#The Atomic Time of Monsters

[zzthekaiju]

Best of the Reptiles in Media - 6 - Tyrantis

And here I am again at this! And this time, we're going to the wonderful world of independent literature!

Let me set the scene: Imagine a T-rex, except he's the size of a large building, fights like Heart from a few entries ago, has the personality and love for fighting of Son Goku, and the mannerisms of Showa Godzilla and Gamera?

You get the star of The Atomic Time Of Monsters (A.T.O.M) by William Cope (better known as @tyrantisterror), Tyrantis!

(all art here is by Cope)

For context, the world A.T.O.M takes place in is an alternate history in which most dinosaurs are the ancestors of not birds, but crocodiles. Thus, they all look like the large, lumbering scaly beasts that went out of date around the 70s. And as if that wasn't enough, they're referred to as Retrosaurs. Already, we have an exceptionally tongue-in-cheek bit of worldbuilding to get us excited. Even as someone who loathes seeing outdated depictions of dinosaurs in modern media, I'm always a-okay to see it as an actual intentional choice instead of a lazy one (*cough* *cough* Jurassic World *cough*).

Anyhow, Tyrantis is one of those Retrosaurs. Specifically, a Manospondylus Gigas (based on the outdated look of T-Rex). However, like Godzilla, he's a mutated version. You see, A.T.O.M is a throwback/affectionate parody of monster movies from the 50s, albeit one that turns several of the tropes on their heads. One that it plays a bit straighter is how nuclear testing unleashes monstrous creatures from their slumber. Here, that happens, and it unleashes a huge earthquake that opens up caves leading to an unforeseen hollow earth, where Tyrantis lives.

And this is where the story officially begins, with an underdog female paleontologist named Mina Lerna finding Tyrantis within Hollow Mountain, Montana (there are a LOT of shout-outs in this duology).

Tyrantis had me sold as a character right from the start. You see, several scenes are written from his point of view, and instead of some mindless killer of man like so many giant movie monsters were back in the day, he is instead an inquisitive, naive, and downright kindhearted fellow who's first instinct upon seeing a screaming human in his presence is to try and cheer her up by taking her back to her "herd" (with limited success).

This kaiju is, overall, adorably awesome. Despite his size and power, he approaches almost every creature with one or both of two questions on his mind: "Can I fight it?" and "Can we be friends?" Both books are 90% Tyrantis running into one kaiju after another, and either befriending them, getting into fights, or even both. And it's a joy to see most of the other kaiju (such as Gorgolisk and Tricerak) come around and see him as their friend too. My favorite interactions are between him and the massive spider Bobo, who's this world's stand-in for Mothra.

But Cope doesn't just stop at making Tyrantis a big friendly kaiju, though that would already be enough for him to warrant an entry in my top ten favorite characters ever. Sprinkled into Big Green's mannerisms are tics that you would expect from a reptile. The most prominent of these are him moving his limbs in a circular motion as a sign of hospitality. It's so cute to imagine such a big and intimidating creature doing that. It also helps Tyrantis avert the "all animals are dogs" trope that seems to follow every non-conventional friendly animal in fiction. I mean, I don't mind that too much, but it's a nice change of pace.

Of course, Tyrantis wouldn't be a perfect kaiju if he couldn't fight as well. Every battle he gets into paints him as more than just a bite-happy bruiser (though that's certainly a go-to strategy for him). He's surprisingly capable of strategy at times, albeit while in the middle of a fight instead of before. And yes, he has a breath weapon (fire, specifically). Also, as one might guess from his personality, he's a great team player.

But ultimately, it's his relationship with main character Lerna that brings it all together. For our constantly underestimated heroine, Tyrantis represents everything the people of yesterday couldn't ever seem to see: that making brash judgements based on a first glance is wrong. He gives her the ability to prove her mettle as an amazing scientist and the bridge between our understanding of the amazing kaiju. And on top of that, he's just a really good friend to those tiny little things that seem to like him more and more with each year. Even the military commander character warms up to him almost instantly (I'm talking about General Sherman, one of my favorite humans in the duology).

