The Rec Center #335
Hi all! This week we have pieces on racism in Star Wars fandom and music fans on Discord, What We Do in the Shadows fanart, and another week of omegaverse fic. — Elizabeth
new stuff
“Star Wars stands with Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Moses Ingram amid racist fan backlash” by Charles Pulliam-Moore at The Verge
A good overview of the events surrounding racism in the Star Wars fandom this week and the franchise’s official response—including context on their poor track record pushing back against this sort of abuse in the past.
“On Discord, Music Fans Become Artists’ Besties, Collaborators, and Even Unpaid Interns” by Cat Zhang at Pitchfork
A deep dive into music fandom on Discord: “Originally launched as a messaging app for gamers, the platform has become an intimate place for artists and fans to connect and build community. Can this fragile ecosystem last?”
“In Fandom, the Ends Justify the Means” by Gita Jackson at Vice
On some of the fannish underpinnings of the Depp/Heard trial, and how the desire for an object of fandom to “win” can lead to truly toxic behavior.
https://twitter.com/joshcornillon/status/1531084377605668869
older stuff
“Who Actually Gets to ‘Escape’ Into Fandom?” by Stitch at Teen Vogue
“But all experiences of escapism are not created equally. Escapism isn’t actually possible for everyone because of the nature of both fandom and the world around us.”
tumblr & beyond
Nandor/Guillermo fanart by banjo-bugs
“babe she has the most screen time of any woman in Return of the King”
new AU concept just dropped!!!
“The girl next to me on the treadmill at the gym is reading ao3 like I wouldn’t recognize that font twenty miles away and half blind”
fanfiction
A few weeks back we published the first omegaverse list from our recent call for recs. This is the second, and yes, there will be more. Thank you very much to everyone who sent in a rec. — Elizabeth
“Keep me” by velithya. 18K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: Guardian (c-drama); Ship: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan
Recced by: anon
Backstory: This story basically takes Guardian TV show canon through episode 35 (of 40) and rewrites it in the omegaverse. For wibbly wobbly timey wimey reasons, the main characters in the show each meet each other for the first time at different times, which in a universe where pair bonding occurs for life, brings up all sorts of complications for each of the pair during their respective first meetings.
Rec: The author has a skilled hand for perceptive characterization and emotional resonance. At no time does the omegaverse feel forced into the narrative, instead, it adds a new, invigorating (and sexy) dimension into the familiarity of canon. Omegaverse as a genre comes with all sorts of issues around consent and control, and in this fic, those themes are explored with maturity and compassion.
Content warnings: N/A
“Wanna Love You in the Daylight” by Linsky. 107K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: Men’s Hockey RPF; Ship: Mitch Marner/Auston Matthews
Recced by: anon
Backstory: In an interesting twist on omegaverse dynamics, this fic (and the 10 others in the series that you should also read) takes place in a universe where some people (including some NHL players) are secretly werewolves and only these people’s sexualities fall under omegaverse. Auston and Mitch fight internalized and systemic pressures while falling in love.
Rec: This story has it all! Major angst! Friends to lovers! Hockey! Werewolves!
Content warnings: Internalized homophobia
“We Glide Swiftly On” by melodiousb. 20K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: BTS; Ship: F/F Seokjin/Yoongi (both cisswaped)
Recced by: ninamonday
Backstory: This is an alternate universe where the main characters are sellers on an etsy-like site for... wait for it... omega slick.
Rec: This vision for how a certain corner of capitalism might work in omegaverse is thoughtful and funny in a dryly clever way, and the romance builds genuinely and sweetly.
Content warnings: N/A
“Regarding Starsky” by AstridCaine. 37K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: Starsky & Hutch; Ships: Kenneth Hutchinson/David Starsky, David Starsky/Other(s), Kenneth Hutchinson/Other(s)
Recced by: babs
Backstory: This is the very first omegaverse fic in the Starsky and Hutch fandom. AstridCaine has taken the omegaverse and put it into an alternate universe of the show where Starsky has been keeping a secret from his Alpha partner Hutch for years.
Rec: The story challenges the characters. Hutch’s whole belief system is challenged, Starsky’s very life is challenged.
Content warnings: Intolerance, period-typical sexism
“You Were Never On Your Own” by LadyAJ_13. 13K words, rated Teen.
Fandom: One Direction; Ship: OT5 (somewhat gen)
Recced by: rhizomaticx
Backstory: This is an omegaverse fic that doesn’t contain any sex! The One Direction boys present one by one as their omegaverse genders while on tour, and Louis wants them to form a pack. It’s a story about family and affection, with shades of Harry/Louis and OT5 romance but the romance is very much an undercurrent.
Rec: I am hit or miss on omegaverse but I REALLY liked how the dynamics between the characters came together in this fic, and how they were spiced up by their secondary gender presentations.
Content warnings: No archive warnings. They do bite each other.
“over and over” by Ceta. 24K words, rated Teen.
Fandom: Yuri on Ice; Ship: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov
Recced by: Gryvon
Backstory: Victor saves Yuuri from a jerk Alpha during a competition. Their relationship grows through social media.
Rec: It’s teeth-rottingly cute and so sweet.
Content warnings: N/A
https://twitter.com/occultings/status/1531140653459161089
FINAL THOUGHT
That’s all, folks! Have a relaxing weekend! — Gav