#Mergers/Amalgamations

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Should the Vancouver Island cities of Victoria and Saanich amalgamate? It’s a question that will likely be on the ballot for voters during the 2026 municipal election. That’s after a citizens’ assembly formally recommended the merger following eight months of study and dozens of hours of deliberation. “They weighed lots of concerns, lots of different issues – but ultimately, were persuaded that the two communities could be stronger together because amalgamation would allow them to plan for the future,” said Peter MacLeod, chair of the Victoria Saanich Citizens Assembly on Municipal Amalgamation.

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Tagging: @newsfromstolenland

[daily-hyosatsu]

A number name today! The surname 三戸 is read Mito here, but it can also be Sannohe or Sando. It belongs to about 7000 people.

三 means three. It's read み, み.つ, みっ.つ, サン, or ゾウ.

戸 means door. It's also the counter for houses. It's read と or コ.

Also, as a bonus, some geographical facts! 三戸 Sannohe is also a place, one of eight sequentially-named towns and cities up north in Iwate and Aomori! Here they all are on a map!

It goes from 一戸 Ichinohe to 九戸 Kunohe, but if you count the markers, you'll notice there are only eight, not nine. Why? I'd assumed it was 四・死 superstition but apparently there's a historical reason instead!

Centuries ago, there *was* a town called 四戸 Shinohe, but in 1591, it took up arms in a rebellion against Toyotomi Hideyoshi. They were defeated (they had 5,000 soldiers; he sent 60,000), and the territory was then divided up and reallocated to Sannnohe and Hachinohe. Shinohe was no more.

Fast forward to the Great Heisei Mergers ('90s and 00s), and Shinohe did almost make a comeback. Japan's population distribution was in flux, and rural areas particularly were struggling with depopulation and access to facilities and services (still a big problem today—a really big problem, actually). The government started to reorganize smaller communities, having them merge or absorb each other. (They also did this during the Meiji and Shōwa periods.)

In Aomori, the number of municipalities went from 67 to 40, and one of the newly formed towns—an amalgamation of 南部町 Nanbu-chō, 名川町 Nagawa-machi, and 福地村 Fukuchi-mura—did consider adopting the name Shinohe. Ultimately, though, it lost in a vote to 南部町 Nanbu-chō, which is understandable, tbh. Better stick with something people already know than give your struggling community a new name whose pronunciation is indistinguishable from "Death's Door." Actually, maybe the reason Shinohe doesn't exist today has a little to do with superstition after all.

[pricechecktranslations]

were you surprised by the ma plotwist when you read it for the first time? (... i was going to say an especific plotwist but now that i think about it, ma does have a couple plotwist related to herself doesnt she... gallerian/nemesis for one and ma being an amalgam of three people for example, huh)

The amalgam one was actually not really a surprise. It's not that I saw it coming or anything, but "Elluka, Irina, or some fusion of the two" were the main theories for her identity that were swirling around the fandom before Pierrot came out. Eve's contribution to the merger was the more surprising aspect of it (and that her "Theater Arc" body belonged to Kayo originally, although even that was hinted at in the albums).

The Gallerian and Nemesis thing is...complicated. We knew (or should have known) beforehand that Gallerian and Ma had an extramarital "affair" (without any of the disturbing context behind it, that is). That Ma was Gallerian's mother was hinted at so strongly in the promotional material and early chapters of the Greed novel that the only reason people were shocked by it is because they were hoping it wouldn't be the case. The only part of this that was really a twist was that Nemesis was their child (and that she was the "Master of the Hellish Yard" that condemned Gallerian), but that was revealed in the Muzzle of Nemesis PV before it showed up in the books.

