#tracker dietrich

[disasterghaster]

Spooky Binch

[ CHARACTER INFO || READMORE ]

(( I moved blogs to start actually organizing this place, but this character is older than Tumblr. Don't let the WIPness fool you. ))

[Other Blogs!] || [Thread Tracker]

Indie!OC (Urban Sci-fi/Fantasy-ish)

Open-Verse/Fandom

OC & Canon Friendly

Flexible Narrative Style (para/script/long/short/whatever)

Mun 30+

Open to all types of character relationships, even negative.

CURRENT M!A/NOTE(S): None.

NSFW/Vent: @ghasterstatic

[ RELATIONSHIPS ]

Tags:

debriefing; answered asks

behind a cigarette; thematic to Devang

brain pan blues; thematic to her mental illness

empty house; to do with Devang's body (sans Devang)

pizza accessories; pizza related stuff

sounds in silence; thematic music

ugly mug; images of Devang (including fan-art)

classifieds; ask memes

ghaster; thematic/info of Ghaster form

dekropolis; information about Dekro

millennium city; information about Millennium City, CA USA

deep research; additional lore/information

satellite ears; Charlie ( @cdwalker )

marlboro scarecrow; Doc Worth ( @sodoffyabuggers )

trash panda; Miles ( @mr-pulvis )

old woofer; Dietrich ( @uberwulf )

wip; Rook ( @averyrook )

offered me a ride; ( @theothersideofhim )

Hiya, I'm Asche (she/he/they). I'm 30+ yrs old and agender/ace. Feel free to talk to me!

previously @murderbynecessity // @murderbynecessity-moved // @disasterghaster-archive

[leonsbian]

[teresaandclare]

[wingsfreedom]

Claymore - [クレイモア]

[mzt1418]

Ok, but like honestly tho, after I saw her move and learned she didn’t have a nickname other than Tracker I was kinda shocked tho, because like…

Why would we NOT fucking call her Leaping Dietrich??

[robustconviction]

[inacron]

So this is a Claymore.... 

[mcousland]

maeve who brought a small day planner in her pack anywhere she and the group went because it was one of the Important things to her that they keep track of the days as some kind of small routine for herself and others. maeve then going Through It after being separated from the group for weeks, losing her pack in the process and sometime into those weeks losing the motivation to keep track any longer because each day that passes adds more to her worry that her friends won't find her

[lakeblessed]

sireneia said: alt! | Send me "alt!" and I'll introduce you to a character I've rped in the past, want to play in the future or are currently playing somewhere else!

>> “Tracker” Dietrich, Claymore.

There she stood, a miniature young woman with a sword, which was just as big, if not bigger than her, in her small and seemingly delicate hand, the piercing gaze of her silver eyes turned to the stranger with a spark of genuine surprise. Very early on she had no choice but to understand that people feared the likes of her, as it was only natural to be afraid of the unknown, forced to entrust their lives to warriors who had taken the flesh and blood of their sworn enemies to gain strength an ordinary being lacked. In their eyes, they were no better than monsters whose existence was tolerated as long as she and her allies remained on their side. That was understandable. Or, at least, so it was supposed to be, yet it inevitably annoyed the girl as she tried to withhold a frustrated sigh at the best of her ability every time she spoke to the heads of villages as they trembled, victims of circumstance, unable to withstand the gleam of her eyes.

And so, standing face-to-face with someone who looked at her like they would at any other, normal person, Dietrich was, truth to be told, at a loss for words, only  to stare at them almost intrusively, her unusually high-pitched voice, too youthful  to belong to someone whose hands were meant to be eternally stained by the blood of enemies, broke the silence.

“I don’t think it’s very wise of you to try to initiate a conversation with me, so please, save your breath. I am simply doing my job, and I will do you no harm, if that is your major concern.”

[watchilove]

Stylish, connected and charitable! Presented on May 3rd as part of an online launch campaign, Alpina AlpinerX Alive, the successor to the first Swiss connected sports watch comes with new features and technology and will be available for personalization until June 2nd, thanks to an interactive configurator offering 1’500 possible custom designs.  One can expect integrated heart rate monitoring, an integrated GPS, a new high-resolution digital screen… and a personal trainer! For every watch sold, 25 euros will be donated to the non-profit Wings For Life Foundation, supporting research into finding a cure for spinal cord injuries.

