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#but he’s a comic book character so he is fated to never having resolved arcs or consistent characterization
clambuoyance · 1 year
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hello /waves shyly/ i am the anon who recommended red as a timkon song, and i just want to tell you too that i think The Lucky One by taylor swift too fits naive, just-out-of-the-test-tube, teen celeb kon sooooo well!! esp the last verse of the song where it goes "and they still tell the legend of how you disappeared / how you took the money and your dignity / and got the hell out" > parallels his decision to go live with the kents in smallville and completely change his image as well.
i like to think the image change (while we all lament t-shirt kon sometimes) was necessary for kon to truly examine who he wanted to be. and it only grew after he died and came back (re: adventure comics 2009 where he makes lists of what would superman/lex do). and idk i just feel like this song encapsulates that!!
rambling aside, i love your art, and your song reccs on IG too! thank you for always sharing your timkon/kon-el brainrot with us <3
Oh my god love this songs vibes it’s very “getting disillusioned with fame” vibes
Also I big agree! Kon in smallville just…the vibes are too good. I guess I’d prefer it if they changed his haircut at least. But It’s very fitting for 2000s I guess. I also like how some artists draw tshirt Kon tbh (Francis manapul, Marcus to), but I can’t get behind how the artist for tt03 draws him tbh…And design wise, i wished they at least let him keep some accessories…and then let him transition into a new style that’s somewhat punk but something new and different too? In my head, that era of Kon in the 2009-2011 comics should have led to someone who was more sure in himself. Not insecure and not falsely confident like when he was younger, but like healthily confident if that makes sense…
Like this was just a doodle for what my version of tshirt kon would be like
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Also random, i could literally rant for hours about how superboy’s written in both the 90s and 2000s bc both have good and bad, i have traits I prefer in one vs the other etc etc, but while in the 2000s he gives more…”macho” or “serious” Vibes based on appearance—I feel like he’s still pretty snarky at times, and surprisingly emotional and soft still? Sorry that was a random ramble. Kon in smallville is just vibes if u get it u get it
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Do you mind if I ask your top 10 favorite characters (can be male or female) from all of the media that you loved (can be anime/manga, books, movies or tv series)? And why do you love them? Thanks....
Sure.
They aren't in any particular order, just girls and than the guys but they are my top 10 favs.
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Sunset Shimmer (My little Pony equestria girls)
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I love every one of the girls from EG but my favourite is most definitely Sunset.
I love seeing her grow, becoming friends with the others and finding herself.
Sunset's always trying to help others, making peace with her past and her risking everything in forgotten friendship made me cry.
Girl deserves so much.
Her resolve, her empathy for others and just a good ol villian to bestie arc is why I love her.
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Stella (Winx club)
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We don't speak of fate Stella.
Stella makes her mark from the first episode, she's the mysterious bubbly princess from another world.
I love her, so much.
She's loving and caring, damn near sacrificing herself in the Omega dimension just to keep her friends warm.
Stella is undoubtedly one of the best parts of winx club, helping Bloom get through Alfea and her relationship with all the Winx and Brandon.
Girls also got a temper and don't take bs which I just admired as a kid and I still do.
That and I always wanted to learn to sew and make clothing things, watching her make them.
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Weiss Schnee (RWBY)
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The ice Queen herself, absolutely love her. Her development is everything.
I love watching her interact witb her team, both snarky and loving. She's been a bridge to keep her team, her friends from falling apart.
I love Weiss because she was willing to grow and change. She was always silently rebelling and truly realised what was important to her.
That and her weapon and semblance is just amazing.
Seeing her make amends, grow and learn and accept those around her. Being the best team mate she can be, just yess.
And IQ just hammers that point home.
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Mereoleona Vermillion (Black Clover)
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I love all the woman from Black Clover but Mereoleona is my favourite.
She's an absolute terrifying badass of a woman who said nah you can't teach me anything I don't know.
She's not the Lioness for no reason.
Woman's just an inspirational badass who takes no shit and shows everyone time and time again to not underestimate her.
She's funny, she's blunt and I just love seeing fight.
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Princess Rosalina (Mario, Super Mario)
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Don't have much to say about Rosalina, she was my favourite of the princesses growing up and I find comfort in her to this day.
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Judai/Jaden Yuki (Yugioh GX)
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My favourite of the protags. I fucking love Judai's story, that he's the most idiotic, loving son of a bitch you'll ever meet.
He's hilarious in the dub and I just shake my head fondly at the stuff that he says.
His arc hits close to home, no I've never killed anyone but I have been that depressed.
Watching him go from the lowest of low to finding happiness again is heartwarming and I was cheering him on the whole way.
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Casey Jones (Teenage mutant ninja turtles, 2012)
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This mother fucker, my favourite character from the show till this day. He was fun comic relief and just expanding on his story now is fun.
That and knowing he's so much more than comic relief, the speed Demon episode is forever my favourite.
That and watching him, this regular guy (as if you could ever call Casey Jones, regular) make his own gadgets and become family to the turtles is just so cool.
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Jason Grace (Percy Jackson, Heroes of Olympus)
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I have ranted at length about my love for Jason Grace.
He is so underused, underutilised and under appreciated.
Seeing him lose everything, trying to rebuild it and finding a home with the seven just gets to me.
He's the golden child who stopped shining and had to find himself, and I feel that.
I love watching him interact with the others (minus the whole stupid rivalry between him and Percy that makes no sense.)
I just love him, he's my boi.
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Jason Todd/Red Hood (Batman, DC)
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Jason to me hits the same as Judai.
He's the fun loving child that went through hell and walked a dark path alone.
I cheer him on, I want him to be happy.
I loved his crime boss era it was so badass and just the way he differs from batman.
His ideology of controlling crime is both interesting and compelling.
I just think he's cool.
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Makoto Naegi (Danganronpa)
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My bean.
My boi.
Deserved so much, I love him and his long hecking speeches about hope.
He went through hell itself and everyone turned on him and came out of it smiling, I respect him so much.
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diana-prince-s · 2 years
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"Suggest how you might resolve the staging difficulties inherent in a production of Ibsen’s Peer Gynt." if you get the reference I'd love you forever, but it's not the question for this week. Here it is: If you could change the way any movie/play/book was made, which one would you change? how?
Funny you should ask because I have been agonizing over the fate of the DCEU since they announced Batgirl was cut and I’m thinking of putting together my own hand-planned DCEU and a way they could compete with Marvel while also delivering really good films.
But since I haven’t done that yet, I’ll talk about Wonder Woman 1984, which was such a tragedy that it hurts me to talk about. For one, Wonder Woman should have never been introduced in BVS. Actually, I don’t think BVS should have happened (if they wanted to compete with Civil War they should have established their own universe and then did Injustice, which is literally the perfect set up for a Civil War-esque fight between Batman and Superman????). It is utterly unbelievable that Wonder Woman, the most good, true, kind, caring, and fiercely protective superhero in the entire universe, just disappeared for like 100 years. That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. But in terms of the universe, that’s what we’re working with, fine. So why would the second Wonder Woman film take place in the 80s when canonically she wasn’t doing any heroism then?
That is the least of my problems with WW84. I love the 80s. Like, what a backdrop for a superhero film, and what a way to infuse character into the story via setting. Well, not to be— that film feels like it was set in some sort of futuristic, bright white and neon landscape without any sociopolitical turmoil mentioned except that the villain is a Hispanic man disadvantaged in a “harsh world” (read: neo-conservative, white, Christian nationalist Reagan era, but they didn’t want to go there) who is a bad businessman and an okay swindler.
Next— and the most important thing I would change— Patty Jenkins should not have written the script, in fact, she should never write a script again. It’s disappointing when a woman-centered, Woman-led film written by a man is wholly un-feminist to the point of being regressive and conservative, but it is heartbreaking when that film is written by a woman. Between the stupid arc that Diana had in Justice League where she “couldn’t” be a leader and she couldn’t be a hero because the last time she did that Steve died or whatever, to the entirety of WW84– what a fucking disservice to a character who was supposed to be a beacon of hope for women and girls in a superhero film landscape that has been totally male since it’s inception and a character that has been proven time and again in the comics to be above stupid shit like men and heartbreak to get the job done with compassion and strength. I could write a paper about how, if the first Wonder Woman film was a feminist film and established Diana as a feminist character in ways that Marvel films and other DC films have not with their female heroes, then Justice League and WW84 completely undid everything that the first film did, and thus stripped Diana of her weight and feminist power.
When Steve died in the first film, I was sad for a little because I thought “poor Diana, her first love died” but then I was happy because she is immortal and he was not, so she didn’t have to watch him grow old and die and move on. (Personally I don’t know which is worse.) But also, eliminating Steve paved the way for a Wonder Woman who was seasoned in the world of man, a little cynical but only so much that she wouldn’t be taken advantage of or fooled, a Diana who was fiercely independent and could have a solo mission before finding love in the modern era unrelated to her mission.
But of course they let Patty Jenkins write the script for WW84, and Patty Jenkins, while proclaiming that she loves Wonder Woman and has always been obsessed with her, truly has a crush on Steve Trevor (and Chris Pine) and instead used this film as an opportunity to write self-insert Patty x Steve fanfic with Diana as a placeholder for herself. It was as though Steve died almost 80 years before the movie but Diana didn’t emotionally progress even a day past his death. And in the beginning she carried with her the type of independence, strength, and light cynicism that I believe is integral to Wonder Woman’s character — not only because Steve died, but because she has literally never been allowed to return home with no community and only transient friends who die every generation while she lives on, leaving her to carry the burden of protecting others without an emotional support system or sisterhood that she grew up with — and instead of considering any of those things as motivation for her protective aloofness and independence, she just is weepy over a dude she knew for a week.
