#"Superman" persona

[unkstaarwysbr]

Dwight Howard: Unfair Criticism and the Complexity of Perception

Within a captivating TSDS 278, the hosts engage in a thought-provoking discussion about the unfair criticism that has plagued the career of NBA player Dwight Howard. This article, inspired by their insightful conversation, delves into the negative perception surrounding Howard and sheds light on the complexities of his public image. El Uno and TraB bring attention to the unfair criticism aimed…

[kitkat-the-muffin]

My brother and I made a ton of bracelets today with the kit I bought yesterday

Just for fun

[frownyalfred]

i feel like fan works include a lot of clark and bruce meeting or interacting at a gala. is this something that actually happens a lot in comics? i can't think of any time this has actually happened in canon other than that one time in batman v superman

I don't think they meet for the first time at a ton of galas other than in BVS. There are several interactions that happen at galas in comics.

I think galas provide a very convenient and compelling vehicle for fic writers to create first/subsequent meetings. In no specific order:

they have to stick to their secret identities because they're being observed, which creates an interesting, if forced, scenario.

lots of room for OCs or in-universe characters to be mixed and matched depending on the situation at hand. oh you want Clark to be jealous of Bruce? let's have some models hanging off his arm. oh, this is about Bruce hiding injuries? let's have some random "friend" from polo come and whack him on the arm.

it's a somewhat plausible situation in which the press and the elite would, technically, be rubbing elbows. (as someone who attends galas occasionally I have some notes about how this is sometimes written, but it's usually plausible!) So Clark Kent might never see Bruce Wayne up close and in person if not in this capacity, at this event.

they allow for comparisons to be drawn. both Bruce and Clark can be shown acting in different capacities, identities, personas, etc than normal. they are both masters of their own respective games, and a gala is a great playing field to demonstrate this.

breaking the "rules" in this setting feels particularly egregious, and therefore desperate. does one of them truly feel a certain way they can't hide anymore? do they have some sort of intel that can't wait? when they meet up at a gala and pierce that invisible barrier between them, readers realize it's a big deal.

identity porn is 10x as compelling with an audience. "I know something no one else knows" is a powerful thought.

They have to get dressed up :)

Galas are temporary, isolated events with clearly defined beginnings, ends, etc.

Gotham galas are known breeding grounds for chaos and random attacks.

Any accidental media exposure at a gala has the potential to make the tabloids/gossip rags and create greater interest in a certain pairing, occurrence, etc. If you're setting up a media push (cough cough, ASOH) that's a great place to do it.

As I noted above, I have some thoughts on how galas/reporters interact irl. I actually think the BVS gala scene was a really good example of that being a little more grounded -- Clark was invited on a press pass specifically to cover the literary (?) foundation. He was there mingling with guests specifically assigned questions (that were probably pre-approved by the foundation/hosts) and approached Bruce Wayne, who expected to give a canned quote to the random reporter, only for Clark to go off the rails and ask about Batman.

[fayoftheforest]

human kite & antisemitism

In the notes of my recent meta on Vampire Kyle AUs, a user reflected on how similar antisemitic stereotypes might overlap with his TFBW character as well. Since I also have some thoughts on this and enjoyed putting together the last lil post I thought I’d do another on this subject too :) 

South Park Fandom Wiki states that Human Kite is heavily inspired by Superman, “being a faraway alien with the ability to fly and to shoot lasers out of his eyes, even wearing a costume with the color red, yellow, and blue and a symbol in his chest to match.”  I think this is pretty cool! Superman was created by Jewish immigrants and is very Jewish-coded in his origin story, being “a refugee with the Hebrew-inspired name ‘Kal-El’ who escaped a dying world and fought Nazis during World War II” (JewishUnpacked). I don’t know if Tratt were aware of these roots, but either way, I think it’s pretty neat :)

South Park Fandom Wiki also claims that Kyle playing an alien character “may be a reference to how Adolf Hitler did not consider Jews ‘human.’" This is. Uh. Less neat.

Similarly upsetting is the name itself, Human Kite, which is a play on words with the horrific ethnic slur “kike.” American Jewish Committee posits that the term “is derived from the Yiddish word for circle, ‘kikel,’ a reference to how Jewish immigrants at Ellis Island signed their entry forms: a circle as opposed to an X, which Jews associated with the cross of Christianity. Immigration officers described those who signed forms with a circle as ‘kikel,’ eventually being shortened to ‘kike.’”

Did Matt and Trey really create his entire character just so that Cartman could call him Human Kike that one time? I can’t say for certain, just in the same way I don’t have a direct quote from them confirming the reasoning behind their selections of names for Kyle and Ike. But I can tell you that if you put ‘em together and you get… yeah. Yep. “Kike” again. Thank you, Tratt, very cool 👍Get a new joke maybe :/

Now, let’s talk specifically about his laser powers. Up until researching for this meta, I had presumed that Kyle’s ability to shoot lasers from his eyes was a direct reference to the Jewish Space Laser conspiracy popularised to the public by terrifyingly influential political figure Marjorie Taylor Greene. In 2018, Greene wrote a Facebook rant speculating that the California wildfires were caused by a giant laser floating in space, owned by the Jews. Very normal thing to believe :|

However, during my research, I realised that these timelines did not match up. As mentioned, Greene’s rant was shared in 2018, but didn’t go viral until 2021. Meanwhile, South Park’s The Fractured But Whole was released way back in 2017! What I had initially assumed was another antisemitic reference is in fact just a dreadful and ridiculous coincidence. Nonetheless, It’s still a commonality that’s worth pointing out, I think.

Just as an aside, I’d like to take this opportunity to give a shoutout to cousin Kyle’s version of Human Kite. Everything about him is an egregious Jewish caricature, from his irritating, snivelling voice to his long list of health issues. It’s not my fault that the limited Jewish gene pool has fucked me over, Tratt! Leave me alone! A meta about antisemitism within Cousin’s Kyle characterisation would be a mile long, so I’ll spare you that for now.

Anyway, what does this all mean when we’re creating fan content around TFBW? Must we just chuck the Human Kite persona into a blender and never speak of it again? Not necessarily. Speaking as a Jewish fandom member, I quite enjoy reading and writing Human Kite. It’s a fun character to play around with! Despite his unfortunate roots, I don’t believe including him is innately antisemitic. It just depends on how you go about doing it! If he’s not secretly running the world, controlling the banks and Hollywood, or consuming the blood of innocent Christians, you’re on the right track. 

