Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} Untouchable by Kitty Burroughs Untouchable. Untouchable is the seventh story in the Timely Tales series of stand-alone short stories, which highlight various characters in the Posterchildren universe. It was written by Kitty Burroughs, with cover artwork by Margaret Houang. The story revolves around Vee Kim. It was released on February 17, 2014. Plot Summary. Vee Kim prides herself on doing the right thing. As the lieutenant of the Valkyrie Squad, she is charged with protecting those who cannot protect themselves. She may have started out on the wrong side of the law, but that only means that she has an intimate understanding of the situations and circumstances that lead people to criminal activity. Now that she is a Collector, she holds herself to a higher standard. Of all her squadmates, she is the one most known for not letting the perp get away. Except for that one time, with that one boy. Once upon a time, Vee Kim made an exception for a blue-eyed boy who’d been kind to her when she’d needed it the most. She let him go, but he keeps coming back. Untouchable. Untouchable is the seventh story in the Timely Tales series of stand-alone short stories, which highlight various characters in the Posterchildren universe. It was written by Kitty Burroughs, with cover artwork by Margaret Houang. The story revolves around Vee Kim. It was released on February 17, 2014. Plot Summary. Vee Kim prides herself on doing the right thing. As the lieutenant of the Valkyrie Squad, she is charged with protecting those who cannot protect themselves. She may have started out on the wrong side of the law, but that only means that she has an intimate understanding of the situations and circumstances that lead people to criminal activity. Now that she is a Collector, she holds herself to a higher standard. Of all her squadmates, she is the one most known for not letting the perp get away. Except for that one time, with that one boy. Once upon a time, Vee Kim made an exception for a blue-eyed boy who’d been kind to her when she’d needed it the most. She let him go, but he keeps coming back. Tag: Representation. This is somewhat a response to my previous post about JK Rowling not doing her job as an ally well enough. In it I call for JK to create queer characters in her Harry Potter Universe so that young readers will have someone to look up to as Dumbledore is not gay. There is literature out there, however, that does fulfill the representation bar, and can be considered not just good for representation, but just queer inherently. I’d like to call attention to some of my favorite books, here. The Posterchildren | Kitty Burroughs. The Posterchildren by Kitty Burroughs follows the lives of teenagers with post-human powers. Superpowers. Living in a boarding school for other teenagers so that they can learn how to and become licensed superheroes. Kitty Burroughs not only meets the bar, but exceeds expectations for queer rep. You can find just about any type of person and identity in this series, as well as extra content from her in short stories about her side characters backgrounds. There’s even a future for polyamory hinted at with several main characters. This book is a haven for queer youth. There are some cons, though. I’m not above criticizing some of my favorite reads. The story seems to have no linear plot. There’s no all around evil that these children work to take down. It is simply just a snapshot into their lives at the boarding school. Which might be an interesting look at an already established Universe, but in a first novel I’m not sure it hits the mark just right. It’s still a very good book, however, and definitely worth the read. Every character is queer in their own right, and in their own unique ways. This book is inherently queer. Witch Eyes | Scott Tracey. This book is the first in a trilogy and follow a gay witch. Braden is the in-universe chosen one of witches. Born with a power only rumored about in the small town of Belle Dam. The power does come with a consequence, however, indescribable migraines that can and have knocked Braden unconscious. Seemingly too much for his body. The story follows Braden as he tries to rid his hometown of evil and demonic influence while maintaining typical High School friendships and romance. Here are the cons: The book follows a typical teenage chosen-one story, but just from a gay point of view. The romance and love triangles are all there, the miscommunication and even lack of communication is the center of all personal problems between the heroes. And that in and of itself is frustrating enough to put the book down to take a break. The world and the universe is very interesting however, and the hope for a happy ending is enough to make you finish the book, albeit just a bit disappointed in our hero. The Raven Boys | Maggie Stiefvater. The magnum opus of my list today is The Raven Cycle series. There are four books in this series following a group of teenagers looking for a mysterious figure. There is magic, psychic connections, inexplicable phenomenon, and queer romance. Technically the main characters could be described as heterosexual, but there are five main characters integral to the story. Two of them end up in a queer relationship at the end, and there is nothing stereotypical about it. One of them is gay, and the other is bisexual (and a boy which is even more rare in literature). Though the focus isn’t on their sexuality the author at least has the decency of actually writing in canon that the characters are queer (cough, JK Rowling, cough) I would give half my body to make this series take off as the next Harry Potter. The only conceivable con I can think of about this book is that it takes too long for the queer couple to become established. It’s hinted (if you can call getting backhanded by a hardcover a hint) at as early as the second book and it takes the entire rest of the series for them to become a couple. This isn’t necessarily a con, however, when you consider most YA romances have intimate relationships two chapters after meeting. They actually take the time to grow their relationship and learn about each other. They are best friends before boyfriends which is an important aspect to consider. Honorary Mentions. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (Gay) Hero by Perry Moore (Also Gay) The Fire’s Stone by Tanya Huff (Gay, Bi, Trans, Queer) JK Rowling Allyship Discourse. Listen I couldn’t come up with a better post title than that. I really want to talk about JK Rowling and her history of allyship with the queer community, because it’s something I think that get’s a lot more praise than it actually should, and it’s quite possible that I am the only queer person who feels this way, but I don’t think I am. It’s absolutely no secret that JK Rowling, author of Harry Potter in case you didn’t know (you did know though because of course you did), is an ally to the queer community. The record breaking, best selling author is becoming increasingly infamous for her snappy tweets defending the community. From defending Tom Daley after he was criticized for his Olympic performance. Can’t decide which is more offensive in this tweet, the stupidity or the spite. https://t.co/ksqZp17drc — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 20, 2016. To tweeting about specific victims from the Orlando shooting that she is somewhat connected to out of sympathy and empathy. Luis Vielma worked on the Harry Potter ride at Universal. He was 22 years old. I can’t stop crying. #Orlando pic.twitter.com/Nz2ZCWxNsS — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 13, 2016. This is all well and good, but it’s not exactly necessary. If there’s one thing queer people can do better than straight people it’s stick up for queer people. Coming from her position as one of the most successful authors since No One and The Bible there is absolutely so much more that JK Rowling could do to support the queer community and she’s extremely lacking in that regard. You know what I’m talking about. The classic discussion about queer representation and Harry Potter. This is the discourse referred to in the title. Dumbledore is a gay character in the ridiculously popular series, but JK Rowling had to mention that fact outside of the books. Does this give it credence? Not really. Dumbledore might have actually been gay in JK Rowling’s planning of the series, but it doesn’t give it validity in her execution. Dumbledore is not representation. Why not? Well first of all, she literally had to verbally say it outside of the books. And she plays it off as thinking it’s ridiculous for people to assume he isn’t gay, but that’s the point. Because of the heteronormative society that we are currently living in that is what people do when things aren’t explicitly stated in black and white text notarized by an official notary and witnessed by a minimum of three sound of mind people. That is how heteronormative society works. It’s a sad, straight world that we live in. So how do we combat this unfortunate precedent? We write characters with explicit details on their romantic and sexual identities. Dumbledore isn’t gay and Dumbledore isn’t representation. For Harry Potter it is, obviously, much too late to hope for some representation in that aspect (past bisexual Harry and Grey Ace Hermione headcanons etc.), but the Wizarding World is alive and coming out with new content! There is hope for getting representation into the canon universe! As we all know Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has been out for awhile and for those of us who read the play we are all extremely confused by it. (Trolley Witch, anyone?) The play was written with very heavy homoerotic inference centered around Albus and Scorpio. This specific subject is tricky, because it’s very rare for there to be a story centered around male friendship without it being mocked for being too gay, but in this instance it has been heavily criticized for not being gay enough. There is definitely the ability to interpret the script as a budding romance between the two young boys. And since it is a play there is always the possibility that this could be included in a production at a future point, but again, this isn’t able to be considered part of the canon universe. JK Rowling has, easily, one of the largest literary empires in history. Her influence is untouchable in our current time. She has the ability to include queer people in her stories explicitly and without shame. She simple has not done it yet. And speaking out briefly on the internet in support for a couple specific queer people is nice, but that is where it ends. It does nothing for the community or for actually helping queer people as a whole. Representation is something that we have been fighting and striving for and we are seeing representation grow for queer people in media, but if would be nice for people in positions such as JK Rowling to fully join the movement and add to our list of beloved, open queer characters. Something for the next generation of witches and wizards to cling to and praise as their favorite character. And I one hundred percent promise you that if Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald had a romantic fling in their past that Rita Skeeter would not have hesitated to reveal that information in her biography of the deceased wizard so do not tell me to read the subtext. Say Please. Say Please is the sixth story in the Timely Tales series of stand-alone short stories, which highlight various characters in the Posterchildren universe. It was written by Kitty Burroughs, with cover artwork by Pamela Lovas. The story revolves around Gloria Wright. It was released on January 15, 2014. Plot Summary. They call her a villain, but Gloria has never really bought into that jazz. She doesn’t believe in hatching nefarious schemes, foiling do-gooders, or setting up shop in an evil lair of her own design. Gloria has never forced anyone to do anything— not on purpose, at least. She always says please first. They always forget that in the movies based on the tragic life story of the Femme Fatale. Gloria