#evolution of superhero teams

[bonewaryreblogs]

The Justice Society of America vs. the Justice League

This is the first half of the massive post I've been working on, which I've decided to cut in half; part two will be more focused on what the Justice League looks like when the story actually starts in 2004, like membership and different teams within the Justice League, like the Justice Foundation and Justice League Dark.

But for now, enjoy the backstory!

During World War II, Adolf Hitler was interested in supernatural artifacts, ultimately finding the Spear of Destiny around 1940. President Roosevelt called on several superheroes to help defend the USA, as most local superheroes of the time tried to stay out of international conflicts to focus on their own territories. After this initial mission is complete, the group of heroes decide to remain as a team, funded and directed by the United States government, called the Justice Society of America. Founding members were Flash (Jay Garrick), Green Lantern (Alan Scott), Doctor Fate (Kent Nelson), Atom (Al Pratt), Hawkman (Carter Hall), Hourman (Rex Tyler), and Spectre (Jim Corrigan). Several heroes joined shortly after, including Hawkman’s girlfriend/wife Hawkgirl/Hawkwoman (Shiera Sanders/Shiera Hall), Johnny Thunderbolt (John Thunder) with Yz the Thunderbolt, Doctor Mid-Nite (Charles McNider), Starman (Ted Knight), among others. I’m also adding several “older” versions of heroes who might not have originally been associated with the JSA but have more “modern” variants that will be part of the eventual Justice League.

People with superhuman abilities have always existed, one of the earliest being Vandal Savage, but they mostly did one of three things; 1] they swore fealty to a local ruler and worked within an existing system (Alucard, though against his will); 2] they became a local ruler and created their own system (King Arthur); or 3] they worked outside existing systems as a vigilante, usually guided by their own internal moral compass (Robin Hood). These super powered individuals would often be drawn to each other, as allies or enemies, but most would remain local to a specific territory; or if they didn’t have a particular area, they would travel and help whoever happened to be around them at a given time. During the Renaissance, power and authority was more centralized, formalized, and structured, forcing super powered individuals to either fall in line with these systems or sink further into the shadows, becoming “mystery men” as a way to protect themselves and their loved ones. These mystery men were often vilified for not bowing to the government’s will, which led to more secrecy, which led to mistrust from the public, which led to more secrecy, in an ever darkening spiral.

The Justice Society of America is significant because it marked a change in the perception the general public had for these “superheroes” as the JSA preferred to call them. They were no longer mysterious boogey-men to scare kids straight; they were just people, who lived and loved and bought groceries just like anyone else, and who wanted to help others in any way they could. As the globalization of human culture increased through the rest of the 1900s, so too did the influence of superheroes; some thrived on the attention and political power their celebrity status granted them, while others shied away from the spotlight they’d been thrust into, not prepared for the nightmare that is Public Relations.

Over the next few decades, as the idea of superheroes became more mainstream, more local heroes began popping up, as well as some established local heroes releasing their stranglehold on some of their secrets; not all, but enough to humanize themselves to the general public. The idea of public adoration appealed to many, like moths to a flame, which unfortunately tended to draw the wrong crowd for the wrong reasons, saturating the “superhero market” with selfish so-called heroes who only cared about themselves rather than helping people if no one was around to praise them for it. Thankfully, these heroes didn’t last long and folded when faced with an actual threat, which often ended in public humiliation; people were finally starting to catch on to this trend by the 1970s, leading to newer heroes thinking twice before donning a cape and mask.

Three tiers of membership developed within the JSA; full members, part-time members or associates, and non-members that have been endorsed by the JSA who might become members in the future. Of course a more nuanced hierarchy developed over time, as is common among groups of humans, which was loosely based around these tiers but there were always outliers who had more or less respect than their membership status would otherwise grant them. While some were drawn to the JSA for the fame, just an endorsement could make or break a local hero; legitimizing their status as a hero in the publics’ eyes, access to better equipment and training, and, most importantly, access to medical treatment that the government would pay for and an implicit understanding about secret identities from all hospital staff. There were pros and cons for each tier; higher membership meant more responsibility but also more compensation, while lower membership offered more freedom but less access to resources. For example, members were paid based on their time, effort, and how much danger they were put in, but they had no choice but to answer the call to action. Those with just an endorsement weren’t paid at all and had limited access to other resources, but they were allowed to keep their identities a secret from the JSA, which even part-time members had to reveal, though not to the public if they didn’t want to.

Superman was inducted into the JSA fairly quickly after his debut, joining in 1978. The JSA had been around for almost 4 decades by then and its flaws and shortcomings were becoming more and more apparent; while most up-and-coming heroes had grown up with the idea of superheroes being necessary for public safety, the JSA had become increasingly political, rife with in-fighting, and interconnected with the US military. They’d become the USA’s attack dogs internationally and tended to attract those who craved the spotlight via membership more than those who actually wanted to help people, who often stayed at endorsement level. They were getting desperate for new members that could revitalize their image, which inevitably either corrupted the young heroes or disgusted them into leaving.

Trained as a reporter for his day job, Superman quickly uncovered the truth but recognized that the JSA had good bones and structure, despite its corruption. He initially tried to change things from within but realized the corruption and codependence ran too deep. Instead, he began studying the structure of the JSA, figuring out what it did well and how to avoid what it did wrong, all while making plans for his own superhero team, independent of government meddling, and international in scope; if nothing else, it could help superhero teams coordinate with each other as a neutral third party mediator.

Superman wasn’t quiet about the JSA’s shortcomings, but kept his plans for the Justice League mostly to himself; he didn’t want to be kicked out for potentially poaching talent as a competitor, not while he still needed the JSA’s resources to help people. In 1986, Superman approached newly minted CEO Bruce Wayne with his idea; he knew Batman had been approached to join the JSA but had declined and hoped that, despite their rough introduction a few years prior, Wayne Enterprise would agree to be the Justice League’s financial backer, affording them greater independence from any government interference. Bruce had a lot going on at the time and said he’d think about it.

Somewhere around 1990, Wonder Woman debuted and hesitantly joined the JSA, recognizing the corruption (not to mention misogyny) but also its usefulness to her, and was quickly approached by Superman with his new team idea. She was much more comfortable with his plan and eagerly jumped on board, agreeing to be its main leader, but until they could make it happen, she worked on establishing herself as someone the public could trust.

By 1993, Dick Greyson had graduated from sidekick Robin to independent hero Nightwing, Barbra Gordan had well established herself as Batgirl, and Jason Todd was doing well as the second Robin. Feeling more stable, Bruce asked if Clark was still serious about his idea, which he’d now had 7 more years to refine and recruit for. The Justice League finally debuted the next year, lead mostly by Wonder Woman and backed by Superman and Batman as joint seconds-in-command; they purposely never established which of the two had a higher rank and delegated the responsibilities evenly between them based on their strengths. Superman took more of front-facing role with Wonder Woman, as both were generally good with Public Relations, while Batman took on more of a supporting role, doing a lot of the background planning and coordinating to maximize efficiency. Some would compare them to the three arms of the US government, with Wonder Woman as the executive, Superman as the judicial, and Batman as the legislative. While not intentional, it helped people understand their roles and division of power so they didn’t do anything to confirm or deny the parallels.

Their initial lineup consisted of Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman, along with Flash (Barry Allen), Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Aquaman (Orin/Arthur Curry), and Martian Manhunter (J’onn J’onzz). After the League proved to be stable and not likely to disband, like most independent superhero teams did, they quickly gained members, especially younger heroes that wanted to change the world without being shackled to a specific government and hamstrung by their politics. Many members also joined as a representative of local superhero teams/government agencies around the world.

[yen-sids-tournament]

Summer of Superheroes: The Final Battle

At this point in the story arc, the audience is probably expecting some marvelous motivating speech and inspirational music.

Something like: "Now, remember Deputies, the real treasures are your friends and family. Before I go kids, I want to share something special with you." *cue You've Got A Friend In Me as TV Woody reminds Woody that Buzz is right in Toy Story 2.

It reinvigorates the hero, focuses them on what is important in the end. Here's hoping your champions are taking their short break to accomplish this important step towards victory.

After watching for a week as Nightcrawler kept growing his lead, it is no surprise he won a place in our Final Round! On the other hand, Sergeant Calhoun kept to her strategy and snagged the win by a handful of votes after trailing the first few days.

So: Who do you trust more to save the day? Sergeant Calhoun or Nightcrawler?

And, as with any good superhero story, as secondary fight of lower stakes happens in tandem. Our Third Place Round will feature Team Possible facing off against Black Widow!

Both of these polls will begin on the 13th and will persist for a week. They will have a larger gap between postings than the other rounds have used.

Propaganda is allowed and encouraged as long as you understand these are not hills to kill over (read: don't be mean) and while we would like you to stick to the version on the bracket, we aren't going to forbid extra lore.

We will have a mini poll on the 11th as a small reprise before the main event, like a commercial break or a detour back to the C plot. It will have no impact on the bracket, as it is for funsies and none of them were on the bracket.

[paintedlady345]

I have a few more next gen hero’s

Team x men

Valentina daughter of Kurt and adelpha

Charles son of Kurt and adelpha

April daughter of Scott and Gaia(named after grandmother)

Tabitha daughter of hazel and Piotr/colossus

Westly son of hazel and Piotr/colossus

Leo son of aolani and Alex

Rosie daughter of petiro and primrose

Meca daughter of red and ford

Argos son of lance and Tatum

Lorey daughter of Marianna and Logan

Lucy daughter of Marianna and Logan

Maddie daughter of Tatum and lance

Team justice

Melina

Ash

Sage

Jace

Aurora

Daedalus

Roy

Rita

Marie

Team meta/the runaways

Wally

Blanche

Blaine

Jean

Blake

Naomi

Koa

Ria

Wally son of ty and Starla

Blanche daughter and Blaine son of ed and Lily

Jean daughter and Blake son of Virgil and cassia

Ria daughter of Richie and bubble

Naomi daughter and koa son of asami and zoey

Meline daughter of cyborg and desdemona

Lois daughter and ash son of Conner and Aphrodite(named after mother)

Sage daughter of Bart and Jenny

Jace daughter and Daedalus son of Jason and Layla

Aurora daughter and red son of roy and cloudy aurora and red are twins

Roy jr son of Roy and cloudy

Rita and Marie daughters of Garth and melantha

Team magic

Scarlet daughter of Wanda and vision

Makana daughter of Lucy and Bucky

Next gen legion of superhero members

Carol daughter of hannah and mekt

Lauren 0.5 daughter of briar and brainiac 5

Bruce and Bryce sons of daila and Garth

Selina and Val(older) children of Stacy and timber wolf

Reese son of Rena and kell-el

Elise daughter of Rena and kell-el

The next gen kids belong to me same with Stacy,briar,Rena,Dalia,Hannah,Lucy,cloudy, melantha,layla,Jenny,Venus,Aphrodite,desmona,Zoey,bubbles,cassia,Lily,Starla,Hazel,primrose,Gaia,Tatum,aolani, and adelpha,Marianna

These are all the next gen teams I have out for now I’m working on more

I changed Layla’s name by accident

[not-neverland06]

Hey! Love your writing and love Flux!! I was hoping to request a kind of angsty/fluffy fic with the worst!wolverine where the meet her in the void and maybe Logan knew her just not very well and he’s finally letting himself open up and be close with her (likewise with reader/flux towards logan) and they get into an argument or maybe logan has a nightmare and he ends up stabbing her with his claws and maybe the aftermath of him beating himself up and sabotaging the new relationship until reader finally snaps him out of it and says it was an accident and she still loves him?? Thanks!!

mistake

Logan Howlett x fem!reader

a/n: I want to thank you for this request because I've been having the worst writer's block in the world. I was worried about having to go into another unofficial hiatus, but this made something in my brain click together and I knocked it out in two hours. my life is yours 🙏🙏 Summary: You know him. Or, you knew him. And you never blamed him for what happened in your world. It wasn't his fault that everyone you loved died and you barely escaped with your life. But you never actually thought you'd have to see him again. You don't know what to do when all these feelings resurface with his appearance.