And not only that, but WW84 actually depowers her so that Steve is on her level. Steve was self-admittedly not the most athletic man back in the 1910s and while he was a spy and a soldier, I’m pretty sure the US military didn’t train their soldiers to do the things that Steve could magically do in WW84, all the while saving Diana, the strongest hero in the Justice League and perhaps in the whole DCEU who canonically doesn’t have any weakness, at almost every turn. Alongside this, Barbara Ann gets her powers from a man — which is technically canon but not in this way — and on the whole it feels like, while Wonder Woman was about a hero rising above the men around her because of her immense power, WW84 is about two women’s powers being given/taken away at the whims of men who they are obviously attracted to, because how could they not have sex with the strong, handsome men who are better than them?
Also, the grand Amazonian Warrior suit that came absolutely out of nowhere (with another Amazon who left Themyscira before Diana ???? Just to give Lynda Carter a random cameo i don’t even know dude) which was supposed to be this really cool moment of Diana receiving indestructible armor, literally falling apart as soon as Cheetah touched it was so pathetic and another way to strip Diana/the amazons of their canon power.
In all, I would change everything about WW84. I don’t get this apparent rule that superhero films cannot borrow anything from the comics but small Easter eggs to toss in so the supposed “nerd bro” market is satisfied. There were so many Wonder Woman stories to choose from in the comics that would have been more Woman-centered and compelling than whatever Patty came up with. I’m praying that one day they’ll adapt Greg Rucka’s Hikketea or his original run in which she fights Medusa or has Veronica Cale and Cheetah to contend with. Unfortunately I don’t see that happening, since Patty and other DCEU writer/directors and executives literally do not read comic books and instead are only fans of the DC IP in other mediums.
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pcndemoniums · 4 years
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Skins inspired series: Our Youth (1999 - 2002) / Our Wasted Youth (2020)
This is a loooong request so bare with me. Be aware that these guys have known each other since the age of 16. They’ve had their ups and downs through the years but in the end they have managed to stay friends. 
[ tw: mentions of underage  drinking, sex, mental illness, eating disorder, substance abuse, suicide, overdose, bullying and death ] 
The Shows
Our Youth was an American teen comedy-drama television series that followed the lives of a group of teenagers in the fictional small town of Madison, California. Its controversial story-lines  explored issues like dysfunctional families, mental illness (such as depression, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and bipolar disorder), adolescent sexuality, gender, substance abuse, autism spectrum disorder, death, and bullying. In a time where most TV shows about teenagers were unrealistic affairs propped up by a cast of actors at least 10 years older than their fictional age, Our Youth changed all that by depicting realistic portrayals of teen characters who slept with each other, went to parties, drank a lot, smoked weed, and talked like the kids they were. Much of the controversy around its early episodes criticized its portrayal of sex, bad language, and explicit drug use but it was always careful to temper the hedonism with consequences, the comedy with tragedy. The show premiered on 25 January 1999 and went on to be a critical success. However, real life drama became too much for show runners to handle and the show was cancelled after three seasons. It ended on a shocking cliffhanger that left most viewers outraged and heart broken. 
After the show ended the cast went their separate ways, trying different things to maintain their success but the bad reputation that came from the show seemed to follow them around. Some of them went on to star in low budget films and others completely fell off the radar. For years there have been talks and rumors about a possible fourth season of the series but it was not until early this year that it was announced that the show was going to be getting a second life. Netflix acquired the rights to the show in 2018 and finally announced that they were starting production at the end of 2020 with the original cast in tow. The fourth season of Our Youth has been renamed Our Wasted Youth and will take place 20 years after the events of the third season finale and will chronicle how the teens, now adults, are dealing with the ghosts of their past. 
Behind The Scenes
So this show was a big deal back in the day. As far as aesthetics go then think of the show Skins, the UK version. It was mostly based on a group of kids who lived in the same neighborhood, went to the same high school and were involved in a lot of shenanigans. They partied a lot, got in trouble, sometimes they learned a lesson or two - most times they didn’t. Some critics loved it because of its realism, but others found it too controversial for television. It did not help that the cast, all between the ages of 14 and 16 at the time, were pretty much left unattended to do whatever they wanted and they didn’t choose to sit and study. There was a lot of bad behavior behind the scenes, scandals, fights, drama, etc. Life imitating fiction if you will. To the point where the show was cancelled after three seasons. They decided to end the show in dramatic fashion with the hits involved in a horrible car accident. The last shot of the show was that of the car wreck and the fate of the teens was left to the imagination. Yeah, people were pissed, demanding a resolution. Honestly at this point there was so much hostility that the actors were just glad that it all ended. I mean these guys were all hormonal teenagers, getting fame and money, so you can imagine what went on behind the scenes.
The show still had a huge fan base, even if the actors were not particularly famous anymore. They all had a hard time getting decent work because they had this very bad reputation of being disruptive. In 2010, Kurt Davidson, who portrayed Gus Chandler, was found dead in his home from apparent drug overdose. The actor had been fighting a long battle with addiction and it was during this time that the actors got together and had a little reunion with fans. They resolved their issues and started to become really good friends. There was a media outcry surrounding Kurt’s death though and an article was published on various news sources about the dangers of exposing actors to the drug culture at such a young age. Any hope that the show would come back was lost after the death of Kurt Davidson. But then in 2018 it was confirmed that the show was coming back to Netflix and was scheduled to start shooting in 2019. However, things got a little sidetracked and people started to think that the show was already doomed even before they started shooting. Thankfully things started to brighten up and the show started shooting in January of 2020. This new season will deal with the repercussions of the accident and how the characters are dealing with adulthood. It will have 10 episodes and they are currently shooting episode seven. Because of the tight schedule, these guys have been spending a lot of time together and who knows, maybe there’s the chance for a lot of new drama. 
Now because I’m crazy, here are the characters of the show and their little arcs, just so you can get an idea of who you’d like your character to play.
Main Cast
Lukas Larsen ( 35 - 36 yo - character name - open face claim ): Lukas Larsen is an attractive, intelligent and popular boy. His manipulative ways often go unnoticed by many, and are a catalyst for the majority of the events in the series. At first he appears to have complete control over his friends, exudes confidence and has an answer for everything. He enjoys being the driver of drama and prides himself on being some type of puppet master. In the effort to keep his life perfect and interesting he does things that even the most self serving person would never do. He plays with people’s emotions. He plays games because he can. Furthermore he does not feel bad about those things until he loses control. As the series progresses we see Lukas lose control of himself, his friends and of the situation due to a distorted sense of self and an exaggerated sense of importance. We end the series with Lukas behind the wheel of the car and driving everyone into a ditch. NEW SERIES: In the new season Lukas is a lawyer, married and with kids. However, he is incredibly unhappy, cheating on his wife with Evie Nixon and getting involved in scams. We learn that the accident left him in a coma for seven months and that he had to relearn to do everything. Even though it looks like he has not learned anything on the surface we see that Lukas is carrying a lot of guilt for what happened and is seeing a therapist in order to cope. 
Evie Nixon ( 34 yo - tbd - Kat Graham ): Evie is  the youngest of the group as she skipped 9th grade. She is initially described as being "the sweetest girl you will ever meet". However, it is shown that underneath her sweet exterior, she will resort to anything in order to keep the power in her grasps, even at the expense of others. She starts the series off dating the head jock boy of Madison High. However it’s quickly revealed that she’s dating him more for status than for romance. When we meet the couple, they’ve yet to have sex and t is revealed that Evie is actually a virgin and is scared to ‘give it away.  She faces a lot of criticism throughout the series, having to deal with her parents divorcing, an abusive older boyfriend and an addiction to antidepressants. However, she eventually learns that her manipulative ways are damaging to others and by the end of the series she becomes a much better person. NEW SERIES: The accident changed Evie. She became angry and distant. Evie is divorced and has a seven year old boy. She has two jobs and no apparent social life which makes her a little bitter. She is having an affair with Lukas Larsen but hates every second of it. 
Gus Chandler ( 35 yo - Kurt Davidson - NPC ): Gus is Luka's best friend, but has an entirely opposite personality. He lacks confidence, is socially uneasy and struggles with school work. He often suffers from panic attacks that he learns to control over the course of the series. He tends to put himself down a lot, especially when it comes to his relationship with girls. He loves comic books, loves science, is very friendly and playful and treats everyone with respect. Gus learns to be more self confident and to stand up for himself which earns a lot of respect from his friends. By the end of the series Gus is engaged to Nancy Buckley. NEW SERIES: We learn that Gus died in the car accident. Some people believe the decision to kill off his character is a bit polemical since the actor died in real life. However, the series creators have stated that having another actor play the part of Gus felt wrong and that they needed the accident to have a serious consequence. “Kurt Davidson is still a huge part of the show and his character’s death  is the driving force of the new season.” In some way that is true since a lot of the show revolves around the 20th anniversary of Gus’ death. 
Nancy Buckley ( 35 - 36 yo - character name - open face claim ): Luka's girlfriend. A girl who can never stay angry at his mischievous behavior for long. Outwardly, Nancy appears shallow, vain and conceited but she works hard and is emotionally mature. She is seen by most as a beautiful and confident girl but she suffers from the same insecurities as everyone else. At the beginning of the series she is dating Lukas and is always trying to make him happy. Eventually she realizes that the relationship is really toxic and distances herself from him. She and Gus start to get closer which causes a lot of complications and arguments between him and Lukas. By the end of the series Nancy learns to value herself more and she and Gus form a beautiful and healthy relationship. NEW SERIES: Nancy suffered a lot after the accident and the death of her fiance and that includes reconstructive surgery on her face which has made her feel really self conscious. She hasn't been able to keep a serious relationship and is emotionally closed off. Currently she works in real estate and seems to be leading a successful life. She has decided to be a surrogate for Ivy and her wife's baby. 
