#DIGEST IT AND ALSO PLEASE LOOK INTO CROSSOVERS

[kiwikipedia]

“Oh Ao3 allows this” “Ao3 allows that” “Ao3’s organization system is hard” “I don’t like this thing and I’m mad that it’s published on Ao3”

Go back to Fanfiction.Net. Do it. Behold the agony. Live it. Breathe it. Understand it. Then come back to Ao3.

[evilwickedme]

hey hey hi I just finished reading the two spidergwen omnibuses ( Spider-Gwen: Gwen Stacy & Spider Gwen: Amazing Powers) that were in my library and i have no idea where to go from there please help please. I have no idea how comics work i only just started reading them i just want to read about earth 65. Also any fic recs centered around Gwen for earth 65? Or what's left of the parker family? Frank Castle?? I love Murderdock so much but he's taken over.

Hi, thank you for asking and I'm so glad you want to read more Gwen content! Unfortunately, this is actually at least two separate questions and I'm going to choose to address only the reading order in this one to avoid incoherence.

Firstly, just clarifying your terminology, what you read was not an omnibus. This is an omnibus:

What you read, dear anon, was a new kind of trade paperback marvel's been putting that Goodreads calls "digest size collections":

As you can see, they're shorter and thicker than normal trades, and cover about two volumes of regular trades. The two books you read are essentially volumes 0-3 of the original Spider-Gwen series. This matters because there is actually a Spider-Gwen omnibus which would have simplified all of this considerably.

This means you've already missed a story! Between volumes 1 and 2 Gwen was part of a crossover event with Silk and Spider Woman called "Spider Women". It is entirely out of print and I only found it secondhand, but it's all on marvel unlimited which is where I read it originally. This is a required story! It has a whole bunch of important plot elements introduced in it for later Spider-Gwen stuff.

Your options from there are varied. You can find the next two digest sized collections - unlike spider women, volume 3 of this series, Spider-Gwen: Deal With the Devil does actually collect the Miles Morales crossover which I adore (but oddly enough is not a requirement like Spider Women is...) - or you can find Spider-Man/Spider-Woman: Sitting in a Tree and volumes 4-6 of Spider-Gwen. Of course, all of this is available on marvel unlimited, which is, again, where I read the series originally, I bought my physical copies later on.

I do have a reading order I've made previously with everything Gwen has been in and before all of this you technically should've read Spiderverse (2014), since that's her first appearance and a story that really sets her themes going forward (and also just a story I enjoy), but if you don't feel like reading it (it's a bit of a chonker) that's fine I guess. Unfortunately the next thing to read is Spidergeddon, which is bad and not good. I'd say? Just read a summary on Wikipedia so you can understand the next bit of mainline Spider-Gwen comics.

What comes next is two separate series with very confusing names, Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider, and Ghost Spider. Yes, these are two separate series. Both of them are ten issues long, except Ghost Spider also has an annual that's really worth reading. The first series transitions Gwen into using the Ghost Spider moniker, and then once she starts going by Ghost Spider there's no need for the Spider-Gwen title anymore. Oh I should mention much of this is out of print, I actually don't even have Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider volume 2 in a physical copy at all, and Ghost Spider I only have in single issues.

Too bad Tim Seeley never read a single one of her comics tho, cause the next series to read is Spider -Gwen: Gwen-Verse miniseries. I say "to read" as though I recommend this series. It's not good. I was really looking forward to Gwen-Verse. I love Spider-Verse, the movie and the comic, I love Gwen, I was like, this should be my shit. Instead it was just plain shit. Like I said, it seems to me as though Tim Seeley had simply never read a single Spider-Gwen/Ghost Spider comic before writing this comic and at the very least had not read the Ghost Spider titles. I have Opinions on this one to say the least.

We don't yet have any more Gwen comics, although there's another miniseries coming out later this year, so I have no way of knowing if Gwen-Verse is important yet, but I will say for now I'd skip it entirely. Finish with Ghost Spider Annual #1 and move on to other things.

Okay so to summarize:

First comes Spiderverse, which you have already skipped

Then comes Spider-Gwen vol 0 and 1, which you read in one collected edition

Then comes Spider Women

Then Spider-Gwen vol 2-3 which you read in one collected edition, and Spider-Man/Spider-Gwen: Sitting in a tree, and Spider-Gwen vol 4-6, which can be read in two similar collected editions

Then Spidergeddon, which you should skip

Then Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider

Then Ghost Spider, not forgetting the annual

Then Spider-Gwen: Gwen-Verse, which isn't even a multiverse story and you should skip cause it's bad

Upcoming "Shadow Clones" miniseries, scheduled for April I believe

Steps 2-4 can be replaced with reading the actual Spider-Gwen omnibus, which is in print but also expensive. Every single issue of this reading list is available on Marvel Unlimited.

I haven't read the newest "End of the Spider-Verse" event that's been going on yet, I'm waiting for it to be over and then I'll read the whole thing, but it's my understanding that Gwen spends most of it possessed, so I'm not including it on the reading list.

I hope it's clear why I didn't also want to rec fics in this, just like, length wise. Another time?

[themirokai]

When Mystrade Met Rinch

Ok so @ambi-apocalypse got me to watch Person of Interest, and apparently I've now gotten @musicismagic-writes to watch it. And previously the ship that the three of us had in common was Mystrade. So this Mystrade to Rinch party gave me crossover thoughts, but those crossover thoughts would be a much more ambitious story than I'm actually ever going to write, so I figured I'd just post my plot bunny/outline here. If anyone wants to adopt this and actually write it into a story, have at it, but please let me know if you post it!

Most of it under the cut cause it's kinda long...

Finch and Reese are working a number and figure out that the dude is a freelance assassin. He’s clearly the perp but for some reason they’re not able to take him out, so they’re trying to figure out who his next target is.

Mycroft is in New York for a meeting at the UN. Greg, his husband, has decided to tag along and make a holiday of it.

Reese figures out that Assassin is surveilling this tall British dude with fancy suits and an umbrella. Reese suggests that Finch should talk to him about vests in order to get close to him. Finch informs Reese that the gentleman is wearing a waistcoat, not a vest. “When the garment is the third part of a three-piece suit it is referred to as a waistcoat.”

“See?” Reese says, “you can talk to him about fancy clothes stuff and then casually work your way around to why he’s being stalked by an assassin.”

After some digital digging…

“Ah, there he is,” Finch says. “His name is Mycroft Holmes. Looks like he’s a bureaucrat in the Department for Transportation.”

“That doesn’t add up, Finch. What’s a small time transportation guy doing at the UN? And he looks like his clothing budget rivals yours.”

“Maybe civil servants are better compensated across the pond? Or maybe he has inherited wealth?”

“Can’t you find out?”

“No. He’s remarkably off the grid.”

Reese realizes that Mycroft has a badass security detail. So what’s a well-dressed mid-level bureaucrat doing at the UN protected by a security detail? And why would the Machine give them the number of an assassin who’s trying to kill him if that security detail was up to the challenge? Something something, they figure out that the Assassin or whoever hired him has bribed/infiltrated/compromised/whatever the security detail.

Reese goes in. POW POW fight scene. Reese incapacitates like 3 dudes who were protecting Mycroft. So that leaves Mycroft and Greg.

“Listen to me very carefully,” Mycroft says, making eye contact with Reese, “there are 4 things this could be about. None of them require my husband’s involvement. You will let him go at once -“

“Sod off, Mycroft, I’m not leaving you!”

“But,” Mycroft continues, ignoring Greg, “if you harm a single hair on his head,” here he draws the sword from his umbrella, “I will open you from chin to groin.”

“Mr. Holmes I promise you I will - is that a sword?”

“A sharp one. And I assure you that I am quite good with it.”

“Did you pull it out of an umbrella?”

Mycroft barely restrains his eye roll. “Do keep up.” He turns to Greg. “Gregory, kindly go and phone Anthea and give her code gamma orange 6.”

Reese convinces Mycroft that his security was compromised by Assassin. Reese is happy to let Greg go but wants to protect both of them and cautions them against making any phone calls that could tip Assassin off.

Mycroft digests all this and then tells Reese that he wants to talk to the person in Reese’s ear. Finch agrees and they get on the phone.

“Everyone in your government is too frightened of me - appropriately - to try anything like this,” Mycroft starts off. “Your associate is former CIA but has left that employment and now has a wealthy benefactor. Your operation is quite small and so it stands to reason that the wealthy benefactor is also the person calling the shots. Who are you?”

“I’m someone with accurate information and a desire to use it to prevent harm, Mr. Holmes.”

They talk. Game recognizes game. Mycroft knows that the Americans wanted the Machine after 9/11 and has now deduced that they have it and Finch has access to it. Mycroft decides he can trust Finch and Reese and lets Reese take them to a safe house while they wait for Anthea to assemble and send a clean security detail. Reese asks if they’re sure Anthea hasn’t been compromised. Greg laughs a lot.

On the way to the safe house…

“So about that umbrella,” Reese says, looking at Mycroft in the rear view mirror. Mycroft raises an eyebrow in response. “Can anyone buy one or is it an MI6 thing?”

“If Gregory and I make it out of this situation unharmed, I would be happy to contact the purveyor on your behalf, Mr. Reese. Though I will say that this sort of weapon doesn’t seem your style.”

“Oh, it wouldn’t be for me,” Reese says with a smile. He touches his ear. “I know what I’m getting you for Christmas, Finch.”

“Mr. Reese-“

“It’s a weapon that isn’t a gun and doesn’t need to be walked!”

“Actually, it’s also a gun,” Mycroft says.

“Shh, he doesn’t like guns.”

“Walked?” Greg asks.

“Already got him a dog. But sometimes the dog is with me.”

They get to the safe house but Greg and Reese are both restless. Making sure Mycroft is safe is good, but actually stopping Assassin would be better. Greg wants to use himself as bait to lure out Assassin, then have Reese get him. Mycroft Does Not Approve. Finch trusts Reese’s judgment. Reese calls in Carter for backup. Carter and Greg hit it off immediately. Mycroft recognizes Carter as a consummate professional who has - in his opinion - a more appropriate level of risk tolerance than Greg or Reese. He, still grudgingly, gives his approval for the Greg as Bait plan.

The plan works! Assassin is captured. Reese says he can take Assassin to a Mexican prison. Mycroft has other plans that involve an inescapable prison on an island. Anthea’s team arrives and takes custody of Assassin for transport to Sherrinford.

Finch and Mycroft have a conversation. Finch is concerned that someone with Mycroft’s position and resources knows about them and the Machine and his access to it (however limited). Finch is worried that Mycroft is going to want a version of the Machine for London. Mycroft assures Finch that while he respects what Finch has accomplished, the Machine is not his style and he prefers getting his intelligence the old fashioned way. He also has no intention of compromising Finch and Reese, but he would like to be able to call them up from time to time. Finch agrees as long as he can call Mycroft when needed. Greg tells Carter that if she ever wants to move to London, he’s got a spot for her at the Met.

They part ways amicably… until next time.

[facepalming-since-chernobyl]

Beard analyzing anon here, bow to me and my awesome power!

I called it, this time and I called it last time that he’d return for the 100th episode judging from David’s “watch this space” and the Legacies beard and the MOTU beard and beards do not lie, people, and I can see what they say!  I have the gift of prophecy* and you should all bow to me and my infinite knowledge**, bwahahaha!  

*okay, it’s not prophecy, just logical thinking based on facts*

**been watching too much Stargate SG-1, excuse me**

In all seriousness, this development came about on a day when I got absolutely slammed at work so I haven’t had full time to read/digest everything.  I said some things already, but here are my thoughts on what probably happened if anyone cares but more importantly why I really do think this means karamel endgame:

My guess is based on everything we’ve heard and the rumors: they wanted Chris to return for season 4 but he didn’t want to stick around, for whatever reason I won’t speculate.  So they said to him, okay, fine, but he had to be open to being written back into the show for an appearance and karamel endgame toward the end.  Notice they undid his death in the episode with Reign, laid the groundwork to show how much he still means to Kara and vice versa in episode 100, etc.  And yes, they didn’t mention him much in s4 but to be honest, I think just wanted to give some time because maybe they hoped the supercraps would finally simmer down a bit (fat chance) and they were biding time till they could bring him back and they did mention him, though in a very poorly-written line.

