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pluckyredhead · 7 months

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How exactly was Jon Kent’s introduction handled? Did Clark essentially just bring him out like “hey guys, here’s my 10 year old son I haven’t told you about” ?

Thank you for giving me an excuse to talk about this, because it is Extremely Comics and I love it.

The short version is that Jon and his parents are from another dimension.

The long version is that prior to the New 52 in 2011, Lois and Clark had been married for years, so when that marriage was erased in the reboot, fans were pretty unhappy.

Then in 2015, DC published an event called Convergence. The plot isn't important, but basically they pulled in all these different versions of their characters from different universes: pre-Crisis Green Lantern, vampire Batman, 70s Wonder Woman, etc. And they brought back a LOT of pre-Flashpoint versions of characters. (I've always assumed it was a test to see if they should undo the New 52 and that the answer was a resounding yes.)

And so they brought back the pre-Flashpoint Lois and Clark just for this one event. In the four years since we'd seen the characters, Lois had gotten pregnant, and during Convergence, she gave birth to Jon.

At the end of the event, the pre-Flashpoint world was destroyed, but the Lane-Kent family was able to travel to the New 52 universe. Of course, the New 52 universe already had a Superman and Lois, so the pre-Flashpoint Clark and Lois decided to just...live like normal people, which they'd never been able to do before. They changed their last names to White and moved to California to raise their son in peaceful anonymity.

So Jon spent the first 10 years of his life in California as Jonathan Samuel White, and has no idea that he's from another dimension, that he's half alien, or that his father is Superman. But then his powers start to manifest, and it turns out it's really hard to keep a secret from a kid with X-ray vision, super hearing, and Lois Lane's smarts. Eventually, his parents have to 'fess up.

Here is the key point: when the Lane-Kents came to the New 52 universe, they arrived 10 years in the past. So if that story took place in 2015, when it was published, they actually arrived in 2005. Meaning that Jon developing his powers at 10 is happening in the present day. Does that make sense?

Soon after this, the New 52 Superman dies, and pre-Flashpoint Clark is like, "Well, someone should be Superman," so he puts his costume back on and introduces himself to the Justice League/the world as the Superman of another dimension.

A bit after that, the 2016 Rebirth reboot happened, which was deliberately designed to push DC canon closer to pre-Flashpoint canon.

Then the New 52 Lois also dies, and pre-Flashpoint Lois is like "I guess I'll just go to the office and pretend to be her," which is wild because she is at least 10 and probably more like 15-20 years older than New 52 Lois. Lois Lane ages like fine wine: confirmed.

THEN Mr. Mxyzptlk kidnaps Jon and traps him in a featureless void and makes his parents forget he exists. In that void, Jon encounters the souls of the dead New 52 Clark and Lois and accidentally swaps them with his parents. Then he yells "NO YOU LOVE EACH OTHER" until they remember who they really are and merge with their pre-Flashpoint counterparts to form new, cohesive versions of Lois and Clark who are simultaneously from the current universe but also have been married for years and love their son.

This also, you know, just casually reboots the universe so that everyone remembers Lois and Clark having been married with a kid for years. So Jon was incorporated into continuity as a 10-year-old, but then the rest of his life was retconned into existence so that, like, Perry and Jimmy remember holding him as a baby and stuff. (And Jon has no memory of living as Jon White or anything like that.)

Anyway, very straightforward and normal, not completely bonkers at all.

#of course this all makes other aspects of continuity more broken and confusing #like kon's entire existence #but shhh #jon kent #superboy

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radioactive-earthshine · 10 months

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Hi, I know you already addressed a lot of the mischaracterization of Kon and Clark's relationship, but I was under the impression that Kon actually means 'abomination' in Kryptonian, and that Clark giving him that name was a rejection in itself. I am not very well versed in comics, so I apologize if this is just a fanon concept.

Hello!

You're not alone in being misled, as this concept has stretched far and wide and it is a very common theme in fandom works like fanfic.

The concept of Kon-El meaning "abomination" is canon, not fanon, but its source is from the New 52 reboot.

Some fans have in an attempt to create more angst for Kon adopted the concept that Clark gave Kon this name knowing full well what it meant as a way of rejecting him - this is incorrect - and it is blending versions together to make something that just never actually happened with Clark.

There are two versions of Kon getting his name in a main continuity - one in the 1994 comics, and the other in the New 52 Superboy comics.

To best answer your question, I am going to talk about the New 52 version first where "Kon-El" means abomination.

Also, it is important to remember that this Kon-El, isn't even actually Conner Kent (that's another post for another day comics are weird).

Anyway, in the New 52 reboot Superboy is 'called' Kon-El not by Clark, but by Kara!

Superboy v.6 (2011-2014) #6

In this iteration, Kara has some extreme prejudiced bigotry towards "Kon" for being a clone due to the disastrous history Krypton had involving clones. It prompted her to attempt to kill "Kon" the moment she found out he was a clone after more or less calling him a slur.

Superboy v.6 (2011-2014) #6

You can blame Scott Lobdell for this particular evisceration of Kara's character and for the name Kon-El warping into 'abomination' henceforth.

This particular run and story is no longer relevant to main continuity and it is not attached to Conner Kent because this did not happen to Conner Kent, but it did in fact happen and Krypton's disastrous history involving clones is still canon as well. Kon is still facing varying degrees of discrimination from Kryptonian-based ideology (Eradicator) because he is a clone.

Now let's talk about Clark and Kon and where Kon-El first came from and put a stop to the slander.

Where the name "Kon-El" originally came from was from Conner's 1994 solo series where Clark offered it to him from a place of affection.

Superboy (1994) #59

The original moment of Kon obtaining his name from Clark was profound because up until this point he did not have a proper name. He was just "Superboy" or "Kid" or "Pup" (derogatory) so when Clark offers this Kon is so happy he starts crying.

Superboy (1994) #59

At this point in time in comic history Kon-El did not mean abomination, "Kon" was a real Kryptonian name, and in the original run Clark did not even have any resentment towards Kon or negative feelings about his existence at all. He trusted him, felt he was worthy of the S-shield as a representative of hope, and at this point he wanted him to be part of his family.

This is Clark adopting Kon into his family right here in this moment - because Superman is the tale of the immigrant, the refugee and of love in family where blood does not equal family. That is what he is saying right here in this issue.

It is also important to note that at this point Geoff Johns' making Kon a 'clone' of Lex AND Clark is not canon and Kon is not even supposed to be blood related to Clark.

In closing...

Clark's relationship to Kon/Conner Kent in the main comic continuity is not hostile or rejection-based.

In their comic origins they had a nebulous relationship which over time evolved to being firmly brothers with a huge age gap and now in current continuity they are again brothers but with a different perspective.

Action Comics #1028

Current continuity Clark who doesn't remember Kon at all knows him for less than a week and claims him and he is actually distraught he doesn't remember him.

Fandom is transformative and angst/hostility/rejection will always be a major theme people will love to create and consume - but it is also important to recognize that some details are simply not canon and should be regarded as transformative works to tell a story.

I hope this clears some things up from the comics side of DC.

