#vic sage imagine

[fungi-maestro]

BRO...

[moonlightcycle571]

More on Lanterns and Marvel

See original post here: https://www.tumblr.com/moonlightcycle571/765612915343704064/lantern-corps-and-a-10-year-old-child-in-a-last

I talked about the Lantern list (a ranking of people who to this day refuse lantern offers) and having Billy Batson be number 1, and have Captain Marvel be number 2.

This would naturally attract the attention of Lantern Cores everywhere (like what do you mean they received offers from multiple lanterns multiple times), the space community (why does the Terra City of Fawcette have dominating spots) as well as the JL (Cap, why are you outclassed by a civilian from your own city).

I also fully believe Lois Lane is on the same boat as Billy Batson when it comes to Lantern offers. One does not jump off buildings or sneak into war zones without a great deal of will power and induce a great deal of fear. Lois Lane is definitely in the top 10.

Coincidentally, in the top 50, you will find Cat Grant, Vic Sage and surprisingly Vicki Vale (if she can make BATMAN shudder and be wary of her, she can make anyone fear her).

So it’s been accepted that journalists have a lot of will power, a lot of rage and can put the fear of god into you. Clark is not bitter that he’s not on the list, no sire. Never mind that Jimmy Olsen is in the Top 100.

Batman might want to study this phenomenon.

But anyways. One does not stay at the top without ridiculous numbers. As the only top 10 ers on earth, they have grown used to random rings trying to get them on space politics quests or whatnot.

So now imagine this: Lois Lane and Billy collab on a project. While they are speaking, random rings start to show up. Instinctively, both swat them away like flies while maintaining eye contact. They don’t realise what they are doing. Clark is having an aneurism.

At some point, they both realise that the other is swatting the rings away with the same nonchalance as the other. They immediately understand what’s up. The shit eating grin they both had made a bunch of yellow rings swarm around them.

Billy gets asked on why he doesn’t want to join the Green lanterns? Billy says it’s because he hates cops. Lois nods.

Hal cries himself to sleep that night.

Bonus:

Batman stalking a civilian named Batson who for some reason is number one in the Lanterns List, with an alarming amount of yellows.

Batman finds a black hair, blue eyes, orphan child.

Batman: Alfred call the guy

Bonus 2:

Nightwing, trying to meet his future maybe brother: Hi 👋

Billy, sees an authority figure in Blue that wields batons and electricity: …

Billy immediately kicks Nightwing while yelling ACAB

Billy runs away

Nightwing cries himself to sleep that night.

[defjux]

Here's 100 of the albums from 2024 that i''ve enjoyed the most: 50 hip hop records, and 50 albums in other genres. There's still a ton of stuff I haven't gotten to yet or need to revisit, but i'm feeling pretty good about this and don't think too much would change aside from the order. Insane year for music overall, and surely there will still be some big releases in the next two months. Biggest surprise for me was definitely The Cure making a comeback after almost two decades and putting out their best album since Wish. I'm also convinced that Robert Smith is an actual vampire. he still sounds great after all this time. Charts with album titles included Again, i'm sure there's plenty of stuff that has gone under the radar for me so as always i'm open to recommendations. Let me know what your favorite records are, i'd genuinely like to know. I'll post the list of albums below, and maybe at the end of the year will do some kind of spotify playlist with one or two songs from each. Peace.

Hip hop:

