Picture Time: Arya at the Plaza

This was fun to draw. Arya is neck and neck with Brienne of Tarth for my favorite GOT character. Which means I’m in constant fear for their lives whenever they’re on screen or in a POV chapter. SO it’s nice to imagine an alternate universe where Arya is the star of a picture book series. image

Always winter and sometimes Christmas.

I don’t have a Christmas drawing this year. So here are a few from J.R.R. Tolkien instead!

 

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Before anyone says anything, I do know the title of this post is a reference to The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, and that it was not written by Tolkien.

If you want to see previous Christmas drawings, they can be found here and here.

A Problem With Princesses

A few weeks ago my niece, who is almost four, saw Frozen. It was her first movie in a theater and her first official Disney movie. She’s seen Studio Ghibli and Pixar movies on DVD, which are both associated with Disney, but are creatively independent of the Mouse. And of course she’s seen the princesses. Not the movies, just the princesses. She has seen princess dolls and sunglasses and bedsheets. She’s familiar with their looks and their names, but she has a very vague idea of their stories. As far as she’s concerned they fight bad guys and save their friends. Just like any super hero. I hope it stays that way for a long time.

 

I have mixed feelings about Disney, particularly the princesses. I loved them as a kid and watched the movies repeatedly. I enjoyed the wish fulfillment aspect of wearing fancy dresses and living in a palace and being undeniably important. (I still kinda want a tiara sometimes). But my wish fulfillment fantasies weren’t limited to princesses. I wanted to be a rock star and an astronaut and shortstop for the White Sox too. For me one of the biggest appeals of animated fairy tales (or any fairy tales in fact) is because they gave me a magic fix. I was a kid that believed wholeheartedly in magic. I ate it up. It’s no coincidence that my favorite of the original batch of princess movies is Sleeping Beauty, which has a dragon. A very scary dragon!

 

It’s also a complete rehash of the two princess films that came before it, using Snow White’s basic plot, while weaving in hallmarks of Cinderella. Not one but three fair godmothers, and using the same actress who voiced the stepmother as Malificent. It’s also the one where the princess in question has the least amount of screen time or personality to speak of.

I was equally as enamored with the second wave starting with the Little Mermaid. I own most of them. Because they held such a special place in my little kid heart. But But But BUT! As an adult they can be tough to watch. Not just because of the squeaky mice. It’s hard not to notice the screwed up messages about gender roles and romance in almost all of them. My perspective has changed.

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I haven’t seen Frozen yet. From what I hear it manages to sidestep or subvert the worst of the princess pitfalls. And I really enjoyed Tangled a few years ago. I’m glad Disney is course correcting going forward. But they’re still profiting off the back catalog. The problematic princesses aren’t going anywhere.

 

Disclaimer: I normally free hand the drawings I post here. But the broken arm made that too difficult. I took the easy route and traced over existing images to create these

Picture Time: Dr. Who

I really like Dr. Who. I’m not  a super fan, I haven’t seen most of the old series, but have seen a few of them. I have watched the new series since it debuted with Christopher Eccleston. I like time travel stories, but Dr. Who just speaks to me in a way that a lot of the others don’t. It’s the wibbly wobbly timey wimeyness of it. David Tennant is my Doctor, not because I’m not attached to the other incarnations, but because if you say the words “the Doctor” to me David is who springs to mind. Tonight is an important night for Whovians, because tonight we bid fairwell to Amy and Rory. Hopefully not tragically. They are my favorite companions, with Rory edging Amy out by a hair for the top spot. Please don’t die Ponds! In their honor I’m posting some of my Dr. Whoniverse fan art.

 

 

 

(if you are interested these are all available as tee shirts at my Red Bubble store)

And now a bonus story. I don’t really write fan fiction, but this little scene popped into my head one day and I had to write it down.

(whooshy noise)

Amy: Doctor?

Doctor: (paying attention to something other than her) hmm?

Amy: Did you move the Tardis?

Doctor: (still interested in something else) No.  Look at thi—

Rory: Then why is it over there now?

Doctor looks up, silently ponders the Tardis which is not where he left it.

Doctor: Well… graaugh! (waves his arms in front of him)

Doctor: Come on, time to go! (takes each by the shoulder and tries to lead them off)

Amy: But—

Doctor: No.

Rory: Door’s opening.

Tall thin man in striped suit, large coat, and trainers steps out.

Man: Hello! (said with plenty of enthusiasm but no familiarity).

Amy: (raised eyebrow, refusing to be led off) Hi. (whispers to the Doctor) Who is that?

Doctor: No one! Come along, Pond.

Ten: No one? Not hardly. Who are you to— Ah.

Eleven: Right, no time to waste. All sorts of places that are not here.

Ten: I’m the Doctor.

Rory: Did he just say?

Ten: (Puts hands in pockets, bounces on heels) Yeah.

Amy: He’s not.

Ten: Am. (more heel bouncing.)

Amy: Doctor, why—

Eleven: Amy, I can’t stop to answer to questions. I will not be answering questions. Just don’t bother with questions—

Ten: I love answering questions. I’m brilliant at it. Won an award.

Eleven: Fine! I’ll answer.

Amy opens her mouth.

Eleven: (points to himself) The Doctor. (points to Ten) Also the Doctor. Same person, just not the same same person. See?

Amy and Rory: No.

Eleven sighs.

Ten: Want me to try?

Eleven: No.

Rory: Are there a whole bunch of weird blokes called the Doctor? Is that it?

Eleven: Noooo!

Ten: Also yes, a bit. But not quite like that.

Amy:(to Rory) I’m starting to see the similarity.

Eleven: Okay, there’s more than one Doctor, but there can only be one Doctor at a time.  However, there can be more than one Doctor in a time. There done, moving on. Has anyone got any gum?

Rory:(to Amy) Did you get any of that?

Amy: Not really. Lost interest halfway through anyway. You hungry?

Rory: Yeah.

They walk off, leaving the Doctors.

Ten: Nice redhead. Love a redhead.

Eleven: Gum? Anyone?

Ten: Or a blonde.

Eleven:(disgruntled noise)

Ten: Or a fish.