#supergirl and flash race

[marinawolf]

Always (supercorp)

Lena has nightmares every night and only Kara can keep them at bay.

or

Kara finds every excuse to spend the night in Lena's bed so that Lena can sleep.

a soft, fluffy and angsty supercorp fic.

Lena lay in bed, her eyes heavy with exhaustion, but her mind stubbornly refusing to give in to sleep. Night after night, the same haunting nightmares tormented her, a relentless loop of horror that had become all too familiar. It had been a month since that dreadful day when Lex had blown up a building and then turned his madness towards her.

The scar on her stomach throbbed, a constant physical reminder of that traumatic encounter. She traced her fingers over the faint line, a painful memory etched into her skin. Closing her eyes, she could vividly recall that nightmarish moment. The memory played out like a horrifying movie reel in her mind.

Lex, his face contorted with manic rage, covered in sweat and soot from the destruction he had wrought. His eyes glinted with a dangerous intensity as he approached her, a knife concealed up his sleeve.

"This is your last chance to join me, sister," his voice dripped with a chilling mix of desperation and malice.

Lena's response had been firm and resolute, her voice unwavering, "Never."

Lex lunged at her, the knife flashing in the dim light. The searing pain as the blade sliced through her flesh, the shock and disbelief that followed, and then a wave of darkness that enveloped her as her vision blurred and her body gave way.

Just as the darkness threatened to consume her completely, a distant voice penetrated the void. Kara's voice, a desperate scream that pierced through the fog of unconsciousness. But Lena was already slipping away, unable to fight against the pull of oblivion.

Back in the present, Lena's body finally succumbed to its overwhelming fatigue, her eyelids drooping as her thoughts continued to race. She fought against the encroaching sleep, desperately clinging to consciousness. But the battle was a losing one, and eventually, her mind gave in.

The nightmares returned with a vengeance, a macabre tapestry of fear and torment that painted her subconscious in vivid shades of terror. The sound of explosions echoed in her ears, and the memory of Lex's crazed expression haunted her once more. Lena thrashed in her sleep, trapped in a nightmarish cycle that seemed impossible to escape.

As the nightmares intensified, Lena's eyes snapped open, her body drenched in sweat, heart racing. She was back in her room, the dim light casting eerie shadows on the walls. Gasping for air, Lena realized that the room felt suffocating, the weight of her memories and fears pressing down on her. She sat up, her breathing ragged, and rubbed her temples as she tried to shake off the residual terror. She knew she couldn't go on like this, trapped in a cycle of sleepless nights and haunting dreams. But finding a way out seemed impossible, her trauma a prison from which there was no escape.

Exhausted and defeated, Lena lay back down, her eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. She longed for respite, for a moment of peace, but she knew that the night was far from over, and the nightmares would likely return once more. With a heavy sigh, she braced herself for another sleepless night.

The following night, Lena slid into bed and found herself staring at the ceiling, her heart racing, her breath uneven. She couldn't bear the thought of closing her eyes, of succumbing once more to the terrors that awaited her in the realm of dreams.

With a sigh, she reached over to turn off her lamp, plunging her room into darkness. But just as she settled back against her pillows, a soft knock echoed through the room, startling her. Lena's heart skipped a beat, her body tensing as she cautiously got out of bed.

She padded across the room, her breath catching in her throat when she saw the familiar sight of Kara standing on the balcony, clad in her Supergirl suit. The moonlight illuminated her tousled, windswept blonde hair, and the suit accented her lean physique and the well-defined muscles beneath the suit. Her blue eyes shimmered in the night, and her lips curled into a beautiful smile that made Lena's heart race.

"Kara, hi. What are you doing here?" Lena managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kara's smile widened, her eyes glinting with a playful sparkle. "Hey, Lena. I was on patrol nearby and I'm absolutely exhausted. Do you mind if I crash here?"

Lena's mind was a whirlwind of emotions, but all she could muster was a simple, "No, not at all."

Lena let Kara into her penthouse. Kara often crashed at Lena's after game nights or movie nights but this felt different somehow.

Lena handed Kara a pair of her sweats and a t-shirt, their fingers briefly grazing against each other, sending a shiver of electricity through Lena's veins.

"Thanks, Lena," Kara said appreciatively before disappearing into the bathroom to change. Lena watched the closed door, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts. She took a seat on the edge of her bed, the anticipation building as she waited for Kara to emerge.

The moments ticked by, each second feeling like an eternity as Lena's heart raced. The quiet rustling of fabric signaled Kara's return, and Lena's breath caught as she looked up to see Kara stepping out of the bathroom, dressed in Lena's clothes. The clothes were slightly short on Kara, exposing a tantalizing glimpse of her toned abs. Lena's throat went dry, and she swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest, her fingers itching to trace the path of those well-defined muscles..

She had always known that her feelings for Kara ran deeper than the love one felt for a friend, a truth she had carefully kept hidden behind carefully constructed walls of friendship, but in moments like this, she struggled to keep her feelings at bay.

Normally, Kara would retire to one of the guest rooms, and Lena had assumed tonight would be no different. But to Lena's surprise, Kara moved with graceful purpose, sliding into Lena's bed as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Despite the many nights they had spent under the same roof, Kara had never slept in Lena's bed. This was something Lena had never even dared to imagine, even in her wildest dreams.

With cautious steps, Lena slipped under the covers, settling beside Kara. The bed seemed impossibly small, the space between them charged with an electric tension. Kara turned onto her side, facing Lena, and Lena mirrored her position, their gazes locked.

"Goodnight, Lena," Kara whispered, her breath ghosting over Lena's lips before she closed her eyes.

"Goodnight, Kara."

Lena found herself acutely aware of Kara's presence beside her. With her eyes closed, she tried to find a sense of calm, allowing the rhythm of Kara's breath to guide her.

As time passed, Lena felt herself gradually relaxing, the softness of the moment easing the usual restlessness that plagued her nights. The fear of nightmares still lingered, but it felt distant.

She felt herself surrendering to sleep. The sound of Kara's steady breathing became comforting.

In the quiet darkness of the room, Lena's consciousness slipped away, her mind finally finding a respite from the torment of her past. As sleep claimed her, the usual nightmares were conspicuously absent.

--

The soft, warm rays of morning light gently filtered through the curtains, casting a serene glow over the room. Lena stirred, gradually awakening from the depths of slumber, her senses slowly coming to life. The sensation that enveloped her was one of warmth and security, a comfort she hadn't experienced in a long time.

She realised that Kara's arms were tightly wrapped around her and her body was pressed against Lena's back, their forms fitting together as if they were two pieces of a puzzle perfectly aligned.

Lena's heart danced within her chest as she felt Kara's breath ghosting against the back of her neck, a sensation that sent shivers of delight down her spine. The intimacy of the moment was intoxicating and left her heart racing dangerously.

Kara stirred beside her, her movements slow and gentle. Lena could hear a soft, almost inaudible mumble from Kara, the sound of her voice tugging at Lena's heartstrings. "Oh, sorry," Kara's voice was a gentle whisper.

Lena felt a twinge of disappointment as Kara began to extricate herself from their embrace.

As Lena turned to look at Kara, her eyes were met with a sleepy smile that seemed to illuminate the entire room. Lena's heart skipped a beat as she took in the sight of Kara's tousled hair and the soft lines of her face.

"Morning," Kara's voice was soft and sleepy.

Lena's fingers itched to reach out, to brush away the hair that had fallen across Kara's forehead, to trace the delicate curve of her cheek. But a sense of shyness held her back, a lingering hesitation that reminded her of the boundaries Lena had always maintained.

--

Over the course of the next two weeks, Lena's life took an unexpected turn. To her immense surprise and relief, Kara seemed to find a reason, however small, to spend every single night in Lena's bed. It was a pattern that quickly became a comforting routine. Each evening, as the world outside dipped into the embrace of night, Kara would slip into Lena's bed, a shield against the haunting nightmares that had held Lena captive for far too long.

Lena's waking moments became increasingly filled with the sense of Kara's proximity. She would wake up each morning wrapped in Kara's strong arms, the gentle rise and fall of her chest against Lena's back serving as a soothing reassurance. The nightmares, which had once been an unrelenting torment, remained at bay, their usual grip loosening with every passing night.

Lena reveled in the comfort of Kara's embrace and her eyes often lingered on Kara's serene features as they lay tangled together under the covers. Yet, amidst the warmth of Kara's presence, Lena was fighting her feelings.

Lena's feelings for Kara deepened with every night they spent together, the lines between friendship and something more becoming more blurred each night. She found herself captivated by Kara's laughter, drawn to the way her eyes sparkled when she shared stories of her day, enchanted by her bashful grace.

But Lena couldn't ignore the growing questions that tugged at her thoughts. Why was Kara staying over so often? The skepticism that had once colored her perception of others now cast a shadow over her moments of happiness. Lena's heart raced, her mind a whirlwind of uncertainty as she tried to make sense of the situation.

One evening, as they sat together on Lena's couch, wrapped in a blanket and sipping tea, Lena's resolve solidified. The time had come to breach the subject that had been gnawing at her. She looked at Kara, her gaze a mixture of curiosity and concern. "Kara, is everything okay?"

Kara turned her head to meet Lena's eyes, her expression serene yet guarded. "Mm, yes, why?"

Lena's lips twitched into a half-smile, the tension in the room palpable. "You've spent the last fourteen nights here. Is there something going on? Not that I don't love having you stay over—I really do. But if you're having problems with your apartment or something, I can help."

Kara's blue eyes flickered, her gaze momentarily shifting before she leaned in closer to Lena. Her fingers, warm and tender, slipped beneath Lena's shirt, tracing a path over the jagged scar on Lena's abdomen. Lena's breath hitched as Kara's touch sent shivers of sensation through her.

"You know every night on patrol, I fly past your penthouse to check on you? Just to listen to your heartbeat and make sure you're okay." Kara's voice held a mix of vulnerability and sincerity, her fingertips mapping the contours of Lena's scar as if tracing a roadmap of the past. "Especially since everything with Lex, since he hurt you. I heard your nightmares every night, Lena, and it pained me to see you so broken. And when I stayed over that first night, I noticed that the nightmares didn't come. So I thought maybe if I stayed over, you could sleep better."

