Fangirls Assemble: Our Reaction to the Captain America: Civil War Trailer

This past week, we finally got our first glimpse at Captain America: Civil War. Simply put, this movie is going to break our fangirl hearts. A few of us have assembled to give our thoughts on the trailer.

Jameson C. Smith

First thing’s first: the Civil War trailer actually exists! It’s been a long wait for the first official look at the movie, and what a preview it turned out to be.

Pretty much my initial reaction.

There were so many things happening in it, but here are the four which really caught my attention:

Bucky!
Bucky Barnes everywhere. And I’m pretty sure he has more lines in that trailer than in the entire Winter Soldier movie. I’m excited to see how everyone is reunited and what’s going to happen.

“So was I.”
I thought the Bucky feels were going to be the worst part. I was wrong. This one line was the most heartbreaking thing in the whole trailer. And if my theories about Tony in Civil War are in any way close to what happens…I’m going to be a mess.

Natasha
I’m curious to see exactly what she’s going to do in Civil War. As the MCU has progressed, we’ve seen a great friendship develop between Natasha and Steve (It’s one of my favorites). Knowing how they’ve learned to trust each other in The Winter Soldier and Age of Ultron, it’s a little distressing to see them on opposite sides this time.

Rhodey
Well, that scene of War Machine on the ground certainly doesn’t look like anything good has happened. I’m going to assume he is one of the movie’s first major casualties. If that’s true, I think his death will be one of the big inciting events of the story.

Overall, I’m excited to see how things play out, but at the same time, I kind of dread seeing all the conflict between some of my favorite heroes. The Winter Soldier drastically changed the MCU as we knew it, and Civil War looks like it will do the same.

Bethany Baldwin

I've been waiting for Civil War for a while now. My feelings have been both excited and terrified. When the trailer came out… well, let’s just say I felt the urgent need to watch it. Gah. This thing gets me. I wish I didn’t know what I did about this story line at times like this. 

BUCKY. I love Bucky. I’m really angry at the people who are trying to kill him. IT’S CALLED BRAINWASHING. Seriously. He isn’t killing people anymore, according to his own words. Give the guy a break. 

Watching the decline of Tony Stark’s and Steve Roger’s relationship… Wow. That was tough. When Stark says, “I thought I was your friend,” it was like a bit of a gut punch. And let’s talk about that gang-like beat down on Iron Man by Captain America and Bucky, trading the shield back and forth to decimate Stark. Yikes. That was also one of the coolest clips we saw in the trailer. 

And Black Panther. BLACK PANTHER. He looks so cool. I’m pumped to see what he’s going to be doing. We didn’t see Spider-man or Ant-Man yet, but I’m confident they’ll both be great. Since Spidey is new to the MCU it should be interesting. I’m curious to see what Black Widow is going to do. Will she stick with the government or rebel? 

Man, I’m so nervous about this now but also really excited. This trailer is really well made and one of the best I’ve seen lately. Why isn’t it May yet?

Galahad Strange

Ever since the very first Iron Man, I've always and invariably looked forward to Marvel movies. But for the first time...that anticipation might be tinged with a little dread. In the comics, the Civil War was an epic among Marvel story lines. Tony's side fought for the Registration Act and the belief that heroes should answer to someone for their actions, and Steve's side fought for the freedoms and rights that the Registration Act would undoubtedly and eventually infringe upon. It was a long, terrible struggle, and people actually died.

In this Civil War, I don't necessarily fear for the physical death of any of my favourite characters but for the death of friendship, of kinship.  I was so distracted by all the intel that said this movie was going to be all about Bucky that I was completely blindsided when the trailer came out and Tony said, "So was I." So blindsided and sucker-punched that I actually cried after the trailer ended. I mean, Tony and Steve haven't always gotten along, haven't always seen eye-to-eye, but at the end of the day, when the chips were down, they were always brothers-in-arms. My fear is that this story might change that forever.

But putting that aside, it looks like Anthony and Joe Russo have continued the excellent storytelling they began with The Winter Soldier, and I look forward to seeing an epic story that lives up to the name Civil War.

Sky Destrian

I’m pretty sure the Civil War trailer took a piece of my heart and crushed it under his heel. And this is just the trailer. If this is how the movie’s going to go, I’m not sure I’ll have many emotions left.

The trailer was amazing, don’t get me wrong. It reeled me in, leaving me in absolute shock when Bucky remembered Steve. Finally! This is what we’ve been waiting for! There were so many other cool moments. We get to see Natasha with yet another new awesome hairstyle, Falcon with a badass supersuit, and Bucky. There was so much Bucky. So much Bucky. And last but not least, we got a glimpse at the film we’ve been anticipating for months! In a word, this trailer was fantastic.

(Pardon the... *Steve Rogers voice* Language!)