Alpina launched the AlpinerX Smart Outdoors on Kickstarter in 2018. This innovative initiative brought the sporting community together and allowed everyone to get involved in designing their own timepiece with 11,000 potential configurations. The result? Three thousand individually designed watches delivered and four best-selling designs used to make up the AlpinerX Smart Outdoors collection. The epitome of ‘Swiss Made’!

   It’s Alive!

Today marks the beginning of a new chapter: the AlpinerX Alive. Ahead of its official launch, Alpina decided to make the new model, complete with new expertise, available for presale online. Given the global circumstances, this option gave the opportunity to stay home and purchase a timepiece in anticipation of a sport routine bouncing back post-crisis.

From March 28th until April 30th, Alpina offered its community members the chance to custom design their own AlpinerX Alive using an online configurator allowing for over 1,500 possible designs and available on the website dedicated to the AlpinerX Alive. As a reward for their creativity, each model created this way was eligible for a 50% discount on the final retail price.

On May 3rd, the AlpinerX Alive and its online configurator will be officially launched. The Maison’s expanding community of “Alpinists” will be able to customise their watches until June 2nd, choosing from a range of colours and materials depending on how sporty or classic the look they want to achieve. The first 700 watches ordered will benefit from a 50% discount on the sale price. Beyond that, the promotional offer will gradually decrease as the number of watches purchased increases.

Comprised of six models, the official AlpinerX Alive collection from Alpina will be in store from August. The configurations available until June 2nd being exclusive to the configurator means that these timepieces will feature unique combinations.

An avalanche of new features

The new AlpinerX Alive represents a real qualitative improvement in the world of connected sports watches. More than an evolution, this is a brand new smartwatch offering for sporty urbanites. Alpina has developed new features to support them in everyday professional life, as well as their well-being and sporting activities.

The new AlpinerX Alive is characterised by the complete integration of new features. The first is heart rate monitoring, thanks to an integrated sensor developed by Philips. The heart rate is now measured straight from the user’s wrist, using cutting-edge technology.

Another new feature of the AlpinerX Alive is its integrated GPS: it is now possible to track the user’s run or walk – along with the heart rate – using the app.

For the first time, these features will be displayed on a whole new high-resolution AMOLED touch screen. Thanks to an analogue and digital interface, the AlpinerX experience is more intuitive, faster and more interactive, irrespective of the exercise conditions. The watch is now equipped with a rechargeable battery, offering users up to seven days of battery life.

Like a personal trainer on the wrist

And that’s not all! The AlpinerX Alive offers further features, including; measuring breathing, VO2 max and hydration, all essential constituents of well-being and sporting activity.

To help tailor exercises to the day and to the user’s physical condition, the AlpinerX Alive has also been enhanced with weather information and a Dynamic Coach. The customised virtual assistant offers a range of exercises related to the user’s performance, sleep and data analysis, making recommendations to improve daily life and sports performance. That is then gathered, analysed and summarised within the Alpina Smartwatch app, which is free to download for iOS and Android.

These new features are in addition to the perpetual calendar, GMT, chronograph, sleep and activity tracker and personalised notifications.

Engineered for daily life

The 45 mm case for the new AlpinerX Alive is available in two variations: navy blue fibreglass (995 CHF) or stainless steel (1295 CHF). The option to combine one’s choice of strap, hands and dial makes this the perfect everyday watch for urban sports aficionados and athletes.

The AlpinerX community will be able to interact with the dedicated AlpinerX Alive website in order to share feedback, likes, preferences and ask questions to the Geneva manufacture as part of another brand-new interactive experience for the Maison and members of its community.

Connected and charitable

With this launch, Alpina has elected to support a cause close to its heart; spinal cord research, led by the non-profit Wings For Life Foundation, co-created by Dietrich Mateschitz, the founder of Red Bull. Every AlpinerX Alive purchased between 3 May and 2 June will see 25 euros donated to Wings for Life with a view to helping victims of spinal cord injury – most of whom have become handicapped – to regain all or at least some of their movement.

Alpina is also involved with the global race known as the Wings For Life Run, designed to raise funds for the eponymous foundation. Since 2014, the race has been held on the first weekend in May in many countries around the world simultaneously. The 2020 edition may have been cancelled, but Alpina is still showing its support for the race by making a donation and remains its official sponsor.