No one truly knew who you were back in your universe. After the horrific incident at the mansion, you had run. You’d run as fast and as far as you could from the slaughter of your friends. You’d barely escaped with your life, and from the amount of blood and gore they’d left behind, most people just assumed you were dead. 

It’s not like anyone cared about you. Scott, Ororo, and Jean had been the real heroes. But it didn’t matter because they were still mutants at the end of the day. It didn’t matter how many people they saved. How many lives they positively changed, no one would ever see past the fact that they were mutants. 

Being one of the newer members of the recently disbanded X-Men gave you enough anonymity to get through daily life without being recognized. It did not, however, protect you from being sucked into the shit fest that is the multiverse. 

You’re not sure what it is about you that just attracts bad luck. You don’t know if it’s some hidden power that’s a part of your evolution. You’re just apparently perpetually fucked. The TVA had determined that you were interfering with the proper flow of your timeline or some bullshit. 

Now you’re here. Stuck in the void with nothing but decay and drunk former superheroes. If you have to watch one more Captain America ‘rally the troops’ you’re gonna kill him yourself. You’ve considered switching teams and joining Cassandra Nova at times. If only so you don’t have to deal with Johnny Storm and the rest of the dipshits. 

You get along with Laura, at least. She likes to tell you about her Logan and you like to dodge her questions about yours. She doesn’t need to know that not every version of Wolverine has a golden heart and story worthy of tears. Yours was a fuck up, plain and simple, but you never thought the incident was his fault. 

As much as others tried to push the blame on him. The people who raided the mansion were determined. There was no other way that day was going to end up. You’d just have one less X-Man. But people always love a martyr more than a victim. 

After a couple of years, you get used to the monotony. Your days are only occasionally broken up by dodging Cassandra’s henchmen and trying not to get sucked up into the soul destroyer. Other than that, you spend your nights getting drunk with Gambit and pretending you know whatever the fuck he’s talking about. 

“Laura! I managed to find some chocolate!” You run into the hideout looking for the girl. It’s rare to find good food that isn’t already a month past its expiration date. You weren’t planning on sharing the candy with her but you figured she’d smell it on you and it’s not worth the fight. 

Instead, you stop short as the familiar blue and yellow uniform you’d always try to force on him comes into view. He’s stealing Gambit’s liquor and you know that’s not going to go over well. What you don’t know is why you are so sure that this is your Wolverine. 

You’ve never had a Wolverine in the void. Not once. This could be any one of the hundreds of thousands of variants. But you see that look in his eye. That familiar watery gaze shows just how much he hurts, even if he doesn’t want to admit it. 

“Logan?” You breathe his name out in disbelief. Bypassing the Deadpool standing nearby. You’ve dealt with enough of those in your time down here. He takes a step back, fixing you with a distrusting look. 

He keeps the bottle of alcohol clutched close to his chest like he thinks you’re going to take it. You track the movement and you scoff. “Right,” you shake your head and stop short. “Of course, the only thing you care about is still getting fucking drunk.”

He glares at you, taking a step forward like he thinks it might actually intimidate you. “Do I know you, bub?” He reaches forward, probably to jab his finger in your chest. You drop your gaze to his outstretched hand and narrow your eyes. 

The material of his suit fluctuates, pulling back and rippling over his arms like liquid and not spandex. He doesn’t notice the manipulation of matter until it's his skin you target. It melts off his adamantium bones and he stares down in horror. 

You know he's scared because he’s watching his body dissolve but he’s not feeling any pain. You could make it hurt, but that’s not what you want. You just want to see if he’ll remember you now. If there’s anything half-decent left in that alcohol-rotted brain of his.

“Flux,” he grits your X-Man name out through his teeth like it hurts him to say it. 

You nod and his skin and suit go back to normal, like you’d never tampered with it in the first place. “You do remember me, then?”

“Thought you fucking died with the rest of them.” Your face drops before you feel an astonished smile on your face. 

“You know, it’s a comfort to know nothing about my world has changed. You’re still the same spineless dick that left us all to die.” You shake your head and storm out of the hideout. You don’t know how long they’re planning on staying but you pray they leave soon. If you have to deal with him longer than a week, you’ll just kill him. 

You step outside just as Laura’s coming back from the bonfire. She greets you with a stiff smile and you wonder what’s got in her in a mood. It only takes a glance over her shoulder to find the reason.

Logan is sulking by the fire, nursing yet another bottle of whiskey. He’s drinking it like water and even with his healing, his liver should have turned to mush by now. “I can see why you didn’t tell me about him,” she mutters as she passes by you. 

You know she tried to be quiet but you can see the way Logan’s head tilts slightly towards you. He’s heard her and you know it has to sting just a little.

You glance down at the leaves under your feet, eyes glazing over as you feel the guilt sink into your stomach. You shouldn’t feel bad, you didn’t do anything wrong. You didn’t hurt him, technically, just reminded him who you were. But you still feel bad for what you said. 

You’ve never blamed Logan for what happened. And if you did, you would be a hypocrite. Because you survived too, and you left them all behind. You ran like a coward. You could never blame him when you failed to save them just the same. 

You take in a deep breath and steel yourself. You’ll just apologize, walk over there, and explain to him you didn’t mean what you said. You know he’ll be a dick about it. Claiming he doesn’t want your apology. You’ll just leave him alone after. 

You’re about to step forward when he barks out a gruff command, “Don’t fucking stare at me like that. I don’t want your company.” He turns back to the fire and takes another swig from his bottle. 

You roll your eyes and walk towards him. “You can be as miserable and self-pitying as you want, just let me say one thing.”

His head whips towards you so quickly you’re surprised you don’t hear it snap. “I’m not fucking pitying myself,” he grits out. You quirk your brows in amusement, glancing towards the bottle in his hand and the clear way he’s sulking. He turns his attention back towards the fire, intent on ignoring you again. 

“I don’t blame you for what happened,” you tell him. You ignore the warning look he shoots you, taking a seat beside him even if he doesn’t want you to. “I-” you choke on the words, struggling to admit to yourself what you’ve never wanted to. 

“Don’t.” You know it’s meant to be a warning. But when you look at him and see how completely broken he is, it sounds more like a pathetic plead. 

But you need to say this. As selfish as it is, you need to say this to someone., Need to unload this guilt you’ve carried for so long. “I was there, Logan. I could have saved them and I didn’t. I fucking ran.”

“Kid, don’t do this-”

“Jean was still moving,” you blurt out. You feel the way your heart speeds up at the admission. Your fingers shake and the air around you stills. 

His face drops and he slowly turns towards you. You’re afraid to look at him. You feel like a bunny staring down the snout of a wolf, there’s no escaping this. You’ve created this trap for yourself. 

“What?” He demands. His voice has lost that tremor of vulnerability. Instead, he sounds like he did when he first found out what had happened to you all. That same deadly level of calm that makes you want to bolt again. 

“She,” you stare into the fire until your eyes burn. You don’t know if it’s from the light or the smoke but the pain focuses you. “She was shaking on the floor. There was blood everywhere and she could barely breathe. They had gassed us with something. None of us could use our powers, it’s the only reason they got a one-up on us.”

You can feel yourself slipping back into that moment. You feel the warmth of the blood on your skin. It seeps into your suit and makes the material cling to you. Your gut is split open and the only thing holding your intestines in is your hands. 

Jean is in front of you. Her hands are twitching by her sides. There’s blood pouring out of her lips, dribbling down her tongue and cheeks. Every breath is a rattle so deep you feel it in your bones. 

Each inhale sounds like someone dragging glass through the membrane of her lungs. Her chest rises and sinks shallowly as she gasps for air. She’s practically convulsing, eyes twitching every which way.

The gas has faded from the halls. The people have left, satisfied with the carnage. You’re alone, surrounded only by the blood and bodies of your friends. None of the others are moving. Some of them are so mangled you can’t even tell who they are anymore. 

Jean’s eyes lock onto yours. The only anchor she has. And you can see it, the frantic, wounded animal gaze on her face. She knows she’s dying. She knows there’s nothing she can do about it. 

You can only stand by and watch as your friend dies. You could be her comfort. You could be the last face she sees before she dies, distracting her from the sight of her dead fiancee behind her. 

But what do you do?

You hold your guts in your stomach and you run. You can’t look at her. You can’t look at any of them. You can hear her croaking behind you. And even when you’re out of the mansion, when you’re in a hospital somewhere getting repaired and Logan’s on a rampage, you still hear her. 

You feel something heavy on your arm and it’s like you're being forcibly dragged out of a trance. Logan’s looking at you with something you’ve never seen before. But it’s something you’ve always desperately craved. 

It’s like he’s seeing you, really seeing you. For the first time in a long time, you feel that ache of guilt ease away ever so slightly. It doesn’t disappear, but you’re sharing the burden with someone else and it’s a relief you’ve desperately craved. 

“You’re not a bad person for leaving, kid.” He swallows roughly and you place your hand over his. He doesn’t look completely comfortable with the touch, slightly flinching away from it, but he doesn’t move. “If you hadn’t, you would be dead.”

You squeeze his hand, forcing him to meet your gaze. “I never blamed you for what happened.” emotion is so thick on your tongue and in your throat that the words come out a whisper. “Their deaths weren’t your fault, and what happened after wasn’t.”

He clenches his eyes shut and jerks his hand out of your grip. You sigh, knowing you’ve lost him. “I slaughtered them.”

You scoff, “They slaughtered us!” You nearly shout, anger bubbling hot in your gut. When you heard about him killing those who had hunted down your friends, you’d celebrated. And when you heard the way the public was crucifying him, you realized that no matter what you did they would never love you. 

You would always be nothing more than a mutant to them. 

“And the people who didn’t hurt them? The innocents I killed?” 

You don’t have anything to say to that. You just stand up, placing a hand on his shoulder as you pass by him. “I never blamed you, Logan.”

You don’t see Logan again after that. At least, not while you’re in the void. What was left of your little resistance was sucked up into the purple cloud of death. Only you and Laura are left with the carnage. 

Logan and Wade have disappeared to who knows where. It stings, to be on your own again. Sure, you have Laura, but she’ll never understand the pain of what happened to your universe. 

As much as it hurt, at least with Logan, you had someone to share the pain with. You could share your burden with him. You feel lonely and cold. Like there’s a part of you missing. You finally figure out what that ache is when the TVA comes to collect you and you see him again. 

He’s standing behind Wade as he enthusiastically tells you and Larua all about his world. But you can’t take your eyes off Logan, or the tentative smile on his face. Whatever had happened during that fight with Cassandra Nova had changed him, for the better. 

You smile back at him and it feels like taking a breath of fresh air after years. 

Apparently, whoever this world’s Flux had been, she was fucking insanely rich. And dead, which sucked for her but was great for you and Logan. 

It’s not hard for you to fake some government identities and explain that you’d been mistakenly marked as dead. It’s apparently pretty common in this universe. Superheroes are blipped out of existence all the time. You couldn’t get all of her assets as some had been liquidated, but you did get her giant ass house. 

You let Logan and Laura stay with you until they decide where they want to go. It’s better than living with Wade and his coke-fiend roommate. Laura finds her groove pretty quickly, it is her world after all. But you and Logan struggle to figure out what to do with yourselves. 

Neither of you has an interest in being X-Men again, and it seems like they’re not incredibly present in this world either. You also hadn’t been the best of friends, even before everything went wrong, back home. 

You’re not strangers, you’re not friends, you’re that awkward place in between. Each day is another opportunity to get to know each other. The progress might be slow, but you know that you’re getting closer to something real. 

It’s why you don’t feel any qualms about running into his room when you hear him shouting. You burst into his room and the door slamming against the wall isn’t even enough to wake him up. 

