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veryace-ficrecs · 1 month

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Batman Outsider POV Fic Recs

This list will include all ratings and tags, so read at your own discretion! :)

Wait... you're backup? by Ceciliedr - Rated T

When her team is captured by Lex Luther, Traci can do little more than cross her fingers for a rescue. When someone does crash the party, it isn't anyone she knows. Traci sincerely hopes the guy in the red helmet is on their side.

library card by mikkal - Rated T

Jason Todd, Red Hood, and the Park Row Public Library (and her librarians).

Finding a New Perspective by njw - Rated T

“I got this, Hood.” Red Robin sounds annoyed as he arcs and twists through the air, kicking one henchman into another and wrenching the gun away from a third while simultaneously retracting his grappling line and then launching it to catch another unwary henchman. Just, how?

“I can see you do,” Red Hood says, and wait. Was his voice always that deep? Is he… Maya squints. Is he staring at Red Robin’s ass?

She blinks, then studies the line of sight more closely. Maybe he’s just checking out Red Robin’s kneecaps, in preparation for shooting at them? That seems more his style. Sexual attraction is kind of confusing and she still doesn’t totally believe Tosh that it’s actually as big a thing as people make it out to be—seriously, do other people really spend that much time thinking about it? Sounds fake but okay.

But no, Red Hood’s helmet is totally pointed at Red Robin’s ass. Huh. That’s new.

Captain Marvel's Adopted? by Len_suilon_mellon - Rated T

When Captain Marvel sends out a distress call, the only League member available is Batman. Bruce comes to his aid, but he finds out that Billy is a 10-year-old homeless orphan with black hair and blue eyes. Obviously, he makes the only logical decision and adopts Billy. Because it's Bruce—who's allergic to revealing life-changing information—the League is left in the dark. This story is written as 5+1 story from the Justice League's POV as they attempt to define the weird relationship between Batman and Captain Marvel. 5 times they didn't realize Batman had adopted Captain Marvel, and the 1 time they did.

The Startling Secret Identity of The Batman by Nokomis - Rated T

Good evening, super-sleuths! Boy, do we have a treat for you today. We’re delving into one of the biggest unsolved mysteries of the modern era. The million-dollar question. The billion-dollar question, if one of these theories holds water. That’s right. We’re gonna risk life, limb and sanity by asking the question… who is The Batman? [In-universe Buzzfeed Unsolved accidentally stumbles on Batman’s secret identity. The Batfam reacts.]

playacting by nex_et_nox - Rated G

“So,” Jim said, “are you one of Wayne’s new kids?” Because only siblings acted that way toward each other, and it seemed like every time Gotham turned around, Bruce Wayne was adopting more kids. It was a reasonable question. “What?” Jay asked. “No, I’m—” He paused. Very slowly, his head tilted as he looked over Jim’s shoulder in the most obvious way he possibly could. Jim Gordon accidentally meets the "newest" member of the Wayne family.

5 times the Justice League catch Bruce acting domestically by TimesBeingWhatTheyAre - Rated G

...and the one time he lets them see it aka 5 times the kids torment Bruce, and the time that he actually arranges a meet-up and minds are blown

the politics of dancing by TheResurrectionist - Not Rated

After months of silence following his mysterious resurrection from the dead, the prodigal Wayne heir shows up at an unlikely meeting. “Where is Mr. Wayne?” Jason crossed his legs, cracking his neck. “He’s not coming.” “I was assured Mr. Wayne would be here.” “Tough. Looks like you’ll have to settle for me, huh?”

I Love My Gay Son(s) by reeby10 - Rated G

But the part that had everyone’s attention was the shirt, a plain white t-shirt with “I LOVE MY GAY SON” emblazoned across the chest in bold, rainbow letters.

Bat Out Of Hell by arguablysomaya - Rated G

Five times the Bats are weird, and one time that weirdness saves the world Or, the Bats are weird, everyone that’s even remotely aware of the superhero game knows this. But, odd as they are, they’re still humans. Which is why it should probably be impossible that they’re such forces of chaos. And when they’re all together? Well, most people are just glad they’re on the good side. And they are. Mostly.

The five times Flash came to Gotham for help and the one time he didn't need to (5+1) by Silver_Athena - Not Rated

Barry needs help solving a murder, he goes to Gotham for help. Though he's looking for Batman he seems to constantly run into new heroes. Why do they all seem connected to Batman? --- “You know where he lives?” “I practically live there myself, why is this so surprising to you? You’ve worked with him for- Oh… oh my God, you guys don’t know!"

