#yes that's my design for adult Wally fight me

[kommandonuovidiavoli]

Would you please draw teen Wally meeting his younger self and warning him about the mohawk AGAIN

HE GOT 3 WARNINGS LET'S HOPE HE'S GONNA LISTEN TO HIMSELFx3!!!!!!!!!!

[kenphobia]

Hey hey neighbour!

Can I request a angst/comfort howdy or Frank/Eddie x reader?

Kinda want to sob over this puppets.

The reader is from our world and such, but sometimes reader can feel someone staring at their back. But once the reader is left alone Home decides to drag reader in and lock them up? Maybe some also decides to Injure the readeralot

But thank u for writing this! (If u do-)

DISCO DISSOCIATION!

"let the maze of my design carry you on."

summary. frank decides to take his two beloveds on a picnic date! what could go wrong? (oneshot / 1.9k wc / read end notes)

contents. unreality, mentions of dissociation, implied mind-control, accidental gaslighting, local gay entomologist and butterfly enthusiast gets fucked over by a living house. ( n//fw blogs dni )

"(Name), hold on!"

"Try and catch me, sucker!"

Eddie huffed, panting as he fell on the grass, his knees hit the ground with a soft thud. Atop the hill, (Name) stood proudly and grinning before taking a moment to blow a raspberry at the poor and tired mailman.

Frank smiled at the sight, their gaze diverting from their book and to their two lovers as they got closer and closer to them. It was a strange situation they had gotten into, but they were happy with what they got.

(Name) wasn't exactly like them, not like Eddie or anyone in town in fact. Though, they look similar to Wally and Julie, they oozed red substance instead of stuffing and their skin wasn't as soft and fuzzy as the rest. Various parts of them still continue to grow despite being an adult and their way of eating is ... strange to say the least.

But Frank doesn't mind it all. Sure, it was weird, seeing someone who looks like them but is more alike with a banana than anything, but they loved (Name) and couldn't resist falling for them. Eddie couldn't help it too, so they're not the only one.

Right now, they were having a picnic. Or at least, Frank's setting one up whilst Eddie get his revenge on (Name) with a tickle fight and (Name) was very much losing.

"Okay, okay! You win, I'm done so ple, he— PLEASE!" (Name) coughed, heaving as they try to swat away Eddie's wiggling fingers. "LET ME GO!!"

"Not after I did this!" Eddie laughed. He (Name) by their waist and pulled them down on his lap before attacking their face with kisses. Subtle orange smudges covered their face like a glaze over a masterpiece of a painting.

(Name) whined, "You got your kisses, let me go now! I might have flatten your legs."

Eddie planted a final kiss on the lips and buried his face in the crook of their neck. He held their hand within his and left a kiss of orange on an obvious spot, it looked brighter than the light pecks on (Name)'s face.

"Eddie!" (Name) shouted, catching Frank's attention who had been adjusting how the basket sits in the middle of the plaid red blanket.

The puppet only laughed in response, unwrapping his arms around (Name)'s waist. They got up, brushed their clothing off and clear of any dust and turned. Eddie's legs were, yes, flattened, but he easily shaped them back to normal and only wobbled slightly when he stood up.

"See? I'm perfectly fine! Nothing to worry about, love." Eddie ruffled their hair, smiling without a care in the world.

'But still though..."

Frank rolled their eyes playfully and beckoned Eddie and (Name) to come close with his hand. "Come on, you two. Let's eat, so you two can get back to goofing around."

(Name) and Eddie hurriedly ran to where Frank stood and finally start their picnic. Just before the hills were long, drawled out fields of plain grass and the blue, cloudless skies made their picnic more peaceful than ever.

Still, no matter how relaxing and wonderful the entire situation is, Frank couldn't shake off a weird, jittery feeling. Like something was wrong and that picnic was only the calm before the storm. In truth, they had planned this picnic because something was wrong with their lovers, especially (Name), though they hid under the impression of 'needing some bonding time together'.

Frank turned to look at Eddie who seemed well enough, even smiling more widely than usual and enjoying himself in general. Yet, when they turned to (Name), they were ... distracted. Their face held a look of lost, confusion, of distortion, and their eyes were blank and heavily clouded with an unknown feeling.

They always been liked this, always dissociating suddenly on the spot. Frank would understand, they do it too but not like the way (Name) does it. They sit there blankly, as if they just stopped working, living and was nothing more than a husk of they were before. The lights in their head had switched off that very moment and no one was there to respond.

Frank tried their best to listen throughout Eddie's long, tall tales, but they couldn't help looking over to (Name). They seemed to be somewhat listening too, nodding or shaking his head whenever Eddie asked them a question. The larger puppet didn't seem to notice the distant look in their eyes.

When grey took over the sky, they immediately packed up and ran back to the neighborhood as fast they could. And ran they did, arriving at Frank's place dry and safe from the curling thunders and the pouring rain.

As Eddie flopped down on the sofa, feeling awfully tired and parched from all of his long rambling, Frank quickly went to the kitchen to fetch him a glass.

They leaned down, placing a gentle hand on Eddie's shoulder and kissing his forehead. "You stay here and rest up while I get you something to drink, okay?" Frank whispered to his ear, to which Eddie mumbled a 'Thanks, Frankie' and smiled lazily.

"Do you need anything, (Name)?" Frank turned to their other lover who stood closely by the window, a little too close form how they were pressing their forehead on the glass. Frank furrowed their brows at this, worry rattling their mind once again. "...(Name)?"

Something in (Name) snapped, like a rubber band being let loose after being stretched for so long. They turned, still distracted as ever but now they look more alive than they were back at the picnic. "Y-Yes?"

"Do you want anything? Water? Something to eat?" Frank asked, walking up to them and reaching out for their hands, yet (Name) hid them behind their back and stepped back.

The human (as they like to call themself) shook their head, almost violently before offering a gentle, reassuring smile to Frank. "No... No, I'm fine. Thank you, Frank."

Depsite their words, Frank remained unsure but they didn't want to make them uncomfortable, so they nodded and smiled back in hopes to smooth out the strange tensity in the air. "Right, um, I'll be in the kitchen if you need me. Rest up, (Name)."

And so, Frank went to the kitchen, fixing up a glass of water for Eddie and coming back just as quick as they came in. But when they did, (Name) was gone and only Eddie remained on the couch, unmoving from the position Frank and left him in.