Lena's eyes glistened with unshed tears as Kara's words sank in, the depth of Kara's care astounding to her. She felt a lump forming in her throat.

"Sorry," Kara continued, "I know I should have told you, but I know you would think that I was inconveniencing myself or something. But I'm not. I want you to be okay, Lena, and I'll do anything for you. If I could undo what happened, I would. But I can't, so this is something I can do for you."

Lena was speechless. Tears pricked at the corners of Lena's eyes as Kara's words washed over her, a wave of emotions crashing against the walls she had carefully constructed around her heart. Kara's selflessness had left her utterly stunned, and Lena realized that no one had ever cared for her so deeply, so unconditionally before. She couldn't hold back the tears that spilled from her eyes, the floodgates of her emotions breaking open.

Kara. Sweet Kara. Always there for Lena, always looking out for her. Lena had never felt such profound love before.

Moved beyond words, Lena leaned forward, her heart pounding against her chest. Her hand found Kara's, their fingers intertwining. Kara's gaze on her held her captive.

The floodgates of vulnerability opened, and before she could think, before she could second-guess herself, she acted on the feelings she had been hiding for so long.

Lena leaned forward, her heart pounding in her chest as she pressed her lips against Kara's. The kiss was a confession, an unspoken declaration of every feeling she had hidden behind those walls for so long.

Kara froze for a second and Lena's heart stopped, but just as quickly, her lips began moving against Lena's- a soft, desperate kiss. There was a vulnerability in the way Kara kissed her back, a raw honesty that stripped away any doubts Lena may have had. Her heart felt like it was going to explode. Kara was kissing her back and in that moment, nothing else mattered.

Time seemed to stand still as their lips moved against each other. Lena's fingers trembled as they found their way to Kara's cheek, her touch gentle and filled with wonder. The taste of Kara's lips was a revelation.

As the kiss finally drew to a close, Lena pulled back slightly, her eyes fluttering open to meet Kara's gaze.

"Thank you," she whispered, “for being here.”

And Kara smiled that blindingly beautiful smile, and whispered, "Always" before crashing her lips against Lena's once more.

[supercorpkid]

How You Get the Girl

Supergirl. Lena Luthor x Reader!, Kara Danvers.

Word Count: 2500.

Notes: I really love this fic, and part 2 (my favorite ever written) is coming soon :)

"Hey, remember my friend Barry?" Kara asks as you settle onto her couch, balancing containers of takeout food. The late hour has granted Kara a break from her Supergirl duties, allowing for a rare moment of tranquility.

"Barry Allen?" You confirm, and she nods. "The one from another Earth?"

"Yeah." She hands you your food and takes a seat beside you, facing you. "Sometimes we meet just to talk, instead of dealing with end-of-the-multiverse situations."

"Nice. I didn't know that." You start eating, but Kara hesitates, an uncommon occurrence as she's typically the one speaking with her mouth full. "Have you seen him recently?"

"Yeah, and he told me something amusing." Kara tilts her head, uncertain. "He ended up in the wrong universe, thinking he was coming here. He was very confused because everything was oddly similar. You know, there was me, you, Alex, Lena, J'onn…"

"Isn't that normal for different universes?" You furrow your brows. "I might not know much about it, but Lena explained once that when a diversion event occurs, a new Earth is created, so—"

"Yeah, yeah." Kara interrupts, contemplating her words as you watch curiously. "The weird part was that you and Lena were..." She pauses, choosing her words carefully. "Together."

"Okay?" You return your attention to your food, losing interest. "We do spend a lot of time together."

"No, I mean, romantically together. Dating." Kara's revelation makes you snap your head up, heart racing. "More than that, actually. You guys were married! And had a kid!"

"A kid?" You laugh nervously. "Now that's absurd."

"Really? The kid part is absurd?" Kara sets aside her untouched food. "So you and Lena being married didn't strike you as absurd enough?"

You swallow hard, avoiding Kara's gaze as your cheeks flush. Is any of what Kara's saying absurd? Not entirely. Have you thought about you and Lena together before? Definitely. Have you secretly hoped for the day Lena will stop pining over Kara so you can do something about your love for her? Absolutely. Will you ever confess this to Kara? Not a chance.

"I mean," You take a deep breath, raising your head and trying to compose yourself. "Perhaps that's why the new Earth was created, right? A wild new scenario? Me and Lena."

Kara blinks, then chuckles. "I guess you're right." She finally picks up her food and begins eating. "I'm not sure if that's how a new Earth is created, but it's certainly wild enough."

Yeah. Wild enough.

Lena steps off the elevator, and you lift your head to admire her before she notices. Her hair is in perfect dark waves down her shoulders. She looks so tiny in her white sneakers, but you love them so dearly because you know how much more comfortable she's been ever since she stopped wearing those awful heels for work. Her lips, just a splash of red in them, as she's recently been dabbing with wearing less makeup than usual. You don't think she's ever looked this pretty.

The headquarters is unusually quiet; J'onn is in another room, Kara is at work, Alex is out with her girlfriend, and Winn is occupied in one of the computers. For now, it's just you and Lena, which means pining is almost allowed. 

"Hey, Y/N." Lena approaches, carrying a gigantic book and sporting a playful grin. "I know you're gearing up to tease me about my book, so go ahead."

"Honestly, Lena. You think too little of me." She raises one eyebrow at you and you hold back your smile. You manage your best British accent. "Have you gone mad, Hermione? Are you a witch or not?"

"Ah. There it is—the Harry Potter quote I've been waiting for." Lena drops the book onto the table with a thud, and you glance at the cover. "Ironically, it's actually about magic." You offer her a smirk, earning an eye roll in return. "So, has Kara mentioned anything about her last encounter with The Flash?"

"Uh." Your mouth drops, why is Lena bringing this up? "She – She might've mentioned seeing him."

"Right. So apparently she told him about my theory on elseworlds and he doesn't agree with it." Lena opens her book, looking for a page. And you breathe out, relieved you won't need to have that fun conversation with someone else. "So, you know, obviously I have to prove him wrong."

"Obviously." 

You stare at her lips, curving into a smile. So red and perfect. So close and yet so far away. She might be beside you, but the gap between you feels insurmountable.

"Oh, and he also said something about us being married!" She says and you choke on your own saliva and starts coughing violently. Lena's hand goes to your back and she soothes you, in a protective manner. "I mean, I know it's a little far-fetched, but that's an odd reaction."

"I just –" You try to breathe again, ignoring Lena's hands on your back and the way it makes your body shiver under her touch. "I wasn't expecting that. Sorry."

Lena chooses to ignore your awkwardness, which is very much appreciated, and you fall silent thinking about things you will not have, body parts you will not hold, and the reciprocated love that you won't feel. Thoughts etched in the inside of your mind, so addicted to the illusion of a love that never was and never will be.

"How –" You look back at her and she raises her head, previously nose buried in the book, and you swallow your nervousness. "How does a diversion event occur in order to create a new Earth? Is it something big and worldwide, or is it something small and insignificant?"

"Well, it is commonly thought to be big events. The small insignificant things that follow are usually in response to them."

"I see." You breathe deep one more time, mastering your best courage. "So, what would happen if I were to meet the other me or you from another universe? Would it be a paradox or something?"

"No. We're all different people." You bite the inside of your mouth thinking about it. Lena's voice brings you back from your trance. "Why the sudden interest?"

"Hm? Oh, I'm just trying to understand more." You smile getting up from your place. "Thanks for explaining it to me." She looks at you curiously and you over explain things with your arms, like a lunatic. "Things are slow today. I'm just gonna head home. If there's an emergency, just hit me up."

"Oh, sure." Lena has barely noticed you're gone, nose buried in the book once again. "Yeah, we'll let you know."

Is it madness? You pace the apartment floor, wrestling with your thoughts. Is it crazy to entertain the idea of venturing into another Earth just to witness a scenario where you and Lena are together? Is it reckless and irresponsible? Is it even fair?

But this love you feel for her has been eating you from the inside. You don't believe there's ever been a space quite as big as the one she wished into existence between your heart and hers. So how can you not? How can you not go on an excursion to find out how to summon this love into being?

"Hey!" Kara taps on your window and you turn around to look at her. "What's the emergency?"

"I need to go on a trip." You say. Packed bags at the edge of the couch, forced smile on your face. She flies in, landing close to it.

"Whe –"

"Can't tell you where. Just wanted to give you a heads-up so you won't worry."

Kara studies you, suspicion evident in her eyes. "Did something happen? Are you going on a mission?"

"No!" You rush to assure her, preventing any further questions. "No, no. Nothing happened, really. It's not a –" But it is a mission of sorts. "Not a real mission, maybe one just to answer a question that keeps me fast awake at night."

Kara squints her eyes looking at you, clearly finding your act extremely suspicious, and you curse yourself for your breath stuck in your lungs and the heart beating almost out of your body.

"Kara, you don't need to worry, I promise."

"Too late! Am worried!" She breathes out, sitting on your couch, right next to your bag. "What's going on? You've been acting weird these days. And DON'T –" She points at you accusingly, because she knows you were about to open your mouth and defend yourself. "say you're not, because I know you and you can't fool me, no matter how much you want to."

She's right. Kara knows you inside out. But there's one thing she's mistaken about: you've been successfully fooling her for months.

This pining over Lena, this ridiculous huge crush you've been nurturing for Lena Luthor has been going for far too long. You crave the way she smells and how she talks. You dream about green eyes and perfect arched eyebrows directed at you. You're consistently going out of your way just to see her. You jump on cases, and suggest team pairings. It's crazy the fact that no one noticed yet, because honestly? You don't think you're doing a far too good of a job when your mouth literally drops at the sight of her.

And yet, your best friends haven't figured it out. None of them. Not even the Kryptonian with super hearing and x-ray vision. 

