#pretty fun issue actually

[thebibliomancer]

Essential Avengers: Avengers #301: SUPER NOVA UNBOUND!

March, 1989

BRAIN LEECHES?!

Do they leech on brains or are they leeches what are brains? Both? Neither?

Day 1 of the Fantastic Two being on the Avengers and they're still rocking the 4s.

Get with the program, Richardses.

I also see that Day 1 of this new Avengers roster and the Captain has returned to being Captain America and ditched the darker costume. Funny how things coincide.

Gilgamesh continues to look like Some Guy in the roster box. Geez, not even going to wear your crappy helmet to look less boring in the roster box? Where's your team spirit, ya dink?

Last times in Avengers: Under the influence of ominous sex dreams from Nebula, Dr Druid basically broke the Avengers. Thor wound up disbanding the team because there was nobody left to be on the team. Then Jarvis had an adventure. Then the Captain and a team of ad-hoc Avengers thwarted the High Evolutionary. Then Inferno happened. During Inferno, first an egg then a demon kidnapped Franklin Richards. The Captain teamed up with Mr Fantastic and Invisible Woman to save yon child. Also, Gilgamesh just showed up. And then they all met Thor. After beating up a lot of demons, the four decide to form a fantastic new Avengers team.

It ain't going to last so lets enjoy it while it does.

Simonson quit the book because he was told he wouldn't get to keep this roster. So this arc is written by Mark Gruenwald and Ralph Macchio. Some of our temporary writers before Byrne takes over the book in #305.

Hi, Thor.

Thor is dragging Hydrobase closer to Manhattan. Parking it right next to Liberty Island.

If Hydrobase is to be the Avengers' new, definitely permanent base, then it's going to need to be more accessible.

They've also just bought the entire island and renamed it Avengers Island. A concept that will later be revisited when Sunspot similarly throws around 'purchasing an island' money.

Mr Fantastic is even going to install a shuttle tube between the island and Battery Park.

This is going to be one sweet, artificial island superhero headquarters!

Let's enjoy it while it lasts!

Captain America is impressed with all these projects Mr Fantastic is helping with. But he also wonders whether Reed wants to be in charge.

ITS NOT AVENGERS IF THERES NOT EVENTUALLY A STRUGGLE OVER LEADERSHIP I GUESS.

Hm. Not something you see as much in modern times. If there's a disagreement, usually there's just a Civil War or a spinoff book.

I can't believe Hawkeye yelling that Captain America is ooooooooold was the more mature option.

Mr Fantastic stretches up a thumbs up to let Thor know the island is in the proper spot. Then, he gives Thor more work to do. Gotta get good work out of your Thor.

He asks Thor to go help Gilgamesh pound in giant adamantium mooring posts. You know, to keep the floating island from floating away.

Gilgamesh is actually pretty into pinning down a floating island. It has a mythological/legendary energy to it that he vibes with.

Jarvis comes up to the new Avengers to introduce the new Avengers' head of security. BECAUSE THEY MAY AS WELL HAVE ONE OF THOSE, Y'KNOW?

I doubt it will help. Because supervillain attacks and infiltration or whatever are plot-mandated. No security can trump that.

But Michael O'Brien was head of security at Project Pegasus so maybe he'll be able to do a good job with Avengers Island.

This era of Avengers tries to make a supporting staff for the Avengers a thing.

I'm here for it. I like Jarvis and having more of a supporting cast can be fun.

Sue comments that the Avengers sure seem a lot more business-like than the Fantastic Four.

Since I think the Fantastic Four had more of a civilian supporting cast way before the Avengers, I don't know what she's on about.

Maybe she's just trying to make conversation but Reed isn't paying any attention.

So she asks how long Reed is planning to stay with the Avengers (and by extension, how long she'll have to?)

Mr Fantastic: "The, ahh, challenges of helping Cap get his group back on its feet interest me more and more. I haven't decided how long to stay."

Now, I'm pretty sure this conversation is to soften the blow when Reed and Sue fuck off back to the Fantastic Four book.

But I do think its an interesting starting place for the Richardses to be on the Avengers.

They were retired so maybe they aren't planning to stay long-term. With the Avengers being so short-handed, maybe Reed and Sue just stay long enough for Captain America to get the team back on solid footing. And in the meantime, Cap and Reed have big ideas on how to revamp the team.

