#Franklin Shuttle

[wanderingnewyork]

From 2018: Looking down the tracks of the #Franklin_Shuttle from the Park Place Station, #Brooklyn.

#New_York_City_Subways

#mtanyctransit

[nkjemisin]

[journeytojaburo]

Watched the zeta movies and the pacing was as much of a hot mess as I was expecting, but I had a good time still. I didn't know it was a collage-ish thing of the original TV show and new animation until watching it, so that was really fascinating. I think my favorite way the old and new animation was melded together was the equivalent of the Emma interrogation scene having the Colony 30 information being provided by using the original TV show footage of the episode where Kamille explores it as an in-universe video thing. Some of the new animation was implemented really oddly (random 1 second exterior shots or starting it in the middle of a character's action), but overall I liked seeing scenes reanimated and the new ones too. Some new animation bits I really liked 👇

The retro-future technology getting modernized as a side effect of having new animation segments was cool, but also Bright with a mid-2000s laptop and earbuds is really funny...

By cutting out a bunch of the plot, these movies solved some of my issues I had with the TV show (particularly the random not always well done misogyny commentary), but it also made characters like Katz or Reccoa or even Kamille's plotlines kinda incomprehensible.

I'm so glad that they added a few more moments with the various ex-White Base crew members because I wanted to see more of that. Sayla didn't really get any more screentime than the TV show, but at least she got a scene in the new epilogue part.

The translation was a little bit better for this, but with the new lines that were obviously added in over the original TV show footage I feel like I should check exactly what's a new line vs. a re-translation of an old line.

Even if a lot of the movie still had that dreary tragic Zeta tone, the new ending where Kamille gets out the Scirocco attack a little less unscathed was sweet. It definitely fits the slightly lighter tone.

Overall, I think this is a good companion to the Zeta TV show as opposed to a recap (which makes sense from the title of the trilogy).

[clove-pinks]

Franklinheads, what is your top pet peeve when it comes to perceptions of the [historical] Franklin Expedition?

Mine is 100% the "most advanced technology of their day" concept of HMS Erebus and Terror. I think the origins of this are in the 1980s, when Owen Beattie's ice mummy exhumations propelled the Franklin Expedition into the spotlight. JUST LIKE THE SPACE SHUTTLE CHALLENGER!—this was the pat comparison of the day. You could definitely draw some parallels if you tried hard enough, but no, I don't think the Space Shuttle Challenger is a very good analogy.

There was pretty much nothing unique or particularly new about the technology in Franklin's ships—not the tinned food, not the desalinator, not the heating system, and definitely not the puny steam engines—and Franklin's men knew this! They were aware that Erebus and Terror were beat-up old warships, one of the ships fought in the War of 1812 before most crew members were born! Fitzjames called them "old tubs," and Le Vesconte jokingly compared them to 17th and 18th century fictional vessels (Red Rover and Water-Witch).

Steam frigates with hundreds of horsepower were built even in the 1830s! But they couldn't carry fuel lasting for years; whereas Franklin's men had ~13 days of coal for their 20-horsepower engines, which at most might get them out of a harbour in unfavourable winds. As a child I read books that made such a big deal about the steam engines, I really thought they would be under steam all the time, crashing through the ice with their Advanced Technology just like the space shuttle.

If anything, the Franklin Expedition is part of a tradition of the British using obsolete ships and technology for polar exploration. Compare Terra Nova with the latest technology of the 1910s: she looks like the relic of an earlier age that she was.

[uss-edsall]

I’d seen some severely injured troops. . . but none were as horrifyingly mutilated as the soldier who was wheeled down the ward’s center aisle one afternoon. Our collective curiosity was only natural, so those of us who could get out of bed did so and took a very slow stroll past the guy’s bed. All evening long he had a stream of curious and concerned onlookers flowing in his direction. It was a shockingly grim sight. . . It was enough to turn a strong man weak. And make no mistake about it—he was in pain. Real, deep, genuine pain. He constantly moaned. There was no stopping him. All the drugs the hospital had to offer were ineffective against his unrelenting misery, and his moans were an ever-present reminder of his torment. There was no escaping them. My first reactions upon seeing him were, How did he manage to live, and Why did somebody save him? The latter may sound cruel, but what life was there for him if he pulled through? In this case, I believe it would have been better for all concerned if he’d died on the battlefield. He lived for about ten days. During that time all the bullshitting on the ward ceased, and he became the main topic of conversation. His presence had a sobering effect on us. It became an unwritten rule—as long as he was alive we would show respect. He’d earned at least that from us. . . Our pains seemed small in comparison. At first we thought he’d make it, but as the days passed all the signs pointed to his death. The doctors, who normally checked his progress twice a day, began making trips to his bedside every hour. We knew his condition was deteriorating when we saw a priest visit him twice in two days. We saw the end coming. Four days before he expired. . . a woman entered the ward. She had on a hat and a long wool coat—a mom’s coat. She looked like anybody’s mom in that coat. . . She hesitated for a moment, then walked down the main aisle and turned in beside that guy’s bed. When she saw him she knew right away that it was her son. Her hands flew up to her mouth, and I could see her trembling all the way from my bed. . . The woman was in fact his mother, and his parents had scraped together just enough cash to send only her. The nurses and doctors were very pleasant and accommodating. They brought her a big chair and allowed her to sleep right there next to his bed. The nurses brought her food and drink throughout the days, and she rarely left his side. She talked to him in spurts, softly whispering in his ears at times. He lay there motionless the entire time, except on one occasion. I happened to look in their direction as she was hunched over close talking to him. I couldn’t hear what she was saying, but suddenly he turned his head toward her voice. He didn’t utter a word; at least I didn’t hear him speak, if he did say anything. Somewhere in the recesses of his shattered mind he must have realized that it was his mom speaking to him. His mother jumped slightly at the unexpected movement, a look of surprise and hope spreading across her face. But that was it. He didn’t move again. Something woke me up around two o’clock the morning that he died. It was completely dark on the ward, with the exception of the light at the nurses’ station and the light next to his bed. . . just about every patient was awake and staring intently as the drama unfolded. Unfortunately, we all knew that there would be no happy ending. A priest scurried in. . . to administer the last rites. Doctors and nurses shuttled in and out of the light, doing their best to save him or make his passing as painless as possible. They worked at a measured pace, but the air of death rushed in, and soon it was over. The moment of his death was almost visible, like the air around his bed suddenly chanted into something tangible, something touchable. I never even knew his name.

Reflections of a Warrior: Six Years as a Green Beret in Vietnam, by Medal of Honor recipient Franklin D. Miller and Elwood J. C. Kureth

[lonestarflight]

"The Space Shuttle Endeavour lifts off, creating billows of smoke and steam on its way into space for mission STS-111 to the International Space Station (ISS). Liftoff occurred at 5:22:49 p.m. (EDT), June 5, 2002. The image was photographed from a Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA), which flies near the launch area for weather monitoring and other support to the mission's liftoff phase. The STS-111 crew includes astronauts Kenneth D. Cockrell, commander; Paul S. Lockhart, pilot, and Franklin R. Chang-Diaz and Philippe Perrin, mission specialists. Also onboard were the Expedition Five crewmembers including cosmonaut Valery G. Korzun, commander, along with astronaut Peggy A. Whitson and cosmonaut Sergei Y. Treschev, flight engineers. Perrin represents CNES, the French space agency, and Korzun and Treschev are with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency (Rosaviakosmos). This mission marked the 14th Shuttle flight to the International Space Station."

