#last year was weird vol 2

[reckonslepoisson]

Last Year Was Weird Vol. 1 (2018), Last Year Was Weird Vol. 2 (2020), Last Year Was Weird Vol. 3 (2021), Tkay Maidza

The Last Year Was Weird trilogy amounts, as a whole, to Tkay Maidza’s most impressive artistic statement thus far. The first instalment arguably showed the most stylistic growth, varying up the hip house of her earlier releases with bits of dub and catchier pop rap; the second perfected the hooks and showed an inclination towards noisier and more experimental beat-making, while the third was somewhat more comfortable but certainly still punchy and soulful.

Pick(s): ‘Big Things’, ‘Grasshopper’, ‘Cashmere’

[adkawariatka]

Part 5 friendship expert

Lately, Damian thinks a lot about strays: dogs, cats, birds, humans.... What is a synonim of someone homeless if not a stray. If you can adopt stray kitten or puppy why not a human? Father did that with Todd and it tured out well... at last to the moment until he died. But Danny is alive and he is not claimed by anyone. Grayson would call it "dibs". On top of that Damian already considers Danny his, and what belongs to him stays his forever that's what Grandfather taught him. He has no idea if its proper thinking for "normal" civilians but he feels that it's right in his situation. Danny is alone, malnourished and without proper roof over his head. Even if he never said it out loud he knows that he is homeless, lack of food, clothes and any kind of supervision from adults indicate that. The fact that he wears almost only old clothes of Drake, that he brought for him, speak volumes about his material situaton. Damian reguraly tries to implement Drakes advice and invites Danny for dinner over and over. He always gets refusal but Damian is many things but surrerending. Apart from that Danny is also just scared. He knows how someone terrified looks like and Danny's persistend controls of his surrourandings speaks volume about his past experiences. There is also the way he moves... like cat that is ready for an atack at every moment...it remainds him greatly of how Waynes move.... like fighters.

Damian is 10 years old knows little about social skills but he can easly recognise a warior and the overcoming fear in Dannys eyes every time he sees someone dressed in white. He will get to the bottom of it but slowly and gradually. Damian is not going to spook away his first and only friend.

okay that it for today I had a plan for more but I got carried away in feelings. this one is shorter because tumbler told me that I used too many words. it is actually still part 4 but I decided that posting Part 4 vol 2 would be weird. Next part we will come back to the action. it kind of turned out to be a little bit of a filler but I really wanted to include Damian's and Danny's perspectives. beside I am a sucker for possessive-over-his-family Damian so here he is

[schadentekkers]

~ CHRIS & DREW MASTERPOST ~

putting together a list of matches available online featuring chris and drew either teaming together or against each other bc i have no life! and also for my fellow chrisdrew heads bc we gotta stick together.

some of these links will be behind a paywall, but i will try my best to find options that are not!! they'll be in order of year and organized by promotion. i have not been able to find any of their matches pre-2017, but i will continue my search until the day i die.

LUCHA FOREVER - the dawning of forever -> cck + chief deputy dunne vs. drew, bea priestley, + el ligero (2:15:00 timestamp)

ATTACK PRO WRESTLING - damplified -> cck vs. drew and shax

dear maria tag me in -> chris and pete dunne vs. drew and elijah

lifestyles of the weird and the wonderful -> chris vs. drew

nonstop feeling (pressure to succeed) -> chris, chief deputy dunne + wild boar vs. drew, lk mezinger + mike bird

live at the dome 3 -> chris vs. drew

**unfortunately, most attack pro shows are not available anywhere else other than the linked site, as far as i've found. the good thing is, the sub price isn't too steep, however they don't have all of their shows available, so some chris&drew matches are missing :(

PWC - the chaos element -> chris vs. drew (1:22:00 timestamp)

PROGRESS - chapter 82: unboxing day -> chris vs. drew, no dq (1:20:35 timestamp)

IPW - tuesday night graps forever -> cck + (inflatable) pete dunne vs. drew, el phantasmo, + the invisible man (45:30 timestamp) also with aussie open on comms. a good time

DDT - summer vacation 2020 -> chris + drew vs. damnation (57:40 timestamp)

get alive 2020 -> chris vs. drew, no dq for the universal title (1:34:20 timestamp)

who's gonna top? 2020 -> chris + drew vs. yuki ueno + naomi yoshimura (1:02:25 timestamp)

d-oh grand prix 2021 in ota-ku - chris + drew vs. mao + shunma (1:30:20 timestamp)

super encounter #1 - chris + drew vs. mao + shunma streetfight

super encounter #6 - chris + drew vs. mao + shunma vs. saki akai + hagane shinno

judgement 2023 -> chris, drew + hagane shinno vs. damnation t.a (2:40:30 timestamp)

BJW - 12.30.2021 -> chris + drew vs. astronauts (1:31:40 timestamp)

only the young -> chris + drew vs. kota sekifudo + yuya aoki (8:46 timestamp)

2 young 2 die -> chris + drew vs. isami kodaka + yuko miyamoto

front row -> chris + drew vs. kankuro hoshino + akira hyodo

young man standing -> chris + drew vs. kota sekisada & mitsuru takeda

ten minutes -> chris + drew vs. daisuke sekimoto & yuya aoki

**sadly the last half of the bjw shows i'm unable to find anywhere other than the bjw core website which is behind a paywall

GAKE NO FUCHI JOSHI - it's summer isn't it? -> drew + rina yamashita vs. chris + miyako matsumoto

clockwork -> chris vs. suzu suzuki (this is a chris match, but drew is his second and he does get involved in the hijinks)

snow white -> chris vs. miyako matsumoto (drew as chris' second again getting involved in the wonderful nonsense that is this match)

happy death day -> chris, drew + veny vs. miyako matsumoto, rina yamashita, + jun kasai (1:32:40 timestamp)

GANBARE PRO - kocho ranbo -> chris, drew + miyako matsumoto vs. veny, hagane shinno, + shinichiro tominaga (51:50 timestamp)

GATOH MOVE - chocopro # 179 -> chris + drew vs. baliyan akki + yuna mizumori

BAKA GAIJIN - vol. 1 -> chris vs. drew / chris + masa vs. drew + mao (1:01:30 timestamp)

vol. 4 -> chris + masa vs. drew + rina (1:10:40 timestamp)

i am also going to link this podcast that they did so everyone can mourn with me the fact that they only did one episode </3

AND that is the end of the list, for now! yay yippee! please enjoy

[sprintingowl]

The Definitive Sprinting Owl Vol. 1

So I publish a ttrpg a week.

Most of them are short. Some are longer. This one's 665 pages.

The Definitive Sprinting Owl Vol. 1 is a collection of games from the last three years that haven't had a print version yet.

Most titles in it are between 1--30 pages, and they range from weird concept games to dice bowling to full on dungeon crawlers.

At least one strip ttrpg is included, as is a sober meditation on communities and war.

All of the titles in this collection are available via their own links on my itchio page, and the collection itself has an option for free downloads (just click Community Copies if it's not in your budget.)

In unrelated news, this thing was an absolute bear to compile. Hopefully I will have forgotten the 90+ hours it took by 2026, when I work on the Definitive Sprinting Owl Vol. 2.

[mahoushojounightmares]

Teen Titans Masterpost And Reading Guide -

This is mostly a passion project of mine about my favourite team in DC Comics The Titans ! The general consensus I have seen on this website is that their history is confusing and people don’t know where to start so …. This guide includes ALL ( worthwhile ) pieces of Titans Media .

Ok so this is heavily inspired by @bitimdrake ‘s guide so check that one too !

Just to preface this is all my opinion and you can really start wherever you feel like it if you want to ! Sound Good 👍🏻 Good

TEEN TITANS

Ok so before you begin the og TT series you should read

- Brave and The Bold ( 1955) #54 and #60 if you want to read right from the start chronologically!

The Original Team of the TEEN TITANS was a series that ran through the 60s beginning in 1966 - 1973 and having a comeback in 1976 .

The OG series consisted mostly Robin Wonder Girl Kid Flash and Aqualad with many a cameo from other teens.

