#mike cooper my bestie mike cooper

[natjennie]

I love that no matter how many fucking times alison gestures to exactly where the ghosts are mike will still look up in the air for them. the fact that he makes an attempt to interact directly with them instead of just always looking to alison is so charming. but also adhd king.

[campbyler]

I absolutely loved reading the first chapter of this fic!!! The AU is so fun and perfect for summer, and the descriptions are so fun. I felt all of Will’s highway panic like I was driving on it myself lol. All of the characterization in this fic is so good!! I can’t wait to see what’s next :)

I was curious if there were specific years/models for everyone's cars? Mike’s blue Mustang slander of hilarious, but there's definitely a difference between Mike owning a modern Mustang versus a 1965 GT Fastback

Keep up the awesome writing! And blue cabin supremacy!!! 💙

hi!! thank you for your kind words :D we're so excited that it's finally out and everyone has a chance to enjoy what we've been dying over for the past 6 months!!

i fr jumped for joy seeing this question (despite the Blue Cabin Comment..........it's thea resident #yellow #cabin #bestie) because i am an insane person and cars are a HUGE thing i think about in all of my fics where they are of driving age! so here is my very thought out list of cars the party drives in acswy, including color + model year accurate references! starting with the star of the show:

mike - 2014 mustang convertible, manual transmission

(side view has different racing stripes but just to give you an idea)

will - 2010* chevy cobalt

*i literally just changed the year because i picture will's cobalt with the old style tail lights pictured below, which chevy phased out on their 2011 models

rest of the party is under the cut!

max - 2009 acrua tl

lucas - 2015 dodge charger srt hellcat

el - 2017 mini cooper convertible

dustin - 2013 toyota fj cruiser

[post-modern-prometheus]

alright so my friend has been begging me all week to do my Dramatic Reading of the hate essay and i finally did and i like. actually read it cuz when i first saw it i mostly just skimmed it. However some of the things the person said were like kinda wack so i’m gonna talk about it under the cut because being involved with drama is so embarrassing to me lmao

first of all: this isn’t me responding to them. this is for the benefit of me and my followers and anyone happens to read this (so when i say 'you' it's gen). i’m gonna talk about some of the things they said and also try to turn it into some Grand Lesson ig. or at least that’s the aim. i’m kinda writing this out as i go so i’m not sure where this is gonna turn.

my headcanons are just that: headcanons. i can be opinionated, that’s true. but i’m also aware that my opinions are my OPINIONS. if you don’t agree with something i say about a fictional character then i literally don’t care. i’m gonna talk about them the way i interpret them. i’ve made posts before with disclaimers that i literally don’t know what i’m talking about ever and i’m just having fun.

and here’s the thing, because this has happened to me before with other characters: if you’re so pressed that someone headcanons a fictional character as asexual, fuck off. check yourself and your reasoning because aphobia isn’t a cute look. also ?? why are people so concerned about the sex life of CHILDREN. i mostly call them ace (every once in awhile actually. i’m not as adamant about these headcanons as i am with say, peter or sam bc. that shit’s canon idc.) bc a) i’m ace so all characters are ace bc sex is fake literally no one feels sexual attraction wdym and b) they’re children. they’re not having sex. i don’t wanna even THINK about them having sex.

the next part really is just me bitching about the things they said about me <3

for the whole DID theory thing: i just don't like it. sorry. (and i wouldn't surprised if this person is like. in middle school so i don't wanna be mean but talk about a 'smear campaign'... anyway.)

it wasn't me that 'started' the thing with robin after the book came out but oh boy do i whole heartedly agree with it! robin is a lesbian because she is a lesbian !!! not to further will or mike's story !!!!!!!!!!!!!! this whole part really is so funny cuz i'm not sure if they're confusing me with someone else? because like they said smth ab me not wanting robin to like be gay besties with mike and like ??!!! have you been on my blog ???!! and the whole thing about accusing a lesbian of hating other lesbians? WHO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT. anyway this whole paragraph is odd and i wouldn't be surprised if they associated someone else with my blog for some reason.

