#public domain periodicals

[evelinaeveryday]

Written three months after the last, in which time Mr. Villars has been in ill-health, Letter 3 arrives! 💌

Subscribe to read along in real time! 

[dogzcats]

Left to Right: Wild Geese Flying under the Full Moon, Snowy Gorge, Hibiscus Mutabilis and Long-Tailed Bird

Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858)

[vo-kopen]

Got off my butt and finally read the origins for the public domain superheroes Micro-Face and Zippo. Both came from Hillman Periodicals and premiered in Clue Comics No 1 along with the more famous public domain hero Boy King and his Giant. Unlike then, Micro-Face and Zippo are inventors who built their powers. Zippo is pictured above, he’s a low level speedster whose max speed is like 65 mph to 85 mph. (I do not recall it coming up in his origin, but I saw both numbers cited on the public domain superheroes wikia) Micro-Face works more from the shadows, his mask has a microphone built in to broadcast his voice, and it also enhances his hearing and gives him telescopic and x- ray vision. He’s more the type to play mind games, confusing his enemies to have them turn on each other.

Micro-Face’s story is the worst aged of the two in my eyes, for one thing a gangster gets called the G-slur by a cop, and Micro-Face is the brother of a cop and my gut says ACAB. Also the villain’s plan is … weird. His gang randomly kills one cop at a time, and then use the dead guy’s badge for the winning number an underground lottery, then the winner of the lottery gets the money only to be later assassinated by the gang so they can take the money back. It is bizarre and complicated and I don’t get it. I do appreciate how distinct Micro-Face looks, and the idea of him listening in from afar and then broadcasting messages to confuse his enemies is unique in a book where punching is more the style, but his fight scenes then end up being not very dynamic. Likewise Micro-Face does not have much of a supporting cast in his origin, his brother dies and he’s like the only named character in his life. On the contrary, Zippo has a secretary, she’s barely in it and I cannot remember her name, but that’s still a bit meater.

Zippo is better in terms of aging, no slurs that I noticed. The plot of his is also a little weird but it felt more coherent, I believe the villain (who has a theme unlike Micro-Face’s gangsters) is using rumors to make factory workers jump ship from war plant to war plant, and the villain gets a cut of the profits for recruiting them. Meanwhile, the original factories have to rehire employees and those new worker have to be retrained so even though the experienced workers are still employed, it slows production. I think that’s a plot. I am not a fan of the war industry, (feels like there ain’t a war crime the U.S. hasn’t done) and it does get a bit “patriotic,” but the comic came out in 1943 so it was during WWII, so I will make an exception. Admittedly Zippo is a PI and that’s borderline ACAB in my gut, but the comic actually addresses that he’s a bit out of the system, and it does give his civilian identity a plausible reason to be investigating, and a reason people would ask him for help. His design is more generic superhero than Micro-Face save for the wheels on his boots, (head gear is fun though) but his action scenes are far more dynamic, and he uses his tech in unique ways. I mean yeah he can move fast, but as a minor spoiler, his wheels can work as sawblades. Also his enemy in this story is called the Pirate and after he kills his doubting henchmen there is actual blood on his sword. The Pirate instantly was more threatening than Big Boston or whatever the name of the gangster in Micro-Face’s story was, tell the truth I kind of already forgot it. But the Pirate, I would say he is an actual supervillain. Overall, Zippo’s origin was a good enough story, maybe not the best, but perfectly fine. And apparently his story got reprinted seven or so years back, so I might want to look that up. Could be cool to have a physical copy.

So yeah, enjoy these thoughts on the first appearances of two Golden Age inventor superheroes. And again, they both are in the public domain and are free to use for anyone. And that’s kind of why I looked into them, to see if I would want to use them in my original superhero stuff. I have kind of a rough concept for them crossing over with some of my characters, long story.

Tagging @espanolbot2 @nitpickrider @majingojira @paulsebert @akirakan @thefingerfuckingfemalefury @bear-of-mirrors @renaroo @heckcareoxytwit and anyone else who might be interested in my thoughts for the origin of two tech superheroes. Of them, I might try to check out Zippo’s next appearance the next time I get spellslots/spoons, as you might notice I vibed with his story more.

[furbearingbrick]

i had another blorbo dream last night

Joe Blow was in bed with a broken leg (wait, didn't I already establish that he and Peter can regenerate? Maybe he was low on ink? I think it was more of a plot convenience lol) and he was using his psychic powers to do "remote viewing" of a visiting dignitary he was suspicious of. Rear Window: Sketchworld edition?

