#this was fun thanks Storm

[firedragonx]

HELL YEAH I GOT A BAT!

I tagged: @gluten-free-okami @klonoadreams @broken-synchronicity @rubylarkspur22 @swimmingferret

You show up for your first day at Copyright-Free Magic School. As you're going through orientation, you're informed that all new students get a school-assigned familiar that they are responsible for housing and maintaining. The staff member assures you that your assigned familiar is appropriately chosen and reflects you in some way.

Spin this to find out yours. (Remember, you are responsible for maintaining this familiar in your dorm room.)

[merverelli]

"you just feel yourself let go."

still thinking about this episode. man. 💪💥

[imminent-danger-came]

The Devil and the Lovers

Stills Under the Cut!

[austenpoppy]

Dick and Bette Kane - part 1

I started writing this as an answer to the people who claim they love Dick's "petty" side/him not being welcoming to specific people he supposedly has a grudge against. The problem is, those same people tend to mention Helena Bertinelli or Jean-Paul Valley as examples of that happening, when it doesn't reflect at all the relationship he had with either of them in the New Earth continuity (which is generally the one being referred to).

I will do a breakdown of Dick's relationship with those two in separate posts, but it got me thinking about a "heroic" character Dick's been consistently uncomfortable around in that same continuity, and one he openly doesn't appreciate much : Bette Kane, a.k.a Flamebird. Yet people do not seem to ever list her among the characters Dick's not very fond (for very good reasons).

Bette Kane's an interesting concept as a character, because she's not a very good super-heroin, but she's extremely competent in other areas of her life. As a teenager, she began playing tennis in competitions, and she was so good at it she quickly became "a pro", and was considered something of a celebrity.

Yet Bette dreamed of something very different. She openly admired Robin (Dick) and wanted to imitate him by becoming a super-heroin of her own. She even designed her costume as a tribute to him, and chose the code name Flamebird. That's somewhat ironic considering Flamebird was originally Nightwing's partner back when Nightwing was an identity Superman had used.

Bette as Flamebird's New Earth origins are recounted in Secret Origins, vol. 2 annual 3, which is focused on a mental attack Dick suffers at the hands of the Gargoyle. Here Gargoyle narrates one of the first acts Bette did as Flamebird, which was saving Navy men hanging to lifelines attached to an air-craft carrier that was being lifted into the air. Other super-heroes helped resolve the situation, and that teamwork is what prompted the creation of Titans West.

Secret Origins, Vol. 2 Annual 3

Interestingly, you can see that Dick wasn't really aware of how much he'd inspired Bette, and this mental fight with the Gargoyle happened several years after his first meeting with Bette as leader of the Titans, and years after his first meeting with Bette at all.

At first glance, this may seem surprising, given that Bette was obsessed with Robin and wasn't remotely subtle about it. After becoming Flamebird and rescuing the Navy men, she was part of the unofficial first meeting of Titans West along with Gar, Hank, Dove, Charley, and Lilith. And her first reaction was to be delighted at the idea of seeing "Robin" again, calling him "a cute hunk". When Lilith asked her to tone it down and be serious, she instead went further by commenting on Dick's legs.

Secret Origins, Vol. 2 Annual 3

Then when it became clear the newly formed Titans West would have to seek help and go see the official Titans in New York, all Bette cared about was that she was going to work with Robin.

Secret Origins, Vol. 2 Annual 3

When the two teams finally met, it wasn't love at first sight. Once they finally started discussing the case they were working on, Dick suggested a plan of action that involved the two teams splitting up. Bette cut him off as soon as he said it to contradict him and affirm that she was going with him, which she ended up doing.

Her behaviour was honestly creepy. She cut off Dick just because she'd decided that she was going with him. She didn't refer to him by his code name, but only by the part of his body she'd commented on before, calling him "legs". She took his face between her fingers. And the sentence "I've waited too long for this", coupled with the nickname, would've made my skin crawl. It sounds like she'd fantasized about Dick for a while, was going to have what she wanted no matter what, and had no problem announcing it out loud.

Secret Origins, Vol. 2 Annual 3

After the case was over, the two teams had a fight over what team had done more to solve it, and over the legitimacy of Titans West. Wally criticized the way they'd come into the headquarters like they belonged, Bette said they did because they were Titans too, and appealed to Dick to validate her opinion - calling him "legs" again, which implies that this was the nickname she gave him the entire time they worked together.