You can either read the OG Series but its completely optional it’s pretty outdated and silly but it’s a fun ride even then . In my opinion its best to leave for after you have been endeared to the characters .

If you really enjoy the Silver Age Teen Titans there’s also Showcase #59 before Roy joins and a story in the 80 page Flash Giant ! And after reading issue #20 you can also read #83 of Brave and The Bold.

After #31 theres TBANB #94 and after #34 theres World Finest Comics #205 ( read at your own discretion - totally optional)

Aswell as BANTB #102 and #149

And the utterly delightful Teen Titans lost annual & A story ( worlds oldest teenagers ) in the 80 page Flash giant.

All optional ( they get really weird)

Alternatively just read TEEN TITANS : YEAR ONE .

Some Issues I recommend from the OG Series

- #1 #2 #12 #53 ( last issue )

\ The series continues on from 1966-1976 \

NEW TEEN TITANS

NTT is arguably the seminal run and its best an absolute mustread . ( at it’s worst ….)

- DC PRESENTS #26 ( totally optional)

- THE NEW TEEN TITANS Vol.1

#1-40

- BEST OF DC #18 ( optional again.)

- Tales of The New Teen Titans ( miniseries #1-4 included in the NTT Omnis)

- read the 1st annual after issue #25

- By Issue 40 the series rebrands To TALES Of TEEN TITANS

This continues on from issues #41 to #58 it runs alongside NTT VOL.2 but is set 6 months before .

Read annual 3 as Part of Judas Contract !

- NEW TEEN TITANS VOL.2

#1-49

- TT Spotlight Miniseries !! ( SO GOOD SERIOUSLY)

- There’s also a drug awareness special at some point ( it’s its …. Certainly something)

NEW TITANS

By this point they remembered that “hey these guys aren’t teens anymore ” and thus renamed it to NEW TITANS . This series started off well enough and quickly devolved into arguably one of the worst runs EVER.

New Titans #81 is part of War Of The Gods and Annual 7 is part of Armageddon 2001 ( don’t bother ) annual 8 is part OF YET ANOTHER EVENT . Again don’t bother .

It’s pretty much highly recommend giving it up at #70 regardless .

-THE NEW TITANS

#50 - 100

ECTERA -

- running alongside NEW TITANS by 1992 was TEAM TITANS a series so awful I cannot recommend to you in clear conscience but if your a completetionist ( trust me I get it ) It’s there and Donna shows up alot !

- TITANS SELLOUT SPECIAL (1992)

NEW TITANS : MELTDOWN

The last decaying remains of NT walks on like a zombie on acid but by #100 all of the NTT crew is gone ( well most Mirage Donna as a Darkstar ect ) and leave to be replaced by an all new government sponsored Titans team lead by Roy .

- NEW TITANS

#0 / ZERO HOUR don’t worry about it/- 130

( IF YOU WANT CONTINUITY FOR KORI Showcase ‘94 #11 )

NT end’s with a whole 11 annuals

Ok so I am aware that they aren’t strictly Titans series BUT PLEASE TAKE a minute to read

The Arsenal Special!! Its a short single issue and BRILLIANT !! It informs a-lot of his character later on as well as of course the actual Arsenal Miniseries.

ALSO THE TEMPEST (1996) a absolute must read also informs basically everything about Garth and arguably his best story ever … just take a minute and read these if you want !! Before the Titans (1999)

TEEN TITANS (1996)

Ok so in the 90’s DC decided to start the TT from scratch ( huh see how long this’ll last )

This all new team was comprised of 4 half alien teens and a freshly deaged Atom. It didn’t last very long and while I am fond of it AGAIN you don’t HAVE TO read it

TEEN TITANS (1996)

#1-24

Also a few specials ! And 1 annual

Titans Beat #1

Impulse/Atom DoubleShot #1

Robin/Argent DoubleShot #1

Superboy/Risk DoubleShot #1

Supergirl/Prysm DoubleShot #1

New Year’s Evil : Dark Nemesis #1

JLA/TITANS : THE TECHNIS IMPERATIVE #1-3

Absolute MUST-READ . Literally one of my favourite comics of all time . Also essential because it kickstarts a certain run..

TITANS (1999)

One of If not the best run on Titans ( don’t @ me ) It slowly loses momentum after #26 but I still generally LOVED it . Stellar A++ Titans content !!

( you can also read the Beast Boy #1-4 miniseries prequel . But uh unless you really love Bette it’s not worth it )

TITANS (1999)

#1-50

Also TITANS Secret Files and Origins !!! ( ♥️♥️♥️ )

After #14 you can read Titans/Legion Of SuperHeroes : Universe Ablaze (2000) crossover as well as #1-4 - Silver Age Teen Titans (2000) #1

YOUNG JUSTICE

OK OK NOW IK THIS ISNT A TITANS OR TT RUN but this gen WILL eventually become TT 2003 ( 😒 ) and honestly ……

READ YJ 1998

It’s GREAT.

YJ/TITANS : GRADUATION DAY

Oh brother. Ok so I am pretty salty about this whole comic but it’s essential and has some good moments soo yeah read Graduation Day .

OUTSIDERS/TT SECRET FILES AND ORIGINS ♥️☝️ please read this after Graduation Day It’s heartbreaking and I love it !

TEEN TITANS 2003 - ( until OYL )

After the unfortunate events of graduation day the aforementioned YJ Gen ( - Anita and Greta 😞) and the OG NTT Crew ( Vic Kory Deaged Raven ) join to become …..

TEEN TITANS ( 2003)

( I have mixed opinions on this run some think it a masterpiece some think it awful I generally think it’s…. Fine ? Well “sigh” not fine but give it a go I guess ) I recommend #2-26

- #1-33

After #33 OYL hits

OUTSIDERS 2003 - ( until OYL )

Ok so this run isn’t really…. A titans run but it has fantastic Roy and Dick characterisation and KORY JOINS LATER AND SO TECHNICALLY-

#1-33

Read Annual 1 before #46

Don’t bother after #

POST - OYL TT 2003

Ok so I basically consider post OYL TT ‘03 to be a totally different team because… well it is . All of the NTT crew leave and are replaced by a handful of cameos and eventually like Rose Wilson and Kid Devil and because at this point half of the YJ gen is well…dead . It was pretty awful at this point though I find the character interactions endearing. This series remains like that until N52 .

They have crossovers with Red Robin aswell as Wonder Girl Vol.2

#33-100

OUTSIDERS/TT 2003 ECTERA

- DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES READ TERROR TITANS . Unless you really love Rose..( like me..)

- RETURN OF DONNA TROY ♥️♥️♥️ !!!! Excellent MUST READ !!!!

- TEEN TITANS : COLD CASE - seriously don’t read this if you don’t have too .

- TEEN TITANS : Spotlight on Wondergirl - awful . Seeing a pattern ?

THEN - TITANS EAST SPECIAL !!

DC SPECIAL CYBORG #1-6 ( optional)

TITANS (2008)

After all the bullshit THEY ARE BACK TOGETHER AGAIN YAY !!!! To bad there’s so much shit going on OUTSIDE of the Titans that ends up fucking over the characters. E.G Bruce dying so Dick has to go be Batman and …. Hell . Fucking Rise Of Arsenal. If you know what happens in that book well yk that Roy ends up relapsing and going down a much darker mindset .

Series swings between being really good and being a mischaracterising MESS.

TITANS ( 2008 )

#1-23

By Titans #12 the Deathtrap crossover starts it goes like this

TITANS #12

Vigilante #5

Teen Titans #70

TITANS #13

Vigilante #6

But Amanda why did you put it’s end at 23 when Ik for a fact that goes on for #38 issues ????

Oh boy .

Titans : Villains For Hire Special #1 before #24

TITANS ( 2008 ) : VILLAINS FOR HIRE

So at issue 23 DC had the genius idea of taking the Titans and …. Turning them into a mercenary and hitman group lead by Deathstroke himself ( why ? I wish I fucking knew.) Filled out with hitman and villains and …. Roy who was now really dark and #edgy . Whatever It was bad and a wannabe secret six .

