#iconic classic work of art the best

[vader-anakin]

10 years of Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Dir. Anthony & Joe Russo

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Yvonne De Carlo (Frontier Gal, The Ten Commandments, Casbah)— Although most famous for playing Lily Munster in The Munsters, Yvonne De Carlo had a successful movie career throughout the 1940s and 1950s, appearing in such films as “The Ten Commandments”, “Sea Devils” and two Munster movies later in life.

Setsuko Hara (Tokyo Story, Late Spring, The Idiot)— "'The only time I saw Susan Sontag cry,' a writer once told me, his voice hushed, 'was at a screening of a Setsuko film.' What Setsuko had wasn’t glamour—she was just too sensible for that—it was glow, one that ebbed away and left you concerned, involved. You got the sense that this glow, like that of dawn, couldn’t be bought. But her smiles were human and held minute-long acts, ones with important intermissions. When she looked away, she absented herself; you felt that she’d dimmed a fire and clapped a lid on something about to spill. Over the last decade, whenever anyone brought up her lips—'Setsuko’s eternal smile,' critics said, that day we learned that she’d died—I thought instead of the thing she made us feel when she let it fall." - Moeko Fujii

This is round 2 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut]

Yvonne de Carlo:

The woman who brought Burt Lancaster to his knees.

Setsuko Hara:

One of the best Japanese actresses of all time; a symbol of the golden era of Japanese cinema of the 1950s After seeing a Setsuko Hara film, the novelist Shūsaku Endō wrote: "We would sigh or let out a great breath from the depths of our hearts, for what we felt was precisely this: Can it be possible that there is such a woman in this world?"

One of the greatest Japanese actresses of all time!! Best known for acting in many of Yasujiro Ozu's films of the 40s and 50s. Also she has a stunning smile and beautiful charm!

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She's considered by some to be the greatest Japanese actress of all time! In Kurosawa's The Idiot she haunts the screen, and TOTALLY steals the show from Mifune every time she appears.

"No other actor has ever mastered the art of the smile to the same extent as Setsuko Hara (1920–2015), a celebrated star and highly regarded idol who was one of the outstanding actors of 40s and 50s Japanese cinema. Her radiant smile floods whole scenes and at times cautiously undermines the expectations made of her in coy, ironic fashion. Yet her smile's impressive range also encompasses its darker shades: Hara's delicate, dignified, melancholy smile with which she responds to disappointments, papers over the emotions churning under the surface, and flanks life's sobering realizations. Her smiles don't just function as a condensed version of her ever-precise, expressive, yet understated acting ability, they also allow the very essence of the films they appear in to shine through for a brief moment, often studies of the everyday, post-war dramas which revolve around the break-up of family structures or the failure of marriages. Her performances tread a fine line between social expectation and personal desire in post-war Japan, as Hara attempts to lay claim to the autonomy of the female characters she plays – frequently with a smile." [link]

Leading lady of classic Japanese cinema with a million dollar smile

Maybe the most iconic Japanese actress ever? She rose to fame making films with Yasujiro Ozu, becoming one of the most well-known and beloved actresses in Japan, working from the 30s through the 60s in over 100 hundred. She is still considered one of the greatest Japanese actresses ever, and in my opinion, just one of the greatest actresses of all time. And she was HOT! Satoshi Kon's film Millennium Actress was largely based on her life and her career.

[nanamistiee]

valentine's day dates with the jjk characters

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ where the boys would take you for valentine's day! pt 1 ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙ i might be a few days late

━━━ ( ⋆｡°✩ satoru: ) ✧  i don't care what anyone says, my boy is a ROMANTIC !!! satoru is caring and very observant. he knows your likes, your dislikes -- everything about you down to the different ways your eyes light up in correspondance to your favorite foods. he knows your favorite flowers & chocolates and while he's happy giving that to you, that's not enough. nowhere near enough, actually.

as a matter of fact, he lets you know pretty quick that you two are gonna go somewhere. satoru won't tell you where -- he thinks it's funny to be all mysterious and get you so worked up like this. but, before you know it, you're being pulled into the car and dragged off somewhere against your will.

satoru takes you to the park. he pulls out a basket and an iconic red gingham blanket. a picnic. it's cheesy and silly but incredibly romantic. of course, you two sit somewhere nice and in the shade. he's packed a ton of different things, a lunch, chocolate covered strawberries, a nice bottle of wine or champagne for you two to share -- the whole nine yards.

"aren't i just the best boyfriend ever?" he'd have to ask and tease the hell out of you. but, honestly, moments like this remind you that that's entirely true.

━━━ ( ⋆｡°✩ suguru: ) ✧  suguru is determined to make memories with you. taking you to a restaraunt or somewhere flashy is a little bit too cheesy and cliche for his taste. honestly, he's really not that big on the traditional idea of valentine's day, anyway. he thinks teddy bears and flowers that're gonna go dead in a couple days are kinda stupid. so, he always takes it upon himself to do something a hell of a lot better.

of course, you're getting the sappiest text message as soon as you wake up, though. (yes, he's had this written for ages and he's been staring anxiously at the send button, he's the type to send this at 12:01 in the morning) he's letting you know you're the most beautiful girl he's ever laid eyes on, that there's no one that could ever be as perfect as you, how lucky he is to have you, etc. you will not get out of today without hearing this a million times.

suguru's taking you somewhere special. at first, you two probably stop somewhere like an art gallery or a museum. he's got a couple "you're the prettiest thing in the room" type cheesy pickup lines up his sleeves (but coming from him they're somehow oh-so-smooth!) but afterwards? he's taking you somewhere like a couple's cooking class or wine painting. it sounds stupid, but it's somewhere you make memories of you two that you can actually cherish.

━━━ ( ⋆｡°✩ kento: ) ✧  kento is all things traditional. you're getting roses delivered to your job with the absolute sweetest note about how much he loves and cherishes you. they've gotta be red roses, too. he's a complete sucker for the idea of a classic valentine's day -- red roses, a teddy bear, heart-shaped chocolates, etc. he's a true romantic at heart.

kento's doing the absolute most. when you get home, you're definitely walking into rose petals all over the floor, leading you to your shared bedroom. on your bed, of course, is none other than a pretty lil dress and some nice new jewelry wrapped up in an elegant giftbox. he's got everything planned down to the last detail. pretty tea light candles illuminate your room, in your favorite scent, of course. you've got some more chocolates and sweet things he thought you'd like -- maybe some new makeup or skincare, or even a silly little plushy that he knew you'd like.

with that being said, kento's gotta take you to dinner. you're going to the nicest & fanciest place he could find. after all, you've gotta wear that dress somewhere (:

━━━ ( ⋆｡°✩ toji: ) ✧  toji might not be as showy as some of the other people *cough cough* on this list, but he still knows how to show you just how much he loves you. after a long and stressful day at work, you know he knows how to take care of you and treat a lady right. he's the type of guy to spend all day preparing. yeah, he might be standing there like an idiot at lush trying to ask the employee what bath bomb he should get. yeah, he might think the one called 'sex bomb' is funny (that's totally not the only reason he'd buy it, too!) but, deep down, it's pretty clear he's got a goal in mind. to make you happy.

as soon as you get home, toji's whisking you off your feet and probably suffocating you with kisses. like a true gentleman, he's taking your coat and your bag before he's practically shoving you toward the bathroom and not giving you a real say in anything. before you can even question what the hell he's doing, you're gonna realize he's actually drawn a bath for you. like i'm talking full on candles for the ambiance, a glass of wine, that stupid little bathbomb he bought, etc. he might try to steal a few glances under the guise of wanting to see what the bathbomb does, but it doesn't make you feel any less loved.

while you're enjoying your bath, he picks up some take out from your favorite restaraunt so the two of you can cuddle up on the couch, eat some good-ass food & watch a movie or two. it's a quiet night, but absolutely perfect.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ i will eventually make more of these to make up for how late i am with posting this dskfnsdgk let me know what characters u'd like to see in pt 2 !! ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

[jjkeverlast]

HI LATI! CONGRATS ON YOUR MILESTONE!! CAN I REQUEST FOR PART 2 of TASTE JJK? 🥹💜 with this prompt "I have seen you naked before." OPs yn being all shy . THANKYOU 🤭

touch | jjk (m)

>> pairing jungkook x fem!reader

>> genre/au's college reunion AU | smut

>> summary jungkook finishes what he started.

>> word count 1.8k

>> warnings vmin being hilarious | dry humping | fingering | missionary | reader is a shy baby :')

>> author's note i love how you requested them to do it hfdsjhf anywho, here you have it babe. i tried my best to follow your orders! enjoy this filth 👅

[keep in mind that i do not have taglists for request, and prompts are marked in bold! thank you.]

“Where have you two been?” Taehyung questions when he notices you and Jungkook joining them after being gone for god knows how long. 

Jimin gives a side glance towards Taehyung, for him to catch on. “Oh.” Taehyung lets out, while Jimin begins to laugh loudly, clutching onto Taehyung’s form to prevent himself from falling. 

“Pay up, Kim.” Jimin says in between giggles. Taehyung rolls his eyes before he grabs onto his wallet, fetching the money they bet on. 

“You guys are ridiculous! We didn’t even fuck.” You state the obvious. It was what they bet on, so basically Taehyung doesn’t owe Jimin anything. 

“Yet.” Jungkook responds, glancing towards you with a side smirk. You slap him lightly on the chest, a sign for him to keep his mouth shut in front of the guys. 

“Well then, what are you guys still doing here? You’re more than welcome to leave. Y/N, I’ll see you tomorrow morning?” Jimin suggests, raising his eyebrows when he notices how Jungkook’s ears have turned red by the implication that you might stay the night. 

“Shut it, Park. Let’s go, Jungkook.” You’re tired of even hiding the obvious answer. To make it easier and less embarrassing for yourself, you don’t even try to hide it, grabbing Jungkook’s hand and walking towards the exit. 

Jungkook’s hand tightens around yours the further you leave from the crowd. No one bats an eye in your direction, too busy catching up with one another. 