*Offer excludes the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland and Japan

Alpina AlpinerX Alive Technical Specifications

Alpina AlpinerX Alive Fiberglass

Functions                                

Always-on time (hours, minutes, seconds, day and date), worldtimer (2nd time zone + local 24h time), chronograph, heart rate monitoring, activity tracking, sleep monitoring, smart alarms (get-active alerts, sleep alarm), weather, breathe, messages review, notifications & alerts, workout, hydration, VO2 Max, cardio fitness index, GPS

Movement                              

AL-284 connected caliber. Heart rate sensor provided by Philips. Rechargeable battery. 7-Day Battery*

*Battery life may vary upon usage (GPS, Heart Rate Monitoring, Notifications etc.)

Case

Navy blue fibreglass 2-parts case

360° bi-directional turning bezel

Diameter of 45 mm

Scratch-resistant and convex sapphire crystal

Water-resistant up to 10 ATM/100m/330ft

Dial

Navy blue dial with mat finishing, silver color indexes with white luminous treatment

Red hands with white luminous treatment

AMOLED touch screen

Strap

Red rubber strap

Alpina AlpinerX Alive Steel

Functions                                

Always-on time (hours, minutes, seconds, day and date), worldtimer (2nd time zone + local 24h time), chronograph, heart rate monitoring, activity tracking, sleep monitoring, smart alarms (get-active alerts, sleep alarm), weather, breathe, messages review, notifications & alerts, workout, hydration, VO2 Max, cardio fitness index, GPS

Movement                             

AL-284 connected caliber. Heart rate sensor provided by Philips. Rechargeable battery. 7-Day Battery*

*Battery life may vary upon usage (GPS, Heart Rate Monitoring, Notifications etc.)

Case

Stainless steel 2-parts case

360° bi-directional turning bezel

Diameter of 45 mm

Scratch-resistant and convex sapphire crystal

Water-resistant up to 10 ATM/100m/330ft

Dial

Navy blue dial with mat finishing, silver color indexes with white luminous treatment

Red hands with white luminous treatment

AMOLED touch screen

Strap

Navy blue & red leather strap

Alpina AlpinerX Alive Gallery

  Alpina AlpinerX Alive: Alpina’s first smartwatch for urban sports aficionados Stylish, connected and charitable! Presented on May 3rd as part of an online launch campaign, Alpina AlpinerX Alive…

[bugtrackersoftware]

@dietrich @MSEdgeDev Alright that's a bug. Thanks. Your original tweet read as if there's a tracker on the checkbox. That'd be worse. via @codepo8

[eddiejpoplar]

Eight Cars Not to Miss at the Concours d’Elegance of America

DETROIT, Michigan – Like the Pebble Beach Concours and many others of its ilk, the Concours d’Elegance of America July 27-29 in Plymouth, Michigan, is a celebration of art and fashion as well as classic cars. Unlike many of those others, this one offers enthusiasts a wide array of cars from different eras, countries, and styles.

This year, the Concours d’Elegance of America offered us a preview of this, its 40th show, to be held at the Inn at St. John’s, in Plymouth, on the campus of the College for Creative Studies. This year’s displays include a celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Porsche marque, with appearances from several significant Porsche race cars, as well as drivers Vic Elford, Brian Redman, and Hurley Haywood.

You’ll have to wait until the end of the month for all that. Meanwhile, here’s a look what you can expect, courtesy the CCS sneak preview earlier this week…

1. 1958 Bentley S1 Continental Drophead Coupe by Park Ward

We wouldn’t normally lead off with a Rolls-Royce-era Bentley, but this one has special provenance. Some time after it was featured in the 1992 movie, “King Ghazi of Iraq,” Saddam Hussein confiscated it for his own collection. The car was all-but destroyed after Hussein fled his Baghdad palace in 2002, and the original owner sold it rather than pay for its restoration, which was restored by Vantage Motorwerks, of Miami.

1b. Current owner Jim George shows a spares kit Bentley provided to its customers for longer trips. Owners were charged for the spare bulbs, head gaskets, etc., that were removed, much like a modern hotel mini-bar. This kit was not original to this ’58 Bentley, though George says the engine and transmission were original.