#23-38

However they’re was almost light at the end of the tunnel …. Jericho ( Joey Wilson yes he IS ALIVE ) seemed to have plans to assemble a new TITANS team and reunite their family and Roy well it seemed he was on a path to redemption he was almost there close to moving to recovery and healing and he could do it with—

N52 . POST FLASHPOINT TITANS.

The N52 was bad isnt a particularly outrageous statement but IT WAS EXTREMELY fucking bad in relation to the Titans . Bluntly put None of it ever happened and the only titans ( TEEN TITANS ACTUALLY) that had ever existed were the TT2003 guys . Just them. Fab Five never existed. NTT never existed.And all of the other og TT guys were …… WALLY never existed. Donna was a one note villain Garth never existed Dick was …. There I guess.. ROY was a dumbed down alcoholic with no purpose other than to gawk at how cool and oh and ahh at Jason Todd . ( KORY …… truly just awful what happened to her )

You can read the TEEN TITANS N52 . I guess .

They have 2 series . Read at your own peril they’re better if you pretend that the characters aren’t supposed to be … like the characters that they are . ( scott lobbell shouldn’t of been allowed to touch a pen )

REBIRTH

- TITANS HUNT ! - WALLY IS BACK

-TITANS VOL.3 is exactly what I wanted in the first half and then falls on it’s ass and burns like a trash fire . recommend stopping at #20

TITANS VOL. 3

#1-40

Justice League : No Justice- happens around this time and it was trying to create a new status quo ( uh-huh DC AGAIN ..) soo

Teen Titans Special #1 before

TEEN TITANS VOL.3

( also as your reading this read #54-55 for context in TT #27 )

“Yeah sure put the 11 year old in charge ”

Do not read this comic . And if you do ? THAT IS NOT DAMIAN . The series starts with Damian leading alot of the OG NTT guys like Kory and Vic + Ace and then it later just becomes Damian + Emiko + Ace and a couple other guys like Crush .

Drowned Earth happens ( not important) but it happens at #28 . And they have a crossover with Deathstroke in

TEEN TITANS / DEATHSTROKE : Terminus Agenda ( it’s vol ) optional though

But

- TITANS : Burning Rage

Slots in at this point so !!

A more obscure pick but no half bad

- #1-7

- Titans Academy

Haven’t actually read this one . Art looks gorgeous though

AND …

It leads too

- TITANS United

And

- TITANS : BLOODPACT

I love both of these Bloodpact in particular and it gives me Dickkory back aswell !! Good story and stellar art !!

NIGHTWING #100 - 104 to explain what is going on in …

- TITANS BY TOM TAYLOR ( Ongoing )

Also BEAST WORLD I guess 🤷‍♀️

Mid at BEST . #1-4

- Tales Of The Titans

A miniseries but so far the best Titans content we have gotten IN A WHILE . ♥️ ( sorta )

#1-4

ECTERA -

- NTT GAMES !

Fantastic and stellar art an standalone (?) dubiously canon graphic novel by Marv Wolfman and George Perez !

- TITANS AND NTT CONVERGENCE

- worthwhile and exactly what’s on the tin ! Love these gave a happy ending to the Post Crisis universe !

- Teen Titans WORLDS FINEST

- wonderful art by Dan Mora . Story is fine

- DC PRESENTS THE UNCANNY X-MEN AND NTT CROSSOVER.

SOOOOO GOOODD

- TITANS : Paper Scissors Stone

Okok elseworlds Titans book but I remember liked it !

OTHER MEDIA -

- TEEN TITANS ( 2003 THE TV SHOW )

A solid adaptation of … most of the characters please don’t go into this show and come out expecting the same from the comics . Did a lot of good for Terra’s character and influences ALOT of public perception. Just … don’t be annoying about the comics after watching this .

- TEEN TITANS GO

YES IK IK BUT ITS AN ADAPTATION AS WELL DONT JUMP ME

- TITANS ( TV SHOW)

….I wouldn’t recommend this show too anyone EXCEPT Titans fans who want more content of the team it’s it’s an experience. ( FUCK YOU FOR DOING THAT TO DONNA )

SO YEAH . Feel free to question me if I have forgotten any I don’t have spectacular memory lol

Happy reading ! !

[frostfire-17]

What is cuneiform?

@ipsomaniac asked if I could explain the cuneiform system, and so I am going to give it a shot. Here goes! (Update: it got long! But there's pictures!)

Part I: What does it look like? How do we work with it?

This is the cuneiform script:

This is a first-millennium BC text of Sargon II, in Akkadian (specifically Neo-Assyrian). My user icon is a much older Sumerian text. In a second we'll see some Hittite. Just like the Latin script is used for English, French, Turkish, and many other languages today, the cuneiform script was used for lots of languages in the ancient world. It changed a bit over three thousand years of constant use, but it remains pretty recognizable because of the wedges. "Cuneiform" is just Latin for "wedge-shaped," because scholars love giving things banal names and then translating them into Latin or Greek so no one can tell.

This is a Hittite tablet:

This particular tablet is part of the royal funerary ritual (which has many many MANY tablets, many of which are way more broken than this one, and/or missing entirely). It's been pieced together from lots of fragments, all excavated separately. (You can see their excavation numbers written on the fragments, e.g. 39/c.) It's written on clay, like most of their texts were. This is a pretty good amount of preservation for a tablet this size - many are more fragmentary. I wish the picture were better, but tablets are not catalogued by how good the pictures are and it would have taken a million years to find a really hi-res one suitable for our purposes.

You can see that each symbol is made up of a bunch of wedges. These were pressed into the clay with a stylus while it was still wet. If you look closely, you can also spot spaces between words (more obvious at the end of a paragraph).

Here's a little slice of our tablet:

And here's a drawing of that same little slice. This is how scholars usually interact with texts on a day-to-day basis, because taking readable photos of tablets is difficult and going to see the tablets is more difficult. Drawings are made by experts in the presence of the tablets and published so that everyone can look at them.

Here the scholar who did this drawing (published in Keilschrifturkunden aus Boghazköi vol. 39, text no. 4) was working with only some of the fragments, and so has written in the transliteration of the left half, which they weren't copying. So you can see how each cuneiform sign corresponds to a written syllable, sometimes in lowercase, sometimes in all caps, and sometimes in superscript.

What does all this mean? How does it work? Okay. Cuneiform is a really difficult and frustrating writing system to read, for a few reasons. 1) It grew organically from a time before writing existed, so people were just kind of slowly figuring out how to use pictures to represent words; 2) it lasted for thousands of years, so there were all sorts of innovations tacked on without necessarily jettisoning any of the old stuff; and 3) it was borrowed through quite a few languages, almost none of which were related to one another, so it had to twist around and adapt to totally different sounds and word structures. So it's weird! And hard to learn, especially for us, because we are not native speakers of any of the languages that used it, and also we're not a single person existing in a snapshot of time, where cuneiform had a specific form and iteration - we're looking at its whole span of three thousand years.

THAT SAID. I can explain some stuff about it and how it worked! Here goes!

Part 2: How does it work as a writing system?

We start with a picture. Let's use a star. Like this: 𒀭

Or this:

(this is a student text copying the star sign over and over - ignore the leftmost column. I got it from this excellent thread here)

This is the cuneiform sign for the sky, or for a god. In Sumerian, the language that first used cuneiform, the word for "sky" is AN. The word for "god" is DINGIR. So this sign could be pronounced either AN, and mean sky, or DINGIR, and mean god. This sort of usage is called "logographic" - a sign equals a word. It started as just a picture of a star, and came to mean a couple of things associated with the stars.

Eventually, there reaches a point where it doesn't just only mean the word "sky," it also means the syllable "an." That is, you could use it to represent a part of a word, or a grammatical element, that was pronounced "an." (E.g., ma-ah-ha-an: mahhan, which is a Hittite word that means "when," and which is written with four signs, including our an.) This is called the rebus principle: like a rebus puzzle, a picture of an eye can also mean "I" because they sound the same. This usage supplements the logograms rather than replacing them: you could still use "an" to mean "sky." You know which usage is in play based on context. (Or at this stage, maybe you don't. Sumerian is real hard and we don't understand it perfectly.)

