Websnark

I was there for csserve, for UMNews, for NICBBIS, for LISTSERV. I was there for Netnews, for Usenet, for Gopher, for Online Journalling, for Livejournal, for Myspace. I was there for Moveable Type, for Facebook, for Twitter, for Wordpress, for Medium.

I was there for Tumblr.

“We all change. When you think about it, we’re all different people all through our lives. And that’s okay. That’s good. You’ve gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be.”

I wrote some good things on Tumblr. Shared some stuff. Shilled for myself and others. Essayed. Giffed. ‘Thised.’ Reblogged. Websnarked. Grognarded. Very occasionally I was a rabbit.

I archive. I wait. I migrate. And I look to see where we all go next. Where the nexus for fandom, for drama, for anger, for naughtiness, for copyright infringement, for in-jokes, for inclusiveness and arguments about exclusion, where passion and painful realizations land.

There are two things I know for certain: there will never be another place quite like Tumblr, and there will *always* be a place *exactly* like Tumblr, because that is what the Internet is, and does. When that place doesn’t exist, critical masses form and bend things into it.

And that place too will become toxic in ways, which will increase over time. It will get new owners and then new owners again. It will get mandates from above and struggle with declining numbers. It will decide an algorithm is a good idea and nipples are for men.

And one more thing I know – just one. I know that for some, Tumblr will still be the place they go. And every so often others will peak in to reblog or 'this’ or comment. But what remains won’t be what was, for better or for worse, and that’s okay.

Livejournal still exists. MySpace did the last time I checked. Google+ has been deprecated like twelve times but it’s still sort of there. I know people who are on Usenet every day. And things will wend into the Internet Archive or they won’t.

Be bittersweet about it. Or sad. Or pissed off. Or happy. Or nostalgic. But whatever you are, if you were part of it? Remember it. Learn from it. And then go find the place that’ll be what you need *now.* If necessary, make it.

And when you get there, and you see a new group of people who are having the old arguments or debates and you want to jump in and shout “we did this already! On Tumblr!” just stop, smile, and let them have their fun. And then write your story or your post or mixed media message.

And remember Tumblr fondly.

I posted this Concept Art of second tier Justice Wing hero Greyfalcon over at the Patreon (with explanation of her uniform because blah blah blah). 

On Twitter, I made mention that Greyfalcon isn’t “Black Canary,” but is enough of a pastiche that I wanted to do the ‘fishnets’ visual nod without compromising her defense. For example, if you look closely, not only are the 'fishnets’ over an insulating (and bulletproof) fabric… they’re metal. In fact, they’re chain-link. Similarly, her bustier is full coverage and made essentially of ‘feathers’ of scale mail. 

One of my rules of Justice Wing: the more successful a hero or villain in Justice Wing becomes, the more functional I want their uniform to be, barring specific story-exceptions. Dynamo Girl was a newbie, and wore a leotard, essentially. Leather’s combat body suits are better armored than pro racing leather bodysuits, even if they don’t show it. Amelia Kaur wears what looks like fishnets, but they turn aside knives and ground her against a number of electrical attacks.

I write superhero stories. I want my characters to look like Western Superheroes. That doesn’t mean putting them in bathing suits. And if I do – there’s an underlying story reason.

Yes. Kuar’s arms are bare. She takes a lot of grief from her allies for it, too.

(Since someone asked me – Amelia Kuar’s from the North of England. She’s of Sikh descent. Which I think makes her the… third?… Justice Wing character of Indian descent? I’m not sure off the top of my head.)

Also? For Daz3D junkies? Amelia’s my first foray into Genesis 8 Female. I’ve spent no actual money on G8F yet – I built her physical shape in G3F and transferred the morphs, grabbed the textures from G3F and then shifted them to the right skin tone, and fit the uniform from older figures. Why did I bother?

