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aboutzatanna · 2 years

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The Complete History of Zatanna Pre Nu52 (Part 4/5)

Part One: Zatanna’s Search and early JL appearances

https://aboutzatanna.tumblr.com/post/681965359351431168/the-complete-history-of-zatanna-pre-nu52-part

Part Two: Sindella’s Story https://aboutzatanna.tumblr.com/post/681965523590873088/the-complete-history-of-zatanna-pre-nu52-part

Part Three: New Look, meeting Raven, losing her powers, becoming League chairwoman: https://aboutzatanna.tumblr.com/post/681965703663960064/the-complete-history-of-zatanna-pre-nu52-part

Part 4: The Detroit Era

The Detroit Era

So like I said earlier, Aquaman disbands the JL and this would mark the end of the 'Satellite' era and beginning of the Detroit era. Aquaman wanted to reform the League but this time with members who can commit full time to the job. J'onn has nowhere else to go so he opts to stay with Aquaman's League and from the Satellite team, the only ones who stayed are Zatanna and Elongated Man plus Sue Dibney. They are soon joined by Vixen, Citizen Steel (aka Hank Heywood who gives them their new HQ), Vibe and later on, Cynthia Reynolds (who had the problematic code name 'Gypsy'). Plus Dale Gunn, who was the 'guy in the chair/sometimes in a powered armor' person of the team. This new League was very controversial at the time and would go through many fluctuations.

Aquaman was a major jerk during this period (probably paving the way for the grittier takes on him in the 90's), he was separated from Mera and he was gung-ho about making sure the new League functioned and the kids were in line. (Honestly, MM was a much more sensible leader at the time).

As for Zee, she was an experienced Leaguer at this point, and early on acted as a buffer between Aquaman and the newly inducted League members like for instance Hank Heywood:

Source: JLA #234

Here is her talking to Hank and realizing just how effed his life is:

She initially struck up a fast friendship with Vixen:

Source: JLA #233.

Unfortunately, they both get into a love triangle by competing for the same man; Dale Gunn. Suddenly, Zee is jealous of Mari but Mari ends up winning the love triangle.

Source: JLA #239

(Yes, that’s Dale.)

After he above page, the whole romantic sub plot is dropped (I like to pretend it never happened) and both Zee and Mari’s subsequent interactions portray them more as teammates with no lingering jealousy.

(You would think the Zatanan being a homo magic and Vixen getting her powers from a magic totem, there would be more interesting storylines to tackle than showing them competing for a middle aged dude.)

Source: JLA #242

Source; JLA #247

Honestly, I can see what Gerry was trying to do here: a smaller, more grounded JLA team with more drama and angst and even heroes who can be flawed. Plus more sex. Its meant to shake things up like Cap's Kooky Quartet did for the Avengers but I don't think it really worked in this case. There is the perpetual feeling of something missing with this JL. Vibe and Cynthia just doesn't do it for me. The only new member I really like here is Vixen so if I were to recommend this run it would be if you were a Vixen fan and wanted to see her origin and her fighting her evil uncle/archenemy which is covered in #234, #235 and #239). The run does have it's impact however, as it's the first time we see a more hard ass Aquaman, MM becoming the team's conscious and later when Batman becomes the leader we see him acting more like how modern versions of him act on the League (in the 60-80′s period, writers had no idea what to do with him on the League). The seeds of what you will see in Morrison's JLA and the JLU cartoon are planted throughout this volume.

Anyway, in #246, the JLDetroit is evicted from their Detroit HQ. The League members move to NY. While on the plane, Zatanna reveals to J’onn that she had a premonition in an earlier that the League would unravel soon.

Later when the League is gathered at Vixen’s apartment, she reveals that she is going to Greenwich Village to search for a friend that she sublet her apartment to who is now missing. This search would lead to Zatanna's last major story arc in a Justice League comic.

After JLA #246, her next chronological appearance was in Swamp Thing #49 and #50 where we learn that she dated John Constantine at 'some point in the past', Giovanni doesn't approve and so he goes with them to the fateful seance which resulted in Giovanni's death.

So likely, she went to her father’s place after leaving Vixen’s apartment, then sometime after her father was killed, she appeared in Hawkman Vol 2 #4 written by Tony Isabella with art by Richard Howell.

.... (a reference to her debut in Hawkman Vol 1 #4) and then afterwards she continued her investigation for the missing girl. Since she jumped into JL action right after her mother’s funeral, it’s not out of bounds for Zee to do this since she leaped right back to action after her mothers death as well.

Zee's story in JL continues; in JLA #247-249 she appears in a couple of pages of each issue of Zee trying to find the missing girl from her apartment. The timeline I figure it, is that she went to her fathers place after dropping by in Vixen’s place then after his death, continued her search for her father.

Once again, Gerry gives equal billing to both Zatara and Sindella when Zatanna's parents are brought up.

In JLA #250: she finally manages to track down the girl to a yacht. Turns out the girl was part of a cult and they had laid a trap from Zatanna. Taken by surprise, Zee is knocked out. The cult leader is a creepy guy named Adam.

In JLA #251: we see Zee stripped and tied to a table with all kinds of machinery hovering around her. The cult leader, Adam, wants to extract what makes Zee a Homo Magi in order to give himself her powers.

Brrrr...talk about creepy.

JLA #252:

In JLA #255: we see her again, drugged and cuffed to a bed with a nurse watching her 24/7. We get confirmation that this story line takes place after Giovanni's death since Zee claims she can 'hear' her father's ghost.

Zee manages to summon the JL for help but when they get there:

Poor Zee. :(

#256-257 would be the finale of this story arc. Zatanna succeeds in summoning Martian Manhunter and Cynthia who also brings her friends with her to where Zee is. JM DeMattis takes over as writer for this and the following issue and boy is it a trip. (Side note, DeMattis also wrote the second half of JLD Vol1).

Source: #256:

After regaining consciousness, Zatanna explains what happened and when the group confronts Adam, they find something has gone wrong:

So it turns out our boy Adam has bit on more power than he could handle. According to Zatanna, Adam has tapped into the kind of power that other Homo Magi can only dream of achieving; his subconscious ego has made contact with what is known as 'the Godhead' (basically God) and becoming aware of everything, and I do mean everything, is rapidly consuming his ego and would eventually leave him as nothing but a shell. So now, Zatanna has to travel into Adam's mind and separate him from the Godhead. We also see that even J'onn can be a jerk at times. Yes, how dare Zatanna be reluctant to save someone who kidnapped and experimented on her.

From 257:

So Zee travels into Adam's mind, first with Cynthia by her side and then when things begin to get dangerous, she casts Cynthia out of Adam's mind and begins to go even deeper. We get some gorgeous trippy visuals by artist Luke McDonnell:

Throughout this trip Zatanna can hear her father's voice occasionally guiding her through the most difficult places . During this trip, MM has his hands on Adam's and is serving as Zee's tether to the mortal world, meanwhile Adam's powers are causing reality around the room to constantly change.

Zee finally makes it to Adam's ego (guided by her father and as per MM, it really is his ghost) and witnesses the Godhead and then she....surrenders to it. Zee is thrown back into the real world, unharmed but it's clearly she's changed. Adam is changed as well. They are both in this zen like calmness. We get the very first instance of Zee doing a mindwipe; she erases the memory of the event from a friend of Cynthia's whose been freaking out the entire issue. Though it's not a full mindwipe, Zatanna claims that Cynthia's friend will regain those memories when her mind is prepared for it.

Both Adam and Zatanna have seen everything that ever was and ever will be and with only each other to share that experience with, they both hold hands and disappear in a flashing light. Zatanna promises to return and that would be her last appearance in JLoA Vol 1. MM and the rest of the Leaguers are left confused and unsettled by this as any sane person would be but before they can ponder of this any further, they get swept up in the next big inter title cross over.

I'm not a fan of Zatanna running off with the guy who kidnapped and experimented on her even if they did have a mutual spiritual experience. It doesn't help that while she is inside of his mind, there is a sequence where Zatanna meets what the narrator called 'the manifestation of her ideal man' and it looks Adam and for a second she actually falls for it before rejecting it. The fact that she got written off the title so abruptly probably has to do with the overarching arc of this version of the League getting disbanded. After Zee disappears, Vibe and Citizen Steel are killed off, Vixen retires and in the same issue, MM disbands the League for good. This volume of JLoA came to an end at #261 and to my knowledge no JL run since has surpassed Vol 1's numbers.

