Haven't been able to think about anything other than the victorian/edwardian/WW1 twink and his 80's punk almost-boyfriend for a week, send help

Hi, this is random, but I just wanted to say I love your blog! You have such a fine curation of posts, I especially like your art and history tags, I scroll through them every once in a while and they always make me so emotional (in a good way!) Also love that thing you do sometimes where you write stuff like "HELL YEAH!!" in the tags of art posts, I don't know anyone else who gets excited about art like that and I think that's so cool! Also I feel like you do that with mostly modern art and I think I'm someone who doesn't really "get" modern art, but your excitement always inspires me to look at the artwork for longer and try to understand it better, like you just make me appreciate art a little more and I wanted to thank you for that! I hope this message wasn't too weird lol, have a nice day!

hiii this is not weird at all it's very sweet thank you :'') literally all i want is to get people to look at art thank you so much for spending some time with my little curations 😭💞

also. i know you didn't ask but i also used to be someone who didn't get modern art so here's some stuff that helped reorient me to have a better understanding and appreciation of modern art! if you check it out hope its interesting and helpful :-)

first up is ad reinhardt's how to look comics!

he made a lot of them and i've only read a handful of panels so i won't claim them all as good lol but these panels are really good! this is my favorite image ever maybe it is so good i always say this to myself. i think its a fantastic way to approach all art but its especially helpful for abstract/non-representational art! this was actually the way i got into mark rothko my friend mark rothko. allowing yourself to feel whatever you are feeling in the moment and react instinctually to the colors, lines, whatever visual element and sitting with it, questioning it (why does this color make me feel this way, how does the paint/materiality of this piece feel) and seeing where it takes you is just good good fun i love it. also see this lynda barry comic its a very similar sentiment

if that doesn't do much for me, i usually turn to this. its a little visualization of different modernisms with the same subject with a little description of the goals (so to speak) of different styles. reinhardt wrote in one of these comics that you really do need to know art history to interpret modern art, and i think my opinion is more idealistic than that lol, but it is one way to approach modern art. there are certain artists (like kandinsky for example) that i need to approach from a historical perspective to appreciate. so i think this is a handy little cheat sheet for when you're lost looking at a painting!

some websites i like for art history are smarthistory and the art story. i watched a lot of smarthistory videos when i was just getting into art history bc they do a nice job of balancing historical context with visual analysis in a way that easy to understand, and since then they've added a lot of essays and stuff to their website that cover a lot of different subjects! its not just modern art too, we watched a couple of their videos in a class i took on iberian art 1500-1800! good stuff for whatever kind of art catches ur fancy. the art story focuses mainly on modern and contemporary art, but they've also got the Big Guys of baroque and renaissance art. they have articles on artistic movements but i mostly use them for their pages on individual artists. they've got a main points section, biography, selected works, a super awesome influences chart, and they have further reading recommendations. really good for digging deep into an artist.

if you (or anyone) have gotten this far hope these are cool intros to art and art history! this really was my idea of fun from like. 10th to 12th grade lol i just went onto one of those sites and poked around for a couple of hours i was having a blast! i love art <3

svt in college! | alex edition

° pairing: ot13 x reader ° genre: fluff(?), what my stream of consciousness finds funny, college!au ° word count: 1034 ° warning: slightttt violence ° a/n: i know i have requests to write >< but i really needed to write smth fun :( act as a shot of of serotonin into my veins ahahaha [insert fratboy emoji] disclaimer tho - this was ENTIRELY SELF INDULGENT and very very catered to me which is why vernon’s is unnecessarily long SO IM SORRY !!! i still hope you guys think its fun :D

° masterlist! 

seungcheol: a business major, minoring in international relations. has the slightest crush on you but suppresses it pretty well without you realizing because he knows you like someone else. he likes to take you on what he calls bestie dates to a nearby arcade or places to eat when you’re stressed.

jeonghan: a psych major, minoring in communications, whom you oddly spend a lot of time with because he asks for homework help every other day when you’ve only taken 1-2 psych classes in your entire life :P but he’s a good listener and subs in as therapist on the weekdays so you let him stick around. 

joshua: an english major. doesn’t know why and slightly regrets it but if it means he can keep the tinie bookshelf he has in his doom to make it look like he’s smart, then that’s motivation to keep him going. you tolerate him because you guys randomly go on trips at 2am and buys you food :D

jun: a childhood education major. the friend of a friend of a friend of someone’s cousin that happen to be your friend and so you see him at parties sometimes :) actually really fun to be around when you’re not too much into the party scene and play hopscotch or bean bag toss outside the persons’ backyard. 

soonyoung: the loud dance team captain that won’t give you 5 minutes of quiet time waiting for your chem professor to open the door to the lab room because he has his speakers on at max volume dancing to kelly clarkson,,,, he’s pretty chill otherwise, he’s in my math class. claims hes the eye of the tiger when he comes to class in leopard print

wonwoo: premed that’s somehow taking enough classes to graduate with a literature minor. he and cheol talk a lot because they’re in the same broadcasting club or something of the sort. you guys acknowledge each other’s presence and share a moment of tea together sometimes with cheol.

jihoon: double majoring in music composition and theory. says he absolutely hates it because he thinks the work he does is completely pointless. but then goes on to write you like 27484737 love songs within a week for a single assignment. denies to other people that you’re his best friend and that he hates your guts but you’re the only one allowed in his private studio on school days and can fiddle with his equipment sometimes :3

minghao: an art major minoring in history. eventually wants to be a gallery director so he can hold his own. you make him drag you everyone for his work when you’re bored or have free time bc he takes pictures for the school newspaper/website. you guys strike a negotiation that you drive and he buys snacks. 

mingyu: you only know him for playing in your uni’s (american) football team. his tall ass is like linebacker or some shit you don’t even know his major. you had to take a kickboxing class for PE credit and you swept him to the ground and put him a choke hold. you never let him live that down everrr. you also steal his lunch money from his bag when he’s at practice.

seokmin: a musical theatre major, minoring in music composition. you guys met through jihoon. you were absolutely FLOORED when you heard him sing as the lead for the school’s spring musical. it is now tradition that you guys get crepes after every show and make jihoon pay B) he hangs out with you and jihoon a lot and randomly make music together. and ahahaha people think jihoon and seokmin are fighting over you!! >:( that’s absolutely preposterous, seokmin is too good of a soul (you say this as you help him kneed dough for the pizza you guys are making together)

seungkwan: an education major, minoring in music because he wants to teach music to little kiddos ^-^ THE BESTEST OF THE BESTIES!!! like if you’re not hanging out with jihoon/seokmin or cheol, you crash at seungkwan’s apartment and raids his kitchen when you run out of groceries ;D he keeps making fun of you for your car until you remind him that he can’t drive. on the weekends, you guys love to bake muffin, cookie, or cake recipes to prep for the daycare on mondays :3

vernon: okay actually, he doesn’t go to college SHDJSJSHS you met him on the side of the road once when you decided to walk instead of using your car (silly you!) and you saw vernon doing some cool graffiti art (IT WASN’T VANDALISM!!!). which was a total coincidence because at that point, you were ready to take a bus and wait right at the bus stop where he set up. since it was a long wait, you guys talked and he kept you company. you learn that this is actually a big project he’s been working on and is finally getting paid big bucks for something he really likes doing. you learn that he’s a great conversationalist and you miss the bus first bus ride home and have to wait another hour or so whoops! this becomes more and more of a daily thing, slowly getting to know each other. fast forward months later and it’s your birthday :D and you don’t expect anything at all because how would he know, you don’t really like your birthday anyways UNTIL vernon surprises you with a spray paint drawing of your favorite animal! and then asks you out on a date and you guys fall deeply in love

chan: a linguistics major. yeah, he doesn’t know why either, he’s just rolling with it. says he’s liking it so far, but no one really knows if he’s lying or not, including yourself. you drag chan to college events like club fairs and rallies because you’re too embarrassed to go alone and no one else wants to go LOL he begs you to drive him places during your three day weekends because he always wants to go off campus and do stuff with you and the guy pals, but he doesn’t like the freeway :/ its fine though because he pays for gas. 