"You have nothing to worry about, really. But I can't tell you where I'm going, so you're just gonna have to trust me on this one." You try your best puppy eyes and sweet smile. "You do, right? You trust me?"

Kara's eyes soften immediately as she stands and comes closer to you, "Of course I do, Y/N. You're a strong, powerful woman and you can take care of yourself." She reaches for your arm and winks at you. "Plus, you have me on speed dial."

She means the watch.

You agree with your head and hug her goodbye.

You've never been to another Earth. Have heard enough about it, though, to not look completely lost and out of place. So you do your research, does Supergirl exist? Is Lena running some kind of business empire? Where do all the heroes meet up?

You're quick to find out, LuthorCorp is still very much a thing here, and it's run by yours truly, your so-called wife, Lena. So you make your way there first thing. 

"Hi," You try, while talking to the receptionist. "I'm here to see Lena, I'm –"

"Mrs. Luthor!"

Startled, you glance behind, finding no one. "Where?" Then the realization dawns. "Oh. Oh! You mean me. Yeah, I never quite got used to it. Can I go up?"

"Of course, ma'am."

You step into the elevator, musing over how Lena's last name sounds rather fitting when associated with you. In fact, you might prefer it to your own.

"Mrs. Luthor," you overhear Lena's assistant on the phone as soon as she spots you. "Your wife is here."

You make a gesture to correct her, but she's already running to the door. "Mrs. Luthor, please." she nods at you.

"Oh, you don't have – it's ok. I can –" You finally smile back at her. "I'll take it from here, thanks."

As soon as the door closes behind you, Lena makes her way towards you.

Holy shit, she's a mirror image of your Lena. Not a single strand of hair out of place. She even wears the same style of heels your Lena used to, with a high ponytail and those perfect red lips curved into a smile.

"Darling, I didn't know you were dropping by." Before you can say anything, she's planting a kiss on you—a short, sweet peck that catches you off guard. It takes a few moments for you to close your eyes and reciprocate, only to find Lena pulling away. "Is everything all right?"

"I'm not your wife!" The words burst out before she can lean in again, the realization hitting you hard. It hurts to say, especially when all you want is to kiss Lena once more, even though she's not truly your Lena.

"What?" Lena's eyebrows knit together in confusion.

"I'm a different Y/N. From another Earth." You point to yourself, trying to convey the truth. She stares at you in disbelief, so you rack your brain for ways to convince her. "Call your wife, and you'll see."

Lena blinks, then reaches for her phone on her desk. After a brief conversation, she hangs up. "You're not my wife," she confirms, setting her phone down. "Sorry for the unexpected kiss. You look exactly like her. Well, you are her."

"It's okay. I can't say I hated it." You admit, feeling a blush rise to your cheeks at her amused smirk. Maybe you shouldn't have said that.

"Let me guess, your own world is in danger, and you need our help, or something equally insane?" Lena guesses with a sigh.

"My world is fine. But I do need your help with something insane."

Lena gestures toward the couch, and you follow suit. "Do tell, not-my-wife."

"How did we end up together in this universe? How did I win you over?" You're not even half seated yet and are blurting out questions.

"Win me over?" Lena chuckles at your choice of words. "Oh, darling. You fell in love with a Lena?"

"I'm afraid I did. Except mine is in love with Kara, so –"

"Oh, ok." This Lena shakes her head like that thought is insane. "Can't help you in that area. I was always in love with you – your version from here. In fact, you didn't win me over. I was the one who had to win you."

"Oh yeah, that was probably so hard. Flash those green eyes and a knowing smirk at me, and I'm already head over heels for you." 

Lena nods in agreement, a smile playing on her lips. "To be honest, that was pretty much it."

Great, this entire excursion to another universe was useless. This Y/N finally got the girl, and you can't be helped.

"I'm sorry," Lena is quick to say. "I know I was of no help, but don't lose hope!"

"How do you know–"

"Please, Y/N. I am your wife." She reaches for your hand, smiling warmly. "If you fell in love with me here and in your universe, there's likely others where we end up together. I'm not saying you can visit them all—"

"I will visit them all!" You declare, rising from the couch, and you can practically feel Lena rolling her eyes. As you stand, she does too, and you share a goodbye hug. "Thanks for your help, not-my-wife! A pity kiss goodbye in case I never get the girl?"

She chuckles at your jest and plants a kiss on your cheek. "I'm certain you'll get her."

With renewed determination, you prepare for another journey to another Earth.

[bakanokiwami]

TOP 10 TV SHOW FANDOMS ON AO3 BASED ON NUMBER OF FANWORKS (2009-2022)

To make these bar chart race, all series titles in the TV Show Category on November 29 (or the closest date to it) of every year were copy-pasted from Wayback Machine to Google Sheets, rearranged according to number of fanworks, and then inputted to Flourish to turn into a bar chart race.

Locked fanworks aren't included in the count because Wayback Machine can’t view those, only Ao3 users can.

Unspecified means that it doesn’t say in its title whether it is an “All Media Type” type tag or not. There’s a possibility that this tag only shows up in the TV Show category, or maybe in multiple categories, like in Movies and Comics too.

It doesn’t appear in the bar chart race, but for some reason Original Work was in the TV Show category in November 2021, and then removed by 2022.

The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types was actually in the top 10 from 2012-2014, and was removed from the TV show category from 2015 onwards so I’ve excluded it from the bar chart.

The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom was also in the top 10 from 2012-2020, but then was reduced to 5% of its 2020 total fanworks in 2021 onwards because The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types and The Avengers (Marvel Movies) was removed from its subtag list. I’m excluding it from the bar chart since it means it shouldn’t have been in the top 10 in the first place.

Jossverse was in the top 10 from 2010-2014 (Top 2 in 2010 and 2011). In 2018, it was removed from the TV Show fandom list and works tagged with it show up in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV) instead so I’ve excluded it from the bar chart.

89% of the Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms fanworks in 2022 are tagged with Sherlock (TV).

Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a subtag of Marvel and Marvel is a metatag for all Marvel works of various media, including comics and movies. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV) is the only TV show that appears in the top 10 fandoms listed in Marvel and MCU’s fandom filter in 2022, and it’s only 5% of the fanworks in the Marvel tag. Half of the Marvel tags’s top 10 fandom filter list are movies, and there are also 2 All Media Types tags.

As for DCU, 6 of the top 10 fandoms listed in DCU’s fandom filter in 2022 are specifically TV shows: 13% of its fanworks are from Supergirl (TV 2015), 9% are from The Flash (TV 2014),  8% are from Arrow (TV 2012), 5% are from DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), 4% are from Smallville and 4% are from Gotham (TV).

As for Batman - All Media Types, none of the top 10 fandoms listed in its fandom filter in 2022 are specifically TV shows: 5 of the fandoms listed were comics fandoms. 2 were all media types and 1 was the Nolan movies.

Maybe it would have been better to do a bar chart with fandoms that only appear in a single category (In this case, the TV Show category.). Some of the fandoms that ranked have popular other media outside of TV Shows that boosted their rankings. It would take more effort to filter out, but let me know if you’re interested in seeing a bar chart race like this. If there’s enough interest, I might get motivated enough to work on it, haha.

Thanks for understanding and hopefully I didn’t mess up anywhere! 🙏

[momachan]

"When a fire ravages a forest, the devastation can appear overwhelming... but from the charred ashes of what was, new life begins to grow almost inmediately. That is nature's way. We cannot undo the tragic events that have befallen us. The enormity of our loss is so staggering as to defy comprehension. Perhaps and understanding-- an acceptance-- will come only through the perspective of time. But we live in the here-and-now. We must decide in unison-- not as americans, or russians, chinese or africans-- not as catholics, or jews, protestants or buddhists-- not even as women, for-- withouth men-- we need no such distinctions-- We must decide as the human race... if we plan to survive... and then to thrive! The metahumans of the world will continue to address social concerns as never before. In that we are unified and resolute. The Justice League will serve as the focal point for all organized metahumans endevors. Our core roster will consist of The Flash, Supergirl, Zatanna, Powergirl, Dr. Light, Black Canary and Hawk. It is not for us to govern you, but rather to help guide you in the decisions that need to be made."

Elseworlds: Justice League Vol. 3 (DC Elseworlds). "JLA. Created Equal."

[arizonaconservativegal]

I am not sad that woke Disney is failing and they fucked up three movie franchises with their woke gay feminist shit agenda. I am mad because they took Marvel characters that I loved as a kid and turned some of them into gay shit or gender swap or race swap just to fit their agenda to please a small percentage of the population. If they want to make content for the gay people and the left side let them. Create characters and stories for them.Leave the other I could go on on how they fucked up Star Wars or Indiana Jones and even the Willow series based on the 1988 film.

Same thing with woke DC shit or CW how they fucked up Supergirl and turned it into some kind of gay feminist fest. They had some woke gay weirdo play the flash and that movie failed at the box office. Woke snow white movie and the latest hunger games has that toxic awful feminist Rachel Zegler.

You all have got to learn to ignore Bob Iger & Co's fanfic when it's shitty. If you like the original version of something and let the new stuff ruin the original for you, that's on you. Go ahead and complain about the shitty stuff all you want but it shouldn't affect how you feel about the decades worth of good stuff. Don't let these people have that power over you. They didn't earn it.

[lena-in-a-red-dress]

Lena somehow expects the shadow in her apartment less than she expects the fist that collides with her temple. Honestly, it's been a while since her last assault so really, she had it coming. But what shocks her the most when she comes to bound to one of her kitchen chairs is the face who stares back at her.

Well. Glares back at her, anyway.

Her own eyes study her from her doppelgangers position by the windows, hard and calculating. Jesus. Lena can only hope she herself doesn't go that heavy on the eyeliner.

"So you're the one."

Not-Lena's voice is low, almost gravelly. Lena recognizes it as the tone her own voice sounds when she's about to cry, but the dark eyes regarding her are dry.

"Excuse me?" Lena clips back.

"You're the one she wanted to save."

