#emitting Riddler energy

[martyrxmade]

"the flowers listen. and sometimes, if you're quiet, they'll even speak to you."

riley keough  +  cis woman  +  she/her  ✧  welcome to new york,  pamela isley  (poison ivy)  !  as a  thirty-five year old  ‘villain’  you’re no doubt itching to get back to  your laboratory  —  but first, if you could repeat your story for the record. you woke up on new year’s day with  poisonous lipstick  beside you, right  ?  and you were dreaming about  taking over robinson park to protect the green  ?  thank you for your answers, and we’ll be in touch soon. 

canon: mainly new earth with prime earth influences ( see: new 52 did some weird things but brother it sure gave one helluva backstory ).

AT A GLANCE:

full name: dr. pamela lillian isley, phd alias: poison ivy age: 35 birthday: assigned march 14th by dc ( assigned pisces by dc ! ) gender: cis woman pronouns: she/her sexual orientation: bisexual romantic orientation: homoromantic career: botanist -- and the occasional eco-terrorist! notable traits: green hue, often wears gloves due to her poisonous touch ( which some characters, such as harley quinn and inexplicably harvey dent, have an immunity to ) threat level: high

SCRATCH IT:

affiliations: herself, the green, gotham city sirens (past), the injustice gang (past) birds of prey (past) (new 52) abilities: chlorokinesis, pheromone control, toxikinesis, toxic immunity, skin pigment manipulation, decelerated aging, regeneration weapons: n/a strengths: genius level intellect, see all abilities listed above weaknesses: sun deprivation ( tbh new-52 explored that in a really interesting way but like... it's across the canons ), instability

DIG DEEPER:

*all following connections are liable to change depending on muns ! positive personal connections: harley quinn, selina kyle, alec holland/swamp thing complicated personal connections: bruce wayne/batman, barbara gordon/batgirl, pretty much the entire batfam, oswald cobblepot/penguin, edward nigma/the riddler, harvey dent/two-face negative personal connections: jason woodrue/floronic man, joker

DIG REAL DEEP:

* expansion will be offered through task ! ( the lipstick is very important, mhm. ) mother: dead, murdered by ivy's father :\ father: dead, murdered by ivy <3 cause of ability manifestation: an experiment with/by jason woodrue gone wrong

ABILITY & WEAKNESS EXPANSION:

chlorokinesis: the ability to control and communicate with all plant life. through this, she is able to speak to a force called The Green ( a force swamp thing and floronic man can also communicate with ) and... you know... be their voice, but in a pretty violent manner :\

pheromone control: seduction turned up to eleven. even if she was in a pink gorilla suit ( a la 1997 cinematic feat batman & robin ), if she chooses to emit her pheromones, you are brainwashed under the sexy spell to do her bidding !

toxikinesis: makes it so she, as a plant-person, is literally toxic to the touch. literal 'kiss of death' ! hence why i decided she wears gloves in this universe, mhm.

toxic immunity: immune to toxins...

skin pigment manipulation: as a plant-person, she is naturally very green :\ but she's able to manipulate her dna to make her skin... like, human-passing ! still a lil green, but only if you're really looking !

decelerated aging: that plant dna is a real treat ! as long as she maintains solar energy ( and doesn't get murdered <3 ), she's expected to live longer and age slower than the average human.

regeneration: because she's part plant... she's kinda like those lizard that get their arm hacked off then a new arm just... grows in its place. that's ivy.

genius level intellect: girlie-pop has a phd and keeps getting smarter by the minute!

-

sun deprivation: if she's deprived of the sun/natural light for too long, she, like a plant, withers and becomes weakened. ( like i said, new 52 actually had an arc that explored this in a super interesting way -- i can't remember what the run was, but it was with barbara and it took her through the seasons without directly saying what was going on until the end in winter... like, new 52 did something right with that and with ivy's revamped backstory ! also her design was really cool but... i digress. )

instability: honestly i just lifted this from the wikia page bc it makes me chuckle. she's part of the batman rogues gallery, so you can bet that she's a lil unstable !

[spunkypigeon]

Diabolik Lovers A Certain Prophet’s Fate Analysis

What I found when reading through the lyrics, is that the story being told could be Reiji’s thoughts and perspective - the song may act as his inner thoughts and him trying to articulate them in a metaphorical way. The song itself is quite beautiful to listen to but I wanted to address the lyrics and their hidden meanings in relation to Reiji’s character. We know that Reiji likes to use his intellect to his advantage; so it can be argued that he wouldn’t outright admit his state of mind within this song, naturally, he’d create a more elaborate way to let his ‘story’ unfold, and I think this is what we see here.

So, shall we begin ?

Note: I wanted to post the song separately too since I know my HDB analysis is long, and posting it separately would also be convenient if you just want to read the song analysis on its own.

Word Count: 7,492 words

In the dense black forest of Schwarzwald, In doting adoration of a virgin, riding on a unicorn’s back

First of all, Schwarzwald simply means 'Black Forest' in German; it relates to a forest so dense that almost no sun ever reaches the forest floor - those who enter are surrounded by darkness -. This can create quite dark imagery, not just physically but also metaphorically as the darkness contrasts with the imagery of light - "a virgin, riding on a unicorn's back" - and this can be implied to relate to the story of Faust as well as the character of Yui. 

Within the story, we’re introduced to two virgins, one being named Gretchen and the other is the Virgin Mary herself - both contain imagery of purity and religion, Gretchen prays to God for her soul to be cleansed and Mary carried the son of God. What I wanted to draw parallels on is how that imagery applies to Yui, she was raised in a church - showing that she’s a child of God, and we know that her religion plays a rather big part in her life; she prays to God quite frequently, and - in the literal term - she is also virginal. Virginity can connotate to a multitude of things, such as physical virginity (the hymen is intact) but also religious virginity - purity - and not being ‘tainted’ by darker forces at play. If we take the “virgin” to mean Yui - someone pure of heart and spirit, someone who’s not been corrupted by the dark side of humanity and holds truth in her beliefs - then what does the unicorn signify ? 

Unicorns can often be linked to purity, freedom, gentleness, virginity, innocence, divinity, and magic. Christians believe that the unicorn symbol is that of Christ and Mother Mary themselves - both being devoted children of God -. By posing the imagery of “a virgin, riding a unicorn’s back”, it could be implied to symbolise Yui and her many virtuous traits - or, to put it simply, Yui is riding on the back of her virtues -. Additionally, symbols such as unicorns and virginity can also be implied to carry imagery of light - the concept of unicorns are more often than not depicted as being pure white and flying up to the Heavens - past the white clouds and into paradise, a place that is also depicted as white or ‘pure’ -. Virginity can also contain those same ‘white’ qualities as white lilies are typically the symbol of virginity. The reason I’m honing in on the colour white is due to it’s connotations of purity, innocence and light. To put it plainly, purity represents light, and Yui (in this context) represents that purity.

That being said, if Yui is the second part of that phrase, it’s likely to imply that the first relates to Reiji himself. “Dense black forest”, let’s unpack that: both “dense” and “black” contain connotations of darkness and something impenetrable; it contrasts the imagery of light and purity we’ve just discussed. Themes of light are often representative of religion and themes of darkness represent those of hellish qualities; if Yui represents ‘light’ in this case, then Reiji must consequently represent the “dark”. The “forest” could connote to Reiji’s emotional state as traditionally, the forest has come to represent being lost, exploration and potential danger as well as mystery and ‘other worldliness’ - all traits we see within Reiji -. Due to Reiji being the narrator (since he’s singing) it can be implied that he’s metaphorically describing his internal struggles, he’s stuck within his own turmoil - and emotions such as this are often referred to as a ‘dark place’, which links us to the symbolic imagery of the “black forest”. It not only symbolises his Vampiric nature - something not of God nor Heaven but the darker depths of Hell itself; hence why they originate from the Demon World within the Diabolik Lovers canon - but it also symbolises his emotional distress and his inner darkness that he oppresses Yui with. The light and dark imagery reflect Yui and Reiji as well as their religious counterparts - Yui represents light, and Heaven, whereas Reiji represents the dark and therefore Hell.

The noun “adoration” could imply that Reiji desires to be ‘free’ of his traumatic ties while Yui rests atop her kindness. However, it could also imply that Reiji wishes to drag Yui down into the “dark forest” with him and corrupt her pure nature.

The brightly shining moon, a stirring breeze, With the fairies’ boisterous rituals, driving pounding hearts ever faster

The adverbial phrase “brightly shining moon” could posses connotations of light - referring to Yui as we’ve previously implied - however, the word “moon” could imply that the ‘light’ is pale, and it’s cold as opposed to the warm light associated with the sun - they both can also be associated with God as he created both the sun and the moon; they both produce Heaven’s light however, one is pale and cold in comparison to the other, leading darker forces to claim the night -. Within the Bible, night represents a lack of faith in God. With this symbolism in mind, it can be implied that once the cover of daylight has faded, Yui is vulnerable, and the “dark forest” would consequently grow ‘stronger’ - which is something we see within the route as Vampires are canonically weaker within daylight.

Conversely, the phases of the moon can symbolise immortality, eternity, enlightenment and the dark side of nature itself. Something that clearly applies to the character of Reiji - Vampires are immortal and spend their eternity feeding into their trials and tribulations, their ‘enlightenment’ in this case, is to be killed and be set ‘free’. It could be implied that as the moon shines, not only is Yui vulnerable in her faith, but Reiji is biding his time to strike her down into his ‘eternity’.

