Media Roundup: Team Ups and More

[forestofglory]

Steven Universe: The Movie This was very enjoyable! It was nice to spend more time with all these beloved characters. The main problem with Steven Universe is that it treats all problems as interpersonal when some of them are systematic and this movie doesn’t fix that, but it was charming and fun despite that. I’m always here for Steven trying to talk his way out of problems.

Are You Listening? by Tillie Walden This fablisist graphic novel about two queer women on a road trip was beautifully drawn. The art does so much to convey the mood. It's very surreal and melancholy in places. (Content note: sexual assault, grief)

The Dark Fantastic: Race and the Imagination from Harry Potter to the Hunger Games by Ebony Elizabeth Thomas This is an academic book about race in SFF, or more specifically Blackness with a focus of the portrayal of Black women.It’s a mix of lit crit and discussion of fan reactions, so they’ll be a section on how certain work reflects the culture’s ideas about race and then some discussion of the fan culture around it I thought it was really good!

Marvel Rising by Devin Grayson et al. I’m not a big superhero person, but I am fond of both Squirrel Girl and Ms Marvel so a comic where they team up seemed like fun. But it felt a bit bland to me lacking most of what I really like about these characters. The team up got them both out of their normal context, which meant that we only got a small scene with Squirrel Girl’s friends and none of Ms Marvel’s family, and I missed all of them. Plus one of the things that I love about Squirrel Girl is that she always tries to find a non-violent solution, and that didn’t really happen here. So this was a perfectly ok story but didn’t really give me what I wanted from the team up.

Field Trip by Molly Brooks This MG graphic novel is sequel to Sanity & Tallulah. Its a fun story about girls having and adventure in space

Star Trek: Voyager We are now in the middle of season four and things are a bit bleaker than in the 1st three seasons. But we have Seven of Nine now and she is great! Also I knew that Voyager had more of found family vibe than other Treks, but I didn’t realize that they just call themselves a family all the time! It's so nice. Also the show does a great job of teaming up different pairs of character to good effect.

Comments

[spindizzy]

Ooh, I've got Are You Listening? on my literal tbr stack! Thank you for reminding me!

[forestofglory]

Yay! I think you will really like it!

[libitina]

Yay! I'm glad you liked Ebony Thomas' book. I keep reaching to buy it, but I want a paperback version so I'm still waiting.

[forestofglory]

Oh, that's frustrating. I just got it out of the library.

[pink_ink]

ohh the dark fantastic sounds really interesting, thank you for the rec!
we need more books like this, esp. on race and fantasy, which is a really under-researched topic.

Tillie Walden's drawings look simply gorgeous. i've been wanting to read a one of her graphic novels, but i haven't decided on which one...

[forestofglory]

Yes, I think books like The Dark Fantastic are doing important work!

I've read a couple of other graphic novels by Tillie Walden and enjoyed them all -- so don't think there's a wrong choice for which to read first.

[alchimie]

Your description of the main problem with Steven Universe is exactly the words I have been trying to find for some time -- thank you. I do love the show, passionately, but there are times I am impelled to really engage with my daughter about it because of just that difference between the interpersonal and the systemic and wanting her to start to understand the difference.

[forestofglory]

I'm glad it helped! Several other friends said smart things about it which helped me articulate the issue. (I also adore the show though I am not caught up)

[mrissa]

The main problem with Steven Universe is that it treats all problems as interpersonal when some of them are systematic

SO MUCH THIS.

Especially with the plotline they chose for the movie. It was basically created to highlight this very problem, and then, welp. WELP.

[lunabee34]

I love that about Voyager, too. They really are a big family, and that resonates with me.

[forestofglory]

It's lovely!

(Great icon by the way)

[lunabee34]

Thank you! I love the relationship that develops between the two of them.

All my icons except the ones with my name on them are shareable, so feel free to snag any you like if you ever want to.

[forestofglory]

Thank you, I may take you up on that as I'm looking for some trek icons.

[cranky_x_crocus]

I've not seen the SU film yet but need to! The main problem with Steven Universe is that it treats all problems as interpersonal when some of them are systematic ~ Agreed, had never seen it put that way. Adding the Walden book to the list. The Dark Fantastic sounds really good too.

Ayyyyy Voyager!! With Seven. <3 I need to watch through the whole series, think I stopped one season before the end!

[forestofglory]

I'm really enjoying the Seven Janeway conflicts right now!

[cranky_x_crocus]

Some of my favourites of the show. Funnily enough I just started up DS9!

[forestofglory]

DS9 is also really good! is this your 1st watch?

[cranky_x_crocus]

I watched odd episodes in order back in uni when they'd play it back-to-back with Voyager a lot (*loved that*) & I think I watched a few seasons once upon a time, so it's a rewatch-until-it's-new situation. Don't think I got to the Dax changeover, if that gives you more context than it gives me xD

[forestofglory]

Ah, rewatch until its new sounds fun! The Dax change over isn't for quite a while.