#Selina Netting

[xxgoblin-dumplingxx]

Age gap!Bruce is so in love with his wife, I’m sure that he believes she can’t do nothing wrog. Like, he’s the type to brag about how amazing she’s to everybody.

I love your writing and this scenario in particular has me very interested bc I think is so original. Usually, I don’t like age gap bc writers tend to make reader a little childlike or with no personality, but age gap!reader is so unique that I love her so much.

I like to imagine one of Bruce’s exes, like Selina (I’m sorry, but I always remember how she left him at the altar. I love her but my heart breaks for Bruce) comes back to Gotham and everything is kinda awkward bc yes, they have this weird off and on relationship (they haven’t seen each other for more than a year), not string attached but serious at the same time. And suddenly, he’s married to a fucking pop-star and actress??

Even a one night stand seeing Bruce “the playboy” marrying reader.

I can see this with anyone who used to be in love or having feelings either for Bruce or reader. “That should be me” by Justin Bieber will be in their spotify wrapped

I think it was the hard launch of the YEAR. Everyone will be so shocked by it that it becomes an iconic and part of Gotham’s pop culture. They did an interview and suddenly, the next thing they knew?? They got married at a private ceremony where only close family and friends knew.

"This is a stunt even for you, Bruce," Lois scolded tapping her foot. "Honestly-"

Bruce held his hands up, "The only reason it's public now is because we got caught in public. She was perfectly happy to be a private thing."

"Bruce," she scoffed giving him a look, "I know she's an adult but still. You're old enough to be her dad-"

"Not unless I was 16 when she was born," Bruce snorted, "she's the same age Dick is. Damian is 9-"

Lois rolled her eyes and took a seat, "So what did your kids say?"

"Over all, they were fine with it. If not happy about it. But Jason had to make a scene about me dating his childhood crush and betraying him all over again for dramatic effect. And Damian had to lecture me about the security risk."

"Naturally," Lois said smiling. "Jon said Damian had a lot to say about it. That's how we heard about it."

This time it was Bruce's turn to roll his eyes. "Be nice to her-"

"Are you kidding?" Lois asked, slightly incredulous.

"No-"

"Why would I not be? She's Iconic, honestly."

"And better at managing her image than I am," Bruce chuckled.

"Sad, really," Lois observed dryly. "But also impressive."

"No one knows who she dates, where she donates, no one knows her net worth for sure... honestly if she didn't volunteer the information I'm not even sure I'd know her favorite color."

"I'm not surprised," Lois mused, "After watching her get ripped apart a few years ago."

"I don't-"

"You wouldn't," Loid allowed, "You didn't have editors that wanted you to write think pieces about it. And you didn't work in an office that had a betting pool to her inevitable suicide or addiction spiral."

Bruce winced. He didn't remember it. Not directly, but you'd talked about it. It was part of why he agreed to letting you keep things private. You liked keeping things quiet. A separation between your public face and your private one. It fucked you up. And no one protected you. You'd had to handle it alone- Sure, you had your team but that wasn't the same as having PEOPLE to fall back on.

"I'll be nice," Lois assured him, "Just don't be a creep or I'll sic Clark on you later."

[suzukiblu]

Ko-fi thank-you sentences for Derpsheep; a fake cryptid and a real romantic. (( chrono || non-chrono ))

“Oh! Are you not the kind of bird who makes the nest? Because I can totally make a nest, I can definitely do that!” its new Robin blurts eagerly, straightening up in the air and brightening in excitement. 

Dick cackles, and Tim makes a strangled noise and vanishes completely inside Robin’s wings. 

“Um . . . is that not . . .?” Its new Robin trails off, looking embarrassed. The Batman is . . . puzzled. It really never has had a Robin that nested before. They’re all different, obviously, but–

Oh, it realizes, and tilts its head. Perhaps this actually isn’t a new Robin. Perhaps this is something . . . else. 

Something–new, in a sense. 

There was Batgirl and the Spoiler, but this is more . . . Starfire, maybe. More like her. Something different, that isn’t from Gotham. Isn’t of it. Something new and shiny like a just-made, just-cut diamond with no history to it. 

The Batman prefers history. Prefers old and lovely things; the long, long line of preservation and protection. The cherished, and the stories that are cherished most of all. The history of a bloodline, of a name, and the loving fear of the dark, and the flip of a decades-old coin against the shine of a centuries-old jewel, and above all, the concept of justice.

But the Batman is also a thing of change, a thing that wants to keep moving, and a thing that wasn’t there, once, but will be from now on. A thing that wants to help bring something better. 

It wants better for Gotham. 

And Superman is something bright and constant in the world, and wants better for it. So then . . . Superboy is . . . not a Robin, but . . . 

Something new and shiny and just-made, and made of a dreaming for that “better”, when the Batman looks at him the right way. 

Something that came looking for its Robin with a diamond made just for him, and caught Nightwing without a moment’s hesitation when he asked, and wants to build its Robin a nest. 

Hm. 

Selina brings it diamonds, sometimes, wrapped around Cat-claws and a slick smile. But she never stays to nest. 

But not-its-new-Robin still tastes just a bit like Cat. 

. . . hm. 

kitten, the Batman decides after a long moment, and then pats the kitten’s curly fur with the trailing edge of its cape. It leaves the rest of it strung in a net, though, because Cats shouldn't be able to fly at all. 

Not that it's telling the kitten that, because then he might realize he can't and fall. 

“Uh–what?” The kitten blinks at him, though he leans into the petting just the slightest bit, feeling like a neglected alleycat that's just feral enough not to know what to do about being touched. Dick falls over laughing–though he doesn’t actually fall; not any farther than the ledge–and Nightwing’s discordant cackle echoes across the rooftops. 

“Oh my god,” Tim mutters under his breath, and sounds very “teenage” even in Robin’s voice. 

The Batman has learned about teenagers. 

kitten, it repeats with one last patient scratch behind the kitten’s ears, then draws its cape back. Strays don’t get used to being petted so quickly. 

The kitten . . . blinks, once or twice, his eyes very large and pupils dilated far past normal human proportions behind the flat opaque surface of his glasses. 

It does look very Cat-like, in the dark. 

The Batman hums its approval and pats Tim’s shoulder where Robin’s feathers drape and cover, and then turns to leave. 

[incorrectbatfam]

Which of the batfam members do the practiced beginning theory in chess and which ones do rookie moves on purpose so the others have to actually use their brains?

Dick: paints over the board so it's one big square

Jason: grants knighthood to all his pawns

Tim: bribes the other king into abdicating

Damian: lets his friends blindly pick moves through an earpiece

Duke: leaves it to a dice roll

Cullen: creates extra kings with checkers

Stephanie: takes her pieces for a spa day so they all feel like queens

Cassandra: somehow it becomes a card game

Barbara: holds a diplomatic assembly and writes a peace treaty

Harper: sets up a naval fleet with Battleship

Carrie: puts a volleyball net in the middle

Kate: stages a coup and overthrows her own king

Selina: steals a piece every time her opponent isn't looking

Bruce: builds a 15-way chessboard for the whole crew

Alfred: packs up and leaves the Manor forever

[mylifeisfruk4ever]

"What the fuck?"

