ACTION (fancast);

Olaf Anderson (teen),

Hudson West (Kid),

Christopher Aydon, Jacob Haines, Jaryd Waterhouse, and Jason Schalle (baby).

VOICE (fancast);

Olaf Anderson (teen),

Hudson West (Kid),

Christopher Aydon, Jacob Haines, Jaryd Waterhouse, and Jason Schalle (baby).

--------------------------------------

Introductory Quote

--------------------------------------

'Hey are you okay? You look scared. Do you need any help?'

--Haul Bjorgman to Hannah Hook when they meet for the very first time.

Prince Haul Ryder Bjorgman of Arendelle is an oc character of mine in the descendants fanon universe portrayed by Olaf Andersen. He is the son of Queen Anna of Arendelle and Prince Consort Kristoff Bjorgman, and the nephew of the former Queen Elsa.

--------------------------------------

Notable Quotes

--------------------------------------

"I got a band. The Misty-eyed Knights. We're pretty okay if I do say so myself"

"Nah, I'm fine. Just tired. Don't worry about me"

"You have a pirate ship? That's so cool!"

"The prettiest flowers are always the first picked from the garden "

"I'd like a dragon. They're so cool"

"I play a good bit of chess. I can teach you how to play, if you'd like"

"Oh I make chocolate desserts for my mom all the time. Chocolates her favorite, ya know. So I can make you some, if you want"

"Oh that's Aksel, my brother. He's number 42 on the tourney team"

"Oh. I assumed you lot were friends.. since you came here here them.. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-- you can always hang out with me if you want. My friends won't mind. Not that I have many of those"

"Oh I'm good at Tourney-- or so I've heard-- just never had any reason to join the team. Not like I have any friends to play with"

"Oh the talking for Oskar and Boreas thing? Uh, it's something I picked up from my dad. If it bothers you, I can stop --"

"Oh I don't like Neverland very much. I use to go there alot with my bestfriend but uh.. something happened.. and I just don't go there anymore".

"I'm clumsy like my mom and socially awkward like my dad. That'd my aunt always said"

"My mom says I got all the best and worst traits of my parents. Whatever that means"

"Auardon Prep and those who attend it can be.. a bit much... "

"I'm okay!"

"Oh, Wesley and his friends just don't like that much. But it's fine! It doesn't bother me, I promise. It's all in good fun"

--------------------------------------

Short Backstory;

--------------------------------------

Prince Haul Ryder Bjorgman of Arendelle was born 6 years after the isle was constructed to Prince Consort Kristoff Bjorgman and Queen Anna Bjorgman of Arendelle, alongside his older brother, Aksel, and his reindeer friend, Oskar.

He spent alot of time in the mountains with the Trolls and in the Enchanted forest with his aunts, uncle, and their tribe, and in Arendelle and was homeschooled until 2nd grade when he started attending Auardon Elementary. There he was relentlessly teased and bullied by some of his more unruly classmates until he met a little girl named Jenny--Tarzan and Jane's daughter--who soon became his bestfriend.

The pair did everything together and spent all their time together. They were inseparable and she was one of the only people who didn't find his little quirks werid. She'd even talk to and for his animals, not saying anything bad about them or him. The next 3 years would be the best of Haul's life and the only ones he'd have that didn't have him feeling lonely-- and then everything changed.

Their families went to Neverland and Jenny got hurt, and died during a game of there's-- leaving Haul to feel forever gulity about what happened. The incident left him traumatized and withdrawn, and he didn't talk for months afterwards. Not even to Oskar. And to this day, he still fears those woods. Even the mere thought of Neverland sends him spiraling into a panic attack, so people tend to just not mention it around him.

He eventually did start talking again and he eventually did make friends but he still feels lonely and empty at times. And his family worries about him constantly, which only makes him feel even more gulity. No one knows what to do or how to fix this-- since they've tried just about everything to fix it. Which is where Hannah comes into play... and well, the rest is history so they say.

--------------------------------------

Gallery

--------------------------------------

Haul's bicycle 'wind breaker' and his sled 'Ice breaker'.

Haul's pet reindeer 'Oskar ' and his pet snowgie 'Boreas'.

Various pictures of Haul Bjorgman and pictures of Haul and Hannah together.

Pictures of young Haul Bjorgman.

Haul with his Aunt Elsa.

Baby Haul Bjorgman with his parents.

--------------------------------------

Triva

--------------------------------------

Haul has Asthma.

He has 3 other siblings.

Haul is scared of the Neverland woods.

Haul can't be in the woods at night without freaking out.

He's clumsy when not doing gymnastics.

He's a bit too stubborn and polite at times.

He's allergic to wool, shellfish, shrimp, and shoy milk but most people don't know this.

He's too polite and stubborn to admit this when he's staying at other people's houses, so this had created some uncomfortable situations.

He doesn't really trust the Trolls that much. He loves them but he's suspicious of them.

He can be a bit too paranoid sometimes.

He also doesn't like needles or bothering people.

He also has an unfortunate habit of not telling people when he's sick and hurt.

He and his elder brother don't get along that well.

He has insomia and nightmares often.

He can rarely sit still.

He hides when he freaks out.

He has broken several bones while fighting and doing his gymnastics and parkour.

His name is pronounced 'Hal/Hale'.

It was misspelled by Olaf on his birth certificate.

[spiralcompendium]

Marleybonean Dog Breeds

Inspired by this post by @buccaneers-babey​

back to your regularly scheduled lore posting

Certain dog breeds seem to be associated with specific occupations/genders in Marleybone. I looked through many of the Dog NPCs in Marleybone (both W101 and P101) and Celestia, and I was definitely able to make some connections. Also, I had no idea that KI had models for twenty-four different breeds (at least). I would have guessed, like, five.

Borzoi

Associated with the Navy. Examples:

Lt. Springer (companion--P101)

Admiral Nelson (Barkeley Square--P101)

Beagle

Seem to range anywhere from wealthy businessmen to poor orphans. 

Oliver Twist (Barkeley Square--P101)

Professor Challenger (Barkeley Square--P101)

Cratchit (Isle of Dogs--P101)

Gerry Ramsden (Isle of Dogs--P101)

Bulldog

Pretty variable, but many seem to be in the military.

Bulldog Sergeant Major (Barkingham Palace)

Watson (Scotland Yard Roof) [Of note is the fact that Watson from the original stories worked as a doctor for the British Army.]

Ms. Conrail (Hyde Park)

Reed Treever (Regent’s Square)

Sally Newflower (Royal Museum)

Deirdre Parker (Celestia Base Camp)

Admiral Doggett (Barkeley Square--P101)

Colonel Smeagle (Barkeley Square--P101)

Judge Burble (The Glass House--P101)

Bloodhound

We only have one example, but this breed could easily be associated with detective work. 

Sherlock Bones (Digmoore Station)

Cocker Spaniel

Commoner women. 