Fairies are often associated with plants and springtime, depicted as pure figures who possess magical powers. However, in the tales of fairies, they are, more often than not, mischievous creatures with dark and evil intentions. The Latin root word for fairy is ‘fay’ meaning fate; this could signify the purpose of fairies within myths, fairies in stories are constantly messing with the fates of humans. Fairies in these myths may be of the more cartoonish variety and signify simply love, magic and springtime, but most signify things like death, sexual depravity, abduction and general immorality. I wanted to draw attention to the imagery of fairies and their ‘rituals’ as their connotations can vary from divinity to Satanism.

It can be implied that this section refers to Yui, as within the first interpretation of fairies, they symbolise purity and life - and given Yui’s age at the beginning of the story, her youth displays the life her body has and the life it can give, she’s pure, untainted and brimming with life. However, ‘fairies’ could also relate to the brothers. With the interpretation that fairies can also derive from a darker ilk, and like to cause mischief, it could represent the brothers - they each have dark intentions for Yui no matter who’s route you play, and they do it for their own entertainment and their own benefit. Reiji purposely dehumanises Yui and turns her into a loyal pet. Reiji’s “ritual” is to strip Yui of her virtues so that she’ll play into his incessant need for control, driving her pounding heart even faster - what I mean by this is fear, throughout the beginning of Reiji’s route, Yui was undoubtedly afraid of Reiji and the threat he posed to her; he implemented fear into Yui in order to break her.

Conversely, this line can also be interpreted to contain sexual connotations. We’ve dived into how fairies can also be symbols of sexual intimacy and depravity; if we take into account that sadism can also occur within intimate situations like this, it could link back to Reiji. By him essentially breaking Yui, it can be implied that he gains gratification from doing so; “driving pounding hearts ever faster”, Yui’s heart could be inferred to be beating from fear whilst Reiji’s could be implied to be pounding from the pleasure his sadism grants him.

While unknowing that the contracted “Devil” follows after—

This line could serve the implication that while Yui’s vulnerable in the night, she still holds that naivety; she hasn’t figured out the situation she’s in and Reiji’s closing in on her. I’ve interpreted the “contracted ‘Devil’” to relate to Reiji - a narrative self-reference, if you will -, he’s referring to himself while posing the situation that Yui is unaware of his darker intentions for her. She holds firm to her beliefs in God yet she is ignorant to her state of vulnerability.

Ah, such a foolish thing you are, little girl (Falling to ruin) That glass mask of yours is (beginning to crack) Decide, without looking back at the promises shredded by your sins

Firstly, I’d like to point out that Yui is referred to as a “foolish thing”. This noun phrase could insinuate that Reiji’s chastising her naivety, and the fact that she was blissfully unaware and ignorant to the position she was in. To add to this, the noun “thing” also displays the difference in power as it’s established early on in Reiji’s route that ‘sacrificial brides’ are merely nothing more than blood bags - right from the get-go Yui is beneath Reiji -. However, from a psychological standpoint, it’s clear to say that when one person intends to ruin another’s life in some way, shape or form, they tend to distance themselves - either physically, emotionally or both - as it’s easier to hurt someone when you barely view them as a person at all; and I think this is what that line means, Reiji’s pushing Yui into “falling to ruin” - she’s falling to her (spiritual) ‘death’, she’s losing herself and who she is.

The second line strikes me as ironic as the phrase “glass mask” can predominantly refer to a person’s façade. In the context that Reiji is implying Yui’s innate kindness to be a façade of some form, he could be posing the implication that those who are kind often ‘hide away’ their darker counterparts; their ‘sinful’ side. Throughout most of Reiji’s route, Yui has been posed with the question that she should let her dark and carnal self prevail - proving to Reiji that in all her humanity, Yui is nothing more than a pet, an animal who thrives on her carnal instincts, and we see this within the second ending, when Yui poses herself as Cordelia - enslaving Reiji - and essentially living at the ‘top of the food chain’. In that ending, Yui lets her darker side prevail and - in the context of this particular phrase - it therefore poses the implication that her ‘kindness’ was simply a façade, her “glass mask”. The noun “glass” can have connotations of fragility; that the ‘face’ she ‘prefers’ to show is not how she actually feels. The overall implication that Reiji is giving us, is that Yui expresses feelings that are not her own; and the ‘mask’ she wears is as fragile as glass, and once she’s distracted or vulnerable, that mask will break and her ‘true’ self will show.

This is obviously very ironic since Reiji is the one to hide away his true feelings - he plays the role of a ‘polite butler’ yet we know he is anything but that - he uses abuse and manipulation to cover up his own insecurities and turmoil. If anything, he is the one who wears a mask of glass. Glass is fragile, much like his ego and self-esteem, and that mask beings to crack as his route develops - indulging in Yui’s naïve compassion.

The third line could be implied to mean that Yui must make her decision to stay with him - commit to Reiji without hesitation, without the desire to run and give in to her carnal sins with him. He’s asking Yui to take the plunge into sin with him, revoke her religion and commit to him.

“You still do to that extent, even though I’ve told you so firmly.”

This dialogue strikes me as odd, it doesn’t refer to much within the song, however, it could pair with the second piece of dialogue, implying that Yui is still trying to run from her situation; she’s not ready to fully commit from God to the “Devil” - the “Devil” in this case being Reiji, and quite obviously, “Devil” has quite sinister connotations; given that Yui was raised by the church, her commitment to something demonic (and vampiric) is not going to be an easy or nice feat for her.

It can also be implied that this is taking place throughout the beginning of her ‘training’ as it can be inferred that she’s still resisting him even though he’s “told [her] so firmly”, further insinuating that she still has her willpower at this point. She’s not fully succumbed to Reiji’s abuse yet.

A single enraged horn, able to thrust its way up to the heavens Like a chaotically blooming rose, it’s splattered across your face

This first line could posses many different interpretations, the first could relate back to Faust, a man who sold his soul to the Devil yet still tried to force himself into Heaven, only to fail. However, it could also relate back to the relationship between Reiji and Yui, and insinuate something of a sexual nature. Not only are horns associated with devils and demons, but the noun “horn” can posses connotations of a phallic symbol and sexual imagery. Within Greek mythology, strength, power and supremacy are a part of the symbolism of horns. The other connotation is virility - procreative vigour. Within the story of the ‘Plough’, even the use of the oxen to pull the plough had its sexual connotation. The plough drew its furrow in the soil, and was pulled by reins attached to the oxen's horns. The horns were the force behind the plough’s coitus with the earth; therefore, horns grew a sexual connotation. Alongside the noun “horn” the verb “thrust” also contains sexual connotations; with this semantic field in mind, it could imply that “heavens” relates to Yui’s purity and virginity. Additionally, the imagery of roses also feeds into this interpretation as white flowers are a common symbol of virginity; the imagery of a flower blooming can often be associated to metaphorically represent becoming a woman (losing your virginity) and the flower turns from white to red as the blood pours - and roses are often red or at least associated with the colour red as opposed to white.

Conversely, it could also refer to Yui and Reiji’s emotional relationship, and the dark and light imagery could be a metaphysical representation of that. It could imply that Reiji’s abuse is starting to infect Yui - a child of God being corrupted by something demonic -. It can also link back to her “glass mask” as the corruption allows Yui’s kind nature to drop and her weak and vulnerable state to be “splattered across [her] face”. It could insinuate that the “blooming rose” is Yui’s corruption starting to grow and infest her; yet she’s still trying to fight it - she’s infected by Reiji, and the rose imagery could represent that. Roses are often associated with love and throughout Reiji’s route, we see Yui start to fall into the categories of Stockholm Syndrome and co-dependency, that ‘love’ is starting to bloom yet it is a twisted form of love.

This deep crimson curse is our family’s fate A damned soul, never again to…

The imagery of a “deep crimson” can connote to blood, and not necessarily just Yui’s. the notion that it’s referred to as a “curse” and “family’s fate” offers the interpretation that Reiji views his heritage as a source of evil and misfortune and that tribulations are inevitable and unavoidable for him. It not only relates to each brother’s misery and the misery they force upon Yui, but it also relates back to their mothers and Karlheinz himself as Christa dealt with severe mental illnesses, Cordelia suffered from a multitude of issues and Beatrix was severely bullied by Cordelia - and Karlheinz foresaw all of this and made it his personal experiment to cause each one misery and make sure that instability was passed down onto each brother; with that information in mind, it would be natural for Reiji to interpret this recurring theme to be something akin to a family curse, a terrible privilege that each of them share. In addition to this, “A damned soul, never again to...” could be a self-reference from Reiji, if he views his heritage as a “curse”, then it’s likely that he appoints himself as a “damned soul” - with “damned” giving connotations of misery and turmoil -. I’d like to bring attention to the aposiopesis found within this line as what Reiji aims for is left ambiguous, however, what I interpret this unfinished phrase to mean, is that he’s a “damned soul, never again to” reach the ‘light’ and achieve happiness and genuine love and affection. If Reiji interprets himself as a cursed child, it would be natural for him to crave the love and stability he was never given, he wants what he can’t have and he can’t have it because he’s “damned” to be awarded nothing but tribulations, turmoil and misery.

“You know you can never escape!!”

I’ve interpreted this section of dialogue to link to the other - it uses the passive voice. The passive voice is used to show interest in the person or object that experiences an action rather than the person or object that performs the action. In other words, the most important thing or person becomes the subject of the sentence, for example: ‘the plate was dropped by Yui’ rather than ‘Yui dropped the plate’. The most important part of this sentence is that “[Yui] can never escape”, yet it comes secondary to “I’ve told you so firmly”  - which is the least important part of the phase, yet it is spoken first; further implying that Reiji is using the passive voice to ‘chastise’ Yui into submission. 

The phrase itself could pose a few interpretations, one being that she can never escape from Reiji - Yui’s his prey and he’s not going to let her go idly by -. The second is that she can never escape her fate; I think this is the overall theme of Reiji’s song. Reiji is fated to live out a torturous, Vampiric existence, and Yui is damned to be tied to Reiji’s fate due to her father’s involvement. Yui’s fate was decided once Cordelia’s heart was instilled in her; she was damned from the beginning and I believe Reiji knows this - he’s trying to drag her into damnation with him.

