SSK fic recs? :D

thank you for biting that bait afndgcbs

some skk fic recs "where the characters are trapped in an alivehouse psychological horror situation or perhaps a labyrinth of sorts", don't read the descriptions if you want a blind read, those are not the official ones:

The Liar's House translated by burgundytshirt

Dazai, Kunikida, Atsushi, Chuuya, Akutagawa and Kajii are stuck in some kind of haunted house, where lying can make you lose one of your senses. It isn't gorey despite what it looks like.

A Doll's House by Abyss_In_Wonderland_Likes_Sexy_Cannibals

Dazai and Chuuya get transported inside an ability space that has been designed to test partnerships. They have to overcome many challenges as a team!

Picking a Flower That Blooms on the Heart for You translated by burgundytshirt

Chuuya gets stuck in a time loop that resets every time he dies from hanahaki. Chuuya investigates and uncovers the mysteries behind these events.

major hornets nest moment here but i must speak my truth. its so fascinating to me how will byers was clearly written with the driving motivation and intention of making him a beloved fan favorite character and instead he falls so flat that, if you asked the average casual viewer of the show who doesn't engage in the fandom like, say, your coworker, the odds of him even being in their top five of favorite characters is pretty low.

will's disappearance kicks off the plot, singlehandedly. the first episode is literally called the vanishing of will byers. his name is shouted so much in the first season that most people would recognize the reference if you used the right cadence and desperation that winona ryder does. after not being featured much in season one, you'd think season two would've just like launched will/noah schnapp into stardom with how much more screentime he's given and how dramatic his plot is that season. but instead the fan favorites of season 2 were by and large el, hopper, dustin, steve, max, even bob who's barely there. that's not to say that there AREN'T will fans out there (and online i understand there are like entire armies dedicated to him/byler, but i'm talking about the average opinion of viewers as a whole, not just in fandom spaces) but think about all the stranger things merch you see in stores, the halloween costumes, the characters that appear in promotional materials when the show has partnerships with brands....will is so rarely featured. idk if any of yall ever got the chance to visit the stranger things pop up shop in any of its various locations, but there was such little mention of will in the stores theming or merchandise that it was almost funny. actually it WAS funny, to me, someone who does not care for him

i think the flop can be attributed to many things. one, noah schnapp is just not a very good actor and he doesn't have the same appeal in his performances that millie, sadie, caleb, gaten, priah, or finn do (although finn i've noticed is also kinda falling out of favor from majority audiences). one could argue that noah schnapp intentionally isn't given much to do, which is true and i'll circle back to that, but the decline in his acting between seasons 2 and 3 is truly a sight to behold. when he's not like tied up and screaming, he reallllllly struggles on the smaller scale performances compared to the other cast members his age. he doesn't really have the charm that gaten does or the humor that priah does or the depth that caleb does. (i don’t feel bad about saying this, btw, given noah schnapp’s behavior)

back to the vanishing of will byer's screen time. my beloved prettymuchit's eric striffler commented on how diminished will and mike's roles in the story have become in s4. "noah schnapp is below the grips on the call sheet" is my fav line, but he also makes an observation on finn's role that i think is soooo accurate. when mike and will are kneeling down next to the pizza dough freezer and watching el just kinda twitch while she fights vecna in her mind, eric and his co-host miles say "this is so embarrassing! finn's like, 'oh so gaten's fighting the monster? and i'm kneeling next to a tub at a pizza place? i used to be this show" and i think the same exact sentiment can be superimposed onto will

but i think this happened naturally, as the nature of the show is to shift its focus from character to character. not to mention the duffer brothers' obsession with tweaking their story to give audiences what they want. i've always held the belief that there isn't one main character of stranger things, rather a rotating circle of characters depending on the season you're watching. season one is mike, season two is hopper, season three is el, season four is max imo. again that's a little subjective and arguments could be made to swap those a little, but overall i think those characters stories and point of views take center stage during each of their respective seasons. by season 3, the duffers wanted to kick things up to a larger scale. the UD is no longer targeting just will, it's targeting the entire town. this works because a THIRD season in a row where this one kid specifically gets possessed would just be bonkers, so they kinda had to let him take a backseat. i'm not sure why they didn't let will be more involved in the mystery-solving portion of season 3....to this day that decision baffles me, but what's done is done and the will that everyone watched in season 3 literally just kinda follows everyone around and gets a small little slice of a plotline about wanting things to go back to normal, but alas

it like totally worked, though. though there are MANY complaints commonly made about season 3, i've never heard anyone offline complain that there wasn't enough will byers. i think the group in s3 that had the most success like, commercially, would be scoops troop and then a bit farther back i think most audiences enjoyed hopper/joyce/murray's dynamic. i think if there had been a huge outcry in the minimizing of will's role, the duffers would've backpedaled immediately. they aim to please. they can't even commit to killing of a main character out of fear that audiences will lose interest if we permanently lose hopper or max, so they just do some creative writing that allows them to milk the emotional consequence of those characters deaths without actually writing them off. if audiences on a large scale demanded that will be center stage, he would be. but they dont!

final point: i think will gets fucked over by the duffers obsession with romance. in season one, two of will's strongest dynamics are with his mom and brother. which like, yeah. theyre his immediately family and he is 12. but in seasons 2 and 3, jonathan spent all his screen time with nancy and from 2-4, joyce has spent all her screen time either with hopper or in the pursuit of finding hopper. these characters are written together as a package deal, typically. it was refreshing and unexpected to see jonathan get a whole season with a friend of his very own and his siblings, but they barely took advantage of that. jonathan and will get ummmm one (1) scene to talk about their emotions in a fucking 20 hour season. it's hard for will to be a main character when he rarely gets to interact with the people that make up the other half of his main dynamics.

as for byler, im of the belief that it will not be endgame because i just don't think they're going to break up mike and el at this point. i could be completely wrong and stand corrected, but im like 90% sure lol. i do think that will's s4 storyline resonated with a lot of people. even eric striffler! i think the issue is that the vastttt majority of people who watch this show above the age of like 15 do not feel invested about the romantic relationships between any of the kids. because why would they!!! theyre literally in middle school for 3/4 of the show. you would be hard pressed to find a vocal will stan online who doesn't also dedicate 90% of their engagement with the show to byler. which makes sense, because most if not all of will's scenes revolve around mike to some degree. but according to neilsen, the majority of stranger things audience is consistently in the 18-49 age range season by season. its more likely for adult audiences to identify with adults (or characters who are narratively treated like adults, like steve and nancy) than with any of the kids. esp when the kid in question, despite being written as the focal point of the show, has less relevant plotlines, less interaction with other characters, and an actor who just doesn't deliver on charm the way his fellow younger costars do

TWD Caryl - A Tree Fell in the Forest

I just finished watching TWD and searching a bunch tonne of stuff on this here Tumblr which I'm brand new to, and I have thoughts.

I am strangely drawn to imperfection, its beauty, and TWD sits in this place, hovering near almost faultlessness (characters), to being nearly unwatchable (where did the characters go), sometimes within the same episode. It's utterly fascinating! I am hooked! A little late, yes, but isn't that the story of my life.

I honestly have not felt this way about characters since the late 90's, when my 17 year old Willoz shipping heart waited desolately for Oz to return, and ... we all know how that turned out. Ah, shipping. I literally had not shipped a single ship since that day. Until I watched The Same Boat. TWD has some pretty special characters. Though I love Bojack and Ozark and Travis Fimmel's Ragnar, I did not feel compelled to examine the inner workings of those beautiful humans/humanoids beyond the show.

There I was, happily not shipping a ship, apart from my own relationship with my own beloved, which I ship ecstatically every day. (This is the kind of ramble I can indulge in when I think readership will be non-existent). Got another ship in!

Anyway, my point is that a Caryl romance is clearly canon, even though the relationship isn't (yet?).

I didn't actually fall in love with Carol until she listened to my urgent pleas to take care of the Wolves at the start of season 6. I should point out that I have ADHD so I didn't always have the dopamine? Emotional regulation? Focus? To listen to all of your speeches, Rick, or to watch entire episodes devoted to new characters, Tara, Magna, Alpha. So, apparently, I missed entire stuff.

Even after "C'mere", I just thought Carol and Daryl had this extremely unique soulmate bond, like that of Ragnar and Athelstan in Vikings. It is an extremely rare and unique portrayal of a transcendental devotion that cannot be likened to any other kind of relationship, because there are no other relationships like it. The bind encompasses every aspect of love and support needed to utterly fulfull and complete someone.

At this point I had stumbled onto Tumblr because I realised I needed pro-Carol recaps from Carylers, as they seemed to best understand and grasp this very special character. I went back and rewatched from the beginning and I was shocked. I rewatched (and noticed for the first time) the flirting, the hesitation, the banter, the unspoken LOOKS, oh so many. Drew the links from Consumed ("I kinda like it." "Stop.") Watched interviews, waded through the mass of gaslighting that abounds, which seems to wrap itself around every subtle, telling moment.

Why? Because it's fascinating. A mystery. Pretending something that happened, did not? A tree fell in the forest and some people did not hear it. Well I didn't hear it either! But I went back and found the tree. That tree is on the damn ground.

Carol and Daryl are so in love with each other it hurts. Their romance exists. Therefore, I'm gonna ship it.

