#art deco too to an extent

[flimsy-roost]

can the art nouveau revival hurry up and get here already please

[jules-ln]

Viktor is literally art nouveau

I was looking at Viktor's design in league of legends and it hit me, Viktor in Arcane IS Art Nouveau

Not literally but yes literally in a way lmao

Let me walk you through my thought process

I was looking at the league of legends design, and I thought that the fact that Viktor still had hair was weird if the whole point of Viktor is human bad machine good, then why does he has something as human as hair?

Then I thought about the Arcane Herald design, and it actually made more sense that this Viktor still had hair, why? Just look at his robots

The first thing that called my attention was their shoes, because those aren't normal heels, no, those are heelless heels! and let me tell you

1) Viktor isn't straight (no straight man would know and like those shoes, you can't fool me)

2) That's like the worst shoes you could ask for to fight/run in, do you know how easy is to fall with those shoes? No, they aren't practical, those shoes are merely for visual pleasure

And it doesn't seems like Viktor would be the kind of man that would put looks above functionality but then you think about how his designs in general have a very heavy preference for art nouveau; which, is also very much beauty over function

His robots have the asymmetry, A flowing organic shape, a preference for a feminine figure, the reference to flora on the patterns. They're are art nouveau bots and theres no way to deny that, and Viktor's Herald design is too, to some extent

Again, preference for a feminine figure, flowing organic shapes, his staff looks like a tree (kinda), asymmetry to some extent (not as much a his robots), hair (very important). You can reasonably say that it was at least inspired by art nouveau

Then we have the design of his room/house in the commune, it's pretty much art nouveau inspired too. I've seen some people say that Viktor made this to reference the Hexgates because he missed Jayce, but now I'm thinking, what if it wasn't that he missed Jayce, but more that the Hexgates were originally his design

And listen, I know I know, both worked on the hexgates, both should be credited equally, but realistically, I think it's fair to say that both of them probably had different levels of involvement on different things? So what if Viktor was the one with the original idea for the outside design and Jayce then added the art deco elements? Then Viktor repeated it on the commune with a more art nouveau style simply because he likes it?

And you might ask. Why does it matters? Why does the fact that Viktor likes art nouveau means that he's the personification of art nouveau?

Well; now to the point, I studied a little of art history on college, and I was a bit obsessed with art nouveau back then, and you know what was the goal of it?

Art nouveau was made to bring art to the common person, to have every day objects being a piece of art. It was supposed to get art away from the rich and to give it to everyone. But it failed

And you know why Art Nouveau failed and was quickly abandoned?

Two things, 1) it was too expensive, and 2) World War 1

So ironically Art Nouveau ended up being too expensive to reach the people they wanted to help so it stayed a rich people thing, and then it had to be abandoned almost completely because of WW1; there weren't enough materials to make it and a lot of people that became poor because of the war didn't have the money to spend on it

It was very short lived even when it made a big impact on history (That reminds me of someone)

Now compare art nouveau's history to what happened to Viktor (And Jayce)

They wanted to make magic accessible to the common people, to help; but it ended up being so that Hextech only helped people in Piltover to get richer while people in Zaun got worse and worse

Then something happened, a war, and both Viktor and Jayce had to abandon their dreams

Add to that the name art nouveau means new art, and in Spain it was called "Modernismo" Why? Because it wanted to be the future of art, young, refreshing, a bright future different from the past. Who else wanted to be the future of something? Men of progress who?

Viktor (and Jayce to some extent but I think he's more art deco lmao) IS Art Nouveau. It's his story

(And funnily enough, you can find art nouveau in Zaun, but I don't remember ever seeing art deco in Zaun, while it's the main thing on Piltover)

(Also also, I have some thoughts about Jayce being Art Deco, but that's for maaaybe later lmao)

Listen I'm a death of the author guy, I'm going to find meaning on my own. But either someone in the art department had to know the history of art nouveau and made a point of making it Viktor's main style (because it is Viktor's style, like I showed before), or it's just an extremely funny and fitting coincidence

[dustandembers]

LOV and their hobbies + interests.

𓏵

SHIGARAKI:

He’s into Ocarinas (which may or may not have been influenced by TLOZ).

But he’s also into graffiti art. He usually would appreciate the work of others but he has a small album somewhere of stuff he’s done as a teen.

TOGA:

Gyaru fashion and “deco den”. But I could also see her being amazed with (and trying out) the kalimba.

When she was a kid, she really enjoyed doing those subscription based arts and crafts projects that are sent to your home every month.

I get the sense that she would also like to journal but lacks the motivation to actually sit and do it. She would definitely be okay with an activity book, though.

DABI:

He’s interested in fish�� koi ponds and maybe even aquariums, to some extent.

If he had the chance to do so, he’d probably try his hand at bonsai. For now, he settles for origami on occasion.

He might also have some curiosity toward street racing, as well. He’d never be the one behind the wheel but something about the subculture is attractive to him.

He’s actually pretty decent at cooking.

MR. COMPRESS:

Tactile arts— specifically macrame. Though he’s become smitten with basket-weaving and making wreaths, too.

TWICE:

He’s a collector. The usual coin or card works but really he’d absentmindedly pick up anything that he finds interesting. Once he reaches three of the same item, he becomes committed to the craft.

He likes to see how long he can go before he loses his entire collection— mostly in battle, of course.

SPINNER:

He’s tried woodcarving before—but it’s a mystery on whether or not he stuck with it. He probably does but it’s more of a personal thing he would do on the rare moments alone.

Regardless, he’s interested in painting but more in an abstract or psychedelic sense. He does most of his works on blank, pre-made things like vases, teapots or cups of any kind, et cetera.

[thebramblewood]

Boop! Here is ur random ask: What kind of event (party/wedding etc etc) is your favorite thing to set up for your story? What do you never want to set up again? 🥰

Thank you for the question! Although it suddenly makes me feel like I haven't set up that many different types of events. I enjoy pretty much everything to some extent, even when there are frustrating moments. The ones that go most smoothly and quickly are the ones where I can rely a lot on deco Sims to avoid posing burn-out. I usually like doing bar/club scenes for that reason, and it's also always a fun challenge to create the right atmosphere with lighting and stuff! Oh, doing the little spellcaster party flashback was super fun, as well as putting the 1920s Vatores in an underground speakeasy!

Some events that come to mind as particularly challenging: the Vatores' vampire bash (I'm still so proud of how it turned out, but I'm also never posing that many Sims again, it was a real juggling act), the Spooky Bowl way back in Helena's first semester of college (my mistake was trying to throw it as much like an actual gameplay party as possible and, of course, no one wanted to cooperate), Ulrike's art gallery showing (the space I was using ended up being way too small, so it was tricky to make it seem more expansive), and The Reapers' rehearsal + performance (this was mostly because I kept having to use MCCC and repeatedly encountered the greyed-out screen of doom). But, like I said, I still had fun with all of these and think they were worth the struggle!

