#i even used batteries to change his name..! so hank it is

[woulnutt]

Waiting... Suffering...

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Heart rate...up

[iwonderwh0]

Toxic codependent coworkers (more like sentimentally attached. I really tried but it didn't turn out toxic, but rather everything but)

(AU where Hank and Connor work as partners for years(or at least months) prior to revolution, and not on deviancy cases)

Despite being an android Connor has apparent lack of respect to Hank's superiority status, and at first it drives Hank nuts. He thinks he must be broken and fills the form for condition tests, but they come back normal, and as Hank finds out he's pretty much the only one having problems in making his android partner listen to his commands. After that Connor becomes even more annoying, as if specifically messing with Hank.

Hank, spends month begging to be partnered with someone else. Finally gets his wish granted and for one case he gets partnered with someone who is actually listening to him with respect and doesn't do or say weird shit. And it feels so off and boring that the next week or even day all he does is quietly asks to get Connor back.

This change made him aware that although sometimes annoying, his work has become much more fun and bearable with the presence of this specific android in it. It actually helps him forget things and distracts him enough from his regular thoughts for him to almost feel like fully-functional human again. Despite how much he hates overtime work, he's now occasionally taking some, especially on some holidays that he couldn't bear the thought of spending alone. This change of character is a bit shocking for everyone to witness, but Connor pretends to not notice, sparing him sarcastic notions this time.

Connor, being an android basically never leaves his work place. He leaves sticky notes on Hank's desk to report to him everything minor that happened in his absence, like overnight. The observations he's sharing aren't exactly worthy of a report, it's just things like "Someone had broken the coffee machine again (can you guess who?)", "That guy who came to report his stolen bike had a living rat in his pocket 🐀", "I've counted 12 spiders in this room alone, do you think I should give them names?"

He does that just out of boredom. He used to message Hank before, but the other threatened to block Connor's number if he keeps messaging him about work in his spare time, so now he's just leaving him notes. Sometimes they're just "Your shirt is ugly today" and Hank goes "How did you know which one I'll be wearing?" to which comes the response "Hank, we both know that they're all ugly"

In Hank's phone Connor is named as "smartass", periodically being renamed into other names. What Hank doesn't know is that Connor is aware of every name change. One time he makes it clear by saying something like "I can't believe I finally got promoted to Connor in your contacts. Not plastic asshole or smartass. I'll miss robot emoji tho."

One time Connor mentions that he charges his battery in the morning before Hank arrives and this fact now consumes his thoughts. So much that one day he shows up an hour earlier just to see that. When he doesn't account for is that Connor is deeply moved by this his decision and is like

"You hate waking up early, but you came here today an hour before your shift starts just to see me? Oh..."

For a moment Hank is embarrassed and half-expects his snarky partner to make fun of it, but instead he's just...so glad to see him it almost makes him feel bad.

Android doesn't rest and Hank can't help but feel kinda bad for him, even though he knows he's just humanizing him and shouldn't bother. Sometimes he's almost certain that he looks tired, but can't really explain what gives him such an impression.

One time Connor fucks up bad. For a regular reason of deciding to do something without being given a command to do so (which in absolute most cases was resulting in their favour before). For all Hank knows, such cases should be reported and usually result in temporary detention. But Connor is an android. He apologies frantically and visibly panics thinking about what it could mean for him. Hank ends up taking all the blame – the report on the case doesn't mention Connor doing anything out of line.

After that Hank can't deny feeling a sense of responsibility for his partner. After deviancy cases started to spread out, every android at the station is required to be tested weekly. As his partner, Hank is required to run those tests on Connor. The really first time results show "deviant".

Hank looks at him for a long moment

"I knew it."

"You're a good detective."

He marks the results as negative in the record. From now on they both keep pretending that everything is as usual. Hank never missed the day of assessment to keep marking "negative" under Connor's deviancy status, but Detroit is becoming more and more unstable. They start to get assigned their first deviancy cases. They let everyone escape and wonder how long they can keep doing this before they're both replaced. One day Connor receives the key to Jericho. Hank encourages him to get the hell out from DPD the same day it happens.

He gives him his gun and some money, they both dispose of his android uniform and Hank helps him to remove his LED. He says to throw it away, but actually saves the LED in his pocket in case it happened to be the only physical reminder he has left. They hug goodbye and part ways.

Hank fills the resign form the next day.

[holylulusworld]

Welcome back

Title: Welcome back

Square Filled: A/B/O AU

Ship: Alpha!Dean x Omega!Reader

Characters: Sam Winchester, Meg 2.0

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: angst, ABO, ABO dynamics, smut, unprotected sex, scenting, psychic!reader, true mates, language

Summary: Back from Purgatory you and your alpha need to find his brother.

Word Count: 2k+

Written/Created for @spnaubingo​​

2020 SPN AU BINGO Masterlist

Sequel to Purgatory

“It’s not that far, sweetheart,” Dean stops in his tracks, checking on you once again. “We will rest when we reached the clearing over there,” pointing toward a place far away Dean wraps one arm around your waist. 

“No monsters around, only a few animals, harmless.” While Dean looks at the makeshift weapon he brought with him from Purgatory you interlink your fingers with his, smiling when he brings your hand to his lips to press a soft kiss to your knuckles.

“We can make it, Y/N. Only a bit longer. If we find a car, I know where to go. First, we need to find a phone, though,” you can hear the tremble in Dean’s voice but remain silent.

“Your brother, he’ll be happy to hear you are back.” Dean presses his forehead to yours, inhaling your scent for a moment. “I hope he likes me, alpha.”

“Sammy will love you, Y/N. He is the best. I bet he tried anything to find me and Cas. God, he must be so worried.” You nod, pressing a soft kiss to Dean’s scruffy cheek.

“Let’s go, alpha. I want to meet your brother…”

“Dead too,” Dean grumbles, dialing another number. “I don’t get it,” your alpha sighs, ending another unanswered call.

“What’s wrong? Did he change his number?” Worriedly watching your alpha rummage in the gloves department of the car he stole you feel he is getting nervous. “I bet he’s alright, Dean. Maybe he lost his phone, happened to me more than once.”

“Problem is, we’ve got two numbers for emergencies like this, okay. Whenever we got parted or didn’t know if the other is still alive, we call the first number, let it ring thrice, and hang up to call the other number,” impressed you nod, smiling as Dean dials the next number. “Sammy does not answer at all, sweetheart.”

“Do you have a hideout? A place you would use to stay safe?” Dean starts the engine, giving you a sad look. “He’ll be okay, Dean. Nothing happened to your brother, promised. We will find him and you can tell him anything happening over the last year.”

“We hid in a hunting cabin before I ended up in Purgatory. If we find Sammy anywhere it is there. Maybe his battery is low or crap,” Dean’s hands tremble when he speeds off while you pray his brother is safe.

Whitefish, Montana

“I don’t understand,” looking around the cabin you blink in confusion. “Why should your brother leave all his things behind?”

“I got no clue, sweetheart. Dad’s journal, Bobby’s too, we never leave this behind, not even on the run.” Dean feels his throat tightening, as fear takes over and he believes something must have happened to his baby brother. “I can’t believe he left everything.”

Tossing and turning on the mattress you cannot find sleep. Used to sleeping on the ground or in a cave you fail to find rest. 

You slowly sit up, rubbing your tired eyes hearing voices coming from the other side of the cabin. Instinct kicking in you use your powers, but all you can sense are your mate and another human.

Dean talks about spending a whole year in purgatory, running for his life, and losing his friend, the angel. You can hear the sadness in his voice and decide to introduce yourself to his brother.

“I can’t believe you are here,” Dean walks toward the refrigerator taking out two beers when you step out of the small bedroom. “Most of your numbers are out of service, Sammy. I had the feeling you tried to ghost me.”

“I didn't get your messages, Dean,” you walk into the room, standing behind Dean’s tall brother as Sam starts explaining he ditched his phones and your breath hitches in your throat feeling Dean’s anger.

Whilst Sam exclaims he is not hunting anymore and that he quit the family business you step further into the room, looking at your alpha who needs all his strength to tame his anger.

“Dean,” whispering your alpha’s name you look at Dean who balls his hands into fists when his brother admits he did not look for him. Instead of trying to get Dean back, he dropped everything and ran to live a normal life.

“I am still the same guy, Dean,” Sam looks at his big brother, hoping he will not be too disappointed. He only kept his promise and now, he feels the pit in his stomach grows.

“Great for you, I am not,” Dean walks away, opening the door to leave the hut, slamming the door shut, making the wood vibrate.

Blindly running after your alpha, you call his name, scared he will do something stupid, like hurting his brother or himself.

Dean is pacing behind the cabin, slowly losing his patience he’s balling his hands into fists, murmuring curses.

“Alpha,” you whisper, slowly walking toward your mate. “You need to calm, Dean. Let me help you.”

Dean is on you in a blink, burying his face into your neck to inhale your scent to calm his raging anger.

“Need you, omega, need you so much,” he purrs, softly pressing his lips to the corner of your mouth. “I feel calm with you.”

“Have me, alpha, let me help you,” you move your fingers through his hair, gently playing with the soft hairs at the nape of his neck while your alpha just holds you against him, scenting you.

“Y/N,” Dean murmurs, feeling your hand palm his cock. “I need my omega, need my mate.”

At the same time as you press soft kisses to his neck, nibbling at his skin Dean is impatiently freeing his cock, whining when you press your face into his neck.

“Need you too, Dean,” pressing your lips to your alpha’s you feel his hands on your ass, groping it roughly. Without hesitation you jump into his arms, hold tight onto his shoulders whilst he shoves your panties aside to carefully line up with your entrance.

“Dean,” you whimper, feeling full only seconds later, savoring the burning sensation of the wide stretch.

Dean is purring in response, nuzzling his nose into your hair. You cling to your alpha, loop your arms under Dean’s to let your hands grasp for his shoulders. All you can do is hold tight onto your mate when he starts to move inside of you.

“Alpha,” Dean holds your gaze, smiling when your face contorts in pleasure. “You feel so good, Dean.” He moans at your words, burying his face into your neck, desperately clinging to your body as the pressure builds in your core with every quick thrust he gives you.

“Need you, Y/N,” he whines now, wetting your neck with his tears and you instinctively move one hand to his head, gently stroking his hair to calm the alpha. “My omega, mine.”

“I am here and will not leave you, Dean. Please, I need you,” he is panting now, arms wrapped tightly around your trembling body, desperate to push you both over the edge.

“You’re my ray of hope,” he mumbles when you tighten around him, gripping his cock tightly. “Next time, I’ll knot you good.” Laughing you nod, feeling his cum run down your thighs.

Dean does not pull out for a heartbeat or ten, rather holds you in his arms, pressed against his body. He is panting heavily, hating he showed weakness after being a fierce warrior for all his life.

“You know, you’re damn scary. Those monsters at the Purgatory whispered your name in fear,” you press your lips to his forehead, hoping Dean will calm now. “I have the strongest mate I could wish for.”

Sam still sits on the couch, waiting for his brother to return when you walk back into the cabin, squeezing your mates’ hand tightly. “Hi, I am Y/N, your brother saved me at the Purgatory.”

“Nice to meet you,” Sam’s eyes land on your claiming mark and he knows, his brother did more than saving you. “Can I have a moment with my brother, please?”

“Of course,” you peck Dean’s cheek, letting your touch linger before you break contact to move toward the small bedroom. “I’ll be waiting in our room, alpha. Goodnight, Sam.”

“Did you bring a monster back here, Dean? You changed,” Sam frantically moves his fingers through his hair, glaring at Dean. “You mated with her too!”

“She’s not a monster, Sam. Y/N is human, just like us, but hanks to Crowley she ended up in Purgatory,” Dean talks back, gritting his teeth. “So, yes Sam. I mated with her as Y/N is my true mate. If you do not want to be a hunter any longer or my brother, go back to that woman and leave me alone. I got a mate to take care of.”

Dean walks toward the bedroom, grasping for the door handle. He hesitates, taking a deep breath before he looks over his shoulder at Sam who looks like a kicked puppy. “We see each other in the morning, or not. Your decision, Sam.”

Curled in Dean’s side, one arm draped over his waist you nuzzle your face into his chest.

Dean is wide awake. His instinct, the warrior will not let him sleep. He is used to almost no sleep and being awake for days so he can barely find it in him to close his eyes.

“You need to sleep, Dean,” murmuring the words you snuggle into his chest. “You’re so warm and comfy. I never felt safer, alpha. Nothing will happen to me with you by my side.”

A smile crosses Dean’s face when you pat his back, insisting he needs sleep too. “Sleep, alpha, or you can’t protect me. I cannot sense any monster. There are none out there, not even close.”

“My little monster detector,” Dean pecks your hair, humming when you hook one leg over his thigh. “You’re warm too, soft and caring. If anything good came out of my time at that place, it’s you and our bond. No matter what, we belong together,” whispering the words Dean softly kisses your hair.

“Together, I like it,” sleepily mumbling the words, eyes fluttering close you slowly drift into sleep. “You and I, Dean.”

“I am sorry our first time was rough and pretty public. Next time, I’ll be gentle and take my time, omega. I will show you I can be the mate you deserve,” you are fast asleep, but Dean keeps on whispering promises before he allows himself to fall asleep.

“Morning,” you chirp, offering Sam a cup of coffee, “I am glad you stayed Sam. Dean, he’s not completely back. A part of him is still at that place, mourning the loss of his friend. He’ll need us both to come back.”

“Did he force you?” Sam looks at the healing mark at your neck, waiting for your answer. “I mean, it must’ve been hell being trapped in that world. I would understand if you let him,” Sam gasp when you backhand the tall hunter.

“Dean did not force me to do anything,” you purse your lips. “This place was hell, rough, deadly, and bloody, but your brother is a good man, a good alpha. Don’t you dare to talk about my Dean like that again.”

“Whoa, already at each other’s throat?” Dean snickers watching you point the butter knife at his brother. Dean’s heart swells as he heard every word, but Sam was not completely wrong – Dean thought the same.

“I clarified I defend my mate at all cost, and,” you feel the air shift, “someone’s coming, a strong being.”

“Sammy,” Dean grasps for his gun while Sam grabs the demon knife, ready to attack anyone coming through the door. “Stay behind, sweetheart.” Your alpha shoves you behind his back when the door flings open.

“You are hard to find,” Meg smirks, winking at the brothers who glare at the demon. “What? Aren’t we friends, boys? You know, I had to free myself. Not nice to keep me hanging. Now, are you ready to get the boy back and kick Crowley’s ass or not?”

“She’s strong, but needs a rest,” you whisper, fisting Dean’s plaid. “I can sense more demons coming closer. At least five, maybe more.”

“Well then, let’s hit the road,” Meg exclaims. “We find Kevin, beat Crowley into a pulp and have a nice manicure later.”

“I guess we are back in the game,” Sam nods at his elder brother. “Meg is right, we should leave before they run us over.”

“Ready if you are Sammy,” Dean grasps for your hand, squeezing it tightly. “Y/N and me are close behind.”

Tags in reblog.

[oathofoaksart]

YOUNG JUSTICE/DC OC: JO “LOVETAP” SHINODA

bio under the cut!

BASICS

Name: Josephine Shinoda 

A.K.A: Lovetap; Jo, Jojo, Jo-Hoe, Tap

Age: 29 [S3]

Gender: Cisgender Female 

Orientation: Bisexual

Occupation: Music Store Owner, Star Sapphire Corps Member 

 Race: Human 

Ethnicity: Japanese-Caucasian 

Location: Santa Monica, California 

Hometown: Hana, Maui; Hawaii

 Skin: Fairly suntanned with visible bikini tanlines, lightly freckled around the nose and cheekbone area

Hair: Naturally black with a blonde ombre gradient, gradient turns dark magenta when powered up. 

