Sick Sad World has updated (thanks to Eric for the heads-up) ... their site art, though, seems to still be missing.

RLobinske has posted "primers," with long-paragraph episode descriptions, for his "Last Summer" and "Falling Into College" series, at both message boards.

Deref and Thea have unleashed "All My Children" 16, wherein the parents of Our Heroines conquer Woodstock and other phenomena. Don't do the brown stuff!

Christ Oliver got feedback from many Dariafen to rework what already was a great new comic artwork, "Surprise!" (but I was in the minor-i-tay *sigh*). His preferred version is here, and you must see it. (A near-nude with voodoo in it. If that won't pique your interest, nothing will!)

Threads for Christ's art, at both boards, have included his "South Park" stylings, which prompted others at the SFMB to add their takes on the denizens of that Mountain Town. That is, those who later moved to Lawndale ...

At the PPMB:

~ One new Iron Chef defies description. Here's the five-of-the-following ingredient list: "a cup of coffee, an iPod, a donkey, a Sharpie marker, a poodle, a reference to 'the Noodle Incident,' the Tank, the sculpture in the front yard of the Lane house, Jake's Lexus, a kitten, a slice of processed cheese." The Angst Guy already wrote a rock video. I'm already dizzy.

~ The very busy Angst Guy also began "Green," "a weird alternate-universe / crossover 'Daria' story."

~ A divergent tale has begun of the Morgendorffers' visit to the "Psycho Therapy" show-your-feelings spa not turning out quite so well, after all.

~ The Bug Guy crossed two Iron Chefs and is writing "Accidental Future."

~ E.A. Smith finished "So Long As Men Can Breathe."

~ "Where's Mary Sue When You Need Her?" is up to chapter 7, part 12.

~ Daria's and Jane's names are being translated into many languages as we speak, so add your own arcane knowledge. (Rumors that the Russian-dubbed version has doubled vodka consumption over there are almost certainly not true.)

~ A sizable and intriguing thread brings up "unusual trivia tidbits about 'Daria' fans."

At the SFMB:

~ The extremely fecund Angst Guy posted "Mad Dog: A Hallowe'en 'Daria' Story," coming from a "Hidden Obsession" Iron Chef.

~ Ranger Thorne has resumed a project that uses lyrics to a Blue Oyster Cult album, "Daria: Imaginos -- The Magna of Illusion."

~ Ostragoth added to "Estrangesters" part 7.

~ Psychotol posted "Living Dead Girls: Chaos" part 5.

~ "Diary Entries" has added scenes to Chapter 2.

~ "New Masters of the Universe" has, er, fired up its part 8.

(By the way, almost all Dariafics at SFMB are not in "Fan Fiction," but in "Story Hour." In case you're a newcomer or look infrequently.)

After all this, you still want an "IIFY?" outtake, don't you? We aim to please. Daria, meanwhile, aims to throttle the impecunious Trent very soon.

Outpost Daria has made a major (and years-delayed) fan artwork update. With twenty-eight sections for as-yet-unposted fan artists having been added! Other recent works, and even a Morgendorffer house layout, have also come on line.

At the SFMB:

~ The cellar has a link (with much discussion) to "Comely Comics," a major edition of older fan art that has been restored to the Fluff's adult section.

~ Christ Oliver has added a quickly made, but highly evocative, near-nude line-art sketch of Daria to his thread.

~ An "Iron Chef Redux" asks for Lawndale-ized variations on "The Anime Laws of Physics."

At the PPMB:

~ A highly stylized triple "Daria" portrait has been uncovered by Kem on DeviantArt.

~ Another revived Iron Chef is for "Daria's Crash." And a popular new one: "Live Each Day" ("... as if thine last," in the old aphorism).

~ Eric Smith has begun posting "So Long As Men Can Breathe ..."

The somewhat-more-serious side of "Is It Fall Yet?": An intriguing, very brief essay, illustrated by screen captures, discusses "Tutoring in the Popular Imagination: 'Daria' as Case Study."

The not-so-serious side: Well, at least that coming Fall, Mr. D. could fix it while he still taught that sewing class!

A newly uncovered amusement: "What's your 'Daria' personality?"

The Sh33p's Fluff has revamped its page for Erin Mills's fan fiction.

At the SFMB:

~ New features added to the member profiles allow easier control of personal preferences, displayed settings, avatars, and many other elements. These can be tried out with the "Profile" selection in the menu at the top of the main page.

~ The "New Masters of the Universe" crossover has posted its Chapter 7, "The Lady or the Tiger." (Should we bet on Skeletor or Kevin? Tough choice ... er, nope.)

~ "Diary Entries" now has seven scenes in its Chapter 2.

~ Another collaboration, "Death on the Dance Floor," is expected to run until Hallowe'en.

