#Past Present and Future 1985

[inmyworldblr]

Trikal (1985)

[houseofpurplestars]

The Palestinian cinema

Recording the past

Animating the present

Illuminating the future

Abdel Rahman Al Muzain, circa 1985

[acesw]

a short patch timeline on reverse 1999

So I've been going back and forth for almost a year now on comprehending and helping people comprehend the timeline in Reverse: 1999 because oh my god, it's so, so convoluted that it's still taking a long time for me to even write down the information without overexplaining it. And that's just the main story.

However, I've been able to piece together the timeline events by patch and chapter to make things easier for everyone. (...unless you want me to even include the anecdotes, which is another can of worms I'd like to not open.)

However, since 2.0 forwards will be taking place after 1.9, I won't be including the patch names. But, I will put their placements in the timeline without making specific notes to avoid spoilers.

I'd like to first note that 1.6 (Notes on Shuori) has no definite placement on the timeline. The reason why is that 1.6 is personally considered a timeline anomaly; there are plot holes and information that made it difficult to deduce when it took place. (i.e. Yenisei's origins, Getian's character story, Bessmert's* presence) For now, I will leave this out.

Additionally, a lot of the character stories take place between the past and the future. Thus, the character story that chronologically takes place the earliest by far is Lucy's while the latest would be Ezra's.

—

First of all, we start with 1.8 (Farewell, Rayashki) in its entirety. From Windsong's past, to her arrival in Rayashki, to when the second "Storm" took place, and Vila and the kids needed to adjust to this new normal.

Next is Chapter 3 (Nouvelles et Textes pour Rien) and Chapter 5's interchapter. (The Star) Both the story of Vertin's becoming of the Timekeeper, and Greta Hofmann's experience with the Apeiron group are both aligned. Greta even mentions Vertin in her log after returning to the Foundation.

Afterwards we skip to 4 years later, and we're now in 1966. (Post First "Storm") Three events occur here. First, 1.1, (Theft of the Rimet Cup) then 1.3, (Journey to Mor Pankh) and then finally, the Prologue of our story. (This is Tomorrow)

Its then quite straightforward afterwards. We immediately follow up with the first 4 Chapters taking us through 1929 to late 1913. Then afterwards, we have Chapters 5-7 taking place within the first 3 weeks of January 1914, and then we're immediately taken to August 1990 at the end of Chapter 7.

I'd like to also add that within those 3 chapters, both rougelikes (Echoes in the Mountains and Series of Dusks) took place within the same time. Although, Series of Dusks ends before Chapter 7 due to Semmelweis and Lorelei leaving with the Foundation right before the "Storm" hit.

Now, in 1990, we start with 1.2 (Nightmare at Green Lake) followed by patches 2.0-2.2, all of which take place in immediate succession. And then for now, we end with 1.5. (Revival! Of the Uluru Games)

So if I put all of these in one list, it looks like this:

Notes on Shuori (1.6) - Undetermined placement

Farewell, Rayashki (1.8) - 1999+1 (1996) -> 1999+2 (1985)

Nouvelles et Textes pour Rien + The Star (Ch. 3 and Ch. 5 Interchapter) - 1999+4 (1987)

Theft of the Rimet Cup (1.1) - March 1966

Journey to Mor Pankh (1.3) - April-May 1966

This is Tomorrow (Prologue) - Jun. 3 1966 -> Feb. 14 1929

In Our Time (Ch. 1) - Feb. 14 1929

Tender is the Night (Ch. 2) - Feb. 15 1929 -> Aug. 1913

Nouvelles et Textes pour Rien (Ch. 3 - Present Time) - Aug. 25 1913

El Oro de Los Tigres (Ch. 4) - Aug. 26 -> Oct. 10 1913

Prisoner in The Cave (Ch. 5) - Dec. 24 - Jan. 4 1914

The Star (Ch. 5 - Interchapter) - Jan. 4 1914

Echoes in the Mountain (Rougelike 1) - Undetermined time, before Jan. 8 1914

E lucevan le Stelle (Ch. 6) - Jan. 6-12 1914

Series of Dusks (Rougelike 2) - Jan. 8-13 1914

Vereinsamt (Ch. 7) - Jan. 12-13 1914 -> Aug. 1990

Nightmare of Green Lake (1.2) - Sept. - Oct. 1990

Patches 2.0 - 2.2 - Sept. - Nov. 1990

Revival! Of the Uluru Games (1.5) - Jan 1991

The story can only get even more convoluted from here. As of the moment, I've been sort of working on a larger timeline to piece the entire story together, especially since we've yet to finish it before the story ends. New stories and information continuously flows in the meantime.

