#holy dystopia batman

[bandomfandombeyond]

the speed limit in Virginia is ENFORCED VIA AIRCRAFT?????

holy dystopia batman

#virginia #dystopia

[primepanels]

A Wonder Woman Earth One Review

In case you don't know, DC's Earth One is (or was?) a line of graphic novels that are similar to Marvel's Ultimate line of comic books. They take well-known superheroes and start their stories in more modern times, then progress from there. They are separate from the mainstream DC universe.

Story: After Steve Trevor accidentally crashes Paradise Island, Diana of Amazonia leaves with him against her peoples' wishes, thinking she can bring peace to man's world. But man's world is a lot more stubborn than she thought.

My thoughts:

I have nothing against Yanick Paquette's art style. I liked that a lot. If I were writing a fantasy or superhero comic series, I'd be pleased to have him as the artist. I'd just have him avoid any fan service because that's pervy.

Grant Morrison is hit or miss, and this one is a big miss. On the plus side, most people tend to talk like normal people in this story, which seems like a rarity with Morrison these days. And I was intrigued by some of the villains, especially the one that shows up in book two.

However, I can't get behind a story that seems to be peddling a twisted version of the doctrine of original sin. Original sin is the concept that all humans are born with a proclivity to break God's holy law. That's why Jesus' death was needed to take away our sins. But Wonder Woman Earth One's conceit is that original sin seems to only apply to men. Women are born good and are then corrupted by the influence of men. The only way for most men (Steve Trevor seems to be an exception) to become good is for them to submit to having their natures brainwashed out of them by women.

Oh, and you can't trust the American government because slavery was legal at one point.

I don't think Morrison was totally serious with his whole take on the "Patriarchy vs. Wonder Woman" dichotomy, but he sure doesn't do a good job of showing any better alternatives if he isn't. It's either a world constantly at war or a fascist dystopia of love. Seriously, those are the only two worlds we see.

There's also a lot of lesbianism, which really shouldn't be a surprise in this day and age.

Even though there's some decent superheroing, it's hard for me to really support a Wonder Woman with this really messed up take on the world. I do not recommend this to anyone

For reference, here are my feelings on Grant Morrison's comics:

Books and Series I Like: All-Star Superman Batman Final Crisis #1-6 JLA

Books and Series I Don't Like: The Green Lantern Final Crisis #7 Final Crisis: Superman Beyond 3D Wonder Woman Earth One

Everything else I either haven't read or don't remember well enough to rate.

#Wonder Woman #Diana of Themyscira #Grant Morrison #Yanick Paquette #Earth One #DC Comics

[just0nemorepage]

11 Questions Tag

Though honestly, it’ll be more like 55, cause I’ve been tagged in five of these things individually 😂

So let’s put it under a read more shall we!

The Rules: 1. Always repost the rules 2. Answer the questions given by the person who tagged you 3. Give 11 questions of your own for people to answer 4. Tag 11 people

I was tagged by @rand0mbookgirl​, @librarian-gone-stray, @mynewbookparadise, @lizziethereader, and @alwaysbringabookwithyou. ❤❤❤❤

@rand0mbookgirl​‘s questions (oops, there are only 10):

1. What’s the book that had the biggest impact on you? Mmm, probably either Speak or Annie on my Mind. Annie on my Mind solidified my sexual identity for me, and Speak was the first book I’ve ever read about sexual assault.

2. What are you passionate about? At this immediate point in my life, succeeding traditionally, achieving all the adult goals I’ve wanted for myself, and comfortably being able to pay the bills.

3. Cats or dogs, and why? Both! Because why not? One is not the opposite of the other.

4. What are you scared of? Losing Tyler (my bf), or losing everything I’ve worked so hard to have going for me.

5. What’s something you regret? I’ve learned to not regret anything in my life.

6. What’s something you want to do before you die? Own my very own library!! (As in - a whole room dedicated to nothing but my collection of books.)

7. What’s the best part of your life so far? The part I’m living through right now. 😊

8. What languages do you speak? Just English. I’m very boring.

9. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? tbh, I don’t really have a set place I want to live, since I’ve always been content to just live where my life might take me.

