222: First You Kiss. Then You Fall.

[thefourthvine]

Today, a themed recommendations set! Yes, apparently I still do these. I don't know what to do with myself. The end of Delicious has changed me. Or changed me back, I guess?

But this is a weird set, one that I did not, until recently, think I'd ever be able to put together. (Thank you, Avengers fandom. You made me think this was possible.) It's first times that are actually someone's first time; in other words, to the best of my knowledge, someone loses some kind of virginity in all of these stories. Woo!

And now: stories.

The One That Proves That the Drunken Avengers Would Be Simultaneously the Best and the Most Horrifying Comic Book in All the World. (Yes, Even if You Take the Haunted Vagina One into Consideration.) Ready, Fire, Aim by gyzym. Avengers, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark.

Oh my god, you guys, the Avengers fandom is killing me with the first times. It's like everyone looks at Steve Rogers and thinks, "There is a dude who needs to have some adorably sweet first times with a total sex monster." Or, hey, maybe they say that in the actual canon. (Which is - a movie? And a trailer? I don't know. It turns out I can have a small child or I can keep up on popular culture. Not both. Although to be honest I wasn't doing such a hot job with that before we had the earthling, so it may just be the old problem with me and popular culture, here.) It could be canon! Many Marvel products have lengthy scenes in which costumed superheroes explain how they really don't have time for love, Dr. Jones.

...No. And I suppose if I mention that that would make me more likely to purchase their products, Marvel will, in the fine tradition of Western comic book publishers everywhere, make double double sure that never happens. But it doesn't matter, Marvel! There is fan fiction enough for everyone. And in the fan fiction, Steve Rogers gets to have sex with Tony Stark a lot the end.

But that is not all I love about this story (although Steve Rogers/Tony Stark is, as far as I'm concerned, a winning combination right there), because this story has great Tony voice and great Steve personality. I like my Steve, you know, a trifle fucked up by the fact that he's risen from the dead and doesn't even get the pointy teeth and sparkles, and this story delivers on that. (Although oh god a whole Avengers vampire AU just popped into my head unbidden, and I have to hope that someone has already written it. Someone has already written it, yes? Please?) And I like my Tony to be just precisely the sarcastic neurotic hyperactive asshole that somehow we all end up loving, and this story delivers on that, too.

Plus, I mean, adorable first time. There you go.

The One That Reminds Us Not to Run Around in the Hot Sun with a Full Wheel of Brie in Your Stomach. (Frankly, I Get Queasy Just Thinking About It.) Summer 2010, by cimmerians. Glee, Kurt Hummel/Finn Hudson.

I'm pretty sure I've said this before, but I generally avoid fiction about teenagers. (And, yes, I have since I was a teenager.) My reasoning is: I had to live through it, and that was bad enough. I shouldn't have to read about it.

But I will make quite a few exceptions for cimmerians, who writes consistently amazing stuff and has a name that means Best Beloved and I occasionally conquer her in Civilization. (She's a barbarian state. I'm as surprised as you are.) And one thing you can say for fan fiction about teenagers: it's where the first times are a lot more believable. (I really struggle with, for example, first time stories about immortals. I'm sorry, but if you haven't tried every sexual act there is to try after the first three hundred years, you are not putting forth your best work effort. Immortality is wasted on the prudish and unimaginative, and Methos would tell you the same if you asked him.)

So obviously this story started with some advantages. (Author and fandom, in case you missed it in the rambling.) But there is so much more than that here. First, there's Finn, who is adorable and galumphing and confused and sincere. It's - well, I already used the word adorable, so let's just say - no, I have to go with fucking adorable. And then there's Kurt, who - do I need to say I've never seen Glee? I've never seen Glee. But I love Kurt in the fan fiction, so much so that it was a struggle to pick just one story from the fandom for this set. He's got the witty dialog going for him, and the intelligence, and this combined confidence and vulnerability that just makes me want to hug him and also want to enable him to skip his teenaged years entirely.

Except not. Not if people are going to write stories like this about him - stories that feature an entirely reasonable modern-day summer of love and discuss the gay subtext we all know is lurking beneath the spandex of all those superhero costumes.

The One in Which We Learn That, Really, an Obnoxious Little Sister Is a Life Advantage. I Would Like My Older Sister to Take Note, Please. Make Kings and Vagabonds, by noelia_g. Generation Kill, Brad Colbert/Nate Fick. (Which I initially wrote as Brad Fick/Nate Colbert. This means something. Maybe just that I need more sleep, though.)

