#christopher sotomayor

[smashpages]

Dark Horse will bring Neil Gaiman’s ‘Anansi Boys’ to comics

Marc Bernardin and Shawn Martinbrough will bring the story of Anansi’s twin sons to comics.

cover by David Mack

[mar-ruiz]

(vía Review: 'Anansi Boys' #6 -- Where We Get to Learn About Anansi)

[why-i-love-comics]

Green Lantern: Way Journal #5 (2024)

written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson art by Montos, Adriano Lucas, & Christopher Sotomayor

[tabletopgaymers]

Today is the anniversary of the Pulse shooting, which took the lives of 49 people, most of whom were Latine and LGBTQIA+, as Pulse is a gay nightclub that was hosting a "Latin Night" on that evening. Take a moment today to reflect on and honor the lives of the victims. Stanley Almodovar III, 23 Amanda Alvear, 25 Oscar A. Aracena-Montero, 26 Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33 Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21 Martin Benitez Torres, 33 Antonio D. Brown, 30 Darryl R. Burt II, 29 Jonathan A. Camuy Vega, 24 Angel L. Candelario-Padro, 28 Simon A. Carrillo Fernandez, 31 Juan Chavez-Martinez, 25 Luis D. Conde, 39 Cory J. Connell, 21 Tevin E. Crosby, 25 Franky J. Dejesus Velazquez, 50 Deonka D. Drayton, 32 Mercedez M. Flores, 26 Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22 Juan R. Guerrero, 22 Paul T. Henry, 41 Frank Hernandez, 27 Miguel A. Honorato, 30 Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40 Jason B. Josaphat, 19 Eddie J. Justice, 30 Anthony L. Laureano Disla, 25 Christopher A. Leinonen, 32 Brenda L. Marquez McCool, 49 Jean C. Mendez Perez, 35 Akyra Monet Murray, 18 Kimberly Morris, 37 Jean C. Nieves Rodriguez, 27 Luis O. Ocasio-Capo, 20 Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez, 25 Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36 Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32 Enrique L. Rios Jr., 25 Juan P. Rivera Velazquez, 37 Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan, 24 Christopher J. Sanfeliz, 24 Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35 Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25 Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34 Shane E. Tomlinson, 33 Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25 Luis S. Vielma, 22 Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37 Jerald A. Wright, 31 (from

https://www.orlando.gov/Initiatives/Pulse-Tragedy/Updates-and-Information/Victims%E2%80%99-Names

)

[else-creates]

Hey Readers!

Since we're very nearly at the end of the year I wanna know what you've all been reading over 2024, come on Readblr share your reading list with the world.

I'll go first:

Books:

Wyrd Sisters – Terry Pratchett

Pyramids – Terry Pratchett

Guards! Guards! - Terry Pratchett

Moving Pictures – Terry Pratchett

Battle Royale: Remastered – Koushun Tamaki

I Am Number Four – Pittacus Lore

The Power Of Six – Pittacus Lore

A Darker Shade of Magic – V.E Schwab

A Gathering Of Shadows – V.E Schwab

A Conjuring Of Light – V.E Schwab

Vicious – V.E Schwab

Victorious – V.E Schwab

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue – V.E Schwab

Legends and Lattes – Travis Baldree (Currently reading)

Web serials and Comics:

Claw – Wildbow

Seek – Wildbow

Dead Eye – @victoriadallonfan (Not caught up yet)

Transformers – Daniel Warren Johnson/Jorge Corona/Sarah Stern/Rus Wooton (Skybound Entertainment)

MMPR The Return – Amy Jo Johnson/Matt Hotson/Nico Leon/Francesco Segala (BOOM! Studios)

Ranger Academy – Maria Ingrande Mora/Jo Mi-Gyeong/Joana Lafuente (BOOM! Studios)

Power Rangers Prime – Melissa Flores/Micheal YG/Fabi Marques (BOOM! Studios)

The Shadow Cabinet – Joseph P. Illidge/Darryl Banks/Atagun Ilhan/Christopher Sotomayor (DC)