You could even go for a little meta-commentary and acknowledge the antisemitic coding within the text! Here’s an example of how I did that in my upcoming TFBW reality swap fic (don’t question why there’s two of everyone, it makes sense within the text lmao)

“Wait, you’re telling me in an alternate reality we’re all aliens?” Kyle gawks at this funhouse-mirror version of himself, who’s busy gawking right back. “No, Kyle, just—just you,” Kenny says. “Oh.” Kyle narrows his eyes. “You know, it’s difficult not to interpret this with antisemitic undertones.” “What, like the Jewish Space Laser conspiracy?” Cartman asks. Mysterion frowns. “Jewish people have space lasers in your universe?” “No,” Cartman sighs and shakes his head forlornly, before muttering, “it’s a made-up rumour to perpetuate mistrust and hatred towards the Jewish community.” “Alright, don’t sound so disappointed,” Kyle huffs. “Guys!” Stan says. “Can we not start this argument again?” “I never said it was a cool rumour, Kyle!” Cartman snaps defensively. “Obviously it’s super harmful and whatever. All I meant was that it would have been cool if it were real. Because, like, space lasers are awesome! Right?” He looks to Kite, apparently presuming that they’re an authority on the matter. “Um.” Kite blinks, then says hesitantly, “I can shoot lasers… from my eyes. And once I did sort of fly up into space and magnify the lasers to destroy Chaos’s tin foil factory. So, uh. Does that help?” Cartman’s face lights up and is split in half by an enthusiastic grin. “It helps a lot, actually.” Kyle groans and pinches his nose. “You have no idea how much education you’ve just undone, dude.” He opens his eyes to glower at Kite. Kenny glances at Chaos. “Tin foil factory?” Chaos waves a hand dismissively. “Outsourcing proved more efficient.”

There we go! A lighthearted little nod, which acknowledges potential antisemitic readings of Human Kite, without justifying or excusing it. It’s not at all necessary when creating fan content around Human Kite, but just know that that’s an option to you, if you so choose. Just make sure antisemites are the butt of your joke, and not Jewish people, lmao.

I’ll finish up by returning to my general sentiment that I held in my Vamp!Kyle post. If you conduct your creations with a basic level of awareness and self-reflection, you’ll probably be alright. Just stay in the know, and you’re all good to go 😎

[twistedtummies2]

Gathering of the Greatest Gumshoes - Number 3

Welcome to A Gathering of the Greatest Gumshoes! During this month-long event, I’ve been counting down my Top 31 Favorite Fictional Detectives, from movies, television, literature, video games, and more!

We’ve reached the Top 3 of the countdown!

SLEUTH-OF-THE-DAY’S QUOTE: “It is the brain, the little grey cells, on which one must rely.”

Number 3 is…Hercule Poirot.

Earlier in the countdown, I spoke of Agatha Christie – a woman many consider the greatest mystery writer of all time – and one of her two most popular creations, Miss Marple. I mentioned then that another of her characters would appear later in the list. Well, ladies and gentlemen, now is the time: this is Christie’s other most popular character, if not her most popular PERIOD, Hercule Poirot. Poirot is arguably the definitive example of the “Gentleman Detective.” Inspired by Sherlock Holmes and Poe’s C. Auguste Dupin, the character initially started off very much in the Holmesian vein, in terms of personality and methods. Very quickly, however, he began to evolve into something else entirely, and ultimately became a figure who easily rivaled Conan Doyle’s famous creation, stepping out of the shadow of past inspirations to stand on his own.

Hercule Poirot is also an example of the classic “unlikely detective,” much as Miss Marple would be. (Poirot predated her by at least ten years.) However, he is drastically different in many ways. For one thing, there is their core philosophy: Miss Marple is essentially a very cynical character. Underneath her kindly and humble demeanor, she’s a jaded lady who is no longer surprised by horror and death, having seen so much of it. Poirot, however, is sort of a romantic idealist at heart; he believes that good is something to be rewarded, evil something to be punished, and feels that crime is something out of the ordinary. Of all things, it reminds me of the difference between two famous superheroes: Batman and Superman. Batman is someone who feels crime is commonplace and tries to fight against it, while Superman feels people are inherently good and tries to uphold it. Poirot is a small, rather foppish fellow; obsessively neat and tidy, with a fastidiously-tended moustache, who dresses in the finest of fashions and makes a point of keeping good hygiene prime in his mind. Poirot is indicated to have something like OCD (something later adaptations would latch onto with a passion), being highly meticulous, at times even to a fault, and obsessing over making sure everything in his life is neatly arranged and organized. While Sherlock Holmes typically relies on deductive reasoning and physical evidence to solve capers, Poirot is arguably the first proper criminal profiler in literary history: he looks at a scene and determines what doesn’t fit the picture, his obsessive persona quickly finding incongruities, and then tries to figure out the kind of person who would commit these crimes, and why they would do it. He often uses bluff and deception to outwit his opponents; much like Columbo would do many years later, his demeanor is sometimes his greatest weapon, as folks rarely feel threatened by this rather stuffy Belgian with an egg-shaped head, and thus underestimate him entirely.

The behind-the-scenes relationship Christie had with Poirot was stormy, to say the least. Even as the character evolved, and his popularity swelled, Christie grew increasingly dissatisfied with her own creation. She was once quoted as saying she had come to see Poirot as an “egocentric little creep,” and that she only continued writing for him because he was popular with the readers. Much like Conan Doyle had tried to do in the past with Holmes, Christie eventually decided to kill off her character…but unlike Conan Doyle, she actually succeeded in keeping him dead! The final novel, “Curtains,” was highly received, and Poirot’s literary death so rocked the world, the New York Times even published an obituary: to date the first and only time the prestigious news agency did so for a fictional character.

Of course, this was not the end for Hercule Poirot. By the time Christie killed him off, he was already a well-known and adapted character, appearing on radio played by Orson Welles, and on film in what many argue is one of the greatest mystery movies ever made: the 1974 adaptation of “Murder on the Orient Express.” There he was played by Albert Finney. Later actors to portray the character have included Peter Ustinov, Ian Holm, Alfred Molina, Jason Alexander, John Malkovich (who was AWFUL in the role, for the record), and, most recently, Kenneth Branagh. The character was also one of the titular co-stars of the anime “Agatha Christie’s Great Detectives Poirot & Marple,” which I spoke of earlier in the countdown.

By far the most successful onscreen portrayal of the character, and the one most people (myself included) consider the definitive take on the Belgian gentleman detective, is David Suchet (pictured here). His was the star of a very long-running TV series simply titled “Poirot.” The series initially started out as a straightforward adaptation of all of Christie’s Poirot stories, but – as time went on – it began to take more liberties with the source material, and added a few new dimensions to the detective by emphasizing elements of his personality that Christie had only briefly brushed the surface of in her work. Whether you love Suchet, the books, or any of the other great interpretations of Poirot most, it’s clear that “the little grey cells” continue to serve this fellow well.

Tomorrow, we’ll feature our penultimate gumshoe, with Number 2!

CLUE: “I Am Vengeance.”

[georgiapeach30513]

Mrs pasta here checking in on you peach 🍑

Glad to see you doing well and as always, keeping positive and away from the drama.

I also see operation manufacturing an internet bf has some people in a tiff. 😂

I myself don’t mind the carbon copy, I think he’s cute and somewhat charming, but what I don’t love is seeing the sudden bandwagon jump as always.