A dying science,

Your impressions destroyed, at the hand of a shameless fist

The first line here could be interpreted as an oxymoron, as science is often connected to discovering something new or creating something new - discovering a new ‘life’ so to speak - and this connotation would naturally contrast with “dying”. Science can relate to a multitude of things, biology, chemistry, physics and psychology to name a few. this phrase could link to both Reiji and Yui if we take the psychological approach - the phrase itself could be metaphorical of Reiji breaking Yui’s self-worth. Throughout his route, Reiji has undoubtedly used Yui as an ‘experiment’ of sorts, a ‘science’ to explore and break down into its basic fundamentals; her “impressions” - impressions of herself, those around her and trying to help them as best as she can - are “destroyed”, her self-worth and confidence are decimated by Reiji’s cruelty, by the “hand of a shameless fist”.

However, it could be interpreted in a more literal sense and instead link back to when Cordelia inhabited Yui’s body and chose to destroy Reiji’s laboratory; and in turn, destroy the potion he was devoting himself to that would resurrect Beatrix, devoting himself to a “dying science” if you will. In that moment, Reiji’s impressions of coming to terms with his CEN were destroyed by Cordelia’s self-importance - her “shameless fist” destroyed the very thing (aside from Yui) that was pivotal to him.

As these sins pile up like the falling snow, there is no hope of redemption Their height surpassing even your castle walls, it’s far too late to even pray to God

This section here could be implied to be metaphorical and represent Yui’s inner self and her emotional walls and boundaries. First of all, comparing sins to snow alongside with the sibilance in both can be implied to connote to something light and cunning; the ‘s’ sound can also give off snake-like imagery - which takes us back to the religious themes threaded throughout the game and this song. The snake that bit Eve (the Devil) and ‘awakened’ her can make quite a nice parallel to Reiji and Yui. Throughout this song, it can be inferred that Reiji references himself to be the “Devil” - he’s not the Devil but he is demonic - and Yui (throughout the games) is named Eve in relation to her ‘awakening’; both the Adam and Eve theme threaded throughout More Blood, and the other games hold quite Biblical references and imagery. 

Snow also continues this religious imagery as it often symbolises purity, which could mean that this contrast is posing the implication that Yui’s sins are pure (as in [something] is pure envy or [insert sin here]’. However, snow tends to fall slowly and lightly, which could imply that Yui’s submission into Reiji’s abuse is slow and light at the beginning but like snow, it culminates over time. We could even go as far as to compare her submission to the sin of sloth. Sloth has been defined as a failure to do things that one should do; in this case - or rather, in Yui’s case - that failure is the failure to overpower her abuser.

The second part to the first line - “there is no hope of redemption” -  could apply to both Reiji and Yui. Yui has no hope for redemption once she submits to Reiji - to submit to Reiji, a vampire, a demon, she is effectively turning her back on her faith; she’s made peace with her fate and therefore, there is no redemption for her in Yui’s own eyes. As for Reiji, he has no hope for redemption due to the abhorrent cruelty he bestows on Yui; his treatment of not only her, but Shuu, Beatrix and Edgar too. Reiji cannot achieve redemption because he cannot accept when he is at fault. His behaviour towards others and his sadism prevent him from becoming better; therefore, for him, there is no redemption. At least, redemption cannot take place just yet, remember, this is a story being told by Reiji about Yui - his perception of her is going to be vastly different from ours as the audience; therefore, he cannot see ‘redemption’ for her, and in his own way of thinking, he poses the question that maybe she cannot see redemption for herself either.

The imagery of Yui’s sins growing higher than her “castle walls” could be implied to be metaphorical. When a person hides away their feelings, we often use the phrase ‘putting up walls’ to describe their emotional cut off. I believe this can be referential to Yui as throughout the beginning of Reiji’s route, we often see Yui hide away her deeper affections; she keeps her larger thoughts and feelings to herself most of the time - her distaste, longing, uncertainty is wrapped away in her mind (we as the audience see those thoughts and feelings, but Reiji doesn’t). In order to keep herself from facing Reiji’s uglier tendencies, she’ll sometimes lock her emotions away (not all of them, but quite a few). Overall, it could be implied that Reiji’s influence is starting to take a hold of her internally and she can’t block it out or subdue it, and because it’s festering in her mind, it’s already in her subconscious; therefore, it’s “too late” for her to pray to God to help her. Reiji’s wormed himself into Yui’s mind and her faith in God cannot overpower that.

Unable to grasp that ‘nothingness,’ that eternal price—

The noun “nothingness” can connote to the state of being nothing, something that is non-existent, lack of being, unconsciousness or death and I think the latter is the main connotation for this noun within the context of the song and Reiji as a character. We know that Vampires within the DL universe crave death, and being killed is the ultimate way for someone to confess their ‘love’ - to die is something that all Vampires crave. This line, to me, could imply that Reiji longs for death, to have the misery end and finally rest for eternity; we know from following Kanato’s route that he [Kanato] is jealous of humans since we can die quite easily whereas he cannot - he can’t grasp that “nothingness” that is death - and I think this can apply here. It can not only be implied that Reiji wants to - in some capacity - die, but that he’s almost chastising Yui for the fact that she can reach death easier than him. The dash (or hyphen) at the end of this sentence poses the inference that he’s being ‘cut off’ or ‘cut short’, not by his brothers or Yui, but by himself; he’s purposely cutting his sentence short and I think this links back to his internal struggle of opening up and lowering his front. Throughout Reiji’s route, his character has always been to-and-fro with his emotions - he’s reserved yet malicious - however, I think this line in particular allows us to see into his head more and could even pose the theory that Reiji’s suffering from depression just like his brother(s). Neglect, abuse, perfectionism, paranoia (of being ‘outed’ for his feelings and of Yui leaving him - this is seen throughout Cordelia’s interference), they all add up one on top of another and paired with his need to impress his father and prove his worth, it all culminates to him possibly wanting to be the “nothing” that he feels - that his childhood made him feel -. He’s giving us insight into his mind yet at the same time, it could be implied that he’s scolding Yui for how easily she can die and fade into that “nothingness” yet he is unable to do so himself.

Aah, the punishment you dreamed of (Why did I see it?) This spiral labyrinth is (never-ending) In conclusion, unless I suck you dry, the rules of logic won’t survive

Linking back to the previous line, the “punishment” Reiji’s mentioning could be death. Again, this is a story from Reiji’s point of view and we know for a fact that he implements his own views and beliefs onto Yui; it would be no different how he would force his views of death onto her too. Consequently, it could then be implied that he also believes Yui to crave death as much as he does - which would then make sense as to why he says “the punishment you dreamed of”. As the audience, we know that Yui doesn’t want to die, but Reiji can’t accept that and instead views it as her denying her ‘true feelings’ - he needs to have that corrupt control over her mind in order to relax around her -.

Ironically, the very word “labyrinth” is often used to illustrate confusion and complexity. As such, the symbol of the labyrinth can represent an enigma, a puzzle and confusion. Some view the labyrinth as a metaphor for a spiritual journey, with the entrance representing birth and the centre symbolising God, knowing or enlightenment. Getting to the centre requires a long, arduous journey of growth. First of all, the spiral is a symbol of change, as all things in this world must change over time. Nothing can live and be stagnant, and as scary as change is, it is also wonderful, because that means that everyday we have a new chance, a new choice, to change ourselves. I think this overall line is Reiji speaking out about his subconscious, he as a person is constantly changing and conflicting with himself - and this is mainly brought about by Yui -. He’s trapped pondering the same path and as he walks on, he delves deeper into his own psyche; however, this “spiral labyrinth” is “never-ending” because he can’t come to terms with who he is - who he is underneath his trauma, his privileges, his race and status - because, in my interpretation, that person is something Reiji would see as weak and powerless, which is the same thing he loathes in Yui - which brings us back to the interpretation that in some ways, Yui subconsciously represents Reiji’s inner self, and his childhood. Due to Yui possibly representing these things, the spiral never ends because Yui’s representation is something Reiji wants to run away from, but no one can run from their past, and until he learns to accept the better things about himself and the things he’s done out of spite and hatred, he can never fully leave that labyrinth.

The third line links more to what we see during the route, which is him biting Yui. However, in this subliminal context, this line could be implied to implement the power dynamic - and the importance of said dynamic -. Overall, this phrase basically states that if Reiji doesn’t drink Yui’s blood, then logic won’t survive; this could imply that Reiji has to drink from Yui in order to continue the power dynamic between them, he needs to be the one in control, the predator, and Yui needs to stay in the position of weak prey. By furthering this interpretation, it could imply that in regards to their races, predator and prey is the only logical dynamic to establish and for that to be disturbed would imply that logic no longer exists; it would mean that Yui has the upper hand, and not Reiji, he would no longer hold the control he desires. If we compare this interpretation to the Manservant Ending, we see that power dynamic flip. Instead of Reiji instigating the blood sucking, this time it’s Yui - she’s in control and she does as she pleases, he can’t drink the amount he wants (he can’t suck her dry) - and therefore, all logic has disappeared, the prey has become the predator and logic has died, Reiji’s control has died, and his self-worth has died.

Following Reiji’s route, we quickly learn that Reiji is a man who values intelligent and logic - his intellect fuels his self-esteem - and unless he has Yui at his mercy (with the threat of draining all her blood) the logic of the Vampire/Human dynamic won’t survive, it’ll die along with his frail ego.

“Kukuku…Or rather, would you like to die right now?”