You still can’t truly believe you’re about to go home with Jungkook. 

The car ride home to Jungkook’s is filled with laughter as you both reminisce every memory from college. One thing you both agree on is that Taehyung and Jimin have never changed, still being the iconic duo today. 

When you’ve reached his apartment, you realize it’s the first time you’ll see where he lives. Nerves were beginning to trickle, excitement mixed with nervousness as you reached the top floor. What made your mouth drop was the fact that the apartment was incredibly spacious and beautiful. Just very Jungkook. 

“Wow, your apartment is amazing.” You compliment, wandering around and noticing the small details such as the plants by the window, and the art hanging on the walls. 

“So is my bedroom actually, wanna see?” You roll your eyes. Classic Jeon Jungkook flirting way too directly to the fact it works. 

“Lead the way.” You stifle a laugh when he shows excitement, grabbing your hand again and leading you down the hallway to his bedroom. It is quite simple, just everything you need in one room with some space between the furniture. 

“I’m not as impressed as your living room.” You comment, earning a glare from Jungkook. 

“I’m offended.” He dramatizes the comment, putting a hand on his chest in shock. 

“Are you really?” 

“No.” Jungkook grabs your waist, pulling you closer till your noses brush up against each other. You’ve lost your words, mind clouded by Jungkook’s close proximity. Somehow the mood has changed from when you had a little fun in the office, now it’s more intimate. 

You blame the dimmed light by his night table and how you haven’t had sex for almost a year. You’re not scared, this is Jungkook, he’s seen more of you than anyone but the thought of it happening again grows in the pit of your stomach — butterflies. 

Jungkook seems to do better than you, taking the lead by kissing you gently. Not long after the kiss turns heated, more languid movements and tongues tasting each other. Your hold on Jungkook tightens, hands wrapped around his biceps as he steps forward until you feel yourself fall backwards onto his warm bed. 

Jungkook hovers over you, kissing you more firmly now, his hand holding onto your jaw. Your hands begin to roam onto his back, earning a smile from Jungkook before he moves downwards, peppering your neck with slow and wet kisses. Shit. How is he so good at that? 

His hands begin to slide beneath the material of your dress, pulling it upwards to expose your thighs and underwear. You gasp, overwhelmed by how good it feels to have Jungkook above you, touching as if he’ll always remember what you like. 

Despite everything feeling incredible, you’re growing shy with every action. You feel as if you’ve lost your touch from college, the crazy wild side disappearing after you finished, whereas Jungkook seems to still hold onto that. Fuck. 

It’s as if Jungkook can feel you freeze beneath him, removing his lips from your neck and now staring at you. “Are you okay?” His tone indicates he’s worried, as if he’s caught onto the wrong signal. 

“I’m okay, it’s just…” You pause, uncertain how to form it out into words without sounding ridiculous. 

Jungkook’s fingers rub against the apple of your cheeks, calming you down while he awaits your answer. 

“I haven’t had sex for over a year… So I’m just a little nervous.” Jungkook softly smiles, never stopping touching your cheek gently. 

“That’s okay, me too. Don’t think too much, Y/N.” Jungkook says to reassure you. It does help a bit, but there’s still a tiny gap that doesn’t seem to disappear. 

“I—” 

“Stop.” Jungkook breathes out, fighting your nervousness. 

“It’s not my fault you make me nervous.” You say as if it wasn’t obvious enough. 

“I make you nervous?” He sounds surprised. 

“Just a little bit…” 

“Y/N. I have seen you naked before, there’s nothing to be nervous about.” He’s not wrong, he’s seen you naked more than any of your girlfriends. 

“I know. Just– kiss me.” You demand, wanting to just push aside your nerves and focus solemnly on Jungkook. 

He obeys, kissing you again, nibbling his tongue on your bottom lip as he presses down on you. You can feel his hard on pressing onto your inner thigh. A sudden urge inside of you grows, resulting in you bucking your hips upwards to feel it press down directly onto your core. 

“Fuck–” Jungkook mumbles against your lips by the action. He removes himself, taking off his press on shirt, revealing his abs and chest. You support your body with your elbows, not caring how you’re ogling Jungkook. 

“How the fuck do you still have abs? I’m impressed.” Jungkook pauses, turning shy at your compliment. He’s not used to being praised for simply having abs. 

“I… work out?” Jungkook answers hesitantly. You smile, grabbing onto the nape of his neck, pulling him downwards. His skin feels warm beneath your touch, your hands never stopping touching every part of his chest and stomach. Which also explains how one of your hands reaches to his abdomen, trailing your fingers lightly over his belt. Not wanting to drag out the time, you start unbuckling it, while Jungkook trails kisses on your breasts over the fabric. 

Clearly, you’re both impatient. It results in Jungkook already being in his boxers, and your dress about to be pulled off. Jungkook unzips the side of your dress, the fabric starting to loosen, revealing your naked breasts. Jungkook quickens his movements, rushing to get your dress completely off to see you again. 

When the dress lands on the floor, you look away from Jungkook, too shy to look at his expression. He’s not saying anything, just staring at your exposed naked body. 

“You’re unreal.” He says in awe. You turn your head, watching how his mouth has dropped, gaze completely lost. 

“Shut up.” You cover your face. Jungkook grabs one of your wrists, removing it from your face. He places it above your head, intertwining your hands. “Don’t do that, you’re gorgeous.” He whispers. 

You’re too stunned to answer, so you settle on smiling softly. Jungkook goes back to kissing you. Your bodies align, grinding on each other until one gives out. You can feel Jungkook’s covered cock drag itself between your lips, causing a whine to escape your lips. 

You’re tired of this. Therefore your free hand trails downwards, grabbing the waistband of his boxers and pulling it down to free his cock. 

“So impatient, baby.” Jungkook jokes, even though he’s doing just as bad as you. 

“Need you to fuck me.” You say, biting down on his bottom lip. Jungkook curses under his breath before moving upwards, letting go of your hand and focusing on getting your underwear off quickly. 

With a swift pull, they land on the floor with the rest of your clothes. Jungkook pulls his boxers further down, till they reach mid thigh. He presses back down on you, his hand cupping your sex. You buck your hips, his fingers sliding with ease inside of you, filling you up and stretching you out. Even though you haven’t had sex for a whole year, your body is relaxed, no burning or aching feeling following. 

“So fucking wet, shit—” Jungkook watches his fingers disappear inside of you, covered in nothing but your slick. His thumb works itself on your clit, rubbing it gently in circles which causes you to moan. 

It’s hard to wait, because fuck, you need him. 

“Can you just—” You breathe out, moaning once more not being able to form a simple sentence. Jungkook grows hotter by just watching you looking completely fucked out, by just having his fingers inside of you. 

“Hold on, let me get a condom.” Jungkook removes himself, quickly fetching a condom from his drawer. Jungkook has never in his life put on a condom faster than he has at this very moment. He almost fails, but luckily it glides smoothly on the skin of his cock before he repositions himself. 

It starts off slow, Jungkook thrusting with ease, scared to hurt you. After thrusting gently for a while, Jungkook manages to fill you up completely. The stretch feels good, warm and full. Jungkook’s close proximity makes the situation very romantic, as he fucks you slowly, dragging out his cock almost fully before re-entering. The movements make your body tense, forgetting how good sex feels for a moment. 

“Don’t go slow, want you to fuck me.” You command, grasping onto his body. Jungkook doesn’t respond, instead he moves upwards, grabbing your hips and starts slamming harder. 

One thing about fucking an athlete, their stamina is incredible. Jungkook certainly hasn’t lost his touch, hitting your g-spot with every drag of his cock inside of you. His head tips back, groaning when he feels you clench around him. 

“Fuck, you drive me crazy.” Jungkook admits, smiling before biting down on his lip. Your back arches when Jungkook somehow manages to rub your clit, while still moving his hips in an unforgettable rhythm. 

You blame it on you not having sex for over a year, because it took Jungkook just a few minutes of fucking you, until you came undone all over him. Jungkook wasn’t no better himself, losing it right after feeling how wet you’ve become after he made you finish. 

Afterwards, Jungkook gently pulls out, landing down beside you. 

“So, about you staying the night…” Jungkook wiggles his eyebrows, knowing Jimin was right regarding seeing you first tomorrow morning. 

“Say one more thing and I’ll leave.” You threaten. 

Jungkook shakes his head, propping himself on his elbow and pecking your lips. “I’ll make breakfast tomorrow.” 

© jjkeverlast 2023 [do not copy, translate or repost any of my works.]

[man-down-in-hatchet-town]

VHSCC OH MY GOD

(no spoilers)

Starkid nation, you aren't ready.

So let's start with the obvious. Look, I spent thirteen years growing up with Starkid. That initial Michigan gang are deeply special to me and I will always miss Dylan, Brian R., and Corey in any show they aren't in. And this one's no different. But just as Janaya came in and took over Belle from Britney so flawlessly, Curt, Brian, and AJ were all WONDERFUL in their new roles. The gentle-but-high-energy, truly decent, romantic himbo charm Curt brought to our Springsteen boy Jim (you all are going to LOVE Jim, I promise) perfectly offset the defiant, sneering anger of Young Scrooge in "That Scrooge." Brian's reactions (particularly to the "rather take my own life" line) were so funny and some of my favorite parts of the show. And AJ... this is now my favorite thing AJ has ever done. And that's saying something. The smaller casting shake-up moments (Joey as Fezziwig, other little line re-distributions) were so fun as well!

The new act 1 is PERFECTION. I was actually surprised by how absolutely hysterical it was? Like, I won't tell you what was up with that clip on Instagram of Brian, Lauren, and Joey doing a freak-out dance, but I can tell you that their whole Act 1 deal threatened to steal the show every. Single. Time. I already mentioned Curt as Jim, but you will also love Della, who is so funny and real and truly carries us through the start of the show (Janaya is a STAR and she Curt have brilliant chemistry). Ali did a terrific job of balancing the sadness and hope that are both at the center of the devastating little Match Girl. And Jamie's Grandma... well, honestly I have no idea how to talk about Jamie's song without giving stuff away.

