#mini-reviews

[thewebcomicsreview]

Star Impact ⭐

What is it: An action series about professional boxers with anime-style superpowers

The Good: Distinct exaggerated art style with good cartooning. Fun action scenes. I’m a sucker for Punch-Out! references.

The Bad: The fights are fun but lack tension; I never felt like Aster might lose or even that she’d come up with a creative/interesting way to win. It’s still early going in the comic, though, so that might change.

You should read it if: You wanna read a cartoony comic about people punching each other in the face with superpowers.

(See all mini-reviews here)

[tectco]

Some forehead kisses and a couple redraws for season four!

[cnl0400]

The new dating feature... What to expect?

(Apart from disapointment, of course)

Disclaimer: I only bought this because I had a lot of Google Play points, so I could shave a looooooooooot of the total price, but my condolences to anyone who doesn't live in the US because it's a lot more expensive in another regions... Including mine, of course

Disclaimer 2: I'm not telling you what to do with your money, this Is my personal opinion. If you are planning in buying this, do whatever idc, but since a lot of people are having doubts, I felt that I might as well tell everyone what Is this about.

So yeah... Since they announced the new feature, I knew It either would cost real money, It just sounded too good to be true, but I didn't expect to cost $29.99? Almost $37 in my country currency, a total scam, really.

But to be fair to them, this Is a bundle that comes with 300 DP, and considering the price of 280 DP, it's almost like you get the ticket for "free", right?? At least that's how Solmare probably thought It would look like, but the reality Is that the common player will see this bundle and just think that this ticket cost 30 fucking dollars (just look at the comments of Twitter and the tag Right now). In my opinion, just separate the DP and the ticket, and have the bundle as an special offert If you want. Remember that selling stuff Is also about framing... Most players that were planning on buying this might not be planning on buying the DP (like myself, I don't buy DP unless it's on special offerts) so the only thing people like that will think Is that "why this ticket costs that much?"

But what you get in the actual event, you might ask? The trailer was vague as hell in my opinion, and that's an instant red flag in my radar, especially for that spicy art that came with it

For a ticket date you get:

A 1min call

A 10min storyline (not fully voiced, apart from certain lines in the las part of the storyline)

A Majolish background with the date art

The event starts with you calling you boy of preference (in this case, I choose Mammon) to invite him to a date, the call ends and you get a 10min storyline. The premise of the Mammon's date Is that MC has won tickets to Phantom Park, and then Mammon & MC get involved to a game of tag to win a price. Then couple shennigans happen, blah blah blah.

The Story Is... Not bad? I found It rather cute actually, it's romantic and at least they make It explicit that Mammon & MC aré actually dating, but again, this could very well have been in a Devilgram, it's not worth the 30 dollars Solmare expects you to pay tbh. Just tip your favorite fanfic author and call It a day

The last segment Is the one they show in the tráiler, with Mammon getting out of the shower

In this scene, some lines are voiced, and tbh, If the actual story was like this, It almost miiiight be worth It (not the full price, but at least something). But as now? Save your money people, I wouldn't really recommend It.

The only way I would recommend buying It it's If you're already planning on buying the 280 DP offert, or you have a lot of coupons/GPP so you don't pay full price lol, but If you like Lucifer (or Asmo) just do yourself a favor and buy the ASMR. At least, that's what I think

[socratesgirlnextdoor]

i try not to get too tin foil hat about spuffy pre 5x05 (after spike realises he has a little crush on her OooOooooh crush meaning deaperately in love with buffy but whateber) but it's really hard man. season 4 gives us next to NOTHING aside from 4x09. but guys i know this is gospel, but the episode 5x04. hey what

rebecca rand kirshner. writer of tabula rasa, AND TOUCHED ok that makes sense because she wrote this episode and it's insane. no but please

so like a normal person i was documenting every time spike and buffy mention each other from 4x09 to end of 5x04 right and for season 4, spike is the girly pop who mentions buffy to be expected. she never talks about him but then BOOM 5x04

just the line "Do you think that I spent the last year with you because you had super powers? If that's what I wanted, then I'd be dating Spike."

rebecca rand kirshner and jane espenson our mvps for spuffy episodes. buffy doesn't mention his ass forever and ever and then they're paralleling the shit out of each other in this one. they're on the same wavelength in this one. freaky

anyways what am i saying. yeah. hey what the fuck does "then I'd be dating spike" mean. it's an insane line. even "why does everyone think im still in love with spike" is an error. was that really the og line?

you can read it like, "riley, no i care about you for you. otherwise i would be stuck with a dumbass evil vampire guy as my only option, blegh!" but this line will always make me laugh because who the fuck reads it that way. BUFFY NO ONE WAS TALKING ABOUT HIM??? why did you bring up spike lol

that line seems like it was written as a joke but buffy never talks about spike so actually it sounds like a freudian slip iykwim?

edit: wait maybe she meant, if you actually think so little of me that i would be that shallow i should just date some random asshole with powers. like spike. but still. insane

[kakuusei]

I'm genuinely so happy for Ne Zha 2's success.