idk i'm so tired of the argument in the next part about the post i made where i said don't be a jerk and don't engage. i'm so bored of it. my philosophy is just. be nice to people. but if you don't agree that's fine.

and the fic! ig that was this person, i didn't remember who it was at the time that i made a post (without tagging it bc i was just complaining to the void of space that is my own personal blog) being weirded out about it. i still think it's Not Good to write about kids having sex, but hey. ya know. i didn't like. read the fic bc it's disgusting so i don't know if they were aged up or not, but imo, aged up is still. bad. this is the cooper day argument all over again but aging up does not get rid of the fact that you saw a minor (PLAYED BY A MINOR. A REAL LIFE ACTUAL PERSON WHO IS UNDER 18. well finn's older now but still makes me ickyyyy) and decided to write smut about them? and your readers are gonna picture who they know which is. the underage characters? there's some gray area here, but i just stay away from it cuz i think it's gross <3 and, once again, i'd kindly like to ask anyone who thinks writing or reading smut about underaged characters is okay to get off my blog <3 i'm not gonna argue about this one, i think i made myself clear LAST TIME i had to deal with this shit.

anyway yeah this thing is still so weird to me, like i lowkey forgot ab it but then my bsf was like READ ME THE HATE ESSAY and this whole thing of some stranger so aggressively and adamantly hating me kinda freaks me out ngl but idk if i should say that cuz they'll prolly love that if they ever see this. i dunno if they even know someone sent this to me. alright i'm already late to meet up with my group for a project goodbye everyone who read this without getting bored <3

[kariachi]

Some Gweviny fic. As a grown Osmosian Kevin has things to consider starting-a-family-wise and Gwen’s opinion matters.

~~

“What would you say to me breeding Morningstar?” Gwen froze, face twisting, nose crinkling, at the words. When she turned from her coursework Kevin was still laid across her bed, tail twitching as he tapped a pencil against the journal laid in front of him on her pillow.

“I-” Words failed her, especially as she hunted her own mind for some clue as to where this had come from. “-would prefer if you didn’t?” He just nodded, heaving a sigh and marking something in his journal.

“Okay,” he said vaguely, sharp teeth scrapping against his lip. “If anyone’s liable to breed it’s him, can probably make some arrangements for our chicks…” Okay, yeah, she had to say something. Closing her books Gwen turned her seat to face him.

“What are you doing,” she asked plainly, confusion clear on her face if he’d bother to turn and look. He did not.

“Trying to get an idea of who to look at for our Nesting. There’s you and Argit, of course, but three is like, the bare minimum and I’d feel better with more. Especially since you two are so big on this ‘vitriolic besties’ thing.”

“Nesting?” Finally, Kevin looked at her, his face similarly scrunched up.

“I know we discussed the polygamy thing.”

“Yeah.” Very much so. It had been a long discussion that boiled down to ‘Kevin is getting his traditional group marriage with or without her’. After a good chunk of soul-searching Gwen had agreed to it and the topic had been mostly dropped (outside of an argument about Argit’s ‘also damn well happening’ involvement) until, apparently, now. “Just, did you not just reach full adulthood?” That she wished he’d warned her about before he started growing a damn tail, but no.

“Yeah, which means I’m probably gonna start having laying cycles in the next few years, so I want to have some idea who I want to be making and raising chicks with,” he explained, turning back to what she assumed was a list. “Okay, thoughts on Ben? ‘cause I’m not sure I want a dangermagnet that involved with my kids, but if you want him in…”

“..Ben is my cousin,” Gwen pointed out, voice straining at revulsion at the very concepts that were popping into her head, only for Kevin to wave it off.

“Okay, weird if you think of it like human marriages but it’s a Nesting. It’s customary to bring in a clanmate so you can be sure someone other than you has your children’s best interests at heart. There’s a reason ‘making’ and ‘raising’ chicks are distinct. Dad’s mom only ever bred with his dad, but they were in a solid thirteen-person Nesting.” Still thrown off, Gwen shook her head.

“Let’s just assume none of my relatives for now, okay?”