Selina felt that those three words were enough to describe her whole relationship with Bruce Wayne. First as Batman, then as Bruce.

She had thought there might be something between them. Luckily it had passed, and a weird friendship had developed between them. Which might make some people turn up their noses since she was a thief and he was a vigilante but Bruce hasn't been so uptight lately and as long as Selina didn't kill and steal only who deserved it, they were fine.

Still, what the heck?

"Oh, Brucie is growing up," Harley said, all too pleased.

She was upright on the bed, while Pamela sat on the other side trimming her nails, seemingly ignoring the ongoing conversation.

Fuck house arrest for both of them. Why had she accepted? Oh yeah, they were friends.

Alsp, Bruce hoped that with her, Pamela and Harley could direct their impulses towards more correct forms of fighting for their principles, without involving innocent people.

So far it wasn't going to be great, but at least Harley had dumped her clown ex, for good this time, so it was a win.

(Probably more thanks to Pamela than her, but details.)

"Let me get this straight…you, mister, I don't look anyone in the face and if you talk to me for more than five minutes I'll start crying, you want….I can't believe I'm about to say it…learn how to seduce a man."

"Exactly," Bruce replied, as he petted one of Selina's cats.

"Just…why?"

"Who cares?" Harley broke in.

"He finally wants to step outside his boundaries! You have my respect!"

"It's not about going outside my boundaries. It's about planetary security."

"Really?" Selina said, half joking.

"Superman is powerful enough to destroy the planet."

This knocked Harley over, and Pamela finally stopped pretending not to pay attention.

Selina didn't know whether to laugh hysterically or slap him on the head, "Do you want to seduce Superman?!"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"To discover his weaknesses and use them against him when his powers drive him insane."

"Wow, talking about trust issues," was Harley's comment.

"I like to be prepared," Bruce said.

"What did the boy scout do to make you fear that he might become world dictator at the slightest provocation?"

The man pouted adorable, and grumbled. Selina still wasn't an expert at translating each other's mumbling but she swore it was something like smiling too much, and I don't trust him, he's got something to hide.

Harley said, "Isn't Superman having an affair with that reporter? Lois Lane?"

"She is General Lane's daughter. A close relationship is not advisable."

"She seems to know him well. Why don't you ask her?"

"She wouldn't answer me, so as not to betray him. Everyone says he's a hero."

"And you obviously don't believe it," Selina suspected.

"No."

"What makes you think he might be interested in men?" Selina asked him.

Harley laughed, "Cupcake, no completely straight man would wear pants that tight."

"Same conclusion I came to."

Oh good. The fate of the world was entrusted to a pair of tight trousers.

"Besides, I've done some research on him, and I might be his type. At least physically. What I lack is the ability to seduce him to lower his defenses and believe me harmless."

"Ability you think we have?" Selina asked, not sure whether to feel offended or not.

"Gotham is very sexist," Bruce said.

"You did your best to manipulate men who thought they knew better."

Pamela smiled, "I'm liking this one."

“I told you Brucie's one of the good ones,” Harley genuinely smiled as she said it.

"And he's a weirdo, like us."

Selina wanted to moan. This is what happens when you make friends with strange vigilantes. She said, "So Superman has a thing for brunettes. Good to know. Have you thought about what to do in case your brilliant plan fails?"

"It won't fail," he said confidently.

"You don't know," she insisted, trying to give him some common sense. A futile undertaking, it was Bruce she was talking to.

"Superman is overconfident. He will fall into the net."

"Definitely not dressed like that honey," Harley commented, taking a long look to Bruce.

"What's wrong with the way I'm dressed?"

"You look like a creepy stalker," Selina said. Army jacket, hat, scarf to cover her face and mascara for her eyes. Bruce was a walking fashion insult. They're definitely going to have to fix his wardrobe, make him wear things that flatter his body and…

Oh god, she was totally on board with that plan, right?

Read more

[gloster]

FAVORITE FANFICS OF 2023

We did it. We made it. We made it through the end of 2023, and BOY AM I HAPPY AS HELL TO SAY GOOD-FUCKING-BYE TO IT. I don't know about you guys, but this year- particularly the last quarter- have been a lot to say the least. A lot of headaches, a lot of mental breakdowns, a lot of emotional gymnastics, and more.

But thanks to good friends, good shows, good music, and of course good fanfics I managed to see it through the end.

One of my favorite New Year's Eve's traditions where I do my annually fanfic recs/favorite fanfics of the year. This marks a whooping 5th year doing it, YAY 🎉💃🏿 If interested, check out 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 lists.

Please know there's no real ranking, despite the number ordering. Loved all these stories listed. Loved all the fanfics writers featured. And of course highly highly highly recommend

Without further ado, here are my favorite fanfics of 2023:

1). Something Good by @no-net-ensnares-me (kathony/kanthony)

Summary: Eager to earn a wage that would provide a more suitable life for her family and prepare for Edwina’s debut in a couple years, Kate accepts a position as governess for the Bridgerton family and moves to London, where she finds herself thrown into the chaos of living with the severe yet handsome Viscount Anthony Bridgerton and his seven siblings.

or

The Sound of Music AU

The Hills are aliiiiiiiiiiiiive with the sound of music/and the feels are FEEEEEEEEEELT with each new chapter. LOL, but all jokes aside, yes it's been a year since we saw our dear Viscount and Viscountess yet I still ride hard for them like it's their season premire all over again. Thanks of course to the awesome fic writers who keep us well-feed as we wait for season 3, such as this gem right here

Seriously, I cannot stress how insanely good this was. A good retelling where you see elements of Sound of Music while also being its' own thing. The longing, the longing between Kate and Anthony is so good. READ IT.

2). A Devil's Love by FormerlyIR (Irony_Rocks), Irony_Rocks (kathony/kanthony)

Summary: When Kate's sister goes missing, she gets herself a waitress job at the Pebble Lounge to track her down, working under London’s seedy underbelly to find the only person she has left in this world to love. And Anthony Bridgerton? No matter how alluring and distracting he may be, he’s just a means to an end, his life defined by his family business built on corruption.

Kate won’t dance to that tune. She’s just trying to find her sister.

Two in a row. A win for kathony/kanthony. Where the first one for the most part is cozy and light, this one is dark. Not surprising since this story, according to the author, was inspired by the 2022's The Batman, focusing on the electric dynamic between our favorite Bruce and Selina Kyle. Or rather in this AU, the dynamics between a dangerous mob boss and a woman going undercover as a waitress to figure out what happened to her sister.