But the real star of the show in Act 1, as he should be, was our man Clark. I can't emphasize enough how much he nailed the writing of this whole new act. I mentioned that the new stuff is hilarious, but it's also deeply heartfelt, and also sad exactly when it needs to be. Like, the transition after Jamie's song? I can't really talk about it yet, but what that moment does with emotion is unreal. And, as expected, every song is a banger! My one complaint about this show, and it IS a big one, is that there is no cast recording of the Act 1 songs. I want to listen to them all the time.

But the good news is, I CAN listen to Christmas Carol as much as I want! The classic that started it all is back, with so many people reprising the hell out of their truly iconic roles (God I love the VHS Cratchits), and better than ever. I traditionally hate change, and I love the version of VHSCC Live! we already have so much, but I think I somehow loved this version even more? The staging is alive and clever and there are some additions and changes, particularly in "Final Ghost"/"Christmas Day," that frankly blew my mind and somehow managed to elevate the material even further. I can't wait for the digital ticket to come out so that I can talk about them. To put it simply, James Tolbert mastered his Starkid directorial debut like you won't believe. I'm so proud of him and grateful for the larger role he's taken in Starkid since they moved base to LA.

Also, the Ghost of Christmas Past is extra unhinged this year? Jaime pulled out all of the impish stops and it was the BEST.

Basically, everyone more than delivered. I haven't talked about Meredith yet but she rocked it in the band and continued to validate the hell out of my opinion that "3 Spirits" is the dark horse best song in the show.

And a special shout-out to June Saito for continuing to be a costuming GENIUS. I always love her work and this production is no exception. I honestly wanted to give the return of the Bob Cratchit costume its own round of applause.

You know, the world is a mess and everything is pretty much terrible. It's been a hard year in an impossible decade. But every once in a while you come across some art that takes all of that, acknowledges the truth of it, and somehow pulls back the curtains to harness the joy and hope that's still there under the rubble. To me, Starkid in particular has always been about finding and holding onto the hope and the beauty and humanity that allows us to endure an existence that can so often feel bleak. And VHSCC is maybe the most perfect encapsulation of that idea.

So thank you Clark, James, Meredith, Brian, and everyone who worked so hard on this little bit of magic. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Let's make a little light.

[ellas-journey]

From a thing to wear to an icon of culture 👘

There is this hidden detail in Muzan that when I noticed I could not help but smile. Remember how he said that the thing he hated the most was change? Well coming from someone that had to live in 5 different eras is kinda funny, and it's even funny when you realize that he ended up adopting the Western fashion pretty fast. But that's the twist, if you look at Muzan's vest you come to realize that it's the exact same pattern as the kimono he used to wear. The best part? That was a thing that actually happened in history.

Wanting or not, the clothing that the people used to wear represents the history they lived through. "To look seriously at art objects of the everyday, such as clothes - their discourse and practices, their meaning-bearing forms and their codes of internal and external interpretations - in an essential, and often neglected, component of any study of modern aesthetics." - Slade, 2009 Yofuku [Western Clothing] is a type of clothing that is now common all over Japan, but during a lot of time, it was a type of clothes that only selected few grew up with. The 1st contacts with these types of clothing [even if extremely different from what we now call western clothing] was in the 16th century when the Portuguese arrived in Tanegashima. With them came not only different shapes but also different fabrics. But the “true” introduction to western fashion would only happen with Commodore Matthew Perry, catharsis to the Meiji restoration, where Emperor Meiji would start to dress in a typical western military outfit, and soon after the empress would start to aper in the typical victorian dresses. In the Edo period clothing visually distinguished the social classes. "Certain articles of clothing visibly differentiated people of diverse social classes, and simultaneously distinguished an individual within a specific group. The materials, motifs and construction of military campaign coats, for example, marked their wearers as men belonging to the military class." - Milhaupt, 2014; Samurai ranked on the top, followed by farmers, artisans, and merchants on the bottom. What happen was that most of the times the samurai where poor while the merchants lived in economic success. But samurai had the privilege of using certain types of fabrics and patters, even tho most of the times they could not afford them, and so, the merchants would start to adapt the fabrics and patters they were allowed to were and would end up becoming the patrons of arts and fashion. The trends of fashion would later be documented in ukiyo-e, and not only in the work of art sense, but also in pattern books were people could browse the prevailing styles. After the 1st contacts with the westerners, what would start to happen is that slowly but surely the Japanese would start to integrate the western ways of dressing into their lives. The Japanese started to introduce some of its elements with the kimono, shoes, hats, gloves, glasses, umbrellas, etc. Then in the 19th century a full change would happen starting from the man in the highest classes to the man in the lowest classes. The emperor decided to cut his topknot in 1872 and started to dress in western clothing in official appearances, also changing some of the more cultural habits like eating meat and more wester kind of meals. In the official portraits he appears adorned with a French-style military uniform with ornaments in gold and ostrich feathers. Before this, the emperor was never a public figure, so when pictures of the Meiji Emperor became available, and he started to appear more publicly the nation would have their eyes on him and start to imitate him. Women would, for the longest time still dress in the now classic kimono, that would develop as a symbol of the old and traditional Japan. The idea of the western clothing being associated with a modernized Japan and the Kimono [that literally means “thing to wear”] to a traditional country came from the fact that the emperor would choose to wear western clothes in more formal, international events, and for religious national events would choose the traditional Japanese court dress. The western clothes will end up being a symbol of the modernization of Japan, and the Meiji government would use it as yet another tool of national control. For all the Japanese born after 1945 the western clothes became the norm. Most families would end up transforming their kimonos into western clothing pieces, and the patterns sold for kimonos would double for kimonos and western clothing.

But it is funny to notice how despite it all Muzan is the one being presented in western clothing and Ubuyashiki is the one in traditional clothes, always being the contradiction of the other, but also it can also be interpretated as the Ubuyashibi family being "trapped" in the past since in hundred years the corps never killed an upper moon, the history never changed. And Muzan in his ever-changing cycle of his life, in the changing of eras and changing of personas he decided to reuse the only thing he could: his clothes. And just like him, they would adapt through the times.

MILHAUPT, Terry Satsuki. 2014 - Kimono: A Modern History. London: Reaktion Books [Ebook]; SLADE, Toby. 2009 - Japanese Fashion: A cultural History. Oxford, Berg. [Ebook];

[blackswaneuroparedux]

If Caravaggio were alive today today, he would have loved the cinema; his paintings take a cinematic approach. We filmmakers became aware of his work in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and he certainly was an influence on us. The best part for us was that in many cases he painted religious subject-matter but the models were obviously people from the streets; he had prostitutes playing saints. There’s something in Caravaggio that shows a real street knowledge of the sinner; his sacred paintings are profane.

Martin Scorsese on Caravaggio

Michelangelo Merisi, known to most of us as “Caravaggio,” was born on September 29, 1571 in Milan, Italy, to parents who were from the small town of Caravaggio. In the span of his 38 years long life he revolutionised painting with innovations like a unique use of chiaroscuro - with dark shadows contrasting with dramatic areas of light - and a deep sense of realism that later inspired the Baroque movement. But most of all, he developed such an iconic style that most of us can probably look at a painting and know if it’s a Caravaggio, or Caravaggio-inspired. 

Merisi spent the first few years of his life in Milan, studying painting, and later moved to Rome, where his early talent impressed Cardinal Del Monte, who introduced the young painter to other high-profile Catholic figures who became commissioners of some of Caravaggio’s best work. It seemed there was no end to the artist’s creative genius. Caravaggio, much to his patron’s delight, would pump out one masterpiece after another. It seemed the more out of control his personal life became (cheating, brawling and murder were standard fare), the more his art would become more refined, more potent.

In the long list of masterpieces he left behind, both secular and religious works stand out. But it is perhaps in his religious works that the artistic transition of the master is more evident. Caravaggio is, in fact, known to have changed his style after harsh personal life experiences led him to reassess his outlook on life.

In May of 1606 Caravaggio took part in a deadly brawl in Rome and was charged with murder. He fled to Malta, in search of asylum from the Order of Saint John, a Catholic order dedicated to helping the sick and the poor. The order commissioned some of the most important late life works of the Milanese artist.

It is in these works that we notice the shift in Caravaggio’s art, from a strong focus on aesthetics to an interest in the spirituality of his subjects, which critics believe was motivated by his own introspection.

On the streets surrounding the churches and palaces, brawls and sword fights were regular occurrences. In the course of this desperate life Caravaggio created the most dramatic paintings of his age, using ordinary men and women - often prostitutes and the very poor - to model for his depictions of classic religious scenes.

By representing biblical characters in a naturalistic fashion, typically through signs of aging and poverty, Caravaggio's populist modernisation of religious parables were little short of trailblazing. Although not without his critics within the church, by effectively humanising the divine, Caravaggio made Christianity more relevant to the ordinary viewer.

For some, though, his art was too real. Bare shoulders, plunging necklines, severed heads; this raw humanity didn’t always fly in 17th century Rome. As a result, many of his pieces were rejected as altar pieces and as church hangings. One such piece, the Madonna of Loretto (now hanging in a church in Rome) was widely criticised upon its unveiling. The people of the day were shocked to behold the Mother of God leaning nonchalantly against a wall in her bare feet while holding baby Jesus in her arms.

It is ironic that the very art that today we consider “classical” and “iconic” to the Catholic faith was considered questionable and perhaps void of modesty and virtue. Yet, the fact remains that no individual artist has made such a lasting impression on the world of modern art. Truly, many have called Caravaggio the “first modern artist”. It is no surprise, then, that his style has sparked both widespread admiration and imitation throughout the centuries.

Before Pope John Paul II refined a theology of the body beautiful, Caravaggio's paintings suggested a reverence for the inherent beauty of human form.

Troubled though he may have been, his art speaks eloquently of the dignity of the mundane. Though the original medium may be weathered and cracked, the message of beauty still echoes down the centuries. And this same beauty still fuels, escapes and reduces artists to relentless seekers as surely and as forcefully as it did in Caravaggio's life.

