Meet the New Fangirls: Jessica

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Jessica

by Jessica

My first love has always been reading. When I was a child I used to gather up books and stack them around me long after my parents had told me to go to bed, and long before I actually knew how to read them. My first true fandom (Pokemon doesn’t count, right?) bloomed from this love—Harry Potter; oh, the tales I could tell about that obsession…but I feel like I was not properly indoctrinated into geek culture until the sixth grade, when my older sister bought me Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game for my birthday. I was absolutely blown away by that book. I made a Battle School diorama. I think this was the first time that I consciously realized that there was a real, live genre called “Science Fiction/Fantasy,” and I adored it. (In other news, I am anxiously awaiting the supposed 2013 film version of Ender’s Game…if it is terrible, I just might die. I say this while simultaneously acknowledging that it will probably be terrible.)

You should see the other entries in here…

Of course, it wasn’t long before this new-found adoration branched out in other directions, probably most notably into the Sci-Fi cannon of television programs. My entire family was (is) obsessed with The X-Files (Agent Mulder is such a Fox! lolz), and I personally devoured the entire Joss Whedon canon, Star Trek, Doctor Who, Battlestar Gallactica….you know, basically everything you need to get along at any nerd cocktail party worth its salt. In my current state, I am constantly impressed with my child-self for being unrelenting in my obsession for these genres: I once dressed up as J.R.R. Tolkien for a book report. Read: I once wore a men’s tweed suit and bowtie to sixth grade and talked to my class about Lord of the Rings.

a photograph of Jessica in sixth grade, dressed as J.R.R. Tolkien

Somehow this didn’t make me wildly popular.

I’ve never been quite as exposed to comics as I’d like to be, mostly because when I was younger economic issues prevented me from buying them. I’ve always been driven by the story, and it was heart wrenching for me to be left on a comic cliffhanger when I was a kid, unable to find out what happened next because I couldn’t afford to buy the next issue. It didn’t help that comics culture is virtually non-existent in the town of Maryville, Tennessee, where I grew up. Of course, I’m now at a point in my life where comics are more readily available to me, since I have comic-enthusiast friends I can borrow from (plus the super-helpful internet). Economic ability and geek culture is still something that really interests me, so if you have feelings on it, let me know!

And since I am currently expanding my knowledge of comics, I’m always looking for recommendations! Honestly, the extent of what I’ve read up to this moment is mostly television shows extended into comic form, Sailor Venus & Sailor Moon (Sailor Venus was way better, who knew?), Alison Bechdel, and my mother’s old Superman omnibus from when she was a little girl. I know this makes me a little different from many readers of Fantastic Fangirls, so please teach me your ways!

a photograph of Jessica wearing goggles and a plumed hat

Me at NYCC 2010

As for my existence outside of my fascination with Sci-Fi and Fantasy, I am currently in my senior year of college. I have three majors—Theater, Classical Civilization, and English with a concentration in creative writing. I’m working on a thesis which is monopolizing (or should be monopolizing) all of my time, so I’ll let you guys know how that turns out. I’ll admit that I’m currently in that terrified phase that comes when you are about to graduate from college but have no idea what you want to do with your life afterwards, or where you will live, or what you will eat…Maybe it will help if I think of it as embarking on a grand adventure. Or maybe it will help if I pretend that the Doctor is going to pick me up from graduation in the TARDIS. Alas, the only thing that’s certain is that I love talking and writing about books and television and comics! Talk to me about Diana Wynne Jones. Talk to me about the upcoming Hobbit film. Talk to me about the best comic I haven’t read yet. It’ll be great.

K. Lynn Smith’s Plume

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Anika

This Post Contains Spoilers.

by Marie

“Revenge is like a plume of smoke.” –K. Lynn Smith

A unique gem in the world of web comics, K. Lynn Smith’s Plume is a seamless blend of Western Adventure and Fantasy. Set during the early turn of the century within a kind of alternative universe, the story follows the young daughter of an archeologist, Vesper Grey and her supernatural watchdog-companion-of-sorts, Corrick. Though I’m sure he wouldn’t appreciate my latter moniker. Together, they take on the Old West to reclaim the ancient and mystical artifacts that were stolen from her father.

Vesper Grey is a refreshing heroine. Headstrong and easily bored by the unrelenting expectations placed on her by her wealthy aunt (whom she temporarily stays with until her father returns from his latest expedition), it’s clear that she has no patience for tedium and constraint. When creating Vesper Grey Smith notes that, “Too often do we see these big, busty leggy vixens in comics. I wanted Vesper to be a Tom Boy with too much pride and an overzealous need for adventure.” Fortunately for Vesper, she gets the excitement she longs for when she encounters Corrick, a powerful and mysterious being that has been soul-bound to an amulet given to her by her father.

Corrick introduces himself as her otherwordly protector whose chief purpose is to keep her from harm. There are a few catches in the fine print, however. While Corrick has sworn to keep her safe, he has no loyalty to anything but the amulet. That means that if it ever leaves her possession and is worn by someone else, he becomes their bodyguard instead. An unpleasant scenario to consider given the events that happen later. Additionally, the amulet’s power weakens if Vesper goes “looking for trouble.”

Although trouble finds Vesper soon enough, she’s not exactly the type to sit back and welcome it passively. “[Vesper] often gets herself into a pickle,” says Smith. “And that’s where Corrick comes in to save her tail. They have their flaws, which makes their adventure so much better. They have room to grow.”

In that vein, perhaps one of the most compelling elements of Plume is the relationship between Vesper and Corrick. Their interactions with one another are both funny and authentic. When asked what aspect of their relationship she liked best, Smith replied, “They are opposites, red and blue, hot and cold…I love writing and drawing panels with the both of them in it. And they do tend to write themselves.”

