#Justice League War icons

[wondercarols]

Hello! Can you make icons of John Constantine from Justice League Dark Apokolips war?

sure! :)

john constantine in justice league dark: apokolips war (2020)

like or reblog if you use <3

[harleyrpicons]

274 icons of harley quinn from the animated movie justice league dark apokolips war. Like or reblog if using icons. Download: here. 

[screamingeyepress]

J.M. DeMatteis Interview: Writing Marvel & DC’s Biggest Heroes

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, J. M. DeMatteis was a professional musician and rock music journalist before entering the comic book field. DeMatteis has written almost all of the major DC and Marvel icons—including memorable runs on Spider-Man (his classic “Kraven’s Last Hunt” was voted number one in a 2012 Comic Book Resources poll of Spider-Man stories and number twelve in a 2017 CBR poll of the greatest comic book stories of all time.

Read the interview here: https://www.screamingeyepress.com/interviews/j-m-dematteis/

[satoshy12]

Danny learned from the Ghost Writer that other worlds exist, even his favorite world. The Justice League!

However, Ghost Writer has always been hesitant to use his portals to explore other realms. This is due to the immense power and danger lurking on the other side.

Danny's curiosity gets the better of him, and he can't resist using Ghost Writer's portals to go into the DC universe.

Danny was here to have fun, so he decides to dress up as various DC villains, but with his young age, it has an adorable twist: he appears as a tiny child version of them.

To his surprise, Danny realizes that these costumes give him access to the powers of the villains. He seemed to mimic them, like he did in a few of his fights against his enemies attacks.

Like Ghostly wails with Dan or Cloning with Vlad.

And just seeing this would be much more fun! He started his playful journey to meet iconic heroes and villains.

The first one Danny met was the Flash family while dressed as Reverse Flash. He stumbles upon a face-off between Flash, Kid Flash, and the real Reverse Flash. With his childlike innocence, Danny manages to confuse all three speedsters, much to Kid Flash's chagrin. Danny began to tease Kid Flash about a prank he played on him. "It was me, Wally; I shoved the coffee table ever so slightly so that you would stub your toe right before you were sent off to school." "It was me who made your mother and father see your adult magazine!" Thawne laughed as he heard what the boy did. Leaving after Eobard was defeated, leaving very confused Speedsters behind.

Next, Danny decides to become Ares, the God of War. This leads to a comical confrontation with Wonder Woman. Ares is perplexed by how this young boy possesses his godly powers, and Diana is equally confused by the mysterious demigod child.

The one he had most fun was the Ra's al Ghul cosplay, complete with a sword. Danny found himself entangled in a battle between the League of Assassins and Green Arrow with his sidekick Speedy. Ra's was puzzled by this unexpected child version of himself, and Green Arrow can't help but be amused and confused by the whole situation. After the battle, Danny poured the ectoplasm from his bottle on the ground and jumped into it. Which made it look like Green Arrow and Ra's that Danny just jumped into Lazarus water and was swallowed by it.

Sinestro and Hal Jordan were bewildered by the appearance of a child wearing a Yellow Lantern ring. The notion of such a young Yellow Lantern throws them off balance during their battle. Sinestro and Hal Jordan are utterly baffled as to why a child could even wield the power of fear.

Dressed up as the Ocean Master, Danny intervenes in a conflict between Aquaman and Aqualad against the vengeful Ocean Master. Initially mistaking him for Orm's son, Arthur planned to talk with the boy, only for him to leave after the fight.

When Danny dons the Lex Luthor Warsuit, he finds himself in a confrontation with Superman, catching the attention of Lex Luthor. Lex is intrigued by the young boy's capabilities and is somehow proud of him, even though they aren't fighting on the same side. If Lex sees potential in him and contemplates offering some guidance, the boy would go far. The Suit was like his own.

At Last, The Mr. Freeze Costume, Danny intervenes in a showdown between Batman, Robin, and Mr. Freeze in Gotham City. The Caped Crusader is intrigued by this young "villain" and contemplates whether the boy can be taught to use his abilities responsibly. As Danny was just talking about Dr. Victor Fries inventions and theories, Victor saw that the boy had good ideas and theories.

Danny had his fun, and he tried to return home, only for the portal not to work.

He used it many times and had to wait a short time. Well, what are a few days here?

[stealingyourbones]

Have you ever not had the extra reasoning seasoning to spare before you throw yourself into a situation that could get your dumbass killed? No? Yeah, Dani neither. She's definitely never consumed any Martian parasite from a lab, what? No. Never. The Justice league doesn't believe her. J'onn Jones is way less inclined to seek out the truth. As far as he is concerned, Danielle Fenton-Masters is a war hero of the highest honour. (hi bones :>)

:000 HI MELLAN :DDDDD

Dani unintentionally destroying (consuming) a parasite is honestly iconic and I love that for her. J’onn says that her mind is too loud to parse any thoughts together, fully lying because ghosts are a race built upon emotion so he can read her thoughts like she’s using a speakerphone.

[batbabydamian]

Hey, I started reading Robin son of Batman because of your recommendation (I literally have a print of your post on my phone to not forget lol). Honestly? One of the best things I ever read!!!

Thank you for opening my eyes! Damian has been one of my favorite characters for over a year, but I didn't read/watch much of him because of school, life (and probably an executive dysfunction in the mix).

Maya is incredible. I loved her.

I haven't finished all the issues yet, but do you have any other recommendations?

WAH this makes me so happy, i'm glad you still gave it a shot even with how busy life is!! ;v;

i’d love to give reccs, and i’ll try to go a beginner friendly route! tbh you can pick up whatever here, but since you've read R:SOB i’d immediately follow up with Batman and Robin (2011) #1-8! this first arc is what’s referred to in Maya’s introduction, and it's just. so good.

Main Books

Batman and Robin (2009)

Dick as Batman with Damian as his Robin!

#20-22 Tree of Blood: Dark Knight vs White Knight arc is done by Tomasi and Gleason, the team for the next Batman and Robin series

*Batman and Robin (2011)

Bruce and Damian figuring out their relationship as both Batman & Robin and father & son

imo you can enjoy the ride and read straight through this but i’ll add context to avoid as much confusion as possible since there’s the occasional tie-in or offscreen events, like Damian’s death nbd

Batman Incorporated (2012) #1-10

events leading to Damian's death - affects Batman and Robin (2011) from issue #18

kind of a tough read especially with how Talia's written, but a lot of iconic bits like Batcow, Damian's vegetarian declaration, Alfred the cat, "We Were the Best, Richard."

Robin (2021)

another self-discovery adventure, particularly after Alfred’s death and a fallout with Bruce (and questionable writing choices from his last Teen Titans run)

Batman and Robin (2023)

currently ongoing! after a number of events, Bruce and Damian are back as a duo

Damian Dynamics!

Batman: Streets of Gotham (2009) #7, 10-12

arc where Damian meets one of his first Gotham friends, Colin Wilkes

Batgirl (2009) #5-7, #17

Steph and Damian dynamic! "the bad cop, worse cop" dysfunctional duo

Red Robin (2009) #13-14

early Tim and Damian dynamic that of course includes fighting haha. funny enough, accidentally my first intro to Damian LOL

Teen Titans (2003) #89-92

Dick!Batman has Damian join the Teen Titans. Start of Damian and Rose Wilson dynamic that’s extended in Robin (2021)

Batman: Gates of Gotham (2011)

Damian meets Cass and has a brief team up

Gotham Academy (2015) #7

Damian meets Maps Mizoguchi! they have a few other meetings, but outside of that the series itself is a great read!

Robin War Event (2015)

Robin War (2015) #1, Grayson (2014) #15, Detective Comics (2011) #47, We Are Robin (2015) #7, Robin: Son of Batman (2015) #7, Robin War (2015) #2

Duke and Damian dynamic! not exactly beginner friendly but these are the main issues in order for the event! you can also read the TPB version for everything including Tie-Ins

Nightwing (2016) #16-20, #42, #43

#16-20 Nightwing and Robin arc!

