Redraw of an oldy in light of final series developments

My thoughts on drawing wings (an unofficial tutorial)

Do you want to get better at drawing your favorite winged character? Do you have winged OCs? Just want to learn something new? I can't promise this post will help, but maybe it'll give you some helpful tips.

I know, I knowww, wing tutorials have been done to death. I don't care. This was initially inspired by a conversation on twitter, but actually I've wanted to write down my notes on the topic for a long time lol. Basically wings are one of my special interests so it's very important, for me, to draw them both nicely and also realistically.

On that note, let me first show you my resume *distant sound of floodgates opening*

Like what you see? Read on! (Oh, and I will only be covering feathered/avian wings bc those are the type I know best.)

Now, I'm not here to give you a step-by-step guide on wing anatomy and aerodynamics, because there are plenty of other resources that cover this already, and I'll list my faves at the end of the post. Right now, I'm going to give you some easy guidelines and tricks that I wish more artists knew.

1: Wings do, in fact, have bones (crazy, I know) and are actually very rigid because they have to support the weight of a living creature. There are some positions you cannot physically force a wing into irl.

2: Flight feathers are not placed willy-nilly on the wing, because then they wouldn't catch the air properly. Again, like the bones, they are rigid and strong, so don't draw them like fur or ribbons. All wings have the same pattern of feather placement, with slight variation depending on species. If you learn the feather sections, it will automatically improve your drawings a lot.

2.5: Feathers overlap each other like a handful of playing cards, and this looks different depending on which side of the wing you're drawing. They always do this unless they're extremely untidy.

3: The size of the wingspan is important if you're going for a more realistic design. There is no "scientifically accurate" measurement when it comes to fictional creatures, but my general rule is when in doubt, you probably need to make them bigger. Personally, for my original winged human species, I give them wings that can be up to 12 feet long each (the artistic sacrifice is that it's really hard to fit the wings on the dang page lmao, so make your own call).

4: Get used to drawing folded wings. Most of the time, birds keep their wings folded because it prevents them from getting damaged and it conserves energy. The trick is to get good at visualizing how the joints bend and overlap (look at plenty of photos!) In general, they can fold much tighter than you think.

5: Wings and feathers take a lot of patience to draw, but the results are worth it. I've seen so so many incredibly beautiful and skillful artworks that are---well, maybe not ruined, but still negatively affected by a pair of wings that look like an afterthought, or not even like wings at all. You have no idea how much a little extra time and practice will add to your work until you see for yourself.

Finally, some notes on "stylized" wings: Of course it's perfectly ok to draw more simplified/cartoony wings if that's your preference!! BUT there is a difference between a stylistic choice and a lack of effort/poor understanding of the subject matter. Even cartoonists have to learn the fundamentals of realism so they know how to make their designs logical and appealing. Here are some examples of more stylized wings that I feel retain the core principles of anatomy/aesthetics:

And last but not least: A list of helpful links I use personally for reference and inspiration!

I made this pinterest board for general artsy inspo, and this board to curate my very favorite tutorials/refs/information, focusing on the scientific aspect of wings and flight in general. Feel free to use both! (I also suggest pinterest in general for pose refs and such, but try to only practice using photos at first and not other drawings.)

I highly recommend this blog and this blog if you want examples of artists who draw more realism-based winged creatures!! They are both huge inspirations for me and I think you should totally follow them even if you don't plan to draw wings lol <3

If you're REALLY serious about it, my favorite ref books are: Winged Fantasy, a lovely drawing book by Brenda Lyons; Proctor & Lynch's Manual of Ornithology; and Angelus vincens by R. Spano, which is essentially an artbook by someone who (I believe) designed biologically plausible "angels" for their senior thesis.

Ok, idk how to end this lol but I hope it helped! I know it's not my normal kind of post but I'm super busy with college stuff rn and this was all I had time for. If you guys have any questions or feedback, please let me know!!!

-Aloe <3

[Review] Kumoricon 2023: Attendee & Presenter Experience (+Panel Links)

By: Peggy Sue Wood

Kumoricon 2023 – DraftBy: Peggy Sue Wood

TL/DR

This is a small-scale event with lots of people. You could purchase a ticket for one day and tour the exhibit hall in a few hours with more than enough time for panels. 

This convention is good for first-time convention goers, particularly if you are not great with being in large crowds and struggle in long lines. Be warned though, there is very little cell service at this location!

Size and Scale + Food Alley

Location: Portland Oregon, Convention Center and Hyatt Hotel – November 17 – 19, 2023. 

Size: It has shifted from being mid-tier to small-tier in terms of scale. I did ask around about it, but none of the staff that I spoke to seemed to know. Based on venders assessment (the ones I spoke to at least), there seemed to be some bad-press lingering from the last convention that prevented venders from wanting to risk a potential loss of income in case attendees did not come. Some also seemed to believe there were conflicting values at play between convention administration and the individual venders. As far as I can tell you, I believe that the convention staff and administration are doing the best they can and seem like reasonable, harder-working, and passionate people when it comes to caring for and putting on the event. The venders too are making this a very positive place for attendees. 

Health and Safety Policy

Masks are optional. In terms of safety, I felt fine, even in the surrounding areas of the venue. For example, myself and a group of friends walked back late at night from dinner to the hotel and had no significant run-ins or problems. However, it’s evident that the surrounding area has experienced a decline compared to previous years.

Vender Hall

The usual space allocated for vendors seemed noticeably reduced, and the dominant presence was that of the vibrant and bustling Artist Alley. In the back was space dedicated for the voice actors and, divided by a set of black screens were the spaces allotted to the gaming area, which appeared more spread out than before. 

Artist Alley 

Despite expectations of a larger Artist Alley, its actual size came as a surprise. It was, roughly, five aisles in an “L” shape, and this unexpected scale left myself as an attendee surprised considering that last year I repeatedly became lost among the aisles. Still, there was great variation in the collection of artists and some had a surprising mix of materials (though, this could be because some artists split booths). For example, one of the people I attended with found Haikyuu!! fan art keychains at a booth that seemed to be selling some Rated M art. 

