#tribal force comic

[porraaharkness]

The Black Witch - Agathario’s daughter

Now that we have Agatha’s backstory we know she didn’t trade Nicky for the Darkhold. But she got it anyway, so what could have happened to her and what could be as much as powerfull, like a son, for Mephisto had acept the deal?

I already had this headcanon of how could be if Agathario had a daugther, I was reading more about the meaning of the names and I found out that Selene is a name of a powerful Marvel character, so I tried to fill some spaces with Agathario’s backstory. We still have a lot of gaps about the way they met and between Nicky’s death and Agatha getting the Darkhold.

This is me having fun with Marvel characthers and finding one who fits really well with the idea of an Agathario’s daughter.

AGATHA AND THE DARKHOLD

Agatha and Rio would see each other again every time Agatha had killed another coven. Agatha would always be waiting for her arrival, for her to collect the souls, almost like she wanted Rio to feel ashamed for this, to make her suffer and remember she did that with their son. Every meeting her hatred towards Rio, as her pain and suffering, would be more intense. So was the sex. It always started like a war, but the longing would be to much for them to handle, so they would get to the truce point, as they would say, like “Switzerland”, and then they would part ways again. And this would repeat, again and again. Until no more.

Agatha knew what was happening in day one. The feeling of magic through her, a magic that wasn’t hers or from any others witches she had killed in the past years. That feeling didn’t happened with Nicholas. That was a magic force growing on her, and it wasn’t like other women would describre their pregnancy, the dizy, headache, nauseas, nothing of it. Still, she knew what was happening, and if she could feel the magic, Rio, the original Green Witch, could too. At least, that was what she believed.

Would it all be hapenning again? What she could do to save a kid who one of their mothers is a entity, Death herself? Would this be a way of paying for killing her own coven, her mother? Mothering kids who were destined to die at birth and be collected by their other mother.

That’s when she decided to go after the Darkhold.

Agatha actually made a deal with Mephisto, but not because of her son, but because of a daughter. But she wasn’t ready for Mephisto’s request. He would give her the Darkhold, so she could hide from Rio and change their daughter’s fate, but in exchange Agatha would forget her existence, her babygirl. A void in her memory. She would get everything she wanted, the Darkhold and protect and hide her, but in his terms.

The girl would be safe, so she accepted. With one request, her name wouldn’t be changed. The deal was made.

What Mephisto didn’t tell her is that he couldn’t feel Agatha’s baby power. He felt the energy emanating from her but couldn’t describe exactly what it was, like the baby herself put up a barrier against him. He also had a hint on why the original green witch, lady Death, hadn’t shown up yet. Death wasn’t the baby’s destiny, and he doubted it would be so soon, with all that power he imagined was there and was being kept hidden from him. But Agatha didn’t know that, so he used it to his advantage. She didn’t need him, but he was glad she didn’t realize it.

All this made him really interested in Selene, she would be there, growing by his side, he could see how powerfull she could become, and control her, the offspring of a powerfull witch and a entity, and now, an agent of Mephisto.

SELENE

From Marvel comics “Selene’s mother was young when she bore her, but would be dead before Selene spoke her first words. The tribal elders ordered her mother’s people to sacrifice themselves to Selene until none remained”

She would have grown up under Mephisto’s influence, and that would be the story she grew up believing, she had two witches mothers, which explained her powers, and they were murdered trying to protect her against their coven, and that’s it, not knowing anything else about her past.

As for her powers, that’s a lot of similarities with Agatha and Rio’s. It’s almost like she has a mix of both.

Again, from the comics:

“Selene maintains her immortality with her power to absorb the essence or lifeforce of others, a process that also allows her to absorb memories and take control of her victims. By drawing on the power she has absorbed, Selene can also grant herself other superhuman abilities like enhanced strength or speed.”

“Selene is also a powerful telepath with considerable telekinetic abilities. Thanks to her extended lifespan, Selene has become one of the most skilled magic users in the world and was even considered a potential candidate to replace Doctor Strange as Sorcerer Supreme. She is capable of displaying various psionic feats with the minds of others including reading and communicating with thoughts over vast distances.”

Guess who has telepathic powers too and can get inside someone’s mind, even a mind under a powerful Scarlet Witch’s spell.

“If she drains only part of a victm’s life force, she achieves a measure of pyschic control over her victm’s mind. Selene can cause a human being to become a psychic vampire like herself, but be subordinate to Selene’s own will.”

That would explain how she could control and hide herself from Mephisto even when she was still a baby. When Mephisto tried to use his own power to sense hers, unintentionally, she absorbed and used his power against him, hiding and protecting herself. And hiding from her other mother, Lady Death. As a life created by Agatha and Rio, their life force would already been part of Selene’s too.

SORCERER POWERS

“Selene can summon demons and other entitties. Can manipulate magical artifcats and teleport over vast-distances.”

This gives off an Underworld vibe, fitting well for an Lady Death’s daughter and Agatha possessing the Darkhold too.

“Selene can shoot powerfull energy blasts"

“Can disguise herself and others”

“Can restrain others in mystical bonds” As Agatha did with Jen.

“Selene can turn herself into a shadow figure enabling her to blend in and also control darkness around her.”

“In her efforts to obtain power, Selene was responsible for the establishment of the hidden Amazonian city Nova Roma”

And how well this fits with someone who is the daughter of a power-addicted witch and the original Green Witch.

AESTHETIC

In the comics, looking at her style, there is a lot of similarities with Agathario’s.

“No one knows where Selene came from, who she is, what she is” So again, it fits well with the idea of Rio not knowing about her and Agatha not remebering her but spreading a “false” story about exchanging a child for the Darkhold, like she tried to deceive herself, to have some memory of her daughter, in a way she could get her back one day, even if she doesn’t even remember it.

Selene likes some purple too.

There’s a movie called “Underworld” where the protagonist’s style and story was inspired by Selene from the comics.

In the movie she grows up with a father figure and a blurred past in which he saved her when her family was murdered. Later she finds out he was actually the one who killed them.

SELENE AS AGATHARIO’S DAUGHTER

With Nicholas, we know he was created at a time when Agathario were in love and in good terms with each other. This only changed after his birth. So that’s Nicholas personality and soul, easy going, pure, full of love.

With Selene it was different, she would be made on a time were there was a lot of love between Agatha and Rio, but a rejected and denied love, with pain, sadness, and loneliness, as they attracted and repelled each other at the same time. A time when Agatha was absorbing the power of other witches through their deaths. These would be strong themes with her, the loneliness, sadness, feelings burning inside her that she cannot properly explain or understand, so she is always masking and channeling as rage and ambition, trying to fulfill something. And with so much power, she can be very destructive

She could got to much comfortable messing with the underwold, and got Rio’s attention. In Selene’s arrogance, she exposed to much of her powers, what Rio would notice and goes to Agatha, demanding answers about the possibility of them having another kid, a daugther. Daughter that Agatha doesn’t remember that exists.

I could see their meeting, Selene finding someone, after centuries, with the same amount, and even more power than her, and the confusion and feelings of familiarity through her magic.

She begins to doubt her past and the little bit of it that she knows, so goes lurking.

She goes to Mephisto, needing help and looking for answers.

To find out later he is the one to blame.

And suddenly all the hidden feelings of loneliness come back with full force, the family she thought had lost, is there, and don’t even knows her. She grew up thinking about the death of two women who had been alive all this time. But at least she still had this, some feeling for them, even though she didn’t know who they were. Only the idea of how her mothers would be like, the family and the feeling of belonging that was denied to her. And having to accept that her mothers didn’t even know, or remember, her existence.

Maybe I will write a fic about them but for know it’s just fun to imagine the possibilities of it and how they would interact, Rio meeting Selene, them fighting each other and Rio noticing the similarities, thinking that this would be impossibe, she would know. Then looking for Agatha, thinking she lied about them having a daughter all this time. And Agatha can’t even understand what she is talking about, denying it in a way Rio believes she doesn’t know either. The three of them meeting. Agatha still in disbelief, she would never forget her own daugther. And finally, the moment of realization.

