#and waylon... well... he's quite a character

[vilnmelling]

NPMD Digital Ticket details!

Since not every can/can afford to/wants to buy the Digital Ticket for Nerdy Prudes Must Die (and the bonus material that comes with the purchase), for your inclusion purposes, here's a list of fun background details, funny moments and comments made in the track commentary, for you to use however you like!

Ruth doesn't actually need to wear her headgear anymore, but she wears it anyway because it makes her feel safe.

Jeff pitched a Nightmare Time episode about the problematic puppy from Steph's verse of High School Is Killing Me, meaning there is a story there.

In the line, "I learned that at the anti bullying assembly last month, fucknugget!" there's a long pause before "Fucknugget!" which really makes it sound like Max forgot to insult Richie and just threw the word out.

All of the little noises Ruth makes, she makes because she has more she wants to say, but she can't say them (presumably due to anxiety).

In the proshot, you can't see fully how low Richie goes while he and Ruth sneak up on Peter, but Jon is fully crouched down. He then uses Pete's pockets and elbows to climb up like he's climbing a mountain (he mimes using a pick or axe to get good hold).

While Steph is talking, Ruth and Richie try their best to hear through the phone by getting as close as they can to it.

The reason Max and Jason were in the Pasqualli's parking lot is that they were practicing their skateboarding. They do that at Pasqualli's instead of at school/at a skatepark because they don't want the smoke club and skater kids to make them look like noobs. (This was a cut bit from the Pasqualli's scene).

The line, "Some big... dumb... sexy... football star" is expanded. In the Digital Ticket, Grace says, "Some big... dumb... sexy... sweaty... hot... well-spoken... beautifully tall football star."

When they're in the boys bathroom, Steph jumps to see over the stalls.

Richie Naruto runs when they're going to Waylon Hall. Pete slaps his hands down, but after they pause to look at the house, Richie looks over his shoulders at Pete a couple of times before darting away from him, once again Naruto running.

Richie stops in the door at the Waylon Place, so Pete pushes him inside.

Ruth and Richie speak at the same time when they say, "I'm allergic to deodorant" and "I have overactive sweat glands."

Ruth goes straight to Richie to complain after the "pus in my pits" exchange with Steph.

When Steph suggests saying there's a party at the Waylon Place, Pete, Ruth and Richie all react negatively (mostly nervously groaning).

While Grace sings the "He's just a nerd in disguise!" line, Richie can be seen practicing the first move of the Bully the Bully dance.

After Ruth says, "We're gonna cut off his nips!" you can see Steph look confused and ask, "What?"

While Pete and Richie talk in the Waylon Place ("Am I reading as ghost or Lin Manuel Miranda" & "She came all the way out here just for you."), Ruth and Steph discuss and practice Ruth's skeleton moves.

Richie gets stuck in the dangling parts of Pete's costume when he says, "You could just hit it and quit it, bro!" He then aggressively detangles himself.

The line "He's just really fucking brave!" comes from Richie being jealous that he's not that brave.

Richie hypes Ruth up a bit after Max says her skeleton bit was really special.

Grace hides behind Ruth while Max is dying.

Richie rolls his eyes when Grace says "It was an act of god!" (Similarly, Shapiro sighs and looks away in disbelief when Grace later says "It was god's plan!")

Pete gags when Grace says "Hack all his limbs off." Richie can also be seen gagging and holding his stomach several times.

Ruth hands Max's nipples over to Grace after cutting them off.

Jeff Blim is the principal of Hatchetfield High. Not a character of Jeff's, just Jeff himself.

Brenda still seems quite judgmental after the two weeks have passed. She makes a lot of not-quite-friendly faces when the football team's talking about Richie smelling bad.

When Richie struggles to remove the Zeke the Fightin' Nighthawk costume, he accidentally removes his jacket as well, leading to Jon having to put it back on (which he also struggles with) (and which creates a funny situation, since Richie was supposed to go shower).

Richie seems to have hurt his leg by the second fall in Nerdy Prudes Must Die (the song).

After Steph tells Grace to "Leave Ruth alone!" in the principal's office, Ruth tries to grab Steph's hand.

The wig Joey wears when he plays Dan Reynolds isn't Dan's real hair. Dan Reynolds wears a toupée.

Trevor and Angela's drama student encourage each other after they finish rehearsing.

Additional line when Grace is lying to Shapiro: "Suddenly, I remembered a crucial detail that made everything make sense. A picture came flashing into my mind, like I was Enola Holmes!"

"My dad sells women shoe! Shoes!"

Angela misses the chair at Beanie's and falls on her ass, leading to her, Joey and Mariah (mostly Mariah) breaking character.

During The Summoning, Tinky focuses ONLY on Pete. The entire time, he looks like he's restricting himself from lunging out and attacking him. At one point, he points at the Bastard's Box while staring at Pete.

90% of the time during The Summoning, Pokey's staring at his own mask.

Steph facepalms after Max says "That's nasty! ... I like it!"

[styluswritesdc]

Just wanna say love ur headcannons and how u write the characters! Oooh I was also wondering what about the rogues reaction to the vigilante with a symbiote? Like a Venom type hero? I feel like Scarecrow would definitely be interested in that kind of thing…

Love this idea!

Scarecrow/Jonathan Crane

Fascinating!! simply fascinating! with a face like that and with teeth as sharp as knives.. are you certain you want to be on that team?

I mean think about you two as a duo. you supply the tangible fear.. and he supplies the enhancer.

does genuinely want you to consider it.. and he wants to know where you procured such a.. pet. he wants one.

would want to talk to your symbiote! just out of curiosity more than anything

Riddler/Edward Nygma

Oh well... he's a little jealous!!

he wants to be that close to you! and the fact you have a little pest interfering with your possible romance/rivalry will piss him off.

he might even deem it cheating if you're both working on his riddles together.

will have an ongoing beef with your symbiote. there'll be jabs thrown between both parties. it will probably love when it gets the chance to punch him in his stupid smug face. plus his organs are well taken care of... yum!

its safe to say your symbiote does NOT like Eddie (wait.. Eddie?)

TwoFace/Harvey Dent

oh cool... so there's two of you in there.. they quite like that.

especially if you two have disagreements on how you should handle things. they're like "omg someone who gets it!"

genuinely loves the idea of this. unlike most people you two encounter, they completely recognise the differences between you two. will address both of you in conversation or a fight.

as far as they're concerned your symbiote fronts to protect you like harv does for Harvey.

he loves it.

Bane

oh that's very interesting. he's fascinated by you.

will ask you, or should I say both of you, a million questions about the origin of your symbiote. what is it? where did you two meet?

he's going to be studying you thoroughly during battle. will even take a step back and watch you fight his goons just to study you two!

will attempt to find its weaknesses, strengths and everything in between.

is even more fascinated when he finds out the only reason you two can work is because your fundamentally compatible and a different host wouldn't last.