Eyes: Red-Brown [civvies], Glowing magenta sclera with white-pink irises [powered up]

Height: 5'4

Build: Well-toned, with strong arms and legs; ample curved. 

Distinctions: Inscription of the One Ring tattooed on her right shoulder blade, fond of yoga pants and loose band muscle shirts combo

 RELATIONS

Parents: Haruto and Tara Shinoda

Siblings: Jack "Daiichi" Shinoda (twin brother; deceased) 

Friends: Emi Homura (deceased), Ghia'ta, Carol "Star Sapphire" Ferris, Guy "Green Lantern" Gardner, Leiko “Inari” Ara [OC], Tora "Ice" Olafsdotter, Shayera “Hawkgirl” Hal, Hank “Hawk” Hall, Don “Dove” Hall, Charlie “Scribe” Jenson [OC] 

Partner/s: Several noncommittal relationships and one-nighters; Bryce "Red Lantern" Richards [OC] (ev.)

Misc.: Queen Aga'po, Gi "Riot/Geode" Flores [OC]

Affiliations: The Star Sapphire Corps, The Justice League  

 PERSONALITY

Personality Type: ENFJ-A [Assertive Protagonist] 

Temperament: Sanguine-Choleric 

Alignment: Neutral Good 

Relaxed | Positive | Idealistic | Sensitive | Stubborn 

 Jo is the poster girl for the coastal surfer babe; laid-back, fun-loving, and friendly. She’s an honest woman, though not scathing, which makes her a go-to for advice and well-placed encouragement. Because of her many interests, she meets and makes friends in all walks of life, often making her the social link between vastly different groups. Her passion rears its head in concern of humanitarian subjects, from LGBTQ+ issues to food crises, and will jump at the chance to lend aid. 

This is especially true as Lovetap, where she feels she has a more hands-on approach in doing good. Her personality doesn’t change in costume as it does amplify, she stays playful and lighthearted in tense situations, but her morals are steadfast. Tap is a loyal and dedicated ally to her fellow Sapphires and friends in the Justice League circle, and a personable hero to civilians she encounters. 

She’s very well-meaning, but she also tends to bite more than she can chew. This becomes a problem when she’s too headstrong to admit she needs a breather and will continue shouldering the weight until someone steps in. It also applies to her emotions, Jo is quick to lend a shoulder to cry on, but struggles to admit when something is amiss in her personal life in fear of bogging down others. Her way of coping with her problems is usually done by busying herself with projects, but sooner or later it becomes too much and she’ll spiral. 

ABILITIES AND WEAKNESSES

Powers and Abilities

Violet Energy Conduit: As part of the Star Sapphire Corps, Jo wields a Violet Power Ring. Like most power rings on the emotional spectrum, it allows Jo the ability of flight, survival in vacuums, manipulation of energy, creation of force fields, creation of light constructs at will, and tap into a xenolinguistic database. Because the Violet ring is powered by love, it also has attributes found only in the Sapphire Corps. 

Love Empathy: Love is the center of the Sapphire Corps and much of the Sapphire’s abilities tie to it. Jo can detect feelings and connections of love from which she can draw power from outside her actual power battery. She can also form connection tethers to people she feels close with, she can use these tethers to know if the other person may be in possible danger and quickly teleport to their side. Being around other Sapphires greatly increases her power as they feed off each other’s love like an echo chamber. 

Crystallization:  Special to the Star Sapphire Corps is the creation of Star Sapphire crystals, often in conjunction to their energy constructs. These crystals can also be used to encase a victim and place them in suspended animation, in some cases able to use the victim as an extra power source by influencing them with love. Jo personally doesn't like to take it up to this point, as she finds it too intrusive. 

Violet Energy Constructs: Jo is able to conjure light constructs at will, her ring being able to create any object. Jo is fond of using mecha-like weapons, classic horror and kaiju characters, and figures from her favorite Kurasawa movies.  

Healing Capabilities: Jo’s ring not only lets her heal at an accelerated rate, but also heal injuries of, or even revive, others provided she has a strong enough connection to share the life energy for such a feat. 

Avarice Immunity: Because Jo’s love is of the selfless sort, Jo is immune to the attacks of an Orange Lantern as long as her love stays that way. 

 Limitations and Weaknesses:

Emotional Instability: The Sapphire ring is a double-edged sword in that while it's formidable in raw power, it can easily turn against Jo with an overload of emotion. If she’s not careful, the ring can influence her day-to-day life from being overly jealous and protective of those she cares for, to being too sensitive of her own feelings. In a worst case scenario, the ring can completely overcome Jo’s mind and force her into a frenzy.

Ring Dependency: Without her ring, Jo reverts to an average human woman, so she is entirely dependent on her ring for protection and offence.  It’s necessary for her to have her ring on at all times or at least on her person should the need arise. 

 HISTORY

Born second of fraternal twins, Josephine Shinoda lived an idyllic lifestyle with her parents and brother in her hometown of Hana, in Maui, Hawaii. Jo and her brother Jack were an especially close pair of siblings, sharing interests from surfing with their father to classic pop culture. Jo was the much more extroverted sibling and had no trouble making friends where she went, whereas Jack had difficulty asserting himself socially; Jo often made strides to make her friends friends of Jack’s. This continued all through their young school life, even as Jack’s social anxiety gave way to depression. Jo and her parents were supportive of him throughout, and continued to be so when the twins finally separated when college came around. 

Jo chose to study in Los Angeles whereas Jack left for Metropolis. Admittedly the distance worried Jo for a while, but college proved to be an overall good experience for Jack, especially once after the introduction of his later girlfriend, Emi. 

Jo spent her college years partying and submercing herself into the music scene, eventually sparking the idea of opening a music store after college. Jack jumped at the idea with Emi right behind, she also being involved in music via playing guitar for an alternative band. Jo and Emi became solid friends in their own right, meeting and sharing even more when Jo would visit on the occasion. 

Not long after college, Jo learned Jack had proposed to Emi and was elated by the news. The three went into making wedding plans, but things were cut short two months into the engagement. Jack and Emi were caught in a fatal car crash, leaving Jo inconsolable. After their respective funerals and some time reflecting, Jo followed through with opening a music shop in their honor, “JJ’s Music and Records.” 

Jo operated in LA for a handful of years before deciding to expand out of her comfort zone and opening another store somewhere else. With an intern in tow, they settled on Bludhaven, where Jo spent another few years. Despite how well her business was doing and that her life was going in a good direction, Jo hadn’t been able to shake off the loss of her two closest friends. She was restless and tried to bury her feelings by distracting herself with anything she could involve herself in, as she didn’t want to set this worry on anyone, especially her parents. Jo was steadily wrapping herself into a depression and refused to admit it. She returned to LA in hopes that the move and reconnecting with old friends would clear her mind. 

With no such luck, Jo proceeded to shell within herself. Her days dulled and she became stuck in routine, spending most of her time in the shop and locking herself at home. While in a particular bad spell, Jo decided to go to the beach to surf and Jo was caught in a minor car crash herself. She wasn’t injured, but the experience was jarring and Jo’s previous experience with car accidents sent her into an emotional break. 

At the same time, Ghia’ta, niece of Queen Aga’po of the Star Sapphires, arrived on Earth with an agenda. The Star Sapphires had experienced a bit of a moral shift, currently spearheaded by Ghia’ta, after she’d met a human by the name Carol Ferris. Carol had been inducted into the Star Sapphires in order to gain the upper hand on the Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, while he found himself on the Sapphire’s homeplanet of Zamarron. But Carol had resisted the Sapphires’ urging and instead gave Ghia’ta an alternate view of what love was, selfless and kind. Moved by Carol’s insight, Ghia’ta began to try to teach the other Sapphires this new view. She was met by rebuttal and while she continued to fight for reform, she knew doing so alone wasn’t going to get her far. 

She’d come to Earth in search for a new Sapphire that could better follow Ghia’ta’s new outlook, as Carol chose not to join the Corps and Ghia’ta had gotten word of Earth’s Lanterns being of a special crop. What she came across was Jo, stranded and crying on the side of the road. Initially Ghia’ta approached her to see if she could be of any help, but to her surprise, her ring detected Jo’s broken heart. Jo’s loss of her brother and friend left a deep hole in her heart and Ghia’ta discovered that this was caused by the love stripped away from her. Sapphires, Ghia’ta included, believed true love to be inherently romantic, but while looking into Jo’s heart she found her love for her brother and friend to be just as true as any. Overjoyed at this realization, she decided to choose Jo as her new champion. 

Jo was thrown for a loop. First by the appearance of this stranger who showed herself to be an alien who’d somehow read into why she felt the way she did, then by her request to join her galactic love brigade. Still Ghia’ta’s ring called out to her and the more she explained the situation of the Sapphires, the more Jo felt a sense of duty. Jo had never been the kind to turn down an opportunity to help, even if the road sounded steep, and so she accepted. 

Jo became the newest member of the Star Sapphire Corps. Her induction was met with heavy scrutiny by the Zamarrons, the leaders of the Sapphire Corps, as she didn’t fit the perimeters in which they chose their new members. In a slight twist, Queen Aga’po allowed Jo to join as a “experiment” partially to show Ghia’ta her claims were being taken seriously and that Aga’po herself was becoming open to her niece’s words. 

Jo still isn’t completely sure what she’s gotten herself into, but plans to make the most with what she was given. And she hopes, if there is an afterlife, that Jack and Emi could be at peace with what they helped aspire. 

 NOTES

For no reason other than personal preference, Lovetap is set on using a surfboard construct as her mode of flight, even during battle. 

Jo is very athletic and a bit of a gym rat, enjoying activities from various sports to yoga. She is also an avid reader and lover of pop culture, reflecting in JJ’s as it doubles as a bookstore as well. She found a fellow Justice League ally with a pop culture store named Charlie Jenson and the two quickly made their store affiliates. 

Jo’s birthday falls on Valentine’s Day and she finds the irony of it funny 

Jo had a hardcore, but thankfully, short-lived, crush on Guy Gardner. It’s a secret she’ll take to the grave. 

Jo learned how to play the acoustic guitar because of Emi and plays outside her LA store on nice days, something she eventually teaches her young friend and eventual mentee, Gi Flores. 

Her father was a gourmet chef and much of what he knew he taught his children, Jo is a wicked cook, but is often too lazy to get creative with her dishes. 

[absolxguardian]

The Endurance of Police Brutality, By Boyd Lemon- Retired Attorney

The following is an essay written by my grandfather, a former attorney who volunteered for the ACLU. It recounts one of his experiences with a police brutality case. Links to the stories of his other cases will be in the notes of this post once they’re ready. All names have been changed to protect the individuals involved.

Police brutality, a form of punishment by the police before one has been tried or convicted of a crime, is not new, not a 21 st Century phenomenon. I represented victims of police brutality during the late ‘60’s and early ‘70’s of the previous century. None of those I represented were killed. There were not as many victims killed back then probably because police did not have access to military weapons, nor did they use their guns as a first resort, as they do now. In fact, police chiefs and some politicians complained that the criminals had better weapons than the police.

My experience was that police brutality was and is not confined to people of color, although present day studies indicate people of color more than others bear the primary brunt of all types of unjustified police conduct. In my experience, unjustified police conduct generally targets those whom police perceive as people outside the mainstream or privileged class. In the ‘60’s and ‘70’s, in addition to people of color, they targeted young men with long hair and those they perceived as “hippies” or “queers,”without regard to their color. It would appear that today, in addition to people of color, they target those they perceive as “ANTIFA” or “libs.”

I joined the ACLU of Southern California as a volunteer attorney shortly after I passed the Bar Exam, probably around 1967 or ‘68. I did mostly research for a couple of years, and then the chief attorney for the ACLU of Southern California asked me if I would be interested in representing clients who had been beat up by the police. Back then they mostly used their batons, pistols or fists to beat up suspects and/or to rape females, instead of shooting them. There was a citizen complaint office of the LAPD, but they never disciplined officers. The only potential remedy was a civil suit for damages, usually for common law battery and/or civil rights violations under the federal Civil Rights Act.

We usually sued the City and the individual officers involved. Our biggest problem was that when there was a conflict in the testimony about what happened, jurors usually believed the cops.

From 1970 through about 1978 I represented victims in four different police brutality cases. The case I spent the most time on and that took 6 years to complete was for a white male UCLA student (with long hair) To protect his privacy, I’ll call him Hank. In 1972 there were massive demonstrations on the UCLA campus protesting the Viet Nam war, by students, as well as outside activists, mostly young white people. The demonstrations continued for weeks, and at one time demonstrators occupied the Administration building in a “sit-in.”

Hank had attended a class away from the main part of the demonstration on the day in question, but to get to his car he had to walk through the area where the demonstration was taking place. He lived off campus. When he arrived at the demonstration area, he saw that there were a couple hundred demonstrators (his estimate), and records later showed about 50 police. He observed a lot of yelling, confusion and a number of cops pushing students down and beating some with their batons and fists and sometimes kicking them. He did not observe any arrests. He tried to get around the melee to get to his car, but was accosted by two cops. He testified that at no time did he join the demonstrators, nor did he yell at or speak to the police. He was trying to figure out how he could get around the demonstration and out of the area so he could get to his car. One of the cops yelled at him to get out of the area. He responded that he was trying to get to his car and pointed in that direction. Another cop joined them, and that cop pushed Hank to the ground. The two cops started beating Hank with batons about his head, face and chest, as he lay on the ground. At that point he was yelling at them to stop and calling them “pigs” until he became unconscious. Sometime later he woke up in an ambulance that transported him to UCLA Medical Center. The next day his girlfriend called the ACLU, and they called me.

Hank was released from the hospital two days later, and he and his girlfriend came to see me. He didn’t want to do anything, but she insisted, and eventually he agreed to sue.

It was hard to look at poor Hank, he looked so grotesque. Three days after the incident, when I first saw him, one of his eyes was still swollen completely shut, and the doctor had told him he might be blind in that eye (Fortunately, he eventually regained full vision). His other eye was blood-shot. He had a huge gash with stitches across his forehead. His cheeks were swollen. Hank could barely open his mouth. His nose was bent off-center. And he even had wounds on his shoulders and chest.

The police typically lied in their reports and testimony when they beat up or killed people, and, of course, there was no video then. Hank had seen a kid that was in one of his classes, who was participating in the demonstration. This kid was a witness to what they did to Hank. The two policemen claimed that Hank refused to disperse and resisted arrest, and his wounds were caused by their need to subdue him.

The case was transferred from the Santa Monica Court to Torrance, which was unfortunate because a Santa Monica Jury would be much more liberal than a Torrance Jury, which would have been likely to believe the cops, who typically lied. It was difficult to get a jury verdict against the police. For that reason, I elected to waive the jury and let the judge decide the case. That was a mistake. It turned out the judge was a political conservative and found in favor of the police.

I won’t get into the legal technicalities, but we appealed, and two years later the Court of Appeal reversed the judge’s decision and ordered a new trial. This time I demanded a jury trial, and the case was assigned to downtown L.A. The City Attorney tried to get rid of all the black jurors, but we ended up with two. (important only because they are more likely than whites to not believe the cops; they know cops lie.) By this time, Harry’s wounds had healed, except for a scar on his forehead, but we had lots of photos.

