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#the S thing just in superman colours
randomperson3736 · 9 months
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Favouritism- Batman: Wayne family adventures
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Paring(s): Batfam x child! Reader, Bruce Wayne x daughter! Reader
Warning(s): none
Genre: fluff, kinda funny
Word bank: Y/N- your name
Notes: I think I may start a mini batfam x child reader series 🤔
It was an average day for the batfamily. Bruce was sitting om his brown chair in the living roomreading the newspaper. He saw Dick come in with a large box. Bruce looked up from his newspaper, "Hey, Dick. What's with the box?"
Dick smiled and turned to Bruce. "There was this huge sale of justice league memorabilia yesterday. So I picked up stuff for everyone!"
"That was nice of you"
"It was no big deal" Dick waved goodbye and headed out of the living room. "I'll catch you later B!" As he turned around, Bruce saw the superman logo on the back of his blue hoodie. Bruce looked back at his newspaper, "Superman. Figures"
As dick turned the corner, he saw Y/N pass by with a children's book in her arms. "Morning Mini B!"
"Morning Dickie"
Y/N looked up curiously at the box in his arms. "Dickie what's with the box?" She asked. Dick kneeled down to Y/N'S height and placed the box down so she could she inside. "A bunch of justice league memorabilia"
"Memoa?"
"Memorabilia! It's a bunch of cool stuff dedicated ro the justice league. Check it out" he put his hand in the box and pulled out an object. "See, this one is the flash!" It was a bright red boomerang with the flahs logo on it.
"Here. I'll let you take first pick" Y/N looked down into the box and moved her arms around. "I'll take this one" She pulled out a doll and rubbed her finger over its white eyes. Dick let out a annoyed huff. "Are you okay Dickie?"
"Yea, I'm fine. I'm gonna give the rest ro the others, bye baby bird!" He made a peace sign with his free hand as he picked up the box with his other.
"Bye"
~timeskip~
Jason headed up ro the Manor and passed by Y/N in the living room. She was laying on the floor with a white pillow under her elbows (courtesy of Alferd) drawing on a sheet of paper with her coloured pencils. "Hey baby sis, got this for you!" He put a wonder women crown on her head. It was too big for her, so it fell down onto her face, covering her eyes.
She let out a giggle. "Jay Jay I can't see!" She took the crown off and put it in front of her. Jason crouched down next to Y/N. "What'cha got there?"
"I'm colouring"
Jason looked down at the drawing, his finger places under his chin, as if he was inspecting it. It was crude drawing of a man standing in a garden holding hands with a little girl. "Nice. Very nice" he pointed at the person in her drawing. "You know I have a white streaked in my hair right?"
"I know. I'm drawing daddy"
Jason slumped backwards and pouted. He then turned his attention towards the object Y/N picked from Dick's box. "I thought I was her favourite" he mumbled.
"Huh?"
"It's nothing. So how about you squeeze me in there?" He grabbed a red coloured pencil and pretend to draw on the paper.
Y/N started pushing him away and giggled "Jay, I'll draw you later"
~timeskip~
The next day, Bruce walked down to the batcave holding case flies. "Trust me Duke. The tech stuff is just important as the punching stuff when it comes to being a vigilante" Bruce looked over at Barbara and Duke, who were conversing. "Besides, I can do things as Oracle that I could never as batgirl"
Bruce looked down at Duke's new sneakers. They were red with the flash symbol on the right side. "Hmph" he felt his hands tighten into fits as he hunched over. Barbara and Duke overheard the noise and turned to Bruce. "Everything okay?" Bruce, still looking down at the crumbled papers in his hands and muttered, "Fine, it's all fine"
~timeskip~
It was dinner time and Bruce finally lost it. Stephanie was sitting across him, slurping loudly out of her green arrow water bottle. Bruce slammed his fits on the dinning table. "GREEN ARROW, STEPHANIE! REALLY?!"
"What? He's cool! He's a Justice league member who fights crime without any powers. Game recognises game" She flaunted her cup. "But I do that!"
"Yea, but do you use a bow? Are you blonde? I don't think so" Bruce covered his face, he had enough.
~timeskip~
At the watchtower, the justice league were having their usual meeting. Superman sat down next to green arrow and whispered in his ear. "Does batman look grumpier than usual today?"
He turned to Batman who was sulking in his seat. Wonder women and flash looking on both his sides concerned. "Seems normal to me"
~timeskip~
After a hellish week, Bruce slumped in his study's chair. His ego batter and bruised. From the corner of his eye, he could see Y/N peaking her head through the study's entrance. "Y/N" He jumped and sat up straight. He gave a twitching smile. She looked concerned. "Daddy? Are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine. Daddy's just tired"
She moved to the front of the study and fumbled with the helm of her dress. "Can I come in?"
"Of course you can" She walked over ro his chair. Bruce lifted her up and places her on his lap. He smiled contently. That's when he noticed she was holding something. The item she was carrying the whole time. It was a batman doll. His eyes widened in surprise. "What's in your hands sweetie?"
"Dickie brought over the memor- memora-... stuff from the justice league" He laughed at her attempt to say memorabilia. "And I picked this"
"Is batman your favourite superhero?" He asked genuinely. She answered quickly, "Yep"
"And why is that?"
"Cause he's you daddy! And your my number one hero" She gave her father a toothy smile. He felt his eyes welling up with tears but he blinked them away and pulled his daughter into a tight hug. "I love you so much Y/N"
Y/N hugged him back just as tight. "I love you too daddy"
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When he first came out in 1938, in terms of how his character was portrayed, Superman wasn’t just unique and captivating because of his amazing powers and charming personality. He was by many accounts of entertainment at that time…an exception to the norms
One of the many ways Action Comics #1 changed everything: The fictional concepts of ‘aliens among us’, ‘Being with Godly Powers’ and how they’re combined with the Pulp Hero which led to Superman.
The thing is
A lot of these stories of beings with godly powers beyond those of mortal men would often be portrayed as an antagonistic to outright villainous force meant to horrify their victims with the overarching mantra of Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely. It’s a trend we seen play out a lot of times in our current media when beings who either gain or often times posses godlike powers are either villainous last obstacles for our hero, their greatest challenge or as like seen sometimes in shows including Star Trek, beings of thousand of years old who long detached themselves from the affairs of beings considered ‘lesser’ than them with little to no interference, meant to be observed. There’s certainly a probably chance of characters like these being the norm even for stories in pulp novels, magazines and other media back then in the 30s
More telling since they had popularity even lasting beyond Action Comics #1’s first printing, if that superpowered being has alien origins, they’re those that usually either don’t understand the concept of morality as we lowly humans do and utterly so alien and abomination in mere appearance, looking at them directly can drive some to madness a la HP Lovecraft whose works find routine publication from as early as 1908 and only ended in 1936 or in the case of say War of the Worlds who had a very notable radio adaptation in 1938 (which caused a bit of mass panic due to timing of people tuning in their radios before announcements and title introductions were made) they might understand that morality and they given to destroying our civilization anyways in conquest as an allegory for Imperialism at that time
In both of these types of stories, any being even those with a humanoid appearance are seen as others or outside forces that are threats to humanity and especially the average Joe and they were stories that came out prior to Action Comics #1. Prior also to that comic, sure they were some superheroes usually in either mythology like Hercules or pulp heroes a la the Phantom
Superman when he first came out was an exception to all of that
For a simple reason, he could’ve been on of those aliens who were detached from the reality around them by their age and wisdom, an invading ruthless conquerer like HG Wells’ Martians, a abomination who mere acts of simply existing in our realm invokes dread, despair and fear of what unknown entities he can be linked to that overpower us lowly humans a la The Colour Out of Space or even the faceless one Nylarathotep or even a man who when gaining his great power eventually descends into utter madness and villainy for their own selfish gains which ironically was what the duo of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster had in mind for their planning stages of this brand new creation they wanted to share.
Even for a heroic example, Clark could’ve simply been a simple man with a bright costume and a gimmick in an attempt to cash in the small notable trend the Phantom had set up into his adventures coming out a mere years before Action Comics
And yet Superman wasn’t any of that. He was simply a humanoid alien immigrant who was raised by a kindly couple and from an early age decides to use his newfound godlike powers and incredible abilities not to frighten, not to be detach, not to conquer….he just wants to help. He’s a Champion of the Oppressed, a living marvel dedicated to helping those in need.
All of those other examples of what people had for character prior to Action Comics #1 are what they are….
Superman Can. And he can do that, cause he was and still is the exception
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pinkiepiebones · 11 months
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may i ask for all the Renfield details from the Fangoria article you mentioned
Sorry for replying late, I think you sent this just as I was going to sleep
FANGORIA TIDBITS!!!!
-They did multiple takes and variations of scenes. Director Chris McKay said every take with Cage was "so fucking watchable" and that having those dozens of takes to choose from was "the hardest thing about cutting* the movie" (*I think that means editing)
-Hoult once told Cage, between takes, that he had been trying to do the Dwight Frye laugh in the scene they were filming, and on the next take Cage "suddenly threw that laugh back at me and started mocking me with it."
-In one version of the apartment confrontation scene, Cage's Dracula uses the eyeball garnishing his bloody martini like a little puppet, "talking to it before slurping it up."
-This quote from the director: "Much like Lego Batman, where I posited that our Batman is every version of Batman, I wanted to put Cage in the Frank Langella movie and the Christopher Lee movies and everything else. If I'd had the money and time, there would've been a snippet of him in every decade there was a Dracula movie." (fwiw the budget of Renfield was reportedly around $65mil and they shot and edited it in less than a year's time)
-Cage is only the seventh actor to play Dracula for Universal studios. More men have walked on the Moon. Said Cage: "I'm proud to be a member of that club."
-Cage said his Dracula was primarily inspired in part by his father - "My dad was someone who wanted to speak with distinction. He didn't have a full-on British accent but he did have a mid-Atlantic accent because he was a professor... Dracula's an articulate, elegant and eloquent character, and my dad had all those elements" - and Ann Bancroft's character Mrs. Robinson from the movie The Graduate - "The way she was abusing Dustin Hoffman's character, and the fact that she was an alcoholic... All that, to me, worked, because this take on Dracula is really about his relationship with Renfield, a toxic relationship. And it's this master/servant crap that so many people deal with, whether it's at work or an unfortunate romantic relationship..."
-Hoult worked with Cage before- he played Cage's son in 2005's The Weather Man
-Costume designer Lisa Lovaas on working with Cage again: "I knew from my experience (on Superman Lives) that Nic was totally game. I could present him with an elaborate Dracula, and he would be 100% on board. He walked out of the fitting saying 'This is it, we've done it.'"
-Dracula has monogrammed Dolce & Gabbana shoes
-The writer of the article doesn't say much more about the costuming but wrote "Dracula shares a shirtmaker with Frank Sinatra, I'm told," and I'm not entirely sure what that means?
-Director McKay on the blood in the movie: "I wanted the blood to be a certain colour of red, more like the Tom Savini Dawn of the Dead blood."
-SFX designer Christien Tinsley studied up on corpses to get Dracula's varying skintones right. "Is Dracula just pale, or does he have an undertone of colour? Is that colour more sallow and corpse-like, or is it more blue and cool tones? ... Hundreds of years ago, hospitals and morgues would bring in artisans to recreate the corpse in wax as it was being dissected. And they would do this in beautiful colours, yellows and blues, copying what they were seeing, but giving them these beautiful colour palettes..." Tinsley used those corpse palettes as the basis for Dracula's skin.
-Tinsely also had a tough makeup challenge with Hoult's Renfield: "He's not seeing much daylight, not really taking care of himself. However, 100 years ago he was a respectable lawyer... So we scrapped the idea of making him look unkempt; he has traditions. But now his skin is the same cool tones as Dracula; they're family. And we see a transition in his appearance as he becomes stronger and healthier, emotionally and mentally."
-Hoult on his Renfield: "The version of Renfield that we are seeing is ninety years after the original. The madness has been beaten out of him. He's been under the thumb of this powerful man, taking care of him... for so long."
