#and it's good to meet the character Blast behind the mystique

[gofancyninjaworld]

OPM Manga Chapter 139 Review: Abyss

Story:  Unexpected Blast

Perspective matters.  From our perspective last chapter, the hole that should be a hole is full of a curled up figure.   We start the chapter with Flashy Flash, Saitama and Manako trying to make sense of something in the blackness.   Try as Manako might,  she can bring no light to bear on whatever’s out there.   They’re interrupted in their investigations by a voice.  This voice invites them to touch the cube and let it grant them their wishes... if it wants... like the world’s worst genie. 

For more see under the cut!  This is a long one!

Before they can consider the terms the infernal cube is offering, what happens but your regular rip in spacetime that just so happens to deposit the much-mentioned but never seen hero, Blast?  He grabs the cube,  spins it on a finger and off it vanishes into another dimension, along with the outraged shrieks of the being who wasn’t finished tempting Saitama’s little troupe.   Blast is nice enough to take them to the surface, although not before explaining that time is running slow in the hole. So don’t expect Flashy Flash and Saitama anytime soon.

...I must confess I’m distracted by Flashy Flash’s ass and heels.

Anyway, back to the now.   Directly on the heels of Orochi being cast down, we watch the heroes who weren’t part of the monster-bashing festival acting as the rearguard, but mostly spectating.  Well, Child Emperor isn’t spectating -- he’s deep in a personal crisis from having erroneously excluded Genos and Bang from participating and wants Zombieman to take over command.  As Sweetmask pooh-poohs the idea,  Zombieman demurs, pointing out that the boy’s ability to admit error and seek to understand make for the capacity to improve.

AND THEN!  FATALITY!  Zombieman shoves Child Emperor out of the way just in time to catch the fireballs of Homeless Emperor, ugh.

The rearguard is under attack, but unfortunately no help is forthcoming as everyone else is transfixed (metaphorically) by  Tatsumaki transfixing (literally) Orochi using the former Subterranean city as a skewer.   It drives Orochi into the earth, twisting and smearing him as it goes, until he finally expires in front of an altar where there’s a mural depicting a suspiciously Orochi-like figure receiving sacrifices.   Gee, I wonder what that means? Orochi dying where he was born, always sweet.

Well, the scumtastic monsters collectively known as the cadre are finally bubbling up to the surface.  They’ve conveniently waited until their boss has taken the punishment and tired out the really big scary heroes they don’t want to tangle with. This is going to get nasty.

Meta: Evil Space Lawyers and other beasts

You didn’t read the small print

I don’t know the anon who wrote to me to point out that the confiscation that ‘God’ spoke of is exactly the same as the word used when He took away Homeless Emperor’s powers and that it’s a legal term He used.   Evil Space Lawyer indeed.  Setting up and executing unilateral contracts without notice. 

We don’t know much about God yet, but so far, the people who we do know He’s ‘helped’ have been exceptionally homicidal freaks acting out of a deep-seated hatred of humanity who’ve been all too willing to use their powers to inflict sickening harm on the world. 

Keep spoiling his fun, Blast!

You know, I’m pleased to meet the coolest uncle in the world, Blast, but honestly, there isn’t much *to* him.  At least, not yet.  Sure he’s cool. It’s great to see that Blast really is an exceptional hero who can spoil ‘God’s’ fun -- at least better than he can kill off giant monsters. Yes, it’s neat to see that he has a means to get around to the unlikeliest of places.  Yes, it’s nice to look at his eyes and realise that Blue is telling no more than the truth (characters in OPM usually are).  But okay, and? So? I’m sure that he’ll be back, and when he is, we’ll have more reason to care.

I do enjoy the detail of showing how he’s been ageing over time through the discrepancies between characters’ memories of him and how he is in the present day.

Sitch really was just telling the truth when he said that Blast was someone who wouldn’t be ordered around.  I’m not wondering either at Sekingar saying that Blast is semi-retired and only a handful of executives can get hold of him.  It all fits.

I freaking love that the various jack-in-the-box reveals are being destroyed and turned into more organic story-telling.  ONE has the space, he may as well, as it also clears the way to do deeper storytelling about both the OPM world and its denizens.