Then they test the waters with episode 100’s return and the majority of sane fans loved it.  So they proceeded with their plan to give karamel endgame in the finale and meantime distracted everyone with Dull Reporter Dude who was never meant to be endgame, but rather, was supposed to be the Pete Shanahan of this story (hillshollow will get this reference but for non-Stargate SG-1 fans, basically means the dull and completely ordinary guy very ill-fitting for a superhero to marry but she’s desperate to make it work because she doesn’t want to admit she’s in love with someone else).  So they keep DRD around but keep throwing out stories showing how Kara will never be herself around him and he’s not a serious contender for endgame.  Plus - cue the Sweet Home Alabama theme - she gave away her heart a long ago [to Mon El], and she never got it back.

Hence them returning Mon El for karamel endgame in the finale.  I really think the evidence is rock-solid for this to happen: they wouldn’t bring back a serious love interest who Kara said “I LOVE YOU” to just randomly, finale or not.  They wouldn’t unless they plan to make them be together for good.  Yes, you can argue that James is back but we all know James was never a serious love interest and they never loved each other, he really was nothing more than a puppy crush when Kara was still searching for herself, her identity, the real love of her life who is not only a hero in his own right but can stand alongside her like equals.  And thus far, the only one we’ve seen who fits that bill is Mon El.  (Just like the only one who could ever be on equal footing in SG-1 with Samantha Carter was Jack O'Neill, the head of SG-1, the man who fought alongside her for years and understood her life and her world unlike all the love interests she had throughout the show.)

So you heard it here first and this time you might even believe me: KARAMEL ENDGAME INCOMING, BITCHES!!!!! XD

Assorted thoughts I already shared today:

1) I do think the funeral is Papa Zor-El’s most likely, sorry.  I thought maybe it could be Dull Reporter Dude but it makes no sense to have Mon El or Winn there for it, they never knew him and I would guess his family wouldn’t want randos who didn’t even know him at his funeral.  

2) I don’t think melwood is going to stay in Vancouver so my guess is any special appearances or crossovers they make with S&L will be few and very far in between if any at all.

Anyone else see any concrete evidence for karamel endgame, feel free to pipe in here.  On a closing note, I would say something about supercraps, but they don’t deserve any more of my time or my headspace, so screw that.  

*

A standing ovation, please:

I agree? Totally. I think a lot of us, more or less, had and have similar thoughts. Just we keep in mind that we talk about the SG writers who love to screw everything, not only ships, but generally speaking - EVERYTHING.

But yeah, it makes sense. I don’t think that the pandemia screwed Dullara that much,because he could have been developed outisde of Kara and their so called relationship, and he was not.

1)The funeral is William’s, it looks like. Staz was not in that scene also Lobotomzier is founding some journalistic school with his name, so it probably means he is dead. I think Legion could have come for another mission, William died and they stayed for teh funeral to support Kara and the rest superfriends.

It’s not Zor El. Papa Zor is with Alura on Argo. End of story.

2)Yeah, they have a house in CA and there is nothing that will keep them there after finishing shooting.

Bitch, don’t force me to start watching SG-1, I have other things to do =____________=’

@hillshollow @peggystormborn @raisedbyfandomwolves @madeunmexico @chelseaellie @adazzlingsakura @msclockwatcher @i-am-aci01​ you may find in interesting :D

[lunanight2012]

Next up in my Little Nightmares x My Hero Academia crossover au. We have best girl, Six! :3

Name: Six Saito

Age: 15 (a few month younger than Mono)

Height: 5'1"

Quirk: Hunger

Quirk Explanation: similar to Tamaki Amajiki's quirk, except it has to be alive (or for a machine/robot, it has to be on) she usually only bites a small piece of Mono's arm off. If she does that to a person, she has a minor version of their quirk until she either digests the piece or vomits it up. 

Downside is, if she doesn't eat something when her hunger activates on its own, (when she's not trying to use it), she loses control and will go after anyone for food (like she'll eat them, reference to her killing the Nome in Little Nightmares). Usually Mono has to just distract her until Seven or Five (or at UA, a teacher or classmate) can shove a piece of food into her mouth before she can try to eat him.

Appearance: her short black hair covers her eyes. When in casual clothes she usually wears a yellow raincoat with the hood up, whether it's raining or not. When you can see her eyes they're a deep blood red.

Personality: she's shy and quiet. Most people assume she's a mute, until she's near Mono. 

Sticks with her best friend/crush: Mono

Course: Hero Class 1-A

Hero Name: The Lady. (She won't explain why she chose this name)

Also, Mono, Six, Seven, and Five have been friends since they were around 9 years old (and in this au they're 14-15 years old) and Six basically clings to Mono for safety in a sense.

Tomorrow will be the information about Seven!! Hope you guys are looking forward to it!

Crap, i forgot to add Mono's height in his so yea, Mono is 5'5". :3

Also if anyone wants to draw these characters in my crossover au, PLEASE DO, just plz tag me! I love seeing art, and i rarely get art of my aus.

Anyways enjoy this information dump on Six!

[siverwrites]

Yuletide 2020 Letter

AO3 - Siver

Thank you so much for taking this on! Here there are some general prompt details if you want them and if you already have some idea of your own, awesome. I can’t wait to see what you come up with.

In all cases, all listed characters do not have to be included.

General Likes: fluff, hurt/comfort, comfort, missing scenes, close relationships of any sort whether romantic or platonic, family found or otherwise, sickfic (but nothing covid/quarantine related please), fandom crossovers or fusions, angst with a happy or at least bittersweet end, bonding, cuddling/hugs/holding, banter, mutual care and support, emotional bonding, loyalty, pre-canon, post-canon, reunited characterse, slice of life, supernatural stuff, mystery, adventure, worldbuilding, creepy or unsettling atmospheres

General DNW: NSFW, non-con, dub-con, underage relationships, shipping (except those ships listed as liked or background canonical pairings), infidelity, explicit gore, modern mundane AUs (eg. coffee shop, college, high-school etc), perma-death of requested characters

Any gen combination of character tags within each fandom is cool. Heck, any crossover/fusion between any of these fandoms is welcome too, go nuts.

Ghost Trick

Alma

Jowd

Cabanela

DNW: NSFW, non-con, dub-con, infidelity, explicit gore, modern mundane AUs (eg. coffee shop, college, high-school etc), permanent death of requested characters (unless doing something during Alma being dead)

Alma/Jowd/Cabanela are the OT3 of my heart but I’m perfectly happy with gen fic for them too with bestest friend Cabanela to Alma/Jowd. I’m also happy to see something focused on only one of them here or two of them--I only ask that if there’s a ship situation between 2/3 here it’s a situation with no infidelity please. 

I’m a big fan of hurt/comfort and the more tenderness on the comfort end the better. However you can’t go wrong with pure fluff either.

That said I’m also a sucker for those five years of Jowd jail time and Cabanela’s 5 year solo mission or interactions with Pigeon Man (who is more than welcome; I love him too) during that final year, so anything exploring that is always welcome as is anything post Ch.9 which I can never get enough of.

On the OT3 front I’m always down for that initial get-together, but I’d also love to see the early days and basking in the feelings of ‘oh, this is happening’ and a very sparkly, very in-love Cabanela. Already well-established is also great. What do they do for fun? What’s a vacation look like? How does Jowd tease Cabanela mercilessly? How does Alma come out on top of the teasing game period?

I love the whole cast wholeheartedly, so if you need anyone else to make an appearance by all means throw them in.

The Legend of Heroes VII | Trails to Zero/Azure (Any)

Alex Dudley (LoH VII)

Elie MacDowell (LoH VII)

KeA (LoH VII)

Lloyd Bannings (LoH VII)

Randy Orlando (LoH VII)

Rixia Mao (LoH VII)

Sergei Lou (LoH VII)

Tio Plato (LoH VII)              

DNW: NSFW, non-con, dub-con, ships in general (except canonical background pairings & mentions eg. Cecil/Guy or past Sergei/Sonya), infidelity, explicit gore, modern mundane AUs (eg. coffee shop, college, high-school etc), permanent death of requested characters, spoilers for Cold Steel IV or Hajimari

Any gen combo of characters welcome here--as few or as many as you want.

I love the sheer amount of found family feels in this pair of games and in the SSS in particular but let’s face it Rixia and Dudley may as well be SSS members by this point too.

I love the idea of uncle Sergei to KeA. I’d love to see more KeA and Dudley interaction. I love Randy so much and very fond of the sibling kind of relationship formed with Tio. Tio’s love of Mishy is adorable. Elie needs more chances to shine--she’s skilled and knowledgeable and so well-connected; put it all to use! Lloyd is Dad and I love him dearly. We see plenty of Lloyd and Rixia but how about Rixia and anyone else here? Sergei and Dudley interactions are great and have the history. How about some time working together? How about some time off the job?

Send the SSS on a job. Or a big family trip. To Mishelam? Could they go to another country (Liberl perhaps? >.>)?

Trails in the Sky (Any)

Estelle Bright (Trails in the Sky)

Kevin Graham (Trails in the Sky)

Kloe Rinz | Klaudia von Auslese (Trails in the Sky)

Mueller Vander (Trails in the Sky)

Olivier Lenheim | Olivert Reise Arnor (Trails in the Sky)

Renne Hayworth (Trails in the Sky)

Ries Argent (Trails in the Sky)

Tita Russell (Trails in the Sky)

DNW: NSFW, non-con, dub-con, underage ships (adult and minor), ships in general except those listed as liked or background canonical ships (eg. Cassius/Lena mention), infidelity, explicit gore, modern mundane AUs (eg. coffee shop, college, high-school etc), permanent death of requested characters, spoilers for Cold Steel IV or Hajimari

Liked Ships: Estelle/Joshua, Kevin/Ries, Olivier/Mueller

Ries &/ Kevin: Anything in 3rd or after, pre-Ao no Kiseki, or after Ao no Kiseki. Give them some much needed soft times. Or could expand on a moment in Gehenna if you want to do something creepier, or really anything in Phantasma in particular or another Gralsritter mission.

Any combination of the Brights and those they adopt: Really feeling the family/found family vibes strongly with any combination of the Brights and Renne. Please give Renne some warmth, peace and happiness, or at least 2 out of 3.

Tita & Renne: Girl time! Bonding time! Give these girls some joy. Send them plushy shopping or engineering nerding. Send them both to hang out at the Bright home!

Olivert & Mueller, Olivert/Mueller: Being there for each other. I’m fond of the little things like how Mueller always calls him Olivier even in Erebonia when Olivert’s identity is known and public. Something on the Ark or in Phantasma? Address Olivier’s wishful thinking of staying there a little more? Final preparations before leaving Liberl?

I’ve grown very fond of the growing connection between Kloe and Olivier (working together in Crossbell!) and would love to see more of that, the start of this blooming allyship/friendship after Olivier’s identity is revealed?

Friendship and sister-like bonds between Kloe and Estelle. Estelle providing our crown princess with support?

Or try some unexpected combos! Ries and Tita? Mueller and Kloe? Olivier and Renne? etc.

Dragon Quest XI (Any)

Graig | Hendrik (Dragon Quest XI)

Marutina | Jade (Dragon Quest XI)

Rou | Rab (Dragon Quest XI)

Sylvia | Sylvando (Dragon Quest XI)           

DNW: NSFW, non-con, dub-con, shipping of any sort (reference to parents and other background canonical pairings are fine), explicit gore, modern mundane AUs (eg. coffee shop, college, high-school etc), permanent death of requested characters, any kind of focus on the Ogler’s Digest

I’m focusing more on two characters at a time here, but if you have a way to pull in three or all four, awesome. If you just want to focus on one of the characters here, also awesome.

Throwing Sylvando at anyone here is great. I love him and how bright and genuinely caring he is. I love his dynamic with Hendrik and always want more of them. Beyond fighting how else might they support each other? That said we don’t get to see much between Sylv and Rab and/or Jade and I’d love to see more of that too.

Jade and Rab are perfect for family feels. Exploring more of their time pre-game is cool. It’s a very different life from what either were used to. How do they adapt and grow together? Any moment in-game is great too. Or post-game helping each other out in Heliodor and rebuilding Dundrasil. Grandpa Rab and adopted granddaughter Jade just makes me happy.