Tracy Castleton (Digmoore Station)

Amy Brooks (Knight’s Court)

Corgi

This breed seems to be associated with the royal family... and with poor maids in gross taverns?? Maybe members of the Marleybonean royal family--never mind.

Queen (Barkingham Palace)

Nancy (Isle of Dogs’ Sewers--P101)

Dobermann

This seems to be the breed of (generally) high-society men. 

Arthur Wethersfield (Ravenwood)

The Maestro (Telegraph Box)

Mayor Pimsbury (Digmoore Station)

Mr. Rowley (Hyde Park)

Bill Tanner (Knight’s Court)

Mr. Brownlow (Barkeley Square--P101)

Corporal Iams (The Glass House--P101)

Redcoats (The Wreck of the Victory--P101)

Constable Talbot (Isle of Dogs--P101)

English Mastiff

Royal guards. 

Captain Dartmouth (Barkingham Palace)

Henry Wellingbrook (Regent’s Square)

German Shepherd

High-society men.

William Pugsby (Chelsea Court)

Private Kinchley (Wolfminster Abbey)

Corbett (Isle of Dogs’ Sewers--P101)

Dr. Glendon (Isle of Dogs--P101)

Golden Retriever

He sure did retrieve that message from Azteca.

Edward Halley (Halle’s Observatory)

Irish Setter

Aristocratic/high-society men. 

Lord Barker (Chelsea Court)

Clancy Pembroke (Royal Museum)

Mr. Smiley (Barkeley Square--P101)

Mycroft Bones (Barkeley Square--P101)

David Balfour (Isle of Dogs--P101)

Labrador

Commoners. 

Ernest Haldings (Chelsea Court)

Emily Chesterfield (Hyde Park)

H. G. Waggs (Kensington Park)

David Beeman (Knight’s Court)

Abigail Doolittle (Regent’s Square)

Andrew Coleman (Regent’s Square)

Officer McRuff (Scotland Yard)--desk sergeant

And many, many more.

Papillon

Commoner women. 

Ms. Marphely (Chelsea Court)

Felicia Worthington (Regent’s Square)

Rose Piper (Telegraph Box)

Poodle

Aristocratic/high-society women.

Lady Desane (Hyde Park)

Catherine Dalton (Knight’s Court)

Linda Milltop (Knight’s Court)

Sarah Tanner (Knight’s Court)

Pug

Commoner men.

Chief Whip (Barkingham Palace)

Terrence Heath (Chelsea Court)

Reed Treever (Regent’s Square)

Travis Pawman (Big Ben)

Schnauzer

Male scientists and engineers. 

Dr. Schnippi (Isle of Dogs’ Sewers--P101)

Abner Wickersham (Isle of Dogs--P101)

Dr. Nation (Isle of Dogs--P101)

Ebeneezer Scrooge (Isle of Dogs--P101)

Scottish Terrier

Police/army.

Officer Darby (Hyde Park)

Officer Terry (Kensington Park)

Walter Chaplin (Royal Museum)--doesn’t fit trend (Spiral Geographic Society member)

Admiral Kearns (Barkeley Square--P101)

Captain Harkness (Airedale Pier--P101)

White Terrier

Low-class men, scurvy dogs.

Dockmaster Nathan (Isle of Dogs--P101)

Crokagator Dundee (Isle of Dogs’ Sewers--P101)

Jack Russell Terrier

A beautiful good boy.

Lucky Jack Russell (Companion--P101)

Boston Terrier

Female scientists/engineers. 

Edith Benchley (Celestia Base Camp)

Emily Wills (Isle of Dogs--P101)

Gracie Conrad (Companion--P101)

Shar-Pei

There’s only one, and he’s a constable.

Angus Crankenhop (Regent’s Square)

St. Bernard

Male constables.

Officer Barkly (Digmoore Station)

Sergeant Steeg (Knight’s Court)

Weimaraner

There’s only one: another constable. 

Officer Stone (Newgate Prison)

[sgmwesters]

╰ ❛ 💉 — › michael b jordan. cis male. he/him. . ╯ have you met benjamin morgan yet ? this thirty five year old sagittarius has been living in the seattle area for three days. he makes a living as an otolaryngology (ent) attending, which is best suited for their protective, empathetic, conflicted, and irrational personality. take me to church by hozier is one of their favorite songs, and they’re written by em, 25, gmt, she/her, no triggers

B A S I C   I N F O R M A T I O N

full name: benjamin joseph morgan.

nickname(s): ben, bj in college.

age: thirty four (34).

date of birth: 26 november 1985, sagittarius.

hometown: manhattan, new york.

current location: seattle, washington.

ethnicity: african-american..

nationality: american citizen.

gender: cis male.

pronouns: he/him.

orientation: ??? idek why i even include this at this point???

religion: atheist.

political affiliation: democrat.

occupation: otolaryngology (ent) attending.

living arrangements: lives alone.

language(s) spoken: english, german.

accent: none.

P H Y S I C A L    A P P E A R A N C E

face claim: michael b. jordan.

hair color: black.

eye color: brown.

height: 6 ft 1.

weight: 188lbs.

build: athletic.

tattoos: none.

piercings: none.

clothing style: scrubs, smart casual otherwise.

usual expression: fairly stern, but he’s a softy deeeeeeep down.

distinguishing characteristics: dimples.

H E A L T H

physical ailments: torn rotator cuff in high school has left his shoulder somewhat fucked.

neurological conditions: none.

allergies: bee and wasp stings.

sleeping habits: fairly good sleep hygiene, sleeps well provided nothing is bothering him (maddie).

eating habits: usually fairly healthy, likes to look after himself.

exercise habits: as above, likes to look after himself.

emotional stability: sits happily at a seven, but has been known to dip in times of stress or emotional turmoil.

sociability: very sociable, likes to be around people.

body temperature: warm.

addictions: none.

drug use: none and is very against its use.

alcohol use: enjoys a drink, but doesn’t need it.

P E R S O N A L I T Y

positive traits: protective, empathetic

negative traits: conflicted, irrational

fears: not being able to keep maddie safe and healthy.

F A V O U R I T E S

weather: is indifferent about the weather.

colour: navy.

music: something with a heavy beat.

movies: the godfather.

sport: boxing.

beverage: fruit smoothie, bourbon.

food: hot dogs.

animal: anything small, soft, and fluffy.

