Nerd Church - Short Story: Everyone Is Born With A Void

This story was originally published on the Promptly Written publication on Medium, in response to the following prompt from Ravyne Hawke:


Write a story around the following:

— a bottomless pit
— a moment of despair
— a hopeful or hopeless outcome

Warning: this story contains injury imagery, including acid burns, and also centres on mental health issues (depression,) and hopelessness.

Everyone Is Born With A Void

This is Emmeline's.

Friday Fics Fix - Another SamBucky Rec List!

 

It's been a little while since my first SamBucky rec list - so I thought I'd bring you some more of the shippy goodness!

(Fandom notes:

SamBucky is a romantic and/or sexual relationship between Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes from the MCU (Marvel) movies etc., especially the Captain America movies, and the The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (TFATWS) TV series.

Shippy = related to ships.

Ships are relationships between two or more characters.)

As always with this kind of list, the Content Warnings will be in the original rec'ing post, which I'll link to.

Also pay attention to the fic author's tags on the fics themselves, and generally take care, dearest nerdlets!

(You can also check the rec'ing posts for whether the fics have SPOILERS or not.)

Friday Fics Fix - Once Upon A SamBucky Fairytale

 

'“Um,” said Sam, looking from Bucky to the golden retriever, “Do you know the dog?”

“Uh,” said Bucky, picking the honestly very large dog up, and walking around Sam, “Sort of? Could you… wait a moment? Watch the soup.”'

This is a weird fic.

Like, it's completely batpoop.

...And you know I love that 😉😅

Friday Fics Fix - Any Port (Cabin) In A Storm

'“So let me see if I’ve got this straight. You think a witch has lured us here to her cabin so she can fatten us up with fast food, then kill us and eat us for Sunday brunch?”

Sam blinks. “Yes?”'

Not entirely sure what I just read...

But then, reading the author's note... they're not entirely sure what they just wrote either - so at least we're all on the same page!

This is a The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (TFATWS) SamBucky fic. Because this is my blog, and I choose the fics. 😎😅

(Fandom notes: SamBucky is the name of a sexual and/or romantic relationship between Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes from the MCU (Marvel movies etc.))

Nerd Church - The Stark Difference Between Disney Villains' Motivations: Men Vs Women

 

(Warning: scratch the surface of Disney films, and there can be some very dark things underneath, so this post discusses: forced marriage, including to underage girls; murder; the fur industry; genocide.

There may also be SPOILERS for Disney films.)

Think of a Disney villain - there are a few great ones, right?

And I'm sure that we all have our faves, our least faves, our problematic faves.

And a Disney villain, at least traditionally in their animated movies, is as cut-and-dry good-vs-evil as you can get.

But I've noticed something lately - the motivations of Disney's female villains are a lot different to the male ones.

Quick Note: Yes, I'm using male and female as gendered terms synonymous with men and women, on account of social and practical interchangeability.

Comics Wrap-Up - We're Drawbridges Closing

 

It's Thursday. Let's get some awesome-sauce comics-y, superhero-y goodness!

Review! - Pan's Labyrinth: The Labyrinth of The Faun by Guillermo Del Toro and Cornelia Funke

 ***All Amazon.com links in this post are commission links. This means I earn commission from purchases made in the US*** 

Please do not use my links to make UK purchases.

Title: Pan's Labyrinth: The Labyrinth of The Faun

Author: Guillermo Del Toro and Cornelia Funke

Genre: Media Tie-In, Horror, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Fairy Tales (-ish,) Magic Realism(-ish,) Young Adult (Maybe? Maybe just adult with YA appeal. It's kind of difficult to gage the age range here!)

Amazon USA

Friday Fics Fix - Crows and Culture

“You are the only raven-man?” 

“To my knowledge,” Diaval said. “Though most of the ravens I meet don’t believe me when I say I am sometimes human.”

I LOVE Maleficent.

It's an amazing movie, and I am super-super excited for Maleficent 2!

And only like, 70-75% of my love for Maleficent has to do with how stunningly attractive Angelia Jolie is in the title role! 😅

Via Giphy

Review! (Poetry Edition!) - The Princess Saves Herself In This One by Amanda Lovelace

Title: The Princess Saves Herself In This One

Author: Amanda Lovelace

Genre: Poetry

Amazon: UK - USA

A few starting notes:

I received a free digital review copy of this book via NetGalley. NetGalley provides review copies from publishers in exchange for fair and honest reviews.

There's been so much buzz around this book - including a Goodreads Choice Award for Poetry in 2016.

People love this book - and to hear this much about a poetry collection isn't an everyday occurrence, so when I got the opportunity to review it, I took it.