10. If you entered the lottery and won a million dollars, what would you do with it? Uhhhm put all of it into savings LOL. But then probably treating myself to some really nice shit over time.

@librarian-gone-stray‘s questions:

1. What is your favorite genre? Fantasy! But dystopia and realistic fiction are close seconds.

2. Your favorite author? I don’t have one, just favorite books. Sorry!

3. What would you say to your favorite author if you ever meet them? Hard to say, because I don’t have one. 😓

4. Your favorite trilogy? Mmmm I don’t really think I’ve got one of those either.

5. How often do you visit your library to borrow books? Well I used to WORK there, then it became about once a week or so after I quit.

6. Name a book you finished reading in a day. I think the only one I’ve finished in a day is the entire Hunger Games trilogy - one book per day.

7. Name a book that made you cry a lot. Probably the last Harry Potter book.

8. Name a book you would recommend to your followers. Mmmm probably Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.

9. Do you prefer Kindle or hardcover? Hardcovers, all the time. I don’t mind ebooks at all, but if I have the choice I’ll always pick the print book.

10. If you could marry a fictional character, who would it be? Honestly, lol, I wouldn’t marry anyone because I’m already in love with the very non-fictional man of my dreams, and engagement is in the near future. 😁

11. A book you are planning to buy soon? Probably one of the collectable editions to build up my purdy book collections.

@mynewbookparadise‘s questions:

1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2017? Probably Exit, Pursued by a Bear. Cause I’ve only read like 7 books this year rofl.

2. Favorite reading spot? My bed!

3. Which book universe would you like to be in? Mmmm probably Middle Earth.

4. An overhyped book you didn’t like? I don’t think I’ve read a hyped book and not liked it yet.

5. An understated book? Several of the books I’ve loved ROFL but no off the top of my head there’s Warrior by Marie Brennan, and A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron.

6. What is the first book you can remember reading? UHM. Something Dr. Seuss? I think? I honestly don’t remember, I’ve been reading since I learned how to in Kindergarten.

7. What’s the next book on your TBR? Chasing Before by Lenore Appelhans, according to my drafts.

8. Favorite author? Already covered this. I don’t have one!

9. All time favorite book? The Harry Potter series!

10. Paperback or hardcover? Hardcovers are so much prettier on your shelf, but paperbacks are much easier to hold while reading.

11. Which book or series got you into reading? No book or series got me into reading, the actual act of reading got me into reading.

@lizziethereader‘s questions:

1. What’s your favorite color for a cover? Honestly, as long as the cover art is good, it can be any color.

2. Most read author? I actually had to go look this up - according to Goodreads, Lynne Ewing. (That’s because I marathoned all three of her series when I was in Middle and High school lol)

3. If you read nonfiction, what’s your favorite topic to read about? If you don’t, what nonfiction could you imagine being interested in? Feminism and social issues, usually! Though self-help and psychology interest me too.

4. A book you feel very conflicted about? Uhhmm first one to come to mind is Red Rising, by Pierce Brown. The story was interesting and wonderful but HOLY FUCKING MICROAGRESSIONS BATMAN.

5. A book you wish someone would gift you? Any of the collectables I collect, the newest Throne of Glass book, or the new Wonder Woman book, probably. 😂

6. Which author should write your biography? I don’t know individual styles well enough to really pick one.

7. Your favorite time of day for reading? Anytime I’m alone, it’s quiet, and I have a good long hunk of uninterrupted time.

8. What’s a trope you get really excited about? DIVERSE LADIES KICKING BUTT IN DIVERSE WAYS. AW YISS. (Does that count as a trope?)

9. A book-related pet peeve of yours? When people take pictures of books sitting in snow, with full drinks on top of a stack, or someone standing on a stack. D:

10. Do you like recommending books to friends? Ehh, not really actually, cause I know tastes are entirely different between people and it always makes me sad to hear when a friend doesn’t like a book I love lol, so I usually don’t even try to suggest it.

11. What’s a book-related goal you have? Fill a whole bookcase with nothing but collectable editions!

@alwaysbringabookwithyou‘s questions:

1. Opinion on a book you had to read for school? I liked almost all the books I had to read for school, but honestly I don’t remember which ones I liked or disliked the most. I’ve been out of school for five years lol.

