#Sort of is. Eddie loves and supports Frank's interest of course and thinks he's very very smart!

[fadedrainbowbookshelves]

I'm not saying this method of flirting isn't working, just maybe next time skip the fact he could be outrun by sharp-eyed butterflies, Frank.

[cannibal-wings]

If you’re still answering questions about your outlast opinions I was wondering how you feel about Val? I think they have a lot of wasted potential and the in game mystery about their gender has unfortunate implications anyway you look at it but I was wondering your thoughts?

First I’m always open to talk about Outlast for forever all the time any time.

Second, oh boy do I have opinions on Val.

You mostly summed it up pretty well though. I feel like one of Outlast 2′s biggest pitfalls besides the story being a garbage fire, is that none of the villains were all that memorable when compared back to the base game and DLC. I personally feel like there were too many villains and none of them were given enough time to really shine and make a lasting impression.

With the base game, you have characters like Chris Walker, the constant threat that follows you everywhere and who you have a few really intense encounters with who dies in a spectacular way to showcase an even bigger immediate threat to your safety, the Walrider. There’s Trager, who had a short amount of screen time, but is bursting with personality and has quite a few notes and documents to really indicate who he was as a person. (fuck off comics for doing him a dirty). And that’s really... it, for base game bad guys. They’re effective and don’t overstay their welcome. The DLC kind of has a similar feel, there’s Frank, the cannibal who serves as the first real threat and blood-pumper. You encounter him a few times then he goes away... kind of weak but also kind of scary because there’s this lingering tension that he could come back and continue his chase. Then there’s Eddie Gluskin. The character that flips the table and instills in men the same fear that most women have with abusive men. It’s so satisfying to watch reactions to Eddie’s segments in the game because he makes men uncomfortable. Waylon is hobbled, and pursued by a man who wants to do horrible things to him, use him as an incubator for his seed. You’re called a slut, a whore, by a (for Outlast standards) nice looking man in a suit with an appealing voice. It’s great. Eddie’s section is great horror.

Now there’s Outlast 2. A game I think suffers from pacing issues and the fact that it’s just... too long. And there’s far too many antagonists. I love the idea of the dueling “factions”. The cult lead by Knoth and the counter cult lead by Val. That idea is neat. That Val was cast out and makes their own group of... zealots of sorts. If I wasn’t hellbent on rewriting most of the plot, I would say that that aspect should stay. It’s interesting. But the game never really gives you a chance to get to know Val and their counter cult, because they’re too busy giving you Knoth, Marta, Loutermilch, Nick and Laird, and general townspeople to avoid.

None of the villains are given enough screen time to really shine, and none of their single encounters are really stand out worthy. This is combined with the way that none of the villains die or are removed as a threat in a satisfying way. There’s no visceral joy like when Eddie is strung up and impaled by his own actions. The deaths in Outlast 2 just aren’t... equivalent to that, I feel. There isn’t an emotional catharsis and even Blake’s ending when compared to Miles’ falls a bit short. BUT those are critiques of Outlast 2 which wasn’t what this ask was about.

I think Val had the outstanding potential to be a really cool character. However, you also touched on my biggest complaint I have with their character. Way back when Outlast 2 first came out, I was pretty uneasy with the fandom immediately jumping to label Val as a transwoman. There really isn’t anything in canon to “confirm” this, yet it was added to the wiki early on anyways based on headcanons. Which happens with fan run wikis, esp on games with little to no canon to go off of. Red Barrels did not make this any better with their “Val is Val” tweet in response to questions regarding Val’s gender identity. I feel like this was a very, very, weak answer and pretty much a cop out. Either answer they would have given would have gotten them shit, so I can see why they chose the non-answer answer.

My biggest problem with stating that Val is a transwomen comes from the fact that Val is a rapist. They are a sexual abuser. I’m not saying transwomen or trans individuals in general cannot be villains. I would love to see more trans and queer villains who are canonically trans and queer and not just coded that way. HOWEVER. That being said, you have to be really, really, careful of what type of villain you’re doing. I’m a huge supporter of dark fiction, I’ll always defend it, and I’ll defend the right to write fucked up shit in your story. But you need to understand the implications of that fucked up stuff outside of the world you’ve created.

The fact of the matter is that before and during Outlast 2′s production, when it came out, and to this day, there has been a huge push to label real life transwomen as predators. Esp sexual predators. This is a real world issue that affects every transwomen who has ever tried to just exist in peace. So putting a transwomen character in your horror story who is specifically and near exclusively a sexual predator is... not great. Fictional worlds don’t exist in a vacuum. It is deeply important to make sure that you’re not reaffirming negative stereotypes of marginalized people. And Val reaffirms them all. If Val was any other type of villain I think I would like their character a hell of a lot more, instead of avoiding doing anything with them.

You can, of course, still like this character. I’m in no way saying you can’t. I mean shit, I’ve gone to bat for fucking Dr. Wernicke in the first game. But I really wish fandom had slowed down for a half a heartbeat and really thought through what they were implying and what they were accidentally supporting in the mad rush to make Val a transwomen in the popular headcanon. And it’s not all fandom’s fault, Red Barrels 100% wrote in that ambiguity, and they need to really work harder in any new project they do at not repeating this kind of mistake. Have queer villains, go for it, I would love to see it. But make sure you don’t give our community’s enemies more ammo to shoot at us with.

[l1ana]

Dating Peter Parker while being Eddies' younger sister would include...