A.T.O.M takes the overblown machismo and chauvinistic attitude of the 50s apart piece by piece. Aside from having human protagonists who rebel against the status quo, Tyrantis demonstrates how being tough is sometimes necessary, but being empathetic and kind as well is what really makes a strong creature. By being his charmingly and adorably good-natured self, he makes more friends than enemies, and they all have his back throughout all the increasingly crazy adventures they have.

Plus, he's got his own theme song in the second story. Someone outta make a cover of that already!

(And maybe an animated adaptation? Please? Maybe we could make it the next big indie animation thing? Just putting that out there.)

(art by me)

[tyrantisterror]

What’s this?  A Create a Kaiju Contest entry is finished?  Yes!  YES!  I’m getting them done! Like I said I would!

Dragonzilla’s entry is the third of our five winners, and a unique combination of kaiju and mecha that I don’t think anyone has ever done before to my knowledge.  Check them out, won’t you?

[kiryuthechimera]

He's still my blue baby boi

The “incel monster”

The few people who “kin” “stan” The Terror or whatever kids these days call it worry me.

On the other hand, I do love and sympathize with them like many trash individual animals that just hate everyone and everything (or are nice to humans and awful to their own kind but that’s definitely not him.)

[wraithlafitte]

in the final stretch of spn! just finished 15.04 and oh my goddd dude. showing sam’s struggle with depression, him saying “sometimes it feels like i can’t breathe”, AND HIM SAYING “maybe i’ll feel better in the morning” ???????? it’s just so real. you can say what you will about s15 but sam’s mental health struggle was portrayed really well

[medicinemane]

Mike johnson has so god damn much blood on his hands, obviously Ukrainian blood, but also plenty of American blood

Refusing to renew something that helps vets exposed to atomic blast and Americans who were downwind of the fall out... it's just sick. I can't fucking stand mike johnson, he's one of the worst scum to ever be in congress, and that's fucking saying something

"Johnson refused to allow House members to vote on bipartisan legislation to renew and improve the program"

Fucking quivering little pimple seems to have a real MO for just wringing his hands while insisting it's not his fault, he just can't do the one fucking part of his job of putting shit up to a vote... oh boo hoo, so sad, he'll just have to unilaterally let funding expire on things instead of literally just putting it up to our elected representatives to see if they want to vote yay or nay

Single handedly make the choices but it's not his fault when they work out how they do

Murderer

[kerryweaverlesbian]

It was last night I watched the episode and I didn't comment on it at the time but Sam saying, about how he can't just get back on with hunting after losing Jack and Rowena, that "I still think about Jess. I can't just get over them."

And I can't stop thinking about how it just rings false. In a way that him saying in Baby that he sometimes dreams about Mary didn't. Why did the latter turn me into a Samgirl and the former make me go "okay fanservice 🙄"?

I think it's that

a) Mary has been A Character even before her resurrection a season later, whereas Jess hasn't been mentioned since what? Season 4? Season 5?

b) Sam doesn't have a real relationship with Mary to reflect on, so just saying "I think about mom" is enough to highlight what was missing in his life without her. He DID have at least a year (?) with Jessica that he could have been prompted into reminicing about at any time. He could have told Jack about her. Hell, the very next episode highlights how they're *not* the same as they were in s1 - they try to use IDs with old pictures and are treated with skepticism, they've "upgraded" to devils trap bullets that are effective against Lilith - AND it's about 3 recent college graduates who look like teenagers alongside Sam and Dean.

c) the Mary one came first and in the context of Sam having an unsettling vision of young John (thematically relevant, parents, went on to give deeper insight into their respective relationship with their parenrs) whereas the conversation here was about their very recently deceased communal son and Rowena, Sam's ? best friend?? Is she is best friend? What a lonely boy jesus christ. Anyway. It doesn't offer new insight into his relationship with either of them or with Dean. It's brushed past.

and of course d) she wasn't even on the previously on. She is irrelevant to Sam's character here in season 15. She wouldn't recognise him - she didn't even know his real life!