However, this trailer absolutely took my emotions through the wringer. Between seeing friends on different teams and seeing Bucky remember Steve, I was an emotional wreck. What I didn’t expect, though, was to be hit straight in the face with feelings about Tony Stark.

The moment that hit me hardest was the iconic, painful moment between Steve and Tony:

“He’s my friend.”
“So was I.”

I audibly gasped, and I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. I’m still not okay. (Before this trailer, I thought my Tony feels couldn’t get any worse. I thought Marvel had already completely wrecked my emotions. Yeah. Um. I was wrong. Also, please tell me Rhodey is okay. Please. I can’t handle this.)

One thing I do like is that Civl War is doing a great job of not making Tony the villain or vice versa. This was one of my concerns about the movie, and the trailer is a good sign that the Russo brothers are going to give the Civil War plot line a balanced portrayal. I’ve heard some people say Tony’s the villain, but I’ve also heard other people say that Steve is. It’s up to the viewers whose side they're on and who they think is the villain. As much as I may disagree with people’s opinions, I think leaving it up to the audience is a very smart choice, rather than painting Tony or Steve as wholly evil (or wholly perfect). The Civil War comics story line, from what I understand, is meant to be about two equal viewpoints, neither of which is “better” than the other. I like that, so far, it seems the Civil War movie is staying true to that.

Personally, I’m on the side of friendship and “please, let's not do this at all.”

Before the trailer, I was excited for the events of Civil War. I wanted the pain, the angst. I thought it would be awesome. But now that I’ve actually gotten a taste, I don’t feel that way anymore. I’m really upset about what’s about to go down. (Actual tears have been shed.)

Humor like this is the only thing that gets me through this tumultuous time.

I can’t even express how the trailer makes me feel. But here’s what I’m quickly realizing: Civil War is not going to be okay. Yes, Bucky remembers Steve, but this leads to something terrible. Something awful. Civil War wrecks and irrevocably changes the MCU by ripping people apart. It’s taking the team we’ve come to know and love and turning them against each other. There is no way this can end perfectly, with all the loose ends tied in a little bow. There is going to be pain--so much pain--and I’m not ready for it.

Basically...

(Thanks to Jaime for finding the memes I used!)

Mirriam Neal

By this point, I've probably seen the Civil War trailer fifteen times. I've discussed every angle, from the appearance of the Black Panther to the fact Bucky appears to be saying 'STEVE'S DEAD' as he attempts to rip out Tony's arc reactor. This trailer was absolutely bursting with things to excite (and terrify) any Marvel fan, even if they don't know the Civil War story line already. Personally, I think the direction this is headed will give us Captain America: Fear Itself in 2018, but hopefully that's just my own personal paranoia. (And, I'll admit it; a slight glimmer of hope because it's my favorite storyline.) I can tell this movie is going to bring out every fanfic-writing, fanart-drawing urge I have.

Jaime Heller

The two minute, twenty-seven second trailer wrecked me. I was about in tears after the first fifteen seconds with Bucky remembering little details about Steve and genuinely smiling because of it. (The newspapers in the shoes! My heart is ruined.) I’m still not sure what to think. Are you telling me, Marvel, that Steve Rogers starts the Civil War over Bucky (freaking) Barnes? Yep, this movie is going to ruin me.

Overall, the trailer introduced the heartbreak this movie is going to reveal. Two people who have just found their way back into a good spot of friendship are going to be torn apart. (Steve: “He’s my friend.” Tony: “So was I” Me: *cries*) The Avengers are splitting. I was excited to see Natasha and Clint and Wanda again, but the knowledge of the damage that is coming has fractured my spirit for the film. We saw glimpses of the two sides, though it’s hard to tell who will be on Tony’s side (from the looks of it, everybody is fighting with Cap except Natasha?). I am looking forward to the Steve-Bucky-Tony fight. Basically, I’m just excited to see more Steve and Bucky together, especially since Bucky is no longer the brainwashed assassin.

As someone who has read through the entirety of the Civil War comic book arc, I can definitely say: I am NOT prepared for this movie. This is the end of the Avengers as we know them. The end of everything fun and shiny that we’ve come to love. This movie will change everything they’ve been moving toward. The revealing of the registration act makes this real. This is happening. Civil War is happening. And it doesn’t look pretty.

Two sides to every story? I hope it’s worth it.

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What did you think of the Captain America: Civil War trailer?

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The Four People You'll Meet in Hell's Kitchen (Why You Should Drop Everything And Watch Jessica Jones)

For those of you who have been avoiding the internet to meditate on your own lack of super powers, Netflix released the much anticipated season one of Jessica Jones on November 20th. Who is Jessica Jones? She's the latest heroine in the MCU and an all around badass to the tune of "I'm a big tough girl, I tie my own sandals and everything." You may not have heard of her, but you'll not soon forget her.