[aliceslanguagediaries]

Kanji of the day 15/3/25

❁併

Meaning: join, get together, collective

Kunyomi: あわ

併せる　(あわせる): to match (speed/rhythm) / to join together

音楽に併せて踊った。

Onyomi: へい

合併　(がっぺい): merger, amalgamation, union

東京銀行と三菱銀行が合併した。

併行　(へいこう): going side-by-side, running concurrently

この道路は川と併行している。

併合　(へいごう): annex

その帝国は全ての小国を併合した。

❁侵

Meaning: encroach, invade

Kunyomi: おか

侵す　(おかす): to invade/to infringe/to afflict

自然はあらゆる領域で侵されている。

Onyomi: しん

侵略　(しんりゃく): invasion

侵略から街を守る。

侵攻　(しんこう): invasion

侵害　(しんがい): infringement, invasion (of privacy)

他人の私事を侵害してはならない。

侵入　(しんにゅう): invasion, trespass

泥棒は壊れた窓から侵入した。

不可侵　(ふかしん): inviolability, sacredness

❁仰

Meaning: look up, revere

Kunyomi: あお

仰ぐ　(あおぐ): to look up (to), to revere / to depend on

彼女は彼を師として仰いでいる。

仰向け　(あおむけ): facing upwards

仰向けにねこるんだ。

Onyomi: こう

信仰　(しんこう): religious faith, belief, creed

キリスト教��信仰しています。

❁俗

Meaning: custom, worldliness

Kunyomi: ぞく

俗語　(ぞくご): colloquial language, slang

通俗的　(つうぞくてき): popular, commonplace

民俗　(みんぞく): folk customs

❁佐

Meaning: help, assistant

Onyomi: さ

補佐　(ほさ): aid, help

大佐　(たいさ): colonel

少佐　(しょうさ): major

[doyouknowhowtowaltz]

What would a child of autumn and winter look like? As much as I love cutsy little fawn/kitten sapling looking things the idea of them making an absolute abomination is very funny. A thing (calling it a creature would be generous) that never was supposed to happen that simply appeared due to how close the seasons have come to each other, that’s far more mindless monster then either parent

I've been meaning to put all my thoughts on something like this somewhere, so I'll make a list.

"Ours" By A Technicality: This is an honorable mentions category for children that aren't actually from a union of the Beast and Enoch, but are the progeny of one of the two, generally I'd say produced asexually. Lorna from The Sins of the Father and Fiona from @faerytri's The Story Teller's Tales are good examples. (And everyone should read A Horrid Birth because I have never ever read accidental baby acquisition done so right. It has horror it has humor! But most importantly, it has little Fiona!)

Audrey II Electric Boogalloo: AKA the Weird Terrible Plant that we have joint custody over. I'm not sure you would technically count this as offspring, but I do! I think the most likely outcome is a terrible pumpkin-edel fusion. Mira-eyeteeth's Plunge is my absolute favorite example (I just spent half an hour tracking it down because I would be remiss not to include it). The flowering edelwoods in my Lotus Gardener AU are another, and I'm working on an even better version of the concept right now.

V'GER Fusion: Again, we're really playing with the concept of "offspring", but a true merger of the Beast and Enoch, would be its own entity in and of itself. The Maypole in A Great and Terrible Union is a proto-v'ger style fusion, though there are definitely a lot of fics that flirt with this concept, I don't know if I've ever seen it fully played out. I think a Beast!Enoch (I swear I'm going to write it) or a Mayor!Beast (now there's an idea) would fall in this category.

Neither Sentient Nor Sapient Nor Alive in Any Conventional Sense: A lot of things fall in this category, but Miss Inky once mentioned miniature blackholes and tears in reality. Miniature Blackholes I think are my favorite, little hungry things that can't sustain themselves and evaporate, or maybe even more permanent tiny things that either don't emit, or consume their own hawking radiation and are perfectly stable... until they're fed. To beat a metaphor of a horse to death, I like the idea that instead of sparks flying when they kiss, it's a bunch of primordial blackholes that immediately vanish, maybe they emit flashes of radiation as the go.

Little Abomination: This is I think more in the spirit of what you were asking about, kittens with big ears and budding antlers, or horrible amalgams of fabric and wood and fur that look like strange little puppets of... something vaguely animal like, presumably these are born, but I rather like the idea that they grow on trees or perhaps hatch out of pumpkins like eggs. I think we're definitely in negative heterosis hybrid territory here. And I'm not sure they would be particularly long lived, as similar as the Beast and Enoch are in a lot of ways, they're also actively destructive to each other in others.