It's got everything. Protective/possessive Anthony. Stubborn, witty Kate. Great sexual tension. Fair warning, there is an unplanned pregnancy so keep that in mind. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride

3). Intent to Cherish by iffervescent (kinn x porsche)

Summary: A mouthy beta runs off with Kinn's watch. He goes to get it back.

4 chapters this story is. 4 chapters of hilarious back and forth. 4 chapters of Porsche keeping that stubborn streak in tact with Kinn trying to chip his way through. 4 chapters we get to watch Porsche go from intriguing thief, to Kinn's employee, and finally intended.

This story checks off so many boxes. ABO AU, which is always a favorite. Sugar Baby and Sugar Daddy dynamic- never get tired of that. And of course Porsche being spoiled rotten. What more could you want?

4). burnt cotton series by taetaehland (taekook)

Summary: here's a series featuring your favorite bratty taehyung and his whipped husband, jeongguk (plus their adorable pups)

Once again, we got ABO and we so far have 11 stories of it featuring our favorite BTS as they grow more of their little family, grow more in love, and of course Tae growing more crafty and poor Kookie growing more insane. I love it.

Not to mention seeing all the ways Jungkook becomes more and more whipped for his husband is just the icing on the cake.

5). 'Tis a Far Better Thing by @the-sinking-ship (drarry)

Summary: 'Tis a far, far better thing doing stuff for other people — or however the Muggle saying goes — because Potter is in need of professional help, and Draco is just the man to give it to him.

A Drarry Clueless AU.

Sometimes you come across two things, such as two fandoms that on the surface seem so far farfetched until one ambitious fic writer creates a story that combines elements of the two and creates a wonderful gem of a story. Which is exactly what happened here.

Draco Malfoy and Cher Horowitz are so much alike, it's not even funny. Thus enhancing my enjoyment for this story to outright love love loving.

Again, elements to a famous story that brings on the nostalgia and enjoyment while also being it's own fresh spin. Plus FASHION. Draco as a Fashion Designer with Harry being his newest client. Along with Draco massively simping- always a win in my book.

6). Tracklist by Mia_Moon (sukuita/sukuIta)

Summary: Singer Sukuna x Fanboy Yuuji

Where they do kinky stuff together first and then get to know each other later.

Sometimes you have that fandom with an OTP that's set and your loyal ride or ship. Then there are other fandoms, where you love most of the characters, see the chemistry between them, love the dynamics, and it's fair game for shipping season. Jujutsu Kaisen is one of those fandoms, and sukita/sukulta was one of those ships that I just ended up falling in love with it.

Listen. Listen. Listen. I know the synopsis just give smutty smutty good time, but you get that and MORE.

What more you say be asking? Well, for starter our dear boy Yuuji who gets spoiled rotten, pampered, and yes, also gets sexed up 7 ways to Sunday- featuring some of the hottest smut I've read so far might I add. Mia_Moon did their thing, and I definitely will be reading more of and more of their works.

I don't know why to explain it, but there's something about a celebrity AU, where we have one half of the ship be this famous celeb and the other being this outsider getting pulled into their world. I ate it up every single time.

7). I'm Only Going to Heaven (If it Feels Like Hell) by stereobone (eruri)

Summary: "Are you saying you want to be my sugar daddy?" Levi says.

This story, I kid you not, came at the best timing, especially as I still try to untangle my very tangled feelings regarding the final season of Attack of Titan. But one positive that came outta it was my ulitmate love for Levi Ackerman, along with rekindling my love for eruri.

Good to note, one of the quickest quickest ways for me to immediately read a fanfic is if I see the keywords: Sugar Daddy.

What can I say? It gets me everytime. And this one was no different. This story not only came to my radar at the perfect time, but it also was just so damn perfect. So damn good. And of course had me looking through whatever other eruri stories the writer had under their belt.

8). Minor Family Supremacy by @yoonmoonbii (vegaspete, kinnporsche,payurain, prapaisky)

Summary: Like Vegas, Venice Theerapanyakun was born into a dangerous world of crime and power plays. And unlike Vegas, he is well protected by his family who shelters the little boy and spoils him to the core. However, in a day like every other, Venice is kidnapped.

Oh dear lord, where do we begin with this one? Well, much as 2023 was a hot flaming mess, it also became the year of Love of the Air (my new comfort show) and Kinnporsche. For not only me but also for my dear friends @littlenightdragon & @kila09. And what does one do after getting into a new show/fandom? Find fanfics to satisfy the fangirl cravings.

Minor Family Supremacy, or as me and @littlenightdragon often like to call it, the Minor Family Saga was the fanfic for us. And deliver what we needed after finishing Kinnporsche and wanted more of Vegas, more of Pete, and see the other side of the Minor Family.

This one, massive massive props, praise, and all the kudos for @yoonmoonbii for putting this series together because wow. Series starts off with Payu aka Venice as a kid, best friends with his cousin Prapai, being protected by his loving parents until one day changes their dynamics forever- and further widen the gap between the two . But quickly as each story goes on, the two find themselves being more aware of their positions, the complicated histories of their families, and how to stay on course of their own lives without falling into the trappings of Korn's narcisstic chesse game.

It's that good. Each story is like a TV season to the vegaspete spin-off we were so badly owed and sadly weren't granted.

9). Haute Couture, Mon Amour by @goldentruth813 (sheith)

Summary: When a scruffy stranger walks into Mamora Designs, personal shopper Shiro decks him in finery instead of sending him away. Little does Shiro know there’s more to this man than meets the eye and while trying to give him a picture perfect moment he just might find his own instead.

When it comes to @goldentruth813, you can count on several things. Amazing sheith stories. Incredible moments that will make your heart swoon or flutter (depending on the rating). And of course for Shiro to be spoiled rotten and given more depth than the show did.

This one, one word: FASHION. Fashion, fashion, with a lot of a Cinderella-ish vibe, only slightly if you catch it.

Honorable mention:

Wishing on a Frat Boy

10). He's The Bride by @sashadistan (tododeku)

Summary: Fae Prince Shoto has been waiting his whole life to marry his betrothed. As it turns out, a few interesting details were lost in translation, but Shoto still thinks his bride is worth the wait.

Oh @sashadistan, how I adore thee. For the way you just drop these amazing stories for us peasants, feeding us with wonderful content one story at a time. I always love your stories whether it's sheith, tododeku, and more.

This one was no different. This story has everything I could want: Fae Shouto, possessive Shouto, body worship, Izuku being his stuttering and flustering mess, and arranged marriage.

If y'all told me 5 or so years ago, I'd get into arranged marriage, I would have been dumbfounded. Or wonder if you were trying to be funny. Now? I love it. Just goes to show that sometimes it takes a good writer to make something you don't like a win in your eyes.

