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kawaikisses · 5 months

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m.list ; Reading list.

Updated. Jan 22, 2024.

Note : I read k-pop idols x reader/ orginal female character fics, so this list is organized keeping that in mind, I do not personally have any issues with other genders, this is just my preference. Thankyou. If you hate unnecessarily, sincerely, no fucks will be given.

(everything is organized by alphabetical order)

↬𝐁𝐘 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄.

angst .

fluff .

smut .

↬𝐁𝐘 𝐀𝐔’𝐒.

artist au .

arranged marriage au .

assassin au .

baker au .

bartender au .

BDSM au .

best friend’s brother au .

best friends to lovers au .

best friend’s sister au .

boyfriend au .

camboy au .

camgirl au .

camp counselor au .

CEO au .

chef au .

childhood friends to lovers au .

club au .

college au .

coworker au .

crime au .

dad au .

doctor au .

dancer au .

detective au .

divorce au .

enemies to lovers au .

established relationship au .

exes to lovers au .

fantasy au .

farm au .

father au .

friends to benefits au .

friends to lovers au .

fuckboy au .

fuckgirl au .

forbidden au .

gamer au .

god au .

hitman au .

horror au .

husband au .

hybrid au .

idiots to lovers au .

idol au .

king au .

lawyer au .

mafia au .

magic au .

medical au .

musician au .

neighbours au .

noona au .

one night stand au .

photographer au .

pirates au .

professor au .

prince au .

rich au .

road trip au .

roommate au .

royalty au .

second chance au .

secret relationship au .

sex worker au .

single parent au .

social media au .

songwriter au .

soulmate au .

spy au .

superhero au .

supernatural au .

tattoo artist au .

teacher au .

unrequited love au .

vampire au .

werewolf au .

wife au .

↬𝐁𝐘 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐒.

kim namjoon .

kim seokjin .

min yoongi .

jung hoseok .

park jimin .

kim taehyung .

jeon jungkook .

ot7 .

↬𝐁𝐘 𝐓𝐘𝐏𝐄.

drama .

hurt/comfort .

magic .

mutual pining .

mystery .

romance .

slow burn .

thriller .

age play .

crack .

Note : please let me know if any of the links are not working. Thankyou.

Note : since Tumblr only allows 100 links per page, so this list will be continued in another page, which is linked down below.

↬masterlist continued .

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little-peril-stories · 1 year

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LPS: Blog (Re)Intro

Little Peril Stories | Kate | adult | she/her

Masterlists:

The Queen of Lies (ongoing): AU for The Prince of Thieves—sheltered, rich sad girl meets snarky criminal; chaos ensues; whumpy, Victorian forbidden love vibes with a side helping of angst and girl power

The Court of Rogues (work in progress): sequel to The Prince of Thieves; details to come 2024.

The Prince of Thieves (complete): guy and gal get arrested and tormented by super cool, totally normal constable while pals on the outside freak out and make bad decisions; fun 1800s prison vibes with a side helping of angst and chosen family

Blood Garnet (side WIP, low priority): girl gets lost in magic woods and gets chased by her hapless cousin and a grump hunter; awkward magic man tries to help; supernatural(ish) romantasy vibes with a side helping of angst and betrayal

Man of Letters (UNRESOLVED; part of Whumptober 2023): awkward scholar boi tries to save the girl he falls in love with and gets way more than he bargained for; light romantasy paired with heavy emo vibes, with a side of helping of angst and torture

Fen and Freddie (complete): gal gets kidnapped, dopey cinnamon roll with hopeless crush tries to rescue her and fails; vague superhero sci-fi vibes with a side helping of angst and pining

The Curiosity Collector (complete): sweet non-confrontational magic boy gets kidnapped and needs rescuing by bf and sis; witchy, autumnal vibes with a side helping of angst and falling in love

✨ Check out: OC & WIP extras (mood boards, lyrics inspo, tag game creations, and more!)

This is a whumpblr/writeblr space! Sometimes I’ll post/reblog writerly posts, memes, etc., but a lot of the posts/RBs will be about whump. I post original writing and reblog the work of others that I enjoy, gifs, tropes, prompts, and other such things.

I’m down with asks and tag games but may not respond right away. If I seem to ignore you, it’s not personal, it just means real life is taking priority at that moment.

I love comments and feedback on my writing and welcome them with open arms.

A note on age: I know I can’t actually stop you from accessing this blog, but I do not wish to interact with people under 18. It’s not personal, I’m sure you’re great, but it has everything to do with my job IRL. Please respect this boundary and come back on your 18th birthday.

Check out: My Most Common Tropes

My favourite elements of whump have to do with power dynamics, intimidation, dread, and angst. I love captivity-with-a-cause: kidnapping for ransom or as leverage over someone else, prison (in fantasy or historical settings, less so for modern settings though it’s not a hard rule), and the like. Fantasy presents so many creative versions of this trope, so I do love me some fantasy whump! It also gives lots of opportunity for dungeons, shackles, and other fun implements like that. Gratuitous tying or chaining up is always delightful to see. Pining, desperately trying to protect a loved one (…and failing), and self-sacrifice are other big tropes I love, so expect to see lots of those!

As for characters, I love it when they are as far as you can get from perfect, pure, and innocent—when they’re good enough people, but whose flawed or maybe even problematic decisions lead them into trouble. Always, always, I want my characters to have a hand in their own fates. Pure-hearted victims of the narrative who simply fall into a whumpy situation are cute and fun, but not what I tend to write.

A few odds and ends I’m such a sucker for, so you’ll probably find them in my writing:

Sibling relationships

Allusions to songs, books, folklore, and musicals

Nature and weather helping to set the scene (oh my goodness, how many times can I work snow into one story?)

If romance, either slow burn or instant attraction

…with a sprinkling of “huh, I don’t understand what I’m feeling, wtf is going on??”

‘In the nick of time’ rescues

Painfully awkward moments

Fluff and comfort, but only once they’ve really earned it

Almost kisses

Hard choices

Happy endings

You probably won’t find much gore or explicit noncon here, but there might be some elements of those in my stories or in reblogs. I don’t write BBU or pet whump.

My original “whumpy things I like” post can be found here.

Anyway, thanks for reading! 💕 Happy whumping!

#blog intro #whump intro #writeblr intro #this is a reintroduction #whump community #writeblr #whumpblr #pinned post

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drifting-pieces-blog-blog · 3 months

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Out of Jake, Marc and Steven, who do you like best and why?

MCU or comics?

I'm going to long windedly tell you that I actually have a really hard time answering this question because I love them all and it's impossible for me to pick a favorite and then I'm going to try to pick a favorite.

HERE WE GO.

