#while simon's are about like.. identity ig

[bookishjules]

i think one thing that makes sizzy so compelling is the nature of isabelle's individual conflit and arc as a character being so rooted in love and romance. her heart is a major theme for her character, the most prominent plot string that we find ourselves subconsciously itching to see tied up. while plenty of (i.e. most) tsc characters have some sort of romantic plot, i feel like it is rarely so tied to the character's main developmental thread. every relationship has conflicts that each individual character will bring to it to make it difficult and compelling in some way, but when that conflict is specifically "hearts are breakable" ??? idk i think there's something about it.

we are rooting for isabelle to learn that it's okay to let yourself be vulnerable, that love makes you stronger in the long run. etc. etc. and the way to resolve that conflict she was built around is to introduce her to someone who will be deserving of her opening her heart up and letting it be broken. someone who puts just enough pressure on that character arc to push it to the end, where it can be tied up, where isabelle can find herself having grown and developed in the way she needed to. she needed love to get there.. which means she needed simon.

[transcomputer]

HEY HI WALLY UM SORRY TO SCREAM INTO THE VOID OF YOUR INBOX BUT I WATCHED 8 EPS OF FIONNA AND CAKE AND I SAW THAT YOU DIDNT LIKE EP 9 AND 10 WHICH MAKES ME CONCERNED CUZ I REALLY LIKE THIS SO FAR EVEN IF IM A PRETTY CASUAL AT FAN. IDK WHAT I MEAN BY SENDING YOU THIS JUST THAT. MAYBE I WONT BE AS DISAPPOINTED IDK?? ok ill stop screaming now i hope youre having a good day/night :"3

HIII SU YAYY IM GLAD YOU LIKE FIONNA AND CAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! o(^▽^)o despite my beef with the last 2 eps i really really do like f&c as a whole ... it feels like such a natural and intriguing progression for adventure time's story while also being creative enough to have its own identity. when i was watching it i was blown away with how much it exceeded my expectations!!! i wanna see where they take the 2 stories and im excited to see where the team decides take this universe (˘◡˘) ♪ ......

full disclosure im a #fake at fan i havent watched since iwas like 13 or something so take what i say with a grain of salt . but ig the main appeal of the first 8 eps for me is that i felt like it was set up as a subversion of what we knew about fionna and cake and, by extension, adventure time as a series. it takes a look at at's typical storytelling formula but from a more detached lens so it provides a new take on adventure time's storytelling by subverting it's key elements while offering a new perspective and tone (i was very pleased w how different f&c are from their at counterparts!) . simon's depression only seems to spiral with time despite everything "ending well" in the original series. fionna, who was initially excited to escape her boring life, becomes slowly disillusioned when she realizes she's out of her element amidst all the magic. both fionna and simon were stuck in a point where they can't progress in life (though in varying degree) because no matter what they do, there isn't really anywhere they belong. so their arcs are set up to have them live for themselves and carve an identity outside of wanting to escape their situations!! i found that very interesting!!

but then. episode 9 and 10 ...... gotta say i was pretty underwhelmed w these ones ha!

(extended thoughts beyond the cut bc its wayy too long and kind of a downer.. ^^ dont click if u havent finished yet!!):

i mean. eps 9-10 do a good enough job in wrapping up the story .... its just that the tone and way in which conflict was resolved felt kinda disconnected from the first half imo. fionna's struggles and what she needed was set up as a fairly complex problem and seemingly extended beyond her surface level desire to escape. but by the end shes like no wait im ok with my town actually i just needed to accept it :) which while yes that was the resolution the show was setting up, the way it's handled feels too. easy ig? idk her journey in the last two episodes feels wayy more cut-and-dry than i was hoping. it really feels like they wanted to delve into her struggles a little longer but weren't given enough time to do so, so they just kinda had to skip to The Part where she learns her lesson, but for me that kinda undermined the complexity of the conflict being set up and resolved things in a pretty generic way. also nitpick but her decision to not change her world mainly coming from gumlee going like "nooo we just got together!" was like disappointingly simple to me (._.)

which brings me to simon. ouuugh simon. i loooove fionna and cake's take on simon as a character a lot but im sorry betty and simon's resolution left me with more mixed feelings than it did closure. their story is bittersweet and doomed from the start so i dont have a problem with them not being meant to be but "simon was selfish too" being the major takeaway is so strange to me? throughout the show simon is shown to be incredibly selfless and self-sacrificial so having THAT be what we take away from his character feels so out of left field. and yes bc we dont see much about simon's personal life in the main series i dont doubt that he was prone to being selfish. it could be an interesting direction to take him in! but.... his selfishness towards betty is only brought up in episode 9 (we didnt see betty till episode 8 mind you) through an exposition dump via casper and nova (whose segments+designs were admittedly rlly cute) and directly called into question in the last episode, which was ALSO their last meeting. and it leaves such a sour taste to me ....... if youre basing a climax off a specific conflict....why wait UNTIL the climax itself to directly bring up said conflict with little to no buildup. i couldnt feel any closure bc i didnt think this was the conflict theyd choose to build their relationship on at all (then again i have bad foresight)

also "we could've made better choices" still confuses me bc literally WHAT..... if simon never put on the crown he wouldve died and never wouldve found marcy. if he escaped the crown's curse he wouldve projected his madness onto pb. idk. maybe i was reading too much into those isolated incidents. but also somehow i doubt that betty turning insane and ice king's existence were consequences of his selfishness 😭 mind you he literally tried to stop betty from saving him in at!!

additional nitpicks the tone kinda switched back and forth and it felt jarring. going from the somber tone of simon and betty resolution/final meeting and the lighthearted/vaguely humorous tone of fionna and friends trying to stop the bad guy kinda messed with my investment a lil bit...also jay permanently living in fionna's universe was so strange to me likerwyt2r!^%@%#& DONT YOU HAVE SIBLINGS?

anyways i sound really critical but its only bc im rlly invested and believe it could be better if its given enough time to explore its concept better!! and even if the last 2 eps werent for me as a whole there are a lot of things i love about it . the visuals (casper and nova, simon and betty's resolution, the scene of simon returning to ooo, the dandelion scene, the epilogue, GOLB) were sooo beautifully done and did such a good job giving the scenes weight like seriously props to the creative team. i also looove beth and shermy we've only seen very little of them but already their dynamic is so endearing. there's so much passion and creativity jampacked into this project i reaaally can't wait to see what else they have in store

[the-official-account]

Since today is Martin Killing-it Blackwood's unofficial birthday, (courtesy of @flashhwing) I would like to roast Oliver in his honor.