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katy-133 · 10 months
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Sniper's Past - Team Fortress 2 Theory
(TF2 comic spoilers relating to Sniper's backstory.)
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Kinda related to my previous reblog about Medic's canon full name, and whether it is canon and which version is canon, but TF2's universe definitely has named other mercs in reference to irl history things.
We know from documentation (and the comics) what Sniper's first and last name is. Sniper's name is Mick Mundy (previously Mun-Dee), likely in reference to Crocodile Dundee (aka Mick Dundee), who popularised the "rugged bushman" image of Australia.
The film Crocodile Dundee was inspired by a Parkinson (BBC) interview with real life Australian cattle farmer and hunter Rod Ansell.
And you can say "but New Zealand--" but keep in mind that your place of birth (POB) and the place you grew up in and took in the culture of are two different things. For the sake of this discussion, Sniper's nationality is canonically Australian. His POB is New Zealand (which, side-note, in the TF2 universe is treated like the lost city of Atlantis), which he left as a baby Superman-origin-style via escape pod.
Anyways...
Sniper's bark line "Now THAT'S a knife!" is a paraphrased quote from the film Crocodile Dundee.
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Additionally, Sniper's Razorback item looks like it is inspired by a Northern Queensland, Australia rainforest shield. This implies that Sniper (like Rod Ansell and Crocodile Dundee) was initiated by the Aboriginal Australian community at some point growing up.
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(Second image is just one example of a Queensland pattern. There are many variations of colour and pattern used in Queensland rainforest shield art.)
I like how this idea expands on not just his past but also his character. Does he speak/understand Dyirbal or Urapunga? (Former is a language spoken in northeast Queensland, latter is the Aboriginal language Rod Ansell and Crocodile Dundee were fluent in.) Did Sniper take part in corroboree meetings? Was he trained (and in what) through the Aboriginal community? Does it affect how he views the land grab situation between RED and BLU? So many questions.
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ryttu3k · 2 months
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Queen Rock Montreal at IMAX? Queen Rock Montreal at IMAX!! Some assorted thoughts:
Some parts were definitely 'yes, this was recorded in 1981', but most, damn, held up very well.
Their energy was I n s a n e. Freddie's sheer charisma and ability to hold an audience more than thirty years after his death is just... yeah, he's a legend. Also Roger was going all out, I'm legit surprised he didn't snap a drumstick.
Loved the staging! There were a couple of moments where they went nuts with solos (including Roger doing a surprisingly melodic solo on timpani) and lighting and just... goddamn cool as hell.
Love Deacy just looking at everyone else in black and white with a few pops of primary colours and going. Actually. I'm going head to toe blue.
Relatedly, Brian May I am coming for your wardrobe.
The Red Special is one of the most distinctive-sounding guitars on the planet, isn't it?
Very amused at how Freddie ended up wearing less and less as the concert went on. Starts with white jeans, Superman tank top, leather jacket, wristband, sneakers. Two songs later, jacket is gone. Two songs after that, tank top is gone. Eventually ends up in white booty shorts, white cap, red scarf, and red wristband. Then the cap goes. Then the scarf goes... Was starting to get concerned for the kids in the audience!
Listen I am asexual and primarily aesthetically attracted to feminine and androgynous people but turns out even I am Not Immune To Freddie Mercury. I can only assume anyone there actually attracted to masc people walked out pregnant. That is charisma.
One minor sour point, would have loved the audience to have got more into it. Sing along! Clap! This is the closest thing we have to seeing Queen at their height! Live a little!
In conclusion, Freddie's legs (see: booty shorts) have given me gender envy.
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hollow-keys · 6 days
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Diana and Clark for the character bingo (bc you said they were on your mind)
I mean, they were on my mind but I have the attention span of a *remembers goldfish can actually remember things for months* me.
Anyway, on it boss 🫡
Clark
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People in the 30's were so right to get attached to him I really love him. I relate to his feeling of alienation and his self consciousness a lot which has led to some. Projecting. A lot of people are wrong about him (by virtue of being so popular) but not enough to tick the everyone is wrong about them box.
Of course there's the "Superman should be dark" Zack Synder crowd and whatever the fuck Injustice is but there's also people who make him too clean and perfect or overemphasise his niceness IMO. My view of him probably comes from reading older comics (especially golden age) where he's a bit rougher and I like that side of him. Like his original tagline was "Champion of the Oppressed" he forced a war profiteer to enlist to teach him a lesson, he trapped a mining company owner (and his party guests) in a mine so he would make his mines safer, he tore down a slum to force the government to rebuild it with better materials all within his first few issues in Action Comics. And this characterization wasn't entirely in those early issues, like later on in DC presents #28 where he fucking. Gives Mongul (unfortunate name)* a brain hemorrhage (it was the only way he could think of to defeat him). Or in The Death of Superman where he kills Doomsday without umming and ahhing over whether or not it's sentient. He's like Diana in that he won't kill most of the time and tries to understand others but he's not a hardline "no kill" guy.
*Elaborating on that but giving a character who is both a villain and has yellowy coloured skin a name that's one letter off of a real Asian ethnicity is uhh... unfortunate ignorance at best and purposefully racist at worst. Mongul. Mongol. They're not even pronounced differently.
*Abrupt segue* Anyway, back to Superman. His meaner and more overtly leftist side frequently gets watered down so he gets characterised as a "hug it out" liberal. I won't say this is a mischaracterisation because there's no one Superman, but it's not my fave.
There's also a lot of discourse about who the real guy is. Is he Kal, Clark or Superman? So you get the shitty take in Kill Bill that calls Clark Kent his critique of humanity (what?) or the Byrne take where Kal doesn't matter.
In my view, he's all of it. He grew up an anomaly, worried he could crush his peers without a thought, constantly having to control himself. Of course he's clumsy because he's spending so much time reigning in 99% of his power, he doesn't have brainspace to think about minutiae. Of course he's anxious because one wrong move could kill somebody. When he's Superman a lot of his brainspace gets freed up because he doesn't have to hide so he's more confident. His heritage does matter because all immigrants, or even descendants of them like me, feel a connection with their heritage, and for someone who never got to know it in the way he should have, he feels a longing for it.
He idealises Krypton and is forced to recon with the flawed reality of it later when he talks to Kara about what it was actually like, which I found a bit relatable because I would idealise Ireland as a child and only really took the rose coloured glasses off later on (which sounds stupid but I was a child and it was really easy to feel like Ireland would be more of a home for me when I didn't fit in in England and my Irish mother accepted me. I extrapolated).
None of it is fake, which is out of line with golden age Clark being non-confrontational and making himself small as part of his disguise, but I don't treat any era as gospel. So yeah, I have a lot of autistic feelings about him.
Umm. I didn't intend for this to be so long I just got rambling about various Clark thoughts that have been buried somewhere in my head for a while.
Diana
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She may not be your fave of all time but she's still going in the blorbo by proxy category because you're a fan. On to my actual thoughts about her.
A lot of my feelings about her are mired in my thoughts on her treatment as the only female member of the trinity and how the amazons are treated/written in general rather than solely being about her because in a lot of ways she's symbolic of DC's treatment of women.
WRT the trinity, she's the only member without a secondary title (she used to have Sensation Comics a long time ago) and her potentially much more interesting dynamic with Clark is shoved aside in favour if Clark + Batman. The trinity really feels like it's BATMAN!!! Superman also! and uh *checks smudged handwriting* Wobner Woman.
WRT her she's frequently sexualised, almost always written by privileged men, her supporting characters get nothing (the first non-Diana wonderfam related ongoing was Wonder Girl in 2021 and only lasted 7 issues), her lore gets retconned with much less hastle than Batman or Superman's and her series numbering keeps getting rebooted*
*This may seem like a petty complaint but I've noticed that characters who get rebooted numbering are often ones who while popular enough to get consistent ongoings, don't get a lot of faith from DC so they use the new number 1's as a gimmick to garner interest.
But to focus solely on her as a character, I feel similarly to you about liking her in a chill way. She feels less relatable to me than Clark but she's very cool still. I like her optimism, her strong sense of justice, general badassery and also that she's willing to cross that line and kill under certain circumstances. Her diplomatic bent really makes her unique among heroes too.
I need to read more of her absolutely.
---
But yeah, the reason I was thinking about them was because I was (and am) annoyed that Clark and Bruce are pushed as the dynamic when Clark and Diana make much more sense.
They're both outsiders (in different ways) with incredible power who base their justice around harm reduction and have a sense of optimism about the world and the ability to do better. Both make a point of being compassionate, considerate and diplomatic. Bruce's justice is rooted in his trauma and a desire to protect others from experiencing that and he's more pessimistic. He's not particularly considerate or good at communicating, he can be quite self centered and he's obscenely wealthy, which I think would put him at odds with Clark and his values. (Yeah, yeah, Bruce donates to charity but he's still a billionaire so it's clearly not enough, and while Clark may not be straight up commie, I do think he'd agree that being a billionaire is too much).
The reason Bruce and Clark are pushed so much is because they're DC's most famous characters but Diana isn't too far behind and she makes more sense as Clark's closest friend on the League but DC hates women and loves Batman so it's Batman and Superman: World's Finest forever and ever.
Thanks for asking!
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thelanguishing · 2 years
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when we meet again (mouthpiece x velma)
a/n: as requested by @mp198651-blog, i managed to write a piece on what i thought mouthpiece and velma’s meeting might look like a few years down the road. i wasn’t planning on churning it out so quickly, but i just got rejected from one of my dream schools so i decided writing might help as a distraction. spoiler alert: it didn’t. still disappointed. anyway, this one is a lot longer than my first one, but i hope that you don’t mind too much! i really wld recommend reading my previous one first (it’s called the aftermath) to give more context as to the significance of some of their dialogue when they meet. please enjoy!
word count: 2477 
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Somewhere along the Upper West Side, Mouthpiece finishes organising the comic books along his little stand. Heaving a sigh of relief, he stands back, inspecting his work. Why, he’s getting better and better at this! The newest editions of Superman lie proudly front and centre, and you can barely notice the little tears in the more worn copies at the back. The colour of the magazine covers lie in a perfect gradient of red to black. His boss should be so proud of his up-and-coming apprentice. In no time at all, Mouthpiece would be more than ready to open and close the store on his own. 
As customers stream in and out throughout the day, Mouthpiece helps his boss tend to their products, tirelessly rearranging and taking in the new stock. His skinny, kindly middle aged employer walks up to him and pats his back proudly. 
“Boy, you takin’ good care of the shop, ain’t ya! Ya doing me real proud here.” His jovial warble reverberates around the little store, words of praise bouncing off the walls into Mouthpiece’s ears. Mouthpiece turns slightly red at the generous praise. Compliments from anyone at all were so rare, he nearly didn’t remember the last time someone paid him one.
Oh, wait. It was probably her. 
It’s a rather quiet time of day, so Mouthpiece deposits himself on a little stool behind the cashier, deeply lost in his own thoughts. How long had it been since he saw his beautiful girl? 
Ah, his mistake. She wasn’t his anymore. He thinks back to the day of the Dog Days Dance, nearly four summers ago by now. 
They were in her bedroom, after she’d let him in through her fire escape. It was their tradition to let one another do the final touch ups on their outfits before going out. His well worn signature cap in hand, Mouthpiece extended it to her after plopping himself on her duvet, looking at her expectantly. She adjusted it deftly onto his head, placing a little kiss on his cheek after she was satisfied. In return, he’d helped her put on her necklace, careful not to catch her hair in it. He remembered how excited she had been that night. 
“I’ll get to dance all night with the best dancer in alla New York tonight! I won’t let you go even for a single minute. And, my, don’t you look handsome.” She declared, voice lilting the way it always did when she felt pride. Mouthpiece grinned cheekily, pulling her close. 
“Of course we’ll dance all night. Just you and me, Vel.” He promised, even going so far as to link their pinkies together. Velma loved it when they got to do cheesy, childish things like this. It made her feel as if the boy underneath wasn’t completely lost to the anger of his world. He remembered how pleased he’d been by her offhanded, but genuine compliment, as they remained entwined in each other’s embrace as they made their way to the school gym. 