He’s writhing around in the bed, sheets twisted around his waist while sweat beads down his forehead. The noises he’s making remind you of a wounded animal. There’s something heartbreaking about this. 

He doesn’t get peace even when he’s sleeping. It makes you hurt for him. You want to smooth over the aches and pains he carries and burden yourself with them. 

The thought snaps you out of your reverie and you’re shocked by the revelation. You’d been growing closer to him, but you hadn’t thought you were growing this close. You feel so strongly for him, but you’re not ready to put a name on what it is that you feel for him. You just know that right now you want to make him feel better. 

You approach the bed cautiously, taking a seat beside him. The bed ripples and jolts underneath you as he tosses and turns. You place a gentle hand on his arm and shake, “Logan,” you whisper. You don’t want to startle him too bad. 

But he’s not responding to anything. It doesn’t matter how much you shake him or call out his name. Finally, you can’t handle it anymore. You get on your knees, sitting over him and bringing your palm down across his face as hard as you can. 

In a second he’s shooting up. You don’t even notice his hand until you see the way his vision clears. The visceral panic fades and something is aching in your gut. “Oh god, no no no,” he says the word so many times it stops sounding real. 

You look down and see the blood dribbling down his palm, the claws buried in your stomach. It’s almost funny, how perfectly aligned they are with the scar that already lived there. The reminder of your friend’s death being erased and reformed by Logan’s hand. 

He pulls his wrist back and you quickly snatch it up. “Don’t!” You shout, jaw clenching against the pain. “Don’t pull them out, I’ll just bleed out.”

“What the fuck am I supposed to do?” You know he’s worried, that’s why he snaps at you. But it doesn’t help the way you feel yourself fighting back tears.

He sees them drip down your cheeks and his face drops. His other hand, the one not in you, comes up and cradles your cheek. “What do I do?” He whispers, and he sounds more desperate than you do. 

You know he doesn’t want another death on his hands. But there’s something beyond that. He doesn’t want to be the reason you stop breathing. There’s a startling clarity when you’re slowly dying. 

He cares about you. Just as deeply as you do for him. You can’t make him go through this pain again. Can’t let him suffer alone, not when he’s made so much progress. “Slowly,” you tell him, guiding his claws out inch by inch. 

It’s hard not to black out. You’d barely felt it when he’d gotten you the first time. You think it’s because of how fast and sudden it was. But this, having them oh so slowly slicing through your insides is the worst form of torture. 

But you don’t heal like him. You have to close your eyes, focus on the pain, and forcibly reknit your skin back together. It’s a clever manipulation of your powers, but it’s a slow one. You could never take serious damage on the field because you wouldn’t be fast enough to repair yourself. 

This is easy to repair. But that doesn’t make it hurt less. It feels like an hour before he can safely draw them the rest of the way out. The second he does, you’re sinking into his arms with a pained sob. 

He clutches you so tightly to his chest you worry your back might snap. He keeps muttering apologies into your hair, hands desperately grasping at every inch of you he can hold. You’re too tired to say anything. 

You realized you should have. You should have told him you don’t blame him. You were the one who snuck into his room. You should have been smarter. But it doesn’t matter how many times you tell Logan not to blame himself, he always will. And you were too tired to try anyway. 

You only realize what’s happening two days after the incident. You figured he might need some space to process what happened. And honestly, you did too. It was awful and incredibly draining. You’ve felt fatigued ever since. 

But when you try and approach him and he just brushes past you like you weren’t even there, you know something is wrong. You watch his retreating back with a disturbed glare. You connect the dots quickly, already knowing what he’s doing. 

He doesn’t want to be responsible for hurting another person he loves. He can’t handle a loss like that again, even if it’s not by his hands. He wants to make sure you don’t want him, that you don’t care for him. Like that might ease the pain and guilt. 

But it wouldn’t. It would just make him feel worse. It would make you feel worse. 

You don’t waste a second, following him up the stairs and barging into his room before he can slam the door shut. It bounces off the wall and he lets out a deeply irritated sigh. He doesn’t turn to look at you, just walks over to his nightstand and rummages around through the doors.

You know he’s not looking for anything. He’s just trying to ignore you long enough for you to give up. It’s not going to happen, he should know better. 

You take a step further into the room and the smell of chemicals slams into you. Your nose wrinkles in disgust. It smells like he pumped Lysol into the vents. Your eyes dart to the bed and you sigh. 

Your blood, you’d completely forgotten. He must have been cleaning it up the morning after. You can’t blame him for wanting to get rid of the remainder. But this seems excessive. 

“Strong nose,” he mutters. You hadn’t realized you’d spoken aloud and you glanced over at him. “I can still smell it, even after cleaning.” He takes a seat on the bed and you hate the way his shoulders are slumped. 

He’d seemed so much more comfortable with himself lately. It’s like one accident has undone all his progress. “Logan,” you start, taking a step towards him. He holds his hand up, still not looking at you. 

It’s driving you insane. You wish he would just meet your eyes. You feel like you could change his mind if he would just see you. Maybe that’s why he won’t. He won’t let himself be happy. 

“Look, that night just made me realize what a huge fucking mistake this was.” He gets up and slides something out from under the bed. It takes a moment for you to register what it is. A duffel bag, packed with all his essentials and what little clothes he owns. 

He’s going to leave.

You act without thinking. Pure panic making your powers surge out. Logan grunts and the bag falls out of his hand. “Quit it,” he snipes, bending over to pick it up. But he can’t because it’s so heavy it’s making the wooden floor splinter and crack under its weight. 

“You don’t get to just leave when things get hard, Logan.”

He stands up, hands propped on his sides. There’s a challenge in his eyes that makes you nervous. “Fuck this,” he scoffs and brushes past you. 

It’s beyond manipulative to use your powers against him. But sometimes, someone is such a fucking idiot, they need a little outside help. You slam the door closed and the handle disappears, locking you both in his room. 

He turns towards you with a fierce glare on his face. “Open the goddamn door before I break it down.”

“You can try,” you taunt, a nasty tone to your voice. You’re sick of this. You’re sick of running from what you want. You’ve been miserable and alone for years. You want to be happy. For the first time in forever, you want something. 

And you want Logan to be happy with you. You can’t force him to feel the way you do. But you can stop him from actively preventing this. “Stop acting like a goddamn child and just talk to me!” You shout at him. 

There’s a disbelieving look on your face. You don’t understand why he won’t let this happen. Why does he have to fight so hard against any semblance of happiness in his life?

“I’m going to hurt you. That is all I do. I hurt the people I love and I cannot hurt you too.” Your eyes widen in shock at his outburst. Beyond anger, there was so much fear in his voice it was almost enough to make you miss what he’d said. 

“You love me?” You can see the realization dawn on him. The fact that he let slip why he’s so hesitant to be around you. You know he wants to leave, his eyes are darting around the room for an escape route, but you’ve blocked them all. You can’t let this go, not now. 

“Logan,” you snap, demanding an answer from him. 

“Fuck you,” he mutters, something vicious on his face. 

He’s going to hurt you. He’s going to lash out and say something cruel so that this doesn’t happen. You know him because you’ve been him. He will take every possible route to get out of this if it means he doesn’t have to face his feelings. 

You roll your eyes and take a step forward. You jerk him towards you and throw yourself on him before he can say something stupid. The kiss is brief, just enough to snap him out of this ridiculous headspace he’s in. 

When you pull back he looks dazed, but he’s relaxed in your hold, sinking towards you. You grin up at him, “I love you too, dumbass.” You lean up to kiss him again but you dart back at the last second, a mean glare on your face. “Pull some shit like this again and I’m going to melt your dick off.” 

You kiss him before he can respond, but you feel the smile against your lips. You can taste the defeat on his tongue as he wraps his arms around you and tugs you into his chest. He’s not going to push you away and you’re not going to let him. 

end. — I do not own the characters or the comics/movies Wolverine/X-Men, but this writing is my own all rights reserved © not-neverland06 2024. do not copy, repost, translate & recommend elsewhere.

General Taglist: @evasmlp

Logan Taglist:  @nonamevenus @smexy-bucky-waifu @wh1sp @peony-always @corvusmorte  

@mrs-ephemeral  @wolviesgirl @allllium  ♡ 

[little-mari-on-a-roof]

Along with finally airing the season 5 finale, Tfou released a version of the two last episodes commented by the writing team!! So, as I already did with the commented version of Evolution, here's an overview of what they said!! It’s quite long given that it was two episodes and they talked a lot so I will put the parts I think are the most interesting in bold!! Obligatory disclaimer, this is my own interpretation and translation so take everything with a grain of salt!

At the beginning, the writers recall that the first episode of the season 5 finale, Conformation, starts with Adrien and Kagami supposedly arriving in London "like rock stars". However, it is actually just an illusion made from the scanned version of them and the two teens are actually being sequestered in London. At this moment, Thomas says "talk about good parenting" in English, which I think is very funny. The team explains that they were first put in regular apartments in the previous episode but are now in rooms without windows after both of them escaped. This is also done to protect them from what will happen, as Gabriel is about to put his plan of akumatising the entire world into action.

The writers say that Gabriel had been imagining his plan ever since Animaestro when he was seen signing contracts with Tsurugi, and has been putting it in place since the second episode of season 5 (Multiplication). They say that he also tested the first part of his plan, to put nightmares in everyone's heads, in a previous episode.

The rest is under the cut!

Talking about previous episodes, they then say that as was the case with the Risk - Strike back - Evolution - Multiplication - Destruction series of episodes (aka the longest day ever), the 5 last episodes of season 5 (Collusion - Revolution - Representation - Conformation - Recreation) go together and there is a direct continuation between them. (However, one of their rules as Miraculous writers is that these episodes can also be watched and understood independently.) Therefore, season 5 both starts and ends with a series of 5 episodes (quintologies as they call them).

They note that Marinette's nightmare at the beginning is reminiscent of the episode Weredad from season 3. At this point, we can see that Marinette starts to understand who the villain is although she's not fully conscious of it yet. Thomas says that you can read it in two different ways: if you don't take the previous episode into account, she's starting to intuitively link things together but if you did see Representation, you know that she knows who Monarch really is. (They say that to highlight the fact that even though this is the 4th episode of a quintology, all episodes can be understood on their own as mentioned before.)

They then talk more about Gabriel's plan. He gives everyone nightmares on the same day and we can see the different characters suffering because of that (for example, Marinette's mom who thinks Tom is overprotective). He will then offer a solution which a sort of relaxation application directly inspired by the different yoga apps people have on their phones nowadays. This app helps them relax, but also makes people addicted since their nightmares come back as soon as they don't use it anymore. They joke about the relevance of this in today's world with people being "addicted" to their phones or people in positions of power spreading poisons and then monetising the antidote, or the corruption of capitalism selling things we don't need or causing mental illnesses to make people addicted. They ironise that nooo they couldn't possibly be referring to all of that, not in a children's show!!

During the scene that leads to Adrien wearing the Alliance ring after being reticent to it, they say that they had a conflit when writing it as they had to find a way for Adrien to not become his superhero self, cataclysm the walls and go help his lady in Paris. The end result is that Adrien is reminded of the devastating effect of his power by the nightmare and would therefore do anything to avoid hurting people, and so he wears the ring. Mélanie says that he "could become Chat Blanc" and the others add that even though he does not remember and has never lived it, Chat Blanc still has an influence on his actions.

Thomas mentions that Plagg (who he calls "Plaggo" and "Plagounet", which are sort of funny and affectionate nicknames) doesn't show up on cameras, and Sébastien jokes that there could be kwamis around them as they're talking but we just can't see them. Speaking of Plagg, Sébastien jokingly calls Fred the "queen of cheese" as she's the one writing the cheese puns and mentions that there are way more cheese jokes in season 5 than there were before, which makes him think that she is getting retributed by cheese industries in exchange for writing them. Fred then replies that she's getting paid directly in cheese.

