#ITS GOT THAT COMIC BOOK POP (/POSITIVE)
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HEY @llamagoddessofficial I got some inspo from reading Tilikium, specifically imagining a positive interaction between Skull and a human outside of the ✨Siren Whisperer✨ hehe… I just love soft giant monster and smol child interactions ToT
Also no I’m not projecting kid me here by writing that they were a big marine biology fan, no way
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he’s still there.
Skull doesn’t think the visitors of this aquarium ever realize that they’re being watched, when they come to Skull’s tank. There was a little boy sitting in front of his tank, on the little platform just in front of the glass. He’s been sitting there for a very long time, maybe since around midday- and it was closing time soon. Most of the time, Skull would see kids running into his room, see the empty tank, look around for a while, before immediately giving up and going somewhere else. He thought the boy would do the same when he first came by. He stayed longer than Skull thought he would, but he did eventually leave. … Only to come back with some snacks in one hand, back to sitting in front of the glass, staring inside. Another time he left, he came back with a curious piece of paper, with something Skull couldn’t quite make out. At all his visits, he brought a book with him. It looked like it was too big for him, maybe half his size- but he always had it with him.
The rest of the guests have left. Not like they’d spend their last few minutes in the aquarium looking at an empty tank. The kid was persistent- even now he was still there, looking back from the tank to the book, and back again. Soon he’d have to go home, Skull knew, but it was… nice. It felt like he had company, even if the child didn’t know he was there.
He took one long look around the tank, those little round eyes scanning… then he climbed down the little platform, taking his book and piece of paper with him, heading towards the exit. He looked dejected, hanging his head low (as low as it could, almost comically so for that little body), dragging his feet.
… He stops when he notices a rather large shadow had fallen over him. Slowly, he turns around.
Skull was there, crawling closer to the glass, his inky black tentacles swaying around him like gentle seaweeds.
Skull watched in gleeful fascination as the kid’s face turn from confusion, to shock… to a wide smiling mouth, eyes wide, taking all of him in. He takes Skull aback for a second, the speed at which his tiny legs ran back towards the glass, placing the book and paper on the side and hopping onto the platform. From the shape and movement of his mouth, Skull could guess he was laughing- he wished he could hear it.
He presses his face against the glass, plopping both hands beside him.
Skull’s eyelight glows brighter, bringing his face lower. His sockets gleam softly at the little one- he looked so chubby, so tiny. His hands would barely be able to circle just one of his phalanges. Skull wanted to squish his hands, his cheeks, how soft they must be. Even when Skull revealed himself to the aquarium staff, he doesn’t remember anyone looking at him with so much innocent joy and excitement. This close, so much smaller than the other humans, yet he didn’t have an ounce of fear in those eyes. The child waves enthusiastically to him, and Skull waves back.
If staff had been looking at him, their heads would all collectively explode.
It’s apparent he’s caught the kid’s attention when his tentacles start curling. He removes his face from the glass, admiring his tentacles. Skull waves them around, chuckling to himself when the kid tries to follow them across the glass, going back and forth, copying the movement with his arms. He looks closer when Skull sticks one of his tentacles to the pane. The kid looks fascinated by his suckers, tapping on them with his finger, maybe counting them. He yelps a little when Skull pries it away, letting them pop off one by one, leaving little trails of bubbles in its wake. He’s laughing, clapping his hands together… Skull can’t help but feel proud, having caused that. One of his tentacles was thicker than the kid’s entire body, he could use it like a blanket. The boy couldn’t hear it, but Skull growls playfully- getting cute aggression at how tiny he was.
The kid realizes something, watching the tentacles, sitting down and opening his favorite book. Skull watches curiously as he gently flips the pages, slowly, like he’s afraid he’d bend or rip the page. Once he finds what he’s looking for, he presses the book to the glass.
Skull narrows his sockets.
There’s… a picture of a deep sea octopus. It’s tentacles matched his.
… aw. Did he have a little admirer?
The boy could hardly contain his excitement, he was bouncing a little.
“Like you!” He saw the boy mouth.
Skull’s sockets turned into crescents, nodding. It was accurate- he used to see those octopuses in the depth he lived in.
What a smart kid. He couldn’t say the same for some of his caretakers.
He puts the book back down, picking up the paper he’d carried around earlier. It’s a little crumpled, apparently from the kid having gripped it too tightly. He sticks it to the glass.
…
This…
This was a drawing of him. Crayons of black and blue, a blob in the middle and jagged tentacles extending outwards.
Skull’s jaw goes slack, taking a closer look of it, sockets wide open. His eyelight growing, looking at the kid. He points to the paper, then to his chest.
“... me?”
His eyes were practically sparkling, nodding furiously.
If Skull was crying, he wouldn’t question it. His eyelight large, fuzzy. Like seeing light from under the waves. A warm smile crept up his face.
“thank you.”
No, the kid didn’t understand him. But he could see the boy’s mouth turn into a small “o” looking deep into his sockets. He looks almost hypnotized, a bit of red reflected in his black eyes. He reaches a hand up as if going to touch him. Skull meets his hand on the glass, fingers outstretched.
He was awestruck, expression unchanging, maybe looking at how big his skeletal hand was compared to his. Skull reads a “Wow,” from his lips, eyes glancing back to his eyes. Light filtered through water, dancing in those innocent eyes. He lets the kid stare- he isn’t sure how long.
Then, the spell breaks. He must’ve heard something, because he looks behind him towards the door leading to the tank room. He looks to Skull, frowning. Skull’s grin falls a little when the boy takes his hand off the glass. Although he couldn’t really feel it, it felt as if he could feel the warmth leaving when he does. He climbs down the platform, grabbing the book, but leaving the paper in front of the glass. He pushes it towards Skull, pointing to him.
‘For you.’
He walks slowly towards the exit, giving Skull a sad smile as he does, waving.
Skull never liked it when the kids had to leave. It was his only joy during opening hours, getting to watch them run around. Nonetheless, he kept smiling for him, waving back.
“Bye bye,” they mouth.
Skull starts drawing backwards, tentacles climbing over each other, the shadow of an adult appearing in the doorway, someone’s looking for the kid-
It’s you.
He stops when he sees you. You didn’t see him, running over to the child, he can’t quite make out what you were saying, but you were checking him… then you looked up and met his eye.
Your mouth opened. The boy looked back, a sweet smile on his face.
They couldn’t hear him, but Skull was trilling, tentacles curling and uncurling with excitement, swimming around his tank in the rare burst of movement, displaying his tentacles for the humans, before retreating back to the cave.
You were dumbstruck. The kid held on to your hand, tugging on it, asking questions about the deep sea cecaelia, breaking you out of your stupor.
This was definitely one of his best days.
#kid strayed from his group specifically to see skull#they were looking for him during closing time and you were the one who found him#hehe#tilikium fanfic#how do you tag a fanfic of a fanfic#(shrugs)#aka writing#here you go llama hehehe
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I was tagged by @fieldofclover!
Rules: Go to your published works on AO3 and list the first fic you ever published there, the last fic you published, any fic that you wrote for a fandom/ship only once, your favorite fic you wrote in the fandom/ship that has the most works, the fic you wish more people read, the fic you agonized over the most, the fic that sprang fully formed from your mind without any effort, and a work you are proud of—for whatever reason.
First fic you ever published there: Born of Familiarity
I ended up hyperfixating on The Witcher (all versions tbh, it's got so many cakes. And it's still having me in its grip.) in 2019 when Netflix released the 1st season. In spring 2020 I was painting a portrait of Geralt and the sentence "To Geralt Jaskier registered as quiet." popped up in my head and didn't leave me alone until I started unveiling the reason. And then I ended up writing the thoughts down in fic format, writing prose for the first time in like 8 years and fic in maybe 14 years? The overwhelming positive reception only fed into the rediscovering of how much fun writing prose is (had been doing only comic scripting) and I continued writing more fics. That one also ended up being the 1st fic of the series that's my main focus.
Last fic you published: Flying High, Falling Low (Latest update was on Winter Winds and Snowmelt though)
I'll be talking about both fics later on.
Any fic that you wrote for a fandom/ship only once: Ouija Phone
It's a very slightly longer than a drabble crack fic for The Umbrella Academy. I just thought it'd be funny. It's also the only fic that's not for The Witcher on ao3.
Your favorite fic you wrote in the fandom/ship that has the most works: Winter Winds and Snowmelt
Will talk about it later.
Fic you wish more people read: I Get To Watch You Grow Up Now
This one is purely book based fic involving Dandelion and Essi. It's a short snapshot of their almost familial relationship. I personally like how it turned out despite not much happening.
Tbh, I'm not surprised at all that this particular fic has far less interaction than my other ones since it's not geraskier or has any other ship either. Plus Essi is only in a single one shot in the book series so she's not so well known character.
Fic you agonized over the most: Flying High, Falling Low
Decided to go with this instead of any long fic because the amount of agonizing versus word count is higher despite having written a bulletin point fic a couple of years ago which I used as an outline.
This one was for the Disability Pride Month Challenge in a discord group and I decided to use bipolar disorder. Which is what I have so I ended up using A Lot of personal experiences and that was both difficult and freeing. It's not the 1st time I've put them on paper or even leaned into fics but this time there wasn't much redressing some of the symptoms into different things/reasons and creating distance that way.
It's kinda surprising how very, very few fics there are with bipolar Jaskier since a lot of his canon behavior fits it. But from what I've observed, people tend to give him adhd if he's written neurodivergent. I wonder if it's because of adhd is better known or if it's because of the stigma still clinging to bipolar disorder (...most likely because of a combination...).
Fic that sprang fully formed from your mind without any effort: There's Harshness In Your Voice And Softness In Your Hands
This is a funny and lighthearted one with concussed Jaskier. It was so much fun writing him being a bit loopy and saying only parts of his thoughts out loud to Geralt's exasperation. Plus, I got to write a whole silly ditty for it that I posted as a 2nd chapter. The whole fic was written wayyy past midnight during an insomnia spell which absolutely lent itself for Jaskier's thought process. It's also my most popular fic by a pretty large margin when looking at kudos, however I don't consider it as such. (That would go to Biting Snake Isn't Better Than Knife In Your Back due to the comments and bookmarks. Sorry for sneaking in a fic not asked for)
A work you are proud of—for whatever reason: Winter Winds and Snowmelt
Winter Winds... Gosh, I have so many feelings about this fic (And Biting Snake too which is the immediate prequel). I'm really happy with the way I managed to treat serious topics about mental health, recovery from trauma, and building healthy relationships both romantic and platonic. It's not a perfect representation but the way multiple readers have told me how much they see themselves/in general identify with what the characters are going through and how it has brought them comfort makes me feel like I've done a good job. Not to mention that people have loved the slow healing and found each chapter interesting is so so great to hear. Especially since Winter Winds is the longest fic by a large margin in the Geraskier tag on AO3. Which I still find absolutely wild! I have no idea how it's currently a bit over 472k words.
Also, I'm so very proud about the fact that I'm currently writing the last chapter of it. It's been a long ride, both with time and word count. I started it in fall 2020 so it's going to be slightly less than a 3 year project. And I'm almost finished. I'm actually having so many feelings about finishing that the last chapter is a very slow writing as I'm also letting go of the fic and all the emotions I've gone through while writing it. Although, the series it's part of isn't even close to finished so I don't have to say goodbye to these particular versions of the characters.
Uhh.. I never know who to tag but @dapandapod maybe you want to talk about your fics...!
#iida rambles#the Witcher#the witcher fanfiction#geraskier#the Witcher fanfic#Witcher#adventures with writing
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Nick Mag Highlights - #114 September 2005
Welcome to another edition of Nick Mag Highlights! Today, we’ll be taking a look at Issue #114 from September, 2005!
Now, I understand you might be slightly surprised we went from Issue #1 to Issue #114, but I say take the whiplash in stride! Variety is the spice of life after all, and this cover exudes variety. We went from a roster of just one measly Nicktoon to a whole overload of shows spilling out from the top of the page!
But of course, front and center we have Drake & Josh, which was entering its third season at the time after facing massive success. Unsurprising too, since it really had everything going for it. Boys wanted to be Drake, girls wanted to be near Drake, and Josh was there to carry the show. How times change… now Drake Bell doesn’t even want to be Drake Bell.