Lena doesn't need to ask to know who 'she' is. Who else on this planet has had a recent encounter with a duplicate of herself? The knowledge burns low in Lena's chest.

Supergirl. Somehow, it's always Supergirl.

"You don't seem surprised to see me," her counterpart says.

Lena doesn't deign to answer, instead posing a question of her own.

"Did Lex make you too?"

In a flash, her double's features harden to ice even as sudden rage burns in her eyes. She marches towards Lena and grips Lena's jaw tightly, hard enough to bruise. Lena fights back a whimper of pain.

After a moment, Lena is released with a small push, nearly tipping her chair backwards. With a measured step her counterpart retreats a single step, head tilting laconically to one side.

"You have Mother to thank for this." With her free hand, Lena's counterpart reaches up and pulls down the collar of her sweater-- one pilfered from Lena's own closet-- to reveal the polished surface of a kryptonite shard buried in her chest. Lena's own chest tightens at the sight. "Though Lex played his part getting me under her knife."

"Metallo," Lena breathes. Her mind races to put the pieces together. Manufacture isn't out of the question, but Lena senses there's more to it than that.

"You've encountered something like this before," her double observes.

Lena nods. "Yes-- but not me. The assassin Lex hired to kill me."

Finally, Not-Lena's features twist into a morbid smirk. "So she already did save you. Supergirl."

Lena gives a single nod. As bitter as she is that her supposedly best friend got one over on her, Lena can't deny the many times Kara has saved her.

She watches her counterpart turn away, returning to her stance in front of the windows, this time gazing out at the cityscape beyond.

"It's different," Not-Lena observes. "I hardly remember what it was like, before..."

Curiosity piques, tickling Lena's brain. "Before what?"

A sigh answers her. "The end of the world." Not-Lena turns back to face her. "I brought it back from the brink-- along with a team of carefully selected allies. But the damage was already done."

An alternate reality then, Lena surmises. If she herself was so changed by changed events, then Lena could scarcely fathom what her doppelganger's world might look like. Despite her desire to learn everything about that distant world, Lena forces herself to return to the matters at hand.

"Will you let me loose?" Lena twists her hands against the duct tape pinning her wrists to the chair she's sitting in. "Or are you planning to single white female me?"

A satisfied smirk curls her double's scarlet lips. With deliberate strides she closes the distance once more, this time to bend and reach for the tape binding Lena to the chair. Before she can rip the tape away, Not-Lena freezes, her ear cocking towards the open balcony.

"She's coming."

Shit. "Quick, let me-- hey!" Lena protests as her counterpart grabs the back of the chair and drags her effortlessly towards the nearest closet. Lena is shoved in among the coats, chair and all.

"Stay silent," her doppelganger warns. "Or you'll both die."

The door closes before Lena can issue a retort. Not that she's sure she'd have anything to say-- she wants to know how the impending confrontation is going to play out.

She hears the muffled whoosh of Kara's arrival, the thud of heavy boots on the concrete balcony. If Lena's counterpart says anything, Lena doesn't hear it. But she hears Kara loud and clear.

"I know you don't want to see me, but I have something to say."

Oh. Oh. That's not Kara-- that's Supergirl, all pompous authority and brassy command. The fact Kara doesn't even have the courage to come and speak to her as Kara Danvers makes Lena bristle with anger. It reminds her of the way Supergirl condemned her for the harun-el research, and the memory of Kara Danvers' smiling visage through all of it feels like sandpaper on an open wound.

"I made a mistake," Supergirl delivers firmly. "I was wrong to keep the truth from you. I know that. But the past is the past."

Lena scowls in the dark shadows of the closet. The past is the past. Funny how it's always the offender who says that first, rarely the victim.

"I made my choice," the hero continues. "And you're making choices of your own-- to not forgive me, to work with Lex... I'm done blaming myself for your bad decisions--"

The monologue pauses sharply. Lena waits for it to resume, as does her counterpart.

"You were saying?"

Not-Lena sounds almost exactly like Lena. So like her, in fact, that if she weren't the one in the coat closet Lena might assume the woman on the balcony were the real deal.

"Is someone here?"

"What makes you say that?"

In her mind's eye, Lena can almost see the crinkle between Kara's eyebrows.

"N-nothing. Just-- something seems... off."

"Well, if you could wrap up whatever you came here to say, I'd like to get back to my evening."

"R-right. I just--" Pieces of Kara Danvers peeks through Supergirl's facade as she stumbles to get back on track. "I came here to tell you that from now on-- you're accountable for your own actions."

Lena's stomach drops out from under her. It seems a part of her had still clung to a shred of hope that Kara would somehow know the magic words to heal them, to make everything right. Instead, Kara is washing her hands of it all-- washing her hands of Lena.

"If you continue to go down this path, if you go through with whatever you and your brother are planning-- I will do everything in my power to stop you. Just like any other villain."

Villain.

Lena can barely breathe. Her chest is tight with undefined emotion, the shadows blurring the tears in her eyes. To hear that word from Supergirl's-- no, Kara's-- lips, after everything that's happened.... Lena doesn't know whether to feel angry or heartbroken, and so she feels both together, intermingling in a twisting mess of rage and anguish.

How dare she--

"Is that all?" Lena's double drawls, a far cry calmer than Lena ever would be. If nothing else, meeting her doppelganger is worth it if only to save face when Lena herself wants to lash out at anything within reach.

"You're not Lena."

The accusation comes so sharp and so suddenly it nearly gives Lena whiplash. In the midst of eavesdropping, she'd forgotten the ruse of it all.

"Excuse me--?"

"You don't have a heartbeat." In an instant, Supergirl's voice had dropped into a threat, danger dripping from her words. "What did you do to her?"

Lena doesn't see her counterpart's reaction, but her next words are calm and slow, no longer Lena's own cadence.

"Do?" Ah. Lena hears another smirk. "Why don't you ask her yourself?"

The closet door is thrown wide, and Lena blinks briefly against the light as her double easily drags the chair back into view. Lena is plopped down in front of the balcony doors and a Supergirl whose anger quickly shifts into concern.

"Lena--!"

"Stay away from me."

Supergirl halts, hands outstretched. She retracts them hesitantly. "Lena, I--"

The hero takes a conciliatory step forward.

"Take a single step past that threshold, and I won't be responsible for the consequences."

A warm hand settles gently on her shoulder. Lena doesn't have to look up to see her counterpart pull down the collar of her sweater again. She can hear the crackle of energy sparking to life in the kryptonite, feel the faint heat of it charging. She sees the way Supergirl physically recoils.

"Lena..."

Lena squares her shoulders as though she were sitting on a throne, not bound to a chair.

"As you said," she issues past the lump in her throat. "You made your choice. It's time I make some of my own."

Supergirl draws herself up, regaining her composure. She made her bed, and it seems she's willing to lie in it.

"If you choose to forgive me, I will be here for you," Supergirl delivers firmly. "But if you--"

"Yeah. Villain. I heard."

Kara at least has the decency to blush, hopefully in shame.

"Leave," Lena delivers firmly. Her jaw firms resolutely. "Don't come back."

Supergirl gives her a final long look before lifting off into the night sky. Lena waits a beat, then two, before turning her attention back to her counterpart.

"Now let me go--"

Before she knows what's happening, a hand is around her throat. It squeezes, not enough to choke, but enough to let her know it's still an option.

"What could possibly compel you to work with Lex?"

Lena swallows thickly. "He's a means to an end."

"You're a fool--"

"I've been telling myself that for months." Lena glares at her doppelganger. "I have my reasons. It doesn't mean I trust him."

Yet again, Not-Lena releases her with a small shove. This time the feet of the chair squeal sharply against the hardwood. But she does reach down and rip through the duct tape with ease, freeing Lena and allowing her to rise.

As she stands, peeling the remaining tape from her skin as she regards her double. "What are you planning to do?"

"I have no intention of staying here, if that's your concern."

It is, but Lena is careful not to let her relief show. "With more information, I can get you home."

Her double scoffs. "So can I. But first..."

"What," Lena prompts.

Her counterpart turns, revealing a dark glint in her gaze that makes Lena's blood run cold.

"First, I'm going to kill our brother."

[gorogues]

Spoilers for comics in December!

These are from the official solicits for that month, which you can see in full at Adventures In Poor Taste.

Evan is back, and joining in the fun with the Folding Man.

THE FLASH #4 Written by SI SPURRIER Art and cover by MIKE DEODATO JR. Variant covers by MIKE DEODATO JR. and FRANY 1:25 variant cover by JAVIER RODRIGUEZ 1:50 variant cover by MATT TAYLOR Santa variant cover by STEPHEN SEGOVIA $3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock) ON SALE 12/26/23 As the Flash continues to explore the Gallery, he meets a living entity called the Resident that he feels drawn to. Can she aid him in his battle against the Folding Man…and even if she can, does she want to? Meanwhile, Mirror Master returns, unveiling even more upgrades since we last saw him in The Flash #800—but he’s not the only one with new powers, as Irey “Thunderheart” West is eager to show the world. Also, the Stillness decide to act upon humanity as the new chapter for the Flash Family continues!

SPEED FORCE #2 Written by JARRETT WILLIAMS Art by DANIELE DI NICUOLO Cover by MIKE DEODATO JR. Variant cover by SWEENEY BOO $3.99 US | 32 pages | 2 of 6 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock) ON SALE 12/12/23 As Wallace and Avery race to uncover the mystery of the missing S.T.A.R. Labs scientists, something appears to be affecting their friends—is it tied to the bubbles popping up all over Keystone, or the “spooky Speed Force stuff” Mr. Terrific is warning everyone about? Also, a classic Flash character appears— and is really into EDM, but to what end? The young Speedster team-up continues!

Could it be Hartley who's gotten into EDM..?