Disclaimer: i love every person and character mentioned here. This is all in good fun.

Ahem.

Bitch.

Avatar of the shitty psuedonym.

Thinks he's so cool because he bargained with the closest thing to fate. I eat corndogs for breakfast, I don't like beyonce, my little sister knows what arson is and likes it. Fate has a ransom on this ass, you ain't special.

"Antonio blake" ass. Sounds like the mc for a bad detective film ass. Waltzing into a hospital, what? For fun? Stop being edgy and go take a nap- OH WAIT. You can't.

He did tarot shit for a while and that's super cool I can't roast him for that at all. He wins this one.

And i- WHEEZE- I'm looking at his wiki page and this bitch really just walked around being ominous. Did you know he and Jane were coworkers? He just gave her sad looks like the emo kid who has a crush on you. Saunters up to Jennifer Ling, probably looking like Crowley from GO, (go buy some new pants, man) to ask what she's listening to like he's gonna cry if it isn't MCR (ash don't kill me, ik it's not real emo...i think? I dunno)

And yeah, I'm gonna say it, Simon McChicken Fairchild is more nihilistic than Oliver, and Simon's a capitalist.

This bitch pulls a whole-ass identity fraud scheme just to get a nap and ends up taking it to the face at 200mph. Not before he uses a GUN to kill the captain- Terminus be letting things happen but Oliver read You Are A Badass one time and gives no fucks.

Georgie swerved on his ass too, like damn. She said "smells like bitch in here" and she was RIGHT.

Avatar of the "that's kinda fucked up ig :/"

Avatar of the second spookiest tree in cannon. Wannabe ass.

Avatar of the "OoOoOoOoh InEvItAbIlIty" what's inevitable is you catching these hands.

Bitch probably dated the most vegan mother fucker on this planet. Puckerup, graphite-lips. But he's an economist so ofc he ain't even sure if that's Folger or not.

Speaking of, bitch was an economist but got so bothered about knowing how everyone is gonna die? Surprise, Motherfucker! It's capitalism. And I must know about this "dramatic" exit from his Barclay's? Did he punch some rich white dude? Because thats the only way he's ever getting my respect. Whatever it was, it attracted the attention of the end. Slow clap for Oliver.

We have to give him some recognition tho:

-most likely to have the highest literal body count

-most likely to be into hentai

-highest int. And lowest wis. Score

-Most likely to surpass AlexJN in terms of bureaucratic sexiness

-most likely to have the highest (metaphorical) avatar bodycount (based on the factors of 1.have they met? 2.do we know how that went? 3. Sexuality)

-most likely to tell you god doesn't exist

-most likely to kin that photo where Jonny "Why is he blue" Simms is being held hostage by a mushroom

Oliver is to the Archivist what @/pukicho is to the unprepared.

"Bee tee dubs, YwY, you'll die on September 23rd 2023, wear clothes you can get dirty"

Sure he'd be pissed about Jon's poor job habits, but he'd be more pissed trying to get Jon to RSVP for his own funeral when he can't get within 5 feet without Martin Knot-oliver-anything-but-oliver Blackwood decking his ass.

Bitch.

[mikeshanlon]

Happy Pride! .... Like... more than halfway through the month lmao sorry, better late than never ig! I’ve compiled a list of some of my fave LGBT+ books, as well as a few I’m planning to read for pride/in the near future. Please feel free to reblog and add some of your own recs, especially for the sexual and gender identities that are lacking in my list!!!!!

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz: This beautiful, wholesome coming of age novel is pretty popular on tumblr and with good reason! It’s set in the 1980′s and follows Aristotle, aka "Ari”, as he grows up an tackles with his identity-- he feels like his story is written by someone else, that his path is not up to his control. Whether this is due to his complex relationship with his family, or societal expectations/stereotypes of Latinx men, or the fact that maybe his friendship with Dante might be more than that, and that kinda terrifies him. (Rep: Gay, Latinx, (I believe this is own voices) Warnings: it’s been a minute since i’ve read this but i believe some racism, internalized homophobia, and an instance of violent transphobia)

Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston: LGKNLKNGRG okay this is truly one of my favorite books of the year so far and part of the whole reason i wanted to make this. This is a New Adult Contemporary romance set in sort of a like... parallel America where a woman won the presidential election. We follow The First Son, Alex Claremont-Diaz, who’s charming, smart ass, genius icon. Him, his sister June, and their best friend Nora are easily marketable and loved by the public for the most part, but when Alex and his rival Prince Henry of England get into a public spat at a Royal Wedding, Alex and Henry must pretend to be friends to patch up relations and public image for his mother’s re-election campaign. Eventually their fake friendship turns real, and then becomes more as they get to know each other, Alex and Henry begin a secret romance that we follow over the course of the re-election year. This book is fucking HILARIOUS (like I have so many tabs for funny moments and i was trying to be restrained), but it’s just so. Like full of love and hope and it’s so beautiful???? It’s definitely political escapism from our current situation in America but still deals with current issues such as racism and homopboia, etc, but gives the reader hope for future progress. Alex and Henry’s relationship is so fun, and sexy, and beautiful and the friendships are so iconic and Alex’s journey with sexuality is... chefs kiss. Also like. Casey McQuiston mentioned that she listened to Texas Reznikoff by Mitski a lot while writing this in the acknowledgments so. what more do you need... (Rep: Bisexual (Own Voices), Gay, Biracial-- Mexican/White (Own Voices), Warnings: Racism, homophobia, mentions of a past sexual harrassment/assault. Since this is a New Adult, there are smut scenes. I wouldn’t say it’s like. Super explicit or anything but there is sex, though it’s often during Important Moments of their relationships so it doesn’t feel like p*rn-- again the sex is happening but its not in hella explicit detail or anything or for the same goal as say an erotica. P much proceed with caution if it’s not ur thing but it’s not too wild!)

Blanca y Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore: This is sort of a Snow White/Rose Red and Ugly Duckling retelling following two sisters, Blanca and Roja, who’s family curse destines that one of the sisters will be trapped into a swan’s body, never to be seen again. (So this is magical realism lmao). We also follow two boys, Page and Yearling, who were wrapped up in the magic of the nearby woods, but have returned to society. Page is a gender queer trans male, and his whole arc that was so beautiful and made me cry, but in a good way (also warning that I’m cis so like. I would love to hear what gender queer trans individuals think about the rep in this book bc I cannot really attest to it.) This book is really about sisterly love and love in general, with all the complexities that come with it. (also wlw grandma’s who grow apple’s it’s p iconic) (Rep: Latinx-- colorism plays a huge role in the story as well (Own Voices), Gender Queer Trans, Queer (Own Voices) Warnings: Some transphobia, racism, and abuse). (I believe most of Anna-Marie McLemore’s books are magical realism and have some Latinx and queer elements to them as well)

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller: god..... This (gay ass) novelization of The Illiad is just so tragically romantic and beautiful... We follow Achilles and Patroclus as they grow up and grow closer, and eventually fight the Trojan War. There are so many beautiful quotes and scenes but like. You will most likely cry so keep that in mind eklrgerg. (Rep: Gay Warnings: Violence, there’s like..... a weird r*pe/homophobic scene)

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan: YA Fantasy set in a world where there are three castes: Moon-- the highest caste, demons with animalistic features in a humanoid form, Steel-- humans with part demon physical features and abilities, and Paper-- fully human, the lowest caste. We follow our protaganist Lei, who despite being a Paper caste, has beautiful golden glowing eyes that end up garnering attention from the Demon King. She’s stolen from her home and forced to join The Paper Girls-- a group of paper caste concubines in training at the palace. As she tries to find a way to escape, she ends up falling for one of the other paper girls, Wren, who might be just the key to freedom. I love Lei and Wren’s relationship and I’m excited to see it play out in the sequel! (which i believe ngan said will introduce more LGBT characters) (Rep: Asian (Own Voices), WLW (I believe this is Own Voices as well). Warnings: As their role as concubines suggest, a large part of this book revolves around the patriarchy using women for power and sexual assualt/rape. There are no explicit rape scenes-- though they do occur ‘off screen’, however there are a couple attempted sexual assault scenes that I believe could be p triggering. This book is also largely about the Paper Girls taking back their power, and I don’t believe these scenes are done for shock value, however please proceed with caution. Subsequently, sexist and patriarchial views are present within the authority, though shunned by Lei, however there’s a lot of internalized sexism and objectification among some of the other Paper Girls.)

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell: I probably don’t have to talk about this one much since it’s super popular, but in what is like essentially Harry Potter but like gay and wholesome, we follow Simon Snow, the Chosen One who’s actually not that good at magic, his best friend Penelope, and his roommate and arch nemesis that’s totally a vampire but won’t admit it, Baz. (Except Baz is, like, totally in love with Simon and Simon’s just too dumb and wrapped up in his own shit to realize it). Truly just,... an iconic enemies to friends to lovers story that unfolds as the three of them try to uncover a mystery surrounding Baz’s late mother. Ik some people have found it confusing bc it’s sort of like starting the Harry Potter story off at book 7 and only getting some background info along the way but honestly I really enjoyed that lmao. Also there’s a sequel coming out this fall, Wayward Son. (Rep: Gay, Some POC rep. Warnings: not rlly any i dont think??? There’s  like. some Homophobia lmao bc we can’t have a gay book without it.)

Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins: This is a cute YA contemporary following Millie Quint who, post being cheated on by her best friend and wanting to have a fresh start, flies to Scotland to finish off her senior year at her Dream prestigous boarding school, joining a handful of other girls as the first female class in the institution’s history. Plus like. Cool Rocks and Scotland. Only problem is that her roomate is sort of a bitch and also the Princess of Scotland who she totally just told off. So yeah yet another royal gay enemies to friends to lovers with a dash of and they were roomates LMAO. This book could be like.... a bit cheesy and rushed but overall it was cute and like...... The Cover.... (Rep: Bisexual, Lesbian, Warnings: Some homophobia. Also this is a companion novel to Prince Charming but you don’t have to read that first, there’s just some references to the couple in that book as the Prince is well.... The Princess’ brother and where they end up so if you don’t wanna be spoiled read that first ig!)