Zatanna's story is picked up in Spectre Vol 2 #7-8 written by Doug Monech with art by Cam Kennedy and it is very much a retcon meant to undo everything that happened in her last JL story. Adam dies in the first page, the Godhead is revealed to be a illusion by Wotan (a Dr Fate villain and possibly one of the first trans coded characters in DC) but John Zatara's ghost was real and it was him guiding Zatanna while she was in Adam's mind. This is also probably one of the most bizarre Zatanna stories ever written as the main plot is about Zatanna's limbs disappearing (although she can still feel them) and then replaced with facsimiles by Wotan so he can use her to enter into the real world. Zatanna runs to Madame Xanadu for help (the latter was the Spectre's co-lead in this volume).

It’s probably the most bizarre Zatanna story ever written, at some point, we even see Zatanna reduced to just a head and limbs while the Spectre chases the Demon's Three (who is carrying her real body like a mannequin) through the sewers. The story ends with Zatanna fully restored and she gets to say goodbye to her father's ghost. (Side note: I think this is the first time we see Zatanna and Madame Xanadu interact. They were in the cross over with the Adjudicator in WW's tile but didn't get to interact. This Spectre run would be the basis of Matt Wagner and Amy Reeder's 'Madame Xanadu' series where we learn that Xanadu and John Zatara had a sexual relationship in the past, long before Zatara met Sindella. I firmly believe that if Zatanna is to have a mentor besides her father, Madame Xanadu would be the best option.

Zatanna guest star a couple of times in this volume of Spectre, teaming up with other magical users under the guidance of Madame Xanadu like a proto JLD team albeit with no John Constantine.

And finally, in 1987, the 64 pages long Zatanna Special was released. It pulls from nearly every story I've recapped here. It features the return of Jeff Sloan, the Hidden City, Sindella, John Zatara and so much more. To bring things full circle, the story is illustrated by Gray Morrow who also illustrated the 1977 'DC Super Stars of Magic' story. DC recently released a digitally recoloured version of the Special on Comixology but I recommend trying to find a copy of the book in it's original colouring. Since I think the original colouring serves the mood of the story and art much better:

The story is most likely written by Gerry Conway but there is no credit given for reasons unknown. There are a few guesses as to why; I think this was originally meant to be a mini series or even a full blown ongoing. In the JLA letter columns (around the time Zatanna became chairwoman) one of the readers asks about her and the editor replies that Conway is working on a mini series and had turned in his scripts for it. It's possible that it was scripts for what would become this Special. Maybe Conway had his name taken off because he wasn't happy with the finale result or the story got changed too much for his liking so he didn't want his name on it. Having re-read this Special for this post, I have to say, not even 64 pages feel long enough for all the story here. It's not a bad story though.

To summarize ; Zatanna is performing at one of her shows when she begins to receive messages from her mother from beyond the grave. She returns to Shadowcrest with her stage manager/love interest, Jeffery Sloan. Realizing that it has something to do with her people, Zatanna and Jeffery Sloan travel to the Hidden City, facing many obstructions along the way sent by an unseen figure. She returns to her mothers city to find that many of it's inhabitants are dying of a magic related illness.

It's an interesting conflict, these are the same people that kidnapped Sindella and kept her trapped in the tower. Zatanna helps save her mother's people and then goes on a journey to find the 'true source of magic'. This leads to her going through a portal with Jeff but the unseen figure interferes again and she wakes up back at her mansion with everything seemingly fine until she something is very, very, wrong. This leads into a great sequence drawn by Gray Morrow when Zatanna realizes that she is under an illusion and finally meets the villain whose obstructing her:

Oh hey, Allura. Long time no see.

Zatanna is initially beaten and left for dead by her enemy but with her mother's help, she confronts despair, beats Allura and discovers the true source of magic; life itself. At the end of the story she is seen walking away with Jeff while the ghosts of her mother and father look on.

I will do a longer post on this special in the near future but for now, I think the main problem is it does feel like a bigger story that’s cut down to pieces. Like imagine a 2 hour movie getting edited down to 45 minutes. Still, I would recommend it to anyone interested in the character. I think even with 64 pages, the story could have worked but then again I have no idea what went on behind-the-scenes. If I had to make any suggestions, I think having the Homo Magi plot line resolved in the middle of story lowered the stakes too much. I would cut down on some of the Zee/Jeff scenes and then have her and him track down the 'source of magic' as a way to cure the Magi while still facing obstruction from Allura whose also looking for the same thing. Also maybe explore Zee's internal conflict with trying to save the people who separated her from her mother.

As for Allura, like I mentioned in a previous post, the only problem with Allura is her lack of motivation. We don't know why she hates the Zatara's so much, just that she does and that she would do anything to ruin their lives. We don’t why she is a ‘dark elemental’ and why she can’t exist on earth without a physical host. Sadly, Allura disappeared into the limbo after this and nobody has used her since. A pity, because I think she has a lot of potential and I love the idea of Zatanna having an arch enemy.

So to sum up, Zatanna went from a girl searching for her missing father to becoming a powerful sorceress and stage magician who forms a close bond with so many heroes. She holds herself to a high standard and sometimes forgets her own strength but she often plays a pivotal role in saving the day. She may have saved the world but she failed to save the two people dearest to her; her parents.

That's her story. There is often talk about what the female heroes journey looks like and Zatanna offers one possibility of it. Yes, some of these stories aren't perfect but the main problem is that they aren't retold and revitalized. The reason why all your favorites (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, etc) remain relevant is because their stories are often updated for newer generations, often in solo settings. The main problem is that for a long time she didn't get an ongoing where she could have truly shined and later writers either forgot or didn't really research her history so they end up referencing only a couple of stories and ignore her overall history. My overall point is that 'Zatanna's arc' isn't something that we have to keep waiting for. It's something that's already been conceived and written. The blue print is already there. It just needs to be dusted off and with a few tweaks here and there, it could be something special.

Part 5: The Zatanna in the 90′s and early 00′s plus Identity Crisis plus my thoughts on her depiction in YJ and JLD.

https://aboutzatanna.tumblr.com/post/681966574271381504/the-complete-history-of-zatanna-pre-nu52-part

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superbatson · 3 years

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some zsjl thoughts that i finally want to share before i go be responsible and do schoolwork:

BARRY ALLEN IS MY SON!!! he's so much better in this movie and still funny without being cringe and he said jewish autistic introvert rights and i just adore him

victor is also the sweetest boy i would like to adopt him as well (am i drawn to boys with daddy issues? you bet)

JOKER, holy shit, he almost stole the movie for me??? at least was such a standout in the knightmare that he became one of my favorite characters in the film. i love everyone but wow, he was phenomenal. leto is the scariest but also funniest joker by far

the SHIP, my god, there's so many of them???? i literally ship barry/everyone but also bruce/diana, diana/alfred, barry/victor, victor/clark, BRUCE/JOKER (the reach around line jfc), lex/slade, bruce/clark obviously, bruce/arthur... the possibilities are endless

the green lantern teases got me YELLING!!! i really hoped for a cameo from hal (played by ryan reynolds) and i was bummed we didn't get it but that's why we gotta #restorethesnyderverse 'cause i want me some dceu lanterns

i also have to say steppenwolf is kind of adorable, like he's a great villain and his design/armor his badass but his face and expressions are very cute and baby just wants his uncle darkseid's approval (i think they're uncle/nephew???? but idk for sure)

oh and zeus is a zaddy and apparently his actor has an onlyfans and i saw some pics 👀

only thing i didn't love was arthur but mostly bc his origin here was different from his solo movie and it wasn't necessarily bad, it was just different and it threw me off a little 'cause i didn't fully understand it at first. i'll probably grow to like it more through rewatches. also his characterization too, i'm glad he wasn't reduced to a comic relief character but i also expected a little more humor from him but ah well, again, it'll grow on me. mera was serving though, i actually really liked the choice to give the atlanteans british accents and that way they communicated with whale noises underwater was pretty cool.

#zack snyder's justice league #zsjl spoilers #reviews #eh sorta #i can't give the movie a 10 but it's definitely a solid 9/9.5 #i don't think any movies are 10s though bc perfection doesn't exist #i'll say i scored batb 2017 about the same and that's become one of my favorite films ever so #that score for zsjl is high praise coming from me

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alifevel · 7 years

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The legends of uncharted tombs. Part 2.

#lara croft #tomb raider #underwater city #ryan reynolds #jessica biel #blade trinity #mera #amber heard #hannibal king #abigail whistler #frpg

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sparrowsabre7 · 3 years

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Thoughts on the Snyder Cut Chapter 6 of 6

The awful “you smell good” line is changed back to the original “you spoke” which clearly couldn’t be used in the Josstice cut since dark Superman was a lot more chatty there, whereas he is entirely silent in the Snyder Cut to this moment.