[nofourfol4]

i think finding the truly weirdest piece of art in a medium is less an exercise in extremity than an exercise in subtly- to an extent. if the weirdest piece of art is the one 'farthest' away from every other piece of art, then its incorporation of convention in a stream which theoretically maximizes that distance will place it off even that tattered path. so anyway, Maze of Justice

[screenshots from Cosmo (left) and Ota Owa (right) on youtube- not both images of the same part but it's about that different between the deco and layout lol]

while answering what the truly weirdest geometry dash level is i don't think i could do, i gotta say it's like at least top 5 or 10. it's the epitome of this confluence of convention and experimentation, starting life as a very unfriendly to even bot impossible maze scribbled under a blade of justice noclip, it eventually was decorated with by far some of the highest production value from the ILL community (certainly responsible for some of the strangest levels ever made already) until the much more successful TRUE SCHAFS (a surreal level in its own right, the surprisingly conventional megacollab stylings contrasted with the utterly unhinged ILL style gameplay, not to mention it being revealed for the first time near the end of a 5 hour, like, ILL community broadcast thing?) but that decoration half looking like entire boj parts stolen and overdetailed to the point of breaking them, but where the stolen objects, if there are any at all, start and end is incredibly hard to tell, giving almost like a B3313 or some such effect where it just looks Wrong. and of course, it's a red "remake"(?) of blade of justice, one of the blue levels of all time, especially since it comes from an era of especially red extremes. it's the kind of idea i'd find hours into deep meditation and wish i could make but not have the patience/colleagues for, it's probably the closest a geometry dash level has gotten to feeling like something you'd see in a dream if you have gd brainrot. the song helps too, a "remix"(?) of the song used in boj with some parts just taken directly from the song with minor edits and others being entire orchestral/sound design remakes that flatten the great song like how the decoration flattens the great level, but this bastardization works, because i actually like this level slightly more than blade of justice (and i quite like blade of justice!), it having produced something much more subtle than conventionally good but utterly fascinating

i haven't even really talked much about the gameplay either, greatly confounding this by, in the decorated mode, being almost completely uncorrelated with the structuring resulting in the icon in any showcase of it just haphazardly clipping around the level, the Maze in question requiring extensive knowledge of the game and analysis in the editor to even understand, a wave near the end being so hard to even bot it's been deemed impossible to do so (while still theoretically physically possible), and it not really reminding me of many other impossible levels, memory levels, or really even many levels in general. my lust for bizarre game breaking gameplay is a big reason i like it as much as i do but the deco is kinda mid so it's like a high 8/10 but i'm not sure a level this strange in this way even could reach higher for me, it's kinda a requirement for it to be slightly visually boring to be as bizarre as it is

[dapperrokyuu]

I personally do think that the music portion of Project Voltage shouldve been typing themed because not just because thats what the art did, but itd ascertain each song being unique and creative in terms of sound and message.

As neat as its been, I get the sense that every song is just going to say "Pokemon is and was cool, huh?" which is, like, "Yeah...thats why this collab exists. Can we talk about anything else-" Like, that message is fine and dandy as a one off song (e.g. Gotcha by Bump of Chicken; I definitely thought there was another MV before it but I cant find it so I guess that was my imagination, haha)! But for 18 songs in a row...its gonna get old, lol.

[THIS ENDED UP LONGER THAN I ANTICIPATED, CLICK FOR MORE BUT IM SAVING YOU SCROLLING!!!!!!!!!]

I was gonna say Volt Tackle is the only one that says anything beyond "Pokemon is cool!" in a very classically Deco*27 fashion of making electricity/Volt Tackle/battling a love metaphor in general and Miku's pursuits in relationships, but that actually does Inubakumori a disservice since they also focus more on the experience of a being behind a screen trying to connect with the you beyond it (admittedly still need to ponder this a bit more, tbh) AND is genuinely the most unique in terms of OST choices.

MitchieM's music isnt really my thing in the first place, but it being composed of puns--while endearing--also feels like it doesnt say much else other than "Pokemon is cool, huh?" heavily depending on the Pokemon presence (tho Miku's design is real cute in it, hehe). With PinocchioP, as sentimental and heartfelt to the point it made me cry, it also conveyed pretty much the same thing (MV was most visually impressive to me tho; the little Miku's dressed as Pokemon, ahhh!!!).

Like, to an extent, I can accept the choice to not do a typing theme in favor of emphasizing each producer's style without restraint, but the kicker is using the same OST. Like, not only is the message going to be the same, Im kind of futilely hoping to see anything more than battle and Pokemon Center themes in the future songs! Its gonna be predictable and lose its luster, unfortunately!

I didnt even like Inabakumori's Electric Forecast that much at first because Im more into fast paced energetic music (Volt Tackle is probably my fave), but it ranks, stands out, and impresses me over the other two because it used SO MANY different themes, arguably probably the most out of all the released songs so far? Im being easily impressed because Electric Forecast used BURGH'S GYM THEME and the DIVING THEME and the Viridian Forest theme and the Kimono Girl's theme- Inabakumori is relatively new compared to the other 3 and they blew me away not because they somehow have more passion than the others but they...I guess, were experimental! Didnt play it safe! Actually took a deeper look into this 27 year old franchise's IMMENSE collection of music than just sticking to the basics! Not to say they DIDNT used the Pokemon Center theme or a battle theme, but they also did SO MUCH MORE than that in comparison to the others.

Theres was just so much opportunity in the typing theme, I dont think its too big of an ask considering, again, Pokemon's gigantic library of music. A town/route that had environments suitable for a specific type, a notable trainer who used a specific type, miscellaneous themes that give the vibe of a certain type, there was just so much they could do...!

I dunno, its incredibly too soon to be disappointed with this project, but Im just...airing out my feelings, I guess? Id love to be proven wrong, so looking forward to future releases! In the meantime, I point towards Polkadot Stingray's entry in the Pokemon Music Collective, "Ghost Dive," which I think is incredibly impressive and what I had in mind for Project Voltage if they committed to the typing theme. The way it incorporates the themes, the sound effects, the lyrics referring to Ghost-type/adjacent abilities, its also about someone who's a Ghost type fan, so it couldve been the best of all worlds...! And they didnt have to do that at all. Such a good job and banger, truly.

[slxughterhaus]

.::. WATCHMAKER TEACH ME.::. cyberware.txt

Transhumanism is a powerful weapon in the arsenal of any denizen of the future- there is always a risk, however, of going way too far- becoming consumed by the chrome wrapped around one's skeleton, the wires digging into flesh and muscle mangling the last bastion of 'humanity' contained inside. Or, of course, if you're Calpernian Harker, you've embraced the loss of what makes you a "Man" with beastly, open arms. Expected to have succumbed to Cyberpsychosis ages ago, Odd's unique mental state has spared him the sudden onset of madness, instead mingling with his pre-existing disregard for humanity and lack of empathy to simply make him more... Capable as a killer- and nigh-uncorruptable, no matter how much metal and wiring he's shoved into his body. For this reason, it's no surprise he's a popular option for cyberware companies to sponsor. If their product can be part of Odd's wild cybernetic makeup without causing him to become a mindless, slaughtering zombie- surely the everyman is similarly safe from any sort of corruption.

This may or may not be true, but the entity known internally as "Hydra Project" is a testament to the fact 'humanity' being tethered to the way you were born and not your actions or physical state may be an odd decision, these days. While on the surface, Calpernian Harker appears unremarkable and completely unaugmented, this is a farce, as hundreds of barely-perceptible panels covered in top of the line syn-skin disguise the terrifying reality underneath. While these augmentations are played close to the chest, those who have participated in SLAUGHTERHAUS, found themselves on the business end of the Harkers' hunts as cowboys, or have simply earned Odd's affection and/or ire have seen the extent of his capabilities.