Recently, Smith has just completed a successful Kickstarter campaign. The fan response was overwhelming. While the initial goal was $3,000, the amount of pledges they received exceeded $9,000. “I was thrilled!” says Smith. “For this last campaign, Devil’s Due Entertainment [an independent comic book publisher] handled it for me. When they first released to me the amount we were striving for, I thought, ‘There’s no way we’d reach that!’ For a while, I did not think we would. But low and behold, we surpassed our goal.” Regarding the enthusiasm of her fans—many of whom she met face to face at this year’s New York Comic Con—Smith says, “They are die-hard Plumers and I love every single one of them…When I first started the project, I had no idea it would grow the way it did. What had started out as a fun hobby has already taken me to a level I never thought I would be.”

Smith’s own story is an inspiration for aspiring comic book artists. Originally, she had started posting on a free site called Smackjeeves. Thanks to her ever-growing fanbase, she now gets to share her story in print. When working on Plume, her day typically begins in the morning, “I work the best in the wee early hours, which is tough because of my full time job. Because my time is limited, I usually plan the pages in stages: Today, I will get the rough done. Tomorrow, the line work. The next day, the base color. And so on. It makes it difficult. But until I quit my job, that’s just how it is.” Her advice for others who dream about creating their own graphic novels or comic book series? “Don’t over-think, just do it. If you want to become a comic artist, design your characters, map out your story, then start posting!”

All in all, Plume promises to be as exhilarating as its premise. Considering its rousing success thus far, it has definitely made itself a series that should be closely watched. With a cast of colorful characters, a thoughtful foundation for a sophisticated plot, and artwork that is as crisp and sassy as its protagonist, K. Lynn Smith has given readers a charming series that we can really root for.

Meet the New Fangirls: Sara

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Anika

This is Sam. Sam, meet the readers of Fantastic Fangirls. Readers, meet the person responsible for every huge freak out I will ever have in reaction to fiction. Of which there are and will continue to be many incidents.

a picture of Sara's friend Sam in front of a case full of action figures

Okay, story time! I was a young lass of nine years when my twin sister (also a young lass of nine years, hence the twin thing), and I went to hang out with my dad and his friend at his friend’s pharmacy. I know, I know. What the heck are two nine year old girls doing hanging out in a pharmacy? To which I offer the following answer: Arabs. We’re Arabs and that is how Arabs spend their Saturday mornings. I digress.

a photograph of Sara and her sister Yara playing pirate

You know how else Arabs spend their time? They use baby blankets to dress up like pirates and swordfight…or maybe that’s just us.

Yara and I were doing our own thing (read: we were stocking shelves because we like doing menial labor and had not yet grasped the understanding of child labor laws) when one of the new pharmacy techs approached us. He was a young lad of nineteen and his name was Sam. Still is, actually. He’s actually the Sam I mentioned above. See, connections! I digress.

Anyway, it was actually not as creepy as a 19-year old guy approaching two 9-year old girls usually was. Sam was entertaining us and we, being the precocious children we were, graciously allowed him to do so. Then, the moment of truth finally arrived.

“Hey, so do you girls watch Batman or Superman?”

“Not really.”

“You should.”

“Okay.”

Done and done. Because we were going to be visiting the pharmacy every Saturday for the foreseeable future, Yara and I thought it would only be beneficial if we did our research and had enough things to talk about with the second youngest being in that pharmacy. Sam supplemented our education with VHSes of Batman: The Animated Series and every animated Batman movie made by that time.

This is Terry McGinnis, aka Batman of the Future, aka my first husband.

It was awesome. Yara and I were always fangirls, you see. At that age, we had been fans of Harry Potter for a year and fans of Nancy Drew/the Hardy boys for at least four. But, for the first time, we saw an older person loving something that wasn’t work or school or real world stuff so much that he devoted time, energy, and quite a bit of money on it. Whenever we had time and permission, Yara and I would go over to Sam’s parents’ house, which housed Sam’s altar to DC Comics—aka, his Batcave.

Action figures in glass cases lined the walls. It was incredible and a tribute to how far people will go to satisfy their obsessions. Some people might have found it pathetic or sad, but let’s be real here. It was awesome and anyone reading this site would have the same feeling I did: envy. Stacks of comic books littered the floors and the DVD shelves were filled with every sci-fi, fantasy, animated film that came out after 1980. It was dedication and it was beautiful.

Why did I spend all that time talking (er, typing) about Sam and his parents’ basement? Like I said, Yara and I were no strangers to fangirling. However, it wasn’t until we met Sam did we understand fandom and what it meant to be a part of a collective. Groups of people who loved the same thing enough to talk about it, write about it, even reinvent it! After Sam, Yara and I stepped up our fangirling and found other kids that loved Harry Potter and Batman. Yes, they were mostly boys, but the girls? They were the fans that were more likely to talk animatedly about fandom and more likely to work towards being more like their favorite fictional characters.

Our 21st birthday party was Harry Potter themed. Quidditch pong, “potions”, a Sorting Ceremony with Sorting cupcakes. Amazing. Ask me about Quidditch pong, I’m particularly proud of that invention.

Fandom and fangirling has been such a large part of my life, I honestly can’t remember the time before I had obsessions. Fandom brought me some of my best friends. There was a point in my high school life—four months of my junior year—during which I felt sort of ashamed by my complete and utter nerdom. But then I realized that people who did not have obsessions like me were really boring and had too much time on their hands.

a photograph of Sara hiding from her Slushie Cupcake

I made slushie shaped cupcakes for the Glee season 2 premiere. Oh god, Glee. You hurt me so bad.

Being a fangirl or a nerd means that you’re not afraid to love things. That’s what it really gets down to: a conscious decision to not let societal stigma tell you how appropriate your feelings are or are not. I put my whole heart into watching how Batman figured out who Hush was and how Harry finally defeated Voldemort and I’m going to continue doing so by watching how Cap is going to navigate the 21st Century and how Robert Downey Junior is going to make the final leap and actually become Tony Stark.

I am a fangirl and I am proud.

Cosplay at NYCC 2012

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Anika

by Anika

The first thing I did when I arrived at the Javits Center for New York Comic Con’s third and most crowded day was fall down, face forward, on the pavement. I think I tripped over the leg of one of the temporary fences put up to the divide the sidewalk for ease of crowd control, but it’s not impossible I just tripped over myself. I felt my lip swell, and blood, so I bounced up, assured the onlookers I was okay, and sped to a street vendor to ask for ice. Then I told Twitter what had happened.