This piece of dialogue links to the previous ones we’ve seen throughout the song; it’s a string of dialogue weaved into the story, a cross between Reiji’s ‘fantasy’ and reality. He’s told Yui that she can never escape and now he’s giving her the ‘option’ of dying - in reality, there is no option, it’s reverse psychology of giving her the choice of doing something that he knows she would protest against (that being death). It acts as Reiji essentially keeping Yui under his control.

Additionally, the fact that Reiji laughs when saying this could imply that he doesn’t take Yui seriously enough to consider her a threat; furthermore, it could be implied that he’s choosing to mock her in her time of distress - Yui wants to leave but she can’t and Reiji’s taking this opportunity to laugh at her misfortune.

In a storm driven mad with desire, my mind calms, all thoughts cut off Like a vanishing rose, cutting across my mind

When you think about a storm, you probably don’t have many pleasant meanings to connect to it. It’s a symbol of chaos, negativity, trauma, difficulty, weakness, and even depression. Storm symbolism also signifies change and transition since storms are only temporary. However, in literature, storms play a completely different role. They’re used as elements of foreshadowing, which is the act of predicting the future in the story. It’s a very frequently used symbol that can be used in almost any setting. Normally, it predicts something unpleasant, tragic, or even scary.

The storm itself could be implied to represent Reiji’s inner turmoil; how by focusing on that one specific thing can in fact calm him, his mind is steady - it could be interpreted as ‘ordered chaos’, which refers to a complex situation or process that appears chaotic while still having enough order to achieve progress or goals. The idea of “organised chaos” is more than saying you know where everything is in your messy bedroom or office, even if no one else can make sense of it. It’s also the idea of a looser set of rules and giving yourself a little more freedom to find your own success. it can be inferred that the “storm” is Reiji’s subconscious, or at least his mental state, yet his mind is able to be calm due to him being able to navigate that chaos - it’s something only he can understand, both giving him the satisfaction of surpassing everyone else’s psychological skills but also the satisfaction of being able to hide the mess that is his mind so well.

The last line of this phrase could be implied to mean that Reiji’s mind has become blank, his usual thoughts of resentment and jealousy have ceased, they’ve vanished and so, his mind has become blank. Additionally, ‘blank’ can have connotations of calmness - since the mind has become devoid of thoughts and emotions, it becomes oddly calm in its emptiness. Here we also see the noun “rose” make another appearance, however, roses not only symbolise love and purity, but it also has other connotations too. In the Middle Ages, roses were hung from the ceilings of meeting rooms; it was understood that everyone under the roses was sworn to secrecy. With this in mind, it could be implied that the noun “rose” symbolises secrecy, Reiji’s desires and detriments are to remain a secret - a secret that he and Yui will later share but a ‘secret’ nonetheless -. However, the notion that the rose is “vanishing” could imply that his unchecked mind is starting to dissipate; the thoughts that haunt him so much are ‘disappearing’ from his conscious mind. However, the verb “cutting” gives off the interpretation that his vanishing thoughts are quite abrupt, as though Reiji’s trying to forcefully forget the chaos in his brain - implying that Reiji’s trying to forget his turmoil in order to calm his mind.

This memory is our family’s fate A damned soul, never again to…

Memory can often connote to both remembrance and forgetfulness however, it can be interpreted that “memory” relates to the previous line, of Reiji trying to forget his tribulations. Each person that holds a substantial relationship with Karlheinz is dealt with nothing but despair - whether that relationship is founded from genetics or courtship is of no relevance, as each person is given their own cruel hand by “fate” -. Therefore, it’s possible to assume that Reiji’s memories of pain is shared throughout the family; each brother is wallowing in their own trauma, yet they cannot talk about it or cope in a healthy way, they each let their emotions fester and try to forget their memories, and because that mechanism of trauma is passed through the family, it has therefore become their “fate”.

Here we also see the repetition of the line “A damned soul, never again to…”. The adjective “damned” can have connotations of  being condemned or doomed, especially to eternal punishment - which is quite similar to how the brothers view their long-lasting lives. With this in mind, we can again imply that Reiji is ‘doomed’ to suffer the consequences of ‘fate’s’ cruel hand; he can never again revert to the past, before his trauma was dealt to him, and that is his family’s fate. 

“…─I will never let you go”

Once more, we are presented with Reiji’s dialogue, however, this phrase has both sorrowful and threatening connotations. The phrase “…─I will never let you go” has obvious menacing implications, since Reiji’s holding Yui hostage in this overall situation - if Yui tries to leave, then he’ll punish her, or he’ll kill her. This threat enables Reiji to carry on implementing his control over Yui and bending her to his will - breaking her in the process -. Conversely, this threat can also possess quite sorrowful and forlorn connotations. Following Reiji’s route, it can be implied that Yui’s inadvertently and subconsciously helping Reiji come to terms with the type of person he is; without Yui, his bitterness will only fester to a higher capacity, and his abuse tactics and sadism will only grow - thus, it could be implied that Reiji can’t let Yui go because of this, and when you think about it that way, it’s quite melancholic.

“Kukuku… You should understand by now, right?”

“It is your fate to continue to have your blood sucked by me.”

Reiji yet again insults Yui’s intelligence by condescending to her that she should be able to understand the situation she’s in, and how it’s her “fate”. Throughout the entirety of Reiji’s route, his use of language towards Yui is typically demeaning, and here is no exception. 

The noun “blood” can have many different connotations and symbolisms, one of which is that it represents life - this is mainly derived from the fact that blood is the very substance that flows through our veins in order to keep us alive; with this connotation, it could be implied that Yui’s “fate” is to have her life drained by Reiji for his own satisfaction. However, blood can also be seen as something that’s a person’s ‘essence’. If there’s something that is so core to your sense of identity or your beliefs, you could say that “it’s in my blood”. This interpretation could imply that Reiji intends to finish ‘training’ Yui until every last part of her has been taken away, her ‘core’ has been “sucked” out by Reiji in his attempts to perfect her - all her aspirations, hope, pain and suffering have been removed by Reiji, as blood can also connotate to pain and suffering; something that can be implied to be Reiji’s fate - his fate is to suffer, and he will inflict that same punishment upon Yui, since her fate is to become broken and damned along with him.

“…─This prediction is absolute.” “……So, wake up…”

Firstly, the line “This prediction is absolute.” could imply that both Reiji and Yui’s fates are “absolute”, they’re established and universally decided upon that this is the path they must both follow. The noun “prediction” carries connotations of both science and philosophy. The first comes from the fact that during an experiment, predictions are made in relation to the outcome - the experiment at hand however, can range from physical chemicals to the inside of someone’s mind. Additionally, “prediction” can also connote to something being prophesied. The inference that I’m trying to make, is that both connotations are linked; though this insinuation is mainly derived from More Blood and Dark Fate due to us learning more about Karlheinz and how he’s monopolised his bloodline. Both Reiji and Yui’s fates have already been decided due to Karlheinz effectively using his sons as ‘experiments’ - therefore, the life that Reiji and Yui are to live, has already been prophesied and predicted; thus, it is “absolute”.

The phrase “wake up” is honestly quite a strange line to include in this song however, it could imply that Yui needs to wake up from the dainty person she was, and accept her fate - a ‘wake up’ call if you will -. Conversely, it also reminds me of a darker theme within dreams, that to ‘die’ (in a dream) is to “wake up”; with that in mind, it could infer that Yui’s past self needs to ‘die’ in order for her to “wake up” and accept who she is now, who she is presently while being under Reiji’s control. No longer is Yui pure and untainted, and so from Reiji’s perspective, she needs to “wake up” from that ‘act’.

“Awaken and become a part of our family.” “In the darkness, unable to see anything, with you…” “…─I want to feel it!”

Following my interpretation that Yui needs to let her past self die in order to “wake up” could link to this section here, and it could imply that Reiji believes that Yui needs to let herself go, let her religion, beliefs and self-worth diminish and die in order for her ‘true’ self to “awaken” - let Reiji remould her to his desire and welcome her ‘retrained’ self into his arms. 

We’re brought back to this imagery of darkness, and this imagery could link back to the “dense, black forest” we saw in the beginning, showing the song’s cyclical structure. Much like the beginning, the theme of darkness could infer that Reiji desires Yui to fall from her ‘heavenly grace’ and join him in his misery - “unable to see anything” but despair and longing -. Throughout Reiji’s route, it’s been made clear that Reiji wishes to shatter Yui as a person, and rebuild her to his design; therefore, Reiji wants Yui to fall into despair with him, so that he’s no longer alone in his turmoil. The last line of “…─I want to feel it!” could reinforce this implication, that Reiji wishes to have company in his damnation and he wants to know and feel that every part of Yui belongs to him - from her determination to her compassion, he wants to feel ‘loved’ by her, yet he wants to break her in that process so that she can never escape from his abuse.

A single enraged horn, able to thrust its way up to the heavens Like a chaotically blooming rose, it’s splattered across your face

Here the cyclicity of the song is made clear with the repetition of the chorus - it reinforces Reiji’s desire to corrupt Yui and drag her down to ‘Hell’ with him. Conversely, it may simply be the poetic voice (Reiji) attempting to reiterate a certain point, reflecting the continuing nature of time, entrapment through repetition and re-living events - re-living Yui’s downfall and her entrapment in Reiji’s cruel schemes.

This deep crimson curse is our family’s fate A damned soul, never again to… A damned soul, never again to…

Again, this section is repeated, implying that it’s significant, that Reiji’s “fate” and turmoil is significant - and it is, it’s significant to Karlheinz. Each brother’s fate is significant in one way or another as it all ties into Karlheinz’s ‘plan’, their fates have been preordained; therefore, they’re all “damned souls”, they have been from the beginning and Yui is no exception to this, and I think Reiji knows this. The last line is repeated twice, and contains the same wording and grammar; this gives the impression that the ending is inevitable and nothing can be done to stop it. The sense of repetition created through this element of the structure also creates a sense of hopelessness, reflecting the lack of choices that Yui has in this position and how Reiji will inevitable dictate her entire existence.