[greenfiend]

i just read your time travel theory and all i keep thinking about is how in back to the future 2 marty and doc travel to the future and biff finds the time machine and works it in his favor so when marty and doc travel back to present time everything is wrong and they have to travel all the way to the beginning. have you had any thoughts on such a twist? (by the way i love all your theories and you blow my mind with every single one)

Short answer: a big huge YES!!!!!!

I actually allude to this idea in this post!

I believe that we have already seen aspects of the show inspired by Back to the Future Part II.

For example: newspapers indicating different timelines. Just one example is the differences between the Will articles… the Henry-Edward Creel articles are another major example of this. -> click here for info on that. Credit to @aemiron-main for these amazing finds.

Another one is the Dustin and Mike walkie-talkie scene- it’s a reference to the first sequel of BttF (since it was the only one of the movies where they used walkie-talkies!).

Now for some stuff I think we WILL see referenced from the movie…

Now, I believe it’s very telling that they put “William” rather than “Billy” on the gravestone and that they played the song “Dear Willy” in the background of this scene. They are obviously alluding to the other William here as well, and possibly to a separate timeline where he died on November 6th, 1983. Not unlike how George Mcfly was murdered in the alternate 1985 in Back to the Future part II.

If true, then I’m even more inclined to believe that Lonnie is the #1 suspect. Lonnie being our Biff… and possible step father to Will…

Look at their similarities… “[He] always did have a way with women.” 🤢

Then, of course, we must have a scene like this one.

The alternate timeline!!! There’s absolutely at least one of these, possibly more. For this scene, I like to envision Dustin being the one to explain this to everyone.

Now for my favourite idea…

Our characters travelling back to a previous moment within the show! Ah… movie magic. I cannot tell you how much I love this concept. Blew my mind as a child. Look at how the events of the first Back to the Future movie were occurring as a second Marty was on a separate mission desperately avoiding detection from his past self. Time travel can be confusing as heck but damn it’s fun.

I will say that I do not think time travel within Stranger Things will occur in the same way as it does in Back to the Future. It’ll be different somehow. I mention a pretty *wild* idea here.

Now. Here are some things I’m nearly confident about:

Will will (or has) travelled to the past. SO much evidence of this, it’s nearly undeniable.

Mike *somehow* is their “ride” back in time. This is heavily implied when Dustin calls up Mike for a “ride” while the DeLorean is shown on the big screen.

Multiple timelines exist, and we will likely see them or at least learn about them.

Vecna, Mike, and Will are the characters most associated with time and time travel.

Ahhh I love time travel and Back to the Future. The Duffers clearly do too! Back to the Future has been referenced since episode one when we first saw Will in that classic red “life preserver”. The references go deeper than most people realize too. I gotta say too, the whole play being set in the 50s, with the parents as teens, is very reminiscent of Back to the Future as well!

I would not be surprised at all if they referenced this classic sequel a fair bit in the final season!

[givemearmstopraywith]

abdel rahman al muzain (1985) via the palestinian poster project

the first image reads: the palestinian cinema, recording the past, animating the present, illuminating the future

[goth-automaton]

Pls tell me more about ur oc Riran

Riran, Riran my beloved. 💜 This will be long, so putting it under a cut.

Riran (X-gender, all pronouns, but usually she/her. She uses "ore" as her first person pronoun) is the main character of my Yakuza AU, "The Seer Saga". Despite not being officially a Yakuza, she's considered a high ranking member of Majima family due to her closeness to their patriarch – she and Majima are like siblings. She even affectionately calls him "Nee-chan", while he often addresses her as "kyoudai". Riran is the only person, whom Majima fully trusts and feels comfortable being vulnerable with – and vice versa. They're so close, they even have keys to each other's apartments and often crash there without previous notice.

Riran was born in Sotenbori, on 5th of February 1985. Due to her parents being kinda neglectful (they wanted a baby, not a child, and they stopped paying much attention to her once she went to primary school), she spent most of her younger years as a streetpunk, stirring up shit and picking up fights. In high school, she even joined an all-male delinquent group (she caught one of the members peeping on girls in the changing room, beat him up and he was so impressed, he offered her joining). The moment she hit 18, she went no-contact with her family and moved to Kamurocho. She met Majima in 2005 and they bonded very quickly.

