#Walter Scratcher

[catfiles]

And it’s still Saturday, so here is another Saturday Cat Fact Check with... well, Katcek. Sort of.

Got any cat questions for the panel? It might take a while to get to it, but please feel free to ask!

[gumnut-logic]

Callisto - Part Five - Orientation

Prologue 1. Incident - Bit 1 | Bit 2 2. Fallout - Bit 1 | Bit 2 | Bit 3 3. Voyage - Bit 1 | Bit 2 | Bit 3 4. Arrival - Bit 1 | Bit 2 5. Orientation

Things actually start happening now :D

As always, many, many thanks to @tsarinatorment​ @scribbles97​ @janetm74​ and @onereyofstarlight​ for all their amazing help. We’re deep into the hard slog now, but I am still enjoying this so that is a good sign :D

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read this and cheer me on. The hard slog of the middle of a long fic can be as bad as the hard slog in the middle of a painting, so all cheering is always welcome. But ultimately, I’m hoping you are find this enjoyable and not boring :D Nutty is learning here, so big L plate on my forehead.

Let the antics continue.

-o-o-o-

Virgil stared at his father’s broad back as he walked the length of the gantry toward the elevator. Scott paused a moment and Virgil placed a hand on his back in support. Muscle beneath many micro layers of spacesuit rippled as his brother loosened his shoulders. A glance of fiery blue and Scott followed his father.

As was the way of things.

Virgil followed Scott.

As was the way of things.

The cavern was a large one. It had to be to fit Three beneath its airlock doors. His heads up display confirmed pressurisation of the bay to Earth normal and his mind did the calculations on the infrastructure required to pump that much atmosphere into such a large space so quickly. He couldn’t help but be impressed.

The gantry led to an elevator platform and they crowded onto it. Gordon brushed up against him as if to catch his attention and a worried frown was shot in Virgil’s direction.

As the gantry retracted and the platform lowered, Virgil let a hand brush against Gordon’s side. If he did the same to Alan, well, they were his brothers and he may have needed the connections a little himself.

The ride down gave them a great view of the heavy equipment available in the bay. Virgil had accessed all the information he could get his hands on during the trip out, needing to know how he was going to deploy their own equipment.

He had known this was going to be an underground job and had packed accordingly. The problem with underground was initial deployment - how to get the equipment under the ground.

The backup was always to make their own holes. But that could be unnecessarily messy and a last resort. So Virgil was quite happy to see the set up included all the heavy-duty crane and hover support he could ever want.

TI had equipped this expedition exceedingly well.

Walters met them at the bottom of the bay. The rock had been ground smooth down here, filler shone in places where ice had obviously been removed, making the floor a patchwork of white and dark grey, human ingenuity and raw moon.

The Commander nodded to Scott, but it was their father whose hand he grasped solidly before pulling him into a hug. “Space Jockey, it is so good to see you. Thank you for coming.” Walters stepped back and held Jeff at arms’ length. “You’ve gone grey.”

“And you’re bald. Your point?” But their father was grinning through the plasiglass of his helmet.

“We’re both a little crunchy around the edges.” He turned to Lee. “Hey, Scrappy.”

“Graeme, I may be old, but I can still kick your ass over that.” Despite the threat, Uncle Lee grabbed the man’s hand and shook it with enthusiasm.

“These are my boys.” Dad gestured at them in turn. “Scott, Virgil, Gordon and Alan. John is still aboard the Excel and will be liaising from there.”

Walters nodded at each of them in turn, his white-grey spacesuit wrinkling with the movement. He had his helmet on just like the IR crew did. Best chance to avoid contamination or some random bug the Tracys might had inadvertently brought with them.

Of course, Virgil and John had run the decon protocols before departure and it was obvious Callisto had its own methods, but the risk was there. Helmets on unless they had no choice.

Another thing about space that was annoying - listening to your own breathing in a confined container. Okay for short term, total annoyance long term. Especially if your nose got itchy.

It was a sign that Virgil really needed more sleep when he managed to miss a chunk of what Walters was saying simply because he was designing an in-helmet nose scratcher in his head. Well, it could be multifunctional if he gave it enough reach. Head scratcher, chin scratcher-

Gordon nudged him.

Unfortunately, right in his bruises. “Ow.” He glared at his brother only to find the fish gesturing with his eyes.

Commander Walters was looking at Virgil with a question on his face. Both Scott and Dad were frowning at him. Oh shit. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“The Commander asked if we would like to survey the entrance to the caves first or deploy our equipment.” Dad’s voice was very...patient. “Scott said it was your decision.”

Virgil didn’t hesitate, regardless of the embarrassment. “I’ve scoured your maps, Commander, but I would be happier if you could show us the entrance to the cave network. It’s not far?” maps and diagrams were one thing. Reality was another.

Walters eyed him a little curiously. “Sure. Follow me.” And he led them towards a set of massive doors.

For a moment there, Virgil expected some grinding machinery to split the doors wide like some grand movie entrance complete with cinematic music, but no, Walters led them to a small airlock embedded in the left door and ushered them through.

It was kind of disappointing actually.

“We keep the Garden isolated as a precaution and as a way to monitor the function of the ecosystem.