Jade and Hendrik once knew each other. Hendrik’s a knight of her family. How do they reconnect? How does Hendrik adapt to Jade no longer being the little princess he once knew? How do they get along after the world is saved?

Rab and Hendrik have points of connection through both Carnelian and the fall of Dundrasil. Hendrik has also lost his homeland with the fall of Zwaardsrust. I’d like to see interactions between these two explored more.

[kineticpenguin]

You Fat Nerds Love Memes, Right? Consume Product

Okay, so. Kemono Friends season 2. After finishing the season, and giving it some time to digest, I’m left with one overriding impression:

Holy shit this was a depressing show! Spoilers ahead.

There’s a reason I referenced RLM’s spazzout sketch about Rogue One. Kemono Friends S2 starts heavily dropping “remember when?” bits right off the bat. Apparently Kaban’s catchphrase has become a meme in Japari park.

And yet somehow Serval only retains the vaguest memories of possibly having hung out with a human “for a long time.”

Hey, remember the end of season one where Kaban and Serval were inseparable friends and had just embarked on a brand new adventure, full of possibility? Yeah? FUCK YOU. We’re gonna reboot this shit, so Serval has to forget everything. Just shut up and eat your memes.

Serval and Caracal name the new protagonist Kyururu because for some reason his stomach makes magic flute noises instead of growling. Also, he’s a boy, so that almost certainly means he’s not a Friend and his amnesia, like Serval’s, exists because we need him to be a clueless replacement for Kaban. However, Caracal immediately thinks he’s probably a human, so his objective is to find his home, even though he has no idea what it is. As a result, this season is less about animal facts and more about forcing an explanation for what a house is into every single episode.

That’s not to say this season is devoid of animal education for the kids, it’s just significantly lighter on it. The bumpers with commentary from zookeepers and other experts on the featured animals are gone, and the show usually has little or nothing to say about the various species, so you’re mostly left with the bare minimum, like “dolphins can talk underwater,” “habu snakes are venomous,” and “cheetahs are really fast but tire quickly.” Some Friends get more detail than that, and many get nothing. They’re just there.

As a soft reboot, a great deal of the first season is repeated: A human in a goofy hat and no memories stumbles into a cat Friend who agrees to help them find where they belong, they meet some Friend that want to fight each other and are barely kept in line by a big fierce Friend who secretly hates conflict and just wants everyone to get along, the owls are snooty and into spicy food (Caracal is alarmed at the spiciness but can’t stop eating), the human is pursued by a pair of Friends with possibly hostile intentions, the owls send the human to find PPP, PPP has production problems, everyone is summoned for a big fight at the end, and so on.

Kaban is now working as a scientist and leader, with the owls serving as her assistants. And that’s where things start to get depressing. She clearly knows that Serval is the same Serval from before, and is aware that Serval no longer remembers her. What happened between seasons is never explored, but Kaban misses her.

Eventually it turns out that the Armadillo and Pangolin that have been pursuing Kyururu just want to bring the poor dumb bastard to Domestic Dog, who only wants a human to play with, take orders from and protect. (For some reason, just moving in with Kaban and the Owls is out of the question). Caracal gets jealous. Dog gets badly hurt trying to protect Kyururu from the Beast, a Siberian Tiger Friend with permanent roid rage and no loyalty to human, Friend or Cerulean. In the end, Dog goes home, letting Kyururu rejoin Caracal and Serval. Why Dog couldn’t just join the trio is not exactly clear. Instead, she resigns herself to more years of indefinite waiting for a human to show up.

Kind of a downer.

Kyururu also starts having prophetic visions and/or visits from a pair of gloomy bird goth Friends nobody else can see or whatever. It’s utterly out of place and feels like a stuck anime writer reaching into a bag of overused cliches for filler.

It turns out volcanoes are shitting out a bunch of crap that makes ceruleans, and this crap has been using Kyururu’s drawing of Friends to make Ceruleans that look like Friends. This sets up the final fight when it finds a drawing that features every single Friend Kyururu’s ever met. There is some blather about what makes these Ceruleans stronger than others but for the most part it’s inconsequential. Horde of bad guys, horde of good guys, stuff happens, the day is saved.

Oh, only the Beast was brought in at the last minute to break the stalemate and then dies when a hotel collapses on her. Just, y’know. “I have no idea what to do with this subplot. Fuck it, rocks fall, she dies.”

Then this happens.

Because they just had to rub that in our faces, I guess.

Kyururu realizes that the real house was the Friends we made along the way.

He resolves to go on more helpful adventures with his Friends.

So, there’s a zillion little things to criticize, various balls this season dropped that I felt the first season got right. There are a few little creative twists here and there. But after letting it all sink in, I realized that the only parts of it that really stuck with me had to do with Kaban, Serval and Domestic Dog, and not for good reasons. That sort of earnestness and positivity from the first season are gone, and nothing good fills the void. Season one ended with a sense of grand adventure and mystery, where you wondered what Kaban would find in the parts of the world we hadn’t seen yet, and what kind of trouble she’d get into with Serval. Instead, all of that is dumped for a depressing retread.

It was, unfortunately, even was worse than what I thought it would be: I expected an uninspired, soulless, corporate sequel vaguely picking up where the last season left off. I didn’t expect it to be an uninspired, soulless, corporate soft reboot spinning its wheels.

Also episode 3 should be called PLEASE BUY A CROSSOVER DEAL FROM US, SEA WORLD!

[snicketstrange]

Crossover theory: Miss K Enigma 2.0 X The Beatrice Letters Theory X Prufrock Prep Puzzle

This is part 11 of the Strange Interpretation of Jean Lúcio from Brazil

To understand this text, it is necessary to read some of my previous texts.

Part 10

Miss k Enimga 2.0

The creation of the "Miss K Enigma 2.0" Theory has created so many possibilities that I am still digesting everything. I am currently developing the Prufrock Prep Puzzle theory, and will now present the initial results of the research.

The first question is what is the function of Prufrock Prep from the point of view of VFD?

I believe I found the answer in the minutes of the meeting in Chapter 3 of the UA. Observe the following excerpts:

 “R: R's right. We are entering people's homes -

J: We get permission first.

L: Let her finish.

R: I will finish. We are entering people's homes, taking young children who show exceptional observational and/or notetaking skills, and isolating them, for long periods at least, from people they know. We assign them to strangers and scatter them across the globe, PERFORMING ERRANDS THAT ARE PERPELXING TO THEM, UNTIL THEIR ANKLES HAVE HEALED, UNTIL WE KNOW THEY CAN BE TRUSTED, AND UNTIL WE KNOW THAT NO ONE IS SEARCHING FOR THEM ANY LONGER. THEN, FINALY, WE BRING THEM TO HEADQUARTERS SO THEY CAN LEARN THE SKILLS THEY NEED BEFORE THEY ARE INTRODUCED BACK INTO SOCIETY, IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THE WORLD RMAINS, AS WE SAY, QUIET. ... As we know from S's report on Prufrock Preparatory School, if young people do not get enough sleep, their work is likely to suffer. “

 “Exceptional observational and/or notetaking skills.” Have you noticed that classes and exams from Remora and Bass teachers test exactly those students' abilities? In addition, at the time of this meeting, there were VFD informants inside the school.

I believe Prufrock Prep is viewed by VFD as a great recruiting site.

On page 189 of TUA, we look at some methods used by VFD to recruit people after Schism.

“Perhaps a waiter said something strange to you in a restaurant. Perhaps a librarian asked you a question concerning your mother, or your mother asked you a question concerning your librarian. Perhaps your techer gave you a list of books that had coded messages inside, or perhaps you detected a message in a newspaper you found blowing around your neighborhood.”

So Miss K went to Prufrock Prep to recruit students for VFD. She took a list of books. In addition, according to Carmelita Spats' autobiography, the Prufrock Prep librarian asked about her mother. (The UA pag. 171) This shows that VFD faced Prufrock Prep as an excellent source of volunteer recruitment. The two orphans captured by Miss K evidently received a more direct invitation to join VFD because they were orphans.

The next question is: Where are the people recruited by VFD taken?

The minutes of the meeting explained: "isolating them, for long periods at least, from people they know."

It is good to know that this is a practice on the "noble" side of the split. Isolating the neophytes should mean that these youngsters caught by VFD are taken to some kind of boarding school. Interestingly, since the VFD Great Schism, children do not get tattoos on their ankles. Still, VFD does something that hurts their ankle the moment they are captured. Perhaps the literal act of holding the neophytes by the ankle could hurt their ankles in some way. Therefore it is necessary to spend some time, until their ankles are healed. This means that some people who were already studying in a boarding school were taken to another boarding school when they were captured by VFD. What happened to Olaf seems to have been this. Olaf studied at the Wade Academy. Like Prufrock Prep, Wade Academy should be considered by VFD as a good place to recruit neophytes. Of course, schools were not the only sources of neophytes. But it is good to know that Mr. Remora does not seem to be a member of VFD. Note this scene, which occurred at the Hotel Denouement (chpter 6, TPP). Hal was the waiter:

"Can I help you?" - Nero mimicked. "Of course you can help us! We're starving! "

"I did not realize this was a sad occasion," said Hal, squinting through his glasses.

"It will not be a sad occasion if you feed us," Mr. Remora said.

Hal frowned, as if Mr. Remora had given the wrong response, but he quickly used the three guests to a wooden table in the otherwise deserted restaurant."

If Mr. Remora were a member of the Noble side of VFD, he would know the answer should be: "The world is quiet here."

This is evidence that "vocational" classes for a young man who will become a VFD agent were not taught at Prufrock Prep.

This also explains the secret number 5 and 6 of the pamphlet "13 Shocking Secrets":

# 5 - Lemony Snicket grew up with a terrible villain.

# 6 - "Lemony Snicket attended boarding school."

Lemony grew up along with Olaf, because Olaf studied in the VFD boarding school together with Lemony.

This also helps us understand the letters from BB to LS # 4 and # 5.

In the letter from BB to LS # 4, Beatrice states:

"I'm in my Business Letter Writing Class, wich is taught by a flat-footed man so sa and inaware that I am certain he will give me an A on this assignment without reading anything but the firt sentence of each paragraph. I could say anything here at all. For instance: A "baticeer" is a person who trains bats. I learned that in a poem I watched you read....

…That was me, knocking on your following information. That was mr, knocking on your office door yesterday evening. I know you were inside, because I followed you from the library, where you stood for nearly an hour staring into a glass case containing old documents on display for the “Staged Poetry: Sonnets by actors & Actresses” exhibit….

Why didn’t you answer? Why won’t you answer any of my questions? I must have at least twelve.

In closing, please do not hesitate to contact me at your earliest convenience. Just one letter can change everything. The three Baudelaires my be long gone, but there is a fourth Baudelaires here, waiting for you to untie “My silence Knot” and help me find the end of a story that began with you – in the very room where I sit now, about to hand this letter to my business letter writing instructor so he will grade it and mail it.”

In this letter, Beatrice claims that she is in some kind of school. This school was the same one Lemony was studying at VFD when she was 11 or 12 years old. The teacher in question is not Mr Remora, because it is not the Prufrock Prep school.

In the letter from LS to BB # 2, Lemony wrote:

”I’m writing you this letter, as usual, for no particular reason, and I’ll try to have R. deliver it to you so you can read it before we meet for fencing practice. It’s easy to write letters during Code Class, as the tedious, flat-footed instructor simply mutters the same lessons about business letter writing over and over. He’ll probably drone on for years and years to come.”

Note that Beatrice chose the same adjective Lemony had chosen many years earlier to describe the same teacher: "flat-footed." I believe this is another indication that the letter from BB to LS # 4 comes from the mother of the Baudelaire siblings. Using the same phraseology that Lemony had used in an old letter is a way for Beatrice to show Lemony that she was Beatrice herself who had read these letters before. But besides, it is evident that Beatrice was studying with the same teacher and in the same classroom in which years before Lemony had studied. And as I explained, it was not Prufrock Prep. Another detail is the reference to the letter from LS to BB # 5. Beatrice had asked 13 questions, of which Lemony was able to answer 12. Probably this response letter never reached Beatrice's hands.