Riran is a clairvoyant. She often has premonitions, that range from the feeling something's off to full-blown visions, and can be about past, the present or future. She doesn't control them, she can only decide, if she wants to act on them (for example, prevent something from happening). She started having them as a child and only realised, what they actually are, at 11. Her premonitions are one of two reasons, why she's the best information dealer in Kamurocho – the second one is her friendship with almost all sex workers there. She works as a janitor in a popular love hotel and always knows the juiciest gossip.

Because of her clairvoyance, Riran went insane. And she's well aware of that.

The thing about being a clairvoyant is, some premonitions can be quite disturbing. Also, this gift (or maybe a curse?) means the person has an insight into how fate and the universe as a whole work, which is... Not a knowledge, that mortals should have. Riran is well aware, how much power she holds and, that she's destined to be a guardian angel. To embrace it, she had to sacrifice her sanity, lest the weight of her decisions and the stress clairvoyance puts on her in general would consume her entirely.

Riran is pansexual. In 2012 she meets Ukyo Tatsuya, for whom she falls immediately (and vice versa). It's a pretty new thing to her, as she's only had friends with benefits so far, not a romantic relationship. They marry somewhere in 2013.

While we are at it, check out this wonderful fanart of Tatsuya my dearly beloved Rem made for this AU! 💜

Personality-wise, Riran is very energetic, self-confident, loud and straightforward, sometimes even rude – she's very blunt and swears like a sailor. She's also out-going and, despite intimidating aura, very friendly. She cares a lot about people she loves, especially Majima – they are psychically linked and she always knows, how he's feeling.

Of course, Riran can be calm and serious, but when this happens, you know shit's fucked. Very fucked.

About her appearance (I need to draw her at one point...): Riran is gorgeous. Pale skin, dark brown eyes, slim figure, massive bust... Her hair is straight, long (it reaches her lower ribs!) and dyed: left half is pastel blue, right – pastel pink. She has a lot of piercings in her ears, a tunnel in her left one, and snake bites. She's a goth and loves sexy clothes. She has a Hannya tattooed on her upper back, between her shoulder blades – very similar to Majima's, just smaller.

Also, Riran is missing ring and little fingers in her left hand. Many people think it's because of her connections to mafia, but nope – she lost them in an accident, when she was 4 years old. The same accident also caused hearing loss in her left ear. She doesn't give a slightest fuck about any of it. She doesn't even remember the accident.

And now, time for some assorted trivia:

Riran is also known as the Oracle of Majima, for obvious reasons.

Riran's signature weapon is a stick, usually a broomstick or a mopstick. As I mentioned, she's a janitor, and this is, what she often has at hand. She doesn't have any particular style of fighting due to being self-taught. However, she's very good in taking on large groups of people – effect of her partaking in gang fights as a teen. Also, she's strong, to the point she has no problems with picking up and carrying people, who weight more, than her.

She's a smoker.

Riran has insane pain tolerance. This might contribute to the fact she loves spicy food. Nothing is too hot for her. Nothing.

Riran's hobby is fixing old game consoles. Her whole flat is cluttered with various parts and tools needed for that.

She's a top. Always. No exceptions.

She has gorgeous voice and loves karaoke. Her favourite song is Doriko's "Romeo and Cinderella". (Unfortunately, I haven't found a fitting vocal claim for her yet).

Riran hates being addressed with honorifics. Same goes for her legal name. Just call her Riran.

Kiryu is absolutely intimidated by her. The fact he's dating Majima in this AU makes for a quite funny dynamic. While we are at it, she calls him Nii-chan.

Riran has a theme song!

And this is theme song of the AU as a whole:

I'm currently working on a playlist for Riran, will post about it, when it's long enough.

And maybe let's finish with that. I hope I didn't forget about anything important... If you have any more questions, go on! 💜 I'd love to hear you thoughts too! 💜

Thank you! 💜💜💜

[ineffable-endearments]

I'm making a list of other media to watch/read before Good Omens 2 comes out.

I can't hit absolutely everything that's been referenced in the posters and such. That would be a lot of stories. I'll already be rushing through; if I tried to read/watch everything, I'd literally just be skimming, and that's not the experience I want.

Already watched Clue (1985) last night. It was fun.