“Garden?” Alan had obviously not had time to fully read up on the Base like the rest of them.

Walters’ eyes lit up despite everything. “You are in for a treat. The Garden is our horticultural team’s ultimate triumph.”

The doors opened and sunlight flooded into the airlock. And it was sunlight enough for Virgil’s jaw to drop. They stepped out into an environment so familiar, they may as well have stepped out the back door of the villa.

Except it wasn’t. The plants were recognisable, yes, but their growth most definitely was not.

This was not in the briefing notes.

“This looks suspiciously familiar.” It was Gordon who stepped to the front of the group.

Walters frowned. “Excuse me.”

Gordon’s eyes narrowed in on the man. He pointed at a nearby tree. “Pokey trees don’t get that big in five years, Commander. What’s in the water?”

It was Walters’ turn to frown. “Pokey trees?” A blink. “Oh, pohutukawa. No, they do not. However, with some special treatment and the lack of strong gravity, they can.”

Virgil stared up at the giant tree. It was far too thin at the base for the spread of the massive branches and it seem wrong somehow. Everything was too long and looked as if it was going to fall. What was even more odd was the sound of a honeyeater argument in those branches. A scuffle, a ruckus of squawks and a flash of grey and yellow flew out from amongst the leaves and darted over the rocky hill in front of them.

“You have birds?!” Gordon sounded caught between amazement and outrage.

Walters stared at him a moment longer. “We have much more than that.” He turned away and led them away from the tree and up a winding path. Virgil’s boots crunched gravel that glittered as it moved. He frowned at what was probably nothing more than ground up moon. It was pale and sparkling like some set prop out of an early science fiction show John might have watched.

But he was soon distracted by much more fascinating sights.

The path led up a small hill and soon he realised that they were in a massive cavern, bigger than all the hangars beneath Tracy Island combined.

And it was full of life.

Birds of several different kinds flew about the ‘sky’. A sky dominated by a number of extremely bright lights hanging from a ceiling so high it couldn’t be seen for the brilliance. Oddly growing foliage was everywhere. The lone pokey tree by the door was scarlet in blossom, but it was not alone. Flowers sprouted from wonky stems and too tall grass. The little hill they were standing on was the highest point in the cavern, the ground sloping down into the distance. At the far edge, a lake had ducks swimming in it.

“How the hell?” It was Gordon, but Virgil’s questions were not far behind.

Several physical requirements clicked into place. The cavern was obviously heated and pressurised with an Earth level atmosphere just like the hangar, otherwise those birds wouldn’t be able to fly beyond bouncing in the gravity.

While Gordon’s head seemed ready to explode, Virgil managed one word. “How?”

Walters had a quietly confident smirk on his face. “A combination of research, applied science and a whole pile of luck.” A sigh. “This is Ju’s baby.”

Scott shifted where he stood. “Where is the access to the cave network?” Virgil glanced at his brother. There was an intensity in his eyes that spoke of both mission urgency and further questions that would need asking once that mission was complete.

Walters exhaled and nodded. “This way.” He led them down the other side of the hill to what eventually proved to be another set of massive doors. “The caverns were here when we arrived. We knew of them before we left Earth, but what we did not realise was their extent.” Walters stopped in front of the doors. He gestured at the cavern. “To create all this, we only needed to seal the cavern entrance overhead – which the Base did nicely. We installed a series of atmospheric inducers, the heating and the lighting. The rest we grew from seed or egg.” The man was obviously proud of their achievements.

“Sir, the caves?” Scott was getting rightfully impatient.

“Yes. Yes, you’re right.” He swallowed and hurried over to yet another small door within a door.

Virgil took another step forward, intending on seeing how the door was unlocked when his world suddenly doubled. His stomach rolled over with that familiar nausea ever so reminiscent of their trip out here.

He swallowed and closed his eyes a second.

“Virg? You okay?” Gordon was whispering on a closed channel.

Virgil cranked his eyes open, lack of sleep suddenly piling on top of him. His fish brother was frowning at him. Scott, their father and Uncle Lee were walking towards Walters and the door.

The sudden vertigo had him fearing an incident inside his helmet.

But then as he took a step towards Gordon, the nausea faded away, a single last cramp dissipating as his little brother approached and put a hand on his arm.

“Virg?”

“I’m okay. Just felt dizzy for a second there.”

“T-drive?”

“Probably.”

“Meds wearing off?”

“Didn’t think I would need them.”

Now Alan had stopped following Scott and was looking back. Any minute now and he would have not only Scott on his ass, but Dad as well. He straightened his spine. “I’m good.” But whatever it was had triggered the beginnings of a headache.

Damn.

Well, it wouldn’t be the first time he’d completed a rescue with a headache. He’d throw back some paracetamol when they went back to Three to source their equipment.

“You sure?”

“I said so, didn’t I?”

Gordon held up his hands. “Just checking, bro. Don’t get your pants in a twist. Hard to unknot them out here.”

But Gordon was still frowning at him.

Alan was turning back...

Move or get smothered.

He flexed his shoulders and strode off to join the rest of this family.

-o-o-o-

Gordon stared after his heavy lifting brother.

Damn that T-drive. His own stomach hadn’t fully recovered either and Virgil was obviously still feeling it.