At the PPMB:

~ Gregor Samsa has a breaking-the-fourth-wall vignette, "Selling Sarcasm," with Jane and Amy Barksdale.

~ Greystar's "Daria 3059" is on Chapter 12.

~ SteveBlumDeckler dug up some intriguing computer-generated (or are they? hmmm) interpretations of Daria and Quinn. They've sparked some discussion of Daria's glasses.

~ Angelinhel finished her "Aftershocks" in five parts.

~ RLobinske's "Falling Into College" 40 has been completed.

By the way, for newcomers or those who haven't yet noticed: Many of these "Daria" fan fiction works are posted at both of the main message boards. We're trying to note them with the board where they were first posted (and, usually, gathering reader comments), or where they have been noted in the past, if they're in serial format.

Some serial works, such as the parts of "FIC," are posted only at one board, and then the assembled story is put up in its entirety at the other one.

Also, any works that are less {ahem} reserved in their imagery -- through words or pictures -- tend to be posted first, or only, on the SFMB, which relies more on the moderators' discretion after the fact. The PPMB has an automatic filter for many vulgarisms or sexual terms.

... And now, an "IIFY?" outtake especially for ahmygoddess, who lamented the cutting of his long hair in a post on PPMB. Losing it may end up having some advantages ...

The PPMB had been balking at providing automatic re-log-in, under the new "thepaperpusher.net" domain. (You will need to change your bookmarks and favorites to that ".net" after all, by the way, for the time being.)

Gamer has fixed this. He noted, though, that every PPMB user will need to re-log-in at least once, to get the site's "cookie" repaired.

Also at the PPMB:

~ The Bug Guy's "Falling Into College" 40 is up to Chapter 4.

~ Angelinhel posted "Aftershocks," a compelling short fic in four parts.

~ Robin Sena has depicted "Sandi Griffin's Lawndale Fashion Band," including a host of esteemed rockers.

~ Yet another Iron Chef about Jane-&-Daria-mm-hmm, and a new game, "Hearing Things Wrong," alternating single lines of dialogue and actions.

At the SFMB:

~ Christ Oliver (see "Cellmates" below) is also posting his fan art here, including a great new piece with Jane and Daria in a coffee shop -- and, here, in a larger version!

~ The "Diary Entries" collaboration now has three scenes in its Chapter 2.

~ "Jane's Revenge," in response to the "Jane's Scorn" Iron Chef in the PPMB, has debuted in the hidden section.

I know this isn't a Daria topic, but you can read the entire article here.

Hopefully, what I'll do in the future is update the profile with a photo and add more informative titles. We'll see.

"Daria" is down, now, to one showing per day on The N, Monday through Friday early mornings at 3:30 am ET / 12:30 am PT. (Even that is liberally pre-empted by crucial all-night "Fresh Prince" or "Sabrina" marathons.)

This cutback could be from their obsession with "Degrassi," currently a marathon of its several versions, with no end in sight. They're probably, though, just running out the syndication contract in any case. If so, and especially if "Daria" could otherwise be shown uncut on MTV2, The N should just drop it now.

For those N viewers who do get the point about "Daria" and have Googled this site, welcome! Try any and all of the links to the Dariasites at left. You'll find dozens of articulate people who enjoy it as much as you do, along with tons of fan art and fan fiction.

Back to checking my e-mail before the phones go out again ... L.A. crumples up with a little bit of water *sigh*

But not before another "Is It Fall Yet?" outtake. They're playing touch ... er, something ...

Until the servers switch over completely, this is how to get to PPMB:

http://thepaperpusher.net/forum/index.php

(Shout out to Kemical Reaxion for pointing out the link.)

{Greybird adds: Just http://thepaperpusher.net/ will now also work, according to Gamer. The old links take you to a site that has somehow seized upon the PPMB logo. Don't bother with signing in or signing up there -- they apparently have nothing to do with the board.}

The WikiDaria reference site will, James hopes, soon return on a new domain and Web host. (For those who missed his posted comment.) Several possibilities exist for it.

In more new hosting, Kara Wild's site will soon give a home to Milo's Outpost Amy site, which apparently ran into pitfalls from an over-copyright-fearful Web-host owner.

At the PPMB:

~ It's now also running on Gamer's faster new server, alongside the SFMB. You may need to re-store your user name and password in your browser, as I did. {Monday evening: The domain "thepaperpusher.net" is indeed needed, for the moment. See the "PPMB Update" post above.}

~ A poll proceeds, with much thoughtful commentary, about "A World Without Sandi." (Less vinaigrette dressing production, certainly.)

~ Yet more Iron Chefs bloom: "Goddess of Sarcasm," "Daria's Car," "The Haves, Not the Have-Nots," and "Jane's Scorn."