Mephisto wouldn’t give up his control over her so easily, Doctor Strange could get involved, so it would no longer be about Rio and Agatha fighting against her but fighting for her.

[rootedinrevisions]

Masterlist: WWE & Professional Wrestling

Step into the ring with my collection of professional wrestling stories! Most of my writing here is centered around the superstars of WWE, but you'll also find a few pieces featuring wrestlers from other promotions.

Whether you're a fan of the drama, athleticism, or the larger-than-life personalities in the squared circle, there’s something here for you. From intense rivalries to behind-the-scenes moments, I hope you enjoy these tales of wrestling’s finest. 💥(UPDATED 11.16.24)

ADAM COLE

Man Enough (Adam x Reader)

As the crowd cheers, you're focused on capturing the perfect shot of Drew's victory at NXT Takeover Brooklyn III, but the energy shifts when Adam Cole makes his shocking debut, attacking Drew from behind. You’ve seen Adam’s work before, but seeing him in person, up close, stirs something new in you. His confidence, his presence—it’s magnetic. As he stands over Drew, holding the championship belt, he catches your eye, and for a brief moment, your breath hitches. Later, backstage, Adam approaches you, his charm as undeniable as his performance. His teasing banter leaves you flustered, though you try to brush it off. But as he walks away, you realize that this won’t be the last time he’ll leave you feeling this way.

PART 1 I PART 2

ADAM PAGE

Unspoken (Adam x Reader)

What started as a casual birthday dinner with friends quickly took an unexpected turn the moment Adam sat next to you, his presence impossible to ignore. Drinks flowed, conversation sparked, and before long, you found yourself on the dance floor, the tension between you growing with each beat. He teased you with subtle touches and whispered words that sent your mind racing, yet you kept him at arm’s length, enjoying the game just as much as he did. By the time the night wound down, you assumed he’d let it go—until you returned to your hotel and saw him waiting by your door, eyes dark with intent.

DAMIAN PRIEST

Playing With Fire (Damian x Reader)

When a lingering injury leaves you sidelined from the WWE ring, you find yourself with far too much time on your hands. And what better way to fill that time than by teasing your fellow superstar, Damian Priest? Wearing his shirt, flaunting a dangerously short skirt, and pushing every button you know will get under his skin, you enjoy the game—until Damian decides he’s had enough. With patience wearing thin and his control slipping, Damian flips the script, and suddenly, it’s not a game anymore. Now, you’re playing with fire, and the real question is: how much heat can you handle?

PART 1 I PART 2

Up in the Air (Damian x Reader)

When WWE superstars find themselves with a rare day off, Rhea Ripley seizes the opportunity to play matchmaker at a local festival. As she drags her friends to food trucks, rides, and games, the sparks between you and Damian Priest begin to fly. With Rhea’s clever nudges and a series of comical misadventures, you and Damian are thrust into close quarters—sharing food, laughter, and unexpected moments of connection. But when a hot air balloon ride leaves you suspended high above the fairground, the thrill of the day turns into something deeper. FLUFF.

Perfectly Imperfect Proposal (Damian x Reader)

Damian has the perfect plan to ask his girlfriend to marry him. But what happens when nothing goes right and the universe throws a wrench in his plans? A perfectly imperfect proposal.

ROMAN REIGNS

The Tribal Pull (Roman x Reader)

You are a young, ambitious intern who is beginning her six month stint with WWE. Your only focus is making a lasting impression to jumpstart your career - until you catch the eye of Roman Reigns, the dominant and enigmatic Tribal Chief. What starts as professional interactions quickly turns into something more, as Roman's attention becomes impossible to ignore, and the lines between business and personal interactions blur. With each encounter, the tension between you rises, leading to a moment of no return when circumstances force them to confront their undeniable chemistry.

PART 1 I PART 2 I PART 3

[ralith]

So, in the DotM comic adaptation, Sentinel remarks that he "never really liked (Ironhide's) kind". In the movie's prequel comic, it's explained that Ironhide was a "Thetacon", a kind of tribal Cybertronian. So as if Sentinel wasn’t unlikable enough, he’s just straight-up racist too.

I had to dig back through my comics bc I hadn't read the adaptation in a while. Fuck, Sentinel really did say that! What a piece of shit!

That and the prequel really make it seem like there was more conflict between the groups than we ever saw.

The prequel remarks that the scientific groups were literally tearing Cybertron apart to find the Allspark. Perhaps they desecrated grounds sacred to the Thetacons while doing so. Ironhide also remarks to Optimus that "your science" forced the Thetacons to give up their ancient beliefs. Were the Thetacons forced to integrate into Autobot society and leave their way of life behind? If they didn't assimilate, would they be destroyed?

So when Sentinel said all that shit about freedom for everyone, did he mean freedom only if you were an Autobot? Because if Cybertrons tribes began to disappear, and you had Cybertronians now falling under the Autobot flag, did they really force the complete assimilation of Cybertrons people under one name and culture?

Though not only was Sentinel racist, but Megatron too. In the prequel, he refers to Ironhide's people as "savages" and remarks that they should have done "what was necessary" to end the conflict. He wanted to slaughter the Thetacons entirely.

[antxnous]

oc info dump again bc im crashing out over life hehe

TSGT. East

- even tho he loves boxing (and bare knuckle at that) he’s terrified of fucking up his face!! he’s vain!!! his nose has been broken in the past and he downs pounds of copium by pretending it isn’t crooked (it is)

- he plays devils advocate for the sake of pissing people off all the time. traumatised from the legion? maybe you aren’t viewing things from their perspective. maybe you’re just soft.

- speaking of the legion; he doesn’t think they’re as bad as the NCR is making them seem. “what do you mean a bunch of tribals in football gear are our biggest threat? my dad used to torture the brotherhood when I was growing up 😒🙄”

- I’ve said it before but he hates the Mojave. The sun, the desert, the people, the air, the plants, the animals… he’s the NPC that says “when I got this assignment, I thought there would be more gambling.”, or the nuclear winter guy.

- guns, tech, and fitness would be on his dating app profile lowkey

SGT. Hooker

- I don’t think I’ve talked abt him a lot but erm he got captured by the legion, didn’t help his squad out when they got tortured + killed one by one, gets carved up like crazy and then rescued but his CO was mad he didn’t do anything so he got demoted (MSgt -> Sgt. Was so close to Lt :3) And then his wife found out he was alive and divorced him. And then the NCR lost his records in CA because of being “declared dead” so he’s lowkey stuck in the Mojave regardless.

- he’s fully incapable of yelling or screaming from his torture and it makes his voice sound kinda gravelly, and it makes him a bit insecure so he lets his face do most of the talking (but he’s perma looking pathetic)

- his whole existence is to be depressing and funny for being depressing.

- surprising literally everyone he works with, he’s extremely knowledgeable w explosives but liek u Would never know because he’s forced to guard cargo for life

- the rangers freak him out, and also piss him off a little but not to the level of hate that East has for them. He just thinks they’re a bit unruly.

Colorado

- he likes comic books bc he can’t read, but he also thinks they’re on the same level as philosophy and might be convinced everything in them is real

- he draws out notes rather than write them, unless the person he’s talking to understands Latin. In which case he’ll provide u w essays.

- piercings and tattoos freak him out so bad, he stares at ppl like toddlers do w anyone who isn’t their parents.

- he’s developing arthritis in his shoulder from erm. overusing his machete :3

- I think parts of him miss the legion, but more so the legion he remembers, which was not the conditions in the Mojave, or even Arizona. also he’s a mommas boy and misses her crazy, even misses Diomede 💔 does not gaf about his little brother tho and is terrified on Cain on a level that exceeds his fear of Caesar and Joshua :3c

[xenokattz]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 💖

Nabbed from everyone such as, but not limited to, @umber-cinders , @tielan , @suzukiblu (I think), and @beatrice-otter . Please check their posts out!