Figure 1: With feet and legs built to expand into something more massive and in the standard white, black, gold color scheme of Odd's cybernetics, Odd's lower body is built more like that of a raptor or a beast, digitigrade limbs that stop at the hip unfolding and flipping syn-skin panels for steel, and the 'heeled' shape regularly splitting into three-clawed feet with a spiked back that expands his already imposing 6'3 to a proper 7'0 tall when at full extension.

Figure 2: Similar to his feet and legs, his arms appear strangely art-deco inspired, with exposed gears and thin wires among the more futuristic flipping panels of false-skin. each of his two arms can split down the middle into two separate, additional hands. (See Figure 4 for positioning/layout) And much like his other heavily augmented parts, are thin, intentionally kept less substantial to ensure the ability to appear completely human with these augmentations tucked away. These limbs contain a number of weapon suites, though perhaps the most well-represented in his work as a 'tiebreaker' on SLAUGHTERHAUS is the presence of two red-hot garrote wires within the wrists on the left side. Used to inflict wounds that immediately cauterize themselves, they're often deployed against... problem guests- leaving lifelong scars, but no stains on Odd's expensive suits.

These limbs are also extendable, to a certain point, the sharp fingers capping each hand wicked and quick to leave lacerations on those unlucky enough to underestimate where they might reach- this lends as well to his chosen modes of locomotion, as the spiked-ends of his hands make short work of creating new handholds in most surfaces, allowing for navigation across ceilings, up walls, and along the sides of buildings.

Figure 3: Unlike the rest of his body, covered in neat, creative panels that shift and tuck away when his features transform, Odd's face regularly remains visible- though modified. Capable of separating the panels of his face along a number of in-built servos and motors, the 'Hydra' nickname seems completely garnered from the way there seems to be only one face- but many heads. Tucked beneath and clearly still made of human bone and flesh, there is one, single 'head' that seems to be truly Calpernian- the lower half completely mechanical, bound in gold and white and sealed with a pair of face plates along the cheeks- or, more accurately, a set of secondary mandibles not unlike those of a spider, flicking open violently in what can only be considered a threat display or used to further wound those too close to his clutches. The ghastly, half-empty masks made of the panels that make up his 'false' face are not without maws of their own, glowing gold and dripping synthetic ichor like the main face, they are slavering, able to move independent of the 'main' head and containing singular purple eyes, they are an in-built surveillance expansion, allowing for full 360 degrees of visibility when the 'heads' are displayed.

Figure 4: not without blades in his arsenal, the two-prong arms of Odd's limb cyberware can similarly expose a host of scythe-like weaponry, used to aide in climbing as well, these blades are not alone in their presence, as his back contains a small handful of panels that can open to expose four more of these blades on rudimentary striking motors used to cover his back.

Not Pictured: A single, pneumatic powered tendril not unlike a tail capped with a wicked blade similar to those that are present on his arms and within his back- used for capture, crushing, and more distance strikes.

Known Weaknesses: A beast like Odd may seem insurmountable- but there is a reason he operates with a partner. Large and unwieldy in many cases and often unable to deploy every weapon at his disposal, the presence of Silvaine has always been as a spotter- and a leash. Unable to reel himself in once too many weapons have been deployed, he requires a temporary 'kill code' to prevent him from destroying himself outright in the pursuit of prey.

Similarly, despite the presence of a deadly, vicious melee suite, he is a poor combatant at range, relying entirely on his size, speed, and capability to overwhelm and close distance to avoid the risk of a bullet finding the gaps in paneled armor.

[dramatisperscnae]

Headcanon - Kyle Rayner

Age and Appearance

Kyle is somewhere in his mid-20s

He stands at 5’11”, weighing in at 175lbs; his build is slender and reasonably toned, but nowhere near the extent of most other superheroes.

He keeps his black hair mostly short, if a bit shaggy on top. His eyes are a dark greenish brown.

Kyle generally favors comfortable clothing, and generally things that won’t be hurt too badly by things like pastels and graphite smudges. The only thing that fits him like a glove is his Green Lantern uniform; everything else fits, but usually looks like he bought it at a thrift store. Which he probably did.

Personality

Through most of his life Kyle has generally had his head in the clouds, taking a largely lackadaisical, carefree approach to life. Since being given the Green Lantern ring his irresponsibility has eased up quite a bit, but he still has a tendency to slack off or put off things that he really probably shouldn’t. Outside of his work as a Lantern Kyle still has a little more difficulty than he’d care to admit with actually getting – and keeping – his priorities in the right order.

Due to the circumstances behind his receiving his ring, and the rather long shadow cast by his predecessor Hal Jordan, Kyle still occasionally struggles with insecurity. He’s sure of his position and his right to bear the ring and the title, he’s just not sure he can actually live up to the reputation Hal left behind.

Kyle is a stubborn son of a bitch who refuses to back down when he’s sure he’s in the right. This can – and has – resulted in serious trouble, but it’s also saved his bacon more than once, considering his ring draws its power from its bearer’s will.

As an artist, Kyle often sees beauty in places others might not. When not actively on duty it’s not uncommon for him to have a sketchbook and pencil on-hand in the event of sudden inspiration or if he sees something he really wants to draw.

He’s an absolute pop culture nerd. Movies, comics, books, anime, video games; when he has spare time that’s not being used for creative pursuits he’s probably busy enjoying something geeky.

Abilities [taken from the Fandom wiki page; I know, I know, they’re shitty, work with me here]

Green Lantern Ring Mastery: Kyle's constructs are among the most powerful ever recorded for a Green Lantern. They are also much more elaborate, often fading into view like a sketch refined into an illustration, and tend to be far more imaginative as well. Most notably, Kyle’s ring is unaffected by the color yellow, and does not need to be recharged daily. It also does not work for anyone else, even former Lanterns; Kyle is the only one able to wield his ring.

Master Artist: Kyle is a skilled and creative artist. He has been an artist since he was born and has an equally long history of creativity. He has drawn, painted, sculptured, photographed, inked, colored, designed, and created thousands of works of art with or without his ring.

Indomitable Will: Like many Green Lanterns, he possesses an incredibly strong will. He has been able to resist Queen Bee's hypnotic pollen (through some coaxing from Huntress) which no one has been able to resist in the past. In addition, Mageddon tried to disable his ring but the Ultimate Warbringer was no match for Kyle's will.

Miscellaneous

Kyle’s favorite art style is Art Deco

He continues to work as a freelance artist and graphic designer.

Kyle can work with digital tools, but he will always prefer physical media for his artwork. It's just more satisfying for him.

He is an absolute hopeless romantic

One of his favorite video game characters is Kitagawa Yusuke from Persona 5. It’s an artist thing.

Kyle is fluent in Gaeilge, thanks to his mother's upbringing and insistence. He keeps it up out of habit more than anything else.

[gpuzzle]

I'm trying to write fiction with loftier standards (Midwest Gothic aiming to intersect derelict Gothic castle with abandoned art deco factory)

a friend of mine says my dialogue is good but errs too cutesy, but that's just how I talk to an extent

fucking hell

[busstop-on-cornelia]

Ok, 1989tv is HERE and, as promised, there are thoughts (and observations). The songs of course slap, but this is about things that are NEW. New observations and red-string thoughts.

RAINBOWS:

Style has rainbow colored rain on the pavement.

