The Rec Center #481
Hello all! This week we have articles about an epic larping project, problematic Punisher fans, and the evolution of K-pop fandom. Also some cute Daredevil fanart, multifandom fic recs, and more! — Gav
new stuff
“How Daredevil: Born Again Tackles the Punisher’s Real-World Legacy” by Gav at TV Guide
Tying into this week’s Daredevil episode, Gav wrote about the Punisher’s popularity among law enforcement and far-right hate groups, a troubling phenomenon that Marvel is now attempting to tackle onscreen.
“The Collective Ambition Behind Odysseus, a Game-changing Sci-fi Larp” by Adrian Hon
From the blog of renowned game designer Adrian Hon, an interesting conversation with Laura Kröger, who designed “Odysseus,” a larp based on the pilot of (2000’s-era) Battlestar Galactica.
“I Was a K-Pop Fan in the ’90s. Here’s How Online Fandom Has Changed” by Giaae Kwon at Teen Vogue
“I learned how to be both a human and a writer through these spaces on the Internet, throwing my obsessions out into what felt like a void and hoping someone would see something I had written and think, Oh, hey, I like this, too!”
cop in The Wicker Man (leaving unharmed because he slept with that hot blonde): what a strange, sexy island
— more mr. nice guy (@juniorhoncho.bsky.social) 2025-03-15T00:11:14.947Z
older stuff
“Inside a Collection of ‘Imaginary’ Books” by Elizabeth at Atlas Obscura
Back in January, Elizabeth visited this exhibition of “imaginary books”—books that only exist in other books, made into physical objects—on display in New York City. This week, the exhibition opens at the Book Club of California in San Francisco! (Bay Area folks, check it out—and everyone else, you can still view the collection online.)
tumblr & beyond
Daredevil fanart by yousharknotpass
“I’m looking at you with very narrowed orbs right now”
The former hyperfixation blues.
Fandom: “If you stick around long enough, you will 100% become a clown of your own making.”
a real Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra moment.
who are we to question the knowledge of Beatles tumblr fandom?
Oh he’s “like a brother to him,” is he??
fanfiction
We’ve got another grab-bag this week! Thank you to everyone who sent in a rec. — Elizabeth
“into the real you i get to sink my teeth” by susiecarter. 16K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: Top Gun; Ship: Tom “Iceman” Kazansky/Pete “Maverick” Mitchell
Recced by: Orangistae
Backstory: Ice is an alpha who’s secretly attracted to other alphas, but he has it all under control, until Maverick comes along.
Rec: This fic does a terrific job linking omegaverse-orientations/sexualities with characterisation, particularly with respect to Ice’s shame about his desires and his drive to be constantly perfect and in control, and the repressed (and then unrepressed) sexual tension is scorching.
Content warnings: Internalised omegaverse-homophobia
“HD 181068” by Saathi1013. 9.5K words, rated Mature.
Fandoms: Thor (2011), The Avengers (2012), Marvel Cinematic Universe; Ships: Jane Foster/Darcy Lewis, Jane Foster/Thor, Darcy Lewis/Jane Foster/Thor
Recced by: mischief
Backstory: Darcy is Jane Foster’s beleaguered intern who tases Thor when he first falls to Earth. In this fic, she’s also the one who fell in love with Jane first.
Rec: Bisexual polyamory! Science nerdery! Giving female characters internality!
Content warnings: N/A
“Expelling Young Edwin” by BadassIndustries. 1.8K words, rated Gen.
Fandoms: Jeeves (P.G. Wodehouse), Dead Boy Detectives (TV show); Ship: Gen
Recced by: anon
Backstory: Edwin Payne (teenage ghost escaped from Hell) and Bertie Wooster (idle rich and incomparable silly man) are contemporaries so this author imagined them crossing paths. Can Bertie’s valet Jeeves deal with a bitchy teenage ghost? And will he?
Rec: This is a delightful crossover written in a very funny Wodehousian pastiche style, Edwin gets to be the spectral pest he frankly deserves to be, and the fanfic even follows the classic Jeeves story structure.
Content warnings: N/A
“i’ll be one of those people you remember” by procrastinatingbookworm. 3.8K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: Cowboy Bebop (anime); Ship: Jet Black/Spike Spiegel/Victoria “VT” Terpsichore
Recced by: Harris T
Backstory: Cowboy Bebop is a cult classic anime which first aired in 1998. It follows the crew of the spaceship Bebop as they hunt bounties across a future dystopia solar system and try to break free from their pasts.
Rec: This is such a beautiful depiction of trans bodies and T4T relationships, as well as Jet’s strong caretaker trait established in canon. Plus, it fleshes out a one-shot character into someone with more depth, building on her butch depiction in the show to make her someone whose gender is ambiguous but who is entirely comfortable in whatever she is.
Content warnings: PTSD
“Between Me and My Lord and Kin” by Chash. 26K words, rated Teen.
Fandom: The 100; Ship: Clarke Griffin/Bellamy Blake
Recced by: Calyx
Backstory: A historical fantasy AU based on the Tamora Pierce Protector of the Small Quartet doesn’t necessarily seem like a natural choice for the often grim sci-fi of The 100 to thrive, and yet a lot of the key conflicts of both (responsibility, classism, morality) are highlighted beautifully in this AU, making it all the more apparent that these are universally human themes that work across all settings.
Rec: I’ve got a soft spot for Tamora Pierce AUs anyway, and for things that Chash writes always, but this is a particularly fantastic fic. Both Bellamy and Clarke are entirely true to themselves, and the way their friendship and feelings grow throughout is wonderful to watch.
Content warnings: N/A
“The Seventh Terrace” by Amelia_Clark. 18K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: Supernatural; Ship: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Recced by: pitytheviolins
Backstory: Wonderful Purgatory (season 8) fic with badass original female characters of color!
Rec: I love getting together fics for these two, and I love Purgatory. This was a really interesting space to introduce new characters, too.
Content warnings: N/A
And a vid!
“The Raven Cycle” by Rhea. 3:39, rated Gen.
Fandom: The Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater; Ships: Richard Gansey III/Blue Sargent, Ronan Lynch/Adam Parrish
Recced by: AirgiodSLV
Backstory: The Raven Cycle is a YA fantasy series set in a small town in Virginia, focused on a group of high school-aged friends who investigate the local ley line and magic.
Rec: This really captures the spirit of the books—the idea of teenagers running wild during a hot, dream-like, small town summer—and brings the characters to life in a new way. It manages to feel like an ordinary coming-of-age story overall, while still providing flashes of that uncanny strangeness from the book series.
Content warnings: N/A
The Wheel of Time is a story about how you could be the literal messiah and still put the entire world in jeopardy because a hot goth crossed your path
— Caprichosa Amenaza a la Seguridad Nacional (@julieofthespirits.bsky.social) 2025-03-21T05:07:40.045Z
FINAL THOUGHT
We’ve solicited summer recs and winter recs, but in this first week of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, we’re soliciting spring recs! We’d love your favorite fics A) literally set in spring B) tapping into spring-like themes of growth, rebirth, renewal, etc. C) about any of the many holidays around this time of year D) obviously any and all Hades & Persephone AUs haha. As always, please use our one-off submission form, and be sure to let me know what you’re submitting for via the themes/tropes field! — Elizabeth