#touring green lantern arc

[xielianlover2]

[ufonaut]

"a disaster beyond description" - the parallax view on parallax (& coast city's destruction)

i've often talked about the importance of pre-parallax retcon hal jordan, what a radical move his downfall had been for an art medium so uniquely focused on status quo and how much walking that back in post-2005 continuity damaged the character & his development. however, something i've become increasingly interested in lately is the outsider point of view on the magnitude of coast city's destruction and hal's descent into madness -- the reverberations of one of the darkest days in the dcu were far and wide for a good long while there but rarely acknowledged outside of nostalgia pieces nowadays and even more rarely understood as a thoroughly visceral, well-written, well-planned arc that intentionally portrayed the superhero world as largely unsympathetic to the trauma of one of their own but the average civilian as grappling with that loss nearly on the same scale that hal did.

to that effect, i thought i would show a highlights reel of this outsider POV and how much it adds to the weight of the pre-2005 story. while i've accepted some tie-ins to major events (ie zero hour 1994, final night 1996), this will feature titles entirely unrelated to green lantern presented in real life chronological order by publication date in order to showcase the impact that's compelled me so (that's no convergence: green lantern, no legends of the dcu #33-36, etc).

"every office, every home, every school and hospital is atomized. the west coast and its entire ecosystem is instantaneously shattered-- and more than seven million men, women and children that once called the coast city area home-- die."

to set the scene, the explosion that destroys coast city actually appears in superman 1987 #80 (cover date: aug 1993) as part of hank henshaw and mongul's plan.

the destruction had spread as far as santa barbara & the los padres national forest. getting closer to ground zero, hank henshaw also proceeds to resolutely take care of a handful of the sole survivors:

(adventures of superman 1987 #503, cover date: aug 1993)

you all know the reading order here. past the return of superman and the events of emerald twilight, the first outsiders to have gotten the news are the darkstars

whose immediate course of action is to brand hal jordan a criminal (darkstars #23, cover date: aug 1994)

and as zero hour-induced temporal anomalies keep coming up, the darkstars start seriously considering further tampering with time in order to prevent "the creation of a power-mad monster" (darkstars #24, cover date: sept 1994).

it's a sentiment that the majority of hal's justice league colleagues share, as zero hour: crisis in time and the final night both tell us, but a more sympathetic view comes two years later in the spectre 1992 #47 (cover date: nov 1996)

and a more neutral one from waverider in superman: the doomsday wars #2 (cover date: dec 1998)

interestingly enough, more details of the in-universe perception of hal's actions comes from deadman: dead again

where we learn that "sources close to the JLA" have actually issued a press statement naming hal as wholly responsible for the green lantern corps massacre, with no hint that they've been equally forthcoming about the motive behind his actions (deadman: dead again #4, cover date: oct 2001)

the last pre-retcon word goes to superman: day of doom #3 (cover date: jan 2003), a sobering portrayal of the immense horror of coast city's annihilation and subsequently a look into the reality that had made hal snap:

post-retcon, nostalgia pieces like dcu: legacies #8 (feb 2011) and dc retroactive: superman - the 80s (oct 2011) both treat the mad-with-grief version of the story as the truth -- as does the 2015 convergence event --but outside of these few instances, the tour de force of storytelling that is this years-long arc has been cast aside in favor of an unnecessary retcon. as the zero hour: crisis in time 30th anniversary approaches, i'd say it's just the right time to remember that hal (unrepentant hal, power-hungry hal, hell-bent on making everything right hal) had had a perfectly proportional reaction to the tragedy he'd endured, if not outright a justified one.

[paladin-of-nerd-fandom65]

Dope answers buddy :)

1: Would Chris/Thara plus Jake/ Meredith get their own house or move into the Kent farm & Grayson place?

2: How much does Meredith know; does she only know about Jake or everything about the bat family? (Other heroes too)

3: How did Jake & maybe mar'i, first meet the super-twins?

4: What story would you write for the Grayson-Anders family?

5: What story would you write for the Super-Family?

Thanks man here’s some more @pin-crusher2000 ;-)

1) Chris/Thara: they would in a beachside home on the coast in the state Metropolis is within. Thara really appreciates the sunrise of the coast line while in turn Chris really likes how the moon looks at night when it reflects in the ocean water.

Jake/Meredith: Also Their own home; semi canonically at the very end of New Order, Jake and his family were living some suburbs of either Gotham or Bludhaven so it’s not hard to believe that Jake and Meredith might do the same in this timeline

2) Upon learning Jake is Skybird, she very quickly and correctly deduces that his family are Starfire, Nightwing and Nightstar respectively while his Uncle Tim is Robin but for the first two years, that’s where he knowledge would stop, until she builds enough trust and good word of mouth from Jake to the others to start learning over time. For instance it was until she was 13 she finally learned that his adoptive Grandpa Bruce was indeed the Batman and not that Bruce Wayne was living in Batman’s attic.

3) Chris introduced the Twins to both Mar’i and Jake almost about two weeks after Mon El and then arrived back on Earth after that big huge battles at Warworld. Almost immediately they actually all got along with the Twins especially so curious and full of questions about the Graysons and their Tamaranean heritage and customs.

4) Hmm….

For the whole family, I envision a long (about in the real world a half a year to one year long, biweekly scheduling in place) story arc having them travel throughout the stars putting on a space based circus tour, a sort of new intergalactic branch of Haly’s, running into many new friends and foes with the backdrop of sharing both Earthen and Tamaranean culture. Along the way, the family can have many encounters with not just the standard Blackfire and Wildfire but also maybe other space bound characters and teams in the DCU including but not limited to Adam Strange, Lobo, L.E.G.I.O.N, Planet Thanagar aka the planet Hawkman’s Nth Metal originated from, and maybe even a resident Green Lantern or two that pass by them (Ideally, Jessica Cruz and/or Tai Pham). The arc culiminates with The Graysons and their allies banding together and fending off a grand scale attack on Planet Tamaran itself and once successful, the epilogue sees that branch of the Circus give one last Grand Performance for the tour with the Flying Graysons as the headline act.

5) One day, Clark’s powers are starting to go haywire and out of control. The solar energy in his systems are overloading and threatening to cause him to explode. What’s worse though is that this explosion would be equivalent to a supernova which in way, through no fault of his own, Clark has the entire solar system and even the galaxy held hostage. Meanwhile, the anti alien Blue Earth Movement has gained unfortunate legitimacy with its representative being elected as President with vows to supposedly protect the Human race from any alien threat and place them as the superior species, no doubt having an ally in Lex Luthor. It’s a matter of the family trying to find ways to prevent Clark’s impending demise and save their world from not just that supernova but from in a way itself, especially as Blue Earth aligned super villains and even alien cosmic threats converge on our heroes, making their tasking all the harder. It’ll put their bonds and connections with each other to the test, not necessarily on how well they get along though that can certainly be all over but moreso on if it’ll be enough to overpower these great threats in their horizon. Minor Spoilers, Clark indeed survives his power overload and the Earth is safe there though the consequences would still linger afterwards

[bigskydreaming]

Green Lantern arc that introduces a traveling intergalactic festival or circus and Dick hears about an undercover mission involving it and he’s like oh I am SO inviting myself along here. Sorry, don’t mean to pull a Batman, if it helps this isn’t a control freak thing, I have full faith in you guys’ ability to handle this on your own, its just.....intergalactic traveling circus. I NEED to see this with my own eyes. I’m setting aside an entire chapter of my diary to dedicate just to this experience lmao great glad we’re all on the same page, super excited to be here!

(honestly I just think the idea of an intergalactic circus touring different planets and galactic civilizations sounds neat)

[strunmah-mah]

Honestly? Pretty much everything in this anthology sounds good, but here's the three I'm most excited for:

Far Sector: Enduring Farewells Writer NK Jemisin and artist Jamal Campbell reunite to provide a new epilogue to the award-winning Far Sector. According to DC's release, 'Enduring Farewells' is "set at the end of Green Lantern Jo Mullein's 12-month probationary duty, Green Lantern John Stewart arrives at the City Enduring to help wrap up her tour, and escort her back to Oa." The new epilogue is also said to act as a bridge to Geoffrey Thorne's 2021 Green Lantern run.

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The Signal: The Light that Shines This new Signal story, by writer Brandon Thomas and artist Khary Randolph, sees Duke Thomas transported to an alternate future Gotham, where he is Batman. The story is said to be a "spiritual successor" to 'The Second Signal' from 2021's Batman: Black and White #6.

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Bloodwynd: Pit Stop Writer Lamar Giles follows up his work on Static: Up All Night with this new Bloodwynd story, drawn by Sean Damien Hill. 'Pit Stop' is set after 'A Superman For Hell' from Action Comics Presents Doomsday Special #1, and sees Raphael Arce discover "the true history of the Bloodwynd mantle and his family's connection to the Blood Gem".

[benbamboozled]

I will saturate the market with: Jason Todd/Kyle Rayner?

Don't Ship It

1. Why don't you ship it?

Only because I don’t know anything about Kyle Rayner—outside of him being the fridge guy and I guess an artist?—and I find the Green Lanterns confusing to follow. I know that Donna and Kyle and Jay had their magical mystery tour together, but again, I have no idea why that happened or what the dynamic between them was like.

2. What would have made you like it?

I am 100% certain that if I had the patience to read any GL stuff or actually read that one arc I would ship it.

3. Despite not shipping it, do you have anything positive to say about it?

There is a lot of very nice art that I’ve seen and enjoyed which is why I was tempted to put it on the “ship it” side…but I just don’t know anything about Kyle!!! And so I decided to be responsible and abstain.

(Grab the ship game here and feel free to ask more questions!)

[wuxian-vs-wangji]

TGCF // Heavenly Official’s Blessing:: Spoiler Free Character List (Book 1, excludes arc-specific characters)

The Mains

Xie Lian:: Crown Prince of Xian Le, thrice ascended god, also nicknamed the god of misfortune or the god of fucking up. Master of the spiritual tool Ruoye. POV focus of the entire story.

Ruoye:: Xie Lian’s spiritual tool. It has the appearance of a bandage wound around his arm, but he can command it and use it as a weapon to strike his enemies, or as a rope if he so wishes.

San Lang:: A young man Xie Lian meets. San Lang is highly intelligent and talented at fighting and other tricks. He knows everything and has a rather cynical view of the world.

Hua Cheng:: A demonic Ghost King also known as the Crimson Rain-Sought Flower or Scourge of Heaven. He is the most powerful and dangerous of the Four Great Calamities and destroyed over thirty gods and 10,000 temples in one fell swoop. Master of the scimitar E-Ming. He is one of only three known  Devastation-Level demons- the highest rank possible. Even among the Devastations he is considered the most powerful and dangerous.

