yuletide | 2021 Yuletide Promo Post

Entry tags:

yuletide fandom promo

2021 Yuletide Promo Post

Welcome to the Fandom Promo post, everyone!

Here's where you get those eyes on your fandoms for sign ups!

Share what makes your Yuletide fandoms the shiniest and why you love them. A big part of Yuletide is how small our fandoms can be, and this is a good way to make sure other people know what gems there are out there!

Suggested form to use:

FANDOM NAME:
WHAT MAKES IT GREAT:
WHERE CAN I FIND IT (optional):

(Bonus optional: What are you thinking of requesting for this?)

EDIT:

Useful tips (Not required, but helps people if they want to engage with your fandom!):

- Mention what form of media the canon is. Is it a comic miniseries? Is it a twenty season tv show? Is it a book? Is it a twitter feed?
- Is it standalone or part of a series?
- It's best to make each fandom its own entry with its own title in the subject line! That makes it easier for people to find/see what you're promoting! Don't worry about 'spam', that is the entire point of this entry and you're using it exactly as intended.

For reference, last year's promo post!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

FANDOM NAME: The Game Of Rassilon

WHAT MAKES IT GREAT: If you're a Doctor Who fan of any sort, please gather around as I introduce you to an astoundingly good podcast that I think you're going to love. Because the Game of Rassilon is a fan-made actual-play RPG podcast where a bunch of very funny and very creative people play the official Doctor Who roleplaying game. The adventures are well-thought-out, the roleplaying is choice, the goofs are hilarious and the emotional beats, when they come, hit hard. It feels quite a lot like listening to a canon series of TV Doctor Who, except it’s all improv and dice rolling and RPG.
The first two seasons are typical monster-of-the-week Doctor Who adventures with a gradually building plot revolving around the Doctor & co running from… someone (or perhaps something), and a Big Plan that even the Doctor isn’t sure of the details of; at least at first. The third season is currently in-progress, with new episodes being released bi-weekly.

I have done a LOT of art while listening to this podcast, so I will introduce you to the Player Characters (And One Sort-Of NPC) by means of this art. Might as well use it for something, right?

The Doctor - a bit prickly, a bit argumentative, a LOT 90s, but still every inch the brilliant dangerous Time Lord that you remember. Likes making dumb jokes, Very Married To Her TARDIS, gives the best Doctor Speeches (impressive when you consider that they're all improvised). Got stranded in the 90s for a while, which explains why the interior of her TARDIS currently resembles a 90s coffeeshop. Stubborn. curious. Also, canonically transgender! (In the sense that her player is also trans and said 'if you think she’s trans also I’m 100% behind you’ and I very much choose to think she’s trans.)

Travis Killian - originally a librarian from 1990s New Jersey, got swept up into TARDIS adventures by sheer chance, and would now die for the Doctor. A very sweet nerdy dude who ends up having some very unique identity issues as the story progresses. His character arc is legitimately one of my favorite things I've ever heard in a RPG podcast. He's kind of like a human capybara. Big Hugger. Friend.

Amelia Earhart - yes, that Amelia Earhart. It's a bit of a paradox. Don't worry about it! She's very fond of her new friends, very good at flying things (usually planes, but she can take a spaceship in a pinch), and I will just tell you up-front that this podcast does feature Historical Figure Amelia Earhart learning how to play Pokemon. Hopefully that manages to convince you to listen, if nothing else.

Roman - technically an NPC, functionally more like an honorary member of the party (it's complicated!), Roman is an old friend of the Doctor's whose timeline intersects with the timeline of the main characters in strange and interesting ways. He has many guns (all of which he is bad at using), he likes jazz, and he very much likes cats. He's a tiny bit of a bastard, but a very friendly one, and the sheer energy and enthusiasm his player brings to the table tends to cement him as a Firm Favorite character with basically everyone I know who's listened to the podcast.

Carrie Vu - a PA from more-or-less modern LA who starts out very stressed and very worried, and swiftly graduates into unionizing every alien civilization within arm's reach and/or wreaking havoc with her trusty softball bat. Carrie is a delightful force of chaos who shows up mid-s2. Never shows up to an adventure without a bum-bag full of snacks and spare batteries. Perpetually has no clue what's going on. I really think we should have more canonical DW companions that flatly refuse to learn the rules of time travel and just wander through adventures with Intent To Cause Chaos.

All of the players, as well as the two co-GMs (god bless Ben Paddon and Michael Nixon, really. I know I haven't mentioned them much here but they're both brilliant), are huge nerds and are unabashed in their love for what they're doing, which makes for really great vibes. It’s cosy and it’s fun and it’s Doctor Who and it’s unrestrained in its glorious nerdiness. I'm not very hopeful that many people will sign up to write for this strange little fandom, but at the very least I hope I can drag a few more people into listening to it, because it really is criminally underrated.

Also it's very funny.

WHERE CAN I FIND IT: The backlog of episodes can be found here at their website - https://thegameofrassilon.com/ - or on most podcast apps/catchers.

I want you to know, I started listening to this today based on your rec, am four episodes in, and am completely loving it. So thank you!