“I’ll put him down as a ‘maybe’,” Kevin said, at which point Gwen finally gave up and went to join him on the bed. She was right, he had a whole list with she and Argit at the top with stars beside their names. Beneath them were Alan, Cooper, Manny, and Helen, the first two circled together and all with question marks beside them. Mike was under them, with an x by his name, followed by Ben with a question mark. Elena, Kai, Julie, and Herve rounded out the list as it was, names unmarked.

“No Rook?”

“I mentioned Nestings to him a few weeks ago and the concept of that many adults sharing a house made him itch.”

“Ah.” Stretching out, she draped herself over his shoulders, secure in his ability to more than hold her weight. “No Lucy?” They’d gotten along whenever she’d seen them together. Had a similar sense of humor. If there was anybody from her family besides Ben she’d expect to see it’d be Lucy. But no, Kevin snorted and shook his head.

“It’ll be bad enough if you and Argit ever stop sniping at each other. All three of your working together peacefully and the galaxy wouldn’t stand any sort’ve chance. At least if it’s just you and him I can keep some sort’ve peace.” Chuckling, Gwen shook her head and looked at the list again. Besides Mike and Elena- who she knew well enough Kevin had known as young children, Mike’s family was supposedly the origin of Bellwood’s Ossy pack- they were people they were close to and their romantic partners. Good people, that they both liked….

“Well,” she said, resting her head against his, careful to avoid his growing antlers, “Manny and Helen are tempting.” Kevin turned to flash her a broad grin, bumping his head back against hers.

“I know, right?!”

[kfawkes]

“I really suggest you cooperate. To coin a phrase, we really do have ways of making you talk.”

From New Mutants: Dead Souls by my bestie Matthew Rosenberg, with art by my dude Adam Gorham and colors by the fantastic Mike Alex Garland.

Photo by Gil Photography

Costume by meeeeee

[meanderings0ul]

adaptation + five facts!

I put so many headcanons in this fic, mostly things I've given a lot of thought that go with two longer fics I haven't written yet. One of them is very much a Skye-to-Daisy transition fic, but the other things are more scattered.

I stuck a lot of Phil thoughts in Adaptation. We know he lost his Dad at 9 and his Mom in his late twenties. Given we know from s2 that he and his Mom moved after it happened, small town new neighborhood and school, I can easily see him ending up in some fights. I think the word bastard still rubs Phil the wrong way, but it's a baseless headcanon.

We never got much dream team material, but the timing remains that Coulson, Barton, Romanoff, and May worked together off and on for about a deacade. The way Clint's family was introduced in Ultron was deeply unfortunate, but nothing will convince me Phil wasn't Uncle Phil to Lila and Cooper. Nothing.

I also believe he was looking forward to more neices and nephews etc. There's no way May trying for a baby was common knowledge; Phil teasing her about it was bestie insider info. There was definitely some nervousness about losing her as a work partner cause he'd have seen her a lot less, but none of those plans was news to Phil on the way to Bahrain. A lot of the stability in Phil's life outside of Shield was always tied to May's.

Learning about May's background and the figure skating was one of the best trivia bits in s3. I imagine May still knows how to skate very very well, but comes at being asked to figure skate the exact same way she reacts to ballroom dancing, that 'this is the worst thing you could have done to me :(' pout that is so incongruous and is such a human facet of her. I do think she likes skating a lot better than dancing though.

The conversation Phil had with Mike in s1 showed us so much about the choices Phil made in his career and life. Clark has repeatedly described pre-New-York Phil as someone who lived for the job and really didn't try to have his own personal life. And I feel like he knew he hadn't given things with Audrey his best try? Like self sabotage almost, hence the call he made shortly before he died.

There's just so many bits of things in this fic for me. But I guess most of my thoughts were about Phil adjusting from ' I get a lot of personal fulfillment from being the cool uncle' to 'I have no relationship with niece/nephews anymore and it's very sad' to 'somehow I have become Agent Dad and it is good'. Thank you for asking :)

[houseofvans]

ART SCHOOL | Q&A with Martin Ontiveros (PDX)

The art wizardry of Portland based Martin Ontiveros has appeared in various galleries, albums, posters and has even been transformed into diabolical toys and figurines. Ontiveros’s graphic ink and brush style is meticulous and bold, transforming his horned and demonic creations into fun and bad-ass pop occultism. We’re excited to chat with this ink sorcerer in our latest Art School where we talk about technique, studio days, and what is coming up for him the rest of this year. 