The Power Fantasy – Kieron Gillen/Caspar Wijngaard/Clayton Cowles/Rian Hughes (Image Comics)

Fanfiction:

War Machines – @bravewriting

The Huntress From Vale – @elcuervoborracho

Mercury Black And The Accidental Child Aquisition – @shitlinguistssay

Here Comes The New Boss – @howlingguardian

My Girlfriend is Terrifying – @gowonzu2

Wound – SpiralHelix (I don’t think they’re on Tumblr)

Raccoon Knight – Bee_Jpeg (I know they’re on here but I’ve forgotten their account)

Luster – @evagrimmchi

And I Know It Seems Like A Long Shot; But I’m Trying, I’m Right Here Trying AND Can A Snow Leopard Change Its Spots? – @sssn-neptune-vasilias

And naturally a ton of smaller/one shot fics....And also, my own writing

[starfishvo]

Happy Valentines!!

Here’s a cute little romantic comic dub for ya where I play Spider-Man! I’ll always be happy to give The Thing a lil smooch 🫶🏻🫶🏻❤️

Comic dub by @yeahrealnito

Original comic is Avenging Spider-Man Annual #1

Written by Rob Williams

Penciled by Brad Walker

Inked by John Livesay

Coloured by Christopher Sotomayor

Lettered by Virtual Calligr

[grits-galraisedinthesouth]

Supreme Court Overturns DOJ's Use of Key J6 Felony Court

"Today's decision means Attorney General Merrick Garland and federal judges in Washington wrongfully prosecuted roughly 350 J6ers with the post-Enron felony"

JULIE KELLY

JUN 28, 2024 In a devastating but well-deserved blow to the Department of Justice’s criminal prosecution of January 6 protesters, the U.S. Supreme Court today overturned the DOJ’s use of 18 USC 1512(c)(2), the most prevalent felony in J6 cases.

The statute, commonly referred to as “obstruction of an official proceeding,” has been applied in roughly 350 J6 cases; it also represents two of four counts in Special Counsel Jack Smith’s J6-related criminal indictment of Donald Trump in Washington. 

In a 6-3 decision, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the “c2” subsection is tethered to the “c1” subsection that addresses tampering with a record, document, or “object.”

From the opinion:

Roberts was joined by Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Justice Amy Coney Barrett authored the dissent (!) joined by Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor.

Today’s decision means hundreds of Americans have been wrongfully prosecuted by Attorney General Merrick Garland as he insists his department is dedicated to upholding the “rule of law” and pursuing justice “without fear or favor.”

An Irreversible Black Eye for DOJ and Federal Courts in Washington

The matter originated in the case of Joseph Fischer, a Pennsylvania man who attended Trump’s speech and later went to the Capitol. According to court documents, Fischer briefly entered the building around 3:25 p.m., nearly an hour after the joint session of Congress to certify the electoral college votes had recessed. He exited about four minutes later.

In March 2021, a D.C. grand jury indicted Fischer on numerous counts including 1512(c)(2). The statute reads:

Whoever corruptly— 

(1) alters, destroys, mutilates, or conceals a record, document, or other object, or attempts to do so, with the intent to impair the object’s integrity or availability for use in an official proceeding; or 

(2) otherwise obstructs, influences, or impedes any official proceeding, or attempts to do so.

It is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Fischer, in addition to many J6ers facing the count, asked his judge to dismiss the charge. Judge Carl Nichols, appointed by Trump, dismissed the count against Fischer and two other defendants by finding the language in the post-Enron/Arthur Anderson statute covered tampering with records or documents not interrupting a meeting of Congress. The DOJ appealed Nichols’ decision.

In December, SCOTUS granted Fischer’s petition to grant cert seeking to reverse the appellate court’s mandate. Oral arguments were held on April 16.

Nichols is the only judge to have dismissed the count; 18 district and circuit court judges in Washington refused to dismiss the count. The judges essentially enabled the Biden DOJ’s unlawful pursuit of Americans who protested Biden’s election that day.