Gordon pondered whether Virg could knock him out for the voyage home. Maybe knock both of them out.

Alan was frowning and gesturing for him to hurry up. Scott and Dad had already entered what turned out to be yet another airlock.

Space was hard work.

He kicked at the gravel as he trotted after his brother and darted into the huge airlock with his brothers.

Walters was talking again as he sealed the door behind them. “The cavern appears to have been a terminus for this branch of the cave network.” Walters should seek a job as a tour guide. “As I said earlier, we knew about some of the caves before we arrived, but it became increasingly clear that our sensors weren’t telling the full story when we discovered exactly how many tunnels are under the surface here.”

Gordon felt the room depressurise and his HUD declared the atmosphere had become almost nothing. He frowned. It was still something though and he remembered that Callisto was one of those odd places that had the bare minimum of a bunch of gases clinging to it.

He was pretty sure that if he pinged Johnny, he could give him an essay on it, Jupiter luny fan he was.

Walters opened the other side of the airlock and led them through.

Oh, wow.

They were once again in a cavern, a smaller one to the one they had just left and it was obviously more in its natural state. The big doors were sealed into one wall and a lighting system had been deployed running off into the distance.

And there was a lot of distance. The cavern was definitely a tunnel, a good twenty metres wide and high. But that wasn’t all that had his jaw dropping.

The walls were sparkling in the light.

Walters must have seen his reaction or the reaction of his family. “Pretty amazing, huh? The walls are full of a mix of ice and rock. The ice catches the light, but there is also an unusual amount of mineralised crystal as well. We’ve found several types of quartz along with precious metals.”

Gordon was only half listening to him. He wandered over to the nearest wall and examined it. Ice. Water. But in a way it was rarely seen on Earth. Kinda interesting. He ran a hand over the wall and frowned. “You say this is natural?”

“Other than stringing up the lights and installing the doors, from here on, it is pure Callisto.”

“This was made by running water.” Even Gordon knew how impossible that was in the current environment. He looked up to find everyone staring at him. “Hey, I know my element when I see it. This wall has been eroded by running water.”

Walters slumped just a little. “Thank you. Ju has been saying that since we got here. Unfortunately, we can’t work out how that can possibly be a thing, but yeah, all the tunnels, if we were on Earth? Water made. Like limestone caves apparently.” A snort. “Ju has been very adamant about it.”

“Have you reported this?” Dad’s voice startled Gordon a little.

“Reported? Sure. But all her peers are less than accepting. All signs point to Callisto as having had no crustal movement since it formed, minor atmosphere, and certainly no running water at these pressures.”

“But this is a fact.” Gordon frowned again. “What about the reports of an ocean on Callisto under the crust.” Yes, he had checked that out. This wasn’t his first Jovian moon after all. It was why he had brought Four with him.

“Too far down. We can’t reach it. And besides, it is impossible for water to exist as a liquid on the surface, there is not enough atmospheric pressure. We’re barely five hundred metres down here. We haven’t been able to explain it, and until we do, it is considered only one possible and likely doubtful explanation.”

Gordon turned back to the wall. It glittered at him as if daring him to discover its mysteries. “Virg?”

“Hmm?” His brother’s voice was distracted enough to distract Gordon. He flicked over to a private comm. “You sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine, Gordon. What did you want?”

Gordon grunted. “You got something to test the rocks?”

“If needs be. We have a rescue to complete first.” Virgil killed the private line and turned to Walters. “I’m satisfied. Scott, we need some recon. I recommend we get two dragonflies down here.”

Scott nodded. “Okay, we are go. Alan, you’re with me. Gordon, you’re Virgil’s wingman.”

As it should be.

Besides, Gordon wanted to keep an eye on their resident lumberjack. He was acting weird.

“Dad, you and Uncle Lee are our liaisons with Base.”

Gordon bit his lip.

“Scott-“

The Commander of International Rescue held up his hand, fire in his eyes. “No, arguments.”

Dad’s eyes latched onto Scott and flared, but Uncle Lee grabbed his arm. “Space Jockey...”

Grey eyes flickered to his best friend and got a dose of determined Lee Taylor for the effort.

Their father’s lips thinned as nobody moved for a whole moment, Scott emanating commander vibes all over the cavern. If Dad didn’t obey, all hell was going to let loose.

“Thunderbird Five to Callisto.” John’s voice echoed over multiple comms, a faint and unfamiliar hiss and crackle in the background.

The moment snapped and Scott tapped his comms. “We read you, Thunderbird Five.”

“There is considerable interference on comms, you should be aware. I cannot guarantee service at all times. Source is unknown.”

“Noted.”

Damn, that was going to make this even more difficult. They could get lost down here themselves.

But then this wouldn’t be the first time Gordon had worked without contact with his brothers.

First time in space, though.

“Scott, we have located two life signs.”

“What?!” Walters took a step forward and looked ready to climb into Scott’s commset to get further information.

The commander ignored him. “Details, Thunderbird Five.”

“Eos and I were able to work around the majority of the interference and we have two faint lifesigns registering to the north of Callisto Base, almost directly under Burr crater.”

“Only Two? We have five missing persons, Thunderbird Five.”