Date: June 5, 2002

NASA ID: STS111-S-035

[spacefrontier]

Launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis during STS-46. July 31, 1992.

The primary mission of STS-46 was the deployment of the European Space Agency's European Retrievable Carrier (EURECA), and the joint NASA/Italian Space Agency (ASI) Tethered Satellite System (TSS-1).

EURECA was a satellite that contained 15 different experiments submitted by various European nations, investigating microgravity studies, solar observations, and material technology. EURECA was later retrieved by the Space Shuttle Endeavour during STS-57, nearly a year later.

EURECA after deployment. Moon in background.

TSS-1 consisted of a satellite, a conducting tether, and a tether deployment/retrieval system that was attached to Atlantis. The objectives of TSS-1 were to determine and understand the electro-magnetic interaction between the tether, satellite, and Shuttle and space plasma, and develop capabilities for future tether applications on the Shuttle and International Space Station.

TSS-1 during deployment.

Official STS-46 crew portrait. Back row, from left: Mission Specialist Marsha Ivins, Mission Specialist Claude Nicollier (ESA), Payload Commander Jeffrey Hoffman, Mission Specialist Franklin Chang-Diaz, Payload Specialist Franco Malerba (ASI). Front row: Pilot Andrew Allen, Mission Commander Loren Shriver.

STS-46 spent eight days in orbit before returning to the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility on August 8, 1992.

Atlantis touches down at the Shuttle Landing Facility. The Kennedy Space Center Vehicle Assembly building can be seen in the background.

NASA 1, 3, 4, 5 Internet Archive 2 Goddard Space Flight Center NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive

[memesandmusicalss]

favorite subway train GO!

UUAHH UM i hate them all <3 fhsjjfg no just kidding uhh dont know if this counts but im a big fan of the franklin av shuttle idk why 👍👍👍 its juust. very. view yes and just generally any train that isnt in a tunnel the whole time ! 👍👍 whhat is yuour favorite 🫵🫵🫵 ?

[victusinveritas]

The crossover nobody asked for, but we got it anyway.

h/t Robert Consing.

In case you can't read the panels...

Here's a transcript below the cut.

intro (panel "0"):

The hibernation pods open.

panel 1: Dallas (Linus) meets Ash (Schroeder) and Kane (Charlie Brown) at the mess-room table.

Dallas: "Mother found a signal. We should check out."

Kane: "S.O.S.?"

panel 2:

Ripley (Lucy): "That signal looks like a warning."

Parker (Franklin): "I just wanna go home and party!"

panel 3: Kane is in the hatchery, examining an egg.

Kane: "It seems to have life..."

panel 4: The facehugger jumps out, onto Kane's faceplate.

Kane (screaming): "AAUGH!"

panel 5: Ripley, Ash, Dallas, and Parker are in Sickbay, examining Kane.

Ash: "Molecular acid. It must be using it for blood."

Parker: "Wonderful defense mechanism."

panel 6:

Ripley: "Ash, why did you break quarantine?"

Ash: "What would you have done?"

Dallas: "Good grief."

panel 7: Kane sits up, minus one facehugger.

Kane: "I sure am hungry."

all the others: "YAAAY!!!"

panel 8: Parker and Kane are eating in the mess room.

Kane (screaming): "ACK!"

Parker: "The food ain't *that* bad!"

panel 9: The newborn xenomorph, fashioned after Snoopy (with the ears and nose) does the Snoopy happy-dance while erupting from Kane.

Lambert (Sally) (screaming): "EEEW!"

panel 10:

Parker: "We need to find it and kill it!"

Brett (Pigpen) "Right."

panel 11:

Ripley: "Whenever he says anything, you say 'right'."

Brett: "Right."

panel 12: The xenomorph grabs and kills Brett. [sound effect: CLOMP!]

panel 13: The xenomorph grabs and kills Dallas. [sound effect: CLOMP!]

panel 14: Ash is threatening to beat Ripley with something resembling a rolled-up paper. Parker is about to whack Ash with a length of pipe.

Ripley: "Ash! What are you doing?!"

panel 15:

Parker (beheading Ash): "Ash is a goddamn robot!"

panel 16: Ripley and Parker have set up Ash's dripping head on a table.

Ripley: "Ash! Can you hear me? What is Special Order 937?"

panel 17:

Ash: "Bring back life form ... all other priorities rescinded. I won't lie to you of your chances. You have my sympathies."

panel 18: Ripley is holding a gun, standing by Parker and Lambert.

Ripley: "We can take the shuttle and blow up the ship."

panel 19: The xenomorph grabs and kills Parker and Lambert.

panel 20: Ripley is running for the shuttle, carrying a birdhouse.

Mother: "T-MINUS FIVE MINUTES..."

panel 21: Ripley is on board the shuttle; the Nostromo explodes in the background.

Ripley: "Whew! ...Huh?" as she sees the silhouette of the xenomorph.

panel 22: Ripley hits the emergency hatch-open button; the xenomorph is blown into space.

Ripley (singing): "Lucky star..."

panel 23: Ripley is preparing for hibernation, cuddling Jones (Woodstock).

Ripley: "This is Ripley, the last survivor of the Nostromo, signing off."

[alphaman99]

As more & more counties get more solar farms.....

From a STEPHENVILLE resident, George Franklin:

I should start by telling you what bonafides I have for writing this. I am a retired aerospace engineer. A literal rocket scientist if you will. I worked on MX (Peacekeeper) Space Shuttle, Hubble, Brilliant Pebbles, PACOSS, Space Station, MMU, B2, the Sultan of Brunei's half billion dollar private 747 with crystal showers, gold sinks and 100 dollar a yard coiffed silk carpets. I designed a satphone installation on prince Jeffry's 757. I did all of the design work for the structure of Mark 1V propulsion module currently flying on at least 3 spacecraft that I know of. Some of the more exciting projects I have worked on are not shareable. My personal projects include a spin fishing reel with a 4.5 inch spool which is entirely my own designed, machined and assembled. It has 2 features that are patentable. A unique true flat level wind and a unique line pickup mechanism. I am also am FAA certified glider pilot and FAI certified gold glider pilot. I fly both full scale and model sailplanes. I am Microsoft certified and ComTIA A+ certified.

Solar panels are at best about 20% efficient. They convert 0% of the UV light that hits them. None of the visible spectrum and only some of the IR spectrum. At the same time as they are absorbing light they are absorbing heat from the sun. This absorbed heat is radiated into the adjacent atmosphere. It should be obvious what happens next. When air is warmed it rises. Even small differences in ordinary land surfaces are capable of creating powerful forces of weather like thunderstorms and tornadoes. These weather phenomena are initiated and reinforced by land features as they are blown downwind. It is all too obvious to me what will happen with the heat generated by an entire solar farm. Solar farms will become thunderstorm and tornado incubators and magnets.

Solar panels are dark and and they emit energy to the space above them when they are not being radiated. This is known as black-body radiation. Satellites flying in space use this phenomenon to cool internal components. If they didn't do this they would fry themselves.