Weird Asks That Say A Lot

I said I was going to just answer all of these bc of boredom,, and so here I am

1. Coffee mugs, teacups, wine glasses, water bottles, or soda cans? Teacups are aesthetically pleasing idc what anyone says

2. Chocolate bars or lollipops? Lollipops

3. Bubblegum or cotton candy? Cotton candy supremacy

4. How did your elementary school teachers describe you? I was told that I was a leader a lot, and was told that I was very intelligent. Ah yes, I suffered from gifted kid burn out in high school-

5. Do you prefer to drink soda from soda cans, soda bottles, plastic cups or glass cups? Look, plastic cups are the best. Specifically the ones with the lids and reusable straws

6. Pastel, boho, tomboy, preppy, goth, grunge, formal or sportswear? It truly depends on the day bc some days I would say goth and other days I’d say grunge, but most days- pastel

7. Earbuds or headphones? Earbuds

8. Movies or TV shows? TV shows bc- idk actually I’m just not a movie person

9. Favorite smell in the summer? I have a weird obsession with the smell of cheap sunscreen and I have no clue why

10. Game you were best at in p.e.? I hated gym in high school and rarely participated despite the teacher being irritated with me (truly she gave up after a few months bc I really did not care at all) HOWEVER- I went to town in volleyball and still enjoy playing volleyball v much

11. What do you have for breakfast on an average day? I don’t eat breakfast often,,, 

12. Name of your favorite playlist? Probably my Navy or Indigo playlist

13. Lanyard or key ring? Key ring 

14. Favorite non-chocolate candy? Anything green apple!!!

15. Favorite book you read as a school assignment? I actually genuinely enjoyed Romeo And Juliet tbh

16. Most comfortable position to sit in? I always curl up in a ball on the couch, but in a chair I manspread ngl

17. Most frequently worn pair of shoes? Nike slides <//3

18. Ideal weather? Between 50-70 degrees, sunny but not warm, being able to wear a hoodie and not be hot or cold

19. Sleeping position? I usually either sleep on my left side or on my stomach (my back once in a while when it’s hurting bc I’m a hag)

20. Preferred place to write (i.e., in a note book, on your laptop, sketchpad, post-it notes, etc.)? I write on my phone more than anything

21. Obsession from childhood? Hm- I was really obsessed with High School Musical as a kid. My friend and I would put it on and lip sync to the songs and pretend we were the characters

22. Role model? Is it- wrong to say myself? Bc I feel like that sounds arrogant but genuinely it’s bc I’m constantly trying to better myself mentally and learn and grow. Idk I just am proud of who I am and look to myself when I need to find motivation

23. Strange habits? Strange? Idk if it’s strange but I’m constantly twiddling with the hem of my sleeves bc I love the feeling of it

24. Favorite crystal? Citrine 

25. First song you remember hearing? WH- bitch idk tf

26. Favorite activity to do in warm weather? Stay tf inside in the air conditioning

27. Favorite activity to do in cold weather? Stay tf inside in the heat

28. Five songs to describe you? To describe me?? Girl idk I'm all over the place. How about songs that resonate with me instead,,, Alive by Khalid, Paranoid by Lauv, Phobia by Dvwn, Fake Smile by Ariana Grande, and Breathin by Ariana Grande

29. Best way to bond with you? Truly I'm not very difficult to get along with, just don't be an asshole. Talk to me about psychology, current events, say Soobin is the cutest to exist idk it's not that hard

30. Places that you find sacred? I- hm. I'm not like a church person or anything so idk. Maybe just anything really old or places with very detailed and unique architecture

31. What outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names? I don't own many clothes,,, let alone nice clothes. I also don't really dress to impress I'd much rather be comfortable

32. Top five favorite vines? Oh god if I h a d to pick???? The lipstick in the Valentino bag, they were roommates, it's an avocado- thaaanks, jared 19, and uh,,, zach stooppp you're gonna get in trouble

33. Most used phrase in your phone? Tbh it's probably "girl what-" or "no bc"

34. Advertisements you have stuck in your head? That 877-CASH-NOW ONE JFC

35. Average time you fall asleep? Between 11pm-1am

36. What is the first meme you remember ever seeing? Probably the troll face one or smth

37. Suitcase or duffel bag? Suitcase

38. Lemonade or tea? I mix them together!

39. Lemon cake or lemon meringue pie? Lemon meringue pie bc I don't really like cake

40. Weirdest thing to ever happen at your school? Y'all I- went to a hs/college mixed school,, I've seen it all. Weirdest?? Idk but one weird thing I remember was when we were making whistles in art and some dude made a penis whistle 😭

41. Last person you texted? My best friend :))

42. Jacket pockets or pants pockets? Jacket pockets

43. Hoodie, leather jacket, cardigan, jean jacket or bomber jacket? Hoodie 100%

44. Favorite scent for soap? I love soaps that smell like soap. Like ok duh I know that sounds dumb but yk what I mean? I don't want lemon or mint or whatever, I like the plain soap smell

45. Which genre: sci-fi, fantasy or superhero? Fantasy

46. Most comfortable outfit to sleep in? Oversized t-shirt, no pants. I question anyone that is comfortable sleeping with pants on-

47. Favorite type of cheese? Feta!

48. If you were a fruit, what kind would you be? I feel like I'd be a pineapple and I have no clue why

49. What saying or quote do you live by? Not necessarily a quote but more of a thought: live for yourself, enjoy each day, do what gives you joy

50. What made you laugh the hardest you ever have? I have had so many instances in which I have laughed so hard I peed and to even attempt to name one is impossible

51. Current stresses? Making sure my family gets their vaccines and stays safe

52. Favorite font? I don't think I have one? Anything except comic sans

53. What is the current state of your hands? What does this even mean 💀 I mean,, they're holding my phone, cold, and my nails are unpolished

54. What did you learn from your first job? That people are assholes but I'm capable of not giving a fuck bc life is not that damn serious

55. Favorite fairy tale? Is The Three Little Pigs considered a fairy tale?

56. Favorite tradition? Putting up the Christmas tree with my mom :( it's always a lot of fun

57. The three biggest struggles you’ve overcome? Depression, grief, and hopefully one day- smth I'm currently dealing with

58. Four talents you’re proud of having? Makeup!! But also: singing, crying on command, and tying cherry stems with my tongue

59. If you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be? Sick of these bitches

60. If you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be? I don't watch anime so idk

61. Favorite line you heard from a book/movie/tv show/etc.? It's this line from Eleanor & Park: "Eleanor was right: She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn't supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something."

62. Seven characters you relate to? Holy hell, 7?? Probably won't get that many but hm,,, Darlene from Roseanne, Hermione from Harry Potter, Emily from Pretty Little Liars maybe?? Idk I suddenly blanked

63. Five songs that would play in your club? As if it's Your Last by BP, anything from SHINee, anything from Ariana, also anything Rihanna, just a bunch of women tbh

64. Favorite website from your childhood? FUCKING WEBKINZ BRO

65. Any permanent scars? I have a few on my arms idk where they came from tbh, I also have one on my hand from my sister 🧍🏻‍♀

66. Favorite flower(s)? Sunflowers!!! I also really love lilacs 💔

67. Good luck charms? My dog's collar that I wear as a bracelet

68. Worst flavor of any food or drink you’ve ever tried? Licorice-

69. A fun fact that you don’t know how you learned? It takes repeating a piece of information 12 times at random to memorize it completely

70. Left or right handed? Right

71. Least favorite pattern? Fucking chevron- and realistic camo, and anything with the American flag

72. Worst subject? Yall im awful at history. American history, world history, all of it-

73. Favorite weird flavor combo? Either pickles and peanut butter or cheese and grapes

74. At what pain level out of ten (1 through 10) do you have to be at before you take an advil or ibuprofen? I'm stubborn but also always in pain so I've become numb to a lot of body pains. I have to be at like a 7-8 before I take smth otherwise I'd always be taking it

75. When did you lose your first tooth? I was probably like 5 I was definitely in Kindergarten

76. What’s your favorite potato food (i.e. tater tots, baked potatoes, fries, chips, etc.)? I fw baked potatoes

77. Best plant to grow on a windowsill? I have a love for succulents

78. Coffee from a gas station or sushi from a grocery store? Oh my- I don't drink coffee but coffee from a gas station

79. Which looks better, your school id photo or your driver’s license photo? Driver's license for sure

80. Earth tones or jewel tones? Jewel tones

81. Fireflies or lightning bugs? I say both,, but I think I say lightning bugs more

82. PC or console? PC

83. Writing or drawing? Both

84. Podcasts or talk radio? Podcasts definitely

84. Barbie or polly pocket? Barbie

85. Fairy tales or mythology? Fairy tales

86. Cookies or cupcakes? C o o k i e s

87. Your greatest fear? Losing people I love

88. Your greatest wish? To live comfortably and be a great mother

89. Who would you put before everyone else? My family

90. Luckiest mistake? Guessing on 90% of a test and getting an A 💀

91. Boxes or bags? Bags are easier to carry-

92. Lamps, overhead lights, sunlight or fairy lights? Fairy lights!!

93. Nicknames? Sam, Sammi, my sister calls me Sams, my best friend calls me Bub, and my gf calls me Baby if that counts- 👀

94. Favorite season? Fall omg it's gorgeous and has perfect temperatures

95. Favorite app on your phone? ✨tumblr✨

96. Desktop background? Its literally a pic of Soobin, Taehyun, and Beomgyu

97. How many phone numbers do you have memorized? Like 4-5

98. Favorite historical era? The one where white people learn their fucking place and stop being racist, homophobic, classist, sexist, all the -ists and -phobics,,,, so none. Fuck history :))

The Official Lovelytonys Guide to Iron Man Comics

Not to toot my own horn, but I’m about to save some lives. Buckle up.