Killer Croc/Waylon Jones

oh that's super cool! AND it can talk?!

quite happy to meet another metahuman.

will bond with your symbiote over meat, flesh and such.

your symbiote will say something like "I could really go for a kidney right now.." and Waylon like "man me too. I get that."

wants to go head to head to compare strength.

your symbiote will love Waylon.

what a catch! plus he gets its dietary needs!

[arrowsnsarcasm]

Indie 18+ comic-centric Roy Harper account.

rules: 1) don’t be an asshole 2) multi shipper (see read more below for verses/just consider each ship its own thing) will only ship with 18+ writers/characters 3) au’s and elseworlds welcome 4) ooc and oc blogs are welcome to interact too! Feel free to ping me or send asks for interaction 5) no magic mind altering anons as Lucifer has safeguarded his mind and Zee put extra protections there, sorry!

Storylines I’d love to explore in prose listed HERE.

[please keep in mind that by nature of his characterization this blog will deal with themes such as drug and alcohol addiction and nsfw scenarios that may not always be tagged. ((Mun has very few triggers but if you want something tagged for blacklisting feel free to ask!)) Mun is over 18 and will write nsfw. Filter tw: suggestive and tw: nsfw to avoid.]

[sidebar by thejasontodd; banner by thelaughingmagician, icon by me]

Headcanons that probably matter and verses:

HEADCANONS -> Currently using the alias Arsenal

-> They’ve retconned his age so much it’s confusing, but he’s around Dick’s age, which means only a couple years older than Jason, so it’s not weird. Don’t make it weird. I’ve been writing him at around 25.

-> Roy is a pansexual mess who will flirt with anyone of age who breathes, but he’s also fiercely loyal, so if you can look past that you’ve got a goofy friend for life.

-> Lian is alive and well. She’s about four years old unless otherwise stated in a verse.

-> His thing with Cheshire is over, but he still co-parents with her and acts as civil as he can for their daughter’s sake.

-> He was raised by Brave Bow before Ollie, so he has that Diné (Navajo) background/heritage and tattoo that signifies he’s part of their family still. (Traditionally body markings are actually taboo to Navajo, but DC made this canon so I’m sticking to it. I was calling it ‘Navajo’ because it is the English term since I’ve seen online spaces with members using the term themselves, not to be disrespectful, but going forward Roy will refer to it as Diné.) He speaks the language and has taught Lian.

-> He is a recovering addict. He will not drink or do drugs with your muse, and if he does that means he needs help. Killer Croc (Waylon Jones) is still his sponsor.

-> Lost his arm, quite poetically, in a fight with @mank1ndsbadhab1t of all people, like the addict he is.

-> I’ve read everything I can find involving Roy, including wfa, so he’s a mix of different DC canons with those backgrounds when needed.

✨ VERSES ✨

-> Lore

-> Bowieverse: verse with @dead-ma-outlaw. They own a cat named Bowie and coparent Lian and are just generally adorably smitten with each other. And are now engaged!

-> Hellverse: verse with @john-brendan-knowles. Roy and John are now engaged! And he has wings now thanks to Raven. (Contains suggestive content.)

-> Starbird: verse with @gothams-star-seeker and @wally-is-fast @jason-is-alive. He’s on good terms with Jade in this verse too. Roy is also currently a werewolf (Contains suggestive content.)

-> @kn1ves-are-my-passi0n is kind of his arch nemesis, so become friends with Roy at your own peril.

-> Coming Soon (hit up my inbox if interested!)

I tag posts to keep track of them, not to set anyone apart as special, so don’t read too much into it!

[slugterra-twisted-ends]

First: Surface bound is giving me some Detentionaire vibes in a good way. I hope if you write a fanfiction it goes down that route :)

And second, you might've seen that I've been posting about my new characters the old & new stunters, so I just wanted to have a little idea spill to see if these rolls work well. So:

W.B. (Waylon Brooke Dawson): In the 9th grade. He has two dads. Often skateboards around town but always comes home in time, if not before dark. Often hangs out with his two adopted cousins Hunter (Moulton) and Samuel (Slasher). Gets picked on by Billy, Shorts and Glasses but then Eli defends him causing the two to become friends.

Hunter & Samue Turnerl: Both work at a warehouse and are adopted by Michael Turner. The two often skate at and explore abandoned buildings but will not or will pick a safer option when W.B. tags along.

Daniel Drag: He's the security of an old parking lot. Often has to stop the brothers from graffiting the walls, even if they are his old jobs bosses' kids. But he let's W.B. explore and skate around. Why? It ain't all that clear.

Michael Turner: He's the boss of a conveince store. Used to be a roller blade team leader but then the thing broke up some time later. W.B. calls him Uncle since he was often taken care of by Michael when he was little due to his parents being quiet busy with their jobs.

David Edison: Pretty quiet, low energy guy. He works at an arcade with his pal Walker. The two were apart of the old roller blade gang. Works at the ticket exchange desk.

Sam Walker: Goes by his last name, he's the opposite of David, he's quite energetic and quite loud but can be a bit too wild with his ideas. He works as an arcade mechanic.

Brandon: W.B.'s biological dad (W.B.'s mother left the hospital after the stealth pregnancy). Works as mall security and was also a former roller blade gang member, that's actually how he met his now husband Kade in hospital after he broke his leg.

Kade: Works as a doctor, more specifically at the morgue. As I just mentioned, Brandon's husband/W.B.'s other dad. He did street racing when he was younger.

But yeah, I hope you like my Stunter Gangs surface bound characters, and I hope they don't clash with anything or too much in your story. Can't wait to hear more about the Surface bound series :)

You'd be right in saying it reminds you of Detentionaire! It's one of the inspiration for Surface Bound, along with Strange Hill High, Z-Squad, Exchange Student Zero, a bit of Tale of Arcadia Bay: Troll Hunters, superhero secret identities tropes (mainly from Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja and Dino Squad), and some 2000s, early 2010s highschool based sitcoms. (think your Ned Declassified, Victorious, etc)

As for the Stunters turned Surface Bound counterparts, Eli would more than happily defend W.B against Billy or any of the bullies found in the school grounds. He believes in people getting justice for dealing with idiots who pick on them or do bad things. Another 9th grader saved by Eli and co (both in their hero disguises and just regular selves), Dandelion Redwall, would probably ask W.B if he'd want to be apart of the 'Heroes of Darefield' fan club since he'd probably also get rescued at some point by said heroes

For the warehouse, is it specific or could it be apart of a grander company such as BearTech (owned by Janice Lewis and working very closely with Principal Blakk)? BearTech is huge and probably would have a warehouse or two in Darefield with their larger ones closer to home base in Frostbite Valley, the neighbouring big city to Darefield.

