#unseen stars

[milesonthenet]

Unseen Stars: Aqualad is making waves (And why you should care)

Welcome to House of Milesverse's Unseen Stars! With Unseen Stars, we put the spotlight on lesser-known African American comic book characters. We want to pitch why they deserve more attention and how they are potential candidates for success.

Our guest today is already making waves, but with a little more attention, he could reach even greater heights. We'll be talking about the second Aqualad, Jackson Hyde. Feel free to share your thoughts and recommendations for any other Unseen Stars you would like to see.

Their Origin: Kaldur'Ahm or Jackson Hyde?

Who is 'Kaldur'Ahm'?

The character of the second Aqualad is quite interesting due to his origins. There is two versions of the character Kaldur'Ahm from the TV series. Kaldur's comic book counterpart is Jackson Hyde.

Kaldur'Ahm made his debut in the Cartoon Network animated series Young Justice. Instead of using the original Aqualad, Garth, the creators opted for something different. Grant Weisman, Phil Bourassa, and Brandon Vietti created Kaldur'Ahm as a prominent character in all four seasons.

In season 1, Kaldur'Ahm was the team leader. In season 2, he became an antagonist with his father, Black Manta. He was a spy, and the team used him to gain information.

In season 3, Kaldur'Ahm took on a new identity as Aquaman and became a member of the Justice League. In season 4, he took a break from his duties and learned to relax. He still chose to help the heroes find Superboy.

Who is 'Jackson Hyde':

In a way, Kaldur would find his way into the DCU through Jackson Hyde. Geoff Johns, DC's chief creative officer at the time, helped create him. He saw value in the idea, and found a way to rework it into the DC Universe.

Essentially, Jackson Hyde is the 'comic adaptation' of Kaldur'Ahm'. He debuted in Brightest Day before the series had premiered. Unlike Kaldur, Jackson Hyde was raised on the surface world. He was an average teenager who knew nothing about his atlantean origin.

Kaldur found his way into the DC Universe through Jackson Hyde. DC's then-chief creative officer, Geoff Johns, helped create him. Johns saw potential in the idea and reworked it into the DC Universe.

Jackson Hyde is the comic book adaptation of Kaldur'Ahm. He debuted in Brightest Day before the series had premiered. Unlike Kaldur, Jackson Hyde was raised on the surface world and knew nothing about his Atlantean origin.

During the DC Rebirth era, Jackson Hyde appeared in Teen Titans Rebirth. In this version however, Jackson is already aware of his powers but not his heritage. He also is a gay man who had a boyfriend prior to the series.

Jackson Hyde's mother, Lucia, was from Xebel, an Atlantean kingdom in the Bermuda Triangle. His father was the supervillain Black Manta, Aquaman's archenemy. Lucia helped Manta track down an ancient artifact. She did not know his true intentions however.

When Lucia learned about what Manta really wanted, she fled. Lucia eventually gave birth to Jackson, who had powerful hydrokinetic abilities like his mother. She forced him to keep his powers a secret, and they moved to New Mexico.

Destiny always has a way of finding its calling. Jackson had big dreams of becoming a superhero and making a name for himself. He hoped to join the Teen Titans, but they turned him down. It wasn't until he saved Robin from drowning that he finally joins the team.

However, Jackson's story doesn't end there. He later discovers that his father is the Black Manta. He meets Tempest, who offers him the name Aqualad, and he becomes a sidekick to Aquaman before taking on the title himself.

The history between Jackson Hyde and Kaldur'Ahm is also quite interesting. They are excellent reflections of each other. Kaldur'Ahm's creation is similar to Harley Quinn and X-23. He was created for a TV show but found later success as a comic book character, much like these two.

What are their powers?

Aqualad possesses the unique ability to shape, control, and manipulate water in his immediate surroundings. He inherits this power from his mother, similar to how Mera controls water. However, his manipulation of water is not as advanced as hers.

Aqualad uses two hilt devices called 'Waterbearers' to channel his power. These devices act as a conduit that lets him create fluid water constructs. He can create anything from whips, flails, axes, and swords.

Beyond water manipulation, Aqualad possesses enhanced strength, speed, and agility. He can adapt to the water beneath and becomes faster, stronger and more durable while in water. Additionally, he can unleash electrical currents by channeling them through water or his hands.

Why do they deserve a push?