I have always side eyed fair weathered fans. Jumping to whoever is “hot” at the moment and then piling on someone else when they are “down.” I have no issues with carbon copy having his own fans - I just resent a comparison being used to put one down over the other. There’s no need for that. Especially when some are doing it on purpose to get a rise out of others.

I also have a feeling some people will be crawling back in the near future. I’ve always thought Ramen wasn’t meant to go the commercial route of big blockbuster movies and beefcake persona. I think his innate nature (at least publicly) has shown he tends to thrive when he follows his guns and picks a risky or unique project with a director that has a specific vision. I think this is where he will continue to find inspiration and return on investment.

If money isn’t an issue for him anymore, I think these smaller but more original/different projects may carve him a future in character acting that I think he still has a chance to succeed in.

He doesn’t need to be a top shelf A lister or even awards darling to do it. He is talented and he will find an audience somehow, I am sure of this.

Remember - art is subjective. And what makes a good movie isn’t necessarily how many awards it gets or how big the box office numbers are. If you are someone’s favorite actor in a movie they watch religiously and they can quote every line, or you are an actor whose opened a person up to a new genre or franchise simply because they enjoyed you on screen - then in my books, you’ve succeeded. I think Ramen has done that for many people in this world and I don’t think he needs to prove anything to anyone. I myself have seen multiple men wearing cap America tshirts this month alone (it’s 2024!) - white, Asian, Black, Latinx, older, middle aged, teenaged, child. Both Ramen and his friend Buldak (three guesses who I’m referring to 😉 AM) have created a legacy that won’t be going away anytime soon. Ten years ago, I used to mainly see batman and superman t shirts. I don't think all these new fans are just people who like comic books.

Be well, peach. Until next time!

Mrs. Pasta!! I welcome you back, it’s been awhile, but glad to see you around these neck of the woods again.

I actually think Chris’ career was heading out of the internet boyfriend for a while, and now here we are. I’ve tried to remain out of this discourse because I never want to yuck on someone else’s yum, but of course people want to push him and his projects on me, or want to talk about him, and eventually I do, and they don’t like it. When I’ve stated multiple times that the man does absolutely nothing for me in looks and I don’t enjoy his movies, and that’s being generous given his list of projects. Everyone has their time to come up, but his has been quick, since working on Top Gun. Almost like he has someone who wanted to invest in his career. Good for him. Now go away and create a new identity 😂

As you talk about the fair weathered fans, it just proves it was more about the looks and persona than about the talent. Which is fine, but we don’t have to kick him when he’s down to lift another up. I have been a fan of his since 2001. I became a fan for his looks, yes, and stayed because I enjoyed him. I enjoyed his body of work, meaning projects. I enjoyed his public persona, etc. You don’t stay a fan for over 20 years on looks alone. Although his looks to me are a bonus.

Chris’ career is fine, despite what some people believe. It is not of the height as it was when he was in Marvel, but neither is RDJ’s, Scarlett’s, or anyone’s. Marvel is a wheelhouse, and is in a league all of its own, so it’s silly to compare the two. However, Chris has had movies since Not Another Teen movie where he was the lead, and had a character name. It was a slow, but steady climb to his peak in 2018/2019. But he has officially announced three projects for this year alone. People don’t even know what he could be planning for 2025. He is an attractive white man that has a reputation for an excellent work ethic. He’ll be okay.

And you’re right. I would wager most actors aren’t A-List anymore. I seriously get tired of this conversation because it goes around in circles. But this age of celebrities are not the ones from the past. And that’s okay. Things change. As long as he is happy with his career and the way it’s going, and he’s being fulfilled it shouldn’t matter if he’s in huge box office successes.

Buldak! I love this!! I think the spicy ramen suits Mackie 😉 And you’re right. Superman was the superhero of the past. Now, it’s Captain America. Nobody can ever take Steve Rogers from Chris, or the fact that he was the face of Marvel for years. But I don’t even consider Steve to be one of my favorite characters. However, he was perfect for it, and nobody could have done it better.

As always, Mrs. Pasta, thanks for dropping in!

[tiredofsatansbullshit]

Superman and Batman are friends (associates?). Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne however are a whole other story

Masterlist of fics

Summary: Bruce Wayne knows that Clark Kent is Superman. Clark Kent knows that Bruce Wayne is Batman. Neither has said anything about knowing and so they are waiting for either the other to say something or for one of them to slip up.

Batman and Superman have been working together occasionally. It’s not that they’ve been actively trying to but there’s been some overlap in cases and they might as well have just done it together.

This doesn’t mean that Bruce trusts Superman, he’d just rather keep the alien close to be able to observe him. When Superman first started operating in Metropolis, Bruce started a file on him. At first it was slow going in gathering information but after working a couple cases together and some slip ups from the Man of Steel, Bruce was able to figure out Superman’s civilian identity. Clark Kent. A journalist for the Daily Planet.

Clark was pretty weary of Batman when he first encountered the man on a case. He originally thought the rumours of the Bat in Gotham was just that, rumours. After their first case together, Batman had added lead lining to the batsuit cowl, but Clark had already seen his face. Bruce Wayne is Batman. Out of respect to Bruce, Clark said nothing and continued to refer to Bruce as Batman when it was just the two of them. He hoped to reach a point where they both trusted each other enough to disclose their civilian identities over time.

The problem came when, after almost two years of working together neither said anything about their civilian identities. They worked well together and got along even better. Clark considered them friends (Bruce considered them work associates) but they sometimes found themselves in awkward-ish situations that could so easily be avoided if they just were honest with each other.

The latest of these above mentioned situations was perhaps one of the worst (or best, depending on your perspective), Clark was attending a charity gala on assignment, he was supposed to report on the speech and attempt for an interview with the host of the event and get comments from others attending. Bruce Wayne attended the same gala for a couple reasons, firstly to keep up appearances and further establish his Brucie Wayne persona as billionaire, playboy, philanthropist, and secondly some weapons traffickers that he’s been following made their way to Metropolis and he needed more information on them before he made his move. He could have asked Superman for help seeing as Metropolis is Superman’s city but Bruce was not feeling like sharing his case.

Lois hadn’t really been in the mood to be at this charity gala, she had so much work she wanted to finish off and couldn’t wait to get home but when Clark asked her to attend the gala with him she couldn’t say no. To her surprise the night wasn’t going as bad as she thought it would. Sure the speeches were boring and the food wasn’t good but the situation she found herself in was pretty enjoyable. Clark sat on her right, looking either nervous of annoyed, Lois couldn’t tell which exactly. Across the table from them was Bruce Wayne, the Prince of Gotham. She’d seen him a few times before at various events she’d reported on but never had the chance to have an actual conversation with him. There was some tension between the two men, Lois doesn’t know why but there’s definitely something there as the two kept sneaking glances at the other. Turning her attention back to the other women at the table who have been talking animatedly for most of the night, she smiled and nodded along with their conversation and when they excused themselves to go to the bathroom Lois felt somewhat relieved, tired of their constant chattering.