I probably should have started my con experience with Medical. I still had a headache the following Tuesday and it’s not unlikely I ended up with a concussion. In hindsight, it’s pretty likely I did. But at the time, my priority was to pick up my Press badge, trade mitts for web-shooters, and put falling behind me. So I started in the women’s room. The ice had stopped the bleeding and stayed the swelling and the bruises were hidden beneath my clothes. It was lucky I had decided on a crossplay Andrew Garfield-Peter Parker look that included lots of layers and a generally awkward and bedraggled aesthetic. Even the split-lip sort of worked with it. I was starting to feel better and decided to touch up my hair and eye makeup to make me look more dishevelled. I put my backpack down in the sink and immediately the automatic faucet turned on, splashing all over my bag, and bouncing up to hit me. I grabbed it back quickly and nearly hit the person coming in behind me who turned out to be a security guard.

Basically, I have never been more in tune with a character I was cosplaying.

My most personally successful cosplay experience took place at Big Apple Anime in 2004. I dressed as Sailor Saturn of Naoko Takeuchi’s manga Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moon. I’d previously been Sailor Moon herself so Christian, my costumer husband who makes all my outfits, had perfected his pattern and construction. The bodice of the sailor suit was corseted and the skirt and collar, both with giant bows attached, snapped to it. The pleats fell just right, and nothing moved — it flowed. I’d purchased my knee-high spike-heeled black patent leather boots (the only part of the costume Christian didn’t construct) in Los Angeles and they cost as much as the plane trip from Hartford but they were Saturn’s exactly and I loved them. Finally, I’d cut my hair to a banged bob and dyed it from auburn to black.

a photo collage of images of the author dressed as Sailor Saturn

These pictures were taken a few years after the con.

Saturn is my favorite Sailor Senshi (“Soldier” or “Scout”). I’m a Capricorn so she is my sign’s scout and therefore meant to resemble my character in some way. Or I am meant to resemble hers; I’m not sure, I’m not an expert in astrology or how it relates to Japanese comic book mythology. Well, Saturn is the Soldier of Destruction, Silence, and Redemption, and her human identity is an introverted motherless school girl who likes science fiction and dancing. So, maybe there is something to astrology after all, because I identify with and embrace all of that. The juxtaposition of a waif being the most powerful destructive force in the galaxy is a recurring theme in everything I am attracted to; Sailor Saturn represents something I am and something I want to be.

Portraying the pale, petite, haunted, and hopeful Sailor Saturn was easy because I understood her and I connected to her. My husband made me a perfect costume. I felt beautiful, I felt powerful, and I felt fearless. And because of that I was a huge hit. Everyone wanted my picture. And I ended up on French television, in an actual interview, representing the convention, New York, and the U.S.A.

My AGPP look was half perfect props delicately constructed or chosen (the jacket, the camera, and replica web-shooters made by my brilliant costumer-husband) and half thrown together at the very last minute (everything else). It would have been more Amazing if I’d had the time and money to make it exactly what I wanted it to be; as it was few people understood I was in costume. Which was fine because I wasn’t there to be in costume. I was there — with my Peter Parker camera — to observe everybody else in costume.

a photograph of two women cosplaying the TARDIS and the Eleventh Doctor

My favorite by far was this TARDIS dress. The Doctor Who contingent was in full force at NYCC and I must have seen over thirty blue-box dresses along with Elevens, Fours, Ponds, Oswins, Roses, Daleks, and a Vincent. I really wanted to see a Ballerina Dalek, I know there were a few there, but I never found one. But this dress stood out. She explained that the dress was 1950s vintage which she’d modified. It was absolutely beautiful, I wish I got a better picture.

Other favorites include:

a photograph of cosplayers featuring The Hulk and Sailor Jupiter

The Hulk and Sailor Jupiter: the OTP you never knew you wanted!

a photograph of cosplayers: Narcissa, Draco, and Lucius Malfoy

The Malfoys. Because I just really love the Malfoys.

a photograph of a cosplayer, Daenerys Targaryen.

Daenerys Targaryen. With a dragon egg!

a photograph of a cosplayer: Wonder Girl II

Wonder Girl Cassie. Because GOGGLES.

a photograph of cosplayers: Robin, Raven, Terra, Starfire

Amazingly awesome Teen Titans group. I was so excited to find a Terra (one of my top ten characters of all time ) and then! She had a whole group.

a photograph of a young woman in an Iron Man inspired outfit

This Iron Man dress is probably my second favorite. I am a fan of indirect looks. I am also a fan of her houndstooth bag.

a photograph of cosplayers: Jubilee, X-23, Pixie

Three X-Girls.

And four X-Women .

I returned Sunday with my family in tow. My daughters, like myself, dressed as characters they not only love, but strongly identify with. Kiki, 16, was dressed as a humanized My Little Pony Fluttershy and her sister, Aeris, 7, was Princess Merida from the Pixar film Brave. Fluttershy and Brave is exactly what they were. Kiki was soft spoken and happy to pose but unlikely to approach while Aeris was loud, excited, and willing to walk up to anyone and ask for a picture. They were, to a person, happy to oblige her. This is my favorite part of cosplay culture — the acceptance, the welcome, the willingness to play along with a child who not only loves the character, but half-believes she is standing with the real one.

a photograph of cosplayers: Flynn Rider and a young Merida

My Merida meets Flynn Rider.

I had the great fortune to witness this from both sides. Sunday I was dressed as MLP: Friendship is Magic’s Pinkie Pie, in a head to toe furry costume. Basically a walking stuffed toy of a giant pink pony. And one little girl in Artist’s Alley made the entire con experience worth it when she screeched “Pinkie Pie!” and after posing for pictures babbled excitedly about her favorite episodes, near tears with joy at the opportunity to share her love of Pinkie Pie and all the ponies with me.

a photograph of the author in a furry pink pony costume

Not every cosplay experience is like that. Sometimes people are rude. Sometimes people — men, honestly — are creepy. Sometimes I’ve chosen characters so obscure no one recognizes me and it’s really disheartening. Sometimes the costume doesn’t come out right or I don’t have that same personal connection and it’s a chore to keep smiling. And no matter how wonderful the day goes it is also tiring and emotionally draining. Full on cosplay is work even after the costume is made. I was wearing what amounts to fuzzy pajamas on Sunday and I was still exhausted by the end of the day. But it is also fun; the most fun I have ever had as a fan.