I know it's still very early but I can confidently say that this is one of the best movies of the year. Very well deserved! I don't even do reviews but it is worth all the hype!

My takeaways:

Top-tier animation

Universal themes

Compelling story line

Relatable characters and situations

World building

Intricate character and set designs

Humor

Unpredictability

Emotional weight

Great music and score

THE DRAGONS! 🐉 💜

The third act left me in awe. I was in tears and then one minute later I was cheering. From tear to cheer! I cannot recommend it enough. I hope it will be distributed in as many countries!

[frownyalfred]

I think another reason it's insane and out of line for people to leave reviews in bookmarks (outside of the more important and already addressed; fanfic isn't the fucking place for that, it's a gift that the author does not need to share and the reader is not paying for it) is that a lot of people just aren't good at it, as evidenced by a lot of Goodreads reviews.

Goodreads is the exact intended place for reviews of books, and I've seen someone give a low review for a book because it has a sexual assault scene, /while acknowledging that the scene was warned for in the trigger warnings./

And another low review for a different /standalone/ book because it was 'wrapped up too neatly'. Said reviewer also said that nothing happened in the book despite the main character having to deal with two separate coup attempts

Like with the recent reviewer, Buddy you didn't even have the sunk cost fallacy motive of having bought the book, if you read 130k of something you're not enjoying, that's a fault with you the reader, not the work itself

Yeah! Exactly. And I don’t want to play defensive author here (lol I was last night ah well) but their review basically boiled down to 1) they didn’t like things about the a/b/o universe that were warned and tagged 2) they didn’t think Lex being broken out of prison made sense (it did? there were multiple explanations?) and 3) they thought every sex scene was the same (sure, I guess? a/b/o sex is fairly prescriptive)

So what that review tells me is they have poor reading comprehension AND no manners. And they’re into masochism because reading 130k of something they hate really doesn’t make sense otherwise.

[penskecar]

in case anyone missed it (because i certainly did), williams posted carlos's pancake recipe on theor website a few days ago!!!

[samsalems]

Don't get me wrong I completely agree with your CT review. But calling Lee "the most understanding stalker" is such a funny phrase both out of and IN context lmao

Although I do think he is my favorite take on the "yandere" thrope I've seen in most media. Specially the way it is framed in the bad ending in which when rejected where most yanderes would say "If I don't have you for ME then NO ONE will have you so I'm killing you </3" Lee nearly literally says "You're the only thing that gave my life a sense of meaning. If I can't be yours then I have no reason to exist", which first it denotes how despite being lovesick with Angel (to the point of collecting physical throphies like hair and bloody tissues and The Whole Jacket thing) he Isn't posessive of them as an individual, he wants to be at their side not have their control, and they matter so much to him that he would rather khs than hurt them, and second is completely on character with how his trauma and potential ASD has lead him into being an lonely existencialist (The whole hole to crawl In and die sequence), In both ending it is left to believe that he was convinced Angel would never love him back so he planned to kill their rapist regardless to avenge them and then end his life.

Sorry for the long yapping! I liked this game and I feel it did a nice job telling a lot of things while keeping them subtle ahsjsk

Oh you get me so well - he really is one of the best yanderes out there and let me be honest, the autism and the suicidality gave him so much more depth and made me feel for him a lot (not to overshare). I think if he wanted to kill Angel, that would have really closed the door on feeling empathy for him. But I knew he wasn't going to hurt them - we saw how he took care of the shrimp in his aquarium. By killing the bigger fish to save them.

( ^ us enjoying the game together)

[cloudedbykatana]

Just finished the HG Nobel Gundam, Shes so cute! Was a very quick build But I'm very happy with her. Its not in the pic but I was very very happy to see she came with her own stand! Overall a good kit but very much does show its age with the articulation.