Refocusing on the cash register, Mouthpiece forces himself to count the spare change, making a mental reminder to go get more dollar bills for the till. But as he attempts to apply himself to his work, he finds Velma clouding his thoughts. It isn’t uncommon, per se. It’s the little things, like seeing a blue dress in Gimbels or red roses from the florist he used to frequent. There are bits of her in everything. Even the way the sun would so brightly shine through an overcast afternoon. I hope Vel’s doing alright now, wherever she is. 
The same day, Velma poises herself in a seat opposite her mother at the dining table, hands perfectly folded while she waits for her mother to speak. Hands together, shoulders back, chin up. She has done everything to work on her posture at the table, just like her mother demands. As her mother gestures to the food, Velma daintily picks up the soup spoon and begins eating. Her other hand is casually but constantly resting on her napkin, ready to wipe her mouth should the soup stain her face. It is an effort to consistently remind herself of etiquette, but she will practise diligently until it comes to her as naturally as it does to her mother. The perfect Upper East Side wife. 
“Velma, you have been doing wonderfully with all our etiquette practice. I arranged for you to meet the son of your father’s business partner. The boy’s name is Thomas. He’s very handsome, and you’ll make a good wife for him. If all is well, we can have you two married within the year. Go shopping sometime today, please, and get yourself a good dress to meet him in a few days.” Her mother issued her instructions before excusing herself to her room. 
Velma isn’t surprised by the idea. No, she’s always known she would have to marry the heir of some business. The younger, more naive girl in her might have tried to oppose that, wishing to marry for love instead. But over the past few years, she’d learnt what stability and comfort could do for you. If you married well, there wouldn’t be a day in your life where you worried about rent or food. You could go to as many dances as you wanted. You’d probably end up organising some of your own. You might not be blissful, but you sure as hell wouldn’t be destitute. 
Oh wait, ladies don’t use the word hell. 
But that name. Of all the Johns, Davids, and Jameses, why did he have to share the same name as the boy from her past? The only boy, really, who she could truly count as a part of her history? 
Velma indulges herself and leans back on the dining room chair. She thinks back to the last Thomas she’s known, the last Thomas she’s ever loved. She is always cool and collected, and the way she filters her thoughts is no different. Mouthpiece is a part of her life that no longer fits, and therefore she tries to sieve him away from memory. But she admits that he slips through the gaps a lot. It’s the little things, like watching a passerby adjust his cap or the Batman comics she sees in the shops near her house. There are bits of him in everything. Even the way the sun would so brightly shine through an overcast afternoon. I hope Mouthpiece is doing alright now, wherever he is.
Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Velma grabs her purse and strides out of the house. The sooner she gets that dress, the better. Gimbels is still the biggest clothing department store near her, and so she heads that way. 
The Upper East Side and the Upper West Side aren’t all that far away from each other, in reality. But Velma oftentimes finds herself subconsciously steering away from the Upper West Side wherever possible, away from her old haunts with her old friends, and as far away as she can from Doc’s. She tells herself that it is because of all the reconstruction, but her heart knows better. It is better to avoid the place and people who wounded you, lest something happens again. 
Walking through the outskirts of the Upper West Side streets, Velma already notices how much the area has changed over the few years. Shiny new apartment complexes rise from where old rubble once was. There is less dust and more delight. It’s almost unrecognisable. 
She soaks in the new Upper West Side, surveying the smaller shops surrounding Gimbels. A small diner. A pub. A comic book store. The establishments are unfamiliar, but not exactly everything is. She’s no stranger to the longing in her gut as her eyes fall on the comic book store. 
It’s just a comic book store. You don’t even like comics. 
But she remains fixated on that quiet little shop. There’s no point even trying to stop the floodgate of memories as she burns a hole in that shop with her eyes. She can suddenly hear Mouthpiece’s laugh; he is chuckling as he tries to show her his favourite characters from whatever comic he has on hand, and she playfully swats at him. She can smell the sweetness of their chocolate milkshake; they always used to share one whenever they went out for dates. She can feel his arms around her waist again; he was always pulling her impossibly close everywhere they went. Her chest tightens as she recalls how happy she was, how happy they both were. He always did have a way of making her feel like the only girl in the world. 
From inside the store, it is hard to make out clearly who that figure across the street is. Mouthpiece has long noticed that woman standing there on the road, just waiting to get knocked down by an oncoming car. He has half a mind to go across and tell her to step aside, unless she has a death wish. Watching for about half a minute more, he finally brushes himself off and opens the door of the shop. 
Dumb broad ain’t never heard of road safety before. 
Mouthpiece has every intention of calling, “Hey, miss! Ya wanna step aside or get railed down by the next car?” But the words die in his throat as he makes eye contact with the one girl plaguing his mind for the past three, nearly four years. She’s older, curvier, and taller, but the first thought that crosses his mind is that she’s still pretty. 
They awkwardly stare at each other for half a second before recognition fully sets in. Now on the cusp of adulthood, Mouthpiece looks a lot taller and stronger from their last meeting. His jaw is more defined, his cheekbones a little sharper. He looks like a man now. 
Settling for a wave, she finally inches tentatively towards him into the store. Their last meeting had been tearful and angry and messy, and looking at his grimace, Velma knows he’s recalling it vividly too. A bit of a bad place to pick up off, if she was being honest. 
Neither of them want to break the ice, but the suffocating tension in the shop doesn’t go unnoticed by Mouthpiece’s boss. He meaningfully clears his throat, gives Mouthpiece an encouraging look, and retreats to the back of the shop. 
At this, Velma finally asks, ‘This where you work now?’ 
Mouthpiece dumbly nods, for once at a total loss for words. What are you supposed to say to the only girl you’ve been thinking about for the past three years and counting when you finally meet her again? But even through the speechlessness, there is no apprehension or nervousness looking at her. His chest relaxes, his eyes soften, his back slouches just a little. It feels like he is looking at home. 
Looking at this lost visual of Mouthpiece, Velma grins. She doesn’t think he’s ever been this silent around anyone. It’s rather refreshing. 
Finally, he strings together a few words, enough to make him look less like a mute fool. 
‘It’s good to see you, Vel…ma. Ya look great.’ 
She picks up on the delayed addition of the final syllable in her name. It’s all Velma can do not to hold back a bittersweet smile. He never did forget what I said about people calling me Vel. 
She accepts the polite remark with a deferential nod of the head, but not before returning one of her own. 
‘You look good too, Mouthpiece.’ And she means it. He does look good. A lot healthier. Happier, too. His eyes are less clouded by hate and rage. There is an added element of contentment in his expressions now. 
Small talk emerges, and it is clear from the way Velma responds and reacts that she has not maintained contact with anyone on the Upper West Side. Not any of the Jets, not their girlfriends, not even Graziella. Mouthpiece provides her with careful updates about the Upper West Side girls. Grazi has a little boy who just turned three. It doesn’t take much for Velma to figure out that the boy is Riff’s. Rhonda got hitched, though Mouthpiece evasively avoids the name of the groom. Velma has a feeling she knows who it is, though.
In turn, Velma provides updates of her own. She has been going to school, practising her manners with her mother, and learning to cook. She mentions going to Gimbels to shop for a dress at the request of her mother, but leaves out the detail that it is for a meeting with a potential suitor. She has a feeling Mouthpiece knows what it’s for, too. 
As they get more comfortable, Velma perches herself on the armrest of a couch in the store. Their first meeting is not perfect, but she appreciates how they both try to put the other at ease. It is what she imagines meeting an old, distant friend is like. 
‘Velma? I wanted ta tell ya somethin’ else.’ Mouthpiece’s words cut through Velma’s musings, and she nods at him to continue. 
‘I never said sorry for what I did. I never told ya how sorry I was for what I did and didn’t do that night. So even though it’s late, I’m sorry, for how I treated ya and Grazi and Tessie, and I’m even sorrier to the Shark girl for what I’d did. I already apologised to her, if you’d wanna know. It don’t make things any better, saying sorry like that, but I knew I just gotta say it anyway. It’s worse if I don’t.’ 
Mouthpiece fears her reaction to his vulnerable confession. What if she thinks I’m being patronising? What if she cries all over again? What if she remembers how bad it really was and storms off? Time stops for him as he holds his breath, nervously anticipating a reaction as violent as the one he faced that last day they met. 
But the explosion never comes. Velma finally smiles that beautiful, bittersweet smile of hers, and takes a deep breath before formulating her response. 
‘I forgive you. And I forgive all the other Jets too. I didn’t get the brunt of the attack that day, but thank you for apologising to me anyway. It took me a long time, but I forgive you now.’ 
At that moment, Mouthpiece swears he feels tears spring to his eyes. The only girl he has ever loved, who once pushed him away from her bedroom window, now sits before him with forgiveness in her heart? He thought he’d never live to see this day. Trembling, he reaches out and grasps her hand gratefully. 
‘Thanks, Velma. Really. Thank you.’ 
Her smile grows into something more loving. 
‘It’s Vel.’
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adamwatchesmovies · 1 year
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Black Adam (2022)
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Pitched as a different breed of superhero film, Black Adam unfortunately fails to reach its full potential. Still, there’s enough here that works for me to wish we'd get a sequel. Maybe it’s my history with the comics combined with the source material shining through but I had fun.
In Kahndaq, archeologist Adrianna Tomaz (Sarah Shahi) is searching for the Crown of Sabbac. If this ancient artifact falls in the hands of the criminal organization Intergang, there's no telling how much damage it will cause. Ambushed, she and her brother (Mohammed Amer) are about to die when they awaken Teth-Adam (Dwayne Johnson), a super-powered champion who's been asleep for 5,000 years. As he slaughters the Intergang troops, the Justice Society - Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Doctor Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell) and Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo) arrive to stop his rampage.
The biggest difference between Teth-Adam/Black Adam and the other mortal given powers by the wizard Shazam (see 2019’s Shazam!) is that this antihero is a jaded former slave who doesn't hesitate to spill blood. When we meet Black Adam, he’s sending enough lightning through a man to reduce him to a screaming pile of bone and ash. He’s hitting so hard limbs come off. He's stuffing grenades into people’s mouths. Oddly, you still never feel that the Justice Society is truly justified in their “going in guns blazing" approach. While in-universe these mercenaries had lives and families of their own, to us they’re just faceless goons ready to be pulverized. Black Adam doesn’t have a harsh idea of justice that has him cutting off a thief's hands or executing corrupt politicians so he can establish himself as the rightful king of Kahndaq. He's "bad" for killing people but we still remember Man of Steel, and that time Superman snapped General Zod’s neck. Meanwhile, the super-powered squabble is tearing up streets and demolishing historical statues. For that destruction to feel worth it, this movie needed to push the “antihero” idea much further.
The good news is that everything else in Black Adam is pretty great. There are some odd writing decisions in the beginning but they pay off in a satisfying way. Actually, there are several twists that will take you by surprise. There are several issues I can’t discuss because they would give away important plot points but each of these is matched by other decisions that keep you invested in the characters.
One of the best things about Black Adam is the way it translates characters from paper to the screen. If I told you that Cyclone’s power was to manipulate wind, you’d think we’re about to have some flashbacks to The Last Airbender and its uninspired combat but when she moves, director Jaume Collet-Serra takes the colours from her costume and makes them swirl around the screen in a display that’s surprisingly beautiful. Hawkman is a character could easily seem ridiculous. Here, he’s awesome. As the other junior member of the Justice Society, Atom Smasher was only so-so for me, though I found his dynamic with Cyclone rather sweet. This leaves us with Dr. Fate. All of the actors in Black Adam are well cast. Years before they announced this movie, every comic book fan knew they had to get Dwayne Johnson to play him, which makes Pierce Brosnan stealing the movie away from him - and not only because his character’s powers look super cool -  a shocker. The heroes have roles that are about as important as Adrianna’s teenaged son, Amon (Bodhi Sabongui), but you’d be excited to see any of them return.