Just. Why have him say it at all? Why suggest that in 15 years Sam has not been able to become more settled in any aspect of his life? It recontextualises Sam's character for him to have significant longing, still, for Jess. He expresses *in this episode* that he has contempt for the middle class white picket fencers, which Dean correctly points out that Sam used to be obsessed with joining. Jess was part of that dream for Sam, so, what, has he been lying all the way from season 10 every time he said he was settled into hunting and happy with where his life is? Or, is he lying here, that he still lingers on the idea of getting out [with Jess]? Why would he be lying here? He doesn't need a trump card of loss, they JUST killed their close friends.

Any real life human person, of COURSE they can still be caught up on feelings for someone who died 15 years ago, even if they don't talk about it or visibly show that missing feeling. But on a tv show, the dead need to be a presence if they're still being grieved.

Recontextualising the show to say "Sam has been thinking about his dead mom for a long time and her memory and family hangs heavy over the show" makes me go ough. Sammy. Recontextualising the show to say "Sam has been thinking about his dead girlfriend for the whole show he just never mentioned it but I promise he was" makes me go. Hm. Liar.

[ericmhe]

... (redacted)

[ebitenpura]

"you are being extra goth today admin" well you see I got emotional thinking about how Eight would stumble back to Jadus after KOTFE/ET with all his adventures and experiences in hand and tell him everything and how it made him realize he loves others but loving them hurts him in a way he can barely comprehend, and that this loneliness is a poison enough to kill...

what do you think of this pain of mine, o lord? is it not unlike anything you've ever tasted? he'd ask across their bond, with a smile so radiant that its light surely would belong to some distant star-- nothing so flesh and blood.

then he'd bury himself in his embrace and whisper how he can no longer stand to be apart from him. even the walls of their physical bodies entwined this close are another separation he can't bear. the darkest parts of the universe are the only place he can live now, with the hearts of men having rejected him thrice over.

so please, he'd murmur, when it all becomes too much-- when your body fails you-- when there comes a time where I can't follow-- take me. take me whole. I promise I'll give you this world and all that my eyes have seen of it.

Jadus understands immediately. It is the one request his Hand has made that he cannot fulfill, if he does not find a way to preserve this fleeting spark of light that has made its way into the dark sanctuary of his being. He will take him, and he will be taken by him-- and he will lose him.

It is a fresh pain he has not felt in nigh over a decade. Not since the early days of his youth, those memories that have never resurfaced from the murky abyss of his tempered mind. He thanks him for this gift. None other could compare, to serve him so faithfully to the ends of his universe and further still. To place at the altar of adoration his own suffering and love, every experienced agony a tribute to the one he places above all.

For that, Jadus must betray him. His Hand, beloved by the dark, will be consumed by the void he lays with so willingly. This future will not come to pass. So is his will. So will he return his bride to that world of suffering he longs to escape.

When the last vestige of his agony has sputtered and died, he will return.

Call the object of my hatred. I have a mission you must carry out.

A single beacon rings.

[doolallymagpie]

ooh, wargames atlantic is selling british commandos (and more germans) soon

might be useful for pulp wargaming, that

[din-skywalker]

i want to give a bit of info to everyone who only knows miguel from the movie:

•he is not a vampire! his fangs are from his spider dna and are filled with paralyzing venom :) fun fact: the size of his fangs makes him mumble so other people don't see them while he's talking!

•he wasn't bitten by a spider like most spider people! spider dna was atomically spliced directly into his genes making him 50% spider

•he doesn't stick like other spider people! he uses the talons on his fingers to climb around and such! fun fact: these talons can easily slice through solid metal :)

•he doesn't have a spider sense! instead, all of his senses are majorly enhanced!

•yes! he always moves like that! he automatically moves like a feral monster because that's what he is!