(no subject)

(Anonymous) - 2021-09-29 12:23 (UTC) - Expand

FANDOM NAME: In Demand - Texas

MEDIUM Music Video
WHAT MAKES IT GREAT: It's a great pop-y song and it's really provocative in it's simplicity. It's an under 4 minutes fandom with some really great story and plot potential. It has Alan Rickman, a May/December relationship, and sexy gas station tango! Plus, I think you'll really enjoy it if you watch it, so give it a try and see what it might spark for you!
WHERE CAN I FIND IT (optional): On YouTube at this link: https://youtu.be/X4-gNN8WRHo

FANDOM NAME: The Royals
MEDIUM Live Action Series
WHAT MAKES IT GREAT: It's a supremely bingeable show with fabulous, well-acted characters. It's 4 seasons have all the ridiculousness and drama of a soap opera mixed with all the ridiculousness and drama of royal family tabloid media coverage. It's The Crown, but with much more melodrama and creative license, and far, far less taking itself seriously. There are lots of dynamics and relationships to explore from the romantic to the platonic to the familial. It's a little bit satirical and a little bit farcical and has some great twists and turns that will keep you guessing. Come join me in my sad and angry that this show didn't get more seasons club!

TRIGGER WARNING: This series contains depictions of addiction, consent issues, sexual assault, and toxic relationships treated as romantic.
WHERE CAN I FIND IT (optional): Currently Streaming on Prime Video in the USA (included with Prime or $7 a season). It may still be available on Netflix in Canada. I am uncertain if it is available, or where, outside of that. It was an E! show so if you know where you can watch those shows in your locality, you may be able to find it there too.

FANDOM NAME: October Faction
MEDIUM Live Action Series
WHAT MAKES IT GREAT: A Family drama with monster hunters, secret societies, mystery, action, adventure, and LGBTQ+ characters! This show has just about everything stuffed into it's 10 episode single season. It's another of my canceled way too soon favorites, so that means it doesn't take too much time investment to get into. You can check out the trailer here - https://youtu.be/RexcOKt3k9k

WHERE CAN I FIND IT (optional): It's a Netflix original, so you can find it streaming there!

Who were you thinking of nomming? I have a lot of feelings about Viv and Cathy, but I can see fandom in general having thoughts about Geoff/Phillip. And checking ao3 says Alice/Delores is a ship?

Re: October Faction

virtual_lips - 2021-09-25 08:57 (UTC) - Expand

FANDOM NAME: Sovereign Tea

WHAT MAKES IT GREAT: What if a Fire Emblem game had a cast composed of beverage-themed lesbians?

Seriously, though, Sovereign Tea is a fun SRPG about a world in which every human on the continent has either Coffee or Tea Magics. The Coffee Regents have combined their realms into the Coffee Empire, while the Tea Princesses maintain a loose alliance but mostly stick to their own lands. This changes when Bai Mudan is attacked by coffee minions in her garden, prompting her to gather the Tea Princesses to fight against the threat of invasion.

Between levels, you can initiate conversations between the various princesses. The cast is tight enough that a number of different relationships and dynamics got a chance to shine, including those that weren't necessarily suggested by the overarching plot. The main story is also handled with an impressive amount of subtlety and sympathy. There are no evil empires full of sadistic monsters here.

And yes, two of the princesses are engaged, in addition to a number of characters who freely flirt with other women. What's not to love?

WHERE CAN I FIND IT (optional): It's available on Steam (https://store.steampowered.com/app/1613950/Sovereign_Tea/) and Itch! (https://3hg.itch.io/sovereign-tea)

FANDOM NAME: Top 10 Games You Can Play in Your Head by Yourself - J. Theophrastus Bartholomew

WHAT MAKES IT GREAT: This is a crack parody of the recent (?) genre of solo journaling RPGs, and is a glorified exercise in ten make-believe scenarios you can "play" by yourself, including Space, Chess, and The Alamo. It is weirdly hostile and gonzo bonkers, e.g.

Who: This is the most beautiful of all the answers. If you are reading this right now then you have all the who you could ever need.

[...]

Who, Continued: You might think to yourself: but what about all my friends? To which I retort, of course, and without hesitation: who needs them! Do you imagine that your friends will be there for you when the sun extinguishes itself and this world ceases to exist, as it is wont to do? Will your friends be there when the pillars turn to dust and the horsemen return to town? Life is not a popularity contest. Don't kid yourself, kid. You're flying solo in these games, just like you've always been and always will be. You can go over to your friend's house and huddle around a television or squeeze onto a couch or sweat over a board game...or you can close those eyes and win the Alamo for the good guys. (4-5)

Needless to say, there's a ton of potential here for worldbuilding or meta fic!

WHERE CAN I FIND IT (optional): This is available as a print book (from Bookshop.org; from Book Depository).

this sounds INCREDIBLY good. i'm ordering it right now, hopefully it ends up arriving and I can read it before signups close. if not, might end up treating for you/anyone else who requests it if i like it enough. thanks for the rec!!

FANDOM NAME: Nice Marines (Roleplaying Game)

WHAT MAKES IT GREAT: This is a tiny one-page TTRPG by Grant Howitt, obviously a parody/nod to Warhammer 40k...except it's about death machine soldiers trying to figure out how to do nice things. I quote from the intro:

YOU ARE A SPACE MARINE: an immortal giant genetically engineered to be the perfect instrument of war. You and your squadmates are oathsworn protectors of the Astral Commonwealth - and one another. The iconoclasts of the galaxy shiver in terror at the very mention of your name.

However: support forces have not arrived following the recent liberation of VAnnis, leaving you in charge of a diplomatic envoy dedicated to rebuilding after the conflict. You have no idea how to do this.

FANDOM NAME: Steve Jackson's Sorcery! - Steve Jackson

WHAT MAKES IT GREAT:
This is a four-book series of gamebooks - technically a subseries of the Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, if you're familiar with those. They feature a simple combat system and a spell system that requires you to memorize three-letter codes for spell options.