A Break in Tradition by incogneat_oh - Not Rated

Gordon had seen something when he caught the canary yellow cape out the corner of his eye– something in the way the kid had moved. So he figures he should ask, “You doing okay up there, son?” AKA: The one where Jim Gordon minds a tiny vigilante until his bigger, scarier partner can collect him.

gotham aviary by pepperfield - Rated G

“I see you have a new addition to the family,” Bella says, smiling at the group pushing their father along toward the plaza stairs. “Yeah, we stole him from his backyard,” Jason tells her brightly.

“average billionaire adopts 1000 children a year” factoid actualy just statistical error. average billionaire adopts 0 children per year. Orphans Bruc, who lives in cave & adopts over 1 child each month, is an outlier adn should not have been counted.

what goes around by Goldmonger - Rated G

A civilian accidentally kills the Joker. It’s a confusing time for everybody.

artemis crock coming to the wrong conclusions by impravidus - Rated G

Nightwing has his hands outstretched, his palms opening and closing exaggeratedly. Red Hood shakes his head. “I am not gonna—” “Just one?” Nightwing interjects sweetly. “Please please please?” “You are such an idiot—” “Just ooone. C’mon, Hood. Don’t these arms look so warm and inviting?” “Inviting for a stab, yeah.” Artemis sees Nightwing being his affectionate (or as Red Hood would put it, extremely annoying) self and comes to the wrong conclusions.

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the-official-account · 1 year

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Episode 19 liveblog take two

We made it happen!

@threeofheartscast

Because I do actually really want those notes on QC. Listening at 2.35 speed which sounds....awful. but useful! Semi from memory this may not be entirely in order

OMG HI!!!! I KNOW YOUR FROM THE TWITTERS!!!

QC elf, brown eyes and longhair In ponytail wears all black suit, gloves, book, robin-mask

Is this sir thimby person thinbleton? Sigil on card with future slanted font helmet with two crossed swords

Despite the fact that it's morally wrong I kind of ....yk maybe let him kidnap diamond a little bit? Some light kidnapping

I love how his first insibt when a fire starts is to stick to the CEILING. How are those lungs looking bestie

This music is GROOVY

IF ITS NOT GAY ITS GOT TO GO he's gonna love the agents.

For vellums kidnappings minimum 7 times depending on

-if random count extra,

-or if he wandered away and someone picked him up,

- didn't notice kidnapped,

- kidnappers forgot him and he just left,

- infodumped until the kidnappers got so annoyed they let him go

-about to walk into an open net while reading but manhole instead

The music is not as good as 2.35 speed

This entire scene was very cute and my original reaction included a lot of keysmashes. Vellum just went for it I appreciate that.

I feel like if there was a field agent hand book vellum would have at the very least edited it.

Xbala and spar having kissed us very soar behavior

Fic of them eating dinner after 2nd kiss before hotel

Vellum giving him a kiss. Draw spar half up in bed, with his face in vellums shoulder, vellum looking soft blushing (this shit is cute) muttering, petting his hair "mmmm breakfast is good, important part of the day....mmmm yup" -spar

Their argument here is the best

I FORGOT VELLUM SAID "YOURE VERY CUTE LIKE THIS" THATS A FUCKING DORABLE

I'm just gonna assume spar has a thing for suspenders

QC just Speedran becoming a coming of interest in a kidnapping (so fast the kidnapping hasn't happened yet)

HE HAS TELEKINSESIS what a little guy... He's so absurd in the best way i adore him. In my mind he is a Manlet I will die on this hill

Jack has a druid parent... Sanguinia. Stays with "g/Cladia" friend in...........city stoneloft

RADIO MOVIE NIGHTS ARE SO CUTE

I remember freaking out about greggins and Jack being qpps (just like me, fr!)

"Intense feelings and situations"

Grey just know it wasn't worth lying to vellum, he's too smart

There was a lot of freaking out about Max being the kid, but I landed on the theory that Grey both kept them seperate and wants vellums blood because Max is a werekid, and it wouldve been traumatic for both of them to raise them together but maybe vellum can help him find a cure. I can understand why there would be so many feelings messed up in all that

Vellum got SO cold in this question and I don't mean in a mean way but it's the...determination

Grey does have the best outlook on clovenheart & I think that's sus

Persuaded the FUCK outa him

Providince......don't thing I trust this. Grey's in his Gatsby era

"Fix other harms that needn't have happened"...........*squinting* return magic?

