tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44873983334978223712024-03-05T19:37:40.128-08:00Snow's Untangled Threads and MusingsSnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.comBlogger244125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-35423077821697698552020-08-09T18:38:00.001-07:002020-08-09T18:38:19.114-07:00Testing Review<p> This is a test post, you can ignore it.</p>SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-45548284646456191632018-09-19T10:10:00.000-07:002018-09-19T10:10:27.777-07:00Anime Fargo This Weekend! - Fargo, ND<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.animefargo.org/"><img border="0" data-original-height="311" data-original-width="850" height="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCV0NWDP_SRLLj8-tfN2szUzjgDiR0rcwl706KBRyg9hW5nePIjAfxP2Rzx4275n2Tqn5bbM6mKC6ky9sd2pIhh72Ya8rBAAePBGQkAZi0oLHAU1XIEpKVrD5tT-MFnQqB7fsylAzc/s320/animefargo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We're guests at Anime Fargo!</div>
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Neither of us have ever been to Fargo before and we can't wait to see everyone! We'll have a table in the vendor hall and I believe we're also doing some panels, which will be listed in the program book. We'll have our prints, costumes and books as always. So come stop by and say hi!</div>
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As always, if you can't make it to Anime Fargo, you can always support us through our <a href="http://snowtigra.etsy.com/">Etsy </a>and on <a href="http://patreon.com/sewntogether">Patreon</a>! And if you want to see us at your local con, don't forget to mention us to your local convention!</div>
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SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-4472269983276515802018-09-12T08:57:00.000-07:002018-09-12T08:57:35.261-07:00Events This Weekend! - MinnesotaIt's a busy weekend coming up and I'll be at two events! Something new on each day!<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/2151879021726416/">September 15th (Saturday) - </a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/2151879021726416/">The Wolf House</a><br />
This is a reading specifically for The Subverted Fairy Project - an anthology series I'm working on with a group of local Minnesota authors combining our own art and stories inspired by slang terms across Britain. The book isn't out yet, but this is your change to get an idea of what's in store!<br />
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<a href="https://subfairy.brownpapertickets.com/">You can pick up tickets here and be sure to join us - but pick them up quick, as seating is limited!</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/2193058737631789/">September 16th (Sunday) - </a></div>
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A popup books store with several different authors selling their works and willing to talk over drinks. I'll have our normal books and prints, stickers and everything else, just a bit smaller of a display then usual as it's just me. Still, I hope to see lots of faces!</div>
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I will be both of these without the wifey, as she's got other projects to work on, but I'll still have her stuff from magnifiqueNOIR just in case people are looking or it. </div>
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Hope to see people there!</div>
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As always if you can't make it, you can always pick up any of our works and books from our <a href="http://snowtigra.etsy.com/">Etsy </a>and please consider supporting us on <a href="http://patreon.com/sewntogether">Patreon </a>for sneak peaks to what we're working on next!</div>
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<br />SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-4227440146717339292018-08-15T09:00:00.000-07:002018-08-15T09:00:43.756-07:00Castle Rock - A Twist on the Expanded Universe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Upfront I'll admit, I love expanded universes. Comics, manga (Japanese comic books), movies, novels, fairy tales, all of it. I love when you can pick up a story and realize there are these threads that spread out to other stories. I am completely caught by an expanding narrative that allows me to catch all the small threads, as if I were catching the tail end of a very long inside joke. It keeps my little geek heart happy.<br />
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Some do it better then others. The early days of the MCU with little teasers at the end were cute, but nothing compared to the layered worlds of CLAMP manga. The difference being that one was a set up from the beginning, while the latter was pieced together part by part, the connections added in with each new story. Now there are pluses and minuses for each, but my heart lies in the ones that aren't so obvious and don't use the intertwining as a crutch - looking at you MCU.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULu-7tCRfzS-AkTqpTzFQv_tW2gS_uF9xdMQLb16SZnnvCNTNaZKpW9kOWKwacDXLj0841T-fF8oK-Y2w6zUnQYN26QfhVYvTRH3ohoxwvpPQTZbFbrfPtztexMJkIWyS1Y8PEF5J/s1600/what-can-this-creepy-kid-dojpeg.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="650" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULu-7tCRfzS-AkTqpTzFQv_tW2gS_uF9xdMQLb16SZnnvCNTNaZKpW9kOWKwacDXLj0841T-fF8oK-Y2w6zUnQYN26QfhVYvTRH3ohoxwvpPQTZbFbrfPtztexMJkIWyS1Y8PEF5J/s320/what-can-this-creepy-kid-dojpeg.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
That paired with the fact that I am a Stephen King fan. I grew up stealing his adult books from my mother's reading shelf in the spare bedroom, hanging on the retellings by my best friend when I wasn't brave enough to finish them myself. I knew he always crafted his stories to connect and when I found CLAMP did the same thing in my college years, I'm reasonably sure it's part of the reason they were one of my favorite manga creators.<br />
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Flash forward to today, while working on other things I decided to press play on Castle Rock. A new series by Hulu, Castle Rock bills itself as Stephen King told ala Once Upon a Time. In other words you may recognize the place, you may recognize the characters, but this is a new tale, and that really intrigued me. Because by now I've read even more of his books and seen quite a few of his movies. Beyond that I admire him as a writer - though some of his tropes irk me - and dream of having a library of my own works as numerous as his one day.<br />
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So what exactly is Castle Rock? Well, for those<br />
familiar, Castle Rock is the fictional town that a <br />
good number of Stephen King's stories take place in. It's situated in Maine and is a small town, complete with all the downsides of such a place - ie small town secrets, old notions and strange but protected ways. The townsfolk aren't evil, of course, they're just set in their ways and when something new comes up or something tries to rustle their way of life well, there's no having that.<br />
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As a series, Castle Rock weaves together a unique story with countless points of entry. For those who aren't familiar with Stephen King, you'll find here an intriguing story about the source of evil buried in a small town. For those familiar with the author you'll find the same... and so much more. Littered throughout the storytelling are nods and hints to all of his books. Some are obvious - like the infamous Shawshank Prison - while others are ever so slight - the mention of a rabid dog that one year. Hints abound, you can barely blink while watching, because you'll miss one.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvfLNGSYFsT6tKv803pd75bwpbnWDYiOUIBxljmveswRscqlfA23TSnfhWcLHxW8hvlL4vwKsgrXSND-kk0HGaUFPr0e10hT1swBfGq3BAMgIYt6FrReJtALhfyG9BNdVMWXY1UAR_/s1600/castle-rock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="825" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvfLNGSYFsT6tKv803pd75bwpbnWDYiOUIBxljmveswRscqlfA23TSnfhWcLHxW8hvlL4vwKsgrXSND-kk0HGaUFPr0e10hT1swBfGq3BAMgIYt6FrReJtALhfyG9BNdVMWXY1UAR_/s320/castle-rock.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The nice thing is, even with these easter eggs scattered across the path, unless you're familiar you wouldn't know and it doesn't hurt the story if that's the case. At the time of writing this, I've seen five episodes in the series and they all come together with a complete tale that doesn't leave the viewer out in the cold. At no point am I told 'oh, that's from Needful Things, read that for more' nor does a character subtly drop a list of the other movies you should add to your queue. Nope, it's all an inside joke that isn't required to watch the show and enjoy it.<br />
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Honestly, I wish all expanded universes were like this and I do miss it. I realize that Marvel and DC have movies to sell and Once Upon a Time had fan favorites they wanted to show Disney fans front and center, but Castle Rock shows what can happen when those wishes aren't focused on. And in the end this series is masterfully unfolding and I'm so ready to see where it goes. Then, once it's done, I know I'll be revisiting other favorite movies and novels of Stephen Kings, to relive those worlds all over again and even try a few other new ones.SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-30663361809029062302018-08-08T13:13:00.002-07:002018-08-08T13:14:00.318-07:00Review: Sunstone (Comic)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Sunstone </b>is the ongoing comic by Stjepan Sejic (and sometimes his wife) delving into the world of BDSM and the relationships that exist within. This is not your "50 Shades of Gray" in comic form. This is the actual portrayal of a healthy relationship between two women and the others they interact with in the BDSM scene. It's very pretty, it's very hot, but it's also really well written with three dimensional characters and a beautiful story. And it's adult, so be warned.<br />
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What's it about?</h3>
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Lisa is a freelance writer, more then often dabbling in erotica when she can and mostly keeps her submissive side hidden. Meanwhile Ally is a successful business woman with more then enough money to burn - and burn it she does on elaborate props and setups for the perfect submissive she's hoping to one day finds. The comic follows their meeting and relationship together as they explore their own preferred taboos and figure how to blend their worlds of 'love' and 'submissive and dominant' together. There's also spin off series concerning the others characters introduced, such as <b>Sunstone: Mercy</b> and <b>Sunstone: Jasper</b>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art by Luis Royo</td></tr>
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Thoughts:</h3>
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As I mentioned, if you were looking for a healthy alternative to the more well known '50 Shades' relationship, here is a perfect example. The series was recommended to me by a good friend and it does not disappoint in story, heat meter or art. Basically, we have a healthy relationship here that is arguably better then the damaging fantasy of the previously mentioned Gray series.<br />
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Backing up a bit, ever since my teens I've had a love for art in this style. It can hardly be called pornographic, because it's not just about the boobs and flesh shown off, though there is plenty of that. Growing up I found myself drawn to the art of Luis Royo which easily mixed sexuality and art, and now I have a deep love for doujinshi and fanart that do the same thing. Basically this is a story that doesn't shy away from showing skin when the plot requires it, but does so in a tasteful way that can easily still be called art.<br />
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If you're not familiar with the kinky world of the characters, that's not a problem. The comic obviously understands that the world is full of a variety of people with a variety of experience and kinks so it gives enough information for a foundation without shaming the reader in anyway. It's easy to get into and easy to love the characters - especially when they refer to themselves as sexual nerds, who just happen to like sex the way most others would describe their love of comics or movies. It's descriptions like this that make the world and story especially easy to step into and explore across the pages.<br />
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Added to this, the story is told from Lisa's POV and as a newbie on the BDSM scene, she's serves as a perfect bridge into the story and niche culture without dumping a load of exposition or terms on the reader. It also gives the comic an almost voyeuristic style, letting the reader peak into the naughty secrets of what the main characters do behind closed doors.<br />
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Having read a variety of books, novels and comics before, I would have to say the main thing that grabs me and keeps a hold of me about this series is how much history the characters seem to ooze with each action. This isn't just the normal author goal of creating 3 dimensional characters, no I would venture to say the creators of this series have gone beyond that with their writing, illustration and even the perfect little details of how Lisa bites the side of her lower lip. It feels like I've met these characters. With each new volume and page it feels like I'm checking in with close friends and hearing about their lives. The storytelling is personal and vivid in a way that few stories manage to be.<br />
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<h3>
Final Thoughts:</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2uXCu0SsyT3px93ldMzdxx_MEWTEnxe91xW58mBh5LG4AGRZZDSkUAdBc46PD9Dm7_nis4hDnRuEoiJVk6lq4UFBCRnNKLogychSzRfUZsCn9dX2fhkl5xq_-2LKonyoNmLjqku2m/s1600/21742726._SX540_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="540" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2uXCu0SsyT3px93ldMzdxx_MEWTEnxe91xW58mBh5LG4AGRZZDSkUAdBc46PD9Dm7_nis4hDnRuEoiJVk6lq4UFBCRnNKLogychSzRfUZsCn9dX2fhkl5xq_-2LKonyoNmLjqku2m/s320/21742726._SX540_.jpg" width="320" /></a>It's really common in our world to just pair men and women together if they share a certain amount of screen time. It's quite rare for media - especially certain movies - to show us the depths of a relationship and how it grows, twists, turns and flourishes over time. This is even more rare when talking about queer couples or couples with niche sexual interests. First and foremost this series communicates that sexuality is a spectrum of desires and needs - with every person having needs they not only struggle to understand, but also have to find another who can meet them.<br />
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What I'm trying to say is that you do not have to be part of the BDSM scene to enjoy these stories. Because these comics are about people, who are as real as a comic page can portray.<br />
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Where can I find it?</h3>
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The collected volumes can be found at most local comic stores and are published by Image and Top Cow. Support your local comic book store!<br />
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You can also find them on Amazon.<br />
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You can also check out the creator's <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/nebezial">Deviantart page</a>.SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-20938230655382866972018-08-01T11:07:00.000-07:002018-08-01T11:07:21.371-07:00Where To Find Us This Weekend: 2DCon in Minnesota!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We have another convention coming up this weekend in Minnesota and we're guests! Come join us at <a href="https://www.2dcon.net/">2DCon</a>! We'll have a table as always and Briana will also be showing off the amazing Nintendo dress Jessica made for the DesignICON show. Now's your time to see it in person and catch all the details!</div>