E-Ming:: Hua Cheng’s blade. A long, curved silver scimitar with a decorative pommel that appears to contain either an eye or a jeweled eye (not too clear on that part).

The Heavenly Host

Fu Yao:: A disciple of the god Xuan Zhen. Professional eye-roller. Too pretty for your bullshit and DO NOT hand him a broom.

Nan Feng:: A disciple of the god Nan Yang. Terrified of women. Hobbies include arguing with Fu Yao and fighting with Fu Yao.

Mu Qing // Xuan Zhen:: The Southwest Martial God. A former servant of Xie Lian’s who was brought by Xie Lian to the heavens before Xie Lian was unceremoniously kicked out the first time. Because of his former life as a servant, it is considered a high insult to hand him or one of his disciples a broom.

Feng Xin // Nan Yang:: The Southeast Martial God. A former General under Xie Lian, also brought by Xie Lian to the heavens before Xie Lian’s first downfall. Due to an error by an ancient emperor, he is worshiped in some areas as the God of Big Dick (”Tremendous Masculinity”).

Ling Wen:: A literary goddess and friend of Xie Lian. Only Ling Wen greets Xie Lian upon his third ascension and she often helps him research things.

Jun Wu:: The Heavenly Emperor. Has a certain fondness for Xie Lian, and gives him more chances than he might others.

General Pei Lang // Pei Ming // Ming Guang:: Northern Martial God. Pei Lang was a legendary womanizer as a mortal and is even worse as a divine. He makes sure his statues look sexy and has endless affairs.

“Little” General Pei Su:: A descendant of the above god who ascended to a lower godhood rank. Acts as an underling and errand boy of General Pei Lang.

Wind Master Shi Qing Xuan:: One of the Five Elemental Lords, carries a fan and stirs up violent storms often. Known for their stunning looks and a personality that makes them fast friends in the Heavenly Realm.

Water Master Shi Wu Xu:: Dubbed “Tyrannical Waters” by San Lang due to the practice of demanding tribute from those who sail upon the seas and oceans. One of the Five Elemental Lords.

Earth Master Ming Yi:: A companion of Wind Master Shi Qing Xuan and one of the Five Elemental Lords. Not much is known about the Earth Master because they like to keep a low profile.

Tai Hua// Lang Qian Qiu:: The Eastern Martial God, born the Crown Prince of Yong An- the kingdom that grew on the ashes of Xie Lian’s own kingdom. He is vaguely narcoleptic, dumb as a rock, and enjoys flinging himself headfirst into any situation if he thinks it’ll make him look heroic.

Ghosts and Demons

Black Water Demon King Xuan:: One of the Four Great Calamities. He keeps to himself often. He and Hua Cheng are the only two who hold the rank of Demon King, and one of only three demons to reach “Devastation” rank, though he is considered slightly lower than Hua Cheng.

White No-Face Bai Wu Xiang:: The eldest of the Four Great Calamities and first to achieve Devastation-Rank. He is the one who destroys Xie Lian’s kingdom before vanishing himself.

Night-Touring Green Lantern Qi Rong:: Though only a “Wraith” class demon (lower than a Devastation), he is the weakest and youngest of the Four Great Calamities. Gods look down on him with disgust rather than fear, as he is known for impaling people upside down, creating a bloody rain.

[wedreamedlove]

Li Zeyan In Love - Character Study

I sat on this because I wanted to get more dates done but, after seeing people bring up this one poem that is the epitome of Li Zeyan in the aftermath of 34, I decided to finish this. This essay has been brought to you from my occasional bursts of frustration at Elex LOL.

First, I need to acknowledge that I'll be pulling comments from others who have made their own amazing discussions about Li Zeyan's charcter. PS. Thanks for inspiring me and giving me points to think about!

SPOILERS to Chapter 21. Plus CN card lines up to Chapter 34.

THE ENDLESS SEARCH

(Sorry, Luoluo, I still have no good essay thoughts on you yet.)

It's amusing that if Bai Qi's love is in the form of "all roads lead to you". He can see where MC is standing and he is moving towards that point, struggling through all the obstacles in the way.

And Xu Mo's love is in the form of the red string of fate. No matter how much they hurt each other, walk in opposite directions, or try to tangle it up, they are forever connected to each other.

Then Li Zeyan's love is in the form of searching for a needle in the haystack. The needle being MC and the haystack being all possible worlds and universes in space-time.

Li Zeyan has tons of quotes about time, staying beside each other, and searching:

[Winter Infatuation SSR] "No matter the distance or time, nothing can prevent me from keeping you by my side."

[Time's End SSR] "I'll find and bring back the past you."

[Tour to Deep Space SSR] "No matter where you are, I will always find you."

[CN Silent Twilight SSR] "You are the only predestined ending I believe in." and "I will cross countless spaces of time to look for an ending which has you."

[Main Story 18-16] "I will definitely find and bring back the past you."

[Main Story 18-23] "Don't make it hard for me to find you, understand?"

This is reflected so painfully in [Dim Light SR] where MC takes Li Zeyan to light lanterns and he writes a poem on it. Elex didn't translate the poem and, at the time, I was somewhat lenient. But after seeing references made to it... ELEX, COME OVER HERE. I JUST WANNA TALK.

So, Li Zeyan wrote:

The last line about his wish having come true already is the same in both CN and ENG.

He wrote the last line of this poem by Xin Qiji, one of many great poets in Chinese history. Here I have provided Irving Y. Lo's translation of the poem from "Sunflower Splendor: Three Thousand Years of Chinese Poetry".

The Night of the Lantern Festival, to the Tune of ‘Green Jade Table’ - Xin Qiji [1140–1207]

One night’s wind made a thousand trees burst into flower,     And breath down still more     Showers of fallen stars. Splendid horses, carved carriages, fragrance filled the road. Music resounded from paired flutes,     Light swirled on water-clock towers.     All night long, the fabled fish-dragons danced. Gold-threaded jacket, moth- or willow-shaped hair ornaments     Melted into the throng, giggling, a trail of scents. In the crowd I looked for her a thousand and one times,     And all at once, as I turned my head,     I was startled to find her     Among the lanterns where the candles were growing dim.

The bold is Li Zeyan's lines in Chinese.

@love-p typed up an amazing post about the context of this poem:

Regarding Xin Qiji, and the political context of this poem—he was a military general during the Southern Song dynasty, sidelined due to the policy of appeasement against the Jurchen.

The poem reflects his unfortunate political circumstances by contrasting the brilliance and liveliness of the Lantern Festival and the single-minded search of the narrator for just one, special, woman, ultimately finding her in the darkness with the dimming lights.

To the writer, the brilliance and beauty of the festival pale in comparison to his goal. He is not swayed by all this finery, and in fact is willing to reject the light, for what he has held in his heart all along.

Xin Qiji was a deeply passionate patriot, which ultimately led to his discharge and suppression in the changing political tides of the era. He spent decades in seclusion pretending to be indifferent to the world, but he never lost his love for his country, and held fast to his beliefs, even when they could (and did) cost him heavily.

There's other romantic interpretations of this poem, such as the woman deciding to stop and wait when she realized this man was looking for her. She is willing to be with him.

Another interpretation is that, these two are already lovers, and when he turns his head and sees her it reflects how your happiness was right beside you all along and you just needed to turn your head, instead of searching ahead desperately.

So, back to Li Zeyan and MC. He is quoting a poem from someone who suffered for holding fast to their beliefs and who can still ignore everything around him, even the light, to find what he's held in his heart all this time. HM.

@unluckysatellite also pointed out something great, which I bolded for emphasis:

I realized this just now, but MC and Victor have this narrative theme where they keep losing and finding each other, both in the main story and in their dates. The main story plays this out pretty seriously: Victor and MC meet as kids, and then Victor loses MC because of Black Swan, which causes him to search for her the next 17 years. Victor and MC meet in chapter 1 and then Victor loses MC in chapter 18 and he vows to find her again. Victor finding MC in that HBS trap during chapter 10 and nearly losing her at the end of the chapter (with the added irony of him realizing that she was the girl he was looking for all this time). YMMV if you consider MC losing Victor in chapter 14 since a black hole sent Victor traveling into the future, but both managed to keep contact with each other in the time he was away.

BTW the reference is that his [Dim Light SR] was released in 2018 for the real lantern festival holiday. Then in 2019 all the men send gems as gifts during the holiday. Li Zeyan sends mail with the title of "Turning My Head" and the body of the message is him promising to go to the lantern festival with MC this year too, but he reminds her to stay beside him and don't make it so that when he turns his head he can't find her.

THE CONSTANT

Now another common theme that appears over and over again in Li Zeyan's character arc is him being a constant amongst all the change.

[Main Story 11-19] MC confronts Li Zeyan about his overprotectiveness: "It doesn't matter if it's the previous me, or the me in the present, all of them are [a single] me. Do you understand?"

[Winter Infatuation SSR Sinful Late-Night Snack Call] "Of course I'm me. No matter when, the person at your side is always the same me."

@sharinluna wrote a great section about Li Zeyan in Chapters 19-21 and IMO these chapters just hammer in this theme more. Even in a world where none of the men remember MC, Li Zeyan still cruises along (mostly) the same as usual. He really is a steady constant when everything's gone topsy-turvy for the poor MC.

I commented about this in my post on Chapter 19's use of horror but hilariously Li Zeyan is the most normal out of the rest of the men. If the MC weren't around, it's likely he wouldn't be involved in so much craziness. This is reflected in how the MC thinks about how he'd be better off without her in [Main Story 20-4] and her dream version of him in [Main Story 19-6].

However, I always end up thinking about Alfred Lord Tennyson's quote on this topic: "'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all."

I honestly think this is one of the themes of the game too, shown at the end of Chapter 19 where MC doesn't regret holding onto her memories and experiences with everyone, even if that means going back to the cruel real world.

Because the game (hopefully) isn't going to invalidate our experiences with everyone that means that Li Zeyan is not better off for not meeting the MC.

IMO love doesn't have to do something monumental like change your world but I think it adds something to our experience as humans (no matter its form: platonic, romantic, compassionate, selfless, etc). This is why I love this game so much because it's all about love in its entirety.

So, even if Li Zeyan's character isn't changed in any earth-shattering way from meeting or not meeting the MC the fact that he chooses MC again and again over everything else means something. He is willing to sacrifice everything to find her, no matter how long it takes him or how many worlds and times he has to traverse. His constant state is choosing MC.

I'm so scared about the Banquet of the Fallen Moon. Why did he turn into a demon lord SOBS when he promised his father he wouldn't go down that path? If it's connected to MC... OOF.

THE LOVE AND SUPPORT

Here we reach the relationship the two do have! Uh, I swear I wasn't intentionally picking the sad quotes...