Photographs courtesy of the artist.

Introduce yourself?   Hello, I’m Martin Ontiveros, also known as Martinheadrocks, illustrator and wizard. “Marty” to my closest friends and family. I live in Portland Oregon, I’m left-handed/ambidexterous and I have a large ginger cat/familiar named Zeus. Nice to meet you.

How do you describe your art to folks who have never seen it before? Pop-occultism? Creature Chic? What you might find inside an ancient tomb or temple from a previously unknown civilization.

Who were some of your early artistic influences that really inspired you to draw? It started with Star Wars in 1977, and Mad Magazine, especially the work of Jack Davis. Childrens book art by Jim Flora. Books and movies about UFOs, cryptids, phenomena, ghosts and black magic when I was a kid. Later it was Heavy Metal Magazine and the underground artists of the 60s and 70s, S. Clay Wilson, Greg Irons, Spain, etc. 80’s punk and metal pioneer artists like Mad Mark Rude and Pushead. Derek Riggs and his Iron Maiden covers. 

Lots of rock album art. Fantasy/conceptual artists like Mike Ploog, Boris Vallejo, Frazetta, Richard Corben. That was all the stuff that built up the desire, but what really got me drawing were the indie comics of the 80s with people like Marc Hansen, Matt Wagner, the Pander Bros, David Boswell, Dori Seda, Mary Fleener. I really really wanted to make comics by the time I was 17-18. I’ve since discovered it’s not for me. Art of the Ancient World, Mesopotamian and Mesoamerican in particular. There’s more to this list, I’m an old man now and have seen a lot, but we don’t have all day.

What’s a day like in the studio for you? And take us through your artist process –from start to finish on a piece. I used to start work when it was already well into the evening and would go until after the dawn, but in the last couple years I’ve reversed that schedule. Now I usually get up around 4am. I still get the benefits of nocturnal studio time that way, at least until the sun is up—no one bothers me and it’s quiet. I’ve become a Daywalker—I have all of the vamipre’s strengths and none of the weaknesses.

 A typical day is trying to stay focused while fending off my own distractions (I’m ADD) and steering around having to leave the house for anything, ha. I always start with a bit of doodling to warm up a little, then jot down a thumbnail sketch of whatever’s on the agenda that day—usually very small and rough, just to set the composition and borders. 

Sometimes I’ll spend extra time fleshing out details on certain aspects of the drawing, say a helmet or insignia. Then I’ll figure out my dimensions and either draw to size or use my trusty proportion wheel to do it smaller if need be. Next is the hard pencil stage. I like using 2H or 3H lead which is rough on the paper but much less messy than a soft lead. I don’t work with a loose outline, I need a solid and tight map to work from and when I have it on lock, I’ll transfer it to my final surface. 

That method goes for both a black and white ink piece or a painting. I’ll warm the brush up by laying our some strokes on scrap paper and when I feel like I got a grip on it, off I go. If it’s a painting, I lay all the color and shading out first, then put down the linework. And even if my pencils were tight, there’s always room for improvisation, a tweak or two, especially when I’m inking—some happy accidents come up now and then. I should mention that I sometimes have to chuck a drawing and start the process all over again, even if it’s close to completion because if it isn’t working, screw it. It seems wasteful and time consuming and I could probably avoid it by going digital, but I choose to do it old school.

What’s your tool of the trade medium-wise? And is there a new medium you’re looking to try in 2018? I swear by my brush and ink. Nothing gives me more satisfaction. The artists I’ve always admired most are handy with a brush line. Not to say I don’t like pens, it’s just that I’m not as steady using one and leave them for doodling. I love papier mache, it’s not a new medium to me, but I’ve yet to know how to make the time to do it more so let’s say that that is my goal for 2018. If there was any other medium that I’d choose to do over drawing, it would be that.