Cosplay Areas

While walking around the convention space, I was unable to find any specific areas designated for cosplay. Though I did see cosplayers making their own spaces in the main hall where the Kumoricon shop was found (right in front of the Dragon Boat Cafe, which is part of the convention center). On the upside—despite the amount of cosplayers and lack of cosplay photo-space, there were minimal blockages caused by cosplay, which was a positive aspect of the event.

Presenter Experience

I presented five panels this year at Kumoricon, and all were successful in my opinion. I even got to read some of the feedback, which all appeared positive. The Manga and Comics session, in particular, had considerable attention and generated numerous questions, which was fantastic and one of my favorite presentations overall. 

The best part was getting to connect with attendees after–so, thank you to everyone that came up at the end to talk to me! I loved getting to hear from you and to discuss the topics presented on! 

For myself: I think that, on two of them, I need to be better at my timing as I did end up cutting a few short to leave time for Q&A at the end. I will continue to work on improving, everyone, and thank you so much for your support!

For those interested, you can view my presentations here (and read my script in the notes section under each slide):

Anime Blogging Basics Bootcamp https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1DyuNGJPNRm4du_pTIL-6jKqZ_qvSJnTG/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=109028846234695529861&rtpof=true&sd=true 

How Fan Content Creates New Fans & Other Important Information! https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1pCOc13nmGrT-R16k0ticvaDcljochrOh/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=109028846234695529861&rtpof=true&sd=true 

Virtual Tourism With Anime https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1qYGIS5e2O8oHxqZAp5t3zBb6XmF5S1wG/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=109028846234695529861&rtpof=true&sd=true 

Manga & Comics: A Different Cultural Base https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1dSw09wnh1nQL80AVnQjbmPxwv8mCSYhZ/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=109028846234695529861&rtpof=true&sd=true 

Entering Anime & Manga Studies https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1lRJefZ-dsUXX9lVvp7hDpQ7L4zWs5TOE/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=109028846234695529861&rtpof=true&sd=true 

Overall (Food, Entertainment, etc) – Attendee Experience

Guest speaker Alisa Freedman delivered several presentations once again and they were all wonderful. I attended the Women in Japanese Studies panel and found it insightful and informative about the history of the field I hope to enter. My friends that attended with me went to some of her other panels over the course of the weekend too, and all of us felt like these were some of the best panels we got to enjoy during the event. I also attended a few other events/panels, all of which were engaging and—in my opinion—well chosen panels to have at the event. 

The event hosted a decent number of people without being overwhelming, meaning that the lines would go very quickly. The longest bathroom line I waited in lasted only two minutes, which is a very short wait for those of you that do not attend anime conventions regularly. The food line, when stacked, also progressed quickly. I would barely have time to refill a drink before my order would be ready. 

The Dragon Boat Cafe served good food, not great but not bad—making it somewhat —reminiscent of cafeteria food. Additionally, I purchased the convention refillable cup for $20, which provided purchasers unlimited drink refills throughout the 3-day event. This was a worthwhile purchase for me, considering how much I drink tea and water in a day.

Lines were, overall, relatively short which made this a really pleasant convention. 

Final Judgments

Venue: 4/5 – Little to no cell service through the space.

Staff: 5/5 – Excellent work!

Organization, Layout & Management: 5/5 – Very little waiting

Organization, Media Use: -/5 – Cannot judge as I did not look up the media and marketing before attending this convention

Attendance: 5/5 – Had a lot of fun.

Affordability: 4.5/5 – The ticket prices seemed reasonable given the size and scale. 

Overall: 4.7/5 – Will return next year!

–

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Copyedited by: Krow Smith | @coffeewithkrow

Into the darkness Post mortem

What I learned

how differant a rigid body based controller is compared to  other character controller unity has developed.

varies of ways to make particles, including making a swirl flame thrower type flamethrower.

Prototyping a similar level to the final planned game and testing out game mechanics to rebalance them. 

I managed to improve my level design with unity's terrain builder and object placements while still keeping my eyes on the stats of framerates, draw calls and etc. I evenly managed to get the game to play mostly above 60 fps.

Most of the assets I used were close to its artistic style as possible which I intended it to be a little cartoony and low poly as possible, except for the blood slash image that looks too real rather than cartoony.  

improved some of my pro builder skills by making some building layouts, adding textures and ammo (except for assault rifle mag). 

Using 2 scripts for players Ammo. one to determine which ammo it is  ammo type by a public enum and the other for working on public methods to increase or reduce ammo from certain ammo pickups that match the ammo type enum and player shooting respectfully.

improved flashlight system that decays light and angle slowly when used and can be restored by picking up a battery.

Pausing the game using time scale and unlocking its cursor to be seen by player for menus until they replay the main level.

Making A simpler Enemy AI that spots the player and follows the player to attack them unless the player is too far out of their sight. Also attacks player if provoked.

Differant types of level design flows such as choke points and branching paths.

Find object in type functions.

zooming weopons by fps camera.

switching weopons by scroll mouse wheel.

determining if a gun is requires to hold the mouse key or press each click to fire weopon.

address few common bugs like weapon still zoomed while switching weapons and fire button not occasionally working.

making simple fog and skybox material.

how effective post fx is for dark and eerie places.

using broadcast message code.

enemies to smoothly lerp to look at player.

using physics material to not let the player get stuck on walls.

What went wrong, could I have done better?

I used the grass texture for the "trees" prefab for terrain. I need to use grass for the "details" prefab for terrain in future.

Some of the trees I used weren't designed to move with the wind like their real life counterparts, I had trouble getting those to do so with diffuse. I will need to learn more about how to diffusing with trees in future to get them moving slight right.

The rigidbody controller felt a little differant compared how I used the character controller. I would need to do some testing on both controllers to see which would suit better in my future games.

I added extra prefabs to other prefabs like barrels by houses and spider webs on prison walls respectfully at the last min before launch which took a large tedious amount of time. I will need to plan in advance next time and making various variations of the walls and houses that it doesn't always look like the same house with the same amount of barrels and spider webs respectfully.