TITANS: BEAST WORLD TOUR: CENTRAL CITY #1 Written by SI SPURRIER, A.L. KAPLAN, ALEX PAKNADEL, JARRETT WILLIAMS Art by A.L. KAPLAN, GEORGE KAMBADAIS, and SERG ACUNÑA Cover by MIKEL JANÍN Variant covers by CULLY HAMNER and TAURIN CLARKE $5.99 US | 48 pages | Variant $6.99 US (card stock) ON SALE 12/19/23 Speedsters infected! The home of the Flash is not immune from the Starro spores, and as a member of the Flash Family is infected, it’s all hands on deck across both Central and Keystone City. Irey West has a plan that requires the help of her BFF Maxine Baker, while Avery Ho, Wallace West, and fan-favorite Circuit Breaker will all be working together with the entire clan to contain the infected speedsters causing chaos across the city. Oh, and the recent issues within the Speed Force haven’t gone away… This key chapter of the Beast World saga also contains important revelations for the Scarlet Speedster’s next steps as The Flash writer Si Spurrier is joined by Speed Force writer Jarrett WIlliams, Circuit Breaker scribe A.L. Kaplan, and Knight Terrors: The Flash writer Alex Paknadel!

As per a variant cover, it seems that Godspeed is the infected member (or one of them, since the solicit later says speedsters plural) of the Flash Family.

And because we know Len is in this series...

JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. GODZILLA VS. KONG #3 Written by BRIAN BUCCELLATO Art by CHRISTIAN DUCE Cover by DREW JOHNSON Variant cover by JONBOY MEYERS Variant cover by MIKE DEODATO JR. 1:25 variant cover by SIMONE DI MEO 1:50 variant cover by ARIST DEYN $4.99 US | 40 pages | 3 of 7 | Variant $5.99 US (card stock) ON SALE 12/19/23 Superman and Godzilla have gone head-to-head with devastating consequences in Metropolis as the Justice League scrambles to protect their homes from the monsters—Supergirl encounters Kong on Skull Island and Wonder Woman takes on Behemoth on Themyscira! Lost in the monster mayhem, though, are Lex Luthor and his Legion of Doom… what nefarious connection do they have to everything?

[pin-crusher2000]

After completing both Young Titans & (New) Young Justice, here are some additional heroes in my universe:

Maxine Baker

Alias: Animal Girl

DOB: 05/6/08

Race: Human (meta dna)

Affiliation: Animal Man, Flash-fam, Animal Twins (with twin brother Cliff Baker aka Animal Boy) honorable member of both young titans & new young justice.

Clifford Baker

Alias: Animal Boy

DOB: 05/06/08

Race: Human

Affiliation: Animal Man, Flash-fam, Animal Twins (with twin sister Maxine Baker) honorable member of both young titans & new young justice.

Mara Al Ghul

Alias: RedBird

DOB: 10/26/06

Race: human

Affiliation: Bat-Family, new young justice

Suren Darga

Alias: FlameBird

DOB: 03/16/06 (technically was born during ancient history; Robin son of Batman comic series)

Race: human (meta human)

Affiliation: bat-family, Robin Damian Wayne, new young justice.

Katherine Branden

Alias: Beacon

DOB: 08/15/09

Race: unknown (green alien type race)

Affiliation: Super-family, new young justice,

Maya Ducard

Alias: Nobody II

DOB: 06/17/06

Race: Human

Affiliation: Bat-Family, Super-Family, New young justice.

Colin Wilkes

Alias: Abuse, Crowly

DOB: 10/08/06

Race: Human

Affiliation: Bat-Family, New Young Justice

Otho-Ra

Alias: Supergirl II, StarChild

DOB: unknown (Superman brought her & her twin brother back to earth on 02/02/2022, so her birthday is 02/02/2014

Race: Phaelosian (“kryptonian descent; cousin”)

Affiliation: Super-family, Super-Twins (with twin brother)

Osul-Ra

Alias: Superboy IV, Fight Master, Red Son

DOB: unknown (Superman brought him & his twin sister back to earth on 02/02/2022, so his birthday is 02/02/2014)

Race: phaelosian (“kryptonian descent; cousin)

Affiliation: Super-family, Super-Twins (with twin sister)

[dragonfly0808]

What are your favorite series/movies/cartoons/etc..?

Dragon Prince

Winx Club

Pride and Prejudice (2005)

Into/Across the Spiderverse

Wandavision

ATLA

How to Train Your Dragon (the movies and of course Race to the Edge)

Cinderella (2015)

The Last Jedi (pls don’t come for me)

Revenge of the Sith

Tangled

The Owl House

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Corpse Bride

Coraline

Megamind

Inside Out

Captain America (1 and 2)

X-Men: Days of Future Past/X-Men 1/X-Men: First Generation

The Amazing Spiderman 2

The Greatest Showman

Barbie

Hometown Cha Cha Cha

All of Us Are Dead

Trollhunters

Ever After High

The Curse of Bly Manor

Arrowverse (mostly the first few seasons of Arrow, Flash, Supergirl and LoT)

The Rise of the Guardians

Wonder

[megamindsupremacy]

Flashfam fic rec list

These kids were fast as lightning by sibley (ferns)

Sure, the whole “let’s race for charity” thing had been done before by the real Jesse Quick and Superwoman, but supervillain threats didn’t stop just so the big leagues could help raise money for cancer research. And Kid Quick and Supergirl are just as fast.

-

A flash by any other name by ruralfishingcat

Barry Allen, newly the Flash, has kept his civilian identity a secret. Except, maybe not as secret as he hoped, thanks to the Green Lantern.

-

Live fast, die young by poppiesandsunflowers

Barry Allen experiences the worst day of his life. Somehow, things end up getting better for him.

I also recommend everything else by poppiesandsunflowers, they’re my favorite flashfam writer

-

System shock by insanetrolllogic

A kid with super speed appears in S.T.A.R. labs looking for the Flash.

-

Iris West and the Multiple Resurrections of Eobard Thawne by poppiesandsunflowers

Family bonding is when you bury the body of a time-traveler together, over and over and over again.

-

Flash of Rage by Wallyallens

Wally puts a man in hospital in a rare show of anger from the good-natured speedster, angering the rest of the League when it throws their reputation on the line. But when they confront Flash about his actions, they learn more than they asked for.

-

in another time by yellow_caballero

Time travel is confusing. Time travel is confusing even when your entire family is nothing but a hodge-podge of time travelling refugees, rejects, and heroes. Finding out that your adult cousins are your kids from the future, that your weird uncle is from the 1800s, and that your entire family is the Flash, is the most confusing at all. Wally West is fourteen, and he has it rough.

Still, there are upsides. Wally has the help of his best friend Linda in his tireless quest to find his future wife. He has his cousin's/daughter's/mentor's support in becoming Impulse to the Flash, the greatest hero of all time. And he has the help of his weird friend Robin, Rich Grayson, and the Teen Titans in making sure that he survives long enough to get married in the first place.

Wally isn't sure how to beat destiny, save the world, and get the girl (?). But he's living in the future and running in the fast lane, and no one can stop him.

[itsupermanti]

My Hero Superman AU; Injustice Multiverse Inspired Clash Quotes #1

[All Might vs Wonder Woman/Inko Midoriya]

All Might(flexing): Just as strong as you!

Wonder Woman(scoffing, wielding her lasso): Toshi, we’ve been over this.

All Might(flexing): I’ll go beyond my limit!

Wonder Woman(disbelief wielding her lasso): Wait, you were actually trying?

Wonder Woman(teasing wielding her lasso): Looks like I’ll break your other leg.

All Might(flexing): This won’t end the same as last time!

All Might(flexing): I never surrender!

Wonder Woman(wielding her lasso): You will to me!

———————————————————————–

[Superman/Hisashi “Kal-El” Midoriya vs The Flash/Tensai Iida]

Superman(confident): Just as fast as you.

Flash(confident): Hisashi, we’ve been over this.

Superman: Speed isn’t everything.

Flash(jokingly): Well there’s also my looks and my charm.

Superman(teasing): It’ll hurt when I catch you.

Flash(smirking): Well then you won’t catch me.

———————————————————————–

[Shazam/Denki “Kon-El” Midoriya vs the Sentry/the Void(Marvel)]

Shazam(body coursing with lightning): Pride is a deadly sin.

Sentry(as the Void): SO IS FOOLISHNESS!

Sentry: Feel the power of a million suns!

Shazam(charged with lightning): Feel a power equal to heaven!

Shazam(serious): ENOUGH HERO WORSHIP!

Sentry(as the Void): Show me what you got!

Sentry: You can’t fight me!

Shazam(teasingly): Isn’t that what I’m doing?

———————————————————————–

[General Zod/Dru-Zod vs General Thragg(Invincible)]

Thragg(arrogantly): Earth is mine Zod.

Zod(eyes glowing with heat vision): NOT FOR LONG!

Thragg(arrogantly): My race is one of warriors!

Zod(eyes glowing with heat vision): Yet you’re all nearly dead!

Zod(eyes glowing with heat vision): YOU WILL KNEEL BEFORE ZOD!

Thragg(arrogantly): Make me!

Thragg(arrogantly): For MY Viltrum Empire!

Zod(eyes glowing with heat vision): For the security of New Krypton!

———————————————————————–

[Troy/Mina “Min-El” Midoriya vs the Homelander/John(the Boys)]

Homelander(eyes glowing with anger): I can do whatever the F*^% I want!

Troy(raising her shield): NOT THIS TIME!

Homelander(eyes glowing with anger): I’LL KILL YOU!

Troy(raising her shield): You’ll try and you’ll fail!

Troy(raising her shield): I’m bringing you back down to Earth!

Homelander(eyes glowing and in a nervous tone): Impossible.

Homelander(eyes glowing in anger): I’M A GOD!

Troy(raising her shield): You’re just another bully!

———————————————————————–

[Superboy/Superman/Izuku “Jon-El” Midoriya vs Uravity/Superwoman/Ochako Uraraka Midoriya]

Uravity(hovering with gravity manipulation): I’m actually keeping up!

Superboy(playfully): Let’s keep it up!

Uravity(hovering): Winner chooses the movie tonight!

Superboy(playfully): You’re on!

Uravity(hovering and laughing): You’re weak against me!