[bylerbigbang]

Second Chances and Dances

Fic by @foodiewithdahoodie and art by @fluffyfangirl

Teen | 40k words

In 1988 Will and Mike promise to leave town together, except Will decides to go off on his own, and Mike is left behind. Ten years later in 1998, the two reunite with drastically different lives. Will is known in the art community and has made a name for himself outside of Hawkins while Mike has stayed on Maple Street, becoming a father to a seven month old baby girl named Bea. Both of them have questions, both of them have regrets, and both of them still love each other. But how did Mike get a baby and why did Will leave? They'll fins out and figure it out together because they're a team. And they're always going to be best friends.

gay pining, internalized homophobia, implied drinking, implied smoking, implied sexual content, Original Characters, Will Byers/Original Male Characters, Mike Wheeler/Original Female Characters, Unlabeled Mike, Gay Will Byers, one night stand, unplanned pregnancy, implied sexual content, Will Byers has powers but they’re not the focus as much, fatherhood, homophobia, homophobic slurs, f-slur, undescriptive promiscuity, depression, repression, implied underage sexual content

Read on Ao3 | View Art | View Additional Art

Read an excerpt below:

Will is staring at a blade of grass, watching some kind of bug nibble away at the green hungrily. He's comfortably lying on his belly, arms folded to pillow his head. Beside him is Mike, who rests on his back and gazes up at the clouds suspended in the murky sky. Things are starting to get normal around here. A relief and also a tad uncanny. The duo have grown accustomed to Hawkins being a combat zone, billowing darkness and spores clinging to the air, with gates opened to bridge the gap between the Upside Down and Hawkins into a hazardous merger. Seemed to be the end of times how the Party and their families felt desolate then.

"If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?" Mike's feathery voice is close to Will's right ear.

He must've sat up and rolled to his side just to lean in for a whisper. It's unnecessary to be this intimate, almost touching as Will internally swears at the feel of long raven curls titillating his cheek and temple all plumy. Mike's caging him in, their shadows mixing together to create one amalgamation on the ground.

"Probably somewhere far away from here."

Will casually answers, angling his head to meet Mike's pools of glistening dark brown with his own immersive hazel eyes of intrigue. Their faces are too close. The caps of their noses grazing. They've recanted personal space ages ago.

"C'mon! Be specific, Will. Imagine!"

Mike huffs cutely and Will fights to remain strong, lips tingling, ready to iron onto the boy he's pining for. His thoughts about romance are now whimsical and idealistic. Younger Will would be appalled to know that older Will didn’t believe falling in love is gross and synonymous with cooties anymore.

"I really wouldn't care where, Mike. As long as you're there with me, I'll make do."

He's honest. Will always tries to be honest when it comes to these matters with Mike. Hellish days and agonizing nights were spent with Mike planning a detailed future with Will to give them something to look forward to. Something to keep their wits amongst them as Vecna slowly gnawed at their resolve by spreading fear and chaos in the vicinity.

"Well, duh! That's a given. We can't do that again. I can't dream of moving somewhere and you're not at my side."

"As best friends, right?" Will fails to recognize the disappointed look crossing Mike's face.

"Oh. Uh. Yeah. Sure."

"What's that for? You don't wanna be best friends? Are we demoted to just friends, now?" Will teases, pretending to pout with a suspicious eyebrow raised before breaking into a breezy grin.

Mike is not catching the hint at Will's mischievous attitude. He hastily rejects such a possibility of them ever being less than best friends, a solid hand gripping Will’s shoulder tightly. The pressure is almost painful.

"No! No, no, no! I want to… I just thought…" Mike doesn't finish his sentence, teeth snatching on his bottom lip to harshly chew.

The motion captivates Will, who observes the natural pink lip color redden from Mike's nervous biting.

"Thought? Thought what?" Will inquires, drifting his eyes from Mike’s mouth. He notices Mike leaves a lot unsaid. He's nostalgic for the days when Mike would talk a mile a minute unfiltered.

"Nevermind! It's nothing!"

[aviaposter]

Boeing 777-300ER United Airlines

Registration: N2251U Type: 777-322ER Engines: 2 × GE GE90-115B Serial Number: 66591 First flight: Jan 22, 2020

United Airlines, Inc. is a major airline in the United States headquartered at the Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois. United operates an extensive domestic and international route network across the United States and all six inhabited continents primarily out of its eight hubs, with Chicago–O'Hare having the largest number of daily flights. United was formed by the amalgamation of several airlines, the oldest of these being Varney Air Lines, created in 1926 by Walter Varney who later co-founded the predecessor to Continental Airlines. In 1997, United became one of the five founding airlines of Star Alliance. Since its merger with Continental in 2010, United consistently ranks as one of the world's largest airlines.