[arkive78]

ATZ Fanfics I’ll Forever Reread

Ok so most of this blog is me reblogging some of my favorite ATZ content, and I thought I’d make a masterpost of some of my all-time favorites. Please let me know if links aren’t working btw! A lot of these have NSFW/18+ content, so minors please DO NOT interact with those mentioning 18+ or NSFW below the cut!!!

** Updated: August 25, 2022 (added some fics and also tidied it up a bit hehe)

✨ Mists of Celeste by @hongism

NSFW!!, space pirate au

Ok, so if you’ve been on ATZ tumblr, you SURE have heard of this story by now, its at like 46 (roughly I might be remembering wrong) chapters of pure space-pirate galore and it’s honestly one of my favorite stories ever. It is NSFW, and is. M/18+, so yeah, it’s got smut and violence and trauma. 

The way she writes is absolutely amazing from the world building to character development it’s insane. No character is perfect, and honestly the MC is such a badass it’s just amazing. The personas she builds is just crazy and I swear she’s a god at tying plot points together or dropping some of the juiciest info or moments at the BEST TIME!!! 

Also, if you love pirates, this fic is great. I’m such a hoe for this fic it’s insane, it’s so well done and just everything one could want. It also has MANY funny moments that had me cackling. I do love the very “human” moments of just dissecting the human psyche or emotions and dealing with trauma and the like, or even the complications of relationships and ethics. Overall a work of art.

✨ Horizon by @pxedpiper

SFW, pirate au

Another iconic pirate ATZ fic, I read this one a LONG time ago, but it’s a classic pirate AU with the MC as a princess who gets stuck on ATZ’s ship and it’s very found family vibes and cute. 

It’s 21 chapters of everything I love too, and is completed hehe. It is Hongjoong x reader, so it’s even 100000x better because I am a huge simp for Captain Hongjoong on so many levels it’s a shame that there’s not more pirate Hongjoong fics. 

✨ Do you believe in fate? by @lettersfromaphrodite

SFW, soulmate au, magic au

A glorious HJ x reader chapter story with soulmates, magic, and all that good stuff. I read this one a long time ago, but the story is just so good and I love a good soulmate AU ahhhh. There is a sequel that’s a Chan x reader one (as in Chan from SKZ).

✨ Pirate King by @chaseatinydream

SFW, pirate au

NOW THIS!! THISSSSSS!!!!! I rmb when I first found this and was like huh this is a lot of chapters, and I wonder what it’s like. I swear hands-down I obsessively read the HELL out of this. IT’S SO GOOD!!!! 

It is another Pirate AU (my favorite), and it’s done so well I screeched multiple times, the whole story is so immersive and you literally cannot help but keep reading it, I would read this story til like 3AM it’s crazy. 

The MC’s storyline is SO COOL and unique from what I’ve seen. And the ending is just absolute perfection. I would make everyone read this if I could (like MOC LOL).

✨ Body Talk by @jungkxook

NSFW, 18+ smut

This is a 3 part story FWB! Wooyoung x virgin!reader, and the story is basically, reader asks wooyoung to take her virginity and the like. The smut is written so well and I just love a good ole idiots to lovers vibes because obviously they’re both in denial LOL.

✨ You’re the one that I want by @ateezmakemeweep

18+ NSFW

this is peak Badboy!Seonghwa do not get me started. This author has the tendency to pull you in and immerse you and then destroy you in the best of ways. 

I have actually not finished this out of fear of what happens next but lemme tell you, if you love a good angsty love story, read tf outta this. the way they write this story is just PERFECTION with the build-up and everything. 

Highly recommend this author in the first place but man, this was so good and the relationship building is awesome too (and ofc the angst if you love it). I swear I’ll finish this one day when I’m emotionally ready.

✨ Richboy!Seonghwa by @ateezmakemeweep

18+, NSFW

but another iconic writing by this amazing author. You will become obsessed immediately. It’s just absolute perfection.

✨ Into the Aurora by @honeyhotteoks

18+ NSFW

one of my favorite ot8 x reader fics, premise is really great and written VERY WELL. 

It’s so good it will have you absolutely SWOONING!!!!!! 

✨ Murphy’s Law by @uhmingi

NSFW, 19+ a/f/s, soulmate au, alien au, enemies to friends to lovers, san x reader, and ?/reader

the way I’m absolutely OBSESSED WITH THIS STORY??? should be illegal, it literally had me geeking out from the very first chapter, especially with the whole AU itself. 

Because aliens? How you gonna portray that? what kind of world are we in? And like literally it has me on the floor freaking out over how GOOD IT IS. 

Literally I had no idea what would happen next with each chapter. There is sadly only going to be 4 chapters, BUT I feel like this story will end satisfyingly, that’s the vibes I’m getting. 

But man, I will forever wish I could look at this story for the first time all over again just relive the shock moments. 

You will NOT regret reading this story. I would sell my soul for more chapters, but man this author got me YEARNING for these characters AGHJJJJJJ. 

Literally this story had me SWOONING

✨ Letters to a Ruined King by @ zetsumyona (on AO3)

18+, mature, 

another pirate AU that has me having heart eyes over captain hongjoong tho he hasn’t done a lot yet in this story. I

t is marked as an ateez x reader, tho granted they can always throw surprises at us but my assumption is that any member is game LOL. this series is also Mature and 18+ btw. 

It’s got great worldbuilding, portrayal of emotions, and it’s been fun to guess how each relationship is gonna go.

But the level of depth they’ve given the characters is crazy, and you don’t know what to expect next

it’s definitely an interesting take on a pirate AU

✨ You Belong to Us by @teeztheflag

18+, mature, ot8!werewolf ateez x werewolf!reader

about four parts right now, but man I love this fic. I think why I always liked werewolf!aus is the found family vibe but also the soulmate vibe and I always love re-reading it because it makes me so curious about their dynamics.

✨ Der Damonen Klan by @teeztheflag

18+, mature, demon au, poly teez

this was the first fic I found on their page and I love it. It' just such a vibe and I'm such a fan of ot8!fics because they're so entertaining and seeing the dynamics of each relationship (but also lowkey having people interested in you woohoo what fun). The storyline here I really like too because the MC is still trying to figure out what works and how she feels about them and the like. hehe.

✨ Blood Masquerade by @hongism

M/18+, fem!reader x tba, smut, violence

So ofc it's Miss Caly herself so obviously it's amazing. It actually mimics a dating simulator so she'd have choices after each chapter. and man this story is so immersive and I love how the MC is such a badass and isn't letting the boys win her over so easy, and although there's only 2 chapters so far, its stunning. The best part is you don't know what to expect since it's a twist on dating simulators and it's just so good, I cannot wait for more parts.

✨ catlike by @ maganxx (AO3)

witch au 

san gets turned into reader’s familiar and I’m about halfway thru it but it’s so good!!! It just finished I think.

✨ Kiss of Chaos by @ tenelkadjo (AO3)

Here’s the tumblr link as I’ve learned recently they’re also on tumblr @tenelkadjowrites

NSFW

another witch au

THE WAY I WAS OBSESSED WITH THIS THE STORY IS SO COOL AND THERE’S SMUT AND WORLDBUILDING AND AHHHHH

Seonghwa x reader

literally I wish they would write one shots with each member because I think it would be so cool (please write one about Fae Hongjoong I might lose my mind) !!!!!!! And Seonghwa is such a hottie in this too!!!!!!

-------

One shots! One’s that are NSFW are labelled but please read the further content readings when you go to the post.

✨ Can’t Stand You by @domjaehyun 

NSFW, HJ x reader

basically HJ is bad boy and reader is good student, and they get paired together

✨ 5 weeks by @ zetsumyona (on AO3)

NSFW

strangers to lovers, colleagues to lovers, smut, there is an age gap btw (the reader is older)

idol!wooyoung x fem-stylist!reader

✨ Can’t take my eyes off of you by @bobateastay

NSFW

san x reader

70s college au, boy next door san, smut

✨ Take me home pt 1 by @yeosanghwas

NSFW

wooyoung x reader

THIS WSS SO GOOD WTF, it gets so heated in the best of ways

sub!wooyoung, softdom!reader, smut, frenemies to lovers, college au, fluff

✨ hop hop little bunny by @bngchnsi

NSFW

yeosang x reader

when I read this for the first time I about died thank you very much

brat tamer!yeosang x brat!reader

✨ A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out by to_shinestar (AO3)

NSFW

wooyoung x san x reader

!!! the iconic duo!!

this literally got ME sweating

✨ The House of Eden by @ faerbloom (AO3)

literally the softest thing I ever read

this is a very wholesome fic and just makes me wanna live in the woods with my lovers as a witch like wtf

ot8 x reader

✨ Room for Three by @honeyhotteoks 

NSFW

yunho x reader x seonghwa

a duo I didn’t think I needed

there’s a second part too

this fic is literally so good i was SWOONING!!!!! just the dynamics and everything got me SCREECHING if they made a whole series of this I would go feral please and thank you

[lesbianjobutupaki]

Art practice by trying some other artist's styles that I'm a huge fan of!

From Top Left to Bottom Right:

@ghostishere0 - the original reason I started this doodle, as I wanted to draw a "shepherd lovers squad" and their OC (who I don't know the name of F) was the perfect fit for it.

@luminesparkz - the best interpretation of Pom pikmin. If I were Mr. Nitendo, I would make them the official comic creator along with the manga comics.

@marblyso - If I was a little more unhinged and made a shrine to Erma Shepherd, it would be mostly marblyso's art of her, it's my absolute favorite Erma depiction <3

@rexscanonwife - another OC that I don't know the name of, but she makes such a cute pair with Shepherd and has such cute art that why not, let Shepherd have multiple canon wives at this point.

@citruscrisp - I think this is secretly Alph in an alternate universe where he makes comics about himself, because citrus has Alph's character SPOT ON, and also loves to put that boy in a situation (which I am happy for, I enjoy seeing that boy in a situation)

@daisythecomic - oooaaaaaaaaaa they look like little mice people they look so soft and sweet I love them so muuuuuuuuuccchhhhhhhhh

@louie-posting - I can't not include actual Louie Pikmin on this list.