We take a bit more time to breathe on Clark’s return before going into the Batcave for what I think is the first time as a group in this version. I actually quite enjoyed Barry whizzing round the cave in Josstice as a bit of humour that actually made sense to me. Here he just says “wow!” which is now coloured a little by the death mere minutes before or his new friend’s dad...

There is a nice “This is Alfred, I work for him” from Bruce and Alfred despairing of where he’s going to find enough tea cups, a wry commentary on the fact he’s never really needed more than 2.

More breathing with Clark, though this movie seems to do nothing but breathe sometimes... he mentions Lois’s ring which I don’t think was brought up in Josstice, but despite spending more time with Lois, the moment still doesn’t really feel earned. Martha is then reunited with her boy too, again feeling unearned since this is actually the first we see of her this film.

Bruce acknowledges the dream sequences from Batman V Superman in a scene that adds nothing but act as an ominous teaser before they embark on the Flying Fox (fixed by Cyborg in another addition with little actual purpose not least because the exchange between Cyborg and Bruce makes no sense “It wanted to fly, it’s in her nature” “Yours too” - we’ve already seen Cyborg fly like 20 times already). We get a brief planning scene and then it’s off to the final boss!

But not before we have another fatherly advice montage - this time for Clark from the disembodied voices of his two dads as he sadly wanders around the ship before emerging in the infamous silver and black suit.

This scene is nice though, mirroring the emergence from “Man of Steel” and showcasing his improved mastery of flight, paying homage to the films that came before. Ah spoke too soon, ruined with a jesus shot that smacks you over the head so hard you’ll get concussion.

The team disembarks and zooms into battle, the batmobile sequence is still a highlight and I don’t think much has changed from it, nothing that jumped out at me at least.

There’s a scene added back in with Clark visiting Alfred, which was on the original disc as a deleted scene. I understood why it was deleted then and it adds little here too, save for logistically explaining how Superman knows where the team is.

Wonder Woman, Cyborg and Aquaman confront Steppenwolf. REALLY fucking sick of that wail now. This doesn’t seem dramatically altered, meanwhile Barry is off doing a big run to charge up Cyborg.

While this may have more narrative purpose than the saving the Russian family scene from Josstice (which I loathed, that family sideplot was SO dumb) it still relegates Barry to basically not doing much. Also, he gets tripped up by a blast from a gun, he’s faster than fucking sound, there should be no reason he got hit by that. Also, oh my goodness is Ezra Miller (who is otherwise pretty solid) gurning it up over his injury...

Superman appears and it is a lot more badass than in the 2017 cut, but it does IMMEDIATELY raise the question (again) of what is the point of the other League members. He tears Steppenwolf apart with greater ease than he fought Zod or Doomsday and yet, this guy is meant to be this incredible force to be reckoned with.

Meanwhile the mother box pulling apart doesn’t go so well, so all the other Leaguers literally stand and watch as Cyborg fails to pull them apart waiting on Barry as a portal to Darkseid opens. The boxes explode and Barry goes back in time to undo it, forcing me to ask again, my god, why DOES he move his arms like that when he runs?

Jesus we’re still 30 minutes from the end and we’re still doing vision sequences fuck me. I am so tired now. I just want it to end.

Ok the mother boxes are freaky demons in the vision showing Victor a life he could have. He ultimately rejects it and pushes them apart with Superman’s help (this seems to take basically no effort on Superman’s part compared with Josstice where it knocked both of them to the ground.) They then decapitate the basically beaten Steppenwolf (and use what I hope to christ is the last Amazon wail) for the body to fly through the portal and the team to have a good stareoff with Darkseid before he teases a now defunct sequel with generic bad guy statements.

A very slow mo team pose closes out the battle and still doesn’t accomplish the same level of “fuck yeah” in 1 minute and 34 seconds (I counted) that “Avengers” did in 10 seconds with the 360 degree shot.

The epilogue begins and Cyborg magics his dad’s tape recorder back together to listen to his message. I don’t know how, I guess because he’s part motherbox? Arthur heads off to find his own solo movie, hopping in the back of a truck amusingly paralleling the scene in “Endgame” where Hulk visits New Asgard (though unintentional of course). Ryan Choi is there to remind us Ryan Choi was in this movie. Bruce and Alfred set up the Hall of Justice which seems unchanged, and then Barry showing his father he’s got a job in a crime lab, which now has added “foot in the door” content. Bruce helps Clark’s mum move back in, “I did a mistake” and “bought the bank” quotes still intact. Wonder Woman looks mournfully at the amazon arrow (sans wail) and then Barry manages to look even sillier when running. Batman stands atop the bat-tank from “The Dark Knight Returns” in another neat piece of fanservice that makes little sense, before Clark removes his specs and rips open his shirt to the S; something which definitely has less of an impact in the black and silver than in the red, blue, and yellow.

We now come to the post-credity end of the movie (even though it’s pre-credits) with Luthor having escaped jail. Deathstroke also heads up to Luthor’s yacht as in Josstice’s post-credits but the context is changed dramatically, with it being about a personal hit on Batman (who took Slade’s eye apparently) rather than building the legion of doom.

Ok, boy, still not done, more endings than Return of the King this one. We’ve jumped into the Knightmare world again, apropos of nothing. IN fairness, trenchcoat Batman is absolutely a look. Mera and Cyborg are there because reasons. As is Jared Leto Joker who sounds and overacts like an anime villain. A reacharound joke. hilarious. I actually tried defending Leto’s Joker back in the Suicide Squad era, but there’s no salvaging him. I wanted to give it the benefit of the doubt but he’s just so cringeworthy. Oh apparently Harley Quinn is dead in this timeline. Batman also says “make no mistake I will fucking kill you” with all the conviction of a man establishing his consumer rights to a no questions asked refund. Ok Deathstroke is there too. With a mohawk. Barry has his time travel armour from BVS and then Superman shows up.

Bruce now wakes up (jesus fuck, let it END) and Martian Manhunter is at his window which doesn’t seem to phase Bruce in the slightest, dispensing “an army is coming, we need to fight” platitudes. Ben Affleck seems to be playing this scene like he’s Ryan Reynolds (and tbh that’s actually working for me).

And it’s over. I’ve ranted long enough here so I will summarise in a final post

#snyder cut #justice league #films #reviews

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ao3feed-westallen · 4 years

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In Every Universe

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/3c0T7IY

by wanderingflash567

The Original Timeline, if Eobard Thawne hadn't screwed everything up.

Barry will become the Flash.... Eventually.

Words: 926, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: The Flash (TV 2014)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: F/M

Characters: Barry Allen, Iris West, Cisco Ramon, cynthia Reynolds, Ronnie Raymond, Caitlin Snow, Victor Stone, Linda Park, Wally West, Jesse Chambers, Oliver Queen, Laurel Lance, John Diggle, Thea Queen, Roy Harper, Felicity Smoak, Ray Palmer, Kara Danvers, J'onn J'onzz, Alex Danvers, Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, Clark Kent, Anissa Pierce, Jefferson Pierce, Jennifer Pierce, Arthur Curry, Mera, Bruce Wayne, Diana Prince, Carter Hall

Relationships: Barry Allen/Iris West

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - High School, Mutual Pining, Soulmates

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/3c0T7IY

#IFTTT #ao3feed #fanfic #WestAllen #westallen

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eddycurrents · 5 years

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For the week of 14 October 2019

Quick Bits:

Absolute Carnage #4 is pretty damn big as we head towards the conclusion. Donny Cates, Ryan Stegman, JP Mayer, Jay Leisten, Frank Martin, and Clayton Cowles set up near insurmountable odds for Eddie and Spider-Man to face, as Carnage inches closer to victory. It’s very daunting, especially as we potentially see hope fade as other dominoes fall into place. Though a shock revelation might lead to something good for the conclusion. The tension mounting and the continued blend of the rest of the tie-ins to the main story are very entertaining.

| Published by Marvel

Absolute Carnage: Avengers #1 gives us a lead-in to how the previously symbiote-afflicted heroes got to Venom in Absolute Carnage #3 in addition to a bit about beacons in New York and San Francisco calling all symbiotes to feed something. It’s more elaboration on some details between panels for the event, but it’s rather entertaining and covers an element that was otherwise glossed over in the main series. Great art from Alberto Alburquerque, Guiu Vilanova, and Rachelle Rosenberg.

| Published by Marvel

Aquaman #53 reveals more about Thomas Mauer and his history in the founding of Amnesty, complete with some really weird powers regarding manifesting beasties. Then, a reunion of Arthur and Mera is basically aborted as Black Manta attack. Kelly Sue DeConnick, Robson Rocha, Eduardo Pansica, Daniel Henriques, Julio Ferreira, Sunny Gho, and Clayton Cowles continue to deliver one of the best stories from DC.