I could have made the skeletons say more than just “hello” and can possibly get them to say things like “get out...” or just growl. which I have a random audio array before with the player swinging the axe in another project.

Some of the sounds I used couldn't be played louder such as the player death scream. Next time I will to edit the sounds in Audacity if I can to make them play louder.

Overall I enjoyed making this project to flex my level design and some fps mechanics I learnt. I probably should have no spent so much time on it because I have other projects to do. Next time I do a fps project it would be fleshed out better with other mechanics like animated player fps arms and recoil.

Dream Job: Writing Legion of Super Heroes.  Pt. 4

Am I a better writer than Paul Levitz?  Hell no. Like 99.9% of comic writers, I can confirm that I am not.

But I think his last run kind of proves that you just can’t just have a talented writer write DC out of this problem.  The Legion is undermined by a structural problem that you have to fix.

I am not better than Paul Levitz, but I am the right writer for this moment.

I am a great plotter who can see the end goal and is solid with dialogue.

One of the glaring problems with the Legion is that a superhero book succeeds long term based on the strength of their rogues gallery.

That is why Batman and the Flash are so long lived.

The Legion hasn’t had a great rogues gallery since Paul Levitz and Keith Giffen torched the value of Mordru and the Time Trapper in the Great Darkness Saga.  (Now to be fair to Mr. Levitz, his second Time Trapper was fantastic and “Legion scaled” and a vast improvement over what came before, but I still question the decision to burn both of your feature villains to prop up a mort like Darkseid.  It was the equivalent to having Wonder Woman villain Triangle Man do a drive by in Gotham and kill the Joker and the Penguin in order to make him seem like a serious Batman villain.  You would never make that call.  But they decided to make that call to “make the stakes big”. That worked, but it only worked in service to that story. It really hobbled the Legion concept long term at a time when the Crises’s aftermath was eating away at the brand.)

Now you may or may not agree with that assessment of the fallout of the Great Darkness saga.  That’s fine.  There is a lot more to this.  That’s only the start of what went wrong with the Legion’s Rogues.

The Legion has all the elements of a dominant rogues gallery, but collectively the writers under the mandates of editorial leadership haven’t been able to put that together. 

In every timeline management has pushed, there have been variations on Legion villains.  Sometimes they were decent.  Often times they just sucked. 

Glorith sucked in the original timeline.  She rocks in 5 years later.

The Fatal Five rocked in the original timeline but the Emerald Empress was killed and Validus was revamped to be the son of Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad and removed.  In the Reboot timeline, they have a mort replacement for Validus. 

That is yet another problem with just returning to a more productive legion variant timeline be it the retroboot or the reboot or whatever.

Conceptually what you want to do is cherry pick the best variations of each villain and organically plant them natively into the new timeline, whole and unmolested.  Same voice. Same History (if known, A logical history that explains their historic thought process, otherwise).  Same motivations. That is what my stories are written to do.

In the original timeline there was generally a perception that the big three were Darkseid, Mordru, and the new better Time Trapper.  By time 5 years later rolled around, Darkseid was, I don’t know.... living in Florida in a retirement home in his second career as an evil step mother.....Mordru was never the same after having his ass handed to him.  And super awesome new Time Trapper was taken out in a fantastic story (Legion #50).

In 5 years later they recast Glorith as the Time Trapper and pitted her against Mordru.  It made Glorith Legion villian 1 and Mordru legion villian 2.  it worked a little, but still, Mordru was never as great as he had been because so much effort was put into elevating Glorith.  And still, at the end of the day, Glorith just took the place of the time trapper.

While I want Mordru at the top of the Legion Rogues Gallery, I want a list of heavy hitters all fighting Mordru for control. 

I don’t want just the Time Trapper vs Mordru.  

I don’t want Mordru vs. Glorith.  

I want the Time Trapper vs. Mordru vs. Glorith vs. Darksied vs. Lady Styx vs. Pulsar Stargrave vs. Computo vs. Starfinger vs. The LSV vs. the Ruling Court of the LSV vs. The League of Super Assasains vs. the Fatal Five vs. future Mr. Mxyzptlk vs. Satan Girl vs. Moebius vs. Universo vs. The Composite Superman vs. Bion vs. The Progenitor vs. Grimbor and Charma......

(Now I know many people read that and think “Geez, doesn’t he have any ideas of his own?”  Of course I do.  But I have to slave my desire to create something new to do this job right.  Flooding a comic with my ideas and characters would only create yet another “flavor” of Legion that fans would find inferior to the Legion they personally love. 

I want to bring back everyone’s favorite individual Legion ...to at least some degree.   I love all of those characters and I feel a mission in my heart to do them justice and put them out there ---their true selves --- for the next generation of fan and DC comic writer.

It will feature a fair amount of retold tales and origins...It is tough to write these kind of “retold tales” and give them vibrant energy. It grates against the creative instincts of most comic writers who spend their time working very hard to come up with something fresh.  I am very much a technician and a researcher.  I am well suited and focused to do this job.)

The Legion has all of the elements of a truly elite rogues Gallery,

I am dedicated to polishing them up and showcasing them to a new generation.  My new shared timeline will allow the best versions of all of these villains to return at their historic best to the current DCU.

I am not the greatest comic book writer DC could hire, but they just tried hiring the most accomplished and decorated comic writer they could hire....An award winning comic writer....And it didn’t work. 

Finding just another skilled writer to make another random fresh take hasn’t worked the last several times and it isn’t going to cut it now. They need someone who can write to fix the systematic problems with this slumbering media asset.

I am the writer they need at this moment.

