#filed under : hercules

[604to647]

Husband Material

3.1K / Detective Tim Rockford x fem!reader

Summary: You come home drunk after a fun night out and Tim takes care of you.

This one shot is based on that Tiktok trend where girls refer to their boyfriends as their “husband” to see what their reaction will be 🤭🤭

Warnings: 18+ Content (MDNI pls) but it’s all fluff!  Maybe Tim gets a little handsy when he helps reader undress 🤷🏻‍♀️ (she’s into it). Drunk reader, consumption of Chinese food. Established relationship, petnames (Shutterbug, gorgeous, baby), soft!Tim. Reader wears a dress and heels (but they hurt her feet).

A/N: After writing Marine Attraction, I couldn’t shake the Tim brainrot so I decided to start a non-linear series of fluffy one-shots for Detective Rockford and his Shutterbug – the series will be called The Rockford Portfolio (… you know, like The Rockford Files but ‘Portfolio’ because reader takes photos 😁😁)

Masterlist

Photography aesthetic dividers by @saradika-graphics 😍

Tim pushes his reading glasses up his nose as his settles in under the fluffy duvet cover, two of your matching pillows propped up comfortably behind his back, ready to dive into his book.  You’re not home yet, but Tim doesn’t mind waiting up.  Since the two of you exchanged keys six month ago, he’s probably spent more time at your place than his own – he prefers the warmth of your apartment, with the soft décor and personal touches that remind him so much of you to the cold, sparse feel of his own place.  He had originally worried that you might mind that most days he comes straight here after his long day at the precinct, but you hadn’t minded one bit. 

You didn’t mind making room in your closet for his sharp, if slightly monochromatic suits among your more colourful wardrobe.  You didn’t even mind the gun lock box that sits on the top shelf of that same closet; a safe place for Tim’s service firearm where it remains for you, out of sight, out of mind.  You certainly didn’t mind the permanent home his gun holster had found on your bed post – within arm’s reach should the mood strike you to see it frame your boyfriend’s broad shoulders.  And if the little pile of police paperwork that lives on a corner of your dining room table or any of the other little ways you’ve made room for him in your place didn’t convince him, you would tease that you’d never dare keep him from reading his way through your Agatha Christie collection.

It tickles you to no end that your big bad police detective boyfriend spends all day solving mysteries, only to choose to spend his free time reading books about detectives solving mysteries.  When you shared your amusement with Tim, he had winked at you, tapped his finger against his temple and recited, “If the little grey cells are not exercised, they grow the rust.”  So delighted at Tim quoting your favourite Christie hero you had immediately attacked his face with your lips, planting breathy butterfly kisses over every inch of his handsome face, the book he was reading consequently knocked to the ground and forgotten for the rest of the evening in lieu of decidedly less bookish activities.

He’s right in the middle of a Hercule Poirot soliloquy when he hears the front door open and then your loud, breathy giggle as you bump into the foyer table; shortly after, your keys jingle when dropped in the key bowl, clinking with his own that he had placed in the same bowl several hours earlier.  Tim listens to you struggle a bit with kicking off your shoes, realizing you must finally be free of your work heels when you let out an exaggerated sigh of relief as your tired feet touch the cool hardwood.  He emerges from the bedroom just in time to see you wobblily padding towards the kitchen and grins to himself - you’re drunk.  Tim calls your name softly and when you see your handsome boyfriend smiling at you, delicious and all at home in your apartment, wearing only a wifebeater and his boxers, your eyes open wide – you were on a way to get a snack, but he’s a snack. 

“Timmy!!!!!” you launch yourself in those strong, muscular arms that you know will feel so good around your tired body; Tim catches you easily and envelopes you in his welcoming embrace, his grin only getting wider – you only call him ‘Timmy’ when you get tipsy.  You've been so excited to go out with some old work colleagues that didn’t work at your firm anymore, finally able to arrange a get-together that worked with everyone’s busy schedules.  Evidently you had a great time tonight – Tim’s glad, he pulls you in for a soft, tender hello kiss before steering you over to the kitchen where you were undoubtedly headed to get something to eat.  Sitting you down at the breakfast counter, he fetches you a fresh glass of water and two preventative Advils, and encourages you to tell him all about your evening while he heats up a plate in the microwave.

“What’s that?  You made me food?” you exclaim, giddy.

Tim chuckles, “Nothing fancy like that, Shutterbug.  I ate dinner at the precinct and brought home my Chinese takeout leftovers.  Just plated it so I could heat it up quickly for you when you got home – figured you’d want an après bar snack.”

He’s so sweet.  And thoughtful.  And hot, you smile dopily as you thank him.

“You know, gorgeous, I could have come picked you up,” Tim looks over at you from the open microwave door.

“You’re so sweet, baby!  I know you would have, but you’ve been working so hard on the Pie case – I knew you would already be working late, and I knew we would be late too with all the picture taking.  I didn’t want you to get home and then have to go out again.  It was easy enough to share a cab.  Oh!  That reminds me – I gotta check in with the group chat.”

Your fingers are still flying over your phone keyboard as Tim places a plate of steaming hot Chinese food in front of you – you smile gratefully up at him.

Tonight’s night out had been double duty for you – in addition to seeing some friends that you haven’t seen in forever, a local food blog that features your photos regularly had put out a call for cocktail photos, so your group had gone out with the mission of trying as many different mixed drinks as possible. 

As he always does after you go out and shoot photos, Tim sits next to you and listens to you as you swipe through your camera roll and happily chirp about the pictures you took: the subjects, lens choices, angles and lighting options.  He does his best to concentrate on the pretty pictures on your screen but can’t help stealing glances at your sweet face, alight with enthusiasm and joy.

Finally putting your phone down, you start to dig into your cooled down food as you catch Tim up on the rest of your night, tipsily chatting non-stop in between bites of delicious, greasy food:

“Ok remember when I told you about Vicky’s deadbeat boyfriend who she basically carried through her internship?  He apparently tried applying for a job at her new boyfriend’s restaurant??!”

“Guess what they had on the menu, baby??  A flight of spareribs – isn’t that such a cute idea?  I thought, ohhh Tim would love this, he can never choose between crispy and bbq. Ha!”

“And she ended up getting two dogs from the shelter!  Do you ever thing about getting a dog?  I kind of wish we had a dog but we’re both so busy…”

“… should have made him clean the toilets, is what I said.”

“Ooo!  Dumplings!”

“They had that Chablis we liked so much at that wine bar in New York!  I didn’t get any because we were only getting cocktails for my photos.  But no one ever has Chablis – we need to go back!”

“So then you’ll never guess what she said: I would rather eat a lightbulb.”

Your unrestrained laughter rings throughout the kitchen, eyes twinkling in mirth, thoroughly amused by you and your friends’ antics.  You’re leaning back in your chair, your feet resting in Tim’s lap as he rubs your sore feet, the very picture of happiness that Tim imagines whenever the stress and realities of his work threaten to envelope him and he needs a little light to guide him forward.

With amazement, Tim watches as you gracefully manipulate your chopsticks and pick up cube after cube of salt and pepper fried tofu and pop them in your mouth, your elegant movements belying your state of inebriation, “Sounds like you had a great time tonight, Shutterbug.”

“Oh we did!  I miss those girls so much.  It’s hard for us to find a time to all get together but when we do it’s always soooo much fun!  We just pick up like we used to when we were all juniors at the firm, it was perfect… well except for those two guys that couldn’t take a hint.  Yeesh.”

“What guys?” Tim looks up, eyes darkening, his big, firm hands stop their caressing of your arches.

You wave your chopsticks wildly in the air, as if to dismiss his concern, “Just a couple of guys at the bar that kept sending us drinks.  We kept sending them back.”  You wiggle your feet in Tim’s grip and he catches on – immediately starting to massage them again.

“Did they give you any trouble?”

“Not really.  Too laughable to be trouble – they came over before dessert was brought out to ask why we didn’t accept their drinks?  I mean?? We told them that we were drinking for work, like my photo thing, not for fun.”

“And they got the message?”

“I mean, it took a while, but yes – they kept trying dumb lines like, Work hard, play hard!” you scrunch up your face at the ridiculous memory, “I finally had to tell them that my husband’s a cop in order for them to leave us alone!”

Husband.  Tim wills himself to keep his expression neutral, as if you hadn’t said something that piqued his interest and sent his heart racing.  Husband.

“Oh yeah?  What did they have to say to that?”