•he has a fiancé named dana and a little brother named gabriel! they are the two most important people in his life :) fun fact: gabriel recognized that it was miguel in the spider suit the first time he saw him in it!

•his eyes are red because they can see in major details and in complete darkness. fun fact: this makes his eyes super sensitive to light, which constantly gives him migraines :)

•yes! his ass is that huge in the comics, too! everyone in the comics are always commenting on it ^^

•miguel is irish/mexican :)

•he is NOT the original spider man of his universe! there was a peter parker in the past before the year 2099

just wanted to clear up some facts about him movie onlys may have misconstrued ^^

[zzthekaiju]

A favorite character Bingo with my favs in no particular order. Notice a trend? SOMEHOW get a perfect row? Let me know!

[tyrantisterror]

The Unfinished ATOM Kaiju Showcase

Out of, well, I want to say "a pragmatic assessment of my ability to finish illustrations since carpal tunnel set in" but you could just as easily shorten that to "impatience," I've decided to post a hundred or so ATOM kaiju concepts I've had sitting in my "to finish" pile for the last few years. Here's an official roundup of each post:

Part 1: Retrosaurs

Part 2: More Retrosaurs

Part 3: Tyrantor's Coming of Age Romantic Comedy

Part 4: Even More Retrosaurs but This Time They're Monster Hunter Homages

Part 5: Big Bugs

Part 6: Aliens

Part 7: More Aliens

Part 8: Paul Bunyan. No, Seriously, Paul Bunyan. Also Some Fearsome Critters.

Part 9: Mythic Monsters

Part 10: Recycling Plateodon

Part 11: Oddballs

Part 12: More Oddballs

Part 13: The Oddest Oddballs

Part 14: OOPS I FORGOT A FEW

Will I ever finish the artwork for these guys? I mean, I'd like to, but, uh... let's say the Odds Aren't In Our Favor here. But I want them to get some spotlight all the same, and if/when I write ATOM Volumes 3 and beyond, they can at least enjoy starring in some prose.

[jmoriarty-221b]

The main takeaway from Godzilla vs Kong is that corporate greed was the true villain all along

[zylusmusings]

"what's wrong, sweetie?" the leader of onychinus, most loathed creature of tarus city, looks and sounds almost unrecognisable as he stares down at his sniffling beloved, with crimson eyes that twinkle with specks of admiration, yearning and concern. his strong arms, so used to battles and defending himself from acts of violence, now cradling a treasured lover ever so kindly and tenderly. his voice, often rough and speaking out of pain and anger, is no louder than a decibel and soft enough to lull an infant to sleep as he speaks to her.

his calloused fingers comb through her hair, and he reminds himself to ask her another time if he could braid her hair, just like when they were in the grasslands. but not right now, not when his other hand is occupied with rubbing the small of her back in soothing circles. his actions has practically turned her body into putty, melting it deeper against the mould of his body as she lays atop him, face buried into cotton of his shirt. she looks so vulnerable at this very moment, a little different from the fearless hunter everyone is accustomed to seeing. he feels the atoms of anger (on her behalf) and natural protectiveness form in his chest as he tries to think of what possibly could have upset his lover tonight. this damned world is undeserving of her, he thinks, so he tries his best to fill in the cracks the world has left her with.

"everything has been so tough." her tiny voice answers. in the midst of everything ever-changing, sylus seems to be the only constant she had. it feels like as everything is against her, he is the only one for her. "i'm so scared," her voice barely audible, yet sylus doesn't miss the crack at the end of her sentence. instinctively, his palm stops its ministrations of gentle circles. his knuckles now bending ever so slightly to clutch onto her back more protectively.