Its good tension!

A leadership struggle between Cap and Reed. And Sue wanting to leave the team to go back to retirement so they can spend more time with Franklin.

Sue even wonders whether Reed wants to make his mark on the Avengers as a sort of way to compete with Ben The Thing Grimm now that his bestie is running the Fantastic Four.

It's an interesting dynamic!

It does make me wish that it got to play out longer than its going to.

Sue is saved from a conversation that Reed isn't really paying attention to by a giant A made of fire blazing above New York.

She wonders whether its the Human Torch, making an A like he usually makes a 4 to summon the team. But since Reed is always right about everything based on nothing, he decides its definitely not Johnny.

Why would Johnny waste so much flame-power to get their attention! Clearly he would never do that, as of this moment and just so Reed is right!

Reed summons the Avengers to the Fantasti-Car. Kkinda love that Reed just brought it with him onto this Avengers roster. It seems like it could be more convenient for shorter distance travel than getting in a Quinjet every time.

The Worst Roster assembles and heads to the Fifth Avenue and 71st Street park that used to be the Avengers Mansion and find... THEIR GOOD OL PAL STARFOX.

With Firelord's fire stick too.

It's been a while (issue #260) but when we last saw Starfox and Firelord, they had set off together to try to track down Nebula, after the Beyonder teleported her to a random location.

Starfox wanted to find Nebula because he felt responsible for her crimes since she claimed to be his grand-niece and Thanos' granddaughter.

Firelord wanted to find her because she murderfied the fuck out of his homeplanet of Xandar and killed the Nova Corp.

Until a later retcon, it seems like the Nebula subplot was wrapped up with her infiltrating the Kang Klubhouse and trying to use the Avengers to find the Best Weapon Ever. She did this by seducing shitheel Dr Druid into taking over the team for her. But then three random Kangs threw a wooden shoe into the cogs of her machinations and Nebula and Dr Druid wound up falling into a time hole.

Phew, recaps.

The Avengers actually explain this in brief to Starfox's chagrin. Because he and Firelord searched space in vain for her when they could have just stayed on Earth.

And by poking around in space, the two ran into worse trouble.

A being called Super-Nova, the last survivor of Xandar. He's super powerful and super pissed off and super on his way to Earth.

Thor takes Starfox off to a medical specialist who won't be baffled by his alien physiology. Its not said specifically that its Donald Blake but its usually Donald Blake.

Thor rejoins the Avengers just as they're taking off in the Fantastic Four's special 4-branded ICBM.

Like the Fantasti-Car, I'm tickled by how much it seems like Reed is trying to make the Avengers into a him thing. The Avengers already had a space-capable Quinjet. They didn't need to use the 4CBM but if Reed is offering, its rude not to.

Thor comes aboard the missile through an airlock and briefs the Avengers about Starfox's medical care.

Captain America muses whether they should make Thor's doctor buddy into the Avengers' official medic. And Thor says he'll ask.

That'd be awkward if it is Donald Blake. But we're post-Simonson so I don't think Thor has that identity anymore.

Reed starts scanning for any unaccounted mass in the area that Starfox said Super-Nova would be coming from.

Cap marvels at how sophisticated the FF-ICBM is compared to the Quinjets. So I guess thats why they took the missile. Its just way better.

And Reed's scans turn something up!

A BIG FUCK-OFF SPACESHIP.

It looks Xandarian in design so the Avengers figure this gotta be Super-Nova's ship.

And he didn't even bother to cloak so he must be on quite the power trip.

Reed also predicts that Super-Nova definitely saw them coming but if he's arrogant enough to tool around uncloaked when Xandarian ships can easily stealth-mode, then he might also be arrogant enough not to see them as a threat.

Reed also explains the idea of transparent spacesuits to Captain America, prompting Cap to go 'pls, no more exposition dump.'

Ah, invisible spacesuits. Everyone can still appear in their costumes, so they can be told apart and all you have to do is draw bubble helmets and an outline around everyone.

Everyone except Thor and Gilgamesh.

Pssh. Gods don't need to breath in space.

Inside the Xandarian spacesuit, there's no artificial gravity, so Invisible Sue puts an invisible force bubble around everyone and moves them as a group through the ship.