The old car park is an interesting area to mention. It makes me think of BearTech would have that owned and looking into tearing it down for a small BearTech store despite it being a very useful spot for those visiting public areas around it (if I might say, the skate park, a playground, general parkland and maybe a small corner store that has no room for a proper car park)

The arcade and convenience store I could see being visited by a lot of the students and even some of the staff of Darefield High, Middle School and Elementary. Though Michael Turner's store may run into some rivalry with Spink's store, but purely from sales and customer traffic, not much else

And that's very sweet that Brandon and Kade found each other, kinda reminds me of how Mira's parents met a little bit! Which now I think about it for Surface Bound, Dr Nathaniel wouldn't have broken his legs from a great fall, but maybe had some form of illness when ascending by accident to the surface? Maybe broke an arm while cave climbing and was found by Will and Marie. Marie healed his arm and became fascinated with where he had come from given his clothes were not that of the surface, sparking a crush on someone she could see as handsomely foreign and interesting to her.

[charsimsalot]

Emelie and Waylon

As part of my project where I'm bringing Moonlight Falls into The Sims 4 and moving its characters forward in time, here's Emelie Van Gould and Waylon Wolff, now young adults. I am still figuring out the specifics of how their story has gone between the time of The Sims 3: Supernatural and now in The Sims 4, which for now I'm thinking I'll have be roughly ten years later (emphasis on roughly, I don't plan to work out exact ages for everyone from The Sims 3: Supernatural). Here are some photos of Emelie and Waylon soon after moving in together!

I am quite sure that at this point, the rest of the Van Goulds and the rest of the Wolffs have found out about Emelie and Waylon's relationship. For those unfamiliar with The Sims 3: Supernatural, these two families hate each other over a feud about who really founded Moonlight Falls. Now, I'm thinking Waylon is no longer a member of the Wolff pack. Maybe he was kicked out of the pack, maybe even of the family. Maybe his father or grandfather told him that he had to choose between the pack and Emelie. Maybe Waylon had grown to resent his pack already and this was the final straw!

As for Emelie, I have less ideas about how her father has responded to finding out about her relationship with Waylon. I'm thinking that while she has become an even more enthusiastic werewolf ally, her brother still looks down on werewolves. She is a rising pop star who wants to use her platform to combat the effects of Operation High Fang, whereas her brother perhaps may be using his musical talent for worse purposes, composing the score for Greg's Revenge.

Emelie and Waylon, I'm rooting for you! ✨

(As an aside, I think Rory Oaklow absolutely would not get on well with either of them. Rory and Waylon, despite their fathers' wishes that they would make friends when they were teens, really didn't like each other. By now, I think Rory admires Waylon for making his own choices and would take his side over his dad's. That doesn't mean she can't still find Waylon super pompous and annoying.)

I took these photos in Copperdale, which I'm using as Moonlight Falls for screenshots because of the similar geography, but I am considering the possibility that they moved away at some point! Perhaps to Del Sol Valley for Emelie's career? Or San Myshuno? Still, one of the benefits of having them still live in Moonlight Falls in the present day is that it keeps them near other characters, which can be good for plot reasons.

I'd be interested to hear if anyone reading this is also interested in The Sims 3: Supernatural lore, or is also bringing Sims from The Sims 3 into the The Sims 4!

[dragonflight203]

Next up on the DC Comic List is Batman: Black and White.

As this one is an anthology, it’s quite different than the previous comics that told (mostly) stand alone stories.

I picked it up because there was supposed to be a good Riddler story in it.

Disappointingly, despite including 30 stories none of them center the Scarecrow. Dr. Strange did make a surprise appearance, which was quite appreciated.

Comic

Title: Batman: Black and White

Author: Various

Artist: Various

Year: 2020-2021

Overall Opinion

Surprisingly meh. I’m usually quite fond of short stories so I fully expected to love this anthology, but only a few of the comics within it worked for me. There were none I hated and few that I loved. Most made me go “eh” and turn the next page.

As an anthology there will be almost certainly be at least a few comics that will work for a person, but I’m hesitant to recommend this one wholeheartedly. I’d suggest grabbing it from the library or picking it up on sale.

General

- The Demon’s Fist – James Tynion IV continues to be a very character focused writer. He fleshes out an assassin from the League of Assassins and portrays Ra’s Al Ghul’s continual obsession with Batman well. As long as Ra’s lives he’ll never let Batman have peace.

The stand out here is the art, which is highly stylistic. It’s a striking change from the realism I’ve seen in most comics up to this point. I’m not quite sure I like it, but I would like to pick up a colored comic from this Tradd Moore and see how it works.

-Weight – A time piece from the start of the Covid era. This one is mostly just Bruce dwelling on his inability to fight Covid directly; he has to let others carry that burden. He’s as happy about that as you’d expect and is on edge waiting for a battle he can participate in. The art is quite good.

-First Flight – One of my favorites from the collection. Unsurprising since it’s by Paul Dini, it feels like it could be an episode from BTAS. Bruce’s casual acceptance of ninja man-bats and internal evaluation of the ones present in the Batcave compared to the ones he’s familiar with are hilarious.

I love Bruce’s characterization here. His compassion and that underlying anger are in full force.

At the start he’s clearly frustrated with Wesker, and also feels guilty about hurting him even though he knows it was necessary. He tells himself that it’s not his problem, but it doesn’t ring true.

Bruce: “I didn’t think twice about throwing the dummy under the train. I had to break the ventriloquist free of its control. Still, Wesker’s screams when he saw Scarface in pieces… Like a lost child. Well, that’s for his doctors to deal with. Three weeks spent chasing that madman, both my sympathy and my patience are at an end. “

I also love that the ninja man-bats get a happy ending. Even though they tried to kill him, once Bruce realizes that all they want is a place to protect he makes sure they get one.

Dini is one of the best Batman writers, and I really need to read more of his works.

-Sisyphus – I’ve reread this one four or five times, and I still don’t understand it. I think it’s supposed to be about how Batman is continually reborn over time, and that the core of the character remains the same even as the details change. But it’s quite possible I’m completely off mark. While I enjoy abstract works, this one’s a bit out there for me.

-Metamorphosis – A rather touching story where Batman ‘rescues’ a kidnapped woman from Waylon Jones, only to realize too late that she’s there willingly. As Waylon did kill a GCPD officer they both have to be taken into custody, but there’s a bright spot that the woman may stick with him in the future.

The most interesting bit is the end – Waylon says that at the end of the day, Batman can take off his cowl and be a man. Batman says Waylon is wrong about what’s underneath the cowl.

I wish the story had dug into this more. What is beneath the cowl then?

If the story had explored that more I’d like it more, but as it is it’s mostly a good Waylon character piece.

-The Unjust Judge – This one doesn’t work for me; Bruce’s voice is off, and the priest speaks a bit too much like he knows he’s in a story. The art is also very difficult for me to make out.

I do like the idea that for Batman peace would be silence because that means no one needs his help, but the execution could be improved.

-All Cats are Grey – I’m inherently biased towards this one because I love cats and this comic is filled with them. They are so cute!

This one is a vignette between Batman and Catwoman where Catwoman develops a new costume to blend in better with the snow and uses it to sneak up on Batman. It’s a cute comic that wants to have fun and achieves it.

-The Spill – This one feels like I should love it because Joker actively rejects the idea of him and Batman having a special relationship, but ironically it does not. The rejection feels a bit to on the nose; ‘See, what I want is canon now so you have to accept my interpretation!’.