[cookinguptales]

look I may have open several different translations of dante's inferno rn but if you try to make me read a single paragraph of lovecraft I am going to lock myself in the bathroom

[yeah-thats-probably-it]

It’s Always Sunny in Interwar London

[siena-sevenwits]

!

[publicdomaincharacters]

Here are 2 public domain superheroes,Nightmare and Sleepy from Hillman Periodicals

[mr-mustache-penis]

every few months i'm convinced by the deep delusion in my brain that i could take an ip owned by disney and make it better. i'm talking works bought by disney that were previously independent

[strangefellows]

i don't post much these days save reblogs (and the oc week lol) but like

bro i'm enjoying undead girl murder farce IMMENSELY this anime fucks so hard

i was into it just from episode 1, because the atmosphere and period urban fantasy genre is hella and i really like tsugaru's personality and banter with aya, and then eps 2-4 sold me on the mystery solving shit because i LOVE mystery anime/manga, but then it just veered hard left into HEY GUESS WHAT WE ARE ABUSING THE PUBLIC DOMAIN HERE'S HOLMES AND LUPIN AND THE PHANTOM AND MORIARTY AND CARMILLA AND FRANKENSTEIN AND CROWLEY AND AND AND-- and i am absolutely living for it that is one of my favorite fucking things to see lets go gang

[publicdomainbooksdevotee]

Finished Unbeaten Tracks in Japan and honestly, I can see why someone made it into a manga.

[davebriggs007]

Ruth Martin by National Library of Medicine Via Flickr: Collection: Images from the History of Medicine (IHM) Publication: [1944?] Format: Still image Subject(s): Librarians, Libraries, Medical Library Materials, National Library of Medicine (U.S.), Army Medical Library (U.S.) Genre(s): Portraits Abstract: Interior view: Ruth Martin, holding rolls of film, is sitting on a table next to a stack of periodicals in the reference division photoduplication section. A world map is in the background. Extent: 1 photographic print : 26 x 21 cm. Technique: black and white NLM Unique ID: 101445621 NLM Image ID: A017033 Permanent Link: resource.nlm.nih.gov/101445621

[prokopetz]

You know what just occurred to me?

When the United States switched its copyright duration from the older first-publication formula to the newer life-of-the-author formula, it elected not to make the change retroactive, so there are effectively two copyright regimes in place: one for works published in 1976 and earlier, which use the first-publication formula, and one for works published in 1977 and later, which use the life-of-the-author formula.

This means that, barring any authorship fuckery, The Silmarillion, which was published in 1977, and thus uses the "life of the author plus 70 years" formula, will enter the US public domain in 2044.

However, The Lord of the Rings, which was published in 1954, and thus uses the "date of first publication plus 95 years" formula, will enter the US public domain in... 2050.

In the United States and only in the United States, there will be a period of six years during which The Silmarillion is public domain, but The Lord of the Rings is not.

[jawskellyman]

Never say I don't give the people what they want. Even if I don't understand it.

Since Tumblr likes to change its logo quite often,

I present to you, Tumblrman Fashion!

First, Shiny! This version kinda gave me a Mirrored Sunglasses vibe, and that had me thinking of a more sixties outfit with tassel jacket.

Second, The period tracker app version/flowery. Simple spring time sun dress.

Third. I call this one, Public Domain Tumblrman.

Fourth, we have The Wizard! I was originally trying to think of something more wormy, until I was made aware of THIS post.

You're welcome internet.

Find my other Tumblrman content Here:

Portrait

Manscaped

PikachuMan

Algorithm

[ancientcharm]

Roman glass bowl, end of 1st century B.C–1st century A.D

During the Roman Imperial period, the popularity of elite objects sculpted from colorful stones such as agate and onyx led to the development of a market in glass replicas. These affordable alternatives were cast or blown from multi-colored canes of glass and imitated expensive natural stones. Here, an ancient craftsman has created an abstract version of agate using brown and white glass.

To make the bowl, the artist heated a rod of multicolored glass and laid the molten glass onto a flat surface, spiraling it into the center in a serpentine pattern. While heating in a kiln, the glass would fuse slowly--each curve melding into the next--until it became one large, colorful disk. After brief cooling, the disk was placed atop a hemispherical mold and heated again, until it slumped into a bowl shape. In the final step, the completed bowl entered an annealing oven to cool slowly, a process that kept the glass from shattering.