#42 Dick on a mission to save Damian! the one appearance of "Wiggles" the dragon

#43 Dick, Roy, and Damian team-up

New Talent Showcase 2018 "Catwoman: Pedigree"

Selina, Damian, and Alfred the cat

Batman: Prelude to the Wedding - Robin vs. Ra's Al Ghul (2018)

Selina, Damian, and Cheese Viking - Damian's fav game shown in Nightwing: Rebirth (2016)

Monkey Prince (2022) #1-4

Marcus Sun Shugel-Shen's main comic, but Damian features as a fun dynamic here before they're in more serious circumstances in Batman VS Robin (2022)/Lazarus Planet event

Superman (2016) #10 - 11

the beginning of the Super Sons! featuring Maya!

Super Sons (2017)

solitary arcs but there’s a few event tie-in issues later

Adventures of the Super Sons (2018)

literally more Super Sons adventures lol galactic shenanigans yeehaw

Challenge of the Super Sons (2020) 

Super Sons time shenanigans feat. the Justice League

Robin 80th Anniversary (2020)

"Boy Wonders" - brief Damian feature as Tim considers his next step in life

"My Best Friend" - Jon's thoughts on Damian and their dynamic

"Bat and Mouse" - refers to Damian's unfortunate Teen Titans (2016) run at the time of release which follows up with Teen Titans Annual #2 where Damian briefly gives up Robin

Extra Comics!

Superman/Batman (2003) #77

Kara and Damian in a Halloween team-up! also the appearance of "Li'l Matches" lol

DCU Halloween Special '09 "Cavity Search"

Damian out on a solo mission for Halloween night. Immediately after is Tim's Red Robin story "Then and Now: Our Father's Sins" which is more somber in contrast but also a good read!

DCU Halloween Special 2010 "Robin the Vampire Slayer"

a Dick!Batman and Robin story featuring the vampire Andrew Bennett

Cursed Comics Cavalcade (2018) "The Devil You Know"

Halloween themed comic with a sweet short story of Damian alongside Solomon Grundy

DC's Terrors Through Time (2022)

"Trick or Treat" a Super Sons Halloween story

"The Haunting of Wayne Manor" Damian and Deadman story - in the end, Boston kinda refers to Nezha's possession of Damian in Batman VS Robin (2022) which was happening at the time of this release

Batman: Li'l Gotham (2013)

lighthearted series that instantly makes me smile with the silliness and Dustin Nguyen’s art i love this dearly

Secret Origins (2014) #4 "A Boy's Life"

a retelling of Damian's origin story

Detective Comics (2016) #1001-1005

Batman and Robin vs the Arkham Knight (unrelated to the game)

Truth & Justice (2021) #6/#16 - 18 Digital First version

cute story of Damian’s birthday! Juni Ba’s art is so fun!!

DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration (2021) “Special Delivery”

short story about Damian! and poisoned pizzas. completely forgot the artist Sami Basri drew Rebirth Damian here before catboy Damian lol Cass’s story “Sounds” is also cute! Marcus makes his first appearance in "The Monkey Prince Hates Superheroes"

DC VS Vampires (2021)

Damian makes appearances throughout this elseworlds book, but the one-shot DC VS Vampires: Hunters (2022) is vampire Damian-centric!

Batman: Black and White (2021) #5

“Father & Son Outing” short story written and drawn by Jorge Jimenez!

Batman: Urban Legends (2021) #20-23

#20 “My Son” Talia and Bruce focus

#20 - 23 “The Murder Club” 4 Parts

Tiny Titans (2008) #33, #39, #45, #47

a few appearances but SO CUTE, LOOK AT HIM

*Batman and Robin (2011) reading guide

i'm mostly trying to avoid the "what did i just walk in on?" kinda feeling when i first started reading comics LOL i'll list the comics where events take place, but you don't necessarily have to read them to go through this book since things are usually explained as quickly as possible in the first page or so

#0 Someday Never Comes

Talia and baby Damian before he grows up to meet Bruce

#1-8 Born to Kill

just an incredibly solid arc for Bruce and Damian!

#9 Court of Owls Tie-In Issue

Damian VS a Court of Owls Talon. While Bruce is occupied with a home invasion of Talons, Alfred makes a call for allies to protect targeted Gotham public figures from Talons. During Batman (2011) #1-11

#10-12 Terminus

Damian challenges the previous Robins sans Steph

Batman Incorporated (2012) is occurring at this time where Talia has placed a bounty on Damian and there's small mentions of that

#13-14 Eclipsed/Devoured

mostly solitary arc! end of it leads into the Death of the Family event

#15-16 Death of the Family Tie-In Issues

Damian and Joker face-off... Alfred's been kidnapped by the Joker, and Damian goes looking for him. During Batman (2011) #13-17

#17 Life is but a Dream - Death of the Family Epilogue

a sort of subconscious check-in through the dreams of Damian, Alfred, and Bruce. Nightwing (2011) #17 features Damian encouraging Dick after Death of the Family events

#18 Undone "Requiem"

Bruce dealing with Damian's death from Batman Incorporated #8

other reactions to Damian's death: Dick in Nightwing (2011) #18, Tim in Teen Titans (2011) #18

#19-23 Denial, Rage, The Bargain, Despair, Acceptance

Bruce through the stages of grief with some batfam appearances in each. also introduces Carrie Kelley into continuity as Damian's acting tutor.

Batman (2011) #19-20 also addresses Bruce's loss

#23.1-23.4

these could be skipped - villain stories, also related to Forever Evil event.

#24-28 The Big Burn

optional Batman and Two-Face/Harvey Dent arc, #23.1 is part of this story!

Damian's resurrection and return

#29-32 The Hunt for Robin

Ras took Talia and Damian's bodies from their graves, and Bruce goes after him.

-> Robin Rises: Omega

continues events from #32. if you don't want to jump to this, basically, Glorious Godfrey and a bunch of parademons from Apokolips are here for a chaos shard which Ra's put in Damian's sarcophagus. at some point, Bruce gets a hold of the shard where he sees a vision that leads him to believe Damian can be resurrected. Godfrey ends up taking the shard, along with Damian's body since it was emitting the same energy.

#33-37 Robin Rises

Bruce hellbent on retrieving Damian from Apokolips and reviving him

-> Robin Rises: Alpha

necessary to read and continues events from #37! Damian's back with a bang lol

#38-40 Superpower

Damian adjusting to having superpowers and being alive again

Annual #1 2013 Batman Impossible

sweet (and funny) one-shot of Damian sending Bruce on a meaningful scavenger hunt around the world while Damian gets to be the cutest Batman for a bit

Annual #2 2014 Batman and Robin: Week One

one-shot takes place during Damian's absence. after Bruce and Alfred find a mystery gift left for Dick, Dick recounts a story he had told Damian from his Robin days.

Annual #3 2015 Moonshot

one-shot Batman and Robin adventure on the moon!

...and of course after Batman and Robin (2011), Damian's story continues in his first solo Robin: Son of Batman (2015)!

[thatflatenedfrogontheroad]

I made a tier list...

please make your own!! I need to see boomer nations opinions on our man!!!! I know the tiers are actually so vile so change them if you desire :)))

OK so my quick blurb on why they are their!! (working worst to best)

28. Identity Crisis #5 - HE WOULD KILL ME FOR THE FUN OF IT. It did bring about the most random rivalry between Tim drake’s fandom and boomer's which is very funny

27. Black Lantern - Oh no… he's back… like a boomerang. Ate his own son... RIP…. L skill issue

26. Sliver Age - Would actually call me a slur and say that I don't deserve rights. He would hate crime me and then solicit me for sex. He looks like he's wearing a dress… what a pretty lady.