I'm currently reading American Gods. As fascinated as I am by the themes that tend to run through Neil's work (including American Gods), I haven't actually read that many of his books, and that feels like it needs to change.

I'm going to rent The Crow Road, A Tale of Two Cities, and Catch-22 from the library. Those were prominent on some of the promotional posters.

I also want to watch a few Jane Austen adaptations: Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion. I know the ideal for being able to catch future references and common themes is probably to read the books instead of watching other people's adaptations, but my attention span has not been 100% on board with reading anything lately, so I'm mixing it up. There are supposed to be adaptations of those 4 that are good and pretty faithful to the original books, according to the Internet.

If you're thinking, "Wait, you've never seen Clue, or any of those Jane Austen adaptations?!", the answer is that yes, I am one of those people who lives under a rock and has not seen a bunch of incredibly famous movies and TV series. If you're thinking, "Did you even have English class?", the answer is yes, but the cohort I was with somehow managed to read none of these books except for that time I chose Pride and Prejudice from a list of choose-your-own-reading-assignments, and that was about 20 years ago.

One of the cool things about fiction is how it makes connections, in my opinion, between the present and art that was created in the past. I want to be able to see whatever connections are there.

[somethingusefulfromflorida]

Some disc jockey had the audacity to play Taylor Swift on the oldies station and I wanted to swerve my car into oncoming traffic. Do words not mean anything anymore? I guess every single sond is "technically" an oldy because they were all recorded in the past; there aren't too many songs from the future, and every time a song is released in the present it's suddenly from the past! What has society come to when they follow up King of Wishful Thinking (1990) with Shake It Off (2014) and pretend they're both oldies?

Context: Johnny B. Goode was released in 1958 and was considered an oldy 27 years later in 1985, so I'm more than comfortable calling a 33 year old song an oldy, sure, but a 9 year old song? NINE?!? Nine years is considered old now?

Put in the tags whether you make a distinction between "oldy" and "classic." I could be swayed towards calling Shake It Off a classic, MAYBE, if the argument was convincing and it came from someone whose opinion I respect, but I refuse to call it an oldy until at least 2030, and even that's pushing it.

[endless-fever]

ITALO CALVINO ON PALESTINE

To Issa I. Naouri—Amman

Turin 10 October 1968  

Dear Mr Naouri, 

I have read the poetry of the Palestinian resistance that you have kindly sent me. They seem to be poets of powerful expressive force, full of sincere poetic and human warmth.  The best thing would be to find a journal to publish these poems, I will try to contact a friend to bring them to journal's attention. Of course, in us Europeans the trauma of the persecution of the Palestinians has a special resonance because their current persecutors suffered��in themselves and in their families—persecutions that were the most horrific and inhuman in centuries, both under Nazism and also a long time before that. That the victims of the past should turn into the oppressors of today is the most distressing fact, the one which I think it is necessary to emphasize. I am sorry that none of these poets deals with this motif.

Personally I think that the only solution to the Palestinian problem lies down the revolutionary road both in the Arab world and amongst the Israeli masses. A revolution by the Israeli poor (to a large extent of Middle Eastern and North African origin) against their colonialist and expansionist rulers; but also a revolution by the popular masses in Arab countries against their reactionary and militarist oligarchies (even although these call themselves more or less socialist) who exploit the Palestinian problem for nationalist demagoguery. The real Resistance is not only a struggle against a foreign invader: it has to be a battle for a profound renewal within the society of one's own country. 

I wanted to clarify my thoughts in order to confirm my solidarity with the oppressed Palestinians and their Resistance fighters in the context of a general political and human vision.   

Thank you so much and best wishes. 

From Letters, 1941—1985 by Italo Calvino, translated by Martin McLaughlin with an introduction by Michael Wood (Princeton University Press, 2013) p. 358-359.  Past and Future Presents

[jasminewalkerauthor]

Trope chats: Time travel

Time travel, a concept that has captivated human imagination for centuries, has been a recurring theme in literature and media, offering endless possibilities for exploration, reflection, and speculation. This essay delves into the rise and fall in popularity of time travel narratives, examines its use as a literary tool and symbol, and discusses the pitfalls inherent in its portrayal.

The origins of time travel in literature can be traced back to ancient myths and legends, where characters journeyed to distant pasts or futures through supernatural means. However, it wasn't until the late 19th and early 20th centuries that time travel became a prominent theme in fiction.