What I love about Sorcery! is that it consists of four books (The Shamutanti Hills, Kharé - Cityport of Traps, The Seven Serpents, and Crown of Kings) that form a complete solo campaign as your Adventurer travels from beleaguered Analand to confront the Archmage of Mampang who stole the fabled Crown of Kings and is threatening all of civilization. Along the way you may encounter oddities like Ant Meatballs with curious effects on the body, Red-Eyes with laser eyebeams, a God-Hydra, and more! If you enjoy old-school fantasy adventuring, this should be right up your alley. I've nominated this with Worldbuilding but there are a number of interesting and colorful characters (Flanker the regretful assassin, the sorceress Fenestra, etc.) you could nominate as well.

WHERE CAN I FIND IT (optional):
The books can be a little hard to source - if you're in the USA, the cheapest option may well be buying used copies off ABE.

I've been eyeing Inkle's video game adaptation, do you know how much it diverges from the source material?

Re: Steve Jackson's Sorcery! - Steve Jackson

yhlee - 2021-09-20 17:21 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Steve Jackson's Sorcery! - Steve Jackson

laughingpineapple - 2021-09-20 19:40 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Steve Jackson's Sorcery! - Steve Jackson

yhlee - 2021-09-20 19:43 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Steve Jackson's Sorcery! - Steve Jackson

laughingpineapple - 2021-09-21 10:03 (UTC) - Expand

Overview: Ledo and Ix

Ledo and Ix is an unfinished animated series about two (maybe the only two) self-aware, thinking characters living in a pixel-art game world.

The two of them go through some emotional and existential adventures, as well as funny ones. The distinction is sometimes lost entirely.

If you like video game humor and also unexpected depth of the pathos of not-quite-solipsistic existence in an arbitrary world - and can handle the fact that it just peters out in the middle of an arc in season 2 with a half-made episode - this is the canon for you.

Screenshots from Episode 2

Characters

Ledo

Ledo is a tough, high level warrior who finds even the scariest-looking random encounter monsters no trouble at all. She's laconic and a bit too ready to consume alcoholic beverages. Very genre-savvy, but frustrated at the lack of flexibility exhibited by most of the inhabitants of her world. Her only real friend is Ix.

Ix

Ix is a naturally optimistic easy-going bard type who wants the world to be better than it is. Ledo is the only person he's found who has the same sort of ability to speculate and solve problems that he has, but he keeps hoping they'll find more like themselves.

Where to Watch Ledo and Ix

You can get the basics from the first stand-alone episode, five minutes on YouTube here: Ledo and Ix

All of Season 1 (eight episodes, each five minutes or less) is in this Playlist: Ledo and Ix Season 1

What exists of Season 2 is in this Playist: Ledo and Ix Season 2 (Never completed)

Edited 2021-09-21 05:21 (UTC)

FANDOM NAME: Spiritfarer

WHAT IS IT: An indie management sim and sandbox action game released on a variety of consoles last year. Usually takes ~40 hours to play — I took my time, so I finished in about 50, and the playthrough linked at the bottom is 16.
Also, it is addicting if this is your sort of game. There are day/night and weather cycles if that appeals to you.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This game deals heavily with themes of life, death, and aging. (And sprinkle in a failing relationship and references to war, etc.)

WHAT MAKES IT GREAT: The atmosphere, the music, the characters… And most importantly, that feeling when it’s time for a character to go and you hug them one last time… agh, I cry just thinking about it!

The game is very good at evoking emotion. I think it takes a thoughtful approach to life and death. The premise is that the main character, Stella, ferries spirits to the afterlife through the Everdoor. Often, the spirits stick around on your ship for a while so you get to develop feelings for them before they are cruelly torn from your hands. (Okay, that was overdramatic, but you know what I mean!)
You get to know each of their backstories and the complex things that make them human. (Or, er, formerly human.)

I suggest you look up reviews if you want a more articulate explanation of how compelling the game is with its themes and how beautifully they’re executed

WHERE CAN I FIND IT: On Steam, probably. Or a Youtube playthrough (this one has no commentary and is 16 hours long!)

WHAT I WILL BE ASKING FOR: I would love more backstory into who Stella is, or even a fic that features an alternate universe (or pre-canon universe?) before she took up her job as ferrymaster. Some of the spirits she talks to recognize her and had relationships with her before. Why can’t we explore those? I'd love to know more about Atul, Gwen, etc.

To write such a thing would require a commitment to digging into the lore and paying attention to what the spirits tell you, particularly Gwen, and I don’t know that I have the brain capacity to parse all of that out. It’s been a while since I first played it, but that whole concept of them all knowing each other “before…” it nags at me often.

I picked up this game on sale and it's adorable!
Also there's a decent wiki for most of the characters. Thanks for the rec!