2. What do you do with books you’ve read and will never read again? If I got it from the library, there’s nothing to do in the first place, but if I owned it then I’ll probably donate it to the library.

3. Opinion on cliffhangers? DRIVE ME NUTS. I never read the next book right away so I am not a fan rofl.

4. Morning, afternoon, or night-time reading? Any of the above, as long as I’m left alone!

5. Books set in the country or city? Either, as long as they’re well written.

6. Currently reading? The Book Thief. FOR 5 MONTHS.

7. Next book on your to-read list? Already named it!

8. Magical or realistic? Depends what I’m in the mood for, but usually magical.

9. Reading habits as a child? Mmmm I know I reread books a LOT. I also liked to read out loud to my mom.

10. Do you have a bad book habit? I eat messy foods while reading a lot, which is dangerous for how pristine I need to keep my books. But I’ve gotten very good at keeping them clean anyway!

11. Favorite book so far this year? Already named this one too!

My 11 questions:

Do you tend to snack while reading?

How long does it usually take for you to finish books?

Do you abandon books you don’t like, or stick it through till the end?

What’s the last book you finished?

What’s the best way for you to get out of a reading slump?

How do you like to sort your bookshelves?

How do you react when someone asks if they can borrow one of your books?

Which fictional character do you relate the most to?

Do you get easily distracted while reading?

How do you decide on which book to read next?

What kinds of books are you looking for more of these days?

I will tag: @holly-reads • @thirtysecondsofforever • @herbookstacks • @artremiss • @city-of-fiction • @tilly-and-her-books • @taylorreadsbooks • @bookswithcaffeine • @bigcats-birds-and-books • @sixmonthsandgone • @readcommendations

#tagging games

[cryptoriawebb]

I finally saw the music video for Raise Your Banner  (how did I miss it???) and Holy Dystopia Batman I have chills. 

#how do they do it #this entire album is a work of art #within temptation #withintemptation #raise your banner #resist #whispersfromthecrypt

[techfeels]

Facebook Unveils ‘Spaces’

Video of Facebook Spaces in action #F8 https://t.co/He1j5oIVsA pic.twitter.com/0swNSxibnx

— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) 18 April 2017

Holy dystopia, Batman!

Worst. Idea. Ever.

#facebook #spaces #augmented reality

[dre-d-00-blog]

Mid-Season thoughts on Altered Carbon (SPOILER FREE)

So work is finally slowing down and I can relax and get back to work here.

Over the last day or so, I rewatched the first five episodes of Altered Carbon on Netflix. Being someone who has not read the book (I'm more of a Gibson and P.K. Dick guy tbh), I was simply drawn in by the fact that every. single. vaguely. cyberpunk. group. I’m. In on the web would not shut up about it. So I started it right after it first dropped and like I always do, I get distracted and forget about it.

So I got back to it, took a few notes along the way, and just soaked it all in.

First off, after the soul-crushing abomination that was Live-Action Death Note (which from hereon and henceforth, does not exist), My faith in Netflix original productions was low (and that's being nice), but I put that aside and jumped feet-first and tried to enjoy it, and Holy Shit....

First off.... the visual style of this show...  By Wintermute is it beautiful. I know AC is relatively new in terms of CP literature (2002 according to wiki. To put that into perspective, Neuromancer came out in 1984, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? came out in 1968), and most newer Cyberpunk has a (rather) clean, more traditional sci-fi kinda feel to it, Think the newer Deus Ex games. But AC seems to go right back to the real ‘High tech - Low Life’ feel we all know and love! It reminded me personally of the visualizations I made when reading Neuromancer. It’s clearly got a modern feel to it, this really shines when you compare it to Blade Runner or the Stallone Judge Dred movie, but still manages to keep that techno-dystopia/Overgrown Urban/ HOLY NEON BATMAN environmental feel that makes me giddy as a Japanese schoolgirl.

The overall theme and tone of the series remind me a lot of Neuromancer again. It’s dark, it's gritty, there's a lot of bloody violence, techno-sabotage, sex, and the show unto this point has just been trying to unravel one massive conspiracy and to find out what the blessed fornication is really going on here, and our poor protagonist is caught in the middle.