“I know, Scott.” John’s voice was calm but sad. “Eos is still working on that interference, but at this point I don’t expect to find more. We’ve been able to map the caverns and tunnels within a thousand-kilometre radius. Sending the data to your comms now. Other than those two, I’m reading nothing. I do not have enough resolution to locate anything more specific.”

Like dead bodies.

All of them shifted where they stood, caught between the positive of a location and the negative of three missing rescuees.

“Keep looking, Thunderbird Five.” Scott’s voice was empty of emotion.

They had a mission and now they had a target.

“FAB.”

The line cut out.

Virgil had already pulled up the map John supplied on his wrist ‘projector, his eyes combing the holographic maze of tunnels. Even from here Gordon could see they were massive. If these had been eroded by water, the rivers had been big.

But their history would have to wait. There were lives at stake and Scott was already moving back to the airlock, Virgil and the rest of the group hurrying to follow.

Gordon hesitated just a second, lured by the thought of water flowing through the rock in such a low-pressure environment that the liquid should be ice.

The walls sparkled at him.

But the mission...

He took a step forward and his foot kicked something tiny that bounced ahead of him. Frowning, he bent to pick it up.

The crystal was no bigger than his fingernail and sparkled pink in the lighting.

“Gordon!” Scott was glaring at him from inside the airlock.

The aquanaut shoved the stone into his kit and hurried to catch up.

Perhaps space was a little more interesting than he thought.

-o-o-o-

Next

[imnotwolverine]

Fic Recs | Short Sweets

SHORT SWEETS - A little recommendation list for short fluff stuff that gives you all the good vibes. 

With Henry 

Do you want kitty fluff? I, for one, can never get enough kitty fluff, so we might as well call in the help of fluff-queen @sweetdreamsofgelato​ to bring in the big guns paws with The Cat’s Meow. 

Not tickling your fancy? Perhaps The Head Scratcher does. It’s a lil’ Sunday drabble I wrote, starring, you guessed it: a head scratcher. 

Another thing that gets you the good vibes? How about this short but hilarious Elmo edit by @dancingwendigo​ -- I’m trying not to laugh, but even now I’m editing this at 11 at night I’m sniffling so hard. 😸

We all know that Henry likes to bring a bit of Geralt home AND that he can be one annoying, teasing, oaf-of-a-bear. Shortstack by @deathonyourtongue​ has you running around the kitchen island just to get him out of his Geralt-gear 😅

Henry gets back from a project and wants to make sure you know that it’s The Little Things I Miss by @penwieldingdreamer​

--

With August

What can make the baddest of ‘em bad boys be good? Well, apparently, it’s Cheesecake by @onlyhenrys​ (the queen of soft!august drabbles, if you ask me)

And August with a kitten? ((Can you tell I’m crazy about cats, yet?😄)) This mini-series by @killjoy-assbutt-1112​ always gets me all fuzzy and warm with joy. When August Is Away. 

With Walter

Wait, Are We On A Date Right Now, mr. Marshall? That’s a very good question, especially after you’ve offered the frowny faced detective some help with his trouble-making daughter. A fic by @onlyhenrys​

Not even The Great Wall Of Pillows can keep the grumpy bear at bay when he has to stay the night, by @promptandpros​

With Clark

If you fantasise about growing old with this Smallville boy, read this sugary sweet Clark Kent Imagine by @let-us-imagine​. 

Or do you need a Super Koala Hug? Get your domestic fluff on with Koala Grip by @ozarkthedog​ 

With Geralt 

For all you pumpkins, biscuits, bunnies and kittens, I offer you the sweetest Geralt I could find: Your Scent I Love by @iloveyouyen​.

With Sy

Big burly man versus tiny ball of floof? Who wins? Place your bets now-now-now! *voice fade-out* -- Sy vs. the Kitten by @thetaoofzoe​ 

Gracie Girl - Dad!Syverson, need I say more? I cherry-picked one, but do check out the other Sy fics of @its--fandom--darling​, because there’s SO much goodness to choose from ❤️

And with all those kids planned? You better be getting a nice Birthday Surprise by @littlefreya​

--

Artworks by me

--

🔥Also: Please add your own recommendations in the comments!! The more fics, the merrier! 🔥

--

Updated: 1 DEC 2020

[asfeedin]

Fans in Nicaragua turn out despite their team playing ‘behind closed doors’

Football matches, like all public gatherings, has been postponed across the majority of the world due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, the game has been allowed to continue in the Central American nation of Nicaragua.

The Primera Liga de Nicaragua is thought to be one of only four leagues being played despite the global lockdown, with the Clausura part of the season at the semifinal stage.

Matches are being played behind closed doors but that hasn’t stopped fans from turning up in droves to watch their team play.

Jump to: What are soccer stars getting up to at home?

Images from Wednesday evening show fans of Managua FC congregating on a grass bank next to the Estadio Nacional to watch their team play Walter Ferretti FC in the second leg of their semifinal.

Local supporters were unable to resist the allure of watching live football despite the games being broadcast live on local television and streamed on Facebook.

The semifinal was played while attempting to observe social distancing regulations, but that proved a little difficult to maintain on the pitch.

Managua eventually emerged victorious with a 4-2 win, leaving them to celebrate in front of an eerily empty stand as they saluted the supporters beyond the perimeter fence.