The writers say that while the episodes are often narratively dense with science fiction elements, Plagg allows them to add humour in the scene and keep a lighter atmosphere for small children (you know, when he shows his butt to the camera while Adrien is having an existential crisis).

Anyway moving on lol, the writers then say that they had actually planned since 2014/2015 that Chat Noir would not be there to defeat Hawkmoth as they wanted a very particular power fusion to happen (aka Marinette wielding both the ladybug and black cat miraculous and becoming Bug Noire).

Fred then talks about how ever since the start of the series, they have incorporated the symbolism of fairy tales with the sleeping princess and the knight coming to save her. However, they're switching the genders in Miraculous as Adrien is the princess and Marinette the knight (while Gabriel is the evil dragon). They add that they already explained this in a previous episode (in season 4) but they're showing it again now in Marinette's nightmare.

In the scene where we can see that Tikki ate all the croissants, they joke that she did well given everything that is going to happen afterwards. They also jokingly tell the kids watching that they shouldn't do like Marinette and hide in trash cans but eating bananas and croissants is ok (trust me it's funny when they say it). They add that if Fred is the cheese queen, Mélanie is like Tikki because she loves cakes and anything sweet.

We then see Nathalie's nightmare in which Gabriel successfully makes his wish, and therefore manages to accomplish his evil plan which Nathalie knows about. We can see that she's looking very bad and the writers again jokingly give recommendations to the children watching, here to not use a damaged peacock miraculous.

They then talk more about Natalie's past, in which she was a treasure hunter. They say that someone should let them show the fabulous story of Nathalie, Gabriel, Émilie, Audrey and André when they were younger. Indeed, they already wrote what happened in their youth as it is the origin story without which they couldn't have written Miraculous. When Natalie looks at the picture of her in her "Lara Croft outfit", as they call it, from when they were chasing the miraculous and found the peacock and butterfly ones, they jokingly ask what they were chasing and why and say that you have to watch the rest of season 5 to know (basically, they're strongly hinting at sentiadrien).

They say that Gabriel/Hawkmoth and Tsurugi have been allies for a very long time, but it has only been revealed rather recently in the show and we can see it now in a scene where they're plotting together and rising the tension.

In the following scene, we can see all the kids ready for the "miraculisation", except Mylène who is not wearing a ring because while she is not fully anti technology, she is more wary of it and vigilant of its excesses. They then focus on Ivan, who would also like to resist like her but for whom it is too hard. They add that he has "things stressing him out" but that we will only learn about them in later seasons 👀👀.

They take a moment to appreciate the "exceptional" direction and lighting done by Wilfried in the scene where Nathalie threatens Gabriel with a crossbow. Thomas also makes a reference to Citizen Kane but I've never watched it so idk what he meant by that sorry I'm uncultured haha. The writing team says that while they are the ones writing the scenes, they need a director to make the scenes look like what they imagined, and that it's not always easy.

In the next scene, we can see Ladybug looking around in Nathalie's room to find hints about where Adrien could be and finding her tablet with all the information about the miraculous, which makes Marinette realise that Nathalie was Monarch's accomplice right before they enter in the room. They joke about how OMG THEY NEVER COULD'VE GUESSED that Adrien's father was actually Monarch the whole time. We can see Ladybug recording a message for Chat Noir where she reveals his identity, but she never ends up actually sending it.

They talk about how this scene is a huge climax as it is rare to see Ladybug in the Agreste mansion. It had already happened in season 1 during the episode Simon Says where they already played on the dramatic irony of Hawkmoth being Gabriel (which people did not know at the time). This is the second time that Ladybug is in the mansion, while Marinette has been there before a few times (including the iconic pancake moment). While they talk about Simon Says, Fred looks really smug saying that they had planned everything since the beginning.

They say that the scene during which Nathalie gives Ladybug her phone with the pictures and videos of Émilie explaining all of Miraculous's backstory is beautiful, and that if we as viewers had this phone, we would know everything about it (👀👀👀). In addition, they mention that since this is the final episode of the arc, a lot of things happen to get all the final outcomes of the different relationship between characters.

When Gabriel shows the video of Ladybug and Chat Noir kidnapping Adrien and Kagami on everyone's Alliances, the writers explain that people are so disoriented and stressed that they'll believe anything we tell them. They are therefore receptive to any controversy presented to them, just like how people nowadays will engage in numerous sterile debates on social media.

We can then see Monarch using things he obtained in previous episodes: the cataclysm dust from his deteriorating hand and the magical charm Ladybug gave him. We can see that Gabriel had been planning everything from a very long time but that because of the cataclysm he suffered from, he has no choice but to carry it out now. Coincidentally, it is this very cataclysm that allows his to have Chat Noir's quantic signature and put his plan into action. They jokingly compare what he is doing to making a dog sniff a sock, but in a cyberquantic version.

The quantic signature allows the miraculised people to find Ladybug and Chat Noir, and the team says that when they were writing the scene where they detect Ladybug in Gabriel's mansion, they were all going omg omg omg trying to figure out how they were going to get away with it. They say that while Ladybug is trapped in the villain's lair, the writers trapped themselves with the story.

They once again give a shout out to Wilfried's direction when we can see Ladybug getting attacked from all sides by the miraculised people, notably because of the camera motions. They also acknowledge SAMG's amazing animation especially in the scenes including a lot of characters.

My unculturedness shows again when they say that Marinette hiding in a cupboard under the sink is a reference to Jurassic Park. The reference I do get however is when they say that Plagg not being able to shift through the door with his ring was the plot of Mr Pigeon 72.

The action then reaches a maximum as Monarch knows that Ladybug is hiding somewhere in his house, detransformed. We now get to THE moment they had been waiting for since the beginning: when Monarch discovers that Marinette is Ladybug and she transforms into the fabulous BUG NOIRE!!! They keep talking about how cool she is and that they left the best for last: the final fight with Monarch does not happen with Ladybug, nor with Chat Noir, nor with Chat Noir and Ladybug but with BUG NOIRE!!!!!

Fred says the season has a particular taste of closure, even though there is still a next part, and warns to hold on because the latter will hurt a lot 🥲🥲.

🐞🐞🐞

Now, onto the the second episode, Re-creation !! (Yeah the first 2k words before that were on Conformation alone. I am bad at summarising. 😭)

At the beginning of the episode, when we can see Lila laughing when she sees Alec having an akuma induced nightmare on TV, the writers say that it is because she has known who Monarch is for multiple episodes now. They mention that it is because she read something on people’s lips in Evolution (episode 501) which allowed her to discover things. She also stole a case from Tsurugi so she knows who Gabriel really is.

Then, they focus on the fight we "had all been waiting for", and Mélanie mentions that her favourite lucky charm is the piano crashing on Monarch. They say that while they have spent multiple hours finding intelligent and sophisticated lucky charms for years, this one is just simple and exhilarating.

They then talk about how the resistance is fighting against the miraculised people, and how this happens all over the world (in China, Rio, New York) and includes a LOT of different characters. This explains why it takes a long time to deliver the episodes and they joke about how they’re blowing up their budget. However, despite all the superheroes fighting all over the world, it is still not enough.

Indeed, the outcome doesn’t play out in the giant arena outside, but in the KITCHEN. They joke about how they waited long enough to finally get it and that the resolve should therefore happen there, and even nickname the episode a « kitchen-two-room episode » (the joke makes more sense in french since we define homes according to their number of rooms, not just bedrooms).

They say that in the fight between Bug Noire and Monarch, both are so evolved in mastering their powers that neither of them have limits (Monarch can use as many powers as he wants at once thanks to his rings, and Bug Noire can use as many lucky charms and cataclysms as she wants). They lovingly say that our little Marinette from season one has grown a lot 🥺. She’s now super badass (they kept talking about how cool she was) and has learned so much.

They add that the scene where Bug Noire uses her handcuffs lucky charm is a reference to Kung Fu movies where characters fight while being chained to each other (once again, I’ve watched like zero movies so I’m gonna trust them on that lol). They once again mention the amazing direction and get very excited when Bug Noire slams Monarch through the wall.

During the fight scenes outside, they joke that Doorman (the USAmerican superhero whose power is to open doors) and Fang (a literal crocodile who knows Kung Fu) were essential in saving Paris. However, despite all the people fighting outside, the miraculised people remain too many and there is only one person who can save everyone from Monarch’s perfect plan.

Back in the Agreste mansion, Bug Noire is losing and her only escape is to cataclysm the floor which makes them land in the crypt (which was right under the mansion all along !!!). She then sees Emilie’s body and understand why Gabriel is doing all of this. When talking about his motive, the writers joke that if he succeeded, it would be hard to explain to Adrien why his mom, who has been dead for a year, is suddenly back and that while it would be unjust for Gabriel to trade her life for someone else’s, he doesn’t care and would just make Ladybug go away.

The team explains that in the following scenes, there is an alternance between the outside (in Paris) and inside (in the crypt) fights, with the dialogue happening inside continuing while we see what is happening outside on screen. They don’t do that often, which gives this scene all the more impact during the finale. They talk about how this kind of thing is a trademark of Miraculous: the episodes are quite dense despite their short length, thanks to the fact that the story continues when the action is taking place and the emotion continues to be conveyed. They oppose it to classical action movies where some scenes are dedicated to dialogue/story while fight scenes are just about fighting.

The writers say that from the moment Bug Noire gets her glue tube lucky charm, they are already working on the plot of season 6: when she manages to steal the butterfly miraculous from Monarch, she does not actually retrieve it because of how far away she is and it falls in the water below (cf Lila retrieving it which will be relevant in season 6).

At this moment, Gabriel loses and the resolution of the battle is not what we could’ve expected: we don’t have Ladybug winning by thrashing him, but she instead simply talks to him and even detransforms in front of him. It is not Ladybug who defeats Monarch but Marinette. This echoes to a message they have been trying to convey since the beginning : that in the end, it is not violence or strength that wins, but people talking to each other and opening up about their feelings. It is when people are not subject to their emotions, but instead try to understand them to think better and take the right decisions. And this is what Marinette is hoping for here by showing Gabriel the video of Émilie saying that she never wanted him to become evil, and instead just hoped for him to take care of Adrien (which he didn’t do lol).

In the end, Marinette and Gabriel’s main goals are the same : making Adrien happy. She takes a huge risk and detransforms to see how much he loves Adrien, or on the contrary how much he would rather bring his wife back. This is the only moment where we see Gabriel being truly emotional and understand why he has been doing all of that. Fred adds that he is a character who thinks love goes beyond good and evil, and oversteps every boundary, including moral ones. Therefore, Marinette is trying to solve a crisis of feelings by using feelings.

Back to the episode, we can see Marinette taking the biggest risk in her life and extending her hand to her nemesis, even the kwamis tell her that she’s insane. The writers joke that well, they were right, as Gabriel steals both miraculous and it does not end well (or at least not for now). Gabriel has now won as he can do what he has been wanting since the very beginning.

The team mentions that the next scene is one of the biggest reveals of the show, as we can finally see how the wish happens. We discover that the kwamis are not actually little plushies but take this appearance to avoid scaring their wielders, and the writers actually hinted to that in Dearest Family when Tikki ate all the galette des rois. One member of the team jokes that when the kwamis reveal themselves, they become a Swedish hit from the 70s : Gimmi (as a reference to Gimme ! Gimme ! Gimme ! by ABBA of course).

Moving on from the dad jokes, when Gabriel removes all of his miraculous rings, Marinette is released from the bee sting and can now witness her defeat. But the fact that Gabriel laid down his weapons shows that she has actually won, even though it is only shown and not said.

However, they say that there is still some doubt : we do not actually know what he wishes for as his words are cryptic and we only see the outcome of his wish. They do say that Émilie will not be brought back to life as Gabriel has finally mourned her death, which Adrien has already done for a long time. But Gabriel cannot live without her and decides to die with her.