One of the earliest examples is H.G. Wells' seminal novel "The Time Machine" (1895), which popularized the notion of a machine capable of traversing through time. Wells' work laid the foundation for future time travel narratives, inspiring countless authors and filmmakers to explore the concept further.

Throughout the 20th century, time travel narratives flourished in various forms of literature and media, from classic science fiction novels like Ray Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder" (1952) to iconic television shows like "Doctor Who" (1963-present). These narratives often served as vehicles for exploring philosophical questions about causality, free will, and the nature of reality.

Despite its enduring popularity, time travel experienced a decline in the latter half of the 20th century, as audiences and creators gravitated towards other speculative concepts. However, the genre experienced a resurgence in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, fueled by advancements in science and technology, as well as shifting cultural and social dynamics.

Films like "Back to the Future" (1985) and "The Terminator" (1984) revitalized interest in time travel, blending action, humor, and intricate plotlines to appeal to wider audiences. Similarly, television series such as "Lost" (2004-2010) and "Doctor Who" (2005-present) introduced new generations to the complexities and possibilities of time travel storytelling.

Time travel serves as a versatile literary tool, allowing authors and creators to explore a myriad of themes and concepts. It enables narratives to transcend temporal boundaries, weaving together disparate timelines and realities to craft compelling stories.

One of the most common uses of time travel is as a metaphor for exploring personal or societal change. Characters journeying through time often confront their past mistakes, grapple with unresolved conflicts, or seek redemption for past actions. In novels like Audrey Niffenegger's "The Time Traveler's Wife" (2003), time travel is used to explore themes of love, loss, and the passage of time.

Furthermore, time travel can function as a symbol for the human desire to escape the constraints of mortality and the inexorable march of time. In Jorge Luis Borges' short story "The Garden of Forking Paths" (1941), the protagonist embarks on a labyrinthine journey through time and space, reflecting the complexity and ambiguity of human existence.

Despite its narrative potential, time travel storytelling is fraught with pitfalls and challenges. Maintaining internal consistency and avoiding paradoxes can be difficult, as altering past events can have unforeseen consequences on the narrative's coherence.

Additionally, time travel narratives run the risk of becoming overly convoluted or relying too heavily on contrived plot devices. The temptation to use time travel as a convenient solution to narrative problems can undermine the emotional resonance and thematic depth of the story.

Moreover, time travel can sometimes be used as a crutch to evade meaningful character development or thematic exploration. Instead of grappling with the consequences of their actions, characters may simply "reset" the timeline or escape to a different reality, diminishing the impact of their choices and experiences.

Time travel remains a perennially popular and endlessly fascinating concept in literature and media, offering writers and creators a vast playground for exploration and experimentation. From its humble origins in ancient myth to its modern incarnations in blockbuster films and bestselling novels, time travel continues to captivate audiences with its promise of adventure, mystery, and philosophical inquiry. However, navigating the complexities and pitfalls of time travel storytelling requires careful craftsmanship and a deep understanding of its narrative and thematic implications. As long as human curiosity persists, time travel will remain a timeless trope in the literary and cultural landscape.

[inmyworldblr]

Trikal / Past, Present and Future (1985)

[staringatthefiree]

If you could witness any event of the past, present, or future, what would it be and why

Queen at Live Aid in 1985.

[beyourselfchulanmaria]

Pavane - Metropole Orkest dir. Rogier van Otterloo - Bill Evans Trio-1978

Composer: Gabriël Fauré; Arrangement: Claus Ogerman Soloists: The Bill Evans Trio: Bill Evans (p), Marc Johnson (b), Philly Joe Jones (drs) Metropole Orkest: 75 Years in Perspective - Its Past, its Present, its Future 4th Decade (1976 - 1985) Permission to us this material granted by AVROTROS

Credits & Acknowledgements Music selection: Friederike Darius, Annie Tangberg, Dick Bakker, Jan Bastiani, Max Boeree, Henk Heijink, Paul Schooneman, Fred Dekker Design & Production: Jolien Plat, Marvin Schruba Audio supervision: Dirk Overeem Text and Narrative: Fred Dekker Concept: Fred Dekker

-Metropole Orkest channel on YouTube- Thanks xoxo

[doctorbrown]

Today's rambling post topic—

How absolutely poetic it is that Doc's one singular person, his soulmate, should also be a woman out of time. Neither of them are supposed to be there, they've entirely rewritten the timeline from the second he made the decision to go after her out-of-control horses, and they both have views on life and science and the world that doesn't mean a thing to time.