Six months ago, I was asked for comic recs. I’m posting those recs today. Why so long? Because I couldn’t just make a rec list, no, I’m too extra for that. I had to go and make, to the best of my ability and knowledge, my own entire personal guide to Iron Man comics. I also have a tendency to start projects and not do them. But I did this one! And now I share it with you.

For your assistance, I’m going to link this Comic Book Herald article which is a full Iron Man reading order (LIFESAVER) and has links to amazon to buy the collections & arcs being talked about if you are so inclined.

You can find comics on amazon, ebay, the marvel website or Marvel Digital Comics Store (you can buy digital versions of comics), or just find a local comic shop and see what they have. You can easily find any comic you want free to read online, but the websites are a little shady. I’ll leave it to your discretion.

Disclaimer: Remember that these are all my personal opinions. Often, they will not line up with popular opinions. You might really like stuff that I didn’t care for. You might dislike my favorites. You might agree with my opinions. If any comic fans read this and are offended by any of my opinions, please don’t be!! Opinions on comics are SO subjective, just find out what you like and stick to it. I just figured I’d lend my own personal helping hand for you get started, because doing so can be intimidating.

WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, let’s begin under the cut! (If you are on mobile...I am so, so sorry about this)

Short version (the recommendation-y part)

Recs because I like them:

Iron Man Volume 3 (1998)- #1-25 (my actual absolute FAVORITE RUN of all time and my number one recommendation. It’s by Kurt Busiek, Roger Stern, and Sean Chen), #26-30, #62-63, #73-78. Iron Man Volume 4 (2005) #1-35.  Invincible Iron Man (2008) spanned many years so you should read at least some, and it has many fans, but I am not one of them, so I’m not gonna rec too much. Issues #1-6 and its epilogue, #7, are worth a read and the arc spanning #8-19 is probably the best from the era, I would say that I enjoyed that arc. Next is Brian Michael Bendis’ stuff, which has a pretty bad rep and while I don’t hate it as much as others do, I wouldn’t say I love it. It is, however, the most recent completed run & important stuff happens, and there’s some good stuff here and there, so yeah. I don’t really have any specific recs from here...just read the whole thing and see what you get out of it or scroll down to the guide section and see the highlights I picked out. Invincible Iron Man (2015) #1-25, and Invincible Iron Man (2016) #1-600 (they changed the numbering halfway through, it’s not 600 issues it’s only I think 19).

Recs because important stuff happens even if I don’t necessarily like them:

Civil War I (occurs during the Iron Man run starting in 2005), Civil War II (occurs during Brian Michael Bendis era), Iron Man (2012) #9-17 “The Secret Origin of Tony Stark.”

Long version (the guide-y part)

First off, I’m going to tell you that my suggested starting points are Invincible Iron Man (1998) which was my starting point, and Invincible Iron Man (2005). Much more on those below.

I haven’t read Mr. Stark’s classic adventures yet because there’s a daunting number of them and I still need to find a starting point, so we’re gonna start with...

Volume 3 (1998):

Okay I have SO MUCH to say here because I’d die for this volume!! It’s considered by many to be nothing special but there’s a lot to appreciate if you’re a fan of Tony in the way that many are here on tumblr- caring about character development & character moments first and foremost. I’ll break down my favorites for ya

#1- does a good job of setting the tone for Tony and this era of Invincible Iron Man. Some nice Tony character details are in there. Volume 3 is started with Kurt Busiek writing (later joined by Roger Stern) and Sean Chen on pencils. I LOVED this team, this is my FAVORITE run of Iron Man that I’ve read, PLEASE read all 25 issues. I thought Busiek understood Tony really well and I just loved the way Chen drew Tony (and everything else), and their first issue is surprisingly enjoyable for mostly existing to set the groundwork for a fresh start.

#4-5- I think this is where the run starts to kick into gear. Tony’s on-and-off girlfriend for the era, Rumiko, is introduced and she’s fun (but as the years went on, deserved much better writing). Tony kicks some butt & is a hero.

#6- an awesome Iron Man/Black Widow team up. It shows a really nice friendship between Tony & Nat. Also, Nat kicks butt & it’s great

I’m recommending every issue that builds Tony’s relationship with Carol Danvers (at this time, she was Warbird, not Captain Marvel). #7, #11-12, #18, #19, #21, and #23-25. Their storyline details Tony’s endeavors to help Carol overcome alcoholism. At least read the Carol parts of the issues she’s only in a few panels of. Major highlight of the Iron Man comics I’ve read. Also- knowing this background will definitely make Civil War II have more weight

#8-12- Tony gets the actual daylights beaten out of him and then some, leading into a compelling 2-issue Mandarin arc, this then leads into an interesting 2-issue team up with Warbird that gives us an answer as to why his injuries were so bad. It hurts but it’s good

#13- an actually really compelling single-issue story that involves some trippy, creepy mind control stuff and takes a look into Tony’s head- specifically questioning whether or not being Iron Man has become an addiction. You can’t tell yet but I’m trying my hardest to not recommend every single issue

#26-30- The Mask in the Iron Man arc. This is the first issue without Busiek writing- Joe Quesada steps in and it’s good stuff. It’s also Sean Chen’s last arc. It starts with Tony punching a guy in the face to protect Rumiko but getting punched back and having to wear a nose splint- it’s really cute. Then Tony and Ru run into relationship problems. Then the Iron Man armor becomes sentient, basically falls in love with Tony, and kidnaps him on a remote island. Wait-what? Yeah, it’s really weird in hindsight, but while you’re reading it, it sure does pull you in. One of the biggest standouts of the whole era and something of an instant classic. Also, the first few pages of #31 give you a little aftermath.

#37-40- this wasn’t my favorite arc but I’m recommending it just because of how wild it ends up being. These were the days when IIM wasn’t afraid to have a big imagination. And I mean big, like, who thought of this? Well, Frank Tieri is writing at this point (he’s okay, not my favorite of the volume), and Alitha Martinez & Paul Ryan are on pencils (it’s fine, but you’ll miss Sean Chen) (you’ll always miss Sean Chen). Also, a major player in this arc is Tiberius Stone so maybe read it to know who he is.

#50- “Tinman”. Issue 50 was meant to be a place for new readers to jump in. Mike Grell & Michael Ryan are at the reigns as writer and artist. Grell’s characterization was fairly solid, my favorite next to Busiek in this era. His version of Tony is more in touch with his emotions, I guess, than some like to characterize him. Sometimes he gets aggressive when he’s angry but there’s also a lot of really sweet moments and they portray him as doing a lot of good, like funding a rehab/safehouse for kids on the street. Grell’s stories are generally grittier and more violent but Tony himself doesn’t really take a dark turn. Issue #50 has both action and a VERY SOFT Tony, definitely recommend it

#53-55- “Book of the Ten Rings”. Again, it’s grittier than the stuff that came before it, but it’s good. Once the main story wraps up, something really important happens at the end. Also, it’s important to note here for people that weren’t previously into comics that at this point, Pepper and Happy are a thing, not Pepper and Tony as seen in the MCU

#59-61- “In Shining Armor”. Tony travels back to Medieval times and it’s not exactly a good time for him but it’s a wild time for us. Gotta love a good old fashioned time travel arc

#62-63- “You Can’t Always Get”. Oh god PLEASE read this one, if you only listen to one of my post-Busiek & Chen recs this is the one, the Tony content is so precious

#73-78- “The Best Defense”. The arc detailing Tony’s journey to becoming Secretary of Defense because yes, that happened. A very interesting concept to watch Tony go through and one of the most notable stories in this era.