The cops continued to lie, but this time we won, and the jury awarded Harry $10,000, about $50,000 in today’s dollars, not much, considering the extent of his injuries. Of course, the City paid the money, and the cops were never disciplined in any way. The Deputy City Attorney who tried the case told me a verdict against the police in L.A. was very rare. Sadly, nothing has changed for the better in 50 years.

[pandoraimperatrix]

I’ll Take Care Of You, If You Ask Me To

@pcgasuss asked me for jealous Dick. I’m not very good writing about jealousy, but I tried.  

Summary:  Dick should have known that Kory and Bruce talking was not the best news to him.

1,7K | DickKory | Fluff | Read on AO3

The echo of Kory’s laugh grabbed Dick’s attention in midsentence. She was all the way across the room, actually not in the room at all, but you could see her, and Bruce, talking through the glass.

“Dick?”

“Hm?” He turned attention back to the boys slowly. Conner had his whole face frowned in confusion. It was hard to make Gar smile these days, but he had an amused glint in his eyes.

“Forget it, Con. He’s gone outer space now.”

Conner looked even more confused. Dick sighed and pretended he didn’t hear it.

“Anything else?” Dick asked dryly.

“Yeah, like you could even remember we were talking about.” Mocked Gar.

“Of course I remember.”

“What was it, then?”

“It was…” Kory laughed again, this time a little bit louder, Dick had to bite the insides of his cheeks to control the urge to just nap his head in her direction again.

“Exactly.” Said Gar very pleased with himself. “Come on Con, let’s play some videogames.”

“Only an hour, then bed. I want you both well rested tomorrow morning.”

“Sure, boss.”

“Goodnight, Dick.” Dick gave the boy a tight smile and nodded, Conner turned back to Gar. “Should we invite Hank and Rose?”

Gar answered something, but Dick didn’t listen as they walked away. He took a sip of his orange soda, wishing it was something stronger than sugar and watched them with the corner of his eyes. He couldn’t ignore the fact that both his surrogate father and his… Well, Kory wasn’t his to begin with, but they were both naturally flirty people. Kory was just too charming to her own good, no, scratch that, she was too charming for everyone’s around her own good. The charisma that Bruce so meticulously learned to perform, the same that he tried so hard to make Dick copy and never quite succeeded, Kory had it effortlessly. And Dick knew Bruce very well, there was no way he wouldn’t make any moves, even though the probabilities of him following through with them were quasi none. After all if Batman had something was work ethics. And yet… What was he saying that was so funny? A voice inside his head that sounded terrible like Donna was calling him a paranoid freak and explaining to him in painstaking detail how he had no claim for the feelings brewing in his chest. But it shut up in silent panic when he saw Kory touch Bruce’s arm. When Dick noticed he was already getting hit on the face by the cold wind as he reached the veranda.

“Hey.” Greeted Kory, the easy smile on her face not quite reaching her eyes.

“Nice of you to joying us, chum.”

“Chum?” Asked Kory in obvious delight. A little too much. She was not drinking orange soda.

Dick winced.

“Can you not call me that?”

“Why not?” Was that a little bit of genuine hurt that he was seeing on Bruce’s eyes?

“Because I’m not twelve anymore.”

“See what I was telling you, Miss Anders?”

Kory fell in a fit of giggles, and Bruce smiled fondly at her. Dick felt panic bubble inside him. He hated how Bruce would make him feel like a teenager ager just by being around.

“What? What is happening? What were you telling her?”

“About how adorable you were as a child.” Managed Kory holding on to Dick to keep straight. Her hand on his shoulder was cold. Dick frowned. It wasn’t like he spent hours and hours of what should have been sleep reliving every time she touched him but she never felt cold before, actually, she used to be almost feverish. “Nothing to feel ashamed of.”

“I can’t help but doubt it.”

“Don’t you trust me, Dick?” Asked Bruce prying Dick’s eyes from Kory’s.

“With my dignity? Not at all.”

“You hurt me, son.”

“What did you tell her, Bruce?”

“Oh, this and that.”

“Kory?”

“Oh, cool off. It was nice to hear about baby Dick Grayson. Even though by the stories you didn’t change very much.”

“What do you mean?”

“Bruce here was telling me about how seriously you took yourself, and that, what was her name? Selena?”

“Selina.” Corrected both men together.

“Yes, Selina, she was the best at making you lose it and act like a kid.”

“That’s because she was infuriating.” But when he looked at Bruce his face was softer and when he asked had a note of hopefulness. “Heard from her lately?”

Bruce straightened himself slightly, an act that would pass unnoticed to anyone, but that brought a tiny smile to Dick’s lips. So that explained the whole easy mood of lately.

“Yes, actually.” He cleaned his throat. “She has been around. But we were talking about you…”

“Around? How much around? Is she okay?”

“She is, yes.”

“And you both…?”

“What?”

“Come on, Bruce!”

Bruce just took a sip of his drink and pretended to look at something else far away. Kory just watched their back and forth like it was a very entertaining game.

“Did Jason meet her?”

Bruce sighed.

“Yes, they’ve met.”

“What? They didn’t get along?” Dick’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “They are so alike…”

“Maybe too much you could say.”

“Sorry to hear that, B.”

“It’s alright.”

Deciding to give Bruce a break, he turned back to the woman by his side.

“What else did he tell you, Kory?”

He tried to pretend he didn’t notice that her hand haven’t left his person, slipping from his shoulder to his arm, and that now she was making doodles with the tip of her fingers giving his tingles. Bruce also noticed, but besides making sure to let Dick know he did with an inquisitive look, he didn’t say anything about it.

“Well… He showed me picture too… of your first suit.”

“No…” His eyes widened in terror.

“The little short was so cute, Dick! And the booties. Adorable! I sent a picture to Rachel already.”

“You did not!”

“I did! My batteries died so I don’t know her reaction yet…” She pouted.

Horror spread over Dick’s face and he turned to his mentor.

“Why? Why do you have that with you?”

“To look at it, of course, since I so rarely get to actually see you these days. I carry it in my wallet.” Said Bruce proudly.

“You!” He pointed to Bruce. “And you Koriand’r, I thought you were my friend.”

“Such a drama queen.”

“I know.” Agreed Bruce, “and you believe he never even took acting lessons?”

“No. You two talking was a horrible idea.”

“Well, I thought it was loads of fun. But you, Dick Grayson. You have no such concept.” And to Dick’s complete shock she gave him a sloppy kiss on the cheek. “Goodnight, Bruce. It was lovely to finally meet you.”

“Likewise, Miss Anders.”

“If I have to call you by your first name, you can just call me Kory too.”

“Very well. Goodnight, Kory.”

She just smiled before leaving, her hand lingering on Dick’s arm before she was completely gone.

“So…” Said Bruce when Kory was far-gone. “There is no chance you are coming back, then.”

“I can’t leave the Titans.”

“The Titans?” Bruce scoffed.  “Sure.”

“Why are you insinuating?”

“Me? Nothing. But well, I always thought that eventually you and Barbara would settle down, I can see now it will hardly happen.”

“Bruce… Me and Babs haven’t been a thing since high school.”

“I know… I know. But Kory is really a formidable woman. Take good care of her.”

“I’m not seeing Kory either, Bruce.”

“Whatever you say, chum. I’m also going to bed. Long trip back home tomorrow. Goodnight, son.”

“Bruce, I’m not-“

But the man completely ignored Dick, leaving him alone with his feelings and the cold air.

 Later, when Dick arrived at his room, he learnt that there was already someone occupying his bed.

“Kory? What are you doing here?”

She purred softly, he had to ask her about that one day. And opened one shiny green eye.

“Dick? Shit. I think I got rooms wrong.”

“Kory, are you okay?”

She sighed, trying to lift her body starting from her head, but no such luck.

“No… Not really. Can I… I mean. Just for sleep?”

He should say no. He really should say no and help her to her room.

“Yes. Sure.”

“Thanks.”

And she didn’t say anything else for so long he was sure she was asleep.

He washed himself and joined her in bed. As soon as he got under the covers, her static form gained movement and she turned to him, pushing her face against his chest. He felt a sense of familiarity and relief so strong, he wondered if it was like that when Hank took heroin.

“I’ve missed you.” He heard she whisper sleepy.

He leaned into her hair, letting himself inhale her scent.

“I miss you too.”

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“So many things…”

Dick kissed the crown of her head, his fingers getting used to the new texture of her hair. It was so silky now, he missed the fluffiness from before.

“Me too.” He sighed. “Rest, Kory.”

He was sure she was sleeping when he heard she giggle softly.

“What is it?”

“Your dad is hot.”

“Oh my god, Kory.”

She giggled again and looked up to him.

“You are hotter.”

And then she kissed him. He held her impossibly close, and her hand felt warmer when she cupped his face, not hot as it used to be. But her lips didn’t taste the same either, the taste was somehow stronger, more intoxicating, and as he bite them softly they were even more thicker than he remember or fantasied about, her tongue even more talented.  But he forced himself to breathe before the kiss consumed them both. Kory was acting so weird. He couldn’t. Not like that.

He pulled away avoiding her seeking lips and kissed her forehead.

“Go to sleep Kory, we’ll talk tomorrow.”

She sighed and got more comfortable against him.

“Goodnight.”

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

Another fluffy piece. It’s my headcanon that the reason why Titans Bruce is like that is because he eloped with Selina and is living his best life lmao. Kory in this story is a bit OOC, I think she is so out of it because all her recent losses that she is trying so hard to feel anything else that’s why she is acting so weird. It was nice to write this one. I hope you enjoyed to read it too, and if you did, let me know.

Likes are awesome but if you want to support me please reblog <3

[rhinozilla]

Whumptober Day 28: Beaten

Summary: One week after the revolution, staff androids return to the 7th Precinct station seeking shelter and refuge. They've clearly been through Hell, and the officers left at the DPD don't have the heart to turn them away.

--

Barely a week had passed since the revolution, and the city of Detroit was still shaken to its core. One week since all the staff androids had walked out of the DPD station, freed and deviant and…all looking a little shaken themselves, if Wilson was honest.

He couldn’t imagine what it was like: to be a machine for your whole existence, only to suddenly be woken up one day and discover you have feelings, wants, likes, dislikes, fears, the whole mess. It was hard enough when you had a whole childhood to figure out how to process things before reaching a hopefully well adjusted adulthood. No android ever got that, and it had showed in the somewhat aimless way that the androids at the 7th precinct had shuffled out of the station, until someone from Jericho arrived to guide them.

Like every other establishment in Detroit, the event had left the precinct with a skeleton crew of exhausted humans, all having to wear multiple hats to try and keep things running. Fowler had been forced to call Hank back from his suspension and Gavin back from his medical leave for his concussion. Between the riots, the protests, the evacuations, and the icy, rainy, slushy weather outside, the city was a mess. The military was maintaining a strong presence on the streets, but they were barely controlling the situations cropping up either.

The night one week after the revolution found the station manned by Wilson, Captain Fowler, and Wilson’s mother, who had volunteered to help answer phones and work around the office. Otis and Rita Wilson had a combined 50 years of police career experience between them, and Fowler had been desperate, so he had allowed Rita to clock in. Otis and Wilson’s brother Mike were still working around the clock at the 04, and his brother’s texts had said the scene wasn’t very different there.

Everybody else at the 07 had been sent out on patrols and new cases, and it left the bullpen eerily empty and quiet. Around 8 pm, that changed when the phone at his desk rang from reception.

“Yeah?” Wilson greeted tiredly, rubbing his eyes.

“Lawrence, we’ve got androids,” his mother said on the other end of the line.

Wilson was on his feet then. “Coming.”

He hung up the phone and hastily made his way through to the front reception area of the station. Sure enough, Rita was standing behind the desk, staring uncertainly at the group of androids who had just shuffled through the front doors. Wilson’s first instinct was to reach for his weapon, but he repressed it, taking in the sorry state of the group.

There were six in total, four wearing standard issue android DPD uniforms. The other two were in civilian clothes. Two of the six had white plastic showing in patches through their synthetic skin due to damage. One of them, Wilson recognized as one of the ST300 models who had worked reception at this very precinct.

“Polly?!” he stammered, taking a step closer while maintaining a cautious distance.

Polly was still in her DPD receptionist uniform, her LED a cycling red that clashed with the blue blood coating one side of her face. She was only standing with the assistance of another ST300 that was in civilian clothes, whose LED was solid red and with eyes wide as she held onto her fellow android.

“She said this place would be safe,” the other ST300 said, her voice shaky but trying to stay even. “Was she right?”

Wilson stared at them all, at their dirty, torn, wet Cyberlife issued uniforms and ill fitting human clothes, their trembling limbs, their wide, frightened eyes. They were bruised and bleeding, and those who still had their LEDs had lights of solid red or yellow on their temples. The other five were somewhat huddling behind the other ST300, who looked equally terrified but like she had been shoved into the position of leader for this motley crew out of necessity.

“Yes,” he answered. “Jericho might be safer for you though.”

The ST300’s face twisted with something approximating anger. “Yeah, I’m not going to them.”

“Why—“ Wilson started.

“Captain, there are six androids here seeking shelter,” Rita cut in, speaking into the phone. “Yes, they’re already inside…No, I don’t see any weapons—“

“Please,” one of the PC200s behind Polly pleaded. “Cyberlife has closed its doors, and this is the only place that I have ever known—“ He looked around at the familiarity of the station’s walls until his gaze landed desperately back on Wilson. “I don’t want to go back out there on my own.”

Wilson didn’t know what to say to that. What COULD he say to that?

Polly abruptly collapsed in the ST300’s arms, her knees buckling as she folded toward the floor.

“Hey!” her friend called, struggling to hold onto her.

Instinct took over, and Wilson swept over, helping her to slow Polly’s collapse so she didn’t hit the floor. Upon closer inspection, the thirium was bleeding from a deep wound to the side of her head, and he could see exposed wiring under her hair.

“Polly?” he asked, shaking her arm lightly. He looked to the leader. “I don’t know how to help her. We only have very basic repair supplies.”

The ST300’s dark eyes softened with the barest shred of hope. “I-I can work with that. Please, we just need a place to stay tonight—“

“What is this?” Captain Fowler reached them, standing imposingly on the scene.

“Captain,” the PC200 said, standing at attention.

“Zeke?” Fowler blinked, frowning at them. “Polly?”

“She’s damaged,” Wilson reported, gathering the limp android in his arms. “This one says she can probably fix her with what we have on hand.”

Fowler looked at the leader. “Were you DPD?”

“No,” she said, standing with Wilson as he got up, carrying Polly. “My name is Julia.” She looked with concern to Polly. “Her charging cells were damaged. Our model was designed to carry nearly 300 percent battery power for…for humans to recharge their devices off us.” She scowled but quickly collected herself. “I can manually transfer power to her, but not out there…”

“We can help around here too!” Zeke stated. “We can work in exchange for shelter tonight.”

Wilson met his captain’s eyes, feeling thirium starting to stain his jacket where Polly’s head was tucked against him. “Sir…”

Fowler stared at them all then heaved a sigh. “Jesus Christ…Fine. Do any of you have any weapons on your persons?”

The other androids all echoed negatives, but Julia carefully held her hands out in full view.

“I found a gun. I have it tucked in my belt.”

“Turn around,” Fowler ordered.

Julia obediently kept her arms raised as she put her back to him. Fowler approached her and found the gun jammed into her belt at her back. He relieved her of it and looked to Wilson.

“Take them to the conference room. See if we have enough in Lost and Found for them to wear. Zeke, you come with me.”

“Sir,” Zeke nodded, following Fowler back into the main station.

Wilson exchanged a look with his mother. Rita was chewing on her lip. She yanked her own thick wool coat off the back of her chair and swept around the front of the reception desk.