ELUCID - REVELATOR

Ka - The Thief Next To Jesus

AKAI SOLO - DREAMDROPDRAGON

Mach-Hommy- #RICHAXXHAITIAN

Cavalier - Different Type Time

The Fortunate Ones - RESIN

Armand Hammer - BLK LBL

Dead Players - Faster Than the Speed of Death

ShrapKnel - Nobody Planning To Leave

Sunmundi & klwn cat - Lived and Born

Desert Camo - Desert Camo

Nakama - EMBERGO_

Lee Scott - To Tame A Dead Horse

Joshua Virtue - Black Box: JOSHUA IS DEAD

Freddie Gibbs - You Only Die ince

Navy Blue - Memoirs in Armour

Phiik & Lungs - Carrot Season

Nickelus F - MMCHT

Nuse Tyrant - Juxtaposed Echoes

Mary Sue - Voice Memos From A Winter In China

DJ Muggs & Raz Fresco - The Eternal Now

Revival Season - Golden Age of Self Snitching

Midnight Sons - Money Has No Owners

Tyler, the Creator - Chromakopia

Sasco - The Hottest Year on Record

Boldy James & Conductor Williams - Across The Tracks

Hester Valentine - Valenta

Mavi - Shadowbox

Serengeti - KDIV

JPEGMAFIA - I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU

Rap Man Gavin & postureless - Memories, Dreams, Reflections

yungmorpheus - WAKING UP AND CHOOSING VIOLENCE

Sadistik & Maulskull - Oblivion Theater

Roc Marciano - MARCIOLOGY

R.A.P. Ferreira - the First Fist to Make Contact When We Dap

Deca & Dealz - Bough

Nxworries - WHY LAWD?

Oddisee - And Yet Still

Rich Jones & SINAI. - Sour Dub

Lupe Fiasco - Samurai

Noveliss & Hir-O - Cyberpunk Rhapsody

Cavalier & Quelle Chris - Death Tape 2: We Gon' Need Each Other

Killah Priest - Abraxas Rebis Simha Pleroma

Vince Staples - Dark Times

Kooley High & Tuamie - All Infinite

MIKE & Tony Seltzer - Pinball

Daniel Son & Futurewave - BUSHMAN BODEGA

Vic Spencer & August Fanon - Psychological Cheat Sheet 5

Jack Jetson & Illinformed - Winter Forever

bromethugzine - THUG ZINE issue 002: WORLD-SPIRIT

Everything else:

Chelsea Wolfe - She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She

Iglooghost - Tidal Memory Exo

chat pile - Cool World

Frail Body - Artificial Bouquet

The Cure - Songs Of A Lost World

Trauma Ray - Chameleon

Terry Green - PROVISIONAL LIVING

Gouge Away - Deep Sage

Thou - Umbilical

ØKSE - ØKSE

Tenue - Arcos, bóvedas, pórticos

Krallice - Inorganic Rites

Nala Sinephro - Endlessness

Punchlove - Channels

Milton Nascimento & Esperanza Spalding - Milton + esperanza

Arooj Aftab - Night Reign

Hammok - Look How Long Lasting Everything Is Moving Forward For Once

Blood Incantation - Absolute Elsewhere

Crumb - AMAMA

Kamasi Washington - Fearless Novement

Fievel Is Glauque - Rong Weicknes

Camila Bañados - Viento 1.

julie - my anti-aircraft friend

Oranssi Pazuzu - Muuntautuja

Skee Mask - Resort

Mary Halvorson - Cloudward

Infant Island - Obsidian wreath

Blushing - Sugarcoat

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340 DEAD

MAGDALENA BAY - Imaginal Disk

Leaving Time - Angel in the Sand

Joel Ross - nublues

Both Gibbons - Lives Outgrown

geordie greep - The New Sound

Nilüfer Yanya - My Method Actor

Nails - Every Bridge Burning

Hiatus Kaiyote Love Heart Cheat Code

Liana Flores Flower of the soul

Babii - Daredeviil2000

Blind Girls - An Exit Exists

HERIOT - Devoured by the Mouth of Hell

Julia Holter - Something in the Room She Moves

Cindy Lee - Diamond Jubilee

Melt-Banana - 3+5

Ulcerate - Cutting The Throat Of God

Spirit of the Beehive - YOU'LL HAVE TO LOSE SOMETHING

Hannah Frances - Keeper of the Shepherd

Ginger Root -Shinbanguni

Martha Skye Murphy - Um

Pluma - Não Leve a Mal

[bitimdrake]

pssssst hey quick question on the dl - who is helena bartinelli??

i cannot answer anon questions on the dl, so answer on the up-high, which she deserves:

HUNTRESS

a.k.a. Helena Bertinelli, a.k.a. Gotham's coolest and most notable antihero, crossbow-wielder, and purple bat-associated vigilante.

Helena was born to an Italian mob family, but spent her childhood blissfully unaware of the family business--until her entire family was slaughtered in front of her when she was eight. She stayed with family overseas for the rest of her childhood, learning how to fight and protect herself.