The List of Shame:

Judge Beryl Howell (Obama, former chief judge)

Judge James Boasberg (Obama, current chief judge)

Judge Rudolph Contreras (Obama)

Judge Trevor McFadden (Trump)

Judge John Bates (GW Bush)

Judge Amit Mehta (Obama)

Judge Dabny Friedrich (Trump)

Judge Royce Lamberth (Reagan)

Judge Richard Leon (GW Bush)

Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly (Clinton)

Judge Amy Berman Jackson (Obama)

Judge Timothy Kelly (Trump)

Judge Randolph Moss (Clinton)

Judge Paul Friedman (Clinton)

Judge Christopher Cooper (Obama)

D.C. Circuit Court Judge Florence Pan (Biden)—Pan wrote both appellate court decisions upholding 1512c2

D.C. Circuit Court Judge Justin Walker (Trump)

D.C. Circuit Court Judge Cornelia Pillard

There Goes Your Summer, Your Honor

The federal courthouse in Washington has been bracing for a flood of motions post-Fischer; a few judges have released individuals from prison in anticipation of a reversal. Roughly 110 J6ers have been sentenced to prison on 1512(c)(2) convictions; several J6ers were held under pretrial detention for being charged with the nonviolent obstruction count alone.

But despite the law’s legal limbo over the past year, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves, a Biden appointee, continued to indict J6ers on 1512(c)(2) while some judges continued to sentence those convicted to lengthy prison terms. Last month, Beryl Howell, the former chief judge who upheld the 1512(c)(2) charges for defendants in her courtroom, sentenced a Missouri man to 60 months in prison for the 1512 conviction and assault on police.

In January 2022, Howell gave the green light for her colleagues to support the DOJ’s use of the obstruction count. Here is what she said in denying a motion to dismiss filed by two J6ers:

“For over 200 years, the peaceful transition of power from one presidential administration to another has been marked with Congress's certification of the Electoral College vote; and this event has been respectfully observed by American citizens, but not on January 6, 2021. And I start with this historical fact because what happened on January 6th was a chilling new type of criminal conduct to which our criminal laws have never before had to be applied. Application of criminal laws to conduct never before seen, like what occurred on January 6, 2021, appropriately generates the kind of legal questions the defendants raise here about whether the criminal law fits the charged criminal conduct.”

The first judge to uphold the obstruction charge in J6 cases was Trump-appointee Dabny Friedrich. In 2021, she agreed that interrupting a meeting of Congress met the definition of “official proceeding” and that the statute’s broad language did not require the government to prove the conduct involved tampering with records or documents.

Ironically—or not—Friedrich is married to Matthew Friedrich, a former DOJ official who worked on the Enron Task Force alongside Andrew Weissman and current deputy attorney general Lisa Monaco. The 1512(c)(2) statute was a product of the Enron/Arthur Anderson investigation; Weissmann, as the lead prosecutor for Special Counsel Robert Mueller in the bogus Russiagate probe, pushed the DOJ to charge Trump with 1512(c)(2) while in office.

Retired judge Thomas Hogan recently warned how a SCOTUS’s reversal of 1512(c)(2) would affect the DC courthouse. Here is Hogan, who upheld the statute in J6 prosecutions, with former DOJ official and FISAgate mastermind Mary McCord:

Reacting to the SCOTUS decision, Geri Perna, aunt of Matthew Perna, told me this by email:

“When Matthew was unexpectedly charged with the felony of Obstruction of an Official Proceeding—after initially facing only misdemeanors—his world collapsed. The weight of a potential lengthy prison sentence bore down on him, filling his days with insurmountable worry and anxiety. At that time, there was no glimmer of hope that this severe charge would be dropped.

Matthew has now been dead for 28 months. In the wake of his passing, the Supreme Court of the United States is finally set to rule on whether the Department of Justice wrongfully applied 1512(c)(2) in January 6 cases. As much as I am hopeful for a just ruling in favor of the January 6 defendants, I am consumed by a profound sense of loss and anger. My nephew's death was both avoidable and senseless.

I feel cheated, and if that sounds selfish, then so be it. The pain of losing Matthew under such circumstances is a burden I carry every day. I fervently hope that those responsible for wielding this charge erroneously will be held accountable in a court of law. However, I am not holding my breath.”