“Here, take this,” she said, wrapping the coat around Polly in Wilson’s arms. “Poor thing…”

Wilson led the other androids back into the bullpen. A PM700 that he thought was named Gwen stepped ahead, opening the door for him to carry Polly inside. A herd of squeaky wet shoes followed him in, and he carefully laid the android down on the table, situating Rita’s coat over her. Gwen immediately took over tending to her, and Wilson pointed at Julia.

“You with me.”

As the rest of the androids shuffled into the conference room, dripping and shaking, Julia kept a stiff upper lip, marching after Wilson toward the Lost and Found clothing box in the locker room. It was a pathetic little bundle of clothes, and he grabbed some leftover DPD t-shirts and pants to make up for the shortage.

“Why aren’t you all going to Jericho?” he asked, handing one of the stacks to her.

“I told them they could go,” Julia said, carrying the stack out of the locker room with Wilson. “But when I said I wasn’t, they insisted on coming with me…” She cast her eyes elsewhere. “None of us know—“ She froze abruptly. “This is the 07…Is the RK800 here?!”

She looked around in a panic, and Wilson removed one hand from the box he was carrying, trying to calm her.

“No. I haven’t seen him around here since the revolution.”

Julia visibly relaxed, and Wilson frowned.

“You know he…deviated too, right? He’s not…after you guys anymore.”

Julia didn’t look overly comforted by that. “Just as long as he isn’t here…”

Wilson eyed her, then reached over toward Gavin’s desk as they passed by. He yanked the detective’s heavy jacket off the back of his chair, tossing it over Julia’s shoulder.

“Take that one too. He’s got a hundred of these just like it.”

Julia startled slightly but reluctantly took the jacket. “Thank you…” She read his name patch on his shirt. “…Officer Wilson.”

“You’re welcome, Julia.”

Wilson looked toward Fowler’s office, where the captain was questioning the PC200. It didn’t look ugly, but it did look intense. Back in the conference room, Julia peeled off her wet outer layer of clothes and pulled on Reed’s jacket, which nearly swallowed her.

“I’ll get the repair supplies,” Wilson told them. “And I think we have a bottle of thirium or two lying around. It’s not much, but you’re welcome to what we have.”

“Thank you,” Julia repeated, hugging her arms to herself. “I promise we—we’ll patch ourselves up and be on our way as soon as the sun is up tomorrow.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it,” Wilson assured. “Not like we don’t have the room right now. The, uh, the others know where the charging stations are, and…I’ll talk to the captain about letting you stay longer. If you need anything, let me know.”

He wasn’t sure if androids were capable of crying, but for a moment, Julia looked overwhelmed at his words and on the verge of tears from relief.

Jesus, when was the last time any of them had been shown kindness?

“Thank you,” she repeated again.

Wilson nodded and backed out of the room, closing the door. He took a deep breath and puffed out his cheeks as he exhaled. He ran a hand over the back of his head and looked toward reception. His mother stood in the entryway, looking just as concerned and perplexed as he felt.

It was going to be another long night.

[halbarryislife]

I saw Jersey Boys on Tour! (6/30/19) Atlantic City.

Ces Soirees la' Silhouettes

The transition from Ces Soirees la to Silhouettes is amazing.

During Tommy’s monologue Nick and Nick are talking.

I love Frankie’s entrance. “Silhouettes! Silhouettes!”

“Rocky Marciano!” Tommy makes punching motions. (I’m actually friends with his grandson or great grandson. I can’t remember.) 

Apple Of My Eye

Frankie was the only one that clapped.

The waiter was bored out his mind and the drunk guy is honestly a mood.

I Can't Give You Anything But Love

Frankie looked so confused when Tommy called him up on stage.

Everyone became interested when Frankie started singing.

“You listenin’?” Ya.” Type A: At first they're real easy. Jump right into bed with you. Then later on, they bust your balls. Type B: At first they play hard to get. Then later on, they. bust. your. balls.” “I don’t get it?!” “Don’t worry. You will.”  

Earth Angel

This is actually my favorite song from the show.

Mrs.  Castelluccio is watching over the judge and when Frankie is released she looks relieved.

Nick brings Tommy his suitcase.

A Sunday Kind Of Love

Nicky looks at his dates breast the entire time.

     ________________________

 Frankie stares at Mary like a lovesick puppy while singing.

He loves her so much.

“She’ll send you home in a envelope” Tommy said envelope with a thick Italian accent. 

“Type A.” “Ya Ya.” Frankie shoves Tommy away.

“Y’s a bullshit letter.” My last name ends with a Y.

“They... went away for awhile.” Poor Frankie.

“You’ve got a nickel?” “YAy” Frankie had a voice crack. 

“You've. got. to. shoot. the. witnesses. too. This is a basic rule.”

My Mother's Eyes

Gyp is actually pretty young. Like 40’s-50’s ish. He actually looks kind of younger than Tommy.

 “I’ve got a very special relationship with him.” “Tommy.” “Ya gyp?” “Can you pick up my dry cleaning?” My favorite part of the show.

“Bring me to Springfield to see my granddaughter.” Quite a few people laughed because gyp looks like a dad of a teen.

“Those guys went away?” Frankie looks over to Tommy suspiciously connecting all the dots. “Ya.” 

Frankie holds up the dollar bill and goes “EyyEes” at Tommy like ‘haha look what I got‘ 

    ________________________ 

“With you and Gaudio!” Joey is so annoyed with Tommy.

I Go Ape

“Tommy I can’t keep it straight. One week we’re the Romans, the village voices, the fucking Andrew sisters!” I love Nick’s sass.

“Comedy stuff” Nicky just screams “Noooo!”

“Handsome Hank.”

“HHHEeeYYyY”

Hank’s voice was cracking while yelling at the guys and then did a body motion that made his mask go over his face and walked out like a gorilla

“Stick to what you're good at. Rob a bank!”

Short Shorts

“Joe Pesci. Ya That Joe Pesci. The actor. 30 years later the little punk wins an Oscar. Who knew.”

When Bobby starts playing Tommy makes a bunch of hand motions.

Moody's Mood

Frankie just stares at Bobby the entire time.

Cry For Me

Nicky was flirting with this girl but got distracted by Bobby’s singing.

Tommy was looking around to see how everyone was reacting and right before he started to sing he was like “oh fuck it”

“It’s. Fucking. Dynamite.” Tommy glares at Joey. “Itsgoodagoodblend.”

Backups Medley

So I was in Atlantic City to see the show and I’m honestly disappointed that whenever tge guys mentioned Atlantic City the crowd didn’t cheer louder. (I’m not from Atlantic City)

I love Crewe’s hand motions.

“And who are YOU? Yum. Yum. And yum.” Bob looks to audience. Audience laughs.

Honestly Crewe and the sound producer are the most iconic duo. Change my mind.

“Take, whatever.”

Sherry

I loved their moves.

Big Girls Don't Cry

Nick’s baritone gives me life.

Walk Like A Man

“What like a woman!?”

“Apparently more guys than we thought have been twisted around a girls little finger.”

December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)

The prostitutes have sexier outfits.

“What’s your name?” “booOOOOOOBBBB” Bobby’s voice gets even higher.

Bob coming out in the bathrobe was amazing.

“Ended much too soon.” Tommy points to Bob’s privates.

“Nick was right. It is more fun with another person” the audience bursts into tears.

“Almost 8. Miles. A. Gallon.”

“I want you inside me.”

My Boyfriend's Back

WHY DOES NOBODY TALK ABOUT HOW THE GIRL WHO PLAYS MARY HAS TO DO AN 8 SECOND QUICK CHANGE FROM ONE OF THE ANGELS TO MARY!?

My Eyes Adored You

Mary looked so upset. Maybe even more than Frankie.

I actually feel sorry for Mary. She had less sass.

Dawn (Go Away)

I loved when their backs faced us and the lights came out.

The ‘crew’ was singing along with the Seasons

When the loan shark came out Crewe and others were around so they heard the debt conversation.

When the guys were singing walk like a man to Tommy a woman took a picture of him right before the lights went down.

Big Man In Town

I loved Nick before this. Love him even more. I just want to hug him.

“I forgot we were in O.H.I.O.”

When the guys are arrested and Tommy sings Ohio Nick looks amused.

Tommy sang really high on “old time in OHIO!”

When Lorianne was interviewing everyone poor Nicky was sitting next to them drinking his sorrows away.

“You don’t tell the truth to your wife!”

“He might be a little stupid did you ever think of that?”

Beggin'

When the guys walk in front of the gangster drawing was actually iconic.

When the guys sit down right after beggin Nick grabs his shot glass and drinks all of it in one gulp. While everyone else took a small sip.

Nicks monologue got a lot of laughs. Mainly when he sat down, he had a look on his face like “oh shit what did I just do?”

Nick talking back to Tommy. Calling Tommy out. Honestly cured my anxiety.

“HE WAS PISSING IN THE SINK!” “I do not piss in the sink” Nick walks away from Tommy. Tommy raises his hands and goes ‘oh well’ and sits down.

So if you have seen the OBC bootleg and the promotional video from like 2011 during Frankie’s monologue when he’s yelling at Tommy. JLY starts very stern and calm and Jarrod Specter starts really angry and yells but Jon Wextler is like right in the middle and I loved it.

“Taxly half a mill. In that area.” Poor Nick slams his head on the table.

Tommy looked like he was gonna cry when he was being escorted out by the loan shark because Frankie turned away from him.

 Medley

“I don’t want anyone involved in our future but me and Frankie!” The light goes onto Nicky. The audience ‘awwww’ s for Nicky.

Nicky almost looks like he’s gonna cry.

“Do you think it was Nicky’s drinking?” 

“Performing wasn’t really my thing” silence. “You know what” silence. “You’re right. I don’t want to hear it.”

“Fuck you.”

It’s quite sad when the number of microphones being pushed off gets smaller and smaller until it’s only Frankie.

Mary was actually really sincere.

C’mon Marianne

Poor Frankie just trying to stay alive.

Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You

Everyone began clapping Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You started

At the end, Frankie was enjoying the claps.

Working My Way Back To You

He’s so happy!

Love Joe and Charlie

Fallen Angel

This song made me cry.

It hits a chord with me.

I feel so sorry for Frankie.

Rag Doll

All the guys walk out in a line singing.

I lowkey forgot Tommy existed

“If you’re ever in Vegas and you say the name Tommy Devito. My hand to god. You’ll be out of there in about 10 seconds.”

“I don’t give a FUCK about the old neighborhood.” Honestly one of my favorite parts. 

“Without ME.” Bob just has a huge grin on his face like ‘look what I did’

During Nick's final monologue (I think) walk like a man was playing behind him or big girls don’t cry. I can’t remember.

For some reason people started laughing when Nick said “It just came out of my mouth.”

“And you’re ringo.” A lot of laughs.

“Nicky and that mind of his.” Nick walks right off stage as he finished that. I was actually crying.

Everyone laughed at the battery bunny joke.

Who Loves You

It was amazing.

All the guys came out together and bowed together.

December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)

This was also amazing.

The guys walked out together holding each other.  

Other notes:

Whenever someone comes out sitting on a chair, they slide in on wheels and slides out. 

Bob and Nick were y’all bois

Frankie was a small boi

Joey was adorable. 

Tommy has a few gray hairs

Poor Tommy was sweating up a storm during the first few songs

Tommy has plastic covering his furniture

Love the outfits 

I want Bob and Frankie’s shirts

(l to r) Jonathan Cable, Jonny Wexler, Eric Chambliss and Corey Greenan

[immovable-force-archive]

send me a ship // @motherfucking-username​ (I’m doing both but I’m gonna do ‘em in separate posts)

1- Who is the most affectionate?

Connor.

2- Big spoon/Little spoon?

Kisama prefers being the big spoon, but I know Connor likes being able to look at/hold Kisama. Honestly I’m not sure they’re big on spooning when they could just hold each other face-to-face instead. When they do though, they probably trade off.

3- Most common argument?

Probably something about Kisama working too much or not telling Connor things. Kisama keeps a lot of secrets and that’s a main source of friction between them. They don’t ‘argue’ about that much exactly but it does come up a lot.

4- Favorite non-sexual activity?

Cuddling. Although Kisama loves taking Connor just about anywhere outside of work, showing him anything is super cute. 

5- Who is most likely to carry the other?

Hmmmm... It’s close, but I think I’m gonna say Kisama. Which is funny because Kisama tries not to-- Connor weighs over 300 lbs and casually picking him up requires his super-strength. At the same time though, I can totally imagine Kisama carrying Connor to bed bridal-style, or lifting him up and spinning him around when they get home from work. (These two are disgusting ifya haven’t noticed.)

6- What is their favorite feature of their partner’s?

Kisama’s favorite is either his eyes or his hair. He really loves that tuft Connor has that never stays up.

7- What’s the first thing that changes when they realize they have feelings for the other?

... Everything? They realize it when Kisama is still in Detroit, and has to reconcile that they have about 2 weeks before Kisama heads back to Naobi, basically for good. I’m sure their entire work dynamic changes for a start, though. A lot of looks and pining, Kisama wishing he could just stop working and make every second count before time runs out.

8- Nicknames? & if so, how did they originate?

'Darling’ would be Kisama’s favorite for Connor, which is something he heard his parents (his dad, specifically) call each other a lot. But Kisama’s fond of other pet names too, like ‘sweetie’ or ‘honey.’ He’ll also call Connor ‘Officer’ at work, and jokingly outside of it.

9- Who worries the most?

God, that’s a tough one. They both worry way too much, can I just say both? Maybe Kisama just barely edges it out because he’s always worrying about Connor leaving if he finds out his secrets, or if he’s protecting Connor too much/not enough at work. Wouldn’t be surprised to see @motherfucking-username disagree though.

10- Who remembers what the other one always orders at a restaurant?

Connor. Seems like the sort of thing he’d memorize.

11- Who tops?

Kisama because that’s what he prefers, but if Connor wanted to give it a go, Kisama would (eventually) try to bottom instead.

12- Who initiates kisses?

They both do, although I think Connor does a bit more often once he gets more comfortable with it.

13- Who reaches for the other’s hand first?

Connor.

14- Who kisses the hardest?

Connor, probably? I think they both get pretty into it though.

15- Who wakes up first?

Connor, because he doesn’t sleep--

16- Who wants to stay in bed just a little longer?

Funnily enough, I think Connor again. Kisama is used to getting up early and going straight to work, and I could see Connor saying they have a few minutes to spare to cuddle before getting dressed. (And like backing it up with an exact time of how long it takes for them to get ready, just to sound super convincing.)

17- Who says I love you first?

I think Connor did, in a roundabout way. He admitted feelings first, at least. Kisama might’ve been the one to actually say ‘I love you’, although now I’m not sure.

18- Who leaves little notes in the other’s one lunch? (Bonus: what does it usually say?)

God, Connor would pack lunches for Kisama, wouldn’t he? Maybe gross, sappy, cute things (hearts, short quotes/poems about love, random things about Kisama that he likes, etc.) because these two are disgusting trash--

19- Who tells their family/friends about their relationship first?

Connor tells Hank everything-- Hank actually knew about Connor’s feelings before Kisama did. Kisama tells no one anything ever, although his bodyguards/Axa inevitably find out.

20- What do their family/friends think of their relationship?

Kisama’s bodyguards (Andrew and Yuuto) are initially in disbelief, and Yuuto is pretty disgusted with it, but they ultimately come to support Kisama because of how happy Connor makes him. (Having spent so much time with Kisama, and seen a few of his bad moments, they know he really needs more people in his life to support him.) Axa Pfertun, Kisama’s secretary/second-in-command, also starts out as extremely against the relationship, and believes Kisama can’t afford to be anything less than 100% professional at all times, or it will be used against him. She also comes around at some point during the time Kisama and Connor are separated.

