Comics Wrap-Up - No-one's Around To Judge Me

It's Thursday, I'm very tired, but we've got lots of comics-y superhero-y goodness, so let's get to it!

Micropoetry - February 2022

Micropoetry time!

*cue imaginary jingle of your choice*

These are a bit more *waves hands vaguely* context-dependent than my usual micropoetry, so a little background info:

The second one (let's start at the end, why not?) is kinda based in all the sh** going down in the world right now.

The first one is very specifically about Partygate. 

I actually posted it on Twitter with hashtags calling for Boris Johnson to resign, so yes #political. You know I don't care whether you agree with me or not, and that's fine.

And I'm overly-pleased with myself for the 'Eton mess' bit, which probably makes zero sense to those of you who aren't British, but at least I amused myself!

So here we are, February's Micropoetry!

As always, for those using screen readers, the poetry is in the alt-text with / marks showing line breaks.

Nerd Church - Didn't the World Already End? (It Happened Before Our Time)

Warning: This post is... one of my weird ones. 

Expect apocalypses, disasters, war, suffering, general doom, and a whole lot of random existential questions.

'You say the ocean's rising—like I give a sh**
You say the whole world's ending—honey, it already did
You're not gonna slow it, Heaven knows you tried
Got it? Good, now get inside'

- Bo Burnham, All Eyes On Me

 

Didn't the world already end?

Over and over and over again?

Didn't it end in 1914? In 1939? In 1945? In 1986? In 1793? In 476?

In so many other years that I don't know about because they haven't permeated the collective consciousness of the West?

(Props to anyone who got every one of those references, btw.)

Friday Fics Fix - Surprisingly Wholesome SamBucky

 

'“Nothing happened.”

“You only had one hotel bill,” Rhodey pressed.'

 

Want some SamBucky where Sam doesn't realise they're even a couple?

Want it to come in the form of a fic which, despite the sexting (or near enough to,) is surprisingly wholesome?

Of course ya do! 😉😅

Comics Wrap-Up - I Was Young, Nothing To Fear Once

 

It's Thursday, we're still here, probably, so let's get some superhero-y, comics-y goodness!

Month In Review(s) - February 2022

(Warning: this post discusses war, the threat of nuclear disaster, injured cats, and blood)

February.

2022.

February. 2022.

February 2022.

...I live in Europe. Edges of, here in the UK, but still Europe.

Y'know, that continent Putin nearly turned into a nuclear wasteland last week? 

And no, I'm not over-reacting, Zaporizhzhia is way bigger than Chernobyl, and radiation from the  Chernobyl disaster in 1986 was the reason Welsh farmers had restrictions on selling livestock until 2012.

So... *gestures at Putin in a non-polite manner*

You can donate to the Disaster Emergency Committee's Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal here.

Nerd Church - Beethoven and Barbies: Smart Kid Characters From the Perspective of An Ex-Smart-Kid

 

Whenever someone's complaining about the attitudes of small children, and says something along the lines of:

well, you know what kids are like...

 

- my brain has a moment of confusion where it's like:

...Beethoven fans?

 

And then I realise that they don't mean that at all.

I've made no secret of the fact that I was a weird, precocious, little kid.

At the age of six, I loved fine art and classical music and reading reading reading.

My parents had only the barest knowledge of classical music, and none of fine art. So it's safe to say it was a learning experience for them 😅

Friday Fics Fix - IT and Walt Whitman

'Richie, who calls Eddie up sometimes in the middle of the night to explain the entire plot of a novel he just read in two hours to him.'

This is a weird one - and not in the usual way that fanfiction is weird.

This is weird because it's so... grown-up. 

I mean... grown-up fanfiction, who knew?

(And no, I don't mean in an 18+ sexy-times way - that's way more common. 😅)

Comics Wrap-Up - Might Not Help, But Still, It Couldn't Hurt

 

It's Thursday, we're still here, this is Dora Reads, so let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Nerd Church - Short Story: Girl, Alone

 

'The neighbours have come home. I can hear Mr L pulling his filtration system off – the sound seeps through the walls. Our walls are so thin – doesn’t seem like it could keep what’s going on out there at bay, does it?'