You can also use signs a third way, which is designed to make reading easier: as what's called a "determinative." A determinative tells you what type of thing a word is. So if you use the star symbol as a determinative, it comes before a word and indicates that upcoming is a god's name. It's not pronounced when it's used like that. Other determinatives include: male and female markers, plural markers, markers to indicate what something is made of, what kind of animal it is, etc.

So any sign you see could potentially be a word (logogram), a sound (syllable), or a soundless classifier (determinative). In practice, only some signs take on all three of these functions.

When we transcribe signs now, we write them in Latin script based on which function they're serving. That's why, in the above Hittite texts, some of the signs were written in all-caps (for logograms), some of them in lowercase (for syllables), and some of them in superscript (for determinatives).

So then Akkadian borrows the system. They like to spell words out a lot more than the Sumerians do, so more and more signs are used primarily for their syllables, rather than their meaning. The signs also take on more syllabic meanings, because Akkadian has different words behind the logograms, and also has different sounds than Sumerian. A lot of signs end up doing double, triple or even-more-ple duty (e.g. the sign for "ag" can also be read "ak" or "aq" in an Akkadian text). Once again, you know how to read a sign from context, and in Akkadian you usually actually do know, because Akkadian is a Semitic language rather than an isolate like Sumerian, so we understand it way, way better.

Akkadian keeps using the symbols as logograms, though, too. Sometimes they'll spell out a word, but sometimes they'll just use the logographic symbol for it - like how sometimes we write out "two," and sometimes just write "2". Sometimes there are full Sumerian words or combinations of words that have become logograms: that is, they're not loanwords. They're not pronounced in Sumerian. They're written as a symbol (like 2), and the Akkadian word would be pronounced underneath (like "two.") The Akkadians also keep using determinatives.

At this point, most signs at least have a logographic value and a few syllabic values. Also (to make it extra difficult) plenty of syllables have a couple of different signs that could be used to represent them. In total there's a bit over a thousand cuneiform signs, incidentally, but usually only a few hundred were in use at any given time and place.

Then Hittite borrows it! They actually overall reduce the number of signs used, and the number of signs doing double duty, so it's generally simpler to read. Hittite's sound system is totally different from Akkadian's, though - which is totally different from Sumerian's - so they do some weird stuff with which signs represent which sounds. (The result of this is that our understanding of Hittite phonetics is somewhat imperfect.) They do use a ton of logograms whenever they're talking about physical objects, especially ritual offerings. Ritual texts are A PAIN IN THE ASS to read because they're full up with obscure logograms, and so you pore over a signlist trying to work out what the bonkers twelve-wedge sign you've never seen before is, and then when you finally find it you're like, "oh ANOTHER kind of bread. cool cool."

Part 3: Let's Read Hittite! (This is probably excessive.)

So finally, let's read some together! This is two lines from the Ten-Year Annals of Mursili II, an account of the first ten years of that king's reign. It's mostly conquering, but this bit is calmer.

(ANNOYINGLY, Tumblr will not do superscript, or I cannot make it anyway, so I will put determinatives in parentheses.)

nam-ma (URU)Ha-at-tu-ši ú-wa-nu-un nu (URU)Ha-at-tu-ši

gi-im-ma-an-da-ri-nu-un nu-za EZEN4.HI.A ŠA MU.6.KAM i-ya-nu-un

That's the text rendered sign-by-sign. Everything that is separated by a dash, a period, a space, or a parenthesis is a separate sign. Words are separated with spaces. Here's a more normalized rendition of the words (still with the logograms, though).

namma (URU)Hattusi uwanun nu (URU)Hattusi gimmandarinun nu=za EZEN4.HI.A ŠA MU.6.KAM iyanun

"Then I went to Hattusa, and I spent the winter in Hattusa and performed the festivals of the sixth year."

The ú in uwanun in the first line is written with an accent because there are several signs that can mean "u" and this is the second one. Similar for EZEN4: there's more than one sign for EZEN, and this is the fourth. Scholars always write logograms and determinatives in Sumerian, because that's where the meanings were fixed. URU, used before Hattusa, is both the determinative for "city" and the Sumerian word meaning the same. ŠA in the last line is italicized and capitalized because it's a logogram that comes from Akkadian: "ša" means "of" in Akkadian, and the Hittites used Akkadian words as logograms just like the Akkadians used Sumerian words.

Anyway, that's how cuneiform works! If you made it this far you're a hero! <3

[haikyuucollective]

Part 2/? - The "World" and His "Star"

Hi again! We're back with Akaashi and his lovely thoughts. Last time we left off on akaashis first encounter with Bokuto, and I'd like to pick up right where we left off.

After being starstruck by Bokuto, we see akaashi showing up to the Fukurodani volleyball team tryouts, showing wordlessly how he decided to choose Fukurodani between the two high schools he was pondering over attending. While his choice may have been partially influenced by the fact that he has received a scholarship from Fukurodani, it was obvious that even with that knowledge he had still been on the fence; however, seeing a certain someone on the court seemingly gave him that final push.

We see how Bokuto takes an immediate interest in Akaashi as well, most likely thanks to the fact that he mentions his position as a setter. Without hearing anything else, he jumps to ask Akaashi to help him practice, to which Akaashi agrees to. They seem to practice for hours* due to a panel directly showing the darkness outside of the gym. However, this fact doesn't seem to bother Bokuto, the thumping of the Mikasa balls slamming onto the ground highlighted.

*Akaashi is seen mopping the floors when Bokuto approaches him, implying that their practice had already ended as they were cleaning up. The sky is shown in the background as well, signifying it still being day. It goes to show that this practice was not during club hours at all, but rather it being extra work the two chose to do voluntarily for hours on end. These guys were practicing for a *while*.

I'd also like to remind everyone that Akaashi is a fresh first year! As stated earlier in the chapter, Akaashi isnt a player that particularly stands out. He also wasn't someone who was particularly motivated with volleyball either, unlike Bokuto here. This practice must've drained him to hell and back, especially since he was participating in it with Bokuto of all people.

And, of course, it did. We see poor Akaashi, hunched over and tired, quietly validating Bokuto while internally screaming. Also, Bokuto is still pronouncing his name wrong and I find that silly.

However, despite his about-to-pass-out composure, Akaashis mood visibly lighten when Bokuto compliments him.

Having his inner monologue more longer and advanced than what he actually speaks is an interesting characteristic of Akaashis. From the readers perspective Akaashi had always seemed more calm and slightly reserved, his face usually passive. Being able to read from his perspective and see what he's truly thinking opens doors for Akaashis character; we now know that he isn't just someone who's quiet, but he's moreso someone who is selective of what he says. When he gives his thanks to Bokuto, he's not simply saying thanks to be polite. He genuinely does thank Bokuto for his compliment.

Seemingly the day after their practice, or perhaps after multiple had already taken place, Komi and Konoha come by Akaashis classroom to inform him that he didn't have to play with Bokuto if he didn't want to.

However, Akaashi politely takes down their offer claiming that, "Its actually rather fun to practice with a star player"(furudate 331) to Konohas and Komis dismay. They even go so far as to ask if akaashi is "also a secret weirdo,"(furudate 331) which is hilarious.

The topic of Akaashi being a secret weirdo is actually(no suprise here) very interesting to me. This could be because it fits Akaashis character extremely well, with his cool exterior being the ultimate camouflage to hide his 'weirdness', although most likely not on purpose.

As I would love to continue writing, my eyes are drooping and I feel a power nap needing to clock in. Please stay tuned for the next part coming very soon!

P.S. sorry for no indents. Tumblr hates me

Citations

Furudate, Haruichi. "Haikyu!!" Shounen Jump, April 4th 2019, vol. 37 Chapter 331

[jeannereames]

I see you talk a lot about historiography! What would you consider the most important development of Alexander’s historiography?