So solar farms not only produce more heat in summer than the original land that they were installed on, but they also produce more cooling in winter, thus exacerbating weather extremes.

So I conclude with this. There is nothing green about green energy except the dirty money flowing into corrupt pockets.

There is not such thing as green energy. The science doesn't exist. The technology doesn't exist. The engineering doesn't exist. We are being pushed to save the planet with solutions that are worse than the problems.

[woodsfae]

Babylon 5 S03E01: Matters of Honor S01 table of contents • S02 table of contents • S03 table of contents

With this opening shot of the railshuttle inside B5, and Sheridan's rescue from going splat by Kosh after he jumped out of the shuttle last season, I have realized. I have just now realized that the railshuttle is inside B5. After all the times they've used it across two seasons and one episode, it took me till now to think about where the shuttle was. idk. Every time it came up I'd be like "Hmm, I wonder what planet this space elevator is over. Can't be Draal Planet. What other planet is nearby?

It makes so much more sense that it's an internal system so people in the five-mile-long space station can get from one end to the other. Except, and I think this is what tripped me up, they seem to have gravity in the shuttle. Unless I'm mistaken, a space station which generates gravity by spinning has reduced gravity as you get closer to the spinning center. Low gravity environments are hard to simulate, though, so I understand why the reduced gravity was not obvious. But it might be why I didn't realize.

Awww, John Sheridan is a good midwestern boy and took the first possible opportunity to thank Kosh for saving his life. But being observed is a strain, so Kosh has been hiding out, resting. Sheridan wants to know why Kosh would risk being exposed, even though no one connected the rescue to Kosh.

Sheridan: "After taking such care to hide what you really are, why take that chance?" Kosh: "It was… … …necessary." Sheridan: "Well, as answers go: short, to the point, utterly useless,, and totally consistent with what I've come to expect from a Vorlon." Kosh: "Good."

LOL.

And the rest of that conversation is hilarious, too.

Space battle! RIP Drasak. Is he a Drazi? B5 does space battles well. I always feel like a sense of scale has been accurately conveyed, and that the battles makes sense while also being exciting to watch.

Wow, awesome new opening! I love that it's Ivanova and that Claudia Christian's skills at voice-overs are being recognized. Also, she totally deserves to be the most recognizable voice of Babylon 5, Ivanova's been holding the station together since episode one, damnit!

The escaping pilot wants life support power redirected to the engines. Either he thinks he'll survive the seven hour journey without the ship getting cold and the air not being recycled, or the information is stored on the ship and it's more important that it get there safely than he survive.

Awww, Ivanova and Sheridan's friendship.

Air Force person David Endawi has top secret info! I'm excited to hear it. Hopefully it's interesting and not some bullshit policy decisions from Earth. And he wants Delenn, too!

Oh, the pilot survived! But he collapsed and is unconscious.

Dr Franklin: "He's not going anywhere." *turns around*

He's gone!

Fuck you, Morden. and also you, Londo.

"My people have a manifest destiny,"

Yep, the Centauri are an extremely unflattering and accurate reflection of USA Imperialism.

"We have danced our last little dance, Mr Morden. And now it is time for you to go away."

The audacity! Like Morden said, the Shadows have helped the Centauri over and over again, and the Centauri haven't been asked to pay back the favor. Their war and imperialism is helping the Shadows, but it's not in the Shadows' best interest for the Centauri to know about it.

Wait a second…are the Shadows representations of capitalist billionaires generating climate change which has the capacity, if left unchecked, to wipe out all sentient life on Earth? Being driven largely by powerful USA oligarchs and an ineffective UN represented by the Minbari and the League of Non-Aligned Worlds?? Fuck me, this whole space opera is an extended metaphor!

One more meeting with Morden, and he says he'll go away for as long as Londo wants. I do believe it. But I also believe that he'd going to set things up to become highly uncomfortable for Londo to encourage him to contact Morden again.

Mr Endawi's people pulled the footage of the Shadow in hyperspace! wtf dude.

They agree that the Shadow ship is powerful, advanced, and hostile. And they want more information on the species if possible. It does seem to be in their best interests to share some knowledge, but Delenn's long moment of pondering makes me wonder why they wouldn't want to gather human allies against the coming war.

Delenn says the ships are indestructible, and once they select a target, they never stop till they've succeeded, and they never fail. She says, looking at the video of the ship, that it is the face of their enemy.

Ma'am, it is not. Last season I saw the silhouette of a wolf-like creature, and also a video of Morden in a cell with spider-like thingies. That presumably have faces. Although, Delenn maybe didn't see recordings of either of those. I can't recall if she was in the room when Sheridan saw the Shadows in the cell with Morden.

Lennier! :)

Delenn recognized a stone pendant that looked awfully like the one our pilot who escapes hostile forces and medbays had on him.

Mr Endawi: I don't drink on duty. Londo: Centauri's are never OFF duty! fixes a drink for himself "That's why drinking on duty is also a duty!"

Londo admits to seeing a shadow ship before. In a dream. He waxes eloquent about his dream, and the lighting and camera choices are artfully selected. Mr Endawi is as skeptical as anyone would be, and he's unimpressed by Londo's mood lighting.

Delenn is in what appears to be a dive bar, and there's a thrilled bartender plying their craft in full alien makeup. No 21st c. Earth dive bar has a bartender that thrilled to be throwing bottles around.

Escaped pilot is called Marcus, and seems clever. And he's a ranger. Thrilling!

The local gang wants protection money. Marcus wants some witty banter.

It's a good thing that the religious caste gets some martial arts training, because those were quite a few thugs!

Marcus has Minbari friends who tell him about Minbari susceptibility to alcohol and give him Minbari weapons.

Hah. Sheridan's all sheepish "I should have filled you in before, but you need to know about the rangers." But Ivanova already knows everything!

"Captain, the day something happens around here and I don't know about it: worry."

Ivanova is god. I'll take it more to heart now than ever before. That's some impressive recon!

Ah, Marcus was aided in his fleeing by a Drazi! I wonder if he was assigned Green or Purple last season.

The Centauri are the ones blockading Zagro 7, and they've invaded large targets on the other side of Drazi space, too. They need help. Sheridan's on it!

Meanwhile, Londo has finished with his meeting with Mr Endawi and is failing to match with with Morden. Morden says, take this half of the galaxy, do anything you want over there, but this other side is the Shadows'. Except for Zagro 7, which Lord Refa captured for Morden. Londo has chronic FOMO, so he hates hearing that Morden has spoken to another Centauri.

Are the Shadows going to Zagro 7 because they know about the rangers? Or are the rangers coincidentally there, and the Shadows are looking for something else they find valuable?

Sheridan gets a shiny new ship! The White Star!

Mr Endawi: "Tell me stuff." Garibaldi: "Can't cuz I dunno the stuff. Too highly classified for little ole me."

When in doubt, play dumb.

Garibaldi is doing great, actually! If he can keep from beating any more civilians or stalking more women I might eventually like him in an less complicated fashion.

The White Star was made using Minbari and Vorlon tech, but it was designed to not look too Minbari. And, unlike Earth ships, Minbari ships have artificial gravity! Which also saves on special effects!