Text by The J. Paul Getty Museum.

Public domain pictures. Getty's Open Content Program.

[mccoyquialisms]

my fantasy high red-string-conspiracy-theory-board-of-the-main-mystery lore tracker (a long ass post) (because I love both mysteries AND organization of inconsequential information):

rough chronology of events:

In ages past there is a wedding attended in the Chaos Mountains by Sol and Galicaea of their sister the Witch Goddess to an unnamed giantkin god. This god is a summer god, sibling of the giant winter goddess Ruvina

Over centuries, the unnamed god's domain changes from the sun and summer to fire

This unnamed god is killed and their name was wiped from history. The other gods remember who this being is, but due to obliviati mori, cannot reference them directly to mortals. Red shatter stars appear around this time

850 years before present day, the Witch Goddess's name is erased by her followers (encouraged by followers of Galicaea) and she is transformed into the Nightmare King. Before she does she performs the 4 trans-substantiations to resist being "unmade". Her familiar Kalina becomes a plague and begins to spread through the mortal populace. These events likely happen after the death of her spouse, as there is no reference to a spouse when the Witch Goddess was previously mentioned

Roughly 4-6 years before modern day, the pit fiend Bakur attempts to resurrect his god, whose name was lost "so they could not be worshiped." The return of this god is felt to be a significant threat to the world. Lydia Barkrock and her adventuring party stop him by sealing Bakur in a red gem in Lydia's chest, where she keeps him imprisoned with her rage

The Ratgrinders, then called the High 5 Heroes, meet in freshman year and consist of Kipperlilly, Oisin, Mary Anne, Ruben, Ivy and Lucy.

They xp level up by killing rats, twig gremlins and other small magical creatures in the woods behind Aguefort

The events of freshman year happen and Kalvaxus is released. During prom, Ragh spots Jace Stardiamond talking to Arianwen. He is later "barbarian healed" by Porter and after this can see Kalina. Kalina finds Ragh later and threatens Lydia if he talks about what he's seen

Sophomore year spring break happens and the Nightmare King is transformed into the goddess now named Cassandra

At some point Lucy began to return to the woods after party sessions to revive the rats they killed. She did this long enough and with enough regularity that the rats remember her name/face well and think of her fondly

Paperwork is submitted for Lucy to change her god from Ruvina to a god whose name cannot be read, just before her disappearance. A few days later a second request is submitted to withdraw this change. Neither form was ever seen by Lucy's teacher Yolanda Badgood

Lucy was killed near Lake Shimmerstone by multiple assailants with both weapon and magical damage towards the end of sophomore year, in the period of weeks after grades were complete, but before summer break. The area has multiple uprooted trees, some of which were used to hide her body. Unholy rites were performed over her body to force her soul to the beyond, so she cannot be revived.

Lucy is reported as dead but her body was never found. She was described as "not alive in this material plane" via divination

Because of the timing of her death, her party was not moved to pass/fail as all grades for that year had already been submitted

Night Yorb and the long dark summer happens

Buddy Dawn, a cleric of Sol, is specifically requested by the Ratgrinders to be their new cleric for junior year

Also over the long dark summer, the Loam farmers are accused of embezzlement and the Frostyfair festival is moved from there to the Thistlesprings tree at the recommendation of Lola Embers. Sklonda Gukgak is assigned as the Loam couple's public defender

Kipperlilly finds or is found by the rogue teacher and has passed the whole of junior year

Junior year begins. On her first day, Kipperlilly questions Jawbone on where YES! was created

Kipperlily announces she is running for student body president and her primary platform is for uniform equity under the rules without "favoritism"

In the mall of the Synod, the event that kicks off the battle is Cassandra becomes angry hearing Kristen isn't coming to help find followers. She says "This isn't fair!" as a razor-sharp flickering star of red light emerges from her chest. 24-point, red shatter stars infect nearby wizards and turns them into rage-filled, violent, giant versions of themselves. The people taken over by the shatter stars are instructed by an unknown voice to attack Cassandra

Cassandra is able to be calmed by a high persuasion and when she does, she expels multiple shatter stars. She seems to recognize them and says "I thought you were dead.”