What the Hell is Historiography? (And why you should care)

This question and the next one in the queue are both going to be fun for me. 😊

First, some quick definitions for those who are new to me and/or new to reading history:

Historiography = “the history of the histories” (E.g., examination of the sources themselves rather than the subject of them…a topic that typically incites yawns among undergrads but really fires up the rest of us, ha.)

primary sources = the evidence itself—can be texts, art, records, or material evidence. For ancient history, this specifically means the evidence from the time being studied.

secondary sources = writings by historians using the primary evidence, whether meant for a “regular” audience (non-specialists) or academic discussions with citations, footnotes, and bibliography (sometimes referred to as “full scholarly apparatus”).

For ancient history, we also sometimes get a weird middle category…they’re not modern sources but also not from the time under discussion, might even be from centuries after the fact. Consider the medieval Byzantine “encyclopedia” called the Suda (sometimes Suidas), which contains information from now lost ancient sources, finalized c. 900s CE. To give a comparison, imagine some historian a thousand years from now studying Geoffry Chaucer from the 1300s, using an entry about him in some kid’s 1975 World Book Encyclopedia that contains information that had been lost by his day.

This middle category is especially important for Alexander, since even our primary sources all date hundreds of years after his death. Yes, those writers had access to contemporary accounts, but they didn’t just “cut-and-paste.” They editorialized and selected from an array of accounts. Worse, they rarely tell us who they used. FIVE surviving primary Alexander histories remain, but he’s mentioned in a wide (and I do mean wide) array of other surviving texts. Alas this represents maybe a quarter of what was actually written about him in antiquity.

OKAY, so …

The most important historiographic changes in Alexander studies!

I’m going to pick three, or really two-and-a-half, as the last is an extension of the second.

FIRST …decentering Arrian as the “good” source as opposed to the so-called “vulgate” of Diodoros-Curtius-Justin as “bad” sources.

Many earlier Alexander historians (with a few important exceptions [Fritz Schachermeyr]) considered Arrian to be trustworthy, Plutarch moderately trustworthy if short, and the rest varying degrees of junk. W. W. Tarn was especially guilty of this. The prevalence of his view over Schachermeyr’s more negative one owed to his popularity/ease of reading, and the fact he wrote on Alexander for volume 6 of the first edition (1927) of the Cambridge Ancient History, later republished in two volumes with additions (largely in vol. 2) in 1948 and 1956. Thus, and despite being a lawyer (barrister) not a professional historian, his view dominated Alexander studies in the first half of the 20th century (Burn, Rose, etc.)…and even after. Both Mary Renault and Robin Lane Fox (neither of whom were/are professional historians either), as well as N. G. L. Hammond (with qualifications), show Tarn’s more romantic impact well into the middle of the second half of the 20th century. But you could find it in high school and college textbooks into the 1980s.

The first really big shift (especially in English) came with a pair of articles in 1958 by Ernst Badian: “The Eunuch Bagoas,” Classical Quarterly 8, and “Alexander the Great and the Unity of Mankind,” Historia 7. Both demolished Tarn’s historiography. I’ve talked about especially the first before, but it really WAS that monumental, and ushered in a more source-critical approach to Alexander studies. This also happened to coincide with a shift to a more negative portrait of the conqueror in work from the aforementioned Schachermeyr (reissuing his earlier biography in 1973 as Alexander der Grosse: Das Problem seiner Persönlichtenkeit und seines Wirkens) to Peter Green’s original Alexander of Macedon from Thames and Hudson in 1974, reissued in 1991 from Univ. of California-Berkeley. J. R. Hamilton’s 1973 Alexander the Great wasn’t as hostile, but A. B. Bosworth’s 1988 Conquest and Empire: The Reign of Alexander the Great turned back towards a more negative, or at least ambivalent portrait, and his Alexander in the East: The Tragedy of Triumph (1996) was highly critical. I note the latter two as Bosworth wrote the section on Alexander for the much-revised Cambridge Ancient History vol. 6, 1994, which really demonstrates how the narrative on Alexander had changed.

All this led to an unfortunate kick-back among Alexander fans who wanted their hero Alexander. They clung/still cling to Arrian (and Plutarch) as “good,” and the rest as varying degrees of bad. Some prefer Tarn’s view of the mighty conqueror/World unifier/Brotherhood-of-Mankind proponent, including that He Absolutely Could Not Have Been Queer. Conversely, others are all over the romance of him and Hephaistion, or Bagoas (often owing to Renault or Renault-via-Oliver Stone), but still like the squeaky-nice-chivalrous Alexander of Plutarch and Arrian.

They are very much still around. Quite a few of the former group freaked out over the recent Netflix thing, trotting out Plutarch (and Arrian) to Prove He Wasn’t Queer, and dismissing anything in, say, Curtius or Diodoros as “junk” history. But I also run into it on the other side, with those who get really caught up in all the romance and can’t stand the idea of a vicious Alexander.

It's not necessary to agree with Badian’s (or Green’s or Schachermeyr’s) highly negative Alexander to recognize the importance of looking at all the sources more carefully. Justin is unusually problematic, but each of the other four had a method, and a rationale. And weaknesses. Yes, even Arrian. Arrian clearly trusted Ptolemy to a degree Curtius didn’t. For both of them, it centered on the fact he was a king. I’m going to go with Curtius on this one, frankly.

Alexander is one of the most malleable famous figures in history. He’s portrayed more ways than you can shake a stick at—positive, negative, in-between—and used for political and moral messaging from even before his death in Babylon right up to modern Tik-Tok vids.

He might have been annoyed that Julius Caesar is better known than he is, in the West, but hands-down, he’s better known worldwide thanks to the Alexander Romance in its many permutations. And he, more than Caesar, gets replicated in other semi-mythical heroes. (Arthur, anybody?)

Alfred Heuss referred to him as a wineskin (or bottle)—schlauch, in German—into which subsequent generations poured their own ideas. (“Alexander  der  Große  und  die politische Ideologie  des Altertums,” Antike und Abendland 4, 1954.) If that might be overstating it a bit, he’s not wrong.

Who Alexander was thus depends heavily on who was (and is) writing about him.

And that’s why nuanced historiography with regard to the Alexander sources is so important. It’s also why there will never be a pop presentation that doesn’t infuriate at least a portion of his fanbase. That fanbase can’t agree on who he was because the sources that tell them about him couldn’t agree either.

SECOND …scholarship has moved away from an attempt to find the “real” Alexander towards understanding the stories inside our surviving histories and their themes. A biography of Alexander is next to impossible (although it doesn’t stop most of us from trying, ha). It’s more like a “search” for Alexander, and any decent history of his career will begin with the sources. And their problems.

This also extends to events. I find myself falling in the middle between some of my colleagues who genuinely believe we can get back to “what happened,” and those who sorta throw up their hands and settle on “what story the sources are telling us, and why.” Classic Libra. 😉

As frustrating as it may sound, I’m afraid “it depends” is the order of the day, or of the instance, at least. Some things are easier to get back to than others, and we must be ready to acknowledge that even things reported in several sources may not have happened at all. Or at least, were quite radically different from how it was later reported. (Thinking of proskynesis here.) Sometimes our sources are simply irreconcilable…and we should let them be. (Thinking of the Battle of Granikos here.)

THIRD/SECOND-AND-A-HALF …a growing awareness of just how much Roman-era attitudes overlay and muddy our sources, even those writing in Greek. It would be SO nice to have just one Hellenistic-era history. I’d even take Kleitarchos! But I’d love Marsyas, or Ptolemy. Why? Both were Macedonians. Even our surviving philhellenic authors such as Plutarch impose Greek readings and morals on Macedonian society.

So, let’s add Roman views on top of Greek views on top of Macedonian realities in a period of extremely fast mutation (Philip and Alexander both). What a muddle! In fact, one of the real advantages of a source such as Curtius is that his sources seem to have known a thing or three about both Achaemenid Persia and also Macedonian custom. He sometimes says something like, “Macedonian custom was….” We don’t know if he’s right, but it’s not something we find much in other histories—even Arrian who used Ptolemy. (Curtius may also have used Ptolemy, btw.)