Frank frowned and handed Eddie his water. "Hey, Eds?"

The tired puppet hummed, taking a sip from his glass and glanced up to Frank. "Yeah?"

"Where's..." Frank looked around, checking for any sign of (Name) going to the bathroom or to their shared bedroom but uncovered nothing. They took a deep breath in. "Where's (Name)? They were here a while ago."

"(Name)? I thought they were with you?" Eddie raised his brow. He had completely drank all up the water and put it down on the coffee table, seemingly alarmed at Frank's sudden question.

"No, they weren't." Frank turned to the front door, walked up to it in a matter of seconds and went to unlock it. But it always been unlocked, from the moment Frank had touched the knob and the door opened with little to no difficulty, they knew something was wrong.

"...Frank?" Eddie called out from the living room. "Frank, what's wrong?" He had called out again, his tone growing persistently worried and sick.

Through the darkness of the night and storm, Frank could see a familiar silhouette stuck out in the middle of it all. A silhouette so familiar but so strange at the same time that Frank felt a strange feeling of falling, of dizziness, of vertigo.

And it felt sick.

"Frank? Frank! W-Where are you? Where's (N-Name)?" Eddie's voice grew farther and farther, and the warmth, the lights of Frank's home suddenly went out on itself. All they could see, feel and hear was nothing but a cold, bleak darkness and a buzzing noise that Frank soon learned to be TV static.

They also learned the figure was no other than (Name). Drenched in rain water, from head to toe, and looked more rugged than usual. They moved, walked and turned like a broken down marionette being dragged through the streets.

Frank couldn't move nor speak, they could only stand there as their beloved (Name), the bright and always sunny (Name) Eddie and they love, walk towards the very center of the neighborhood: Wally's home. Just Home.

They got closer and closer, and of course, Home opened a door for them. Frank wanted to scream, to shout and warn their lover to stay away from the wretched home that always looked and smelled too off for their liking, the very home that (Name) kept looking and staring each and every night.

But they can't, so they watched as (Name) went in and the door very, very slowly closed on them. Home looked at Frank with an almost mocking, hungry glint in its eyes before the lights finally reached Frank and warmth flooded their senses once again.

"Frankie, is there anything wrong?" Frank flinched slightly under Eddie's sudden hug, feeling his arms firmly but gently over their shoulders and the sudden weight of Eddie's head. "You suddenly got up and left..."

"G-Got up what now-?" Frank looked down, seeing they were dressed up in their sleeping gown and held a small, lit candle in their hands, providing as the only light within the dim hallway. "I— I saw (Name)! They went inside home a-and—!"

"Frank, calm down." Eddie squeezed their shoulders. His forehead creased as he frowned, Frank could sense worry and confusion all over their husband's face. "You're not making sense, what you do mean—?"

"(Name), Our lover! They went out into the rain, a-and Home got them. Don't you remember them?!" Frank hurriedly cut off Eddie, a sudden urge of energy spiked through them as the cold brushes against their soft, fleece skin.

Eddie's brows only furrowed further, the confusion in his eyes intensified. "Frank, I don't think we had another lover. I— Frank, are you okay? Have you been getting enough sleep?"

"Wha— Eddie, you know (Name). They were the new neighbor, we've been dating them for months already, don't you know?" Frank tried again, the accursed seeds of dread and fear began spreading through their gut as they prayed to any and every listening god out there for this entire night not to be true. That everything was just a bad dream.

Eddie shook Frank in his arms, his hold tighter and firmer than before. And though, Eddie had tried to still be gentle with the shorter puppet, Frank couldn't help but feel trapped, suffocated from just being in Eddie's hold. "Frank, we never had a new neighbor named (Name), we never had another lover. I— Are you sure you're okay? Are you sure that you're getting enough sleep?"

"Eddie, I—"

"Come on. Let's go to bed, okay? We can... We can talk about this tomorrow morning, does that sound okay with you?" Eddie smiled, his gaze has softened. The front door closed on them as Eddie led Frank to their bedroom, his grasp was less firm and his hand kneaded and rubbed circles on their back.

Frank simply nodded, exhaustion hitting them faster than they realized. They sluggishly nodded, their arms dropping to their sides in an instant. "Yeah, let's... Let's go to sleep." They agreed tiredly, looking back for a final time to only see a large, dark eye staring at them from the window.

notes. so uh i did not see the hurt/comfort part but have this anon. i am sorry but no sorry because this is now one of my favorite fics.... hh kind of, i hated how i writed the first part of the fic and the end hshshshs AAA

but yeah, i love stealing characters' loved ones from them and writing their soul-crushing, nerve-popping, silly-goosing angst and trauma <333 (i am self projecting)

again, my inbox are always open for any requests or mindless chatter!! and any support is appreciated :]]

[secondgenerationnerd]

I just don’t think they can be as badass as Lian and Mari. They come from two badass super families and Milagro is just one of the few thousand GL and irey can run super fast

Right, so I again am assuming you’re coming from a good place. So I’m going to explain from my perspective why I think they’re badasses.

In terms of Comic Milagro, you’re right, we don’t know much about her. Hell, she’s not even a lantern as far as I’m aware. However. In my cannon, she became a lantern at 10 years old. She was forced into this life, but that gives her a clarity to point out the bullshit Legacy heroes don’t notice.

Like someone calling her friend a slur in front of a group of adults that have done nothing to protect said friend. She’ll take the ‘disciplinary action’ for breaking the asshole’s nose.

She might be one of many GL, but her ring is not the only thing she does as a hero. She learned how to fix essentially all the iconic vehicles driven by various league members and assisted in the redesign of multiple hero uniforms. More than that, and yes this is very important, she is a latina girl. Yes, we have Jessica Cruz, but think of how little kids look up to teenagers. She comes from a normal family. But she’s a hero. She. Is. A. Hero. And she doesn’t look like me, I’m a white girl, I can find heroes that look me, but not everyone has that luxury. Think about the shot in the Blue Beetle Trailer of the little boy seeing Jaime. It. Matters.

I, personally, designed her character to break the stereotype of how “Badass Women” should look. Not sure what I mean? Look at any action movie, superhero show/movie, etc and tell me how the Heroines are dressed. How many are in a tank top/plain shirt, leather jacket, jeans, and some kind of boot (combat or low heeled)? How many have that Pretty Woman moment of “look how nice I clean up which everyone will comment on”? Her femininity, her love of fashion and knitting and telenovelas and all the other feminine things are things I never see “Badass women do.”