#superfam #kon el #kon-el #conner kent #clark kent #kara #i am so sorry kara for the way scott did you wrong #dc comics #i feel like i am forgetting something else but tumblr ATE half of this post when i was typing it when i tried to erase something

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eskawrites · 1 year

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is it foolish of me to believe that in the celebrity fake dating au several years in the future once the very first fanfic site is up there is a large uptick in erathia sales and tenar/lark becomes a popular ship

not only is it extremely un-foolish of you, anon, it's also completely on point. like, you have no idea. this is something that has been in my notes since basically the beginning of this fic.

like, i think robin in particular has always been a role model for girls since the erathia films, and it's absolutely my headcanon (actual canon?) that there's a small part of her fan base that's just lesbians exchanging knowing looks with each other and quietly wishing her the best.

i also fully believe there was a tenar/lark fandom basically as soon as the second movie came out. after all, nancy and robin put a lot of thought and effort into making their characters' dynamic something more than the usual 'two women fighting over the male protagonist.' (fun fact this is partially inspired by the making of wicked the musical and how glinda and elphaba could've been typical catty opponents and instead became incredible foils who present the show's great love story). combine that with their natural chemistry, and gay/bi women would easily read their relationship as a potentially romantic one. catch a bunch of women in the late 80s/early 90s passing around fanzines a la early Star Trek fandom or something

anyway i could talk about this forever but i probably shouldn't. instead, here's the actual semi-polished lil write up i made a few weeks back:

Tenar and Lark—Nancy and Robin’s movie characters—actually have a bit of a fandom going on and have since the 80s. The fandom only grows when Robin comes out, and then when she and Nancy go public with their relationship (in fact, there’s a bit of a conspiracy for a while in early 1998—Nancy and Robin aren’t hiding anything, but they’re not confirming anything through interviews, either. So when paparazzi photos start coming out of them holding hands and going out together, most of the public is like ‘oh gals being pals’ but a not insignificant number of Erathia fans know what’s up). Anyway, as Robin and Nancy become more serious, more and more people rewatch the Erathia movies and see their characters in a new light. Suddenly all the work Nancy and Robin put into building their characters and creating a three-dimensional friendship between Tenar and Lark translates into the potential for something deeper. Tenar and Lark become one of the most iconic wlw couples, kind of on par with something like Xena on Gabrielle. In the early 2000s, someone asks Scott Clarke what he thinks of Tenar and Lark, and he just chuckles and says it makes sense and he wishes he saw it way back when.

(there are probably some spin-off books, eventual prequel/sequel series, etc and so on that come out--the erathia films were originally based off of the star wars trilogy, after all. and you bet your ass that in all of those, tenar and lark are completely in love)

#asks #anon #celebrity fake dating au #ronance #(sorry to anyone in the ronance tag who hasn't read this and has no idea what's going on)#anon you have NO IDEA #i have been vibrating with excitement all day long #just waiting until i could clock out and answer this #i've wanted to talk about the fictional fandom influence of this fictional franchise in a fanfiction story i wrote for MONTHS #tl;dr tenar and lark become THE 80s lesbian catnip ship #it's like a rite of passage #all the gay girls watched erathia when they were little and couldn't explain why they loved it more than everyone else #then they watched it when they were older and were like....oh. oh that's why #erathia

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rhapsodynew · 17 days

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The first pancake is a lump: unsuccessful debut performances of future rock stars

The path to the stars is thorny, and not everyone manages to overcome it at once. It may be hard to imagine now, but rock legends like AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses and Def Leppard started out with small, dirty and empty halls before reaching the status of stadium teams. Let's recall the first concerts of famous musicians, which turned out to be a complete failure.

Guns N’ Roses

Los Angeles, June 6, 1985

On June 6, 1985, Axl Rose, Slash, Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan and Steven Adler performed for the first time under the name Guns N’ Roses in their native Los Angeles at the Troubadour Club. Immediately after that, the band went on a tour of the West Coast, in which the team was extremely unlucky. Their car broke down in Fresno, and they had to hitchhike to the next city for 40 hours to eventually find out that they would only be paid 1/5 of the promised amount for the show. The remaining concerts of the tour were canceled, but McKagan writes in his autobiography that such adventures hardened the band.

Metallica

Radio City, March 14, 1982

At Metallica's first concert, Hatfield felt insecure and clamped down. He recalled in an interview with Kerrang!:

I was very nervous and uncomfortable without a guitar. On the first song, Dave [Mustaine] broke a string. It seemed like it took forever to replace her, and I stood on the stage in complete embarrassment. We were very disappointed with this concert.

Motley Crue

April 24, 1981

At the first Motley Crue concert, the problem was not in the venue or even in the band itself, but in the audience. Well, and a little bit in the character of Vince Neal, of course. In the biography "Dirt" he recalls:

People were screaming: "Fuck you!" They were giving us the middle fingers. And then one jerk in a black AC/DC T-shirt spat phlegm that flew onto my white leather pants. Without hesitating for a second, I jumped off the stage in the middle of a sentence and started hitting him. I looked back, and Nikki lifted his bass over his head and smashed it on some guy's shoulder blade.

Def Leppard

Schaffield, United Kingdom, July 8, 1978

In addition to the fact that the musicians received only one fifth of the five pounds promised for performing at a local school, Def Leppard guitarist Steve Clark learned an important lesson about the need for a full-fledged sound check before performing. Forgetting to turn on his amplifier, Clark tried to powerfully start the show, but only caused laughter from the audience. Joe Elliot recalled:

He started twirling the guitar in his hands, like Pete Townshend did, to kick in, but nothing happened. The audience laughed.

The Police

New York, October 20, 1978

If you play your first concert in one of the most famous clubs in New York, it would seem that what could go wrong? Well, first of all, the musicians were offered to use a dirty toilet as a dressing room. Secondly, in order to cross the Atlantic, the group had to fly on a budget flight and huddle in uncomfortable small chairs along with the equipment. But the main thing is: It was worth it. The audience, even though there were very few of them, received the group warmly.

As Andy Summers recalled, "By the end of the first set, the audience jumped to their feet and started singing along." Perhaps that's what helped the band play 23 more shows in the next three weeks.

Heart

Vancouver, 1974

The first Heart concert was held in a cave, and almost literally. The club where they performed was called The Cave and, as Ann Wilson recalls in the band's biography, its walls were decorated with decorative stone. She also talked about how at that time the team was so poor that they had to eat only rice.

Troubles also plagued the musicians during the audition in front of the club owner: a sudden gust of wind knocked the guitar out of Wilson's hands. Nevertheless, Heart ignored this fact, did not consider it a bad omen and went on stage anyway. Who knows, if they had acted differently, would they have been able to achieve their success?

KISS

Queens, New York, January 30, 1973

For decades, KISS has been building huge stadiums around the world and making millions from ticket sales and merch. But in 1973, at the Popcorn Club in Queens, the band performed in front of less than a dozen people, and received only $50 for it. Gene Simmons himself organized the concert after the departure of their then manager, who stated that KISS had "the worst music he had ever heard."

AC/DC

Sydney, Australia, December 31, 1973

The musicians had only been playing together for a couple of months, and they still didn't have enough songs to put together a decent setlist. Why, Angus Young didn't have his famous school uniform yet. But neither this nor the quality of the venue prevented the band from winning the hearts of the audience at the very first show. The band's bassist Dave Evans recalled:

This place was very cool in the 50s and 60s, but when we performed there, the days of its glory were long gone. It was a small playground with a tiny stage and no dressing room

In addition, the middle-aged manager of the club turned off the electricity every 20 minutes because it seemed to him that the musicians were playing too loudly. Despite everything, Young told me:

This concert was just wild. On New Year's Eve, the atmosphere is already wild, but if you add to this what we did, you get complete madness.