25. Flash TV Show - EWWWWWWWW, he though he ate...

24. DC Online - He looks like he would punch me in face at a NYC bus stop

23. White Lantern - Don't look at me like that… stop. He's back from the dead like a boomerang?? Something about most of the New 52 boomerangs don't hit the same. the bride all in white :’)

22. Young Justice - Gave me the ick. You might be thinking... he looks identical to SS hell to pay, why is he down here?? Great question… HE WAS SO CREEPY TO ONE OF THE GIRLS IN YOUNG JUSTICE….. WHO IS A MINOR!

21. Injustice Movie - Just because your in the background… doesn't save you from this list!!!

20. New 52 - Ok he's kinda hot if you look through your peripherals…Why are you wearing skinny jeans… you millennial

19. Harley Quinn TV Show - He's fine… just fine. “We’ll stack out bingo… Boomer loves an older woman” NO HE MUST LOVE ME! I AM VERY VERY MATURE FOR MY AGE

18. Flash: Sins of the Father - Can you please stop talking in the 3rd person… you are starting to sound crazy.

17. Most Wanted - I know jack shit about him. That's probably because he is barely in a comic issues THATS NAMED AFTER HIM!

16. Flash Point Paradox - His fight scene actually ate. I'm a sucker for Boomer being with the Rogues. If cyborg can take his belt off… so can I

15. Suicide Squad 2021 - Wow they somehow gave him even less lines than his first movie. 1. He doesnt look like boomer. 2. His accent is so bad… and hes AUSTRALIAN 3. His acting low key kinda mid 4. They killed off two of the only OG suicide squad members they had on the cast 5. He dies in the first 20min and in the most disrespectful way

14. Suicide Squad 2016 - The only good thing to come from this man is the fanfiction he brought. THIS FUCKING MOVIE MADE HIM A CANON BRONY WHICH I CAN NOT FORGIVE. GET THIS OUT OF MY SMUT BEFORE FREAK THE FUCK OUT >:( Fuck him and pinky too, you son of a bitch!!!! (its not that serious lol... i just want him to stop fucking a toy horse... please guys)

13. This Goober Alien Guy - I know nothing. He just kinda showed up… and I'm not mad just a little confused. He looks like he needs a hot chocolate and a hug :)))) 

12. Lego Batman Movie - Low key an icon. What I would do to get my hands on one of these sets… I would come close to killing someone for it

11. DC Lego Super Villains - If he wasn't Lego I would propose (Shane Dawson style) Once again what I would do for the very discontinued Lego set tie in…

10. Batman: Brave and The Bold - Those cheekbones could cut someone. Why are you wear a mini skirt… take it off ;)

9. Suicide Squad (comic) - Yes I know he was drinking and driving but he's not real so it doesn't count!!! The beginning of the Boomer Mobile! THE GAP TOOTH DUDE!

8. Justice League Unlimited S1 - AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Ok the hairline is… bad…. But so is mine twin!! I LOVE THAT THEY GAVE HIM PROPER CLOTHES AND NOT RAGS DUDE

7. Agent of Oz - is this picture is my school profile pic...yes… and??HE'S COVERED IN BLOOD AND IM GIGGLING!!!!!!!!!!!

6. Stjepan Sejic's Boomer - Choke hold and choke me...  I want to hear his voice but he can't break his mewing streak…The ungodly things I would let him do to me

5. Dark: Apocalypse War - Constantine! Boomer! GIRLS! GIRLS!! ILL SLEEP WITH BOTH OF YOU!!! I was not expecting him in this movie so I started to freak out when he showed up DUDE. PLEASE LET ME SIT ON IT

4. Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay - I'm a ride he wouldn't survive… I DONT HAVE WORDS TO DECRIBE HOW I FEEL DUDE… I WOULD DO ANYTHING HE ASKED FOR NO JOKE. Dead on the floor

3. Justice League Unlimited S2 - The glow up in REAL... had me on my hands and knees as a 3rd grader… and still on my knees today. I have never wanted someone to fuck me in the back alleyway of a shit bar so bad in my life

2. Batman: Assault on Arkham - The one that started it all… he is the reason I am this way. no lube, no protection, all night, all day, from the kitchen floor to the toilet seat, from the dining table to the bedroom BUT GREG ELLIS IS PUBLIC ENIME NUMDER ONE. YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID!!!!

AND THE BEST ONE!!!!!!!! WE ALL SAW IT COMING

1. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League - I AM GNAWING ON THE IRON BARS OF MY ENCLOSURE!!!!!! He has it all, the face, the VOICE, the look, the character!!!!! It is hands down the most consistently good representation of captain boomerang out their… and its canon that's he has a big dick :D I would sell my first born to get one night…

Thank you all for reading this word vom, I am sick in the head <3

if any of the comic issues are off or something please let me know :)

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make your our and tag me!! i need to see them <3<3<3

[halowishes]

september favs!

a look through my september bookshelf

(yes, they’re all sakuatsu. i have a problem.)

three sheets to the wind

m. 117k. violence/ fighting.

an iconic skts fic. pirates, adventure, found family, and prank wars. the world building is so beautiful and these characters are so lovable. a true treasure to read.

bound

e. 68.1k. mentioned drug/alcohol abuse.

also very popular fic. i felt so. much. when i read this fic. rookie sakusa x child actor atsumu coming back from a hiatus to work on their first gay film. coworkers w benefits (lots and lots of benefits), very real trauma, imperfect characters, and so so so much love.

how to NOT fall in love with your flatmate’s twin

m. 46.7k. mid-time skip.

sakusa and osamu roomies❤️ i love reading the highs and lows of student life, food as a love language, the miya twins, skts getting together and learning how to do ldr. i also MUST mention sakusa learning how to reconnect with his mother because it made me sob like a baby.

different kinds of dysfunctional (series)

t/e. 39.3k (total). 6 works. ongoing.

canon compliant skts getting together. i’m a super big fan of patient and considerate atsumu who doesn’t make any of it a big deal bc he’s just that kind. very much “if he wanted to, he would” energy.

elephant gun

e. 48.4k. mentions on violence.

bodyguard sakusa. need i say more? musician atsumu needs a bodyguard and, of course, they get off on the wrong foot. this slow burn felt soooo good. i miss them.

body language

t. 13.9k. body swap

very minor skts but i NEEDED to mention this. atsumu and oikawa swap bodies and chaos ensues. it was so hilarious, very random, lighthearted, and silly fun!

this time around

e. 30.7k. canon compliant? skts in their late 30s.

i did not know i needed single dad sakusa until it arrived in a silver platter. i’m also such a sucker for exes to lovers bc love can come when you least expect it! also a rare fic where sakusa has a healthy and loving relationship with his family members.

ATSU 101: how to fall in love with your fake boyfriend

m. 110k. college au.

another iconic fic. a burn so slow you wonder if anything will happen but then that confession happens… magic. a very cute fake dating fic full of neck kisses and kindness.

a liar’s truth

e. 49.6k. canon universe.

ANOTHER iconic fic. i feel like anything i say won’t do the fic justice. coming out and internalized (and externalized) homophobia. non-linear storytelling at its finest. very inspiring and genuine and raw.

i am an animal with you

e. 4.6k. pwp.

one of the funniest pwps i’ve ever read. atsumu gets sexiled and sakusa is the only one on the team that can lend him somewhere to sleep. kagehina cameo!

rain on your wedding day

g. 4.6k. wedding fic!

atsumu as a groomzilla who perfected every detail but mother nature had other plans. this fic felt like a celebration of love and marriage and life partners and good friends! also some really funny moments.

big league chew

e. 104k. baseball au.

yes, the universe was amazing, actually made me interested in baseball, and the tension was great. BUT THE EPILOGUE???? i wish i could erase my brain of reading it so i could experience it for the first time again. it made me cry like there was no tomorrow.

the MSBY black jackals take a lie detector test

t. 12.4k. canon compliant.

this felt so on brand for them that i had to remind myself i was reading a fic. the questions fit them so well and i couldn’t get enough of it. very worth the read if you haven’t already.

