Geeks OUT DC is checking out Nellie's famous Smart Ass Trivia Night on Wednesday, February 18! You can win money off your tab and other fabulous prizes, like concert tickets. There are awards for best team name, so start thinking up those terrible puns. There's two rounds back-to-back, and they cover a wide range of topics with a focus on pop culture. RSVP to the facebook event, or just show up.

House vodka drinks and bottles of Miller Lite are at happy hour prices before the contest:

$2 from 5:00-6:00

$3 from 6:00-7:00

$4 from 7:00-8:00

The trivia rounds start at 8:00 and 9:00, and players can get a bucket of beer for $15 during those.

Come early to grab a table downstairs and some drinks!

Join us on February 21st for burlesque inspired by 
the stars, Science, celestial pop culture, sci fi + More!

Hosted by D20 Burlesque founder, Anja Keister
with burlesque by
Tiger Bay
Lewd Alfred Douglas
Lucky Charming
BooBess
Minnie D'Moocha
Kita St Cyr
Dangrrr Doll
Plus GoGo by Ada Lovejoy
DJ Sister St. Cyr 
Doorgirl ZP Keister

Ticket Options
$20 presale guaranteed seating
$15 presale general admission
http://cosmicburlesque.brownpapertickets.com/
or $20 at the door

21+ event with specialty space cocktails from the mixologists at the Parkside Lounge

Raffle prizes from our sponsors Memento Mori Theatricks and more!

Internal conflicts. The best stories explore characters contending with them. Often these internal conflicts and related struggles can be a reflection upon the audience. This is something I realized while recently rewatching Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight.

Over the decades, comics have been known to have their quirks: alien visitors, radioactive powers, psychic phenomena—all have a place in the proud history of graphic literature. However, from time to time, a theme pops up that makes you go…huh?!

Today, we’ll be looking at one such head-scratching trend—gorillas—and how they might impact the queer community. Yes, you heard correctly: GORILLAS and GAYS. Specifically, evolved gorillas. They come in all shapes and sizes—from magically mind-switched to scientifically enhanced, comics seem to have a passion for quirky gorilla characters. Since the 1940s (shortly after the advent of the superhero genre) to the present day, there have been ape characters that have swung unto the pages of major and minor publishers.

One of the first characters to debut in 1940 (who received a revival in DC comics in the early 2010s) was Congorilla. You know the age old story: white man moves to the Congo, befriends local witch doctor, becomes mortally wounded, and receives and enchanted ring that can switch his mind into the body of a golden gorilla. So passé.

Marvel debuted a very similar hunter-themed character in 1954 with Gorilla-Man where a famous gamesman tracked down a fabled ape that was purported to make anyone who killed it immortal (by trapping the hunter inside its undying body…really? Who would opt to do this?).  This character also received renewed interest in the early 2000s with the revamping of Marvel’s Agents of Atlas series.

In the mid-to-late fifties, Marvel and DC both put out counterpoints to their previous hairy and heroic characters with the introduction of another Gorilla-Man (Marvel) and the far-more-famous Flash villain Gorilla Grodd. This iteration of Gorilla-Man was a former surgeon who had previously grafted ape organs into humans until his simian subjects turned on him and (somehow?) transplanted his head onto a gorilla body. It probably isn’t necessary to explain why he would become a C-list villain.

Gorilla Grodd, on the other hand, outshone all of his previous compatriots without having to resort to poo-slinging. The most current origin story (after DC’s numerous reboots) has a UFO crashing near a troupe of gorillas in Africa where the alien pilot then imbues the apes with great intelligence (and in Grodd’s case, telepathy and telekinesis). This development takes a leap forward: not only is Grodd the first actual gorilla who is evolved (instead of a human residing within it), but he is the first ape to possess super-human abilities other than longevity, making Grodd a formidable adversary.

The 60s saw the Big Two companies spin out another pair of gorilla characters: a third Gorilla-Man (courtesy of Marvel), and the quirky, machine-gun-toting, beret-wearing Monsieur Mallah. This iteration of Gorilla-Man was a psychedelic mash-up of Dr. Jekyll and Flash Gordon (but those were the 60s, n’est-ce pas?) who has completely faded into obscurity. Mallah is still around…more on him later.

A newer take on the theme happened in 1984 (also the last major time the Big Two would put out a new gorilla-type character) when Superman’s first villain, the Ultra-Humanite, transferred his mind into the body of an albino ape (because albino was the new black, apparently).

The 1990s to the modern era has been dominated by the smaller companies, each seeking to stake out their own unique knuckle-dragger. Spawn introduced Cy-Gor—a friend of Al Simmons whose mind was transferred into a technologically advanced gorilla—in 1995, while Tom Strong brought along the regular cast member King Solomon—a gorilla with a cockney accent who lives and works with the Strong family (his origin has yet to be revealed).

Finally, 2008 saw the creation of a new simian duo with an eerie commonality: Nazis! Hellboy faces off against the Kreigsaffen—a pair of gorillas that were technologically modified by Nazi scientists—while the similar Savage Dragon went toe-to-toe with Brainiape—an enhanced ape with the brain of (you guessed it) Hitler himself!

The love of all things ape even saw two industry events from the Big Two (seemingly missing their simians):  JLApe (DC, 1999) the specifically gorilla-focused event where the apes from Gorilla City (Grodd’s home) invent tech that can turn any human into an ape, and Marvel Apes (Marvel, 2008), the follow up alternate reality event that was supposed to be a popular as Marvel Zombies set on a world where all our favorite characters were either monkeys or apes. Yeah…it actually happened.

Now the reasoning behind such a weird trend is elusive and myriad: some sources say that publishers were influenced by popular culture and, while attempting to draw in readers, would include parallels to hot media. There may be some credence to this opinion, as there has been at least one King Kong, Tarzan, or Planet of the Apes film every decade since 1930.

Another popular opinion is that comic book publishers (especially in the nascence of the genre) would employ odd-ball tactics to attract new readers. An interview from 1999 with former-executive VP of DC, Irwin Donenfeld, revealed that he had noticed a marketing trend: readers would be more likely of picking up a comic if there was a gorilla on the cover. He stated in this interview that the clamor from his various titles was so great, that he had to institute a rule across all of his titles that only one-gorilla could be seen per month.

