Also (more spoilers for Vanishing Act) can we just talk for a moment about the parallels between Juno's "ultimatum" at the end of this episode and Nureyev's "ultimatum" at the end of Final Resting Place??

The whole "I love you more than I can say and want nothing more than to be with you but if you tell me right now that that's not the future you want, I'll leave you alone forever"

.....sorry, I need to go cry again

(spoilers for the newest Junoverse ep)

I'm honestly so so sad that the word "cologne" was not said once this episode

Now that the first ep Juno Steel and the Vanishing Act is finally public, I just want to say how cool it is to me that they're referencing the one shots in the Junoverse now.

The play is so obviously a reference to Shaken (which, if you haven't listened to it, what are you doing because it's probably my favorite Penumbra one shot, it's so spooky).

It works so so well here, especially given Juno's own background and the parallels to Sarah Steel and North Star. It's incredible!

Not sure if this comparison has been made yet but I had to do it. Can’t believe a Hadestown AU finally broke my fanart block. 

(also guess who only recently first watched Hadestown. I’m soooo late to this party) 

Wait for me, I'm comin' Wait, I'm comin' with you Wait for me, I'm comin' too I'm coming too 

[ID: A fan art piece of Juno Steel and Peter Nureyev from The Penumbra Podcast dressed as Orpheus and Eurydice from Hadestown, in full color. 

Juno, dressed in Orpheus’ pants, shirt, and suspenders stands facing the viewer. His head is turned over his left shoulder to look at Nureyev behind him, and Juno holds up a dahlia and a rose to him. 

Nureyev stands with his back to Juno’s. He is dressed in Eurydice’s final outfit from Hadestown, with dark blue overalls and a cloth wrap around his chest. He peers over his right shoulder at Juno, arms crossed, looking like he wishes he could join Juno but knows he can’t. 

Text: “Wait for me. I’m coming with you.” 

The text is an excerpt from the song Wait for Me from Hadestown. 

End ID] 

Relistened to all the Juno eps so far this season and I think I've stumbled across some subtle foreshadowing.

Twice across only three episodes, Juno says something along the lines of, "A lock isn't actually about keeping your things safe, it's just about buying yourself time."

The fact that it's come up twice makes me think it's trying to tell us something.

There's been a lot of talk about Nureyev's relationship to locks this season. And yeah he's a thief and locks are his thing, yada yada.

And there's also the metaphorical lock he's putting on his emotions right now.

But the specific use of locks in this way, with the way Juno says it, makes me think there's a good chance this comes into play in the actual plot later on. And in a pretty big way.

Like one of them (Juno or Nureyev) using a lock to literally buy time at some point this season.

I mean technically Nureyev already sorta did this when he got Juno locked up in jail lol. But I'm thinking more along the lines of another moment from an earlier season....involving a lock that is used to buy time........

....a pretty infamous scene involving a locked door.....with Nureyev stuck on the other side of it............

Long story short, I think it's very likely we're building up to a repeat of That Moment TM from Final Resting Place.

And honestly, I think the roles will be switched this time.

I think Juno will be on the other side of the door.

Prepare yourselves.

Wait wait wait

I'm literally half asleep and we only have half the episode out but

Parallels between Vanishing Act and Murderous Mask:

1. Cassandra Kanagawa

2. All Important Item locked in a supposedly unbreakable case

3. Solvin crimes on a set of some kind (stage play versus tv shows)

4. Discussions about the integrity and social importance of the act of making art while working in an exploitative capitalist environment

5. Juno almost dies (though that's every ep)

6. Noir detective themes and tropes babey

7. And Juno thinkin about Nureyev A LOT more than he knows he should be

Can't wait for the next half of Vanishing Act to come out so I can see if there's more. Also I probably missed some anyway.

Been thinking a lot about Kabert's use of ring structure in the Junoverse and so it makes sense that they'll reference season one a lot this season

Juno Steel/Second Citadel mashup/style swap. Merry Second Citadel season 4 finale, one and all!