Out Of The Woods: “screaming color” flashes rainbow, but so does “oh I remember” before the final chorus

I Wish You Would: rainbows pulsing in circles around the lyrics of its bridge. The light swooshes are white with rainbows. Also the thing is made of blue and pink and purple accents and words (bi colors).

How You Get The Girl: the whole thing. Multicolored and rainbowed up.

There’s a TON of galaxy/celestial imagery. The men’s faces in I Know Places are starry, the moon is everywhere (specifically in the Out Of The Woods video), Wonderland, AYHTDWS, IWYW, and SIO (to a smaller extent). Additionally, there’s a lot of eyes turning into galaxies (Clean, AYHTDWS).

Storms where you wouldn’t expect them: the road in Style and the bridge, and the background in New Romantics.

Out Of The Woods: LOVE the video. I’m down with those wolf and moon t-shirts, and this video is like that brought to life with some paparazzi/media frenzy symbolism. Gorgeous video—one of my faves.

New Romantics: the song itself inspired by the New Romantics movement (itself based on denying you were a part of it), which was known for its gender-fuckery and queer similarities. This video shows the lyrics on an art-deco stage in bisexual lighting—which I’m not saying is a reference to how many queer people are in the entertainment industry and the arts, but it could be.

Say Don’t ago is SOO FUCKING GOOD YOU GUYS. It’s like if Clean and AYHTDWS had a baby.

Now That We Don’t Talk: she “can’t pretend it’s platonic” and kept herself “shrouded in mystery” to “protect [her] dignity.” Sounds very much like closeting. Also, her ex grew out their hair—something men can do, but something Taylor’s exes haven’t really done. And Harry had longer hair while they were dating.

Suburban Legends: filled with high school references, and the very notion of living a suburban is such a small-town, high-school-sweethearts things. Very Dianna coded with the Glee-ness of it all.

Is It Over Now? sounds a little like Labyrinth and OOTW; also, Tay mentions having the “decency” to “keep her nights hidden,” which also sounds very closeting-coded.

Over all:

The sound is fairly faithful to the original, but the guitars sound a little wonky, like too bright and synthy. Less warm and like someone noodling around, and more like an electric guitar someone forgot to plug in. However, I can look past that. I appreciate they kept the synth riffs at the end of the HYGTG chorus, though.

The production on the Vault Tracks sounds much more Midnights than 1989–glossy new production that sounds a little unpolished.

She’s really leaned into an 80s vaporwave aesthetic with some videos—SIO, IWYW, New Romantics.

The visuals are just gorgeous—all these videos with dynamic, high-quality video. And a lot of more obscure/artsy visuals, too.

I love the album (obvs, 1989 is one of my old faves). Some do the vault tracks I wasn’t too keen on, but I’ll have to listen more than once to form a proper opinion.

To close out:

[fenmere]

They play it up. The chance that you could be the chosen one. It's part of their way of coercing convicts into picking up there sword. Even though no one has ever lifted it up from the floor and lived, and everyone knows the chance of salvation is a lie, the pageantry of it tends to sweep the government's victims up in the moment.

Or, so the counselor told you when you were first placed on death row.

Mind games.

Torture.

It took years after your conviction for your number to finally come up, not because of any sort of check or balance to prevent innocents from being executed. There was no appeal process.

And it wasn't because there were an especially large number of condemned, either.

Oh, there were plenty. Far more than there ever should have been. But, if the state had wanted to clear the roster and speed up the process, even with just the one sword, it could have done. They've already shown that there are ways of forcing someone to pick up the damn sword. They could kill someone every ten minutes if they liked. Every five, even.

And if they dispensed with the sword and used a more conventional method, like guns or gas, they could have cleared the roster years ago.

No, the whole point was to show the extent of their power. To build it all up, and to dangle the people's heroes in front of them for nearly a decade, to demonstrate no one could be saved. Their security was too strong. Their grip on society too firm.

And then, to end each would-be revolutionary life with a demonstration of how unworthy they truly were. The sword rejecting each one, every time.

And it was a sweet bonus to the government that the whole grueling process and years of languishing in prison waiting for ones doom was such an arduous, torturous experience that the shaking, trembling condemned were eager to pick up the sword in the end simply to move on and be done with it all.

By the time it was your turn, you were so intimate with the process and its effects.

You'd told yourself you'd be different, but you weren't.

The damn hilt of the thing was so inviting when you saw it, glinting in the florescent light of the death chamber.

The tip of the sword touched the floor, because it was the act of lifting the tip off the ground that triggered the effect. But the sword was mounted on a stand that kept the hilt at mid thigh level.

You hardly needed to stoop to grasp it, and when the executioner undid your shackles, like so many condemned before you, it felt as if your own body was moving on its own to grasp the handle of the blade.

But now, just an inch away from touching your doom, you've stopped yourself. You might as well take a moment to appreciate the one last beautiful thing you'll see in your life. The sword itself.

You've seen it on screen and you've seen other condemned do this, too. But now that you're here, you see why. It's gorgeously forged and crafted, and the metal looks so pure.

You're not sure what alloys were used in the hilt and cross piece, but it's not the simple cold steel of the furnishings of the room you spent the latter fourth of your life in. It has a golden hue to it, giving it an inviting warmth, and turning the reflections of the room your in from a sterilized hell into a vision of something you might actually have fond memories of in the afterlife, if there is one.

The detail. The proportions. The subtle curves.

Kind of weird to see a sword crafted in the art deco style, but it really works.

And then you sigh.

The abject beauty of this tool of doom really only serves to throw the bleakness that life on this planet has become into stark relief by contrast.

The whole reason you're here in the first place is that you made the mistake of publicly suggesting that the 60 day work week was just a few hours too long, and it should be changed.

It had gotten to the point where that was a death sentence. And it has been nine years, and who knew where society was now, except that they all expect you to reach for the sword and pick it up.

And you're so tired. You hurt so much, inside and out, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

You have absolutely no fight left. They made sure of that.

It's time.

If you don't pick the sword up soon, they'll start getting coercive about it, and you've seen those videos and don't have the energy for that.

So you close your eyes and say a little something to the universe, a soft little "fuck you" for everything, and grip the hilt.

It's warm in your palm, like somebody had been gripping it for some time before you.

Without giving yourself too much time to think about what that might mean, or to hesitate, you put all of your energy and weight into just levering the tip off the floor.

Why give them the satisfaction of a dramatic flourish when you don't even have the strength to do it in the first place?

You hear the executioner say, "Uh."

You hear the executioner say, "Uh."

There's no pain. No flash. No ending to all of your sensations for ever and ever. You're still there, eyes closed, both hands on the hilt now, pushing down on it, frozen in expectation.

You find that you're worried that you look silly.

Cracking an eye, you turn your head to look at the executioner to check if you're doing it right, and his face is an ashen white.

Oh, fuck.

In a fit of weird frustration and flash of anger, you seesaw your upper body, pushing down and pulling up on the hilt of the sword, causing the tip to bang against the ground loudly and repeatedly, and you shout, "AM I DOING IT RIGHT?!?"

Then you take a deep breath and pick the thing up off the ground and the stand entirely.

"WHY IS IT NOT FUCKING WORKING?!?" you hear yourself shout, shaking the sword like a broken fish.

The executioner takes a step back.

"GOD DAMN IT! I DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR THIS!" you scream at him, nonsensically.

Because, apparently, you do have time for this. This is what you were put on this planet for, apparently. You're the god damn chosen one, apparently.