[kismetconstellations]

I found this Reddit thread, the other day, and got a good chuckle out of this particular response:

And, while Shiro having this sort of raw, incontestable, and unmatched power makes him a True Underappreciated Icon, it also stands as the loudest, most glaring testament to the Voltron: Legendary Defender showrunners not knowing what they were doing.

Basic Writing 101 would suggest that, if you intend to kill an important character off, you don't not only open your series on them, but continue to spotlight them as completely intrinsic to, and inextricable from your still ongoing narrative.

Obi-Wan Kenobi's death impacts Luke Skywalker, but doesn't cause the entire story of the original Star Wars trilogy to fall apart.

When Gandalf appears to die in The Fellowship of the Ring, his absence is felt, and impossible to ignore, but the journey of the other main characters continues, nevertheless, and his revival in The Two Towers only aids the narrative's progression, rather than derailing it.

This is due both to Obi-Wan Kenobi and Gandalf not being the central characters of these stories, and George Lucas and J.R.R. Tolkien knowing exactly what stories they intended to tell. And, not just competently tell them, but tell them in ways that have touched and continue to inspire generations of storytellers and story-enjoyers, alike.

The crew behind Voltron: Legendary Defender, however, seemed to have no idea what story they were trying to tell, to begin with, let alone how to tell it.

On its surface, this is a mecha cartoon series about four teenagers and one adult from Earth who find themselves jetted into space to, under the guidance of an alien princess and her quirky advisor, pilot giant robot lions that combine into an even bigger humanoid robot, and fight to free the universe from the tyranny of an evil alien empire. It's packaged as an ensemble show, in the vein of Teen Titans, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, Justice League, most X-Men cartoon series, and so on. Thus, it can be presumed that no one character on the team is more important than any of the others.

While an attempt is, indeed, made to give each of the seven members of Team Voltron their own internal and external conflicts and days in the sun (with the exception of poor Coran, who exists primarily for comic relief, and viewers are scarcely given insight into anything beyond his quirky anecdotes, eccentric mannerisms, and fear of losing Allura), Shiro is overwhelmingly given the most emotional pathos and narrative significance.

The series opens on his abduction and imprisonment.

His escape from Zarkon's ship and recapture by the Galaxy Garrison is the impetus that launches the plot, and brings the five pilots of Voltron together.

He's specifically singled out as the de facto leader of Voltron, and given the most significant role of Paladin of its largest lion, and decisive head.

He has personal ties to all three of the major villains of the first two seasons as a direct victim of their cruelty, and as the series continues, this remains a trait exclusive to Shiro, and Shiro alone.

Sendak is Shiro's personal tormentor, something implied as early as the pilot,

and that continues to be emphasized in Sendak's subsequent appearances.

Haggar was responsible for the experiments conducted on Shiro that lead to the amputation of his right arm and its replacement with a weapon, and feels a sense of entitlement to Shiro's body.

It was Zarkon's ship that Shiro was held prisoner on after losing his crew, Zarkon was the previous Black Paladin, and Zarkon's persisting connection to the Black Lion is a conflict that Shiro ultimately elects to resolve on his own, even if it means a hand-to-hand fight to the death.

There are several episodes (Across The Universe, Space Mall) where the younger Paladins, Allura, and Coran are engaged in comedic shenanigans while Shiro is fighting for his life in explicitly high stakes situations.

Shiro's leadership, compassion, selflessness, and heroism are illustrated over and over again for Shiro's sake, and to it drive home for the audience just how incontrovertibly vital he is in the fight to overthrow Zarkon, and restore peace and liberty to the universe.

"Why are you helping me?"

"As a fighter, and a leader, you give hope."

Instead of writing Shiro as one component of a larger story, making his removal from it possible in the right hands, he was written as the heart of that story. Which rendered excising him from it an exercise in futility, as he is integral to every poignant narrative beat. I.E., his bond with Pidge/Katie being one of the major reasons she chooses to stay with the team instead of venturing out on her own to look for her father and brother.

Shiro is, in essence, Voltron: Legendary Defender's equivalent of Leonardo from the 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series--The emotionally beleaguered, self-sacrificing and scarred (as of the end of the third season and entirety of the fourth, in Leonardo's case) leader, who is by far, the most skilled and experienced fighter, and spiritually advanced member of the team.

Leonardo, too, had personal connections to several of his series's most powerful and imposing recurring villains, with two of them (Karai and the Daimyo's son) hellbent on destroying him, specifically.

There are instances (The Shredder Strikes Back Part 1, and the episodes covering the Battle Nexus Tournament) where Leonardo faces higher stakes in juxtaposition to his brothers' lighter-hearted, more comedic exploits, and he underwent the most intensive character arc; battling feelings of anger, guilt, self-loathing, and PTSD before finally achieving inner piece and returning to his family as a more mature, composed, and even greater leader than he was, before.

What the staff behind Voltron: Legendary Defender effectively did is kill their show's Leonardo and replace him with Raphael (Keith). Then, aggressively backtrack on that decision by bringing in a clone of Leonardo who much, much (roughly four seasons) later turns out to have been an infiltrator created by a character with direct relation (Karai/Haggar) to the Turtles and Splinter's greatest enemy (Shredder/Zarkon) brainwashed to attempt to kill the real Leonardo's loved ones. Only for the clone to be taken out of commission during an emotionally-charged confrontation with Raphael, after which his consciousness is overwritten as the Real Leonardo's lifeforce is magically transferred into his body... Just so the newly resurrected and sorely missed Real Leonardo can mostly stand silently around, be disrespected, and do nothing of significance for the rest of the show.

Anyone with any knowledge of the Ninja Turtles franchise, this particular iteration of it, decent storytelling, or even a lick of common sense would tell you that this move is ill-advised, at best, and a terrible idea destined to crash and burn, at worst. But, these showrunners were, evidently, oblivious to their own poor decision-making and ineptitude, and chose to rip out the stitch that held their messily woven tapestry together, causing it to irreparably unravel right in front of their and their audience's eyes.

And, blaming Shiro for that blind incompetence is exactly like blaming that deliberately torn stitch.

[dcdreamblog]

You have any cool trivia about the time Axis America attacked the Perisphere, and they were seen off by the Young All-Stars? All I know is the weird trivia that both groups had line-ups that seem eerily similar to each other and to the Justice League.

(Sidenote, are there any theories about that?)

Sure. The Battle of Flushing Meadows (named after the park where the Trylon and the Perisphere now sit) was actually the inaugural battle of the Young All Stars, who certainly weren't a team the All Stars had expected to put together.

(TW below, nazi imagery)

(A lineup of Axis Amerika from an internal Nazi file captured post war, marked under "Projekt: Gesellschaft")

The Axis Amerika was interesting because, as its name implied, it was not a team active on the actual fronts of the war but was a fifth columnist group made up of homegrown fascist elements from right here in the USA, recruiting mostly for American fascist groups. Its lineup was majority German-American but on member "Usil, the Sun Archer" was later identified as an Italian-American and they had attempted to recruit young Nisei Miya Shimada to their cause after her parents were interned from their home on the west coast.

The Young All-Star's lineup had come from all over

(Poster of the Young All-Stars produced c. 1943 for propaganda purposes)

Left to Right: Iron Munro, Fury, Neptune Perkins, Tsunami, Flying Fox and Dan the Dyna-Mite.

The team was "assembled" more or less because they happened to be present when the attack went down. Axis Amerika's target had of course been the All Stars themselves. Team members Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle were quickly taken out of the fight when Iron Munro, Flying Fox and Fury jumped in, holding off the fascist invaders long enough to force a retreat when Green Lantern arrived.

Neptune Perkins and Tsunami (who Axis Amerika had previously tried to recruit) were inducted into the "team" along with Dan the Dyna-Mite who had recently lost his beloved partner TNT in a battle with nazi saboteurs where he and Munro had first met.