(Lemme know if you want me to do the rest of the crime fam too 💜)

[ID: A series of fan art drawings of characters from The Penumbra Podcast. The first is an image of Juno Steel, Rita, and Peter Nureyev dressed in medieval-inspired clothing. The second image is Juno alone, wearing a torn cape, a long tunic patterned with flowers, and a leather eyepatch over his right eye. The third image is Nureyev alone, raising his knee high as he swings a dagger. The fourth image is Rita alone, wearing a long pink dress and smiling broadly. 

And the final image is a black and white sketch of Amaryllis, Damien, and Lord Arum from The Second Citadel dressed in Dark Matters suits, each with a word bubble above their heads. Rilla grins and says, “Oh HELL yes!” Damien has hearts for eyes and says, “L... Lord Arum.... R... R... Rilla....” And Lord Arum stands with his back to the viewer, scowling at his suit over his sunglasses, and says, “This is entirely impractical. takatakataka.” 

End ID] 

Part 2 of the Steel/Citadel mashup. Ask and ye shall receive.

Also, Carriage!Ruby 7 might be my new favorite thing. 

[ID: A series of five fan art drawings of characters from The Penumbra Podcast, in color. The first is a drawing of Buddy Aurinko, Vespa Ilkay, and Jet Sequliak dressed in medieval-inspired outfits. The second image is a solo Jet, wearing leather armor and gripping the sword on his hip. The third image is a solo Buddy, smiling as she pulls up the skirt of her dress to reveal a hidden blade. The fourth image is a solo Vespa, wearing a cloak and crouched low to the ground. And the final image is a sketch of a green medieval carriage with a pair of eyes at the front and a small flag at the back that reads “Ruby 7.” A silhouetted Peter Nureyev and Juno Steel approach it. 

Nureyev’s speech bubble says: “It’s the greatest getaway carriage in the Northern Wilds, Juno!” 

Juno’s speech bubble says: “Nureyev... It doesn’t even have a horse!!!” 

End ID] 

Custom poster/comic book cover for 2 Mask 2 Murderous. I already have plans for part 2, which will feature a certain Kanagawa and his game show.

Love this ep so much. At the first "InCrEdIbLe" I was absolutely hooked.

Happy New Year, everyone 🥳

(As always, click the pic for better quality)

[ID: A fan-created poster of an episode of The Penumbra Podcast, in full color. Juno Steel and Rex Glass stand in the foreground looking off to either side. Juno, dressed in an old trench coat, holds his pistol in front of his chest and curls his lip. Rex, dressed in a Dark Matters suit, pulls down his sunglasses and looks excitedly into the distance. The death mask of Grimpoteuthis and streaks of blood make up the background. The main colors of the piece are red, green, and deep purple. 

Top Text: “Juno Steel and the Case of the Murderous Mask, Part One.” 

Bottom Text: “Joshua Ilon, Noah Simes, Kate Jones, Leslie Drescher. Created by Harley Takagi Kaner and Kevin Vibert. EP 1.01.” 

End ID] 

We just finished an event on the Penumbra Creator Collective Discord where we did collaborative fan art or fanfics from two different perspectives. 

This is what I made! @of-swords-and-princes​ did the reverse perspective for mine on Discord (with Nureyev wearing a rather scandalous vest) but if anyone here on Tumblr has any other ideas for what Nureyev could be wearing, I’d love to see them! Lol the funkier the better 

In which Peter Nureyev goes undercover at the Vixen Valley and Juno just happens to find him there. Not canon... (maybe). I’ll find out tomorrow when the finale comes out, I guess lol. 

And yes, this comic was all just an excuse to draw Nureyev as Jessica Rabbit. 

As always, click the pics for better quality. 

[ID: A five page fanfiction comic of characters from The Penumbra Podcast, in grayscale. 

Page 1: The text at the top of the page reads: “Disclaimer: Not canon (unfortunately).” The first panel shows the exterior of the Vixen Valley at night. Juno’s word bubble reads, “Come on, Vick. We both know you got the intel I need on the guy I’m looking for.” The second panel shows Vicky and Juno sitting in armchairs together inside the Vixen Valley. Vicky’s word bubble reads, “You know how this works by now, Steel. I ain’t in the habit of givin’ out anythin’ I can put a price tag on.” The third panel is a close up of profile Juno looking serious while holding a drink. His word bubble reads, “I do. Just want to make sure it’s a price tag I can afford.” The final panel shows an extreme close-up of Vicky’s grin. Her word bubbles read, “Hehehehe. I guess that depends on how badly you wanna find your ‘guy...’” 