And now for the Honorable Mentions that were insanely good but due to time & length, couldn't go into full depth:

Just Breathe by @icecream-suga (2 part series w/1st part focusing on yoonmin & the 2nd on taekook; gangsters, drugs, gunplay, OH MY. So goooooood)

Right at Home by cmere (firstprince, alex x henry; grad students in a non-royal AU, fake-dating, and hijinks)

Hair Ribbons and Silk Ties by writer_of_passion (tiana x nanami/tianami; loving husband goes bonkers seeing his wife's curls loose and it GOES DOWN, so so so good)

Bedroom Hymns by Writcraft (drarry; daddy kink w/dom & sub undertones, insanely HOTTT)

Like, Comment, and Romance by @xskyll (tododeku; Youtuber Deku, pro-Hero Shouto, mutual longing and pining wrapped in a insanely fun read)

And there you have it. As usual, thanks to the awesome fanfic writers who do what they do. Fanfics, literally, is the only thing keeping us sane. And please check out all these stories.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, GUYS

[mattzerella-sticks]

"You can live a normal life. Fall in love."

I think this scant piece of ranting says a LOT about how Bruce sees Batman. It's not just a duty. It's a curse. Your blessings are also your damnations. Bruce thinks that you cannot fall in love while you are a vigilante (despite COUNTLESS EVIDENCE THAT DISPROVES THIS - Dick and Babs, Clark and Lois, Ollie and Dinah, etc.)

But Bruce has a very myopic viewpoint that leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy. He hasn't had success in romance as Batman. It's Batman's fault. He can't give up Batman. Ergo, he cannot 'find love' in the nuclear family, heteronormative sense because of Batman.

Let's look at the three 'greatest loves' of Batman's life according to his and Ghostmaker's trip into his psyche.

Selina Kyle. Talia al Ghul. Poison Ivy.

I'll work backwards. Ivy is a placeholder because she was never really his. She never loved him, and his love for her was chemically induced. But he has her there, why? Maybe to say that it doesn't work out because she chose someone else.

Talia. The mother of his child who is also the Demon's Head. It would never work because of his strict code against killing and her ambivalence towards it. Ironically, they have the healthiest relationship imo that probably was born from necessary co-parenting. While they don't care for what the other does, they respect and care for each other and have deep history. He thinks if he can't make it work with the mother of his kid, who can he make it work with?

Selina Kyle. Probably the closest (at this point in canon) Bruce has ever come to having a relationship that works. But every time it looks like it'll be a sure hit, something gums up the works. Most of the time, it's each other as there are key aspects of their identity that neither are willing to compromise for. And usually, when there is a compromise, it's usually on Selina's part whereas Bruce can continue being Batman. That puts a huge power imbalance in the relationship. It doesn't work out because Selina will always be drawn back to crime, and Batman will have to stop her. Bruce supposes that's what you get for falling for a criminal.

In all three, Bruce creates logical reasons why Batman is incapable of having a relationship and uses that to justify why he cannot have romance in his life. Why having this duty is a curse. Why he is showing love by getting his kids 'out' of the life, through whatever means necessary.

However, with Selina taking a chunk out of crime through a grey method, she is pulling at a foundational aspect of his personality - I'd argue the safety net Bruce created for himself when he was that boy in the alley - and, in turn, making the Batman/Zur persona go nuts. Zur sees her methods not a way to help Gotham but as an attack on him since, if this can save Gotham what is the point of Batman? What was the point of Bruce's vow? What was it all for?

Zur is giving Bruce a reason to keep going, to keep putting on the mask, so he doesn't have to confront what's under the mask when there's no crime to fight. To deal with his personal life and relationships and mhi that need to be dealt with.

And Selina and the Batfamily are right, this shouldn't have turned into a war. They shouldn't be fighting. This is an unforseen side effect of them fulfilling Bruce's wish which is to make Gotham safe when, in reality, maybe thats not what Batman wants because what safe Gotham would need Batman?

Almost like when in Infinite Crisis, Superman of earth one asks his earth two counterpart: "if your earth was perfect, why did it need a superman?"

A safe Gotham doesn't need a Batman and, after all the stress and trauma Bruce has suffered since he put on that cowl, he is not ready to hang it up. It is his burden and his joy. As much as he grouses about the crime and how much work it is to keep Gotham 'clean' he hates sitting on his hands with nothing to do.

Ironically, Batman of Zur En Arrh reminds me of what happened to Robin in Teen Titans Go! in 'Uncle Jokes' when Starfire started acting like Cyborg and Beast Boy, breaking the natural order of how he saw the world and making him go cuckoo. The same thing is happening to Bruce.

He needs to realize that he can still be Batman but he can also not be in control. That Bruce is the one stopping him from finding 'love' in a traditional sense, not Batman. That he has love and a family and he does not need to keep pushing everyone away because he thinks it's better for them and he knows best.

Batman is Gotham's greatest hero, Bruce Wayne's love, but he's also Bruce's greatest rogue. Duality.

[the-inkwell-variable]

Find the Word Tag

Thank you, @drchenquill, for the tag! I'll be using my zombie novel, Dauntless, to find the words!

My words are lonely, sad, tears, idiot

LONELY

SAD (I had sadness, not sad, so I hope that counts!)

Ashlee shoots Selina a grateful smile.  Her niece responds with a glare and lifting her book again, blocking any view of her aunt’s face.  A pang of sadness shoots through Ashlee.  Clearly Selina believes the video – and why shouldn’t she?  That’s all she’s been exposed to.  That’s all anyone has been exposed to.

TEARS

“I’m sorry, Ana,” Ashlee chokes as fresh tears burn the back of her throat.  She grabs her sister’s throat with two hands and throws her weight to the right, slamming her head against the cabinet.  Ana grunts but doesn’t seem to care.  Her hands still reach for Anais’s face.  She slams again. And again. And again.

IDIOT

"Do I look like a snitch to you?  As far as I'm concerned, if you're old enough to drive, you're old enough to swear at the other idiot drivers.  Besides, your mom was cussing when she was seventeen too." "So you'll have my back if she catches me?" "Fuck no.  You get caught, you suck up the punishment and be better at hiding it next time." "That's shitty." "That's adulthood, Sel."

I'm tagging @sableglass - @space-writes - @captain-kraken - @i-can-even-burn-salad - @leahpardo-pa-potato - open tag!

Your words are TISSUE, CONTROL, NET, CARD

[lunastarhawk]

WiP proof of life Wednesday

Tides of Memories part 26

Got stuck for a bit but hopefully rolling along now.