Listed from oldest to newest. Ish.

Extasie Doth Unperplex

Most of all, Clark loved Lois for not running.

Clois. Comics Superman but can be read as any Superman universe, smutty smut tentacle smut

TW: none known

That time I turned Superman into a Cthulu-style alien & then wrote atmospheric smut. This is one of maybe 2 or 3 fics that burst forth fully formed from my brain, written frantically in 1 night, and thrown at my friends/betas asking them to judge the hell out of it because WTAF. 🤣 I've never written tentacle sex/monster fucking before, I'm not sure I ever will again, but damn I love this one incoherently.

Cho Chang and the Jasmine Code

Before returning to help her former schoolmates in the Battle of Hogwarts, Cho Chang fought against Voldemort & his follows in a more covert manner.

Cho Chang, Victor Krum + many HP side-characters. War is hell, para-canon (is that a thing?)

TW: violent injuries, mentions of death/severe injury to underage characters, refugee experiences

I've never described myself as a Potterhead/rabid HP fan the way I am with superhero media & Star Wars. I was more interested in the world-building than the plot and was, therefore, very disappointed when there was nothing extensive about the other schools of magic after "Goblet of Fire." Also at the time, my bestie was into creating various East Asian HP magic so I jumped on board her crazy train and tried to play with how culture would affect magic the same way it affects other forms of research & technology.

D'Ancanto

Drugs. Multi-state gangs. Mutant-killing virus. Civil unrest. Plot to assassinate a racist senator. Just another Tuesday for Marie D'Ancanto, NYPD detective in the country's first Mutant Crimes Task Force.

Rogue | Marie D'ancanto + many other X-Men including Gambit, Colossus, & Jubilee. Fox-movieverse X-Men. AU-ish futurefic/canon divergence.

TW: drug use/abuse, someone causes the violent death of their friend, mutants as a blatant metaphor for racism/homophobia.

Parents shouldn't have favourites but, NGL, this is one of my most precious babies. I was gonna scratch the serial number off this sucker & try to shop it as an original series. Still might. Again, I wanted to worldbuild-- what does being a mutant mean outside of superheroes? How would your average mutant, passing or not, be treated by society in general? How would society organize themselves with this new minority? I planned for this to be a trilogy; the sequel, Rasputin, has HEAVY trigger warnings for sexual exploitation/slavery (with a suspicion that it could happen to a minor but it doesn't), kidnapping of a minor, terminal illness, violent death of sex workers. Probably my only dead dove.

A Flame in Two Cupped Hands

Six years and two thousand coffee cups separated Lois and Clark's first real hello and last real good-bye.

Clois. Man of Steel Superman. Coffeeshop AU with a side of plot and smut that's miiiiildly hot for teacher.

TW: none known

I really, really, REALLY wanted to love Man of Steel. Henry Cavill's Clark was hot, Amy Adams' Lois had promise plus they played with her being older than Clark. The whole Krypton society thing is EXACTLY my jam. But the more I went back to it, the less the story failed to resonate with my understanding of Superman. Which is one of the reasons we fic. 😁 This fic also goes to show I cannot write without plot. Even my coffeeshop AUs & porns get plot.

The Pearl I Carry in My Heart

"Am I understanding you correctly, Princess? That your suggestion for strengthening our alliance is arranged marriages between our available tribal leaders and theirs?"

Shuri smiled, a forced twisted thing. "Not quite, Elder. My suggestion for strengthening this alliance is an arranged marriage between K’uk’ulkan and me."

Nashuri with side Attoye. MCU Black Panther & Namor. Post-canon, political marriage/alliances, enemies to friends to lovers, ridiculous slow burn I'm not kidding about how slow it is.

TW: mentions death of a sibling, injury causing amputation, a major character has depressive/anxiety episodes due to PTSD

For more than 5 years, my writing dried up. Lots of different factors in there, both fan and life related. Then Black Panther: Wakanda Forever came out. And there was RIDICULOUS world-building, both expansions of Wakanda and the new society of Talokan, where colonialism never happened. I'm not of indigenous Mesoamerican descent but their history and that of my ancestors are so similar; EVERYTHING about Talokan resonated with me. I already loved Wakanda but add Talokan and it. Just. Was all. *Kermit flail*

Soft, no pressure tag to @pilesofpillows, @dasphinxone & @gaal-dornick because I'm pretty sure everyone else I know has done this already. But everyone else, please feel free to nab!

[religiousbats]

(Cant turn on anon ask... sigh.....)

For mod: how the hell did u come up with the character? Like im scared but very impressed???? /pos

I'm actually surprised you asked, and this is my first time ever having an ask in Tumblr. Well here's a explanation on how this character came to be.

While I'm starting to feel more attached to the Cookie Run fandom, I was thinking of making a oc, my first cookie run oc. And it was hard to design a cookie run oc mainly due to the art style cookie run uses, so I force myself to try to make the art style similar, and my idea of a oc came up, why not make a oc inspired by Fake peppino and so came Flawed cookie.

The design is based off of Ginderbrave if it wasn't that obvious, He was my first cookie run oc, I originally made Him as a horror character but then I watched some fake peppino comic dubs and was like " okay I turn him into a goofy goober now :3 " and this it was that for this version.

I've made a remake him of for the sole purpose of turning Flawed Cookie into a more serious horror, which I take massive inspiration of The Mandela Catalog series, mainly the alternates.

I wasn't a big fan of the design I made but It did look creepy on its own. Like I said it was heavily inspired by The Mandela Catalog. Gave it a more human like feel to it, but I wasent happy and wanted to go further..

And so I made the first design of Beelzebub..

This was the turning point, I mixed my old designs to make this beast, I made the skin more pale as if He has human skin, made hands and feet. All of the similarities to the current design is all here.. Also this design was inspired by the Mario exe character turmoil

And here.. Is the current design of Him as you may already know..

The design is much like the previous one but with some modifications, I went for my usual black outlines for my characters as It allows me to detail them easily. I went for a more tribal like look to Him and I designed him that way, and reason I named Him Beelzebub is because I wanted to make each Ancient Cookies Sins in their physical forms.. Or at least that was the main plot point for this Oc, but the point is that there aren't any unique horror character for any fandoms such as Cookie run. Yes it may look like a typical creepy pasta douche but really I inspired Him from EXE fandom.

I am currently making a new redesign of Beelzebub to be like a oni. And that's what bill give to ya for now. Basically I'm making a rp account just for Him.

And yeah that's how I make this beautiful child of mine :3 hope that answers your question.

[professor-doc-emeritus]

so I know after watchmen came out there was then a massive slew of other "deconstructions" or "genre critical" comics or just plain edgy stuff. i know you generally prefer the more optimist played straight stuff, but is there anything of that sort of thing that you really like?

There's a couple of directions you can go with this ask, so I'll give you an answer for each

if you're just looking for my personal favorite meta take on superheroes, you wanna check out flex mentallo

a fictional superhero imagined by a dying kid brought to life, this mini series by Morrison follows Flex's quest to solve the mystery of the death of his fellow fictional superhero The Fact. Morrison is one of the greatest comics writer alive, and this is their definitive statement on the genre, a deep and intimate look at how the platonic superheros of your childhood deal with a world of death, sex, and suicide. Dark, funny, meta, and mercifully short, if you read nothing else I recommend you read this. You'll finish it in an hour and think about it for the rest of your life.