In MCU it's an unfair question because we don't have all the pieces. Literally. We spend a large portion of the time meeting up with the Sass King Steven Grant and following his point of view, which is integral to understanding the story and finding Marc at the same time Steven does. And because Oscar Isaac is amazing, Steven is impossible to hate.

When we meet Marc, we see a broken man that hates himself and who we and Steven don't understand. (Those of us that came in from the comics knew Marc better and knew what to look for and loved him from the start). But then we take a break from Steven and we see Marc and he's a broken dumpster fire and he's awkward and loving. (Thank you Layla for helping to introduce us to Marc in a point of view that wasn't Steven's and allowing us to see him through a lens of love).

And it's easy to point at Marc and dismiss him and write him off as grumpy or not interesting. But Marc is a precious cinnamon roll that deserves love and attention.

We get five minutes tops with Jake Lockley and that's not enough to form an opinion or proper understanding of where they want to take his character. (Season 2 I'm looking at you with the sort of longing you read about in classic poetry).

I literally cannot pick a favorite in MCU. There isn't enough there to say this trait is superior in my personal books to favor. I love Steven's energy and sass and love starved eagerness to be acknowledged and seen. I love Marc's awkward ability to stand there like the kind of idiot that deserves to be given hot cocoa and tucked into bed for trying too hard with a kiss on the forehead.

Now Comics?! Oh boy comics.

I found it hardest to connect to Steven in the comics on my first reading of them. There was a distinct effort to forget Steven in later runs and he got either mishandled or written out all together. No one knew what to do with him after Moench and I can understand that they didn't know what to do with a smart rich philanthropist that wanted to sit around reading the paper and helping out local charity drives. This was a superhero comic, after all.

But Steven is really undervalued by many of the writers. Honestly, it wasn't till Lemire and Smallwood that I suddenly looked at Steven with new eyes and realized that he was more than the cowardly peace lover that just wanted to live rich and in comfort. Going back through Moench this past year I have found a new connection and appreciation for Steven Grant.

Marc Spector? He was my first favorite. He's an idiot that gets things done by punching it as hard as he can. He can't block or duck to save his life and he has a short fuse that's always going off. He's the epitome of dumpster fire that just keeps making the problem worse. He dug till the shovel broke then he went out and rented a backhoe.

But Marc Spector has heart. He's goofy. He's got a wicked sense of humor that makes me laugh. He stands his ground with Spider-Man and Deadpool.

He also respects the characters that get forgotten or made fun of. He helps others with mental health issues. He understands what it means to struggle and he makes it his duty to try. Even when he's being written wrong, you still get a sense of a man that genuinely wants to do better for himself and those around him, but he just is so BAD at it.

Then you have Jake Lockley, man of the people. A goofy softy that just wants to care about those around him and keep them safe. Trouble maker and officially the heart and soul of the system.

New York Cabbie attitude and Jewish humor make for a care free attitude and a sharp wit.

How can I pick a favorite? They each bring something amazing and unique to the table and I love them all for different reasons. And in different times in my life I have understood one or the other a little better.

At this particular time in my life? It's...complicated... For various reasons, I have found myself being able to understand Marc better and to understand his point of view. And maybe that's why I gravitate a little more towards Jake when it comes to a character that I want to see more of.

So do I have a favorite of the three? I try not to pick favorites out of them because I love them all. ....We just won't look at my saved images....

#Moon Knight #Ask away #Talk to me about Moon Knight #Still mostly taking a break right now #I promise I'll get back to the comics soon #It's been a hell of a year #I'm aware it's only Feb

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strbymacaroon · 6 months

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The Amazing Spider-Man: Destiny and Fate.

The official Master-list!

*. " ⊹ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐ Synopsis:

Eren Yeager.

Your average senior college boy.

Charming, attractive, rich, and popular. He had a different lady at his luxury apartment every weekend. Star quarterback for the college football team. You know, the average.

Eren was living the life. Peaking, even. The it-boy if you will.

Okay, enough lying.

Eren was absolutely none of that. Like, not even in his goddamn dreams did he fit any of that. Was it sad, it could be. But, he didn't let it bother him. He was pretty content with his best friend Armin and his Camera. A beautiful 18th birthday present. Now having to navigate the amazing world of college. While having to juggle his massive inconvenient crush on you.

And you know, being a superhero.

But, who cares about that?!

CW: Major Character Death, Alternate Universe - College/University, Marvel/Attack on Titan crossover, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Heavy Angst, Hurt No Comfort, Sad ending, Slow Burn.

Each chapter is over 15k words, so give the links a bit of time to load.

༝̩̩̥͙ ༓༝̩̩̥͙ ⊹ Read: here on Ao3. ⊹༝̩̩̥͙ ༓༝̩̩̥͙

⊹ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐ VOLUME ONE:

.・゜゜・｡･ﾟﾟ･ ╰┈➤ORGINS.

“…Eren Yeager. Charming, attractive, rich, and popular. A different lady at his luxury apartment every weekend. Star quarterback for the college football team. You know, the average. Eren was living the life. Peaking, even. The it-boy if you will. Okay, enough lying. He was absolutely none of that...”

⊹ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐ VOLUME TWO:

.・゜゜・｡･ﾟﾟ･ ╰┈➤FAMILAR FACES MEET.

“…“This is the greatest day of my life.” He flinched when he heard the door bang, Happy voice cutting through, “C'mon let's go!” Eren nodded, and grabbed the bottom of his shirt. Awkwardly pulling it over his head. “Right, sorry!”…”

⊹ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐ VOLUME THREE:

.・゜゜・｡･ﾟﾟ･ ╰┈➤INTERNATIONAL SUPER SPY!

“…Highschool. Just a crazy, horrible, workfilled, blur. As a child you imagined the freedom, and most importantly boyfriends you’d have. What ended up happening was you believed you were going to marry Kakashi Hatake, a fictional anime man. You even wrote fanfiction about him. Yeah… it was dark times…”

⊹ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐ VOLUME FOUR:

.・゜゜・｡･ﾟﾟ･ ╰┈➤LONG AWAITED VACATION.

“…Harry froze, his muscles tensing with pure rage. “What.” His voice was like never before, dark, intimidating, and hateful. “Spider-Man? Who the hell is that?” He seethed. Reiner didn’t know what to call Spider-Man. I mean, he wasn’t necessarily a hero, more or less a villain…”

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dotthings · 11 months

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“I would stay there for as long as they’ll let me. There’s just something in that genre space that I’ve always been attracted to. I’ve always found myself in it. There’s not a lot of work in my career that hasn’t been kind of in that ‘genre’ space. It’s a place I feel comfortable. It’s a place I love to explore. The characters are so rich, and we’re not really bound by reality by any means. We can bend those rules in our favor, and I like that. I appreciate those slice-of-life films and television shows that are a conversation about what we deal with in reality, but I enjoy the escapism that the entertainment industry provides. If I can be a part of that and help tell those stories, then that’s a space I would still like to be in.”