She came back to Gotham for both vengeance and justice, and became one of Gotham's many vigilantes. Though her focus is on the mob, she'll step in to stop any crime.

She's also a schoolteacher! Good for her.

She is discerning in who she chooses to kill, but she does kill. As you can imagine, this put her at odds with Batman for a long time. Helena is pretty much the premiere example of Bruce trying to claim control over every vigilante in Gotham, no matter how little right he has. The argument on killing/ethics is valid, but his default was basically "do exactly what I say and fall in line under my command, or stop completely," which is why he's an asshole control freak and why I'm constantly mad about how she was treated 👍

She was an absolute mainstay of the Batfamily before Flashpoint (2011) and it is personally hurtful to me that people don't know her. (Like, to be frank? She had far more of a presence than Damian or (living) Jason in the post-crisis era.)

You could count on seeing her in any major Batfamily crossover, from Cataclysm to Battle for the Cowl.

She was central to the biggest Batfamily crossover ever, No Man's Land, where Gotham was locked off from the rest of the country and turned into a lawless wasteland. Bruce left to sulk for the first couple of months and in absence of any other vigilantes in the field (only Oracle having remained in the city), Helena donned the mantle of the Bat for herself to protect the city. And when Batman came back, in return for all she'd done, she got...yelled at, assigned impossible tasks and criticized for not achieving them, her costume stolen and given to someone else, lied to, abandoned in the face of impossible odds, and shot multiple times protecting kids. Absolute fucking hero, honestly.

She also was on the Justice League for a while, though admittedly I have barely touched that run. To my understanding, despite nominating her for the position, Bruce was also the one to revoke her membership there.

Fortunately! things improved!!

In the early/mid 2000s, Helena joined the Birds of Prey, Oracle's team, and found legit friendships and support there with teammates like Dinah Lance/Black Canary. She finally got more respect in the community, and had a much better time.

Additional relationships include:

A big sister/annoying little brother type thing with Tim, who may disapprove of her killing but simply likes making friends too much :)

A great relationship with Vic Sage/the Question

One single issue where she met Steph that presented SUCH interesting potential that I desperately wish had been followed up on

On and off romantic/sexual tension with Dick, depending on the writer, which culminated in a single hook up that apparently most people around here would rather pretend didn't happen, though I really don't think it's that bad

A complicated relationship with Barbara, partially due to clashing personalities and conflicting morals (with Babs being nearly as much of a control freak as Bruce), and partially due to a shared history with Dick because DC loves making women be catty

Surely others from her first solo or time on the JLA that I don't know well enough to list!

She's rad and determined and takes no shit but cares a lot, and I love her. We deserve more stories tying her teaching day job into her night work. We also deserve more stories with her in general.

If you would like additional Helena beyond just cruising my tag, I recommend:

Batman/Huntress: Cry for Blood - far more Huntress than Batman, this is a great 6-issue miniseries about Helena reckoning with her past, ft the Question.

Batman: No Man's Land - if you have the time for it, a big storyline but worth it.

Birds of Prey vol 1 (1999) - Helena starts to appear around issue #57 and becomes a central character from there.

[dccomicsbracket]

Motivations:

Anita Fite (Empress)

Anita Fite was done and has continued to be done dirty for a long time. She spent the original Young Justice run being preyed on by older men, bullied, drawn half naked, been foisted with stereotypical depictions of Vodou, having her major spotlight arc co-opted by a random team up if basically every teen hero, having the climax of her spotlight arc instead going to more Cissie angst, and then receiving an incredibly dumb write out. Literally every member of Young Justice save her (and Slobo, but his circumstances are trickier) has since resurfaced in modern comics. Anita deserves her chance in the spotlight. The current continuity reset means we don't have to stay married to her bullshit ending. There's a lot of potentially interesting ground to cover with her relationships to the loa. She can have more insane homoerotic tension with other women. Maybe she'll almost stab a werewolf to death for looking at the girl she likes wrong again! DC is also sorely lacking a magical team book at the moment. She'd do great on a team as the magic user who actually knows how to throw a punch Bring her back!!!