Poker Rakeback Increases Your Winnings

Multi-way action - Multiway pots are often the most difficult to play. They should be avoided when possible, especially if you are playing from a different location. Multi-way Pots can be fun to play in with drawing hands and small to medium-sized pocket pairs. You can flop a monster with a disguised card, and you're more likely get paid off. This is because someone in the hand will likely have a hand strong enough to call you, even if it's not the best. If you flop a set with small pairs, a flush, or a straight with an suited connector, there will be plenty of players in your hand who might have top pair-top-kicker or 2 pair. The Xbox Live Arcade Texas Hold'em Poker can be compared to online poker games rather than console poker. Although it won't make you feel like you are playing real poker, the clear representations of the chips, cards and money will make you love the game. The game's audio and graphics made it look like prototypes. But, I would still prefer playing online poker sites if there were great players. Poker may seem complicated at first but once you become proficient, you will be able not to stop playing it. Today's internet is the best and fastest way to learn all rules and play the game. Poker has become so popular that Poker Stars was born. Poker Stars is one of the most popular online poker rooms in the world. The situation is managed by the dealer who is also the trainer. His bet will be canceled as the shooter has gotten out of control. It is a confusing affair for all the players. A while back, I played a lot limit hold'em at a local casino. My standards for bankroll management and play were high. This required a lot more concentration, especially as some sessions lasted up to ten hours. Distractions were forbidden. It was almost impossible to maintain focus. Jacks Or Better: This is the earliest and most well-known variation of video Poker. Players can wager up to 5 coins maximum, with a range from $0.05 - $5. situs slot online gacor terpercaya of the game is to get a pair of jacks and to get the possible winning hand for the highest payout. This game offers a bonus feature where you can double the amount of your winnings by having a jacks-or-better hand. This is one our favorite online casino bonuses. Patience is the key to best poker game Each game has its own instructions. Before you begin, please read the instructions. You can search for any game you wish to play. The rules of poker hand are to be followed during the game. The best hand is one that uses five cards. Five cards can determine the strength or weakness of the hand. The strength of a hand will not be affected by any cards other than those of the highest value. It is easy to choose the right poker area with poker training. This can also help you improve your game. You can use betting to learn about your opponents. When used correctly, gambling can be very useful. Some bet high just to see if the opponents will keep in. Re-raises are another way to achieve this end. "Checking" is another great technique. If you check and your opponent places a bet, he or her may have a stronger hand than you. If you notice your opponent checking, it could be that you think he or she might have a bad card.

What is the Role of Artificial Intelligence For Your Career Prospects

Today is the era of Smartphone and computers in which artificial intelligence is present everywhere. Our daily activities are filled with these AI techniques. It ranges from the automatic parking feature in cars to the sensors for taking attractive pictures. AI has proven its role as a game changer in different areas including the education sector.

In the near future, robots will take over the role of teachers in the class. Different projects use computer intelligence to support students and teachers to get more education that brings key modifications in the field. It can be used to personalize the experience of students of the top Engineering Colleges in Jaipur. There have been many digital things in the education sector over the last few years that have created a huge impact. Some of the benefits of artificial intelligence and its learning systems can make their way in the modern classroom that includes:

1. It Makes Learning More Interesting

There is a variation between teaching methods and the working of brain. In some cases, learning becomes boring and AI may help in making the learning interesting. Nobody can deny from the fact that if the individual like the learning process, they study better, want to explore new things, and retain the knowledge. AI can help them in learning and increase their motivation. Also, it helps them to transform the traditional teaching methods and includes new and effective methods in the improvement of learning.

2. It Helps Teachers

AI can help educators of BTech College in Jaipur to get training and prepare high-quality teaching materials. Various computer technologies provide integrated curriculum materials and proper solutions that can save their lots of time. Also, it provides professional enhancement for teachers. There are a number of online courses, tools and guided assistance is available for engineers to enhance learning. The online learning can be more personalized and interactive that allows them to choose when and how to move on. With online learning, they may feel free to ask when they struggling and can practice and practice more.

3. It can Automate Basic Activities in Education

Grading and test for large courses can be a boring and time-consuming task at private engineering colleges in Jaipur. This time can be utilized to interact with students, work on professional development and prepare for class. AI cannot substitute human grading completely in every case, but can be beneficial in some aspects. Using AI, it is now possible to automate grading for different types of fill-in-the-blank testing; multiple choice testing may not be far behind. Today, the essay-grading software is still in progress, yet it can improve in coming years, and enable educators to focus more on student interaction and in-class activities than consuming time in grading.

4. It Can Identify Places Where Courses need to Improve

Lecturers may always not aware of breaks occur during their lectures and study tools that can lead a student confused about a specific concept. AI can solve this problem. When students of top engineering colleges in Jaipur gives the wrong answer in an online course, the system warns a teacher and provides them a message that offers hints to give the right answer. This kind of technology supports to fill the gaps in learning that can take place and helps learners to make the similar conceptual groundwork. In contrast, to listen back to from the lecturer, engineering graduates get instant feedback that assists them too properly to comprehend a topic.

5. It is Changing How we Interact with Information

Artificial Intelligence usually affects the information that we find and see every day. For instance, Google adapts results based on location to users, Online Shopping services make recommendations based on the previous purchases of customers, and almost all website ads are geared towards your shopping interests. These types of systems can play a significant role in how students interact with information in our professional and personal lives and change how we discover and use this information in colleges. The AI-based system has changed our way of interacting with information and integrated technology in the last few years.

6. Educational Data Mining

AI laid a path for 21st-century learning based on technology which mainly includes the methods of using data from online learning to improve instruction. This procedure is also known as data mining. At the easiest level, the analytics can determine when a learner is going lost during the course of distance learning and can influence the student to focus on the course.

7. Personalized Learning Programs

Many learning software is available in the market that represents the artificial intelligence in the field of education. This increasing number of learning software, learning programs and games guarantee for the usefulness of artificial intelligence for the students of the list of engineering colleges in Jaipur. These learning systems can be optimized as per your needs of students and support them to learn at their own pace.

Conclusion

Artificial Intelligence has the potential to change the quality, delivery, and way of education. Also, it promises to change the role of parents, teachers, students and educational organizations. Using AI software, systems, and support, students are capable to learn anytime from anywhere in the world. AI-powered educational programs are continuously helping learners to learn basic skills and when these programs grow, they will probably provide students of artificial Intelligence colleges much wider range of services.