2. 1930 Duesenberg Model J Cabriolet by Graber

Duesenberg sold 480 Model Js between 1929 and 1937, that received custom coachwork. Powered by a DOHC 420 cubic-inch inline eight, this Graber-bodied Model J is particularly distinctive for its more organic, swept-back styling compared with even the rakish bodywork of the most well-known Duesies of the era. This one is owned by Sam and Emily Mann.

3. 1931 Marmon Convertible Coupe by LeBaron

Marmon and Cadillac were the only two automakers to produce V-16 engines, which makes an appearance by anything by this marque quite unusual. This Marmon’s LeBaron coachwork was designed by Walter Dorwin Teague, influenced by Ray Dietrich and Frank Hershey. The 930-pound engine is a 491 cubic-inch V-16 with a 45-degree angle, and it now belongs to Terry and Jennifer Adderley.

4. 1939 Bugatti T57C Stelvio by Gangloff

Described as the first Bugatti model built under the direction of Ettore Bugatti’s son, Jean, for 1934, it’s powered by a dual overhead cam, 3.25-liter supercharged inline-eight, rated 160 horsepower. This one is part of the Keith Crain Collection (Automotive News, AutoWeek).

5. 1983 Porsche 911 SC

This one belongs to the parents of Automobile Magazine contributing photographer Andrew Trahan. This Euro-spec SC is no trailer queen, driven regularly, according to Mark Trahan.

6. 1973 Dodge Demon Flip Top Funny Car

Inspiration for the street-legal 840-horsepower 2018 Dodge Challenger Demon surely came from pure drag racecars like this one, currently owned by Jim Matuszak. According to the Concours’ description, this Demon was the first Flip Top Funny Car to exceed 230 mph. It was capable of 6.3-second quarter-mile times, making it one of the most competitive drag racers of its time.

7. 1910 Ford Model T Touring by Gray and Sons

Yes, it’s a Model T with a bespoke body. Its running chassis was built in March 1910 at Ford’s Piquette Plant in Detroit, then completed with the custom touring body in Walkerville, Ontario. Shortly thereafter, Ford sold the Piquette plant to Studebaker, and moved Model T production to its new Highland Park factory. Owner is Ralph J. Boyer.

8. Ferrari GTC4 Lusso Coupe

This 70th anniversary edition is finished in Rosso Corsa paint and is owned by Lauren and David Mendelson.

And…

9. Winning Porsche poster

CCS students submitted poster designs in a contest by the Concours to recognize its honored marque this year, Porsche. The top three poster designers were named apprentice judges. This is the winning poster, by David Pichla, who just graduated from CCS, and already has a job designing interiors for General Motors.

10. And motorcycles…

This one is a 1969 Triumph Bonneville Board Tracker by Knight Cycle Works, in front of Diane Flis-Schneider, executive director of the Concours d’Elegance of America.

11. …and fashion.

LaPorcshia Winfield wears a dress made of Hudson’s department store bags, designed by Matthew, from the Paper Bag Collection.

The post Eight Cars Not to Miss at the Concours d’Elegance of America appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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[jonathanbelloblog]

Eight Cars Not to Miss at the Concours d’Elegance of America

DETROIT, Michigan – Like the Pebble Beach Concours and many others of its ilk, the Concours d’Elegance of America July 27-29 in Plymouth, Michigan, is a celebration of art and fashion as well as classic cars. Unlike many of those others, this one offers enthusiasts a wide array of cars from different eras, countries, and styles.

This year, the Concours d’Elegance of America offered us a preview of this, its 40th show, to be held at the Inn at St. John’s, in Plymouth, on the campus of the College for Creative Studies. This year’s displays include a celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Porsche marque, with appearances from several significant Porsche race cars, as well as drivers Vic Elford, Brian Redman, and Hurley Haywood.

You’ll have to wait until the end of the month for all that. Meanwhile, here’s a look what you can expect, courtesy the CCS sneak preview earlier this week…

1. 1958 Bentley S1 Continental Drophead Coupe by Park Ward

We wouldn’t normally lead off with a Rolls-Royce-era Bentley, but this one has special provenance. Some time after it was featured in the 1992 movie, “King Ghazi of Iraq,” Saddam Hussein confiscated it for his own collection. The car was all-but destroyed after Hussein fled his Baghdad palace in 2002, and the original owner sold it rather than pay for its restoration, which was restored by Vantage Motorwerks, of Miami.

