#Apokoliptian

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

"THEY BELIEVE! THEY JUDGE! THEY KILL! BEWARE OF THE JUSTIFIERS!"

PIC(S) INFO: Spotlight on cover art to "[The] Forever People" Vol. 1 #3 (plus an introductory splash page of Glorious Godfrey). July, 1971. DC Comics. Artwork by Jack "King" Kirby & Mike Royer.

"The one who seeks believers must be a believer himself! And such a striking and vigorous dynamo of belief is Glorious Godfrey! In a troubled, fearful world he faces his audience with truth and fire! -- which is magnified by an awe-inspiring setting!"

-- "THE FOREVER PEOPLE" Vol. 1 #3 (1971)

LIFE VS. ANTI-LIFE!:

Story/script/artwork: Jack "King" Kirby✝

Inks: Vince Colletta✝

Letters: John Costanza✝

Editor: Jack Kirby

Source: www.hipcomic.com/listing/forever-people-3-4-1971-80-vf-jack-kirbys-fourth-world-hippies/12720050.

[glow-worms-are-believers]

Savage by blood (dp x dc)

As Maddie stared at the letter in her right hand, she brought a slightly unsteady left hand to her mouth and pressed hard. The words were blurring even as she stared at the paper, as if Maddie could extract more information than what was on the page.

“Mom?” 

Maddie turned her head to find herself face to face with her son. Hurriedly she wiped at her eyes

“Mom, are you okay?” Her sweet boy asked again as he hurried closer.

Maddie took a fortifying breath and forced a smile she did not feel. “All good baby, just got some surprising news.”

“Mom you were crying.” Danny was still standing around gingerly, as if cautious not to upset her more.

Maddie opened her arms and her boy slotted in them for a hug. She sighed into his hair, even as she savored the embrace that was becoming rarer and rarer since he’d turned fourteen and decided he was too old for such thing. She sniffed again and did her best to blink away the moisture in her eyes. She heard the floorboard creak and when she looked up, she saw her eldest standing there, her eyes going from Danny to her. 

“You’ve been crying,” her daughter stated, her eyes watchful, and worried.

“Sweetheart-“ Maddie started but her smart girl interrupted the comforting words she was preparing.

“I’m getting dad,” Jazz said and left before Maddie could say anything.

Danny looked up, his big blue eyes just like his father’s. “What happened?”

“I’m ok, honey, it’s-“ nothing she wanted to say but stopped herself, well-aware that now that the whole family was getting in on this there would be no deflecting. Not that she would’ve tried to hide it from her family anyways. “It’s nothing bad, baby, it really only took me by surprise.”

Danny’s eyes narrowed but before he could say anything, her fool of a husband burst into the room. 

“I’ve brought tissues, my love!” He announced in a subdued version of his normal boisterous speech. “And the Fenton water-bottle to keep you hydrated!”

“Thank you, honey,” Maddie said as an irrepressible smile took over her face. Her husband had a way of making everything seem better to her just by walking in a room.

“Anything for you, Maddie,” he said as he stepped towards her and sat down next to her, with a soft kiss to her temple. He gestured to their daughter who had been standing in the doorway to come join their little dogpile and there was further readjusting as everyone wiggled into the most comfortable position.

Once they all fell still, Danny one again looked to her with narrowed eyes. “Now, what happened?”

Maddie sighed as she distractedly started to stroke her daughter’s hair. “Let me just say that this is an overreaction, I’m perfectly fine.”

“Mom,” said daughter intoned as her father gently intertwined their fingers and Maddie resigned herself.

“You remember how I’ve told you I’m adopted?” Maddie started, and she felt her son nod against her. “I received a letter.” Maddie took a deep breath. “It was from my birth mother.”

She could feel her husband gently pressing her hand.

“How did she get your contact?” Her son asked.

She pressed back before answering. “I don’t know. My file from before I was three years-old and entered the legal system is very spotty, so I would have had no way to even begin to look into my records of where I came from. I don’t think the records were sealed, for exactly that reason.”

“Ok,” Jazz started. “What did she want?”

“She-“ Maddie stuttered at that before pushing past it, “she wants to meet. Me. Or well I guess, us.”

“Us,” Jack said.

“The whole family,” Maddie confirmed. “And she wants to introduce me to her wives, if I’m ok with that.”

There was a pause as Jazz and Danny locked eyes. “Does that mean we could potentially get at least three grandmas out of this?”

Maddie couldn’t help a snort. “We’ll have to see how it goes, but yes it does.”

Danny pumped his fist in victory. “Three times the Chrismas presents!”

“Now, now, son,” Jack chided. “Let’s not think of extorting your grandmothers before we’ve even met them.”

“Yeah,” Jazz added. “Especially since I’m going to be the favorite.”

“No you won’t!” Danny jumped up to glare at her sister, who drew herself up.

“Yes I will, I’m already Aunt Alicia’s favorite!”

“Exactly, so it’s my turn!”

Jack put his hand on their interlaced hands and Maddie turned towards him.

“What’s her name?” He asked as softly as he did when he was trying to be subtle and unobtrusive.

“My biological mother’s name is Kay,” Maddie started, “and her wives names’ are Liana and Scandal Savage.”

“You bet your ass I’m going to be the favorite grandchild!” Her son exclaimed loudly.

“Danny!” Maddie reprimanded. “Language!”

“Sorry, mom,” her son muttered as he looked down.

Jazz sent him a smirk which had him sticking his tongue out in retaliation and her daughter turned towards Jack with big eyes.

“Da-ad, he’s sticking his tongue at me!”

Jack turned back towards the kids, to manage the fight that had started while Maddie grabbed the letter again, letting her eyes scan the contents again.

She would have to write back immediately.

