astridv

Rec of the day

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 23:21:50 GMT

Another Buffy rec; I'm enjoying a trip down memory lane...
My So-Called Unlife by HonorH (BtVS/AtS)
Gen; characters: Harmony, Cordy, Angel; humor; 3293 words
Very funny story. Set between S1 and S2 of Angel - a few months before 'Disharmony' aired, but the dialogue could've come straight from that ep.

"You know, I really thought you'd understand, Cordy," Harmony pouted. "Everyone from the old high school gang is so totally harsh now that I'm a vamp, you know, and Jeanne Montrose even keeps a bottle of holy water in her purse. It's so uncalled-for. Do you know what that stuff does to my complexion? I thought that you'd at least be nicer, since you're sleeping with a vamp . . ."
"I'm not sleeping with Angel!" Cordelia protested.
"Really?" Harmony blinked. "Why not? He's yummy. Hey, if you're not sleeping with him, could I . . ."
"No," said Angel
"No," said Cordelia.
Harmony slumped back into the chair again. "See? I'm, like, an outcast."

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Rec of the day

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:44:59 GMT

Still between jobs so I'm using the time to sort through my stacks of old fanfic... hundreds and hundreds of stories. Well, I'm reading more than I'm sorting.

Here's a lighthearted Cordy and Angel dialog fic:
First Aid for Vampires by Florrie (AtS)
Cordelia & Angel; PG (I'd say PG-13 for gory talk); 760 words; friendship/fluff/humor

“I could write a manual on ‘How to Care for Your Vampire... one hundred and one hints to keep your friendly un-dead vermin-free and happy.... ish.’.”
“No.”

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Sun, 08 Jan 2012 15:40:36 GMT

I'm so happy with my fandom stocking. I got Angel fic with Kate, Angel and Connor \o/ and more Angel fic with Angel and Connor doing some father-son bonding (boy, do those two deserve it) and a cool Garak/Bashir fanmix, fma icons (of which I just uploaded one for those days you're just like, blah...) and a Sam/Rodney wallpaper, and holiday greetings with kittens.

I only managed to fill one stocking this year, myself. I clicked on dozens, hoping something would trigger my creativity but it has just been the kind of year where the muse went on vacation. But. I finally had an idea for something in the Angel verse I'd really like to do. It's still fragile... I'll pet it and water it and hope it grows into a proper bunny.

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What did I just read

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 23:56:46 GMT

I just finished volume five of the Angel: After the Fall comics (and by finished I mean 'threw into a corner before getting to the end'). What the hell went wrong there?! The series has been SO GOOD until now, and book five has that storyline I heard about, with Kate, Angel and Connor working together helping the helpless... HOW ON EARTH CAN YOU MESS THAT UP? Argh. The plot is all over the place, I had problems following and hey, I didn't care. They went with a different writer&artist team for that one and boy, what a difference that makes. All the characters are completely unrecognizable, both in characterization and in appearance. And what's with the Gwen bashing? Maybe there was a plot reason for that but I suppose I'll never find out since I won't bother reading the final chapter. The book doesn't seem to forward the main arc much anyway, so I can see why one of the Amazon reviews suggested to simply skip it. I'll have to agree.

I hear volume 6 is much better again, hope that's right. This makes me appreciate Brian Lynch and Franco Urru all the more, and Joss of course. The first four volumes are a solid rec from me, anyway - totally exceeded my expectations.

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this and that

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 19:02:15 GMT

I downloaded Portal 2 because it was on special offer (~10 Euro! 66% off!)... how could I resist, and now it's crammed into every available space of my C: drive. Eek. I moved all my images to a different partition and emptied the recycling bin for good measure but I think it'll be worth it. I looks gooood!

finished big book project a few minutes ago. Turned out really well, I'm happy with it. It's a bit of a fringe topic, not one of the big ones, but I hope it'll sell well anyway. Now I only have to draw a few text backgrounds, make scans, and mail the whole package. Good feeling. It's the first thing I've finished since August, hard to believe. Boy, I needed that feeling of accomplishment.

I recently learned that the Angel: Season 6 comics feature a storyline in which Kate Lockley joins in the re-opening of Angel Investigations, along with Angel and Connor and a couple other characters. I did now know that! I mean. If I could've made a wish for S6, that would've been it, pretty much. (Also, Cordy would be back but I won't get greedy for now).

So, curiosity piqued, I started reading the first book of After The Fall, which I had lying around for a year and... I'm loving it so far. The dialog is totally Joss. The setup is interesting. The art is actually good. Well, honestly I dislike the coloring, I think the art would be much better with a great colorist, but the linart, I like it. It's dynamic, not as stiff as you often see in media tie-ins, and the characters are for the most part very recognizable. (And having done those kind of comics myself, that is hard to get right.) So, I'll keep reading. Curious where it takes me.