—Jensen Ackles about working in the superhero and other genre stories [x]

#Jensen Ackles #I love that he’s so committed to doing genre #and he’d be great in all of it horror sf fantasy superheroes

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buriedalienfma · 9 months

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Another week, another episode of ‘My Adventures with Superman’. Honestly, I am getting a little restless having to wait for an entire week for a new episode, but that’s just because I really like the show and want more of it. This week saw the release of episode 4, and I wanted to talk about it. This episode follows a similar pattern to the previous episodes in that the relationships and the dynamics between the main characters are very well written, but the actual superhero stuff is comparatively weaker.

Here’s my thoughts on episode 4 (obligatory spoiler warning for those who haven’t seen the episode yet) :

- I was surprised that there was no follow up to Superman unlocking his heat vision in the last episode. You would think that it would be a pretty big deal to Clark since he’s been shown to struggle with controlling his powers in previous episodes.

- I do like that Lois was frustrated with how her interview with Superman went in the previous episode. She’s absolutely right in being angry that Superman didn’t really answer any of her questions, especially since he initiated the interview in the first place. I like it when Lois isn’t completely and entirely enamored with Superman and is willing to call him out when she needs to. It just makes their dynamic more interesting and shows that the characters are on equal footing.

- On the other hand, I like that Clark is protective of his secret identity, and even takes measures to hide any evidence that might point to him being Superman. I’ve always considered Superman to be a very introverted character. He tends to keep people at an arms length and and has some loner tendencies that sometimes strain his relationships with others. It’s a nice little contradiction in his character. Superman’s public image in-universe and out is that of a cool and confident hero, but he’s far more reserved than you would expect and that’s one of the more interesting facets of his character.

- I like that there’s a focus on the reporters of the Daily Planet trying to expose the corruption and other unethical activities of the rich and elite of Metropolis. It makes the series feel a little more relevant and topical.

- In this episode the trio is tasked with covering a Gala held by Anthony Ivo, a CEO of the fictional Amazotech. In this episode, Ivo seems to be reminiscent of Tony Stark, especially with how grandstanding and egotistical he is.

- A small moment, but I like that Clark is a little passive with how he interviews Ivo - until the latter insults Lois, at which point Clark becomes way more confrontational. It’s a very cute bit of characterization.

- This episode further develops the relationship between Lois and Clark. The scene where the two are talking to and opening up to each other right after Clark is kicked out of the AmazoTech building is definitely the highlight of the episode. It’s revealed that Lois has a strained relationship with her father and that she has been an intern for over a year, which explains why the character has been so obsessed with chasing a good story in both this episode and previous episodes. It goes to show that Lois isn’t one note and there’s layers to the character. And Clark comforting Lois when she’s opening up to him is such a sweet moment.

- And another thing about that scene - this show very clearly knows just how attractive the main characters are. I remember that one of the people working on the show even confirmed that they deliberately tried to make Superman look cute and/or attractive in every scene that he’s in. I very much approve of that. It’s about time that Superman breaks away from his “America’s stern father figure” image. And as for Lois, well - there’s a good reason why a lot of people are falling head over heels in love with her tomboy design in this show.

- The villain of the episode is Ivo, who is using a mech suit that can absorb and imitate Superman’s powers. In the comics and other media, Ivo is the creator of Amazo, an android that copies other superheroes’ powers, but this episode combines that idea with the character of Parasite, a classic Superman villain that has the power to drain the life energy from his victims. Now I know that some comic fans are upset that many of the metahuman and fantastical characters from the comics are being changed in this adaptation so that they are more tech-based. I’m on the fence on this one. On the one hand, I think that fans should just accept that this adaptation is trying something new instead of being slavish to the comics. It’s an adaptation and it’s allowed to change things. On the other hand, I think that the writers could have gone a lot further with how they adapted Parasite, by playing into the body horror and bio-weapon aspects. They could have been a lot more creative, but they play it a little too safe, since Ivo’s ‘Parasite’ Mech suit is a little generic.

- I do like that once again, Jimmy and Lois are able to help Superman defeat the villain. I also like that Superman ultimately uses his brains to gain an advantage over his enemy rather than simply spamming his superpowers. It shows that Superman isn’t just a meathead.

- Ivo not being able to understand that Superman is simply helping people out of the goodness of his own heart is a neat bit of characterization. I like that this aspect of the Superman is played sincerely. The show isn’t trying to imitate the MCU style of humor that likes to lampshade and poke fun at the premises and tropes of superhero stories. Superman helps people, because he’s a good person. That’s played 100 % straight and I really appreciate that.

- Jimmy isn’t given a lot of focus in this episode and the previous episode. I hope that changes in future episodes as I would like him to get more spotlight. Ideally, I would have Jimmy be the first person to find out that Clark is Superman, and then become Superman’s secret keeper, just to reinforce the idea of Jimmy being Superman’s best friend, but I don’t think the show is going in that direction.

- And the thing that really got me interested - the epilogue of this episode. Lois puts the pieces together and starts to realize that Clark Kent might be Superman. From previous scenes, we know that Lois already has an issue with people keeping secrets from her. That means that there’s going to be a little bit more tension and drama in the relationship between her and Clark, and I am very much looking forward to that. So far, the romance has been played as wholesome and sweet, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but there is a part of me that wants to see a little bit of tension and maybe even some angst in the relationship, just because I think that would be pretty engaging.

So that’s episode 4. I am enjoying this show, though I acknowledge that it has some flaws. The people behind this show have worked on shows like Ducktales and She-Ra, which were pretty good from what I’ve heard, so I think I’m justified in having faith that they’ll eventually iron out the flaws of this show

#my adventures with superman #superman #clark kent #lois lane #jimmy olsen #dc animation

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stackthedeck · 6 months

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Headcanon : Peter is immune to the penance stare.

No, not because of some magical bullshit or random superpower of even his hidden part of his spider power or because he has no regrets.

It doesn't work because he's already too depressed, traumatised and full of self hatred since he was 15

And some telepaths cries just by Reading the memories of his first year as Spider-Man. Especially Emma frost

What’s with the causal misogyny in my inbox today goddamn. New rule you’ve gotta google the characters you’re shitting on before assuming I’ll agree with you.