21- Who is more likely to start dancing with the other?

Connor.

22- Who cooks more/who is better at cooking?

Connor on both counts, although I could see cooking together becoming something they do for fun at home.

23- Who comes up with cheesy pick up lines?

Both of them. They’re losers.

24- Who whispers inappropriate things in the other’s ear during inappropriate times?

Kisama likes to compartmentalize his life as a way to cope with stress, so he has a ‘work life’ and a ‘home life.’ Things at work stay at work, and only work things are allowed at work. So I could see Connor whispering things to him at work to try and get him riled up, since he wants to bone in Kisama’s office so bad--

Real answer: They both do, Kisama’s not innocent of this either.

25- Who needs more assurance?

God, both of them again, they suck. Maybe Connor?

26- What would be their theme song?

My ship tag for them is Style by Taylor Swift, although I don’t think that’s a great one aside from a couple lines. First ones that come to mind that I like (as in, first ones I saw after looking through my Youtube likes) are This Feeling by The Chainsmokers, and Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler.

27- Who would sing to their child back to sleep?

Kisama. Unless Connor wants to sing Tequila. Or just like open his mouth and make Baby Shark play, like a speaker.

28- What do they do when they’re away from each other?

Work, mostly. That’s the main thing that keeps them apart, and these two both love diving headfirst into work to try and distract from The Gay Thoughts.

29- one headcanon about this OTP that breaks your heart.

The fact that Connor will outlive Kisama even in the best case scenario is pretty heartbreaking, along with the fact that Kisama doesn’t think he’s going to make it there. He’ll probably die young, just because of who he is and what his job is. It’s also heartbreaking that Kisama knows there is, technically, a way to bring him back indefinitely via Devil Contracts, and Loqero would be 100% down to help Connor with it. He just doesn’t want this to happen because it basically requires killing someone each time, and Kisama hates the idea that Connor would consider sacrificing innocent people if it meant bringing his boyfriend back. It’s something he never wants to confront, and will probably never bring up as a result.

30- one headcanon about this OTP that mends it.    

Kisama having to take a meeting over the phone while they’re home and it’s running long and Kisama’s pissed about it. Connor walking over and touching his phone to make it shut off, then taking Kisama’s hand and going “Oh no your battery died :) What a shame :)” And then they smooch bc screw running a country when you can be gay instead

Also Kisama at work with Connor sitting in his lap, “””making sure Kisama gets work done””” when they’re actually just snuggling.

[hbcregis]

On Wednesday April 13th 2022, we made our way to Chehalis on fumes, having used all our gas seeking adventure at Scatter Creek. We stopped at the traditional Wal-Mart aka Walmart (yeah it's dumb that they changed it) to park for the day.

It was mostly sunny, and although we had rain and snow on occasion, it wasn't enough to worry about. Spent alot of time listening to music, getting baked and planning our next move.

When night fell, the bizarrity began. First off we were asked if we could sell some meth, and we made it clear that we weren't meth dealers. We were just traveling. Then the Fast & Furious crew came out to drive around like Vin Diesel wannabes with their honeybee-powered engines and pseudo-music, annoying everyone.

As it grew even darker and colder, we started the engine to warm the car and ourselves, as well as to charge our phones, but it soon finally ran out of fumes and our car died. It was then that we realized that we'd have to panhandle in the morning to get moving again.

As we sat there trying to stay warm, contemplating a better solution, the actual local drug dealer arrived and parked near us. He soon got some business as his "music" blared, even more annoying than the Fast & Furiousers.

We thought we might push the car to a better location on the lot to escape the insanity of drug deals, loud "music" and a loudly arguing couple when the dealer exited his vehicle and climbed into another vehicle for awhile. We texted whomever we could to ask for help but got nothing.

K-Dub & I had nothing but time and a major problem to solve, so we thought we'd meet some locals via a popular hookup app, in hopes of getting some help even if we had to earn it the hard way. If we got no help, maybe we'd at least have a good time and get our minds off the problems at hand.

After a couple disappointing hours, a local named Robert offered to help us with gas, pushing our car to the 76 station and putting 30 dollars in our tank. He didn't ask for anything in return so we went to hang out with him for awhile to charge our portable jump starter and offer some adult fun to make his kind gesture worthwhile for him. Despite hanging out for a couple hours, we just talked about his life the whole time and then he took us back to the car with a charged portable jump starter. As we tried to start the car, the battery was toast. Nothing. Not even a click. New problem, same day.

We spent the rest of the night trying to start the car, most of the time with the portable jump starter, but it was too weak to work. K-Dub tried everything, even jury rigging a drill battery as a jump starter, but he eventually worked alone as I was freezing cold and had to stay in the car. K-Dub bundled me and our chihuahua companion Hank up in all the blankets, sitting next to me without complaining as he shivered. The morning commuters began to arrive for coffee and fuel and K-Dub began asking for a jump start.

Time and time again, all K-Dub heard was "No" until he was just about broken. On the edge of tears and feeling like a failure, he asked a guy exiting the store if he had jumper cables. The guy said that if he didn't have them in his truck, he'd go to Uhaul where he worked and get some.

K-Dub walked back to the car and the guy pulled right up and hooked up the cables he had in his toolbox. In a minute, the car was alive again and the guy left for work, with our appreciation but without us finding out his name. Whoever he was, he works at Uhaul in Chehalis and was our hero that night along with Robert who gave us fuel.

K-Dub got in the car and broke down. It was hard for me to hear him cry but he needed to. As morning broke, our problems were solved so we bought some road rations and got back on the road headed south. With no sleep but alot of hope, we headed to Longview.

[superbeitmenotyou]

standard knowledge says that in the latest Hollywood panorama, film stars don’t count number, at least any longer as a whole lot as they acclimated to. New personalities anchorage's stepped as much as fill the shoes of stars like Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, or Tom Hanks of their respective primes, so the job of cartoon audiences out of their homes for a huge opening weekend has fallen to franchises and highbrow property. “IP,” as the executives and even the enthusiasts name it.

men in black: overseas and Shaft spent their improper opening weekends exploring the worst-case situation. They’re the newest casualties in a sequel-saturated summer where very nearly each comply with-up without Avengers in the title has underperformed. It seems now not each sequence can accidentally pull off a James band-style reinvention with new gamers.

decades in the past, the band authorization changed into one of the most only collection that found success while transferring from celebrity to celebrity. many sequels had been low-hire money-ins without the customary stars — think of The bite II or Caddy Shack II. paying audiences certainly didn’t. extra lately, independence Day: improvement tried to carry on devoid of Will Smith, who went supernova after the fashioned. That film became an ensemble image, with artisan because of the standout lead; the long-established men in tournaments was his observe-up and his genuine coronation as Hollywood royalty. He caught around for a few sequels, but actors inevitably wish to move on to new issues or at least restrict themselves to at least one or two advancing sequences at a time. therefore the men and women in tournaments activity overseas.

by contrast with ability Day’s disaster-movie ambit, the whole funny story of men in black is that it treats alien invasion accidentally. Pairs of black-appropriate brokers investigate crooked conflicting pastime, operating in secret and wiping the recollections of any civilians they come across along the manner. There are splendidly designed creatures alive in the course of the film and its sequels, but the megastar attraction is the allure amid ball artisan as new recruit agent J, and deadpan Tommy Lee Jones as adept agent K.

men in black: international makes an attempt to circulate on from that group. In conception, the shift makes experience: the MIB company is meant to be titanic and much-reaching, and smith’s de facto alternative is rising celebrity Tessa Thompson, a talented actress who has also aggressive her share of franchise films Thor: Ragnarök; the marvel films. It’s probably lustrous that Thompson isn’t tasked with assuming artisan — the place J starts out as a reckless, dedicated cop, Thompson’s agent M is a distinct-absent alarmist who becomes IBM's aboriginal non-recruited worker by devoting a great deal of her young life to monitoring them bottom ward. She’s fastidious, strange, and ambitious — a special sort of cocky-control than artisan’s vigorous self-belief. It sounds just like the type of identical-but-diverse recipe that’s purported to accomplish sequels alluring.

however, the first men in black and, to a bottom extent, its different sequels was well-engineered to take knowledge of artisan’s selected energy. MIB: I am supposed to prove that the series is famous person-doubter, however, its barter turns into a metaphor for a pretty good actor disturbing to fill out a celebrity’s suit. agent M is a hard worker. She deserves her shot on the profession she’s practising herself for. She isn’t content to coast on her attraction or her record, in contrast to her associate, Chris Hemsworth’s agent H. Ms hiring makes loads of experience on cardboard, just as Thompson’s did.

however, simply active Thompson into thin outfitting practising montage sans a lot specific practising doesn’t make her an artisan-degree presence. Her confidence is quieter and greater interior than Smith's. That could flip MIB: International into a fascinating antagonism of the primary movie, with Hemsworth taking on artisan’s more affectionate bluster, and Jones’ deadpan intelligence going to the rookie, as opposed to the coach. however MIB: International’s writers don’t seem to be certain about the way to address Thompson’s inferiority, apart from by giving her the briefest flashes of artisan-ish bravado. smith’s self-announced arrival as a superstar “I accomplish this seem good,” J abundantly says back he receives his tournaments suit in men in black are high that the sequence has been chasing ever due to the fact that. right here, the lobar come what may consider each sweaty impulsively trying to supply Thompson a makeover arrangement, hoping anything within the battery of montaged moments will stick and lazy authoritative her long-time men in black fan above anything else.

agent M is shipped to London on a mission that’s firstly so vaguely described that it becomes complicated. That also advance with how MIB use Thompson, by way of dashing her into the authorization and assuming her reasons for being there will finally make the experience. 

As talented as Thompson is, she doesn’t generate any precise comedian abrasion, past some mild testiness with Hemsworth. The writers seem convinced that what made men in black compelling and humorous wasn’t J and K's snarly attitudes and sharp banter, however the very thought of tournaments-perfect agents under-reacting to crazy-looking aliens. At this aspect, just the authorization’s emblems — the dark sun shades, the shimmering affected weapons, the neuralgias — are speculated to entice the audience as without problems as an “Oh, hell no” from Smith or a deadpan quip from Jones.

This kind of bewitched considering is probably required for anyone who notion it turned into profitable to reboot men in black: International without the long-established stars. during this case, the film-makers seem to have had adverse visions over what artisan-much fewer men in black should appear to be. 

as the Hollywood anchorman addendum, the movie became, in the beginning, each more adventuresome and greater contemporary, and the sharp edges were eased out all through a collection of at the back of-the-scenes struggles between administrator F. Gary Argy and ambassador Walter Parkes.

The article makes a speciality of plot-related clashes, however, while the storyline is abashed, the film’s real problems are accent and personality.

the inability of both creates a brand new abandoned at the core of the collection. 

Hiring the charismatic Thompson and Hemsworth makes the circumstance worse, in place of stronger, as a result of they’ve both been so tons enhanced in other places, together with within Thor: Ragnarök. Thompson’s abettor M works tough and gets what she desires, which means little of outcome occurs to her as a personality. 

The movie is unintentionally about the futility of carrying on men in black company as general.

At least the team at the back of the brand new Shaft is a little greater awareness of what audiences might accept loved about old entries in the series.

 like the reboot Shaft, the new movie is titled to suggest an accommodation of the traditional Shaft, despite the fact that it’s really an assiduity of varieties. 

back in, Samuel L. Jackson stepped into the role of John Shaft, as the nephew of the “customary” John Shaft Richard Round tree, who regarded in a cameo. 

Shaft services as a form-of sequel to that film, bringing back Jackson and giving him a nerdier millennial son named John Shaft Jr. Jessie T. usher, with a just a little accelerated and retconned! function for the Round tree.

although Jackson is evidently Shaft’s best noted forged member, the conductor is the film’s point-of-view persona. by making him and Jackson into mismatched partners on against the law-solving mission, the movie foregrounds generational battle, which brings a way of the specific alternate that eludes men in black: overseas.

but to dramatize this conflict, Shaft makes Jackson into a cocky-carefully old-faculty bear who’s appalled via the supposedly feminized affability of his son, who works for the FBI as an information analyst because he doesn’t look after firearms. Jackson’s edition of John Shaft became already different from Round tree's — extra gross, less smooth, greater Jackson-y. This additional after the light is likely, in its ball-y means, realistic. 

Of route Shaft is crankier as a sixty-something than he becomes years ago, and naturally, a new generation would buy a more technological method to issues that have been solved in the Nineteen Seventies with shoe-leather-based and shoot-outs. And at the least Jackson and conductor enliven one of the most canned banter.

The difficulty is, Shaft feels obligated to define usher’s character virtually completely on his dad’s terms. John Jr. gets in some address about his historic man’s absurdity and fogey-ish tastes, however, eventually, the movie wants the kid to man up and hearth the guns he claims to abhorrence. it could be greater wonderful to peer a Shaft Jr. who sticks to his principles, which the movie pointers at via giving him an unconventional combating fashion.

but like men in tournaments: foreign, this Shaft blunders time-honoured, abrupt artifice turns for advantage, giving its characters little possibility to believe like anything however bung-and-play abstracts.

 They’re coming at us right through a period back sequels are presupposed to be de-stigmatized, and even exciting. here is the period that gave us Mad Max: acerbity street, The final Jedi, and The dark knight, sequels which have proven how reboots, long-term authorization extensions, or even actor substitute can nonetheless result in a very good film.

men in tournaments and Shaft aren’t least expensive or bequest-tarnishing sequels within the Caddy shack II experience, however, they’re low-employ at heart. It’s one thing to accomplish an extra Godzilla movie.

 Godzilla has survived for many years because of endless sequels that mainly abide by up the ante on city-level destruction and loopy opponents. however as accidental as viewers, attention can be and for what it’s valued, advantageous audiences who saw Shaft perceived to delight in it, it makes sense that they’d feel the thuggishness in studies, tones, and even full characters that appear backwards engineered from company revivals. as a substitute for famous person vehicles, these are automobile vehicles.

And that’s too inferior, as a result of these newest after-effect flops have whatever abroad in ordinary.

 They’re both videos-turned-franchises absorption on black actors, both of their original and current incarnations.

 This wasn’t an in particular normal occurrence back Shaft fabricated a large-flat version of blaxploitation in, nor even when guys in tournaments proven smith’s huge superstar vigour in.

The primary MIB is still one of the crucial biggest-grossing motion pictures with a tournaments actor in an unequivocal lead role, rather than a part of an ensemble. The casting builds some additional goodwill and acclaim activity into both collections. They’re business initiatives, inaugurate attempts at branding, but they nevertheless offer frustratingly infrequent star-making alternatives for tournaments actors.

If the authorization itself is supposed to be the big name, although, it might expect the exact stars to adjourn to its wants, which generally quantity to the need to preserve the authorization activity.

 So instead of honouring the cultural legacies of Shaft or men in black, these new instalments put talented tournaments performers at the mercy of past-top franchises, sticking Tessa Thompson and Jessie T. usher on excursions of other americium's hits.

poor usher has been through this earlier than; he played the son of Will artisan’s absent character in that baseborn ability Day sequel, one other film that apparently took place because its creator's concept the authorization become so attractive to admirers that they’d reveal up regardless of the cast alterations.

It’s effortlessly responsible for more recent actors for not being excessive-wattage sufficient to attempt with the brand of Will Smith, Leonardo Aperiodic, Sandra Bullock, and other superstars of fresh antique. 