Captain America: Interesting how Richards just takes over and starts giving orders even though I'm Avengers leader! But... I guess space is more his domain than mine and I'm sure there's no slight intended!

Leadership struggle!

Sue asks Thor if Starfox told him anything about what to expect inside the ship but Firelord and Starfox fought Super-Nova outside the ship.

Reed is sure they're on the right track because Firelord's staff is burning more brightly so he thinks they're getting closer to Firelord.

And then

BRAIN LEECHES!

Why is space always so full of disembodied brains?

Sue suggests that maybe these brains are the crew of this ship and maybe they shouldn't jump the gun. Maybe they're not hostile.

Thor declares "We must strike first or mayhaps be o'erwhelmed by superior numbers!"

And throws Mjolnir without waiting for anyone's thoughts on that.

Reed is afraid that best case scenario, Mjolnir bounces off the force field and hits one of the Avengers. He tells Sue to drop the field. Better deal with the brains, than Mjolnir.

Sue herself thinks she might have held Mjolnir but that the strain was a lot.

Anyways, as soon as the field drops and Mjolnir obliterates one of the brain leeches, the rest swarm the Avengers.

Captain America: That was a foul-up we could've avoided! We've still got a long way to go before we're not stepping on each other's toes!

Since the writing on the wall, I think this is supposed to set the stage for the Richardses to quit the Avengers fairly soon. Their method of doing things just doesn't gel with the Avengers.

BUT IT IS ALSO GREAT CHARACTER TENSION!

Mr Fantastic almost reflexively barks orders at everyone. Captain America shrugs it off in this case because Reed is more experienced with space stuff. But Thor is used to doing things his own way and Reed hasn't personally earned his respect the way Captains America or Marvel have.

And Thor isn't an idiot. And he has a lot of experience with weird space stuff. More than Reed, probably. Very long lived god guy. Swarms of brains are just something that Thor looks at and goes 'better hit them with Mjolnir.'

But the mess they're in now because Thor didn't march to Reed's drum maybe justifies to Reed that he should be in charge, after all.

I repeat myself but its a shame that this is a throwaway story to dig the book out of the hole Simonson left it in. This is good stuff.

Gilgamesh metaphorically explodes out of the brain pile and starts beating a brain with another brain.

Which is just A+. Good job, Gilgamesh.

Thor squishes a brain with Mjolnir, again. And up close Reed is able to see that instead of organic nerve connections, the brain leeches are held together by electricity.

This means that it is 100% okay to murderfy the fuck out of these brain things. They are 100% not really alive, "at best, they're pseudo-life!"

I love when Reed speaks authoritatively out his ass.

This is comics. A real, living brain thing with electricity instead of nerves is so plausible.

But its good that Reed told everyone it was okay to kill the brains when they've already been killing the brains.

Maybe the comment was aimed at Sue.

Because it takes her exactly one panel after that before she starts exploding the brains by growing force bubbles inside them.

Sue just loves putting bubbles in peoples' brains. Its her thing.

Despite the numbers, the Avengers' willingness to just pulp these guys means the battle starts to turn to their advantage. But Reed bemoans this unnecessary fight scene all because Thor couldn't keep Mjolnir in his pants, metaphorically.

When the numbers get low enough, Reed slingshots the remaining group of them in all directions with his stretchy belly, SPRONG!, and the brain leeches flee.

Gilgamesh starts flying after them because one of them stole his dumb helmet during the fight but Cap yells at him to stick with the group.

Wa-hey! More group tension! Thor is used to taking orders from puny mortals but how about Gilgamesh?

He follows Cap's order but he looks awfully sour about it.

Captain America muses that although they won the fight against the brain leeches, they didn't gel as a group. Everyone just smashed brains on their own. He's determined to get this group acting like a real, united Avengers team -- if they survive this experience.

Since the fight is done, Sue asks Reed what the brain leeches even are.

Reed deduces that they're part of the living computer of Xandar, which he saw back in FF #207. If you know Nova stuff from when Dick Rider was the only Nova, then you know Worldmind.

Dead Xandarian brains are preserved and made part of the Worldmind. And, uh, the Avengers just squished a lot of data, I guess. Whoops.

File not found?