Already in the letter BB to LS # 5, Beatrice explained how she got to be admitted to VFD school. She basically studied first in Prufrock Prep, and then waited until she was recruited by VFD, then went to VFD school, the one Lemony had studied years before. She had already studied at the same institution. But Beatrice had faked her own death. So now she thought that in order to be reunited with Lemony, it would be necessary to go back to studying in VFD, like a neophyte again. Note this section:

“Violet told me once that I saved her life, and Klaus claimed that I had not died in despair not long ago the destruction of the Denoument Hotel. Even Sunny said she could not have survived without me. But I don’t have to tell you how brave and resourceful, hoe loyal and well-read those three people are. It is I who would have been lost without them. Without Violet’s emergency repairwork, I never would have found my way to the city to search for you. Without Klau’s notes on mountain climbing, I never would have left the city to search for you again. Without Sunny’s extensive knowledge of making snacks from wildflowers and weeds, I Never would have found the strength to return once more, first by yak, then by foot, and then yak-fot, to wind my way back to the city in the hopes of finally meeting you face-to-face. And without the stories all three siblings told me of their troubles – which in some cases differs wildly from your accounts –I never would have found the secretarial school, where I wrote my previous letter to you. It was not a secretarial school, of course – not really – but I had to sit through that tedious business letter writing class before they would believe the name I gave the vice principal upon my arrival. Without Violet, Klaus and Sunny I never would have continued my studies with these last few volunteers, and become the “baticeer” I am today. I owe my life to them, and now that we have been separated, I will not rest until I find them again.”

I ask you to pay attention to the following detail. In the letter from BB to LS # 2, Kit's daughter informs Lemony that she is separated from Klaus, Sunny and Violet for many years. Not at all seems Kit's daughter first came to the City with Violet's help. She wrote: “I am heading for the hills, so that I might find, after all these years, the three siblings who are the only Family I have. Without Violet, Klaus, and Sunny, I am an orphan…”

And according to Kit's daughter in the letter from BB to LS # 3, the time she had spent away from the Baudelaires siblings was so much that even most of her memories about them had disappeared. She wrote:

“As time goes on, many memories fade. Violet tying her hair up in a ribbon, to keep it out of her eyes, Klaus squiting at a book through his glasses, Sunny appearing on the radio to discuss he recipes – I don’t want these to be the only things I remember of the three most important people in my life.”  

The mother of the Baudelaire siblings met with her children, and apparently they spent a good time together. They told her mother about Prufrock Prep, so she went there, gave the vice principal a false name, and went through a student. She stayed there until being recruited by VFD, and transferred to the "Secretarial School", in fact the same VFD school that Lemony had studied years before. She did all this to try to reunite with Lemony, the person she loved very much. Lemony found the photo of Beatrice along with other students in Prufrock Prep. This photo was taken after Miss K was fired, and Lemony made it clear from the remark he wrote in the photo that at that time he wanted to find his beloved Beatrice again.

But evidently something happened, and changed Lemony's view of Beatrice. For some reason, Lemony did not even want to meet Beatrice face-to-face. In the next text I will begin to discuss what this might have been.

[theasiantvshipper-blog]

The Shadowhunters 3x20 “City of Glass” Theories and Predictions- Dark Clary Storyline

Alas! The penultimate episode of the season is here, not withstanding the 2-hour series finale following it and I can’t wait to see how this debauchery of a season plays out. I’d like to think the TV Movie finale will redeem what the writers have failed to achieve this entire season, so here’s hoping. 

I will make my predictions based on the material made available to all of us via Episode Promo, Episode Stills, Teasers and BTS photos from the Cast and Crew. And I will do so in a per story arc/plot line basis so it’s much easier to digest. Also Tumblr, might not let me publish it if it’s too long. 

Quick Recap:

Magnus has his magic back, thanks to the brilliantly executed plot line of Asmodeus swooping in like the “father” (sure) that he is or should have been. We see you Asmodaddy, you’re still up to no good.

Sizzy is at boiling point this episode, can someone please give us the kiss already and be done with it. The entire fandom has been waiting for this and prolonging it any further is just going to lose its steam. Trust me, blue balls never looked good on anyone. Especially, not Simon. 

Dark Clary and Team Evil- welp, this is my least favorite arc of the season. Like y’all just couldn’t make do without making those racy scenes of Clace and Jonathan, cant you? Jesus.

Malec- how many times do I have to stress that this arc needs to be wrapped up, stat! The angst behind this arc is borderline psychopathic and it’s not very healthy. These writers have a thing for angst and we totally get it but that doesnt mean we’re here for it, every single episode. Y’all must be tripping.

Now on to the episode preview:

City of Glass- with a title like this, everyone is bound to have high expectations. This is after all an iconic book in what should have been a trilogy of CC. Why they named the episode such still baffles me given that they are already in the Heavenly Fire arc. But hey, we have Aku Cinta Kamu this week and that didn’t have anything to do with Malec breaking up, so there’s that. 

My best guess is they are taking some elements from the City of Glass book (namely, the attack on Idris by the demons etc) while keeping in line with the Heavenly Fire arc (Jonathan and his unending quest for the Morningstar sword to end the Shadow world). So we might be seeing a crossover of sorts but in the subtlest of ways, I hope. The first arc they will close might be the Dark Clary/Jonathan arc first: 

With the Glorious sword already forged, Jace, Alec, Izzy, Simon and Luke are back at the war table to devise a plan to save Clary from Jonathan and that means, they need to stab her with the Glorious sword in order to free her. Prior to this, we have Meliorn visiting the Institute to meet with Alec and Jace, probably to form an unlikely alliance with them or to blame them for what happened to their Queen, either way, Meliorn will prove to be useful to them in tracking Clonathan’s whereabouts and the sword. 

Meanwhile, back at the evil lair (wherever that maybe); we know that Clonathan has the Seelie Queen, and that conniving bitch has the Morningstar Sword, so the only way to the sword is through the Queen. I could think of only 2 ways this scene ends, but first let’s address the fact that in the episode promo, Clary is seen beating the shit out of the Seelie Queen (because that’s how they make the baddies talk these days, right?). With that in mind, I’m guessing they can either kill the Queen (which they can’t) or the Queen will form an alliance with Clonathan creating a more formidable Team Evil in the works. Or she could just use the sword as a bargaining chip for her life, that works too. Convenient and practical and she won’t get killed. Oh that woman, always so clever. 

The retrieval of the sword is successful (because how else are they going to open the rift to Edom, right?) but Jace and Izzy arrive just in time to stop them from doing anything stupid (as if opening a rift to Edom isnt stupid enough). And let me guess, the location of the sword will be in Idris/Alicante.

So they go into battle with Dark Clary and her line: “i told you what will happen if you got in my way again” (as if Jace ever took your threat seriously, biscuit). So Morningstar Sword vs Glorious Sword (Clary vs Izzy) and Jace vs Jonathan, I wonder how that will play out. I guess the answer is pretty obvious, Clary gets stabbed by the sword, severing her ties to Jonathan and bringing her old self back. Which pisses off Jonathan and he launches into this even darker path to destruction, way to go adding fuel to the fire guys! There’s a good chance both swords won’t be destroyed yet at this point because one is needed to open the rift to Edom and another to kill off Jonathan. 

With Clary and the squad back in Idris, this arc is now officially closed to give way for Jonathan’s main arc: Destruction of the Shadow World aka Hell on Earth. With the Seelie Queen as his new ally (I maybe wrong), Jonathan is even more determined to kill them all, and make Clary her Queen. I am choosing to ignore the promo that shows Clary and Jonathan almost kissing (and while that is a part of the City of Glass book canon), I just can’t bring myself to appreciate it on-screen. 

On to the next arc, shall we? 

[frasier-crane-style]

Elseworlds

Well, Tumblr isn’t dead yet and the CW-DC just did a big crossover, so I think it’s time to make fun of the CW........ for the last time.

Did you know Tim Allen actually ended Home Improvement after season 8 because he knew the show couldn’t maintain its level of quality and was on the way downhill? Tim Allen has more creative integrity than anyone involved in the making of Supernatural. Think about that.

Anyhoo, lots to digest! Largely, this crossover felt to me weirdly lackluster and obligatory, like the whole thing was just a trailer for the oncoming Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover. It just felt unambitious, which is the last thing an ‘event’ like this should feel like. In fact, it felt a little like I imagine the result would be of filming a bunch of people playing DC Universe Online. We visit Smallville and see Lois Lane! We go to Gotham and meet Batman...’s cousin, and fight a breakout at Arkham Asylum, complete with Mr. Freeze...’s gun and the Scarecrow...’s fear gas. Then, we wrap the whole thing up with an Evil Superman, because God knows, DC never gets bored of that.

-Petty nitpick department: Batwoman just standing around on rooftops looks weird. Not only does it give the odd impression that she’s spent the entire time between episodes just, uh, standing, but c’mon--you’re supposed to crouch. Or at least hunch. Everybody knows that!

-Weirdly missed opportunity to have Ollie do the Flash narration, considering all the other opening narrations are futzed with.

-The whole thing is pretty much a glorified body swap--Stephen Amell is playing Barry Allen and vice versa. I can see how TPTB would be too pressed for time to explain a whole ‘nother continuity where Barry Allen became Green Arrow and Oliver Queen became the Flash, but still, it’s not as much fun.

-They also wholeheartedly borrow the thing of Ollie having to be happy to use Barry’s powers and Barry having to be mad to use Ollie’s ‘powers’ from the episode of Teen Titans where Raven and Starfire switched bodies. So, I guess, congratulations on making the central plot point of your crossover the same as a half-hour episode of a children’s cartoon.

-Remember that time Barry was too happy and too confident in his abilities, so his dad died?  

-They got a good actress to play the Lois Lane to this Clark Kent, considering they both just look kinda awkward? His chin looks like he had a face transplant done and her nose looks like someone is constantly Photoshopping it.

NHHHA, He-Man!!

-Don’t do a callback to Smallville, show. Oliver Queen has now spent more time in costume as the Flash than Tom Welling did as Superman.

-Direct fucking hit when Oliver said that Barry couldn’t take a crap without getting a peptalk from his team, but on the other hand, Oliver can’t take a crap without Felicity wondering what it means for their relationship. “Oliver didn’t tell me he needed to go to the bathroom! Why wouldn’t he trust me?”

-I’m just saying, last season on Agents of SHIELD, pretty much every character was in a relationship--there was not so much damn drama. It’s a fucking body-swap plotline, guys. You don’t need to treat it like it could lead to someone’s divorce! Really, at this point, if you’re in a relationship with a crazy superhero, you should be used to it. 

-(Although I suppose I’m a little hard to please here, since over on Legends of Tomorrow they suddenly expect us to care about Constantine rescuing the love of his life when we’ve seen their relationship for all of four seconds. But hey, like I said, Agents of SHIELD manages a happy medium and finds time for Ghost Rider to show up.)

-For the post-apocalyptic hellscape they make Gotham out to be, the police respond awfully fast to disturbances.

-”We’re on the corner of Burton and Nolan!” Groooooan.

-Ruby Rose, everyone: the Less Convincing Michelle Rodriguez. It’d probably a bad sign for how compelling Kate Kane is as a character that everyone would rather talk about where Batman is and why Batman would leave. And, speaking as someone who both watched Birds of Prey and The Dark Knight Rises--Rocky, that ‘Batman Retires’ plot point never works!

-(Is Batwoman even that popular a character to get her own spin-off? I suppose she’s ‘TV show’ popular, but still--I think she’s one of those Batfamily members that is somewhere behind Alfred but ahead of Ace, right next to Azrael. And I do think it’s hilarious that TPTB were insistent on casting a real, authentic lesbian!!!--and then immediately got complaints that they didn’t cast a Jew. Oh, Ziggy, will you ever win?)

-I don’t want to be too hard on Ruby Rose here. Yes, she doesn’t showcase anything other than one mode: Snide And Slightly Pouty (Stephen Amell ain’t winning no Oscars, but he can differentiate between Ollie As A Civilian and Ollie In A Halloween Costume). But the writing does her no favors in making a case for this character as being deserving of any amount of screentime, besides the fact that she dresses like Batman, the guy we really care about. She’s a heroine, as are featured variously in every Arrowverse show. She’s queer, as is Alex Danvers, Sara Lance, John Constantine, et al. She’s rich to the point of having unlimited resources, as are (sometimes) Oliver Queen, Barry Allen, Kara through her billionaire friends. She lives in a crime-ridden hellhole, as Ollie has done for several seasons. What makes any of this compelling? The Gotham setting? Arrow has already turned itself into an effective facsimile of that, to the point of having Ra’s al Ghul show up to make Queen into his son-in-law. Arkham Asylum seems completely generic, as does Wayne Tower. It’s all just a different part of Vancouver; who cares?

