diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1b8c97cb..21a8fee8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -160,6 +160,8 @@ histogram(args...; kw...)  = plot(args...; kw...,  linetype = :hist)
 histogram!(args...; kw...) = plot!(args...; kw..., linetype = :hist)
 heatmap(args...; kw...)    = plot(args...; kw...,  linetype = :heatmap)
 heatmap!(args...; kw...)   = plot!(args...; kw..., linetype = :heatmap)
+sticks(args...; kw...)     = plot(args...; kw...,  linetype = :sticks, marker = :ellipse)
+sticks!(args...; kw...)    = plot!(args...; kw..., linetype = :sticks, marker = :ellipse)
 ```
 
 Some keyword arguments you can set:
diff --git a/REQUIRE b/REQUIRE
index 0ac42a92..1488666b 100644
--- a/REQUIRE
+++ b/REQUIRE
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
 julia 0.4-
 
 Colors
-FactCheck
diff --git a/src/Plots.jl b/src/Plots.jl
index 158d7083..c2a9125b 100644
--- a/src/Plots.jl
+++ b/src/Plots.jl
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ export
   bar,
   histogram,
   heatmap,
+  sticks,
 
   currentPlot!,
   plotDefault!,
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ export
   bar!,
   histogram!,
   heatmap!,
+  sticks!,
 
   savepng,
 
@@ -62,6 +64,8 @@ histogram(args...; kw...)  = plot(args...; kw...,  linetype = :hist)
 histogram!(args...; kw...) = plot!(args...; kw..., linetype = :hist)
 heatmap(args...; kw...)    = plot(args...; kw...,  linetype = :heatmap)
 heatmap!(args...; kw...)   = plot!(args...; kw..., linetype = :heatmap)
+sticks(args...; kw...)     = plot(args...; kw...,  linetype = :sticks, marker = :ellipse)
+sticks!(args...; kw...)    = plot!(args...; kw..., linetype = :sticks, marker = :ellipse)
 
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/args.jl b/src/args.jl
index 8850857f..af73a65a 100644
--- a/src/args.jl
+++ b/src/args.jl
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ PLOT_DEFAULTS[:linetype] = :line
 PLOT_DEFAULTS[:linestyle] = :solid
 PLOT_DEFAULTS[:marker] = :none
 PLOT_DEFAULTS[:markercolor] = :match
-PLOT_DEFAULTS[:markersize] = 3
+PLOT_DEFAULTS[:markersize] = 6
 PLOT_DEFAULTS[:nbins] = 100               # number of bins for heatmaps and hists
 PLOT_DEFAULTS[:heatmap_c] = (0.15, 0.5)
 PLOT_DEFAULTS[:fillto] = nothing          # fills in the area
diff --git a/src/backends/gadfly.jl b/src/backends/gadfly.jl
index aa0eba5d..f8e39674 100644
--- a/src/backends/gadfly.jl
+++ b/src/backends/gadfly.jl
@@ -41,20 +41,14 @@ function getLineGeoms(d::Dict)
   # lt == :dots && return [Gadfly.Geom.point]
   lt == :bar && return [Gadfly.Geom.bar]
   lt == :step && return [Gadfly.Geom.step]
-  lt == :sticks && return [Gadfly.Geom.bar]
+  # lt == :sticks && return [Gadfly.Geom.bar]
   error("linetype $lt not currently supported with Gadfly")
 end
 
 
-
-# serious hack (I think?) to draw my own shapes as annotations... will it work? who knows...
-function getMarkerGeomsAndGuides(d::Dict)
-  marker = d[:marker]
-  if marker == :none
-    return [],[]
-
-  # special handling for other marker shapes... gotta create Compose contexts and map them to series points using Guide.Annotation
-  elseif marker == :rect
+function createGadflyAnnotation(d::Dict)
+  
+  if d[:marker] == :rect
     # get the width/height of the square (both are sz)
     sz = d[:markersize] * Gadfly.px
     halfsz = sz/2
@@ -64,7 +58,7 @@ function getMarkerGeomsAndGuides(d::Dict)
     ys = map(z -> Gadfly.Compose.Measure(;cy=z) + halfsz, float(d[:y]))
 
     # return an Annotation which will add those shapes to each point in the series 
-    return [], [Gadfly.Guide.annotation(Gadfly.compose(Gadfly.context(), Gadfly.rectangle(xs,ys,[sz],[sz]), Gadfly.fill(d[:markercolor]), Gadfly.stroke(nothing)))]
+    return Gadfly.Guide.annotation(Gadfly.compose(Gadfly.context(), Gadfly.rectangle(xs,ys,[sz],[sz]), Gadfly.fill(d[:markercolor]), Gadfly.stroke(nothing)))
 
   else
     # make circles
@@ -73,20 +67,66 @@ function getMarkerGeomsAndGuides(d::Dict)
     ys = collect(float(d[:y]))
 
     # return an Annotation which will add those shapes to each point in the series 
-    return [], [Gadfly.Guide.annotation(Gadfly.compose(Gadfly.context(), Gadfly.circle(xs,ys,[sz]), Gadfly.fill(d[:markercolor]), Gadfly.stroke(nothing)))]
+    return Gadfly.Guide.annotation(Gadfly.compose(Gadfly.context(), Gadfly.circle(xs,ys,[sz]), Gadfly.fill(d[:markercolor]), Gadfly.stroke(nothing)))
 
   end
-
-  # otherwise just return a Geom.point
-  # [Gadfly.Geom.point], []
 end
 
 
+# serious hack (I think?) to draw my own shapes as annotations... will it work? who knows...
