Ippo updates and other junk

New Ippo up. Not much of Ippo lovin' Miyata this time around. But it was very heavily Ippo/Kumi centric which is 20 million times better. Totally love that pic up above. It so looks like he's inhaling marijuana and the final image is the after affects, lol. You know it looks like that!

Mostly posting just to give a heads up to the two people who follow this blog XD. The next two weeks will be filled with finishing up projects and final exams. So unless House decides he suddenly wants to be gay with Wilson there probably won't be an update from me until May. When I'm finally free from the life-sucking clutches of school I want to give this blog a face lift and introduce the two characters that make random appearances throughout my post. I also have a few more reviews I need to get around to completing. And I promise, no more Static post for awhile.

Speaking of Static, before I give this blog a little break from it's awesomeness, if anyone clicked through the links I posted in the last entry that lead to some of the comics I drew it can be easily surmised that I like my Static to be HARDCORE. And, seriously, it's like one of the only things I slash where I want these guys to be going at it like two sex deprived rabbits. As I've stated previously, I tend to like more comedy in the pairings I slash. So Static Shock is really a unique case with me. I don't think I'll ever do KakaIru porn, or Itsuki/Kyon just totally going at it. And I really think this has a lot to do with the fact that I just don't find yaoi to be sexually appealing. Gaspity?! What? How does that make any sense?! But as I stated before, my doujinshi collection is filled with comedy stories. There is a rare occasion where I want one where its whole existence is dependent upon how hot the sex is, but for the most part, I prefer to laugh.

Beautiful by Bandou Emiri
This doujinshi just isn't funny but it's super cute, a double whammy, so I couldn't resist snatching it up

Don't get me wrong, I like looking at guys dripping in sweat and other bodily fluids as much as the next fujoshi. But, for the most part, the build of the guys in most doujinshi just isn't what does it for me. I love muscles, but the characters that most yaoi are based on, like, lets say, Naruto, just don't have that type of build. That's not to say the sex is automatically gonna be bad. A good sex scene is a good sex scene. But, physically, for me, the perfect situation is two muscular guys going at it. And what do you know, Hotsreak and Static fit the bill.

Now, here's my problem when it comes to me drawing this pairing: Muscles are hard to draw, lol! So, poor Static and Hotstreak don't come out looking as delicious as they do in the animation or the comic. It's something I'm working on changing, though.

Anyway, this so came out of nowhere. Better get back to work on these projects. Good luck to the rest of you guys in the midst of finals!

Hotstreak Loves Static

In my first Static Shock post I discussed why the Hotstreak/Richie pairing irked me. This couple, though, makes up a very small percentage of Static slash. The overall majority of all slash is Virgil/Richie, also known as VR. I remember when I got into the fandom I was shocked by the fact people paired these two up. Yeah, it makes sense now, but back then I really only saw these two as best friends. Watching the series I just didn't find anything slashy about their relationship. Besides, why were people slashing those two when they could slash Hotstreak/Static?

When I'm asked why I like this pairing I always respond with the question, "Did you see the episode No Mans an Island". This is an episode from the final season where the two guys have been chained together at the wrist. There are quite a few touchy-feely moments and there’s this really sweet scene where Hotstreak opens up to Static (this really needed to be expanded upon). It's also made very obvious that Hotstreak respects Static. Now, there are some slashers who can take two characters who have never come into contact with each other and throw them together. Hey, that's their prerogative. But for me as well as many other slash fans, we like having something that can validate the relationship. A carrot, if you will, that dangles and tempts us. The majority of Static slashers found many situations questionable between Richie and Virgil. There are, and I'll give them that. But Hotstreak/Static is just way more sexy.

Now that you know why I slash these two, I'm going to share the crazy storyline I came up for them. If you're a Static Shock slash fan you've undoubtedly read a bunch of fanfics where Virgil isn't gay but Richie-sexual. Or, there are those that explore Virgil discovering his sexuality. I don't go with either of these scenarios. In my opinion, Virgil is straight. But, wait! How is it possible for me to put him in a sexual relationship with Hotstreak if he's not gay, bi, or just crazy about the flame-head? Because the relationship doesn't go past the sex part. Anal orgasms are one of the best a man can have. Static has his first anal orgasm with Hotstreak and becomes addicted. Hotstreak makes himself available to Static and he willing accepts. Many, many, times.

Hotsteark, on the other hand, wants to start a relationship based on more than just sex. In one of the scrolling comics I drew I had Hotstreak try to take off Static's mask, which Static objects to. Because this option is closed to him he tries to unmask him by pressuring Static to tell him personnel information (favorite color, favorite food, little stuff like that) so he can slowly piece together an image of who he is. Static goes along with this at first, but stops when he starts feeling as if Hotstreak is moving their relationship into territory it shouldn't go. Hotstreak, in turn, puts a stop to everything and makes himself very scarce in Dakota. And then I turn Virgil into a total jerk who takes advantage of his best friend's crush on him. So, see, I like using Richie too, just as long as he's topping. But yeah, no happy endings for anyone here. I tend to draw this out of order. Like the last part with Richie I drew is actually near the end. I left out the whole middle part and I haven't even finished drawing the beginning yet (just have it scripted). I'm just glad that so far each section has been able to stand on its own.

Hotstreak/Static is soooo my OTP. It's that one couple I always come back too. It may have something to do with them being my first slash couple. Aw, nostalgia. Anyway, just cause I love pimpin' these two here is one of the only Hotstreak/Static fanfics in existence. Go, read, and may you be blessed with plot bunnies.

Static Shock: Let the boy bottom!