You slump to the floor, exhausted and defeated. You don't even bother to keep yourself from crying.

This is not how your life was supposed to go. It's just too much damn work.

"I'm gonna," the executioner points at the door with both index fingers. "I'm just gonna go. OK?"

You feel the sword vibrate under the light weight of your half open hand.

It's done with ashes now. It wants blood.

You can feel its yearning almost as if it's your own, but you know it isn't. It's bigger than you. It's the yearning of the People, and they are ready for their blood.

You take another deep breath, just as big as what you needed to take to lift the tip of the sword in the first place, and look up at the executioner, who seems to be waiting for your OK to leave.

Your eyes scowl.

"If you go and get me a cheeseburger, I'll try to convince the sword to spare your life," you tell him, trying out your new authority.

Anyone who tried to wield the legendary sword would instantly turn to dust. Your country uses this as a method of execution. Little did you know, you were the chosen one it was waiting for.

[fictionadventurer]

A Guide to the Cities of the Powers and Prejudice Universe

Netherfield

City within a temperate zone on a river (think St. Louis/Metropolis)

Very Art Deco Golden Age vibes

Has a very high superhuman presence with a diverse array of abilities and is the most tolerant of superhumans

Superhumans who want to live relatively openly among their own kind within a vibrant community tend to flock to Netherfield. This does mean that there's a lot of conflict, both within the community and between regular people and superhumans who use their abilities for criminal purposes

Longstanding tradition of costumed superheroes, drawing from old traditions of circus performers and professional wrestling. Vibrantly-colored costumes and masks are common and respected parts of the culture.

Superhumans are allowed to live openly and use their powers at will. However, if these powers disturb the peace, they will be held responsible for any damages caused. Costumed superheroes are responsible for working with the criminal justice system to bring the criminals to justice.

Use of superhuman powers is limited for those living a civilian life. Regular people, while more tolerant in Netherfield than most places, can be suspicious of superhumans, and in not-so-distant history, people with abilities that were too powerful/dangerous were commonly taken for study and/or punishment by the authorities, so most superhumans are very cautious in how they use their gifts.

Those who want more freedom to use their abilities to the fullest extent tend to put on a mask and take up superhero work, and secret identities are common and accepted. However, an independent vigilante risks being mistaken for a villain, so the safest way to take up superhero work is to get involved with one of the established superhero teams.

Growing discontent among younger superhumans has led to a worrying growth in exceptionalist philosophy that believes superhumans are superior to ordinary people and have a right to seize power. This means more superhumans attacking regular people, more work for the costumed superheroes, more battles in the streets, and more distrust from regular people, which means that there's also growing interest in other strategies/policies to subdue/restrict superhumans.

Home city of: the Bennets, the Bingleys, Admiral and Mrs. Crawford, Frederick Wentworth

Pemberley

Much denser metropolis that historically was neglected by inept/corrupt government and overrun by superhuman organized crime rings.

Attempts to restrict superhuman abilities only led to young superhumans being recruited en masse into the organized crime organizations, convinced that the government was their enemy

City was a crime-ridden wasteland until a couple of decades ago, when a masked vigilante known as the Archer began bringing superhuman criminals to justice, and the De Bourgh family began fighting corruption within the government and police ranks

Improvements to infrastructure have made Pemberley into a vibrant, livable city known for its beautiful green spaces

Had a period of unrest a few years ago when it seemed as though the Archer had left the scene, but a new man (widely believed to be the son and/or the sidekick of the original) has taken on the mantle and continued his predecessor's work.

New gangs are arising to challenge this new Archer, leading to bolder attacks than there have been since before the reforms

Catherine De Bourgh was recently elected mayor, on a platform that promised greater surveillance of superhumans and restrictions on their freedoms. Her nephew, Fitzwilliam Darcy, is rumored to share her anti-superhuman views--especially after attacks that left his cousin and sister heavily injured--but has largely stayed out of the public spotlight.

Home city of: the Darcys, the De Bourghs, George Wickham, the Gardiners

Northanger

As the name implies, the northern-most city within this setting. Sits on a large lake.

Known for its university, including research into superhuman issues

Superhumans believe themselves to be superior, but keep their culture almost entirely separate from ordinary people.

Several prominent superhuman families have high levels of power, wealth, and influence. These families hold sway over the other superhumans of the city; any who cause trouble are neutralized and punished by those within the superhuman community. The Netherfield model of costumed superheroism is held in high disdain, as something incredibly gauche that degrades their community by putting their conflicts on display.

City is thus largely peaceful, but the social hierarchy is stifling. The upper echelons are extremely insular and social climbing is a near impossibility. Fraternization between superhumans and regular people is highly frowned upon.

Within the upper-class superhuman families, powers are passed down strongly along family lines, with almost every member of a family sharing the same kind of ability.

Home city of: the Elliots, the Tilneys, the Crawfords, the Ferrars

Highbury

Small Midwestern plains city. Surrounded by farmland.

Has an abnormally high concentration of superhumans for a city of its size, thanks to the presence of the Mansfield Institute for Young Superhumans. Education there can be a status symbol among elite superhumans, but the school also provides guidance for students from otherwise normal families who are struggling with superhuman abilities.

Crime is mostly controlled by the regular police department, with assistance as needed from superhumans both within and outside the police department, thanks to Police Chief Knightley's good relationship with Highbury's superhuman community.

Mild outbreaks of Netherfield-style costumed superheroism/villainy, mostly among excitable youngsters from the Institute.

Mansfield's headmaster is a decent man, but is out-of-touch with what's happening in his own school, leaving things largely under the supervision of a few highly-ranked instructors who seem to be encouraging some troubling behaviors that are causing increased social stratification--and related bullying--among the students.

Home to: Almost every character from Mansfield Park and Emma.

[jasonsilverafterdark]

The Price of Admission  Part 1

The Whumpers' Soirée

Prompt/Event details from @the-whumpers-soiree

No warnings for this chapter, Part 2 is where the spicy stuff happens 

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

Serge observed the crowd before him and wondered if any of this fellow blue bracelet wearers knew the price of admission. He himself wasn't entirely certain but he knew one thing, it sure as hell wasn't free as advertised. Free drinks, free hor d'oeuvres, a chance to network with San Francisco's wealthy and successful, please he wasn't born yesterday. It didn't escape his notice that those given a blue glow stick bracelet at the door (automatically it seemed without questions or explanation) were the young, attractive, and those not in possession of a tailored suit.

  He adjusted his own slightly, didn't quite fit him in the shoulders, a little too tight and snagged every time he reached out for one of those delicious little mini-mini-minced pie things. He really had no idea what was in any of them but damn did they taste good. Serge had found himself a not as well lit corner to observe in before deciding what, if any kind, of moves he wanted to make. The gold and blue lighting scheme made everyone in the room look slightly unearthly in an alluring way. Mostly blue banded people were crowed around the bar chatting amiably and glancing around. Surely he wasn't the only one to pick up on the differences between the two different colors of bracelets. Although no explanation was given. Perhaps, he laughed to himself, this was all some sociology experiment from UC Berkeley.

  May people regardless of bracelet color gathered by the large ornate window. It was a half circle done in the art deco style the rest of the building boasted. You could see the whole city from up here, all glittering lights and ant like people crawling around bellow. Serge had no desire to push his way through to get a closer look, he'd guess many of his blue bracelet companions weren't native San Franciscans or they'd know this very fancy lounge was open to the public when events such as this weren't being held.