| Published by DC Comics

Archie #708 sees everything start to come together as all of the disparate story threads begin to converge somehow with Fox Forest. Nick Spencer, Mariko Tamaki, Sandy Jarrell, Matt Herms, and Jack Morelli really build tension here, with a rather spooky feel for what’s going on.

| Published by Archie Comics

Batman #81 continues this next stage of Batman’s assault on the “City of Bane” as all of his “kids” work together to try to take down his father and he attempts to bring the fight to Bane himself. Tom King guides us through a narration essentially putting together some of the missing pieces in Gotham Girl’s story and further protections that he left in the city after Batman’s “breaking”.

| Published by DC Comics

Bettie Page Unbound #5 serves as a coda to the first arc, from David Avallone, Moy R, Ellie Wright, Sheelagh D, and Taylor Esposito. It gives a bit of perspective on Bettie’s trip through alternate realities, while dealing a bit more with the spies who’ve been chasing her.

| Published by Dynamite

The Black Ghost #2 is firing on all cylinders. The story that Alex Segura, Monica Gallagher, George Kambadais, Ellie Wright, and Taylor Esposito are telling here is incredibly compelling, going deep into Lara’s downward spiral following the death of the Black Ghost and all of the mounting problems in her life. There’s a very interesting theme of the intersection of solving a mystery and obsession, complete with the black hole of alcoholism, that just grabs you.

| Published by New Wave Comics

Black Panther and the Agents of Wakanda #2 concludes this opening arc from Jim Zub, Lan Medina, Craig Yeung, Marcio Menyz, and Joe Sabino. We get an interesting mix of Okoye and Janet facing their greatest fears, while elaborating further on the current state of the Sentry. I like this quick, two-part introductory arc structure, further giving this title the feel of a specialized group for certain threats.

| Published by Marvel

Captain Marvel #11 concludes the “Falling Star” arc, revealing more fallout from the first arc and the sheer damage that it’s done to Ripley after she fell into the Nuclear Man’s reality. Kelly Thompson, Carmen Carnero, Tamra Bonvillain, and Clayton Cowles develop a rather demented look on “heroism” here that is quite disturbing.

| Published by Marvel

Chastity #2 unveils more of the human trafficking operation that Chastity has found herself in. It’s not very pretty, but there are some nice funny moments to break up the dark subject matter. Leah Williams, David Maine, Bryan Valenza, and Carlos M. Mangual are telling an interesting story here.

| Published by Dynamite

Contagion #3 continues to escalate the terror of the fungus plaguing New York, and now possibly beyond. There are appearances here of some very interesting near forgotten characters that are nice to see. Great art from Mack Chater, Stephen Segovia, Veronica Gandini, and Andrew Crossley.

| Published by Marvel

Cult Classic: Creature Feature #1 is an interesting start to this second series. You don’t need to have read Return to Whisper before this, but I still highly recommend that series. Here Eliot Rahal, John Bivens, Jerrie, Monahan, and Taylor Esposito kick off a rather hectic beginning with alien creatures. The art from Bivens, Jerrie, and Monahan is wonderful.

| Published by Vault

Dark Red #7 continues to develop the current state of the vampires after taking out the Nazis who were trying to take over, while Chip works to get the little were back to her werepeople. Definitely an interesting society that Tim Seeley, Corin Howell, Mark Englert, and Carlos M. Mangual are creating here.

| Published by AfterShock

Excellence #6 concludes the first arc in rather spectacular fashion. Brandon Thomas, Khary Randolph, Emilio Lopez, and Deron Bennett have been doing some excellent character and world-building in this story and it really pays off here as we get a confrontation between Spencer and his dad, followed by one hell of a revelation that practically changes everything. Great stuff here.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Gideon Falls #17 begins “The Pentoculus” as things start to coalesce again into a sort of “normalcy” in both of our “main” Gideon Falls realities, even as something horrible takes hold of Sheriff Miller’s father. Jeff Lemire, Andrea Sorrentino, Dave Stewart, and Steve Wands establish even more horror here and the feeling that something more is very, very wrong.

| Published by Image

Guardians of the Galaxy #10 catches up with the new baby Magus as we find out that the new incarnation might be as dangerous and deadly as the earlier ones. Also, what Donny Cates is doing with Rocket just cuts to the core.

| Published by Marvel

Hit Girl: Season 2 #9 is the first part of “India” from Peter Milligan, Alison Sampson, Tríona Farrell, and Clem Robins. It sends Mindy off to the street of Mumbai where she’s trying to deal with a bizarre child trafficking/labour ring, and finding out that her actions may have caused more complications than good. There’s a very different feel to this new arc so far.

| Published by Image

Inferior 5 #2 sure is...something. I’m still not entirely sure of the experiments or the characters or the setting, but Jeff Lemire, Keith Giffen, Michelle Delecki, Hi-Fi, and Rob Leigh are doing something that might be interesting here when we see a broader picture. It’s very “huh?” issue to issue so far. The back-up featuring Peacemaker, though, continues to be very compelling. Especially as it reveals that he may well be completely insane.

| Published by DC Comics

The Island of Doctor Moreau #2 concludes this adaptation of the HG Wells story from Ted Adams, Gabriel Rodríguez, Nelson Dániel, and Robbie Robbins. Other than a few minor changes, it’s fairly faithful to the original. The story here is mostly told in double page spreads from Rodríguez and Dániel and they’re absolutely beautiful.

| Published by IDW

Justice League #34 reminds us that revenge isn’t necessarily the correct path to take all the time, or possibly any time, as the endgame plays out across the different timelines and the combined forces gather for one final push against Perpetua. Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Bruno Redondo, Howard Porter, Hi-Fi, and Tom Napolitano lay out a wonderful tale of the final battle and a stupid, selfish act that has possibly doomed everything.

| Published by DC Comics

Killer Groove #5 concludes what has been an excellent crime tale from Ollie Masters, Eoin Marron, Jordie Bellaire, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. There’s an incredible nihilism here that feeds into a very fitting end.

| Published by AfterShock

KI-6: Killers #4 gains a bit of a title change with the “KI-6″ bit in this penultimate issue of the series. Not really sure why, but it doesn’t ultimately make a difference for the story being told by B. Clay Moore, Fernando Dagnino, José Villarrubia, and Jeff Powell. We get a nice bit of the Jonin’s history before the two rival groups of former Ninjas show up.

| Published by Valiant

The Marked #1 begins a new series from the Sonata team of David Hine, Brian Haberlin, Geirrod Van Dyke, and Francis Takenaga. It blends magic and tattoos as we learn of the history of a group of magicians who have defended the world from evil through the eyes of their newest recruit Saskia. Beautiful art as usual from the Haberlin/Van Dyke team.

| Published by Image / Shadowline

The Mask: I Pledge Allegiance to the Mask #1 is kind of a strange return for the property, in a story from Christopher Cantwell, Patric Reynolds, Lee Loughridge, and Nate Piekos. It’s dark and deranged, which fits very well overall. While it does follow on from the previous stories, all that you really need to know to enjoy this story itself is revealed here. The political element adds an even greater feeling of being put off-balance.

| Published by Dark Horse

Midnight Vista #2 very nicely develops what Oliver remembers of his abduction and the fallout that has been happening in the ensuing years since he’s been missing. Eliot Rahal, Clara Meath, Mark Englert, and Taylor Esposito are doing some interesting things here, especially as other forces are trying to guide Oliver’s story.

| Published by AfterShock

Psi-Lords #5 elaborates a bit further on the societal structure of the Gyre and the various gangs on it, while we see one of the Starwatchers try to turn Steve. It’s interesting as we get a little bit that gives us more of an insight into the ties to the broader Valiant Universe here and some very nice character building. Renato Guedes art remains phenomenal.

| Published by Valiant

Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons - Chapter II: Painscape #2 guides us through some of Rick’s history with D&D, creating some horrible characters that anyone who’s played the game will be familiar with, and an entertaining dungeon crawl. I’m still loving how perfectly Jim Zub, Troy Little, Leonardo Ito, and Crank! are integrating D&D into Rick and Morty.

| Published by Oni Press & IDW

Rumble #17 follows a similar format as last issue’s selection of three stories, only this time there are only two stories, with one split between two different creators. That two-part story is a wonderful crossover between Rumble and Head Lopper, with Andrew MacLean and James Harren handling the line art. It’s pretty great overall, with a natural melding of the two properties, and very nice to see Harren’s return.

| Published by Image

Savage Sword of Conan #10 begins a new arc from Roy Thomas, Alan Davis, Cam Smith, Chris Sotomayor, and Travis Lanham. It’s wonderful to see a new Roy Thomas story and the art from Davis, Smith, and Sotomayor is great. The story itself is interesting, drawing from some traditional Conan elements of a tavern fight and being hired as a bodyguard.