Dedicated to @gaynessnyoom for giving me this idea tysm bb

———

You had moved in with Eddie, claiming that you needed a place to crash at for some time

Which was odd since you were in college

Whatever, Eddie loved you with his entire being. Obviously, he let you in without hesitation

To be quite frank, he was getting tired of being alone accompanied with a blood hungy parasite every day

You staying at his place clearly made days much more brighter

You both loved exchanging stories about one another during your time apart and laughed it up

When Venom came into the picture, things didn't really change much besides you and him having constant arguments on which sort of sweets were better

Venom made an oath at the moment he saw you to protect you from whatever harm may come your way with the same amount of force that he protects Eddie with

They both loved you like a daughter — In spite of Eddie being your older brother

Your pictures of different monuments and various attractions served as good fuel for his career

Photography was your more proficient skill

One day while you were walking around the city, snapping a few pics, you saw it— Or rather, him

Spider-man, the hero of Queens

Lounging in an alleyway, sat in a hammock made of spiderwebs with a pair of headphones on

His red and blue color pallet immediately caught your eyes and you took a picture with no second thoughts

While you were fawning over catching a picture of someone so famous, the camera flash had caused the spandex-attired male to turn in your direction

Oh dear how he felt his heartbeat speed up three times than usual

Good lord you were a goddess in his eyes

He was stammering and tripping over his own words, unable to get anything out

There goes his spiderman charm

“So you're the real deal, huh?” You asked, stepping into the alleyway while looking up at him

“M-mhm, yup. In the flesh— whoa!” He stood up in his hammock but immediately lost balance, slipping and falling into the dumpster besides you. His head popped up from the pile of garbage bags

“More like in the spandex...” A gag came from your lips. “...And rotten foods.” You giggled, plucking a half-eaten banana from off his head

‘Im in love’ He thought then and there

From that point on, a beautiful relationship formed between you and Spiderman, the both of you meeting up in secluded areas of the city and exchanging joyous words every day

The time you and his geeky self -aka Peter Parker- met up was when you and Eddie paid a visit to the Bugle, in search for some juicy news to cover and report on

Peter had intentionally bumped into you in hopes to start up any sort of small talk. It was then that he found out that you wanted to dig deeper into Spidermans background and find out more about him

He promised to take you out, claiming that he had some “interesting spots that Spiderman likes to hang out at”

Of course, you took his words and set off with him

Eddie and Venom were definitely cautious of Peter

‘We should bite his head off.’ “Venom, no.” ‘What if he takes advantage of her?’ “He seems like a nice guy. Besides, [Name] can take care of herself.” ‘He's checking her out, Eddie.’ “...” ‘Exactly.’

Eddie sighed, speaking up to call your name. “Hey, uh, [Name],” You whipped your head around, grabbing Peters hand to stop him from walking off without you. “Yeah? What's up?” Eddie sighed again, probably anticipating you to feel offense to what he said: “I know that you're, uh, grown and all but... Y'know, be safe out there. Don't wander into the unknown, kay?” But instead you laughed at him in the most innocent way possible. “Don't worry, don't worry. I can stand my own.” And smiled so brightly it made his worries wash away.

And just like that, you were gone

‘We should follow them’ “Can you not? I'd like to respect her privacy as a grown woman, thank you very much.”

Sightseeing new places was definetly checked off of your bucket list

Peter practically dragged you everywhere he found to be a great site for dates

Yes, he was trying to find a way to turn this into a date

And yes, he was worried on whether you'd catch on to it or not

Most of the places he went to, he was commonly known in

“Hey Peter, who's the lucky girl?”

Que the blushing nerd

“She's, uh, new in town. I'm just taking her to some places Spiderman likes to stop by to. A-also, we're just aqquantices.”

“Haha, yeah. Well try not to confuse where the line ends at, okay?”

You and him were pretty much already talked about to be a couple

It was extremely embarassing for Peter, whilst you displayed no problem with what they were saying

Soon enough, you earned a spot in the Bugle as a worker, right in the same position as Peter

“[Name]? Wh-what are you-” “Guess who found a new job?~” He swore his heartbeat could be heard from miles away

You and Peter poking fun at one another

When he first grew the balls and finally asked you on a date, your affirmation had him absolutely ecstatic

Him taking you to one of the places he told you that his alter-ego liked to hang out at, which to say was spotted at a high-up place where you could see the city sparkle beautifully

“D-dude... This is awesome...!” “Not as awesome as you.” Peter would whisper under his breath, to which you'd clocked your head round and ask him to repeat what he said. “Nothing.” He replied with a sweat

A devious grin grew on your face. “Peeeeeettteeerr~” You sang. At that moment, the brunet knew he was screwed. “You like me don't you?”

Welp

Time to jump off the building and hopefully land into another dumpster ans roll away never to be seen again

“I-I-I mean, well, I guess if you mean by having a strong sense of attraction towards you then... M-maybe I...” “Awww, you totally do~” You have him a quick peck on the lips, then ruffling his hair. “Well, I like you more so don't start thinking that I don't!” Poor boy fainted on the spot

Eddie and Venom getting a tad bit worried of you whenever you claimed you were going out late at night

‘Where is she going?’ “To mind her own business, much like you should be doing.”

Most of the time when you did do so, you'd be skipping to Peters apartment

q̶u̶i̶c̶k̶ r̶e̶m̶i̶n̶d̶e̶r̶ t̶h̶a̶t̶ y̶o̶u̶ a̶n̶d̶ p̶e̶t̶e̶ a̶r̶e̶ a̶d̶u̶l̶t̶s̶, l̶i̶k̶e̶ i̶n̶ y̶o̶u̶r̶ 1̶9̶s̶

Whenever Eddie heard you enter the apartment at such a late time at night, he'd just start fearing that you would walk right back out

He loved you so much and really didn't want to see you leave his life again

The concern on his face when he'd found out you brought your own appartment room had mortified you

“You're honestly... Gonna go?”

“Oh chill out Ed. I'm just down the street, okay? Nothing bad is gonna happen to your little sister so quit whining.” You'd reassure with a light kiss on his forehead. “You too, Venom. I know you're worried about me and as flattering as that is I'd appreciate it if you saw me capable to take care of myself, thanks.”

Of course, you paid visits to them every now and then just so that neither would get this feeling of loneliness again

Peter helped spruce up your apartment room with some of his own decor

“You sure this okay?” “Of course, I've always wanted a part of me inside you—” He mentally slapped himself to stop something he knew was inevitable. “I-I-I mean, like, I uh.... I...”