But I digress, let’s dive into Issue #114! You can read it on the Internet Archive here.
Is a franchise really a “thing” if it doesn’t have a fast food toy line? Think about it.
I remember that online game they’re advertising on the left, I’m pretty sure you never get to see your created ghost stand back-to-back with Danny Phantom himself, pretty disappointing if that was the prize you were after.
Okay, after looking at some footage, it seems like you never get to see your created ghost even move! Explains why my memories of this game are pretty vapid.
There’s nothing else to incite fear into the heart of a child quite like the phrase “Back to School”. Except for maybe dentist’s appointments, needles, large bugs, and the Easter Bunny.
To tie into this most horrifying occasion, the overarching theme of this issue is stupidity. Let’s keep reading and find out if that was a dumb idea.
At this point Nick Magazine had dropped Ooze News, instead opting to advertise the biggest Nickelodeon headlines (Oooh, Tak 3!) near the beginning, with a special section later on for showcasing any upcoming episodes of their regulars. Stay tuned for that!
I’m not a Barbie expert. Are these based on outfits the doll wore at some point? ‘Cause otherwise these are just regular clothes that say “Barbie” on them.
First speech bubble from Zelda in the blog’s history!
Anyway, did you know Frankie Muniz (Malcolm in The Middle) is a NASCAR driver now? Crazy.
Lovely illustration work from Roger Langridge, who still posts comics on Twitter! Check him out after you’ve finished reading this post, liked it, reblogged, left a comment, followed, and bookmarked my blog.
I know what some of you may be wondering, just what exactly was the hot-ticket item kids were asking for Christmas in a pre-iPhone world? Well, I guess a Firefly might be a possible answer? I don’t recall ever seeing one of these back in the day, and apparently they don’t even make them anymore.
What this ad conveniently doesn’t tell you is the amount of parental controls stuffed into one of these things, which makes them a fantastic safety tool, but maybe not that cool of a toy.
Take note, this was back when having “animations” was a selling point.
Here we can the see the aftermath of Nickelodeon teaming up with Baby Bottle Pop for a bit of cross-promotion, which culminated with the crowning of the first (and probably only) “Baby Bottle Popstar”.
Indeed, kids across America were urged to send in their own rendition of the iconic “Baby Bottle Pop jingle” (which no doubt most of you are humming right now). Those performances were left to the mercy of the online populace, voted upon with the utmost scrutiny. Few died, but many were injured, and a young Alyssa of California was crowned Baby Bottle champion.
So it says in the history books, anyway. If you’d like to see the Baby Bottle ballad that shook the world, I recorded a video of the Nick.com link included in this ad, courtesy of the Internet Archive.
Sorry, got a little intense back there. Anyway this is a fun section! And anything reminding me about Jack Black and School of Rock is a positive in my book. Little odd lumping in The Dukes of Hazzard next to Finding Nemo and Spongebob, but I guess they might have wanted to throw a bone to the preteens in the audience.
Pretty cool full page spread advertisement for a Nicktoon, and for Catscratch no less!
Ah Catscratch, one of Nick’s oft-neglected 2000’s ‘toons, right next to The X’s and Making Fiends. Obviously I’m biased a bit, being a 2000’s kid, but it really sucks these shows fail to even get a passing reference nowadays. Oh well, if My Life as a Teenage Robot can escape Nick’s 2000’s dungeon, maybe there’s hope for the others.
A pretty funny comedy section here, depicting the daily newspaper of the fictional town of Moronia. I’d recommend checking out the full section if you’re not already reading along, it’s pretty funny!
Y’know I really wouldn’t have thought such generic phrases like “Feel Brand New” and “Make it Your Style” would be trademarkable. I would think at most you could get away with holding the rights to “The Lisa Frank Brand is for Every Happy, Cute Girl”. Although since they left that last one open, I bet the trademark is still available if anyone wants to snag it.
Additionally I’d like to give props to this company for being so bold as to have one of their mascot characters thank the Lord himself for their brand’s existence. You hardly see such tenacity nowadays.
Weird short fascination I had as a kid: I really liked the style of these ads that Pop-Tart was running at the time. I’m sure a lot of you remember the commercials in particular. I guess the black-and-white scribbly style just tickled my brain! Weirdest thing was they never actually inspired me to buy Pop-Tarts myself, it was only last year or so I had my first ‘Tart. Suppose that makes me a fake fan.
We’ve made it to The Comic Book, rejoice!
Initially, I was particularly excited about this being the opportunity to introduce some of the regular comic series featured in this section, since I thought they’d have already started appearing by now, seeing as how we’ve jumped ahead much later into the magazine’s run.
But, uh, no, actually! This issue is completely lacking in strips from any of the notable ongoing comic series from the mag’s lifespan. Not even a Scene But Not Heard, which I guess disproves my memory of each issue having one!
Oh well, we’ll get to them when we get to them, the one-offs were usually just as entertaining. And we do at least have one recurring strip to talk about, Impy & Wormer!
Impy & Wormer was a regularly published strip for this section, created by James Kochalka. The strips were so small, you could find one of them at the bottom of each page of The Comic Book. It’s a pretty cute idea! I often found myself doodling Impy in the margins of my notebooks when the magazine was around.
Say what you will regarding how Web 2.0 and the modern internet has affected society’s mental health and the overall cultural zeitgeist, but it did lead to this funny one-panel comic :)
Holy moly. Does anyone else remember Postopia? I swear for the last couple years I tried my damned hardest to find out what website it was that I played some weird Flintstones flash games on as a kid. I recently found out that it was indeed Postopia. Man, between this and Pop-Tarts it really seems like I would just buy into whatever weird viral marketing these fast food brands were pumping out as a kid.
I remember these being a fairly common activity in the mag: gag product labels. Cut ‘em out and tape them on to their intended packaging and you’ve got an instant barrel of laughs! Problem is they never seemed to be the right size for the products I tried them on.
Come to think of it, my parents were really the only ones who got to see them finished, and they didn't really find them that amusing either. Was I really supposed to show my friends some dental floss I had taped a fake label onto?
“Nostalgia” is a term I honestly hate throwing around, what with how common it is, but this page in particular is really inciting some wistful childhood memories. Doesn’t seem like the worst deal in the world either, at least if you’re into membership cards, special edition issues, and stickers.
Sidenote, Step 4 isn’t really a surprise if you tell everyone it’s a Spongebob hat, guys!
Man, these guys hate teachers! I did not know a single kid in school who hated their teachers as much as the Nick Mag writers seemed to. A lot of my teachers were pretty nice, actually.
Yeah, in terms of replacing the Cartoon Calendar section (which we saw an example of in the previous NMH post), this leaves a lot to be desired. Still, I like when the magazine tried to give out fun factoids, it made me feel like my intelligence was being respected. Those puns are Zelda Van Gutters-tier writing though.
Now now, I’m not going to keep going on about Drake Bell. There’s only so many times you can shoot the elephant in the room before you start looking like the weird one. Drake & Josh was such a favorite of mine around the time this magazine came out, and it was really fun getting at least a little insight into what the behind-the-scenes view was like.
Small extra detail I find interesting is that almost every blurb below summarizing the new episodes for each show mentions romance and crushes (baring All That, but that’s a sketch show anyway*). Even the interview brings up that Josh had gotten a new girlfriend in Season 3. Guess Nick was really going all in on the love aspect to keep their preteen audience’s attention in the midst of puberty, which feels kind of manipulative in hindsight? Oh well.
*They were still making All That in 2005?
TurboNick, huh? I… think I remember this? Barely. Looking it up on Google gives me a faint sense of remembrance. Although I don’t remember Pick Boy. Sorry, Pick Boy.
I guess the idea was you could check out clips from all your favorite Nick shows and eventually be graced with a full-on episode thanks to Pick Boy, and given his name I’m sure voting was involved to decide the full episode that was released. Not the worst idea! I certainly don’t remember Cartoon Network posting full episodes online. They probably didn’t even have their own Pick Boy.
I’m willing to give credit where credit is due. In the last NMH post I accused a lot of kids’ for being very fart-centric. I’m still sure in the Gnarly 90’s that was true, given all the stuff Ren & Stimpy were getting up to on prime-time television. But here in the Techno 2000’s we reference Spock and take Grandma to prom. A much more sophisticated fare.
Man, this must have been so cool for any Sly Cooper fans picking up this book. It’s a triple threat: questions, concept art, and a quick-look at Sly 3! I may not be a fan myself, but I can always appreciate some concept art and creative insight for a largely beloved character and series.
And rounding us off it's... Hey, it’s Bill Trinen! He was a sort of meme for a while, wasn't he? Back when they let him be in Nintendo Directs, anyway. Well, I say meme, but I guess he was more like an oyster stuck on the underside of a much larger meme named Reggie Fils-Aimé.
Yeah, definitely more like an oyster… What were we talking about? Oh yeah, NintenDogs! Never played it. Apparently they poop! Cool, I guess!
Well, well! That wraps up another addition of Nick Mag Highlights! I think getting the 2000's side of the timeline after the first issue was good for giving a bit more context on how the magazine looked and grew throughout its time on the market. I’m excited to see what’s next, and I hope you enjoyed it too. There’s tons more content and memories to read through.
Also, one last thing. While looking up that one Danny Phantom flash game from the start of the issue I found that there’s apparently a new Danny Phantom graphic novel coming out this Summer? I’m surprised I haven’t heard anything about this! The art looks really pretty. If this seems like your thing, keep an eye on it!
That’s all for now! Until next time, keep reading!
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If Square Enix Sold More Merchandise (Part 2)
Last year, I made a post called If Square Enix Sold More Merchandise. It was based off of my other post for how I would make Balan Wonderworld a better game. It got a lot of likes and reblogs so, it's safe to say that my post back in 2022 became pretty popular and well liked.
With that being said, here are more of the merchandise that I think Square Enix should sell.
A Balan Wonderworld art book: I've heard some Tumblr users loving the idea of having an art book. In this book, it will include the following:
Early concepts of the twelve Inhabitants
More 2d images of the twelve Inhabitants that take place in both the openings and endings
Early concepts of the stages
2d images of the background characters
A Chapter that will teach artists how to draw the Balan Wonderworld characters step-by-step (This will also teach artists tips on how to draw their ocs Balan Wonderworld-style)
Tim-based slippers: Who doesn't love comfy slippers? These slippers will have memory foam in them, but have a soft and fluffy interior. The slippers will come in variety of colors and styles:
Yellow with bunny ears
Pink with bunny ears
Cyan with bunny ears
Light purple with bunny ears
Red with bunny ears
Light orange with bunny ears
Yellow with cat ears
Pink with cat ears
Cyan with cat ears
Light purple with cat ears
Red with cat ears
Light orange with cat ears
Yellow with bear ears
Pink with bear ears
Cyan with bear ears
Light purple with bear ears
Red with bear ears
Light orange with bears
Yellow with hairstyle
Pink with hairstyle
Cyan with hairstyle
Light purple with hairstyle
Red with hairstyle
Light orange with hairstyle
Backpacks and crossbody purses by Loungefly: I am familiar with the brand Loungefly. There should be backpacks by this brand that will have the characters on them. And the crossbody purses should by Tim-based or Negati-based.
Balan Wonderworld Comics: Hey, if Sonic the Hedgehog and NiGHTS had their own comics, then Balan Wonderworld should have comics too. Chances are, it will most likely be about our two protagonists, Emma and Leo, going on a different adventure. But what adventure will they go on? Only the comics will tell.
Collectable changing cards: This idea was by @evil788 . She had this suggestion where Square Enix should sell cards of each Inhabitant that will change. For instance, at first glance it will show them in their positivity, but if you move the card, it will show them in their negativity.
Same thing will happen to Balan and Lance. Except if you move the cards, it will show both their normal forms and true forms.
Drop-shaped keepsake boxes: This may or may not have been inspired by my jewelry box idea from my previous post. But basically, these boxes will be shaped like Drops in the game and will come in the following colors: yellow, pink, red, and cyan.
They will be the size of the large Drops in the game. The top will have storage for bracelets, rings, love notes, etc.
There will even be three drawers as well for more storage. The sides will open to reveal a place for any necklaces or lanyards you may have.