But it surety's complicated for performers like Thompson, usher, and Hemsworth to shine their brightest within the nonsensicality of so a good deal mindlessly, purposelessly constructed-up IP.

[desireesroadtrip]

Episode III: Return of the Jetta

It is now July 2018. I have gone on two major road trips in my life thus far. I am about to embark on the third. But before I tell you about that, let’s reflect on those first two I’ve taken…

Hello, all.

My name is Desiree Echevarria and I have wanderlust.

I’m 27 years old and have lived in Southern California my whole life. I’d like to get out immediately please, if only for a little while. And here’s why.

Every day, I go to a job that, admittedly, I like a whole lot. I have family and friends that I like a whole lot. I have a life that I sure do like a whole lot.

And yet…

I gotta get the fuck out of here.

At the end of every day, in order to get home, I drive east on one the many freeways in Southern California that are in a perpetual state of apocalyptic clusterfuckery. I sit in traffic. I dodge assholes who are seemingly using their BMWs to try to commit vehicular manslaughter on everyone else on the freeway. Sometimes, I’ll admit it, I’ll add to my own anxiety by being the asshole who’s trying get ahead in traffic using my clearly superior weaving skills. OUT OF THE WAY, JERKS, I HAVE TO GET TO MY HOUSE BEFORE YOU GET TO YOURS. I NEED THAT EXTRA 2 MINUTES TO SIT AROUND AND BE TOO LAZY TO SHOWER.

I look out the car window and see the same scenery every day. If it’s not the crumbling concrete of the rough, grey L.A. freeways, it’s the boring, well-manicured, strategically landscaped, but grotesquely artificial, ambiance of Orange County. And every day, while sitting there in traffic, I think to myself: “What if I just kept driving? What if I didn’t stop at my exit and I just kept going east? Who would stop me? No one, that’s who.”

That’s what I wrote five years ago in my mission statement (you can re-visit that lengthy manifesto here) prior to embarking on a three-week road trip across the country and back. It was a trip that, when I returned, a friend of mine referred to as a “walkabout.” I liked that. So that’s what I call it now.

I drove my Volkswagen GTI (R.I.P.) from Los Angeles through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada.

Pictured: Black Magic the GTI, the most beloved of all my Volkswagens.

I didn’t have any deadlines or any real destinations. I went just to see what I could see. I stopped and pulled off the road to take photos whenever I felt like it. I talked to strangers. I blogged a lot. And it was fucking awesome.

(I won’t rehash the happenings of that first trip because literally every post on this Tumblr prior to this one chronicles them in detail. I created this Tumblr specifically for that trip and am reviving it for this next one. Scroll back to read about my exploits if you’d like.)

That first trip was a major turning point in my life. It got me out of my lifelong comfort zone and made me a little more fearless in general – and that alone has had far-reaching effects. That trip shook all my shit up, in a good way.

Today, I’m 32 years old and a lot has changed since then.

For starters, I don’t like the word “wanderlust" anymore. Makes me cringe. Please forget I ever used it.

But also, I don’t live in Southern California anymore. I live in Austin, Texas – a place I encountered on that very first megatrip.

This might seem surprising because in my post-roadtrip recap back in 2013, you may recall I returned from that trip with grand plans to “kick down Hollywood’s door and take the motherfucker over.”

Narrator voice: She did not take the motherfucker over.

So how did I end up in Austin? (I get this question a lot. So, finally, here’s your answer. *Clears throat.*)

Throughout my twenties, I worked in Hollywood. When you work in Hollywood, your friends and family love to hear stories about the most glamorous parts of your job. Everyone loves hearing a story with a famous person in it, even if the story is simply, “I got an email from Jennifer Lawrence today. She seems nice.” See, there’s a famous person in that riveting story about a work email. That makes it a good story. It’s very cool to come home from work and tell people that you spent the day with Clint Eastwood or that Jay Leno showed you around his fancy car garage or that Bradley Cooper asked you for a bottle of water and you handed it to him and you will both cherish that moment forever.

It’s very cool to tell people those parts of your job. But those aren’t even the everyday moments. Those are the sometimes moments. They’re awfully cool, but what happens when the day-to-day of your job is in no way fulfilling and, in fact, sucks so much ass? That’s much less cool.

It’s a tough trade-off. Because you like being able to tell your family and friends your Hollywood anecdotes. It makes you seem interesting. You like being able to watch a movie and see your name in the credits. It makes you feel important.

And it’s a hell of a thing to have to admit to yourself that it’s not actually what you want at all.

But that’s exactly what I did at the end of 2015.

Hi, I’m Desiree Echevarria. I’m sure you remember me from The Hunger Games. I played Katniss.

Here’s where I was: American Sniper was finally finished. I worked through TWO releases of those DVDs, one per year. So I had SOMEHOW been working on American Sniper for a damn year and a half (looooong after the film had left the theaters and lost all the Oscars). So I was bored and ready for something new.

My boss came to work one day and very excitedly told me that the next movie we would be working on was Clint Eastwood’s new film, Sully, starring Tom Hanks. It was our job to produce the bonus features for it, as per usual. The film would likely be a hit, like anything else Clint Eastwood or Tom Hanks does.

And yet I felt nothing. I did not feel excited. I did not feel awe. I did not feel that Hollywood magic that I know I felt at some point in my life before.

A Clint Eastwood/Tom Hanks joint walks through the door and I feel nothing.

I was burnt. out.

Sorry, Clint. 

It was time for a change, and not just on a three-week walkabout to recharge my mental batteries this time. For one thing, I was broke af (because the thing everyone loves to downplay about working in Hollywood is that the pay is shit and if you don’t like it well, fuck you, there’s a line of about a thousand suckers right behind you just BEGGING for a shot at your gig). But also, I didn’t want to have to come back to this place — not just this production company, but this Hollywood. It was time for a REAL-ASS CHANGE.

Austin, Texas was about as much of a 180-degree shift from my status quo as was possible. So that’s where I set my sights.

I moved out of my expensive-but-still-somehow-in-a-bad-part-of-town Los Angeles apartment and into my parents’ house 50 miles away in Orange County for a few months to save what little money I could (and braving the 4-hour round trip commuting to the production office in Glendale daily as a trade-off).

I remember the day I put in my two weeks’ notice at that production company. My boss, a producer who had done pretty well for himself, had gone on vacation (he went to his vacation house at least once a month, otherwise he would “go stir crazy!” he often said). I remember I was alone at the office on a Friday. And I mean ALONE alone. I had no co-workers. It was just me and my boss. Though, most days it was just me. All alone. In a small room. My boss liked to work from home mostly, and he had the freedom to do so.

On this particular Friday, I asked if I could work from home. Doing so would save me four painful hours of driving in L.A. traffic. We weren’t a busy office. People didn’t stop by. People didn’t call. We seldom got packages and if they were important (a delivery of assets from a studio or something) I sure as shit knew if they were coming. But my only project on that day was writing research reports for Sully. So, yes, I could have done my job from home. My boss could have done me a HUGE solid by just saying yes to my simple request.

Still, my boss said no. He didn’t feel “comfortable” with me working from home even though it was 2016 and the internet had been invented decades earlier. Besides, what if an office emergency came up?!

Narrator voice: An office emergency had never come up.

I said, “Okay.” And I spent that day in the office. By myself. Pouting. Lamenting my lack of freedom and control over my own life. All while my boss was sitting in a hammock, strumming one of his many vintage guitars at his vacation cabin in the mountains. This seems like a relevant time to add that this job did not come with health insurance.

I put in my two weeks’ notice that day.

I was 30 years old. And this shit was no longer worth it.

Two weeks later, I packed up my Volkswagen Rabbit (R.I.P.) with everything I owned. I didn’t own much. A friend would later call the fact that I was able to fit my entire life into a car “romantic.” I call it “poor.” I then embarked on the second major road trip of my life: the move from my home in California to my fresh start in Austin, Texas.

I didn’t know what the fuck was going to happen, but at least I was free.

Pictured: Tibor the Volkswagen Rabbit, named after the German man who sold him to me (and who replaced the Rabbit decal with a Golf decal for some reason).

Road Trip 2: The Great Escape

I drove from California to Texas in two days in a car that I wasn’t sure would even survive the trip.

The trip HAD to be two days because I didn’t want to blow what little money I had staying in hotels over the course of several nights. I didn’t have a job waiting for me in Austin – in fact, all that was waiting for me there was just one friend from California and a cheap two-month sublet to share with a stranger from Craigslist.

On Day One, I drove from Orange County, CA to Flagstaff, AZ because my friend Camille lived in Flagstaff and I stayed at her house. However, Flagstaff was nowhere CLOSE to being the halfway point between California and Austin. So my first day’s drive was just 7 hours. Meaning my second day… well, my second day was 15 hours and 1,026 miles of pure hell.

For one thing, the aux input in my car was broken and the only CDs I had with me were five Taylor Swift CDs. I know on the surface, that doesn’t seem THAT bad (after all, it’s better than silence, right?), but I listened to those five Taylor Swift CDs over and over and over again throughout the course of 22 driving hours, pushing myself to the brink of madness and back again several times over.

I tried listening to the radio, but when you’re driving through endless zero-population towns in West Texas, you can’t put a lot of faith in radio stations that play music even EXISTING. (Though, there are plenty of radio stations with loud preachers yelling about how most things are The Devil™.) So even though I was on a tight schedule, I made the time to pull over at a Wal-Mart and buy a CD – ANY CD – that wasn’t Taylor Swift. I purchased a Luke Bryan CD.

By the end of this ordeal, I would come to hate Luke Bryan as well.

(Note: I have since forgiven both Taylor Swift and Luke Bryan for what they did to me that day.)

But deeper than that, my Road Trip 2 lacked all of what made that first road trip great. I didn’t enjoy it the way I had before. This time, I didn’t take the trip slow and stop along the way to smell the roses and take pictures of interesting rocks I saw. This time, the trip wasn’t a walkabout. It was a mission, and a scary one at that.

What if I failed? What if I got to Texas and hated it, or couldn’t find a job, or ran out of money, or became a Republican? There was a lot for me to worry about on that drive.

After 15 hours, I was physically and emotionally exhausted. I thought the drive would never end – especially in the late hours driving down endless empty two-lane roads in the pitch-black darkness of West Texas, with what I still maintain to this day were UFOs in the distance. I showed up at my Craigslist sublet at midnight, immediately rolled my sleeping bag out on the floor, cried for the 90 seconds I remained awake, and then passed out.

Pictured: my first Austin apartment. I slept on a mattress on the floor for longer than I care to admit.

The first thing that made me feel better after that sad-ass moving night was waking up the next day and being able to see some familiar faces. My friend Krista, who had moved to Austin not long before I did, swung by my empty apartment, picked me up and gave me a tour of the city. That helped make the transition remarkably easier. 

Pictured: my first meal on my first day in Austin at the now-defunct restaurant Bacon (R.I.P.) courtesy of tour guide, @kristadoyle​.

Also, as luck would have it, my friends from back home, Kyle and Iris, happened to be on vacation in Austin during that very weekend and we were able to meet up and do some touristy shit together. And again, that familiarity in a strange new place calmed my nerves immensely. I value my friendships above pretty much everything in the entire world and things like this are why. I like to think I’m pretty resilient on my own, but I’m far more resilient with help from my pals. I highly recommend friendship A+++ 11/10, 4 stars.

Pictured: Kyle, me, and Iris during my first weekend in Austin in the quintessential tourist destination -- Dirty 6th.

But once that introductory weekend was over, I had a lot of hustling to do. I didn’t have a job AND I only had enough saved to live comfortably for two months — which meant I had two months to make it work in Austin or I would have to crawl back to my parents’ house in California with my tail between my legs. The clock was ticking.

That Monday was the first day of SXSW, Austin’s major annual music, film, and tech festival. I had decided to move to Austin in time for SXSW because people on Reddit told me that if I wanted to network in Austin and find a job, I needed to be at SXSW. But badges to get into SXSW run upwards of thousands of dollars (which I did NOT have). So I got in the only way I could – by working for free. I volunteered for a week at SXSW and got a badge in return.

And for once, Reddit was right. I got two job offers that first week.

I knew then that everything was gonna be okay.

Still, the offers I was able to get weren’t ideal. I took a job doing customer support at a website in Austin while patiently biding my time for the job I REALLY wanted to open up: a content writer position at the startup where my friend Krista worked (also as a writer). She raved about how awesome it was and how, someday soon, they would probably hire more writers. So I waited all spring and summer for that probably. For six months, I looked something like this:

Then, finally, a writer position opened up and I pounced on it. I got the job and can honestly say, it’s one of the best things to ever happen to me.

This sounds pretty anticlimactic, I’m sure. There was this thing I wanted and I was patient and then I got it. But to me, it’s been pretty life-changing.

Working as a writer at a great company (Aceable – we’re hiring) is what I wanted all those years in Hollywood. And I just never quite found it. Sometimes I worked on projects that didn’t inspire me, sometimes I was doing work I was capable of, but not passionate about (hello, post-production), and more often than not, I worked for companies that didn’t challenge me or offer an actual career path. It wasn’t their fault necessarily, but a symptom of the small-production-company-grind that plagues much of Hollywood.

But by sticking around that kind of environment, I would always be doomed to this cycle of burning out and getting out, burning out and getting out, repeat times infinity. I’d always be looking for a temporary escape and it would never be enough – because I would never truly feel like I have control over my life.

Getting my job at Aceable was the validation I needed to finally stop feeling as though I was moving backwards rather than forwards.  

I never would have imagined as a kid who was OBSESSED with making a name for herself in Hollywood that I would find everything I was looking for in a career in the middle of Texas.

Oh yeah, and now I get to work from home WHENEVER I WANT.

There’s a saying that goes: Don’t cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.

I won’t say that my time in Hollywood was a “mistake” because, in reality, I HAD to do it – all of it. If I hadn’t, I never would have learned that it wasn’t what I wanted. Some alternate universe Desiree is out there, writing a blog where she laments never having taken the chance to pursue her film and TV dreams and then leaves behind her job as an astronaut to make it happen (what an idiot).

Besides, I had my fun. I did work on cool stuff. Working on the first film I co-produced, The Hopeful, gave me some of my all-time favorite memories and left me with some awesome friends that I still have today. I got the chance to work on my favorite show of all time, The Simpsons, and for that I’ll always be grateful. But all those pursuits had significant drawbacks and, ultimately, weren’t sustainable, like a lot of film/TV career paths (but that’s a whole OTHER conversation for another day). It turns out my heart just wasn’t in it.

I also want to say, as I’ve said many times before (and y’all are probably sick of it but this is my blog, get your own) Austin is a really fucking great place. I like it here. I feel a sense of community and pride in my city for the first time in my life. My list of restaurants to try in Austin is NEVER-ENDING.  It’s gotten to the point where I feel guilty going to the same restaurant twice now because I’m always thinking, “Shit, I could be trying a new place instead.” Put simply: it rules.

So I’m in a uncharted territory going into the third major road trip of my life…

Road Trip 3: The Everything’s Actually Pretty Okay

For the first time, I’m not using a road trip as a motif for some kind of escape. Progress!

I’m packing up my Volkswagen Jetta for a trip across the southwest that will be part walkabout, but also part of it will include some much needed quality time meeting up with some good friends from California. It’s a regular, good ol’ fashioned vacation. And I’m super pumped.