Page 2: The first panel shows an employee of the Vixen Valley dressed in a black suit approaching Vicky, their hands behind their back. Their word bubble says, “Ms. Vicky. Your wife is on the phone for you.” A grinning Vicky responds. Her word bubble reads, “Perfect. Steel, gimme a minute. I gotta take this.” The second panel shows a frustrated Juno. His word bubble reads, “Goddamn it, Vick! You can’t just-!” He gets interrupted by another Vicky word bubble, which reads, “God, you’re such a baby.” The third panel shows Vicky and her employee walking away. Vicky grins and gestures behind her with her thumb. Her word bubbles read, “I ain’t leaving for long. Gives me time to think over our little deal. Besides, the show starts soon. And somethin’ tells me you’re gonna like it.” The final panel, which rests partially behind the third panel, shows a still angry Juno shouting to Vicky behind him. In front of Juno is a stage surrounded by tables of waiting patrons and bustling wait staff. Vicky grins mischievously in the foreground as she continues to walk away. Juno’s word bubble reads, “Vicky!” Vicky’s word bubble reads, “Don’t enjoy yourself too much, Steel.” 

Page 3: The first panel shows a close-up cartoonish version of Juno pouting (FX: “pout”). His word bubble reads, “hmph.” The second panel is the same close-up but drawn in a less cartoony style. Juno looks upward curiously as the lighting in the room changes and the show begins. The lyrics to the song Why Don’t You Do Right? by Kansas Joe McCoy and Peggy Lee begin to appear in text boxes surrounded by music notes. The third panel shows the curtains on the stage, now lit from behind by a spotlight to show off the silhouette of the hidden performer posing sensuously. In the fourth panel, Juno gapes up at the stage in interest as other patrons cheer and whistle around him (FX: “whistle” and “woo!”). The final panel shows the silhouetted performer behind the curtain doing another pose. The lyrics on this page are: “You had plenty money 1922/You let other women make a fool of you/Why don’t you do right?” 

Page 4: The song lyrics continue across this page. The first panel shows the performer sticking a long leg out from behind the curtain. The second panel shows a close up of Juno’s eyes as they widen and he blushes. The third panel shows the performer stepping out from behind the curtain and grinning, but the second panel partially covers the third, obscuring the performer’s face. We can still tell that they have round glasses, light skin, long dark hair, and long, slender fingers. In the fourth panel, we see the back of the performer’s head as they push the curtains aside. More patrons of the Vixen Valley watch with rapt attention. The fifth panel shows a close up of the performer’s high-heels as they slowly strut across the stage. The sixth panel shows a squinting Juno. His word bubble reads, “No way...” The seventh panel shows an extreme close up of the performer’s heavily lashed eye behind their glasses. The lyrics on this page are: “Like some other men do?/Get out of here/Get me some money too.” 

Page 5: The final page of the comic. The first panel takes up about three quarters of the page. It is a full view of the performer on stage, revealing him to be Peter Nureyev dressed in a Jessica-Rabbit-style dress. He poses sensuously, hand on his hip, leg stretched out, and head tilted back. The second panel shows a grinning and slightly flushed Juno with a little heart beside his head. The final panel of the comic is the moment Nureyev notices Juno is there watching him. He gasps, looking embarrassed and blushing furiously. The lyrics on this page are: “Get out of here/Get me some-.” The second line is cut off by Nureyev’s gasp (FX: “gasp”). 

End ID] 

Custom poster/comic book cover for 2 Mask 2 Murderous part 2, starring Cecil Kanagawa. 🔪

I'm probably not the first person to realize this, but Cecil and Mettaton are really just the same character, huh? 

[ID: A fan-created poster of an episode of The Penumbra Podcast, in full color. Cecil Kanagawa stands backlit on a stage surrounded by neon lights and fog. He holds his robotic arm aloft, holding up two fingers, while holding a microphone in the other hand. He wears a cropped suit, high-heeled boots, and a yellow feather boa. Blood splatters the ground around his feet. The main color of the piece is blue. 

Top Text: “Juno Steel and the Case of the Murderous Mask, Part Two.” 

