The Rec Center #502
Hi everyone! This week we have articles about Kpop Demon Hunters fandom, One Piece as a political symbol in Indonesia, and how the recent itch.io adult content purge fits into a much larger pattern. Plus: some beautiful fanart for The Left Hand of Darkness, and a multifandom grab-bag of fic! — Elizabeth
new stuff
““I Don’t See the Fandom Slowing Down”: How ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Became One of Netflix’s Biggest—and Most Unexpected—Hits” by Nicole Fell at The Hollywood Reporter
An interview with Kpop Demon Hunters director Maggie Kang about the exploding fandom for the film (and its music—this week “Golden” hit #1 on the Billboard charts).
“How a cartoon skull became a symbol of defiance in Indonesia” by Kelly Ng at BBC News
Some Indonesians have been flying the pirate flag from One Piece as a sign of political opposition—and the government is cracking down. “By treating a cartoon flag as a threat to national security, they have inadvertently validated the entire premise of the protest.”
“What’s a smut peddler to do these days?” by Ash Parrish at The Verge
A few weeks ago, the indie game platform itch.io took down thousands of pages of adult content overnight—only the most recent in a long line of platforms that have chased off adult creators, fandom folks included. This piece traces that history and talks to affected artists about what’s next.
WEIRDEST, CREEPIEST POSSIBLE OLD MAN: Mister Mulder there is more to the world than you know MULDER: I will believe literally anything you say
— Ed Zitron (@edzitron.com) August 14, 2025 at 12:28 AM
older stuff
“What Lies Beneath the Gravestone of a Fictional It Girl?” by Allegra Rosenberg at Atlas Obscura
“Two centuries ago, any American in the habit of reading novels would have known the name engraved on the slab: Charlotte Temple.”
tumblr & beyond
The Left Hand of Darkness fanart by czarcikrag
“Lestat is the way he is because he doesn’t have a job.”
a beautiful headcanon about Zuko’s tea shop subplot in ATLA.
obsessed with this webcomic about a girl who gets arrested for writing RPF about a prince.
Bluesky users: If you’re concerned about the app’s rather nonspecific new community guidelines, which seem like they may be a step in the direction of censoring adult content including fanart, you can leave a comment in this Google form.
fanfiction
We’ve got another grab-bag this week! Thanks to everyone who sent in a rec. — Elizabeth
“Scents and Sensibility: The Working Assassin’s Guide to Supersoldier Seduction” by silentwalrus, galwednesday, skellerbvvt. 93K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: Captain America/MCU; Ship: Bucky/Steve
Recced by: Galia
Backstory: This is Captain America’s story in a fascinating alpha/omega society, where there are social “pods,” scent and grooming are integral parts of bonding and socializing, and Bucky is just as traumatized as he is in the original canon.
Rec: I have genuinely never read better omegaverse worldbuilding. Every bit of society, history, social connections, work and recreation are perfectly suited to the biological implications of being in this world. Also, Steve and Bucky are so sweet and awkward.
Content warnings: Canon-typical violence, traumatized supersoldiers
“Laundry Day” by contrequirose. 3.3K words, rated Teen.
Fandom: Yazeba’s Bed & Breakfast; Ship: Gertrude & Sal
Recced by: anon
Backstory: Yazeba’s Bed & Breakfast is a GM-less slice-of-life tabletop RPG about a heartless witch, a peaceful house, and all the folks who have made their home inside. It uses pre-set characters, quick-play chapters, and an adaptable ruleset unlike anything else out there. This fic is a solo playthrough of chapter 3, “Wash Cycle.”
Rec: I love the idea of playing TTRPGs solo by writing fics about them, and “Laundry Day” is such a beautiful example of that! The author did a great job exploring Getrude’s character and incorporating the rules of the game into the story.
Content warnings: N/A
“on the practical limitations of tea as a love language” by snarkivist. 4.2K words, rated Gen.
Fandom: The Magnus Archives (Podcast); Ship: Martin Blackwood/Jonathan “Jon” Sims | The Archivist
Recced by: alice-apparently
Backstory: The Magnus Archives is a horror podcast that starts out as an anthology of everyday horror stories being collected but that slowly connect more and more. All of this matters little to this fic though, as it’s set in the infamous Scottish safe house and the brief period of reprieve from all (most) things horror.
Rec: Jon is canonically asexual but we get no concrete exploration of that in canon. This fic fills that gap, it navigates him struggling to communicate this with Martin just after they get together, a beautiful exploration of their early relationship and negotiations regarding asexuality and the fears and boundaries surrounding it .
Content warnings: Internalised acephobia, brief narration of a drunk attempted hook-up (unhappy but all consenting and respectful)
“Analecta” by N.Y. Smith. 36K words, rated Teen.
Fandom: The West Wing; Ship: Josh Lyman/Donna Moss
Recced by: kitsileya
Backstory: Josh Lyman looks back on his life, from 9/11 and what happens next.
Rec: The writing is very engaging, interesting future-building; it’s like a steady candlelight flame rather than a flash of lightning.
Content warnings: Character deaths, terror attack (9/11), Josh’s canon health problems
“This hunger, it isn’t you” by purereflectionsworld. 27K words, rated Mature.
Fandom: For All Mankind; Ships: Aleida Rosales/Victor Diaz, Aleida Rosales & Margo Madison
Recced by: breathedout
Backstory: For All Mankind is an alternate history in which the Soviets were the first to land on the moon, and the US space program therefore evolved differently. Aleida is a first-generation, originally-undocumented Mexican immigrant turned NASA aerospace engineer who, as this fic opens, has just survived a catastrophic bombing—during which she also lost her longtime professional mentor—and has been assigned as lead engineer on the mission to rescue a group of astronauts currently stranded on Mars.
Rec: Aleida is an incredibly rich character whose prickly defensiveness and reluctance to acknowledge her trauma make for some great fic opportunities. Purereflectionsworld’s touch with her is light yet deep and precise, drawing connections between Aleida’s own history of food insecurity and her investment in the Mars rescue mission, and tracing her slow progress toward repairing her relationship with her estranged husband. What really stands out to me about this story is the author’s deftness at conjuring tiny but vivid domestic details, letting them echo back and forth across time to take on beautiful significance and resonance.
Content warnings: Canon-typical violence, depictions of dementia
“cookin’ up a storm, piece of cake” by livinginaworldofnoise. 9.6K words, rated Gen.
Fandom: The Untamed; Ship: Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian
Recced by: Rymenhild
Backstory: All you need to know is that Lan Wangji is an Order Muppet while Wei Wuxian is the Chaos Muppet who convinces him that some chaos is necessary in life.
Rec: Lan Wangji is a baking blogger who is visibly losing his patience with commenters who don’t follow directions. Wei Wuxian is the online troll who keeps suggesting ever more unhinged substitutions. Some weeks you just need hilarious low-stakes joy.
Content warnings: N/A
The cure to the male loneliness epidemic™️ is to recruit 10 friends and acquaintances to your plan to rob three Las Vegas casinos simultaneously, both to enrich yourself and to get one over on the guy who's with your ex-wife. Think of the opportunities for male bonding!
— Emily "Babe" St. James (@emilystjams.bsky.social) July 29, 2025 at 12:39 AM
FINAL THOUGHT
That’s all, folks! Have a relaxing weekend! — Gav