“Ugh!  One of them tried to convince me that he’d be a better husband than 'some meter maid,'” you roll your eyes as you shove black bean chicken chow mein into your mouth, “Timmy, did you splurge for extra crispy noodles?!” Your delight fills Tim with pride – he doesn’t know how you can tell after the sauce practically drowns the noodles, but you always can.

He nods, entertained by your cheery chatter, “You know, everyone has to do a rotation in Parking Enforcement – it’s a legitimate part of training.  So, what did you say?”

It takes you a beat to answer, so tickled by the image of your hulking Tim in a little cap and vest writing parking tickets, “I quoted Clueless of course: As if.  My husband is the biggest, baddest detective in the LAPD.  He’s the smartest investigator on the squad and has cleared more cases than anyone else in the precinct.   And he’s a ferocious guard dog who would rip apart any one who would dare make a woman feel uncomfortable.”

“You told them all that, Shutterbug?” Tim’s half proud and half shy at your praise, and still unable to get over that you’re calling him your husband in public.  It’s making him unspeakably happy. 

You nod vigorously, eyes wide and innocent, as if you couldn’t imagine a world in which Detective Tim Rockford and his accomplishments aren’t being praised to the sky at every given opportunity.  “I also told them that my husband is the sweetest and kindest person I’ve ever met.  And that even though he has hardened criminals scared shitless, he only ever makes me feel loved and supported, 100% appreciated and taken care of.  I love my husband!”  You look so happy you could cry, and Tim can’t help but feel his entire chest swell at how you described him to those two bozo strangers - that this is how you see him, what he means to you.  He loves you so much.

He tells you so as he kisses the top of your head, taking your empty plate to the sink and fetching another glass of water before wrapping his arm tightly around your waist and leading you to the bathroom.

From under his chin, you look up and coo, “And he’s hot too, you know?”

“Hmmmm?” Tim smiles down indulgently to find your cute, drunk face grinning at him mischievously.

“My husband.  He’s so fucking hot.  I want to climb him like a tree and sink my teeth into all his hard muscles and mark him up so everyone knows he’s mine.  Oh my god!”  You step in front of Tim, startling him with your sudden movement, the two you continuing to make your way through the bedroom.  Under Tim’s watchful eye, you walk backwards as you babble eagerly, trying desperately to make him understand, “You don’t even know how handsome he is?!?  He has the perfect nose and the deepest brown eyes.  His lips are so soft, perfect for kissing.  He is SUCH a good kisser.  OH!!! His facial hair looks sooooo good… I wonder what he would look like with a full beard.  Probably just as fucking hot as he does now.  My husband’s face is DEVASTATING!” You sigh dramatically.

Now starting to get embarrassed at your compliments, Tim turns you around gently and marches forward.  Once in the bathroom, you stop abruptly so that Tim bumps into you – giggling, you wiggle your butt into his crotch, wordlessly asking for help you don’t actually need to undress.

Tim disrobes you swiftly – wanting to help you get to bed as soon as possible, but makes sure to kiss a gentle path along the skin he reveals as he unzips the dress he watched you put on for work this morning; after he helps you step out of your dress, he dots kisses down the back of your thighs and calves that leave you shivering in pleasure.  Left in just your matching pastel floral lingerie set, you brush you teeth and start your night time skin care while Tim watches you fondly from his seat on the edge of the tub.  No matter the circumstances, you’ll never go to bed without washing your face and putting on some of the elixirs and potions that overrun your bathroom counter – Tim’s convinced they must work though - you’re radiant, stunning; if he didn’t often find himself distracted by the soft curves of your enticing body, he would never look away from your beautiful face.

“Did you know your husband has the best wife?”

You look over at him and giggle into the face towel you’re using to dry your cleansed skin, “Oh yeah?  Tell me about your wife, Detective Rockford.”

As you start to apply your creams and moisturizers, Tim comes up behind you, gently skimming his fingers up and down your bare sides, leaving little goosebumps in their wake, “My wife is gorgeous.  Prettiest woman I’ve ever met, inside and out.  She’s smart, kind, and hilarious, and I think the most considerate person on this planet.  Did you know when I first met her, she volunteered to wait and be the last to be interviewed by a grumpy detective, so that school trips and families with kids could go first?”

Your eyes crinkle at the memory of when you met Tim at the aquarium nearly a year and a half ago, “How do you know your wife wasn’t just angling to be interviewed by the hot detective?”

Tim points a finger at himself comically, arching his eyebrow at the you in the mirror reflection, Me?  Do you mean me – I was the hot detective?

You nod heartily, Of course you.

“Well, looks like my wife had my number from the start.  She’s smart like that.  Her brain is the sexiest part of her you know?  And that’s saying something because everything about her is sexy,” Tim starts kissing your neck.  His hands trail up to your breasts and he softly gropes your curves over the lacy fabric before reaching one hand between your bodies and undoes your bra clasp, his other hand ready to help you drag the bra down your arms, exposing your bare chest to the detective's lustful gaze.  Nuzzling into your ear, he whispers, “My wife is so fucking hot,” as his fondles your breasts in his big, meaty hands – rolling your nipples between his rough fingers then lightly tugging before releasing them, causing your tits to jiggle. 

You turn in Tim’s arms, your lips immediately meeting his, mouth open with an unspoken invitation he eagerly accepts.  Tim licks into your mouth hungrily and you match each stroke of his tongue with a brush of yours, every nip of his teeth with an equally playful nibble.  You sigh into Tim’s mouth as his lips press to yours over and over, mapping your soft cushiony lips and sucking them swollen to mark you as his.  He hardly allows you to take a breath, and you’re not sure anymore if your dizziness is from tonight’s alcohol, or the way Tim’s lips slot so perfectly over yours, stealing all your air.  You love it - air is nothing when you have Tim.  Moaning softly so the sound fills his mouth, you hear Tim whisper huskily, “Arms up, Shutterbug.”

“Anything you say, Detective,” you shimmy your half naked body playfully in Tim’s arms and raise your arms over your head as requested, and for a second, you can’t help but gaze adoringly at Tim’s devilishly handsome face before your vision is obstructed.

“Hey!  What th-?”  When Tim’s grinning face comes back into view, he lowers your arms to your sides and you look down at your chest.  You realize that Tim has slipped one of his oversized band t-shirts over your head to wear for sleeping.  You give him an exaggerated pout and a silly whine before pressing your now t-shirt clad body to his, your final drunk attempt at seduction.

Tim dispenses a soft kiss to your lips, nose, then forehead, “Not tonight, gorgeous.  You’re drunk.  You don’t need sex, you need water.”  He points to the glass of water he brought from the kitchen and leaves to place the drink on your bedside table so that you can finish getting ready for bed. 

Snuggling under the covers after taking three big gulps of water from your glass at Tim’s insistence, you sleepily arch you butt against Tim’s bulge, giving it a half-hearted shake, stopping only when he gives you a pinch on the bum, murmuring, “Tomorrow, Shutterbug.”  You grin at the promise and yawn, “Goodnight, Timmy,” before finally succumbing to your alcohol fueled exhaustion and passing out.

Tim wonders if you’ll remember calling him your husband tomorrow.  He wonders if you meant to say it or if it just slipped out.  He wonders what it could mean that you said it at all.  He wonders if you somehow know about the ring box that’s hidden in a pair of old sport socks he never uses at the back of his dresser drawer in the bedroom of a house that he’s hardly at anymore. 

Tim tightens his arms around you - he wonders a lot of things, but the one thing he never wonders about is how he feels about you.  Pressing one last soft kiss to your shoulder, Tim breathes in your soft scent – a mixture of perfume, lotion, home, and whispers, “Good night, Mrs. Rockford.”

[adamafera]

001 ⸻ local: pista de dança encantada

"Eu? Dançar?" Adam olhou para a pista com escárnio, e então para as próprias pernas e a bengala de madeira na qual se apoiava. "Me escutou errado; eu não danço. Obviamente." Disse, talvez um pouco ríspido. "Estava apontando para o animal na pista de dança. Quem trouxe um gato pra uma cerimônia assim? Parece prestes a ser pisoteado."

𝙊𝙋𝙀𝙉 𝙎𝙏𝘼𝙍𝙏𝙀𝙍

001 ⸻ local: pista de dança encantada

— Dançar? Eu? — Perguntou evidentemente confuso ao perceber que MUSE estava apontando para ele e fazendo sinal em direção a pista de dança. Hércules tinha certeza que aquilo era um engano, mas ao olhar para o redor constatou que não havia mais ninguém perto dele. — Garanto que você está bem melhor sem mim, sou um péssimo parceiro de dança.