Re: Spiritfarer

sarunohadaki - 2021-10-01 01:23 (UTC) - Expand

FANDOM NAME: Broadside - The Elizabethan Session (Song)
WHAT MAKES IT GREAT: It's a fabulous song about being a pirate queen and being allies/friends (maybe more?) with other queens, pirate and otherwise. It's short; you can have a listen and call it a day. It's based loosely on the meeting between Grace O'Malley and Elizabeth I in 1593.
WHERE CAN I FIND IT (optional): Lyrics, YouTube, Live performance with comments from the songwriters, Spotify

Excerpt from the lyrics:

Keep your land you gentry of England, France and Spain
For there’s nothing like dominion of the water
From the rocky coast of Kerry to the bloody Spanish Main
It’s the best thing you can ever teach your daughter

Broadside to broadside, two captains collide
Queen of the spheres and queen of the tide
Regalia and rebellion go sailing side by side
Haul away, sister, haul away

Edited 2021-09-30 15:56 (UTC)

FANDOM NAME: Confessions of Dorian Gray

WHAT MAKES IT GREAT: Confessions of Dorian Gray operates on a simple premise: hey, what if Dorian Gray didn't die at the end of Oscar Wilde's work and instead lived on to have more supernatural adventures of his own? CODG is a supernatural horror series with a very 'monster of the day' feel. Each episode has Dorian and whoever the guest star is dealing with some sort of supernatural occurrence. These supernatural occurrences include, but are not limited to, a bodyswap episode, werewolves in Iceland, a golem in 1930s New York City, the world's worst cocaine trip, and a possibly sentient computer. These guest stars include, but are not limited to, Oscar Wilde, Dorian's vampire boyfriend (voiced by Hugh Skinner), Dorian's serial killer stalker, Sherlock Holmes, and a banker who's just having a REALLY rough day.

Alternatively, do you wanna listen to Alexander Vlahos's voice for thirty minutes in a row? Because I am perfectly fine selling it on that alone.

As you can tell by the phrase 'Dorian's vampire boyfriend,' the series does have queer representation. It might not be the healthiest—after all, Dorian is an absolute hedonist and a terrible person and ends up doing quite a lot of murder. And it might end up super sad in some parts. But it is written respectfully and you can tell there's a lot of care and love written into the relationships. There's no Hays Code era "uhhhh Dorian has 'friendships' with other men" here.

About half the series are stand-alone audio dramas, which makes things quite easy to listen to (series 1, series 2, series 4, the freebie episodes). The other half is an over-arching plot, involving Dorian in the modern times of 2014 as he sees the return of a figure from his past and grapples with the literal devil, self-loathing, and the world's worst psych ward (series 3, 'The Spirits of Christmas,' series 5). This series also may or may not exist in the same universe as Doctor Who, because Dorian first showed up in Big Finish canon in a Bernice Summerfield episode. I like to think it does because fuck it, everything exists in the same universe as Doctor Who.

This series does involve a lot of content warnings. They include, but are not limited to: war, PTSD related to war, suicide, gaslighting, attempting to drive someone to suicide, stalking, drug use, dubious consent, sexual assault of a minor, demonic possession, torture and murder, body horror, and a lot of gore. I cannot understate how much gore there is, Dorian is an immortal with a bonkers healing factor so the writers put him through the damn ringer every other episode. If you're interested in the series but don't want to deal with a particular trigger, DM me and I'll tell you what episodes to avoid.

WHERE CAN I FIND IT: Spotify, baby! I would recommend starting with either "This World, Our Hell" (s1e1), "Banshee" (s4e5), or "Murder on 81st Street" (s2e3). There are a couple of free episodes that aren't on Spotify and can be found/downloaded from Big Finish's webpage here

FANDOM NAME: 악의 꽃 - Flower of Evil (TV)

WHAT MAKES IT GREAT:

Summary from MDL: Although Baek Hee Sung is hiding a dark secret surrounding his true identity, he has established a happy family life and a successful career. He is a loving husband and doting father to his young daughter. But his perfect façade begins to crumble when his wife, Cha Ji Won, a homicide detective, begins investigating a string of serial murders from 15 years ago. Ji Won notices changes in Hee Sung’s behavior and begins to wonder if he could possibly be hiding something from her.

So far, so predictable, isn't it? Wrong. For the first three or four episodes, I thought I got exactly what I expected, as in, a manipulative psychopath manipulating his deceived wife. But the show gets much deeper. I ended up crying for the main pair -- both of them together and each of them separately -- several times. Despite being a fantastic crime thriller, too, what mainly got me about this drama is the fact that it is, at its core, a story about love and trust and suddenly having to rediscover each other after many years of a settled relationship, as well as an examination of the effects of heavy trauma.

WHERE CAN I FIND IT: I watched it on VIKI, but MDL tells me that in other regions it's also on Netflix, WeTV, HULU, or Apple TV.

This show is so brilliant! I look forward to seeing the requests/fics for this!

FANDOM NAME: Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon

WHAT IS IT: An RPG released in English in 2011. Was playable on the Nintendo DS (and there’s no remake, sadly, so the only way you could get your hands on it is selling a kidney, pretty much…). Playthrough linked at the bottom of this post!

WHAT MAKES IT GREAT: I adore the plot and how vibrant and amazing the world is. You play as the hero (who you can name whatever, but default is Micah) who has lost his memory and can transform himself into a cute widdle sheep boy at will. The problem? The town hates monsters, so he keeps his other identity a secret from (most of) the townsfolk.

Which… I love the townsfolk! The romanceable love interests, above (except Micah in the middle), all have their own (sometimes insane) quirks and really just pop out of the screen.

Even years later I can remember how Sophie talking in opposite speak really results in some ridiculous lines, or Carlos throwing a tantrum over his sister choosing to live with you (if you go that route). Or omurice being Marian’s favorite even if she hates tomatoes. Yeah, this game is a wild— but fun— ride.

(And, just as an aside with spoilers — Evelyn is of course one of the more "normal" girls, and is therefore not romanceable. Although you can't tell me she and Gaius shouldn't be a thing when there's literally that part where he tries to make a wedding ring for her and she tries to eat it or make clothes out of it. Evelyn made clothes out of food before Gaga set the trend.)