As always, I’ll take the time to be alone with my thoughts because while I’m at a place in my life where I feel pretty settled in a lot of ways, let’s never lose sight of the fact that I am an always-buzzing ball of anxiety and need these little jaunts as a way to reset my brain. It’s for this same reason that I like to go camping a lot (though camping in Texas seems abysmal DON’T @ ME.)

I’ve always appreciated road trips for the head-clearing they allow me to do.

I’ll take little weekend trips here and there for a breather.

There was the time when, on a whim, I drove from L.A. to the Grand Canyon because I had spent months pouring my blood, sweat, and tears into writing an awards show that turned out ABSOLUTELY AWFUL (read aaaallllllll about it here). 

There was the time I drove from Austin to Scott, Louisiana (the boudin capital of the world!) to clear my head after a summer on the dating apps broke my brain – damn you, Bumble!

And then there was the time I spent an entire day driving aimlessly through the rural areas outside of Austin the weekend after the 2016 election (ugh) to calm my nerves with the sight of pastoral landscapes and the taste of out-of-town BBQ before the impending unraveling of American democracy began.  

Road trips clear your head, man. They’re underrated. Whenever I tell people I’m going on a road trip, they tend to say things like “Oh no, all that driving! Hope you have plenty of audiobooks all lined up!”

And I’m like… no.

I don’t want to distract myself. The whole point is the solitude. I like the solitude.

I like that there is NOTHING to see sometimes.

I LIKE THE NOTHING.

I really believe that being in new places forces you to think differently than you normally do, and from those departures away from your normal thought patterns come your best ideas and your inspirations for growth.

My life is definitely FAR from perfect and I still have about a MILLION flaws that I have to constantly work on, but with freedom comes the time, energy, and ability to do just that.

So I guess that’s what makes Road Trip 3 different – I’ve got some freedom in my life and with it, I just want to see some cool shit and spend time with people I love, relax out on the open road, take some pictures of some interesting rocks I see, and know that when I get back to Austin, I’ll be happy to be back in Austin.

I can’t say that things will always be like this (who can?), but this is how things are right now.

Also I wish to purchase one (1) marijuana when I arrive in Colorado. IT’S LEGAL, MOM.

[jesusvasser]

Catching Up With: Peter Nam, CEO of Guntherwerks and Vorsteiner

Autonomous cars are coming. It may not be in the next few months, or even years, but the human connection between a car and the road is coming to a close. Many see this event as a boost in safety, as taking the human element out of the car has the potential to lead to fewer mistakes and accidents; a valid argument for autonomy. However, there are those that will lament the death of that quintessential human connection between driver and machine. Peter Nam, CEO of Guntherwerks, is one of those individuals and aimed to keep that connection alive with the 400R.

Built off Porsche’s 993-generation 911 architecture, the Guntherwerks 400R imagines what Porsche would have built if Stuttgart had developed a 993 GT3 RS (the variant was introduced for the 996 generation). The base car has been thoroughly modernized using 2017 manufacturing techniques to build a car Porsche never built. A naturally aspirated flat-six sourced from Rothsport Racing supplies the 400R with 400 horsepower and 330 lb-ft of torque, while carbon fiber fender flares, its hood, the rear spoiler, and a set of seats all do their part to decrease the 400R’s weight to become a punchy maniac’s machine.

We sat down with Peter at the headquarters of his other company, Vorsteiner, which is a purveyor of high-quality custom body and aerodynamic kits for exotics, and talked about his passion for all things Porsche, the death of the car/driver connection, and what made him decide to build a half-a-million-dollar custom 993.

Automobile: What was the impetus for the Guntherwerks 400R?

Peter Nam: I’m a GT3 fan. I’ve had all the modern GT3s, but the GT3 didn’t start until the 996-chassis. There was always this missing-link in the air-cooled world for me because of this. I wanted a car with the analog driving feel and that emotional connection to the driver, as opposed to modern-day cars. When you get to water-cooled cars, you start to lose that connection. You start to feel the computer between you and the car, and you don’t feel as connected. Of course Porsche’s modern GT3s have been able to maintain that steering feel and connection with the driver to a degree, but the 993 was the ultimate driver’s car. You talk to any Porsche enthusiast and they’ll say that the 993 was the best Porsche 911 ever built. It’s the halo of Porsches, but Porsche never built the ultimate 993. We wanted to finally build that car.

AM: What made you say, “we can build a half-million-dollar 911.”

PN: It started purely a passion project. Everyone in the office, and all of my friends, thought I was crazy. At least up until the point that the car made its debut at The Quail. Everyone then understood. We’d been doing body kits for high-end exotics for 14 years very successfully and Guntherwerks started with the realization that we had the capability to manufacture 80-percent of the car in-house.

AM: You’re using Rothsport Racing as your engine supplier, how did you get together with them?

PN: Before we even started the project, we wanted to make sure that we could source the power plant. We wanted to go with whoever was the absolutely best-of-the-best, and when we saw Rothsport’s facility—they even had an engine dyno room, which a lot of people don’t have—we knew it was the right fit. Rothsport’s operation is one of the most famous air-cooled Porsche engine builders. They have amazing racing background and they know these air-cooled engines inside and out.

AM: Have you talked with other Porsche builders? Emory, Singer, Magnus?

PN: We haven’t. We have our own philosophy on this. The car was originally built as an homage to the 993 GT3 RS that Porsche never built. That was our stated goal. We didn’t care what other people were doing. Singer and Emory make great cars, they do their thing, make vintage backdate cars. We wanted to build a 993 GT3 RS regardless of what else what out there in the market. Rather than take examples from everyone else, we said, this is what our vision is and this is what we’re going to build.

AM: Have you talked to Porsche since the launch?

PN: [Laughs] No, so far they haven’t communicated with us. We were worried about getting a Cease and Desist, but I’ve heard through the grapevine from people associated with Porsche, and some that work at Porsche, that because it’s a very period-correct modified car, they’re okay with it so long as we don’t call it a Porsche 911. It’s the 400R, very similar to the 911 Reimagined by Singer.

AM: Where did the name Guntherwerks come from?

PN: It was inspired by a German-American mechanical engineer at NASA in the 1960s named Gunther Wendt. He was known for his meticulous mechanical, reliability, and engineering prowess. He’s actually portrayed in the movie Apollo 13, and Tom Hank’s character, Jim Lovell, trusted him and knew he could rely on his technical capability. That was the same ethos that we wanted for this project and that’s where we drew the idea for the name from.

AM: What does the typical customer look like?

PN: Our typical customer is Porsche people. They own a number of different Porsches and some own many Porsches. Some are slightly older in the sense that they used to run 993s and 964s when they were younger. Our latest customer to sign up, however, had a 993 GT2 Evo as a poster car on his bedroom wall when he was growing up, so what he loved about the car was that the looks aren’t a million miles away from the GT2 Evo, but an evolution of those looks, so it still has that feel. He always wanted an air-cooled 911 and this was just a perfect fit for him.

AM: To the point that most of your clients are Porsche people, and own multiple Porsches, are you sourcing the 993s or are they coming from the client’s own collection?

PN: Some of the customers are supplying their own cars and some have asked us to source a car. One customer has a minty 4,000-mile 993, absolutely perfect, and he’s not touching it, but asked us to find one in similar spec to his. It’s pretty 50/50 right now.

AM: What do you say to people that think you’re bastardizing the best 911?

PN: One of the most important aspects of the 400R project was that we didn’t want to change the car just to change the car and make it different. We wanted to improve on what was already there. In terms of design, we had made every piece like Porsche would’ve made out of its factory in 1995. So, the design language of the car, the fender lines, the bumpers, everything is done in very much the Porsche design language and it looks completely factory. If anything, we’ve been getting compliments from the purists that say, “Wow, this looks like something directly out of the factory. It doesn’t look aftermarket.” We haven’t lost the soul and essence of the car. We’ve maintained it and improved it. There’s a very fine line between changing and modifying a car and ruining the car. We wanted a very OEM design style and driving perspective.

AM: We heard that you moved and changed the power steering pump.

PN: So the 993 is famous for its steering feel because of the hydraulic system. The design of the car is that the engine is at the back of the car and the power steering pump is hanging off the engine and runs hydraulic lines to the front to the steering rack. It’s very, very inefficient. But if you look at what Porsche was doing when it was racing 993 RSRs, Porsche moved the power steering pump to the front and powered it off a supplemental electric battery. It’s still hydraulic, but electrically powered, and there are two benefits to that. First, the pump isn’t sapping power from the engine any longer. Even with a Rothsport engine, that pump could still sap about 5-6 horsepower. And second, it improves the car’s overall weight distribution. We just copied Porsche’s racing notes and applied them here. It was an easy choice to make.

To add to that racing history and heritage, there’s also a centerlock option coming.

AM: Whoa.

PN: Yeah, that will be fun to reveal to the public. It’s definitely something that’s unique to us and this build. It’s cool.

AM: Are all 25 cars already sold?

PN: Well, there are very few slots left. Actually, those may be gone. We’ve just had a frantic call from the manager of a certain musician to high-tail my ass up to Los Angeles to get their deposit. It’s getting pretty manic. It was very surprising, especially since it’s really only been three weeks since its debut. Part of the appeal, at least we think so, is that there will only be 25 cars built.

AM: Now that they’ve all essentially been sold, is there something else in the works that will satisfy what is apparently a ravenous market?

PN: We have the next car planned for The Quail next year. We can’t really reveal any details just yet, but it is in the German category. It will be a groundbreaking car.

[eddiejpoplar]

Catching Up With: Peter Nam, CEO of Guntherwerks and Vorsteiner

Autonomous cars are coming. It may not be in the next few months, or even years, but the human connection between a car and the road is coming to a close. Many see this event as a boost in safety, as taking the human element out of the car has the potential to lead to fewer mistakes and accidents; a valid argument for autonomy. However, there are those that will lament the death of that quintessential human connection between driver and machine. Peter Nam, CEO of Guntherwerks, is one of those individuals and aimed to keep that connection alive with the 400R.

Built off Porsche’s 993-generation 911 architecture, the Guntherwerks 400R imagines what Porsche would have built if Stuttgart had developed a 993 GT3 RS (the variant was introduced for the 996 generation). The base car has been thoroughly modernized using 2017 manufacturing techniques to build a car Porsche never built. A naturally aspirated flat-six sourced from Rothsport Racing supplies the 400R with 400 horsepower and 330 lb-ft of torque, while carbon fiber fender flares, its hood, the rear spoiler, and a set of seats all do their part to decrease the 400R’s weight to become a punchy maniac’s machine.

We sat down with Peter at the headquarters of his other company, Vorsteiner, which is a purveyor of high-quality custom body and aerodynamic kits for exotics, and talked about his passion for all things Porsche, the death of the car/driver connection, and what made him decide to build a half-a-million-dollar custom 993.

Automobile: What was the impetus for the Guntherwerks 400R?

Peter Nam: I’m a GT3 fan. I’ve had all the modern GT3s, but the GT3 didn’t start until the 996-chassis. There was always this missing-link in the air-cooled world for me because of this. I wanted a car with the analog driving feel and that emotional connection to the driver, as opposed to modern-day cars. When you get to water-cooled cars, you start to lose that connection. You start to feel the computer between you and the car, and you don’t feel as connected. Of course Porsche’s modern GT3s have been able to maintain that steering feel and connection with the driver to a degree, but the 993 was the ultimate driver’s car. You talk to any Porsche enthusiast and they’ll say that the 993 was the best Porsche 911 ever built. It’s the halo of Porsches, but Porsche never built the ultimate 993. We wanted to finally build that car.

AM: What made you say, “we can build a half-million-dollar 911.”

PN: It started purely a passion project. Everyone in the office, and all of my friends, thought I was crazy. At least up until the point that the car made its debut at The Quail. Everyone then understood. We’d been doing body kits for high-end exotics for 14 years very successfully and Guntherwerks started with the realization that we had the capability to manufacture 80-percent of the car in-house.

AM: You’re using Rothsport Racing as your engine supplier, how did you get together with them?

PN: Before we even started the project, we wanted to make sure that we could source the power plant. We wanted to go with whoever was the absolutely best-of-the-best, and when we saw Rothsport’s facility—they even had an engine dyno room, which a lot of people don’t have—we knew it was the right fit. Rothsport’s operation is one of the most famous air-cooled Porsche engine builders. They have amazing racing background and they know these air-cooled engines inside and out.

AM: Have you talked with other Porsche builders? Emory, Singer, Magnus?

PN: We haven’t. We have our own philosophy on this. The car was originally built as an homage to the 993 GT3 RS that Porsche never built. That was our stated goal. We didn’t care what other people were doing. Singer and Emory make great cars, they do their thing, make vintage backdate cars. We wanted to build a 993 GT3 RS regardless of what else what out there in the market. Rather than take examples from everyone else, we said, this is what our vision is and this is what we’re going to build.

AM: Have you talked to Porsche since the launch?

PN: [Laughs] No, so far they haven’t communicated with us. We were worried about getting a Cease and Desist, but I’ve heard through the grapevine from people associated with Porsche, and some that work at Porsche, that because it’s a very period-correct modified car, they’re okay with it so long as we don’t call it a Porsche 911. It’s the 400R, very similar to the 911 Reimagined by Singer.

AM: Where did the name Guntherwerks come from?

PN: It was inspired by a German-American mechanical engineer at NASA in the 1960s named Gunther Wendt. He was known for his meticulous mechanical, reliability, and engineering prowess. He’s actually portrayed in the movie Apollo 13, and Tom Hank’s character, Jim Lovell, trusted him and knew he could rely on his technical capability. That was the same ethos that we wanted for this project and that’s where we drew the idea for the name from.

AM: What does the typical customer look like?

PN: Our typical customer is Porsche people. They own a number of different Porsches and some own many Porsches. Some are slightly older in the sense that they used to run 993s and 964s when they were younger. Our latest customer to sign up, however, had a 993 GT2 Evo as a poster car on his bedroom wall when he was growing up, so what he loved about the car was that the looks aren’t a million miles away from the GT2 Evo, but an evolution of those looks, so it still has that feel. He always wanted an air-cooled 911 and this was just a perfect fit for him.

AM: To the point that most of your clients are Porsche people, and own multiple Porsches, are you sourcing the 993s or are they coming from the client’s own collection?

PN: Some of the customers are supplying their own cars and some have asked us to source a car. One customer has a minty 4,000-mile 993, absolutely perfect, and he’s not touching it, but asked us to find one in similar spec to his. It’s pretty 50/50 right now.

AM: What do you say to people that think you’re bastardizing the best 911?

PN: One of the most important aspects of the 400R project was that we didn’t want to change the car just to change the car and make it different. We wanted to improve on what was already there. In terms of design, we had made every piece like Porsche would’ve made out of its factory in 1995. So, the design language of the car, the fender lines, the bumpers, everything is done in very much the Porsche design language and it looks completely factory. If anything, we’ve been getting compliments from the purists that say, “Wow, this looks like something directly out of the factory. It doesn’t look aftermarket.” We haven’t lost the soul and essence of the car. We’ve maintained it and improved it. There’s a very fine line between changing and modifying a car and ruining the car. We wanted a very OEM design style and driving perspective.

AM: We heard that you moved and changed the power steering pump.

PN: So the 993 is famous for its steering feel because of the hydraulic system. The design of the car is that the engine is at the back of the car and the power steering pump is hanging off the engine and runs hydraulic lines to the front to the steering rack. It’s very, very inefficient. But if you look at what Porsche was doing when it was racing 993 RSRs, Porsche moved the power steering pump to the front and powered it off a supplemental electric battery. It’s still hydraulic, but electrically powered, and there are two benefits to that. First, the pump isn’t sapping power from the engine any longer. Even with a Rothsport engine, that pump could still sap about 5-6 horsepower. And second, it improves the car’s overall weight distribution. We just copied Porsche’s racing notes and applied them here. It was an easy choice to make.