Distinct ability:

Aqualad possesses many of the same attributes as Aquaman. Naturally this is expected since he is the king of Atlantis' sidekick. However, he differs in some areas, and lacks Arthur's iconic marine telepathy.

Instead, he makes up for it with his two waterbearers. The blades help shape water into objects. They can basically create constructs like Green Lantern, such as hammers or swords.

The waterbearers are dynamic and creative for hydrokinetic purposes. They are another iconic part of Jackson (and Kaldur)'s design. These tools also give Jackson a distinct attribute that Arthur does not have.

A claim to the mantle:

Jackson Hyde is not currently Aqualad anymore. He took the name Aquaman in Aquaman: The Becoming. Kaldur'Ahm also did this prior in Young Justice. During the gap between seasons 2 and 3, Kaldur became Aquaman and Arthur retired.

This path to success could be a development for Jackson to take in other media. You could develop him as a successor to Arthur and the next king of Atlantis. Jackson Hyde's role could be a good opportunity for the films to introduce a black Aquaman.

He's already popular enough, just not on our radar:

It is no surprise that this iteration of Aqualad is already well-known. He debuted in the 2010s just when Young Justice was gaining widespread popularity. Since then, Aqualad has become a part of DC Comics main continuity. DC even made him a prominent member of the Teen Titans during their Rebirth era.

Jackson Hyde and Kaldur'Ahm are prominent enough that most dedicated fans could recognize them. However, I think he can go further than where he is currently at. He has all the tools needed to make him go mainstream.

In Conclusion:

Writing Unseen Stars has been a blast. I have enjoyed getting to know more about these characters. I hope that you guys had fun as well.

I have made it my job to jot down more future references. When Unseen Stars comes back, we will be covering some new additions. Expect to see Nubia, Frenzy, Prodigy, M, and Steel!

Our next topic will be discussing the Simple & Clean nature of Kingdom Hearts. Tune on in!

[puppetmaster13u]

Prompt 214

“I did an oopsie.” 

Clockwork paused in his work, gaze turning from his work towards his ghostling (it didn’t matter if he was an adult, he’d always be his ghostling) who was smiling nervously, avoiding his eyes. 

“Oh?” He kept his tone light, even as he worked on untangling a time knot. Honestly at least Danny was immune to any effect of time, even if he couldn’t look into his timelines in exchange. It came with being the other half of Infinity. 

“Yeeah… you know that corner of the multiverse you told me not to go to because you’re working on some time problems? I might have stumbled into one of the worlds in the corner…” 

He stopped his machinations, fully turning towards Danny- Space, his Core whispered and quivered in utter delight at having an Equal in power- with a raised eyebrow, leaning on his staff and silently telling him to explain. 

Danny poked his fingers together, giving a nervous laugh. “So uh, I was just exploring right? Well me and Ellie, you know how she gets when she can’t wander, and um… I er, we might have messed with some things in the creation of it… I didn’t know it was part of that universe, I swear! It was so far at the fringes and halfway into the Zone and I couldn’t just let a universe die before it began and-”

Oh- Oh! His ghostling (and his grand-ghostlings it sounded like) had claimed his first universe! He could put off these time knots, this was a grand milestone for any Ancient, nevermind such a primordial force as one of theirs.

And this is how a DC world came into being with humans evolving with more avian traits. Like wings. And claws. Look, Dan thought it’d be funny if they gave baby humanity wings and Ellie started rambling about how much farther they could travel if they had them and Danny thought it could be cool. Oh well, time to keep an eye on their itty baby world now…

[daily-odile]

FINALLY FINALLY HAPPY (VERY LATE) BIRTHDAY ODILE!!!!!

[pokemon-cards-hourly]

[prncssguya]

full interview

[roachsauce]

average day at the corrie hq

[hayden-christensen]

HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN as Anakin Skywalker on the set of ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ (2022)

[shisasan]

by Zoltán Boros & Gabor Szikszai

[citricacidprince]

Drew Tommy and Benrey in a Magma for the first time a month or so ago so take them before I forget to post them again hehe

[milesonthenet]

Unseen Stars: Bumblebee and Mal Duncan are DC's first African-American Superheroes

Welcome back to another episode of Unseen Stars. The concept behind this show focuses on highlighting lesser-known African American characters within comic books I want to explain why these characters have untapped potential within the DC Universe.

Our guests for today are already well-known in their circles. The character Bumblebee, for example, is quite familiar to the Teen Titans. Karen Beecher has made numerous appearances across various animated series. She was also a core member of the Teen Titans Go for a brief period. Furthermore, she played a prominent role in both DC Superhero Girls series.