~ In a Chef variation, Angelboy has set up the "Story Idea Adoption Agency," to also corral potential themes.

~ Several people finally explained "Veronica," a frequent added fanfic cast member. It was looking to me as if nobody'd ever get around to this!

~ A crossover by Erin Mills of "Daria" and "Knight Rider" has been revived. Does William Daniels need voiceover work again, I wonder?

~ The Bug Guy's "Falling Into College" Part 40 is already on Chapter 2.

~ Ben Breeck reports on a fan-film project that re-creates several actors in the images of "Daria" characters, such as Linda Cardellini as Daria and Christina Ricci as Jane. He's trying to export them so that more of us can see them.

At the SFMB:

~ "Estrangesters" by Ostragoth continues in its Chapter 7. (It's interesting, not creatively bankrupt. Bad current-affairs pun. Sorry.)

~ Roentgen is getting back to "Legion of Lawndale Heroes" soon. Really, he is. {Monday afternoon: Told ya so. New chapter went up this morning.}

~ In the hidden section, RLobinske has asked, "What if Tarantino directed Daria?" Or, "Is It Pulp Yet?" Someday, he'll surely be forgiven {g}

This frame from "IIFY?" made me really erupt laughing, and I don't know why ... but go ahead, Helen, feel the burn!

The SFMB has now moved to a brand new server. The hidden sections that everyone loves now download ten times as fast!

Incidental note: The SFMB now has as many moderators as the PPMB. Could rough justice be arriving at the wild board?

Due to an increase in Viagra salesmen, Russian porn moguls and people offering cost-free mortgages to the PPMB, registration has been changed. From now on, when you register for an account at the PPMB, you'll have to provide an e-mail address where you'll be sent further info. Since spammers usually don't have legitimate e-mail addresses, this should solve the problem ...

... for now.

At the PPMB:

Lawndale Stalker posted Chapters 12 and 13 of "Once Upon a Time At College".
Richard Lobinske posted the first part of "Falling Into College 40 - I Hope You Didn't Have Plans".

At the SFMB:

psychotol's series, "BDLE", continues in the hidden forum.

Fan art: Lynn Davis has illustrated Daria (with black wings!)

And for display, with the artist's permission (thank you, Ms. Davis!), Jane from
Lew Richardson's Dariafic "Heroes".

The Angst Guy's "Drive," his Daria-and-Jane SF tale, has been released in finished form. The Sh33p's Fluff has already blitzed again to post it.

An added note on the inexplicable DVD release of a mediocre Comedy Central show: A friend who actually bought it {urghh} told me that the package clearly noted its having replaced some (most, from his viewing report) of the music used in the original cable-TV showings.

It seems Paramount Home Video is owning up to doing this, and not using the past industry euphemism for it of "Special Home Video Version." We'll have to keep wondering if this tactic will accelerate a "Daria" full-series DVD release, or diminish its fidelity to the original stories, or (perhaps) both.

At the SFMB:

~ Mike Xeno has transmogrified an Iron Chef story into "The Seed of Peace and Love Commune." (Just like the apricots did, into ... you'll find out! {g})

~ Sleepless has posted Chapter 34 of "Yuki-onna."

At the PPMB:

~ "Diary Entries" has finished its Chapter 1.

~ More Iron Chefs to note: "Morning After" (whence story above), "Heathers," "Fantasy Island," "Hidden Obsession," "Sergeant Jake," "Attack of the Britneybots," and "3vil Daria" (whew!).

And here's some cover art I dug up that graced one of the five "Daria" VHS tapes released, sadly, only in PAL format. Trent as Bogie? Daria as Bergman? ... eh. I won't give in quite that far, not with my favorite movie {g}

The Angst Guy has released the long-awaited new installment in his "Pause in the Air" Daria-and-Jane series, "Labor Relations." He regretted missing the latest round of Dariasite updates, but Thea kindly got it posted on line anyway!

Deref has posted pictures of a lively mini-Dariacon in Australia, from this past weekend, on both message boards.

WikiDaria, a.k.a. Daria Encyclopedia 1.0, has been inaccessible for several days. (The domain has been failing to show up.) Any news, Dr. Mike?

At the SFMB:

~ Shallow 15 has begun "Zero Blue."

~ A post in the hidden section has details about impending changes to the Fluff's adult-works section.

Your "IIFY?" outtake for today ... Oh, those coy vixens!

The Contrarian's Corner has updated with fanfics and an essay.

At the PPMB, RLobinske has finished "John Lane 11: A Mirror of Future Fears."

Once again, from the "IIFY?" outtakes ... When a smooth-talking lawyer finally snaps, it just ain't pretty! [... Or did she? See comments]

Outpost Daria has updated again, mostly with general and fanfic-related illustrations.