Actually I'd already read the chapter where Kate runs into Connor and I didn't comment favorably about it at the time because it seemed little more than setup, but I read it again and knowing that it is just setup and there's more to come... mmmhh. Liking it a whole lot more!

ps. don't diss my girl Kate in the comments, 'kay? She's one of my faves and I'm touchy when it comes to that sort of thing. (Connor too.)

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Rec of the day

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 21:34:31 GMT

vid rec: Angel by Robert Flannigan (BtVS/AtS)
A history of Angel through nearly 300 years.
Man, I love that show. I think I'll be rewatching Origin tonight.

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Rec of the day

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:04:14 GMT

Smile by charmax (BtVS/AtS)
Crack. Slapstick. General silliness. This vid really made me smile (or rather, grin madly).

... if someone were to watch this vid without knowing the shows they'd get a very wrong impression of the Buffyverse.

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Buffyverse author database

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 23:06:27 GMT

Spreading the word... valyssia is currently compiling a link list of Buffyverse writers, which sounds like a useful resource. If you've written in the Buffyverse and want to be included in the list you can leave your penname, LJ name, AO3 or website location, etc in the comments.

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fic recs (sga, chuck) and other fannish stuff (also: my holiday wish list)

Fri, 26 Nov 2010 00:56:15 GMT

rahirah wrote down a history of the Buffy ~~wank~~ fandom. And behold, it was hilarious: And y'know, that's just Spike fandom.

Which reminds me of a hankering I've been having ever since I read that Angel: After the Fall issue that has Kate and Connor meeting over fighting demons in post-apocalyptic L.A. Such a cool premise, and man, that comic did so little with it. Isn't there anybody out there in fandomland who has the burning desire to write this scenario? Possibly throwing Angel into the mix and have a bit of Angel&Connor bonding and Angel/Kate grudgy-friendship-with-UST, too? *puppy look*

^ I'll just throw that prompt out there and call it My Holiday Wish List. ;)
[eta: I'm still mostly unfamiliar with comic canon so I wouldn't mind if it went AU after S5.]

pimpage: fanart_recs is a new(ish) comm for, well, fanart recs. You can sign up for one month to rec four fanart works in one fandom. Check it out, there have been some great pieces linked already. Like this one (AtLA (which I still haven't watched)). When I'm not familiar with a source I find myself a lot more willing to check out fanart than fic... takes just a click and a look, after all. I'm gonna rec Fullmetal Alchemist in December.

xposted from genrec: End of the World by penknife (SGA)
gen; PG-13?; an episode tag ficlet for "Enemy at the Gate" (288 words)
Ronon's thoughts about Earth, about his friends and the end of the world. It's sparse and efficient, one of those ficlets that say a lot in just a few hundred words. Really beautiful.

Four Times Chuck Was a Hero By Being Nerdy by dotfic (Chuck)
Gen, PG (preseries-early season two); 2,200 words
What it says on the can. Quintessential Chuck: nerdy and heroic. <3

Chuck vs The Middle by flash-faker (Chuck)
gen-Chuck/Sarah/Casey pre-OT3; Rating: T; warning: some descriptions of gore; 24,255 words
Chuck's resilience in the field is tested, and Casey and Sarah have some decisions to make.
I saved this under INSTA-rec and then Work happened and I couldn't write my rec while the fic was still fresh in my mind. Anyway, it's one of those stories I had to read in one because I didn't want to stop, not because of non-stop action (it's character-driven though the background plot is solid) but because the character's inner life is just that gripping. I really like how the author gets into their heads and where she takes the characters.

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fic recs (sga, sg1, chuck)/vid rec (AtS)

Sun, 22 Aug 2010 11:38:29 GMT

For the past few days megatexas and his cousin crashed on our couch (or rather, in our guest room). The weather chose to play extra nice the entire time the guys were here so my little city could present itself from its best side. I took them to Münster's main attraction: the High Hill indoor climbing center. :O) (I woke up the next morning and my first thoughts were DAMN I FEEL GOOD! I love how both body and mind feel after an evening of climbing. Best drug ever!)

Speaking of: I was browsing Youtube yesterday and ended up watching buildering/street climbing clips all afternoon. I really gotta make a proper post sometime. Right now, check out this guy! Jyati Raju Free (Solo) Climbing

I'm about to hit the gym and afterwards conk out in the sauna, and after that I have to get to work. New project, end of October deadline. Doesn't sound too bad, but I can already see it will be a ton of work so it's best to dive in right away.

fic recs:
Voyage of the Wraith Hunter by sholio (SGA)
gen; PG; 3200 words
Summary: "We always thought you were a legend," the Traveler captain says.
I love how friendshipper paints a future!verse that feels fresh and original, and the many background details make it feel entirely real. Makes me want to read more stories about the Wraith Hunter!