The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman: I talked about this some in this post, but I feel like I did kinda a shitty job so. A YA fantasy/paranormal series about the descendant’s of the town’s four founding families-- Violet Saunders, Justin Hawthorne, Harper Carlisle, and Isaac Sullivan (the most iconic one). The latter three have lived in Four Paths their whole lives, protecting the town from The Gray-- p much the Upside Down from Stranger Things lmao, using powers specific to each of their families. Violet and her mother move back after Violet’s sister died in a car accident, and she’s thrust into helping save the town as the Gray grows more restless and having to uncover the secrets of her family as well as all the history brewing between the other three. The Stranger Things and Riverdale comparisons are p valid, (but like. Riverdale in the sense of small town secrets and a bunch of tense history that the kids don’t really understand and must uncover, and some like love triangle but..... not Rlly Love triangles just a mess of ppl being like oh shit i like this person and this person.... Bisexual Chaos if u will... not like. The I’m cuckoo bananas for u let’s go get high and play dungeons and dragons and smash in a bunker LRGKJRLKGJ), the Raven Cycle comparison’s are kind of a stretch, I can see the abstract comparison’s if i squint but like. Don’t go into this expecting TRC lmao. I really enjoyed the theme of grief throughout this book and seeing the powers unfold (and one of the dynamics a lot) and while not perfect the series has a lot of potential and like. Bisexuals. So. (Rep: Bisexual (two mc’s are bi and say the word!!!!!!!! As well as some secondary characters), Disabled (one of the mc’s is missing one arm from the elbow down). Warnings: Grief, Violence)

The Gentlemen’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee: Also talked about this in this post and did a better job there, but to sum it up it’s essentially a friends to lovers, bed sharing, road trip au with a dash of magic but set in the 1700′s! There’s also a sequel/companion, The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy that I have yet to read but it follows Monty’s sister, Felicity, and I believe goes more in depth with her identity. (Rep: Gay, Black, Disabled, Aromantic, Asexual, Warnings: Period typical homophobia/biphobia, racism, ableism, sexism)

Simon vs. The Homosapien’s Agenda by Becky Albertalli: Like. I don’t think i really have to explain this one LRKGJJRG but added it just in case. YA contemporary following Simon as he e-mails another gay student at his school and falls in love. (Rep: Gay, Black, Jewish, Warnings: Homophobia)

All For the Game Trilogy (The Foxhole Court, The Raven King, The King’s Men) by Nora Sakavic: If y’all have been on my blog at all you know i’m back in aftg hyperfixation mode after another reread lmao. Is it a lil messy is it a lil dramatic... yes. but i love it!!! We follow our protagonist Neil Josten, who’s been on the run from his crime lord father, The Butcher of Baltimore, since he was young. After his mother dies on the run, Neil finds a new place and adopts yet another identity, and ends up playing high school exy (a made up sport but like we’re barely here for the sports lmao), something he used to play as a child. Despite playing a new position, he attracts the attention of the PSU Foxes, who’s coach David Wymack specifically recruits players with a troubled past to give them a second chance. Neil really shouldn’t sign-- it goes against everything his mother told him, it puts him at risk of being in the spotlight for his father’s men to find him, and puts him on the same team as Kevin Day, someone from his past that knows his true identity. Still, something draws Neil to joining the team, to finally try to live instead of just survive. UGHHHH like truly this book just makes u fall in love with all the characters and the beautiful and broken found family that develops over three books and one of the most iconic and amazing (ha....) slowburn relationships ever.... Also if i recall they’re super cheap on iBooks (at least when i bought them, the first book was free and the other two were $1.99). (Rep: Gay, Demisexual, POC, Warnings: MAJOR trigger warnings for like. everything bc all the foxes have fucked up pasts. But the biggest ones are probably rape, abuse/torture, and substance abuse)

Six of Crows Duology (Six of Crows, Crooked Kingdom) by Leigh Bardugo: Idk how much I really have to talk about this bc it’s popular but I am physically unably not to reccomend this duology bc its just. So. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. The most barebones summary is that this is a YA Fantasy about six people coming together to perform an impossible heist. This is truly like...... a masterclass in developing characters and has one of the best m/f ships i’ve ever read... But also since it’s on here there is some gay shit going on, 3/6 mains are Not Straight and there’s a cute m/m couple! Also you don’t have to read the Grisha Trilogy to read this but u can if u want (I have yet to). (Rep: Bisexual, Gay, Disabled, POC, Warnings: Again these ppl have fucked up pasts, biggest are PTSD, past sexual abuse)

The Raven Cycle Series (The Raven Boys, The Dream Theives, Blue Lily Lily Blue, The Raven King) by Maggie Steifvater: Again i don’t think I really have to explain this one but like. In case you haven’t read this series it’s truly iconic..... Idk even how to explain this LKGJLJRG just like magical realism wonderfulness and found family and amazing relationships and shit.... (Rep: Gay, Bisexual, Disabled, Warnings: Abuse)

The following are books I plan to read for pride/in the near future. I can’t wholeheartedly reccomend them obviously, or fully detail all the rep/warnings, but I’ve heard some great things about these books and a lot of them have representation that the first part of the list is lacking, so I figured I would add them! (Also if I use ‘queer’ that’s because that’s the only label I have been given by the authors or reviewers, or the characters identify as queer)

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman: To my knowledge this is a really emotional YA coming of age/college story that has to do with like. A podcast? Idk a lot of people love it and side note I’ll be suing B&N bc they NEVER have it relkj (Rep: Bisexual, Demisexual, I belive Latinx.)

Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand: I believe this is a YA horror-ish novel where there’s a monster stealing girls on and island. (Rep: I believe all three main girls are queer Warnings: Since this is horror im assuming. Horror stuff LMAO)

I Wish You all The Best by Mason Deaver: A YA contemporary romance about Ben who comes out as non-binary to their parents and gets kicked out, and moves in with their estranged sister. They soon are taken under the wing of a senior named Nathan Allan and begin to fall. (Rep: Non-Binary (Own Voices), MLM/Queer, Black (im assuming from the gorgeous cover lmao. Warnings: Misgendering, homophobia, anxiety, depression)

Summer of Salt by Katrina Leno: YA Magical Realism about Georgina, who has yet to inherit the magical powers that have been passed down her family, including her twin sister Mary who, unlike Georgina, is coming into her powers. (Rep: Lesbian, Queer, Aro/Ace, Warnings: Rape and sexual assault, underage drinking, animal death, drug use.)