H E A D C A N O N S

benjamin was born as the only child to regina and david morgan, a museum curator and ceo respectively in manhattan.

benjamin was raised in close proximity to his cousin madeleine spencer, to the extent where benjamin considers maddie to be more like a sibling to him than a cousin. this came from both of their parents busy schedules and similar lifestyles which led him to be brought up in this manner.

benjamin would like to think that his parents were happily married, but it was only as he got older that he realised the family set up that he had grown up with as a child wasn’t the same as everyone else’s. nevertheless, he figured that it worked for them as it was, and he still considers himself to have had a good childhood.

spending as much time in the spencer household as he did, benjamin sparked a genuine interest in medicine, looking up to his uncle, madeleine’s father, as a role model and idol for his future career in medicine.

benjamin was athletic in school, actively taking part in boxing and baseball. he hoped from early on in high school that he would be able to get into a good school on a baseball scholarship so he wouldn’t need to focus as hard on his studies, but a torn rotator cuff in his sophomore year quickly killed that dream, and he came to the quick conclusion that he had to get his head in the books.

as much as he would hate to admit it, he knew that his parents pulled a few strings when it came to his offers for college, but the decision ultimately came down to him. during this time he had watched madeleine begin to spiral out of control, the concern for his cousin and arguably best friend only growing with each day that passed.

it was during this time that benjamin turned down the offer from harvard that his father had swindled for him, choosing instead to stay closer to the city in order to be nearby while madeleine got the help she had promised her parents she would get.

he was thankful for this decision as the realisation that she hadn’t been getting help came about following amelia shepherd’s overdose. while madeleine was in rehab, benjamin made a point of visiting her as much as he could, skipping classes if he needed to to make sure that she felt supported. she was basically his kid sister after all.

as madeleine got clean, benjamin took the mcats, scoring high enough to be accepted into john’s hopkins off his own back this time. as madeleine was seemingly doing well, benjamin decided to move that little bit further out, knowing he would be close enough if she needed him to return.

it was during this time that the two established their bi-weekly phone calls, no excuses allowed, his way of keeping an eye on her completely.

benjamin moved that little bit further for his residency to mayo, just as madeleine moved to switzerland for her masters. it made sense, he was happy for her and continued to adjust his schedule to make sure their phone calls went ahead as they needed to, suiting her schedule over his.he would often stay awake until the early hours of the morning just to speak to her.

his residency was fairly smooth sailing, despite a period of switching between services as he was indecisive about what specialty he was going to go into. he had always had his heart set on cardio like his uncle, but it only took one case with the ent attending to have him hooked.

as he came to the end of his fellowship, he debated the idea of having a second specialty (he’s a bit of a show off like that), but a nagging feeling inside of him told him something more important was coming.

his calls with madeleine weren’t like they used to be, years of regularity and consistency seemed to be falling apart, with nothing that he could do from where he was. he wanted to believe that this was part of the recovery, that she didn’t need him the way she used to, but he couldn’t be certain.

the night of amelia’s intervention, benjamin received a frantic phone call from madeleine and he knew then that things were not good. whether she was high or just drunk he couldn’t have been certain at first, it was only as she spoke about everybody leaving her the he snapped into action. she’d fallen off the wagon, and he’d be damned if he was going to stand by and let it happen.

benjamin packed a bag and hopped on the first plane to seattle, ready to hold an intervention of his own if he needs to. as far as he is concerned he’s here for maddie and nothing else.

2 0 2 1    U P D A T E S

turned thirty five cos that’s how birthdays work !!

after maddie decided to get clean, benjamin went with her to new york to ensure she fully embarked on her recovery. as much as seattle had only meant to have been a means to an end for benjamin, he found himself wanting to return.

he’s been keeping a low profile at the hospital, but is just kinda keeping things ticking over. he’s still ben. 

W A N T E D    C O N N E C T I O N S / P L O T S

i know i say they all deserve love but really ben deserves love

friends from med school/residency!!! 

[wfdwqfw]

On what evidence would a man rely to prove

Recently in Los Angeles, our staff was on the ground Delivering Good by personally handing out sandwiches and new socks to homeless men and women. This my own consciousness of truth would not allow, in the present instance. Teams will have their first opportunity to come together on Sunday, September 20th as the organization hosts the 2nd Annual Run The Park 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run in Ridley Park, PA. “Here is your sword in the darkness.” Light rippled up and down the blade, now red, now yellow, now orange, painting the king’s face in harsh, bright hues. It includes a 1955 telephone switchboard where visitors will learn about the first telephone operators and the days when they were necessary to complete a call. On what evidence would a man rely to prove that slavery existed at all in the land in the time of the batteria ai polimeri di litio amazon later prophets of the Maccabees, or when the Saviour appeared? There are abundant proofs, as we shall see, that it existed legjobb kutyaruha esőkabát in Greece and Rome; but what is the evidence that it existed in Judea? So far as I have been able to ascertain, there are no declarations that it did to be found in the canonical books chaussure rando salomon homme decathlon of the Old Testament, or in Josephus. Never forget when I walked out in the middle of the room and, may he rest in peace, Ray Nitschke adidas mariposas looked at me because I was a surprise guest, and he said, s of a b is still alive. “I will not stay here to be mickey egeres babakocsi insulted.” He wrenched his damp cloak down from the wall so hard that Asha heard it tear, then stalked past Horpe and through the door. The custom was to blow the horn early in the morning, as a signal for the hands to rise and go to work. Ben Carey started the rush and George Michalke took the puck down low. I was astounded. You have doubtless also read that world-renowned book, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” by Mrs. "The evening is the red carpet/black tie event of the season and features a champagne reception, arts patronage, bubbles and culture in your own backyard.Surrey Hospital Outpatient Centre Foundation hosts annual Celebration of Care Fundraising Gala on Saturday, March 4 at Boundary Bay Airport, Delta. When she had gone, all at once the hall seemed stifling. Tarly is the real danger, Ser Kevan reflected as he watched their departure. My father was very clever. He had on when he left a black cloth cap, black cloth pantaloons, a plaided sack coat, a fine shirt, and brogan shoes. A house or other substantial building offers the best protection from lightning. And on Saturday she was out at the biciclete rusesti vechi stores again."I'm basically done," said Maguire, who spent about $400 over the weekend. The prince’s cloak was sewn together from more of the same. Deciding what to do when a boy runs into the road). At the Walmart adidas 43 1 3on N. In recent years there have been claims around electromagnetism as a way to alter the body and promote healing. I immediately commenced copying them, and in a short time was able to make the four letters named. A doctor or physical therapist can prescribe a set of exercises designed to do just that for your affected joint. Do not forget if it can be done to the people of Gush Katif , it could happen to us. OG reported 1,416 customers lost power in the Sapulpa and Kiefer areas. He then enlisted into full time duty with the 45th Infantry Division in Army aviation. We could not make it any easier you only need 13 out of 25 to pass and they are all multipul choice.. Without falling into a severe depression?" asked David Evans, the Washington based military correspondent of the Chicago Tribune. Though I’d be the first to leave it if occasion arose. This year's tournament lived up to all its

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[marvellfashion]

Here is a collection of links with the characters that have appeared on edits! 