Volume 4 (2005):

This is the last of what I consider the Really Good Stuff (except for Civil War, but we’ll get there). These comics defined Tony Stark as we know him today, and you’ll notice that MCU Tony was definitely influenced by them. If you’re starting here, it’ll be Iron Man as you basically already know it. If you’re coming here off of Volume 3, then you’ll notice the tone of not just the stories but of Tony himself get darker. For whatever reason, writers looked at Tony and said “let’s find ways to bring his morals into question bc that’s Interesting!” It’s not bad (the Iron Man title, that is- Civil War is bad) but it doesn’t really reflect what came before it, I guess. I’m recommending all 35 issues bc why not but I’ll break it down for ya & make sure to point out my favorites

#1-6- “Extremis”. A must read. One of the most iconic Iron Man stories in 21st century comic history. It’s on everyone’s list. You are, as an Iron Man fan looking to get into IM comics, legally obligated to read this. This would also be the arc where I believe the MCU looked for inspiration for Tony characterization. Also Extremis obviously ended up in the MCU but it’s like way different in the MCU than in the source material

#7-12- “Execute Program”- Basically, Tony is screwed up post-Extremis. Poor guy. Please read this. Directly leads to Civil War…

Civil War (2006) #1-7- Ugh. So. Civil War. In my personal opinion- not a fan. I actually like the movie MUCH better and imo the movie is the way this should have been written. Unfortunately, you’ve gotta read it because it’s an important event. You’ll see people calling it “Tony Stark characterization murder” and THAT’S VALID. Like. Tony suddenly became...a villain?? literally the worst?? under the poorly written guise of “just doing what I have to do” but the stuff that happens….it just can’t be explained with “doing what I have to do”. Honestly it reads like the writers just wanted to pit Tony against Steve and didn’t care about keeping him in character. Tony basically had to be turned into a villain to make the story work because In-Character Tony would not have fit their needs. It sucks and I don’t want to recommend it but you have to read it because it affects so much that comes after it.

THE ONLY CIVIL WAR ANYTHING YOU SHOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER are tie ins and oneshots and I will tell you a couple

Invincible Iron Man #13-14- IIM’s CW tie ins. Issue 13 comes after CW #2, issue 14 after CW #5. Read these 

Captain America/Iron Man: Casualties of War- oneshot to be read after Civil War #4. Tony offers Steve the chance to try and talk it out. Both explain their positions and a lot of comic history between them is brought up.

Civil War: The Confession: SO after CW, SPOILER SPOILER poor Steve is assassinated in Captain America #25 (it’s actually more wild than that bc superheroes don’t just die but whatever) and this is a oneshot with two halves, the first takes place after Steve is dead and is Tony-centric and I LITERALLY CRIED and the second takes place when Steve is imprisoned before he is killed. PLEASE read this

There’s more tie ins involving Tony that you should read but I’m sick of talking abt CW

BACK TO THE IRON MAN SOLO TITLE

Sooooo the title now changes from Invincible Iron Man to Iron Man: Director of SHIELD but it’s the same book

#15-18- It’s Tony’s first story arc as Director and it ends up being kind of wild actually

#21-28- ‘Haunted’. Starts out as a sort of murder mystery thing, spirals into something much bigger. Also, poor Tony is so screwed up in the head but what’s new. Definitely read this one

#29-32- ‘With Iron Hands’. Basically, an entire arc of Tony feeling guilty about his past?? Pretty much. There’s also a terrorist and a giant weapon and more fun stuff. The last you’ll see of Tony for the volume bc stuff goes down in the Secret Invasion event and War Machine takes over for the last 3 issues of the title. Wish I could be of help in regards to Secret Invasion, but I haven’t actually read it because I haven’t been able to find it. Just, idk, google search the plot of Secret Invasion like I did and you should be able to get by

Invincible Iron Man (2008) AKA Other Volume 4:

Okay lots of comics fans think this is one of the best Iron Man runs in history and I respect their opinions and perhaps you will share them but I’m gonna cut to the chase here: I am not one of those people. Look, I read all 62 issues so I have a fair opinion, and I’m just not a huge fan. Matt Fraction is writing and Salvador Larroca is drawing. In my experience, the stories drag on and it gets to the point where you’re just bored. I think I read the 89 issues of volume 3 faster than I read the 62 issues of this because I was just so bored with it. Also, I’m really not a fan of Larroca’s work on the book. I really disliked the way he drew Tony and the more I looked at it, it almost made me...uncomfortable? Some of his art is kind of gross imo. Plus, I didn’t love Fraction’s Tony characterization. I can’t quite articulate why, it just didn’t sit nicely w me. There were some moments where I thought “oh yeah that’s Correct” but many other moments where I thought “No Why Did You Write That”. He was good at writing some wild and intricate stories but sometimes I felt that character got lost in the midst of the action. That’s just me though, you might really like Fraction’s run, and there is some stuff worth pointing out.

#1-6- ‘The Five Nightmares’. A fairly iconic modern Iron Man story. Tony’s worst nightmare comes true when the son of Obadiah Stane uses Stark tech to cause absolutely horrific acts of terrorism. It gets pretty serious, but it sets the groundwork for this entire era of Iron Man. As far as Fraction stories go for me, it’s one of the better ones.

#7- Five Nightmares Epilogue. A team-up of sorts with Spider-Man that I actually genuinely think you should read, especially for the ending (and because Peter & Tony clearly wish they could be buddies again in this post-Civil War world).

#8-19- Okay it’s really long but I remember it stood out to me, all I remember is that it’s basically Tony Stark Brain Annihilation over the course of 12 issues and it hurts like heecckkk. Actually I’m gonna say definitely read this one. Also Rescue happens and that’s A Thing you should know about. Stuff gets fixed in the next arc, #20-24, but it’s not worth recommending imo so don’t read this if you’re gonna read it but if you’re not just know that SPOILER SPOILER Tony is fine except he accidentally erased Civil War from his memory (god I wish I could do that). SPOILER OVER

I think I’m gonna end it there for Fraction issues of interest. There’s probably more in there I should be recommending but I just. Can’t be bothered to comb through Fraction’s volume sorryyyyy I’m just not a fan

Iron Man (2012):

So this run is by Kieron Gillen and I don’t really want to recommend anything from it. I didn’t love it as a whole. Gillen laid way too heavily into the idea of “Tony Stark is a walking ego”. The stories were kind of interesting in theory but I thought the execution was mediocre for some reason. Although, not necessarily the art but specifically the coloring was nice- very vibrant. The actual art was by Greg Land who comic fans really seem to hate. I didn’t think his work on this was too bad idk. Again I don’t really want to recommend anything so there’s only one thing I’m putting on here and it’s:

#9-17- “The Secret Origin of Tony Stark”. So here’s the thing. Kieron Gillen said to himself “I need to do something that turns Tony Stark’s identity on its head. I need to redefine him”. And he actually kind of succeeded in that. And it’s actually annoying and it actually feels like something that should be retconned…. but hasn’t been?? And since it hasn’t been, it’s going to be important going forward so you should probably know about it. You could also just google it.

Invincible Iron (2015) by Man-Brian Michael Bendis

Yes, the infamous BMB. So, what’s the truth about his run on Iron Man? Is the amount of hate warranted? Well…that’ll be for you to decide. Personally, I think it was generally...meh. Not necessarily terrible just. Meh. Many fanboys act like this run is the bane of their existence and I don’t think I dislike it to that extent at all. I mean, it gets boring after a while, but the good moments are really enjoyable and I think it’s worth reading. Bendis’ characterization was sometimes weird because it felt notably inconsistent. However, the moments when he nailed it, he really did nail it. His Tony is a bit of a dork, a bit of a hot mess, a little vulnerable, and the moments when that’s at the forefront are great. There’s also some notable stuff going on here- Civil War 2 falls under this era (I hate it less than the first one but Marvel could do 50 Civil War events and I will probably not like any of them), and so does Riri Williams (who I love, just to get that opinion over with). Finding recs for this era is kind of weird for me because the things that stood out were almost never actual issues or stories, but rather specific character moments, so like, the volume is only 14 issues so tbh you can just trudge through them all and savor the good moments, but I’ll try to pull some recs out for ya

#2, #3- just for some character moments. These two are a part of a larger arc so it might be a little confusing to read them on their own but who cares

#4, #5- Tony fights ninjas and visits kids at a hospital and MJ Watson & Doctor Strange make appearances so it’s kinda cool idk

#9-11- only because you meet Miss Riri Williams, the other parts won’t make sense since it’s in the middle of an arc but eh. Honestly the actual story didn’t strike me as being very special so like unless you’re into it you can just skim for the parts that Riri is in since she’ll be important later

Aaaand CIVIL WAR 2

Civil War II #0-8- okay I don’t dislike it as strongly as I dislike the first CW but I still?? Don’t like it?? Like at all? But something really important to Tony’s stories happens at the end and Tony is one of the main characters in the event so like. You should read it. The main problem I remember is that the pace felt so slow. This event is Iron Man vs Captain Marvel which kinda hurt me bc of how much I loved them from 1998’s volume but it’s fine!! They never address their past in the actual event but there’s a tie-in that does so that’s good I guess. Just get through it idk what to tell you

Back to Invincible Iron Man

#12, #13, #14- tie-ins to Civil War II. #12 and #13 I think come after CW2 #2?? Maybe?? And I think #14 comes after CW2 #6?? Anyway #14 actually acknowledges Tony & Carol’s past so you should give that a read while going through the event.