Superboy(flirting): I don’t want to hurt that cute face of yours!

Superboy(teasing): I’m the favorite parent!

Uravity(offended): In your dreams!

Superwoman(in Lana Lang Superwoman costume, hovering): Let’s see you withstand a black hole!

Superman(in New 52 costume, confident): Give me your best shot!

———————————————————————–

[Supergirl/Eri “Eri-El” Midoriya vs Brightburn(Brightburn)]

Brightburn(hovering): Get out of my way!

Supergirl(hovering, her eyes glowing with telekinetic power): Not a chance!

Brightburn(hovering): This’ll hurt!

Supergirl(hovering): You can try!

Brightburn(angrily): I’LL END YOU!

Supergirl(confident): You won’t even come close!

Supergirl(determined): I’m stopping you!

Brightburn(crazed): TAKE THE WORLD!

Brightburn(angrily): I’ll break you!

Supergirl(confident): I can lift a city, this’ll be nothing!

[batmanonthecover]

Superman #199 - August 1967

Cover Art: Carmine Infantino

SUPERMAN’S RACE WITH THE FLASH

Script:  Jim Shooter

Art:  Curt Swan (Pencils), George Klein (Inks), Joe Letterese (Letters)

Characters: Superman [Clark Kent]; Flash [Barry Allen]; Perry White; Iris Allen; American Gambling Syndicate (villains); Continental Crime Syndicate (villains); Mr. Vincent; Dr. Werner Von Broder; Monsieur DePaul; Dr. Robert Carson; Justice League of America [Aquaman [Arthur Curry]; Green Arrow [Oliver Queen]; Green Lantern [Hal Jordan]; Martian Manhunter [J'onn J'onzz]; Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Hawkman [Katar Hol]; Atom [Ray Palmer]]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Jimmy Olsen; Supergirl [Kara Zor-El]

Synopsis: Superman and The Flash agree to race around the Earth three times as a fundraiser for the United Nations. But rival international gambling syndicates see the race as an opportunity to make a killing and try to fix the race.

Batman story #1,206

[supercorpkid]

Lonely is the Muse

Supergirl. Lena Luthor x Reader!, Kara Danvers

Word Count: 2850.

The first explosion cracks like thunder, shaking the floor under your feet. Papers scatter from Lena’s desk, and the glass windows of her office tremble as the distant blast rumbles through the building. For a moment, everything stands still, as if the world itself is holding its breath.

Then—chaos.

Alarms blasting, red lights flashing, an omniscient voice saying that security has been breached and reminding you to find cover immediately. You don't move. Feet fasten in place, heart on your throat while you look at Lena with clear panic in your eyes. She doesn't see it. Lena is already busy, fingers flying across her tablet, tapping into security feeds, running checks on the building’s defenses. Her face remains steady, focused, as if this really is just another day at the office.

You wish you felt that way, but fear is crawling up your spine, and you can’t shake the feeling you’re somewhere you shouldn’t be.

“Lena?” Your voice comes out shakier than you'd like, unable to mask the panic. Another explosion—closer this time—makes you flinch, reaching for the edge of her desk. “Lena, shouldn't we get Supergirl here, now?”

Lena doesn’t look up, hands still moving briskly across the screen. “It's okay, darling,” she says, almost too calm, voice completely steady. She glances at you, giving you a small, reassuring smile that hardly settles your heart. “The safest place for you to be is right here with me. Alright?”

“You’re sure?” Because while Lena is brilliant, resourceful—she’s not invulnerable. She’s not Supergirl.

Lena finally puts the tablet down and steps closer to you, her gaze softening as she places a hand on your arm. “I can protect you. We don’t need Supergirl.” Her thumb brushes over your skin in a soft, grounding gesture. Despite everything—despite the gunfire echoing through the floors under—you almost believe her.

Almost.

“We need to go.” Her voice shifts to something decisive, and she checks the hallway. Before you know it, she’s pulling you by the hand, her grip firm as you leave the relative safety of her office behind.

You run, your heartbeat pounding in your ears, shallow breaths barely doing its job to send air to your brain, and you are definitely struggling to keep the pace while Lena leads you through L Corp’s winding hallways. With each step, the sounds of the intruders grow closer—gunshots, shattering glass, and the chilling echo of shouted orders. The building feels like a trap, the walls closing in around you.

Your breaths come short and sharp as you round another corner, nearly losing your balance. “Lena,” you gasp, stopping for a minute to lean on a wall, “where are we even going?”

Because right now, it feels like you're running blind, escaping nothing and heading nowhere.

“To safety,” she replies over her shoulder, her eyes sharp and assessing, always two steps ahead. “There’s a secure wing. We’ll be safe there.”

You want to trust her—you do—but every gunshot and step sound tightens a coil of fear around your chest.

You hear a crash just behind you, and you are terrified to look and discover what really happened, but you can't help but turn. You watch as the glass wall collapses, chunks of shards crashing down, missing you by mere feet. You grip Lena’s hand tighter as you stumble forward.

Lena’s posture has shifted; you can see her mind racing, scanning the hall for any route out. But every hallway seems to lead to another dead end, every door either locked or blocked. Right now you can't even remember what brought you to L Corp this morning.

A sharp sound—footsteps, fast and coming closer—sends a fresh wave of fear through you. There’s nowhere left to go.

Lena spots a small door just ahead and yanks you toward it without hesitation. It’s a supply closet, hidden in the corner of the hall.

The space is cramped, barely enough for you both to stand. The shelves stacked high with supplies, leaving only a narrow strip of floor. You press yourself against the wall, breaths shallow as you strain to hear the sounds outside.

You are hyper aware of every point of contact between you and Lena. Her arm brushing against yours, her breath warm against your neck and the fingers ghosting over your hips, like a promise. 

You’ve always been close to Lena, close enough to have feelings you shouldn’t, feelings you’ve buried deep. But here, with danger looming just outside, everything feels too immediate, too raw. There’s no space to hide—not physically, not emotionally.

You've always wanted her, but now it's almost desperate.

"Is now a bad time to tell you I’m claustrophobic?" The words escape your lips before you can stop them, a poor attempt at humor to break the tension.

Lena glances at you, her lips quirking into a small, tight smile. "Shhh." She shifts, pulling you closer, her arm wrapping around your waist in a protective gesture. "I’m here. You’re safe."

But are you? 

Your heart races for an entirely different reason now. Her body pressed against yours, her warmth, her scent — it’s too much, and your mind spins with thoughts you’ve kept locked away for so long. 

You know you shouldn’t look at her. Not like this and definitely not now. But when you do, when you let your eyes slide to her face, it’s like a punch to the gut.

Lena’s watching you, her gaze soft but intense, her lips slightly parted as if she’s trying to figure out what to say, or maybe what not to say. Her eyes flicker down to your lips, just for a second, before she catches herself and looks away, but it’s enough to make your pulse quicken.

"Your eyes are really pretty up close," you murmur, the words slipping out before you can stop them. Lena turns her head toward you, her brow furrowed in confusion, but you don’t stop. "I never noticed the splash of blue in one of them."

For a second, there’s only silence between you. You can feel her gaze on you, searching, questioning, her pupils blown wide. The air feels even heavier now, thick with unspoken words and lingering tension.

She doesn't speak, doesn't say a word. You said more than you should've, you're sure. Wrong time, wrong confession, wrong everything. You've always known you were the wrong person for her. The vulnerability and fear of dying must have messed with your head.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” You whisper under your breath.

"No, it’s just — I don't think anyone else has noticed either." 

Not even Kara? Is what you want to ask but you stop yourself before it gets out of your mouth. You hear movement on the other side of the door. Steps and whispered words,

"She couldn't have gone far. Find her!"

You swallow deep, then turn to Lena again. For the first time you can tell she is also scared, you think that maybe that façade was just to make you feel better.

You're not thinking straight. Clearly. If you were, you wouldn't be reaching for her face nor stroking her cheek carefully and lovingly. You don't say a word, can't speak because they might hear you, but you can see Lena looks less distressed when her eyes soften and she pushes a little smile out. 

And oh whoa, you wanna kiss her. You wanna kiss her so badly — you can’t even remember why you’re stuck in this closet with her in the first place.

It might be because you're clearly staring at her lips, but Lena mouths the words, "it's alright."

And you're not sure what she's trying to tell you. Is it alright for you to kiss her? Is she trying to comfort you because of the whole situation? What does she even mean by those simple words that got your head spinning so hard?

Your pulse quickens, the soft curve of her lips drawing you in like a gravitational pull you’re helpless to resist. Lena’s whisper hangs in the air—it’s alright.

Your hand lingers against her cheek, thumb trembling as it grazes the soft skin below her eye. You shouldn’t be touching her like this—especially not now, not when every breath feels stolen, too loud in the cramped space. But the look in her eyes, that subtle catch in her breath, it blurs the lines between what's allowed to happen between two friends. Maybe—just maybe—this is not a mistake.

Are you really going to kiss her right now?

Lena tilts her head ever so slightly, leaning into your touch. Her eyes flicker down to your lips again, and it’s all the confirmation you need. You’re not sure how else to make sense of the heat thrumming between you. 

Lena's breath catches, her lips parting just enough to draw you closer. The space around you feels like it's shrinking, inch by agonizing inch. And then—just as you're about to close the distance—

Crash.

The door slams open, and in a blur of motion, the intruders are thrown back, weapons flying from their hands. A gust of wind rushes in front of you, sending people flying through the air.

Supergirl.

Kara stands in the doorway, cape flowing as she takes in the scene, you and Lena so close — so close you're almost one. Relief floods Lena’s features, her entire body unwinding in a way that makes it clear—this is what she’s been waiting for. Her.

"Y/N! Lena!" Kara’s voice is breathless, filled with concern. In two quick steps, she’s at Lena’s side, pulling her into a tight embrace. 

You blink, frozen, hand still hovering in the air where Lena’s cheek had been just moments before. You watch as Lena leans into Kara’s arms, her body relaxing in a way you haven’t seen all night. The gratitude in her eyes is unmistakable, her face lighting up in a way that stops your heart cold.