Let’s set a couple things straight. in terms of tragic origin stories Peter has it pretty good. His parents died when he was young and he had loving relatives that cared for him as best they could within their means. Yes Ben’s death is awful and Peter struggles to keep himself and his aunt alive but nothing particularly awful happens until college. Emma Frost who witnessed her brother’s attempted suicide and was sexually abused as a child, wouldn’t have a psychological break from getting a glimpse into Peter’s twisted mind. She’s been in the superhero game for awhile. she’s telepathically linked with Magneto, Peter’s not more traumatized than a holocaust survivor.

And Emma has interacted with Peter in this way. I assume you’ve seen the panels but not read the whole issue? This is from X-Men: Devils Reign # 2

Emma Frost is an empathetic person who cares deeply for children and she feels for his suffering. But like this isn’t a rich lady horrified by how the poor™️ live. She’s a teacher who’s rescuing a child and she meets a former child (Peter) who she wishes she could have rescued too. Some comic fans have gotten way to comfortable saying the most out of pocket shit about Emma Frost after the tony wedding like fuck those fans Emma is too good for him.

Anyway Peter Parker is not the most special boy in the world, he’s not a chosen one, he’s just some guy that makes the choice to be good. Suffering doesn’t make you a hero or a good person, it just makes you suffer. We don’t choose our suffering but we get to choose to be good every day and it’s hard but someone has to and that’s the point of Spider-Man. So no I don’t think his trauma makes Peter special because that’d be a boring edgy depressing story, I think his will power and drive to do what’s right is what makes Spider-Man special.

#asks #the Emma frost rant wasn’t about you specifically asker #but like my god have people gotten weird about Emma #and like it’s just a poor read of who Emma is to assume her response to Peter is about Peter specifically #she’d react this way to any hero that starts this young because she’s the anti professor x #she’s the good one who cares about her students #she’s not a fan of the child soldier thing

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dcrankamateur · 7 months

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Dawn of DC Comics – 3rd October – Fire and Ice, Blue Beetle and Birds of Prey #2s

My focus this week is on the second issues of Fire and Ice, Birds of Prey and Blue Beetle. After strong starts for all three series, the second issues varied drastically in terms of tone and pace to somewhat mixed results.

Fire and Ice: Welcome to Smallville #2

On a two axis scale of tragedy – comedy and deliberative – frenetic on tone and pace respectively, the frenetic comedy of Fire and Ice worked best for me this week. Joanne Starer and Natacha Bustos’ sitcom-style storytelling suits the diametrically opposite personalities of Fire and Ice well. Where the last issue ended on somewhat of a downbeat, with Tora announcing to Bea that she no longer wanted to be a superhero, the mere fact that these two women with such a rich history but with wildly differing aspirations and motivations have to live under one roof lends itself brilliantly to comedy.

In her conceptions of both characters, Starer is blatantly as sticking to type to accentuate the awkwardness of the pairing. Tora is the bookish hipster with a desire to expand her interests and cooling on the superhero game whereas for Bea the need to prove herself burns brighter than ever. The plot ratchets up to pure absurdity as their Smallville Barber Shop becomes inundated with the minnows of the supervillain world before becoming a low budget reality TV show with Big Brother style diary rooms held in the toilets, much to a queuing and increasingly desperate Tam’s chagrin. Bustos’ art is quite classically cartoonish in this issue, with over the top reactions from background characters in particular emphasising the farcical nature of Bea’s plan and its effect on Tora. The jokes really landed and I found myself laughing throughout. But the fun does stop eventually as Bea’s social media experiment begins to verge on dangerous, and tensions fray between her and Tora once again. However, in classic sitcom fashion, the arrival of Jimmy Olsen at the end of the issue ensures that Bea and Tora live to fight another die.

Blue Beetle #2

That said, Bea and Tora are certainly better off in their own series than they are during their appearance in the tragic and frenetic Blue Beetle #2. After an initial moment of contemplation as Ted Kord lies injured in hospital, in which Tora comforts Jaime, the issue moves at a million miles an hour as the Blood Scarab rips through the supporting cast of the issue one by one before getting to Jaime and declaring that that’s enough for one issue, thanks. Be back soon.

The action scenes are so dynamic and fast moving without being overwhelming largely because writer Josh Trujillo trusts Adrian Gutierrez to convey the chaos during these scenes. Occasional dialogue, typically reserved for characters remarking upon how screwed they are, serves as framing for Gutierrez’s creative use of panelling, which evokes the feeling of the Blood Scarab closing in on its victim, leaving them nowhere to run.

As a new reader my biggest issue with this series so far is that I actually don’t know much about Jaime Reyes himself so I’ve found it harder to connect with him than with the characters I’ve been introduced to in other Dawn of DC stories. This is not the writer’s fault, and I’m certainly not advocating a return to Shooter’s Marvel of the 80s where the first page gives you the entire character’s history all over again. I may be getting into background reading and research time which I believe is absolutely fine to expect of a reader, although not within the scope of this project initially.

Birds of Prey #2

In stark contrast to Blue Beetle, Birds of Prey #2 was rather more introspective and dialogue focussed. The team dynamics, by design, continue to be comedically awkward with each team members’ motivations being tested by a mission they signed up to without full possession of the facts. The pop art style doesn’t quite work as well as it did in Issue 1, with the lengthy conversations between team members feeling quite stiff. Bellaire’s colours feel slightly washed out because of the darkness of the setting (a dimly lit basement room), which contributes to this lack of momentum in the scene. The tension between Harley Quinn and Black Canary drive provide the scenes with the most comedic energy, but the other team feels peripheral. This means that when characters like Zealot and Barda receive a bit of focus, they are brief and less compelling. The series in its early stage are an intentional pivot away from the warmth and friendship of Gail Simone’s conception of the team, which can make it feel unrecognisable as a Birds of Prey series at times. That said, friendships aren’t forged overnight, and there are already signs of promise between Barda and Cassandra Cain for example, so I’m not writing this off as a destination point for the series.

Where the issue does excel is in the fight scenes, where Romero’s style becomes much more kinetic, with the setting lending itself far more to pops of pastel colours. This issue serves as a bridge between the opening salvo of the team come together for the first time and their mission in Themyscira. With the team leaving the darkened basement and taking to the sea, King Shark in tow, the comedic tone to the series should come into its own.