How Not To Eat An Elephant by tielan (SGA, SG-1)
gen; PG-13; action-adventure, friendship; 1,500 words
summary: In which Teyla and Vala play 'Good Cop, Bad Cop' and Cam muses on the wisdom of biting things that bite back.
Teyla and Vala: They make a kickass team. :)
(I like this fic for the same reason I like the Scar&Miles one I recced the other day: two people who make a good team because of their differences, not in spite of them.)

Chuck vs The Emoticon by Ne71 (Chuck)
Chuck/Sarah and gen; PG-13; humor/romance, 10,844 words
summary: Chuck and Sarah have an IM discussion. Silliness ensues. Now a multichapter! More Casey! More fighting! Seriously, there is.
Not the first messenger fic I've read but one that makes the most of the format. The first three parts in particular are really funny and inventive. (I'd say you need at least a passing familiarity with the characters and the setting for this fic to work.)

vid rec:
"Illyria" Opening Credits by illyrium24 (Angel)
I'm apparently not the only one who thinks that Illyria: the Series would've been a very good thing indeed. There are several Illyria opening credits on youtube and this is my favorite by far. The editing is superb, and it really gets the feeling across... Illyria's personal brand of creepy meets badass, demon meets humanity. Extra bonus points for including Connor! As well as Faith, Spike and Wes!

Man, what a great show that would've been. *sigh*

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fanart master list

Sat, 24 Apr 2010 09:01:04 GMT

( fan comics (SGA, Angel, The X-Files) )

The Avengers:

Leverage:

Fullmetal Alchemist:

( SGA: oneshots ) (all oneshots collected in a single post here)

( more oneshots (Bones, XF, Angel )

( orginal art )

NOTE: I'm always fine with linking to any of my posts, but please don't upload my fanart or original art to other sites (like tumblr) without permission. (However, feel free to snag the thumbnails.)

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sketch (FMA) / vid rec (AtS)/ fanart rec (SGA)

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:20:50 GMT

A while ago alias_sqbr made a post about fanart styles in manga/anime fandoms, which I found interesting. At the time I didn't know any anime or manga, but now I thought I'd give it a go; I was interested to see if and how my style would mesh with that of the manga. From my first impression, it doesn't feel all that different from doing fanart for a life action show. Hum.

This is just a sketch. I would say 'quick sketch' except it must've taken me an hour to fit that damn rifle in there. I'll probably ink and color it and add some background later, soon as I make more progress on my work project. (And just so you don't think I've jumped fandom: I also got an SGA fanart just waiting to be colored. (With pastel crayon :). Not jumping anywhere...)

Warning: clichés ahoi. Really, if something like this hasn't been drawn, like, a million times, I don't know fandom. But what can I say, I really felt like adding my own take on this motif. :)
( Roy & Riza, having each other's back. Gen; PG; Sketch; WIP )

vid rec: Seeing as how there's been something of a BtVS/AtS revival on my friends list, I got a vid rec: Angel Trailer by Robert Flannigan. [Spoilers through the entire fifth season.]
Actually this used to be on my recs list but as almost all my vid recs, the link had become defunct; I just found another copy. This vid captures the vibe of season five perfectly. I'm still getting goosebumps around 1:30 when the music changes after Wesley's words.

fanart rec (SGA): eirenealetheia on DeviantArt made a gorgeous Ronon/Jennifer wallpaper.

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fanart rec: Teyla by Lim / official Angel comics (this one's not a rec)

Sun, 31 May 2009 22:05:59 GMT

fanart rec:
Teyla fanart by lim
Lim is one of the most original, versatile fanartists I know, keen to experiment. This here is a woodcut-like Photoshop manip, with a sorta art nouveau look that blends well with the ancient script that's used as background. Cool effect, and the result looks gorgeous.

Well, I finished another comic page. But it's the one that has the epilogue. It's usually at this stage of a comic that my plan to work chronologically flies out the window.

speaking of comic, I bought #7 of Angel - After the Fall, because I heard that my two absolute favorite characters (after Angel) are in it: Kate and Connor meet over fighting demons in post-apocalyptic L.A... I love that idea! And now I really wish someone would write that fanfic, because the comic was little more than setup and only good to whet the appetite.( Read more... )

On Wednesday there's going to be an tour at the botanical garden to watch the Queen of the Night blossom. I'm kind of excited. :) I've never seen one before. I just hope the queen keeps to the schedule. Good timing that there's gonna be no French class this Wednesday, due to Pentecost.

For the same reason, all the Xerox places will be closed tomorrow. That's less fortunate timing. That puts a crink in my work schedule... I'd totally forgotten about this holiday and I can't do the color work I need to do without being able to print my drawings onto the watercolor paper.

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