#fan expo weekend was very fun
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#mine#doctor who#dwedit#matt smith#and the skittles daleks#hello friends it's been a few days!!#fan expo weekend was very fun#except i also think i got food poisoning or something bc i was horribly sick yesterday#so i stayed home today from work but i feel so much better now#anyways today i read the scripts of the three 60th specials and they made me so happy :')#ALSO the announcement from big finish about dark gallifrey!!! very excited for that to start!!!!!
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<stream> end of NieRRein
So. There's a NieR gacha. I've talked about it now and again on here.
In contrast to other games in the NieR series, which were in narrative structure reasonably traditional action-RPGs, following a small group of characters... NieR: Re[in]carnation is something a bit more like an anthology of short stories, all eventually tied together in an elaborate frame.
Over the course of the story, you are led to explore a vast collection of memories inside something called the Cage, a huge Ico-like stone structure full of gorgeous, moody environments...
...intermittently diving into the most dramatic moments of an impressively varied collection of characters, each portrayed in a cutout theatre style. They're a diverse bunch! Robot cowboys. Mountain climbers. AIs both kind and ruthless. Dark wizard yuri. Arabian Nights pastiche. Chuuni soldier boys. Elegant assassins, living weapons, disposable clones. Some are fantasy, some science fiction; some weave together and others sit apart.
And as you play further, you can unlock further stories, in various forms. All sorts of illustrations, all sorts of prose. The framing stories - the story of the girl Fio and the monster Levania who stole her body, the story of the violently estranged siblings Yuzuki and Hina, the story of the mysterious nature of the Cage, of its collapse, and the desperate bid to escape - all are very rich. The final chapters, where the characters are all finally brought together, are fantastic.
Not to mention - everything is voice acted, and generally very well (in Japanese at any rate, the English is more of a mixed bag). All is accompanied by a huge amount of gorgeous music by Keiichi Okabe et al., wrapping you in that mysterious, layered atmosphere. The UI design is magnificent. On an aesthetic level at least, there is a great deal to recommend here.
However.
As a game, NieR Reincarnation sadly left a lot to be desired. The gameplay is intensely repetitive, the strategy more to do with unlocking the right characters and grinding to level them up. Understandably, a lot of people bounced off it.
And now it's coming to an end.
In just a couple of days, the final chapter of NieR Reincarnation will be released. A month later, the game servers will be shut down for good! Perhaps, years in the future, they will release some kind of remake - but we can't count on it.
But don't imagine you can just jump in and experience it all right now. A great deal of material - the Dark Memories, the Recollections of Dusk - is gated behind a considerable investment of time and a strong team. There's a lot of events you'll simply have missed.
However... I have, perhaps unwisely, sunk the time into unlocking most of what can be unlocked in this game. I think it would be a shame not to get to experience them, and I love getting to share NieR games. These stories take some wild turns, and I think it would be a blast to watch together.
So here's the plan! Starting this weekend, and going on for as long as necessary over the next week, I'll be streaming the entire story of NieR Reincarnation on my twitch. Main story, character stories, EX stories: the whole lot, arranged for narrative flow. All the fun spicy parts and none of the grind, and you get to enjoy it with friends.
If you've been here for previous NieR game streams... well, I hope you had as great a time as I did. I fucking love NieR. For the other games, I would dig into the side material, read out fan translations of the stories, and do everything I can to give you the complete experience of the game. Here, there's not so much in the way of side material, but the game contains a lot on its own - and I want to share it all, the gut-punch parts and the goofy ones alike, because it all adds up.
Think of it kinda like an Animation Night if you want! An anthology series to enjoy together, just like the Animator Expo.
The first stream will begin on Saturday, 6pm UK time. I'll be making recordings and writing a guide to the story of the game too - but there's something special about watching something together, so I'd really love to see you there ^^
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"...you will return to me, my champion. Evermore."
The Raven Queen, the rightful end.
🖤🖤🖤
Photo by the fantastic iroun.photos on insta
My paladin is the wonderful vaxyldan on insta
The Raven Queen was built by me!
Getting to premiere her this last weekend at fan expo cleveland was an absolute blast! Everyone was so kind and I had so much fun having people roll saving throws for prizes in my reliquary dice tower.
This was a passion project from the heart of a forever DM. I wanted to combine design elements from the queen's many d&d related related appearances that all mean so much to me (like critical role, the adventure zone and even her description in bg3 etc etc) . I was shocked so many people recognized me off the bat and wanted to come tell me all about their interactions with the raven queen from their home games! Who knew I had so many clerics, paladins, warlocks, and escaped souls?
Thank you so much to vaxyldan for agreeing to be my human prop for these photos. They knocked it out of the park and while we just just get to enjoy the mystery of them walking away in this photo, you will see them being very cool in some up coming pictures (I gotta give you something to look forward to, right? Bait the hook?)
iroun.photos was wonderful to work worth, professional and kind and all the images... BUCKLE UP GANG, you're gonna just love them.
#raven queen#matron of ravens#raven queen cosplay#matron of ravens cosplay#vax'ildan#vax'ildan cosplay#critical role#the adventure zone#critical role cosplay
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Senpai
Summary: *requested* your an anime weeb cosplaying to attend your first con- what happens if you run into your boyfriend..
Rating: PG
You quickly closed the door behind you before your fingers moved to practically rip your uniform off. You have been waiting practically forever for this day to come and you weren’t going to waist a single moment still in your SHIELD uniform when you could be finally putting on your cosplay and making your way to anime con. Luckily it was just down the street from the tower this year so you were already yelling down the halls for Jarvis to call a cab by the time you reached your bedroom. And the best part was: the character you were dressing as- Albedo from Overlord- already had black wings ironically like yours! It was probably why it was one of your favorite animes because it made you feel more relatable.. minus the violence of course.
Having already gotten your bag ready the night before, you already were getting your costume on that almost hugged your body just as well as your own work jumpsuit. Thank goodness you had tried it on before hand for it to fit considering breathing in this thing for the whole weekend might have dampened your mood a little bit. Once your hair was already set after placing the horns on your head, make up in place and bag in hand, you would have kept on time if you hadn’t have run into your boyfriend- Loki!
Here’s the thing, no one, not even he knew the extent of your life outside of work. True you were still new lovers, but even the team who housed under the same roof was shut out of your private life.. maybe because your weeb life style got a bit made fun of back in the day. Considering you thought for the most part the tower was empty for the day and planned on sneaking out, your wings fluffed in anticipation and fear when your man turned with annoyance to see who had rammed into him.
‘’by all the nine realms would you- Y/N!?’’ his words were cut short with his eyes widening by the sight of you.
You were pretty proud at your cosplay.. but people you personally knew, let alone your boyfriend suddenly made you feel extremely embarrassed and your arms immediately covered yourself with your mouth trying to explain as fast as you could ‘’I’m just going to this fan expo and most people dress up as characters and I didn’t think I was going to run into anyone and I’m sorry for bumping into you and- will you quit s-staring??”’ you stammered as his expression lost its shock with extreme interest, his eyes raking up and down your frame with a sly smile spreading against his lips.
‘’darling, I have no idea what half that sentence meant but why haven’t you done this before?? You are absolutely gorgeous!’’ he exclaimed as his hands moved to your waist, running over your frame as he stepped closer hungrily and redness crept over your cheeks.
‘’its only for the weekend.. people who enjoy the same shows and movies gathering now and again together to hang out, dress as characters, buy things- pretty much this whole festival thing..’’ you say sheepishly, a giggle escaping as his fingers pressed accidently at your tickle spots on your sides and he took your hands in his with a smile.
‘’I knew you enjoyed reading those.. backwards novels and those.. high pitched cartoons but I didn’t know you were practically worshipping the hobby..’’
‘’I wouldn’t say that,’’ you laugh ‘’but I do really enjoy them- but I gotta catch my cab, I’ll be back in a few hours-‘’ you warn him but his hands remain on yours at the very mention of you leaving him.
‘’why don’t I go with you love? If you are to be wearing this, I cant have those mortals drinking up free glances without them knowing you are taken’’ he suggested, his eyes very rarely meeting yours as his hands catch your waist again, his thumbs gently stroking the exposed skin on your hips as you bit your lip.
‘’your not even into this stuff- you barely like watching the tv as it is-‘’
‘’if I would have known it would be leading up to this type of.. entertainment, I would have been more open to it’’ he smirked, his eyes piercing yours a moment before his hand gently ran across one of your horns as if to see if they were actually real; making you more proud at your work.
‘’mm suppose we could try to see if we could get you a ticket upon getting there..’’ you think out loud before taking his hand so your horns wont fall of your head and you giggle before giving him a serious tone ‘’but I don’t want you giving anyone looks,’’
‘’I don’t-‘’
‘’or calling anything of any sort stupid-‘’
‘’that was one ti-‘’
‘’orrr trying to pull me away every two seconds. We.. do a lot of that hear-‘’ you warn him, your voice quiet as if someone was around as your cheeks redden at that thought before returning your gaze to his ‘’I want this to be purely fun and educational for you only. Plus some authors are going to be there and would hate to miss-‘’
‘’alright darling, I promise,’’ Loki chuckled and cupped your cheeks ‘’I’ll be following your lead and be on my best behavior.’’ He promised and gently kissed your lips before taking your hand for you to lead the way.