TGS

Manny Delmont HC's

A/N: The last of the boys is here but he certainly ain't the least ;) EDITED

TW'S: YANDERE, MURDER, NEEDLE MENTION(TATTOO),

By far the most unhinged member of the family and thats saying A LOT lmao

Platonic yandere for his kin, he has killed in their name and will do it again.

One of if not the most loyal person you'd ever meet.

Once he decides he likes you he turns into your own personal puppy.

If the puppy was a man who enjoyed showing his love through the most violent means at hand that is.

Smells like honey and lavender and when he can't be bothered to hide it, blood.

Shares a lot of features with his twin, except his eyes, he has the brightest in his family, and they are often clouded with mischief.

Marcos uses him as a test dummy for outfits since they look nearly identical, if looks good on Manny he can go from there.

He's been offered to model before.

Best begging face in the business, he rarely has to ask for something twice.

Has a few tattoos, there's a blank cartoon heart over his real one, plans on getting his beloveds name inked there once he finds em.

And he knows he will!

Hopeless romantic, he loves romcoms!

Especially You on Netflix(👁👄👁)

Thinks Christine should have chosen to be with the Phantom of the Opera.

Also thinks Victor should have been with Emily from A Corpse Bride.

Mask kink but we'll circle back later ;)

It stems from his love of all things Horror something be shared with his twin, if he's watching something where he picks up even a hint of romance between the Slasher and the final girl he starts kicking his feet.

Thinks the bad guys deserve love to!

Gave himself his first tattoo, a stick n poke he made himself after watching 1 YouTube video.

Yeah that got infected, but he thought scars were sick as hell plus it was a great party story.

People fall over their feet for him on the daily.

Has gotten in the most fights out of all the brothers.

He may takes some licks during them but he was scary in the way that he never stayed down, and you could tell from the blank look in his eye and the twisted grin, if he got the chance he'd put you in the ground.

Terrible singer but that doesn't stop him from belting out his favorites in the shower

He loves pop music because there are a surprising amount of songs that remind him of his specific brand of love.

He really likes reading, especially when it teaches him something new, always learning this one.

He could be at the top of his class if he put in a smidge more of effort but he likes his life, as long as he's not actively causing chaos which lets be honest is very easy for him, the teachers often turn a blind eye to his goofing off.

Had several fake Id's before he was legal just to get into clubs to see bands preform.

Has a snake named noodle.

Shes a Python. He talks to her like a person

"You would not believe my day girl."

He's lean but strong, way stronger than he looks which always catches people by surprise.

If he doesn't have something occupying his hands he will start tapping on whatever available surface and if left unattended that will turn into beatboxing.

Funny even when he isn't trying

He once kidnapped a guy who was giving his twin grief and sent a picture of his upside down body in the group chat

"Felt kinda silly idk :) "

Manny's got high expectations for anyone dating his family, he's the real reason they have the rule about vetting people with each other.

When Ricky and Gabe were fighting over that girl way back when, a much younger Manny, hating the way his usually loving siblings were at each others throats, took it upon himself to rid them of the problem.

Knowing he only meant well Ricky and Gabe concocted the system the use today, but don't tell that to Manny.

His fits always come with a body count.

Oral fixation, he's constantly chewing on something.

His only source for relationships are his insane ass family so as the baby, it's natural he'd absorb all that crazy.

His laugh is more of a cackle.

He picks stuff up super easily but also gets bored just as fast so he has this random ass assortment of skills and neat party tricks.

Like one summer he got super into gymnastics so for fun he liked to twist into a backbend and speed crawl towards his brothers in the pitch black of the night.(Ricky has passed out from this)

Adrenalin junkie, he'd gotten his first motorbike at 15 and had been chasing the high he got from that first ride since.

Gabe taught him how to fight, not because he wanted to but because Manny had a tendency to mouth off to the wrong people and Gabe couldn't always be there to defend him.

Loves playing soccer, his father wanted him to have a much more legal way of releasing that devil in him, after nailing the goalie with a ball so hard he passed out, he fell in love with the sport.

He has a mean kick, if someone pissed him off enough he'd always manage to 'accidentally' kick the ball at their softest parts.

Has a new group of friends every week, he can't help it if everyone wants a piece of him.

He meets you at a bookstore, and he seen you long before he walked over to ask for help.

He watched the gentle way you handled the books, the care you showed them as you sorted, he could see you bobbing your head to the song softly playing from some speaker, the beams of light pouring in from the window cast you in a light that was damn near angelic.

He gaped at you silently for a bit before coming up with some obscure book title im his mind, if his assumptions about you were correct, you'd offer to help.

"Hi? Sorry to bug you." He put on his most charming smile and he could see it's effects instantly, the warm look in your eye gave him butterflies in his stomach.

"You're fine, how can I help you hun?" God even the way you spoke had goosebumps trailing down his back, your tone was like velvet.

"O-oh well I have this report due tomorrow that I completely spaced about- any chance you have this one?" He made sure to flash his watch, peacocking in every way he knew how, the rolex a gift from his Father, but you focused intently on the screen.

"Hmm this is an old one, I've definitely seen it, wanna follow me?"

"Absolutely." The response was innocent in nature but you had no idea just how much he meant that.

"So, you like to read or just a job thing?" He said gesturing to the rest of the store. To his delight you gave him another heart stopping smile, "I love books. How they can take you away from all the bullshit- oops sorry-" he laughed loud enough to hear it echo causing her to grin, "No don't be sorry, I wholeheartedly agree."

Ironically as picky as he was with his family's partners, he was yours the second you called him Hun, he got flashes of your life together the longer you two spoke, in reality the conversation was maybe ten minutes but that was all he needed.

Charms his way into your number, starts bringing you lunch and offering to pick you up, then he's offering to take you to work, no matter how early you started.

"I don't wanna mess with your sleep hun, plus you'd have to drive all the way across town and then to my job-"

He'd squish your cheeks together to steal a kiss, "Nonsense Darling, you could just spend the night if you're so worried about me." And would you look at that you're spending the night like every other night.

He's dummy smooth, he has you practically moved in before you're one month anniversary, if anyone were to try and plant some poison in your head like "You guys are moving kinda fast" or "shouldn't you get to know him better?" They are quickly put on his shit list.

As quick to cut a bitch as our boy is, he's also smart, and knows if everyone in your family and immediate circle started dropping dead he'd have a problem, so instead he gaslight gatekeeps and girlbosses his way to victory.

It be almost like love bombing, except it never goes away, he only ever falls deeper in love with you as time goes on.

Walk him like a dog he needs it.

Wants to take you all over the world, loves the idea of boneing in every continent.

He's soo cuddly the type to text you when you're in the bathroom cuz he miss you :(

The kinda guy where if you send him a cute picture he responds with a video of him falling to his knees wherever he's at.

Loves being the little spoon, but when he's wasted he has a tendency to flop on top of you like a starfish before curling around you like a koala.

Mean mugs the shit outta any girl who looks at him bec tf I'm for MY babys eyes only >:(

Promise rings for your one month anniversary that have both your guy's blood in them. How he got it you'll never know but you're a weirdo just like him and instead of questioning it you bear hug him.

Fantastic kisser, knocks the breath outta you each time, please touch him while you make out, pull his hair he promises not to moan that loudly again. Scouts honor.

He's lying btw

He is the opposite of afraid to moan in your ear, they almost sound exaggerated but no he's really that loud.

🎄🕯An Unhinged Yuletide Gathering🕯🎄

My darlings! 💚❤️💚❤️💚❤️

It's time for a festive unhinged gathering! Arrive in your loveliest ball gowns and with your thottiest thots and feel free to share away! The more, the merrier! I'm thrilled to have every single one of you here. This time, I invite you all to a lavish Scandinavian manor house.

We can watch the snow and the northern lights from the lovely art nouveau observatory of the highest tower. Throughout the evening, the roaring hearths, lush decorations, and golden glow of luxurious interiors will keep us very content. There will be decedant warm beverages aplenty, a scrumptious dinner, and spread after spread of desserts.

The company is, of course, also a mouthwatering collection of our exquisite fictional men.

Jonathan Pine is in a brand new and very smart three piece suit, welcoming you with an incandescent smile as he guides you in. He smells deliciously of expensive cologne and the single festive red rose pinned to his lapel. Before he takes his leave, he holds your hand in both of his and makes some very intense eye contact, saying, "and Miss, if there's anything at all I can do for you, please don't hesitate to find me."

You barely catch your breath as you move further past polished oak doors into the large glimmering ballroom where Loki is lounging on a velvet couch, some elaborate mixed drink balanced in his lovely ivory hand. He charms us all with tale after tale as our cheeks get warm and we take turns feeding him teasing little bites of cake.

Thomas Sharpe stands brooding in his finest tuxedo, desperately waiting for his chance at a waltz with you as you look so lovely this evening.

Eddie...delicous, sweet, snarky Eddie Munson snuck in with the caterers. His big chocolate button eyes scan the crowd of lovely ladies, and he gives a big dimpled grin. With no regard at all for the job he signed up for, he shrugs off the uniform top, smooths out the Iron Maiden shirt beneath it, and swaggers over.