Turning her attention back to the men, expecting Clark to ask Bruce Wayne about his thoughts on the gala or at least try and get a quote from the man she found them having what she wants to describe as a staring contest, until Bruce Wayne cleared his throat and broke the eye contact to glance around the room before he shrugged his suit jacket off and speaking up, “It’s been such a hot day and these fans don’t seem to be doing much, i don’t know how you can still sit wearing a jacket and shirt, Mr Kent.”

Clark smiled somewhat sarcastically at Bruce Wayne before responding, “I’m doing alright, thank you Mr Wayne. If you’d like to unbutton your shirt though we’d understand”

“Oh, you don’t feel the heat do you? How strange. With how hot it is you’d have to be used to extreme conditions to be able to sit with a jacket on right now, maybe even a whole other type of climate.”

“Actually, I’m from Kansas so I don’t get easily bothered by this kind of mild heat”

“You don’t have much of an accent to be from Kansas, were you not born there?”

Letting out a soft, unamused chuckle, Clark leaned forward, “Sounding a bit like a detective right now Mr Wayne, I feel like i’m under investigation right now.”

Glancing between the two, Lois decided to change the subject, “Mr Wayne, what are your thoughts on the speech from earlier?”

Turning to smile at her, Bruce responded, “It is a noble cause and I am glad to do my part to help. I know to some the course of action being taken might be seen as foreign, or even alien,” he added some emphasis at the word, shooting a glance at Clark before continuing, “but I will be supporting the cause as I’m not one to jump to judgement based off a surface level look at circumstances. It was a pleasure to meet you Ms Lane but if you’ll excuse me please.” With that Bruce got up from the table and made his way across the room, disappearing from her line of sight.

Turning to Clark she slapped his arm, “Why didn’t you tell me there’s something going on between you and Bruce Wayne?”

“What”

“Come on Clark, after sitting through all of that you can’t tell me that was the first time you’ve met him, I won’t judge you if you’re in some sort of relationship with him but maybe it’s not the best idea for you to be getting quotes or any sort of interview from him as it won’t be unbiased.” Clark stared at her in shock, opening and closing his mouth a couple times, being unsure as to what to say.

This is the first fic I ever posted on AO3 so it is definitely not my best. I enjoy the storyline though and one day I'll probably retype it but for now this is what you get.

[ten-ten31]

DC-the scene from it that lives in your head rent free.

Thanks for the ask!!! 💜

Although the question is SO HARD! There's SO MANY, especially counting the animated, TV and movie versions...

So let's pick one each, okay?

DC Comics - Does "Wayne Family Adventures" count? If so, there's definitely the one two-parter about Jason's PTSD that has very much stuck with me. It's just so raw and honest and something rarely seen in this kind of comics. If we're talking about comics proper, it has to be Young Justice! Tim reavealing a second domino under the first. Tim making up a Mister Sarcastic to not be himself when there's a documentary about Young Justice. Telling the others his name is Alvin!

DC TV shows - Since I grew up on "Lois & Clark" that's what's still mostly up there, even though I loved several of the CW shows too. But especially the whole Lois coming to Smallville for the first time, foot in mouth basically the whole time, and still being the competent reporter I love so much was such a treat!

DC movies - Can I say those little moments of Christopher Reeve actually visibly switching between the Clark and the Superman persona? That - that! - has always been my gold standard. It's such small movements and minute changes to the set of his shoulders, neck, eyes. His voice dropping an octave and his tone going softer, more self-assured. It was once in the first movie, right after the interview on the balcony, and then in the second movie, when he finally admits to Lois who he is.

DC cartoons - "(Not) feeling the aster" from the Young Justice cartoon has to be one of my most quoted lines in internal monologue with myself ever!

DC animated movies - Under the Red Hood. Hands down. From Nightwing's "You always have the best toys", to Jason confronting Bruce about why he didin't kill the Joker. It's been haunting me (and I literally squeed when the DitF BluRay came out).

Be glad this ask isn't about fanfic scenes living rent-free in my head, or I would be rambling on and on and on and on... ;)

[1986hell]

Steve makes a perfect Superman

I’ve seen two posts talking about how Steve would make a good Batman (and Eddie as Superman) and as much as I agree, I’m invested in the reverse.

If you ignore the rich versus poor comparisons, it actually makes a lot of sense.

Superman is the idealistic, pretty-boy hero that everyone loves despite his flaws. He smiles for the cameras, kisses babies, and whatever else Superman does.

Batman (depending on the canon you’re quoting) is mysterious dark figure that parents tell stories about to their naughty children. He avoids publicity even if it’s positive, sticks to the shadows, and purposefully scares the crap out of criminals.

While in canon they both have equal custody of their children, I feel like Eddie had more of a choice to seek out the new kids and take them under his wing. Hence, most of them are robins/bats.

Wayne is obviously Alfred but not a butler. He was a handyman/gardener that Eddie stubbornly made friends with before his parents died.

Steve gets his upbeat and excitable cousin Chrissy (aka Supergirl), the cut-throat reporter friend and her photographer (Nancy and Johnathan), and his hometown bff (Robin).

The first time the two meet, they throw down b/c Eddie doesn’t believe the golden-boy persona and Steve, faced with a weakness he didn’t know he had (kryptonite), is immediately on the defensive.

It takes both Nancy and Wayne to knock some sense into them.

[revolutionaryjackelving]

In which article did you analyze Alan Moore's "Superman and Swamp Thing" and noted that this could be the "modern Superman" DC kept chasing for decades?

It was actually an old tumblr post here (https://revolutionaryjackelving.tumblr.com/post/674627890432901120/whats-your-stance-on-the-is-clark-kent-or).

Quoting the essential part:

Superman in this comic essentially argues that he’s neither Superman nor is he Clark Kent. Both of them are suits he wears and the real guy is someone outside both navigating different personas which makes way more sense.

If Alan Moore (back in the honeymoon period of his engagement with superhero stories ever got a full run, I’m sure this kind of stuff would have been driven home even further and who knows we might have gotten the modernized Superman personality that the comics have been chasing forever now.

[pinepickled]

1, 2 and 17 for DC? ^^

Thank you so much for the ask! I love doing these :3

What originally drew me to it?

Well as a kid I watched the Batman animated series from 2004 religiously, and my mom was also a huge Batman fan in her day so it felt only natural that i'd be exposed to and love a bunch of Batman media! That was my backbone for it, but then after my intense weeb phase I was redrawn into the Batman fandom by I think a Jason Todd fan edit? I'm not quite sure but Jason's story was what drew me back in.

2. What I like most and least about it?

oh, haha.... so much

I like DC over Marvel in particular because I feel that Marvel doesn't have that human connection that DC can foster so easily. DC characters feel warmer, and more human (even though Marvel has more actual humans in it). I like how certain authors can tell such compelling stories in these universes, the endless possibilities, the loving interactions between iconic characters, the lorebuilding, all of it is amazing!