In order to accomplish the wish, they explain that the world has to be destroyed and then re-created, which leads us to the aftermath of the wish a few weeks later and the pool party where everything seems to be going well. Then comes probably the most enigmatic shot of the episode with Nathalie and Amélie/Émilie. The writers say that they’re not telling us who it is but I think we can guess pretty easily based on what they said right before 😭😭. They also add that with Nathalie next to her we can guess what Gabriel’s wish was, but that it is "not what we think" and that there is a trick.

They say that with the final wish, they have arrived at the end of what they wanted to tell in this arc, which is a revolution of the minds. They said that each played their role, including the villain because he gave up on his power with which he could do anything to make his son happy. They add that the new world we are seeing shows the premise of season 6, which will have a "different taste" and in which they will talk about different things.

They say that at the end, some lies remain as Gabriel is presented as a hero. They say that Marinette gave Adrien the twin rings, in what frankly looks like a wedding proposal lol. Then they go insane because it’s time for LE BISOUUUU, and a real lovey kiss that they remember for once, not like in Oblivio, and not a desperate kiss like when Adrien left for London. However, even with all this cute romantic stuff, we can see some ominous butterflies flying around them…

In the next scene, we can see Marinette taking the miraculous that have been standardised and industrialised by Gabriel and putting them back in shape. The writers specify that this is a parabole about craftsmanship vs industrial production. The miraculous will now be adapted to every person, but we can’t see what they look like just yet! In this new world, the powers are all shared, among people who they trust and know will work for the common good. They joke that the "Avengers" shot at the end with all the heroes is something they’d been dreaming of.

In the last scene with Lila, they joke that it’s never really finished because there’s a bunch of epilogues one after the other. Thomas add that the school described at the end is how he thinks all schools should work!

And we’ve finally reached the end!! They don’t reveal anything in the scene where a weird flash appears in Lila’s room to keep the suspense, and just all scream going OMG WHAT’S HAPPENING!!!

🐞🐞🐞

I hope this was helpful to learn more about the writing team and some stories behind the episodes!! Don't hesitate to add stuff if you think I forgot something or ask questions if I wasn't completely clear :)).

[godsandvillains-if]

Gods and Villains is a superhero/horror story set in a dystopian future where Earth is filled to the brim with crime and corruption—a.k.a MCU meets The Boys.

Warning! injury to major characters, gore, body horror, trauma and PTSD, amnesia, death, and sexual content. Rated +18. More specific content warnings will be provided at the start of each chapter.

LINKS

DEMO ✶ PATREON ✶ KO-FI

You take control of a powerful metahuman, an otherwise ordinary human on the outside but who has the meta-gene, a potent mutation deep engraved in their DNA, which gives them superhuman abilities. This next step in human evolution comes with a setback, however, for the curse of madness seems to follow their every step. It lurks in the shadows, patiently waiting for the opportunity to strike—many metahumans fall prey to its alluring promises. 

With a dark and traumatic past filled with untold horrors and inhuman experiments, you are rescued from the clutches of crazy terrorists by a team of heroes that might lend you all the tools you need for redemption or complete self-annihilation. 

As the only metahuman with the ability to wield the powerful Chaos Magic, your very blood holds the answers to unlocking the secrets behind the control of time and space, but it has the drawback of being almost completely volatile. 

Who can you trust to keep you safe other than yourself? Trust no one, and maybe you can get out of this literal hell alive.

Play as male, female, or non-gender specific, along with transgender choices;

Romance one of seven characters, and if your heart is big enough fall in love with two of them. There's three possible poly routes available: Archon and Stardom, Archon and Mars, Paladin and Wildcat;

Customize your appearance, personality and powers;

Struggle against the shackles of madness trying to take hold of your psyche;

Battle a multitude of villains or become one yourself;

Uncover the secrets behind the meta-gene and your abilities;

Help the public fall in love with superheroes or forever destroy that chance;

In total there are seven romance options, each with their own personality, and dark secrets for you to uncover. You can read more about them below:

?

The villain, or anti-hero, whatever you want to call them, Mars is an enigmatic figure; the very concept of life seems to hold no value to them. A trail of bodies follows wherever they go, and on the news, they are regarded as the biggest menace of the century. They will have the unique ability to sway your loyalty. Beware, their sweet words and promises may drip with honey, but they also drip with the blood of their victims.​

Trope: Forbidden love, emotional scars, blood-play

Zev/Zena Hammer

The oldest of the bunch and not a metahuman per se. Hammer acts as the spokesperson for the team, mitigating the often tenuous relationship between humans and the so-called "mutants". As a retired police detective they've learned firsthand how rotten the world can be for the innocent, and they've vowed to protect them at any cost. Their analytical and communication skills will go hand in hand when dealing with various crimes, just as their implants.

Trope: Widow/widower, age gap, don't-call-me-daddy/mommy

Adam/Ada Armstrong

The current leader of the Alliance Team. Headstrong and dauntless, they are regarded as the strongest metahuman in modern times and the most enigmatic of them all, whose past is shrouded in mystery and unknown even to their closest friends. On the outside, they might seem apathetic and unconcerned with human suffering, but their true feelings are hidden beneath layers of deep trauma. Superhuman strength and invulnerability are their greatest assets when fighting villains.

Trope: Nobody thinks it will work, love/hate, fucking-your-boss

Edward/Evelyn Osborne

The former leader of the Alliance Team and Archon's best friend. On the surface, they are the stereotypical showboat: cocky, greedy, and egoistical. Stardom does whatever they can to gain attention, fame, and riches. For them, the best feeling in the world is an adoring fan and a beautiful person fawning over their heroics. The meta-gene gives them a genius-level intellect, which in turn is used to develop several pieces of equipment that are employed by themselves and the team during fights.​

Trope: Billionaire, belated love epiphany, good-people-have-good-sex

Johnny/Johnnie

If Archon's past is shrouded in mystery, Paladin's is drowned in it. For all you know, their name is not even Johnny/Johnnie but an alias of their choosing. They are known to be the silent loner type and are somewhat socially withdrawn from other members of the team, only speaking when called upon to do so. Behind their silver mask, they harbor more than a few inner demons, and together with their superhuman weapon and combat proficiency, they fight for the innocent.​

Trope: Secret identity, oblivious to love, weapon-fetishization

Pedro/Pilar Flores

The youngest of the team, considered by many a lighthearted jokester without any real talent beyond their obvious powers—which set them apart from every human that walks the earth. With their metahuman status so evident for everyone to see, hiding just didn't seem like an option, so they chose the next best alternative. Known to be playful, energetic, and often immature, they are responsible for balancing the team's more serious side, and when someone can take the form of any living being on Earth, the repertoire of pranks is endless.​

Trope: Beauty and the Beast, broken in some way, begging

Doctor Malik/Malika Aziz

The renowned Doctor Aziz, a famed archaeologist and considered to be the most powerful sorcerer, or magic user, in the world. They wear several enchanted artifacts that, in turn, accentuate their already tremendous knowledge of the mystical forces. With an extremely strong moral compass and kind demeanor, they will show themselves to be the best teacher you could ask for, but why do they seem to be everywhere you look?

Trope: Time travel, twin siblings or clones?, teacher-student

[typhlonectes]

Jolts from electric eels cause fish to absorb free-floating DNA

Zebrafish larvae took up genes for fluorescent proteins and began to glow after swimming with eels.

Think of it as a sort of superhero origin story for zebrafish:  Getting zapped by electric eels can allow them to acquire new DNA—and new abilities—researchers reported yesterday in PeerJ. Scientists working with genetic engineering sometimes use electricity to open temporary holes in cell membranes to allow foreign DNA to enter. To find out whether a version of this phenomenon can happen in nature, the team put electric eels (Electrophorus electricus, pictured) and larvae from zebrafish (Danio rerio) into a tank together, along with free-floating genes that code for a green fluorescent protein. After a day swimming amid the eels’ electric shocks, some larvae started to glow green, New Scientist reports, indicating their cells had taken in and begun to express the foreign genes. The newly acquired DNA degraded quickly—the larvae only glowed for about a week—but it caused scientists to wonder: Could a wild animal acquire genes in this way and pass them to its offspring? Researchers aren’t yet sure, but if so, they say it could introduce new mutations that influence the species’ evolution.

via: https://www.science.org/content/article/jolts-electric-eels-cause-fish-absorb-free-floating-dna

[pluckyredhead]

Character Profile: Gregorio de la Vega and Hugh Dawkins (Extraño and Tasmanian Devil)

I was thinking that it's been too long since I've done a character profile, and then I realized that I don't think I've ever posted about DC's CANONICALLY MARRIED, HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT DILFS, a.k.a. Wizard Daddy and his furry husband. I'm so sorry. I've failed you all.

ANYWAY MEET GREGORIO AND HUGH:

Gregorio (on the right) is the first out superhero in comics, ever, from before the Comics Code even allowed gay characters. Hugh is DC's third gay superhero (Pied Piper came out a year before him) and the first canonically queer member of the Justice League. See? Historically significant!

CONTENT WARNING: Homophobia, racial stereotypes, attempted suicide, HIV/AIDS, and some particularly gory fridging (Hugh got better).

Gregorio de la Vega first appeared in Millennium #2. Now, they never actually use the word "gay" in the eight issue Millennium miniseries, but, well...

No, seriously, despite the fact that they never use words like "gay" or "homosexual" in the pages of the comic itself, the art and dialogue make Gregorio's sexuality very clear - and in case that wasn't enough, the editors do use the word "gay" in the letter columns.

Millennium was an event in which the Guardians and the Zamarons identified a group of diverse humans to be "the vanguard of human evolution" and gave them all superpowers. Gregorio is hanging out in a cantina in Peru when they show up to give him the news:

He's calling himself a fruit do you get it??? Honestly I love him so much. He's so extra.

I want to emphasize again how groundbreaking Gregorio is. Like, yes, obviously he is a raging stereotype and arguably a problematic one. But this was 1988. The Comics Code Authority would not be updated to permit queer characters until the following year (probably because of Gregorio, in large part). The fact that he existed at all, and not cloaked in layers upon layers of subtext, was a huge step forward. No, he's not perfect, but when you're the only canonically queer superhero in mainstream comics, that's an impossible ask.

Anyway. Gregorio's not super into the idea of being a main character at first, but after a self-loathing suicide attempt (Wally saves him), he decides fuck it, why not be a superhero, and joins the team that will become the New Guardians. He's granted his superpowers, which are generic magic ones, and takes the codename Extraño.

Unfortunately, in the spinoff series that followed Millennium, New Guardians, things get...uh...kind of rough. By which I mean that a) the original writer left, b) the new writer dialed Gregorio's gay stereotyping waaay back in favor of, um, Latino stereotyping instead (he stops calling everyone "honey" and starts calling them "amigo"), and c) the team is attacked by the Hemo-Goblin, an HIV-positive white supremacist vampire. Yes, really. It's fucking awful.

The Hemo-Goblin scratches Gregorio and bites Jet, a Black woman on the team. They both subsequently test positive for HIV. There are many letters from fans pointing out that it's nearly impossible to contract HIV that way, but the editors insisted that actually it was totally plausible, and then implied that probably Gregorio already had HIV because he was gay (even though he had tested negative earlier in the book). Then Jet dies. Again: it's fucking awful.

New Guardians was canceled soon after that and Gregorio pretty much disappeared. By the 2000s, he was viewed as basically an embarrassment, if anyone even remembered him at all: so stereotypical, so flamboyant, so offensive, so cringe. In the Love Is Love anthology, everyone's least favorite human Dan DiDio wrote a story where he claimed that Extraño died of AIDS back in the 80s, which...literally wasn't true??? The publisher of the goddamn company and even he assumed that the Cringey Stereotype must have died the Stereotypical Death.

And then in 2016, Gregorio got a makeover, courtesy of Steve Orlando and Fernando Blanco:

HELLO.