Joker also just doesn’t feel like the Joker; the Joker wants to have fun and creates chaos in any situation. This Joker is too focused on watching Batman die and fails to take to the initiative in his scenes.

The result is that this is another one I’m very meh about.

-Dual – This one is frustrating. There’s a ton of build up and no pay off.

The premise is intriguing; who is this mirror to Batman in looks and actions?

But then it ends on a cliffhanger, showing who I presume to be Thomas Wayne (from a multiverse?) and that’s it.

It’s an odd choice to include in an anthology where the readers will never receive closure. I don’t even know what comic series to check for followup.

-The Devil is in the Detail – This is another one of the stories that I really like. This is easily one of the best stories in the anthology.

It’s told in the style of 1940s newspaper comic strips, which is a fantastic choice for a short story, and ends on an a twist I did not see coming but works very well.

I am still puzzled on one part of the story (there are only six deaths but there should be seven?) and Batman’s voice feels slightly off. It’s possible that’s intentional to mimic the time period, but it sounds far more stilted than I’m accustomed to.

-The Cavalry – I feel I missed a memo somewhere, because this is supposed to be a black and white anthology but the text is yellow. What’s going on here?

That aside, this is a nice vignette from what Google tells me is Future State. There isn’t much meat to chew on, but I like the characters well enough and wouldn’t mind see more of them.

-A Kingdom of Thorns – This one is a bizarre piece that feels like it was written as an original story and then the characters were tweaked slightly to make it about Batman.

It’s set in the medieval era and stars Batman as a knight, which has a lot of potential to translate the series to the era. But the story is about returning Poison Ivy(?) a part of her that was lost, and ultimately it feels like these could easily be original characters.

There’s just nothing here that makes me think ‘Batman!”, and I’m mostly surprised it was accepted.

-I am the Bat – I really like the art on this one, but the story itself is meh.

The twist is that the story is told by a child of Batman that took up the mantle, and as far as I can tell the child is a new character.

Given that Bruce already has several children, including one biological child, I don’t see the value in adding yet another one to the mix.

I’m also rather confused why this child expects to take on the Rogues gallery. If Bruce is gone and this child is grown, surely most of the Rogues would be retired or otherwise gone by this time?

-An Unquiet Night – This is an interesting one. The premise is that Batman will not rest peacefully after his death, because he’s as obsessed with Gotham as Gotham is with him.

It’s a concept I quite like, and would enjoy to see expanded. Eldritch Batman is always fun, and a Batman that will never rest so long as there is a Gotham is promising.

-Legacy – This is another story that feels like it was written for a different anthology and tweaked to make a Batman story.

The core concept is solid – in an apocalyptic scenario with giant robots and monsters, how will Batman protect Gotham? How far will he go?

But the execution doesn’t feel like Batman, and it ends on a note that doesn’t make sense to me. (Is the implication supposed to be Batman’s no longer human?) It’s another story that I’m puzzled was accepted.

-A Night in the Life of a Bat in Gotham – This one gets a pass on the rule of cute.

I love the idea of there being a market for rogue paraphernalia, and it’s a logical extension that in a city where the Bats are heroes that regular bats would be sold as pets.

The story ends on an odd note that implies a conclusion I didn’t reach, but the central bat is drawn so adorably I forgive it. Taken as a fun story it works.

-The Davenport House – This is an excellent Batman short. Of course Batman solves the mystery on nothing more than body language, and of course he shields Robin from the darkest part of their work.

This sets out to be a fun story with dark undertones and it does it well.

-The Green Deal – This is an interesting psychological piece between Batman and Poison Ivy. Poison Ivy attempts to play Batman (and beyond him Bruce Wayne), and Batman easily outpaces her by several yards.

Not the best mind games story that I’ve read, but a good character piece for these two.

-Checkmate – A nice glimpse into Bruce’s past and his relationships with Harvey Dent and Alfred. The story has a very basic capture-the-bad-guy promise, but includes some good character moments.

I love this line from Harvey: “This man is only captured if he wants to be!”

They may not be friends any more, but Harvey has plenty of respect for Batman as a foe.

-The Fool’s Journey – A sad tale that illustrates that solving a mystery isn’t necessarily thrilling. Sometimes it’s just the every day grind of life that wears a person down. It’s also nice to have a glimpse at the Graysons’ prior to their death.

Another good line from Batman: “I’ll let you know when I’m done. And Gordon… …You don’t have to call me every time you see a clown.”

-A Father & Son Outing – This is a cute character piece that illustrates the great lengths Bruce goes to maximize the drama as Batman. He works for his presentation, damn it.

I’m left with the impression that Damian may have been more willing to go along with Bruce’s plan if Bruce had given him a greater role. Can’t really blame Damian for wanting to be more than a minor supporting character.

-Signals – This is an excellent story that centers Gordon and his ongoing struggle with corruption at the GCPD. Gordon has fought corruption since the start, and the cost has always been high. Gordon pays the price over and over, and somehow keeps his head above the water.

-Blue – A surprising story about Gilda. This one relies on the twist at the end to work, but fortunately it’s a twist that works very well. I’d like to see more of this Gilda. She’s grown past her dependence on Harvey into her own woman.

-The Riddle – I LOVE this story. The formatting is genius, and then it takes it a step further to build it into the story itself.

There’s not much depth to Edward and Waylon – what would make those two work together anyway? – but the way the story is told is so much fun that doesn’t matter.

-The Man Who Flies – This is a beautiful reflection on Dick Grayson. Emphasis on beautiful; the art is gorgeous and can easily be hung on a wall.

There’s not much of a story, but that’s not the point. This is Dick thinking about his life, and his feelings come across well.

-The Second Signal – I’m intrigued by the glimpse into Gotham this story gives.

If I understand correctly Jervis based himself in an area of Gotham he knows Batman neglects. Batman realizes this and is furious at himself for the oversight and promises to do better in the future.

Nonetheless, the kids in this area place a lot of faith in Batman to help them. Fortunately, he meets their expectations. These are more characters I’d like to see again.

-The Abyss – Another story I really like! This one provides three outside perspectives on Batman when he saves the day.

Two of the civilians (understandably) are rather horrified at him, but the cop (who knew damn well she was in over head) glorifies him.

This is a fascinating idea – Batman strikes terror into those unaccustomed to violence, but those he fights alongside idealize him.

Unfortunately for everyone involved, their therapist is Dr. Hugo so it’s unlikely any of them will be coming to terms with their trauma.

-Opening Moves – This is a story that examines what it means to Batman to save someone. It’s not enough to save their life; he also wants to save them from the darkness.

Batman’s failure isn’t that the Noir Prince fights – his failure is that the Noir Prince embraces the violence of his people and is willing to kill.

I’m also very curious about the backstory behind the Chessmen Blanc and Noir, but that’s just dressing to the heart of the piece.

-Like Monsters of the Deep – I always enjoy it when Batman teams up with a Rogue, and this is no exception.

Batman allied with Karlo knowing damn well that Karlo would most likely renege on the terms of their agreement, but he did so for the greater good and to give Karlo the opportunity to prove himself.