I wish Black Adam was a better movie. Nonetheless, the way it brings the source material to life, combined with the cast and some well-executed action scenes are enough to earn the film a mild recommendation. Who knows? Shazam! Fury of the Gods might even tie into it and find some ways to elevate the film. Either way, fans of DC should check it out at least the one time, as there’s a mid-credit scene they won’t want to miss. (Theatrical version on the big screen, December 17, 2022)
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icarusthelunarguard · 2 years
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This Week’s Horrible-Scopes
It’s time for this week’s Horrible-Scopes! So for those of you that know your Astrological Signs, cool! If not, just pick one, roll a D12, or just make it up as you go along. It really doesn’t matter.
Aries  
Visiting Japan may be out of the question, but you can still simulate being in Tokyo easily enough. Buy some traditional neon lights in various colours, hang them in your bedroom, and set them on timers to turn on a couple hours after you go to sleep. For breakfast eat miso soup with rice and a cracked egg on top and you’re all good. Next week we’ll visit Malta! 
Taurus 
You want to be a competitive rodeo cowboy but in a way that stands out from the pack? How about learning to ride side-saddle? It's coming back into style again, but there are some problems. First, side-saddles are a really niche product, so they’re more expensive than traditionals. The old ones are mostly from the 1800’s and almost as expensive to recondition. And then there’s all the bail money and attorney's fees when you get into fights about it. Give up on your childhood dream and just get a nice office job instead. 
Gemini  
92 years old. Can you believe that Betty Boop is Ninety-Two Years Old? And she still looks great, right? The only real change they made in her design was making her more human instead of an anthro-dog. Are you going to look that good at 90? Probably not and that’s OK. Think of all the little face lifts and nip-and-tucks she’s had over the decades to keep that look of hers. But you? You’re all natural! Be proud of yourself.
Cancer Moon-Child 
Happiness isn’t all that hard to come by. All you need to do is find something you enjoy and participate for as long as you can. There are two notable exceptions though. “Recreational Chemicals” are too easy to burn out on, and “Food”. Imagine for a second that “Food” was your “Cocaine”. Would that even make Panda Express palatable?    
Leo 
Computer technology is amazing! Think about it: we’ve learned how to take a rock, fill it with lightning and make it think! We are, collectively, Dr. Frankenstein. Which doesn’t bode well for you. This week technology is going to fail you. It’s nothing you did wrong, it’s just that one damned squirrel that thinks the power lines going to your house are a chew toy. Run your backups NOW.      
Virgo 
Of all the things rattling around in your head, right next to Song Lyrics, family recipes, and your phone number from 1978, are regrets. You need to find a way to drive those right out of your brain. Take up running. Long - Distance - Running. You want to run so long and so far that all that’s left running through your blood is exhaustion and dopamine. And all it’ll cost you are some sneakers and about fourteen hours a day.
Libra 
You want to know the biggest secret about performing the music in a Broadway musical? That the music isn’t really that difficult to play. Unless you want to be in “Brigadoon” and learn how to play bagpipes. Imagine that: it’s 1947 and someone wrote a musical that requires bagpipes to play - as an integral part of the show. And it’s still popular. Guess there’s no accounting for taste in musical theatre. 
Scorpio 
Your Mama’s SO OLD…. she still has a CB Radio… with TWENTY-THREE channels!
Your Mama’s SO OLD…. she used an answering machine from Radio Shack!
Your Mama’s SO OLD…. she remembers when Superman didn’t fly, but leaped.
Your Mama’s SO OLD…. she broke a metal slotted spoon over your rump when the rivets broke!
Your Mama’s SO OL…. she’s right behind us, isn’t she? ….your Mama’s a wonderful lady who deserves all the love she already gets, and more!
(We’re sorry! We didn’t write these! Please don’t hurt us!)   
Sagittarius 
You’re stuck somewhere between “Nerd” and “Geek”. When someone asks which is your favorite Doctor, you answer, “The Real McCoy”. Now SOME might think you mean either Sylvester McCoy who played the Seventh Doctor in the late 80’s, or “Leonard McCoy” from the original Star Trek series. Here’s the tie-breaker question: Did you have a pin that says it?  We’re betting you did. Either way it doesn’t matter if you’re a Nerd or a Geek… you’re just old. Schedule an eye exam again.
Capricorn
The calendar says it’s spring, but Mother Nature isn’t done with making snow in parts of the country. That’s your cue to be super careful setting up your garden for the season. And if you’re in the Rockies, just know that we’re all laughing WITH you, not AT you.  
Aquarius 
You think we pick on you intentionally each week; it’s nothing personal, it’s just the way The Stars call out to us. Here’s a nice one for you this week. It’s almost Renaissance Festival season, so get your food expectations ready. Get the mead, and not the turkey legs. Mead is hard to come by on your own and turkey legs are about $3/Pound, not $12 a leg! It’s cheaper to make your own smoked turkey and sneak it in. OH! And at least ask before taking pictures of the ladies’ cleavage this time.
Pisces 
A Naughty Bribe this week, huh! Ok. How about this: Nothing’s stopping you from having a wedding where everyone is nude and the wedding couple are to consummate the union immediately. The worst part would be how incredibly cold that marble altar is. No, take that back! THE Worst Part would be seeing your relatives that attended and most definitely shouldn’t be nude with everyone. We’re not body-shaming, we’re just pointing out that there will likely be “Performance Issues” at that point. Consider wearing contact lenses that keep you from focusing on anyone over two meters away.  
And THOSE are your Hobble-Scopes for this week! Remember if you liked what you got, we’re obviously not working hard enough at these. BUT! If you want a better or nastier one for your own sign or someone else’s, all you need to do to bribe me is just Let Me Know! These will be posted online at the end of each week via Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook and Discord.
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cryptocism · 3 years
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DUDE I JUST NOTICED (actually somebody pointed out for me-) THAT KON AND BART SHARE THE 'truth justice and the american gay' shirt SJDKFHJGSLGJSKDFJHKSFGF this is NOT helping my konbart kick
YES ha for a while i had an idea for a comic where kon just decided to embrace being “the t-shirt guy” (bc if hes gonna wear a tshirt and jeans as his outfit i need him to have some humor about it) and he just proceeds to wear a bunch of superman knockoff tees as his uniform (it pisses clark off too so bonus there)
ive since lost the notes app i was keeping the shirt ideas in but one of them was the S symbol with the “hit” scrawled beside it and another was the classic “truth justice and the american gay”
anyway yes bart steals them on occasion and helps him make more if they get messed up (its all fabric paint and glitter btw, no screenprinting these babies)
never ended up making that comic but the shirts ended up repurposed into other ones so not a total loss
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doriana-gray-games · 2 years
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For a Halloween ask 🎃 :
Would Sherlock and the RO's dress up for a Halloween party, and if so, what would they dress up as? 👻 Would they be willing to go in a couples costume, and if so, what? 👯 Would any of the answers be different if it was for a case instead? 🔍 What would be each of their treat(s) of choice to hand out on Halloween? 🍬🍫
💖🎃💖
Dress up (modern au):
Watson - maybe Superman/Wonderwoman? Something quite cheery and not classically dark. Cat / dog / a cheery werewolf could also work.
Lestrade - low effort vampire. Or “i don't dress up” and then feel awk that they are the only one at the party not in costume — which is probably when Adler would appear with like a spare clown nose or devils horns that Leastrade can put on.
Adler - love dressing up! I imagine them doing a mid party costume change. A devil, a sexy angel or fairy, sexy spy, sexy doctor or maybe a sexy nurse. Cat. Sexy tho. Anything that looks good on them and allows them to fluster MC or Lestrade.
H - a well made custom ordered outfit. Like a vampire outfit, but with dentist level glued on teeth, really good coloured lenses, and couture dress/suit. Or some obscure reference outfit from some 16th-17th century Italian novel. But it would look very good, expensive and honestly too high effort for whatever party you go to.
Couples costume… probably not Lestrade. But maybe you can force/convince them 😂 honestly they would all defer to Sherlocks ideas for costumes in that case. But Adler would still like to be sexy, H would need some elegance or quality, Watson would like to do anything really.
Lestrade would dress up in more things for a case. But they would complain every. step. of. the. way.
What candy would they hand out?
Okay, so I don’t know what kind of candy you guys have or do not have tho 😂 (and I am more of a pastry person than candy and stuff, so I don’t know too much…) anyway, I’ll keep it more vague so hopefully most countries have some equivalence 😙
W: milk chocolate wafer bars, but half sized ones—because they are a doctor and don’t want to feel too bad about giving children too much sugar… (but, Watson would also eat a whole bag themselves the night before, forcing them to have to buy more…)
L: probably something gross… the first thing they saw, which was too hard chewy candies half liquorice/half indistinguishable berry flavour sprinkled with something of a dramatically clashing texture and taste.
A: something fun, like full on kinder eggs or Ferraro rocher (are these still tasty? I haven’t eaten them in years). Things in fun shapes or with multiple flavours, packaged in individual sized boxes with an expensive price tag.
H: probably would let a butler handle it tbh… if they had to choose, hmmm 🤔 they would prefer something with dark chocolate. Or marzipan. MAYBE BOTH! (I just remembered how much I like marzipan 💖)
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littlefreya · 3 years
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Hey Freya angel 💕
I love your "Henry and his characters as..." 💗 feeling very very fluffy and I've been wondering what kind of engagement ring they'd get their girl and how they'd ask👉👈🥺
As you wish! 
A special thanks to @the-soot-sprite​ for brainstorming with me on some of these!
Getting Engaged with Henry’s Characters!
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Trust August to get you the biggest shinning diamond, a ring that’s pure and beautiful as his pure little angel. 
Be sure that August will make a huge deal out of proposing to you. One day you finish work and August is waiting for you outside the office, leaning against his black motorcycle with an extra helmet for you. 
You hardly manage to understand what’s happening and next thing you know you are on a private jet to Paris. He might or might have not. bought a villa in the rural outskirts where you can spend some time alone and where he can ask you to be his wife for all eternity. 
More below the cut
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Geralt never thought he’d return from that quest. The battle was one of the hardest he ever had to partake, and as he laid there half dying on the muddy ground all he could think of was how he wished he told you how much you meant to him. So he found a craftsman and made you a ring out of pure gold so once he makes it back home, he can claim you as his girl.
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Charles Brandon won’t settle for anything less than a royal diamond that one belonged to a queen. How did he get it? We rather not know. But what I can say is that he will hold a huge feast to celebrate your beauty before asking for your hand in front of all these people.
It might make it hard to say no :X 
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The king of thieves, Napoleon Solo, loves extravagant jewelries, mostly because they remind him of you. He choose green, as the colour of the goddess  Demeter, associating you with beauty, fertility and nature. 
He will ask for your hand under the stars of the rooftop of the highest building in the city after having a midnight picnic.
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Sherlock is all about turning his proposal into a little game of intellect. First he is going to wrap a blindfold around your eyes and lead you out to the garden. He will asked you to march carefully on your own, count to 10 and remove the blindfold and when you do, you find out that you are in a labyrinth.
Now you will have to find your way through riddles and puzzles and it might be that in the end of the maze awaita a special prize. 
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Ah, Humphrey... Well yeah this ring symbolises how shiney and pretty he is...you are privillaged to marry him. He is just going to throw stones at your window and ask you to come down so he can ask for your hand. 
You are not going to say no, right? Right?
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Don’t look at Captain Syverson like that, he is a bit of a sap. He had planned to put a ring on it the day he met you, but damn, he is nervous. A red diamond ring because red so happens to be his favourite colour; hot as the blood that simmers in his heart whenever he sees you. 
But despite all romantic antics, he won’t be taking you to a cabin or a picnic by the lake, no, he doesn’t need any of that. Instead you might find Aika at the backyard surrounded by rose petals that are laid on the grass and a unique trinket around her collar. 
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You are his light in the darkness which is why his ring is a burning golden sun. Walter claims that he is not into the cheesy stuff but then he waits for a day when the snow settles and for the trees to become a little bit green again so he can take you to a long walk in the forest and ask you marry him in the most beautiful spot by the lake. 