Poster for Aviators aviaposter.com

[saiakv]

do they snore, talk and/or move a lot while sleeping?do they dream often?what kind of dreams to they tend to have? For kenny! AND ALSO: Is there a difference between kenjakus dreams now and from a millenia ago?

headcanon prompt : accepting

Kenjaku doesn't need to sleep. But their bodies are subjected to physical confines, as a karmic exchange for the reanimation aspect of their technique. So ‘sleep’ as a process equates to Kenjaku spacing out for a bit and leaving the body to recharge. MORE KENNY & SLEEP HEADCANONS HERE

Their typical sleep position would be attuned to their vessel at the time. Kenjaku's life as Kaori was the time they'd slept the most, as they did follow Jin's routine for the most part, so most of these headcanons are taken from that period in their lifespan.

They would most usually be found sleeping on their side with a leg looped over Jin and dinosaur hands tucked under their chin. Aside from a soft snarling sound when lying prostrated, they'd sleep discreetly, with the occasional shift or content hum when held closely. They slept approximately eight hours every night and would typically still be asleep by the time Jin left for work, waiting to feel his lips press a farewell kiss to her forehead before waking up.

In general, Kenjaku does not enter paradoxical sleep / REM, ergo they don't dream often. It is possible for them, however, and in the instances that it does happen, the overlap between their own hippocampus and the vessel's memories can create strange amalgamations from their many lives, all merging into one huge festival of chaos. They have trained their mind into lucid dreaming, often times relishing in the whimsical nature of those dreams and drawing ideas from them.

At some point in their life, Kenjaku discovered that the space between reality and dreams is also a curse that can be exploited like any other; so their fascination with the topic grew to the point of experimenting with related barriers. The dream barrier is one such example, invented during Kenjaku's time as Kamo. It is a simple talisman made of cloth and written incantations in pig's blood that can be used to trap people in a dream.

Their personal dreams are not characterized by a specific content; however they have observed a pattern of the Merger appearing somewhere in the background of them as a distant aspiration or goal they are moving towards. Kenjaku has been alive for a milenia, so to describe the content of their dreams would not be humanly possible; visually, though, they could be linkened to images flashing on screen at a speed of 0.01 seconds. Theirs are the sort of dreams that would give Gojo Satoru a headache, honestly.

One way in which their dreams have notably changed from the past would be the way they see themself within them. Where the image used to be that of their original self donning ceremonial clothes for some time, it begun to corrode with each one, becoming blurry and, eventually, non-recognizable. Nowadays their image keeps shifting into distortions of their other vessels, blending into each other like threads in a ball of yarn.

If we delve into their original life, one thousand years ago, Kenjaku was still a person that had typical dreams based on their daily experiences, memories and intrusive thoughts — they would not remember any of this anymore. Albeit their technique the mind can only hold so much information and this is something they have long deemed useless to hold. But there was one dream at that time that kept repeating; she would often dream of becoming a mother.

[chaoticgeminate]

I'm not going to disparage anyone from buying online if its affordable to them, but as an Optician in a locally owned business these websites are destroying my field of work. So like, please maybe consider buying at least one pair from your locally owned place every now and again? I am a real person who works in the eyeglass industry, and I'm reminding you that I will be forced out of work in a field I have spent 11 years of my life working in.

When you buy online you go where to get them fitted? An eye doctor or a local optician, the very people that these websites are putting out of business. AKA me. So please consider buying local if you can afford to do so.

The problem with the eyeglass industry stems from an amalgamation of factors, but the second big problem is Essilor. Essilor was originally a lens manufacturer, if you have heard of Varilux or Eyezen or Crizal they're the ones who make those lenses and coatings.

Essilor merged with Luxottica , who is a frame manufacturer from Italy that owns most designer brands back in 2018. Brands like Ray-Ban, Coach, Armani, Oakley, etc. Which doesn't seem that bad until you look at what else they own.

EssilorLuxottica owns a lab called Nassau, which is one of the biggest supplier for stock (generic) lenses in the USA, and they also own Lenscrafters, the company that has eyeglass stores all over the USA. Luxottica purchased lenscrafters back in 1995 and Essilor got a hold of them through the merger.