Tim Egg Lamp: A cool idea I came up with myself! Imagine a small lamp that is shaped like a Tim egg! To turn it on, all you would have to do is press down the top of the Tim egg like you're pushing a button. A yellow Tim will pop up with the top of the egg on its head and the lamp will immediately turn on.
To turn it off, press the top of the lamp again and the Tim will go right back in the egg, causing the lamp to turn off. This will work well on both nightstands, end tables, and desks.
Let me know what you guys think!
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LUCY & THE SUNDAY FUNNIES
A Look at the Comic Strips of the Lucyverse
Comic strips and comic books are part of pop culture history - just like Lucy - so it is natural that the two sometimes collided. Here are some examples of popular comics that went from the Sunday funny gage, to the Monday night tv fun!
DICK TRACY
Dick Tracy is an American comic strip featuring a tough and intelligent police detective created by Chester Gould. It made its debut on October 4, 1931 in the Detroit Mirror, and it was distributed by the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate. Dick Tracy has also been the hero in a number of films, two of which were released in 1947. From 1934 to 1948 "Dick Tracy" was also radio serial. Tracy was mainly heard about on Lucille Ball's radio show, "My Favorite Husband" (1948-1951).
"SECRETARIAL SCHOOL" (February 18, 1949) Liz begs the Blabbermouth on the party line to allow her to make a quick call.
LIZ: “Do you have to use the telephone?”
BLABBERMOUTH: “Whaddya expect me to use? A two-way wrist radio?”
In 1946, Dick Tracy introduced a two-way wrist radio. In 1948, that cartoon item was brought to reality, along with a myriad of other Dick Tracy-themed toys.
"THE ANNIVERSARY PRESENTS" (May 13, 1949) Liz is positive that George will remember their anniversary. After dropping several hints, George still hasn’t said anything. Finally, he looks up from his newspaper with something to tell her.
GEORGE: “Dick Tracy found the jewels!”
On May 13, 1949, the daily Dick Tracy comic strip revealed that the missing jewels has been found. The case involved a character named Pear-Shape, who owned a weight loss business but was overweight himself. He conned an elderly widow out of the jewels and sold them to a fence.
"GETTING OLD" (May 20, 1949) Liz find a book she forgot to return to the library, long overdue. George wants to donate it to their tag sale, but Liz refuses to handle ‘hot’ merchandise. George sarcastically calls her Pear-Shape.
George is not referring to Liz's waistline, but to the character in the Dick Tracy comic strip named Pear-Shape Tone, who was part of the storyline from April to July 1949. He was a racketeer who would steal jewelry from his wealthier clients, then fence it to make a profit.
"LIZ IN THE HOSPITAL" (May 27, 1949) As George speeds toward the hospital a cop pulls them over. Liz thinks that if she gets arrested she can’t go to the hospital so she tells the officer that they are driving a stolen car. When George tries to interrupt, she calls him Pear-Shape to further reinforce her fake story of thievery.
Pear-Shape must have been quite popular in May 1949, because this is the third consecutive episode of “My Favorite Husband” where he is mentioned!
"LIZ AND GEORGE ARE HANDCUFFED" (December 30, 1949) George overhears Liz playing out a scene from Dick Tracy with little Tommy Wood from next door, who got a Dick Tracy outfit for Christmas and has been playing cops and robbers ever since. Liz says his sisters won’t play Tess Truehart to his Dick Tracy. George corrects her that she is now known as Tess Tracy, since Dick and Tess recently got married.
LIZ: “You mean I’ve been playing around with a married man?”
On December 25, 1949, just five days before this broadcast, Dick finally married his girlfriend, Tess Truehart.
Little Tommy ‘Tracy’ comes over to show ‘Pruneface’ Cooper (Liz) his badge, handcuffs, and finger print outfit.
LIZ: “Tommy, is it true that no two people in the whole world have the same fingerprints?”
TOMMY: “Nah, that’s a lot of bunk. I’ve already found three people who have exactly the same fingerprints; my daddy, Santa Claus, and the crook who broke into my piggy bank.”
"THE JIMMY DURANTE SHOW" (April 29, 1948) Lucille Ball guest stars in an episode where they take a magic carpet around the country to see how things might be different if women were captains of industry. In Paris, Illinois, they visit the second largest perfume factory in the country, owned by Hot Breath Houlihan.
DURANTE: “Now I know who set B.O. Plenty’s house on fire!”
B.O. Plenty was a character from Dick Tracy comic strip. In March 1948, his house mysteriously burned down and everyone feared the character was dead. Readers actually wrote to the newspaper begging Chester Gould not to kill off B.O. Plenty and Gravel Gertie!
From 1950 to 1951, "Dick Tracy" was a television series, ending just a few months before "I Love Lucy" went on the air. Dick Elliott (right) made his television debut as Officer Murphy. He had done several films with Lucille Ball and appeared on "I Love Lucy" in two episodes. Likewise, Pierre Watkin played Police Chief Pat Patton. He had also done several films with Lucy and two episodes of "I Love Lucy."
Ten years later there was an animated series titled "Dick Tracy" featuring Lucille Ball alumni Jerry Hausner, Benny Rubin, and Mel Blanc.
In 1967 there was a pilot for a new live-action "Dick Tracy" series that went unsold. It featured Eve Plumb and Victor Buono, who later did episodes of "Here's Lucy," but were far more famous for other shows.
LI'L ABNER
Li'l Abner was a satirical comic strip that featured a fictional clan of hillbillies living in the mountain village of Dogpatch USA. Written and illustrated by Al Capp (1909–1979), the strip ran for 43 years, from August 13, 1934, through November 13, 1977. The strip inspired a 1956 Broadway musical that was filmed in 1959. Prior to that there was a non-musical film in 1940. A radio series was heard from 1939 to 1940.
"GEORGE ATTENDS A TEENAGE DANCE" (November 20, 1948) This episode of "My Favorite Husband" opens with Liz reading the morning papers over breakfast.
LIZ: “Who do you suppose got married?”
KATIE THE MAID: “Li’l Abner and Daisy Mae?”
Almost from the start, Abner Yokum was being pursued for matrimony by Daisy Mae Scragg. The reading public found it quite a tease that the two were clearly destined to get together. They finally married in 1952, nearly four years after this broadcast. The event made the cover of LIFE Magazine.
"LIZ LEARNS TO DRIVE" (November 13, 1948) George reads about his old college girlfriend, Myra Ponsenby, in the morning paper. Liz is unenthusiastic.
LIZ: “What’s new in Lower Slobbovia?”
“Lower Slobbovia” was a term first used in 1946 by Capp to describe a place that was unenlightened and socially backward. The term entered popular culture when referring to any place hopelessly stuck in the past.
"FIRST STOP" (January 17, 1955) Fred Mertz calls the rundown Ohio roadside diner "Lower Slobbovia.”
In "Tennessee Ernie Visits" (May 3, 1954) Fred calls Cousin Ernie "Little Abner".
The Broadway musical and film adaptation starred Peter Palmer as the title character. Palmer played Brother Peter in Lucille Ball's failed NBC sitcom "Bungle Abbey" (1980). On Broadway, Daisy Mae was played by Edie Adams (aka Mrs. Ernie Kovacs), who played herself in the very last episode of "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour" (1960). The film also featured Lucy players William Lanteau, Alan Carney, Bern Hoffman, Bobby Jellison, and Torben Mayer.
The 1940 film featured Lucy's mentor Buster Keaton as Lonesome Polecat and Dick Elliott as Marryin' Sam. A new 1971 musical special featured Lucy alumni Carol Burnett, Ken Berry, Eddie Albert, and Donald O'Connor. In 1967, "Here's Lucy" director Coby Ruskin created a pilot for a "Li'l Abner" series that failed to sell.
LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE
Little Orphan Annie was a daily comic strip created by Harold Gray and syndicated by the Tribune Media Services. It made its debut on August 5, 1924, in the New York Daily News. In 1930 it became one of the first comic strips adapted to radio, and attracted about 6 million fans before leaving the air in 1942. It was adapted to film in 1932 and 1938, and (like Li'l Abner) even became a Broadway musical. The success of the 1977 musical is credited with revitalizing the popularity of the franchise. The musical was filmed in 1982, 2014, and for television in 1999.
"LUCY WANTS NEW FURNITURE" (June 1, 1953) Lucy likens her over-permed hair to a chrysanthemum, while Fred calls her Little Orphan Annie.
Annie is generally depicted with a mass of red hair and a red dress with a white collar.
"THE STAR UPSTAIRS" (1955) Cornel Wilde is trying in vain to read a soaking wet newspaper thrown to him in the bathtub by Lucy disguised as a bellboy.
WILDE: “I thought President Eisenhower was playing golf with Little Orphan Annie.”
Eisenhower was famous for playing golf and Annie was famous on the comic pages, so it easy to see a mash-up of the two from a soggy paper.
"LUCY AND ART LINKLETTER" (January 10, 1966) Seeing Lucy’s wide-eyed look, Mr. Mooney tells her to "stop looking like an over-aged Orphan Annie.”
In the comic strip, Annie's eyes have no pupils!
"LUCY GETS TRAPPED" (September 18, 1967) Lucy calls in sick, but goes shopping instead. When she's named Customer of the Year in a big celebration, she tries to hide the newspaper with her picture in it from Mr. Mooney. She tells him there's nothing new in the newspaper.
LUCY (about the news): "Oh, the temperature’s up, the stock market’s down, and Little Orphan Annie is lost again!”
During its 86 years of publication, Annie being lost or having disappeared was a frequent storyline. In fact, when the strip finally ceased publication in 2010, it ended with Daddy Warbucks "resigning himself to Miss Annie's being lost forever."
SUPERMAN
The Man of Steel was introduced to the world in comic book form in June 1938, created by Jerry Siegel and Joel Shuster. Beginning in January 1939, a daily comic strip appeared and a color Sunday version was added that November. Since then, the character, and characters from his world, has been seen in virtually every form of media, including, of course, television.
"LUCY AND SUPERMAN" (January 14, 1957) is considered one of television's first 'cross-over' shows. "The Adventures of Superman" aired from 1951 to 1958 in syndication, concurrent with "I Love Lucy". It starred George Reeves as Superman, a role he also plays on this episode of "I Love Lucy." While "Superman" made the transition to color in 1954, CBS kept "Lucy" in black and white for its entire run. Reeves is never mentioned by name in the dialogue or in the original credits, although it is pretty clear that Lucy and Ricky are recruiting "the actor who plays Superman" to entertain at Little Ricky's birthday party, not the superhero himself. Keith Thibodeaux (Little Ricky) later said that this was his very favorite episode. Because Desilu had obtained the license to use the actual Superman logo, they weren’t shy about using it! They even got permission to use the show’s theme music, composed by Leo Klatzkin.
Actors who were also seen on “Adventures of Superman” and their (characters) on “I Love Lucy”: Doris Singleton (Caroline Appleby), Elizabeth Patterson (Mrs. Trumbull), Tristram Coffin (Harry Munson), Herb Vigran (Jule / Al Sparks / Joe), Claude Akins (Himself aka ‘Giant Native’), Hayden Rorke (Mr. O’Brien), Phil Arnold (Harry Henderson / Man in Hotel Hallway), Milton Frome (Bill Henderson), Pierre Watkin (Mr. Dorrance), Dick Elliott (Tourist at Empire State Building / Yankee Stadium Spectator), Maurice Marsac (Maurice / Waiter), Frank J. Scannell (Buffo the Clown), Lou Krugman (Hollywood Director / Jewelry Salesman / Club Manager), Joi Lansing (Herself / Miss Low Neck), Larry Dobkin (Counterman / Waiter / Counterfeiter), Rolfe Sedan (Paris Chef), Eve McVeagh (Roberta the Hairdresser), Norman Varden (Mrs. Benson), Danni Sue Nolan (Mr. Reilly’s Secretary), Harry Cheshire (Sam Johnson), Ken Christy (Ken the Detective / Dock Agent), Robert Foulk (Brooklyn Policeman), Sid Melton (Jockey / Bellboy / Shorty), Bert Stevens (Tropicana Patron), Harold Miller (Theatre Patron / Ship Passenger), Hans Moebus (Man on Dock), Ernesto Molinari (Vineyard Boss), Jack Chefe (Bellhop / French Waiter), Bess Flowers (Tropicana Patron / Theatre Patron), and Monty O’Grady (Ship’s Passenger / Man at Airport).