WHERE CAN I FIND IT: For a ludicrous price on Ebay or a Youtube playthrough. That one is broken up into ~30-minute chunks and totals ~30 hours. With no commentary, if you can believe it! There's a lot of let's plays, though, if that's more your style.

FANDOM NAME: Kaminari (a manga/anime found within the Rain Webcomic)
WHAT MAKES IT GREAT: Kaminari has wings but can't fly. all the delightful angst of being rejected from one society for trait A but rejected from another society for trait B. Kaminari's determination to save as many lives as she found children's graves. The implicit trans metaphors including Kaminari's determination that she will be herself and keep her wings no matter that it makes her an outcast on the ground. Plus as a fictional manga there's also so much room for worldbuilding and establishing characterisation and I'd love to see more of it. (The webcomic author has explicitly given permission for people to write fanworks)
WHERE CAN I FIND IT (optional): the first episode of the anime shows up in the webcomic starting here and continuing for three pages (click "next" twice), and there's a summary of the plot and major characters from the manga here. Or I've compiled a masterpost of pages containing "canon" kaminari content (and characters talking about the canon) for maximum lore as a springboard for further worldbuilding/storytelling, which i will post as a comment replying to this one. The webcomic takes several hours to consume but the Kaminari content within should take less than an hour

Edited 2021-09-20 22:02 (UTC)

Re: Kaminari (Nested Fandom)

(Anonymous) - 2021-09-21 01:55 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Kaminari (Nested Fandom)

muggle95 - 2021-09-21 03:27 (UTC) - Expand

"...you had better believe that I was the one who sent them."

FANDOM NAME: Batwoman (2017), DC Comics. Writers: Marguerite Bennett, James Tynion IV; Artist: Steve Epting.

WHAT MAKES IT GREAT: There is so much to love about this series. At its core is a cast of incredibly compelling women who range from "hero with a tortured past" to "villain who would kill for the woman she loves." Although Kate Kane (Batwoman) has several potential love interests in this series (Julia Pennyworth, Renee Montoya), the primary focus is on the love triangle between herself, Safiyah (the "Mother of Warlords") and Tahani ("The Knife"). The push-pull of this triangle is spurred by jealousy and possessiveness, and it unfolds beautifully throughout the series.

The series is incredibly well-written and one of the most consistent titles I've read with respect to pacing and characterisation. It's also self-contained and does an excellent job of establishing Kate's character, so it's perfect for people who are new to Batwoman, DC, or comic books in general. The run is complete and at 18 issues, it's fairly short and could be easily read over a few days (or in an evening, if you're ambitious). Finally the art is absolutely stunning, and the use of colour and motifs make it feel very cohesive, even for issues designed by different artists.

WHERE CAN I FIND IT?: The series is available for purchase here in three volumes, or you can read it online for free here (I recommend adblock). For this series, I will be nominating Kate, Renee, Safiyah and Tahani.

SOLD. I'm definitely reading this. That page is so up my alley.

Re: Batwoman 2017 (Comic)

scansionictus - 2021-09-21 01:44 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Batwoman 2017 (Comic)

yhlee - 2021-09-21 02:36 (UTC) - Expand

FANDOM NAME: Dreamgirls

WHAT IS IT: Broadway musical. The original 1981 Broadway production was nominated for thirteen Tony Awards and won 6. The original West End production began in 2016 and earned Olivier Awards for Amber Riley (Effie) and Adam J. Bernard (Jimmy Early), with a touring production set to start in December.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT: In the 1960s, three young women - Effie White, Deena Jones, and Lorrell Robinson - begin their rise in the Motown music scene, aided by songwriter C.C. White (Effie's brother) and Cadillac car salesman-turned-manager Curtis Taylor (Effie's lover). Effie, Deena, and Lorrell want to become stars, while Curtis plans to revolutionize the music industry and help Black artists cross color lines into mainstream pop. Beginning as backup singers to R&B star Jimmy "Thunder" Early and later forming their own act, tensions rise as Curtis replaces Effie with Deena (who is less talented but whose voice and appearance are both more marketable) both as lead singer and as object of his affection, ending with Effie being fired from the group. The Dreams continue their wild successes, despite both Deena and Lorrell becoming increasingly disillusioned and wanting to move on; meanwhile, Effie rebuilds herself and releases a new single, which Curtis tries to bury with a cover version by the Dreams. Effie and C.C. confront Curtis and win their song's place on the charts, Deena confronts Curtis and starts a new movie career that fits her new dreams, and Effie and Deena reconcile. The show ends with the Dreams breaking up as Effie's solo career takes off.

WHAT MAKES IT GREAT: The summary I gave doesn't really do justice to the women and their relationships, which I love. I love how headstrong and indomitable Effie is, and how Deena builds her confidence and comes into her own, and how Lorrell has a snarky streak in her sunny personality. The whole show is about their dreams and their struggles and successes in making those dreams a reality, and it's so fun to watch them grow and change over the course of the show.

I'm also interested in the setting: the 1960s-1970s R&B and pop music industry as interpreted by 1980s Broadway. There's room for social commentary (among other things, the Black leads get one of their early songs covered and buried by a white group), drama (secret affairs and Curtis' payola operations), and Broadway glitz (look at the costumes! often with super-fast costume changes!).

And that's not even talking about the music, which is amazing. A couple of examples: Jennifer Holliday's performance of "And I Am Telling You" at the Tony Awards, found here, - and yeah, that was a song on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air - and "One Night Only" from the West End production, found here. Even if you're not into musicals, I'd still highly recommend this one's soundtrack!