I WANT GREY TO COME BACK now that's she's less immediately evil) sus

Also I DID say I thought resurrecting vellum's parents could be a part of Grey's motivations!!!!, I did say that!

I really like joy

your sparkliness sounds very diamond

QC and the agents being at odds with eachother at this party sounds like the setup for SUCH a good time

HELL YEAH!!! Songs were groovy. Formatting still banging. I made a note herea out how juggling scenes like that is hard but Jordan did it really damn well. Kitt's so funny!!! I'm excited that they're here. QC is just a funny little guyyyyy he's just a little guyyyyy!!!

Note: hey future lushlet if you get up to wiki shit dont trust this I make hella typos

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wthcew · 3 years

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"Baby Bird?"

Chapter 2

_____________________________________________

"Hey there pretty bird" Jason grinned under his helmet, he looked everywhere for his replac-no. He's done with calling the kid 'replacment'. The kid don't deserve it, he's too good to be replacement, and if he's Jason's replacement than Jason is Dick's and Jason really don't want to think about it like that.

"Hood" Came red's voice, it was strange to hear Tim after so long.

He sat next to Tim on the roof, trying to ignore the kids tiny flinch when their hands touched.

"What's up little red?"

"What do you need hood?"

"What? I'm not allowed to check in?"

Tim gave him a look "Last time you 'checked in' there was a bat-a-rang in my chest" And now it was Jason's time to flinch.

"Tim-"

"Codenames hood"

"I just wanted to-"

"If you need data just email me it"

"I don't need data"

"Then what?"

"I'm sorry" for everything I've ever done to you

"It's okay" Jason saw the small smile on Tim's face. "I have already forgave you"

_____________________________________________

Jason knows that Tim forgave him but he himself didn't.

He hate the fact that Dick is alerted when Tim hangs out with him.

He hate this stupid scar that he put on Tim's throat.

He hate the memories of him wanting Tim's death, the memories of him going after the third robin.

Tim may have forgave him, but Jason sure didn't. And he will try to do everything to make himself worthy to Tim's forgiveness and kindness. Even if he'll have to bleed for it.

_____________________________________________

Jason found out that sometimes Tim just didn't had time to make himself food, which meant that Tim would just go for days on end without food, and Jason can't let it go.

It hunts his mind.

It makes him feel bad when he sit and eat, knowing that Tim is working on a case, or doing WE stuff, or helping the other bats (And that makes him super angry because Tim does it so the other could sleep, eat or do whatever stupid things they do instead caring for himself).

So one night he decided that enough is enough and he'll be dammed if Tim will skip eating under his watch.

_____________________________________________

It was three AM and all Tim wanted to do was to close his eyes and go to sleep. But Bruce just asked him to look in some cases and Tim don't want to disappoint him and who cares if he won't sleep tonight too, he has gone longer without sleep.

He took a quick shower to wash away all the dry sweat and bit of blood from patrol, pulling on oversized t-shirt and sweat pants, thinking of ways to stay awake for another twenty four hours...

He was pulled out of his thoughts when he came from the bedroom to his living room and the smell of chicken soup filled the living room - kitchen era and as much as Tim was hungry he couldn't think of it because alarms were going off in the back of his head and all he could think of was that there's intruder in his home.

And all the panic fade away when he see Jason Todd in his kitchen, sipping soup from a wooden spoon, without shirt, a towel on his left shoulder and bare foot. The small kitchen window was open, letting the wind come in and move couple of stray hairs of Jason from side to side.

"Jason?"

Jason turned his face slightly so he could look at Tim and a soft smile on his face, "Hey baby bird"

"Wha- What are you doing here?"

Jason huffed a laugh and pointed to the soup with his chin "What do you think?"

_____________________________________________

It was much more easy than what Jason thought it would.

Every day they eat dinner together and talk about everything and nothing all at once.

And every time Jason leaves Tim's house there's an ache in his heart, something that tells him that he needs to stay there, with Tim. But he pushe it away, ignore it, never thinking about it.

_____________________________________________

"Jay!" Tim run to his couch when he saw the bleeding guy on his couch.

Jason gripped the red helmet tigh in one hand and in the other he put pressure on his abandon, his eyes looking at everything but Tim had the feeling he can't see anything that was really there.

He could hear Tim running, a cabinet opened and closed and Tim's running again.

The world is spinning and his eyes are fighting his will to stay awake.

He can feel Tim's slender fingers against his skin and then everything goes black.