Picking up Little Ricky’s toys, Lucy holds one of his “Superboy” comic books. It is the December 1956 issue (#53), hot off the presses during filming. Ironically, on the cover, Superman is looking at television! Even more ironically, inside the comic book was an ad titled “Draw Bob Hope”. Hope had just appeared on the season opener of “I Love Lucy.”
BATMAN
Batman was created by Bill Kane and Bill Finger in May 1939, just a year after Superman. As with Superman, there were numerous radio, film, and television adaptations of the characters, most notably a series starring Adam West that aired from 1966 to 1968.
Alas, there is no direct reference to the Caped Crusader in the Lucyverse. There are, however, plenty of indirect references due to the large number of actors who appeared on the television series who had also appeared with Lucy: Madge Blake, Cesar Romero, Van Johnson, Shelley Winters, Liberace, Tallulah Bankhead, Ethel Merman, Milton Berle, Rudy Vallee, Ida Lupino, Howard Duff, Stafford Repp, Victor Buono, Vincent Price, Edward Everett Horton, Vito Scotti, Norma Varden, Tristram Coffin, Ellen Corby, Sammy Davis Jr., Allen Jenkins, Art Linkletter, Alan Hale Jr., Jessyln Fax, Ben Welden, Dick Kallman, Alberto Morin, Bryan O'Byrne, and Larry Anthony.
Most notable among these is Madge Blake, who played Aunt Harriet on "Batman" as well as two characters on "I Love Lucy" and one on "The Lucy Show." She was also seen with Lucy and Desi in The Long, Long Trailer (1954). Coincidentally, she played Martha, a prospective new tenant in "Lucy and Superman" (see above). When she sees something outside the apartment window, her husband Herbert is concerned.
HERBERT: “Was it a bird?”
MARTHA: “No.”
HERBERT: “Was it a plane?”
MARTHA: “No.”
HERBERT: “Well, what was it, dear?”
MARTHA: “It was Superman!”
A 1949 film titled Batman and Robin featured Lucy performers Jack Chefe, Lyle Talbot, William Fawcett, and Phil Arnold.
DENNIS THE MENACE
Dennis the Menace, a comic strip centered around a mischievous but good natured young suburban boy, made its debut on March 12, 1951 syndicated in newspapers. Its success inspired comic books and (most famously) a television series that aired from 1959 to 1963.
"LUCY THE ROBOT" (February 28, 1966) Jay North, who played Dennis, guest-starred on a 1966 episode of "The Lucy Show" playing the 13 year-old nephew of Mr. Mooney (Gale Gordon). Lucy dresses as a toy soldier robot to divert him.
“You will keep that MENACE subdued for the next eight days!” ~ Mr. Mooney to Lucy about Wendell
During the final season of "Dennis", the long-suffering character of neighbor George Wilson was written out due to the death of actor Joseph Kearns. Kearns had played two characters on “I Love Lucy” - a psychiatrist in season one, and a theatre manager in season six. Gale Gordon was added to the cast as George’s brother, Henry.
When Lucille Ball was finally convinced to return to network television in 1962, she naturally wanted Gordon to join her, but he was unavailable due to his prior commitment to “Dennis the Menace” so Mrs. Carmichael’s put-upon banker was played by Charles Lane. Lane was also on “Dennis” as the recurring character of druggist Mr. Finch. He played the role six times before leaving for “Lucy”, his final episode airing just a day before his penultimate episode of “Lucy”!
When “Dennis” was canceled and Gordon was finally free, Ball wasted no time in hiring him and had Lane’s character was written out in order to make way for a new banker, Theodore Mooney. “Dennis the Menace” also had a character named Theodore Mooney - a police sergeant (George Cisar). He was often seen in the company of a woman named Lucy (Mrs. Lucy Elkins played by Irene Tedrow, and John Wilson (Gale Gordon).
Another cast member that "Lucy" and "Dennis" had in common was Danny, a cairn terrier who played Fred the dog on "I Love Lucy" and Freemont, Mr. Wilson's dog, on "Dennis the Menace." Danny was trained by Bill Blair and owned by Frank Inn, Hollywood's busiest animal actor supplier.
Besides Gordon, Lane, and Kearns, “Dennis” also featured “Lucy Show” and/or “I Love Lucy” alumni: Mary Wickes (Miss Cathcart), Edward Everett Horton (Uncle Ned), Kathryn Card (Mrs. Biddy), Parley Baer (Captain Blast), Elvia Allman (Edna), Tyler McVey (Mr. Carlson), Dub Taylor (Opie Swanson), Norman Leavitt (various roles), Bob Jellison (Announcer), Richard Reeves (Mr. Kelly), Lurene Tuttle (Mrs. Courtland), Nestor Paiva (Gamali), Jonathan Hole (Addison Brook), Stanley Adams (Jerry Richman), Willard Waterman (Otis Quigley), Harry Cheshire (Mr. Petry), Eve McVeagh (Mrs. Purcell), Harvey Korman (Bowers), Stafford Repp (Lt. Wheeler), Verna Felton (Aunt Emma), Madge Blake (Mrs. Porter), Ellen Corby (Miss Douglas), Eleanor Audley (Mrs. Pompton), and frequent extras Leoda Richards, Leon Alton, Olan Soule, Larry J. Blake, George DeNormand, and Monty O’Grady.
THE GUMPS
The Gumps is a comic strip about a middle-class family headed by hen-pecked husband Andy. It was created by Sidney Smith in 1917, launching a 42-year run in newspapers from February 12, 1917, until October 17, 1959, just six month before the last time America saw the Ricardos and Mertzes for the last time.
"The Adagio" (December 31, 1951) Ricky says “All this shaving is liable to wear my chin away,” to which Lucy replies “Okay, Andy Gump.”
The character had a bushy mustache but no lower jaw. Cartoonist Smith based him on real-life Andy Wheat who had his jaw removed after a tooth infection.
BUSTER BROWN
Buster Brown is a comic-strip character created in 1902 by Richard F. Outcault. Adopted as the mascot of the Brown Shoe Company in 1904, Buster Brown, along with Mary Jane, and with his dog Tige, became well known to the American public in the early-20th century. The character's name was used to describe a popular style of suit for young boys, the Buster Brown suit.
"THE ENGLISH TUTOR" (December 29, 1952) Lucy hires a grammar instructor so her new baby will grow up surrounded by well-spoken friends and family. Fred sarcastically shows up to the first session wearing a Buster Brown suit.
ETHEL: "All right, Buster Brown, go downstairs and get out of that silly outfit."
"THE RICARDOS CHANGE APARTMENTS" (May 18, 1953) To give Ricky the feeling their apartment is too small, Lucy fills the flat with toys, including a frog with a tongue that popped out when squeezed. This was actually a TV tie-in (one of the first) called Froggy the Gremlin. The character made its debut on radio’s “Buster Brown Gang” in 1944, which was brought to television in 1951 as “Smilin’ Ed’s Gang” with Froggy as a puppet and – occasionally – a life-sized costume character. In various formats, the program was seen from 1951 to 1960 (also on CBS) and featured "Lucy" performers June Foray, Vitto Scotti, Lou Krugman, Alan Reed, and Jerry Maren as Buster Brown.
BRENDA STARR, REPORTER
Brenda Starr is a comic strip started by Don Messick in 1940 about an adventurous and glamourous female reporter. The strip ended in 2011.
"LUCY BECOMES A REPORTER" (January 21, 1963) When Lucy takes a job as the editor of the Danfield Tribune's social column, Mr. Foley, the Tribune’s editor, sarcastically refers to Lucy as Brenda Starr.
Like Lucy, Brenda had red hair.
THE KATZENJAMMER KIDS
The Katzenjammer Kids was a comic strip created by German immigrant Rudolph Dirks which appeared from 1897 to 2006. Dirks was said to be the first to use 'thought balloons' in a comic strip.
"LUCY AND THE DIAMOND CUTTER" (November 16, 1970) Wally Cox plays Gustav, a nervous diamond cutter who stays at the Carter home while waiting to cut an expensive gem. Gustav calls Kim and Craig “the Katzenjammer Kids.”
The line is humorous due to Cox's thick German accent.
BRINGING UP FATHER
"VIV VISITS LUCY" (1967) A hippie named Itchy (Les Brown Jr.) tells Viv he doesn't miss his parents because “that 'Maggie and Jiggs' action was pretty hard to take.” Maggie and Jiggs (or Jiggs and Maggie) was the colloquial name for a comic strip actually titled “Bringing Up Father.” It was created by George McManus and ran from 1913 to 2000. The strip presented the life of a nouveau-riche American family. It was translated to stage, radio, television and six films.
It is often forgotten that "I Love Lucy" was also a comic strip which appeared daily from 1952 until 1955. In fact, it was the comic strip that broke the news that Lucy Ricardo had given birth to a boy! These were then collected into "I Love Lucy" comic books. "The Lucy Show" was also a series of comic books, published by Gold Key from 1963.
#Little Orphan Annie#Lucille Ball#My Favorite Husband#I Love Lucy#The Lucy Show#Li'l Abner#Dick Tracy#batman#Brenda Starr#The Katzenjammer Kids#Dennis the Menace#Buster Brown#The Gumps#Here's Lucy#TV#Comic Strips#Comic Books#Batman#Superman#Superboy#Andy Gump#Bringing Up Father
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Name: Arlen Askew
Nameday: 27th Sun / 3rd Astral Moon (24 years old)
Birthplace: Rook Island, the second largest island of Cycad Atoll, which lies hundreds of miles SSE of Koshu, in the Glass Ocean
Guardian: Oschon, the Guy w/ a Cane
Previous Occupation: Flight attendant for Glass Ocean Skyways
Current Occupation(s): Cocktail waiter at the Manderville Gold Saucer; travel writer and photographer
Certifications: First aid, pilot's license (valid only throughout the Glass Ocean island regions), member of the Intergalactic Geographic Society (or at least a subscriber of the magazine)
Hobbies: Fishing, cooking, flying small aircraft, amateur cartography
Hidden Talent: Parkour
Biography:
Arlen was born on Rook Island, a small, sandy spit of land that forms part of the Cycad Atoll, one of the many that dot the expanses of the Glass Ocean. Most of these islands are isolated and difficult to access; Cycad Atoll is no exception, so most of its residents are environmental researchers, conservation workers, or those providing sundry support for such activities. After completing his primary education, Arlen himself took a job with Glass Ocean Skyways' cabin crew—boasting an impressive fleet of precisely one airship (Happy Day), which was basically a glorified puddle jumper serving Cycad Atoll and its closest neighbors.
He worked as a flight attendant for six years, making his way up to the (relatively) prestigious chief purser position and even acquiring a bantam-class airship pilot's license of his own. However, he did this primarily for safety reasons as Happy Day only flew with one pilot who was, as Arlen admitted, "really gettin' up there, and I don't mean altitude".
While he enjoyed his work and intended to stay in the position as long as he could, Glass Ocean Skyways sadly went defunct after its owner/manager retired and passed company leadership to his son, who subsequently sold the company so he could pursue his own dream of starting an onion plantation.
"I was at a total loss, but I know I've an uncle somewhere in Aldenard," Arlen recalled. "More than that, I know he's got loads of money 'cause he runs some kinda casino, so I sent him a letter asking if he had any work for me. About a month later, I get this letter back saying I might like being a cocktail waiter or something at the casino on account of my being a flight attendant. Well… Gosh! I mean, yeeeaaah, I'd serve drinks sometimes on the airship, but there's a lot more to it than just that. But I wasn't in any position to scupper the offer neither, so the next day I packed up, said my goodbyes, and fired up my own ship—a little Falcon, really ace little machine, just a beauty—and set course for the continents. And here I am!"
Extra:
Arlen is Godbert Manderville's nephew; his mom is Godbert's sister Perpugilliam, who scandalized the family by eloping with a relatively poor (Miqo'te!) meteorologist who wanted to study aetherial currents in the remote parts of the Glass Ocean.
He doesn't know Cid very well but he HAS met Nero several times; two weekends a month Arlen helps his friend run a "vintage orc" booth at a Gridanian flea market, where Nero goes to browse for orchestrion rolls featuring banned Garlean pop stars from his childhood.