#dc comics #fire and ice #blue beetle #birds of prey #jaime reyes #black canary #harley quinn #cassandra cain #big barda

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tanadrin · 1 year

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Considering your recent musings on worldbuilding, fantasy, and magic realism, would be interested to hear your thoughts on superhero worlds, where practically all those subgenres crossover (soft science fiction for the technology, dark fantasy/horror for the magic, high fantasy pantheons loosely based on mythology and entirely made-up and genre-busting ones, space opera for the occasional interstellar travel, etc.) and yet from some point on it gets merged into the background of an universe supposed to be just like our world until noted otherwise (particularly in social trends, etc.), in true magic-realist fashion.

i gotta say, superheroes are just... basically uninteresting as a concept to me. whether you're deconstructing or reconstructing or playing it straight, you have to torture basic narrative plausibility (irrespective of SF/fantasy/realist plausability) to make the genre function that i simply tend to lose interest.

also, i don't think "a universe supposed to be just like our world until noted otherwise" is a very good definition of magical realism. magical realism is, IMO, about emotional logic overwhelming other systems governing the narrative at specifically heightened points, in a way that should break those systems (but apparently does not). but not everywhere in the narrative (that's more like surrealism), and typically not in ways that are marked as unusual within the narrative (characters don't go "wow, that was weird/amazing/terrifying!"). your definition seems to me to be a better definition of "low" or "urban" fantasy, or certain kinds of near-future science fiction, than magical realism.

because in superhero fiction, the weird/amazing/terrifying nature of the fantastical elements are part of the point. superman is a hero because he is remarkable and, well, superhuman. it would only be magical realism if clark kent was an ordinary guy who one day caught a building that was collapsing and saved lois lane because of his overpowering love for her, and his sense of personal alienation from the rest of the human race, and everyone acted like this was pretty normal and it was never brought up again. as soon as you make him an alien, as a causative factor in his supernatural abilities, you just have regular science fiction.

i do think it's kind of fun that the superhero genre is one of those genres that borrows freely from others--narratives where tropes from horror, fantasy, and science fiction can coexist comfortably are neat. i have friends who are english major types, you know, real insufferable book nerds, who speak of the superhero genre not unlike you do: they evoke the image of a febrile amalgam of different artists in the same shared universe, where the contradictions and paradoxes only add to a kind of semi-surreal character; and of more independent auteur-style projects like Watchmen and Worm which comment cleverly on established tropes of the genre.

but whenever i dip my toe into superhero fiction of any flavor, i feel less that i'm sampling from a roiling cauldron of imagination too rich to be contained by any single narrative approach and more that I am tasting a bland wafer of something whose foundational characters and stories were almost instantly converted into an undifferentiated paste by particular commercial and cultural demands; and rather than injecting new and exciting material into that paste, most innovations in the genre have taken that paste and tried to sculpt it, like making little sculptures out of spam and calling it cuisine.

this is not to say i have never enjoyed a superhero movie; just that even the works praised as daring innovators within the genre seem to me to be basically more of the same. like licensed star wars media or video game tie-in novels, it's incredibly difficult to transcend the limitations of your genre when the thing that crystallized the genre in the first place, the thing that has your audience present in the first place, are those limitations. i don't think it's possible to make a superhero story very interesting for the same reason it's not possible to build the burj khalifa out of spam: spam is not steel, and in order to make spam have the properties of steel, it would have to cease to be useful as spam.

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theabyssgazesalsointoyou · 5 months

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for rich goranski (questions from the ask game)

4. If you could put this character in any other media, be it a book, a movie, anything, what would you put them in?

8. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you despise?

21. If you're a fic writer and have written for this character, what's your favorite thing to do when you're writing for this character? What's something you don't like?

4. If you could put this character in any other media, be it a book, a movie, anything, what would you put them in?: this is a tough one. currently i'm obsessed with my dark academia au so i'm inclined to say the secret history lol but i think he'd fit in a lot of superhero movies/shows too. something about different identities

8. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you despise?: ohhhh boy. to be absolutely honest i disagree with like. 95% of the fanon rich characterization 😭 i absolutely do not think he would keep his squipped personality post-canon. sure he's witty and talkative but not in the crass way he was with the squip y'know?? i have already made a post about this lol lemme find it

21. If you're a fic writer and have written for this character, what's your favorite thing to do when you're writing for this character? What's something you don't like?: my favorite is probably just character study in general. we don't actually know anything about rich but there's so much potential he has as a character- from his pre and post squipped selves to his only-mentioned brother and father. what's his life like? what made him get the squip? what did his squip do to him? stuff like that. speaking of his squip i also love making squipped rich an absolute dick lmao. adds to the drama and guilt and everything. as for something i don't like hmm... writing him as a side character feels restrictive because he has so much going on and there's only so much you can go into depth about a side character. sometimes it ends up too close to the fanon depiction of him. tbh he's such a comfort character that i enjoy writing him most of the time

#orca answers #bmc #be more chill #rich goranski

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nalt0r · 2 years

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When I was a young trans girl, I looked for stories with women I hoped I could be, or who I saw myself in even before I understood that it was because I was a girl. I watched Arrow in middle school and didn’t stop to wonder why I longed to look like Felicity Smoak, compartmentalizing my gender envy as “I just want the same ear piercing she has”. I felt comforted watching Sailor Moon because I could see tiny bits of similarity between myself and the girls onscreen. I grew to love the original Star Wars trilogy more and more as I grew closer to finding myself, seeing Leia in that same new light I was slowly casting in the shadows of my identity.

The little trans representation I saw at a young age didn’t make me feel like a brave rebel or a superhero. In the early 2010’s, the closest things to trans stories that made it to the mainstream were Orange is the New Black and Dallas Buyer’s Club. I watched Laverne Cox’s character showcase the suffering of a black trans woman in prison as approved by white, cisgender showrunner. I watched a rich cishet man dress up as a transgender sex worker addicted to drugs die from AIDS. Award-baiting trauma porn showing trans women suffer and die so the audience can feel like they’re good people after they’re done watching.

In the past year I’ve experienced more kindhearted representation of trans women than the total I saw throughout my younger years. I see Dreamer standing up to the alt right and winning with her words and her otherworldly superpowers. I see Sister being respected and accepted by her Clone Trooper siblings. I see Galaxy discovering her femininity and learning to love herself.

This is kind of a rant so I don’t really know how to wrap it up but I wish I had Dreamer to look up to when I was a middle schooler (I’m glad she’s around to look up to while I’m in my 20’s), and I hope some trans kid out there sees stories like hers and gets to feel better about the future. Representation matters and trans visibility is hope.

“The greatest gift we can give each other is our authentic selves and sharing that. Sharing our truth is what will make us strong.”

-Nia Nal

#representation matters #Dreamer #Nia Nal #transgender #rant #clone trooper sister #galaxy the prettiest star

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fandomfluffandfuck · 1 year

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I don't get it whenever AU fics make Steve and/or Bucky rich and wealthy, as if one of their key characterizations isn't that they came from nothing, especially Steve being the orphaned only son of an Irish immigrant at a time in the US when that was discriminated against, and how the mindset of their upbringing informs their characterization after becoming legends.