Ben Morrow ( 36 yo - Dean Montgomery - Paul Wesley ): Ben is the party animal of the group. He has a difficult home life; he lost his brother to illness at a young age, and is an emancipated minor due to his ambivalent father and absent mother. When we first meet Ben he is presented as a fun loving pill popper who is always encouraging his friends to have fun. As the series progresses we learn that this attitude is just a front and that Ben’s life is actually filled with pain and rejection from his parents. His father is a crook and his mother has done porn her entire life, which has been a constant embarrassment for Ben. Ben is very volatile and unpredictable and unlike Lukas he very easily loses control of the situation. It is hinted that he is bisexual but it was never fully confirmed. By the end of the series they are rushing him to the hospital as he is overdosing inside the car. When we see the car crash we are left to assume that he definitely died. NEW SERIES: Shockingly Ben survived the accident but it left him with a lot of emotional scars. Unable to find a job he has turned into a life of crime that includes petty theft and drug dealing. The first time we see him again he is getting out of prison after spending six months behind bars for robbing a liquor store. We learn that Lukas helped put him away and that Teddy posted his bail. He also has a lover named Sean who also provides him drugs.
Cara James ( 35 yo - character name - open face claim ): A friend of Emily, an odd girl who suffers from an eating disorder. Cara attempts to hide her own struggles with mental health while her flamboyant parents ignore her in favor of their new baby. We first meet her as she returns to Madison High after spending months in a rehabilitation center. Cara is very observant, aloof and incredibly understanding. To her everything is magical. Her positive attitude gives the show a sense of hope when things get really bad. She and Ben Morrow have a very close relationship that was a constant will they/won't they throughout the series.  By the end of the series she manages to overcome her disorder, and makes plans to leave Madison and travel to Europe. NEW SERIES: Cara made it to Europe after surviving the accident and became a famous model which caused her eating disorder to resurface. After a few scandals and the fact that she is not as young as she used to be, Cara returns to Madison and tries to reconnect with her friends. She finds out that this is easier said than done. 
Teddy Vargas ( 35 - 36 yo - character name - open face claim - latinx ): is an easy-going skater who likes to smoke weed, and as the more sensible and responsible friend, he is often put out by Luka’s behavior. Teddy is forced to act as the leader of the group whenever Gus has a panic attack or when Lukas takes things too far; he is by far the most reliable in a crisis. We learned that his mom took her own life after battling depression and he has always resented his father for not getting her help. He has a very ambitious sister who always looks for the spotlight and manages to get all the attention from his dad. Teddy is always looking to save people and wants what is best for everyone. He is very compassionate and selfless but at the same time he knows when to put his foot down and always stands up for himself. NEW SERIES: Teddy suffered a leg injury and therefore he has to wear a brace. It was hard for him since he was always into sports, especially skating. He became a teacher and is currently the new high school principal at Madison. He tries to guide his students and keep them from doing the same mistakes he did as a kid but he is finding that to be challenging. He and Ben are good friends and we learn that he posted bail for Ben’s early release. Teddy is engaged to Molly Larsen.
Ivy Porter ( 35 - 36 yo - character name - open face claim ): Ivy is coming to terms with her identity as a lesbian. She is used to being the shadow of her sister, and is sulky but perceptive. As the show progresses, she begins to come out of her shell and strives for individuality. Much of this is due to her becoming okay with her sexuality and her feelings for Poppy Drake. She’s a kind and idealistic person but at the same time she can be selfish and passive aggressive. Her relationship with Poppy has its ups and downs but by the end of the series they had decided to stay together and make things work. Ivy was the only one who was not involved in the car crash because she and Poppy were spending the night together. NEW SERIES: Even though she was not involved in the accident Ivy was still affected by it since she was very close to Gus. We learn that she and Poppy broke things off and decided to stay friends. We also learn that Ivy married a woman named Susana and that they have asked Nancy to be their surrogate. Ivy struggles with the idea of starting a family but doesn't know how to talk to Susan about it.
Supporting Cast
Molly Larsen ( 33 - 34 yo - character name - open face claim ): is Luka's younger sister, and shares many of the same qualities as him. She is mysterious and manipulative, but almost mute. We see more of her in season 3 where she is involved in a love triangle and gets involved with a teacher. NEW SERIES: In the new series we learn that she managed to get her life together and is soon to be married to Teddy Vargas. 
Poppy Bird ( 35 - 36 yo - character name - open face claim ): Poppy was Ivy’s on and off girlfriend during the first three seasons of the show. She is very carefree and open minded but at the same time very guarded. She had a difficult time coming to terms with her sexuality which was the cause of a lot of drama between her and Ivy. Eventually she accepted who she was and declared her love for Ivy. NEW SERIES: We learn that she has moved away from Madison and is currently living in Arizona. However she comes back for two episodes to tell Ivy that she has a terminal illness. 
Susana Santoro ( 35 - 36 yo - character name - open face claim - POC ): Ivy’s wife. She works as a veterinarian and has three younger sisters. She is very cheerful, caring and incredibly perceptive. She wants to start a family and knows that Ivy has her doubts about it. 
Tommy Mills ( 35 - 36 yo - character name - open face claim ): Evie’s ex husband who works as a bouncer at the local strip club. He comes off as being extremely rude and seems to have a violent streak. We learn that Evie left him because of his constant drinking and cheating, which is ironic considering she is having an affair with a married man.
Sean Michaels ( 35 - 36 yo - character name - open face claim ): Ben’s lover and drug dealer. Definitely a terrible influence in Ben’s life but at the same time he seems to actually care about him. We learn that he has a sick daughter and that he started to deal drugs in order to pay for her treatment.
Other Cast  
There are other characters on the show that have minor roles like Luka’s wife, some friends, enemies, whatever. Let me know if you’re interested in playing a minor role. 
Crew
Executive producer ( s ):
Director (s):
Writer (s):
Casting Director:
Costume Designer (s):
Make up artist (s): Margot Montgomery, Ashley Benson, 29
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onwardintolight · 4 years
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Canon Catchup
With TROS coming out soon, I’ve been doing a lot of catchup on canon material that I’ve missed, particularly that which I think will be most relevant either for the movie or for Resistance Reborn (which I finished yesterday and will talk more about below). I will avoid major spoilers, as excited as I may be about some of them, haha, but I wanted to write out a few of my thoughts here while they’re fairly fresh.
A Crash of Fate by Zoraida Córdova and Galaxy’s Edge by Delilah Dawson—these don’t seem quite as relevant to TROS, but I read these two Galaxy’s Edge tie-in novels a few months ago and I thought I’d say a few words. I REALLY enjoyed the A Crash of Fate; it was such a lovely, heartwrenchingly beautiful story that reminded me a little of Lost Stars in the way that it focused in on a friendship/romance between two people who wouldn’t ever be main characters in the movies. The story was told primarily over the span of a single day, and wow did I not expect my heart to be pulled in so many different directions. Definitely one I will read again and again. 
I’m not sure I’ll do the same with Galaxy’s Edge. It was a super fun read, with some great, Indiana Jones-like action sequences, and I’d recommend giving it a go especially if you’re planning on ever going to Galaxy’s Edge—but it also had a few seriously problematic elements that I just couldn’t overlook. For one, NO WAY is Leia going to force Vi to work closely with someone who tortured her, and speaking of torture, many black people have already commented on the problematic nature of the excessive violence Vi undergoes in this book.
TFA and TLJ Junior Novelizations by Michael Kogge—I wanted to get a refresher on these stories, and since I’d never read the junior versions, I decided to give them a try. Overall I enjoyed these quite a bit. The TFA one was way better imho than the adult novelization by Alan Dean Foster, and both had some really meaningful character moments. There was one Leia scene at the end of the TFA one that brought me to tears.
Aftermath: Life Debt and Aftermath: Empire’s End by Chuck Wendig—I’d originally read the Aftermath trilogy as each book was released, but with everything I was hearing about Resistance Reborn, AND with the return of Palpatine in TROS and the promise of finally figuring out what’s been going on in the Unknown Regions, I thought it was a perfect time to revisit it. I skipped the first one (my least favorite of the three, and also my copy is in a box somewhere from when we moved last and the library’s audiobook copies were checked out) and read a synopsis instead to refresh my memory, then dived straight into Life Debt. Both of these books were as good or better than I remember them. I enjoyed them the first time, but I enjoyed them even better this time around. I feel like they’ve gained even more significance now. My HanLeia shippy heart is happy with some of their scenes, and also I rediscovered that I absolutely adore and would probably die for Norra, Wedge, Jas, Sinjir, Temmin, and crew.
Spark of the Resistance by Justina Ireland—this was a super cute but ultimately rather forgettable junior novel. The best part about it was seeing Rey, Poe, and Rose interacting. I may revisit it sometime after TROS and see if my unexpectedly skyrocketing feels for these characters (see below) makes it better.
The Poe Dameron comic run—I’d previously read the first trade (Black Squadron), the third (Legend Lost), and maybe a tiny bit of the second (The Gathering Storm), and aside from a really poignant bit in Legend Lost I just didn’t find myself very invested. This time around, however, flipped that on its head. Trades 4 and 5 (Legend Found and The Spark and the Fire) completely did me in, and without warning, I found myself 100% invested in Black Squadron. Poe, Jess, Snap, Karé, Suralinda, and L’ulo have officially joined the Aftermath crew in my list of characters I would die for. I just want all my babies to be okay! There were numerous moments in those last two trades (including the AMAZING Annual #2, a must-read for HanLeia new canon fans) which made me cry. I’m not even joking. So good. Well done, Charles Soule.
