A belated thank you to the lovely, lovely people who left comments for me on svmadelyn's Valentines Day post. They cheered me up when I was ill last week ♥


I'm up to date with my comics for the first time in five months and damn, some of them were good. I haven't really been paying much attention to comics news and releases, so I've got a few questions below amongst spoilers for the latest issues.

My current pull list is:

( Winter SoldierCollapse )

( Captain MarvelCollapse )

( Untimate Spider-manCollapse )

( BatmanCollapse )

( Batman and RobinCollapse )

( Red Hood and the OutlawsCollapse )

( NightwingCollapse )

( BatwomanCollapse )


Um. What else am I reading???? I'm sure there were more things on my actual pull list but apparently not.

Other comics I've enjoyed.

( HawkeyeCollapse )

( SagaCollapse )

comments at this entry at Dreamwidth.

And all I have to say is ( Spoilery Avengers reactionCollapse )

The only disadvantage of the UK getting movies before the US is that I can't come home from the cinema and immediately read a zillion reaction posts. Has anyone else seen it? I badly want to talk about it.

***

In other news, I'm really enjoying the Smallville digital comic although it is full of disconcerting Batgirl callbacks (mostly just because it is the some writer and artist). Brian Q. Miller is awesome. Also this month's Batman and Robin (#8) blew me away. Considering that I intended to drop it after the first issue, it really surprised me and I am so full of Damian feelings. I love what they've done with the father son relationship.

comments at this entry at Dreamwidth.

- An epic Bruce/Talia fic spanning decades and continents that deals with Nyssa, Jason and Damian, Talia's motivations for doing the things she does, Bruce learning to compromise (ha!), everything not being about Ra's, Talia's role in No Man's Land, but with a hopeful ending that doesn't skate around their issues. I think I need to read some older Talia comics because she is awesome and fascinating and I want to know how she was introduced.

- Logan/Veronica pegging fic. Why is this not a thing?

- Bucky/Natasha fic dealing with their first meeting in Russia. (I have a feeling once talked about this - is that my imagination?) I may have to request this for Yuletide.

- A story about Dick and Alfred (and Bruce, I suppose) sending Damian undercover in a school but secretly hoping that he picks up some social skills and makes friends.

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mskatej was talking about the appeal (or lack thereof) of established relationship fic the other day. I have to admit that for me the main appeal of stories about relationships is the answer to the question how on earth did those two get together? But then I realised how much of the fic I do read involves relationships that are established in some way (either within canon or outside). In fact a vast proportion of DC fic seems to assume that all the characters have slept with each other at one point, translating the emotional intimacy from the comics into physical intimacy and running with it. It seems to work because there is so much tension in the relationships it translates to an interesting story. My assumptions have all been turned on their heads. However I still click away if the story starts with two characters having sex without any buildup or explanation. There has to be some story involved.

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I'm kind of getting used to the changes to Google Reader but it is weird. I don't think that it will significantly change the way I use the site, though because I don't use many of the features. At least I knew it was coming this time and the site still functions *is still bitter about delicious*

this entry at Dreamwidth

Tags: dc comics, marvel, veronica mars

Crossovers
The Laughing Professor by Captain_Emily
Crossover: Harry Potter and Hellblazer; Harry Potter, John Constantine; G)
Is Hogwarts really ready for the cynical, foul-mouthed, chain-smoking Professor John Constantine?
I have mixed feeling about Hellblazer as I've never quite managed to get into it although what I've read has been good, but this crossover is perfectly done.

Glee
I'm divine and my mind expands throughout the universe by gloss
(Glee; G; Mercedes)
A beautiful drabble about Mercedes

Suits
Nurse Fernandez by mskatej
(Suits; Harvey/Mike; NC-17)
A fill for this prompt from suitsmeme: ‘Mike gets hit by a car. By Harvey’s car. While Harvey is driving it.’ Yeah, that happens and then it just descends into porn. Natch.
HELLO Harvey! A funny and hot fic.

Pizza And A Movie by Closer
In an alternate universe, Harvey's still a lawyer but Mike's not a pot runner -- he's a deliveryman for Rollo's Pizza and Ribs, which happens to be Harvey's favorite pizza place. Once Harvey finds out his pizza guy is a genius, Mike's life takes a few turns he would not have expected...
A very enjoyable Suits au, where things aren't really very au.

Supernatural
The Chuck Writes Story by lettered
(Supernatural AU; Chuck, the Supernatural book fandom, Sam, Dean, Becky; PG)
Chuck decides to make a sock-puppet. When no one reads his fic, he wonders what he has to do to get noticed in SPN fandom. (slightly AU for S4)
Absorbing fandom au for Supernatural.