Invincible Iron Man (2016)

Sooo some Serious Stuff happened in Civil War II that’s going to have an effect that lasts a while. I don’t wanna spoil it, though. When you do get to the end of CW2, you can rest assured that Tony will still have a major presence as a character in this title, but Riri Williams takes the spotlight. Opinions on her are mixed, I personally love her. This, like its 2015 sister, can honestly just be read all the way through, it’s only 19 issues, but I’ll try to find stuff. Also, Tony & Riri’s banter is ALWAYS golden so just read to enjoy it tbh. On we go!

#1, #2- gives you the background on Riri now that she’s taking center stage. She’s just so darn endearing.

#11- It’s basically an issue about everyone reflecting on how Tony is a good person and different from how the public perceives him. He holds orphaned babies from around the world. It’s good stuff.

#593-600- the numbering changed, there’s obviously not actually 600 issues lol. So yes this is kind of long for an arc, but it’s important because it resolves what happened to Tony in Civil War 2. I remember getting bored with it after a few issues, like it wasn’t bad I just remember it feeling slow. Idk. It’s important. Just read it.

Stuff that I don’t think is worth your time:

Invincible Iron Man volume 2 (1996)- I think Marvel was doing some kind of reboot or something because Iron Man’s origin was redone as well as The Hulk’s. It’s amazing how a run that was only 13 issues felt like such a large waste of my time. I didn’t think there was anything of note. I basically don’t even remember what happened in it. Also the sexualization of women was so casual and constant on top of the run not being particularly remarkable so yeah don’t waste your time  

Superior Iron Man (2015)- I dislike the idea of this so much that I don’t even want to explain it ugh it’s a spin off of an event called Axis that involved some psychic type stuff that altered the personalities of those involved, boosting Tony’s worst qualities and making him evil. Marvel then decided to make a series about it and it’s only 9 issues but wow it’s amazing how hard it can be for me to get through 9 issues. I could barely read it I just so strongly dislike this idea ok so basically Evil Tony creates Extremis 3.0 which is an app that lets a person make themselves physically into the person they wish they were (In the pages of Axis, Tony personally made himself not an alcoholic because that’s not disrespecting an incredibly important character detail and there was one particularly awful panel of him drinking alcohol in front of a crowd of cheering people and saying “I missed you, sweetheart”). He is testing this app on San Francisco and effectively creates two classes of people- the “perfect” people who could access the app and the “imperfect” people who can’t and that goes about as well as you’d think. Then he makes it obscenely expensive to use which also goes about as well as you’d think. And more stuff happens. Here’s the thing. I’m sure many people thought the concept of a villainous Tony Stark was cool, but I just don’t like the implications of it. The way it’s written kind of gives the idea that, with his personality, Tony could easily become a villain. Given that some people already think of Tony Stark as a villain, reading it just made me cringe. And the WORST thing about it is that, while this is a result of Axis, it’s still Tony himself. According to the writers, he has “surrendered to his id and his legendary ego” (god I’m about to gag) after the mind-altering events of Axis brought those things out in him. Despite my qualms, was the book well-written? I will never be able to read it that objectively, so I can’t say. But clearly, as you can see by the size of this here rant (sorry), I dislike the very idea of it enough to put it on my “do not touch” list.

Okay. Wow. I finally did it. Wow. Six months and it’s done.

I am simply the mentor figure in your hero’s journey. As you get used to navigating comics and reading orders, you’ll find it easier to venture out, and there’s so many ways to go. A character crossed over into something you read and you liked them a lot? Look up their reading order. A writer or artist really impressed you? Do a google search and find what else they’ve worked on. There’s a whole world of comics out there. Go have some fun.

I leave you with 3 rules of being a comic fan:

1. No one hates comics more than comic book readers. We’re bitter because we care. You’ll be like a jaded war veteran who writes a thousand word rant about why a certain author’s mischaracterization of your fave offended you personally way faster than you’d think.

2. Follow the trail of what interests you and, while acknowledging what may be widely believed, proudly own your personal opinions.

3. It’s addictive. Embrace it. You start with one issue, and before you know it, you’ve read 200 issues and know 20 years of history on one character in less than a year. That might be how it goes for you. Just go with it.

Happy reading!

sebastian brother + spirituality headcanons

otherwise known as: one queer exmormon has finally found their fandom niche

tw for descriptions of anxiety/panic attacks, depression, and church-related guilt (but also it’s not all sad, i swear)

(put under a cut bc this got LONG AS HELL)

sebastian brother, even after he’s well and thoroughly questioned the church and their stance on just about everything, doesn’t go looking into church history. autumn tells him where to find the deets on all the sketchy church history stuff, but sebastian...never looks it up.

he feels disillusioned enough as it is, and his family life Revolves around the church. he feels like if he questions the institution itself and not just his relationship to it, he might lose respect for the people he still cares a lot about—even if they’re not his biggest fans right now

even though several of his family members aren’t talking to him (might never talk to him again, as far as he knows), he refuses to become jaded towards them. lots of his friends he’s met through affirmation have distanced themselves from the families they were born into, and more than a few of them try not to care about those people anymore. sebastian totally sees why—kind of wishes he could join them in their not caring—but he can’t. he still cares about them deeply and is still, despite everything that’s happened, trying to think the best of them.

tanner tried to call them “a bunch of homophobic dickwads with all the critical thinking skills of a blind lemming” once, and sebastian fucking lost it. he Insisted they were still good people, and they’re just trying to act according to their moral compass (that happens to be externalized in the form of anything the church says, wHICH WE CAN ARGUE ABOUT LATER, TANNER. THE POINT IS THEY’RE JUST TRYING TO DO WHAT’S RIGHT, FOLLOW THE PROPHET, AND HOLD TO THE IRON ROD.)

privately, he thinks about what tanner said a lot though. he wonders how much prejudice is blindly following the guidance of their leaders. he wonders if they would follow suit if the church made a 180° about-face on their views on homosexuality tomorrow. he wonders if they did if it would make him feel better or worse. on the one hand, it would mean none of this was personal. on the other hand, tanner’s point about lemmings...

sebastian brother doesn’t leave the church immediately. his existential crisis is long and drawn out and filled with guilt and shame—not just for being gay, but also for having a crisis of faith at all.

tanner really doesn’t get it and isn’t always the best at being supportive. gay aunt emily chews him out for it though. (“emily, I’M your nephew, shouldn’t you be giving sebastian the shovel talk, not me?” “nope. you need it more than him.”)

incidentally, gay aunt emily and sebastian end up becoming pretty good friends. she hasn’t engaged with church stuff in years, but someone has to be there for this poor gay mormon boy and if no one else is going to be, then So Help Her God-that-she-no-longer-believes-in, she will.

back to sebastian though

sebastian doesn’t stop going to church right away. he’s wracked with guilt every time he does go, and trying to figure out if he’s worthy of taking the sacrament when he’s sinning but has no intention of stopping is a nightmare, but he still goes.

the first time he goes and doesn’t take the sacrament, he ends up dry-heaving in the men’s room. he misses all of the talks and slinks back in and sits on the back pew during the last verse of the closing hymn. after the closing prayer, he gets up, grabs his scriptures from where he left them, and bolts. he doesn’t stay for the rest of the block.

the first general conference he doesn’t watch, he spends the whole weekend in bed crying. tanner tries to get him to go out with him and let himself have fun and be distracted, tries to get him to the kitchen to eat some soup when the going out plan clearly isn’t gonna happen, and then eventually brings the soup to him in bed. sebastian ignores tanner and his admittedly good-smelling soup, and tanner leaves it on his nightstand for when he’s ready for it.

after sebastian continues to not get out of bed for a week after, tanner convinces him to go see a therapist. tanner recognizes a depression spiral when he sees one, and while sebastian refused to admit it, church was giving him literal panic attacks.

sebastian gets into see a local counselor who specializes in the intersection of faith and LGBTQ identities.

