The Concrete Tomb of Hradzka

OK, holy crap. Work was nuts tonight.

The good news is, I have a few days off now. I think I am going to try taking up one of the ongoing fanfic challenges, which is maybe dumb because I have plenty to do, including getting stuff in order for The Project That Cannot Be Named. And I still want to finish at least one WiP before February rolls around.

Note to self: post in LJ more often...

Gun nut Michael Bane posted an amusing story on his blog that demonstrates the truth of the phrase "too good to check," from his experience as a freelance journalist. In this case, he'd finished an article on survivalism, but found himself in a sticky spot:

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One of the hazards of reading fanfic online is that there's so damn much of it. Sometimes you read something you like, and go on your way -- and find it sticks with you, and you don't remember, or realize, who wrote it. And then you bump into 'em somewhere else and you think, "Jeez, *you* wrote that!"

So this is one of those, where I find out that an old fanfic I really liked was written by somebody on my flist. And you will really like it, too. Because there is not a lot of Astro City fic out there, but darkmark has written the best piece of it I've ever read.

It's called "The Last Fast Blast of the Bouncing Beatnik," and it's a sweet ride, baby. The Bouncing Beatnik is one of Astro City's background heroes, and he's never been developed by Busiek -- he's a throw-in, a fun little bit of color. And that's OK, because Busiek has a lot more stuff to get to; I have been wanting for years to hear the story of the Gentleman. Even more so then the damned Silver Agent. The Beatnik? Not so much. But Darkmark's done a great job with this one -- the story feels real, and true, and fun, and it pulls off its format really well.

Cats and kitties, be hip to my lick! My wig may be uncool, but my jive is solid! I say to you, hip yourselves to a hero of the counterculture -- the Beatnik Who Bounced!

Yeah.