"Welllllll, hello lovely ladies!", he declares as he plops on the couch next to Loki, even daring to cross his legs over the god's lap and steal a sip of his drink. Loki stares at this bushy-haired miscreant with a leathal glare that cracks delightfully into a big euphoric grin. One trickster obviously appreciates the charisma of another.

Adam keeps to himself, playing the most beautiful piece of music on an antique lute. He feels a rare flicker of joy as he anticipates candlelit ghost stories on Christmas night (a sweet revival of a Victorian tradition). The faintest twitch of a smile moves his lips as he thinks of all this...delcious...company he'll have the pleasure of experiencing it with.

Hux sits alone, reading in a quiet parlor. The general's lovely hands stroke his beloved ginger cat, Millicent, as he plays out chess games within his powerful mind. His lovely green eyes flick towards you as he hears your footsteps, and he smiles wickedly. You're the only distraction he allows here, afterall...and what an enjoyable one you are.

Thank you for joining the party, my loves. Who else do you see? What does the evening have in store for us? Have you brought something interesting? Oh, do tell. *wink*

Welcome and happy holidays! 💃 🎄

Peb 💜

@acidcasualties @lokischambermaid @lokisgoodgirl @mischief2sarawr @holdmytesseract @infinitystoner @smolvenger @tripleyeeet @take-everything-you-can @leelei1980 @unlucky-number-13 @unfocused81 @sweetsigyn @veemoon @loz-3 @little-wormwood @littlespaceyelf @glitchquake @viv-annelore @peachyjinx @peaches1958 @gigglingtiggerv2 @marcotheflychair @mochie85 @muddyorbs @sailorholly @holymultiplefandomsbatman @thedistractedagglomeration @hellfirenacht @thenerdyoldersister @alexakeyloveloki @lemongingerart @eddiethehunted @fanfic-collection @girl-next-door-writes @fictive-sl0th @mischiefmaker615 @icytrickster17 @ladyofthestayingpower @goblingirlsarah @chokeanddagger @loopsisloops @slutty-thevampireslayer @coldnique @eddies-house @fairyysoup @jennyggggrrr @holdmytesseract @eleniblue @elegantkoalapaper

HP Rec Fest, Day 10

Love this @hprecfest prompt! Fest fics deserve all the love especially when the fest is posting and they’re still anon. That’s why I try to make fest rec lists as often as I can which is not as often as I’d like (the amount of new fics gets overwhelming sometimes!). I’m very pleased with my choices here, the Drarry fic has just been posted on Erised and the Dronarry fic is one of my favourites of the year. Here’s my cue to give a shoutout not only to @hd-erised and @dronarryfest but also to all HP fests (you can find a compilation here). Thank you dear mods and creators for organizing these events and giving us so many treats over the years ❤️

Day 10) A fest fic:

Drarry

Thickets (E, 17k)

When Draco returns to the UK after two decades of building his career as an internationally-renowned artist to look after his ailing, estranged father, he crosses paths with his former flame, Harry Potter, in the most unexpected way.

of course I’m taking this opportunity to rec a brand new fave from this year’s Erised 😌 MA hit all of my buttons with this gorgeous break up make up story. here Harry & Draco are older and wiser; I love the mutual pining and deep understanding both share despite being apart for so long. their reunion is gentle, mature and uncomplicated, with lowkey angst revolving Draco’s complex relationship with his father.

Rare pair

The Sun, Shining Above You by @oknowkiss (Harry/Draco/Ron, E, 14k)

Since joining up with the dragontamers, Draco counts his days in nights. Nights spent drinking in the commune mess, making poor choices he doesn't regret, for once. Nights he doesn't remember, and nights he wishes he could stop remembering. Then there's that night in Spain, caught in the circle of Ron's arms. A year of nights in Norway, caught in the heat of Harry's gaze. His first night at the Burrow, caught in between them both.

Dronarry Fest my beloved 🥹 this fic was my absolute favorite and I cannot accept how criminally underrated it is. I was very much here for the triad sex ofc but when I tell you the Dron scenes gave me the heart kick! I didn’t expect to fall for them but got completely entranced by their chemistry, dialogue and UST. this story made me long for them and adding this perfect Harry to the mix just made me salivate. I love how the tone alternates between playful, sexy and intimate. can’t rec this enough!

thoughts on Tekken8 so far ?

Not too many, I have mostly mixed feelings on Tekken stuff but:

Okay this rules, this is a killer fucking idea for a fighting game story mode. I was actually just thinking the other day about how a lot of modern fighting games with big story modes can't really integrate the tournament structure into the story, so it's either not there or it becomes a schrodinger's tournament. But here there's no mistaking it, there is a King of Iron Fist tournament being held and fighters the world over are invited to join with their lives and with the lives of their ENTIRE COUNTRIES riding on the line. This rules, this fucking rules, I'm pissed Street Fighter didn't do this first because this is the most M.Bison idea that is also a way better plot than anything M.Bison ever did, fuck yeah.

I've heard this described as Tekken doing the Cell Games and having never watched Dragon Ball I'll have to take their word for it.

Don't care about Jin, never have really, but I am at least marginally curious as to how they'll square "Jin you are the light and hope of this world you are the hero of everything you must save us all" and "you totally fucking killed millions of people for no reason with that WW3 stunt dude". Love that Kazuya throws this in his face like, you weak little shit, you think you're putting me down? You think YOU have some kind of body count? Well it's just gonna keep growing watch this *BWOOOOOM

Tekken has spent a loooot of games running in a loooot of circles around the Mishima bloodline drama so this game promising to blow things out of proportion, with Heihachi dead (so far) and Kazuya cutting loose and the entire world seriously on the line, well okay that has my interest.

Gotta be honest folks, up until now I actually hated Azucena. Decent design, Peruvian representation is extremely rare and I was super on board for that, really liked for a beat how her fighting style's meant to abuse Tekken's 3D space with a lot of dodging and swaying... but then the character started talking and, oh great, she only talks about food, she's a gimmick character that only talks about her gimmick, here comes the next annoying latin-american stereotype that the gringos just find sooo charming and sexy and funny, here comes the next El Fuerte/Laura/Zarina, and all my interest died.

And then the latest story trailer revealed that she's happily teaming up with the G Corporation (and by extension Kazuya, you know, the guy currently raining fire and murder on the entire planet) because they make for "better brand optics for my coffee" and, huh. Well. Turns out she's a total piece of shit! The "beloved for her innocent personality" thing was a dead giveaway looking at it now. Turns out she's a business major cracking winks and poses while tanks and soldiers steamroll the land and people around her. You hear a lot of stories growing up here about plantation owners being cutthroat ghouls and I must admit, it's pretty great seeing that as the twist on a typically obnoxious Disney inclusivity cartoon person, feels very topical. Maybe it is just a rehash of Lucky Chloe's twist but Lucky Chloe wasn't that inspired to begin with where as this feels a bit more thought out. I expect to be ultimately dissappointed but it sure got me almost kinda liking her a bit.

Big year for evil women in fighting games.

Feels like Tekken was just bound to have a Nick Fury at some point with other fighting games elevating characters to that position, but it is pretty weird that this a thing, right? I guess when they're going more into world-threatening stakes and characters teaming up being treated like an Avengers gathering you kinda need a Nick Fury or several to glue that nonsense together. Anyway, Victor's pretty cool. Kinda shocked that he's the first French character in Tekken apparently.

It's not easy to make me like espionage-themed characters in fighting games but he's got enough style to him that I appreciate. He's just Vincent Cassel if he was a John Wick guy with a weird Final Fantasy sword but that's not like a bad combo by any means, really just seems like Harada really wanted to put a guy he likes from da movies in there. It's the Kojima impulse but hey, if it works and the voice acting isn't terrible (like a certain other studio, seriously how do you manage to get such lackluster material out of J.K Simmons doing Omni-Man), I'm cool with it.

I'm not too sure what to think of Reina? I feel like that's gonna be entirely dependant on her role in the game, because the other two are fairly throwaway characters where as her they seem to be putting a lot of stock in. I kinda like her design although I appreciate it better in fan art that lets her actually emote and look mean, the in-game face is just way too dull for what she's doing. I like the ego she's got and that she can back it up, that she's this new mystery newcomer with potential arriving to shake up the scene. I think a lot about her would be very generic and forgettable if it wasn't backed up by her mean punk personality and power, which I really appreciate. She kinda feels like if Asuka wasn't a joke. I'm just curious as to what her actual role is gonna be, and while I don't think she's gonna be a full blown villain the way Kazuya is, I'm gonna be pretty dissappointed if she just immediately slides into being a hanger-on hero. So I'm just waiting for more on her with cautious optimism.

I hope Heihachi never comes back because A: it's just wrong to have him without Unsho Ishizuka to voice him, and B: I hope they never ruin the humor of "Yeah he's dead dead but he has at least 20 bastard children all over the world and at least one of them is gunning for the throne so if you thought he was done causing problems or that the Mishima Bloodline would end with Jin, lmao"

My Dislyte 2023 Awards

Same as last year

Time to rant about the things I liked this year

if you had things you liked this year go ahead and make your own post

anyways

The Element of The Year

Flow

From Intisar to Liam, 4 or 5 Star, every Flow Unit this year has been a banger and very useful

Pantheon of the Year

Greek

while not my personal go to, it is very obvious this was the Greeks year. Having the spotlight on them through out the various stories and bounties

My Favorite Character of The Year

Falken

you don't get any points for guessing Falken is my favorite esper of the year again. And if you're disappointed he's my pick for another year... tell the dev team to make a character I will like more than Falken ?