There are some stories you read because the concept is instinctively right. And there are other stories you read because the concept is so very wrong you suspect it might actually be right, and even if it remains horribly wrong, it will still be really fucking funny. This is one of the latter.

Because, okay: Brad Colbert stars in The Princess Diaries. Tell me you didn't fall over laughing when you read that sentence. And tell me you aren't also staring speculatively at it, your mouse hovering over the link as you wonder if that could possibly work, because probably not - but if it did, oh if it did -

Well, I tell you what: it works. It works precisely because Brad Colbert is one of the last of fandom's favorites you'd pick to be a sudden unexpected princess. (I did have a lot of fun while I was reading this trying to imagine the ones who would be even worse at this than Brad. I mean, John Sheppard. And Aeryn Sun. Brian O'Conner, I guess. But it's a surprisingly short list. Buffy would handle this better than Brad, even though it would make her vampire slaying activities really challenging (paparazzi and vampires, never a good combination). So would Captain Jack Sparrow and every major member of the Marvelverse, including Erik Lehnsherr. Although I tell you what, I would pay actual money for a ringside seat at the first attempt to put a tiara on Erik.) Brad also makes a surprisingly excellent star of YA novel - moody, a trifle sulky, and with a Hidden Secret, but prepared to rise to the occasion awesomely when necessary. And Nate Fick works perfectly as Best Boyfriend Ever material.

The only real problem with this story is that I wanted at least another 30,000 words of it. (Which is the true sign of a great YA novel, in my opinion: not that you can't put it down, but that you can't give it up.) It's just - gay Princess Brad, trending on Twitter! (Okay, fine, he's a prince, whatever. He'll always be Princess Brad to me.) Just thinking those words makes me happy. Reading a story involving them made me happy all day long.

The One That Proves, Again and Again, That the Primary Advantage of Getting Older Is That You Can Be More Creative About Sex. The Winter of Banked Fires, by yahtzee63. X-Men, Charles Xavier/Erik Lehnsherr, Rogue/Wolverine.

You know how it is. You meet someone, and it's wonderful. The two of you share something you've never shared with anyone before. You can't get over how amazing your beloved is - how amazing the world is with your beloved in it. It's bliss. It's perfection.

Then you have a really bad breakup and your beloved starts trying to destroy the world, and all you can remember even about the perfect time is how the seeds for this hideous nuclear winter were planted way back then.

That's pretty much my relationship with the X-Men, right there. Except. Except. Lately I've been able to go back! Revisit my past love! Remember why I thought it was so awesome, and forget about that whole unfortunate nuclear winter thing that came between us! Thank you, fan fiction. (I guess technically I should also think the fine cast and crew of X-Men: First Class, except I have not actually seen the movie, and also I suspect they may not have been seeing the key X-Men relationships exactly the same way I do.)

And, of course, that's not just my story with the X-Men; it's also one of the main stories in the X-Men, how there were these two awesome boyfriends in love and then ideological differences came between them and then, well, you know how it goes: decades of bloodshed and yearning. I think we've all been there.

This story simultaneously addresses both of these traumatic breakups. It's a blend of the X-Men movieverse (um, what are we calling the old trilogy, now?) and First Class - sort of the good parts version of all of them, from what I can tell - so it deals with the every-so-slightly fraught relationship of Charles and Erik. And resolves it. (And, okay, no spoilers, but they actually come out of it saner, which has to be the first time this has ever happened to anyone in the Marvelverse anywhere.) It's fucking brilliant.

And then there's the relationship between Wolverine and Rogue. And the plot, which has everything I have ever wanted from an X-Men story that I would never get in the canon. And, just. Everything. This story has everything. I will smile more for the rest of my life, just because it exists.

And that is why I'm recommending it, even though everyone in the world seems to have read it already. (If you haven't - please please please do. It's pure joy, people.)

Comments

[james]

Your recs are very entertaining, often as entertaining as reading fanfic itself. (Which is why I secretly try to figure out if it is possible for me to bribe you with a babysitter for an evening and force you to read something of mine, just so I can find out what you'd say about it. My wife would, of course, be the babysitter because I + small children = WTF does this bit do? Whereas she has this clown aura which causes small children and babies to stare raptly at her in public to my great amusement and her chagrin. But she also teaches children, so it isn't like she has no clue what to do with them. Unlike me, who is very good with small rodents and felines. Primates, less so.)