A

Abigail Brand

Agatha Harkness

Alison Blair

Amadeus Cho

Amelia Voght

America Chavez

Ami Han 

Amka Aliyak

Amora

Angela 

Angelica Jones

Anna Marie

Anya Corazon  

Andromeda

Attuma

Ava Ayala

Avril Kincaid

Ayo

Azazel

B

Ben Grimm

Ben Riley

Betsy Braddock

Billy Kaplan 

Blackagar Boltagon

Bob Reynolds

Bobbi Morse

Bobby Drake 

Brian Braddock

Bruce Banner 

Bucky Barnes

C

Carol Danvers

Cassandra Web 

Charles Xavier 

Chase Stein 

Cindy Moon 

Clint Barton 

D

Daimon Hellstrom 

Daken Akihiro

Dani Moonstar 

Danny Rand

David Alleyne 

Dia Sloane

Doreen Green

E

Eden Fesi

Eddie Brock

Elektra Natchios

Elizabeth Twoyoungmen

Ellie Wilson 

Elsa Bloodstone

Emma Frost

Enchantress

Eric Brooks 

F

Fantomex

Felicia Hardy

Flash Thompson

Frank Castle

G

Gabby Kinney 

Gamora

Gaveendra Seven 

Gert Yorkes

Greer Grant

Gwen Stacy

Gwendolyn Pool 

I

Ikaris

Illyana Rasputin 

Isca

H

Hank McCoy

Heather Douglas

Hela

Hepzibah

Hildegarde

Hobie Brown 

Hope Summers 

J

Jacques Duquesne

James Rhodes

Jane Foster

Janet Van Dyne

Jean Grey

Jean-Paul Beaubier 

Jeanne-Marie Beaubier 

Jennifer Kale

Jennifer Takeda

Jennifer Walters

Jericho Drumm

Jessan Hoan

Jessica Drew

Jessica Jones

Jhonny Storm

Joanna Cargill

Joaquin Torres

Jocasta Pym

Jubilation Lee

Julia Carpenter 

Julio Richter

K

Kamala Khan

Karl Morgenthau

Karnilla

Karolina Dean

Kate Bishop

Kelda

Kingo Sunen

Kitty Pryde

Kurt Wagner

Kushala

Kwannon

L

Laura Kinney

Leiko Wu 

Lily Cromwell

Llyra

Logan Howlett

Loki Laufeyson

Lorna Dane

Lucas Bishop

Luke Cage

Lunella Lafayette

M

Madam Slay

Madelyne Pryor

Makari

Mantis

Marc Spector

Mary Jane Watson

Matt Murdock

Maximus Boltagon

May Parker 

Maya Lopez

Medusalith Amaquelin 

Megan Gwynn

Meggan Braddock 

Mephisto

Miguel O’Hara

Miles Morales

Misty Knight

Molly Hayes 

Monica Rambeau

Moon Dragon

More

Morgan Le Fay

N

Nadia Van Dyne

Namor Mckenzie

Namora

Namorita

Natasha Romanoff

Nathan Summers 

Nebula

Neena Thurman

Nico Minoru

Noh-Varr

O

Odin Borson

Okoye

Ororo Munroe

Oubliette Midas

P

Patsy Walker 

Pearl Pangan

Pepper Potts

Peter Parker

Peter Quill

Peter Rasputin 

Phastos

Phyla-Vell

Pietro Maximoff

Princess Fen

Q

Quoi 

R

Rachel Grey 

Radha Dastoor

Ramonda

Raven Darkholme

Reed Richards

Remy LeBeau 

Richard Rider

Ripley Ryan 

Riri Williams

Roberto Da Costa 

S

Sam Alexander

Sam Wilson

Satana Hellstrom

Saya Ishii

Scott Summers

Sebastian Shaw

Selene

Sersi

Shang-Chi

Sharon Carter

Shaylee Moonpeddle

Shiklah

Shuri

Sif

Silver Fox

Silvija Sablinova

Simon Williams

Spidesonas

Sprite

Stephen Strange

Steve Rogers

Sue Storm 

T

Tabitha Smith

Takeshi Matsuya 

Tandy Bowen

Tania Toomes

T’Challa

Teddy Altman 

Thena

Theresa Cassidy 

Thor

Tommy Shepherd

Tony Stark

Trevor Hawkins

Tyrone Johnson

V

Valkyrie

Venus 

Victor Von Doom

Vision

Viv Vision

W

Wade Wilson

Wanda Maximoff

Warda Wilson 

Warren Worthington III

X

Xi’an Coy Manh

Y

Yao

Yelena Belova

Yuriko Oyama

Z

Zebediah Killgrave

Zelma Stanton

Zoe Laveau

Zuras

[ninja-muse]

Read in 2020 Masterpost

Italics = 7-8 out of 10, recommended Bold = 9-10 out of 10, highly recommended Struck = unreviewed * = in home library

Fantasy

Come Tumbling Down - Seanan McGuire * The Future Falls - Tanya Huff The City We Became - N.K. Jemisin The Burning Page - Genevieve Cogman Imaginary Numbers - Seanan McGuire * False Value - Ben Aaronovitch * The Goblin Emperor - Katherine Addison * The Last Smile in Sunder City - Luke Arnold A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians - H.G. Parry Crow Winter - Karen McBride Piranesi - Susanna Clarke The Lost Child of Lychford - Paul Cornell * The Lost Future of Pepperharrow - Natasha Pulley Or What You Will - Jo Walton Black Sun - Rebecca Roanhorse The Changeling - Victor Lavalle Unnatural Magic - C.M. Waggoner The Last Uncharted Sky - Curtis Craddock

reread - Chaos Choreography, A Local Habitation, An Artificial Night, Late Eclipses, One Salt Sea, Magic for Nothing, Tricks for Free, That Ain't Witchcraft, and Ashes of Honor by Seanan McGuire * reread - Raising Steam and The Shepherd's Crown by Terry Pratchett * DNF - A Witch in Time by Constance Sayers

Science Fiction

Gravity of a Distant Sun - R.E. Stearns Hyperion - Dan Simmons * The Book of Koli - M.R. Carey The Benevolence Archives, Vol. 1 - Lucas M. Siler The Dark Side of the Sun - Terry Pratchett

Graphic Novels

Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider Vol. 1 - Seanan McGuire Heartstopper, Vol. 1 - Alice Oseman

Historical Fiction

Weight of Ink - Rachel Kadish * Eagle & Crane - Suzanne Rindell The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics - Olivia Waite Tyll - Daniel Kehlmann Resistance Women - Jennifer Chiaverini Utopia Avenue - David Mitchell Hamnet and Judith - Maggie O’Farrell The Vanishing Half - Brit Bennett Radio Girls - Sarah-Jane Stratford

Mysteries

Egg Drop Dead - Vivien Chien Rubbernecker - Belinda Bauer Roanoke Ridge - J.J. Dupuis * Killer Kung Pao - Vivien Chien

Other Fiction

Devolution - Max Brooks Something to Talk About - Meryl Wilsner A Prince on Paper - Alyssa Cole Beach Read - Emily Henry The Only Good Indians - Stephen Graham Jones Hench - Natalie Zina Walschots A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court - Mark Twain Indians on Vacation - Thomas King

DNF Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer DNF Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan

Middle Grade

Race to the Sun - Rebecca Roanhorse Over the Woodward Wall - A. Deborah Baker Rick - Alex Gino

reread - Over Sea, Under Stone; The Dark is Rising - Susan Cooper

Young Adult

Only Mostly Devastated - Sophie Gonzales Witches of Ash and Ruin - E. Latimer Eliza and Her Monsters - Francesca Zappia Loveless - Alice Oseman Super Adjacent - Crystal Cestari Elatsoe - Darcie Little Badger The Left-Handed Booksellers of London - Garth Nix

Drama

The Merry Wives of Windsor - William Shakespeare * Everyman and Medieval Miracle Plays - A.J. Crawley, ed.