Femininity and Badassery are not part of a dichotomy.

Miss Iris Anne West II’s family is full of scientists and reporters. Frankly more badass than either the Bats or the Arrows because they don’t have a huge fortune to fall back on. Her Great Uncle was hit by lightning. Her father gave himself powers at 12 years old (give or take) by recreating the experiment of said Great Uncle. Her family has created and destroyed and changed so many timelines. Their rogues have one of the strictest codes of honor compared to every other Villian. In the old Justice League Cartoon, Wally didn’t even have to fight his bad guy! Just told him to go to jail after having a conversation about the guy being off his meds and why it’s important he take them.

And circling back—Her family being full of reporters and scientists gives her both highly inquisitive mind and the skills to answer her questions. Knowing the difference between The Truth and The Story was drilled into her from birth. The Story is what everyone says happened in order to make the facts fit nice and neat. The Truth is what actually happened, regardless of it being “neat”. Do you know how hard it can be to hold thag belief when the rest of the world demands conformity?

���Irey can run super fast” you’re right. That is the basis of her powers, but not the entirety of them. According to her Prime Earth and New Earth Wiki pages, the full breath of her powers include:

Speed Force Conduit

Accelerated Healing, including Toxic Immunities

Enhanced Senses

Phasing

Speedforce Aura

Superhuman Duribility

Superhuman Stamina

Superhuman Reflexes

Superhuman Agility

Vortex Creations

Dimension Travel

Electrokensis

Molecular Acceleration

Telekekisis, which she often uses to pull her brother towards her.

In Prime Earth, the current run of the character, she is also noted to become the most power speedster in the world.

Again, I assume you ask this in good faith, so I will ask you a good faith question as well—Why did you only ask me about the Omega girls? By your own logic, Damian and Jon are more badass than Colin and Jai, but you only asked me about the girls.

[thattimdrakeguy]

What is your opinion on the art of Young Justice (2019) after the departure of Gleason in issue #4?

I like the general art styles, but I didn't like John Timms way of drawing the characters. Like I've seen him do other comics and he's great, but I never felt like he gave a proper shit drawing Young Justice.

Conner stopped looking like Conner, because Con has these notable cheek bones and a specific headshape, and he just turned it into a freaking rectangle.

He cut Cassie's hair into something that didn't match and had this awkward straight cut bangs. Timms even randomly gave her a belt that she didn't have before cause there wasn't even belt loops on her skirt--Like overall she looked okay, but why change a perfectly good design that weirdly? Cut her hair short, sure, that's more like her. But he didn't, he just randomly gave her an uglier haircut.

With Tim, just ugh. He really stunk. He drew him closer to Dick Grayson as Nightwing from season 2 of the YJA series more than Dick. He always drew him way too tall too. And he later got better at making Tim a bit more like himself. But he never really understood Tim's face. He didn't really get Tim's nose, or general roundness of his features right. And he never made him the shortest of the main cast like how he's supposed to be.

ALSO, I think it's issue 8 or 9, but I noticed when reading it that Keli randomly changes her freaking pants during the issue. She goes from basket ball shorts to tights, and like "WHEN DID SHE DO THAT??". Like I could be missing the reason, but also, WHO IS GETTING UNDRESSED AND THEN CHANGING IN THE MIDDLE OF A STREET, AS WELL AS A SUPER POWERED FIGHT. It's just weird and petty to just randomly change her design, even as slight as it is.

John Timms severely bugged me every issue he drew. From his inability to draw some characters to look correct, to his dumb little design changes that made no freaking sense a chunk of the time. Which in-turn made the story less engaging cause suddenly “Wait why did Cassie get a mildly different haircut?’ “Wait, why did Keli change her shorts to tights? Why on Earth would she do that given where she is??” “Who is this? OH THAT’S TIM. I THOUGHT THAT WAS A PAST DICK” “Who smooshed Conner’s heads from the sides?”

But Scott Godlewski was a lot better. My biggest issue with him is that he drew Bart way too small, and Tim too tall. By the time Bart is the age he is in Y.J. 2019 run, he isn't short--he's supposed to be like 5'11, and Conner I assume 6 foot something cause Superman. Like by the time Bart is an adult--(and yes he's past 18 in Y.J. 2019), he was noted as being potentially bigger than Wally. Tim's supposed to be the short one that always stays short, but yet--the comic gave Bart the small gag--even though that isn't his thing, or shouldn't be at this point I should say. And Tim was right there.

But overall Scott was much better. I just get annoyed artists don't draw Tim's height right, because so many artists don't draw him the right height that it's genuinely frustrating cause it's literally one of his most noted features. It just shows a lack of true care to me.

After Gleason, there was like--one artist on Nightwing, and even then the art was kind of messy, and then Belen Ortega who really got Tim's features. She freaking nailed Tim's face, and gave him his button nose, rounder features, big eyes, and high cheek bones back. He looked just like how he was supposed to face wise. She got his specific features really well.

People Tim’s own age think he’s a little kid sometimes, he’s supposed to be baby-faced, not some stereotypical sized Super Hero. Tim is unique among the characters he interacts with.

Like Tim had a very specific design in the 90s most stayed consistent with. So having all these being unable to draw him along with his height is really agitating, cause the art is ultimately what you're looking at, and it makes it really difficult to be engaged when Tim sometimes look completely different under some artists.

Lately though the consistency has seemed to come back at least under some luck. So that's been very lovely, cause I've missed a consistent Tim. I'm just scared that the next time I see him he'll be drawn wrong again and I can't naturally recognize him as the same character.

[queenofcats17]

The Ink Demonth 2

Today is Growth. So it’s Joey and Bertie time~ We’re gonna have some emotional growth!

Featuring my Joey very prominently

---------------------------------------------

Bertram had never expected to see Joey Drew again. After Henry had freed the former employees from the studio, most had gone their separate ways. Some still kept in touch from what Bertram understood, but most of them had tried to get on with their lives and put the events of the studio behind them. Certainly, no one was trying to keep in contact with the man who’d done this to them. Lacie still kept in touch with Thomas, Shawn, and Grant, which by extension meant they also heard from Allison, Wally, and Jack. Bertram lived with Lacie now, in a little house in the suburbs of Milwaukee, close to his sister and her husband. He didn’t really work anymore, although Lacie had taken a job at a mechanic shop to keep herself busy. She liked staying busy. 