I overheard one person (not in costume) complaining that there were “too many” people in costumes, and in costumes that didn’t fit into his idea of a comic-con. At its most spectacular, cosplay is a sight to behold. The people who build their own power armor that lights up and makes noise and looks real. The slave-girls who carry legitimate chains all around the convention floor. The meticulously sewn and constructed outfits that often look better than the ones on film. Some fans spend years and hundreds of dollars to perfect their look and they all deserve applause and acclaim. But just like there are all sorts of superheroes, there are all sorts of cosplayers. And they all count.

a photograph of cosplayers, Small Merida and an adult

Aeris’ favorite cosplayer of the day!

Thank you all.

Q&A #176: Create a recipe based on a favorite comic book character.

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Anika

In Q & A, a weekly feature of Fantastic Fangirls, we ask our staff to tackle a simple question — then open the floor to comments.

Create a recipe based on a favorite comic book character.

ANIKA

Some nine days ago I signed a birthday card for Spider-Man dressed as Pinkie Pie the My Little Pony.

Aside: Pinkie Pie and Peter Parker have a lot in common.

danger sense
alliterative names
bossy friends with the initials T.S.

Think about it.

Some 2700 other people signed the card but you know it wouldn’t be a birthday party without Pinkie Pie. WITH Pinkie Pie the only thing missing was: cupcakes!

an image of Pinkie Pie and Spider-Man in a kitchen

PINKIE PIE’S AMAZING SPIDER-PRETZEL CUPCAKES! (aka the recipe so easy anypony, even Peter Parker, can follow it)

What You Need
a bag of mini-pretzels
a bag of Hershey’s Kisses
a large bag of M&Ms
Your Favorite Frosting
Your Favorite Cake Mix
the ingredients needed to make Your Favorite Cake Mix (listed on the back of the box)

(1) Follow the directions on the box of Your Favorite Cake Mix to make Your Favorite Cake Mix cupcakes. Set them aside to cool.
(2) Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
(3) Place mini-pretzels in rows on an ungreased cookie sheet.
(4) Place a Hershey’s Kiss on each mini-pretzel.
(5) Place the cookie sheet in the oven for 3 minutes.
(6) Use an M&M to smoosh the tip of each chocolate Kiss creating Amazing Spider-Pretzels.
(7) Frost Your Favorite Cake Mix cupcakes with Your Favorite Frosting.
(8) Place an Amazing Spider-Pretzel on each cupcake.
(9) Enjoy!

GABBY

Loki is angsty. Loki feels lonely. Loki is a frost giant.

I think Loki needs some ice cream.

Ok, so he’s a little bit evil and wants to kill people and become master of the Universe and and and… But I like to think of him as a villain with a twist. So I’ll be making him mint ice cream with lemon zest.

For best results, use an ice cream maker. Here are some instructions for those of you who don’t have this piece of machinery.

Ingredients
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon mint extract
- 3 drops of green food coloring (optional – but it is very Loki)
- Zest from one lemon
Directions
1. Pour all the ingredients in a large bowl, and stir them all together until the sugar has dissolved. Color with the food coloring.

2. Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker, and freeze according to the instructions of the machine, or follow the “at home” method.

And voilà! A fresh, zingy, cold treat for my (second) favorite Asgardian (because Lady Sif is first, duh).

Credit to Westishere.tumblr.com, Make Art

NOTE: I didn’t actually try this recipe because I’m a broke student. But I did follow and tweak a legit recipe so I’m not poisoning you or anything. Loki would, but not me.

SAM
I’m going to skip Ollie Queen, because it’s my opinion that he’d be a glass of bourbon on the rocks, and that’s not much of a recipe.

So instead, the Bart Allen! Impulse version. It’s also a bit simple, but IMO the best drinks are.

2 parts cranberry juice
1 part orange juice
3 parts Red Bull

If you want the alcoholic version, add a shot of AfterShock. I suppose you could do sugar free Red Bull, but that sort of defeats the purpose of drinking the liquid version of Bart Allen.

a panel from a comic book featuring Impulse thinking hard

SARA

When I saw this prompt for our weekly Q&A, the comic book character that I thought of immediately was Jaime Reyes, aka Blue Beetle. People who know me know that Jaime is my precious baby boy and I love him to death (and I love him even more after Sam pointed out that he should be played by Tyler Posey in the Justice League fancast Q&A a couple of months ago). He’s so sweet and funny and adorable, I have a hard time not hugging my screen when he’s on it—let’s be real, though, I totally do it every time.

a panel from the comic featuring Blue Beetle

The reason I picked Jaime though, over any of my other adored characters was I knew that this prompt elicited a response that involved families. Food is the greatest way that people in my culture come together and I know it’s true of a lot of other ethnicities as well. People can’t yell or argue if their mouth is full (otherwise beware the wooden spoon of death!) and it’s become a means of survival and familial bonding.

So why Jaime? Simple. So much of Jaime’s character comes from the strength and love afforded to him by his family and I love that about him.

a comic panel featuring Jamie Reyes and his family

Given that I figured out who I was going to write about, I spent some time thinking about the perfect recipe (thanks to Mikayla and Mikayla’s friend for all your help, by the way!). After some soul-searching and wracking my brain, I remembered an event I had forgotten for years. My best friend in elementary school was a girl named Angelica. Angelica was Mexican and I was Syrian and we truly bonded over our shared love of DA from the Magic School Bus. Anyway, one day, Angelica invited me over for dinner and I gladly went. We had her mom’s world famous chorizo tamales and I went nuts. They were so good.