So, you walk into any Lenscrafters and order a pair of glasses from any Lucottica owned brand and you're just handing them free money at that point.

But wait it gets worse.

They own Eyemed/Aetna.

A vision insurance.

EssilorLucottica manufactures lenses and frames, owns a retail chain, AND a whole vision insurance company. Do you see why it's such an issue now? They've created a model that other optical giants are trying to emulate, because walking into a Lenscrafters with Eyemed insurance is basically just a free sale for them.

And that isn't even the biggest issue in the vision industry.

It's vision insurance.

As stated above, one major insurance company is owned by a lens manufacturer , so that's really shitty. But, like all insurance companies, they don't want to pay out money for claims. When you file an Eyemed claim, you have to choose a lab, and it has to be an Essilor partner where this lab is basically owned by or pays boatloads of money to Essilor.

VSP is the same way. Doctors and labs have to be VSP partners to be allowed to accept the insurance, but the lenses have to come from a VSP authorized lab. So, most 'independent' labs are Essilor and VSP partners in order to stay in business.

But again, they don't want to pay the claims.

If I file an Eyemed claim, even using an Eyemed lab, there is a 70/30 chance it will be a negative amount and we have to pay THEM money for the 'privilege' of just taking the patient's order. And that's ordering the lenses uncut where we cut the blanks in our edging machine to fit them to the frame.

So someone comes in, spends however long choosing a frame (maybe with an optician's help) and pays anywhere from 0‐300 on their glasses out of pocket. We submit the order, usually pay them. So rent, electric, payroll... yea do you see what I'm getting at? That's why the price without insurance is so high, because we have to charge something so we can keep the staff employed and the lights on.

Optical is more in depth than just putting a pair of glasses on your face or contacts on your eye, there are eye diseases that need to be monitored and conditions that require specialized knowledge. Most young eyeglasses wearers are fine with just slapping on a pair of glasses, and honestly, I'm happy for you.

Truly, seeing should not be so expensive.

But please remember that everyone else is going to break before Essilor/Luxottica does.

where are those startups that are disrupting the glasses industry

[fitzrovianews]

Mergers of five Westminster schools to be completed by start of autumn term

St Mary of the Angels Catholic Primary School, Shrewsbury Road, Bayswater. Photo: LDRS. Two amalgamations involving five schools in the City of Westminster are to be implemented with preparations underway to ensure they are in place by the start of the autumn term this September. Barrow Hill Junior School, Robinsfield Infant School and George Eliot Primary School in St John’s Wood and…

[philippmichelreichold]

Digitization of the human personality

(June 13, 2024)

Digitization of the human personality what Frederick Pohl called vastening in the Heechee Saga, is a plot device in three stories in Godlike Machines. It provides a plot twist in Baxter’s Return to Titan and Doctorow’s Life/Tomorrow and is common practice in the Amalgam universe of Egan’s Hot Rock.

I’m not sure what the big attraction is—self- preservation? If I take a picture of you and spread it around for all to marvel over as a close likeness, it still isn’t you. It’s just a picture. If I record your voice and upload to Youtube, it may sound just like you, but it isn’t. Do we say that Edith Pilaf lives on on Youtube singing Je ne regrette rien? Non. We may say it, but it is not literally true. The same is true if I digitize your personality and memory and upload them or download them into a clone or a robot. Or if you do the same to me. No matter how strong the resemblance, if my body is dead, it’s dead. You can clone my body and re-instill my essence. But it will not be me.

To return to the Heechee Saga, the main character, Robinette Broadhead, dies and his personality uploaded to Gigabyte Space. To keep him company, his lovely wife Essie is copied there too. So the reader has Meat Essie going on with her life and Virtual Essie keeping Robin company. There’s even a virtual Albert Einstein. Robin makes it all sound quite wonderful. He can think faster than ever and more deeply than ever and subjectively is living much longer because his micro processors process faster than human synapses. And he can virtually experience anything. Robin sends a copy of himself to try to talk things over with the Foe. Its all good though, because as a result of the encounter, the Foe is persuaded to not destroy all life in the galaxy because they see Robin as evidence that humanity and the Heechee are moving toward digitization and pose no threat to their plans to reboot the universe.