The Amazons (+ Diana)

Batman has Detective Comics, Superman has Action Comics, so where is Wonder Woman's Sensation Comics? Given how delightful Amazons Attack (2023) has been, it would be great to have a regular book for all of the Amazons to star in. Imagine regular B and C stories for other Wonderfamily members à la PKJ's recent Action run. It would also allow greater focus on Yara Flor and the Esquecida, who haven't had the chance to have much spotlight focused on them to build them out in relation to the Bana-Mighdall and the Themyscirans. It would also be great to be able to have more than one take on Diana at a time—imagine a Wonder Woman/Sensation Comics split as drastic as the current Zdarsky/V split in Batman and Tec. There's even a logical Diana in Man's World Vs Diana with her sisters split you could play with.

Vic Sage (The Question) and Renee Montoya (The Question)

Save Renee from being a cop again

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Daily Planet Classifieds

Fandom: DC Comics, Superfam, Young Justice 98, Titans

Summary: Laney Hausler is currently attending classes at Metropolis University when he sees a boy with his face in the library. At first, he thinks he's seeing things. Later, he starts to realize something strange is going on.

Conner Kent lives off-campus with his friends, but he sees a boy who eerily resembles him, and he hires a private investigator to look into the life of his doppelganger.

Chapters: 13/?

Characters: Jonathan Lane Kent, Conner Kent, Eddie Bloomberg, Rose Wilson, Bart Allen, Cassie Sandsmark, Cissie King-Jones, Clark Kent, Lois Lane, Meloni Thawne, Vic Sage, Slade Wilson

Relationships: Past KonBart, Clois

Additional Tags: Father-Son Relationship, Father-Daughter Relationship, No Powers AU, Found Family, Family Secrets, No Powers AU, No Capes AU, Complicated Relationships, University AU, Roommates, Private Investigator, Twins, Multiple POV, First Person POV, Psychological Drama, Complicated Relationships, Unrequited Love, Platonic Relationships

Chapter Thirteen: Open (Laney's POV)

Eddie and I slept in the same room most nights, but he seemed kind of different after a party we went to. His friend was there. So instead of inviting me to his room, he asked if I could sleep in my room alone or sleep in Rose’s room. I tried to sleep alone because I felt odd about being alone with Rose after our exchange. But, I tossed and turned all night. It was awful. I’d grown accustomed to sharing a bed. Rose knocked on my door around two, telling me she couldn’t sleep, so I let her in. “Is Eddie mad at me?” I asked. 

“Oh, no… Lane, his friend isn’t sleeping in there . You—. They’re being discrete,” Rose whispered. 

“About what?” I asked. 

Rose lay back, staring up at the ceiling. “They’re being intimate, Laney,” Rose explained.

A long silence followed before Rose spoke again. “Laney, did you see anybody at the party that you wanted to—.” I turned on my side to look at her. “Do you ever think about it?”

“Um… Not really. I’m starting to think attraction is far more than just seeing someone as beautiful,” I replied.

“Yeah. That’s how it works… And you might not be the type to meet someone at a party. Maybe you need a more lowkey event. Are you interested in dating?” Rose asked. I wasn’t sure. I’d never had friends before Eddie and Rose, so I couldn’t really imagine navigating dating life when I barely understood the inner workings of friendship. 

“I don’t know�� I think I want to figure out friendship a little more first,” I answered. Rose turned to me. 

“Have you thought about your mom lately?” Rose questioned. I nodded. 

“All the time now,” I whispered. And we didn’t say anything else. I can’t remember which one of us fell asleep first. 

**

Rose made me go to the mall with her the following morning to pick up clothes for homecoming. She was adamant that I go because I’d never been to a school dance. Eddie agreed, and he said he’d meet us after he got off work. We split up around noon, and Rose told us to meet at the food court at two. I hadn’t had a run-in with the mysterious cameraman for a few weeks, so I thought it’d be fine. I went into a store to buy soap, walking around quietly, smelling things that caught my eye. I bought a few things that smelled like coffee and a soap that smelled like honey before I noticed a toy store. I’d never been to a toy store before, and my curiosity drew me near it. “Conner!” a woman shouted. “Conner!” 

The name sounded familiar, but I kept walking until I saw something that triggered a memory. It all felt like a dream. I remember holding my mom’s hand, searching for a stuffed giraffe. I remembered feeling a pain in my head as my ears rang. I passed out in that very same store. I sank to the ground in the present day with tears in my eyes. I had a mother, and she was in the city with me. My phone rang, and I answered. “Hello?” I asked in tears. 

