I loved it. You wrote a fantastic story that incorporates feminism and racial sensitivity in with Spiderman protecting New York City. Muslim, black, trans* and multi-racial characters are represented, and I appreciate the heck out of it. Let alone how amazing Gwen is as Spiderman and how great Peter is as her seamstress and boyfriend. AND how glorious MJ is! And Miles! And Flash! Omg and Gwen's family! I especially loved how Gwen often knew the circumstances of people's lives, that incorporation just added dimension to the story overall. Highly, highly recommended.
Oh my goodness, what an incredibly lovely and validating thing to say, thank you so much, I was really worried about ... well, all of that actually! Like, I knew when I started that I wanted this to be more than a "punch bad guys in the face" kind of superhero story, which, like, punching bad guys is fun and all, but there's so much more you can do if you want to fight injustice and crime in the world, so I wanted to tackle at least some of that. And. Just. Gah, thank you for leaving such amazing feedback, I really appreciate it!
I haven't even watched The Amazing Spider-Man, but this story was fantastic! Gwen is awesome. Perhaps the scene that resonated with me most was her frustration at being criticized for dropping the debate club because she was trying to take care of herself *hugs Gwen* And Gwen trying to listen to the citizens of New York so she can learn how to protect herself, Gwen and Peter being cute together, Gwen and her friends both at school and the friends she makes as Spider-Man, so many lovely details. (The only thing I don't understand is the title - what am I missing?) Is your username on AO3 the same? I want to read it there when it's up with the art :)
The only thing I don't understand is the title - what am I missing?
Oh! I guess I did only reference the title twice in text, that was silly of me, it was kind of important!
Anyway, Maggie Fitzgerald is the main character from Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby, a movie that, in the end really, is about a woman's bodily autonomy and the people that try to take it away; how, even though others are always trying to control what she can and cannot, should and should not do with her body, ultimately only she chooses what happens to her. In this fic, Maggie is both Gwen and Dr. Connors. One of them chose their body modification, the other had no choice at all.
And then a saltwater drip refers to two things. a) sweat, and b) a saline drip. Ergo, Gwen sweats so that other people don't have to sit by the bedsides of their loved ones and watch the IV drip steadily down.
Is your username on AO3 the same?
I am kaikamahine over there! Although I think antistar_e is one of my pseuds
( ... )
My god yes. You know, if you wrote the Spiderman comics, I might actually want to read them. (Oddly enough, massive whitewashing and sexism isn't my idea of a good time. And there's an exception for Miles, because he fucking rocks.)
At any rate, I was in love from that line about assault in the first? second? chapter. Because bullies and threats look different in a woman's world; because most straight white cis-gendered men don't look at themselves and think target; because as women, we're always sexualized, always harassed, and all-too-often assaulted; and because, you know what? That might be one of my first thoughts if I woke up with super-strength, too.
You get bonus points for addressing the paternalism of the superhero genre and NYC's racial, religious, and sexual diversity beautifully, and triple-word scores on Fatima and your treatment of @#%@ing stop-and-frisk. (As a native New Yorker, I want to punch Bloomberg every time he or anyone else on his team mentions stop-and-frisk. SO MUCH FAIL I CAN'T EVEN NO.)
Oddly enough, massive whitewashing and sexism isn't my idea of a good time. And there's an exception for Miles, because he fucking rocks.
Y E S. I agree completely! Like, I guess I care about what happens in rest of comics, but not as much as I care about Miles Morales.
But oh my gosh, thank you so much for taking the time to leave such an amazing comment with such lovely feedback, I really, really appreciate it! And shufhdjkdcs, your thoughts on women living life as targets is so spot on @__@ I was thinking about it so much while I was writing this fic, because how differently would we live our lives if we weren't always so busy worrying about assault? Like, how much shit could we solve if only we didn't have to be so preoccupied with our own safety, if we weren't so exhausted by it at the end of the day? Just aaahhh, lady superheroes would operate so differently than male superheroes would. They just would.
This is really fantastic. I cried my way through it, just like I cried my way through the movie, several times, but you added so many excellent things that are EXACTLY what Spider-Man should be about - knowing and protecting the city, and the way the city responds to that, by protecting Gwen - plus Miles! and MJ! and Flash! <333
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I'm really glad you enjoyed it! :)
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(The only thing I don't understand is the title - what am I missing?)
Is your username on AO3 the same? I want to read it there when it's up with the art :)
Reply
Oh! I guess I did only reference the title twice in text, that was silly of me, it was kind of important!
Anyway, Maggie Fitzgerald is the main character from Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby, a movie that, in the end really, is about a woman's bodily autonomy and the people that try to take it away; how, even though others are always trying to control what she can and cannot, should and should not do with her body, ultimately only she chooses what happens to her. In this fic, Maggie is both Gwen and Dr. Connors. One of them chose their body modification, the other had no choice at all.
And then a saltwater drip refers to two things. a) sweat, and b) a saline drip. Ergo, Gwen sweats so that other people don't have to sit by the bedsides of their loved ones and watch the IV drip steadily down.
Is your username on AO3 the same?
I am kaikamahine over there! Although I think antistar_e is one of my pseuds ( ... )
Reply
At any rate, I was in love from that line about assault in the first? second? chapter. Because bullies and threats look different in a woman's world; because most straight white cis-gendered men don't look at themselves and think target; because as women, we're always sexualized, always harassed, and all-too-often assaulted; and because, you know what? That might be one of my first thoughts if I woke up with super-strength, too.
You get bonus points for addressing the paternalism of the superhero genre and NYC's racial, religious, and sexual diversity beautifully, and triple-word scores on Fatima and your treatment of @#%@ing stop-and-frisk. (As a native New Yorker, I want to punch Bloomberg every time he or anyone else on his team mentions stop-and-frisk. SO MUCH FAIL I CAN'T EVEN NO.)
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Y E S. I agree completely! Like, I guess I care about what happens in rest of comics, but not as much as I care about Miles Morales.
But oh my gosh, thank you so much for taking the time to leave such an amazing comment with such lovely feedback, I really, really appreciate it! And shufhdjkdcs, your thoughts on women living life as targets is so spot on @__@ I was thinking about it so much while I was writing this fic, because how differently would we live our lives if we weren't always so busy worrying about assault? Like, how much shit could we solve if only we didn't have to be so preoccupied with our own safety, if we weren't so exhausted by it at the end of the day? Just aaahhh, lady superheroes would operate so differently than male superheroes would. They just would.
Thank you again, so very, very much! :)
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