Yes

Essex, United Kingdom, August 3, 1968

The first performance of the Yes band took place just a week after its founding. Chris Squire, John Anderson, Peter Banks, Bill Bruford and Tony Kaye went to perform at a youth camp in Essex. They didn't have much time to prepare, and there were a lot of covers on the setlist, but the band performed them in their own way, in a progressive rock style. Banks recalls that they made their own arrangements for all the compositions, but they did it with respect to the original.

The Doors

Los Angeles, March 1966

The Doors' first performance took place on the legendary Sunset Strip, where the famous Troubadour and Whisky a Go-Go clubs were located. But Morrison and company performed at an institution called The London Fog, where they shared a tiny stage with exotic dancers. This club was a favorite place for alcoholics, prostitutes and various slippery types, but the show there gave The Doors the opportunity to try their hand on stage and subsequently form a corporate style of performances.

The Velvet Underground

New Jersey, December 11, 1965

The auditorium of a high school in New Jersey turned out to be not the most suitable place for the debut of Lou Reed and his team performing experimental and intellectual rock and roll. The band played only three songs, and managed to capture the attention of only half of the audience of students and their parents. There She Goes was a safe option to start the show, which is not true of the songs Venus In Furs and Heroin that followed.

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stargazer-sims · 10 months

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Yet more hospital staff!

Actually, I think I'm done making side characters now. I'm extremely happy with how all of them turned out, and as usually happens with me, I'm sure a few of them will be promoted from supporting cast to something a bit more important.

Anyway...

Dr. Lauren Scully, endocrinologist - She puts up with being called "Agent Scully" (but only from people she likes). She's a diabetes specialist.

Gabriel Duke, Ph.D., paediatric psychologist - He's most noted for being fluent in sign language and having an older brother who's a famous athlete.

Dr. Daniel (Dae-Won) Kim, gastroenterologist - He looks like he can't take a joke, but he's actually quite funny once people get to know him. He's most known for aging well, and for his "mail-order husband". in actuality, Daniel met his (much younger!) husband on an online dating platform. Their engagement was very short, and they eloped, after which they had a lengthy long-distance relationship while Seung-Ri finished his residency. After that, Seung-Ri joined Daniel in Willow Creek and came to work at the hospital.

Dr. Seung-Ri Park, paediatrician - Seung-Ri sometimes goes by his English name, Henry, but actually prefers his Korean name. He is best known for his May-September relationship with fellow physician Daniel Kim, and for constantly being asked by patients' families, "Are you sure you're old enough to be a doctor?" He loves being Daniel's "trophy husband" and getting mistaken for a K-pop idol everywhere they go. Seung-Ri loves kids and is trying to convince Daniel they should adopt one.

Sunday Adebayo, registered dietitian and nutrition consultant - Sunday and his team work directly with patients across various departments. Their job is to help patients develop food plans that align with their treatments, and to help them maintain good health following their diagnosis. Sunday also works with patients who have eating disorders and who are chronically ill. He's most noted for being the hospital's most talented singer, and he can often be heard singing in the corridors.

Ali Ibrahim, chief in-house legal counsel - As the hospital's primary lawyer, Ali's job is to advise administrators and staff on various legal and ethics issues related to service delivery and patient care. Ali and his small in-house legal team also represent the hospital in the event any member of staff (or the hospital itself) is involved in any sort of legal proceeding. He is the husband of paediatric nursing supervisor Laila Alhadi.

Ivy Clarke, Manager of Patient Experience - Ivy is essentially the hospital's PR lady. She and her team field complaints from patients and their families, and do their best to settle any issues before they find their way to Ali's office. Ivy is also the hospital's spokesperson, delivering official statements any time one may be required by the media. She's best known for being the plant lady; her office looks a bit like a jungle.

#made by sapphire #CAS #ts4 #sims 4 #eagames #Gabriel Duke #Lauren Scully #Ali Ibrahim #Seung-Ri Park #Daniel Kim #Sunday Adebayo #willow creek regional hospital #stargazersims

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zaceouiswriting · 2 years

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The paradox of life

Characters: Clark Kent x male reader, Conner Kent and male reader

Universe: Somewhere in DC

Warnings: None

„We have a train if that train follows its normal route it will kill five people, but you are at the right place, at the right time, if you pull a lever the train will change its normal railroad and get onto one where it kills only one person. Are you using the lever or not?“

You sat expectantly in front of Conner, Clark's clone waiting on his answer or even better questions. But he only sat there stunned, confused about the whole principle of the question itself.

At this point, you were already used to it. His brain was still the same as a child's, but he also could understand hard-to-learn things, like mathematics.

Sadly for him, mathematics is less useful than a basic understanding of people and moral decisions. At the end of the day, it does not really have a morally right answer. But the important part is, what questions were asked to do an informed decision.

You were doing things like this, once in a while, sometimes multiple on one day.

But lately, you could feel him getting frustrated. Because he never does any of them right. Quick to decide the easiest option, without really thinking about the situation. If it was a timed question, then this would be perfect, but it is not.

To your utmost surprise, a while after Conner looked up from the chess game you were playing, looking at you with a questioning shine in his eyes.

„Do the five life, if I pull the lever or will-“ Before he could finish his question, the first he had ever asked by a moral question you tried with him, a loud ‚bang’ interrupted him.

„What is it doing here?“ Clark was obviously irate at Conner being in your shared home.

„I told you, that I will train him. He is a child Clark and now, please go.“ Your voice did not let any space for arguments, but the taller man did not leave. Instead, he stayed in the exact room, making Conner extremely nervous.

„Please go to your room Conner,“ you asked the boy in front of you as friendly as you could. He could hear the urgency in your voice and he walked around Clark, directly to his room,

All the while you could feel Clark’s burning glare on you. „What is it, Clark?“

First name basis again? Clark already knew that he fucked up, as he heard that again. But he was too furious to think about it.

„What did you mean, with his room? Is he living here? He is a clone! You can’t be alone with him!“

You tried to keep your anger at bay. But you were shortly before snapping at him. „I know that your kind is icky with clones, I do not want to know what happened. But we humans, are fascinated with the idea. So please, stop being a damn asshole. He might be not your child, but he needs your guidance with his power, while I will make sure, that he in the future, only decide in favor of the greater good.“

Walking right past him, you laid your hand on his chest for just one second. „I remember the story your mother loves to tell, about her finding you, as a baby in this strange capsule. You were her saving grace because she could not have children on her own,“ you reminded him again. „Conner is my you. Even though he is not a baby, he is my child. You can see it as whatever you want, but if you ever call him an ‘It’ again, so god help me, I will pulverize your existence, Clark!“

Believing that you heard him swallowed hard, as you left him there in the room he refused to leave. Just for you to console Conner and say that you were proud of him.

Clark had slept on the couch that night, and the next morning, as you all woke up, food was already waiting, just like your morning coffee.

Anxiously waiting at the breakfast table was none other than Clark. At first, Conner did not want to get to the table, because he feared what Clark might do. But you pulled him with you anyway. Seeing three plates and an orange juice instead of coffee for Conner, almost made you laugh out loud.

For a while everything seemed happy family, that was until Clark let his fork settle down on his plate. „I have thought about the entire situation,“ he announced loudly. Which let Conner stop in his tracks, Fear visible on his face.

„I’m not comfortable to see him as a child, even less your or our child.“ A heavy pause settled in where nobody was doing or saying anything. „But I would try to see Conner as a little brother. Even though it will take a while, that way all of us can profit off of it.“

Immediately you grabbed Clark’s hand. The night you had slept afar from each other took its toll on both of you.