He always likes it when Nero comes around because strangely enough, the idiosyncratic Garlean has also been instrumental in helping the booth rid themselves of their supernumerary piles of stupid old comic books that are apparently too patrician for Eorzean tastes.
#FFXIV#i know this is old and i posted it here before#but here it is again#and not just because i forgot about it no sir
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And Now: Thoughts on Sonic Prime (1-8)
I am hot and fresh off watching episode 8 of Sonic Prime -- it's the end of the current batch of episodes we have, with the promise of more to come.
And to some degree, I guess I went in with low expectations. For starters, this show has been kind of shrouded in mystery. I guess to some degree I'm used to more lead in time on these things, where there's a steady drip feed of teasers, and trailers, and previews for 9-12 months leading up to its release. Sonic Prime had nothing, for the most part -- just some concept art leaks, until about three months before it premiered. It didn't help that the streaming landscape as it stands today is sort of on fire; not just Warner Discovery slash-and-burning HBO Max, but a swathe of Netflix Animation layoffs cut through the industry during Sonic Prime's production. It was, and is still a scary time for the industry.
The pervasive theme from some I follow on social media also was kind of lukewarm. I get the feeling a lot of people had the same experience with Sonic Prime as I did with Samurai Jack back when that premiered. For me, Samurai Jack came at the peak of the anime boom, when Americans were getting their first taste of truly serialized animation. Jack set itself up as a serialized adventure, but very, very quickly devolved in to a typical American cartoon format, with episodes made to be syndicated and aired out of order. Or, to put it in terms that make my comparison more clear: I expected something more and instead got a show that was comfortable resting in an existing format.
And the prevailing complaint I've heard against Sonic Prime is that it's "just a kids show." The complaints aren't very loud and most people are fine with this, but the disappointment is still there, because, again: they expected something more and received a show that was comfortable where it was. That's fair.
Sonic Prime is definitely a cartoon show for children. The original pitch was that it is "Into the Spider-verse for Sonic", and that's definitely true, but it makes sure to go as slowly as possible and explain the concept of a multiverse over, and over, and over again just to be positive that the six and seven year olds in the audience understand the concept of alternate dimensions, and the fact that Sonic is crossing between them. A lot of early episodes are taken up by Sonic being confused by what's going on, despite the fact that DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths popularized the idea of the multiverse back in 1985. But hey, kids today weren't alive in 1985 (heck, I was barely alive in 1985).
Even though, y'know, Spider-verse itself was a comic book in 2014, and a movie in 2018, with a sequel due next year, which is to say nothing of the Marvel Cinematic Universe dabbling in the multiverse with Spider-man: No Way Home and Dr. Strange in The Multiverse of Madness. And then there's Fortnite, perpetually one of the biggest games in the world for the last half-decade, which has positioned itself as the center of all multiverses ever created, in its quest to transcend and graduate to a metaverse.
Heck, even Sonic himself: between Sonic Generations, Sonic Forces, and the 24 year run of the Archie Sonic comics, this isn't Sonic's first multiversal rodeo.
But I can swallow that. Like it's been said, it's a show for kids, and they're just trying to make absolutely, totally sure even the youngest are able to digest what's happening. Eventually you get past the show feigning a sense of "I don't know what's going on!!" and it starts to hit a stride.
Sort of, anyway. By the end of episode four, when Sonic Prime has fully and finally committed to admitting this is a multiverse, you're halfway through this first batch of episodes, and the pace suddenly goes from zero to sixty as Sonic starts more rapidly popping around dimensions.
I'd really like to see the original, unedited pitch for this show. Because there are clear vibes in Sonic Prime that suggest something much closer to what a "Spider-verse" really is: namely, different sub-franchises coming together. More specifically, the Spider-verse movie goes out of its way to suggest that its Peter Parker is, in fact, the same Peter Parker from Sam Raimi's movie trilogy, as during his origin story, you see shot-for-shot recreations of famous Raimi-Spider scenes. Now, with its sequel, Across the Spider-verse, fans are going wild pointing out cameos in recent trailers.
All of this is me saying I think Sonic Prime was probably pitched to be a show where Sonic visits known dimensions -- alternate universe versions we know from other pieces of Sonic media. In the Sonic Prime show we have now, Sonic visits three dimensions:
The Red Sky Dimension: A grim, dark universe where Eggman ("The Chaos Council") has already won. A rebel band of freedom fighters works underground to fight back against the dictatorship. One of the characters is a half-robot woman with telescoping arms and legs.
The Jungle Dimension: A tribe of natives are suffering from a small civil war after temperament changes over how they are maintaining their balance with nature.
The Pirate Dimension: The entire surface of the planet is covered in nearly endless water, leaving most people to sail the high seas in galleons.
Parts of each dimension map pretty well to existing things we already have (or had) in the Sonic franchise. Some more than others, and maybe it's just a sign that Sonic's been interpreted so many ways over the years, but I can't help but wonder if there was a version where this was pitched as:
The SatAM Dimension: Named for the fact this was the Saturday Morning Cartoon Sonic (Saturday, in the AM), this was part of the second wave of dark kids shows following in the footsteps of pioneers like X-Men: The Animated Series and Batman: The Animated Series in 1992. Dark kids shows truly kicked off in 1993, with Sonic joining the ranks with Swat Kats, Exosquad, and Cadillacs and Dinosaurs. SatAM put Sonic in a team of freedom fighters lead by Princess Sally Acorn as they fought back against Robotnik's dictatorship. One of the characters is a half-robot woman with telescoping arms and legs. The show became the basis for the Archie Sonic comics, which went on to become the longest continuous licensed comic book in history. The "red sky" in Sonic Prime isn't necessarily a reference to SatAM itself (which often use colder blue hues), but the "red sky" is often a general term for the grim dark period of cartoons in general, used in particular when the 80's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon rebooted to become darker and more serious, entering what fans call the "Red Sky Era." That, or, y'know, Eggmanland from the actual Sonic games.
The Boom Dimension: This one's admittedly a big stretch, but what really grabbed my attention was the way Knuckles acts in this world. Here, he exists in a nearly identical role to Sticks the Badger from Sonic Boom. Basically, all he does is interrupt when the dialog gets too serious to spout off over-the-top conspiracy theories as a way to lighten the mood. Plus, um, wood huts...? Like I said, it's a stretch.
The Sol Dimension: This is the home of Blaze the Cat, introduced in the Sonic Rush games. These games are, in themselves, also suggestive of a multiverse: in the first Sonic Rush, we meet Blaze, who is kind of the Sonic of her own dimension. In the sequel, Sonic is temporarily stranded in Blaze's world, which is mostly covered in water and dominated by pirate factions. A great deal of the gameplay is Sonic gathering materials so Tails can build watercraft able to reach many of the game's most scattered islands. Blaze isn't in Sonic Prime, obviously, but there's nameless background rebels in The Red Sky Dimension that are almost a dead ringer for her in a way that feels like a deliberate wink. (Re-scanning the episode, there's also Raccoon-styled background characters clearly using visual cues from Marine, too)
I could definitely see this show being pitched where these references were maybe a little more overt. Especially the first one, considering production is being handled by WildBrain, aka Cookie Jar, aka DiC, the original production company behind SatAM in 1993. The first thought I had when I heard the legacy was that if they were going to pull a "Spider-verse" as they originally announced, they needed to do an episode where Sonic visits SatAM, and given the Red Sky Dimension is the first (and seemingly most important) of the three so far, it seems they were at least thinking in the same direction, to some degree. I just assume Sega wouldn't let them commit, so they had to pick and choose what they liked about those worlds and adapt them to fit a mainline-centric cast.
As for what they did with it... yeah, it's fine. It's not the greatest Sonic show ever created, but it's a step above things like Sonic Underground, Sonic X, and even Sonic Boom, I'd say. Sonic Boom was also very "fine" from everything I've seen (I never saw most of Season 2), but it's really hard to look back on nowadays when you see Sonic Prime's vibrant colors and fluid animation.
I'm hesitant to judge too much of the story yet, given we know Netflix apparently ordered 24 episodes and we're only 8 episodes deep in to that run. Assuming they keep to 8 episode batches, we still have two more "drops" left to go -- the series is still clearly getting warmed up.
I will say I echo what some others have said, namely the fact that they treat Green Hill Zone with such a comical amount of reverence as if it has all these iconic locations, when it turns out to be... like, one tree. Out of many. Or a single loop-de-loop. Every time Sonic goes to a new dimension, he has to be like "aw man, there's the loop" like we're supposed to feel something with him, when Sonic games show us loops everywhere, in every level.
As I said in another blog, though, I really appreciate Sonic's characterization here. He has the personality I always thought he should have: carefree to a fault, very hyperactive, and obnoxiously cocky. Sonic is used to going where he wants, when he wants, and doing what he wants, and we're lucky he's one of the good guys because he's basically unstoppable when he really puts his mind to something. He just, uh, doesn't put his mind to very much, because he just kind of casually wanders into and out of trouble at his leisure. His friends love him just as much as they put up with his ADHD impulses. Sonic Prime just shows us a moment where that devil-may-care attitude bites him particularly hard. But I've definitely been of the mind that more Sonic games should be about Sonic stumbling in to something dangerous by accident, and that's definitely what happens here.
So, in general, I feel like I am living my best life when I watch this Sonic bumble his way around, lost in worlds he doesn't understand. This is my guy. This is how I'd write him. There has not been a single moment in the entire show so far where I have wavered in this thought. This is, 100%, my Sonic. He is perfect.
Everyone else I'm not so sure of. Shadow shows up here generally to repeat the same things that got him pushed out of the IDW comics, where he's treated more as a hyper-aggressive one-dimensional rival to Sonic who can't stand being seen as a second-banana. It's a flimsy reason to make a character punch Sonic (something that happens a lot in Sonic Prime). I know I've complained about Shadow being too serious before, but there used to be more nuance to his characterization than "I am always going to be mad at Sonic for petty reasons."
Rouge is also a weird addition to the main cast; namely making her part of the core team along side Tails, Amy, and Knuckles. I get that they probably wanted more gender diversity and probably didn't want to (or couldn't) introduce a new female character, but she always struck me as someone who was always off doing her own things and didn't necessarily care about what Sonic was doing unless their paths accidentally intersected.
I'm already getting tired of The Chaos Council. This is probably the thing that feels the most like a kids show -- instead of having one character with depth and nuance, you break them down into a group of easy-to-digest stereotypes. Here's the trendy one! Here's the dumb one! Here's the apathetic one! Here's the old one! Here's the leader! It's the same line of thinking behind The Deadly Six from Sonic Lost World, and being so basic and toyetic is one of the reasons people rejected those things. The council seems like they're going to be the central villains for the rest of Sonic Prime, but I'd like them to combine back in to the real Eggman at some point.
Though speaking of Chaos, I'm pleasantly surprised how little Chaos Emeralds have factored in to this story. Sure, they have a different type of jewel to worry about, but it's nice that the emeralds aren't so important just yet. I assume they will be, since Shadow finds an emerald in one episode and his ability to use Chaos Control seems to tie in to the dimensional shenanigans, but it's still good to have Sonic media where the answer isn't instantly just "we gotta find the Chaos Emeralds because Super Sonic will stop this." We get to have some fun, first.
Definitely interested in seeing where the rest of this series goes, but at the very least, these first eight episodes have dashed any hopes of legitimate alternate-universe crossovers. Perhaps SatAM, Sonic Boom, and the Sol Dimension were never in the cards, and they chose these as the first three dimensions to showcase as a way to tell people like me that they can't and won't be crossing over with any existing Sonic media. Because, I mean, they can't do SatAM and the Red Sky dimension, right? It's an easy way to set expectations.
Fingers crossed it finishes strong.
#sonic prime#sonic boom#sonic the hedgehog#netflix#sega#sonic team#wildbrain#man of action#this was way longer than I expected
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Small Victories
Hello this is my first time trying to write stuff like this. This is going to be a series, I have no clue how long it will be. The paring is Han Jisung x F!Reader. The reader isn't into K-Pop but when your best friend gets your friend group a position in a contest to win a chance to preform with stray kids. You may not want to do it but you will do anything for Gwen. What can happen its not like you'll win.