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Don't forget to pick up <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Little-Creepers-Anthology-Jessica-Walsh/dp/1976516102/">Little Creepers</a> - our newest release - and any of our other books and prints you may have missed. See you there!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgU1toJMcZBBMmt1waYBmtBb0Ak_0kDqp8rm2PWVQZwTov_afcLeYAWgNDpmFYT8ZgLYEYnPNVMrsWiX2XBCuuyFV1CRSuFHO-mLV3wxL_Von0elwS6uw6EuMI-1PbFXvleL9pyUiQ/s1600/14125121_496331877230654_8028217166364978366_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #7d181e; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgU1toJMcZBBMmt1waYBmtBb0Ak_0kDqp8rm2PWVQZwTov_afcLeYAWgNDpmFYT8ZgLYEYnPNVMrsWiX2XBCuuyFV1CRSuFHO-mLV3wxL_Von0elwS6uw6EuMI-1PbFXvleL9pyUiQ/s320/14125121_496331877230654_8028217166364978366_o.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="213" /></a></div>
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Other events coming up soon:</div>
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San Japan in the end of August!</div>
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SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-50490190404430014862018-06-13T08:27:00.002-07:002018-06-13T09:09:58.287-07:00Where To Find Us This Weekend: Pride St Charles!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This weekend is going to be awesome! For Saturday we'll have a table at Pride St Charles with our books, new costumes and an awesome new rainbow pixel quilt! If you're in the area, come say hi and check out our queer magical girls!<br />
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Also we have new stickers specifically for the event!<br />
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See you there!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgU1toJMcZBBMmt1waYBmtBb0Ak_0kDqp8rm2PWVQZwTov_afcLeYAWgNDpmFYT8ZgLYEYnPNVMrsWiX2XBCuuyFV1CRSuFHO-mLV3wxL_Von0elwS6uw6EuMI-1PbFXvleL9pyUiQ/s1600/14125121_496331877230654_8028217166364978366_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgU1toJMcZBBMmt1waYBmtBb0Ak_0kDqp8rm2PWVQZwTov_afcLeYAWgNDpmFYT8ZgLYEYnPNVMrsWiX2XBCuuyFV1CRSuFHO-mLV3wxL_Von0elwS6uw6EuMI-1PbFXvleL9pyUiQ/s320/14125121_496331877230654_8028217166364978366_o.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<br />SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-56143726814233249942018-06-06T13:18:00.001-07:002018-06-06T13:36:11.059-07:00Pride Month and Where I Fit (or don't) Within My Family<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCeKJt7OJACeOBWYkMm6l5MWryRgK8HeBxESLjo2J1QRRYwVwXfN8_HcoMlO5LuxBE_BZ7pdHgZZIdtS-Wi2ljIyu-lzCeXBYxuR2y0XKvFvOZQev0ZC0obbGd4ybWCwCgM5HMdzq/s1600/16474_328765323987311_5592183360512810985_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCeKJt7OJACeOBWYkMm6l5MWryRgK8HeBxESLjo2J1QRRYwVwXfN8_HcoMlO5LuxBE_BZ7pdHgZZIdtS-Wi2ljIyu-lzCeXBYxuR2y0XKvFvOZQev0ZC0obbGd4ybWCwCgM5HMdzq/s320/16474_328765323987311_5592183360512810985_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Ekyse Lavonne</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">So, its Pride month. That time in our lives when we’re supposed to celebrate how queer </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">we are </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">and remind the world we exist, before the month is over and a large number of them </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">can go back </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">to pretending we don’t. There is a portion of my family who are included in </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">that group and, with recent things that have happened, I needed to write the below and get </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">on with my life. This is super personal, but honestly I do hope it helps others, or at least will </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">help explain what happened recently and why I’m 10000% done with this bullshit.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">
My grandmother passed away recently and, as most families do, my family and their friends </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">gathered together to talk about her and attempt to lay her to rest. However, in the world of </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">passive aggressive Minnesota, it’s not really that simple.
Let me back up.
Once upon a time, back in middle school, I told my parents I thought I was gay. I came </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">prepared, I had the proof. A close attractive female friend, check. The desire to only </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">sketch beautiful women because curves were easier and prettier, check. My complete </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">lack of a dating life in any shape or form in spite of having several male friends who </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">shared my interests, check. I was positive. I knew what the word meant and it fit me, </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">I was so sure. What else could it all mean?
“No. You’re not.” my dad said and that was that. I was told to never talk about it again.
Once upon a time, fresh out of college, I moved back in with my parents. I was an adult. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">I had a full time job, a handle on my bills and was ready to strike out on my own. Oh and </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">I had a girlfriend. One I met in college over the internet and spent nearly all my free time </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">online with. We were in love, I even bought her a ring. Eventually I gathered up the courage </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">to tell them that, once again, I liked girls. This time my proof was indisputable. I had a </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">girlfriend, a lover of the female persuasion. Surely this would be enough.
They refused to say her name. When my mom mentioned her it was always as my </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">roommate and nothing more. My mother even took the time to gaslighting me, </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">accusing me of being the problem for being so concerned with ‘labels.’ I skipped </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">Christmas that year, instead we went and got a cat, trying to fill the gaping hole.
This is how it went, on and off for years. Briana’s a part of my life and when my </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">parents called she would come up in conversation. There was some headway, </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">here and there, with time passing and small comments. They started to say her </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">name, my dad even referred to her as my partner once in front of others. I wasn’t </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">crazy, they were getting it. Surely it would eventually be enough kind words, </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">comments of understanding, I’m not insane really, I’m still your daughter I’m </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">just in love. But each time, even when there seemed to be progress, that brick </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">wall came crashing down to remind me that no, I was wrong.
It was never outright hate, my parents don’t do that. Instead it was small things, </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">like ignoring her until I brought her up. Gifts purchased from the clearance rack </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">with the sticker still left in place, just so they had something to wrap. Complete </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">silence at the mention of a wedding, especially when they had mentioned paying </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">for when there was a hint of my being straight. My parents became masters of </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">microaggressions that I could never bring up, because I’d be gaslit into confusion </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">and silence, somehow never able to communicate to them why it hurt so much.
Which brings me to the funeral with the eulogy written by my own mother’s hand </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">and my complete and utter rage during what should have been a time to mourn </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">a loved family member.
Sitting there, in the pew, with my ever supportive wifey of 16+ years, I sat looking </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">at a lovely one sheet of paper about my grandmother. She was a sweet woman </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">who had mothered a large family and lived on a farm for most of her life. She </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">loved animals and taught her daughters to sew, spending all the time she could </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was survived by an entire </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">family… a family which included her children and their loved ones. My parents </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">and their children. My brother and his wife of less than a year. And me. Just me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">
Partnerless.
Sitting there, in that funeral home, the person next to me was reduced to </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">invisibility yet again and I felt like a piece of me was cut away, not suitable for </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">public consumption. She wasn’t good enough. I wasn't good enough. And in </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">spite of my continued efforts, we never would be.
So it was time to stop trying.
There’s this nice little fantasy that’s passed around, that family is the </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">foundation you build your life on and that one safe place you can always </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">return to when times are hard. This is a truth that so many people cling to </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">and write their lives on that when you realize your family doesn’t fit this mold </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">there’s a sense of panic. Children like me run forward and try to pretend it’s </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">ok, burying the painful truth so deep that it’s continually forgotten and denied. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">We try so damn hard. Just one more chance and they’ll get it. Just one more look, </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">one more phone call, one more conversation. One more awkward get together </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">and it’ll all turn out ok. The fantasy says if it doesn’t work it’s our fault. Our </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">family isn’t to blame because they’re still there and still a strong foundation - </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">instead we’re the odd piece out that doesn’t fit and we did something wrong. It’s </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">our fault that we’re different, because we don’t fit. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">That fantasy is a lie. It's not our fault. It never was.
What I failed to realize is that this wasn’t my job. I could twist and turn all I</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;"> wanted, but it wouldn’t matter until my family actually made a space for me </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">to fit into. I would never be able to fit into something that wasn’t there to begin </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">with. Pretending to be something I wasn’t to fit their tiny little space - or worse, </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">amputating a part of myself just to be around them - wasn’t helping anyone. It </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">was hurting me. A lot. And I couldn’t do it anymore.
That day, on the way back from the funeral home, we ranted and I cried. A lot. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">No part of that night was about my grandma, as it should have been. I’d come </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">to terms with my grandma’s death before the funeral, honestly, that part I’d </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">already worked through. Instead I was angry and I was in pain because of the </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">family it was killing me to hang onto, and I needed to let them go. It would never </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">matter how much I tried or how many chances I gave them. The ball was in their </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">court and it always had been. There was nothing I could do until they actually </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">picked it up and moved on. No amount of me trying was going to force their </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">hands, no matter how much I wanted it to.
‘Coming out’ is the moment in a queer person’s life where they step out through </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">a closet door and finally show the world who they are. I’ve come out, many times </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">since middle school. I haven’t always been accepted, but it’s always felt like some </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">sort of progress was made - except with my family. Somehow, there, my queer </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">self was revealed only to be shoved back in the closet and hidden away with </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">every other dark denied secret. It didn’t matter how many times I pulled it out, it </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">was always pushed right back in, ready to be ignored for another day.
I think, sometimes, ‘coming out’ is simply a door. A door to leave behind yourself </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">and the others who won’t accept you. In this case it was leaving my parents’ </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">house and walking down the street to join my partner in the home we’ve created </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">with my friends and chosen loved ones. From the outside I can see how damaged </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">and condemned that old family house is. I can also see that I’m not the one doing </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">the damage and it’s not my job to fix it - because that’s not where I live anymore.
I’ve built for myself a life and a home that’s much more stable. One where I fit in </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">and don’t have to explain myself to anyone and pray that they somehow still </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">remember what I said. There’s a stable family inside, but they’re one I’ve built </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">and they accept me for who I am. I moved away and made a place for myself. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">It still has a phone to get those calls and a door to be knocked on, but for the </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">first time, I’m done being the person who needs to initiate that contact.
Beyond that, there’s another piece that’s just as important. I don’t need a reply. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">At this point, whether they come knocking or not, it doesn’t matter. My identity </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">doesn’t include them, and I’m no longer me: whether they like it or not. Instead </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">I’m just my queer ass self, living here with my partner and our three cats. No </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">part of that identity is theirs, acknowledged or denied. I’m just me.
Period.