Its funny how a bio-mechanical supercomputer made out of the brains of the populace is something the Kree and Xandarians have in common. You'd almost think it's something that all sufficiently advanced space civilizations could manage but as far as I know, its not common among the other big names.

Anyway, Reed decides he needs to study one of the brain leeches and has Sue capture one in a bubble.

Captain America thinks that Reed's priorities are all wrong. The Avengers are here on a mission, not a research expedition. But he lets it play out because its not getting in the way, really.

Captain America: "Richards seems intent on being the scientist no matter the circumstances."

TENSION!

Also, the Avengers find Firelord.

Hanging upside down in a big chamber with a bunch of wires and devices stuck to him.

I wonder if he's being used as a battery.

Because of all the wires 'n stuff, Reed thinks its too dangerous to just yank him loose.

So instead he blasts Firelord with his Firelord stick.

Everyone goes 'what the SHIT, Reed??' but he explains that he was pretty sure that Firelord's weapon won't hurt him. Based on his experience with the Silver Surfer.

And then he backpedals and says actually exceptions apply. But he "channeled the power carefully."

Anyway, the stick blast frees Firelord.

Thor: "Firelord was a noble ally -- and sometimes foe. I rejoice that he yet lives! Now, we must needs seek the base villain who put him in such an ignominious state!"

AND THEN A BRIGHT LIGHT SHINES FROM ABOVE ILLUMINATING THE CHAMBER.

Thor: "Behind us -- sudden light! Our unseen enemy or --" Captain America: "Look sharp, Avengers! This may be the showdown!" Invisible Woman: "Look at that! No wonder Firelord didn't stand a chance!" Gilgamesh with Prince Valiant hair: "But we stand together -- and will prevail!" Thor: "By Ymir's beard!"

Super Nova: "WHO DARES?! WHO DARES DISTURB THE SANCTUM OF THE LAST SON OF XANDAR?!"

ITS A BIG PURPLE GUY!

Sue and Reed sure have to deal with a lot of those...

Thor says that they're the Avengers which piques Super Nova's interest.

BECAUSE YOU SEE

He's looking for the Avengers. Because he heard that Nebula is an Avenger. And Nebula destroyed Xandar.

Ruh roh.

Wait but how does he know about that? Nebula only joined the Avengers when they were trying to fly into the bubble what is in the center of time.

She was an Avenger for all of part of an issue! During which time nobody else was around to pass the news along!

How the hell did you hear about this, Super Nova??

Captain America explains that Nebula only joined the team through trickery and that she has nothing to do with them now.

Super Nova argues BULL and SHIT. Such a transparent lie won't fool him, the smartest guy around! He knows they're hiding her.

Soooo... he's going to go to Earth and break shit until the Avengers give him Nebula.

Thor: "Verily, thine arrogance is exceeded only by thine ignorance! Captain America speak truth! She is not among us -- or on Midgard! But if thou seeks battle -- the Avengers stand ready!" Super Nova: "I'VE NO TIME TO ENGAGE IN POINTLESS STRUGGLE WITH SUCH INFERIORS! OTHER PURSUITS NOW ENGAGE ME!"

Super Nova: "Super-Nova WILL RAVAGE THE EARTH AND LEAVE IT A SMOLDERING CINDER UNLESS THE WOMAN CALLED NEBULA APPEARS AND -- VENGEANCE IS MINE!!"

And Super Nova blasts off so quickly that he blows up his own ship.

Kinda wasteful, dude.

Also, I guess the Avengers are dead forever. Again.

I guess the West Coast Avengers are just the Avengers now. Or maybe the book will just be about Jarvis from now on.

But, nah, I'm sure that Sue put a force field around the Avengers just before disaster. She tends to do that.

What's funny is that the next issue teaser uses a very similar joke, guessing that "guest stars galore" will save Earth.

Follow @essential-avengers for all the posts, all in a row. Like, reblog, and comment if you'd like. I'd appreciate it.