002 ⸻ local: cerimônia de casamento no altar encantado

Faltando alguns minutos para a cerimônia começar, Hércules correu para sentar-se em seu lugar. — Me desculpe, me desculpe, me desculpe — murmurou enquanto ia passando pelas fileiras; andar em um espaço tão apertado era um desafio para alguém como Hércules. Não bastava ser desajeitado, também não tinha um controle muito bom de sua força. Assim que encontrou um lugar para sentar, respirou aliviado e virou para MUSE, que estava sentado ao seu lado, na tentativa de puxar uma conversa. — Pelo visto todos estão bastante empolgados com esse casamento, ainda mais levando em consideração a magnitude dessa cerimônia. 

Se preferir um starter fechado com o Hércules responda: ⚡ + @ do char

[rastronomicals]

11:14 AM EDT March 28, 2024:

Pink Floyd - "The Massed Gadgets Of Hercules" From the bootleg BBC Archives 1967 - 1969 (December 2009)

Last song scrobbled from iTunes at Last.fm

File under:    The Sticky, Partly-Melted Edges of Psychedelic Pop     

[blairsanne]

I've seen many posts about people missing how common asks used to be so I have been trying to send about an ask a week. Now I send this ask first anytime I follow someone as I really don't want to bother anyone, so I'd love to know if you enjoy receiving asks and if so what kind of asks. Not having energy for asks or being comfortable with them is perfectly okay.

The categories I have in my ask notebook that I file under are in colour. Please feel free to make your response as long as you want or private (the asker cannot directly respond to private responses).

Self, Job/Work: please let me know what you are comfortable with from eh idk just ask it to nothing personal at all.

Baggishield/Tolkien, Dragon Age, Johnlock/Sherlock, ineffable spouses, other fandom: Please let me know what fandoms. I think my main fandoms and ships are Bagginshield/The Hobbit, Sherlock/Johnlock, Dragon Age Inquisition, {Pippin/Faramir Merry/Eowyn}/The Lord of the Rings and I dip my toes in a few that I currently can't remember but ships I don't engage with the canon of at all are: Good Omens but only for Crowley/Azirapheal, Stranger Things but only for Steve/Eddie , The Witcher but only for Geralt/Jaskier.

OC's, art/drawing, their writing, blog specific only

Story snippets ideas and prompts: Do you like receiving them?

Pets: I'd love to know all about them

Garden and Hobbies: What type of gardening and/or hobbies?

Like being tagged in things: If so what kinds of things?

*Asks are sent for fun, no pressure to answer.

This is a great way to meet, thanks! :D

Self, Job/Work: I'm happy to receive asks, but I may be vague about certain answers if I think I need to be. That said, I'm usually pretty open book.

Fandom stuff:

I do like Tolkien, The Hobbit, Bagginshield, and LOTR. I don't really have strong opinions on ships and will consume whatever floats my interest for that fandom. (Haven't gotten into Silmarillion yet.)

Although I have seen quite a bit of Sherlock, I wouldn't consider myself an active member of the fandom. I would passively consume it if I happened upon it.

Other fandoms I'm into would be Big Wolf on Campus, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Revolutionary Girl Utena, The Almighty Johnsons, Sailor Moon, Young Hercules... Critical Role (tho I'm very behind in C3). Probably others I can't think of right now.

OC's, art/drawing, their writing, blog specific only: Happy to get asks about any of the above. I don't draw much lately so I haven't really posted art to tumblr, but I don't mind drawing things from time to time. I recently bought a tablet I need to figure out. I used to write a lot. I'm still recovering from burnout on that, but I'm sure I'll pick it up again. I have some fanvids up. I do have sideblogs (see my pinned post) but I wouldn't be upset if you asked my main about a topic one of the sideblogs handles.

Story snippets ideas and prompts: Always happy to receive.

Pets: Sure! I have two black cats.

Garden and Hobbies: I don't garden, but I guess I have hobbies. I play video games, and I'm in a competitive club in a really cute mobile app game (we were global #1 in the last club event). I run fandom spaces on Facebook and Discord. In theory, I write fiction. I do video edits occasionally. I hoard media. I've been reading a lot this year (physical books). I do some volunteer stuff here and there.

Like being tagged in things: Love being tagged in tag games/ask games/etc., picrews and the like, or on any fandom things you think I'd like. :)

[friendly-books]

Dresden files Blood Rites live blog

Blood Rites live blog

“The building was on fire and it wasn’t my fault” pg. 11 Ha and I highly doubt that 

Puppies!

Thomas!

“If so, it's a sloppy one. But strong as hell.” pg. 24 Ha Harry being critical of other people doing magic 

“Thomas was an annoying wiseass who tended to make everyone he met want to kill him, and when I have that much in common with someone, I can’t help but like him a little” pg. 30 Ha

“He was at Bianca’s masquerade. Only he was alive back then.” pg. 42 It all comes back to that party

Justine! 

“Since I’d stolen him from Justin DuMorne, my own personal Darth Vader” pg. 62 So Bob belonged to Justin before Harry?

“I don’t expect you to under-“ pg. 77 Ouch Murph 

“He was tall and built like a statue of Hercules” pg. 86 Bi Harry 15

“His face didn’t match the Olympian body” pg. 86 Bi Harry 16

“You always a wiseass?” “No sometimes I’m sleep” pg. 86 Ha

I like Jake 

I like Joan Dallas 

Harry you’re broke, how are you going to pay Kincaid?

“Every time I thought I had gotten through my orphan baggage, something like this came up” pg. 137  aw Harry :( 

I like Inari 

“The next time I saw Thomas, I was going to punch him right in the nose” pg. 153 Ha

“I hit him solidly in the nose with my right fist” pg. 173 Ha

“Empty Night,” she murmured, her tone one of someone speaking an oath” pg. 177 Strange curse word. Why are the first two words capitalized? None of the other curse words are. And none are described as speaking an oath there’s something here 

“Don’t feel bad. I cleverly concealed my identity as Harry the Production Assistant” pg. 177 Ha 

Thomas and Lara casually discussing patricide 

Why would Lara shoot Thomas? they’re siblings 

“So that the next time you start talking I can shoot your wise ass” pg. 186 Ha 

Inari why did you attack Harry he’s trying to help

Inari doesn’t know?!? What a rude awakening to the supernatural with Black Court vampires

“By an entire frozen turkey. A twenty ponder”

“For my next trick anvils” pg. 200 Ha 

Cool that Harry is using his amulet as a symbol of faith 

 “Thomas writhed sinuously” pg. 201 Bi Harry 17

“He was better looking than Thomas” pg. 218 Bi Harry 18

“He didn’t have Thomas beat when it came to smiles. Thomas’s grin had so much life to it was practically sentient” pg. 222 Bi Harry 19

Inari you ok there? Maybe back away from Harry 

“Our mother” pg. 247 Way to drop that bombshell Thomas

“Sank my teeth into his arm” pg. 248 Ha

“You mean he feeds his own” pg. 250 Papa Raith just as bad as Nic. Why was Margaret friends with these people? Did she know what  they did to their kids? Margret needed better friends. This circle of friends is a bad influence 

“I never celebrated Christmas as a kid, after my dad died. It hurt too much. Hell it still hurt too much. But if I had a real family, then maybe things could change” pg. 254 Don’t worry Harry you’ll get a brother and two kids 

Harry’s mom?!?

“He took it, and I drew my brother to his feet” pg. 265 Aw 

Are Bob and Harry friends? I can’t tell with Harry threatening to smash Bob’s skull

“Not now kitten” pg. 276 Well it was nice knowing you Kincaid 

“I took a small but prudent step back from them” pg. 277 Ha Glad to see Harry have some self preservation 

Kincaid keeps digging his grave deeper and deeper 

“It doesn’t count as chivalrous courtesy if you’re only doing it to a wiseass” pg. 279 Ha

Why can’t Harry do the sunshine handkerchief? 

 “Turns out that you’ve got to be genuinely happy to be able to fold sunshine into a hankie” pg. 287 Sobbing 

So the three ex wives did it for the money

“I have a bad habit of turning into a real wiseass when someone makes me nervous. It’s just a reflex” pg. 300 Ha 

No Emma :( 

“That talent had been refined by the harsh lessons of life and even harsher lessons of Justin DeMorne” pg. 331 Justin sucks! Boo hiss 

Ebenezar! 