_____________________________________________

A groan left Jason's mouth before he opened his eyes.

He was too warm and the sun that shines on him isn't coming from the way it always does which makes him sit up (too fast because his chest throb in pain) and look around.

He blinked once. Twice. Before he realised from where he knows that room. Tim's room. He was an idiot to think that he could patrol with fever (even if it wasn't that bad just last week he has threaten Tim that if he'll so much as think about patrol he'll call Alfred and tell him that the boy have fever and here he is. Doing what he prevented Tim from doing) in this kind of weather.

And he also got shot. It's just his fucking luck.

Tim probably going to lecture him about that. A small smile appeared on his face at the thought of that.

"Jay?" Tim stood next to the door frame, looking at Jason with concern in his eyes "How do you feel?"

"I'm fine" A small, patient smile was on Tim's face, "You are not but at least you're better than yesterday"

"Sorry for crushing here" The smile became soft and warmer "It's okay, my sofa is actually really comfy"

Jason looked at him and smile, just wondering since when he started to think of Tim's home as safe place.

_____________________________________________

It was a huge mistake. He should have never done that. He's just hurting himself. Tim will pull away any second and he'll be disgusted with Jason and Jason just ruined everything between them and-

Tim's kissing him back. Tim is kissing him back. And his hands moved to Tim's hips, holding him close and Tim is hugging him.

Jason smiling against Tim's lips, just letting his mind rest and his heart does all the work.

_____________________________________________

Jason smiled as he woke up, Tim's head lie on his bare chest, little huffes leaving his mouth and his making Jason smile wider and more loving.

He warped his hands around Tim, holding him even closer of it's even possible.

_____________________________________________

"I love you Jay" Tim whispered into the dark and silence. "And I'm glad you're here" He didn't mind Jason didn't answered. He never did. He just knew that Jason felt the same, and maybe it was hard for him to say it out loud but Tim knew. He just knew.

_____________________________________________

"It's my fault" Jason said, looking at Dick with big, sad eyes.

"It's not your fault Jay, it's part of being vigilant"

"Yes but if I would have come faster he wouldn't have been shot"

"It's not you're fault Jay, believe me"

"Whatever"

_____________________________________________

Everyone makes mistakes, no one can control it but Tim's mistake was to fall back to old habits just because Jason left ("And he'll never come back" His mind supplied)

Maybe it was what Jason wanted from the start, just to make ot hurt this much more, just like what happened when Dick took robin away or when his parents left once again. It just hurt too much and he just want it all to stop.

_____________________________________________

Seeing Tim in a hospital bed always made his heart ache, and knowing that he's laying in one because of the actions Jason did, because of him Just hurt that much more.

_____________________________________________

I dream

of you

almost every night

Hope-

-fully

I won't wake up this time

_____________________________________________

"Jay?"

_____________________________________________

I'm so sorry it took me so long to write this🤦🏼‍♀️

And if you want the song that I put in it's name is Freaks by Surf Cures

#tim drake #jason todd #jaytim #falling in love #jaytim angst #angst #wthcew

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aion-rsa · 5 years

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The Many Origin Stories of The Joker

https://ift.tt/2OhrRwu

The Joker has had many different versions of his origin told over the years, including in the new movie.

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This article contains some spoilers for the Joker movie. We have a completely spoiler free review right here.

The Joker is probably the most recognizable supervillain in the world. Loosely ased on famed German actor Conrad Veidt in The Man Who Laughs, the Clown Prince of Crime’s unique look and penchant for elaborate, themed murder has left a giant mark in the public consciousness. His real world origins are in dispute - Bob Kane claims the Joker was his creation, but Kane was so full of it that Jim Steranko, the legendary artist behind the groundbreaking Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD, once went upside Kane’s head because Kane patted his face like some nobody kid. The general scholarly consensus is the Joker was created by Jerry Robinson and Bill Finger rather than Kane.

And while the Joker’s real world origins are disputed and nebulous, his in-continuity origins are generally pretty thematically consistent. The real variation comes from a creator’s fundamental view of the Joker: is he a character within the Batman universe? Or is he a primal force standing in opposition to what Batman represents? Or are you...whatever the hell Gotham was? Let’s take a look.

THE RED HOOD: VARIATIONS ON A THEME

Most Joker origin stories hit several of the same notes. A man is involved in a crime in a chemical plant, falls into one of the tanks, and comes out a crazed psychopath with chemically bleached skin and a shock of green hair, often with a permanent smile of some kind.