WHERE CAN I FIND IT: Searching for "dreamgirls full musical" on Youtube will get you several non-professionally-recorded versions of varying sound and image quality. My personal favorite production is the original Broadway cast, which is on Youtube but can be a bit hard to parse at times due to quality issues.

A full libretto can be found here.

A movie version also came out in 2006 with Jennifer Hudson as Effie, Beyoncé as Deena, and Anika Noni Rose as Lorrell, and while it cut some of the songs it's very close to the stage musical.

Yes, what a fabulous musical!

FANDOM NAME: Dogs Playing Poker - Cassius Marcellus Coolidge
WHAT MAKES IT GREAT: It's dogs. Playing poker.

Fundamentals aside - you've seen this before. It's a classic. Don't you want to know what's happening? How did they meet? Is this someone's home or a private poker club for gentlemen? Which one of them always cheats? So much to think about. So very much.

WHERE CAN I FIND IT (optional):

Link to Wikipedia page

I see Art Yuletide has been won :] Amazing nomination, I hope to see all the fic for this!

(no subject)

js_thrill - 2021-10-05 02:46 (UTC) - Expand

FANDOM NAME: Gypsy - Laurents/Sondheim

WHAT IS IT: Broadway musical, loosely based on the memoirs of burlesque star Gypsy Rose Lee (hence the name; there are no Romani people in the show and the use of "gypsy" not referring to Gypsy Rose Lee only comes up once). Premiering on Broadway in 1959, the show has subsequently had multiple revivals, tours, and regional productions and consistently tops critical rankings as one of Broadway's greatest musicals.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT: Stage mother Madam Rose has a dream - that her daughter will become a vaudeville star. She builds an act centering around her talented and vivacious daughter June (while her quieter daughter Louise gets pushed into the background) and schemes her children's way into the vaudeville circuit with the help of stage agent Herbie. Unfortunately, as the years pass vaudeville begins to decline while June and Louise chafe against their roles in the act, which requires them to present themselves as little girls even as they become teenagers.

After June escapes by running away with a boy from the act, Rose brings in Louise as the new star, but Louise can't do the same kinds of performances that June could. In desperation, Rose finally pushes Louise into taking the place of an absent stripper in a burlesque show, telling her to "make them beg for more, and then don't give it to them". Louise's performance is a success, and in time she becomes famous as burlesque star Gypsy Rose Lee. In a final confrontation between mother and daughter, Rose finally admits her selfish reasons for pushing her daughters into show business, and (depending on the production) they reconcile.

WHAT MAKES IT GREAT: I love how wonderfully complex the women are, especially Rose. It's fun watching her smash her way through all obstacles through a mix of manipulation and just plain grandstanding, but her talent for deception also includes deceiving herself, to the detriment of her relationship with June and Louise. With June and Louise, I love them growing up and figuring out how to break free and find their own dreams, even if it's not what Rose had in mind for them. I love the complex mix of love and self-centered ambition that Rose has for her daughters, and the mix of love and frustration and hunger for approval that the girls feel for Rose. These women all do deeply care about each other, but man, sometimes they have a very dysfunctional way of showing it.

Also, the music! Most of the songs have become ubiquitous standards for auditions and performances, but "Some People" and "Everything's Coming Up Roses" and "Rose's Turn" really are awesome belting songs, and all of the music works so perfectly with the staging and the story. It's worth it to see it all together if you're into musicals.

WHERE CAN I FIND IT: Searching "gypsy full musical" in Youtube will give you various full-length non-professionally-recorded production videos of varying sound and image quality. A proshot recording of the 2015 West End revival (with Imelda Staunton as Rose, Laura Pulver as Louise, and Peter Davison as Herbie) is also available for rental or purchase on Amazon Prime.

A full libretto can be found here.

The musical also had two movie versions, a 1962 film with Rosalind Russell as Rose and Natalie Wood as Louise and a TV movie with Bette Midler as Rose. Both stick closely to the stage musical.

Yes, this is such a fun, messy show and depending on how deeply folks want to delve into what happened to Rose/June/GRL, it makes for fun fic material!

FANDOM NAME: Forever Amber - Kathleen Winsor

WHAT IS IT: A doorstopper (over 900 pages!) book, published in 1944. One of the best-selling novels of the 1940s, it was also banned in 14 US states for sexual content. Said the author: "I wrote only two sexy passages, and my publishers took both of them out. They put in ellipses instead. In those days, you know, you could solve everything with an ellipsis."

WHAT'S IT ABOUT: Born as the secret illegitimate daughter of two nobles and raised by prosperous farmers, sixteen-year-old Amber St. Clare leaps at the opportunity to leave the sedate English countryside and move into wild Restoration-era London following after the rake Bruce Carlton, who she'll be obsessed with for the rest of the book. She embarks on an adventurous life - scheming and making new plots when the first schemes backfire on her, escaping from debtor's prison, working as a highwayman's moll and as an actress, surviving plague and the Great Fire of London, marrying four times to increasingly wealthier and more powerful husbands (and killing one of them), and being a mistress to many other powerful men including King Charles II, all while continuing a passionate on-again off-again affair with Bruce.