Bottom Text: Joshua Ilon, Noah Simes, Kate Jones, Leslie Drescher. Created by Harley Takagi Kaner and Kevin Vibert. EP 1.02.” 

End ID] 

My reactions to the first half of Vanishing Act:

CAUTION, THERE BE MINOR SPOILERS HERE

.

.

JUUNOOOOO

RIIIIITTTTTAAAAAA

RUUUUUUUUUUBBBBBBBYYYYYYYYY

All my loves are back and detectiving again!!! I love my little guys!!!!

Juno sounds so so tired haha

New Juno is great, but New Rita might be even better. She's spunky. She's not afraid to make fun of Juno and it gives me life.

Yes! More suspects and side characters that are just little weirdos!!! I love them!!!

WRENCH

The writing is GREAT. Kevin Vibert, you maniac. One moment in particular is fantastic! (If you've heard it, you'll know it) Particularly paired with Ryan's AMAZING new tunes oh my god

There's a line where Juno says "my man" that will make you cry in gay anguish.

NUREYEV'S VOICE

And last but not least........... Phantom of the Opera AU? Yes please!!!

Hey, Travelers! After a couple years away, I’m doing the @penumbrabang​ again this year! And to my absolute joy, I got to do art for @alexandenigtscreations’ fantastic fic THEIA My Name! 

It features various shenanigans with the Theia chip and a long-awaited reunion between Juno Steel and Diamond Hijikata!

Rating: M 

Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence 

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and being on Dark Matters most wanted list makes a person about as desperate as they come.  With the Carte Blanche's expert in disappearing still missing in action, Rita manages to locate another, more unlikely source.  

Which is how Juno Steel found himself on the door stoop of Diamond Hijikata.  An old flame who made just enough of a name for herself to be a problem.

(Written before Juno Steel and The Blank Slate) 

Check it out! 

(Art ID below) 

[ID: Fan art of Juno Steel and Diamond Hijikata from The Penumbra Podcast, in full color. The main colors of the piece are gray blue, desaturated purple, and peach.

In the foreground are Diamond Hijikata and Juno Steel. We see them from the side as they face each other head-on. Diamond stands to the left, glaring at Juno as she crosses her arms. She wears a button-up shirt with wide collars. Her long white hair is up in a loose bun. Juno stands on the right side of the piece, hands planted in the pockets of his purple trench coat. He looks at Diamond with a mix of exhaustion, sadness, and apology. 

Floating behind and between them in a rough peachy orange bubble is a vision of their younger selves. Young Diamond stands to the right, her long white hair hanging loose down her back. She smiles at Juno, who stands to the left also smiling, dressed in his HCPD uniform. Older Juno’s hair is in short dreadlocks, while young Juno’s hair is in short, natural curls. Young Diamond tugs playfully on young Juno’s tie. 

In the far background, in shades of blue, is a chalk drawing of Hyperion City in the rain. Raindrops fall in stiff angles across the piece. 

End ID]

Custom poster for Prince of Mars part two! 

So many of these posters I’ve made use purple and red as the main color scheme (and I’m sure any I make for Day That Wouldn’t Die won’t change that lol). 

As always, click the pic for better quality! 

[ID: A fan-created poster of an episode of The Penumbra Podcast, in full color. The main colors of the piece are a desaturated purple and a very saturated red. 

In the foreground and to the left side of the image are Juno Steel and Alessandra Strong, who appear to be partially hidden around a corner. Juno is in front of Alessandra, gripping his gun. Alessandra glares over his head, holding his arm as if to temper him or even to hold him back. In the background and taking up the right side of the image is a hallway from which shines a powerful red light. Silhouetted in that red light is a man who may or may not be Peter Nureyev. His back is to us but he peers back over his shoulder, as if at Juno and Alessandra. 

Top Text: “Juno Steel and the Prince of Mars, Part Two.” 

Bottom Text: “Joshua Ilon, Kate Jones, Jason Mellin, Kat Buckingham. Created by Harley Takagi Kaner and Kevin Vibert. EP 1.05.” 

End ID] 

Wasn’t planning to post this since I wasn’t completely happy with how Rita came out but I can’t say no to Juno in a skirt