Resistance Reborn by Rebecca Roanhorse—Buckle up because I have a lot to say! I HIGHLY recommend reading the Aftermath trilogy, Bloodline, the Poe Dameron comics, and watching the Battlefront II campaign (which I talked about in another post) before reading this because HOLY MOLY. You won’t be lost if you don’t, but it will mean so much more to you if you do. Speaking of crying, I literally lost count of the moments that brought me to tears, and so many were significant because of how all the stories I mentioned and more have been so beautifully interconnected in this one. Wedge and Norra, Zay and Shriv, and so many others—each was given their due and it was amazing. One character’s surprise appearance had me practically on my knees with joy and heartbreak all at once, and I would say more but I’m really trying to keep that promise not spoil you, haha. 
If the Poe Dameron comic weren’t enough to win me over, this book has officially cemented Poe as one of my favorite sequel trilogy characters. Tbh, I’ve had trouble feeling much of a deep connection with any of the sequel trilogy leads—I love them, sure, but not like Leia, Han and Luke, the trio I grew up with. I’ve wanted to love them more, I’ve wanted to be more invested in them, but it just hasn’t happened. I’m really glad I read this book before TROS, because I think this has changed that. I was definitely getting a few OT golden trio vibes with Rey, Finn, and of course, my Boi™ Poe—except they’re completely their own characters, and I’m really starting to love them for who they are.
Overall, I absolutely loved this book, it felt really meaningful, and I can’t wait to read it again. 
That being said, when I finished it yesterday I felt a little bit disappointed, like it tasted a little bit bittersweet. I’m still trying to figure out why that is, but I think it may be down to three things: 
1) Though there were a number of fantastic character reveals, there were some obvious people absent and I can’t help but wonder where they are. I hope they’re not dead. I hope TROS includes some of these characters, too. I hope we get the rest of their stories either way.
2) The book is way too short. Especially on the heels of the Aftermath trilogy, this feels like only the first act of at least three. The ending comes way too soon, just after it really seems to get going. This I don’t blame the author or the publishers for at all; they are very limited, after all, in what they can portray leading up to TROS. But it really left me longing for more. This book had such a wonderful focus on character, but in the end, I wanted to see the character arcs get even more resolved than they do here... but I guess they really couldn’t be, and that’s what TROS is for. I just hope the movie does it well! I need all these people to be okay <3
3) It doesn’t shy away from grief, struggle, and the mental cost of war. Honestly, that’s part of why I love it so much, but I think that’s also part of why it left me feeling a little melancholy. The Resistance is in such a seemingly hopeless place, and while things do get better over the course of the book, there’s still such a terribly long way to go.The First Order rains merciless terror on anyone or any planet who gives even the slightest hint of opposing them or of aiding the Resistance. The whole galaxy is afraid. Poe struggles deeply with guilt and with how to make up for the horrible mistakes he made in TLJ (this is not brushed off in the slightest, not by the book or by the characters in it, and I appreciate that). Rey is confused and still unsure of her place in things. Characters are faced with the fact that they will almost certainly die because of their choice to join the Resistance, and it’s heavy. And Leia. Oh, Leia. I am deeply grateful to Roanhorse for her very realistic portrayal of Leia as someone who has lost so incredibly much (most recently her husband and brother), most definitely has PTSD, and probably is dealing with a bit of depression. Leia is weary. Leia struggles to keep stepping forward, struggles to figure out the next step for those she leads. Leia struggles to keep hoping. The battle between hope and despair in the face of terrible loss and terrible odds is very much felt in this book. But as ever with Leia, hope always wins in the end. By the end of the book, you can still feel the struggle, but hope wins. 
I think that because I personally relate so much to Leia, reading some of that was hard. Not because I feel like it’s contrary to who Leia is, but because I resonate with it so much and because it reminds me in a particularly strong way of some of the struggles I’ve dealt with that I’d like to forget. It’s no wonder that my heart felt heavy after I closed the book. But along with that, I also see how Leia perseveres, how she’s finally gotten to a place where she lets herself rely on and be comforted by others, and how she accomplishes the seemingly impossible just because she damned well refuses to give in to despair, no matter how tempting it may be. It reminds me that I, too, can accomplish incredible things despite all my struggles, despite the odds stacked against me.
Anyway, I highly recommend this book. Resistance Reborn hasn’t quite come up to the level of Bloodline or LPOA in my personal ranking, but with future rereads, it very well might someday. 
This book—along with all of this reading—has put me even more on the edge of my seat for TROS than I was before, if that’s possible. I desperately want it to be the best ending possible for the Skywalker Saga and for all these characters who’ve become so beloved to me. I’m trying to temper my expectation—TFA still isn’t especially my jam, after all, and while overall I’m a fan of the ST (the TROS trailers made me cry, for goodness sakes), I have a somewhat complicated relationship with it in general—but goddammit, I’m hoping anyway. There’s so much beautiful setup in the new canon EU, such a deliberate focus on character, and so many hints that this might reach through the whole saga and bring together something bigger than we can imagine. 
I’m hoping anyway.
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goddamnwebcomics · 4 years
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Legacy of Dominic Deegan: Part 2
See my original first impression here.
Last time, our hero, Snout, rudely picked up some weed from a giant animal thingy. Turns out it’s one of the many ingredients he needs, as he also takes a giant leaf, steals web from a spider, and with that he gives himself a shirt. You would think that in Deegan world, people would actually herd sheep more to get wool, unless Mookie believes PETA propaganda. Of course he does.
Turns out Snout is looking for a new home, and he finds a cave, as well as a talking...piece of paper? Pagefinder, or essentially, medieval Siri. Cool. Wait, what happened to the orc frenspeak? I guess Mookie realized it was kind of stupid so he just returned to making orcs write like humans again. Pagefinder is a spell that finds lost pages, and even he gets edgy, but at least his edginess is played for laughs. Speaking of playing edginess for laughs, Snout has to go to the Blood Horror Canyon to get the first lost page. I suppose it’s a bit funny, but if Mookie unironically creates another Chosen Superform in this comic then it’s just gonna be dumber in hindsight. Another joke that i find kind of funny occurs with the signs. Turns out Snout is being followed by...evil demon cthulhu thing, but he accidentally stabs him in the eye with a falling spire.
An exciting battle occurs with the weirdo thingy, and Snout tries using Pagefinder as a shield, and as a result we get the first F bomb in Dominic Deegan, if Mookie didn’t include dicks earlier i’d congratulate him on graduating from middle school. Turns out Pagefinder’s ink just killed the beast. Huh, i’m amazed, you CAN kill something in this universe without turning into a superform! Anyways, Snout finds the first lost page but it has a hole in the middle of it, rendering it mostly incomprehensible. Wah wah. Eyeroll face occurs, which is...i suppose the traditional version of the punchline face? Snout asks Pagefinder for help but he can’t, and he messes up Snout’s face again in his self-pity. I mean, even if it’s a repeated punchline i still think it’s way better than butt-less chaps and Spark’s alliterations.
Snout goes back to the weird eye thing’s library. I suppose the frenspeak earlier was actually the way the owner of the library, Bort, types. We’re shown a twist that Pagefinders actually can’t communicate in other languages so WHO REALLY IS THIS PAGEFINDER?? Pagefinder says he explains everything once Snout has found the last two missing pages. I have a theory, Pagefinder is Trapped Deegan. Of course, it’s a Mookie’s signature SHOCK TWIST that you totally can’t expect. The biggest evidence against it however is that Pagefinder is actually a likable character. No wait, turns out Snout’s theory is that Ink Witch is communicating with him through pagefinder. He needs to find a gruesome, evil tree and we get another eyeroll face. Fuck it, i’m just gonna call it the Modern Punchline Face (MPF) as opposed to Classic Punchline Face (CPF) because i know that’s gonna be common now.
We get another recycled gag with the signs which reveals Skori Trees can shoot branches. Snout makes it into Skori territory and is bombarded with branch bullets yet avoids every single one??? What is he using? Magic? He manages to make it out of Skori’s grasp without a single scratch. Okay so far that’s the first really dumb thing in this comic, because Snout apparently is either using dodging magic or extremely athletic. He tells Pagefinder he hopes to get the berries Ink Witch may have used instead.
Pagefinder gets a piece of dat berry, and suddenly a giant arrow pops up and she drags Snout to the next page...which is Skori Tree. MPF Number 3 occurs. Snout tries to make friends with the tree, but Skori wants nothing to fucking do with the orc. I wonder if Siggy hung that orc family from a Skori tree, just to bury him some more? So Snout’s next plan is to fly to the tree by using the Pagefinder. He makes it but Skori begins to make his plan impossible. Skori gives him the finger but Snout gives him one back. Then...the tree just gives up? Snout gets the missing piece, and we find out the ol’ Dullminic went to Asinoteph, where dreams become visions, and apparently he tried to see the future, but instead he saw...oh boy, next page will unveil the twist. Did he see the past? the present? the winter of his discontent? the apocalypse? the Chosen? Whatever it is, it’s probably dumb.
Snout gets ready to sleep, and even Pagefinders need to sleep. We don’t get reprise of the orc dick this time. No wait, we do, as we see Snout in a dream, where an ink vortex...happens. What? No blood? No gore? No horror? Hmm, maybe Dominic saw THE INK? Snout makes his dream diary, and presents his questions about the last page, that basically ask readers to think about these questions too. I actually like this. It makes our hero look more huma...er, orc, and being used to Gene Catlow mystery exposition it also helps recapping the ongoing mysteries of the comic without pretentious third person pronouning and vague vagueness.