You’ve worked on many collaborations with bands and created some awesome cover art and posters. What has been your favorite collaboration and what would be a dream collaboration be? Oooh. That’s a toughy. I did a tour shirt for Mastodon this past year and I have to say that was likely the pinnacle so far. When I caught their show later, it was thrilling to see people buying it at the merch table and to know there’s maybe hundreds more out there wearing it. Dream collaboration…probably the Melvins. Or Alice Cooper? But with the Melvins I know I could just probably do me and not worry about whether or not I’m a good fit. I’m not what you would call “conventional”.

What are you listening to when you’re painting your various creatures and demons? Give us five bands you’re checking out at the moment. I listen to music when I sketch/conceptualize and switch to podcasts or play a favorite movie or show when I’m really into the process, it’s comforting to hear people talk during the heavy work for some reason. It’s another long list but some of my go-to bands are High On Fire, Sleep, Windhand, Black Cobra and Slayer. That’s if I want it crushing. If I’m doing something trippier, it’ll be Om, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, Dead Meadow, that kind of thing. Podcasts are generally true crime or comedy.

What’s been the hardest challenge being an artist? What do you tell folks who want to travel down a similar path? I don’t recall the artist’s name who said it, but to paraphrase, the quote was that art can often be a dark and lonely pursuit for us. I believe he was referring more to the fact that we spend a lot of our time working in solitude which is inherent, yet it can also weigh you down emotionally. That really speaks to me, even more so because I’ve also wrestled with depression for most of my life. 

Your work can be so entwined with your sense of self-worth, so I suppose the hardest challenge for me is to not let my heart sink when something I make doesn’t receive the attention I hope to get for it. People can be fickle though. I try to remember that, and move on to the next thing. With that in mind I guess I tell folks to make sure they get out of their lairs when possible and share their frustrations with other artist friends, foster a support group of sorts because it helps to know you aren’t alone out there with all these feelings. That and maintain a regular paying job when they start out, because man…it can be tough making a living at it.

In another dimension, what would you be if you weren’t an artist? I’d be that weird old sorcerer living somewhere in the woods that the villagers speak of in whispers. Benevolent, but not to be trifled with. So, not too much different from what I am in this dimension, just with blue skin, maybe.

What are your favorite Vans?  Chukka Low? Old Skool? Era? (I had to look up the actual names). Basically low padded ankle with laces, and always dark colors with a black toe because I don’t like my vision being drawn down to my feet moving under me. I honestly don’t wear any other brand of kicks. I keep a pair of Slip-Ons for doing things around the house. Vans makes good jeans too.

What’s the art scene like in your part of the woods? What do you like the most about where you’re living these days? The scene that I know here is primarily illustration, at least that’s what I keep my eyes out for. Lots of sweet, supportive people without attitude and many that are good friends. There aren’t as many galleries as there used to be but there are other venues to get your work out there. I’m now in a part of SE that I’ve never lived in before, at the edge of being outside of Portland proper but only just so. It’s mellow and quiet here and most things I need are within walking distance. I got a couple stores, a good Mexican food place, a bar, you get my drift. I do wish some of my besties lived closer by though. And a decent art supply store.

Since this feature is called Art School, can you give us your most helpful art tip? This probably won’t make me popular by saying it, but learn the difference between homage and theft. Yes, it’s fun to pay tribute to an artist’s style or someone else’s pop culture/intellectual property now and then, I’ve done it, we’ve all done it, not shaming that…but the difference is, if ALL you’re doing is copying, it comes off as creatively lazy. I don’t care how many followers you may gain from it. Come on. If you’re skilled enough to copy someone else’s shit, you’re skilled enough to make up your own content. Raise the bar, people. Don’t lower it.

What’s on the horizon for 2018? New merch in my shop, a group show in Mexico City, more band stuff, my first trip to NY ever, toy releases, designs and customs, a collaboration or two, hopefully a couple of conventions later in the warm months. I’d like get back into painting on a larger scale and figure out how to take it slower in general, make my work really level up, you know? There’s always room for improvement!  

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