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Melot’s ring is a traditional silver one. It’s been passed in his family through generations and now it might be yours. To be fair, he asked you to marry him numerous times before but it might be that he was quite drunk too remember. 😰 But when he asks you again, he rushes to your door all panting and shivering, and then before you even manage to say hello goes down to his knee and shows you the ring. 
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Isn’t Mike a bit young to be married? :X Not that we mind. But well.. he still needs to pay his student tuition, and yet he made sure to have a ring custom made for you. Something slightly wiccan because Mike might be into the occult. He is going to propose to you in a haunted house, after scaring the living hell out of you first...
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You are Will’s first love but the second one will always be the sea. He gets you a ring that reminds him of the ocean, of aquamarine and gold and naturally his proposal will be at the heart of the ocean on his yachet after sharing a glass of chamapnge. 
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Clark’s ring symbolises his family’s crest of course. The symbol of hope and it’s the hope that you gave him and that made his connection to earth stronger. 
And since he is Superman, it might just be that he will ask you to marry him while holding you high above the clouds... 
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superman86to99 · 3 years
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Superman #85 (January 1994)
Cat Grant in... "DARK RETRIBUTION"! Which is like normal retribution, but somehow darker. On the receiving end of Cat's darktribution is Winslow Schott, the Toyman, who suddenly changed his MO from "pestering Superman with wacky robots" to "murdering children" back on Superman #84, with one of his victims being Cat's young son Adam. Now Cat has a gun and intends to sneak it into prison to use it on Toyman. She's also pretty pissed at Superman for taking so long to find Toyman after Adam’s death (to be fair, Superman did lose several days being frozen in time by an S&M demon, as seen in Man of Steel #29).
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So how did Superman find Toyman anyway? Basically, by spying on like 25% of Metropolis. After finding out from Inspector Turpin that the kids were killed near the docks, Superman goes there and focuses all of his super-senses to get "a quick glimpse of every person" until he sees a bald, robed man sitting on a giant crib, and goes "hmmm, yeah, that looks like someone who murders children." At first, Superman doesn't understand why Toyman would do such a horrible thing, but then Schott starts talking to his mommy in his head and the answer becomes clear: he watched Psycho too many times (or Dan Jurgens did, anyway).
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Immediately after wondering why no one buys his toys, Toyman makes some machine guns spring out of his giant crib. I don't know, man, maybe it's because they're all full of explosives and stuff? Anyway, Toyman throws a bunch of exploding toys at Superman, including a robot duplicate of himself, but of course they do nothing. Superman takes him to jail so he can get the help he needs -- which, according to Cat, is a bullet to the face. Or so it seems, until she gets in front of him, pulls the trigger, and...
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PSYCHE! It was one of those classic joke guns I’ve only ever seen in comics! Cat says she DID plan to bring a real gun, but then she saw one of these at a toy store and just couldn't resist. Superman, who was watching the whole thing, tells Cat she could get in trouble for this stunt, but he won't tell anyone because she's already been through enough. Then he asks her if she needs help getting home and she says no, because she wants to be more self-sufficient.
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I think that's supposed to be an inspiring ending, but I don't know... Adam's eerie face floating in the background there makes me think she's gonna shave her head and climb into a giant crib any day, too. THE END!
Character-Watch:
Cat did become more self-sufficient after this, though. Up to now, all of her storylines seemed to revolve around other people: her ex-husband, Morgan Edge, José Delgado, Vinnie Edge, and finally Toyman. After this, I feel like there was a clear effort to turn her into a character that works by herself. I actually like what they did with Cat in the coming years, though I still don’t think they had to kill her poor kid to do that -- they could have sent him off to boarding school, or maybe to live with his dad. Or with José Delgado, over at Power of Shazam! I bet Jerry Ordway would have taken good care of him.
Plotline-Watch:
Wait, so can Superman just find anyone in Metropolis any time he wants? Not really: this is part of the ongoing storyline about his powers getting boosted after he came back from the dead, which sounds pretty useful now but is about to get very inconvenient.
Don Sparrow points out: "It is interesting that as Superman tries to capture Schott, he at one point instead captures a robot decoy, particularly knowing what Geoff Johns will retroactively do to this storyline in years to come, in Action Comics #865, as we mentioned in our review of Superman #84." Johns also explained that the robot thought he was hearing his mother's voice due to the real Toyman trying to contact him via radio, which I prefer to the "psycho talks to his dead mom" cliche.
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Superman says "I never thought he'd get to the point where he'd KILL anyone -- especially children!" Agreed about the children part but, uh, did Superman already forget that Toyman murdered a whole bunch people on his very first appearance, in Superman #13? Or does Superman not count greedy toy company owners as people? Understandable, I guess.
There's a sequence about Cat starting a fire in a paper basket at the prison to sneak past the metal detector, but why do that if she had a toy gun all long? Other than to prevent smartass readers like us from saying "How did she get the gun into the prison?!" before the plot twist, that is.
Patreon-Watch:
Shout out to our patient Patreon patrons, Aaron, Murray Qualie, Chris “Ace” Hendrix, britneyspearsatemyshorts, Patrick D. Ryall, Bheki Latha, Mark Syp, Ryan Bush, Raphael Fischer, Dave Shevlin, and Kit! The latest Patreon-only article was about another episode of the 1988 Superman cartoon written by Marv Wolfman, this one co-starring Wonder Woman (to Lois' frustration).
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Another Patreon perk is getting to read Don Sparrow's section early, because he usually finishes his side of these posts long before I do (he ALREADY finished the next one, for instance). But now this one can be posted in public! Take it away, Don:
Art-Watch (by @donsparrow​):
We begin with the cover, and it’s a good one— an ultra tight close up for Cat Grant firing a .38 calibre gun, with the titular Superman soaring in, perhaps too late.  An interesting thing to notice in this issue (and especially on the cover) is that the paper stock that DC used for their comics changed, so slightly more realistic shading was possible.  While it’s nowhere near the sophistication or gloss of the Image Comics stock of the time, there is an attempt at more realistic, airbrushy type shading in the colour.  It works well in places, like the muzzle flash, on on Cat Grant’s cheeks and knuckles, but less so in her hair, where the shadow looks a browny green on my copy.
The interior pages open with a pretty good bit of near-silent storytelling.  We are deftly shown, and not told the story—there are condolence cards and headlines, and the looming presence of a liquor bottle, until we are shown on the next page splash the real heart of the story, a revolver held aloft by Catherine Grant, bereaved mother, with her targeting in her mind the grim visage of the Toyman.
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While their first few issues together meshed pretty well, it’s around  this issue that the pencil/inks team of Jurgens and Rubinstein starts to look a little rushed in places.  A few inkers who worked with Jurgens that I’ve spoken to have hinted that his pencils can vary in their level of detail, from very finished  to pretty loose, and in the latter case, it’s up to the inker to embellish where there’s a lack of detail.  Some inkers, like Brett Breeding, really lay down a heavier hand, where there’s quite a bit of actual drawing work in addition to adding value and weight to the lines.  I suspect some of the looseness in the figures, as well as empty  backgrounds reveals that these pencils were less detailed than we often  see from Jurgens.
There’s some weird body language in the tense exchange between Superman and Cat as she angrily confronts him about his lack of progress in capturing her son’s killer—Superman  looks a little too dynamic and pleased with himself for someone ostensibly apologizing. Superman taking flight to hunt down Toyman is classic Jurgens, though.
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Another example of art weirdness comes on page 7, where Superman gets filled in on the progress of the Adam Morgan investigation.  Apparently Suicide Slum has some San Francisco-like hills, as that is one very steep sidewalk separating Superman and Turpin from some central-casting looking punks.
The  sequence of Superman concentrating his sight and hearing on the  waterfront area is well-drawn, and it’s always nice to see novel uses of his powers.  Tyler Hoechlin’s Superman does a similar trick quite often on the excellent first season of Superman & Lois.  The full-bleed splash of Superman breaking through the wall to capture Toyman is definitely panel-of-the-week material, as we really feel Superman’s rage and desperation to catch this child-killer.
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Pretty much all the pages with Cat Grant confronting Winslow Schott are  well-done and tensely paced.  While sometimes I think the pupil-less  flare of the eye-glasses is a cop-out, it does lend an opaqueness and mystery to what Toyman is thinking.  Speaking of cop-outs, the gag gun twist ending really didn’t work for me.  I was glad that Cat didn’t lower herself to Schott’s level and become a killer, even for revenge, but the prank gun just felt too silly of a tonal shift for a storyline with this much gravitas.  The breakneck denouement that Cat is now depending only on herself didn’t get quite enough breathing room either.
While I appreciated that the ending of this issue avoided an overly simplistic, Death Wish style of justice, this issue extends this troubling but brief era of Superman comics. The casual chalk outlines of  yet two more dead children continues the high body count of the  previous handful of issues, and the tone remains jarring to me.  The issue is also self-aware enough to point out, again, that Schott is  generally an ally of children, and not someone who historically wishes  them harm, but that doesn’t stop the story from going there, in the most  violent of terms. In addition to being a radical change to the Toyman  character, it’s handled in a fashion more glib than we’re used to seeing  in these pages.  The mental health cliché of a matriarchal obsession, a la Norman Bates doesn’t elevate it either.  So, another rare misstep  from Jurgens the writer, in my opinion.   STRAY OBSERVATIONS:
I  had thought for sure that Romanove Vodka was a sly reference to a certain Russian Spy turned Marvel superhero, but it turns out there  actually is a Russian Vodka called that, minus the “E”, produced not in Russia, as one might think from the Czarist name, but rather, India.
While it made for an awkward exchange, I was glad that Cat pointed out how  her tragedy more or less sat on the shelf while Superman dealt with the "Spilled Blood" storyline.  A lesser book might not have acknowledged any  time had passed. Though I did find it odd for Superman to opine that he  wanted to find her son’s murderer even more than she wanted him to.  Huh?  How so?
I love the detail that Toyman hears the noise of Superman soaring to capture him, likening it to a train coming.
I  quibble, but there’s so much I don’t understand about the “new” Toyman.  If he’s truly regressing mentally, to an infant-like state, why does he wear this phantom of the opera style long cloak while he sits in his baby crib?  Why not go all the way, and wear footie pajamas, like the lost souls on TLC specials about “adult babies”?
I get that Cat Grant is in steely determination mode, but it seemed a little out of place that she had almost no reaction to the taunting she faced from her child’s killer.  She doesn’t shed a single tear in the entire issue, and no matter how focused she is on vengeance, that doesn’t seem realistic to me. [Max: That's because this is not just retribution, Don. It's dark retribution. We’ve been over this!]
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captain-josslett · 3 years
Text
Broken Melody - Part Twenty
Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten, Part Eleven, Part Twelve, Part Thirteen, Part Fourteen, Part Fifteen, Part Sixteen, Part Seventeen, Part Eighteen, Part Nineteen...
Summary: Grammy Award winning Emma Danvers is the first to say she has a pretty good life. But what happens when it implodes around her and it looks like things will never be the same again?
Words: 5.8k+
Warnings: Angst, Fluff.
Pairings: Emma Danvers x Lena Luthor
This Part: Emma tries to work through everything and continues to struggle with not seeing her sisters.
So, so, sorry it’s been a while since updating. I’ve started a full time job and my mind just hasn’t been able to write 😅 But I do get to daydream when I work so I have loads of ideas stored away and hopefully will be able to update quicker.
Thank you for reading and let me know if you wanna be tagged or any general feedback will be greatly appreciated. Please! I like knowing your thoughts.
Taglist: @finleyfray​​, @life-is-hella-unfair​, @natasha-danvers​, @supergirl-writingz​, @camslightstories​, @thinking1bee​, @aznblossom​,
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Ten year old Emma Danvers jumps awake when she hears a blood curdling scream. For a few moments she blinks into her dark room, confused at the noise that woke her. But when a softer wail fills the silence Emma quickly rolls out of bed. Recognising the cries coming from her recently adopted kryptonian sister, Kara.