I love that Ebenezar calls Harry “Hoss”

“You in over your head? It’s as if you’re too stubborn to know when to run” pg. 332 Ha

I love Ebenezar and Harry’s relationship it’s nice that Harry has at least one person he looks up to, respects, and cares about him

Aw Harry made his staff similar to Ebenezar’s

“Look, buddy, you’re scaring the kids” pg. 339 aw Harry :(

Murph in a dress :)

“I must have been feeling suicidal, because I took a step forward and placed myself in the middle of anger stares” pg. 346 At least Harry acknowledges his less than normal self preservation intentions��

“And this is Rich. My second husband” pg. 347 No! :0

Why is Rich married to Murph younger sister? He’s seriously older than her and why would he marry his ex-wife’s sister? Just why?

“Will you take care of my daughter?” “Yes, ma’ am. Of course I will” pg. 356 Sobbing 

“Murphy’s gym bag thumped onto the ground and she stared at me with her mouth open” “What?” I asked “Sir?” she said her voice incredulously” pg. 358 Ha 

“I sort of like him” pg. 372 Yay? Kincaid likes Harry 

“Justin DuMorne had taught me how to do magic. But it was Ebenezar who had taught me why” pg. 376 Cool 

Harry really respects Ebenezar. He stands up to Kincaid 

“Blazing anger had gotten me into way too many bad situations” pg. 375 Ha 

“Be vewy vewy quiet. We’re hunting vampires” pg. 378 Ha

“My dick is bigger than your dick” pg. 379 Ha

“Why do they sell hotdogs in packages of ten but hot dog buns come in packages of eight” pg. 382 Ha 

Well the vampires made the mistake of in-dangering kids 

 “I had already met my quota for burning down public infrastructure this week” pg. 403 Ha

Oh no the bad guys have flamethrowers 

Oh no Harry’s hand 

“I was sending it back to the kitchen anyway. I ordered it medium well” pg. 415 Ha

Ebenezar and Harry fighting :(

Justine’s alive!

Cool that Harry used his staff as a lance

Oh no Murph 

“I’d been in a few caves that were headquarters for dark magic and those who trafficked in it. None of them had been warm. None of them had been pleasant. And none of them had been professionally decorated. Until now” pg. 493 Ha

“Leave me alone, Mister Dresden” pg. 502 oh Murph isn’t mind controlled 

“What can I say, inspiring anger is my gift” pg. 504 Ha

He Who Walks Behind is here 

“Hell’s holy stars and freaking stones shit bells” pg. 514 My thoughts exactly 

Cool that Harry used keys to attack Raith

Awesome that Harry used Lara as a cat’s paw

“Clearly I underestimated you” I said  “Don’t feel bad I mean I look stupid” pg. 525 Ha 

Ivy mention! 

Lash mention I was wondering if she’d show up in this book

“Hey, why did you get large breed Puppy Chow?” pg. 551 Ha 

Final thoughts 

I thought this book was funny. There was so much Bi Harry in this book even without Marcone. Up to 19 on the Bi Harry counter. Sadly no Marcone, why is there so little of him in books. I’m sad that Harry and Ebenezar fought, hopefully they can make up. Nicky, Papa Raith, and Justin DuMorne can all go jump off a cliff in my opinion. I love Thomas and Harry’s relationship. I liked Kincaid and the Ivy mention. I hope to see more of Lash in the next book. I loved Mouse. Rich needs to back up and I’d like to meet him in the parking lot for a chat. I thought the fights were cool. Can’t wait to see what He Who Walks Behind brings to the story. On to the next book.

[onetruefool]

God I wish I was on tumblr in the 90s. Superwholock has NOTHING on XBX (Xena Buffy X Files. Hercules is in there too under the Xena fandom)

[musicfeedsmysoul12]

Here’s a quick blurb I also have as a ‘meet the staff’ thing for the Astoria stuff. It was done because I wanted to try and write them in a fun way. It’s not good but you meet the ocs, and kind of get a vibe.

I think a part of this was also ‘hey I’m gonna pair up all the love interests’ to actually… I have to dig more for the notes. It also has references to Havenfall and others because Lovestruck liked to have crossovers to!

Meet the Staff

Melody jogged into the elevator, feeling her heart beating pretty fast from her jog through HERA’s lobby. The selkie adjusted her jacket and gave a grin to her companion in the elevator.

“Hey Mandy, what’s up?” Amanda, or Mandy, was a fellow worker in the same office as Melody. The freckled redhead had moved to New York from Ireland as a kid thanks to her mother being a werewolf who had found a mate in New York’s bigger pack. Mandy wasn’t a werewolf but was very knowledgeable about the various supernatural which came in hand at HERA.

“Mum’s having a new baby and she wants ta maybe turn me.” Mandy’s accent was deeper then normal- probably had been turning these thoughts over for a while.

“Well damn. You going to?” asked Melody.

“Dinnae know.” Mandy sighed. “Big choice ta do.” Melody nodded and was mostly silent as they went to their floor. It wasn’t like Mandy to be pensive. The woman usually was joking and teasing people. But she was very thoughtful as they rode the elevator. It was strange.

When they got to their floor, Suzan was waiting in the elevator lobby. Suzan was another employee in their office, and she did not get along with Melody. Everyone agreed it was probably because they were rivals for the agent track part of the company and both desperately wanted to be an agent.

“Oi, Conners. Need the report on that incident last week. Another happened and it’s on my desk.” said Suzan, the woman shoving her princess curls out of her face with a scowl. Melody did not ask why she had the hair if she hated it and scowled back.

“Seriously? I handed it over to Code Black when we figured out it was random imps doing it. That’s their division.” Suzan shrugged and Melody sighed.

“It’s in my top drawer, let’s go and get it.” Mandy walked off, a grin slowly forming on her face. Melody watched that with a mental groan.

At least she was acting like herself.

Walking through the office, Melody took a moment to say hello to their intern, Billy. Billy was a young Australian whose mother had been part of HERA much like Melody’s own mother. They had even died the same day, and Melody considered Billy to be under her wing due to this. The nerdy boy awkwardly shoved his glasses up his nose as he returned the greeting before running off to intercept Lucy the bike messenger who always delivered stuff to their floor. She had no idea what went on and no one wanted her to get a glimpse of anything she shouldn’t.

Melody got out the file from the week before to hand it over to Suzan who took it with a nod and walked off as Clara Dupain sighed, loudly.

“Why am I on Hercules duty this week?” the French woman asked loudly as she undid her bun and began redoing it,her normal way of saying she was annoyed with something.

“I ain’t bloody doing it!” Jeff called out from his own cubicle, the Englishman standing up and pointing dramatically. “He already hit on my wife-”

“Sit down.” his wife told him. Candice rolled her eyes at her husband’s posturing. “He did not hit on me. He’s an asshole but he was more interested in my arms rather than my assets you idiot.”

“But love-”

“Shut up Jeff.” the entire office said, the most common response to his theatrics.

“Fine, since you all say so.” He sat down and pouted dramatically while May snickered from her seat next to Melody.

“Never a dull moment.”

[caelumsthelimit]

LESBIAN DIVORCE

YEAH OKAY SO. Flattery Mckinley and Niq Nyong’o from the georgias are commonly imagined as wives and kind of persistently happy and conflictless no matter what happens and while there’s nothing wrong with their common interp i wanted to make it more interesting!!! so anyways in this version, Niq drowns on a research mission and ends up at Atlantis where it makes her the first reality anchor in order to keep the city from falling apart post-Poseidon’s death. The city keeps her just alive enough to serve this function meaning she’s essentially undead. At first this doesn’t bother her, she meet Flattery falls in love and they get married, the two of them do their science-y thing together for a while, but eventually Niq begins to notice just how many non-native Atlanteans are some form of undead, and begins to start doing research on it. When the Georgias return to Blaseball, Niq joins due to the tales of necromancy, and convinces Flattery to join too- without telling her why which causes a big argument between them, but they make up with Flattery making Niq promise not to get hurt in her research.

When Hercules dies she’s devastated, as any good captain would be, and throws herself even harder into finding more about necromancy and new ways to do it. It’s unclear, however, how much of that is *actually* for Herc and how much is just an excuse to dive deeper. And then Dickerson comes and he has a Squiddish ring which Niq takes immense interest in, suddenly Morse finds himself placed under the eye of the umpires more and more often during solar eclipse games.