Much like Daredevil, Marvel's first Netflix series, Jessica Jones takes place in Hell's Kitchen, New York and displays a similarly gritty tone. Hell's Kitchen is where more mature viewers flock when the bright costumes and dazzling CGI of the silver screen films aren't quite sating their thirst. Netflix is a safe haven for the darker side of the MCU but still possesses the good snark and sense of humor that make it unique from other superhero film franchises. The cast of Jessica Jones is in fact what makes it so wonderful, like the rest of the MCU. Here are four characters that will convince you that you need to give this series your time (binge watching it or otherwise).

And here we have the promotional image that's been haunting us for weeks

1. Luke Cage, AKA Don't worry about breaking him in half.

The hero we didn't know we needed...we still might not deserve him. 

I'm going to attempt to discuss these characters with minimal spoilers about the show itself, so sorry if I ruin anything for you. According to both the comics and television show, we know three things about Jessica going in: she is a former superhero, she's gifted with super strength and durability, and the identity of her love interest. We've been blessed with the wonderful being that is Luke Cage.

Luke Cage will be getting his own Netflix series in the presumably near future. If you've done any research at all, you'll know that this man is Jessica's potential future husband, therefore future father of their daughter. Luke and Jessica's relationship in the comics does a lot to demonstrate the true strain that the Civil War Arc has on a tangible level. However, in this incarnation, we get a picture of Luke and his life before Jessica, and it's quite interesting. He's a man that owns a bar in Hell's Kitchen with completely impervious skin and incredible strength. You will be enchanted by Luke Cage.

2. Trish Walker, AKA What's a girl supposed to do without her best friend?

At this point we don't know if Trish will become Hellcat, but she has potential.

In Jessica Jones, Trish is not only Jessica's best friend, she is her adopted sister. This means Marvel is keeping with the original storyline that Jessica is an orphan. Beyond that and despite their problems, even in their worst moments it is obvious how much Jessica and Trish care for one another.

Their friendship isn't overtly stereotypical in any way and it blows the Bechdel Test out of the water entirely. I really do appreciate Trish's complexity; she seems like an easy read, but she can be in fact quite the opposite. She is caring and selfless when it comes to Jess. She's willing to do pretty much anything for her in a way that shows how truly special their friendship is.

Trish's backstory also calls back to her origins in the comics as Patsy Walker. In the show, she is a child star that blossomed though difficulty into a talk show host with a secret Krav Maga hobby. In the comics, she was originally a light hearted Archie comics type character that was later reincarnated as ultra-feminist hero Hellcat. Certain events in this first season have left me wondering, could Hellcat be joining forces with the Defenders when they finally emerge? One thing is for certain, with a friend like Trish watching her back, Jessica is one lucky girl.

3. Kilgrave, AKA What the heck is going on?

I never thought I would be scared of David Tennant.

Imagine the worst ex-boyfriend you've ever had, now imagine that for the entirety of that relationship you were literally being brainwashed. So enters Kilgrave, or as he's sometimes known, the Purple Man. In the comics his powers come from pheromones, but it doesn't quite work that way in the television series. It would be too much of a spoiler for me to explain any further. But anyway, when I heard David Tennant was the villain, I paused. If he hadn't previously been Barty Crouch Jr., I would have fully expected Kilgrave to have been pulling some sick joke the entire time ( just say Allons-y and we're all good, right?).

Kilgrave was absolutely terrifying, obsessive, and twisted through and through. Honestly, this role left me a little worried for Tennant's mental state. Throughout the season, his presence, or even its possibility, was enough to make me jump. There's just something about the amount of cruelty and calculated grotesque action that made Kilgrave one of the best (read: most horrible) villains I've ever seen. His sick behavior makes Jessica's motivation to stop him even more enticing.

4. Jessica Jones, AKA The Lady of the Hour

This series left me wanting to make a million infinity scarves.

Earlier, I mentioned that Jessica was formerly a superhero. In the comics, her name was Jewel. As for the Netflix series, we haven't yet been made aware of her identity or the traumatic event that ended it. In the comics, it was Kilgrave and the atrocities that he made her commit under his mind control that effectively ended her career.

We all can't have purple eyes I guess?

One of the things I loved about this series, and Jessica in particular, is the fact that it realistically depicted mental illness without stigmatizing it. Jessica's PTSD is seen as just one more thing she has to deal with to get through the day. Various characters struggle with addiction, but it is never their whole being. Everything in this series is so meticulously intentional that it takes a bit to wrap your mind around all of it. Even places that Jessica visits early in the season are shown to have significance later on.