[rebelsofshield]

Panels Far, Far Away: A Week in Star Wars Comics 7/17/19

TIE Fighter rises and Doctor Aphra fumbles on a mixed week of Star Wars comics.

Star Wars TIE Fighter #4 written by Jody Houser and art by Roge Antonio and IG Guara

It’s a bit odd that Marvel opted to market this comic as the background story of the villainous Shadow Wing in Alexander Freed’s excellent novel, Alphabet Squadron. While the lead characters of this novel do in fact fly for the infamous 204th wing of the Imperial navy, none of these squad members really make an appearance in the novel. It’s a bit of a head scratcher as TIE Fighter ends up having more of a connective threat to Han Solo: Imperial Cadet than to any other piece of Star Wars media. It makes one wonder what the backstory and relationship heavy plot structure that writer Jody Houser has crafted here was intended for as it is now clear as we approach the end of this series that this ensemble is very much self-contained. Luckily, it still makes for a solid comic.

Following their losses at the end of last issue, Shadow Wing regroups to mourn and center themselves. However, the news that one of their deceased wingmen was a turncoat for the rebellion rocks the unit even further. As this piece of intel directs Shadow Wing’s future missions, the crew has to grapple with a shaken sense of identity and purpose as their legacy is called into question.

It’s in the home stretch that TIE Fighter is starting to really come into focus. While the conflict of the previous two issues still feels like an unnecessary distraction, its events have shaken our sturdy Imperial unit and it leads to more intriguing and exciting character drama as a result. There’s very little space combat this time as the action instead unfolds as our pilot ensemble butt heads and try to reconcile their losses and upended understandings of their friends or lovers.

Houser throws another wrench into the mix by introducing two new cadets to fill the space of the fallen TIEs from last issue. Their inclusion at such a rough point for Shadow Wing adds some nice additional drama but also levity as these two younger recruits must make sense of the complicated world they’ve been launched into.

Next issue could very well end in a bloodbath, but I very much hope we keep this cast of characters around. Houser has done a commendable job of bringing these Imperials to life in a way that makes them feel nuanced and human without ever redeeming their commitment to an organization of evil. It’s a story telling success that shouldn’t go unnoticed and hopefully carries forward into the future.

Score: B+

Star Wars Doctor Aphra #34 written by Simon Spurrier and art by Wilton Santos, Chris Bolson, and Andrea Broccardo

I’m not used to leaving an issue of Doctor Aphra with negative feelings. Of Marvel’s entire Star Wars line, there has rarely been a series that is as consistently inventive and fun as this comic. Even its lesser issues had more personality and creative vision than most other books in the House of Idea’s galactic repertoire. It makes it all the harder to come out of issue 34 disappointed.

On a basic plotting level, this third installment of “Unspeakable Rebel Superweapon” feels wholly unnecessary. After a shortlived sojourn at her mother’s old cabin, Aphra finds herself back with the Rebellion when it becomes clear that the Empire has spread a massive net for her capture. However, she returns with a new mission and a returning ally hiding in the shadows.

And that’s about it. It’s never really a good sign when your script returns its protagonist to the same exact place they were in one issue prior. Despite two or three plot beats that try their best to stir the pot, there simply isn’t enough storytelling content to justify the thirty some pages that this comic devotes to essentially spinning its wheels. Even Aphra’s flashbacks with her mother do little more than fill some plot holes, telling us little new either about either side of this mother-daughter dynamic.

It also certainly doesn’t help that Wilton Santos’s art is still failing to congeal here. The empty and stark landscapes return and characters faces still feel stiff and unnatural. Aphra’s returning ally looks particularly odd here and can’t help but feel like a massive departure from their previous depictions in this comic and others. Andrea Broccardo fills in for Caspar Wijngaard here for the flashbacks and while they do their best to mimic one another it still feels like an imitation of another style. For a series that was a visual treat for so much of its length, this massive downturn in visual style grows more and more disappointing with each issue.

Hopefully this was a fluke. Visual issues aside, I did genuinely like the last two issues of “Unspeakable Rebel Superweapon.” Spurrier is still playing with some interesting themes and character beats here that warrant exploration and the sort of twist heavy storytelling he has excelled at. Let’s just hope that there’s more meat on the bones next time.

Score: C-

[patricksilvrrozartistry]

Current Music Obsessions: February 15 - 28, 2017

Sorry for doing this so late. I was pretty busy these past few days and didn’t have the time to share this till now. Better late than never! I have quite a few picks for these past 2 weeks, all thanks to me purging my watch later list again.

Here are the honorable mentions:

Ayreon - The Day That the World Breaks Down Ravenscry - Oscillation Mindless Faith - Leachate Dol Theeta - Keep Deep Obsidians Curse - What I Would Give Sede Vacante - Hate Eternal Battle of Mice - Sleep and Dream Azylya - Darkness Ascending Lost Kings - Quit You feat. Tinashe Even Vast - Dawning Gloom Haze - Afterglow The Northern - Umbra Eisblume - Warten Auf Ein Wunder Villainess Ambition - Undying Sarea - Downfall Daylight Misery - Θλιβερός Χειμώνας (Sorrowful Winter) Isaz Corp. - Out of the Door Amaran - Atropine Deadlock - Carbonman Lightfall - Who We Are Them Guns - Horoscope Parasite of God - Through Sorrows Illuminata - Cold Hands Warm Hearts Asteroids - Scream Birds of Tokyo - Harlequins G.O.T.H. - Darkly in Cradle Ex Deo - The Roman Talvienkeli - Atlas

I think there are more honorable mentions this time, but let’s see those real obsessions!