[catpriciousmarjara]

Dp x Dc fic idea

Part 2

So I've been re-watching Yu Yu Hakusho lately and was struck with an idea. What if there was a tradition in the Infinite Realms that the Ghost King would conduct a multiverse level fighting tournament? It probably started as control measure of some sort or stress relief for extremely powerful beings and the Ghost King is the only one who's true neutral enough to judge and powerful enough to kick their asses if they misbehave.

And the final prize is that the Ghost King would grant you a wish? As well as one time access to Zeroth Hour? And that's a reward no one can resist.

I'm imagining a scenario where Darksied or something was gearing up to once again invade Earth, and the JL and affiliated all prepared to defend the planet but before the attack could be launched, a green blob appeared right in front of Darkseid and somehow it actually makes the tyrant flinch. That made everyone pay attention. And then the blob announces the beginning of the tournament and Darkseid promptly packs up and leaves, leaving the heroes dumbfounded.

So something like this:

The air was rife with tension. All eyes were on Metropolis, at the gaping maw of the portal opening right above the city. The forces of Apokolips were once again invading. Darkseid had declared war.

Earth's heroes stood grim, ready to give their lives in defence of the planet. Their gazes were fixed on Darkseid, standing in front of his army, surveying his opponents. His general stood behind him, primed for combat.

Abruptly the pressure doubled, and the heroes tensed, readying for battle.

Darkseid raised his left hand, to light the spark of war. But before he could bring it down, the space between the two factions, right there in the middle, twisted.

And from the distortion, a titanic, green, humanoid...blob appeared.

The heroes stared. The New Gods stared. The creature did not stare, as it had no eyes, nor did it care.

It then spoke, with a solid, booming voice completely incongruous with its make.

"Uxas of Apokolips!"

The heroes watched in bafflement as their greatest foe jolted.

"The Infinite Realms hereby declares the beginning of the Grand Tourney. You are cordially invited to participate on behalf of Apokolips."

Among the Earth forces, one John Constantine felt dread overcome his body as he realized what exactly was happening. Shit, was it that time of the millennium already?

Captain Marvel seemed to be on the same vein of thought as the Wisdom of Solomon as well as the knowledge of his predecessors filled him in on what was going on.

The Dark members in the know had similar reactions. All across the planet, and in the dimension, magical entities who had tuned into watch the fatal confrontation, felt excitement racing through them as they realized what this meant. Other beings? Not so much.

Batman was cataloguing these strange turn of events carefully. Superman was puzzled but still held himself ready. Green Lantern was trying to figure out why exactly his ring was behaving strangely and giving out sparks. Martian Manhunter was analyzing the curious psionic readings he was getting from the creature.

Wonder Woman and Aquaman however had the dawning expression of recognition on their faces, which did not go unnoticed by their Gothamite colleague.

Surprisingly the Flash was looking at the creature as if it wasn't the first time he saw it. That too was noted by the Dark Knight.

On the Apokolips side however, there were no signs of puzzlement. Instead it looked like excitement was spreading like wildfire through the army, and even Darkseid looked eager.

The creature took note of none of these developments and continued.

"The first event is the Great Hunt. As an invited participant, a hint would be provided to you should you accept".

It bent its great, gelatinous head towards the Apokoliptian ruler.

"Do you accept, Uxas of Apokolips?"

In response, Darkseid stepped forward. "I accept."

And in a flash, before the New God appeared a pitch black card, and the creature announced, "Uxas, Ruler of Apokolips, Participant Number R813."

It straightened to its full height. "Your first hint is on Apokolips, young ruler."

And the next second it was gone, with the same exact warping of space it had come from.

The two factions were left alone, sans eldritch green goop.

Most of the heroes had one thought: What the fuck just happened and did the green goop thing call Darkseid young?"

Darkseid did not waste anytime however. He turned to his army and ordered, "Retreat!"

And just like that the great army filtered back through the portal they had come from, and the mortals heroes of Earth watched, perplexed. They still held themselves at the ready, in case this was all a ploy of some sort, and half of them believed it was. After all, what could make an obsessive tyrant like Darkseid turn back?

A good portion of the heroes were trying to figure out what the Grand Tourney the creature had mentioned was.

And those in the know? Well they knew chaos was incoming.

The portal closed and just like that, Earth lived to see another day. Via interruption by magical goop.

..............................................................................................................................

And there you have it! Personally I think a scenario like this is hilarious. Imagine you're on the battlefield, facing a gargantuan, godly army, readying yourself for a battle that could kill you. And then the battle was cancelled cause your opponent had somewhere urgent to be.

I don't have a clear cut idea on what Zeroth Hour is beyond it being a great timey-wimey, wibbly-wobbly thing, so any ideas are welcome.

The Tourney only happens once every 100,000 years, and it takes place across the omniverse, on different terrains, different timelines, different dimensions and so on. The card that Darkseid got acts as an access key to tournament sites he doesn't normally have access to. The card also monitors participants and is programmed to hell and back to not allow the participants to misuse it. There are dire consequences if you do.

There are 14 stages in total, and the final, combat stage is conducted in a ever evolving, ever changing battle ground on the edges of the Ghost Zone.

Faerie here is not the Fair Lands in DC, and does not follow the dc fictional mythology.

Infinite Beings do not take part in the Tourney.

The last victor was a half dragon, half god prince from Dimension 976123065. He asked for the opportunity to court Princess Dorothea. It was a reality show moment for the Ghost Zone.

Also some extra details:

The JL would of course come to know what the Grand Tourney is, and then realize that if Darkseid won, he would get the anti-life equation that way. And before they could panic their mind would be blown by the fact that apparently, Darkseid is not likely to win at all, cos there are bigger players in the game.

Constantine would be forced to admit that even if you don't get an invitation, you can still participate if you register. Though you won't get the opening hint or any other boosts until Stage 5. He can't understand why anyone would want to considering that those who do get invitations are on the level of Darkseid and higher.

Batman would insist they check it out.

Constantine would say that he has no idea where the registration office is.

Captain Marvel would chime in that the office was most likely in the Faerie.