Now having this small but notable group of underage superhumans needing guidance, the All Stars decided basically on a whim to assemble the group into a team. The All Stars, despite the nature of their membership, were always low on manpower so a few extra hands were not going to be refused due to age (especially since a good chunk of the Squadron's membership already had young partners or wards) As for the second part of your question, you're not wrong. Both teams and the most iconic lineups of the JLA have: Invulnerable and Super Strong (Ubermensch/Iron Munro/ Superman) Based off of flying, nocturnal animals (Great Horned Owl/Flying Fox/Batman) Female warrior with basis in pagan mythology (Gurda/Fury/Wonder Woman) Young sidekick to a more expirienced fighter (The Bat/Dyna-Mite/Robin)

Aquatic superhuman (Sea Wolf/Neptune Perkins/Aquaman) and Archer (Usil/Tigress/Green Arrow)

I really couldn't tell you why though, other than the stars aligning to place these archetypes at these moments in time. Whether that coincidence has some sort of meaning for you is a question for a spirit medium, not a historian.

[cyb-by-lang]

The Once and Future Thing

Summary: So, remember how the first Justice League Unlimited season finale was a time travel adventure where Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Batman ended up chasing some goober named David (or Chronos) around as he mangled the timeline with his crappy decisions? All the way back to the Old West, and to a version of Batman Beyond's future Gotham.

Here, Kei got dragged along.

Notes: So having a multi-hour obsession take hold is an interesting time. Here, take the product of my brain deciding to momentarily jump tracks.

Kei had been prepared for a lot of potential ways the future could twist in circles when the timestream was being actively manipulated by some opportunistic creep with an inferiority complex. Like, there was a level of petty, thoughtless bullshit that was only really possible for the most banal sort of everyday evil. The kind of guy who went time traveling around and dropped dinosaurs in cowboy land because he got mugged in the past…well, he fit the bill. Heading through time portals to chase after a guy like that wasn’t just heroism—it was basic self-preservation.

Chronos couldn’t be trusted with ultimate cosmic power. She wouldn’t have given the man a goddamn hamster and expected to see it alive a week later. 

This was surreal enough that all semblance of thought just fell out of her head. 

When the Future Justice League (obviously minus…most of them) arrived, squaring off with the cybernetically enhanced Jokerz gang members, she’d sort of expected them. Future Batman? Sure, it’d been long enough that the all-black suit with the red icon and flight bits was in circulation. Old Man Static? Okay, Kei had never met the guy personally, but it was cool to meet another electrokinetic after the Ultimen fiasco. And War Hawk! Neat that it confirmed the Hawkgirl-and-Green-Lantern relationship worked out in some fashion.

But the deceptively normal person that strode out of the darkness and made fully half of the super-Jokerz team back the fuck up? A shadow wearing a white ANBU mask. 

The crown of spikes was familiar. It was a rendition of something Kei had mocked up once, depicting Isobu’s face in all its spooky glory. Glimmers around the material pointed to some kind of future-tech modification, which stretched down the jaw and neck and into the rest of the dark suit. Kei saw the vaguest suggestions of her favorite sword, the belt of materials and scrolls she often carried, and a hood that made the mask stand out that much more, like a bloody promise.

Every one of the gang enforcers who backed up, Kei noted, carried at least one obvious cybernetic enhancement. And the hyena hybrid just fucking cowered.

“And here I thought the lesson I taught you might finally stick,” said a voice with a playful lilt and a Japanese accent, even years and years on.

“Shit—”

“Oh fuck, it’s her—”

“What is she doing here?!”

“I don’t know—”

The figure cracked her knuckles. Isobu’s chakra flared hot and hateful in a way it hadn’t been for years, centered squarely on the new arrival and creeping outward in a clear threat display. “Class is back in session.” 

09090

“Surprised to see me?”

“A little. I’m more surprised that I lived so long.”

Batman’s meeting with his older self was overshadowed solely because Kei didn’t really…get that far. Instead, a pair of worn but familiarly-scarred hands landed on her shoulders and dragged her away from that potential minefield. She’d only meant to ask if anybody else had made it this long, after hearing half the League had been shot out of space along with the Watchtower. 

Not all heroes coordinated there, after all. It could be a mercy. Kei at least meant to ask about the other Bats, though she knew the answer would probably be “You don’t wanna know.”

Instead, Kei sat on a dilapidated future high school desk while her captor explained, “—Now watching someone retcon cybernetic enhancement into reality in real time was annoying, but we’ve worked through that!”

Kei stared, lost for words.

“Who is…?” she heard Wonder Woman begin, only to stop short as the older woman turned around, popped off her mask, and grinned. 

Kei…wouldn’t say she’d aged badly. Her face more lines, and time had turned her hair super streaky with gray and white, and she’d picked up some more strange scars, but her spine was unbent and she didn’t look anywhere near Old-Batman’s age. Which made sense, since he’d started this whole drama as already in middle age, where Kei had been a teenager, like Static.

Was still a teenager. 

God, time travel fucking sucked. 

“Diana-san,” said Kei’s future self. “Nice to see you’ve cheated death and aging. You look good.” 

“Genbu, it’s good to see you survived amid the chaos,” said Wonder Woman, and extended a hand. As Old-Kei clasped forearms with her, her tense shoulders relaxed a little. “And that you’ve made a reputation for yourself here after all.” 

“Oh, it wasn’t so hard once I put my mind to it,” said… Okay, maybe she could be Genbu. It wasn’t like Kei had ever thought that one through, and now the other Kei had finders-keepers privileges by a lot. “I found it takes a few demonstrations to really make a lesson stick.”

“Why doesn’t that hyena guy have arms?” Kei burst out. 

“Because Woof thought he didn’t need to check for tripwires,” Genbu said, shrugging as she let go of Wonder Woman’s arm. She smiled again, all innocence. “I’ll get him next time.” 

Your future self has taken a proactive approach to some problems.

And weirdly, Kei thought with an edge of panic, I don’t want to know how she got there.

Kei had always suspected that her particular skillset made an excellent fit for a guerilla campaign. And here was a version of herself who made good on that potential. The fact that she’d lasted this long was simultaneously depressing and encouraging. On one hand, everyone must have died if she was still here to get old and cause trouble in a warped timeline. On the other, she’d survived. Her and Isobu, by the feel of things. 

What a fate.

“—Because we’ve already won! Think about it. If old Bruce is here, that means he already lived through this as Batman.” Oh, Static was talking again. “Not to mention Genbu’s mini-me. And yes, I do recognize those scars.” 

“Flawless logic,” Old Bruce bit out. “Except that I have no memory of ever going to the future or of meeting my older self, or of anything else that’s happening today.” 

“Those historical buildings we saw on the street—” Realization struck Batman square in the middle of the sentence. “The timeline’s been polluted.” 

“So polluted that history itself is becoming fluid.” 

“I could have told you that,” Genbu said, rolling her eyes. She flicked a hand out idly, and a kunai flew out of her bracer and into her palm in the same manner as New Batman’s batarangs. “But it’s like people stop listening when you get old.” 

“‘Oh, it’s that Chronos dipshit again’ doesn't convey anything helpful until the disaster already hits,” said New Batman. Or Terry. Kei didn’t know if she was allowed to call him that. “You can barely pull off ‘creepy and kooky aunt.’ Quit while you’re ahead.” 

“And who are you calling old? You’re barely two years older than me,” said Static, more amused than offended. 

“And that’s two years you’ll never get back.” Genbu snorted. “Terry-kun, if Woof wanted to keep his arms, he should have kept them to himself. The same goes for Ghoul,” Genbu replied, unashamed. She started cleaning under her nails with the point of the kunai. “Teaching the new generation is what I do best, you see.” 

Kei winced, though no one here seemed offended by Genbu’s flat refusal to dial down the violence. There weren’t any rules in this kind of war. And, unfortunately, it looked like the timeline turning into a pretzel guaranteed that there were no soft choices. Chronos had already stolen them all, and for what?

For nothing. What a selfish little bastard. The end awaiting him was almost too kind.