It’s implied Karlo knew Batman would be prepared to stop him and said ‘fuck it, maybe I can get away my revenge’ and I love him for that.

Just… the relationship with Batman and Karlo is the star here. Batman will always give Karlo the opportunity to try even though he knows it’s most likely futile, and Karlo feels safe enough with Batman to try for revenge even though he knows Batman will try to stop him.

This isn’t a healthy relationship by any measure, but there is an understanding between them. Batman will try, Karlo will try, and they’ll hurt each other and start all over again.

-A Thousand Words – Unsurprisingly, one of my other favorite comics in this anthology is by Scott Snyder. He’s a fantastic writer and this story is no exception.

What stands out to me in this one is that even though the photographer eventually sold his photos of Batman to less… reputable news agencies, it’s implied Batman still has a great respect to him. He understands it wasn’t personal; it was about providing for the photographer’s family.

This is Batman I love: He sees the big picture (hah) and cares for everyone, even if it comes at a cost to him.

[zipzin]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Critical Role Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Chetney Pock O'Pea & Imogen Temult, Laudna/Imogen Temult Characters: Imogen Temult, Chetney Pock O'Pea, Laudna Additional Tags: Campaign 3, Crack Summary: Forget time, forget Ludinus, forget the gods, forget Predathos. She was going to fucking kill Chetney for mentioning her name and the title assistant in the same breath.  Then maybe Dorian, after all he was the one who started this farce.

“-the assistant of C-POP Industries? I’m trying to get in touch with him and he isn’t answering. Has the master craftsman passed away?”

Imogen was wrenched from sleep as a grating voice she didn’t recognize split open her brain. “What?” she croaked out and sat up, “Did you say Chet’s dead? What’s going on?”

It took her a couple blinks to realize that she was staring at the dark red rocks of the Ruidus tunnel, one last night of, well, the closest thing they could get to peace before they entered Kreveris. Laudna was asleep, eyes open and arms tangled with hers while Ashton and Fjord were sitting ten feet away, ostensibly on watch.

They’d almost agreed against it, the only thing that would be out here would be one of those giant worms and if that was on them, it didn’t matter if someone got a shout off. They’d all know about it and they should all hope they’d be swallowed together.

And she was talking to no one.

“You good?” Ashton shout-whispered at her, “It’s not quite next watch. Bad dream?”

“No, not that” Imogen rubbed her head, “I don’t know, weird dream.”

He nodded and she laid back down and felt her body begin settle again.

“Will C-POP Industries be making a statement at Pop-con about the death of the master craftsman? What will become of his last collection?”

Imogen sat back up and sighed. What fucker was sending her? About Chetney of all people?

“How did you get in contact with me?” She growled and could see Ashton and Fjord both turn and frown at her. “And why are you asking me about Chet?” His snores were filling the tunnel and she squinted to try to make out his tiny form in the dark.

“Our sources are confidential,” the voice was smug, “But once he didn’t answer and with the weird feedback we’re receiving we thought it was best to check with his assistant.”

“Fucking Waylon,” Imogen swore, “Look, he’s not dead. We’re sleeping alright, I can see him breathing and everything. We’re on the moon. Who is this?”

There wasn’t an answer and she itched to send right back at him, but she had no fucking clue what they even looked like. Or their name. And now was not the time to be using spells for frivolous sending reasons. 

Imogen sighed and stood, gently extricating herself Laudna’s arms. “I’ll take next watch.”

Ashton shrugged, “I promised to wake up Fearne.”

“That’s fine.”

“Is everything okay?” Fjord asked.

“It’s fine, just Chet assistant stuff.” Imogen sighed and rubbed her head. “Some dipshit is probably gonna keep sending to me.”

He frowned while Ashton snorted beside her and stood, walking carefully over to Fearne and shaking her awake while Fjord gently shook Caduceus.

“Imogen?” Fearne frowned at her, “Are you joining us?”

“I woke up,” Imogen shrugged, “And I feel fine, all recovered, so, figured I’d just join ya on the last watch if that’s okay?”

“Of course,” Caduceus rumbled, his eyes stopping on Laudna for a second before moving on. 

Imogen put herself between Caduceus and Fearne, he seemed nice enough if you ignored his uncommon interest in Laudna, and she was half-nervous Fearne was going to say or do something that would change his interest into something more sinister. Neither of them talked, and Imogen sat with a strict back and narrow eyes waiting for the asshole who dragged her out of bed to annoy her some more.

After about thirty minutes of silence, she had almost made her mind up to return to Laudna’s arms.

She sighed loudly.

“You can go back to bed,” Caduceus rumbled.

“Maybe-”

“Can you comment on the state of your relationship with Mr. Pock O’Pea?”

“Oh what the hell!” She stood and at the two’s confused gaze, whispered to Fearne, “Make sure he doesn’t mess with Laudna.” And then strode down the tunnel, “Now, who the fuck is this?”

There was a beat of silence.

“We are a collective who are interested in getting the answers to Exandria’s burning questions. Now, how do you feel about Mr. Pock O’Pea?”

“He’s a-” she cut herself off, as her sleepy brain seemed to click on and she gritted her teeth. This was some fucking reporter. And why were they asking about Chet? How many C-Poppers were there? How had this grown so quickly? “He’s a very skilled craftsman. That’s all I have to say.”

“Are there any associates that would be interested in talking to us? Feel free to give their description and name?”

“I’m not tellin’ ya shit. You haven’t told me anything about you. How do I know you’re a real reporter?”

“We’ve been told that there’s a dangerous green haired faun around him. Was the attack from her?”

“Attack!?” Imogen yelped, “What attack? He’s fine! And she’s not dangerous. To him.” Imogen hastily added.

She waited, but there was no response, and clenched her fists. She was going to kill Chetney. This stupid lie that she was an assistant just because she could message people! And she never even had to message Waylon! Who fucking sold her out to some reporter?!

She let out a harsh sigh and then stomped back over to Caduceus and Fearne after ten minutes of fuming.

“Everything alright?” He asked.

“It’s fine.” Imogen said.

Fearne eyed her carefully and then clasped her hand. Imogen squeezed it back trying to ease the tension that was building in her neck.

Orym woke first, and in a gentle cascade the others began to stir and get ready for the final march. 

Imogen stomped over to the snoring Chet with haste. After a particularly loud snort, she reared her foot back and kicked him with, well, not all of her strength, but she’s done with this farce.

His snores immediately stopped and she heard Laudna’s vague, “Darling? Are you alright?” behind her.

“I know you’re up, Chetney.” Imogen leaned over him.

“You could of killed me with that kick!” He yelled.

“But I didn’t!” Imogen pulled back the blanket and stared at him. He frowned back, bushy eyebrows furrowed and what little hair he had sticking up in strange directions.

“It’s not my fault there’s not a private room for you and Laudna in this long ass tunnel!”

“What?” Imogen sputtered.

“Why else would you be kicking me awake?”

“The hell Chetney! No! It’s because some reporter woke me up because they thought you were dead!”

