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dairy-farmer · 2 months

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I call this the Highlander Au! >:Dc There can Be Only One! (Unless he REALLY enjoys the process and the world stops going to shit for like... FIVE god damned minutes!) (The second is sadly unlikely)

Tim? Fully Cis gendered male. Not terribly ATTACHED to this, physically, but certainly identifies as Male and has a male body.

Maybe it's been all the near misses. The "all my friends fuckin DIED on my and I mentally spiraled like you wouldn't believe". Could be him finally reclaiming his life. Or yet another horrible mental spiral. Who knows!

But he's decided.

He wants to be a Dad. *sound of various Bats choking and/or dropping things*

Is even seeing anybody? Nope. How the FUCK is he gonna get a baby?! Oh, normal, Bat Paranoid fashion. Cloning tube. Same way Damian happened. He just needs to figure out the maternal DNA and he's golden. Figure out where to hide his tech to stop Villainous Baby Snatching Plots.

Because that's a very real concern.

No you can't talk him out of this. Timmy want himself a baby. Is already designing a nursery and studying child development books. Parenting manuals, getting those little animal onsies, lazer death grids to ward of Ra's ninjas. The works.

Bruce is off to the side, quietly having an aneurysm and choking to death on his own spit. Baby boy? Fatherhood? OFFSPRING!? Alone and not going to LET HIM HELP!? But why would he help!? Bad idea! But. But he needs to BE THERE to TAKE CARE of TIM and the future BABY! Aaaaaaaaa-!!!!!

It's a... "Fun" time. Dick is nearing a nervous breakdown. Bruce not far behind. Damians having Feelings(tm).

Then! At a Wayne Charity Event(tm)? Small glowing child. Looks alien. Is getting upset. People backing away IN A HURRY because they just watched this child WARP REALITY to turn the nearest table into candy.

Tim is there as the face of the family. A hero. Already feeling generally Paternal. Upset baby is Bad. So he goes in, dispite clear protests. Gets low and talks soothing.

But the alien Wants Her MOMMY!

And? Oh. Well there goes the protective amulets JLA Dark made for him. Now he's in an alien dress and? Very much no longer Cis. Guess he would have and DID inherent from his dad's side of the family, no boobs. Tiny. At least he got his mom's killer legs.

And the kiddo isn't scared any more. Since he "looks like mommy".

Except not even remotely, because she warps into being an HOUR later, looking for her daughter and is made of pure light. Thanks him. Doesn't FIX anything. And just leaves. Gee, thanks lady.

There were REPORTERS there. Tim Drake has tits now. Front page news. Great. Ra's is GOING to know and get WEIRD about it.

Tim shrugs. Off to Leslie we go, though. Check up time!

Yep. Full lady bits action. And, hey! Shiny new spleen! So that's nice.

It DOES change his plan though. He didn't, you know, collect any "samples" yet. But? Does... does he NEED too? He COULD concoct a story of "rich person hires mystic to get penis back" after going and getting magiced back.... OR?

He could have someone put a baby in him! *simultaneous Bat Choking Noises*

MUCH easier to defend. THEN he could be changed back, after the baby is weaned. The problem is who to trust? Ra's is ABSOLUTELY going to do everything in his power to get his seed inside Tim new puss. So a seed bank is out. And-

*hands slam on the table*

Obviously! We can't trust anyone outside this house! Villian plots and Ra's specifically! Bat paranoia! W-we will just have to make this sacrifice for you!

.....Weirdly intense, but okay.

Objection! Says Tim's newly no longer Dead team mates. Tim tried to CLONE Kon! OBVIOUSLY it should be Kon! And Bart! Bro Threesome! Let nature decide! (Then kid number 2 is the other Bro, is only FAIR)

ALSO a good point. He did have that promise, if one of them ever got turned into a girl. And a Kon baby WOULD be nice...

Shit! Grayson pulls "last of my legacy and I have so much to make up for" cards!

Is betrayed by his OWN FATHER (Bruce! How COULD YOU!?) Who plays "you saved me from the time steam and nearly died for me, let me help(emotional)" to devastating effect!

Cheating! Howls the Speedster! You're CHEATING!!!

And Tim stands there... kinda confused but finding he's actually Really In To This as people argue over how much THEY want to be the one to put a baby in him? He's never felt this badly WANTED. Desired.

He may not want to go through the whole "actually carrying a baby for 9 months then pushing one out" thing more then once.... but the fighting over him thing? This might be awaking something.

And, well, Kon already made a good point. Why try to control it? Let nature decide~

Everyone can help.

The argument stops dead. For all of the seconds before "who goes first?" Occurs to everyone.

Sadly for THEM, Bruce is a bastard willing to play dirty to get what he wants. And his house his rules. He goes first. After all, he no doubt smirks, none of THEM have the... experience, to handle a virgin properly.

He refuses to allow Tim hurt on his watch.

Got it? Good talk. Tim, with him.

Which is what leads to Tim clawing at the bed and begging like his life depends on it, soaked in sweat, hours later. As Bruce STILL gently, teasingly, RUTHLESSLY eats him out. Puddles worth of lube ruining the sheets and easing his way, as he works calloused fingers DEEP to find spots Tim didn't know he had yet. As they rub and tease and fuck against those spots so relentlessly it feels like Tim's coming apart.

He didn't even know he could MAKE half these noises.

His hole is so wet and sloppy, it's like it's given up. Like his body can do nothing but quiver and twitch under Bruce's hands. Given how big he is? Probably the point. Because he crawls up to loom over Tim like a giant. Presses kisses to his whimpering, sweaty face. And rocks into his exhausted body, filling every inch of him.

It doesn't even hurt. Something that big probably SHOULD for his first time, but Bruce isn't a legendary playboy for nothing. And it just fills and Fills and FILLS. Rubs against everything in a way that makes his toes curl. Makes him want to gasp and cling, even though he's so exhausted.

Bruce just shooshes him. Pulls him close. He won't have to do a thing. He can just cling to Bruce and feel good. Bruce is here. He's got you.

And it's the best thing Tim's ever felt. Forget masturbation, sex is AMAZING. Bruce rocking then thrusting then pounding into his body. Holding tight like something precious. Hammering his good spots still he sees stars. Til he's nearly sobbing, hiccuping, from how good it feels to have his insides all messed up.

Bruce fills him up. All gooey and warm. Picks him up and carries him to a clean bed to get wiped down and tucked in. Cleans up then joins him. Fills him back up and tucks him close. He feels boneless and precious. Sleeps like the dead.

Discovers sex with a puss is AWESOME.

Next morning, he's barely out of Bruce's room before Dick is scooping him up and dragging him into his room. Almost franticly bending him in half as he presses him to the bed, kissing the air out of him. Holding his face as he whispers filthy praise into his lips. Hips relentless as they slam home, pounding at just the right angle.

Like he's trying to make for YEARS of mistakes by pouring it all into pleasure NOW. Clinging tight and trying to fry Tim's brain with how good he can make him feel. Dick buries his faces against Tim's neck and rutts like he's making up for lost time. Fucking Tim through orgasms, spilling again and again, like he's determined to drain his balls dry and wring every last bit of pleasure he CAN out of Tim's exhausted body.

Tim has to threaten to hit him with an alarm clock to let him up. Tim wants LUNCH damn it. They missed breakfast. By a LOT.

But then work calls. Damn it. So he has to get dressed. Double damn it. And he does it, but refuses to be pleased about it. Resolves things. Even gets ahead on work. Only for DAMIAN to walk stiffly into his office. Sus.

The gremlin hands him a frankly VERY well put together report on why he, Damian AL Ghul... should be allowed to fuck a baby into Tim. He has brought along a slide show and genealogical report.

.......Explain.

Damian does. He REALIZED some things about himself. When Tim was discussing becoming a Father. Using the same method as he, himself, was created. Went through a whole "go to the Kent farm and have a life change adventure" character growth arc, as you do. And? Now realizing that he potentially COULD be DIRECTLY involved in the Hypothetical Child's life instead of as an uncle?

He wants in. They could be glorious, combined. AND he firmly believes Tim will be a magnificent Mother. Let him Father your child.

It's a bad idea. Tim knows this. He literally JUST slept with Bruce yesterday and nothing good comes from sleeping with AL Ghul's. They Obsess. But? Fuck it. Maybe THIS is the thing that finally stops the Tim-Gremlin cold war and bring peace to house Wayne once and for all. He unbuckles his belt. Walks over to his resting room.

And Tim KNOWS, even as he's being urgently fucked into the fold out bed, that this is an AWFUL idea. No way in HELL, from the desperate and sloppy thrusts, clinging, panting and whines, is this NOT Damian's first time. He's utterly undone.

Pounding load after load into Tim because it feels too good to stop. All enthusiasm and no skill. Half the pleasure Tim's even GETTING is his own hand, relentlessly teasing his own clit. But? Oh. The feeling of being wanted so BADLY. Of cum, gushing and gushing into him. Knowing it's HIS hole that's so good, it's driving Damian incoherent.

He feels... sexy. It DEFINITELY does something for him. He may not be able to go back. Could see himself enjoying being a milf.

But of course. Business hours end. And he PROMISED! Is swept up by Bart for their threesome. Which, after several rounds and untold loads of near-no-refractary-period speedster cum dumped inside him? Is kinda spotty, in his memory.

All he knows for certain is he wakes up to his sheepish best friends, "Sorry we fucked you unconscious repeatedly" bribes, no voice, and a warm bath. He's also plugged up and FULL full of that premium speedster/half-kryptonian blend cum, because apparently his friend intend to WIN and nothing says victory like overwhelming odds. He'd call them fuckers, but they ARE and hold no remorse. He can't move.

Carry him you bastards.

When he asks where Cassie is, he learns she's apparently trying to harrass the magic users into a making her a temporary "turn me into a dude" amulet. Both as a gift AND so she can join the race for Father Of Tim's Baby. Huh. Interesting new options.

Obviously, throughout ALL of this, ninjas. Because Ra's has never wanted to smash so hard in his LIFE.

Instead, Tim is out here, on Jason's shitty couch. Getting lifted up and slammed down onto his cock. Called baby girl. Princess. Jason's never been harder. Already planning their kids graduation dinner and baby number three.

Tim feeling precious and taken care of and DESIRED. Like the young adult with a first shitty apartment he never got to be. Something so close to normal. Put a baby in him. Fuck him like you love him, like they do this every Saturday night, then eat pizza and watch trash TV. Fill him up.

And if course~ it's a VICIOUS game of Fuck The Tim keep away, up until one day he starts to show. Then Everyone is loving and coddling and in a "No I Am The Father" cold war. The birth is a nightmare, because Tim is slender and more scar tissue then not. But?

Adorable quarter-Kryptonian! With the biggest blue eyes and Tim's porcelain doll face.

Tim is NOT doing that again. Ffffffuck giving birth. And being pregnant! Granted, the EARLY part? He loved. He glowed. Getting pregnant was AWESOME. But later stages? God awful. Clone tube babies from here on out.

Absolute Devastation in the Tom Fucking Community. Babe no! You can't MEAN IT!

Woah, hey! He never said he'd STOP. "Getting Pregnant" is very, VERY enjoyable. He's just refusing to carry SHIT. Birth control for HIM. Scooping that slurry of "leave it up to Nature" out and storing it. Now... Kon stop being smug and hold your son.

-🐼🐼🐼

😭😭😭 tim getting everyone to come to dinner and they all think it was alfred and are like 'this was a great idea alfred! we should all get together like this more often' only for tim to cough and say well actually i called you all here, i figured you all deserved a heads up since i'm going to be undergoing some serious life changes. everyone's confused and then tim says he's going to have a baby.

immediate panic and some disappointment from bruce because he thinks this is a teen pregnancy and he expected better from tim only for tim to have to yell to interrupt everyone and say there is no 'girl', not yet anyway. he's just announcing that he's GOING to have a baby. they're not yet conceived and now the family is dealing with whiplash of how of course TIM would do something like this now they're sitting their listening to him talk about the ideal gene pool given tim's family has a history of mental issues and he's going into some very detailed things like nurseries and everyone just wants him to slow down because tim is still a kid!!! dick is older than him and even HE doesn't feel ready. so everyone is trying to talk tim out of it while tim insists he's ready, he's been going to a therapist for 11 months trying to deal with his issues so he COULD be ready to be a parent.

which of course baffles them even more because???? dick has been trying to get them all into therapist for years and tim just???? went??? on his own????

bruce is of course the least welcoming of tim's ideas of teen parenthood. because what about highschool, college? at least ONE of his kids has to go to college!

tim however says no, says his GED is more than enough.

bruce tries finding other angles, asking what if he just sets tim up with babysitting gigs? make him see kids aren't that great and tim just huffs and said he already did a bunch of babysitting and volunteering at the children's centers in gotham as part of his adoption application!

which ???? just stressed bruce out even more?! because tim had tried to adopt a baby first? but apparently got rejected because of his age, lack of partner, and lack of job which tim loudly says is unfair because bruce was in his 20s when he took in dick and HE hadn't had a partner or a job!

so the family is protesting, despertly trying to get tim to change his mind,,, then tim gets a womb and suddenly the protests die down VERY quick.