Now back to M. Mallah. The character of Mallah (often paired with The Brain) was introduced in the mid-60s into the risk-taking title Doom Patrol. The scientist-who-would-become-Brain experimented on the gorilla-who-would-become-Mallah to raise his intellect to genius levels. Brain then trained this ape for over a decade to become his personal servant/assistant/partner-in-crime. Several decades later in 1990, under the hand of Grant Morrison, the story took an interesting turn: romance. Brain, now finding himself in a robot body (instead of his go-to brain-jar), professes his love for his companion, who reciprocates. The two admit their feelings and become one of the first queer super-villain couples.

This is all well and good, until we begin to look at the implications of such a pairing for the queer community. Those of us under the queer umbrella (or anyone who keeps abreast on politics) are familiar with a refrain that the ultra-conservatives and religious right like to throw around regarding gay marriage: allow the gays to marry and, pretty soon, people will be attempting to marry their pets. Now let’s look back at Mallah.

Unlike many of the others on this ape-list, Mallah is a genuine, biological gorilla—not a human who is turned into/melded with one, not a human mind transferred into a gorilla body. He was also the pet of the Brain. When Mallah was elevated, he had to be trained for over a decade to act and respond in human fashion since his brain was that of a gorilla (albeit a genius gorilla). Do we see the problem? In the most literal sense, Brain and Mallah are the religious right’s worst nightmare come true (or dream, depending on how you look at it).

Although I earnestly hope and pray that the religio-political wingnuts don’t read comics, I’m sure that Mallah will come to the attention of some crazed fanatic sooner or later (if he hasn’t already). When that day happens, this coupling becomes another bullet in their chamber—“evidence” to back up their crazed ideas of “gay agendas”.

Suddenly, the comic book industry is brain washing (or should that be Brain-washing?) a generation of children to believe that same-sex romance between a person and their pet is perfectly acceptable. Cue the end of society as we know it: natural disasters, orgies in the street, fire from heaven, a remake of Footloose, etc.

Of course, no one put up a stink when Supergirl had a romantic relationship with her super-horse Comet, but then again, she is straight (and every girl wants a pony, right? Just not every girl wants a pony…) and was ignorant at the time that the person she was kissing used to be an equine. Because that’s better…

And, just for the record, it seems next to impossible that Mallah and Brain have ever had sex. The first time that they admitted their love (when Brain was in the robot body), the building exploded immediately after. For most of his subsequent appearances, Brain went back to living in a jar. Of course, there are ways that things that could have happened if writers chose to be creative, but it appears that Mallah and Brain have a deep romantic love (it would have to be).

At the end of the day, I’m glad to have queer representation in comics. I believe that every child (and adult for that matter) needs to see him/herself reflected in the media around us. But how could we attempt to fix the situation to avoid possible negativity? The solution definitely should not be to brutally kill off the characters like what happened in the Pre-52 event, Salvation Run.

Since the characters have been revamped in the New 52, Mallah and Brain have only been seen in the presence of other gorillas (namely their previous murderer Grodd, which I have problems with). Since Gorilla City is an entire metropolis of advanced apes, I would be more than happy for Mallah to find another hunky, intelligent ape to build a nest with (yes, gorillas build nests…look it up). That would even be a positive representation because it would reinforce the fact that homosexuality happens in the animal kingdom (which would debunk the other major point of the wingnuts: that being gay is “unnatural” and that all things were made to have only reproductive sexual urges). That is one bit or representation that is lacking in comics.

Even though Mallah and Brain were groundbreakers—not just for being a queer villain couple, but also for defying expectations of ability/disability—it might be better if Mallah laid low for a while in the current political climate. The GOP doesn’t need one more thing to go ape over.

What are your thoughts? Jump into the conversation, and comment below!

Here's a cool video about women in SCIENCE!

http://insidetv.ew.com/2015/01/28/agent-carter-female-heroes/

"Agent Carter was perhaps not the creatively strongest example as its a period drama without a costumed hero. Perhaps Netflix’s A.K.A. Jessica Jones will fare better."

This statement annoys me. That whole article annoys me. Let me tell you why….

First of all, are stories about "costumed heroes" the only ones that fans of the genre really care about? I love stories about costumed heroes, but I also love stories about the other people that inhabit those worlds. The people without powers, without those advantages, who are also striving to make a difference in the world. Especially if those people are dealing with real-life obstacles that we can relate to. Peggy's story is Steve's story. The show, and The First Avenger, go to great lengths to emphasize that Peggy and Steve are matching bookends. Difference is, she's a woman (and not a super soldier). The last episode, The Blitzkrieg Button, had a great scene that so clearly showed why Peggy Carter's story is so important and so interesting.

Peggy is trying to get out of the SSR unnoticed (she’s just done a switcheroo in the lab with one of Stark’s toys), but she unexpectedly runs into Agent Thompson (Chad Michael Murray). Thompson, who appears to be a little tipsy, asks Peggy why she's there (at the SSR). Earlier in the ep Thompson, who is temporarily in charge, tells all the agents that everyone is doing overtime and putting all their attention to the Howard Stark hunt. For Peggy that means getting everyone's lunch order. Thompson refers to Peggy as "Marge" even though he obviously knows her name (newsflash:  he's an ass). Peggy, who is trying to get the hell out of there without him asking questions, gives a generic and borderline sarcastic answer that is essentially "freedom and to serve--the same reasons you're here" and Thompson tells her she's deluding herself because, "You're a woman. No man will ever consider you an equal." And Peggy looks...devastated. Like she wants to cry but will never give Thompson the satisfaction of seeing it. It's literally the worst thing anyone can say to her. All Peggy wants in the world is to be seen as an equal and given a chance to prove herself. Peggy doesn't even respond, can't. Thompson adds "It's sad but it doesn't make it any less true." The thing is, he's not sympathizing and showing understanding of the sexism she faces like Jarvis does in the previous episode:

Peggy: I will call them (the other agents) in and they will respect me.

Jarvis, in a soft voice: No, they won't. They'll just use it to tear you down.

Thompson, in contrast, is speaking with complete disregard for her feelings because HE is one of those men who won't ever consider her an equal. With a stiff and *almost* steady voice Peggy says that she can always count on him for the truth and walks out with as much dignity as she can. Hayley Atwell plays it beautifully. Your heart aches for her. You share her humiliation and hurt and anger. How is that not compelling? How is Peggy not as fascinating a hero as Steve? Peggy has to put up with this kind of humiliation and indignity every single day and act respectful to these trashy men (excepting Agent Sousa) she's superior to in every single way. But people won't watch because she doesn't have a cape? Okay.