[intotheelliwoods]

Here to announce that I for one love the future design for donnie in the comic ✋🥺

[6okuto]

heads up :p

hello. archiving my blog soon. like in the next month or so. not shocking. i still have a lot to queue but i needed to say this so i can't back out for the gazillionth time 😭 i don't have a new blog and i'm not sure if or when i'll be back. as for 6okuto, i probably won't delete it! probably.

thanks for being here for almost 3 years!! it was really nice writing for the first time and getting to know you guys. please take care of yourselves, and i hope you have a good end to 2024! ^^

and just a final request to tell creators you enjoy their work. i can't tell you how many times one kind person stopped me from doing this a lot earlier. please help make tumblr a kinder and stronger community !!

regular pinned - masterlists

[sacchiri]

Hellsing 2002 calendar illustration.

Ein wunderliche und erschröckliche Hystori von einem großen Wüttrich genant Dracole wayda Der do so ganz unkristenliche marrter hat angelegt die mensche, als mit spissen als auch die leut zu Tod geslyffen

A wondrous and frightening story about a great berserk called Dracula the voivode who inflicted such unchristian tortures such as with stakes and also dragged people to death

[sallymew4]

kids when they hear that their dad is back in town VS. kids when theyre hanging out with a conman that accidentally stole their wallet once

im not even joking btw

bonus heres me being crazy about them in dms ^^^

[mrmeepsmadmind]

SOCIETY KEEPS KILLING ONE OF THEM BCS THEIR FRIENDSHIP WOULD BE INCAPABLE FOR GALAXIES TO HANDLE !!!!!

[sparklingchim]

[serpentface]

Do you conlang? I was wondering if you had naming languages (or possibly even more developed ones) for pulling the words you use. I tried to search your blog but didn't find anything, wouldn't be surprised if the feature is just busted tho. Your worldbuilding is wonderful and I particularly enjoy the anthropological and linguistic elements.

Ok the thing is I had kind of decided I was not going to do any conlanging because I don't feel like I'm equipped to do a good job of it, like was fully like "I'm just going to do JUST enough that it doesn't fail an immediate sniff test and is more thoughtful than just keysmashing and putting in vowels". And then have kinda been conlanging anyway (though not to a very deep and serious extent. I maybe have like....an above average comprehension of how language construction works via willingness to research, but that's not saying much, also I can never remember the meanings of most linguistic terms like 'frictives' or etc off the top of my head. I'm just kinda raw dogging it with a vague conceptualization of what these things mean)

I do at least have a naming language for Wardi (and more basic rules for other established languages) but the rudimentary forms of it were devised with methods much shakier and less linguistically viable than even the most basic naming language schemes, and I only went back over it LONG after I had already made a bunch of words so there's some inconsistencies with consonant presence and usage. (This can at least be justified because it IS a language that would have a lot of loanwords and would be heavily influenced by other language groups- Burri being by far the most significant, Highland-Finnic and Yuroma-Lowlands also being large contributors)

The 'method' I used was:

-Skip basic construction elements and fully move into devising necessary name words, with at least a Vibe of what consonants are going to be common and how pronunciation works -Identify some roots out of the established words and their meanings. Establish an ongoing glossary of known roots/words. -Construct new words based in root words, or as obvious extensions/variants of established words. -Get really involved in how the literal meanings of some words might not translate properly to english, mostly use this to produce a glossary of in-universe slang. -Realize that I probably should have at least some very basic internal consistency at this point. -Google search tutorials on writing a naming language. -Reverse engineer a naming language out of established words, and ascribe all remaining inconsistencies to being loanwords or just the mysteries of life or whatever.

I do at least have some strongly established pronunciation rules and a sense of broad regional dialect/accents.

-'ai' words are almost always pronounced with a long 'aye' sound.

-There is no 'Z' or 'X' sound, a Wardi speaker pronouncing 'zebra' would go for 'tsee-brah', and would attempt 'xylophone' as 'ssye-lohp-hon'

-'V' sounds are nearly absent and occur only in loanwords, and tend to be pronounced with a 'W' sound. 'Virsum' is a Highland word (pronounced 'veer-soom') denoting ancestry, a Wardi speaker would go 'weer-sum'.