Er, anyhow, my point is that I am always highly amused by your recs and even when I have no clue what the fandom is, I feel content to have read the rec for it. And sometimes I wish I had popcorn ready for when your posts occur so I can settle in and be entertained.

[thefourthvine]

...You say that like you think I haven't read your stuff. But you would be wrong! I have. You have written some stories I love.

Still, you can always bribe me to read something of yours that you a) think is awesome or b) think I would really like. (Because I miss lots of stuff, especially these days; household or work stuff spins out of control and I just - miss fannish things. It happens!) Here is how you bribe me: You say "I wrote this story, and I think you should read it! Here is a link. It features PUPPIES and also JAZZ." [Substitute as necessary.] (Not that I am AVERSE to babysitting services, mind you.)

Warning, though: I rec the way I do because it takes me a long time - sometimes days, sometimes years, and in a few notable cases decades - to figure out what I want to say about a story. The reason I'm not providing feedback for you here (even though you deserve it, because I have read many of your stories and you obviously don't know that, so I am a CAD, albeit a cad with good excuses that I keep forcing myself to delete from this here comment because I am quite sure you don't want to hear them) is exactly that - I can't until my brain is done with the story. My brain is VERY SLOW. So while I generally read things I'm linked to, it doesn't mean summaries will come back out. But you can better your chances by linking me to things! And you should always feel free to do so. I know self-recs are deprecated in fandom, but they are not deprecated by me. So feel free to link me to the story you'd most like me to read!

[eleanorjane]

technically I should also think the fine cast and crew of X-Men: First Class, except I have not actually seen the movie, and also I suspect they may not have been seeing the key X-Men relationships exactly the same way I do

Except the bit where James McAvoy said to the press "It is a little bit of a mini-tragedy that him and Magneto don't, you know, have sex and become married and become best friends." :)

[musesfool]

And I believe the writer also talked about how it was really the story of Charles and Erik's bad breakup.

[thefourthvine]

I am reveling in being wrong right now, I tell you what. (Although it is not a mini-tragedy, James. IT IS A MAJOR TRAGEDY. The number of people who have died in the various X-men canons because Erik and Charles did not get married and stay best friends is large.)

[feanna]

The thing that's been agreed upon in fandom is that McAvoy and Fassbender agreed to play Charles and Erik as totally in love with each other and nobody stopped them. This is more or less obvious in all the interviews too.

Also, that last fic now has podfic available, in case you hadn't seen:
http://helens78.dreamwidth.org/1154860.html

Your recs are great fun to read, as always!

[thefourthvine]

The thing that's been agreed upon in fandom is that McAvoy and Fassbender agreed to play Charles and Erik as totally in love with each other and nobody stopped them.

THEN I SALUTE THEM. Yay, McAvoy and Fassbender!

Also, that last fic now has podfic available, in case you hadn't seen

YAY PODFIC.

[out_there]

And then there's Kurt, who - do I need to say I've never seen Glee? I've never seen Glee. But I love Kurt in the fan fiction, so much so that it was a struggle to pick just one story from the fandom for this set. He's got the witty dialog going for him, and the intelligence, and this combined confidence and vulnerability that just makes me want to hug him and also want to enable him to skip his teenaged years entirely.

Glee has recently become My Most Fannish Currently Screening TV Show, so I was randomly thrilled to see a Glee rec, and then this comment about Kurt made me beam. Because, yes, he's so brave and determined to be himself and sharply sarcastic and occasionally has his heart broken. And I love that he's so... convinced of his own superiority and so bombastic, and I sort of want to wrap him up and take him a few years into his future, when it will be less small town bigotry and more NYC fantabulousness, but I also want to see him grow through teenage years and mellow a little, become a touch more considerate of other people and lose a little bit of the sharp, defensive edge.

Mostly, I'm just full of hearts for him. *hearts*

Although I tell you what, I would pay actual money for a ringside seat at the first attempt to put a tiara on Erik.)

Hee! That would be a show well worth the ticket price.

I guess technically I should also think the fine cast and crew of X-Men: First Class, except I have not actually seen the movie, and also I suspect they may not have been seeing the key X-Men relationships exactly the same way I do.)