Source: Click Here

The Wayhaven Chronicles—Update 11/June/2021

Another really great week this week!

So as I said last week, I'm tackling the research version of Chapter 8 first, and seeing as my usual order of writing was put out by not planning A's scene, I dove straight into N's.

Except...well, that went all off a completely different tangent than expected, lol!

The start was going exactly as I planned and then this HUGE opportunity presented itself to put in a scene that I thought was going to be in Book Four but it fit here SO perfectly!!

So then it was all a bit of a flummox 'cause it's so perfect but I wasn't expecting it quite yet, but guuuyyyyssss...I LOVE IT!!! In fact, I love what I'm writing so much that when I went to get a cup of tea I couldn't stay still while the kettle was boiling 'cause I was so hyped. I was practically bouncing round the kitchen, lol! :D

It's a massive moment, but it feels so incredibly natural. Well, if you decide to take that moment. Obviously there's different choices here depending on your MC, but even the other options lead to places I am seriously happy with and also feels right whatever you choose!

I wasn't 100% sure how I was going to approach this moment when it came up in Book Four, but because it's fit so well here it's just flowed, and I didn't even need to think about planning!

But even better, I will be able to match all the choices in this moment back up really nicely to work back into the original stuff I already planned for N's research scene, so I don't have to lose that content either!!

And I managed to think of how to adapt it for the Combat version of Chapter 8 so the moment can still happen but in a completely different way to suit that version of the scene!

It's a lot of variation, much more than I had planned, but I really hope the nuances will really allow you guys to play the story that feels right for your character.

I'm also super happy because I managed to fit in a choice set to improve the MC's skill choices too. I haven't managed to add that in in a while as it's never felt appropriate, and I thought this would just be for upping the combat or research stats, but I came up with a really nice moment to make a choice that didn't feel mechanical or gamey-like, if that makes sense!

So yeah, it's been a hectic week creatively but a great one! :D

With the demo fully out now, it will pretty much just be months of knuckling down to the same routine and just hammering out the writing...as well as editing, which I really am going to do! SpunkyCatNinja is currently working on getting proper subtitles up together for the YouTube Q&A vids, but I will send her Chapter 7 as soon as I can get in the right editing headspace.

But I'm way too pumped on Chapter 8 for that at the moment!

Hope you all have the most amazing weekend, and I’ll talk to you soon! <3

A review of “Journey Into Mystery,” the penultimate Loki Season One episode on Disney+, coming up just as soon as I paper cut a giant cloud to death…

Journey Into Mystery was the title of the first Marvel comic to feature either Thor or Loki. It began as an anthology series featuring monsters and aliens, but Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and Larry Lieber were so smitten with their adaptation of the characters of Norse myth that the Asgardians gradually took over the whole book, which was renamed after its hammer-wielding hero(*).

(*) The early Journey Into Mystery stories treated Thor’s alter ego, disabled Dr. Donald Blake, as the “real” character, while Thor was just someone Blake could magically transform into, while retaining his memories and personality. It wasn’t even clear whether Asgard itself was meant to exist at first, until Loki turned up on Earth in an early issue, caused trouble, and Blake/Thor somehow knew exactly how to get to Asgard to drop him off. Soon, the lines between Thor and Blake began to blur, and eventually Thor became the real guy, and Blake a fiction invented by Odin to humble his arrogant son. It’s a mark of just how instantly charismatic Loki was that the entire title quickly steered towards him and the other gods.

But once upon a time, anything was possible in Journey Into Mystery, which makes it an apt moniker for an absolutely wonderful episode of Loki where the same holds true. Our title characters are trapped in the Void, a place at the end of time where the TVA’s victims are banished to be devoured by a cloud monster named Alioth. And mostly they are surrounded by the wreckage of many dead timelines. Classic Loki insists that his group’s only goal is survival, and any kind of planning and scheming is doomed to kill the Loki who tries. But this ruined, hopeless world instead feels bursting with imagination and possibility.

There are the many Loki variants we see, with President Loki, among others, joining Classic, Kid, Boastful, and Alligator Loki. There are the metric ton of Easter Eggs just waiting to be screencapped by Marvel obsessives (I discuss a few of them down below), but which still suggest a much larger and weirder MCU even if you don’t immediately scream out “Is that… THROG?!?!?” at the appropriate moment. And all of that stuff is tons of fun, to be sure. But what makes this episode — and, increasingly, this series — feel so special is the way that it explores the untapped potential of Loki himself, in his many, many variations.

This is an episode that owes more than a small stylistic and thematic debt to Lost. It’s not just that Alioth looks and sounds so much like the Smoke Monster(*), that it makes a shared Wizard of Oz reference to “the man behind the curtain” (also the title of one of the very best Lost episodes), or even that the core group of Lokis are hiding in a bunker accessible via a hatch and a ladder that’s filled with recreational equipment (in this case, bowling alley lanes). It’s also that Loki, Sylvie, their counterparts, and Mobius have all been transported to a strange place that has disturbing echoes from their own lives, that operates according to strange new rules they have to learn while fleeing danger, and their presence there allows them to reflect on the many mistakes of their past and consider whether they want to, or can, transcend them.

(*) Yes, Alioth technically predates Smokey by a decade (see the notes below for more), but his look has been tweaked a bit here to seem more like smoke than a cloud, and the sounds he makes when he roars sound a lot like Smokey’s telltale taxi cab meter clicks. Given the other Lost hat tips in the episode, I have to believe Alioth was chosen specifically to evoke Smokey.

Classic Loki is aptly named. He wears the Sixties Jack Kirby costume, and he is a far more powerful magician than either Sylvie or our Loki have allowed themselves to be. He calls our Loki’s knives worthless compared to his sorcery, which feels like the show acknowledging that the movies depowered Loki a fair amount to make him seem cooler. But if Classic Loki can conjure up illusions bigger and more potent than his younger peers, he is a fundamentally weak and defeated man, convinced, like the others, that the only way to win the game into which he was born is not to play. “We cannot change,” he insists. “We’re broken. Every version of ourselves. Forever.” It is not only his sentiment — Kid Loki adds that any Loki who tries to improve inevitably winds up in the Void for their troubles — but it seems to have weighed on him longer and harder than most.