In any case, Bertram had never expected to see Joey Drew again. Not after everything that had happened. Not after nearly over a year. Which was why Bertram had been so surprised to look up from his book and see Joey standing on the sidewalk leading up to the porch. He immediately tensed at seeing the former studio head, ready for a fight. Part of him expected things to go the way they had the last time. Joey would speak sweet words of poison and Bertram would end up hurt or worse, drawn into the tangled web of Joey’s plans. 

But Joey looked smaller somehow, less sure of himself. There were dark circles under his eyes. The clothes he was wearing looked like hand-me-downs, judging mostly by how ill-fitting they were. His hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, a style Joey had only ever utilized on the worst of days at the studio. There were a few streaks of grey in it now. He kept wringing his hands, his eyes looking everywhere but at Bertram, and he was chewing on his lip. Bertram didn’t think he’d ever seen Joey Drew nervous before. So he took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. 

“Mr. Drew.” He closed his book, setting it down beside his chair. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” Joey blinked, stunned by the fact that he hadn’t immediately been yelled at. He stood there, opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water. Across the street, a car honked. 

“Talk to him!” A woman yelled, sticking her head out of the car. She bore a familial resemblance to Joey, especially in the face shape and the nose. A sister, Bertram concluded. He’d heard Joey had an older sister he wasn’t close to.

“I’m going to!” Joey went bright red, turning back to yell back at her. 

“I suppose that’s your sister, then.” Bertram smiled despite himself. 

“Oh, um, yes.” Joey turned back to him. “I’ve, uh, I’ve been staying with her and her family lately. She’s been...helping me.” He smiled slightly, gazing down at his feet. The expression was tender and soft. So different from anything he’d displayed while he’d been head of the studio.

“Would you like to come inside?” Bertram rose from his chair. 

“I mean, I wouldn’t want to intrude.” Joey smiled nervously. “I only really came here to say one thing. It shouldn’t take too long.”

“You’ve come all this way.” Bertram gestured him over, opening the front door. “It would be rude to turn you away without inviting you in.”

“Well...alright.” Joey gave a quick thumbs up to his sister in the car and went inside. 

The house was small but tidy. Bertram had done a lot of organization since they’d moved in. His sister had had his things stored away, so he was able to have most of his comforts once again. Lacie’s possessions had been lost as her landlord had thrown them out after she’d been missing for six months. She’d been upset at this, but there wasn’t much they could do. He’d comforted her as best he could. They had new things now. Books and house plants and little machines Bertram had been tinkering with. Bertram was particularly proud of the house plants. Wally had been teaching him how to properly take care of them and he hadn’t killed one in nearly a month!

“This is really nice.” Joey looked around in wonder. 

“Thank you, I’ve done quite a lot of work to make it look good.” Bertram beamed. “I picked out the paint colors, but we ended up having to ask Mr. Flynn to assist us with properly painting. Lacie and Mr. Connor built the shelves themselves. She didn’t really trust a store to make them properly.” 

He continued talking about the work they’d done as he led Joey to the kitchen. Joey was a little taken aback to see the park design so happy and open. He wasn’t sure if any of the other studio employees had ever seen this side of Bertram, but he certainly hadn’t. He’d probably been responsible for the majority of Bertram’s misery at the studio. He certainly hadn’t made things easy for him.

“In any case, what brings you here?” 

“Um, sorry?” Joey snapped back to reality, realizing they had reached the kitchen. It was just as cozy as the rest of the house. There was a cat calendar on the wall, little knick-knacks on the shelves, a good number of cookbooks. 

“What brings you here?” Bertram repeated, moving to fill up a kettle. “Milwaukee is a long way from New York. That is where you’re staying, yes?”

“Oh, yes.” Joey hovered nervously beside the kitchen table. “Well, I, uh, um...” He licked his, eyes darting around the room. Bertram set the kettle on the stove, turning it on. He kept his back to Joey, sensing it might be easier for the other man to say what he needed to say if Bertram’s eyes weren’t on him. 

“I came...to apologize.” Joey finally said after a minute of hesitation and stammering. 

“To apologize?” Bertram asked. His voice was neutral, but his grip on the counter loosened. He hadn’t entirely realized how tight he’d been gripping it.

“Yes.” Joey nodded, fumbling out a piece of paper from his pocket. “I, um, I have a list I’ve been working down. Former employees I need to apologize to. Essie said it would be good for me to make amends.”

“That’s good of you.” Bertram smiled to himself, getting out a few cups and some teabags. 

“You all deserve an apology. You deserve so much more than that too.” Joey clutched the paper to his chest, hunching his shoulders. “But...An apology is all I can really give. I can’t...I can’t undo what I did. So...” He took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I’m truly and utterly sorry. The things I did are inexcusable and reprehensible and I understand that there is nothing I can truly do to fix this.”

“That is true. There is precious little you can do to fix your mistakes.” Bertram poured the boiling water into the cups, turning and putting them on the table. “Still, I appreciate that you are attempting to make amends. The Drew I met in that damnable studio would never do such a thing unless he had to.” He settled at the table, stirring the tea with a spoon. 

“I...Is that a compliment?” Joey’s brow furrowed in concern. He was still waiting for the moment when Bertram would snap, would berate him for all he’d done.

“It is,” Bertram assured him. “I believe you are a better man than you were. Or you are trying to become better at the very least.” Joey watched him for a moment or two, relief and confusion mixing on his features. Finally, though, he smiled. 

“Thank you.”

“In any case, I appreciate the apology.” Bertram continued. “Lacie should be home soon if you’d like to apologize to her as well.”

“I...I would.” Joey nodded. His shoulders hunched again at the thought of speaking with her. Lacie Benton had no tolerance for bullshit and didn’t suffer fools lightly. He couldn’t imagine she harbored any good feelings toward him. Not after everything he’d done to her.

“Well, then.” Bertram nudged a chair toward Joey. “Take a seat.”