@kiwilittle - the soft, the sweet, the one who makes the best family style art, really making me wish I was an inch tall so I could go to holidays with the olimar family, also their wife design is so cute that if Olimar didn't already get it I would shoot my shot for her m a a m

@pikbugz - really nails the soft aesthetic that makes pikmin such a calming series, and their coloring style is so soft and good that it gives me the ratatouille nostalgia flashback moment.

@splitster - more than just the wraith au guy, they are the one who makes incredible and funny comics; I've seen so many fics with the rescue corps where I can pick up that yes, this trait came from a splitster comic, and that's a GOOD thing. Made me actually LIKE Dingo, the nerve.

@diesaur - I can't do diesaur's incredible, unique art justice, they are amazing at using geometrics and have the best charlie (his little teefs...)

@solluxander - Cars, one of my favorite pikmin Ocs I've ever seen! Collin deserves a slightly unhinged sentient fluffball boyfriend, and I always love seeing the new ways Cars will interact with him.

@sillypikmin - all hail the best pikposter, who I'm still convinced is an actual leafling living on actual pnf-404, literally every time I have a bad day I look at drawings of Moss and feel better.

@eggpathy - thank goodness they came back to give us old man yaoi. I keep their drawing of olimar kissing the pikmin good night on my phone and look at it before I go to sleep and so far I have yet to have a single nightmare.

@the-knife-consumer - the only person I trust with Louittany, toxic yuri my beloved, I just adore their beasty brittany design so so much, I wish I could have a small brittany to live in my house...

anyway they have the best headcanons for our beloved blorbo hamster people

@natibranch - there's a voice line of Louie going "wa-ha!" in this really cute sing-song voice and every time I see any art by natibranch I hear that sound in my head as a little burst of serotonin, they just nail that exact feeling so so well.

@pikked-min - Another of my favorite Pikmin OCs, Yuva! A really interesting and unique character concept with a lot of thought put into the worldbuilding, followed by a strong unusual personality that had me looking at the pikmin world through a new perspective entirely. Please, someone, give them some sunglasses. Read the fic it's so good

@ssserf - artistic and deep while still somehow looking like official nintendo tm art, genuinely the best at the pikmin proportions, how could I resist trying my hand at the classic amazing beautiful Brittany Fruit Sweater moment, literally SO iconic

@kashi-pon - while I was working on the part of this that was just kashi's various highlife dresses there was a part of me that wanted to dedicate the rest of the space to paying homage to the joke comic of Louie lifting his skirt to show Olimar that he's wearing shorts, except this dress....well......

@diamondwerewolf - the reason we got louie in a little bunny outfit anyway, and thus why we got kashi's dress version. you single-handedly turned Louie into a tumblr sexyman, how could you

[essycogany]

Amy’s Eye Color

Since I couldn’t get this off my mind I’ve decided to dive deep into the abyss of character design. I’ll mostly add on to what I said in my tags in the, “What Eye Color Looks Good On Amy Rose,” voting post and elaborate.

Short History

Amy’s eye color from the start of her redesign in Sonic Adventure has always been the same as Sonic’s. A warm green that use to be apart of Amy’s classic dress. Which is a nice detail in my opinion. The pink hedgehog’s eyes has been somewhat consistent with Sonic’s from official art, 3D models, to the comics.

It almost always been that way aside from Sonic X. Where her eyes are on the cooler side then Sonic’s. Jade or Emerald to be specific. Her eyes are closer to the color of jewelry. While Sonic has a warmer grassier colored green. I like jade or emerald on Amy’s eyes as well, but I want to keep the topic consistent and less complicated then it already is.

Anyways, I think the minor inconsistencies was done for artistic vision or whenever the lighting would change in the comics. To be honest I’ve noticed color inconsistencies all the time when it comes to Sonic characters. Which isn’t a bad thing. It just shows how much variety you can have when it comes to these characters.

My Thoughts On Amy’s Eye Color

I don’t mind Amy’s eyes being the same as Sonic’s. It doesn’t look bad on her and is one of the reasons her design is as iconic as it is. Especially since it’s been a part of her for so long.

But let’s get into why I personally prefer teal.

I’m no color theory expert, but I’ll do my best. Also, not every Sonic character or cartoon character period, follows these rules. Just a good majority of them do.

Sonic: Blue is a primary color and green is a secondary color. Because green complements blue Sonic’s eyes stands out. Not to mention they symbolize his energy and love for nature.

Blaze: Purple is a secondary color and gold is a primary color. Her purple fur works amazingly with her harsh gold eyes. Symbolizing her fire powers. Also I’ve noticed a few artist add a bit of a reddish orange to her and Silvers eyes and I think they look lovely.

Amy: She’s a bit complicated. Since her red dress takes up most of her design I’ll use it as Amy’s primary color. I believe teal would be a better secondary color for Amy because it stands out a bit better and is less harsh then green. It gives Amy a softer look too.

Teal and pink is also a wonderful combination in general because they balance each other out. With pink’s warmth and energy going with the teal’s calm and coolness. Giving off a more enchanted and mystical feeling to Amy’s eyes. It perfectly compliments her personality too because she’s an energetic character with a soft and sweet nature.

Here are some characters with similar color tones:

They’re not all similar characteristically, but what most of them have in common is they’re kind natured and they’ll protect the people they care about. Just like a certain pink hedgehog.

See how the eyes are the first thing you notice?

These are around what I have in mind( jade/emerald are cooler greens so they work too):

The main reason I prefer Amy’s eyes to be teal is due to a lot of amazing fan-artist. I won’t give out names, (because there’s a bunch of them) but they are so brilliant and I appreciate what they bring to the Sonic feast of wonderful art.

I’ve seen it so much to the point when I think “Amy Rose,” I see her with teal eyes. I know it’s silly, but that’s genuinely what I feel works for her. Besides I enjoy talking about weird topics like these. It keeps the mind turning, you know.

I appreciate the official artist and 3D models as well. Even if Amy’s eyes are barely ever teal, she still looks wonderful without them because of those talented people.

Conclusion

Will Amy’s eyes ever be teal? Probably not. Does any of this matter? No.

Teal eyes or not Amy Rose is a wonderful Sonic character. I hope you had fun with me on exploring this wild world of colors and character design.

Stay Creative! 💜

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Barbara Stanwyck (Ball of Fire, The Lady Eve, Double Indemnity)—I hope someone else has submitted better propaganda than I because I don't want my girl's prospects to rest on me just yelling PLEASE VOTE FOR MY TERRIBLE HOT GIRLFRIEND. She is a delight in everything! She is often a sexy jerk! (It's most of the plot of Baby Face!) Even when she plays a "good girl" (as an example, Christmas in Connecticut, which more people should see) she's still kind of a jerk and I love her for it! She won't take men's shit and she sure wouldn't take mine!

Setsuko Hara (Tokyo Story, Late Spring, The Idiot)— "'The only time I saw Susan Sontag cry,' a writer once told me, his voice hushed, 'was at a screening of a Setsuko film.' What Setsuko had wasn’t glamour—she was just too sensible for that—it was glow, one that ebbed away and left you concerned, involved. You got the sense that this glow, like that of dawn, couldn’t be bought. But her smiles were human and held minute-long acts, ones with important intermissions. When she looked away, she absented herself; you felt that she’d dimmed a fire and clapped a lid on something about to spill. Over the last decade, whenever anyone brought up her lips—'Setsuko’s eternal smile,' critics said, that day we learned that she’d died—I thought instead of the thing she made us feel when she let it fall." - Moeko Fujii

This is round 4 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Setsuko Hara:

One of the best Japanese actresses of all time; a symbol of the golden era of Japanese cinema of the 1950s After seeing a Setsuko Hara film, the novelist Shūsaku Endō wrote: "We would sigh or let out a great breath from the depths of our hearts, for what we felt was precisely this: Can it be possible that there is such a woman in this world?"

One of the greatest Japanese actresses of all time!! Best known for acting in many of Yasujiro Ozu's films of the 40s and 50s. Also she has a stunning smile and beautiful charm!

Linked gifset

Linked gifset 2

She's considered by some to be the greatest Japanese actress of all time! In Kurosawa's The Idiot she haunts the screen, and TOTALLY steals the show from Mifune every time she appears.

She's considered by some to be the greatest Japanese actress of all time! In Kurosawa's The Idiot she haunts the screen, and TOTALLY steals the show from Mifune every time she appears.

"No other actor has ever mastered the art of the smile to the same extent as Setsuko Hara (1920–2015), a celebrated star and highly regarded idol who was one of the outstanding actors of 40s and 50s Japanese cinema. Her radiant smile floods whole scenes and at times cautiously undermines the expectations made of her in coy, ironic fashion. Yet her smile's impressive range also encompasses its darker shades: Hara's delicate, dignified, melancholy smile with which she responds to disappointments, papers over the emotions churning under the surface, and flanks life's sobering realizations. Her smiles don't just function as a condensed version of her ever-precise, expressive, yet understated acting ability, they also allow the very essence of the films they appear in to shine through for a brief moment, often studies of the everyday, post-war dramas which revolve around the break-up of family structures or the failure of marriages. Her performances tread a fine line between social expectation and personal desire in post-war Japan, as Hara attempts to lay claim to the autonomy of the female characters she plays – frequently with a smile." [link]

Leading lady of classic Japanese cinema with a million dollar smile

Maybe the most iconic Japanese actress ever? She rose to fame making films with Yasujiro Ozu, becoming one of the most well-known and beloved actresses in Japan, working from the 30s through the 60s in over 100 hundred. She is still considered one of the greatest Japanese actresses ever, and in my opinion, just one of the greatest actresses of all time. And she was HOT! Satoshi Kon's film Millennium Actress was largely based on her life and her career.