“Lane? Are you okay?” Rose asked. 

I couldn’t catch my breath. My head was spinning, and I felt like the world was coming to an end. “I think I’m—. I can’t breathe,” I whispered. 

“Lane, where are you right now?” Rose asked. 

“Is Lane alright?” Eddie questioned in the background. I tried to focus on their voices. 

“The toy store,” I answered. 

“We’re right by there,” Rose replied, “It’s okay.”

**

Rose and Eddie dropped me off on campus, and my dad called to tell me he’d be in town for the end of the family week. So, I took that as an opportunity to ask about my mother. “Father, I—. I had a memory of my mother today… Of her taking me to a toy store. I think I—. What I mean to ask is—? Father, what happened to my mother?” I questioned as I walked around campus. 

“Laney, we should speak about this in person,” Father replied, “I’ll see you on Friday. Goodbye.” 

“Goodbye, Father. I love—.” He hung up on me. I was used to it. Sometimes, he was in a rush or something important happened that I couldn’t see. 

I felt someone run into me, wrapping their arms around me, and I almost dropped my phone. “Sorry, baby,” he whispered, “I just missed you. How about we go back to my car and…” He kissed my neck. I flinched away.

“What are you doing?” I asked. I have to admit I felt strangely warm all over when he kissed my neck. He looked into my eyes. 

“Are you still sick?” he asked. I squinted at him. “I just figured the way you talked to me on the phone the other day… I thought that you would still be in the mood. I’m sorry.”

“I don’t think I’m the person you’re talking about… Everyone’s been mistaking me for someone else. I guess we must look a lot alike,” I explained. He leaned forward, almost studying me. 

“It’s uncanny… I um—. I’m so sorry about the misunderstanding… And thanks for not—. It must be kind of tough,” he stammered. I shook my head. 

“It’s not that bad… Is he your boyfriend?” I questioned. 

He shook his head. “We’re not serious. I wanna be, but I get the vibe that he’ll stop seeing me the second I start talking about commitment. You get it. Don’t you?” he asked. 

“I’m afraid not… I’ve never been in a relationship. This is actually my first time being around people my age,” I answered, “I’ve never had friends before or anything like that.” 

“So… You’ve never been kissed before?” he asked. I shook my head, almost holding my breath. “Would you like to be kissed?” My breath hitched, and I couldn’t speak. He was attractive. I watched his lips curve into a soft ‘o’. His lips were pretty. Thick and pink. I imagined they were soft, and I found myself nodding slowly as he touched my face and leaned forward. I could hear my heartbeat in my ears as his lips brushed mine. “Part your lips like you’re whispering the word, ‘open’.” I kept my eyes shut as I obeyed him. His lips were hot and wet against mine. My lips were clumsy, but I started to catch on to his rhythm. He kissed me until I was breathless. 

I pulled away and whispered a weak, “Thank you.” He laughed. 

“I’m Reed,” he smiled as he reached out to shake my hand. 

“My name is Laney Hausler… I know I’m not the boy you were looking for, but I think the taco truck is behind the science building today. Would you like to split a burrito?” I offered. Reed nodded as he took my hand. I almost felt weak after that. I squeezed his hand, and he looked at me. 

The quiet was pleasant, but I took him behind the science building where we split a burrito and talked about books. He was an English major. I thought he was so interesting. “You know, there’s a little book club that meets off campus every Thursday night. I don’t know if you drink or not, but they have pretty good alcohol there. If not, they’ve got sodas and juice. If you want to branch out and make a few more friends, that’s a good place to start,” Reed suggested, “Here. Give me your phone. I’ll text you the info.” The speed with which I fell for him was dizzying so much that I didn’t stop to think about his confusing relationship with the boy who favored me.

[off-color-darkrai]

The 2020 Deaths of Vic Sage comics were... Something... Not really sure what.

But! If there's one kinda hilarious thing they gave us, it was the idea that the Question, normal, non-superpowered, TV personality Vic Sage the Question, is also the other half of a timeless Eldritch duo.

That is just... So funny to me? That DC said 'yeah, let's write a comic where the Question is part of an Eldritch entity duo that embodies the concept of human morality and identity and is beyond all time and space, but also Vic is 100% human 100% of the time.' No powers, no abilities, no explanations!