 Now, I want to make something clear. Some folks are citing the lack of racial representation in the show as a reason why they won’t watch it, and that’s understandable. Agent Carter isn’t a perfect show. It really does need to work on incorporating some people of color (the next episode, airing on Tuesday Feb 3^rd, seems to be a step towards correcting that with a mission involving the Howling Commandos and the agents) and addressing intersectionality (Peggy experiences both privilege (as a white person) and oppression (as a woman)). That said, it’s spot-on about institutionalized sexism and it’s a very good show in general. Hayley Atwell is a dream, the period details-especially the clothing-are gorgeous, the writing is very good, there are female friendships and a disabled main character who experiences ableism from the same guys Peggy experiences sexism from, and this week we’ll see a canonically queer character among the Howling Commandos. Basically, it’s almost perfect.

So why aren’t people watching? Well, the thing is, apparently they ARE. Entertainment Weekly is reporting that the ratings are steadily dropping, which makes the people who wanted the show to fail or thought there would be no interest insufferably smug, but the numbers themselves tell a different story:

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/01/28/marvels-agent-carter-moves-abc-up-to-second-at-9pm-in-adults-18-49/356811/

According to TV By the Numbers, Agent Carter has put ABC at #2 for adults 18-49 with 4.6 million viewers and #1 in the time slot. So what gives? I think there’s a perception that the show is doing worse than it is based solely on sexist assumptions:

     1. There is no interest in Peggy Carter as a character outside of Steve’s love interest.

     2. The show is too focused on the period typical sexism.

Number 1 is totally false. The fan interest in Peggy Carter, especially after the Marvel One Shot is what directly gave rise to the series. Number 2 is ridiculous. While discussing this online, an acquaintance of mine, a guy, gave this as the reason why the show isn’t supposedly doing well:

“I think the major flaw in Agent Carter is that the show is focused too much on the battle against sexism in the work place, and less about how she is the great secret agent.”

Yes. He actually said that. Like the whole reason why Peggy can’t be a great agent out in the open isn’t sexism. Trust that I read him and read him well, me and others, but the fact is that people (read: dudes) are annoyed that a show set in 1946 about a female agent actually shows the sexism, casual and institutionalized, women experienced then AND NOW. This is not the gritty “realism” a lot of fanboys are used to. It’s too real and uncomfortable to watch a show that clearly makes the point that the real foe to be defeated isn’t Hydra, but The Patriarchy and that’s a good reason to watch Agent Carter in my opinion. That and Hayley Atwell. Because she is everything. 

Here's a scene of Peggy literally sticking it to the patriarchy. Enjoy!

Skin Tight USA is celebrating its 10 year anniversary by traveling the country to various comic book conventions all over the nation for the 2015 season. Our intent is to truly live up to our name by providing a safe space for LGBT cosplayers, friends, and fans of spandex and super suits. In order to achieve this we are hosting a fundraiser through GoFundMe.com. Our goal is to raise $20,000 for the year, and at least $2,000 before the end of March. All money goes toward travel, event production, and expenses. 

- NO MONEY GOES TO OUR POCKETS -

To further give thanks to each and every one that donates, we will be offering gifts for specific dollar amounts donated. Below are some items we are offering. The list may grow at any time, but these are our staple offers.  A full view of gifts offered can be seen on our website, www.skintightusa.com.

Please help this great cause and donate today.

Gift Donation Allotment

> $20
You will be listed in the “Thank you” listing on our site and printable custom membership card

>  $30
Above item, plus simple tri-fold wrist wallet. (Wallet holds everything from money and cards, to your keys and cell phone)

>  $40
Above items, plus link to one Nerd Track by A-Ron the DJ, and one Nerd Track by Mikey Mo

>  $50
Above items, plus (choose one) signed original (8.5x11) B/W reproduction by Jamie Fay, Joe Phillips, Rage Studios, or Phil Jimenez

>  $60 - ITEM UPGRADE -
Above items, plus upgrade to custom Skin Tight USA  tri-fold wrist wallet. (Wallet holds everything from money and cards, to your keys and cell phone)

>  $70
Above items, plus link to three Nerd Tracks by A-Ron the DJ, and three Nerd Tracks by Mikey Mo

>  $80
Above items, plus full set of Marvel Comics (unofficial) Major Arcana custom fan made Tarot Cards (not for resale) 

>  $90
Above items, plus (choice of one) signed original (8.5x11) color reproduction by Jamie Fay, Joe Phillips, Rage Studios, or Phil Jimenez

>  $100
Above items, plus link to five Nerd Tracks by A-Ron the DJ, and five Nerd Tracks by Mikey Mo.

>  $150
Above items, plus (choice of one):
* Complete Four-piece set of signed original (8.5x11) B/W reproduction by Jamie Fay, Joe Phillips, Phil Jimenez, and Rage Studios
-OR-
* Complete Four-piece set of signed original (8.5x11) color reproduction by Jamie Fay, Joe Phillips, Phil Jimenez, and Rage Studios

>  $200
Above items plus link to complete Skin Tight USA Nerd Albums by A-Ron the DJ, & Mikey Mo (10 tracks each!)

>  $250
Above items, plus full set of Marvel Comics (unofficial) Major & Minor Arcana custom fan made Tarot Cards (not for resale), and choice of one signed original (11x17) color reproduction by Jamie Fay, Joe Phillips, Rage Studios, or Phil Jimenez

>  $500
Above items, plus all four signed original (11x17) color reproductions by Jamie Fay, Joe Phillips, Phil Jimenez, and Rage Studios

Promotional Level

>  $1,000: Level 1
Logo featured in our special Logo sponsorship bank, with links directly to your company website, company name drop in all our social media event postings, and tagging on all our social media posts.

>  $1,500: Level 2
Logo featured in our special Logo sponsorship bank, with links directly to your company website, company name drop in all our social media event postings, tagging on all our social media posts, corporate name on all our advertisements, and featured section on our sponsorship page on our website (www.skintightusa.com) with direct link to your company’s site.

>  $2,000: Level 3 
Logo featured in our special Logo sponsorship bank, with links directly to your company website, company name drop in all our social media event postings, tagging on all our social media posts, corporate name on all our advertisements, featured section on our sponsorship page on our website 
(www.skintightusa.com)with direct link to your company’s site, proper display of your company’s poster/banner at our Con events, and your logo will be added to our step-and-repeat banner. 