The way Lena melts into Kara’s arms—it’s like watching someone take a breath after holding it too long. Her relief is palpable, and it leaves you standing there, frozen in place. 

It’s different. She’s different with Kara. 

You step back, your arm falling to your side, the weight of the realization settling in. That almost-kiss—it wasn’t what you thought. It wasn’t born of love or longing. It was fear. Fear of dying, fear of losing everything, fear of the moment slipping away. And now, with Supergirl here, that moment has passed.

"Next time, call me immediately." Kara complains and Lena brushes her off,

"I could've handled it."

"Yeah, I just found you two hiding in a closet. I don't know how much of that you were handling. Except, you know," Kara raises her eyebrows insinuating something.

"No, you're right." Lena is quick to say, not even glancing back at you. "We were just hiding in a closet."

Something tightens in your chest, a dull ache spreading as you take another tiny step back. Oh shit, did you really ruin your friendship with Lena for one almost-kiss that quite possibly meant nothing to her?

Kara turns to you, her gaze warm and steady, a gentle hand squeezing your shoulder. You swallow hard, a weak smile tugging at your lips but never quite reaching your eyes. "Hey, you alright?" she murmurs, her voice soothing as ever. The worry in her eyes softens as she leans a bit closer, searching your face. "You guys are safe now, alright? I've got you." 

"Yeah," you lie, your voice thin. "I’m fine."

But you’re not fine. Not really.

You look at Lena one more time, watching the way her face softens as she gazes up at Kara, and you realize something you’ve been avoiding for a long time: no matter what you feel, no matter how much you love her, you’re not the one who makes her feel safe. You’re not the one who makes her heart race.

It's Kara.

And it always will be.

It’s been days since what happened in the closet, and you haven’t been able to stop thinking about it—the way her breath mingled with yours, how close you came to kissing her, and how quickly everything changed the second Supergirl arrived. You’ve convinced yourself it was all in your head, that whatever almost happened was just panic, adrenaline, impulse. Lena loves Kara. She’s always loved Kara.

That’s why it makes no sense when you hear a knock at your door late in the evening and Lena is standing on the other side.

“Can we talk?” she asks, voice soft, almost tentative.

You hesitate for a beat but step aside to let her in. The air between you is thick with everything left unsaid, but neither of you seems willing to break the silence. Lena stands in the middle of your living room, looking around like she’s searching for a way to start, and you’re suddenly hyper-aware of how quiet everything is—too quiet.

She takes a breath, breaking the stillness. “I’ve been thinking a lot about... what happened the other day.”

Your heart thuds in your chest. Oh no. She’s going to bring it up. The almost-kiss. And then tell you it was all a mistake, just heat of the moment. Your mind spins while you try to think  of an apology.

“I’m really sorry,” you blurt out, forcing the words out before she can continue. “I shouldn’t have—”

But she cuts you off with a shake of her head. “No, don’t apologize.”

You freeze, blinking at her. “What?”

Lena’s eyes meet yours, her gaze sharp and yet vulnerable. She hesitates, searching for the right words. “You shouldn’t apologize. Because I... I haven't stopped thinking about it.��

You stare at her, your mind racing. What is she saying? You can’t quite let yourself hope, but the way she’s looking at you—soft, open, raw—makes your chest ache in a way you weren’t prepared for.

“I was scared,” Lena admits, her voice dropping to a low, fragile tone you haven't heard from her yet. “I was putting on a brave face for you, but the truth is I was terrified of the situation, of people hurting you because of me, I—” She pauses, swallowing. “I should've gotten Supergirl there the second we heard the first explosion, but I wanted you to feel safe with me.”

"You wanted what?"

"I wanted to be the one to save you. I wanted to be the one you’d trust to keep you safe."

You take a step closer without thinking, "But why?"

"I—" Lena tries, but breaks eye contact like it's suddenly too much. "I wanted to be the one you look starry-eyed at."

You furrow your brows. "I've always looked at you starry-eyed. You just didn't notice because you were too busy looking at Kara like that."

"What? No. No. I — I love Kara. She’s... my best friend. I’ll always be grateful to her. But that’s all it is." Her gaze finds yours again, more open than you've ever seen. Lena takes a deep breath, her voice faltering as if she's standing on the edge of something too fragile to name. "I'm definitely not in love with her." She makes sure.

Your heart skips, but you force yourself to stay calm, to not rush into assumptions. “But then why didn’t you—” 

Lena lets out a breath, her shoulders sagging under the weight of her own uncertainty. “I... I thought maybe I misread everything, that maybe you were just trying to soothe me. And then Kara showed up, and everything..."

“I wasn’t,” you interrupt, your voice quiet but steady. “I wasn’t just reacting to fear. Lena, I’ve loved you for a long time.”

The admission hangs in the air between you, and for a second, you think maybe you’ve pushed too far, that maybe you’ve said too much. But Lena’s gaze softens, and you see something break in her—a wall you didn’t even realize she’d been holding up.

Lena cuts the distance, and you're so close again you feel transported back to the supply closet at L Corp just like that. Bodies touching, shared breaths, and stolen moments.

"I love you, Y/N. It's always been you."

And as if drawn by a force too powerful to resist, Lena leans in, her lips brushing against yours in the softest, most tentative kiss. It’s gentle, almost cautious, as though she’s still afraid this might be a dream, that you might pull away.

But you don’t. You could never pull away from the thing you've wanted the most. Instead, you lean into her, your heart pounding as you kiss her back, slow and tender, pouring everything you’ve ever felt for her into that one moment.

When you finally pull apart, you’re both breathless. Lena rests her forehead against yours, her eyes closed, as if savoring the quiet intimacy of it all.

"I’ve wanted this for so long," you admit, your voice barely more than a whisper. "Sorry I didn't follow through that day."

Lena gives you a soft, genuine smile that makes your heart swell. "You don't need to apologize, you can just make up for it now."

[laura-ann-review]

The Flash (2023)

With the amount of controversy that surrounded their lead actor; Ezra Miller, many questioned if it was right to release this movie. With so many who worked hard on this movie, including the not-so- surprising cameos, the studio decided against the controversy and let the Flash hit cinemas around the world.

Returning the Flash aka Barry Allen back to the DCU is Ezra Miller, whose character realises if he speeds faster than light that he may be able to survive his mother from a time altering event.

By Barry’s side is cameo’s from Supergirl aka Kara; Sasha Calle, Iris West; Kiersey Clemons, as well as returning faces, General Zod; Michael Shannon, Bruce Wayne aka Batman played by both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton, Woman Wonder; Gal Gadot and as well as some surprising cameos further along the film.

This movie is dubbed The Flash, yet while watching it I struggled to see Flash’s storyline. I understand throughout this movie, it’s supposed to be about Barry Allen discovering that time altering events can affect the future, but I felt like the storyline focused more on the super family (Supergirl and Superman) rather than on Barry’s involvement.

When the focus was on Barry, it was more about him trying to rescue his dad who had been behind bars for the alleged murder of Nora Allen; Barry’s mother.

After you watch the cameos play out, it almost felt like a this movie struggled to find which route it wanted to go.

I understand that the lead actor; Ezra Miller’s, is currently going through legal problems and that may have possibly affected the way this storyline was supposed to play out but in saying that, whether it was Miller’s fault or not, this story struggled to find a route that hadn’t already been exhausted by their competitor.

The movie the audience tries to focus itself on the storyline, the easier it is to lose itself to the poorly done VFX on Ezra Miller’s body Double’s face.

Even at times, understandably that the Flash can be faster than the speed of light but when he was going for a casual jog, it felt like the scenery around him was too fake to be real ruining the illusion of what the VFX department may have been trying to create for audiences to believe.

After sitting through the whole film, including the one post credit scene at the very end of the credits, I’ve come to the conclusion that WB felt like The Flash couldn’t survive alone. Watching the endless list of cameos, like I mentioned earlier some surprising and not so surprising, it felt like the studio was counting on those cameos to get audiences members to race to cinemas.

[screenandcinema]

Coming Attractions - June 2023

As usual, we present monthly previews of new movies being released. These are the movies that will be hitting your local cinemas (and streaming services) this month:

June 2nd

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - Return to the Spider-Verse with the sequel to 2018′s acclaimed and Academy Award-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. And get ready for the follow-up, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse coming in March 2024.

The Boogeyman - Based on a short story by Stephen King comes this supernatural horror film starring Chris Messi and Sophie Thatcher.

June 9th

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts - Steven Caple Jr. (Creed II) takes over the directing duties from Michael Bay in this Transformers film based on the Beast Wars storyline. The film is set prior to the Bay films in 1994 and stars humans like Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback alongside the Autobots, Maximals, and Terrorcons.

Flamin’ Hot - Eva Longoria directs this biographical comedy-drama about the origins of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos for Hulu.

June 16th

The Flash - The Scarlet Speedster races onto movie screens with his first feature film and brings along Supergirl, General Zod, and a par of Batmen. The big selling point for the film, loosely based on the Flashpoint storyline, is the return of Michael Keaton to the cape and cowl 21 years after Batman Returns.

Elemental - Pixar is back with the story of a fire element, Ember, and a water element, Ripple, who meet and fall in love in a world filled with the elements of nature.

June 23rd

Asteroid City - After a limited release the prior week, Wes Anderson’s newest film will be released wide on June 23rd. Along for the ride with Anderson are Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, and another dozen or so actors and actresses that we don’t have room to mention.

No Hard Feelings - Jennifer Lawerence stars in this hard-R coming-of-age sex comedy (a genre rarely seen in theaters anymore). Andrew Barth Feldman, Matthew Broderick, Laura Benanti, and Natalie Morales co-star.

June 30th

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny - Harrison Ford is back on Dr. Henry Jones, Jr. in this fifth installment of the Indiana Jones series. James Mangold takes over directing duties from Steven Spielberg in what billed to be Ford’s last outing on the adventure-find professor of archeology. 

Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken - From Dreamworks animation comes this new fantasy action-film that feels part Luca and part Onward.