“So, about the Dee Dees…?” Kei asked, while the others argued for a little while. She’d noticed a pair of Raggedy Ann twins earlier among the gang members, but it had seemed a little gauche to go “wait, I retconned you out of existence by accident already” in the middle of a fight.

“Chronos’s fuckups ruined the timeline for everyone. Something, something, we’re all dead in a few hours if we don’t fix it.” Genbu had turned away from Wonder Woman and the others while they tried laying out missing bits of timeline, keeping her attention on Kei. Like some kindly old auntie who happened to carry her own weight in bombs instead of cookies. “But to answer your specific question: I think he pulled them out of some other branch and gave them duplication powers. Mostly, I’m too busy killing their copies to ask. Though I do hold out hope that, one day, they’ll realize multiplying by zero still makes zero.”

She looked entirely too proud of that.

It’s not like Kakashi’s here to make those bad jokes land. Which was a depressing thought, too. “And the Joker…?”

Genbu rubbed the back of her neck, where her high collar met her hairline, and tapped a fingertip where a microchip might have gone on Tim Drake at some point. “Irrelevant. Like most things.” 

Because either the timeline held strong with Kei’s interventions and that plot hadn’t gone through, or it had and it didn’t fucking matter because Chronos’s bullshit killed all involved parties but two. Since Bruce and Terry were around. Unmaking the space-time continuum beat out a washed up comedian/serial killer any day. No amount of orbital death lasers really compared. 

“Though I will say it has been interesting, hunting them down like rats.” Genbu’s expression was too placid to be trusted. Her eyes flashed red-gold, mirroring Isobu’s for just a moment. “I think they had…nine thousand members? Organized into two hundred cells or so at their peak and desperately in need of culling.” 

“I…guess that’s one way choose a hobby?” Kei mumbled, trying to edge away from her older self without making it obvious. She could have just used Body Flicker, but any shinobi who lived to fifty-something in fighting shape could and would pounce like a leopard on speed. 

“It keeps me active,” Genbu agreed cheerily, and let her go.

That was…one way to put it.

09090

“So, Tiny Turtle.” New Batman somehow drifted into her orbit, while both other Batmen worked on programming a solution for Chronos’s shit decisions. “Does being a seer count as a preexisting condition? Asking for a friend.” 

“For…the ban on talking about your own future?” Kei made a face at the nickname, but said, “I think you’re good.” 

“If Bruce doesn’t know what’s going to happen, I’ve been assuming you—or your older half—already do. So, is it true?” 

“I think that if Chronos wins, this whole thing is pointless anyway.” Kei shifted from foot to foot, trying not to think about the absolutely overclocked fūinjutsu options her future self handed off like they meant nothing. She could probably vaporize one of those cyberpunk Gotham monoliths by using four of them well enough. “So, the mission is to get the thingy to his time-belt. And if we’re lucky, history snaps back into place.”

New Batman took a moment to consider that option. “And if it doesn’t, we would never know.”

“On account of all being incredibly, retroactively dead, yeah.” Kei let out a long, quiet sigh. “If I’m anything like Genbu—and I hope I am—then I know we’re both up for trying to save the world. No matter the cost.” 

“Seems steep. There’s nothing for us without winning.” He rolled one shoulder. Maybe the cyber-suit wasn’t holding up as well against the time-cheated weaponry as he needed. “Chronos has been trying to kill us for forty years, one way or another. Guess it’s not really news at this point.” 

“Yeah. Still sorry this is ending up on you.” Kei flexed her hand. The sense-memory of almost getting her hands on that whiny little fucker still bothered her. Sure, making sure one of the Wild West heroes didn’t get eaten by a dinosaur was important, but… “I should have killed him when I had the chance.” 

There was a slight pause. “I thought—I guessed you threw out the hero rulebook when we lost the League. But the person I call Genbu and the person you are have always been like this, haven’t they? Haven’t you, I mean.” New Batman shook his head. “Time travel’s a pain.” 

“Ha. You said it.” 

[multiverseanimecrossover]

"Relationship are...Dangerous." says Vex'ahlia to Percy in the episode "Vexations" (An Analysis)

“Relationships are…dangerous.” says Vex’ahlia to Percy in the episode of “Vexations” after their one night stand and their feelings for each other. She’s right about that: They can be dangerous when it comes to heartbreak, giving yourself to love, etc but what if I told you there was something else to that? It could involve with enemies trying to harm these loved ones and other things like that. Not sure what I mean? Let me give you examples:

Example 1: Batman’s view on Relationships

In the beginning of the Justice League Unlimited episode “This Little Piggy”; Wonder Woman and Batman are looking down when Wonder Woman sees loving couples. She mentioned this to Bruce and tease him, then Batman mentioned this iconic line: “One: Dating within the team always leads to disaster. Two: You're a princess from a society of immortal warriors. I'm a rich kid with issues… lots of issues. And three: If my enemies knew I had someone special, they wouldn't rest until they'd gotten to me through her.”

He dated Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, and she’s an antiheroine and part time villain. They are on and off again, they get into trouble with villains and having to be rescued so many times. So yeah, he has a point. Batman had dated Lois Lane as Bruce, she got kidnapped by the Joker and almost killed with one of Lex Luther’s deadly spider robots. And Wonder Woman got turned into a pig by the witch Circe. So yeah, Batman knows how that goes for relationships when it comes to being a crime fighter!

Example 2: Admiral Claugh Klom saving Lady Noa Twice

The Legend of the Legendary Heroes (what a ridiculously mouthful title, but hey it's a good anime series despite the silly name) is about Ryner, an Alpha Stigma who is a slacker joined by his dango-obsessed companion name Ferris as they go on journeys to retrieve magic items and do reports on them with failed results. Meanwhile; their vitriolic relationship with King Sion is focused on bringing the castle into peace but with tragic consequences. However, I want to focus on two characters, Claugh Klom and his beloved lady Noa Ehn. It seems Noa has been in danger twice, Claugh always saves her from trouble. Knight in shining armor, or knight with magic arm in this case. Let me explaint the gist of all this:

At a war council, Count Kriade demands punishment for the people of Estabul for disrespecting the nobles and rejecting the king's promises of freedom. Sion reveals that the leader of the revolt is the old king's daughter, Noa Ehn. The enemy has 50,000 soldiers, leading to tensions among the nobles about evacuation. Sion appoints Rear Admiral Claugh Klom to lead the army. Noa desires her father's return, but Salawell urges her to forsake him for betraying the kingdom. In battle, Claugh uses magic to force surrender, causing conflict with Lady Ehn's pacifist views. Salawell manipulates the nobles against Noa's wishes, putting her in a difficult position.

As conflict escalates, Roland forces arrive, complicating the situation. Salawell's true intentions are revealed as he plans to use Noa as a scapegoat. Miran, the mastermind behind the revolt, clarifies his motivations and saves Noa from Salawell's treachery. Noa negotiates with Roland for the survival of her people, showing her selflessness and bravery. Ultimately, a tense confrontation between Claugh and Miran is resolved with Noa's intervention, leading to a plan to spare the survivors and ensure a peaceful resolution. Lady Noa Ehn enters the room admiring the four characters' relationship. Sion greets her in the castle, and Claugh receives her warmly. They tease Claugh about his feelings for Noa.

Despite interruptions, Noa arranges to have dinner with Claugh, and they sneak away with Sion's approval. Late at night in the Roland Empire Reception Hall, Claugh and Noa wrap up their date. Claugh frets over being late, but Noa is understanding. Claugh jokes about women being strict, surprising Noa with his insight. Noa appreciates the evening, especially stargazing with Claugh. Suddenly, Noa finds the manor under attack, but remains silent to protect the hostages. Claugh hears her distress and rushes to her aid, saving her from harm. The attackers invoke Izuchi before Claugh defeats them.

So yeah, Claugh saved her twice and (spoilers) they have fourteen children by the end of it. All in good time; Claugh would put his life on the line for Lady Noa and whatever trouble she's in!