Conner was the only one who seemed surprised. „That is the thing I want you to learn. Clark did a morally hard decision. He had his own faith, the culture of his kind, but also my feelings, your feelings, and the culture of this planet to take in for this decision.“

He still seemed confused, but also happy, that he finally had a real home. Not with two parents but one that loved him regardless and one, that he adored, but hoped he could love him one day too.

At least for the moment, there would be peace.

[Masterlist]

#Clark Kent x male reader #Clark Kent imagine #Clark Kent #Conner Kent #Conner Kent imagine #Dc #dc x male reader #dc imagine #x male reader #male reader #male reader imagine #x male reader imagine

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st-just · 1 year

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Opinions on the novel and novella categories excluding Elder Race?

Okay so, uh, 3 months late finally answering this (sorry - but I DID read Elder Race in the meantime!)

So, novels-

A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine The central metaphor of how an empire can only understand something by consuming/assimilating it into itself was imo well-done, one of the better uses of a hive mind alien I've seen in a while. Mahit and (especially) Three Seagrass continue to be delightful. The whole palace drama plot in the City leaned a biiiiiit too close to 'the Empress is just and good! Sadly scheming ministers and self-interested officials have attempted to mislead her for their own ends' for my tastes, which absolutely made me start rooting for scheming vizer guy out of spite. Still kind of confused what happened to the Judiciary Minister who vanished 2/3 of the way into the first book without comment. Excellent read, would recommend

The Galaxy, and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers Absolutely my favorite thing Chambers has written, but that is a very low bar. There were a few pages of actual interpersonal conflict that wasn't just a silly misunderstanding! (Even if they had apologized and agreed to disagree by the end of the next chapter). In principle I approve of any sci fi with no human characters in major roles. Aeleon demography continues to give me a headache (how do you spend so much time on worldbuilding and just mess up the basic math?) - though honestly Pei's whole conflict over the societal expectation to have a kid would have had a bit more tension/drama to it in a setting where her species was legitimately endangered and at risk of extinction (the sheer angst potential!) Anyway, yeah, well-executed but Not For Me.

Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki I did, uh, not much like this book. In a 'spent a couple hours cathartically ranting about it on discord after finishing it' sort of way. The central romance didn't work, every character arc was perfectly predictable, the whole incessantly hammered home bit about the magic and wonder of home-cooked food just makes me want to gag, I can kind of see what Aoki was going for with the sci fi half of the worldbuilding but it just didn't work at all, and so on. Still not entirely sure what to make of the fact that if you did the 0.5 degree shift necessary to turn the finale into a Christian morality play the quirky alien family plays an identical structural role to where the angels would be. The cursed/demonic-violin repair lady was fun, though.

A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark This was fun! Nothing hugely ground-breaking and extremely trope-ey, but in a good way? Like the process was clearly 'buddy cop story in into steampunk urban fantasy Cairo' more than anything that evolved naturally out of the characters or setting. But like, eh? The finale involved a giant robot controlled by enslaved ifrit and a mad sorceress trying to restore the British empire attacking the city, nuance and subtlety clearly weren't the goals here. The central mystery was barely a mystery, though. You could pick out the villain by the end of the first act like three or four different ways. Still, yeah, great time. Very pulpy.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir If you don't know that this is by the The Martian guy going in, it will be extremely clear by the time you're 50 pages in. It's a writing style with a real personality bleeding through - if you don't like it, the book will I'm sure be torture. But anyway, I'm a sucker for first contact stories and properly weird but still sympathetic and agentic aliens, and that's the beating heart of the story so I mean, of course I enjoyed it. The science also all seemed plausible/not-obvious-bullshit to me, and Weir did a really good job of getting tension and drama without ever making anyone a villain, with all the threats being faced being natural/environmental. Fun read, assuming very high tolerance for technobabble and also magic amnesia that you don't apply anywhere near the standards of the rest of the books' science to.

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan I mean the whole premise of 'mythic/low-fantasy retelling of the founding of the Ming dynasty but with lesbians' feels like what you'd get if you simmered down my reading consumption of the last year or two and poured out the reduction. So like, yeah, of course I liked it! Probably would have been my vote for winner, though not at all sad that Desolation got it instead. As a character type, I really, really love the whole 'arranges everything to work out perfectly through desperate, furious scheming, then absolutely never breaks character and insists it must be providence and they're but a simple monk/scholar/whatever" so Zhu's whole bit there was just catnip to me. The whole melodrama in the mongol court was great, too. And how can you not love a book that ends with the heroine murdering the messiah in cold blood?

novellas-

Across the Green Grass Fields by Seanan McGuire The only other thing I'd read by McGuire before this was Middlegame, which may have given me unrealistic expectations but, like, this was fine? Or, like, I get the sense that this is very much a YA/Middle-grade book, insofar as it really feels like the literary equivalent of a tv special you'd watch with your kid niece and nephew because hey, it's not painful for you or anything? Really funny that this exists entirely independently of the apparently-a-real-thing cartoon Centaurworld, though.

Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky This was fun classic sci fi. Like, really classic - I kind of thought 'fantasy setting that's secretly a post-apocalyptic sci fi setting where all the 'magic' and 'monsters' are just poorly understood hypertech' went of fashion with the millennium. Anyway I adore things that play with POV and have different people see the same events and process/interpret them radically differently, so the whole book was catnip that way, and it managed to authentically feel like just a small slice of a vaster, weirder universe, and both deuteragonists really work for me. Don't have a solid pick for my preferred winner but this is one of the two I'm torn between.

Fireheart Tiger by Aliette de Bodard First and so far only thing by de Bodard I've read, which I should probably fix given how big a name she is. Anyway, this was fun! Nothing too groundbreaking, but that is 100% down to my reading habits rather than, like, 'lesbian court drama in a fantasy analogue of an asian country under threat of colonization' is an over-filled niche, or anything (really the only surprising thing was that I hadn't read this already).

The Past Is Red by Catherynne M. Valente The other one I might have voted for. On the level of stories she's a bit hit and miss but on the sentence-to-sentence and paragraph-to-paragraph levels Valente is seriously one of my favorite writers working, and this was no exception. Just an absolute delight to read. Also, 'post-apocalyptic magical realism on the city-sized garbage heap floating in the ocean populated by a culture of survivors after the world drowned' is just a great premise. And my shriveled husk of a soul appreciates just committing to the character study and the ruin and the elegy without giving into the urge to make a grand redemptive quest of it all.

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers I, uh, liked this significantly less than Galaxy and the Ground Within. Utopias are basically necessarily didactic but, like, you really don't have to lean all the way into literally having the heart of the story be conversations between the protagonist and a sacred and innocent alien whose always correct about everything. Also the whole 'we 100% could be immortal but we chose not to because, like, nature or something. Aren't we so amazing?' thing with the robots is bullshit. Which, combined with the entire aesthetic of the world just left be feeling peevish and asking questions which really weren't the point (Where are the mines? The foundries? You can't make solar panels or modern antibiotics in a basement workshop! And you sure as hell can't cobble together and repair fully mobile and sapient robots in a cave with a box of scraps.)