Minbari caste stuff is interesting. There are religious caste scientists and ship crew, so crewing a ship must not restricted to the warrior caste. I wonder if any occupations are specifically tied to one caste or the other, or if it mainly functions as a cultural marker. I seem to recall that certain historical and religious knowledge is restricted just to the religious caste, but we haven't really seen anything other than directly commanding troops that seems to be off-limits to the religious caste. I suspect that if I pay attention to Delenn as she and Sheridan co-lead the Rangers I might be able to deduce certain religious caste leadership norms in Minbari society, though.

Great lore dump from G'Kar!! The Narn know about the Shadows because they set up a base on Narn 1,000 years before, before the Narn were spacefaring. A great spiritual leader called G'Quan believed is was a base for a far-away war. The Narns have been perfectly copying the book G'Quan wrote ever since. They preserved the knowledge through the eons. And now Mr Endawi knows about the Shadows! But I wonder how credible the human govt will find it, since Delenn professed total ignorance and so did Sheridan and his staff.

The White Star is having its first mission! But the Centauri ditched their auto-blockade! Little do they know….they were instructed to leave.

Sheridan is stoked by his new ship's fancy tech, which can show them the disguised shadows ship! Well this might blow their alliance's cover that they don't exist and no one knows about the Shadows!

The Shadows shoot at the White Star and they miss! Which Delenn is surprised about. Sheridan thinks they will be trying to shoot to disable, not kill, for information purposes. And now he's luring the Shadows into hyperspace!

Dang Sheridan. Delenn's all freaked out and thinks they need help, that they can't harm a Shadow ship alone.

Sheridan: "With all due respect Ambassador, I've heard that before."

lol. He has earned his confidence, even if the Minbari aren't exactly at the Shadows' level.

Sheridan is going to try a maneuver that is suicidal in any Earth ship, but he thinks they might survive because the White Star is higher tech and faster. Delenn likes his confidence!

And they live! Lennier! hah! He wants the temple training program revised so that acolytes are prepared for experiences like that.

I do think that Sheridan and Delenn have damaged their cause by not admitting to knowing anything about the Shadows' ship.

Oh….I am immediately proven completely wrong. Morden is totally in with the investigation into the ship, and the whole force is in on it with the Shadows, too.

Well. Damn.

oh. The subtitles just called the Z'ha'dum "ZachDoom." asgfkhasfghksdj

Sheridan is instituting a war council! B5's senior staff, Delenn, any ranger around, and mystery future-guests.

Dr Franklin has a pertinent question. Cuz he's never been told before. What are the Shadows?

Delenn: "There are beings in the universe billions of years older than any of our races. They walked along the stars like giants: vast, and timeless. They created great empires, taught new races, explored beyond the rim. The oldest of the ancients are the Shadows. We've no other name for them."

Spooky! A great first episode for both new seasons: three, and autumn.

[wanderingnewyork]

From 2017: The #Franklin_Avenue_Station on the #Franklin_Shuttle, #Brooklyn.

#New_York_City_Subways

#mtanyctransit

[lboogie1906]

Sonia Sanchez (Wilsonia Benita Driver; September 9, 1934) is a poet, writer, and professor. She was a leading figure in the Black Arts Movement and has authored over a dozen books of poetry, as well as short stories, critical essays, plays, and children’s books. She released poems in periodicals targeted toward African American audiences and published her debut collection, Homecoming. In 1993, she received Pew Fellowship in the Arts, and in 2001 was awarded the Robert Frost Medal for her contributions to the canon of American poetry. She has been influential to other African American poets, including Krista Franklin.

She was born in Birmingham to Wilson L. Driver and Lena Jones Driver. Her mother died when she was one year old, so she spent several years being shuttled back and forth among relatives. One of those was her grandmother, who died when she was six.

She moved to Harlem to live with her father (a school teacher), her sister, and her stepmother, When in Harlem, she learned to manage her stutter and excelled in school, finding her poetic voice, which emerged during her studies at Hunter College. She focused on the sound of her poetry, admitting to always reading it aloud, and received praise for her use of the full range of African and African American vocal resources. She is known for her sonic range and dynamic public readings. She now terms herself as an “ordained stutterer.” She earned a BA in political science from Hunter College. She pursued post-graduate studies at NYU. She formed a writers’ workshop in Greenwich Village, where the “Broadside Quartet” was born. The “Broadside Quartet” included other prominent Black Arts Movement artists such as Haki Madhubuti, Nikki Giovanni, and Etheridge Knight.

She married Albert Sanchez, they had one daughter. She married Etheridge Knight, and they had twin sons, but they divorced after two years. Motherhood heavily influenced the motifs of her poetry in the 1970s, with the bonds between mother and child emerging as a key theme. She has three grandchildren. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence #alphakappaalpha

[mus1g4]

#Franklin County Historic Jail

Do you know if it is possible to do some kind of "prisoner transport" in the FCHJ? So that you get the uniform before you are picked up at the airport. And then you get shackled at the airport via shuttle?

If anyone would do that, it would be me. I am Officer Pitbull.

I have done it in the past, and I love doing it.

Their are some problems with doing it.

1. The officer has to be very careful what uniform they wear so as not to pretend to be an officer.

2. You must drive safely because your "inmate" is restrained and could be hurt or killed.

3. You have to find a private space to change clothes and put on restraints.

4. You have to provide adequate staffing and time to complete the transport.

5. You need to charge extra to cover gas, vehicle wear and tear and time.

If you can get all of that addressed, then it can work!

[asbestos4president]

Hamuel Burger Episode 1 Transcript

Episode title: Keep Pushing, Abraham!

[Sound of a UFO landing. Interior spaceship noises] Asbestos … Thanks for the donations. Okay, so we've just touched down in Grace, Idaho, the capital city of the planet Earth, so I'll be stepping out shortly to take my first look. For those of you who are new to the stream, I'm doing this blind, I haven't looked anything up about Earth before coming here, so no spoilers, please. Okay, so, before we leave the shuttle, I want to establish some ground rules. First, like I already said, no spoilers. Seriously. Second, no embarrassing me in front of any of the Earth inhabitants. And third, and this is the most important-

TTS voice If you're going into this blind, how do you know that Grace is the capital city? Cheater.

Asbestos Look, it's just common knowledge. The national animal of earth is the mongoose, the national food of the earth is the deathcap mushroom, and the capital city of the earth is a sweet little place named Grace, Idaho, notable for its Mormons, its potatoes, and its vast intergalactic geopolitical importance. 

TTSYou literally just quoted that straight off the page for Idaho on the Earth fan wiki.

Asbestos Did not! 

TTS Did too!

Asbestos Did not! 

TTS Did too! 

Asbestos Yeah, well, you literally just paid me five American dollars to be able to send that message, and if my information is up to date, that is enough to purchase at least one American hot dog. You know, the national hound of the planet Earth? Which I will ride into battle against my enemies and laugh as it mauls them to death. 

TTS Did too! 

Asbestos

 Okay, chat, you have officially lost text to speech privileges for the next Earth minute, which reliable sources inform me is a really long time. Now, it's important to make a good first impression, so I'm just going to make sure my hair looks okay and my belly button looks convincingly real before I- 

[Knocking on metal]

[Short silence]

Asbestos Sorry, I thought I heard something. Probably just the potatoes snoring. It's actually quite late in earth time, and potatoes like to get to bed early because- 

[Knocking again]

Asbestos (whisper) Chat. Chat, I think there's something at the door. Should I-

TTS Hello potentially violent stranger, please come in and strangle me to death!