“…─Have you understood? Very well, in that case, become mine for all eternity.”

This first line is in fact a rhetoric, Reiji’s not asking a genuine question to Yui, he’s establishing their power dynamic and that she should already know to obey his every whim. He’s patronising her intelligence just like how he does throughout his route - it infers that overall, nothing has changed and Yui is still hopeless and Reiji is still bitter and resentful towards others and towards himself.

The very last line however, displays that even though Reiji is as heinous as they come, he still wishes for Yui’s company while he waits for his “fate” to consume him. The pronoun “mine” shows Reiji’s possessiveness and how he wants Yui’s compassion to himself - implying that she gives him the comfort and ‘love’ he’s so desperately wanted throughout his life. He’s dragged Yui down into the pits of despair and she’s had no choice in whether she wanted that or not, that is her “fate”. Though Reiji’s bitterness may not have changed, and his abuse may not have corroded, this line implies that he wishes to have Yui’s company throughout his misery; to not be completely alone.

To conclude, this song is overall, quite sad and it gives us insight into Reiji’s mind; how he wants to corrupt Yui for his own gain, yet he doesn’t want to lose her company because he doesn’t want to be alone. The song doesn’t justify any of Reiji’s actions towards Yui - instead it shows how cruel he can be - but it also shows just how alone he feels, and by the end of this story’s analysis, the overall feeling that comes to mind, is pity.

[jokerfan99]

Dc+Marvel Character Fusions by RobertMacQuarrie1 Part 4

31. Namor + Black Adam= The Black Prince

Centuries ago, Prince Namor ruled the kingdom of Atlantis with a firm yet honorable hand. Renowned for both his skills as a warrior and as a just ruler, it was these qualities that he was chosen by the wizard Shazam to serve as his champion. Imbued with incredible magical energy, Namor's incredible power was magnified a thousand fold. Initially, Namor used his powers wisely and justly. But soon the power began to corrupt Namor, as he soon believed the best way to bring peace to the land was to use his powers to lead the armies of Atlantis to conquer the world. With Namor leading the way, the armies of Atlantis cut a bloody swath across the land, decimating entire nations. Soon, Namor became known as "The Black Prince," and civilizations began to fear his name. Eventually, the wizard Shazam intervened, and punished Namor and his kingdom for abusing his gifts. Shazam used his incredible might to sink Atlantis beneath the waves, while imprisoning Namor in a crystal sarcophagus deep beneath the ocean, hoping to teach the Black Prince humility and to respect the powers at his command. However, Shazam's punishment had the opposite effect, making Namor even more twisted and cruel. And when the Black Prince was accidentally revived by undersea explorers in the modern age, Namor swore to use his incredible might to conquer the world and restore the majesty of Atlantis to it's former glory.

32. Punisher + Deadshot = Deathwish

Floyd Castle was a former mercenary who gave up his former life when he fell in love. Marrying the love of his life, Floyd became a doting husband and eventual loving father. However, Floyd's life was changed forever when he and his family were caught in a crossfire of a political assassination, with only Floyd surviving. Enraged that the killer was to avoid punishment for his crimes due to his political connections, Floyd repurposed his old mercenary gear and became the bounty hunter known as Deathwish in order to hunt down the criminals out of the normal reach of the law. His name has a double meaning, however, as Floyd secretly wishes his time on earth to be over, so he can see his family again, caring little whether he lives or dies. Taking any job, as long as it allows him to eliminate the "right people," Deathwish cuts a bloody swath of destruction across the criminal underworld in any part of the world.

33. Deadpool + Harley Quinn = Jester

Harlene Wilson was a promising- if naive and gullible- scientist, working under the charismatic Dr. Killbrew. Harlene fell in love with Killbrew, never realizing that he didn't reciprocate her interest and was only using her for his own ends. When Harlene contracted an untreatable form of cancer, Killbrew manipulated her into being a guinea pig for his experiments with cellular regeneration, using the cells culled from the mutant Deathclaw. Killbrew had no intention of curing Harlene, but he hoped to learn from the experimentation on her form to further his research. His treatment on Harley ravaged her body and destroyed her mind, causing her to break from reality in order to cope with the pain. Finding out about Killbrew's betrayal of her trust, Harlene broke out of captivity and slew Killbrew in a rage. With her newfound abilities and a powerful healing factor, Harlene took up the identity of the Jester, becoming a merc for hire, figuring that if the world was one big joke, she might as well look the part.

34. The Leader + Hector Hammond = Hector Sterns

Hector Sterns was just an ordinary janitor of slightly low intelligence working at a government lab. Jealous of all the intelligent scientists working above him and secretly believing they were mocking him behind his back, Hector yearned for power to show up all he believed wronged him. He got his wish when he was exposed to a strange meteor that was brought to the lab he worked at for study. Hearing that the meteor had strange mutagenic properties, Hector broke into the storage chamber and exposed himself to the gamma radiation emitting from the stone under the hopes that it would grant him incredible powers. Hector got his wish, in that he developed increased intelligence and amazing telekinetic and telepathic abilities. However, it came at a horrible cost, as it caused him cranium to swell to a massive size, while atrophying his muscles and bones. He was gifted with a genius level intellect and powerful mental abilities, but at the cost of his physical form. But along with his mind, Sterns' ambition also increased. Now, simple revenge would not be enough to satiate him. Sterns wished to rule the world, and turned his incredible intellect towards that task. So far, only the might Orca has been able to halt his plans, pitting his brawn and Sterns' incredible brain.

35. Nova + Firestorm = Sunstorm

Travelling through space, a dying alien from the Nova Corps was searching for a suitable being to inherit his incredible abilities and take up his role of protecting his sector of space. Coming across Earth, the alien was met with a dilemma- he could not find one being who fit the specific requirements needed to inherit and use his abilities. The alien did find two people who had some of the traits he was looking for. Richard Raymond had the spirit to wield the powers of the Nova corp, and was a perfect physical specimen, but he did not have the discipline nor the intelligence. Dr. Martin Rider had the vast intellect and maturity to handle the powers, but was physically weak. Left with no choice, the alien made a desperate gambit, choosing to merge Richard Raymond and Martin Rider into one form, using the strongest elements from both- Richard's body and Martin's mind. Coming to term with their merging, the duo christened themselves Sunstorm, taking up their alien benefactor's mission to protect the solar system, using their newfound abilities of flight, super strength and the ability to alter the molecular makeup of any inorganic object.

36. Hawkeye + Booster Gold = Goldeneye Mockingbird + Blue Beetle = Bluebird

Clint Carter was born in the 25th century to a group of carnival performers. He had honed his natural abilities to become an incredible archer. However, in his time period, the common citizens weren't interested in stuntmen and feats of physical strength anymore, and were more interested in the popular holo-vids. Seeking fame and fortune, Goldeneye decided to head back to the 20th century to wow the audiences with his abilities. However, Clint landed late in the 21st century, where archery skills weren't as highly regarded as they once were. However, Clint decided to stay in this time frame and use his archery skills along with his futuristic technology to become a superhero, taking on the name and identity of Goldeneye. While initially using his abilities for fame and fortune, Clint eventually evolved into a true- albeit flawed- hero.

Bobbi Kord was a genius inventor and agent of SHIELD. When she was passed over for field work, she quit the agency and returned to head Kord Industries. Bobbi combined her combat training along with the resources of Kord Industries to develop a wide arsenal of crime fighting tools, and took up the identity of the Bluebird. She served as a solo adventurer for a while before eventually meeting up with Goldeneye. The two became crimefighting duo and eventually lovers, being partners both on and off the field.

37. Apocalypse + Vandal Savage = Vandal Sa'Vag Nur

The being who would become known as Vandal Sa'Vag Nur began life as an ordinary caveman. Brutal by even the standards of that more savage age, Vandal was cast out from his clan and became a nomad. His entire existence changed the day he investigated the site of what seemed to be a meteorite. In reality, it was the remains of a destroyed Celestial starship. Coming into contact with it, Vandal was exposed to the alien technologies and transformed. Wrapped in a life sustaining coccon, the ship slowly changed Vandal over the course centuries, eventually emerging into Ancient Egypt where he gained his name- Vandal Sa'Vag Nur. Transformed into a being of incredible power, Vandal realized the alien machine transformed him in order to improve the world and make it stronger and better than it was before. However, Vandal interpreted this directive as that the only way the world can improve is through struggle and conquest. By knocking down what came before in order for the world to build a better society in its' place. From that point on, Vandal would use his newfound might to topple civilizations and bring ruin and destruction to the world, under the belief that only the strong could survive, often returning to the same alien cocoon that birthed his new form to slumber for centuries between his conquests. Now, he has awoken in the modern day, and plans to once again destroy civilization as a whole in order for the weak to be weeded out and for the strong to survive. And in this new age of heroes, Vandal believes that with this new breed of humanity, it is the perfect opportunity to wipe the slate clean of humanity and populate the world with living Gods.