[Main Story 6-16] "In your eyes? Am I that unapproachable?" He says this but then grabs her hand and holds it through his company, not caring who sees them.

[Main Story 10-25] "I'm sorry, I came late. I won't lose you a second time. Nothing will be able to hurt you again. In the future, let me fight your battles for you, just like how you protected me that year, alright?"

[Main Story 11-14] "I won't hesitate to pay any price in order to let you avoid all dangers and affairs... The things you wish to do, I will release you and let you do them. However, now isn't the time. That's why, you need to be a bit more obedient."

[Chapter 11] in general shows his protectiveness over MC and consideration for her. From caring for her in the hospital, to sending her between work and home, and even the SP detail (even though it became overwhelming).

[Main Story 18-3] "... Every time I call you dumb isn't to insult you. [...] It's acknowledgement."

IMO these are all more examples of how Li Zeyan is like a steady mountain or a tree that provides a canopy and safe harbor for the MC to take her time growing up under. He wants her to better herself because he cares for her (like a quintessential Capricorn) but at the same time he knows when to back off and let her go at her own speed.

Li Zeyan will be there every step of the way with MC, just a little bit ahead of her so she has a direction but always ready to catch her should she fall. Unlike a certain BS liar COUGHS.

@sharinluna also wrote this great post on Reddit about how the dates reflect Li Zeyan's patience and awareness of the imbalance in his and MC's relationship. Chapter 11 shows this too where he realizes he was overwhelming her and brings back the "old" Li Zeyan to wait for her to make a decision on her own feelings.

Finishing off this essay with some quotes:

[Instant Moment SSR] "There is no such thing as eternity, only every single moment together with you."

This is so cute since it's said by the man who can traverse time. It's the little snapshot moments he can get with MC that mean the most to him.

There's actually another related quote which comes from [Winter Infatuation SSR Sinful Late-Night Snack Call]. This happens when they're talking about the meaning of the Ephemere shop and Li Zeyan quotes a poem about mayflies.

The Chinese line is from the poem "Former Ode on the Red Cliffs" by Su Shi:

"We are like mayflies enjoying a flicker of life in this world, and as infinitesimal as a grain in the sea."

Ironically, Li Zeyan is not asking much at all of the world. He is someone who has everything but all he wants is just a peaceful life with the love of his life and he has shown again and again that he's willing to give up everything for her...

But the universe spits in his face (because tragic Chinese archetype of Crown Prince/Emperor LOL) and makes him suffer so much just for wanting some fleeting moments of joy in this flickering human life they both have.

[arolla-pine]

I, Marinette - p.6

(6) – Paris at night

“I’ve always wanted to come to Paris…” I sighed when I entered Marinette’s balcony in the evening. “I can’t believe that when I’ve finally come here, I’m doing all I can to go back home… Irony, don’t you think?” I asked Tikki that approached to me and sat down on my shoulder.

Dusk descended surrounding me with a warmth of the evening. In the Miraculous universe the weather was always nice – except one meaningful rainy afternoon and some Stormy Weather’s follies. I stared at the street below seeing so many people rushing somewhere. Just another day… I looked up at the illuminated Notre Dame cathedral. It was surrounded by scaffolds and little by little it recovered its previous shape. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t taken the opportunity to see it inside, when I had a chance…

“You haven’t been here yet? Really?” kwami asked.

“Only once. It was a business trip. Very short. Two years ago, in January… I was very sick then…”

“It’s a pity…”

“Oh, and it was like a winter storm then…” I remembered. “You know, just in case I wanted to see anything… But I managed to capture w beautiful picture of the Eiffel Tower. Snow only highlighted its patterns…”

I got lost in my thoughts. I remembered my evening walk – just like those people right now – alongside the Seine just to see the Notre Dame cathedral two years ago. I’d been so sick that I didn’t visit it inside deciding to do it next time. By the way I was looking for Marinette’s house somewhere around. Now I was sitting on the rooftop of this house and I could watch the cathedral all I wanted. I expected to see the Eiffel Tower eventually, because somehow most of Ladybug and Cat Noir’s fights ended there…

“Do you think Marinette is doing well?” I asked.

“As Lena?” Tikki made sure.

I nodded. Suddenly the emotion overwhelmed me when I realised I wouldn’t read my daughter a bedtime story. I wouldn’t hug her tonight… I just thought if I ever… Er, wait a minute! I called myself to order.

“This balcony is depressing!” I discovered.

“What?!” kwami burst out laughing.

“I’ve always wondered why Marinette has so many depressing thoughts, and now I began wondering if I ever come back home…”

“You miss your family, don’t you?”

“I can’t even find right words to tell you how much. And believe me, I know how to deal with words…”

“I think Marinette misses her parents too.”

“I’m sure she misses you too.”

“Thank you…” kwami whispered. “You’re so kind…”

“You’re welcome…”

We both went silent for a moment – each in her own thoughts. I was wondering if Marinette would read my daughter a bedtime story, if she’d overcome the panic in a new reality she’d found in the morning. Or maybe she’d spent the whole day in the bathroom?

“I know what you need…” Tikki said.

“Chocolate?” I guessed.

“It could work. Maybe later we’ll try with it. Now I wanted to suggest you a short tour around the city. You could get familiar with Ladybug costume and yo-yo…”

“Brilliant idea!” I agreed happy. I needed to change the place otherwise I could become overwhelmed with nostalgy. “Er… but…”

“You’re scared?”

“I’d be stupid if I wasn’t…” I admitted. “But I was thinking rather about the costume…”

“What’s with it?”

“Isn’t the costume look related to the miraculous holder?” I asked.

“How do you know that?” Tikki was surprised. “Let me guess… You’ve seen it in of the episodes?” she added irritated.

“Y-yeah…” I nodded. There was no need to argue. “I’m afraid that Ladybug’s costume will change if I, instead of real Marinette, transform.”

Kwami looked at me concerned.

“That might be a problem. If anyone notices the difference and combines it somehow with Marinette’s weird acting today, Ladybug’s identity may be revealed.”

“That’s why I asked. Is it possible that if I focus on Marinette’s version of the costume, I’ll get an identical one?”

“It is possible. You’ll never know if you don’t try…”

“OK then. Let’s check… Maybe it’ll better to come back to the bedroom and see the results in the mirror…”

I jumped inside and Tikki followed me. I stood in front of the mirror feeling both amused and excited. That was a moment to feel the Miraculous magic on myself.

“So… See you later…” I whispered to my kwami that winked at me in response. “Tikki, spots on!” I said the spell.

I felt warmth in my ears when Tikki disappeared in the earrings. Then that heat spread over my whole body like someone poured warm water over me. Soon after I saw Ladybug in the mirror, thankfully without any differences in her costume. That would help me in misleading everyone.

“So, we won’t talk anymore, Tik…” I muttered to myself. “You’re on your own, Lena!”

I watched my yo-yo. I remembered from “Oblivio” that I should have some instructions and guidance in my phone. I followed that hint. I read about my weapon, ‘Lucky charm’ and ‘Miraculous Ladybug’ spells. I realised that it would be quite dangerous for myself, my family and whole Paris when I’d get a lucky charm and had no idea how to use it. I kept all my hopes in my creativity which – all-in-all – wasn’t so bad so far…

“Yeah…” I sighed when I stood on the balcony again. “There’s nothing like having fear of heights and use flying as your mean of transport… Fine… Come on, Lena! Do or die…”

I ejected my yo-yo in the direction of the nearest street lantern. Either I’ll get there or I’ll die… The yo-yo twisted around the lamp-post and I felt a tug. I was terrified yet I jumped… And I flew out away. My stomach was somewhere in my throat when I realised how far from the ground I was flying. I passed the lantern where my yo-yo was wrapped. OK, now I was going to die…

To my surprise my wrist did something without my will. It twitched and the yo-yo released from the lamp-post. Still in the air I ejected it again and it twisted around a cornice of the Notre Dame cathedral. Great! Now I was going to ruin what they’d managed to rebuild.

My body acted again without my will – I passed the church instead of smashing myself on its façade. Maybe my theory of body memory wasn’t such a nonsense I thought? That heartened me and I my muscles relieved. I began feeling Ladybug in myself. Or maybe it was Tikki who took the lead?

I stopped on a tree branch at the bank of the Seine. The view was incredible. Actually, I could go everywhere I wanted. I recalled my previous walk there two years ago. I was curious how long it would take to get Louvre if I chose the air track. I remembered last time the way seemed endless because of my sickness and cold. All I wanted was a cup of hot tea with honey and lemon. But today it was warm and nice. And I could take a journey above the Parisian rooftops.

A minute or two later I landed on the roof of the Louvre Palace. I admired the glass Pyramid in the courtyard, the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel in line with the Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile. Aside there was the Tuileries Garden that I remembered as covered with snow, now beautifully blossomed. Behind the garden I could see the Place de la Concorde, that I had mentioned in one of my stories – the one I wrote here, by the way. In the distance I saw the illuminated Eiffel Tower revolving the beams like a huge lighthouse.

I was speechless.

Those views were breath-taking. I knew I’d never be able to see it again, because nobody would let me on the Louvre rooftop. I did my best to remember every detail and I hoped that ‘Miraculous Ladybug’ spell wouldn’t take this memory away from me.

I sighed.

And I was about to stand up and to continue running when suddenly I heard a muffled flop behind me. My heart skipped a beat and I turned around quickly.

I saw a pair of sparkling green eyes.

“It looks like you’ve changed a spot, M’Lady…”

---

I, Marinette - p.5  <-  Previous part  |  Next part ->  I, Marinette - p.7

Read the story from the beginning

[taffystake]

So......Are you ready for the encore?

Taffy’s Take: Dark Nights Death Metal #1

Written by: Scott “Hallowed Be Thy Name” Snyder

Pencils by: Greg “Panikiller” Capullo

Inks by: Jonathan “Motorbreath” Glapion

Colors by: FCO “Fixxxer” Plascencia

So....it has all finally come to this. The finale. The ultimatum in a long saga of stories that started in the original Dark Nights, began showing its hand in No Justice, and was fully fleshed out with Snyder’s Justice League run. And it opens with a resounding boom that rivets your attention straight to the story and won’t let go until the pages run out. 

We open with Sergeant Rock, preparing himself and an unknown audience for a conflict to come. When or where this is set is somewhat unknown, but the massive futuristic assault rifle he levels to emphasis his last line says that Rock is somewhere in the modern day.