In most of those, the man involved is a flamboyant criminal known as the Red Hood. While the Joker’s first appearance was in 1940’s Batman #1, his actual origin wasn’t fleshed out for more than a decade. In 1951’s Detective Comics #168, it was revealed that a dapper master criminal in a domed red helmet was planning a heist at Ace Chemicals. He was caught in the act by Batman and Robin and dove into a catch basin full of chemicals to escape them. Those chemicals deformed him, turning him into an evil-looking clown, so he leaned into the gimmick and became the Joker.

This origin is the foundation for a lot of variations. In Alan Moore and Brian Bolland’s The Killing Joke, the unnamed man who becomes the Joker was originally a lab assistant at Ace Chemicals who took up the most dangerous job known to man, stand up comedy, to make extra money to support his pregnant wife. When that didn’t work, he then signed up with some mobsters to rob his former workplace as the Red Hood. After his wife died and he was forced to stick with the robbery anyway, he jumps into a chemical vat to escape Batman, with the usual results.

read more: Every Batman and DC Easter Egg in the Joker Movie

And in Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s “Zero Year” from 2013, the story is basically the same, only with the Red Hood being a gang of criminals instead of just one. It’s the mysterious Red Hood One, the leader but possibly one of any number of rotating primaries, trying to escape Batman by jumping into a vat of chemicals as a planned heist of Ace goes wrong.

There are small differences to each of these origins, but they’re all fundamentally the same - one bad day turns a regular person into a super-psychopath. It’s worth noting that two of the four modern movie interpretations of the Joker also go roughly down the “chemical bath” route. While we never learn the exact details, it’s a safe bet something along these lines happened to Jared Leto’s nameless Joker of the DCEU before Suicide Squad. But other big screen Jokers took a slight detour...

JACK NAPIER

Tim Burton's Batman from 1989 followed a similar premise, only without the Red Hood aspect. Jack Napier was set up by Carl Grissom, his immediate supervisor in the mob, to die in a robbery at Axis Chemicals. Napier caught on to the setup and killed Grissom, but falls over the side of a catwalk and is accidentally dropped into a vat of chemicals by Batman, who was trying to save him. There, we get the added bonus of a bullet ricochet scarring and paralyzing the facial muscles of the vain and handsome Napier, hence the permanent grin.

read more: What the Joker Controversy Gets Wrong

This is also pretty much what his origin was in Batman: The Animated Series. Jack Napier is referred to by name several times throughout the series, and a gangster who Bruce is convinced eventually becomes the Joker is responsible for the death of Andrea Beaumont’s father in Mask of the Phantasm. However, this takes some piecing together, because to the best of my knowledge, it’s only ever referred to and not directly shown.

WANNA KNOW HOW I GOT THESE SCARS?

Not every origin story for the Joker follows that pattern. Or any pattern at all, really.

Heath Ledger’s Joker is probably the one that is most solidly planted in the current popular consciousness. Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight very pointedly did not give a clear origin for the character, opting instead to present him as a force of chaos, a kind of psychotic antibody to the Batman’s rigid order. He gives two vastly different (and terrifying) origin stories at different points in the movie, one where his father carves up his face because he’s a violent drunk, and one where he does it to himself to make his wife happy after she gets her own face disfigured by bookies. We’re never told if either is true, but that’s the exact point the movie is trying to get across - it doesn’t matter where he comes from, just what he’s doing. The Joker in The Dark Knight is less a character, and more an elemental reaction to the existence of Batman.

read more: The Many Deaths of the Joker

Grant Morrison did something similar with the Joker in his epic run with the character in the late aughts. In the first, pre-Batman, Inc. part of the story, Bruce is led to believe that his father is still alive and a servant of the dark Bat-god Barbatos. One of the primary goals of the arc is for Morrison to weave together all of the disparate eras of Batman - the wackiness of the Silver Age, the grim and gritty Batman of the post Dark Knight Returns/Year One era, the street level guy who fights regular old murderers in the Golden Age.

Morrison really wanted the reader to understand that everything counts. In doing so, he set the Joker up as Batman’s foil - while Batman was using his Zurr-En-Arrh personality as an emergency backup, to reset and run on automatic while Bruce Wayne healed, the Joker was also resetting his own personality periodically. This Joker, he argued in a bizarre and wild prose issue (Batman #663, if you’re checking), was super-sane and would alter his own thoughts and methods to match the times. So for this Joker, nothing was true and everything was true at the same time.

GOTHAM

And then there’s Gotham. Good Lord, there’s Gotham. Bear with me now, because we’re about to enter “Xorn’s brother Xorn” territory.