WHAT MAKES IT GREAT: I love Amber. She's breathtakingly self-centered, short-sighted, petty, and not terribly bright, but she knows what she wants and she's going to go for it, dammit. The narrative voice is slightly distant from Amber, and it strikes a good balance of knowing exactly what Amber is but also retaining empathy for her, so that even Amber's worst ideas come across with wry amusement at what trouble Amber's getting herself into now and interest in how she'll get out of it. Amber's overwhelming selfishness also makes the rare moments where she does help someone besides herself that much more endearing. It all adds up for a character I really enjoyed following for 900+ pages.

Kathleen Winsor also did a fantastic job of researching life in London under the rule of Charles II, which comes through in both explorations of places, events, and everyday life in the city as well as characterization for historical figures like Nell Gwynn, Barbara Palmer, and Charles himself.

WHERE CAN I FIND IT: Available through any major book retailer, in print and ebook format, and in libraries.

Edited 2021-09-20 23:49 (UTC)

Oh wow, Forever Amber! I just watched the film adaption the other week.

FANDOM NAME: City of Heroes

WHAT MAKES IT GREAT: This is an *incredibly* story rich MMO. You play through stories that you keep the entire tale as a 'souvenir' (primarily, not the only way to play the game!) and you created characters of your own invention for their entire backstory (with bios you could have clickable by any other player!) and costumes that had nothing to do with stats.

On top of that, there's lore throughout it. Detail filled enemy bios you can read when you click on them and my favourite, the exploration badges you can find all through the zones that vary between Top Dog (found at the top of the statue of the hero Atlas carrying a globe on his back like the titan) that simply says:

"The top of Atlas' statue is the first place many flying heroes will go."

and the spookier Phantom Radio (found in the haunted and dead zone of Dark Astoria, filled with ghosts that vanish as you walk near them) that says:

"Since the fall of Astoria, shortwave enthusiasts in Paragon City and beyond have occasionally happened upon strange transmissions of ghostly whispers, wailing pleas, bestial shouts of rage, and haunting voices chanting in dead languages. Those who have heard these grim transmissions nearly always suffer for it; their lives claimed by some unexpected calamity or their minds by a sudden and inexplicable mental illness. M.A.G.I. eventually traced the transmission to this radio tower."

Anyway this game is full of story hooks and was made to encourage creativity.

WHERE CAN I FIND IT (optional):

https://archive.paragonwiki.com/wiki/Main_Page - contains EVERYTHING about the game when it was live. Storylines, biographies, power stats, teams, enemies, badges. The whole kaboodle.

https://forums.homecomingservers.com/ - a rogue server that you can play (for free) the game. It's had some updates and new powers added, but I'll only be asking for stuff from the 'live' one.

What I'll be asking for: is worldbuilding. Anything you want to explore, the story behind a badge or using a badge as a prompt, villain groups within the game, backstory to a neighbourhood, what happened after [blank] was proven to be responsible for [blank huge canon event], fall out from missions, any of that. I'm going to be putting this in a LOT more detail in my sign up though. I really want to read the world.

Edited 2021-09-20 23:52 (UTC)

FANDOM NAME: Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (TV)

Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em is a British sitcom from the 1970s. It follows the main character Frank W. Spencer who attracts mishaps like a magnet and can never hold a job for long. The series is very strong on physical comedy (with some incredible stunts) and hilarious, but the characters are also very likeable.

Here's the Wikipedia article for a start. And here's an overview by the BFI. There's also a fansite with a detailed episode guide and background information.

Length: 3 seasons (in total 19 episodes, each 30 minutes), plus 3 Christmas specials and 1 Sport Relief special.

WHAT MAKES IT GREAT: The sitcom is very, very 1970s, so a (very) few of the jokes might offend modern sensibilities (which can of course be fixed in fic, too). However, the overall tone of the show is adorable and its characters show hidden depths that are worth exploring in fic.

WHERE CAN I FIND IT: It's available on DVD and iTunes (only UK), and there are a few eps and bits on YouTube. As far as I know streaming services like Netflix or Amazon Prime are not currently offering this sitcom in their catalogues. As I fear this might all make it difficult for some to get their hands on, especially with different DVD region codes, I am happy to share my files with you here: download from my Google Drive.

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING OF REQUESTING FOR THIS? I think episode-style fics would be great, or fix-its for existing episodes. Also, maybe something that explores Frank's past or family? Or a look into the future, post-canon?

FANDOM NAME: Shadows of the Apt by Adrian Tchaikovsky.

WHAT MAKES IT GREAT: This is an extremely epic eight-volume fantasy series with compelling characters and a very, very original and fascinating world. Let me explain...

1. Everything is bugs. Almost all animals are giant bugs. Humans ("kinden") are divided into clans named after bugs, and they have special attributes/powers related to their bug of choice. For instance, Dragonflies can fly, Mantids can extrude bony claws from their forearms, etc. This is all worked out with incredible and delightful detail and depth. I spent the entire book in a state of [chin-hands] "Yes, yes, tell me about the Wood Lice! More about the Roach powers and social status please!"

2. Apt vs. Inapt. People are further divided into Apt vs. Inapt. If you're Apt, you can use and understand machines, but not magic. If you're Inapt, you cannot understand or use any machines or even vaguely modern tools, to the point where you cannot comprehend how to use a latch to open a door, but you can use and understand magic. Essentially, people with a dawn-of-the-Industrial-Age understanding of science are interacting with equally intelligent people who are effectively living in the Bronze Age.

I nominated worldbuilding and three of my favorite characters, but I have a list of about twenty favorite characters. The ones I nominated are...

Cheerwell Maker, a Beetle, who is insecure and overweight and fights badly and tries hard and longs to fly (she's not one of the rare Beetles can manifest wings), and goes through an incredible hero arc across the story.