Fan art by Christ Oliver ... somehow, this makes those padded walls seem more inviting. When did Jane get outside enough for such a tan, though? {g}



Click for full-size version

A brief review just posted at Amazon.com:

"Drawn Together: A Cartoon Reality Show" -- Season One

* (out of *****): This abomination? On DVD?

I have nothing against toilet humor or rampant sexual innuendo, as such -- I adore "South Park," most of the time, and "Crank Yankers" often gets me howling -- but this series was an uncreative, flaccid, turgid mess. And the mixed 2-D animation styles gave me a headache. I could barely watch portions of two of these episodes.

There's a point where navel-gazing, especially into such self-referential phenomena as "reality shows," loses all point. Even with satire being intended. "Drawn Together" gave up its focus before the first episode's first commercial break.

They won't release the hilarious and genuinely literate "Daria" on DVD at Paramount Home Video, but they'll release this sniggering absurdity? Western civilization isn't worth saving, I tell you.

And now that I'm thoroughly depressed, I'm going to go back to bed. But not before doing what's linked below ... again.

At the PPMB:

~ Crossada75 suggests that this shot of P.J. Harvey has her looking like a "living Jane." I'd have to agree. (Hair length is trivial.) What do you think?

~ Kemical Reaxion has a yearbook "photo" for Jane that measures up fully to the perceptive take she made some months ago on one for Daria.

~ RLobinske has the first two parts of "John Lane 11: A Mirror of Future Fears."

~ A new thread has fanfic authors describing "what we're working on at the moment."

~ In case you missed them, Roentgen has summarized and evaluated the first three episodes of the ninth season of "Daria." Discussion has proceeded apace. ... What's that? You thought it went off the cable "air"? Four seasons ago? Now, that's just silly.

And from those "IIFY?" outtakes, once again ... Those slackers in the ToonTown carpentry trades just don't build sets like they used to!

Another call for Booties awards submissions for 2005. The deadlines for nominations and dates for their being posted have been slightly altered.

Thea Zara has updated several pages at The Sh33p's Fluff, both stories and art. A major update to the adult-works section is also planned soon, and she's asking for submissions.

Sick Sad World also updated, on 25 September.

At the PPMB:

~ The eponymous Paperpusher makes a self-admitted rare report on his whereabouts, before he leaves for Japan to take up a year-long teaching position.

~ Gregor Samsa has an illustration for his "Bands of Summer."

~ Angelboy and Atimnie's "Diary Entries" has reached 30 posts. (Sorry for missing this one earlier.)

~ Iron Chef Advisory: Ongoing threads include "Who's Your Daddy?", "War Stories," and "Heroic JL" (it's not who you think).

At the SFMB:

~ Ostragoth posted chapter 7 of "Estrangesters."

~ Sleepless has part 11 of "Broken Connections."

~ In the hidden sub-basement, the BDLE round-robin story and the more exotic version of "Scenes That Must Not Be" both proceed.

~ Also in the cellar, The Great Saiyaman (a.k.a. Wouter at PPMB) is looking for support in responding to a critical fan who seems to be missing the point in regard to Quinn's character, as shown in his ongoing comic. (If all one's seen of Quinn is on The Chopped-Up N, that's not too surprising, methinks.)

Here's another "outtake" from "Is It Fall Yet?" ... d'ya think Daria might sing better than Jesse? (Did we ever hear her except at Pizza Forest? I can't remember.)



And finally, la shanah tovah ... try to forgive an old enemy this week, as our Jewish friends are exhorted to do. (Thanks, and happy new year, to SteveBlumDeckler for the reminder.)

There might not be an update for a few days due to the fact that test crunch time is coming. Test this week, two tests next week.

To entertain you, here's a submission found in the Photoshop contests often held at www.fark.com. This one is from BFett489 in the category, "Cartoon Characters Sell Out".

Martin Pollard, "on a roll," updated Outpost Daria again on Friday -- the third time in a week, fourth in September. "Lots more to come, so stay tuned!"

At the SFMB:

~ NutsoCrazy added to "Marvel Comics Presents: Daria!", and Brother Grimace added further to his addition.

~ With a new month, The Angst Guy is asking for Hallowe'en stories for "Daria" that have not been told. (Also at PPMB as an Iron Chef.)

~ Speaking of Hallowe'en, "the festivities" are commencing at SFMB, as well. Don't let yourself get killed, mwhuhahaha ...

At fanfiction.net:

~ Angelinhel posted "Still Life," "a brief glimpse into the thoughts of Claire DeFoe."

And now, another great outtake from "Is It Fall Yet?" ... I waited for this payoff during any number of "regular" episodes. Even Quinn has limits, I'd say!