"what can i do to make you feel better, sweetie?" his voice low, the vibrations grumbling from his chest against her own. almost desperate to make her feel better, he starts peppering kisses into her hair. it's a win-win, sylus thinks. while she finds some comfort in his affection, he gets to indulge in the faint smell of her strawberry shampoo and the way she melts further into his body. it causes his hold to tighten around her. "what can i do to make you feel... less afraid? safer, if you will," he asks, noting her admission of fear.

she pauses, as if to think, then moves to rest her chin on his chest as she stares at him for moment. they simply gaze into each other eyes, a silent language both of them are fluent in. sylus doesn't want to get ahead of himself, but could it be that her eyes are mirroring his; the way it screams of pure and true love. sylus knows without a doubt that he'd love her even if it was never reciprocated, so when the familiar gaze is reflected in her eyes, a breath gets stuck in his throat. he clears his throat, fingers brushing away a lock of her hair, "what is it, beloved?"

she stays silent for a moment more, and sylus bears in mind the way he grows a little nervous under her loving gaze, though he tries to mask it with a raised brow. "well?" her hand finds his own that tucked her hair away, bringing it to her cheek. like clockwork, sylus moulds his palm against her soft cheek, his thumb grazing the smooth skin.

"i think i only feel safe with you." it knocks the wind out of him. sylus is self-aware of his reputation- once, he was the creature so feared by humans that it caused much self loathing. and even now, people fear him as the infamous figure of danger in the n109 zone. sure, it is for different reasons now, but sylus has always felt to be synonymous with monster. "with me?" he repeats, a crease forming between his brows as his heart begins to pound against his chest. she simply nods and confirms, "yes." one word to cause a visceral reaction in his heart.

she doesn't say anything more and doesn't elaborate and sylus is too taken aback to push it further. thinks he needs a moment to himself to take in this revelation. a monster like me... that is what makes her feel safe? he sighs, shakes his head as if to deem herself almost foolish for feeling as such. there could be trillions of creatures in the entire universe, and she would be the sole one who'd find safety with him.

and if sylus hadn't already made it his mission to keep her in safety, he makes a silent oath with himself at the moment. he'll protect her until his dying breath. this woman shall never have to worry for as long as she decides that he lives.

he pulls her in impossibly tighter. "that's the first time someone said those words to me," he echoes words he has said before (albeit she doesn't and won't remember a thing) and he reminisces the memory for a bit. the same way she sees the beauty in him, the similar softness she so graciously graces him with - such a stark contrast from what others are to him. it reaffirms him though, that she is his one true soulmate, across all universes and through time. he'd burn the world for her take a claymore to his chest, if ever need be. in the previous and present life, she would always be kind to him and he would always be hers.

she hums, then nuzzles her nose against the crook of his neck where she presses the petals of her lips against his warm skin. "well, everyone else doesn't know you like i do." she mumbles, and sylus chuckles.

the whole world can cower in fear and misjudge him, for all he cares. he is simply sylus in her eyes, "i don't want anyone else to know me like you do."

[mrcowboydeanwinchester]

people have opinions about this i see

i'm going to tell you something now and maybe you won't like it. but the truth is that if s15 had had a good final 2 episodes it would've been an objectively great season of the show

[rite-the-wrongs]

*chugs a full half and half Monster Rehab*

So, you know how Darkseid is looking for the Anti-Life Equation? Well, Danny and the other Halfas are kinda Anti-Alive. Idk, my mind is going to how Thanos is trying to impress Lady Death in the weirdest ways possible (like killing half the universe or making her side piece immortal), and changing the names to Darkseid and Danny.

Darkseid attacking the earth was far from a rare occurrence. Usually his attacks were centered on the Justice League, but around every 1 out of 5 times he would just show up on a regular Tuesday with his army pouring through various Boom Tubes in every major city.

This wasn’t even the first time Darkseid had attacked like this since Danny had joined the League. The only difference was that instead of flying to Fawcett City to help Captain Marvel fight the invaders there, Danny had been in Gotham helping Bats and Diana with an artifact smuggling ring. The two of them immediately got in the Bat-Plane and headed towards Metropolis as fast as they could and Danny had been dragged along.