1) AfterTime - World We've Lost

I came across these guys on Facebook one day, and let me tell you, this is some epic stuff! AfterTime is a symphonic/cinematic power metal band and they just recently released a new EP called World We've Lost, and I must say, I am really excited to listen to it. After hearing this song, I am blown away by how epic it is! Can't wait to hear more from these guys!

2) Magion - Forever Mine

Magion are a symphonic gothic/power metal band that I discovered randomly one day through the recommended videos on YT and this song is far from epic and powerful. It's so dramatic and beautiful. So good. So good. I highly recommend you guys give this song a listen!

3) Sound Storm - Original Sin

Sound Storm is a power metal band that I've been into for a hot minute now. They have a new lead singer and he's just as good as their previous singer. Vertigo is such an epic, beautiful, amazing and powerful album. This song here is definitely one of my favorites off it.

4) Starset - My Demons

I discovered this song a while back on Tumblr and rekindled my love for it not too long ago. It's such an epic song and is what introduced me to this band. Of the few songs I've heard from them, this is definitely the most cinematic. It's an epic song that is a perfect blend of cinematic and nu metal. It's so good.

5) Blackdahlia - Falling Down

I discovered this song a few years ago, but the video randomly got stuck in my head one day and continued to stick around for nearly A YEAR. I didn't have the song stuck in my head, but the music video for it. When I finally found it, I fell in love with the song all over again. Such a great blend of alternative metal and gothic metal.

6) Sisters ov the Blackmoon - Blackbyrd

I wound up rekindling my love for this track not too long ago. This is some doomy, sludgey goodness right here. I learned about these guys through following there lead singer, Sasha, on IG and decided to give them a listen a couple years ago. I still have yet to listen to any of their other stuff. I really need to fix that.

7) Across the Sun - Before the Night Takes Us

Another rekindled song from a band I came across a couple years ago and need to look more into. This is a perfect blend of symphonic metal, progressive metal and metalcore. Such an epic song. The breakdowns are beyond amazing and are total ball busters.

8) MILCK - Quiet

I came across this song through the recommended videos on YT. The singer's voice is so great. So peaceful and beautiful. This was the theme for the Women's March that toook place last month and it's message is so clear. But this song isn't just for women's equality, but equality in general. No matter race, gender, gender identity, sexuality, religion, etc.; we are all human beings and deserve to be treated no different than anyone else.

9) ShadowPlay - Home

I'm not sure if I talked about this song when it was first released, but if I did, I'M TALKING ABOUT IT AGAIN. These guys dropped one of the best music videos ever, and it's there first ever! The visuals and outfits are EVERYTHING. Definitely one of my favorite music videos ever! The song is absolutely GORGEOUS and to die for. If you haven't already done so, you NEED to listen to this song and watch the video. You will not be disappointed!

10) Dismal - Microcosm & Macrocosm

If you've ever wondered what symphonic doom metal and experimental/ambient music blended together would sound like, this is it! It's such a beautiful song. I've heard quite a few bands try to do stuff like this, but they always wind up turning extremely chaotic. But this song is quite different. It has structure and is absolutely breathtaking. HIGHLY recommend this!

11) Dagoba - When Winter...

Once again, another rekindled song from years ago. The reason I originally decided to look into Dagoba was because they were going to go on tour with Epica and I was curious as to what they sounded like and I found this song and fell in love. I still love this song. It's so epic, powerful and just so fucking good! Quick question. Do you guys pronounce it Day-goh-bah (like how they do in Star Wars) or Dah-goh-bah (that's how Simone pronounced it when announcing that tour all them years back)? I use the second when refering to them, but use the first when refering to the swamp planet.

12) Ignea - Şeytanu Akbar

I've talked about Ignea quite a few times now and I can honestly say, I haven't heard anything less than amazing yet. This song is definitely not for everyone. They approached a social issue head on to bring attention to real issue behind Islam, and that is the people who justify their terrible acts in the name of a religion built on peace. Their approach to this is VERY abrasive, especially with a name like Şeytanu Akbar (which roughly translates to "in faith of the devil"), but it grabs your attention in order to expose you to this issue. It's an amazing song with such a powerful message. Islam will become a religion of peace again.

13) Disperse - Surrender

I have a feeling this is going to be a band I'm going to become obsessed with. This is the second song I've heard from them, and I am LOVING what I'm hearing! They're an atmospheric progressive metal band that I discovered through their record label, Season of Mist. This song is just so great to chill to. It's almost as if shoegaze and progressive metal had a baby. It's so good! I can't wait to give their new album a listen! Highly encourage you guys to check them out.

14) Egregor - Metamorfosis

Egregor is an alternative/progressive metal band that I discovered a while back that I'm falling in love with. They recently posted all the songs from their album, Karma, on their YT channel and I decided to add a song from it onto my watch later list and this was the lucky one that made it and I'm so glad it did. This song is so great! It has a really great vibe to it and I absolutely love it!

15) Bare Infinity - Hear Me Out

THEY'RE BACK, BITCHES! I've been a big fan of Bare Infinity for many years now. I do miss Angel, but Ida is such a great fit for them, and this song is pure proof of that! This is the first song that they've released off their upcoming album, The Butterfly Raiser (which can I say is an EPIC title and the cover art is GORGEOUS), and I absolutely love it! The hype for this new album is so real. Bare Infinity have definitely evolved into such an amazing band. Always Forever was an amazing album, but I feel like this new sound that they've acquired suits them so well and is absolutely gorgeous! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

16) Never Awake - Wander

Apparently I already came across this song of theirs, but I completely forgot about it lol. I've mentioned these guys once before a while back, but they are a progressive power metal band that I discovered randomly one day and am really enjoying. I think this has to be my favorite song I've heard from them so far. It has this atmosphere to it that I am in love with.