But it's not that hard to see why. He got his Universal +20% Speed lead, great in boss fights, the new equipment gave him even even more viable builds you can make with him and of course his divinate allows him to do what he does even better

There was more fun to be had with this guy than last year and for that... he's the best

Best Boy of the Year

Javid

Was once told good cops don't end up staying "good" cops. They usually either end up quitting or worse happens to them

and Javid is no exception to that

As chief marshal he ended up forcing a whole marshal department to defend the citizens against a monster swarm, sending them all but him to their death. Meant to die along side them he somehow survived and now riddle with guilt of surviving he's been imprisoned where he also keeps the citizens safe and the miracle a bay

It takes alot to stand by your values especially during the bad times. And that's the thing I like about Javid, he stands by what he mean. He believes in fairness even when if means he ends up on losing side of being fair. He could have left and abandon everyone and everything and saved his own skin but that wouldn't have been fair to all those who died now would it?

He's not winning any popularity awards tho, he's still a hard ass stick in the mud at the end of the day. And his fairness can border on cruelty but that's part of what make him interesting

Best Girl of the Year

Ain

Tragically there no deep reason for choosing her, she's simply a kind person. She has a bit of a temper and apparently a bit of a prankster in her but she's part of her community and is making it a better place for herself and those around her.

From helping those down on their luck, sharing her knowledge and passing down what she knows, being a cat lover or simply being a quirky event in another's life. She's very much a part of her community

It's something the majority of us can do and even strive to make a part of our own lives

She's very inspirational and for that she's 2023s best girl

Husbando of 2023

N/A

yee same as last year, no one has resonated with me like yet. But I'm always open to being surprised

Waifu of 2023

Aquafresh

my dearly beloved who is named after a toothpaste brand for some reason I will never understand

She's so mysterious ... by which I mean I do not understand this npc

Best Billboard Event of 2023

Sea and Song

I mean it made me feel

Norah is an excellent main character with a relatable story of an artist who lost her art mojo

The npcs were very likeable and just make you want to help them and save the day

and while my like of Anna has greatly soured since her released Norah sure make her seem like a cool person and while their ending is sad, I'm glad they got to see each other again

Pretty satisfying end to the Cube Miracle arc

Best Track of 2023

Without You - Northside Nate

it's song that fills in a spot in the musical taste buds that rarely gets satisfied

Best Boss of the Year

Barros

an interesting esper, on one hand he's doing his best with what he can get his hands on the help his lil' nephew. But on the other hand "doing his best with what he can" is him gambling the rest city's citizens to accomplish this and seeing how he's the mayor...it's probably for the best to stop him

Also he's a pretty cool 2 part boss fight

I'm surprised they haven't put him in towers or cube miracle or something

But ya that's my best of 2023 awards for dislyte for anyone who was curious

Examining MK1 Characters: Outworld

So, that was Earthrealm. Now for Outworld, which is in the opposite boat. This is where all of the estrogen fled to after Liu Kang declared that women were banned from Earthrealm.

Seriously, I don't know what Sonya did to warrant being unpersoned like that. Kenshi's ending even features the formation of the iconic Special Forces group from the previous timelines like, "And then Kenshi and Jax teamed up and formed their agency. That's right, Kenshi and Jax. That iconic and beloved Special Forces duo, Kenshi and Jax. Those are the names people think of when they think Special Forces. Kenshi and Jax!"

Did Netherrealm notice that people were upset about Ronda Rousey's performance as Sonya, and their takeaway is that the fandom doesn't like Sonya? Was that it? Is that why she's been banished to the mystical realm of Kameo-exclusivity?

In any case, if you want to be a woman, you gotta leave Earthrealm now. Outworld doesn't own a monopoly on women but it has absorbed Edenia's high concentration of female characters and brought most of them to the foray. Pretty much every Edenian lady is here.

Except Jade. Poor Jade.

Sindel NRS's Evil Sindel from MK11 was an extremely divisive character. You either loved her or hated her. Either she was an empowering portrayal that granted Sindel complete agency over the events that happened to her, or she was another example of taking characters created as victims of abuse and painting over them with deranged, monstrous villains. A lot of opinions were had and shared over the direction they took the previously-heroic Sindel in the reboot trilogy.

MK1 seems to have heard the criticisms, though, because they walk it back. Re-reboot Sindel is a mostly benevolent but flawed ruler who governs Edenia Outworld?

It's just Outworld now. Edenia doesn't exist anymore; Kang shunted all the good stuff about it into Outworld. Seems rude given how much of the Original Timeline Edenians' plot was about liberating their realm from Outworld, but okay. Edenia is officially decanonized.

In any case, NRS takes a crack at writing Sindel as a compassionate but flawed leader, eager to preserve peace between the realms but mindful of the potential dangers inherent to international politics and vulnerable to manipulation from those she trusts.

The genuinely complex political conflict unfolding between Earthrealm and Outworld, courtesy of mistakes made by both Liu Kang and Sindel, is the best part of the game. Sindel feels incredibly human and believable here, as both a person and a ruler.

She's also the only character in the entire game that dies, so it looks like NRS regrets how bloody they made the previous attempt at a reboot. Might seem odd for an MK game to be mostly bloodless but, surprisingly, it's pretty on-brand. It was rare for too many characters to die in the actual plots of the original Mortal Kombat series - and when they did, the sequel would generally find some way of ignoring it anyway.

Only one character dying while everyone else makes plans for what they'll do in the sequel is pretty normal by pre-reboot standards.

Mileena They keep trying to make Mileena pretty while still paying, pardon the pun, lip service to her iconic monstrous features. They tried giving her those weird, gross human lips in MKX. But the current approach, seen in MK1 and the newer Mortal Kombat film, is to have her be 100% pretty 99% of the time but she can mutate into the monster teeth for short spurts of screentime.

I don't like it. Let Mileena be hideous. Stop trying to fix her face. Female characters don't always have to be pretty.

As to her role in the story? Mileena and Kitana's relationship is one of the most underdeveloped things in Mortal Kombat. In the original canon, these two were raised together as sisters for 10,000 years before Kitana broke from their family - But the original games had so little storytelling and were so uninterested in examining Mileena as a character that very little was ever done with it. She was Evil Minion #6.

The reboot was a golden opportunity to finally explore the potential between these two characters. But they made the inexplicable decision to have Mileena literally born yesterday - while also sexualizing the hell out of her despite that. So she immediately alienates Kitana because they have no relationship. Then she dies.

So. No. Reboot trilogy was every bit as uninterested in examining Mileena and Kitana's relationship as the original.

This new timeline gives us a wildly different context for everything that Mileena is. But it also, finally, puts their relationship front and center of their characters. So, one step back, two steps forward. We get to see a profound bond of loyalty and love between the twin daughters of Shao Kahn Sindel - and without Shao Kahn's wickedness to break them apart, that bond is never shattered.

Every moment that these two are onscreen together is golden.

I have other thoughts about "Tarkat Disease" but we'll get to those when we get to Baraka. My main takeaway from Mileena's portrayal is that it's nice to finally see the dynamic between Mileena and Kitana share a spotlight in one of these games; to see Mileena handled as a character, and not just Kitana's Evil Twin/Shao Kahn's Evil Daughter.

Kitana As a consequence of no longer being the fugitive princess seeking to thwart her villainous father, Kitana's role takes a significant downgrade. She's the Kung Lao of Edenia now; It's Mileena and Kitana, there is no Just Kitana. Which is a bit of a twist given that Kitana is traditionally the true heir and Mileena's a counterfeit.

Consequently, Kitana doesn't get to do much besides hold Mileena's hand and support her, and occasionally throw hands on her behalf. Though, Kitana's the only one of her family that doesn't get a chapter, so she doesn't even get to be any good at hand-throwing. She's relegated to cannon fodder in fight scenes.

Going from Kitana Khan, ascendant supreme ruler of Outworld to Mileena's emotional support sibling and occasional Story Mode punching bag feels jarring. This may be what that stuff with Titan Kitana was thrown in to offset.

I'm okay with Kitana taking a more passive role here since it gives Mileena and Sindel, two dramatically underserved characters, opportunities to shine. But I hope they can find more for her to do in the next one. She's too beloved and popular to remain out of the spotlight for long.

(Still better than what Sonya got.)

Li Mei This character has nothing to do with Li Mei. They created a brand new original character and gave her Li Mei's name. That's what happens sometimes to D-listers. Li Mei was a character created for Deadly Alliance and then given almost nothing to do, either in that game or its sequels. So it's not surprise that they remade her from the ground up.

The new Li Mei's story is primarily governed by her relationship with Sindel. Jerrod died on her watch, fracturing her relationship with Sindel and resulting in a bitter and emotionally complicated dynamic between Sun Do's demoted First Constable and her Empress.

My favorite thing about Li Mei and Sindel's relationship is its sincerity. Neither of them are hiding anything. There's no big twists lurking. Well, there is one, and it's that a third party scapegoated Li Mei, but it wasn't Sindel who did it so it doesn't affect their dynamic with one another.

