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Rich

@typesandpatterns.bsky.social

250 followers 840 following 760 posts

Writer/Artist, work-in-progress: “Rock of Ages”, a Xena webcomic https://typesandpatterns.com/blog/

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Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · Nov 8

Back on my musical #Xena #webcomic, I believe its themes are relevant now:
1) Fear & anger are powerful servants, but terrible masters
2) You have more allies than you think
Here’s a pep talk from it, sung by Xena herself at a moment when all seems lost:

youtu.be/DL7-CKirWZE?...

New Radicals - You Get What You Give (Official Music Video)

YouTube video by NewRadicalsVEVO

youtu.be

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Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 20m

Hashtags!
#Rocktober
#Drawtober
#Artober
(Drawing above)

Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 25m

Akame’s audience tends to be kids, so the song that reminds me of her is He Loves You, by Seawind. Its members (with grammy winner Pauline Wilson) played sessions with every major musician of their time, but together are a spiritual jazz funk soul band from Hawaii:

youtu.be/gLs4YTTLcK4?...

Seawind - He Loves You

YouTube video by steverobert1

youtu.be

Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 43m

Day 14 of my #Xena Oct ink challenge. This is Akame, inspired by Michelle Ang, & her outfit needs to be xenafied a bit more, but basically she wears strawberry pink shades (an akame is a fish with red eyes), as a variation on the Elijian green fish symbol. None of these musicians wear green openly.

Reposted by Rich

Nikos Leverenz @nikosleverenz.bsky.social · 1d

"When religion gets too cozy with political power it loses its prophetic voice... Religion at its best challenges the powers that be. Our calling as Christians is the demolition of domination...."

A New Way to Think About Religion and Politics @hcrichardson.bsky.social @jamestalarico.bsky.social

A New Way to Think About Religion and Politics with James Talarico | American Conversations

YouTube video by Heather Cox Richardson

www.youtube.com

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Reposted by Rich

Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 1d

"Show them you're not afraid. Do it for the country. For the Constitution. For your family. For yourself. Do it for your freedom. While you still can."

This is excellent. Every Dem strategist who thinks there's risk in engaging these debates should watch it for guidance.

Home of the Brave @ofthebraveusa.bsky.social · 1d

On October 18th, millions of brave Americans will stand up and peacefully protest against the authoritarian disease metastasizing under Donald Trump.

No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings. @gtconway.bsky.social

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Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 1d

Hashtags or it doesn’t count!
#Rocktober
#Drawtober
#Artober
(See drawing above)

Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 1d

My inspirational song for Amber is Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover, by Sophie B Hawkins. I believe it’s the 1st mainstream pop hit explicitly about same-sex attraction. It also might be the 1st 90s pop hit that uses the word “Shucks”! I love Sophie!

youtu.be/Lt6r-k9Bk6o?...

Sophie B. Hawkins - Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover

YouTube video by SophieBHawkinsVEVO

youtu.be

Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 1d

She’s named Amber after the stone, which the ancient Greek myths say were created by the tears the daughters of Helios wept for their brother who died trying to fly his dad’s sun chariot unsuccessfully. Amber weeps a lot, happy or sad, like another character in this story.

Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 1d

Lucky Day 13 for my #Xena Oct ink challenge. Today is Amber, who is NOT just friends with Amani (see yesterday), but she can’t argue her feelings are more important than the end of the world, right? I was inspired by Morgan Reese Fairhead, a regular guest of Xena & Young Hercules.

Amber dressed as cowgirl with hearts on her sleeve & elsewhere, knee high boots, hat, snapping her fingers to the beat.

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Reposted by Rich

matthew @pahuski.com · 1d

Happy Columbo’s Day

Screenshot from Columbo. He his talking to his dog, which is sitting is the drivers seat of a car. “Okay, I’m gonna put you in charge. You take care of the car. You’re a responsible dog. When I get back, if the car’s okay, I’ll give you another cookie.”

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Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 2d

Despite being from around the world, these musicians otherwise blend in with American speech & idioms, like the rest of the cast. The song I identify Amani with is the opening number from Hair, Aquarius:

youtu.be/BTZArvbmG_o?...