If you want something less so meta and more so just a really well written and gritty 80s comic, check out denny o'neil and deny's cowan's run on The Question

This run follows the physical, psychological, and spiritual journey of journalist and vigilante Vic Sage as he struggles to bring justice to the deeply corrupt Hub City. It features a much more zen and spiritual take on the classic ditko character, and has a lot of great appearances from some underappreciated members of DC's stable. This run in particular is a must read for fans of Watchmen imo. It features the character that inspired Rorsarch, and actually has a few tongue in cheek references to him during the run. More than anything though, you should read it because it understands something most of Watchmen's successors didn't: Watchmen wasn't great because it was dark and gritty, it was great because it was a smartly written story with something interesting to say, and so is this run. If you've got some pocket change to spare, pick up the omnibuses that released last year. They published the absolutely essential letters columns that most digital uploads of the run neglect, wherein denny hosts a mini book club about the literature that inspired the run.

If you want a meta superhero story that's actually about watchmen, check out 2019's Peter Cannon Thunderbolt

Peter Cannon was a Charelston character that never really found a home. A medical man and captain of industry imbued with ancient tribal knowledge that gives him the powers of the supernatural, he served as the inspiration for Ozymandias. This story is explicitly and unsubtly addressing and rebuking Watchmen: the core conceit of the story is the original peter cannon confronting a universe-hopping ozymandias (for legal reasons her another Peter Cannon) constantly re-enacting his final plan from Watchmen on different universes until it works. Though not as much a visual force compared to the others on this list, what it lacks in raw technical skill it more than makes up for in creativity and enthusiasm. In order to rebuke a work you have to understand it, and ironically this explicit refutation of Watchmen still understands and respects it better than most of it's direct heirs by being about something. Though at times a bit too meta for it's own good, if you care about comics this is one you absolutely have to read

If you just want to kick back and watch Alan Moore twist the nipples off the genre in another work, I highly recommend checking out his work on superman

everyone and their mom has read, or at least been recommended, For the Man Who Has Everything and Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?, but not as many people know about Moore's third (and my personal favorite) outing with the man of steel: DC Comics Presents #85. A short team up (in the loosest sense of the word) between Superman and Swamp Thing, this story more than any other strips away the layers of myth and baggage around superman and exposes the raw psychological core beneath it. Very short, very simple, and probably not as good as his mircaleman run, but i have the benefit of having read this one so I can actually vouch for it's quality.

Finally, as you mentioned earlier, I tend to like reading more straightforward and optimistic stuff, especially when it comes to my capeshit. While some of the stories I've recommended here get quite dark, nothing really reaches the point of being 'edgy.' I haven't read, and thus can't recommend, the primo edgy content such as Preacher or The Authority (though I've heard good things!). But there is one mindlessly dark and edgy comic that I just can't help loving to death: the ever classic Marvel zombies

A beautiful example of a story that is exactly what it says on the tin: The marvel universe overrun by zombies. The only really original part of its take on the zombies is also the thing that makes it so much damn fun: they're all still intelligent, and basically themselves from before they turned, just with an insatiable and uncontrollable hunger for flesh. Gorey art, pitch black humor, and a lot of genuinely interesting and compelling story arcs you really couldn't do anywhere else, there's been about a trillion followups to it but I still love the original the best. It's not smart, it's not meta, it's not even a particularly good zombie apocalypse story, but it's fun, dammit, and that's a fair bit more than what most of the drivel that passes for good literature these days can say. best read when you're 12 years old and up way past your bedtime

[thunderjawsandlightning]

After listening to the GAIA Cast deep-dives and making up the transcripts for them, it's really obvious in hindsight how many hints get dropped through specific phrasing choices by Narrative Director Ben McCaw regarding certain topics, and I am currently losing my mind at all the hints and character parallels that are in the Jan. 30 Playstation Blog about Call of the Mountain (CotM). link

---

During "GAIA Cast EP. 6: Uncovering the Carja Civil War" [transcript by me here], Ben McCaw and Lead Quest Designer Tim Stobo talk about the divide in the tribe as an interesting tipping point to come into from both a narrative and world perspective. One of the things that particularly caught my interest is the following quote by Ben:

"And one of the things that’s important, like in any civil war, it’s like families have been torn apart, right?  It’s one tribe that’s been cut in two and some family members wound up on each side."

This is talking about some more specific instances in sidequests in which we see "the good, the bad, and the ugly" kinds of people within the two halves of the Carja, but the emphasis on seeing how the tribal divide impacts all different sorts of people is another detail that they continue to discuss. It's not just the Shadow Carja refugees in need of food and medicine, and supplies being smuggled by Sun Carja by robbing the richer upper class, but regular everyday civilians like Atral and Elida who are torn apart by the conflict (in a very Romeo and Juliet type fashion).

Which is why I find it especially interesting in the character teaser/ introductions of this most recent blog post, the topic of the divided tribe and divided families in CotM, and the impacts of actions taken during the Red Raids is again brought to our attention:

Guerrilla’s Studio Narrative Director, Ben McCaw, offered us further insight: “Ryas ended up on the wrong side for the right reasons. His family was torn apart, and ultimately, he was incarcerated. This is the story of how he tries to come back from that.”

**HZD and HFW spoilers and further discussion under the cut.

Digging into the topic of families divided and torn apart, we see its most obvious wound in the royal family, and the opposing forces of Jiran vs. his sons Kadaman and Avad, and later, Avad and his half-brother Itamen. In these two opposing relationships, we get to see and explore facets of the complications of the father-son relationship: the father against his sons, and the sons against the legacy of their father.

Morally and ideologically, we know that Kadaman and Avad care for their people and their tribe, in speaking out against the Mad Sun-King's edicts, and paying some kind of price for it. In Kadaman's case, it's his life; for Avad, the faith of the people and the fear of becoming like his father are burdens he will never be able to escape. Where family and fatherhood are meant to be examples of protection and guidance, this bond is warped beyond recognition in regards to Jiran and his sons.

The legacy of the father and the shadow it leaves behind, in both a metaphorical and cultural sense, in one that Avad and Itamen each have to grapple with in the uncertain stage of a ceasefire and afterwards. Metaphorically, they each have their own battles in stepping out from under their father's shadow: Avad as the King of the people and proving his will not become his father's son, and Itamen as a child figurehead for the will of others fuelled by ambition and blind faith. They are pitted against each other as symbols of the divine right to rule, and the cultural aspect of the Sun-Faith -- and the interpretation of Sun's divine will manifested through the power of the rightful king -- continues to perpetuate the intra-tribal divide.

---

Back again to the divide of family, I think it reasonable to assume that differences in faith and ideology to be one of the simplest explanations of families picking and choosing sides. In the Liberation comics, we are told of Urid and Ryas, each highly skilled and formidable in their own right, fighting in direct opposition to each other and in direct support to the ruling figures of each faction. Clearly, their loyalty to the governing powers of each faction is fuelled by something stronger even than the bond of family, and I can think of few other motivators stronger than religious faith and a code of honour to serve those whom you pledge yourself to.

“Having fought for the Shadow Carja, Ryas’ relationship with [new allies] is at best adversarial. He needs to make inroads and amends if he hopes to be accepted.”

"At best adversarial" indicates a potential rivalry with allies known to Ryas, or full-on confrontations to be had with other characters who know of him and his reputation. Given our introduction to Hami, the reluctant soldier charged with escorting Ryas, there is already animosity from within their shared tribe, even with the degrees of separation and association and/or participation with the Raids.

Either way, there looks to be some very interesting tribal conflicts permeating the relationships during CotM, which brings me to the next intriguing thing: the hope of acceptance from these new characters.

Acceptance despite past deeds and choices feels phrased like a kind of welcoming back into the fold, a return of sorts from ostracization or exile. There seems to be a preexisting bond that is under strain if the goal is simply acceptance, rather than "to be trusted".

"Making inroads and making amends" has absolute implied meanings of repairing broken bonds. But a broken bond with who? Given the precedent of reuniting estranged brothers in 'The Queen's Gambit' sidequest, Avad and Itamen show there is hope for rekindling and repairing the fraternal bond. Given this information, the most obvious candidate so far to whom Ryas would be repairing broken bonds with is his own brother, Urid.