It's. Just. An emotionally intense relationship fractured by a sudden tragedy. You can feel the love that once existed between them in the fires of Sindel's grief-stricken hatred. But even demoted and denigrated and spurned as she is, Li Mei's loyalty and friendship is everlasting. This relationship is beautiful, and seeing it ultimately heal may be the biggest triumph in the game.

Tanya Tanya, the ever-traitor. Treachery is her name, deception is her way of life. Her "hat" so to speak is betraying her nation to whoever might be buying. She's the Kano of Edenia. The ultimate villain may change from game to game but if they need Edenian secrets, Tanya's the place to go.

She rebooted in MKX, where she was simply a devoted follower of Mileena. Then. Like. Fucked off. The writers have never cared much about Tanya.

MK1 keeps the part about her being a devoted follower of Mileena and tosses the rest. She's returned to where we met her in MK4: Serving the Edenian Outworld throne, but sincerely this time. Like Kitana, she gets little to do besides throw hands poorly at everyone else.

But they do ship her with Mileena. Got that whole Bodyguard/VIP romance going, which gets honed in on during Mileena's chapter. So that's neat.

Baraka Since Jade didn't make the cut, that brings us to the men of Outworld.

So. Tarkat Disease. Gonna say up front that I don't like this. I don't like boiling down a sentient race of beings into lepers. It's gross. I feel like they only did this so they had a means by which to make Mileena pretty. I don't like that.

But whatever the reason for that decision, Baraka makes out like a bandit. This is the first time in Mortal Kombat history that Baraka's been. Like. A character, rather than simply a token representative of his race. Throughout both original and reboot timelines, Baraka's simply been the Tarkatan. A character design more than a character.

It's like playing a Star Wars game where the playable characters include Darth Vader, the Emperor, Darth Maul, Boba Fett, and Stormtrooper FB-119. Who is FB-119? He's a Stormtrooper. He's here so you can play as a Stormtrooper if you want. That, historically, is Baraka.

He still is, to some degree. MK1 Baraka still engages with the plot on behalf of Tarkatans as a whole. But he also gets to be here as an individual; To tell his own personal story of who he is and how he came to be, independent of his race. That's new. That's something Baraka's never had before.

So it's easy to say that this is by far the best Baraka we've ever had. Speaking of characters defined by their race who suddenly get to be individuals:

Reptile Did you know Reptile has a name now? Because Reptile has a name now. Up until this point, he's always been Reptile. Because he is a reptile. That is how much thought previously went into this character. Reptile was his name. But now he has a name, in addition to Reptile.

Like Mileena, Reptile suffered from having a genuinely fascinating character concept drowned out by his role as Evil Minion #4. He was the last survivor of a race exterminated by Shao Kahn, raised by Shao Kahn to believe that his people were out there and to want Kahn's help to search for them.

Are you kidding me? That's amazing. You have an incredible protagonist on your hands and you're wasting him on bad guy grunt work? Reptile and Kitana should be teaming up as partners in uncovering daddy's dirty laundry!

His non-canon endings would always be like, "But then Reptile discovered the awful truth and turned against Shao Kahn!" But they never pulled that trigger. Despite his wealth of potential, Reptile wasn't a character anyone was interested in developing.

As with Mileena and Kitana, MK1 unwrites a lot of what made Reptile interesting, but also grants him the narrative focus and character examination that he's been lacking. About nine games too late, he finally gets to turn against his cruel masters and break free of the chains they've bound him with. And he finally gets a name to call his own: Syzoth.

Which has technically been his name since MKX but this is the first time it was revealed outside of questionably-canon pre-fight banter. Because this is the first time he's ever mattered as a character.

Rain Like Mileena and Reptile, Rain is a surprisingly complicated character on paper, but Evil Minion #3 in practice. The bastard son of an Edenian king's affair. An illegitimate heir to a throne that will never be his birthright, taken in by Shao Kahn as an orphan - who may or may not have played a critical role in Kahn's conquest of the realm. Man, Kahn collects talented children like he's Evil Batman.

Rain is a character with a wealth of potential but who has never had his day in the sun. Sadly, unlike Mileena and Reptile, that day is not this day. The new Rain jettisons that narrative entirely, reducing him to simply "Some guy who's good at magic". While the other two got increased narrative focus in exchange, Rain's still hanging out as Evil Minion #3.

Maybe some day, Rain. Maybe some day.

General Shao Shao. Motherfucking. Kahn. The Big Bad Evil Guy of Mortal Kombat. Writers have gone back and forth on what he is and where he comes from but make no mistake: Where he walks, the heavens do tremble.

Now he's the pissant Sec-Def who wants to fire nukes at the aliens.

That probably sounds like I didn't like this direction for him but I do. It's a plot point that Liu Kang explicitly went out of his way to disempower all of the villains. Shang Tsung and Quan Chi had their destinies interfered with and altered by Titan Tsung, causing them to become the villains they were never supposed to be able to.

But Shao? Tsung only conspired with him because it was convenient. Kang made it so Shao was born too sickly and frail to ever become the shit-stomping uber-warrior that he was, and Shao still made his way to the absolute peak of Outworld's military by sheer force of Shao Kahn-ness.

I wonder how Liu Kang felt years back, when he first heard the name "General Shao" emerge from Sindel's lips? Like. He went to so much trouble to prevent this and it still happened. And not because of extra-temporal invaders this time. Shao Kahn simply cannot be pinned down. No matter how weak you make him, he will find a way to make himself strong. That tenacity and resilience is what makes him so dangerous.

Reiko Also, Reiko is here. Another recipient of the "And X" treatment, Reiko is the other Outworld Military representative. His job is to stand next to Shao and go, "YEAH, what he said!" And occasionally get beat up so that we can have an Outworld Military guy beat up without diminishing Shao's menace.

Reiko's a good pick for Shao's "And X" partner. That's already what this character is. He does his job... adequately. Never stands out, but never falls flat.

If I had one criticism for Reiko, it's that they take him too seriously. His goofy obsession with Shao, styling himself after Shao and sneaking into his throne room to wear his helmet, all that fun stuff is absent from this portrayal. He snaps to attention, salutes, and says, "YES, SIR!" That's all there is to him.

Shang Tsung Ah, the game's main villain. I hope you like Shang Tsung because there's two separate Shang Tsungs here. Shang Tsung manipulates Shang Tsung until he inevitably betrays Shang Tsung, forcing Shang Tsung to turn on Shang Tsung and instead help to defeat Shang Tsung.

This would be an incredible satire if it wasn't played totally straight.

I'm not fond of Titan Shang Tsung, for the way he hijacks the story and forces it to abandon all of the characters and plotlines that had been developing up to that point. The big Titan free-for-all at the end was a disappointing conclusion for me, especially since it ends the game on a redo of Aftermath's ending.

But the native Shang Tsung? Much like Shao, Shang Tsung being a slippery enough worm to reach out and snatch the destiny that's been kept from him is a consistent character trait. Nonetheless, when we meet him, he's still growing and developing. He's an alchemist and sorcerer, but isn't quite the soul-hungry eldritch beast we know from other entries in the franchise.

Unfortunately, his role within the story is compromised by reference. This game wants really badly for you to notice that it's Reboot Deadly Alliance. They go hard on it. The Deadly Alliance forms up to awaken Reboot Onaga's Army like in Deadly Alliance, but then Tsung pulls the rug out from under them. So we have the Shang Tsung chapter, about the Deadly Alliance defeating Titan Tsung's forces alongside Raiden, with winking nods to how Raiden was their enemy in Deadly Alliance.

Then, after that, Titan Shang Tsung forms the Titan Deadly Alliance! DO YOU GET IT? DO YOU REMEMBER DEADLY ALLIANCE? I REMEMBER DEADLY ALLIANCE.

Like. What's the deal with all this Deadly Alliancing? Are Shang Tsung and Quan Chi, like, actually friends now or something? Even their extradimensional counterparts are attached at the hip.

Honestly, as cool as the novelty of "The Deadly Alliance is on our side now!" is, it's still just novelty. Shang Tsung is with us because Other Shang Tsung wants to kill him. But also, it doesn't matter because nothing he does once he turncoats has any consequence; Liu Kang defeats Titan Shang Tsung in a big Titan Armageddon, which the Deadly Alliance Plus Raiden's big victory has no effect on anyway.

Ultimately, the new Shang Tsung is a cool idea that winds up getting dragged down by the overarching decisions for where the story wants to go.

10k Update

I’ve decided I’m going to do a revamp of my writing updates for every 10,000 words I write. It’s a pretty good way to keep up with everything I write that doesn’t make it in the monthly update by virtue of it just being too damn long ago.

It’s pretty early in the month for me to have already reached 10,000 words, but I’ll admit I’ve been a bit of a powerhouse lately with my writing. Maybe it’s because I haven’t slept much? I always seem to be more creative when I’m a little loopy. My brand of creativity seems to thrive when I’m just slightly off-balance.

Regardless, I’m thrilled to say that I’ve written some pretty decent work so far. 

The first thing I wrote for was for Silver Storm, a novel that features Hiprax, the son of a silver dragon. It takes place in my Dragonworld, a world that is literally made of a sleeping dragon. Undoubtedly my coolest worldbuilding ever, and perhaps even my magnum opus when it comes to worldbuilding.