#answered asks #asks #anonymous

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phoenixkaptain · 2 years

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Nineties Tim Drake is a balancing act of being perfectly confident and competent when in the heat of battle, being completely sure of himself and being capable of changing his plans on a dime and all-around being borderline scary because of how well he can read his opponents moves and react to them, but outside of combat he is an awkward little duck boy who wants to befriend other superheroes but is also internally fanboying a bit over meeting other superheroes, so he comes across as stilted and nervous in social situations.

Yes I’m thinking about Tim Drake again. Did I ever truly stop thinking about Tim Drake? Who cares?

Tim is so funny because he is completely confident, the picture of a perfect leader, but the very second he has time to think about anything, he doubts literally everything he’s ever done. The Baseball Arc (my beloved) is a great example because Tim doesn’t trust himself, doesn’t actually believe what he’s doing will work, thinks he’s dooming two separate planets by being stupid. The comic goes out of its way to show us Tim doubting himself, because when he’s actually out on the field, playing baseball for the lives of billions of people (and yes, that is the funniest thing I’ve ever typed in my whole life) Tim is the complete opposite. More than trusting himself, he asks his friends to trust him, to believe in him that he can make them win a dumb baseball game and that he knows what he’s doing.

And they do trust him! That’s what really sticks, in Young Justice! The others trust Robin, they trust Tim, with their lives and the lives of everyone they know and care about. They trust him to do what he says he will, and he pushes himself so that he never lets them down because letting them down would prove that his doubts are correct.

But, even as he exceeds expectations, Tim is still doubting himself. He doubts that he’s a good enough Robin. He doubts that he lives up to Jason’s and Dick’s legacy. He doubts that he lives up to Bruce’s standards. He doubts that his plans will work, even as he comes up with a billion contingencies in the case that they don’t. He doubts himself, and Young Justice shows us this multiple times.

Tim Drake has a constant struggle with himself, with his internal voice that tells him he isn’t on the same level as the heroes he surrounds himself with.

But, the Young Justice team don’t believe he’s subpar. They’re baffled by him, they don’t understand him, they can’t read him at all, but they trust him and it means a lot to me that Tim can take the trust they put in him and build himself up with it. He trusts them just as much as they trust him.

He trusts them more than they trust themselves. He trusts Impulse even while everyone else thinks Bart is just an impulsive boy who can’t sit still. He trusts Wonder Girl even while Cassie doubts herself in similar ways that he does. He trusts Superboy even while Superboy struggles with everything under the sun. Tim even trusts Secret! Do you know how hard it is to trust Secret? Secret literally tried to murder Stephanie and Tim was just like “Girls will be girls” (I blame the writers for being sexist, but it is really funny to think that Tim thinks of girls in the same way people say “boys will be boys.” Like, he thinks that all applies to girls, not boys. Look who he surrounds himself with, Tim is more shocked when girls don’t punch each other to show affection)

Anyway, long story short, I fucking love how Tim is the most capable awkward little duck man in the world and I support him more than I support myself-

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soleminisanction · 5 months

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What comic issue did the whole kon v steph showdown happen? In which he basically called her a poser? I’m wondering what the rest of the young justice teams reaction to her was. I think greta tried to kill her at one point? I don’t think she’s very well liked among that team, but it also makes me wonder if she’s very well liked in the wider hero community at all besides her small group of vigilantes she’s enmeshed herself with through getting involved w Tim and to a lesser extent Batman? What are your views?

Teen Titans (2003) issue #13:

That's it in its entirety. The bit with Tim and Conner is very much the story's B-plot, the A-plot is focused on Beast Boy and the rest of the Titans back in San Fran.

As for Steph and Greta -- it is true that Greta is the one member of YJ that Steph ever truly interacted with during that time period. I actually wrote up a whole thing here about the arc of those interactions, but it was kind of off-topic with your question and also long enough that it really deserves its own post, especially because lining it all up together without the multi-year gap between plot points gave me a revelation about how the story actually went.

I'm going to try to get that post up in the next day or so to prove my point but the summation here is: the first time they met, Greta explicitly didn't try to kill Steph -- but afterwards, Steph framed it as "she tried to kill me in a jealous rage" and people took Steph's side because part of Greta's story was that her "good people bad powers" thing made her kind of sus and that's what eventually drove her to join Darksied.

So while Steph did get mentioned in YJ, including getting brought in to help as part of the invasion of Zandia in issues 50-52, her only significant contribution there was a very brief stand-off with Greta and getting stuck in a bubble with a several other 90's characters who I'm pretty sure don't exist anymore.

The only other person I recognize here is Lagoon Boy. The pink filter doesn't help.

Other than that, the only interaction Steph's had with any member of Tim's friend group is the one issue of Teen Titans (2003), #66, where they're doing this membership drive thing and Steph (recently back from faking her death) tags along so they can pretend that maaaaybe she's going to join the team, but actually she's just there to have a very brief interaction with Traci 13 and Bombshell.

And an even briefer, awkward stare-down with Cassie that's only there because she and Tim's budding romance had been awkwardly cut short just so he could back to Steph the very instant she got back from faking her death no matter how little sense that made.

And then Steph wasn't even interested in joining the team anyway she was just there for quote, "moral support" as Tim told Cassie he needed to take a break for a while and focus on the pre-Final Crisis chaos going down in Gotham.

Stephanie has never spoken to Bart, Anita, Slobo, or Ray so far as I know. She's never even met Cissie because the Arrowette who went to Zandia turned out to be Bonnie in disguise.

Pre-Flashpoint, the only other people she'd met outside of Gotham are Supergirl (whom she met in World's Finest (2009)) and Squire, who's still technically a Bat even if she lives in England. Stargirl and Miss Martian show up alongside Bombshell and Supergirl towards the end of Steph's solo series but they come out of nowhere only because BQM had wanted to make them part of Steph's entourage at some point but didn't get the chance, so I don't really count them. Nor do I count her showing up in a group shot at the end of the Gail Simone Wonder Woman, since that was just a line-up of cameos from every female hero she could get at the time.

So with all that as the preamble, to answer your second question: no, I don't think Steph is very well-liked by the wider superhero community. I also don't think she's disliked. I think the vast majority of heroes and villains have no idea who she is.

If they know her at all, it's probably as, "That girl in the purple that Cass is always hanging out with" or "Robin's ex-girlfriend who faked her death that one time" or maybe even as, "There was a girl Robin at some point right? I feel like I heard that somewhere," particularly since there was a big media shake-up after War Games. Heck, they might even know her as, "Cluemaster's daughter; she runs with the Bats, yeah? Heh, sucks to be Arthur" since he's actually gotten around more than her just by virtue of being on the Suicide Squad.

But as Spoiler, as Batgirl, as a hero? Basically unknown outside of Gotham. She's always been too much of a supporting character to develop those kinds of connections.

#stephanie brown #ask me stuff #dc comics asks #teen titans 2003 #connor kent #spoiler #superboy #teen titans #young justice #dc comics #meta

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piltoversfinest-caitvi · 2 years

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Christian Linke and Alex Yee Q&A

From here (will update if there’s more)

With special addition from Amanda’s

Below the cut are the questions and answers they provided

Q: Anything in regards to an art book for this show? Would love nothing more than to secure a copy of one.

Christian: There is one in the works! I remember talking to some folks at Fortiche and Riot about it a few months ago. I'm not sure where they are in the process, but it's coming for sure.

Q: Hi! Do you think Caitlyn and Vi shippers will be happy with the upcoming season?

Alex: There's that part they might like, and that part they're probably gonna hate.

Amanda (A reply to Alex’s post): I take full responsibility for both. And stand by that they make the show better!

Q: How did you all go about capturing such minute and captivating micro-expressions? Also, Caitlyn and Vi have been really fun for my wife and I to watch together as a lesbian couple. We really hope we get to see their relationship grow in new and interesting ways. I'm curious about how their roles as "Piltover's Finest" will differ from how they do in LoL. Will caitlyn still be a sheriff, or more of a private eye working independently from the Enforcers?

Also, what is the likelihood we will see them as official "girlfriends" next season? Will it mainly be implied or outright stated? I realize if you can't share much, but I (and my wife) are dying to know.

Lastly, will we get to see the entire tattoo on Vi's back at any point?

Christian:

I appreciate you speaking to the smaller details of the character moments. Generally speaking, people in animation will advise against those silent beats where subtle expressions mean as much as any word could, but that's the sort of drama we really craved in the animation space. We simply have awesome animators :) And a wildly talented animation director Bart Manoury, who defined that entire look for Arcane.

For Vi's tattoo -- we have the complete design, I'm not quite sure why we haven't shared it with everyone. Let me inquire about that.

Regarding Vi and Caitlyn, I wish I could say more at this point, but a lot of the answers I'd give you would spoil the experience on screen. I'm confident in the direction we're taking it, and I very much wanna hear from you once Season 2 is out.

Q: what we should expect for Viktor in season 2?

Christian: Everything

Q: Will there be anymore merch drops for Arcane? O: I would love to have posters or even figures/statues/nendoroids of any of the characters!

Christian: Yes. I myself am the sort of person that likes to have dozens of statues, trinkets and figurines on his shelf. The underwhelming amount of merch during Season 1's release is very high on my list of gripes. We're actively working on making sure that we do much better next time around.

Alex: I certainly hope so!

Q: Are there plans to release the scripts for Arcane? I would love to study these.I know you guys don't come from a typical Hollywood background and that's what I love about Arcane, it's so fresh and new. How did you learn how to create a show? How did you write the finale to encapsulate so much emotion and meaning?

Christian: Yes! Quite frankly, we just haven't gotten to consolidating all the different versions yet. Some of it also touches on Season 2 spoiler risks, so I'm afraid we still need to find the time to go through the mountain that is our Season 1 scripts. ;o

In the beginning, we certainly had no idea how to craft a TV series. Personally, I tried to read a lot of books about story crafting and screenwriting. I can't say that I found many of them useful, but at least they all confirmed the general framework of act structures and character drive.

We spent a good amount of time in meetings with other folks who worked in the industry, always looking for that secret sauce that unlocks a TV story structure, and... turns out it doesn't exist. So once you come to that conclusion, it becomes a bit easier to roll up your sleeves and go "alright, let's find our own". At this point, we have our own "metrics" and processes to track plot and character. It's always somewhat messy when you intend to craft a complex story, but that's just part of the work.

Good story (in my mind) is all about hard choices. Many writers talk about being "character driven" without actually writing character driven stories. If you ask your hero whether or not they will help save the world from an alien invasion, the answer always is "yes, duh". Thus, the character doesn't REALLY have a decision to make. The sole question that remains is "HOW are they gonna overcome their obstacle?" -- which is entertaining, but it really doesn't drive the story forward with full autonomy.

I think Alex and I gravitate toward stories that leave characters with costly or even impossible choices.

Amanda (Add onto Christian’s post): I think of this in terms of what a character hopes and fears. You have to know what these are (and make sure the audience knows too) and use them to tug a character towards impossible decisions. I also think you have to be able to relate to these hopes and fears. As Christian mentioned, the fear of dying in an alien invasion isn’t relatable. Neither is the hope of winning a civil war (for most people), but what made Silco’s quest for Zaun’s freedom relatable is that it was rooted in his hope that he could win back his brother Vander’s respect. And without his respect, Silco feared he was the “dirty little thing” his station in life always ascribed to him. Fearing you aren’t good enough, and craving respect from family are deeply relatable emotions. This is what a “character driven story” means to me!!

Q: I've watched this show many many times, introducing it to new people, and always finding another detail or two I didn't during previous watches! While writing the story, what was the most complex story-telling issue you guys ran into?

Christian: We wanted all of our characters to be "real", and thus, make imperfect decisions. The finale of the 3rd episode was scary, because both Vi and Powder really mess up and make terrible decisions. At the same time, we didn't want these choices to alienate them entirely.Characters like Jinx and Silco constantly murder and manipulate. Can an audience still root for them? It's a bit of a dance between their many risky actions and choices.