Sit down, be humble

Man, the small but interesting changes between how Flashy Flash’s Very Bad No Good Day unfolded in the webcomic and the manga continue to amuse me. He’s been buried in an undignified position and dug out by a pair of clowns.  His beloved Instakill has been murdered by a hyperactive midget with a twitchy index finger.  And now the worst thing of all, not feeling like he’s the fastest thing on the planet has happened now once, but TWICE.

Heh, I wonder who Flashy Flash will take his wounded ninja pride out on.

Oh, the humanity!

Parentification is when a child is pressed into the role of taking on adult responsibilities to make up for unreliable adults.  It’s been a big problem that Child Emperor has been struggling with and I was both heartbroken and hopeful to see Child Emperor admit that the impossible position he was in was, in fact, impossible.  I wouldn’t call his decisions bad -- under the circumstances, with no one by him to advise, they were the best decisions he could make.   The outcome of the decision was just very unhelpful.

I was more than a little sad when the upshot of Zombieman’s kind words boiled down to Child Emperor still being left carrying the can.

Speaking of humanity,  it’s a gimme for web comic readers that Amai Mask is speaking without turning his head to look at Zombieman. So far, he’s been able to hide his shame from everyone, that he’s turning into a real monster.  But for how much longer?

In passing

Fun little thing.  As Manako lights up the world, just look at Flashy Flash’s body:

A second fun thing: Child Emperor’s memory of Genos being a mix of actual observation -- the lack of spikes -- and what he preferred to remember.  Choosing not to remember that he was naked, good boy!

Btw, between Flashy Flash, Saitama, and Blast, that’s three of the four known cape-wearing heroes in one room. Nice!

[afangirlsplaylist]

Say Yes

Giveaway fic for @mythicalseries

Author: afangirlsplaylist

Rating: Teens and Up

Warnings: Mention of injury (blood)

Word Count: 2,014

Summary: Rhink thinks film school is his and Link’s future - until he is given a vision of just how wrong he is. 

Notes: based on the prompt: ‘a "ghosts of past, present and future" kind of situation after R and L get into a big fight’ I took this to a slightly different place than you were thinking of I’m sorry.

Read it on archiveofourown

No matter how much he wished he could Rhett wasn’t able to remember his dreams very often. Most of the time they got left behind on his pillow when he got up, and the ones he did remember were mind numbingly normal. He spent most nights desperately trying to conjure up an image of blondor, dragons, or the beach, only to get stuck dreaming about something mundane like filming. 

So he wasn’t sure what was different about this one. Maybe it was because he'd had Link on his mind all day - since he’d been arguing with his dad about film school till he’d exhausted himself. Or it might’ve been because he’d collapsed onto his bed with his throat hoarse from yelling and his emotions running high. Whatever it was, something about the night made his dream feel more real than anything he felt when he was awake. 

Where-ever he was in this dream made no sense. The dim light felt like an empty hall or unlit stage, but the humming of distant voices and a soft tinkling sound reminded him of a forest or a creek. Yet he couldn’t place any of the voices or see any running water - only the broad back of his friend standing a couple of feet in front of him. 

It was Link but it wasn't Link. He was wearing a pair of turtle shell glasses and even though Rhett knew his Link was several months younger than him this man looked like he'd been out of college for at least a decade. He figured this version of his friend must be doing well for himself - judging from the stylish sweeping up-do, the red and grey mix pattern suit, and the shiny Rolex draped on his wrist. He looked the picture of happiness, wealth and success, making Rhett’s mouth fall open a little in impressed shock.

This Link didn’t even glance his way when he went to stand beside him, so Rhett almost jumped when he spoke. 

"You talk to your dad about film school today?” The older Link asked.

Rhett couldn’t even acknowledge the question, too busy staring at Link as if he had been asked to play spot the difference. “Link?”

“Not your Link. Not yet.” The older Link said with a smile.

Rhett found the answer rather ominous but unfortunately Link didn’t care to elaborate any further. "Film school - you talked to him?" Link asked again. 

I don't know, why the heck do you want to talk to me about that when you’re from the freaking future or something? Rhett desperately wanted to say, but instead he said. "Yeah, I'm talking him into letting me go with you. Or... other you."

“Don’t.” Link said harshly.

Rhett had never heard his Link talk to him with a tone of authority like that in his life. He wanted to ask what was so wrong with film school, but for a second time the words wouldn't come out. “Why?”

