I AM, THEREFORE I PROCRASTINATE: BUFFYVERSE TOP 5 NOW OPEN + MY FIRST BUFFYVERSE ICONS FOR 2014

[red_satin_doll]

Buffyverse Top 5 is OPEN today through January 19th for recs of any fan-created Buffyverse works either started or continued during the past year. (Check out the posting guidelines here.)

As I'm still kicking myself for missing the October Classic round, I'm determined to participate in this round with some meta and vid lists, especially as most rec lists consist entirely of fanfics. I'd also love to do an artwork rec list, or at least hoping other folks will be similarly inspired to do so as fanart. Meta , videos and artwork need love too! That said, I'll probably rec some of my favorite female-centric stories as well, because this has been a rich year IMO.

ETA: petzipellepingo just posted a top five meta recs list!  BLESS.

Searching for vids and meta from 2013,  I noticed that fannish activity is scattered or diffuse: fiction on LJ as well as ff.net and AO3: gifsets/animations and artwork on tumbler: meta (nonfiction) of all types including rewatches, analysis, love letters to the Buffyverse & et cetera scattered on Blogger, Wordpress, and various websites scattered hither and yon. This fandom isn't "dying" by any means, IMNSHO - it's alive and well and living on the internet.

And now for something completely different: my first (visual) love letters to the women of the Buffyverse for 2014. For the longest time I couldn't figure out how to make text that was actually legible in iconson the Photobucket editing suite. I played around a bit and finally came up with a few things today I'm halfway pleased with, although I'm still not satisfied with the sharpness of some of these. Feel free to take any you like but give proper credit as always. ADVICE, FEEDBACK & CONCRIT IS WELCOMED AND ENCOURAGED.

1) 2) 3) 4) 5)

6) 7) 8) 9) 10)

The first two of these I think of as "mini-metas" in icon form:
#1 from Band Candy: I'm intrigued by how much of the Summer sisters' personalities come from their parents, especially Joyce - including a proclivity for kinky sex and bondage games. Just sayin'. The Summers women like sex; it's unfortunate that Joss and the writers' hang-ups prevent a truly empowering sex-positive message for women. *le sigh*

#2 came about when I realized a few months ago that the destruction of the Buffybot in "Bargaining Pt 2" called back to Spike's promise to Dru in "School Hard"; but I couldn't bring myself to use the image of the actual moment the 'bot was pulled apart by the demon gang. I also realized that there are some intriguing parallels between Dru and Buffy as "madwomen", "seers", symbolic mother figures, and as Angel and Willow's "masterpieces" that I think deserves further exploration.

And of course #10 because there aren't enough Tara icons and I love that image, that moment from Bargaining. Like Buffy, Tara is a woman who overcomes the fear and shame of believing she's a "demon", finds astonishing layers of strength, is a protector at heart and "filled with love".

Comments

[wickedbish.livejournal.com]

These are all amazing, but I especially love the last one. I've seen every episode so many times that I can't currently bear the thought of re-watching the entire series from start to finish AGAIN, but I still grieve for Tara.

Oh my goodness, wait, do you have any more to say about Buffy being Willow's "masterpiece"? Because that . . . makes an awful lot of sense, really.

[wickedbish.livejournal.com]

P.S. I just noticed that this Buffyverse Top 5 thing (sounds like fun!) is open until January 19th. Which is Buffy's birthday.

[ruuger]

I really like the "Evil is in everyone" one :)

I don't have any proper concrit, but I do have couple of tips: If you want the text to remain sharp in the final image, save the icon in PNG-format - that's what most icon makers use, since it doesn't compress the image. And if you want to use a 'real' image editing software instead of Photobucket, Paint.net and GIMP are both free and very good (GIMP is the better one of the two, but Paint.net is easier to use).

[velvetwhip.livejournal.com]

Super duper icons! *applause*


Gabrielle

[snogged.livejournal.com]

These icons look great, sweetie!

I am so pleased that our fandom is alive and well. :)

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

I didn't get the first two until I read your comments. I missed that #1 was Joyce and I didn't realize #2 was the bot. That might just be me thought.

I like #9 the best. It's a great, clear shot of Buffy and she looks really creepy which goes along with the message.

Tuesday, December 31 - Wednesday, January 1

[livejournal.livejournal.com]

User oni_9 referenced to your post from Tuesday, December 31 - Wednesday, January 1 (http://su-herald.livejournal.com/698404.html) saying: [...] [Fandom Discussion] Buffyverse Top 5 Now Open + My First Buffyverse Icons For 2014 [...]

[tigerpetals.livejournal.com]

Those icons are beautiful.

And yes, I've always had the impression Buffy liked sex; it's weird to me when I see fanons that make her ignorant or prudish.

[chasingdemons.livejournal.com]

I like the icons! A nod to the women of Sunnydale.

[kikimay]

Beautiful icons! Pity I can only have 15 of them. Love the "It runs in the family" one XD

[kerkevik-2014.livejournal.com]

Faves are (in numerical order) 1; 5; 7 & 10
Really like the ideas of 3 & 4 (also 6 maybe) (because I could see those with other characters.
Not so hot on 2;8 & 9

Despite being in the second group my overall winner would be The Tequila Slayer; though I would have Maryann Thorpe from Cybill, instead of Buffy (but I've already told you that :-) )

Must admit I'd have used the moment from The Body when Willow and Tara share that line, but I love the image here; could see myself using it for some of my Tara posts.

Ray.