It all culminates when Niq meets Nanci Grackle and comes up with a plan to purposely get killed and resurrected, but she doesn’t even tell Flattery. So when Niq dies, Flattery is devastated. Sure, they didn’t really support how intense her research was getting but they still loved her! And so they mourn her for seasons until one day they see in the election results- she’s back! They’re so happy that it barely even crosses their mind that she might have wanted this. But next time the Pies play the Georgias Niq completely brushes her concern about all the Season 24 stuff off- her plan worked, she knows how the fans do necromancy now! which means it doesn’t matter who Parker kills if Niq wants them back they’ll come back! She’s so nonchalant about it that Flattery finally realizes it. When she asks Niq says of course the incin was on purpose she planned that for months! Flattery is of course horrified and angry and then they don’t get to talk again until the black hole swallows everything and Flattery has years to stew in the Vault :) needless to say when everyone is released the first thing Flattery does is file for divorce!

[stereax]

how does rfa work? what options does timo have if he chooses not to sign with the devils?

hey anon! that's a good question - UFAs, or unrestricted free agents, are pretty simple in that they can go to whatever team they want as long as they're not under contract, but RFAs (restricted free agents) are a little trickier to get. let's talk! (gonna put it under the cut so people who don't care about the contracts part of the game don't have to hercules scroll to get past this.)

so RFAs are basically defined as Not UFAs and Not Entry Level - so not rookies in their first 1-3 years in the NHL, but also younger than 27 or without 7 NHL years under their belt. Timo, being 26, can declare UFA status next year. crucially, this means that if he doesn't like NJ, he can sign a one year deal and then leave the next year (which basically means we would have traded for one year and some of Timo).

now Timo's got this weird contract where it's really backstacked. his base salaries for the 4 years of it were 700k, 700k, 4m, and 10m. with signing bonuses, 4m, 4m, 6m, 10m. this works both against and for us. his qualifying offer is 10m because of the backstack taking the last year of the contract. so here are the options we have:

Fitz negotiates a contract with Timo (8? 8.5?) for however long. the longer the better to keep him under team control, as, if Timo wants a 2-3 year deal, then he becomes a UFA and we can't control if he stays or goes, which means we have to pay him more money later if he decides to stay (because he can say "well Calgary will give me 9.5" or something like that). Fitz will NOT negotiate a one year contract with Timo... because

Timo's agent is probably smarter than that. here's how QOs work: Fitz has to offer the QO which is 100% of Timo's last-year salary (10m) if they can't get a deal done, else Timo is allowed to walk as a UFA. so if Timo doesn't want to stay in NJ long-term and just wants to cash out, he's going to push for Fitz to have to QO him.

but if Timo really doesn't want to stay, another team can offer sheet him. so he doesn't accept the QO, talks to another team (let's say Calgary again), and Calgary says "we'll pay you 11m to come here". Fitz then gets 7 days to decide if Calgary can take him or if he's going to match that. if he matches, Timo stays with NJ for 11m for one year. if not, Timo goes to Calgary. but but but! offer sheets don't come without a price. depending on the AAV, Calgary will have to pay a massive fee of draft picks. if the offer sheet is under 10m AAV Fitz is going to match because of the QO thing. if it's above, there's a breakpoint. see, there are "tiers" of offer sheet AAVs and each has a different draft pick compensation. up to 10.5ishM is two firsts, a second, and a third. above 10.5ishM is FOUR firsts. so if Calgary goes under that number (which any team probably will), Fitz would probably match it. if someone goes nuts and goes above it, Fitz will likely let Timo walk because FOUR firsts.

another possibility: Timo and Fitz go to arbitration. this very basically means that they talk to an arbitrator who listens to both sides and sets a salary. generally when arbitration is filed it doesn't actually reach arbitration, it's usually a tactic to stop the possibility of offer sheets (although they're super uncommon anyways) and push for more time to figure things out and get the contract. but if it actually hits arbitration, then - okay. so either Timo or Fitz can say "fuck this we arbitrate". if Fitz says that, he MUST honor the arbitration agreement and sign Timo to that amount. if Timo says it, Fitz can still decide whether or not he agrees to the amount (if not, Timo goes UFA). the issue is that the team can't ask for more than a 15% pay cut. Timo's current salary is 10M. I'm not sure if it's AAV or the last year's salary, but if it's last year's, it means they will have to pay at LEAST 8.5M if they hit arbitration. so they don't really want to do that, because Fitz pinches pennies and is pitching for an 8Mish deal. (I assume Fitz is telling Timo 8Mish and Timo's looking for 9Mish long-term, unless Timo's not sold on NJ.)

the last possibility is that Fitz trades Timo. which he can do, because Timo is still an RFA. this is why the whole "we can still get a first-round draft pick" thing has people worried, because Fitz can flip Timo for a first-rounder in this draft (and probably more too). most, if not all, of the teams in the top 15ish of the draft (I've heard the draft class thins considerably after 15 or so and I doubt Fitz trades Timo for the 30th pick in the draft) aren't going to want Timo over their draft pick as they're in rebuild mode and Timo won't fit their window. the one possibility I could MAYBE see would be Buffalo - Buffalo is entering a contention window, might not need the 12th draft pick if they decide to push their chips in and push for a wildcard spot next year (reminder that they were only like 2 points off from being in the playoffs). Buffalo's biggest issue isn't forwards though, it's goalies. so like, unless they put Timo in pads and make Akira teach him to save... idk. I doubt it. but yeah, since we still have Timo's rights, if he says "I'm definitely not coming back here, you broke my nose in the playoffs and I'm traumatized" or whatever have you, Fitz will have to trade him or force him into arbitration (and the latter probably won't make him thrilled to be here). I doubt we trade Timo, though.

what I expect to happen is that Timo signs for an ~8.5M AAV deal. I really expect a longer-term deal from this because if Timo wants to get out, again, he can sign his QO for one year, cash in for a hefty 10M, and get out when he UFAs. recall his agent is Claude Lemieux, though, and Lemieux won 2 of his 3 Stanley Cups with us (and the third because we traded him to Colorado). I'm not saying that Lemieux is gonna go team friendly because we got him Stanley Cup wins, but I am saying that Lemieux is probably on very good terms with the Devils organization, doesn't need a massive payday from this deal, and is likely enough to be nicer to us than, say, Joakim Persson (Bratt's agent) who doesn't have repeated interactions with the Devils and is really pushing for a good deal so he can attract more clients.

but that's just a theory, a stereax theory :)

(also, any and all references to Calgary are entirely fictional, I doubt Calgary is interested in him lol)

let me know if this helps, anon!!! and if I have something wrong, feel free to correct me :)

[truthlassoed]

          ❝ i’m willing to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. ❞

« adria arjona, 5,000 (immortal), she/her, dc comics » ∙∙ loading case file for diana prince. known aliases, if any: wonder woman. current location: new york, new york.  current occupation: museum curator. she is known to be compassionate and unyielding, so proceed with caution. their current alliance: civilian. penned by ree. ©

GENERAL DETAILS.

full name: diana of themyscira (birth), diana prince (civilian). nickname(s): di, princess diana. name meaning: "divine." age: 5,000 years old. date of birth: march 22nd. place of birth: island of themyscira. race: amazonian. gender and species: cis woman, demigoddess. pronouns: she/her/hers. sexual orientation: bisexual, with a preference for women. romantic orientation: biromantic. religion: hellenism. occupation: museum curator, princess of themyscira. education level: masters in art history from columbia. living arrangements: a penthouse apartment in manhattan. speaking voice and accent: very diplomatic and proper. the amazons have their own accent but she’s developed more of an american one from living in the states. spoken languages: she is omnilingual and can speak multiple languages.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE, ETC.

faceclaim: adria arjona. hair color and style: wavy waist-length black hair. eye color: blue. height: 5′10". weight: 132 lbs. body and build: slender and athletic frame with a well-toned yet muscular build. tattoos: none. piercings: both ear lobes. clothing style: classic and elegant looks with a lot of monochrome colors. her taste in jewelry is sophisticated yet chic. distinguishing characteristics: defined cheekbones, freckles under her eyes. signature scent: amouage honour 43 fragrance.