Reread - Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead - Tom Stoppard

Poetry

Music’s Spell - Emily Fragos, ed. * The Complete Nonsense of Edward Lear - Holbook Jackson, ed. Poems Bewitched and Haunted - John Hollander, ed.

True Crime

Blood Royal - Eric Jager The Poisoner’s Handbook - Deborah Blum Race Against Time - Jerry Mitchell The Falcon Thief - Joshua Hammer The Third Rainbow Girl - Emma Copley Eisenberg

Other Non-Fiction

How to Write Without Knowing Nothing - H. Allen Smith * Plagues and Peoples - William H. McNeill * Dancing Bears - Witold Szablowski * Ghost Stories of the Rocky Mountains - Barbara Smith * Confessions of a Bookseller - Shaun Bythell Until the End of Time - Brian Greene

reread - The Science of Discworld IV - Terry Pratchett, Ian Stewart, and Jack Cohen *

Total First Time: 73 Total Rereads: 14 DNFS: 3

[missjosie27]

Year 1 Part 9- One Ending, A New Beginning

Hello, friends!

This is the last chapter of Year 1 that I wrote. I sincerely hope you enjoy it and as always, please leave feedback or comments if you’d like:)

Year 2 will be coming soon! Probably within the week!

It took about as long as Merula said (the only thing she hadn’t lied to them about in their year of knowing her) but after about ten minutes the body bind curse had worn off and the three Gryffindor boys were back on their feet, albeit heavily disgruntled.

“Have I mentioned how much I hate Merula?” Rowan said, rubbing the back of his head.

“Hate doesn’t even begin to describe it,” David seethed, his hands curling into fists. His mind was practically spinning from the amount of animosity he felt towards her.

“Now I know the exact pain you saved me from when she was bullying me,” Ben groaned as he clutched his side. “Ugh, everything hurts.”

“Not as bad as she’s going to hurt after I’m through with her!” David declared, charging forward towards the door.

“Wait, David,” Rowan said, grabbing his arm. “Hold on a second. She’s still in there.”

“Yeah, so?”

“Merula would have found what she was looking for and left. She wouldn’t stick around. Something must have happened.”

In the midst of despising the first year Slytherin no one had considered that angle until now and it left the trio pondering for a moment.

“It might be too dangerous to go back in,” Ben said nervously. “We don’t know what’s in there.”

David considered that possibility, but two worse ones overrode any hesitation he had in entering the door. With his anger subsided slightly, he was able to assess the situation much clearer, however, he felt more determined than ever.

“True, but if Merula gets her hands on something really powerful who knows what she’ll do with it. Above all, we need to find more clues about my brother. I can’t turn down the chance to find out what happened to him.”

“I agree,” Rowan said pulling out his wand. “If it was my brother, I’d feel the same way. Plus, an all powerful Merula is not something I want to think about right now.”

“It’s settled then,” David said, following his best friend’s lead. “Are you with me?”

Rowan and Ben nodded as they approached the door once more. All or nothing, Merula or not, this was the first step to finding answers to so many questions.

Alohomora!

The door creaked open once more, allowing the Gryffindor trip to step inside and shut it behind them. However, the sight that greeted them was far from what they were expecting.

True, the chilly cold that emanated from the door was ten times worse on the inside, but far from witnessing an all powerful Merula, she was trapped up to her midsection in a block of ice. Indeed, everything in the room seemed to be encompassed by ice. It was small, only big enough for a handful of people and unremarkable other than the frozen entity that marked its interior.

“Merula?”

“What happened?”

Rowan on the other hand was laughing.

“And here I was thinking you got your hands on some ancient amulet. This is too good!”

“Get stuffed, K-Khanna!” Merula shouted though she struggled to contain her shivers. “This weird ice st-stuck me to the f-floor, and k-keeps spreading all over me!”

That was disturbing to say the least. Ice of that nature couldn’t be common even within the magical world at Hogwarts.

“It’s spreading all over the door too!” she cried, pointing a finger. “G-get me out of h-here before I j-jinx all three of you.”

“I don’t believe you’re in a position to be making threats,” David said, the full brunt of his sarcasm coming to bear. “But by all means keep acting like a prat.”

“Grant! Will you just turn around?!”

All three of them turned to see that ice was forming seemingly out of nowhere and spreading down the door, forming a thick, icy top layer that eventually glossed over the door handle. Rowan quickly moved to open the door again, but found it wouldn’t budge.

“I can’t get a good grip on it!” he said, panic in his voice. “The lock and handle are frozen shut.”

“What do we do?” Ben asked frantically. “How do we get out of here? I-I’m s-starting to feel the cold too, D-Dave.”

Resisting the urge to wrap his own body in his arms, David realized none of them would last very long in here if they couldn’t get out. They had to find a way and fast. But none of the spells they had learned could break or melt ice. There was only thing they could do.

“We have to knock this door down off its hinges,” he said aloud. “We can use the knockback jinx to try and break it.”

“Are you sure that’ll work?” Rowan asked.

“It has to, otherwise we’ll be frozen statues by the time anyone finds us in here.”

He took out his wand and motioned for Ben and Rowan to do the same. However, he couldn’t help but take a glance back at Merula. It had only been minutes before since the full concentration of his rage had been focused upon her, but seeing her trapped- weak, afraid, and completely helpless- caused his resolve to soften. With her wand laying on the ground, she had no way to free herself.

I can’t leave her here. No matter what she’s done.

“Brace yourself, Merula,” David said to her, aiming for her entrapped legs.

“W-what are you g-going to do?”

“Save your arse.”

Without waiting for her permission, he fired the knockback jinx.

‘Flipendo!’

It had the desired effect, sending Merula backwards into the wall, shattering her icy prison.

“Oww,” she moaned.

“For the record, you totally deserved that,” Rowan remarked.

David, however, walked up to her and offered his hand to pull her up.

“Not even someone like you deserves to die in here. We’re going to need every wand on hand to bust down that door.”