[spiraphobia]

I just watched the first episode of Uzumaki.

I have so many great things to say, but I’m pretty much incoherent at the moment because I’m just amazed by the animation, the music, and, surprisingly, even the pacing. I was initially a bit apprehensive when they crammed a lot of chapters into one episode. It felt like too much at first, and I was worried they wouldn’t capture the slow-burn dread of the manga. But since this is animation, I think the episodic style fits the manga better. The way they show the spiral curse events happening here simultaneously makes internal sense. It ties everything together in a way that feels both chaotic and inevitable, which really fits the vibe of Uzumaki.

But you know what really got to me? It’s how terrifying some scenes became with the addition of sound and movement. I mean, aside from the iconic Azami eye scene, that moment with Shuichi’s mom cutting her palm - it already got under my skin when I read it in the manga, but seeing it animated with those sounds was so unnerving! Gaaah.

I can’t wait to see how they handle the next episodes, especially since Uzumaki is filled with these moments that build on the spiraling madness. If they can keep up this level of quality, I think we’re in for a terrifying ride.

[thewebcomicsreview]

ForEach ⭐

What is it: A boy overwhelmed by his fantastical responsibilities plays a game about a boy overwhelmed by his fantastical responsibilities who plays a game about a boy...

The Good: One of the best plot concepts I've seen in a webcomic, small but really clever uses of the medium itself as a way of conveying the story.

The Bad: The format's a Prequel-esque "Picture with a bunch of text under it", which fits the story the comic's trying to tell but isn't everyone's cup of tea.

The Disclaimer: The creator, Lum, is a moderator on my discord, and my other moderator along with some discord regulars make cameos, so I may be slightly biased here.

You should read it if: You like high concept stories.

[filmndtvreviews]

Supernatural: Are You There, God? It's Me, Dean Winchester

Season Four - Episode Two

Creatures: Angels, Demons, Vengeful Spirits

Rating: 8/10

Review:

I really like this story, I only wish we could have seen  more people!

Season Four Masterlist

(Don't take these little reviews too seriously - they're just a bit of fun)

[correctproseka]

Kamiyama is so funny

This kid (Mizuki) is failing bc of attendance, her work is fine. Instead of asking her whats wrong and how can they help with attendance nope. We're making her come 5 days in a roll (a miracle) to study (she doesn't need it) so she can do a test (she'll totally pass it easily).

Like if the test will make up for the absences... Then just. Make her do the test straight on? The classes are unnecessary for the poor kid😭

[fourgods-nobrakes]

Summer Fest is here! I'm nominating a bunch of things from relatively rare bits of canon, but perhaps one of you would like to read one of these things and get to know some of these characters. I'm not discussing the Black Legion or Fabius Bile books, because you already know about those (read them read them read them they have great ensemble casts, please ship some of the less common pairs with me), but here are some of the less-discussed ones:

Harrowmaster, by Mike Brooks: Solomon Akurra is an Alpha Legionnaire who wants to see his Legion become a force to be reckoned with again. He has some plans to give them a reason to rally around him, and he has a very cool ex-imperial psyker on his side, which is good because he also has a number of enemies both within the Legion and otherwise. Fun twisty plot and an excellent read for people who enjoy when an Astartes has a solid working partnership with a mortal ally; she's capable, dangerous, and very willing to give him shit when he needs it. There's also a secret bonus ship option that I don't want to talk about too much because of important plot turning points, but it hit me hard in the brotherhood and trust places.

Shroud of Night, by Andy Clark: the Unsung are a small Alpha Legion warband who've been in a warzone for long enough to develop a wide variety of I Can't Believe It's Not PTSD. Now they have a mission to perform a high-stakes reverse heist, delivering a mortal to a key location on an embattled planet while trying not to get killed by either the imperial defenders or the Khornate berserkers besieging the place—and, of course, trying not to fall apart from the growing tensions among the team. I'm here for the poor mortal, who has clearly never gotten the hugs he needs, but there are a variety of cool dynamics among the group. ...Followers of either Celestine's or Khârn's careers should know they both turn up here, though they're both mostly here to be terrifying forces of nature that our lads try not to get killed by.

"Sacred Hate," short story by David Annandale: Mr. Annandale wrote this story for me specifically, I'm pretty sure. It centers on Cerastes, a teenager who's in training to be a missionary for the Ecclesiarchy, but who's been privately having a crisis of faith. Then the ship he's traveling on gets attacked by Word Bearers, and he discovers what he was looking for. (Spoilers: it's not the God-Emperor's light.)