Yeah, so Gregorio is a silver fox now who hangs out with Apollo and Midnighter, does wizard shit, and lives in Lima with his husband and their adopted daughter. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT HUSBAND:

Could you tell he's Australian???

Hugh Dawkins, a.k.a. Tasmanian Devil (no relation to the Looney Tunes character except that they are both owned by WB and, obviously, Tasmanian) actually first appeared in the Super Friends tie-in comics to the cartoon of the same name, in 1977, as part of a plotline where the Justice League teamed up with a bunch of international superheroes.

As you can see above, Hugh, like the other international superheroes, is a massive stereotype. He's also a were-Tasmanian devil who can grow really big, like many Australians. (Even though he's been around for 50 years, there are very few panels of Hugh in human form, but if you need to know for reasons of all the fanfic I hope you are about to write: he's blond.)

In the late 80s, Hugh and the other international superheroes from this story were incorporated into the main DCU as a team called the Global Guardians. They became occasional supporting characters to the various Justice League International books, and some of them joined various Justice League branches. Others had random cameos here and there, and in a 1992 issue of Justice League Quarterly, Hugh's random cameo involved casually mentioning that he is gay:

Again, this is a big deal. It's only 1992, meaning the only canonically queer superheroes in mainstream comics are Extraño (1988), Pied Piper (1991), and Northstar (1992). And this is a Justice League book. AND IT'S 1992. When Hugh talks about things being hateful for gays, he's likely referring to the virulent homophobia in Tasmania at the time (homosexuality wouldn't be decriminalized there for another five years).

Which means it was also a big deal that Hugh went on to join the European branch of the Justice League shortly after this, making him the first canonically queer member of any branch of the League. Of course, his sexuality was never mentioned during the year and a half he was on the team...or in any comic...until 2006. And then it was a vaguely homophobic joke involving Hal Jordan. But still!

(There is a panel that I SWEAR exists from the JLI era of Hugh describing a total bullshit version of his origin which granted him "the power of 106 Tasmanian devils!" which I cannot for the life of me find but was the first thing that made me fall in love with this character. If you stumble across it, please let me know what issue number it is?)

Hugh then had the misfortune of next appearing...sort of...in the infamously awful Cry for Justice in 2009. I say sort of because it's revealed that the villain, Prometheus, has skinned him and turned him into a rug. So we only see his skin. The late 2000s were really, really rough, guys.

However, a year later he appeared in the Starman/Congorilla special and he was totally fine? Don't ask me how. Gorillas were involved. The issue ended with the possibility of him and Starman (the Mikaal Tomas version) hooking up, but then the New 52 happened, so that never came to anything.

...BUT WHO CARES, BECAUSE NOW HE'S MARRIED TO GREGORIO AND THEY HAVE A DAUGHTER AND THEY ARE IN LOVE.

The nickname! The clutching! I'm dying.

Did I mention the canon threesome with John Constantine?

HUGH LOVES HIS RIDICULOUS HUSBAND SO MUCH. Tragically the JLQ only showed up in these two stories but all the baby queer superheroes in the DCU call Gregorio "Tio" and it makes me want to weep. HE WAS ALL ALONE IN 1988 AND NOW HE HAS A FAMILY. I AM VERKLEMPT. 😭😭😭

Unfortunately Gregorio and Hugh are pretty much relegated to occasionally appearing in Pride specials these days, but maybe if we all wish really hard, DC will let Steve Orlando or Andrew Wheeler write a miniseries about how they met and fell in love. I think Nick Robles should draw it.

ANYWAY I LOVE THESE HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT HUSBANDS, THE END.

[pokeshippingweek]

POKESHIPPING WEEK 2024!

It's that time again, pokeshippers!

Last year, we announced that the format of Pokeshipping Week - one theme per day - was getting retired. We also said that we'd still put on a celebration of some kind going forward. Well, the time is here, and I'm happy to announce that we are planning a pokeshipping zine...next year!

If you'll forgive the bait-and-switch there, we have seriously talked about doing a zine, but time got away from us this summer. So, while we do hope to tackle that undertaking in 2025, for this year, we're planning what you might call an open Pokeshipping Week!

How does it work, you ask? Simple: over the years, you all have submitted a lot of potential themes for Pokeshipping Week. For every seven that got chosen each year, plenty were left behind. Well, now you can fill November 1 to 7 with art, fics, AMVs, GIFs, graphics, etc., all about our favorite Poke-couple, using any seven you'd like from the unused themes list.

Any and all contributions are welcome, and if they're tagged #pokeshipping week 2024, we'll reblog them here and on the main @pokeshipping blog. Besides Tumblr, we’ll keep our eyes out for the tag on Twitter and DeviantART for artwork, for fanfics on FF.Net and AO3, and for AMVs on YouTube (no NSFW, please).

The full list of unused themes (from years 2020 through 2023) is below the "Read More" break. Use, combine, and create as your heart desires, and we'll see you November 1!

A bad fight A day in the life  A never-ending road A ship full of shippers Alola sunset scene Amusement park Anime characters meet their game/manga counterparts Anniversary Art classes together/Drawing each other Ash and Misty in Sinnoh Ash’s hat Avatar: The Last Airbender AU Birthdays  Breakup Cameran Palace ball (as in Movie 8) Celebrating Celebrities Champions/Masters  Cheerleader Misty Childhood sweethearts Chocolate Comfort during a natural disaster Comforting each other Competition Confiding in one another Cooking disaster Costumes Criminal/Detective Crossover Crossover with game/manga-verse D&D Dealing with Team Rocket’s teasing in “A Scare in the Air” Dewpider/Araquanid Different hairstyle Disaster dates  Disney AU Double dating Elder years  Elders Ash and Misty Evolution Fairy tales/Fantasy AU Fankids Fireworks First day on the job Food Fortune-telling/foresight Game of Thrones AU Giving advice to a younger generation Grey hair Gym leader Ash/beginner Misty Halloween/horror/ghost story Hanahaki disease Handkerchief Happily Ever After/Fairy Tales Hiding Hogwarts AU Horizons Hot tub/Hot springs If Ash heard Misty’s Song If Ash or Misty weren’t from Kanto If Ash started his journey at 16 or older If Ash’s journey had ended after winning the Indigo League (in season 1) If Misty caught Lapras If one came from another region If their parents met If they didn’t meet on Ash’s first day In-universe Pokéshippers Intimacy Japanese-style confessional love letter JRPG AU (ie, Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Monster Hunter, etc.) Karaoke Ladybug and Chat Noir Last goodbyes Learning a different language Lost Pikachu Love Letter  Love triangle Lovers across the multiverse Lovestruck (if Ash acted like Brock) Meeting the parents/relatives Mewtwo Strikes Back alternate ending Misty and other Pokégirls discuss their loved ones together Misty meets Goh and Chloe Misty overcoming her fear of Bug-types Misty the coordinator Misty’s Bug-type phobia Mixtape/playlist  Mystery dungeon Nervous Ash  Never have I ever Other Pokemon games AU (Detective Pikachu/Pokemon Masters/etc) Out of their element  Overprotective Misty  Perspective of Oak Ranch Pokémon on their relationship Photo shoot Pirates Plot twist Pokemon daycare Pokémon Mystery Dungeon AU PokéNav communication/Video calling Possessed/evil Misty Pregnancy/Birth Pro-gamers Puberty Reappearance of Ash’s father and/or Misty’s parents Regency Era Romance  Return to Orange Islands Romeo and Juliet Sci-fi AU Scuba diving Secret identity/superhero AU Slow Slumber party Spies AU Stargazing Studio Ghibli AU Sunshine and Rain  Superhero AU Swimming lessons Sygna suits Tabletop RPG AU Taller (height differences)  Tauros ranchers Ash and Misty Time capsule Training together Umbrella Vacation Visiting Oak’s ranch  Water and electricity/water and fire What if Ash didn’t take Misty’s bike? Yoga together Z-ring/Mega Stone

[suzukiblu]

Sketch WIP/warm-up/zen-time doodling based on this bit of "why did literally no one in-universe ever think of this" meta of mine.

Seriously, binary clones are CRACKED, as a concept. Being able to custom-build healthy and stable designer genetic "offspring" out of separate DNA donors who don't have to be reproductively compatible or even individually FERTILE would give literally any lab or unethical billionaire SO MUCH MORE power and influence than making one single superhero or a handful of metaweapon soldiers ever POSSIBLY could. Sure, sure, save the planet, win your war, but also: DESIGNER CUSTOM BABIES YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO GET PREGNANT FOR. Musk and Bezos could never.

I just cannot believe that Lex "Opportunist" Luthor would not have happily shelled out all the clone child support in the WORLD in interest of becoming adored and revered by billions while ALSO getting to influence the evolution of the entire species unto the rest of its existence, OR that the Agenda wouldn't have immediately tried to piggyback on that idea with a mass-produced version. Therefore, teen idol Superboy gets a trust fund and an allowance that could fund a small country (or a particularly ridiculous teenage superhero team) and the Agenda decides to make Match kindergarten-sized for their proof-of-concept clone-babies.

For real, the only reason I can buy for designer binary clone babies not being in any way canon is that it really honestly just did not ever occur to Lex that anyone who could justifiably avoid it would actually WANT children.

[feathered-mushrooms]

I like creative mind projects. This became one of them.

Alright let’s set the basics of this ‘show’. The Xavier Institute, situated in Salem, Westchester, is run by Charles Xavier. A professor, doctor, and world renowned author and scientist. However he possesses a secret, a discovery he made on his travels abroad: mutants. He has returned home and opened a school for those said mutants, and we follow his ‘first class’.

Our main characters, at least for season one, would be the og five. Scott, Jean, Warren, Bobby, and Hank. And guess what? The school actually is a school. They take classes taught by Charles, and do superhero stuff on the side. Here is their everyday clothes:

Think the vibes of X-men Evolution. The show would focus on the dual life of the kids, but would also focus on them being kids. The trouble they get into, the antics they get up to. The drama that comes with being a teenager. Additional clothes(on colder days)

So what is everyone’s backstory?

Scott Summers Scott has a very similar life to the one we know. Parents dead in a plane ‘accident’ and him being separated from his brother in the foster care system. He goes from house to house until his mutation manifests. In which he is thrown into a few bad situations regarding his foster parent using him for his powers, before being found by Charles. Scott was the first student to live on campus, but by far not the first student, however he sees Scott as a father(even if Charles doesn’t see him as his son). He is a mix of the cautious and rather reserved. He’s malnourished body earned him the nickname Slim, but don’t let the meek act fool you. He is sarcastic as you could imagine and has a very strong moral code. He will make a good leader.

Jean Grey Jean’s telekinesis came to her when she was young. Charles has been a constant figure in her life since then, almost taking on what she might call an ‘uncle’ role. He has been working with her for years, and was the first to know when her telepathy manifested, at the death of her best friend. To Charles, she was his first student, and the closest thing he feels he has to a kid. She joins the team last, the premier episode being about her moving into the mansion. She is feisty and spirited. The most reckless of the five, but also oddly balanced in responsibly. She knows she’s powerful and she fears it.

Warren Worthington III Warren’s wings did not grow in until he was away at boarding school. Lucky for him, he could hide them well at first by dropping all the sports he played. Warren used to play the part of an upstuck rich kid very well, but that never was him. When his wings fully came in, he spent the nights saving people from muggers and robbers. He realized it felt good to do something his parents would never do. When Charles offered him a place at the school he toke it, and has been learning to move past his rich ego, however some habits are hard to break. Warren still loves posh language and loves the fact that he is the richest among his friends, but also has a genuine want to help others.

Bobby Drake Bobby always knew he was different. He was gay. Something he found very hard to hide. That was until he found out he was a mutant, something he could hide behind. Bobby’s manifestion consisted of him freezing his entire room and himself, in a very Elsa manner. His parents were outraged, which caused Bobby to realize he could never come out to his parents. Charles came and wiped his parents mind, making everything easier, but Bobby still has the secret he has told no one. A secret he still hasn’t fully realized himself. Bobby hides his self loathing and anxieties behind bad jokes that he hops will be funny. As the youngest on the team, he often deals with the need to prove himself.