-Likewise, Supergirl, speaking to you as a TV show--you really should either be adamant that Kara is heterosexual or give her a weirdly flirtatious scene with Batwoman, but not both. I know you need, need, need to let the audience know Batwoman is a lesbian...

Pictured: The CW subtly letting you know about a character’s minority status.

But c’mon. We’ve been over this.

-Speaking of minority status, maybe it’s not the best idea to let slip that John Diggle is an AU John Stewart. Yes, there’s ten brothas in the DC Universe, and four of them are actually the other six. There are so few Negros on Earth-1 that they had to make Barack Obama into a superhero. The Batfamily has two black folks and they’re both related to Lucius Fox. There’s so few black people in Metropolis that Black Lightning knows who his father is!

Folks, the DC Universe is so white, the Black Lanterns are all dead. The DC Universe is so white, they don’t even have black Kryptonite. The DC Universe is so white, even Black Condor is a honky. The DC Universe is so white, they don’t even need a Justice League of Africa, they just have a Batman of Africa! The DC Universe is so white, the blackest guy on the Justice League is a refrigerator with one-half of a brother’s face on top of it. The DC Universe is so white, they named the black woman on the Teen Titans after a bug that’s half yellow! Now Milestone, the Milestone Universe is black. It’s so black, Aquaman is the most powerful superhero there, because he’s the only one who can swim!

(-I’m planning on being chased off of Tumblr like Indiana Jones after he snags an ancient artifact.)

-Would it be that hard for them to go to Arkham and run into the Ventriloquist or Orca or someone memorable, so long as they have access to the Batman toy chest? We got, uhh, Lady Who Can Pick Up Gun and Psycho Pirate I Guess? Like I said, unambitious. Wouldn’t it be so much cooler if they got someone from Gotham to film just one little cameo? 

-Also, considering the sex scandal these shows have had, maybe it’s not the best idea to joke about their EPs being depraved maniacs? (Was Guggenheim the one who actually got MeToo’d? Because if so, Dude--Not Funny)

-The show had to character-shill Batwoman so hard that Ollie and Barry stopped being fear-gassed just to reiterate that she is too an interesting character in her own right! (If the characters have all heard of Batman, wouldn’t they have heard of Batwoman too if she’s been an active vigilante more recently?)

-But who cares about four unstoppable superheroes teaming up when we can find out how Felicity feels about her relationship? Just a thought--if you fight with your SO all the time about nearly everything, maybe you shouldn’t be in a relationship. 

-Long story short, Doctor Destiny rewrites reality again to make Barry, Oliver, and Kara into supervillains in a world where he’s the hero. He also makes the other characters into pointless cameos, and weirdly gets criticized by Kara for... not giving himself a sex-change operation by becoming Superman instead of Supergirl? He doesn’t have gender dysphoria, Supergirl. I thought she was all about trans issues this season?

-Like, I don’t know, if a woman used a magic lamp to wish herself President, would anyone criticize her making herself a lady President instead of a man President?

-I guess it wouldn’t be Supergirl unless they crowbarred in an extremely awkward girlpower message where Superman and Lois agree that Supergirl/women in general are more useful than men, despite the fact that all Supergirl did was the exact same thing as Barry, while Superman and Oliver fought Dr. Destiny, and all Lois did was call in a bunch of men as reinforcements and then need to be rescued.

-But like I said about being unambitious--wouldn’t it be fun to see our heroes be forced to team up with a few supervillains to save the day? Instead, we just have Cisco playing a villain (something he’s done numerous times before). They get his help, have a weirdly poor showing in a fight against Jimmy Olsen, get Superman’s help again, yadda yadda. 

-We also get Superman proposing to Lois Lane. Yeah, considering they’ve been in a relationship at least since Supergirl Season 1, she’s carrying his child, and they’re planning to move to an alien world together, yeah, I should think so? I know Superman probably isn’t a Republican, but does anyone think he’d be so blase about putting a ring on it? Hell, if nothing else, he should want to tie the knot before Ma or Pa bite it. Couldn’t they have just made it that he wants to renew his vows with Lois in a Kryptonian ceremony or some such? 

[alastaircarstairsdefenselawyer]

Runaways Comics Reading Guide

So, you wanna read Runaways, huh? Maybe the wait for season 2 is taking too long and you’re desperate for content or you heard that this amazing series was revived last September. Whatever the reason, you're in luck, because I sold my soul to Brian K Vaughn and all of his characters when I was 12!

You're also in luck because, compared to some other comic book series, Runaways is a little less confusing to figure out. Now, it seems a bit daunting at first, but the series is easily digestible, and you could easily get through all the comics in a couple days if you had a lot of free time. However, if you don't want to read their smaller arcs, I will note which ones are alright to skip. Here's my self determined reading order:

Runaways- Volume 1 (18 issues): must-read! Duh, this is where the story starts! The TV show takes off from here, but fair warning, the comics are radically different from the show (understandably, tv shows and comic books are much different mediums with different capabilities, but that's a different post). This is where you get to know our gang and the conflict with their parents, which is pretty important because the backstories are a lot different than in the show. 

Runaways- Volume 2 (30 issues): vitally important, even if it will rip you apart inside and crush all of your dreams. At least through issue 24. After issue 24, our Lord BKV left, so some people regard the rest of the series as trash (tbh joss whedon is trash sooo). I guess from issue 25 onward, it's not all that important to read them, but I did and I would.

Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways (4 issues): nonessential to any plot, but I’m Young Avengers trash as much as I am Runaways trash, so I loved it. You may find it a bit boring if you’re not familiar with the Young Avengers. Note: this limited series takes place in the middle of Runaways Vol 2, I think in between #24 and #25. Since there’s no important plot, it doesn’t matter if you read it then, but definitely don’t read it before volume 2 to avoid spoilers. 

Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers (3 issues): this one actually DOES take place between v2 and v3! like the other crossover, it’s not essential to the plot of Runaways. If you’re not familiar with the Young Avengers, you probably won’t understand what’s happening. As a Young Avengers fan, though, I loved it! 

Runaways- Volume 3 (14 issues): like I said, most people find these ones to be throwaway comics, but personally I would read literally any content with these characters so like,, yeah. You should read V3 if you're going to read the Runaways arcs in Daken and Avengers Academy.

Daken: The Dark Wolverine- Issues #17-19: not necessary to read at all, maybe a lil interesting if you read Vol 3 Runaways bc it ends on a cliffhanger and this is the only time in comic canon where it's addressed, even in the vaguest way possible ("yeah, this character got hit by a fucking car. But they're fINE. Just pErFeCT.")

Avengers Academy- Issues #27-28: must read if you read Vol 3! You can either read the whole series just for the Runaways arc, or just read these 2 issues with the Runaways (which is what I did, but I went back and read the whole series bc I loved the characters, and they will appear again in a moment!) read for some wholesome dino fun (not,, but.. ehhhhh angst w a happy ending???)

Avenger's Arena (18 issues): battle royale meets teenage superheroes. A bunch of teens w powers (incl. Nico, chase, darkhawk, and some people from Avengers Academy) are thrown onto an island designed to kill them & make them kill each other. I understand that this kind of gore isn't what everyone looks for in a comic book and it's a bit childish, but I found it entertaining. Not necessary to read if you want to pick up the new series, but its events are referenced.

Avengers Undercover (10 issues): I didn't enjoy these that much (actually I probably spent more time ranting about these comics than anything, I really didn't enjoy them at all), but they are a continuation of avengers arena so you should probably read them if you read AA. Completely nonessential to understanding anything in any other comics ever.

Runaways- Volume 4 (4 issues): to be honest, I never actually read these. I tried, but the characters aren't even in it?? Why is a part of runaways??? The world may never know. Maybe if you understand more about Battleworld then it's more entertaining, but I was completely lost and confused.

A-Force- Volume 1 (5 issues): like Vol 4 Runaways, this takes place on battleworld, so like Vol 4, I was very lost and confused. However Nico is a main character and all the characters are totally badass and amazing and I have officially adopted Singularity so yeah? Also America Chavez is a BAMF. I think I'd recommend reading them? Sooo many bi vibes (bibes?) from Nico. since this takes place on a different world, it's not really relevant, but it sets up A-Force Vol 2.

A-Force- Volume 2 (10 issues): takes place back in the same world as the original runaways comics. I don't wanna spoil anything but there's more badass bisexual Nico. All in all, the series isn't necessary to understand any Runaways plots, but they are briefly mentioned in the new comics. They're also super awesome and if you like Nico you should definitely read them!!

Avengers AI (12 issues)- I've gotta be honest I never particularly cared for Victor so I didn't read these, what happens is probably important to the new Runaways but like,, I figured it out so you can too. I mean, I'll get around to reading them one of these days, I'm sure they're great comics but ya victors a ho

Runaways- Volume 5 (9 issues thus far): the new series!! Some characters come back from the dead and The Band Gets Back Together!!!!!!

I'd say if you just want to read the new series, the only ones completely vital are the Runaways comics, up to Vol 2 #24. However, all the rest are amazing (albeit frustrating sometimes) comics that I highly recommend you read!! They add a lot more depth to the characters and their experiences. I’m sure I’m missing some comics that they’ve appeared in, but I think these are all of the important ones? Correct me if I’m wrong! 

Okay, okay this all sounds amazing. I'm so ready! How do I read them???

First of all, no one is ever ready. Second of all.. you have a few options, not all of them everyone will like

Buy them. Either at marvel.com, on their app, or at a comic book store.

Take them out from the library. I've never actually done this but once comics have been released issue by issue, they're then published as a volume. I'd assume some libraries might have these consolidated comics.

Read them online. I know, I know, this is bad. But realistically, not everyone can afford to buy every single comic, and not everyone has access to a library where they can take them out. HOWEVER, I'm begging you not to use this option for the new comics. Marvel can (and HAS in the past) cancel the series if it's not making enough money. Each issue is $4USD. Every issue that you can buy counts. If you don't have access to a comic book store where you can buy them (I get it, I live in morocco), you can buy a digital copy online on Marvel's website or their app. Personally, I only own one random copy from Runaways Vol 2 that I found in a comic book store in Madrid, but I own every single new comic either hard copy, digitally, or both. Please, please, please support these comics whichever way you can!! Now that I've made my plea, you can find all of the comics online here.

I hope maybe my rambling helped you somehow. I absolutely adore these characters and these stories. Feel free to send me a message if you have any questions or want to talk about the comics! Happy reading, and welcome to the abyss.

[furederiko]

September 1st!!! And it's the first (of hopefully more) Random-News-Digest of the month...

Quick update before I start! Nope, my situation hasn't really improved since last time. Things are still going haywire and uncertain on my part. Which means I'm still not too sure if I will be able to post more frequently this month as well. But this is a NEW month, and I always want to start anything with a fresh and optimistic mind. So at the very least, I'm going to TRY to post more. Here's hoping... Also, expect this R-N-D to be more... 'Digest' than usual. After all, I actually decided to do this on a whimsy when I woke up this morning. You can expect things to be more shorter and compact this time around. So without further ado, let's start!!!

DC Films

The news in this category has been quite a shocker lately. Martin Scorsese wants to make a stand-alone "Joker" origin story without Jared Leto? And then there's that Leto and Margot Robbie's "Joker and Harley Quinn" movie, that is being fast-tracked to come following "Suicide Squad 2"? It's a new title that was first rumored to replace David Ayer's "Gotham City Sirens", though recent report suggests that all-female movie is STILL in development as well. To complicate matters, "Suicide Squad 2" already lost a potential director, and with Will Smith's busy schedule, it won't start production until late next year. Ouch!

Oh yeah, eventhough the movie won't arrive until April 5th, 2019, director David F. Sandberg teased that the most lighthearted DC Film movie "Shazam" will start production very soon. Yet we don't even know who's going to play Billy Batson, nor his grown-up version. While Matt Reeves is going back and forth his version of "The Batman", saying it's not part of the DCEU, and then it IS. Please make up your mind! Jon Spaihts was rumored to be re-writing "Justice League Dark", though said rumor has been cleared out by The Wrap. The irony in that, is because he was among the writer of "Doctor Strange" for Marvel Studios!!! First Joss Whedon took over Zack Snyder for "Justice League", and has officially been given a writer credit (his involvement is 33% of the movie!!!). And don't forget how Patty Jenkins used to be attached to the first Thor sequel. So Spaihts's name being thrown into the rumor zone didn't feel as 'strange'. What I'm trying to say is, I won't be surprised if more people related to Marvel Studios will end up doing DC movies for Warner Bros in the future.