(Level 3 must be done by  March 1 in order to be used for the first half of our trips. Second half will be by  July, for the second half of our travels.)

Our friends at The Nerdist revealed the line-up of the new pilot from TNT based on the DC Comics property "Teen Titans" and while there are some expected choices, there are a couple curveballs.  Let's break it down!

Dick Grayson/Nightwing

Who knows if they are going to go with the New 52 version of Dick Grayson, but its very likely he will still remain Batman's former sidekick (unless they want the rage of a million fans).  

Steven R McQueen most recently of The Vampire Diaries, has been lobbying hardcore for the role of the former Robin.  There was even talk that he would appear on Arrow as Dick Grayson.

Though martial artist/model/actor Nick Bateman has caught many an eye for the way he handles his...staff. 

See for yourself.

Barbara Gordon

Supposedly this version hues more toward the pre-52 version on Barbara as she is in a wheelchair, though not expressly referred to as "Oracle".

While its very doubtful Karen Gillan will be let out of her Marvel contract to play a competing property, we can still dream.

Another option would be actress Molly Quinn, mostly known for playing Nathan Fillion's daughter on ABC's "Castle".  She also provided the voice of Supergirl in the animated feature "Superman: Unbound"

Hank Hall/Hawk

One half of the due Hawk and Dove, Hank Hall has super strength, enhanced speed and agility, and rage issues.

While CM Punk is mostly known for being a wrestler for the WWE, he was recently let go from his contract and would be a great fit in Hawk's spandex tights.  Plus, he's a huge geek who recently contributed a storyline for the latest Thor Annual.

Dawn Granger/Dove

Dawn Granger is the other half of the Hawk & Dove duo.  With the ability of flight, agility, and heightened perceptions, she is the perfect compliment to Hawk's Chaos side.

Actress Zhang Ziyi is famous for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.  And while she has mostly done film, specifically in China, and it's unlikely she'd make her American television debut in this, it's nice to dream.

Rachel Roth/Raven

Supposedly Raven appears at the end of the pilot and very little information is given, beyond that she is going by the name given to her by Geoff Johns during his run on Teen Titans.

Just because Abigail Breslin has been cast in Ryan Murphy's new anthology show "Scream Queens" doesn't mean we can't imagine her channeling the dark and brooding Raven.

Starfire

Like Raven, Princess Koriand’r/Starfire only appears at the end of the pilot, so very little is known about her character.  While it's unlikely she'll be anything like the adorably innocent version from the cartoon, but its fairly likely that she'll play another romantic foil to Dick Grayson.

I would love love love to have Bianca Lawson play another strong female character after she only lived for a short while as Kendra on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  I mean yes, she's been on The Vampire Diaries, and Teen Wolf, and most recently Witches of East End, but I think taking on Starfire will help cement Bianca as someone beyond Kendra the Vampire Slayer in my eyes.

***Bonus Casting***

While not announced at all, I think that if the show gets picked up, they should get a new member to join their ranks.

Thea Queen/Speedy

Willa Holland has been making us forget how godawful Laurel Lance is as Canary and if anyone deserves to step out on her own and join this group of young heroes, it would be her!

Do you agree, who would you cast instead?  Comment below!

This Valentine's Day....
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1218105

http://www.thetanknyc.org/dance/276-bottoms-dream/

Do you dream of Bottoms? William Shakespeare did. This ensemble of NYC's queer burlesque starlets are teaming up to warp his Midsummer Night's Dream into a fully scripted, theatrical adaptation which will leave you questioning your perception of reality.  

Trapped in the Fairy Court are 4 lovers and Bottom, who will impart to you his fantastical journey of love, passion, and oppression by those forces that lurk in the forest.

photos by Harry Pocius

STARRING
Iris Ex Plosion
Johnny Panic
Lewd Alfred Douglas
Fem Appeal
Fancy Feast
Suffra Gent

Introducing
Willy Langtree
Zelma Zelma

Stage assistance by Ginger Rodger and Nyx Nocturne, script adaptation by Kelsey Zelma Hercs, created and produced by Johnny Panic and Lewd Alfred Douglas  

Spoil your Valentine's lover or lovers with our magical raffle prizes, provided by Fyodor Pavlov Art, Pleasure Chest, and more!

The Tank - February 14th - 9:30

"Who at Northwest Press do you have to blow to get them to return your emails?” That was the opening line to the first draft of my most recent blog entry on Abel Boddy.com. I was explaining the forced hiatus of my online comic Abel Boddy and referring to some emails I sent to an LGBT comic publisher a couple of years ago that never received a response.

My name is C.Edwards and I have been writing and drawing as an independent cartoonist for 10 years now. As of this writing I have drawn 570 comic strips for my comic Abel Boddy, which I started in 2005, and 430 strips for my NSFW comic 12-Inch Roommate, which ran from 2009 to 2013. I have collected my work into 3 books, which were completed via two successful crowdfunding campaigns. I have been published monthly in the print edition of a magazine since 2011 and I am currently working on a new LGBT superhero tome called Hard Corps Action Force.

Top billing this week goes to Earth 2 for bringing Green Lantern's boyfriend back from the dead. Plus find out this week's other... SuperQueeros: all that's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transexual, transgender, and queer in comics today! 

Earth 2 #31 and Earth 2 World's End #18

Now that Green Lantern has been reunited with his formerly dead, newly empowered boyfriend, it's time for him to DIE (again)! Can Sam save his avatar of the Green?

Levi Michaels Does a lot of things. The Cool People at Gay-nerds have an awesome interview with him. He's interesting, and this video showcases his let's play style.  There's not a lot more to say here, other than it's interesting to see how the internet allows people's multi-faceted nature to come to light. 

I never thought I'd be adding Taylor Swift to my "Supernatural" playlist, but here we are. What a funny world we live in. This week's epiesode started as so many do, ina grimmy bar as one of the sad-sack patrons is kicked out onto the street. For a moment, because of his long hair, I thought it was Sam; but it turns out it's a guy named JP (a subtle nod to jared Padlecki, perhaps?) who is promptly jumped by a scary guy, and disappears witha flash of light. Uh oh. Looks like a case for...