knows, because she’s watched them all. They never get it right. Sometimes, she thinks they don’t even try. [1] 10 crime-busting facts about 'The Untouchables' G-Men, gats and golden guest stars. Is it any wonder that The Untouchables stood out as one of the premiere shows of the early 1960s? The 1959–63 series fictionalized the exploits of real-life crime-fighters and mobsters. Toting a Tommy gun and sporting a sharp suit, Robert Stack was a true action hero and role model in the lead as Eliot Ness. He and his boys took down bootleggers, bookies and crooks week after week. The series proved to be a major hit for Desilu Productions — though it also caused some headaches for executive producer Desi Arnaz, the I Love Lucy star at the head of the studio. The behind-the-scenes story of The Untouchables could fit right in with one of its scripts, as Mafiosi, government figures and pop idols all tie into its fascinating tale. Let's dive into this case file. Every Sunday Eight Full Hours starting at 11 AM. Robert Stack was not the original actor in mind for Eliot Ness. The show was the work of Desilu Productions, and celebrity studio boss Desi Arnaz hoped to book Van Johnson in the lead role. However, Johnson, a former A-list movie star of the 1940s, wanted twice the salary. So Desilu instead looked to other actors, including Fred MacMurray and Jack Lord, who would instead go on to My Three Sons and Hawaii Five-O. Robert Stack, of course, eventually accepted the role, after some hesitation. Image: The Everett Collection. It began as an episode of 'Desilu Playhouse' The pilot movie for "The Untouchables" aired as a two-part installment of Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse in April 1959. The story was based in large part on the memoirs of real-life T-man Eliot Ness, and his quest to take down Al Capone, who was portrayed in the film by Iowa native Neville Brand. The two-hour tale was later repacked into a TV movie called The Scarface Mob. The show was picked up as a full series later that fall, though much of the cast around Stack was replaced. Image: The Everett Collection. Italian-Americans protested the series — especially Frank Sinatra. Not everyone was impressed by the pilot, as it villified Italian-Americans and featured a cast of actors laying on thick, stereotypical accents. In addition, a faction of Italian-American congressmen, FCC head Newton Minow, Cardinal Francis Spellman of New York, and Frank Sinatra all criticized the show. For Sinatra, it was a little more close to home, as the singer had a production office on the Desilu lot. According to the book The Outfit , Mafia boss Sam Giancana "ordered" Sinatra to pay a visit to Desi Arnaz. The two Hollywood icons argued about the show. Arnaz insulted Sinatra, calling him a "television failure." Sinatra immediately moved his offices to Samuel Goldwyn Studios. The Untouchables, meanwhile, added an Italian-American hero and diversified the bad guys. Image: The Everett Collection. J. Edgar Hoover was no fan, either. As head of the FBI, Hoover kept a long list of enemies, so The Untouchables was certainly in good company. Hoover was particularly upset at how Ness, an agent of the Department of Treasury, was depicted on television as having cracked cases which were the work of the FBI in real life. In particular, the second episode, "Ma Barker and Her Boys," shows Ness taking down Ma Barker. The FBI took her down in the real world, not Ness. Hoover convinced the producers to add a disclaimer on future reruns of the episode declaring that Ma Barker's end was brought about by the FBI. Image: AP Photo / Byron Rollins. Ayn Rand wrote an essay defending the show. Objectivist icon and Atlas Shrugged author Ayn Rand stood up for the TV show, penning a think piece titled "The New Enemies of 'The Untouchables'". She cited the program's unflinching moral purpose, which is her philosophy in an nutshell. Image: Associated Press. Desi Arnaz went to school with Al Capone's son. Albert "Sonny" Capone, Jr., pictured here in the center receiving an autograph from a Chicago Cub, had personal ties to Desi Arnaz, too. One year younger than the Cuban star, Sonny Capone attended St. Patrick Catholic School in Miami Beach, Florida. As some biographies tell it, the two were friends as teenagers. Image: Associated Press. A Mafia hit man claimed that the mob tried to kill Desi Arnaz over of the show. Being chummy with the son of Scarface isn't worth much as an adult, it seems. Confessed Mafia hit man turned informant Aladema "Jimmy the Weasel" Fratianno once testified that he and other gangsters met at La Costa resort in California with plans to whack Desi Arnaz, due to the Mafia's displeasure over The Untouchables. However, another taped interview with Fratianno revealed the guy had never been to La Costa, and could not name its location. So, turns out, you might not be able to fully trust the word of a man named "Jimmy the Weasel." Image: The Everett Collection. Bugs Bunny parodies the show with "The Unmentionables" From weasels, we move on to wabbits. Warner Bros. produced a spoof called "The Unmentionables" in 1963 as part of its Merrie Melodies series. In the cartoon, Bugs played "Elegant Mess," a crime fighter taking on Rocky and Mugsy with a carrot. Image: Warner Bros. The was a tie-in comic book that explained FBI recruitment. Hoover might have huffed and puffed about the TV series, but the comic book adaptation did a good job promoting the FBI. The Dell Comics series featured pages such as this, which explained the requirements of a G-Man. He must be between 25–40, with 20/20 vision and a law degree, and at least 5' 7" in height. Dozens of celebrities appeared on the show. When it comes to big-name guest stars, The Untouchables is, well, untouchable. Robert Redford, Peter Falk and Leonary Nimoy, seen here, are a mere few of the celebrities who turned up on the series. TV headliners like Telly Savalas, Barbara Stanwyck, Elizabeth Montgomery, Jack Klugman, Martin Landau and Ed Asner popped up, as did movie stars like James Caan, Charles Bronson and Rubert Duvall.