No warning in this part possibly in the future
Waking up to the sounds of my phone going off I groaned and snached the annoying device off of my bedside table. Fumbling with the device I managed to turn it around the screen lighting up in my face. Squinting my eyes I looked at the time it was about 1pm i shook my head at how late it was. My sleeping schedule is basically broken and the fact my room is protected from all sunlight doesn't help. My phone went off again bring my attention back to what originally woke me up. I quickly recognized the group chat letting out a sigh and I opened the messages ready to be stressed out.
Rolling my eyes I locked my phone screen tossing the device to the side. I don't understand why they need me. I'm sure we have another friend that would take my place. When Mindy said I was the best dancer she wasn't lying. The only things i'm good at in life are dancing. Music, and drawing. So I understand the want for me to participate but still this competition's prize is performing with a famous K-Pop group called Stray Kids. Most people would die to get this opportunity, not me however. I never have been super into K-Pop. I think the dances are fun and all. I've just never really listened to it much, it's definitely something my friends judge me for.
I guess I have no choice but to commit. They did go to a comic book convention for me and none of them are into my nerdy hobbies. Except Gwen she's my best friend and biggest supporter, she's the only one of my friends that know i'm writing a comic book. She's the biggest stray kids fan i've ever met so the only reason i'll do this is for her. I highly doubt we will win but ill give it my all. After overthinking this contest I got up and got ready for what was left of the day. As i finished eating my phone started ringing.
Picking it up I saw Gwen calling me. I answered the phone and paced it to my ear. “City morgue, can I help you?” I said smoothly, earning a laugh out of my friend.
“Very fun! So have you thought about who in the group you wanna perform as?” she asked me this and I was dumbfounded. No, of course not. I didn't know we needed to perform as one of them.
“What are you talking about?” I questioned her i dont think ive ever been more confused about a competition.
“Dummy! Did you not read the email I sent you?” she asked me this like i just sit with my email open waiting for her to send me things.
“No i in fact didn't but since you're here why don't you enlighten me.'' I said with a little attitude.
She huffed at me and explained that it's not just a dance competition we have to cover songs and dances from stray kids on stage. Our judges are the group themself and a few representatives from JYP. Oh so I signed up for way too much. I thought we'd just have to dance but now we have to perform in costumes and everything.
“Oh so the con was that bad that i'm being forced to sing and dance?” I asked half way joking.
“Y/n we got hit on by so many creepy men!” This shut me up because she was right that did happen the whole time. “I don't care if we win but I know you can sing and dance. I also know you love me enough to do this for me.” Gwen was right again and I'd do anything for her.
“Fine, i don't know you pick who i cover. I'll look into copying their stage presence." I hated having to copy somebody but sadly for these contests they want that.
After talking for a while we decided I was gonna main Hans parts including high notes, rapping, and his choreo. I was going to switch to Felix and Hyunjin for a few parts of their choreo. Gwen and the other girls concluded their dancing was too hard to memic. We had to pick five songs to perform. My only request was Charmer, I liked it when my friends would play that song plus I've seen the dance a lot. They picked the other four songs God’s Menu, Maniac, Back Door, and Hellivator. I explicitly got told Hellevator was going to win it for us, something about how good our high notes are gonna be.
I stayed up late working on my comic. Also if I went to sleep that meant I had to wake up. Waking up tomorrow meant that I would have to start studying Stray Kids, which I wasn't looking forward to. We have a month to be ready and I have no doubt there is no way we could win.
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Do you think Medusa was one of the most powerful of the witches or did her "succes" stem from the willingness to be so proactive, no matter the cost?
I’m not satisfied that any material from the comics or the anime give a good answer.
Let’s try to group together all the magic into some broader categories (thanks to the Soul Eater Wiki for a lot of this):
Math (calculations, spatial, vectors)
Destruction (and its polar opposite, healing)
Elements (ice, fire, thunder)
Transformation
Summoning
Mind and Emotional Control
The most powerful magic that I can remember from the series tends to be the mathematical magic, the stuff used to seal the DWMA, to teleport characters from the Moon, and to help Kilik aim Azusa at the Moon. (I’m oversimplifying the terms: I know the spatial magic is distinct enough from the math magic, but it is about predicting space, math is about looking at spaces, so that’s what I’m calling it.) Medusa, Free, and Eruka are all able to use it. And what are Medusa’s vectors if not spatial magic? Seeing as Free’s math magic seems to owe to Mabaa’s eye, I imagine Mabaa too is good at it, as she did help get everyone off the Moon. We’re shown Kim and the Chupa Cabra witches also use it to get people into the Book of Eibon.
But it’s kind of weird how that is one of the few really big forms of magic in the canon. The others are either summoning items and familiars (Noah pulling stuff out of the Book, Eruka summoning tadpoles, Kaguya changing clothes), all of which is similar enough to transformation magic in terms of making one thing disappear and another thing pop up (witches’ animal forms, weapon transformations).
Or, along the poles of destruction (most witches but pretty much any offensive attack magic) and regeneration and healing (Kim).
Then we have magic that can affect the mind and emotions. We have users such as Arachne, Medusa, and the Great Old One weaponizing Madness itself. And Shaula’s mind control venom. And the one audio drama had the love potion.
There are few elemental magics, like Free’s ice magic, maybe Fire and Thunder’s abilities. (Holdovers from the Fire Force world?)
So, out of all of these, the math magic is the one that seems the most powerful and the most often used: it gets you around the world, it gets you to the Moon, it gets you to the Witch Realm, you can trap people, you can dodge opponents.
But math magic is also the most popular--and almost every witch we meet uses it in some way, so it’s ironically also not that powerful despite what I just said about it seeming to be the most powerful. If everyone is using it, then that means it takes one person--Medusa--to step in and figure out ways to work around it. Sure, she uses her vector magic, so perhaps she has weaponized that magic in ways other witches haven’t. (Imagine Medusa opening a portal through someone to kill them.)
And as you seem to suggest, if Medusa is that driven, that proactive, then I have to imagine that she is probably the most powerful of witches short of Mabaa.
We have not seen the full extent of Mabaa’s powers, so this isn’t a fair question, and it’s not fair for me to position Medusa at a higher level than Mabaa. Maybe Mabaa has other magic abilities--maybe the magic Free has comes from her, so we have to give her the ice magic, which also means she may also be able to do other elemental magic. This is conjecture, though.
But think about this: Lord Death is the god of this world; Mabaa is the only other person we have been told can compete with him; Medusa probably would say Mabaa has more magics than she herself does, and that Mabaa is more powerful at even math magic, given how she has tended to the Witch Realm.
And yet, despite how powerful Mabaa is, and how Lord Death is probably as powerful as her, Medusa was the one who beat Death, locked him up, got Asura out, and finalized making Crona into a world-destruction force. That is not all magic, granted--it is also just brutality, violence, and trickery. In that regard, while I think Medusa has weaponized spatial magic in a way Mabaa hasn’t, as shown by her vector magic, I do think Medusa being so proactive and willing to get herself killed to make Crona into an instrument for destruction shows she was one of the most powerful witches.
(And she did manage to take over her own sister’s body and repeatedly cheat Death himself.)
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SAVAGE AVENGERS #1 HAS ME LITTERALLY GOING INSANE
(spoilers below for anyone who cares)
TANDY AND TY ARE BACK BABY I AM SO FUCKING HAPPY
LOOK
LOOK
TANDY MAKING SOMETHING ELSE WITH HER LIGHT OTHER THAN A DAGGER??????? AND ITS A FUCKING ROSE??????? TY ALMOST PROPOSING TO HER???????????!??!?!?!??!?!?!?!!!?!?!!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Still hate Tandy's haircut and the earrings, BUT, this outfit with the Dagger design on the shoulders is amazing, the design spreads to the back and makes this a solid 3rd place by way of Tandy outfit designs.
(here's the total ranking)
The outfit given to her during her time as one of the x-men
Her original outfit + the casual wear Jacket she wore over it during the 90's while she was blind
This one + Her look in All New Ultimates
Her look during the Runaways 2005 series
Her Heroes Reborn look + Dark Dagger from the Spider Island crossover (they're here mostly bc they're different but still nice)
In other news:
FLASH! Didn't know he'd be here, happy to see him :)
:) He's got a little friendship with Daredevil so that's cool
also he is thriving in this art style
continuing:
Daredevil looks cool as ever, really love her outfit so much
I'm frankly indifferent about Conan, um, he seems cool? Don't know much about him.
Same with weapon H, although I'm not a fan of his design.
Black Knight-wise I was hoping both of the Black Knights would be in this, not sure if I missed something between the solo series and now but aren't they supposed to be together?
Things I hate:
Tandy STILL has her bitchy personality from post spider-island (which was really ooc for her since pre that comic she was sweet and cared a lot about Ty, now, especially after the 2016 run, her being an asshole to Ty is dialed up to 11 still and they need to fix that seriously I'm 90% sure the spider-island characterization came from a place of misogyny because it's very "bitchy whore girlfriend" stereotype and frankly that sucks)
I HATE THAT STUPID ZOMBIE CYBORG BITCH
THOSE THINGS POPPED UP IN AVENGERS AND SOMEHOW MADE THE BOOK WORSE THAN IT ALREADY IS
WHY IS THIS IDIOTS DESIGN STUCK IN THE 90'S WHAT THE FUCK HES SO UGLY
PEAK 90'S EDGELORD FUCKING HELL
like for the 90's he looks great, for 30 years later I hope this bitch dies
to end on a positive note; I love time travel baybeeeeeee
#savage avengers#conan the barbarian#cloak and dagger#missing cloak and dagger hour#black knight#daredevil#deathlok#antivenom#agent venom#flash thompson#marvel comics
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Ontario Gothic
REVIEWS : COMICS
A rootless cultural nomad reviews Jeff Lemire’s rural family drama The Collected Essex County.
Originally posted on the Multiply page of Sputnik Fantastik, November 2009
One measure of a truly skilled comic creator is their ability to make their readers care about people or characters that may be radically different from themselves. With the rural family drama of The Collected Essex County, Jeff Lemire doesn’t just meet this criteria; he positively surpasses it.
At its heart, Essex County is a nuanced but ultimately romantic saga about the landscape Lemire grew up in: the desolate farmlands of Ontario, in east-central Canada. More specifically, it’s about the ways an agricultural community is shaped by this harsh, unforgiving geography. Over the course of three main stories, and two loosely related shorts, Lemire gives us a sense of a close-knit small town, whose inhabitants’ lives are marked by shared traditions (hockey), fantasies (comic book superheroics), and the unpleasant secrets that lurk just below the surface of their rural idyll.
Lemire achieves this by taking full advantage of the medium. His rich, expressive linework is perfectly suited to a narrative built on the conflict between roots (the town itself) and wings (the urge to escape, or metaphorically fly away from it all). Page layouts are used to emphasize the vastness of an environment that looms over the cast, sometimes ominous, but just as often providing a comforting solitude. “Decompressed” six-panel grids allow small but crucial moments to linger, heightening the emotional weight of family secrets revealed. In scenes where dialog is kept at a minimum, close-ups often provide more hints at genuine resolution than any conversation could hope to achieve.
I’ll confess that that I kept expecting hints of magical realism, or maybe supernatural elements. Indeed, some of the recurring visual themes are positively haunting: the footprints in snow, and those seemingly omnipresent crows.
However, that just belies my own expectations derived from pop culture’s small town narratives: the everyday weirdness of TV’s Amazing Stories, the sinister hamlets that populate the Lovecraft mythos and Stephen King’s early work, or even just the oddball happenings in the Palomar stories of Gilbert Hernandez.
But there is very little that’s otherworldy in Essex County. Instead, Lemire hooks readers in with understated drama: a kid in a superhero costume dreaming up an elaborate alien invasion plot, as he longs to escape the humdrum routine of farm life; a failed hockey player dealing with senility, as past and present blur into a hazy miasma; a nurse compensating for a personal loss by making a difference in the lives of her patients. All of their stories are uniquely human, and yet integral to their connection with Essex County, the place.
For a reader like me – a perennial metropolitan boy who grew up in various South East Asian mega-cities, with no single “province” that my family calls home – Essex County would ordinarily be a difficult sell. To Lemire’s credit, he got me to care about a tale that is unapologetically pastoral by focusing on some of the most universal human emotions: loss, hope, a thirst for new experiences, or a sense of belonging. But most of all, Essex County is about the tension between holding on to a familiar past, and dealing with today’s unpleasant realities. That’s something even a cultural nomad can relate to.