Example 3: Superheroes, Love Lives and Secret Identities

The fascinating world of superheroes! Superheroes are iconic characters who possess extraordinary abilities, skills, or powers that they use to protect the public and fight against evil. Romantic relationships add depth and complexity to superhero stories. These relationships often create tension between personal life and superhero duties. Many superheroes maintain secret identities to protect loved ones and keep their personal lives separate from their heroic endeavors.

Take Peter Parker/Spider-Man for instance, he struggles to maintain his superhero duties with his normal life. Same with Tony Stark/Iron Man, Clark Kent/Superman, Logan/Wolverine and many others share the same thing. With that being said; it can be complicated to let your loved ones know about your superhero double life, saving the world and all that jazz but if you have someone like Lois Lane, Mary Jane Watson or Steve Trevor then it's likely you got yourself a good partner.

So in conclusion; the inherent dangers of relationships, particularly in the context of individuals with high-stakes lives, such as superheroes and characters in fantasy narratives. While love can bring joy, it also exposes loved ones to significant risks, highlighting the complexities and challenges that arise when personal connections intersect with perilous circumstances.

[martiniluvr]

★ why’s a girl like you…

bio

nat! she/her, 21, latina, trilingual, capricorn, intj ★

interests

fashion; labels, couture history, fashion week, runway moments, the eras of modelling ★

pop culture; legendary feuds, iconic performances, it-couples, era-defining red carpet outfits ★

misc; astrology, weightlifting, the sims, writing, makeup, cooking, world politics ★

entertainment

movies; the mummy (1999), the phantom of the opera (2005), cruel intentions (1999), gone girl (2014), dark knight trilogy, scream (1996), batman: hush (2019), jurassic park (1993), basically every rom com and chick flick from 1982-2010 ★

television; young justice, community, buffy the vampire slayer, sex and the city, smallville, gossip girl, justice league unlimited, the amazing world of gumball, teen titans, the office, rupaul’s drag race, peaky blinders, teen wolf, the vampire diaries, derry girls ★

special interests; dc comics (+ dick grayson, jason todd, the bats, catwoman, superman, the justice league), star wars, spider-man ★

music

artists; lady gaga, michael jackson, arctic monkeys, hozier, britney spears, 2pac, sade, beyoncé, childish gambino, the weeknd, pink floyd, fleetwood mac, oasis, tears for fears, depeche mode, deftones ★

genres; r&b, pop, rap/hip hop, most rock, nu metal, classical, musicals…lil bit of everything ★

…in a place like this? ★

[frasier-crane-style]

I think I cracked Gal Gadot

She's the twin to all those 'character actors in leading man bodies' like Chris Pine and Brad Pitt--she's a girl next door in a supermodel body.

She was so good in Wonder Woman because she got to play the character girlishly. She was happy, sad, afraid, concerned, lovey-dovey, hopeful, dispirited. Seeing her express strong emotions made you empathize with her and feel what she was feeling. The same principle as Luke Skywalker in ANH: he may be disparaged as whiny, but he didn't get to be one of the biggest pop culture icons of all time because people didn't relate to him.

The problem is, in everything else, Gadot is either playing a stoic, driven Strong Female Character (Fast & Furious, Heart of Stone, Justice League) or maybe a vampy girlboss (Death On The Nile, Red Notice) and it's just outside her range, not letting her show any of the charisma that made her so watchable as Wonder Woman.

Even in the DCEU, post-origin story, she's generally played Wonder Woman as brooding, reserved, stoic... a little like Luke in Return of the Jedi.

Now, that worked there because it was the end of his arc and he wasn't quite a Jedi. He still had to defeat Vader and the Emperor, he was conflicted, he got angry. Now imagine if they made a Star Wars movie set after RotJ, with Luke as a Jedi Master, and he was still the protagonist. It'd probably be a little boring, right? He'd be all-wise, all-knowing, infinitely patient. A good mentor, sure, but as someone relatable? No, I think it'd be a bit dull.

Which is the problem with Wonder Woman. Yeah, she can't stay a naif forever, but her as a perfectly poised, perfectly controlled badass just isn't much fun.

I think Patty Jenkins realized this was a problem with WW1984 and tried to course-correct, with an overlong first act that gave us Diana in love again, smooching with Chris Pine again, and having internal conflict again, but it didn't work. It was trying too hard to take Diana back to who she was and doing so in a not very effective way. Right idea, but poor execution. Especially since they wanted to start off with Diana brooding, sad, et al, so that her character arc would end in her being happy.

It's a thorny problem. They have Chris Pine die to give her angst, but Wonder Woman with angst isn't very engaging and they can't give him back for realsies and they have to line up with Batman V Superman at least a little. I don't know, I don't think they ever figured it out, even though they devoted the whole plot to fixing this and trying to show off Gal Gadot's very real charisma.

I don't really have a solution myself, I'm just a guy on the internet--I'm saying the problem is that Gal Gadot has gotten so big she can only take A-list parts and modern Hollywood blockbuster filmmaking says that Strong Female Characters can't be too feminine or show a lot of emotion or be vulnerable--the only emotion they're allowed is to be smug about how awesome they are--and Gadot is notably bad at playing these badly-written parts.

I think she'd actually be great pulling a Leslie Nielsen and making fun of herself, at least a little, but that requires more wit than an algorithm is capable of generating, so I don't think we'll see that for a while.

[batmannotes]

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom 4K Ultra HD Review

Jason Momoa reprises his role as the King of the Seven Seas in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which comes 5 years after the original film was released. Once again Aquaman’s most notable rogue, Black Manta, is back seeking revenge for his deceased father. This time, Manta wields the power of the mythic Black Trident to unleash an ancient and sinister force. Hoping to end his reign of terror, Aquaman makes an unlikely alliance with his brother, Orm, the former king of Atlantis. Setting aside their differences, they join forces to protect their kingdom and save the world from irreversible destruction. 

I must admit, even though I consider myself a superhero aficionado, it has been 5 years since the first solo Aquaman flick hit the theaters and remembering certain details regarding the movie were hazy for me at best. Fortunately, there are flashbacks to some of the pertinent moments from the first outing. As in the original movie, there is a healthy dose of action and adventure sprinkled with some hit and miss humor. I enjoyed the unlikely bond between the brothers, and it is hard to argue that Black Manta is one of the most iconic super villains to hit the silver screen in a comic book flick in recent memory. Unfortunately, Manta is paired with a far less interesting character named Dr. Shin (Randall Park) and a collection of henchmen and women with little to no depth in this underwater adventure.  

The visuals of this film are the real treat, and with the 4K format they really shine. The underwater computer-generated sequences are particularly aesthetically pleasing, but I really wish this movie stuck to scenes beneath the sea. There are tons of incredibly interesting creatures in the ocean that an Aquaman movie has yet to tap into. A number of times the movie gets caught trying to copy other films, particularly Star Wars, however, this movie lacks the interesting intertwining plot points and character development of the sci-fi classic. Even with the beautiful 4K eye candy most of its visuals project, there are the occasional, (Joss Whedon) Justice League-esque CGI that leaves you wondering, “where did that come from?”. I also did not care for Aquaman being out of his classic orange and green costume for most of the movie, as I felt that it robbed me of that superhero feel.

VIDEO QUALITY 📽️ :  A 

The 2160p transfer looks glorious, even with the aforementioned lackluster CGI in a few limited sequences. This liquid beauty really carry the visual end of this film. 

AUDIO QUALITY 🔈 : A 

The Dolby Atmos English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit) really is a treat for the listener at home. The dialogue is clear, and the action sequences are bombastic as you are immersed deep into the sea of this film. 

EXTRAS 📀 :  B 

Included with this single disc release is a Digital Copy and several video extras listed below: 

Finding the Lost Kingdom (21:22) - Jason Momoa, director James Wan, DC honcho Jim Lee, production design Bill Brzeski, and other key members of the cast and crew are your guides at this usually scenic behind-the-scenes featurette, which includes bits and pieces of on-set footage and others supportive clips. 