~~~
You stumble into your room finally before throwing your purse to the side- of course setting your new merch much more carefully down- and Loki following close behind as you both sigh from the exhausting day.
‘’and that was only the first day?’’ Loki questioned as he popped down on your bed tiredly- magically perking up when he noticed you preparing to undress.
‘’second day is tomorrow- usually there’s new items, people dressed up, celebrities and authors, etc’’ you explain and remove the horns from your head finally and push your hair out of your face. Noticing Loki watching you, you purposefully turned your back and slowly began to undress as you spoke ‘’your welcome to join again but I plan on getting there as early as I can to milk the tickets..’’
‘’right..’’ Loki said, distracted as he tried to listen as you pull the outfit down and carefully slip your wings out before it could fall completely to the floor but he tried to keep the conversation going so you ‘wouldn’t notice’ his eyes ‘’and um.. remind me again what this.. sub and dub is..’’
Now in only your undergarments, you slowly walk to your wardrobe, eyes on it only as you pretend you look through at what you wish to wear, hiding a smirk as you feel his eyes on you from behind ‘’sub is if you wish to read wording at the bottom of the screen to help translate what the characters are saying in a different language..’’ you explain and pull out a silky night gown, holding it up and looking it over as if debating on if it will do ‘’dub is if you wish to watch it in English and not have to read it instead.’’
You almost jump when you feel a hand reach over your shoulder and take hold of the gown, snatching it from your fingers before it is tossed aside, an arm snaking around your waist all the while as your back comes in contact with a chest.
‘’your doing this on purpose aren’t you darling..’’
You could practically hear his amusement in his smile as he lets you turn around to wrap your arms around his neck, coyly looking up at him as you get closer ‘’I learn from the best after all..’’
‘’well you’ve most certainly have taught me much on what you very much take pleasure in darling, how about I take this time to teach you what I take pleasure in?..’’ he smirked, his voice getting a bit lower as his hands ran slowly to rest on your hips, thumbs rubbing against your skin as you had a hard time realizing that he had been turning you both so the bed was now right behind you.
‘’and what is it that you wish to enjoy teaching me?’’ you asked innocently, seeing the mischief and lust spark in his eyes as his finger tips added very little pressure to indicate he was about to shove you backward.
‘’..pleasure..’’
#Loki Laufeyson#loki#loki god of mischief#loki odinson#loki fanfic#loki smut#loki x reader smut#loki x you#loki fluff#anime#albeto#overlord
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Earlier you said you preferred “convention circles with slightly different vibes,” so I just wanted to ask (if you’re comfortable sharing) what types of convention do you usually go for? I’m a total convention newbie and I’d love to know how conventions can differ from one another vibes-wise :)
Yeah, sure -- full disclaimer that I haven't actually been to that many different cons compared to some people, but the ones I have been to cover a pretty broad spectrum of vibes. And it's absolutely a spectrum, some cons have shifted in energy over time under different ownership but retain elements of their older selves, others have a lot in common with each other but the size makes them feel different, etc, etc.
When I first started going to conventions I mostly went to what I tend to call San Diego clones -- basically, cons that intentionally have a lot in common with SDCC's modern incarnation, since it's one of the most famous fan conventions. That included Denver Comic Con (which is now called Denver Fan Expo) and New York Comic Con. Even then there was some variety -- when I started going to DCC in particular it was only its second year in existence, so it had some fun awkward "teenage" con quirks -- but these cons tend to prioritize things like having big-name guests, announcements of new media, promotional tie-ins, and other things that have sometimes earned them the nickname "corporate" cons (though they aren't always even run by companies). They also tend to be pretty similar to each other, which is why I call them clones, with SDCC as the archetype, and are the kind I'm less into these days. That's not to say they're all bad, or that people who like them are shallower or anything like that -- if you want to go see your favorite actor in a big name show or have the experience of going to a really huge convention with all the advantages that offers, they're the ones to go to. For me personally, I don't really care much about guests, and do really care about the con feeling unique or like it has some individuality, so they really aren't my thing. But I still had wonderful experiences at some of them when I was younger.
On the other end of the spectrum are what I refer to as fan-run cons. In some instances these are run by companies, in others they're run by non-profits, but even in the former case there is usually a noticeable difference in how they're marketed. There are tradeoffs to that -- they don't have the same kind of guest line-ups or industry connections, because those things cost more money to make happen than they usually have. But for most people who enjoy going to these kinds of cons, there are advantages that make up for that. One is they tend to be a lot quirkier, with weird traditions, unique programming, and sometimes unconventional guests. (For example, my local con, CONvergence, could never afford big movie or tv stars, but one year they did have Chuck Tingle). Another is they show their roots in old school fandom a bit more, retaining traditions like filk circles (places for people to share fan music essentially), Consuites (rooms set aside with free food for convention attendees throughout the weekend), and other things that used to be more common in fandom but have since faded a bit. Fan-run cons are held together by volunteers and often a handful of prayers, but many of them are still very well-run. The energy of this kind of convention can also super vary from con to con, especially based on size. Like, DragonCon, one of the biggest conventions I'd call fan-run, draws tens of thousands of people, tends to have at least a few pretty big guest names each year (in part because it's run by an actual company, which helps with that kind of thing), and takes over downtown Atlanta with a giant parade every year. The reason it still falls in this category for me is the general nature of its programming and because it still has a lot of older fandom traditions, like handing out badge ribbons and a filk track, has a particularly tightly-knit fan community, much of the programming (other panels, the themed parties in the evenings, etc) is still put together by attendees, and in general it feels a lot more like a scaled-up version of my beloved local CONvergence than it does a scaled-down SDCC. I personally like this kind of con because I feel like it showcases how fun, funny, and incredibly weird fandom can be, which is my favorite thing about it, and because as a filk musician and cosplayer, my con-going experience revolves a lot more around sharing and talking about my own transformative and creative works with other people than it does around getting autographs from actors or going to big panels.
A true taxonomy of cons is a lot more complicated though. One thing I can't speak to as much is the world of smaller corporate cons -- I know they tend to hover somewhere in the middle in terms of number of major guests vs amount of fan-run programming, and I would assume also vary in vibes. There are also cons that revolve entirely around a single work of fiction, which can really change the energy they have. Like, Star Wars Celebration feels like it ought to be the most corporate of cons, especially since Disney took over, but it has actually managed to retain a lot of its more old school weirdness in the process -- people hand out little gifts to each other, the cosplay is particularly silly, and there are goofy recurring jokes like trying to get as many people as possible to dress up as the same ESB extra with an ice cream maker and go running through the convention center together. I've also been to the Ohio Valley Filk Fest (the tiniest convention I've been to, with only a couple hundred attendees every year and where a lot of the people who go year after year all know each other), which is one of the few remaining filk-specific cons, which was a totally unique experience in most respects.
At the end of the day, I think a lot of fans could manage to have fun at a lot of different conventions, especially if you go with friends. It's definitely worth finding your niche as time goes on though and really leaning into it. I don't have the money to go to more than a couple cons every year, so I'm glad I know where I'm likely to have the most fun and can plan accordingly. I'm really lucky one of my favorite conventions in the country also happens to take place here in the Twin Cities, because I've been able to invest a more time and energy into it than I might have otherwise, volunteering as a panelist and panel moderator and performing concerts as a musician. (Of course, I also went and volunteered to be a photoshoot organizer my first year at DragonCon, so it might just be that I'm full of hubris). You might decide you like whatever's local to you for that reason, or you might fall in love with a con halfway across the country should you ever get the chance to travel for one; you might choose a con for its guests or decide guests are the last thing that matters to you, and so on. What matters is figuring out what you personally have fun with. So I do encourage checking out different ones if you have the resources to, and researching what out there sounds the most up your alley -- especially by talking with other fans you've gelled with at the conventions you have attended, or paying attention to if there are any that cater to your favorite pieces of media.
Have fun with it and welcome to the world of conventions!
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Tyrantis Goes to All Monsters Attack Expo
HELLO! ME TYRANTIS! YOU MAY REMEMBER LAST TIME ME MAKE BLOG POST HERE, WHEN ME TYRANTIS GO TO MONSTER MOVIE CONVENTION CALLED G-FEST! ME TYRANTIS HAVE REALLY FUN TIME THERE, AND WANT GO TO ANOTHER MONSTER MOVIE CONVENTION AGAIN!
SADLY, IT TURNS OUT G-FEST IS RUN BY PEOPLE WHO NOT TAKE PATHOGENS VERY SERIOUSLY. THEY THINK PATHOGENS NO BIG DEAL! ME TYRANTIS KNOW PATHOGENS ARE BIG DEAL. PATHOGEN IS BIG JERK! TRY KILL ME TYRANTIS MANY TIMES. NO FUN! ALSO G-FEST CHANGE ARTIST ALLEY RULES SO ARTISTS CAN’T SELL ART OF MONSTERS LIKE GODZILLA ANYMORE, WHICH SEEM PRETTY ASININE TO ME TYRANTIS. SO ME TYRANTIS BUMMED BECAUSE ME CAN’T GO TO G-FEST ANYMORE. IT SUCKS!