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Heathen: The Complete Series Omnibus Edition
About The Book:
Title: HEATHEN: The Complete Series Omnibus Edition
Author: Natasha Alterici & Ashley A. Woods (Illustrations)
Pub. Date: May 17, 2022
Publisher: Vault Comics
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Pages: 336
Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/Heathen-The-Complete-Series
WOMAN. WARRIOR. VIKING. HEATHEN. OUTCAST.
THE GODS MUST PAY…
Born into a time of warfare, suffering, and subjugation of women, and exiled from her village for kissing another woman, the lesbian Viking warrior, Aydis, sets out to destroy the god-king Odin and end his oppressive reign. She is a friend to many as she is joined by mermaids, immortals, Valkyries, and the talking horse, Saga. But she is also a fearsome enemy to the demons and fantastic monsters that populate the land.
Heathen – The Complete Series Omnibus Edition trade paperback collects the entire twelve-issue series.
Soon to be movie directed by Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight, Red Riding Hood, & Lords of Dogtown)
Perfect for fans of Monstress, Helheim, and Northlanders.
Reviews:
“These declarations of self from women and queer characters fit so elegantly into the mythology Alterici uses to weave her tale, it reminds us that these narratives belonged there all along.”- The Mary Sue
“I want epics with female leads, and fortunately HEATHEN fulfills that desire in a big way, while also adding its own unique touch with themes that are as contemporary as they are timeless.”- Women Write About Comics
“One look at the cover and I knew this book was right up my alley. If you are into Norse mythology and aching for a lesbian angle, then this book is for you. If you want a love story that is more than a romance, a heroine that is truly honourable and fierce, then I urge you to pick this … up.”- The Lesbian Review
“Natasha Alterici's Heathen, has single-handedly redeemed the disaster that pop culture has been making of Norse mythology. It’s a smart, funny, feminist, queer and sex-positive take on the Viking world; one with a wide cast of diverse and endearing characters. Heathen is a must-read for comics (and mythology) lovers of all sorts and those in quest of superb queer and feminist comics in particular. RATING: 10/10”- Pop Matter
About Natasha Alterici:
Natasha Alterici is a writer and artist living in Tulsa, OK who has been working as a freelance artist for over ten years. Works include Heathen (Vault Comics), Dinosaur Project, Gotham Academy: Yearbook, Grayson Annual, The Lez Film Review, Mixed Signals, Lovers and Other Strangers, Transcience, and a number of others. When not drawing, she enjoys watching cooking shows with her wife and their two cats, Cheshire and Louise.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon
About Ashley A. Woods:
Ashley A. Woods is a comic book artist, writer, & creator from Chicago known for her work on the "Niobe", "Ladycastle" and "Tomb Raider" series. She got her start through self-publishing her action-fantasy comic series “Millennia War” which led to her career in comics and TV. After earning her degree in Film and Animation from IADT, she traveled to Kyoto, Japan where she presented her work in a gallery showcase called, “Out Of Sequence”. Recognized for her female illustrations and designs, her most prominent work is "Niobe: She is Life" with Stranger Comics.
Her latest work can be seen on HBO's "Lovecraft Country", DC’s “Wonder Woman Black & Gold 2” and "Jupiter Invincible" with Pulitzer Prize winning author Yusef Komunyakaa which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival June 2021.
Website | Twitter | Instagram
What was your inspiration for writing your graphic novel?
Heathen began with a simple Ren Faire costume design, I wanted to go as a barbarian, and the outfit I came up with wasn't far off from what Aydis wears in the book. After that I found myself drawing it again and again, and realized it was developing into a character. So the next steps were obvious; give her a horse and then write her a story.
List your favorite graphic novels or comics from when you were a child and talk about how you see them as an adult.
I never got the chance to read any comics as a kid. I was too busy obsessing over a different Eyewitness book every month and then later Mary Higgins Clark mysteries and Lurlene McDaniel romance books. I got into comics in college after my English Comp teacher assigned Maus, and from there I sought out the classics like V for Vendetta, Persepolis, and some Sandman. I've always been a seasonal kind of reader, sometimes I'm devouring everything I can, other times I almost forget books exist. Just how I'm wired I suppose.
List your favorite graphic novels this year and why you like them.
I've honestly only read one so far this year, but it was a great one! Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O'Connell. It's so refreshing to read about queer characters who are neither role models nor tragedies (both are perfectly valid, just oversaturated). They're just normal kids with normal relationship problems that they have to learn to navigate. I really enjoy down-to-earth stories like that.
Talk about your favorite kind of character to write about
I love messy flawed characters, the kind who want to be better but aren't quite sure how to go about it. I also love writing flirty characters, they're hands down the most fun to write. And if a flirt happens to be messy and flawed themself, well that's the perfect combination.
Talk about your least favorite kind of character to write about
This is a difficult one, because if I were to describe the kind of character I don't like I'd inevitably be describing the kind of people I don't like and I try to find the likable part of anyone I'm writing. Otherwise it's hard to empathize with them, and empathy is the most important part. I guess I'd say I find it hard to write about people who find joy in being cruel.
Describe your ideal writing space.
Comfy chair with a foot rest, view of the forest or a field, music playing, unlimited access to some kind of sweet treat like peach rings or twizzlers, and plants to fuss over while I run through scenes and dialog in my head.
Describe your ideal home library.
I'd love to have floor to ceiling shelves, with one of those rolling ladders. Everything is organized by Library of Congress call number system (I worked as a university librarian for a while), and it's dust and mold free somehow. And there's a big pile of cushions and pillows to lay in to read.
What are some of your favorite video games?
I'm really into Ark: Survival Evolved right now, I enjoy finding and taming all my favorite dinosaurs and building things. I also play Phasmophobia, Minecraft, Katamari, House Flipper, and I like colony sim games like Oxygen Not Included and Banished.
#rockstarbooktours#thevaultcomics#vaultcomics#graphicnovels#comicbooks#paranormal#scifi#horror#chillingholidays#blogtour#bookstagram#booktok#hivesocial#booktube
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Shellshock live ruler picture
The mansion was built in 2018, so it is brand new. He has an estimated net worth of $17 million mainly earned from YouTube. As his YouTube career took off, Maddie appeared on his channel. Together, Ssundee and his wife had a son named Colton in 2009. He often plays Fortnite, Minecraft, and Among Us for his social media content. From bestselling authors Maggie Stiefvater and Jackson Pearce comes an exciting new series full of magical creatures, whimsical adventures, and quirky illustrations. "The follow-up to the best-selling The Whole Smiths Good Food Cookbook with easy recipes for weeknight cooking"- They uploaded videos playing Minecraft and The Sims 3. SSSniperWolf (Alia Shelesh) Net Worth - $36 Million. The comic series tells five standalone stories, each focused on different Maple Bay Dads, their kids, and their relationships with one another. In 2012, Ssundee and Madelyn got separated. For example, one country may be showing a certain event for free on YouTube, but in another country a particular. In order to use the favoriting feature on Social Blade, you'll need to be logged into our dashboard. Copyright 2020 Treehozz All rights reserved. It has been estimated that his videos receive an average of 5.5 million views every day. Pop culture historian Mathew Klickstein changed all of that when he forged ahead to track down and interview more than 250 classic Nick VIP’s to at long last piece together the full wacky story of how Nickelodeon became “the Only. Counts.Live allows you to track the changes as they happen, allowing you to keep track of your milestones with ease! After spending some time in Canada, he moved back to the United States. Watch as SSundee joins the paladins of the world and tries to take down the other teams vault!! Ian Marcus Stapleton (born: Decem() ), better known online as SSundee, is an American YouTube gamer. they live in nc the mall they go to is near me. Ssundee supplements this income by selling his own merchandise. Awe is what despots seek because they cannot nurture affection. When i seen his video, that thing just remembered me from another game. The child now has an angel watching over them. His mom speaks to him positively about heaven and it isn't a bad place. A young boy experiences the death of a sibling. I could not put this book down, I could not look away. Shannon Webb-Campbell's poems swim through the waters of history and recirculate the stories of loss and grief that have been allowed to sediment out of public view. At Minecraft Live 2020, the Caves & Cliffs update was announced and some of its features were showcased. Answer (1 of 11): This is not her home address, but it is the place to use to contact her.
Maleeka suffers every day from the taunts of the other kids in her class.
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Author: li0nheart - ao3 // ffnet
Series: Lion Hearts
Fic: Golden (book 1 of 8) - ao3 // ffnet
Chapter: Two - ao3 // ffnet
Summary: After a pit-stop at the Leaky Cauldron, it’s off to Gringotts! Witch betta have dat money (because school supplies are expensive.)
______________________________________________________________
The warmth of the sun and the tickle of a cool breeze brushed over Verity as she lay sprawled on the treehouse floor. The rope ladder danced as a strong gust of wind blew through the trees. It blustered through the crudely cut openings on the walls, rustling posters and comic strips as it raced through one side and out the other. It was rather slapdash, knocked together by Verity and her father a few Summers before, but it was cosy, nonetheless.
Verity’s old toy broomstick stood propped in the corner, looking a bit worse for wear. Wooden boards creaked as she shifted her position, light pouring over the pages of the paperback gripped firmly in hand. She felt as though she had drifted away - the treehouse and the surrounding woodland disappearing, as she found herself at home in the author’s wild imagination. Archimedes was curled up beside her, thunderous purrs rolling through his chest and across the floor.
The pair had spent the morning on a grand adventure, hunting trolls in the caves near the cottage. Fortunately, all they had found were a few ingredients for her mother’s potions pantry and a nest of knarls in a nearby glen. Her mother had a run-in with this particular gang a few years back when they had ransacked her garden. While mostly indistinguishable from hedgehogs, they were known to be highly suspicious of humans. One might think they were generous, leaving out milk and cat food, but that person would be wrong. A knarl would think this kind gesture a trap of some sort and strike when their target least expected it. In their mind, ‘offence is always the best defence.’
Verity was nearing the end of her book, and the feeling of anticipation was almost too intense to ignore - she had been plagued by it all morning. According to her watch, it was nearly time to leave for Diagon Alley. She had tried desperately to keep herself occupied, but to no avail. She was just too excited! The little girl sat up and dropped her legs over the side of the treehouse, swinging them slowly in the breeze. As she took it all in, she smiled contentedly. The forest seemed to be glowing, the earth awash with a dappling of gold, as the glittering creek meandered its way through the woods. The chattering of local wildlife added a dash of liveliness to the peaceful atmosphere, and she sighed deeply. She would certainly miss waking up to this every day.
In the distance, she heard a faint voice calling, “Verity!”
She took a long, steadying breath and got to her feet, whistling for Archimedes to follow. One eye popped open, and he looked at her crossly. How inconvenient. He yawned and stretched out his stiff limbs, before padding over to the side of the hut. He was on the ground with one graceful leap, eyeing her expectantly. She chuckled at his sour expression and began to clamber down the rope ladder, two rungs at a time. They raced to the house, the cat out-running the girl with ease, giggling breathlessly as she tried to keep up. As she reached the porch, she put her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. The front door swung open to reveal her mother, whose face faltered.
“What have you been doing? Oh, Verity, you’re covered in muck! Here.” She swished her wand over her daughter, muttering a few choice words under her breath.
Grass stains, mud, and various bits of foliage lifted from her clothing and disappeared into thin air. With another flick of her wrist, Verity’s hair was neatly pulled back from her face. Her mother gave her the once over and grimaced.
“That’ll do. Right, come on - inside. Your aunts will be calling any minute! Then we’ve got to meet your father…I hope he isn’t waiting too long; we’re running a bit behind schedule.” She twittered, rummaging in her handbag.
Verity grinned as her mother turned to go back into the house, grumbling to herself as she pawed at the contents. Any moment now, it would be dumped upside down on the kitchen table.
“Aha! Got you.” Her mother cried, brandishing a pocket-sized mirror. She had a quick look and patted the back of her hair before shoving it back into the depths. She straightened out her clothes and rolled her shoulders, taking a deep breath. “We’ll have to set straight off after this. Do you need anything? A drink? The toilet? A wee snack?”
“I’ll be fine, mum – honestly!” Verity paused, eyeing the fireplace. “What time did they say-?”