Quick and steamy makeout sessions to stop his stammering

Very gentle™ when having sex

Like, neither of you are virgins and are aware of what goes on during intercourse but still

Also, he made sure to put a condom on so dw

Remember kids: You can't make love without a glove

Don't be a fool, cover your tool

Don't be silly and wrap your willy-

You loved running your fingers into his hair w̶h̶i̶l̶e̶ h̶e̶ r̶e̶a̶r̶r̶a̶n̶g̶e̶d̶ y̶o̶u̶r̶ i̶n̶s̶i̶d̶e̶s̶ w̶i̶t̶h̶ h̶i̶s̶ d̶i̶c̶k̶ because of how soft and curly they were

Apparently he was sensitive to you tugging his hair cuz the moment you did he was melting into your body

G̶u̶e̶s̶s̶ w̶h̶o̶ f̶o̶u̶n̶d̶ a̶ w̶a̶y̶ t̶o̶ t̶u̶r̶n̶ P̶e̶t̶e̶r̶ P̶a̶r̶k̶e̶r̶ i̶n̶t̶o̶ a̶ s̶u̶b̶?

Eddie would drop by your job sometimes just to check in on you, and would usually catch you in mid-talk with Peter

‘Is this the guy she's been going out late at night with?' “Can you at least try to be supportive of her decisions?” ‘You're worried for her... WE'RE worried for her.’

He always came in unnoticed and left unnoticed, much to his relief because he didn't want to seem like a stalker in your eyes

When you finally decided to let both Eddie and Venom into your house, they had devoured a quarter of your food that was meant to be for Peter for tomorrows dinner

Not like you told him that you and Peter were a thing

“We're sorry for eating all your food...” “It's okay. I understand. We all get hungry sometimes.”

Later that same night after Peter dropped by, you both setteled for pizza with a side of takeout

“So do I wanna know about the how, where and why a majority of your food is gone?”

“No,” You took a bite of your pizza “No you do not.”

Romcoms were tonights theme

“Do you think we'll ever be like those guys on TV?” “Peter, we're even better than them.”

Smothering him in smooches whenever he's feeling down

Lots of snuggles

Always coming through the fire escape part of his apartment and greeting him from there

Too bad big brother Venom and Eddie were stalking you

“When were you going to tell us about your male companion?” A familiar voice asked as you unlocked your apartment door and walked in, the lights clicking on

Oh fuck

Okay I've reached the limit, time to make a part 2

[ty-talks-comics]

Best of Marvel: Week of August 7th, 2019

Best of this Week: Absolute Carnage #1 - Donny Cates, Ryan Stegman, JP Mayer, Frank Martin and Clayton Cowles

God is Here.

The seeds have been sown all over the Marvel Universe for the re-emergence of Carnage in a big way for months. He’s had single back-up pages in The Avengers, Black Cat, Captain Marvel, Immortal Hulk and many others portending his arrival and the sheer amount of people and creatures that are now within his thrall. Everything is coming to a head and it is absolutely terrifying.

The book begins with Eddie Brock recalling the events of everything Donny Cates has written since he took over the character.and other past events that have ultimately shaped what will soon happen. Eddie tells his son Dylan, who doesn’t know that Eddie is his father, about Knull, the God of the Symbiotes, and how he’s being kept asleep by the planet of symbiotes surrounding him. The only way for Knull to be woken up is if someone collected enough symbiote pieces and DNA to reconnect to the hive mind and if Knull is reawakened, he will begin spreading a new age of darkness across the cosmos.

Eddie references the fights against the Dragon of Knull in the beginning of his run, but also talks about the other people who have held the Symbiote or symbiotes. He pulls so much history out in so few sentences, along with a stellar double page spread by Stegman that one might be convinced to check out other great stories just to see how deep the rabbit hole goes. Characters from Maximum Carnage are shown, heroes that may have been changed during Venomized and of course Captain America, The Thing and Wolverine from the amazing Carnage USA.

After Eddie recounts the danger that the two are in, they see that Eddie is a wanted man after killing many inmates at Ryker’s Island. Of course Eddie was never there and after suspecting that they’re being followed, Eddie tells Dylan that they need to make a break for it and they run away from their tail into the subway. Unfortunately for them, Cletus Kasady was lying in wait and pushes them onto the tracks, only for them to be saved by their tail; Venom. 

Eddie re-bonds with the symbiote after derailing the train and a new and terrifying Carnage confronts them. Stegman wastes not a single stroke in making Carnage look like a menacing force of pure psychotic evil. His teeth are jagged, his limbs are gangly with “skin” that looks like it’s constantly dripping with blood an his ribcage and spine are exposed, but covered in the same material. He could almost be considered skeletal if not for the pumping veins all around him. This is a Monster Carnage, even more terrifying than 2015’s Carnage series and many times more powerful.

Carnage, like most children of other symbiotes, has always been stronger than Venom. Though, with enough force and maybe some help, Carnage has always been defeated one way or another, but not this time. Kasady beats the ever living hell out of Venom, smacking him in the face and smashing him into the ground. He gets right on the cusp of killing him before Eddie grabs the third rail of the subway line and electrocutes the both of them, a temporary victory so that he and Dylan can escape. The symbiote puts Eddie into something of a coma while he heals the body and takes them to the one person that can help.

In a little diner where they think it’s safe, Eddie, Dylan and Spider-Man talk about what’s been going on. Spider-Man is taken aback and annoyingly jokes to Eddie about all of this being out of his league before a news report is shown depicting a mass grave of people that have had their spines ripped out, likely for the Symbiote DNA or Codices (plural for Codex) as Eddie calls them. After some chumps try to rob the diner, Spider-Man takes them out handedly while formulating a plan with Eddie, saying that Reed Richards could have made a machine to help remove the Codex from anyone that has ever been attached to a symbiote, but he would have needed to start long ago.