Snout goes to last missing page, which is held by an orc with a beard. Is that a male crone? Old Stoneraper? How come Snout does not have tusks? Honestly, i like him way more without the damn tusks. The old bastard smiles kindly when he sees Snout and gives him the page. Holy shit? An orc being nice to another orc? That’s like...a fucking fever dream. The orc then commits magic disappearance thing. Yup, i’m sure it was Old Stoneraper. Turns out, Deegan did actually see the end of all prophecy, and beginning of his legacy. Um, what? So does this mean that the visions are now gone forever? Thank fucking god, because it got so fucking confusing in the original comic. But wait, if he’s looking for his legacy, is he talking about Snout? Or is he like, looking for someone with good legacy in a talent show? I dunno, lay your theories on me Snout. But before that, the old orc comes. But the Pagefinder warns him that he is in a TERRIBLE DANGER. Oh boy, never mind orcs being nice. All orcs are still assholes to eachother, thanks Siggy.
Snout tells the old orc he was one of the few who didn’t hurt him, if he only kneeeew. Snout asks Old Orc what happened to him, and he falls to...visionscape, sigh. He runs towards a strange ink cube before returning to reality. Turns out Old Orc took all the pages. Oh hey, our protagonist does mistakes, and he actually suffers from them. That’s the first time EVER i’ve seen that in this blog, and then...Pagefinder dismantles. Not gonna lie, it is competing with Sleeve in terms of saddest inanimate object death in a webcomic. Snout wonders what is he gonna do, when he remembers his strange dream. Turns out Dominic Deegan recorded a song called “The Day i Dreamed Again”? No wait, a poem. Turns out Dominic learned to see visions again, and wrote a book about lucid dreams. Bort does not have it, so he has to go into another library. We reach the page i saw in my last Webcomic Check, where poor ol’ Snout is afraid of leaving his new home, and even makes a full list of pros and cons of leaving his home. Not gonna lie, Mookie does actually explore a lot of things he can do with a deaf mute protagonist, as opposed to having a deaf mute protagonist for the sake of having a deaf mute protagonist.
Snout begins his quest the next day, believing he might lose so much if he stays in his homeplace, and the mysteries on his mind keep him up at night. He sees...a lot of things, but thankfully does not bump into any werewolves, dragons or four armed naga things. He finally finds a place called...Mongreltown, but is immediately followed by something. That something is the spaceship that destroyed his home. Mongreltown can wait as he sees the spaceship has crashed. Out of it comes...the Ink Witch, who looks way more adult than any other character Mookie has drawn. Ink Witch is happy to see Snout but remembers he is deaf so she talks in form of ink, and that’s where we leave our story.
So far, i really really like this. The only problems i had were the increased usage of cheap punchline pages and MPF, as well as the rather cheap ways the spaceship arc and the battle with Skori Tree were resolved, but on the contrast there was a LOT of stuff i enjoyed, and i can’t believe i’m saying that about a Mookie comic. Snout is actually a very likable character, and his design has grown on me, his unique status as a deaf mute protagonist was explored, without turning him into a stupid exposition machine, as he only writes when it’s necessary. Pagefinder (RIP) was a very likable character and Mookie seems to be mocking himself with some of the jokes in the comic. The mystery of Dominic Deegan’s fate didn’t really get me invested yet as it’s still an actual mystery that’s important and not just a side thing that’s resolved through third person pronouns and “unseen” reveals. Also we’re shown so many new creatures and species on this comic, none of which are hideous furrybait. It really helps upgrading this setting to an actual fantastic setting and not just “modern setting with fantasy textures applied” that the original comic’s Dominion was. Also, the comedy was actually kind of funny even with the occasional repetition and the MPF.
It’s not the best comic i’ve read ever, but it is the best comic i’ve ever read on this blog. There is a little bit of dread in me though that this comic might go downhill sooner or later. This is still Mookie writing this.
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ramajmedia · 5 years
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Marvel: 5 MCU Relationships Fans Were Behind (& 5 They Rejected)
In over 10 years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has delivered some of the best content that superhero media has to offer. Their incredible characters, expert world-building, and ability to adapt the source material have made the MCU one of the biggest franchises in modern times. Part of what makes the films so successful is seeing the characters interact with other characters from other films. The result has introduced audiences to some very intriguing relationships. Furthermore, while not all of these relationships have been romantic, there have still been some strong romances within the world of the MCU. However, while some pairings seem perfect, others have easily missed the mark. To look at some of the best and the worst, here is our list of 5 MCU relationships that fans were behind, and 5 that they rejected.
RELATED: 10 Supporting MCU Characters That Could Return In A Big Way
10 Rejected: Peter and Liz
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Introducing Liz Allen as a love interest for Peter Parker certainly helped distinguish it from previous Spider-Man films. However, most fans already knew that their relationship would never last. Though Peter is romantically involved with Liz for a time in the comics, his two greatest loves will always be Gwen Stacy or Mary Jane Watson. As a result, Liz’s portrayal in Spider-Man: Homecoming almost made her seem unimportant. Throughout the film, she very much feels like a background character. Though the twist in her relationship with Vulture definitely helped her character feel more important to the story, it was pretty clear almost immediately that she and Peter wouldn’t last long. Because of this, fans seemed to brush her aside in anticipation of a much more important love interest for Peter.
9 Behind: Steve and Peggy
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The romantic relationship between Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter is easily one of the more tragic love stories in the MCU. Considering the chemistry between the two of them during WWII, it was heartbreaking to know that they never got their dance together. With Captain America being such a fan favorite character, fans alike often just wanted him to be happy. Therefore, it was all the more heartbreaking to know that he couldn’t be as happy as he wanted to. Thankfully, Avengers: Endgame (2019) altered the timeline and ensured that Steve Rogers actually did get the happy ending that he always wanted. Though Steve dabbled in romance in modern times, things just felt right between him and Peggy, making it all the more satisfying to know that the two ended up together in the end.
RELATED: The Avengers: 10 Best Candidates to Replace Captain America as Leader
8 Rejected: Tony and Aunt May
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For a very brief time, it is suggested that Tony Stark may actually make romantic advances towards Aunt May. At the start of Captain America: Civil War, Tony’s relationship with Pepper is a bit unclear, and certainly complicated. Furthermore, his comments towards Aunt May could lead one to believe that Tony would certainly make a move. However, considering how Tony quickly became a father figure to Peter, seeing him romantically involved with Aunt May would definitely seem like a step too far. While everyone wanted to see the two be happy, it is nice to see that both of them ended up with much more suitable partners.
7 Behind: Tony and Pepper
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As the first romance of the MCU, Tony Stark and Pepper Potts made for an interesting pair. Originally his employee, Pepper would eventually work her way into Tony’s heart. Though their relationship would always be a bit rocky, the two eventually persevered, even going on to have a child together. Despite the troubles in their relationship, Pepper is truly the only person who could handle Tony’s personality for that long. Furthermore, Tony himself would be a disjointed mess without Pepper there to guide him, making the two an ideal pair. From the very beginning, all the way to the very end, Tony Stark and Pepper Potts have been a relationship that fans happily support.
RELATED: MCU: 10 Ways Pepper Potts Could Return In The Future
6 Rejected: Hawkeye and Black Widow
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Initially, many fans were actually hoping to see a romance develop between Hawkeye and Black Widow. Throughout the MCU, it is even continually implied that the two were (at least at one point) more than just friends. However, after fans learn about Hawkeye’s family, most of them immediately dropped the thought. Jeremy Reynor’s Hawkeye worked so well as a family man within the MCU, arguably making him a more compelling character than his comic book counterpart. Furthermore, the loss of Hawkeye’s family at the start of Avengers: Endgame sets him on one of the most interesting character arcs he has ever had. Had he had a romance with Black Widow, Hawkeye would lose a lot of what made him a great character, making it easy to see why some fans rejected the two of them together.
RELATED: Avengers Endgame: 10 Characters The MCU Changed In A Big Way
5 Behind: Peter and MJ
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At the end of Spider-Man: Homecoming, many hardcore comic fans were a bit worried about how Zendaya would portray MJ in future Spider-Man films. The actress is certainly a significant departure from MJ’s traditional comic book appearance, and even makes some changes to the character’s personality. However, after Spider-Man: Far From Home, Zendaya certainly won over a lot of fans who doubted her. While she may be different from her comic book counterpart, there’s no denying that she has some incredible chemistry with her co-star, Tom Holland. The on-screen relationship between the two just feels incredibly natural and helps make Spider-Man’s place in the MCU feel all the more impactful. Hopefully, the two will get to continue to explore their relationship within the confines of the MCU.
4 Rejected: Hulk and Black Widow
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Though Joss Whedon certainly did a lot to help make the MCU one of the biggest franchises today, the relationship between Hulk and Black Widow wasn’t one of those things. Especially in Avengers: Age of Ultron, it is very evident that there is a strained attraction between Black Widow and Bruce Banner. Of course, the two would likely feel cautious in exploring their feelings for one another considering their drastically different histories and abilities. However, the romance between them is arguably the most forced relationship in the MCU. In the end, the whole thing just felt unnecessary. Likewise, the fan response was mostly negative, making it a good thing that the relationship between the two didn’t develop much further.
3 Behind: Happy and Aunt May:
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 One of the bigger surprises in Spider-Man: Far From Home was in learning that Happy Hogan, a character who has constantly appeared in the MCU, was starting a romance with none other than May Parker. As one of the newer romances (and with Spider-Man’s MCU fate unclear at the moment), very little has actually evolved between the two characters. However, it doesn’t change the fact that the pairing just fits so well. With a younger, more light-hearted take on Aunt May, it is totally believable that she would find herself with someone like Happy. Even though this relationship doesn’t exist in the comics, Kevin Feige and other Spider-Man creatives have definitely made the pairing work.