With a crackle, a pop, and a very loud cough, two faces appeared, flickering merrily. Most wizarding families did not own a muggle telephone and found that using Floo was much quicker than sending an owl. One could transport just their head to any Ministry-approved hearth, as long as they had a sprinkle of Floo Powder.
“CONGRATULATIONS, YOU CLEVER SAUSAGE!” Crowed Fenella’s oldest sister, Maeve.
“Yes, well done, darling! We knew it was coming, didn’t we, Mab? The letter? I was just saying the other day - I could sense it.” Said her Aunty Peggy, whose tone was soft and deliberate.
“Read that in your crystal ball, did you, Peg?”
“Just because your third eye’s withered like a wee prune, dusnae mean it isnae there.” Peggy snipped, looking slightly miffed. Turning back to Verity, her face melted once more into a dreamy smile, “Are you excited, Verity? I can remember my letter like it was only yesterday…”
Mab and Fenella exchanged amused glances as Peg began to prattle on about her school days.
______________________________________________________________
A/N: Book 1 is going through a mahoosive editing process, but I’m pleased to inform you all that chapters 1-10 are finished! All of the others are still first draft; I wouldn’t read those unless you want spoilers and/or a healthy dose of confusion. Read more of this chapter on ao3 or ffnet 😇
Constructive criticism is welcome and appreciated! Feel free to drop me a line - I’m always on the lookout for more fic buddies.
L🖤 xx
#marauders#marauders era#marauders fanfiction#book 1#ao3#ffnet#marauders fic#fics#stories#writing#fanfiction#original characters#ocs#James Potter#chapter 2#archive of our own#hp fanfiction#albus dumbledore
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Superman flash battman song
#Superman flash battman song series#
According to the Superman Homepage, the bandleader Freddie "Schnickelfritz" Fisher's 1941 song "Superman" might've been the first. Let's be super heroes It's the Daddy Finger song with a twist starring your favourite DC and Marvel SUPERHEROES There's Superman, Batman, Robin, Flash and. Jesse Eisenberg reflects on the backlash to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and why so many people 'hated' his performance as Lex Luthor.Released in 2016, Batman v Superman acted as a follow-up to 2013s Man of Steel and the second installment in the DC Extended Universe. It's hard to pinpoint the very first song to make a comic book reference. Content Marvel Womans Origin In Batman V Superman Revealed Hour. It feels like validation for my geek passions. Its Nasty (Genius Of Love) Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five (Genius Of Love) on. Yes, it’s got a tongue-in-cheek aspect but it’s also got Freddie Mercury’s other-worldly vocals to push it into the stratosphere. Recruit Justice League Legends like Batman, Superman, The Flash, Wonder Woman, The Joker, Harley Quinn and many more in the ultimate DC superhero fighting.
#Superman flash battman song series#
When Springsteen mentions the Batmobile in "I'm a Rocker," I wonder if it's because he's a loyal reader of Detective Comics or if a rerun of the '60s TV series inspired his pop culture reference-heavy song? (I hope it's the former, but the latter explanation seems more likely.) Even now, during a time when movies and TV have put superheroes in pop culture's pole position, each time I catch a reference to Iron Man or Batman makes me smile. Flash Gordon (Composer: Brian May) This camp classic’s entire score was composed by Queen (May was the guitarist). And while we have never been blessed with having a version of the Teen Titans tearing it up onstage as the late, great Darwyn Cooke envisioned, we have had some cool and quirky music inspired by capes.Įvery time I hear a song that name-drops a comic book character (and it's much more common today than it used to be), I wonder if the singer or band are actual comics fans. Braniac: 'Welcome to the Machine' by Pink Floyd or 'Blue Monday' by New Order. Legion of Superheroes: The Flaming Lips, 'A Spoonful Weighs a Ton'. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is a 2016 American superhero film based on the DC Comics characters Batman and Superman. The Flash (November 4, 2022), Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (December 16. Superman: 'Rhapsody in Blue' by George Gershwin, soaring, classical music and Jazz melded together, old world and new world all in one. Music and comics have been crossing paths for decades.įrom 1960s psychedelic shout-outs to some of the wilder elements of Silver Age Marvel, to original tunes crafted for Broadway shows and present-day hip-hop and metal tributes, comics have long provided inspiration to musicians. Stunt doubles represented Superman/Kal-El/Clark Kent, Batman/Bruce Wayne.
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Books I read in January
to prove I wasn’t just staring out the window the whole time/pressure myself to keep up with one of my numerous resolutions
(not counting two web serials, two rpg supplements, and two comic book issues)
1. Downbelow Station by C. J. Cherryh
Cherryh’s one of those names that’s been vaguely on my list for forever, but thank you to tk for actually recommending her last year and getting me to actually look her up. (I’ve got the Faded Sun trilogy on order at my bookstore to arrive any day, but Downbelow’s what the library had, so-)
So I honestly really, truly loved this book, but for the exact reasons why I can basically not recommend it to anyone I know irl lol. Which is to say, it kind of doesn’t have a protagonist? Like, even beyond there being approximately six dozen different POVs that are jumped between every three pages, there’s just really no central figure to the narrative? Everyone has their personalities, and their positions, and their obligations and their debts, and they do variably extraordinary things, but there’s no one who really warps the world around them, and basically no trace of anyone who succeeds just because they’re a main character.
The book’s horribly unsentimental towards its characters generally, really. Like, not even in a ‘rooting for the villains’ way – there’s two different points where the guy you think is going to be the main antagonist just gets crushed beneath the wheels of history too. Going by the forward, the book basically started out as a way for Cherryh to set the table and explain the setting for another story, and it really does feel it – like an encyclopedia entry expanded into a narrative
..not a complaint, to be clear. Technology and aliens and timescales aside, it’s one of the only sci fi/fantasy stories I can recall ever reading that actually feel like they could be the history of another world, if that makes any sense? (Another part of that is just the complete lack of justice or rightful deserts in terms of where different characters end up. No karma at all, beyond the relatively happy big-picture ending. Really helps with the believabillity)
Also, don’t want to say it’s the only story I can recall ever reading/seeing where a man’s raped by a woman and it’s actually taken seriously by the narrative, but I can’t really think of any others. But then, ‘Josh Talley Must Suffer’ kind of feels like absolute cosmic law by the time you finish.
But yeah, anyway, if this sounds at all appealing, would recommend.
2. No One Will Miss Her, by Kat Rosenfield
Because for unclear reasons it’s much easier to strike up conversations with non nerds irl about murder mysteries and thrillers than sff.
But honestly this was really fun, basically entirely down to how sharp the writing was. Or possibly ‘cutting’ is the better word. It’s the sort of book where there’s exactly two (okay, three) characters the narrative doesn’t treat with just utter, blood-curdling, withering contempt and you end up feeling like the only real problem with the murder was that it might have happened to the wrong people.
I will say that plot-wise the whole thing hinges around a twist so cliche and obvious that I thought of it ten pages in and discarded it as being way too dumb for the book so far. But, well, here we are. Still, thoroughly enjoyable. Though it does also alternate between pseudo-objective-third-person narration in some chapters and the personal testimonial of one of the victims in others, and I should be clear that it’s the first person testimonial chapters that actually make the book worthwhile/fun to read.
3. Lies of Locke Lamorra, by Scott Lynch
Because a friend irl has been badgering me to read it for literally over a year. I hope you’re happy Cameron.
But really this was both an incredibly fun book and not at all the one I was expecting from my very vague pop culture osmosis. Much more Baccano! than Leverage, if that makes any sense. Both in how brutal the whole story is when you get past the first section, and how utterly vicious and nasty the protagonist gets when his blood is up. There’s like..3? Of the supporting cast left alive by the time you get to the epilogue, and also our boy Locke cuts off every one of someone’s fingers then takes out his tongue.
Brutal-torture-and-murder quotient aside, it is a great bit of pulpy fun through not-even-hiding-it fantasy Renaissance Venice. Also, there are heists and cons and schemes. It is hard to overstate how much I love heists and cons and schemes. Kind of felt like a high fantasy The Gentlemen or The Bank Job?
Though I do feel moderately irked that they spend the entire book building up/alluding to how there was a girl in the crew who Locke had a disastrous fling with and still isn’t over, and who was incredibly skilled on the con, and makes a whole game of never showing her on screen through all the childhood flashbacks – and then she just never shows up! I mean I know there’s two sequels and presumably she does in one of them but at that point she better have fucking wings to be worth all the build up.
(Also the theoretical villain never really gelled as a character or made that much of an impression, but that’s less of an issue since both emotionally and plot wise his wizard was the one who actually mattered for 90% of everything)
4. Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro
Because of course when I attempt to acquire some Culture for myself and read some Real Literature, I accidentally go in blind to an alternate history where clones are mass produced to provide on demand organ donations. Your regular reminder that genre is nothing but a marketing category.
But really, this is very much one of those books where trying to seriously interrogate the worldbuilding is just entirely missing the point, it’s all very clearly allegorical (one of the reader’s guide questions at the back was something like ‘readers often express confusion why the clones are so resigned to their fates and never try to run for freedom, why might that be?’ and you can just feel Ishiguro looking exasperated and going ‘yeah, really makes you think’).
The book does first person narration really well, and also has a cast of extremely well drawn, realistic, alive-feeling characters who I would not be able tolerate dealing with for any time at all. Just six different sorts of truly grating personalities. Which given how most of the book is boarding school vignettes mostly means they’re believable teenagers, I guess.
Anyway there’s a couple passages in this that just feel like incredibly obvious topical subtext, except the book came out 17 years ago. Impressive, really.
5. The Councillor E. J. Beaton
In which a morally ambiguous historian/palace scholar/savant with a substance abuse problem navigates deadly high politics through her learning and a natural talent at intrigue for some confused mixture of vengeance for her dead parent-figure, social reform for the oppressed lower classes, and personal ambition.
I’m very sad I didn’t note down who recommended this to me, but whoever you are, you get me.
Though honestly, probably because this is so close to the platonic ideal of My Shit, I did find the execution a bit lacking? Or, like, going off the author blurb this seems to be Beaton’s first novel, and imo it does kind of show in the prose and plotting
Also, like, the main character is an orphan with a locke of glittering silver hair from the fire which killed her parents, who is de facto adopted by the queen as a pet savant after she translates a famous sequence of classical poetry into the vernacular at age 12, and also over the course of the book she discovers that she is one of the rare minority with magical element-controlling superpowers who are reviled and oppressed and her royal foster mother had executed as enemies of the crown, and despite constantly being anxious about being a commoner in a thoroughly aristocratic world and incredibly hierarchical society, this is literally never once a meaningful obstacle to her. It’s all just a bit much, y’know?
Though I do forgive a lot for how thoroughly un-traditionally heroic her arc is. By which I mean the, like, third-last scene in the book is her telling her attendant/bodyguard/personal spy/friend how fucking amazing stopping someone’s heart with magic feels, and despite about a sixth of the book being Lysande either getting high, thinking about getting high, or worrying about her supply of chimera scale, and her steadily increasing the size of her dose through the book, this just never comes to a climax or really becomes an obstacle. (Right after the scene with the heart-stopping she deals with all the stress and grief of the final battle by getting high again). We stan a functional addict enlightened monarch whose going to give people rights and a wellfare system just as soon as she’s securely in power and it’s politically convenient, I guess.
Anyway it also does that thing that’s a lot of modern SFF does where racism/xenophobia is basically only national lines/between groups of vaguely equal power and some distance, and homophobia and patriarchy just, aren’t even concepts, so all the book’s considerable energies of social critique and desire to have flawed societies is spent on absolutely brutal issues of class and social hierarchy. Something something cultural reflection of rainbow capitalism ig. (Also the thing where the hated and hunted tiny minority really do have awesome superpowers and bunch of them really are trying to take over the world with blood and terror, which I’m just not a fan of generally).
Anyway this all sounds harsh but it was a very enjoyable read overall. Though the sheer amount of page count Lysande spends mooning over prince whatisname and how pretty his neck is and how hot it would be to choke him out does just start to become comedy at a certain point.
#books#in this essay I will#this is theoretically a writing blog#downbelow station#CJ Cherryh#no one will miss her#kat rosenfield#the lies of locke lamora#scott lynch#never let me go#kazuo ishiguro#the councillor#E. J. Beaton
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