his counselor helps him identify what he gets from church and what things he might be able to find at other non-mormon churches. he’s initially very resistant to the idea of investigating other churches, but one night when the guilt insomnia keeps him awake, he googles “lgbt-friendly churches near me”, and is on gaychurch.org until daylight starts creeping through his window.

while he’s not ready to go to a service anytime soon, he did make note of the ones that sounded interesting.

he thinks about the list he made often and several times he visits websites of some of the churches he found.

eventually he decides that he wants to visit one or two of the churches whose websites he keeps returning to.

when he tells this to tanner, he’s not expecting anything, but tanner immediately volunteers to go with him. sebastian hadn’t thought tanner would really want to, since he’s not really religious himself, but tanner insists, saying he wants to be there for moral support. sebastian is honestly really touched, and it means a lot that tanner would want to be there for him like that.

it takes him a couple sundays to build up to it, but when he finally does, he gets to the steps of the church, annnnnnnnnnnd nearly runs away. would have, if tanner didn’t stop him and talk him through his panic.

when they do go in, they sit unassumingly near the back, providing sebastian an easy exit, if he needs one.

it turns out that he doesn’t.

the sermon is about love—loving one another, god’s love for all his children, and how love should never be linked with shame. the minister makes mention of her wife, and sebastian cries. tanner looks a little worried, but sebastian makes no move for the door, so he assumes they were good tears, and keeps listening to the sermon.

afterwards, sebastian kind of wants to go thank the minister for what she said, but is also absolutely terrified of doing that, so he and tanner go home instead of staying to mingle.

after they get home, sebastian texts emily. she knew he was going to check out a new church today and asks him how it was. he talks about how he felt the spirit in a way that he hadn’t in a long time at church.

he doesn’t know what this means for a long time after. he goes to a couple different churches with tanner and texts emily about all of them. he goes back to the first one a few times. all he really knows is he feels god’s love more than he has in years.

Live-blogging my reaction to Spiral: from the book of saw

Spoilers under the cut

TL;DR: my overall review is that it was good but I’m going to go watch DPS to cleanse me

- ok so that woman got robbed and for what

- I had to pause to find out who this detective’s actor was Bc it was driving me nuts and it’s MCMURRAY FROM LETTERKENNY???

- love that they’re gonna fuck up this train conductors day lmao

- LOVE genuinely that we’re back to looking gritty and having an old tv play the video and having some rapid cut camera work early 2000’s vibes I embrace you

- why does the voice sound like that,, I wasn’t expecting John but why is it so non threatening now it’s literally just Some Guy™️

- I am glad I paid $15 to listen to Chris Rock talk about Forrest Gump. Worth my money and I mean it genuinely I love Chris Rock he’s great. Stream Everybody Hates Chris on Hulu

- “Z?” Zeke who just had his cover blown: this MF

- “do I look like a fucking Jamaican nanny?!” I- 😀🤚🏽

- ayo Max Minghella

- Chris Rock falling just short of being convincingly aggressively cynical Bc he is Chris Rock with the voice of Chris Rock

- it sounds like he’s setting up jokes that don’t have punchlines and instead they’re just like,, mediocre cynic cop dialogue

- while looking at some pretty fucking intact teeth: this bum is gonna be pretty hard to ID

- I mean I guess the homeless don’t have dental records but were you not even gonna try?

- I’m very pleased Chris Rock put on gloves before handling the strange package I love actually smart character choices that would make sense for them to make

- I.e. the cop knows how to properly handle unexpected unmarked packages delivered to the precinct

- “I thought the jigsaw killer was dead” “well if it’s another copy cat…” another wait is that referring to Logan (which Logan pinned on the other coincidentally crooked cop whose name I’ve forgotten) does that imply Logan only did like? The one trap? And hasn’t been active? Just waited ten years after John died recreates the one trap he was in and then stops?? I mean don’t get me wrong if movie wants to ignore Jigsaw (2017)’s existence I’m game but like what

- also why do the packages look like they’re wrapped in Tiffany boxes lmao

- oh yay they did run dental

- Chris Rock is an asshole but they should go with protocol if that’s what they’re doing

- ordering a man mid piss out of the men’s room to yell at Zeke

- does conflict of interest matter when the whole precinct knows the victim?

- uncomfortable stand-offs with your ex while at the home of a grieving friend

- Samuel L Jackson!

- “I could’ve killed you!” “What are you talking about, I have the gun!” *SLJ pulls a gun out* “I could’ve killed you”

- daddy issues

- “you think this is linked to John Kramer?” Bruh you think it’s NOT??

- ik this is SO far fetched but I rlly hope this movie tells us wtf happened to Dr Gordon. I’m sure it won’t but a girl can dream

- “should we tell Zeke?” “Fuck him” I get you guys don’t like to work w him Bc he’s an ass but like. You’re just not doing your jobs now you’re just proving he’s right that you’re untrustworthy

- splitting up and not telling ppl where you’re going is the number one way to get kidnapped or murdered but way to go cop instincts

- what is this Chinese finger trap ass shit

- love the blue tones tho very Saw

- all it needs is to become uncomfortably green

- fun fact I actually watched the first saw w my friend who is red green color blind and he said it looked AWFUL and I was like oh yeah everything is blue tinted like twilight blue tint and later it’s green just FYI (he thought that made significantly more sense than whatever shit ass color palette he was perceiving)

- being mad at your son for turning in a dirty cop Bc now you’ll have to mess with internal affairs

- and then assaulting someone??? SLJ is an even worse asshole lmao

- another Tiffany box bound in twine maybe it’ll be one of those cheesy diamond heart necklaces

- HELLO what is that ugly ass pig puppet

- also the voice is so stilted did the killer use fuckin text to speech so they couldn’t unscramble the voice like they did to Hoffman?

- cops finding dead pigs, a little on the nose

- oh so this dude has a history of “fuck it” ok well screw that guy then

- SLJ deserves to be pissed at that cop for letting Zeke get shot but like what an unhinged man he threatened to kill him and then actually assaulted him HOW did he EVER get in charge to begin with

- ok wait is Zeke actually the only decent cop (inc his dad but maybe excluding the newbie)

- that is a truly gruesome way to lose fingers tho I must say but he deserves that shit

- wait did the trap not go fast enough or was there a way for him to do that faster and I missed it

- like should he not have hesitated Bc there was a time limit or was it just rigged

- cuz the machine had to pull them off he couldn’t just cut them quickly

- so are they just gonna leave broken leg Dude there or

- also just now I tried to talk abt this movie (so far) vs Jigsaw (2017) to my mom and I got too excited and referenced some character names she didn’t know and she shut me down and said she didn’t care 😀

- live-blogging to my, like, five followers that compromise one one (1) person that knows me IRL, one (1) Sawtual, and a handful of ppl only here for my main DPS content to fill the void of emotional parental neglect. What a great website

- oh no did the rookie die :( he was actually sweet

- I feel like he was too important to kill offscreen tho

- like they’re TELLING us he .. was skinned.. but was he REALLY

- Chris Rock having a revelation: AH FUCK

- everyone else at the crime scene: ….

- favorite thing abt movies that were already gonna be rated R is when they’re like “well if we’re already at R we might as well say fuck”

- she has to SEVER HER SPINAL CORD? Why was she deemed the biggest asshole

- also how on earth was this trap portable it IS in their basement right

- transporting the hot wax is just what gets me

- Chris Rock rn: are you tired of being nice? Don’t you just wanna go apeshit?

- was this abt his dad the whole time???

- does it count as live blogging when I do one big post instead of several small ones lol I just want it to be avoidable for ppl who are just here for Dead Poets Society

- man’s fully abt to cut his arm off like barely even hesitated long enough to notice the bobby pin he could pick the lock with

- there’s a body here suspended

- not hanging mind you

- but covered and suspended

- and I bet it’s the newbie

- ah damn it’s Pete that’s disappointing

- it’s possible the trailers just made him seem more important than he was

- why are they punishing Zeke for reporting a dirty cop and having his career accordingly ruined like he did the right thing and already suffered for it? This killer doesn’t like crooked cops?? Why does Zeke have to be tortured by hearing this dude die like that’s what they want isn’t it?

- I think it’s too late pal

- the glass trap was pretty fucking cool though

- I KNEW HE WAS ALIVE

- I didn’t think he was a MURDERER but I KNEW he was alive

- OH SHIT THE DIRTY COP ZEKE TURNED IN KILLED NEWBIE’S DAD??