38. Arcade + The Riddler = The Gamemaster

Edward R. Cade was a spoiled brat of a wealthy New Gotham couple who grew up loving puzzles and games. The only thing that Edward loved more, however, was murder. After killing his parents to inherit their wealth at a young age, Edward dedicated his fortune in order create the most gruesome and imaginative murders possible. He enjoyed spending his fortune creating elaborate deathtraps to lure his victims into. His puzzles and mazes would be filled with lethal traps and consequences, but he always prided himself on playing "fair."  If his victims solved his puzzles or escaped his mazes with their lives intact, he would let them go, no questions asked. Eventually, Edward- now calling himself the Gamemaster- solicited his services as a master assassin to wealthy clients around the world, under the condition that he is allowed to dispose of his targets his way. With this new source of revenue, the Gamemaster set up "Murderworld" amusement parks all over the world. His actions, however, would eventually draw the attention of many superheroes who would either be caught up or try to stop his insane schemes. The Gamemaster doesn't mind, however, as superheroes are just a new challenge for him to refine his skills and come up with even more creative puzzles and games to eliminate his foes.

39. Ghost Rider + Demon = Demon Rider

In medieval Camelot, Sir Jason Blood was one of the most noble Knights of the Round Table. When his son was stricken ill, however, Sir Jason turned to the dark arts in order to find a way to save him. Summoning a powerful demon, Jason pledged his soul to find a way to save his son. The demon agreed, curing Jason's son of his ailment. However, Jason was later betrayed, in that while his son was cured, the demon arranged it so that he would later die from accident while riding a horse. Calling upon his payment, Jason was bonded with a powerful demon called Zarathigan, transforming him into a mindless, savage monstrosity who then proceeded to ravage the kingdom. Jason's rampage came to a end when the wizard Merlin cast a spell to separate Zarathigan from Jason, transforming Jason back to normal. However, Merlin's spell could not completely sever the tie, only weaken it, as Jason's bloodline would forever be tainted with Demon blood. And some day, a future generation would one day again be bonded to Zarathigan and once again be transformed into a powerful demon. That day came centuries later when Sir Jason's descendant, Jason Blaze, would be transformed on his 18th birthday and once again be bonded with Zarathigan. But having never pledged his soul to the darkness, Jason Blaze still retains some control over Zarathigan's bloodlust.  As such, Jason Blaze uses his newfound powers as the Demon Rider to avenge the innocent and wage war on evil, while struggling to control the demon within.

40. Psylocke + Huntress = Mindhunter

Helena Braddock was the daughter of a notable crime boss in New Gotham. Under siege by other mobsters, Helena's father turned to the mystical sect known as the League of the Hand for help. The League agreed to wipe out his enemies, but for a price- he would turn his daughter over to them. Helena's father agreed, and she was taken by the League and trained to become their greatest assassin. Undergoing a brutal regime to make her into one of the greatest warriors on the planet, the League also tried to transform Helena mystically, to give her even greater power. Their efforts paid off, and Helena's latent mutant abilities were activated, granting her incredible psionic powers. The League trained her to refine her powers, eventually allowing her to focus her telepathic abilities into her Psionic Knife, the focused totality of all her telepathic abilities. However, Helena was never loyal to the League, filled with a burning hatred for both them and her father.  After a decade of training, Helena broke free of her captivity, slaying her captors, and returned to New Gotham to avenge herself on her father and his organization. Now, as Mindhunter, she wages a brutal war against the criminals who take advantage of the innocent, and isn't afraid to use lethal measures to end a threat.

[robotpiner]

Dc super heros lego battman movie

DC SUPER HEROS LEGO BATTMAN MOVIE SERIES

The kryptonite creates a giant Joker face, which is seen from the Watchtower by Martian Manhunter, who contacts the rest of the Justice League: Wonder Woman, Cyborg, Green Lantern and the Flash. Robin arrives in a multi colored Batmobile, which can counter the effects of the Deconstructor, and he and Batman trick Luthor and the Joker into chasing them around Gotham. After another fight, Superman damages the robot's power source, causing it to leak liquid kryptonite, but is left completely weakened. The pair make their way to the city hall, where Luthor's plan backfires, because people affected by the Joker's gas can only adore him, as shown when the voters begin to cheer for the Joker instead of Luthor. They follow the villains and fight them in mid-air, damaging the robot's flying gear and exposing its kryptonite power source, which weakens Superman, causing him and Batman to crash-land in Gotham. Luthor and the Joker fly away in their robot, unaware that the heroes have swapped costumes minutes prior and survived. While Robin attempts to salvage what's left of Batman's equipment, he and Superman travel to Metropolis and infiltrate LexCorp, leading to the film's opening scene. The villains destroy the Batcave and escape with Batman's supply of real kryptonite - which was their target all along - while Batman and Robin are again rescued by Superman, whom the former reluctantly allows to help. The pair return to the Batcave, unaware that the synthetic kryptonite has a tracking device inside, which Luthor and the Joker use to find them. Batman and Robin board the vehicle and retrieve a piece of synthetic kryptonite, but are thrown out and can't continue the pursuit due to the Batmobile being destroyed by the Deconstructor. Later, Batman learns that the chemicals Joker stole can be mixed into synthetic kryptonite, and uses the Batmobile's on-board computer to track the signature to Luthor's mobile operations center. The pair are rescued by Superman, who puts out the fire, but Batman declines his help in dealing with the situation at hand.

DC SUPER HEROS LEGO BATTMAN MOVIE SERIES

While responding to a break-in at Ace Chemicals, Batman and Robin realize it was the Joker's doing and search for clues as to what he is planning, but the factory is destroyed by a series of explosive chemical reactions caused by the Joker before he left. Batman then realizes the Joker has escaped, and finds some bricks affected by the Deconstructor, which emit an energy signature. Batman and Robin respond to Commissioner Gordon's distress call and round up the Penguin, Two-Face, Harley, the Riddler, Catwoman, Bane, and Poison Ivy after chasing them in the asylum's yard. The Joker uses the Deconstructor to release more inmates before he and Luthor make their escape. Later, believing that the Joker's gas could help him be elected President, Luthor breaks the Joker out of Arkham using the "Deconstuctor" - a kryptonite-powered weapon which deconstructs unbreakable black objects. The villains are imprisoned at Arkham Asylum, while Superman arrives to congratulate Batman and Robin, much to the former's frustration. The Joker attempts to escape via motorboat, but is ultimately defeated at a nearby carnival. Sneaking out, Bruce dons the Batsuit and, alongside Robin, defeats Harley Quinn, the Riddler, Two-Face, the Penguin, and Catwoman. Luthor ends up losing the "Man of the Year" award to Bruce Wayne, but the ceremony is interrupted by a band of villains led by the Joker, who rob the audience while the Joker steals the award in the process, the Joker presents a film about himself, which includes a showcase of his laughing gas that can briefly make people adore him. The film then flashes back to two days prior, in Gotham City, where an award show attended by the city's finest is being held. The villains use the robot's kryptonite weapon to subdue Superman and crush Batman with a large crate. Batman and Superman arrive at LexCorp and stumble upon a giant Joker-esque robot piloted by Lex Luthor and the Joker.

[acapelladitty]

Make It Worth It

Pairing: Riddler/Female Reader Word Count: 1905 Warnings: Explicit sexual content (check AO3 tag for specifics) AO3: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11700840

Below the cut! xx

The silken sheets of the bed rustle beneath you as you shimmy your body upwards towards the headboard. “Why does it always end up like this?” You ask, making no attempt to hide your nakedness as you present your body to his appreciative gaze.

“Some would call it fate,” Edward announced as he peeled off the green mask which hid his features from prying eyes with gloved hands, “but I much prefer to think that it's my irresistible charm. You are an enigma which I regularly take great pleasure in solving. Many would consider that a compliment given my proficiency in every task I have ever undertaken.”

As endearing as the constant narcissism was, you have to refrain from rolling your eyes as he speaks.

His gloves were the last item of clothing which he wore and as he brought up a glove to his mouth, you quickly jump to your knees and block his movement. “Leave them on for a while,” you purr, “I like them.”

Stroking his hands through his hair, the flecks of grey which afflicted the brown were thrown into disarray as he loosened the gel which held everything in place.

“Minx.” He growled, eyes darkening as you lick your lips at him.

Sliding his gloves hands down your body, he rests them on your hips for a moment as he straddles your lower body. The cool leather of the gloves is welcome across your warm body and you shudder with anticipation.

“Do you even know what I had planned for tonight? What I am giving up to be here?”

The truth of his words was unknown to you, as was their intent, but a sense of warmth as to your own importance in his affairs brings a soft smile to your face.

His hands continue to explore your body for a few moments and just as you open your mouth to encourage him to actually do something with them, his hands come to a stop on your breasts as they start to massage the soft mounds with a firm grip. A groan escapes you as the rough ministrations cause you to roll your head back against the sheets in pleasure. The first time together, it had taken him a whole ten seconds to work out that your nipples were particularly weak to stimulation and he had never let you forget it.

From this position you can see his abandoned costume lying in a heap on the floor. He had told you that he would be working all weekend and the chances of him being able to see you was highly unlikely. A few select erotic messages later and lo and behold, he had strolled through the door in full costume, the faintest shadow of bruising across his sharp jaw, and a smile crosses your lips as you consider how he always seems able to find the extra time when it suits him.

An unexpected pain in your left nipple drags you back to the situation at hand and another strangled gasp escapes your lips as you feel his sharp teeth start to worry at the sensitive nub.

“Christ..”

Releasing your nipple from his torments, Edward looks up and the knowing smirk on his face suggests that he knew you were not gracing him with your full attention.

“Not quite.”

Rolling your eyes, you wind your hand through the soft hair which hangs messily across his scalp and tighten your grip as you pull it firmly, forcing him to move upwards to lessen the pressure as you guide his mouth to your own.

The kiss is frantic and your teeth clash as you pull him as taut to your body as possible, the sudden weight of him above you causing your breath to escape as you run your fingers through his short hair.

“You interrupted my very important work,” he growls sternly and only his green eyes give away his amusement as they bore into you from their position an inch away from your face, “so I suppose I will need to make this worth it.” The fine lines of his face crinkle as his grins widens in a predatory fashion.