“A focus… like a crystal?” Asra asked, his thoughts racing. Before Aisha could answer, Selina said, “No, the talisman.  Julian’s talisman.” “Right.  We’d have to figure out exactly how–” “Her rapier!” Asra exclaimed.  “She has a crystal now that focuses her magic into ice.  If she uses Julian’s talisman instead, then–” “It will focus his magic, and her magic–” “Together!” “Together.” The three of them stood in silence for a moment.  Finally, the circle was closing, the pieces were coming together. Aisha exhaled heavily with a soft laugh, gesturing to the page.  “The rest is relatively simple.  They just need some relics from that period of time, something that can provoke an emotional response.  Emotional memory triggers are the most powerful.  The more, the better.”  She looked at Selina.  “You knew them back then.  Do you think you could help find things that meant a lot to them?” The pain that shot through Selina’s heart at the thought was visible in the sudden slope of her brow and tremble of her bottom lip before she pulled it in between her teeth.  She nodded. “Is that all?” Asra asked.  “A circle, relics, and Ilya’s talisman in Altheia’s sword.  And they need to do the ritual on their gateway ship so their magic is strongest, right?” “Yes.”  Aisha gave an awkward grimace.  “They also need… rope.”

"Rope?" Aisha exhaled heavily with a soft laugh, gesturing to the page.  “The rest is relatively simple.  They just need some relics from that period of time, something that can provoke an emotional response.  Emotional memory triggers are the most powerful.  The more, the better.”  She looked at Selina.  “You knew them back then.  Do you think you could help find things that meant a lot to them?” The pain that shot through Selina’s heart at the thought was visible in the sudden slope of her brow and tremble of her bottom lip before she pulled it in between her teeth.  She nodded. “Is that all?” Asra asked.  “A circle, relics, and Ilya’s talisman in Altheia’s sword.  And they need to do the ritual on their gateway ship so their magic is strongest, right?” “Yes.”  Aisha gave an awkward grimace.  “They also need… rope.” “Rope?” Asra blinked in surprise.  Aisha nodded, glancing only briefly at her son before looking pointedly down at the book.  “Mmm.  It’s a, uh… a sex ritual.” “Oh!” Asra and Selina both exclaimed at the same time.  For Asra it was a mix of surprise while somehow also being obvious, with sex magic being amongst the strongest, but… it wasn’t a conversation he wanted to have with his mother. “The ropes represent the Forget Me spell, the way it works like a net holding Julian’s memories back.” Asra remembered something Altheia had told him that the Queen of Cups had said to her in a dream - Ice will cut all ties.   “So cutting the physical rope with the Rising Tide will also cut the magical ‘net’ holding Ilya’s memories.  That it?” “Basically, yes.”  Clearing her throat, Aisha said in a rush, “When the spell is… released.” Selina suddenly burst a laugh that seemed to surprise her as much as it did Asra, and she clamped her hand over her mouth.  But her shoulders shook as she giggled. It was infectious, and Asra couldn’t help but laugh at the awkwardness of it all.  He put his hands on his hips. “All that aside… we have it now, don’t we?  All that’s left is the talisman, and for Ilya to work out when the stars align.”

[jovialjuggernaut-draws]

"would you kiss them?" "..." "there's your answer."

"Would you kiss him?"

"..."

"There's your answer."

"It's not that simple!" Bruce groaned.

Selina rolled her eyes, going back to finger-combing her pink wig. "It is, though. It's perfectly simple. 'Complicated feelings' are liars. Your head's telling you 'this guy is trash' and your heart's telling you 'he's a jerk'. It's just your pussy telling you to give him a chance."

"Selina, you know I don't have a-"

"You know what I mean!" She tossed the nearest cat toy she could grab at him, the little ball jingling when it bounced off his shoulder and attracting no less than three excited cats to chase after it where it rolled across the cluttered apartment floor. "I've had to have this talk a dozen times, about guys who did a hell of a lot less than literally try to kill them, and none of those girls have been half as stubborn as you're being! Stop mooning over him if you wouldn't even kiss him!"

"I'm not mooning," Bruce grumbled.

"Oh, really." Selina put on an exaggerated pout, folding her fingers under her chin and batting her eyelashes up at Bruce. "Oh, uwuwuwu, I feel so bad about Eddie, and do you know what Eddie said when I went to visit him in Arkham? And oh, Selina, do you think I was too mean, after he tried to fucking kill me, do you think I should have been nicer, he seemed sooo sad, Selina! Do you think he'd forgive me if I sucked his dick, Selina?!"

"I don't sound like that!" Bruce snapped, though, insultingly silly voice aside, he had said those things… some of those things, anyway.

"You can't let a guilty conscience and a cute face dupe you into doing dumb things!" Selina snapped back at him, gesturing with the wig too harshly and tangling it again. She slumped into her mattress, returning to her task with a tension to her full lips. "...You're better than that."

Bruce fidgeted with his gloves, embarrassed by the unexpected declaration of faith. "...Thanks."

She shrugged, avoiding his eyes while she hooked the wig's clips into place, sizing it down to fit before sliding it carefully into place. "Don't mention it. If you want to thank me, just… actually take my advice. Okay?"

"...Okay."

She stared him in the eye- or, well, in the mask near his eyes, as he was also avoiding her gaze. "I gotta go, okay? Stay here if you gotta, but make sure you close up when you leave. Heating bill's high enough as it is."

She marched past, her stilettos giving her just enough of a boost to come up to Bruce's chin, and she paused to press a quick kiss to the sharp cheekbone of the cowl before continuing on her way out, graceful despite the minefield of cat toys and balled-up trash between her and the door.

"Don't be a stranger!"

The door clicked shut, the lock clicking into place behind her. Bruce let out a heavy sigh, sinking to her low, lumpy mattress, a cat leaping to fill his lap the moment he touched down. Absent-mindedly, he stroked the dark fur, earning a throaty chirp along with the loud purr, the cat's entire body leaning heavily into him.

'Complicated feelings are liars', she had said, but what of his feelings weren't complicated? He surrounded himself with complicated, to the point that simple seemed more like a trap than a safety net. So what if the emotion muddying his resentment of Edward was guilt? He did still feel an obligation to help him, and if guilt made that obligation less genuine, well, then, that would render his entire crusade against crime in Gotham just as hollow and that didn't bear thinking about.

"She just doesn't get it," he told the cat in his lap, to which it gave a contented little meow in reply.

[bess3714]

This is kind of late because Battle Lines has been out for (checks notes) two weeks and I'm just now getting around to reading it.

Oops.

But we carry on!

So apparently Bruce was unconscious for eight weeks, and of course the first thing he does when he wakes up is throw on the Batsuit and head out.

I am not surprised at all that it was the first thing he did, and that he didn't tell any of his children he was awake first thing. Nope, of course he would prioritize Batman over his kids. Surprise, Tim! Your father figure who was unconscious for two months is here to help you beat up some bad guys!

Do teenagers say "my god" these days? I thought DC relegated all the slightly antiquated phrases to Damian, but maybe "my god" is surpassing "oh my god" in popularity.