Since it takes place in the same neighborhood, there's even a bit of overlap with Daredevil. Yet Jessica holds her own. She is rebuilding her life by becoming a Private Investigator, and she's good at what she does.  Her character is portrayed as strong despite circumstances and a force to be reckoned with indeed--just ask Jeri Hogarth. When I finished the season, I had a feeling of complete pride. I think it must be the feeling guys get when they see Jason Statham do something super impressive on film. Jessica is an important character for so many reasons, and I'm excited to see her journey as our foray into the MCU continues, especially on Netflix. Just in case I haven't convinced you, here's the trailer:

What are you looking forward to the most in this new chapter of the MCU? Do you like the darker tone of the Netflix series being released, why or why not?

Be sure not to miss out on our upcoming episode recaps by Jaime and Sky!

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Why You Should Watch The Man in the High Castle

One of my favorite storytellers is Philip K. Dick, the mind behind movies like Minority Report, The Adjustment Bureau, Paycheck, and Total Recall. I was thrilled to find out that one of his novels, The Man in the High Castle, was being turned into an Amazon original series, but it took my mom and sister to convince me to watch the pilot episode. Not because I didn't want to watch the show, but because I'm leery of Western television shows. Usually I like Asian dramas better and don't want to waste my time with a sub-par show. Still, they praised it to the skies and so I settled down to watch the first episode.

I was hooked from the second they showed a corpse with a realistic bullet exit wound. As gruesome as that might sound, it proved very quickly that the people behind the show cared for realism and detail - not something you find very often on television.

The story is set in an alternate history - what if Germany and Japan won WWII and divided America between them? It follows Juliana Crane, a young woman dragged accidentally into the underground resistance. She meets Joe Blake, an undercover Nazi agent who begins to question whether he's on the right side.

I'll say it right now - I didn't expect to be this impressed with the show, and I'm still surprised. Every few hours I think, "We really, really need a season two" - and it's been almost a week since we finished the show. Very rarely do I adamantly tell people "YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS SHOW," but The Man in the High Castle has proven a big exception.

The story is incredible. It's intriguing and filled with complex questions. Seeing this alternate history take place is both terrifying and fascinating, and it feels scarily accurate. Details are paid close attention to - you won't find half-measures everywhere you turn. American, German, and Japanese cultures are well-rounded and intricate. Nothing is exaggerated or glossed over, but it balances out the intrigue and darkness with hope and humanity, keeping you on the edge of your seat.

The first season is only ten episodes long, which is a blessing for some people (me included) who have many things to do and don't want to commit to another 22-episode series.

The cinematography is beautiful and symbolic, with perfect lighting and subject placement. The music never interferes with the show but accompanies it perfectly. The acting is excellent - everyone is convincing in their role. Nobody feels forced or over-acted. Everything has a subtle, down-to-earth feeling despite the obvious fiction of it all. It manages to be grounded in realism.

The characters are beautifully complex and three-dimensional. Where else do you see the humanity in a Nazi commander, or ruthless cruelty intermingled with honor? Where else do you see both good men do bad things and bad men do good things? Nobody fits within a two-dimensional box. Everyone does unexpected things, everyone changes in different ways. Everyone gets hit and reacts differently to getting knocked down. One of my least favorite characters, Frank, became my favorite by the end of the show. Maybe it's because we have the same personality type. Maybe it's because I connect with him more than anyone else - but where I thought he started out spineless and boring, his character development hooked me by the end of season one.

Speaking of hooks - never has the end of a show season left me in such a state of what on earth? Even 'LOST' wrapped up neater than this. The Man in the High Castle is a veritable hydra of questions - for every question that gets answered, two more spring up in its place.

I highly recommend this show - and, in fact, I would nominate it as the best Western show I've ever seen. (And I've seen a lot.)

For character depth, complexity, plot, detail, pacing, and cinematography, you won't find better.

NOTE: The show is for mature audiences. While not Game of Thrones caliber by any means, it's an intense and violent show with scattered, brief nudity (no sex scenes - think Schindler's List) and large amount of swearing, particularly F-bombs. Still, even my father was hooked on the show, and he's the most conservative viewer in the family. I wouldn't recommend this show for anyone under a mature 16.

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Our Favorite Fandom Foods

If you celebrate Thanksgiving, you may not be interested in hearing, thinking, or seeing any more food for a long time. But if you're not stuffed full of well... stuffing, we've gathered together some of our favorite foods found within books, movies, and TV shows for one fandom-y feast.

(Graphic created by Sky Destrian using Canva)

Who hasn't read a delicious description of a meal in a book (Come on, I definitely want to try the lamb stew from The Hunger Games) or seen a glorious feast in a movie? (How about the dwarf meal in Bag End, complete with a song to clean-up the mess)? Fandom is full of food, both real and fictional, that we'd love to eat. Someone should start a fandom-themed restaurant for the sake of our sanity.