Amanda (Add onto Christian’s): Again, I think this comes from relatable motivations. Jinx, (and Powder before her), was always desperate to prove herself worthy — worthy of her sister’s faith in her, worthy of Silco’s faith in her. We shouldn’t have to prove ourselves worthy of love, but that is a struggle we all face in so many different ways. A character making terrible decisions is much more forgivable if you too have felt what they’re feeling. I always say I love characters that do the right thing for the wrong reasons, or the wrong thing for the right reasons, everything else is boring!

Q: If you could have made arcane about any other part of runeterra which one has most interest to you?

Christian: Sheesh... there's a lot. ;) We've been working on Arcane for over 7 years now, so naturally, you have ideas for other stories over time.I think the "grimsical" tone that Arcane features works well for Alex and I. That said, I'm really interested in exploring some more quirky stuff as well. The League IP has a lot to offer, it's very diverse in cultural and tonal aspects.

Alex: There are stories I'd love to tell all over Runeterra. One of the joys of working on Arcane was having the opportunity to dive deep into the style, look, and culture of Piltover/Zaun. At Riot we of course have our ideas, but there is still a magic of discovery whenever you invest time conceptualizing one of Runeterra's regions.I've always been a fan of the intrigue/machinations of Noxus, the aesthetics and history of Ionia, the mythos of the Freljord.

Q: In an episode of “Into the Rift”, it’s said that the early drafts of Arcane weren’t good. How much of that draft and the final show are similar or different? Just character arcs and interactions? Major plot points? Or was the entire idea of the show changed?

Christian: A lot (if not all) of the story structure and character arcs were the same.

Crafting the episodes and scenes in a fashion that builds the right tension over time and tracks all the parallel stories wasn't really clicking yet at that time, so Alex and I getting help from the outside and learning more about how to "break an episode" really unlocked the episodes to be stronger.

Alex: The broad strokes of the show never really changed. I'd say the biggest evolutions concerned pacing and development of emotional storytelling. We were more plot-focused before that. We always wanted big emotional beats between characters, we just strengthened their integration to the overall story.

Often, a slight shift in our approach significantly changed the spirit of a scene or beat. We were fortunate to have brainstormed so many moments before we rebooted the story though, it gave us a wealth to draw from when we went into the proper writer's room.

Q: What were some of the small touches in the art and writing of Arcane that didn't mean that much in the big picture, but that you really enjoyed personally?

Christian: Man... also too many to count. ;) The wonderful thing about our collaboration with Fortiche is that artists at the studio are really empowered. An example that Alex likes to bring up and that we all really love is the ash tray in Silco's office. We didn't instruct them to make it look like Jinx painted it in her trademark whimsical style, they did that themselves. They were tasked with designing a simple ash tray and thought, "how can I do more with this than the minimum?" -- and so they did. Now, an ash tray tells a story.

Q: Will season 2 be the final season in the Piltover and Zaun region? Will there be more interactions between Ekko and Jinx in season 2?

Christian: I don't think answering this first question would actually benefit you, so I'm not gonna do it. Oh yes (to the q of Ekko and Jinx).

Q: Will there be another season of bridging the rift or any more behind the scenes content?

Christian: I don't know if it's gonna be another full Bridging The Rift, but I know that we're filming BTS material all around. So in some shape or form, there are gonna be more glimpses behind the curtain for you. :)

Q: If you could choose a single word to describe season 2, what would you pick?

Christian: War

Alex: Rubicon

Amanda: Well I’m more of a sap than these guys, but I say “forgiveness.”

Q: What were some of the biggest influences on Arcane in terms of writing or animation?

Christian: Alex and I were talking a lot about Peaky Blinders while we were working on Season 1.For animation, there really isn't that much I would reference to be frank. When we started Arcane, there wasn't really anything out there that had the look and style we had in mind.

Amanda: Let’s not forget our “Lord of the Rings” dollar jar. Bunch of bills in there from you, Christian!!

Christian: True. Though Arcane development started long before Spiderverse.

Q: When is season 2 coming?

Christian: B-)

Q: How long do you see yourself doing Arcane? Can you see the series becoming a revolving door of stories told from different regions of Runeterra at some point?Have you ever had a great idea for something in the show, that came too late? eg: animation is too far along to change

Christian: We definitely want to explore other regions. At the same time, we've all seen shows and movies that try to cram in too many different perspectives too quickly. I think we gotta earn our way into a larger world view first. So definitely coming in the future, but we have to find the right pace for the story we wanna tell.

Regarding having an idea for something that came too late -- yes, constantly. ;) As someone much wiser than us once said: "Art is never finished, only abandoned".

Q: Does "Our Love" image on the record in the show refer to personifications of Piltover and Zaun? Since the girls are colour coded as respective cities over big red-dot in the sky.

Christian: Indeed!

Q: When making the soundtrack for the show, what did you and/or others have in mind for selecting artists and sounds for what would end up making the cut? Were there any you were considering that didn’t make it?

Christian: It starts with the editors at Fortiche looking for the right moment(s) in every episode that could feature a "music video moment". Usually, the vibe and mood of the story boards paints a target that we then try to cast appropriately.

You tend to have a shortlist of 5-10 artists that you then try to hunt.

During Season 1, it was really hard to find artists, because we were an unproven studio, and a lot of artists weren't interested in animated series. Luckily, the ones who joined us did so because they really believed in the vision, more so than it being an easy win.

Amanda: The storyboard artists make the intention of the scene work. Without them our writing would be boring, flat words. Coming from a live action background, the collaboration in the boards feels like working with a director and the actors all at once — they decide camera angles and blocking which is everything to the emotion and feeling of a scene.

Q: Did you guys overall have a favorite scene or episode from the final product? What was it like/how did it feel to take in all of the positive reactions, to witness the major impact that Arcane left?

Christian: The finale of Episode 6 is always very powerful to me. Probably that. It was a powerful feeling, because you poured your entire existence into this project for over half a decade, well knowing that the League audience is unmerciful. It was super-scary to imagine that they may not like it. That's a chunk of your life you'd never get back. Thankfully, it worked out. :)

Alex: Definitely one of the hardest questions to answer. Kind of a copout to say the dinner scene (109), but I always marvel at the emotion Fortiche was able to evoke in animation there. Similar feeling for the bridge fight (107), even though I do really love the intergration with music and how much story is told.

I'll throw a nod to the Chuck/Thieram scene with Jinx (106). It is/was a moment of general silliness, both in the writing act and the show that doesn't always feel like it fits with the rest of the tone, but it makes me smile that it survived all the way to the finish.

Q: What's your favorite episode of the show? Did Silco braid Jinx's hair? How long did Jinx's tattoos take? Who's your favorite character?

Christian: Probably 106. Yes, though he most definitely sucked at it, no matter how much he tried. Eventually, he paid someone to invent a machine that can braid Jinx's hair, but Jinx would always tinker with it, to a point where it once nearly strangled her in the process. He once asked Sevika to do it, but Sevika threatened to quit. So Silco had to keep doing it, until Jinx was old enough to learn it. Not sure I understand the question. Heimerdinger.

Q: You mentioned passionate tweets on social media. Does that mean the creators of Arcane see a large part of the fans tweets, fanart, disccusion?

Christian: Yeah, we see a good amount. Though Arcane's fan art on twitter tends to be a bit of a minefield. :X

Alex: We see quite a bit, but I have the feeling it's only the tip of the iceberg. I wish I had the fluency to dip into more of the fan reactions from all the non-English regions where Arcane was released.

Q: Are there people in the production crew you'd like to give a shout out to and why? Who are the unsung heroes of Arcane? What's a small detail or easter egg in the show that no one has discovered yet? What is your favorite plugin/audio effect that you used to produce any song in the Arcane soundtrack? Any teases for S2?

Christian:

I'd say that the story board artists are truly the creative unsung heroes. Our story boarders are FANTASTIC, and the amount of things they have to juggle is insane. And yet, none of their work ends up in the final picture, which always makes me sad.

There's loads. I think someday -- maybe in a few years -- I'll wanna check in on that and see which have just not gotten discovered. :)

Gulfoss. It's pure magic.

Q: Are all the scripts complete for Season 2?

Christian: Yes. Though there's always some amount of tweaks that happen in the process. Seeing story boards & hearing voices for the first time makes you realize that something doesn't quite click, or there's new opportunities you didn't recognize before.

Q: What were some events and actions that you really liked and wanted in the show, but had to rewrite or cut because they didn’t properly push story arc of some characters, or went against how that character should act at that point in their arc? Or what was your proudest achievement with this show that was cut, rewritten, or something that you knew the viewing audience would never know about?

Christian: There was another scene in Episode 107, a flashback between Ekko and Powder that takes place a few months after the end of Episode 103. It was a very touching moment during which Ekko tries to save Powder from Silco, but Powder refuses to go with him. "Powder is dead" .Alas... sometimes, it is your darlings that end up on the chopping block. Animation is expensive, and time is very much so money.

Q: How did y’all decide to include Get Jinxed by Djerv in the show, even though it was created for the LoL version of Jinx back in 2013? Does that song actually exist in the Arcane universe, or was it just part of soundtrack/Jinx’s imagination?

Christian: The song has a lot of meaning for us, because it was the first time Fortiche and I worked together on something. The beginning of the whole relationship.I don't think the song exists in the Arcane universe, no. That was more a selfish little moment for us. :)

Q: One of the things I really liked about Arcane was how there was no fat. There was not a single scene that felt tacked on or unnecessary, but you still managed to flesh out the world. Noxus was a great example. Their inclusion made the world feel bigger but it didn’t slow down the plot for a second.I know it’s a group effort deciding which scenes to cut but I was wondering what you’re criteria is when making those decisions.

Christian: I know that some people said Arcane moves at a pace that's too brisk, but both Alex and I like it when episodes really move the story forward. We all have our favorite TV shows that often enough present us filler episodes. We just didn't want that.

We followed act structures per episode. Every character story line would get their 3 acts, plus "twist" to set up the future conflict.

We did also have a piece of paper in our writer's room that spelled out our criteria for a successful scene:

- How does this scene develop the character?

- How does this scene further the plot?

- How does this scene teach the audience something new about the world?

You don't always get all 3, but it needs to have at least 2.

Q: Is it possible for Mel Medarda to return in Season 2? :c

Alex: Solidly possible.

Q: Are there gonna be any sex scenes in S2?

Christian: Ew, no! Gross. Maybe.

Alex: Hmm... any characters springing to mind?

Christian: I dunno Alex. Haven't seen anything on social media that makes me believe people even thought about this.

Amanda: They hired me back for season two, which means there will be sex. I’m the reason it’s in season one.

Q: Why did you name the show Arcane? When you were first developing the show who would you say was the character that changed the most from how you originally developed/ thought of them? Did Jinx and Vander have a close relationship? Does Jinx actually see Vander as someone who betrayed Silco?

Christian: Magic ties a lot of our world together. Every region, every champion has a different relationship with it.

Viktor for sure. I kinda just wanna leave it there. ;P

They weren't as close as Vander and Vi were. Vander was the person that Vi looked up, whereas she was the person Powder looked up to. I don't think that Jinx necessarily blamed Vander for what happened, though she does think (now) that Vander chose wrong.

Q: I want to ask if there's anything you can share about the Firelights! I'd definitely love to know more about them and how they were conceptualised, some more information about the members if possible, perhaps even word on their involvement on next season?

I think the idea of "Hope for a better Zaun" is one of the core tenets of Ekko, and I'm certainly proud to see that he has a group that is actively working towards that goal. I'm satisfied with where you've taken his storyline and I can definitely say you guys completely understand him!

Christian: Appreciate that! The firelights were inspired by and named after the green insects that you see flying around especially in episode 107. They come out of nowhere, swooping in, zipping through the air, and they look cool. :)

It happens easily that a place like Zaun gets written off because dangerous experiments and shady streets scare people off. In many ways, however, it is the kind of place where a truly revolutionary technology or idea can find purchase. So if you ask me, Zaun really is the place where the true magic can happen, and Ekko totally gets that and wants to enable and amplify that.

Q: Who was the easiest character to write and who was the hardest?

Christian: Hardest I'd say Silco and Jinx. They're both stylized in very different ways. Alex is the specialist for their dialogue on our team.

Alex: They all give you trouble here and there, but I would say on average Heimerdinger and Jayce were easier to write than Silco and Jinx.

Q: Will we ever get to see a younger silco and vander pre betrayal? Also any flashbacks to silco being a dad to powder when he first took her in?

Christian: You will, in fact.

Amanda (Reply to Christian): Spoiler! In the episode that always makes me cry.