Darkseid was already holding Superman by the neck when they flew overhead. Diana jumped out to help Supergirl fight some messed up guy in a pink robe while the two Superboys were beating up an old lady. Batman gained Darkseid’s attention by firing missiles at the space tyrant which froze him to the ground and knocked the struggling Superman from his grip.

Darkseid’s glare followed the plane as it flew overhead. Then it started actually following as his Omega Beams burst forward.

“Hang on!” Phantom yelled, grabbing ahold of Batman and turning them both intangible just as the beams destroyed the plane around them.

He gently flew Bats on the ground. Bats did his customary grunt of approval he gave out if you saved him from certain death and ran to help the two heroines take out cloak man as Danny flew over to help take down the grandma. A few other heroes were focusing on keeping the Parademons flooding through the portal contained. Danny recognized a few, mainly Steel, Booster Gold, and Black Lightning, but there were even more that he didn’t.

He turned back to his own fight just in time to avoid getting hit by the old lady’s baton.

“Sorry, Grandma!” Phantom smirked, phasing through the attack. “Any chance I can let you pinch my cheeks and we call it a day?”

“Temping, porkchop, but an old lady needs her hobbies. And conquering planets is one of Granny’s favorites,” the old lady laughed swinging at him a few more times, only for each blow to pass through him like the last.

“Well, next time we’ll just invite you to bingo night,” Danny remarked, grabbing her wrist on the last blow and twisting it behind her back. The older Superboy tackled her through the Halfa as the younger one flew up high and plummeted feet first into her head, knocking Granny out.

The fighting seemed to be winding down. Diana had the guy in the pink robe tied up in her lasso while Batman ran over to help the Atom close the Boom Tube and Supergirl flew over to help her cousin fight Darkseid.

The only fight that was still going strong was Superman and Darkseid. Neither Titan was willing to bow to the other. Supergirl flew in between them, snapping Darkseid’s head to the side with a well placed kick. The space tyrant staggered for a moment before grabbing her leg and throwing her at Superman. The two Kryptonians fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs as Darkseid charged up his Omega Beams.

Danny didn’t even think. One second he was floating next to Jon and the next he had teleported in between the ruler of Apokolips and the two Kryptonians. He barely managed to throw up a shield in time. The Omega Beams shook the shield and kicked up dust around it, but Phantom gritted his teeth and managed to keep it steady. He only let the shield finally fall once the dust had settled.

“Impressive, child. Not even a Lantern Ring can shield from my Omega Beams. What are you?”

“You know, just a dead guy who doesn’t really know how to stay dead,” Danny chatted, keeping Darkseid’s attention on him. The portal was directly behind the tyrant. Wonder Woman and the Superboys threw their respective bad guys back through the portal.

“How can you be both dead and alive?” Darkseid asked. If he was confused, he didn’t let it show. Batman gestured at the two Supers behind Danny. They gave him a small nod and looked at the tyrant. Danny raised a hand to stop them.

“Back everyone up and cover your ears,” Danny whispered under his breath at a level only the four supers could hear. The Superboys quickly got everyone away from the portal while Superman and Supergirl gave him looks of confusion, but eventually relented. The entire time Darkseid’s attention was on Danny and Danny alone.

“Guess I’m just that stubborn,” Danny chuckled at the dictator. “I died, it didn’t fully stick, now here I am as a ghost.”

“Breathtaking.”

“You know what else is breathtaking?” Danny sucked in as much air as he could, not that he really needed it, and released a wail.

At once, all windows on the street shattered. Everyone covered their ears and the heart breaking cry sweep through the area. The Supers all collapsed to their knees, the sound even worse for those with super hearing. Tears threatened to spill from everyone’s eyes. Everyone but Darkseid.

The Dictator of Apokolips seemed almost stunned. Blood streamed from his nose and probably his ears, though those were hidden in his helmet. The sound waves slammed into him and he did nothing to fight back as the waves set him careening head over heels back towards the portal.