A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow So it's not that this was bad, exactly. But, like, I feel like it should have come out sometime in the '90s? (Okay without the explicitly gay bits but that's a matter of a few sentences tbh). Like, the deadline for metafictional feminist retellings of classic fairtails being genuinely novel or subversive was sometime before Disney got in on the game, sorry. Also, like, I'm sure it's just down to me being a weird morbid kid, but the whole shocking revelation about how fucked up the original Sleeping Beauty myth is was, like, something I knew before I hit puberty? Only other thing of Harrow's I've read was the Ten Thousand Door's of January and I'm really, really disappointed comparing them, honestly. (Also, as a general rule I dislike anything where it's very clear whether you're supposed to like or trust a character from the scene they're introduced and this is never wrong)

In other categories L’Esprit de L’Escalier should obviously have one novelette, "Where Oaken Hearts Do Gather" short story, Terra Ignota series, and Monstress comic, based off the foolproof criteria of 'those are the ones I've read'

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kiunlo · 2 years

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okay listen i really really really like martian manhunter/j'onn j'onzz. and i kinda want to write a fic at somebody (probably a oneshot) exploring his character and also loneliness and there’s something i want to explore that i’ve not seen very much. but i haven’t read as much martian manhunter comics as i’d like to so if this has come up in a comic at some point please let me know cuz i’m sucker for this type of shit.

anyways. like...yes, at the point in time when j'onn shows up and becomes a part of the justice league, people on earth already know about aliens being out there in the universe. but shayera and clark are aliens from far away planets, some that no longer exist anymore. it is hard to really “relate” to aliens who come from worlds that are so far away, so unreachable to even a fucking astronaut. but j’onn? he’s from our solar system. i feel like there’s no way people both in the league and also the general public wouldn’t be extremely interested in his culture and him as a person (in a genuinely curious and good way) because of this familiar thing that martians and humans share. the martians are essentially our neighbours, our space cousins. maybe we are not similar biologically, but there are things that we share.

j’onn and another human could literally stargaze at night either on mars or on earth and both be able to recognise the stars in the sky, and recognise that in some way, they are close to home, even if they aren’t on their own planet. maybe the planets’ orientations and placements are different and weird, and the presence of a very large moon in the sky would bother j’onn in the same way that seeing no moon at all on mars would bother a human, but it’s still mostly the same. j’onn can still see the same constellations he grew up looking at and appreciating on mars, and he and a human friend could share knowledge of their own constellations, and hell, maybe even the same stars show up in both human and martian constellations. they can share the stories of those constellations, the figures they represent, what the mean when you see them in a certain orientation in the sky. they can find closeness in the fact that they are cosmic brethren, born under the same sun, the same stars, the same planets, the same nebulae, even if their ideas about those celestial objects is wildly different. you can’t tell me that j’onn j’onzz, who has lost everything, wouldn’t find some comfort in earth’s night sky. because at least, for him, he knows he’s really not that far away from home. there’s still something around him that hasn’t changed, and it is the stars above him.

#martian manhunter #j'onn j'onzz #mars #dc #dc comics #ash's personal tag

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stormblessed95 · 1 year

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Thanks for answering my ask.....if you don't mind me asking (again), who are your favorite romantic relationship's couples in books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series (can be canon or non-canon)? Why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before......Thanks....

Hi! Thanks for another fun ask! I actually have one post up about some of my favorite OTPs from books from a little while ago. All are canon couples from book series. But you can find that here in this post:

But why would I NOT take the chance to share more OTPs that I love, especially if I can dip into some of my favorite non canon ships too and now ive got some new ones and from other media as well. 🤣 the limitations of only 10 though is always hard. Here are another 10 of my current favorite ships I obsess over. I won't include any from the post above though even though I'm still in love with ALL of them too. Some of my favorite couples, 10 of them, in no particular order:

Victuuri (Yuri On Ice, Anime)

I watched this anime and fell in love with it and their chaotic but adorable and sweet relationship SO HARD. And the relationship is right there in canon which is SO NICE to see in anime where it's just another small portion of their lives. The way they are both obsessed with each other too 😍

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Edwin and Royai (FMAB, Anime)

Both canon. Royai is canon, argue with the wall! Lol I guess Royai is like half canon, but whatever. Explicit confirmation is not needed to know those 2 are married. Ed and Winry are the peak childhood friends to lovers arc in the most adorable. Plus she is a badass mechanic. HIS badass mechanic. The way their love grew organically is adorable and so sweet. They take such good care of each other. And Royai are the epitome of a married couple. They also are both so equally badass and have such infinite and complete trust in each other?? It's AMAZING. The way they literally trust each other with their lives and their mental well being. The way Roy literally trusts her to be his eyes when needed also? He literally calls her his queen. I love them so much

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Clexa (The 100, TV Show)

CANON yet they did us dirty with the bury your gays trope. But like the "I'm only soft for you" bullshit they had going on. UGH I ate it up so hard. Lol they are both such extreme badasses, morally Grey anti heroes. OF COURSE THEIR RELATIONSHIP WAS INTENSELY PERFECT TOO! I love the bellarke ship with the best of them too, but out of all Clarke's relationships, the best and my favorite will always be with Lexa. She loved her SO MUCH and the way Lexa always protected her 😭

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SasuNaru (Naruto, Anime)

Not canon, I know, but I'm obsessed with the ship anyway because it SHOULDVE BEEN CANON. I could write whole essays over how painfully gay and queer coded these 2 are. Canonically soulmates and everything. Lol their characters and their relationship was the most flushed out in the show and therefore, them being shipped together just makes sense. Especially with how homoromantic and angsty half the shit they did was.

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Shakadolin (Stormlight Archive, Book)

Not canon, but the author said it would've been in a different timeline and that even in the current on, Adolin and Shallan (the Canon couple) probably would've been willing to go for it. Lol you can't convince me otherwise thay they aren't both lowkey in love with Kaladin. They invite him to be their bodygaurd on all their dates for a reason! 😂

HuaLian (TGCF, Donghua)

I've read these books for the first time recently and now these 2 live rent free. Like honestly, the OBSESSION with each other. The adorableness. The respectfulness of boundaries. The ICONIC one liners dropped. The do anything cross any line be wherever you need devotion. The way one of them is the sweetest human alive and the other embodies the "I hate everyone but you" trope. Lol the awkwardness of the positions they find themselves in. The jealousy of each other that they make up themselves. Lol the slow burn is painful!! It's been literally 800 years just tell each other you love each other and get married!!!!

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So many ATLA ships lol but I love a good Zukka, Sukka, Zutara, Kataang, Korrasami, Rangshi, Suzukki as my ot3 love too lol (TV Show)

There is a good mix of canon and non canon ships here lol what can I say, I'm easy to please! But I will say that it speaks to my Sapphic soul in the best way that the wlw ships are CANON! Thank you ATLA universe for that blessing. And they are canon in the most amazing of ways. Korrasami will always be my favorite. The bi icons those girls are and they way they are EVERYTHING and are so freaking sweet and cute and BADASS.

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Solangelo (PJO, Book)

Loves of my life, this relationship is grumpy x sunshine trope personified. They are so sweet, so cute, so perfect for each other it hurts. I clearly have a dynamic I love here. Lol because they are also both insanely badass. Plus the ghost king who controls death and his medic doctor boyfriend? Yes please. Literally made for each other and the way they help each other heal and be happy 🥺

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The Iron Triangle, aka Yizhi, Shimin, and Zetian (Iron Widow, Book)

Love triangles done correctly and ended perfectly, aka bisexually. Lol to quote the author, "Iron Widow is just 400 pages of Zetian and Shimin suffering nonstop while Yizhi has the most bisexual time of his life." Lmfao. They are the morally Grey anti heros and lowkey villains in love badass scifi/fantasy cast of characters who ALL fall in love with each other and are only stronger for it. And it's a true triangle, where all 3 are in love and feel more complete for it. There is no choosing.