---

So, we have the history of brother against brother, and the future hope of reuniting and reconciling said brothers. But what about the hints that "players will [...] be reunited with familiar [characters], though [Ryas'] past has affected these relationships"? Who else is familiar enough from HZD or HFW for us to anticipate seeing in CotM? With all of the promotional imagery of standing between the Sundom and Sacred Lands, I will focusing on potential Carja character appearances, since I feel there may be little in the way of Nora appearances given their cultural reluctance to venture near metal ruins that we will likely be exploring as Ryas.

Given their multiple mentions in Ep 6 of GAIA Cast, Uthid and Vanasha seem likely candidates to make an appearance. Vanasha's reconnaissance abilities and connection to Marad could provide some early intel as to what kind of situation we're heading into, and Uthid's switch in loyalty due to his honour code is an early seed to be planted for the legitimacy of Avad's mercy and willingness to make amends with a former Shadow Carja. As merely a captain, it is not likely that Uthid will have had any interaction with Ryas during the flight to Sunfall, but it presents an interesting common ground for these two weathered soldiers and their levels of involvement .

(Personally, I hope that Warden Janeva makes a brief appearance if for nothing else than to see what their assessment is for Ryas' character and his release from Sunstone Rock.)

And speaking of Sunstone Rock, there's the most obvious character to - hopefully - make an appearance: Nil.

---

Nil as a character is steeped in mystery, with his cryptic eloquence making it difficult to pin down much about his past. However, there are several parallels that draw him and Ryas along correspondent narrative threads that I find too interesting to leave alone.

For starters, an easy comparison of these two is their particular set of skills as hunters and fighters:

"As a master climber, hunter, and explorer, Ryas offers the perfect viewpoint of the sweeping vistas and dangerous wilds of Horizon.”

A significant feature of CotM appears to be climbing, and as we know from the Liberation comics, Ryas's brother Urid is the best climber in the Sundom. Nil is clearly an accomplished climber himself; the climb to the top of the Mesa during the "Cause for Concern - Farewell" quest is a long one with lots of jumping from handhold to handhold and creeping along ledges.

Nil's hunting ability is such that he sees bandits as a more satisfying challenge than hunting machines, even the more deadly combat machines that have emerged in the recent years; stating "They don't get that look in their eyes." (Devil's Thirst Bandit Camp conversation). Ryas' reputation precedes him, as Hami and Kavad -- the Carja escort soldiers -- comment that "everyone says Ryas is a good shot" (CotM State of Play reveal trailer), so clearly his ability with a bow is notable enough to be wary about.

Thirdly, being well-traveled and adept at exploring the world and its metal ruins in search of information is a quality we see in few others. Most other tribes have superstitions concerning the Old World ruins, and so avoid them; or are more pragmatic about its use for profit, as seen with Oseram delvers. We see Nil unafraid to venture into these ruined places, going so far to say "[those] lonely places where people once were, now just a hole cut in the world?  Chances are, I was there before. " (Gatelands Bandit Camp conversation)

---

Jon Gonzalez, the Narrative Director during HZD, emphasized Nil's significance as a representation of the effects of war, and clarified that there are elements of his quest narrative that are acts of atonement, of trying his best to balance the wrongs he's committed with a new motivation.

There is a kind of retribution in Nil's brand of atonement in that he hunts those who prey on those even weaker. Even if his claimed motivation is purely to sate his bloodlust, there is still some act of good done through it (Although his descriptions of racing heart, ringing in the ears, and the feeling of a "call to arms from inner desires" all point to chasing adrenaline highs). His acts of atonement are done in an echo of the presumed kinds of actions he took during the raids, of participating in the preying on those with less power. Instead of continuing that path, now he hunts those who would do the same.

"And I think that there are a couple of characters that also highlight really unique aspects of some of the tribes in really idiosyncratic ways. I think that Nil, [...] who seems to have become kind of a fan favorite, the kind of way that he has this kind of unique, sociopathic kind of approach to killing, but the way that that's connected to the lore of the Carja. The way that the Carja were preying on other tribes, and [...] the Red Raids and all of that, the thing [...] is this is a guy who's sort of a monster but knows that he was a monster – and to the best of his ability, kind of regrets it and has tried to atone. "

- Writing Horizon Zero Dawn - Jon Gonzalez interview link

The phrasing about Ryas "ending up on the wrong side for the right reasons" also seems to echo Aloy's impression of Nil upon the conclusion of their first bandit camp raid:

And when asked about a favourite backstory element or quest moment, Ben's comment about how intertwined Nil's questline and story is with the Red Raids and the civil war also seem to be more than just a passing anecdote.

ALOY:  So you hunt [bandits] down to help others?

NIL: No, no - for sport.  I can’t wait for wars anymore: life’s too short and the thrill of death too sharp.  If you kill a tribesman, there’ll be retribution; hunt a boar, they complain if you waste the meat.  But bandits? They’re vicious.  They always put up a fight.  And no one cares if you kill them.

ALOY: I…guess you’re doing the right thing for the wrong reason.

NIL: I’m doing what I love.  And what could be wrong with that?

- After completing Devil's Thirst Bandit Camp (HZD)

Tracing his quest path through the game takes you all over the map, although he will only join you for 3 of the 6 bandit camps in the overworld. He is clearly a skilled hunter and tracker to comment on "the surprised splashes [of blood] and scrabbles in the dirt" when next he sees Aloy. The two camps he is always present at seem to hold some significance too. Obviously, he's present at the Devil's Thirst camp on the outskirts of Nora land to start his questline, but the Nora were some of the most affected; he begins his journey of atonement there. The Gatelands camp -- on the Sundom side of the border between it and the Sacred Lands -- is where we learn of his stay at Sunstone Rock, with additional dialogue with him if you've made a stop by the prison and talked with Warden Janeva beforehand. Nil specifically waits for Aloy there; a border between two worlds, a step a little more into the world he is from.

"… if you really pay attention to what’s going on with Nil in those raids on bandit camps, his story is kind of interwoven with the Carja civil war and the Red Raids quite a lot, and he has a very, of course, unique and kind of homicidal insight into all that stuff. So I mean that’s something that I really enjoyed, because if you trace Nil’s paths through the game, a lot of it does in fact involve the events surrounding the civil war."

-- GAIA Cast Ep. 6 - Uncovering the Carja Civil War

Janeva's opinion on those kept within the prison and those who are released also vary significantly. The sidequest "Sunstone Rock" charges us with fulfilling the bounty on the 3 escapees, the Rock's most dangerous criminals. Janeva's assertion that the prisoners would have eventually found death are a stark contrast to the quiet surprise when Aloy asks after Nil, and the turn his path took when he left. And as we see again with Ryas, Sunstone Rock holds significance for those who are released from the prison to go forth on a turning point on their personal journey.

"[...] there’s a couple other characters that are associated with Sunstone Rock, including Nil. So if you talk to Nil enough, you’ll find out that he was actually imprisoned in Sunstone Rock at one point. And there’s also a character, an important character actually, that was imprisoned at Sunstone Rock that we are going to learn more about in the future."

---

It feels significant that Ben teases an upcoming character from Sunstone Rock that will be a person of importance in learning more about the world. What can we learn from Ryas' position in a recent, bloody history of tribal conflicts? What new point of view can we experience as someone deeply involved with the old power that split the Carja, and his reaction to the changes in the state of the world now?

All of these exciting questions aside, the biggest mystery of them all at the moment is Ryas' identity: is he at all related to any characters that we have met during the games? With his face deliberately concealed with a cowl in all of the promotional art, there must be some clearly identifiable feature that reveals something about his lineage, presumably a family we already know and recognizable by their Carja eye markings. There are few things as satisfying as a face reveal with deep narrative impact, and I think there is something other than just VR marketing to keep the protagonist 'blank slate', so to speak.

And we have a precedent for an impactful face reveal with satisfying emotional-narrative payoff: Nil's reveal to Aloy after winning the final Gauntlet race. It's a reunion after parting in circumstances of uncertainty; a reconciliation with actions and attitudes of the past and a display of healing and contentedness in themselves in the present. And in this reunion, Nil displays an almost parental affection in how he talks about the other Tenakth racers and refers to them as children.