However, her significant other, Malcolm Duncan, has not been as fortunate. He only appeared in the finale of Teen Titans. He was a recurring cast member in Young Justice before retiring.

Their Origins

Mal Duncan: Too Many Names?

Mal Duncan's first appearance has him saving the Titans from a rival street gang known as the Hell Hawks. He does so by defeating their leader in a boxing match. Because of this, he's granted membership in the team. However, Mal feels useless due to not having any powers.

The interesting thing about Mal is that he's had numerous turbulent name changes. At first, he became Guardian after finding a strength-enhancing exoskeleton. Then he became Hornblower after gaining Gabriel's mystical horn.

After the Crisis on Infinite Earths event, Mal was given another name change. This idea explained away the mystical elements of the horn and instead made it technology.

Both Karen and Mal were recruited by Donna Troy to avert a future crisis in space. The trip to space had left them both severely changed. Mal's horn was destroyed, which damaged his lungs & vocal cords. A complicated surgery leads to him becoming Vox and joining the Doom Patrol with Karen.

Mal Duncan's next few appearances have been with the Teen Titans. In the New 52, he was a part of the Titans Hunt series. He played a pivotal role in summoning an entity for the villainous Mister Twister. In DC Rebirth, he tagged along with the Titans to help Bumblebee regain her memories.

The Busy Bumblebee:

Karen Beecher first appeared in Teen Titans in 1976 and later adopted the identity of Bumblebee after a few issues. Although often attributed as DC's first black woman superhero, Nubia also holds this distinction, even though she wasn't a superhero at that time. In fact, Nubia appeared three years earlier, in 1973.

Karen Beecher is the scientific girlfriend of Malcolm Duncan who donned a bumblebee-based suit to make her boyfriend look good in front of the team. Karen pretended to be a supervillain and attacked the Titans. She later came clean to the team about the incident. The team was impressed and offered her an invitation to join them. Bumblebee and Mal went on to become major members of Titans West, a team featuring lesser-known Teen Titans characters.

Titans West eventually disbanded, and Karen and Mal retired. They were happily married and, except for a few stints, had quit being superheroes altogether. However, Karen and Mal were recruited to avert an upcoming crisis that affected their physiology and made them permanently small. They had to take special medicine given to them by The Chief, or else they would go into cardiac arrest.

In the story arc called Titans Hunt, Karen Beecher is pregnant. Karen can fire energy beams from her hands, a characteristic she inherited from her previous self. She assists in defeating the demented Mister Twister and later gives birth to her daughter.

What are their powers?

As Guardian, Mal donned an exoskeleton that enhanced his physical strength. Before that, he was just a skilled kickboxer in exceptional physical condition. He is also trained in various other fighting styles.

As both Hornblower and Herald, Guardian made use of Gabriel's Horn. This highly sophisticated instrument could open the pathway between dimensions. These spatial warps make it easy for Mal to traverse other planes.

He would no longer need the horn as Vox. Instead, he relies on his own artificial lungs and voice box. They can still create spatial warps and utilize hypersonic blasts.

Before becoming Bumblebee, Karen was already a genius-level enabled intellect. She created a solar-powered suit that enabled her to fly, shrink to insect size, and fire electrical 'sting' blasts. It is a testament to her theme, as most of her abilities have not changed over the years.

Why they deserve the push:

Mal Duncan's identity crisis

I understand that Mal has had several name changes over time, which suggests a lack of commitment to his character. Initially, he was introduced as a character with no powers or gimmicks. However, over time, his character evolved from one gimmick to another. He was initially known as Guardian, but then became Hornblower, then Herald, and later Vox. This indicates that the writers were unsure of what to do with Mal and did not develop him enough to make him a memorable character.

Despite this, there is still an opportunity to bring Malcolm back into the spotlight. One idea could be to have him return to one of his previous identities, such as Vox or Herald, which would give him a reason to use the horn.

Bumblebee's next big opportunity

Bumblebee is a superhero character who has made several appearances outside of the comic books. She was a recurring character in the Teen Titans animated series and one of the main cast members in both of the DC Superhero Girls series. For a while, she also appeared in Teen Titans Go!

Bumblebee is a memorable character who has left a mark on the audiences. Her unique powers make her an enjoyable character to watch. I believe that more people should be exposed to her and get to know her better.