1b. Current owner Jim George shows a spares kit Bentley provided to its customers for longer trips. Owners were charged for the spare bulbs, head gaskets, etc., that were removed, much like a modern hotel mini-bar. This kit was not original to this ’58 Bentley, though George says the engine and transmission were original.

2. 1930 Duesenberg Model J Cabriolet by Graber

Duesenberg sold 480 Model Js between 1929 and 1937, that received custom coachwork. Powered by a DOHC 420 cubic-inch inline eight, this Graber-bodied Model J is particularly distinctive for its more organic, swept-back styling compared with even the rakish bodywork of the most well-known Duesies of the era. This one is owned by Sam and Emily Mann.

3. 1931 Marmon Convertible Coupe by LeBaron

Marmon and Cadillac were the only two automakers to produce V-16 engines, which makes an appearance by anything by this marque quite unusual. This Marmon’s LeBaron coachwork was designed by Walter Dorwin Teague, influenced by Ray Dietrich and Frank Hershey. The 930-pound engine is a 491 cubic-inch V-16 with a 45-degree angle, and it now belongs to Terry and Jennifer Adderley.

4. 1939 Bugatti T57C Stelvio by Gangloff

Described as the first Bugatti model built under the direction of Ettore Bugatti’s son, Jean, for 1934, it’s powered by a dual overhead cam, 3.25-liter supercharged inline-eight, rated 160 horsepower. This one is part of the Keith Crain Collection (Automotive News, AutoWeek).

5. 1983 Porsche 911 SC

This one belongs to the parents of Automobile Magazine contributing photographer Andrew Trahan. This Euro-spec SC is no trailer queen, driven regularly, according to Mark Trahan.

6. 1973 Dodge Demon Flip Top Funny Car

Inspiration for the street-legal 840-horsepower 2018 Dodge Challenger Demon surely came from pure drag racecars like this one, currently owned by Jim Matuszak. According to the Concours’ description, this Demon was the first Flip Top Funny Car to exceed 230 mph. It was capable of 6.3-second quarter-mile times, making it one of the most competitive drag racers of its time.

7. 1910 Ford Model T Touring by Gray and Sons

Yes, it’s a Model T with a bespoke body. Its running chassis was built in March 1910 at Ford’s Piquette Plant in Detroit, then completed with the custom touring body in Walkerville, Ontario. Shortly thereafter, Ford sold the Piquette plant to Studebaker, and moved Model T production to its new Highland Park factory. Owner is Ralph J. Boyer.

8. Ferrari GTC4 Lusso Coupe

This 70th anniversary edition is finished in Rosso Corsa paint and is owned by Lauren and David Mendelson.

And…

9. Winning Porsche poster

CCS students submitted poster designs in a contest by the Concours to recognize its honored marque this year, Porsche. The top three poster designers were named apprentice judges. This is the winning poster, by David Pichla, who just graduated from CCS, and already has a job designing interiors for General Motors.

10. And motorcycles…

This one is a 1969 Triumph Bonneville Board Tracker by Knight Cycle Works, in front of Diane Flis-Schneider, executive director of the Concours d’Elegance of America.

11. …and fashion.

LaPorcshia Winfield wears a dress made of Hudson’s department store bags, designed by Matthew, from the Paper Bag Collection.

The post Eight Cars Not to Miss at the Concours d’Elegance of America appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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[jesusvasser]

Eight Cars That Will Draw You to the Concours d’Elegance of America

DETROIT, Michigan – Like the Pebble Beach Concours and many others of its ilk, the Concours d’Elegance of America July 27-29 in Plymouth, Michigan, is a celebration of art and fashion as well as classic cars. Unlike many of those others, this one offers enthusiasts a wide array of cars from different eras, countries, and styles.

This year, the Concours d’Elegance of America offered us a preview of this, its 40th show, to be held at the Inn at St. John’s, in Plymouth, on the campus of the College for Creative Studies. This year’s displays include a celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Porsche marque, with appearances from several significant Porsche race cars, as well as drivers Vic Elford, Brian Redman, and Hurley Haywood.