After the credits page, featuring a map of the current world of the DCU and a message that calls Death Metal an “Anti-Crisis”, we cut to Wonder Woman, hard at work deconstructing the invisible jet with a buzzsaw-like device in the literal depths of hell (Originally Themyscira) when someone interrupts her over approaching people. Said person is the flaming, green-covered skeleton that Swamp Thing has become in this world and he says that someone is coming with prisoners. And as Diana walks through her prison to meet these people, we get to see the absolute myriad of villains entombed in the place, including Joker. Once they reach the quartet, we get to meet Batmage, a red-suited Batman, a cloaked figure, and.....Bat-Tyrannosaurus. After some very terse banter, Diana is forced to throw this unknown prisoner into the pits of Tartarus. But before he is cast into the depths, he mutters something to Diana that makes her recognize the person for a moment.

After that, we are shown Castle Bat and given a backstory of a specific field within that area and the rebels who died within the tunnels underneath it before pulling back to a panel of a castle, with The Batman Who Laughs’ twisted Robins and Joker dragons dominating the structure. And then we meet The Batman Who Laughs’ League, composed of pairings of heros and Dark Multiverse Batmen. We have Harley Quinn and Dr Arkham, Aquaman and Bathomet, Wonder Woman and Batmage, and Mister Miracle and Darkfather. With each of them, we get a small question about their current work, with the most noteworthy being Mister Miracle revealing that Superman has almost succumbed to the Anti-Life Equation. Content with their briefings, The Batman Who Laughs begins to explain how Perpetua, the god who created their multiverse, has destroyed another of their universe, leaving only 8 before The Batman Who Laughs and Perpetua can remake the multiverse however they desire. Before we can hear more, we’re dragged into Diana’s perspective as the true Batman engages in a psychic link with her, trying to advocate for a small victory rather than the sweeping final win that Diana desires. As her thoughts turn towards what happened to result in the current state of the universe and her lack of memory about what caused it, The Batman Who Laughs interrupts her as he can tell that she is hiding something.

And at that moment, an explosive arrow fires out of the nearby woods and nearly vaporizes The Batman Who Laughs. Sacrificing one of his Robins, we soon see Bruce stride out to exchange threats with The Batman Who Laughs, who takes with some jest before ordering an entire squadron of Dark Multiverse Batmen to kill Bruce. While the enslaved Justice League does their best to take advantage of the distraction, their Dark Multiverse minders are quick to detain them from any rebellious actions. So Bruce is left alone, simply standing in this field to face down an army. And as The Batman Who Laughs monologues about how disappointed the brave men and women who died in this field would be at Bruce’s actions, he asks him what he would say to justify himself.

His answer?

One word.

“RISE.”

And so, with a BLACK LANTERN RING ON HIS FINGER, BRUCE WAYNE SUMMONS AN ARMY OF UNDEAD REBELS TO FIGHT THE DARK MULTIVERSE BATMEN JUST PURELY TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT HIS METHOD CAN DO TO DIANA BEFORE RIDING OFF ON A SKELETAL MOTORCYCLE AND LEAVING ZOMBIE JONAH HEX TO CONTINUE LEADING THE ASSAULT.

And now, as the audience both in the know about all of that and not in the know but hyped as hell because BRUCE WAYNE WENT FULL FUCKING NECROMANCER sits in the afterglow of that amazing moment, we cut to a single page depicting the planet Ossex as the Main Man, Lobo, unearths something from underneath the living bone of the planet.

Having made it back to Themyscira, Diana is quick to continue with the rebellion, setting off into Tartarus to see who this mystery prisoner is. And its...Wally West, with a Dr Manhattan-style hydrogen atom drawn into the forehead of his costume. And with Wally, we finally get an explanation of what the hell is going on. See, with the traditional multiverses, they are created using the positive energies that were explored in the Justice League run, things like the Speed Force, the Emotional Spectrum, Imagination. The inverse, stuff like chaos magic and the forces of doom that Perpetua wished to bring to power (and succeeded at doing) are what Wally calls Crisis Energy. And whereas the positive energies wish to create a strong united universe, Crisis Energies wish to simply make only one thing, one moment, one person important. And so, when Perpetua was trapped after her attempts to make a universe of war out of crisis energy, she did her best to instigate crises and came back empowered with all that energy. Meanwhile, the league, empowered by the slightly failed efforts of Dr Manhattan to ‘fix’ the multiverse, gathered all the positive energy they could and then, between the last issue of Justice League and Death Metal, the two forces clashed. Which, since they were basically smashing tow inverse forces together, resulted in both sides burning themselves out.

Now, that block of text could be extremely dry feeling, but it works really well in the two page spread, with the word balloons beginning to form an infinity symbol as images of past crises ranging from the original Crisis On Infinite Earths to Emerald Twilight to Dark Nights Metal in the background. 

But back to the story. With that explanation done, Wonder Woman begins to theorize potentially going back to those crises and gathering this information for themselves in order to reshape the universe themselves. Resulting in....”The first Anti-Crisis” The Batman Who Laughs interrupts with, striding into Tartarus to cut his own deal with Wonder Woman to let him take control over Perpetua. If she helps him, she gets all the people Perpetua has trapped and their own planet. And after that, he emphasizes how she can’t out-plan him, how he’s already prepared for her to knock him out, use the invisible jet she was being forced to deconstruct and melt down to give her armor that would render her undetectable. Wonder Woman is quick to counter that despite all the knowledge The Batman Who Laughs says he has, that entire plan is what Bruce would do. So he is quick to counter, stating so then she’d make a weapon, some sort of sword?

But it seems The Batman Who Laughs didn’t account for two things. One, for Diana to have already made her weapon before he showed up. Two, she didn’t need to make a sword. And so, with a pull of its ripcord, THE CHAINSAW OF TRUTH CLEAVES ITS WAY THROUGH THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS IN A SPLASH PAGE OF PURE ENERGY ERUPTING OUT OF THE DEMON WHERE THE CHAINSAW IS CUTTING THROUGH HIM!

The comic ends with two quick one panel stories. The first, with Batmage executing a final plan that The Batman Who Laughs had in place to unleash a final Bruce Wayne. Which only sounds mildly menacing, unti the art shows both a button with a watchmen-style frownie face and the final Bruce Wayne in silhouette, a glowing hydrogen atom on his forehead.

The other is a cut back to Sergeant Rock, still continuing with his tirade from the beginning of the comic before he is taken out of the moment by Batman coming to retrieve him for the big fight. And as Batman promises One last fight with everyone together, we get to see in silhouette that Sergeant Rock is missing his everything below his torso, revealing himself to likely be another resurrection from Bruce’s Black Lantern ring.

So, in summary, IM PUMPED TO SEE WHAT HEIGHTS THIS THING HITS! THE BIG MOMENTS WERE SO DAMNED COOL! THE ART IS STILL THE ABSOLUTE ALL KILLER NO FILLER THAT CAPULLO ROCKED OUT WITH IN THE LAST DARK NIGHTS METAL EVENT AND I CANT WAIT TO SEE WHAT NEW SPORES OF MADNESS HE GETS TO CREATE FOR THIS STORY! 

And while I’d like to be pure hype beast, that feels a little disingenuous when I do have some small moments that seem like they could be tweaked. Both of the long exposition scenes for the Dead Bats and the Positive Energy vs Crisis Energy could have potentially stood for another pass just to really tighten them up, but I will also admit that both those scenes kinda deserve to be long-winded. The Dead Bats to make sure that the setup for Batman with a Black Lantern Ring summoning an army at that point works and the Energy one because its explaining the entire setup for the rest of the event series and it helps lull things down so that the hype of Chainsaw of Truth can hit like it should. 

So yeah, this thing is absolutely something any Scott Snyder fan, any DC fan, heck Id almost venture to say anyone interested in comics read. None of the story elements of the comic intrinsically need you to know the backstory behind them, but there are definitely rewards for knowing DC continuity in general and Scott Snyder’s previous works in this arcing story. So yeah, I am going to sit here, vibrating in anticipation as I await the next issue of Death Metal from the Cowboys From Hell on their encore tour.

[oosteven-universe]

Infinite Frontier #0

Infinite Frontier #0 DC Comics 2021 Written by Brian Michael Bendis, James Tynion IV, Becky Cloonan, Michael W. Conrad Joelle Jones, Tim Sheridan, Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Joshua Williamson, Geoff Johns, Geoffrey Thorne, Scott Snyder Illustrated by David Marquez, Jorge Jimenez, Alitha Martinez, Mark Morales, Joelle Jones Stephen Byrne, Rafa Sandoval, Jordi Tarragona, Jamal Igle, Alex Maleev, Todd Nauck Dexter Soy, Howard Porter, John Romita Jr, Klaus Janson & John Timms Coloured by Tamra Bonvillain, Tomeu Morey, Alex Sinclair, Emilo Lopez, Jordie Bellaire, Stephen Byrne, Alejandro Sanchez, Hi-Fi & Brad Anderson Lettered by ALW’s Troy Peteri The next phase of the DC Universe begins here! Dark Knights: Death Metal presented the darkest threats of the Multiverse. DC Future State revealed what may lie ahead. Now it’s time to look into the Infinite Frontier of the current-day DC Universe. In Gotham City, The Joker jolts citizens awake with an attack even the Dark Knight never expected. In Brazil, a young woman discovers her destiny and her connection to the Amazons. In Belle Reve, Amanda Waller plots an invasion of Arkham Asylum. In the far reaches of space, Mongul dreams of galactic domination, while the Green Lantern Corps hosts a summit of its greatest enemies. At the Hall of Justice, the League joins forces with Black Adam. Beyond the mortal world, Wonder Woman settles into a new role in the godsphere. And somewhere in the DC Universe-it’s the return of Stargirl, in an all-new tale written by Geoff Johns! This oversized, all-star issue kicks off the next great era of storytelling and excitement as top writers and artists reveal what’s next for the World’s Greatest Heroes and opens the door to some of the greatest stories of 2021. Alright so here’s the introduction to next thing in DC Comics. Am I impressed, not terribly and here’s why. We’ve had so many reboots and iterations since the Original Crisis on Infinite Earths and this is an attempt to take aspects of all of them and merge them into one. There are questionable choices being made here, yes my opinion, along with this Quintessence which I guess I supposed to be their version of the omnipotent cosmic tribunal type deal. Is there any good reason Nubia is an angry black woman, Amazon? Sigh the gay Alan Scott is a mistake, again my opinion as I didn’t like that run and with Obsidian around why do both of them have to be gay, asks the gay man. I do like the Birds of Prey reference as Barbara is once again taking the mantle of Oracle. I do like seeing Jade and Obsidian and hope they will be a part of a new JSA series. I’ll reserve judgement on Titans Academy until I see more. There is so much with Jonathan Kent that I don’t agree with but hey it is what it is and that’s he conceived on one earth, born on another and raised on yet another well there’s a lot of convoluting going on there. Oh Green Arrow and Black Canary sigh yes please we need a series starring these two. Happy to see Stargirl again and with the potential of having a long lost group back makes me wonder why no All Star Squadron? That was one of the best series before Crisis and of course I want to see my Freedom Fighters as well so let’s get on those alongside a real Legion of Super-Heroes title. Simon Saint and Scarecrow hmm interesting duo but why does the latter now appear to be a cross between Edward Scissorhands and some crazy medical experiment? I also kind of want Saint to be Simon Dark but that’s my fanboy coming out. The Spectre taking Diana on a tour through the new changes was highly reminiscent of the Kingdom Come journey. I’m not entirely sure how I feel about that either but I guess it was co-opted because it was an easy way to show us all the new changes. By contrast there is one arc that I am looking forward to seeing come to life in its own series and that is with the House of Heroes. Maybe we’ll finally see Captain Carrot get to be part of a team? The interiors here are wonderful as usual. Though I will say th

[365daysoftododeku]

26th December 2019

Author: Karma

________________________________________________________________

Under a sea of lanterns and firework jellies (I see your dragonfly heart take flight, ignite)

“Have fun! Be safe! LINE me when you get home.” Izuku sighs as his friends disappear into the crowds.