| Published by Marvel

Savage Tales: Red Sonja Halloween Special is essential if you’re reading the ongoing Red Sonja series. It works well on its own as well, but for readers of the series it builds on Sonja’s trip to the tower of sorcerers in her youth and gives some great insight into her past. Wonderful work here overall from Mark Russell, Jacob Edgar, Dearbhla Kelly, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

| Published by Dynamite

Something is Killing the Children #2 is even better than the first issue, fleshing out our monster hunter a bit and causing all sorts of complications for her. There are some great characterizations here, nicely capturing some of the reactions from people experiencing the tragedy of a lost or murdered family member. James Tynion IV, Werther Dell’Edera, Miquel Muerto, and AndWorld Design are doing something great here.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Star Wars Adventures: Return to Vader’s Castle #3 gives us a central story of Ventress hunting a quarry, illustrated by Nick Brokenshire. I’m still very much enjoying how Cavan Scott is using the central tale and its context to elaborate on what he, Francesco Francavilla, and AndWorld Design are doing with the framing story.

| Published IDW

Steeple #2 features all of the charm and humour of Giant Days, but then adds some rather over-the-top supernatural elements that just manages to elevate that charm and humour further. John Allison, Sarah Stern, and Jim Campbell are delivering a rather wholesome look at monster hunting and finding common ground with your local hooligans and Satanists.

| Published by Dark Horse

Strayed #3 advances towards oblivion, as Lou finds the flower-maker and the Premier enacts another piece of his plan for total control. Carlos Giffoni, Juan Doe, and Matt Krotzer continue to tell the heartbreaking tale of this brave little kitty being used and abused by his humans. It’s really sad as to how monstrous humanity is.

| Published by Dark Horse

Superman Smashes the Klan #1 is really damn good. Inspired by the radio serial of the same name, Gene Luen Yang, Gurihiru, and Janice Chiang present a wonderfully nuanced tale of the struggle that a young Chinese family have moving to Metropolis and the overt and casual racism that greets them. The characterizations of the family are impeccable, giving us what feels like very real people, and it makes the story even more heartbreaking when you see what’s happening to them. Especially through the gorgeous art from the Gurihiru pair.

| Published by DC Comics

Tales from the Dark Multiverse - Batman: Knightfall #1 is the first of these one-shots examining some of the most popular events of the DC Universe as they played out in dark reflection. Your enjoyment of this will definitely be predicated on how much you enjoy the grim and gritty Batmen who went wrong during Metal. As a story, though, Scott Snyder, Kyle Higgins, Javier Fernandez, Alex Guimarães, and Clayton Cowles give us an interesting one, with some nice twists, and a suitably bleak Gotham. The art from Fernandez and Guimarães is really good.

| Published by DC Comics

Teen Titans #35 gives us new perspective on the traitor to the team, with Adam Glass, Bernard Chang, Marcelo Maiolo, and Rob Leigh building up sympathy for their decisions, even if they are somewhat demented. It also continues to point that what Damian has been doing is rather villainous. The shades of grey are fairly interesting.

| Published by DC Comics

Trees: Three Fates #2 delves a bit more into the mystery of the dead man and also a great depiction in the past of the romance blossoming between Klara and Sasha. Warren Ellis, Jason Howard, Dee Cunniffe, and Fonografiks are building a very compelling story here, complete with some interesting big ideas to make you wonder about Sasha.

| Published by Image

Vampirella #4 is still rather odd, told in a rather disjointed way that’s pretty much Priest’s style to its natural extreme. Weird stuff with the nuns and all sorts of temptation. The art from Ergün Gündüz remains a huge draw for this story.

| Published by Dynamite

X-Men #1 begins the first wave of the “Dawn of X” titles in this next stage of the brave new world the X-Men have found themselves in, from Jonathan Hickman, Leinil Francis Yu, Garry Alanguilan, Sunny Gho, and Clayton Cowles. It’s much more “normal” compared to the HOXPOX event, operating more standard hero/villain conflict and setting up the continued threat of Orchis, but there are still moments to bask in the new with Magneto and the potentially unsettling as we see Corsair react to all of his family together and the strangeness of Krakoa. This feels like a way to make more traditional X-elements work within this new framework, giving us a great start.

| Published by Marvel

Other Highlights: Absolute Carnage: Scream #3, Absolute Carnage vs. Deadpool #3, Aero #4, Analog #9, Ask for Mercy - Season 2 #3, Captain America #15, Crazy #1, The Crow/Hack/Slash #4, Dead Beats, Death-Defying Devil #3, Firefly #10, History of the Marvel Universe #4, Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - Alliance #2, Lucifer #13, Marvel Action: Black Panther #4, Once & Future #3, The Realm #15, Sparrows Roar, Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen #4, Titans: Burning Rage #3, Wonder Woman: Come Back to Me #4

Recommended Collections: Bad Luck Chuck - Volume 1, Black Hammer: Streets of Spiral, Calamity Kate - Volume 1, Coda - Volume 3, Critical Role: Vox Machina - Origins - Volume 1, Gideon Falls - Volume 3: Stations of the Cross, Goddess Mode, Gogor, Justice League Dark - Volume 2: Lords of Order, The Life & Death of Toyo Harada, Ms. Marvel - Volume 1, Planet of the Nerds - Volume 1, Robots & Princesses - Volume 1, Runaways - Volume 4: But You Can’t Hide, Spider-Man: City at War, Star Wars: Tie Fighter

d. emerson eddy still thinks that Pumpkin Spice was the most underutilized of the Spice Girls.

#This Week in Comics

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luhciferacademi · 5 years

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* CHARS/SHIPPS.

.CANNONS.

Felicity Smoak - Emily Bett Rickards // Oliver Queen - Stephen Amell

Helena Wayne - Jessica de Gouw // Kate Kane - Ruby Rose

Azrael - Michael Sheen // Barethiz Morningstar - David Tenant

Abbadon Mary Morningstar - Chloe Grace Moretz // Nome Prince-Wayne - Jamie Blackley

Lavander Decker Morningstar - Kiernan Shipka // Nome Rogers - Alex Roe

Elizabeth Kane - Rachel Skarsten // Nome Lokisdottir - Anna Silk

Kara Danvers - Melissa Benoist // Lena Luthor - Katie Mcgrath

Tony Stark - Robert Downey Jr // Steve Rogers - Chris Evans

America Stark-Rogers - Rose Mciver // Nome Banner - Meghan Ory

Nicholas Callieson - Harry Styles // Burgod - Louis Tomlinson

Amora Odinson - Imogen Poots // Loki - Tom Hiddleston

Sif - Jaime Alexander // Brunhild - Tessa Thompson

Jessica Drew - Alicia Vikander // Carol Danvers - Brie Larson

Marco Zatara Grayson - Matthew Daddario // Jasmine Isley Crane - Madelaine Petsch

Mia Smoak Queen - Katherine Mcnamara // Maverick Zatara Grayson - Matthew Daddario

Maise Zatara Grayson - Alexandra Daddario // Jonathan Kent - Henry Cavill

Lilith Smith - Eiza Gonzalez // Nome Howlett - Luke Evans

Edward Banner - Gaspard Ulliel // Nome Danvers - Kristine Froseth

Orabelle Kyle-Wayne - Camila Mendes // Nome Smith - Emeraude Toubia

Ava Kyle Wayne - Nina Dobrev // Nome Constantine - Chace Crawford

Yasmin Isley Crane - Madelaine Petsch // Edward Nygma - Cheyenne Jackson

Sapphire Quinzel - Lili Reinhart // Marshall Cobblepot - Bill Skasgard

Sophia Kane - Abbey Cowen // Nevaeh Kyle-Wayne - Liz Gilles

Donna Troy - Conor Leslie // Timothy Danvers-Lance - Oliver Jackson-Cohen

Sara Lance - Caity Lotz // Alex Danvers - Chyler Leigh

Mera - Amber Heard // Arthur Curry - Jason Momoa // Diana Prince - Gal Gadot

Nora Snow-Allen - Danielle Panabaker // Nome Smoak-Queen - Grant Gustin

Artemis Crook - Katheryn Winnick // Wally West - Nick Gehlfuss

Wade Wilson - Ryan Reynolds // Peter Parker - Andrew Garfield

Hannah Leshnerr - Erin Moriarty // Nome Curry - Dominique Mcelligott

Amber Danvers-Lance - Victoria Pedretti // Nome West - James Norton

Delilah Danvers-Lance - Kate Siegel // Nome Braddock - Levy Tran

Easter Munroe - Meagan Tandy // Nome Reyes - Priscilla Quintana

Halina Danvers-Drew - Hailee Stenfield // Nome Wilson - Ella Hunt

Yelena Romanoff-Barnes - Emilia Clarke // Wilder Danvers-Lance - Michiel Huisman

Annalise Morse Barton - Ella Purnell // Emmet Stark Rogers - Tom Holland

#━━━ ❝ listas.geral ❞#━━━ ❝ shipps.geral ❞

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let-me-love-you-loki · 4 years

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Waking Up in Vegas--Ch. 44

Chapter 44: You Made It So Sweet

Mera, Morning, 10:32 AM

I took a deep breath and looked around the concrete courtyard of the University of Nevada’s Las Vegas campus. It was dotted with squares of landscaping made of pale sandy soil planted with small plants, shrubs, and a few trees. Benches and bike racks sat along the sides of the courtyard beneath white-stoned buildings. Straight ahead was a causeway of concrete split in half by bright green grass and a canopy of trees.