Constantine would then insist that they have no business messing around in the Faerie. JL Dark would nod vehemently in agreement.

Batman insists they at least watch the tournament. Constantine gets conned into organizing a watch party.

PART 2

[killxz]

Lost and Found

Pairing: Young Justice!Jason Todd x Fem!Reader

a/n: i've loved young justice since I was like 8 and i recently rewatched it again and i was disappointed that they didn't let dick or tim realise that jason was right there. so if i can't have it, imma make it. also, i've been writing on the web version of tumblr and i always make the text on my post small and i just realised that the small font on the app is miniscule 🤏🏻. so sorry to anyone who i may have given myopia to. TUMBLR STOP EATING MY DRAFTS! also don't forget to like or comment in your enjoyed! this takes place in season 3 episode 6 'Rescue Op'.

Conner broke down the door.

"This is why you don't go in unprepared." Dick mutters as you and the others rush into the prison cell. "Now, hold still." Brion and Forager grunts as Dick pulled out the control devices on the back of their necks.

"There you go, girl." Conner pats Sphere after he tore down the chains holding her in place. "You gotta figure the Shadows are on their way," You peered out of the door down the hall.

"Then let's go!" Dick orders, urging everyone out of the cell and down the dark hallway. You and the others ran down the winding paths in the dark, relying on Oracle's directions to escape the base. When Conner kicks down the final door, you see the so-called 'Sensei' some bald guy with Apokoliptian tech and a red-hooded ninja.

The group glared tensely at the trio, preparing for battle. Dick, ever the meditator, steps forward. "We just wanna leave," he says, hands up in a placating manner.

"Your trespass must be punished," Sensei declares, waving his glowing blue sword menacingly. You almost laughed. "Wrong answer." Conner growls as everyone kept into action. You faced off with the red-hooded ninja, blocking his katana slashes with your own. Somehow, this felt...familiar? It was like you fought with this person before. It almost felt like...

It's impossible, you told yourself firmly. He was dead. You just hadn't gotten over it yet. You got your head back in the game and started lashing out at the ninja with your own moves. With a clever strike, the ninja's katana clatter to the ground a few feet away. "Ha!" You exclaimed triumphantly. A bit too soon, perhaps. The ninja lunged towards you striking your blade out of your hand. You winced. "I guess we're doing this the old school way, then," you got into a defensive position. The ninja jumps towards you, aiming a punch which you blocked with your forearm, ignoring the sting that ran down your arm.

He then did something that made your blood run cold. He did a roundhouse kick , followed by a punch. Your mind was whirling. Bruce thought us that move...

Taking advantage of your distraction, he lunges towards you pinning you onto the ground under him. You yelp as your back hit the hard ground. Instinctively, you wrap your leg around his waist and rolled over, causing you to be onto of him. The ninja's hood and fallen off in your little tussle, showing a familiar head of messy black hair. You eyes widened.

It can't be... He's dead. Jason's dead.

"Jason?" You wavering voice whispered. The ninja flinched, his movements coming to an abrupt stop. With shaky hands, you reached for the mask covering his eyes, lifting it slowly. Beneath it, you see sickeningly familiar teal eyes. "Jason? B-but how? You're dead..."

"Enough." Ra's Al Ghul's voice echoed in the garden, causing all the fights happening to stop. Jason snatched the mask from your hand and put it back on, hooking his legs around yours and flipped you over, causing you to crash against the ground. Jason got off you and went to stand by his apparent master's side, leaving you shell-shocked on the ground, trying to process what had just happened. Dick rushed to your side. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" He asked worriedly.

You could only shake your head wordlessly, your mind still too shocked to come up with coherent words.

"Well, young man, are you proud of this little debacle?" Ra's Al Ghul smirked. "I believe the detective will be quite disappointed." He glanced at Dick. Dick growled in response. "I assume you came to recover these children?" Ra's continued. "Take them and go."

"Not without my sister, Tara Markov!" Brion bellows. You smack a hand to your head. Seriously, this man has more anger issues than Conner when you, Dick, Wally and Kaldur first rescued him from Cadmus. "We know the League of Shadows has her!" He continues.

You zoned out for the rest of the conversation, your eyes locking onto somehow-resurrected Jason's form. As if he could feel your gaze on him, his head turned to your direction before turning away again.

As Ra's Al Ghul and the others engaged in a tense discussion about Tara Markov, your mind couldn't escape the overwhelming shock of seeing Jason once again. He was supposed to be dead, lost to the relentless grip of the Joker, and yet here he stood, seemingly loyal to the League of Shadows. The flood of emotions and memories rushed over you like a tidal wave.

Flashbacks of your time with Jason during his Robin days, his cheeky smile, his reckless enthusiasm, the secret, sweet moments you both shared, and the unwavering loyalty he showed to his comrades filled your mind. The pain of losing him all over again was too much to bear.

As the conversation with Ra's Al Ghul continued, you couldn't help but feel a growing sense of hopelessness. You had come to rescue Brion and the others, but now your heart ached for something else entirely. The prospect of reconciling with Jason, the possibility of bringing him back to your side again, seemed like an unattainable dream.

"Get out." the annoyed voice of Ra's snapped you out of your thoughts. As the others group together to get their bearings before they leave, you made your way to Jason, tugging on his arm to face you. "Jason..." Your voice was quiet, broken.

"Ah, it seems like you have found out who he is," Ra's chuckled. Anger rose within you as you whipped towards him. "What did you do to Jason?!"

He chuckled again, unbothered by your outburst. "Nothing, in fact, I have done you and your little Bat family a favor."

"By brainwashing him?!"

"He's not brainwashed, he's just...learning right from the beginning." Ra's shrugged.

You scoffed. "And that's supposed to be better?!" You stepped forward angrily, ready to bash in his skull. Jason grabbed your arm and shook his head silently. He tugged you away from the crowd and came to a stop behind the trees out of everyone's sight.