HEALTH.

sleeping habits: tries to go to sleep before 11 pm every night, but will sometimes stay up late watching the cooking network. eating habits: a lot of greens: salads, vegetables, and legumes. she is a vegetarian and rarely eats dairy products. sociability: diana seems to garner attention wherever she goes. rarely does she need to seek out conversations with others as they usually come to her. she is a very sociable and respected woman in many circles. addictions: n/a. drug abuse: n/a. alcohol use: will have a glass of wine every so often but nothing excessive.

PERSONALITY.

label(s): the god killer, the independent woman, the soiled dove, the animal lover, beware the nice one, heart of gold, the amaranth, the heroine. positive traits: compassionate, honest, intelligent, generous, resilient. negative traits: stubborn, opinionated, naïve, unyielding, competitive. astrology: aries. personality type: enfj. moral alignment: neutral good. hogwarts house: gryffindor. element: air. primary vice: pride. primary virtue: kindness. weather: sunny days. color: red. music: marina. movie: roman holiday. book: little women. beverage: pinot noir. food: ice cream. animal: owl. season: spring.

FAMILY.

mother: hippolyta, queen of the amazons. father: zeus, king of the gods of olympus. significant other: n/a. best friend: lois lane, artemis (on themyscira). exes: steve trevor (deceased). sibling(s): jason (twin brother), ares (half-brother), eris (half-sister), hercules (half-brother, deceased). children: n/a. extended family: antiope (aunt, deceased), cassie sandsmark (neice), the gods of olympus. pet(s): n/a.

short bio: as a young girl, diana was told stories of how she was molded from clay and brought to life by the greek gods to be a leader for her people. born on the island of themyscira comprised entirely of female warriors, they looked to her for guidance and strength in times of hardship. several thousand years later, diana was called upon to be their representative to aid men in their war against each other. it was then that the princess learned of the true heritage her mother had kept secret from her for so long. she was in fact the daughter of zeus, hidden for centuries to shield her from the wrath of his wife, hera. though angered at this discovery, she fulfilled her duties in man’s world and fought to end world wars i & ii before going into hiding. diana made a promise to herself that she would no longer interfere in the affairs of men. unless, of course, a time would come when she had no choice.

[sandycookie]

Spoilers for the first chapter of Jack the Ripper Case Files (and maybe RoR too? Though if you are reading that I would assume you’ve read a fair amount of RoR)

Initially, I was a bit worried as I was reading the first chapter. I thought that it would turn out ‘Jack’ was some sort of weird ass and misunderstood vigilante or something. Or a weird retcon of Jack the Ripper’s story. Even after the fight with the actual Jack the Ripper, there was still an odd feeling I had that I couldn’t shake off.

But that twist at the end? Blew me away. It’s so cool how ‘Jack’ merely took up that name, and it also explains why there’s a ton of men when we see the people he killed back during his backstory. I loved Jack va Hercules, it’s my favorite fight, but it was always a little odd to me how the author chose Jack the Ripper as the paragon of human evil. Sure, the actual murderer was an evil mf in my opinion, but in terms of even serial killers there are far worse IMO. Ted Bundy, the creepy clown guy in America whatever his name is, etc. There are plenty of other people with way bigger body counts than JR’s. In terms of serial killers, 5 seems to be on the lower end. (and I was surprised he didn’t use Hitler or some other notorious mass dictator killer like Pol Pot). But that ‘Jack’ is truly a Mr. Anonymous (and it adds a whole new layer of context to the anon mask he wore before the fight) who killed JR and more, that’s fucking wonderful. You don’t need to read Case Files for ‘Jack’, as he still works even under the context of being the ‘actual’ JR, but this explains so much and I just love it. Dude’s still pretty bad (he kills for his own pleasure and art), and the best part is that he still has humanity (giving Sofie money for a wet newspaper and a heap of it after he killed JR).

[youthfill]

rules.

ACTIVITY :  roleplaying is a hobby and i have a regular 7-4 job throughout the week, so please do not expect me to be here 24/7. my activity is almost always spotty so i very much operate on an “i’ll be and write here when i can” mindset when it comes to roleplaying. this blog may not always be the only blog i run, so i try to split what free time i have between here and my other muses.

MUTUALS ONLY :  pretty self - explanatory. if we are not following each other, then we will not be writing with each other either. sometimes it takes me a while to check on new followers, so give me at least 3 days to follow you back.

if we were mutuals once upon a time and aren’t any more, please try not to take it to heart. a lot of things have changed over here along with myself and i’m just trying to enjoy writing here better.

FOLLOWING / UNFOLLOWING :  if you’re taking the time to go through a rules page then you already know the usual things any decent person would put in here — no misogynists, no queerphobes, no terfs/transphobes, no racists, no radfems. and as plainly stated in my pinned, no goddamn zionists. in general, just don’t be a horrible person and we’ll be fine.

DUPLICATES :  if you write or plan to write hebe too, that’s great ! but please do not expect me to follow back, and i ask that you don’t follow and / or stalk this blog either. this applies to all interpretations of hebe. i will not hesitate to block you when i find out, and the same goes for stealing from me. multi-muses that have her are up for debate.

i also will not write with duplicates of muses i write on my other single / solo blogs. please check my pinned post to see which muses this applies to.

PORTRAYAL :  my portrayal of hebe takes inspiration from greek mythology, but she is based within the (technically modern) kaos universe. considering the show was unfortunately cancelled however, the world-building for it is partially mine too. i will definitely be mentioning and alluding to several events from the myths because i do consider these as part of her life as well, there will just be tweaks here and there to make them fit outside of the myth setting.

WRITING :  i am slow at replying im- and thread - wise for various reasons, but just because i take long doesn’t mean i don’t want to write with you! life just gets in the way and i think we can all understand that. i do tend to drop threads and delete memes from my inbox if i feel like they’ve been there for too long, but i’m always up for starting new things.

SHIPPING :  i will acknowledge herakles/hercules as hebe's husband (as i acknowledge their sons as well), but if you write him, you're not obligated to ship with me romantically if you don't want to. i do ships mainly based on chemistry and plotting, and i don’t just mean romantic shipping; i want all kinds of shipping ranging from love to hate and everything in between. hebe is bisexual.

MAINS / EXCLUSIVES :  i may have my mains but i don’t do exclusives. i could do verse exclusives and maybe even ship exclusives if we talked about it, but i don’t generally do the “i only follow and write with x person’s version of this muse,” so please don’t ask me. the maximum amount of muse duplicates i’ll have listed as a main is three.

NSFW :  i am of age and while i don’t really write smut, i'm sort of open to it. most likely not as threads and just as memes sent in to me or memes i’ll be sending in to others. that being said, however, none of that is happening in threads where she’s a teenager. other possibly triggering topics will be tagged accordingly as ‘trigger tw’ (i.e. eating disorder tw).

MISCELLANEOUS :  basically other important points that i can’t file under a specific category lol

do not follow me if you use any known abusers as a faceclaim (i.e. johnny depp, jonathan majors, shia labeouf, brad pitt - yes i do believe they hit the women who’ve brought cases against them and that they’re just shitty people in general, domestic abuse “aside.” please actually take the time to look into those cases beyond viral tiktoks and misogynistic fanbases) and/or any actors known to hold side-eye worthy views as a faceclaim. no exceptions.

i don’t usually interact with ‘like to stay mutuals’ posts - unless i break the mutual myself, i am very much interested in remaining mutuals with you.

if i block or softblock you, it is what it is. just accept it and move on.

i am not affiliated with cailee spaeny or the kaos writers in any way or form.

[marveldcnerdys]

Shazam (Billy Batson)

Shazam: From Mythical Wizard to Superhero Powerhouse

The word "Shazam" immediately conjures images of lightning bolts, superpowers, and a timeless phrase that has become iconic in the world of comic books and cinema. Originally introduced as a magical incantation that transforms a young boy into a powerful superhero, Shazam has evolved over the years, becoming one of the most intriguing and beloved characters in the DC Comics pantheon. The story of Shazam is both a tale of enduring appeal and a testament to the evolution of comic book storytelling.

Origins of Shazam: A Brief History

Shazam made his debut in 1939 under the name “Captain Marvel” in Whiz Comics #2, published by Fawcett Comics. Created by artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker, Captain Marvel was one of the most popular superheroes of the Golden Age of Comics. At the height of his popularity in the 1940s, Captain Marvel was even outselling Superman, the original superhero, which was no small feat. The character was a massive commercial success, with Captain Marvel stories blending humor, action, and fantasy, attracting readers of all ages.