[tacticalhimbo]

REMEMBERING PULSE NIGHTCLUB - COMMUNITY COALITION AGAINST ONEPULSE

The only prominent post going around about the Pulse Nightclub shooting in 2016 is my own, and is unfortunately cursed to the fate of receiving reblogs of an inaccurate version. So, 8 years later, I'm doing the right thing and making a new post to properly honor the victims and their families.

May these beautiful souls rest in peace, and may we never forget their names (not in picture order, afaik):

Stanley Almodovar III, 23

Amanda Alvear, 25

Oscar A Aracena-Montero, 26

Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33

Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21

Martin Benitez Torres, 33

Antonio D Brown, 30

Darryl R Burt II, 29

Jonathan A Camuy Vega, 24

Angel L Candelario-Padro, 28

Simon A Carrillo Fernandez, 31

Juan Chevez-Martinez, 25

Luis D Conde, 39

Cory J Connell, 21

Tevin E Crosby, 25

Franky J Dejesus Velazquez, 50

Deonka D Drayton, 32

Mercedes M Flores, 26

Peter O Gonzalez-Cruz, 22

Juan R Guerrero, 22

Paul T Henry, 41

Frank Hernandez, 27

Miguel A Honorato, 30

Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40

Jason B Josaphat, 19

Eddie J Justice, 30

Anthony L Laureano Disla, 25

Christopher A Leinonen, 32

Brenda L Marquez McCool, 49

Jean C Mendez Perez, 35

Akyra Monet Murray, 18

Kimberly Morris, 37

Jean C Nieves Rodriguez, 27

Luis O Ocasio-Capo, 20

Geraldo A Ortiz-Jimenez, 25

Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36

Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32

Enrique L Rios Jr, 25

Juan P Rivera Velazquez, 37

Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan, 24

Christopher J Sanfeliz, 24

Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35

Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25

Edward Sotomayor Jr, 34

Shane E Tomlinson, 33

Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25

Luis S Vielma, 22

Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37

Jerald A Wright, 31

Will it gain the traction it needs? Probably not. But I'm not as... distant, about today, as I have been over the years. Because let's face it... This hits close to home for me. I said this in my original posting, too:

As someone who lives relatively near Orlando, I remember this day so vividly and I still feel a lot of pain for the victims even five years later.

I remember biting back tears in my living room because I wasn't out of the closet, and couldn't let my family know just how much this hurt me. I remember breaking down that night while scrolling the headlines, watching as the number of fatalities kept climbing. I remember staring at the button on Facebook asking me if I was safe.

And to this day, even with those involved and responsible gone... I still do not feel safe as a queer man in this state or in this country.

More importantly, though, it's important to highlight the community impacted by it, and the way onePULSE and its founder (Barbara Poma), the city of Orlando, and the State of Florida have exploited and continue to exploit the deaths of these individuals.

Information from here on out will be taken from the Community Coalition Agaisnt a Pulse Museum's official website, which can be found at the following link: [ LINK ]

The Community Coalition Against a Pulse Museum (CCAPM) is a group of surviving victims, family members of victims, activists, and scholars who have banded together to fight against the onePULSE Foundation's privatized memorial and museum complex. Our position is that money raised in the name of the mass shooting should go to the continued care of survivors. A public memorial park that does not seek to capitalize on the mass shooting in any way is the only option for a just memorial.

In addition, we seek justice for mass shooting victims by exposing the history and scope of unpermitted renovations and code violations at Pulse, which impaired the escape and rescue of shooting victims. We believe that Pulse owners Rosario Poma and Barbara Poma should be held accountable for these violations, rather than continuing to profit from a tragedy that was exacerbated by their illegal business decisions. We also want to see the City of Orlando held accountable for their continued failure to enforce the law and bring the business into compliance.

So what are the prominent issues?

WE ARE AGAINST COMMODIFYING MASS MURDER

The onePULSE Foundation has placed a gift shop feet away from where 49 people were murdered on the site of the interim memorial. We firmly renounce putting any price tag on the murder of our loved ones. The proposed museum is also slated to have a gift shop and a price of admission.