Hank McCoy Hank was good at hiding. His physical mutation made him very ape like in appearance, but if he stood the right way, played his card rights, and knew the right people, he could make everyone look past it. He was a genius, but hid behind a football jock exterior, an explanation for his body that made people look past him. Hank joined the school under the belief that he would not need to pretend anymore, and so he let go of his football alter ego. He prefers his academic side and is interested in pursuing the world of knowledge. He has a very academic way of speaking, but oddly really understands human emotion. He pushes himself hard and loves any and every form of learning.

In this show, the X-men was created by Charles as a way to get the public ready for the announcement of mutants, but they become so much more. Charles originally thinks that if the public can see super-powered people helping the world, they will be less likely to attack those people. He designs his perfect team, and even designs their suits.

The team….likes them….kinda

Within the first season, mutants would be exposed to the public and the X-men’s fight focus on the fight of oppression and proving they can be good. Teased in the final moments of season one, Scott will reveal the x-costumes he has designed for everyone. These would be the suits worn from then on forward, representing a switch from being Xavier’s X-men to the X-men that fight for mutant kind.

Additionally we would have lots of very weird love triangles!! Hank is not apart of it, because he very easily finds Vera who becomes his girlfriend. Bobby has a crush on Scott however. He plans to go to the grave with this fact. Warren and Scott both like Jean. Maybe they like each other….who knows? Jean on the other hand has no care in the world for romance at the moment and misses every interaction.

Some of the prominent names that would show up in the first season is of course Magneto. Magneto would be the battle for the first episode, and then there for the reveal of mutants, and then the final battle. He is the big overarching ‘villian’. Other villains would consist of classic 60’s villains such as Vanisher and the rest of the brotherhood. However Scarlet Witch and QuickSilver would not appear till season 2.

Additionally Xavier has a divorcee(that’s not Erik shocker) that is Moria McTaggert. I love the idea of them being bitter exes that have tea with each other and talk shit. Moria is mainly a doctor in Scotland, but would make appearances when one of the kids get to injured. Additionally she has ties to the CIA and aides Charles that way.

Some Pjs and fancy references

Nonetheless, let me know if you want more. I have lots of ideas regarding this and would love to drill on and on again

[dcdreamblog]

As it happens, my birthday is now Gay Marriage Day in the United States, not the present I was looking for that year, but it's interesting. So I tend to have a lot of Pride Month stuff coming up on my various social media around that date--and this year I spotted someone at a Pride Parade I had not seen in ages.

To be precise, Extraño of the New Guardians, who as far as I know was the first "out" gay superhero of the modern era. I distinctly remember seeing on the news years ago that he was dead. So, did he come back from the dead at some point, was he just not actually dead, is this a relative or lookalike? And of course please fill us in on the backstory.

The death of Gregorio de la Vega has been greatly exaggerated, often on purpose, usually for exactly the reason you think.

Born in Trujillo, Peru, de la Vega probably has some amount of Homo Magi blood in him since he was always able to perform minor feats of magic. Until he was chosen by some sort of alien process meant to select the breeding stock for the next, greatest stage in human evolution. They empowered de la Vega, turning him into a potent sorcerer and granting him membership on this new Adam and Eve team, The New Guardians. One problem. Gregorio de la Vega is a gay man.

Very much disinterested in this whole "breeding a better humanity" thing for fairly self evident reasons. He did however, christen himself "Extrano" which is simply Spanish for "Strange", calling to the alienation and otherness he had been made to feel his whole life for how he was born. He was, he IS, the first openly gay superhero to have ever existed.

And his first costume looked like thissss

(A photograph of Extrano, the caption is meant to be encouraging to queer youths. You ARE Strange, so own it" that sort of thing.)

He is noted as speaking with an exaggerated queer affectation, referring to himself as "Auntie" and making himself the sounding board for the other members' romantic frustrations. In short, he was playing up to a stereotype. A positive version of a stereotype, a heroic persona of a stereotype, and yet a stereotype it remained. His costume eventually changed into one that was a lot more...shear. A stereotype of another kind but his affectation didn't change much. Much has been said about this. Whether he was a poor role model for indulging in these affectations, whether he was brave for simply being out at all, this that and the other thing. Here's my opinion...I don't care.

I am not going to sit here in judgment of a man whose mere existence did more for my right to live, and love and thrive comfortably in my own skin and as my own self than I could do with 100 years as dictator of the world. Was he living to an expectation in order to find what amount of acceptance he could in a queerphobic society? Maybe. Was he hiding behind it in fear of not being "gay enough" in a time and place where the idea of what queerness is was very narrow? Maybe. Was the man just honestly like that? MAYBE.

The point I am making is you'd have to ask him because the man is still alive.

He vanished from the public eye for a long time for one simple reason: Like a lot of gay men his age and of his era, Extrano contracted HIV.

The stigma attached to the condition at that time cannot be overstated and so, in seeking treatment, he put his own health first and the clucking of tabloids last. For many years the headline that he had died at a clinic somewhere in Peru, or Singapore, or Mexico, or whatever circulated every six months.

It wasn't until a few years ago when he was called upon that what had become of him was publically known: He had become an incredibly powerful, incredibly respected, incredibly FEARED arch magus. One that went toe to toe with Eclipso on live television when the villain attacked a pride parade, the event that lead to the foundation of the loose group now known as Justice League Queer.

And he looks like thi-

(A head shot of de la Vega taken from the back of his recent memoir "Queer: It Means Strange")

Daddy? Sorry. Daddy? Sorry. Da- BONK MAINTAIN PROFESSIONAL DETACHMENT!!!

Point being, the man is alive, and well and in the public eye for the first time in a LONG time. If you want to know who he is or what he thinks, you can read his book, or watch the 8 different TV interviews I was able to find on Youtube.

He's given talks about his queer journey, being gay in Latin America, being gay in Peru specifically, growing up gay in Peru in the 70s and 80s even more specifically. Living with HIV, living with HIV AS a gay man. Being an HIV positive superhero. Being a gay superhero. His treatment, his sudden thrust into being a patriarch for the queer hero community. He has been on a whistle stop tour of every single public event that will hand him a microphone. If you wanna ask this man a question, kick in the door of your nearest gay bookshop and odds are he will be giving a talk at that store when you check!

To answer your "question" when asked about rumors of his death so long circulating he is quoted as saying. "Death is not allowed to kill me until I've had my fun."

[yen-sids-tournament]

Summer of Superheroes: The Elite Heroes

We have made it down to the final four entries

These most trusted heroes consist of three ladies, three lads, and a naked mole rat! It took a rallying effort for Black Widow to overcome initial favor towards the Guardians. Incredibly, Sergeant Calhoun also found herself in the semi finals after defeating Frozone! Perhaps this is due to his issues finding his super suit or maybe the bracket placement...After all, all four of these heroes came from the right side of their quadrants

But however they got to the Semi-Finals, they have each proved they can do this all day!

The two Semi-Final Polls will begin September 3rd and be active for a week, as is standard.

Sergeant Calhoun, of Wreck-It Ralph fame, and Team Possible, meaning Kim and her boys.

Black Widow, elite (reformed) assassin, and Nightcrawler, the preferred x man.

No one will be eliminated here this round.* The winners will go on to the Final match and the losers will go off to the side and fight for third place.

*the exception being if there is a tie, then Fourth place will be clear and the Final match will be a three way competition between the two who tied and the winner of the other poll.

Propaganda is allowed and encouraged as long as you understand these are not hills to kill over (read: don't be mean) and while we would like you to stick to the version on the bracket, we aren't going to forbid extra lore.

We will have an extra mini poll on the 1st which will have no impact on the actual bracket, it's just for funsies!

[watchnrant]

Daisy Johnson: Marvel’s Hidden Powerhouse Deserves the Spotlight

Daisy Johnson, better known to some as Quake, is one of those Marvel characters who, despite being packed with potential, often flies under the radar. With her complex backstory and incredible abilities, Daisy stands out as a character who could easily take center stage in the Marvel Universe. Yet, despite her many contributions to various teams and storylines, she remains one of Marvel’s most underappreciated heroes.

The Origin of a Seismic Hero

Daisy Johnson’s story begins with her debut in Secret War #2 (2004). Born to the supervillain Mr. Hyde and a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Daisy inherited more than just a complicated legacy — she developed seismic powers that allow her to generate powerful earthquakes. These abilities immediately set her apart, making her one of the most formidable characters in Marvel’s roster. But Daisy isn’t just another hero with an impressive skill set; she’s a trained S.H.I.E.L.D. operative, a force to be reckoned with in her own right.

Throughout the years, Daisy has proven herself time and time again. As part of the Secret Warriors, she worked directly under Nick Fury, handling threats that required the utmost discretion and skill. For instance, her leadership during the “Secret Warriors” storyline showcased her strategic mind and ability to navigate complex missions, yet these moments often didn’t get the spotlight they deserved. Similarly, her role in the “Avengers: Standoff!” storyline, where she played a crucial part in resolving the conflict, further cemented her status as a key player. However, despite these significant contributions, Daisy’s moments of glory have often been overshadowed in the broader Marvel narrative.

The Missed Opportunity in Marvel Comics

What’s frustrating about Daisy’s journey in the comics is how often she’s been pushed to the sidelines. Despite her vast potential, Daisy is often cast as a supporting character — a powerful ally who steps in during crises but rarely takes the spotlight. This is particularly disappointing when considering the rich narrative possibilities that come with a character like Daisy.

Her seismic abilities alone could easily be the focus of epic battles or catastrophic events. Imagine a storyline where Daisy’s powers are central to averting a global disaster — her seismic waves could be both the cause and solution, adding layers of moral complexity to her actions. Coupled with her experience as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Daisy has everything needed to take on leadership roles in high-stakes missions that blur the lines between espionage and superheroics. Unfortunately, these opportunities are rarely explored, leaving Daisy in the shadow of more mainstream characters.

Learning from Marvel’s Success Stories

To understand how Daisy Johnson could transition from a supporting role to a leading one, it’s useful to look at other Marvel characters who have successfully made this leap. Take Carol Danvers, for instance. Originally introduced as Ms. Marvel, Carol underwent a significant evolution to become Captain Marvel, eventually rising to prominence as a symbol of strength and empowerment within the Marvel Universe. Her journey from a secondary character to a leading figure in both comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a testament to what can happen when a character’s potential is fully realized.

Similarly, Natasha Romanoff, who started as a supporting character in Iron Man 2, grew into one of the Avengers’ central figures, both in the comics and films. Her story arc, filled with complexity and depth, transformed her into a beloved and central figure in the MCU. These examples illustrate that with the right narrative push, characters like Daisy Johnson can ascend from the background to become vital parts of the Marvel Universe.

A Star in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

The contrast between Daisy’s treatment in the comics and her portrayal in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) couldn’t be more stark. In Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Daisy, portrayed by Chloe Bennet, is not just a side character — she’s central to the show’s narrative. Viewers watch her evolution from a rebellious hacker named Skye into a powerful Inhuman leader, embracing her identity as Quake and becoming one of the MCU’s most formidable heroes.

The show succeeded where the comics have struggled: it recognized Daisy’s potential and gave her a fully developed character arc. She wasn’t just a member of the team — she often was the heart of it, driving the narrative forward with her growth and deepening connection to her powers. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. highlighted what makes Daisy special: her ability to balance her humanity with her extraordinary abilities, and her relentless determination to do what’s right, even when the odds are against her.

Exploring the Future: Where Could Daisy Go Next?