She began to protest but the Gryffindor cut her off.

“We can go back to being enemies later, okay? But this one time, I need you to work with me. Help us so you can get out of here.”

Appealing to her own sense of self preservation did the trick as Merula reluctantly took his hand, grabbed her wand and jumped to her feet.

The foursome, briefly united in their desire not to end up in an early grave aimed at the door.

“On three,” David told them. “Fire with everything you got. One, two, THREE!”

A chorus of ‘Flipendo!’ rang out as four jets of light hit the door simultaneously, sending it clean off its hinges and onto the ground. They were free.

Merula immediately bolted without so much as a thank you, but Rowan hung back for a second, puzzling the other two boys.

“Rowan let’s go!”

“Wait, Dave. Look!”

He pointed up at a series of symbols and markings on the top corner of the wall.

“It’s the same language we saw on the golden brick outside of the door. I need to write this down.”

Rowan quickly pulled out a piece of paper, copying it down while Ben urged them to hurry.

“Filch is going to be here any second! Someone will have heard that noise!”

“Just a sec…got it!”

With barely any time left to spare, the Gryffindor trio ran as fast as they could, away from Mrs. Norris, Filch, Snape, or anyone else who could have possibly been alerted to the presence of a busted down door. They didn’t stop until they reached the common room, not even bothering to hide the noise they made whilst they hurried to their dormitories.

There were many more questions buzzing in David’s head as he jumped into bed and attempted to pretend he had the ability to sleep after what happened. But the questions could wait.

Presently, not getting expelled was more than enough consolation.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

To the surprise of everyone involved from that night, almost nothing came of the incident. David had fully expected a visit from Professor McGonagall or Snape or someone about breaking into (quite literally) the mysterious door and a lengthy detention sentence that would lead into the next year. Even more shockingly, Merula kept to herself during their classes, only occasionally throwing out a barb or insult. She wasn’t stupid, any mouthing off on her part about the vaults would only serve to get her in trouble as well.

And so, life went on and the routine of Hogwarts returned. Exams were coming up and most of the student body settled into a quiet lull, especially the older students, who’s careers depended on their following results. Rowan in particular was adamant about focusing on their studies, constantly quizzing them on various spellwork, facts, and numbers. It became so intense, that even Ben was bold enough to suggest they should take a break from the library and actually eat a meal.

The routine wasn’t to last long, however. There was one last bludger to be thrown before the year was out, and it came in the form of Professor Dumbledore.

In the midst of eating dinner per Ben’s suggestion, their meal of shepherd’s pie (and a retelling of story about one of Charlie’s younger brothers) was interrupted by Angelica.

“David,” she said to him. “We need to talk.”

Swallowing a mouthful of pie, he gazed up at her.

“About what?”

“Did you try and enter that door on the 13th corridor?”

His stomach immediately lost any desire for food as it felt like a stone dropped in the middle of it.

“Maybe this can wait until later? This is a pretty good pie, if I do say so myself. And Charlie was in the middle of a joke so…”

“You have a comeback for everything, don’t you?”

“It’s where I get my dashing charm.”

Angelica looked as if she didn’t know whether to laugh or scream, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“You’re incorrigible, you know that? To think I’ll be your prefect for the next two years.”

“Imagine how fun that will be.”

“David, I know you think this is all hilarious,” she said, putting her arms on the table and giving him a piercing look. “But whether you care or not you represent Gryffindor, just like your brother did. Risking that representation is a poor way to go about your time here at Hogwarts.”

“I don’t know what you heard,” the first year answered back. “But it’s rumor.”

“You blasted down a door,” she shot back. “It’s not exactly a huge mystery that someone was in there.”

Sighing, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a letter.

“I didn’t come here to argue with you or punish you. I’m actually just a messenger. But I do want you to know that your house and everyone else in it matters. Not just you.”

David took the letter from her and recognized its seal- that of the Headmaster.

“Dumbledore wants to see you. He didn’t say why so don’t ask. But you better hope it’s nothing serious.”

He opened it straight away and saw a neat message inscribed:

Dear David,

I should like to speak with you tonight in the courtyard as soon as you are done with dinner. Please ensure you are alone as I would like our chat to be private. I look forward to seeing you then.

Sincerely,

Professor Dumbledore

In truth, David felt quite uneasy about the prospect of a one on one with the Headmaster, but he also had no choice. The most powerful wizard in Britain was not someone you could avoid or runaway from like Snape or Filch. He did, however, have one more thing to say to his prefect.

“Whatever you think of me, Angelica, know this. I’m not just here for myself, you can ask anyone at this table about how much I care about Gryffindor, my brother, my family. They’ll tell you.”

Ben, Rowan, and Charlie each nodded and that seemed to put Angelica more at ease.

“Okay,” she said approvingly. “I’ll hold you to that. You’d best be off now, you don’t want to keep Dumbledore waiting.”

Let’s get this over with

“Good luck,” Rowan said to him, while Ben smiled, and Charlie gave a thumbs up. Somehow, it was inspiring and that was not an emotion that he was intimate with. Even should he be punished; he knew his house had his back and he had theirs.

Deciding it was best to heed his prefect for once, David got up from the bench, and headed towards the Courtyard.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sure enough, the eccentric wizard was there when David finally arrived in the courtyard. Wearing blue robes with stars on them, they complimented the atmosphere rather well, as the first dots of light began to emerge in the evening sky. Approaching slowly, he figured Dumbledore knew he was there, but as of yet made no movement or indication of it, keeping his head towards the heavens.

When the Headmaster did acknowledge him for the first time, it was a warm, friendly greeting, almost grandfatherly in a way.

“Thank you for meeting with me, David.”

The first year Gryffindor wasn’t entirely sure what to say, but he figured it was best to at least be humble and not try and pull any funny business with Dumbledore.

“Of course sir, I just wanted to say that-”

“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” the old man interrupted, returning his gaze to the stars.

“Sir?”

“The quiet night, the calm air of spring with the promise of summer ahead- it truly puts your troubles into perspective doesn’t it?”

David had no idea where he was going with this but decided not to question it.

“I suppose so.”

“I oftentimes come here when I need to make an important decision.”

Perhaps a decision about his time at Hogwarts thus far? It wouldn’t have surprised David if Dumbledore was pondering that topic as they spoke.

“My prefect said you needed to see me, but she didn’t specify what. I assumed it was everything that’s happened this year- the dueling, fighting werewolves, the cursed ice…”

He trailed off as the Headmaster took a long look at him through his half moon spectacles. He did not look angry, however.

“Perhaps you were expecting a lecture or a far worse punishment?” he asked aloud. “But I sense you have just as many questions about what has happened so far.”

David realized that he was allowing him a freebee to ask whatever he desired, a fact he failed until realize until now as the words came spilling out.

“Sir, what are these cursed vaults? And why was my brother so obsessed with them? Do you have any idea where he is?”