Doctorow has used personality digitization in previous works. In Tomorrow/Now he has it lurking in the background till the end. Jimmy’s prospects in the virtuality are murkier than Robin’s in Heechee, but at least he gets the girl. Sort of. As Jimmy puts it, “I tried to argue, but I couldn’t. Whether that was because there was a bug in me or because he was right, I couldn’t say. “ 265

Baxter puts the concept to fuller use in Titan. Poole and associates interview a “virtual backup” of Emry when they recruit him for their caper. Easier to deal with than the flesh and blood version. Emry likes the idea of “backups” not at all. He muses to himself, “And besides, the backup copy could never be you, the one who died; only a copy could live on.” “backup” Emry threatens violence when he realizes he is doomed after the conclusion of the interview. The best he can hope for is merger with the real Emry. Virtual General Cassata in Annals of the Heechee has a similar thought. He stays aboard Robin’s ship, the True Love, to postpone his liquidation. If he returned to JAWS, well, they couldn’t have a bunch of virtual generals hanging around. What would it do to the chain of command? Backup Emry in Return to Titan only gives in when Poole makes it clear that they’ll kill the real Emry if he does not. So he goes with them to Titan, with it understood that backup copies have been made for all just in case. The interesting plot twist of the story is the idea of the backup copy dying to save the real living, breathing person.

Spoiler alert--

In Egan’s Hot Rock, personal digitization is commonplace among members of the Amalgam, the galactic arm civilization that forms the political backdrop for the story. The two explorers, Azar from Hanuz, and Shelma from Bahar travel to Tallulah as digital packets in high energy gamma ray bursts. The benefit of traveling virtually lies in the lower cost of sending information instead of bodies that require supplies. The machine Azar resided in was, “ smaller than a grain of sand.”

Their home planets had sent ships three years earlier that combined to form the Mologhat Station to receive and support them. The station had on arrival sent insect sized robot probes with nano tech to the surface to perform the advance work, and the two explorers load their consciousnesses into one of these with room left over for part of their station library. They experience separate subjective milieus, but share information feeds, which can be fine tuned and provide information beyond the range of their natural senses. They gather large amounts of information about the rich and varied life on the planet, but learn nothing that explains why the planet is warm enough for liquid water and plant life. As Shelma puts it, “A billion years in deep space, and not an iceberg in sight.”

On an emotional level, they take backups for granted., without any qualms over merging consciousness. Perhaps because they leave their backups dormant until needed. There is no mention of whether they , like Vasli in Michael Swanwick’s Stations of the Tide, experience grief in learning of the death of their original selves. Vasli had been copied and the copy transmitted to Prospero System. Prospero Sysem Vasli is bereft when he learns of the death of his original self back in Deneb System. Azar does regret the disconnection from her life due to the time lag. 1500 years out. 1500 years back. Similarly, Vasli grieves also for the loss of his home world. He could send back a copy, but it would not be him. Prospero System Vasli would still be there. In the Amalgam, as with Neal Asher’s Polity universe, backups are commonplace and just make sense. They've left backups at home and make more after it becomes more urgent to locate any sentient inhabitants lurking under the water.

After making contact, they learn from natives how to harness the power that warms the planet to return home. They also learn that the energy source leaves a residual that supports digitized life, and that there is room for billions of civilizations. Shelma opts to continue exploring this possibility while Azar prepares to return home with a digitized delegation to the Amalgam. Personal digitization seems like a wonderful idea. Certainly it makes a story more interesting. It ensures personal survival (or the illusion thereof) should the original make an untimely demise, or the copy can go out and die for you. The only question is, as Thomas Wolfe puts it, is whether or not you can ever go home again.

[scottofferman]

Crossover Chaos: When Marvel and DC Heroes Collide

Crossover Chaos: When Marvel and DC Heroes Collide

The worlds of Marvel and DC Comics are two of the most iconic and expansive universes in pop culture, each filled with legendary superheroes, complex villains, and fantastical settings. While they exist in separate realities, these universes have occasionally collided, creating what fans call “crossover events.” These rare occurrences are like comic book dreams come true, where iconic characters from Marvel and DC come together to battle threats, team up, or simply interact in ways that were previously unimaginable.