Q: Will we ever learn about why Vander betrayed Silco? What was Silco planning on doing after he gained the Nation of Zaun? Would he have attempted to improve Zaun? Even though Silco is dead, can we expect to see more of him in s2? (ex. Flashbacks and mentions of him from other characters?) What are your opinions on Silco overall? Did you expect to see him as such a fan favorite?

Christian: Silco was a very special character. During the early phase of development, we talked about everyone's chip on their shoulder. Silco's was being "the dirty little thing". Never being enough. Always having topside look down on him. He could never quite past it, and if it would take his life to escape that existence, so be it. He had nothing to lose.

At the end of the season, he realizes far too late what it's like to have something to lose. Just like Vander, radical notions begin to stumble when your loved ones are threatened by your ideology. "It all makes sense now, brother."

I don't think he had a plan after the Nation of Zaun. It was an impossible pipe dream from the beginning, and if you ask me, achieving it would probably have ruined him.

We did not expect Silco to become such a fan favorite. Jason Spisak did such a wonderful job, it's hard to put in words just how transformative his performances have been.

Alex: We've always liked the relationship between Silco and Vander. It's the original rift that informs the generational split between the sisters. I'll just say, it's a story we'd like to tell.

I think Silco always wanted to improve Zaun, though there are always trade-offs to progress. To me, the real question is who would have helped him realize this vision, and what would have mattered to him at that point in time.

Silco is one of those characters you can get addicted to writing, but I don't think we ever expected him to be such a fan favorite. It really blew my mind when some people engaged with him more as a father figure than Vander.

Amanda (Add onto Alex’s post): To me, the story of Arcane at its core is whether or not the sisters will repeat the sins of their fathers. As Vi and Jinx’s story unfolds we hope you’ll recognize the parallels between Vander and Silco’s story and be desperate for them to take a different path, impossible as that path seems to be.

Q: Did you begin writing the story with the idea of having an antagonistic corrupting/nurturing force to serve as the catalyst for who Jinx would become, or was he developed gradually over time as the right piece to fill what the script needed?

Alex: We knew fairly early that we wanted to have, as Christian put it, a non-champion "svengali" to oppose Vander in the first three episodes. The world felt small when every character happened to be a champion, and we liked the idea of the principle villain being someone who needed others to fight for him. It felt so oppositional to League.

However, we didn't initially plan for Silco to have such a presence throughout the latter half of the season, that developed over time. In fact, we were nervous about giving him too much screen time once the story with Vi and Jinx was rolling. I do remember us asking ourselves right up to the end whether or not Silco would have traded Jinx for his vision of Zaun.

Q: What's a piece of advice you'd give to people trying to create interesting/dynamic characters and stories?

Alex: For me, the best moments come from characters when they surprise you. It's easy to feel omnipotent/omniscient when you are a storyteller. You're usually one step ahead. But sometimes, as you brainstorm all the ways a character might handle a situation or argue a point, they say or do something you hadn't considered. In the best instances, it knocks you off-kilter as much as their opponent in the scene/story. I guess this is all to say, strive to make your characters cleverer than you.

Q: Which scene in the show holds a special meaning to you and why? Possibly because you relate to it personally or there's a funny story behind it from during production.

Alex: There are many, but I'll call out Silco's monologue at the beginning of 103 "Ever wonder what it's like to drown?"This used to be the opening to the show. It sort of encapsulates the core of the story. I think after writing this with Christian, and hearing Jason's performance, it was the first time he looked at me and thought "you might actually be able to write." Of course, I quickly disabused him of this fantasy.

Amanda (Add onto Alex’s post): And it’s my fault that this beautiful sequence is no longer the opening of the show. But I love what it adds to the gut punch of episode 103 and I’ll defend that choice until the day I die. (Even if Alex doesn’t exactly agree with me…)

Q: How did you decide the tone for Arcane? It has adult themes and topics but presents them with such maturity despite being seemingly high fantasy. Was the tone decided from the beginning?

Alex: Tone was the original looming question. We decided we needed to see Vi and Jinx in their younger years as sisters in order to feel the loss and yearning as they struggled to reconnect, but this also made the show feel more "kiddy." I remember calling Christian after having an epiphany that our tone could be like that of the edgier anime I appreciated growing up - no idea why this didn't occur sooner, it just hadn't felt as much like League at the time. For me, anime straddled a tonal line unlike anything else at the time - the bridge from childhood to adulthood.

Once that locked into place, it got a lot easier for me to find the story, although you're always wondering if this or that moment pushes too far. The scene where Singed injects Jinx with Shimmer gave us pause for a little while.

Some anime refs: Hellsing, Berserk, Ghost in the Shell, Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Gungrave

Q: One question: Who came up with the idea, for Jinx Vs Ekko fight scene, it was a work of art, absolutely surreal experience, so many emotions and exposition in such small amount of time.And also on the topic : how in the world did You managed to fit so, so, so many of such scenes in only nine episodes? I mean, on top of my head, flare scene, Victors run and the climax! So much emotions on screen, i couldn't handle it.

Alex: The credit goes almost entirely to Fortiche and the music team on the bridge fight. 107 felt like a fulcrum-point in their authorship of the series - weaving their music video superpowers with the storytelling.

How we crammed so many scenes in? We wrote scripts that were too long and then battled in editing to save as many darlings as possible. (Slightly joking, but slightly not.)

Thanks for watching!

Q: Now that it's been a year, and you've been able to properly see the praise and criticism of the series, is there anything you wish you did differently? Did you expect it to blow up as much as it did?

Alex: My strategy is more to try to learn and adapt as opposed to rue the missed opportunities. Luckily, I'd say a lot of what we saw in reactions to season 1 aligned well with what we were focused on in season 2, though we did adjust emphasis here and there when we felt like fans had a strong connection with certain beats.

I don't think we ever expected it to have quite the reception it had, though we were always very confident in the quality of our voice actors' performances and the artistic brilliance of Fortiche.

Q: Will we get to know more about the mysterious wizard, who saved Jayce and his mom, in upcoming seasons?

Alex: There will be magic.

Q: I wanted to ask if you could share a list of the champs you worked on during your time on a League, since not many people may know what you worked on prior to Arcane but I loved the creative AMAs you used to host on the forums lime for Zyra and Varus.

Alex: When I was on League, champions would always have an assigned writer/creative focused principally on their story and thematics, but it takes a village to develop a champion, so it would be disingenuous to take credit for many aspects of what they became. Some of my favorite contributions were on champions to whom I wasn't assigned. Sometimes the heart of a champion was present before they came across our desks. And then players could also imbue champions with characteristics/meaning that superseded our intentions (Blitzcrank springs to mind).

That caveat aside, some of the champs I worked on who are close to my heart despite murdering me on Summoner's Rift: Lee Sin, Graves, Leona, Caitlyn, Varus, Lulu, Thresh, Ahri, Riven, Draven, Viktor, Irelia, Nocturne, Jarvan, Karma, Maokai, Nautilus, Sejuani, Sona, Wukong, Vladimir...

There was also a lot of side content and legendary skins (I recently recalled Christian and I working together on the first PROJECT video.) It's important to note a lot of these characters were significantly deepened in updates and later content. Working at Riot is more about doing your best to carry and pass a baton than being an auteur.

Q: will we ever see vi's abs

Alex: I'll put in a request.

Q: When you where writing it, did you have any moments where everything just connected and you thought “wow! I can’t believe we’re this clever!”? If so, when?

Alex: I think what would happen more often is that I would see the end result of something I wrote and think "Wow! Thank heavens Fortiche, the voice actors, and all the other teams managed to make me look like something other than a blathering idiot!"

Of course... no one can stop me all the time.

Q: I believe Riot executives have realized the importance of Arcane to the company, does their support make production easier than before? Will season 2 come out quicker because of that?

Alex: Their support is a huge part of why Arcane has the time, trust, and resources to hit the quality we aim for. People who've worked in the industry always tell us how rare and special our situation is. However, I'd say that extra trust is more likely to mean the season would incubate for more time, rather than less.We know you're all waiting though.

We always try to find the sweet spot between bringing you content and trying to improve/polish it.

Q: In the scene where Finn tries persuading Sevika into betraying Silco, Finn mentioned something about "bigger fish than silco". I feel like this was potential foreshadowing to who will fill the power vacuum Silco left, but I'm not sure. Was Finn referencing someone within the scope of Season 1, or was he talking about someone/something we'll see in the future? (cause it makes me wanna think he was referencing Urgot potentionally)

At the end of the Bridging the Rift, y'all mentioned wanting to expand to other Runeterra regions in animation. Will these new series be anthology to Arcane, or will it be directly/partially carrying on some of Arcane's plotlines?

When and if there are more animated shows outside of Piltover and Zaun, is Fortiche willing to make these projects or can we see different animation studios throwing their hat in the ring? (ie Japanese studio animates Ionia series)

Alex:

Heh, I wondered if this stood out to anyone. There is someone he's referencing, who does capitalize on Silco's death, though I don't know if this will be apparent in season 2. It's one of the things we wanted to connect, but didn't feel was important enough to sacrifice some of the other scenes we wanted.

No specifics to report yet, but we do hope we'll be able to feel a connection between different stories we might tell, even if the camera moves to a very different place.

We love working with Fortiche and (hopefully) vice versa. We also want to explore a range of styles for League content. The question is how to best have the capacity to deliver stories regularly without diluting the quality.

Q: Will there be information about Orianna somewhere in Arcane?

Will there be hints in Arcane Season 2 about Warwick's creation?

Will Janna have any mention in Arcane?

Amanda: Yes! (not sure if a yes to all three or a specific one)

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bobbinalong · 8 months

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Have you talked about young Justice baby sitting? Or maybe even just how their relationship with Steph is different because of the baby and her and Tim being more healthy?

I have actually talked about them babysitting before here, yeah! Long story short, I think they'd all do decently well with it. Bart, depending on how long he's been in the present, probably shouldn't babysit alone but he'd do good as a co-babysitter, lol. I think babies would love him.

I don't think Steph's relationship with the group would change too much. At least not quickly. They're still Tim's friends first and foremost (and one of them did once try to murder(?) her, though I think they could move past that). She'd find a place among them. They'd be friendly with each other. She'd probably be a great resource to Anita once her de-aged, resurrected parents come along, so those two might grow closer through that.

Also, it's funny that you say Tim and her would be healthier because like. Yes, they would be, there would be less lies and secrets, a bit less undermining, Tim would tell her his secret ID before Bruce could, she wouldn't be sneaky about be Robin, but I also said on Twitter recently that the "Steph keeps the kid" AU should honestly be called the "Timsteph magically get their shit together" AU because all i ever do is draw them taking care of the baby and being embarrassingly in love with each other BUT. Rest assured they are still messy. I just like fluff, lol.

Truth is they definitely break up and get back together like five times before Allie turns four but they also both love that baby (and each other lol), so they try to make things work even when they currently hate each other like the dramatic seventeen-year-olds they are.

They don't speak to each other for a month but Tim still does pick-ups and looks after Allie for a few hours every Tuesday and they sit tensely next to each other in the park to watch her attempt to do a cartwheel. Divorced teenagers.

#bobbinasks #anon #steph keeps the kid au

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burins · 5 months

Text

as promised the separate comics/graphic novels roundup for 2023! this is a normal post until May when I realized I could (as a graphic novel librarian) become an Eisner voter and read 54 comics in a month (and then slightly less so in August when the Harveys came up.) below a cut because it's heinously long. I'll include my little write-ups and some panels right after my faves

JANUARY

Under the Red Hood by Judd Winick and Doug Mahnke I read this January second. Begin as you mean to go on! For all its flaws (Dick's Squidward face) the emotional arc of this story puts me right into the pit about Jason Todd.

Superman: Reign of the Supermen by Dan Jurgens and others

Batman/Superman: World’s Finest (ongoing) by Mark Waid, Dan Mora, and Travis Moore First off Dan Mora draws everyone like the most beautiful people in the world, which never hurts to look at. But also this is just a really fun comic! The action is fun the characters are very sweet and we get an honest to god Superbat gem fusion

Young Justice (1998) by Peter David and Todd Nauck MY CHILDREN! I was finishing up my Tim readthrough and was so delighted to meet Kon and Cassie and Bart and Cissie and Anita (I still don't care for Lobo.) Nauck's art is cartoony in a way that fits the comic really well.

Red Robin by Christopher Yost, Fabian Nicieza, Ramón Bachs, and Marcus To THEEEEE ARC for Tim. Everyone says read Red Robin. Yes read Red Robin but also understand this is him at his worst and most scrungly. This is not normal Tim. This is Tim's failgirl era.

Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day by Judd Winick and Ale Garza

MARCH

You and a Bike and a Road by Eleanor Davis Beautiful little memoir comic about biking across the US, and also about borders and travel and isolation/togetherness.

Superman for All Seasons by Jeph Loeb, Tim Sale, and Bjarne Hansen I love this comic. Tim Sale draws Clark like the biggest, softest person you've ever seen, and Bjarne Hansen's colors are so gentle. (if you remember the rock metaphor from mission parameters, it's inspired by this scene from Book 1: Spring)

APRIL

Superman: Lost by Christopher Priest and Carlos Parlaguyan (ongoing) This series cuts right to the horror of being Superman and also the horror of being Lois Lane SO deftly. a few plot points I don't love but overall God it makes me miserable

Birds of Maine by Michael Deforge A delightful, dreamy collection of comics about birds living in a utopian society on the moon. The art is weird, the story is weird, everything about it is lovely.

MAY

Divinity v1-2 by Matt Kindt and Trevor Hairsine

The City of Belgium by Brecht Evans This is not a perfect graphic novel but the stuff it does with art and page and rhythm is so so phenomenal.

Lights, Planets, People! by Lizzy Stewart and Molly Naylor

Killadelphia v1-3 by Rodney Barnes, Jason Shawn Alexander, and Christopher Mitten

The Department of Truth v1-4 by James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds This is a book about conspiracy theories and it is DEEPLY unsettling. Martin Simmonds' art makes me legitimately queasy to look at. Really really good but also it did send me into a little spiral for a bit.

Supergirl Woman of Tomorrow by Tom King and Bilquis Evely (Mat Lopes' colors also deserve a shoutout) This book made me cry! Also I have yet to read another Kara comic because this one was so good and I'm afraid the others won't be. She's sharp and angry in all the best ways and also deeply deeply caring and good. Capes meets space fantasy at its best. I would die for Ruthye

Nightwing (2016) v1-2 by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo

Batman: One Bad Day: The Riddler by Tom King and Mitch Gerads

She-Hulk (2022) v1-2 by Rainbow Rowell, Luca Maresca, Rogê Antônio, and Takeshi Miyazawa

Superman: Space Age by Mike Russell and Michael Allred

Revenge of the Librarians by Tom Gauld

Pinball: A Graphic History of the Silver Ball by Jon Chad

Down to the Bone: A Leukemia Story by Catherine Pioli

So Much for Love: How I Survived a Toxic Relationship by Sophie Lambda

Welcome to St. Hell: My Trans Teen Misadventure by Lewis Hancox

Chef’s Kiss by Jarrett Melendez and Danica Brine

Wash Day Diaries by Jamila Rowser and Robyn Smith

Animal Castle v1 by Xavier Dorison and Felix Delep

Bungleton Green and the Mystic Commandos by Jay Jackson

Flung Out of Space: Inspired by the Indecent Adventures of Patricia Highsmith by Grace Ellis and Hannah Templer Masterclass in writing a biopic that doesn't shy away from its subject's being kind of a wretched person while also producing art that is deeply meaningful to many, many people.

Rain by Joe Hill and Zoe Thorogood

Tiki: A Very Ruff Year by David Azencot and Fred Leclerc

Ten Days in a Madhouse by Nellie Bly, adapted by Brad Ricca and Courtney Sieh

Ultrasound by Conor Stechschulte

Tori Amos: Little Earthquakes, The Graphic Album (various)

A Visit to Moscow by Rabbi Rafael Grossman, adapted by Anna Olswanger and Yevgenia Nayberg

Look Back by Tatsuki Fujimoto

Shuna’s Journey by Hayao Miyazaki

Come Over Come Over by Lynda Barry

It’s So Magic by Lynda Barry

My Perfect Life by Lynda Barry What a lovely collection of comics. Barry captures being a teen in all its mess and glory.

Macanudo: Welcome to Elsewhere by Liniers

Always Never by Jordi Lafebre

The Pass by Espé

Mary Jane and Black Cat Beyond

Moon Knight: Black, White and Blood by Jed Mackay and Carlos Villa

The Nice House on the Lake v1-2 by James Tynion IV and Álvaro Martínez Bueno (Jordie Bellaire colors) I know Tynion can do horror, but he really really can do horror. This is like Glass Onion meets the worst nightmare you've ever had, and the way it unfolds is masterful. Martínez Bueno's art is dreamy and unsettling, especially combined with Bellaire who colors like she's painting oil slicks.

A Vicious Circle by Mattson Tomlin and Lee Bermejo

Booster Gold (1986) by Dan Jurgens Booster my friend Booster. I really didn't expect this to be as FUN as it is! There are occasional storylines that drag but overall a delight.

The Human Target v1-2 by Tom King and Greg Smallwood

Heartstopper v2-4 by Alice Oseman

Killer Queens by David Booher and Claudia Balboni

I Hate This Place v1 by Kyle Starks and Artyom Topilin I really need to read v2 because this was so fun. Queer backwoods horror, sarcastic, delightful, and never heavy-handed. I read this right after Killer Queens, which read like someone fed a bunch of Drag Race episodes and 2012 tumblr posts into a comics generator, and Heartstopper, which was so blandly unobjectionable I actually forgot I'd read it, so I Hate This Place felt refreshing as hell. (actually while looking up screencaps I remember why I didn't read v2 which is that v1 has a LOT of gore and body horror and I gotta be careful with that stuff. however if you like a slasher go forth)

It’s Lonely at the Center of the Earth by Zoe Thorogood Gut punch on every page. Thorogood's art is weird and wild. It does feel a bit as though she's opened up her ribs for us to peruse.

Chivalry by Neil Gaiman and Colleen Doran

Sensory: Life on the Spectrum (various)

Cryptid Club by Sarah Andersen

Public Domain v1 by Chip Zdarsky

Love Everlasting v1 by Tom King and Elsa Charretier

Mazebook by Jeff Lemire A twisting fable about grief and the paths it takes you down. A lot of the Eisner noms had dead wives or daughters which I began to resent, but I gave this a pass because it was really, really beautiful.

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton Everyone has told you it's good! oh it's good. Beaton's style, which I associate more with her humor work, at first feels somewhat at war with the subject matter, but it ended up really working for me.

Days of Sand by Aimee DeJongh

Talk to My Back by Yamada Murasaki This was one of my favorite books of the whole year. Beautiful meditation on the compromises of marriage and motherhood in beautiful, sparse drawings that lingered with me long after I'd finished reading.

Crushing by Sophie Burrows

JUNE

Do a Powerbomb by Daniel Warren Johnson Do you like wrestling? I don't really care about it, but I do love weird wacky stories about grief and trying to fight your way through the afterlife to get your mom back. Both hilarious and poignant. The art is as bombastic as it needs to be.

The Night Eaters v1 by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda Liu and Takeda are back! This time with some horror about a pair of siblings and their fucked up parents. Great stuff.

Ripple Effects by Jordan Hart and Bruno Chiroleu

Superman: Up in the Sky by Tom King and Andy Kubert Oh the Clark Kent of it all. the panel where Clark is calling home from alien customs because he has flown to the ends of the universe for one little girl is really what got me in this one

Kingdom Come by Mark Waid and Alex Ross

Superman: American Alien by Max Landis and various artists

Superman Red and Blue (anthology) This is a whole lot of writers and a whole lot of artists and all of them are excellent. Once again the Clark Kent emotion is happening to me.

JULY

Superman: Birthright by Mark Waid and Leinil Francis Yu

Superman (2011) v5-6 by Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder

Superman: Warworld by Philip Kennedy Johnson and various artists

Justice League International by Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire Booster my friend Booster is here and also so are all of my other new friends. I loved the initial run (though it has its weak spots) but then I had to slog through a lot of very bad later stuff.

AUGUST

Blue and Gold by Dan Jurgens and Ryan Sook

New Teen Titans (various Brother Blood issues) by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez

Acting Class by Nick Drnaso

Follow Me Down: A Reckless Book by Ed Brubaker

Girl Juice by Benji Nate

Little Monsters v1 by Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen

Mimosa by Archie Bongiovanni

Who Will Make the Pancakes by Megan Kelso

Cat + Gamer by Wataru Nadatani

Goodbye, Eri by Tatsuki Fujimoto

Spy x Family v1-2 by Tatsuya Endo

Alice on the Run: One Child’s Journey Through the Rwandan Civil War by Gaspard Talmasse

Ashes by Álvaro Ortiz

The Extraordinary Part: Book One: Orsay’s Hands by Florent Ruppert and Jérôme Mulot The art and story here are simply so fabulous. A better world is possible and sometimes you have to take direct action to make it!

SEPTEMBER

Batman RIP by Grant Morrison and Tony S. Daniel

Batman Incorporated by Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham

Batman and Robin (2011) by Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason I've talked about this one before but I think it is truly one of my favorite depictions of Bruce as father in all the ways he succeeds and all the ways he fails. John Kalisz's luminous colors also deserve a shoutout.

OCTOBER

Batman: Failsafe and Gotham War by literally everyone currently working in DC but especially Zdarsky

Birds of Prey (1999) by Chuck Dixon and then Gail Simone and a number of other people (this continued into November and December) This made the worms in my brain wriggle so bad that I wrote a whole yuri zine piece about Dinah and Babs, coming to a PDF (or physical copy!) near you soon!

DECEMBER

Dungeon Meshi v1-11 by Ryoko Kui Is it romantic to devour and be devoured in turn? Ryoko Kui sure thinks so. I was hungry the whole time I was making these my bedtime reading.

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll Emily Carroll is among the best to ever do it. This collection of stories is her at her unsettling best.

When I Arrived at the Castle by Emily Carroll

Batgirl (2000) v1-3 by Kelley Puckett and Damion Scott thanks to Mssrs Puckett and Scott I am now fully unhinged about Cass Cain and her quest for immolation. the art in this is so stylized but so well-done, especially given how little text is in much of the series. when the paneling hits it HITS.

Bruce Wayne Murderer/Fugitive by everyone working at DC in 2002 When a good crossover storyline works, it really really works. I love to see Bruce completely blow up his life because he doesn't see any point in existing outside the cowl anymore. Even more do I love to see the fallout from this on everyone who loves him! delight delight delight.

and that's everything I read this year!! god there was a lot of it. I liked a lot of the stuff I didn't bold, but also I hated some of it. please feel free to talk to me about any of it!!!

#comics not even once #book roundups

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zahri-melitor · 1 month

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Newish Comics:

The Flash #7: The Linear Men? The Linear Men??? Si Spurrier, what is cooking in your brain and can you keep giving me a direct line to it? (I mean bringing the Linear Men in a series that also gave us Gold Beetle makes perfect sense because Rip would be so into her but wow. It looks like they've barely been used since Flashpoint too). Also it's fascinating watching the re-establishment of Max and Bart's relationship.

Barry seems to finally have risen out of his ennui a bit, only to notice Something Is Wrong With Linda and then immediately suspect (wrongly) it's Hartley. Still pretty sure Linda's main issue is PPD but it being imposed by an external source is certainly something.

Green Arrow #10: this is another issue that mostly exists for people to hug each other, while Williamson goes 'remember that these people had relationships?' Sean Izaakse's art is just so good in terms of drawing the memory backgrounds so well I can pick out the specific issues and storylines he used as references (Batman + Arsenal shoutout!)

Also, remember when Amanda Waller didn't put bombs in people's heads, she just very occasionally put explosive collars or wristbands on the most dangerous and/or irritating Suicide Squad members? (Like Captain Boomerang?) Because I do. I remember Suicide Squad 1987.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold #11: part of this is me just being contrary, I know, but I am extremely not convinced we are going to see Maps as an active Robin in a main title, given Kerschl is a Gotham Academy creator anyway, and she's currently getting appearances as Meridian over in Birds of Prey. Gotham Academy continuity is only about 1/4 linked to main book continuity. (Someone is going to try and point out 'they appeared in Robin War' or something but it was an active and new title then, and honestly, nobody writing most Bat titles cares about them. It's its own sub universe. Also this story has Bruce dating Isla MacPherson, something I guarantee will not be followed up anywhere else)

Also imagine being called Karl Kerschl and coming to DC to write? How much time does this poor man spend saying "no, not Kesel".

The Artemis story remains amazing and I am fully supportive of it retconning whatever character crimes it is currently trying to excuse as weird.

Also how did we get so unlucky as to have both a Bat Lash AND a Sgt Rock story in this issue?

Amazons Attack #6: and this tied things off nicely! Honestly for an event that didn't need to happen, Josie Campbell did well with it, featured a whole host of Wonder Woman characters that Tom King's barely interacting with, and added to some relationships between characters that needed additional work.

Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #5: I am sure this is a far more meaningful issue if you care deeply about Green Lantern lore. Also DELIGHTED that the JSA team up in this series actually happens on page rather than in the final splash like in Wesley Dodds: The Sandman. (Wesley Dodds is still the best of the three minis to me, but I'm happy here that we're going to get JSA backup).

The Warlord #45: Previously on Lost World of the Warlord (I said I would) Travis set out to find out what had happened to his daughter Jennifer. He goes back to the village of dwarfs and gets his old sword back (since he chucked Hellfire into a lake), and ends up fighting some Cyclops' that took several of the dwarves to eat. Tragically nothing particularly fun happens here (though a skeleton IS tied to a cross, the bondage isn't involving any characters I care about AND it's just a warning threat)

Also something weird went on with the lettering this issue where what I think were script directions ended up as text boxes for all the scene transitions. If it was a stylistic choice on Grell's part it's a particularly odd one.

#z canon read throughs #newish comics

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bg-sparrow · 11 months

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I had such an incredible time at Back to the Future: The Musical this past Saturday! I decided a couple of weeks ago on a much-needed solo adventure when I was able to score tickets in the eighth row for a good price!

Coming from the Pittsburgh area, it’s about 6 hours’ drive to the Big Apple. I left at 4 AM and followed the sun across Pennsylvania, sneaking a snapshot when the fog broke long enough (it was so foggy!).

There was also some lovely flora and fauna amidst the fog at the rest stops, particularly at the PA-NJ border.

Now, I have been to NYC three times before this in 2007, 2008, and 2009. Coming back felt like the most special and most normal thing at the same time. I missed it! While I could never live in a city, I enjoyed taking in the awe of the big buildings and novelties Times Square had to offer a couple of hours before my show (I should have went back for that Reese’s candle, but I def had NY Cheesecake for dinner).

Now the show? Amazing. Spoilers below the cut.

First off, let me assure you that whatever seat you have, you will hear the show. I’m pretty sure my hearing was a tad damaged from the sonic booms and big chorus numbers, and I had a decent headache from it, so just be warned that it was a bit louder than anticipated. If you’re in the last row of the mezzanine, you’ll hear it all, I promise!

Some of my favorite things about the performance:

Hugh Coles makes it look like they plucked George McFly straight out of the film. He was incredible and by far the perfect embodiment of his character. So if you’re a big George fan, this is your show! If you’re not, he will make you fall in love with him! Incredible!

Roger Bart makes a joke about going to 2020 and there is no disease and a few people really cackled at that, and he broke character to look at someone and say thank you. Then, for probably 45 seconds, he broke character laughing with us over it, and Casey (Marty) is just standing there looking perfectly confused without cracking. It was a delightful way to start the second half!

Super enjoyed that when Marty meets Doc and is first trying to convince him to come see the DeLorean, Doc sees him go right for the flashlights in a drawer he couldn’t possibly know they were in, making him realize this kid might be who he says he is. I don’t know why that little detail stuck out to me as so significant, but it did. It was so satisfying from a storytelling perspective.

I loved George and Marty’s number in the backyard. We don’t get to see a lot of Marty really positively connecting with his dad in the movie unless it’s serving the “saving himself from non-existence” plot. I loved the genuine father-son feel of Marty dancing and George trying to copy him and Marty celebrating him for it. That felt good. One of those things theater is really good at capturing!

They filled the auditorium with bubbles during the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance and OH, talk about immersive atmosphere. Loved seeing everyone reach up to pop at least one bubble, like we were accepting some kind of offering. So fun!

Jennifer’s UNCLE HUEY. NICE.

The stage changes to the story were acceptable and believable. I almost didn’t realize the whole skateboard chase didn’t happen til the scene before the dance in the diner. Good job of keeping things succinct by combining various scenes and keeping the pace smooth!

This is nothing, but I saw a fake flower go flying off a bouquet and almost immediately one of the Texaco guys just tucked it in his rag when his staging brought him close enough during the number and kept going. I love seeing how discreetly the “oops” gets fixed on-stage.

After the show, I was out back to have my playbill signed by the cast when BOB GALE walked within a foot of me. I froze. I wasn’t sure. It has been my goal to ask this man the month and day of Doc Brown’s birthday for years and I BLEW IT. But he was quietly trying to get out of there I think. Someone got a quick photo with him before he disappeared in Times Square and UGHHH I can’t believe he was RIGHT THERE. (My friend who went to the 8 PM show said Alan Silvestri was there! How cool is this??)

My playbill was signed by all of the cast minus Roger Bart. He did not leave the theater that any of us saw. I did get to catch a photo with Mayor Goldie Wilson on his way back in, though!

I also got to meet up briefly with @bri-to-the-future and give her a 60s Doc I crocheted for her! How fortuitous that we got to see the show on the same day and meet face-to-face!

And then it started raining, my hotel didn’t get my reservation, and I was so mad that I just drove the six hours home (do not recommend). 🙃

It was certainly an adventure! I’m so glad I finally got to see it in-person, and I definitely recommend it! Now I can officially talk musical! 🎵 🎶

#back to the future #bttf #bttf the musical #back to the future the musical #road trip #new york #broadway #winter garden

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jewishcissiekj · 1 year

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Alright, so Cissie is back.

(Green Arrow (2023) #1 cover art by Sean Izaakse)

I feel like I’m calm enough after the unbelievable burst of excitement and happiness this cover gave me when I first saw it, so let’s talk about this.

First off, I have to say that until I saw this cover last week, I didn’t think Cissie should be Arrowette again, and this cover gave me different ideas and hope for Cissie’s future, so my judgment might seem clouded.

So first, to any Meghan Fizmartins and co out there listening who have no idea why Cissie quit being Arrowette, here’s a “brief” summary:

After her Counselor and mother figure, Dr. Marcey Money, gets killed by her ex-boyfriend, Cissie (rightfully) throws a fit and blames the lack of gun control in the U.S. as the reason for the murder. After that, she puts on a darker version of her Arowette costume (the same one Sean Izaaksa used for the GA cover), and goes to hunt down Marcey’s killer and his friend that was with him. During the chase, Cissie questions herself how much of a “Good Guy” is she, chasing down these men like that. At the end of the fight, she fires a killing shot from her bow, intending to kill Dr. Money’s murderer, when Superboy comes out of nowhere and catches the arrow. Then, she runs away and cries, confused and distraught. In the next issue she’s in a catatonic state following her actions, and after she gets out of it she breaks her bow and declares it’s not hers anymore. In the next issue she quits Young Justice. She makes it clear she never wants to be Arrowette again in the rest of the series, saying she can’t lose control again and talking about how her mom forced her into the hero life.

For a much more extended and detailed version I recommend reading Young Justice #15-17, it’s a great story and a great read.

Now, she has donned the Arrowette suit a couple of times after quitting, most, if not all, were pretty weird and out of character.

Starting off, we have that creepy thing in Spyboy/Young Justice, which I’m not 100% sure is canon at all, but it’s still worth talking about for a bit. In this miniseries, Cissie doesn’t actively choose to be Arrowette again any way, with Kon & Bart stealing her clothes while she’s in the bath and replacing them with the Arrowette costume, basically forcing her to put it on. They did give her a choice as to which costume to wear, the darker version from before or the usual one, and she chose the usual one, but I don’t feel like we should really give them credit for that. After that, she walks around in the costume, but doesn’t shoot a single arrow (she almost does, but she gives up on it) or fight, and is really just Cissie in a costume and less Arrowette. She also talks about how her friends are uncomfortable with the ‘Cissie’ part of her and they don’t know how to react to her with one of the spyboy characters. Overall I don’t hate it, except for the way they actually got her in costume.

Next we have the most confusing one yet. In Wonder Girl (2007) Cissie tells Cassie she could always go back to Arrowette for her (and later on in the miniseries she actually does), Completely disregarding her quitting storyline. That might (probably) be the writer’s mistake, but I’d like to think Cissie was at a point in her life here where she made peace with the whole “Arrowette” thing and with her mother and is just willing tp help an old friend with her slightly unusual skillset. She also previously hadn’t completely associated her archery with Arrowette (she competed in the Australia Summer Games an won a gold medal during ‘98 YJ), so maybe she’s just come to peace with that part of it all now. But since that is never specifically said in the series, I’m only assuming stuff.

Since then, she wasn’t seen as Arrowette or in general for more than 10 years, only showing up again in Young Justice (2019):

There’s no real explanation for her coming back this time other than, again, like last time, she’s made her peace with Arrowette and is only helping an old friend (Conner, this time) dressed in the most generic Archer-superhero outfit that came out of nowhere. She was barely in the series, but her return was handled badly anyway. Unless, of course, you’ll consider my theory from the previous time she came back canon, it’s pretty annoying that Brian Michael-Bendis brought her back, instead of Anita for example (which would’ve made much more sense), even after stating she was retired.

Now we have my least favorite handling of Cissie post-quitting.

Oh, Dark Crisis: Young Justice, the definition of shattered hopes.

This is complete and utter bullshit. Not only Cissie kept being an archer after quitting and had several storylines in Young Justice (1998) related to her archery outside of Arrowette, Cassie not only knows that, she was literally there for half of it. Cissie is an archer, and that’s a part of her that she pretty much completely separated from her Arrowette persona, and she made that clear in more than a few instances during the original Young Justice run. I hope Joshua Williamson isn’t taking Cissie character lessons from this run, which not only handles Cissie quitting weirdly, but is outright spreading misinformation about Cissie.

Has Meghan Firzmartin even read the original YJ run? I don’t think she did, at least not fully. Cissie quit because of very specific reasons I've previously stated, not this. She also has a good relationship with the rest of Young Justice, and definitely doesn’t see them this way.

Even though Cissie isn’t Arrowette at any point in this run, it feels much worse than any of my prior examples. Also, she is basically running around as Arrowette there, just without the costume. I hope the new Green Arrow series will ignore DC: YJ, because it’s just bad.

So to sum it up? I’m not completely disappointed Cissie is Arrowette again. I do hope Williamson will actually handle her past and not make her a whole new character for his run. I think a Cissie as Arrowette story can be interesting, if it’s at least implied she felt with her trauma from her quitting incident and made peace with everything the name and the costume mean. However, with all my high hopes, I'm still being realistic and I'm gonna say I don’t think I'll get everything I want in the new series. The series is currently a mini-series of six issues, unfortunately (but preorders might change that and give us more issues! Preorder the first issue!), and it tackles a seemingly large cast of characters with a lot of mysteries and questions around them and their appearance in the book. And with the actual plot being them trying to find/retrieve Ollie from where he was last stuck in in Dark Crisis, I do think there'll be space for good character interactions but not for a lot of individual character exploring. Overall, I think the series will handle Cissie’s return basically how YJ (2019) did, with a mostly unexplained return, but I guess a girl can dream about more.

#cissie king jones #arrowette #green arrow #Young Justice #green arrow (2023)#spyboy/young justice #wonder girl (2007)#young justice (2019)#dark crisis young justice #long rant but i think it's worth it #if you read all of this thank you #I'm impressed #Joshua Williamson #Sean Izaakse

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wolfjackle-creates · 10 months

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Heya, Wolfjackle!!!

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 💗

Ooh!!! Such a fun question. So, first off, I love pretty much everything I've written and I'm not afraid to say it. I will say I did a better job executing some than others though.

First, I have to open with my Good Omens fic The Demon Piper. This is the fic that got me back into writing. It is the first story I wrote to completion and was happy enough with to share. I was inspired to write it by someone I was crushing on at the time who helped motivate me and let me brainstorm at them. It's a story that features Crowley as the Pied Piper of Hamlin. I still kinda wished I'd called it the Pied Demon, but, well, the adjective pied is archaic and most people don't know it anymore. So, demon Piper it was. (Also, it's based on a really fun song called The Pied Piper by Heather Dale.)

Next, I'm gonna mention Bring Me Home which is still only on Tumblr. I love this one so much. It keeps expanding on me, but it was my first dpxdc fic. In the process of writing it, I learned so much about DC, so much about Tim and Kon and Bart and Cassie. I made new friends and found a home in a new fandom and found the attraction of crossovers for the first time.

I also have to mention my other long dpxdc fic, Ghost!Robin (which still needs an actual name). I love this one because it was my first time writing such a large cast. I got to learn how to juggle characters and tag dialogue when every line needs some indication of who's speaking. I love how the story expanded so far beyond what I originally planned and I'm excited to get back to it because y'all, my plans for Jason and Robin? I think they're gonna be epic.