He took off his eye and face mask, leaving his face bare for you to see. He whispered your name, something that you have not heard in a long time, something that you used to desperately wish you would hear again. "Look," He begins. "I'm fine, okay? I'm perfectly fine-" You tug him into a fierce hug, squeezing tightly.

"You're not okay," You sniffle. "I missd you, so much..." Jason hesitantly wrapped his hands around your considerably shorter frame, squeezing lightly. "I-I missed you too," He mumbled, burying his face in your hair and pressing a kiss on the crown of your head.

You pull away, looking up at him. "Do...you think that things can go back to they once were?" You asked quietly. "There was something I didn't get to tell you, before...you died. I-"

Jason cuts you off by grabbing your chin and pulling you into a kiss. It was a tentative, cautious one, his lips as light as butterfly wings. He was waiting for you to take the initiative. You pressd your lips against his, hand snaking up to grab at the hai at the base of his neck, cuasing him to groan softly. His hands snake around your waist as he tugged you closer to him, your bodies flushed against each other,

In that moment, the world around you seemed to fade away, and the only thing that mattered was the connection you had with Jason. It was a connection that had never truly broken, no matter how much time had passed.

As the tension built between you, Jason's lips met yours in a hesitant, tender kiss. It was a kiss that held a confession of emotions too strong to be expressed in words – love, regret, longing, and the hope for a second chance.

When the kiss finally broke, you both pulled away, but your eyes remained locked onto each other's. It was a silent acknowledgment of what had just transpired – a rekindling of a connection that had been lost in the chaos of life as a vigiante.

Jason's voice was soft as he spoke, "I never thought I'd see you again."

You smiled, tears glistening in your eyes, and replied, "I never thought I'd see you again either, but I'm glad I did."

The moment was broken by Dick calling out your name. "Where are you? We gotta go!" You looked back at Jason, placing a hand on his cheek. "I'll come back for you," You whispered. "I promise."

Jason gives you a slight nod. "I'll be waiting. I...love you."

You kiss his cheek, stepping back. "I love you too, so much." You push the branchs of the tree aside, half stepping out into the light. "'I'll see you soon."

a/n: part 2? ;)

[avayarising]

Dick in the Murder Machine

(Part of the Batfam Death Project)

Forever Evil 6–7, 2014

In Forever Evil, the main universe was invaded by the Crime Syndicate: Earth-3 villains who are counterparts of Earth-0 heroes. They captured Nightwing and exposed his identity as Dick Grayson on live TV, then kept him captive at the behest of Owlman (Earth-3 Thomas Wayne Jr, in his universe the elder brother of a dead Bruce Wayne), who seemed to be feeling parental/avuncular urges, although The Outsider (Earth-3 Alfred) kept reminding him that Dick was not his own Richard.

Grid, Cyborg’s Earth-3 counterpart, put Dick in an inescapable ‘murder machine’ with a bomb connected to his heart, such that it would only be disabled if Dick’s heart stopped. Grid apparently built the machine from Apokoliptian blueprints he found in S.T.A.R. Labs.

You’d think that this whole arrangement was a trolley problem aimed specifically at Batman, but in fact it seems to have been an actual accident. It looks like Grid intended only to hold Dick securely: Grid didn’t much care if Dick died, but he was following Owlman’s instructions to keep him alive along with Ultraman’s (evil Superman’s) instructions to keep him secure. But when Batman and allies (including Catwoman, Bizarro, and Lex Luthor) invaded in search of Dick, a failsafe was triggered on the device and the bomb started counting down on a five-minute timer.

The only way to disarm the bomb was to kill Dick.

And you’d expect Bruce to come up with the temporary death plan. But Dick’s death is apparently something Bruce can’t handle, and he just kept trying to unplug him. No planning, no solution, just desperation. Being Apokoliptian technology it was semi-sentient and kept working around his attempts.

So Lex Luthor attacked Bruce, with Bizarro holding Bruce off for long enough for Lex to force Dick to swallow a pill to stop his heart. Which, pills and the digestive system being what they are, shouldn’t have worked or at least not worked that quickly, but comics I guess.

(I think Dick could have held the pill under his tongue instead of swallowing it if he’d wanted to, so it’s possible that Dick deliberately swallowed the pill. But his eyes here show pure panic, not acceptance of death.)

Bruce of course attacks Lex and starts beating him up, threatening to kill him, till Lex says he can bring Dick back, whereupon Bruce allows Lex to proceed:

And it works, and Dick is brought back to life, and the bomb doesn’t go off. Good thing Lex Luthor routinely carries around both cardioplegia pills and adrenaline shots!

(Does he often need to temporarily kill people?)

Bonus: here’s Dick making light of his trauma:

Batfam Death Project Masterpost

[ravensvirginity]

Titans #15 Review

Oh my god. Where do I even begin.

To start with my one and only positive: the art is gorgeous. Lucas Meyer is the best artist the Titans have had in ages, and his new Raven design really delivered. I'm so sad that it appears that the artist who'll be taking over for him in #16 is undoing his design changes, I think it's a massive shame. I did appreciate the detail of Raven's white cloak design having rings on her index fingers, but it feels a little pointless without the lore of Azar's rings to back it up.

Now, the negatives: literally everything else about this comic. This comic fails to deliver on an eight issue arc in any kind of satisfying way, has a bizarre and out of character tone, and severely misunderstands the lore of its main villain. They literally defeated Trigon with the power of friendship. Maybe that could work in Teen Titans Go, but in a main timeline DC comic? What?

First, the demon Raven stuff. Gar saying that demon Raven and regular Raven aren't two different people--yeah, obviously. The severe degree of separation between demon Raven and regular Raven has been one of the big issues of this arc, and this conclusion is as unsatisfying as the rest of it. Raven and her demon side being able to talk face to face isn't new, but them being two separate people with separate physical bodies who can operate completely independently of each other--while there is some precident for this, to me it's a very strange writing choice and misses the point of a demon Raven arc.