(I hope not, but as of now, it is.)

My husband adores this most of anything I’ve ever written for Silver Storm. This was wonderful for my ego; he’s pretty tough on books. Especially my fantasy books, because that is the main genre he reads. For him to shower this snippet with compliments… it does things to a man’s confidence.

I did work on part of this last month. Obviously inspired by Baldur’s Gate 3, I went a little further into Hiprax’s experience adapting to dracon culture after he loses his mother, Vrynnd. Having been raised as a sitaav elve (this world’s equivalent of a frost elf), he’s disconnected from the draconic origin of his life. So much so that he doesn’t know his father is a dragon at all and just believes him to be a dracon, the offspring of dragons.

That’s a lot of worldbuilding to contextualize an excerpt, but again, I’m nothing if not wordy.

Hiprax does not believe himself to show many draconic traits. There are, of course, the obvious: he loves shiny things, he loves great heights, he loves the wind against his scales. He wouldn’t count himself as having the same type of pride that other dracons do. 

Then, I decided I would fully commit to editing my Q1 Short Stories™ and began my edit of “The Boy & The Hag Stone”. Since I’ve already edited “Plastic Fangs”, and because I spoke about “Hag Stone” more recently, I chose it to edit instead of my beloved vampires. 

Banshee is a very special character to me. In the words of Laszlo Cravensworth:

“He’s my best friend, he’s my pal, he’s my homeboy, my rotten soldier, my sweet cheese, my good time boy.”

Which is, of course, how I feel about all of my Weirdo Characters™, but especially Banshee. I gave Banshee some parts of myself: his wild, dark hair, his uncanny stare, his hatred of shoes. (I really fucking hate shoes.) To Rishi, I gave my love of run-on sentences and cup noodles. 

Here’s my favorite tiny excerpt from his edit!

Banshee was a ghost, a lost soul, a feral child all grown up. He never left footprints; instead, asphodels grew wherever he walked. Every time he predicted rain, there was, and every time he predicted clear skies, there were.

I got very obsessed with Brutus (of Julius Caesar fame) for a brief period of time. So obsessed I wrote a poem and half of a short story about him. My Brutus obsession has resulted in poem before, but very rarely do I allow a poem to germinate into a short story.

This short story was pretty unique. I did it in the style of “The Cannon” by Kelly Link: a Q&A. My husband liked it only because of the “interesting form” and not so much for the content, because he is “not interested in that sort of thing” (i.e., writing about Roman politicians doing an interview in maybe-Purgatory.) I’ll give him points, though; the style is pretty unconventional.

Q: Did it hurt?

A: Does pulling a tooth hurt? Does drinking poison hurt? Of course it did. It hurt as though I was stabbing myself. His blood looked exactly like mine. 

It’s not finished yet, but I think it’s more of a way to adventure into different forms than a way to tell an actual story. There’s some slappage there, though.

Then I worked on some blog posts, including a WIP intro and some character intros for Double-Trickery! This is one of my favorite books to write for. Penny and Mavuto’s dynamic is something pretty unique in my work. Every couple I write is some level of codependent, but learning necromancy just because you think your best friend (or the “love of your life”) is dead? Damn, that’s conviction.

That’s the wrap-up for now! In all, I’m quite pleased with all I’ve done as of late. It’s only been six days, and I’m already in the double digits when it comes to word count. Hell yeah!

Tag list: @jacqueswriteblrlibrary

New Omnibus Collects Marvel's Classic 'Planet of the Apes' Comic Series

'Planet of the Apes Adventures: the Original Marvel Years' Omnibus arrives in 2023.

BY MARVEL

Last week, Marvel Comics announced a brand-new era of PLANET OF THE APES comics storytelling! The groundbreaking science-fiction phenomenon will return to Marvel Comics with a new series next year and fans will also be able to enjoy Marvel’s previous PLANET OF THE APES stories in the upcoming PLANET OF THE APES ADVENTURES: THE ORIGINAL MARVEL YEARS OMNIBUS.

This rare collection will reprint all eleven issues of ADVENTURES ON THE PLANETS OF THE APES for the very first time. The beloved 1975 series adapted the first two iconic Planet of the Apes films and holds a special place in the hearts of Planet of the Apes and Marvel Comics fans alike.

When a crew of astronauts crash-lands on a strange and desolate world, they discover a society of apes with heightened intelligence and speech. Here, a race of mute humans are their slaves! Can the mission’s leader, Taylor, fight his way free and hold onto his humanity? What is the shocking secret of this Planet of the Apes? What unfathomable danger lies beneath the surface? Find out when a second spaceship makes its way to this uncanny world and another astronaut faces a battle for survival, with the fate of the entire planet at stake!

PLANET OF THE APES OMNIBUS Written by DOUG MOENCH Art by GEORGE TUSKA & ALFREDO ALCALA Cover by E.M. GIST Direct Market Exclusive Cover by GIL KANE On Sale March 2023

It’s the simian sci-fi staple in the mighty Marvel manner! Relive Marvel’s take on the classic films Planet of the Apes and Beneath the Planet of the Apes in one action-packed volume. Check out the covers of the omnibus and stay tuned for more news about PLANET OF THE APES’ exciting future at Marvel Comics.

You can grab these comics and more digitally or at your favorite local comic book shop. Be sure to ask your local shop about their current business policies to observe social distancing or other services they may offer, including holding or creating pull lists, curbside pick-ups, special deliveries, and other options to accommodate. Find and support your local comic book shop at ComicShopLocator.com or by visiting Marvel.com/LoveComicShops.

For digital comics, all purchases in the Marvel Comics app can be read on iPhone®, iPad® and select Android™ devices! Our smart-paneling feature provides an intuitive reader experience, ideal for all types of mobile device and tablet users! Download the app on iOS and Android now!

A Secret Weapon For best squishmallows

Plus, there are rare Squishmallow people, which have only a couple of hundred in circulation. These are typically more likely to be located in suppliers or becoming resold on-line at shops like Etsy. NatPat's array of wellness patches and stickers aim to tackle everything from allergic reactions to lack of concentration. We get a closer think about the variety. It’s fairly unachievable to generally be looking for a small children’s toy and not encounter the über viral Squishmallows. The cozy and cuddly plush toy has amassed a huge following and has grown to be a world phenomenon considering that debuting in 2017. squishmallows mart are Tremendous soft plush toys which have been touted as Gen Alpha’s version of the long-lasting Beanie Beanies, and rightfully so. This list of 6 Easter buddies, that are five inches Every single, is great if you have many Young ones. With a range of colors, there's anything Everybody will like. It's among our recommended products and solutions from your Kelly Toys collection and among the list of cutest Squishmallows you'll ever have. For your pals who rejoice the Jewish holiday, this pooch is an excellent option for one of many eight nights of the Pageant of lights. A: Though we suggest location-cleaning to maintain their softness, some smaller sized Squishmallows could possibly be machine-washable. Usually refer to the care Guidelines over the tag for unique particulars. The Citrus Squad provides a number of fruits and veggies, from lemons and strawberries to avocados and guava. Borsa can be a brand-new Squishmallow who arrived out this yr, so she'd be perfect for the Squishmallow collector who's obtained many of the classics. She's a noticed highland cow from Scotland with an exceedingly furry tummy and excellent huge horns. The cute Squishmallows on this list were pretty subjectively picked by Jessica Hartshorn, a contributing writer who is often likely to put cats and sweets near the top. She was previously the amusement editor at Dad and mom The Vanessa the Purple Panda Squishmallow ($twenty) is usually a stunningly vibrant possibility that should brighten up your selection. It can be sixteen-inches tall with a brilliant-comfortable cuddle worthy really feel. https://www.google.com.sl/url?q=https://squishmallowsmart.com loves to sing and is perfect for many who like to execute their beloved music. Squishmallows are among the internet's favorite stuffed toys, and they're so very cute that we can know how they became a viral feeling. Squishmallows are super comfortable plush toys which has a marshmallow-like texture, pretty much Gen Z's Model of beanie infants. Plus, Just about every character has a detailed backstory and individuality. Samir's Story: Though Samir never ever expected to become in cost, he was selected as a frontrunner because he displays qualities, like kindness and thing to consider. He’s available to give tips whenever you require help producing the best alternative. As all Pokémon fans know, you've gotta catch them all! So why not start with a basic and have this Pikachu Squishmallow? Once you've done that, You can even find Squishmallows of Piplup and Snorlax, in addition to a Distinctive edition winking Pikachu.

The Best Animated Christmas Adverts of All Time

We love a Christmas advert in Britain. Whenever the latest John Lewis or Marks & Spencer Christmas advert is released it makes news headlines. The public takes to the internet to compare it to adverts of past and rank which advert has been the best tear-jerker so far.

At Squideo, our favourite Christmas ads are the animated variety. We love to see what other animation companies are experimenting with, which pop culture characters are in the public consciousness, and what audiences are responding to. We’re ranking our ten favourite animated Christmas adverts (to date). Let us know if we missed your pick!