Ochako had promised Tsuyu some goldfish, and Kaminari and Iida had a whole date itinerary planned out. The Kendo-Pony-Momo-and-Kyouka quartet were already off on their own double date.

Leaving Izuku as the lonely, singular wheel wobbling down the road. It’s a better existence than the unnecessary third or fifth or even ninth wheel, but being extra always stings at gatherings like this.

Izuku would go home, but there are fireworks to be had, and a surplus of sparklers to light and watch die out.

Heaving the bucket with him, Izuku walks for a long while, until he reaches the old Hachiman shrine that’s leagues away from all the festivities. The worn, faded white torii is settle atop one of the scarce hills in the middle of town, and as such it is always Izuku’s preferred firework viewing spot. He climbs up the grassy incline, clutching his yukata and sparklers close, and slips only once on the wet grass as he goes; he thanks the god of the shrine for the green color of his festival-wear. Finally, Izuku settles well above the line of most buildings, and the world with its busy routines and individual stories passes him by makes him feel small and invisible in the best of ways. His spot, being as far away as it is from the festivities, is completely unoccupied except for himself, and he relishes in, at least, the solitude that the area grants him.

If Izuku weren’t feeling so damn lonely and miserable, he might even feel giddy over the fact that he gets this view to himself.

As it stands, he’s just counting down the minutes until the light show starts.

Start it does, with a few test shots to draw Izuku out of his own head.

The light show is fantastic, as it is every year. Fireworks launch to musical numbers and themes, and two shows even do the same song, a Halloween classic if his American friends are to be believed.

The one that steals his breath, however, is the one set to delicate piano music. Fireworks pop in place, then another, and the effect almost looks like a dragon chasing something in between and around the stars. Firework shells hover and float gently across the night sky, and at one point there are so many of these shells in the air that it seems like a group of fireflies have been unleashed, or like the stars are being brought unto the earth itself. It’s magnificent, it’s mesmerizing, the way the wind blows and curls the smoke around him makes his world feel small and foreign, exotic and the flickers of colored smoke that drift down from the fireworks only add to the mystique of the show’s magic.

Eventually, however, that show ends, and Izuku is left half-listening to the introduction of sponsors and themes for the next group.

Something soft tickles his nose; it seems like one of the parachutes that held the fireworks aloft had come to say hi.

It’s kinda cute, Izuku thinks, it almost looks like a jellyfish. A few bob on the wind in front of him, and he tells them, “A firework jellyfish! That’s what you are!”

As the wind picks up, more of these so-called firework jellies drift downwards toward him, and soon it feels like he’s ended up in some sort of jellyfish field. Some of them still carrying glowing embers and ashes, and the way the small lights from the mirage echo throughout the thin paper makes Izuku feel like he’s opened his eyes to a world underwater in the middle of the day. Lights dance and flicker like candlelight or sunbeams over the thin caps of the firework jellies, and each jelly picks up the light from the next, so that light is everywhere with no definitive source.

It’s only when the sounds of the festival change that he starts trying to escape from the sudden swarm. There’s a snarling nearby that makes Izuku think of the frequent warnings that have been coming about bear sightings, and for one second he’s terrified that one of the beasts has made it into the heart of town.

But as his sight clears and the swarm of jellyfish depart, he sees that the snarling thing is no bear at all. It looks like a flying worm, with a mane of furious red and white hair down its body and teal scales sprinkled in amongst the silver.

It looks almost like one of the dragons of legend.

Izuku hadn’t been aware that a dragon kite had been part of the parade. Or that they had been made so flexible and mobile in the past year.

Something splatters on his cheek, and pieces of paper whap him in the face as the dragon passes over head.

The liquid turns out to be blood, when he drags his fingers through the wetness to examine it, and the papers? Little people cut out of rice paper that take off into the air when he peels them off of him. One of them flutters angrily at him when he pinches its tail to take a closer look. He lets it go in fright, and it immediately soars off after its fellows.

“Ah! Sorry!” He calls after it, but it is impossible to see against the shroud of night.

Izuku peers once more at the blood, and frowns. Was the dragon real? Was it hurt?

Izuku decides, in the small part of his brain not currently occupied with screaming about the existence of dragons, that yes, it must be real, and yes, it must be hurt. That small piece of brain also concludes that it might be the fault of those paper men, and so Izuku hurries to grab his sparklers and lighter.

He sets a handful of them in a fan pattern, and yells for the dragon. “Mr. Dragon! Down here!”

By some miracle or breath of wind, his words are carried up to the dragon, and it arcs into the sky before nosediving at him. Izuku ignites his sparklers and holds them in the sea of papers that trail the dragons, and soon enough, the whole flock is aflame. The dragon hovers behind him and admires his handiwork.

When the sparklers have run their course and the little monsters not but soot and ash in the breeze, Izuku drops the spent impromptu weapons into the water bucket. He stiffens when he realizes that the dragon’s snout is now right behind him, and he can feel breath both searing and freezing through the back of his thin, sweaty summer yukata. His hair stands on end, but after a moment’s stillness, during which the dragon chooses kindly not to eat him, Izuku slowly turns to look into its eyes.

“Wow, even your eyes are two-toned…” Izuku mutters in awe. Because it’s true. Where the dragon’s mane is red and white, where its scales are silver and teal, the dragon’s eyes are brown and blue and striking. All fear is forgotten, even though teeth as big as Izuku’s forearm are hovering near his heart, and instead Izuku chooses to gawk awkwardly at the magnificent creature before him. Even when it opens its maw, the fear does not return, though Izuku isn’t sure if he’s been bewitched or is simply shocked stupid.

“Human.” Comes a soothing voice.

“Uh, ah, yes?”

“You have saved me.”

Izuku scrubs his head, and his hand comes away sooty. “Not really? I just, felt kind of bad that you were being attacked?” A huff of that hot-cold breath has him opening his mouth before he can think his words through. “You’re a dragon, and you can breathe fire, right? Why didn’t you use that to defend yourself?”

The mismatched eyes blink at him. “Because that is exactly what those infernal things were designed to do. I refuse to breathe the fire I inherited from my sire.”

Izuku quickly translates that into normal human speak. “But, but, your father isn’t the one breathing fire for protection here, you are?”

The dragon snorts, and gradually raises its massive head into the night sky, graceful and slow as any swan. “I wouldn’t expect a human like you to understand.” He coils like he’s preparing to launch into the dark shroud around them.

“Wait!” Izuku calls. The teal eye peers down on him. “You’re still hurt. Can I see? I may not know how to treat dragon wounds, but I’m still first aid certified, and I wouldn’t feel right letting you leave without having at least checked out your injuries, and I may not be able to help, but at least you’d know-“

The dragon cuts him off. “Very well.”

Izuku blinks. “Really? I mean, okay. Can you come back down here so I can get a closer look?”

The dragon swoops down once more, obligingly. “You’re a funny little thing, aren’t you?”

“I don’t know, I mean, uh, maybe?” Izuku busies himself with looking at the scrapes and paper burs on the dragon’s snout and behind his head. Some of the redness in his mane is from blood, and with a careful hand, Izuku scoops a small handful of water from his bucket and pours it carefully over the non-wounded but bloody parts. Eventually, the ruff of fur runs clean, and Izuku steps back. “All good, sir.”

“…Shouto.” His voice resonates deep like thunder, and comes out of nowhere.

Izuku jumps a little; they’d been silent for so long he hadn’t been expecting a response. He’d figured the dragon would just leave once he gave the all clear. “Shouto, sir.”

The dragon’s form… gurgles? It bubbles and rolls, and soon the dragon explodes into a thousand paper petals. What’s left is a man about Izuku’s age, with striking red and white hair, and eyes that are equally as mismatched. He stands primly in a kagirinu, and he stares in Izuku in way that can only be described as mystified. His voice, when Shouto speaks, is far less thunderous, but no less soothing and mellow. “How did you come to the spirit layer, Izuku?”

Izuku can’t recall having ever given the dragon his name. “I… don’t know? There were firework jellies and then…”

“Firework jellies?” Izuku sees Shouto’s lips and nose twitch.

‘Yeah? The little caplet things that float down after a firework has gone off.” Izuku feels kind of silly for naming them, now.

“No, no, I understand.” Shouto sighs, looks around, and holds out his arm to Izuku. “Would you… like to be shown around? I can give you a tour before you return to the human realm.”

Izuku looks around for the first time, and takes in the world. It is night here too, and a blood red, full moon hovers overhead, low and heavy and dripping into the shimmering black waters below it. The world is aglow in flickers of candlelight and red festival lanterns, and Izuku can feel the beat of drums and whistles of the flute inside his chest just as much as he can hear them. “Yes, please!”

Shouto holds out an arm. “Then, allow me.”

Izuku takes it delicately, and is immediately swept down into the heart of the town. The crowds milling here feel the same in energy, but appearance-wise differ so much that Izuku would have to be blind and dumb to miss it. If the dragon-human standing beside him wasn’t proof enough that he was in a different world, then the sight of these bird-headed, many armed, and multicolored peoples would certainly be proof. Several greet Shouto, and gaze curiously at Izuku, but they hardly stop to talk.

“You mustn’t stay longer than the dawn, but there’s much to be seen at this time of year.” Shouto whispers into his ear. They’re moving towards the water, Izuku can tell by the way the moon looms closer in all its red glory.

“That’s okay! I have to go back at some anyways, my friends will worry!” They settle onto some pavement with a view of the lake, or maybe it’s an ocean?

“Mm.”

More of the strange people flutter around, in the stalls and streets behind them, on the shore below, across the water. “Shouto, do you know why I’m here?”

The dragon huffs, and doesn’t look him in the eye. “No.”

“Are you sure?” Izuku leans forward to catch his gaze, to no avail.

