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

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

You're using your Tilda icon! *applause*

And thank you for the feedback - concrit is always welcome.

1, 5, 7 & 10 (plus 3) are my favorites too - they're the strongest visually. (I think I mentioned why I have a fondness for #3 already. But I think you should make a Maryann icon if you're so inclined and go ahead, steal the line!)

Please feel free to snag #10! It's one of my favorites. I've considered using it myself but I already have so many Tara icons, and I've left off other characters (most notably Anya.)

I used the line from the Body for an image from Bargaining very deliberately - I LOVE Tara in Season 6 full-stop; and I like using lines from one episode/season with a later one! I thought that demonstrated in one image Tara's amazing growth - she demonstrates "Strength" in every way by season 6 with words and actions. I also love how Tara's "axing" parallels Joyce in School Hard!

I think 8 works better conceptually than in execution - I should have moved the text up and made the color pop for legibility. I was trying to use a line from a Tori Amos song I had playing in my head. Also #2 - I like the idea, but at least one person couldn't tell it was the Buffybot; I should have gone wider on that image. (not that I would use it myself - the Buffybot's death is one of the saddest moments in the series for me.

And 9 would has a strong composition - I should have left the text off altogether maybe?

Someone upthread said that they had couldn't see the handcuffs in #1 very well, so I made another version that I'm using right now as an icon - which works better for you or is it 6 of 1, half-dozen of the other? (The first one is the newer one):

[kerkevik-2014.livejournal.com]

It's marginally better, but I think I prefer the original all in all; though maybe a paler colour might work better for the text. How the handcuffs could be missed I'm not sure, but then I am (maybe) over-familiar with them ;-)

Wonder if Joyce ever got them back?

Ray.

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the feedback! I'll keep the current version for the moment and maybe switch them around later. (I also have a version with no text at all.) I think if someone were not familiar with the early seasons or S3, they might not recognize the image.

Wonder if Joyce ever got them back?

In my headcanon, Joyce kept them and hid them in her bedroom; Buffy found them after Joyce's death when they were going through her things (or more likely Dawn found them and Buffy took them away). And those are the ones we see in Dead Things. (Sure, they were mostly likely his but do we KNOW that? No we do not.)

Hence the "runs in the family" text. the summers women enjoy sex and why shouldn't they? Joss hang ups about it aren't their fault.