The original idea of Raven and her demon side was that her demon side is her. It's all the worst instincts she inherited from Trigon locked up and carefully controlled. When Trigon takes control of her and turns her into her demon form, everything she's repressed, both good and bad, is released. Raven still having a soft spot for the Titans in her demon form makes sense; she's still Raven, just corrupted by Trigon into something she isn't. Raven deciding to stop being evil (not that she even really was) and going back to normal from one brief conversation with her teammate does not, and is really anticlimactic.

It's just such a waste of the story's potential. If you don't want to commit to Raven being the villain of the story, don't do a demon Raven arc! It's possible to do a Trigon story without Raven being evil, I don't get why they didn't just do that. None of the drama with Raven being evil was particularly well executed, and all it seemed to do was drag the comic on longer and longer with nothing actually happening, because they were unwilling to make Raven actually do anything villanous.

All that pales in comparison to how they defeated Trigon. I don't think I've ever seen such blatant disregard for previous canon. As Raven, powered up by the other Titans, fights Trigon, Gar narrates as follows:

"I doubt Trigon has ever been in a fight. An actual fight. With someone his own size and power level. Never had to face someone like Nightwing one-on-one. Never tried to stand while being pinned by the power of Donna Troy's will. Never been blasted... with a giant-sized Apokoliptian blast from Cyborg. And never, ever... felt the full force of a Tamaranean hit powered by the stars."

WHAT?

This comic canonically takes place in the same timeline as the New Teen Titans. There are many homages to the New Teen Titans. It has been made very clear that the team started as the New Teen Titans, and then after many, many years of crazy comic book history the team reformed as the Titans of this run.

The first ever Trigon arc that introduces him and Raven as characters takes place in the first six issues of the New Teen Titans, and culminates in Trigon being defeated by the Titans and thrown into an interdimensional prison. I can't stress this enough: literally every single one of the things Gar said have never happened to Trigon happen in that fight. Donna uses her lasso to dampen Trigon's will, in combination with Raven and Arella's empathic abilities. Wally rips a hole through the fabric of reality to throw Trigon into, and Kory and Vic connect their powers to amplify their blasts to throw Trigon into the interdimensional rift. The whole thing is coordinated and managed by Dick Grayson (who was still Robin at the time).

Gar was there when all this happened. There is no reason for him to not know that this happened. The only explanation is Tom Taylor doesn't know, or he doesn't care. This would be disappointing for any comic book run, but it leaves an especially sour taste in my mouth for this to happen in a run that's so built on NTT homages. It's clear that the writing could not care less about the comic it was inspired by.

And then Garth causes Trigon to have a heart attack. Okay, that was just stupid. Admittedly, I did think the page of Raven stabbing Trigon was cool (again, the art is really the only saving grace here), but her saying "Fuck you, Dad"? Seriously? An ongoing problem in this run has been the dialog feeling janky and too much like lines from a generic superhero movie, and this line embodies that very well. I'm not opposed to swearing in comic books, but to me, this is not the right time for it. It doesn't fit the moment, and I think it's quite out of character for Raven, even if the sentiment behind it isn't.

And then Trigon isn't even dead? What does "Demons don't die. They just fade away." even mean?? Is he dead or not? Will he come back tomorrow or in a thousand years? It's such a strange, confusing letdown of an ending.

I didn't have high hopes for this issue, but it was somehow worse than I could ever have imagined. I'm so glad that this run is getting a new writer. Here's hoping that the coming issues will actually feel like a team book, and that the decades of lore and characterization of these beloved characters will actually be considered during writing.

[kara-zor-els]

"People from Metropolis would not survive Gotham!"

Consider this: the average Gotham mafia uses either normal guns or some homemade gimmick (fear gas etc). The average Metropolis mafia uses either apokoliptian or lexcrop weapons.

[nitewrighter]

If you had to write a Spider-Man x DC crossover fic, how would you do it? Plop Peter in the middle of one of the iconic DC cities because of multiversal shenanigans, or would you blend things together so that Spidey would feel like a natural part of the DC setting?

Would Spidey remain a NYC-bound hero, or would he be slinging webs elsewhere?

Well to preface my answer, I need to reiterate that the primary advantage Marvel has had over DC from the start is being able to position itself as a response/deconstruction to whatever DC's putting out. DC started back in the 1930's and Marvel really only emerged as something recognizably similar to the Marvel we know today in the 1960's when Stan Lee joined the team. DC was shaped by WW2 and Baby Boom/Cold War Era patriotism, while Marvel emerged at the beginning of multiple massive counterculture movements and a superhero genre on the decline. Basically compare the Justice Society of America being conscripted to fight a domestic fascist threat during WW2, happily hooking arms and shaking hands and congratulating each other all the while, with the Fantastic Four, a loving but squabbling family who get their powers by pure cosmic accident and are now juggling their newfound powers with their still-flawed relationships and now supervillain threats.

This is also why Spider-Man, who in my eyes is very much the heart and soul of the Marvel universe is, in himself, a deconstruction of Superman. He's vulnerable where Superman is invulnerable, he can swing a web but he's very much subject to gravity, he's lean and scrappy rather than musclebound, he has to continually contort himself in the air and to his environment to get around rather than just smashing through it, and his characterization is very much based in the inherent instability of adolescence whereas Superman is positioned as this very stable, moral presence. Right off the bat Spider-Man is defined by a mistake, by his selfishness resulting in the death of his Uncle Ben, and he's later further defined by the death of Gwen Stacy, which is also Marvel saying to DC, "Hey it's not just monster of the week over here, our characters can grow and change and DIE." So like... even though I definitely put myself in the DC camp more than the Marvel camp, I can absolutely see Marvel's appeal.