Marvel
Remember I smiled by gloss
(Marvel comics; G; Sam Wilson & Eli Bradley)
Sam Wilson and Eli Bradley and a simple gift of a cup of coffee
A drabble that manages to say an awful lot about these two characters.

Pentimenti by musesfool
(Captain America; Bucky, Steve; G)
Bucky always hated "The Gift of the Magi."
Set just after Winter Soldier: Winter Kills, Bucky gives Steve a Christmas present.

fuckyeahblackwidow.
I love this tumblr dedicated to Natasha Romanov, The Black Widow. It is full of intelligent and interesting commentary on her appearances in comics and the movies.

comments at this entry at Dreamwidth.

How did I not know about capkink before? I'll be right back when I've finished reading it ALL!

This rainbow of icons is making me smile.

Finally! An airdate for the next episodes of Young Justice. Targets airs on Friday 16 September. Admittedly I saw that episode when it was leaked earlier in the year but after that there will be new episodes! \o/ Maybe some of my favourite fics will get finished.


* * *

I'm making up a meme! I read a lot of fic but it doesn't always make it onto the public entries of my delicious and I've become very lazy about reccing things (and hence commenting) so I'm asking you for prompts for recs.

If you give me either a fandom, a character, a pairing, a kink, a trope or any combination of the above and I'll try to rec up to five fics that fit that theme. You don't have to stop at one request because it is very likely that I won't have read anything appropriate if it is too specific.

Ugh. Tonight has not been a great night. I have a stinking cold. I'm procrastinating on writing job applications. The cat managed to turn my laptop display upside-down by walking on the keyboard and it took forever to find the shortcut keys to turn it back (the mouse was moving in the opposite direction!) and now my housemate has just set off the smoke alarm by buring crumpets in the toaster.

I would just go to bed but it is still far too early (at least it was when I started this post) so have some recs.

Bitch by arwyn89 a Veronica/Logan vid which is making me feel all the feelings.

Five Times Kate Bishop Doesn't Date Bucky Barnes by Muccamukk
(Marvel Comics. Teen And Up. Gen. Kate Bishop, Bucky Barnes, Natalia Romanova)
In a world turned upside down, and Kate makes connections where she can, but things never quite go like she thinks they will.
My two favourite Marvel characters in a fic together! A lovely character study, with Bucky as a reluctant mentor and Kate with a crush on him.

Clementia by quipquipquip
(DC comics. Unrated. Gen. Stephanie Brown, Damian Wayne, Dick Grayson. Lightly implied Damian/Steph and Dick/Babs)
The real reason why Damian was featured so heavily in Batgirl #24.
Steph is Damian's Batgirl. This fic made me want to hug Damian so much.

В до́ме пове́шенного не говоря́т о верёвке: they don't talk about ropes in the home of a hanged person by quipquipquip
(Marvel comics. NC-17. Bucky Barnes/Toro, Bucky Barnes/Natasha Romanova, Bucky Barnes/Toro/Natasha Romanova)
With all the parts that Karpov had taken away, he hadn't known how to process the feelings he couldn't bury for the man whose memory he couldn't exhume.
I'm not really familiar with Toro yet but I loved this for its look at Natasha and Bucky's relationship and what would happen if Toro came back.

* * *

Does anyone know how to code links to tumblr usernames with the little icons? I'm sure I saw someone on my flist do it recently but I can't find the post.

- What on earth does does Damian Wayne listen to on his ipod?

- Why does job hunting suck so much?

- How did the final issue of Batgirl make me cry so much? STEPH! *sobs*

- How did Fabian Nicieza manage to make me almost dislike Tim Drake in the final few issues of Red Robin when I'd remained very fond of him for more than one hundred issues of Robin?

- How did the creators of Rise of the Planet of the Apes manage to keep me feeling sympathetic for Caesar the Chimpanzee right up to the end? I enjoyed it although I spent practically the entire movie in tears.

- Why, when my favourite fictional trope is outsider points of view, did Marvels by Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross not work for me?

- How is the Black Widow so awesome in the stuff I'm reading and watching? See here and here and here.

- How did I managed to watch ten episodes of The Big Bang Theory in the last two days?

* * *

Steadfast by rubynye (Captain America: The First Avenger; R; Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers, Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers mentioned)
Steve hasn't changed a bit.
A perfect 'Before and After' fic for Steve and Bucky

You've got to rock yourself a little harder by musesfool (DC Comics; Adult; Tim/Steph/Tam)
Things like this don't happen to Tim.
My first reaction to this was \o/ Tim got laid. Hot sweet and funny.

( Under the Red Hood & Aladdin mashup vid - One Jump AheadCollapse )
This really amused me and it works perfectly. Also some day I should actually watch Aladdin.

Spoilery photos of Captain America from the Avengers set. I think I prefer the WW2 costume but I really, really, really like the boots.