Whenever fics make an AU where one or both are just random stinking rich guys with a completely different famous rich guy personality, it feels like how the MCU's "Peter Parker" isn't a working class kid from Queens as is instead a Stark Industries trust fund baby. So many superheroes being poor is an important facet of their characters, so why are fans afraid of broke heroes?

I get why you wouldn't enjoy that--especially if Steve and/or Bucky are the type of wealthy where it's generational wealth that passes down as opposed to becoming rich later in life due to the (nonreal) "American Dream"--but I also understand that to some degree, for some people, Steve and Bucky are characters that meet over and over again no matter the time period, no matter the universe, no matter what. So it's fun to put them in all different circumstances to see them come together again. True love. Soul mates. It's also fun to tell stories with these fascinating characters in all different circumstances, some of which negate different social locations or different upbringing. It does change who they are to some degree, yeah. That is unavoidable. Personally, when I do read those types of AUs, I think it's just a different shade of Bucky or Steve. And no one has to like those shades or has to accept them as the characters in their "true" form. That's fine. Just try not to interact with those forms of fandom content if it's not your thing, no biggie.

I do have to say, though, yeah, the MCU making Peter Parker into Tony Start 2.0 is really disappointing when you compare him to the comic book iterations of Peter Parker.

As far as fans being "afraid" of broke characters, I don't think it's fear as much as it's social conditioning--we live in a capitalist hellscape. Money is survival. Money is seen as the ultimate goal, especially in the United States. Sure, money can't bring you ultimate happiness, but money can solve a lot of day-to-day problems and even year-to-year stresses and make you happier than you might be when you don't have money. Escaping those problems by providing characters in a fictional world that resembles the real world (re: a capitalist Western world) with wealth is a comfort. It's something that you might like to have to have happiness or comfort but might not be able to reach otherwise. Plus, saying a character is rich can provide a magic explanation for why they can afford dream-like vacations or time off work (or no work at all) or whatever good circumstances they're set in. Also, money is everywhere yet so secretive, too. It's hard not to wonder how the 1% live or fantasize about how they might live.

There are plenty of reasons to make characters rich in the same way there are plenty of reasons to make characters poor. Like, it's exhausting to be financially unstable; so, it might be cathartic to have a character go through that exhaustion in fiction sometimes, but it can also be draining to experience that then write about it. And that exhaustion and experience can motivate characters in certain directions. Etc.

Those are just my thoughts, though 🤷🏻‍♂️

#tagging this with a new tag #fandom complaints #because im not sure everyone wants to see (relative) negative content on their dashes #its a good thing to talk about #but i dont think everyone wants it all the time #asks #fandom discourse #bucky barnes #steve rogers

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blackpensils · 2 years

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biggest goal in life for all of them

Just wanna start off with that the kids are fourteen. So some of their life goals are... well, just regular boring goals that kids usually have. So these might not be all that interesting. Also, this might be a long post, but I love writing about these kids so personally I don't mind.

But either way, here we go!

Misty

To start the group off, I'll go with the twins. Starting with who has become somewhat my favorite out of the group. The younger of the Fenton twins.

Misty's biggest goal in life is to become a famous musician. She loves music, and she has played both guitar and drums since a young age. Guitar because she saw it on TV and thought it looked cool, and drums because as a kid she had a pretty bad temper (still do, to be honest) and would often be the first one to throw a punch. Danny and Sam didn't want to put her into any kind of martial arts or physical activity because they worried that it would encourage her to keep using violence, so they put her into drum classes. Surprisingly, Misty fell in love with the instrument and has played it every since. She uses it to calm herself down when she's mad or upset.

And despite her dyslexia making it difficult for her to read the sheet music, she is at the current point in time attempting to teach herself piano. Simply because she's that in love with music. It's become her comfort zone.

Jax

Jax is...

You could easily call him lazy. Though it wouldn't exactly be the right word to use. Because it's not that he doesn't have the energy or finds it too much of a hassle, he's just generally unmotivated.

For pretty much anything.

He doesn't have a proper goal in life. Not even the kind of general "I want to become X when I get older" type. He's just not reaching for anything simply because he's always assumed that he'll be joining the Fenton Family business (basically ghost fighting and superhero work), just like Danny. Which means that he has no motivation to make a real effort into getting proper grades in school, doesn't have any motivation to put any effort into anything unless he feels a specific interest, or has any intention of reaching towards anything.

Which is, in itself pretty sad. Because, just like Jazz, Jax inherited that genious Fenton brain. But he is extremelly gifted with inventing and even the programming aspect of it. Just like his grandparents, and Sam's great grandfather (I think it was). He's the one that created Aeleigh's gauntlets based on the old Ghost Gauntlets design. Although, he's the one that managed to make them capable of shrinking down into Aeleigh's green shaded bracelets.

Aeleigh

And speaking of Aeleigh. She wants to be an artist.

Now, she hasn't really figured out what type of artist yet, though. If she wants to become an online creator and make a profit through commission work, or if she wants to try and pursue a professional career at a studio. Kind of like creating characters for shows or make designs for video games. Maybe illustrate books, for example. Or create her own comic. She doesn't really know yet.

But she wants to become an artist. And I'd say she's pretty good at it. She's the one that made the picture of the pale woman with hands covered in dripping gold that Misty has on her bedroom wall.

Lennie

Okay, so the thing about Lennie is that while she does have a goal, she doesn't really have a goal. Which needs some explaining.

Lennie is Paulina's daughter, and Paulina has managed to make it big as she grew up. Partly because she's from a rich family and thus has a safety network to fall back on. But also because she managed to snag a few modeling gigs which then lead to brand deals and then ended up with her creating her own make up brand. After breaking it off with Dash just a few months after having Lennie, Paulina met and later married a fashion designer that she met during one of her modeling jobs. Later having two sons with him. Creating the so called perfect family.

Basically, she still lives under that same type of "I'm perfect" attitude as she did in high school. And Lennie isn't just the elder sister, but she's also Paulina's only daughter. And her whole life Lennie has lived under that pressure of living up to her successful, beautiful and perfect mother.

Her goal in life, ever since she was young, has been to live up to those expectations. To be that perfect daughter. Basically to be just like her mother. Even when it comes to gymnastics, something she's practiced and even competed in since she was young, she puts pressure on herself to be at the very top because anything else wouldn't be perfect.

And it has to be perfect.

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friendzonefrog · 2 years

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FriendzoneFrog's 'Formal' Writeblr Intro

Hi!