  Movement caught his eye. Although everyone was moving to some extent these where the first people he'd seen heading towards the door rather than coming in. A red braceletted woman in an equally red floor length cocktail gown lead a smaller college age man out the door. Serges thought's jumped to the many many many unoccupied penthouses and suites bellow them. And this particular hotel's infamy for soundproofing. Well he himself was no stranger to these particular arrangements although never having done so he'd come prepared to sell his body for a wealthy backer to his startup. At this point without a success tonight the company would go under in a few weeks, maybe less. And he and his 'business partners' dreams of their little indie game making it big time would be squashed. Of course if Asher had any idea what he was about to do to insure that didn't happen he'd forbid it. That's why Serge had snatched up the invitation for himself instead. Asher was brand new to all this, straight out of college from middle of nowhere Idaho, but he was the best damn programer Serge had ever met. Completely unable to handle any social, business, or economical aspects of their company but that's where Serge came in.

  The price set in his mind he stepped forward and began his hunt.

The first group he got pulled into had three blues crowed around one red man who stared them all down with a calculating gaze. More college students, looking for grants to fund their research which would change the world. Some doing so in such a clumsy manner Serge had to excruciate himself from the group before he burst out laughing. Yeah those idiots had no idea what they were getting into.

  Next he got pulled aside by a red woman asking about his career goals. She was delighted to hear about his little start up but when he mentioned growing up in San Fransisco she suddenly noticed a friend across the room and swiftly left.  

Closer to the large window now he allowed himself to be pulled into a conversation by two red men. On the older side to be sure but still quite handsome. They wanted to know his thoughts on 'small, intimate' theater production they had attended and were trying to settle an argument over what style it was aspiring towards. Serge called upon any knowledge he may had gained via osmosis from his theater-kid-dropout-former-roomate.

  "But see if they were going for absurisum why even try to have a coherent plot?"

"It's a ploy." The taller man nudged his partner and rolled his eyes affectionally. "And you fell for it hook line and sinker, you old fool."

"Oh if I'm and old fool what does that make you?"

"Now settle another question for us young lad, who do you think is older?"

Yeah this conversation wasn't going anywhere. He quickly made his own excuses. While he was prepared for some things, double timed by a couple of theater gays was not on that list.

  Then his eyes caught a man across the room lounging in one of the ostentatious armchairs. He was unoccupied at the moment but surveyed the crowd with sharp eyes. Old money, but maybe not as wealthy as he'd once been. Suit not quite up to the news fashions but definitely worth more than all of Serge's savings put together. Stalky but handsome, slicked back brown hair, broad shoulders, and just a hint of a tattoo peaking out from his coat sleeves. Dangerous, a voice in the back of his head reminded him. But who ever said this evening had to be just about business and not pleasure?

  In what he hopped was a smooth move he took the seat next to Mr.-Old-Money-Handsome started with his prepared opening line.

  "Wow, when I saw this building my first time in San Fransisco I never thought I'd get the chance to be way up here." He'd decided to impersonate Asher's 'young fresh face innocent' personally as well as stealing his invitation to this event. The man fixed his gaze on Serge. "I had to shoulder my way through the crowd just to get a glimpse at the view."

"I never saw you by the window."

"Oh, have you been watching me?" Serge leaned forward laying the flirting on a bit thick.

  "Yes." The man's smile was all teeth.

[abookishdreamer]

Character Intro: The Furies (Kingdom of Ichor)

from left to right: Megaera, Tisiphone, & Alecto

Nicknames- The Vengeance Trilogy by Hermes & Ares

The Kindly Ones & Punishers of Evil by the people of Olympius

Megaera (Meg) by her mom, sisters, and the rest of the pantheon

Tisiphone (Tissy) by her mom and sisters

Age(s)- 25 (immortal)

Location- The Underworld

Personalities- Being another well known trio in the pantheon, most people that aren't in their immediate social circle are an enemy. Meg takes on the leadership role with being the oldest. She's intelligent, neurotic, jealous & a big grudge holder. Being the youngest, Alecto can be emotionally immature at times with a fiery temper. Tisiphone is cool, calm, and collected. They are all currently single, with Meg being bisexual & Alecto and Tisiphone being straight.

The Furies (being Underworld goddesses) have many shared & individual abilities. They share the power of flight (due to their leathery bat wings), fire immunity, darkness and shadow manipulation (not to the extent of Nyx), necromancy and soul manipulation (not to the extent of Hades & Mania) as well as having many other abilities similar to bats, like producing fang like teeth, echolocation, & enhanced senses.

Alecto has a few abilities like anger inducement, "Fury State", & has an innate sense of when a crime is being committed, what kind of crime, where, & who are involved. In Olympius, she's often Praxidike's "secret weapon."

Meg can communicate with crows as well as feeding off others' emotions of envy, revenge, and retribution. She can innately sense when a person desires revenge against another.

Tissy has an innate sense of evidence (as it pertains to homicide). She can also ambush anyone without making a sound, slaying her opponent/target in one fell swoop. As a sick twisted form of punishment, she can also induce someone to kill.

They all live together in an artsy neo gothic style loft in the Underworld. Tissy nicknames their place "Gunpowder Alley." Their basement resembles a chamber/dungeon, which are filled with many torture apparatus. They don't live too far from the Fields of Punishment a.k.a Tartarus. It's said that the screams heard from there helps them to fall asleep.

Meg's room is painted in black & steel blue and she's a fan of velvet/art deco style furniture.

Tissy's room is painted in "Bloodstain Red" and it's decorated with latex & leather furniture.

Alecto's room has a bit of color, being painted in a muted periwinkle.

In their living room, there's a grand chandelier, glittering with black, blue, and red garnets.

The sisters share an overabundance of pets including screech owls, crows, vipers, spiders, & bats.

Even though they get around using their wings, it doesn't stop them from having a collection of cars and motorcycles in their garage that they fix up themselves.

The sisters always fight for attention when it comes to their mother Poena (goddess of punishment).

For work, they work alongside Hades in his company as well as overseeing the Fields of Punishment, keeping the prisoners in check. The Furies carry alongside them powerful celestial bronze bullwhips that are also pyrokinetic. They're also alternating justices of the Grand Olympian Court as well as being a part of The Dark Council, the council of advisors for Hades.

Alecto's go-to drink is an iced black coffee (no cream & two sugars) from The Roasted Bean. She also likes red wine, classic martinis, ginger ale, pomegranate cola, purple lullaby cocktails, cola floats, blueberry martinis, and lavender tea.

Meg prefers a blackjack drink, bloody marys, crantinis, la lousiane cocktails, rum & cokes, and cherry cola cocktails. With coffee, she prefers an olympian sized dark roast (no cream, no sugar) & a large iced dark chocolate mocha from The Roasted Bean.

Tissy loves sipping on firecracker cocktails. She also likes black russians, blackberry margaritas, white wine, beer, mineral water, black velvet drinks, pomegranate juice, espresso martinis, and cinnamon roll cocktails. She doesn't like coffee or tea.

Alecto hates it when Meg saddles her with all the paperwork.

One of the sisters' favorite desserts is dark cherry pie, especially the one their mom makes!

The sisters generally like Hades (god of the dead) as their boss/ruler) with Tissy even having a crush on him a few centuries ago, starting off with a daydream sex fantasy she had of him being chained up in her dungeon.