Dick said he wasn't sure whether it was a good idea for the others to be Titans, because he wasn't sure he would be able to lead two teams, one of them long-distance. Members of Titans West were affronted by Dick's speech, including Bette. She went with the others, talking to Dick again to tell him that "[he'd] never know what [he'd] missed", making her departure partly about a romantic/sexual golden opportunity Dick didn't take. Appreciate the fact that she called him "Robin" again now that she was irritated by him.

Secret Origins, Vol. 2 Annual 3

Titans and Titans West had a couple other team-ups before Titans West disbanded, during which Bette learned Dick's secret identity. From the way Bette acted during the one team-up recounted in details in New Titans #56, we can deduce that every time she met Dick she kept trying to seduce him, persistently, relentlessly, in obnoxious ways that sometimes border on sexual harassment.

It was well-known that Bette was obsessed with Dick - not like Bette was trying to be subtle about it, she had no problem making her intentions clear and that publicly. There's a panel I couldn't include in which Hank scoffs at the idea that Lilith "trusts" Dick and tells Charley that "she's got the hots for him. Just like Bette."

I'm sad I couldn't include it because there's this hilarious exchange after in which Hank bemoans "Man. That burns me. What's he got that I haven't ?" and Charley answers "Look in the mirror and weep" (lmao).

But as I was saying, Bette kept trying to hit on Dick. In the panel below she asked him whether he needed help (the "sure" implying it's not the first time she asked the question), only to say that it was "[his] loss" when he said no. Dick was very polite in his answer, thanking her for her offer, but was turning her down all the same.

New Titans #56

Not long after, Dick told off Hank and Charley who'd gone in an argument over leadership and about their association with the Titans, before having the conversation about Dick I mentioned above. Bette immediately cheered him on, calling him "handsome" as she got close to him. Dick ignored her.

New Titans #56

During a fight she called out to Dick to warn him about an assailant, and had to sneak in a comment about his butt (whoever said this kind of things was recent was lying). Dick was clearly uncomfortable, answering with an embarrassed "Uhh, thanks, Flamebird" - the "uhh" plus the two commas in a three-word sentence indicate he didn't know what to make of her comment. He also corrected her to make sure she knew he'd seen the assailant she was talking about. It was a way for him to reaffirm his skills as a crimefighter (she's not the first one he said those things to), but also a way for him to reject her attention.

New Titans #56

She was also very physical around Dick. I can't include all panels of her, but she seemed to be near Dick most of the time, would touch his shoulder for no reason when they came in a lab, or, like in the panel below, latch onto his arm. Dick wasn't shown shaking her off, but he wasn't seen reciprocating either.

New Titans #56

So in the end, it's not a surprise Dick had no idea Bette'd wanted to become a super-heroin because she'd been inspired by him. Not when most of their interactions revolved around her attraction for him, not when she kept making comments about his looks.

As an aside, this is one of the reasons I can't take seriously anyone who says it's Devin Grayson's fault if Dick's been sexualized. Hard to do that when you have an entire character who could've been one of the best tennis players in the world but decided to become a crimefighter because she was obsessed with Dick, and kept gushing over his legs and butt. Dick's been dealing with that kind of things since the 80's, guys.

Part 2

Part 3

[xxplastic-cubexx]

From the same Storm mini-series 🥹

THE FAM 🥺

[cosmicdenro]

summer heat summer art

[skelecentral]

Day 6 of Bad Sansuary (hosted by @owl-bones!): Heavy

"WHY NOT??"

"because then you'd leave :("

[moreclaypigeons]

Why are people being so mean about the year theme? Did I miss something? Literally why is it bad? It's just a bit?

Like maybe I'm just autistic or it means something rude i dont know but like the "this is why you should eat before doing stuff" "we can love it ironically" "it's a dud" "it's bad" ????

I'm pretty new to the fandom so maybe I just don't know anything but I think everybody's just being mean and it seems to be widely okay and encouraged? It does not feel good spirited. I thought yall liked these people??

I think most of it is good spirited. For some people the concept of tummy buddy is uncomfortable for their own reasons. I think more than anything it's the buildup of the episode to it-- there were so many bangers that did actually rhyme and felt more theme-y or actionable. Truly I think the two hour descent into madness of the episode spread through us all. As with most mbmbam things, the name is a bit, and the reaction to it will be a bit. As one of the most highly anticipated events in the MBMBaM/McElroy community, the hype is bound to exceed whatever they land upon. Especially after the banger of twenty fungalore

Personally I was like what is happening. How is this it. And went through like five stages of grief listening throught to the end of the episode. But I have come around to committing to the bit as bonkers as it is.

[ffverr]

Do you have a fun fact about Ororo? Like her likes & dislikes?