Happy Pride.</span></span></div>
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SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-85561050170637780882018-05-30T16:19:00.002-07:002018-05-30T16:19:42.442-07:00Books You Should Check Out: Lovesick Titans by Amanda MeuwissenI love it when friends release their own books. There's something about knowing the author that makes reading their stories and exploring their worlds that much more interesting. So you should check out this one:<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lovesick-Titans-2-Amanda-Meuwissen/dp/1732299706/"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1036" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOJEVJzHS3W9cSw8FOWYgtAbPvIASTlWdhl-KWPcsDMSeRMTqr6DQRChDar4mYxNXnrrseTxFnxeIk6j-T4cJJ8hXV0z2djdVehJPjlMUD8LabHjPl_jnoMabnlPUm48tkW5jEALai/s320/Lovesick_Titans_Cover_for_Kindle.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Lovesick Titans</span></b></h4>
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<b>Not even a Titan can always stand up to a God.</b></div>
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Malcom Cho is in over his head, wrapped up in a love affair with his superhero nemesis Zeus, who most people in Olympus City only know as Detective Danny Grant.</div>
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<i>Lovesick Titans</i> begins where <i>Lovesick Gods</i> left off, after a heist gone wrong that ended with a museum guard dead and Mal and Danny beaten and exhausted from their fight with the new threat in town, Cassidy Ludgate—<i>Hades</i>.</div>
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Unaware that Ludgate’s true motivation is revenge for the death of his father at Zeus’s hands, Mal wants only to keep Danny close, while Danny races to solve the cases surrounding Ludgate to stop him from whatever he has planned for them next.</div>
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What Mal doesn’t know is that Danny didn’t pursue him with the purest of intentions but sought to break his heart in retaliation for not being there when he needed him in the fight against Thanatos. Even though Danny no longer seeks that end, the lies between them loom like a shadow about to descend upon them both.</div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #26282a; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;">And <i>Hades</i> has only begun to toy with them…</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #26282a; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;">Buy Link: </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lovesick-Titans-2-Amanda-Meuwissen/dp/1732299706/" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #196ad4; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/Lovesick-Titans-2-Amanda-Meuwissen/dp/1732299706/</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #26282a; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #26282a; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;">Haven't heard of this series before? That's easy, you can get the first book here:</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lovesick-Gods-1-Amanda-Meuwissen/dp/1943619336/"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1036" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_Z0IA43QYbr6uLA9kbDOzWtEizKvLSlXxIXDjUFYAG9ADc_k5Uo__2iycII5T4wIcqLD0NBEZRUmmyVrelfDKhLWpXuz-s9kmQN2fSGIwfbWdd6-Gmm21ZcT229b50rQLHRVnAuD/s320/Lovesick_Gods_Cover_for_Kindle.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
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Buy Link: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lovesick-Gods-1-Amanda-Meuwissen/dp/1943619336/">https://www.amazon.com/Lovesick-Gods-1-Amanda-Meuwissen/dp/1943619336/</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLkagRcbHZp0Z03q7CfnfI5AdaHas_KQxMJpUkZefeRbgmqZ5b8Iswy4rWafn3qH02e6_5VQSK0h7PTcyOLjswv2CWQZztPj8Gf1P5WP56N0q-QSZP47lCpHrsYd-ZlRBppmeiw8N/s1600/AandA-smaller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="680" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLkagRcbHZp0Z03q7CfnfI5AdaHas_KQxMJpUkZefeRbgmqZ5b8Iswy4rWafn3qH02e6_5VQSK0h7PTcyOLjswv2CWQZztPj8Gf1P5WP56N0q-QSZP47lCpHrsYd-ZlRBppmeiw8N/s320/AandA-smaller.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #26282a; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Amanda Meuwissen has been writing and posting online for many years, including maintaining the website and blog for the software company Outsell. She is an avid writer and consumer of fiction through film, prose, and video games, and is the author of the paranormal romance trilogy The Incubus Saga and young adult novel Life as a Teenage Vampire. Amanda lives in Minneapolis, MN, with her husband, John, and their two cats.</span></span><br />
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SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-59743873880278920012018-05-23T09:21:00.000-07:002018-05-23T09:21:04.477-07:00Review: The Magicians (Season 1)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What's it about?</h3>
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Quentin has reached a plateau with his life, though one could argue that he's never really been headed anywhere in the first place. He just doesn't seem to fit in the normal world and he's never understood why. All he has is his favorite childhood book Fillory and Further and his magic tricks. However there is one entrance exam he tries and passes and it turns out he has now been admitted into a magical college where magic is real and maybe he does actually fit in after all. </div>
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Thoughts?</h3>
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Growing up in the age of Hogwarts and Harry Potter, I originally passed up this series as another imitator bent on catching some of the hype. However after a recommendation from a good friend, I gave it a shot and was quite pleased. </div>
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The series is from the Syfy channel, so admittedly low budget as recent TV shows go. The first episode in particular is a rocky start to the series with no seemingly likable characters save for the small story in the background. However what they may not have in effects they make up for in plot and character chemistry and the characters quickly start to grow on you, showing likable characteristics and suddenly you're invested. I will admit that the Fillory books caught me from the get go and from there I learned to love the characters and the quirky plot. </div>
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Bearing a striking resemblance to the Narnia series by CS Lewis (which was apparently intentional) Fillory is a world made of magic that Quentin and his friends have dreamed of for almost all their lives. It made them all very easy for me to connect to on a personal level. Also, while I wasn't too wild about the college setting for training the Magicians, I had to admire that the school tried to take a non-sided approach to teaching magic, no matter how much that caused them to crash and burn. Like any college, the school just lets you know how to use your powers, it doesn't tell you to use them in a specific way. Well, until the world starts to collapse, then some professors are forced to take a position and stand.</div>
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A word to the wise, the show has quite a few triggers throughout the episodes and isn't for the squeamish. From animal mutilations, to lobotomy, to mind control and violence when certain characters are attacked or killed. With the lack of budget compared to other high profile shows, these moments are still given quite a bit of care so they don't come off as cheesy or pointless. Each time they were used they seemed to help the narrative or at least be needed and not pointless gore padding. </div>
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The show also does a good job of kicking some very well know tropes out the window. The nerdy sidekick girl is not the virgin to be won, the main characters don't all make it into the school and even the seemingly brainless and conceded upperclassmen end up making you fall in love with them. I didn't expect to like these characters as much as I did. And, without revealing too much, I am quite happy about where the end of the first season put Quentin. It's not often that male heroes are allowed to still remind children of wonder with some of their innocence in tact. </div>
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While this school doesn't have the pomp and circumstance of Hogwarts, it still has its own distinct flavor and it's a place I think I'd actually be more comfortable in. A frat/dorm system set up based on abilities rather then the houses format of Hogwarts seems a little more inviting. And there is some competition between the groups, but not to a huge degree. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHfl_3I7pD0BO8KSSKwYVm0yGuBNORbt50IGKZ4mVpfTJmlY61tC6_gcJal6hcDfJno9b_5JqBbNgfnoHKnXrYJQHkrme18IeDJAtJCVugRi1gqXKbXXy9tHzXAtCGx_dExLKuxkaX/s1600/the-magicians.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHfl_3I7pD0BO8KSSKwYVm0yGuBNORbt50IGKZ4mVpfTJmlY61tC6_gcJal6hcDfJno9b_5JqBbNgfnoHKnXrYJQHkrme18IeDJAtJCVugRi1gqXKbXXy9tHzXAtCGx_dExLKuxkaX/s320/the-magicians.jpg" width="320" /></a>Final thoughts:</h3>
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Overall I fell in love with this series, but I don't think I would have had I just sat down to watch it without getting the recommendation first. So if you like the world of urban fantasy and you have always wanted to cast magic, try this. You may end up falling in love with it just like a good book. </div>
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Now I need to go find season 2 and I need to check out the series of books it's based on. </div>
SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-45172190395695751222018-05-16T08:20:00.001-07:002018-05-16T08:20:07.113-07:00Convention This Weekend: MSPComiCon in Minnesota!This weekend, on Saturday and Sunday, you'll be able to find us at MSP ComiCon 2018 at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds!<br />
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Come stop by our table in the dealer's room and check out our books and costumes. Also don't forget to explore the whole place with lots of artists, comic book creators and even more nerdy fun! There's even a couple panels this year! We'll have our books, as always, plus preorders for my newest book Little Creepers (which is so close to being done!), prints, buttons and more. It's going to be a lot of fun and we hope to see you there!<br />
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If for some reason you can't make it, remember you can always check out our<a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/snowtigra"> Etsy store</a> year round for items, and to get some things we generally don't sell at cons - like hats and plushies.SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-91060208363592957082018-05-09T07:25:00.000-07:002018-05-09T07:25:44.597-07:00Review: Odd Thomas (Book)<div style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
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What's it about?</h3>
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Odd is exactly that, odd. What else would you call someone who can regularly see the dead and other not so human creatures? In his small western town he's mostly accepted as himself and allowed to exist, work at a local diner, even fall in love. Still something is brewing along the seams, in ways that only he can see. So he must choose if his oddness is something he can use to his advantage and stop whatever is coming.</div>
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Thoughts?</h3>
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Full disclosure: Dean Koontz is an interesting author, and not generally my cup of tea, as he tends to wade into areas of horror that are less then interesting to me. Though I will admit a certain love for a couple of his books and the ideas he weaves within. This book (and series) falls squarely within the Urban Fantasy genre, rather then horror, and thanks to it having a great movie tie in and even a manga series, I'll admit, I was curious. For those who care, yes I've seen the movie and I really loved it. </div>
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The author's writing style in the book caught me off guard. It's not so much writing as a long rambling conversation. This means we get to see into Odd's thoughts in a very personal way, but it also lends to a lot of tangents and a lot of pages where the story seems to take forever to actually go somewhere. It makes the novel easy to read, but also very easy to put down because you just want the main character to get on with it!</div>
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I do love how the dead can't speak. Not to Odd, not to anyone, but rather exist in silence around him. It adds an interesting touch and makes them easy to ignore, or hilarious to watch. In the movie this trick was used masterfully, though in the book it was a bit easier to tell who was dead and who wasn't. Still, additions of certain silent characters made for some great reading. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXa7onaRecEkLNzA5BbRGDcz-Rkxq_EKAsFT5BtWiSGIeg1E6DZZ5nI0HNHgbIcP-xlPFOvvD6pOeu1cYKm-PQhisSF63MCM30RvgFR0mesyNlKZfdcmR96Uic80wuwoeyccbs8shg/s1600/download.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXa7onaRecEkLNzA5BbRGDcz-Rkxq_EKAsFT5BtWiSGIeg1E6DZZ5nI0HNHgbIcP-xlPFOvvD6pOeu1cYKm-PQhisSF63MCM30RvgFR0mesyNlKZfdcmR96Uic80wuwoeyccbs8shg/s320/download.png" width="320" /></a>Specifically Elvis. Yep, Elvis is a main character in this book and seems to be one of Odd's best friends, in spite of the fact that he's dead. The idea of Elvis being a main character is a great touch and reminds me a lot of Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse books, where he's also a regular. I think, if I had to choose, I'd say this book did a better job of using him. Having a regular dead character show up gave a sense of normalcy to Odd's strange world and very quickly communicated the limits of what the dead could do. </div>