[Spaceship door opening noise]

Asbestos (whisper, directed to chat) I'm going to actually kill you.

Ham Please don't kill me! I'm left-handed and I have asthma and my Mum says I can't go around getting killed or the neighbours will think we're uncivilised! 

Asbestos Oh my god, this is not a drill. Are you guys seeing this? I didn't think I was going to be nervous, but I'm actually super nervous. What should I say?  Um, hi, Mr. President! Wow, you're way shorter without the hat. 

Ham What? 

Asbestos Do you take constructive criticism? Because honestly, I think you should have kept the beard. The clean shaven look does not suit you.

Ham What???

Asbestos Well, I guess it doesn't matter because I'm going to kill you in a few seconds anyway. Any last words?

Ham This is a sentence I never expected to say, but I think you've mistaken me for Abraham Lincoln, and I'm not sure whether to find that gender-affirming.

Asbestos See, I just don't think that's gonna sell any tabloids. Do you want to pick something catchier? Something with a bit more oomf, maybe? Like, "I've Abrahad it with this life!" 

Eh, we can workshop it.

[Beat of silence]

Wait, what? 

Ham Abraham Lincoln died, like, at least 3 years ago. If you're looking for the president,  it's definitely not him, and it's definitely not me either, and you're definitely not going to find him in a potato field in Idaho. Please put the gun down.

Asbestos Oh! My mistake. I know this one. It's, uh… It's Ben Jammin' Franklin now, right?

Ham Uh, not particularly, no. Look, I just came to tell you to get off our farm or at least turn those big blinking lights off because it's 9PM and some of us are trying to sleep. You really need to leave before my mum finds out you're a UFO.  

Asbestos Man, this is embarrassing. Okay. Okay! Just point me in the direction of the president's house and I'll be on my way. 

Ham I think Washington is, like, South, sort of? Somewhere near Florida? Actually, let me look it up.

[Low pitched noise like a foghorn. This is Ham's mum's voice]

Ham Gee willikers. It's okay mum, the tractor is just leaving!

[Ham's mum]

Ham Not everything is an alien, okay? Sheesh.

[Ham's mum]

We've actually had five spaceships landing here in the past week, but she doesn't need to know that. I've managed to convince her that they're just genetically modified cows. Now go!

Asbestos I'm going, I'm going. I thought Earth would be more welcoming than this. 

Ham You tried to kill me!

Asbestos Earthlings love dying, they do it all the time. Ugh. Now then. Which of these is the go button?

[SFX of a sound a spaceship should not make. Kind of a noise like you would hear for a death animation in a retro video game.] 

Asbestos Not that one. Okay, how about-

[Another disturbing sound effect. Like a balloon deflating but electronic.] 

LINE 36. Asbestos Alright, third time's the charm.

[Fire alarm SFX. An automated voice with a New Zealand accent says "evacuate the building using the nearest fire exit" before a siren blares.]

Ham What the goshdarn heck are you doing? Go!

Asbestos I don't know, and it won't start, and it does not like me!

Ham Well, you can't stay here!  

LINE 40. Asbestos Well then help me! 

[Ham's mum sfx again] 

Ham Mum, the tractor broke down so I'm gonna help push it, okay?

Asbestos Push it where? This is a valuable craft, and if anything happens to it-

[Ham's mum] 

LINE 43. Ham Mum, it's fine, okay? We've almost got it. One, two, three, push… One, two, three, puuush… Help me out here!

Asbestos Absolutely not. Such work is beneath me! Keep pushing, Abraham! My sensors indicate you've shifted it exactly one fiftieth of a millimetre!

[Ham's mum] 

Ham (with a sigh)Okay. Mum says you can stay in our field tonight. You'd better be gone by morning, though, because if she sees you in the daylight she's going to realise that tractors aren't supposed to float.

Asbestos Well, that is extremely nice of your mother to say. Tell her I said thank you. And can you tell her my antennae are very shapely and I have a sparkling personality and I'm free this weekend by the way, just in case she's wondering?

Ham I'm going to bed.

Asbestos (slight chuckle) Goodnight, Abe! Sweet dreams.

[Rooster crowing. It's morning.]

Asbestos What's up, chat? Welcome to the second day of my becoming the president of the United States any percent speedrun. Yesterday we got off to a rough start with some technical difficulties, but today I'm determined to make up for lost time. Now, eagle-eyed viewers will have already noticed that I have drawn a strange and terrifying shape on the side of my craft in strawberry jam. This is in fact the English word "tractor" transcribed (get this) using the Latin alphabet. Ee, that's right! For today's stream, I'm going stealth mode, disguising myself as a humble farmhand in order to infiltrate-

Ham (laughing slightly) You spelt it wrong.

Asbestos What?

Ham Um, you spelt tractor wrong? It doesn't have a K in it.

Asbestos Chat, this is the enemy of the stream Hamuel Burger. I know all about you, young man. Your mother says you never pick up your socks.

Ham That's not true! Hi chat, um, my name's Ham, my pronouns are he/him, and you can find me on YouTube where I do banjo covers of-

Asbestos She also said that I was the most organised and well-disciplined young person she'd ever met, because she wasn't expecting the new farmhand to show up until the afternoon! 

Ham That's right! What are you going to do when he arrives and starts telling the whole town that an alien took his job?

Asbestos Well, he isn't going to get the chance to do that, because I'm gonna kill him! 

Ham (justifiably upset) What?

Asbestos Chat, you're about to see me employ a useful hack called "black mail". Hamuel here is going to help me fix my spaceship because if he doesn't I'm going to dispose of one of his fellow earthlings. You're a farm boy, you can fix a simple spacecraft, right? 

Ham No?

Asbestos Get to work.

Ham I can, like, change a lightbulb, maybe? This thing, though, I don't think the best mechanic in the world could save it. It doesn't even look like a machine. Like, I'm pretty sure it's made out of meat? How does that work?

Asbestos Hey! That's my son you're talking about!

Ham Your son looks less like a spaceship and like a modern art piece representing the alienation of workers under capitalism. I'm feeling exploited just looking at it. Actually, that's exactly the kind of thing my best friend Stanley would make. He's, like, this really cool artist who specialises in mixed media sculpture? His pieces are super thought-provoking. Like, this one time, he stuck a radish to a-

Asbestos Is this Stanley guy going to help me fix my spaceship? No? Then I don't care. 

Ham Actually…

[Ham's mum]

Ham That was mum, she wants you to feed the chickens if you have time. Okay, you stay here and milk the potatoes while I run and get Stanley. And keep out of trouble!

Asbestos I've never even been to Trouble! I don't know where that is! 

[Ham leaves]

Alright. I don't think milking a potato can be that hard. You just sort of have to- 

[Thump]

Ow! It fucking bit me!

TTS Hello Asbestos. Longtime fan, first time caller. I think you're holding it upside down.

Asbestos I don't tell you how to live your life. TTS (different voice) Just last week you encouraged your entire viewership to quit their jobs and invest in your shitty cryptocurrency, Sawcoin. My Grandma had to sell her house because of you.