They spent an hour together before Lacie arrived. The conversation was rather awkward at times but they knew they both needed it. Joey apologized for disrespecting Bertram time and time again, which Bertram happily accepted. Eventually, the conversation got around to their families. That was a bit of an easier topic to talk about.

“Did someone take over the company after you...disappeared?” Joey asked, visibly hesitating on the last word. 

“My sister, Charlotte, took care of it for a bit,” Bertram replied. “But it’s under the care of her son Augustus at the moment.”

“Did you try to take the company back?” Joey asked. He expected the answer would be yes. If there was something he and Bertram had in common, it was their tendency to work until their bodies or minds gave out.

“I considered the possibility, but Charlotte wouldn’t hear of it.” Bertram laughed, shaking his head. “She told me I’m a workaholic who needs to take a break.”

“Sounds familiar.” Joey murmured with a wry smile. 

“Besides, the company is in good hands.” Bertram waved a hand dismissively. “Augustus is a capable man. Charlotte and Louis did a good job raising him.”

“That must be reassuring.”

“It is.” Bertram allowed himself a small smile. “How is your family?”

“They’re...” Joey twisted his mouth, searching for the right words. “I wish I had tried to see them sooner.” His sister had gotten married. He had a niece and a nephew. A niece and a nephew who were adults and had never met him before Esther had brought him back to the house. He’d abandoned his family and now they didn’t know him anymore.

“That’s understandable.” 

Joey breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the front door open. He hadn’t particularly wanted to fall to pieces in front of Bertram. He was still emotionally raw when it came to his failings with his family. 

“I’m back.” Lacie’s voice came from the entry hall. “Went by the store and picked up some of that rose tea you liked.”

“Thank you! I’m in the kitchen!” Bertram called. Joey sat up a bit straighter, pulling out his list again. His reminder of who he needed to make amends to. The heavy sound of Lacie’s boots grew closer until she appeared in the doorway. She stared at Joey. Her jaw clenched and her hold on the tin of tea tightened. 

“What is he doing here?” The word had so much venom in it Joey almost wanted to turn and run. But he didn’t. He took a deep breath. 

“Hello, Miss Benton.” He stood up, trying to still his shaking hands. His legs were still shaking, though. “I-I’ve come here to apologize.”

“He’s already given me his apology,” Bertram said. Lacie’s eyes flicked over to him momentarily before going back to Joey. 

“Fine.”

“Than- Thank you.” Joey took a deep breath. “I’m...I’m sorry for all the things I did to you. I know that won’t fix everything I’ve done, but I want you to know that I truly regret my actions.”

The silence following his apology was excruciating for Joey. Lacie said nothing, just staring at him. It was hard to know what was going on in her mind. She’d never been the sort to wear her heart on her sleeve. Finally, Lacie spoke.

“I accept your apology.” She said. “But I’m not going to forgive you.”

“I wouldn’t ask you to.”

“Good.” Lacie turned away from him, heading to put the tin in a cupboard. “Thank you for coming to apologize.”

“You’re welcome.” Joey put his list away, breathing an internal sigh of relief. “I should probably be going now. Esther’s probably wondering why I’ve been in here so long.”

“Safe travels.” Bertram escorted him out.

Joey smiled to himself as he made his way back to Esther’s car. He’d been terrified he’d get cursed out, yelled at. That they would throw things at him. Gods knew he deserved it. But they hadn’t. They hadn’t forgiven him, but they’d accepted his apology.

“You were in there for a long time,” Esther said as he got back in. “Did everything go alright?”

“It did.” Joey nodded, feeling the tears starting to well up. “It went really well.” 

Esther smiled gently, leaning over to hug him. “I’m proud of you, Jojo. You’re doing a good thing.”

Joey sniffled loudly, burying his face in his sister’s chest. The guilt wasn’t ever going to go away, he was sure of that, but it felt good to have his apologies accepted. He was making progress. They all were. 

[sebeth]

Young Justice: The Return (Animation)

In an earlier post, I wrote my thoughts on the upcoming return of the Young Justice comic book. Now it’s time for the cartoon series.

I’ve tried to avoid most interviews but I have seen the promo images and watched the two trailers repeatedly.  I like to go in as spoiler-free as possible when watching/reading media but I only have so much self-control.

Let’s start with the main plot –

There will be a time jump between season 2 and 3 – we’re just not sure of the exact length.  

The formation of the Outsiders, along with the rescue of Terra, will be the main arc of season three.

Dick reunites with Conner and Artemis in the beginning of the season for “one last mission”.  Black Lightning accompanies the trio to Markovia to shut down the metahuman trafficking ring.  Why?  Besides the fact that human trafficking is bad.  Black Lightning has no previous connection to Young Justice but he has long-standing connections to Batman.

Has Batman already formed the Outsiders minus Geo-Force and Halo?  We briefly see Batman, Katana, and Metamorpho jump from a plane and later brawl with Deathstroke.  Batman formed the group in the comics - it would make sense for him to be behind the group’s organization in the cartoons.  A covert group for more adult missions he wouldn’t want the Young Justice children to participate in.

I’m guessing the Markovia mission reveals the metahuman trafficking ring is way more extensive than previously thought – leading Dick to reunite with - and resume leadership – of Young Justice.

The Light and the Reach experimenting with metahuman activation began in season two.  Per Wonder Woman, the Justice League “have confirmation that on multiple worlds, earth’s metahumans are being deployed by the enemy as weapons of mass destruction.”

Wonder Woman’s comment suggests the abducted metahumans are being subjected to brainwashing along with experimentation.  I highly doubt the newly activated metahumans would rampage across the universe without mind control directing their actions.

The “multiple worlds” comment ties together Bart’s “we have a mission in space” with the glimpses of the New Gods, Superboy’s brawl with Lobo, and Dick and Conner fighting Sensei/Silver Monkey on a foreign world.

New Genesis might be one of the world’s affected by the “metahumans of mass destruction”, Lobo could have been hired by the Light, and Sensei/Silver Monkey is guarding one of Ra’s Al Ghul’s headquarters.

On to the characters:

First up, the Outsiders –

Geo-Force, Katana, Halo, Metamorpho, Black Lightning

Terra

The Markov Royal Family

As I said above, I’m fairly confident Batman has already formed the Outsiders before the beginning of the season.  Possibly as a true “covert” group – as in without the Justice League’s knowledge or permission.