Barbara Stanwyck:

"THE leading lady of the golden age of hollywood. One of the only actresses to work independent of a studio, making short-term contracts that enabled her to make movies wherever she wanted. She had so much range, and could act in basically any genre. She's been rumored to be a lesbian literally since she was active in Hollywood; most notable is the rumor that she had a long time on-and-off relationship with famously bi Joan Crawford, her "best friend" for decades (They lived right next door to one another). She also lived with Helen Ferguson, her "live-in publicist" for many years. She was the quintessential femme fatale in Double Indemnity, and really pushed sexual boundaries in her pre-code films like Baby Face, and the famous screwball The Lady Eve, where she plays basically a downlow domme. Allegedly, when a journalist asked her if she was a lesbian, she straight up threw him out of her house. She even played a lesbian in Walk on the Wild Side"

"THE queen of screwball comedies. I adore her, I'd kill for her, I will cry if she's not gonna win this poll."

"listen ok she had awful politics she was a mccarthyist right wing wacko BUT she's so incredibly hot that i've deluded myself into believing i could fix her. if you see her onscreen she carries herself in a way that's just so effortlessly sexy AND she has just a stunning face. imo she was at her hottest in the 1940s but even as early as the late 1920s she had a rly captivating screen presence and just a beautiful face, and then post-1950 she was just irresistibly milfy so really she was just always incredibly hot. she was also an incredibly talented actress who was equally stellar in melodrama, film noir, and unhinged screwball comedy. the blonde wig they made her wear in double indemnity is notoriously silly looking but she still looks sexy in it so that's gotta count for something. i've watched so many terrible movies just for a chance at seeing her that i think her estate should be paying me damages."

"Not often thought of for her sultriness, Barbara Stanwyck was incredible in that she could actually choose to be hot if the role called for it, and then have a glow-down to look ordinary for another role. She wasn't the most beautiful or effervescent, but damn did she have rizz. Watch her with Gary Cooper in Ball of Fire teaching him about "yum-yum" or with Henry Fonda in The Lady Eve whispering huskily into his ear."

"She is always the smartest woman in the room. Watching her play Henry Fonda like a befuddled fiddle in The Lady Eve was a highlight of my life. Femme fatale in Double Indemnity, comedy queen in Ball of Fire. She can do anything."

"She was part of my gay awakening"

"SHE'S A PRE-CODE QUEEN. She did everything, drama, comedy. The most beautiful woman in the world to watch weep. Beg for to step on you with those legs. Fun Babs story: Ginger Rogers was offered the role in Ball of Fire but said, “Oh, I would never play that part, she’s too common.” So they called Barbara Stanwyck and they said “We offered this to Ginger Rogers but she’s turned it down, would you be interested?” And she read the script and she said; “You bet! I LOVE playing common broads. [link]"

[darklovecat]

how do you know what suits you best?

Knowing my McJimsey Essence!

Discovering my style essences was an important aspect of my journey towards defining my personal style. Your physical appearance, build, height, facial characteristics, hairstyle, manner, voice, and expression all contribute to your overall style essence and I have found McJimsey Essences to be a valuable tool in figuring out what clothing looks good on me and upgrading my style.

The 7 Style Essences.

The 7 Style Essences Explained.

The Ingenue Style Essence.

The Dramatic Style Essence.

The Natural Style Essence.

The Romantic Style Essence.

The Angelic Style Essence.

The Gamine Style Essence.

I don't follow Kibbe, I find it too restrictive and the typing posts are amusing to me because people always disagree and there seems to be a great deal of discrepancy despite the supposed expertise of those involved. It's meant to facilitate the process of finding your personal style but there's more confusion than clarity, Kibbe is not exactly what I'd call a fashion icon, so I avoid it all together.

I've been following McJimsey Essences for years now and I find it a lot more straight forwards than categorizing people based on their body types and there's just so much more depth to it and room to play around and have fun with it. It's not as rigid or limited as other style cults, most people are a mix of multiple essences, and it allows for creativity and experimentation while still offering guidance which I love.

I am mostly ingenue with a strong undercurrent of gamine, lots of ethereal and a dash of romantic. I still love dressing in all of my classic looks but adding elements from my essences have worked wonders for creating a more cohesive and harmonious look and I can switch it up based on the occasion. I love browsing through Pinterest, saving outfits and recreating looks, updating my wardrobe, revisiting and drawing inspiration from Art and Fashion in Clothing Selection, and taking notes to freshen up my look.

Cat.

[inazumaclown]

finally. the gouenji post where i rate his looks (soccer and school uniforms excluded).

gouenji is the face of the franchise along with endou and kidou, he has his own manga spinoff, and he's regularly elected as a fan favourite in every popularity contest.

canonically, gouenji has a huge fanclub of girls rooting for him and it's definitely not only because soccer.

so why is he so popular ?

well mostly because he's non verbal most of the time (girls love boys who can shut up), he makes bomb ass takoyaki, and he's also very handsome. but are his clothes helping or is he THAT handsome ? let's find out.

ah, the OG season 1 classic. the first ever outfit. he looks great. orange is as much his color as it is endou's, it suits him very well. we already know gouenji is careful with his looks, since he canonically spikes his hair every morning, and now, we can be sure the fucker knows how to dress himself. he knows how to make colors match, he even matches the sunset. truly unparalleled.

if kazemaru didn't exist, i would have fell in love with him. 10/10

OG season 2. man i want that hoodie. i want it so much. it's as cool in the game as it is in the anime.

i really like how this outfit manages to hide him and completely reveal him at the same time. the orange color, the fucking saiyen hairstyle under the hood. this dumbass had to keep the spikes even though he knew he had to hide them under a fucking hoodie that would ruin his work. it's called dedication. 11/10

before moving on to GO, (where the problems lies mostly), let's talk about two out of category looks.

i love gouenji's looks in the games, especially the very first. he looks like a whole different character, way more rebellious and loudmouthed with his frosted tips, jet black eyes and eyebrows, unbuttoned jacket (we'll talk about those) and single earring. he looks very homosexual. 10/10

after the first game tho, they dropped the delinquent look and he got the inverted pikachu treatment, they made him rounder. a little saddened but not complaining, they kept the best features. 8/10

one day i'll talk about the orion endings in detph, with all the emotions they triggered in me. persisting in giving him a hood is funny though. 7/10

OK NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT GO.

the ishido shuuji outfit. iconic.

my man looks EXPENSIVE and that's great. i can see the first game gouenji in him. i cannot tell if he's gay or european. the raybans, the blood read suit, the slutty unbuttoned shirt, the jewelry, the kazemaru blue streaks iN his unspiked hair ! this outfit would cost me more than my day job monthly salary. he's living the life.

i can't buy him as a villain but i can buy him as a mean girl. 100/10

the concept art is as good as the final design. i do get why they didn't keep the spikes for this look. he would have looked a little too much like a gay broly. not a bad thing but understandably unpreferable.

there it is. the glowdown.

his hair does look good unspiked but... where are the blue streaks. why is he suddely hiding his chest under three layes of clothing. gouenji darling you know warm colors suit you best so why the grey-blue-ish suit ? am i supposed to believe this is the real you ? i know it's not. i hope you find yourself. 4/10

OH BOY NEVERMIND WTF IS THIS.

wtf went through everybody's head while designing this. i get this is a way to mimic adult endou's charm but it does not work. gouenji isn't endou. you love endou because he's a very wholesome bundle of joy (voiced by naruto), and you love gouenji bc he is one half of the inazuma eleven equivalent of sasuke (kidou being the other half), you can't dress them the same way and not see the dissonance.

this man is not gouenji, this man buys cheap beers in the early afternoon without saying thank you to the cashier. this man pretends to be a metalhead. this man just divorced kanye. i would not trust him with my kids.

this is not a relaxed look, this is a sad, depressed look. please gouenji talk to someone. people love you. you can be helped. 0/10

conclusion : i don't know how they fucked up so bad at the end, they really made gouenji forgot about his hard-earned fashion skills. thank god he actually IS that handsome but before that he's all W after W. i'm eager to see him in victory road.

[homomenhommes]

THIS DAY IN GAY HISTORY

based on: The White Crane Institute's 'Gay Wisdom', Gay Birthdays, Gay For Today, Famous GLBT, glbt-Gay Encylopedia, Today in Gay History, Wikipedia, and more … February 13

518 B.C. – Pindar, the Greek poet was born today. Again, it is impossible to say precisely when the Theban poet was born, so we're picked this arbitrary date. So this is as good a place as any to mention Pindar, the greatest lyric poet of ancient Greece, whose love for Theoxenus of Tenedos is celebrated in his verse.

Self-portrait

1891 – Grant Wood (d.1942) was an American painter born four miles east of Anamosa, Iowa. He is best known for his paintings depicting the rural American Midwest, particularly the painting American Gothic, an iconic image of the 20th century.

After graduating from Washington High School, Wood enrolled in an art school in Minneapolis in 1910, and returned a year later to teach in a one-room schoolhouse. In 1913 he enrolled at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and performed some work as a silversmith. From 1920 to 1928, he made four trips to Europe, where he studied many styles of painting, especially Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. But it was the work of the 15th-century Flemish artist Jan van Eyck that influenced him to take on the clarity of this new technique and to incorporate it in his new works.

From 1924 to 1935, Wood lived in the loft of a carriage house that he turned into his personal studio at "5 Turner Alley" (the studio had no address until Wood made one up himself). In 1932, Wood helped found the Stone City Art Colony near his hometown to help artists get through the Great Depression. He became a great proponent of regionalism in the arts, lecturing throughout the country on the topic. Wood taught painting at the University of Iowa's School of Art from 1934 to 1941. During that time, he supervised mural painting projects, mentored students, produced a variety of his own works, and became a key part of the University's cultural community.

One common theory is that he was a closeted homosexual, and was fired from the University because of a relationship with his personal secretary.

On February 12, 1942, one day before his 51st birthday, Wood died at the university hospital of pancreatic cancer. When Wood died, his estate went to his sister, Nan Wood Graham, the woman portrayed in American Gothic.