“What?!”

“Apparently Ruidus gives sendings weird feedback and you snore through them! So they decided to contact me!”

“You’re my assistant!”

“Assistant?” She heard Beau mutter.

“Chetney!”

“Wait,” he moved to a sitting position, “dead? What did you tell them?”

“That you were asleep!” Imogen rubbed at her temples to ease the oncoming headache.

“Good,” he nodded and then stared at her, continence easing a bit. “I’m sorry you can’t sleep through messages, but it isn’t my fault.”

“Fucking Waylon passed my description along! That makes it your fault!”

“Are you dissatisfied in my employ?”

“You don’t fucking pay me Chet!”

“I gave you 200 platinum yesterday!”

“Oh wow, that’s a lot of money.” She heard Jester say.

“That was for diamonds! For all of us!”

He shrugged, “You could spend it on anything you wanted.”

“And you stole it from Allura!”

“I didn’t steal anything! She gave it to me!”

Imogen stared at him and her hands raised up as she thought about casting psychic lance until he really did keel over. She let out a half-scream and then stormed back to the group.

“Are you his assistant because he’s so old?” Jester asked and then in a half-whisper, “Do you have to help him stand up?”

Imogen stopped and stared at her and with a moment’s deliberation answered, “Yes.”

She glanced back at Chet, but he was just shrugging with a smile, “Helps keep me fresh and breathing another day.” He looked down at his sitting position and then held up a hand, “Assistant?”

“Ugh!” Imogen jerked him up with her telekinesis, grabbing the back of his collar and forcing him into standing position and stormed away to where her bed roll and bags lay. Laudna pulled her into her arms and began to rub circles on her back.

“You were at the key,” Beauregard said, “Were you his assistant then? Did you come as a package deal? I thought your mom was wrapped up in this?”

“Imogen’s quite capable,” Laudna said.

“Actually,” Dorian piped up, “She was my servant first.”

Oh, they were both dying. Painful, brutal, flung out into the astral sea where no one could rescue them.

“Servant?” Fjord muttered.

“You know what I remember from then?” Imogen shot back, “That you and Fearne are engaged.”

Dorian blushed and hid behind his pack while Fearne just flipped her hair, “I have many bonds across Exandria.”

Ashton snorted, “That’s putting it lightly.”

“Um,” Caleb said, “I think we should get going.”

“Gladly,” Chetney fruitlessly brush some red dirt off his pants, “After my wonderful assistant.” He waved Imogen forward.

“Chet, I swear to you. If that damn reporter sends to me when we’re facing Ludinus I’m breaking Predathos free and killing you.”

“Only if you respond first! Can’t ruin my reputation!”

“Darling,” Laudna carefully wrapped her up and Imogen sunk into the coldness that’s brought her comfort more than anything, “Maybe we don’t decide to fundamentally change the cosmos because we’re mad at Chetney.”

“He’d deserve it,” She grunted out and buried her face into Laudna’s shoulder. She let Laudna’s scent wash over her.

“Maybe,” And Imogen knew by the almost laugh Laudna let out with each word that she thinks she’s being ridiculous, “But we need to approach this with clear heads. Okay?”

“I know,” Imogen grunted and pressed a kiss to her skin, “I know. I just, they woke me up! Because he was snoring through their messages and they thought he died! I should have just let them.”

“You can do that next time,” Laudna said and kissed her temple.

“Yeah?”

“Yes, whatever you want.”

“Oh yeah,” Chetney called back, “Whatever you want.”

400 years was a life long enough, right?

[starcanwrecked-confessions]

Personally I do believe Max could have potentially been redeemed (COULD HAVE, not automatically would have, there’s a difference) had he survived the Waylon place. Yes, I realize he’s a horrible person who intentionally and maliciously torments others, but that’s what makes a possible redemption arc so compelling to me. I don’t believe anybody is 100% good or bad and anybody can change if they’re willing to put in the effort - and to me, his reaction to the prank shows that he is capable of being nicer and at least open to changing his mindset (that’s my reading, others will have different interpretations and that’s totally fine). Would he change overnight if he even did? Realistically, no, but I think if you lean into the absurdity of Hatchetfield and the over the top + morally grey nature of all the characters in it even a more rushed redemption can work (saw a post about that awhile back and I’ve been thinking about it ever since).

I don’t think putting him through a redemption arc and having him become nicer as a result is quite the same thing as mischaracterization or “woobifying/uwuifying” - I guess it is in the sense that it departs from his canon characterization and makes him softer but if you give him character development in a fan work, of course he’s going to change. And it’s not like it’s completely out of left field - again, he at least showed potential for it in canon, even if it was extremely brief. Also, I and most other people in the “Max could’ve been redeemed” camp are well aware that whatever’s going on in his home life isn’t an excuse for his behavior - exploring what’s going on in his life and how it might influence him isn’t the same thing as saying it justifies what he does or it’s the only reason behind it.

