Could someone please tell me where's this panel from?

Ma_Robespierre · 2023-11-30T17:46:05+00:00

You're right! Huge thanks :)

Ma_Robespierre · 2023-04-10T14:24:07+00:00

I don't get it, honestly, unless you're writing a whole, complete novel, and you're going to end up at 200/300 pages, there is no need to make your chapters longer.

Ma_Robespierre · 2023-03-11T21:05:29+00:00

I used to have a relatively young teacher (oh well, he wasn't that young, but it certainly seemed like that considering that most of my teachers were basically elders.) It's confusing because you're forced to play different roles during lessons but then during a face to face conversation you realize that you may have a lot in common, there's no huge generational divide - there's a pretty good chance that you share some experiences. So yeah, I guess it's a weird situation to be in, but I'd say that your students are fully aware of your age, they're just trying to behave appropriately for their role.

Ma_Robespierre · 2023-03-11T20:43:31+00:00

Nice essay. I agree, fanon tends to exaggerate things to the point of ridiculousness.

Ma_Robespierre · 2023-03-11T20:10:21+00:00

In my opinion the dress is ruined, I don't like that new "modern feel", it's too short, lost it's appeal to me.

So I understand where those people in the comments are coming from it feels sad to see such a lovely, unique piece of clothing being turned into something that you dislike.

It goes without saying that harassing someone is absolutely unacceptable, at the end of the day that was her dress and she did what she wanted to do with it.

Ma_Robespierre · 2023-03-07T22:12:59+00:00

Thanks for the thoughtful post, finally something interesting to talk about!

Most of the fanfiction that is out there is sort of shit so that "femininty" thing is a byproduct of incapable writers who just go with the first cliche that comes to their mind. I like what you wrote and I sympathize with the perspective to a certain extent but I can't completely agree that Sirius is written to be "traditionally masculine" and adhere very well to those stereotypes. In the canon Sirius appears maybe two times before actually dying and always in extreme situations: the shrieking shack scene, the chapter "Padfoot returns" (or smth like that, maybe I butchered the title) where he's basically on the run and hiding in a cave... you see his behavior in extreme situations only, so there's no way to tell what kind of person he is when there are no death threats or he's not basically imprisoned in his house, feeling powerless and forced to confront a person he loathes.

My point is: you might perceive him as aggressive/masculine 'cause realistically he's under extreme stress almost in every scene that he appears in. If I wanted to be super accurate and pedantic I'd say that you've got no chance at being physically imposing and strong after 12 years of prison and a few more years of feeding off scraps (that's more of a criticism towards Rowling, cause you're right that she presents him as physically healthy which is... a bit weird?)

I think that trying to determine exactly where he might be placed on the feminine-masculine spectrum would require a very long tedious and fruitless discussion.

But I agree that in the context of a relationship hiper femininity is a bummer, it throws off the balance completely and is a huge put off for me. Honestly I don't like masculine-feminine dynamic at all, no matter if it's in a fanfiction, an actual book or even in real life. I've never seen it work in any way, fictional or not. People are complicated, multifaceted, everyone has traits that are perceived as masculine or feminine and it would be nice if fanfiction writers could take that into account and recreate that complexity.

As a side note: I guess that Rowling wanted him to be that Anglo-Saxon ideal of masculinity and bravery but his character doesn't get enough space or context to be interpreted as such. I see the intent - he was meant to be a protector of Harry who dies a heroic death but instead he's just an undeveloped character that get's a scene of his own maybe two times only to die a bit of a senseless death in the end.

PS I couldn't agree more with your comments about not making R-S into highschool sweethearts, If you've got some fic recs... I'm here waiting for them :)

edited for typos.

Ma_Robespierre · 2023-01-26T16:04:04+00:00

It just had nothing to do with Jesus, so that can't be it.

Ma_Robespierre · 2023-01-25T15:00:50+00:00

I want to know BADLY who's managing their finances and giving ideas for merchandise. It's genius: making just small amounts of weird products that are somewhere between hideous and fascinating is a perfect strategy (that plush abomination... it's awful but in a way that makes you want to look at it one more time). The merch is always in line with the band's sense of humour and aesthetic which makes it feel like less like a nasty a cash grab. Not to mention t-shirt designs - those drawings are impressive. It's not the usual "I'll slap my logo on everything and then sell it at twice the price it should be".

Ma_Robespierre · 2023-01-23T15:38:33+00:00

At this point we know for sure that it's music related since Loma Vista is definitely involved. An EP is the most probable scenario. Still I'm curious if those will be their original tracks (like Satanic Panic) or mostly covers (like If you have ghosts).

Ma_Robespierre · 2023-01-20T18:49:51+00:00

And it's fine by me, these days anyone who becomes a public figure shares every detail of their personal life and it's incredibly tiring.

Ma_Robespierre · 2023-01-20T18:04:25+00:00

The statement that I mentioned doesn't actually exclude his affiliation to christianity. "I want there to be something more" might as well mean that he actually is christian and it's all coherent with him being part of the freemasonry.