We then cut to The Maker, the Reed Richards from the Ultimate Universe that has taken up residence in the 616 Universe, as he’s actually been working on such a machine for use on Flash Thompson. The Maker’s goals and those of his employers are unknown and that makes for horrifying implications because there is no way that he is up to any sort of good at all and makes it clear that he too is trying to reunite the symbiotes.

Spider-Man shows up with Normie Osborn as the first possible test subject, but doesn’t want it to be used until he knows that it’s safe. Maker moans that if he has to be so sure, then he should find someone else with a codex, someone dangerous that Carnage may in fact go after next. Peter and Eddie get the same thought: Norman Osborn.

Norman had used the Carnage symbiote to become the Red Goblin not too long ago and after his defeat at the hands of Spider-Man, lost his mind and gained the memories and personality of Cletus Kasady. Things go to hell in a handbasket very quickly as John Jameson, the guard who let them into Ravencroft also known as the Man-Wolf, reveals himself as another of Carnage’s infected puppets.

Mayer then coats the book in an intense and overbearing red hue, signaling nothing but danger as Carnage throws pieces of himself into each cell. There are elements of body horror as he pulls these tiny bits of himself out of his chest and they burrow into the victims. Kasady’s mouth and eyes also seem to drip with his symbiote form as he and the other barrel down on Venom and Spider-Man. A giant and beautiful brawl ensues with the infected ripping and tearing at the pair. The mass of bodies overwhelm and Eddie almost begins to kill before being reigned in by Spider-Man. Unfortunately Spider-Man gets caught by Carnage.

It was around here that I had the realization that Pete and Cletus haven’t actually clashed in YEARS. Maybe as far back as 2011’s Carnage USA was the last time the two fought, so to see Pete finally see him again with half of his mask gone, there’s a small bit of fear in his body language. This is doubled as Carnage throws Spider-Man into Norman’s cell door, breaking it open to reveal a deranged Norman who appears to have been slicing himself with a piece of glass in his cell. With the combination of the bright red of his blood juxtaposed against the darkness of his cell, Norman stands out, not as the cunning genius that we knew him, but as another victim of Carnage and he smiles with mad glee.

Absolute Carnage #1 absolutely lives up to the hype that has been built for it. This story can expand so far and with the tie-ins that have been announced, I’m actually very excited. Carnage has been scary, but this is on a whole new level for him. You never quite know who is one of his thralls! Hell, John Jamson appeared to be completely normal until the trigger was pulled in him and turned him into another monster. Carnage has always been a problem for the larger Marvel universe whenever people have had to fight him individually. Deadpool had a hard time fighting him. Captain America, Wolverine, Hawkeye and the Thing almost died fighting him. Even when he was temporarily a good guy during AXIS, he was still horrifically dangerous.

With new god-like abilities, lack of weaknesses and unimaginable unpredictability, what can anyone do?

Ryan Stegman’s art needs to be absolutely praised as well. His lines are crisp and heavy in an almost perfect way. He manages to give things a darkness and depth to them that makes everything feel absolutely brutal, disgusting and weighty. He can capture faces of absolute terror, rage and every wonderful expression that Venom makes. Personally I love how emotive he makes Spider-Man’s mask with the eyes widening and shrinking with his surprise or incredulity. He also has a talent for spreads as there are about three really good ones that really shows his skill for depth of field. Venom and Spider-Man also look incredibly strong. We all know that I love muscular art and all of their muscles are accentuated through their costumes. Spider-Man has his lithe and athletic body and Venom is nothing but raw strength and I love it.

Absolute Carnage hit every correct note. There was violence, horror and even a little bit of family drama. The stakes are very high and while not on the same scale as War of the Realms, the sheer amount of murders caused and their horrifying nature is more than enough to be concerned about. Donny Cates looks like he’s going to do it again with his first big Marvel event (I think, I don’t really remember) and bring us all to another level of badass storytelling.

High recommend.

---------------------------------------------------

I have never been more interested in Moira MacTaggert than I am right now.

Runner Up: House of X #2 - Jonathan Hickman, Pepe Larraz, Marte Garcia and Clayton Cowles

I've always seen Moira as just another supporter of mutants that tragically had their life ended because of The Brotherhood's evil schemes. I loved that she supported Charles dreams and wanted to help mutants, but never actually knew that she herself was a mutant. She's always had something of a tumultuous history and this issue of House of X expands on that in the most amazing way and shows how important she truly has been in the advancement of the lives of mutant kind this entire time.

In her first life, Moira MacTaggert lived a fairly normal existence. She went to school, married, had kids and died at the rope old age of 78. Soon after, she woke in her mother's womb, capable of remembering everything that she had done in the past life. It was strange and she couldn't let on what she knew, but she knew that she was special somehow. It wasn't until she saw Charles Xavier on the news that it all clicked for her. When he said the word mutant, everything changed for her. She went to try and meet him, only for her plane to crash, ending that life. 

In her third life, she dedicated herself to biology and sought out a cure for the X-Gene, achieving as much only for it to go horribly wrong when Mystique and Destiny, a character who died in Fall of the Mutants (1988) and was last seen in Necrosha (2010), appear and murder all of her fellow scientists. Destiny tells Moira that she knows what her abilities are and that if she continues down a path that could lead to the extinction of mutants, Destiny will always be there to stop her. She tells her that the only path to stop this cycle of reincarnation is to do whatever she can to help mutant kind. 

As a reminder, Destiny has Pyro slowly burn Moira alive so that she never forgets what it will be like to die at her hands.

From here, Moira becomes a radical, leading lives that take her away from Xavier's dream and push her further into darkness. Everything becomes a lesson in repeating the past, however. At first she lives the normal life and history that we already know. Forming a school for gifted youth, the schism between Magneto and Charles, The X-Men and eventually Charles' and mutantkind's death at the hands of Sentinels.