-'Ch' spellings almost always imply a soft 'chuh' sound when appearing after an E, I, or O (pelatoche= pel-ah-toh-chey), but a hard 'kh' sound after an A or U (odomache= oh-doh-mah-khe). When at the start of a word, it's usually a soft 'ch' unless followed by an 'i' sound (chin (dog) is pronounced with a hard K 'khiin', cholem (salt) is pronounced with a soft Ch 'cho-lehm')

-Western Wardin has strong Burri cultural and linguistic influence, and a distinct accent- one of the most pronounced differences is use of the ñ sound in 'nn' words. The western city of Ephennos is pronounced 'ey-fey-nyos' by most residents, the southeastern city of Erubinnos is pronounced 'eh-roo-been-nos' by most residents. Palo's surname 'Apolynnon' is pronounced 'A-puh-lee-nyon' in the Burri and western Wardi dialects (which is the 'proper' pronunciation, given that it's a Kos name), but will generally be spoken as 'Ah-poh-leen-non' in the south and east.

-R's are rolled in Highland-Finnic words. Rolling R's is common in far northern rural Wardi dialects but no others. Most urban Wardi speakers consider rolling R's sort of a hick thing, and often think it sounds stupid or at least uneducated. (Brakul's name should be pronounced with a brief rolled 'r', short 'ah' and long 'uul', but is generally being pronounced by his south-southeastern compatriots with a long unrolled 'Brah' sound).

Anyway not really a sturdy construction that will hold up to the scrutiny of someone well equipped for linguistics but not pure bullshit either.

[puppyeared]

i feel like. theres designing a character with certain themes and motifs in mind, and then theres making a gijinka for the water bottle on my nightstand

[drpicklesart]

they are going to mehnahnaroo

[cutekittenlady]

One thing I'm likely to retcon in my headcanons regarding my earthspark kobd headcanons is Breakdowns knowledge about Knockouts history.

Before I had the idea that Knockout kept his history on cybertron as a back alley surgeon who worked on gladiators because he was insecure about what Breakdown would think.

However I've since decided that its FAR more interesting if that particular bit of drama was between Breakdown and Bumblebee. Especially with my ideas regarding Bumblebees initial view of Breakdown and Knockouts relationship. If Bumblebee finds out, likely from Megatron, about Knockouts true history and that he kept it a secret from most of the decepticons hed likely assume that he kept it from breakdown too.

Of course, it turns out Knockout absolutely told breakdown about his actually history before/during their ritus (while absolutely wondering if hed leave him for it) but the fun bit is that Bumblebee wouldn't know that.

So, after finding out about their relationshp and then subsequently coming to find out about the sorta things Knockout got up to on Cybertron, he'd naturally seek out Breakdown to tell him about how Knockout has been lying about who he was this whole time and their conjunxing may have been under false pretenses.

Now to further paint the picture, Breakdown really wants Bumblebee to accept his relationship with Knockout. He was his best friend before the war, practically a brother, so of course he wants him to accept that Knockout truly loves him. So imagine how he feels when he finds out that Bumblebee went behind his back to (presumably) dig up what he clearly considers dirt on knockout and present it to him as "proof" that knockout isnt being honest with him and essentially discredit their entire relationship.

[batsplat]

“og 4 aliens very particular vibe in being ‘three distinct flavours of socially awkward loner and also valentino rossi’” LMAO I WAS JUST THINKING THIS!!!!!! That he has the funniest possible 3 foils in that era bc like…those three guys could not be less his vibe ~personality wise if they tried. And actually tbf I do think they WERE trying a lot of the time. Feeling very curious if you think there’s anything to the idea of how Marc was the first alien-era rival he had who was more on his level all around? Like early days Marc was kind of just 😀😀😀 all the time but I do think he can be v charming and is clearly extroverted as hell (tho like…notably also a loner but like…not by choice??). Like idk where im going w this but the contrast is interesting to me. IDK

to some extent! I'm not sure I'd necessarily call marc an extrovert, you can be charismatic and cheerful without being an extrovert - but also this is splitting hairs. the og four aliens are one guy who's on the 'roughly as extroverted as you can possibly get as a professional athlete' end of the spectrum and three guys who are on the 'roughly as introverted as you can possibly get as a professional athlete' end. now, tbh, I don't think valentino massively minded this. he's extroverted but crucially he's also got enough charm going for him that he could get his rivals to chat with him if he was so inclined. he had an increasingly friendly relationship with dani, there's real genuine warmth in how both of them talk about each other - ultimately dani might have been quite sullen and withdrawn in general, especially in his early years, but he got on well with valentino. casey and valentino had perfectly decent interpersonal chemistry, they got on well, and tbh they were still warm with each in-person long past the point where that relationship had rhetorically soured. with jorge... I mean, okay, no chemistry there, but that was also very much valentino's choice. I do not fundamentally doubt valentino's ability to charm twenty year old jorge lorenzo. I think just because they were DIFFERENT characters, that doesn't necessarily mean they weren't valentino's *type* personality-wise, like he does seem to be happy enough to be the chatty one who draws them out of their shells in that scenario. unless competitive necessity requires otherwise!! but as marc discovered, somewhat higher levels of extroversion does not protect you if that's the case