As far as putting Spider-Man into the DC universe goes, honestly that would depend on what my overall goals for the fic would be. If it's just a silly "ooh what if Spidey met ________?" then Pete's probably getting isekai'd, but--and okay this might be cheating because it's Jack Kirby, haha--I'd be interested in seeing NYC-based Spidey basically getting hit with the Fourth World saga. He's just a Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and he did not ask for a fucking SPACE THEOMACHY dropped into his lap! So it would be less of dropping Spider-Man into the DC universe and more of taking a massive chunk of the DC universe and making it Spidey's problem. And then he and Mister Miracle can be fwiends and Orion can pick him by the neck so he makes a squeaky toy noise and Barda can hold him in her big strong arms and he can dangle behind Lightray by a web going "Wheeeeee." Also I think him interacting with the Forever People would be hilarious as well. Spider-Man is not equipped to deal with invading Apokoliptian forces but then a bunch of Space Hippies show up and just fucking Voltron together into a Huge Guy and Spidey's just like, "I've met some polycules in my life, but this is ridiculous!" but probably something more clever and Spidey-ish.

Mostly I'd be interested in seeing this because of the aforementioned argument of Spider-Man as a deconstruction of Superman. While Kirby initially wrote the Fourth World saga as its own almost standalone/spin-offy thing within the DC universe, Darkseid quickly became recognized as a part of Superman's Rogue's gallery in the greater pop culture eye--largely thanks to Superman: TAS. Like, yeah, a lot of the time Darkseid is positioned as the big cosmic threat to the Justice League as a whole, but it's Superman who usually ends up in the solo rounds with the guy.

I feel like this way Spider-Man would basically be positioned as the guy who ultimately has to help the New Gods acclimate to earth and this way the whole massive Apokolips/New Genesis cast Kirby set up in the Fourth World saga wouldn't end up scooted off to the side in favor of the Justice League, which is basically what happened to them in the overall popular reception of DC. Spider-Man would need Mister Miracle, Big Barda, Lightray, Orion, and the Forever People's help in defending New York from Darkseid and his goons, and they, in turn, would need Spider-Man's help in understanding life on Earth.

Spider-Man: Behold! The Bacon Egg and Cheese!

The Forever People: *awed* Ooooohhhh

I feel like it also works because The Fourth World Saga was Jack Kirby's way of incorporating a shit-ton of counter-culture into mainline DC really really quickly, so you already kind of have this meshing of DC and Marvel vibes.

[kings0kc]

@dcsuperherogirls This is Part 2!

RIVAL SCHOOLS:

Apokolips Magnet - if constantly plotting over Earth counts as higher education, then they definitely count as a school rival!

Head Teacher- Granny goodness

The furies: Mad Harriet, Stompa, Lashina, Speed Queen, Artemiz

Korugar Academy:

Head Teacher: Sinestro (fucking weirdo for trying to go after supergirl those couple times)

Blackfire: she likes spending time with her sister

Bleez, Lobo,Maxima,Mongal

THWARTED VILLAINS!:

Giganta: currently doing community service to pay for her crimes

Croc: lurks in the sewers of Metropolis

King Shark

Belle Rev penitentiary and Juvenile Detention center: incarcerating SUPERVILLAINS for over 100 years!

Lion Mane

Solomon Grundy

METROPOLIS BANK: Proud supporter of Super Hero High School!

^^ come in for our SAVING THE DAY special and get a FREE smoothie blender when you open a savings account!

ECLIPSO JEWELS: Super Hero high students, you make us sparkle!

^^ as the finest jeweler in Metropolis we get robbed again and again and again, but you are always there to save us! THANK YOU!!

CAPES & COWLS CAFE is now serving:

Ramadan Gorka berry pie. Honey Smoothies. Apokoliptian fire Chili. Krypton Krispies. Superfood Cake (available in Quinoa, cauliflower, or spinach) Bean Burritos. Sodar Cola

(I’d like to thank the SuperHero High students for their efforts in saving the cafe from 52 robberies, 13 supervillain takeovers, 3 giant attacks, and one scary spider!!

And that’s it!

[danthepest]

Some more Superman villains and opponents seen in the DC Animated Universe. In order:

Brainiac - First appearance in Action Comics v1 #242 (1958).

Lobo - First appearance in The Omega Men v1 #3 (1983).

Mr. Mxyzptlk - First appearance in Superman v1 #30 (1944).

Titano - First appearance in Superman v1 #127 (1959).

Parasite - First appearance in Action Comics v1 #340 (1966).

Professor Emil Hamilton - First appearance in The Adventures of Superman v1 #424 (1987).

Maxima - First appearance in Action Comics v1 #645 (1989).

Draaga - First appearance in Action Comics v1 Annual #2 (1989).

Volcana - Only appears in the DCAU cartoons and is not an adaptation of Apokoliptian New God Volcana from the comics in any way.

Luminus - Only appears in the DCAU cartoons, though his outfit resembles that of the villain Multiplex.

[trrickytickle]

//collab with the notorious @tickle-beans - this one is a big boy!!//

History often repeats itself.

Once again, the Anti-Life Equation was within the grasp of Darkseid's iron fist. The Unity was upon Earth. Darkseid's forces had once again managed to get their hands on two out of three Mother Boxes, and Apokolips' chaos was once again leaking around Earth like a deadly oil spill, which had already engulfed a quarter of the planet with the carnage caused by Darkseid and his two best lieutenants- DeSaad, and with him the formidable Granny Goodness leading her flurry of Female Furies and the armies of Parademons that came with. The Blue Planet was no New Genesis- but the air was rife with disparity and darkness.

But just as history would have it, metahumans- this time led by a sole Kryptonian- would come to the rescue.

The Justice League. A name respected and idolized by many civilians for saving the planet time and time again when it all seemed helpless. On the smoggy streets of Gotham City, which were less rampant with the duochrome flashes of police sirens and outrageous criminal masterminds, lights flickered and hellish red aviator lenses glowed faintly. The usual reign of terror by any such member of the Caped Crusader's rouge's gallery was replaced by the anguished feral hisses of shrinking piles of Parademons swooping in from all directions- drifting past the Iceberg Lounge, dive-bombing down from Wayne Manor, and from behind the clock tower.

