The Rec Center #176
Hi folks! This week we have a rec list of Avengers: Endgame fix-it fics for disappointed MCU fans, along with an interesting article about Nick Cave fandom, a semi-serious examination of Hannibal Lecter’s medical ethics, some Captain Marvel fanart, and more. — Gav
new stuff
“How the straight agenda ruined Avengers: Endgame” by Gav at the Daily Dot
A look at how Endgame’s heteronormative themes derailed the storylines of several key characters, framing straight-marriage-and-kids as the ultimate happy ending—and alienating a lot of fans in the process.
“On ‘art heroes’ and letting your idols be human” by Alex DiFrancesco at Longreads
“I’m talking about the prickly, the imperfect, the difficult. I’m talking about letting your heroes fall—and fail—and still hold the unique place in your heart where they were before they revealed themselves as all too human.”
older stuff
“ConCrit in Comments Only: What Writing Fanfiction Taught Me as an Editor” by Diana M. Pho at Uncanny Magazine
“Writing skills don’t always have to come from an MFA or out of how-to books.” A Tor Books editor talks about the skills she built writing and reading fanfiction.
tumblr & beyond
Carol/Maria fanart by Systemflaw
Grand Theft Hydra, a sublime fanvid about, uh, Captain America blowing up vehicles.
Flannery O’Connor dating sim.
OK at what point in Captain America: Civil War did Bucky figure out that he was fighting an actual child, ie Spider-Man?
This tumblr hero went through the American Psychological Association’s code of ethics for a college class and highlighted every single rule broken by Hannibal Lecter.
fanfiction
Thank you to everyone who answered our call for Endgame recs! — Elizabeth
“Just This Once (The Everybody Lives Remix)” by Dira Sudis (dsudis). 7K words, rated Teen.
Ship: Gen
Recced by: elainasaunt
Backstory: Fix-it for The Avengers: Endgame.
Rec: This is like the platonic ideal of “fix-it”—a fic that doesn’t shy away from the implications of canon events (I bawled all over again rereading it), but manages, by having all the characters behave as their best selves, to set things right and then some.
Content warnings: Temporary character death, references to child death
“How Light Carries on Endlessly” by nomadicbeard. 5K words, rated Teen.
Ship: Steve/Tony
Recced by: myowneviltwin
Backstory: Set after the events of "Endgame", the story follows Steve’s grief and denial as he bonds with Pepper and Morgan.
Rec: I didn’t realize how much I needed this fic until I started crying halfway through.
Content warnings: Canonical major character death
“I Saw You Yesterday” by stereobone. 9K words, rated Mature.
Ship: Steve/Bucky
Recced by: Kay
Backstory: Steve doesn’t reappear as old!Steve like at the end of the movie, and Bucky starts seeing glimpses of him everywhere.
Rec: This fic has really great Bucky POV and lovely Bucky & Sam relationship as well as a Steve who actually cares about not destroying/altering the timeline.
Content warnings: N/A
“all endings are also beginnings” by closingdoors. 4.6K words, Not Rated (but it’s pretty teen-ish).
Ships: Steve/Peggy, Tony/Pepper
Recced by: Sosostris
Backstory: An Avengers: Endgame fix-it where Steve takes the long way round, but with a spare Pym particle that he gives to Tony.
Rec: The premise of this fic is entirely stable time loop-compliant, which means that you can watch the whole movie through to its trainwreck end and STILL feel you got the ending everyone deserved.
Content warning: Canon deaths
“when we came home” by augustbird. 10K words, rated Teen.
Ship: Steve/Bucky
Recced by: Gav
Backstory: Takes place after Avengers, except Steve decides not to go back in time to be with Peggy.
Rec: Augustbird focuses on the practical side of post-Endgame fallout, with missing civilians returning to a world that went on without them. Bucky moves in with Steve and they start to rebuild their lives, but both characters are unsure of what to do next.
Content warnings: N/A
“In My End Is Your Beginning” by Destina. 3K words, rated Gen.
Ship: Gen
Recced by: alby_mangroves
Backstory: A post-funeral meeting of people who knew and loved Tony, and are meeting each other for the first time.
Rec: I love the feeling that even though Tony’s gone, he’s still there, looking out for all of them, much better with people and children than he’d ever given himself credit for.
Content warnings: N/A
“I’ll never find another you” by maggief. 1.4K words, Not Rated.
Ship: Steve/Bucky
Recced by: GJ
Backstory: Endgame fix it for Stucky, which fits into canon, but actually takes into account Steve and Bucky’s backstory for all of the CA movies, and doesn’t disregard it like old cheese.
Rec: I liked it because even though it’s explicitly Stucky it feels like it fits in the movie. And it soothed my heart.
Content warnings: N/A
“Let Me Spell It Out For You” by heyjupiter. 2.4K words, rated Gen.
Ship: Gen
Recced by: caveciubm
Backstory: Natasha wakes up after Vormir but figures out she’s a ghost. Clint’s daughter uses a Ouija board with her friends, and Nat can use it to communicate.
Rec: *SOB* Nat! This story gives her (and Clint and his family) a little bit of closure.
Content warnings: N/A
And we had two submissions for this one, so like we’ve done in the past, we’ve combined both recs:
“like heaven stood up in you” by napricot. 10K words, rated Teen.
Recced by: Suze and msilverstar
Ships: Steve/Peggy, Steve/Bucky
Backstory: Set after end of Endgame, after Old Steve comes and gives Sam the shield, seems that they borrowed the Infinity Stones from other timelines.
Rec: msilverstar writes: Sam POV, emotionally satisfying, Natasha returns, found family and all-around fixing things (if a little timey-wimey).
suze writes: I like that we get to see all the universes in this one, not just the main one and how it could all be fixed.
Content warnings: N/A
FINAL THOUGHT
Our semi-regular request: if anyone is interested in writing an explainer, a ship manifesto, or any other letter of recommendation for something they fannishly love, please get in touch! It doesn’t have to include fic recs—though we never say no to explainers + recs. Just hit reply, or email elizabethandgav at gmail dot com. — Elizabeth
Have a favorite one-off rec? Please send it our way! We’ll use it in a future list. Other fanworks—comics, vids, zines, etc—are strongly encouraged as well. And if you have any interest in doing an entire rec list, explainer, or ship manifesto, please get in touch! elizabethandgav at gmail dot com.
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