You’ll have to wait until the end of the month for all that. Meanwhile, here’s a look what you can expect, courtesy the CCS sneak preview earlier this week…

1. 1958 Bentley S1 Continental Drophead Coupe by Park Ward

We wouldn’t normally lead off with a Rolls-Royce-era Bentley, but this one has special provenance. Some time after it was featured in the 1992 movie, “King Ghazi of Iraq,” Saddam Hussein confiscated it for his own collection. The car was all-but destroyed after Hussein fled his Baghdad palace in 2002, and the original owner sold it rather than pay for its restoration, which was restored by Vantage Motorwerks, of Miami.

1b. Current owner Jim George shows a spares kit Bentley provided to its customers for longer trips. Owners were charged for the spare bulbs, head gaskets, etc., that were removed, much like a modern hotel mini-bar. This kit was not original to this ’58 Bentley, though George says the engine and transmission were original.

2. 1930 Duesenberg Model J Cabriolet by Graber

Duesenberg sold 480 Model Js between 1929 and 1937, that received custom coachwork. Powered by a DOHC 420 cubic-inch inline eight, this Graber-bodied Model J is particularly distinctive for its more organic, swept-back styling compared with even the rakish bodywork of the most well-known Duesies of the era. This one is owned by Sam and Emily Mann.

3. 1931 Marmon Convertible Coupe by LeBaron

Marmon and Cadillac were the only two automakers to produce V-16 engines, which makes an appearance by anything by this marque quite unusual. This Marmon’s LeBaron coachwork was designed by Walter Dorwin Teague, influenced by Ray Dietrich and Frank Hershey. The 930-pound engine is a 491 cubic-inch V-16 with a 45-degree angle, and it now belongs to Terry and Jennifer Adderley.

4. 1939 Bugatti T57C Stelvio by Gangloff

Described as the first Bugatti model built under the direction of Ettore Bugatti’s son, Jean, for 1934, it’s powered by a dual overhead cam, 3.25-liter supercharged inline-eight, rated 160 horsepower. This one is part of the Keith Crain Collection (Automotive News, AutoWeek).

5. 1983 Porsche 911 SC

This one belongs to the parents of Automobile Magazine contributing photographer Andrew Trahan. This Euro-spec SC is no trailer queen, driven regularly, according to Mark Trahan.

6. 1973 Dodge Demon Flip Top Funny Car

Inspiration for the street-legal 840-horsepower 2018 Dodge Challenger Demon surely came from pure drag racecars like this one, currently owned by Jim Matuszak. According to the Concours’ description, this Demon was the first Flip Top Funny Car to exceed 230 mph. It was capable of 6.3-second quarter-mile times, making it one of the most competitive drag racers of its time.

7. 1910 Ford Model T Touring by Gray and Sons

Yes, it’s a Model T with a bespoke body. Its running chassis was built in March 1910 at Ford’s Piquette Plant in Detroit, then completed with the custom touring body in Walkerville, Ontario. Shortly thereafter, Ford sold the Piquette plant to Studebaker, and moved Model T production to its new Highland Park factory. Owner is Ralph J. Boyer.

8. Ferrari GTC4 Lusso Coupe

This 70th anniversary edition is finished in Rosso Corsa paint and is owned by Lauren and David Mendelson.

And…

9. Winning Porsche poster

CCS students submitted poster designs in a contest by the Concours to recognize its honored marque this year, Porsche. The top three poster designers were named apprentice judges. This is the winning poster, by David Pichla, who just graduated from CCS, and already has a job designing interiors for General Motors.

10. And motorcycles…

This one is a 1969 Triumph Bonneville Board Tracker by Knight Cycle Works, in front of Diane Flis-Schneider, executive director of the Concours d’Elegance of America.

11. …and fashion.

LaPorcshia Winfield wears a dress made of Hudson’s department store bags, designed by Matthew, from the Paper Bag Collection.

The post Eight Cars That Will Draw You to the Concours d’Elegance of America appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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[comiconverse]

Review: Victor LaValle’s Destroyer #2

Boom Studios! modern take on Frankenstein continues this week and our contributor, Darryll Robson, takes a look at expanding world that Victor LaValle has created.