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The story line itself has some great twists and turns, and even plays with some ideas of fate, thanks to Odd trying to discover and stop whatever is building up around him. Though at times the story is predictable (the ending very much so) it's still a solid start to a series. My only regret is that the main actor in the movie died and no sequels seem to be forth coming, so if I want to read more, I'll have to deal with the long winded narrative.</div>
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Final Thoughts?</h3>
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Overall I liked the story and the series is quite good. I just really wish I could enjoy it without the endless tangents in the narrative.</div>
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SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-52316041401028427582018-05-03T10:57:00.000-07:002018-05-03T10:57:02.960-07:00Anime St Louis This Weekend!I've been falling really far behind on telling people with my blog when we'll be at conventions, I should get back on that...<br />
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So we'll be at Anime St Louis this weekend as cosplay guests! We have several panels, and of course will have a table in the dealer's room sell our books plus some new prints! Come stop by and say hi!<br />
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<br />SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-35349608135812987292018-04-25T07:01:00.002-07:002018-04-25T07:01:53.423-07:00Important Queer Couples: Billy and Teddy - Marvel's Young Avengers<br />
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This entry was born out of our latest obsession: Young Avengers. More specifically Billy (Wiccan) and Teddy (Hulkling). My partner and I have been in a process of hunting down nearly every comic we can with them in it and it's been quite a ride and usually out of order. Oops. Originally I was going to do a review for each of these comics, but there's so many and comics are hard to track... so I'm going to combine them instead and hopefully make it easy to follow.<br />
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What Do I Need To Know?</h3>
Lets be honest, the world of comics is confusing and for those who are thinking of wading into the worlds of Batman, Ironman, Captain America, Superman or any other comic creation, there's a lot. This makes it really hard to follow just one character without knowing about others. So here's a quick break down, without spoilers, you'll need to know to look into Billy and Teddy.<br />
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Billy - Originally a Marvel fanboy he may or may not be the reincarnation of one of Scarlet Witch's children. He has the power to do basically anything by repeating his intention over and over until it happens. He also happens to be Jewish and Queer and those are central parts of his identity. He also originally went by the name of Asgardian.<br />
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Teddy - While initally named after and resembling the Incredible Hulk, Teddy is actually a shapeshifter with connections to both the Skrull and Kree. He is fiercely loyal to his boyfriend, Billy, and serves as a sort of grounding force when Billy drops too far into his own brain and not so safe ideas.<br />
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Why Should I Be Paying Attention to Them?</h3>
In the world of queer fiction, there are a lot of tropes that we're all used to seeing. I'm happy to say that this couple subverts most of those. While Billy and Teddy have their own issues, they are always portrayed as a loving couple who will endlessly risk life and limb for each other and don't get caught up in the oh so boring and standard 'who is he sleeping with this week?' plot lines. What angst does come up never seems to be from their relationship, but rather from their powers and the world they live in. Because of this, they become each other's firm ground to stand on and it's refreshing to read. Yes, sometimes the comics use the 'love conquers all' fix at the end of plot lines, but trust me when I say that their relationship in this case makes all the difference. It's so rare that the love between two queer individuals is the life saving force everyone ends up needing and it's a welcome change that I can't get enough of.<br />
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So Where Can I Find Them?</h3>
Hopefully soon in the Marvel Extended Universe - like seriously, there are some things that NEED to happen in Infinity War and Avengers 4 that could lead to this. Signed, sincerely, a fangirl who needs this.<br />
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In all seriousness, we're still looking for all the comics. Below are the ones we've located and read so far. Plus in order. They are best when read in order, but we understand not wanting to wait. I know I'm missing some here and these aren't full reviews, they're just summaries of the plots so you know what's going on if you can't find them or need an idea of where to start.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPTDA7S3GeLWrXjPd8sesTAKUIES6W9HAak0myjU_L6QiFng4Iin-ag193IOkzmh77vO1nhiOEJaLTx_9XLN_2h9vRQFcO52OzUoYS8WAaj4FIOjbnpfyBqzLXkUutF0s7J9ivvk7/s1600/2371823.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPTDA7S3GeLWrXjPd8sesTAKUIES6W9HAak0myjU_L6QiFng4Iin-ag193IOkzmh77vO1nhiOEJaLTx_9XLN_2h9vRQFcO52OzUoYS8WAaj4FIOjbnpfyBqzLXkUutF0s7J9ivvk7/s200/2371823.jpg" width="132" /></a><b>Young Avengers Collected</b> - Allan Heinberg, Jim Cheung, Andrea DiVito<br />
This is the beginning. With the actual Avengers out of commission, these new teenage heroes show up and cause a ruckas even if they're trying to help. So Captain America decides to put a stop to it and tell... their parents?<br />
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A solid introduction to the team and why these characters have the potential to be their own driving force.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbM-JA3yO7eFc2YpwCrHlJOgiXK0sEVYXEx0A6WLkguOX-BVKKV0Ss28ePzCMif64PYatr8B-HF6Z1ojngZFtP91hT-RHoxD0GalaMebN8O-jGsGKWklHdtlpnWc1F2GMH-duGFwjp/s1600/10593913.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="311" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbM-JA3yO7eFc2YpwCrHlJOgiXK0sEVYXEx0A6WLkguOX-BVKKV0Ss28ePzCMif64PYatr8B-HF6Z1ojngZFtP91hT-RHoxD0GalaMebN8O-jGsGKWklHdtlpnWc1F2GMH-duGFwjp/s200/10593913.jpg" width="130" /></a><b>Avengers: The Children's Crusade</b> - Allan Heinberg, Jim Cheung<br />
Wiccan is convinced that Scarlet Witch is his mother and she's not the monster that everyone else is making her out to be after the House of M storyline where she nearly destroyed everything. So he sets out to find her and, in true Billy fashion, finds more then he bargained for.<br />
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Because, as you'll learn, that is Billy. He gets into trouble, but he also kicks some major ass and is a lot smarter then the 'adults' give him credit for.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw44Uwj3BeNCVe0by8k4dQcCYoI7ze7ugwQ0G7rKofgZzeKo22zkMekaqI1neI_poihZIlOJdf8m5XoD-lI2KXCFz6cSK9tt5CB90NuCJpJq53Q-4ABzwD3tsC5uBFQMkcNrc0SqWV/s1600/331208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw44Uwj3BeNCVe0by8k4dQcCYoI7ze7ugwQ0G7rKofgZzeKo22zkMekaqI1neI_poihZIlOJdf8m5XoD-lI2KXCFz6cSK9tt5CB90NuCJpJq53Q-4ABzwD3tsC5uBFQMkcNrc0SqWV/s200/331208.jpg" width="131" /></a><b>Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways</b> - Zeb Wells, Stefano Caselli<br />
All the grownups are fighting and even the Young Avengers have been pulled onto Captain America's side and told to hold their ground until needed. But when the Runaways are pulled into the fight, they can't stay and watch, so the two teams end up coming together to save each other from the major conflict.<br />
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The nice thing is you don't need to know about the Runaways to read this, the comic does a solid job introducing them very quickly and how well the two teams mesh.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3mwh-V3Pd3E58VBwQ4jYVYlTL66ClBjoaFDnFXKRT-hv_OSzVKOQNFnmRYyh0rn4QG7dSVZwbdVvSHLTNG8x0Q0oQZXEeLczi5e41ql_dIlrRb1g2lO-A_syyeEXynLyGyOBTqaY/s1600/3571155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3mwh-V3Pd3E58VBwQ4jYVYlTL66ClBjoaFDnFXKRT-hv_OSzVKOQNFnmRYyh0rn4QG7dSVZwbdVvSHLTNG8x0Q0oQZXEeLczi5e41ql_dIlrRb1g2lO-A_syyeEXynLyGyOBTqaY/s200/3571155.jpg" width="131" /></a><br />
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<b>Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers</b> - Christopher Yost, Takeshi Miyazawa<br />
The two teams come together again this time because the Skrulls are invading and since both teams have a Skrull in their ranks, they're both very involved.<br />
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This one is obviously part of a larger storyline and you can tell in the execution. That's really only my one complaint. The anime style of illustration is also a fun aspect.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinv-VPcoyvxBGcnwon9MpNnYvvOTJJbY_Jbc7pcYh-OlDRrwYWxj-DFRLVgWsP3XYeQJakYiBzLSu5JlDnQEX2C8FKiUSmdlA4VQLEMImJKCTd-G598-DNgoqqirM1fc3Ogpi6IQj/s1600/22237293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="268" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinv-VPcoyvxBGcnwon9MpNnYvvOTJJbY_Jbc7pcYh-OlDRrwYWxj-DFRLVgWsP3XYeQJakYiBzLSu5JlDnQEX2C8FKiUSmdlA4VQLEMImJKCTd-G598-DNgoqqirM1fc3Ogpi6IQj/s200/22237293.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<b>Young Avengers</b> - Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, Matthew Wilson<br />
Few things are worse then a space born suburban mother bent on chasing you away from home. Billy had the best intentions with summoning Mother, but now the team as a whole has to deal with her, along with Kid Loki and America Chavez.<br />
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THIS is the arc that hooked us. I can't really communicate how creepy and effective the villain of Mother is. You kinda just have to read it and you'll get it. Also, Kid Loki steals the entire comic.<br />
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I know there are more, we're still looking. We have two comics on order from our local comic shop and pages are still being scoured for more mentions. Then there's fanfiction to search for, and deviantart pages to favorite and all sorts of things. In a world where queer characters are far too often fetish-ized for the consumption and pleasure of straight fans, it's super refreshing to see a queer couple (and lets be honest, nearly an entire queer team) take center stage and not devolve into the drama and cat calling that the popular media would have you believe we all live. Billy and Teddy are a breath of fresh air and I really hope they have many more stories and adventures to come.<br />
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SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-90880272265960043952018-04-17T09:29:00.001-07:002018-04-17T09:29:16.522-07:00Review: Cardcaptor Sakura Book 1 (Giant Collected Edition Manga)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4xiNXb4KOmN4AI9HPBENbCllWthHbaG1uHIr1mvujP2aZEW8bbo65cBJAvUgY1gJBKjDCXwno0fIRQKWRonzDNAZkNZ5i807wrey2XOtBbHseoKAqgq9Yc-M7GD6Knat15-UjMOMQ/s1600/513FFeTeOrL._SX347_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="349" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4xiNXb4KOmN4AI9HPBENbCllWthHbaG1uHIr1mvujP2aZEW8bbo65cBJAvUgY1gJBKjDCXwno0fIRQKWRonzDNAZkNZ5i807wrey2XOtBbHseoKAqgq9Yc-M7GD6Knat15-UjMOMQ/s320/513FFeTeOrL._SX347_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
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<h3>
What's it about:</h3>
Part of the magical girl genre, Sakura is a normal young student who accidentally releases the Clow Cards one day while down in her father's office. Now it's her job to collect them again and take control of their magic. Dressed in the cutest of outfits, thanks to her best friend Tomoyo, with Kero - their protector - she's ready to go after the cards and collect them all.<br />
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<h3>
Thoughts:</h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvB6XJzlK5Yum1CYxg7_tXIsIr97HK4nh4vK1C-dwQMHMMZYftf8oNcJyC3-iNhrkAfg6ucrfV4bsTJXuynIYo_n7cCjBfTiWKLj6v1kiZ_LvgVbHRQfHYm18oP6YC2JuhKKuus1G-/s1600/f0ee22b14de4d3c12e780544691057751498870297_full.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvB6XJzlK5Yum1CYxg7_tXIsIr97HK4nh4vK1C-dwQMHMMZYftf8oNcJyC3-iNhrkAfg6ucrfV4bsTJXuynIYo_n7cCjBfTiWKLj6v1kiZ_LvgVbHRQfHYm18oP6YC2JuhKKuus1G-/s320/f0ee22b14de4d3c12e780544691057751498870297_full.jpg" width="213" /></a>Ever since my days of drowning in anime - still haven't come up, lets be honest never will - I've had a love for CLAMP's work. As the years have gone on, they've changed their style and I've disliked more then I've liked but I'm still nostalgic for the original CLAMP days when they did what they did best: parody popular anime genres.<br />