Emma pads out of her small room and into the hallway, yawning and tiredly rubbing her eyes as she gently pushes Alex and Kara’s bedroom door open. Kara’s whimpering increases in volume as Emma enters the room. She softly closes the door behind her and quietly tiptoes over to Kara’s bed.
Emma sadly looks over at her oldest sister, Alex, who is turned away from the crying alien. Seemingly ignoring Kara’s pain. This annoys Emma greatly and the sisters have already argued over it. The blonde had even offered to swap rooms with Alex but the redhead stubbornly refused saying it was her room.
“Kara?” Emma whispers softly and waits for the crying figure to respond. Tearful blue eyes peer over the shaking duvet before quickly disappearing again.
Emma looks mournfully down at the other blonde as she thinks of ways to help her. After a few moments Emma lifts the corner of the covers and climbs into Kara’s bed. She gently reaches out and hugs Kara close, remembering how her Mom would comfort her after she’d have a bad dream.  
Her new sister flinches slightly at the touch but soon Emma feels Kara settle and maneuver around to hug her back. The alien starts to shake as she tries to stifle her sobs into Emma’s shoulder.
Emma’s heart aches at the sound. She pulls her head back so she can see Kara’s face. The night light illuminates Kara’s flushed cheeks and bloodshot eyes. “No, it’s okay to cry. Mom said you get sick if you try to keep your tears in.” Emma tries to encourage the alien. Though she doesn’t know if Kara can fully understand her yet. However, Kara’s face scrunches up and fresh tears fall.
“It’s okay.” Emma says soothingly while stroking her hair.
“S-s-sing?” Kara gulps out and buries her head back into Emma’s little shoulder.
“Which one?” Emma asks softly and Kara thinks for a moment but shakes her head as she sniffs heavily. “Okay.” Emma purses her lips forward as she thinks about the other songs she has sung to Kara. “I got it.”
Somewhere over the rainbow, Way up high, There’s a land that I’ve heard of, Once in a lullaby.
Emma immediately feels Kara relaxing as she continues to quietly sing. The sisters had recently watched ‘The Wizard of Oz’ with Kara because Emma wanted to show her new sister one of her favourite films. The alien had truly been fascinated with the movie and Emma couldn’t help but watch Kara’s reactions to certain parts. How Kara’s face lit up when Dorthy opened the door to a world of colour or how freaked out Kara got when the Wicked Witch appeared in a plume of red smoke and disappearing in a blaze of fire.
Somewhere over the rainbow, Bluebirds fly, Birds fly over the rainbow, Why then oh why can’t I?
As Emma nears the end of the song Kara’s sobs start to die down, being replaced with shuddering breaths. The twelve year old alien clings tightly to the little human, the pressure hurts Emma slightly but she knows Kara doesn’t mean to hurt her and she is not use to her super strength yet.
Emma stares over at Alex’s back. Not knowing if the redhead was awake or asleep. But Emma guesses she is awake by how she is breathing. Silently Emma hopes her oldest sister will come around to Kara.
Yes it had been a shock when Superman brought his older, but now younger, alien cousin to them but Emma was overcome with curiosity and intrigue over the other blonde. She tried to communicate with the alien and found a way through hand gestures and persistence. Repeating words for Kara and pointing items out. Mainly important things like water, food, Star Wars and everything a ten year old finds important. Once Eliza found Emma talking to the Kryptonian about the different plants and vegetables in the garden and Kara patiently listened. Fascinated by the texture of the leaves and the words Emma was saying. Both missing the scowling glare Alex was giving them from her bedroom window.
Emma then presented the wooden swords her dad had made. Giving Kara Alex’s and demonstrating how to sword fight. Soon the two blonde’s were giggling while twirling around and bashing each other’s swords. Until Alex furiously stormed over to them and took her sword away from Kara. Grumbling it was hers and she was going to break it. Jeremiah immediately set to work making Kara one of her own. Which the two blonde’s watched with tilted heads.
But when Jeremiah told them to go play and leave him to concentrate Emma took Kara back into the house, trying to figure out more things to show her new sister. She had already displayed her seashell collection, which Kara analysed deeply and Emma noticed a crinkle appearing between the other blonde’s eyebrows.
Emma looks around the house and her eyes fall on her art supplies. Making Kara jump when she claps her hands together in excitement.
“I hope you like art! Alex doesn’t really, which is sad but she likes her own things. Like reading. Reading is okay but I much prefer doing something.” Emma smiles at Kara who smiles politely. “Have a seat.” Emma points at the dining room table and Kara complies. The ten year old then pulls out all of her art supply to show Kara. She watched as the alien’s blue eyes lit up behind her glasses.
“Did you do art on Krypton?” Emma asks, happy that she may have found something Kara enjoys.
Kara nods and the pair quietly sit for hours as they draw and paint. Emma didn’t mind Kara using most of the red paint and was pleased she thought of a good idea.
She hardly sees Alex, seemingly too moody that she wasn’t the centre of attention in the Danvers household anymore. Keeping to herself and barely talking to her baby sister.
Weeks turned into months and slowly Alex seemed to warm up to the new addition to the family. Especially when Kara defended Emma against a group of bullies. Standing with her little sister and ready to defend her. Alex marched over and stood next to her side, ready to punch any bully in the face that hurts either of her sisters. This was the moment Kara uttered her family motto, explaining they were stronger together.
The three started to become closer over time and would regularly be found in the forest by their home playing and having adventures.
On one such occasion a fifteen year old Alex and twelve year old Emma teamed up together as heroes to try and take down the evil villain that was destroying their town of Midvale.
“Psfft I don’t see the target. Over.” Emma quietly talks into the walkie talkie and holds her wooden sword tightly in her other hand.
“Please tell me you did not just make the static noise?” Alex laughs while rolling her eyes.
“Ah come on Al! Plus you need to say over. Over.”
“Fine.” Alex sasses back. “Over.” The redhead continues to look around, listening intently for the fourteen year old Kara. Having a sneaky suspicion that her alien sister was using her powers. Which was against the rules.
“Psttf I have an idea. Over” Emma’s voice whispers out from the walkie talkie.
“And what is that?” Alex responds quickly. “Over.”
“What if we do what that guy did in that movie. Over.”
“Vague… We watch loads of movies dork.” Alex rolls her eyes again at her little sister’s comment. She twirls her bow in her hand as she waits for Emma’s response.
“You know he sacrifices himself. Draws the evil guy out and gives the hero a chance to defeat them. Over.”
“Not a bad idea. Especially if you are the bait.” Alex chuckles and shakes her head. “Over.”
“Let’s do it by the fallen tree in the clearing? You can hide and I’ll call for her. Over.” Alex smirks at the excitement within Emma’s voice.
“Sure Peanut. Over.”
Alex quietly jogs to the huge fallen tree. Constantly on the lookout for Kara. But her adopted alien sister is nowhere to be seen. As Alex approaches the clearing she sees Emma step out of the other end and start to look around. Their eyes immediately connect, as if Emma could sense where she was and Alex quickly hides within some bushes and waits. Readying her bow and arrow. Making sure the arrow was a dummy that would only sting Emma slightly if she got in the way.
Emma waits for Alex to get into position and cups her hands over her mouth, yelling loudly. “Kara?! Hey Kara!” She waits and soon enough a blur appears before her. “Hey! You used your powers!”
“Well as a villain of course I would!” Kara bites back slyly with a grin.
“You really are evil!” Emma gasps dramatically, raising a hand to her chest.
“And when I am finished with you I will hunt your sister down and hurt her! And your little dog too!” Kara slowly takes a few menacing steps towards Emma who stands her ground.
“No! Not Alex and Toto!” Emma’s eyes fill with tears. Alex is always blown away that her baby sister can cry on demand and would often use her sister’s talent to get extra treats from their Mom or sitter.
“Little one?” Kara asks, concerned enough to break character.
“They are fake, keep going! You’re doing really well!” Emma gives Kara a smile before filling her eyes with tears again. “You will never get away with this!” Emma yells dramatically, pointing at Kara.
‘Give her the damn Oscar!’ Alex thinks with a smile as she watches the blonde’s.
Kara nods and puts a sly smirk back on her face. “But I already have!”
“No! You will never win! Good always defeats evil, you piece of bantha fodder!”
Alex snorts at Emma’s Star Wars reference and readies herself, knowing she’ll need to spring out at any moment.
“How dare you insult me! Me the mistress of all evil! You are nothing but the dirt on the bottom of my shoe!” Kara yells as she reaches for her wooden sword. Emma circles around so Kara’s back is to their eldest sister. “Now prepare to meet your doom!”
“Not if I can help it!” Alex suddenly appears behind them and fires her bow and arrow at the blonde. Hitting Kara’s right shoulder where it harmlessly falls to the ground.
“No! Ow!” Kara screams and collapses to her knees. “Damn you!” She coughs comically and falls to the floor.
Emma snorts and places a hand over her mouth.
“Emma! It’s rude to mock the dead.” Alex scolds her little sister.
“Sorry.” The blonde tries to wipe the smile off her face and make her expression natural.
“Who says I’m dead?” Kara’s muffled voice pipes up from the ground.
“Well the arrow would have been made out of a substance that could kill you and due to my excellent marksmanship it went through your heart. Killing you instantly.” Alex explains as she twirls the bow around.
Kara lifts her head up and smirks at the redhead. “You hit me in the right shoulder. My heart is on the left dummy.”
Emma snorts again which erupts into loud laughter when Alex glares at her. “Great shooting Alex!”
“Which means… Sneak attack!” Kara yells while pulling Emma onto the floor and starts tickling her.
“Nooo!!” Emma screams with laughter and tries to get out of her sister’s grip. “Please! Stop! Argh! Alex! Help!”
The redhead watches the pair with amusement before stepping in. “I’ll help you!” Alex yells theatrically. But instead of aiding Emma she joins in with Kara.
“Traitor!” Emma gasps out. “You’re… My sister!”
“And? Maybe I purposefully aimed for Kara’s right shoulder to take down the real villain!”
“Dun dun dunnnnn!” Kara laughs out as she continues ticking the thrashing blonde.
“Please stop! I’m gonna pee!” Tears of laughter stream down Emma’s face and the sisters finally stop their attack.
Alex smirks at her baby sister as Emma wipes the tears from her face, the redhead then looks up at the sky. “It’s getting late, we better head back.” She stands to her feet and holds out her hands for her sisters to take, helping Kara and Emma stand. The sister’s turn towards home and walk together in unison, laughing and joking together. Ready to take on the world.
-- -- --
Present day Emma stares out of the DEO window while plucking at her guitar while her mind wanders through her memories with her sisters. Though she can’t really remember the time before Kara came. To her Kara has always been there.
Slowly her mind starts to filter through the session she had with Alistair. They had worked on her fuzzy memories of the attack. How they are slowly coming back into focus but seemingly her brain was protecting her by blocking most of it out. Emma had projected the hurtful words spoken by her sisters that Emma does remember. That a part of her believes making her insecurities bubble up to the surface.
Lily, Alistair’s white german shepherd, had almost instantly jumped up on Emma’s bed and placed her head in Emma’s lap. Staying there throughout the session. Helping to ground Emma and when she got emotional or experienced a flashback, Lily had been a comforting presence.
A noise by Emma’s open door draws her attention away from the window. Standing in the hall was a transfixed Winn with Brainy and Nia behind him.
Emma smirks and waves at the trio. Stopping the music seemingly snaps them out of their trance.
“Hi Em.” Winn smiles brightly as he approaches one of the chairs around Emma’s bed. Emma returns his smile but it is more subdued. “You okay?” He frowns at the blonde, noticing her lack of a smile. He places the food container on the tray table by Emma and she nods while pulling the table closer to her. Her smile brightens slightly when she sees the sausages, vegetables and mash potato.
“Doctor Hamilton said you can start trying some form of solid foods and as I know you like that British restaurant down the road we thought lunch could be a bit more international.”
‘So the Tai food the other day wasn’t international enough for you?’ Emma wants to say but doesn’t write it down. Instead letting out a breathy snort as she starts cutting into the food.