BUT! ME TYRANTIS FIND OUT THERE ANOTHER MONSTER MOVIE CONVENTION. IT CALLED ALL MONSTERS ATTACK EXPO, AND THIS PAST WEEKEND, ME TYRANTIS WENT TO IT AND HAD GREAT TIME. READ ON AND ME TYRANTIS TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT!
ALL MONSTERS ATTACK EXPO HELD IN BEAUTIFUL UNITED STATE CALLED INDIANNA, WHICH MEANT ME TYRANTIS HAD TO TRAVEL MANY HOURS ON DIFFERENT HIGHWAYS, ALL OF WHICH HAD CONSTRUCTION, WHICH MADE THE HOOMAN WHO DROVE ME TYRANTIS’S CAR PRETTY STRESSED TO BE HONEST, BUT ME NOT TOO STRESSED BECAUSE INDIANNA WAS BEAUTIFUL. LOOK AT GIANT COW! IT BEAUTIFUL!
HOTEL FOR ALL MONSTERS ATTACK EXPO IS CALLED MARIOTT! IT VERY PRETTY. IT HAVE NICE FOUNTAIN AND COURTYARD THAT ME TYRANTIS HAD LOT OF FUN IN! BUT ME TYRANTIS NOT COME ALL THIS WAY FOR JUST HOTEL!
ME COME FOR CONVENTION! ME ATTEND PANELS, HEAR COOL STORIES BY PEOPLE WHO MAKE MOVIES AND SHOWS ABOUT MONSTERS JUST LIKE ME TYRANTIS! IT REAL FUN!
ME MEET TITANICUS, MONSTER WHO KILL LEONARDO DICAPRIO!
ME TYRANTIS ALSO MEET HORROR BEYOND COMPREHENSION!
OF COURSE, ME TYRANTIS MOST HAPPY TO MEET GODZILLA! ME BIG FAN OF HIS!
HOOMAN DRIVER MEET ORIGINAL ULTRAMAN, BUT ME TYRANTIS STAY AWAY BECAUSE HE KILL A LOT OF KAIJU AND ME TYRANTIS A LITTLE SCARED
BUT LATER ME TYRANTIS MEET SMALLER ULTRAMAN AND HE REALLY NICE, SO NOT ALL ULTRAMANS BAD I GUESS
ME TYRANTIS MET NICE LADY WHO STAR IN GAMERA MOVIES, AYAKO FUJITANI! SHE WRITE NOVELS AND MOVIES, TOO! SHE SUPER COOL, MADE HOOMAN KINDA FLUSTERED - SO FLUSTERED HE DROPPED ME, BAD HOOMAN! LUCKILY AYAKO SAVE ME SO WHEN HOOMAN COME BACK LATER HE COULD FIND ME. SO COOL!
ME TYRANTIS ALSO SAW LOTS OF PRETTY ART, WHICH HOOMAN BUY DESPITE NOT HAVING LOTS OF WALL SPACE, BECAUSE HOOMAN NOT ALWAYS SMART WITH MONEY. ME NO MIND, THOUGH, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE HOOMAN BUY VERY SPECIAL ART...
IT PORTRAIT OF ME BY MATT FRANK! AREN’T ME BEAUTIFUL?
ME TYRANTIS HAVE SO MUCH FUN AT ALL MONSTERS ATTACK EXPO! IT SMALLER CONVENTION THAN G-FEST, BUT ALSO NOT RUN BY COMPLETE ASSHOLES WHO DENY DANGER OF PATHOGEN OR HAMPER ARTISTS WITH ASININE RULES, AND ME TYRANTIS GOT TO SEE FRIENDS AND MEET COOL PEOPLE. ME HOPE IT HAPPEN AGAIN NEXT YEAR, AND IF IT DOES, ME TYRANTIS HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE TOO!
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Hope that you had a good time with the horror-con, if that’s what it was called 🤨
Your lucky, many ppl don’t have the 💲 to go; plane tickets/ car-truck-motorcycle gas & hotel.
P.s: can’t wait to see what’s in store for ‘Final Girl’, been tooo loong; don’t know if you realized this but the physical version of the actual ppl can actually help with your writing:(speech mannerisms, physical ways they feel when touched by a hand or arms for a hug, scent of what they wear for perfume or all-natural)😏🔪🩸
It was fan expo yeah! Very fun and yes def dropped some dollars last weekend lmao probably too much but it was so worth it!!! Amazing time I can’t believe the day.
And hell yeah baby you get it ;)
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I went to fan expo a couple weekends ago and got to meet Caity Lotz! She was very sweet and her eyes are so blue in person it's almost unreal... I went just to meet her because why tf not? When, if ever, would I have the chance again?
Anyway! I don't know how you feel about attending Cons in general (especially now because of cv) but, who would have to be on that guestlist to get you to put pants on and go?
I attended a big con with an actress client from a hit show back when I did social media work, and loved it as an overall concept. I think it's such a fantastic experience for fans. It can be exhausting for the talent due to hurried travel, BTS chaos, often getting sick from meeting so many people (and this was pre-COVID), etc.
But generally, conventions are such an awesome place for fans, creators, and talent to come together and share connections (even if some talent is just there for the money -- many DO actually care about the fans and enjoy meeting people). It's overall frickin' wonderful, when they're run safely and efficiently, anyway.
I actually would have loved to have attended a Xena Con a few years ago. I know there's the 25th Anniversary one in LA this November, but I dunno if I want to risk that with this new pandemic wave happening. We'll see. Aside from that, people have asked me if I'd do ClexaCon as a speaker type situation in the future, and I'd love to.
Any shared experience with like-minded people who love certain content and it all involves art and fun and fans -- I am so down!
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Tom Welling
met (second meeting): Fan Expo Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
on: June 4, 2023
You know, I was never attracted to Tom Welling in the days of Smallville. Not once. WHAT HAPPENED? HOW DARE HE?
*ahem* Anyway, This was a very spur-of-the-moment decision because Tom was there all weekend and kept looking like he was having so much fun. Last time I met him, about five years ago, I got a photo op with him and Michael where Michael didn't allow him to hug me, so I decided I had to get a selfie this time around, and add to my Lucifer autograph collection at the same time. Zero regrets! He's always so incredibly nice, and even though he had to leave for a flight in about ten minutes, took time to chat a little bit and give a full signature and just be generally awesome. Wish every encounter from the weekend could have been half as great!
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ComiCon: The Right Costume
Mike has an intense encounter with a mysterious cosplayer.
by AlexRaistov, Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories.
The con has been fairly packed this year. And now that they're getting some big name guests, like Doctor Who's Matt Smith and Alex Kingston are here. I think it's going to give Fan Expo Boston a run for its money. Hell, maybe even New York ComiCon. I think the fact that the convention center is connected to the hotel is a huge advantage.
The contest was at 2pm this afternoon, so I wanted to head over and register early. Making my way through the crowds, I got stopped a couple of times to do the "Gaston Pose" with the Wolverine claws popped out. There was even a couple dressed as Beauty and the Beast, so we got a couple of pics together. I'll text them to you later.
Needless to say I got there later than I expected, so I was second to last in line. But it was fine because while I was waiting my turn to go up on stage, I found myself chatting with a dude from New York who was up with his buddy for the weekend. The guy was dressed as mashup of Deadpool and Eleven from Stranger Things. It was hysterical: a full Deadpool costume but with a blonde wig and dress.
We got to talking about the con and cosplaying and after a few minutes he said with a chuckle, "Dude, be careful. I think the local law enforcement is checking you out."
I gave him a strange look because I had no fucking clue what he was talking about. He motioned with his head and I turned around.
So picture this: two girls, both in variations of the 'Slave Leia' bikini from 'Return of the Jedi.' One girl's costume was all white and she was wearing a Stormtrooper helmet. The other was in all black, wearing a Darth Vader mask and a flowing cape.
And holy shit their bodies were fucking amazing. You know I've always been a boob man. Both girls were easily 32-34B and their brassieres were doing a wonderful job of highlighting their fantastic assets. Both of them had stunning hourglass figures. When 'Madame Vader' turned and leaned in to say something to her Stormtrooper, it was pretty clear by the amount of skin she was showing, there was most likely nothing under the long black loincloth.
I watched as the Stormtrooper nodded to something 'Madame Vader' said. At this point I didn't know what else to call her. She then lifted her prop gun and started walking in our direction.
"You're in for it now man," said Eleven Deadpool.
The sexy Stormtrooper came right up to me and pointed her weapon.
"You. Rebel Scum," she barked, "You're to come with me immediately."
I raised my eyebrow, my cigar jammed firmly in my teeth. I figured what the hell, if we were gonna do this, have fun with it. "Rebel scum?" I growled, "Sweetheart, do I look like rebel scum to you?"
The trooper pressed the nozzle of her weapon into my chest. "Now."
I glanced over to Eleven Deadpool who shrugged, "Don't look at me man. I'm a mercenary, remember?"
I leaned in towards the Stormtrooper and grunted, "You know, no one fights like Gaston. And with these claws I bet it would be an interesting fight. But okay, I'm game."