As for how the plot holds up to the book, I can’t tell you. But unless season 2 takes a total dump and goes all Attack Of The Clones on us, I will be looking to add AC to my library, then maybe I’ll write about it. But the short version of the plot is that our rouge protagonist Takeshi Kovacs is a criminal who is released from prison and has to solve a murder. If he can solve the murder, he will be a free man and given a massive chunk of change.

But there is a twist... Takeshi was hired to solve the murder, by the guy who was murdered! Like how in Ghost In The Shell people can transfer their ghosts (consciousness) from one shell (body) to another (and yes... that's where the name comes from), a similar idea exists in AC. But rather than having a Cyberbrain that stores the Ghost and it can be transferred to and from anybody that has the right augmentations, In AC they have what are called ‘Cortical Stacks’. These are little disk looking like things that are implanted at the base of the skull and store the person's consciousness and allow it to be ‘needlecasted’ to any other body that has an Empty Stack. This also means that when someone’s body or sleeve dies, they can be ‘respun’ in a new sleeve and just keep going through life. Assuming their stack in intact.

The story goes Takeshi is hired by a guy named Bancroft to solve his own murder. Bancroft has a system where is consciousness is ‘backed up’ every so often. But Bancroft was murdered right before his next scheduled back-up. So he was able to be respun from the backup, but his memories from after that backup were lost. So he basically does not remember who killed him. So he hires Takeshi to find whodunit.

All while Takeshi is trying to solve the murder, he is being tracked down by a police officer, Officer Kristin Ortega, Why is she literally stalking Takeshi? That part seemed a bit hard to follow at first aside from she was just curious about why Takeshi was respun. But eventually, she ends up jumping on and helping Takeshi solve the murder.

I feel I’ve ranted long enough. Plus, saying anything else will just lead to spoilers.

So, end of the day.

Do I like the show so far? Yes. Is my Faith in Netflix original productions restored? Partially. Do I recommend Altered Carbon? Yes. With a few caveats.

Obviously, the show is really mature. Like I said above, there’s blood, guts, violence, gunplay, explosions, sex, and entire mini-arc that's nothing but Takeshi breaking out of a torture program. I’m not easily disgusted, but that was taxing even for me... So if your a fan of mature, gritty sci-fi, have the stomach for some bloody torture, and like the idea of AI Edger Allan Poe running a hotel (didI mention that part...?) then go right ahead and jump in! But if you don’t like the really graphic imagery and themes presented, then you can pass this one like gas station sushi!

That's my rant for today. Have a good day Tumblr! I may post something else later today to make up for my absence due to work... anyhow until then Cya!

D-0

[swipestream]

My Little Pony: Beyond Good and Evil

This is a guest post written by Alex Stump:

My two little brothers have been watching My Little Pony for a long time now. I watched a couple episodes (and also the unholy spin-off series Equestria Girls) and I’ll be 100% honest…My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic is a really good show. But don’t get the wrong idea, I’m not coming out as a Brony. I, as an 18-year-old man have better things to do then obsessing over a show made for seven year olds. Which really fascinates me, what is it about this kid’s series that attracts so many young adults? It’s a question that has been going around since the show premiered and the most widely accepted questions/theories I’ve seen are:

A) People like MLP for the same reason people like Star Trek or Firefly.

B) These people had terrible childhoods and they watch MLP to experience the childhood they never had.

C) These people had awesome childhoods and watch MLP because it gives them a sense of nostalgia.

And D) People watch MLP because they’re mentally handicapped.

These answers have some truth to them but I find them to be mostly flawed…So how about I give you my own answer to the question. Sure, everyone has his or her own reason for watching, but I think there’s a unifying reason why. You see I believe the reason why MLP is so popular and why it stands out in the entertainment industry is because the show has a “thing”.

What is this “thing” you ask? Well, this “thing” is very important to fiction. It goes all the way back to ancient times. It was prevalent in the 20th century but sadly is being abused and forgotten in the 21st century. Let me give you some examples:

(Example 1) The Adventures of Robin Hood is a 1938 film staring Errol Flynn and tells the tale of Robin Hood and his merry men. This movie has great action scenes,

good acting, amazing sets, and is quite possibly the happiest go lucky movie I’ve ever seen. Seriously, this film is so happy I dare you to watch it without smiling. Robin and his merry men are tons of fun to watch. They’re funny, smart and most of all virtuous. The women are great too, they’re modest, beautiful and don’t complain about the traditional family structure. Just about every character in the film has an enjoyable personality. We see medieval society portrayed in a mostly positive light, which is nice to see. Even religion gets a good light and in the end everyone lives happily ever after.