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Cardcaptor Sakura is one of those parodys, aimed squarely at the 'collect 'em all' genre of Pokemon, Yugioh and the like. However in that parody they've also created a story about a whole host of characters I love and not to mention a gorgeous set of Tarot cards that I will happily admit to owning. Picking up this volume gave me the chance to get back into that story and read the manga I never got around to reading before. Not to mention enjoy all of their amazing art.<br />
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CLAMP has a habit of creating characters that stick with you and this series is no exception. The cute trend of Sakura getting a new outfit with each card she chases - thanks to her friend Tomoyo - is a hilarious edition and serves to highlight the art style I love so much. Beyond that Sakura and her friends are fleshed out quite well during the battles and cards they have to collect. As usual, as the story goes on, you find out that Sakura isn't exactly normal and has a particular family history that lends to why the cards chose her, but there's only a few threads of that in this volume. I'll have to get the next ones to learn more and they're already in my cart!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgti_YRgeJHIcg1qudgflETQZwOyneqjBq5EGGhyphenhyphenW2SHK4MBVFmKQv5dSk-7rH3xCvNHSiIgWrX_-efXA0ognLnLvR1pq5dKOIkrS_pWE7c8_FPQ8FAcPBkfy796qpC3oN_tpJ6UArd/s1600/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgti_YRgeJHIcg1qudgflETQZwOyneqjBq5EGGhyphenhyphenW2SHK4MBVFmKQv5dSk-7rH3xCvNHSiIgWrX_-efXA0ognLnLvR1pq5dKOIkrS_pWE7c8_FPQ8FAcPBkfy796qpC3oN_tpJ6UArd/s320/maxresdefault.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I do love the fun pokes the series takes at well known cliches in their own genres. The underlying queer relationships in magical girl anime are there, along with surprising family connections and rivals that really would get more done if they stopped their pissing contests. The Clow Cards aren't just items to be collected, they are almost characters in their own right, giving the show a unique twist.<br />
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A special add on to this large collected volume are the color inserts at the end of all the stunning coverart. It's like getting your own mini artbook with the manga and I appreciate that. I only wish I'd had access to this volume earlier and I probably would have read the manga sooner. It also reminds me that I need to finish the anime, so that I can check out the new Clear Card series that's currently running.<br />
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<h3>
Final thoughts:</h3>
As a trip down nostalgia lane, this collected edition is perfect. However, with the large amount of magical girl shows and manga out there now, I don't particularly see this one standing out. More popular shows like Sailor Moon and Madoka will easily overshadow this series and probably push it back out of people's notice. The charm of CLAMP lies in knowing and following them as artists and knowing that they used to do a really good job at parodying various genres. It gives their series a new spin that others might miss without that knowledge. Still, if you are a fan of CLAMP's work, from any decade, it's a fun read and they're masters at inserting plot threads and callouts to their other series, so it's a can't miss.SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-10982624459946567942018-02-21T11:57:00.001-08:002018-02-21T11:57:13.830-08:00Review: Trans Liberty Riot Brigade by L.M. Pierce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLiGDAlWjDRWod2BXEqvr8BcyT1qRCJXVz_V-J07o8JkvVw7QdrrvMV9x2C-tEY4mjFeHTMHBfCpMFblDAgnZv1NhAQYf_EcVlDKjeC8g1vDFl248rAzONetevAQAEGGELjGvJyG-/s1600/trlb.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="233" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLiGDAlWjDRWod2BXEqvr8BcyT1qRCJXVz_V-J07o8JkvVw7QdrrvMV9x2C-tEY4mjFeHTMHBfCpMFblDAgnZv1NhAQYf_EcVlDKjeC8g1vDFl248rAzONetevAQAEGGELjGvJyG-/s320/trlb.JPG" width="214" /></a></div>
<h3>
What's it about?</h3>
Andi's world is very different from our own, right? Her life consists of hiding from the police, living with a freedom fighting group and trying to keep her head straight between drug fixes. Young and foolish, she is still incredibly loyal to those around her and when a new mission comes up, she'll easily go along and do what needs to be done. Andi's life in the walled up United Free States is a lot of following and doing what she's told and still messing it up. But she's going to have to learn to make decisions on her own, because there aren't always going to be people helping her out of situations. Eventually she's going to have to help all of them.<br />
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Thoughts:</h3>
My partner and I picked up this book from the author at a convention in Portland. I would have to say the first thing that caught me was the character's world, and the very specific queer dystopia that made up her life. In her world, which seems so wildly different from ours, there are very real and uncomfortable parallels. Sure, there's a wall, much like the one that Trump wants to build, but it's so much more then that and the book uses these qualities to suck you in right away.<br />
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Andi's voice and slang in the book is striking and takes a bit of time to get used to. It's so wildly different from what I'm used to reading that it took me some time to get into. However, the author has obviously paid attention to this because it's very consistent and it's a great tool to suck you into Andi's world whether you want to be or not. Her struggles and trials are that much more sincere and real when you read her expressions and can still understand them even when you aren't given a glossary to explain all the terms. Nope, not needed, the author has paid enough attention to basically create a whole slang language and it feels real. I really appreciate that.<br />
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My only hesitation with the book is that Andi spends most of it as a passive observer. Sure, she's running with the others, on missions and trying to escape. However in that, most of her actions are not taken until someone tells her what to do. It can be infuriating because the book is told in first person and her 'wants' are quite absent save for general survival and drugs and not being snipped. After a while I wanted to grab Andi and shake her, but I couldn't exactly blame her for acting the way she did, so it ended up not being a bad thing, just a bit frustrating. Someone else's mileage may differ, but that quality stuck out to me.<br />
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Final Thoughts:</h3>
Overall I ended up loving this book, though it is a gradual love that it built as you read each chapter and the characters burrow more into your head. Getting into the world and the vocabulary takes a bit, but the journey is worth it and I am looking forward to the second volume and how Andi's journey will progress.<br />
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Where you can get it:</h3>
<a href="https://ninestarpress.com/product/trans-liberty-riot-brigade/">Ninestar Press</a><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Trans-Liberty-Riot-Brigade-Pierce/dp/1947139347/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&dpID=51ZqKhPzfIL&preST=_SY344_BO1,204,203,200_QL70_&dpSrc=detail">Amazon</a>SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-26634191768965201472018-02-14T06:19:00.001-08:002018-02-14T06:19:41.164-08:00Backseat Gamer: Mirror's Edge Catalyst<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8RcL-57hVH4iEmHMGw_bxrqoSGl9Swwd_d23aZ9rOWApTSTBbr5qvjgu73wXSk-plo2nDjiKm-Az89dnS1xrAWH3PBqrFe5ZhNSp55rajHIrs6qAsPjNokXVVl1GK58NEvYi7m0T/s1600/ogimage.img.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8RcL-57hVH4iEmHMGw_bxrqoSGl9Swwd_d23aZ9rOWApTSTBbr5qvjgu73wXSk-plo2nDjiKm-Az89dnS1xrAWH3PBqrFe5ZhNSp55rajHIrs6qAsPjNokXVVl1GK58NEvYi7m0T/s320/ogimage.img.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3>
<br />Backseat Gamer: Mirror's Edge Catalyst</h3>
Ohh, here's a subject I haven't reviewed in a while, a video game! In case if you've forgotten in that time, the point of this section is for me to review video games that I haven't actually played. Because I'm more of a video game voyeur then anything else, when a new game comes along I'm usually watching my wifey play it. That's the case with this game, and even though I wasn't the active party, I watched the whole game and loved it!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVOuJRYakOHcuARrGPmWwcVVCctCnA2lLzzOVETiAMZajdN6mf5J9wHKD6gZVWq0ZgLhywcWi4B0Szmt6LMyXrUAKMdjO4A3YyIByxUl2zaKaem0d5Zb3c2VGZrZEfeh8efaoNuNM9/s1600/per-haagensen-mec-keyart-2-v3-portrait-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1167" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVOuJRYakOHcuARrGPmWwcVVCctCnA2lLzzOVETiAMZajdN6mf5J9wHKD6gZVWq0ZgLhywcWi4B0Szmt6LMyXrUAKMdjO4A3YyIByxUl2zaKaem0d5Zb3c2VGZrZEfeh8efaoNuNM9/s320/per-haagensen-mec-keyart-2-v3-portrait-2.jpg" width="233" /></a></div>
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<h3>
What's it about?</h3>
In the distant future the world is now a utopia of business and clean solid colored walls. Everyone works for one company or another and it's all run by the Conglomerate, enforced by a group called Kruger Sec. Faith is a member of a group of runners, who work as mail deliverers throughout the city and also as a resistance. While making deliveries she must also work to discover the true reason why she was locked up and what happened to her family - more specifically her sister.<br />
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<h3>
Thoughts:</h3>
My wifey played through the first Mirror's Edge when it originally came out and we both loved the game. Not only is the world stunning, but the game play is unique being that it's always in a first person perspective while you're jumping and parkouring through this futuristic landscape.<br />
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With the second game, Catalyst, the creative team rebooted the story of the first. This time the world was a bit different in that it was more clean and more refined, with the plot being told in a slightly more coherent way. Faith was better defined and the world seemed more open and challenging - especially since you have no option to pick up guns, but you're being chased by people with them on several missions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl-cS_LetwkPfyCmFjnmGJqH1ocO2WjL0n-L_-Dd8Pop9ir2qz0IBhmUc4TPKKJ_fW2PsUcT9Oq1fQNKENiTclhvidU5x0t0Dp5IQdkiqJGZWVG8CCW08A5-dfqeH9YEbu6uMwyB2d/s1600/Plastic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="944" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl-cS_LetwkPfyCmFjnmGJqH1ocO2WjL0n-L_-Dd8Pop9ir2qz0IBhmUc4TPKKJ_fW2PsUcT9Oq1fQNKENiTclhvidU5x0t0Dp5IQdkiqJGZWVG8CCW08A5-dfqeH9YEbu6uMwyB2d/s320/Plastic.jpg" width="279" /></a></div>
That isn't to say there aren't plot holes, mind you. While Faith's story is told in a better way then the first, there are still noticeable gaps in the storytelling, especially at the end. Some things are tied up, but it's obvious that the team is expecting to make future games, so there are threads left hanging and there is a noticeable lack of a boss fight all things considered. There's also hints about other characters that make you yearn for DLC with their own side stories. I know I can't be the only one who wanted to play as Icarus by the end and learn more about Black November and even Bird Man.<br />
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In the end it's a great game with a very distinct atmosphere, but it leaves me wanting more. This can be great if there's going to be another game. But considering that I know this one wasn't that popular I have a feeling I'm going to be disappointed on that front.<br />
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<h3>
How much did I play?</h3>
Ha! Though I think this game would be stunning in VR, the first person perspective does a great job of getting you as close to that as possible. I had fun watching her play, but man some of those heights felt way too real.<br />
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SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-27427999865446449422018-02-07T08:56:00.000-08:002018-02-07T09:00:39.591-08:00Books You Should Check Out: Some A**hole In Pajamas Talks About Writing by Xero Reynolds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRXPnYh8FRxiCmn0Phcp2UWdZv928n2bqA89T5YU68s7tNWkwB3Hnl1EBygbu0QBHTb7VES8DuVaKO2WOe5c687pmIePh6t49UJiId-SQz5ioPLLF6RMgLwrjGi0ZYgUZ3Mn6dT-Ph/s1600/27783627_10160156250430314_1896505800_n.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="636" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRXPnYh8FRxiCmn0Phcp2UWdZv928n2bqA89T5YU68s7tNWkwB3Hnl1EBygbu0QBHTb7VES8DuVaKO2WOe5c687pmIePh6t49UJiId-SQz5ioPLLF6RMgLwrjGi0ZYgUZ3Mn6dT-Ph/s320/27783627_10160156250430314_1896505800_n.png" width="212" /></a></div>
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By far, one of the best things about having awesome author friends is finding out about their new projects and getting to be one of the firsts to preorder something when it's coming out!<br />
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We met Xero at Anime Iowa a couple years ago. He's a good friend, great inspiration and I love hearing his view on a lot of creative minded things, especially world building and the characters he creates. So when this book was announced, aw hell, you know I already have my copy preordered!<br />