In the life after that, she shows Charles her past lives and turns him into a radical, managing to take over America before Sentinels kill them again. The next sees her kill the Trask family line, only for someone else to design Sentinels instead. She aligns with Magneto or Apocalypse in different lives, all reaching similar or even worse endings.

Eventually, she realizes that there's only one path that she hasn't truly tried: Embracing the dream and making it real. This is the House of X timeline.

We've seen Moira passively protect mutants, but never engaged with Charles in a way that could truly help him. With knowledge of past events, the two can find a path forward that would not only save mutants, but propel their evolution farther. I believe that's why Charles has sought to UNITE everyone. Apocalypse, Magneto, Mystique, Mister Sinister, all of mutantkind under one banner to make the lives of all better. It's certainly a dream, but Moira MacTaggert is the linchpin that makes that dream a reality.

She's always been one of the X-Men's smartest and loyal friends. With her help, her genius behind Charles' vision there's no way that the House of X can fall. It's very telling that every path that utilizes violence or tries to eradicate one side has always lead to ruin. It's even more telling that even the peaceful path requires some bit of strong arming, but if that's what it takes to get humans to stop killing mutants, then it really doesn't matter. Charles will have peace between the two sides and Moira is more than willing to embrace this beautiful new path.

[junker-town]

The Premier League has an elite manager drought

Mauricio Pochettino getting fired from Tottenham showed just how few soccer managers are actually any good.

There are few things sadder than a football team that has come unmoored from itself. A collection of players and coaches who once supported and uplifted one another, became something greater than themselves, now strangers, staring accusingly at each other as they crash out of the League Cup.

And so the departure of Mauricio Pochettino from Spurs, like that of Jürgen Klopp from Dortmund before him, comes as something of a relief for everybody, except possibly Arsenal fans. There’s far too much misery in the world as it is, we don’t need Sad Dele Alli hanging around as well.

Still, not unwelcome as it may be, Pochettino’s departure, and the hiring of José Mourinho, says all sorts of interesting things about Tottenham, and about the broader state of the Premier League and elite European football. The most immediately striking fact is that Spurs, as much as they loved Pochettino, haven’t replaced him with the next Pochettino, whoever that might be.

When Pochettino went to Spurs he did so as potentially the Next Big Thing, on the back of impressive spells at Espanyol and then Southampton, who he took to eighth in the Premier League, recording wins over Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea in the process. A club like Spurs — big, but not Big, at that point — was the next point on an obviously upwards curve.

Indeed, in some ways Mourinho is the precise opposite: a huge CV, entirely front-loaded, with a spectacular downward trend in recent years. But then the field for the next Pochettino is pretty thin, at least within the Premier League. The Next Big Things are making muddled progress.

Marco Silva is embattled at Everton; Ralph Hasenhüttl likewise at Southampton. Nuno Espírito Santo’s second Premier League season isn’t going as well as the first. Frank de Boer flamed out at Crystal Palace. Eddie Howe is still Eddie Howe, and Bournemouth are still remarkable, in a quiet way. Maybe Howe gets the job if Mourinho faceplants and Spurs change tack?

No, Brendan Rodgers isn’t the next Pochettino. Don’t be silly. He’s the first and only Brendan Rodgers. And he certainly won’t be dropping 12 places in the league to prove that. Beyond England, Spurs were reportedly interested in Julian Nagelsmann, but apparently a year too late.

In any case, it appears Spurs have decided that now, post-Pochettino, they don’t need a new Pochettino. The club is already a Serious, Title-Contesting, Champions League contender, and it must have a Serious, Title-Contesting, Champions League manager to match. Whether Mourinho counts as one of those any more is, of course, an open question, and the entire country is looking forward to finding out that the answer is: LOL, no. But he certainly talks like one.

Mourinho: “We can’t win the league this season. We can - I’m not saying will - win the league next season.”

— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) November 21, 2019

Thinking more broadly, something unusual is happening with England’s Big Six, and it’s not just the fact five of them are below Leicester City, three below Sheffield United, and one is in 12th. City and Liverpool have their excellent managers, managing their excellent teams excellently. But the other dugouts are strange places.

Manchester United and Chelsea are both overseen by men who got the jobs not on the strength of their managerial CVs, but on their playing careers. There is a gamble being made in both cases, even as one seems to be going better than the other.

Arsenal resisted this temptation — Mikel Arteta? No thanks! — and went for Unai Emery, who was experienced, safe, and kind of underwhelming. The result is a manager who isn’t doing particularly well and isn’t particularly liked. And now Spurs have got their own gamble in Mourinho Mk. III, promising old success through new methods and humility.

Among the Premier League’s six (theoretically) elite clubs, that makes just two unarguably elite managers. Solskjaer and Lampard might get there in the end, and Mourinho might get there again. Emery might surprise us all. But as it stands: two from six.

This disparity between the stature of elite clubs and their managers can be found outside the Premier League as well. Real Madrid are back with Zinedine Zidane after Julen Lopetegui flopped. Bayern Munich spent a season pottering along under Niko Kovač, and will likely be in caretaker hands until the end of the season. Barcelona have Ernesto Valverde, and nobody seems particularly happy about that. Thomas Tuchel at PSG, ditto. Maurizio Sarri at Juventus, ditto ditto.

Indeed, with Antonio Conte fresh in at Inter and Diego Simeone still enthroned at Atlético Madrid, the process of hiring a Serious, Title-Contesting, Champions League manager at this precise moment probably runs something like this:

Step 1: Is Max Allegri interested?

Step 2: No? Sure?

Step 3: Right, fine, better give José a call.

Perhaps the top level of football has arrived at a fundamental imbalance: too many Big Clubs, not enough Big Men to go around. The relentless churn probably doesn’t help. Go back to the merry-go-round enough, and eventually you’ll have to start making some interesting choices.