A note before we go on guys: This book deals with some very difficult topics in an open and often raw way; please be careful.

Comics Wrap-Up - Bumper Catch-Up Edition!

Since Comics Wrap-Up took a break over Christmas, this week's edition is a catch-up of my comics reading and all related stuff in the last couple of weeks :)

Film Trailers


Here's an extended Batman TV spot for you all :)

(This film looks hilarious!)

Single Issues


I read a butt-load of short and preview comics to help prop up my Goodreads challenge total, so I'll just give you my three top picks.

(Trust me, these three are the ones worth mentioning!)




Heart of a Corpse: An Undead Engagement #1 (UK - US) and Bloody Dreadful #1 (UK - US) are two comics by creator Justin Sane.

Both are fairly interesting, creepily executed, tales of Victorian Gothic horror. Heart of a Corpse actually plays out like a silent movie in silhouette - and was really moody and cool. :)

I enjoyed both, and they def. came as a pleasant surprise.

Loki: Agent of Asgard #1 (UK - US) is the start of the whole Loki-as-a-teen series.

(Fangirling note:

Loki is one of the most difficult Marvel characters to define because s/he spends periods of time as a child, a teenager, a woman, a man, and two people. In honesty, I've probably missed something out.

Just trust me. In this period of time, Loki = reincarnated teenager. Thor = adult. That's as basic as it's gonna get, so let's leave it there.

You can't sweat the small stuff in comics. Your brain will explode. #TrueStory.)



This is the first part of Loki: Agent of Asgard Vol 1 (UK - US) and is pretty awesome. I really want to read the full volume soon for more sassy Loki awesomeness!








Webcomics





Over Christmas, I also read webcomic Princess Princess by Kay O'Neill

This is about two princesses who are faffing around a magical kingdom, challenging gender norms, and falling in love with each other.

One of the princesses is black - so there's a strong person of colour (PoC) lead too 😄



Princess Princess: Ever After (to give it it's fancy in-print title) is also available in printed format (UK - US.)

Other Stuff



Over on Women Write About Comics, Sergio Alexis wrote an awesome recommendation list of webcomics.

And just for the awesomeness of it all, all the comics they recommend are diverse!

Catherynne M Valente wrote a guest post over @ The Mary Sue about her up-coming superhero-based book The Refrigerator Monologues.

For anyone who doesn't know, 'Women in Refrigerators' or 'fridging' is a phrase that was invented by comics artist Gail Simone for unnecessary acts of violence against women in comic books - often used as a plot device to motivate the male hero.

The origin of the phrase was an infamous storyline where the Green Lantern finds his girlfriend murdered and stuffed in his fridge by a super-villain - apparently just to make him angry.

Valente's book plans to give a voice to fridged women - and it looks incredibly poignant, and undoubtedly awesome.

Also on The Mary Sue, Teresa Jusino took an early look at upcoming Afro-Puerto Rican Marvel superheroine La Borinqueña.

Along with America Chavez, Marisol Rios De La Luz aka La Borinqueña, is an awesome step forward for Latinx superheroes.

Like this post? Try these:

• Comics Wrap-Up - Said The Spider to the Fly
• Graphic Novels With Latinx Main Character/s

Month In Review(s) - August 2016

August. Ahhhh, August.

(I can't resist a happy-dog-in-sunglasses pic!)

August was actually a pretty good month for me.

Despite how difficult my anxiety made it, I came out as sexually fluid; and that felt great ;)






Blog-wise, less impressive stats than last month. But they were still pretty damn good :)

Over 4k page-views this month, reaching over 25k page-views over-all!!!!!!!!!!! XD I mean - wow! 25k!!!!!! XD XD

(Actually I've now reached over 26k, but 25 is such a round and shiny number, lol!)

And I now have over 950 followers on Twitter.

Things've stagnated a little on BlogLovin' - but still trotting along with a handful of new followers this month :)



And shameless plug time!

The Bookish Diversity Link List 2016 is up and running.

Be sure to check it out, and let me know if you find anything I can add! (It's easier when people help me, lol.)