You can call me Friend or Frog (she/her). I'm a young adult from the US. When I say 'friendzone,' I don't mean it in an incel way, but rather in an "I'm the comedic relief friend character irl and I own it" way <3

What I write:

I don’t ever stick to one thing, but my main niche is dialogue. I have sooo many hypothetical scripts for graphic novels, video games, animation, webseries, stage shows, etc. Basically I’m really into the idea of putting words on paper and then bringing them to life in another way :)

Favorite genres:

Crime and suspense thrillers

Horror

Mystery and whodunnits

Superhero (especially ragtag groups with wacky powers)

Spy/espionage

Dark comedy and satire

I play around with other genres, too!

My projects:

📁Shreds of Integrity

M (17+) Crime/Drama. A story focusing on agents and former agents of an FBI crime analysis unit, as they grapple with the weight of the job, its aftershocks, and its imbalance with personal life. Tags: #shreds of integrity Intro post Playlist Moodboard Character meme (Tens But tag game) STS character asks (sleeping habits) Picrew challenge - Madeleine

🖥️ ERR0R!

T (14+) Sci-Fi/Superhero. Seven strangers evade a tech lab's evil plot involving shady clinical trials, experiments gone wrong, and a supercomputer with the power to take control of the universe. No pressure! Tags: #wip: ERR0R! Intro post Character intros Plalylist Moodboard (under construction) Character meme (Tens But tag game)

😱Morbid Curiosity

M (17+) Horror/Thriller. Anthology series spanning several subgenres of horror, highlighting the weird, the paranormal, the terror in the mundane, and those who can't help but go looking for answers. 🎪 #1 Funfair Paranormal ▸ A college photojournalist visits the site of an abandoned amusement park harboring dark secrets and horrors unknown. 🌾 #2 Backroad Blues Southern Gothic ▸ A big storm's brewing in Uncertain, Texas, home to a population of 80 citizens devoted to preserving the town's rich history... however gruesome it may be. 🏰 #3 The Fall of Strömberg Gothic/Macabre ▸ In 1520, a banquet was set ablaze, killing a family of Swedish nobles, along with their guests. Since that night, nobody has entered the castle ruins and lived to tell the tale. [Might become a standalone outside the anthology tbh!] 🛒 #4 Night Shift Slasher ▸ Retail employees on the night shift usually have to fight to stay awake... but tonight they must fight to stay alive, as an unseen killer attempts to pick them off one by one.

Tags: #wip: Morbid Curiosity #wip: Funfair #backroad blues #the fall of strömberg #wip: Night Shift Intro and masterpost

✨Ms. Praline & the Evening Star

G (all ages) Adventure / Fantasy. As a child, Mae Praline wished upon a star that she could fly. Twenty-two years later, she awakens to find a strange airship on her front lawn, and a mysterious letter addressed to her.

Tags: #ms. praline & the evening star Intro postMoodboard (under construction)

I'm excited to share more about these stories, as well as others I'm dreaming up. I’m always happy to chat about my projects, chat about YOUR projects, answer asks, participate in tag games, etc.! I’ll also share writing tips and prompts when I can.

I have the type of social anxiety where I'm not too good at initiating conversation, but I do try my best, because I enjoy chatting! Feel free to hit me up at any time! (But please keep in mind that, as a personal policy, I am not comfortable privately messaging anyone under the age of 18.)

What I'm into besides writing (and other content you might see) :

Nothing

Messing around on Canva (GRAPHIC DESIGN SIDEBLOG)

Musical theatre and singing

Photography

Commentating/critiquing movies (follow me on letterboxd!)

Video games (follow me on backloggd!)

Board games

Comics (anything Hawkeye, I’m there.)

Attempting to teach myself ukulele and banjo

Making earrings :3

Hatewatching CW shows then accidentally becoming hooked

-------

CREDITS:

Computer, frog dividers- @ animatedglittergraphics-n-more

Ghost divider- @ racingairplanes

FBI divider- @ firefly-graphics

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tfrohock · 2 years

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The Batman 2022 [movie review]

Last week, I promised to share my thoughts about The Batman with you. It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed a movie, so it’s probably wise to let you know that, as with all my movie reviews, there may be spoilers ahead. It quite frankly depends on what you consider a spoiler. If you haven’t seen The Batman and you hate spoilers, you’re welcome to come back later.

If you’re still here, come closer. It’s time for me to share my thoughts with you about The Batman.

There have been so many Batman movies, the titles are getting a bit thin, so just to be clear, I’m talking about The Batman [2022] with Robert Pattinson. Frankly I had to search it like that, too: “the batman” “robert pattinson” 2022, because holy batman the batman franchise is endless.

I grew up watching Adam West’s Batman, who was a very nice altruistic gentleman who seemed like a genuinely good person. He was a hero to me growing up, primarily because children don’t generally question the ambiguous nature of vigilantes. In my eyes, he was a really cool, rich guy with lots of money and cool toys and adopted Robin while championing people who needed help.

Fast forward to the 1980s and Michael Keaton, whose characterization of Bruce Wayne in Batman (1989) was very much like the Adam West of old and was directed by Tim Burton. The end result was a movie that took the character and his origin story seriously, which was exceptionally novel at that time for a superhero movie, but even so we see a Bruce Wayne who is very much comfortable in his own skin. Then we had Batman Returns, also with Keaton, and with an added bonus of Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman and Danny Devito as Penguin, likewise directed by Burton. Both Batman and Batman Returns had a Gothic feel to the stories, and though they were dark in tone, both had a certain amount of camp to them that made them fun.

Truth be told, I totally skipped the 1990s (Batman Forever and Batman and Robin). Based on most reviews, I think I’ll continue to pass on those two. So many Batmen, so little time.

In 2005, we have Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins, because everyone loves a comeback story. I didn’t see that one either. I don’t know. After the debacle of the 1990s franchise, I decided to take a break.

But then … then came The Dark Knight (2008) with Heath Ledger’s magnificent take on the Joker. Honestly, I don’t have much to say about Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne, because Nolan’s films seemed to be less about Bruce Wayne and more about Batman. Bale didn’t detract from either the Bruce Wayne or Batman character, but then again, I don’t feel he added much to it, either.

West and Keaton played both Bruce Wayne and Batman with camp, but Bale didn’t make much of an impression on me, which is probably why I skipped The Dark Knight Rises (2012). Completely unimpressed with the meandering plot and horrible reviews, I likewise skipped Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). After that, Batman moves into the Justice League franchise (Suicide Squad [2016] and Justice League [2017]), which I haven’t seen, because I was frankly getting a little burned out on Batman again—not Bruce Wayne.