Before Kalina is taken over by the shatter stars, she looks to Riz and says "Ragh Barkrock". She then slits Cassandra's throat, triggering a new round of rage in Cassandra

Cassandra suffers multiple attacks and begins to transform into a giant, red raging version of herself and attempts to kill the party. Before she's successful, the gang are swept away in a time loop back to Spyre. The Bad Kids see the Synod is destroyed, and Kristen finds she has shards of Cassandra in her pocket

Kristen attempts to commune with Cassandra and hears a voice say "She is at my side once more." The voice then mocks Kristen with YES!'s body and then tells Kristen it is coming for her, and it will break her irrevocably.

Ivy sees Fig disguised as Lucy at the party at Seacastor Manor, and has an inscrutable reaction to it, but did not seem surprised

The cloud rider engine in Fabian's basement is broken and a piece is found missing

Kipperlily does the food truck event with the subliminal OK messaging on the packaging

Ruben Hopclap performs at FrostFaire when he is attacked by Principal Grix. Grix is eventually killed by Fabian. The Bad Kids determine Ruben was doing some kind of ritual with a song about anger above an arcano-tech array in a 24 point star pattern, successfully releasing a large amount of some type of magical energy.

Simultaneously, Yolanda Badgood is killed at Lake Shimmerstone by immense concussive force damage, and afterwards her body is expertly hidden. She is subjected to the same unholy last rites that Lucy was.

The Bad Kids find Lucy and Yolanda's bodies, and Kristen releases their souls, who travel to the beyond on a "trail of moonlight"

Sklonda's clients are found murdered

Mazey reveals that the Vice Principal (i.e. Jace) does not become the Principal, and it would be the student body president who becomes the new principal of Aguefort

additional info we can reasonably infer or that don't fit neatly in the timeline:

Buddy's grandparents, and likely Buddy himself, have a vested interest in his grandfather becoming the cleric teacher. He went to Aguefort and is familiar with the school. Presumably he wants this to be able to preach about Sol and spread his influence

At some point before her death, Yolanda told Jace about her concerns regarding Lucy's deity-transfer paperwork

Cassandra is not dead, but is "beyond reach"

Lucy and Yolanda were noted to be in "realms beyond", which Brennan specifically noted they were taken from and "whatever was happening there"

The Ratgrinders are gunning for the bad kids and seem to be orchestrating situations to try to get them to take drugs

Porter's philosophical discussion with Fig regarding the concept of protection and how that is often inextricably tied with rage, that one can act as a fuel for the other

Porter is a paladin of the ancestors, and at some point was mentioned to be a goliath, though this seems to be debated in canon. If true, it's possible he's a descendant of giants

Kristen bring's up Sol's wrath and Buddy does not refute this, agreeing Sol's wrath is a well known aspect of him and he has been quite angry because of the dark summer/night yorb situation

As above so below. What the gods do affect their mortal followers, but conversely, what the mortals who follow them do also affect the gods

A god can only come back from death in a place a god had been born or created, meaning Bakur's decision to try to revive his fallen god in the Red Waste was what doomed it to failure

Bakur's documents are written in the language of giants, and his deity is said to be from the same region as Ruvina. Combining this with Adaine’s research, and the “mitochondrial magic print”, Bakur’s god is Cassandra’s former spouse

The cloud rider piece was likely stolen by the Ratgrinders as Kipperlily asked Aelwyn to research schematics of the device

Kipperlily seems to be keeping information from some of the other Ratgrinders, telling Aelwyn she needs to "protect Oisin" from their shady deals

Kipperlily's mother works for the city treasury and her father is in real estate. Neither are super wealthy, but Kipperlilly has been paying Aelwyn large amounts of money to obtain arcane components. Given the timing of this with the disappearance of a large sum of money from the Frostyfair accounts, the timing of the murder of the people who were blamed for it, and that the new chosen location happens to be the home of one of the Ratgrinders rivals, the Ratgrinders involvement is thought to be likely

Cassandra's whispered clue of "spies, tongue, curse"

Places outside Spyre, like the Synod, are easier for dead gods to reach

For whatever the Ratgrinders have planned, a student being the principal of Aguefort is essential for it. A lot of people have had to be conveniently absent or dead for this circumstance to occur.

This is all not even touching Aguefort's whole journey through time and possible time quangle issue and whatever the fuck Fig's Bad Luck Thing is. I'm not convinced that these are related to the god stuff and are likely their own separate issues. also, I am tired lmao. If you want to hear my rambling theories, I'll be making a separate post.