RELATED: 10 Storylines That Won't Be Resolved If Spider-Man Is Out Of The MCU
2 Rejected: Steve and Sharon
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Though the relationship between Steve Rogers and Sharon Carter is the definitive Captain America romance in the comics, the two just didn’t fit quite as well on the big screen. Unfortunately, the chemistry between Chris Evans and Hayley Atwell was just much stronger, leaving Sharon’s character as a bit of an awkward match. Sharon was also not utilized as much as she could have been in the MCU, making her romance with Steve feel a bit more forced than other relationships in the MCU. While audiences can appreciate the inclusion of Sharon in the MCU, she certainly didn’t match with Captain America as well as her aunt did.
1 Behind: Scarlet Witch and Vision
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Considering the relationship that the two have in the comics, fans were delighted to see Scarlet Witch and Vision together on the big screen. Unfortunately, very little of their relationship has actually been seen, due to the character’s background presence in films like Captain America: Civil War, and the important events from films like Avengers: Infinity War. Thankfully though, the two will have an opportunity to explore their relationship once again in the upcoming WandaVision TV show on Disney+. This time, audiences will get to see a lot more of the romance unfold between the two, and hopefully make them a much bigger presence within the MCU as a whole.
NEXT: MCU: 7 Times Pepper & Tony Were The Best Couple (& 3 Times They Should’ve Broken Up)
source https://screenrant.com/mcu-relationships-fans-were-behind-rejected/
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jaredthegreek · 7 years
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Review - Secret Empire, July Part 2
Two issues of the main title in a row... this was quite the effort.  On the good side one more month, just one more month....
PART 2:
Secret Empire 6: Another issue where we have a competent art staff, it is a nice change and makes the experience far more tolerable. This time we get a bit more from the weird world of shadows as Red Skull and “Herr Rogers” talk a bit.  Meanwhile, the Mount is attacked by Hydra and the Hulk. There are some good moments in this issue, but there are also endlessly long speeches by Captain American and Tony Stark that just come off insincere.  The ‘traitor’ is resolved really quick and has little pay off, but the battles with Cap and the Hulk have some intense moments.  Overall, this is one of the better issues in the main series and it does set the stage for act three, but it isn’t that enjoyable of a read and knowing that there are still three more issues left means this will be a long third act.
Secret Empire #7: Never hold out hope for this book.  The god awful art returns making this an almost unreadable comic.  The story is mostly focused upon the Red Room team attempting to assassinate Captain America.  The rest of the comic has scenes from the strange place with Red Skull and Rogers and the other Avengers reacting to the news of the attack.  The writing is annoyingly filled with long drawn out internal monologues and exposition dumps, but is hurt even more by the art because half the time it is difficult to tell who is even talking. Not only that, but the fight scenes are impossible to decipher due to the monochrome and messy art.  I even showed the fights to a third party who could barely figure out what was going on.  Andrea Sorrentino’s art makes Rob Liefeld’s art look like a Van Gogh level masterpiece.  Many people want Nick Spencer fired (and desirably so), but they really need to add Andrea Sorrentino’s name to that list because there are so many better artists out there who don’t get a chance, but she can do subpar work for a major crossover event.  Marvel deserves better and hopefully they will do some house cleaning when this event ends.
bBrave New World 4: The first story is a Misty Knight tale showing her transport an Inhuman while being chased by Hydra.  The story is great at subverting expectations and has a funny ending making it one of the best side stories in this series.  The art looks a little odd for the characters, but it does work with the ending reveals so it gets a pass.  The second story focused upon Emma Frost and doesn’t add much to the X-Men side of things. It isn’t a bad story, just nothing spectacular especially when compared to the previous story.  However, the art is great and this is an above average story in this series.  The last story continues the Invaders arc as the execution of Namora draws near and Namor begins to question himself.  The art is still great in this story and the plot twists keep coming, though these twists aren’t all that surprising.  Overall, this is becoming an enjoyable series as the bad stories are few and far in between. If you are reading the series, but avoiding most tie-in books this might be one to consider picking up as it is much more enjoyable than most others.
X-Men Gold #8: The finale to this tie-in features Kitty Pryde going ninja on the serial killer and the consequences of trying to help people in the Darkforce Dome.  Overall, this was a great side story, but it added nothing to the event at all.  The art looks great, but has a slightly 90s feel to it.  This is one of the rare books that makes me want to read X-Men again.  However, if you are hunting down every tie-in book this is a skip due to not really tying in at all.  
X-Men Blue 9: This was a significantly better issue than the previous one.  This time Jean and Jimmy attempt a rescue of the rest of their team. Meanwhile, we check in with Magneto and the capture X-Men who are planning their own escape.  The writing feels less rushed this time around and we get a slight explanation for the behavior of some of the other mutants. There is still one issue left in this story and it’s likely going to be an action packed ride.  The art is still good and the detailing in some scenes is top notch.  Overall, this has gotten better by a wide margin and hopefully the quality can keep up for the end of this tie-in story.
Doctor Strange 23: Why does this comic feel like there are dialogue balloons missing?  This might have the worst dialogue of any tie-in book and perhaps any current Marvel title.  Despite that, there are some fun ideas with the various magical artifacts introduced in this issue.  The story has Strange and his group looking over artifacts to stop Baron Mordo, but get sidetracked by a sidequest.  Meanwhile, Mordo is attacking random heroes and spouting terrible dialogue.  The art is messy, but kind of works for darkforce Manhattan.  Characters look fine and there is emotion on their faces, but the art doesn’t overcome the writing.  While this is one of the few stories about the battles in the darkforce dome it is still not worth reading due to the poor quality of the book.
USAvengers 8: The issue begins with a flashback to Toni Ho’s childhood and the death of her father. This takes us back to the present where he is trapped in a cell with a dying Roberto da Costa.  Meanwhile we follow part of the team in France and discover the fate of Cannonball in space.  As one would expect from this series things do get crazy, but the focus on Toni Ho is great as it allows the read to know her better and empathize with her struggle.  Needless to say, the writing is great with a mix of humor and drama that makes you want to read more.  The art is also superior with great emotional facial expressions and detailed backgrounds. This is a wonderful series and I highly recommend it because this is what escapist adventure comics are supposed to be.  
Occupy Avengers #9: The series comes to an end with no real surprises.  This issue reminds me of the final issues of Howling Commandos of SHIELD during Standoff.  It’s a rushed conclusion with one of those not a real ending endings.  The story follows the team as they gather together various refugees and prepare to battle Hydra.  The dialogue is still very juvenile and the characters aren’t very interesting, but it isn’t a painful read.  The art has a slightly more cartoonish style, which kind of works with this type of series.  Overall, this wasn’t bad, but it adds nothing to the event and there is no real reason to read this series at all.  
Steve Rogers, Captain America 19: This is the follow up issue to the event of Secret Empire #7 and for the most part it is Captain America being emo about his losses, but there are a couple good moments.  The discussion with Odinson about the Hammer and the old days brought some energy to this mostly dry comic.  Then the last scene with Sharon Carter was a strong emotional moment that had more bit to it then any of Steve’s moping this issue.  The artwork is fine and the characters look good, but backgrounds are a little bland.  This was a good issue and a great tie-in book despite all the flaws.  It doesn’t do much for the plot of the event, but it does explore Steve’s feelings and the discontent of those he trusts making this one of the rare good Nick Spencer works.
Sam Wilson, Captain America 24:  If you like internal monologue and lots of platitudes then this might be the book for you. The ‘story’ followgs Sam as he reflects on giving up the Shield and how that impacted the people in his life including everyone new favorite Mary Sue Patriot.  Then we get Sam to stop being a downer just long enough to pick up the Shield again as he did during the ending of Secret Empire #7.  This is a nothing issue like many books in this series.  On the good side the art is nice and expressive despite nothing actually happening in the book.  While some of the Sam Wilson issues have been great tie-in stories this is not one of them.  Give it a pass unless you have to read every side story.
Deadpool 34: It is a surprise that this has been the most consistently good tie-in book of this event. This time Deadpool starts putting together a plan to take down Hydra as we flashback to the consequences of his assassination of Agent Coulson.  There is some action, but most of this book is dialogue and very dark humor.  The good writing is teamed up with really good, but sometimes grotesque, art that pushes the dark humor even more.  There is only one issue.   left in this tie-in and it will be interesting to see how everything plays out
The Mighty Captain Marvel 7: The battle continues with the cadets working with Carol to attempting to survive.  Once the battle is over the team divides with part of it trying to figure out a way to connect with Earth through the shield.  The second team pulls a preemptive attack on the Chituari. Things go from bad to worse as we move toward the final issue of this arc.  The writing get a little confusing at times since the pronoun game pops up or some things aren’t clearly explained.  Still, it is a well written story with some nice moments.  The art is very good, with characters looking tired or worn out from the endless battles.  This is a great series and while this was a build up issue it is was a fast and fun read.  
Champions 10: This is a fun side story featuring the team trying to liberate an internment camp. The dynamics of the team make this a very fun adventure as well as the team using both brains and brawn to solve problems.  Mark Waid does a great job with the writing with some fun banter and nice twists. The art has a cartoony look that works well with the young team and the action segments look good, but aren’t anything special.  This was a nice book and a fun read, but you don’t really need to read it to have the full story for this event.  That being said, this looks to be a fun series that might be worth the read for those who enjoy teenage hero adventures.
