The Rec Center #397
Hi all! This week we have articles about love triangles, Richard Siken and a serial Disney bride, along with some amazing Barbie/Junji Ito fanart, multifandom AU fic recs, and more! — Gav
new stuff
“The Price of Pop Fandom” by Marc Hogan, Jill Mapesv, and Marina Kozak at Pitchfork
A great deep dive with reporting and infographics on the totally out-of-control concert ticket ecosystem.
“The enduring allure of a good love triangle” by Nylah Burton at Vox
“Literary binaries and tropes provide readers with a sense of comfort, a clear debate to weigh in on, and a digestible sense of conflict that keeps a story propelling forward… Joining a broader team is just a manifestation of this instinct—the comfort of being part of a large group, and an exploration that deepens as each sequel is published.”
“This couple had 4 Disney weddings. Now, they’re planning 2 more.” by Kat Tenbarge at NBC News
“To some, Shellie and her husband’s decisions are confusing.”
had a pilot named Ken yesterday and he introduced himself by saying his job is plane
— ceo 🥀 (@ceo_revenge) August 7, 2023
older stuff
“The Poet Laureate of Fan Fiction” by Adam Carlson at The Awl
Poet and beloved source of fic titles Richard Siken returned to fandom’s radar with a bang this week—but we were surprised to see how many people were unaware/forgot he was extremely engaged with fans, particularly on Tumblr, about a decade ago. This piece is a good snapshot of that moment.
tumblr & beyond
Barbie fanart by lenesketch
scroll down, trust us on this.
“can you imagine being in jail and you’re still expected to beta read one piece fanfics”
shipper history is cursed to repeat itself apparently. [fyi: good omens s2 spoiler!!]
“i was really shocked by how ugly yoda was” — ayo edebiri.
“stop asking neil gaiman to confirm/deny things”
some crucial clarification on the richard siken discourse.
fanfiction
As a person who only came around to (well-characterized) AUs like two decades into being in fandom, I really liked this post, which precisely articulates what I love about the ones that work for me. So this week we’ve got a list of various AUs—the “x is a y” sort, not the canon-divergent sort—and while I cannot vouch for their in-characterness, they all compelled our reccers enough to share them. Thanks to everyone who sent in a rec! — Elizabeth
“Men to the Moon and Rockets to Russia” by robotboy. 10K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: Good Omens (TV); Ship: Aziraphale/Crowley
Recced by: Allegra
Backstory: Aziraphale and Crowley are the central pairing of Good Omens, an angel and a demon on opposite sides who help stop the end of the world. Their 6,000-year shared history provides an infinite amount of jumping-off points for fluff and humor, as well as angstier stories like this one.
Rec: This story takes a really interesting approach to the “Human AU” concept. It’s a period piece set during the Cold War, where Aziraphale and Crowley are professors at a university, dealing with repressed sexuality and political dangers. What looks like a standard AU with plenty of opportunities for hurt/comfort eventually turns into something stranger, with inspiration drawn from Doctor Who’s concept of “fobwatching.” There’s a surreal, literary atmosphere to this story that sets it apart from most of the fic I’ve read in this fandom so far, I was totally enthralled by it!
Content warnings: Graphic descriptions of violence, discussion/implications of period-typical homophobia
“Sato, #22, Shooting Guard” by MidoriAkiko. 46K words, rated Teen.
Fandom: Avatar: The Legend of Korra; Ship: Korra/Asami
Recced by: buddieboos
Backstory:
Rec: When Korra and Asami first meet there is a certain tension, which is ascribed to all the drama around the both of them liking Mako. What if you take him out of the equation though? Then you get the perfect foundation for a rivals-to-lovers college sports AU.
Content warnings: The fast pace of basketball lends itself so well to the extreme tension between these two, complete with post-game blow ups and catharsis.
“love is a word, you gave it a name” by CuckooTrooke. 159K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: One Direction; Ship: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Recced by: Bee
Backstory: An AU where Louis is an Oscar-winning, closeted actor with anxiety and ~issues~, and Harry’s a student still looking for his way in life who works summers in a vacation resort.
