Hey folks! Hannah here this week to present you with several exciting TV & movie announcements, an accidental ship from Parks & Recreation, some speculation about Dean Winchester’s sexuality, and a manga pairing that’s near and dear to my shipper heart.
Fandom News
- Another shipping poll has surfaced over at Zap2it, asking fans for “the most crushworthy ‘ship that Tumblr sails.” Their long list of couples in the running comprises gay, lesbian, and heterosexual TV pairings, including the perennially popular FaBerry, Johnlock, Destiel, Merthur, and many more. Be sure to go submit your vote to land your OTP a(nother) glorious win!
(source: Zap2It)
- This Tuesday, February 19th, Teen Wolf executive director Jeff Davis will be taking over the official Teen Wolf tumblr to answer fan questions. Submit your queries via the ask box to Jeff starting 10am EST on Tuesday!
- Peter Dinklage joins the cast of X-Men: Days of Future Past! I am already too excited for this movie, and now Bryan Singer had to go and add Dinklage to the already amazing lineup. July 2014 is much too far away!
(photo: Getty)
- Great news for fans of shows on The CW: Supernatural, Arrow, and The Vampire Diaries have all been renewed for an additional season, and The Vampire Diaries has also received the green light to shoot a pilot for a possible spinoff series, called The Originals. After gaining viewers thanks to its position next to new hit Arrow, Supernatural seems poised to make it all the way to season 10!
David Ramsay (Diggle) and Stephen Amell (Oliver Queen) in a scene from The CW's Arrow
(photo: The CW)
- Speaking of Supernatural, many fans have been noticing several interesting scenes popping up in season 8 that seem to hint that Dean Winchester might actually be canonically interested in women and men. Call me crazy, but after the umpteenth subtle reference and pointed glimpse of a charming smile directed at a dude, I’m actually getting optimistic. Dean’s personal reaction to homosexuality has come leaps and bounds in the span of the series, to the point where he gets adorably flustered when hit on by a guy (8x13) rather than shutting him down instantly and coldly (2x09, 6x05). The arguments that Dean is finally accepting his repressed bisexuality are thorough and compelling, and I encourage you to check out this essay and weigh the possibility for yourself. What do you think? At the very least, it’s heartening to see Dean transforming into a freer and more accepting character. (Still hoping for some endgame Destiel, though. GIVE ME THIS, UNIVERSE. GIVE ME THIS.)
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- A recent quote from Sherlock co-creator Mark Gatiss himself has Sherlock fans excited; Gatiss has suggested that he would like to “play with the idea of them [Sherlock and Watson] growing up” and has opened the door to the possibility that beyond the upcoming series three, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman could step into the roles again in the far future. “I'd love the idea of Benedict and Martin the same age as Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce,” says Gatiss, referencing the actors who played an older Holmes and Watson in the past. “Who knows? Why not?”
With series three slated for a late 2013 release date (we hope), the ever-patient and slightly unhinged Sherlock fandom will just have to continue tiding themselves over with set pictures and various interviews as they train for what could turn into a decade-long wait between future series.
Accidentally Shipping: Ben Wyatt/Tom Haverford (Parks and Recreation)
I love Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) and I love Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott) and I adore them together, so the other day I was surprised to find myself squinting a bit at the TV screen and accidentally shipping something new. This time it’s Ben Wyatt, nerdy accountant extraordinaire, and Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari), Pawnee’s own twitter-addicted, underachieving entrepreneur.
The two have many plainly adorable interactions together, and have built a strange and quirky relationship over several seasons. Tom comes to Ben multiple times for help with his business ventures, and Ben sticks around even after watching Tom throw his advice out the window more than once. In one episode, after noticing how depressed Ben is, Tom and another parks employee, Donna, take Ben to the mall with them on their ultra special annual shopping spree, encouraging Ben to “Treat Yo Self.” It works in the end, and they help him through the pain with some cathartic Batman cosplay. Tom and Ben also work together on many more occasions, even going together to schmooze a local talk show hostess into a book endorsement. They’re a silly pair of opposites, but it’s incredibly fun and surprisingly touching to watch Ben help Tom get his life on track, and to see Tom help Ben lighten up and put a touch of swagger and unpredictability into his routine.
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Pairing of the Week: KuroFai (Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle)
I noticed that several commenters have been asking for more anime/manga ships, and I am more than happy to oblige. Several of the OTPs closest to my heart are from my days of manga obsession, and I would be excited to share some with you all!
If you’re into anime and manga, you’ve probably heard of the artistic group CLAMP. They’ve done over two dozen distinct titles, such as the magical girl series Cardcaptor Sakura, the apocalyptic saga X/1999, and the mysterious supernatural cases of xxxHOLiC. I could write months worth of columns just on the slash pairings in CLAMP’s manga, but for now I’ll just pick one of my favorites.
(Artwork by CLAMP)
I’m pretty much obsessed with crossovers in TV and comic books so I love CLAMP’s series Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, which brings together alternate universe versions of almost every CLAMP character ever made. But this week, the spotlight is on two characters original to Tsubasa, named Fai D. Flourite and Kurogane. The two men come from different worlds, and are vastly different in personality and temperament; one is a bubbly, secretive magician, filled with faux cheerfulness, and the other a rough, irascible ninja; Fai is pale, light, and waifish, while Kurogane is dark and muscular. They are brought together for a journey, along with two other characters, by hitsuzen– that is, by fate.
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Doing a bit of research and refreshing my memories of KuroFai actually had me grinning and cackling at the computer screen, I’m not gonna lie. In the series, their relationship is the source of much comedy and also much angst. After a reluctant and mistrustful beginning, they form a strange companionship, traveling together, working together, and even making shocking sacrifices for each other.
I don’t want to spoil too many plot points here, but at one point Kurogane basically binds Fai to him for life to keep Fai from dying, and cuts loose (pun intended, if you know what I’m talking about) some seriously important things of his in order to save the magician once again. All that when he claims that Fai drives him crazy. NOT LIKELY, KURO-TAN.
(Artwork by CLAMP)
CLAMP is the master of subtext and torturous slash pairings. This pairing toyed with my feelings for years and does really have a special place in my OTP Hall of Fame. For more KuroFai scenes, check out this collection of “questionable manga moments” from Tsubasa, or look for more on livejournal, tumblr, and AO3.
Fic Rec: The Shoebox Project
Most fandoms out there have one or two works that are famous among the fans; these works sometimes shape a particular fandom, and often make the “must read” list for newcomers.
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In the world of Harry Potter, specifically the Marauders Era Remus Lupin/Sirius Black fandom, The Shoebox Project is one such fandom. The 26-part project comprises complementary works of writing and art, cleverly bringing them together to form a collection of items that might be found together in a shoebox. Much beloved and regarded by some as the pinnacle of Marauder’s Era fic, the Shoebox Project is a fun and creative read that gives us a glimpse into an engaging portrayal of the lives of Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs. It features James Potter/Lily Evans as a secondary pairing, and there’s not actually any slash until at least 20 parts in, but there’s plenty else to keep you coming back for more.
Download it in PDF format here.
Question of the Week
What’s the “Must Read” work in your favorite fandom(s)? Is there one particular fic that seems like everyone in the fandom has read? Or one fic you think everyone should read?
Parting Gif
Watch out for stray or out of control feels, everyone! They can be brutal!
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That’s all for now. Thanks for reading, and as always please let me know any and all thoughts and comments you have!