Captain Marvel’s origins are steeped in mysticism and mythology. In the story, Billy Batson, a young orphan boy, is granted powers by the ancient wizard Shazam. By speaking the wizard’s name, Billy is transformed into an adult superhero with powers derived from six legendary figures: the wisdom of Solomon, strength of Hercules, stamina of Atlas, power of Zeus, courage of Achilles, and speed of Mercury. Together, these attributes make him one of the most formidable heroes in the DC Universe. Each letter in "Shazam" represents one of these mythological heroes, making his powers a unique blend of ancient virtues.

The Trademark Conflict with Marvel

Despite Captain Marvel’s popularity, a legal battle ensued that would impact the character’s future. In 1953, DC Comics, then known as National Comics Publications, filed a lawsuit against Fawcett Comics, claiming that Captain Marvel was a copy of Superman. After years of litigation, Fawcett ultimately ceased publishing Captain Marvel in 1953. This left a void in the character’s presence, and he faded from popular culture for nearly two decades.

Meanwhile, in 1967, Marvel Comics capitalized on the opportunity to trademark the name “Captain Marvel” for their own character. This meant that, when DC eventually acquired the rights to Fawcett’s Captain Marvel in 1972, they could not market the character under that name. Instead, DC reintroduced the hero under the title Shazam!, the magic word Billy Batson speaks to become Captain Marvel. Despite the new branding, many fans continued to call the character Captain Marvel, leading to some confusion that persists even today.

The Transformation of Shazam

DC Comics gradually embraced “Shazam” as the character's official name, particularly after relaunching the character in 2011 as part of the New 52 reboot. Geoff Johns, a renowned writer in the DC universe, played a significant role in this reimagining. In his updated origin story, Shazam was portrayed as a younger, edgier Billy Batson, a foster child who is initially skeptical of the people around him. His transformation into Shazam represents not only a physical change but a journey of personal growth and responsibility.

In the New 52 storyline, Johns introduced the concept of the “Shazam Family,” where Billy’s foster siblings also gain powers when he shares his abilities with them. This team of “Shazam-ified” family members added depth to the character's mythos and underscored the importance of family and teamwork. This reinvention was well-received by fans, and it laid the groundwork for further developments in both the comics and the character’s adaptation to the big screen.

Shazam in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU)

In 2019, Shazam! received a major live-action film adaptation, directed by David F. Sandberg and starring Zachary Levi as Shazam and Asher Angel as Billy Batson. The movie was notable for its lighthearted and humorous tone, a refreshing departure from the darker films in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) like Man of Steel or Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Instead of focusing solely on action and grandiose battles, Shazam! explored themes of family, identity, and the challenges of growing up. The film’s humor resonated with audiences, and it received generally positive reviews from critics and fans alike.

In the movie, the character of Billy Batson is depicted as a street-smart teenager who stumbles upon the ancient wizard Shazam, played by Djimon Hounsou. By saying “Shazam,” Billy is transformed into a fully grown superhero with various superpowers, although he must learn to harness them. The film portrays Billy’s journey of self-discovery as he learns the value of family with his new foster siblings. This aspect of the story gives Shazam a heartwarming dimension, making him relatable as he grapples with typical adolescent insecurities and the enormous responsibility of being a superhero.

What Sets Shazam Apart from Other Superheroes?

One of the defining traits of Shazam is the character’s dual identity: a child who transforms into an adult superhero. This concept allows for a unique storytelling approach, exploring how a child might handle the powers and responsibilities of a godlike figure. Shazam’s powers may rival those of Superman, but his youthful alter-ego makes him fundamentally different in terms of perspective, approach, and personality.

The idea of an “inner child” manifesting as a superhero resonates with audiences because it taps into a universal theme: the desire to be something greater than ourselves while retaining our core identity. In a sense, Shazam speaks to the childlike wonder in all of us, capturing the imagination of both young readers and nostalgic adults. This is one of the reasons Shazam has remained a beloved character across generations.

The Future of Shazam

The character of Shazam has continued to evolve, with a sequel, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, released in 2023, which further explored the dynamics of the Shazam Family and introduced new mythological threats. In this sequel, Billy and his family face off against formidable adversaries, deepening the lore and the stakes for Shazam in the DCEU.

Looking forward, Shazam's place in the evolving DC Universe remains promising. With James Gunn and Peter Safran overseeing a rebooted cinematic universe at DC Studios, fans are eager to see how Shazam will fit into the larger tapestry of superhero narratives. The character’s humor, heart, and blend of mythological elements make him a versatile figure who could complement a variety of stories within the DCEU.

Shazam in Pop Culture and Beyond

Shazam's cultural impact extends beyond comics and films. His catchphrase has become a part of everyday vernacular, often used to signify a sudden transformation or burst of energy. Moreover, Shazam’s core concept — a child transforming into a hero by uttering a magic word — has inspired numerous adaptations, parodies, and homages in various media.

In addition to his appearances in comic books and movies, Shazam has been featured in animated series, video games, and merchandise, further cementing his status as a pop culture icon. His story serves as a reminder of the enduring power of myths, as it draws upon legends from different cultures to create a unique and empowering narrative.

Conclusion

Shazam is more than just a superhero with lightning-fast powers and godlike strength; he is a symbol of courage, resilience, and the importance of family. His journey from a young, homeless boy to a member of a powerful superhero family embodies the essence of hope and transformation. Over the decades, Shazam has adapted to the changing landscape of comic books, films, and popular culture, proving his lasting appeal and relevance.

Whether he’s being called Captain Marvel or Shazam, the character’s legacy remains intact, bridging generations of fans. As Shazam continues to evolve, he reminds us that true power lies not just in strength, but in the wisdom, courage, and heart that define a hero. And that’s a message that will keep echoing every time someone shouts, Shazam!

[rastronomicals]

9:47 AM EDT July 4, 2024:

Pink Floyd - "The Massed Gadgets Of Hercules" From the bootleg BBC Archives 1967 - 1969 (December 2009)

Last song scrobbled from iTunes at Last.fm

File under:    The Sticky, Partly-Melted Edges of Psychedelic Pop     

[badwasabi]

I swear, this picture will be relevant.

I'm reading a sci Fi Kindle book with a moderately interesting plot.*

Despite the writer's best efforts.

In the intro, here's a mercenary recruiting scene in a school. Right after the teacher introduced the speaker (as required by law);

The door to the classroom opened and another woman walked in A couple of inches shorter than Mrs. Addams, she had ultra-short black hair and deep-set, piercing gray eyes in a face so thin it was almost skeletal. She wore her dark blue Army uniform like plate armor. He only knew she was a woman by the slight swell of her breasts beneath her uniform shirt.

Okay, this is what Chuck palahannock Palahniuk calls "sign posting", IIRC. It's when a paragraph or whatever tells you the conclusion before building up to it.

Most people look at someone's face first. This usually gets them gender. If that doesn't work, then you usually look at the body. In this case it would make sense for the protagonist to look at her face and then her uniform, since he is obsessed with mercenary companies.

And it would also make sense for him to look at the chest because he's a teenager. I think, it works better if he doesn't gender the Major until after he notices the breasts. Or he's confused about it, then figures it out, which shows he's smart and inquisitive. And on a more nitpicking note, it seems a tad clinical to describe someone's breasts as a "swell". I don't think a kid would use that language, even a smart one. In fact, it sounds exactly like the language a writer would use. I think it would be better if the story simply mentioned that the protag looked at her chest, then concluded that she was a woman. Let the reader infer what he saw. Anyway, here's our hero, thinking about his best friend during a physical assessment at school.

You could describe Frank as a Greek god, and you wouldn't be doing Zeus or Hercules any disservice. He was just over six feet tall with a chiseled chin, and bright Delft-blue eyes under thick waves of dark brown hair.

How many readers are going to understand the reference to centuries old Delft china? Heck, the only reason I knew what it was is because I read it in another book. Why is the character thinking of pottery? If he's thinking of greco-Roman stuff, why doesn't he think of Greek blue? Okay, maybe this could work. Maybe his family owns some Delft. Maybe he saw it as a kid, and his mom sold it off to try and keep the company afloat. It would symbolize her betrayal, his shattered trust. Or it could be one of the few things he got to keep when the vultures swarmed over the carcass. It would be an ironic contrast to make something fragile, ornamental, and delicate represent a mercenary company. If I just read on... Nothing happens. There's no payoff.