Eight consecutive weeks of rest is more sleep than Bruce has gotten in total since his parents died, and Damian calls it a nap. A nap! This is very funny to me.

Okay, enough with the funny ha-ha panels, down to the interesting stuff.

I mean, I kind of agree with Batman on this one. I don't think it's right to say, here's the kind of people you can steal from, and here's who you can't, because it's very subjective. Also, who do you decide counts as "rich"? Does Selina have a dollar amount that, if their net worth is over that amount, they're okay to steal from? And I'm not sure how I feel about the whole "15% of theft profits goes to Gotham charities." It's Gotham, just because it's a charity doesn't mean it's good, and doesn't mean the profits will go to where they need to.

So yeah, it's no wonder Bruce doesn't like Selina's big plan.

Bruce is a control freak. His entire life has been about control. If he can just control every situation, he can prepare and plan and then he can stop bad things from happening. So when his partners all start to question him, he isolates himself in an attempt to control the variables, so to speak. The only person whose mind he can truly, completely know is his own. So I liked this part, too.

Then Bruce gets just a hint of self-awareness...

...before oops, the narrative steps in and one of Selina's thieves gets killed

And we're back to where we started!

Also I think Bruce should be less worried about a physical breakdown and more worried about a mental breakdown! I'm not well-versed on the Zur-En-Arrh lore so I don't really know what's going on there, but it probably isn't good.

[incorrectbatfam]

Anything but a bag day, what are the bats using?

Dick: pizza boxes

Jason: a coffin

Tim: down his pants

Damian: Bat-Cow

Duke: a shrimp net

Cullen: a shopping cart

Stephanie: a Barbie jeep

Cassandra: Bruce's utility belt

Barbara: a terrarium

Harper: the bat-bucket

Carrie: a wheelbarrow

Kate: a carry-on luggage

Alfred: a picnic basket

Selina: a Ming vase

Bruce: an assistant

[keendaanmaa]

Second watch thoughts! Because apparently if I restart the movie before the rental is up I can watch the whole thing even though the movie is 3 hours long and the rental only had 2 hours left 😊

Putting it under a cut because a) loooong and b) rather spoiler-y if anyone still cares to avoid spoilers for a movie that's been out for a year

- the first victim going down on the corner of the carpet: parallel/foreshadowing to the carpet reveal later on?

- the way that at first you aren't sure if the voiceover is bruce or the riddler

- the young man with only half face paint and the way they have him positioned so the painted side of his face is towards the gang and the unpainted side to everyone else

- "but i am the shadows" dramatic much, bruce?

- the way we both see this batman get knocked around even in relatively smaller fights, but also see him go a bit overboard in his beatdowns

- you really don't know how to interact with other people as a human being do you bruce (seconded thirded and fourthed)

- you take the bike down the stairs? Really?

- thursday october 31: ok, so implied setting of 2019 or 2024?

- the way the moment of footage replaying after bruce walks out on alfred is the boy that is so clearly paralleled with bruce the whole movie. And specifically of him looking directly at batman/bruce/the camera and by extension at alfred. And the look on Alfred's face

- bruce you are very bad at explaining your train of thought to people

- calling batman chief: penguin (did not keep track of this further lol)

- you can SEE selina freeze when she sees the pictures of anika

- old school bike with the round headlamp

- selina do you really need the "hyuh" sounds when you fight?

- is that the same officer that stopped him initially at the crime scene? (Ok that's definitely the same officer at the funeral)

- they really love this neck-and-neck bike racing thing lol (here and at the end)

- "...arsenic" "rat poison" i thought rat poison was strychnine??

- selina definitely gets a murder strut walk into the iceberg lounge too

- bruce you don't get the human experience generally but you ESPECIALLY don't get the female human experience wow

- you both have one track minds and neither of you know how to have a modicum of chill in your pursuit of a lead

- shit, selina had a really near miss with becoming "collateral damage" to the riddler

- bruce, one could get the impression you're interested in selina, except I'm pretty sure it's all a product of your absolute inability to leave a lead alone

- is Falcone wearing the same sunglasses as bruce was earlier? (I.e. in that scene with the blueberries at wayne tower)

- "what good's a safety net that doesn't catch anyone?" Bruce starting to understand that he needs to influence gotham as bruce and not just as batman, perhaps?

- oh hey there's the eerily echoing batman steps again.... does that make 3 times all together? (It does. The gang at the beginning, in the church, and at the end of the car chase) is this significant? Idk

- bruce that explosion hit you pretty much directly in the face how are you not more hurt (corollary: alfred threw the bomb *away* from himself and ended up looking like that. Either there was a pretty significant difference in explosive strength or your cowl is magic) (yes i know doylian-ly it's a protagonist and don't unmask batman thing but. Watsonian-ly.)

- five seconds of pure wow followed by "oh shit oh no ouch ouch OUCH mark *that* down as a failure"

- bruce you are So Bad at communicating, "this just got complicated" DOES NOT clue your partner in on what's going on

- but BOY do you know how to do intimidation

- that car really is something else. And the way the scream of the jet burner is played for suspense is impeccable

- that is SUCH a twenty-something boy car

- how is getting down on his hands and knees still so intimidating? Truly this ought to look ridiculous but somehow it doesn't

- straight up vanishing when he realizes he's the next target and Alfred's in danger

- how that drive home is the most emotion he shows on his face the whole movie

- "you needed a father, and all you had was me. I'm sorry" "don't be sorry alfred" this Killed me

- murder strut 2.0 (but it's only like two seconds this time)

- the soundtrack really does go so hard

- selina, how many bullets do you have in that gun exactly?

- lightning that scene entirely with muzzle flashes is a fascinating choice that works really well even though you can see basically nothing

- falcone really is very good at manipulating with his words

- "you don't have to pay with him. You've paid enough"

- yep that's the same officer again

- and again (it's almost like they made him a supporting character or something 😉)

- the dramatic timing in this movie really is impeccable (this specifically was about the timing of the bombs going off while they watch the video but also generally about many things)

- how many people died in that flood this is like. Almost cataclysm/no man's land level destruction (i might've only read the earth one comics but i have approximate knowledge of many things)

- the way the lights make the water running past selina's foot look like blood

- stringing them up like puppets is a bit funny actually

- selina blurring out as Bruce's vision goes out of focus (actually there's a few points where the audio/visual does things that are "from Bruce's POV" and it works quite well imo)

- autoinjector port in the suit (idk this just amuses me. Also the autoinjector on his belt of epinephrine(??))

- the "I'm vengeance" parallel - playing into Bruce's realization that he hasn't been what the city actually needs?