...The sad, agsty boys in plaid. Back at the bunker, in a montage to the strains of accoustic guitar, Dean is deep into researching anything to remove the Mark of Cain from his arm. Tattoo removal,  laser scar removal, the bible - it's all coming up with nothing for the elder winchester, who has also fallen hard off his healthy kick from last week. Sam, believing that Dean needs to be out hunting and doing what he does best to function brings Dean the case of the empty clothes and missing person. It takes some prodding but the boys are eventually on the case. The first interview goes pretty well, but the witness has some theories.

After dead ending with homeless guy (who ddtell them he smelled flowers. Dean heads (a bit reluictantly) into the bar and Sam goes to look at JO's place. In the bar Dean throws his recovery out the window and asks for something strong and dark (in the distance, Cas senses his longing). The bartender has nothing good to say about JP, but a wounded looking woman seems to think differently. The woman, Tina, siddles over to Dean and tells him JP wasn't so bad, and before you know it Dean and Tina and drinking and comparing sad stories. It seems though that someone (tht is, creept guy that jumped JP) noticed them. As Tina bids Dean adieu for the night, she's quickly attacked by creepy guy. After a quick update with Sam (who tells him JP's place was like the Devil's butthole) Dean is jumped as well. Bright light and then...Dean awakens, disoriented and locked in a basement. And 14 years old.

With Dean in the basement is Tina, who is locked in an ajoinging room with JP - both are also teens now. Before Dean can even begin to explain what's happening, creepy man lumbers down the stairs and grabs JP to drag him to an unknown fate. Uh oh. On the bright side there's cake! While Sam beats up the bartender to figure out where Dean disappeared to, Dean noshes on the cake that was slipped under the door until Tina remindes him it's probably poisoned. that prompts Dean to search out a way to get out, and he does figure how to jimmy open the window, but not before evil minion man is back and about to take dean away. Tina distracts him with her screams and Dean escapes.

Sam is worriedly researching the flower he found where Dean disappeared, when a knock sounds on the door. Let's say that Sam is a little surprised when he sees that his big brother is suddenly his little. In a scene where Sam makes some of the greatest facial expressions I have ever seen, Dean quickly explains the situation and the need to get back to where he was being held and save Tina. The boys jump in the Impala, and Dean's attempt to pul the seat forward puts Sam in the fetal position, so Sam drives.

As the boys drive, Dean laments his zits, unpredictable boners and (gasp!) enjoyment of Taylor Swift, to his big little bro. There is one good thing though - the Mark of Cain is gone, leaving Dean to consider if it would be better to remain this way. He's not quite as hot on the idea when Sam reminds him he'll be allowed to drink in seven or so years. Once theyreach the house and break into the basement, they're (of course) quickly caught by the creepy man whose name it turns out is Hansel.

Yes, the Hansel of "and Gretel" lore. He was kidnapped by an evil witch years ago and has been her slave ever since she forced him to eat little Gretel's heart. He tells the boys all of this because he of course wants to kill the witch himself now. (She's upstairs chatting with a gagged Tina about how she's going to cook her.) he promises he will give Dean the hex bag around his neck to change Dean back after they kill the witch with the witch-killing molotiv cocktail the boys have ready...

And of course it's a lie, they discover when Hansel brings them upstairs and revealhimself to withcypoo. The witch goes into along monologue about how delicious Americans are, and how she turns adult no one will miss into children to avoid suspicion. And then she reveals she's in America to look into a problem witch for the Grand Coven - Rowena. Before she can give more information, the boys break free and a fight ensues. Sadly, tiny Dean really can't hold his own against giant Hansel. That is until he grabs the hex bag. Withut hesitation he transforms back to himself, then shoves the Witch and her hexbag nto the oven. hansel is taken care of too.

The downside of this 9the upside is seeing adult Dean in his adorable hoodie) is that Tina is stuck as a teen - but she's okay with that. After three failed marriages and a lot of debt, she's happy to strt fresh. the boys drop her off at the bus station and have a moment where Sammy once again reminds his bro that that though the Mark may be back, they will work this out together, like they always do. And Dean actually seems to believe him.

The boys pop into the Impala. Back in the driver's seat Dean flips on the radio to...Taylor Swift. sam grimaces, but with a shrug and a smile, Dean lets it play.

Other Highlights:

Lesley Nicol (Mrs. Patmore of Downton Abbey fame) madea terrifying witch and Dylan everett as teen Dean hit it out of the park, nailing all of Dean's manerisms.

Sam aparently believed in the easter bunny til he was 11 and a half.

Sam being told he has such a polite son.

This line:

Wincon is a by-the-fans, for-the-fans operation. We are an annual multi-fandom gathering for fans that aims to provide a safer space for women, people of color, lgbtqia+ folks, intersections thereof, and other under-represented fans of popular media and culture in all its infinite varieties (just like us)!

Wincon is a place for people to meet, hang out, discuss their fandoms, the fic and meta written about them, the fanart and vids made for them, and have a good time. It’s the internet come to life.  It’s a place where you can be yourself and feel comfortable in all your geeky glory.  No official personnel from any fandom is affiliated with this convention, nor will there be any appearances by any show actors, celebrities, writers, or other personnel.  It’s all about us, the fans, and the way we express ourselves and our love for fandom.

Wincon’s mission is to bring together a diverse group of internet-based media fans in an inclusive environment to engage in fannish activities and foster meaningful connections. We aim to provide programming created and led by attendees, on topics drawn from a variety of sources and involving everything from detailed meta to wildly creative fanworks, encompassing all aspects of fandom culture.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit here.

A book trailer premiere hosted by Ian Carlos Crawford and Melissa Driscol

Featuring performances by Melissa Driscol and reading from Ian Carlos Crawford's manuscript, Vaguely Based On A True Story, are Kevin G Tobin, Andrea Quinn, Lauren Benatti, Kimberly Ann Southwick, and Ian.