I completely respect if someone doesn’t think he would’ve been redeemed, but I don’t think it’s totally fair to say that everyone who thinks he’s redeemable and explores that possibility in fanworks is mischaracterizing him or doesn’t understand his character - I think it’s more of a case of differing interpretations and that’s totally fine! At the end of the day none of us know what would’ve happened if he survived the Waylon place because he didn’t, he died and came back wrong (but iconic. I love the asshole villain he is in canon too, I just also love him for the silly goober I think he could’ve been if he had the chance).

~~~

[zahri-melitor]

Recent Reads:

Gotham City Monsters (2019): I circled back to read this after a few indications from later on that characterisation was being picked up from it, and I've got to say, if you're at all interested in any of the characters that appear in this mini, it is definitely worth your time. I read it for Kate Kane, Grace Balin, Sondra Fuller and Waylon Jones and I had a really good time (though I would have liked it if Kate had acknowledged her relationship with Nocturna in it, given Andrew Bennett was also running around the title).

It's definitely one of those titles that just adds a bunch of depth and characterisation to the world.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen's Boss, Perry White #1: this actually only has one new story in it, but I enjoyed it anyway. The reprints include two wholly bizarre stories from the 1970s (I'm actually mildly surprised they're Bronze Age - the vibes are quite Silver), and then one where Perry talks to Ted Grant (obviously this made me so soft) and an excerpt of Clark telling Perry he's Superman.

Sword of Azrael (2022): Both the art and the writing on this are excellent, and JPV is back to talking to red gold lineart St Dumas and being a pathetic wet cat of a man.

But what specifically stood out to me is how set in place this is, as a story, because Dan Watters had to link up a bunch of things to put this together. He took Father Valley from Ram V.'s Catwoman and Vengeance from James Tynion IV's The Joker and added a Fourth World excuse on top of all this. It's not only a story that could only happen in comics, it also expects you to be ready to roll with titles and concepts that you would not assume everyone read as lead ins to this.

I'm particularly enthralled in the choice of pulling Vengeance into this. Not only because of her name, but because of her background as a creation with a purpose and a mission to avenge Bane. She understands the pull of revenge and its power and she is seeking herself after The Joker.

Personally I wish Watters had also managed to link this more explicitly back to Azrael 2009 as well, but that's partly my selfish fondness for that run talking.

[amor-godess-of-love]

I tried making a little project, but didn't finish it before end of June, still I wanted to post it. Just my DC oc and my au version of some characters.

Jagna is my main girl on this blog, Bi, no questions about it. Nothing less for Mistress of Love.

Jonathan in my au is still questioning if he is bi or ace. Years of religious trauma and low self esteem kept him from exploring anything but fear. All he know that gener isn't factor in deciding if he likes someone.

Big crowd of characters, but they quite connected in story of my au:

For Oswald his sexuality is just another thing that makes him stand out amongst the elites of Gotham, then again the green devil is quite the charmer.

Edward never really give thought about what he actually likes, trying convince himself that such smart individual like himself had no attraction to anyone at all. He truly can't deal with his emotions, so understanding his preference is one of biggest riddle in his life.

Lucy knew Edward for long time. She always knew what she wants, beside who would feel attracted to such charming man. She might be hard to deal with but definitely become true nightmare if it's about someone she cares about. Specially her younger brother

Milo took really long time to figure himself out. But after he did, he try to make new start for himself in central city, which didn't end that well.... (depending on perspective). Still he feels connected to his past in Gotham. Keeping his sister, Edward and eventually Oswald as part of himself he doesn't want to change

Waylon Jones doubts he ever finds someone to love, still he definitely wouldn't turn anyone down if they approach him first, hell he would go out with tree if it approach him fist.

Agnes "Jones" she spent years lock away. All she knows is religious teaching feed to her through her life. She only now has ability to discover herself both as person and as Dhampir she is. She just wanted to came along to support her (D̶a̶d̶) boss.

Amelia Wesker is niece of Arnold Wesker. Her mother is the youngest sibling of Arnold and only person he kept in contact from his family. He is his little star and his world. She and her mother are only things that will made him put his foot down when it comes to Scarface. Arnold will support her without her self-discovery, dragging scarface along to scare off people who might want to criticise her. That makes her even more guilty from keeping fact she is new vigilante in city a secret know as Red Ara.

More of self indulgence oc that started with my love for Slavic culture, believes and myths. Jana while quite stereotypical in some ways to make it more entertaining, is very much about shenanigans with weird Slavic folklore. She is daughter of John Constantine, they friendly but distant, unless Constantine needs her help. He is probably best adult model in her live, which is quite sad, then again she would pick her father, over dealing with Baba Jaga herself, along with Kashchei the deathless any day. Then again hard not to when they are her grandparents. She just happy to have anyone in her life who truly supports her, even devil.... Which she does in form of her godfather.

Just wanted little post for pride month. Will definitely finish it when my life is less chaotic.

[brokentoys]

i like these examples because it shows that eddie is not useless. contrary to the misconceptions. both ed and harvey were with os here, but os requests ed to be the one to find a way out - this is because os knows damn well about what an amazing escape artist ed is, as well as what a genius he is. (ed has even been shown to escape arkham in as little as two minutes before in the comics)

also, in joker's asylum, when eddie was depressed - it showed just how many of the rogues go to his doorstep, wanting something from him.

yes, eddie may be the "haha silly riddle guy" - but like. he does more than just riddles and death traps. (the latter which can be very helpful for the other rogues, too.) but eddie's a computer genius, and a talented escape artist. both of which are very useful for professional criminals. as he can hack into computers and accounts faster and better than anyone else - and he can break in, or out, of places fast.

even when bane's threatening to kill him, eddie could open this door in a matter of seconds. (something which, despite also being smart, bane couldn't.) to say eddie is useless because he's "like the joker" or "can't do much that the joker can't" is just factually wrong. also like, even if joker was a computer genius like this - that doesn't help the rogues much. joker's a wild card who, oftentimes, the other rogues hate working with because he's unpredictable. eddie may be quite "arrogant" at times, but he's the safer option for an ally. the rogues also see the value in eddie - this is why they don't kill him, and also why it's stupid when some bad comics do depict the rogues "pushing him around." in joker's asylum up there - both bane and waylon threatened to kill eddie, but obviously didn't go through with it - this is because, yes, they see the value in him and they do not want to lose that.

riddler has his own worth both as a character and a rogue, and that goes beyond his 'gimmick' of telling riddles.

[random-movie-ideas]

Batman Villain Movie Ideas, Part VIII: Killer Croc

Waylon Jones AKA Killer Croc is ostensibly just a regular man with a skin condition, so somehow that means he also has superhuman strength, the ability to swim underwater at high speeds for extended periods of time, jagged crocodile teeth, and a taste for human flesh. Must have been quite the skin condition. Having grown up an outcast because of his condition, Waylon became a criminal and misanthrope, crossing paths with Batman on multiple occasions.

Origin Movie: I think his personal vendetta against Harvey Bullock does place him in a good position for a tense crime drama between Batman, Bullock, and the Croc.

Sequel Movie: His carnie background is also a good place to explore, especially in a sequel setting where you can spend more time on him without having to worry about setting up Batman too.

Finale Movie: He does not inherently scream finale material, unless it was like, a trilogy of smaller scale movies about Batman tracking down predators and murderers in Gotham, in which case, a big dude who kills people like a crocodile is definitely a potential peak of those types.

Supporting Villain: Honestly, the guy lends himself well to working as a henchman to someone else. Either that, or he can be part of a group sitting around telling stories about almost getting the Bat.

Overall, here's my rankings of them:

Origin Movie: The dynamic with Bullock is a rare time where Bullock naturally fits in a central role.