In any case, as a result of more care given to the themes of the historians, a growing sensitivity to Roman milieu for all of them has altered our perceptions of our sources.

These are, to me, the major and most significant shifts in Alexander historiography from the late 1800s to the early 2100s.

[veliseraptor]

February Reading Recap

Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer. I didn't find a whole lot new in this book, as far as thinking through questions of how to deal with art made by people who have done things or hold opinions that one finds morally reprehensible, but it was a well-written and thoughtful probing of the subject nonetheless. I really appreciated the fact that Dederer was comfortable (or, if not comfortable then at least accepting) of coming to a place with no easy answers. rea

Stars of Chaos: vol. 1 by Priest. I'm not sucked into this one yet, but I am intrigued by it enough that I'm going to keep reading. I haven't hooked into the main relationship, and it hasn't had the same level of delightful banter (at least, as yet) that I have enjoyed in other Priest novels I've read, but I do have volume 2 sitting on my shelf and I'm looking forward to reading it.

System Collapse by Martha Wells. I find that I've liked the early Murderbot books a lot more than the later ones, and this one unfortunately continued that trend. I don't think the series has overstayed its welcome for me yet - I'll probably continue to read it, at least for now - but I find myself losing interest.

Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone. I said I was going to reread it and I did! And it didn't blow me away in quite the same way I remember it doing when I read it the first time around several years ago, but I still really enjoyed it, and I enjoyed it enough this time around (and was still compelled enough by the worldbuilding, which I do remember being a big part of what stood out to me), that I plan to reread the rest of the series as well. But while, again, it didn't blow me away the way I remember, I would say that I generally recommend it, particularly as a fantasy that is doing some things different.

Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation (Manhua): vol. 5 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu. I am only and specifically reading the volumes of the manhua that have Yi City in it, so I'm pretty much exclusively assessing this based on my Yi City feelings. And while overall I feel like the art style isn't working for me in a way that is impacting my ability to really get into it there was at least one panel that really conveyed something and made me Feel Things, so it gets credit for that. I am enjoying the experience of doing Yi City in a whole new format, though, that's enjoyable for the sheer "getting to do Yi City, again, but in a different medium this time" reason.

We Are Satellites by Sarah Pinker. I read this book for a book club I'm in and I found it rather too didactic and the ending a little too pat. The family dynamics were strongly written and I sort of feel like Pinker could've written a stronger book that was just about a family without the part about New and Suspect Technology. I wouldn't even say that I necessarily disagree with the points I think she's making in this book, but I would say that it went a little too hard and a little too obviously on making those points.

Too Like the Lightning by Ada Palmer. I liked this one and particularly as of the last...idk, five pages or so, I'm so on board for what comes next. I am promised that it gets even weirder and given that it was already fairly weird...I'm fascinated by the worldbuilding here, and the conceit of the Enlightenment-style contrasted with the future setting is a fun one. I'm looking forward to more.

Ring by Koji Suzuki. I was neither scared by this book (though perhaps I was ruined by knowing the whole thing more or less beat for beat) and did not particularly enjoy the experience of reading it, and then the part where Sadako was revealed to be...genderweird? somehow? unclear to me what the author was going for exactly, sort of tanked it for me. I probably will not be reading the rest of the series unless I get truly desperate for horror to read.

Ashes of the Sun by Django Wexler. I don't know that I'd say this was the highest quality fantasy I've read recently but it might be the new-to-me one I've liked the best in a while. It was a lot of fun, very fast-moving, and I was intrigued enough by the entire set-up that I pretty much immediately put the second book on hold at the library after finishing this one. Maybe it's just been too long since I read a new-to-me fantasy book that really grabbed me, but I liked this one rather a lot and even if it was maybe more "fun" than "good" I'm still calling that enough to give this one a loose recommendation.

[buds-and-baubles]

the origins of apollo and midnighter

for anyone out there who has wanted to know what their original backstory was before dc had changed it to them being kids who were abducted by aliens and were experimented on to recieve their powers, you've come to the right place! let's get right into it. (spoilers for stormwatch vol.2 issues #4-6)

apollo and m were described as former U.S soldiers who served on a superhuman black ops team created by weatherman henry bendix called stormwatch zero, which is a subdivision of stormwatch. stormwatch for the record is a united nations created "crisis intervention unit". stormwatch zero was so secret that the rest of stormwatch didn't know it existed.

apollo served as the leader of stormwatch zero, which are very much influenced by the justice league if you take a look at the team roster. they were described before this as "normal humans" who were bioengineered/built as superhuman. odd wording at the end, right? also what happened their teammates? why have them labeled rogue?

we are first introduced to the team all naked, told to get on their uniforms. apollo expresses confusion at not knowing where they are, which isn't answered. m doesn't get why bendix is leaving them in the dark, which bendix replies that it's a "proving mission" in which he defined the parameters.

now why would they not know where they are or wake up naked, i wonder? what does he mean by proving mission? is there a catch to their powers? yes.

uniforms given out and code names assigned, you no longer have your names nor exist (also questionable if they had a choice). most of his phrasing sounds like.. a dirtbag father honestly. it's weird.

this strike team was sent off on their first mission to go to a mysterious facility in the desert to steal information and cripple illegal development committed by a 'rogue state'. in reality, bendix sent them to steal a bio-reactor extrapolated from alien (daemonite) technology that served as a benign advance in medical technology made by americans.

however, the bio-reactor defended itself by annihilating everyone but apollo and midnighter. when they tried to teleport away, they couldn't. bendix deactivated their portal devices and left them for dead for failing their mission. the worst part? it was rigged against them.

apollo and m managed to escape from the facility and learn of bendix's treachery. rather than fight, they decide (or really have no choice but) to stay quiet and anonymously went on to fight for a better world under the radar. they're in hiding for five years in various places, the last being them living on the streets of san francisco.

after this point is when the stormwatch plot kicks off where they discover weapons which use human brains in their design. these guns are connected to a utopia-like place called nevada garden. stormwatch was already looking not just into the two of them but also this garden, and catch them before they can go after the garden by trapping them on stormwatch's space tower. they learn here that bendix is dead by another member of stormwatch and after some convincing on the grounds of fighting for a better world, they help.

the garden is destroyed with their assistance, and when asked what they want, apollo and m answer with this; "when we took on our codenames and uniforms, our real names and lives were deleted. we want them back." the new weatherman named jackson king instead says he will give them comfortable and protected new lives away from stormwatch as best as he can manage.

here's a thought of mine that's bugging me: bendix is a proven lying madman who hacked the nsa and had to be killed by one of his own. he could've lied about apollo and midnighter's origins. nobody could disagree with him.

you could argue their origin for being young adult soldiers is true and just destroyed by bendix very well, or.. worse. i've seen some people suspect them to be sent and experimented on as kids to then go through training as soldiers. i have another thought that a fanfiction i read brought on; they were created in a lab test tube. why?

they have no 'real' name, apollo and midnighter are their names. they were described as being bioengineered or built by bendix. they wake up confused and naked. they are given their uniforms and codenames, their old lives and names deleted. but what if they never had old lives or names?

what if they were grown to adulthood with their abilities created and training implanted before they woke up? you could also say they were test tube children who grew up and trained as soldiers, also. however, i'm more inclined for the first option as the naked panel supports that.

if you've read for jay nakamura, you'll have recognized the name henry bendix. he is who experimented on jay, who was a child. who is to say he didn't do this back in wildstorm? he could've kidnapped kids or make test tube children/adults. hell, this guy could probably make a clone easily.

so in the end, we'll never know the whole truth of their origin. they'll never remember because the memory wipe, there's no files about their old lives or names, and bendix would never tell whether dead or alive. they don't know how old they are, what their birthday is, nothing. they could've been born adults who never even had a chance to be a child.

thanks for listening in! i know it's a lot but once i started, i couldn't stop. this fucks with me though. could apollo and m really be test tube grown superhumans like superboy?