There was a bloody struggle in the melancholy heart of Gotham. Diana, with a swish of her lasso, caught a Parademon by the neck, and with the strength of the gods, slammed it head-first onto the tar-black street.

"Behind you!" she warned. Clark flew out of the way and swiveled, only for yet another Apokoliptian barrage to surround him, the Parademons pouncing and snarling at him like wildcats, one clawing at his cape and attempting to overpower him, to no avail. As quickly as he was cornered, the Man of Steel squinted, his red-hot laser vision searing through each and every one of their broken and bruised hides, which were branded with a flash of red light, which disintegrated them into fine dust of pure destruction. While the ash fell to the ground, Barry corralled the Parademons on land, grunting in exertion.

"Got ya guys covered!" he yelled, as the horde of hungry husks' gazes followed him and attempted to catch up, only to be sliced by the speed of sound, their reconstructed constructs falling to bits down to the ground at the same speed as Victor's gatling-fire of plasma, which wiped out the last of the teeming mass of Parademons led by Granny Goodness in Gotham with the help of the swift and sudden STAB of Arthur's trident and his quick-witted waterboarding of a row of demons, who fought with brutal struggle. Looming over the scattered bodies of Parademons along the floor of the city, the Justice League stood, scarred and determined, and ready to move on and stop the plan that they had failed to- the one that would prevent the inevitable end of Superman- and in turn, them. The Knightmare, as Bruce called it. It was what would split their group apart if Darkseid's forces were to conquer.

"Quick, quick, we gotta go!!" Barry urged, running past before the sound of suffering lurches could reach his ears. Another horde. Though they looked weak and sickly, they were another horde no less, though more comparable to the lowly Hunger Dogs, but still without conscience. They seemed… harmless- they weren't armed as they'd usually be- but they were mangled, more or less- defective traits like extra arms and blunt, though still long claws. Still, they were that Apokoliptian, alien brand of horrifying- unsettling for the Justice League, but instilled an uncanny-valley fear in the average civilian's eyes.

"There's more." Bruce scowled. The Justice League swiveled, preparing for a fight that seemed like more of an obstacle, as the (surprisingly fast) Parademons lunged and sprinted at the group with a feverous hunger for agony. He readied his Batarangs, fixing his gaze on one, causing it to bleed out from its scalp- significantly softer, likewise with its teeth and claws. One-hit kill. A freeze breath barrier was set by Clark to placate them, but this was quickly crossed by the agile army. This fight was proving harder. With ease, Diana readied her lasso, drawing it towards one Parademon in the middle- but before she could move a single muscle, they pounced. One came after another, and with another were two more. No big deal. Diana thought. This'll be nothing compared to the Furies.

But as soon as one's claw sunk into the space between her rib and stomach, she winced. Not in pain, however. A weakness she had failed to hide. And with another attempted scratch, Diana screamed- more of a squeal, but a scream nonetheless. The demons, encouraged by the feeling that was new, different, but unmistakably suffering, kept going. Their multiple claws ravaged her, keeping in mind different areas that would cause her to shriek or heave or even cackle- out of force- at different volumes.

"What's-" Cyborg, shocked from shooting off the horde, exclaimed.

She unhanded the Lasso of Truth, but when one got its hands on it, her hands were kept above her head, and she exclaimed.

"kH-AAAH-hhUH-huhhuhAaah- ee-Ahaha-I cch-Ha! I- It tickles! hh-hahh-hI'm ticklish!" Diana screamed. Hoist by her own petard, she was compelled to tell the truth- no matter how embarrassing for the strong Amazonian. "Please, it tickles!" Cyborg, immune to the scraping sensation, shot a few away, but they just kept coming after her- as if embarrassingly uttering just HOW and WHERE she was ticklish ("Not there! No, not my tummy! Please! No, no, no- just- don't tickle my aHAHA-ampihits!) against her will wasn't enough. Like an impenetrable fortress, the Parademons were flowing in like a flock of seagulls from Palmera City next over, cybernetic neon hues barely visible from Gotham's gloom.

"I can't take it there! Puhh-hehah-hhAH, no, no, no, not the belly agHAHAIN!"

Clark yelled out. "Diana! I-" He dove down, taken aback by her squealing giggles and aggressive thrashing as the Parademons attempted to tear at her by biting into her ribs with their cartilage teeth, and scraping at her vulnerable and toned stomach with their tactical claws. They licked their lips at her specific screaming and squeals when certain spots were hit, and as soon as they noticed the Kryptonian, one pounced at his torso. "You have to hold out, I'm surrounded!" The same Parademon chomped at his left side, causing his legs to jolt up and throw it into the air with superhuman strength to no avail. It flew back, grabbing his arms while more merciless creatures took his legs, stretching out his upper body for Parademons to pounce, and that they did. They snarled and hissed, moving their claws around in a drunken haze of violently enacted laughter from his sides up to his ribs and back down. A blow to the belly also proved incredibly effective, reducing the Man of Steel's dexterity to a state of incapacity.

/Continued in Part 2/

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

"THUS, APOKOLIPS MAKES CONTACT WITH EARTH!"

PIC(S) INFO: Spotlight on a splash page of an Apokoliptian "Justifier," plus other pages of Jack Kirby's extended Fourth World mythos, "The Forever People" Vol. 1 #3. July, 1971. Written, drawn, & edited by Jack "King" Kirby for DC Comics.

"Thus, Apokolips makes contact with Earth! Thus, the harbingers of holocaust link up with the human minds and hearts that wait to act in chaos! Like the ancient witch-doctors of old, Glorious Godfrey sounds the clarion call and begins the dance of death in modern times! The message of anti-life is powerful! -- and its disciples must strike first at the FOREVER PEOPLE."