Instead of answering Link stared off into the distance - where one of the humming voices was growing louder. “That’s why.”  

The approaching voice was quickly joined by a small body - no older than nine, storming up to them and clutching a piece of paper in his hand. If Rhett had any doubts about what it was they were erased when he noticed the blood dripping from the palm of the younger Link. It was a deep slice, but Rhett was more alarmed by the tears falling from his face.

“Why would you forget about this?” The younger Link accused, holding up the paper as his voice rang with anger and disappointment. "We made a pact old man."

"I..." Rhett couldn't finish his words, too stunned by the raging young Link in his face. All he could do was gawk at the boy’s split palm and the living, breathing blast from the past standing before him.

"You nothing." Young Link spat, throwing the paper into the dirt and mashing it in with the toe of his soccer shoes. "Go to the damn film school for all I care."

Rhett looked to the adult Link for help but the young Link ran off into the darkness before he could say anything more - leaving him to gingerly pick up what was left of the paper.

"Give it up." Adult Link suggested. "It's gone even in my time."

Seeing as the words were barely legible and the thing was caked in dirt Rhett reluctantly cast it aside, where it quickly sunk into the dirt again. Even without the paper in his hand he could still feel it shaking, stunned by the level of hatred he’d seen in the little Link’s eyes when he looked at him. 

He turned to the adult Link beside him for some kind of comfort, feeling the need to defend himself.

"It was what you wanted." Rhett said, shaking his head in confusion. "I mean it's what my Link wants." He corrected.

"It was.” Adult Link spoke up. “But you don’t realize you're hurting him a lot more by going to film school. It ain't supposed to happen."

"Then what is supposed to happen?" Rhett asked, starting to feel peeved.

As if a spotlight had fallen on a piece of stage Rhett hadn't noticed before, his attention was caught by a preteen girl playing in the corner. She had a pretty face, long blonde hair, and a laugh that rang out just like Link’s.

“She’s beautiful.” Rhett commented, a strange sensation in his gut telling him who she was. “Yours?”

A wide smile stretched across Link’s face as his gaze followed her. “She is.” He said proudly. “Just like her mom.”

“Her mom, huh?” Rhett teased, the weirdness of the dream temporarily forgotten. “When do I get to meet her? She treat you right?"

The smile dropped from Link’s face and he went suddenly serious again. "You don’t. Not if you don’t say yes to your dad and let me follow you. You know if you don't I’ll just end up whenever you’re going, and her mom won’t exist in my life."

He turned back to his daughter as if to prove a point. "Neither will she.” He added, before nodding his head in the direction of two boys Rhett hadn’t noticed. “Or them.”

Rhett’s eyes followed Link’s gesture and he spotted the tell-tale shaggy Neal hair on the heads of the two boys, although they had softer facial features that had to come from their mother. He'd just opened his mouth to speak before Link beat him to it.

“Lincoln and Lando.” Link answered his question for him.

“Gave him the family name, huh?” Rhett said in amusement. "What's with Lando?"

"Star Wars character. Don't ask." Link ordered.

Rhett snorted with laughter. "You ain't gunna change a bit man."

Link’s face couldn’t help betraying a smile. "I'm beginning to think you haven't either." 

Rhett resisted the urge to swat him with his hand before he was distracted by the sound of more children running over to join the others.

"They're yours." Link told him, and Rhett's head spun around so fast he rubbed at his neck to make sure he hadn't got whiplash.

"They're what?"

"They're yours." Link repeated patiently.

He should’ve been able to see the other two children as easily as he’d seen Link’s, but no matter how hard Rhett squinted he couldn't quite make out their faces. It was like someone had taken a sharpie and blacked out their faces in his mind, before muting the audio of their voices while they were at it. 

“I don’t even get to know what they look like?” Rhett complained.

"You don't get them at all unless you say yes to your dad.” Link told him.

Rhett swallowed hard, already scrapping the idea of film school as his heart beat for the two nameless, faceless, boys that were meant to be his. Nothing that meant losing any of this could be worth trying, but part of him still wanted to know that something would’ve stayed the same - that there was one small unwavering part of him that could survive the upheaval. 