Clearly, this proves that WB STILL doesn't have a plan nor idea of what they are going to do with their DC Films. A concerning truth, but is definitely far from being a surprise nowadays. I guess since the current DCEU doesn't really have a clear future (despite the success of "Wonder Woman"), WB is already thinking about creating another Universe to complement it. Perhaps, if this one works better, then they can simply erase the one that Snyder started. That's the point of "Flashpoint", right? We'll see. Yes, we'll see...

X-Men Universe

Can't believe it took this long for some people to realize that... as long as Simon Kinberg is still in charge (in ANY capacity), fans probably won't be getting the 'true' X-Men movie they have always wanted. People seems to forget that he was the writer of the disappointing "X-Men: The Last Stand", and supervised the dreaded "Fant4stic Four". Now his upcoming directorial debut, "X-Men: Dark Phoenix", which he also wrote... is already put into a giant question mark, thanks to Kinberg's recent comment.

I admit, I've grown to DESPISE the term 'grounded' in recent years, because it is (ab)used as an excuse to make shitty underwhelming products. But seriously, what good will a "Dark Phoenix" storyline get by making it... grounded? That arc is meant to be a galactic interstellar adventure, involving alien entities and otherworldly stuffs. "X3" was already its grounded version, and it did NOT work. So why bother going the same route? Is this movie 'doomed to fail' then? It's unclear. But I certainly won't be surprised if that turns out to be the case. Just remember how that grounded take on "X-Men: Apocalypse" performed...

Marvel Studios

Marvel is celebrating the late Jack Kirby's 100th birthday this week. Studio's president Kevin Feige revealed on Twitter that the upcoming "Thor: Ragnarok" is produced as a love-letter to Kirby's work. Not unlike last year's "Doctor Strange", that served as a clear tribute to Steve Ditko. Actress Evangeline Lilly also celebrated the occassion, by sharing the first official image of her character Hope van Dyne, wearing the updated Wasp suit from "Ant-Man and the Wasp".

About that last one... I totally DIG her hair-style, because Lilly always looks much better with a long hairdo instead of the one she had in the first "Ant-Man". The suit on the other hand? I'm a bit mixed. I don't know why. Perhaps because I was expecting more... yellow/gold in the color scheme? Then again, Peyton Reed and Marvel Studios might be going with Wasp's red-black scheme once again, because it's the one designed by Kirby. Especially with Janet van Dyne being in the movie (played by Michelle Pfeiffer), and the report that Michael Douglas' Hank Pym will be suiting up himself in the classic white-red costume.

The writers of "Spider-Man: Homecoming" are set to be back for the sequel! Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers are also involved in "Ant-Man and the Wasp", so there's a possibility they might end up becoming the next Markus-McFeely of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Assuming all the stars are aligned, they will reunite with director Jon Watts (who was already in talks to return) to work on the first Marvel Studios after "Avengers 4" ends the current Phase 3. Here's hoping this team will keep deliver something better, without losing that irresistible youthful and innocent charm that the first movie exuded.

Marvel TV

When this post goes up, Marvel's "The Inhumans" should be arriving in IMAX theatres everywhere. Not sure if it will be available in my country, but it's surely a definite for the US region, because ABC will begin broadcasting the series on Friday, September 29th, 2017.

According to recent report, the response to its premiere was... much positive. In fact, it's a far cry to the supposed 'disaster' that occured at the Television Critics Association Panel. Is this surprising? Well... not quite. I mean, one man's trash can end up becoming another's treasure, right? So I predict that the overall review, when it officially hits, will be mixed at best. Remember, this is still Jeph Loeb's and Scott Buck's work. Each or both have ruined a show (or two, if we count that much-anticipated crossover that came out last month... or more if we put into account their past forays) before, so there's no assurance that they won't strike again. But I'm honestly glad to hear some people actually enjoying it. Hey, there's one for everyone, right?

As for me, as I said before, I personally won't be seeing this on the theatres. Based on the lackluster trailers and underwhelming clips released so far, I'll have to give it a hard pass. Beside, considering my current financial issue, wasting money for uncertain things can be considered 'suicide' anyway. I'll probably going to hold back on watching the series as well, until the reviews for all episodes are out. Thanks to my doozy experience with the recent Netflix 'crossover mini-series', I'm going to be extra cautious with Marvel TV now. Because really, spending 8 hours for a boring and/or disappointing show felt like a tremendous waste of time. Doing so isn't going to do me any good.

QUICK UPDATE: Embargo for the full reviews hasn't been lifted when I wrote and upped this essay into queue. Those reviews have been made available NOW on various sites, and well... turns out it's as BAD as many initially said. Since I'm too lazy to modify the entire category (although it's only 3 short paragraphs LOL), this note will do just fine as a follow up. My original writing sounded more 'positive' anyways. LOL.

Meanwhile, things are looking A LOT better for Marvel's "Runaways". It seems response for the first episodes was more than great. It is currently being praised as very faithful to the source material, despite its various 'tweaks' (for example, one character was a mutant in the comic, but the copyrights prevent that to exist in live action adaptation). Not that it should be a surprise anyway. When the writer of the comic is directly in charge as consultant, we know that at least things are going to be close to the comics. Might this be the Marvel show to wait for this year? Probably, but I digress. I'm still going to be approaching this one with extra caution. If recent Marvel TV shows are any indications, then we can't really expect it to be... evenly balanced. Some of them had okay to good run in the first half, only to falter into a massive dud in the later half. Yes, even "LEGION", and the 4th season of Marvel's "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.". They started out strong, but ended rather... disappointingly. Considering the same people behind them are also supervising this, said similar treatment can also apply to "Runaways"...

Netflix

It's already September, and I haven't finished Marvel's "The Defenders" yet. How come? The mini-series surprisingly BORED the hell out of me! A full review for it was meant to go up as my first post of September (yes, this R-N-D is its last minute replacement). That's the initial plan anyway, because I still haven't seen the last two episodes. Seriously though, when you've already lost any single urge to do it, there's nothing else you can do right?

Thanks to that, the internet had already spoiled me about what's going to happen to Simone Missick's Misty Knight. I don't even need to READ the whole article to figure out what will become of her... right hand. Yes, the headline already gave it away, and my minor knowledge of the character in the comics was more than enough to lead me to said conclusion. And then the image spreading on social media solidified it. Mind you, I still don't know how or what caused her to lose that body part. My quick and easy guess? Likely by Bakuto, considering up to episode 6, Misty had only spoken with one particular supporting character from the other series: Jessica Henwick's Colleen Wing. And it's also about her... KATANA, as if it's not obvious enough. Expect Misty to be armed with a prosthetic arm in the 3rd Season Marvel's "Luke Cage".

Yep, if you're like me, hoping for a "Heroes for Hire" show that includes the Daughters of Dragon... then we might as well swallow that wishful thinking. Why? It probably won't happen until the 2nd Season of Marvel's "Iron Fist" is out. Going by math alone, that means we have to wait another 26 episodes, and at least another two years. New season for "Luke Cage" will likely arrive in 2018, while the one for "Iron Fist" might probably land in 2019. Yeah, two years indeed. This is why you can't really expect much when it comes to Marvel TV... *sigh*

"Stranger Things" released a set of character posters for its 2nd Season. They cover the returning cast, as well as the new additions. What's interesting about these posters, is the strong nod to Steven Spielberg! And being a series set in the 80s, that folded-magazine style is also pretty neat. I hope this 2nd season will be as great as the 1st, and unlike most other Netflix shows.

One more thing! It's a rather old news, but worth bringing up. Netflix is currently collaborating with TOEI Animation, to remake the popular shounen-series "Saint Seiya". Titled "Knights of the Zodiac: Saint Seiya", the new series will be created in full CG style. If you're curious on how that might look, think of it like several parts of TOEI's "Precure Dream Star!" movie that was done completely in CG, or their recent "Sekaisuru KADO" series. The latter in particular, already has a character design that's looking VERY Saint Seiya-ish (could it be intended as the warm-up to this one, then? probably). First season will be 12 episodes of 30 minutes, and will cover the "Galaxy War" to the "Silver Saint" Arcs. Yoshiharu Ashino is directing the new series, Eugene Son is the story editor and head writer, Terumi Nishii will be handling the character design, while Takashi Okazaki is doing the armors.

This news is intriguing, because it can end up heading towards into two different territory: actually good, or downright Bad. The latest "Sailor Moon" reboot that immediately divide old and new fans, is a great example of said situation. "Saint Seiya" is among the beloved titles to those growing up in the late 80s, so you can imagine their negative reactions if this remake doesn't suit their taste. The series doesn't have a fixed release date for now, but I believe we can expect it to arrive on Spring 2018. My only hope is that it retains Shingo Araki's anime style compared to Masami Kurumada's manga ones, because it has been pretty much the 'signature' of the series for the fans.

Disney XD Series

I saw the one-hour premiere of the "DuckTales" reboot not long after it aired, and great goodness... I'm LOVING it. I used to have a minor issue with the voices of the nephews before, but that concern quickly faded away when the story started rolling. It's just so engaging and fun to watch! My only complaint, is that it takes too long for the next episodes to start airing. But we're now in September, so September 23rd is just around 20 days away. Shall we start counting down for more Scrooge McDuck's adventure, then? I wonder if Disney XD will debut the first episode of "Big Hero 6 the Series" in advance too? Hmmm....

Pocket Monsters

"Pokemon GO" has been greeted by Legendary Birds Articuno, Moltres, Zapdos, and Lugia last month. Starting yesterday, August 31st, 2017, Niantic has continued the streak with the Legendary Dogs Entei, Raikou, and Suicine. Unlike the Birds, these ones are going to show up as region-based for a particular duration. Entei will be in the Europe and Africa region, Raikou in the America, and Suicine in Asia-Pacific. They will then switch places on September 30th, 2017.

This is great news, right? NOT exactly. While I DID feel overjoyed when the Legendaries were first announced, what came next was nothing more than disappointments. The fact that Niantic is focusing too much on Raid Battles to debut these special Pokemon, had caused inconveniences to some (if not MANY) of its players. Sad to say, yours truly is included in this cluster.

Here's the deal. In order to capture ONE Legendary, it first needs to be defeated in a Raid Battle. Unlike normal Raids, it's a group effort that requires around 15-20 players to be on the spot at the same time, working together to take one down. So what happens when you're a player... living in an area, that does NOT have the privilege of having at least the minimum number of players? You can only bite your nails while grunting and sighing with disappointments, because there's really NOTHING you can do. I've lost count how many 'futile attempts' I've done, singlehandedly (seriously, because there's NOBODY around) trying to defeat one. I've now arrived to the point where I simply couldn't care less about any of them anymore. Which is sad, because I was sort of hoping "Pokemon GO" would be there to help me go through my current situation. I mean, when that role has been surprisingly taken over by a repetitive, kid-oriented game called "Magikarp, Jump!"... That's saying much, right?

Of course, this shouldn't be an issue if "Pokemon GO" is still enjoyable as a single-player experience. Players who can't capture a Legendary, could still focus on doing anything else. Problem is, there's NOTHING much to do beside that. Niantic is too focused on the multiplayer 'Team Gameplay' aspect of this game, that it neglects those who play individually (whether by choice, or who are simply forced by circumstances... like yours truly). The new 'Gym System' was nice, but lately I've noticed a concerning trend: the turnaround has gradually becoming very slow. Many Gyms in my area, have Pokemon with ZERO motivations. Worse, they are stranded there for days (I can personally attest to this, because mine are among them!). That means many players no longer visit the Gyms. To put it simply, this game is just not... FUN anymore for everyone. Only for the 'privileged'.