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Darrow & Virigina, and Sevro & Victra (Red Rising, Book)

Unhinged characters falling in love. What could be better. They both match energies so well, bring out the best in each other and fight so hard for each other or sometimes fight each other too. These books are so good, but so brutal. Lol the relationships follow suit. But I freaking LOVE them. I cried so much reading it all and yet I'm obsessed and have been since I first read them. It'll probably never stop.

#storm book recommendations #storm recommendations #my favorite OTPs #my favorite ships

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pluckyredhead · 1 year

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Okay obviously I LOVE that we are supposedly getting some good good Superfamily stories in the coming months, and that all of the Superkids are flying around being cute in their matching jackets.

But part of me worries that they’re a little too matchy. Like, the most common complaint you hear about writing Superman is that he’s too OP, so how are they going to handle four (five with Power Girl) Kryptonians? Especially since Jon and Kon are so close in age and look so much alike.

One of the things I really liked about Superfam teamups in the 90s was that Clark, Kon, and Linda had entirely different powers. Sure, they were all strong and could fly, but Kon wasn’t even really Kryptonian when he debuted - he was a human clone of Paul Westfield with Clark’s Kryptonian aura grafted onto his DNA. His only power was TTK, which he used for strength, invulnerability, and flight as well, but they didn’t work the same way Clark’s powers did, and he didn’t have any of the vision powers. I’ve always felt that giving him the full Super-suite in the 2000s kind of flattened him out as a character.

And Linda also wasn’t Kryptonian: she was a protoplasmic being from a pocket universe who could shapeshift and fire psychokinetic blasts who merged with a human girl and became an angel with wings of flame that she used to teleport. Obviously.

Anyway, it made group fight scenes really interesting. Obviously we’re not going to get that much variety anymore, but I was thinking about how I would differentiate between the current Superfam Kryptonians, power-wise:

Clark: Clark has the most experience, obviously. He has fully matured into his powers and knows exactly how much he can get out of each one. He’s the best at using multiple powers in concert, interpreting information via microscopic, telescopic, and X-ray vision and superhearing, and navigating sensory overload. His use of his powers is extremely complex and nuanced.

Kon: Honestly, Kon should be the weakest of all of them. He’s only half-Kryptonian, if that (see above re: Clark’s aura), and he’s the result of an experiment where no one really knew what they were doing. I’m not saying he can’t juggle cars, but he should be the weakest, the slowest, his heat vision the least hot. All of which is fine, because he has TTK and that, used cleverly, should allow him to do things none of the others can do. I also think it would be interesting if kryptonite affects him the least, since he’s the least Kryptonian (and because his TTK acts a little bit like a force field).

Jon: Jon is canonically already registering off the scales and will almost certainly be more powerful than Clark, even though he, like Kon, is only half Kryptonian. (This is because Lois is more powerful than Lex.) So yeah, I’m fine with Jon being the tank, maybe a little clumsy with it right now but learning. I think he should have the flipside of Kon’s resistance to kryptonite and be particularly susceptible to it. The bigger they are, the harder they fall, right?

Kara: Kara’s powers should be roughly on par with Clark’s, once you take into account that she’s like half his size, but I like the idea that she’s the only one who knows how to fight. Kryptonians are strong enough that 99% of the time it doesn’t matter how well they throw the punch, only that they threw it. But in post-Crisis it was canon that Kara spent time on Themiscyra training with the Amazons, which means she would actually know what the hell she’s doing. I just have a beautiful mental image of them all going to Warworld or wherever they are going to have to fight someone at their power levels, and the bad guy is all “Send in your champion!” and they unanimously agree that it’s Kara. And then she kicks ass.

Krypto: Krypto is a good boy. Yes he is! Yes he is!

#superman #clark kent #superboy #kon el #jon kent #supergirl #kara zor el

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pseudo-hero · 1 year

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Kid!Clark Refused to Protect Kid!Lex?

You know I’ve seen a slight pattern between certain Superman-related stories whereby it’s been implied or outright stated that Clark Kent and Lex Luthor not only both grew up together/both lived in Smallville, but at times were actual close friends there too, yet Lex is beaten and abused (possibly at random) by his horrendous father/parents and Clark, even while dressed as Superboy...does nothing to stop it...?

I don’t know if it’s a case of me misunderstanding the situations or if Clark just always thought there was nothing he could do about it; however, the idea that he literally heard Lex in pain as he was tormented everyday, but refused to help him in anyway—refused to lift a finger for him or do literally anything at all for Lex when Lex was a child—is such a deeply disturbing one for me (made worse when you consider how many other cases like this involving other children that Clark may have ignored the plight of over the years) that it pushes me to put their entire relationship in the stories where it happens, under the microscope.

In a way, it could be argued that Clark inadvertently helped instigate Lex’s narcissistic, cynical and (sometimes self-) destructive ways. After all, if not even the angelic, protector-of-all that was Superboy would come to his rescue...then who would? And what’s stopping that protector from failing other children the world over? Why even stop at extreme child abuse? Why not let everything but the most destructive of acts go unpunished, huh, Superman? (Keep in mind that I’m not the only one who has taken note of this probably-accidental flaw of Superman’s morality/character.)

Even as recently as one of the recent issues of Action Comics from this year, Lex berates Superman for not revealing his identity to him which Lex claimed would have helped him by making him feel less alone. I interpreted that to be a reference to how a lot of versions of Lex grew up feeling ‘like an alien’ on their own planet, but come to think of it, what if Lex was implying in that moment of the comic that he was abused for being different/extremely intelligent? I don’t think there’s any main-storyline version of Lex from the past 20 - 35 years that hasn’t been horribly mistreated by their parents so it’s safe to assume that he was referencing this in particular, if not a combination of it and the aforementioned and or other things too, I reckon.

And you know what answer Clark gives after Lex calls him out on that? None! He doesn’t even give an explanation! Is it because he doesn’t think Lex deserves one, or that they both know that’s just the excuse Lex is giving for his continued sickening actions? Or...could it be because Clark himself doesn’t know why he (when he was admittedly younger and more vulnerable himself, though never to the point of human weakness) abandoned Lex to his parents’ cruelty and expected the poor boy to fend for himself? If Clark knew what was going on then why didn’t he protect Lex when they were children? Why didn’t he at least fly up to Lionel as Superboy and yell at him to never hurt Lex again or else? Why didn’t he do anything? Why, why, WHY?

Imagine how great it would be for Lex Luthor’s and especially Clark’s characters, to finally have questions like this answered? Is Superman as super as we thought he was? Does he feel remorse for not being there for his childhood friend when Lex needed him most? I’m sorry but, you can’t just have Superman hear child abuse and do nothing about it without an explanation, writers! I honestly think this is another example of a goldmine of potentially good, compelling story-telling that DC Comics could easily tap into and utilize very well but of course, probably won’t.

Oh well. AC and especially Superman Comics have been looking mighty interesting lately. It looks as though they have a lot to give in the future, so maybe it’s not such a big loss. Also, they can always go back to a plot idea like this at a later date. The few times they’ve tried to implement this into a Superman book in the last few decades, it more or less hasn’t worked, but I don’t think it’s because it can’t work. Like really, I believe this could be made into an amazing, award-worthy comic story!