Jerome Valeska is a violent, mentally ill anarchist son of a circus performer with a signature laugh. He kills his mom, confesses, and gets tossed into Arkham, where he inspires a cult. He and his cult escape, and they kill Sarah Essen to help someone run for Mayor, before getting killed by that Mayoral candidate to tie up loose ends. He gets resurrected by his cult, collects a team of supervillains, sows anarchy around the city, and dies again. In the process, he hoses down his identical twin brother Jeremiah with assorted chemicals, which turn Jeremiah insane. Jeremiah is a much more low-key serial killer, and in the last season, he gets tossed into a vat of chemicals making him even crazier.

read more: The Actors Who Have Played the Joker

It’s important to note that at no point were any of Jerome or Jeremiah or any of Jeremiah’s personality changes ever actively identified as the Joker. They just shared almost all of the Joker’s characteristics at varying points. And there was lots of laughing when they were around. Heavy allusions and all. Man, Gotham was a lot.

THE JOKER

Arthur Fleck is a wannabe (and terrible) standup comedian who lives with his mentally ill mother. Awkward and shy, Arthur has some issues, including an unnerving laugh that has nothing to do with humor. Instead, a brain injury (brought on by years of physical abuse he suffered as a child) causes him to break out into fits of uncontrollable, mirthless laughter, which is sometimes seems painful, like a coughing fit. Lest you feel too sorry for him, Todd Phillips’ Joker movie makes it clear early on that Arthur leads an unhealthy (and thoroughly narcissistic) fantasy life.

read more: 10 Times the Joker Almost Nailed Batman

Arthur reaches his breaking point after a mugging, the loss of his job, the continued deterioration of his mother...and a triple murder he commits on a subway car. His spiral continues as more facts about his past are brought to light, and he finally snaps, donning clown makeup (rather than something more permanent) and embracing his destiny. Of course, the movie offers a slightly ambivalent ending that makes it clear that, like Ledger’s conflicting stories, this may be only one of Joker’s POSSIBLE pasts…

Joker is in theaters now.

Read and download the Den of Geek NYCC 2019 Special Edition Magazine right here!

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Feature

Books

Jim Dandy

Oct 4, 2019

DC Entertainment

Joker

Batman

from Books https://ift.tt/2VbU5du

#aion-rsa #Books

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funnythingshere0-blog · 6 years

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Avengers Academy: 15 Embarrassing Yearbook Pictures Of Infinity War Stars

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Avengers Academy: 15 Embarrassing Yearbook Pictures Of Infinity War Stars

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Avengers: Infinity War is finally upon us! While the Hollywood hype machine has a lot of hyperbole, it’s fair to say that this is the biggest cinematic event that many fans have ever seen. Part of what makes this so special is that it is the culmination of a decade of Marvel Cinematic Universe films. Understandably, many fans have been looking to the past in the lead-up to Infinity War: lots of people have been binge-watching previous movies and digging through their old comic collections. However, we decided to dig just a little bit further than that.

Just as every superhero has their humble beginnings before they are changed by outside forces, our favorite actors had their own humble beginnings before they became household names. And let’s face it: it doesn’t get much more humble than high school. That’s right, true believers: we took a little trip through time (no Time Stone needed) to get some old high school yearbook photos of your favorite MCU stars. Some of them have barely changed over the years, and some of them seem like they are now completely different people! Just keep scrolling to check out Embarrassing Yearbook Pictures of Infinity War stars!

15. CHRIS EVANS

In many ways, Chris Evans is the heart and soul of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His Captain America is an all-American inspiration who leads his team with courage, honor, and an unflagging sense of what’s right. It’s enough to make you wonder if he’s always been that way! Judging by this high school yearbook photo, the answer is “yes.”

Obviously, Evans looks much more fresh-faced here than he does in Infinity War, but we can see all the ingredients of future Cap right here: the honest, open face, complete with an earnest smile. Funny enough, we can also see that he’s been rocking some version of this particular haircut for literally decades! Then again, if you look like Chris Evans, why change things up too much?

14. MARK RUFFALO

When he first came on the MCU scene, Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner looked a bit older than fans might have been expecting. While he’s hardly an old man, he looked notably more seasoned than Ed Norton had in the previous Hulk movie. However, Ruffalo won over skeptics with his nervous, nerdy charm in no time at all… and that inner nerdiness looks like it’s been here all along!