Young Justice was told they were a “covert” group by the Justice League but mostly it was a “training wheels” type group – smaller missions while being trained by the more experienced heroes.  They did covert missions but were still in the press and public’s eyes.

The Outsiders will be the true covert group – sticking to the shadows, away from the press, down and dirty missions, etc.

As for the individual Outsiders:

Geo-Force - Brion is an adorable big brother.  Noble, protective, eager to find his sister and stop the bad guys.  Visually his powers should be awesome – they are similar to Terra’s.

Terra – Not a member of the Outsiders but I wanted to include her with Brion.  The big question: will Terra be a villain?  I’m guessing “yes”.  Comic cannon dooms her to this fate.  I do believe it will be the result of the Light’s brainwashing instead of the general “evil” nature.  Possibly making her a tragic villain.  Will Deathstroke be involved with Terra’s brainwashing?  Comic cannon says “yes”.  Could Batman, Metamorpho, and Katana storm the island looking for Terra?  Is that why the Outsiders end up fighting Deathstroke?

Black Lightning – Jeff appears serious and mature.  Love his visual design.  Can’t wait to see him in costume.

Metamorpho – We only have a visual impression.  Very nice. I wonder if we’ll see Sapphire or Simon Stagg?  Rex will be the one who gives Deathstroke the most trouble in the upcoming fight.

Katana – Not much to go on yet except visually.  Katana’s design reminds me of a more adult version of her DC Girls attire.  Excited to see her in action.

Halo – Will be entirely different from the comics.  She is a person of color and possibly Muslim?  Let’s skip all the drama and hatred over the race change.  Please?!  She’s seems to be a new character.  I highly doubt her name is going to be “Violet Harper”.  For those unfamiliar with Halo, she wasn’t a great character.  Apologies to Halo fans.  Violet was a sociopath who was murdered by the 100, a criminal organization.  Aurakle, an alien entity, merged with Violet’s deceased body.  The “resurrection” caused amnesia.  It gets more complicated from there.  Let’s agree to start fresh and give the new Halo a chance.  Halo’s powers are light-based – different colors have different effects.  Halo’s colors were the same ones used by every color Lantern corps.  However, Halo predated the emotional spectrum Lantern corps by twenty years.  I’m betting Halo receives her powers in the cartoon due to the Light’s genetic manipulation. The one thing I would like to see carry over from the comic books is the maternal/big sister role Katana has in Halo’s life.

On to the Young Justice newbies:

Spoiler – I’m excited – I love Stephanie.  She had a brief cameo in Season Two.  How and why did she join the team? Is she involved with Tim?  Will this cause friction with Cassie?  I hope not as I would love to see Steph and Cassie bond. Cassie is very exuberant in the cartoon and Steph has the same approach to life – I would love to see the two become close friends.

Arrowette – A surprise choice since we already have Artemis, Roy, and clone Roy in the series.  Glad to see her as she was a prominent member/supporting character in the comic book series.  Will she develop a close friendship with Cassie and Bart?  Those were her two besties in the comics.

Thirteen/Traci 13 – Another surprise choice. Traci can easily step into the void Zatana left when she joined the Justice League.  Will Traci have a romance with Blue Beetle?  They were a cute couple in the pre-New 52 era.

Oracle – Not a true new character but Barbara has clearly been through some changes since season two. Will we see a Killing Joke flashback? Or did Babs become Oracle in a different way?

Static – Like Oracle, Static is a returning character but with an upgrade.  The writers seem to love electricity this season – we have Static, Black Lighting, and Live Wire also makes an appearance in the trailer.

Notable absences:

Miss Martian – I won’t miss M’gann if she’s absent this season.  She started out cute in season one, became creepy with the Conner-molding, and became worse in season two with the unrepentant mind-frying and toying with Lagoon Boy.  So no thank you unless Miss Martian has learned from her mistakes and expresses honest regret over her actions. Feeling bad for mind-frying Kaldur does not count as honest regret.  M’ganns the easiest case for a “hero goes bad” if the show writers wanted to go that route.

Aqualad, Lagoon Boy, Aquaman, etc – Atlantis has had zero representation in either trailer.  Did something happen to Atlantis during the time jump?  Will that be one of the mysteries during the season?

Miscellaneous thoughts on the upcoming season:

We are all but guaranteed a fourth and fifth season of Young Justice.  We know it’s going to be one of the heavyweights of the DC Universe streaming service so I don’t want various plotlines rushed.

Season Three will have 26 episodes.  The majority will focus on the Outsiders and the metahuman trafficking ring alongside a “mission in space”.    That leaves room for some “done in one” episodes or time for the development of various subplots.

The two big questions on fan’s minds: Will we see the return of Wally West or the debut of the Red Hood?

I would bet Wally’s return will be near the end of the season.  The writers will want a “wow” ending for the season finale and that would be it.

As for Red Hood…I feel it’s a strong possibility.  I don’t think the writers would have had Jason’s memorial hologram if they didn’t have any intention of using the Red Hood.

The writers could have Red Hood’s debut be similar to Jason’s appearance in the Teen Titans comics:  Jason attacks Tim, and leaves the “Jason Todd/Red Hood Was Here” message on the walls.  I’m not sure if the writers want to redo the entire “Under The Red Hood” storyline.  At this point, it’s been done in the comic books, an animated movie, and a video game – most fans are familiar with the details by this point.  Jason’s attack on Tim would allow Dick to fill in the rest of the team on the details of Jason’s resurrection.  Dick has been keeping his distance from the team as indicated by his “one last mission” line.  Dick’s distance would easily explain why the rest of the team is unaware of Jason’s return. Tim wouldn’t explain “Gotham business” to his teammates – he’s much more introverted and was way more intent on respecting Batman-imposed boundaries than Dick.

A developing friendship between Arsenal-Roy and Jason is a must.  Not only because of the “Outlaws” comic book but because it’s a natural development between two traumatized boys prone to lashing out.

What I Don’t Want:

A Conner-M’gann relationship – The pairing started cute but is now toxic.  Creepy molding combined with mind manipulation = abuse.

No Damian Wayne, Cassandra Cain, Starfire, Cyborg, or Raven.  At least not this season.  We have multiple new characters debuting this season, new characters who didn’t receive much focus last season, and a possibly debuting Red Hood. The seating capacity is full – no new debuts until season four.

I’ve rambled enough for now – so excited for January!