But as for dislikes... too many cooks in the kitchen. WAY too many. Anyone who wants to start reading the comics is going to have to fight demons for any sort of coherent storyline. Manga is currently wildly overtaking comic books in the graphic novel market and for good reason! You want to read Naruto? Start at chapter 1! You want to read Superman? Well there's the 1976 line and the Superman Returns line after world 3 which is- you get what I mean? It's very hard to get into. Also, at this point, DC authors need to just write fanfiction. It's so annoying to rehash the basic same storyline over and over again in different fonts and colors. Earth 3, 4, 5, 6 and fucking 1,000,000 with their slightly different worlds with slightly different Batmans. Everything is too cluttered and there is too much of everything. Not to mention they're still letting the same ol bigoted authors (including a literal former FBI agent??) write comics. Enough is enough bro!!

And then my pet peeve for Batman in particular is the recent 'dark' path he's taken. No Batman author knows why or what Batman is or does. They make him brutally, horrifically violent. They make him cold and uncaring. They make him hate his kids. They make him a real womanizer instead of a pretend one. Batman isn't a hero who took to the streets of Gotham to protect little kids from the trauma he went through as a kid, now he's just an over glorified abusive cop. Batman is supposed to be a father. A good friend. A comforting hand in the darkness of life. Balancing his persona, his stony face, and his loving nature is the entire appeal of Batman.

17. The line of dialogue I quote most often

haha, i'm sure this is obvious considering I rant and rave about it every other day but

"You somehow found a way to win... where everyone still loses!" - The Joker, Batman: Under the Red Hood (right after Batman kills Jason)

It's just such a good quote that encapsulates the entirety of the past 30 years of Batman and the whole Jason Todd morality thing, fuck! Judd Winick knows how to kill 'em. Literally.

[getsemantic]

- Superman, quoted by Clark Kent in the latest persona article by the Daily Planet

being bisexual gives you superpowers but they don’t want you to know that

[janaawrites2024]

Week 3 Writeup #1: Personal Writing

Write about your hero.

Written by: Nike

I've read many heroic stories in my short life, and my all time favorite will always be Spider-Man.

There’s much to like about Spider-Man. What’s not to like? He’s witty, he’s cool, he’s smart, he pulls the hottest people, his suit is cool---I could go on. But the most common reason people admire the webbed wonder is because of the sheer strength of his perseverance. You see, Peter Parker has been through a lot. Actually, it’s more the fact that he’s always going through a lot, whether it be his Aunt May having cancer in the comics or his villains acting up or just bad luck in general (kicked out of his apartment). It always seems as if life (or the writer for his comics and movies) was out to get him specifically.

And well, when the writers keep finding new ways to beat you down, giving up was always a temptation one could not resist. Many a time, Peter was in this boat. And many a time too, he found the courage to stand back up. Scared, bruised, and bloodied to hell and back—he stood up and went back out there to fight for people who would never know who he was outside of his spider moniker.

That’s another thing that I admire him for. His deliberate kindness. A gift passed to him from his Uncle Ben and Aunt May along with the famous quote, “With great power comes great responsibility.” I say deliberate here because Peter wasn’t always a very kind person. In fact, in the beginning stories of his comics, he was bitter and angry at the world (which he had all the right to be). When he gained his powers, the first thing he did was join an underground fighting ring to make money off of it to buy himself a car and impress his love interest, Mary Jane Watson. When his Uncle Ben died after a robber shot him (a robber that he didn’t care to stop), he was so consumed with his need for vengeance that he nearly killed the man responsible. But reminded of his dearly-loved Uncle’s words, he spared the man’s life. He then went on to shape his entire life to upholding his Aunt and Uncle’s teachings, and to make sure that no one would ever feel the same type of grief and loss that he felt on that day for as long as he was able.

Of course, as I’ve previously mentioned, life would always treat Peter as if he was its personal cat toy, and his morals would always be tested with his heart. Still, he makes an effort to reign in his anger, and be so consistently good and kind that it would inspire others that watch him to act with a similar goodness.

There are many iterations of Spider-Man (Spider-Noir, Robot Spider, Spider-Woman, Spider-Pig), but here’s the thing: no matter what shape or form they come in to take the mantle, they almost always show the same traits of stubbornness and kindness as the first one.

And here’s the third reason as to why Spider-Man is my favorite. The thing about ‘Spider-Man’ is that anyone can wear the mask. Anyone can be Spider-Man.

For others like Batman, Superman, Iron Man, Captain America, or Captain Marvel, to name a few, there’s something specific about their personas that you have to carry in order to be them. You can’t be Batman or Iron Man if you aren’t rich or a genius. You can’t be Cap either if you don’t have a sense of duty or love for your countrymen that requires you to stand up to dictators without flinching.

For me, it’s a tall order to look up to them because, well. They’re legends. They’re too ‘big picture’ for me and all for the greater good. Distant titans with cheesy posters, saving world after world; shining, powerful, buff, and so far from everything I could ever hope to be. Point is, I’ll always be looking up at them. For Spidey, I could be him and all it would ever require of me is heart (and maybe Spider powers, it’d be cool to have them). For me, this character says to me that, no matter how small, I could still make a difference. And for all that I know that small difference will have a greater impact than I could ever imagine.

[mocksterling]

I posted 1,475 times in 2022

That's 1,475 more posts than 2021!

346 posts created (23%)

1,129 posts reblogged (77%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@yuriinadress

@mockingsunlilacs

@jjmk-jjmk

@chamiryokuroi

@broosepayne

I tagged 784 of my posts in 2022

Only 47% of my posts had no tags

#dc comics - 558 posts

#dc - 456 posts

#damian wayne - 198 posts

#robin - 192 posts

#incorrect quotes - 170 posts

#tim drake - 169 posts

#incorrect dc quotes - 167 posts

#batman - 157 posts

#bruce wayne - 153 posts

#superboy - 150 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#as a lgbtqia member i do not think dc making everyone bi gay or even straight is benefiting anyone because of how they go along with making

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Damian: You three, explain right now! Duke: It was Tim. Dick: It was Tim. Jason: It was Tim. Tim: Tim: . . . fuck.

302 notes - Posted August 23, 2022

#4

Damian: Father, I don't understand what you're talking about. Poison Ivy's drug did not effect me that much.

Bruce: You were flirting with Superman (Jonathan Kent) last night.

Damain: So what? Jonathan is a very worthy warrior and has shown great success in battle. Don't blame me for having high standards. Besides, he is loyal to his lover and wouldn't try anything anyways.

Bruce: No, that's the issue. You asked if they were single.

Damain:

Bruce: And you cried when he said he wasn't. Jason recorded it.

Damain: THAT MoTHerFuckE-

416 notes - Posted May 1, 2022

#3

See the full post

482 notes - Posted August 14, 2022

#2

Link to article here

536 notes - Posted June 24, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Au where the Waynes have to make a reality TV show because people get too close to finding out who they are. Everyone develops their public persona as follows.

Brucie Wayne:

Wears makeup all the time.

Really clumsy but has a quick reaction time regarding when his kids are about to fight. Yes, he can sense it from the other side of the house.

Mama bear, will panic if someone gets as much as a papercut.

