Instalment Six : Guardian Of The Crossroads - He stands at the spiritual crossroads and gives ( or denies) permission to speak with the spirits from above,and is believed to speak all the human languages. In Haiti, he is the great elocutioner, and facilitated communication, speech and understanding. #loua #guardian #mask #mondaymood #artseries #blackart #create #creativedirector #ideas #story #contemporaryart #sculpture #installationart #artistsoninstagram #musician #media #content #sculpture #head #afrofuturism #surrealism #motiongraphics #technology #ar #characterdesign #video #filmmaking (at Louisiana) https://www.instagram.com/p/BtLQtF9lPZr/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=70jsnvaj7zvu
Hey there, gang! 2016 is half over, and I thought it might well be time to check in with a State of the Robotech Universe – at least from where I’m sitting down here in little ol’ Southeast Kansas. Above you’ll see five images that I think cover all the major points worth looking at.
You’ve surely heard by now that, as Tommy Yune & Bill Spangler both alluded to on the convention trail during Q1 & early Q2, a new comic publisher has picked up the Robotech comic book license. The unlikely new home of Robotech comics in the English speaking world is Titan Comics out of the UK. Titan’s been around for thirty-five years, but they’ve been in the periodical comics game for only two or three, having immediately seized the worldwide publishing rights for Doctor Who comic books after IDW’s license expired. In the past year they’ve been diversifying their licensed comics portfolio, picking up licenses to publish comics for NBC’s TV series The Blacklist, Showtime’s recently concluded TV series Penny Dreadful, video games like Assassin’s CreedandDark Souls, and Dreamworks’s movie & TV franchise Penguins of Madagascar. They’re also the English language publisher of the manga based on the BBC TV series Sherlock. It’s been a while since Robotech has been snapped up by a company on the upward swing, and I’m curious to see what will come of this. No creative team or setting for Titan’s first Robotech series has been announced, but the first issue is pencilled in for Q1 2017. Further details may well start spilling out as early as this weekend, since Anime Expo startstoday.
Likewise, you’re probably aware that Sony’s free streaming platform Crackle is now playing host to the entire Robotechtelevision series plus The Shadow Chronicles. They only sent press releases about this to the four corners of the Earth, as well as used that overfamiliar promo piece of Rick in his Veritech as the icon for Crackle to entice folks to install the app on their PlayStations for a while. Of course, the version Crackle is showing is the 2004 Remastered edition. Mercifully, based on what I’ve seen, the ad breaks are at the proper midway act break and before the next episode previews, so they’re only as obtrusive as they would be if you were watching the show on TV in the 1980s or 1990s. (I hate it when streaming platforms start randomly throwing ad breaks in willy nilly.)
Ah, but what if you want to kick things a little more old school? Well, far less publicized is the fact that Amazon Prime streaming started offering up the original broadcast versionsof the Robotech television series on June 13. No remastered footage, no modern sound effects – the TV series as it aired in syndication in the 1980s and on cable in the 1990s. They’ve also got The Shadow Chronicles as well as of the 29th. The official Robotech twitter account is really pushing the Crackle thing but, as far as I’ve seen they’ve said nothing about the original version of the show on Amazon Prime. I expect that’s largely because Crackle is owned by the same folks who are allegedly giving us that Major Motion Picture that’s been in the works off an on for almost a decade now …
As for merchandising, Toynami’s been awfully quiet since the repaint wave of the Toynami/Calibre blind box figures came out. On the other hand, Bandai in Japan have been busy putting out new original Super Dimension Fortress Macross mecha figures (in approx 1/100 scale) every other month or so. The latest release is the Glaug (a.k.a. the Officer’s Battlepod), and the coming months will see the massive Monster Destroid, the “cannon fodder” brown VF-1A Valkyrie andHikaru Ichijyo’s red & white VF-1J (a.k.a.Rick Hunter’s Vermilion One) with TV-series-accurate puffy round hands and a matching pilot beneath the canopy. I’ve got the Glaug myself, but haven’t had a chance to crack it out of the box yet; I’ve got the VF-1A on preorder, but that wasn’t easy. It’s definitely worth noting that preorders for all of these figures on the big import sites (HobbyLink Japan, AmiAmi, Hobby Search) fill up within hours. It’s nice to see such demand for the mecha of the old ‘82 & ‘84 material, but at the same time, it kind of makes me wish Harmony Gold and Big West would kiss and make up so that Bandai’s U.S. distributor Bluefin could carry these things. (Speaking of toys, Harmony Gold and RTUCN have been making a big deal about KitzConcept in Hong Kong doing officially licensed transforming SD versions of Rick & Roy’s Veritechs but A) I’m not a big fan of that VF-1S head sculpt, and B) these are just officially sanctioned rereleases of unlicensed “third party” toys that have been available for about a year now.)