The concept of crossovers has been a popular idea for years, particularly within the comic book industry, where various series often share characters, storylines, or universes. However, the merger of Marvel and DC heroes in the same storyline has always been seen as a monumental achievement in superhero storytelling. This blog will explore the history, impact, and excitement that crossover events bring to fans, as well as the cultural significance of Marvel and DC heroes colliding in the comic book world and beyond.

The First Meeting: Marvel and DC’s Initial Crossovers

Marvel and DC first crossed paths in the comics during the early 1970s, with one of the most significant moments being the Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man comic published in 1976. The meeting of these two iconic heroes was a huge milestone, sparking the imagination of fans and setting the stage for many more crossovers to come. This was a time when both companies were reaching new heights of success, and the idea of their heroes sharing a page was a dream that seemed almost too good to be true.

This early crossover was followed by several others, notably The Marvel/DC Team-Up comics in the late 1980s, which included matchups between the likes of Batman and the Hulk, as well as Spider-Man and Superman. These comic book events were thrilling for fans because they broke the traditional boundaries of each universe. They allowed readers to witness the unique personalities and abilities of their favorite superheroes interacting in unpredictable ways.

The first official crossover event between Marvel and DC occurred in 1996 with DC vs. Marvel, a limited four-issue series that pitted the heroes of one universe against the other. This event introduced the concept of “amalgamated” heroes, where characters from both Marvel and DC were fused together to create entirely new beings, like Dark Claw (a combination of Wolverine and Batman) and Super-Soldier (a fusion of Captain America and Superman). While the fight between the two universes was the centerpiece, the true excitement lay in the bizarre pairings and creative storytelling that came from combining characters who, until then, had existed separately.

Crossovers in the Modern Era: Expanding Beyond the Pages

As the years have passed, crossover events between Marvel and DC have become more than just comic book curiosities—they’ve become mainstream cultural phenomena. The modern era of crossovers is not only about print comics but has expanded to include animated series, video games, and, most significantly, film.

In the world of film, crossovers are rarer but are gradually becoming more prominent. While Marvel has built a cinematic universe that began with Iron Man in 2008 and has since exploded into a multi-billion-dollar franchise with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), DC has focused on its own shared universe, which began with Man of Steel in 2013. While each cinematic universe has found success in its own right, the thought of Marvel and DC heroes sharing the same screen remains an exhilarating possibility for fans.

One of the biggest crossover events in modern comic book history came in 2018 with Avengers: Infinity War. This movie, while not a Marvel/DC crossover, showcased the full extent of what superhero team-ups could achieve. With dozens of characters from across the MCU fighting together against a common foe, it set the stage for audiences to consider what a true Marvel/DC crossover could look like. Fans have speculated for years about the possibility of seeing the likes of Iron Man and Batman, or Spider-Man and The Flash, sharing the screen.

On the animated side, Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009) and Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (2010) have brought together heroes from both DC and alternate universes. These animated films continue to capture the imagination of fans by presenting an exciting glimpse into what could happen if Marvel and DC’s finest came together. As the boundaries between mediums continue to blur, the idea of an animated Marvel/DC crossover feels increasingly likely.

The Impact of Crossover Events on Fans and Storytelling

Crossover events between Marvel and DC create a unique opportunity for fans to see their favorite characters in unexpected scenarios. These moments fuel fan theories, spark debates, and fuel the fandom for years to come. Fans don’t just want to see their favorite heroes battle together—they also want to see how these characters would interact on a personal level. What would happen if Iron Man and Batman faced off in a battle of wits? Could Captain America and Superman find common ground, or would their differing ideologies lead to conflict?

Beyond the “who would win in a fight” discussions, crossovers allow for some truly unique character development. These events provide an opportunity for superheroes to challenge each other’s beliefs, explore their vulnerabilities, and ultimately grow. The team-up between Batman and Captain America in the Batman/Captain America one-shot comic is an excellent example of this. While the two have similar moral compasses, their vastly different approaches to justice lead to a fascinating dynamic. Batman’s darkness and tactical genius provide a stark contrast to Captain America’s unwavering idealism, making their collaboration an enriching narrative.

Crossover events also help keep comic book fans engaged by offering new and exciting content. By bringing together characters from different universes, writers have the freedom to craft fresh stories that wouldn’t be possible in their own isolated settings. This creativity drives the comic book industry forward and offers fans an ever-expanding universe to enjoy.