About mid-week this story was slammed into my brain, without warning, by the universe.

And I am but a simple writer - the universe calls, and I answer.

So... have this sci-fi-ish/dystopian-ish short story, I guess! 😅

(Bo Burnham's Inside (especially All Eyes On Me,) was pretty much my writing soundtrack for this - for anyone who finds that sort of insight interesting! ...Plus, it, uh, might explain a lot 😅)

Content Warnings:

- isolation

- life-threatening climate/environmental catastrophes

- brief non-sexual nudity and mentions of anatomy

- life-threatening heat and physical stress

- implied physical disability/health condition

- mental health issues/extreme stress

...I've never done a full Content Warnings list like this for one of my stories before, so be careful and tell me if I missed anything that needs to be listed!

Friday Fics Fix - Needy Lesnicki: In the Wind and On the Run

 

'But the lies were out there, circulating, and were made into a movie, which is a really mixed blessing. Let’s pretend this narration is over the title crawl, and cut to our heroine...'

This week's fic is based on the amazing staple of Sapphic culture that is Jennifer's Body.

Jennifer's Body is a 2009 cult-classic unapologetically Queer horror film.

I love it, and, yes, I've rec'd fics on it before. Jennifer's Body fic authors write some interesting stuff!

Comics Wrap-Up - How Can You See Into My Eyes Like Open Doors?

 

It's Thursday, this is Dora Reads, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness, m'k?

Everything I've got for you this week is in the 'Other Stuff' category - looks like Loki's been playing tricks on me again. 😘

Review Time! (Graphic Non-Fiction Edition!) - Iranian Love Stories

Warning: This post contains discussions of totalitarian regimes, so-called 'virginity tests', intimate anatomy, misogyny, general human rights abuses, and related topics.

**This post contains Amazon.com (USA) affiliate links. I earn commission from qualifying purchases**

Title: Iranian Love Stories

Author: Jane Deuxard

Artist: Deloupy

Genres: Graphic Novel (Graphic Non-Fiction,) Non-Fiction

Buy Now on Amazon.com  







A Few Starting Notes:



I received a free digital review copy of Iranian Love Stories from Edelweiss, as an opportunity to provide an honest and fair review.

Nerd Church - The Dark Side of Carbon Offsetting

 

Carbon offsetting is sadly not the get-out-of-eco-jail-free card that some people think it is.

Whether you're a frequent flyer looking to make up for the environmental sins of your trips around the world, a heavy-polluting fossil-fuel-based corporation, or just someone who gets their Etsy packages delivered, you've probably heard of carbon offsetting.

But, so that we're all on the same page: what is carbon offsetting?

Well there's no concrete definition - everyone has their own ideas of what 'counts' as carbon offsetting and what doesn't - but I can give you the basics.

Carbon offsetting, as far as I understand it, is where someone - sometimes an individual, but more commonly a business or organisation - attempts to counteract their carbon footprint by supporting environmental projects.

This support often comes in the form of... (paying to make the problem go away) ...investing.

This might be an investment in a green energy scheme, such as a wind farm or tidal energy project...

Friday Fics Fix - Between Punishment and Compassion

'"You got a phone? Look up local B&Bs," Sam said to Bucky. "Or whatever Canadian is for B&B."

"I think it's just B&B. They literally speak the same language, Sam."'

Yes, this is a The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (TFATWS) fic.

In my defense: I've been totally open that I am trash 😅

And! Also! This fic might be TFATWS, but it's a lot different to the sort of stuff I usually rec from this fandom.

Comics Wrap-Up - Save Yourselves, The Moon Is Full

 

It's Thursday, we're still here somehow, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Micropoetry - January 2022

Here we are with more of my micropoetry!