---

Horizon is, in a way, the story of parents and their children, and coming to terms with what is left behind for the children.

We see it in Rost and Aloy and his willingness to do anything to protect her; we see it in Lis and Aloy and the power of hope, of wishing the world to be better for those who come after.

We see it with Jiran and Avad, of the legacy of the father and the challenges of the son to step out from that shadow.

The phrasing "family torn apart" makes me think there is more than just the fraternal bond to come back to and resolve. With the emphasis and importance on the father-son relationship in Carja culture, it feels like a reasonable conclusion that there will be some exploration of that paternal relationship in regards to Ryas.

Nil has shown tremendous personal growth in his ventures into the Forbidden West. He has found a healthy outlet for his adrenaline rushes in racing, and a kind of healing from the atrocities of his past in the acceptance of group that he explicitly refers to as children -- and children from an tribe that were explicitly wronged during the Red Raids.

What better parallel than to have a father finding healing and acceptance from his son who what also harmed and wronged by the Red Raids?

[yawngoddessofdreams]

Shadow Tower Abyss (2003)

While King's Field 4 is the end of its lineage as the series which really guided early Fromsoft's hand into dark fantasy, Shadow Tower Abyss is perhaps the true end of that particular blood ancestry. A lot of folks have looked back at King's Field and Shadow Tower to better understand the DNA that created the Souls series. For some it was out of a desire to create a more holistic view of how this series was formed. For others it was merely out of curiosity. For me I was of the former camp. Video essays say a lot, but perhaps this was something I should experience with my own hands. Why Shadow Tower Abyss? Its setting and gameplay seemed just intriguing and playable enough to hold my attention. I thought surely I'd get frustrated by the labyrinth and my weak ability to mentally map such spaces so I expected to get my impressions of the first hour or two then hop off it. 8 hours later I beat it.

I loved this game. Its the sort of game that makes me reconsider what a "good game" is. When you turn it around in the sunlight it has the feeling of a game that was meant to be far more ambitious yet had to be chopped up and slapped together as a minimum viable product. There's a certain point where glowing armor of archangels and weapons crackling with power are being dumped on you by the truckload, which has the hilarious side effect of possibly crushing you to death under their encumbrance due to the strange decision to not allow you to drop or destroy items from your inventory without a shop. Your power scaling reaches a zenith of comical supremacy where you are blasting endgame bosses away with a few shots of a shotgun before they opine about the meaning of their lives with their last breaths.

Whether it's the case that this game was always meant to be this way or not, it ends up telling a compelling tale with its ludo-narrative.

(Story spoilers beyond)

You start at the base of the tower fighting tribal creatures (who I admit are pretty racist) who use the bodies of a captured modern special forces unit as incubators for their young. You're presumably a soldier who was a part of them or is maybe unrelated to their mission. The only dying soldier you get to talk to asks you to "kill them all" before handing you a knife.

You delve further until you find the true base of the tower: An alien structure rising from the titular abyss. There are creatures who tend this area who talk about being "Trapped here as you are" yet also say "It is enough to exist. You may not understand since we are so different."

I think this creates an interesting contrast against you who is ascending the tower rolling up power like a katamari till you find the heart of the tower who regrets the fact that you two must be at odds in such a way. It says you and it both just want to live, and looking back you realize the creatures by large only really feed on humans and create problems for you because that is simply what they must do to live and thrive.

Your quest originally seemed to be finding a spear who's power was so great that it cowed neighboring nations to submit to it. The true nature of the spear is apparent though as you find its resting place: A desert of red rusted sand full of disfigured heroes from long ago. They warn you to not suffer like they had. They try to stop you for your own good. You find the spear though and it crumbles in your hands. The spear does not exist anymore, and maybe that is because it has played out its role. Many come to the tower because the tower knows what they want: Power. The spear is the sickly sweet smell of nutrients at the bottom of a pitcher plant.

Perhaps though, the tower swallowed up something it shouldn't have. It swallowed the frightening power of the modern world. While you can use legendary swords left by their owners who died in the tower, you also can use the frightening modern power of guns that have been freshly brought into the tower. They truly tip the balance of power in your favor and it's a scary notion that against the eldritch, perhaps extraterrestrial power of the tower, we have formed weapons that can challenge it at last and slay it like yet another beast.

Perhaps the power of the spear is an analogue for weapons of mass destruction. They cow fellow nations into submission yet put the world on a knife's edge, capable of plunging it back into darkness with smug carelessness. Those who have suffered by its hands plead with the future generations to leave these tools yet we are quick to see this form of power as necessary to achieve life and peace.

Anyways, that's my reading of it!

I would definitely recommend this game to at least try. It's strange in a way that bewitches you and feels very before its time in some regards such as location-based damage and dismemberment on enemies as well as directional swings that really utilize this mechanic. Truly it was dead space before dead space. In fact I would say this game's balance and gameplay put it closer to a survival horror than a true souls game.

Another comparison I'd make is it's a better Scorn since it also has an HR Giger-esque aesthetic yet includes far more gameplay. I'd describe Scorn as a walkable artpiece that is interspersed with survival horror segments where health and ammo is limited. Shadow Tower Abyss is far more consistent at being an actual game and while I admire the walkable gallery sense to scorn, I did not admire the threat of being sent back to uncertain checkpoints by failing the survival horror segments that ultimately had worse combat than Shadow Tower Abyss due to wonky hitboxes.

[lethargicwizard]

Alright I think enough time has passed but nevertheless; Spoilers for Black Panther Wakanda Forever!

to start off I really enjoyed the film, I know "MCU writing" has become something of a meme recently with how formulaic it can be and how you can practically predict how the dialogue will go for most of the movie but Wakanda Forever's themes of grief and loss along with how it carries a more mellow/serious to even melancholy tone over the better part of its run time makes it a very refreshing change from what I usually expect from Marvel. I'm not saying to abandon that style entirely but save it for the more snarky characters in the Marvel gallery.

while I am and always have been of the firm belief that you should never just make characters a different race or ethnicity as opposed to creating original stories and characters the talokhans are the exception that proves the rule, they have an interesting and fleshed-out backstory that makes them feel unique and original as opposed to if they just copy and pasted on Mayan designs to the original Atlantans, I'm a sucker for the sort of tribal futurism that has become indicative of this series making them feel like what might happen if you left an isolated Mayan civilization alone till the present day. The fact that they went through the trouble and chose to create a brand new underwater civilization as opposed to the same overused trope of Atlantis is delightfully refreshing and the fact that they based it off Tlālōcān the Aztec/Mayan (present in both mythologies) paradise realms for those who died violently from phenomena associated with water is just a cherry on top. As far as antagonists go I think they're top-notch, the fact that they are a very clear foil to Wakanda itself and don't so much feel like villains as they feel like people trying to protect their way of life also considering the relationship between Black panthers and Namor as well as the respective kingdoms they rule over in the comics they seem like the obvious choice, not to mention the fact that no one would believe that any force from earth could touch Wakanda aside from a nation of equal standing. The city of Talokhan itself is an absolute masterpiece and not just for the iconic tour scene accompanied by "Con la brisa" but for being the only underwater civilization that makes use of three-dimensional architecture given the fact that they are in a medium that allows for it: which gives me the pleasure of awarding it the

"Greatest Fictional World-building/ Fictional Architecture Award"

not to mention that that was undeniably harder to film given that it had to be filmed underwater. And to that end, I wouldn't be opposed to seeing a slice-of-life comic run detailing daily life in Talokhan or in Wakanda for that matter. However, my absolute favorite thing about the Talokhans was that they were able to recreate the same magic for the Latine community as the original Black Panther did for Black people back in 2018 giving Latine and indigenous actors a chance to be on the big screen and shine with all their glory, plus a new hand sign out of it.