In the pantheon, The Furies highly respect & admire Nyx (goddess of the night), Empusa (goddess of shapeshifting), and Erebus (god of darkness)- even being friends with their kids Nemesis (goddess of retribution), Charon (Ferryman of the Underworld), Keres (goddess of violent death), and Thanatos (god of death).

They're also friends with two other well known trios- The Moirai (being a part of their knitting/sewing circle) & The Gray Sisters.

The trio is also good friends with Keres (goddess of violent death), Hecate (goddess of magic & witchcraft), Phonus (god of murder), Athena (goddess of wisdom), Oizys (goddess of anxiety, misery, & depression), Androktasia (Andi) (goddess of battlefield slaughter), Moros (god of doom), Lyssa (goddess of rage & frenzy), Kakia (goddess of vice & moral wrongdoing), and Mania (goddess of insanity).

Outside the pantheon, Alecto is friends with Minthe, an Underworld naiad nymph and Hades' girlfriend while Meg is good friends with the gorgon sisters- Stheno & Euryale.

The Furies don't mind Hestia (goddess of the hearth) or Menoetius (Titan god of rage, violence, & rash actions) as they're frequenters of his nightclub The Alpha Room.

For other work, they have their own merch as well as their own individual projects. Meg is developing a "revenge fantasy" reality TV show, Tissy teaches forensic science online classes for the University, and Alecto has a private detective agency in the Shadowstone neighborhood of New Olympus as well as modeling for Heavenly Spark.

They do share several fetishes/sexual proclivities like softcore and hardcore S&M, BDSM, power play, self-harm, humiliation, & degradation.

Tissy has been communicating online with a mortal guy named Cithaeron. She hasn't been completely truthful about her identity while the two of them has had lots of phone sex. She changes the subject when he brings up video chatting or the possibility of meeting in person.

Alecto likes to dog-sit Cerberus.

Meg grows her own strain of weed that's also laced with pure black opium, which she gets from Hypnos.

Aside from their jobs, The Furies also have many hobbies. Meg does freakish caricature portraits of tourists visiting the Underworld for five drachmas a piece. Tisi has a favorite pastime- writing erotica (especially geared towards BDSM & vore fetishes.)

Meg's not looking to be in a relationship, but she does have a flirtatious rapport with Charon. She even knows about his one night stand with Pheme (goddess of fame).

Alecto is an unashamed fan of rom-coms!

Tissy's favorite dish is a large orzo salad, Alecto likes sweet & sour braised oxtail stew (with white rice), and Meg's favorite meal is a slab of barbeque ribs, drowned in a cognac based sauce.

"Don't you know that all terrifying things come in threes?"

[bridgertonbabe]

So for the Royals AU I’m picturing this as My Cottage. Sophie had always had a discomfort for the royal residences and when she and Benedict first started dating she was too nervous to touch anything. Even when Benedict told her to make herself at home she’d perch on the edge of her seat on the sofa and timidly make her way around his palatial apartment, terrified of relaxing amongst the regal furnishings. She simply felt like a fish out of water, like it was glaringly obvious that she didn’t belong or fit in with the majestic stylings that was Benedict’s entire life. Even after moving in and Benedict encouraging her to put her stamp on the place to make it feel more like home Sophie still didn’t quite feel at ease. In spite of the art deco-inspired interior Benedict had established and the cosy furnishings she had installed to make it feel more homely, Sophie still wasn’t a hundred percent comfortable with her living space. She tried to assure Benedict that she felt at home, because home would always be with him, but he could tell she still wasn’t fully at ease in the royal apartment. Though the residence had been modernised prior to him moving in, Benedict knew it was still only modernised to a posh person’s extent; there was still the stately damask wallpaper, the brocade upholstery, and the minimal licks of gold that stood out to those who weren’t accustomed to it. When Anthony and his mother began discussions with him as to where he and Sophie might like to take up residence as a wedding present, Benedict told them about Sophie’s uneasiness with the majestic places of living and of her general discomfort for the interior regal antiquities. Benedict figured they’d probably be better off purchasing a newer build to make a home for themselves in - but then Violet suggested his late grandmother’s retirement residence; My Cottage. When Sophie first heard about it, she knew not to be fooled by such a homely name, knowing full well that My Cottage would be a nobility’s version of a cottage. She wasn’t wrong when Benedict pulled up in the driveway; My Cottage was of course a cottage by royals standards - but notably, it’s exterior didn’t scream that it was a royal residence. It was definitely not a palace, by no means was it a castle, and it couldn’t be described as any sort of hall. If Sophie had viewed it prior to becoming part of the royal bubble, she simply would have thought of it as a nice big country house - some could argue it could border on being a mansion or perhaps a manor - but to Sophie, when she looked at it, it was as close to her version of a dream house as she could have imagined one to look like. The house wasn’t overbearing or imperial by any means. It was full of charm and character, set in the countryside, with lots of natural light pouring through the windows, and a beautiful garden that she could just picture watching Benedict playing with their children in one day. The place would require a makeover but already Sophie could see a clean modern kitchen, a cosy living room and a colourful drawing room, and she was already getting excited at the various ways they could decorate the bedrooms as she considered the personalities and preferences of their future children. Benedict didn’t even need to ask his fiancee if this is where she would want to live. He could see it written so clearly on her face, from the way in which her excited smile radiated pure joy and how her eyes sparkled as she envisioned them living there; and he immediately messaged his brother to let him know they would be making My Cottage their home. 

[dweemeister]

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)

In American animation outside of Disney, no other studio inspires as much reverence as Warner Bros. The Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes shorts precipitated into worldwide recognition for those series’ stock characters. Despite this success, Warner Bros. did not release an animated feature until the musical Gay Purr-ee (1962), in association with United Productions of America (UPA). Animators at Warner Bros. from the 1930-1960s knew they were not making high art, nor were they pretending to. Warners, since the 1930s arguably the most financially stable of the major Hollywood studios, has historically seen little need to bankroll animated features. With that in mind, it might come as less of a shock that Warner Bros.’ first in-house animated feature is Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm’s Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. Originally intended as a direct-to-home media release, Mask of the Phantasm – based on and made by the production team behind Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995) – transcends those modest intentions. It is among of the best superhero films ever made.

In the wake of Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992), Batman: The Animated Series, unlike Burton’s efforts, affords time to characterize Bruce Wayne rather than surrendering ample screentime to thinly-written but scene-stealing villains. For that and many other reasons including the looming, vertical art deco-inspired production design of Gotham City; the distinctive and moodiness of its black paper backgrounds; and its balance of dark and lighter tones, BTAS remains a high-water mark among Batman fans – perhaps the best adaptation of the character there is. Mask of the Phantasm builds upon that foundation, in addition to crafting its own unique contribution within the DC Animated Universe (DCAU). As tired as origin stories are, Mask of the Phantasm is part-origin story for the Dark Knight – something largely avoided in BTAS – and somehow integrated here without distracting from the present-day scenes. Rarely is any Batman media a character study of Bruce Wayne, but Mask of the Phantasm proves itself a wonderful exception.