The sun was blinding overhead as Dean and I walked the length of the campus. His fingers were threaded with mine as we passed from the heat of the courtyard beneath the shade of the causeway. I smiled as I breathed in the scent of damp tree leaves.

“Is it strange that I’m nervous?” I asked, looking up into the canopy of trees. “I’m in my thirties. I already have a degree. But I feel like a green freshman.”

Dean withdrew his hand and tucked his arm around my shoulder, pulling me close. He dropped a kiss on top of my head. “You’re finally getting to do something for you,” he said quietly.

My heart skipped a beat at the idea that he was right. I was finally doing something that I’d wanted to do for so long. This was what had been denied to me for most of my adult life. This feeling is what I’d given up to live the life Seth wanted. I’d resented him for it for longer than I could remember, but being with Dean had given me the ability to let go of it.

“They gave me a choice of classes,” I said, hearing the awe in my voice. “I’m taking some online, and some of them here. I can still work and travel with you.”

He stopped and turned me toward him. His blue eyes were beautiful and earnest, and I could see the dimple hidden beneath his beard when he smiled lopsidedly. “If that’s what you want, then nothing else would make me happier. If you want to stay home and focus on school, then that will make me happy, too.”

Dean kissed my forehead and took me by the hand, leading me back down the causeway beneath the trees. We were quiet for a while, meandering across the center of the campus. I gave myself time to come to grips with the fact that this was real. That I was finally getting to live the dream I’d always wanted.

I dropped my head against his shoulder and smiled. “Thank you, Dean. For everything. For this.”

My husband didn’t say anything. Instead, he smiled softly. “I never thought I’d be good enough for a woman like you—college degree, forgotten more than I’ll ever know—and yet here I am… surprised to find every day that I’m worthy of you.”

“You were always worthy of anything and everything you wanted, Dean. And I’ve known it since the day I met you.”

Seth, Afternoon, 1:08 PM

Roman sat across the table in catering, watching me with a furrowed brow. “She’s coming back to work tonight. Are you going to be able to keep your shit together?”

I sat back in my chair, feeling strangely hollow at the news. I’d spent my entire time off at my parents’ place in Iowa, reliving more of the past than I’d wanted to. Those memories had leached out every ounce of feeling out of me. I honestly didn’t know how I was functioning.

“I don’t intend on having to visit the trainer’s room.”

He leaned forward and put his elbows on the table. “You have a title defense tonight. Don’t fuck it up. Vince is already pissed with you two after that fight in the hallway.”

It didn’t matter to Roman who threw that first punch, only that the three of us had gotten reamed for it. Dean and me for fighting and Roman for not breaking it up—even though he hadn’t even been in the building.

“I’m good, Ro,” I assured him, not surprised by the fact that my voice sounded robotic. I felt that way. “I’m good.”

He started to say something, but stopped mid-sound. He was looking over my shoulder. I didn’t need to look to know who it was, but I turned around anyway. There was no surprise that it was Mera and Dean. They walked as they always did, side-by-side and moving as if they revolved around each other. My mind conjured up memories when we had been like that, but they drifted away like mist in the wind. I was so numb that I couldn’t hang on, even as it ripped into what was left of my heart.

“Sup, boys?” Dean said calmly. We’d hardly spoken since we’d been chewed out by Vince except for that disastrous call while she was in the hospital. The fact that he was acting like nothing happened was messing with my head.

“Not much,” Roman responded as he pulled out the chair at his side. “Come sit with me, Mera.”

She smiled and sank down into the offered seat, dropping a backpack on the floor by her feet. Dean sat on her other side. He watched me for a moment then turned his full attention to her. Mera practically glowed under his gaze.

“What’s the word on your last night?” Roman asked, side-eyeing me even as he spoke.

“There won’t be one.” Mera’s grin got bigger and she looked between the three of us. “I went by the campus last week. I’m taking a mix of online and on-campus classes. You’re still stuck with me.”

“We’d be lost without you,” I said, surprised at my own sincerity.

She blushed a little, but my heart was so raw that there was no skipped beat or racing pulse. “Thank you,” she said as if she really meant it.

The fact that I was so desperately numb stopped any happiness I might have had about that statement. They kept talking, but I drifted away into something like a white-noise trance. By the time I pulled out of it, Mera and Dean were gone.

“What’s wrong with you?” Roman’s words pulled me back to reality. “Not that I’m complaining about you not getting into another fight.”

I sat back and sighed, running my hand over my face. “This is… acceptance, I guess? Depression? Both? I don’t know what. I just know that I’m… empty. I’ve got nothing left, Roman.”

He looked at me for a while, not sure what he was thinking. I couldn’t remember being this sad or this lost. It sent me out of control, and I didn’t know how to handle it.

“Seth?” His voice was filled with worry when he said my name. “This isn’t okay, man. It’s like you only have three settings for her—obsessed, indifferent, or despondent. This isn’t what I meant when I said get your shit together.”

I sighed. “I haven’t had my shit together in a long time.”

Mera, Afternoon, 1:15 PM

“Go on,” Dean soothed from his spot on the edge of my trainer’s table. He reached out and brushed his fingers against my upper arm. “I can see it in your eyes.”

My heart thumped in my chest. I could feel it my pulse skimming along at my wrists and the base of my throat. “What do you mean?” I didn’t want to look at him, even though I knew what he meant.

“You saw him just like I did, Mera. And I know you’re worried about him.” He drew me close so that I stood between his knees. Then his fingers threaded with mine. His lips ghosted over my brow. “I never thought I’d prefer him being jealous and insane to whatever it is he was just now.”

“Is it strange that I still care?” My head dropped against his shoulder. I breathed deep of the scent of my husband. No matter how far away we were from Las Vegas, I could always smell the sweetness and heat of the desert air. It was calming in a way that nothing else ever could be.

“No,” Dean replied quietly. He kissed the top of my head. “It would be strange if you didn’t. You have a heart that’s too good to hate anyone, no matter how much they’ve hurt you.” He nuzzled his nose against my hair. “Now go on. Go talk to him.”

I smiled at him and kissed his cheek. “Thank you,” I whispered.

He squeezed my fingers and let me walk away. It never ceased to amaze me at how much Dean loved me. It was present each and every time he let me go, that he gave me the freedom to choose, and that he trusted me to come back to him on my own.

Seth hadn’t moved from where he’d been in catering. Roman was gone, but Seth was still there, staring into space. I slipped into the seat beside him and, even then, he didn’t move.

It wasn’t until I bumped my shoulder into his that he looked around. I’d known him long enough to see the pain in his deep brown eyes. My heart ached for the boy I’d known and for the man I’d loved most of my life.

“Hey,” I said quietly, looking sideways at him “Are you okay?”

Seth shrugged, but didn’t say anything. I turned in the chair so I could face him and rested my chin on his shoulder. “Talk to me, Bee. Please?”

“You haven’t called me that in years, Mera,” he said, hardly loud enough to be heard. Still, he tilted his head and rested his cheek against my hair.

“I’m worried about you,” I replied.

“I thought you stopped caring about me.”

“Seth…” I blinked away tears. “I never stopped caring about Colby. I never stopped and I never will. That’s the person I knew, the boy I grew up with, and the man I loved. Colby was my best friend for most of my life.”

“We used to be more than that.” His voice was hollow, but I could still hear the pain. “There used to be a time when it was you and me against the world. Now… now it’s you and Dean. And I’m just here.”

“Look at me.” The words came out stronger than I wanted, but they had the desired effect. Seth turned his head, and the look on his face broke my heart. “You’re only alone if you want to be, Colby.”

“There’s no one else for me but you, Mera. I’ve known it my whole life. But it scared me.” He spoke quietly. I reached for his hand and held it between my own. “I was an ass. And I hurt you… Christ, did I hurt you. I’m sorry, Mera. I’m so sorry.”