Or perhaps this is just a cyclical thing. Perhaps the next generation of elite coaches — Lampard, Rodgers, Nagelsmann, Erik ten Hag, all the other promising coaches who aren’t yet being hired by the big clubs — will be here soon, and will sort themselves into their rightful dugouts. Or take their current clubs with them. Maybe Leicester are making a permanent charge into the Premier League’s Big [Number To Be Determined].

We should note that thinking about managers too hard runs the risk of reducing football down to some heroic great man psychodrama: Those Marvellous Men And Their Flying Clipboards. A great team doesn’t necessarily need an already-acknowledged-as-great manager. And a team good enough to win a few trophies here and there definitely doesn’t. More important is the right manager in the right structure. That way the individual brilliance, the squad, and the money all end up pointing in the same direction.

But if you do enjoy indulging in a big of that psychodrama, then Big Coach hiring process has just gotten a little more interesting for every elite club that isn’t Tottenham, since: hooray! Pochettino is available! Although hopefully he takes a little break first. Spends some time with his family. Catches up on his reading. It’s a tough gig, management. And then comes the summer and the job offers.

(Maybe even earlier, if the Solskjaer experiment goes wrong again. You suspect Pochettino would be a fool to go and work for United in their current state, but equally, United would be fools not to see if he could be swayed.)

Perhaps Pochettino’s likely popularity is evidence itself of the imbalanced managerial market. His mantelpiece is empty, bar some Manager of the Month awards, a couple of silver medals, and several Arsène Wenger awards for Champions League qualification.

But in his time at Spurs he made average players good, good players great, and for a couple of years he had them playing aggressive, attacking football of the very highest quality. Everybody wants all of that. And when there isn’t enough proven greatness to go around, the sense of greatness to come will have to do.

[aion-rsa]

CBR’s Top 100 Comics of 2016: #100 – #76

Think the holidays are over? Think again! Because today marks the start of the most joyous season of all — CBR’s annual Top 100!

Each year, we take a thoughtful look at the comic book industry’s abundance of offerings and poll the passionate, thoughtful and always-opinionated CBR staff for their rankings of the top comics of the year. Every publisher putting out new comics material in English, regardless of genre or format, is fair game; each individual list is then factored in (all thanks to the power of mathematics and the magic of spreadsheets) to determine the overall Top 100 that will be unveiled on CBR over the course of this week.

2016 was another big year for the Top 100, once again with more than 40 contributors to the list and more than 200 comics nominated. That’s resulted in a typically diverse and sometimes unpredictable field: world-famous superheroes alongside creator-owned works; major publishers sharing space with indie favorites. Of course, even with 100 spots, no list can be an exhaustive collection of every noteworthy piece of work in a year, but the end result of the CBR Top 100 is a wide selection of eclectic comics and graphic novels worthy of attention.

Today, we start unveiling the list with entries No. 100 to 76, with the countdown continuing each day this week. Here’s the schedule, mark your calendars accordingly (all times Eastern): Tuesday, 1/3, 3 p.m.: Top 75-51; Wednesday, 1/4, 3 p.m.: Top 50-26; Thursday, 1/5, 9 a.m.: Top 25-11; Thursday, 1/5, 3 p.m.: Top 10; Friday, 1/6, 9 a.m.: Master list.

Start perusing the list below, and if you feel so moved, take to Twitter and (politely) discuss your thoughts using the hashtag #CBRTop100. While you’re here, feel free revisit our Top 100 lists from previous years:

CBR’s Top 100 Comics of 2015

CBR’s Top 100 Comics of 2014

CBR’s Top 100 Comics of 2013

CBR’s Top 100 Comics of 2012

CBR’s Top 100 Comics of 2011

CBR’s Top 100 Comics of 2010

CBR’s Top 100 Comics of 2009

CBR’s Top 100 Comics of 2008

CBR’s Top 100 Comics of 2016: 100 -> 76 | 75 -> 51 | 50 -> 26 | 25 -> 11 | 10 -> 1

100. Empress

Written by Mark Millar

Art by Stuart Immonen

Publisher: Marvel/Icon

“Empress” is another sci-fi story reminiscent of Star Wars. It’s got the “Long Ago” part down pat, as it’s set 65 million years ago, only instead of in a “Galaxy Far, Far Away,” the seven-issue miniseries begins on Earth. King Morax is the head of an interstellar empire. Life in this empire is what you would expect it to be like if DC Comics’ Mongul had ever managed to take over the universe. As a result, the empress of the empire plans on leaving her psychotic husband before he turns his psychotically sadistic gaze onto her or their children. With the help of a Poe Dameron-type, she takes her kids and flees deep into space. With the story focusing on their escape, trying to stay ahead of the empire that’s out to kill them, and dealing with rebellious teens, “Empress” reads a heck of a lot like “The Incredibles” meets “Star Wars” and comes highly recommended if you like either franchise.

— CBR List Editor Brian Patry

99. Prophet: Earth War

Written by Brandon Graham, Simon Roy

Art by Giannis Milonogiannis, Simon Roy, Ron Ackins, Grim Wilkins, Brandon Graham, Jenna Trost

Publisher: Image Comics

Brandon Graham and Simon Roy’s millennia-spanning continuation of Rob Liefeld’s space barbarian character wrapped up in a most enjoyable fashion. Most of the series’s huge stable of artists returned for a final battle for the fate of the cosmos that was equal parts Jack Kirby, Frank Herbert and “Fist of the North Star.”

— CBR Contributing Writer Tom Baker

98. The Ukrainian and Russian Notebooks

Written & Illustrated by Igort

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

This book was originally published as two volumes where Igort traveled to the region, and tells stories about the people he meets and the stories he overhears as he investigates the 1932 Holodomor, where the Soviet government caused the deaths of millions of Ukrainians, and the more recent murder of a Russian journalist who was critical of Vladimir Putin.

— CBR Staff Writer Alex Dueben

97. Tetris

Written & Illustrated by Box Brown

Publisher: First Second Books

Box Brown shows the incomparable power of strong narratives, in the way that he takes a topic (the creation of the video game “Tetris”) that you wouldn’t necessarily think would be an interesting one and infuses it with such fascinating characters and insights that you discover an unhidden area in your brain that, you know what, is apparently super-interested in “Tetris.”