I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that back in Japan we’re at the half-way point in the latest Macross sequel television series, Macross Delta. Thirteen episodes in and it’s everything I wanted from a new Macrossseries: a clever shuffling of archetypes (this time the lead character has no aircraft piloting aptitude and no dream he’s striving for at the outset – now that’ssomething new for Macross!), a new twist on the “music as a weapon” concept that’s been threaded through most Macross stories, awesome dogfights with Valkyrie designs that, to me, are a return to form after the boxy, ugly VF-25, and only very occasional overt callbacks to earlier shows (though there’s an awful lot of Macross II andMacross 7 in this thing’s DNA; the former might be a coincidence, but I’m betting the latter is not so much). Alas, as with every Macross series since Macross Plus wrapped,Delta is trapped in Japan until, again, either Harmony Gold and Big West agree to shake hands, or until Harmony Gold loses the rights to Macross (March 2021 at the earliest, assuming they don’t reach a new agreement with Tatsunoko; their claim to the Macrosstrademark would then need to expire or be challenged in court). However, big spenders should note that apparently the Japanese blu ray discs for Macross Delta (compatible with U.S. players!) that start hitting stores this month will feature English subtitles.
With that all said, here’s looking forward to some actual news from AX and/or SDCC. I’m not going to set my hopes too high; really, I’d just like to know what’s happening with the new comic series. I’d also like someone to ask whatever happened to those new art books from Udonthat were announced back in the summer of ‘14. I was looking forward to those …
Yunlan takes a wager that he can pass off a shy and unassuming Shen Wei as a confident and worldly Lord. What happens when in the process, he starts to fall for his quiet charms and sweet smiles?
✨Not Lockscreen size. Reblog & Likes are much appreciated x
Shen Wei is only half listening to their guide on the campus tour. He’s already decided that he’s going to Oxford on a full scholarship, so this is merely caving into the whims of his uncle to visit his alma mater before he made his official selection. At least it’s a nice day out, he thinks, turning to look over the Quad. And that’s when he sees him; divinely bewitching, leaning against the railing, face tilted to the sky.
“Who is that?” He asks out loud.
“Oh, him?” Their guide follows his line of sight, shaking his head. “That’s Professor Zhao. He teaches Chinese Mythology. You don’t want him. He’s a bit of a hard-ass.” He grins, picking up his tour spiel where he left off.
Shen Wei looks back over to him, even as the rest of the group moves to follow their guide with the cat bells. Maybe he could do his Undergraduate here…
✨Not Lockscreen size. Reblog & Likes are much appreciated x
“Who are you?” Yunlan asks. The apparition startles, looking up.
“You… Can see me?” He says slowly. He moves, the flow of his robes floating as he takes a soundless step to him. A part of Yunlan’s chest hurt at the sight of him. The bright gleam in his eyes that solidifies with each second that passes between them. “I thought the heirs of Zhao have lost the ability to do that.”
“Heirs?” Yunlan frowns. “My friend, you speak so strangely.” He stays where he is, swallowing back a thought when the apparition comes close enough that he almost imagines the smell of plum blossoms and tea permeate the air. “Who are you?” He asks again.