This is a great question because unfortunately in many comics, writers treat Storm from a very outside point of view and I guess hesitate to give us casual facts about her to preserve that big goddess vibe.

However, it is well known that Ororo absolutely loves plants! Compared to other X-Men, she has a very special bedroom in the mansion, which is the entire xavier's attic that she redecorated as a botanical garden! From the decorations we can also assume that she also has a great love for her kenyan culture ! Multiple issues show her visiting botanical gardens when she is in times of emotional distress. It means THAT much to her, I find it so cute.😭

A little less known fact is that Ororo loves knives! It was her only form of defense on the streets of Cairo as a kid before her powers manifested! So she's great at hand to hand and knife fighting but also seems to have genuine enjoyment for the object itself! You can see many Kenyan style knives and spears hung up on her bedroom walls overtime! Also, if we go off of this scene in the book Marauders, she's NEVER without multiple knives! (And lock picks, which is another fact I love about her. She's a great lock picker)

Look at her fighting with knife-like lightning rods!!!

She also likes to catch a drink/lunch with close friends (Especially Jean)!! She likes that kind of fun gossip break from the day to day ruckus of battle.

In the second page issue she's more depicted as a no fun business only girl so it was Jean pushing her to go out but I don't fully believe in that characterisation. Sure, she's a home body but not that much.

As for her dislikes, I can't seem to remember the casual things she truly hates apart from her well known claustrophobia (that has disappeared overtime)😭 I'm inclined to say that makes her very open minded.

But Ororo is extremely annoyed by people who think they can boss her around like she's a newbie or something. She's a humble person for sure but she's extremely independent (her background again) and she knows what she's worth and how experienced she is so that makes her especially irritated by that kind of disrespect.

[wary-taru]

Cyclonis basking in the sunset light.

Teaching Piper a thing or two about mage abilities including the crystal force grab which she loves to use!

Commissions are open! An artwork like this is 70€! Please boost! :)

[enthyrea]

2 sketch commissions for a lovely instagram user who requested rooster and maverick, and goose and maverick!

[cada4us]

commission for @tsurugi-vine ☝️ it’s true love

[hime-bee]

how would the boys' room look like in a modern setting?

Hey there, Lacie owo Well, tbf, the only ML of mine that isn't in a modern setting is Njero. Flores is like, half and half because he spends some time in the human world as well. I'll do my best to describe their rooms, though! (Long post incoming lmao)

Lucas: Pretty minimalistic, about what you'd expect from a 40-year-old man that lives alone. His walls are lined with bookshelves and floating shelves, all containing a myriad of history, mathematics, novels, language and recipe books. The only pieces of furniture he has in his room are as follows: a king-sized bed (sheets are cream and black), a wardrobe, an ottoman, a desk (also covered in books and papers, though he does have a study too), and a large plant in the corner. If his partner were to move in, he would try to hang up more pictures and buy more decorative items!

Njero: If he were in a modern setting, I think his room would look similar to Lucas', except there would be more paintings and maps on the walls. I'd like to think he would also have a sky light in his room. His bed is probably queen-sized with dark blue and grey sheets. I imagine him having lots and lots of throw pillows lol. He would also have a cat bed and a bird perch in his room for his familiars. His bedroom floors are definitely hardwood with a large black rug in the middle of the floor.

Leumin: Since I plan to make a sequel to his game, y'all will eventually get to see what Leu's room looks like! I'll still try to explain it though- his bed is a king-sized with white and lavender-colored sheets. He sleeps with two or more pillows, and possibly a plushie or two. His walls are covered in anime or game posters for sure. He also has a shelf dedicated to figurines and statues he owns. Has a nightstand with a cute lamp and also a star projector on it. There's also a few potted plants and terrariums lining the small desk he has in the corner. More often than not, you'll find a stack of fresh clothes in the chair at his desk that he hasn't folded/hung up yet-

Flores: His room in the fairy world is kind of similar to the one he has in the human world, so I'll just explain his human world home! Flo's room is more like Leu's room, but times ten with the plants. He also has a little fish tank in the corner! His bed is definitely a king-size canopy bed and his sheets are dark green or white, he changes them often. He keeps a mini bookshelf full of children's books right beside his dresser, and he'll usually give them out to the kids at the clinic. His walls are also covered, but in paintings he's bought, and decorative vines/moss. Has a little white vanity with a cute mirror and pretty pink lights surrounding it too!