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<a href="https://coldbrewpublishing.wordpress.com/some-ahole-in-pajamas-talks-about-writing/">You can preorder yours here and even read the first chapter for free!</a> Check it out and get your copy. And while you're at it, attach it a real set of googly eyes for endless entertainment ^__^<br />
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<br />SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-48942048745979466242018-01-30T08:07:00.000-08:002018-01-30T08:07:26.937-08:00Review: Bingo Love (Comic)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8hm4N5Ha9jdxTgA-CP8q82wJ4zax4EbjsEXSynUJOWJc7fTgt1v1MKIyNoLSdFRsTxUg3UVNrcDhQ9Md4qPICrYClKtTqkGAvEguGrhnzQmQ_XYXxR4_0gYqKUpcQUdP4fW_Jt3tz/s1600/34840092.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8hm4N5Ha9jdxTgA-CP8q82wJ4zax4EbjsEXSynUJOWJc7fTgt1v1MKIyNoLSdFRsTxUg3UVNrcDhQ9Md4qPICrYClKtTqkGAvEguGrhnzQmQ_XYXxR4_0gYqKUpcQUdP4fW_Jt3tz/s320/34840092.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
<h3>
What's it about?</h3>
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Hazel and Mari met at church bingo one night and in that moment started a friendship and love that went against their times and parents' beliefs. Sadly, it never happened. Least not until history repeated itself and they met again at the bingo parlor many years later.<br />
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Thoughts?</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiW6VpnoCB1NXWJiFXL0-QAvfs9u0J2M4aPo64FUTnpTuTwZDFB3um9BT50c2VTK1r3Dmpq6rxOOYQOoWVeg_rpxDdjmIYvrPdFECDYXenzvDBm8k2aqGDJLqN5abRU_fVfO54yT8L/s1600/mgid_ao_image_logotv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="660" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiW6VpnoCB1NXWJiFXL0-QAvfs9u0J2M4aPo64FUTnpTuTwZDFB3um9BT50c2VTK1r3Dmpq6rxOOYQOoWVeg_rpxDdjmIYvrPdFECDYXenzvDBm8k2aqGDJLqN5abRU_fVfO54yT8L/s320/mgid_ao_image_logotv.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
In the world of queer stories, there's a lot of tropes and cliches that we're used to hearing, especially when it's dealing with the 'good ole days' when we weren't accepted (could go on about how that crap is still happening, but you get the point). While this comic isn't hugely new in that area, it does bring in diverse characters we're not used to seeing in these situations and is definitely worth reading for a cute story that gets you right in the feels.<br />
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The characters are sweet and easy to fall for, each drawn with their personality in mind and it shows! There wasn't anyone I disliked, and even those I got mad at throughout the story had their reasons and their reactions were justified. A good portion of this story feels so authetic and real, as if I were hearing it from someone who actually experienced it, and that adds to the comic in so many ways. Not only does it have great art but the writing is top notch!<br />
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The comic leaves you aching for more story, but not because anything is left out. Instead the short narrative reemphasizes all the time the two didn't have together due to their parents and societial expectations and that hits hard. Keeping the story short doubles down on that feeling and makes it hit even closer to home. It's almost impossible not to root for these two ladies and their love, especially knowing how long it's taken them to get it. And it's one of those where I would love to read more, but there doesn't need to be more. It's perfect at the length it is.<br />
<h3>
<br />Final thoughts:</h3>
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Pick up this comic. Seriously. Pick it up and share it with your friends. We need more positive queer stories out there like this because it's so sweet. It's worth a read and a share, and probably a read again once you're done with those tissues.<br />
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<h3>
Where can I get it?</h3>
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We got ours through the official Kickstarter, but there are ways you can get it too!<br />
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Bingo-Love-OGN-Tee-Franklin/dp/1534307508/<br />
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Also, ask your local comic book shop! It comes out in February 2018, so go now and ask them to order it in!SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-15449756295318868332017-12-27T13:31:00.000-08:002017-12-27T13:31:18.956-08:00Review: Justice League (movie)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<h3>
What it's about?</h3>
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After the death of Superman at the hands of Lex Luther and Zod, the world has lost its hope. Batman is convinced something bigger is coming but his attempts to bring together a team are failing. Now that bigger attack is coming and what few people he has managed to gather are not prepared to stand alone. </div>
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<h3>
Thoughts?</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgL1OeHCtprtVXZnGGk-duryCTrcAPBMEPe_v0LSpO6pHXoDtX1HIu6LYk9Eqc7lKZ7s-SyoHsZCTRxcUX6RNHAgNLo3xdkwGIfsAXRqsDbnFaqXFcVcQlSbhD2TlW0FquxQ8kVe8S/s1600/Ezra-Miller-The-Flash-Justice-League.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="800" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgL1OeHCtprtVXZnGGk-duryCTrcAPBMEPe_v0LSpO6pHXoDtX1HIu6LYk9Eqc7lKZ7s-SyoHsZCTRxcUX6RNHAgNLo3xdkwGIfsAXRqsDbnFaqXFcVcQlSbhD2TlW0FquxQ8kVe8S/s320/Ezra-Miller-The-Flash-Justice-League.jpg" width="320" /></a>Full transparency, I hated Batman V Superman and I know I'm not alone. I honestly have had no love for any of the movies DC has put out recently (animated or not) with the exception of Wonder Woman. I did like Man of Steel, but mostly because it broke the Superman mold for me and made him interesting to watch - to the detriment of what most think makes Superman who he is. So to say I wasn't expecting much from this movie is an understatement.<br />
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I was pleasantly surprised. </div>
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Now, by no means is Justice League a master piece, far from it. At it's core it's a fun movie to shut your brain off and watch, and the storytelling and action actually makes it quite easy to do that. I found myself having a good time and enjoying the movie, even if there were narrative issues throughout.<br />
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The beginning is quite choppy, with - I swear - 20 different beginnings to the film which weren't needed. However once that time has passed the movie is easy to like. Joss Whedon's talent for writing engaging dialog shows throughout the entire movie and makes the characters easy to like and get along with. It especially shows with Flash and Aquaman and their senses of humor. They were easily the best parts of the movie, but honestly all the characters got a moment, even if it was small. </div>
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The characters we already know going in from previous movies had their stories rounded out and expanded, while the newer characters were introduced with just enough to make them just as interesting. Even the big bad, who under performed a bit, still got much more build up and time then in some Marvel movies. Steppenwolf was kept very cut and dry and for once only hinted at what might come after him, rather then rushing forward with too many villains like some other films (I'm looking at you Batman v Superman).<br />
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In the world of DC attempting to catch up to Marvel, this really isn't the train wreck I was expecting to see. A lot of the stuff I did like beyond the above is more spoilery so I'll stay away from it for those reading. Still I would recommend seeing this movie and not going in with such a fatalistic attitude as the previous movies may have given you. This feels like a new start for DC, and if they do focus more on the single movies and crafting the story as they say they're going to now, we may yet get some more films that give us exactly what we want.<br />
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Oh, though you should know there's a mid credit stinger and one at the end and both are worth watching. </div>
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<h4>
Final thoughts:</h4>
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Justice League oddly gives me hope for future DC movies. I know they've stated they plan to move away from their extended universe and I'm all for this, but this movie shows they can still make entertaining stories that aren't just a royal mess. So maybe the ones they've already announced have a bit more promise then I thought. </div>
SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-75670121441938116292017-12-20T09:47:00.000-08:002017-12-20T09:47:45.603-08:00Review: American Horror Story: Roanoke<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWDhJ5BRwq-m3rOMQiwah6NSXmF29nQsRajfZOrTypLMgMRq21aQhaAYf-uIXhzzo87guz9B_wVgkZ9H_g9ZWPgyf3w0iC0M69-mvryLTcpiaKS71tzhbhimdb7cj902i2moj0up1/s1600/web_detailhero_series_dsktp_american-horror-story_1280x600_official.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1280" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWDhJ5BRwq-m3rOMQiwah6NSXmF29nQsRajfZOrTypLMgMRq21aQhaAYf-uIXhzzo87guz9B_wVgkZ9H_g9ZWPgyf3w0iC0M69-mvryLTcpiaKS71tzhbhimdb7cj902i2moj0up1/s320/web_detailhero_series_dsktp_american-horror-story_1280x600_official.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<h3>
What's it about?</h3>
One of the creepiest true stories in history is that of the Roanoke Colony that up and disappeared, leaving all their belongings and only the word 'Croatoan' behind. In current times a family has purchased an old farm nearby in the hopes of starting over, only to find that the farm is haunted by the missing colony members. They manage to make it out alive and now are telling everything that happened to them, via a reality confession show with very realistic reenactments.<br />
<h3>
Thoughts</h3>
American Horror Story is one of my favorite current tv shows and this season shows no sign of stopping. I love the variety of stories and characters and how they manage to capture different pieces of fear and use them against the audience.<br />
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This series follows the trend I'm used to with this show. Along with a new and interesting story, the creators have also decided to try another form of story telling: reality tv. By using only footage caught on camera by reality show cast members, 'actors' and cell phone footage, the show treats you to a very unique story.<br />
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Every season the story telling style changes and I suppose it shouldn't be surprising that they would eventually touch reality TV. The narrative style almost simulates a google search, specifically my own when I find a story that's super interesting and devour the entire internet to find everything I can about it. The footage does the same, showing you piece by piece and letting you piece it together. In the end the story is choppy and messy and a little hard to follow, but since it reminds me of myself, I really love it.<br />
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What's actually really nice about this season is you're introduced to everything via the reality show so you don't see the actual ghosts until halfway through the season and oddly that makes them scarier. Because you never hear the actual ghosts talk and when they do finally show up you are already scared of them and as creepy as Kathy Bates is, the actual Butcher is worse.<br />
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My favorite character this season has to be Lee, the real Lee. I didn't like her at first, but when the actual Lee took a more active role in the story she grew on me. I loved seeing her move from being the victim to the hero of the story - if you could call it that. Also, while Angela Bassett was awesome, I loved Adina Porter for her range and how easy it was to identify with her and what she was experiencing.<br />
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I do have to say I was disappointed with Lady Gaga's role with this season. Sadly she wasn't in the season that much due to her tour and album, so her part was quite small. What little there was of her character left me hungry for more. She played the original supreme witch (connecting back to Coven) and I would have loved to see more of her character then a couple flashbacks and a few flashes. I'm not sure how more of her story would have fit in overall, but I can't help wanting it.<br />
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The most disappointing part of the series was the Polk family. The stereotypical hillbilly family, they provided a second threat to the main characters for daring to live on that land. What made them interesting was that they had ties to The Butcher and her ghost army which allowed them to survive - and yet they were also saddled with the standard inbreeding, druggie, stupid and mentally impaired cliches that fill the horror genre. It made them uninteresting and boring and honestly seemed a bit below the amazing writing I'm used to on this series. Also their need to have cameras everywhere became a tired gimmick plot device to keep the series going. While a single YouTube video was used toward the end with the death threat, I wish they'd peppered that in throughout as a reason why they recorded stuff so it didn't seem so contrived. They didn't seem fully realized and the series just kinda sank there.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6NSknTW3EMVX_K7T6j4sqgt8ZyXrVL7Id6FS6ti539BfJrMytu7i6uPJQG0cPbjBx6CmliFK622zsUw4NECtMgkMxFB5lBzM6xRba_uz_WaLmzyRRdhbqYjd943ptfAARD4xjBr_/s1600/lvhorrorstory6f-2-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="750" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6NSknTW3EMVX_K7T6j4sqgt8ZyXrVL7Id6FS6ti539BfJrMytu7i6uPJQG0cPbjBx6CmliFK622zsUw4NECtMgkMxFB5lBzM6xRba_uz_WaLmzyRRdhbqYjd943ptfAARD4xjBr_/s320/lvhorrorstory6f-2-web.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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Final Thoughts</h3>