My reason behind picking tamales as a recipe to represent Jaime is two-fold: 1) the corn husk mimics the hard shell of a beetle and protects the (delicious) tender interior (and who more tender than my precious ball of sunshi—ok, ok, I’ll stop) and 2) Tamale making is a family event. When they are made, they are made in HUGE quantities. So, kids and adults alike get their butts into the kitchen to assemble those tasty pieces of corn heaven. This is a tradition I can see the Reyes family take part in and it’s why I chose it.

So, without further ado, below is a recipe for chorizo tamales adapted from Epicurious. Why adapted? Well, because of the retconning of the Blue Beetle mythos and origin story, the scarab that provides Jaime with his powers is of alien origin. I decided to incorporate that into the recipe by adding spices and flavors alien to traditional Mexican cuisine. Additions in bold, so if you would like to be less risky in this culinary undertaking, just disregard them!

an image of tamales

Chorizo Tamales

36 dried corn husks
2 cups frozen corn
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons pomegranate paste
3 teaspoons salt
2 chipotle chilies
2 tablespoons adobo sauce
2 tablespoons sumac powder
1/2 pound ground chorizo sausage
2 pounds finely ground cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 cup vegetable shortening, melted and cooled
1 to 3 cups chicken stock

1. Soak 24 of the husks in warm water for 1 hour. Tear 2 husks lengthwise into 24 (1/2-inch-wide) strings.

2. Toss the frozen corn with the oil, pomegranate paste, and 1 teaspoon of the salt, then spread it over a cookie sheet.

3. Roast in a 400°F oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

4. Puree the chilies with the adobo sauce and sumac. In a small bowl, combine the chorizo and chili puree.

5. In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, baking powder, and the remaining salt. Add the shortening, chorizo mixture, and corn. Stir in the stock gradually until the mixture has the consistency of mashed potatoes.

6. Spoon 1/4 cup of the filling into the center of each husk. Roll to form a cylinder, fold the ends over, and tie with the husk strings.

7. Line a steamer with some of the remaining husks, add the tamales, and cover with more husks and the lid. Steam until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

an image of Booster Gold and Blue Beetle over an image of Booster Gold on Smallville

Also, bonus drink! Because Jaime often teams up with Booster Gold, I thought to myself, “Why not add tequila to the mix?” So, if you are over the age of 21, try this on for size!

an image of tequila and lime

The Booster Gold

1 ounce José Cuervo Gold Tequila
1 splash of lime juice
Fill to top of glass with orange juice
Garnish with lime wedge
Enjoy!

So what about you? Create a recipe based on a favorite comic book character.

Skipping to Conclusions: Young Avengers in the 212

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Sigrid

Marvel recently released a Point One issue of their forthcoming Marvel Now project. In that issue was a short piece featuring the Young Avengers. Or, at least, featuring a Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie story with America Chavez and Loki in a cafe.

There was punching. As you might expect.

Here’s the thing —

Jamie McKelvie posted this to his Tumblr. And that post changes my understanding of America Chavez in all sorts of good ways.

The post contains an image from the comic, of Chavez diving off of a building with the caption “I was on Earth-212.” When I read this in the comic, I dismissed it. Marvel has all sorts of numbered earths, and aside from my knowing that the mainline Marvel U is Earth-616, I don’t pay attention to any of it. But the other piece of McKelvie’s post is a link to the Azealia Banks’ video “212″. This is a deeply obscene song, not at all safe for work. But it is also a song of delightful bravado, of angry swagger and front.

In my estimation there is a difference between insecure swagger and angry swagger. Insecure swagger says “This is who I am; collaborate with my identity and fit into my world where I demand you do.” Angry swagger says “This is who I am; leave me alone to be myself or I will fuck you up.” Both sorts are aggressive, both sorts are arrogant, both sorts are in some ways afraid. But one won’t be satisfied until everyone else validates them. The other wants to be left alone to thrive. I read Banks’ “212″ as the angry sort, the sort that insists on being who and what she is, and fuck you if you think otherwise.

For McKelvie to tell us that the Chavez line is a deliberate Banks reference changes my view of Chavez. Deepens it. I now associate Chavez, a character I know not a thing about, with that kind of swaggering bravado and anger, with self-assurance and self-determination and a little bit of punch-you-in-the-face.

Well, okay, the punching is actually text. Chavez punches Loki in the comic. But comic characters punch each other all the time. With this song running through the back of my head I feel that I better understand why the punching in this case.

America Chavez, with this Tumblr post, went from Another Marvel Hero I Know Nothing About, Probably She’ll Be Fine, to an interesting, angry young woman with a chip on her shoulder and a lot to prove. I pre-ordered the comic already, on faith in the creative team and an interest in the previous Young Avengers. Now I’ll be buying it because I’m interested in America Chavez and her swagger.

Thank you, Jaime. I appreciate your post.

Eighth Annual NYCC is Bigger than Ever Before

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Jessica

by Jessica

a photograph of Fangirl Jessica holding her <i>Return of the King</i> poster signed by Sean Astin

The eighth annual New York Comic Con was held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center October 11th-14th, and this year the event was bigger than ever. This is my third time attending NYCC, and the convention seemed like almost an entirely different place this year. Noticeably absent was the presence of Cartoon Network. The network neither hosted a single panel nor set up the ever-popular Cartoon Network Lounge, which in previous years has been a favorite place for weary con-goers to rest. It was a presence that, at least on the part of this attendee, was sorely missed, and judging by the number of Adventure Time cosplayers, I wasn’t the only one.

NYCC seems to also have increased the number of tickets sold to the convention, judging by the crushing number of fans who flooded the center all four days. Gone are the days when Thursday and Sunday were only sparsely attended, and though this bodes well for the increasing prominence of NYCC (aiming eventually for the type of influence on the East Coast that San Diego Comic Con holds on the West), it doesn’t seem to be great for the fans. On Friday and Saturday the Show Floor was so crowded that it was nearly impossible to see any of the displays or vendors. Besides just generally being unpleasant, increased attendance requires fans to be more wary as they peruse the Show Floor —- a friend caught an attempted theft in progress, and when he confronted him, the thief said, “I wanted to see how many people I could pick-pocket today.”