“No.” The dragon nods to a feathered man who approaches them, who immediately backs away. “Maybe.”

“Maybe?”

“The show is starting.” Drums start pounding in unison rhythm, and they steal the breath from Izuku’s chest before he can continue with his line of questioning. It’s difficult to talk and even think, when the world trembles so under the weight of the percussion. Screaming whistles accompany shrieking burst of wind, and light filters slowly onto the water. Izuku is so mesmerized by the way the warm firelight interacts with the red light of the moon that it’s only when Shouto places a clawed hand under his chin and guides his gaze upwards that he notices where the secondary lights are coming from.

Ships sail across the water, shallow boats with large masts, but instead of being buffeted across the water by sheet sails, lanterns fill the spaces instead. An unmanned fleet of these pour into view, and they swirl once within the waters before heading to shore. As the boats reach the shallows and the ‘sails’ loom overhead, the wood flats morph into animated stick-like men, who pass the masts to waiting people before shambling back into the water.

The men carry their new acquisitions through barely-there paths in the crowds, and as Izuku watches them bounce along the road, embers spark and fly into the night sky.

<img class="mobileimage" src="https://ohmatsuri.com/assets/uploads/reports/003_reh_AkitaKantoTop.jpg" width="60%" height="60%" />

“Come on.” Shouto tugs him to his feet, and they join the ensemble of people who follow the impromptu parade down the road. As they move, music joins the layers of drums and flutes, and soon the lantern sails start swaying in time. The crowd’s moving gains a cadence, and soon the dancing begins. Izuku is dazzled by the swirling colors, but a hand on his elbow draws his focus back to his companion.

“May I?” Shouto murmurs, chin tucked into his chest.

Izuku feels the swaying at his back, and wants nothing more than to join the dance. “Please.”

Shouto takes Izuku’s hand in his, puts the other on his waist, and twirls them into the flow of parade, and Izuku decides to rely on the dragon to guide him and his steps.

Fireworks, small and intimate, launch into the air just overhead of the crowd, and when the cinders float down they don’t burn at all. The contrast of the dark ash and the glowing flickers in Shouto’s hair, with his multitude of colors, only heightens the brightness of his appearance, and the entrancing vision has him stumbling over his feet.

Shouto, thankfully, has quick reflexes, because he pulls the two of them immediately from the crowd and into a side alley, allowing the milling dancers to move past them seamlessly. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, you’re fine. I mean, I’m pretty. Wait, no, you’re pretty fine- Gah!” Izuku’s tongue trips, and he sinks to the ground in mortification.

Thankfully, the dragon doesn’t appear to be offended, because he joins Izuku on the ground, his lips twitching.

“You’re laughing at me.” Izuku moans.

“Perhaps a bit.” The dragon’s eyes crinkle. “You think I’m pretty, huh?”

Izuku groans, and curls into himself further. “You’re a bully.”

“I’m not hearing a no.” He rises to his feet. “Come on, there’s still a bit of time before you have to head back.”

Izuku peeks out of the shelter of his arms, to see a hand stretched out to him; his face lights up even as a grin splits his face. “Ugh, fine.” He remains hidden until he can school the grin off of his face, but the redness won’t go away.

The hand tugs him to his feet when he grasps it, and then the two of them move back into the crowd. The sails have long since moved on, but their light bounces back across every surface, so that the world remains aglow in fire. The dance has shifted, to something light of foot, and now there’s a layer of people dance through the sky above the ground. It makes for quite a sight, and also for a less crowded street.

Shouto must follow his gaze, or at least see the way Izuku can’t look away from the partiers above them, because he asks, “Do you want to go up there?”

Izuku feels his breath catch. “Could we?”

Shouto nods. “Give me a moment.”

Wind tugs at Izuku’s curls, gentle at first, then fiercer and fiercer, until the two of them stand in the midst of a gale. It steals the gravity from them, and weightless Izuku is carried into the sky. Some of the revelers around them shout in outrage, but others seem to enjoy the sudden onslaught of wind. The music swirls in the air around them, just as audible as ever, and Izuku wonders if there’s magic even in the sound here.

“Once more?” Shouto says. Izuku turns back to him, and his silly, hopeful eyes. Like Izuku can answer any other way.

“Of course.”

They dance their way across the night sky, above everyone else, the music and the sparks and the lights chasing their footsteps through the stars. But all too soon, the wind is letting them down towards the earth, and Izuku realizes that they’ve returned to the spot where Izuku first met Shouto.

Looking around, he can see that the eastern sky is indeed gaining some pink light, so distinct from the festive glow of the earth below them.

They delicately alight on the hill, Shouto still supporting him from their dance. They separate, and Shouto slowly, physically turns him, so that Izuku’s back is facing him. “Turn around, face the sun. Put your back to this world.”

Izuku does as he’s bidden, but he can’t just let the night end like this. “Will I ever get to see you again?”

A heavy breath whooshes over his hair, though it’s not enough to hint at a fully sized dragon. Which means that Shouto really is just that close. “I wished that someone would come. That they’d look at this droll, boring world of mine with new eyes and see as something other than my prison. Thank you, Izuku.” Something soft presses into his hair, and Izuku can hardly dare to hope. “Stand on this hill, the night of the full moon, face the west, and we may meet again. Now, close your eyes.”

Izuku does so, thankful that this isn’t a goodbye. That there’s more to come.

The sound of rustling paper returns, and when next Izuku opens his eyes, he’s back in his own world, facing the quiet of sunrise.

The kiss in his head burns and freezes, and Izuku knows it will follow him around until he next sees Shouto.

He can hardly wait.

[tessatechaitea]

The Sandman Universe Presents: Hellblazer #1

I just want to see Constantine enter a Magic the Gathering tournament.

Bah! Always a debt do! PTUI!

Years of DC magic-users casting backwards spells and magicking up solutions to problems without a hint of "always a debt do" and then, suddenly, nobody can cast a fucking cantrip without paying out of pocket somehow. I get the "always a debt due" when you're dealing with demons or devils or some other kind of help from a summoned or black magic creature. But why the fuck must all magic cost something insane?! Just let Constantine do magic but occasionally he's got to deal with more powerful creatures or magicians who want something in return. Don't make him need to pay for every little thing he does. Something has eaten the sun so Constantine writes the word "Fuck" all over a decapitated pig's head. Can a head be described as decapitated? Isn't that the adjective for the body? Or does it only refer to both parts after separation? Anyway, you probably knew what I meant! I mean about the pig's head being separated from its body and not about how Constantine writing "Fuck" all over it will help return the sun.

Wouldn't be Hellblazer without the C-word. Although is it appropriate? I'm reading this prior to the watershed.

That's Chas's brief cameo in this new series. You might wonder how I know it's brief. Well, I read the next page where Chas dies distracting the evil monsters so that the super heroes can get the sun back. It's the quickest way for Simon to let the audience know that Constantine will do anything to save the world, even betray his friends. Plus he makes sure to say, "I've done worse for less," just to drive the point home. It's one of those revelations that would have greater impact over a long run of multiple different story arcs. But modern comic books don't understand that kind of accrued history anymore. Things have to happen quickly and in comic book shorthand, before the comic is cancelled. Plus, who wants to wait five years for sixty issues worth of history and characterization?! Spurrier knows Constantine has years of characterization and history already built up! Why not shove all of that into the first few pages of this new series and move on from there?! Constantine takes a bit of Chas's taxi cab shrapnel in the side and now he's probably dying. Sure, he could probably save himself by casting a spell that sends five babies to Hell. But first he has to find five babies! Instead, he just runs into young Tim Hunter from the past. John is all, "Oh, hey! Tim! Remember The Books of Magic? Remember Fairie? Remember how we all hated your stupid prat face? Anyway, this is your future and the bad guy ending the world is grown up you. Jerk." Tim Hunter is all, "That's me?! I wonder if I've been laid yet! Man, just think how much my older self's dick stinks!" Tim Hunter goes off to, I don't know, sue J.K. Rowling or something, leaving Constantine to die. But before Constantine dies, he's visited by old man Constantine. If things seem a bit crazy, it's because Constantine kept mentioning something about the world going mad or everything leading to madness or something that I didn't mention. But now I'm mentioning it so that all of this weirdness makes sense. Old Man Constantine wants John's soul in exchange for saving him. That's a pretty good deal, really! I'd totally go for it! Give up your soul to yourself way in the future? It's like putting it away for safe keeping! How the hell do you pass up that deal?!

That was my point! Take the deal, mate!

Constantine thinks Old Man Constantine is probably a Constantine from another universe and that there'll be some kind of catch. But he's dying and he doesn't have much time to decide so he takes the deal. That'll probably be important later! Old Man Constantine heals John, tells him to be the best John he can be, and then transports Constantine to some mental ward somewhere. Another universe without the sun being eaten? Maybe that was just the prologue to describe how Constantine leaped from the main DC Universe to the Black Label DC Universe. And now we can forget all of that Tim Hunter ending the world stuff that was so 1990s DC Vertigo weirdness. Now it's time for Constantine Unplugged! That just means he can say cunt again. Constantine manages to talk his way out of Ravenscar psychiatric hospital and discovers he's in modern London where Brexit is happening. Or not happening. Or not not happening? I guess we'll find out the next chapter of Brexit after the special elections. Go Labour!

Constantine having a bit of a philosophical thought about his own entanglement in a comic book ret-con.

I feel bad for comic book fans who need a moment like the panels above to justify comic book continuity. Who dreams of having some kind of solid, historical timeline without any errors throughout? Especially when your main characters never age. What the fuck do they want? Magic?! Anyway, I think Spurrier does the best he can here dealing with the audience he knows he need to fucking explain every little thing to. He's just putting it right out front: "Yeah, Constantine has a bunch of memories that don't mesh at all and he's now in 2019 and he's in his thirties or something and yes he was heavily involved in the 70s punk scene and maybe just get over it, okay? You're reading a funny book about magic. Grow the fuck up." Constantine finds Chas possessed by all the demons that meant to kill him years ago. He's dying of cancer from second-hand smoke and tells Constantine to fuck off and ruin somebody else's life. So John fucks off to go ruin somebody else's life. Or maybe to be a better version of himself. Or just to go drink himself into retirement. Sandman Universe Presents: Hellblazer #1 Final Thoughts: I guess this is the Hellblazer #1 prologue introducing the new series starting this week in Hellblazer #1. That's going to be really confusing for my image tags if I forget that I labeled these images "Hellblazer1.jpg" and such. If the scans in this review don't seem to make any sense, it's because you're reading this a few months on and I forgot about the image tags and reused the same tags for John Constantine, Hellblazer #1 coming out this Wednesday (but which I won't probably review for another week or two). Sorry!