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mdhwrites · 9 months

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My Adventures With Superman Episode 7 Review: IS THAT AN OURAN HIGH SCHOOL CLUB REFERENCE IN THE TITLE!?

I want to believe it is.

Anyways, short, non-spoilery version: We have the show going "You want a comic book show right? Well, let's fucking go then." This is however WITHOUT losing its identity though as we see highlights for each character, them working together, and the personalities we've gotten used to grounding what would normally be an extreme escalation WAY too quickly in most media. This is the payoff for keeping it tech based for five episodes and focusing so much on the characters as now they can expand on their adventures. I will say that I wish the budget for the animation was expanding with it though as I'm still finding the Superman fights somewhat lackluster and so while I liked the episode, I actually wouldn't say it had any big bang moments before the one alluded in the title. So good but I won't be surprised if I remember nouns from this episode more than scenes.

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Okay, so lets start Myxz (thank you to a friend for introducing that shortening to me). So when I talk about the animation budget, it's probably what makes me the most trepidatious about him in the long term. Discord in My Little Pony was so effective because he genuinely fucked up the world. As a god of chaos, he seemed genuinely as chaotic as he preached. That takes a lot of money and a lot of effort though which is part of why Discord didn't show up too often, or at least I assume that's part of it.

BUT with that said, I do think they did a very good job with him. Not only does he get a couple moments to shine with his powers like turning into the various Supermen, he also works the chaos angle through his words very well. "I told some VERY excellent lies" stands out as just a great line but how he's looking to be entertained, see where things go, etc. like that is very in line with not only god mentality but chaos god mentality as well. By the end of the episode, you know why he's not shifting the portals in a way that could actually kill the league because that wouldn't be any fun.

Speaking of fun: The League of Loises. Fun in a different way. I LOVE the use of multi-dimensional beings for how things like the planet Clark is from and the introduction of Kryptonite is used, but I also want to shout out the separation of information. Lois has the actual substance kryptonite and knows those weapons are designed specifically to beat Clark but Clark knows what they can actually do to them and knows that Krypton is his home planet, while Lois knows Kryptonian is the race he is. It's a fun back and forth that will be interesting to see, especially given their characters.

Because while they've grown... I don't expect them to dive in deep with each other yet. Now Jimmy will fill in Clark on what they know and I'm hoping Clark talks about the name Krypton with Jimmy and Lois but if he just wants to brush it off as a liar's tricks, I wouldn't blame him. Lois though? Poor Lois. She's made a lot of headway but I can just imagine "I don't want to worry Clark about these other Supermen and this weird green gem so I'm going to look into it myself" as her response. Care while also putting too much on herself, much like what Clark does heroing and putting himself into danger.

Honestly though? I complained last episode that Lois didn't really get a chance to shine in their reconciliation but this is the episode that goes "This is Lois. This is why someone would want to be with her. Take her or leave her." And that is VERY true for her. Everything that makes her the cute, tough girl the internet fell in love with is also what makes her the invasive, brash, nerdy girl who makes mistakes. The good comes with the bad for her and that is GREAT. That is how most people are, hence why someone can theoretically be 'your type' and not be someone you're into at all because people are complicated and messy and their specific quirks can be a NIGHTMARE.

But Lois' heart is in the right place and while she needs to be tempered, she is working on it. Also, it's not always a bad thing, like the fact that other Loises would simply trust themselves but ours? Ours is about openness and honesty. Period. Honestly, it's probably part of why she hasn't gotten a Pulitzer yet. She works too hard to make sure what she's writing is 100% right, instead of 100% what will make her famous.

Last thing I want to touch on is the ending. I said in other places that the most subversive thing about this show is that after a decade of Supermen who were mean or cold or bad or evil (it has been literally a decade since Man of Steel came out) this show has a blue boy scout. A Superman who is just a good person and who will never stop being a good person. The ending with the reveal that a LOT of Supermen have turned evil feels like the show knows that that is its big hook, that is what makes it special in our media landscape, and wants to play with that some. Heck, we even got it a couple episodes back with Lois' line of "That's if you had powers Clark but we're not talking about you." It's kind of a bit of recognition that Clark is an anomaly. A paragon to be an example to all paragons. Just as Superman should be. Is he flawless? No, because he's still human, and that's also why so many are falling in love with this Clark so rapidly. Why we got the confession we got in this episode. And I for one am here for it.

Also, sorry I'm not talking about the romance element. Honestly, with how amazing Clois is written in this show, it feels a bit like beating a dead horse at this point to praise it. I will give a shout out to the difference in nerd attitude to the two though since they are both AWFUL when it comes to first dates but the reminders that Lois is also a trainwreck are always welcome.

But like seriously, can we PLEASE get fanart of Lois in a host's outfit? She'd make such a good Haruhi! PLEASE!

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I have a public Discord for any and all who want to join!

I also have an Amazon page for all of my original works in various forms of character focused romances from cute, teenage romance to erotica series of my past.

I have an Ao3 for my fanfiction projects as well if that catches your fancy instead.

If you want to hang out with me, I stream from time to time and love to chat with chat.

And finally a Twitter you can follow too!

#my adventures with superman #Clois #lois lane #Myxz #Episode Review

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zahri-melitor · 8 months

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New(ish) Comics:

Hawkgirl #2: the imagery of Kendra surrounded by all her past lives is so good.

The talking corgi remains amusing. And can apparently breathe fire?

Tales of the Titans #2: eh. The Kory one was better, but I’m really hanging for Donna’s.

Batman/Superman World’s Finest #13-18: Rex my sweetheart! I love you!

I think part of the fun of World’s Finest is how liberal it is with continuity references and C-list characters and a cross-universe atmosphere. The more DC continuity you know the more you get out of it.

Like obviously, this arc is heavy with Bruce Wayne: Murderer/Fugitive references. So #14 has a puzzle piece cover. It’s Mora pulling stuff like this while Waid writes in everything and everyone that makes this series so great. (Also obviously I love all the Ollie, Ted and Bruce plain clothes moments in this)

Speaking of occasional Z-listers…Magpie. MAGPIE. You brought back Magpie, a character people only remember because of her design?

(Bruce and Clark meeting each other - making it smart and intelligent on both sides)

The Vigil #2-4: I still am very unsure about this but I'm giving it a go.

Also, tell me if I'm wrong but does Castle feel like the writers taking the opportunity to write off-the-leash sociopath Damian without anyone yelling at them?

Warlord #15: FORGIVE ME FOR DOUBTING YOU GRELL.

This week we do indeed arrive in Shamballah and find Tara. Mariah is upset by this and the two women end up fighting (because that’s what women do over a guy they like, right, RIGHT?)

Cmon Mariah you don’t need Travis Morgan come establish a Communist utopia in Skartaris and facilitate the rise of the proletariat.

Anyway the cause of the months of wandering in circles becomes clear - Tara had a baby.

In Shamballah baby princes teethe on gold watches apparently.

Then blah blah some plot about genocide (they’re calling it a holocaust) in the city, one of the Atlantean computers is trying to kill the city.

Look at this death ray!

In any case, Grell comes through on the final page with the promised Deimos content.

He’s kidnapped the baby! Look at this extremely cool dragon design!

#newish comics #z canon read throughs

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stranger-who-writes-fiction · 4 months

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NBD just crying over Action Comics 1060 (in a good way but also a sad way because DC is being VERY DUMB and ending PKJ’s run in favor of a Jason Aaron Bizarro filler arc ohhhhhh how I weep bitter tears of frustration)

…Anyways, spoilers!