Fourth is gonna have to be another Good Omens fic, An Evening In. It was my first attempt at writing smut. The working title of the doc on my laptop is "attempt at E" because I didn't expect to do more than write something for myself. But then I kinda liked it? And showed it to a friend who had written smut before (and she read it over in her cult-church service which thrills me). And she gave me so much advice. The end result was honestly really good and practically every comment has some form of "this is your first smut???"

Fifth... this one will change based on when you ask me. Right now I'm gonna say my newest fic Remember, Remember. It was my first time writing a fic with minimal dialogue that's mostly introspection and covers multiple years of time in 1.3k words. I'm generally a writer who takes her time with a story. Ghost!Robin is currently 16k and covers a single meal, for example. An Evening In is a pwp and 18k and covers a single evening. But this one? Years of time in 1.3k. And it worked. And that's pretty cool.

The theme for what I like the most that I've done? When I try something new and it works. I get really proud when I try something I've never done before and I manage to pull it off. It often takes a few drafts, but I have seen my own improvement and it's amazing.

And again, just because it's not on this list doesn't mean I don't like it. Once I get a bit further into it, I think Carry Your Heart will dethrone one of these and so might Answer My Call.

Edit: half the links I made got removed before posting. I'll fix them on desktop in an hour or so.

Edit 2: Fixed the links!

#i got an ask!#my rambles #my recommendations from my master list

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tootally-noot-a-cult · 1 year

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I dont like the young justice TV show

OK OK before you say anything hears my opinion on this TV show

the one on HBO max I mean

I hate it, it makes me want to rip my hair out

and here are some of the reasons why

First off, they put the whole ass wrong Robin in there

They put Dick in there?? No?? The Robin that was in the Young Justice was Tim Drake not Dick. He was never a member of the Young justice

Time, Conner and Bart where the three IfirstI members of the Young justice, they made the team, and by the time that Tim is Robin Dicks a full grown adult so why would he be in there??

Dick was a Teen Titan sure but a young justice member?? Hello?

I mean like a quick google serch can tell you what Robin it was and like i guess benifit of the doubt the robins are a bit confusing but they have Tim come into the show later on like he was the Robin after Dick? No? Where did Jason go? After Dick Jason was Robin, not Tim.

Like for what reason (also why did they flatten his hair like that)

Like thats Tim in the first Young justice comics

You can litrally just Google it and get the right one

Okay i could talk about just the robins for hours but moving on to my second point

CONNER WHAT DID THEY DO TO YOU

Why did they compleatly change him?? Why??

Not only did they give him worlds most boreing design but they also compleatly changed his backstory to??

Starting with the disign thing because thats my bigest ick this is what hes suposed to look like (what he looked like in his protraal in the comic books)

Like look how cool that is with the Leather jacket and the belts all the color design, like you can get a pretty good grasp of his personality just based on his design, but what they did with him in the show...

CONNER WHAT DID THEY DO TO YOU

They just took out everything that made him a unique character, like everything

His entire personality was also changed witch i absolutly cannot stand. He almost acts like a wild animal in the show like for what reson did they need to make him the worst character ever in the show I hate it so much

Why did they change his whole backstory to?? Like he was made from super man and Lex Luthors DNA right?? Not in this show! He was made by like a cult in the tv show for whatever reson

They compleatly changed his character like compleatly and its probally one of the biggest resons why i dont like this show

but i guess ill give them points on actually putting in the right super boy because its the only charachter who was actually a member of the young justece

Third off, they goofed up Bart big time

Another backstory they almost compleatly changed.

They kept in him coming from the 31st century but he comes from like a post apocoliptic world?? Hello??

The TLDR on Barts actually backstory: He couldnt turn off his super speed abilities so his grandmother (iris) took him back in time to wally so wally could help him, since he grew up so fast he was hooked into VR so that he could mentally age at the same rate goofing up his fear responce and makeing him very impulsive.

The thing is the time that Bart goes back to is the time that wallys the flash, In the show Wally is still the kid flash

Witch is another point in of itself Wally was never a member of the young justice and the flash (barry allen) isnt suosed to be around

Why they changed what Robin and 'Kid flash' where in this tv show only to later introduce the correct ones is unknown to me i have no idea why they would do that.

long story short they put the wrong speedster in there but later put the right one in there only to goof it up

Fourth off

why did they change arrowett like that?

They not only changed her name and the color of her costume (why??) but they had a weird side romance with Wally and her wich why AND they changed her whole ass name??? Her name is Cissy? Why did they flipin change that??

Last but not least

Where are wonder girl and seccret??

Wonder girl is important?? literally what?? Not only that but they took out secret to? Shes kinda important?

Someone please inform me if im wrong on them both not being there I didn't watch the whole show its mind melting

That' s her and she made like three of four big plot lines in the comic series.

Small things i wont elaborate on for the sake of lenght,

Why was speedy there?

I hate what they did to Miss Martian

Why did they need to change the whole timeline for this show?

I could go off on this show for literal hours and how bad it is but thats just the top five reasons i might make another post like this

TLDR: I hate the young Justice TV show :)

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redrobin-detective · 2 years

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catch me if you can

Tim Drake had been pushed out a window. He was too tired, too beaten, too threadbare of energy and equipment to rescue himself. This truly was it.

This wasn’t how he thought he’d die. Oh, when he was a brand new Robin and still new to the grapples, he’d worried about falling. He’d tiptoe to the edge of buildings and study his angle for a minute before firing. He’d been trained not too but sometimes, he still squeezed his eyes shut when he jumped. Simpler days. Dick was the one who helped him get over that fear.

“The grapples aren’t scary, Robbie,” Dick had said, flipping his in the air on evening. “They’re just tools, inanimate objects. You’re the one who’s logged in the hundreds of hours of training in the Cave. You can assemble and disassemble this baby in 90 seconds and shoot it with one eye closed.” He smiled sadly, “it’s not objects that fail you but people and, Tim, I swear on my life, on my parents’ graves, I will not let you fall.”

Tim had been promised a lot in his life, by his parents, by his friends, later by Bruce but he’s not sure he believed in those words until Dick said them. He’d stopped being afraid of the grapple, shooting it off as confidently and leaping without looking. And one time, when his hook came loose from a crumpling rooftop, Dick had been there to grab him before he'd barely fallen a few feet.

Dick had never broken his promises to Tim, not until Damian came into the picture and suddenly it was one after another. And now Dick was probably on the other end of town, making the same promises to Damian while Tim was making his way towards the ground.

He did learn something though, he kept his eyes open the whole time.

It’s not a bad way to go, all things considered. A fall from this height will certainly kill him on impact so he won’t need to worry about it dragging on. He does feel bad for the clean-up crew but you can’t control everything. All information he’d been cramming about asplenia management in between international flights wouldn’t be necessary now. He hasn’t had time to sort the recyclables so that’s officially off his to do list. No reason to forgive Dick or Dami or Bruce or all the other people who let him down. No time to say he loved them either.

The wind kind of felt nice running through the bits of his hair stuck out of the cowl. It reminded him of being Robin. Tim focused on that, instead of his regrets. He couldn’t change anything now, now as he plummeted to his death. He instead thought of better times. Train surfing with Dick. Watching his father walk for the first time after Haiti. Helping deliver a baby one patrol he later learned was named Robin. Pizza night at the tower, Gar telling stories from the good ole days, Bart with grease all over his face, Cassie picking off the toppings first, Kon-

Kon.

Tim had seen him, in Paris. Of course Tim had also seen Kon in San Fran, in Cairo, in the desert. At his lowest, he’d catch a glimpse of that pathetic tshirt costume out of the corner of his eye. But Paris had seemed so real, he’d forgotten how blue Kon’s eyes had been. He’d heard rumors that Superboy had been revived but Tim didn’t investigate. It would distract him if it was true and crush him if it was false. Tim, in the scant seconds he had left, chooses to believe that Kon had been real. If anyone deserved a second chance at life, it was Conner. And that meant that Tim really did get a chance to say good-bye to the person it hit the hardest to lose.

“Goodbye,” Tim whispered to himself. The sky was black above him but oh the Gotham lights were twinkling. God, he loved this awful, miserable city. This wasn’t really how he imagined he’d go but, you know what? At least he had a good view. The wind was making it hard to see but he was determined to keep his eyes open until the very end, chasing those lights like he had when he was just a kid with a camera.

The relative quiet of imminent death was interrupted by a loud, rushing sound that was speeding his way. Tim didn’t have the brain space to think on it when suddenly he was body slammed from the side. He gasped roughly as air, what should have been his last breath, was forced out of his lungs. His hands gripped something, fabric? A shirt? He - they - were going so fast it was disorienting and not at all helping the concussion Ra’s gave him, the one he didn’t think he’d have to deal with.

There’s a rough shaking as he realized his rescuer was skidding into the sidewalk, slowing down momentum. But Tim was still cradled in their arms, held protectively against their chest. Once they’ve come to a halt does Tim realize the trembling hadn’t stopped, his rescuer was shaking badly enough it was making Tim nauseous.

“Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit, that was close, that was too damn close, Tim! Tim come on, what the hell just happened?” Tim turned his head and peeked from his rescuer’s shoulder to see the bluest eyes he’d ever seen. “I-I heard you, I heard you falling and you weren’t doing anything and-and fuck! Where are the other Bats? They were supposed to be with you on this Operation Save Batman’s Friends plan of yours. Tim! Come on buddy, give me something here because you’re really, really scaring me.”

“Conner,” Tim whispered, like a prayer to heaven he wasn’t sure he believed in. Or maybe this was heaven, here in Kon’s arms. “You’re here.”

“Yeah, because you about half a second from becoming street pizza!” Kon said, half hysterical. He hugged Tim tighter, tight enough that it hurt but that was okay. Pain meant he was alive and being alive meant being here with Conner. “Seriously Tim, what the hell is going on? I’m gonna pull out all of Nightwing’s teeth for letting you fall like that. Don’t you usually have like 3 of those grapple things on you?”

“Lost ‘em,” Tim muttered, turning back into Kon’s shoulder. He’d felt so adrift these past few months, but here? This felt like home more than any place he’d ever been to. “Thanks for catching me.”

“Yeah,” Kon breathed, relaxing and lowering them both to the broken pavement. “Yeah man, of course. I know you do pretty well on your own but any time you need me, Tim, I’ll catch you. Just call and I’ll come. I promise, God I promise with everything I got that I’ll catch you.”

“Oh,” Tim breathed out. He’d been let down by promises all his life, even by people he thought he could trust. Part of him bristled at the idea of accepting another one just to have it be broken. But Kon was Kon, he crossed the River Styx to be here and came when no one else did. Maybe Tim could believe in just one more promise. Maybe next time, he won’t be falling but flying.

“Yeah, okay.”

#hour writing prompt #7:05-8:05 including the one quick read through #I've long played wiith the idea of Kon being the one to catch him at the end RR 12 #like it was crazy that Dick caught him #but Kon could here him and had been close by #and Tim's pov is during the literal worst period of his life #he's mad at everyone especially dick and dami #anyway yeah this was exactly an hour start to finish I just spent a minute tagging also I had t pee

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lokiinmediasideblog · 8 months

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What Norse myth books have you read already? I need new recs x

I don't think any of these are particularly new. Trying to make a list of all I've read. And granted, my attention span has gotten worse over the years.

The first book featuring the norse pantheon in any form I read was Neil Gaiman's "American Gods".

There's Diana Wynne Jones' "Eight Days of Luke" which served as inspiration for "American Gods", according to Neil Gaiman. Children's book.

There's also "Odd and the Frost Giants" by Neil Gaiman and his "Norse Mythology" retelling. Children's book.

I LOVED Louie Stowell's Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Being Good, if you have children or trouble getting through books, get this! It's hilarious and smart. I enjoyed it as an adult. Diary of a Wimpy Kid meets Norse mythology.

I enjoyed the first two books by Joanne Harris as a teen, "Runemarks" and "Runelight." The first two (esp. the first) are fun and I love the Bart Simpson-esque portrayal of Loki. Unfortunately, the quality of later books focusing on Loki is terrible.

I unfortunately read Joanne Harris' "The Testament of Loki", first chapter is interesting, but he's unwillingly sharing a body with an annoying teen girl, and the way Harris deals with eating disorders is really bad. It's awful. Don't recommend.

I think Lyra Wolf's The Nine Worlds rising series are an easy read. I think she has a great comedic voice and the books are worth reading just for that, and I like the toxic Odin/Loki relationship. I do have complaints about them, such as the anachronistic language (e.g. Loki knowing what a Chihuahua is), and that Sigyn doesn't have flaws other than caring too much for her no-good brother. She also has the women are either saints or evil witches dichotomy going on in terms of portrayals of goddesses. I think the stakes are good in these books so that you keep reading them.