How to advertise cookware using fanfic Marvel comics style. This cracked me up.

I've been ridiculously ear-wormed by this song ever since I saw Captain America and I want to share.

This picture is extremely relevant to my interests and also to innerbrat's

Interview with Brian Q. Miller about Batgirl. Contains spoilers for all the published issues and a preview for the final issue #24. *sobs* I haven't read the most recent issue yet as I'm waiting until I have a chance to visit the comic shop but I can't believe that it is the end. Oh STEPH!

* * *

I read two ridiculously adorable and kid-friendly comics over the weekend. (Well, probably young teen-friendly but that's a bit long winded.) One was the first trade of Thor: The Mighty Avenger, which is a retelling of Thor's origin and his meeting with Jane Foster. The story is sweet and the art by Chris Samnee is lovely and suits it perfectly and I'm sad that it was cancelled so quickly. Thor's adventures with The Warriors Three made me giggle so hard and I recommend it to anyone who wants to read more Thor.

The second was Nomad: Girl Without a World. It is a mini series about Rikki "Bucky" Barnes, the female sidekick of Captain America in another universe, who was transported to the main Marvel universe and is trying to find her place in the new world. I had to read it when I heard that there was a genderswapped Bucky (although she's actually the granddaughter of that universe's Bucky) ♥Bucky♥ and it definitely lived up to my expectations. It was very school based and Rikki is completely awesome. I was pleasantly surprised by the writing because I hadn't enjoyed Sean McKeever's run on the Teen Titans at all but this had some great character moments and a cohesive story.

* * *

I actually opened a graphics program and I've made three whole Captain America icons that I don't think are terrible. It feels as if I've forgotten everything about icon making because I was struggling terribly with the colouring and also with Photoshop because although I've used it extensively for work, I haven't used it for icons and I spend all my time trying to work out how to do things that I can do easily in GIMP. It is kind of frustrating that the thing I do most frequently in GIMP with a single right click requires a four key shortcut in Photoshop and doesn't appear on any of the menus.

* * *

I finished watching Avatar the Last Airbender earlier this week and OMG! So good! Now where's all the fic?

I don't post links very often because I always forget that not all my f-list is following the same things as me, so here are some of the things I've been reading.

Weren't Crayola colours amazing. I think I had almost all the nineties colours

Awesome, awesome Captain America crossover graphic via seren_ccd

A list of Ten Action Librarians.

I really enjoyed this interview with Amy Reeder, one of the two artists on Batwoman.

First look at the new Superman movie costume. I kind of like it but then I'm not exactly fussy about costumes.

News of the new Ultimate Spider-Man and his inspiration.

* * *

Apparently I won't be hearing about the results of the job interview until Monday because someone is on leave. Aaaargh! I just want to know, dammit.

* * *

I am so ridiculously in love with Avatar: The Last Airbender. I'm up to the City of Walls and Secrets (S02 E14) and I just can't stop watching. Katara and Zuko are my current favourites (I want to hug Zuko so badly) and can I have an Uncle Iroh of my own? Please?

* * *

A meme via musesfool

1. Comment with any ship from a fandom that you know I have some knowledge about (if it's a fandom I only know by osmosis, this could be hilarious).
2. I will rant about aforementioned romantic ship. This may be incoherent gushing or exclamations of disgust or evocations of apathy, depending on what it is.

A wonderful post by rubynye about Fanfic & Social Justice: An X-men: First Class Recs Post.

I truly believe that the interest in and discussions of social justice are more often than not part of an improvement in the inclusiveness of fandom and the diversity and quality of fanworks.

These recs have made me actually want to read X-Men First Class that wasn't from my f-list because although I mostly enjoyed the film, it left me feeling so angry about Darwin, I've been unable to get enthusiastic about it.

* * *

Have I told anyone how excited I am for Captain America: The First Avenger? Superheroes! Second World War setting! An awesome and kick-ass female character! A doomed sidekick! It's like it was made for me. In fact, when my cousin asked me if I was free on 22nd July and I spent several hours trying to remember exactly why it was such an important date and why I thought that I might be busy, before I twigged that nope, it was just the movie release date and I wasn't actually doing anything.

I've been reading things featuring Captain America haphazardly for the last few months and enjoying it. Then I read 'Winter Soldier' at the weekend and it was so incredibly good that I wanted more. The minute I finished reading, I went out to see if I could find some more Captain America trades featuring Bucky but they didn't have anything that looked good and I ended coming back with the first volume Captain Britain and the MI-13 instead. However getting to see Faiza Hussain's origin story more than made up for no Bucky. How is she so awesome?

I've just been in Boots and the first thing I saw was Captain America Eau de Toilette. I guess people buy such things? But in England?