In the meantime, here are some recipes we'd like to try:

Anna Catherine: Snow White's Gooseberry Pie

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Pie is something that everyone likes to eat on Thanksgiving! Snow White's pies always make me want to try my hand at baking one. By the way, the only reason I chose the pie on the right for the photo comparison is because it looks just like the pie from the movie. However, the pie on the right is an apple pie, not gooseberry like the ones Snow White makes for the dwarfs. A great gooseberry pie recipe is found here. You can use toothpicks, forks, knives, and your hands to make your pie look like the one in this picture. I think this would be wonderful for a Thanksgiving treat!

Livia Alegi: Panis Capitoli (Bread of the Capitol)

In The Hunger Games, bread is always present. Katniss shares bread with Gale before the reaping of the 74th Hunger Games, but also it is one of the typical foods sent by sponsors or included in feasts during the games themselves. As if that weren't enough, the country itself is named after bread: Panem means bread in Latin. The books and movies have shown us various types of bread from the districts: District 3's bread is shaped like small cubes, District 4 typically prepared loaves with seaweed, and the impoverished District 12 makes drop biscuits. In Catching Fire, two girls show Katniss that they are on her side by presenting a cracker with a Mockingjay on it.

The Capitol would obviously have bread too, though fancier. It would probably entail complicated designs and exotic ingredients. As soon as I discovered this recipe, I thought about how it would fit in perfectly in The Hunger Games world: the main ingredient would be unobtainable in any of the districts.

To make the panis Capitoli (bread of the Capitol) you will need Greek yogurt and self-raising flour in equal amounts (Keep in mind that to make 12 flatbreads you will need about 135g of both). Once you mix the two ingredients, you will obtain a firm dough (Don't forget to add salt), which you will then need to cut into smaller pieces and roll into pancake-like shapes. Then you'll just need to cook the flatbreads in a no-stick pan for a few minutes for each side. In the Capitol, these flatbreads would be eaten with extra virgin olive oil with herbs (such as sage, rosemary, thyme and anything the chefs have). For Thanksgiving, you could eat it with turkey and veggies.

You'll have a feast alright this Thanksgiving, just not a Hunger Games one...

Bethany Baldwin: Neverland Feast

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When it comes to fictional food, I could probably come up with many things. No matter what anyone else might say about the film Hook (I say bangarang!), there is one scene that always sticks out in my memory. That scene is the dinner scene where the Lost Boys and Peter sit down for a meal. Unfortunately for Peter, that meal seems to be imaginary. He watches as the boys eat air with gusto. Of course, as soon as he learns to imagine, the food comes to life in eye-popping color. We're suddenly exposed to delicious foods of all sorts, but mainly some kind of creamy jello dessert that just looks plain good. I would love to try some imaginary food from Neverland-- and get in an imaginary food fight too!

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Jaime Heller: Turkish Delight and Lembas Bread

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Ever since I read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, I've been curious about turkish delight. Before the 2005 movie released, I had no concept of what turkish delight actually was. I could daydream of what it must taste like to deserve such a title as delight. However, when the movie showed the treacherous food Edmund eats, I grimaced. This was nothing like how I imagined. (I don't care much for jelly-like foods.) Still, I wonder what it does taste like and whether it's worth betraying my siblings and Narnia over...

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There is one fictional food I've had the privilege of trying--and making--before: lembas bread. While my recipe doesn't necessary fill your stomach with one bite or keep you energized over long periods of time, it sure does taste good and might fill you up if you eat one or four pieces. (Maybe we're all just hobbits?) I've made this bread multiple times in the past few years to celebrate various Middle-earth related holidays. It's become a favorite of people at my school; they expect it. One of my professors told me he looks forward to the days I bring lembas bread with me.

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It's a simple recipe and doesn't take long either. And if you've got any Elvish leaves (Lorien or Mirkwood) lying around, you could wrap your bread in them to take it with you.

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups of flour
1 tablespoon of baking powder
¼ teaspoon of salt
½ cup of butter
1/3 cup of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
½ teaspoon honey
2/3 cup of heavy whipping cream
½ teaspoon of vanilla

Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add the butter and mix well till fine granules (easiest way is with an electric mixer). Then add the sugar and cinnamon and mix them thoroughly. Finally add the cream, honey, and vanilla and stir until a nice, thick dough forms.

Roll the dough out about 1/2 in thickness. Cut out 3-inch squares and transfer the dough to a cookie sheet. Crisscross each square from corner-to-corner with a knife, lightly (not cutting through the dough). Bake for about 12 minutes or more (depending on the thickness of the bread) until it is set and lightly golden.

Let cool completely before eating, this bread tastes better room temperature and dry. Also for more flavor you can add more cinnamon or other spices.