[gyrlversion]

Getting back to nature… its Kate, Queen of the swingers

The giggling Duchess of Cambridge recaptures her tomboy childhood as she plays on a rope swing slung from a tree – in the garden she’s designed for the Chelsea Flower Show.

The delightful picture was taken by a palace aide last week as Kate took a playful break from putting finishing touches to the garden before the world-famous show opens on Tuesday.

Her plot’s Back To Nature theme is intended to rekindle the magic of childhood, and underlines the work Kate has been doing to promote the benefits of being outdoors for physical and mental health. The mother-of-three wanted her garden to be a playground for children to enjoy, as well as a relaxing space for grown-ups.

She was, according to her co-designers, inspired by forest-bathing, the Japanese practice of walking slowly and thoughtfully in woodland to ‘bathe’ in its peace and beauty and recharge the body’s batteries.

The delightful picture was taken by a palace aide last week as Kate took a playful break from putting finishing touches to the garden

Her garden features a bridge over a burbling brook and a quirky wooden treehouse.

In a touching tribute to Princess Diana, the garden also features bunches of forget-me-nots, her favourite flowers.

And amid the wild foliage and arching trees is a small campfire for toasting snacks and a rustic den thought to be inspired by one she created with her children George, five, Charlotte, four, and Louis, one.

Kate, 37, has spoken fondly of carefree days playing outside as a child and hopes the garden will open a conversation about the effects of nature on mental health and its importance in a child’s formative years.

Speaking ahead of the show’s official opening, she said: ‘In recent years, I have focused much of my work on the early years and how instrumental they are for outcomes later in life.

‘I believe that spending time outdoors when we are young can play a role in laying the foundations for children to become happy, healthy adults.’

Her comments come ahead of this week’s first anniversary of the creation of an expert steering group on early years development to advise her on what can be done to ensure a better start in life for all children in Britain.

Kate’s spot on – forest bathing CAN make you live longer: The Duchess is embracing the new wellness trend for immersing yourself in trees and greenery – and scientists say she’s right 

By Harry Wallop for the Mail on Sunday 

Last week, the Royal Hospital Chelsea looked more like an HS2 construction site than a centre of horticultural excellence as hundreds of landscape architects and gardeners battled to construct their creations in time for this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, which will be officially opened by the Queen tomorrow. 

But amid all the high-vis jackets, steel-capped boots, fork-lift trucks, and cranes there were pockets of peace and oases of calm that were already taking shape.

What caught the eye most, perhaps, was a treehouse, perching above an old stump of chestnut, just off the main avenue of show grounds.

Clad in stag horn oak and nestled in twisted branches of hazel, it looks like a super-sized bird’s nest. It is both impressively sculptural and a place you immediately want to climb into to play hide-and-seek. Under the treehouse a swing, made of a ball of rope, hangs invitingly over undergrowth, thick with ferns and huge leaves of gunnera.

Spirits lifted: Laughing Kate helps Adam White and Andree Davies create their Back To Nature Garden

The dream-like treehouse and swing are the centrepiece of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Back To Nature Garden – co-designed by the Duchess of Cambridge.

Landscape architects Adam White and Andree Davies are the two professional co-designers, and they invited The Mail on Sunday for an exclusive preview ahead of the grand opening.

White says that during the planning stages late last year, the Duchess would bring a scrapbook full of pictures, photographs and ideas to every meeting.

Their shared goal: to highlight the link between nature and health, both mental and physical.

A REMEDY FOR NATURE DEFICIT DISORDER

The Duchess, Davies and White had, quite independently, come across a book, Last Child In The Woods, by Richard Louv.

In it, Louv suggests that some of the most troubling childhood trends, such as the rise in obesity, attention disorders and depression, were linked to not spending enough time outdoors.

He even gives the ‘condition’ a name: nature deficit disorder, which reflects the emerging evidence that the health of youngsters in urban areas is far worse than those who grow up in the countryside.

The Duchess gets down to it with Andree as the garden is planted for the Chelsea show

And so the Duchess, mother to Prince George, five, Princess Charlotte, four, and Prince Louis, one, wanted her garden to be a playground for children to escape into – but also a space for grown-ups. She was, say her collaborators, also inspired by forest bathing, the Japanese practice of walking slowly and thoughtfully in woodland – ‘bathing’ in its peace and beauty to recharge the body’s batteries.

This isn’t just a new name for tree-hugging – although, as I discovered later, hugging trees can be part of it.

In fact, studies show that blood pressure, heart rate, mood and even the immune system can all be improved by spending some quiet time in forested areas.

Indeed, in Japan, where rates of heart disease are among the lowest in the world, forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku, is a vital part of their national health programme.

An earlier picture of The Duchess of Cambridge with Andree Davies (C) and Adam White (L), of Davies White Landscape Architect, discussing plans for her ‘Back To Nature’ garden

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‘The Duchess suggested this,’ says White. ‘The challenge was to create an immersive experience, for visitors to feel like they are in the middle of a woodland, so that everyone gets their own little nature fix.’ And they have certainly achieved it.

As well as the treehouse and swing, there is a stream where children can play Pooh sticks and a large hollow log – sourced from a fallen tree on the Queen’s country estate at Sandringham in Norfolk – which they can crawl into for a moment of calm.

The garden will feature a wide variety of trees, including what Davies describes as ‘incredible edibles’, such as walnuts, apples and pears as well as Scots pine, the only truly native pine in the UK. ‘The dry cones can be used as kindling for fires, which is ideal if you are out exploring nature, building dens and a campfire,’ she adds.

There’s plenty for adults to admire too, not least the richness of planting and the stunning hornbeam trees that give the garden a jungle-like atmosphere. So can something as simple as a walk among the trees really have a direct impact on your health?

Pictured: Previous image of Kate with Andree Davies (C) and Adam White (L), of Davies White Landscape Architect, discussing plans for her ‘Back To Nature’ garden

Davies says: ‘If you are a stressed office worker, and you spend five or ten minutes of your day walking in nature, slowing down, looking at things in detail and feeling that atmosphere of being out in the woodlands – it brings your heart rate down.’

And how about hugging trees? ‘I’m always hugging trees,’ she laughs.

THE RISE OF THE TREE-HUGGER

The practice of forest bathing has, in recent years, made its way West. Wayward teenage pop star Justin Bieber and lover of all things alternative-health Gwyneth Paltrow were early adopters.