Niantic can actually fix this, by start releasing Generation III as soon as possible. Adding a horde of new Pokemon, even if not all of them (honestly, releasing 10 new species per month would be a fun options), will give these 'unfortunate players' a renewed 'purpose' to go out and play the game. Otherwise, it's really a dry boring-ish land. IMHO, Niantic could and should've tried another method with the Legendary Dogs by... I don't know... letting them in the wild, like what happened in the core "Pokemon Gold, Silver & Crystal" games. Then again, it's probably too much to ask for. I mean, Niantic doesn't even allow something as simple as having these Legendaries added as silhouettes to the Pokedex after encountering them. And that's the only thing I've been hoping for... *sigh*. For now, unless Niantic shakes things up big time, my days with the App is numbered. And I'm going to be just another entry to the long list of players who have already walked out due to disappointments...

One more thing for "Pokemon". A quick detour to the TV side! Kanto Gym Leaders and Satoshi's former travel companions Kasumi and Takeshi (or Misty and Brock in the US version)... are coming to Alola this month!!! Many fans are obviously pleased to hear this! After they have been unceremoniously snubbed in the 20th Anniversary movie "Eiga Pocket Monster, Kimi ni Kimeta!", they are set to show up in the series instead. Takeshi in particular, is the character I've been waiting for. After all, his VA Yuuji Ueda is still a crucial part in the series as the voice of Sonansu/Wobbuffet, so he could actually show up a lot more! This pair will be making their Alolan guest appearances on the September 14th and 21st episodes. Which got me thinking: How awesome will it be if Satoshi's other travel friends show up at the same time too, right?

Street Fighter

"Street Fighter V" has welcomed its 5th DLC character for Season 2. As speculated and rumored before, it's indeed Menat, the Eyes of the Future. She is also confirmed to be the apprentice of Rose, by the way. This makes her the first completely NEW character to the franchise, because Kolin, Ed, and Abigail have all showed up before in other games. Judging from her quick and... arguably pointless appearance in Ed's Story Mode, Menat has a fantastic Egyptian-themed design. The mummy queen alternate costume however? Yeeesh. You can check out her reveal trailer online, or you can just get her right away because she's already available since early this week.

Menat's arrival after Abigail, pretty much confirms the identity of the 6th and final DLC character: Guy's teacher, Zeku. His name was already leaked before by Event Hubs' Flowtron, and his report has been proven to be on point until now. So I guess all we need to wait is CAPCOM's official announcement, right? Seeing the release pattern (Ed on May 30th, Abigail on July 25th, Menat on August 29th), we can probably expect this last Season 2 character to arrive later this month, if not late October. So tell me, are you excited about Zeku?

[thebrokensaltzman]

Collide | Legacies / Riverdale Crossover - Chapter 10

Betty

"So the tour went well?", Kevin asked as he drank from his juice packet. "Yes, I guess so", I shrugged my shoulders slightly as I bit off the apple in my hand: "At least I haven't heard of either complaint." "The two of them?", Veronica's voice now sounded, her elbows resting on the tabletop, looking at me with curious eyes. "Yes, they're twins", I began to tell my friends: "Josie and Lizzie." "I thought it was four new ones and not just two", Kevin now spoke up again, who put down his juice and also stared at me with curious eyes. Now I had probably awakened the gossip in my best friend.

"They are, but I only showed two of them around. The other two were taken care of by someone else", I then explained, hoping to be able to appease my friends a little: "The others are called, I think, Hope and Ava. At least I seem to remember one of them saying something like that." "And they're all siblings?", it came again from Kevin, who now seemed to be interested in the subject.

"No, I don't think so", I shook my head while taking another bite of the fruit in my hand: "But some other family constellation must be connecting them. At least I think so." "Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to look for more information", suggested Veronica, who had followed Kevin's conspicuous look to a point behind me.

Instinctively, I too followed their gaze and saw behind me the two girls we had just been talking about and another one who didn't tell me anything. "Maybe you're right, V", I agreed with my friend, while we watched them looking for a table to sit down at: "Would you have a problem if I asked them to join us? After all, they're new here and they have no idea who to sit with."

"Sure, go ahead", the two sitting opposite me agreed with me, and a little smile appeared on my lips before I turned completely around to them and waited until Josie turned her head in my direction. Then I stretched out my hand slightly and waved to her tentatively before making a gesture that would invite the girls to join us at the table.

From a distance, I thought I could see a slight smile on the brunette's face as well before she turned to the two girls around her and nodded in our direction. Then after a few seconds, they started to move and walked towards us.

I turned around to the others again and continued eating my apple, while my friends couldn't help but keep staring at the new ones. "Please don't stare like that", I asked them with a blaming look, which could make Veronica turn back to her food. Kevin, on the other hand, continued to be driven by his curiosity and watched the girls. But when he lowered his gaze, it was enough to tell me that the girls were actually on their way to our table.

"Hey, Betty", came to my right Josie's voice, and I turned my head in her direction: "Can we join you guys?" "Sure", I nodded as I nervously ran my blonde hair for some reason.

"Great", replied Lizzie, and let herself sink onto the bench next to me before the other two girls did, too. "Thanks", Josie added to that and gave me another little smile before she turned to her meal.

"Aren't you the girl from Pop's?", my amazement came from Veronica, who had turned her gaze to the only one of the girls I had never seen before. Thereupon the strange girl raised her head and looked over to my friend: "You're not wrong at all. But my name is Hope, and yours?" "Veronica", the black-haired girl also introduced herself and grinned slightly: "I didn't think we would meet again so soon. But you said that would happen."

In the faces of everyone else at the table were written questions, but before any of them could be asked, a girl appeared at our table, which didn't exactly bring joy to three of us.

"Hey, ladies", Cheryl Blossom spoke to, supported on her hips, arms, while briefly glancing at everyone at the table with a look that could be condescending, but I knew her well enough by now to know she always looked like that. She took a moment longer for the newcomers. But then she turned her gaze away from them again and instead looked back and forth between Veronica, Kevin and me: "So? What are you blaspheming about right now, and especially about whom? Archie's front-line transformation from the cocoon of puberty or our new ones?" Once again, she glanced conspicuously over at Josie, Lizzie, and Hope, the latter already raising an eyebrow while Josie looked down at the floor.

"Extracurricular Activities", Veronica jumped in since it was clear to all of us who had been in school here for a long time that Cheryl was never really to be let know what they had just talked about: "We were thinking about whether there might be something for one of us this year."

"Cheerleading", Cheryl made a welcoming gesture and gave Veronica the most convincing look she could muster: "This is a must. I'm the captain of the River Vixens." With these words, she threw her long, red hair theatrically over her shoulder. "Is cheerleading still in?", Kevin then spoke with a doubtful expression. "Is being someone's best gay friend still in?", it then came back a bit snappishly from the redhead whose attention Kevin had now drawn to himself.

Kevin stopped chewing for a moment and looked at me, whereupon I also looked at him briefly and then looked back at my tray. Everyone at the table - except Cheryl herself - was noticeably uncomfortable with the conversation, but either she didn't seem to notice, or she just skillfully ignored it.

"Some say it's retro", she commented, before turning back to Veronica: "I say it's timeless and cult." "At Spence High, I was always at the top of the pyramid", Veronica told her: "I'm in."

"Betty, will you try out?", the dark-haired girl said to me, and I looked up and looked at her in surprise. I hadn't expected that. Especially after my previous experience with cheerleading. But since I hadn't told Veronica about it before, she could hardly know about it.

"Sure", Cheryl said immediately before I had a chance to respond, and I felt a little smile on my lips. After all, this very girl had always been what stood between me and this sport. "Anyone can apply", she continued, which immediately made up for what she had just said: "But Betty still has so much on her plate that she has to digest, and being a Vixen means that you have to show total commitment."

I instinctively lowered my eyes to the tablet in front of me and swallowed hard. There goes that good feeling again. How did Cheryl manage to make me think for a moment that someone like her and someone like me could understand? I guess Mom was right about that.

"And what about you?", now Cheryl leaned in a little further, while she examined the three new girls. "You'd be a good addition to the team", she said to Hope, who just frowned. "I don't think that's anything - ", Hope said, but before she could continue, Cheryl interrupted her again: "No discussion, my dear. You have to apply."

But neither Hope nor I could disagree further, as two other girls had approached our table. "Hey, guys", was the voice of the blond girl who gave Hope and the twins a light smile: "At last, I have found you. This is Toni, by the way. She helped me find you."

Josie opened her mouth, probably to greet them, but before the words could leave her mouth, Cheryl turned up her nose and took a few steps away from them. "You don't want to sit at a table with this Northsider girl, do you?", the redhead looked at the strange girl with a disparaging look: "In general, I don't understand why you go to school here at all. This is the good side of Riverdale, where there's no room for gangs and drugs."

"Well, I'm glad", replied the girl, whose name was Toni: "You don't have to worry about anyone trying to sell me drugs." "That's all right, Toni", Ava turned to her and grabbed the other girl's arm: "If that's the case, I don't want to sit here anymore. Let's find another table."

A contented grin appeared on Cheryl's face, while the rest of us looked partly shocked back and forth between Toni, Ava, and Cheryl. "Ava", Josie now spoke with a pleading tone, but the blonde only shook her head, and you could see how she was already looking for another table. "Let it go, Jo", she shook her head and then looked at Toni: "If you want, we can sit over there. The table is empty." "If you don't mind", Toni shrugged and then nodded. "Don't worry, I don't mind", she replied before turning to Josie again: "I guess I'll see you either in class or at home at the latest."

Until the two girls were gone, there was complete silence at the table for a moment, before Kevin broke it and looked at Cheryl with her head slightly tilted: "I guess it would be better if you left now, Cheryl. You've had your bitch hanging out enough for lunch."

Back to chapter index

[hempcrateco-blog]

4 Mind Blowing Health Benefits of Hemp Seeds

Hemp seeds are obtained from the industrial hemp plant, a particular species of Cannabis Sativa L., which is celebrated for its long-lasting fibers in industrial goods. Hemp seeds, often referred to as hemp nuts, have so many fantastic uses that they are often considered a plant-based superfood. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of this nature’s marvel.

1) Hemp Seeds are packed with protein

Hemp seeds contain all of the essential amino acids, which makes it a complete source of protein just like beef, chicken or fish. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends including more non-meat sources of protein, and hemp seeds make for an incredibly attractive plant-based option.

One serving of hemp seeds (3 tablespoons), provides:

Calories: 180, Calories from Fat 126

Total Fat 14.0g 22%

Saturated Fat 1.5g 8%

Polyunsaturated Fat 10.0g

Monounsaturated Fat 1.5g

Potassium 300mg 9%

Total Carbohydrates 2.0g 1%

Dietary Fiber 2.0g 8%

Protein 10.0g

Calcium: 2%

Iron: 20%

That same one serving of hemp seeds provide 7.5 grams of Omega-6 fatty acids and 3 grams of Omega-3 as well as 0.6 grams of Super Omega-6 Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA) and 0.3 g Super Omega-3 Stearidonic Acid (SDA). The one deficiency that hemp seeds contains is the lack of Leucine, the amino acid that is responsible for triggering muscle growth. Check out this mind-blowing side-by-side comparison by

Hemp 101:

Bottom Line: Hemp seeds are packed with all types of nutrients. They are a plant-based superfood which can help provide needed daily essentials. They are an excellent source of protein and iron and are low in saturated fats!

2) Hemp Seeds & Oil show improvements in skin conditions

Hemp oil derived from the seed has show some positive improvements in the conditions of those affected with skin conditions. One such study¹, out of the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Kuopio, in Finland,  focused on atopic dermatitis (eczema) and showed promising results. Here is the technical summary of the study quoted exactly as presented:

Hempseed oil is a rich and balanced source of omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Anecdotal evidence indicated that dietary hempseed oil might be useful in treating symptoms of atopic dermatitis.

Dietary hempseed oil and olive oil were compared in a 20-week randomized, single-blind crossover study with atopic patients. Fatty acid profiles were measured in plasma triglyceride, cholesteryl and phospholipid fractions. A patient questionnaire provided additional information on skin dryness, itchiness and usage of dermal medications. Skin transepidermal water loss (TEWL) was also measured.

Levels of both essential fatty acids (EFAs), linoleic acid (18:2n6) and alpha-linolenic acid (18:3n3), and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA; 18:3n6) increased in all lipid fractions after hempseed oil, with no significant increases of arachidonic acid (20:4n6) in any lipid fractions after either oil. Intra-group TEWL values decreased (p=0.074), qualities of both skin dryness and itchiness improved (p=0.027) and dermal medication usage decreased (p=0.024) after hempseed oil intervention.