Hair (1/10) Movie CLIP - Aquarius (1979) HD

YouTube video by Movieclips

youtu.be

Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 2d

Her name means Peace in Swahili. Usually the show did not go for consistency in race or gender unless there was a specific reason to identify as such, & I haven’t either except for these 13 musicians, who represent every nation on earth, in keeping with the book of Acts’ description of Jerusalem.

Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 2d

She’s painted hearts on her palms, has stars in her hair, & a colorful striped outfit with striped arms. It’s an homage in part to Michael Jackson, with whom McSwain danced on The Wiz. It’s also an homage to Hair.

Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 2d

Day 12 of my #Xena Oct ink challenge. The musical troupe’s choreographer, Amani, inspired by Monica McSwain from Lifeblood/Amazon High. A devout Elijian, she is excited about the World to Come after the End of Days. She’s also good friends with Amber (coming up next):

Amani wears striped arm ornaments with hearts painted on her palms, in mid-dance, & stars in her hair.

Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 3d

The song that best captures Angel’s character for me, both in theme, manner & voice, is Milla Jovovich’s Gentleman Who Fell:

youtu.be/fQ_I_aWsaRM?...

Milla - Gentleman Who Fell (1994)

YouTube video by MillaVid

youtu.be

Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 3d

Angel is wearing an outfit that is a combo of a clown outfit based on Pierrot, from the Renaissance troupes in the Commedia del arte, who pines for love, & an Edwardian “granny dress” popular with hippies in the 60s. The most famous example is Stevie Nicks’ lacey dressed.

Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 3d

Day 11 (!) of my #Xena Oct ink challenge (I’m going the distance, I’m going for speed!). This is Angel, the tambourine player. Her pal Mandy is protective of her impulsive heart. I based her on Angela Gribben, who played Xena’s guardian angel on Fallen Angel.
#Roctober
#Drawtober
#Artober

Angel wears a lace gown & plays the tambourine over her head, enrapt by the music.

Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 4d

The music video that captures her personality to me is Sarah MacLachlan’s Building a Mystery, at Lilith Fair:

youtu.be/8RJfYhwv-rI?...

Lilith Fair - Sarah McLachlan

YouTube video by ohadpoz

youtu.be

Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 4d

My goal is to capture the look & feel of the show, so starring in any RenPic ep helps. Anyway, I can totally picture it. On her arms are henna tattoos of wings, & a heart painted on her forehead. All of her colleagues wear body paint, as well, which changes throughout, depending on occasion.

Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 4d

Given that I’m trying to cast from the show, why Keisha, since she wasn’t on it? I was impressed by her Xena-like appearance on Game of Thrones, & she has a great sense of humor in interviews, which fits a comedic role like this. She did appear on Legend of the Seeker at this character’s age.

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Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 4d

Day 10 of my ink #Drawtober challenge, for my upcoming #Xena webcomic. This is Mandy, who plays the portable sitar. She is the down-to-earth pal of the head-in-the-clouds Angel (coming next). I drew inspiration from Keisha Castle-Hughes.
#Rocktober
#Artober

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Reposted by Rich

Josh Marshall @joshtpm.bsky.social · 4d

If GOP wants to abolish the filibuster over this, awesome. It helps Rs way more than Ds. It’s also a central reason for loss of faith in government over the last 25 yrs. Rs can reopen the govt tonight if they want. If they want to do it to make sure 15 million lose their health care that’s on them.

ringwiss @ringwiss.bsky.social · 4d

“And that’s why we nuked it twice in the past month.”

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Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 5d

The song that sums up Serafina for me is Petula Clark’s 60s hit, Colour My World. It perfectly captures the frenetic evangelism of the Tourists. Also, when possible, I choose pop music that has a sitar sound, which invokes Eve & Eli’s influence.

youtu.be/wDAcB5wX4cw?...

Colour My World

YouTube video by Petula Clark - Topic

youtu.be

Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 5d

Nearly all characters in my story are “cast” from #Xena, Hercules or Young Hercules. Given that this is a “lost” story set just before season 6, it’s likely it would follow the casting pattern of the show which reused actors as available.

Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 5d

Day 9 of my Oct #Xena ink #Drawtober challenge. Here’s the 1st of the Magical Mystery Tourists, a splinter faction of the Elijian cult. Serafina, a jester/ballerina is inspired by Xena/Young Hercules star Jodie Rimmer.
#Rocktober
#Artober

Serafina dancing in diamond-patterned outfit with jester collar