But you're probably wondering why a mercenary recruiter is pitching to elementary school kids. In this universe Earth's leading export is mercenaries. They make so much money they pay a 50% tax rate which covers 90% of our tax base and many of them are still stinking rich millionaires. If they survive. The main character of this story is a young man who's the heir to one of the top four leading, legendary mercenary corporations. Ever since his dad died, his mom ran the company in trust for him. Until he turned 18. And learned that Mommy dearest had been running the company into the ground. She does a runner. He's left holding the bag. By the time the lawyers and lawsuits and legal processes get done the company is basically nothing but an office building and a name. Hence those vultures I mentioned. Our protagonist has to put the company into bankruptcy. Then he has to file for personal bankruptcy. After a few weeks of doing crappy online jobs to not die, it turns out there's a family trust of assets that his mom and the lawsuits couldn't touch.

It consists of a museum, with a lot of old military equipment. And a luxury apartment. And some of the company's employees. The whole things automated. Basically, he's loaded. This was hinted at. The protagonist did notice his family's yacht was missing. But that was it.

Our hero doesn't find it buried in the paperwork omehow, or follow the trail at great personal risk. He doesn't pass some secret trial. In fact, the guy running the place sends a lawyer to fetch him. And then he pretends not to recognize the protagonist so the protagonist has to identify himself. Just to mess with him. this is the closest thing to an actual challenge, and it's solved in about 30 seconds, and our boy had no other actual choice. Unless he wanted to get thrown out or bonked on the head. He didn't actually "earn" this stuff. He's spent the first 5th of the story like a kite in a hurricane. Functionally, he's just as rich as he would be if the mercenary company was still intact. Just without the actual mercenary company. Anyway, the dude shows the hero around the place and then shows him to his apartment.

He reached into a pocket and pulled something out – a stuffed toy. As fate would have it, this one was his favorite. Jim chuckled as he took it over and sat it on the windowsill facing the starport. The bright blue body and wings with multicolored mane and matching tail belied the ferocity of the little equine. Rainbow Dash didn't take shit from anyone.

Okay. Hold up. Back up. Where did this come from?

I know the intended symbolism is our protagonist has found a new home. But the story did not establish that the Rainbow Dash toy was a symbol of home. It did not establish the protagonist's love of old cartoons. This comes out of nowhere. When the protagonist packed up his few remaining possessions earlier, the story did not mention or imply he had any equine toys. This is also not "earned". He's a passive protagonist. I have the sneaking suspension that the writer just included it because he likes Rainbow Dash. By comparison, when a wacky sidekick character in one of the Stephanie Plum books mentions her favorite pone, I chuckled, because it fit her established character. Or the opening of Black Widow, when someone dramatically throws away a My Little Pony doll that symbolizes Nat's family. You know what would've been better? Delftware. Let's back up. In the story our protagonist family has a ranch. Unfortunately it gets taken in the lawsuits, and he isn't allowed to take anything expensive away from it.

So maybe he could sneak out the family pottery, and set it up in his new home when he feels safe. In fact, if there hasn't been another MLP reboot with has a new rainbow dash, the rainbow dash doll isn't a modern reproduction or re-release, it should be a priceless antique. You could just sub it in for the porcelain and not have to change anything else. Maybe it got taken by the lawsuits or sold by his mom, so he has to build a new, 3D printed one. Which would symbolize how he's rebuilding his family's legacy in his new home. Later on, it turns out he has a whole collection of little ponies. He even has an argument about it. Says he just likes 20th century stuff. Which is just more confusing. The MLP franchise started in 1986, but the description of rainbow dash's personality is the 21st century FIM version. The earliest RD came out in 2003, the generation before friendship is magic. He also has a Fluttershy, who was also first released in 2003. Gen 3, just like rainbow dash. If this was put in to appeal to MLP fans, shouldn't the writer have done some basic research? How could a big fan mix up the century? And for someone who likes a show about friendship, he hasn't had a single thought about his high school best friend since he graduated. Or any friends.

It still seems weird to introduce his ponies as a Significant Moment ™ and then show he likes centuries old cartoons. Why didn't this come up during the opening character development chapters, or when he visited his family estate, other than a vague mention of packing "memorabilia"? If he was packing ponies, and a cop was watching what he packed, why didn't the cop comment? Even a "aren't those for girls?" Or even just a snort. Something to make it significant. He wouldn't even need to explicitly identify it. Just some setup. Why didn't our protagonist remember how his mom thought the MLP toys weren't appropriate for a boy, but bought them anyway? He smiles at the memory, then remembers how she screwed him over, and stops smiling. Or remembers how he decided to buy any further toys himself. This gives it meaning. And develops his character. We don't even have to learn what the "memorabilia" is until he arrives at his new home. In the actual story, he lived in another home when he turned 18, and it said he packed up "a small collection of very precious stuffed animals." Minor problem; most MLP toys are hard plastic. If they're stuffed plushies, they've got even less of a chance of making it to the 2_th century. Unless these are some kind of reissue, or he bought a fan replica off space Etsy. In case anyone is wondering, examining other people's stuff like this helps me improve my own writing. In fact, writing this has helped me realise that I'm going to have to condense two chapters of my novel into one. * Well, I was, when I wrote this a year ago, and then sat on it. Needless to say, I did not finish the book.

[arthurdrakoni]

King Kirby tells the story of Jack Kirby, the many who invented almost the entire Marvel Comics universe. This is my review.

In many ways, comic books and audio dramas aren't as different as they might seem. Sure, comic books are very much a visual medium, whereas audio dramas are auditory oriented. However, both mediums are very much team efforts. Oh, you can make a comic or an audio drama all on your own. However, more often than not you get by with a little help from your friends. Of course, sometimes, much more so on the comics side of things, that means many people don’t get the credit they deserve. 

I bring this up because it ties into the audio drama that I recently reviewed: King Kirby. 

You may not have heard of Jack Kirby, but you're probably familiar with his work. Pretty much every major Marvel Comics character ever, besides Spider-Man and Doctor Strange, was first dreamed up Jack Kirby. But before he was the king of comics, he was just a kid from Brooklyn with big dreams. King Kirby follows the life and career of Jack Kirby, from his humble beginnings, to time serving in World War II, to his time at Marvel, and everything that followed.  

King Kirby started life as a stage play, created by Crystal Skillman and Fred Van Lente, for a theatre festival. It did fairly well, and it even became a New York Times Critic's Choice Pick, but the team wanted to bring it to a wider audience.  The play was funded via Kickstarter, and as a reward to the backers, the team recorded a reading of the play at Midtown Comics in Manhattan. So, they had the initial audio sitting around for a while before they got the idea to make it into an audio drama. So, Crystal and Fred hired Bobby Cronin to compose some music for the podcast. And thus, an audio drama was born.  

I suppose it's rather fitting that things worked out this way. Fred Van Lente has world on several comics including The Incredible Hercules and Action Philosophers. Crystal Skillman has written plays such as Rain and Zoe Save the World, Open, and Cut. By the way, that's three plays; Open and Cut are two separate plays. I got confused on this point when I was researching for this review, so I'm just putting that as a point of clarification. Also, the Marvel Comics version of Hercules is yet another Jack Kirby creation. He premiered in The Mighty Thor, also a Kirby creation.  

Conventional wisdom is that Stan Lee was the major creative force behind the creation of the Marvel Comics universe.  However, in more recent years, this narrative has come under greater scrutiny.  It is increasingly believed that Jack Kirby was the true driving force behind Marvel.  And I very pleased to see that Kirby is finally getting the credit that he was so long denied, and in such a fantastic audio drama as well.  There plenty of music and sound effects to give it that larger than life feel, as is befitting of an audio drama about the king of comic books.  The actors also give fantastic performances; they don’t attempt to sound like caricatures of the historical figures, but they’re at least ballpark correct, and give strong performances across the board.  

I kind of wish the audio drama had been a bit longer, and we’d gotten to see more of Kirby’s later life, but an audio drama has to stop somewhere.  And it does cover most of the major beats of Kirby’s life.  That, and the festival the original play was part of said that entry couldn’t go longer than seventy-five minutes.  

I always founded it to be a bit sad that Jack Kirby never lived to see the rise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  But maybe, in its own way, King Kirby will help raise awareness about the life of one truly marvelous man. 

Have you listen to King Kirby?  If so, what did you think? 

Link to the full review on my blog: https://drakoniandgriffalco.blogspot.com/2021/05/the-audio-file-king-kirby.html?m=1