- I’m terrible at guessing endings but it makes viewing more fun

- honestly,, do it Chris Rock ACAB

- “you want me to kill cops?” “No, fuck no, just the bad ones”

- what a fun villain though

- I have no idea what the Ultimate Game Plan™️ is here though is he gonna make him kill his dad? I mean his dad does suck but making a dude KILL his DAD? That is a tall order Max Minghella

- ok but literally why wouldn’t you listen to him here shoot the target??

- ANGIE! It WaS aNgIe

- killing this man is not correct justice anyway Zeke

- shot the target! Good man

- groovy of them to play the Hello Zepp soundtrack rn

- oh shit what’s going on SLJ knows what it is

- oh.. w o w. Brutal way to go. Very heavy handed imagery

- and that’s all I guess who the fuck knows what’s up w Doctor Gordon

- and I guess Max Minghella is just gonna get away now but tbh Chris Rock only seemed truly mad at him for involving his dad

- nice rap remix to the OG Hello Zepp score very cool credits music

Hiii! You are studying IR, right? Could you please recommend me some sites in English language which you consider useful for your studies? Sites where I can read about current international questions, global challenges? I only know some news sites but if there are sites (or shorter books) that contain short analises or anything like that would be so helpful. Thank you and have a nice day! :))

Hello Darling Anon! ~

Sorta! :)) I’m taking up International Studies, which is like a fraternal twin of IR? IS (at least in my uni) is a lot more general compared to IR which delves deeper into diplomacy. (As in if u wanna be a Diplomat vibes.) I spent the last three years studying theories, tactics (lack of a better term but like the soft power + foreign policy shit I see it as manipulation styles LOL), and the European Union (I major in European Studies). Just need to point that out in case it matters(??)

Could you please recommend me some sites in English language which you consider useful for your studies? Sites where I can read about current international questions, global challenges?

For research papers, I rely on credible journals I find through google or the databases my university provides for us. My uni is a research university so students have access to a lot of journal databases. You should check ur uni’s website to see what student perks you have. You might have full access to JSTOR! Make ur tuition worth it HAHA. JSTOR is a classic but I find stuff over at Emerald Insight too. 

For current events, news sites are definitely your friend. My professors would sometimes assign supplementary articles for us. They get their shit from Reuters, The Atlantic and Global Asia to name a few. Maybe that can be a good place to start in terms of current events/run-downs on certain issues. 

I don’t go to these sites myself (like on my own volition) but back when I tried to be updated on news, I downloaded this app called Press Reader which gave me access to different magazines and newspapers so that could also be another option! I just checked and apparently it’s free but I know it was paid back then so yay? (I got it for free bc of my uni). 

Press Reader gives you access (this sounds like a skillshare ad HAHAH) to a lot of different media from many places and that can really help you develop your critical thinking skills + see different perspectives on the same issue. This is a skill which is very important for us IS/IR students. (NGL everyone should have this skill! We should be able to look at different sources and then come to conclusions on our own/see patterns). 

...sites (or shorter books) that contain short analises or anything like that would be so helpful

In terms of books, the only book I can swear by is Global Politics by Andrew Heywood. It’s not short but the font is big?? I found it online freshman year so if you need it I think I can try making a dropbox for it? You can mosey over to libgen.io (free pdfs!) though. I bet it’s there. I got a physical copy from Amazon (I invested since I know it would be useful) and the information on there was useful for my other classes. It has a lot of general IS stuff like the basic theories (realism, liberalism bleh bleh), history, and notable people. Definitely a good source for foundational information which you can build on in your essays or use as a source!! 

Unsolicited Advice

Can I just say!! You’re so cool for being interested like this and I wish you nothing but the best fellow IS IS baby.mp3 <3 

I’m not sure what year you are so you might know this already? But since I’m already talking about stuff useful for my personal studies I’ll just thrown in this part LOL. 

I think the most important thing an IR/IS student should know is how to analyze information. Especially since we write a lot of essays. Honestly IS to me is just professional overthinking but make it nerdy somehow?? You need to know how to apply what u learned to what u see playing out in the international arena. Analytical skills are really important! Some assignments I got required us to read three journal articles then write a cohesive piece about it. Sometimes, we have to watch videos then answer guide questions. This is where regular reading and healthy media consumption comes in. 

Best part is: You can practice analyzing content using any kind of material. It doesn’t have to be international affairs stuff!

Do you watch people like dangelowallace, tiffanyferg or even those tea channels (lol) on Youtube? There’s a massive rise of analytical content the past few years and I think you can study the way these people break down drama/internet lore. What makes their video so interesting? How does everything connect? How do they organize their content?

There’s a reason why these videos gain millions of views. They make issues accessible and neat but they make it so interesting at the same time. You can also read fashion magazines since they also have articles which analyze style or talk about a specific piece. 

Honorable mentions: Buzzfeed Unsolved, Storytime Mukbhangs, Kennie JD’s Bad movies and a beat, Crime stories youtubers, etc.

Alternatively, watch your favorite movies and take time to think about why you liked it! Do a character analysis! Watch video essays about your favorite movies/shows on Youtube!! It’s nice to just chill and watch these stuff but at times, try being an active watcher and take note of their reporting style. Talk to your friends about shows you watched. Gather their insights and come up with your own. Analyze popular memes! (Why do spongebob memes have a gorilla grip on gen z??? Why is the white girl dance so freeing? — ngl I do have an opinion about this phenomenon as an asian who “dances like a white girl” but this is so long already HAHAH)

here are a couple of videos:

Mina Le (Fashion) -- In this video, Mina breaks down the wardrobe of Emily in Paris and how the choices weren’t so good in terms of the storyline. Emily is seen in designer clothing but her character never shows interest or awareness regarding fashion. (this is jus one point she talks about) For viewers who aren’t into fashion or something, they might not notice this detail at all! But since Mina is viewing this show from a fashion perspective, she was able to pick up these details and connect it to the bigger picture. 

It’s the same for IS. We look at things through different perspectives and from there we can make sense of certain decisions or events! We deal with a lot of problem solving and above all else, we study events so we can understand them. People like Mina Le are perfect examples of good researchers!! They just study different things but its all the same.

ModernGurlz (Fashion/Contemp Stuff) -- This video dissects the style of the characters in Mean Girls and how it says so much about the personality of each girl. For Cady, she has a lot of different styles and it really reflects how her character changes throughout the movie. It helps as a visual guide for us viewers but her clothes tell a story too. 

For IS, Every decision made in the International Arena is important. Everything tells a story. Small actions can say so much about the bigger picture so its important for us to pick up on details the way ModernGurlz did so we can explain developments of a certain issue. (Like how Cady started with very conservative style, then she met the Plastics and that changed her and led her to wearing more revealing clothing, then that gets stripped away because of the plot learns her lesson blah blah and she goes back to slightly relaxed clothes combined with revealing clothes aka her true self i guess).

If you’re not into fashion, you can just analyze whatever ur interested in! These are just some videos I enjoy watching. :)) Astrology is another cool practice! I started getting into astrology and it requires a lot of analysis. It’s fun so it doesnt feel like a chore.

Final Word (HAHSDHF SORRY THIS IS SO DRAMATIC) 

I honestly don’t study or read about international affairs unless I happen to chance upon it. The most helpful things for me aren’t even related to IS. HHH I watch and read a lot of different content and I think that helped me so much with this course! 

I love memes a lot and I usually plug them in a lot of conversations. I guess I use that skill when it comes to my homework in IS when they ask us to talk about a certain topic? I can think of stuff that might be able to connect i guess??? IDK KSDHFKSHD IDK IF any of this makes sense im sorry I just like talking about stuff shdkfhasd. If these tips don’t apply, let it fly. <3 You just need to find your own way of learning. 