A whole year had led up to this moment, but perhaps constantly avoiding the subject of his brother had been unhealthier than previously realized. In any case, Dumbledore did not look surprised.

“I’m afraid I don’t know much more than you do on the subject of the vaults,” he explained. “I have been seeking out an expert on the subject myself. Some say that they were created by a powerful sorcerer who was a student during the days of the Founders, others say Salazar Slytherin used them to hide his immense treasures and secrets. Perhaps they originate with the school itself. One cannot be certain, but as you’ll find, Hogwarts holds many secrets.

“As for your brother, his disappearance has baffled even me. He came across the vaults as a second year and his efforts to prove they existed resulted in several dangerous incidents that forced my hand, unfortunately. I do not want to damper your impression of him, however, he was an excellent student and quite the keen mind. Jacob was quite popular with the staff and most of the students, but I have guessed that he was led astray by someone or something along the way.”

“My brother, for all his feats was…complicated,” David said quietly. “He was always good to me, but there was a lot more happening with him than he let on.”

“Much of which you are just finding about now,” Dumbledore added with a small nod. “It is not easy being apart from a sibling. It is something I can highly empathize with.”

“This whole thing…this whole year has been one giant mystery.”

“Indeed, Hogwarts itself can be considered a mystery. But I expect you to learn more in the coming years of your time here.”

David breathed out, as Dumbledore’s words sunk in, implying he was not about to be kicked out, which had been a very real prospect coming into this meeting.

“Sooo….I’m not going to be expelled?”

Dumbledore’s gaze was slightly stern but there was still the hint of his usual twinkling in his blue eyes.

“You have made many mistakes this year, David. But you have also demonstrated great compassion, resourcefulness, and courage. As I say to many of my students, it is the choices we make that truly define who we are underneath. From what I can observe, you are quite the talented young wizard and Hogwarts is better off with your presence. I believe you have earned Gryffindor one hundred points.”

David could hardly believe his ears, the revelation that he was not expelled consuming most of his happiness at the extra points.

“Thank you, Professor!”

“You are welcome. Though I daresay it does not erase the poor drubbing the Gryffindor Quidditch team took at the hands of Ravenclaw.”

David scoffed. “We’d need a thousand house points to erase that deficit.”

Dumbledore gave a booming laugh, one that resonated across the courtyard.

“Indeed, there is that famous sense of humor you possess. I look forward to six more years of it, the wizarding world suffers for the want of a good joke often times.”

The first year Gryffindor knew that his time with the Headmaster was winding down, but his mind still burned with questions.

“Sir, thank you for everything. But can we talk more about my brother and the vaults?”

Dumbledore nodded, the full twinkling in his eyes returning.

“We can and we will. Next year,” he said. “In the meantime, I believe you have final exams to attend and a feast to prepare for. I do hope you have a good summer holiday.”

Gesturing with his robe, the Headmaster indicated for him to be on his way and David obliged, heading back to the Great Hall to finish up his shepherd’s pie (if Charlie hadn’t finished it by now). There was much to do, and he wasn’t sure what would come next. But one thing he was sure of: he couldn’t wait for the next year to start.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The inevitable day arrived as the students took their luggage down to Hogsmeade station to depart back to London where their families and friends waited for them. Many were saying their goodbyes already as a sea of crimson, yellow, blue, and green interacted and chatted away while preparing the board the train.

“I can’t believe how fast it went,” Rowan said as he lifted his luggage into the compartment.

“Me neither,” David agreed. “Before you know it, we’ll be seventh years rowing back across the lake at graduation.”

“Don’t even say that!” Rowan shuddered. “I still have six more years of academics to go, Dave. I’ll have to do everything I can to become the youngest Professor in Hogwarts history. There’s not enough time.”

“I’m taking the mickey,” David laughed. “Relax, mate. We got plenty of time. Just you wait, there’s a lot ahead of us and we’re going to see it all.”

“You’ll definitely need more than seven years then,” Charlie interjected, joining their space. “Have you seen how huge this place is? Loads of people come through without learning half of what goes on here.”

“Personally, I’d be fine with that,” Ben added, the last to join their space. “Better safe than sorry.”

“It’s not Hogwarts without a little adventure, Ben,” David said with a wink, his good mood having been sustained the past few weeks. True, Gryffindor had only placed third in the house cup, but at least Ravenclaw had pulled out all the stops to take down Slytherin. It saved him the agony of seeing Merula brag with the rest of the snakes.

“I’ve had enough adventure for a lifetime really,” the blonde boy muttered but a friendly pat on the back from David was enough to induce a small grin from him.

“Just you wait. By the time this thing ends, you won’t be afraid of anything.”

Charlie took a glance at his watch.

“I gotta go find Bill for a second. Also don’t worry about Jae, he’s off selling the last of his merchandise before the train leaves.”

Before the three other boys could get comfortable, however, Rowan slapped his forehead.

“Oh, I almost forgot, Dave.”

He quickly took out a random piece of paper, the same one he had used to jot down the message inside the door with the cursed ice.

“I did a little digging after we broke down that door. Took me awhile, but I finally managed to decipher what was on top of the archway.”

This was certainly news to David, who had desired more answers after his talk with Dumbledore.

“You’re joking. What does it say? What was it?”

“I found on obscure book about ciphers and ancient languages. It’s Aramaic, probably goes back a thousand years. It says, ‘The Ice Knight stands guard past the vanished stairs.’”

This newfound information was both welcoming and also frustrating to the young Gryffindor. As opposed to answering questions it gave rise to new ones? What was the ice knight? And where were these vanished stairs?

“It’s not much to go off of but it’s a start,” David sighed.

“I’ll do more research over the summer,” Rowan told him. “I’ll have plenty of time too. Plus you know how much I love to read.”

“I can learn some more spells, too,” Ben offered. “I know it’s not much but…”

Rowan and David looked at each other, failing to stifle a grin, causing Ben to look alarmed.

“What? Oh God, did I say something stupid?”

“It’s alright, mate,” David explained. “I guess no one told you but we’re not allowed to do magic outside of school.”

“Yup, or else you get your wand snapped.”

The blonde boy sighed.

“This crazy world is just full of surprises isn’t it?”

“Too right, my friend. And there are far more awaiting for us when we’re second years.”

“Wonderful.”

The train soon whistled, signaling its imminent departure. The last of the students climbed aboard and they were off.

As Rowan, Ben, and Charlie set up a game of exploding snap, David gazed outside at the fields and hills that began to roll past, both confident and anxious about the future. In his heart, he knew the mysteries of Hogwarts had only just began.