I can't help imagining the JLU Question having the same problem XD

[thenixkat]

So reading L.A.W. : Living Assult Weapons instead of like eating breakfast

LAW opens up with some powerful fucker just zapping the moonbase Watchtower and all the Justice League there to somewhere the fuck else who knows

Vic Sage (The Question) in his day job urges the public to stay calm

Ted Kord once again having financial problems but fixing this time it by selling a gps system to the US government.

which yeah, I would assume that the billionaire inventor would sell shit to the army, like, why else did Kord Inc have an experimental weapons lab? Granted in other continuities Ted specifically did not wish to profit from making weapons, but like yeah I can see war profiteer Ted Kord.

also of fucking course Vic has blue eyes. What the fuck is up with so many of the white superheroes having blue eyes? That's not a common trait, where's the love for brown-eyed white people?

our villain is The Avatar, who wants to destroy all symbols of war and the warrior class

also Captian Atom is here b/c his day job is being in the military, man is legitimately just a supercop, also he gets captured b/c The Avatar draws power from the natural elements and radiation is a natural element

Captain Atom gets kidnapped to I assume be used as a battery

you cant exactly go 'dont be sad/scared kid' after murdering a bunch of people in front of said kid. especially since it looks like the kid got roughed up a bit too

Vic, what the fuck is wrong with someone attacking the military installations of largely imperialist and colonialist nations? They're attacking fucking soldiers who signed up to die. What's the issue?

Vic said he's tired of reporting the news, he's about to go fight the news

also I know this man comes off an an angry weirdo to his coworkers

there's a bureau of metahuman affiars of course the USA would have one

wow you mean countries that hate the USA would side with a viilian attacking the USA's military? wild, imagine that

also again so many blue-eyed bitches in DC comics

ah so Peacemaker is a mercenary who does covert shit for imperialist nations to 'protect peace' more reasons to dislike him

excuse you, Ted is ambidextrous and has often been shown doing shit with his left hand? Also, Vic don't break into other supehero's secret lairs, you could literally just ask

also, the other superheroes have been laughing about Ted getting carpal tunnel saying he got it from jacking off when they know he's a fucking engineer and does computer programming

Vic you gotta give trust to get trust It is rude to just take info without giving any back

why would a neuropulse gun work on demons? They're demons

also these demons might be a bit unclear about what mythology they're from. I'm not sure if Hinduism has firey pits of hell, but I can look it up

just I'm not rooting against a villain who's attacking USA military outposts including the secret covert ops ones that they send to do shit that would cause an international incident if they did shit openly

So The Avatar is supposed to be an actual demigod? That just makes them going after imperialist and colonist countries' militaries even more valid

so many blue-eyed mfers in this universe

not Judo Master? getting a call from his deity telling him he has to stop the evil that is his ex-student fighting the militaries of imperiealist nations. Good gods the propaganda of American superhero comics

[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

[bluehoodedmousebane]

Image ID: A stylized drawing of Vic Sage, the Question. He’s standing, turned to grab at a bundle of conspiracy-board style strings. His face is obscured by a featureless mask. His blue trenchcoat sways with him as he stops turning. His socks are the same yellow as his vest and hair. End image ID.

Once again with Mr. Touch Tone Telephone. Click for better quality

I get that he’s just a normal no-powers guy in canon, but I can’t get the idea out of my head of him having the ability to actually physically see how people are connected and intertwined with each other.

Like imagine living surrounded by other people’s loves and friendships and secrets while having none of your own. Still determined to try and sort through the threads, if only to know who did this to you but each string you grasp slips through your hands or unwinds into nothing or ignores you altogether until you’re engulfed by all that is and all that you have lost.

I think it’d be a little overwhelming.

[fungi-maestro]

Vic Sage getting scared on hallucinogens any% speedrun

[robocops-a-christ-allegory]

If I have songs or bands I associate with a character I tend to eventually start to imagine the lead singer as a good fit for their voice no matter how little sense it makes so this is why I think Peacemaker sounds like Dan/ny Elfm/an or Jell/o Bi/afra depending on the day. Also think Vic Sage sounds like Jello but specifically only in Soup Is Good Food, which to me is a "Vic is having a breakdown live on the air" song now. thanks.