I will say I know you do put alien-era as a caveat, but it is still important to point out that marc is very much not the first valentino rival who doesn't fall in the introverted loner camp. valentino had a rival who matched his vibe!! who he had a real proper off-track friendship with, who he went on holidays with, who he had a warm relationship with for substantially longer than the marc/valentino honeymoon lasted. I think you can see the early marc era as a bit of a return to the friendlier vibes of the early noughties, but crucially it is a return. the early noughties was the last gasp before the sport came to be completely dominated by a bunch of young prodigies who had been moulded into perfect athletes and had less chance to grow into people outside of the sport - valentino is already part of that camp in everything but temperament, cf the contrast with biaggi. in the early noughties, he was surrounded by a bunch of older riders who varied dramatically in disposition... biaggi was the guy everyone had issues with, capirossi was always fond of valentino, kr jr he got on well with, he played a mentoring role for in hayden's rookie season... and of course, most importantly, the friendship with sete - now there's an obscenely friendly rivalry right until the very moment when it isn't. 2013-14 is a bit of a return to that more congenial climate, but at the end of the day that lot were still less likely to socialise than riders were back in the day. they just didn't have the time lol

so yeah, I mean. valentino clearly did take to marc on a personal level, and marc is definitely closer to valentino on the introversion/extroversion spectrum than the three other aliens are. though that is also... not difficult. there is something quite funny about how 2006-07 went from valentino's pov. the engine regs changed, valentino literally blinked and suddenly all his opps were toddlers. went from goofing off with capirossi on the sepang 2006 podium to running a daycare centre overnight. and marc is part of that! it's also a massive change in that suddenly, valentino was surrounded by rivals who had been influenced by watching him ride as they grew up and were all really, really, really weird about him. marc with his little bike collection, jorge with his dabbling in pseudoscientific schools of psychology, casey and his championship-winning shirt, dani... well, tbf, I do actually think dani was pretty normal about valentino - probably because he'd known him the longest. had gotten drunk with valentino in the days when the bloke was just an idol and not a god. which is an underrated reason why the dani/valentino relationship never got so weird imo, one that goes beyond competitive calculus - dani was the most capable of interacting with valentino as just another guy. with all three of marc/jorge/casey, that idolisation dynamic does contribute significantly to the interpersonal turmoil

but that's a topic for another day! in conclusion, marc defo the dispositionally cheeriest foil of the alien lot, albeit somewhat by default, and WAS part of the reason why motogp got a bit of a mood lift in that 2013-14 period after what had just been a dire few years vibes-wise. mediocre racing, devastation caused by the financial crisis, tragedy... motogp was feeling quite lifeless in 2011-12 in particular, and those years do have a bit of a drab energy to them. in that sense, what followed was a bit of a reversion to the mean until the vibes completely went off the cliff. have they ever recovered? who can say

[disposal-blueeee]

VARGASTOBER - day 1 : edgar vargas

[runyatic]

i'm new here and i'm getting a ton of mixed messages like do you hate kino or not??😭

Welcome !!! I'm assuming you want to be anon for this hehe

It's complicated. I can actually relate to him in a lot of ways, but also I DO NOT forgive him for the time he spilled guava juice all over Yui, made her suck on his finger and called it "practice" cause nahhhhhh💀💀💀💀💀💀

But I like the way portrayed in the 4komas, he's so silly. I also like to make fun of him but I wouldn't say I hate him(?)

I like to bully him. Affectionately.

Tldr: yes

[catsinmugs]

my first render :,^)

[katnissmellarkkk]

my aesthetics :

the second quarter quell generation, pt one (aka the generation with all the principal characters’ parents, and then also haymitch)