I didn’t stop the tears when they came this time. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted to hear from you, Colby.”

His brown eyes blurred. “It’s too late, isn’t it?”

“Not for you to be the man I know you can be.” I squeezed his hand. “Not for you to be my best friend again. And not for you and Dean to patch things up.”

Tag List

@mox-made-me-do-it @houndsofjxstice @lunatictoosweet @xbutterflius-effectusx @mother-forker @instantboquetdestinysblog @dcnmarvelgamergeek@pinkduality @lilred91 @not-that-kinda-gurl08 @maelleoute

#waking up in vegas #wuiv #dean ambrose fanfiction #dean ambrose #mera reynolds #mera x dean #dean x mera #seth rollins #seth rollins fanfiction #ofc #oc #wwe #wwe fanfiction #multi-chapter #real person fanfiction

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thatoneblackentertainmentblog · 6 years

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Can’t Help But Wait: 2018 Movie Preview

2018 has been on to a rocky start to say the least, but don’t let what’s going on distract you from the sheer awesomeness that is about to unleash in the forthcoming months. This year features some of the old, but some of the new, such as aliens, super spies, and a little country that goes by the name of Wakanda. Let’s get into it, the 10 movies I’m most hype for the big 18.

10. Venom

Fact: Movies based around super-villains don’t usually have the best track record, but consider me optimistic because this one has the great Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock The plot is still under wraps, but I’m definitely looking forward to see what Sony has up their sleeves, because anything beats Topher Grace. (Sorry, Topher.) Co-starring Michelle Williams and Riz Ahmed, Venom drops October 15.

9. Aquaman

Justice League was a gorgeous mess, but the one thing that kept me captivated was Jason Momoa’s charismatic and swaggering portrayal of the half man/half Atlantean Arthur Curry. Centered around the prince’s rise from shunned outsider to would-be king of Atlantis, Curry must match wits with Mera (Amber Heard) in order to face off against Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) and Ocean Master (Patrick Wilson) all while realizing his true destiny. Directed by James Wan, Aquaman drops December 21.

8. Mission Impossible 6

This one is a bit of a wild card, considering all of the dope sequels that clearly overshadow this somewhat standard Tom Cruise adventure, but for anyone who hasn’t watched Ghost Protocol and Rouge Nation, please treat yourself to some of the finest action films released this decade, and with new additions like Angela Bassett and Henry Cavill climbing on board for action, consider this a no-brainer. Directed by Christopher McQuarrie. In theatres July 27.

7. Annihilation

When a biologist’s husband goes missing, she (Natalie Portman) must team up with two eager scientists (Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson) and venture into a strange new land where the rules of nature do not apply, and danger awaits them at every turn. Considering this is directed by Alex Garland, the genius behind Ex Machina, I have a right to be hype. Also starring Jennifer Jason Leigh. In theatres February 23.

6. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

While America is busy falling in love with Tom Holland’s portrayal of Peter Parker, my attention belongs to another web-slinger: Miles Morales. Created in 2011, the African-American/Puerto Rican preteen swung into the public consciousness and has become an international icon, and now it’s his time to hit the big screen. This animated feature already wowed audiences with it’s amazing trailer, and with a cast featuring Shamiek Moore, Bryan Tyree Henry, and Mahershala Ali, it’s time for nonbelievers to get familiar when Spider-Verse drops December 14.

5. The Incredibles 2

In 2004, the best superhero movie ever made took the world by storm with its message about hope, never giving up on your dreams, and staying close to those who matter most to you. No, not Spider-Man 2. It’s been 14 years and Bob, Helen, Dash, Violet, and Jack-Jack are back once again to save the world from evildoers, and try to keep their household in one piece. Incredibles 2 drops June 15.

4. Ready Player One

Anybody that knows me knows that I love mashups of any kind. Music, movies, you name it, that’s all it takes to get Marco a ticket, so, when news broke that the god Steven Spielberg was adapting the cult novel about a virtual reality that features every cinematic icon you could mention, my nostalgia senses went into overdrive. Where else are you gonna see the DeLorean in a race against Kaneda's bike from Akira? Ready Player One hits theatres March 30.

3. Deadpool 2

Ryan Reynolds’ passion project about the foulmouthed assassin with a heart of gold smashed records with its 2016 release, and was a breath of fresh air for longtime X-Men fans like myself. The sequel is jam-packed with old faves (Colossus, Negasonic Teenage Warhead) and new friends/or annoyances, just like Zazie Beetz as Domino, and Josh Brolin as time-traveling fan favorite Cable. Deadpool drops May 18.

And speaking of Josh Brolin...

2. Avengers: Infinity War

2018 marks 10 years since the inception of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the battle lines being drawn like no other movie before it. after years of after-credit teases and namedrops, intergalactic warlord Thanos has finally landed on earth,and it will take all of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, from all corners of of the cosmos to defeat him, but it won’t be without loss. The final battle begins May 4.

1. Black Panther

Chadwick Boseman’s smooth-as-silk portrayal of the Wakandan politician/vigilante was one of the ubiquitous highlights of Captain America: Civil War. Everyone walked out of that theatre saying the same thing: “Yeah that was cool but...When is HIS movie coming out?” Happy to say that the wait is almost over. Boseman finally takes center stage as he attempts to juggle diplomatic drama with international threats that may try to destroy his only home. With Ryan Coogler (Creed) behind the lens and the best ensemble cast in Marvel history (yeah I said it), prepare for pure unfiltered Black Excellence when Black Panther hits February 16.

There you have it boys and girls. The flicks that I cannot wait to see this year. If I missed anything or you have your own list you wanna add, do that in the comments. SHARE, comment, follow, tell your friends. Tell your friends’ friends.

Thanks for reading, and peace!

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ao3feed-westallen · 5 years

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Another Earth

read it on the AO3 at http://bit.ly/2DpUotm

by FlashTime

Barry Allen obtains his powers at the age of 16 and must balance his life as a high school student and as Central City's new superhero.

Words: 3793, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: The Flash (TV 2014)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: F/M

Characters: Barry Allen, Iris West, Cisco Ramon, Cindy Reynolds (The Flash TV 2014), Linda Park, Victor Stone, Oliver Queen, Laurel Lance, John Diggle, Felicity Smoak, Roy Harper, Thea Queen, Ray Palmer, Kara Danvers, J'onn J'onzz | Hank Henshaw, Alex Danvers, Clark Kent, Lois Lane, James "Jimmy" Olsen, Bruce Wayne, Diana Prince, Dick Grayson, Barbara Gordon, Damian Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth, Joan Garrick, Jay Garrick, Cecile Horton, Joe West, Wally West, Mera (DCU), Arthur Curry (DCU)

Relationships: Barry Allen/Iris West

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - High School

read it on the AO3 at http://bit.ly/2DpUotm

#IFTTT #ao3feed #fanfic #WestAllen #westallen

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luhciferacademi · 5 years

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* CHARS/FCS.

.CANNONS.

Felicity Smoak - Emily Bett Rickards

Helena Wayne - Jessica de Gouw (huntress)

Elizabeth Kane - Rachel Skarsten (alice/rainha de copas)

Kara Danvers - Melissa Benoist (supergirl)

Tony Stark - Robert Downey Junior (iron man)

Amora Odinson - Imogen Poots (enchantress)

Lady Sif - Jaime Alexander

Carol Danvers - Brie Larson

Mia Smoak-Queen - Katherine Mcnamara (blackstar)

Dona Troy - Conor Leslie

Sara Lance - Caity Lotz

Mera - Amber Heard

Arthur Curry - Jason Momoa

Artemis Crook - Blake Lively

Wade Wilson - Ryan Reynolds

Rachel Roth - Carla Gugino

.OC’S.

Azrael - Michael Sheen (anjo)

Abbadon Mary Morningstar - Chloe Grace Moretz (anjo/demônio)

Lavander Decker Morningstar - Kiernan Shipka (humana/anjo/demônio)

America Stark-Rogers - Rose Mciver

Nicholas Callieson - Harry Styles (mutante)

Marco Zatara Grayson - Matthew Daddario (magic bird)

Maise Zatara Grayson - Alexandra Daddario

Lilith Smith - Eiza Gonzalez (meio demônio/humana)

Edward Banner - Gaspard Ulliel

Orabelle Kyle-Wayne - Camila Mendes

Ava Kyle Wayne - Nina Dobrev

Yasmin Isley Crane - Madelaine Petsch

Sapphire Quinzel - Lili Reinhart

Sophia Kane - Abby Cowen

Nora Snow-Allen - Danielle Panabaker

Hannah Leshnerr - Erin Moriarty

Amber Danvers-Lance - Victoria Pedretti

Delilah Danvers-Lance - Kate Siegel

Easter Munroe - Meagan Tandy

Jonas Constantine - Peter Facinelle

#━━━ ❝ listas.geral ❞#━━━ ❝ chars.geral ❞

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let-me-love-you-loki · 4 years

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Waking Up in Vegas-Ch. 41

Chapter 41: Wouldn’t Dive In

Dean, Morning, 10:43 AM

“You’re out of the woods,” the doctor said from the end of Mera’s bed. He smiled at her and tucked his hands in the pockets of his white coat. “We’re going to finish you on the drip you’ve got, and then we’re going to get you out of here and back home.”