Asbestos Sawcoin? I've never even heard of-

TTS (same voice as previous) Sawcoin deez nuts! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. ha.

Asbestos Okay guys-

LINE 70. TTS (different voice, overlapping slightly) Hi Asbestos, your stream has already taught me so much about the United States. I have started learning English so that I can better appreciate this beautiful culture. So far, I have learned many useful phrases such as "can I get ketchup with that?", and [a bunch of censorship beeps]

Asbestos That's-

TTS (different voice, overlapping slightly) Asbestos Le Guin, are you aware that two out of three of your fellow competitors are already inside the White House at this very moment, one of them holding a knife to the president's throat? And here you are arguing with your chat over the right way to milk a vegetable.

Asbestos Okay, shut the fuck up. You think my ten-year unopposed reign of the speedrunning charts for most civilisations toppled in a day was by accident? You think I've lost my edge just because these new competitors are younger than me and faster than me and have spaceships that work and know how to milk a potato? Well, you've forgotten your places. I'm the best, and I will always be the best. I don't even need my ship. Y'know, I'm going to steal a tractor right now and I won't stop until I've ridden it full speed into the president's office, hung him from the rafters with an American flag and taken his fun little hat for myself.

Ham Uh, what was that about stealing our tractor?

Asbestos Um. Nothing.

Ham I thought so. Stanley, this is-

Asbestos I am Asbestos Le Guin, an ambassador from the planet Strawberry, here to spread love and friendship throughout the cosmos. 

Ham Yeah, this is Asbestos, she's some kind of low-level Twitch streamer and she's here to kill the president. Asbestos, this is Stanley. Stanley is an artist with a poetic soul who has taken a vow of silence because he is a feminist and is dedicating his life to listening to women. He only communicates in harmonica, which I understand fluently due to our warrior's bond. 

[Jaunty harmonica]

Ham And he wants to know what kind of a name Asbestos is supposed to be. 

Asbestos It's a Spanish word meaning "fireproof", and it represents my resilient nature.

Ham … Right. Now stand back. Stanley is going to use his artistic vision and knowledge of steak preparation to make your spaceship beautiful.

[Hammering, drill, creepy opera, clown honk, mooing. Fades out.]

Ham Behold, Stanley's latest creation! A perfectly tender and juicy filet mignon seasoned with glitter and pencil shavings, served with a side of deep melancholy, yet with a subtle aftertaste of hope for humanity. This one of a kind artwork represents the cycle of life and death and rebirth while critiquing the artificial estrangement of man from his fellow organisms that our society has created.

Asbestos You cooked my spaceship! It's medium rare! 

Ham And it smells delicious! Do you mind if I-

Asbestos No! I've had enough! I should burn your pathetic planet to the ground with you still on it. Tell Stanley to stop eating the oxygen tank!

[Unfazed harmonica]

Ham Stanley says [muffled, as though chewing] but I didn't have breakfast this morning and it tastes really good!

Asbestos This is terrible! I'm already the laughing stock of the streaming world, I don't need- Hey, look at this! My views have doubled! Is it too late to change the title from "World Domination" to "Chill Cooking Stream"? Who knew this was what the people wanted? Maybe it's time to turn my life around. Maybe instead of mindlessly slaughtering galaxies, I should become a food influencer! I'll teach the people how to prepare easy, nutritious meals at home! 

Farmhand Hello? Ah, howdy. I'm the new farmhand you hired. Now, I know you weren't expecting me until the afternoon, but I just wanted to come early to get a headstart on my duties.

[Crickets.] Oh, I'm sorry, is this a bad time?

Ham No, no, it's fine, we were just having some… technical difficulties with this tractor…?

Farmhand Oh, this'n? It smells delicious, you've seasoned it perfectly. So the issue is that it just won't start?

Ham Um. Pretty much, yeah?

Farmhand Oh, not to worry, my uncle has one just like this. You can get it started with a good kick to the side. 

[Thunk. The sound of an engine starting up.]

Asbestos What the fuck? Never mind, cooking stream cancelled, we're gonna go kill the president. Stanley and Ham, you really drive viewer engagement, so you're coming with me. Farmboy, to express my sincere gratitude for your services in getting my ship started, I'm going to refrain from vaporising you on the spot for daring to kick my baby. Now run before I change my mind. Okay. Tally ho!

[Synth music]

CREDITS

AsbestosI'd just like to take a moment to thank everyone who subscribed today and read out some of their messages. Spikes says, "hi Asbestos, I wrote the script and I play Hamuel Burger, and I'm failing university because of this podcast". Weird message, but okay. Thanks for the sub. Um, I also have one here from username "Bulk" who says, “Hey chat, I play Asbestos Le Guin and illustrated the cover art for the pod-” What is this? No fucking promoting your stuff on my own damn show, username Bulk! Ugh. Okay, last one and then I'm ending for today. Uh, this one is from Sarah, who says, “ Hiiii Asbestos, huge fan! I loved editing your voice and the whole show”. God, you guys are a real riot with this bit stuff. You just love the bit. Okay, that one was a little weird, so let's just end on another one. There's one from Freya who says, "howdy pardner, I played a charming Southern gentleman". Hey! That's the fucker who kicked my spaceship! Get back here, you varmint! 

[Scuffling]

[thebibliomancer]

Essential Avengers: Avengers #301: SUPER NOVA UNBOUND!

March, 1989

BRAIN LEECHES?!

Do they leech on brains or are they leeches what are brains? Both? Neither?

Day 1 of the Fantastic Two being on the Avengers and they're still rocking the 4s.

Get with the program, Richardses.

I also see that Day 1 of this new Avengers roster and the Captain has returned to being Captain America and ditched the darker costume. Funny how things coincide.

Gilgamesh continues to look like Some Guy in the roster box. Geez, not even going to wear your crappy helmet to look less boring in the roster box? Where's your team spirit, ya dink?

Last times in Avengers: Under the influence of ominous sex dreams from Nebula, Dr Druid basically broke the Avengers. Thor wound up disbanding the team because there was nobody left to be on the team. Then Jarvis had an adventure. Then the Captain and a team of ad-hoc Avengers thwarted the High Evolutionary. Then Inferno happened. During Inferno, first an egg then a demon kidnapped Franklin Richards. The Captain teamed up with Mr Fantastic and Invisible Woman to save yon child. Also, Gilgamesh just showed up. And then they all met Thor. After beating up a lot of demons, the four decide to form a fantastic new Avengers team.

It ain't going to last so lets enjoy it while it does.

Simonson quit the book because he was told he wouldn't get to keep this roster. So this arc is written by Mark Gruenwald and Ralph Macchio. Some of our temporary writers before Byrne takes over the book in #305.

Hi, Thor.

Thor is dragging Hydrobase closer to Manhattan. Parking it right next to Liberty Island.

If Hydrobase is to be the Avengers' new, definitely permanent base, then it's going to need to be more accessible.

They've also just bought the entire island and renamed it Avengers Island. A concept that will later be revisited when Sunspot similarly throws around 'purchasing an island' money.

Mr Fantastic is even going to install a shuttle tube between the island and Battery Park.

This is going to be one sweet, artificial island superhero headquarters!