So 1060 is the penultimate installment of PKJ’s (stellar, spectacular, phenomenal, brilliant, top-tier) run on Action Comics and I just want to applaud him—for a lot of things, really, but in *this* specific case, I wanna stand and cheer because he’s making it EXTREMELY CLEAR that the twins (who are not actually twins) are in fact, Clark’s kids. No question, no ambiguity; Otho calls him papa, Clark refers to her as his daughter, and he’s willing to travel through LITERAL HELL to get her back.

It’s entirely possible that future writers will try to get rid of these kids, but I appreciate that PKJ has made it *very* difficult for them. XD Any retcon they’d come up with would be so messy. (Of course, saying this, I realize that the more depressingly realistic outcome here isn’t that writers actively try to erase them, but rather, will probably sideline/ignore them, trot them out for generic precocious kids stuff every now and then, and wait for the next line-wide reboot to ‘streamline’ Clark aka toss out anything mildly interesting and/or additive to Clark’s corner of the DCU.)

Right. Sorry. Salty tangent. XD

So anyways here’s some panels that tugged on my ‘Aunt Kara’ heartstrings.

‘I know sweetie. I know. It’s so hard, not knowing.’ HOW VERY DARE.

There’s also a really great page wherein Kara gets Osul to calm down by reminding him of a…I think Phaelosian legend? Or possibly Kryptonian, I know she was trying to find stuff for them in a previous issue.

(Went back and it’s actually the House of Ra fable; the House of El’s is ‘Nightwing and Flamebird’, Ra’s is ‘Red Son and Starchild’.)

I love that Lois lets Kara and Osul have that moment, that space; I maintain that while Clark has a better handle on getting what the kids went through on Warworld given that he was there, and Lois obviously has more experience with raising kids that have unique needs thanks to Jon being half alien, but *Kara* is more readily equipped to sympathize with Otho and Osul’s struggles with transitioning to Earth life, based on her current, canon characterization. (Which is, uhhhh…Woman of Tomorrow and alsoooooo…Rebirth? Maybe? WoT is def canon, the recent SG one shot visually referenced Kara’s departure from Argo.) But I digress!

Speaking of the kids’ struggles…Otho is Going Through It. The stuff with Sister Shadow (AKA Norah Stone AKA evil daughter of an alt universe Bruce and Talia) trying to tempt her to the dark side by preying on her trauma/difficulty adapting to her new home and revealing a future, tyrannical version of herself is some wonderfully juicy character work, both from the perspective of fleshing out Otho AND being additive to Superman’s roster of villains; that’s something I love about PKJ’s approach to world building overall. Yes, he’s revamped some of Superman’s established bad guys (Metallo, Mongul) but he’s also added awesome new foes, like Norah Stone, and Pyrrhos.

I really hope DC lets him do like. A mini series on his original Kryptonian/House of El characters. I would honestly love to read about all these cool new, additive elements, than deal with the Luthor cameo fest over in Superman rn. XD

In conclusion: DC once again shying away from anything interesting and new with Superman in favor of the safe status quo. -_- I mean, I hope I’m wrong. I hope the new ‘Superman Superstars’ opt to build on the solid foundation PKJ has set up. But given what happened with Bendis? Creators’ absolute refusal to incorporate any of the canon he built, because they knew DC would walk it back ASAP? (And the Superman group editor openly admitting that was his number one priority as soon as he GOT THE JOB???) Just shows a complete lack of faith in your creators, and doesn’t really give me too much hope for one of the few remaining titles I look forward to each month.

…but hey, hopefully Marilyn Moonlight will be neat??? XD

(Also LET A WOMAN WRITE A MAIN SUPERMAN BOOK YOU COWARDS.)

#long post #dc comics #action comics #action comics spoilers #sg post #kinda #I was enjoying the flagship Superman title…#and then Campbell left and Williamson doubled down on Luthors XD #so yeeeeah it’s firmly back in ‘meh’ territory

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elmflowers · 2 years

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Make the PMMN superhero post. Do it

fuckin bet lets go

obvious one: superman/clark kent and madoka kaname

both represent the platonic ideal of hope and both are sort of protected by the plot wherein they will always "win" in the end bc of how they represent hope in the story. what makes it interesting is how they "win", what gets sacrificed along the way (madoka sacrificing her individuality and "humanity" for a greater good and superman being the loneliest being on earth and constantly putting himself in danger and as this icon rather than human, despite clark kent very much being Human)

batman/bruce wayne and homura akemi

other than the clear gay parallels between madohomu and superbat, homura and batman are people who have suffered significant loss and have great love within their hearts, which they use to protect people they love. bruce is strongly motivated by his parent's death + catholic guilt despite being half jew half probably protestant what happened there buddy and homura her catholic guilt upbringing + idolized bestie death combo. both characters are somewhat jaded and not necessarily the pure platonic ideal of hope their bestie personifies, but if you look at them for a little bit, you go, "Oh shit, these bitches are bleeding hearts". also how they interact with their gay partner i mean best friend, wherein batman sees superman as hope and what gives him the ability to keep going because if there's someone as good as him can exist then its worth it, while homura pinpoints madoka as her motivation to keep going, tunneling her vision and essentially being the only reason she still tries to save people and live.

green lantern/hal jordan and sayaka miki

both want to be heroes but are in a system wherein they are exploited using their drive to do good. hal jordan became a poster child for the green lantern corp and basically trapped in this cycle of illusion of choice wherein he supposedly! can quit, but no hes has to keep coming back. he slowly loses touch with his "humanity" (ie his home, his friends, his hobbies, etc) and it gets replaced with his job (literal icon of marx's theory of alienation). sayaka miki wants to be a magical girl because she wants to help other people and save them, she wants to do good and thats in contrast to the fact that being a magical girl does separate her from her "humanity" (her soul got fucking ripped out) and that she does not feel like she will ever be good enough because she is a flawed person (girl youre 13 youre going to have flaws). both are driven to a point wherein their roles are separating them from what they feel as their humanity that they succumb to despair after a final break (for hal jordan his home town coast city being fucking vaporized while he was off world and for sayaka hitomi going out with kyousuke) that makes them realize how fucked everything is and they cant handle it anymore. sayaka becomes oktavia and hal becomes parallax.

john constantine and kyoko sakura

okay im breaking a rule, constantine is a dc character but not necessarily a hero. lol. lmao. anyways

both have fucked up in the past and made a serious mistake that does not allow them to go back to who they were before (constantine in newcastle, kyoko with her wish). they are both jaded people who act tough and seem like they only look out for themselves, but routinely go out of their way to help others because they are inherently good people. theyre both kind of assholes in their own way and also both seriously hotheaded. both are also extremely experienced within their area of expertise.

nightwing/dick grayson and mami tomoe

iconic eldest daughter syndrome kids. pushes a face of happy go lucky vaguely mature and cheerful persona and hides their flaws like theyre going to fucking die if anyone sees that they arent necessarily perfect. incredibly fucked up past. a deep fear that influences a lot of their actions (dick does not want to turn out like bruce did, mami does not want people to leave her as she is a deeply insecure individual). has guilt complexes miles, miles wide. dead parents. both deeply insecure. go eldest daughters!

the jonker from sanic 2 and Cube

just little guys who committed so many crimes

#batman #superman #john constantine #nightwing #joker #dc #madoka kaname #homura akemi #sayaka miki #kyoko sakura #mami tomoe #kyubey #pmmm #elm rambles

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