Actually, there you're wrong. I mean, like it wasn't enough that dear James McAvoy summed up the film by saying that Charles and Erik should have been best friends and got married and had sex -- the entire film is basically a gay romance drama. See Charles and Erik meet! See them bond! See them reach each other and truly connect! See the darkness of circumstances and painful histories and personalities and political views cause them to break up and then have petty spats involving world dominationa dn deathcounts for years to come.

It's... pretty much exactly how I used to see their relationship, and it's totally worth seeing. Exspecially because young Xavier is still a bit dorky, such a geek, wonderfully optimistic and quietly priviledged in a way that's going to lead of decades of fighting with hiw on-again/off-again ex.

[thefourthvine]

Mostly, I'm just full of hearts for him.

As well you should be! It's rare for me not to have an OTP in a fandom - I have a very aggressive OTP Enforcer in my hindbrain - but Glee is one where I can read most pairings, as long as they involve Kurt. Because he's fabulous.

It's... pretty much exactly how I used to see their relationship, and it's totally worth seeing.

Oh god, why are there so many movies I want to watch when I have no time to watch movies? XMFC! Sometime in the next two years! *vows*

[greenygal]

It's like everyone looks at Steve Rogers and thinks, "There is a dude who needs to have some adorably sweet first times with a total sex monster." Or, hey, maybe they say that in the actual canon.

Not in so many words, but...well, here's the conversation in the movie:

Peggy Carter: You have no idea how to talk to a woman, do you?
Steve Rogers: This is the longest conversation I've had with one. Women aren't exactly lining up to dance with a guy they might step on.
Peggy Carter: You must have danced?
Steve Rogers: Well, asking a woman to dance always seems so terrifying. And the past few years, just didn't seem to matter that much. Figured I'd wait.
Peggy Carter: For what?
Steve Rogers: Right partner.

And he and Peggy were just getting around to the dating stage when, BOOM, block of ice. So yeah, virgin is the most likely interpretation. Admittedly the movie does not then go on to imply that he should lose that virginity with Tony Stark, but it's such an attractive image.

[starlady]

That is not even the most obvious instance of the movie signaling that Steve is a virgin, sadly.

[shadowmate]

From what I understand about the new Avengers stuff, it is both a movie and a trailer. Or, well. Movies. So, they made a movie with Tony Stark called Iron Man! And then another movie, Iron Man II! And then they said, hey, you know, we should throw some Captain America in there! And thus the movie about the origin of Captain America was born, and made. And then, someone said, "What about Thor? We could do a movie about Thor, right?" So they made Thor. And now, they have made a new movie, for which only the trailer has been released. This new movie has the same actors, playing the same roles, for: Thor, Loki, Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Pepper Potts (and possibly others that I am not familiar with). They have the Hulk there, too, but did not get the same actor as the Hulk movie. Sadness.

Since it is the same people in the same roles, fandom seems to be relying heavily on the previous movies for canon background material for this new movie... that we've only seen three minutes of. Not that it really matters, as Avengers fanfic has taught me that there are A LOT of canon(ish) universes all ready.

...as a warning, if you haven't wandered into Civil War Avengers fic (the story arc, not the historical event)... it does contain death of a main character.

[thefourthvine]

I've seen the scans from near the end of the arc, but in general I tend to treat comic book canon as canon only if I want it to be. (I mean, that's certainly how the creators treat it, so I feel it's only fair if I take that approach as well.)

Also, I approve of this concept of doing giant teamups in movies. YES MORE PLEASE. (Does this mean we'll get a Nightwing movie just so DC can do a Batfamily teamup?)

[celli]

haha, I was just like, damn, where did I read that GK Princess Diaries thing, I need to rec it...and then I flipped to this tab. THANK YOU.

(I read on three computers. I can never find anything.)

I am actually cowriting a Princess Diaries fusion for a Cook/Archie ficathon thing, so I should have bookmarked it for later, but whatevs. I will try not to blatantly steal. Much.

[cesy]

I am actually cowriting a Princess Diaries fusion for a Cook/Archie ficathon thing

*boggles*

*wants*

[kore]

I don't think you know me at all, but the lovely metaphortunate was raving about your recs, and I clicked over, and read the HELL out of that XM fic straight through. Thank you!