[bigskydreaming]

I just really hate how much of Kyle’s story had to be erased or buried in order to make way for Hal’s return to the spotlight. Like the Hal being Kyle’s Space Dad thing is fun and all, sure, except for how its also this kinda obnoxious way of looping Hal into being part of Kyle’s successes and triumphs as a hero, like....after the fact though? Kyle’s entire thing is in a universe filled with legacies and mentors and sidekicks, he was the one guy who was just COMPLETELY unprepared for any of this, and just had the weight of an entire intergalactic peace-keeping corps’ tragic past and legacy just thrust on him with no warning, and the thing is....HE DIDN’T HAVE TO ACCEPT IT! Even once he understood what it was he was really inheriting, the sheer scope of it and what was expected of him now, to carry on the work that was intended to be shared by THOUSANDS, just...all by himself, with no one to teach him, guide him, share with him, understand what all this was like....

Kyle Rayner’s high concept is that in a franchise that revolves around the idea that “being a GL means you’re never truly alone, you’ll always have thousands of comrades in arms to learn from, lean on, etc”.....he was the one and only character who had to do all that ALONE. Even now, with the Corps restored and back to its full capacity, its obvious in pretty much every story that Kyle has never learned how to fit in with the rest of them, be ONE of them, like here’s this guy who busted his ass for years and years trying to make all of this possible, bring all of this back, make it so he isn’t the last one anymore, the only one....and then it HAPPENS, and he’s still kinda...lost. Because he doesn’t really fit. Because even among this chaotic community of varied experiences in the Corps, he is the ONE guy that NONE of them can ever truly relate to, not even John or Guy, because while they were still around, neither of them were expected to....BE the last Green Lantern, the way he was. Neither of them ever felt the same responsibility to fix what had been broken, that it was down to them, like Ganthet basically put on Kyle.

And like, the thing was....Hal wasn’t there for any of that really. And when he was, most of it was as the BAD GUY that Kyle was fighting, the one who had destroyed everything Kyle was stuck trying to fix. Yeah, ultimately the Parallax retcon made all of that not really his fault and so its not like Kyle blames him for any of that, or should, but its also like....what are you doing, acting like the guy who was literally the face of his enemy for years and years is like....this Space Dad who thank god he’s finally around to give Kyle the mentoring he desperately needed, when like....no dude, Kyle did everything he’s famous for and celebrated for in canon....on his own. Without you, or anyone else. He is who he is because he had one bad-ass mom, Maura Rayner, who raised him right and gave him the tools he needed to succeed...

ESPECIALLY the one that served him best....the ability to recognize when he didn’t have it handled, and ASK FOR HELP.

Which is not a skill Hal could ever teach anyone lol, sorry.

But like, that was one of the greatest things about Kyle at the start of his story....he was wearing one of the most powerful weapons in the universe, the last of its kind at the time, and there was no one who could teach him how to use it the way he was meant to be taught, none of the teachers he was SUPPOSED to have...but rather than just keep trying to bulldoze his way through things and stubbornly insist well he’d figure things out himself then....he was like, okay, I need all the help I can get...and he literally went on a tour around the country, stopping in every major hero’s city to ask them if they could help teach him stuff they felt he should know. Like that was the main reason that for a long time he was called the only Lantern Bruce had ever truly respected....because Kyle had the humility to recognize he was NOT qualified, and he needed to GET qualified, by any means necessary.

And that’s just...so....Kyle, and so fundamental to his character and what makes him so great, but all of that has kinda been handwaved away, not even like retconned in a lot of places because they couldn’t figure out a way to do that that actually made sense....but instead like this sleight of hand thing where they’re like if we dont mention it for long enough and just hype up the Hal as Kyle’s Space Dad mentor person stuff, it’ll eventually be as if Hal really was there guiding and shepherding Kyle all along, even though...lmao, no, that is quite literally incompatible with the majority of Kyle’s overall story and character arc....which is why for as much as the comics talk up Kyle’s role and specialness as the Torchbearer and White Lantern and other titles....they’re extremely vague about delving into details at this point about what any of that even means and what it refers to and he’s mostly shunted off stage so nobody asks too many questions like, hey if this guy is so important and honored by the Corps, why isn’t he involved more in their biggest storylines and like, front and center? 

Its the same problem I was talking about with DC not wanting Dick or the other Batkids to surpass Bruce. DC screwed up massively with their second generation of heroes....Dick and Kyle and Wally and more....because they DID advance the universe’s overall story and timeline, they DID allow the younger heroes to age, and then they DID kill off and do away with a number of the old guard which allowed the original legacies to step up and fill their shoes, AND DO A KICKASS JOB OF IT ACROSS THE BOARD.....

Until, fifteen, twenty years after they started doing that (with Wally), by which point DC’s writers were primarily fanboys who’d grown up idolizing the original heroes like Hal and Barry.....and so they rolled the clock back to allow for their preferred heroes to take center stage again....

Which leaves the younger generation stuck, and with no real place for themselves, which I think is also a big part of the reason their Titans’ reboots haven’t worked. Because they know that these younger heroes are TOO experienced, TOO good to just go back to being actual sidekicks, but they went to all this trouble to bring back all the originals and don’t intend to let them go again any time soon, and so they’re like...well, we can’t have this middle generation fucking things up and making the older heroes look bad, so they kinda just get shuffled around the DC universe and various titles in the hopes that they’ll find somewhere they click, but no idea what to even aim for. 

And so you’ve got Kory with Roy and Jason here and then now she’s in space with Vic and a handful of others that honestly feel like they just pulled names out of a hat, and meanwhile she’s got SOME kind of romantic history with Dick, but good luck trying to pin down where or when that even happened, because that would mean committing to them having been ages that just do not work with the ages they try and claim Dick is now and the amount of time the Titans were supposed to have been retroactively active and lol what even. 

And meanwhile, Titans and their age group remain the first to get picked off and killed in any major event, Titans keeps being the first book to be axed, they tried to speed through an original Titans’ lineup all the way to a team made up of Tim’s age group in a span of thirty issues, and on and on. And its just a mess, and it all traces back to the sheer wtf of DC having spent twenty years writing about their universe growing up and moving to the next stage of things....and then trying to take it back, and its like no, you cant stuff all that back in the bottle, it GREW. It doesn’t FIT in there anymore!

[i8seattle]

I have been capturing night sky images of Washington State for about 4 years now. These 14 images display my moments of good luck so far.

Palouse Falls

Park Butte Lookout and Mt Baker

Govan School House, Wilbur

Mount Larrabee, North Cascades

Camped along Baker River, North Cascades National Park

Sahale Camp, North Cascades National Park

Crystal Mountain Ski Resort

Liberty Bell, North Cascades Highway

First Beach, Olympic Coast

Mount Shuksan and Picture Lake

Milky Way over the North Cascades Highway

Winchester Lookout and the Northern Lights

Winchester Lookout at Dawn

Nighttime at Diablo Overlook

Capturing nice Milky Way shots is not difficult, technically. A decent camera, wide angle lens, tripod and remote are all that’s needed. The aperture, shutter speed, ISO and focus are all set. You can read more about the settings here.

The tricky part is getting yourself and camera to a spot far away from light pollution, on a night when there is a.) No moon in the sky and b.) No clouds covering up the stars!

Once you get that all figured out, then its a matter of practice, trail and error (lots of errors), and really just getting yourself out there.

The settings for these types of images were the same:

Milky Way shots: Aperture: f2/8 ; Shutter Speed: 30 seconds ; ISO 2,500 to 6,400

Star Trail Shots: Aperture: f2/8 ; Shutter Speed: 20 minutes ; ISO 100

Here are the details on each image.

First Beach, Olympic Coast This is First Beach, in La Push, down the road from Forks. I used this huge stump to block the light pollution from the small village. This was taken in January, and the Milky Way is faint.

Winchester Lookout at Dawn Late September, the Lookout had been battened down for the fall… Early sunrise created a split sky of colors, while my friends meditated with their I phone. They would have the phone “on” for just 2 or 3 seconds during my 30 exposure. The light in the lookout is from a very dim stand-up flashlight I put on the floor of the building

Crystal Mountain Ski Resort The plan was to wander off from the resort and camp and takes pics. This was shot at about 2am, in late July. There are several satellites in this image. When using a wide angle lens you have to be very close to any foreground objects, or they will be very tiny in your image.

Sahale Camp, North Cascades National Park This is the highest camp site in the North Cascades National Park, at more than 7,500 ft. The view is facing south. 30 second exposure, my friends in the tent had the light on for 1 -2 seconds. Any longer and the tent would be over exposed.

Night Sky Images of Washington State 2020 Calendar

These 14 images are now in production for the 2020 Calendar. I am working out the details on size and paper, my goal is to make them big and beautiful! Once I handle the details and figure the cost, I will update the Calendar Page. By the end of July I will have the 2020 calendars, ready to ship.

  Palouse Falls is a wonderful spot for Night Sky Imaging, its very remote and scenic. Someone started a campfire in the basin that night, and that’s where the wonderful illumination comes from in this shot.

Mount Larrabee, North Cascades This is a 20 minute exposure. The green glow along the horizon is the Aurora Borealis! This image was captured from atop Winchester Mountain.

Nighttime at Diablo Overlook Here is a south facing view of Colonial Peak, from Diablo Overlook. The star trails are streaks across the frame. If you shoot pointing north the star trails form a circle.

Milky Way over the North Cascades Highway at the Washington Pass Overlook. This image was taken on June 2nd, at about 1am. As the Earth rotates the Milky Way arcs across the sky. The tail lights from a car headed east, to Winthrop, provide the lighting for this pic.

Mount Shuksan and Picture Lake This famous view of Mt Shuksan affords some nice reflective opportunities! Its easy to get to, and from there you can head up to Artist Point for more images of Mts. Shuksan and Baker.

Buying Prints

Prints are available for all images. Traditional paper prints of all sizes are possible. These come ready for matting and framing. Canvas Wrapped Prints of any styles and sizes are also available directly from the web site. Here is the link to the Night Sky Gallery. Feel free to call me if you have any questions. 360-809-0661.

Also, if you use the code: Summer19 you will receive 40% off your order!

Govan School House. Located near Wilbur on Hwy 2, this remote abandoned building was perfect for night sky. We illuminated the inside with a Coleman Lantern and a few other orange/yellow lights. I would love to find some more old building or barns to do this again!

Park Butte Lookout and Mt Baker. I brought a very dim flash light and hung it from the ceiling, I could barely see it from out side, and it provided plenty of light for me. It looks like the stars emanate from the crater on Mt Baker!

Liberty Bell, North Cascades Highway. The Washington Pass Overlook is one of the best spots there is to capture night sky pics. Its VERY dark, the foreground is outstanding (Liberty Bell and the hairpin turn in the North Cascades Hwy) and its easy to park and get there in the dark.

