#penumbraparty

I know you like gay little stories and, let me tell you, this one is audio fiction royalty.

I felt seen by it, heard and understood. And as a Black queer woman in a predominantly white area, that meant a lot. So it hurt like hell when they labeled POC, trans individuals, and more marginalized groups as bullies for raising criticism towards a decision they made themselves. And it’s not cool to see so many people ignoring it or just plain being unaware. I don’t think people get just how much Takagi-Kaner and Vibert HURT PEOPLE with the people they hired and the poor attempts at justification for it loosely labeled as apologies. This is not the first time they’ve done this, and unfortunately, that means they are very likely to let it happen again.

there are two main storylines

first follows juno steel a private eye in hyperion city on mars as he uncovers ancient martian mysteries, political scandals and arrests captivating homme fatales

the other is the second citadel which tells the tale of a world in which humans battle monsters, knights battle old notions of knighthood and certain people battle their feelings for four armed lizards (seriously the wizard is impossibly hot. you will go in thinking of course lizards aren't hot what the hell are you people talking about. but you'll see.)

but honestly the plot is amazing and it's funny and beautiful and it will make you cry and you will love it

and possibly the best part is the character development just all the character grow and it's amazing and i have no words to even begin to describe how much some of the lines get to me

Desperado is an audio-drama by Sami Souissi about “ Blood magic, Voodoo magic, old gods, new gods: We've got it all! Follow the story of misfits from all over the world, as they try to survive and protect their heritage from modern-day crusaders.”

It has a similar narrative framework to the Juno Steel S3 in the sense that there’s both narration by the characters that get shifted through the episodes so we get different povs and parts that are not narrated. However unlike penumbra other character’s can hear the narration since is this kind-of retrospective narrative so we get the others laugh at the first impressions the narrator had or make fun of them because x thing.

Also the worldbuilding is estellar, so much thought is given to how the magic works, and how gods interact etc. which you can specially feel through the sound desing.

There is a trans woman with powers, a gay guy with wings and a straight fella with an INCREDIBLE pain resistence. The main trio is made of mexican and japanese men/boys (the ages are a bit weird) and a haitian girl/woman and they are bound together by the shared need to protect themselves and their heritage.

also the first mexican character I saw in audio fiction, which as mexican, is pretty nice yk?

They’re currently looking for funding for the second season (which by looking at the characters descriptions of the casting calls) will be more amazing.

Here is the link to their trailer:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5zoVi4iRD8NVLYJN5yr3Zm?si=44b3df898a5a4d4a

So...

If you’re going to support the penumbra while ignoring the VERY VALID  reasons they lost viewership (listenship?) you can also give this podcast a listen and see if you’ll like to support them too.

And...

Much like him I am a very anxious man, quite far away from the traditional idea of a manly man's behaviour, in a field dominated by men with a very limited vision on what virility is. Much like him I (will have to) give it up, even though it pains me, because I can't be truly myself and one of them at the same time.

Much like him I am very anxious, overthinking the little things until it left my paralyzed. Like him I ground myself in traditions, beliefs, rituals, and loved-ones's support. Much like him I aspire to Tranquility, peace of mind and have so much trouble keep it when the stakes are high.

Much like him I felt something I never expected to happend to me, and I got so scared I went in full denial, fought against it for months before realising I was tearing myself apart, giving up and accepting who I truly was. Like him I was fighting against a movement I just couldn't stop, no matter how hard I tried and in accepting it I found this peace of mind I had lost.

Much like him I love poetry, the way words flow and bloom. I believe they have power if not for miracles, at least to comfort, encourage, sooth or prove one's love. I believe in prayer and speeches and grand declarations and honest confessions. I believe words have magic.

Much like him I had a distant father who thought I'd never accomplish the things he wanted for me. A father who wanted me to be bolder, smarter, stronger, both physically and mentally but couldn't properly encourage me to be all of these things.

Much like him I have faith, and a complex relationship to it: I doubted, I feel like what I am and what I believe in are not and will never be compatible, I felt angry, I felt scared, I demanded answer. But those answers were not given, I found them on the path to find myself.

And beside, or maybe thanks to all of this? Damien is kind, soft, caring and always stays that way! None of the things that happened to him could break the tenderness and bottomless love he had for the world and that's something I aspire to be. Soft of heart but strong of will. Honest with my wants and needs but selfless enough to give it up when they contradict my moral code and believes.

Damien is the most precious character in this podcast and a role model for me. He deserves every good things he could have.

my review for the penumbra campaign… what the hell, right? y’all have been important to me.