+function getMarkerGeomsAndGuides(d::Dict)
+  marker = d[:marker]
+  if marker == :none
+    return [],[]
+  end
+  return [], [createGadflyAnnotation(d)]
+end
+
+  # # special handling for other marker shapes... gotta create Compose contexts and map them to series points using Guide.Annotation
+  # elseif marker == :rect
+  #   # get the width/height of the square (both are sz)
+  #   sz = d[:markersize] * Gadfly.px
+  #   halfsz = sz/2
+
+  #   # remap x/y to the corner position of the squares
+  #   xs = map(z -> Gadfly.Compose.Measure(;cx=z) - halfsz, float(d[:x]))
+  #   ys = map(z -> Gadfly.Compose.Measure(;cy=z) + halfsz, float(d[:y]))
+
+  #   # return an Annotation which will add those shapes to each point in the series 
+  #   return [], [Gadfly.Guide.annotation(Gadfly.compose(Gadfly.context(), Gadfly.rectangle(xs,ys,[sz],[sz]), Gadfly.fill(d[:markercolor]), Gadfly.stroke(nothing)))]
+
+  # else
+  #   # make circles
+  #   sz = 0.5 * d[:markersize] * Gadfly.px
+  #   xs = collect(float(d[:x]))
+  #   ys = collect(float(d[:y]))
+
+  #   # return an Annotation which will add those shapes to each point in the series 
+  #   return [], [Gadfly.Guide.annotation(Gadfly.compose(Gadfly.context(), Gadfly.circle(xs,ys,[sz]), Gadfly.fill(d[:markercolor]), Gadfly.stroke(nothing)))]
+
+  # end
+
+  # otherwise just return a Geom.point
+  # [Gadfly.Geom.point], []
+# end
+
+
 function addGadflySeries!(gplt, d::Dict)
+
+  # first things first... lets so the sticks hack
+  if d[:linetype] == :sticks
+    d, dScatter = sticksHack(;d...)
+
+    # add the annotation
+    if dScatter[:marker] != :none
+      push!(gplt.guides, createGadflyAnnotation(dScatter))
+    end
+  end
+
   gfargs = []
 
   # add the Geoms
-  append!(gfargs, getLineGeoms(d)) #[:linetype], d[:marker], d[:markercolor], d[:nbins]))
+  append!(gfargs, getLineGeoms(d))
   
   # handle markers
   geoms, guides = getMarkerGeomsAndGuides(d)
diff --git a/src/utils.jl b/src/utils.jl
index b7e1bddd..ce10dae8 100644
--- a/src/utils.jl
+++ b/src/utils.jl
@@ -70,6 +70,41 @@ function barHack(; kw...)
 end
 
 
+doc"""
+A hacky replacement for a sticks graph when the backend doesn't support sticks directly.
+Convert it into a line chart that traces the sticks, and a scatter that sets markers at the points.
+"""
+function sticksHack(; kw...)
+  dLine = Dict(kw)
+  dScatter = copy(dLine)
+
+  # these are the line vertices
+  x = Float64[]
+  y = Float64[]
+  fillto = dLine[:fillto] == nothing ? 0.0 : dLine[:fillto]
+
+  # calculate the vertices
+  yScatter = dScatter[:y]
+  for (i,xi) in enumerate(dScatter[:x])
+    yi = yScatter[i]
+    for j in 1:3 push!(x, xi) end
+    append!(y, [fillto, yScatter[i], fillto])
+  end
+
+  # change the line args
+  dLine[:x] = x
+  dLine[:y] = y
+  dLine[:linetype] = :line
+  dLine[:marker] = :none
+  dLine[:fillto] = nothing
+
+  # change the scatter args
+  dScatter[:linetype] = :none
+
+  dLine, dScatter
+end
+
+
 # Some conversion functions
 # note: I borrowed these conversion constants from Compose.jl's Measure
 const INCH_SCALAR = 25.4
diff --git a/test/REQUIRE b/test/REQUIRE
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..89b650ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/REQUIRE
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+julia 0.4-
+
+Colors
+FactCheck
+PyPlot
+UnicodePlots
+Gadfly
+Immerse