Let's enjoy it while it lasts!

Captain America is impressed with all these projects Mr Fantastic is helping with. But he also wonders whether Reed wants to be in charge.

ITS NOT AVENGERS IF THERES NOT EVENTUALLY A STRUGGLE OVER LEADERSHIP I GUESS.

Hm. Not something you see as much in modern times. If there's a disagreement, usually there's just a Civil War or a spinoff book.

I can't believe Hawkeye yelling that Captain America is ooooooooold was the more mature option.

Mr Fantastic stretches up a thumbs up to let Thor know the island is in the proper spot. Then, he gives Thor more work to do. Gotta get good work out of your Thor.

He asks Thor to go help Gilgamesh pound in giant adamantium mooring posts. You know, to keep the floating island from floating away.

Gilgamesh is actually pretty into pinning down a floating island. It has a mythological/legendary energy to it that he vibes with.

Jarvis comes up to the new Avengers to introduce the new Avengers' head of security. BECAUSE THEY MAY AS WELL HAVE ONE OF THOSE, Y'KNOW?

I doubt it will help. Because supervillain attacks and infiltration or whatever are plot-mandated. No security can trump that.

But Michael O'Brien was head of security at Project Pegasus so maybe he'll be able to do a good job with Avengers Island.

This era of Avengers tries to make a supporting staff for the Avengers a thing.

I'm here for it. I like Jarvis and having more of a supporting cast can be fun.

Sue comments that the Avengers sure seem a lot more business-like than the Fantastic Four.

Since I think the Fantastic Four had more of a civilian supporting cast way before the Avengers, I don't know what she's on about.

Maybe she's just trying to make conversation but Reed isn't paying any attention.

So she asks how long Reed is planning to stay with the Avengers (and by extension, how long she'll have to?)

Mr Fantastic: "The, ahh, challenges of helping Cap get his group back on its feet interest me more and more. I haven't decided how long to stay."

Now, I'm pretty sure this conversation is to soften the blow when Reed and Sue fuck off back to the Fantastic Four book.

But I do think its an interesting starting place for the Richardses to be on the Avengers.

They were retired so maybe they aren't planning to stay long-term. With the Avengers being so short-handed, maybe Reed and Sue just stay long enough for Captain America to get the team back on solid footing. And in the meantime, Cap and Reed have big ideas on how to revamp the team.

Its good tension!

A leadership struggle between Cap and Reed. And Sue wanting to leave the team to go back to retirement so they can spend more time with Franklin.

Sue even wonders whether Reed wants to make his mark on the Avengers as a sort of way to compete with Ben The Thing Grimm now that his bestie is running the Fantastic Four.

It's an interesting dynamic!

It does make me wish that it got to play out longer than its going to.

Sue is saved from a conversation that Reed isn't really paying attention to by a giant A made of fire blazing above New York.

She wonders whether its the Human Torch, making an A like he usually makes a 4 to summon the team. But since Reed is always right about everything based on nothing, he decides its definitely not Johnny.

Why would Johnny waste so much flame-power to get their attention! Clearly he would never do that, as of this moment and just so Reed is right!

Reed summons the Avengers to the Fantasti-Car. Kkinda love that Reed just brought it with him onto this Avengers roster. It seems like it could be more convenient for shorter distance travel than getting in a Quinjet every time.

The Worst Roster assembles and heads to the Fifth Avenue and 71st Street park that used to be the Avengers Mansion and find... THEIR GOOD OL PAL STARFOX.

With Firelord's fire stick too.

It's been a while (issue #260) but when we last saw Starfox and Firelord, they had set off together to try to track down Nebula, after the Beyonder teleported her to a random location.

Starfox wanted to find Nebula because he felt responsible for her crimes since she claimed to be his grand-niece and Thanos' granddaughter.

Firelord wanted to find her because she murderfied the fuck out of his homeplanet of Xandar and killed the Nova Corp.

Until a later retcon, it seems like the Nebula subplot was wrapped up with her infiltrating the Kang Klubhouse and trying to use the Avengers to find the Best Weapon Ever. She did this by seducing shitheel Dr Druid into taking over the team for her. But then three random Kangs threw a wooden shoe into the cogs of her machinations and Nebula and Dr Druid wound up falling into a time hole.

Phew, recaps.

The Avengers actually explain this in brief to Starfox's chagrin. Because he and Firelord searched space in vain for her when they could have just stayed on Earth.

And by poking around in space, the two ran into worse trouble.

A being called Super-Nova, the last survivor of Xandar. He's super powerful and super pissed off and super on his way to Earth.

Thor takes Starfox off to a medical specialist who won't be baffled by his alien physiology. Its not said specifically that its Donald Blake but its usually Donald Blake.

Thor rejoins the Avengers just as they're taking off in the Fantastic Four's special 4-branded ICBM.

Like the Fantasti-Car, I'm tickled by how much it seems like Reed is trying to make the Avengers into a him thing. The Avengers already had a space-capable Quinjet. They didn't need to use the 4CBM but if Reed is offering, its rude not to.

Thor comes aboard the missile through an airlock and briefs the Avengers about Starfox's medical care.

Captain America muses whether they should make Thor's doctor buddy into the Avengers' official medic. And Thor says he'll ask.

That'd be awkward if it is Donald Blake. But we're post-Simonson so I don't think Thor has that identity anymore.

Reed starts scanning for any unaccounted mass in the area that Starfox said Super-Nova would be coming from.

Cap marvels at how sophisticated the FF-ICBM is compared to the Quinjets. So I guess thats why they took the missile. Its just way better.

And Reed's scans turn something up!

A BIG FUCK-OFF SPACESHIP.

It looks Xandarian in design so the Avengers figure this gotta be Super-Nova's ship.

And he didn't even bother to cloak so he must be on quite the power trip.

Reed also predicts that Super-Nova definitely saw them coming but if he's arrogant enough to tool around uncloaked when Xandarian ships can easily stealth-mode, then he might also be arrogant enough not to see them as a threat.

Reed also explains the idea of transparent spacesuits to Captain America, prompting Cap to go 'pls, no more exposition dump.'

Ah, invisible spacesuits. Everyone can still appear in their costumes, so they can be told apart and all you have to do is draw bubble helmets and an outline around everyone.

Everyone except Thor and Gilgamesh.

Pssh. Gods don't need to breath in space.

Inside the Xandarian spacesuit, there's no artificial gravity, so Invisible Sue puts an invisible force bubble around everyone and moves them as a group through the ship.

Captain America: Interesting how Richards just takes over and starts giving orders even though I'm Avengers leader! But... I guess space is more his domain than mine and I'm sure there's no slight intended!

Leadership struggle!

Sue asks Thor if Starfox told him anything about what to expect inside the ship but Firelord and Starfox fought Super-Nova outside the ship.

Reed is sure they're on the right track because Firelord's staff is burning more brightly so he thinks they're getting closer to Firelord.

And then

BRAIN LEECHES!

Why is space always so full of disembodied brains?

Sue suggests that maybe these brains are the crew of this ship and maybe they shouldn't jump the gun. Maybe they're not hostile.

Thor declares "We must strike first or mayhaps be o'erwhelmed by superior numbers!"

And throws Mjolnir without waiting for anyone's thoughts on that.

