August 2, 2024

The Rec Center #448

Hello all! This week we’ve got coverage of the new Neil Gaiman accusations, the sorry state of the MCU, and yes, Lestat vs the Swifties. (That last one has been a true gift!) Plus Scavengers Reign fanart and a multifandom grab-bag of fic recs. — Elizabeth

 

new stuff

“Exclusive: Two more women accuse Neil Gaiman of sexual assault and abuse” by Rachel Johnson and Paul Caruana Galizia at Tortoise Media
The outlet that originally broke the Gaiman abuse allegations has published a follow-up featuring interviews with two additional accusers, suggesting a pattern of serial abuse going back to the 1980s. We’ll also re-share this assessment of the original reporting that highlights some issues that still stand, and our hope that other publications are pursuing this story as we speak (because the lack of commentary from many has been…notable).

“Why Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom payday is inciting backlash” by Kelsey Weekman at Yahoo!
Marvel is paying RDJ around $100 million (plus on-set perks like a private security detail) to return to the MCU as Doctor Doom, which was announced at SDCC last weekend. Unsurprisingly, this news faced immediate pushback from lower-paid workers in the film industry, highlighting the massive disparity between RDJ’s salary and everyone else.

“Here’s why people think fictional vampire Lestat de Lioncourt is feuding with Taylor Swift” by Petrana Radulovic at Polygon
We’re doubtful anyone actually managed to miss this one, but maybe you were on the beach, or you’ve deleted your social media (impressed!!). By far the most fun fandom story of the week: shortly after the Rockstar Lestat teaser dropped, he somehow wound up in a real stan war with Swifties.

 

 

older stuff

“Where a Vampire Walked, Tastes Clash” by Rick Bragg at The New York Times
Speaking of Lestat fighting real people—and since this story was making the rounds again this week—revisit the time Anne Rice got mad at the founder of Popeye’s over the aesthetics of Straya, a restaurant “some critics have described as art deco in drag,” and they took out a series of ads in the Times-Picayune fighting each other, where she did, in fact, write in the voice of Lestat.

 

tumblr & beyond

Scavengers Reign fanart by emdeejaydraws

Check out this beautiful fanmade ballgown based on the Game Changer set!

strong contender for our fav installment in the lestat/swiftie feud.

One of many delightful pieces of fanart inspired by the Olympic sharpshooters.

David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson were literally literally incapable of doing a normal photoshoot back in the 90s.

“heartbreaking gender reveal: french.”

 

fanfiction

We’ve got a multifandom grab-bag this week! Thanks so much to everyone who sent in a rec. — Elizabeth

“turn on the laugh track” by pepgold. 80K words, rated Mature.
Fandom: Baldur’s Gate 3; Ship: Astarion/Gale
Recced by: cattywampus
Backstory: Baldur’s Gate 3 is a D&D-based RPG where you play as a custom or pre-made character to save the world from a mindflayer invasion plot with the help of companions you recruit along the way. While the game’s three-act structure has a few constant plot points, the ways the campaign can play out are many and varied, making the setting especially ripe for—a time loop fic. Astarion, a vampire with a backstory full of trauma, has just saved the world and is about to embark on his happily ever after when he wakes up and finds himself back at the beginning of the adventure.
Rec: Despite everything Astarion goes through, the narration has this fun, humorous tone throughout and the lows make the moments of love and joy that much more rewarding. As a player of the game, it is also a lot of fun to catch all the easter eggs included and the different way things can happen based on the choices you make in-game. The fic is also illustrated with 3-4 cute little doodles per chapter!
Content warnings: Violence, including murder and suicide; mental breakdown (Astarion goes to some dark places before things get better)

“as close as you can for as long as it lasts” by thiswildernessismyhome. 8.4K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: The Expanse (TV); Ships: Camina Drummer/Naomia Nagata, Camina Drummer/Michio Pa
Recced by: troubleandscorn
Backstory: Set concurrent with/after the last few episodes of Season 6, the last season of the story, so Camina and Naomi have quite the history. Touches on plot details, but the focus is on the relationships.
Rec: Camina, Naomi, Michio and the side characters all feel so perfectly themselves and the dialogue is truly spot on. It’s such a lovely continuation of the story and gives the characters a happy ending while acknowledging the mistakes they’ve made and the trauma they’ve been through.
Content warnings: N/A

“Scowl at the Moon” by the marmalade. 99K (WIP), rated Mature.
Fandom: BTS; Ship: Jungkook/Namjoon
Recced by: Asheru
Backstory: “Bitten at a frat party, Jungkook leaves his life to learn what he has become with an unlikely pack in the blistering hot desert. From day one, his teacher Namjoon can’t stand him.” Non traditional omegaverse dynamics, werewolves, slow burn.
Rec: Ah, the exquisite pain of a long, long and still going slow-burn fic. Wonderful writing, great world building, characters you fall in love with and very hot sex scenes! One of my favourite writers.
Content warnings: Ref to past sexual assault (not graphic)

“Barn Raising” by Altschmerzes. 32K words, rated Teen.
Fandom: Ted Lasso; Ship: Gen
Recced by: anon
Backstory: Ted Lasso is a comedy about an American college football coach joining a British Premier League football (soccer) team. The titular character (Ted) is an amalgamation of Midwestern stereotypes, and wins over the team (and London) through his anti-toxic masculinity folkisms.
Rec: This story is from one of my favorite authors in the fandom, and might even be my favorite of their work. It captures Jamie’s character so well, and is deeply touching and inspiring (much like its source material).
Content warnings: Past child abuse

“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Arctic” by soft_october. 8.4K words, rated Mature.
Fandom: The Terror; Ship: Francis Crozier/James Fitzjames
Recced by: anon
Backstory: What if you could forget your partner after a traumatic experience and a breakup, but it’s 1851?
Rec: This fic is so heartbreaking and beautifully written, exploring how Francis and James could have resentment brewing between them after returning from the Arctic, and all the heartache of a painful break up. It explores this by introducing the concepts of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Content warnings: N/A

Plus a podfic!

“If They Haven’t Learned Your Name” by silentwalrus, read by quietnight. Many hours of audio split over multiple installments, rated Mature.
Fandom: Marvel; Ship: Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers
Recced by: anon
Backstory: Steve and Bucky’s Global Honeymoon Revenge World Tour.
Rec: This is a masterpiece! The original fic is read by a really talented podficcer with a GREAT voice and timing. All of her podfics are very good, but this is possibly the best. Action and plot galore! And it´s funny. Starts at the end of the Winter Soldier.
Content warnings: Canon-typical violence

And a vid!

“Come Forth Now” by Alba17. 3:09, rated Gen.
Fandom: Andor; Ship: Gen
Recced by: Mysterytour
Backstory: Andor is the prequel show to the Star Wars film Rogue One following Cassian Andor’s journey into the Rebellion, but that’s underselling it. It’s a political thriller about community and the cost of fighting against repression. I came into the show with only vague recollections of some of the earlier films and Rogue One (I had literally no memory of Cassian Andor) so you don’t have to be overly familiar with Star Wars to enjoy it. The song is Level Up by Vienna Teng.
Rec: This is a really moving vid about the community and characters opening themselves to what they need to do and who they need to be. The clips are thoughtfully chosen and work well with the lyrics and energy of the music.
Content warnings: N/A

 

 

FINAL THOUGHT

I’m going to be at Worldcon in Glasgow next weekend! I’m on seven panels, covering topics including costume design, SFF/F film music, Black Sails and Star Wars. You can find my schedule here. Please come and say hi! — Gav