"I’d have you at least right?" Rhett asked, nudging his older friend as if he already knew the answer. Link didn't nudge back.

“You’d lose me in two years.” Link said bluntly, watching as Rhett’s smile fell.

“Says who?” Rhett pressed. “What about the oath?

Link mouth went tight as he stared down at the remnants of the oath on the ground with tired, sympathetic eyes. “Even blood oaths have their limits man. I’d only be happy for so long in film school before I wanted something else. We'd just.... lose touch.”

"That's bullshit." Rhett growled, angrier more at the idea of letting that happen than anything else.

"Hey I agree." Link told him, holding up his hand's defensively. "But it happens."

Rhett thought back to the present Link, sleeping soundly on the floor by his bed with no worry of them ever going separate ways. It was then he realised he hadn't given any thought to who would be in HIS bed.

"And my wife? I'm assuming if your married I'm married too." Rhett asked.

"Yeah you are." Link told him, rolling his eyes a little. "Don't flatter yourself I got married first."

"Is she good looking?" Rhett pried harder, once again trying to get a look at the faces of his boys in the distance. Link took a moment to answer, giving Jessie some thought.

"Your wife's hot I guess." He shrugged.

"Hey!" Rhett yelled, indignant.

"Well she is!" Link countered, losing a touch of his cool mystique. "She ain't yours yet dude."

Rhett looked like he wanted to chew him out further but he bit his tongue in favour of getting more questions answered while he still could. "Is she older or younger?"

Link thought carefully about his answer. "She's a little younger but don't give up on her." He advised. "And you should probably think about growing a beard when you're a little older. She likes it."

"Yeah that's right." Rhett said smugly, stroking his currently smooth jaw and imagining a thick beard coating it.

Link just groaned. “You’re even worse at this age. I forgot."

Before Rhett could ask him what he meant by that Link started walking off in the direction of the children. It wasn’t until then that he noticed those bright, childish voices were getting quieter by the second, and panic took over as he remembered one thing he hadn’t asked about.

"What's it like?" Rhett called after him, practically screaming as he felt the dream starting to fade around him. "What we do?"

By the time Link had an answer for him it was almost too late, but he stopped and turned around quick enough for Rhett to catch it.

"Mythical."

Link was gone once the word had left his lips, leaving Rhett to succumb to the pull of the waking world.

He woke up with a shuddering gasp in his own bed a second later, his head ringing with memories that were already starting to slip away from him. It was almost a shock when he heard his Link stirring on the floor below him - very present and now awake.

"Wha' you dreaming about?" Link asked groggily, his eyes still half closed as he lifted his head.

Rhett held his forehead in an attempt to remember exactly what had happened - but all he had was a select few bits and pieces. It felt as though someone was erasing everything he tried to recall, until it was so foggy he stopped trying. "I can't remember."

"Then shu'up." Link mumbled, throwing a small pillow in Rhett's general direction before rolling over and immediately falling asleep again.

Rhett looked affectionately at what he could see of his friend in the darkness - his mind made up. He didn't remember much of the dream but he did know one thing.

He was going to study engineering and Link was coming with him.

Hope you liked this @mythicalseries :) thanks for the cool prompt!

[briangroth27]

Fox Should Wait to Recast the X-men's Logan

With Hugh Jackman retiring from the Wolverine role as of Logan, I can imagine the pressure to introduce a new Wolverine is overwhelming. He’s the most popular X-man and has been the face of the film franchise since it started (and arguably, the face of the comics franchise since at least the 80s). He’s the only X-man besides Deadpool proven to be a solo hit at the box office. There are three new X-films coming out in 2018—New Mutants, Deadpool 2, and X-men Dark Phoenix—any of them an opportunity to introduce a new Logan within a year. However, that’s the opposite of what Fox, Bryan Singer, and Simon Kinberg should do. The X-films are still my favorite superhero film franchise, but I think they can stand to give Logan a rest for a while.

Can Anyone Measure Up to Hugh Jackman? Wolverine was around decades before Jackman put on the claws and he’ll be around long after whoever suits up next. However, Jackman’s made his Logan the iconic version for many, despite the physical differences from the source material (comics Logan is just 5’3,’’ for instance). Any actor hired to take his place is immediately going to face scrutiny from both comic fans and general audiences, making it that much harder to sell someone else in the role.

