Month in Review(s) - May 2021

(Warning: this post discusses Coronavirus/Covid 19)

May was one of those in-betweeny months - as lots of months have seemed to be lately.

Here in Wales we had a Senedd/Parliament election, allowing Mark Drakeford (aka everyone's uncle,) to form another consecutive government, and giving him the mandate to continue with his cautious Covid approach.

It also means that while Labour's struggling nationally, Welsh Labour are the strongest they've ever been. 

Which means that while England is increasingly voting for the Conservative party (the party our current Prime Minister Boris Johnson leads,) which is the party on the right of UK politics, Wales are sat here being a Socialist democracy and happy with it!

(This is your regular reminder that Socialism =/= Communism, Communism is a form of Socialism.)

Nerd Church - I Watched Jojo Rabbit: Part 2 - Facing History

Welcome to the next instalment of I Watched Jojo Rabbit, aka 'Cee rabbits on about Jojo Rabbit!*'

(And no, I could not resist the pun.)

While you don't need to have read Part 1 of this mini-post-series in order to understand this part, I do recommend reading it (which I would do, because I wrote it,) to get a more generalised view of Jojo Rabbit as a film.

You can read part one here.

Jojo Rabbit is a funny and heart-warming film, with a dark and deeply uncomfortable edge.

And this post? This post looks at that darker part of Jojo Rabbit - from the controversial premise to the dark nature of this darkest period of history.

We're gonna get uncomfortable, dearest nerdlets, fair warning.

* = commission link

Friday Fics Fix - Pride Fics Fest: The Queer Umbrella (Academy)

 

Yes, it's June! Which means that here on Dora Reads I stop pretending that fanfiction is anything other than Queer af, and go all-out with my Pride Fics Fest.

What better way to kick off this year's Pride Fics Fest than with superhero TV show The Umbrella Academy (TUA)?

TUA is super Queer (pun very definitely intended,) and more than willing to give us two canonically Queer main characters in our superhero family ensemble.

Because this is fanfiction, I'll be looking at IDs which are both canon and not canon.

Comics Wrap-Up - Are You Never Gonna Get It? The Kids Already Know

It's Thursday, it's June, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness my dearest nerdlets!

Nerd Church - I Watched Jojo Rabbit: Part 1 - The Survival of Humanity

(Warning: due to the subject matter of the film Jojo Rabbit, this post discusses: war, Nazis, Hitler, the Holocaust, bigotry, indoctrination)

I watched Jojo Rabbit...

Jojo Rabbit* is a 2019 film written, directed, and starring the legendary Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi.

(It's inspired by, rather than based on, the book Caging Skies by Christine Leunens.)

It is a comedy about Nazis.

And yes, you read that right.

It is a comedy about Nazis.

* = commission link

Friday Fics Fix - Bucky Needs Advice... Maybe Not From Them

 

'...“Not in a bad way! Just, y'know, since you started dating him you guys are like a package—”

“I'm not dating Sam,” Bucky stops him.

Peter’s mask’s eyes narrow up at him, confused. “Really?”'

Yes it's The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (TFATWS). Again.

Yes it's Queer. Again.

Because in this house we allow Bucky Barnes to be his Achillean, Queer-a**, self, with the actual full-on, representation, and not the Queerbaiting b*llsh**. 😎

Comics Wrap-Up - Only To Come Back, As Pure As Gold

 

It's Thursday, this is Dora Reads, let's get a nice big helping of comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Comics Wrap-Up - A Loaded God Complex

 

It's May, it's Thursday, let's get us some superhero-y, comics-y goodness!

Friday Fics Fix - Things Can Be Better

 (Warning: this post discusses Homophobia and the persecution of LGBTQ+ people.)

"What the hell man you can't just go announcing that! You'll get the place raided!" He hissed, Sam furrowing his brows before his face relaxed in realization, letting out a short laugh.

Am I rec'ing a The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (TFATWS) fic for the second week in a row? 

Yes, yes I am.

We all know at this point that I'm TFATWS trash (...amongst other trash, but let's stick to TFATWS for now 😅)

I couldn't resist this fic, OK?

Comics Wrap-Up - Venom, Adrenaline Momentum

 

It's Thursday, it's May 2021, let's get some superhero-y comics-y goodness!

Month in Review(s) - April 2021

(Warning: this post briefly discusses Covid 19/Coronavirus and Lockdowns, and mental health problems)

April was a mixed month.

Not only did we have snow, hail, rain, and blazing warm sunshine on the same day, but the uncertain opening-up after Lockdown etc. still meant that things felt hecka odd.

We're in that odd position where we're (hopefully) beyond the worst of it, but it's also uber-important not to move too fast, y'know?

Friday Fics Fix - Bucky Gets A Book Club

 

'Sam scrubbed a hand over his face. “Look, I know you talk like that just to annoy me, that the ‘stoic brainwashed soldier’ thing is just an act-“

“I would never joke about perimeter security.”'

 

Have we established that I'm trash for The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (TFATWS) yet?

If not, let's establish it right now: I am trash for TFATWS. (Albeit trash that is still critical of their Queerbaiting, but here we are.)

Comics Wrap-Up - I'm Watching You Two From the Closet

 

It's Thursday, it's May, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Friday Fics Fix - The Ups and Downs

 

'Dave got off on the 18th floor, looking back to see Klaus with his hand raised in a wave. Dave swore he had the words ‘Good Bye’ written on his palm'

This week's fic is a fun fic based around The Umbrella Academy (TUA)

(Yes, I know I am trash. 😅 We have established this thoroughly by this point. And I don't care.)

Comics Wrap-Up - I'm Taking Back the Life You Stole

 

It's Thursday, it's the end of April in this year of 2021, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Friday Fics Fix - The Falcon, The Winter Soldier, and Healthy Coping Mechanisms

 

'“Look at me and tell me this doesn’t look like an accomplished person to you!” Sam was holding a giant teddy bear in his arms.'

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (TFATWS) series means these characters are both living in my head rent-free.

Depending on what happens in the finale (released today!) we might all need the smooshy mental-health-based comfort of this fic. 

(Which comes complete with a slight dose of angst, because despite my apparent adulthood, I am a smol emo child, and you all know this.)

Comics Wrap-Up - So Tell Me Right Now, You Think You're Ready For It

 

It's Thursday, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier finishes tomorrow (*gasp*,) let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Review Time! - The Sigil by Shakeil Kanish and Larissa Mandeville

* = commission link

*

Title: The Sigil*

Author: Shakeil Kanish, Larissa Mandeville


Genre: Young Adult (New Adult crossover appeal,) Fantasy, Witches(-ish,) LGBTQ+ (relationships: M/M, side M/F, refs to F/F)

Buy with Amazon.com*

Comics Wrap-Up - Paint These Walls In Pitchfork Red

 

It's Thursday, it's April, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Friday Fics Fix - Hargreeves Family Schmoop

 

'Diego drags a hand over his face, groaning. "I didn’t know meeting a six year old would take this much effort."'

This week's fic is just a schmoopy and super-cute li'l fic all about family!

(Woo!)

As we all know, (or maybe we don't, but if that's the case I'ma tell you!) the Hargreeves family, aka the members of The Umbrella Academy, have a butt-tonne of family issues.

Like, the tagline to the Netflix series is actually 'Super. Dysfunctional. Family.' and that pretty much sums it up, tbh.

So I kinds love fics where the Hargreeveseseses are like super-duper-awkward about family stuff, but somehow make it work (mostly because they never manage to make it work in canon!)