Woo! (Lol.)

I have absolutely no idea where the first one, in particular, came from - it was just one of those things that wouldn't leave me alone, y'know?

And the best way to deal with that is to get it out and into the world, in my experience!

It's also written partially in my accent (which is why it's don' le' instead of don't let,) because it just didn't feel right written in full - I don't know why, I think it threw the rhythm off or something *shrugs*

And the other poem I've got for you this month is a haiku.

- Just because, really 😅

As always, for those using text readers, the poetry is in the alt-text of the graphics.

Line breaks are marked with a /

Nerd Church - We Don't Make Good Decisions When We're Tired, OK?

'Three in the morning is never the time to try and sort out your life.'

- Matt Haig, Reasons To Stay Alive

Most of us have been there - it's a ridiculous time in the night, you're utterly shattered, and you're still trying to get things done.

You inevitably make a mistake -

because you should be sleeping 

- and you decide that your entire life is a sh**-show, and you need to leave everything you know behind and move to the mountains and breed chinchillas or something equally random.

(...Unless that's a long-held ambition of yours, in which case don't let me stop ya!)

Friday Fics Fix - Outside Society's Neat Little Boxes

 

'“I think you’re right. It looks nice on you,” Vanya offers, a small smile curling on her lips when Klaus lights up.'

Argh the bitter-sweet angsty cuteness here!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*ahem*

This fic got me in the feelings, OK? 😅

Comics Wrap-Up - Dancing All Alone In The Morning Light

 

It's Thursday, this is Dora Reads, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Everything this week is in the 'Other Stuff' category - #BlameLoki

Month In Review(s) - January 2022

 

January was the perfect example of pandemic time

- it simultaneously lasted five minutes and three thousand years.

(Not that my experience of time as a concept ever manages to be one speed, but this is especially marked.)

So, this is 2022.

...I feel like it's best not to tempt fate by saying any more than that 😅

Nerd Church - Covid 19: Why Partygate Brought Me To Tears

 

(Warning: this post discusses Covid 19 (which you probably guessed from the title), death, and grief)

As I write this post, Boris Johnson is still prime minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (to give us our long and official title.)

Who knows whether he'll be prime minister by the time this post goes live, but for now he is prime minister.

He should not be.

I don't pretend to be able to predict the future - I think we've all given up on trying to foresee what comes next - but I hope he resigns. 

As he should have done already. So many times over.

Friday Fics Fix - Once Upon A SamBucky Fairytale

 

'“Um,” said Sam, looking from Bucky to the golden retriever, “Do you know the dog?”

“Uh,” said Bucky, picking the honestly very large dog up, and walking around Sam, “Sort of? Could you… wait a moment? Watch the soup.”'

This is a weird fic.

Like, it's completely batpoop.

...And you know I love that 😉😅

Comics Wrap-Up - I Don't Really Feel Like Fighting

 

It's Thursday, it's February, this is Dora Reads - let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Nerd Church - Of Monsters, Mice, and Men

 

'Monsters exist, but they are too few in number to be truly dangerous. More dangerous are the common men, the functionaries ready to believe and to act without asking questions.'

- Holocaust survivor Primo Levi

Friday Fics Fix - Superhero Mission Fics

 

I've been reading a lot of mission fics lately, so I figured I'd take the time to revisit a few of my faves 

(...and take you all along for the ride, ofc 😉)

So, let's slow down and rewind so's everyone's on the same page: what is a mission fic?

A mission fic is a piece of fanfiction that's based around an episodic-style storyline - not dissimilar to a monster-of-the-week/murder-of-the-week style vibe.

They're usually (but not always) written about fandoms which involve a lot of action/adventure hijinks - especially if they contain characters who are in the military, or are military-adjacent.

