#non binary characters

I kinda felt like posting this again for Pride Month. These are a couple of OCs that also are from the Mosaik story.

The characters are from left to right: Hazel, Alice, Murphy, Leticia. Hazel is a Japanese girl who ran away from her family and is just a fucking good hackre. Alice can do mind magic with computers. Murphy is a shape shifter and the reincarnation of Loki. And Letitcia is a street kid who accidentally found herself with powers, after being hired by a god to kill a chosen. Long story.

They are all some flavors of bi/pan, and their polycule is... chaotic. Hazel is the oldest one of the group, incidentally, but also she is tiny and innocent.

Duck Prints Press is thrilled to announce that the crowdfunding campaign for science-fantasy gender-diverse sixth anthology Aether Beyond the Binary is now live on Kickstarter!

The core concept of Aether Beyond the Binary is simple and compelling: create intriguing main characters outside the gender binary and set them loose to explore the modern world twisted or barely changed, enhanced or destroyed by magical aether. This power source may replace technology, supplement it, or oppose it. These characters may be agender, genderfluid, bigender, or any other non-binary identity. The thread that these tales share is exploration: of the world around them and of the self. We propose no conclusions; instead, we demonstrate how far-reaching the questions are and how expansive the range of possible answers can be, thereby broadening the discussion about the nature of gender and the place of genderqueer characters in science-fantasy fiction. We hope you’ll join us to explore the endless possibilities of these magical worlds.

This anthology includes 17 stories, each up to 7,500 words, by our diverse fancreators-turned-original-fiction-authors, gorgeous artwork by Mar Spragge, Pippin Peacock, Alessa Riel, and Atomic Pixies, amazing merchandise, and awesome add-on extras.

Looking for the perfect post-holiday purchase? Look no further! Get awesome, gorgeous stuff, a fantastic, erudite book, and support queer indie publishing – become a backer of the Aether Beyond the Binary crowdfunding campaign TODAY!

Campaign ends January 25th, 2024.

The Assignment is a Spy-Romance novel set in the small town of Kino, Indiana. One of America's hidden cities. A hub for spies, paranoia, and fear. Inez Darío is given the task of watching a potential threat while they're both attending the local college.

Chapter One: Inez

Chapter Two: Temple

Chapter Three: Inez

Let’s talk about one of the most quietly disturbing choices in Transformers: EarthSpark: giving Nightshade — a kind, curious, non-binary Terran — a mentor in the form of Tarantulas, a Decepticon war criminal.

❝ I just wanted to survive. ❞

That’s what Tarantulas says to Nightshade.

But let’s be clear: this is revisionism.

In most Transformers continuities — especially IDW and Beast Wars — Tarantulas is not just a victim of war.

He’s a torturer, a mad scientist, and a predator.

In IDW, he ran psychological operations, manipulated minds, and dissected identities.

He never truly defected. He stayed Decepticon by choice, driven by obsession with control, not freedom.

His “survival” always came at the cost of others’ autonomy.

🎭 The Hypocrisy of the Self-Expression Speech

In EarthSpark, Tarantulas gives a speech about self-expression and “not hiding who you are,” meant to resonate with Nightshade’s non-binary identity.

But this is a profound contradiction:

🕷️ Tarantulas didn’t honor self-expression — he stole it from others.

His experiments erased individuality. He extracted, dissected, and violated the very concept of personhood.

In any deeper disagreement, he would not celebrate Nightshade’s uniqueness — he would try to reprogram or reshape it. His “tolerance” is conditional, not compassionate.

Let’s be honest: If Nightshade truly challenged him — ethically, emotionally, philosophically — Tarantulas would turn on them like he always has with anyone who threatened his control.

⚠️ Why This Is So Dangerous

Giving Nightshade a mentor like Tarantulas sends these messages:

That predators can be safe if they sound gentle for five minutes.

That a child's identity is safe in the hands of a war criminal.

That representation overrides accountability — as long as someone says the “right” thing about identity.

Nightshade is a child. They deserve protection, not grooming masked as mentorship.

🌿 Missed Opportunities

If EarthSpark wanted a nuanced, affirming mentor for Nightshade, they could’ve chosen:

Wheeljack – eccentric and harmless.

Knock Out (reformed) – flamboyant, formerly Decepticon, now self-aware.

Perceptor – quiet, scientific, gentle.

Arcee – a warrior who’s wrestled with her own identity. (In other continuities)

All of them could talk about selfhood without carrying the moral rot of Tarantulas’ legacy.

🧠 Final Thought

Tarantulas is not a symbol of “self-expression.” He is a symbol of identity theft, domination, and conditional acceptance.

Letting him deliver a speech on freedom of identity — without any reckoning — is narrative betrayal.

And worst of all, it sets Nightshade up for subtle harm:

The kind of harm that wears a soft voice and says “I see you” — but only if you don’t say no.

first ever post here bc tiktok hates me. anyways that’s my tt acc if u wanna follow me ! i’m more active there and i post a lot abt tmnt !

Chapter 4 Cover Art LFG!!!!

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Of Destiny & Dragoones is a fantasy-adventure comic about a band of hapless misfits thrown together to overcome the curse of an evil archmage and (ideally) save the city. They’re heroes, honest. Tune in for magic, fight scenes, bad language, badass adventurers, and found family. New pages every Wednesday!

Quick sketch of Juno from my sketchbook today!!