10 Best Animated Christmas Adverts

10. It’s a Wonderful Flight | Heathrow Airport 2017

Combining live-action and CGI, the iconic Heathrow Bears sold at Heathrow Airport take centre stage in this advert. On a series of Christmas Eve flights, a family of Heathrow Bears grows over the years in a video which promotes the staff of Heathrow Airport who work throughout the Christmas holiday as well as this classic souvenir.

09. Paddington & The Christmas Visitor | Marks and Spencer 2017

Released in the same year as Paddington 2, Marks and Spencer took advantage of the film’s publicity by making this special bear the star of their Christmas advert. The video subtly places M&S products throughout, but it is Ben Whishaw who is the star of this advert along with Mark Benton and a cameo from Angela Ripon. M&S rarely hold back on the celebrity guest stars in their adverts, but it is the touching scene at the end of this advert that truly makes it memorable.

08. A Comfy Carol | DFS 2020

Wallace and Gromit have been popular characters since they first graced the screen in 1989, and DFS must have known they had a safe bet when they approached Aardman Animation to make their Christmas advert. The product placement – a warm and comfortable couch – only appears at the very end of the video, with much of the advert dedicated to Wallace’s typical eccentricities and Gromit’s usual exasperation.

07. Northern Lights | Coca Cola 1993

The Coca Cola polar bears have been a popular mascot used by the company since 1993, often appearing in their advertising in the run up to Christmas. This simple advert departed from the brand’s usual live-action human-centric videos and used state-of-the-art computer animation. The ad was so popular that even Coca Cola’s competitors Pepsi got in on the action, eventually releasing their own polar bear advert. Who knew bears loved soft drinks so much?

06. Inner Child | McDonald’s 2020

Made in support of FareShare UK, this 3D animated McDonald’s advert doesn’t rely on characters from famous franchises. Instead it creates its own original characters, a mother and a son whose relationship is strengthened over a McDonald’s happy meal. Animation is cleverly used to show the son’s growing distance, contrasted with his inner child who longs to participate in all the Christmas traditions. Joining McDonald’s existing #ReindeerReady campaign, it ends with them setting out McDonald’s provided carrot sticks in wait of Santa’s arrival.

05. Get More Out Of Giving | Very 2019

Another yearly campaign, Very’s Get More Out Of Giving promotes community and kindness during the Christmas holidays. In 2019, Very used 3D animation to create a neighbourhood coming together to create a gift for one of the residents. Very has used the same street of houses in previous adverts and takes advantage of the existing character development to advance the story. Using Very branding in the form of a glowing pink present, it is a subtle advert without any product placement that effectively pulls on the heartstrings.

04. Father Christmas to the Rescue | Barbour 2020

Using the beloved animation of Raymond Briggs’ Father Christmas, this advert was inspired by a real incident which is credited at the end of the video. After the family dog rips an heirloom Barbour jacket, Father Christmas is called upon to mend it. The advert signposts the repair services Barbour offer, rather than promoting buying a new replacement. It’s a sweet story, but the best part is seeing Briggs’ characters brought to life yet again.

03. Mog’s Christmas Calamity | Sainsbury’s 2015

Prepare for the advert guaranteed to bring tears to Scrooge’s eyes. Narrated by author Judith Kerr, the original creator of Mog who also cameos in the video, this live-action and 3D animation advert was accompanied by a Sainsbury-exclusive book and plush toy with proceeds going to Save the Children. Mog gets up to his usual antics, and the Thomas’ home catches fire – destroying the downstairs living area in a moment which brings the fun calamity to a sobering moment. Quickly the neighbourhood rallies around the family, cleaning up the house and sharing their Christmas. It’s an emotional rollercoaster which instantly became a Christmas advert classic.

02. The Stepdad | Disney 2021

Part of Disney’s From Our Family to Yours campaign, the company continues its support of Make-A-Wish International through sales of the video’s original song performed by Gregory Porter. The second advert to follow this growing family, the titular stepdad struggles to find his place in the household but fortunately the love he and his step kids share for Disney comes to the rescue. From watching original Disney programming, reading Disney books and building a Disney-inspired gingerbread house, there’s no shortage of product placement in this advert. And yet, despite this, it keeps the characters central and creates a heartwarming story.

01. The Bear and the Hare | John Lewis 2013

Combining 2D and stop-motion animation, this was the video that started John Lewis’ reign as the Christmas advert titan. Using Lily Allen’s cover of Somewhere Only We Know, the single became a UK number one hit and the video has over 54 million views on YouTube. Every John Lewis advert since is compared to The Bear and the Hare. From its beautifully animated characters to the simplicity of the story, there was no other advert in the running for our number one spot.

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The Case Against Travel

It turns us into the worst version of ourselves while convincing us that we’re at our best.

By Agnes Callard

June 24, 2023

What is the most uninformative statement that people are inclined to make? My nominee would be “I love to travel.” This tells you very little about a person, because nearly everyone likes to travel; and yet people say it, because, for some reason, they pride themselves both on having travelled and on the fact that they look forward to doing so.

The opposition team is small but articulate. G. K. Chesterton wrote that “travel narrows the mind.” Ralph Waldo Emerson called travel “a fool’s paradise.” Socrates and Immanuel Kant—arguably the two greatest philosophers of all time—voted with their feet, rarely leaving their respective home towns of Athens and Königsberg. But the greatest hater of travel, ever, was the Portuguese writer Fernando Pessoa, whose wonderful “Book of Disquiet” crackles with outrage:

I abhor new ways of life and unfamiliar places. . . . The idea of travelling nauseates me. . . . Ah, let those who don’t exist travel! . . . Travel is for those who cannot feel. . . . Only extreme poverty of the imagination justifies having to move around to feel.

If you are inclined to dismiss this as contrarian posturing, try shifting the object of your thought from your own travel to that of others. At home or abroad, one tends to avoid “touristy” activities. “Tourism” is what we call travelling when other people are doing it. And, although people like to talk about their travels, few of us like to listen to them. Such talk resembles academic writing and reports of dreams: forms of communication driven more by the needs of the producer than the consumer.

One common argument for travel is that it lifts us into an enlightened state, educating us about the world and connecting us to its denizens. Even Samuel Johnson, a skeptic—“What I gained by being in France was, learning to be better satisfied with my own country,” he once said—conceded that travel had a certain cachet. Advising his beloved Boswell, Johnson recommended a trip to China, for the sake of Boswell’s children: “There would be a lustre reflected upon them. . . . They would be at all times regarded as the children of a man who had gone to view the wall of China.”

Travel gets branded as an achievement: see interesting places, have interesting experiences, become interesting people. Is that what it really is?

Pessoa, Emerson, and Chesterton believed that travel, far from putting us in touch with humanity, divorced us from it. Travel turns us into the worst version of ourselves while convincing us that we’re at our best. Call this the traveller’s delusion.

To explore it, let’s start with what we mean by “travel.” Socrates went abroad when he was called to fight in the Peloponnesian War; even so, he was no traveller. Emerson is explicit about steering his critique away from a person who travels when his “necessities” or “duties” demand it. He has no objection to traversing great distances “for the purpose of art, of study, and benevolence.” One sign that you have a reason to be somewhere is that you have nothing to prove, and therefore no drive to collect souvenirs, photos, or stories to prove it. Let’s define “tourism” as the kind of travel that aims at the interesting—and, if Emerson and company are right, misses.

“A tourist is a temporarily leisured person who voluntarily visits a place away from home for the purpose of experiencing a change.” This definition is taken from the opening of “Hosts and Guests,” the classic academic volume on the anthropology of tourism. The last phrase is crucial: touristic travel exists for the sake of change. But what, exactly, gets changed? Here is a telling observation from the concluding chapter of the same book: “Tourists are less likely to borrow from their hosts than their hosts are from them, thus precipitating a chain of change in the host community.” We go to experience a change, but end up inflicting change on others.

For example, a decade ago, when I was in Abu Dhabi, I went on a guided tour of a falcon hospital. I took a photo with a falcon on my arm. I have no interest in falconry or falcons, and a generalized dislike of encounters with nonhuman animals. But the falcon hospital was one of the answers to the question, “What does one do in Abu Dhabi?” So I went. I suspect that everything about the falcon hospital, from its layout to its mission statement, is and will continue to be shaped by the visits of people like me—we unchanged changers, we tourists. (On the wall of the foyer, I recall seeing a series of “excellence in tourism” awards. Keep in mind that this is an animal hospital.)

Why might it be bad for a place to be shaped by the people who travel there, voluntarily, for the purpose of experiencing a change? The answer is that such people not only do not know what they are doing but are not even trying to learn. Consider me. It would be one thing to have such a deep passion for falconry that one is willing to fly to Abu Dhabi to pursue it, and it would be another thing to approach the visit in an aspirational spirit, with the hope of developing my life in a new direction. I was in neither position. I entered the hospital knowing that my post-Abu Dhabi life would contain exactly as much falconry as my pre-Abu Dhabi life—which is to say, zero falconry. If you are going to see something you neither value nor aspire to value, you are not doing much of anything besides locomoting.

Tourism is marked by its locomotive character. “I went to France.” O.K., but what did you do there? “I went to the Louvre.” O.K., but what did you do there? “I went to see the ‘Mona Lisa.’ ” That is, before quickly moving on: apparently, many people spend just fifteen seconds looking at the “Mona Lisa.” It’s locomotion all the way down.