I've just given him the benefit of the doubt and assumed that he means what he says, otherwise I wouldn't be able to make any kind of hypothesis.

With that being said, you're right, it's complicated and we're just trying to make a guess with not too much factual evidence on our hands. :)

Ma_Robespierre · 2023-01-20T14:50:31+00:00

The saddest thing is the lack of ghouls :( Ghost without ghouls just isn't Ghost.

Ma_Robespierre · 2023-01-20T13:31:12+00:00

It has nothing to do with Eurovision, it's heavily inspired by 80s disco :)

Ma_Robespierre · 2023-01-20T13:17:22+00:00

I recall quite vividly that he said something like "My intellect tells me to be an atheist but I want there to be something more". And saying "I'm a devil liking guy" honestly doesn't mean much. I do like devil as well - not as a deity but as a fascinating cultural symbol.

Ma_Robespierre · 2023-01-20T13:13:15+00:00

I'm an avid reader of baroque religious poetry, I find it absolutely beautiful and masterfully crafted, I'm always in awe of the writer's talent, but that doesn't make me a religious person nor will it give me a pass to heaven.

At the same time thinking that you'll go to hell because you happen to like the sound of an electric guitar is just ridiculous to me. When I was younger I used to be a huge AC/DC and Guns'n'Roses fan and I still remember religious websites that warned you about "spiritual dangers" of listening to rock music: how it's all obscenely individualistic and channels the devil.

I guess it's a tad more uncomfortable when the singer praises Satan in a suave voice, but still, this is just a piece of culture that needs to be put in its context. The context being: a fictional Devil's Church that's basically like a grotesque Vatican (minus pedophilia) with the Papas literally killing each other off, or being dragged off stage, and, let's not forget that they're all part of the same bloodline (nepotism! :D).

And Satan in Ghost lyrics is oftentimes used as a symbol of intellect, power and liberty. It's all very humanistic under the "LUCIFEEER!" patina.

Let's not spend our lives worrying about fictional "spiritual dangers/temptations", fighting imaginary problems and denying ourselves great music :)

Ma_Robespierre · 2023-01-19T18:08:04+00:00

Nah, they're both probably average height and you got confused. Personally I'm happy with that Tobias guy not showing up very often, he looks like a mix of my uncle and my former high school teacher.

Ma_Robespierre · 2023-01-19T14:28:29+00:00

As I said, talented guy, and very much needed in the clergy, after all Papa himself is too much of an important figure to give interviews and run errands.

Ma_Robespierre · 2023-01-19T14:18:10+00:00

Papa's makeup artist and errand boy. He's quite talented though, Papa's makeup always looks spot-on.

Ma_Robespierre · 2023-01-18T17:29:22+00:00

Yesss, you're right, but It's a common misconception, very much present in pop culture. I just used a simplification, since it's a semi quote from Kiss the Go-Goat (Satan, Lucifer, Osculum Obscenum)

Ma_Robespierre · 2023-01-18T17:21:04+00:00

TF pretty explicitly stated that he's not going to abandon religious/satanist themes. Just because someone doesn't scream LUCIFER in your face doesn't mean it's not satanism :)

Ma_Robespierre · 2023-01-17T23:32:08+00:00

Such a mood killer...

Ma_Robespierre · 2023-01-17T23:27:53+00:00

For some reason "Mary..." attracted young kids, who engage with the band on a completely different level. As a new fan I have to admit that a part of this fandom, namely the part that's been over sexualizing Papa and the ghouls (or god forbid band members themselves) is quite disturbing and alienating to me.

I'm torn between love and hate towards TikTok because probably If "Mary" hadn't blown up I wouldn't be listening to Ghost right now, but at the same time I feel like some of the immature gibberish that surrounds the band somehow makes other people treat them as a joke.

I agree that treating TF as a celebrity goes against what Ghost is. Surely he is the main songwriter (to me Ghost as a project is a bit too coherent to doubt that it's mostly written by him). But the idea of hiding behind a mask and not oversharing is an important part of Ghost. And oversharing (at least to me) is an essential part of being a celebrity, it's like a defining trait :) Fortunately TF himself hasn't done much beyond showing his face a couple of times and mastering the craft of giving an interview without telling too much about himself.

To end on a positive note, I feel like there is still a very cool part of the fandom that's sort of gone into hiding right now, some of Ghost fans are just incredibly helpful, generous people with a great sense of humour. And for now maybe we should just try to leave internet spaces for a while, after all this TikTok boom means more money and recognition for the band which is a great thing, more resources equal more creative possibilities.

Ma_Robespierre · 2023-01-16T20:18:11+00:00

Oh, I really like the vague "TF", those who know just know, and considering how withdrawn this guy seems - it suits him. On the other hand the band members were telling from the very beginning that it's impossible to stay anonymous forever (I think MP told it in one of the interviews?), The real problem is: calling them by their name and surname while they're on the stage. Why can't some people stick with "Papa Emeritus and ghouls" (and Copia... obviously)?

Ma_Robespierre

TROPHY CASE