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Anna Gensimore: Metheglin

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What's a good feast without a tankard of something cold and frothy? My fictional food (well, drink) comes from the Kingkiller Chronicles, the series I mentioned in the other Thanksgiving piece, by Patrick Rothfuss. In the first book, The Name of the Wind, Kvothe spends quite a bit of time in a pub called The Eolian earning his pipes (the right to play and interest a patron). What does one do in a pub such as this? Of course, one drinks, and as a musician, these drinks are often free.

Metheglin is a kind of mead mentioned specifically in reverence. I would like to try it simply based on a description from the book alone: it is said to be a magical combination of honey, fruits, and spices delicious enough to make a man come back from the dead. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Patrick Rothfuss posted his own recipe to make a real life version of this lovely libation. His blog post about his own experiences making it and creating the recipe are rather entertaining. Just to warn you all, this may not be something that you'd like to try unless you have a little experience brewing or the guidance of someone who has. This is an "adult" beverage, but I'm sure we could make a younger person friendly version. Metheglin may just be the source of inspiration your feast needs to start everyone singing or the encouragement needed to get everyone telling tales of their own.

Sky Destrian: Shawarma

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Ever since watching The Avengers, I've been craving a food I've never had: shawarma. Shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish made out of meat roasted on a spit, which is typically served with vegetables and flatbread. It can also be eaten as a wrap or as a sandwich. Whether you're wanting a regular snack or you need to replenish your energy after battling aliens in New York, look no further: shawarma can fill all your fandom food needs.

I'm currently searching for Tony Stark and the rest of the Avengers so we can go get shawarma together. (If you'd like to come with, please feel free.) In the meantime, here's a recipe for you to make shawarma on your own, courtesy of The New York Times.

Rica Wiersema:

CHEESY CHOWDER

The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson

Janner joined Leeli and TInk at the table to gobble down the cheesy chowder. After the day he’d had, this seemed the finest meal he had ever eaten. A vat of steaming soup filled the kitchen with a rich, buttery smell, and a fresh loaf of butter bread had been sliced and set on the table.

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Ingredients:
1 lb. sliced Bacon
1 cup diced Onions or Leeks
2 cups Potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
1-2 cups Water
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 cup Sour Cream
1 3/4 cup Milk
1 cup Velveeta Cheese (or Cheese of choice; white cheddar is also recommended)
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Pepper to taste
Optional: Shredded Cheddar Cheese, extra Bacon

1. Cut the bacon into small pieces and fry it up at the bottom of a giant soup pot, not in a frying pan. Once the bacon is done, scoop it out to cool elsewhere (but keep the grease in the pot).

2. Put the onions/leeks in the pot to fry next. Once they’re soft and lightly-browned, scoop them out and set them aside.

3. Pour 1-2 cups water into the pot and add the potatoes, making sure that the water just covers the potatoes. (Note: the amount of water should be roughly half of the amount of potatoes. Two cups of potatoes means 1 cup of water.)

4. Bring the potatoes to a boil, then lower the heat and let them simmer for 10-15 minutes or until soft. (The smaller the pieces, the quicker they cook).

5. Optional: during this time, you can use a blender to puree the leeks with a bit of milk. Or, once the potatoes are softened, you can use a hand mixer to mash them while they’re in the pot.

6. Add the canned soup, sour cream, milk, salt, and pepper to the pot and mix. Keep the stove on medium heat until the chowder thickens, stirring occasionally to keep the bottom from burning. (Try not to boil it.)

7. Cut up and add the cheese once the milk and cream aren’t cold anymore. If you’re not using something soft like velveeta or brie, then it’s recommended that you melt the cheese with a bit of milk and chowder in the microwave first so that it will mix more readily with the rest of the pot.

8. Once your Cheesy Chowder is thick and hot, serve with a garnish of bacon and shredded cheddar. Don’t forget to have warm bread on the table to go with it!

BONUS RECIPE:

AFTERDAY SOUP

(courtesy of Rica)

Forget turkey sandwiches; this is what people ought to make after Thanksgiving. I wish Afterday Soup was fictional because then people would actually try to make it for themselves after seeing it in the theater! In the spirit of Thanksgiving, allow me to share with you the holiday food that I’m most thankful for!

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Ingredients:
Thanksgiving Dinner
Optional: Noodles

1. While the Thanksgiving dinner is being cooked, be sure to save all the vegetable scraps and potato peelings. And once all of the meat is separated from the bones of the turkey, save the bones as well. Yes, I’m completely serious.

2. On Thanksgiving evening or the next day, put all of the bones and peelings into a pot, cover them with water, and set it to boil for as long as four hours to create a soup stock (broth).

3. Once the broth is complete, pour it through a strainer to remove all of the gunk until you’re left with a magnificent turkey stock.