WE ARE AGAINST TURNING A PUBLIC TRAGEDY INTO PRIVATE PROFITS

Pulse nightclub owner, Barbara Poma, refused to sell the property to the City of Orlando for a public memorial. Instead, she created the onePULSE Foundation and has taken an executive salary in her self-made position as CEO. Perks have also included national recognition, celebrity, political connections, and undeserved accolades as an LGBTQ+ ally.

WE ARE AGAINST TURNING A MASS SHOOTING INTO A TOURIST ATTRACTION

The onePULSE Foundation has received a $10 MILLION tourism development tax grant from Orange County for the building of a museum. The tax application shows how the proposed memorial/museum complex has been intended to increase tourism during the off-season. The corporate Board of Trustees also reflects the local tourism industry.

WE SUPPORT INVESTING IN THE CONTINUED CARE OF SURVIVORS

Money raised in the name of the mass shooting at Pulse is going to multi-million dollar buildings rather than the continued care of the people who were directly affected. Available services and organizations have not provided adequate care to survivors and the onePULSE Foundation has not stepped in to fill any gaps; focusing instead on cultural and "educational" programs, while ignoring the ongoing needs of survivors.

WE CALL OUT A CHANGING MISSION

For years, the onePULSE Foundation raised funds for community grants for victims' families and survivors. In 2019, "community grants" were removed from the organization's mission. According to the released 2018 990s, only $1k was spent on community grants. People have donated money to the organization thinking that they were helping survivors.

WE ACKNOWLEDGE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

onePULSE Foundation CEO Barbara Poma is currently being sued by survivors and victims' families as part of a security negligence lawsuit. This lawsuit also alleges the illegal transfer of the Pulse nightclub property which was transferred via quit claim deed in the months after the shooting to two other LLCs owned by Barbara and Rosario Poma. Funds raised by the non-profit are being invested in the Pulse property that the Poma's still own.

As of 2024, this case is still pending, with the latest service list being posted on the docket as of June 11. The case number is publicly available (2018-CA-006102-O) and is searchable via the Orange County Clerk of Courts Record Search.

WE AFFIRM A PUBLIC MEMORIAL PARK IS STILL POSSIBLE

Public memorial parks have been the overwhelming response to mass shootings around the country, including Aurora, Columbine, Las Vegas, and Newtown. Most have been built by volunteers, with no executive salaries. The OnePULSE Foundation's proposed museum attraction seeks to unnecessarily turn the shooting into a spectacle and requires merchandising the tragedy. Mass murder is not for sale!

WE CONTINUE TO EXPOSE UNPERMITTED RENOVATIONS AND CODE VIOLATIONS

Public records affirm that Pulse Nightclub was a death trap due to its unpermitted renovations and code violations. Documents show that these issues affected the both the escape and rescue of Pulse survivors on June 12, 2016. We continue to collect, document, and uncover these issues since the City of Orlando has still not released all relevant records to the public.

Survivors of the incident, as well as their families and those who have faced similar tragedy, have also signed an open letter [ LINK ] calling attention to these issues, provided documented evidence of the above claims [ LINK ], and have also been running a petition since 2019 to call attention to the matter:

Of course, it is important to note that the individuals mentioned (Barbara Poma, the Orlando City Council, etc.) are not the only ones involved in making this state an unsafe place for its queer community.

As noted in my original posting as well, the unsafe nature of this state runs through its government. The fight for our rights, our recognition, and our safety still continues. Here are some facts from the original post (dated June 12, 2021):

In June 2021, the Governor of Florida vetoed an "item-lined budget bill" - that legally provides mental health, counseling, and compensation directly towards victims of the June 2016 Pulse nightclub Orlando shooting.

While they cannot be enforced, sodomy laws still exist in Florida to this day. Every year, we are still criminalized by a technicality.

In many places, same-sex domestic partnerships are still not granted. It is only viable in approximately nine counties, thirty cities, and one town.