The peculiar rationality of tourists allows them to be moved both by a desire to do what they are supposed to do in a place and a desire to avoid precisely what they are supposed to do. This is how it came to pass that, on my first trip to Paris, I avoided both the “Mona Lisa” and the Louvre. I did not, however, avoid locomotion. I walked from one end of the city to the other, over and over again, in a straight line; if you plotted my walks on a map, they would have formed a giant asterisk. In the many great cities I have actually lived and worked in, I would never consider spending whole days walking. When you travel, you suspend your usual standards for what counts as a valuable use of time. You suspend other standards as well, unwilling to be constrained by your taste in food, art, or recreational activities. After all, you say to yourself, the whole point of travelling is to break out of the confines of everyday life. But, if you usually avoid museums, and suddenly seek them out for the purpose of experiencing a change, what are you going to make of the paintings? You might as well be in a room full of falcons.

Let’s delve a bit deeper into how, exactly, the tourist’s project is self-undermining. I’ll illustrate with two examples from “The Loss of the Creature,” an essay by the writer Walker Percy.

First, a sightseer arriving at the Grand Canyon. Before his trip, an idea of the canyon—a “symbolic complex”—had formed in his mind. He is delighted if the canyon resembles the pictures and postcards he has seen; he might even describe it as “every bit as beautiful as a picture postcard!” But, if the lighting is different, the colors and shadows not those which he expects, he feels cheated: he has arrived on a bad day. Unable to gaze directly at the canyon, forced to judge merely whether it matches an image, the sightseer “may simply be bored; or he may be conscious of the difficulty: that the great thing yawning at his feet somehow eludes him.”

Second, a couple from Iowa driving around Mexico. They are enjoying the trip, but are a bit dissatisfied by the usual sights. They get lost, drive for hours on a rocky mountain road, and eventually, “in a tiny valley not even marked on the map,” stumble upon a village celebrating a religious festival. Watching the villagers dance, the tourists finally have “an authentic sight, a sight which is charming, quaint, picturesque, unspoiled.” Yet they still feel some dissatisfaction. Back home in Iowa, they gush about the experience to an ethnologist friend: You should have been there! You must come back with us! When the ethnologist does, in fact, return with them, “the couple do not watch the goings-on; instead they watch the ethnologist! Their highest hope is that their friend should find the dance interesting.” They need him to “certify their experience as genuine.”

The tourist is a deferential character. He outsources the vindication of his experiences to the ethnologist, to postcards, to conventional wisdom about what you are or are not supposed to do in a place. This deference, this “openness to experience,” is exactly what renders the tourist incapable of experience. Emerson confessed, “I seek the Vatican, and the palaces. I affect to be intoxicated with sights and suggestions, but I am not intoxicated.” He speaks for every tourist who has stood before a monument, or a painting, or a falcon, and demanded herself to feel something. Emerson and Percy help us understand why this demand is unreasonable: to be a tourist is to have already decided that it is not one’s own feelings that count. Whether an experience is authentically X is precisely what you, as a non-X, cannot judge.

A similar argument applies to the tourist’s impulse to honor the grand sea of humanity. Whereas Percy and Emerson focus on the aesthetic, showing us how hard it is for travellers to have the sensory experiences that they seek, Pessoa and Chesterton are interested in the ethical. They study why travellers can’t truly connect to other human beings. During my Paris wanderings, I would stare at people, intently inspecting their clothing, their demeanor, their interactions. I was trying to see the Frenchness in the French people around me. This is not a way to make friends.

Pessoa said that he knew only one “real traveller with soul”: an office boy who obsessively collected brochures, tore maps out of newspapers, and memorized train schedules between far-flung destinations. The boy could recount sailing routes around the world, but he had never left Lisbon. Chesterton also approved of such stationary travellers. He wrote that there was “something touching and even tragic” about “the thoughtless tourist, who might have stayed at home loving Laplanders, embracing Chinamen, and clasping Patagonians to his heart in Hampstead or Surbiton, but for his blind and suicidal impulse to go and see what they looked like.”

The problem was not with other places, or with the man wanting to see them, but with travel’s dehumanizing effect, which thrust him among people to whom he was forced to relate as a spectator. Chesterton believed that loving what is distant in the proper fashion—namely, from a distance—enabled a more universal connection. When the man in Hampstead thought of foreigners “in the abstract . . . as those who labour and love their children and die, he was thinking the fundamental truth about them.” “The human bond that he feels at home is not an illusion,” Chesterton wrote. “It is rather an inner reality.” Travel prevents us from feeling the presence of those we have travelled such great distances to be near.

The single most important fact about tourism is this: we already know what we will be like when we return. A vacation is not like immigrating to a foreign country, or matriculating at a university, or starting a new job, or falling in love. We embark on those pursuits with the trepidation of one who enters a tunnel not knowing who she will be when she walks out. The traveller departs confident that she will come back with the same basic interests, political beliefs, and living arrangements. Travel is a boomerang. It drops you right where you started.

If you think that this doesn’t apply to you—that your own travels are magical and profound, with effects that deepen your values, expand your horizons, render you a true citizen of the globe, and so on—note that this phenomenon can’t be assessed first-personally. Pessoa, Chesterton, Percy, and Emerson were all aware that travellers tell themselves they’ve changed, but you can’t rely on introspection to detect a delusion. So cast your mind, instead, to any friends who are soon to set off on summer adventures. In what condition do you expect to find them when they return? They may speak of their travel as though it were transformative, a “once in a lifetime” experience, but will you be able to notice a difference in their behavior, their beliefs, their moral compass? Will there be any difference at all?

Travel is fun, so it is not mysterious that we like it. What is mysterious is why we imbue it with a vast significance, an aura of virtue. If a vacation is merely the pursuit of unchanging change, an embrace of nothing, why insist on its meaning?

One is forced to conclude that maybe it isn’t so easy to do nothing—and this suggests a solution to the puzzle. Imagine how your life would look if you discovered that you would never again travel. If you aren’t planning a major life change, the prospect looms, terrifyingly, as “More and more of this, and then I die.” Travel splits this expanse of time into the chunk that happens before the trip, and the chunk that happens after it, obscuring from view the certainty of annihilation. And it does so in the cleverest possible way: by giving you a foretaste of it. You don’t like to think about the fact that someday you will do nothing and be nobody. You will only allow yourself to preview this experience when you can disguise it in a narrative about how you are doing many exciting and edifying things: you are experiencing, you are connecting, you are being transformed, and you have the trinkets and photos to prove it.

Socrates said that philosophy is a preparation for death. For everyone else, there’s travel. ♦

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Hidden Gems by VivacissimoVoce

I rarely see this author on reclists and it always surprises me because VV is, simply put, an incredible storyteller. Their writing is economic but effective with detailed world building, vivid descriptions, inventive concepts and charming characters, it’s impossible not to fall in love. I’ve always found their fics unique and entertaining, and I love how soft their Drarry romance is. VV writes them in a very organic way letting them be young and free in their desires and actions without overly dramatic inner conflicts. There’s this sweet innocence about their dynamics that melts my heart even when the story leans on the angsty side, and I find that very endearing. I strongly recommend the fics below, a special shout-out to the brilliant Seeker Chaser Keeper, an exciting Quidditch fic that will make you feel the thrill of young love. I’ve reread it many times and it never fails to put a smile on my face. I’m sure you’ll find comfort and joy in the other fics as well, so go ahead and treat yourself!

Jumeaux (2014, E, 19k) - delicious self-indulgent fic with smooth Auror Harry, spa owner Draco, slow burn, snark, sexy massages and mutual pining. Perfect mix of fun, hot and sweet 👌🏼

Draco and Blaise own and operate a luxury spa resort together, and the Ministry's Auror department has scheduled a full service three-day retreat. Guess who's on the guest list?

Under Pressure (2014, M, 21) - hermit Harry my beloved! Cool and moving story with competent tracker Draco trying to find Harry and bring him back home for Ron & Hermione.

Harry Potter has quit magic and left the wizarding world. Draco, a top-notch Tracker, has been hired to find him and save his life.

Going Once, Going Twice (2014, M, 39k) - so intriguing and inventive, I love the mystery and the Drarry dynamics here, plus the dark mark removal scene is simply breathtaking! A gorgeous story about love and healing.

Draco Malfoy has been missing for two years. Now the Malfoy estate is going up for auction, and Harry decides it’s time to find out what happened to his former school rival. Read my rec here.

To Serve Malfoy (2014, M, 44k) - silly boys doing blood oaths and getting stuck together, ahh what a brilliant concept! Post-8th year get together, hurt/comfort, family drama, smitten Harry, light D/s dynamics. Love this one!

Harry loses a wager with Draco, which means he must spend the summer at Malfoy Manor as Draco’s personal servant.

Seeker, Chaser, Keeper (2013, M, 59k) - one of the best Quidditch fics out there, definitely a must read for those who enjoy rivals becoming soft boyfriends and living the good life. A beautiful love story full of youthful joy and hope 💜

Rumor has it that a wealthy investor is starting up a brand new professional Quidditch team and he’s looking for players. Harry and Draco both want to make the team, but there can be only one Seeker. Will competing for the position bring them closer or drive them further apart? Read my rec here.