Comics Wrap-Up - Preach Electric To A Microphone Stand

 

It's Thursday, this is Dora Reads, so let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Just a few things for you this week - and everything is in the 'Other Stuff' category, for which we will, of course #BlameLoki

Nerd Church - Simply the Best? It's More Complicated Than That

One of the many things that makes me tired in this beautiful trash-fire of a world is that some people think that everything - everything - has to be a superlative.

What's a superlative? Well there's a couple of meanings to the word, but I'm talking about this one:

'In grammar, the superlative form of an adjective or adverb is the form that indicates that something has more of a quality than anything else in a group. For example, ' biggest' is the superlative form of 'big'.'

- COBUILD Collins English Dictionary Online 

And the world? The world isn't actually comprised solely of superlatives and extremes.

Good Lord, she's gonna talk about nuance on the Internet! Someone stop her!

(Note: don't stop me. 😜😎) 

Friday Fics Fix - Night Magic

 

'The night wore on, and Merlin still hadn't found anything. The words were beginning to blur together on the page no matter how much he tried to clear his vision, so he finally gave in and went over to wake Lancelot.'

I love the BBC TV show Merlin - and even years after it ended, it has a thriving fandom online.

...which, lucky for us, means that there are fic writers busily scribbling away to this day.

Comics Wrap-Up - Do You Have A Dollar? Would You Like To Fund A War?

 

It's Thursday, this is Dora Reads, let's get some comics-y, superhero-y goodness!

Nerd Church - The Writer Diaries: Run To The Next Tree (Write To The Next Full Stop)

 

Wanna see how far you can run? Wanna train to run a marathon or a 5k or whatever it is running-people do?

Find a tree.

Friday Fics Fix - Bucky Angst (I Regret Nothing)

 

'Sam’s hand hovers near his arm again, just in the corner of his eye. Just in case he collapses without warning or something. Bucky hates that he has to bite his tongue and accept that as a legitimate probability'

This week's fic appealed to my emo goblin spaghetti-brain. 

I regret nothing.

Comics Wrap-Up - Keep Making Trouble 'Til You Find What You Love

 

It's Thursday, I'm still writing 2021 instead of 2022 on a regular basis, this is Dora Reads, so let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Everything I have you this week comes under the 'Other Stuff' category. Again. #BlameLoki

Month In Review(s) - December 2021

 

December had Christmas - and therefore was de facto awesome.

I don't make the rules (well, not all of them.)

(I love Christmas. So. Much.)

As I usually do in December, I scaled back on blogging a bit

 - although I decided to keep going with my Comics Wrap-Up posts this year so that I could ramble on about Hawkeye, because I am Marvel trash.

So that's the reason there's so few posts this month.

I usually try to use the time when I'm posting less to schedule and organise and all that jazz. Key word is 'try' - but there's points for trying, right? 😉

Nerd Church - I'm Resisting the Onslaught of January Hustle Culture

 

It's that time of year again - the time when everyone and their great-aunt Lucy is trying to get you to buy into the ideals of work and productivity.

January is a webscape of blogposts which promise to increase your productivity by 1000%! or earn 50 times more by adopting THIS winning attitude! 

Vlogs of new fitness regimes/money-making schemes, which seem more like shaming lectures than helpful tips.

Humble-brag tweets about how 'few' followers/views/monies someone got last year, and how they're gonna do so much better in 2022 - and you can too if you enrol in this course!

...And under-pinning it all this vibe of having to do more! more! MORE! or else you only have yourself to blame for your unenviable position in life/work/Western society/whatever.

Friday Fics Fix - Magical Shenanigans With Tony and Loki

 

'“My guess is it’s got something to do with serotonin,” he says.

“Or magic,” Loki points out.

“Don’t spoil my fun, dear.”'

Let's start 2022 as we mean to go on: 

...with Gay superhero fanfiction. 😅😘

Comics Wrap-Up - Crooked Wheels Keep Turning

It's Thursday, it's January, by the time we remember to write 2022 it'll be 2023, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Everything I have for you is in the 'Other Stuff' category. *shrugs* #BlameLoki

The Bookish Diversity Link List 2022

 

Your resource for all things bookish diversity is back! Welcome to the 6th(!) Bookish Diversity Link List, back for 2022.