No cover 
Upstairs at the Stonewall Inn at 4:30pm
$4 Well Drinks
$3 Beer

Starring:
Ian Carlos Crawford as Adam Carlos 
Brendan Maclean as Brendan 
Andrea Quinn as Andrea 
Kevin Tobin as Kevin 
Kimberly Ann Southwick as Josephine 
Sonny Farnsworth as Sonny
Melissa E. Driscol as Tammy 
and 
many, many more wonderful people

Directed and Produced by 
Kevin Tobin and Chris Sandas

Written by
Ian Carlos Crawford

Edited by
Chris Sandas 

Music by
Brendan Maclean

Vaguely Based On A True Story is about the life of Adam Carlos, a 31 year old unpublished author, during one miserable, strange summer in New York City. Adam has two degrees and is working a shitty low paying job at The Sex Museum of New York City with coworkers that include: a foul mouthed boss, David; a punk lesbian, Alissa; his close friend who may or may not believe in unicorns, Josephine; a loud lunatic, Sonny; a new boss that he hates, Tammy and a bunch of others. He lives in Brooklyn with his two stoner roommates/ best friends, Andrea and Kevin - along with Kevin's awful new girlfriend, Sarah. He's being haunted by prophetic dreams, his dead ex-boyfriend Brendan, and a mysterious man in a fox mask. Things take a turn when new employee and possible love interest, Austin, is hired. Adam then finds his world spiraling out of control as he no longer knows what's real.

Recently Pokemon and Tekken released that they would be creating a joint game together. It’ll be an arcade game known as Pokken Tournament. Here is the trailer for it.

So far playable pokemon are confirmed to be:

Lucario, Pikachu, Machamp, Gardevoir, Blaziken, and Suicune.

And assist Pokemon confirmed so far are:

Emolga, Snivy, Fennekin, Frogadier, Lapras, and Eevee

*Disclaimer: Unfortunately, this article has nothing to do with the wonderfully salacious 90s television series that starred Mitzi Kapture and Rob Estes.*

Spider-Verse is rapidly approaching its conclusion and it will, undoubtedly, result in a final culling of the various Spiders that have banded together to battle the Inheritors. Once the dust settles and the dead are mourned, one thing is certain, the Marvel Universe will be +2 in regards to female-led titles. Notable newcomers to the Spider-Man mythos, Silk and Spider-Woman (Gwen Stacy) are set to star in their own ongoing runs beginning this month.

For those readers not in the know, here is a brief origin breakdown of both characters:

Cindy Moon (a.k.a. Silk) was in high school when she happened to attend the same exhibition as Peter Parker when he was bitten by the radioactive spider that resulted in him gaining his powers. Coincidentally, after biting Peter’s hand, the same spider went on to bite Cindy’s ankle before dying. Once her powers manifested, Cindy was briefly trained by Ezekiel Sims before being locked away upon the discovery that the Inheritor, Morlun, was tracking her. Following the release of Uatu the Watcher’s secrets, Peter Parker discovered the existence of Cindy and, bearing false news of Morlun’s demise, released Cindy from the bunker.

Gwen Stacy (a.k.a. Spider-Woman, dubbed Spider-Gwen by fans and Marvel editorial) originates from Earth-65. In this reality, not only is Gwen a member of Mary Jane Watson’s band, she was also the one bitten by the radioactive spider and developed super powers. Following a failed experiment in order to become “special” like Gwen, Peter Parker mutated into a lizard-like monstrosity only to perish following a confrontation with Gwen. This would lead to Spider-Gwen being wanted by her father, the head of the NYPD, and local authorities.

With the recent loss of both She-Hulk and Elektra, perhaps these ladies can help fill the void left behind on the monthly pull list. But, what is a Strong Female Spider without a Spider Rogues Gallery. Thanks the the long history of Peter Parker and the various empowered folks that team up with him on a daily basis, Silk and Spider-Gwen may not have long to rest, after their current battle, before a Strong Female Villain comes calling.

Who deserves to be the recurring nemeses of Silk and Spider-Gwen? Here is a who’s-who dossier on some of the obvious and not-so-obvious dastardly vixens that would probably enjoy a row with one or both of our new Spider-heroines:

Frances Louise Barrison/Sandra Deel (a.k.a. Shriek): Following years of abuse at the hands of her mother, drug use, a gunshot wound to the head, and obtaining powers of sound/emotion manipulation while trapped in Cloak’s dark dimension, it’s no wonder that Shriek’s sanity leaves a lot to be desired. Introduced during the Maximum Carnage event, Frances escaped Ravencroft mental institution with Carnage and, together with their “adopted children” (Carrion, Demogoblin, and Doppelgänger), took part in a homicidal murder spree throughout New York City. This was obviously thwarted by Spider-Man and co. Later, she attempted to force her “son”, Carrion, to kill his birth mother in order to be acknowledged as his true mother. Most recently, following a reunion with Carnage where the couple was pursued by Deadpool, Shriek was hired by Owl and Boomerang to join the ranks of the Sinister Sixteen.

Thursday Rubinstein (a.k.a. Ruby Thursday): A member of a villainous team of geniuses, the Headmen, Thursday Rubinstein developed a surgical procedure to replace the head of a human with a malleable, organic computer. Her early encounters with the Defenders and She-Hulk would solidify her as a formidable foe. Later, she would survive an assassination attempt by Bullseye and battle Hellcat during the events of Civil War. At one point, Ruby was broken out of The Raft by Wolverine to assist him in taking down Romulus. This plan was foiled when Romulus threatened the life of Ruby’s daughter, forcing her to turn on Logan and impale him with the spiked tentacles which she was able to mold from her head. Her recent attempt to assist Dr. Bong in opening the multiverse was stopped by a surprisingly silent Spider-Man (laryngitis can’t keep a good hero down).

Elizabeth Rawson (a.k.a. Knockout), Danielle Forte (a.k.a. Mindblast), Beatta Dubiel (a.k.a. Bloodlust), and Leeann Foreman (a.k.a. Whiplash): The quartet known as the Femme Fatales’ first physical encounter with Spider-Man came when the women were hired to attack a Baltic ambassador’s plane as it arrived in New York City. Knockout’s superhuman strength coupled with Bloodlust’s feral ferocity, Mindblast’s telekinesis, and Whiplash’s retractable whips almost proved too much for Peter Parker to handle. Nevertheless, they were defeated and went on to join Superia’s Femizons in their battle against Captain America. Following the events of M-Day, Bloodlust was depowered but Mindblast retained her mutant abilities, joining Caroline Le Fay’s Doom Maidens and recently being spotted in Madripoor. The whereabouts of Whiplash and Knockout remain unknown.