A power couple in the making

Karen Beecher and Mal Duncan are characters in comic books who share a loving relationship, but they do not receive much attention outside of the comics. Hence, giving them more exposure could be a good opportunity for them.

DC Comics has created many iconic power couples such as Clark Kent and Lois Lane, and Batman and Catwoman, where they have developed intriguing romantic storylines. However, if DC decides to create another power couple, it could create a problem.

Marvel Comics once had a couple in Black Panther and Storm, but they eventually split up. If DC Comics decides to feature Karen and Mal as their black power couple, it could be a significant addition to their comics. Black love is empowering in itself, and exploring its depths within comics could be great.

Conclusion:

That's all, folks! I will be happy to share more facts about any Unseen Stars. If you have anyone you would like to recommend? Then please comment and give me a shoutout.

[nerevar-quote-and-star]

Onmund, after Ancano takes the Eye of Magnus and tries to blow up the College: We're dead! We're dead! We survived but we're dead!

[mysterygrl20]

Star Hunter Entertainment | Unseen 7 Boys Project

[pokemon-cards-hourly]

[andreai04]

Granny, meanwhile, was two streets away. She was also, by the standards of other people, lost. She would not see it like that. She knew where she was, it was just everywhere else didn’t.

[child-of-the-sky-people]

hi Ali! im looking for a new narrative podcast to get into, what's your current rec list? :)

Oh god it’s so long 😂

Horror:

Human Error - this one is mine so of course I’m recommending it 😂 it’s about a found family of survivors going on a road trip during a zombie apocalypse 12 years after the world ended!

We’re Alive - also zombie horror and was the show that got me into audio dramas! It’s very long and looks overwhelming but I promise it’s good!

Darkest Night - anthology horror where you find out how people died but each case is actually related and there is a bigger mystery and this show lives in my head rent free lol

The Waystation - found footage style show about a group of people on a space station that all died (the story is trying to piece together what happened). It’s along the same lines as The White Vault

DERELICT - a research group are studying a door at the bottom of the ocean, and then shit goes sideways. I binged this series super fact and I need season 2 immediately lol

The Eleventh Hour episode called The City of Statues - I made this! It’s about a group of survivors trying to make it out of a city filled with statues trying to hunt them down 👀

Someone Dies in this Elevator - mix of horror and thriller I think. It’s an anthology series where every episode someone dies in an elevator 👀 I composed for a few episodes and it’s v fun 🤩

Thriller

The Liberty Podcast - made by the same folks behind The White Vault and VAST Horizon. It’s an anthology series of stories taking place within and surrounding a tower where a civilization lives. Some episodes might lean more towards horror but I personally consider it more thriller

The Walk - made by the same folks behind zombies run! In this show you the listener are the main character, an individual making their way across Scotland with a package they were mistakenly delivered. I love this show so much omg

Primordial Deep - scientists are finding extinct dinosaurs alive and well under the ocean and they’re trying to figure out what the fuck is going on. I fucking love this show omg

Spines - woman wakes up in the middle of a cult ritual with no memories and is trying to figure out who she is and where she came from. Also there are powers!

Mirrors - same person behind Spines! Three women from three different centuries (who are all related to each other) discover they can communicate with each other through ghost like figures. It has a bigger mystery and the ending made me cry it was so good

InCo - a woman finds a prince from a world that shouldn’t exist floating in space. This show is a delight and is a micro series and I love the humor within it so much omg

Where the Stars Fell - the Antichrist is roommates with their guardian angel and they’re trying to stop the rapture

DUST - anthology series about science fiction and technology! Season 3 is definitely my favorite as it is one story but the entire show as a whole is very good

Feel Good/Light Hearted Shows

Unseen - this show lives in my head rent free and I ache for it to be real. It’s about magic existing in the real world and is an anthology! It’s made by the same folks behind Wolf 359

Joy to the World - holiday series I helped produce! It’s about an astronaut named Joy talking with different people on Earth about the holidays! It’s an anthology and v warm and I highly recommend it as a holiday series

Sidequesting - a person who is totally not the hero is avoiding the main plot and going on a bunch of side quests! It’s charming and lovely and made by the wonderful Tal

Back Again, Back Again - a woman is retelling her stories of his magical world she was transported into and about the prophecy she became involved in

If none of these are your jam lmk and I can suggest some more! If you tell me what you like to listen to/what kinds of stories you enjoy I can make a more personalized list

[bumblingbabooshka]

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