Camped along Baker River, North Cascades. I would start the 30 second exposure and yell to them: Turn it on! and then after 1 second, Turn it off! that was plenty of light on their faces and the tent. The gravel bars along Baker River are an easy distance and very dark spots for night sky.

Winchester Lookout and the Northern Lights. For long exposures, if you point towards the North Star, all of the other stars will make concentric circles. The green and reddish glow is the Aurora Borealis.

Night Sky Photo Classes and Photo Tours

Currently I am scheduled to teach one more Night Sky Photo Class this year, through the North Cascades Institute. It is scheduled for Wednesday night, July 31, and you can find out more here, and register.

Night Sky Photo Tours are also available each month at the New Moon. I take individuals and groups to Drive-in locations, like the Washington Pass Overlook, or Artist Point. For those adventurous photographers who can carry a 30 lb backpack up hill for a while, there are back country locations we can visit, like the Park Butte or Winchester Mountain Lookouts. You can find out more here, and feel free to email or call if you have any questions.

Night Sky Images of Washington State I have been capturing night sky images of Washington State for about 4 years now. These 14 images display my moments of good luck so far.

[aion-rsa]

The End of a Wonder Woman Era

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G. Willow Wilson looks back at her time writing Wonder Woman.

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Wonder Woman has been inspiring readers and saving the world since 1941. Over the decades the Themysciran Princess has been a pillar of the DC Universe, her adventures and bravery a moral compass in an often bleak, grim, and gritty world. Like all of comics' longest running characters, Diana Prince has been helmed by many different creative teams, and most recently writer G. Willow Wilson took the reins of the character alongside an impressive roster of artists like Cary Nord, Tom Derenick, and more. As Wilson exits the title to head over to the world of Sandman and the Dreaming, Den of Geek sat down to talk to the co-creator of Ms. Marvel about her time writing the iconic hero and the lessons that it taught her. 

Den of Geek: Taking on a pillar character like Wonder Woman must have been a huge undertaking. What does that feel like now that your run has come to a close?

G. Willow Wilson: You know, it was quite daunting. It's a lot of pressure to try to continue a story that's meant so much to so many people over such a long period of time considering Wonder Woman is over 75 years old now. Different readers are attached to different aspects of her character and her story, so finding that right balance between the different parts of her history or the different aspects of her story--sometimes even different genres--is quite a tricky thing. It's very different from working on a younger, newer character who has less of a backstory.

What was your personal reading of Diana and who she needed to be during her time in your issues? 

I saw a lot of different takes on her character before I actually sat down to write any scripts. I read Greg Rucka's wonderful run, Gail Simone's, and several others to see how other contemporary writers had interpreted her character because with a character like Diana my temptation was to just kind of make her too perfect. I think that's a real trap that's easy to fall into when you're writing a character like this because you think, "Oh, she's beautiful, she's strong, she's intelligent, she has this deep seated sense of justice." So it's easy to kind of make her unflawed, and that's a mistake. 

read more: Justice League Keeps Building the Wider DC Universe

I think the real challenge for this character is to find a character arc that's meaningful to sort of show her more human side because, if nothing else, it has to be frustrating for somebody like her to exist in the imperfect world that we're living in. So you sort of find the parts of her character that an ordinary human being, your average reader, can connect to. That was really challenging to let her get angry, let her become frustrated, to let her have those human emotions that carry her story forward because the perfect is great in theory but how does that operate in an imperfect world? It really was a challenge.

Something that I think is one of the most difficult parts to get a handle on is how do you get that voice? Where you capture those different aspects of her personality? It's a tough thing. 

You've grappled with both the personal and political in your Wonder Woman arc. How did you balance those bigger picture messages and stories while still keeping Diana, her emotions, and her relationships at the core of the book? 

I think the fun of writing a single superhero book as opposed to a team book is that you see all of those different views filtered through the main character's point of view; you have that first person perspective on whatever's going on. So what I tried to do in the book was show Diana grappling with issues that exist in the world that have some sort of resonance with real things that are happening in the world today but have her particular unique perspective on it. She's obviously very old--I mean, she's kind of semi-immortal--so she's been around for a while. She's seen a lot of human conflicts that she has a very different perspective than someone who hasn't seen all of that human history. So I tried to sort of make those play out in a way that's unique to Diana's story because, of course, she didn't grow up here on Earth. She grew up on Themyscira in this very idyllic society, a matriarchal society that is very justice focused. I think that sets her apart in many ways from the rest of the characters in her series.

read more: New DC Universe Timeline Revealed

Look at Etta Candy, an old longtime friend and ally of hers, but whose job is very specific. She's a soldier, she sees things from an on the ground point of view. She's been in the military for a long time and Diana challenges her about certain things right up front because she's not truly from any one place. She has no dog in the fight of these big world powers clashing with each other so she's able to step back. I think she sees the inherent hypocrisy of some of the conflicts around her in a way that somebody from inside would not be able to do.

This is a bit inside baseball, but during your stint on the title you and your collaborators managed to put out the book on a regular bi-monthly schedule, which is quite a feat. What was that process like? 

Oh my goodness, it was like being thrown in a blender. This whole year has kind of been on fast forward for me. I took the Wonder Woman job and I knew that I was going to have to go on tour for The Bird King--my novel without pictures--in the middle of it. So I knew had to write a couple of issues way ahead of time to sort of make up that time in the schedule, for when I would be on the road. Then, also, last fall I had a hemorrhage and ended up in the hospital and needed emergency surgery. It was like life was just throwing every conceivable spanner into the works that it possibly could. So it was an extraordinarily hectic year.

read more - The Secret Origin of Green Lantern: Far Sector

I have a new respect for anybody who tries to put out a bi-monthly book. Whether from the writer side or the artist's one, you really cannot have anything go wrong and you cannot leave the desk. You know, it's quite a challenge. But I feel like I am now the most organized that I have ever been in my life because I really had to be. I had to become one of those people who sits down and makes a little chart and ticks things off on the chart and stays on task because there was really no room for error. It was a unique experience.

As you were crafting your story for Diana, was there anything that surprised you or took you in an unexpected direction? 

I sat down initially wanting to keep everything within the outline and having to outline very rigorously just to keep the book on schedule and so that everybody knew what was in the pipeline because there's not a whole lot of room for improvisation when you need to get multiple covers out per month. The cover artist needs a lot more intro time so they need to know what's going on in that issue before you've even written it most of the time. So there wasn't a ton of room to say, "You know what? Let's throw out the entire outline and work from scratch."

But having said that, I went into this wanting to kind of get Diana to a point where she could travel back and forth between her old homeworld because I thought that opened up a lot of interesting, dramatic possibilities. But I really found a new love and appreciation for her classic rogues gallery who are very much part of our world. So Giganta, Cheetah, and Veronica Kale, who's kind of like the Lex Luthor to her Superman if we're going to make that comparison. 

I ended up a lot more interested in those characters than I was expecting to be. That opened a lot of doors but also challenges because one thing I think that's unique about Wonder Woman that is less true of say Batman or Superman is that her story is kind of multi-genre. You have the high fantasy Greek gods element where you have mystical creatures and it's very much a high fantasy book. Then you have the more classic Golden Age kind of pulpy superhero stuff, these very archetypal superhero stories. And then you've also got her military connections--a lot of her supporting cast are soldiers or career diplomats, and career foreign service people--so there's a governmental aspect to her story. And those don't always mesh very comfortably. It's a really interesting thing to try to make one coherent narrative out of such disparate genre elements.

Your final issue created a new status quo for Diana. Was having her end up seperated from Steve Trevor always the plan? 

Not in so many words. I thought it would be interesting to introduce a tension between her and Steve into the story because they've been a couple for so long that I've got to believe that--although they have a wonderful rapport together--because she's obviously in a position of greater power than he is and, you know, he's kind of a macho guy, I've got to believe that it took some grilling for him to be able to be a partner to somebody like her. I really like their relationship and I'm sure it'll come back in the future, it's comics! I never really intended to leave them broken up. Yet because it's the Year of the Villain and the theme of this year right now kind of across books in the DC Universe is the bad guys are winning, I was like, "You know what would be interesting? To leave her on kind of a pyrrhic victory. She's won the battle, but at what cost to herself and what new status quo is going to be spun out of this?"

read more: The Secret Origin of Superman Smashes the Klan

That pathos, that dramatic tension, was kind of too good to pass up because I think for any superhero they're stronger than us. They're faster than us. They're smarter than us. And so to get to real drama you have to say what do they give up? What do they give up to be that strong? To be that fast? To be that superhuman? There are things you can't punch your way out of and this is one of them. So as we were talking about Year of the Villain and how we could make that work in the specific context of Diana's story, I was like, "Oh, what it would really do is leave her and Steve tacitly broken up," which was not something I planned to do. I thought they'd probably have a tough conversation that would change their relationship but not end it. So that situation was sort of spun out of Year of the villain.

This is a tough, sort of esoteric question, but do you feel like you've achieved what you wanted to during your time on Wonder Woman?

I have to tell you, I am very much Type A perfectionist. This has been one of the more challenging series that I've worked on for all the reasons that we've been talking about, and now that I'm done, I've been doing something that I don't usually do when I wrap up a project which is just going back and saying, "Oh, you know, I really love to do a story with this. I really would have loved to follow this storyline or lean into this dramatic point a little bit more to figure it out."

So yeah, I don't know if I'm 100% satisfied. As soon as this wrapped up I got these ideas for a standalone and a one shot. But I think with these O.G. superheroes who've been around for decades and decades there's always another story to tell. They're kind of like our contemporary pantheon, so I really think that we'll never run out of stories to tell about them. In that way I think it was inevitable that I get to the end of the run and think I wish I'd done this or change this or I wish I had five more issues.

Did you learn any lessons on this series that you'll take forward when you move on to the world of Sandman and the Dreaming? 

The main thing that I had to learn to with this character is how to keep multiple plates in the air in terms of meshing different storylines. I think that comes part and parcel with a series that's been around for a long time. There are different story threads that begin in the runs of different writer/artist teams, different secondary characters will come into the story and then out of it, and you have to decide, "Do we want to bring it back in and how?" It's really a unique experience play in a world that's the work of many hands, that's been created over sometimes decades by many people. And that's certainly true of the Sandman universe as well. This is a different pantheon, but one that has its own fan base, its own rules, its own pantheon of characters, and has been changed and altered and carried forward by multiple writer/artist teams and so on. It's a similar kind of challenge. You want to see something new and fresh, but also honor the work that those people have done.

Read and download the Den of Geek NYCC 2019 Special Edition Magazine right here!

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Interview Rosie Knight

Nov 6, 2019

DC Entertainment

Wonder Woman

from Books https://ift.tt/2Cmugyw