I hope that these links can help you tho! Thank you so much for reaching out, it means a lot. Send another ask if u need more help and thank you for your well wishes. Stay safe and take care my luv <3 

Ask me: all

JESUS answers under the cut hopefully bc holy shit [[READ MORE]]1) What images do you have set for your desktop/cell phone wallpapers?I'll do cell phone since I'm on it right now: lock screen is a duck and her ducklings, home is sylveon2) Have you ever had a crush on a teacher?Nope3) What was your last text message?Tbh something personal to my friends expense so not gonna copy and paste 4) What do you see yourself doing in 10 years?I'd like to be helping my communities. I have several dreams... Photoshoots for trans kids, bringing ASL further into the spotlight and performing musicals in asl, making clothing lines for plus size and trans people5) If you could be anywhere else right now, where would you be?Cuddling in bed in some gay ass nerds arms 6) What was your coolest Halloween costume?Lmao I never really had 'cool' halloween costumes but the funniest definitely was this year where my friends and I all went as different aesthetics/ tropes- "emo" "hipster" "jock" stuff like that and then "space gay" "plant gay" and I was manic pixie dream girl 7) What was your favorite 90s show?"Friends" or "Freaks and Geeks" 8) Who was your last kiss?Ex and he forced me lmao so it was uncomfortable and my friend had to intervene9) Have you ever been stood up?I've been on like two dates in my life so no10) Favorite ice cream flavor?Chocolate with brownie chunks and fudge- so basically chocolate on chocolate on chocolate 11) Have you been to Las Vegas?Nop12) Your favorite pair of shoes?My Converse I hand painted a galaxy on 13) Honestly, have you ever cheated on your significant other?Nope. One time someone grabbed me by the hair at the back of my head and kissed me and I shoved them off but I've never been an instigator 14) What is your favorite fruit?Pear or apple, I'm boring :v 15) Have you talked to anyone on tumblr that you could see yourself dating/having sex with? If possible?I already did that twice so... yes16) Are you into hookups? Short or long term relationships?Nope I'm Demisexual so hookups aren't a thing for me. Long term typically, but if I know it's really not working out I'm not afraid to end things. 17) Do you smoke? If so, what?Nop18) What do you do to get over your anger?Bike, mediative breathing, kick boxing 19) Do you believe in God?Eh? I believe in several deities and powers and ideals 20) Does the person you're in love with know it?I mean I'd hope so I've said it a million times 21) Favorite position?Cowgirl 22) What's your horoscope sign?ITS THE AGE OF AQUARIUS, THE AGE OF AQUARIUSSSSSSS- AQUIRIUUUUUUSSSSSSSSSSS...... AQUIRIUSSsSsSsS 23) Your fears?Being manipulated, being raped, someone breaking into my house, being followed, running into past people who have hurt me 24) How many pets do you have? What kind?Right now I just have Luna my cat who doesn't meow but just yells really loudly 25) What never fails to turn you on?Grabbing or biting 26) Your idea of a perfect first date?Seeing a movie, walking on the boardwalk and going to a fun restaurant (good food, not stuffy and fancy) and walking on the beach feeling the water and sand on our feet 27) What is something most people don't know about you?That I suffer/ed from an eating disorder and I'm mostly recovering 28) What makes you feel the happiest?Laughing with my friends 29) What store do you shop at most often?Does Amazon count or...? 30) How do you feel about oral? Giving and/or receiving?I think it's a way of showing you care about your partner and their pleasure so I'm for it; I like both 31) Do you believe in karma?I think that people should strive to do what they believe is right without harming others, but I don't think the universe goes around righting wrongs considering so many who do wrong never face punishment32) Are you single?Not really? I'm not officially in a relationship but I'm also not looking33) Do you think flowers or candy are a better way to apologize?I think that either one can serve as a good way to apologize in addition to an actual thought out apology; provided the flowers or candy are thought out 34) Are you a good swimmer?I've swam since I was like 6 months old so yes 35) Coffee or Tea?Depends, I love both though. Typically I only like homemade tea and cafe made coffee 36) Online shopping or shopping in person?Online shopping I hate irl shopping 37) Would you rather be older or younger than your current age?If I had to choose, older 38) Cats or Dogs?Both? I guess cats if I had to choose because I like cuddling 39) Are you a competitive person?Yeah but I try not to be by avoiding competition40) Do you believe in aliens?Definitely 41) Do you like dancing?Fuck yes I'm always dancing 42) What kind of music to you listen to?Honestly I listen to a really wide spread I like a little bit of everything, only thing I can't always get into is screamo and similar genres 43) What is your favorite cartoon character?Marinette maybe? I have many 44) Where are you from?Florida 45) Eat at home or eat out?Depends what I have st home lmao 46) How much more social are you when you're drunk?Don't know don't drink 47) What was the last thing you bought for yourself?Rainbow boxers yesterday st pride! 48) Why do you think your followers follow you?Memes 49) How many hours do you sleep at night?Typically 6 50) What worries you most about the future?Succeeding in my field 51) If you had a friend that spoke to you the same way you speak to yourself, how long would you be friends?I would drop them so fast fuck 52) Are you happy with yourself?I think mostly I am 53) What do you wish you didn't know?Knowledge is power so I don't regret that, I only wish certain things hadn't happened perhaps 54) What big lesson could people learn from your life?Recognize when you're being manipulated and stay true to yourself 55) If you could live in any home on a television series, what would it be?Maybe the Gilmore house from Gilmore girls? It's such s beautiful house and I love the aesthetic of the town 56) What's your favorite Website?Shopmissa if not a social media website 57) What's the habit you're proudest of breaking?Cutting58) What was your most recent trip of more than 50 miles?I think Gainesville s few months ago for my sisters graduation 59) What's the best bargain you've ever found at a garage sale or thrift store?2.50 blazers at good will 60) What do you order when you eat Chinese food?Dumpling soup, egg rolls, crab Rangoon 61) If you had to be named after one of the 50 states, which would it be?I already am sort of, kali and cali(fornia) if not I guess Dakota? It's a pretty name 62) If you had to teach a subject to a class, what would it be?History, psychology, sexed, or any kind of art lmao? 63) Favorite kind of chips?Sour cream and onion or plain salted kettle cooked chips 64) Favorite kind of sandwich?Turkey, muenster, honey mustard etc 65) Which do you use more often, the dictionary or the thesaurus?Dictionary 66) Have you ever been stung by a bee?Nope I've never been hurt by any animal67) What's your favorite form of exercise?Dance or swimming 68) Are you afraid of heights?Maybe a little but not really 69) What's the most memorable class you've ever taken?Informal geometry it was a fuckin messssssss 70) What's your favorite breakfast?Waffle, eggs, toast, hash browns, coffee, bacon. Aka what I get every time o go to Waffle House 71) Do you like guacamole?Fuck yeah72) Have you ever been in a physical fight?Not really no, I've been hit though 73) What/who are you thinking about right now?Not gonna lie I'm just thinking about how periods suck but I'm so glad I'm not pregnant 74) Do you like cuddling?Most of the time yeah but I have to be very comfortable with that person 75) Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?Probably I have a lot of trauma 76) Have you ever experienced one of your biggest fears?Almost all of them77) Favorite city you've been to?Gainesville, it's so beautiful 78) Would you break the law to save a family member?Depends on the law and depends on the family member- maybe for my older siblings 79) Talk about an embarrassing moment?Oh god I had one yesterday. So I was with friends and I was taking a bunch of pictures and my friend next to me and I starting goofing around and I took a bunch of silly pictures of them and after they grabbed my phone and deleted them and then went to my deleted photos and I was screaming for them to give back my phone and like I'm 99% sure they saw my personal photos I had in there sooo I wanted to die 80) Are there any causes you strongly believe in?LGBT rights, Deaf rights, Autistic and Aspergers people's rights, Black lives matter 81) What's the worst injury you've ever had?I had to get a really shitty surgery in an emergency hospital for an abscess on my labia minora and I was screaming in agony with no anesthesia as doctors flooded in and out. It was really traumatic and painful 82) Favorite day of the week?Saturday. I get to sleep in, be productive in the morning, hang out with friends, have time for myself, and it's very stress free 83) Do you consider yourself sexually open minded?Very, even though I'm Demi once I am comfortable with someone I'm open to try anything almost and I have a lot of kinks 84) How do you feel about porn?I think that while the industry is fucked up and corrupt I support sex workers and sex work in general as a form of entrepreneurship 85) Which living celebrity would you like to know?Maybe Emma stone? 86) Who was your hottest ex?I haven't dated a lot of people really but someone who isn't quite an ex? 87) Do you want/have kids?Not sure. I've gone back and forth but I know I want to experience my life first before I do anything. 88) Has anyone ever told you that they wanted to marry you?Yes89) Do you get easily distracted?YES90) Ass or titties?titties all the way 91) What is your favorite word?Prejudice 92) How do you feel about tattoos?I think they're a beautiful art form 93) Do you have any pets?Yes 94) How tall are you?5'2 and a half 95) How old are you?17 96) 3 physical features you get complimented on a lot?Eyes, boobs, ass 97) Is there anything you're really passionate about?Activism and cosmetology 98) Do you have trust issues?Yeahhhh a little bit not gonna lie99) Do you believe in love at first sight?No not really? I think that you can have attraction but you have to get to know someone to love them 100) What are some words that you live by? Why?Everything happens for a reason. Because while shitty things happen in our lives we can learn from them to make the world a better place. I've had a lot of shitty things happen to me and they have only driven me further in life to help others.