The next step is up to you because you can either make a whole pot of Afterday Soup or just an individual bowl. I’ll proceed as if you’re making a whole pot, but just know that you can make your own with small doses of leftovers if your family isn’t willing to join in.

4. Put the pot back on the stove and keep the heat on medium to low. If you’d like to add noodles, you can boil them separately now and add them at any point during the rest of the process.

5. Chop up and add the leftover turkey meat. Even if you don’t follow the other steps, this in itself is a pretty great soup. But I always like to go a step further.

6. Add mashed potatoes, gravy, and any vegetables that you think might go well with the soup (like shoepeg corn, pearl onions, mushrooms, or maybe green beans. I wouldn’t add sweet potatoes if I were you, though). Stir until thick.

7. Once the soup is warm enough, pour yourself a bowl with some reheated rolls on the side — or ladle your soup over some warm stuffing!

9. Enjoy your little dose of Thanksgiving in a bowl.

Hungry yet? Let us know a favorite fandom food you're starving to try in the comments below. (If you have a good recipe, share it with us!)

Special thanks to Anna Catherine for thinking of this lovely collaboration idea. 

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Five Underrated Fandoms We’re Thankful For

Happy Thanksgiving! In honor of this holiday full of food, fun, and gratefulness, we're celebrating the amazing fandoms we have in our life. While we show we're grateful for fandoms every day on the blog, we wanted to give some lesser-known fandoms a chance to shine. So without further ado, here are five underrated fandoms we're thankful for.

Anna Catherine: Pushing Daisies

Ah, Pushing Daisies. It was taken from us too soon, no? I've actually been a fan of this show long before I actually paid very much attention to it. (I have a vivid memory from my childhood of watching Ned wake someone while they were drowning in a taffy machine on the show. This is mashed together with other vivid memories from Monk and Seventh Heaven and Gilmore Girls.) Anywho...

First off, you have Ned. He's just your average Joe. Owner of The Pie Hole bakery by day, private detective by night.

Next is his girlfriend, Chuck, who's dead(ish). She is sugar and spice and sass. She and Ned aren't allowed to touch each other because if Ned touches her again, she'll be dead forever.

Emerson is also sass. He always seems to be around to expose any romance between Ned and Chuck, which he hates.

Olive, the waitress at The Pie Hole, has a huge crush on Ned and isn't afraid to make it obvious. She's also the accidental BFF of Emerson, but it's hard to tell his feelings on that.

Chuck's aunts, Vivian and Lily, have no idea that Chuck has been brought back to life. Olive has befriended them, but will she keep Chuck's secret?

This show is very creative and original. I love all of the characters and the plot lines. I'm a sucker for detective/drama shows. XD Also, if you're looking for something similar in feel, Amazon Prime's Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street is something fun to watch after you've finished this series (there are only two seasons of both). Maybe that Broadway musical will happen someday...

Jaime Heller: The Lunar Chronicles

About two and a half years ago, I happened to stumble across a newly released book series. At the time, only the first two of a four book (sort of five book) series were out. But I was immediately hooked. I wanted to scream to the world how lovely these books were, but I found almost no one else who had read them. (That quickly changed because I started “throwing” them at people to read.) A week ago, I just finished the final book, and I’m still a mess of emotions. It was wonderful, marvelous, a fantastic adventure. I’m so glad I picked these books up.

The Lunar Chronicles are a series of fairy tale re-tellings (Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Snow White) but set in a futuristic, science-fiction world. Talk about my dream come true. (I’m actually insanely jealous of the lovely Marissa Meyer because I didn’t think of this first!) Cinderella is a cyborg, the Wolf from Little Red Riding Hood is a human-wolf hybrid, Rapunzel lives in a satellite instead of a tower, and Winter… oh, Winter… she’s crazy from not using her abilities. Each book centers around one fairy tale but the plots of the kickass female leads intertwine to give us an epic story. We even get to see the Evil Queen’s perspective on the whole thing with the novella, book 3.5, Fairest.

For Thanksgiving this year, I’m thankful for the Lunar Chronicles fandom. I love the series. I’ve been enchanted by the world building, the characters (I love you, Thorne!), and the way Meyer handles the re-telling. She does well to incorporate original aspects of the fairy tale into the novels. This series definitely goes into my favorite books list (you should see my Goodreads update reactions as I read the final book) and I’m already day-dreaming over a TV show. (Seriously, I can picture it now. I should write a script.)

Bethany Baldwin: The Chronicles of Narnia

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I know Narnia isn't exactly a lesser-known fandom, but I haven't seen it much around. In my childhood, this classic series by C.S. Lewis was my favorite fantasy series--for a while it was the only fantasy series I even had anything to do with.