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swipestream · 5 years
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Shadow of the Century Review
While it is by no means an element unique to me, my earliest gaming memories are deeply intertwined with 80s media, given the time when I grew up. Freddy Krueger showed up in my Ghostbusters campaign, our group fought a Terminator when we played Mechwarrior, and I remember running to the basement to make up characters for a Top Secret S.I. game after watching a Rambo movie.
Shadow of the Century is a Fate Core supplement that moves the Spirit of the Century setting into the 1980s. It attempts to add all your 80s action movie and TV series tropes into a tabletop roleplaying game. I’ll admit up front, as much as I enjoy playing Fate based games, I never fully invested in Spirit of the Century. I am familiar, and have played with, a lot of pulp tropes, but I never felt confident enough to fully embrace the setting to run a game using the material.
How well does Shadow of the Century address the idea of running games in an 80s action movie setting? How well does it integrate these ideas into the existing Spirit of the Century setting? Let’s dive in and find out.
The Fate Core Manuscript
 This review is based on the PDF of the product. The PDF is 214 pages long, with a page for the character sheet, and an Evil Hat ad, and a six-page index at the end.
The book has similar formatting to other Fate Core books, and the interior line art is full color. The style almost reminds me of the John Buscema/Tom Palmer artwork in the 80s Avengers comics, with less weight to the lines, but more lines for details in the art.
There is a clever tweaking to the standard Fate Core formatting, as the color choices and page numbers in the book are a nod to 80s design conventions, while the headers and structure still follow the established trade dress for Evil Hat.
The World We Live In
The opening chapter of the book has a brief summary of the established Spirit of the Century setting, then introduces the differences in the setting moving into the 80s, with elements that have changed between the original material and Shadow of the Century. All the broad elements mentioned in this introduction are further expanded upon later in the book, but it’s a good, quick explanation of the setting and how it relates to the earlier era.
In broad terms, the setting has moved from a handful of people born at the turn of the century to embody certain zeitgeist, with their own organization that opposes the World Crime League, to a setting where the old Spirits are hunted criminals, and the heroes come from all walks of life (expanding walks of life to accommodate for 80s action movie walks of life like wandering martial artists or lost time travelers).
Evil doesn’t all belong to the same over the top organization but is broken up across several (slightly less) over the top organizations that are deeply entrenched into politics and business across the world.
Also, it really sets the tone of the setting to know that Variable Hyperdimensional Simultaneity (VHS) is a term used to measure how much mathemagic has caused time and space to be warped.
The Pitch Session
 Something that is often a strength of Fate products is that the themes and structures of the campaign are often explicitly spelled out at the beginning of the campaign. While many games will have sections that discuss setting expectations and getting buy-in, Fate products often mechanize this step in a very specific way, and Shadow of the Century continues this tradition.
In Shadow of the Century, the group will be making decisions on what kind of structure the campaign has, following the structure of a movie or a series. This will create a different feeling and will trigger different advice. There are actually a few rules presented in the game that differ based on this decision as well.
The group will then collaboratively decide on “the Man,” which is one of the entrenched group of villains that their story will involve. The group will come up with issues (which have different guidelines based on series versus movies), cast members, and villains. It is important to note that all of this happens before the players make their characters.
Phase Six: Heroes I’m calling this section out specifically, because there are a few differences between how you create Shadow of the Century characters and Fate Core characters. While it doesn’t use the 1 for 1 stress boxes that some more recent Fate releases have used, extra stress boxes aren’t granted for skills, but can be purchased during character creation. While characters have a Trouble, a Call to Action, a War Story, and a Team-Up aspect, the last two aspects are called out as aspects that can be created in play later. This addresses some of the aspect overload that Fate Core introduces with its default character creation.
It’s also worth noting that there is a full-page discussion on 80s characters and the overreliance on cis white male heroes. It’s a call to action to keep the fun, crazy things from all the 80s stories you are emulating, but to do a better job of including marginalized people in important, and starring, roles.
Who Are You, And What Do You Do?
 Shadow of the Century also introduces roles for characters. Those roles all have specific stunts that play into the overall theme of that role. The roles introduced in this chapter include the following:
The Brain
The Brawler
The Cop
The Detective
The Dilettante
The Face
The Hacker
The Inventor
The Leader
The Ninja
The Saboteur
The Soldier
The Spy
The Thief
The Warrior
The Wheelman
Cue Hair Metal Anthem
This is the section of the book that introduces the rules that surround montages. The Ad-Mon-Tage, the Challenge Montage, and the Milestone Montage all have separate rules.
An Ad-Mon-Tage is a montage used to generate a bunch of free invokes on aspects that revolve around getting ready for a specific known threat. The Challenge Montage is similar to some of the group check rules in Fate Core, where characters are trying to do “something” narratively, and the number of successes from the PCs engaging in their montage determines how well that “thing” gets resolved.
The Milestone Montage involves punching beef so that you can borrow the benefits of your next milestone to use for a confrontation. Figuratively speaking. Or maybe literally. I’m not going to tell you how to montage.
Going Gonzo
This chapter introduces the Gonzometer, the Gonzometer level, and Gonzo feats. It also touches on creating a Centurion, the special characters that have previously existed in the setting, and who operate on a special level no matter what the Gonzometer is in the current scene.
The Gonzometer can be set from 1 to 3, with 1 being the over the top, but not quite supernatural level that a lot of 80s action movies and TV series portray. You might have a talking car (which is totally justifiable by science, if you think about it), but aliens and magic may not be an element. At 2, more fantasy and sci-fi elements may show up, but those elements are noteworthy. At Gonzometer 3, everything is crazy.
Characters can be Gonzo characters and spend their feats to build Gonzo feats to play into that theme. Gonzo feats have different levels, and if the Gonzometer of the current scene is lower than the tier of effects that you are attempting to use from your Gonzo feat, you must spend Fate points to make up the difference to trigger the effect.
Gonzo feats and how they interact with characters showcase one of the biggest strengths and biggest challenges of Fate based games. There is an example Gonzo feat, and a lot of advice on how to build Gonzo feats, but a lot is left up to the player and the GM to custom build for the character concept. That is both great, from a character customization standpoint, and challenging for people that don’t feel they have system mastery of Fate enough to “balance” the tiers of their stunt.
Your Character Goes to 11
 The next chapter of the book addresses character advancement. This involves the standard Fate concept of Milestones, but exactly what can change will vary, and there are different sets of Milestones for episodes, movies, crescendo milestones, season finales, rising action, and confrontation. There are also milestones introduced for villains and Methuselah Fragments.
That all probably sounds more complicated that it is. The episode milestones are generally minor milestones. Crescendo milestones are important, goal-based milestones. Season finale milestones are important milestones that are triggered by closing out a season arc, while rising action and confrontation only come up in movies, being triggered when characters realize who they are fighting, and when they get ready to bear down on their final fight.
Villain milestones track how the organization’s goals are progressing, and if one of their goals is no longer attainable. Depending on how things progress for the organization, it may change in scale, and if it’s low enough when the villains drop in scale, the villain organization disperses.
Methuselah Fragments go into one of my favorite aspects of the setting. Doctor Methuselah is a character that has rewritten reality multiple times to maintain his immortality. This has resulted in fragments from other realities that he has overwritten to appear from time to time, causing weird rifts and changes, and it also means that there are multiple versions of Doctor Methuselah in the setting. The Methuselah Fragment milestones are only used if this plot element is a major part of the campaign and tracks how reality is warping and changing based on who has interacted with one of these fragments.
Say Hello to Our Little Friends
The next chapter of the book addresses how to stat out extras, mooks, mobs, lieutenants, shadows, NPC Spirits and New Wave Heroes, and monsters. In addition to the descriptions on how to stat these different style characters, there is advice on the actual purpose of the different types of characters and how they should be used.
One of my favorite parts of this chapter is the roles for the Shadows. The Shadows are the leaders of the evil organizations in the setting. The Shadows all have the following roles instead of individual skills:
Assassin
Authority
Criminal
Mastermind
Scientist
Soldier
It’s a nod to an 80s trope where supervillains are almost always omnicompetent. If you are awesome enough to run an evil villain organization, you are at least moderately competent at all these roles. Business leaders know what their scientists are talking about and know how to shoot people in the head. Ninja masters know super science. Mega-criminals know how do use military grade hardware. It’s so 80s.
Bringing the ‘80s to the Max!
This chapter touches base on 80s-based themes and what exactly from the 80s the game is trying to capture. I like this, because it is very easy to think that your nostalgia or knowledge of an existing period is going to carry you through portraying an era. It is much better to make sure that everyone is on the same page about the tropes and themes that are specifically being addressed.
In addition to discussing the tropes that are at play in the setting, I enjoyed the idea that it examines lots of these tropes both from a generally positive side, and from a more destructive, problematic direction.
Something Strange in the Neighborhood
 I tend to like when core rulebooks or setting books have a sample adventure, because I like the example of how the designers expect the game to work. One place where Fate products often shine is that, instead of having a sample adventure, they often have adventure ideas and described campaign arcs. While not as fleshed out as a sample adventure, getting more of these outlines provides more of an idea what types of one-shots and campaigns play to the intended design of the setting.
In Shadow of the Century, we get about nine different paragraph-long ideas for one-shot adventures, as well as three campaign frames — general ideas for who the PCs are and what they would do over time. The example campaigns are:
Team Black (with a general A-Team vibe)
The Sentinels of Science (with strong Buckaroo Banzai overtones)
Anna and the Kareninas (Sort of Jem/Josie and the Pussycats with Robin Hood overtones)
The campaign frames provide sample characters as well, so it’s possible to just take the pre-generated characters and run with it. They are a few examples of Gonzo stunts with some of the sample characters, and kudos for using the term “synergy” on the character sheet for one of the Anna and the Kareninas characters.