As I stepped away from the line, I heard my new friend shout, "Vaya Con Dios, my son! Go with God.”
The Stormtrooper led me over to 'Madame Vader' who had her hands on her curvy hips. I also got a chance to admire her thigh-high black boots, laced up the front with buckles going up the sides. She had a black belt around her waist which hung a light saber hilt. As I got closer and saw a tan line on her exposed hip, I was convinced more than ever that she was wearing nothing underneath.
'Madame Vader' looked at me from head to toe.
"Something I can do for you?" I said in my best Hugh Jackman voice.
For a moment she stood there silently. I almost expected to hear the raspy Vader breathing.
"You!" she said finally in a commanding but very sultry voice, "will follow me. There will be no questions. Is that understood?"
So okay, you know I don't like games or bullshit or anything like that. But there was something about this situation...I'm just gonna say it: I got rock hard. I swore my dick was going to explode out of my pants.
Again, I can practically hear you laughing. But we've always been pretty open about this kind of shit, so obviously I'm not going to stop now.
Anyway, I rubbed my scruffy chin, (careful not to poke myself with my claws, and took the cigar out of my mouth.
"You're Jedi mind tricks ain't working here, sister," I snarled, "But I'll play along for now."
Without another word, she turned, her cloak sweeping behind her. I felt a poke in my back: the Stormtrooper was nudging me to start moving.
I followed 'Madame Vader' around a large curtain that led to behind the stage. From there we walked to a set of doors that led to a maintenance corridor. Now I'm not going to lie, this was all starting to make me a little bit nervous. Sexy as these two were, I had no idea who they were, what they looked like under their helmets or what was really going on. I was just about to say enough is enough and head back into the main convention floor when we stopped in front of another door marked "storage."
'Madame Vader' reached down with one of her gloved hands and pulled down on the handle, opening the door.
"Inside," she commanded. I looked at her and the Stormtrooper, who appeared to be setting up for guard duty. I shrugged and stepped inside.
The room was full of stacked chairs and folding tables. One table was set up with a few chairs around it. There were some papers on top of it. My guess is some of the Con organizers had probably used this room for planning the floor layout.
The door closed and it was just me and 'Madame Vader' in the room. As she walked past me, her hands lifted up and unlocked the chain holding her cape together. She let it drop to the floor.
With the cloak gone, I was able to get a better look at her body. The thin straps of her black brassiere didn't fully cover her tan lines, so I could tell she definitely enjoyed spending time in the sun. She was also more toned than I realized, though her hips still had a very lovely curve to them. Sure enough, the rear loincloth, which had up until now been hidden by her cape, was a little bit narrower than the front one, and her amazing ass, cheeks were poking out ever so slightly on either side.
With her still to me, she turned her masked head slightly.
"I understand no one fights like Gaston," she said, continuing with a deep, ominous voice.
"So I hear," I replied gruffly.
"I wonder," she said with a dramatic pause, "if no one fucks like Gaston?"
Now you know it takes a hell of a lot to throw me for a loop and leave me speechless. But there I was, eyes wide and my mouth partially open in shock.
'Madame Vader' removed her gloves, revealing black nail polish on perfectly manicured fingers.
"No response?" she mused, "Well perhaps not in words. But other parts of you appear to," she pointed at my bulging crotch, "be speaking for themselves."
Now let me just remind you, she was still wearing that fucking helmet. I literally had no idea who this person was.
And, God help me, I was turned on like never before.
She walked over and sat on the edge of the folding table, her legs spread and the black loincloth falling between them. Slowly she lifted the cloth to the side, confirming what I had all but surmised from the minute I saw her.
Her bare pussy was now right there for me to see. Her puffy pink lips were wide open, glistening and extremely inviting.
"This is fucking crazy." I said aloud.
"The door is right behind you," 'Madame Vader' replied nonchalantly, "My guard is only outside to ensure we are not disturbed. If you wish to leave you can at any time."
She reached down between her legs and spread her pussy lips wider while her fingers began to explore her tantalizing, wet hole.
"Alternatively, you could come over here, eat me out and then bend me over this table and fuck me from behind."
So again, you know it takes a lot to stun me. And believe me, I was stunned.
But I'm also not fucking stupid.
I removed my gloves with the Wolverine claws built in and set them on the closest chair next to me. I then made my way over to the table and sank to my knees in front of 'Madame Vader.'
I inhaled the wonderful, sweet musky smell that was coming from her pussy. I was just about to dive in when I stopped and looked up at her, "I don't suppose you're taking that off, are you?"
"Are you going to ask questions that you already know the answer to, or are you going to begin," she said ominously.
I shook my head, "No ma'am." I replied and dove into her beautiful, wet slit.
I let my tongue casually explore her red pussy lips, enjoying the sweet and savory flavor. There was an aching moan from under the mask.
"More," she whimpered, dropping the authoritative tone in her voice.
My tongue began to flick up and down quickly. Her hands slammed down and gripped the edge of the table as she began to grind her pelvis in my face.
I brought my hand up to my mouth and paused my licking just briefly to lick my thumb. As I resumed, I let my thumb slip into the upper folds of her slit, searching for her clit. It wasn't hard to find -- it was like a small cherry pit, hard and inviting. Her breaths came shallow and for a moment I wondered if she was going to pass out under the helmet.
"Please," she begged without the slightest hint of any of her former bravado, "Oh God, I'm so close."
My thumb kept playing with her pulsing button as I licked feverishly. After several more seconds I withdrew my thumb and attacked her clit directly with my tongue.
That was the right move to push her right over the edge.
"Oh my god oh my god oh my God," she cried under her mask, "I'm coming. Oh Jesus yes! Yes!"
Her body convulsed and contorted as my face was showered by her intense orgasm. I kept lapping though, enjoying the sweet juices slicking her thighs and my face.
Slowly, her tremors began to subside as she leaned back onto her elbows on the table.
I stood up over her. "Are you sure you don't want to take that mask off?" I asked, genuinely concerned.
"I," she stammered, still slightly out of breath, "I like it this way."
She shifted forward off the table and stood in front of me.
"And now," she said, trying to regain some of her earlier in-character composure, "I believe you have another service to provide." She reached forward and unbuckled my costume belt, letting it drop to the floor. She then lifted up my shirt slightly and undid my pants. Her fingers grasped the fabric of both my pants and underwear and pulled down, freeing my throbbing and aching cock.
"Excellent." 'Madame Vader' said with a slight nod, "I was right to choose you."
She turned around and bent over the table, resting on her forearms. I took a step forward and lifted the rear loincloth of her costume, exposing a perfectly tanned ass (string bikinis for the win). I adjusted my position, spread her cheeks slightly and guided myself into her soaking wet hole.
Her pussy lips wrapped perfectly around the head of my cock and we stayed in that position for a moment. Then slowly I inched forward until I was completely buried inside her.
"Yes," she hissed softly. I placed my hands on her hips and began slow, rhythmic motions. She was so wet, every thrust was a silky smooth ride. But I could still feel her pussy walls constrict around my shaft every time I moved back and forth. Her body began to match my movements, her ass and pelvis pushing backwards against me.
There was a brief moment when I was extremely tempted to reach forward and attempt to knock the helmet off her head. Would she stop this incredible moment or were we too far gone that she wouldn't care? But the sound of her ass slapping against my lower abdomen shook me out of the thought.
"Fuck it," I think I said out loud as I increased the speed of my thrusts.
"Yes baby," she cried, "Yes, god yes. Come for me baby. Come inside me." Before I could protest, she added, "It's fine. I'm protected. Just come. Come deep inside me, please!"
I continued pumping her pussy until I felt that familiar tingling sensation at the base of my cock.
I started tensing up, "Oh fuck, I'm coming!" I thrust one final time and stayed there as far in her as I could while my sperm erupted from my dick, filling the depths of her pussy.
She gasped, "Oh god, I can feel you filling me up so much!" She wasn't kidding, because just a few seconds later I felt the wonderful mix of her juices and my cum spilling out of her pussy. I took a step back, then pivoted so that I was leaning against the table next to her.
"That was," I gasped, still trying to guess what she looked like under the mask, "insane."
Slowly, she rose off the table, the loincloth slipping back down on its own to cover her bare ass.
"Seriously," I said, watching as she silently stepped over to pick up her cloak and gloves, "please tell me who the hell you are. Or that we can meet up again?"
She made her way to the door and stopped. Her hands slowly made their way up towards her helmet and grasped it on both sides.
And then they dropped back down.
"If you find me," came the ominous voice from under the mask, "then we will see."
She opened the door, where I caught a glimpse of her friend waiting, and slipped out.
The door closed behind her, leaving me in the room in a daze with my pants half way down my legs and my flaccid, wet dick now feeling the chill of the storage room's air conditioning.
Realizing there was no one outside guarding the room anymore, I quickly zipped up, gathered my costume accessories and got the fuck out of the room. I stumbled into the hallway and made my way quickly back to the convention hall. Naturally neither girl was anywhere to be seen in a crowd of other cosplayers and attendees. I made my way out of the convention center, back through to the hotel and came up to my room.