While under strict instruction to keep physical contact to a minimum, the Managua players couldn’t resist a celebratory hug in the dressing room afterwards.

Jose Maria Bermudez, general secretary of the Nicaraguan Football Federation, insists the decision to allow the season to conclude is safe as things stand.

“We were given information by the health officials and we took a decision based on that. We are not the government, we run football,” he told Reuters earlier this month. “If things get worse or out of control we will have to suspend the tournament to protect lives.”

However, matches continuing to be played has raised concerns at CONCACAF, the governing body for the sport in North, Central America and the Caribbean.

“It’s a bit of a head-scratcher, I’ve got to be honest, but whatever we can do to put pressure on to ensure that the players are safe is to us paramount,” CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani said on April 14. “From what I’ve seen I think this has been pushed by the government and so that’s one of the things we’re trying to wrap our head around.”

What are soccer stars getting up to at home?

Roberto Firmino pulled on the gloves and flexed his impressive goalkeeping chops in the back garden.

Thankfully, Alisson was too busy to be worried about his place as Liverpool No. 1 as he was dressed up as a Disney prince for his daughter’s birthday party.

Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar appeared to pull out the old six-string for a quiet strum.

Jamie Carragher

The lunch deliveries to the elderly & vulnerable weren’t all plain sailing today for @carra23 – he even got the wrong house on one delivery.

Poor Jean missed out on her lunch & the weekly quiz! pic.twitter.com/dShKbP3ANZ

— Marine Football Club (@MarineAFC) April 29, 2020

Jamie Carragher mucked in with a local charity to help deliver food to elderly residents in Merseyside.

Unfortunately, the former Liverpool defender’s aim was a little off as he attempted to deliver the meals to the wrong house.

Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho is also out there helping out with the delivery of emergency supplies in London.

The Tottenham Hotspur boss lent a hand to deliver food grown in the kitchen garden at Spurs’ training centre to local people in need.

Ryan Giggs

ICYMI: The @UEFA_Foundation has launched a series of videos with high-profile figures from across European football helping kids to learn at home… pic.twitter.com/aKZ063gxaA

— UEFA (@UEFA) April 30, 2020

Wales manager Ryan Giggs did his bit as part of a new UEFA Foundation program to encourage e-learning for children during the lockdown period.

The Manchester United legend also read an excerpt from his favourite book — Roald Dahl classic “The BFG” — as part of his home-schooling class.

Other football stars taking part in the campaign include Juventus and Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, 1998 World Cup winner Christian Karembeu, and Bayern Munich goalkeeper Laura Benkarth.

Source link

Tags: closed, doors, Fans, Nicaragua, playing, Team, the toe poke, Turn

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[ramajmedia]

10 Marvel Comics You Need To Read Before MCU Phase 4 | ScreenRant

With so many Marvel Studios projects in development, it might be time for a refresher course. Between sequels, new properties, and a handful of new television series on the way, Marvel fans have plenty on their plate. However, if you have a few blind spots in your Marvel knowledge or simply don't read comics,  this list should help fill some blanks. For this list, we've compiled some landmark Marvel comics that correspond to the next few Marvel projects.

Never read a Moon Knight book? Who are the Eternals, anyway? Don't worry, here's some recommended reading to prepare you for the onslaught of content that Marvel Studios has up its sleeve. Here are 10 Marvel Comics You Need To Read Before MCU Phase 4.

RELATED: 10 Characters Who Should Probably Retire From The MCU Soon

10 Black Widow: The Finely Woven Thread

Based on photos, casting, and rumors, there isn't any one Black Widow book that the film is based on. Seeing as the movie is setting up to be an amalgam of trademark Black Widow elements, this modern-day classic might be a great spot for new readers to jump on board.

The Finely Woven Thread by Nathan Edmondson and Phil Noto is the gritty spy thriller that fans of the movies have always wanted. Between Edmondson's compelling mystery and Noto's painterly art, this is a must-have for Black Widow fans and new readers alike.

RELATED: 10 Characters Who Should Probably Retire From The MCU Soon

This story probably won't reflect the plot of the movie, but it shows just how compelling a Black widow solo adventure could be (and has been in comics for decades now).

9 The Mighty Thor: Thunder In Her Veins

With Natalie Portman's Jane Foster gearing up to wield the hammer, fans should probably pick up Jason Aaron's work on Thor. She has her first adventures as Thor in Aaron's Thor: The Goddess of Thunder, but for a while, her identity was a secret. However, the reveal of Jane Foster as Thor has created a new fan-favorite for many and one of the most compelling character arcs in Marvel's recent history.

RELATED: 10 Other MCU Characters Who Might Be Worthy Of Wielding Thor's Hammer

The Goddess of Thunder is a great starting point, but fans that want to skip the mystery should pick up The Mighty Thor: Thunder in Her Veins. This story arc begins a true epic that fans will want to read in full. Not only will it have you in tears by the end, but it also helps set up one of the better recent crossover events, War of the Realms.

8 Moon Knight: From The Dead

Moon Knight, arguably the most underrated Marvel character in existence, is finally getting his own series on Disney Plus. If you've never heard of him, let Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey's From the Dead be your introduction.