Review: Victor LaValle's Destroyer #2

The emotional family story and birthing metaphors from Mary Shelley’s’ original Frankenstein novel take a back seat in issue two of Victor LaValle’s Destroyer. This month there is a touch of political commentary and a host of sci-fi gadgets mixed in with the violent horror that made issue 1 so memorable. Although the story doesn’t feel as though it’s moving on very fast, by the end of the issue the narrative has taken a great leap forward: a much larger leap than you will have been expecting.

Synopsis

This issue opens in Ireland, 1799. The Monster has been alive for a number of years and is wondering the world, or so it would seem, but he isn’t making any friends. He stumbles across a group of locals and pleads for help. Obviously, when faced with the giant, grotesque ghoul, the men immediately go on the offensive and attack him.

The modern day: The Monster is traveling across a Mexican desert with the memory of Ireland rattling around his brain. It’s not long before he’s accumulated a following of dispossessed Mexican’s all who are heading for the boarder.

Meanwhile, in Montana, the two agency Men are trying to track down Dr Baker with no luck. After a real time, virtual reality conversation with the head of their organisation, they try to track Dr Barkers car back to wherever she is hiding out.

When the Agency Men reach Dr Barkers secret lab and the Monster reaches the Mexican/American boarder, none of them get a warm welcoming. And the inevitable violence follows with some unsuspected results.

Credit: Boom! Studios

Analysis

This issue is about journeys and about searching. There are two strands to the narrative, both similar in theme but opposed in purpose. The contrast between the two at the centre of this issue.

First, there is the Monster's trek across Mexico. Victor LaValle starts the issue with one of the Monster's early encounters with mankind. He approaches them nervously and in need of help but he is greeted with violence.  LaValle wants to stress this poor treatment, this horrific incident, because it helps to illustrate the Monster's reactions when he encounters the border guards. The writer is mirroring the Monster's past experiences to show how the character as changed; the timid creature from Shelley’s original novel who was so misunderstood has been hardened by violent encounters so that he is the aggressor in the modern age.

LaValle still manages to keep a sense of sympathy for the Monster but the consequences of his blind, violent actions are making it difficult. The Monster has blood on his hands.

The Dr Baker strand of the story is a different kettle of fish. This element focuses on the corporate guys and their technological search. It’s a contrast to the Monster's ‘walk until he gets there’ approach. Firstly, LaValle wants to show the reader that these guys have a range of technology at their fingertips. Virtual Reality glasses, highly accurate emissions trackers, these guys are Modern. But for all of their technology the end up in a similar situation to the Monster, when they find their quarry the situation takes a turn towards violence. It’s as if LaValle is saying that Man is inherently violent; that it is natural instinct to attack first and ask questions later.

Secondly, this is the part of the narrative where LaValle’s world differs from the real world. The Sci-Fi element and secret society begin to distance the reader from the characters. It creates a wild fantasy which belies the realism of the previous incarnations of the Frankenstein tale, especially the original where the true horror came from the realism that Shelley crafted. The gothic elements are still there but they have been removed from the world the average reader will understand, a contrast to the Monster's own journey across a very real, very political landscape.

Credit: Boom! Studios

Any diminishment in this issues narrative is not reflected by the quality of the art work. Dietrich Smith’s illustrations are energetic and punchy. The Monster is bedraggled and his eyes are full of the pain. When the story calls for action Smith delivers in spades, heightening the adrenaline and injecting some much needed pace to the proceedings.

Even in the slower, expositional scenes Smith manages to give the reader something worthwhile to look at. He twists and turns the point of view to produce a cinematic experience, focusing on foregrounds or backgrounds in an attempt to make the reader uncomfortable and uneasy. The art works because of the great use of shadow and movement lines. Nothing is static except in defiance like the Monster and Dr Baker. And one of the best moments in this issue comes near the end, when a bullet disintegrates; it is simple but brilliant and shows off a complete control of time within the comic book format.

Overall, this is a worthwhile issue but not as spectacular as the first. The sequences with the Monster outshine the rest and, because of this, parts of the narrative are a little flat. However, the artwork helps to ease the reader through the clunky gadgetry and long expositional scenes. It's still early days for this series and there is still a lot of life left in it, especially if the momentum can be kept at this high level.

Darryll Robson is a Contributor to ComiConverse. Occasionally he remembers his Twitter account: @DarryllRobson

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