Certainly, not just one actor gets to play each character and just because selling a new actor is difficult doesn’t mean the role should never be recast. Most would say Christopher Reeve is the iconic Superman, but that hasn’t stopped others from being (at least arguably) just as good in the role. Each actor brought different aspects of Clark Kent to the surface, making the role their own. And we do already have a great, recast Professor X in James McAvoy, as well as strong actors cast as young Cyclops, Storm, Nightcrawler, and Jean Grey, so the X-roles aren’t sacred and recasting doesn’t take anything away from the original. Sabretooth, Colossus, Jubilee, Gambit, Psylocke, Angel, Moira McTaggert, and Emma Frost have been reimagined as the movies’ narrative evolved, casting new actors in every case (three actresses have been Kitty Pryde!). However, Jackman’s tenure as Logan feels different from those roles, since he’s existed in both the not-so-distant-future and the prequel eras of the franchise. He’s already been established as the Logan of the Apocalypse era, so it’ll be a larger disconnect to see him recast now. It also feels a little dismissive of Jackman’s 17 years in the role and the character’s recent death in Logan to recast him in the near future.

The X-men are Bigger than Wolverine Wolverine’s one of my all-time favorite X-men, but he’s far from the only one worth telling stories about. The team is more than just “Wolverine and his Uncanny Friends,” and it’s past time the movies reflected that. With McAvoy, Fassbender, and Lawrence wrapping up their contracts (though I’m sure at least McAvoy will be back for New Mutants or Dark Phoenix) and Jackman retiring, now is the perfect time to put more focus on the younger cast and flesh out the other A-list X-men. We don’t need Gambit, Deadpool, or a new Wolverine to act as the franchise lead. I’d love it if the X-men films were reframed as true ensemble pictures, like the first movie was. At least let a different trio of characters headline each film while the rest of the team acts as supporting players, rotating them each film so everyone’s fleshed out. I’m more than ready for the films to focus on the other X-men and reintroducing Wolverine could very easily derail that. So many of the characters we’ve already got on screen have compelling stories to showcase:

 Cyclops Explore Scott dealing with the pressure of saving an entire species while he learns to be a leader. What if he’s secretly not confident he’s the right mutant for the job (reflecting his belief that Alex was supposed to be the guy who changed the world, not him), but like his optic blasts, he feels he has to keep those doubts bottled up or the team will fall apart? How does he learn to open up and let go when he’s been trained to believe strategic planning is the only way to save everyone? How does his usual status of “married to his job” (leading the X-men) affect his relationship with Jean? Can she get him to open up and relax? In addition to his weaknesses, let’s see his strengths! Show his ability to rally the X-men—and mutants in general—to his side to fight to protect a world that hates and fears them. Rather than the team blindly charging into battle, let’s see Cyclops’ strategic brilliance at work. Scott’s the X-men’s Captain America (with hidden some insecurity/confidence issues) and it’s time the movies played that up.

Rogue Reintroducing Rogue with her comics origin—a supervillain who permanently absorbed the super-strength, flight, and memories of a hero (there, Carol Danvers, here, it can be any random mutant), leaving her to question who she is—would give us a hero with a dark past seeking peace and redemption, much like Logan was...only comics Rogue balanced her angst with a flirty and fun side. The question of whether her heroic instincts were absorbed from the random Flying Strong Mutant or are her true nature coming out as a result of the kindness the X-men showed her would be a great line to walk. If Jean dies or loses her powers in Dark Phoenix, the field team will need a telepath and Rogue’s ability to absorb memories could come in handy, with the built-in disadvantage of also taking on the personalities of people she absorbs. And including that ability instead of just mentioning it happening offscreen, that’d be a fun challenge for any actress.

Storm Ororo stood by while Cairo was leveled—what’s she going through? How does her experience as the beloved leader of that group of Cairo children (making her the only mutant in history willingly followed by humans) inform her choices, viewpoint, and leadership style? Could this drive her to be overly proactive and overprotective of the New Mutants? Could we see her go a little dark, like punk Storm in the comics? Play up both her desperate thief past and her serene, nurturing side from the comics (of all the characters in the original trilogy, Storm’s multiple facets and complexities were flattened out the most). While her villainous arc was my least favorite part of Apocalypse, it’s certainly left her in an interesting position and I want to see her explored more. Could being party to the near-destruction of the planet lead her to take on the responsibility of bending nature to her will to revive the Earth? Controlling the weather is an immensely important power that has practical applications, and I’d love to see how she uses it to improve the world.

