Odysseus, Penelope, And Telemachus (also This Is My First Post On Here And I Do NOT Know What I’m Doing

I have thoughts about IT Chapter 2 (2019).

I had watched the IT miniseries and then about a year later I watched IT Chapters 1 & 2. I loved Chapter 1 (and still do). I really enjoyed Chapter 2 when I first watched it, and there are still parts that I really like. I have since watched both movies and the miniseries several times, and read the book. And I’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t like Chapter 2 as an interpretation of the story.

As a one-to-one adaptation of the book, the miniseries is better than the movies. That’s an indisputable fact, and also not necessarily what the movies were trying to do. The change in setting (1950’s to 1980’s) does change the way that the characters are presented. I actually really like this, and will almost certainly make a separate post about it someday. The way that Bill Denbrough is presented in the movies, however, is just inconsistent with his character. In the book, he is the leader of the Losers. They all look up to him and respect him. They all genuinely love him and he genuinely loves them back. Every single Loser almost worships Bill, to the point that the book even comments that he’s the only person Ben wouldn’t be jealous of if Beverly dated. And Bill is aware of his friends, even if he is still asking them to do dangerous things. Still his characterization in Chapter 1, while off, doesn't ruin things nearly as much as the mess that Chapter 2 becomes.

So IT is a beast of a book to read. It’s long and the dual story structure is written concurrently, meaning that it jumps from kids to adults randomly. The miniseries keeps this to an extent. I think separating the two stories is smart, but having the two run concurrently does allow the reader to see that though the structure seems circular the characters have grown. They are adults the second time they face Pennywise, and have different priorities and fears. And they have to figure out how to defeat Pennywise as these new versions of themselves. And, yes, Chapter 2 does this, for everyone except Bill. Because in the book, Bill actually cares about his wife, Audra, who follows him to Derry and gets abducted by It. In the book, Bill is a rational adult who chooses to go into the sewers, leading and with the support of his friends. He grows throughout the book, coming to realizations about what parts of him need to revert back to his childhood self versus which parts of his adult self are needed to win (the cheating bit). Which is really what each of the Losers has to do in Derry before they can defeat It.

So I am so annoyed by the choices made for Bill Denbrough in IT Chapter 2. The inclusion of a random stand-in Georgie child completely erases any capacity that Bill has for growth in the story. It keeps him in the mentality of his traumatized 13 year old self, and he acts like it. He is supposed to be the beloved leader. The Losers are supposed to rally around him, because he is everyone’s big brother/first crush. Why is he going rogue in the sewers? Why did they take the responsible leader and make him a manic loner? Why did they do Bill Denbrough so dirty? It completely ruins the integrity of the movie as an adaptation of IT.

slowly approaching bear

My brain cannot physically handle my love for them

The way Prowl is holding and walking alongside Bumblebee is so damn cute??!!😭😭❤❤ Prowl is like his doting mom🥺

here is a study of squall and rinoa from ff8

come back to me

hello - do you have any dick grayson-centric fic recs?

do i-do i have any dick grayson centric fic recs?? oh babe you have come to the riGHT PLACE. as any of my mutuals could tell you, i have so many goddamn fic recs it’s not even funny anymore. here are some of my personal top favourites:

1. And The World Came Crashing Down by @zhe-angst-diary  ~5k. a fic centered around dick’s self-sacrificial tendencies, especially for the batfam. a bit angsty, very much feels, a tad ooc, but i really did love it

2. bad signal by @prismatic-et-al 38k. the plotfic to end all plotfics. this author is one of the most brilliant dc fic authors i have ever come across, and the way they weave this dark, mysterious story is nothing short of ingenious. i was on the edge of my seat the entire time. again, brilliant.

3. Breathe In, Breathe Out by @kirazalea ~20k. this woman is one of my all time favourite writers for just some really really good stories about the batfam working through and overcoming their issues. this series is comprised of 2 fics that deal with the batfam discovering how much of an impact other people’s blatant sexualization and dehumanization of dick does to him, and how, over time and with help from his family, he picks himself up and starts to defend himself. really just a wonderful series

4. Declensions by @dustorange 13k. the best rom dick grayson fic to ever exist ever. you ever look at dc making dick romani and how they fuck up all the time and think “this could have had so much potential?” this work of art tackles that issue and creates something spectacular. each line of this fic had me screaming with joy. the robin cape symbolism? beautiful. i reread it all. the. time.

5. Don’t by @haunt-the-stars ~4k. do i have too many fics on here about dick dealing with + recovering from sexual assault and rape? probably. do i care? no. this fic takes a dive into trauma and how it can affect victims. it was absolutely heartbreaking, but also has the actual best wally + dick friendship i’ve ever read ever. seriously. if “wally west is a Good Bro” could be condensed into one fic, it would be this one. 