But Classic Loki takes inspiration from Loki and Sylvie to stand and fight rather than turn and run, magicking up a vision of their homeland to distract Alioth at a crucial moment in Sylvie’s plan, and getting eaten for his trouble. He was wrong: Lokis can change. (Though Kid Loki might once again argue that Classic Loki’s death is more evidence that the universe has no interest in any of them doing so.) And both Loki and Sylvie have been changing throughout their time together. Like most Lokis, they seem cursed to a life of loneliness. Sylvie learned as a child that a higher power believed she should not exist, and has spent a lifetime hiding out in places where any friends she might make will soon die in an apocalypse. Our Loki’s past isn’t quite so stark, but the knowledge that his birth father abandoned him, while his adoptive father never much liked him, have left permanent scars that govern a lot of his behavior. The defining element of Classic Loki’s backstory is that he spent a long time alone on a planet, and only got busted by the TVA when he attempted to reconnect with his brother and anyone else he once knew. This is a hard existence, for all of them. And while it does not forgive them their many sins(*), it helps contextualize them, and give them the knowledge to try to be better versions of themselves.

(*) Loki at one point even acknowledges that, for him, it’s probably only been a few days since he led an alien invasion of New York that left many dead, though due to TVA shenanigans, far more time may have passed.

For that matter, Mobius is not the stainless hero he once thought of himself as. While he and Sylvie are tooling around the Void in a pizza delivery car (because of course they are), he admits that he committed a lot of sins by believing that the ends justified the means, and was wrong. He doesn’t know who he is before the TVA stole and factory rebooted him, but he knows that he wants something better for himself and the universe, and takes the stolen TemPad to open up a portal to his own workplace in hopes of tearing down the TVA once and for all. Before he goes, though, he and Loki share a hug that feels a lot more poignant than it should, given that these characters have only spent parts of four episodes of TV together. It’s a testament to Hiddleston, Wilson, Waldron, and company (Tom Kauffman wrote this week’s script) that their friendship felt so alive and important in such a short amount of time.

The same can be said for Loki and Sylvie’s relationship, however we’re choosing to define it. Though they briefly cuddle together under a blanket that Loki conjures, they move no closer to romance than they were already. If anything, Mobius’ accusations of narcissism in last week’s episode seem to have made both of them pull back a bit from where they seemed to be heading back on Lamentis. But the connection between them is real, whatever exactly it is. And their ability to take down Alioth — to tap into the magic that Classic Loki always had, and to fulfill Loki’s belief that “I think we’re stronger than we realize” — by working together is inspiring and joyful. Without all this nuanced and engaging character work, Loki would still be an entertaining ride, but it’s the marriage of wild ideas with the human element that’s made it so great.

Of course, now comes the hard part. Endings have rarely been an MCU strength, give or take something like the climax of Endgame, and the finales of the two previous Disney+ shows were easily their weakest episodes. The strange, glorious, beautiful machine that Waldron and Herron have built doesn’t seem like it’s heading for another generic hero/villain slugfest, but then, neither did WandaVision before we got exactly that. This one feels different so far, though. The command of the story, the characters, and the tone are incredibly strong right now. There is a mystery to be solved about who is in the big castle beyond the Void (another Loki makes the most narrative and thematic sense to me, but we’ll see), and a lot to be resolved about what happens to the TVA and our heroes. And maybe there’s some heavy lifting that has to be done in service to the upcoming Dr. Strange or Ant-Man films.

It’s complicated, but on a show that has handled complexity well. Though even if the finale winds up keeping things simpler, that might work. As Loki notes while discussing his initial plan to take down Alioth, “Just because it’s not complicated doesn’t mean it’s bad.” Though as Kid Loki retorts, “It also doesn’t mean it’s good.”

Please be good, Loki finale. Everything up to this point deserves that.

Some other thoughts:

* Most of this week’s most interesting material happens in the Void. But the scenes back at the TVA clarify a few things. First, Ravonna is not the mastermind of all this, and she was very much suckered in by the Time-Keeper robots. But unlike Mobius or Hunter B-15, she’s so conditioned to the mission that even knowing it’s a lie hasn’t really swayed her from her mission. She has Miss Minutes (who herself is much craftier this week) looking into files about the creation of the TVA, but for the most part comes across as someone very happy with a status quo where she gets to be special and pass judgment on the rest of the multiverse.

* Alioth first appeared in 1993’s Avengers: The Terminatrix Objective, a miniseries (written by Mobius inspiration Mark Gruenwald, and with some extremely kewl Nineties art full of shoulder pads, studded collars, and the like) involving Ravonna, Kang, and the off-brand versions of Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor (aka U.S. Agent, War Machine, and Thunderstrike, the latter of whom has yet to appear in the MCU). It’s a sequel to a Nineties crossover event called Citizen Kang. And no, I still don’t buy that Kang will be the one pulling the strings here, if only because it’s really bad storytelling for the big bad of the season to have never appeared or even been mentioned prior to the finale.

* Rather than try to identify every Easter egg visible in the Void’s terrain, I’ll instead highlight three of the most interesting. Right before the Lokis arrive at the hatch, we see a helicopter with Thanos’ name on it. This is a hat tip to an infamous — and often memed — out-of-continuity story where Thanos flies this chopper while trying to steal the Cosmic Cube (aka the Tesseract) from Hellcat. (A little kid gets his hands on it instead and, of course, uses the Cube to conjure up free ice cream.) James Gunn has been agitating for years for the Thanos Copter to be in the MCU. He finally got his wish.

* The other funny one: When the camera pans down the tunnel into Kid Loki’s headquarters, we see Mjolnir buried in the ground, and right below it is a jar containing a very annoyed frog in a Thor costume. This is either Thor himself — whom Loki cursed into amphibianhood in a memorable Walt Simonson storyline — or another character named Simon Walterston (note the backwards tribute to Walt) who later assumed the tiny mantle.