The Red Tithe, by Robbie MacNiven: A Carcharodons company and a Night Lords warband walk into a bar prison planet... They're both looking to replenish their numbers from the teenage boys in the prison. And a psyker on each side has divined that one of the boys is an unsanctioned psyker whose power could be very useful if they can secure him. The boy in question just hopes he can get out alive. This one's definitely dark; the Carcharodons might be on the imperial side but they're brutal in ways that are usually glossed over for their compatriots. Most of the story takes place in the prison complex and the attached mines, so the whole thing feels claustrophobic at times. MacNiven also cares more about tactics than a lot of BL authors, so the battles are more interesting than "we charge into a hail of gunfire, fearless and unstoppable." Grim but very cool.

Day of Ascension, by Adrian Tchaikovsky: If you've read his other work you know he's interested in, and sympathetic toward, non-human POVs, and thus you know why I'm so fond of this book. It takes place on a forge world where the miserable living conditions of the non-Mechanicus work force have provided fertile ground for the growth of a genestealer cult. The cover blurb suggests that the power plays among the tech priests are the central plot, but actually the emotional core of the book is Davien, a young woman in the cult who is coming into her strength as the arrival of the cult's "angels" draws near, and whose passion for her people will wind up being key to their future. My big ship for this one doesn't sail until late in the book, but man, when it happens, it's so good.

[zombieparasites]

The Batman (2022)

Psychoanalyzation of Batman and the Riddler

This movie is about the corrupt officials running the crime ridden city of Gotham. Batman is trying to uncover it all, as the Riddler brings everything into public attention. He wants to show the truth of the lying, murder, and corruption that is behind public officials in their city. He wants them to pay for their sins, as he says. Batman wants to protect the city from crime, be a figure to scare it away–he stands for justice. They both want to stand for justice, unmasking the truth, and bringing vengeance–something good. They do this through secret identities, personas, scare tactics, violence, and in the riddlers case murder. In that way, Batman and the riddler both represent something so similar yet slightly different.

Bruce Wayne – a millionaire's son, parents murdered on the street, and from a young age was forced to take on the responsibility of being a Wayne. Carrying a family legacy, being part of the big public eye, businesses, etc. When he took on the role of being Batman, it was a subconscious comfort for him. Something more therapeutic than realized. It became his main identity, his life. “Two years of nights have turned me into a nocturnal animal,” he says.

Bruce Wayne is secluded, wasn’t seen often. Growing up in such a dark place, no father, no mother, no support other than money–you’re bound to be this depressive figure. It’s an interesting depiction of depression, the loss of motivation to work, to follow those forced schedules that only drain you. Like Alfred tells him, “you have to keep up appearances, you’re still a Wayne.” Depression isn’t noticed in someone like this. Growing up with so much fear, in a city like this, he developed a complex. This conversation he has with Alfred, about the Wayne family legacy and what he’s doing; “I don’t care about that. Any of that,” he says.

“You don’t care about your family’s legacy?”

“What I'm doing is my family's legacy. If I can't change things here, if I can't have an effect, then I don’t care what happens to me.” He’s enraptured in his life as Batman, but he believes it’s what is needed. His family were public officials, trying to change the city for the better–that’s what he wants as well. It’s a cycle; Losing his parents at a young age → becoming an orphan, not having a healthy childhood with key protections → learning to fight fear on his own → protecting other people from danger to feel complete → still afraid, but subconsciously unaware and trying to fight it with public vigilance and inflicting fear. “Fear is a tool.”

The riddler has a better read on Batman then is really noted by Batman’s actual character. Perhaps he did know these things, just suppressed it, or perhaps it was all subconscious. Both the Riddler and Batman grew up as orphans. The difference is one was poor, and one was very privileged. The similarities they carried sparked the Riddlers' interest in him. He said that he was inspired by Batman; “you showed me all it takes is fear and a little focused violence–you inspired me.” Batman tries to avoid the realization his actions of trying to make things better inspired terrorism and the birth of a criminal who destroyed the city, it angers him. But eventually, he realizes what he needed to do differently. It only took the near death of a father-figure, falling in love then losing that love, a demolished city, and a few crazy criminals to make him say, “vengeance won’t change the past.”