Wood's best known work, his 1930 painting American Gothic, is also one of the most famous paintings in American art, and one of the few images to reach the status of universally recognised cultural icon, comparable to Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa and Edvard Munch's The Scream.

It was first exhibited in 1930 at the Art Institute of Chicago, where it is still located. It was given a $300 prize and made news stories country-wide, bringing Wood immediate recognition. Since then, it has been borrowed and satirised endlessly for advertisements and cartoons.

Wheeler and Wescott by Lynes

1899 – on this date the American curator Monroe Wheeler, was born (d.1988). Poet and author Glenway Wescott and Monroe Wheeler were an extraordinary couple. The two met for the first time in 1919, and it was, it seems, a classic case of love at first sight. At the time, Wescott was still in his teens and Wheeler just 20. Seemingly inured to the social mores of the time and inconstancies of youth, the two embarked on a relationship that can be called nothing short of a marriage, for the next 68 years, until Wescott's death in 1987. They are perfect gay Valentine icons.

The young couple travelled the world, stopping in on Gertrude Stein's Paris Salon and crossing paths with Jean Cocteau on the Riviera, while Wescott developed his poetry and later fiction (he authored The Grandmothers and The Pilgrim Hawk, among other bestsellers of his day) and Wheeler found his path. Eventually he would become the director of exhibitions and publications at the Museum of Modern Art.

The two moved with equal ease through the literary and artistic circles of London and the continent as well as their families' Midwestern homes. That their relationship thrived is notable enough. But 1927 brought a new challenge to their pairing. High-school student George Platt Lynes fell passionately in love with the strikingly good-looking Wheeler. And Wheeler, for his part, was entranced by Lyne's 'full, luscious mouth and his wasp-like waist'. Instead of driving a wedge between Wescott and Wheeler, as might be expected, Lynes soon became part of their shared life. When, after some casting about, he hit upon photography, the two nurtured his career and used their considerable connections to get him both work and gallery shows.

Triptych of Wescott-Lynes-Wheeler by Jared French

In 1930, while still in France, Wheeler entered into a partnership with Barbara Harrison to establish the Harrison of Paris press, the goal of which was to publish fine editions of new and neglected classics. Over 5 years, they produced 13 titles, including works by Thomas Mann, Katherine Anne Porter, and Glenway Wescott's A Calendar of Saints for Unbelievers, with illustrations by Pavel Tchelitchew.

In 1935, following the marriage of Barbara Harrison to Glenway's younger brother, Lloyd, Wheeler and Wescott moved back to the United States. They soon set up households both on the farm in New Jersey bought by Barbara Harrison and Lloyd Wescott and in New York City, where they shared a series of apartments with George Platt Lynes.

It was at this time that Wheeler began an association with the Museum of Modern Art when, in 1935, he guest-curated an exhibit. His position at MOMA became permanent in 1938 when he was hired as Membership Director, then moved quickly into the position of Director of Exhibitions and Publications. Wheeler's innovations in publication and exhibit design soon became well-known. In 1951, in recognition of his work in bringing French artists to the attention of American viewers, he was made a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor by the government of France.

In 1967, in preparation for his retirement, Wheeler shifted his duties at the museum. Having long been a trustee of the museum, he was appointed counsellor and joined the International Council in its biannual meetings. After his official retirement in 1967, he continued to advise the museum on exhibitions and serve with a number of civic and arts organizations.

In 1969, Wheeler travelled as a cultural advisor with Nelson Rockefeller on a presidential mission to Latin America. In the 1970s, Wheeler travelled extensively and worked on projects documenting the history of MOMA and the collections of the Rockefeller family. Monroe Wheeler died in Manhattan on August 14th 1988 at the age of 89, 18 months after the death of Glenway Wescott.

1961 – Henry Rollins is an American spoken word artist, writer, journalist, comedian, publisher, actor, radio DJ, activist and musician.

After performing for the short-lived Washington D.C.-based band State of Alert in 1980, Rollins fronted the California hardcore punk band Black Flag from August 1981 until mid-1986. Following the band's breakup, Rollins established the record label and publishing company 2.13.61 to release his spoken word albums, as well as forming the Rollins Band, which toured with a number of lineups from 1987 until 2003, and during 2006.

Since Black Flag disbanded, Rollins has hosted numerous radio shows, such as Harmony in My Head on Indie 103, and television shows such as The Henry Rollins Show, MTV's 120 Minutes, and Jackass.

He had a recurring dramatic role in the second season of Sons of Anarchy and has also had roles in several films. Rollins has also campaigned for various political causes in the United States, including promoting LGBT rights, World Hunger Relief, and an end to war in particular, and tours overseas with the United Service Organizations to entertain American troops.

Rollins has become an outspoken human rights activist, most vocally for gay rights. Rollins frequently speaks out on social justice on his spoken word tours and promotes equality, regardless of sexuality. He was the host of the WedRock benefit concert, which raised money for a pro-gay-marriage organization.

He has said of his sexuality:

"If I was gay, there would be no closet, you would never see the closet I came out of. Why? I would have burned it for kindling by the time I was 12. Because I know with all certainty in my mind, there is nothing wrong with being gay, and you know it."

1969 – Joe Phillips is a black American artist, known for his mainstream comic book art and for his work depicting his views of gay life. Ironically, he is most recognized for portraying white, preppy males. He currently lives in San Diego, California.

Phillips was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1969. Upon graduation he travelled to Europe where he furthered his artistic skills, taking part in various projects such as guerrilla street art.

His first major comic book job was working on the comic book "Speed Racer" for seven issues. He produced artwork for titles including "Justice League of America", "Silver Surfer", "X-Men", "Legion of Super-Heroes", "The Incredible Hulk" and "Lobo".

Phillips was one of the founding members of Gai-Jin Studios. In late 1992 he began work on the revival of "Timber Wolf," written and inked by Al Gordon, where he worked as both a penciller and as the cover artist, this run lasted for an entire story arc. In 1996 he created a new comic book character, "The Heretic", of which he was both a writer and artist. The title was released by Dark Horse Comics. Other later work included "Captain America", "Wolverine", "Green Lantern" and "Superboy".

Sexy Superboy

It was while Phillips was working on a Superboy comic entitled "Superboy & Risk: Double Shot" that he first sexualized his artwork and dropped hints about homosexuality. Some readers picked up on this, one such person was art director of XY Magazine, Eriq Chang. Chang quickly offered Phillips a slot in the gay publication drawing a comic strip that would later become known as "Joe Boy".

Phillips was approached by the hardcore porn website Karas Adult Playground to produce adult animation, his first - Cumquest - was a spoof on the popular sci-fi series Star Trek. Another animation job followed for the gay porn website Absolutely Male for which Phillips created the animation The House of Morecock, a story about Jonas Morecock, a gay paranormal investigator. Morecock proved to be very popular and a set of 10 episodes was released on DVD by 10% Productions in 2001. In 2002 Morecock was nominated for a GayVN award in the category "Best Alternative Release"; it subsequently won in its category. A series of comic strip books followed alongside sets of postcard books. TLA Video lists Morecock as one of their all-time bestselling titles.

'A Boys Will Be Boys" illustration

In 2001 Phillips released "Boys Will Be Boys" - a calendar featuring original gay-themed art. In 2003 a book of the same title was released; it featured the art from the 2002 and 2003 calendars and incorporated some new original pieces. The calendar continues to be released annually.

another typical "Boys Will Be Boys" illustration

In 2006 with Adult Visual Animation, Phillips released his second adult-themed animated movie entitled Stonewall & Riot: The Ultimate Orgasm. The movie was a cross-over of the two genres Phillips was known for - Superheroes and work for the gay community. The movie was created entirely in 3D graphics. As with his previous movie, "Stonewall & Riot" was nominated for a GayVN award.

In 2013, Phillips animated and directed the official music video for UK Rock singer/songwriter Matt Fishel's single "When Boy Meets Boy". Described by Out Magazine as a "cute (and sexy)" love story "with a superhero twist", it shows an animated version of Fishel meeting a mysterious skater boy in a bar and concludes with a superhero fight and rescue sequence. British magazine The Gay UK called it "one of the best music videos we've seen in a long time." On 30 October 2013, the video for "When Boy Meets Boy" won the 2013 RightOutTV Music & Video Award for Best Pop/Rock Video. Phillips also created all the artwork for Matt Fishel's debut album Not Thinking Straight, which was released in April 2013 on Young Lust Records. The album booklet comprises 18 original illustrations by Phillips, each representing a different song's lyrics and portraying themes and issues surrounding young gay life, relationships and experiences. Phillips also created the artwork for Matt Fishel's 2013 singles "Radio-Friendly Pop Song", "When Boy Meets Boy" and "Oh Santa!"

Below: When Boy Meets Boy (3 mins 47 sec)

1987 – Steven Dehler is an American model, actor, and dancer. He has been described as the "the poster child for the modern male underwear model". He is a regular performer at The Abbey, a gay bar and nightclub in West Hollywood, California, and has been face of Marcuse Swimwear for their 2015 campaign.

With an active social media presence, Dehler has amassed over 142,000 followers on Instagram as of November 2015. Also in 2015, Dehler made the cover of Odyssey Magazine and played Mr. Coconuts on the Ellen Degeneres Show.

Steven Edward Dehler was born in Simi Valley. He is one of two children, with an older brother. While in elementary school, Dehler was the victim of bullying, where they would call him "Steven Gayler".

Dehler began his career working in West Hollywood. Originally he was a server in a small bar, then moved to doing bottle service at a club called Eleven. After winning a hot body contest at another club in West Hollywood, he was asked by a go-go dancer bookers saw Dehler and asked him to dance. After dancing at many locations around the area, by 2012 Dehler was dancing exclusively for The Abbey.

Dehler began his modeling career with Timoteo, an underwear and swimwear line. Along with Timoteo, he has also modeled for Marcuse, Freedom Reigns, and Marco Marco Underwear. Most prominently, Dehler has modeled for male underwear company Andrew Christian. One of the shoots he did involved a commercial called Freshman Car Wash, which also offered an unrated version online. Another was "Lick", which was shot with then-boyfriend (and fellow model) Montana Volby.