“Oh yea Doc also said to cut it up real small. Chew lots before swallowing” Winn lists off the instructions Doctor Hamilton had told him while opening his container. Watching as Emma nods in response. “Enjoy your bangers and mash!”
Emma lets out a breathy laugh, remembering the weird names the Brits call their food. ‘Spotted Dick’ being her favourite by far. Not believing they would call a fruit, sponge dessert by that name, but had been proved wrong when the amused waiter brought the pudding out for Emma to try. Despite the very off putting name, Emma thoroughly enjoyed it. Almost having to fight off her bandmates to eat all of it in peace.
“Have you been to the UK Winn?” Nia asks, filling the silence.
“Yea I have. Both future and present.”
Emma lifts an eyebrow in response. Wondering what life is like in the future and being frustrated that Winn was keeping so tight lipped about it all.
“Awesome! I haven’t yet but it’s on my bucket list.” Nia replies enthusiastically, a longing look fills her eyes.
“Did you know the British public consume over sixty billion cups of tea a year. Around 100 million each day.” Brainy chimes into the conversation, causing Nia and Winn to gape at him about the statistic.
Emma continues to listen to her friends talking. Wishing she could join in and tell them about her time in the UK. But also being aware of how painfully slow conversation flows when she has to write everything down.
Sighing deeply Emma shoves more food in her mouth. Thankful that Winn chose something she enjoys. To be fair Emma likes anything. Other than Marmite… A disgusting yeast spread that half of Brits like. One of her stage managers in the UK dared Emma to try it. Making the blonde gag and causing her to drink loads of water to get rid of the horrible taste in her mouth.
“Emma?” Nia calls out, breaking Emma’s train of thought. “You’ve been to the UK many times right?” Emma nods. “Have you seen the Queen?” Emma nods again.
“What when?” Winn asks with a mouthful of food and his eyebrows almost up to his hairline.
Emma quietly sighs and grabs her notebook, keenly aware of the silence in the room as she writes.
‘The Royal Variety Performance.’
“Ah yea!” Nia smiles remembering the video she found on youtube after Kara first told her about Emma. She had been transfixed by Axis’ music and Emma’s performance. Singing a powerful ballad that moved the brunette to tears. Nia had spent hours upon hours going through Axis’ social media and debated about whether to send Emma a friend request. The brunette had squealed loudly when Emma had accepted and immediately messaged her,
A knock stops Nia from asking more questions as Emma looks over to see Lucy standing awkwardly by the door. Emma can’t help but shift uncomfortably in the bed, hoping Lucy has calmed down from earlier this morning.
“Don’t worry, I’m not here to yell at you.” Lucy says as if she has read Emma’s mind. “May I come in?”
Emma nods before turning back to her meal. Though she feels like she has lost her appetite.
Lucy glances at the three friends who give her looks of encouragement as she cautiously approaches Emma’s bed, watching the blonde push her food around.
“Can I sit here?” Lucy points to the end of the bed and Emma nods without looking up at her. Lucy lowers onto the bed and takes a deep breath. “So, I’m sorry about earlier. I overreacted when I found out you were missing and you are like a sister to me and I got so scared-” Lucy lifts a hand to her head trying to find the words to how terrified she had felt when Emma wasn’t in her room or in the building. She immediately rushed down to the cells but when there was no sign of Emma anywhere the brunette really panicked.
A hand grasps her knee and Lucy’s green eyes snap up to Emma’s. “Sorry.” Lucy breathes out and Emma gives her a timid smile. “So, we also need to discuss the next steps. Mainly the timeline of your recovery because we cannot disclose the Phoenix serum.”
Emma nods and leans back against the bed.
“How long would this timeline be?” Winn asks with a frown.
“We are trying to not make it overly long. Doctor Hamilton did say wounds like Emma’s would have taken at least 3 months to heal fully and she’d be bed bound for a while.”
“But Emma isn’t bed bound.” Nia blinks in confusion. “Would Emma need to stay here?”
“Or in her apartment.” Lucy looks at the blonde mournfully, who deeply swallows in response. Not liking the sound of that at all. Not feeling at all ready to go back to the apartment. Even after J’onn had told her a crew had made it good as new, with no evidence of the incident.
“There would be a huge media frenzy if any photos come out of you like this. The world thinks you can barely open your eyes and hardly move due to the amount of broken bones you have.”
Alarm fills Emma and she quickly grabs her notebook to write.
‘Robyn?!’
“Ah yea. I had her sign a NDA.” Lucy rolls her eyes. “She was annoyingly persistent. I thought you hated each other?” Emma shakes her head and lets out a breathy chuckle. “Jack isn’t far behind, though I’m trying to hold him off for as long as possible.”
Relief starts to filter in and Emma nods before starting to write again. She bites the inside of her lip at the thought of returning back to her apartment. Not sure she’s ready or even wants to go back there.
‘How do you propose we move forward?’ She holds the pad up and watches her friend’s face as she reads.
Lucy hesitates slightly before unlocking her tablet to bring up the timeline. “We will need to stage photos and videos showing your recovery and release them at the right time.” Lucy looks down at her notes. “We do have some already but I’d be happier if we do more.”
Emma glumly sighs causing Lucy to glance back up at her.
“I’m sorry Em but we need to do this to keep the media off our backs. J’onn and I had hoped it would have died down but everyone is still up in arms about what happened.”
Emma’s expression morphs into one of shock and disbelief. She quickly writes one word before showing the lawyer.
‘Why?’
“Because those that listen to your music feel a powerful connection towards you. Even though they have not met you or know you personally.” Brainy explains simply.
“And the attack has brought your music to the attention of more people.” Winn points out.
“Tell me about it.” Lucy says exasperatedly and runs a hand through her hair. “I had a three hour debate with your record label as they want to release the work you’ve done on your new album. Even the covers you’ve been sending Lena.”
Emma immediately shakes her head quickly at the idea. Causing a ringing in her ears.
“Yea I told them they can shove it.” Lucy agrees and quickly takes a piece of sausage from Emma’s container. Almost getting her hand stabbed from Emma’s fork.
Emma playfully glares at the brunette and Lucy sticks her tongue out before popping the meat into her mouth. Emma shakes her head and starts writing.
‘So I will be under house arrest?’
“I’m afraid so.” Lucy says softly, causing Emma’s shoulders to slump and her expression becomes sullen.
“I may be able to help with that.” Winn pipes up, causing Emma and Lucy to stare at him. “I, with Brainy and Lena’s help, could develop a face modifier. That way Emma can move around freely and not disrupt the timeline.”
“That could work.” Lucy squints her eyes as she considers the idea.
“May help Alex and Kara to know Emma is moving around too. I’ve never seen them so broken, I mean poor Alex, you would have thought Kelly would have stood by her and not run away-” Nia comments passionately and Emma freezes.
Horror fills Emma's whole body. She remembers Alex telling her the morning before the attack that she and Kelly were having problems but Emma never imagined Kelly would leave Alex like this. Especially with what her sister is going through.
Immediately Emma leaps out of bed and sprints to the door. She needs to see her sisters. Her heart aches knowing they are both in pain. That they are broken.
“Emma?!” Her friends yells fill the hallway as they chase after her. Agents seemingly appear ahead of her but the blonde easily sidesteps them. Using the training Alex had taught her in self defence.
As soon as she reaches the end of the corridor the blonde slides into the wall and repeatedly slams her hand on the elevator button. When it becomes obvious the doors won’t open quick enough she dashes towards the door to the stairs. Her determination gives her tunnel vision and she ignores those around her.
Until someone leaps on her back.
“Emma stop!” Lucy yells as she clings to Emma, wrapping her arms and legs around the blonde. Halting Emma from leaving the floor. “I’m sorry but they aren’t ready to see you. I’m so sorry.”
Emma tries to get Lucy off her back but the brunette has too good a grip. The blonde heaves in heavy breaths and her face scrunches up as she starts to silently cry. She longs to hold her sisters. To reassure them they are okay.
A ping announces an elevator has arrived. Emma turns her head to gaze longingly at it but feels Lucy’s grip tighten around her chest.
“Emma please.”
The blonde watches mournfully as the doors close.
When it becomes apparent that Emma won’t be running down to the cells Lucy slides off her back.
The brunette sadly looks at the tears streaming down her friend’s face. Placing a gentle hand on Emma’s shoulder Lucy guides her back to the room.
“Emma.” Nia squeaks out with wide eyes as she walks with the pair. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t think-”
The blonde reaches out and squeezes Nia’s hand. Giving her a barely there smile which Nia returns with an encouraging one of her own.
Emma re-enters the room and sits heavily on her bed. Staring out of the window.
“Em?” Winn asks softly, causing Emma to slightly move her head and focus on him. “Are you gonna finish that?” Winn points at the half eaten food.
Emma shakes her head before turning back to the window. She ignores the yelp of pain from Winn when Lucy slaps his arm as he reaches out for the discarded food. Purposefully tuning out the conversation in the room.
Instead, focusing on the world outside of the DEO. The airplanes that zoom across the sky, the birds that flutter past the window and settle on the sill. The traffic down an avenue she can see. Anything to try and keep her mind from acknowledging the pain she’s feeling. The thoughts that are screaming in her mind about her sisters.
“-ma?” Winn’s voice breaks through as she recognises he’s calling out to her. Slowly she turns to look at him. “We’re going back to work. I- er- left your food.”
Emma looks down at the tray and sees that Winn hasn’t touched it. She nods and lifts the right corner of her mouth slightly to show her appreciation.
Emma eyes flick to Nia as she cautiously approaches her. “Can I give you a hug?” Emma nods and opens her arms. Nia immediately dives into them. “Message me if you need me.” Emma nods again and squeezes the superhero. When Nia steps back Winn is already there with his arms open, waiting for a hug. Making Emma voicelessly snort.
“Ah come on!” Winn whines and Emma motions for him to hug her. He does immediately and Emma can’t help but feel more of her anxiety melt away. “If you need anything just give a shout.” Winn says as he pulls away. Emma raises an eyebrow at him and can’t help but smile at the look of horror that comes across his face. Especially when Brainy, Nia and Lucy lower their heads into their hands. “Em. I’m so sorry I-”
Emma immediately lifts a hand to his lips, silencing him. Thankfully he complies, instead gaping at her like a goldfish.
“See you later Emma.” Brainy nods at her before quickly leaving the room, already analysing his tablet at ideas for a face modifier. Nia forcefully grabs Winn’s hand and pulls him out with her.
“I can stay if you want me to?” Lucy asks as she hovers by the bed and massages her shoulder.
Emma is tempted to shake her head but instead she nods. Not wanting to be alone right now.
“Okay great!” Lucy beams at her. “Do you want to do anything? I mean I have work I can be doing but I can watch a film with you or we could play a card game? Chess?”
Emma looks over at the chessboard on the coffee table by the sofa. Lena had brought it in to give Emma something else to do. But the board is currently being taken up by an intense game the girlfriends were playing. Emma reaches for her notebook and writes a response.
‘Lena will immediately say she’s won if we mess the board up.’
“Ah! We can’t have that!” Lucy jokes and sits on the end of Emma’s bed. Her expression becomes sombre as she studies the blonde closely and Emma stares right back. “Are you okay?”
Emma looks between Lucy’s questioning green eyes and slowly shakes her head.
Lucy reaches out and gently holds Emma’s hand. “I’m here if you want to discuss it.”
Emma’s eyes start to glisten with tears and she wipes at them in exasperation.
“Hey, hey, hey.” Lucy grabs Emma’s hand to halt her rubbing. “It’s okay to cry. God knows I’m done my fair share recently.”
Emma tilts her head and frowns slightly.
“What?” Lucy mirrors Emma’s expression. The blonde lets go of Lucy’s hand and starts writing.
‘What do you mean?’
“About what?” Lucy asks, confusion written across her face.
‘What have you been crying about?’
“About you! And Alex and Kara! This whole shit show!” Lucy says bitterly and watches Emma move her pen to paper. “And don’t even think about writing that you are not worth my tears cause you fucking are!”
Emma eyes’s snap up to Lucy’s and her mouth drops open. She was going to write exactly that.