[satoshi-mochida]

Some games I hope get a localization announcement in 2024

Due to the new 30 image limit, I had to change the list a bit.

From previous years:

Ciel Nosurge DX /Ar Nosurge DX(Please, Koei Tecmo/Gust)

Asatsugutori

Kochira, Haha Naru Hoshi Yori

Murder Detective: Jack The Ripper

Buddy Mission: BOND

AIR for Switch

Knights in the Nightmare Remaster

Medabots Classics Plus(it seems there was a weird legal issue about a scam company using the Medarot name for NFT crap that was settled in the actual owner's favor recently)

Yoru, Tomosu

Memories Off Historia Vol. 1 and Memories Off Historia Vol. 2

Death Match Love Comedy!(set in the same world as Raging Loop)

Yokai Watch 4/4++(Level 5 seems to be hopefully getting a second wind, so maybe this will come over, too)

Dragon Quest X Offline

Blue Reflection Sun(I'm mostly interested in this just for the story details from before Blue Reflection: Second Light. I think someone on the Blue Reflection wiki might be translating/summarizing the story, though.)

Kanon for Switch

 Mizen Tantei: The Protea Cases

Gensou Shoujo Wars

Gizoku Tantei Nosuri

Kanda Alice mo Suiri Suru.

New additions.

Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku: Isshoni Exercise

Riviera: The Promised Land Remaster

Xicatrice

Murder Mystery Paradox: Fifteen Years of Summer

Yggdra Union 3-in-1 Special Edition

Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Vacation

Hayarigami 1-2-3 Pack

Bar Stella Abyss

The witch of the Ihanashi

everlasting flowers

Suspects Room: Keishichou Monzen Sho Torishirabe Han

 

Bonus:

SINce Memories: Off the Starry Sky

Magatsu Barai

Amnesia World for Nintendo Switch

Heaven Burns Red

To All of Mankind(with fixed bug and DLC issues)

Exile Election

Revue Starlight visual novel

Hoping for more information on Fate/Extra Record; there hasn't been any in a while(that I'm aware of).

I put some of Nippon Ichi's VNs from a few years ago on here in the off chance that, after bringing Process of Elimination over, they'd be willing to bring more over, too.

It's nice to see a bunch that were on last year's list actually got brought over or are in the process of coming over.

...seriously, KT, please bring Ciel Nosurge DX/Ar Nosurge DX over.

[meetmyothersouls]

Halloween Special

🎃 Hello Everyone 👻

Welcome to my second annual Halloween Special! So happy to be bringing this back for my followers this year! Last year it was a big hit and I’m even more excited this year since I’ll have two people to write for! For the rest of September and all of October I will be writing imagines for Jonah Hauer-King and Timothee Chalamet that are all horror, spooky, and fall themed! With this, I am able to combine two things that I am passionate about: writing & horror!

Here’s how it works:

I will pin this post and below will be a list of prompts and a brief description of what I can do with each prompt. I will have a selection for JHK and TC. Most of these will be stand alone works but if there’s is a part two wanted I will gladly write one! Of corked if you want to send in your own spooky request feel free to do so!

Here we go!

Jonah Hauer-King

🎃 Pumpkin Patch/Corn Maze - Reader and Jonah have a cute fall date in this setting.

👻 Detective Work - Reader is a detective investigating a gruesome murder with her new partner Jonah.

🎃 The Through Hike - A series I planned but haven’t stared yet. It involves mountains and zombies. I’ll leave it at that 🤭

👻 Room Service - Reader is a house keeper at a hotel when a man keeps calling her into his room with a strange request.

🎃 I’m Scared - Reader is camping for the first time with Jonah.

👻 Who You Gonna Call? - Reader is a famous ghost hunter and brings her boyfriend Jonah on one of her expeditions.

🎃 Surprise Me! - I’ll create an original spooky story just for you!

👻 Pick Your Poison - Give me your own ideas and I’ll turn it into a story!

Timothee Chalamet

🎃 Please Continue - I’ll continue any prompt from last years Halloween Special (located in Masterlist Vol. 2)

👻 Cruise of Nightmares - Reader and Timothee go on a cruise but after a storm things seem…off.

🎃 One of us is Lying - A golden age murder mystery. Someone in the house has killed the maid and no one’s leaving until we find out who.

👻 Skinwalker - Something seems weird about Timothee’s new friend.

🎃 You’re not Scared, Are You? - Reader takes Timothee to a haunted house.

👻 I’ve Got a Secret - Reader and Timothee are newly dating and reader is definitely hiding something.

🎃 Surprise Me! - I’ll created a story just for you!

👻 - Pick Your Poison - Give me your own ideas and I’ll turn it into a story!

I’ll change the prompts up in October or if we’ve gone through all of them before then!

For now, I’ll link Masterlist Vol. 3 here so you can all access it still.

Jonah tags: @danielabetancourth @luna2034 @wandamaximoffbae @twinkledinkleg-blog @justagirlwholovedtoread @nonsensical-nonsence @paramorelvrr @thedonswife13 @miniemonie2001 1 @jonahhauer-kingg

Timothee tags: @dayafied @soulofendlessbook @fashphotolife @scentedkittenperfection @weasleytwinscumslut @timotheel0ver @mxciscastleintheair @marvelmaniac2000 @lovelyrocker @divine-1 @love-poems-only @starberry-cake @inlovewithphantasy @alexagirlie @misswestfall @softhecreator @livresjaunes @timmymyluv @inannamoon @harrys-thick-thighs @s-we-e-t-t-ea @timolaurence @its-schmackin-dude @justagirlwhoneedshelp @kteezy997 @sufferingstarlight @xoxoloverb @tropicalrozmajzl @iloveneilperry @syirnge @patronsaintofthetwinks @roseboysareprettier @onlyenoughiamweird

[meruz]

bunch of random tmnt asks that werent art requests gljhsdfjgng also one ask abt my comics pull list :]

THE RECENT...2023 MOVIE.. MUTANT MAYHEM. I feel like I'm going to have really noobish takes because of this but even though I grew up in proximity to tmnt media like every normal american child, caught the occasional episode on tv every so often etc i didn't rly have any interest until this movie LOL.... i just really love the art direction and how grounded the writing is. it was like just the right combination of things to completely unlock the whole franchise in my mind. it's actually weird this didn't happen earlier because martial arts, siblings, and weird takes on superhero comics r kind of my jam.

i feel like you are trying to get me to say i dont like one of them LMAO I LIKE ALL OF THEM OK!!

i read like half of a trade paperback in barnes and noble once...? sorry. I also haven't read any ninja turtles comics except for the recent power rangers crossover almost solely just to look at dan mora's art. All my comics reading energy has historically gone into x-men and like. james tynion iv indies. idk. it feels like.

I'm sure I'll get around to both eventually though LOL. comics are like the only media im actually good at consuming.

SPEAKING OF COMICS (great segue, me) thank you for asking this every year anon sorry I'M LATE to reply also.

I kind of fell off the wagon of reading every single x-men book after Inferno BUT the recent hellfire gala actually pulled me back on a little. I'm still subscribed and very slowly catching up to:

X-Men Red

Immortal X-Men

Astonishing Iceman

Ms.Marvel the New Mutant (the last time i mentioned this book publicly I got anon hate abt it?! LMAO but whatever)

I also want to mention it ended this year but I really loved Sabretooth + Sabretooth and the Exiles. Victor Lavalle you are like a genius of some sort to me.

i also Did read the x-men issues around and about emma and tonys wedding because i actually think that stuff is so funny. tracking that particular mess on the down low

I'm also reading:

Miles Morales: Spider-Man (I'm really behind)

Birds of Prey (I think Leo Romero and Jordie Bellaire are like an art team match made in heaven I could read anything they illustrate together. I felt the similarly about Killjoys National Anthem which I thought writing-wise was a little obtuse? but was SO beautiful art wise I didn't even care)

Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville

The Oddly Pedestrian Life of Christopher Chaos

Coda (vol 2!! Exciting)

Fire Power

and whenever Nice House on the Lake comes back for a vol 2 you know I'll be in line

[kudouusagi]

Utsumi TV guide A stars vol 1 interview

This is a really long interview and I'm just going to do a summary of new things mentioned in this interview.