* Also, in one scene you can spot Yellowjacket’s helmet littering the landscape. This might support the theory that the TVA, the Void, etc., all exist in the Quantum Realm, since that’s where the MCU version of Yellowjacket probably went when his suit shorted out and he was crushed to subatomic size. Or it might be more trolling of the fanbase from the company that had WandaVision fans convinced that Mephisto, the X-Men, and/or Reed Richards would be appearing by the season finale.

* Honestly, I would have watched an entire episode that was just Loki, Mobius, and the others arguing about whether Alligator Loki was actually a Loki, or just a gator who ended up with the crown, presumably after eating a real Loki. The suggestion that the gator might be lying — and that this actually supports, rather than undermines, the case for him being a Loki — was just delightful. And hey, if Throg exists in the MCU now, why not Alligator Loki?

* Finally, the MCU films in general are not exactly known for their visual flair, though a few directors like Taika Waititi and Ryan Coogler have been able to craft distinctive images within the franchise’s usual template. Loki, though, is so often wonderful to look at, and particularly when our heroes are stuck in strange environments like Lamentis or the Void. Director Kate Herron and the VFX team work very well together to create dynamic and weird imagery like Sylvie running from Alioth, or the chaotic Loki battle in the bowling alley. Between this show and WandaVision, it appears the Disney+ corner of the MCU has a bit more room to expand its palette. (Falcon and the Winter Soldier, much less so.)

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬

--nanami kento x gn!reader; hurt, comfort, minor character death, established relationship, death from a disease

--summary: Death is part of the process, Nanami Kento learns early on. He's no stranger to it nor the quiet that follows it. But when it plagues you like this, he finds himself at a loss.

a/n: I don’t know where this came from. it just happened. have I mentioned I'm a huge nanami simp as well? something about capable men just gets to me hehe. anyways, enjoy!

i listened to ‘clouds’ by luke faulkner while writing this

(w.c. 2302)

Death is part of the process, Nanami Kento learns early on.

It’s not one he has to particularly enjoy, but it would be advantageous in the resting of his conscious to make peace with it. Rather than let death ruin the few hours of sleep he can manage a night, it’s significantly easier to never let it weigh too heavily on his mind, never let its stay linger for more than necessary in the space of his thoughts. His occupation demands a certain air of nonchalance from him, requires the detached, almost stoic acknowledgment of the situation. Eventually, familiarity will settle in the depth of his recollection and death becomes something one needn’t blink twice towards. 

It’s not an aspect of the job he likes, per se, but it’s significantly better than the alternative. This seemingly apathetic conception of human life is unfortunately an evil requirement. Instead of festering over the lives he didn’t save, he can focus on the ones he has yet to protect. His slate may be tainted with copious amounts of red— inky, dark, bleeding red; the kind that looks black as it accumulates— but in true Kento fashion, he’ll wipe it clean. Gently, with a clean rag and with slow, circular motions, he’ll wash away the evidence of his failures with as much respect as he can, regardless of how exhausted he may be and how much easier it would be to just run his body, suit, and knife through the stream of water.

The victims may no longer be of this earth, but their last physical embodiment lay wickedly upon his person, his weapon, and his soul. Where he couldn’t save them, the least he can do is lay their last parts to rest with as much kindness as one can muster: with a slow wipe and a silent prayer. 

Death is part of the process, but, if one allows it, it can also be the fuel towards excellence. A drive that settles in after the brief misfortune, kickstarting the desire for improvement; A need to do and be better. To work harder and save more people. But that’s all it must be. No residual guilt, no lasting regret, only fuel. That’s what Nanami Kento learns early on.

What he learns rather recently, though, is that death is much different when it’s inevitable. 

When there is no amount of slashing, no amount of fighting, no amount of improved skills that can prevent it. Even worse, when you know it’s coming and preparation can do very little in settling the grief. 

Death is part of the process, but how can one rationalize it when it doesn’t come from the immediate life or death situation he so often faces? When it doesn’t come from the hands of maniacal cursed spirits or the wickedness of greedy men, but instead, from the unforgiving nature of nature itself? How does one reconcile the inevitability of death when it happens to someone so young?

Cancer. 

She was only eleven.

Death is part of the process, Kento used to think, but as he stands amongst the sea of black on this fitting day of grey, he can’t help but notice how incredibly unfair this all is. Her mother stands a few feet away, silent as they scatter her ashes by the river she used to play in as a child. She stands flanked on either side by loved ones, and yet, the abysmal look on her face betrays any ideal that she may be comforted by the closeness of others; Hardly even cognizant of the fact that they’re there. He’s seen that look before, once on himself.  

It’s the face of vicissitude, the kind that casts someone past the rocks of sadness and out onto the sea of loneliness and despair. A place that no one can follow.

Spouses are called some variation of widow, children are called orphans. What does one call a parent who’s lost their child? No doubt the lack of a label only helps to contribute to the loneliness of it all. Suspended in pain without even the decency of a customary societal title attached to one’s name. Left with nothing but the echoing emptiness of a broken heart.

Grief personified. A hollow shell of a being. Just another person who lost someone they loved. Nothing more, nothing less.

Kento is used to death, but this? This has heartache weighing heavier on his shoulders than he’s used to, forcing his impeccably straight posture forward with a sag of tragedy. The silence of the fellow attendees forces him to maintain some morsel of composure, in fear of disturbing the serene devastation of it all that’s composed so fragilely. So delicate that even a sigh will break the glass of still anguish. As her ashes are scattered to the river and the priest begins the common prayer, the image of her weak smile in her last moments plays vividly behind Kento’s tinted glasses. He can hardly swallow the lump that tightens his throat.

He can hardly imagine how her mother feels. Can hardly imagine how you feel. She was your niece after all.

His eyes trail towards your figure. Standing to the right of your sister, dressed in the customary black, and hand held tightly in hers in solidarity of the magnitude of the loss. Kento didn’t mind standing towards the back, away from the bubble of intimacy that surrounded the two of you. It would’ve felt like an invasion of the sanctity of family to stand anywhere near. A foreigner, he’s always attributed himself to be whenever accompanied with your family— not out of their refusal to accommodate him, but rather his own voluntary maintenance of separation from their sphere of loving connection that was more or less absent from his own life— and any meager effort to share sentiments of sorrow would feel, more or less, inauthentic. At least at this moment.