Reed is afraid that best case scenario, Mjolnir bounces off the force field and hits one of the Avengers. He tells Sue to drop the field. Better deal with the brains, than Mjolnir.

Sue herself thinks she might have held Mjolnir but that the strain was a lot.

Anyways, as soon as the field drops and Mjolnir obliterates one of the brain leeches, the rest swarm the Avengers.

Captain America: That was a foul-up we could've avoided! We've still got a long way to go before we're not stepping on each other's toes!

Since the writing on the wall, I think this is supposed to set the stage for the Richardses to quit the Avengers fairly soon. Their method of doing things just doesn't gel with the Avengers.

BUT IT IS ALSO GREAT CHARACTER TENSION!

Mr Fantastic almost reflexively barks orders at everyone. Captain America shrugs it off in this case because Reed is more experienced with space stuff. But Thor is used to doing things his own way and Reed hasn't personally earned his respect the way Captains America or Marvel have.

And Thor isn't an idiot. And he has a lot of experience with weird space stuff. More than Reed, probably. Very long lived god guy. Swarms of brains are just something that Thor looks at and goes 'better hit them with Mjolnir.'

But the mess they're in now because Thor didn't march to Reed's drum maybe justifies to Reed that he should be in charge, after all.

I repeat myself but its a shame that this is a throwaway story to dig the book out of the hole Simonson left it in. This is good stuff.

Gilgamesh metaphorically explodes out of the brain pile and starts beating a brain with another brain.

Which is just A+. Good job, Gilgamesh.

Thor squishes a brain with Mjolnir, again. And up close Reed is able to see that instead of organic nerve connections, the brain leeches are held together by electricity.

This means that it is 100% okay to murderfy the fuck out of these brain things. They are 100% not really alive, "at best, they're pseudo-life!"

I love when Reed speaks authoritatively out his ass.

This is comics. A real, living brain thing with electricity instead of nerves is so plausible.

But its good that Reed told everyone it was okay to kill the brains when they've already been killing the brains.

Maybe the comment was aimed at Sue.

Because it takes her exactly one panel after that before she starts exploding the brains by growing force bubbles inside them.

Sue just loves putting bubbles in peoples' brains. Its her thing.

Despite the numbers, the Avengers' willingness to just pulp these guys means the battle starts to turn to their advantage. But Reed bemoans this unnecessary fight scene all because Thor couldn't keep Mjolnir in his pants, metaphorically.

When the numbers get low enough, Reed slingshots the remaining group of them in all directions with his stretchy belly, SPRONG!, and the brain leeches flee.

Gilgamesh starts flying after them because one of them stole his dumb helmet during the fight but Cap yells at him to stick with the group.

Wa-hey! More group tension! Thor is used to taking orders from puny mortals but how about Gilgamesh?

He follows Cap's order but he looks awfully sour about it.

Captain America muses that although they won the fight against the brain leeches, they didn't gel as a group. Everyone just smashed brains on their own. He's determined to get this group acting like a real, united Avengers team -- if they survive this experience.

Since the fight is done, Sue asks Reed what the brain leeches even are.

Reed deduces that they're part of the living computer of Xandar, which he saw back in FF #207. If you know Nova stuff from when Dick Rider was the only Nova, then you know Worldmind.

Dead Xandarian brains are preserved and made part of the Worldmind. And, uh, the Avengers just squished a lot of data, I guess. Whoops.

File not found?

Its funny how a bio-mechanical supercomputer made out of the brains of the populace is something the Kree and Xandarians have in common. You'd almost think it's something that all sufficiently advanced space civilizations could manage but as far as I know, its not common among the other big names.

Anyway, Reed decides he needs to study one of the brain leeches and has Sue capture one in a bubble.

Captain America thinks that Reed's priorities are all wrong. The Avengers are here on a mission, not a research expedition. But he lets it play out because its not getting in the way, really.

Captain America: "Richards seems intent on being the scientist no matter the circumstances."

TENSION!

Also, the Avengers find Firelord.

Hanging upside down in a big chamber with a bunch of wires and devices stuck to him.

I wonder if he's being used as a battery.

Because of all the wires 'n stuff, Reed thinks its too dangerous to just yank him loose.

So instead he blasts Firelord with his Firelord stick.

Everyone goes 'what the SHIT, Reed??' but he explains that he was pretty sure that Firelord's weapon won't hurt him. Based on his experience with the Silver Surfer.

And then he backpedals and says actually exceptions apply. But he "channeled the power carefully."

Anyway, the stick blast frees Firelord.

Thor: "Firelord was a noble ally -- and sometimes foe. I rejoice that he yet lives! Now, we must needs seek the base villain who put him in such an ignominious state!"

AND THEN A BRIGHT LIGHT SHINES FROM ABOVE ILLUMINATING THE CHAMBER.

Thor: "Behind us -- sudden light! Our unseen enemy or --" Captain America: "Look sharp, Avengers! This may be the showdown!" Invisible Woman: "Look at that! No wonder Firelord didn't stand a chance!" Gilgamesh with Prince Valiant hair: "But we stand together -- and will prevail!" Thor: "By Ymir's beard!"

Super Nova: "WHO DARES?! WHO DARES DISTURB THE SANCTUM OF THE LAST SON OF XANDAR?!"

ITS A BIG PURPLE GUY!

Sue and Reed sure have to deal with a lot of those...

Thor says that they're the Avengers which piques Super Nova's interest.

BECAUSE YOU SEE

He's looking for the Avengers. Because he heard that Nebula is an Avenger. And Nebula destroyed Xandar.

Ruh roh.

Wait but how does he know about that? Nebula only joined the Avengers when they were trying to fly into the bubble what is in the center of time.

She was an Avenger for all of part of an issue! During which time nobody else was around to pass the news along!

How the hell did you hear about this, Super Nova??

Captain America explains that Nebula only joined the team through trickery and that she has nothing to do with them now.

Super Nova argues BULL and SHIT. Such a transparent lie won't fool him, the smartest guy around! He knows they're hiding her.

Soooo... he's going to go to Earth and break shit until the Avengers give him Nebula.

Thor: "Verily, thine arrogance is exceeded only by thine ignorance! Captain America speak truth! She is not among us -- or on Midgard! But if thou seeks battle -- the Avengers stand ready!" Super Nova: "I'VE NO TIME TO ENGAGE IN POINTLESS STRUGGLE WITH SUCH INFERIORS! OTHER PURSUITS NOW ENGAGE ME!"

Super Nova: "Super-Nova WILL RAVAGE THE EARTH AND LEAVE IT A SMOLDERING CINDER UNLESS THE WOMAN CALLED NEBULA APPEARS AND -- VENGEANCE IS MINE!!"

And Super Nova blasts off so quickly that he blows up his own ship.

Kinda wasteful, dude.

Also, I guess the Avengers are dead forever. Again.

I guess the West Coast Avengers are just the Avengers now. Or maybe the book will just be about Jarvis from now on.

But, nah, I'm sure that Sue put a force field around the Avengers just before disaster. She tends to do that.

What's funny is that the next issue teaser uses a very similar joke, guessing that "guest stars galore" will save Earth.

Follow @essential-avengers for all the posts, all in a row. Like, reblog, and comment if you'd like. I'd appreciate it.