The movie’s really good; it’s a beloved classic for a reason. (Seriously, this movie’s good. If you haven’t watched it already, WATCH IT!!!)

Now let’s talk about the 2010 Robin Hood movie directed by Ridley Scott.  This film isn’t what you’ll call happy.  Robin Hood is not a righteous nobleman but a lying criminal who desserts the holy crusade and fights the evil stereotypical French. The women are awful, the church and medieval society are both portrayed in a negative light and the rest of the movie is just dark, gritty and forgettable. Guess what? The movie wasn’t well received, with critics like Roger Ebert calling the movie “innocence and joy draining away from movies.” Now there’s a new Robin Hood movie coming out this year and apparently it’s yet another dark and gritty take on the Robin Hood story. Just what the masses wanted, am I right? (Example 2) Superman! Who doesn’t know the man of steel? He is the most well known superhero in the DCU. His origin story’s an all-time classic; he is a common role model for kids and adults, his sidekicks and super villains are good. Most importantly, he saves kittens stuck on trees. Even if you don’t like Superman, nobody can deny the cultural significance he has all over the world. He is more then just a superhero, he is the superhero…In the new Superman movies however, and he is anything but a superhero. In the DC cinematic multiverse, Superman’s a nihilist, he fails to save people, kills his enemies, and lets his emotions get the better of him. He treats his life as a superhero not as a duty, but a curse. When Superman (spoiler alert!) dies in Batman v Superman nobody gives an anti-life equation, because that guy on screen is not the man who has everything. What happened to the Superman?

(Final Example): Star Wars is one of the greatest space operas ever made. A movie with amazing characters, a classic story and groundbreaking special effects. They’re movies that pay homage to Akira Kurosawa and the serials from the 30s and 40s. A story that borrows from East Asian philosophy and the archetypes of Joseph Campbell. A story with a great amount of historical symbolism, ranging from WW2, the French Revolution and the Roman Empire. Yet with all of the complexity and metaphor, the original Star Wars trilogy (and to some extent the prequels) is nothing more than simple kids movies…the new films by Disney I wouldn’t call simple. The new movies lazily rehash the plots from the original films but without the symbolism and archetypes. The new heroes are either too perfect or too flawed, there’s pretty obvious political messages floating around and all the original characters we know and love have forgotten everything they learned from Jedi and they all die. Don’t complain though, because filmmaker JJ Abrams will call you sexist for not liking the movies. (It makes you wonder what goes on behind the scenes.)

So, what exactly is this “thing” that My Little Pony, Star Wars, Robin Hood, and Superman have in common that their modern day remakes and sequels lack?

Heroism. No, really. Heroism or just simply, the heroic character is the most common archetype in storytelling and the most important. People naturally draw themselves towards heroes because they represent some kind of greater good, whether it be, faith, bravery, hope, charity and yes…friendship. When done correctly, the heroic character becomes a timeless icon. I mean look at my examples again. Superman is good not because of his superpowers but because of his character. Superman’s an immigrant, a stranger who uses his alien powers to help others. He stands for truth, justice, and the American way. No matter how bad the situation is, he never kills people. (For more on this subject, watch the animated movie Superman vs. the Elite or read the comic book it’s based on.)

Robin Hood (from The Adventures of Robin Hood) is a great character not just for his romantic, charismatic personality but also for what he’s fighting for. He fights an illegitimate authority and wants to return King Richard back to the throne of England. He believes him to be the rightful king, and he will sacrifice everything in order to get him back. Robin Hood knows he’ll bring a good, just government to England.