Shivering at the implications, you feel his hands ghosting down your body again as he rubs his glove across your groin. Cupping your sex gently, he smirks as he slides back down the bed until his salt-and-pepper mop of hair is all that remains in your sight.

The sensation of him between your legs causes you to shudder as you instinctively attempt to rub your thighs together to create some friction, your own arousal making the action somewhat easier. Tutting, Edward playfully swats at your thighs with a gloved hand, encouraging them to separate, and his eyes widen in faux surprise as he notices how wet you already are.

“My, my, my,” he hums, “aren't we eager.”

Shrugging, your hands move to your own nipples as you gently rub and tug at them to keep them pleasantly hard. His attention would be elsewhere for the foreseeable future and you have to bite your lip to withhold a moan as you watch him bring a hand to his mouth and pull one glove off with his teeth.

Teasing a finger across your folds, Edward allowed his finger to dampen with your arousal before bringing the finger to his mouth with a thoughtful look. The groan of pleasure which you emit as you watch him taste you is sinful and it causes him to quirk an eyebrow in your direction as you attempt to grind down further into his space.

As though sensing your needs, he ceased his playful teasing and instead slides his finger inside you gently, your wetness providing him with no resistance. Immediately, he began to rotate his digit in the most delightful way and the sharp gasps which rack your body were impossible to hold back as his actions robbed you of your breath.

Adding another, the slightly calloused pads of his fingers provided an extra layer of delicious sensation as they roughly stroked along your sensitive inner walls as he increased the pace. Your moans grow in both pitch and intensity as you writhe on the bed and you can feel your entire body alight with pleasure, your grip on the bedsheets tightening.

He seems to know exactly how you want to be touched, his fingers alternating between gentle caresses and rapid movement as they move out to flick over your clit in an almost torturous fashion. However, just as you feel your thighs being to shudder as you reach the point of no return, he pulls away and his hands clamp over your wrists, pinning you into place and ensuring that you cannot touch yourself.

A low whine of need escapes you as the loss of his fingers prevents you from coming and you are left thrusting into thin air with no stimulation as you struggle against his grasp.

“Ed-Eddie.” Desperate for him to continue, you stutter pathetically.

Hands still pinned, he moves upward again and gently nips at your lower earlobes, his own erection pressing into your upper leg as he explains.

“An orgasm is a release of tension within the body,” he murmurs into your ear, “therefore, the greater the tension build-up, the greater the reward.” His stubble rubs your cheek and you scrunch up your nose at the tickle. “Therefore, I might simply keep teasing you for the next hour. How great a reward would that deliver? It's quite the mystery and you know that I cannot abide by mystery.”

The threat was clear and you knew that he was considering it, his desire for you and enjoyment of your pleasure would more than allow him to keep edging you for a full hour without any hesitation or pity. It was a game you played. A competition which neither side was willing to lose.

A growl of warning escapes you as you meet his threat with one of your own.

“It could be wonderful,” he continued to whisper, “can you even imagine it?”

Shaking your head, you reject him again, your need for release too great to consider accepting his offer at the moment and you can see him internally debating whether or not to continue to fight his case.

“A pity.”

Releasing your wrists, his fingers immediately resume their previous positions and the reinsertion of his fingers into your aching core tears a scream of pleasure from your throat which is swallowed by his mouth as he dives in for another kiss, this one driven by his need to possess you. You allow him to take what he needs until you are forced to break away as you feel your orgasm building again, your breathing becoming more uneven as you push back against his fingers.

His stubble scratches at your collarbone as he leaves a trail of kisses down your neck and just as he reaches a particularly sensitive spot he pushes the pad of his thumb against your clit and begins to stroke it rapidly.

“Come for me,” he demands roughly against your neck as his fingers curl within you to maximize his attention to your sweetest spots.

With a guttural groan of pleasure, you grind your clit onto his awaiting gloved thumb and this extra stimulation along with the teeth you can now feel digging into your sensitive neck, is all you need to reach orgasm as you ride his fingers with a frantic rhythm.

The intensity of the orgasm is enough to have you gasping for air, your lungs struggling to compensate, and Edwards' continued stimulation of your clit as you cling to his shoulder causes the pleasure to come in waves. Your gaze meets his and the look of intense concentration which is shining from his green eyes, even through their hooded and lust-filled state, was mesmerizing.

The intensity of it almost dangerous.  

Without breaking eye-contact, you ride out the last of your orgasm and, as the aftershocks of it fade, you feel your energy leave you as your hand falls from his shoulder and lands on the bed. Bringing the palm to your mouth, you place a small kiss on it before reaching up and tapping it firmly against Edwards' cheek as he continues to stare at you. He had previously confessed to being fascinated with the various ways in which your pleasure manifests itself physically across your body, from your flushed cheeks to the slight trembling which always remains in your legs for minutes post-orgasm, and you lay passively under his inquisitive eyes, allowing him to take in the sight of his victory.

His gaze is also somewhat expectant and the desire to tease him is too much as you close your eyes and feign a yawn.

“Well,” your voice is quiet, dopey with indulgence as you gesture towards the door lazily, “I am happy you found the time to stop by but feel free to leave whenever.”

“Riddle me this,” Edwards' voice was hazy with lust, “what's long and har-” but his words were cut off as you crack open an eye and wrap a warm hand around his stiff length. Smirking, your eyes meet his again and you know that he can detect the mischief which you feel as you rise up and push him to the bed gently, reversing your previous positions.

“Then I guess it's my turn to make it worth it.”

[totesmccoats]

Dark Nights: Metal #1

This is how you start an event series. Specifically, giving the Justice League a Megazord they use to defeat Mongul is how you start an event series (even though, technically, it started with The Forge).

The League returns from the new Warmoon to find a mountain has sprung up in the middle of Gotham city, a hollow mountain filled with advanced technology emitting a powerful and unknown energy. Also investigating the mountain are the Blackhawks, in this iteration led by Kendra Saunders to recover Carter Hall’s research with his Challengers of the Unknown.

Bringing them to Blackhawk island, Kendra explains to the League about Nth metal, the multiverse (borrowed from Morrison’s Multiversity interpretation), and Batman’s prophesized role in the end of everything.

And that really is just the beginning. Go into this issue as fresh as you can and let it wow you with its references, deep cuts, and surprise character inclusions.

  Batman #29

Bruce Wayne invites the Joker and the Riddler to his home to try and make peace over a traditional French nine-course meal. It goes surprisingly well, especially after Bruce offers a billion dollars to whichever side can convince him that they should be the ones to kill Batman.

I’m feeling like this issue is a bit of an intermission in the arc, the eye of the hurricane, a brief peace before the war rages on. It’s nice from a pacing standpoint, while also giving King a great opportunity to just have Joker and Riddler talk almost directly to the reader in explaining their motivations and modus operandi. Riddler is arrogant and verbose, while Joker predictably doesn’t take any of it seriously.

Janin’s layouts in this issue are amazing, symmetrically dividing certain pages, spreads, and the book in total intro equally weighted Joker and Riddler moments, with Bruce doing his best to literally come between them and mediate. He’s also stacking the panels on top of the background plane, which gives the effect of the dinner being a polite formality for what each guest is really thinking – what they’re really hoping to accomplish.

  Superman #29

Following a spate of missing kids puts Superman on Parallax’s – the universal embodiment of fear and the power-source of the yellow lanterns – trail, but even if Superman can conquer his own fear, it may not be enough to stop fear itself.

Honestly, my favorite part of this issue may be how the Zoo Crew is a fictional property in the DCU, and how it had its own Zoo 52 reboot, and a Pokemon Go! Inspired app. The rest of the issue feels very on the nose, with Superman’s inner monologue going a little overboard on telling us how afraid he is for other people while “fear” is spelled out in various backgrounds. Also, considering the way that Parallax tries to enter Superman, I have a feeling that someone on this book may have a vore fetish going on.

Regardless, I generally do like Sinestro whenever he shows up in stories, which is weird as I’m generally not a fan of Green Lantern, and I’m hoping having Sinestro and Superman together leads this book into some fun places.

  Green Arrow #29

Holy hell; I did not know how much I needed Ferreyra drawing Batman in my life until this issue but I need more of Ferreyra drawing Batman. The opening pages where we slowly zoom into a puddle of blood only to see Batman perched on a building, reflected in red is the coolest goddam thing in comics this week.

Green Arrow follows Luthor’s advice to Gotham, where, as Oliver Queen, he pals around with the blue bloods long enough for them to lead him to the Ninth Circle partners in the city – the Court of Owls, who have begun using their Talons to hunt the poor for sport. And, of course, no trip to Gotham is complete without a visit from the Batman.

This isn’t as strong an issue as the last one, with Superman; but being in Gotham and around other rich people does give Green Arrow plenty of opportunities to just go off on how terrible rich people are, which I do always enjoy. Angry socialist Arrow is best Arrow.

  Wonder Woman #28

My favorite of Fontana’s issues of Wonder Woman so far, probably because it’s the simplest, plot wise.

Diana takes Etta home from the hospital to give her some in home care, but before she can even finish the dishes, they’re attacked by a sniper hunting a bounty on Wonder Woman’s head.

That’s it. A little bonding over hamburgers, then a fight scene, some background on the fight scene, and we end with promise of more fights. I still don’t like Fontana’s inner dialogue for Diana; the idea that there’s a peace in the bonds you make while at war is heavy on the bullshit; but Shea can script a good action heavy issue.

  Spider-Men II #2

The Spider-Men fight Taskmaster, who can more than handle both of them, making a clean escape while knocking Peter and Miles around for good measure. And, overhearing Taskmaster use his name in conversation, Miles finally begins to wonder who his 616 doppelganger might be – and what they have to do with Taskmaster.