Nightcrawler Can Kurt find and keep his faith (and sense of humor) in spite of a world that largely hates his face? How does a religious mutant interpret God’s will and Word, if humans were made in God’s image? It’d be a departure from the comics, but could Kurt start his own denomination of mutant-based Christianity? Let’s explore the mutant subculture in New York through the guy who sticks out the most—we know some humans think they’re cool, we know others hate them, we could meet the Morlocks, etc. A jovial, swashbuckling skirt-chaser with the face of a demon and a strong faith is a great comedic (and potentially tragic) juxtaposition that deserves to be explored more. What happens when he realizes Mystique is (maybe) his mother?

Jean Grey Dark Phoenix will likely focus on Jean’s evolution into the comics’ cosmic force (that was Singer’s original plan for X3). How does she deal with the primal force of her evolved state? Will she want to continue to control herself, or will the power she displayed in dispatching a deadly threat like Apocalypse be too easy an answer to mutants’ problems? What can she do for the world with endless power? Is she the only mutant to achieve the next stage of evolution, or are there others? Are her concerns bigger than human/mutant relations now? What does a person do when they essentially become a goddess? Hopefully she’ll do much more than achieve ultimate power, only to stand behind a different villain like in Last Stand.

Quicksilver Will Peter find his purpose not that he’s gotten out of his parents’ basement? Will he make Erik a better man, or will Erik’s crusade rub off on his son?

 While there are some interesting aspects of Logan we’ve yet to see (which I discussed here), I can wait to get to those until we’ve gotten more from the others. We don’t need to see the Cyclops/Jean/Logan triangle again (particularly after they already resurrected it in Last Stand after it was settled in X2) and we’ve seen him mentor tons of people now, so the comics’ recent “teacher Logan” isn’t really needed here either. Just like the films need to use villains beyond Magneto and Stryker, lest they wear them out, they need to dig into the untapped potential of heroes beyond Wolverine.

 There’s a Great Wolverine Already Cast It’s possible they’ll have another version of Wolverine, like Jimmy Howlett, Logan’s son from the Ultimate X-men comics, take over the mantle in the main X-men films (which is the plan for the current X-men Blue comic). He’d be young enough that it’s not creepy to be in a love triangle with Jean and Scott (though if Dark Phoenix is set in the 90s, they’d be in their 20s). Daken, Logan’s son from the main Marvel continuity, is another possibility, though he’s a villain. 

Still, there’s already a perfect Logan replacement. Her name is Dafne Keen. Fox should follow her adventures in the future in Logan sequels. The best way to avoid Jackman’s shadow is to do the opposite. While either of Logan’s sons are valid options, it’d probably feel forced and redundant to introduce yet another guy with claws who happens to also be Logan’s child. Keen, however, already had the torch passed to her and is ready to go. She’s got the grit to do the crowd-pleasing berserker rage when needed, displayed a more vulnerable and caring side (as well as comedic chops), and she’s young and talented enough that they can take her character wherever they want as she grows.

Plus, Keen would be a ready-made and audience-tested female superhero franchise lead, something Fox could’ve had with Storm, Rogue, and/or Mystique already but haven’t and something WB and Marvel Studios are unfortunately only just starting to dig into. I also wouldn’t hate it if they rolled Laura into the New Mutants film and set it in the future of Logan, which I think should be relegated to its own timeline because of how defeatist in terms of Xavier and the X-men’s legacy it is (as I discussed in my Logan review). No matter where she pops up next, Keen was fantastic as Laura/X-23 and if she’s up for more, Fox would be crazy not to capitalize on this star in the making.

 I’m sure at some point, the X-universe will be fully rebooted and a new Logan will be cast. They’ll probably recast a new Logan before that, but I think they should explore the rest of the universe instead of relying on the cache of one mutant. Keen can carry the Wolverine name while Fox gives everyone else time to become stars too. If they must bring back Logan sooner rather than later, I just hope they remember he’s only one member of the team, not the entirety of the X-men.