- bruce why'd you walk away with the flare there's still people inside the rubble who need to see to get out

- Wednesday nov 6: this all took just one week wth

- the skyscraper with Bat ears lol

- interesting the way it's not immediately clear the person talking to riddler in arkham at the end is diegetic and not a voiceover, because the deliveryis pretty similar to Bruce's internal monologue/journal voiceovers (at least to my ear) and all the other talking without an apparent source thus far *has* been bruce (afai can tell the speaker is credited as "unseen arkham prisoner" but. Hmmmm that silhouette is A Choice)

- different bike at the end - does he have different bikes for riding as batman and riding as incognito bruce without the suit on? Because this one is Definitely a Batcycle

[theshadowrealmitself]

Do you have anymore henchmen ocs fleshed out enough to share or just the riddler and scarecrow ones?

Also the scarecrow henchmen being all dramatic and convinced they're in an enemies to lover slowburn while the riddler henchmen is just like "Please just let me do my job man. I just wanna see up these TVs in peace" is so funny to me.

I had. So Much Written. And Tumblr deleted it. God Damn It. Okay gonna retype my stuff, hopefully I don’t forget anything 😭

First: All notable rogues have a “henchman” who either resembles them greatly, or matches their theme, almost none of these rogues or even the heroes know this tho, because the henchmen keep sabotaging each other and creating a net zero impact on things

Whenever I think of a storyline where Batman or someone finds out about these henchmen, the plot is usually that the rogues start disappearing and their henchmen start neatly sliding into their places, of course Batman or someone would pick up on that fact quickly as the rogues look different, but also they’re just so good at sabotaging each other that everyone’s going to notice when Gotham’s become peaceful because the different schemes start canceling out

I have a little bit of stuff for each “main” rogue henchmen, but I keep rethinking it, so the only ones who are actually stable characters (other than the previous two mentioned) are Joker’s henchman, Alice (who’s not actually a henchman but is also extremely obsessed with wonderland and keeps trying to kill Jervis because of his characterization of the mad hatter, but circumstances keep stopping her), and Cat Woman’s “henchman” who also, once again, not really a henchman, but is also obsessed with cats and keeps stealing the strays around Selina’s apartment to take them to the vet

When I originally typed this up I had gone into depth on those three, but tumblr deleted it 😭 so I’m not gonna rewrite that again on this post but if you’re interested I don’t mind making a separate post talking about them!!!

Also!! For 11 and Scarecrow’s henchman, what’s really funny is that the latter’s design includes gloves with needles on each knuckle to inject people with fear toxin, like terrifying claws, and 11’s terrified of needles, so it’s more like one’s doing a terrible job of flirting while doing an even worse job at being an enemy (cause they keep protecting them from the chaos happening from the nearby fight including the other henchmen), while the other one is trying to set up tv’s and keep a certain amount of space between them

Just trying so hard to plug things in while trying to maintain a healthy distance from Murder Claws over there who keeps following them and using bad pickup lines about “fear” and “attraction” showing the same symptoms or whatever, 11’s not actually sure what they’re saying they just really need them to stop coming closer with those damn gloves-

[vncglobal]

Cash Flow Vs Profit: The Difference

There's a familiar adage in bookkeeping that goes: "benefits are an assessment, cash is a reality." What this implies is that while being beneficial is significant in the long haul, having sufficient money to work every day — that is, having a positive income — is a prompter, squeezing concern.

As an entrepreneur, it's vital to figure out the contrast between income and benefit, and how both elements into business achievement. In spite of the fact that it's unreasonable, a productive business could be constrained due to unfortunate income. Likewise, a business could be income positive, yet be losing cash. To avoid such scenario, consult VNC – one of the most distinguished Cash flow specialists in Australia.

So what's the distinction between income and benefit? All the more critically, how might you ensure that you're both productive AND have positive income?

What is Cash Flow?

Basically, income alludes to the progression of cash into and out of a business during a set timeframe. Income bookkeeping records exchanges exactly when cash enters or leaves your financial balance, as opposed to when a receipt is sent or gotten.

Dissimilar to a Profit and Loss explanation, income incorporates cash development that isn't rigorously benefit, similar to capital infusions from proprietors or financial backers, or cash from the offer of a resource. Essentially, it does exclude credit from providers, cash owed from clients, or cash you as of now have in the bank.

Positive income implies that you have more money approaching than active at some random moment, and you're meeting all your monetary commitments as they emerge. It's a measurement frequently used to gauge the strength of a business, and can show banks, investors, and financial backers how well an organization is doing every day. Streamline your business cash flow with one of the excellent Cash flow experts in New Zealand, VNC.

What is Profit?

Profit, otherwise called Income, is how much amount remaining when you deduct costs from the revenue. There are two primary kinds of profit:

Profit = Total Revenue – Total Expenses

Not at all like with income, a month to month or quarterly Profit and Loss explanation considers what you owe, and what you are owed for the period. Along these lines, it's a decent pointer whether your business is getting more cash than it spends generally speaking — yet won't let you know whether you presently have sufficient cash in the bank to take care of the bills.

The Difference Between Cash Flow and Profit

Set forth plainly, a Profit and Loss explanation shows whether your business is procuring more than its spending, while a Cash Flow proclamation shows when you'll have cash close by. Benefit is about the master plan, while income centers around everyday reasonability.

For a business to find lasting success, it needs a decent net revenue and positive income.

Great Profit, Poor Cash Flow

Selina possesses a little, local area centered pastry kitchen that serves great cakes to a nearby group.

A companion of hers posts an image of her smash hit chocolate croissants to Instagram, and interest in her bread shop gets. In a little more than a month, interest for croissants duplicates, and Selina winds up routinely running unavailable.

To stay aware of interest, she puts resources into new gear, and duplicates her ordinary request of provisions.

Tragically, albeit the new income would more than cover the costs in a couple of months' time, Selina is in the red when it comes time to pay her providers. She is compelled to take out an exorbitant loan to meet her obligations, driving her further into the red.

Regardless of sound overall revenue, unfortunate income stops Selina's development plans from really developing. Never let your business stop from developing, consult VaderanCo – one of the top Cash flow experts in Australia.

Great Cash Flow, Poor Profit

Parita possesses a development organization, zeroing in on building high-thickness, reasonable lodging. She's constantly highly esteemed paying her laborers, providers, and bills on time.

Parita works carefully, keeping away from credits at every possible opportunity, timing approaches and outgoings so she can constantly meet her commitments. In spite of her emphasis on reasonableness, the business has consistently turned a clean benefit.

What she doesn't expect anyway are the increasing expenses related with production network interruption. The pandemic creates setbacks and increments costs across the business, and Parita's business is the same. Since contracts were at that point set up with purchasers for her assembles, the expenses eat into her all around thin overall revenues.

Parita's business remains income positive all through the monetary year, yet the absence of benefit implies her plan of action is at this point not viable.

The Right Balance

Johnny is a performer, with a genuinely enormous global following. In line with his fans, he's arranging his very first abroad visit.