But that’s not to say that this year’s con didn’t also provide a fun experience for guests! It was a particularly good year for literary guests. In addition to the plethora of authors hosted directly by publishing house booths themselves (my favorite being Peter V. Brett, author of “The Warded Man”), the con also drew big names like Anne Rice and Terry Pratchett. Both authors hosted signings in the Autographing Hall with lines that seemed to stretch to infinity. For those of you who don’t know, Anne Rice is the original “Vampire Writer” (except maybe Bram Stoker?), whose rabid fan base has grown from the publication of Interview With A Vampire in 1976. She was at NYCC promoting her most recent novel (not about vampires), The Wolf Gift, but was happy to sign older favorites for fans. Personally, I was beyond thrilled to get my battered copy of The Vampire Lestat signed.

a photograph of author Anne Rice signing a book for Jessica

Terry Pratchett is the amazingly prolific author of the Discworld Series, which boasts fifty-one installments, and he was promoting his latest novel (non-Discworld), Dodger. NYCC was one of only three U.S. tour stops Pratchett made, and it is to his credit that during his Meet and Greet, in which he passed out signed book plates and took pictures with fans, he stayed past his scheduled time to make sure that fans who had been waiting in line for hours got the chance to meet him. Again, a highlight of my life is stepping up to his table and shaking his hand.

The Con also hosted a number of big name entertainment guests, and I was lucky enough to be in the front row for Q&A panels by Christopher Lloyd (Doc Brown in Back to the Future), Sean Astin (Samwise Gamgee from Lord of the Rings and Mikey from The Goonies), and Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy from Harry Potter). Each of these three actors completely filled up the panel rooms in which they were presenting, and many disappointed fans were turned away at the door. Lloyd bantered light-heartedly about his fifty-plus year acting career, and gave fans hope when he said that if Back to the Future were re-made, he would want to play Doc Brown again.

a photograph of a panel featuring actor Sean Astin and author Terry Pratchett

I waited through four panels to make it to the front row for the Sean Astin Q&A, and it was completely worth it. I’ve been a Lord of the Rings fan for over ten years, and was as utterly charmed in person by Sean Astin as I had been by Sam in Lord of the Rings. It’s clear I wasn’t the only one -— a fan signed petition started at his autographing panel earned the actor a second, previously unscheduled panel on Sunday. Perhaps the best part of his panel was when, halfway through, Terry Pratchett walked in. The two were good friends, Astin having worked on a 2008 film adaptation of Pratchett’s novel The Color of Magic. Nothing quite creates a memorable fan experience like seeing two of your favorite stars up on one stage together.

Still, it’s obvious that the most fervent fans were those that showed up for Tom Felton’s panel first thing Sunday morning. Before the Panel Hall was even open, a line of over a hundred waited outside, mostly composed of eager teenage fangirls. When we were finally let into the Panel Hall, there was pandemonium as fans literally ran to get good seats. I managed to make it to the front row, and witnessed the dissolution of a friendship right before my very eyes -— one girl disowned her friend for not saving her a front row seat, because she would now have to sit “in the back” (actually it was just like the 10th row).

And these were only the fans that showed up over an hour before the panel even began. As it grew closer to time for the Q&A panel to begin, the room completely filled up, to the point where there were at least thirty people just standing in the back of the room, and the NYCC volunteer ushering everyone in started giving away seats of those who took more than a minute to return from the bathroom.

a photograph of a panel at NYCC featuring actor Tom Felton

When Felton finally came out, he was greeted by deafening cheers, and he good-heartedly entertained the questions from his fans. His favorite spell: Expelliarmus. His dream role: James Bond. He even indulged us and sneered “Potter” into the microphone. My favorite part of the panel was when one fan asked, “How down are you with fan-fiction?” Felton’s instant reply, laughing: “Not that down.” He backtracked to clarify that while he was very supportive of the creativity the Harry Potter books and films garner, he was sometimes miffed at the forms this creativity sometimes takes. Understandable, considering that, through fan-fiction, he has been implicated in just about every kind of slash there is.

Besides authors and actors, many organizations held “sneak-preview” type of panels. The one I was most excited to attend was TheOneRing.net’s Hobbit panel, in which they deconstructed the information that has been released about the film so far to try and piece together what it will actually be like. I never knew that the boxes of action figures could be so revealing. In addition to their panel, the website also manned a booth with trivia and giveaways, as well as hosted a special party Thursday night. Clearly, for all involved, the December 14th release of the film can’t come soon enough.

Other preview panels weren’t so heartening, and there is one in particular I’d like to mention, though not by name. During this panel, a female fan asked the creators of a certain comic why none of the men in the comic were buff and scantily clad when essentially every female was a buxom lass who seemed to have misplaced most of her clothes. The men on the panel were rather taken aback, answering that, “We’ve never really thought about that before,” and seemed shocked when an impromptu poll of the audience revealed that more people wanted to see buff men than buxom women. The reason I didn’t want to name this particular panel is that I didn’t want to give them in particular a bad rep for sexism when it is a problem that plagues the entire industry -— with one exception, every industry panel I attended had only one woman sitting on it, yet at least half the fans at the convention, if not more, were female. Though certainly fandom has become less male-dominated in recent years, it still has a long way to go in terms of equality.

Nevertheless, as always, NYCC was a tremendously fun and exciting experience. Though it may seem the convention is drifting away from its small, fan-oriented roots, I have no doubt that future cons will continue to once-in-a-lifetime experiences for fans of comics and cosplay.

This article is cross-posted to the Wesleyan Argus. All photographs by Matthew Adelman.

Meet the New Fangirls: Sam

Posted on October 18, 2012 by Anika

by Sam

Hello, I’m Sam and I like comics. (Hello, Sam.) I actually like a whole lot of things, but it’s because of comics that I’m here at Fantastic Fangirls at all. I have no idea when I started reading comics. My first comic was probably an Archie digest I made one of my parents buy at the grocery store, or maybe a He-Man tie in from the local toy store. I know I had Batman pajamas when I was around four, because I distinctly remember wearing them in a place our family only lived in when I was four. I know I used to watch the old George Reeve Superman TV show with my dad every night, just before we watched Star Trek.