6. the fit of the cowl by @quillium ~4k. some people could argue dick was the best batman. other could argue the cowl only hurt dick. still others say dick could’ve been a much better batman if was better written. regardless of your opinion, you should definitely read this fic. it delves into the different reactions the batfam have to batman!dick. the family dynamics in this one were super interesting, and it’s always wonderful to read a fic about dick grayson  but from someone else’s eyes

7. Hard Truths and Other Realities by @ckbookish  ~108k. a series about dick feeling lost after being fired from robin and eventually finding his way again. featuring very very much wonderful uncle clark, and bruce isn’t an asshole, he’s just a worried dad that fucks up a lot but tries his best to make amends. also, dick bonding with jason. it basically takes you through that time period from the end of dick’s robin to him solidly affirming himself as nightwing and starting to forgive bruce. a really cool take on canon, loved this series!

8. Job Performance by @i-just-want-to-destroy ~3k. ohhhhhh dear god does this fic give me the feels. set during s1 yj, it shows what being a vigilante since the grand age of 9 does to someone, how much it hurts dick to compartmentalize, how much he doesn’t even realize it. this fic leaves you with a sense of “wow. this child. he’s really fucked up.” in a heartwrenching way.

9. a soft place to land by @bluebeauregard 3k. the best dick + tim being brothers fic i’ve ever read. people like to expand on his gradual acceptance and love of jason, people go batshit crazy over him practically parenting damian. and while i do love those, dick and tim had the best canon sibling relationship in the comics (at least, in pre52). this fic takes that and runs with it, and it’s so goddamn unique. i have literally never read this idea anywhere, so i was blown away by both the fic and the way the author wrote it. 

10. touch starved by @iwhumpyou ~4k. we’ve all seen fics where timmy’s touch starved from not receiving much affection from his parents growing up and the rest of the batfam smothers him in hugs. but what i really want is a fic where dick’s the one touchstarved because he grew up in the goddamn circus where everyone was close, but ever since he came to live with bruce, he’s been starved of the affection he used to so freely get, because his entire family is most certainly not the touchy-feely type. and for added angst, he doesn’t do anything about it because he knows his family has issues with trust/intimacy and he wants to make them as comfortable as possible. anyway apparently that fic exists and it’s this one read it and sob with me will you?

11. you gotta tip on the tightrope by Anonymous 12k. for people that don’t actually know much about comics canon and why exactly dick went undercover at spyral, this fic is absolutely wonderful. it shows the lead up of events that led to dick faking his death and leaving, and why exactly he chose to listen to bruce. (i’m using “chose” liberally here). plus, sibling bonding!! specifically with jason!

12. young volcanoes by @dottie-wan-kenobi 3k. i haven’t read this fic in a while, so i don’t remember some of the finer details, but i do remember loving it. also i have it bookmarked on ao3 with the tag “THIS!!!!!!!” so that counts for something. this fic focuses more on dick’s relationship with the titans rather than bruce or the jl, and centers around what their friendship has done for dick/how it’s helped him, and how much he loves them. a wonderful team fic. 

anyway, i hope you enjoy these babe!! these fics are all so so incredible, and i just want to give all of these amazingly talented authors one big incredible hug. 

Some old wips of kingdom heart drawings.

Terra is my favourite character in the series so I will go back and finish the one with him and Riku at some point

Cute Dickkory moments pre-52? (If you don't ship it, though, nvm)

Damn right, let’s do it

(Action Comics #618)

(Flash Vol 2 #81)

(Flash Vol 2 #82)

(Outsiders Vol 3 #28– safe sex, kids)

(New Teen Titans Vol 1 #26)

(New Teen Titans Vol 1 #38)

(New Teen Titans Vol 1 #39)

(Tales of Teen Titans #56)

(Tales of Teen Titans #57)

(Titans Sell Out)

(New Teen Titans Vol 2 #1)

(New Teen Titans Vol 2 #10)

(New Teen Titans Vol 2 #31)

(New Teen Titans Vol 2 #36)

(New Titans #52)

(New Titans #57)

(New Teen Titans: Games)

(Titans Vol 1 #4)

(Titans Vol 1 #12– LOOK AT THEIR LITTLE SHAPES)

(Titans Vol 1 #19)

(Titans Vol 1 #49)

(Titans Vol 2 #21)

I'm reading Batman and Robin year 1 and literally every panel of Robin!Dick makes me feel like I need to give him shaken baby syndrome. like I need to pin his cheeks or I'm going to die

LOOK AT HIMMMMMMMM