— CBR Staff Writer Brian Cronin

96. Black

Written by Kwanza Osajyefo

Art by Tim Smith III, Jamal Yaseem Igle, Steven Walker

Publisher: Black Mask Studios

Kwanza Osafjeyo’s story resonates deeply because of how it addresses the sociopolitical state of America when it comes to the issues of Black Americans and their concerns over equality. Given the state of turmoil brought on by police shootings, this book, with bold covers by Khary Randolph, came at a time where the country was engaged in a heated elections race and took a bold stance by creating a world where Black people gained superpowers in a time where people feared and hated them. It felt like Black Lives Matter speaking through the comics medium, making manifestos and not statements — big, controversial but necessary ones that the world needs to hear. An indictment of how people of color are treated and a call to rally for justice.

— CBR Contributing Writer Renaldo Matadeen

95. Paul Up North

Written & Illustrated by Michel Rabagliati

Publisher: Conundrum Press

Michel Rabagliati is a master cartoonist who evokes an entire world in his detailed, but not fussy, drawings. His latest Paul book, translated by Helge Dascher, chronicles an ill-fated hitchhiking trip made by teenage Paul (based loosely on Rabagliati himself) and a friend; it’s funny and touching and beautifully told.

— CBR Staff Writer Brigid Alverson

94. Lucifer

Written by Holly Black

Art by Lee Garbett, Stephanie Hans, Marco Rudy

Publisher: DC/Vertigo

Reminiscent of Mike Carey’s “Lucifer” in all the best of ways, while also becoming something entirely new and different for our favorite fallen angel. Holly Black was the perfect choice for breathing life back into this bit of comics mythology, and with the help of Lee Garbett and Antonio Fabela, this fresh take on Lucifer is infinitely complex and rewarding. This comic has given us so many gifts, including but not limited to giving Raphael a human boyfriend and a lot of strategically placed angel nudity. These creators clearly know what the people want!

— CBR Contributing Writer Heather Knight

93. Spell on Wheels

Written by Kath Leth

Art by Megan Levens

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

“I’ve compared the book to ‘Buffy’ and ‘Charmed’ for a number of reasons,” Kate Leth told CBR in a September interview on “Spell on Wheels.” “One of them being that they are joyful. Even when things get dark and scary, these kinds of stories are about magic, which is an incredible, brilliant thing. I wanted that to shine through in the art, and Megan and [colorist] Marissa [Louise] have done it better than I could’ve hoped for.”

92. Ghosts

Written & Illustrated by Raina Telgemeier

Publisher: Scholastic

Raina Telgemeier’s latest graphic novel, “Ghosts,” merges the fantastical dead (ghosts coming out during the Day of the Dead) with a very real specter: a family where the younger daughter, Maya, has cystic fibrosis. It would be easy for Telgemeier to use the fantasy elements of her novel to provide some sort of special cure, but what we get instead is a very adult, realistic approach to having a family member with a terminal condition, while still being accessible to younger readers. Her art brings the northern California coastal town to life in an inviting manner even as it’s filled with restless spirits, and the writing is heartfelt but never sappy. “Ghosts” might be marketed to younger readers, but this is a book that truly all ages will enjoy.

— CBR Staff Writer Greg McElhatton

91. The Fade Out

Written by Ed Brubaker

Art by Sean Phillips

Publisher: Image Comics

The year 2016 saw a number of creators working on projects that served as ideal expressions of their particular creative powers, none more so than this ultimate hard-edged crime noir tale set at the height of Hollywood’s so-called Golden Era. Writer Ed Brubaker and artist Sean Phillips have traveled pitch-black roads like this together before, but never so stylishly.

— CBR Staff Writer Scott Huver

90. Detective Comics

Written by James Tynion IV

Art by Eddy Barrows, Alvaro Martinez, Al Barrionuevo, Andy MacDonald, Carmen Carnero

Publisher: DC Comics

This is the definitive Batman team-up book. James Tynion IV, Eddy Barrows & the rest of the creative team have taken supporting cast members like Batwoman, Red Robin, Spoiler and Cassandra Cain and propelled them to starring roles.

— CBR Contributing Writer Tim Adams

89. Jonesy

Written by Sam Humphries

Art by Caitlin Rose Boyle

Publisher: BOOM! Studios/BOOM! Box

Flat out, “Jonesy” is the funniest all-ages comic out there. In an era where we’re seeing more great, original comics for kids since the heyday of Dell, Humphries and Boyle’s ferret-obsessed, love-doctoring outsider outpaces the competition for sheer entertainment value. Like a 21st Century Little LuLu, only with wilder colors.

— CBR Staff Writer Kiel Phegley

88. Hellboy in Hell

Written & Illustrated by Mike Mignola

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

What happens when it’s time to turn out the lights? This happened fictionally and in the real world thanks to “Hellboy in Hell” this year, as Mike Mignola brought Hellboy’s story to a conclusion. Hellboy’s time in the underworld drew to a close as all of his enemies were defeated and he brought an end to Hell itself. Mignola’s depictions of a burnt-out, cold, abandoned realm were chilling, and it was hard to keep from feeling a little emotional as Hellboy — and Mignola himself — prepared to move on. If only all long-running series could end in such an elegant manner, maybe the idea of a conclusion wouldn’t be so scary in the serial side of comic books.

— CBR Staff Writer Greg McElhatton

87. Plutona

Written & Illustrated by Jeff Lemire & Emi Lenox

Publisher: Image Comics

A new twist on a coming of age story similar to Stand By Me, except with superheroes — sort of. This comic took me by surprise twice; first because I hadn’t been expecting it to be a superhero book and then second because I hadn’t been expecting it to actually end up being a book about a group of kids finding a dead body in the woods, and everything that happens after. Jeff Lemire, Emi Lenox and Jordie Bellaire weave together a compelling story about adolescence, friendship, and secrecy, with an ending to the first story arc that was positively haunting and left me wanting more.