I guess this is all to say that I don’t remember a time without superheroes (or Star Trek) in my life.

And though the first dozen years are a bit hazy, I will never forget the day I realized I was a comic book fan. It was the day Superman died.

I had just turned twelve. To this day, I couldn’t tell you how I knew that it was going to happen. I hadn’t read any of the tie-ins and I’m not entirely sure I knew who Doomsday was at that point. Nonetheless, I made my dad go out and buy it while I was at school, so I wouldn’t miss out on the commemorative edition.

This was all before I was older, wiser, and more cynical. I thought Superman was going to stay dead. I didn’t understand the concept of a Big Comic Event that happens every year to increase readership. I was a kid who loved Superman, and Superman was gone. Coincidentally, I was at the start a period I like to refer to as my dark ages, as I went through puberty and transitioned from a small elementary school to a big middle school, losing most of my friends in the process. And then my dad moved away.

Not long after this, a comic and game shop opened in my local mall, within walking distance of my house. That’s where I found Frank Miller and Alan Moore, and discovered a new kind of hero – and a new kind of comic – altogether. The shift in tone worked well for my teenage self.

I got back into superhero comics a few years ago, around the time of the 52 event in DC. I’m a lot more picky about art than I used to be, and pay way more attention to the creators of books. Even though I’m definitely more of a DC fan than Marvel, Anika introduced me to Carol Danvers, and convinced me to give Peter Parker another chance, and I don’t regret a single page.

But my life isn’t all comics! I know, craziness. I also love Doctor Who, board gaming, video gaming, and tv/movies. I went to law school, and I was a lawyer for a few years before I had a pretty bad bicycle accident and decided to change the direction of my life. I love puns. I spend a lot of time on tumblr (and if you get the reference in my tumblr name, let’s talk) and even more on twitter. I watch a lot of movies, and have a somewhat encyclopedic knowledge of lesbian pop culture.

I think I’ll echo Gabby a little here and say that my biggest hope for the future of comics is to see them reflect real life more. Not in the plots – I love me some ridiculous superhero contrivances – but in the characters. I don’t know why the industry is so averse to it, but I guess it is the industry that’s had the same superheroes for 70 years. Which leads me to my second biggest hope: change. I’ve said this a lot, in a variety of places, but I loved when Bucky became Captain America, while Steve was dead. The only time I’ve ever regularly collected a Batman title was when Dick was in the cowl. I am so excited for the new Green Lantern, particularly because he’s Muslim, but at the same time Green Lantern’s always been a title that’s made it easy for there to be new (men) in the lead role. Still, it’s a start. Then again, Barry Allen is Flash again.

But I digress! As with pretty much everything else in my life, I’m critical because I love comics so much. I’ll be around for the long haul.

The CW’s Beauty and the Beast

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Sigrid

This post contains spoilers.

by Marie

Fairy tales have been a hot button in prime time television for the last couple of years. Although the roots of fairy tales have been harvested for entertainment since time immemorial, re-imaginings of those stories we’ve heard as kids have pervaded the networks with shows like NBC’s Grimm and ABC’s Once Upon a Time. These shows are often pitched as “fairy tales with a twist” or the “untold story behind the fairy tales you know and love.”

promotional image for CW's Beauty and the Beast

Guess which one’s which?

Or you know, the ones you were emotionally scarred by. Bluebeard, anyone?

an image of a young girl with keys and an older man with a blue beard

Why hasn’t anyone made a show about me?

For the most part, these re-imaginings work because viewers tune in to see how much they deviate from the original—and seeing that creative difference is what makes these shows compelling. So when a show like the CW’s Beauty and the Beast breaks onto the scene, certain expectations were already in place before it even joined the fold.

Like most of my peers, I grew up watching the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast. I also subjected my parents to the torture of rewinding the original VHS release so many times that they can recite the entire script verbatim. I can too—and let me tell you, it can either be the best or worst party trick ever. So when I saw teasers and drove by billboards featuring the CW’s Beauty and the Beast, one of the first things that popped into my mind was how not like the Disney version this show was going to be.

a still from Disney's Beauty and the Beast; Belle and the Beast gazing lovingly at each other

Nope. There will be none of this.

And that’s great. Obviously, the show is targeted towards a much older audience and will thus disavow things like kitschy show tunes and talking furniture. Although after seeing the pilot, who knows? Maybe it would have benefited from adding the latter.

a still from Disney's Beauty and the Beast; Mrs. Potts, Chip, and Cogsworth

We’ve been out of work since 1992.

In actuality, the show is a remake of the 1987 Beauty and the Beast series that originally aired on CBS. It had a cult following and rightly so because it was pretty awesome. It also makes me regret being a wee toddler at the time because hey, Linda Hamilton and Ron Perlman were in it. And on top of playing really great characters they were also pretty great at being badasses.

a promotional picture of the first Beauty and the Beast series

Left: Linda Hamilton, Pre-Judgment Day; Right: Ron Perlman Pre-Hellboy
Not Pictured: A Badass Reunion

So remember when I mentioned how one of my first thoughts was how little this show resembled the Disney version? Well it apparently resembles very little of its television predecessor too, and that’s where I think the disappointment lies in the pilot. Warning: spoilers ahoy.

The pilot begins by introducing Catherine “Cat” Chandler, an Ivy League law student tending a small town bar in order to stave off that Ivy League tuition. Shortly after leaving work, her car breaks down so she calls her mother to help jumpstart it. About five minutes later, men in black coats arrive on the scene. Is it Triple A finally coming to the rescue? No, it is actually two unidentified agents who inexplicably and brutally gun down Cat’s mother. Our heroine flees to the nearby woods in terror where she is saved at the last minute from some snarling dark-clad stranger.

a still from the CW's Beauty and the Beast; Vincent on a rooftop, not beastly

Who could it be?!