And that's where I am right now. Like I said, I tried calling you. And then I opened my tablet and started writing.
Needless to say I have no clue who won the cosplay contest. Maybe Deadpool/Eleven.
And of course I can hear you saying, "I think I pretty much 'won' anyway!" LOL
But seriously, I have to find her again. There's two more days left to the con.
I'll keep you posted, cuz. Love ya!
By AlexRaistov, for Literotica
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Wow! What a weekend! I had so much fun at Fan Expo Dallas moderating panels for the talent from Cobra Kai, The Last of Us, Dora the Explorer, Black Bird, My Name Is Earl, Ratchet and Clank, Diablo, Fortnight, Powerpuff Girls, Batman, and other fan-friendly properties that people just can’t get enough of! Thank you to the guests that were very complimentary, the fans that said such sweet things, and the security and staff. Great times and more soon! #fanexpodallas #moderator #comiccon #dtx
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Cincinnati comic expo panels
#CINCINNATI COMIC EXPO PANELS PROFESSIONAL#
I don’t have a ton of stuff, though, so you should probably drop everything you’re doing and go get in line right now. My schedule looks shockingly similar to this:Ħ-7PM: Panel – “Is Casual Killing Core Games?” in the Raven Theater. This should be an interesting conversation. I don’t think casual is killing core gaming at all, but I’m interested to hear from people who think it is, and tell them why they’re so very very wrong.ġ1:30-12:30: “The Wil Wheaton Panel!” in the Serpent Theater. I’m going to be honest: I don’t think a lot of people are going to come to this. There are two absolutely awesome panels at the same time, including Family Feud with Gabe and Tycho, and if the panel didn’t have my name in it, I would skip it, too. However, for those of you who will be in attendance, due to your sacred vow to never watch Family Feud, I’ll be reading from Happiest Days and Sunken Treasure, wand I’ll do a Q&A if there’s enough interest. We always have fun, and we float, Georgie! We all FLOAT DOWN HERE!) and it will be awesome. I reserve the right to bail on signings early if nobody’s there, and stay a little longer if that’s necessary. Please, please, please come introduce yourself if you read my blog, especially if you’re a regular commenter. It’s pretty awesome to have faces to go with the names. Where: Duke Energy Convention Center, 525 Elm St.Wil: So, I’d really like to avoid a “By Grepthar’s Hammer! By the Sons of Morvan!” sort of moment, utterly failing my save vs geeking out at meeting you – I have a sneaking suspicion you understand this desire. Games include Munchkin, Thanos Rising, Colony, Whistle Stop, Favor of the Pharaoh, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Boardgame, and more. There’s open gaming, competitions, demos, and raffles. Tabletop gaming is available on the second floor in Room 206 all weekend. The contest takes place in the Queen City Panel Room (Rooms 200-205) on Sept. There is also a Best Group category for two or more cosplayers who want to enter together, and a Best Prop category, with no accompanying costume needed. The categories are: Youth, Novice, Journeyman, and Master Class. The individual contests are organized by experience. Anything store-bought will get you laughed out of there, not to mention disqualified. The Expo holds a costume contest every year for fans who put their blood and sweat into making their costumes. Topics include sketching, writing, getting published, competitive cosplay, and more. The Expo’s workshops and panels are geared toward both fans and aspiring creators. To register, visit Booth 254 on the main floor. Speed dating goes down in Room 236 on the second floor. You will receive your results during your session. There will also be noon sessions both Saturday and Sunday for the LGBT+ community. If you’re single and looking for someone who shares your obscure and uber-hip tastes, speed dating at the Expo might be for you. Check for specific details on who’s willing to do what and for what price.
#CINCINNATI COMIC EXPO PANELS PROFESSIONAL#
Joe,” “Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars”), but will also include Darryl Banks (“Green Lantern”), Amy Chu (“Red Sonja, “Poison Ivy”), Dawn McTeigue (“Batman,” “Wonder Woman”), Neal Adams (“Batman”, “Superman”), Art Baltazar (“Hellboy”), Buzz (“X Factor”), Kristina Deak-Linser (“Dawn/Vampirella”), Dave Scheidt (“Adventure Time”), Siya Oum (“Lola XOXO”), and many more.Ĭelebrity guests are potentially available for autographs, professional photos, and selfies. Sixty artistic contributors to your favorite titles will be on hand. Diverse as it may be, the Cincinnati Comic Expo is mostly about the comics.
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Busan Memorial Weekend Trip (6/3-6/6)
Super excited for a long weekend. I decided to take a trip to Busan. My friend was coming from New York and it was her birthday weekend so we decided to make a trip out of it.
I left right after work one Friday and ended up meeting with them around 10pm. We got some food and headed to the beach.
There was a really cool sandcastle festival saying the work expo is going to be hosted in Busan in 2030. We walked along the beach and then headed back to the hotel.
The next morning we got some breakfast and headed to the beach for alittle bit before we checked out. Our hotel had a very pretty view of the water. After the beach we went to gamcheon culture village.
We got some ice cream in a marshmallow that was very tasty and we ran into Claudia who was with her family. We took a bunch of photos and it was super cute. I had been there before but during a typhoon so it was nice to see it not in the rain.
We went for lunch it was a super cute place and the food was decent. I got French toast but it was super soft and wasn’t really the best but it did the trick at the moment.
Next we went to the cliffs. There was a cute train that drove us around. We stopped at observation cafe, lighthouse, and a temple. It was getting cold and it was extremely windy but it was fun. You could see where the East Sea meets the south sea.
Next we went to dinner to celebrate Alexis’ birthday where we had different types of meat. The BBQ place was super cute and nice.
We headed back to the hotel and that’s when I realized I got bad sunburn. I knew I got alittle and my face was fine but my shoulders were fried. Oh well.
The next morning it was rainy. We went to this brunch place that I enjoyed. I got a super yummy banana peanut yogurt that had homemade granola and a raspberry sauce.
Next we headed to a museum. It was cool. There were lots of people there since it was rainy. I really hate the way Korean museums are designed because they don’t flow nicely. People always get backed up and you can’t see and enjoy what you are looking at. But I still had fun.
Next we head to a cafe that is owned by one of the BTS members family. It was a super nice cafe. It was themed Andy Warhol and had a whole bio written about him. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were originally works. There drinks and cakes were very tasty though.
We headed for dinner near our final activity which was very tasty. Next we went to a cable car. Due to the storm the winds were too fast and we were not allowed to ride. It was sad since we went all the way there for it. We decided to hit one more place before we went back. It was a diner themed place. 2 of the SKZ members went there so one of my friends who’s a super big fan took us there. We imitated the pictures in there seats which was actually super fun and their food was really good. The aesthetic of the entire place was super cool.
We headed back to the hotel and that was the end of the night. The next morning we headed out. I went to a different bus station then them. Later did I learn my buses weren’t leaving from there due to the holiday so I could have just taken the taxi with them but oh well. But I got back to pohang and since it was raining I didn’t have an umbrella, this really nice grandma came up from behind me and put her umbrella over my head. She was super sweet.
But that’s the end, I was really tired so I just rested the rest of the day :)
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Thank You For Ruining My Life: An Homage to Tom Cavanagh
“You’ve ruined all my future expectations of men.”
The costume-clad woman had the courage of steel to say this to the then 53-year-old actor, Tom Cavanagh of The Flash, in front of a ballroom filled with a couple hundred people. This brave utterance was spoken during the 2016 Fan Expo Vancouver convention during a Flash question and answer period with actors Tom Cavanagh and Candice Patton. In its third season, the show was undoubtedly still hitting its stride in popularity, and the room was packed to hear these two speak.
The brave woman whose turn it was at the microphone was referring to Tom’s role as Ed Stevens on the NBC 2000 hit, Ed. I had not known of this show previously, but having now heard such a proclamation intrigued me. “You’ve ruined all my future expectations of men.” That was a tempting notion, and as I continued to listen to this disarmingly charming and wittingly funny man steal the stage, Tom intrigued me even more. I’d watched him play three different versions of Harrison Wells on The Flash since the show’s premiere date, yet I hadn’t truly noticed him in a “life-ruining” way before.
Little did I know that Tom Cavanagh would not only eventually ruin my expectations for men as well, but he would change my life in other ways, too.
After the Q&A, I had this urge to buy a S.T.A.R. Labs T-shirt from one of the vendors at the convention. In my head, I thought I would purchase something so that I could have an excuse to talk to Mr. Cavanagh at his signing booth. Again, he intrigued me, and I wanted to experience more of his incredibly likeable personality. So, I dragged my friend with me to wait for what was maybe ten minutes in a queue. Shortly, I was paying the assistant for my autograph I would soon acquire. They wrote my name on a sticky note so that Tom would know how to sign a personalized message to me. And then, it was my turn.
His eyes sparkled when he turned his attention to me. I instantly had a feeling this was just the way he was naturally. Oh yeah, and I swear to God I’d never seen eyes that blue in my entire life. It genuinely stunned me.
“Hi!” he greeted me.