[thefourthvine]

That XM story is AWESOME, is what it is. (Basically everything else Yahtzee has ever written is awesome, too, for the record - I mean, if you see something and it sounds appealing and she wrote it, my advice is GIVE THAT A TRY.) I am so glad I could link you to it, and even more glad that it was through the auspices of the amazing metaphorunate, who is indeed lovely.

[pandarus]

I don't say this often enough: I LOVE your recs. Your journal is just invaluable as a resource to point me towards reliably fabulous stories, and the WAY that you write your rec posts (and indeed other posts, for that matter) is unfailingly entertaining & just generally made of win. Thank you. You really make my fannish life a shinier thing, and I'm sure that this is true of heaps of other people too.

[thefourthvine]

Thank you! And let me take this opportunity to thank you for your writing, which - seriously, Student Prince is one of my top ten most reread stories ever. It never fails to bring me cheer! YOU ARE PRETTY AWESOME. THANK YOU A LOT.

[juliansinger.livejournal.com]

Iron Man I & II and Captain America the movies, plus yes, a trailer for The Avengers which comes out eventually but not yet. So people are basing stuff largely on the trailer, though of course they may be infusing comics canon in there, too. (Haven't read the 'fics, don't know for sure.)

But, plus, in Captain America (the movie), Tony's dad almost (but not quite) drools on Cap, so I suppose one could argue it was inevitable due to genetics.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Oh, fandom. I love you so much. Of course, now I'm worried that the Avengers movie will be a tiiiiiiiny letdown, but even if it is, look how much awesome stuff there already is!

And I'm guessing some comics canon snuck into the fandom, since, for example, Tony seems pretty upset (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/Muccamukk/Cap_IM/Confession1.jpg) during one of Cap's deaths (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/Muccamukk/Cap_IM/Confession2.jpg). And that's just one scan of so, so many. (http://cap-ironman.livejournal.com/539696.html)

[apetslife.livejournal.com]

It's like everyone looks at Steve Rogers and thinks, "There is a dude who needs to have some adorably sweet first times with a total sex monster."

Yes.

This.

This, precisely.

You are a GENIUS and that is the best way I've ever seen it put, ever!

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

I have not seen the most recent version of Captain America, nor do I know who played him, but I have to assume it was an actor with the world's most potent I Am a Sweet Innocent So SEX ME UP field.

[laughingacademy.livejournal.com]

You know, I had forgotten about the haunted vagina until you brought it up, so thanks for that. :P

Oh man, between "Ready, Aim, Fire" and "Tomorrow Belongs to Me," Steve/Tony has eaten my brain. I pray to God that there's chemistry between RDJ and Chris Evans.

I suspect they may not have been seeing the key X-Men relationships exactly the same way I do. — I would bet good money that James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender see Professor X/Magneto exactly the way we do. Also, since Hugh Jackman's Wolverine makes a brief cameo in XMFC, I think we're meant to believe it leads into the X-Men trilogy films. (Third movie? What third movie?)

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

I don't know how anyone could forget about the haunted vagina. Are you seriously telling me you don't sometimes wake up at nights thinking "You have to get out of here! Your vagina is haunted!"?

I would bet good money that James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender see Professor X/Magneto exactly the way we do. Also, since Hugh Jackman's Wolverine makes a brief cameo in XMFC, I think we're meant to believe it leads into the X-Men trilogy films. (Third movie? What third movie?)

WE WILL ALL FORGET ABOUT THE THIRD MOVIE NOW.

Instead, I will dwell on the idea that maybe the movie really is as awesomely slashy as it sounds.

[feochadn.livejournal.com]

You do know that Ready, Fire, Aim has a sequel (http://gyzym.livejournal.com/106240.html#cutid1>)?
And is apparently going to be a trilogy?

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

I knew about the sequel but not the impending third one. YAY THIRD ONE!

[anoel.livejournal.com]

Looove that Glee fic. I actually think I forgot to post feedback so nice reminder.

If you'd like another great Glee fic where someone loses their virginity, try Good (You know what I mean) (http://glee-kink-meme.livejournal.com/14588.html?thread=20447740#t20447740) which is a Kurt/Blaine 50s AU with a very interesting Kurt characterization that totally works. It killed me in the best possible ways.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Ooo! Thank you. "Killed me in the best possible ways" is quite a rec.

[alethialia.livejournal.com]

(Which I initially wrote as Brad Fick/Nate Colbert. This means something. Maybe just that I need more sleep, though.)