Sequel Movie: I like exploring the circus background of the character.

Supporting Villain: It just works well.

Finale Movie: It would be really hard to make work.

What do you think? Who should I cover next?

[earths-roots-grow-up]

Honestly, it was so good. The only thing I didn't quite like, or maybe was vaguely disappointed by? Well: the way I understood the ending of Unburied was that the relationship between Bruce and Edward, although not exactly allies, was more friendly. This doesn't seem to translate to The Riddler podcast at all, which is a bummer. I hate it when there's character growth/arc in a relationship, and then it just disappears in order to keep some kind of "status quo" or who knows why. Same thing with Barbara, tbh. The way Eddie talks to them is like Unburied happened - especially the way he talks to Barbara -  but the way they talk to him, it's like Unburied did not happen and it's a bit perplexing. Some moments gave me lowkey whiplash, when he talks to Barbara in this very "we obviously have a rapport established" way that fits their backstory in Unburied, and she just completely doesn't react at all, like she's from a different fairytale or something, and no one clued her in on the backstory they are supposed to have. The effect is odd.

Also, Batman's lack of concern for the murdered rogues. I get that we didn't see his inner conflicts and angst in this podcast, since he was less on screen than Eddie and rarely by himself, but it still felt like he kinda didn't care about the deaths. Edward actually calls him out on it openly, like at least twice, and it kinda just fizzles out?

Maybe it just went over my head - not gonna lie, I tend to be bad with subtleties and may want things to be hammered home a bit too much. I understand that things can't be explained to me like I'm a toddler, as a viewer I have to be able to pick up on suggestions too, and the way Batman walks out of the infirmary after Edward criticizes him may be a sign that he DOES care and the criticism hit a raw place. But, to be honest, it's not actually in the show. I'm kinda adding interpretation to make it more emotionally IC for Bruce, so I dunno..

But, on the bright side, I LOVED the dynamic Edward had with Waylon :D It was so wholesome. That big softie <3

In the middle of The Riddler: Secrets in the Dark, and oh my GOD Eddie is so freaking well done. He's so entertaining, charming, witty, clever, scarily competent, yet totally ruthless and a bastard. I can't get over how excellent he is.

[sandsstorms]

teen-a-day challenge | part 2 ✌️

@dizzywhims prompts

all my teen-a-day challenge

my teens

hi there people!

round two of the teen-a-day challenge by @dizzywhims this time featuring Norah, Waylon, Deborah and Hazel

Deborah is my sister's legacy gen 2 heir and I stole her for today hehe and the rest of them are my bbs

again using @gloomiee template ✨

there you go. treat them with love pls <3

[abbacchiosbelt]

While I've seen plenty of criticisms of Outlast for ableism/stigmatizing mental illness (because your enemies are murder-happy asylum inmates), I honestly beg to differ—at least for the most part. For one thing, only a handful of inmates actually attack you. Most of the other patients there are either in shock or just trying to lay low and stay alive through all the chaos going on around them. Even the more proactive of the non-combatant characters, such as the pyro you encounter in the kitchen, are just trying to get out—and their desperation is made to be pretty relatable. Even the boss characters like Chris Walker and Eddie Gluskin were victims of the asylum. For crying out loud, the Whistleblower DLC opens with Eddie getting dragged into the morphogenic engine kicking and screaming and begging for help—it's what solidifies Waylon Park's determination to take down Murkoff. Even when you find Eddie's files later on and see that, yes, he was already a murderer before he wound up in Mount Massive, that also comes with notes about the sexual abuse he experienced as a child and his denial of it. It doesn't excuse his actions—of course it doesn't—but it shows that he didn't become the way he is from nothing. Furthermore, the entire Mount Massive arc focuses so heavily on the theme of abuse of power. The patients are enduring horrific experimentation at the hands of people like Blair and Trager, and that is what sets up the rest of the story. The people running the show are the catalysts for all hell breaking loose—not the patients, who are instead victims of a system that is exploiting them by pushing them past their mental and physical limits, and has no qualms about treating them as replaceable test subjects. They are already sick people thrust into terrifying circumstances. Some of them were already dangerous to begin with, but most of them were not. They were all in a place that was supposed to help them cope with their conditions and rehabilitate, but instead were exploited and had their issues exacerbated by being traumatized further, and that's part of what makes Outlast terrifying.  So yeah, the portrayal of mentally ill people in Outlast isn't phenomenal, sure, but it goes beyond making all the patients out to be horrible monsters. Most of them are just trying to stay out of all the awful shit going on and stay alive without completely breaking down. The games still makes you feel for those people after you see how desperate and terrified a lot of them are, due mainly because of the abuses they have suffered from the people who were supposed to help them.

idk if i've posted about outlast (well except for reblogging cupcake's dimitri fic inspired by outlast's universe but—) but this was an interesting read nonetheless! i don't know enough about the game to speak on it, and i'm too zooted right now to go in a big discussion about it, but i can see your points! idk if i agree with all of them (need to do more research, but i'm generally quite wary of that stuff in media) but i liked reading this post!

[crimsonvelvet]

The meanings of Batman’s rogues’ names

So I decided to find out the meanings of the rogues’ names. Idk why, but I find this sort of stuff really interesting.

First of all, I’m not putting here those rogues, whose real names are unknown(like Bane or Joker). I am also putting here the prominent villains. I would love to do them all, but that would take me WAY too long. But who knows, I could make this into a series...

Let’s go with alphabet order.(btw I’m using the Batman wiki for the characters’ order and various websites for the meanings)

First up is Bane. Like I said, his real name is unknown, so there’s not much I can do.

Next up, Basil Karlo, AKA Clayface.(Wow didn’t even know he was considered a primary antagonist...)  Basil comes from the Greek name Βασίλειος (Basileios), meaning "king". Huh... 

Selina Kyle, AKA Catwoman. Selina is a variant of Celina or Selene. Selene means "moon" in Greek. This was the name of a Greek goddess of the moon, a Titan. This is actually quite fitting for her.

Harleen Quinzel, AKA Harley Quinn. Harleen is, in fact, a name created primarily for Harley’s character in BTAS! So there really isn’t a meaning for it. (But the fact that they made up a new name is actually really cool)

The Joker. Yeah sorry, nothing here. Just like Bane.

Waylon Jones, AKA Killer Croc. Waylon is a variant of Wayland, which, in turn, comes from Wieland, meaning “uncertain”. Hmm, maybe it is a spin on his uncertainty whether he is human or a monster...

Jervis Tetch, AKA Mad Hatter. Jervis is an alternate spelling of Gervase (Old German): possibly derives from "spear". For such an unsual name, it has a really boring meaning.

Kirk Langstrom, AKA Man-Bat. Kirk comes from an English and Scottish surname meaning "church" from Old Norse kirkja. Uhh...maybe Kirk is religious?

Victor Fries, AKA Mr. Freeze. Victor is a Roman name meaning "victor, conqueror" in Latin. Could imply that one day he may achieve victory and find a cure for his wife.

Oswald Cobblepot, AKA The Penguin. Oswald is derived from the Old English elements os "god" and weald "power, ruler". Well, he is a very prominent mafia boss, so you could say he is the ruler of Gotham’s underworld.

Pamela Isley, AKA Poison Ivy.  Pamela as a name was invented in the late 16th century by the poet Sir Philip Sidney for use in his poem Arcadia. He possibly intended it to mean "all sweetness" from Greek πᾶν (pan) meaning "all" and μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". She sure is sweet, though. Dangerously so.

Ra’s al Ghul. This name is arabic for "Head of the Demon", as revealed in Robin#10. Should’ve guessed.

Edward Nygma, AKA The Riddler. Edward means "rich guard", derived from the Old English elements ead "wealth, fortune" and weard "guard". Uhhhhhh... He is the guard of his *cough* rich intellect?

Jonathan Crane, AKA Scarecrow.(Yay, my favorite DC character:D ). The undisputed origin of this name is that it comes from the Hebrew name Yonatan. This is taken to mean “Yahweh has given” or, “God has given”. YES oh hell yeah he’s a gift from God!

And finally, Harvey Dent, AKA Two-Face. Harvey comes from the Breton given name Haerviu, which meant "battle worthy", from haer "battle" and viu "worthy". hmmm, I mean, he is worthy to battle with Batman.

Aight, that’s it for now. Wow, that took longer than I expected... Sure was fun, though. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll do a part two with the less prominent folks like Firefly or Hush. We’ll see.