The knot in my chest loosened just a little. I sagged into the chair by her bed and let out a breath. She looked so much better. Her eyes were bright and amber. She had more normal color in her face, and the rash that came with her disease had faded from her cheeks. For the first time in over a week, she looked like herself.

“Thank you,” Mera replied, giving the doctor a faint smile. He promised to send a nurse down with discharge papers and instructions and left. When the door shut behind him, Mera sank back against the pillows and closed her eyes.

“It’ll be nice for you to sleep in your own bed again,” I said, leaning forward and propping my elbows on my knees.

My wife turned her head toward me, her eyes going slightly golden in the light. “I want to go home so much, Dean. I want to go back to when you didn’t have to worry about me.”

I took her hand, threading our fingers together. “Mera Ambrose, I will worry about you every day for the rest of my life. Because you are my wife, and I love you more than anything in this world.”

Tears glittered on her lashes, but she blinked them away. “Don’t make me cry, Dean,” she whispered. “They’ll think I’m sick again.”

“Alright,” I said, kissing the back of her hand. “Relax and let that IV finish, then we’ll spring you out of this place.”

Mera smiled—maybe the first genuine, wide, beautiful smile in days—and my heart bounced against my sternum. For an instant, she was the woman I’d first seen that day in FCW. She was the one I’d watched and adored and loved from afar until she finally fell perfectly into my arms. I’d vowed to spend my life making her feel safe and happy.

Mera, Afternoon, 1:08 PM

It felt strange to be in regular clothes again. I’d been in a hospital gown for ten days, and I was suddenly desperate to be back in my own house. Dean had taken my bag and gone to pick up the car. A nurse helped me into a chair and wheeled me down to the entrance of the hospital. When he pulled up at the curb in the truck, Dean hopped down from the cab and came around to help me up.

I shouldn’t have been, but I was amazed by how gentle he was. His hands on my back and my arm were tender but firm. He guided me with sure, slow steps and bore most of my weight as I climbed up into the cab of the truck. He stood up on the runner and buckled my seatbelt.

“Ready to go home, sweet wife?” he queried, brushing wayward strands of hair from my forehead. His lips ghosted over my forehead.

I nodded. “Take me home, Dean.”

The drive from the hospital was quiet. He kept one hand on the wheel. With the other, he held my hand as if it would be the last time. His ring-worn fingers entwined with mine, thumb stroking the back of my hand. Every now and then, he would draw my it up to his mouth and ghost a kiss on my flesh.

I had a lot of time to think on that ride home. I thought about what my life had been like until that day almost a year ago. Before that night, I’d lived my life for someone else. No matter how hard I thought, no matter how desperately I tried to remember, I had no memories of a time before Colby Lopez. I knew there had to be. But he was as ubiquitous in my life as my own family. I’d very much become the person I was because of the person I’d been with him.

For him.

Teenagers think they know what love is. And maybe some of them do, but I couldn’t say for sure if I had. I’d never dated anyone else. Never spent time with people who weren’t Colby and his core group of friends. I was hard pressed to remember the name of a single friend who had just been mine. Everything… everything was tied up in Colby… in the boy who would eventually become Seth Rollins.

Part of me wondered if I could ever separate my sense of self from the life that had been chosen for me. I couldn’t lay it all at his feet—I’d made the choice to give up my spot at Iowa State. I’d made the choice to study athletic training so I could get a job to be with him. I’d gotten in that car, traveled, stayed in cheap motels, scrounged change for the dollar menu right beside him. No, I couldn’t say that everything was his fault. But I couldn’t say that he gave me a fair chance at a life of my own either.

And now… I was so close to having just that. A life of my own choosing. Dean, who had never pushed me, never asked for more than I could give, never took more than what I was willing to share. He’d taken me as I was, broken and uncertain, and given me permission to be who I wanted to be. I wouldn’t delude myself and say things were perfect, but I felt freer in my marriage to Dean than I had in the twenty years I spent tied to Colby.

It was like the first breath of clear air after being trapped in a dank room. To be with Dean was to finally be with myself. With the real me.

The me that I’d never gotten to know.

Seth, Afternoon, 2:41 PM

I sat in my car for what felt like years. The garage door had long since come down, and yet I couldn’t bring myself to go inside. I was just there… driver’s door open, one foot on the concrete, hands gripping the wheel so hard that my fingers had gone numb. My head was back against the headrest, eyes staring at nothing.

After seeing Mera in Las Vegas—fragile, sick, and exhausted—the very thought of going into my own house made me sick. The moment I turned down the street I was bombarded with memories of when this house had been a home. When Mera Reynolds had lived and breathed and loved and laughed and existed with me within these walls. I could remember the way her amber eyes turned to brass when she laughed as I carried her over the threshold the first day. I could hear her laugh from the Christmas when I put mistletoe in every doorway, when I went up on the roof to hang the lights and the ladder fell.

I remembered the first time we stood on the sidewalk in front of this house. I remembered how happy she’d been when I told her it was ours. She’d wanted to turn one of the spare bedrooms into an office. She wanted to use it to work from, to store her supplies. To study.

She’d wanted to go back to school, to go enroll at St. Ambrose University in the city, to finally get certified as a psychologist.

My heart felt like stone in my chest. I blinked, swallowing hard as I remembered what came next.

Just like with Iowa State, I’d talked her out of it.

Because I wanted her with me. I wanted her to travel with me, to become a road AT on top of working the televised events.

Because I couldn’t see past the fact that what I wanted had never had anything to do with Mera being happy. It was about me being the center around which her life revolved.

Dean, Afternoon, 3:22 PM

Mera sat on in the overstuffed armchair in the living room, a blanket draped over her legs. The first thing she’d done when we got home was take a shower. Then she’d put on her favorite lounge clothes and curled up in the living room. I couldn’t explain how the sight made me feel—the calm and peace and pure and simple elation that pulsed through my veins every time my heart thumped in my chest.

“Do you want anything?” I asked, stretched out on the sofa with the remote in hand. I was surfing channels, trying to find something to watch.

I looked over at her, my breath punching out of my body when I saw her smile. There was life and light in her again. She was my Mera, my wife, my best friend again. It felt like the world had been spinning off kilter for the last ten days and only now it had righted itself.

“I would kill for some sweet and sour chicken and fried dumplings,” she said, snuggling beneath the blanket. “How much do you love me?”

Laughing, I sat up. I could feel my face light up with a smile… the one that I kept just for her. “Enough to crawl on my hands and knees through broken glass and burning coals to bring you deep fried Chinese food.”

I watched Mera smile. Her eyes glittered golden. There was health and life in her face again. And God knew, I had no words for how good it was to have her back again.

“They deliver, you know,” she replied, reaching for me. I moved to her, crouching by the side of her chair as she stroked her fingers over my jaw. For a moment, she was quiet, her eyes bouncing as she looked me over. Her smile softened. “Thank you, Dean.”

“For what, sweet wife?”

She leaned over to press a kiss against my cheek. “I know that you know Seth came to see me. I could see it in your face when you came in after he left. Thank you for not making a big deal of it. Thank you for letting me have that.”

I wanted to tell her how angry I’d been about it. I wanted to tell her that I hated how he could still weasel into her life. I wanted to tell her that I couldn’t stand the thought of him being close enough to her to hurt her again. But I didn’t. I couldn’t. I wouldn’t.

Instead, I squeezed her fingers and kissed her knuckles. “You are your own woman, Mera. As much as I want to keep you from any kind of hurt or harm, I know that you are strong enough to know your own mind. I trust you. More than I’ve trusted anyone in my life.”

A single tear rolled down her cheek. “Thank you for that, too.”

Tag List

@mox-made-me-do-it @houndsofjxstice @unatictoosweet @xbutterflius-effectusx @mother-forker @instantboquetdestinysblog @dcnmarvelgamergeek @pinkduality @lilred91 @not-that-kinda-gurl08 @maelleoute

#waking up in vegas #wuiv #dean ambrose #dean ambrose fanfiction #wwe #wwe fanfiction #seth rollins #seth rollins fanfiction #mera reynolds #dean x mera #ofc #oc #multi-chapter #real person fanfiction

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