Aquaman: Worlds Above and Below (9:39) - A like-minded look at various locales on both sides of the surface that covers special effects, location shoots, and Aquaman lore by way of a few vintage comics. 

Atlantean Blood is Thicker than Water (4:17) - A short but sweet look at the history of Arthur and his half-brother Orm, again with some comics history and short interviews with Momoa and Patrick Wilson. 

It's a Manta World (10:08) - Another character-focused featurette, this short piece sits down with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and others to speak about David Kane, Black Manta, the power suit, and more. 

Necrus, the Lost Black City (5:51) - James Wan, producer Peter Safran, Bill Brzeski, and others chat briefly about the titular lost kingdom, its visual creation, and its history in the franchise. 

Escape from the Deserter World (8:05) - Another like-minded featurette about the location -- or in this case, sequence -- featured in the film, a handful of familiar faces share about its creation and execution while being supported by behind-the-scenes footage, concept art, rehearsals, costume and set design, and more. 

Brawling at Kingfish's Lair (4:07) - A quick look at one of the film's many visually overloaded action scenes and some of the goofier details and supporting characters featured in it. 

Oh, Topo! (2:12) - And speaking of goofy supporting characters, this short and light-hearted tribute acts as an appreciation and highlight reel for everyone's favorite comedy relief cephalopod. 

FINAL GRADE: C- 

The only real emotions drawn from this bloated outing are the reconciliation between two brothers and the love for their mother. Aquaman should have submerged deeper into the sea, instead of trying to mimic the tales of old from the land above. 

Order now from Amazon.

[mydreambatfam]

Batfam Fancast Part 13: The Al Ghuls

Oh baby my first request! @callmekohaii asked and they shall recieve.

The eternal Al Ghuls. Ra's,Talia,Dusan,Nyssa and Damian. For centuries this family has affected the world in more ways then we will ever know. Integral to the League of Assassins this family are known to be pompous and pretentious aristocrats. So who will be these immortal individuals?

Before we go any further we do have a major conflict to resolve. That problem is the ethnicity of the family. When potrayed before they had rather problematic castings, however the very concept of these characters are problematic in of themselves. Being Middle Eastern aristocratic type people that create conflict based on personal extremist ideals. Similar to the Drake family I have to be careful with how I elaborate and edit on these characters stories and must be thoughtful with how I want to portray these characters without stepping on anyone's toes.

I also have to remember to cast people that aren't completely Americanized, unlike most of the Batfamily who are all east coast American besides Alfred. Actors who are of Middle Eastern or Asian descent seem to be my best bet and have some actors be mixed as well.

Ra's Al Ghul

The leader of the League of Assassins, the Demon's Head, Grandpappy Stabby Stab. The figurehead of the family, Ra's Al Ghul is a legendary DC character, a well-known Batman villain that can keep up with the likes of Batman. Obsessed with destroying the world to remake in his own image he will do anything and everything for his goals, but still hold himself to degree of honor. However he is hypocritical holding onto old ideals that won't have him accept more liberal ideas. He still respects people of similar status though. Even seeing the like Bruce Wayne and Tim Drake as potential successors. Yet still forgoes someone like his Son or Daughters as successors no matter their enthusiasm for it.

There is only one actor that can covers all the things needed for this character and has been with him for over a decade. Oded Fehr has been voicing Ra's Al Ghul for Young Justice since 2011. He is 52 years old, has experience with action thanks to the Mummy movies and is Israeli. He is by far the best choice for this mastermind.

Nyssa Raatko

Nyssa Raatko also known as Nyssa al Ghul is the oldest known daughter of Ra's and half-sister to Talia. She was born early 18th and disassociates herself from her father sometime in the early 20th century. She has lived through WW2, her family she had were victims of the Nazis concentration camps. Even when she begged for help her father did nothing leaving her there. This left her spiteful and out for revenge.

Unlike canon a major change I'm going to make is the WW2 backstory, instead of a Nazi Concentration Camp, It's a Japanese prison in the Philippines. They tried to escape to the Philippines till the war spread there, her husband and sons dying after the "Bataan Death March" and Nyssa becoming one of the many women who are victims of the Japanese, becoming a Comfort Woman. Her evolution post WW2 however is to have her path of vengeance though violence changed into kindness... with violence. Using the generations of wealth she had acquired she becomes an icon of peace to the public, helping third world countries develop, using her sect of League Assassins to kill whoever stops her development, no matter their morals or even compassionate actions. She accidently becomes the very thing she wished to not associate with.

For Nyssa I need an actress who is most likely more mixed compared to Ra's, living in Southeast Asia. She doesn't have to be white and has to be active enough to do some to little fighting.

Elodie Yung is the only actress I thought of. She's the only half asian actress with martial arts training and enough experience in both action and acting. You might remember her as Elektra in Daredevil and as the main character in The Cleaning Lady.

Dusan Al Ghul

The tragic Dusan Al Ghul son of Ra's Al Ghul. A disappointment to his father's eyes he would do anything for his respect, even rising through the ranks under the guise of the White Ghost. He also albino for some reason. I think instead of him being Albino I want to emphasize him being an unintended child. Using those old ideals the Al Ghul's follow he is a bastard in his eyes, it's not just Ra's Al Ghul but the whole family that shuns him.Think Jon Snow or Gendry from Game of Thrones. Decades of longing lead to Dusan's obsessive drive for his family's love.

Joe Taslim has been nothing but delight finding international stardom thanks to The Raid:Redemption and later the HBO/Cinemax show Warrior. Staring in one of the best contemporary action films and martial arts drama, he is perfect to play this bastard son.

Talia Al Ghul

Daughter of the Demon and Mother to Damian, she is a main stay when it come to the Al Ghuls, a master manipulator like her father she later commanded the organization known as Leviathan. From villain to ally, then back to villain it's hard to say where her true loyalty will stand. She sees her methods as absolute and only the most stubborn of personalities could ever change her mind. Not even her own son persuade her, even willing to kill her own son for her own ambitions.

Many of the castings are rather difficult, yet this was a rather easy character to make. Known for her work in the show The Boys and as the character Farah Karim in Call of Duty Claudia Doumit is a Austrailian actress of Lebenese descent. Her prolific filmography has shown she is more than capable of playing this popular anti villain.

Damian Wayne

The newest Robin and biological son of Batman Damian Wayne is DC current wannabe shonen protaganist. He's a great character when writers remember that League of Assassin training means nothing when you fight beside the people who beat them constantly.

Brutal, short-tempered, and looking to be accepted, his assassin upbringing has left many holes in his ability to socialize in modern society. Unable to relate to anybody besides the more upscale aristocratic part of the world. He wishes to grow up so fast only to forget that growing up is part of the process. A major change I want to address is his upbringing, I want to emphasize the brutally conservative nature of the League of Assassins and the cycle of abuse his family continues to use. By embracing his father's side of the family he learns to forge his own identity and unlike many writers right now, learns that he does not want to be Batman and luckily has Brothers willing to carry that weight for him.

Another major character dynamic I want to switch is between Tim Drake and Dick Grayson. I want the antagonistic nature between him and Tim to go from rivals to family, with Tim filling in as the Big Brother role. Dick being the oldest needs to fill the mentor role, especially since he is the Batman to his Robin. By Dick having the more begrudging frenemy nature allows for them to grow as master and student. Think of Damian as Ahsoka Tano with Tim and Dick as Anakin and Obi-Wan during the Clone Wars. Damian grows on you as a character while the other two are more established and likable.You can even fit Drake and Josh on here with Damian as Megan.

Boy have I seen some terrible fancast for this boi. Like I hate all of them, why you casting 20 something you heathens? IMDB, Google, the damn Disney Channel. Can you not find 1 non white child actor? Gordon Cormier is a 13 year old Filipino Canadian actor who is going to play Aang in the Avatar The Last Airbender live action adaption. He is the only actor who can fit all the criteria that I have put for this character. I have scoured the globe and no one in his age bracket will work besides him. If this young man can play Aang, he can play Damian Wayne.