“Hi!” I responded, equally as thrilled. Tom admired the T-shirt I had brought and took note of my name on the piece of paper. I remember us joking together about the extremely lax security in and around S.T.A.R. Labs on the show, which prompted his message to me on the heather-grey cotton. He wrote my name, [followed by a heart!] and a very welcoming, ‘Come on by, just walk right in!’
I had official clearance from Harrison Wells himself.
I thanked him very much, leaving with my treasure folded over my arms. My friend and I walked towards the hall’s exit, and I couldn’t shake this feeling inside me. It felt strange—I couldn’t name it for the life of me. It felt like an odd fluttering with a simultaneous yet contradictory slightness of breath. My head was confused and would continue to be so for the rest of that weekend.
As I waited at my gate in the airport on that Sunday evening to head home, all I knew was that the moments at the con featuring Tom were the highlights of the weekend for me.
And that I was going to begin watching more of the other films and television shows he’d been in. What was the show the brave cosplaying woman had said ruined her expectations of men? Oh yeah, Ed.
Maybe I’ll start there…
***
Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad…
In my house, it’s never really Christmastime until Michael Bublé croons through the speakers of the wooden stereo system in the living room. It felt especially festive as it was now Christmas Eve—a month and some change since the con. It was late, possibly ten o’clock. I was lying on the floor in front of the Christmas tree with my trusty laptop, a word document open. I was writing three holiday-song short stories featuring the new muse in my life, Harrison Wells. I wanted to be able to post them the next day, so my fingers were taptaptapping away.
I had written a handful of things before 2017, most of which had been Marvel-related, under my second, ‘rebirth’ pen name online. I was a little fish among all the grand and fabulous writers on Archive of Our Own, and in many ways, I still feel like that little fish. I was only just learning and feeling out the psyche of the Wells characters. Each one is so different. In my rewatch of the previous seasons of The Flash, I’d taken diligent notes, and as I’d later learn with each following rewatch, I would know them all—what they think, how they talk and behave—like the back of my hand. It was fun to suss out these guys, and I found that I was growing to love the act of writing even more.
One month later, in January, I would post all the stories I’d written thus far on Tumblr. I’d just created an account and, who knows? Maybe I’d get a wider range of readers on here, too.
Might as well give it a shot, right?
***
Wild horses couldn’t keep me from attending Fan Expo Vancouver 2017, especially when the big news dropped. Not only would Tom Cavanagh be attending again, but so would Carlos Valdes, Danielle Panabaker, Candice Patton, and the convention-elusive star of the show himself, Grant Gustin.
Before the moderator for the Flash cast’s Q&A panel could utter the final thanks to the actors at the end of the session, I bounded from my seat and sped down to the photo op booth where the cast would be taking “Team Up” photos with fans. ‘Sped down’ has to be the most appropriate couple of words because I indeed felt like a true Speedster dressed head to toe as the small screen’s adaptation of Jesse Quick, the angsty and brilliant daughter to Harrison Wells turned superhero.
After waiting in a queue that felt like ages, I was next to stand with Team Flash. As I took a step forward, all of the actors’ and actresses’ eyes—the people I spend time with every Tuesday evening—were on me. I heard a familiar voice approve of my costume. It was Danielle.
“Tremendous.”
Grant even joked that he thought for a second Violett Beane, the actress who plays Jesse Quick, had shown up to surprise them. “I was like, what’s Violett doing here?” he said.
I stood in the back row, happily sandwiched between Tom and Carlos. I dared to let my hands rest on their backs, and I couldn’t contain my joy. Shortly after, when I received my near-instant physical photograph of the moment, I saw Tom had pointed at me. In my mind, it felt as if in his gesture, he meant, hey, look at this cool person. Haha. I couldn’t be further from it.
I would go on to further be uncool in public as I later found myself virtually shaking and almost hyperventilating in line for a one-on-one photo op with Tom. The guy dressed as Kid Flash behind me gave me a few encouragements of the “it’ll be okay” variety. As my turn finally arrived, the lovely man of the hour greeted me with a bright smile in recognition of my Reverse Flash T-shirt (I had done a quick change before this photo op because I had worn a Flash T-shirt for a photo with Grant).
“Great shirt!”
The internet comes up with many hilarious and fitting words, but none such so than the term “Cavanarms.” One of the said Cavanarms found its way around my shoulder in such a casual way. My hand rested on his back, and I have told anyone who will listen about how soft his sweater was. What was approximately a five-second interaction will stay with me forever. And to this day, I will always regret how I’m standing beside him in the picture—there’s a distinguishable gap between us. I could have been closer—should have been!—but I like to use the fact that I felt as if I’d combust into flames if I were any closer to the man.
Maybe I’d have another chance to combust later again that day because, believe it or not, this fan hadn’t had enough of seeing Mr. Cavanagh in person. And since he was appearing at the con for this day only, there was no way I was going to squander any opportunities. Besides, there was still one final thing left on my convention docket: the autograph. In my mind, going to get his autograph was an excuse to get to talk to him and simply be in his presence for longer than five seconds. Here, take my money. I’m a sucker, and I’m proud of it. I saved all year for this kind of thing, and Fan Expo has always been my ultimate nerdy Treat Yoself Day.
Plus, this year I came equipped with a question for Tom (something for which I may have prepared a little too far in advance).
“Which of your characters would win in a lawyering battle: Ed or Miles?”
Miles was Tom’s latest character from his newly released project Darrow & Darrow, a fellow lawyer as Ed Stevens (remember, the man who ruins women’s expectations of men?), whom he portrayed almost two decades prior. What I loved about Tom when I got to ask him this was that he was silent for a moment following the question. He was genuinely putting thought into my question. As he pondered, Tom continued to autograph the photo of us together taken mere hours ago.
“Ed. He would wipe the floor with that other guy. Like, Miles is great, but Ed has a rapier-sharp mind, you know?”
I wholeheartedly agreed with his answer and felt relieved inside for some reason. We thanked each other (as politely as two Canadians can) before I left him to pay attention to the next lucky soul in line. I made the mistake of casting my eyes downward at the signed photo.
Tom had signed two little hearts over the I’s in my name. He really needed to stop adding hearts to my things, or I was just going to melt to the floor. In fact, I started to make these strange noises as I tried not to completely maul everyone in front of me while exiting. My friend ushered me as fast as physically possible on our way out of the main hall. One man took one look at me and asked, “Are you okay?”
No.
“Yep!”
The second I made it out of the herd, I broke out into open space. First came the minor hyperventilating. Then came the squealing followed by laughter. Top it off with various fangirlish comments of, “He’s so beautiful!”, “His eyes are so blue!” and “I love him!” and I was probably quite the sight to see (but at a convention, that’s considered normal!). My friend smiled on as she let me express everything that I had to keep inside until I had the right time to expel my emotions. I was on cloud nine. Ten, if at all possible.
The next day would be the con’s final day, which I would attend alone. My friend needed to catch the ferry in order to prepare for her courses the day after. I did a scan of the convention hall one final time in case there was something I missed purchasing. Afterwards, I sat on the cold hard flooring of the convention centre hallway for a bit of a break. I was wiped out. With my phone in hand, I smiled at the messages from this one Tumblr blogger who had been following my posted adventures at the con. I had seen and replied to many of her comments on my stories I’d written thus far, and I enjoyed her matching enthusiasm for Tom and The Flash in general. I felt her to be a kindred spirit. I had no idea then that I was chatting with one of my future best friends, L.
***
I spotted her.
She was wearing an identical shirt to the one I had on—a light grey T-shirt with a sequinned Spider-Man mask in the corner, which around it read, We met on the Web. A giddy me couldn’t wait for the short escalator ride to end. Her back was to me and facing the baggage claim, so here was my chance to surprise her instead.
I towered over my friend, E, and donned a low, authoritative voice.
“Excuse me, Miss, can you come with me?”
She squealed a greeting to me and I returned it as we hugged for the very first time after two and a half years of online friendship. We would still have about two hours to kill until our mutual Tumblr best friend, L, touched down at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport from across the Pond.
Something I noticed was that E and I carried on talking during our wait like it was second nature, that we hung out like this all the time. Whereas when I met L in person for the first time the year previously, our first meeting was that of quiet, delighted shock, unknowing how to react to one another’s physical presence. It almost felt like a fantasy. The closest thing we’d ever gotten to this was visiting over video chats! I’m not sure what each of these different reactions in these separate meetings meant, but what I do know is that I’ve never had such strong female friendships such as these—so full of uplifting support and love for one another. They are the greatest ladies I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.
And as a searching L eventually turned the corner to meet us in the Arrivals terminal, I caught sight of her Tom & Grant bandana tied around the handle to her carry-on bag. It was an item she had received in return for helping fund the short film produced in 2018 (I’d bought the ringtone). Seeing the accessory jolted me to remember that the former of the titular short was the reason for this long-awaited get-together holiday in the Windy City in the first place. Tom Cavanagh, unbeknownst to him, had just officially united three online friends, each from a different country, to spend six full days of in-person bonding and a whole lot of fun.
***
I should have been shelving books.
I should have been doing a lot of library-related tasks, but my head was elsewhere. Anywhere other than the small-town public library where I work. Instead, I sat on the carpeted floor of the Junior/Young Adult section with my phone in hand and a dreadful article title staring back at me.