And now the Establishment – not just the Duchess – is embracing it.

Both the Forestry Commission and the RSPB conservation charity offer forest bathing sessions on their land, while health retreats and spas offering versions are popping up all over Britain.

I signed up for a session at Armathwaite Hall, a spa hotel on the shores of Bassenthwaite Lake in North Cumbria.

And so I found myself lying on a carpet of snowdrops – and feeling a bit of a wally, to be honest – as my instructor, yoga teacher Rebecca Shepherd, instructed me to ‘take a breath in and whisper the word ‘ham’ ‘. When I shot her a quizzical look, wondering whether the rasping noise I am making is correct, she says: ‘Yes, that’s right. It’s like Darth Vader.’ She explains: ‘The whole thing with forest bathing is that you go into woodland and you shut up.

Outdoor showers and medicinal herbs: Four other healing spaces 

The oasis that fights stress in city-dwellers 

Living in the urban sprawl can be stressful. 

The Green Switch garden, designed by Kazuyuki Ishihara, who has created 13 previous gardens for Chelsea, aims to help city-dwellers escape to an oasis of calm. 

Here people can switch from city chaos to a natural calm, thanks to the open-style Azumaya (garden house). 

The two-storey glass structure has an upper tea room, a lower parking space (with motorbike parked), and a glass shower room for outdoor bathing, surrounded by trees.

A family-friendly space to heal emotions 

The Family Monsters Garden celebrates imperfections in life, showing that from adversity, great things can grow. 

A joint venture between the charity Family Action, which supports families experiencing social isolation, and landscape architect Alistair Bayford, the garden of birch, hazel and black pine trees is a place where families can open up about anxieties. 

Alistair says: ‘The trees illustrate the journey of growth – and how families grow and recover from knock-backs.’

A sensory garden for motor neurone disease 

The ‘High Maintenance Garden’ for sufferers of the degenerative brain disease motor neurone disease serves as an inspirational metaphor. 

It represents the limitations people feel when their mind and senses are still active but their body is in physical decline. 

So while they can enjoy the garden’s sensory elements, the untended garden gradually slips back to nature, overtaken by roses and jasmine and with trees climbing through the roof.

Herb garden that helps ease headaches

The Kampo no Niha garden takes its inspiration from Kampo, a traditional form of Japanese herbal medicine dating back to the 7th Century. 

The plants in the garden grow in the Hokkaido region and are all used in Kampo medicines. 

The buds of the Magnolia Kobus help reduce fever and the roots of the Paeonia lactiflora can relieve headaches.

‘You absorb the colour green, you listen to the birdsong, you smell the natural scents and you take in nature – which is astounding.

‘Rather than staring at our phones or a computer screen, you actually have a look around.’

I spend some time examining the moss on a fallen branch, to see how many different shades of green it contains, its texture, and how it feels beneath my fingers.

Once I stopped thinking about the fact that I was stroking a tree branch, I was indeed overcome with a sense of calm.

The key, I’ve discovered, is not to take yourself too seriously. If you can master that, it really does work.

TREES CAN BOOST IMMUNE HEALTH… AND THE HEART

Research from Nippon Medical School in Tokyo suggests that forest bathing could have a direct effect on the immune system, specifically our natural killer, or NK cells, which protect us from viruses and the formation of tumours.

Patients saw a significant boost to their NK cell activity in the week following a forest visit, with positive effects lasting a month after.

A separate study, by experts at Japan’s Chiba University, measured levels of the stress hormone cortisol, blood pressure and heart rate in volunteers during a day spent in the city, repeating the tests during a 30-minute forest visit.

All health measures improved during the time spent among the trees. But why?

University of Derby psychologist Professor Miles Richardson has studied forest bathing in detail.

He says: ‘Our systems are attuned more to the natural world we evolved in than the bleeps, clicks and lights of modern-day living.’

In short, he says, it comes down to evolution. We have spent only a couple of centuries living in built-up environments surrounded by brick, glass and tarmac, yet spent many millennia among the trees.

Another fascinating theory involves organic compounds called phytoncides. Trees emit them into the air to help protect themselves from parasites and disease. There is evidence that phytoncides really could benefit humans.

Experts at the University of Helsinki revealed that the rapid increase in allergies, asthma and other chronic inflammatory disorders in the past few decades has been caused by the death of plants and loss of animal life. This reduces human exposure to beneficial microbes that are essential for a healthy immune system.

They also found allergies in youngsters were significantly reduced if they lived near greenery.

A GENTLE WAY TO EASE TRAUMA

It is not just physical health that forest bathing can boost but mental health too – and the NHS is increasingly interested in the link between nature and mental health.

Psychiatrist Tim Kendal, the NHS’s National Clinical Director for Mental Health, says: ‘There is a growing body of evidence of the benefit of being in a natural environment, be it a sculptured version of nature or a more wild version.’

After the Chelsea Flower Show, much of the Back To Nature garden will be uprooted and replanted at an NHS Mental Health Trust, where it is hoped patients will enjoy the benefits of the trees.

Andrew Kingston is recovery service manager for Camden & Islington NHS, and his psychiatric hospital was the recipient of last year’s Chelsea garden after the show. Many of his patients are elderly, with conditions including schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder. He says: ‘Tending to the garden gives them a focus. There’s no doubt most people who forest-bathe feel it boosts their health.’

Caro, 69, a retired teacher, once a month joins a forest bathing group in Highgate Woods, North London. Caro told me she started coming to the group after her home was burgled last year and a man stole some of her jewellery.

She says: ‘I was traumatised. But coming to this was just so calming. I just thought, well – these are jewels, these things in nature. That feeling of trauma just ebbed away.’

She describes the sessions as ‘magical’ – a word Prof Richardson uses too, when describing a Japanese study from 2017 which suggests just stroking a bit of wood could lower your blood pressure.

‘It’s science, not magic. But it feels magical, doesn’t it?’

It certainly does. The Duchess of Cambridge’s father-in-law, the Prince of Wales, was once mocked for being a tree-hugger.

But, it turns out, if we all spent a bit more time hugging trees, we would be healthier and happier.

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show runs from May 21 to 25 at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea. Tickets, costing from £75, are still available from rhs.org.uk.

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