He and his supervisory crew rapidly resolve that a visit is possible, yet Johnny needs more money in the bank to pay forthright costs like setting recruit, sound and lighting professionals, ticket administrations and so on.

They set up a financial plan for the excursion, and make a gauge investigating the number of tickets that they'd need to offer to repay a bank credit. They likewise take a gander at a most dire outcome imaginable, in which they sell 20% less tickets than they expect. They find what is going on, they can in any case take care of their expenses and create a gain in the event that they track down less expensive convenience, and take public vehicle between urban communities.

Equipped with this data, Johnny can unhesitatingly apply for a bank credit. The visit goes off effortlessly, and Johnny winds up selling out a large portion of his shows. The bank credit is reimbursed on time, and Johnny and his supervisory group leave with a robust benefit.

Step by step instructions to Ensure Good Profit and a Healthy Cash Flow with VNC Edge

Overseeing income and overall revenues implies estimating, observing, and making an arrangement to meet your objectives. The simplest method for doing the above is all to make a monetary figure. This is where VNC Edge can help.

VNC being one of the most trusted Cash flow specialists in New Zealand offers you a three-way gauging programming to project your future income, spending plan, and benefit and misfortune, so you can remain ready for whatever lies ahead. You can likewise make a scope of situations and assembled a strategy for various possibilities.

In particular, you can utilize VNC Edge to guarantee ideal overall revenues, and distinguish times of low income so you can repay likewise. It's like having the option to investigate the monetary future — without the problem of a precious stone ball.

[levisgeekstuff]

Batman / Catwoman

Dark Dragon Books brengt steeds meer DC materiaal op de markt en dat kunnen we alleen maar toejuichen. Recent werd ook de ‘Batman / Catwoman’ miniserie van schrijver Tom King volledig uitgegeven. Hoe? Maar die reeks is eigenlijk toch bedoeld als slotstuk van de lange Tom King run op Batman? En die is toch nauwelijks in het Nederlands verschenen? Kan je dit verhaal ook losstaand volgen? En is het eigenlijk de moeite? Lees het hier 👉

Want ja, ondanks dat het natuurlijk altijd goed nieuws is dat er meer Batman-verhalen in het Nederlands verschijnen, is de keuze voor Batman / Catwoman best opmerkelijk. Schrijver Tom King kreeg in de VS de sleutel tot de reguliere Batman-serie in handen bij de start van de ‘DC Reborn’ reboot. de bedoeling was dat de schrijver 100 nummers aan boord zou blijven. De reeks ging onder King alle kanten uit. Van confrontaties met nieuwe superkrachtige figuren tot meer intieme verhalen over de psyche van Bruce Wayne.

In het Nederlands kregen we helaas slechts 2 deeltjes van deze run te lezen, bij uitgeverij RW Lion. Jammer, want eigenlijk kwam de reeks pas daarna écht goed op gang met oa. een interessante strijd met Bane én natuurlijk het BatCat-koppel.

In de VS was de reeks vrij controversieel en na een tijdje werd besloten de run van Tom King in te korten. Hij zou zijn 100 nummers dus niet halen. Máár, hij kreeg wél een miniserie waarin hij zijn verhaal toch kon afronden. En die reeks is nu dus ook in 4 delen in het Nederlands verschenen bij Dark Dragon Books.

Voorkennis

Toch is de Tom King run niet écht verplichte kost vooraleer je aan deze Batman / Catwoman miniserie begint. De relatie tussen Batman en Catwoman is iets waar lezers van enkel de Nederlandstalige uitgaven misschien niet al te veel van zagen, maar natuurlijk is er altijd wel een zekere spanning en aantrekking geweest tussen de personages. 

Wel aan te raden is de animatiefilm ‘Batman: Mask of the Phantasm’ er nog eens bij te halen. De stripversie daarvan is nooit als aparte uitgave in het Nederlands verschenen, maar wél als back-up in Batman Magazine nummers 1 tot en met 9 van Baldakijn Boeken. 

Concentratie

In Batman / Catwoman brengt Tom King drie tijdperken samen. In het heden zien we de terugkeer van Andrea Beamont, de Phantasm, en de impact daarvan op Batman en Catwoman. Daarnaast duiken we ook in het verleden, waar de relatie tussen Batman, de Joker en Catwoman wordt uitgediept en we kijken ook naar de toekomst, waar Selina Kyle intussen als weduwe enkele losse eindjes aan elkaar knoopt. 

Dat is best veel om in een relatief korte serie te vertellen. Bovendien lopen de 3 tijdlijnen nog eens kriskras door elkaar. Je moet als lezer dus best geconcentreerd blijven om te zien waar je je precies in het verhaal bevindt. Zelf heb ik regelmatig toch eens even een kader opnieuw moeten lezen omdat ik even de draad kwijt was of een tijdsprong had gemist.

Tekenwerk

Het grootste deel van het tekenwerk is van de hand van Clay Mann. Een oude bekende van Tom King en ook gewoon een heel goede Batman tekenaar. Het is een redelijk cleane en brave tekenstijl, maar toch zit er genoeg in om te bewonderen. Zo ziet Gotham City er in de verschillende tijdlijnen steeds subtiel anders uit, net als de personages trouwens. En ja, het moet gezegd, Catwoman en Selina Kyle zien er steeds zéér goed uit 😍. Bovendien bevat het tekenwerk ook heel wat leuke verwijzingen naar de Mask of the Phantasm animatiefilm waar ik het eerder al over had. 

Minpunt is wel dat in album 3 het tekenwerk werd overgenomen door Liam Sharp. En tja, dat is behoorlijk anders. Het doet bij momenten wat denken aan Bill Sienkiewicz, wat best een compliment is. Maar het is zo’n grote stijlbreuk met Clay Mann dat het voor een enorme afleiding zorgt. En dat is iets wat je best kan missen, want zoals ik al aangaf is het sowieso al niet evident om het verhaal te volgen met die voortdurende tijdsprongen. Gelukkig is in album 4 Clay Mann weer terug op post.

Extra

Nog een leuke extra is het vulverhaal achterin alle 4 albums uit Batman Annual 2. Het biedt een blik op het verleden van Catwoman. Tekst is ook hier van Tom King, maar vooral het prachtige sfeervolle tekenwerk van Lee Weeks springt hier in het oog. Het gaf mij Year One vibes. 

Verdict

Batman / Catwoman is één van de betere Batman-verhalen die ik afgelopen tijd heb gelezen. Een aanrader indien je je gedachten er goed bijhoudt. Vooral de spanning en dynamiek tussen Batman, Catwoman en de Joker springen er bovenuit. Ik had regelmatig het gevoel van ‘het zal toch niet waar zijn’. Ook de blik op de toekomst, na de dood van Bruce Wayne is boeiend. En mocht deze visie je toch niet aanstaan, geen nood, dit verhaal is verschenen onder het DC Black Label en is dus niet canon.