[meekmedea]

Ok I got an idea, Vic Sage the Question is friends with Lady Shiva right? Potential babysitter

Oooh, good point. Haha I never thought about it till you brought you up. Not sure if I'd write him into the main story, since I don't know him too well, but I do have a blurb that came to mind because of him. Imagine Shiva making him babysit with no prior heads up hehe...

Vic Sage - The Question The Babysitter

"Shiva, when you said that you were going to call in a favour..." Vic gestured lamely at the bundle in her arms.

She raised an eyebrow, daring him to say otherwise.

"What am I supposed to with a child? Shiva, did you– am I supposed to return this child somewhere?"

"No." She looked insulted at his last question. "Watch her for a few hours, that's all I ask. She's a quiet child."

`

It's hard to tell Shiva no, not when she looks like she's on a mission. So he agrees. Though it's seconds after she leave that Vic realizes, he doesn't seem even have a name for the baby.

Shiva, come back!

The baby in his arm stirs, and his heart skips a beat. Oh no, what if she cried? To his relief, the baby blinked before a curious look appeared on them. "Hello there," he tries hesitantly.

She giggled, reaching for his face.

It's only then he realizes his mask is still on – what a strange child, not scared of it. Still, he takes it off.

`

Later Shiva finds them together chatting.

Of course, the baby is still young to chime in besides the occasional babble, but that's alright. He talks enough for the two of them as she listens, entranced by his stories.

~~~

Visits from Shiva while occasional were often out-of-the-blue. She came and went as she pleased, and Vic was disappointed that the baby that never appeared again. Well, she must have grown up, he thinks, unless...

Asking questions wouldn't be strange of him, but this one felt like a breach of privacy. So because Shiva never pried, he never asked about the little girl.

It's only years later that during his travels out of Hub City that he stumbles upon Shiva with two girls who held a resemblance to her. One more so than the other.

He wonders– were either of them the baby from back then?

`

"Shiva," he greets. He tips his head slightly in greeting to the children who stared curiously at his mask. "Hello."

"Children, this is Vic. He's a..." Shiva waved a nondescript hand gesture.

`

"A friend?" suggests the older one.

"Or an acquaintance?" asks the younger one with blue eyes.

Shiva's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Something like that."

His jaw dropped. "Shiva, I thought we were friends!"

She shrugged gracefully.

[uncpanda]

Mess

Prompt: Is that my shirt?

Requested by: @dende-cosplay

    It’s not unusual to come home and find the apartment a mess. Neither you or Vic are tidy people. You’re more along the lines of throw the clothes and let them land where they may, kind of people. So coming home to the apartment covered in clothes doesn’t really make you suspicious, until you come across, Vic tossing more and more things out of the closet.

    You stand in the doorway of the bedroom and watch as he throws clothes this way and that until he finally murmurs something, about finding “it.” You peer over his shoulder and your eyebrows knit together, “Is that my shirt?”

    He looks back at you, not one bit surprised to find you there, “The shirt you wore on our first date to be exact.”

    You nod once, “And you need it why?”

    “Arrow doesn’t believe you exist.”

    “And this bothers you why?”

    He blinks twice, “Because, while my theories may be out there, you are perfectly normal. However, I can’t just show up with you, that would put both of us at risk. This shirt will work.”

    You consider asking how, but instead, you decide against it, “Okay. Chinese for dinner?”

    He pecks you on the lips, “Please and thank you.”

    You smile, “I’ll go order, you pick up the clothes.”

[faceless-conspiracy-buff]

Q, out of everyone (excluding the original seven) in the League, who would do you think would be hardest to fight? Which one would you absolutely not want to fight?

I suspect that Captain Atom pose a significant challenge, and not just because he can manipulate nuclear energy. I've seen what he's like when he sets his mind to something.

...

I'm not sure I ever want to see that again.

I'm also not keen on fighting Supergirl, for reasons that should be quite obvious. I know that she doesn't have the same killer instinct as her clone, but I doubt that she'd goes easy on me simply because we're close.

I, on the other hand, would be sorely tempted to pull my punches.

[jojoongdok]

I just think it would be very cool if moon knight and Vic sage met