OK, 2021 maybe (big 'maybe',)  wasn't as actively on fire as 2020, but due to it still being a dumpster fire, and a lot of personal stuff, etc., I once again wasn't able to do as much for the link list as I'd like to.

I actually wondered whether or not to have a list for 2022 - the bookish interwebs have gotten to the stage where diversity is so much more prominent than it was in 2016, and I wondered whether I was really contributing anything any more.

But I still think there's need for a resource which points to other cool and good quality diverse bookish things - even if I sometimes struggle to add as much to it as I'd like.

My corner of the bookish interwebs may be flourishing diversely, but the bookish interwebs as a whole has a lot of churn in terms of participants (i.e. people leaving, people coming in,) - and some of the issues around diversity and representation remain as pressing as ever.

So, here I am, once again, doing my small bit to keep things moving forward. I hope you find it useful.

Comics Wrap-Up - Two Armies Are Coming At Me

It's Thursday, 2021 is - to paraphrase my countryman Dylan Thomas - going gentle into that good night, so let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Micropoetry - October + November 2021

 

Yes, I am well aware that it's nearly January 2022.

But, as there always seems to be, there's still some left-over house-keeping to do from 2021.

So here's the Micropoetry I wrote in October and November 2021.

And, as always, for those using screen-readers the poetry is in the alt-text of the images. It has / marks showing line breaks.

Comics Wrap-Up - Though It Never Really Snows, It's More Like Horizontal Sleet

It's Thursday, Christmas is so close, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness right here on Dora Reads!

Comics Wrap-Up - Oh, Santa, It's Been A Real Hard Year

 

It's Thursday, Christmas is rapidly approaching, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Month In Review(s) - November 2021

 

OK, this post is a bit later than I intended, but December's hectic at the best of times, so... let's just do this -

November's over, and here I am standing in December wondering how we got to the end of 2021, when it feels like it never really got started in the first place.

This year's felt like the hangover after 2020, and never really moved past that. 

Or is that just me? How has your 2021 been, dearest nerdlets?

Comics Wrap-Up - Don't Mess Around With Those Silly Toys

 

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

Comics Wrap-Up - I Told This Kid I'm Ready For A Fight

 

It's Thursday, it is December somehow, this is Dora Reads, so let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Nerd Church - Dunkirk Spirit

 

I don't know whether this counts as creative non-fiction, or a short story, or what - but it was something that I kind of needed to write, y'know? Anyhow, here it is:

Friday Fics Fix - Loki Angst Time! (Woo!)

 

'Thor was… strangely prone to crying lately, which Loki didn’t appreciate but had to endure nonetheless.'

Angst time! Angst time! Time to have an angst fest! 😅

...I'm random, but ya love it 😜

Comics Wrap-Up - And He'll Brace For Battle in the Night

 

It's Thursday, this is Dora Reads, I'm still Cee and still here, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Nerd Church - I Want The Books To Be OK

 

>

When I'm tired, my brain sometimes throws out  random phrases. 

Straight-forward things like, 'I'm so tired,' and 'I wanna be a kitty-cat' (because, well, why wouldn't you?)

Amongst these understandable statements, sometimes it throws out weird ones.

The other day it threw out a new one that I'm still trying to figure out.

Out of nowhere, the thought popped into my head: I want the books to be OK.

And I stopped short. 

And I thought... what the hell does that mean?

I want the books to be OK.

Friday Fics Fix - Knit Together

 

'Slowly, Klaus’ scarf begins to take shape. It’s a little wonky in places, the occasional stitch has been dropped, the loops are not very neat - but he’s improving with time.'

The Umbrella Academy (TUA) fic time again!!! Woo!

And yes, as you've probably guessed, this fic is firmly front-and-centred on m'boy Klaus Hargreeves.