“I’m right aren’t I?”
Emma shuts her mouth and shakes her head.
“Bull.” Lucy narrows her eyes. “Have you forgotten I am a lawyer? And a damn good one at that?”
Emma smiles sadly and looks down to write. ‘Yea you are. Frustratingly so.’
“Unless I’m the one defending you right?” Lucy raises an eyebrow and Emma nods, her smile turning more genuine. “So, do you wanna write about it? You don’t have to, I just-” Lucy hesitates, sighing deeply as she chooses her words. “I worry about you and I wish I could make everything better.”
‘I know.’
“You totally wrote that with Han Solo in mind didn’t you?”
Emma lets out a breathy snort and Lucy laughs loudly.
“You're such a nerd.” Lucy teases and Emma just shrugs. But her smile fades and the blonde gazes down at the paper as she thinks about her sisters. “Em?”
Emma takes a breath and starts writing. Lucy watches her and the expressions Emma makes as she scribbles her thoughts down. In these moments Lucy really misses Emma’s voice and her anger bubbles up at whoever did this to her friend. But before Lucy’s anger simmers up anymore Emma turns the notepad around.
‘I just feel so helpless. We’ve always done everything together and I’m happy they have each other but I want to be there with them. Dad always joked we were like a three legged stool. When one of us wasn’t at home we almost couldn’t function. I get what you are saying that they aren’t ready to see me... But I just miss them so much.’
“Aw Em.” Lucy says sympathetically after she reads. Her eyes flick back up to Emma’s. “It will get better. I know that doesn’t help right now. But, it will.”
Emma nods and leans back against the bed.
“So, what do you want to do?”
‘Okay if I paint?’
“Of course it is! I’ll just work here on my tablet.” Lucy smiles reassuringly at Emma and hops off the bed. She pauses and turns back around to Emma. “Hug?”
Emma smiles and opens her arms. Lucy wraps her arms around the blonde and tries to convey how much she cares for her in it.
After Lucy sits in a chair to work she can’t help but watch how Emma morphs into her creative mode. How the blonde focuses solely on what she’s doing with her paint brush. The way Emma’s eyes squint and her tongue slightly pokes out to the side.
Lucy smiles and tries to concentrate on her own work. Leaving the pair in peaceful silence.
-- -- --
Many hours later there is a knock on the door. Lucy glances up as Lena and Sam enter the room.
“Hi!” Lucy greets the friends happily and turns to look at Emma. The blonde is still so busy with what she’s doing she hasn’t noticed the new arrivals.
It’s only when Emma cleans her brushes, happy with what she’s done, does she sense Lena’s presence in the room. She quickly looks up towards the sofa where Lena, Sam and Lucy are sitting. Seemingly halting their conversation as the trio notice Emma’s focus on them. Lena can’t help but greet her girlfriend with a beaming smile.
“Hi love.” Lena says while standing and approaches the blonde. Emma waves at her but gives her a questioning look. “I didn’t want to disturb you.” Lena gracefully sits on the bed next to Emma and softly kisses the blonde’s lips. “You were so engrossed in what you were doing.”
“Sorry.”
“No don’t be! I’m glad you are painting.” Lena smiles reassuringly at her girlfriend. Her smiles then morphs into a shy one. “I- er- got you something.”
Emma tilts her head and her eyes bulge when Lena lifts a huge bouquet of flowers up. Having not noticed them when the raven haired beauty walked in or when she came over to the bed.
“Wow!” Emma signs and she reaches out to touch a red rose. Feeling the softness of the petal and admiring the colour.
“The florist told me the roses mean love, obviously. The baby breath is everlasting love. The-” Lena pauses as she tries to remember the meaning of the other flowers. Emma starts kissing her cheek making Lena beam and lean into them. “Em! I’m trying to think!” Emma pulls away and rests her chin on Lena’s shoulder. “So, the daisies are my love is pure and the tulips all have different meanings, the red being eternal love, the orange desire and passion, yellow happiness and sunshine and the cream tulips-” Lena gently moves her girlfriend’s head so she can gaze deeply into Emma’s slightly bloodshot eyes. “I will love you forever.”
She watches as Emma melts and her eyes glisten with tears. The blonde tilts her head and slowly leans towards her girlfriend. Lena copies her and they gently kiss but before they can deepen it further and noise fills the room.
“Blurgh!” Lucy yells out, pretending to heave. Emma furiously pulls away and flips her off. Glaring at the brunette before turning back to her girlfriend.
“Thank you. I love them.”
“I’m glad.” Lena smirks at the blonde and Emma carefully places the bouquet on the tray table. Making sure not to knock any of the other stuff on there. “So, how's your head?”
“Haven’t had any complaints yet.” Emma signs cheekily and Lena roars with laughter.
“What did she say?” Sam looks between the two girlfriends, wanting to know why Lena reacted the way she did.
“Haven’t had any complaints yet.” Lena responds while continuing to laugh, causing the two brunettes to join in with her and Emma just smiles happily at them as she snuggles into her girlfriend.
(Part Twenty One)
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jonskory · 3 years
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no bc thinking about them again and i'm annoyed at how much the comics and writers actively went out of its, and their, way to continuously trash kory as a character, and tear down her importance and relationship to and with dick. she is so important to him and his development that he wouldn't be the man in the comics y'all love so much without her. he wouldn't be as 'well-adjusted' and in tune with himself without her. yes, he went off on his own and discovered himself too but he also wouldn't have gotten the desire to do so without her.
kory was the one who helped him understand things about himself he never knew were there. she helped him understand his own emotions. she loved him so much. she ADORED that man and he loved her so much too. for fuck's sake, dick became nightwing to HONOR her (as well as superman and bruce and his family, but kory was counted in that).
it's just so sad and so insulting that any mention of dk's relationship post the 2000's is only in the lens of kory 'still being in love with him' (which makes no fucking sense, kory loves him yes but dc writers acting like she's incapable of moving on from him -- when we KNOW that's possible because the very existence of ph'yzzon throws all of that out -- is so damn stupid especially if you're talking about a character whose emotional intelligence is so much higher than her human peers) while he, and most people around him, regard the relationship as just a fling or anything else to that effect.
it's not even that i want them back together in current continuity (i mean i do but i absolutely do not want any of those white men writing their relationship - even though their relationship was created by white men which is super obvious because they had kory denouncing tamaran so many times for him which does not sit right with me at all especially because i see kory as black - because i don't trust those people to write kory right or treat her with the respect she deserves, ergo another reason why her character should be taken away from them and given solely to writers of colour, and specifically black women but that's another rant), i just want their relationship to be acknowledged for the importance that it is.
not to be treated as some 'siren in the way of the girl next door' trope that's so offensive to her and babs - it's ridiculous to act like babs has been waiting all along for dick when she's had her own life, aspirations and dreams - and that which is so tired.
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Hello, guys. I don't know if you have been asked this question before, but I don't understand, why do people hate so much Superman and Wonder Woman being together?
The problem is that rival shippers make ALOT of noise even though they are not in the majority and are a fraction of the  comic market. They also like to troll and stalk anything Superman and Wonder Woman related, be it a comic, animation, video or article etc as if to make it seem it is hated universally and unpopular when in fact the opposite is true. 
They spend time writing articles or starting threads on sites or tweets on how terrible it is despite the fact they don’t buy the comics but begrudge others buying and enjoying them. They even blame SMWW for their comics not selling when SMWW is not even canon and they have what they want!  They attack the writers/ artists too like they did with Charles Soule, Tony Daniel etc. A prime  example can be seen  recently by one who attacked and threatened the writer of Immortal Wonder Woman Michael Conrad simply because he had some SMWW content in his story. The fact SMWW fans appreciated it and actually showed some appreciation triggers the hate. 
This is the level of petulance and toxic kind of behaviour haters of SMWW engage in.  
https://twitter.com/michaelwconrad/status/1362423000830599169?s=20
Many haters cannot bear the fans of the pair get a comic to enjoy. They want all for themselves and if SMWW fans stand up for themselves we are accused of all sorts of nonsense from bullying, homophobia, sexism, racism, xenophobia etc because we like SMWW together. Don’t ask me how I as a female of colour, who is from what some would call a “developing country” , can be accused of those things esp when the accusations come from people who are very priviledged and  who would know nothing about racism, or xenophobia. But those are some of the tactics haters love to indulge in. 
If something is so hated one would assume it is not wanted and would fail in the market, right? SMWW content and merchandise should not even be made or licensed because everyone hates it, right? YET whose merchandise do we see time and time again? Anyone following this blog knows there is a constant flow of SMWW Licensed merchandise. From his/hers sets like perfume as in the Jean Paul Gaultier sets, onesies, robes, rings sets. We had/ have tees, bags, belts, dresses, salt and pepper shakers, hoodies, watches, phonecases, and more. We had not one but TWO Kiss statues that sold out. There were games like Herocix and Dicemasters. There was a recent book from Eaglemoss on THEM , not wonderbat or wondertrev, heck not even clois. They are always popular for Halloween, weddings, birthdays and cosplay. Hell SuperWonder is constantly used in pop art and paintings and on murals. eg See Dillon Boy whose paintings go for thousands of dollars! Superman and Wonder Woman even sell cleaning products and we have pics of scores of couples with their his/ hers tattoos !  Why is this? Because SMWW along with BatCat and possibly Joker/Harley are  popular with the general public and are marketed together. Why? Because WB is not stupid. And nor are merchants. 
The SMWW comic also sold well. Heck, it sold better than the Rebirth Lois and Clark comic by Dan Jurgens and Batman and Wonder Woman one by Liam Sharp. Wondertrev is a weak pairing because Steve was not Diana’s lover for 30 plus years when he was aged up and married to Etta.  It’s only due to Chris Pine Steve had a bit of a resurgence and even then God knows what is going on with them in the Wonder Woman comic. It does not bother us in the least DC has clois or wondertrev content. While it’s not our cup of tea, we get many  fans tend to lean towards tradition. BUT we also know that there are many other fans who like Superman and Wonder Woman together. And we judge this by the sales of the new 52 which was very successful when one goes to sites like Comic Beat and Comichron and sees the actual numbers. Kingdom Come is a perennial bestseller and so is the Dark Knight Verse where SMWW are together.  It’s not hate and hyperbole that sells nor does every fan care about “tradition”. DC understands this and this is why they acknowledge their multiverse because those stories are some of their best selling as opposed to the stagnant/ recycled ones of canon. 
Superman and Wonder Woman currently has an account on Instagram which is at 48k followers and is the biggest shipping one. Bigger than the traditional ones. Its content reflects the large, growing base and how diverse and universal our fandom is.  We boast fans of all ethnicities, religions, orientation, ages, etc and we don’t just talk, we have the evidence to back up our claims. 
So no, we are not hated so much. What we have are people who feel so threatened by our couple they are willing to lie and misrepresent and bully and attack us . They tried those tactics here on tumblr too when we first started this blog in 2011. Just go back and see how salty they were.  They were burning comics and destroying statues. I don’t have the time or money or energy to go buy books of pairings I don’t like just to destroy them to get likes from other haters. I would rather give books to someone or use the money to do something for someone. There is something truly toxic in those actions. 
I can only presume they tried to silence and shut us up because that was their way to keep their pairing on top without competition. They were not prepared to accept we could love these characters too and value Superman and Wonder Woman as individuals and see their heroism was not defined by only being with Lois or Steve. Fact we can see how unhealthy those troupes are when they do that to heroes. Superman becomes evil and forget everything he stands for while Diana is willing sit on her ass and mope for a dead man she met decades ago and only knew for a week or worse use someone’s body without caring about that individual’s right to consent because she wants this one man so much. 
At the moment we are 25,921 thousand followers on this blog. So along with the 48 thousand on Instagram, and the many other groups elsewhere, I think we are doing pretty well. Remember, we don’t have movies and tv series but what SuperWonder has are passionate and enthusiastic fans who buy content and write and draw and even if we had 100 instead of thousands, it’s our right to like what we like and no one can stop us. So be proud and ship SuperWonder.
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