It took until 2016 for same-sex couples to be granted the same parental rights during in vitro fertilization and surrogacy as opposite-sex couples. Before then, the non-biological mother and father was not the child's legal parent nor guardian.

The state's "hate crime law" only accounts for sexual orientation, and does not protect victims who were attacked for their gender identity.

Anti-discrimination laws for sexual orientation and gender identity are not state-wide nor equally applicable within each county/town.

On June 1, 2021, Governor of Florida Ron DeSantis signed a bill to exclude transgender women from participating in sports designated for female students. This bill passed because of a last-minute legislative "procedural maneuver". The HRC is currently establishing a campaign to try and stop the law from going into effect (called "nullification") on midnight July 1.

Gay-panic and Trans-panic are still viable legal defenses, resulting in these abhorrent hate crimes to be decreased from murder to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Conversion therapy against minors is not banned state-wide, and is still legal within many areas of the state. In fact, in some areas, a ban on the practice is deemed "unenforceable".

And that is just the tip of the iceberg, because if you've been active in your advocacy for the community (or at the very least, following me for a decent period of time)... Then you know just how unsafe Florida has become. You know how, even under the Biden administration, people like Governor Ron DeSantis have gone unchallenged in their writing and enforcement of vile legislation. You know how this legislation has begun creeping its way up to the top, to the federal level, and remained unchallenged the whole way up.

Here are some more "fun facts" about just how much we must fight against in the wake of this tragedy:

States like Florida have eliminated 80% of all trans adult care (SB 254), adults can be thrown in jail for using the bathroom of their gender identity (SB 1674), and trans people with correct gender markers on their drivers licenses can be charged with fraud (Florida Dept. of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles memo).

The State of Florida has had several travel advisories issued against it by local LGBTQ+ organizations (e.g., Equality Florida) and national organizations (e.g., Human Rights Campaign).

Likewise, many social media laws targeting "adult content and pornography" (HB 3) include sneaky, vague language that will very much target the existence of queer folk using the internet in this state.

More states within the United States are explicitly passing anti-trans legislation than not, and moreso now than ever [ source; dated June 4th ].

The time for relying on those above us is over. We MUST kill the plague of individualism and build community. If we don't support one another, nobody will. No amount of pinkwashing, placation, or sanitation will change that.

We are here. We are queer. We will never forget, and we cannot allow ourselves to.

[vague-humanoid]

The star of Static Shock is far from the first hero in Milestone history. The popularity of his DC Animated Universe cartoon from the 2000s has made some fans assume that Virgil Hawkins is the first hero of DC Comics' imprint universe. Alternatively, some fans think Icon - the Milestone equivalent to Superman - is the first superhero to arrive in the Milestone continuity.

Both assumptions are wrong, as neither Static nor Icon are Milestone's first hero. As revealed in Milestone Universe: The Shadow Cabinet #2 by Joseph P. Illidge, Darryl Banks, Atagun Ilhan, Christopher Sotomayor, and ANDWORLD Design, the first superhero in Milestone continuity is the leader of the Shadow Cabinet himself, Dharma.

[dispatchdcu]

Action Comics #1060 Review

Writers: Phillip Kennedy Johnson Artists: Eddy Barrows, Fico Ossio, Eber Ferreira, Joe Prado & Jonas Trindade Colorists: Matt Herms & Christopher Sotomayor Cover Artist: Steve Beach Publisher: DC Comics Reviewer: StoryBabbler Superman knows his enemy! After a brief encounter with members of Blue Earth’s new supermen, the Man of Steel now recognizes the true handiwork and identity of Norah Stone,…

[theprideful]

[ID: a grey image titled, “In loving memory of the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting on June 12, 2016”. in the righthand corner is a heart with stripes in the colors of the rainbow flag; the flag continues at the border and to the edge of the image. beneath the title is a list of names:

Stanley Almodovar III

Alejandro Barrios Martinez

Amanda Alvear

Brenda Lee Marquez McCool

Oscar A Aracena-Montero

Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez

Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala

Kimberly Morris

Antonio Davon Brown

Akyra Monet Murray

Darryl Roman Burt II

Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo

Angel L. Candelario-Padro

Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez

Juan Chavez-Martinez

Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera

Luis Daniel Conde

Joel Rayon Paniagua

Cory James Connell

Jean Carlos Mendez Perez

Tevin Eugene Crosby

Deonka Deidra Drayton

Enrique L. Rios, Jr.

Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez

Jean C. Nieves Rodriguez

Leroy Valentin Fernandez

Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado

Mercedez Marisol Flores

Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz

Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz

Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan

Juan Ramon Guerrero

Edward Sotomayor Jr.

Paul Terrell Henry

Shane Evan Tomlinson

Frank Hernandez

Martin Benitez Torres

Miguel Angel Honorato

Jonathan Antonio Camuy Vega

Javier Jorge-Reyes

Juan P. Rivera Velazquez

Jason Benjamin Josaphat

Luis S. Vielma

Eddie Jamoldroy Justice

Franky Jimmy Dejesus Velazquez

Anthony Luis Laureanodisla

Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon

Christopher Andrew Leinonen

Jerald Arthur Wright

/end ID]

It's been 7 years.

[why-i-love-comics]

Green Lantern: Way Journal #5 (2024)

written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson art by Montos, Adriano Lucas, & Christopher Sotomayor

[marawrders]

On June 11, 2016, I was 15 years old in Orlando, getting ready to fly out on a choir trip to Europe. I passed by Pulse during the day. I saw the signs for Latin night. I remember it vividly because my half-closeted queer Latinx heart was so happy to see it. The morning of June 12, the news reports about the shooting were the first things I saw when I woke up. It didn't hit me in that moment. I was in shock I think. I went to the airport (MCO). I stood in that terminal and on every single TV screen there was a different news outlet covering Pulse. And I collapsed onto the floor of the airport sobbing so hard I couldn't breathe, looking like a complete wreck in front of strangers while my friends tried to comfort me. I don't mean to make this about me. It's 100% not. I am not a survivor of the shooting, I don't claim for it to have been anywhere near as traumatic for me as it was for those in the building, and my heart aches for all victims, survivors, and their loved ones. But at 15, it was the first time I really, TRULY realized that people in the world wanted me dead. Wanted me murdered. They'd celebrate my murder. Not only my life would be stripped from me, but also the validity of my identity, as someone who was finally trying to come to terms with potentially being trans (spoiler alert: I am). I have never been the same. I have had a storm cloud over my perception of the world ever since. I stared at those TV screens and cried for the people I didn't know, the people whose lives were brutally taken, the people whose lives would continue to be taken in attacks that I suddenly realized would never end, attacks I could plausibly be a victim of one day. And now look at the state of things. It hurts. It never stops hurting. Fuck anyone and everyone who has ever acted on their hate. Fuck anyone and everyone who has ever taught others to be hateful. Fuck the state of the world. Fuck the injustice faced by queer people across the globe. To the 49... I'm just so fucking sorry. You deserved so, so much better.