I very much liked this season and how it tied to the others. While not my favorite, it does stand out for it's depiction of certain characters and how the main antagonists were utilized (those being the ghosts). Now, as usual, I have to wait a year to watch the newest season in one binge sitting. Oh well, worth it.SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-2080915769604881122017-10-12T10:11:00.002-07:002017-10-12T10:11:28.385-07:00Books You Should Check Out: Lovesick Gods by Amanda Meuwissen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Heroes aren’t meant to act like their villains—or fall in love with them.</div>
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The elements touch everyone on Earth—Fire, Water, even Light—but every so often someone becomes more attuned to their elemental leaning and develops true power. When an evil Elemental known as Thanatos arrived in Olympus City, it saw the rise of its first hero—Zeus. But the death toll caused by defeating Thanatos changed Zeus, who by day is young detective Danny Grant. </div>
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It’s been six months since Thanatos terrorized the city at the start of Lovesick Gods. Danny should be used to his duty behind the mask, but the recent past haunts him. His girlfriend left him, he snaps at the barest provocation, his life feels empty—he needs an outlet, any outlet to pull him out of his depression.</div>
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Enter notorious thief Malcolm Cho, the Ice Elemental Prometheus. There was a time when Danny welcomed a fight with Cho, filled with colorful banter and casual flirtations that were a relief compared to Thanatos. Even as a criminal, Cho had recognized the threat Thanatos posed and promised to help Danny stop him, but the day Danny needed Cho, he never showed. Cho was the reason so many people died that day—including Danny’s mother.</div>
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Danny decides to teach the man a lesson and fan the fire of their attraction into something more. At worst, he’ll get some no-strings-attached sex out of the deal and finally blow off steam; at best, he’ll get Cho to fall in love with him and then break his heart to spite him. Danny doesn’t expect to fall for Cho in the process, and he certainly can’t predict the much darker threat on the horizon.</div>
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Buy Link: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lovesick-Gods-1-Amanda-Meuwissen/dp/1943619336/" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1507826071335_4492" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; background: transparent; color: #196ad4; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/Lovesick-Gods-1-Amanda-Meuwissen/dp/1943619336/</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm973VTODdZyB0TbBe0_6EIdFm7QHcFgJRE46eDlQPo41vYi33yhLavsuG_OGLX8qQU_1YfkXQ6YS2_Hk-HVo9x192AycpK_D59FL3AtUIOhrHSOhBpI6Ej1StvcbNF2SaBR_XdIvN/s1600/Amanda+Meuwissen+Author+Photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="674" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm973VTODdZyB0TbBe0_6EIdFm7QHcFgJRE46eDlQPo41vYi33yhLavsuG_OGLX8qQU_1YfkXQ6YS2_Hk-HVo9x192AycpK_D59FL3AtUIOhrHSOhBpI6Ej1StvcbNF2SaBR_XdIvN/s320/Amanda+Meuwissen+Author+Photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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About the Author:</div>
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Amanda Meuwissen has been writing and posting online for many years, including maintaining the website and blog for the software company Outsell. She is an avid writer and consumer of fiction through film, prose, and video games, and is the author of the paranormal romance trilogy The Incubus Saga and young adult novel Life as a Teenage Vampire. Amanda lives in Minneapolis, MN, with her husband, John, and their two cats.<span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;"></span></div>
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Excerpt: </div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-9a79df0f-1190-0f42-12d4-3a4f396bd15c"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Danny had always assumed Cho’s subtle flirting was just to get a rise out of him. The man mocked him, lied to him, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">betrayed</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> him. And all that, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> got his crank turning? Even when he’d played nice with Danny in the past, he’d just been hoping to bend him over the nearest surface. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cho wasn’t good or redeemable. When the city needed him, when </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Danny</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> had needed him, he’d run away and hid, then dared to show his face right after and expected Danny to act like nothing had happened. Cho just wanted to use Danny like everybody else. Even Andre and Lynn wouldn’t look twice at him if he wasn’t Zeus.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Just like them, Cho only saw Danny suit deep, not even skin deep, just leather and lightning. No one cared about Danny Grant. His past relationships proved that. He’d never once been the one to end things; they’d always left him first. Vanessa left because he was too distant; he couldn’t tell her he was an Elemental, and it had only gotten worse after his mother’s death. Before that, his last boyfriend had been sweet and soft and loving, but he couldn’t handle Danny’s intensity.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Maybe I need someone who isn’t Lightning leaning,” he’d said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Danny didn’t care what element someone was, but he didn’t want sweet or soft right now. He definitely didn’t want loving. He shouldn’t have to always be the lonely superhero that couldn’t be honest about who he was without putting people in danger.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cho wouldn’t be in danger. He could take care of himself. Danny wouldn’t have to hide that he was Zeus. He wouldn’t have to hide anything, worry about anything. He could take what he wanted and blow off some of that steam rising steadily within him. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Turning around, he spotted Cho in line, halfway to the counter now. Cho was smooth and handsome and exuded sex appeal. It wasn’t as if Danny was blind to that. This could be </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">everything he needed. And he’d finally get his revenge.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-indent: 0px; white-space: normal;">Buy Link: </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lovesick-Gods-1-Amanda-Meuwissen/dp/1943619336/" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1507826071335_4492" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; background: transparent; color: #196ad4; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px; white-space: normal;" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/Lovesick-Gods-1-Amanda-Meuwissen/dp/1943619336/</a></span></div>
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SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-9337673581331573002017-10-03T08:17:00.002-07:002017-10-03T08:17:55.911-07:00New Release: magnifiqueNOIR Book 1: I Am Magical by Briana Lawrence<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqmXIS0sfhFjwKPib2sTNadaIsITrYBygSuJC3JLS6xRpebfrrt5IEQJEhbGnQmCcUlTOvnZzBZcdvO0U9rVgiRYu_Z7XUVmJkNm0t4bGNumbiGcA0YlA35WWc3yL7sf-XMc9btOX/s1600/1magnifiquenoircover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqmXIS0sfhFjwKPib2sTNadaIsITrYBygSuJC3JLS6xRpebfrrt5IEQJEhbGnQmCcUlTOvnZzBZcdvO0U9rVgiRYu_Z7XUVmJkNm0t4bGNumbiGcA0YlA35WWc3yL7sf-XMc9btOX/s320/1magnifiquenoircover.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">RELEASE DAY IS HERE! - A message from my wifey:</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This time last year I was launching the Kickstarter for this little idea I had about a group of black, queer, magical girls. While the Kickstarter didn’t end up panning out, I told myself that I wouldn’t give up on the idea and that I’d finish the story and release it someday.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today is that day.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“magnifiqueNOIR” is here and I am so thrilled to be presenting it to everyone! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you’ve already preordered the book through the Indiegogo or our Etsy shop, you will be receiving it very soon! I got confirmation from UPS that the 15 boxes (yes, 15!) will be at my house this Friday! After that, I’ll be autographing all of them and then giving my post office a nightmare (just kidding, we already talked to them and came up with a plan). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you haven’t ordered the book yet, now is your chance! Not just the physical copy, but the eBook as well! So here’s Bri’s somewhat comprehensive list of ways to have a little bit of black girl magic in your home, on your Kindle, and more important: in your hearts (boo Bri that was cheesy).</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The super special awesomely autographed copy! Follow the link here to get a physical copy of the book autographed by yours truly! We have a limited amount of numbers before we order batch #2 of the book in time for fall season conventions! </span><a href="http://etsy.me/2wgOepY" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #365899; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://etsy.me/2wgOepY</span></a></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The amazing Amazon physical copy! While it doesn’t come with my autograph, it is discounted for a limited time, and hey, free shipping through Prime is always nice! </span><a href="http://a.co/iLjp1os" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #365899; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://a.co/iLjp1os</span></a></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The magically fantastic eBook copy! Because who doesn’t want their electronic reading device to come packed with black girl magic? </span><a href="http://a.co/eTKiHSf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://a.co/eTKiHSf</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Conventions! I’ll have a list of them up soon, but this Saturday, I’ll be at MSP Fall ComiCon at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, so if you’re local, you can come and get a copy of the book from me in person!</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Don't forget we have prints and a bunch of items with the girls on it. All of these can be found at our etsy store: http://snowtigra.etsy.com</span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now comes the next part: promotion. If you are absolutely in love with the book, talk about it online! Use the hashtag #magnifiqueNOIR to share your love for these girls. Take pictures of your book/eBook, share this post everywhere, and definitely, most definitely, definitely definitely definitely LEAVE A REVIEW when you’re done reading! Let’s show the world that black girls with magical powers are spectacular!</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As always, thank you from the bottom of my chubby black queer girl heart for all the support. When I came up with this idea last March, I had no idea it would grow so much. There may have been some hiccups along the way, but we’re here now, and you all are truly magical :)</span></div>
SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-43292942745614104862017-09-23T06:18:00.002-07:002017-09-23T06:18:17.692-07:00Review: The Conjuring and Conjuring 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbuST83Qv2PhNcZ1NcYlr8vr6V7zMwS3xwmv7w94wMgiSclkVqQdICAQc7RF6Eo3pgUNCNwhilhv5GbpUuLdFB05t6ozRLP6FdZTZragd1_3KVW8DtOcrRDio5zJWETyy9KzO8VLD/s1600/The-Conjuring-HD-Wallpaper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="984" data-original-width="1600" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbuST83Qv2PhNcZ1NcYlr8vr6V7zMwS3xwmv7w94wMgiSclkVqQdICAQc7RF6Eo3pgUNCNwhilhv5GbpUuLdFB05t6ozRLP6FdZTZragd1_3KVW8DtOcrRDio5zJWETyy9KzO8VLD/s320/The-Conjuring-HD-Wallpaper.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<h2>
What are they about?</h2>
Both movies center around the figures of the Warrens, who are real life ghost hunters. Each movie tackles at least one of the 'real life' cases they investigated and what they encountered, with a bit of cinematic flair.<br />
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<h2>
Thoughts</h2>