Kids

The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon - contemporary, magic realism

Young Adult

Switched by Amanda Hocking - fantasy, paranormal* (*ish)

Adult

Blood Season by Claire Meadows - poetry

Last Night, A Superhero Saved My Life - non-fiction, essays

Graphic Novels

Limbo, Volume 1 - fantasy*, horror*, crime* (*ish)

Malice In Ovenland by Micheline Hess - kids, fantasy

Kilala Disney Princess, Vol 1 - young adult, fantasy, manga, fairy tale, media tie-in

Review! (Graphic Novel Edition!) - Disney Kilala Princess Vol 1

Title: Disney Kilala Princess Vol 1

Author: Rika Tanaka

Contributors: Nao Kodaka

Genre: Graphic Novels, Manga, YA, Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Media Tie-In

Series: Disney Kilala Princess

Amazon: UK - USA

A few starting notes:

I received a free digital review copy of this book via NetGalley. NetGalley provides review copies from publishers in exchange for fair and honest reviews.

This is a re-release of one of Tokyopop's most popular titles.

Seeing as how Tokyopop are back, back, back! and working very closely with Disney, they're doing another release of the series, which was first given unto the world (sorry, I'm in a really weird mood,) circa 2007.

It's still as cute today ;)

This is a manga volume, and reads right to left, in traditional manga style.

Premise:

Kilala is living in admiration of her favourite Disney princesses. Little does she know that they're about to help her save the day!

Best bits:

This book is so sweet and cute and kawaii that I'm going to get a cavity from all the sugar! At the same time, it's not sickeningly-sweet (which takes some skill!)

There are bits of what can only be described as swashbuckling action, and Kilala is a relatable heroine with a pet mouse. I defy you to resist the sweetness!

I actually quite liked the romantical-aspects, true it verged on insta-love, but managed to juuuuust dodge the most annoying parts of that trope (plus, we're dealing with Disney princesses - insta-love is going to happen. Deal with it.)

I also liked the way Snow White (our princess for this volume,) was a part of the story without dominating it - this is Kilala's story, not Snow's.

But neither do the Disney elements feel forced - they're woven in very well, particularly when you consider the balance of the manga style with the more traditionally 'Western' style of Disney princesses, which this volume totally pulls off :)

Not so great bits:

Listen very carefully, I shall say this only once (let me know if you got that reference, I will love you forever,) -

GIRLS SHOULD NOT BASE THEIR ENTIRE FUTURE PLANS ON MEETING A HANDSOME DUDE TO MARRY. #JustSaying.

Also, if you're looking for something deep and intellectual? Yeah... this isn't the book for that.

Don't get me wrong, it's sweet, it just has the net substance of cotton candy (hence the cavities.)

Verdict:

A fun and sweet manga that any fan of princesses will love, but which is perhaps a little heavy on the gender stereotyping in places.

Still, it's an enjoyable read. :)

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads

Liked this post? Try these:

• Review! (Graphic Novel Edition!) Malice in Ovenland by Micheline Hess
• Review! (Graphic Novel Edition!) Disney's Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, Vol 1

Comics Wrap Up - Gallons of the Stuff

TV Trailers


Here's Netflix's trailer for their adaptation of Marvel's Luke Cage:

Looks pretty cool. Unfortunately, I still don't have Netflix.

And before everyone starts going 'it's only x-pounds per month' let me remind you that I don't have a lot of money. And the money I do have goes on books. 

Luckily, since I live in my parents' house, I mooch off of their Sky+ a lot ;)

Graphic Novels

This week I read Vertigo's First Offenses (UK - US) which is more an anthology of single issues than a graphic novel, but I'm totally putting it in this section (because I feel like it dammit!)

So, like I said, this is made up of single issues. 5 series starters from Vertigo's versatile range of devil-may-care comics:

• The Invisibles #1
• Fables #1
• Preacher #1
• Sandman Mystery Theatre #1
• Lucifer #1

My favourites had to be... Preacher #1 and Lucifer #1.

Both are kind of based in subverted religious iconography - so I really don't know what that says about me! But they were pretty damned good, and I may read more of these series in the future.

All in all, a good little selection - and it really shows the quality of the Vertigo imprint :)

Other Stuff

I've just finished an excellent essay collection - Last Night, A Superhero Saved My Life (UK - US) - edited by Liesa Mignona, about how superheroes make a difference to every-day life. It's great.

I'll be reviewing it soon :)

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I also kind of binge-read all of Linda Sejic's Blood Stain series on DeviantArt - not as convenient as waiting for the collected volume (read my review of vol 1 here) but like the crazy-a*s fangirl dedicated reader that I am, I read the whole thing :)

I also managed to scare my cat (the fluffy white boy-cat, Jango, in case you're familiar with my cats) by laughing at it at a random moment.

And I managed to succeed in being exceptionally awkward and tagging a random instead of Linda on Twitter! (I need the Coffee God now Linda... please?)

Like this post? Try These:

• Review! (Graphic Novel Edition!) - Blood Stain, Vol 1
• Comics Wrap Up - This'N'That