Characters:

Shuri: Her journey through the film was an incredible ride watching her deal with grief, wrath, and heartache throughout made her standout and not feel like she was just in T'Chala's shadow, watching her stumble and slowly but surely become her version of the black panther was great. The fact that she still jokes around and still has fun in the movie feels very relatable since life can't slow down for grief and healing and sometimes little sparks of joy leak out in sadness, I think her journey as queen and as a protector and i look forward to seeing it all

M'Baku: Once again an absolute joy to have on-screen, his comedy, shit talk, and lines are second to none and in general just heightens the quality of the film. His range as a character surprised me this time while he's always been belligerent but honorable his ability to empathize as well as the respect and recognition he shows towards Okoye and Shuri in this film gave me another layer of respect for his character, Winston Duke's performance was all around top notch.

Namor: This rendition of the character is without question my favorite, and while that's not really saying much coming from someone who's always thought of Namor as one of the most yee-yee head-ass characters to ever exist from the dumb ass Hermes feet to usually wearing some scale covered briefs/speedo/ male striper wetsuit, I enjoyed his design this time around. The boxer briefs, armbands, footwear, collar piece, and piercings do so much for his design to be unique and so him (at least in this origin). Tenoch Huerta does a magnificent job as the character capturing his infamous condescending nature yet still making him charismatic and enjoyable making him feel sympathetic and caring as a leader. As far as his moral affiliation and alignment goes I never thought the anti-hero title suited him all that well at least in this rendition of the character, both he and the black panthers fill this odd niche as leaders of nations for how they fit in a moral scope since they are always juxtaposed from what they feel and what they need to do for the sake of their people. Above everything else, my favorite part about Namor in this film is his fight choreography; as much as I loath the foot wings (the wing loading you'd need on those alone...) the way they allow him to kick off the air like a platform is one of the coolest locomotion choices I've ever seen giving him this sense of agility and maneuverability that is unparalleled in universe and in any other media, not to mention his intelligent use of his speed, strength, and velocity in his unarmed combat makes his style feel fresh, unique, and tailor-made for him. Also, he makes the second example for my thesis that water-themed comic book characters are significantly better with facial hair.

(i loved Okoye, Attuma, and Namora too but there wasnt much else i could say about them still love them, their performances and their actors tho)

All and all I love this film quite a lot so much so that I'm actually considering buying this upon release, that after credit scene and memorial to Chadwick Boseman simultaneously feel like a kiss on the forehead and a punch to the gut and I almost cried several times in. this film

[littlespacestarbun]

Hello!! I was scrollin through a tf tag and saw ur post bout, indigenous coded aliens and how the fandom treats them.

I understand what coded means and I think I know what ur talking about? but if ur up to it could u elaborate on the “feral tfp op” bit cause I haven’t been in the fandom too long so can’t find what ur talking bout and I genuinely don’t understand but I would like to. if u don’t wanna answer this, it’s chill obviously.

:3 have a good day m8!

Hello! i do not mind elaborating at all!, as an native fan its a topic i don't get to speak on much so thank you!, (sorry in advance this is going to be a bit long),

to start with coding bipoc as aliens, robots, and other non-human creatures is a complex issue of itself, and it can harm bipoc people as well as to uplift us depending on the writers intentions, background details and of era of times of equal right movements,

the topics of coding bipoc as not human vary from person to person on our own lived experiences as bipoc, and i personally have many issues with coding bipoc as not human which are solely negative, the few positve were expections due to bipoc making them or simply them having some sort of positive effect on me instead of bad,

back onto the feral optimus issue, here's my point of view as a native fan,

optimus has personally been this one sort of "oh he's like us" coded indigenous character who's in a good light for me,

unlike every other coded indigenous alien in media i saw as a kid,

optimus prime is one of the few indigenous coded characters in tf as a whole, the others aren't very good due to many factors (thunderclash, wheelie, the combiner team victorion) or vague enough white fans ignore them even being coded at all or other things (omega, beachcomber, ironhide)

for me optimus was the first indigenous coded not human native person i saw painted as a hero,

he was seen as good for having his indigenous culture, beliefs and morals, it wasn't something which was used as making him evil and bad in the story, like a lot of indigenus 'rep' i had to see as a kid

that feeling is something hard to explain but i hold onto with tight hands because of how good it did me as a kid,

its why i have such deep emotional pain with how he's treated by white fans in all stories but tfp was some of the worst of it i had to see by far,

tfp optimus is full on indigenous its in your face with each moment,

to his back story, internal struggles and complex views of him from other characters (with himself and jazz being the only ones with unbias views due to being bipoc themselves),

his very writing feels like the story of a native person who made it out of force assilation and regain his cluture only to be forced into fighting for his rights again against someone who was orignally an ally, trying to assilate him into another opressive ideal,

with this in mind it makes how the jokes of tfp optimus being feral started worst,

alpha trion saying he was diffcult, he didn't fall into order right for his time not around Iacon culture, this is painted as a bad view to have by optimus,

yet the fans took this to mean because optimus lived a tribal life before that he was wild, he ran on all fours, sleep like an animal and needed to be saved from such a wild life to name some of the worst (others include nsfw and its gross),

there's a ton of aus and fanart, fics treating being indigenous to mean, he needs to be fixed, or ones painting being indigenous struggles as not real or small world issues,

these views are deeply intergrated anti-indigenous beliefs, if you look up the wild/savage native man trope and you'll see many racist movies, novels and comics painting native men as beasts who steal white women from white men, or even kill them and r-pd them because indigenous people are as savage animals,

which fall in line with how feral optimus is made with white fans, they treat his indigenous coding as fetish and use him not being human to disconnect the racism in their fanon, aus, fanart and fics,

but that disconnect only exists for them, fans of color see it clear as it is, feral optimus as a fan idea exists because of people being racist to bipoc, the concept is racist rooted in racism and race fetish spaces,

feral optimus prime stuff as fan content has been dying since we've called out on it more but its shows up from time to time and the fandom still suffers from treating bipoc coded characters badly, as a whole which i'd to touch on at some point because people don't see the issue much, and the people we kind of keep to ourselves to keep a sense mind while playing robots ha….ha,

I hope this at least gives some light onto the issue and answers your questions! not many bring it up so being able to explain it was an experience!

thank you for taking the time to ask and i hope you have a lovely day! hopefully this wasn't too wordy and made sense,

[jessequinones]

Writing Trope: The Magical Black Person

Ever since I started embracing my indigenous background, my perspective on things changed. Matters I never gave a second thought now give thought. Though I may not be the best at offering advice, I'd like to attempt it, focusing today on the "magical black person" trope. For clarification, I'm a white-passing Puerto Rican of Taino and Berber descent, with much of my life lived in the United States under a white family. I say all of this because the actual name for the trope is called the “magical negro” trope however since I grew up under a white family I don’t feel comfortable saying the actual name but it’s there if you wish to do some research.

The magical black person trope is simple; consider any Stephen King or Morgan Freeman movie (bonus points if you can name a movie with Morgan Freeman based on a story by Stephen King). Typically, there's a black character who aids the white hero by providing advice. If the magical black person is a woman, she often speaks her mind, offering the white hero needed truths. If the character is a black man, he adopts the strong, silent type, conveying profound meaning with few words.

This trope becomes most evident when the magical black person is the sole character of colour. They’re rarely portrayed as rich or powerful; instead, they embody humility and thoughtfulness. Despite potential intimidation, the black man typically has a soft side. Although often less privileged than the white hero, the magical black person aids them because it's the right thing to do. Sometimes, these characters only cross paths once, yet the magical black person imparts essential wisdom that propels the hero forward.

Writers employing the magical black person trope may unconsciously attempt to showcase inclusivity by saying, "I'm not racist; I have a person of color in my story, and they help the hero!" However, if you change the identity of the black character nothing is loss.