Cleo Nefertiti (a.k.a. Asp): The mutant villainess known as Asp has the ability to generate bioelectric energy blasts that cause both paralysis and death in her targets. As a member of the Serpent Society, Cleo has battled the likes of Alpha Flight, Captain America, and the Eternal, Sersi. During the Dark Reign era, Asp was picked by Norman Osborne to serve as part of Delaware’s Initiative team and took part in the assault against Asgard. Despite her criminal past, she has proven loyalty to her friends, namely the reformed villain, Diamondback. Her staunch opposition to the Superhero Registration Act led to her joining Captain America’s team of “Secret Avengers” during the Civil War event. All good deeds aside, Asp was most recently prevented from completing a bank heist by the mutant messiah, Hope Summers.

Calypso Ezili: The psychotic Haitian voodoo priestess known as Calypso gained her mind control and resurrection abilities after sacrificing her younger sister. Early appearances saw Calypso associated with Kraven the Hunter and she found sport in fueling his hatred of Spider-Man. To her dismay, this would lead to Sergei’s suicide. Later, she asserted her influence over Curt Connors, the villain known as the Lizard. Together, the duo almost successfully killed Peter Parker. Still distraught over Sergei Kravinoff’s suicide, she went on to attack his illegitimate son, Aloysha. Following her defeat at the hands of Spider-Man and the Hunter’s son, she was taken into custody by Aloysha under the guise of acquiring information about his father. Instead, the priestess was slain by Kravinoff. As she has demonstrated a regenerative ability in the past, it is likely that her demise is not permanent.

Elaine Colls (a.k.a. Scorpia): While undergoing psychological treatment at Manhattan’s Bellevue Hospital, Elaine Colls was recruited by Silverman to retrieve the cyborg, Deathlok. An enhanced suit worn by the original Scorpion was given to her and she attempted to complete the mission with Beetle and Hydro-Man. The ambush was stopped by Spider-Man despite Elaine proving herself to be quite a competent enemy. She later sought revenge against Silvermane, after her employer betrayed her, and went on to join the Sinister Six in order to prevent Peter Parker’s clone, Kaine, from killing any more of Spider-Man’s rogues. During her attack on Carnegie Hall, in order to fulfill an assassination order by a local drug cartel, Elaine was defeated by both Spider-Man and Black Cat. Her last know location was within the ranks of the Doom Maidens as they battled Valkyrie and her Fearless Defenders.

Sybil Dvorak (a.k.a. Gypsy Moth/Skein): Raised by Gypsies, the mutant known as Gypsy Moth possesses the ability to telekinetically manipulate fibers and fabrics. An actor filming a remake of Dracula in Romania wooed the young woman and brought her back to America. It wouldn’t take long before fears about her lover’s infidelity began to boil over, resulting in Sybil attacking various social gatherings in Hollywood. A confrontation with Jessica Drew at one such gathering would lead to a long-standing rivalry between Gypsy Moth and Spider-Woman. Much later she joined Hawkeye’s team of Thunderbolts. Her decision to eventually leave the group was due to her inability to seduce Songbird, a challenge that she had set for herself. Like Asp, Sybil was a member of Delaware’s Initiative team during Norman Osborne and H.A.M.M.E.R.’s time in power. As of late, she has teamed up with the White Rabbit as part of the Menagerie, a group of animal-themed super villains. Spider-Man was able to prevent the team from completing a diamond heist in Manhattan.

Quicksand: The Vietnamese villainess known only as Quicksand was once a scientist employed at a nuclear facility. An onsite accident granted her powers similar to Spider-Man’s nemesis, Sandman. In retaliation for her transformation, Quicksand attacked the nuclear reactor of the plant in an attempt to cause a meltdown. This disaster was prevented by the arrival of Thor when the Asgardian hurled the entire facility into another dimension. During the superhuman civil war, Quicksand was apprehended by the Thunderbolts and registers under the Superhero Registration Act. After escaping from The Raft during the Fear Itself event, fisticuffs would ensue between Quicksand and former Initiative members, Thor Girl and Cloud 9 in Philadelphia.

Regardless as to what villains emerge from their hidey holes to scrap with the new webslingers, it is certain that they will have their work cut out for them. Both Silk and Gwen have been thrown right into the proverbial deep end of the pool in the current battle against the Inheritors. Let’s see if they can keep swimming.

What baddies would you like to see make the ranks of Silk and Spider-Gwen’s rogues gallery. Feel free to voice your wishes in the comments section!

Follow Shaun N. on Twitter at @datura1979.

With the countless hours I spent surrounded by comics during my formative years, it isn’t any wonder that I developed a bit of a crush on my super-heroic men. I mean, damn! Perfect physiques, form-fitting clothes, cool powers, and they help save little wimplings like me? Enter every pre-teen (and, let’s be honest, young adult) fantasy of my life.

And, like most red-blooded, queer, American nerdlings my age, I lived for those brief panels where my heroes had their shirts off. I mean lived! Battle damage, sparing session, the rare (and elusive) shower scene…things that made my pubescent mind go boing!

This week, while surfing around the web, I came across an article at ComicBookResource that was talking about a time when Nightwing had gone evil in an alternate reality. Not being a DC fan, I skimmed through, looking at the pictures, and an epiphany hit me. I thought, “Whoa! Dick sure lost a lot of costume fabric when he turned evil. Maybe there’s a connection here (Is that a nipple ring?!).”

So, if I may, I’d like to propose an idea: in comics, there is a definitive relationship between being shirtless and being evil (or at least morally ambiguous).

Since Marvel is much more in my wheelhouse, I’ll be focusing my argument there. And I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that not all topless male characters have a connection to the dark side. In my hours of oh-so painful research staring at half-naked drawings, I noticed that shirtless guy heroes fell into one of four categories, which I affectionately call: The Brute, The Beast, The Brawn, or the Baddie.

Now, The Brute is the character that is meant to be portrayed as a savage (uncivilized) warrior-type. This character might be from an ancient culture, adhere to an older system of beliefs, or be associated with the wild. The visual short-hand at play here is to get the audience to make an association with a time/culture that is not our own.

Ex: Hercules, Shang-Chi, Ka-Zar

The Beast is the character that is hair-covered, quasi-animal, or feral. This character is always linked to nature/animals in some distinct way. The quick reference is to get the character to be read as wild, untamed, and inhuman (and what better way to be portrayed as such then to shed the cloth trappings of man).