Doc is so concerned about laying as low as he possibly can, making sure he doesn't interfere more than is necessary in the timeline because there's no getting around the fact that his presence there alone has already changed everything, just as Marty's arrival in '55 had. Doc inevitably has to make some kind of new mark on the timeline not there before by way of simply continuing to live. He's gotta eat, he needs a place to sleep, all of that. But he can minimise the damage by not involving himself in anything too grand.

Doc never would've entertained the notion of love in that era had he not been in the right place at the right time. And even then, when they were both stuck back in the past, he was going to try and hold out because the DeLorean is gone. Marty is (hopefully, and there's the kicker, isn't it) back in 1985, home safe with Jen and getting on with his life. He'll look after Einstein. They'll be fine.

He's stuck and that's that.

But now there's Clara.

Neither of them are supposed to be alive in that point in time, yet Doc, unable to leave well enough alone when someone is in trouble in front of him, has altered the timeline irrevocably now. And on top of that, he's already deeply in love with her. So much so he considered staying behind even when he had the chance to get back with Marty in the DeLorean.

So, after a while, he figures what the hell? How much more damage can he really do by going after the woman of his dreams, the one who he would never have met and will never meet another like ever again, who also, like him, is displaced in time?

The choice makes itself, really. And it's just a plus that she's so enamoured with the idea of living in the future—Emmett's present—and willing to leave this time behind for something better.

Truthfully, Clara always felt out of place among her peers anyway. What a funny twist of fate it is that the person who understands her so well, who gets her, is a man a hundred years out of his own time.

The timeline lost such a great woman when Clara unfortunately fell to her death in Shonash Ravine, but honestly, given how already out of her time she was, how far-forward thinking and leaning she was and how she effortlessly broke societal norms of the era, she would have languished in the Nineteenth Century had things played out differently. She either would've settled for someone with the same dated views as everyone else that felt stifling or, much like Emmett, aged gracefully with a dog or two.

But I don't see Clara settling for anyone that didn't make her absolutely happy.

And these two just displaced, absolutely perfect for one another souls just!!!

[cantsayidont]

Originally published by Comico and later by Dark Horse, Matt Wagner's Grendel is a creator-owned series that's evolved over the years from costumed adventure to political drama to postapocalyptic action. Most of the stories are now collected in a series of massive Omnibus volumes, which have been reissued in the past couple of years with new covers.

Vol. 1 includes most of the original Hunter Rose saga, about the original Grendel character, a dapper but ruthless and sadistic costumed criminal mastermind battling a werewolf-like antihero called Argent. The Omnibus includes the "Devil by the Deed" storyline originally serialized in Wagner's MAGE series in 1985 (recolored in grayscale and red rather than full color), plus several other sets of stories about Hunter Rose. It's not quite comprehensive: It omits the early, abortive Comico issues Wagner retooled as "Devil by the Deed" (which were reprinted in the 2007 GRENDEL ARCHIVES, and which Wagner considers apocryphal), and crossovers between Hunter Rose and Batman (from 1994) and The Shadow (from 2014). Probably the most peculiar omission is that it excludes the 1989 SILVERBACK miniseries by William Messner-Loebs and John Peck, which presents the origin of Argent; I don't know if Wagner has disowned that series or if the assets needed to reprint it are no longer available.

Vol. 2 covers the first 20 issues of the Comico GRENDEL series, and take place about 40 years after Hunter Rose's death, in a near-future world where Hunter's biographer Christine Spar, daughter of Hunter's adoptive daughter Stacy Palumbo, becomes Grendel. The volume actually begins with a later series called "Devil Child," by Wagner's long-time editor (and sister-in-law) Diana Schutz and Tim Sale (originally published as a miniseries in the late 1990s), which deals with Stacy's fate; it is creatively accomplished but extremely bleak (and needs CWs for sexual assault and spousal abuse). The ongoing series, drawn first by the Pander Bros. in a somewhat dated but generally appealing anime-inspired style, later by Bernie Mireault, is a tragic but engrossing saga of rage and revenge, somewhat more fantastical than the Hunter Rose stories. The Christine Spar story is probably the most compelling and emotionally engaging section of the whole story, although the followup, tracing the subsequent fate of her boyfriend Brian, is again very bleak.