In-universe, Spider-Man’s banter is supposed to be insufferable; not just to villains either, even other heroes think he talks too much. With Peter and Miles giving this a stereo effect, the insufferableness may even get to the reader. Even if you like the banter, which I do, it really is the rapidity and volume of it that gets to you. This thread is beginning to feel like a criticism of Bendis’ writing which, I guess goes to show why he’s kind of perfect for this book. Peter and Miles are two guys who, in-or-out of costume, are never off; always able to find something in the last thing someone else said to riff on. A scene with just Miles talking to his crush, Barbara, is much more charming, with Miles on the other side of the quips, but able to finally speak up enough to ask her out to the movies.

  Black Panther and The Crew #5

In ’69 (nice), Ezra begins to lose control of the Crew when they discover they can use their powers for personal gain. In the present, Manifold defends his block of Harlem from the Americops when they try to arrest a couple of kids out past cerfew.

There’s no arguing against the fact that Marvel’s mutants have always been analogues for minority peoples, but this may be the first issue I’ve seen to directly relate the treatment of mutants in the Marvel universe with the treatment of black people in the Marvel universe. Manifold narrates the issue, explaining why he’s decided to move to Harlem, and it’s because he realizes that people are afraid of black people in the same way they’re afraid of mutants in the Marvel universe. He finds kinship not through his powers, but through his skin color, and when he’s lost one family, is able to find another to protect and who will have his back.

Manifold expresses that Harlem chose him, and we get the feeling in this issue that it really did. Harlem didn’t have the same protections from violence under the law that other neighborhoods in the city did, so they elected vigilantes like Manifold, Luke Cage, Misty Knight, etc to be their protectors.

  Bitch Planet: Triple Feature #3

Another strong group of anthologies to the Bitch Planet spin-off series. Those People follows a soldier on his first mission out to arrest a group of terrorists that his CO’s make out to be demons, but – as we find out, aren’t nearly has harmful has he will be to them. Big Game is slightly similar in structure and tone, with a first time ranger out with his mentor on their first hunt of a “man-eater,” whom also, doesn’t live up to explanations. Love, Honor & Obey rounds things off with a noir inspired scene of a detective investigating a manslaughter case where a woman is blamed for the heart attack of a man having sex with her. All strong stories, all equally terrifying by how close they are to the lived reality of women and minority peoples. It does kind of weaken the second story to come right after such a similar one, but both have different enough endings, and work well enough on their own. Can’t really blame the writers for how the issue was structured, and I really don’t want to blame anyone working on this series because they’re all doing such great work with it otherwise.

Comic Reviews for 8/16/17 Dark Nights: Metal #1 This is how you start an event series. Specifically, giving the Justice League a Megazord they use to defeat Mongul is how you start an event series (even though, technically, it started with The Forge).

[totesmccoats]

Dark Nights: Metal #1

This is how you start an event series. Specifically, giving the Justice League a Megazord they use to defeat Mongul is how you start an event series (even though, technically, it started with The Forge).

The League returns from the new Warmoon to find a mountain has sprung up in the middle of Gotham city, a hollow mountain filled with advanced technology emitting a powerful and unknown energy. Also investigating the mountain are the Blackhawks, in this iteration led by Kendra Saunders to recover Carter Hall’s research with his Challengers of the Unknown.

Bringing them to Blackhawk island, Kendra explains to the League about Nth metal, the multiverse (borrowed from Morrison’s Multiversity interpretation), and Batman’s prophesized role in the end of everything.

And that really is just the beginning. Go into this issue as fresh as you can and let it wow you with its references, deep cuts, and surprise character inclusions.

  Batman #29

Bruce Wayne invites the Joker and the Riddler to his home to try and make peace over a traditional French nine-course meal. It goes surprisingly well, especially after Bruce offers a billion dollars to whichever side can convince him that they should be the ones to kill Batman.

I’m feeling like this issue is a bit of an intermission in the arc, the eye of the hurricane, a brief peace before the war rages on. It’s nice from a pacing standpoint, while also giving King a great opportunity to just have Joker and Riddler talk almost directly to the reader in explaining their motivations and modus operandi. Riddler is arrogant and verbose, while Joker predictably doesn’t take any of it seriously.

Janin’s layouts in this issue are amazing, symmetrically dividing certain pages, spreads, and the book in total intro equally weighted Joker and Riddler moments, with Bruce doing his best to literally come between them and mediate. He’s also stacking the panels on top of the background plane, which gives the effect of the dinner being a polite formality for what each guest is really thinking – what they’re really hoping to accomplish.

  Superman #29

Following a spate of missing kids puts Superman on Parallax’s – the universal embodiment of fear and the power-source of the yellow lanterns – trail, but even if Superman can conquer his own fear, it may not be enough to stop fear itself.

Honestly, my favorite part of this issue may be how the Zoo Crew is a fictional property in the DCU, and how it had its own Zoo 52 reboot, and a Pokemon Go! Inspired app. The rest of the issue feels very on the nose, with Superman’s inner monologue going a little overboard on telling us how afraid he is for other people while “fear” is spelled out in various backgrounds. Also, considering the way that Parallax tries to enter Superman, I have a feeling that someone on this book may have a vore fetish going on.

Regardless, I generally do like Sinestro whenever he shows up in stories, which is weird as I’m generally not a fan of Green Lantern, and I’m hoping having Sinestro and Superman together leads this book into some fun places.

  Green Arrow #29

Holy hell; I did not know how much I needed Ferreyra drawing Batman in my life until this issue but I need more of Ferreyra drawing Batman. The opening pages where we slowly zoom into a puddle of blood only to see Batman perched on a building, reflected in red is the coolest goddam thing in comics this week.

Green Arrow follows Luthor’s advice to Gotham, where, as Oliver Queen, he pals around with the blue bloods long enough for them to lead him to the Ninth Circle partners in the city – the Court of Owls, who have begun using their Talons to hunt the poor for sport. And, of course, no trip to Gotham is complete without a visit from the Batman.

This isn’t as strong an issue as the last one, with Superman; but being in Gotham and around other rich people does give Green Arrow plenty of opportunities to just go off on how terrible rich people are, which I do always enjoy. Angry socialist Arrow is best Arrow.

  Wonder Woman #28

My favorite of Fontana’s issues of Wonder Woman so far, probably because it’s the simplest, plot wise.

Diana takes Etta home from the hospital to give her some in home care, but before she can even finish the dishes, they’re attacked by a sniper hunting a bounty on Wonder Woman’s head.

That’s it. A little bonding over hamburgers, then a fight scene, some background on the fight scene, and we end with promise of more fights. I still don’t like Fontana’s inner dialogue for Diana; the idea that there’s a peace in the bonds you make while at war is heavy on the bullshit; but Shea can script a good action heavy issue.

  Spider-Men II #2

The Spider-Men fight Taskmaster, who can more than handle both of them, making a clean escape while knocking Peter and Miles around for good measure. And, overhearing Taskmaster use his name in conversation, Miles finally begins to wonder who his 616 doppelganger might be – and what they have to do with Taskmaster.

In-universe, Spider-Man’s banter is supposed to be insufferable; not just to villains either, even other heroes think he talks too much. With Peter and Miles giving this a stereo effect, the insufferableness may even get to the reader. Even if you like the banter, which I do, it really is the rapidity and volume of it that gets to you. This thread is beginning to feel like a criticism of Bendis’ writing which, I guess goes to show why he’s kind of perfect for this book. Peter and Miles are two guys who, in-or-out of costume, are never off; always able to find something in the last thing someone else said to riff on. A scene with just Miles talking to his crush, Barbara, is much more charming, with Miles on the other side of the quips, but able to finally speak up enough to ask her out to the movies.

  Black Panther and The Crew #5

In ’69 (nice), Ezra begins to lose control of the Crew when they discover they can use their powers for personal gain. In the present, Manifold defends his block of Harlem from the Americops when they try to arrest a couple of kids out past cerfew.

There’s no arguing against the fact that Marvel’s mutants have always been analogues for minority peoples, but this may be the first issue I’ve seen to directly relate the treatment of mutants in the Marvel universe with the treatment of black people in the Marvel universe. Manifold narrates the issue, explaining why he’s decided to move to Harlem, and it’s because he realizes that people are afraid of black people in the same way they’re afraid of mutants in the Marvel universe. He finds kinship not through his powers, but through his skin color, and when he’s lost one family, is able to find another to protect and who will have his back.

Manifold expresses that Harlem chose him, and we get the feeling in this issue that it really did. Harlem didn’t have the same protections from violence under the law that other neighborhoods in the city did, so they elected vigilantes like Manifold, Luke Cage, Misty Knight, etc to be their protectors.

  Bitch Planet: Triple Feature #3

Another strong group of anthologies to the Bitch Planet spin-off series. Those People follows a soldier on his first mission out to arrest a group of terrorists that his CO’s make out to be demons, but – as we find out, aren’t nearly has harmful has he will be to them. Big Game is slightly similar in structure and tone, with a first time ranger out with his mentor on their first hunt of a “man-eater,” whom also, doesn’t live up to explanations. Love, Honor & Obey rounds things off with a noir inspired scene of a detective investigating a manslaughter case where a woman is blamed for the heart attack of a man having sex with her. All strong stories, all equally terrifying by how close they are to the lived reality of women and minority peoples. It does kind of weaken the second story to come right after such a similar one, but both have different enough endings, and work well enough on their own. Can’t really blame the writers for how the issue was structured, and I really don’t want to blame anyone working on this series because they’re all doing such great work with it otherwise.

Comic Reviews for 8/16/17 Dark Nights: Metal #1 This is how you start an event series. Specifically, giving the Justice League a Megazord they use to defeat Mongul is how you start an event series (even though, technically, it started with The Forge).