HA! Or you were right the first time!

Brad Colbert stars in The Princess Diaries. Tell me you didn't fall over laughing when you read that sentence.

Hee! It's a very fun story and I love the voice of it. She does a great job putting a smile on your face.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

At least I didn't write "Brad Fick/Nate Fick." That couldn't go anywhere good.

Hee! It's a very fun story and I love the voice of it. She does a great job putting a smile on your face.

She really does.

[unusualdemoness.livejournal.com]

Although oh god a whole Avengers vampire AU just popped into my head unbidden, and I have to hope that someone has already written it. Someone has already written it, yes? Please?

Someone has! (http://archiveofourown.org/works/58878?view_adult=true) I haven't read it yet, so I don't know if it's good or not, but I did get it off a rec list so hopefully that means it's well done.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

AWESOME. Thank you! MUST READ THIS NOW.

[alwaysaddled.livejournal.com]

The Avengers dynamic, in which one of the pair is fine, upstanding do-gooder who needs mussing up and the other is a sarcastic sort playing at disaffected but really is not, reminds me of Due South. *happy sigh*

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

OH GOD BENTON FRASER AND STEVE ROGERS WOULD HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY TO EACH OTHER. Why did I never think of this before now?

...Great. There's a crossover yearning that's going to be with me forever. I just. They'd BOND, you know? It wouldn't be like OMG hot sexy sexytimes - it'd be like a support group for good guys who feel out of place in the modern world.

Waving

[cindyrama.livejournal.com]

Hi, fourth vine!

This is star watcher, setting Cindy up on her new iPad. We have a bookmark for her LJ page, now. (I think.) Anyway, she'd like to be added to the Earthling filter, please, so she can read about him direct.

Thank you.

Starwatcher

Re: Waving

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

I have earthling'd you! You should now be able to read all the earthling posts on LJ.

[tfwftw.livejournal.com]

But this is a weird set, one that I did not, until recently, think I'd ever be able to put together. (Thank you, Avengers fandom. You made me think this was possible.) It's first times that are actually someone's first time; in other words, to the best of my knowledge, someone loses some kind of virginity in all of these stories. Woo!

Just how averse are you to being introduced to the Supernatural fandom? Because I know of a canonically virginal angel/snarky manslut pairing that may be Relevant To Your Interests.

Also, I apologize if someone's already given you the Coles Notes and I missed it, but: Avengers is a 'verse. Just like the Buffyverse encompasses both Buffy and Angel: multiple shows in one shared fictional reality. 

So Iron Man, Iron Man II, Thor, Captain America, and I think one of the Hulk movies are all in the Avengers 'verse. There will be a movie next year called "Avengers" which will also be in this 'verse - but right now we only have the trailer for that.

Most Avengers characters have been in one or more movies already, if only briefly. However, the movies haven't gotten to the point in the 'verse timeline where Steve Rogers is living in the present day (he's only just woken up from his ice nap). So any fic that has Tony and Steve interacting is based on the "Avengers" movie trailer, and speculation (and possibly comics canon).

...did that help or just make things worse?

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Just how averse are you to being introduced to the Supernatural fandom? Because I know of a canonically virginal angel/snarky manslut pairing that may be Relevant To Your Interests.

I am not at all averse to being introduced to SPN fandom! Just, you know, incest is one of my ironclad squicks, sadly, so I cannot read the Dean/Sam, even if it isn't graphic. And I've made some attempts to read Dean/Castiel, but am always confused by the, um, everything. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON, is basically the deal. So if you know of some long stories that work as an introduction to the fandom, lay them on me! YAY.

...did that help or just make things worse?

Helped! Thank you! Though, wow, now I am seriously worried that the Avengers movie is going to come out and DECIMATE THE FANDOM.

[redfiona99.livejournal.com]

Given James McAvoy spent interview time saying that the ending upset him and that in a perfect world Xavier and Magneto would ride off into the sunset together, I think they (and the director and writer who agreed) are on the same page. I'm also in continual love with Jane Goldman, aforesaid writer who said, 'yup, it accidentally turned into Mystique:Origins' because that was the film I enjoyed watching the most out of the three films First Class was.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Oh, James, I FEEL YOUR PAIN. (That totally makes me like him a lot, because - YES. I have been being sad about that for a decade myself!)

And I have acquired sudden love for Jane Goldman. GO JANE.