Ex: Beast, Triton, Sasquatch

Another category of shirtless man is The Brawn, the overly-muscular, steroid pumped, my-muscles-have-muscles kind of guy. Some of these dudes can’t help it: clothes are repelled off of their body. Their bodies are so huge that wearing shirts isn’t practical (but the pants always manage to stay on? Come on!). These characters are meant to cue associations with boxers, wrestlers, weight-lifters, and other potent visual symbols of strength (as defined by our culture).

Ex: Thing, Gentle, Charlie-27

The final group of men would be lumped into The Baddie category. These men may have traits of the other three categories, but they are also decidedly evil. Their increased skin taps into something deeper, something taboo, something menacing. It catches the reader off-guard, and keeps them feeling unsettled (especially when this character is surrounded by fully clothed people).

Ex: Abomination, Absorbing Man, Jamie Braddock, Garokk, Sauron

No matter which category a character falls under, the message is muddled: shirtless characters seem to embody the stereotypes of what it is to be a man. Either they are uncivilized, animalistic, meatheads, or they are all three (and therefore dangerous). Men who fall in the liminal space outside these stereotypes may be respected as citizens (like Captain America) but are not revered as titans (like the Hulk).

It also is confusing to the male gaze. Since almost all products in our culture (from comics, to commercials, to TV show, to movies) are aimed at a straight male demographic, they often use females to draw the gaze (or attention) of their audience. Even things such as underwear commercials for men will never feature a male by himself alone for too long without bringing a female on screen. Thus, when a male character has a nice physique—something that any person can admire—that character is covered up so that the straight male does not have to feel uncomfortable with the thought of admiring another man’s body.

By keeping the shirtless men in cultural, emotional, and ethical limbo, it is easier for the straight male audience. They no longer have to find their gaze drifting down the body of Cyclops—a man who is written to be admired—and have to be concerned if admiration will turn into something more. Instead, they get to look at Beast—a person divorced enough from our modern cultural aesthetic of beauty that the blurred lines never become a problem.

But what happens when a former good, heroic, clothed character turns to the dark side? Does the fashion follow the function?

Tune in for Part 2 of Take Off Your Top to find out!

The mid-season premier of Season 5 aired last night and it was perhaps the most hauntingly beautiful episode yet.The visual layers and foreshadowing and jumping around in time and space were so well done that it didn't even matter that not a lot (but what did was major) happened in this episode. If you haven't watched it yet, be forewarned that there are ***major spoilers below***.

Rick, Michonne, Tyreese, Glen and Noah are traveling to a whole new state! And it's not DC! The group is making the trek to Virginia to get Noah home. And by home, we mean this little gated community where he last saw his mother and his two twin brothers. Needless to say, they arrive and it's not the idealized safe haven that Noah had hoped it still was. The community is overun with walkers with no living survivors - arguably because it seems like they didn't know how to properly kill the walkers. Bodies chopped in half and limbs are strewn all over the place. Go for the head, not the torso, folks.

Noah and Tyreese split up to go find Noah's home while Rick and Glen discuss killing Dawn. Was it necessary? Does it matter who did it? When Rick inititally asks, it almost seems like he is mildly remoreseful, or at the very least, aware of the value of humanity in that moment. For Glen to eventually admit that it would have been any of the group to kill her is chilling - especially if we believe that her killing Beth was more out of instinct (which I agree it was - given the look on her face after she did it). And while Rick and Glen are in the past, let's go there too and take a minute to note that we lost two strong female characters in the span of a few seconds. Is Glen is trying to appease Rick or at least align himself with him in an effort to not allow Rick to stray too far off the deep end? Or maybe Glen is just willfully going with him. Their candor, ability to glorify Beth (let's be real - she did stab Dawn just for being an asshole) and then justify killing Dawn is creepy and problematic. Because you know, two dudes discussing the death of two women, one of which one of the dudes murdered. Ah, life in the post-apocalyptic Walking Dead universe.

MEANWHILE WITH MICHONNE...She overhears some this conversation. And rightly, she's like, uh....you dudes are losin' it. She heatedly suggests that they stay and bring the rest of the group over. Obviously, this is unrealistic, which she soon realizes too. But her want for stability and to be settled does not go unnoted with Rick and Glen. It's a very attractive plea - especially given that the church is now demolished and they essentially (as far as we know so far anyway) have no where else to go. Rick agrees to make the trek to Washington, in hopes that there will be other humans or at least some safety and stability.  And in a sweep of the eye, and perhaps because there is no one else present in this episode to be that person, Michonne's character gets a nod at the new moral compass of the show. Which is weird? I *love* Michonne, I love the way her character has developed and the complexity that she has but we'll see how this goes.

Ok. so I'm going to talk about that big sad thing that happened now and you know, the reason why the show needs a new moral compass to begin with. As I was watching the episode, I kept thinking, well, this is a chill episode - not much is going on. And then Tyreese finds himself upstairs in Noah's old house, staring at a photograph of Noah's younger twin brothers while Noah is downstairs grieving over his mother's corpse. What does Tyreese see in this photo? Himself? His grief over his own brother? Loss? Probably all of the above, which is enough to have anyone sufficiently distracted. And by divine circumstance, Tyreese then gets to meet one of those twin brothers in person, well, walker. And that gosh darn brother is just so happy to see him that he bites him in the arm. Cue the collective "NO!"s and "OMG!"s please.

Tyreese is bitten and what transpires for most of the remainder of the show is this fever dream-induced exploration and coming to terms with his choices and who he is. He is in this bedroom and he begins to see Lizzie and Mika, Beth, and Bob. He also sees Martin and the governor. It's a classic angel and devil on my shoulder move but the way it's filmed and carried out is breathtaking. Beth is singing, the girls are absolving him, and Bob is like, "it's all gonna be alright, man." Martin is giving his same ol' deal about accepting the horrors as an excuse for horrible behavior and the governor, well, he is all about guilting Tyreese for letting him down, for not heeding all of the "wisdom" that he bestowed on Tyreese. In the end, Tyreese puts both of the ghosts in their place and claims his honorable self.

At this point, the rest of the group rush into the room and amputate Tyreese's arm. He has already been bit twice though and seems to be completely at peace with dying. They manage to get him back into the car with hopes of cauterizing his wound and getting him settled into the healing process back at the camp. That doesn't happen. On the way, still fever dreaming, Tyreese is now in the car with Beth, Bob, Lizzy, and Mika. Their soothing spirits ease his own into the other side. And so we say goodbye to Tyreese. RIP dude. You were special.

Until next week, babes.