Mikka: Similar to Njero's, but a lot more messy. He's got papers, books, journals, and test tubes overflowing on his desk with a big box of papers and textbooks right beside it. He's also got a lot of bookshelves with a lot of books missing from them that he misplaces often- his bed is a queen-sized and the sheets he puts on it varies (usually ocean-themed though). He also has a large fish tank and some terrariums in the corner of his room, but the fish tank is almost always empty. The only thing he keeps tidy in his room is his dresser/wardrobe. His clothes are always ironed and hung up, shoes polished and lined up perfectly in his walk-in closet. Also has a floor-length mirror somewhere in there.

[ranticore]

if a king harpy's beak breaks, will it grow back?

the bone underneath can heal about as well as any bone can... if there's a small crack it'll heal over, or if you set a break it will knit together, with about the same overall effect as a broken human nose. but if it fully breaks off or is seriously damaged (and it is a king harpy's primary face-shield in case of a fight, so damage is likely) then it will not grow back

[whatudottu]

Honestly I’d love to see the Ben 10 fandom go more in-depth as to what the galactic audience’s thoughts regarding interspecies relationships and what dynamics formed between different species are like. Is dating To'kustars or Galvans when you’re not a To’kustar or Galvan frowned upon due to the severe height difference involved? Are there debates on whether it’s ethical to date a Vulpimancer or not? Is a Galvan dating a Galvanic Mechamorphs seen as a power imbalance? What would a romantic relationship between a Petrosapien and a Tetramand be like, or a queerplatonic one between an Ectonurite and a Lepidopterran be like, or even a platonic/familial one between a Kineceleran and a Pyronite?

Heheh, I really like thinking about the interplanetary community and it’s dynamics throughout the cosmos in the Ben 10 series, because I dunno it’s like rife with potential for worldbuilding and I guess political drama? Because apparently I like fictional political drama? I guess when it’s fictional it doesn’t affect anyone so it can be played around with in interesting ways.

Got some talking points down below hehe-

I have like SO MANY headcanons about how the interplanetary community treats vulpimancers, though to be fair I have like an unrefined list of notes about the chronology of Vulpin politics and ideologies that I haven’t neatened up yet, and one of those headcanons is the difficulties they face trying to prove themselves just as sapient as the other species; amongst all the bullshit that does bring, interspecies relationships are also affected by that bias. And the fact that you bring up the implied dynamic between creator (the galvan) and creation (galvanic mechamorphs) is interesting too because also, you can kinda also have debates about ‘is it ethical to date the first generation of a species’ especially in comparison to galvans who seem to have quite long lives, ‘is it ethical for a long living species to date a species by all means younger in their entirety than they are’ type questions-

It also isn’t just like the general interplanetary community though it’s also just the differing planetary communities (with their differing nations etc etc until we get to the individual) that also butt heads with each other- an ectonurite’s family really REALLY pushing for them to ‘get together’ with their queerplatonic lepidopterran partner before they have to host a funeral one day vs the lepidopterran having to explain to their hive that they’re happy with their ectonurite partner especially without the pressure of it being romantic there’s so many others that can and do *coughs into hand* ‘contribute’ to the hive population! Or or! The kineceleran not giving two shits about their pyronite sibling from another… pibling? Ah whatever- being so frickin’ slow because they can both bond over sports vs the pyronite wanting to share one of their thrill seeking traditions from back home with a race in their stunt car against their kineceleran cuz’ own personal wheels!

Lowkey I kinda made at least a concept for a tetramand/petrosapien couple which I based on a pseudo sumo wrestling match I saw at school once where one of the participants was slammed into the ground but they quickly switched their positions to roll the person on top so fast the crowd thought THEY were the one to win and not the person they flipped who won first- I mean! In my sphere of headcanons about petrosapiens and Petropia is that they barely got much chance to interact with the universe at large (being cracked open by the fulmini before Plumber intervention set them off plus doing something similar but… a little MORE to what they did on Revonnah) and so modern interplanetary discussions about any petrosapien relationship is ‘i thought they were extinct?’ and especially with tetramands intense courtship it may even skip straight to ‘oh they might as well be extinct’. Not exactly pleasant to hear, compounded by the rare potential someone happens to know - to put it in gross terms - a ‘suitable mate’ with the opposite sex of the petrosapien they’re pestering. At that point you’d better hope it wasn’t the tetramand/petrosapien pair because if the petrosapien doesn’t stab you over the offence, the tetramand would put you in your place, as legally able to as they’d can just to piss them off :P

Do you think if a galvan and a to’kustar were dating it’d be considered a ‘long distance relationship’ :P?

[squidslugs-art]

playing with shapes and backgrounds