Looking forward, there are numerous ways Marvel could reintegrate Daisy into major storylines, giving her the spotlight she deserves. One possible direction could be to have Daisy lead a new iteration of the Secret Warriors, perhaps in response to a global crisis that requires her unique combination of intelligence, training, and seismic power. This would not only showcase her leadership abilities but also reconnect her with her roots as a S.H.I.E.L.D. operative.

Another intriguing possibility could be exploring the tension between her powers and her sense of responsibility. A storyline where Daisy is faced with a moral dilemma — using her powers at the risk of causing widespread destruction — could add layers of complexity to her character. Such a narrative could challenge her in new ways, forcing her to confront the limits of her abilities and the weight of her decisions.

Why Daisy Deserves More

Daisy Johnson has all the qualities that make for a great Marvel character: a compelling backstory, unique powers, and the potential for significant character development. Her journey from a troubled young woman with a mysterious past to a confident leader and hero is one that resonates with fans. She embodies the struggle between destiny and choice, power and responsibility, in a way that few other characters do.

It’s time for Marvel Comics to bring Daisy Johnson out of the shadows and into the spotlight she deserves. She should be leading major storylines, tackling threats that require her unique blend of intelligence, training, and raw power. There’s no reason why Daisy couldn’t be a central figure in the Marvel Universe, especially given her deep connections to S.H.I.E.L.D., the Inhumans, and the Avengers.

In a universe that’s constantly evolving, with new heroes rising to prominence, Daisy Johnson deserves to be at the forefront. Marvel has a hidden powerhouse in Quake, and it’s time they let her truly shake things up. By giving Daisy the attention she deserves, Marvel could unlock a treasure trove of untold stories, bringing new depth and excitement to their universe. The potential is there — Marvel just needs to unleash it.

FAQs

Who is Daisy Johnson, and what are her powers?

Daisy Johnson, also known as Quake, is a Marvel Comics character with the ability to generate seismic vibrations, effectively causing earthquakes. She is the daughter of the supervillain Mr. Hyde and a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, and she is a highly trained S.H.I.E.L.D. operative.

Why is Daisy Johnson considered underappreciated in the Marvel Universe?

Despite her significant powers and contributions to various teams, Daisy Johnson often plays a supporting role in the comics. She has not been given the same level of prominence or storytelling focus as other Marvel characters, leading her to be somewhat overlooked.

How is Daisy Johnson portrayed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)?

In the MCU, Daisy Johnson is portrayed by Chloe Bennet in the television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Her character evolves from a hacker named Skye into a powerful Inhuman leader known as Quake, playing a central role throughout the series.

What potential storylines could elevate Daisy Johnson’s status in Marvel Comics?

Daisy could take the lead in a new Secret Warriors team, or she could be involved in storylines that explore the moral and physical implications of her seismic powers. These narratives would provide her with more opportunities to be a central figure.

How does Daisy Johnson compare to other Marvel characters like Carol Danvers?

Like Carol Danvers, who evolved from a secondary character into a leading superhero, Daisy Johnson has the potential to rise to prominence. Both have compelling backstories and unique powers, making them strong candidates for more significant roles in the Marvel Universe.

Why should Marvel Comics focus more on Daisy Johnson?

Daisy Johnson has a rich history, unique abilities, and the potential for deep character development. By giving her more attention, Marvel could explore new storylines and add depth to their universe, appealing to fans who enjoy complex and powerful heroes.

[marveldcnerdys]

Fantastic Four: The Pioneers of Marvel's Superhero Revolution

Introduction

The Fantastic Four, Marvel Comics' first family of superheroes, debuted in 1961 and revolutionized the comic book landscape. Created by the legendary duo of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the Fantastic Four brought a new level of complexity and realism to superhero storytelling. Their adventures combined cosmic exploration, family dynamics, and human vulnerability, setting the stage for Marvel's expansive universe.

The Fantastic Four are not just characters but symbols of a new era in comics, bridging the gap between traditional superhero tales and complex narratives. With relatable conflicts and groundbreaking storylines, they became a cultural phenomenon, captivating readers for decades.

This article explores the origins, members, iconic story arcs, cultural impact, and the legacy of the Fantastic Four, delving into why they remain timeless.

Origins: The Birth of Marvel's First Family

The Creative Genesis

In the early 1960s, DC Comics dominated the superhero market with characters like Superman and Batman. To compete, Marvel tasked Stan Lee and Jack Kirby to create a team that would break conventional molds. Their vision resulted in the Fantastic Four, debuting in Fantastic Four #1 in November 1961.

What set the Fantastic Four apart was their focus on family and teamwork. Unlike other superheroes who led solitary lives, this group functioned as a unit, reflecting real-world dynamics with their arguments, reconciliations, and shared triumphs. Stan Lee described them as "heroes with hang-ups," a radical departure from the infallible figures of the past.

The Cosmic Incident

The team’s origin story begins when scientist Reed Richards, pilot Ben Grimm, and siblings Susan and Johnny Storm embark on an unauthorized space mission. They are exposed to cosmic rays, granting them unique powers:

Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic): Gains the ability to stretch his body.

Susan Storm (Invisible Woman): Becomes invisible and generates force fields.

Johnny Storm (Human Torch): Controls fire and can ignite his body.

Ben Grimm (The Thing): Transforms into a rock-like powerhouse with super strength.

The accident not only changes their lives but also cements their bond as a family and team. Their struggles to accept their new identities and use their powers for good resonated with readers, showcasing vulnerability alongside heroism.

Meet the Team: A Deep Dive into the Characters

Reed Richards: The Visionary Leader

Reed is a brilliant scientist and the team’s de facto leader. His intellect drives many of their adventures, but his obsessive nature sometimes strains relationships. His relentless pursuit of knowledge often places his family in dangerous situations, illustrating the fine line between genius and recklessness. Reed’s love for Susan and his sense of responsibility as a husband and father make him a deeply layered character.

Susan Storm: The Heart of the Team

As the Invisible Woman, Susan is both the emotional core and a formidable force. Her evolution from a damsel-in-distress to a powerful hero reflects the changing roles of women in comics. Beyond her abilities, Susan is the glue that holds the team together, mediating conflicts and ensuring their collective success. Her compassion and strength make her a role model for readers.

Johnny Storm: The Hotheaded Youth

Johnny’s fiery powers match his brash personality. As the team’s youngest member, he often provides comic relief but also matures through their trials. His journey from an impulsive thrill-seeker to a responsible hero is one of the most compelling arcs in the series. Johnny’s charisma and charm also make him a favorite among fans, embodying the spirit of youthful exuberance.

Ben Grimm: The Lovable Rock

Ben’s transformation into The Thing leaves him bitter about his monstrous appearance. However, his loyalty and humor make him a fan favorite, embodying the theme of inner beauty. Ben’s catchphrase, “It’s clobberin’ time!” has become synonymous with the character. Despite his gruff exterior, he often showcases profound depth and vulnerability, especially in his enduring friendship with Reed.

Iconic Story Arcs

"The Coming of Galactus"

One of the most celebrated storylines, this arc introduces Galactus, the cosmic entity who consumes planets, and his herald, Silver Surfer. The Fantastic Four’s battle against Galactus showcases their role as Earth’s ultimate defenders. This storyline not only elevated the stakes for superhero narratives but also introduced philosophical questions about morality and survival.

"Doctor Doom’s Revenge"

Doctor Doom, the team’s arch-nemesis, is a genius and ruler of Latveria. His vendetta against Reed Richards and his schemes for world domination make him one of Marvel’s most iconic villains. Doom’s complex personality—a mix of honor, ego, and ambition—adds layers to his rivalry with the Fantastic Four. Their battles often explore themes of pride, loyalty, and the cost of power.

"The Negative Zone Adventures"

The team’s explorations into the Negative Zone, an alternate dimension, highlight their scientific curiosity and lead to encounters with dangerous entities like Annihilus. These adventures emphasize the team’s pioneering spirit and willingness to face the unknown, cementing their status as explorers as much as heroes.

Cultural Impact

Redefining Superheroes

The Fantastic Four redefined the superhero genre by introducing flawed, relatable characters. They argued, made mistakes, and faced personal challenges, making them more human than the invincible heroes of the past. Their stories dealt with real-world issues, such as family dynamics, societal acceptance, and the ethical dilemmas of scientific advancement.

Expanding Marvel’s Universe

Their stories introduced pivotal elements of Marvel’s lore, including the Skrulls, Kree, and cosmic artifacts like the Ultimate Nullifier. These elements laid the groundwork for future storylines and expanded the Marvel Universe into a vast, interconnected tapestry.

Pioneering Team Dynamics

The Fantastic Four emphasized teamwork and familial bonds over individual heroics. Their interpersonal relationships added depth to their narratives, setting a precedent for future team-based comics. The way they navigated conflicts and supported one another resonated with readers, showcasing the power of unity.

The Legacy of the Fantastic Four

Influence on Modern Media

The Fantastic Four’s success paved the way for Marvel’s subsequent heroes and teams, such as the Avengers and X-Men. Their impact extends to animated series, films, and merchandise. Iconic storylines like "The Coming of Galactus" have inspired adaptations across various media, demonstrating their timeless appeal.

Challenges and Reboots

Despite their iconic status, the Fantastic Four faced challenges in adapting to modern audiences. Several film adaptations failed to capture their essence, leading to mixed reviews. However, their recent integration into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has reignited hope among fans, with the promise of a faithful adaptation that honors their legacy.

Enduring Popularity

Even after decades, the Fantastic Four remains a cornerstone of Marvel’s legacy. Their stories continue to inspire new generations of readers and creators. The themes of exploration, resilience, and family make them as relevant today as they were in 1961. Their influence is evident in the success of Marvel’s expansive universe, proving that the Fantastic Four’s legacy is enduring and far-reaching.

Conclusion

The Fantastic Four’s blend of science fiction, family dynamics, and heroism has cemented their place as trailblazers in the comic book world. They are more than superheroes; they are a family, a symbol of resilience, and an enduring legacy in popular culture. As the MCU gears up to bring them into the fold, the Fantastic Four’s future looks as bright as the cosmic rays that created them. Their story is a testament to the power of innovation, collaboration, and the enduring appeal of heroes who remind us of our humanity.

[solarsonicsoda]

Rating 500+ Theme Tunes - #18: X-Men: Evolution

There's more than one X-Men show you know! X-Men: Evolution is the 2000s take on the mutant team, and it looks shockingly different just a few years later! This show started in 2000, what's with the large shift in resolution? But this new take follows some familiar mutants and some newer faces as they balance life with their heroic ways. Where the original show had the likes of Jubilee and Gambit, Evolution has Nightcrawler and Shadowcat. It's X-Men for an all new generation!

As I said, this show began in 2000 and ran to 2003, primarily as part of the Warner Bros. line-up. But it was aired as recently as 2011 on Disney XD, which is wild for a show that I feel isn't ridiculously well remembered. Good for them! You'll have to let me know if this was a classic in your household though, because it seems like one of many superhero shows of the time.

As may be implied, I was not really familiar with this show. However, I really like the way it looks! I like the art style and the animation I saw through this intro looked pretty expressive! Is this show good? Again, all my X-Men: Evolution fans will have to let me know. It seems nice, and I'd be interested in checking it out sometime. I miss the super 90s vibes, but I like the super 2000s vibes too! Let's get to the theme!

X-Men: Evolution Theme Song

I actually think this is a really sound theme! I think it maintains that cool, mysterious vibe of the original show, but with a totally different sound! Big fan of the guitar riffs and the little rises and falls of it! I don't know what you call that! It's not exactly a transcendent theme, but I think it's a really solid and fun superhero theme! Just the right style to hype me up for some fantastical action and fun! Another good song!

A theme that draws from what came before it whilst doing its own thing, even if it's nothing out of this world. I enjoy it a good deal, so I think this one is gonna earn a B!

Stay tuned for more and be sure to send in any suggestions for other shows you'd like to see done (after the 500 already in the pipeline that is). Check out the intro to this series here, and check out the tier list.