The interview starts with Utsumi talking about the infinity week event and how she talked from behind the stage because Kobayashi wasn't there and she wanted to make it fun for people. She says it was nice to see everyone excited about season 2 and the OVA.

She says the reason the S course ends in an abandoned factory is because they needed to think of a place that Langa could do a backside rodeo (the trick he does at the end of ep 1) and they decided that was a good place for it and so it influenced the whole course. There are multiple routes people can take so it's interesting too. It's not based on a real place. The conveyor belt that Langa uses for the jump in the first ep isn't shown clearly where it is so they didn't have to draw it in the scene every time and have it get in the way.

Since Reki and Langa are normal and Adam and Shadow wear crazy costumes they designed Cherry and Joe to try to balance them out or it would just seem like Adam and Shadow were weird cosplayers

She talked in a previous interview about how this story is all about male friendships and the interviewer asks about that and about Reki and Langa and their fight etc and Utsumi says that their fight lasted so long because it makes you feel how important their friendship is and it makes it even stronger when they make up, but it's not just friendship, she believes that it's also that they also acknowledge each other as rivals and their race scene at the end of ep 12 is proof of that.

The interviewer tries to ask about the friendship between the adults and she's like "I was mainly focused on Reki and Langa, that was all Ookouchi".

Utsumi says that the CEO of bones told her that this is the first time he's seen a 1 season original anime have so much hype about it over a whole year after it was made and he's been in the industry for a few decades so it made her really happy to hear him say that and she's happy that everyone is so passionate about this anime

She says there's a plan for season 2 but the OVA isn't really decided yet and since the OVA isn't decided yet season 2 isn't finalized yet either.

She says all she can really say is that the OVA will probably be a short story since OVAs are limited in time, and they haven't really decided yet but season 2 will probably be not long after season 1 with maybe a small time gap.

The interviewer says personally they'd like to know more about Joe and Cherry in high school and what happened with shadow after the end of ep 12 and Utsumi says Joe and Cherry's past would be interesting... and she came up with a story for how Cherry got his lip piercing but everyone rejected it.... but what happened with shadow and his boss (and if that was really her BF) will be in season 2.

The interviewer then asks about ADAM at Langa's party at the end up ep 12 and Utsumi says that the scene was designed to show that ADAM had returned to how he was before and that skating with Langa had reminded him of the fun of skating but she really doesn't want ADAM to change either. So they hadn't really thought about how their relationships would be at that point and she's only really thought about if after she's gotten questions like this. They'd probably have different conversations with him that they've had with him up until now. "I think we might see that in the continuation!? (lol)" also it's the first time we see ADAM during the daytime so his outfit is really red.

The interviewer asks if there were places they found during location hunting that they didn't get to use in season 1 that they still want to use and she says there was this huge tree they wanted to use that would be around Reki's house that they probably played around ask kids etc and they thought about shoving it in their fight scene but decided it would be too weird so they didn't use it. There was also a shopping district will probably be used in season 2.

That's pretty much it. It ends with her saying that while it might be a long wait she hopes people can wait patiently while having fun imagining what could come as they wait.

[y2klostandfound]

Preview - Bust-A-Move 2 (Aka Bust-A-Groove 2) on Game Players magazine Vol.93 (video game magazine)(Hong Kong)(20/01/1999)

Translation in English:

Manufacturer: ENIX Capacity: CD-ROM Release Date: Scheduled for the spring of 1999 Memory: unknown Price: unknown MEM/ACT

BUST A MOVE 2 - DANCE TENGOKU MIX- RHYTHM AND DANCE

In the dancing game "BUST A MOVE" launched last year, the unique dancing style of the characters has attracted many people to play this game.The operation of the game is simple and easy to understand, suitable for different people's taste, and it is also very easy to get started. During the game, some instructions will appear on the screen. Players need to input the instructions according to the rhythm of the music (mostly at the 4th beat), so that the character will make a series of movements, and if you can do the more difficult the action, the more points you will get. When you are fighting, don't just input commands and don't be afraid of your opponent's distraction, because when the energy meter is full, you can distract your opponent to dance and make him fall to the ground, however, if your opponent sees your attack, he can avoid it, so just input your commands at the right time.

System Turning Point

In this episode, except for the music producers, all the other characters are the same as in the previous episode. In the previous, each character's commands were common, but in this episode, each character will have their own specific movements, and the commands are different for each person. The game not only retains the previous dances, but also adds some new dances, IN LINE SKATE and Japanese dances will also appear in the game. The game screen is more colorful and the background is more varied than in the previous episode.

Characters

STRIKE

Robbery is his profession. He just got out of prison at the age of 22. He established a "HIPHOP DANCE GROUP" dance group in prison. On a holiday, he and his friends went to the bank to rob tissue, and this weird robber robbed tissue What to do, no one knows. But his proficient dancing skills are unquestionable.

COMET

The most attractive part of COMET is to jump out of the beautiful IN LINE SKATE with uniaxial skating. COMET is FRIDA's sister in the previous episode. She works as a waiter in the sushi restaurant "SUSHI PLANET". She also wears roller skate at work, and she is a 16-year-old cute girl, let's see how she dances on roller skates.

SHORTY

Her father is a diplomat and her mother is a supermodel. This 13 year old girl can be described as a big girl, her loose and long sleeves are her trademark, and the two braids on her head are also impressive. She has matured in her dress and grooming in this episode (after all, she is also a year older), and and I look forward to her superb HOPING and JAZZ FUNK skills will be better than the previous episode.

The background of this episode is more thoughtful than the previous episode

Rhythm is the key to this game.

Dance King HERO will also appear in this episode

The above screen is still under development

[lesbianspeedy]

Ideally, who would you want Mia and Dinah's relationship to be like if it was properly developed?

this is a really tough question for me, it has a lot of things to consider. in terms of both dinah's writing in relation to mia in the past, and how i personally feel each character views that sort of relationship.

i've said it before i'll say it again, my achilles heel is that i DO get the warm fuzzies from that one winick panel of dinah saying she considers mia her daughter. HOWEVER i also see like. how fucking wild that was to throw in. like, textually speaking, dinah met mia once, said she thought ollie was sleeping with her (insane writing there mr smith) then when connor is recovering mia makes a joke about dinah being a bitch. thats like the extent of their interactions before winick takes over.

then it gets weirder, cause winick takes over and has ollie "cheat" and for some reason mia is like REALLY fucking overprotective of dinah, telling ollie to call dinah just because he's talking to joanna. (this is just winick not knowing what the fuck he's writing). then they "break up" etc, dinah isnt seen with the fam for like 2 years in the in-universe timeline. there is one part in hit issue bop #88 where she asks after mia but thats it.

dinah comes back near the end, they still dont really interact, end of vol 3/start of ga/bc happens, suddenly dinah sees her as a daughter. its just. so fucking randomly jammed in there.

now i have my own personal HC explanation for the mia side of this, let me quote myself from the arrowfam server:

"ik mia's like weird attachment to dinah in winick's run, esp the first arc, is like just bad writing. but ive decided that the author is dead and i killed him. its actually because the last time she felt safe with someone was with her mother and her brain hasnt caught up to her heart yet and allowed her to feel that kind of safety with ollie, so she attaches to the closest mother figure she can find at that point, before ultimately realising that the unconditional love and support she has now is thanks to ollie. thank you for your time."

now to actually fucking answer your question (jesus christ i got carried away i am sorry). PERSONALLY i'd like their relationship to just be "youre my dad's girlfriend" "you're my boyfriend's kid" like mia isnt a child she is a teenager who knows exactly how stuff like this works. i think mia absolutely does look up to dinah, as both a hero and a strong female role model (which i think mia sorely needs), but they dont need to be like. mother/daughter extreme. they can love each other and be family without being put into nuclear family tropes.