My love for it started with the beautiful audio dramatizations by Focus on the Family. Being swept up into the story in such a stimulating way imprinted a love for these beautiful tales in my mind. Narnia really sparked my love of fantasy in a way that has probably influenced my own writing. I've always loved the underlying themes of the stories and the redemptive message. 

I was so obsessed with this fandom that I used to have a fansite for it, and I wrote a lot of fanfiction. The latter is still accessible on the internet today if you can find it. (Hint: I wrote under the name LucyofNarnia. Yep.) Every time one of the films came out, I awaited in extreme fangirly excitement. No matter the feelings I had about changes to the original work made in the films, Narnia has always had a secure place in my heart. That place will remain intact.

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Anna Gensimore: The Kingkiller Chronicles

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In light of Thanksgiving, I'd like to express my thankfulness for one of my favorite series (and authors). If you haven't heard of Patrick Rothfuss, just look the guy up on Twitter. He's charming and absolutely witty. One of the things he's famous for beyond his writing is being a ridiculously generous human being. Check out his charity called Worldbuilders, if you get the chance; they do some pretty cool stuff.

Rothfuss' blog is also just generally funny. For example, his current charity donation thing is currently letting fans vote toward him working on book 3 or playing Fallout 4 (all money goes toward Heifer International). On top of that, he often posts anecdotes about his kids, his lady, and life in general. Some people have a knack for making even the ordinary seem interesting. 

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As for Rothfuss' writing, his series, The Kingkiller Chronicles, is a triumph of modern fantasy. News out of Comic-Con this year is that there will be a movie, television series, and video game coming forth from Lionsgate in the near future. Two out of the three main novels are out so far as well as short stories and a novella. There is still a lot to look forward to, so you have plenty of time to catch up. 

The series follows a man named Kvothe (pronounced like quothe) as he ascends from a childhood spent in a traveling troupe of actors to his life as one of the most powerful mages to ever exist. His determination comes from avenging his family's death at the hands of a band of evil that are so powerful no one dares mention their name. Basically, his whole troupe, the Edema Ruh, get killed when he's twelve years old. Up until that point in his life, he'd just thought the Chandrian were an old story his father sang about. The first novel, The Name of the Wind, absolutely enraptured me. 

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Rothfuss' first person prose captures the tone of Kvothe's legendary tale perfectly. It explores coming of age in a delightfully mature way in a fully realized world. For example, we see the grit of poverty experiences on the fringes of society paired with that of the mummery of the rich. Rothfuss juxtaposes the arts and sciences as Kvothe stretches himself as a student and a musician at pubs to earn money for tuition and the like. I will confess, I normally have a problem with main characters; I am typically a fan of the so called sidekick type. The main character drama is typically too overblown for me. I have no such qualms with Kvothe; his life is a tapestry that is simultaneously completely his yet spinning completely out of control. He is determined to achieve his goals but is quite considerate of those around him who are in need. I fear going into any more detail because of spoilers.

In any case, if you're looking for a lovely and unique read, I'd recommend putting The Name of the Wind on your Christmas list. It would probably be a good idea to include The Wise Man's Fear and The Slow Regard of Silent Things on your list as well. Trust me, you won't want to stop.

Sky Destrian: Ferris Bueller's Day Off

One of my favorite movies ever is Ferris Bueller's Day Off. While I'm a huge fan of much of John Hughes' work (Home Alone and The Breakfast Club are also favorites), Ferris Bueller has a special place in my heart.

Made in 1986, this movie is centered around one day in the life of a high school student named Ferris Bueller, who decides to skip school and spend time having an adventure in Chicago. 

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With his girlfriend Sloane and his best friend Cameron, Ferris makes the best of his day off. What follows is a lot of laughter, a lot of fun, and a really good glimpse at a young adult's life.

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I watched Ferris Bueller's Day Off for the first time a few years ago, and I was just coming out of a really hard period of my life: adolescence. I wasn't sure who I was as a person, and I'd been struggling for a really long time. Ferris Bueller's Day Off helped me feel not so alone. Cameron Frye's struggle to figure out who he really was, as well as stand up for himself, was pivotal to helping me feel understood. Ferris Bueller came into my life when I was in a dark place, and it made that dark place easier to bear. 

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Of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that it's also hilarious, lovable, and ridiculously quotable. From the stock market to the baseball game to the iconic "Twist and Shout" sequence, Ferris Bueller is a humorous masterpiece from start to finish.

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The characters have so much heart, and I wish I could be a part of Ferris, Sloane, and Cameron's adventures. John Hughes understood what being a teenager was like: the good, bad, and the ugly. It's one of the most accurate portrayals of adolescence I've ever seen. I will forever be grateful for this movie. It honestly changed my life.

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What underrated fandoms are you thankful for?

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