Unlike Batman, the Riddler is actually aware of the similarities in their psyche, and believes they are almost the same. “Your mask is amazing. I wish you could of seen me in mine. Ain’t it funny? All everyone wants to do is unmask you, but they’re missing the point. You and I both know I’m looking at the real you right now.” He believes that he can read him, connect to them on a level of their actions and trauma. He sees the similarity between them. Batman, on the other hand, refuses to see it that way. He recognizes that yes, they were both orphans, both grew up in a melancholic, crime ridden city, and developed trauma because they were never properly taken care of. Alongside that, the truth of his fathers death being revealed is also making him come to his own reality. But if he has to face that reality, that everything he has devoted his life, his coping to for the past 2 years was pretty much a huge infringement, he has to reevaluate everything he was afraid of.

Edward Nashton, the Riddler, is a character shaped by systemic neglect and the corruption of Gotham City. Unlike Batman, whose trauma stems from the privileged position of a very wealthy orphan, the riddler represents the unseen stuffing masses of people of Gotham. He verbalates this anger and disparity with his very emotionally charged monologues:

“Do you know what being an orphan is? It's thirty kids to a room, twelve year olds and already a drophead, numbing the pain. You wake up screaming with rats chewing your fingers, and every winter one of the babies dies because it's so cold. But, oh no! Let's talk about the billionaire with the lying, dead daddy because at least money makes it go down easy, doesn't it? Bruce Wayne.”

The Riddler discreetly confronts the hypocrisy of Gotham's social and societal hierarchy. His hatred towards Bruce Wayne is just personal jealousy—it's ideological. He sees Bruce Wanye as a symbol of the privileged elite who willingly remain ignorant to the suffering of those less fortunate than others. Unlike Batman, the Riddler has no moral code to limit his actions. His belief in vengeance is absolute which leads him to enact what he sees as justice through sadistic and almost theatrical murders. The quote, “It can be cruel, poetic, or blind. But when it is denied, it's your violence you may find.” really encapsulates his perspective that justice is an obligation and when it's absent, chaos and discretion are the only recourse.

Despite their big ideological differences, the Riddler and Batman share a lot of disturbing similarities: they are both productions of Gothams’ corruption, both operate in the shadows, and both seek to expose the city's darkest and most corrupt secrets. The Riddler takes Batman's methods to an extreme, demonstrating how close the line between villain and hero can be. One of the most chilling moments in the film is when the Riddler expresses admiration for Batman, claiming he was inspired by him: “You showed me what was possible. You showed me all it takes is fear and a little focused violence. You inspired me!” This statement forces Batman to confront the possible consequences of his actions. His presence in Gotham, meant to be a force of good and a beacon of hope, has bred figures such as the Riddler, who takes his ideology and distorts it into something more sinister.

While Batman is known to only work alone, he does surround himself with allies but he keeps them at arm's length, while the Riddler is defined by his isolation. He is a man who has spent his whole life feeling invisible, his pain is ignored by the very system he tries to dismantle. His belief in his cause is so strong that he assumes Batman will join him in his big plan and mission, further emphasizing his detachment of reality and his furtherment into delusion. In his final monologue he says: “Oh, if only you knew how long I've been waiting for this day, for this moment. I've been inisale my whole life. I guess I Won't be anymore, will I? They remember me now. They'll remember both of us.” This moment really cements the Riddler as a tragic figure. His entire life has been consumed by the needs for recognition, and in his mind, his grand plan has finally achieved that. He doesn't want to be remembered—he wants to be understood.

The Riddler serves as a reminder of gothams failures. Where Batman chooses to fight against corruption while adhering to a strict moral code, the Riddler embraces the city's darkness. He forces both Batman and the audience to confront the uncomfortable truths about systemic inequality. In the end, the Riddler stands alone, not because of his lack of purpose, but because his means of achieving justice are too extreme even for Gothams dark savior.

By the end of the movie Batman won the battle, but the Riddlers message still stands—justice in Gotham is not just about vengeance; it's about understanding who is allowed to suffer and why

Notes - This is our first essay we have written together!! Half was written by me (scout) and half was written by maddie. We love watching these movies and digging deeper into the characters and plot. If you have any recommendations—please share! - S+M

[mintjuliee]

One odd thing about Mystery of Penquan Island... Mako's arm scar is spontaneously gone, when it was present in Ruins of the Empire. It could have been an error because retaining scars after a big event (such as Mako using his lightning bending to set off the mecha giant) is basically a common ATLA/LOK motif at this point. But also with the spirit portal open there is more access to spirit water... which could remove the scar possibly?