Always wears dark colors because if he wears anything else he always manages to get them dirty somehow.

Will sing to pop songs, gets all the lyrics wrong except the chorus.

Glitter. He always wears at least one thing that is glittery at all times. He also uses a glittery bat-themed pencil pouch in his office (cass got it for him as a joke).

Kathy Kane:

A gay aunt icon.

Fashionable but in a classy way/simple enough to still fight if needed.

Will physically attack one of Bruce's kids to "prepare them for if they get kidnapped".

Damian's favorite, he will go ask her for permission first instead of Bruce. She typically allows him before looking at the camera like 'this is about to be good'.

Is one of the best at giving advice.

Will not hesitate to argue with Bruce's friends (the Justice League in their civilian personas) with the passion of a kid who wants ice cream.

Dick Grayson:

Nice older brother type/has answered to "mom" on screen multiple times before.

Knows all Disney songs by heart and will start singing them as his brothers fight.

The one who posts the most on social media and believes they're "in with the kids".

Is in college but tries his best to make time with his family.

Recites vines with passion as he burns everything in th kitchen.

Always wears "rich people clothing that compliments his best features".

Jason Todd:

Was announced alive before the show started so he's been here since season one and may or may not be the reason that they had to start the show in the first place because people were like, "oh, he could be Red Hood. . . wait".

He's normally the one who starts shit/drama on the show.

He has some of the best comebacks out of his brothers. And yes, most of them are along the lines of, "I died, bitch! I'll kill us both and drag you to hell myself! They love me there, unlike some people!"

Claims he doesn't remember what happened those years he was "dead" and says that he still have bad memory problems to get out of doing stuff because he "forgot".

Plays into the bad boy/street kid stereotypes.

Tends to yell a lot/doesn't have an inside voice for shit.

Tim Drake:

See the full post

1,239 notes - Posted September 9, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[maxwell-grant]

You have done an (excelent) post on how to reinvent Batman as a Pulp Hero. Do you think you could do one to Superman as well? Or do you think it is impossible to do this with the progenitor of the Super Hero genre without transforming him in a totaly diferent character?

Well, you saying it as impossible only makes it seem ever more tempting of a challenge, but yes, it is a bit harder. I'm gonna link my Batman post here as a reference point.

Partially because Batman's a franchise I've thought extensively about for a long time in regards to what I like about it or how I'd like to approach if given the opportunity, which is not something I can really say for Superman until more recently the Big Blue to start orbiting my brain. I don't have years worth of redesigns or fan concepts saved on my galleries and files to comb through to pick and choose here, and my experience with Superman as a character is considerably different, in some aspects more deeply personal, and not really something I'd like to go into in this blog, at least not now.

Part of the reason why it's harder is also because Batman and Superman have very different relationships with their pulp inspirations. Batman was, ostensibly, a pulp character adapted to comics, a dime-a-dozen Shadow knock-off who picked up and played up diverging traits from other characters and gradually ran with them to gradually forge a unique identity. Superman right from the start was rooted in a much stronger conceptual underpinning: the Sci-Fi Superman and Alien Menace who, instead of being a tragic monster or a tyrannical villain, becomes a costumed adventurer and social crusader. Even the name Super-Man was taken from an early story of Siegel and Shuster about a telepathic villain who ends the story lamenting that he should have used his powers for the good of mankind instead of selfishness. I hesitate to call what Siegel and Shuster were doing “subversive” because that term's picked up a real negative connotation, and it's not like Siegel and Shuster were out to upend their influences (they were pulp aficionados themselves), but rather putting a more positive, new spin on them.

Which is why it also becomes a bit harder to do what I did with Batman and align Superman with some of his pulp-esque inspirations, like John Carter, Flash Gordon or Hugo Danner, without just making it "Superman but he's John Carter", "Superman but it's Flash Gordon", and "Iron Munro / Superman but everything sucks" respectively. It's harder to create a character that wouldn't feel reduntant and derivative at best, and actively contradictory to Superman at worst.

I guess if I had to come up with a "Pulp Hero Superman" take I liked, well first of all I'd have to take steps to distance it from the likes of Tom Strong or Al Ewing's Doc Thunder, those two are as good as it gets in regards to Pulp Supermen. I stipulated for Batman a "No Guns, No Murder, No Service" policy partially to distance my takes on Batman from all the "Pulp Batmen" that just add guns and murder and take Batman back to the barest of basics. Likewise, I'm adding a "No Depowered Science Hero" rule here, which means it's a take that's likely going to veer off a lot more into fantasy and probably enough tampering with Clark's character that it does risk becoming a different character.

Frankly I don't think I'm gonna succeed at doing these without just making it a new character entirely, because with Batman you can get away with just upending the character's aesthetic and setting and even origin and still keep it recognizably Bruce Wayne (in fact Batman does that all the time), which isn't really the case with Superman, who needs those to remain recognizably Superman as he goes through internal changes and character shifts. I guess what I'm gonna do here is more taking the building blocks of Superman/Clark Kent and see a couple new ways I can rearrange them to create a Pulp Superman

Perhaps something we can do is to scale back or recontextualize the "superhero" parts without diminishing Superman's role as a superpowered fantasy character.

One way we can start is by picking on that connection between Superman and the sci-fi supermen/alien monsters of pulps I mentioned earlier and play it up further, to create a Superman who's deeply, deeply alien in a way that no mild-mannered disguise or colorful outfit can really disguise, something so dramatically powerful and alien, that instead you could get tales about the kinds of ensuing changes and ripple effects this has on the world upon the The Super-Man's arrival. And for that I'm gonna have to quote @davidmann95's concept for Joshua Viers' absolutely stunning Superman redesign on the left side of the image above

The red, the goldish-orange and white, the alienness, the angelic, sculpted feeling, the halo, that innocently curious expression: it’s genuinely beautiful. Superman as a redeeming science-angel from beyond our understanding, as much past the uncanny valley of limited human comprehension as a Lovecraftian monster but tuned to the opposite key - you could spend an endless procession of human lifetimes trying and failing to understand this being, but all you’ll ever know for sure is that it is beyond you, and it knows you, and it loves you.

Superdoomsday from Earth 45, healed and transformed into the savior it was originally envisioned as? Some descendant of his, or a future of the man himself? An alien who picked up on a broadcast of Superman from Earth, and so inspired reshaped itself in his image to spread his ‘gospel’ to the stars?

Alternatively, to come back to Earth a little, many, many pulp characters and series were built off the antics and personalities of real people, celebrities getting their own magazines or serials or fictionalized takes on them, so perhaps one way to make a "pulp" take on Superman would be to emphasize a bit more of Superman's real-world roots, trends that inspired his creation directly or indirectly at the time. The Jewish strongman Sigmund Breibart and Shuster's interest in fitness culture, Harold Lloyd's comic persona, the rising "strongman" film genre in the early 20th century, actors Clark Gable and Kent Taylor that supposedly named his secret identity, Clark Kent being a socially-awkward journalist based of Siegel's own school experiences.

