Goodness, What Is Going On?

Draw me like one of your English vampires.

WIP. One of Cleopatra's occupations is portrait commissions for vampires who can't see their reflections. Pierce is a born model.

Proud of my Regency Era furniture (and my humans), though something still seems a little wonky. I don't know much by way of perspective or proportion, so that's one of the skills I hope to improve this year.

I'm tired, so have some Pierce being unintentionally funny.

All of these happened during intense scenes or fight sequences. I didn't realise as I was writing that they're pure slapstick. All the Gothic elements of toxic people, betrayal, loneliness and misery are present in the story, but as Van Helsing puts it, King Laugh refuses to be shut out. Sorry, Pierce, you have a kooky author.

Susan Kay's Phantom // L'Opéra des Vampires by me. (Full except and context below cut)

I haven't yet uploaded this part of Gothic Tales because this "tale" is undergoing severe redrafting, but this scene stands thus:

(Anyway, chapter one of Gothic Tales is up on AO3!)

My Erik is very talkative. I also had to take care to make him more gremlin, since he's often too wise and sad.

I think a lot about how Madeline swore to change when it's too late. Maybe it wouldn't have been different anyway. Maybe it would have been too late even if Erik didn't leave that night.

Every My Chemical Romance song featuring vampires, drawn as vampires.

Can you guess which one is which? Answer under the dumb doodle I did on the bus

1: L-R: Sharpest Lives, Vampire Money, 2: Vampires Will Never Hurt You.

(Shoutout to @nalesnik-z-morela I'm sorry when you first told me about MCR my whole review was "there was a lot of screaming" I'm now obsessed, so you see, I got my comeuppance.)

I meant to draw my 'sucker for blood suckers' t-shirt, but miscalculations were made.

Silliness aside, being scatterbrained and fidgety is not the only trait of ADHD. When I read that rejection sensitive dysphoria is a part of the ADHD gift pack, I nearly punched the person next to me. That's the only way I can describe how gobsmacked I was. So much of my social problems come from not wanting to risk getting rejected - and my assumption that everyone reacts to rejections as badly.

Anyway, have a prehistoric taco fish.

Erik live reaction:

(This happens every week. Erik should not be allowed near good WiFi reception.) Vlad, it's beautiful. The little hairs on his wrinkly forehead are vital. And you used one of my favourite Raoul kooky quotes! My first little bald cat Erik has come so far *teary sigh*

"With Erik, you never know. Is it Erik? Is it the cat? Is it the ghost? No, with Erik, you can't tell!"

@purrlockswatson has this fantastic version of Erik who is a Sphynx cat. So I thought I'd do a portrait of him because I really enjoy drawing cats. And Eriks.

Aauughh, it'sforthehampsterthatI'mgonnabuy!

That one clip from Life on the Murder Scene keeps looping in my head, so here is My Chemical Hamsters.

I know I'm late to every party and fandom, but I come bearing silly lil guys

Phantom of the Paradise, you're a curious one

For some reason, I was convinced PoTP was set in outer space. Star Trek meets Phantom of the Opera, if you will. ⚠️Mild spoilers afoot⚠️

In a way, I'm glad I was ridiculously mistaken. I felt the full shocking impact of a rockstar-biopic-style narrative turned '70s Faust fever dream. The rooftop scene was like waking up in a nightmare: the metaphor coming horribly to life.

Winslow is a great Erik/Phantom incarnation. As a writer, I'm in sympathy with him for being unable to realise his masterpiece because it's "too long" and the entertainment world doesn't care. And horrible adaptations ARE enough to drive one to notoriety, you go, Winslow. Terrible tragedy that he wasn't allowed access to Erik's gunpowder stash, he deserved it.

Beef is probably the most dramatic La Carlotta parallel to exist, and that's saying something. What in the Santa-looking heck was he wearing as a coat during his "I'm outta here" scene? Somebody Super Like You is absolutely delightful - until he started performing, that is.

Phoenix has a stunning voice and a certain something that just screams superstar.

I'm less impressed by Swan. I'm not acquainted to Paul Williams' works, so I'm speaking solely without context about his background. Personally, I don't think he has the devilish, vampiric quality I'd have liked to see in that role. That's the only letdown in the film, honestly.

Rambles about other POTO adaptations here!

Thank you for the tag, Greenfinch! I'm sorry it took me so long, I have much difficulty choosing favourites. In no specific order:

Christine Daaé - Le Fantôme de l'Opéra by Gaston Leroux

Mina Harker - Dracula

Noemí Taboada - Mexican Gothic

Edith Sharpe - Crimson Peak (my Gothic is showing, isn't it)

Diana Bishop - All Souls Trilogy

Wednesday Addams

Mary Watson - Sherlock (until the showrunners used her as a plot point. I'm still massively disappointed about that.)

Bella Baxter - Poor Things (the 2023 film, I haven't got my paws on the book yet)

I'm feeling a lack of evil ladies in my list, and it feels too self-indulgent to throw my own crazy lady characters in, so I'm off to find some.

Open tag!

Thank for the tag @elvisqueso I love that you included Marissa Schurr because the side characters in Hannibal are everything <333 (also Rumiko Takahashi draws the most beautiful women 🙂‍↕️)

In honor of International Women's Day, list eight of your favorite fictional women from eight different fandoms, in no particular order.

Beverly Katz - Hannibal

Toph Beifong - ATLA

Dolores Abernathy - Westworld

Tara Thornton - True Blood

Dowager Countess of Grantham - Downton Abbey

Lucille Bluth - Arrested Development

Homura Akemi - Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Amy Dunne - Gone Girl

tagging: @cedarxwing @collapsingchurches @greenfinchwriter @littleblackraincloudofcourse @hopesapowerfulthing @sleepyfranz @ninoochat @a-grief-observed @daimiyamoto @brassic-bitch @coco-saurio @pesky--dust @tillitsleeps @suchawrathfullamb @oddlytenderstars @redpenbn @tayasui-mono @forthecriminallyinsane @hold-the-devil-well @supervillain-penpal @burnt-sienna-soup-ladles @renecatstuff @tonight-i-may-see @voltac @maleficent088 @resomated & anyone else who wants to do it 🖤

(Loosely) based on comic panels sent to me by @blackforrestpunk . Read his comics here. Bonus points if you can catch a Cat Punk Erik.

Get yourself a friend in a vastly different time zone with whom you can still complain about being sleep depraved at the same time or something