From this photo, we can tell that Ruffalo was definitely a smart kid back in high school. In fact, we can visualize him kicking our butts in Chess Club as clearly as we can visualize the modern day Ruffalo transforming into the Hulk. Now, Ruffalo gets to make haters everywhere cry, as he managed to keep the big brains while only getting even more roguishly handsome with each passing year.

13. SCARLET JOHANSSON

Scarlet Johansson shocked many of her fans when the first Infinity War trailer came out. After all, fans had fallen in love with her as the redheaded Black Widow, but now she is sporting a new, blonde hairdo. However, this photo helps show us how good she has always been at adapting to new roles!

On one hand, there’s no mistaking the distinctive features that ScarJo fans love, including mischievous eyes and a fairly disarming smile. However, her high school photo does not have the quiet menace and deadly authority that she imbues the Black Widow character with. This shows us that Johansson is as good at inhabiting a new character as her onscreen persona has ever been! Frankly, we’ve been ready for that solo Black Widow movie for years now.

12. ZOE SALDANA

Gamora’s importance in the MCU has only grown. When we first see her, she is basically a lackey of Ronan who becomes swept up in her adventures with Star-Lord and the other Guardians of the Galaxy. Now, she’s poised to play a major role in taking on Thanos. This particular high school photo showcases how far actor Zoe Saldana has come.

In the photo, we can see the quiet beauty that has driven Saldana’s fans crazy all over the world. However, her smile seems downright demure. Maybe she’s just playing coy, as everyone knows that her future turns her into a strong female role model and one of the noblest and most inspirational MCU heroes this side of Captain America. Unlike her love for Star-Lord, Saldana’s fame is definitely NOT some unspoken thing!

11. CHRIS PRATT

Speaking of Star-Lord, here’s Chris Pratt himself! Part of what made his introduction to the MCU so surprising was his seeming physical transformation: he went from being a funny guy of relatively average build to a six-pack stunner in what seemed like the blink of an eye. However, this old high school photo gives us a glimpse of the old Pratt!

You can definitely see the seeds of the charming hero here, such as his knowing smirk and his blunt stare. However, he seems much more like Andy from Parks and Rec than Star-Lord here, not quite packing the swagger that he will have in later years. However, we think Andy would be pretty pleased that he grew to play someone who is even cooler than FBI Agent Burt Macklin!

10. DON CHEADLE

As he came into the MCU, Don Cheadle initially had an uphill climb ahead of him. He was playing the character of Rhodes, but this character was already famously portrayed by Terrence Howard in the first Iron Man movie. Thus, Cheadle had to bring a familiar character to life while still making the role his own, and he has since charmed us as War Machine. Unlike some of the actors on this list, it’s not hard at all to see the modern Don Cheadle in this old high school photo.

He’s sporting the same intense look in his eyes and rocking the same kind of disdainful look that is usually directed towards Tony Stark on-screen. Aside from a few years and a different hairstyle, the only real difference is a rocking supersuit — and that’s one hell of an upgrade!

9. JEREMY RENNER

Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye often seems relegated to the back bench. He’s one of the only “normal” humans on a team full of superheroes, and that makes it tough to stand out. Still, he helps embody exactly what a “regular” human can achieve when he applies himself. And he apparently has his own special superpower: improving on his high school look!

In the old photo, we can see Renner sporting a mild smile as well as something we’re not likely to see in the MCU: a mullet! Time has been kind to the actor, and his modern hair style is much more flattering to his face. And while Hawkeye seems to scowl much more than he smiles, it’s tough to deny that this new look he ended up with makes him look better than ever.

8. PAUL RUDD

It’s something of a running joke that Paul Rudd hardly seems to age. As Ant-Man, he looks youthful and fresh-faced, and that’s only intensified when he is next to older actors. However, this old photo shows that Rudd’s look has been known to change from time to time… and, like Renner before him, he’s only gotten better with age! For instance, the high school era Rudd would likely not have been able to wear the iconic Ant-Man helmet.

This is because he’s been blessed with enough hair that it would make even “Bucky with the good hair” Winter Soldier look twice. Modern Rudd has a more streamlined look, but he retains the same perpetual grin and eyes crinkled in faint amusement. Maybe Hank Pym hooked him up with an anti-aging serum along with the suit?

7. COBIE SMULDERS

Maria Hill (played by Cobie Smulders) is another character whose importance in the MCU has only grown over the years. When she was introduced in Avengers, she came across as little more than Nick Fury’s sidekick. As his importance diminished, though, she took on more of a leadership role, and even after the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D., she has stayed close to the major sources of power around her.