Like most people I became familiar with the Warrens through the Amnityville Horror movies. I was reintroduced to them several times through my various adventures into stories of ghost hunters and paranormal things.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0O-0iBVyT5KGpT8yiDfVv0JlBD839-knUhBaSFzraVzKPZPFO1iMPzp_YKiFSPmP4cMcjgrFYUEWtDnX-JGsTnTiKAA9t0GPmm-qx_5tZP_N1VX4mA2TGq-O47RTu6D4yirCMQ0uC/s1600/0331784-R1-E001f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0O-0iBVyT5KGpT8yiDfVv0JlBD839-knUhBaSFzraVzKPZPFO1iMPzp_YKiFSPmP4cMcjgrFYUEWtDnX-JGsTnTiKAA9t0GPmm-qx_5tZP_N1VX4mA2TGq-O47RTu6D4yirCMQ0uC/s1600/0331784-R1-E001f.jpg" /></a></div>
Across all of this, there's very different views of the Warrens. Some people love them, some people owe them their lives, some people hate them and on and on. Either way, they are some of the most interesting people out there when you look into paranormal things. <br />
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With that in mind, I actually love the idea of them being part of this cinematic universe and I'm very much enjoying seeing it grow across several movies.<br />
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The first Conjuring introduces us to Ed and Lorraine Warren in the context of not the Amnityville Horror, but rather another haunted house that is supposed to be possessed by the spirit of a dead witch who is terrorizing the family.<br />
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In this movie we have all the normal trappings of a paranormal hunt however with two very distinct differences. For one they keep the movie in the correct time period - the 70's. So there's a well done nostalgic feel that keeps you rooted in the technology of then and how people may have reacted in that time. The second is that there's no found footage. James Wan (the director) has wisely decided to ignore the cliche gimick of shaky cam and instead focus on scaring the bejezus out of us in other ways, and it's effective.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4Wjf7B7-meX9NK9C7udXd38n6KDIheg5UAQbMjtqHtAaBMGuBrcIauI7HIjCc8iaIxyw8mOG-m56xmHqJ93Ly6AjvLLYyccqDS6Z6ATO-DUFcU_bb2vMyFUfNqf8FTZ_7PS8uHWa/s1600/Conjuring-2.-1-600x420.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4Wjf7B7-meX9NK9C7udXd38n6KDIheg5UAQbMjtqHtAaBMGuBrcIauI7HIjCc8iaIxyw8mOG-m56xmHqJ93Ly6AjvLLYyccqDS6Z6ATO-DUFcU_bb2vMyFUfNqf8FTZ_7PS8uHWa/s320/Conjuring-2.-1-600x420.jpeg" width="320" /></a>The second movie, Conjuring 2, explores another slightly more well known case with the Warrens<br />
known as The Einfield Haunting. Again we're presented with a large family who has to deal with a demon in their house, with it's own intentions. And since this one takes place in England, the Warrens have their hands tied with what they can and can't do.<br />
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Oddly, both of these movies manage to duplicate the feeling that I always loved about X-Files, the tv show, and my little paranormal fangirl. You, as the viewer, are presented with the tale of a demon and how a family copes with it. Yes, it could be fake, and the Warrens take you for a ride to slowly delve into proving it so that they can perform an exorcism. In the end they become kind of the heroes of the franchise without any huge display of powers. They just happen to know about the paranormal. <br />
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With reguard to powers, there is a caviate. Yes, Lorraine Warren is shown to have psychic powers. However, she's never really shown to control them. Rather she's just a party to what they show her and then relays the message. She doesn't summon up the demons or powers at will, they just either are or aren't there.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3J2vVPtJtBvs22U4b_NZQjM_zjARGsS_PHH0s25dP9mjCqpC0MSowKkF3f7XRvGD3_pUyNOV988hN13e0CNO-ZybAoNxRIlBJWRlY2c2-ZMAcBA32wpyi3AIZex4FMoIyutRCvsN/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3J2vVPtJtBvs22U4b_NZQjM_zjARGsS_PHH0s25dP9mjCqpC0MSowKkF3f7XRvGD3_pUyNOV988hN13e0CNO-ZybAoNxRIlBJWRlY2c2-ZMAcBA32wpyi3AIZex4FMoIyutRCvsN/s1600/download.jpg" /></a>Beyond these two movies, there's a host of spinoffs that have either been released or are on the way. From Annabelle, to the Nun and hopefully many others, we get to see other cases that the Warrens have had some part in. And as someone who loves a good ghost story, I love seeing how these all intermingle with each other.<br />
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Now, yes, <a href="http://snowtigra.blogspot.com/2015/11/review-enfield-haunting.html">I have reviewed another movie about The Enfield Haunting and I've linked it</a>. Also, through my reading and websurfing, I know that these movies take quite a few artistic liberties. For example,<a href="https://images.moviepilot.com/image/upload/c_fill,h_470,q_auto:good,w_620/vtcldsx1th0cygdgor53.jpg"> the real Annabelle looks more like Raggity Ann then some chipped and creepy porcelain doll.</a> And The Enfield Haunting has it's own controversies with how the Warrens were tied into it. Weirdly the controversies add their own layer to watching the movies and guarantee me hours of further reading to hear all the sides and come to my own conclusions, like any good ghost story should, so I don't mind the artistic liberties. It just means that I have a lot of reading ahead of me to learn the real story and what actually happened. It's like a really good cinematic teaser.<br />
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I honestly like both of these movies for what they are and that's a good scary ride. It doesn't matter to me if they're true or not, but the fact that their based in a thread of truth runs just the right line to make it good. That plus the style of James Wan and the great actors and actresses makes for a fun ride. I'm very much looking forward to checking out many of the spin offs, soon as I find them on a streaming service I subscribe to.<br />
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<h2>
Where did I watch it?</h2>
HBO Go streaming service.SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4487398333497822371.post-84270847447374750482017-09-14T10:38:00.000-07:002017-09-14T10:38:02.296-07:00Review: D. Gray-man Hollow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW23OINN4O1_jAnxrYh5ov4M7eFmhCijb9hdgWENlW3DMWt2oGSIoCQDBtp0li3O95O9tVguMEtnMbKSpHxsfr1QsXbj2BoNTQTvfd9W6MMCERWDcRKAXlw3D12MaCRN7n8eCiMEWc/s1600/d-gray-man-hallow-anime-1-600x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="600" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW23OINN4O1_jAnxrYh5ov4M7eFmhCijb9hdgWENlW3DMWt2oGSIoCQDBtp0li3O95O9tVguMEtnMbKSpHxsfr1QsXbj2BoNTQTvfd9W6MMCERWDcRKAXlw3D12MaCRN7n8eCiMEWc/s320/d-gray-man-hallow-anime-1-600x300.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
<h2>
What's it about?</h2>
Return to this alternate timeline where the world is a mixture of science and magic and exoricists hunt down mysterious weapons called Innocence to defeat the Millenum Earl. Allen Walker, an exorcist, discovers secrets of his past and how he is truely tired to the Noah, the Millenium Earl and the 14th.<br />
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<h2>
Thoughts:</h2>
Back when I'd originally started this series, I loved the characters but the series cut off with no real resolution thanks to a host of issues. Sadly it left things unresolved and upon hearing that there was a continuation I was eager to jump back in.<br />
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I am a huge sucker for anime that focus on religion, mainly because it's so interesting to see how other cultures see something that I'm familiar with. So anime that deal with exorcists and demons and the like are super interesting to me. There's always something new about it and so much creativity they aren't afraid to explore. In the course of a continuation I was excited there too, because the characters I'd been introduced to were very interesting and deserved more screen time.<br />
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Sadly this continuation didn't turn out as I'd hoped. Unlike other projects out there that pick up old source material and continue it for a new audience, this anime drops the viewer right into the thick of it. While this might work for some series, D.Gray-man it does not. There are just far too many characters for one to keep track of, and this was in detriment to the series as a whole.<br />
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The original D.Gray-man series had a habit of introducing the audience to a daily monster, then defeating it and recruiting them to The Order of exorcists. This style makes it easy to follow from day one, but jumping back in it means you're left with about 20 characters to juggle. Add to that the newly introduced members of the Noah family (the bad guys), the Crows (exorcists in red), the Thirds (more exorcists), the scientists, the Bookmen and a couple more daily monsters and it will make your head spin. It almost made me want to take out a pen and paper to take notes - which is not a good thing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwaTBVVAIOXlUReYi3o9ivfmWubP4sG5LV5Fdb82TKchKl1gH9CxcpB-fpliDUP9Hqvb1GjdIlQLcnl8F4QbsupP_HfZ1t-Xv-sVzsjSOjgTZIf9rCmqlwrX6J3UnWgtds5Ap6UHAu/s1600/d.gray-man-kv.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="600" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwaTBVVAIOXlUReYi3o9ivfmWubP4sG5LV5Fdb82TKchKl1gH9CxcpB-fpliDUP9Hqvb1GjdIlQLcnl8F4QbsupP_HfZ1t-Xv-sVzsjSOjgTZIf9rCmqlwrX6J3UnWgtds5Ap6UHAu/s320/d.gray-man-kv.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Though, realistically I should have realized from the opening, as it basically shows all these characters as different groups and hints that there's a lot to keep track of.<br />
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Even setting the characters aside, the plot arc of the 14th is heavy, and a lot to swallow. Without giving too much away it causes an upheaval in The Order and Allen is stuck right in the middle of it. He's not so much an active character, but rather along with the right, trying to survive with everyone else. This fast pace leaves the viewer wanting to take more notes. It also made it feel like I was watching a long winded recap due to the speed, and I found myself really hoping that they would slow down and re-cover a few things, rather then handing characters so much exposition dialog.<br />
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Sadly, the final nail in the coffin was the ending of the season. It's left wide open with no resolution, obviously hinting at them expecting to have more time. Sadly, like the previous series, it was cut off after just one season with no resolution in sight. I'll have to hunt down the manga for a resolution, which isn't horrible, but it would have been nice to see it in animated format before I do that.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitX6JHAQlq8Go-7EjN3ulwFJdSh6uXi8p-Lu0xzOmR58cW9w6QCbCjcWOkOCclEOJebyFJBd23Jk108WXmLeqAB-3mmU00LOtpFqb7FYYqonkd6zWSouHxRFs3eD7ekCMsPkX6H3hy/s1600/primeras-impresiones-dgray-man-hallow-07.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="738" data-original-width="1280" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitX6JHAQlq8Go-7EjN3ulwFJdSh6uXi8p-Lu0xzOmR58cW9w6QCbCjcWOkOCclEOJebyFJBd23Jk108WXmLeqAB-3mmU00LOtpFqb7FYYqonkd6zWSouHxRFs3eD7ekCMsPkX6H3hy/s320/primeras-impresiones-dgray-man-hallow-07.png" width="320" /></a></div>
While not all bad, there were some good points of the series. For one, Kanda gets a well done arc that explains quite a bit of his back story and where he came from. Though rushed, I did like learning about the 2nds and Alma. The sad part is that like the rest of the series, this is left open ended and at the end of the season we are left seeing only the beginnings of his reactions to discovering the truth. I would have loved to see this full story line all the way to the end with his reacting to what he learned, but no such luck.<br />
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The Noah family, also, enjoys a bit of a redesign for the better. While more is learned about the Millennium Earl that completely destroys his ability to be threatening, other characters like Tyki Mikk are done beautifully. For as a little as he shows up in this new series, him and Road are high points in the season and there's never enough of them, ever.<br />
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The animation is a bit of a sticking point as well. While overall it looks stunning and beautiful, there are certain points where it misses the mark entirely. Comical moments are paired with 1st season Naruto style animation that makes me want to wash my eyes out and high tension fight scenes are paired with oddly drawn eyes that make the characters look squished or cross-eyed and destroy the tension completely. It's highly distracting and really detracted from the series as a whole, no matter how much I wanted to know what was coming next.<br />
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<h2>
Final Thoughts?</h2>
<br />
While series like Black Butler and Full Metal Alchemist have made anime retreads and continuations all the rage, this is one you can skip. The plot points are interesting and the characters are there, but it makes more sense to read a well edited Wikipedia article then try and keep track of everything over 12 episodes. I wasn't impressed, it actually saddened me that I spent the time on it.<br />
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Oh well, time to hunt down some fanfic about Kanda and Alma and look into the manga series, hoping there's some closure and better explanation there.SnowTigrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096331050308669474noreply@blogger.com0