Darkseid barely managed to grab the edge of the portal and the wail stopped and Danny fell to his knees. White rings flickered around him and started to change him back into Fenton, but he managed to stop them before anyone could who wasn’t already looking could see. And the only one looking was Darkseid.

“Someone close the portal!” Batman yelled. All of the heroes staggered to their feet and tried to run to the Mother Box as Darkseid just stares at Phantom.

“Such beautiful cries of pain,” Darkseid muttered. His gaze never left the exhausted Phantom. He realized almost too late that the heroes were going for the Mother Box. He charged up his Omega Beams and shot them at the closest hero, Wonder Woman. She managed to ricochet them off her bracelets, but the beams kept coming back for her. The other heroes had to back up in fear of getting hit or getting in the Amazonian’s way.

Suddenly, a yellow blur swept through the area, knocking Diana out of the way are replacing her with an unconscious Parademon. A figure, this one white and red, landed on the Mother Box, destroying the device. Finally, a red blur ran in and punched Darkseid in the face, sending the tyrant careening through the closing portal.

“Sorry we’re late.” Flash chuckled, as a frustrated Kid Flash and Impulse stopped behind him. “What’d we miss?”

A series of groans ripped through the heroes as they just sat down and waited for the Javelin to get there for med evac.

—————————————————————————

You’d think Danny’s first time fighting Darkseid would be a bigger deal, but it was honestly not as big of a deal as everyone made it out to be. Danny had been fighting genocidal inter-dimensional tyrants since he was 14. What was one genocidal space tyrant making the list?

Batman apparently didn’t think it no big deal, though, if the worried version of the patented Bat-glare and Bat-grunt were anything to go off of. It had been a few days since the fight and the Bat had finally managed to wrangle everyone who had been involved in the Metropolis fight to the Watchtower for a debrief.

The meeting was supposed to start five minutes ago, but only the Flash was still missing. Danny, Conner, and Kara had been making jokes about it to a groaning Kid Flash and a pouting Impulse when the Boom Tube opened.

Everyone jumped to the ready. Batman pulled out a Batarang. Wonder Woman readied her lasso. Superman, Super girl, and the younger Superboy all started floating while their eyes glowed red. The older Superboy got into a fighting stance that Booster Gold quickly copied. The Atom shrank. Black Lightning’s hands sparked with electricity while Danny’s hands glowed with ectoplasm. The two speedsters vibrated in place.

They were ready for anything to come through. Except for a box of chocolates, a bouquet of roses, and a severed head of a yellow, bald alien. As quickly as it opened, the portal closed again. Kid Flashes summed it up best.

“What the fuck?” The yellow speedster yelled.

“Is that-“ Diana piped up, only for Superman to interrupt.

“It’s Mongul,” the Man of Steel growled.

“Who would send a severed warlord’s head with a bunch of romantic gifts?” The Atom piped up from where he stood on Booster’s shoulder.

“Well if it’s not poisoned, dibs on the chocolate,” Impulse gave a nervous laugh.

Batman and Black Lightning approached the table. Batman took a device of his belt and scanned the head then chocolate, each one coming back clean. Lightning picked up the bouquet and found a note.

“To Phantom,” he read out loud. “Your screams of agony resonated through my very being. You are the answer to my billion year search for the Anti-Life Equation. Join me and together we can enslave the universe to our will. Darkseid.”

The room fell into silence. Everyone had various looks of disgust on their face. The silence was eventually broken by Danny groaning and rubbing his eyes with his palms.

“Why do I only attract fruitloops?” He yelled up to the ceiling.

“GUYS!” A red blur yelled as he burst into the room. Flash had finally arrived. “I saw Desaad buying flowers in central city! And then Granny Goodness showed up with a box of chocolates and they Boom Tubed away! Hey, they actually looked a bit like these. Holy shit! Is that Mongul?”

Black Lightning just handed the Scarlet Speedster the note. Flash summed it up the best.

“What the fuck?”

Idk, let me know if I got to continue.