Patchwork Worlds: Structuring an inter-related anthology

An interesting comment came up, regarding one of my beta stories on my Patreon. It was a short story — not, perhaps, the most common thing I write these days (though there’s a myth partially completed which would beg to differ) — and the reader didn’t care for it. It’s not that he thought it was bad… it’s that it didn’t work for him as a story, because there wasn’t significant character…

Patreon: The Last Week of Folio #1

It’s been a busy week over on the Patreon. I tried my best not to spam everyone with updates — that way lies madness and people disliking you — but it makes sense to catch people up as well as keep folks abreast of what’s coming up next here on Banter Latte. Folio #1 is very close to complete — to the point that after running a poll to make sure folks wouldn’t be upset, we triggered the ‘paid…

Banter Latte: Lovelace½.

And now, the return of Lovelace½. Years of bicycling finally pays off. Andi must have the best toned legs of any 15 year old in the State by now. Part Two picks up right where Part One left off, with Andi biking away from Brooks-Carillon Academy and essentially everyone she knows in America… as well as biking away from some pretty horrible things. The questions are, respectively… what is she…

The weirdness of superhero physics: realistic unrealism

I sent this out to Patreon subscribers yesterday. Seemed fair to send here today. If nothing else, so people know I’m, you know, working on stuff When writing superheroes, there’s a weird balancing act you need to do between actual physics and ‘superhero physics.’ It’s similar to the balancing act you need to do in science fiction, but amplified. (more…)

“Like a Shot from a Cannon” teaser

by demiurgent

Christmas means the savings get passed on to you! You can now get rendered character or fan art pics at a pretty hefty savings! Simple single character renders are $25 for a limited time, with $35 for complex backgrounds/postwork and $45 for a simple two character piece! Price includes at least two test renders and three rounds of tweaking, plus a final render. (I say at least because I generally want to get these things working right for people). 

In a month of unexpected expenses, there is… commissioning

Hey all!

It’s been a long month with some really sad setbacks, and there’s upcoming travel and other expenses… so it’s time to actually take this 3D ‘thing’ and try something new. Er… to me, anyway. Want a rendered character sketch, or fan art pic? Then please – let me know and I’ll let you know what I can do for you.

Price includes at least two test renders and three rounds of tweaking, plus a final render. If I determine I need assets I don’t currently have to complete the work, I’ll let you know what their additional cost will be in an estimate. Cash up front via Paypal, Google or other such things. I’ll let you know approximate timeframe for completion and keep you informed – generally it’ll be first come, first served though while one renders (even a test) I can work on the next. 

Renders in Iray (physicality) or comic/manga shaded via 3Delight. I own Luxrender stuff and I’m willing to give it a game try if that’s what you prefer. Figures can range from realistic to idealized to stylized to cartoony.

Pinup/Cheesecake is okay, but sticking to PG-13 and I reserve the right to veto or punch. Fan art is okay with me, though if I don’t have the costume or an approximate substitute it’ll add to the cost because… well, because assets aren’t usually free. (Usually. Sometimes you luck out.)

Prices listed here are approximate. I’ll send an estimate before anything’s done.

Options and Rates

Avatar:  $10-$20: A square depiction of an avatar’s face to head-and-shoulders on a neutral or stylized background, at up to 500x500.

Character Design/Portrait: $50-75: A full body (including pose and expression) render on a neutral or stylized background at up to 2400x3200. The pose can be an action shot, but postwork would be minimal.

Additional characters can be added for $30-45.

Character Design/Portrait in full scene: $80-120. This render follows the above guidelines, but the character will be rendered in a full scene or background. Additional postwork is available at these rates. Poses can be situational as well as aesthetic or expressive, which is a high-falutin’ way of saying “if you want the character doing something, that can probably be worked out.” 

Additional characters can be added for $50-70.

Don’t want a 3D render, but maybe you’d like something written? Short scenework/vignettes can be negotiated depending on what you’d be looking for. Essays too (yes, even Websnarkian types), though if you want me to write an essay on a topic, I’m going to put my opinions and views into it, even if you disagree – because I never figured out that selling out pays better.

E-mail me at [email protected] if you’re interested – make sure to put “COMMISSION” in the topic! Or request it through my Deviantart page, because that’s what it’s there for! Well, that and… you know. ‘Art.’