Who is Moon Knight? He's an ex-mercenary with multiple personalities possessed by a moon god. He fights anything from mobsters and robots to vampires and ninjas. The Marvel universe is a crazy place, and From the Dead shows how Moon Knight can tackle any corner of it with style and brutality.

This run is an anthology of different Moon Knight stories, and between Ellis' trademark wit and Shalvey's kinetic artwork, it'll hook newcomers with ease. If you feel compelled to read further — and you will — check out the runs by Charlie Huston and Jeff Lemire.

7 Neil Gaiman's Eternals

For most movie fans, the Eternals are a bit of a mystery.  The Eternals are essentially evolved humans — ancient prototypes of humans created by Celestials, which fans will remember from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Marvel legend Jack Kirby created the characters, but for a modern introduction, check out Neil Gaiman's Eternals.

RELATED: 10 Ways The Eternals Movie Might Connect To The Wider MCU

His series contains the cast of the upcoming film as well as the official (retconned) backstory of the Eternals. It's quite likely that this book is the basis for the movie as well, so definitely pick it up.

6 Hawkeye: My Life As A Weapon

My Life as a Weapon by Matt Fraction and David Aja is the basis for Marvel's upcoming Hawkeye series on Disney Plus, right down to the show's title card. It deals with Hawkeye's life outside of his career as an Avenger, as well as the training of his apprentice, Kate Bishop.

RELATED: Hawkeye Disney Plus: 5 MCU Characters We Want To See Return (And 5 We Don't)

Hawkeye's somewhat-but-not-so ordinary life is a lot more compelling than you might think, and once you read this series, he'll likely become your favorite Avenger. It's got great action, witty humor, and some pretty innovative issues — entire books are told through sign language, and one issue even stars his dog.

5 All-New Captain America

Now that Cap has passed the shield to Sam Wilson in Avengers: Endgame, fans won't being seeing him again until The Falcon and the Winter Soldier on Disney Plus. Can Sam Wilson fill Steve Rogers' shoes? Well, he already has. All-Captain America by Rick Remender is Sam Wilson's first adventure as the winged Captain America.

In the first arc, Sam Wilson must thwart an emerging Hydra threat while living up to his new mantle. This series is proof that Sam is the man for the job, even if fans aren't ready to let go of Steve Rogers.

4 Ms. Marvel: No Normal

As a nerdy superhero fan from Jersey City, Kamala is so familiar with the Avengers' antics in New York that she even writes fan fiction about her favorite heroes. When she acquires Inhuman powers, she names herself after her idol, Captain Marvel.

RELATED: 10 Things You Should Know About Ms. Marvel

Kamala is already a well-established character with plenty of different appearances and team-ups throughout the comics, so where better to start than from the beginning? Ms. Marvel: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona contains her origin story and is a must-read for any Marvel fan.

3 She-Hulk: Single Green Female

She-Hulk is more than just female Hulk. Jennifer Walters is a character that not many people are familiar with, but unlike her cousin Bruce Banner, she actually enjoys being the Hulk. A great entry point before her Disney Plus series is Dan Slott's She-Hulk: Single Green Female, where Jen must balance her life as the Hulk with her very demanding career as a lawyer.

RELATED: 10 Storylines Disney+'s She-Hulk Series Could Use

She's not a scientist like Bruce, but a lawyer in the emerging field of superhero law. Naturally, superhero lawsuits come with plenty of cameos and crossovers, but this is very much a She-Hulk story that manages to stay breezy and fun while distinguishing Jen Walters as her own unique character.

2 House of M and Vision

The Disney Plus series WandaVision is a head-scratcher for most fans, so this entry cheats a little to give readers the best primer.

The concept of the show seems to be based on a combination of two different books: House of M by Brian Michael Bendis and Vision by Tom King. In House of M, Scarlet Witch loses control of her powers and alters reality for the worse. In Vision, the titular hero tries to settle down and have a family, until everything goes horribly wrong.

Concept art for the series depicts Wanda and Vision in an idyllic, sitcom-esque lifestyle, but everything is not what it seems. This suggests influences from both of these excellent stories, so definitely check them out.

1 Doctor Strange: The Way of the Weird

The last two Avengers films prove that Stephen Strange has come a long way since his solo film in 2016. Since his next film is said to be the MCU's first horror movie, it might benefit fans to pick up a comic where Strange is experienced and more than familiar with the scariest aspects of magic.

The Way of the Weird by Jason Aaron is Strange is his absolute strangest. For him, protecting reality is just another average day, despite some of the creepiest and most grotesque threats always knocking at his door. Chris Bachalo's art makes this an especially unique read — if you want to see what a Doctor Strange horror movie might look like, then look no further.