Now for a quick look ahead to July, my top picks for next month are Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One and Oppenheimer.

-MB-

[spiderdreamer-blog]

Superman: The Animated Series: The Top 10 Episodes

P. self-explanatory, I’d imagine. Multi-parters will count as one episode Let’s get rolling!

FIVE HONORABLE MENTIONS

“In Brightest Day”: This one’s admittedly here more for the historical importance. It’s a solid episode on its own, with a much-abbreviated mashup of Hal Jordan and Kyle Rayner’s origins serving as the main thrust, and Kyle is a very likable protagonist in his first day on the job, especially against a formidable threat in Ted Levine’s arrogant, well-essayed Sinestro. But what this represented to the larger DCAU is hard to understate, with the Green Lanterns and Guardians of Oa introduced, as well as the soaring musical leitmotif that will also go on to represent John Stewart in Justice League. Of the hero team-up episodes, this is definitely on the higher end.

“Speed Demons”: Speaking of which, this also has a great deal of importance in introducing Wally West as the Flash to the DCAU. And the episode is a ton of fun, especially with the mix of personalities and TMS’ animation bolstering the speedy movements of our heroes and environmental effects. The main reason it’s here and not on the list proper is that it’s fairly light and fluffy as these go. Weather Wizard gets a lot of mileage out of Miguel Ferrer’s confident sneering villainy and going as far to attempt to murder his nebbish brother, but he’s ultimately just kind of A Guy here, and the frivolity is indicated all too well by the ending tag as Superman and Flash cheerfully resume their race. It came close, but it can’t quite go the distance.

“Little Girl Lost”: Another important episode, this introduces Supergirl as well as Granny Goodness and her Female Furies on Apokolips. Nicholle Tom of The Nanny fame makes for an immediately winning Kara, sympathetic in her desire to roam free and tough enough to make her a credible heroine. As said in the main post, the legendary Ed Asner is hilarious and menacing in equal measure as Granny, just the right edge of camp, which Apokolips should always have to one degree or another. It doesn’t make the main list because I think it is a LOT of material to cover even in a two-parter, and I wonder if having Supergirl start in a more mundane adventure could’ve been beneficial. Still, what’s here is fun, and we get enough of Ironside’s Darkseid to tease us further, especially his darkly funny exit: “Teach Granny the price of failure.”

“Monkey Fun”: This is pure Silver Age ridiculousness, and I mean that as the highest compliment possible. Titano the giant space-irradiated monkey is one of Supes’ goofiest threats, and to see him get battered around like a children’s toy is remarkably funny. It’s also a good episode for Lois, as we learn about her military father Sam and childhood with Titano (few things can tug on the heartstrings like a little girl being devastated at a pet being taken away). She even gets to save the day in her own fashion.

“Legacy”: Yes, this is another series where the finale doesn’t end up on the top 10. No, I don’t know how this keeps happening. Mainly I quibbled with putting it there because while they’re excellent episodes, there is a clear sense of unfinished business. We wouldn’t fully answer the questions raised by the story until Justice League Unlimited, especially in regards to characters like Hamilton. And the final note is bittersweet, but hardly definitive. Still, this is some of the best action and drama in the series, especially the iconic Timm-boarded throwdown between Superman and Darkseid, which features just as many great lines as punches.

Other Miscellaneous Favorites: “My Girl”, “Fun and Games”, “Brave New Metropolis”, “The Hand of Fate”, “Knight Time”.

THE TOP 10

10. “Two’s A Crowd”: This feels underrated by a lot of fans tbh. Stan Berkowitz gives us a clever premise in Supes having to rely on Parasite’s absorbing abilities to tap into the mind of Dr. Earl Garver, who’s holding the city ransom via a bomb that he’s hidden. But it’s not quite that simple, and the twists it takes with Garver and Rudy Jones interacting are very well done. Garver benefits hugely from the vocal presence of the legendary Brian Cox, who brings his typical brand of egotistical intellect and confidence to what could have been a generic madman, relishing Berkowitz’s hammy dialogue with gusto. It’s a good showing for Brion James as Jones too, who has his own opinions about getting crowded out of his body, and expressive TMS animation is the cherry on top; while they were always great with action scenes, their character acting is a great boon to this episode in particular.

9. “The Main Man”: Sometimes two-parters in this series feel like butter scraped over too much bread in terms of thin plots getting padded out by action scenes (this would also be an issue at times in the first two seasons of Justice League before the Unlimited rebrand). Thankfully, that’s not the case here, primarily because we have such a surplus of character work. As noted in the main post, Brad Garrett is terrific as Lobo, a character who should never be taken completely seriously, and his comedic crassness matches well with Tim Daly’s increasingly impatient straight man. (Credit also to Harvey R. Cohen for giving Lobo a distinct musical identity with bitchin’ electric guitars) It also does have a genuinely intriguing plot, with the creepy Preserver as a formidable foe and Superman having to use his wits to get out of the situation; my particular favorite moment is him briar patching a group of thugs. Also features the iconic scene where Clark sarcastically confesses to being Superman to annoy Lois.

8. “The Way of All Flesh”: This is a fascinating episode because it takes a premise that would have been an outright tragedy in Batman: The Animated Series and tweaks it to fit this series’ tone. Corben is never anything less than a brutal asshole intent on killing Superman and clearly has no regrets on that score. But the struggle with his dwindling senses is nevertheless compelling, and Malcolm McDowell gives a stellar performance as Corben rages against his loss of humanity. Add in some great TMS-aided fight scenes and one of my favorite cold-blooded Luthor moments (”And just what makes you think there’s anything of him left to find?”), and you’ve got a classic.

7. “Solar Power”: There’s a bit of a pattern with my favorite episodes in terms of Superman having to rely on more than just his powers to solve the problem, and this fits in well here. Edward Lytener, who first debuted in the episode “Target” as a stalker/burned source of Lois, returns to take vengeance on Superman by becoming Doctor Light Luminus and creating a device that turns the Earth’s yellow sun rays into red ones to put Superman on a normal human level. It’s clever plotting, and Robert Hays gives a fantastically smug performance as Lytener, relishing his attacks and holographic tricks (it resembles the kind of stuff Mysterio puts Spider-Man through on the regular at points); he also has one of my favorite big “NO!” deliveries ever.

6. “Mxyzpixilated”: This has a great Looney Tunes vibe, with Superman baffled and confused by Mxyzpltk’s braying jackass routine, but ultimately turning the tables and becoming more of a Bugs Bunny type trickster than I’ve ever seen him as before. It’s another one where Tim Daly gets to shine with deadpan deliveries, such as a moment where a stunned Mxyzpltk blusters that his friends will remain animals if he doesn’t play along: “They don’t seem to mind.” Very funny stuff, with an immensely satisfying ending.

5. “Ghost in the Machine”: Much like Harley Quinn’s introduction in Batman, Luthor’s bodyguard Mercy Graves proved compelling enough in her creation here that she crossed over into the main DCU comics. And it’s easy to see why, with Lisa Edelstein giving her a fantastic don’t-fuck-with-me vocal edge and proving to be incredibly competent. This is a rare showcase for her and Luthor’s relationship, with us learning that she believes that Luthor taking her off the streets made her what she is. It’s more than a little sad, especially with the final moments playing out as Superman looks on. We also get Brainiac and Luthor interacting, which has fantastic dividends here with the tycoon oddly vulnerable and his protestations having little effect on the brutally efficient A.I. (plus it pays off down the line in a very unexpected way in Unlimited).

4. “The Last Son of Krypton”: As said in the main post, this is a top-tier pilot movie, especially part 1 with my favorite depiction of Krypton’s destruction ever. But the other two parts are equally good, with Jason Marsden giving teenage Clark genuine teenage angst without going over the top in part 2, and some truly kickass TMS action in part 3, plus a final scene that says everything it needs to about Superman and Luthor’s relationship.

3. “Apokolips...Now!”: The first part of this is quite good, bringing in Jack Kirby’s New Gods elegantly and giving us the backstory on them and Darkseid. But it’s part two that everyone remembers and gets it on the list, with Darkseid’s invasion of Earth offering dark action scenes with a genuinely operatic atmosphere. The stakes have never been higher, illustrated all too well by the death of Dan Turpin, which still shocks me to this day in its swift brutality. It becomes a loving tribute to Kirby and his work, and this would carry forward in the DCAU to even greater ends.

2. “The Late Mr. Kent”: I’ve never been fond of the idea with either Batman or Superman that one persona is fake and the other is “real”. To me, both should be true to some extent even if they ‘mask’ plenty. And this great episode illustrates why Clark Kent is necessary to him; he belongs in this world, not separate from humanity. The plotting is ingenious, making us wonder how Superman can get an innocent man off death row while appearing to die himself as Clark, and it’s a terrific showing for Lois as she takes up Clark’s quest as a way of honoring him, as best shown in a wonderfully played moment where she admits that she respected and liked him even amidst all the teasing. It features possibly the most chilling ending I’ve ever seen in a Western kid’s cartoon that still gives me goosebumps.

1. “World’s Finest”: Let’s see. Beautiful TMS animation? Check. Thrilling action scenes? Check. Snappy dialogue and outstanding character interactions? Check, double check, triple check. This isn’t just one of the most important episode of the DCAU historically, it’s one of the most purely FUN, barely seeming like it’s straining for effort in bringing all these characters together. Batman and Superman’s initial wary partnership is played just right, with hostility giving way to camaraderie as they save each other by turn and give the promise of more in the future. Even better might be Bruce Wayne and Lois Lane having a genuinely spicy romance, something that feels so obvious but is so rarely played out, and Conroy and Delany feel like an old-school movie star couple in their vocal stylings. And of course there’s the villains, as Luthor and Joker’s deal is inevitably, hilariously doomed to fail, and we get to watch two masters of the craft in Clancy Brown and Mark Hamill go at it like prizefighters. (Also hey, remember when the Joker was threatening AND funny instead of validating every weirdo edgelord on the Internet?) I never get tired of watching this one.