One evening, Batman/Bruce Wayne (Kevin Conroy) attempts to stop a gaggle of gangsters led by Chuckie Sol (Dick Miller) from laundering counterfeit money from a casino. Amid the scrum, Sol escapes from Batman, but immediately confronts a shadowy figure later known as the “Phantasm” in the parking garage – Sol dies in the confrontation. Batman receives the blame for the killing and the concurrent property destruction from Gotham City Councilman Arthur Reeves (Hart Bochner), who just so happened to be profiting from Sol’s racket. Across the film, Bruce reminisces about his courtship with Andrea Beaumont (Dana Delany), their breakup, and the lead-up to the creation of his Batman alter-ego. Juxtaposing Bruce’s past and present, we see how he channels his regrets and profound loss into being Batman. The past haunts him still, overhanging the high roofs of Wayne Manor and the ledges of Gotham’s skyscrapers. Back in the present day, the Phantasm has murdered another crime boss; a third murder involves the Joker (Mark Hamill), initiating an emotional dénouement that, because of the intricacies of motivation that the film develops, elevates the film beyond what might otherwise be sloppy storytelling.

The dramatis personae also includes crime boss Salvatore “The Wheezer” Valestra (Abe Vigoda); Andrea’s father, Carl Beaumont (Stacy Keach); the Wayne family butler, Alfred Pennyworth (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.); GCPD Commissioner James Gordon (Bob Hastings); and GCPD Det. Harvey Bullock (Robert Costanzo).

The screenplay by Alan Burnett (producer and writer on various DC Comics films and Hanna-Barbera productions), Paul Dini (head writer on BTAS and Superman: The Animated Series), Martin Pasko (a longtime DC Comics writer), and Michael Reaves (head writer on BTAS and 1994-1996’s Gargoyles) keep the film’s attention on Batman/Bruce Wayne, despite the introduction of various subplots and Joker – whose somewhat-questionable presence might seem to indicate a project going off the rails. Shadow of the Phantasm’s placement of flashbacks stems the awkwardness that Joker’s inclusion brings, assuring that the film stays grounded into Batman’s psychology. In past Bruce we see a charming young man with time, money, and looks to spare. His romantic side with Andrea is an element of his life, one that connects – inevitably, tangentially – to the trauma his parents’ murder. His most personal motivations – that which a younger Andrea could never see, and privy to only Alfred – are stuck in the past, circulating around that childhood loss.

The occasional reflections from Bruce Wayne on what his life has become make Mask of the Phantasm the most introspective piece within the BTAS continuity, freed from the constraints and expectations inherent of episodic television. No BTAS episode forces its eponymous character to confront himself to such extents. What Bruce Wayne and Batman have become in the present-day treads perilously close not to his style of vigilante corrective justice, but vengeance. The tragic paradox that lies at the heart of this tension is the soul of the Batman mythos. Anyone with the most basic understanding of who Bruce Wayne/Batman and the Joker are will at least have a glimmer of understanding of that paradox. This portrait of what Batman stands for is more maturely handled than any of the twentieth century live-action Batman films, and with less sensational filmmaking than Christopher Nolan and Zack Snyder could produce. But with the film’s screenplay and Kevin Conroy’s iconic voice acting as the Caped Crusader, it becomes an inquest into Bruce Wayne’s tortured soul.

If Mask of the Phantasm ran longer than its seventy-eight-minute runtime, Andrea Beaumont, too, might also have received similar character development as Bruce Wayne here. Even within those seventy-eight minutes, Andrea – with a great assist from Dana Delany’s voice acting (Delany so impressed Bruce Timm here that she was given the role of Lois Lane in Superman: The Animated Series) – is a nevertheless fascinating character. In a cruel irony, her ultimate role in Mask of the Phantasm is to be an incidental mirror to the violence that occurs in this film. Her decision is not an imposition, whether conscious or unconscious, from someone else, but hers and hers alone.

In this drama fit for opera, this Batman occupies a world of operatic proportions. The background and character animation are not as pristine as the best examples of BTAS due to some scattered bits of animation outsourcing. The animation of BTAS might seem stiff and janky to modern viewers expecting Flash hand-drawn animation or hand-drawn/CGI hybrids. However, Mask of the Phantasm retains the gravity-defying art deco of the animated series that somehow does not clash with the ‘90s-influenced and futuristic elements it integrates. Its primary inspirations are of film noir and the Metropolis seen in the Fleischer Studios’ Superman series of short films (1941-1943). The black paper backgrounds provide Gotham’s street corners and rooftops a nocturnal menace, immersing the viewer into the city’s seediness.

Composer Shirley Walker (orchestrator on 1979’s The Black Stallion, conductor and orchestrator on 1989’s Batman) was one of the few women composers in Hollywood at the turn of the twentieth into the twenty-first century. A pianist (she played with the San Francisco Symphony as a soloist while still in high school) who studied music composition at San Francisco State University, Walker would later become one of the first female film score composers to receive a solo credit for composing the music in John Carpenter’s Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992). But it is her work in the DCAU that distinguishes her – of particular note is her arrangement of Danny Elfman’s theme to 1989’s Batman for BTAS and a wholly original main theme for Superman: The Animated Series. Though Walker could adjust her style to suit a more synthetic sound, she specialized in composing grand orchestral cues. That style was apparent in BTAS and is adapted here from the opening titles (the lyrics here are actually gibberish and are the names of Walker’s music department sung backwards). The foreboding brass and string unison lines seem to reverberate off the animation’s skyscraper-filled backgrounds. Numerous passages in Walker’s score, as if taking hints from Richard Wagner, elect not to resolve to the tonic – setting up scenes where tension escalates alongside the music, forestalling the dramatic and musical release.

One stunning exception to Walker’s ominous, atmospheric score is the gentle cue “First Love”, an interplay between solo oboe and synthesizer. Bruce’s flashbacks are not only a balm to the grimness of his present situation, but a musical reprieve from the intensity of the action scoring. That Walker can navigate between such differing moods exemplifies her compositional dexterity and overall musical excellence. Walker, who cited Mask of the Phantasm as her personal favorite composition for any film or television production, was one of the DCAU’s greatest under-heralded contributors. And how I wish she was given more chances to score different sorts of films.

Warner Bros.’ last-minute reversal on Mask of the Phantasm’s release strategy – abandoning the direct-to-home media debut for a theatrical release – meant minimal marketing for a low-budget film that made barely a dent at the box office. The film’s home media release would more than make up for the film’s theatrical release failure. Upon the success of BTAS and the critical acclaim lavished on Mask of the Phantasm, Warner Bros. kept the DCAU on television for another thirteen years, with infrequent direct-to-home media movie releases as recent as 2019.

For numerous DC Comics fans, the DCAU is an aesthetic and narrative touchstone. The limited animation is sublime for this period in animation history. In addition, one will overhear fans remaking that a certain superhero’s definitive portrayal might be thanks to the DCAU. The superhero benefitting the most from the DCAU’s characterization and storytelling is unquestionably Batman. And justifiably so, as Mask of the Phantasm shows due respect for Batman and Bruce Wayne – what molded them and how each persona intertwines with the other. The mythos behind any superhero is found not in fight scenes. Instead, it resides in the psychology and rationalizations that forces a person to directly confront another’s wickedness. Mask of the Phantasm realizes that such confrontations test Batman/Bruce Wayne’s remaining vestiges of humanity, and braves to ask moral questions that too many figures of superhero media would rather not think about.

My rating: 8.5/10

^ Based on my personal imdb rating. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found in the “Ratings system” page on my blog (as of July 1, 2020, tumblr is not permitting certain posts with links to appear on tag pages, so I cannot provide the URL).

For more of my reviews tagged “My Movie Odyssey”, check out the tag of the same name on my blog.