NEXT: 10 Scenes That Define The MCU

source https://screenrant.com/marvel-comics-read-mcu-phase-4/

[daleisgreat]

X-Men Apocalypse

We are approaching the release date for the final FOX X-Men film hitting theaters when Dark Phoenix arrives next week. Thus it seemed like a perfect time to revisit FOX’s previous ensemble X-Men film, 2016’s Apocalypse (trailer). Minus a couple exceptions, I have largely enjoyed most of the X-Men movies so far, even if I have barely an idea of what is or is no longer canon anymore and the many contradictions that have surfaced with each proceeding film. The filmmakers stated in the bonus feature interviews here they are essentially making up the rules as they go along ever since they introduced time travel. Regardless, each X-film in and of itself I have mostly enjoyed on its own merits, and that continues with Apocalypse. Apocalypse has greatly benefited with a second viewing a few years later. I recall nitpicking it in the theaters for its contradictions and other little details that did not match up with previous films and trying to come to terms with the unexpected costume and character design of Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac) himself as it compared to the Apocalypse costume I grew up with in the comics and early 90s animated series. Now that I got those initial puzzled impressions out of my system I took in Apocalypse on its own and those nitpicks were not as much of a distraction on second viewing.

Apocalypse transpires 10 years after the events of Days of Future Past in 1983. I liked how they set up the origin for Apocalypse in the prologue and establish how he is this god-like force to be reckoned with all these years later. Watching him grow in power as he recruited Angel (Ben Hardy), Storm (Alexandra Shipp), Psylocke (Olivia Munn) and Magneto (Michael Fassbender) as his ‘four horsemen’ proved him to a formidable force. There is a lot of setup Apocalypse’s first half of its near two and a half hour runtime. It did not feel that long however because with its ensemble cast there were so many individual stories to tell to bring everyone together that Apocalypse breezed by. Nearly all the main players from the previous two core X-Men films return like Professor Xavier (James McAvoy), Mystique (Jennifer Laurence) and Beast (Nicholas Hoult). Periphery players from before like Quicksilver (Evan Peters) and Havok (Lucas Till) also have bigger roles in this film. Young versions of Cyclops (Tye Sheridan), Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner), Jean Grey (Sophie Turner) and yes….even Jubilee (Lana Condor) make their debut in this past era of X-films. There are a few surprises I do not want to ruin, but rest assured there are plenty of interesting interactions among the huge cast knowing how these characters will interact in movies set after this. Fassbender and McAvoy easily have the best chemistry among the whole cast and the two steal the show with their handful of one-on-one emotional scenes.

Like the rest of the X-films, Apocalypse does not disappoint when it comes to special effects. There are countless CG showcases from the Apocalypse origin story prologue, to another Quicksilver slow-motion sizzle reel, a couple of impressive destruction sequences where Apocalypse unleashes his fury and the requisite Cerebro scene gone terribly wrong. These CG sequences go hand-in-hand with most of the action scenes, and they were smartly paced in with all the setup and build to the climatic final showdown which is highlighted with Apocalypse and Xavier engaging in a telepathic duel for the ages. How those CG scenes were produced is tackled among the boatload of extra features. X-Men Unearthed is the standout extra. It is a five-part feature running a little over an hour combined and tackles how the cast and crew is handling the convoluted canon of the X-films, shows Patrick Stewart give his blessing and witness MacAvoy shave his head, breaks down the cast and goes into the nuts and bolts on how those awesome CG sequences came to be. Definitely worth a watch! There is nearly a half hour of deleted scenes with optional introductions from director Bryan Singer that includes a lot of material that seemed tragic to get cut like a feel-good 80s mall music montage set to Safety Dance that got me nostalgic for my teenage Mallrats years, and Fassbender nailing it with a emotional family scene that Singer stated was one of his all-time heartbreaking cuts to make in filmmaking. There is a killer eight minute gag reel that I would place in the top tier of superhero film gag reels, which is good company to be among.

Finally the commentary track with Singer and writer/producer Simon Kinberg is among one of my favorite commentaries I have heard in the five and a half years since I started this site. Singer is mostly nonstop with revealing facts and inspirations for the film like going into a engrossing story on the aforementioned Fassbender deleted scene, pointing out that Jubilee is in the film in one of her few lines or else I would have completely missed her, taking potshots at Marvel and FOX in the opening credits, a touching anecdote on filming the Stan Lee cameo and being grateful to Munn and Peters for knowing their Mortal Kombat references that resulted in saving a certain moment of the film. Those are just a few of the many highlights I got from the commentary so if you have time this is one of the good ones to check out. Also worth pointing out is FOX subtitled the commentary, THANK YOU! As I alluded to earlier, I came out of X-Men: Apocalypse with a far better experience on my second viewing. I only marginally enjoyed it initially, but letting some time and perspective sink in helped immensely. I am now surprisingly stoked to see Dark Phoenix when it hits next week. I highly recommend revisiting Apocalypse for a refresher on the many little plot points I would have forgotten. I no doubt agree the canon across the nearly 20 years of FOX X-films is a head-scratcher and a half to keep track of and who knows maybe their new overlords at Disney will find a way to smoothly integrate them into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, I would be lying if there was not a part of me that would like to see Disney keep the X-films in their own separate canon that FOX has established, quirks and all. Time will tell.