To add to that racing history and heritage, there’s also a centerlock option coming.

AM: Whoa.

PN: Yeah, that will be fun to reveal to the public. It’s definitely something that’s unique to us and this build. It’s cool.

AM: Are all 25 cars already sold?

PN: Well, there are very few slots left. Actually, those may be gone. We’ve just had a frantic call from the manager of a certain musician to high-tail my ass up to Los Angeles to get their deposit. It’s getting pretty manic. It was very surprising, especially since it’s really only been three weeks since its debut. Part of the appeal, at least we think so, is that there will only be 25 cars built.

AM: Now that they’ve all essentially been sold, is there something else in the works that will satisfy what is apparently a ravenous market?

PN: We have the next car planned for The Quail next year. We can’t really reveal any details just yet, but it is in the German category. It will be a groundbreaking car.

[robertkstone]

Catching Up With: Peter Nam, CEO of Guntherwerks and Vorsteiner

Autonomous cars are coming. It may not be in the next few months, or even years, but the human connection between a car and the road is coming to a close. Many see this event as a boost in safety, as taking the human element out of the car has the potential to lead to fewer mistakes and accidents; a valid argument for autonomy. However, there are those that will lament the death of that quintessential human connection between driver and machine. Peter Nam, CEO of Guntherwerks, is one of those individuals and aimed to keep that connection alive with the 400R.

Built off Porsche’s 993-generation 911 architecture, the Guntherwerks 400R imagines what Porsche would have built if Stuttgart had developed a 993 GT3 RS (the variant was introduced for the 996 generation). The base car has been thoroughly modernized using 2017 manufacturing techniques to build a car Porsche never built. A naturally aspirated flat-six sourced from Rothsport Racing supplies the 400R with 400 horsepower and 330 lb-ft of torque, while carbon fiber fender flares, its hood, the rear spoiler, and a set of seats all do their part to decrease the 400R’s weight to become a punchy maniac’s machine.

We sat down with Peter at the headquarters of his other company, Vorsteiner, which is a purveyor of high-quality custom body and aerodynamic kits for exotics, and talked about his passion for all things Porsche, the death of the car/driver connection, and what made him decide to build a half-a-million-dollar custom 993.

Automobile: What was the impetus for the Guntherwerks 400R?

Peter Nam: I’m a GT3 fan. I’ve had all the modern GT3s, but the GT3 didn’t start until the 996-chassis. There was always this missing-link in the air-cooled world for me because of this. I wanted a car with the analog driving feel and that emotional connection to the driver, as opposed to modern-day cars. When you get to water-cooled cars, you start to lose that connection. You start to feel the computer between you and the car, and you don’t feel as connected. Of course Porsche’s modern GT3s have been able to maintain that steering feel and connection with the driver to a degree, but the 993 was the ultimate driver’s car. You talk to any Porsche enthusiast and they’ll say that the 993 was the best Porsche 911 ever built. It’s the halo of Porsches, but Porsche never built the ultimate 993. We wanted to finally build that car.

AM: What made you say, “we can build a half-million-dollar 911.”

PN: It started purely a passion project. Everyone in the office, and all of my friends, thought I was crazy. At least up until the point that the car made its debut at The Quail. Everyone then understood. We’d been doing body kits for high-end exotics for 14 years very successfully and Guntherwerks started with the realization that we had the capability to manufacture 80-percent of the car in-house.

AM: You’re using Rothsport Racing as your engine supplier, how did you get together with them?

PN: Before we even started the project, we wanted to make sure that we could source the power plant. We wanted to go with whoever was the absolutely best-of-the-best, and when we saw Rothsport’s facility—they even had an engine dyno room, which a lot of people don’t have—we knew it was the right fit. Rothsport’s operation is one of the most famous air-cooled Porsche engine builders. They have amazing racing background and they know these air-cooled engines inside and out.

AM: Have you talked with other Porsche builders? Emory, Singer, Magnus?

PN: We haven’t. We have our own philosophy on this. The car was originally built as an homage to the 993 GT3 RS that Porsche never built. That was our stated goal. We didn’t care what other people were doing. Singer and Emory make great cars, they do their thing, make vintage backdate cars. We wanted to build a 993 GT3 RS regardless of what else what out there in the market. Rather than take examples from everyone else, we said, this is what our vision is and this is what we’re going to build.

AM: Have you talked to Porsche since the launch?

PN: [Laughs] No, so far they haven’t communicated with us. We were worried about getting a Cease and Desist, but I’ve heard through the grapevine from people associated with Porsche, and some that work at Porsche, that because it’s a very period-correct modified car, they’re okay with it so long as we don’t call it a Porsche 911. It’s the 400R, very similar to the 911 Reimagined by Singer.

AM: Where did the name Guntherwerks come from?

PN: It was inspired by a German-American mechanical engineer at NASA in the 1960s named Gunther Wendt. He was known for his meticulous mechanical, reliability, and engineering prowess. He’s actually portrayed in the movie Apollo 13, and Tom Hank’s character, Jim Lovell, trusted him and knew he could rely on his technical capability. That was the same ethos that we wanted for this project and that’s where we drew the idea for the name from.

AM: What does the typical customer look like?

PN: Our typical customer is Porsche people. They own a number of different Porsches and some own many Porsches. Some are slightly older in the sense that they used to run 993s and 964s when they were younger. Our latest customer to sign up, however, had a 993 GT2 Evo as a poster car on his bedroom wall when he was growing up, so what he loved about the car was that the looks aren’t a million miles away from the GT2 Evo, but an evolution of those looks, so it still has that feel. He always wanted an air-cooled 911 and this was just a perfect fit for him.

AM: To the point that most of your clients are Porsche people, and own multiple Porsches, are you sourcing the 993s or are they coming from the client’s own collection?

PN: Some of the customers are supplying their own cars and some have asked us to source a car. One customer has a minty 4,000-mile 993, absolutely perfect, and he’s not touching it, but asked us to find one in similar spec to his. It’s pretty 50/50 right now.

AM: What do you say to people that think you’re bastardizing the best 911?

PN: One of the most important aspects of the 400R project was that we didn’t want to change the car just to change the car and make it different. We wanted to improve on what was already there. In terms of design, we had made every piece like Porsche would’ve made out of its factory in 1995. So, the design language of the car, the fender lines, the bumpers, everything is done in very much the Porsche design language and it looks completely factory. If anything, we’ve been getting compliments from the purists that say, “Wow, this looks like something directly out of the factory. It doesn’t look aftermarket.” We haven’t lost the soul and essence of the car. We’ve maintained it and improved it. There’s a very fine line between changing and modifying a car and ruining the car. We wanted a very OEM design style and driving perspective.

AM: We heard that you moved and changed the power steering pump.

PN: So the 993 is famous for its steering feel because of the hydraulic system. The design of the car is that the engine is at the back of the car and the power steering pump is hanging off the engine and runs hydraulic lines to the front to the steering rack. It’s very, very inefficient. But if you look at what Porsche was doing when it was racing 993 RSRs, Porsche moved the power steering pump to the front and powered it off a supplemental electric battery. It’s still hydraulic, but electrically powered, and there are two benefits to that. First, the pump isn’t sapping power from the engine any longer. Even with a Rothsport engine, that pump could still sap about 5-6 horsepower. And second, it improves the car’s overall weight distribution. We just copied Porsche’s racing notes and applied them here. It was an easy choice to make.

To add to that racing history and heritage, there’s also a centerlock option coming.

AM: Whoa.

PN: Yeah, that will be fun to reveal to the public. It’s definitely something that’s unique to us and this build. It’s cool.

AM: Are all 25 cars already sold?

PN: Well, there are very few slots left. Actually, those may be gone. We’ve just had a frantic call from the manager of a certain musician to high-tail my ass up to Los Angeles to get their deposit. It’s getting pretty manic. It was very surprising, especially since it’s really only been three weeks since its debut. Part of the appeal, at least we think so, is that there will only be 25 cars built.

AM: Now that they’ve all essentially been sold, is there something else in the works that will satisfy what is apparently a ravenous market?

PN: We have the next car planned for The Quail next year. We can’t really reveal any details just yet, but it is in the German category. It will be a groundbreaking car.

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[jonathanbelloblog]

Catching Up With: Peter Nam, CEO of Guntherwerks and Vorsteiner

Autonomous cars are coming. It may not be in the next few months, or even years, but the human connection between a car and the road is coming to a close. Many see this event as a boost in safety, as taking the human element out of the car has the potential to lead to fewer mistakes and accidents; a valid argument for autonomy. However, there are those that will lament the death of that quintessential human connection between driver and machine. Peter Nam, CEO of Guntherwerks, is one of those individuals and aimed to keep that connection alive with the 400R.

Built off Porsche’s 993-generation 911 architecture, the Guntherwerks 400R imagines what Porsche would have built if Stuttgart had developed a 993 GT3 RS (the variant was introduced for the 996 generation). The base car has been thoroughly modernized using 2017 manufacturing techniques to build a car Porsche never built. A naturally aspirated flat-six sourced from Rothsport Racing supplies the 400R with 400 horsepower and 330 lb-ft of torque, while carbon fiber fender flares, its hood, the rear spoiler, and a set of seats all do their part to decrease the 400R’s weight to become a punchy maniac’s machine.

We sat down with Peter at the headquarters of his other company, Vorsteiner, which is a purveyor of high-quality custom body and aerodynamic kits for exotics, and talked about his passion for all things Porsche, the death of the car/driver connection, and what made him decide to build a half-a-million-dollar custom 993.

Automobile: What was the impetus for the Guntherwerks 400R?

Peter Nam: I’m a GT3 fan. I’ve had all the modern GT3s, but the GT3 didn’t start until the 996-chassis. There was always this missing-link in the air-cooled world for me because of this. I wanted a car with the analog driving feel and that emotional connection to the driver, as opposed to modern-day cars. When you get to water-cooled cars, you start to lose that connection. You start to feel the computer between you and the car, and you don’t feel as connected. Of course Porsche’s modern GT3s have been able to maintain that steering feel and connection with the driver to a degree, but the 993 was the ultimate driver’s car. You talk to any Porsche enthusiast and they’ll say that the 993 was the best Porsche 911 ever built. It’s the halo of Porsches, but Porsche never built the ultimate 993. We wanted to finally build that car.

AM: What made you say, “we can build a half-million-dollar 911.”

PN: It started purely a passion project. Everyone in the office, and all of my friends, thought I was crazy. At least up until the point that the car made its debut at The Quail. Everyone then understood. We’d been doing body kits for high-end exotics for 14 years very successfully and Guntherwerks started with the realization that we had the capability to manufacture 80-percent of the car in-house.

AM: You’re using Rothsport Racing as your engine supplier, how did you get together with them?

PN: Before we even started the project, we wanted to make sure that we could source the power plant. We wanted to go with whoever was the absolutely best-of-the-best, and when we saw Rothsport’s facility—they even had an engine dyno room, which a lot of people don’t have—we knew it was the right fit. Rothsport’s operation is one of the most famous air-cooled Porsche engine builders. They have amazing racing background and they know these air-cooled engines inside and out.

AM: Have you talked with other Porsche builders? Emory, Singer, Magnus?

PN: We haven’t. We have our own philosophy on this. The car was originally built as an homage to the 993 GT3 RS that Porsche never built. That was our stated goal. We didn’t care what other people were doing. Singer and Emory make great cars, they do their thing, make vintage backdate cars. We wanted to build a 993 GT3 RS regardless of what else what out there in the market. Rather than take examples from everyone else, we said, this is what our vision is and this is what we’re going to build.

AM: Have you talked to Porsche since the launch?

PN: [Laughs] No, so far they haven’t communicated with us. We were worried about getting a Cease and Desist, but I’ve heard through the grapevine from people associated with Porsche, and some that work at Porsche, that because it’s a very period-correct modified car, they’re okay with it so long as we don’t call it a Porsche 911. It’s the 400R, very similar to the 911 Reimagined by Singer.

AM: Where did the name Guntherwerks come from?

PN: It was inspired by a German-American mechanical engineer at NASA in the 1960s named Gunther Wendt. He was known for his meticulous mechanical, reliability, and engineering prowess. He’s actually portrayed in the movie Apollo 13, and Tom Hank’s character, Jim Lovell, trusted him and knew he could rely on his technical capability. That was the same ethos that we wanted for this project and that’s where we drew the idea for the name from.

AM: What does the typical customer look like?

PN: Our typical customer is Porsche people. They own a number of different Porsches and some own many Porsches. Some are slightly older in the sense that they used to run 993s and 964s when they were younger. Our latest customer to sign up, however, had a 993 GT2 Evo as a poster car on his bedroom wall when he was growing up, so what he loved about the car was that the looks aren’t a million miles away from the GT2 Evo, but an evolution of those looks, so it still has that feel. He always wanted an air-cooled 911 and this was just a perfect fit for him.

AM: To the point that most of your clients are Porsche people, and own multiple Porsches, are you sourcing the 993s or are they coming from the client’s own collection?

PN: Some of the customers are supplying their own cars and some have asked us to source a car. One customer has a minty 4,000-mile 993, absolutely perfect, and he’s not touching it, but asked us to find one in similar spec to his. It’s pretty 50/50 right now.

AM: What do you say to people that think you’re bastardizing the best 911?

PN: One of the most important aspects of the 400R project was that we didn’t want to change the car just to change the car and make it different. We wanted to improve on what was already there. In terms of design, we had made every piece like Porsche would’ve made out of its factory in 1995. So, the design language of the car, the fender lines, the bumpers, everything is done in very much the Porsche design language and it looks completely factory. If anything, we’ve been getting compliments from the purists that say, “Wow, this looks like something directly out of the factory. It doesn’t look aftermarket.” We haven’t lost the soul and essence of the car. We’ve maintained it and improved it. There’s a very fine line between changing and modifying a car and ruining the car. We wanted a very OEM design style and driving perspective.

AM: We heard that you moved and changed the power steering pump.

PN: So the 993 is famous for its steering feel because of the hydraulic system. The design of the car is that the engine is at the back of the car and the power steering pump is hanging off the engine and runs hydraulic lines to the front to the steering rack. It’s very, very inefficient. But if you look at what Porsche was doing when it was racing 993 RSRs, Porsche moved the power steering pump to the front and powered it off a supplemental electric battery. It’s still hydraulic, but electrically powered, and there are two benefits to that. First, the pump isn’t sapping power from the engine any longer. Even with a Rothsport engine, that pump could still sap about 5-6 horsepower. And second, it improves the car’s overall weight distribution. We just copied Porsche’s racing notes and applied them here. It was an easy choice to make.

To add to that racing history and heritage, there’s also a centerlock option coming.

AM: Whoa.

PN: Yeah, that will be fun to reveal to the public. It’s definitely something that’s unique to us and this build. It’s cool.

AM: Are all 25 cars already sold?

PN: Well, there are very few slots left. Actually, those may be gone. We’ve just had a frantic call from the manager of a certain musician to high-tail my ass up to Los Angeles to get their deposit. It’s getting pretty manic. It was very surprising, especially since it’s really only been three weeks since its debut. Part of the appeal, at least we think so, is that there will only be 25 cars built.

AM: Now that they’ve all essentially been sold, is there something else in the works that will satisfy what is apparently a ravenous market?

PN: We have the next car planned for The Quail next year. We can’t really reveal any details just yet, but it is in the German category. It will be a groundbreaking car.