Well-known in the West Hollywood gay scene, Dehler is sometimes the subject of gossip columns

2009 – on the campus of Cornell University, a group of roughly 20 students lined up to hold a colorful banner that read "QUEER KISSIN' ... in progress" and then proceeded have a queer kiss-in. Direct Action to Stop Heterosexism sponsored the event, according to kiss-in participant Ashley McGovern. She explained that heterosexism is "kind of like homophobia except heterosexism has to do with all facets of society."

DASH didn't necessarily have sweeping or profound aims for the kiss-in, according to McGovern. "It was just supposed to be a fun action before Valentine's Day, it wasn't really a protest, it was more of a visibility thing ... just letting people know people are queer on campus and not afraid to be affectionate ... that was the goal — visibility and having fun," McGovern said.

Meanwhile at the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado, the Dalton Trumbo Fountain outside the University Memorial Center was the site of a mass make-out session titled "Make Out Stake Out." The "flash mob" of student couples of varying sexual orientations suddenly appeared at the fountain square, made out for two minutes — and then dispersed. "We're trying to remove the stigma that surrounds same-sex affection in public and, more importantly, the misconception that if you are queer and you are expressing affection in public that you are rubbing it in people's faces," junior Spencer Watson said.

[bodyhorrorbeatdown]

Body Horror Beatdown Match 3, Round 1

Vote for your favorite:

Propaganda under the cut.

Tetsuo:

"majorly influential japanese cyberpunk body horror with a subtextually queer bent"

"A classic of Japanese horror cinema. It is, like all the best art, nearly incomprehensible. Shot in black and white, a man, for reasons never made clear, begins to sprout machinery and mechanisms, he meets a woman suffering from a similar condition, and it just gets weirder and creepier from there."

"Tetsuo is such a classic and iconic body horror movie that is so delightfully horrible, uncomfortable, and strange, and centers around rust meeting metal meeting flesh. there's so much artistry in all the effects and costuming which are absolutely dizzying. also the soundtrack rules and it was even homoerotic."

The Blob:

Now, terror has no shape.

"It just has some really good scenes and fun practical effects! It also works well as a remake of the original. Almost, if not all, of the blob scenes in the old movie are reworked for this one! And honestly, it's some rly good twists on them Some notable body horror moments would be: 1.Girl's face imploding, and the blob shooting out of it 2. Blob lands on top of a guy. His girlfriend goes to pull him out by the arm, but his arm is instead dissolved off 3. Idk if this counts, but it is my favorite scene, guy gets dragged down sink drain by blob 4. Man is basically reduced to skin and a face spread across a ceiling. His face is still writhing as if in pain"

[ufonaut]

WELCOME TO THE FOURTH ANNUAL COMIX OF THE YEAR EXTRAVAGANZA!

I've grown very fond of this little tradition we've started here, and it's nice to get a chance to showcase all the books I've read and loved and could shout about from the rooftops. This year I've read 140 completed series out of a total of 474 over all completed series (as always, that's not counting single issues or current ongoings!) and I've come to expand my physical collection to 735 issues -- that's more than any previous year!

It's been a really great year, from getting to see my first article published in print and getting to write a couple dream articles for a magazine that's meant the world to me to getting to visit Graceland & Memphis with some of my best friends in the universe and then getting another two weeks with my beloved best buddy @slaapkat right here in London! I also feel like I've gotten more into the local comics scene and grown more confident as the true real fanboy I am.

The JSA's renaissance also remains a miracle to me and the definitie highlight of these past two years. Without further ado, here's this year's favourites:

Justice Society of America (2022) #8 In a November 2022 interview, Geoff Johns said: "to me, he's the most iconic character in the Justice Society of America. […] To me, Alan Scott is the main character." Right then and there, I knew we were in good hands. I have loved this series from day one and I still love it like nothing else in the world but this particular story might be the best single issue I've read this year -- it feels like coming home, it feels like the first time we've seen the real Alan Scott in so long. There's something very special about the few occasions team books have allowed a spotlight to shine on Alan alone, more so when he's found himself the heart of the story. This issue with its gorgeous art and picture-perfect characterisation feels like just the thing I've spent so long searching for.

Slam-Bang Comics (1940) It's hard to explain how the funniest comic you've ever read is a wildly obscure Fawcett publication that lasted six issues in 1940, but that's precisely what the Diamond Jack stories in Slam-Bang Comics are to me. Diamond Jack is early absurdist comedy, Diamond Jack is a case study in what made the Golden Age sincerely and genuinely the medium's best era -- its endless room for innovation, the lawless approach of creators building a new art form from the ground up. On the first page of his first appearance, we learn Diamond Jack was given a miraculous gem by an "old magician": this is all we ever learn of our hero. In the third panel of that same page, he dares a pair of robbers to shoot him. It only gets better from there.

Enigma (1993) An eight-issue miniseries about an ordinary guy whose favorite 1970s obscure comic book character seemingly comes to life with all that implies and in the process of investigating this bizarre series of events with the help of the original series' writer, he also comes to terms with his sexuality as a gay man. It's the single most compelling, complex, meaningful book I've ever read. It's also the very first explicitly gay mainstream comic, and it might as well be the only one for its radical no holds barred approach to sexuality (on-screen gay sex included, a complete rarity in this era of sanitized intimacy).

A Contract with God (1978) Widely acknowledged as the world's first graphic novel, Will Eisner's classic anthology certainly lives up to the immensity of its legacy. As the man himself writes in the introduction to the 2000 edition, "I realize I was really only working around one core concept – that the medium was an art form in itself. Unique, with a structure and gestalt all its own, this medium could deal with meaningful themes. Certainly there was more for the cartoonist working in this technique to deal with than superheroes who were preventing the destruction of Earth by supervillains." Four stand-alone tales make up the book, all following Jewish characters living in the same New York tenement in the 1930s, all based on Eisner's childhood recollections and impressions. I remember crying, really crying, at that first story and then laughing uproariously at the next and so on. There's really no way to express just how special this book is without reading it for yourself.

Seven Miles a Second (1996) Published posthumously, Seven Miles a Second is David Wojnarowicz's autobiographical graphic novel detailing the last years of his life before his AIDS-related death. It's urgent, angry, hard-hitting, bleak, and a sincere mandatory read for any gay person interested in our history. It made me sob like few things have. In the here and now, it's surreal to think that DC Comics had published this in the mid-1990s under its Vertigo imprint -- it's often surreal to me that we used to have genuinely daring gay comics published by one of the 'big two', and we've been left with less than a shadow of comic books' former self. Still, the few we have are some of the most significant to have ever graced the medium.

Catwoman: Selina's Big Score (2002) This is a funny one. I'm not a library-goer but while wasting time at the library down the street early this year, I ran into this big collection of all of Darwyn Cooke's Batman stories -- they're great, they're always great because Darwyn himself was a giant of the industry, but Selina's Big Score was one I hadn't read before and it's ended up being something of a life-changing chance encounter for yours truly. Something about this little book utterly changed the way I look at Selina Kyle as a character. I'm a big crime fiction buff, there's no denying that, but it's the subtext that makes the book; the exploration of the cold, hard, mean way Selina navigates the limitations imposed by her gender and social class. It's something else, it's really something else.

Parker (2009) And speaking of cold, hard, mean things. Darwyn Cooke's Parker is something of a package deal with the above, Selina's man friday in Big Score is named Stark and undoubtedly based on Richard Stark's Parker. That's how I got here, but I certainly never left. Months and months later, Parker's still on my mind as one of the most compelling characters I've ever encountered and one of the most beautiful, right-up-my-alley series in existence. Darwyn's four graphic novel adaptations are masterpieces in their own right and I cannot recommend them enough to anyone who's willing to listen but I'm also forever grateful that they've introduced me to my ongoing obsession with Stark's actual novels -- one of the few pieces of fiction I've been genuinely blown away by in recent times. "Rough, macho stuff but tight and exciting, too" is what a blurb on the back of one of the books says and I couldn't agree more, and I can't say I've ever found anything else so uniquely suited to all my interests.

Stargirl: The Lost Children (2022) I'm not the biggest fan of sidekicks or original characters, or children. Yet, somehow, this series won me over in a heartbeat. Geoff Johns has a truly uncanny ability to make a new character feel like they've been here for decades; in this particular case, the so-called Lost Children mix so well with actual Golden Age characters that their introduction betrays nothing except a genuine passion for and knowledge of 1940s comics. Geoff's work has been some of the best of the modern era for a long while now but this one's really a beautiful and beautifully self-contained little story hitting some great emotional beats.

I Die at Midnight (2000) On New Year's Eve 1999, a man decides to kill himself by swallowing too many pills after a bad breakup. Immediately afterwards, his ex decides she wants to reconcile and he's sent into a mad-dash attempt to save himself without her finding out about his impending death. Misunderstandings, frustrations, lies and hare-brained schemes ensue. It might not sound like the makings of a comedy but I Die at Midnight ranks up there with the funniest books I've ever read, I've spent this last year making my way through all of Kyle Baker's DC work and it's certainly tough to choose a favourite but there's simply no other book that captures his delightfully offbeat humour quite like this one.

Silverblade (1987) One thing's clear: 1987 was a magical year for DC Comics. I don't think there's a single year in the industry's entire history that's produced more hits or better books. Silverblade's a special one though, it's the Sunset Boulevard of comics. If there's anything I love half as much as crime fiction, it's anything dealing with Old Hollywood, throw in a heavy dose of gaycoding and it's the book for me. I read this one very early in the year but it left a lasting impression and I've definitely come to consider it something of an all-time favorite.

SPECIAL MENTION:

Flashpoint (2011)

Blackest Night (2009)

Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan (2012)

Face (1995)

Jay Garrick: The Flash (2023)

A History of Violence (1997)

Batman: Death and the Maidens (2004)

You Are Here (1999)

Stuck Rubber Baby (1995)

V for Vendetta (1988)