[tabloidtoc]

Us, September 2

Cover: The End of Scientology -- Kirstie Alley, Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Danny Masterson -- will COS’ most powerful defect after the church is charged with stalking women who accused Danny Masterson with rape 

Page 2: Red Carpet -- Zuhair Murad -- Jamine Tookes, Jennifer Lopez, Alessandra Ambrosio, Issa Rae 

Page 3: Shanina Shaik, Molly Sims, Kerry Washington, Rita Ora, Halle Berry 

Page 4: Who Wore It Best? Uzo Aduba vs. Drew Barrymore, Diane Kruger vs. Hailey Bieber, Jennifer Hudson vs. Rowan Blanchard 

Page 6: Loose Talk -- Whitney Cummings, Chrissy Teigen, Cate Blanchett, Judy Greer, Sherri Shepherd 

Page 8: Contents 

Page 10: Hot Pics -- Chrissy Teigen and John Legend and daughter Luna 

Page 11: Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy, Tina Fey, Wells Adams 

Page 12: Chance the Rapper, Khloe Kardashian and daughter True, Shay Mitchell 

Page 13: Ben Simmons and Tony the Tiger, Emma Watson and Tom Felton, Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner 

Page 14: Valentin Chmerkovskiy and wife Jenna Johnson, Jenny McCarthy and Donnie Wahlberg, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and new bride Lauren Hashian 

Page 15: Gavin Rossdale, Natasha Lyonne and Awkwafina 

Page 16: Miranda Lambert and Brendan McLoughlin, Chrissy Metz and Mandy Moore, Kristin Cavallari 

Page 18: Star They’re Just Like Us -- Bryan Cranston, Brie Larson

Page 19: Richard Thomas, Kylie Jenner

Page 20: Just Beat It -- Lizzo, Cardi B, Kacey Musgraves, Shaquille O’Neal as DJ Diesel 

Page 22: Strike a Yoga Pose -- Eva Longoria, Candice Swanepoel, Nikki Reed and her brother Nathan, Diplo, Nathalie Emmanuel 

Page 24: Friends Forever -- James Van Der Beek and Joshua Jackson, Rachel Bilson and Adam Brody, Chord Overstreet and Jenna Ushkowitz and Harry Shum Jr. and Kevin McHale and Darren Criss and Dianna Agron and Amber Riley 

Page 25: The cast of Zoey 101 minus Jamie Lynn Spears, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow and Jennifer Aniston, Jason Momoa and Emilia Clarke, Hafpor Julius Bjornsson and Ed Sheeran 

Page 26: Hollywood Moms -- Jennifer Love Hewitt on kids Autumn and Atticus 

Page 27: Brooke Burke’s four kids know she’s their mom and not their friend, Remy Ma on the struggles of breast-feeding daughter Reminisce, Moms’ Whoops-o-Meter -- Constance Zimmer, Coco Rocha, Soleil Moon Frye, Rachel Dratch, Catherine Giudici, Whitney Port 

Page 28: Love Lives -- Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton are hot and heavy and happy 

Page 29: Vanessa Hudgens and Austin Butler have mastered their partnership but won’t be marrying any time soon, Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost enjoy the last days of summer in Montauk, Evan Ross and Ashlee Simpson make a good team 

Page 30: Why Katie Holmes left Jamie Foxx 

Page 31: Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth’s families are encouraging them not to make any quick moves when it comes to officially divorcing, Lori Loughlin has asked her lawyer to negotiate a plea deal that would involve no jail time 

Page 32: Julianne Hough doesn’t find it frustrating that people want to put a label on her sexuality, Kyle Richards is on a downward spiral, VIP Style -- Padma Lakshmi, Stephen Baldwin, Leonardo DiCaprio and Camila Morrone, Nick Carter and Howie Dorough, Christina Hendricks and Retta, Rihanna and Hassan Jameel, Emmanuelle Chriqui 

Page 34: What’s in my Bag -- Rachel Brosnahan 

Page 36: Cover Story -- Another Scientology Lawsuit -- Does the Church Harass Women? -- since accusing Danny Masterson of rape four women say the controversial church has been stalking them 

Page 40: Brad Pitt’s plea -- talk to me, Maddox -- three years after Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt split up, Maddox is still taking his mom’s side and giving his dad the cold shoulder 

Page 43: Family estrangement isn’t uncommon in Hollywood -- Angelina Jolie and Jon Voight, Jennifer Aniston and Nancy Dow, Courtney Love and Frances Bean Cobain, Ariel Winter and Crystal Workman, Michael and Lindsay Lohan, Mischa Barton and Nuala Quinn-Barton, Tamra Judge and Sidney Barney 

Page 44: Kanye West and Taylor Swift’s wild ride -- it’s been 10 years since Kanye West’s infamous interruption at the VMAs and it’s been a roller coaster ever since 

Page 49: Style -- Dots -- Lais Ribeiro, Jaimie Alexander, Allison Williams, Yara Shahidi, Julia Garner, Sofia Vergara 

Page 50: Inside the world’s most exclusive spa Clinique La Prairie 

Page 54: Us Musts --Maura Tierney inside the fifth and final season of The Affair

Page 56: Anne Winters on 13 Reasons Why

Page 57: Taylor Swift’s Lover

Page 58: Fashion Police -- Lucy Liu, Laura Marano, Sophia Bush

Page 59: Maia Mitchell, Ryan Destiny, Jude Demorest

Page 60: 25 Things You Don’t Know About Me -- Ellie Kemper

[fromthesomewhere]

Fred’s Book Club - 1916

Following our 1915 “Book Club” post, we now present to you Fred Baragar’s literary references from his 1916 letters home. Again, if you delve into any of Fred’s “recommendations”, we’d love a message to hear what you thought - or simply re-blog this post with your comments! 

6 January & 11 March 1916: Alfred Lord Tennyson’s The Princess - The Splendour Falls on Castle Walls  13 February 1916: Rabbi Ben Ezra by Robert Browning  24 February 1916: Sir Henry Lauder’s I Love A Lassie  26 February 1916: Fred requests copies of MacLean’s, Life, Cosmopolitan  29 February 1916: Henry Jackson Van Dyke’s The Blue Flower, and Others  7 April 1916: A Far Country by Winston Churchill  30 April 1916:The Fortune of Christina McNab by Sarah Macnaughton, Tennyson’s The Brook  5 May 1916: Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster and Bystanders’ Fragments from France by Bruce Bairnsfather. 9 June 1916: The Vision of Sir Launfal by James Russell Lowell 19 June 1916: Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain, The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens, The Virginians by Thackeray, and a collection of Tennyson’s Poems 4 July 1916: The Ordeal of Richard Feverel by George Meredith  11 July 1916: An unnamed Charlie Chaplain film 12 November 1916: The Shepherd of the Hills by Harold Bell Wright, and “The Adventures” - likely Adventures in Contentment by David Grayson (Ray Stannard Baker)  8 December 1916: Their Yesterday by Harold Bell Wright 10 December 1916: Just David by Eleanor H. Porter 28 December 1916: A Kiss for Cinderella by J.M. Barrie