Flash forward to almost a decade later where Cat is now a NYPD homicide detective and has somehow managed to not age a day despite the difficulties of her job and her jaded love life. While investigating the murder of a fashion editor, she comes across the prints of a purportedly dead soldier-slash-former doctor that went by the name of Vincent Keller. Her search eventually leads her to a totally not suspicious looking warehouse that is inhabited by a totally not suspicious chemistry student named JT Forbes, who is totally not harboring a handsome yet emotionally tortured vigilante in his upstairs loft.

Halfway through the episode, all of the story’s cards are laid out on the table: Cat discovers that Vincent was the stranger who saved her nine years ago and Vincent reveals that he was part of a secret government program intent on building super soldiers. Because programs like these usually turn out so well, his military superiors were completely baffled when their obedient test subjects suddenly turned into rampaging man-beasts prone to violence. Apparently, it’s the rush of adrenaline that does them in. So instead of firing the scientists who somehow thought it would be a good idea to expose these guys to the constant stress of combat, the government decided to do the merciful thing and eradicate every living trace of their experiments.

Except you know, they missed one.

a promotional picture from the CW's Beauty and the Beast; Vincent, scarred, so... beastly. I guess.

Whoops!

And that’s how New York City came to have Vincent Keller: a part-time superhero who toils away in his laboratory-slash-bachelor pad, complete with amenities like a flat screen TV and an XBOX.

a still from The Dark Knight; Bruce Wayne, in the Bat Cave, which in this movie is a really big and mostly empty mostly white room.

I hear that Bruce Wayne’s got five of those in his Bat Cave. You know, for when all his friends come over.

In a nutshell, our Beast character is actually a much prettier version of the Hulk rather than a cursed and otherwordly creature of mysterious origin.

And that’s what really gets me.

What makes the Beast such a memorable character is his transformation: both inward and outward. That’s why hundreds of years and many generations later, we’re still telling stories about him. But Vincent Keller does not look like monster. Aside from the occasional growl, he doesn’t act like a monster either. And yea sure, he can get aggressive sometimes. But he usually manages that well and saves it all for the bad guys. But overall, it doesn’t feel like he truly has a curse. The show doesn’t really try to gain our sympathy for his character so much as it tries to ram that sympathy down our throats.

a black and white headshot of Jay Ryan, who portrays Vincent in the CW's Beauty and the Beast

Do you feel sorry for him yet?

Therefore, the stakes feel utterly contrived. What will Vincent benefit from his relationship with Cat? Does he become a better person? Does he become more “human”? Well considering that he’s saved six people (that we know of) during the nine-year gap, I think it’s safe to say that he hasn’t lost either his goodness or humanity. Unless there’s a future storyline somewhere where Vincent confesses that he once fed on the blood of orphans, it’s not like we’re dealing with a character like Angel who spent his days trying to repent for his past.

The heavy exposition was also a bump in the road for me because it whittled down any opportunity for chemistry or tension. We know that Beauty will eventually fall in love with Beast. But Cat and Vincent already seem to be on the fast track since Cat all but openly declared her trust for him at the very end of the episode. It really didn’t take much for her to get over the whole “super-strength” plus “super-anger-management” thing. Really. It didn’t.

As far as premiers go, this one’s pretty lackluster. Although I will say that it has the potential to become something noteworthy if more time is spent developing the nuances of the characters and their relationships. You know, instead of the cookie-cutter storylines we’ve seen dozens of times elsewhere.

Q&A #175: What comic book character would you take out on a date, and why?

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Sigrid

In Q & A, a weekly feature of Fantastic Fangirls, we ask our staff to tackle a simple question — then open the floor to comments.

What comic book character would you take out on a date, and why?

ALI

This is what a date with Thor looks like…

a panel from Thor: The Mighty Avenger; Thor and Jane on a date in the mountains

…so you really can’t blame me for wanting to take the Mighty Avenger out on a day. While I may not have Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder readily at my disposal, I think Thor would equally love something more low-key (no pun intended) as long as it was something new or different for him. For example, I don’t think Thor has ever had spaghetti and meatballs. I mean, it’s not like you can get good Italian in the halls of Asgard. Also, I make a pretty mean homemade spaghetti and meatballs. I’m thinking that and a nice bottle of red wine, some music, and candles could make for a nice evening.

Also also, he’s the freaking GOD OF THUNDER!!

GABBY
My ideal fictional date would be walking around the Harvard campus with Dr. Spencer Reid.

Just thought I should get that out there.

This question gave me a lot of pause. I haven’t fallen in love with any male comic book character, really. The closest I can think of is Luke Cage.

However the Cage-Jones family is my favorite thing in comics right now so I don’t particularly like the idea of being a homewrecker. I don’t like the billionaire playboy type, Superman is out of my league and boy-heroes are not my thing.

After some reflexion, I would ask Daimon Hellstrom, based on his appearance in the New Avengers.

a panel from New Avengers; Daimon Hellstrom, on fire and threatening

I never went on a date with an actual bad boy. Think about it: going on a date with the son of SATAN. Talk about the *ultimate* bad boy. Also, he doesn’t have a criminal record and he’s fighting for the good guys, so, you know. Best of both worlds, really.

I don’t know what we would do, exactly. Probably go to a rave and dance all night or something equally mind-boggling to me. Livin’ on the edge, man.

MARIE

I’ve always had a thing for bad girls, and that’s probably because I’m as sheltered and cookie-cutter as they come. No really, I swear. That’s why if Faith Lehane happened to be unavailable, I’d love to take out Brian Michael Bendis’s Scarlet.

Scarlet, with two guns pointed at the viewer

She aims for the heart.

Scarlet’s a rebel with a cause. She throws herself at the helm of a full-scale revolution that is hell-bent on eradicating a monstrously unjust system. In short, she’s a lady who likes to take the lead and doesn’t take jack from anyone. Relationship-wise, I could probably learn a lot from her.

Scarlet, making a face, with two bags over her hands, one with a smiley drawn making the same face, one with a smiley that is "dead"

Like the proper etiquette for being arrested by some corrupt policeman.

Were she and I able to go on a date, I would probably not be able to remember most of it. But when I wake up the next morning, there will probably be a tattoo in a place that I never expected.

So what about you? What comic book character would you take out on a date, and why?