Stanley Almodovar III, 23 years old

Amanda L. Alvear, 25 years old

Oscar A. Aracena Montero, 26 years old

Rodolfo Ayala Ayala, 33 years old

Antonio Davon Brown, 29 years old

Darryl Roman Burt II, 29 years old

Angel Candelario-Padro, 28 years old

Juan Chavez Martinez, 25 years old

Luis Daniel Conde, 39 years old

Cory James Connell, 21 years old

Tevin Eugene Crosby, 25 years old

Deonka Deidra Drayton, 32 years old

Simón Adrian Carrillo Fernández, 31 years old

Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25 years old

Mercedez Marisol Flores, 26 years old

Peter Ommy Gonzalez Cruz, 22 years old

Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22 years old

Paul Terrell Henry, 41 years old

Frank Hernandez, 27 years old

Miguel Angel Honorato, 30 years old

Javier Jorge Reyes, 40 years old

Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19 years old

Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, 30 years old

Anthony Luis Laureano Disla, 25 years old

Christopher Andrew Leinonen, 32 years old

Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21 years old

Brenda Marquez McCool, 49 years old

Gilberto R. Silva Menendez, 25 years old

Kimberly Jean Morris, 37 years old

Akyra Monet Murray, 18 years old

Luis Omar Ocasio Capo, 20 years old

Geraldo A. Ortiz Jimenez, 25 years old

Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36 years old

Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32 years old

Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35 years old

Enrique L. Rios, Jr., 25 years old

Jean Carlos Nieves Rodríguez, 27 years old

Xavier Emmanuel Serrano-Rosado, 35 years old

Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz, 24 years old

Yilmary Rodríguez Solivan, 24 years old

Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34 years old

Shane Evan Tomlinson, 33 years old

Martin Benitez Torres, 33 years old

Jonathan A. Camuy Vega, 24 years old

Juan Pablo Rivera Velázquez, 37 years old

Luis Sergio Vielma, 22 years old

Franky Jimmy DeJesus Velázquez, 50 years old

Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37 years old

Jerald Arthur Wright, 31 years old

(Got the list from the City of Orlando website. If any names need to be edited, please let me know. I don't want to deadname anyone and I'm unsure whether anyone on the list is under a deadname.)

The largest mass shooting in American history was a hate crime against gay people. Don’t ever forget that.

[superpoweredfancast]

Anansi Boys #1 Review

Anansi Boys #1 Dark Horse Comics Written by Neil Gaiman and Marc Bernardin Art by Shawn Martinbrough Colors by Christopher Sotomayor Letters by Jim Campbell The Rundown: Charlie must travel home after his father dies and discover something strange about him. Charlie is preparing for a new chapter in his life when his fiancé asks him why he is reticent to include his estranged father in…

[limeslices]

The Pulse nightclub shooting, a tragic event in Orlando, Florida, occurred on June 12, 2016. It was one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history, resulting in the loss of 49 lives and injuring 53 more. It was also the deadliest violent attack against the LGBTQ+ community in US history. The shooter, Omar Mateen, pledged allegiance to ISIS during the attack. The incident deeply shook the nation, sparking discussions about gun control, terrorism, and LGBTQ+ rights. Vigils and memorials were held worldwide to honor the victims and show solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community.

Here are the names of the 49 victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting:

Stanley Almodovar III

Amanda Alvear

Oscar A. Aracena-Montero

Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala

Antonio Davon Brown

Darryl Roman Burt II

Angel L. Candelario-Padro

Juan Chevez-Martinez

Luis Daniel Conde

Cory James Connell

Tevin Eugene Crosby

Deonka Deidra Drayton

Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez

Leroy Valentin Fernandez

Mercedez Marisol Flores

Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz

Juan Ramon Guerrero

Paul Terrell Henry

Frank Hernandez

Miguel Angel Honorato

Javier Jorge-Reyes

(Cont.)

Jason Benjamin Josaphat

Eddie Jamoldroy Justice

Anthony Luis Laureanodisla

Christopher Andrew Leinonen

Alejandro Barrios Martinez

Brenda Lee Marquez McCool

Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez

Kimberly Morris

Akyra Monet Murray

Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo

Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez

Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera

Joel Rayon Paniagua

Jean Carlos Mendez Perez

Enrique L. Rios Jr.

Jean C. Nives Rodriguez

Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado

Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz

Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan

(Cont.)

Edward Sotomayor Jr.

Shane Evan Tomlinson

Martin Benitez Torres

Jonathan Antonio Camuy Vega

Juan P. Rivera Velazquez

Luis S. Vielma

Franky Jimmy Dejesus Velazquez

Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon

Jerald Arthur Wright

[dccomicsnews]

Indie Comics Review: PhenomX #1

Indie Comics Review: PhenomX #1

Indie Comics Review: PhenomX #1   [Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers] Publisher:  Image Comics Writer: John Leguizamo, Aram Rappaport, Joe Miciak Artist: Chris Batista Letters: AndWorld Design Colors: Christopher Sotomayor Reviewed by: Carl Bryan   Summary “Vypraxatol…we thought it was a failure, but recently, we’ve found we were simply missing one key ingredient.” – Agent…