So he waits, towards the back of the gathering. A far enough distance to ascertain his separation from the immediate family, but close enough to where, should you require him at any point, you need only turn around to seek him out. And he will come to you, as fast as his legs may go, regardless of the people that may be in the way. For his hand has been twitching this entire time with the need to physically comfort you and his eyes continuously dart back to your figure in watchful consideration.

The priest ends his prayer and the last of the ashes are sent off and silence once more encompasses the gathering. The aching kind, the one that wants to be disturbed so badly, but remains untouchable. The kind of agonizing mute that has surrounded his life since you received the fateful phone call a few days before.

Kento is no stranger to quiet. It’s his preferred method of life, not the kind of person to find delight in unnecessary, boastful noise, nor the kind to entertain it often. But this is the kind of quiet he finds greats distaste in. Especially since it’s deprived him of his favorite kind of din— yours.

The life that is so intricately intertwined with yours has held virtually no recognizable clamor in four days. No low chatter from the television, no raucous laughter induced from one of your social media apps, no prolonged discussion of each other’s days or interesting points of conversation. Only silence has filled every gap and crevice as you two packed bags and made arrangements to head to your hometown in preparation for the funeral. Lamenting silence filled the space as you sat side by side on the train towards your destination. Mournful silence encompassing the home of your sister upon your mutual entry into the area. Silence so thick yet so delicate, so long and so void that any attempt to dismantle it feels boilingly uncomfortable.

He doesn’t like the wall it has unintentionally placed between you two, wanting nothing more than to tear it down with his bare hands and have you back within the safety of his arms. But he knows better. 

Death is part of the process, and he must let grief run its course. He’ll just remain in the shadows as a beam of support, intent to provide the space and time you need, but always keeping a trained eye on you.

That’s what love is, he supposes. It’s an odd thing to think, especially as solemness surrounds him as it does now. The drag of sadness competing with the surge of love that overwhelms his veins. It’s burning, and intense, and while his is mostly in consideration of you (as most things in his life nowadays are), it’s peculiarly indicative of the moment. Poetic, almost. 

Bleeding affection borders this ceremony of gathered friends and family in a proper send-off, love encapsulated in the silent tears trailing down faces and memorialized in the air of stagnance. Pouring in every direction as they all gaze sadly at the traveling ashes of the young girl down the steady waters of the river.

It’s grief, yes, but also love, for what is grief but love with nowhere to go?

The ride home is like all the other days, incredibly hushed. Inaudible. He can barely hear your breaths. He wonders, and not for the first time, if when he dies, this is how you will grieve. In this tragic quiet, moving with such stillness that was he not watching, he wouldn’t know you moved at all. A vacant soul wandering just to survive. Jujutsu sorcerers unfairly make their peace with dying early on in their tenure, and maybe he’s committed you to a life of tragedy by involving himself so intimately with you. 

When he dies, and he will— this life that he has chosen spares him no luxuries, not even false beliefs— he will condemn you to a brutal reality that he could have spared you from were he not so selfish. He hates seeing you like this. Hates it with every fiber of his being.

Death is a part of the process. He understands that. He just wishes it wasn’t so collateral. A prolonged state of your affliction that resulted from his hand would surely be a more painful fate than any gruesome death.

Your parent’s home is warm, in sharp contrast to the events of the day. And while they stayed with your sister, Kento insisted you return to your place of stay to wash and change if only to give you a moment alone; So he can check on you in the sanctity of privacy, grant you a brief respite from the unrelenting tide of sorrow, cherish you in these sparing instances that he can never take for granted. 

You bathe alone, he gives you that. He makes tea the way your mother taught him how, even though you quite like the way he makes it and has it set on the table upon your return. Dressed in comfier attire and seated blankly at the table, he settles in beside you. His shoulder touching yours hoping to convey in this minute action that he’s here. 

He doesn’t need the words to say it. Just his presence. 

His hand too, as you settle your own silently in the space of his large one, gripping tightly onto the rough skin. He rubs his thumb along the back of your hand, bringing it to his lips as he placed two long kisses on its surface. You’ve made eye contact all day but this is the first time you’ve really looked at each other. 

Where he can see the pain swimming in the pools of your irises behind the film of unshed tears and you can see the unrestrained sympathy and worry in his. 

“She was eleven,” you whisper, unable to speak any louder.

He doesn’t say anything. There’s not much he can say, only press his lips harder to the back of your hand.

It’s the only moment you’ve had alone together since arriving, and while he was so desperate before to hear something, anything come from your mouth, he finds that the inactivity the fills space once more is rather appropriate. One that he doesn’t want to disturb. Not when there isn’t anything he can say that can heal this wound, nothing he can do except love and care for you when you’re too weak to do it yourself. 

He places a hand behind your head, tilting you forward as he places his lips upon your forehead and smoothing the stray hairs that have displaced themselves from your formal hairdo. Fingers travel down the back of your neck and rub gentle circles on your shoulder, healing any aches with his touch. 

“Drink,” he murmurs against your temple, and you do. A sign of progress that he relishes in. He’s more than eager to see the slow trek back to a state of normalcy, but he knows it’ll be different from here on out. There’s a hole in your heart and it will take a while to heal. 

But he’ll be there. For as long as he can, whenever he can. Because that’s what love is.

Death is part of the process, but he finds it’s infinitely more manageable with you. He knows you feel the same way when at the end of the day as you lay side by side in the guest room of your parents’ home, you take comfort in the safety of his arms and finally, fill the air with something other than the prolonged silence and let him comfort you. 

Death is part of the process, and he knows the inevitability of his own part in it. But in this moment with you, he’ll let himself indulge selfishly in your noise. It’s his favorite sound, after all. 

end notes: come shoot me a message! i love hearing from yall.