Dietary hempseed oil caused significant changes in plasma fatty acid profiles and improved clinical symptoms of atopic dermatitis. It is suggested that these improvements resulted from the balanced and abundant supply of PUFAs in this hempseed oil.

Bottom Line: The early results from these tests are incredibly positive. Eczema affects nearly 32 million Americans so hopefully more and more studies will continue to look at the positive effects of this study out of Finland.

3) Hemp seeds are built to aid in digestion

There are two different types of fiber; soluble and insoluble. The first, soluble, is defined as substance that can be dissolved in water. This type of fiber is known to interfere with the body’s ability to absorb dietary cholesterol which lowers your levels of the bad LDL cholesterol in your blood.

The second, insoluble fiber, does not absorb water and therefore passes through the intestinal system mostly intact as a laxative effect and can help to prevent constipation. Insoluble fiber adds mass to your stool and may help food and waste pass through your gut easier.

Hemp seeds are a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. The former providing 20%, and the latter providing 80%, which is why the greatest benefit is on the digestive side. You can see from the below graphic hemp seeds are also more digestible than flax seeds, soy beans, and kale.

The average American significantly falls short of the recommended amount of fiber, consuming on average only 12 – 17 grams per day. It is suggested that an adult has 25-40 grams per day of fiber.

Sources of fiber:

Beans (of course, right?)

Whole Grains

Nuts

Fruit, especially berries

Oatmeal

Popcorn

Baked Potato Skin

Vegetables with dark skin

Bottom Line: Hemp seeds are a fantastic source of fiber, primarily insoluble fiber. They are easy to obtain and consume. They can greatly help make up for the deficiency that most Amercians have in daily fiber intake.

4) Hemp seeds have natural ingredients that can aid in lowered blood pressure

Hemp seeds have a very high content of  the amino acid, arginine (L-arginine). This amino acid produces nitric oxide. (Note: very different than nitrous oxide)

Hundreds of studies have found nitric oxide be beneficial in so many areas of the body. Improvements have been seen in  reducing inflammation, improving quality of sleep, increased endurance, and boosting of the immune system.

One of the biggest benefits of nitric oxide is it’s effect on blood pressure. The molecules assist in dilating and relaxing blood vessels which allows more oxygen and better blood flow. This, in turn, leads to lower blood pressure which can help to decrease future heart conditions and complications.

As we age, our cells produce less nitric oxide, so blood vessels become more narrow and rigid. This can cause high blood pressure (hypertension), inflammation in blood vessels, and plaque buildup (atherosclerosis).  This is all compounded by the fact that all three of things (hypertension, inflammation and atherosclerosis) if untreated actually hinder the production and acceleration of nitric oxide.

Bottom Line: Hemp seeds are chock-full of the amino acid, arginine. This produces nitric oxide which has many amazing benefits. As we get older we produce less nitric oxide. A supplement like hemp seeds can help make up for deficiency.

Final Conclusion

The hemp plant itself is amazing. However, hemp seeds are the true hero. The hemp seed is one of nature’s miracles. It has some mind-blowing health benefits that are backed by studies, scientists, and health professionals. The exciting thing is we are just on the cusp of the full understanding of the benefits of hemp seeds. A revolution is upon us. Please consider following along for more information.

Also, please check out what Hemp Crate is trying to do in creating a new experience.

– The Hemp Crate Team

[perfectlyfuturisticbouquetm-blog]

Reported Hype on CarStereoShopnearMe Discovered

The Downside Risk of Car Stereo Shop near Me Sony Xplod car audio includes revolutionary characteristics that are certain to amaze your curiosity. Some reputed businesses provide top quality stereos like Sony car stereos, Blaupunkt stereos, Pioneer stereos and so forth. If you are likewise a particular person that are prepared to try fashionable this, you won't miss this Android car stereo then. You might still discover that the stereo imaging at the front of the vehicle is confused. It is an excellent approach to create that custom sound you want from the auto stereo. It isn't always necessary but is growing in popularity in car stereo systems. Kicker is the very best subwoofer brand due to the protracted warranty they offer! JVC is among the best-known brands and among the biggest brands in the aftermarket car stereo industry. JVC car stereo has ever been for the auto enthusiast like me. 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It's certainly cheaper than buying brand-new wheels and with the aftermarket you'll be able to find a high-tech Android head unit at a reasonable price and bid farewell to the old factory car stereo. These brands aren't the only ones in the marketplace, but they're a few of the most popular. wikipedia reference was also really simple to install. Only few do because this is very boring and hard to comprehend. Car stereo claims are extremely tricky to dispute. Vehicle audio is equipment installed in an auto or other vehicle to supply in-car entertainment and data for the vehicle occupants. By way of example, an aftermarket Air Filter can harm you car engine if it's not compatible with your auto model causing low engine-efficiency or maybe total engine damage. It is also very simple to use because it is intended for everyone to navigate and enjoy with no worries in any way. 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In conclusion, you may select any one of these options depending upon your need and suitability but please remember that in the instance of repairs and part replacements, you ought to take a step only after weighing the advantages and disadvantages of each available alternative. To really appreciate all the functions of your system you want to genuinely read and digest the manual since there are a number of functions to comprehend. As a result, before purchasing this automobile stereo system, it'll be advisable to understand its functions and features. By forecasting the potential alterations and challenges on the market, the operations function can help the auto stereo supplier to be innovative and flexible to manage any upcoming market change. While button systems continue to be being used, touchscreens are getting more and more popular with car radio systems, as touchscreens are intuitive and user friendly. It's safe to say if you've got the power amplifier and the pre-amplifier in individual regions of your automobile audio system you will not need to make because many compromises on sound quality. These systems are extremely great at deterring thieves. The vehicle audio methods use two kinds of crossover. A JBL subwoofer is a favorite upgrade among audiophiles who would like to enhance the sound output of any current in-car audio system. Flat subwoofers are ideal for people looking to retain a few of their trunk space whilst adding a bunch of bass to their stereo system. The speakers can easily deal with various frequencies, although the front speakers have a tendency to lack in the bass department. The Do's and Don'ts of Car Stereo Shop near Me Once connected the quick search function can be utilized to browse you iPod to get the music you wish to obey. In case you're planning to upgrade your vehicle's entertainment system, you can find a lot of options in the web. When looking for speakers, be certain to listen to a variety.

[spynotebook]

Image: Nicholas Nova/Gizmodo

Everybody poops. I don’t care how rarely you hydrate. You poop. It is a fundamental aspect of human biology. And since the aliens we’ve seen in the Arrowverse seem to consume matter, we can assume they poop too. In fact, the only people on Earth who do not appear to poop are the CW set designers responsible for the extrajudicial prisons on Arrow, Supergirl, and The Flash.

Besides denying individuals the basic rights provided for any other sentient resident of the United States—stuff like a fair trial—these prisons appear to deny these poor people a place to poop.

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This lack of facilities has been an issue that’s plagued me since Ollie first tossed his old pal Slade Wilson into an island prison. (It also introduced other questions—like who is the unlucky sap that has to feed, clothe, and care for Lian Yu’s incarcerated assassin?) So naturally, I’ve done what any good reporter would do. I have investigated.

Let’s start with Arrow. This may surprise you, as the lead of Arrow is a charming serial killer and his wife once murdered an entire town with a nuclear bomb, but the heroes of Arrow generally maintain excellent incarceration practices—namely by turning their charges over to the actual police.

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But there have been a couple of occasions where the Arrow and friends decided they knew how to imprison a villain better than the law. Back in the season two finale, “Unthinkable,” Ollie dropped his former friend Slade Wilson into a basement on an island. Now take note:

All Images: Warner Bros. - NO TOILET? We have lightened the image to better showcase his prison.

That’s Slade behind bars and there is clearly NO toilet in sight.

“But, wait,” you say, “this is a large prison cell and we’re not seeing all of it! There could still be a toilet behind one of those corners!”

So let’s look at our best shot of it:

Still no toilet in sight!

But there’s something else to notice. This isn’t an L-shaped cell as I originally assumed. It’s U shaped. Slade wakes up on a bed and then circles around to this final point.

Here’s a helpful blueprint I drew.

As you can see, there’s a stool there, but there will be a lot more stools on that floor soon, should he remain without access to a toilet. After realizing that this was a U-shaped prison cell, I went back to the beginning of the scene, where we catch a glimpse of the other side of the cell from behind Ollie.

It might be kind of difficult to see, what with Ollie on a stool and two sets of bars in the way.

That’s a TOILET. It’s easy to miss as we only see this shot once, briefly, but Oliver Queen actually left Slade with a pot to piss in.

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Which is more than can be said for the doppelganger of Ollie’s ex! In season five, Team Arrow imprisons Black Siren, an evil version of Laurel Lance from Earth 2.

It’s bleak as prisons go—particularly as we get a chance to see the entire thing once she busts out in the exact same episode she was imprisoned in, and realize that in addition to no toilet, she’s also denied a bed or even a chair.

Image: Warner Bros.

Now that we’ve established that Oliver and company like to deprive people of toilets, let’s examine the prisons of Supergirl. Its first season was also fond of the stand-alone cell in the middle of the base that has zero recourse for prisoners seeking toilets or anything approaching a bed.

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In the Supergirl episode “Strange Visitor From Another Planet” we get a very clear image of the prison used by Supergirl’s friends (and sister) at the DEO.

As prisons go this is a confusingly-lit one, so it’s actually difficult to tell what is happening in that cell besides a White Martian raging. We could assume that while the DEO has denied the Martian access to water and a bed, it has at least provided benches. Perhaps these benches have lids. Perhaps those lids can lift up to reveal a toilet. It is possible! The shot is quick and we can’t gather many details. We also don’t have many details on White Martian digestive systems, though a more recent episode of Supergirl did reveal Green Martians can hold it for a long time so maybe this isn’t cruel and unusual punishment.

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We get a clearer look at the cell a few episodes later. Here, we learn that what appears to be benches are actually the result of the weird lighting incorporated into the prison cell. That’s because the DEO helpfully provides Maxwell Lord, a human, with an actual bench.

But let’s take a closer look at that bench.

There is no hole for evacuating one’s bowels. Nor does there appear to be any kind of lid to reveal a toilet underneath.

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We see this prison cell type repeatedly in season one, and never, ever, do we see a toilet. But someone must have noticed, because in season two (and now in season three) the DEO relocates to the center of National City—and in the process, remembers to install commodes in the new prison cells.

It’s unclear if this was a decision facilitated by the move from CBS to CW, or if a member of the team simply felt it necessary to finally supply aliens with places to relieve themselves.

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What is clear is that while Supergirl has improved things on the toilet front, and Arrow has regressed, The Flash has stayed constant, explicitly denying the metahumans it imprisons any sort of lavatory. This is especially bizarre when you remember that in a season two episode, Barry offhandedly mentions moving Captain Cold to the “metahuman wing” of Iron Heights. Iron Heights is a traditional prison in the Arrowverse, so you’d presume the prisoners would have toilets, but in “New Rogues” we actually get a good shot of not one, but two metahuman cells at Iron Heights, and guess what is clearly missing.

Toilets. Toilets are missing.

Things are just as bad for villains who avoid the prison industrial complex and instead stay at the facility located at Flash HQ known as “the Pipeline.” All metahumans were held there in season one, but since then those indefinitely confined there are prisoners “too dangerous” to be kept among the typical metahuman prison population—usually because they know the Flash’s secret identity.

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The show has repeatedly given us glimpses inside the tiny containers prisoners are held in. But during the recent four-part CW superhero crossover, The Flash actually showed us a number of the cells lined up, revealing a decidedly facility-free form of incarceration.

Note that you can see nearly the entirety of each of those cells. Note that there is no space for a toilet.

Still not sure? Here is another angle, also taken from the crossover.

Zero toilets.

Which raises an important and as yet unanswered question. Where do the villains Team Flash have locked up actually evacuate themselves? Where do they eat, for that matter? Where do they stretch their legs? How can Supergirl spend an entire episode on how wrong it is to hold people extrajudicially, but The Flash imprisons whole swaths of the population without blinking an eye?

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Have a tip? Know more about where The Flash and Arrow put the toilets for the people they hold without due process or trial? Please let me know at alex.cranz@gizmodo.com.