-- "THE FOREVER PEOPLE" Vol. 1 #3 (July 1971), foreword written by Jack "King" Kirby

Source: www.hipcomic.com/listing/forever-people-3-4-1971-80-vf-jack-kirbys-fourth-world-hippies/12720050.

[stealingyourbones]

Read the first part of that prompt and thought it was going to be that Danny is Darkseid’s son. Idk a lot about Darkseid but now I can’t stop thinking about that idea

the “first part of that prompt” mentioned.

Fuck the past tHREE attempts to respond to this crashed. Here’s hoping that this one works.

I enjoy this idea a lot since there is a TON of ways this could go.

First of all: both the inhabitants of Apokolips and New Genesis are home to the same race: New Gods. They’re basically a very hard to kill superhero race. The New Gods reside in the 4th dimension but can occasionally create variants of wormhole technology (Motherboxes/Fatherboxes. A very simple summary: Sometimes both planets have Motherboxes, sometimes New Genesis has Motherboxes and Apokolips has Fatherboxes. They’re sentient computers that are used as a catchall for various technological feats needed in the comics.) to go to the 3rd dimension and most commonly visit Earth.

With that in mind there is a lot of questions on how Danny grows up. Does he get boom tubed to Earth as a means to escape New Genesis/Apokolips? Is he brought to earth as a baby, a child, or a teenager? Does he still have his genetic superpowers or are they somehow suppressed until the ghost portal?

Is Danny swapped with Miracle Man instead of Orion? Does Orion exist in this universe? If so, Does Danny view him as an older brother/younger brother figure, an enemy, or someone to challenge his place for the next in line to be the ruler of Apokolips? Does Orion know that Danny even exists at all? If Danny was swapped with Miracle Man, does Orion become the Big Bad in the story since he no longer is raised by the Highfather and no longer has New Genesian morals? Is both Danny and Orion given to New Genesis for the peace treaty? Is Danny exiled to Earth and no one knows he exists? Does Danny stay on Apokolips and becomes Phantom, Ruler of Infinite Realms and is an even curler ruler than Pariah Dark? Does Danny Not Look Human?

On that note, Danny is an alien from another dimension. His anatomy is not at all the same as earthlings. Does his parents know that he isn’t human right off the bat? Does this make them more accepting if/when he comes out to them as Phantom? Does Danny pass as a human and not know of his New God heritage or is he aware of it? Was being the part of a superhero race a part of the reason why he didn’t die in the portal accident? Is Danny FAR more powerful than in the show since he’s from an OP superhero race and is now a ghost with even more abilities?

Danny definitely would have some anger issues and trouble keeping himself calm. Apokoliptians are commonly genetically evil aligned warriors who are meant to combat the forces of good. Think Devils Vs Angels but Jack Kirby style. Danny (if nothing obstructs just abilities) is the basic super humanly strong, fast, thinks fast, etc. as a New God. Having Dan be if Danny gave into his urges for violence and rage and becoming a loyal follower of Darkseid could be a very interesting take on his character.

Oh also I gotta shove the idea in there that Big Barda finds Danny and trains him in the Female Furies combat regimen. (VERY short summary for Big Barda: Mister Miracles wife. Apokoliptian. Was one of Granny Goodness’s Female Furies before ditching Apokolips to be with Scott. The ‘big’ is because she’s insanely tall. She’s an insanely skilled combatant and is super pretty and will wipe the floor with her foes entrails.)

Y’all there’s so much you can do with this look at the possibilities of funky fics you could write. I’d highly recommend doing at least a small google about the New Gods to get an idea of the races backstory, the history of the comic, and the technology they possess. I didn’t detail everything in my Darkseid and Orion explanations so I’d HIGHLY recommend doing some research yourself.

[darthkvznblogs]

Then follow up. What did Doom and Reed think of the Light (and their Apokoliptian backers) and/or how did they plan to deal with them if the Celestials allowed Young Justice to be copied?

I think you'll hear their take on the Light in detail within the story (yes, yes, I know, working on it), but to summarize, I think there's a healthy mix of respect for Vandal's boldness in basically bluffing Darkseid into a centuries long arms race, and quite a bit of disappointment with how much they've allowed their plans to go astray.

Sure, the Light will take L's left and right and still go "all according to plan..." at the end-of-day Zoom meeting, but it's undeniable that they underestimate the "kids" waaay too much. Doom and Reed, on the contrary, know all too well the value of young heroes with long, successful futures ahead of them.

(not to say our pair of chaos agents is without their fair share of shortcomings, of course, but ego tends to color perception)

[bat-in-the-machine]

Me: Hmmm, how can I give the heroes in Gotham more of an edge with Batman off in Connecticut?

My Brain: Masha is still in the Intergang warehouse. They can have all kinds of space guns. They can have APOKOLIPTIAN guns

Me: I dunno...

🧠: Remember Manhunter?

Me: Go on....

🧠: He had alien equipment. He had alien equipment DESIGNED BY THE GUARDIANS OF OA.

Me: He used a baton, right? *Googles*

Now.

Do I do a deep dive on Mark Shaw's equipment as Manhunter or do I just fudge things as the plot demands?

[autisticcassandracain]

every single new god that escaped Apokolips should be trans for narrative reasons. It's about the self determination, the choosing of your own destiny, the shaping of yourself in your own image rather than someone else's. Orion's fear of his Apokoliptian appearance, his usage of the motherbox to mask it, hits different in a trans context. Scott's realization that he doesn't know himself and the decision to escape Apokolips on his quest to find who he is hits different in a trans context. Barda's refusal to leave with him because she wasn't ready yet, and her subsequent arc about unlearning what she was taught on Apokolips and finding peace on Earth hits different in a trans context. It would enhance the narrative.

Lightray should also be trans but that's mostly bc I'm trans and I'd like it if he were too.