Maybe one start to an authentic Pulp Superman, who would still be Superman, would be to just ask the question "What if Superman was a real person and/or a celebrity, and they started making pulp magazines and serials dedicated to him? What would those look like?". You wouldn't even have to restrict it to just a story set in the 1930s, in fact you could even play around with the rise of new mediums over the decades.

This third one is a little closer to some plans I have for my own take on a Superman character, not necessarily what I would do with Superman proper but one of my ideas for a Superman analogue. Superman's a character I'll always associate strongly with childhood and childhood fantasy, and to tap into that I would emphasize the other end of the fiction that influenced Siegel and Shuster: comic strips, in their case specifically Little Nemo and Popeye.

In my case I would bring additional influences from some of the comic strips I personally grew up reading like Monica's Gang and Calvin and Hobbes, and I already talked a bit about Captain Fray in terms of how he’s a Superman character despite being a villain. I guess you could call this one "What if Superman was a public domain comic strip character, stripped of the importance of being the founding figure of a super popular genre or extended universe, and also was kind of ugly?".

He's not "Sloth from the Goonies" ugly, I swear I didn't actually have Sloth in mind when typing out this idea, I've never watched that film nor did I know until now that he actually spends the film in a Superman shirt. That's not really what I'm going for. Visually I was thinking of modeling my take on Superman heavily after Hugo from Street Fighter and his inspiration Andre the Giant, to really emphasize the “circus strongman / freak wrestler” aspect of Superman’s inspiration, particularly in regards to how Hugo’s SFIII version strikes a really great balance in making Hugo ugly and both comedic and fearsome in battle, as well as lovable and even a little dopey (without being outright stupid, like his IV self) in his victory animations and endings.

He's still Superman, he still goes on fantastical adventures to help people, he's still a deeply loving and compassionate soul whose face beams with joy and affection and who's got wonderful eyes and a great smile. It's just that this smile has a couple of mismatched stick-out teeth or some missing ones, and he's got a crooked smile some people take as smug or malicious, he’s got a strongman’s gut instead of a bodybuilder’s abs, his nose is a little busted (maybe he’s had too many crash landings), and his hair is a little wild or greasy, and he doesn't exactly have very good people skills because of how others usually react to him and, y'know, he doesn't get the kind of publicity Superman would get despite doing ostensibly the same things. He’s not deformed, he’s incredibly intelligent and capable, but in comparison to how superheroes are usually allowed to look, he might as well be Bizarro in the public eye.

It becomes a running gag that people tend to assume some nearby fireman or cop was the one who rescued the hundred orphans out of a burning building single-handedly, meanwhile he's getting accosted off-panel by police officers who think he set the building on fire, or think they can bully this weird man dressed funny. He goes to rescue old people in peril and occasionally they yell at him that they don't have any money. He doesn't get asked to lead superhero meetings or teams even though many in the community advocate for just how much he does for the world, he gets censored out of tv broadcasts or group shots (even his face is sometimes pixelated when they do show him), people invite him on talk shows and don't really let him talk or assume they got the wrong guy. He goes to rescue a woman dangling off a building, and then he gets attacked by like three different superhero teams who assume he must have kidnapped the poor damsel. He was the first superhero, he is the strongest of them all still, but he never really gets credit for it, it nor does he even want to. None of this at all stops him or deters him, except for some occasionally funny reactions.

This never really changes for him, he doesn't really earn people's approval nor does he have to, instead the stories, outside of the gags and adventures you’d expect from a comic strip, veer more towards others learning to be less judgmental and him learning ways to better approach people. He isn't any lesser than Superman just because he doesn't look like most people would want him to look and he doesn't have to look like Superman. Really I think we could use more superheroes that don’t look all so uniformly pretty.

Again, probably not a take that would work for Clark proper, but it’s one way I would take a shot at doing Superman with my own

I have other stuff in the works for this character but I'd like to keep them to better work on them for now, but yeah, these are three of my shots at developing a Pulp Superman.

Alternatively here's a fourth idea that's more pulp than all of these: Join up Nicholas Cage with Panos Cosmatos again, or whatever weird indie director he decides to pair up with next, and let them do whatever the hell they want with Superman. Give us Mandy Superman. Superman vs The Color Out of Space. Superman vs Five Nights at Freddy's. Superman’s quest to find THE LAST PIG OF KRYPTON. Anything goes.

[haystarlight]

Tbh, it depends on which version of Batman you want to focus on but like

In most adaptations of Batman, it's very obvious that Bruce Wayne is the mask and Batman is the real him. Bruce Wayne is the persona he puts on in front of the public, Bruce Wayne is his costumer service voice. Batman is his true self.

I remember a quote (not the full quote but the gist of it) from an episode of Batman Beyond where someone puts fake voices into his head to make him think he's gone insane:

"How did you know the voices weren't you?"

"It kept calling me Bruce. In my mind, that's not what I call myself."

(I have a whole video essay on this topic that I could recommend but that's the tldr)

Rose's story reads as a trans allegory sometimes and I think that's the intention. Pink Diamond isn't Rose's true self. Pink Diamond is the mask.

It's who she pretended to be in front of the rest of Homeworld, who her abusive family wanted her and forced her to be. Rose was never happy being Pink Diamond.

This is a very queer story. How she can only be her true self when in hiding, how she was born to be something different, how she gives herself a new name and a new face and that's what allows her to finally be happy and free.

Pearl doesn't hate or even dislike Pink Diamond, she likes her well enough as her boss (because yeah, she's her boss) but she doesn't know her well enough to fall in love with her until after she sees who she truly is inside. You have to know someone deeply and intimately to fall in love and Pearl didn't really know Rose yet back then. She only knew the fake her.

When Pink starts becoming Rose, Pearl gets to know her for who she actually is outside of work and far from the eyes of the other Diamonds, without the burden of her duties and responsibilities and professionalism. No formalities, just Rose being genuine.

"Pink Diamond" is her given name and I use it mostly to distinguish between who she was before and who she was later. Like how you might refer to your past self by your old name.

But "Rose Quartz" is her chosen name, the one she gave herself and the one she wanted to be called for the rest of her life. Is it any wonder Pearl keeps calling her Rose after the reveal?

Pink Diamond's form might've been the body she was made with but c'mon guys. We know better than that.

Just because it's her "natural form" doesn't mean it's her true identity.

She wasn't happy as Pink Diamond! She hated being Pink Diamond! That's where a lot of her self hatred comes from!!

That's the thing about making the comparison to Batman and not any other superhero. With other superheroes (Superman, Spiderman, etc.), their human identity is their real self and their hero identity is the mask that they wear when they have to save people.

That's not the case with Batman, tho. Again, it depends on which Batman you mean but, in most interpretations (the animated series and Lego Batman come to mind), Batman is the authentic self and Bruce Wayne is the persona.

Pearl being in love with Rose means that she loves her true self. Pearl isn't in love with her boss, her Diamond (that would've made the relationship a bit weird, that's why a lot of people have a problem with it). Pearl is in love with Rose, her friend.