All of which brings me to The Batman directed by Matt Reeves and staring Robert Pattinson as yes you guessed it The Batman. The title is something of a misnomer though, because this is one of the few movies in the Batman franchise that I’ve seen focus almost relentlessly on Bruce Wayne. Pattinson carries the role with all the angst and conflict that I’ve always wanted to see in the character but never knew it until The Batman opened the raw wound that is Bruce Wayne and his grief. It’s evident in scene after scene that Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne is using Batman’s mask to hide more than his face. He doesn’t want to deal with the grief of his parents’ deaths, so he channels his energy into being the Batman, who personates vengeance.

Pattinson is perfect in this role. He is the kind of actor who works to get into his character’s skin, and he pulled off the one thing I’ve never seen in a Batman movie: the adult-child behind the mask. The pain of his parents’ murder shadows his every action, and he is so obsessed with crime and bringing down the various gangsters, he is also completely neglecting his fortune. Alfred is the sole reason Bruce Wayne isn’t living on the street, and Andy Serkis doesn’t play the role of Alfred as a subservient butler but as one part surrogate parent/one part estate administrator.

Which leads me to another thing that I enjoyed about Reeves’ take on the franchise: he knows this movie is an action adventure, but he is not afraid to develop layers of characterization so he peel them off one at a time. Bruce Wayne isn’t the only one under the microscope here, and a stellar cast pulls off a deeply layered movie that still manages to pack the action into one neat sequence after another. The story is about the masks the various characters wear and how they often delude themselves of their true motives. Reeves pulls it all together brilliantly.

The pièce de résistance comes when the Riddler tells Batman that the Batman’s vigilante methods were what inspired him. It is a magnificent scene and Pattinson’s horror at the revelation that he and the Riddler are more alike than different digs deep at the truth behind Batman’s mask, burrowing straight into the soul of Bruce Wayne. If Batman is a good person for taking out gangsters, how is the Riddler an evil person for destroying governmental corruption? What separates them?

Wisely, Reeves leaves the answer with the audience, but he uses the entire film to draw stark black and white lines between class and privilege. Bruce Wayne is clearly someone who wants to be a good person, a helpful person, someone who can make a difference in other people’s lives, but in this movie, he only seems able to reach out while masked and in his persona as the Batman. Unmasked, Bruce Wayne is merely struggling to heal, unlike Paul Dano’s haunting performance as the Riddler, who wields his pain like a hammer to destroy those he hates.

This is, by far, the most brutal Batman movie in terms of violence, but that’s because Reeves holds up a mirror to our own world and reflects the darkest parts of our society back at us: the governmental corruption, the Trumpian followers cultivated by the Riddler, and the ineptitude of a police force corrupted by its own mythology. Watch The Batman carefully and you will know the enemy—it is us.

The Batman [2022] — Highly Recommended

#Batman #Robert Pattinson #Zoë Kravitz #Paul Dano #The Batman 2022

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sapphiresonstrings · 2 years

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Appeal: A Response

This is a response to a thing I read, quoted here:

…I read some of the popular fanfiction in the fandom…The biggest fic was a gen fic. One thing I picked up on was how much focus was on the random people getting rescued by the superhero protagonist, as opposed to the protagonist himself...I came to a startling conclusion, one that shook my entire view of the superhero genre as a power fantasy and, later, fiction in general (and honestly human psychology). People fantasize about getting rescued. Not about rescuing others...They don’t imagine themselves in these situations fighting off the bad guys, convincing them to stop, outsmarting them, or even figuring out the best escape route...They have enjoyable, comforting fantasies about being the person with the least agency in a hostage situation and having somebody else come rescue them. I...realized that a lot of my assumptions about Twilight were completely wrong. You see, a lot of the things that are considered bad writing in Twilight are...part of the appeal. Here are the things I learned about Twilight (might be forgetting some). 1. The action scenes are not there to be cool in the same way the action scenes in a thriller or science fiction novel are. The action scenes are part of the romance.

I respectfully disagree with this passage comparing Twilight to a superhero story.

True: Part of the appeal of a superhero story is reading about the hero rescuing grateful civilians.

True: Part of the appeal of Twilight is reading about the hapless protagonist being rescued by the sexy love interest.

False: These two scenarios work the same way.

In fact, while these scenarios hit the same core emotion in the reader, they are exact opposites.

The key is in which character the reader identifies with. This is not necessarily the same as the narrator of that chapter. It is possible to have a chapter in which the PoV character is not the same character as the one the reader identifies with.

(For example, the first ten chapters are from the hero's PoV, and the eleventh is from the villain's PoV. The audience sympathy is still with the hero in the eleventh chapter, which means the demands of the chapter vis a vis the narrator are very different. You will often find a story in which the narrator suffers a crushing defeat, but the audience is supposed to be happy because they still sympathize with a different character.)

In Twilight, the audience identifies with Bella, the rescuee. In a superhero story, the audience identifies with the hero, the rescuer, even if the chapter is from the perspective of the rescuee.

The writer of the quoted passage correctly identified the appeal of Twilight's rescue scenes: The reader fantasizes about being rescued by a sexy love interest. The key to this is that the love interest rescues the protagonist because he loves her, not because he loves rescuing people; as the writer notes, the rescue is part of the romance.

The fantasy here is being highly valued. Edward behaves this way because he values Bella, even though he's rich and handsome and magical she's middle-class and plain and normal. The reader, identifying with Bella, enjoys the feeling of being valued by a high-status person.

Critically, the rescue is proof of his love because he doesn't rescue anyone else. The love interest does extreme things like stalk the protagonist, obsess over her, rescue her from danger, and so on, which is proof that his feelings toward her are unique and special. The more extreme and out-of-character his actions, the more it proves he loves her.

To paraphrase a witticism, if he writes you a sonnet, it means he loves you. If he writes you a thousand sonnets, it means he loves sonnets. If Edward went around rescuing people left and right, Bella wouldn't be special. The fantasy wouldn't work.

The superhero fantasy, then, works from the exact opposite angle. The superhero fantasy of rescuing someone is also about being special, but not in the same way as the romantic rescue fantasy. The superhero fantasy is about being special as the rescuer. The superhero, who the audience identifies with, rescues some hapless citizen. If it's from the perspective of the rescuee, the rescuee might fawn over the hero, thinking about how cool he is and how grateful they are to be rescued. There is no need for a prior relationship with the rescuee (although it helps). This is a fantasy of popularity, not a fantasy of love. Although love might factor in - rescuing the hot love interest is a popular trope - the point isn't that the hero is special because special people love him. The point is that people love the hero because he is special.

The rescue scene itself is nothing but a prop. The part that's important is what it says about the characters and their relationships. The rescue scenes in Twilight work because they provide proof that the protagonist has a special relationship with the rescuer. The rescue scenes in superhero stories work because they prove that the hero is special and deserves to be loved by everyone. The emotional core is the same, but approached from opposite directions.

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