Part 2! And as the title suggest I want to focus on the whole seme/uke dynamic. If you read any Static slash than you know Virgil is the seme 99% of the time. Why? Yaoi, like any genre has a set of unspoken rules that people blindly follow. For example, how many doujinshi or manga have you read where the short guy tops? Very rarely happens, right? Just like short topping tall is a rarity the same goes for Virgil topping anyone. Strictly looking at female produced fanfiction and art in any slash community I began to notice that there seemed to be some type of rule that black tops all.

Why do females tend to want a black guy to top in his sexual escapades? And God forbid, what would they do if there were two black guys? Maybe this is why I’ve yet to find any such stories, it’s a conundrum they are unable to figure out. One of the rules followed to a T is that strong tops weak. Within the world of Virgil slash I don't believe this rule is obeyed. Instead, I feel Virgil is forced into the stereotypical role of a strong black male. I think this is done, not on purpose, but because whoever is writing the fan fiction or drawing the fan art is unable to see pass the stereotype portrayed in the media.

Now, another possible reason V is made to top can be because he's straight. Richie being homosexual is something that has pretty much become canon in the fan community ever since McDuffie clarified him as being gay on his forum. And here's another stereotype for ya: during sex between two men, the guy being penetrated is gay and the one doing the penetrating is straight. Twisted logic, I know. But, this is a strong possibility why V always tops.

Lastly, there are the Mary Sues who are using Richie as their surrogate. A Mary Sue in disguise is still a Mary Sue. So if you read a fanfic and the only flaw Richie has is his gay love for Virgil, than there's a good chance you're reading a Sue fic. And because it's a Sue fic, Virgil will fall in love with the perfect Richie and screw him like there is no tomorrow. Ah, amore.

No matter the reason why Virgil is topping, the mere fact he's locked into this role is unfair. V makes such a sexy uke. And this is what I shall explore in my next Static post. Until then, try and write a RV fic to pass the time.

Race, Gender and Static Shock

Static Shock is back on TV. You can catch it on Disney XD Monday-Thursdays. Since its return, there has been a slight resurgence of art and fanfics for the fandom. I've also seen the reappearance of my least favorite slash pairing in the series: Hotstreak/Richie. I don't typically care who people slash, but this pairing has always rubbed me the wrong way. A few years ago I got in a discussion with someone over at the Live Journal Static Shock community The Gas Station about Hotstreak/Richie. Five years later I still agree with our analysis on how race and gender played a role in the creation of this pairing.

There are people who don't agree with this. One girl who slashed the two teens wrote that she did so because she liked the whole bully/geek pair. She somehow ignored the fact that Virgil is a total geek. They both are. Virgil more so than Richie. Great proof of this is the fact that Richie was able to run a successful campaign for president at his school (elections are always about popularity and geeks rank low on the popularity chart). With that argument blown out of the water, what other reason is there to pair Richie up with a character he hardly comes in contact with? Because it's safe and comfortable.

If you grow up seeing white people with white people, black people with black people, and so on and so on, you're going to probably stick with this pattern, especially if you grew up in the white community. Don't believe this? Go to Amazon.com and type in interracial and be amazed by the amount of books about black females in relationships with white men. Although this doesn't in any way mirror reality (black females are very unlikely to date outside their ethnic group) it's done for the same reason you see so many stories about lower class females being swept off their feet by upperclassmen. It's all about climbing that ladder, and marrying white is about marrying up.

So how does this relate to Static slash? Because you're going to have people who subconsciously (or consciously) follow the stay with your own kind rule. So Static, who interacts with Hotstreak more, and shares many slashy moments with him gets passed over. But it's not because there's anything wrong with the him. Fanfics and fan art will have you believe Richie is just more desirable. There are many a story that have Virgil lament over his friend and the narration tends to paint him as this blue eyed wonder (even though his eyes are as black as Virgil's). In fan art Richie tends to make very feminine poses. And lets not forget he is the notorious uke of the Staticverse. Why is that? Doesn't this kill my whole theory about white people having power if Richie takes on a more feminine rule? No, in fact, it strengthens it.

I bet if you look through the Static Shock fan fiction you'll find Richie paired with a variety of people: Ebon, Shiv, Hotstreak and of course Virgil. Look again, and this time focus on who Virgil is paired with. I bet you're noticing his pickings are pretty sparse because again and again he's with Richie. Richie is valuable, so everybody wants him. This goes right along with what I stated above about "moving up". No, these fanfics are not about characters trying to make it, no romance overtly is. But, the fact that Richie is wanted more than his friend shows that he is worth more. This is how things work in the world. If everybody wants an item it because valuable. And Richie, it would seem, is quite valuable.

But what about him being an uke? Doesn't that downgrade his status? No. This also relates to the monetary system. In our society, women carry value. Although, this is an old system that is slowly deteriorating (depending on your location), it still remains with us to this day. Endowing Richie with female traits also endows him with value. And although, this is pretty much how I deem this to work in the majority of seme/uke relationship, it becomes even more complicated when you throw race into the mix. What you have in Static Shock is a bunch of minority characters longing for something better. Richie represents that something better. Even in the case of Hotstreak who comes off as a lower class white male. Despite the fact he's getting his butt pounded, obtaining Richie is obtaining the ability to move up a bit in the world. Ever play monopoly with someone outside your family and the way they play is completely different then how you usually play? Well, the same goes for slash. Although Richie's role as the effeminate uke would usually carry negative connotations with it, when you change the players to a different ethnic group the rules change. All of a sudden his role is elevated.

This is getting a bit long, and my allergies are killing me, so I think I'll break this up. Next time I want to focus on how black males fit into the seme/uke spectrum and then finish off with why I slash Hotstreak/Static and why more people should follow suit (other than the simple fact that it's super hot).