“The Flash: Carlos Valdes and Tom Cavanagh to Exit after 7 Seasons.”
My world felt like it was falling apart.
Tom was leaving? There had been rumours and wonderings spreading around the fandom regarding whether he was leaving the show. With a storyline ending with a monumental sacrifice and a time-travelling man saying his farewells, it all seemed to point to the fact. I should have known… I could have rivalled Supergirl as being the Paragon of Hope after all the optimism I doled out to my followers and friends who would come to me worried Tom would exit the show. I would always give reasons to deny such a thing could happen, claiming that I’d believe when I saw it.
Well, there it was, and I definitely saw it.
One could feel the ripple effect over the internet of the shards of broken and riled-up hearts around the world.
Tom’s exit was on his terms, having not felt challenged by his character’s plotlines, as mentioned in a recent Entertainment Weekly article. As a viewer—and I am a viewer (Mike and Tom Eat Snacks, anyone?), it has been increasingly difficult to look past the missed shots made by story editors and showrunner, so understandably, the actor would want to seek something more exciting and meatier. That said, Tom has always shone on-screen and taken what he’s been given in stride. He turns unearthed material into diamonds and indeed shines on screen. Steals it, even! Tom easily makes the episodes he’s in better, and when he’s missing, you feel the loss. The few episodes of Season 7 without him only give us a tiny hint at how the show will be without him going forward. It much resembles when you might bring out your favourite jigsaw puzzle, only to find that the one piece you need to complete it isn’t there.
***
On a personal note, as I write this, I am roughly 20 followers away from reaching a milestone of 2,000. I have written well over 200 stories for The Flash alone (whether they be short or long, one-shots or chaptered), and goodness knows how many words I’ve generated altogether over the course of these many years with inspiration from the show and my favourite character. I’ve written and co-written novel-length stories, one monumental Wellsian story of which was done alongside L and E (almost solely done through alternating text messaging in the app, Line) that reached over 108,000 words and consisted of 42 chapters. And when I’m not writing for my blog, I’m also working on trying to accomplish my dream of becoming a published author. Just as I thought before I launched my Tumblr blog, I think again now: Might as well give it a shot, right?
***
I have watched virtually everything Tom has been in that I could get my hands on, both physically and electronically. Sure, a few titles are out of my reach and probably lost to the very early 90's forever, but from what I've seen through Tom's filmography is enough to know that he can do anything. He can play the romantic leading man that will make you fall head over heels for him or a deranged killer that will have you genuinely scared of him. That is talent. Tom always brings something new to the table from each role to the next, and (when he's not playing those psycho killers) you can't help but admire his craft.
Not only is his acting stellar, but from what we as fans have gathered on the man, Tom has got to be one of the kindest men in the business. His humour and sheer ridiculousness could get anyone through a tough time (we’ve seen plenty of bloopers and behind-the-scenes videos to prove this!). He has clearly bottled and stored an endless supply of Fountain of Youth™ and each year continues to wow us with his handsomeness. Tom is charming, dedicated, and yes, arguably holds the world record for Bluest Eyes.
In my eyes, Tom Cavanagh gave me the two best friends I could have ever asked for, as well as plenty more lovely friends I’ve continued to make online. (One day, I hope to meet him again so that I can tell him in person how because of him, I’ve met such very important people in my life). Through Tom, I have truly found my passion for writing, and in doing so, segued me to dare to dream of becoming a published novelist. I wholeheartedly believe all of this would not have happened if it weren’t for those first series of events that led me to meet Tom and love and admire him immensely. He is indisputable proof that there are indeed men like him out there. Indeed, he did ruin all of my future expectations of men. He ruined my life in the absolute best way and I am eternally grateful.
I am very much looking forward to what Tom will do next. I think it’s rather needless to say that I will follow him in his career, as he has gained a devoted fan for life. He represents so much to me and so much of it I have gained since meeting him that fateful day, when I thought to myself, Maybe I should buy this T-shirt and get this guy to sign it. Wherever Tom goes in life, I’ll be here to cheer him on.
I have a pretty good feeling plenty of others will, too.
#i don't exactly want to tag this with his name#but this is a personal essay of sorts regarding tom cavanagh's effect on my life#if you decide to read I hope you enjoy it!
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Princess Daisy : pencils_and_pincushions // photo: that_fedora_photographer
I’m a Canadian cosplayer who has been cosplaying since 2007. I’ve had a love for Victorian fashion since I very young age (my little kid brain basically made the connection that Victorian dresses = women dressing like Disney princesses IRL), but the thing that kickstarted my desire to learn sewing was going to a fabric store with my mother when I was in my senior year of high school and seeing a Butterick pattern catalogue that had Victorian-inspired costumes. Almost instantly I had a lightbulb moment that if I learned to sew, I could actually wear those big fancy gowns I loved.
I entered university and, over the next few years, spent my free time reading and learning everything I could about sewing. In 2007, my best friend invited me to Anime North - she was going as a gothic lolita-inspired version of the Queen of Hearts, so I decided I would make a Mad Hatter to accompany her.
I was so excited that I jumped in completely head-first, and it ended up being my first foray into both sewing and pattern drafting. In hindsight it was wildly ambitious for a first project (and I’m still a little surprised that I actually pulled it off!), but I’m so glad that my enthusiasm made me persevere and psh through the challenges, because I learned a ton from that experience and ended up with a cosplay I was thrilled with.
I remember seeing myself in the mirror the first time and being so happy when I realized I’d been able to bring something to life from my imagination. When my friend and I got to the con, things only got better from there - the atmosphere was so energetic and colourful thanks to all the amazing cosplays, and it was filled with so many fun, enthusiastic, and friendly people. From that day I was officially hooked on cosplay.
I’m part of the Toronto Steampunk Society and, each year at Fan Expo Canada, we hold an Annual Costume Challenge where we pick a theme and encourage people to make a costume based on the theme. A couple of years ago, the theme was ‘steampunk video game characters’ and one of my friends in the TSS, Modern Myths Cosplay, thought it would be cute to do Princess Peach and Princess Daisy.
I loved the idea and, after more discussion, we decided to do a steampunk twist on the Super Smash Bros Brawl version since it was fancier and seemed to lend itself well to a steampunk interpretation. Though Daisy isn’t officially in Brawl, my friend was fortunately able to dig up some fan edits of Peach in Daisy’s colours, so with that we were set.
I usually make my outfits myself, but since my friend and I wanted to ensure our cosplays matched, we decided to work collaboratively and divide things: I would create the bodices and accessories for both gowns, and she would create the skirts and crinolines.
I started off by drafting the base bodice patterns. Since I draft all my costumes, I used my existing bodice block/master patterns for myself and drafted a bodice block from scratch for my friend based on her measurements. One neat thing about working this way was that it basically turned into a girls’ weekend where I was able to teach my friend more about pattern drafting, which ended up making the process unexpectedly fun and memorable.
After I finished fitting my friend’s bodice block, I got to work drafting our bodice patterns based on the reference pics we had collected. Being able to tackle both bodices ended up working well since it enabled me to draft them in a way that made them visually match identical while taking our respective body shapes into account.
A couple of mockups and fittings later, we had an idea of how much fabric we needed, so we went fabric shopping. My friend suggested that we go with richer, more regal-looking tones instead of strictly game-accurate colours, so when we found a place selling gorgeous peau de soie and sparkle organza, I was instantly sold on a gold and burnt orange colour scheme.
We split the fabric based on our respective portions and worked on them separately. I cut and sewed the bodices, which was fairly straight forward but time-consuming! The part that sticks in my mind the most was the center front panel because it had so many pieces and layers - two types of satin, two types of organza (including one that had to be ruched to the base panel in multiple places), five rows of lace, interfacing...and that doesn’t even include the lining!
I also created our jewelry and crowns. The brooches and earrings were made from filigree settings that I painted, glued gems, and attached pin backs and earring hooks to, and the crowns are made from craft foam painted in gold acrylic, with embellishments assembled from painted filigree stampings and gems.
My friend created our cage skirts from 1/4 PEX pipe and brown grosgrain ribbon, which ended up being the perfect hoop skirt material since it was cheap, lightweight, and strong enough to support the huge, heavy skirts. She cut and sewed our skirts (including attaching meters and meters of trim that I’d painted white to better match the game colours) and she also made our bloomers.
The gowns were a huge undertaking and, thanks to work and general real life eating up time, we did end up engaging in the dreaded con crunch, but fortunately in the end we were able to get them to a state where they were pretty and wearable!
The response at the convention was absolutely amazing - I don’t think I’ve ever had a costume elicit the reactions that Princess Daisy did. We figured that, since we were cosplaying the princesses from Mario, there was a good chance we might be recognized, but the thing I wasn’t prepared for was how genuinely happy and excited people were, especially when they saw us together. We literally had kids waving at us from across the street when they spotted us.
Even grown-ups loved it - we were frequently stopped for pictures, and even a couple of the folks in the dealer’s room who were running booths would break into huge smiles and ask for pictures. Plus, people loved the steampunk twist and were delighted when they realized how much our costumes matched.