Vol. 3 covers the remainder of the Comico series, which ended with issue #40 due to Comico's bankruptcy. This moves the timeline forward hundreds of years, first with a set of experimental (if somewhat annoying) transitional issues, and then with an engrossing but rather frosty saga of political machinations and civil war, as an ambitious businessman called Orion Assante leads an insurrection against the power of a future Catholic Church and a plague of vampirism, with the dubious aid of a mentally unstable man named Eppie Thatcher, who assumes the Grendel role and may or may not be demonically possessed. The transitional issues at the beginning are rough going stylistically, but the main story is interesting and elaborately plotted science fiction, marred chiefly by the deliberate emotional distancing of the main character (CWs apply for incest, along with a lot of sometimes icky violence), whose death decades later brings the arc to a close.

Vol. 4 includes the GRENDEL: WAR CHILD miniseries, originally intended as issues #41–50 of the Comico series, which introduce the cyborg warrior Grendel Prime and deal with the fallout following Orion Assante's death. This is a fairly conventional episodic adventure, probably at least partly inspired by LONE WOLF & CUB, with the Terminator-like Prime traveling through the apocalyptic wastes with Orion's son and heir Jupiter. It's most interesting in how it addresses the various ramifications of the previous storyline, although the almost dismissive way Wagner dispenses with that story's survivors is off-putting. This is followed by PAST PRIME, by Wagner and Greg Rucka, which is a rather too purple illustrated prose novel about a later adventure of Grendel Prime and Susan Veraghen, one of the characters from WAR CHILD. This is followed by DEVIL'S QUEST, originally serialized elsewhere, which is actually the prelude to the second Batman-Grendel crossover in 1996; Wagner apparently hasn't yet negotiated the rights to reprint those crossovers again (they were last collected in 2008), which is puzzling if you haven't read that story, although QUEST has some of the best and most experimental artwork of Wagner's career.

Vols. 5 and 6, not pictured, reprint the GRENDEL TALES series, which were Wagner's attempt to open up his concept to other writer/artist teams, most published as miniseries by Dark Horse between 1992 and 1998. Unfortunately, all are set in the world of Grendel Prime, full of cliched postapocalyptic horrors and boring warrior-clan bullshit with none of the political scheming and character conflicts that made the Orion saga interesting; there's some nice art, but the endless parade of threadbare concepts, throwaway characters, and nearly inevitable grim denouements becomes wearing quickly. Of the more than 800 pages of material, the only installments worth a look are FOUR DEVILS, ONE HELL (more for its stylish Teddy Kristiansen art than its typically pompous James Robinson script) and HOMECOMING (by Pat McEowon and Dave Cooper), a downbeat story in which Susan Veraghen goes on a bloody, leather-clad rampage to avenge the death of her former girlfriend.

I very much hope Wagner will work something out with DC to reissue the Batman/Grendel crossovers of the '90s. The first, with Batman and Hunter Rose, is by far the best, with an elaborately constructed secondary plot enlivening the shaggy dog story of the main confrontation and extremely intricate artwork; the second, with a time-travel Grendel Prime, is not as artistically adventuresome and is basically a TERMINATOR story with Batman, although it's worth a look to see what the DEVIL'S QUEST story was all about.

Wagner's Grendel/Shadow crossover is a fun romp, and works better than Wagner's misfired THE SHADOW: YEAR ONE, which made me miss the Howard Chaykin/Andy Helfer/Kyle Baker version.

[cptnbeefheart]

really i just need to shut my stupid ass up and read wolverine origins myself these movies are in "chronological" order but make no sense so what logan lives with the blackfoot tribe following him quitting the black ops mutant team in vietnam and this is all before first class which supposedly takes place 1968, days of future past 1973 and age of apocalypse 1978 where young jean grey frees jorts wolverine but then in x2 2003 which its never said what year it is but i assume its present day 2003 stryker (whos age also doesnt make sense in the timeline) tells logan that he was roaming after being brainwashed and adamantium-ed up for 15 years. what. where does that number come from. that would mean 1985 which makes sense for the comics but not for the newer james mcavoy michael fassbender movies... ALSO IN DAYS OF FUTURE PAST WOLVERINE ISNT ADAMANTIUMED UP YET HE HAS BONE CLAWS. SO WHERE IN THE WORLD DOES WOLVERINE ORIGINS FIT IN AT ALL IM SO CONFUSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!