Other Random Backlog Movie Blogs 3 12 Angry Men (1957) 12 Rounds 3: Lockdown 21 Jump Street The Accountant Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie Atari: Game Over The Avengers: Age of Ultron The Avengers: Infinity War Batman: The Killing Joke Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice Bounty Hunters Cabin in the Woods Captain America: Civil War Captain America: The First Avenger Captain America: The Winter Soldier Christmas Eve Clash of the Titans (1981) Clint Eastwood 11-pack Special The Condemned 2 Countdown Creed Deck the Halls Die Hard Dredd The Eliminators The Equalizer Dirty Work Faster Fast and Furious I-VIII Field of Dreams Fight Club The Fighter For Love of the Game Good Will Hunting Gravity Guardians of the Galaxy Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 Hercules: Reborn Hitman Indiana Jones 1-4 Ink The Interrogation Interstellar Jobs Joy Ride 1-3 Man of Steel Man on the Moon Marine 3-6 Metallica: Some Kind of Monster Mortal Kombat National Treasure National Treasure: Book of Secrets The Replacements Reservoir Dogs Rocky I-VII Running Films Part 1 Running Films Part 2 San Andreas ScoobyDoo Wrestlemania Mystery The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Shoot em Up Skyscraper Small Town Santa Steve Jobs Source Code Star Trek I-XIII Take Me Home Tonight TMNT The Tooth Fairy 1 & 2 UHF Veronica Mars Vision Quest The War Wild Wonder Woman The Wrestler (2008) X-Men: Days of Future Past

[footballghana]

Fans in Nicaragua turn out despite their team playing 'behind closed doors'

Football matches, like all public gatherings, have been postponed across the majority of the world due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, the game has been allowed to continue in the Central American nation of Nicaragua.

The Primera Liga de Nicaragua is thought to be one of only four leagues in action despite the global lockdown, with the Clausura part of the season at the semifinal stage.

Matches are being played behind closed doors, but that hasn't stopped fans from turning up in droves to watch their team play.

Images from Wednesday evening show fans of Managua FC congregating on a grass bank next to the Estadio Nacional to watch their team play Walter Ferretti FC in the second leg of their semifinal.

Local supporters were unable to resist the allure of watching live football despite the games being broadcast live on local television and streamed on Facebook.

The semifinal was played while attempting to observe social distancing regulations, but that proved a little difficult to maintain on the pitch.

Managua eventually emerged victorious with a 4-2 win, leaving them to celebrate in front of an eerily empty stand as they saluted the supporters beyond the perimeter fence.

While under strict instruction to keep physical contact to a minimum, the Managua players couldn't resist a celebratory hug in the dressing room afterward.

Jose Maria Bermudez, general secretary of the Nicaraguan Football Federation, insists the decision to allow the season to conclude is safe as things stand.

"We were given information by the health officials and we took a decision based on that. We are not the government, we run football," he told Reuters earlier this month. "If things get worse or out of control, we will have to suspend the tournament to protect lives."

However, matches continuing to be played has raised concerns at CONCACAF, the governing body for the sport in North and Central America and the Caribbean.

"It's a bit of a head-scratcher, I've got to be honest, but whatever we can do to put pressure on to ensure that the players are safe is to us paramount," CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani said on April 14. "From what I've seen, I think this has been pushed by the government, and so that's one of the things we're trying to wrap our head around."

Source: africa.espn.com

source: https://footballghana.com/

[catfiles]

[catfiles]

Hello, and welcome to parts 8+9 of ‘Returning’!

- Will the human keep staying at home? - is Scratcher right about the word ‘needy’? - will Scratcher ever get his customized song sung about him?!

Find out more/less, next time on The Cat-Files(!) also: instagram.com/fbicatfiles

[catfiles]

Hello, and welcome to Episode 29, ‘Returning’

- Why did the food alarm go off earlier than it has been recently? - Did the agents go back in time? - Will Agent Fluffy be more receptive to Mulder’s theories after breakfast?

Find out, next time on Cat-Files(!)

[catfiles]

Yup, it was a wasp sting to the foot, apparently unprovoked too. 

https://www.instagram.com/fbicatfiles/

[catfiles]

Hi everyone!

Walter Scratcher, showing fantastic Zoom etiquette

https://www.instagram.com/fbicatfiles/ Plus, the merch is (still) out there: https://catfiles.threadless.com/

[catfiles]

Cats can be so helpful

[catfiles]

If you have more than one cat, you’ll likely recognise this pattern of behaviour

The ball is stuck in the confines of tube, so cats can slap the little white ball all day and it never rolls under the couch, where there is possibly a vortex that attracts all cat toys.

https://www.instagram.com/fbicatfiles/

[catfiles]

Hello, and welcome to the conclusion of ‘Returning’!

Scratcher’s plan worked, and the human now feels needed and loved, and is rewarding the agents with some cat toys in the future. Everybody wins!

for even more Cat-Files content: instagram.com/fbicatfiles

[catfiles]

Apologies for the delay, I set this up to post ‘tomorrow’, not realising that this wording carries over so that every day it says ‘tomorrow’, thus never posting. Kind of like the same way I procrastinate sometimes. “I’ll do it tomorrow”. 

anyway, Here is part 6 of the ongoing story, ‘Returning’.

- will the agents manage to keep the human home still? - will they be distracted by food and let their guard down? - does Walter Scratcher's meowing reminders make any difference to the gang being fed?

Find out, next time on Cat-Files(!) Also, here is a pic of life imitating art, featuring my cat, Alfie:

If you like Alfie, there are more pics of him on the Cat-Files instagram... www.instagram.com/fbicatfiles

thanks!