The best, most heartwarming response to my Princess Daisy cosplay happened when I met up with some other friends and one tapped me on the shoulder, pointed behind me and said, “I think she wants a picture with the princess.” I turned around and, standing a few feet away, was this adorable, super shy little black girl who was staring in my direction. My heart instantly melted and I went over to her and had a little chat and took a picture with her.
As a black cosplayer who has run several panels on BIPOC cosplay and spoken about the importance of diversity and representation in cosplay, being able to show that sweet little girl that someone who looks like her can be a princess - and showing kids of other races that Princess Daisy can be black - was a vivid reminder that representation does matter.
Since I got into the hobby, cosplay has been a big part of my life and has positively impacted me in so many ways. It has been an incredible creative outlet that has given me the chance to express myself, and it has allowed me to meet so many wonderful people - many of whom are now among my closest friends. However, I think one of the most rewarding things about cosplay has been how it has allowed me to provide BIPOC cosplay representation and visibility within my local cosplay community. I often do Afro-steampunk cosplay, and one of the most unexpectedly moving things I’ve experienced has been other BIPOC saying to me that seeing my outfits make them feel like they can cosplay.
It has been humbling and has motivated me to get more involved in the cons I attend. For the past several years I’ve run panels on diversity in cosplay/steampunk as well as sewing and cosplay construction, which has enabled me to share the knowledge and skills I’ve learned. I also lead the steampunk section of the Anime North Fashion Show, and I’ve made a point to recruit as diverse a roster of models as possible. I’m happy that we’ve been able to showcase steampunk looks inspired by various cultures including Chinese, Indian, and Morrocan.
Another plus is that the sewing skills I’ve learned from cosplay have come in handy in other areas of my life. It has been fun - and surprisingly empowering - to be at a point where I can use my sewing ability to create one-of-a-kind outfits for formal work events (like office holiday parties) that make me feel pretty and confident.
Something I’ve frequently mentioned during my BIPOC cosplay/steampunk panels is that the simple act of showing up to a con or event in cosplay can have an impact because you never know how much that visibility can inspire other BIPOC to get into the hobby, so my advice to anyone wanting to get into cosplay is to do it! Overall I have found it to be a fun, creative, energizing experience.
While I’ve been extremely fortunate to have had overwhelmingly positive experiences while cosplaying, I recognize that, unfortunately, BIPOC do sometimes face harassment and outright racist comments (especially online) that can make getting into the hobby seem scary. Finding welcoming, supportive spaces in person and online can be a big help (the POC Cosplay group on Facebook is great for this) - plus, thanks to things like #28DaysOfBlackCosplay, there is more visibility and inspiration out there than ever before.
The other thing I’d add is to treat each cosplay as a learning experience. Being able to work so closely with my friend on creating a cosplay was a completely different creation process than I’m used to, and it was really cool to be able to learn from each other’s different working styles and experience. It was great to teach her pattern drafting and see how happy she was to learn skills she could apply to future cosplays, and I was so excited when she showed me her PEX pipe hoop skirt method. Looking back on my Princess Daisy cosplay makes me smile because it’s almost like a physical representation of the fun we have cosplaying together.
#princess daisy#princess daisy cosplay#cosplay#black cosplay#black cosplayer#poc cosplay#poc cosplayer#cosplay interview#steampunk
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It’s not criticism it’s just a funny score that happened to both the six and the leafs. Not funny for the fans but funny for everyone else.
Spain does seem pretty good and from what I’ve heard the US seems to have trouble scoring against them. They’ll be fun to watch in the euros. I also feel like the funding is an issue for a lot of the national teams cause England wasn’t helped by the FA until 1994 (or something like that) and England banned womens football from like 1921-1970 (ish) so I feel a lot of euro countries may have similar issues it’s fun to see them go past it. I agree with that as well the media focuses on the favourites rather than the people who played the games / are the best and if it ever goes to a fan vote thier fave person rather than who the best player is :(.
Maam how are you eating whole raw tomatoes and not liking the soup? Like crack some black pepper and salt in it and have toast/bread to dip in >>>>>.
😂😂 mood that’s why I love ridiculously long overtimes, it’s like lmao get this dude some pizza and an energy drink cause they all look so tired and like bro just score , and it’s like fun watching everyone give the goalie hugs and stuff bc goalies ❤️❤️ the only time I hate overtime is when it’s a game on my home rink and I’m the slot after it . Lol it’s mad they can just throw any player on a position to keep them fresh, it’s a good idea tbf just insane .
Ooo that’s cool it seems similar to the nhl playoffs , I’ll watch the 7th first and then the entire game , cause it looks and sounds cool!
I will defo support the jays as no expos :( so I’ll support the only Canadian team cause I legit only like Canadian nhl teams. who’s your fave current player?
😂😂that’s a mood, I watch like literally any hockey leauge in both mens and womens and he’ll watch sometimes. English ice hockey is fun cause it’s just insane, a goalie got suspended for checking someone (he checks a ton) we have like a fight every game and some weird rivalries and chants. And our uni hockey system is fun cause it’s a playoff weekend and you stay Friday Saturday Sunday and it just a party and hockey which we vibe with .
It’s annoying for me cause I like to react a ton and scream when we score or save and I have to hide it. Why do t u just connect your laotop to the tv or share laptop so you don’t get spoilt ?
Nah your right the penguins are in Pittsburg , they have a rivalry with the flyers I’m pretty sure. The flyers have a cool goalie who may play for Canada but it’s not clear cause you bois don’t really have great goalies in the nhl who are healthy. The pens have you boi Crosby .
It would depend player to player, some like me are really fussy with the tape , others don’t really care. The tape just effects how you can love the puck as less tape = less friction so shots are a bit faster but it’s harder to control the puck. It’s a very minimal difference but we move, I can feel when it’s off so I’d have to change, I’ve switched sticks in a game (I have two of the exact same stick) cause I wasn’t playing well, so that should show u the logic of hockey players.😂
I’ll try google some but usa I’m thinking thier normal navy , striped arms on a slant in red and white. Stars outlines in gold on thier shoulder and an eagle logo . Cause America like eagles? Thier throwback one for the world juniors tho , I’d it was stitched and not printed and then a eagle logo >>>>🏒
I’m warning you right now I haven’t been sleeping so this answer might be all over the place
Oh yeah Spain’s a bitch to score against and they do have a good offence, but I think they’re problem is they tend to pass a lot and keep possession rather than going a direct route and shooting so they don’t score as much as they could. But yeah a lot of women’s teams have historically not been well funded and it shows, it’s really showing now when you have some teams that have a lot more funding now but some who don’t and the gap is really big but I think it’s just growing pains you know? Not every team will develop at the same pace and we just gotta stick it out until things get more equal
Okay look tomato soup doesn’t taste like tomatoes! I like tomatoes when they have a texture I like to chew tomatoes I don’t wanna drink them!!
I know I always say I hate overtime but there’s something about a game that goes on forever and you can tell everyone’s just like ugh can’t we be done now 😂 that’s the thing with baseball, everyone has a position but there’s no rule against moving them around during a game, the only thing you can’t do is once you pull a player you can’t put them back in which is why teams run out of pitchers in extra innings because most relievers can only pitch 1 inning, max 2, but teams very rarely have long guys anymore, sometimes when a game goes really long a team will put in their starting pitcher for the next game just to have someone who can go 3-5 innings
Oh the seventh inning what an inning I love it, I honestly don’t remember much of the rest of the game but I remember the seventh inning, man I miss the 2015-2017 jays
Oh true rip expos, Vladimir Guerrero Jr’s dad used to play for the expos fun fact so there’s pictures of baby Vladdy in the expos stadium with his dad, my favourite baseball player currently is probably….. Vladdy or Lourdes Gurriel Jr, but I do like Taylor Saucedo but only because I can call him saucy 😂
I’m a new hockey fan 😂 I only watch the women so far but the more I watch the more I realize just how much I actually love hockey I’m realizing my true Canadian nature I said eh earlier I say hockey like hawk-ey I heard Manitoba’s going down to -28C tonight and I said oh a nice refreshing cool night 😂😂
The problem is our tv is green like the colours messed up, so we can connect our laptops to it but then the video would just be green 😂 and our laptops are small mines only like 13 inches 😂
My boy Crosby! I knew the penguins were somebody, there’s too many nhl team I can’t remember them all
Oh that’s like with soccer how everyone has their own preference for how they wear their shin pads and stuff, but I totally get you, my old teammate had tiny feet but when she was 12 her parents bought her cleats a couple sizes too big assuming that her feet would grow but they didn’t so she played with like 3 or 4 pairs of socks on but then she got cleats that actually fit, played maybe 15 minutes one game and then ran to the sideline to change back to the too big ones 😂 I will retie my cleats probably 5 times when I put them on because they have to be the right amount of tight and I must triple knot them I can’t double knot it’s not enough
Oh yeah your idea sounds 1000% better already, America’s national animal is the eagle I think? But for real @ Nike are you listening??
Also did you see the petes won today?? I turned the game on during the intermission of the Canada one and it was 9-1 for Hamilton in the second so I gave up on it but they came back to win 11-10!! I can’t believe it 😂😂
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