— CBR Contributing Writer Heather Knight

86. No Mercy

Written by Alex de Campi

Art by Carla Speed McNeil

Publisher: Image Comics

DeCampi and McNeil’s tale of rich pre-college kids getting out of their depth on a charity service trip in central America really does live up to its name. This is a series about survival and horror is equal measure. For me, its standout story of the year came in issue #9, a tale of identity and family that draws heavily on the real-life stories of abuse at various “residential treatment centers” in America and beyond.

— CBR Contributing Writer Rob Cave

85. Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur

Written by Amy Reeder & Brandon Montclare

Art by Natacha Bustos, Marco Failla, Leonard Kirk, Ray-Anthony Height

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Surprisingly thoughtful, “Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur” skillfully blends Marvel’s comedic sensibility with contemporary issues in a fun and thrilling all-ages title. Lunella’s journey is still beginning, but she may prove to be an essential Marvel character in the years ahead.

— CBR Contributing Writer Erik Amaya

84. East of West

Written by Jonathan Hickman

Art by Nick Dragotta

Publisher: Image Comics

While it’s easy to get swept up in its dystopian-future setting (complete with an alternate history of the United States) and political and religious machinations, “East of West” is at its core a very human story, which is perhaps most evident when it focuses on the inhuman, whether that’s the personifications of Death, War, Famine and Conquest, or young Babylon, the son of Death who’s been raised from infancy to become the Beast of the Apocalypse. Written by Jonathan Hickman and illustrated by Nick Dragotta, each issue of “East of West” is filled with horror and wonder, providing an almost-irresistible treat for fans of sci-fi and Westerns.

— CBR Editor Kevin Melrose

83. Copra

Written & Illustrated by Michel Fiffe

Publisher: Copra Press

What began as a homage to the classic John Ostrander-written “Suicide Squad” run has evolved into something quite singular and unlike anything else in mainstream superhero comics. Fiffe evokes the style and art of a number of great artists, like Miller, Steranko, and Ditko, while adding his own unique touch of minimalist colors, intense action and an ever-changing story, elevating the project from tribute into something truly special that should not be missed under any circumstance.

— CBR Contributing Writer Sean Fischer

82. Big Kids

Written & Illustrated by Michael DeForge

Publisher: Drawn & Quarterly

“Adventure Time” designer by day, endlessly innovative cartoonist by night, Michael DeForge’s latest from Drawn & Quarterly was a wonderful, empathetic fable about heightened states of consciousness and the messiness relationships. And tree people. There were also tree people.

— CBR Contributing Writer Tom Baker

81. Karnak

Written by Warren Ellis

Art by Gerardo Zaffino, Antonio Fuso, Roland Boschi

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Even though this title has only had five issues — four in 2016 — it still stood out in Marvel’s ongoing focus on the Inhumans. With this only one more issue scheduled to be released in early February and Karnak slated to co-star in the new “Secret Warriors” ongoing series, don’t forget Marvel’s brilliant reimagining of the Inhuman who can sense the flaw in all things.

— CBR Contributing Writer Adam Barnhardt

80. Snotgirl

Written by Bryan Lee O’Malley

Art by Leslie Hung

Publisher: Image Comics

I never knew how much I cared about the misadventures of the professional vanity class until Bryan Lee O’Malley and Leslie Hung showed me. Lottie Person is insufferable and magnetic, making her pretty much a perfect avatar for the internet writ large. She’s reactive and petty, but still, somehow, worth it. I’m rooting for her, possibly because I know folks of her type are not likely to go away, so if she can prove herself to be worthy of doing some good in the world, maybe there’s hope for us all. And even barring that, if you can’t have hope, try a healthy dose of vapid, vacuous distraction.

— CBR Staff Writer Brendan McGuirk

79. Han Solo

Written by Marjorie Liu

Art by Mark Brooks

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Marjorie Liu catches the very essence of the swaggering nerfherder in just five short issues in a perfect exploration of the character. Christ, I need more.

— CBR Contributing Writer Leia Calderon

78. Romulus

Written by Bryan Edward Hill

Art by Nelson Blake II

Publisher: Image/Top Cow

Nelson Blake II can draw like nobody’s business. That’s no surprise. Bryan Edward Hill, however, comes from the screenwriting and TV writing world like a force of nature, and together they put together a secret society story that other books like it wish they could keep up with. Keeping a tight focus on a small cast, this series is intimate and shocking, intricate and kinetic. A super enjoyable series from people who are firing on all cylinders.

— CBR Staff Writer Hannibal Tabu

77. Secret Wars #9

Written by Jonathan Hickman

Art by Esad Ribic

Publisher: Marvel Comics

“Secret Wars” #9 by Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic was not only the perfect cap to Marvel’s best event book in recent memory, it was also one of the finest Fantastic Four stories of all time. Starting with a cosmic-level battle between an Infinity Gauntlet-empowered Black Panther and a God-Doom, and culminating in a very human conflict between Reed Richards and Victor von Doom (which, in turn, led to the rebirth of the Marvel Universe, proper), this issue, which was released (admittedly late) towards the start of 2016, was as perfect as an event tie-in can be, and a litmus test for how to stick the landing on a multiple year-spanning story.

— CBR List Editor Steven E. Paugh

76. Lumberjanes

Written by Kat Leyh, Shannon Watters

Art by Carey Pietsch, Ayme Sotuyo, Carolyn Nowak

Publisher: BOOM! Studios/BOOM! Box

Consistently fun and still the gold standard for all-ages titles. The characters continue to pop as its world becomes larger and more layered.

— CBR Contributing Writer Erik Amaya

Check back with CBR on Tuesday for more of the Top 100!

The post CBR’s Top 100 Comics of 2016: #100 – #76 appeared first on CBR.com.

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