Ironically, even in stories advocating against racism, this trope is still relevant as the black person sacrifices everything for the white hero out of "love." A notable example is the relationship between Jim and Tom Sawyer, where Tom gets shot, and Jim risks everything to nurse him back to health.

Elders and tribal leaders also fall under this category. It's almost comical how frequently a white hero enters a tribal village, seeks guidance from the tribal leader, and receives assistance simply because it's deemed the right thing to do. The tribal leader will also give the white hero a spirit name and welcomed them as part of their village. In reality, many elders that I know of had told white people to fuck off.

The inclusion of magical black people can feel forced, as if they exist merely to fulfil a checkbox. The advice they provide is often simplistic, and sometimes the advice had already been given to the hero, but at the time of the story, they were unwilling to hear it, making the magical black person seem redundant.

This trope often intertwines with the "white man's burden," seen in stories where white people “ends racism” with the help of the black community without facing accountability for their actions. "The Help" is a film that get’s a lot of flack for doing just that.

In essence, what makes the magical black person trope problematic is that it reduces them to a servant role for the white hero while positioning them as an exception within their own community. White creators tend to praise the individual black character rather than appreciating black culture—a distinctly white tendency.

The saying "it takes a village to raise a child" isn’t a common approach for white individuals, who often lead isolated lives. Popular stories by white authors emphasise the individual hero's ability to save the day because they’re "special." While the hero may receive assistance, those who help them serve a singular purpose—assisting the hero rather than being integral to the journey. (Not to mention the hero gets the girl in the end because of sexism but I won’t get into that with this post.)

To address this trope, engaged with the community you want to write about. Give the magical black person a meaningful role in the story, making them indispensable. Additionally, consider adding more people of color to your narrative. It could also be beneficial to position the magical black person in a higher position than the hero. Please don’t just listen to my advice, talk to others you’ll learn more, trust me. 

Understanding tropes, their origins, and their implications is a crucial step in becoming a skilled writer. Challenging yourself to view things from different perspectives enhances your writing abilities. If you have any writing-related questions, feel free to message me. You can do it anonymously if you wish. While I may not be perfect, I'll try my best because I like writing, and I like teaching so I’m trying to combine the two. See you next time.

[masamune7905]

In my years of creating comic books I have met some people I really admire. Some were/are total jerks who made me sad for ever admiring them, but the vast majority of the creators I have met have been some of the best people I know. One artist I have looked up to for a long time is @ryanhunasmith. His artwork inspired me when I was younger and watching him draw the times we have been in the same building is always awe inspiring. Huna is one of the good people I have met during my time creating and today I drew Thunder Eagle a character from Tribal Force a book Huna helped create.

[imnothinginparticular]

#finishedbooks Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare. Got this a long time ago in a set of 15 (he has 38 plays total) at a drive in liquor store for 5 dollars. I was on a good pace of reading them until I got back to Tokyo where I started on my old "to-read stack" I already had. Think since 2022 I have only read "A Winter's Tale," so finally continuing Shakespeare ... with "Romeo and Juliet." This was among his earlier plays and along with "Hamlet" perhaps his most performed where even the title is archetypal. With that, serious Shakespeare enthusiasts (sure their is a word for people who obsess over him lol) it is regarded to a much lesser degree than his other plays, due in part typically to anything deemed too popular...even for Shakespeare. To a strict criteria of a Shakespearean tragedy, it falls short due to at times forced comedic elements that messes with the tone, a true lack of ethical purpose, plot inconsistencies, and general misgivings about the emphasis on pathos as well hurts it. Course to anyone it is a tragedy, just not in the truest sense that one looks at Shakespeare. Of course there are all the other staples: the ingenuity of language, brilliant characterization, and portrayal of young love. Because we know it is an earlier work (a Shakespeare study in itself) it is unfairly pitted against the later tragedies, the pace of which I noticed here was frantic for Shakespeare. Most often talked about are the supporting character inventions he added from the combination of two base Italian stories that Romeo and Juliet is derived from...in the comic character Mercutio. Guess in all, this is me trying to continue where I was during the pandemic where I had unlimited time and was curious after some structuralist studies the basis of cultures... this entailed Shakespeare as with others I read Arabian Nights, Greek tragedies, West African tribal folk tales, the Bible , etc.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 6.19 (after 1950)

1953 – Cold War: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are executed at Sing Sing, in New York. 1960 – The first NASCAR race was held at Charlotte Motor Speedway. 1961 – Kuwait declares independence from the United Kingdom. 1964 – The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is approved after surviving an 83-day filibuster in the United States Senate. 1965 – Nguyễn Cao Kỳ becomes Prime Minister of South Vietnam at the head of a military junta; General Nguyễn Văn Thiệu becomes the figurehead chief of state. 1978 – Garfield's first comic strip, originally published locally as Jon in 1976, goes into nationwide syndication. 1985 – Members of the Revolutionary Party of Central American Workers, dressed as Salvadoran soldiers, attack the Zona Rosa area of San Salvador. 1987 – Basque separatist group ETA commits one of its most violent attacks, in which a bomb is set off in a supermarket, Hipercor, killing 21 and injuring 45. 1987 – Aeroflot Flight N-528 crashes at Berdiansk Airport in present-day Ukraine, killing eight people. 1988 – Pope John Paul II canonizes 117 Vietnamese Martyrs. 1990 – The current international law defending indigenous peoples, Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989, is ratified for the first time by Norway. 1990 – The Communist Party of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic is founded in Moscow. 1991 – The last Soviet army units in Hungary are withdrawn. 2005 – Following a series of Michelin tire failures during the United States Grand Prix weekend at Indianapolis, and without an agreement being reached, 14 cars from seven teams in Michelin tires withdrew after completing the formation lap, leaving only six cars from three teams on Bridgestone tires to race. 2007 – The al-Khilani Mosque bombing in Baghdad leaves 78 people dead and another 218 injured. 2009 – Mass riots involving over 10,000 people and 10,000 police officers break out in Shishou, China, over the dubious circumstances surrounding the death of a local chef. 2009 – War in North-West Pakistan: The Pakistani Armed Forces open Operation Rah-e-Nijat against the Taliban and other Islamist rebels in the South Waziristan area of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. 2012 – WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange requested asylum in London's Ecuadorian Embassy for fear of extradition to the US after publication of previously classified documents including footage of civilian killings by the US army. 2018 – The 10,000,000th United States Patent is issued. 2018 – Antwon Rose II was fatally shot in East Pittsburgh by East Pittsburgh Police Officer Michael Rosfeld after being involved in a near-fatal drive-by shooting. 2020 – Animal rights advocate Regan Russell was run over and killed by a transport truck outside of a pig slaughterhouse in Burlington, Ontario.

[regular5h0w]

The Acolyte Drama

After the drama going around about the new Star Wars show called The Acolyte, I don’t even want to watch it anymore. I have been watching the Star Wars movies as well as reading the comic ever since I was able to get my hands on it. Now, I know that The Acolyte was trying to show inclusivity which I am totally for but the way they did it not only upset me, but also upset the entire fandom.

They basically said that these new tribal people shown in Episode 3 can create force sensitive twins which the Sith have been trying to do since the dawn of time quite literally. The ability to create force sensitive twins through a virgin mother completely undermines the whole chosen one prophecy and how Anakin was special.

Anakin’s mother gave birth to him but mentioned that there was no father meaning that maybe it was the force that created him to destroy the Sith like in Jedi prophecy. This is what made him the chosen one but now because of The Acolyte, anyone can learn how to create force sensitive children through virgin mothers which completely retcon half of the sequel films.

Star Wars Theory on YouTube even went to his podcast to discuss how upset he was with the director and writers of the show. I do agree with him on at least letting someone who understands the lore of the series to write the show because now Disney is just tearing down what George Lucas has created. While the show may be interesting in its own thing, for it to go and ruin the lore caused many Star Wars nerds such as myself to get upset because it is taking away the importance of arguably one of the most iconic characters of the series.