Rose Quartz, the person she really was behind the facade.

"Pearl is Alfred if Alfred was in love with Batman. It’s very important to note that we’re talking about Batman here, NOT Bruce Wayne. She loves BATMAN." — rebecca sugar

what do you think about pearl loving only rose quartz and not pink diamond? I love pearlrose but I think their relationship kind of reinforced rose's self hatred. rose needed to accept pink diamond and her past to accept herself but her fantasy with pearl denied pink diamond's relation to rose.

which also makes me think that rose loved pearl *more* than pearl loved her because she always fully loved and accepted pearl. of course, that's not pearl's fault because she couldn't have a relationship with a diamond who owned her; separating the diamond and the quartz was what made her relationship with rose possible and far healthier than it could've been. so their situation is pretty tragic.

(i’m new to tumblr, so this will be the answer to my first ask, which is exciting. anyway.)

i’ve always seen that quote as being a more positive statement about pearl and rose’s relationship !

it clarifies that pearl never loved rose because of reasons that are related to the pearl-diamond dynamic in horrific homeworld. that’s a common misconception about pearl’s love for rose.

the fact that she fell in love with her when she became rose shows that her love was never mere admiration, devotion, following. it went against homeworld; her love was genuine and real. deep, nurturing, empathetic. she loved rose like one would love a person.

(i want to give a heads up because there are going to be some mentions of abuse & of course rose’s self hatred)

pink diamond hated being a diamond, and she was not like the others. she was in a lot of pain. she was naive, very much a kid compared to the other diamonds. pink was abused, in many different ways. pearl witnessed a lot of this, as she was living with her. she recalled certain times when pink was belittled; she was terrified when steven was left alone with white diamond for about five minutes; she often assumed white caused the harm anytime a gem from homeworld was injured.

pearl said that rose was never happy as pink diamond. they never got the opportunity to connect and get to know each other, and they were both very afraid. the homeworld environment made it impossible for pearl to really fall in love with pink. unless it wasn’t genuine, but i’m actually very grateful for this quote, because it shows that it was.

she never fell in love with pink, but she liked her and cared for her. if she hated pink and loved rose, then i’d understand if that made rose dislike herself more.

the first time she pictured rose, she simply pictured a version of pink who was disguised, yes, but still herself, just more happy and free.

pearl started to fall in love with that individual because this was the only time they could really connect: after escaping from the homeworld society that they both hated.

now we’re only falling apart, their first day on earth, was likely the very first time rose was able to hug her. pearl watched her be herself for the very first time. she watched her play with flowers and chase butterflies and she looked incredibly happy. instead of just looking at her the way that she would look at a diamond, she could actually look at her and perceive her as being endearing. she loved getting to know her as an individual, she loved seeing a soft and genuine side of her that only came out when she felt safe. and rose never felt safe in homeworld.

she also learned how much rose cared for all beings. not just other gems, but humans, too ! she was never one to follow the beliefs of homeworld.

then, they both agreed to escape. rose knew pearl cared for her and pink (especially with pearl crying when they faked the shattering), it’s just homeworld’s system that she hates.

but it was still a tragedy, i agree with that.

white diamond demonstrated how much she damaged rose in change your mind. when she thought she was speaking to pink, she said:

“Please stop helping them. You'll only make things worse. That's what you do. I make things better.”

“As for me, I'm certain I don't need you. After all, I'm every color of the light! But you're a part of me… the part I always have to repress.”

she was most likely spoken to like this for thousands of years, along with things like being locked in a dark room. sugar also said that she only got a colony because white wanted to prove that pink would fail. she controls gems, even blue & yellow, while she points out their flaws in front of everyone and laughs at them.

so this is how i think rose’s self hatred was reinforced: during the war, countless gems (many being her friends) were shattered and corrupted despite the fact that the rebellion happened because she wanted to protect life on earth. she was one of the only survivors, which gave her a lot of guilt. she never healed from the abuse trauma, especially because it was ongoing. she lived in fear that the diamonds would find her one day, but simultaneously, she lived in guilt because no one but pearl knew about this part of herself that she kept secret. eventually, it all became too much.

i think white’s words replayed in her head often. this is why we see her with the ear-covering gesture in change your mind; it makes sense because white evidently said things like, “you’re bad,” “don’t try to help, it will only cause more damage,” “no one needs you.” after trying to heal others, the war and guilt added to her trauma, with a final conclusion of, “i feel like a failure, white diamond is right, i only make things worse, they would be better off without me.”

pearl told rose that she was important, she lived with her while she was a diamond and then throughout her entire lifetime as rose. she saw warmth and comfort when she looked at her despite knowing about so many aspects that rose was ashamed of.

personally, i don’t think pearl ever contributed to rose’s self hatred. no one knew rose as well as pearl did. this means that, if anything, her self hatred was likely reinforced by the fact that so many of her close friends didn’t know her the way she knew them. which isn’t their fault at all, of course ! rose carried so much guilt, and pearl could protect her from the diamonds and the war but she could never protect her from herself.

she felt very cared for… but her self hatred was so terrible that she didn’t feel deserving of all that love. especially, as sugar said, she thought pearl and so many others were so much better than her.

& feeling so much pain all the time, rose was… isolated. she couldn’t tell anyone else about her terrible and destructive thoughts because they wouldn’t understand unless she told them a secret that she didn’t want to tell.

but pearl would be able to understand it/recognize it without rose saying anything, because she knew her so well.

as for your last paragraph, i don’t think rose loved pearl more than pearl loved her. but i also don’t think pearl loved rose more, either !

pearl fully loved pink/rose, it’s why she kept living with her and wanting to be with her despite knowing about nearly everything she was ashamed of, it’s why she defended her and protected her. she just happened to be in love with her when she could really be in love with her.

they were both extremely attached to each other. fans tend to focus on pearl’s attachment because of the steven universe timeline, which happens to fall right where her early (for gems) grief happens. their attachments both make sense.

pearl witnessed how she was treated by the other diamonds, feared that rose would be caught, feared that rose would die in the war, worried about rose’s constant pain following it. she was very protective of her but rose still died… without proper closure or understanding, without a human lifespan so now she’ll be on earth forever without her. of course she became fixated on it. and keeping such a big secret like that made it more difficult. no one could really understand why she was feeling that pain, and some unfortunately assumed it was because she’s a pearl. which is really really sad because their whole dynamic was about going against homeworld.

meanwhile, rose’s attachment came from the fact that pearl was very much… home to her, which was big for her—she never felt at home with the diamond authority, and her home on earth became home because she was living with pearl. their fusion was an extremely significant way for them to officially reject every possible mindset that homeworld could give them. a fusion of two different gems, a diamond and a pearl. pearl helped her build friendships with others, too, which i think is symbolized by the obsidian fusion. first she trusts pearl with her light, and then they both joined the others.

during homeworld & trauma, pink and rose were never in a place where love could grow properly. new, safer environments change so much.

that’s my interpretation of the relationship/sugar’s quote !!

thank you again for the ask 🩷🩷