17) Dark Portrait - The Rise of the Anti-Christ feat. Iliana Tsakiraki (Enemy of Reality)

I came across this song while browsing on the metal archives at different songs that Iliana is featured on and came across this symphonic black metal track. This. Is. EPIC. So dramatic and powerful. So much yes. I LOVE the drama that Iliana gives this track and the power of the rest of the band matches hers. It can be hard for bands to not be overshadowed by a guest singer that is dramatic and intense like Iliana, so it's amazing seeing that they matched her drama and intensity with this track. Definitely am going to look more into these guys!

18) Silent Stream of Godless Elegy - Mokoš

I've been obsessed with this song for a while, but I only knew of the live version that Season of Mist shared on their channel a couple years ago. I decided to listen to the album version and fell in love it. It's just as good on the album as it is in that live video. But the thing I LOVE about this version is the choir bits near the end. So beautiful and powerful. I REALLY need to listen to more from this folk doom metal band!

19) Lana Del Rey - Love

This song is everything. It's so beautiful. The video is gorgeous. Just yes. The sound reminds me so much of Born to Die and Paradise and I am hoping she's going back to that sound. That was her best sound in my opinion. Honeymoon and Ultraviolence were good, but Born to Die and Paradise are truly what made me fall in love with Lana. Also, can we talk about the fact that Lana is SMILING while singing in this video?! Listen to this. It's amazing.

20) Corvyx - I Don't Wanna Live Forever feat. JAX (Zayn & Taylor Swift cover)

I remember listening to the original version of this song because people were going on about how amazing it was, but as usual, it was just some mediocre pop bullshit. BUT THIS COVER IS EVERYTHING. It's so pretty and so nice to chill to. It gets stuck in my head rather easily, but I'm not mad about it.

21) Infy - Love Song

GUYS. IT HAS HAPPENED. LGBT REPRESENTATION IS SYMPHONIC METAL!!!! I am LIVING for this music video!!! I have been waiting for a symphonic metal band to do a video centered around the LGBT community for so long. I know Ruins of Elysium have lyrics centered around the community, but this video is GAY. So many gay relationships and makeouts. YES. no. YAAASSSSS!!!! It always makes me beyond happy whenever I see metal music videos with strong LGBT themes because me being not only a metalhead but also bisexual, seeing representation that is so out in the open like in this video, it makes my heart sing. The song is absolutely gorgeous and beyond epic. My favorite song released this year so far, no doubt about it!

That’s it for those weeks! HOPEFULLY I’ll be back to doing shorter lists soon. I’m still working on purging my watch later playlist. Binging shows is not good for my watch later list lol.

[allspark]

It’s time for our weekly Diamond Comics Shipping List! Check out some great titles IDW has in store for us next week like Transformers: Unicron, Optimus Prime, Rom & The Micronauts, My Little Pony, Sonic the Hedgehog, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and more! All coming your way for March 28th!

OPTIMUS PRIME #18

John Barber (A/CVR B) Livio Ramondelli (A/CVR A) Kei Zama

“The Falling,” Interlude: Who is Onyx Prime? Leader of beasts, and one of the original Primes who led Cybertron, Onyx has been missing for millennia. Yet, his schemes go on. Where did he come from, and how will his reappearance change Cybertron forever?

FCBD 2018 TRANSFORMERS UNICRON #0

John Barber (A) Alex Milne (CVR) Sara Pitre-Durocher

Not a whimper, nor a bang-the end comes with a squall of entropy shrieking from the ravenous maw of death itself. The message is clear: Unicron has arrived. The Transformers lock into a desperate bid to save Rom’s homeworld from the world-killer – but why has Unicron chosen this world on his path to Cybertron… and Earth? The biggest story in the history of Transformers starts now: for Unicron’s arrival can mean nothing less than the end of a universe.

TRANSFORMERS TILL ALL ARE ONE TP VOL 03

Mairghread Scott (A/CVR) Sara Pitre-Durocher

The fate of Cybertron lies in the hands of Starscream and Windblade as each tries to win allies and support in order to gain control over the Council of Worlds. After the costly victory against the Titans, Iacon is in shambles and Starscream finds himself on shakier ground than ever. The key to his political (and likely literal) survival rests in the outcome of a very unlikely event: the trial of the Council’s first official war criminal-Chromia of Caminus! Collects issues #9-12 and the 2017 Annual.

ROM & THE MICRONAUTS #4

Christos Gage (A) Paolo Villanelli (CVR A) E. J. Su (CVR B) Giannis Milonogiannis

Asymmetric Warfare! Newly emerged from Microspace, Rom and the Micronauts seek out Baron Karza and his Dire Wraith allies. But it may be too late to save Earth from being consumed by a dark god from beyond our dimension!

MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC #65

Thom Zahler (A/CVR A) Andy Price (CVR B) Sara Richard

Princess Celestia disguises herself to live amongst ordinary ponies for a day. What she learns about her subjects, and herself, will surprise her!

MY LITTLE PONY LEGENDS OF MAGIC TP VOL 02

Jeremy Whitley (A) Tony Fleecs (CVR A) Brenda Hickey

The origin of Equestria’s most famous pony heroes continues as they come together to face the greatest evil any have ever encountered! Will they be able to overcome their differences to defeat an enemy that knows all of their weaknesses? Collects issues #7-12.