And Star Wars is a classic tale of good defeating evil, growing up into adulthood, redemption, and a tale of low-lifes becoming great heroes. Let’s look at Han Solo for a minute. Sure people talk about how cool Han Solo is like how he shot-first but in my opinion that’s not what makes him an amazing character. In the beginning of A New Hope, he’s a jerk to Luke. He doesn’t believe in the Force. He’s not a man of honor and only cares about money. However he slowly starts to care about Luke and Leia and discovers faith in the Force and after going through so much trouble and getting everything he wanted. He comes backs to save Luke, allowing him to destroy the Death Star. Despite not being a man of the book he is still a hero inside. Which if you really think about the real hero in the original trilogy it is Han, not Luke.

People look up to these heroes because they inspire us. Not to put on capes, overwears and conduct vigilantism, no, but to never give up hope, to always take up virtue and to know that good always triumphs…which really lacks in modern day entertainment. A lot of modern storytellers don’t understand heroism and don’t know why it’s so important to many classics. The new Superman movies suck because they don’t have any of Superman’s trademark heroism. Like I said, he kills the bad guys, he fails to save people and loses control of his emotions. That’s not a hero. The new Star Wars movies suck because all of the new characters are these god-like Neanderthals who have no reliability that made the original characters great. No all of them are sad old people who don’t learn anything. In fact, many remakes and sequels of classic stories are sad in tone when their originals were not-why is this? Well we all know why, it’s all because of the postmodern viewpoint that heroism is a fantasy and in real life everything that makes a hero doesn’t exist. Such a worldview is really bad and it shows in many original stories today. I mean look around you, fiction’s so dark it’s become commonplace for a piece of entertainment to take place in a post-apocalyptic world or dystopia where all authority is bad, all hope is lost, God doesn’t exist and the only thing that’s metaphysical is politics. There aren’t any heroes, only cynical, morally ambiguous, deeply flawed characters with little to no sympathy.  When the day is saved and the bad guy is defeated it usually ends on a very bitter note like nothing was every achieved. Does that sound entertaining to you?

Plus, when you get right down to it, a lot of these stories are shockingly bad. Many fields of entertainment aren’t being made by talented people but by executives who only care about money. Their writing is lazy, quality over substance, completely mindless with characters that are either one dimensional to two-dimensional, which writers try to hide it by making them inherently flawed. Now an inherently flawed characters is perfectly normal as long is there’s some sort of payoff or balance, However tons of writers today fail on both, causing audiences to feel alienated from the protagonist because the story literally gave them reasons not care about his or her struggles. Mix that all up with a problematic imagination and an unsubtle political agenda and you get a match made in limbo. Again, a lot of these problems come from this false interpretation of heroes not being real. Of course heroes are real. Anyone can be a hero. We enjoy fictional heroes because they remind us that good exist; If there is no hero, then there’s no value, if there’s no value then people don’t care and if people don’t care then the story is forgotten and then lost in time. I know every story can be different In form but the most popular formula is about heroes saving the day which is being desecrated in the modern era…

However-and I can’t believe I’m about to say this (or write this) My Little Pony is the exception. In the show, heroism isn’t ignored or perverse but accepted. The characters do heroic acts and they’re celebrated for it. Almost every character is nice, trustworthy and never cynical or morally ambiguous. The world they inhabit isn’t nasty, but a beautiful place, one that’ll make you wish you lived there. The show promotes many positive messages with a huge focus on friendship being the best ever, and no matter how dark the show gets (and believe me the show can get surprisingly dark at times) none of the heroes give up hope and they all lives happily ever after.

Plus, the show is well made. It’s not created by greedy executives but by talented people who’ve been working on cartoons for decades. The dialogue is funny, most of the episodes are smart, the characters are well-developed, the music and animation is surprisingly great and the show’s smart enough to not go P.C. Compare this to other television shows like The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Big Bang Theory, The Handmaids Tale and every show on the CW, MLP is one of the few TV shows that’s actually good. Wouldn’t you agree?

I think the reason why so many young adults watch MLP is because many of them are so tired and fed up with how much fiction has merged with postmodernism and choose to watch this simple kids show, Not only for being smart and entertaining, but also celebrating something many of them haven’t seen in a long time…and that’s a story of good people doing good things…But hey, that’s just a theory! A game-wait a minute? What’d you guys think? Was my theory on the brony phenomenon absolutely right, absolutely wrong or was it missing a couple of points?

  My Little Pony: Beyond Good and Evil published first on https://medium.com/@ReloadedPCGames