The Future of Marvel and DC Crossovers: Will They Happen?

While the idea of a live-action Marvel/DC crossover seems to be an exciting possibility for fans, it remains highly unlikely in the near future. With Marvel’s dominance in the box office and DC’s attempts to establish its own cinematic identity with films like Justice League and Wonder Woman, a crossover event would require significant cooperation and planning between the two rival studios.

That said, there is hope on the horizon. Both companies have shown interest in crossover projects, whether in animated forms, comics, or video games. In 2021, the release of Injustice—a video game featuring characters from DC and the Mortal Kombat universe—demonstrated how crossovers can work within the digital realm. Additionally, comic book fans continue to dream of seeing their favorite superheroes collide in the same cinematic universe, with the possibility that one day studios might work together to bring a crossover event to the big screen.

Conclusion: Crossover Chaos as a Celebration of Superhero Culture

Marvel and DC crossovers represent more than just a merging of two universes—they symbolize the celebration of superhero culture as a whole. These events bring together the greatest heroes of all time, allowing fans to witness battles, alliances, and storylines that blur the line between good and evil. Whether in comics, animation, or film, crossover chaos captures the imagination of fans by providing an ever-expanding universe of possibilities.

While the possibility of a live-action Marvel/DC crossover remains uncertain, the legacy of these events will live on as a testament to the power of superhero storytelling. Whether it’s through comic books, animated series, or the collective imagination of fans, Marvel and DC heroes will continue to collide in exciting ways, ensuring that the world of superhero crossovers remains as thrilling and chaotic as ever.

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[ad_1] awkward-teabag:allthecanadianpolitics:Should Victoria and Saanich amalgamate? Citizens’ assembly says ‘yes’ - BC | Globalnews.ca A citizens' assembly has recommended that the cities of Victoria and Saanich amalgamate, but it will ultimately be up to the voters to decid Global News Should the Vancouver Island cities of Victoria and Saanich amalgamate?It’s a question that will likely be on the ballot for voters during the 2026 municipal election. That’s after a citizens’ assembly formally recommended the merger following eight months of study and dozens of hours of deliberation.“They weighed lots of concerns, lots of different issues – but ultimately, were persuaded that the two communities could be stronger together because amalgamation would allow them to plan for the future,” said Peter MacLeod, chair of the Victoria Saanich Citizens Assembly on Municipal Amalgamation.Continue readingTagging: @newsfromstolenland Absolutely, the whole CRD needs to amalgamate. What people think of as Victoria is usually the CRD which, as the article points out, is actually 13 municipalities.That’s 13 local governments with varying needs and budgets and a lot of talking past each other, quibbling over who should do/pay for what, not coordinating construction projects, and so on. Which doesn’t even get into the times the federal and/or provincial government is also involved or First Nations.Very little gets done and there are so many duplicate services and other municipalities end up footing the bill to subsidize, say, Victoria as so many people travel through multiple other municipalities and live in Langford or Colwood because that’s how you can afford more than a shoebox former Airbnb to live in.There’s also issues like how some municipalities don’t have some services/are exempt from accessing them, there are different fire and police services, each one has different agreements, there are different bylaws… it can be confusing as hell.Though I don’t expect Victoria or Saanich to pass this, not when this has been a sticking point for decades and it’s essentially people voting themselves out of a job. It will likely take the provincial government to step in and force it like other provinces have had to do. chai-and-wislawa reblogged this from allthecanadianpolitics chai-and-wislawa liked this

[aviaposter]

Boeing 767-300 United Airlines

Registration: N676UA Type: 767-322ER Engines: 2 × PW PW4056 Serial Number: 30028 First flight: Apr 11, 2001

United Airlines, is a major American airline headquartered at the Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois. United operates a large domestic and international route network spanning cities large and small across the United States and all six inhabited continents. United has eight hubs, with Chicago–O'Hare being its largest in terms of passengers carried and the number of departures. It is a founding member of the Star Alliance. The United brand name was established by the amalgamation of several airlines in the late 1920s, the oldest of these being Varney Air Lines, which was founded in 1926. Measured by fleet size and the number of routes, it became the third-largest airline in the world after its merger with Continental Airlines in 2010.

Poster for Aviators. aviaposter.com