BACK TO THE FUTURE TIME TRAIN #4

Bob Gale, John Barber (A/CVR A) Megan Levens (CVR B) Philip Murphy

Doc and the Brown family venture ever deeper into the 1939 World’s Fair as a case of mistaken identity puts Jules and Verne in the crosshairs of German spies!

DUCKTALES #8

Joe Caramagna (A) Antonello Dalena, Andrea Greppi, Gianfranco Florio, Michela Frare, Luca Usai (CVR A&B) Marco Ghiglione

Scrooge finally finds someone he trusts to run his business while he’s out adventuring: Manny, the Headless Man-Horse! Mrs. Beakley is called back into spy duty by British Intelligence, but when she isn’t available, she’s replaced by Webby and Lena Le Strange!

DUCKTALES MYSTERIES & MALLARDS TP

Joey Cavaleri (A) Luca Usai, Graziano Barbaro, Various (CVR) Marco Ghiglione

Scrooge’s treasure hunts can lead to some pretty spooky places, and spooky comes in all sorts of packages! But whether they’re trying to outwit the ghost of Nostradogmas, discover the creepy secret of the Pumpkin People, or solve the mystery of a town where not everything is what it seems, Scrooge and the gang have it covered. Collects issues #3-5 of the ongoing series.

GEARS OF WAR RISE OF RAAM #4

Kurtis J. Wiebe (A) Max Dunbar (CVR A) Ryan Brown

One of the most iconic villains of the Gears of War universe takes the spotlight! Years before he became the bane of humanity on Emergence Day, RAAM rose through the ranks to take leadership of the Locust Horde armies thanks to his intelligence, strength, and ruthlessness. Now, witness that swift and brutal ascent in… The Rise of RAAM!

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #2

Ian Flynn (A/CVR B) Adam Bryce Thomas (CVR A) Tyson Hesse

Sonic’s new adventure continues, and when he comes across another town in need of saving, his old pal Amy arrives just in time to join the fight! The banter is fun, and the stakes are high, but things get really serious when Amy presents Sonic with a big request: rejoin the Resistance!

SPIDER KING #3

Josh Vann (A/CVR A) Simone D’Armini (CVR B) Simon Roy

This issue follows the Viking queen Sigrid as she attempts to assassinate Aarek the Wolf and prevent a catastrophic, intergalactic war. But Sigrid is unprepared for the new and improved Aarek, who has bonded with an alien parasite to become the Spider King.

STAR WARS ADVENTURES #9

Sholly Fisch (A) Jamal Peppers (CVR A) Chad Thomas (CVR B) Nick Brokenshire

Droids take center stage in both stories of this comical and exciting adventure! C-3PO might be in over his head as he takes on a new job, and IG-88 is determined to capture his crafty bounty!

STAR WARS ADVENTURES #9

Sholly Fisch (A) Jamal Peppers (CVR A) Chad Thomas (CVR B) Nick Brokenshire

Droids take center stage in both stories of this comical and exciting adventure! C-3PO might be in over his head as he takes on a new job, and IG-88 is determined to capture his crafty bounty!

FCBD 2018 STAR WARS ADVENTURES

Cavan Scott (A/CVR) Derek Charm

In this all-new story set before Star Wars: A New Hope, feared bounty hunters Zuckuss and 4-LOM finally have two of the biggest scoundrels in the galaxy in their sights! Timed to follow hot on the heels of Star WarsDay 2018!

STRETCH ARMSTRONG & FLEX FIGHTERS #3

Kevin Burke, Chris “Doc” Wyatt (A) Nikos Koutsis (CVR A) Aluir Amancio

The Flex Fighters are on the run with a giant Mantis monster in tow! Will they be able to save the Mantoid before it’s too late?

TMNT ONGOING #81

Tom Waltz, Kevin Eastman (A) Brahm Revel (CVR A) Dave Wachter (CVR B) Kevin Eastman

“Kingdom of the Rats,” Part 1. New York City is in ruins after the Triceraton Invasion. Various groups jockey for control in the power vacuum. But there is one who doesn’t care about power, only chaos… the Rat King! Will the TMNT be able to stop him from doing the unspeakable?

TMNT USAGI YOJIMBO EXPANDED ED

Stan Sakai (A/CVR) Stan Sakai

Revisit the critically acclaimed crossover comic between the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Usagi Yojimbo! This special extended edition comes with new features including the rare Mirage-era story The Treaty! A new cover by Stan Sakai and additional extras!

UNCLE SCROOGE #35

Giorgio Fontana, Thad Komorowski (A) Marco Mazzarello (CVR A) Andrea Freccero (CVR B) Paco Rodriquez

“A Tale of Two Biddies!” It’s Valentine’s Day in Duckburg, and Scrooge faces a firestorm from two dastardly dates-Klondike goldminer Glittering Goldie and brassy business-gal Brigitta MacBridge! What have they got that Scrooge hasn’t got? Wouldn’t you like to know? •   Continues this beloved series’ legacy numbering at #439!

WALT DISNEY SHOWCASE #2 MICKEY MOUSE

Alberto Savini, Jonathan H. Gray (A) Giampaolo Soldati (CVR A) Andrea Freccero (CVR B) Davide Cesarello

“The Secret of Gold City!” Deep in a Wild West boom town, everyone knows the 19th century legend of “Mickey the Kid” and “Six-Gun Goofy”! Now our modern-day Mouse and Goof trace their ancestors’ trail into a web of mystery and danger…

  Join the IDW Hasbro Shared Universe related conversation here in our Comics Discussion and Reviews section and here for all other franchises, superheroes, or general comic book discussions! Not a member? Join our community by creating your own free account here! Or jump right into the live chat on our Discord server!

IDW Comics Shipping List for April 11th! It’s time for our weekly Diamond Comics Shipping List! Check out some great titles IDW has in store for us next week like