A sad smile graces his lips, eyes turning sad. “Someone who has lived many lifetimes to see your face.” He lifts his hand. The moment hangs in stasis. Yunlan licks his lips in anticipation of a touch that, when it comes, brings the world alive.
He holds his breath. He reaches up to touch the hand on his skin. Gasping in wonderment as the tears fill his eyes.
“Shen Wei?”
A soft laugh. “Hello, my love.”
✨Not Lockscreen size. Reblog & Likes are much appreciated x
Yunlan is unrepentant. Chin jutted out, lips pursed, eyes defiant. Shen Wei dabs on his knuckles with Dettol. “You shouldn’t have done that.” He says softly, looking down, “You could be in a lot of trouble.”
“Talk shit, get hit.” Yunlan hisses over the sting of the medication. “He had it coming.”
The corner of Shen Wei’s lips twitch. As if unable to decide whether to smile or frown. He’s already half-expecting the Dean to call them both in, but he cannot deny the satisfaction of seeing Yunlan punch that motor mouth who’d been spreading the rumours that they were both seeing each other romantically.
Nor can he deny the warm curl of pleasure at the way Yunlan had held his hand after, and pulled him from the gathering crowd.
“I’m not some damsel in need of rescue.” He says after a lull while he bandages Yunlan’s hand.
“You’re not.” Yunlan tilts his head, “But I’ll still be there anyways.”
✨Not Lockscreen size. Reblog & Likes are much appreciated x
“Good morning, My Lord.” Yunlan bows, holding out his hand for Shen Wei to take. “Shall I prepare your feeding, or would you like to read the dossier on what has happened in the last 20 years?”
“Feed.” Shen Wei says croakily. Yunlan bows again, moving to go, only to be held fast by his arm. He looks to his Master, curious. “You’ve grown, my darling.” Shen Wei smiles, dark eyes glinting happily.
“It has been 20 years.” Yunlan replies softly. Leaning in, he kisses the corner of dry lips, tasting dust and death. “And I’m a werewolf after all.”
Shen Wei tilts his face, tongue peeking out out, seeking, licking into Yunlan once he has been granted permission in the shape of lips parting. Their ardour deepens in fervour until the tip of Shen Wei’s canines cut the inside of Yunlan’s bottom lip. Drawing blood.
He pulls away, taking in the sight of ruby red rimming dark pupils. Smiling, he climbs onto Shen Wei’s lap. “Feed.” He murmurs, licking back into danger.
✨Not Lockscreen size. Reblog & Likes are much appreciated x
This is amazing - Building the Guardian’s brick by brick stadium- timelapse video
One plan, thousands of bricks and a friendly army of volunteers went into creating the stadium for our brick-by-brick re-enactments of highlights of a certain international sporting tournament. Here, with an appropriately inspiring soundtrack, you can see the building take shape over the course of three days
![narraboths:Chyler Leigh and Azie Tesfai on set for SupergirlPhoto credit: @ FrogPhoto [x] [x]](https://64.media.tumblr.com/5570023a6acb1206ad571bae5eb2a570/09ca742d5886609e-1d/s1280x1920/5095ad7baeef858c6ebacc46e87a9c16173b6dc5.jpg "narraboths:Chyler Leigh and Azie Tesfai on set for SupergirlPhoto credit: @ FrogPhoto [x] [x]")
![narraboths:Chyler Leigh and Azie Tesfai on set for SupergirlPhoto credit: @ FrogPhoto [x] [x]](https://64.media.tumblr.com/254f5c6cb98de7f5545733bd3314046d/09ca742d5886609e-a9/s1280x1920/35c9d0e88b2c7be8cddb19c60c1ba309d45b74ba.jpg "narraboths:Chyler Leigh and Azie Tesfai on set for SupergirlPhoto credit: @ FrogPhoto [x] [x]")