Straessa the Antspider, who is the product of a mixed marriage (hence her name), a college student who starts out plotting to cheat in a tournament and ends up a heroic defender of her city.

Castre Gorenn, a Dragonfly archer who's an Inapt fish out of water in an Apt Beetle city... until she teams up with Straessa.

WHERE CAN I FIND IT (optional): It's in print and easily obtainable.

Edited 2021-09-21 01:37 (UTC)

Ahhhh periodically I think about returning to this series and rereading the first few and finishing the rest... It's so good! :D

Re: Shadows of the Apt - Adrian Tchaikovsky

rachelmanija - 2021-09-21 16:34 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Shadows of the Apt - Adrian Tchaikovsky

rachelmanija - 2021-09-21 16:33 (UTC) - Expand

FANDOM NAME: Six Ages: Ride Like the Wind

WHAT IS IT?: An interactive fiction/turn based strategy hybrid video game, about myth, choices, and stealing your neighbors’ cows, set in the distant, mythic past of the fantasy world Glorantha.

WHAT MAKES IT GREAT:
Your prominent clan members are characters with names, faces, personalities, obsessions, strengths and weaknesses. They age, die, and sometimes get engaged to two people at once and make you deal with the fallout. A few have a chance at heroic destinies—only a chance; it’s up to you to actually make it happen.

The world is incredibly detailed—especially in terms of myth and culture—and incredibly weird. Myths are literally true; disease happens because of disease spirits that shamans can banish, and the gods can show up in person, though because they are not beings of time their perspective can be odd.

Also, it’s gorgeous. The entire game is illustrated, mostly in watercolor with some carefully chosen exceptions; it’s all fantastically detailed and beautiful.

A friendly encounter between two Rider women of different clans.

Ram traders offer a powerful magical treasure for sale

Elaborately-dressed traditionalist Rider shamans conduct a magical ritual

Historical events like the glacier destroying Nivorah are depicted in a woodcut style

Hyalor, hero-god of the Riders, argues with the powerful spirit Raven

WHERE CAN I FIND IT?: Steam, Good Old Games, iOS App Store.

Aw heck I've been eyeing this... how long would you say it takes for a full playthrough?

Re: Six Ages: Ride Like the Wind (Video Game)

sheliak - 2021-09-22 23:04 (UTC) - Expand

FANDOM NAME: Hilda the Plus-Sized Pin-Up - Duane Bryers (Illustration Series)
WHAT MAKES IT GREAT: Pin up, red head, plus sized lady, great art, so much potential for stories... what's not to love? Hilda's lust for life and her unashamed nature in seeking out even the smallest of adventures with exuberance is so completely evident in each piece and I adore everything about them! It's so clear that Bryers loved Hilda (and whoever the real life inspiration for her was). The happiness and joy contained in each of the works in this series is infectious and they always make me smile. The potential for great stories is infinite too! You could tell a story inspired by a single piece or string a bunch of illustrations together for something completely different!
WHERE CAN I FIND IT?(optional): Some examples

You can find a larger collection here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.653547017991559&type=1&l=5126ca78c8

and this one has several dozen that I hadn't ever seen before: https://www.boredpanda.com/plus-size-pinup-girl-hilda-duane-bryers/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic

There is a little blog write up here including with a few illustrations not in the above collection: http://www.messynessychic.com/2016/08/02/americas-forgotten-pin-up-girl/

https://designyoutrust.com/2019/08/meet-hilda-the-americas-forgotten-pin-up-girl/

I'm always happy when Hilda pops up in Yuletide every year! Love her, love the fic the art featuring her brings.

Re: Hilda the Plus-Sized Pin-Up - Duane Bryers (Illustration Series)

rachelmanija - 2021-09-22 00:23 (UTC) - Expand

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 5 of 12

no subject

no subject

In Demand Music Video

The Royals

October Faction

Re: October Faction

Sovereign Tea (Video Game)

Top 10 Games You Can Play in Your Head by Yourself

Re: Top 10 Games You Can Play in Your Head by Yourself

Nice Marines RPG

Steve Jackson's Sorcery! - Steve Jackson

Re: Steve Jackson's Sorcery! - Steve Jackson

Ledo and Ix - a short animated series (1 complete season, plus unfinished continuation)

Overview: Ledo and Ix

Screenshots from Episode 2

Characters

Ledo

Ix

Where to Watch Ledo and Ix

Spiritfarer

Re: Spiritfarer

no subject

Confessions of Dorian Gray (audio drama)

Flower of Evil (k-drama)

Re: Flower of Evil (k-drama)

Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon

Kaminari (Nested Fandom)

Re: Kaminari (Nested Fandom)

Batwoman 2017 (Comic)

Re: Batwoman 2017 (Comic)

Dreamgirls - Krieger/Eyen

Re: Dreamgirls - Krieger/Eyen

no subject

no subject

Gypsy - Laurents/Sondheim

Re: Gypsy - Laurents/Sondheim

Forever Amber - Kathleen Winsor

Re: Forever Amber - Kathleen Winsor

City of Heroes

Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (TV)

Shadows of the Apt - Adrian Tchaikovsky

Re: Shadows of the Apt - Adrian Tchaikovsky

Six Ages: Ride Like the Wind (Video Game)

Re: Six Ages: Ride Like the Wind (Video Game)

Hilda the Plus-Sized Pin-Up - Duane Bryers (Illustration Series)

Re: Hilda the Plus-Sized Pin-Up - Duane Bryers (Illustration Series)