Rec: I’ve been reading fanfic for decades, and never before encountered such a masterfully crafted emotional arc. This story sucks you in and makes you feel such deep love. A tale on discovering and being kind to yourself—and the perfect summer read.
Content warnings: One of the characters is genderfluid and at points struggles with dysphoria, but it’s handled (and met) with lots of love. There’s an age gap (40 and 25).
“WAS (Wet Ass Squssy verse)” by CartoonMayor and GhostalService. 59K words over 5 works, rated Explicit.
Fandom: Our Flag Means Death; Ship: Blackbeard | Edward Teach/Stede Bonnet
Recced by: Emme
Backstory: Our Flag Means Death chronicles the journey of wealthy landowner Stede Bonnet as he abandons his life and family to become a pirate... and meets Blackbeard. It’s a love story!
Rec: Despite the silly series title, this is a remarkably deep story with incredible worldbuilding and lyrical language. The first story is summarized as a Little Mermaid/Shape of Water/Free Willy AU, which it is, but also… tentacles.
Content warnings: Imprisonment, deep sea freakiness
“And This, Your Living Kiss” by opal_bullets. 57K words, rated Mature.
Fandom: Supernatural; Ship: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Recced by: anon
Backstory: Dean is one half of a crime fighting pair of brothers who travel the rural US hunting demons and the like. Castiel is an angel so in love with Dean (canonically!) that he gives up his angelhood, life, and much more to save him. But you don’t need to know any of that for this delightful AU. In this fic, Castiel is a professor of poetry and expert on the celebrated and reclusive "Jack Allen". Dean is a mechanic who audits his courses... and the man behind the pseudonym.
Rec: This fic is so incredibly sweet and believable that when you finish the last chapter you’ll have to remind yourself all over that “Jack Allen” isn’t real. I am not a huge Supernatural fan, and I read this when I’d seen barely a handful of episodes, but you don’t need an iota of lore to deeply enjoy this fic. It’s also a surprisingly thoughtful exploration of loss, recovery, and discovery of self. As one commenter put it: It makes me want to pick up a pen and write my heart out.
Content warnings: Mentions of past sex work, parental neglect/abuse, brief mention of cancer
And a fic + podfic rec!
“Let the Streetlights Guide You Home,” written by tellthemstories and read by jellyfishfire. 37K words/3 hours, 49 minutes, rated Mature.
Fandom: The Untamed, MDZS; Ship: Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn
Recced by: anon
Backstory: Street Racing AU. Wei Wuxian was presumed dead after a dangerous street race. 10 years later, he returns to racing as Mo Xuanyu.
Rec: Fic: Delightful twists and turns, hilarious, and heart-wrenching. The author balances the Fast and Furious-style fusion with MDZS character and story beats expertly. Podfic: The podficcer does an amazing job with the plotty reveals and the humor alike, has beautiful character voices, and edited incredible music + engines revving in the scene breaks.
Content warnings: Underage street racing, references to alcohol and drug use
“Girl dinner” and it’s just the ao3 page of a rare pair ship with 6 works on it, three of which were written by yourself
— Xiao (@velsmells) August 9, 2023
FINAL THOUGHT
Last week we included a guest rec with the wrong link! (Extremely different lol…sorry about that!!) Totally on us—we have a checking process, and this one slipped through the cracks. I’ve hunted down the right link, so…take two:
“Little Pitchers” by dionaeamuscipula. 5K words, rated Gen.
Fandom: Abbott Elementary; Ship: Melissa Schemmenti/Barbara Howard
Recced by: ninamonday
Backstory: Melissa and Barbara are two long-tenured teachers on the sitcom Abbott Elementary, who have a beautifully tender and no-nonsense friendship.
Rec: This story uses a deftly done outsider POV from one of the young students at Abbott, who learns about love and marriage from watching his teachers fall in love. The glimpses of the adults’ story are perfect and this little guy is so sweet and charming.
Content warnings: N/A
And thanks to the folks who wrote in and flagged us! — Elizabeth