I enjoyed Cat Rector's "The Goddess of Nothing at All" A LOT. While it doesn't have my ideal morally gray portrayal of Sigyn yet, it did make Sigyn more complex than others have. I also like this book mainly because I am a sadist and I love whump and there's a lot of suffering on it. It's so sad you won't be laughing at the myth!Loki memes. I would avoid this book if you don't like whump. I do have criticisms about it, such as her Loki was a bit too nice for my taste and could have been worse (making him justified for cutting Sif's hair feels forced; he can still be a loveable and tragic asshole, you know?). But my tragedy-loving self loves this!

I was looking forward to Genevieve Gornichec's "The Witch's Heart", it has a cute start of Loki giving Angrboda her burnt heart, but she criminally made Angrboda and Loki boring as fuck. Angrboda conveniently doesn't remember anything and just fumbles her way inside a cave for a large portion of the book. And she is the POV we're following. WE ARE STUCK IN A CAVE SHE WON'T LEAVE. Loki's portrayal in this is one of the most cisheteronormative I've seen yet, and it's surprising the author managed this in a story where Loki is impregnated by a horse and wears a dress (he impatiently yanks off because he felt emasculated). The author thinks having a lean build and no beard=queer. Loki only shows interest in women and feels emasculated while wearing a dress. I also happen to hate Skadi and her weird castration fetish in this book. Bitch wouldn't shut up about it. The good thing about this book is that there's no anachronisms, and I liked Hel's portrayal.

So confession, I had Kindle Unlimited trial briefly, and I read a bunch of Loki books, such as Lyra Wolf's.

I think(?) I read A.B. Frost's "Father of Monsters". It was quite short, but has nice illustrations, and Loki's endearing, even if a little shit. That both takes one for the team and also endangers the team.

I read (partially) some book about Loki escaping his punishment early and rejoining the Aesir, but it was criminally boring (it never described how Loki got out of situations and the prose was incredibly VAGUE) and seemed geared towards Norse pagans(Which I AM NOT). Had a spiritual conflict-avoiding vibe. It was called "Loki" but forgot the author's name and I accessed for free by Kindle Unlimited. I also didn't like that it referred to cops as "Tyr's warriors". FUCK COPS.

I have not finished reading Mike Vasich's "Loki". I think the man thinks MCU Loki is accurate to Norse mythology, because that's the only Loki I could picture (and he was adopted by Odin). And man spent way too long describing sensing "power levels" that I ended up getting bored and stopped reading. I've also seen some amusing excerpt from another of his books I have not read. But, if you're an author, don't spend a lot of time describing power levels, FFS! You'll bore the fuck out of your readers.

#norse mythology #loki #myth!loki #myth!sigyn #myth!angrboda #neil gaiman #mike vasich #louie stowell #cat rector #lyra wolf #a.b. frost #joanne harris #genevieve gornichec #LokiBookClub

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kidflashimpulse · 2 months

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Ohhh my god Bart my boy you deserve all the comfort this world can offer

This chapter had me in such a chokehold, everything slowly being revealed had me on edge the whole time

Also your references were really sly! With the mall and sleeping on the floor made me think of others fics! I really like how you combined them all!

That being sad, the way you wrote about Jay finding out about Bart's past shattered me to pieces. You really have this gift to absorb the reader in your story and I adore you for that, but holy shit did I nearly cry because of this chapter. Jay talking about Bart to Pat and Zeek, blaming himself for not knowing how to parent and the references to Joan had me in an absolute puddle

Thank you for such an incredible update, it must have taken a lot out of you with whatever your private life looks like right now, so thank you for taking the time and energy to write all of this <33

right? no wonder yj wally was spoiling him with snacks 😤 give the boy a whole convenience store !

about the references 🙈 nice spot !! sdfghj they were for the (as an ao3 comment so nicely put it) certified bart scholars out there ! there’s a very high chance i have those fics in my bookmarks on ao3 so if anyones curious check them out if u haven’t 👀 honestly those fics feel like borderline canon to me cause they’re just so good, like i read a fantastic story that has bart eating a rat? then he’s eaten a rat in canon !! (jk but that story is def in my bookmarks cause of a detective bart stan, Golden Age, true bartholomew literature right there my god and if i remember correctly it’s the one where he freaks out at the mall!)

hearing this from you, wow!! thank u so much for sharing your kind words with me ❤️ i truly appreciate it !!! especially because yes, it is a heavier chapter compared to previous ones in different ways, so i was a little nervous regarding how it would be perceived !! it’s very reassuring to hear this kind of feedback, like i’m doing something right at the very least 😅

i mentioned in a previous comment that for this chapter i had the majority of it (about 8-10k) drafted for a really long time, there were small specific parts though that took me like a month to figure out or write, it was crazy, i don’t know if it was because i was burnt out from life or because of the themes/storytelling of the chapter, but when i finally completed it, it felt so rewarding just to see it finished. Sure it can be a bit of a struggle, but taking the time to write all this brings me such joy and fulfilment, it’s a hobby that is very dear to me and a pleasure to do. I learn a lot from it and the interactions with the community elevates it to a whole other level!! I’m so grateful for this experience honestly !

thank u for taking the time to share this with me too ❤️❤️

#YJ asks #AAIT #jay garrick #bart allen fics #young justice fics #flash family fics #an anomaly in time #bart allen #pat dugan #zeek #joan garrick

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lorirwritesfanfic · 1 year

Text

Worthy Of Love

Book: Desire & Decorum (modern day AU) Characters: Veronica Dantas (F!OC), Yusuf Konevi, Annabelle Parsons Pairing: Annabelle Parsons x F!OC (Veronica) Rating: M Word count: 1215 Reading time: ~5min Summary: A visit to a place Veronica has been avoiding for years will evoke memories and feelings she’d rather ignore. Based on the prompt: @choicespride Holiday Pride Event - Religious Trauma/Crisis

Author's note:

Veronica Dantas is a creation of this author. The others are owned by Pixelberry Studios;

@missameliep‘s ask about the nice and naughty list got me thinking about Annabelle and Veronica too. This story isn’t as cute as I hoped it would be, but it still had to be written. Btw, Ann and Vee are totally on the nice list ❤

Warning: This piece contains subjects (mentions of homophobia and psychological trauma) may be disturbing for some people. Reader discretion is advised.

Veronica stopped before Saint Paul's Cathedral and shoved her hands into her coat pockets as she looked up at the Renaissant/Baroque church. Though some restorations were made on the building since the last time she had been here, to her it seemed like not a single thing had changed.

A chill coursed through her spine, but she chose to ignore it. "It's just cold weather," she told herself. Then, with quiet steps, she tentatively walked in, hoping the clacking of her boots didn't distract the children's choir rehearsal for Christmas services.

As she took a seat on the bench closest to the door, she looked at the altar to watch the rehearsal. A group of fifteen girls between six to eight years old giggled whilst the coach, a man that looked like a former member of a grunge band, made oddly funny gestures to explain how a specific part of the music should be sung.

By the piano, Annabelle calmly waited as the choir coach instructed the kids. With her shoulders back, hair tied on a low messy bun and hand placed over her legs, she looked absolutely stunning. Veronica loved that about her. Her posture, elegance, and gracefulness. Quite the opposite of herself.

At last, her eyes met her partner's and they shared a timid smile from afar. But before anyone noticed, both of them looked away and the rehearsal continued.

Mixed feelings rose within Veronica's chest as the choir began to sing Child Of The Poor. Memories of herself as a kid, also part of the choir in this same church flooded her thoughts. Raised in a Christian home, she always attended church services, Sunday school, and choir rehearsals. It was fun for a while.

When she grew older, however, things changed. People stared, shook their heads in disapproval. Good Christian girls can't do this, good Christian girls can't say that. But it got worse she moved to live next to her father's family. She did her best to do everything she was told. But it was hard to fit in when everyone told her she couldn't be herself and seek "professional help", otherwise the Lord would never approve of her. But wasn't that the same God described in the bible as Love itself? Why did others insist she wouldn't be worthy of love?

She looked down at her hands as her eyes welled up. Of all the places they could've chosen to meet up before joining their friends for drinks, did she really have to meet Annabelle at St. Paul's? After so many years of avoiding religious-related things and places like the plague, she shouldn't have agreed to be here just because someone she loves dearly wants it.

Veronica quickly brushed away the tears that threatened to roll down her cheeks. She was done with this bullshit years ago. She couldn't cry over this again.

"Is this seat taken?" A calm and deep voice she knew so well caught her attention.

"Yusuf?!"

"Hi," Yusuf answered with a broad smile and sat next to his friend.

"Hi... I thought you and Bart would meet everyone in the pub."

"That was the plan. When you said you'd meet Annabelle here, Hamid and I were a bit concerned.

"Was it that obvious it wouldn't end well?"

"No. But abi¹ and I know how much this could affect you. How are you feeling?"

"I don't know... Overwhelmed, I guess..." Averting her gaze, a rueful smile adorned her lips. "But hey, I just proved Dame Margot Aldridge wrong. I didn't burst into flames when I walked in here."

Yusuf shook his head, but couldn't suppress a chuckle.

As their smiles faded, both of them looked at the altar. The children beamed singing Oh, Come All Ye Faithful whilst Annabelle played the song with ease.

"I see why Annabelle always offers to play. These kids are quite talented," Yusuf commented.

"Yeah... Somehow, she only has fond memories of her time in church groups."

They continued to watch the rehearsal for a while before Veronica spoke up again.

"You didn't have the best experience during your time in halaqas either and you're still very Muslim. What's your secret?"

"Years of therapy."

She chuckled.

"I think it finally hit me when I learned Arab and could read the Quran myself. It doesn't say much about homosexuality, except for the Sodom and Gomorrah surahs. Which is also the only moment mentioned in the Bible. The hatred we endured and the bullying we suffered aren't encouraged by the Prophet or Jesus Christ. They tell us the very opposite. Allah created diversity. He wanted all of us to be different and still love each other."

"I wonder how bigots ever finish secondary school given how they often lack basic skills like reading and understanding a book," she grumbled.

"A very good question," he nodded in agreement. "But what really matters to us is knowing we are worthy of Allah's love. And we don't need other people's approval to do so."

A tear rolled down her cheek. Before she could wipe it, Yusuf moved closer and enveloped his friend in a warm embrace.

"You really came a long way from the days you weren't even sure if you'd ever come out," Veronica said with a small smile.

"I wouldn't have crossed to that long path if it wasn't for a psychologist/friend of mine who said I should try psychotherapy to handle all the baggage I couldn't carry on my own," he commented, nudging her with an elbow.

She pursed her lips but nodded. "Okay, okay... I got the message. I'll talk to my therapist about it in the next session."

"That's the spirit!"

As the choir ended the last Christmas carol, the small crowd watching the rehearsal applauded the girls. Veronica and Yusuf followed suit. Her eyes and Annabelle's met again.

"It'll be a good step for you, especially now that you two are planning the wedding ceremony," Yusuf commented.

"What if I don't heal fast enough to agree with this blessing thing she wants so much?"

"The important thing is that you'll finally talk about it with someone other than Hamid and me, V. Annabelle is a thoughtful person and she loves you. She will understand if you need more time."

Whilst the people began to leave the cathedral, Annabelle sauntered over to them.

"Hey! I didn't know you'd be here," Annabelle said, greeting Yusuf with a hug.

"I was driving nearby and remembered you two would be here. You made such a compelling speech about the children's choir, I had to see it for myself," Yusuf explained with a smile.

"Aren't they amazing?" Annabelle enthused.

"They are. Christmas services will be beautiful," Yusuf agreed.

"Did you like it too, darling?" Annabelle turned to her fiancee.

"Yeah..."

Veronica exchanged glances with her friend, who gave her an encouraging nod and a smile. She then moved closer to her partner.

"In fact, there's something I want to talk to you about. Can we go for a walk before joining everyone in the pub?"

"Sure."

"I'll see you two later," Yusuf declared.

As they bid farewell to Yusuf, Veronica walked out of the cathedral alongside her fiancee. This might not be the pleasant talk she hoped to have whenever she thought about their upcoming wedding ceremony. But it certainly was a necessary one.

_________

¹ Abi: older brother. Often used to refer to a friend a bit older than the person speaking.

² Halaqas: religious gathering to study the Islam or the Quran

#choices fanfic #desire and decorum fanfic #yusuf konevi #annabelle parsons #miss parsons x f!oc #choices pride #holiday pride event #desire & decorum modern day au #lorirwritesfanfic #lorircreates #tw religious trauma

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