To be honest, it’s a bit difficult to see the older Maria Hill in Smulders’ high school photo. While Maria Hill often comes across as gruff and all business, the younger Smulders seems ready to both deliver and receive some great jokes. This, of course, served her well when she played the role of Robin for all those years on How I Met Your Mother before she started saving the world in the MCU.

6. ELIZABETH OLSEN

Elizabeth Olsen’s career could not seem more enchanted if her Scarlet Witch character personally put a hex on it. For years, she lived in the shadow of her twin sisters as they turned their Full House fame into a media empire. Elizabeth was the “other” Olsen, but now she plays a Marvel hero whose role only gets bigger with each film. The bottom line? She is now by far the most famous Olsen. Of course, you might have trouble convincing her high school self of that fact.

She seems all business in the old photo, practically daring the photographer to ask her to smile. The older Olsen still has that same strength and defiance, and she partners it with nicely coiffed hair and eyes faintly sparking with hex magic. Frankly, we’re ready to see what her next magic trick is going to be!

5. JOSH BROLIN

For years, Thanos was in the shadows as the mysterious Big Bad of the MCU. We gradually saw more of him in movies like Guardians of the Galaxy, and now he’s invading the Earth and taking on all our heroes in Infinity War. He’s a face that makes the universe tremble… but you probably couldn’t tell based on this old photo!

The man behind Thanos is veteran actor Josh Brolin. He is known for many of his gruff, no-nonsense roles, but in this picture of him as a young man, he has an easy smile and a pretty laid back demeanor. We’re guessing young Brolin wouldn’t throw his life away chasing down Infinity Stones, so we’re really curious where everything went wrong with the purple baddie Thanos.

4. CHRIS HEMSWORTH

In Thor: Ragnarok, there is a cute bit where Thor is disappointed that a Quinjet does not recognize his voice as “the strongest Avenger.” While that may or may not be the case, many fans think of Thor actor Chris Hemsworth as the hottest Avenger. As you can see from this old photo, that role has been a lifetime in the making!

As opposed to the older Thor (who has been through major battles and even lost his eye), young Hemsworth is young and much more clean-shaven than fans might have expected. He may not have yet started the workout regimen that gave him such insane muscles in later movies, but young Hemsworth is already rocking the beginnings of the hair that earned him the Quinjet’s actual nickname for him: Point Break , a reference to Iron Man once naming Thor after the classic film.

3. CHADWICK BOSEMAN

It would actually be an understatement to say that Black Panther took the world by storm. It became a full-blown cultural phenomenon, with old and new fans alike readily embracing the motto “Wakanda forever!” This meant that overnight, Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman became a household name. And you can see the beginnings of that serious character way back in high school. On one hand, the younger Boseman looks different from the one we’re familiar with: he’s rocking a nearly bald head and a clean face.

However, his eyes still have all of the intensity that helps us believe that Black Panther is the king of the most advanced nation on the planet. This is the intensity that fans have rallied around, and it looks like Boseman had that intensity for decades.

2. SEBASTIAN STAN

Like some of the others on this list, Sebastian Stan has watched his MCU role get bigger and bigger. He went from having what was basically a bit role in Captain America: The First Avenger to being the central villain in Captain America: Winter Soldier. And the entire plot revolved around him in Captain America: Civil War. Now, it looks like his Winter Soldier is coming back in a big way in Infinity War.

Judging by the photo, the young Sebastian Stan would be quite happy to take on the challenge! He comes across as youthful and energetic, ready to take on whatever life throws his way. While stylish, his short hair is nowhere near the length that would later spawn all of those “Bucky with the good hair” memes. And, of course, his younger incarnation is smiling and happy… something we don’t see a lot of for Bucky.

1. ROBERT DOWNEY, JR.

The MCU has ended up being a very, very big tent. That’s part of why so many fans are excited for Infinity War: it’s Marvel’s first time taking all of their toys out at once and playing with them. However, the MCU was effectively launched by one man: if the world didn’t buy Robert Downey, Jr. as a snarky superhero, then the entire enterprise would crumble. Spoilers: the world bought it. While the actor had some offscreen drama, he channeled that to create a hero traumatized by his past and determined to make the world a better place.

Looking at his high school photo, you can see how different the star now looks, though it’s clear that his handsome smirk and impish eyes never went away. And, thanks to CGI wizardry like the fake flashback in Civil War, Marvel can bring this young version to life whenever they want!

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