The Greater Universe
 This chapter dives much deeper into the lore of the setting, how it connects with Spirit of the Century, and how various moving pieces fit together with other moving pieces. It provides a lot of inspiration, but given the assumed campaign structures, it’s not mandatory that anyone fully engage all the deep lore and interplay going on in this chapter.
One thing I will say up front — given the idea of Doctor Methuselah and the multiple alternate realities and reality fragments, I love the idea that you can’t have continuity errors. I mean, you can, but you can also just say “Methuselah Fragment” and get on with your day.
Overall, the villains belong to one of the following broad groups:
The Kroll’X (aliens from another dimension)
The Gentlemen’s Agreement (various crime organizations that don’t exactly work together, but agree to not get in one another’s way)
The New Science Party (Evil politicians—It’s not always redundant to say it that way)
The Board (Mega-corporations with agreements to carve up global markets and control everything through commerce and consumerism)
This chapter also introduces the Golden Seeds, organizations that might be helpful to the PCs, and carry on some of the legacies of the Centurions but may also serve as rivals or opponents if the PCs don’t oppose The Man the way their organization would prefer.
In addition to introducing the broad elements of all these groups, there are individual crime families, corporations, and sub-groups discussed, which can help to point GMs towards which elements of that faction are the most useful for their campaigns, and to hint at inter-group rivalries that can be played up in longer form series.
Pick Your Poison 
This chapter is filled with example characters that can be used as pre-generated PCs for a Shadow of the Century game. Beyond their skills and stunts, they only have a High Concept and a Trouble, leaving several aspects to be filled in, and none of a specific history or name assigned to them. The archetypes presented are:
Army of One
Coolest Kid in School
Earthbound Alien
Fugitive Android
Loose Canon
Martial Artist
Sorcerer for Hire
Teenage Werewolf
Time Rider
Unlikely Chosen One
The Earthbound Alien, Fugitive Android, Sorcerer for Hire, Teenage Werewolf, Time Rider, and Unlikely Chosen One include a few more examples of Gonzo stunts, for people that want them. It’s also easy to mix and match these pregens with the more fleshed out characters in the campaign frames, to have a good range of pregens to jump in and play with the setting, necessitating less work on the front end.
Be Excellent to One Another
Shadow of the Century does a great job, not only with invoking nostalgia, but with defining what the setting is about, and what tropes are at play. It provides villains and organizations that are both suitably 80s, and iconically vile.
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Shadow of the Century does a great job, not only with invoking nostalgia, but with defining what the setting is about, and what tropes are at play. It provides villains and organizations that are both suitably 80s, and iconically vile. It does the work of helping the table set up the overall campaign and provides tweaks to Fate Core to play to the pacing and themes present in the setting.
I Know You Are, But What Am I?
 While I don’t think these things are bad, overall, Shadow of the Century still retains some elements that I have seen beginning Fate players struggle with, such as custom-building stunts, and retaining different value stress boxes. While it specifically calls out the less inclusive elements of 80s media and entreats the table to avoid these, there isn’t a specific safety section in the book, and for the era where R rated cinema was deeply entrenched in the cultural zeitgeist, that may have been a worthwhile section to include.
Recommended — If the product fits in your broad area of gaming interests, you are likely to be happy with this purchase.
I freely admit that this might be due to the circumstances of my birth, but I am way more invested in this period of the setting than Spirit of the Century. I generally enjoy pulp tropes, but I think the idea of passing the torch from the golden age to a more jaded “modern” era really resonates.
I think this is a solid, broadly appealing Fate supplement, but in addition to that, it is a great overall sourcebook for a general 80s action setting, which even non-Fate players may enjoy reading. Unless you have no use for any 80s based campaign elements, or more modern action-based roleplaying, I think this purchase is going to have value for anyone picking it up.
What eras do you think would make for great gaming? What tropes define those eras, and what kind of campaigns would you picture for those timeframes? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
Shadow of the Century Review published first on https://medium.com/@ReloadedPCGames
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recentanimenews · 5 years
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Bookshelf Briefs 11/20/18
Black Clover, Vol. 13 | By Yuki Tabata | Viz Media – As long as you’re writing a series which uses every cliche in the book, you may as well go all in and write a tournament arc, and that’s what we’re getting here. Surprisingly, Asta is not paired with Noelle, but with Mimosa, who I’ll be honest I had totally forgotten about. Given that Noelle fills the ‘tsundere’ love interest bucket, it only makes sense that Mimosa is the Hinata of Black Clover, being shy and tripping over her words in front of him. As for the battles themselves, they’re all good ways to spotlight folks who we don’t really get much chance to see in the main storyline. On the downside, so far they’re all very predictable outcomes. I’d like to see some people win who shouldn’t normally win. – Sean Gaffney
The Bride & the Exorcist Knight, Vol. 2 | By Keiko Ishihara | Seven Seas – We get more of the same here—good character development and action sequences. Shame that they’re really pushing the “I am twelve years old and suave as heck” plotline, and Anne does seem to be falling for him, though thankfully we haven’t advanced quite that far. One thing that did impress me was the fate of Anne’s parents, who would normally get killed off to jumpstart the plot in tales like this, especially given Anne’s status as a magical bride MacGuffin. There’s nothing really extraordinary here, but it’s good solid fantasy romance, and it at least makes noises occasionally about Anne being creeped out about Haru’s age. For fans of shoujo starring cute, cool boys. – Sean Gaffney
Delicious in Dungeon, Vol. 6 | By Ryoko Kui| Yen Press – Remember when this was a funny series about eating monsters? Last time I said the books were getting a bit darker. Here they take a running leap into grim as we continue to see how Laios and company are seen by everyone else around them—as reckless lunatics who endanger everyone around them. What’s more, Falin’s back, but that’s not good news—the slaughter that follows is a kick in the teeth. Honestly, after that sequence, seeing the “which is the original and which is the shapeshifter” plot was a welcome light relief, and the sequence with Laios helping Marcille with her nightmares was rather heartwarming. Still, Falin’s influence on everyone around her, death, and subsequent “came back wrong” are now THE reason to read this. – Sean Gaffney
Frankenstein: Junji Ito Story Collection | By Junji Ito | Viz Media – The first edition of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was originally published in 1818, so Viz Media’s release of Junji Ito’s rendition of the story is aptly timed for the two-hundred-year anniversary of the groundbreaking novel. Ito has made a few changes here and there—particularly towards the end—but for the most part the manga adaptation is very faithful to Shelley’s original and Ito’s artwork is well-suited to the more grotesque and disturbing elements of the tale. In addition to Frankenstein, the volume also collects a series of six short manga featuring Oshikiri, a young man who is very self-conscious about his short stature but whose real worries are of a more horrific and supernatural kind. (It doesn’t help that his home seems to be a portal to alternate dimensions.) Also included are two unrelated short horror manga as well as two short manga about the Ito family’s pet dog Non-non. – Ash Brown
Haikyu!, Vol. 29 | By Haruichi Furudate | Viz Media – It’s all volleyball game this volume, so there’s no real plot I can talk about. We do continue to see character growth from Hinata and Tsukishima, who gets one of the cooler moments that also made me laugh when he talks about blocking the quick set. The other team is no slouch, though, particularly the twins, and our heroes are behind the eight ball most of the time. The opponent’s band is not helping either, which is why for once it’s Saeko who gets to have the Big Damn Heroes moment, arriving with Taiko Drums to drown out the band’s odd rhythms. Other than that, this volleyball manga continues to put the emphasis on volleyball. I’m about ready for it to go to every three months, to be honest, and it will be soon. – Sean Gaffney
Love at Fourteen, Vol. 8 | By Fuka Mizutani | Yen Press – Aside from Love at Fourteen‘s main couple, who are meant to be the cute and sweet default, the series makes a lot of unusual choices for its romantic pairings. Nagai and Hinohara continue to put the “ergh” in non-consensual teacher-student romance. Shiki and the school nurse bond over being tortured lesbians in love with a straight girl who isn’t going to love them back. And we get a new one here, as Kato, the really short boy in the class, ends up getting entangled with what appears to be a cute older girl… except she’s actually eleven. He’s fourteen, so we’re not anywhere Hinohara’s level of wrong, but Love at Fourteen really enjoys giving the reader heartwarming discomfort. – Sean Gaffney
Mob Psycho 100, Vol. 1 | By ONE | Published by Dark Horse – As a fan of One-Punch Man, I went into Mob Psycho 100 expecting to be amused and I’m sorry to say that never really happened. Shigeo Kageyama is an eighth grader with superpowers who works as an underpaid assistant for a fraudulent spirit medium named Arataka Reigen. Shigeo is called “Mob” because he’s an expressionless kid who blends into a crowd, and his desire to be attractive (and win the girl of his dreams) ultimately leads him into strange situations, like being recruited for a creepy cult. My interest was piqued, however, by the meter running throughout the volume that depicts some sort of percentage and the payoff when it reached was 100% was totally worth it. Plus, Reigen’s pep talk to Mob afterwards was completely unexpected and kind of heartwarming. In the end, I think I’ve been convinced to try another volume. – Michelle Smith
Waiting for Spring, Vol. 9 | By Anashin | Kodansha Comics – Both Towa and Aya have now confessed to Mitsuki and she doesn’t know what to do about it. I appreciate that Anashin shows why each boy feels the way that they do, and also that Mitsuki is completely forthcoming with Towa about everything that’s happening with Aya, so that no plot line ever hinges on “completely avoidable misunderstanding.” Instead, there’s more complicated drama, like Towa feeling frustrated that Aya keeps being in a position to heroically save Mitsuki (this time pulling a ligament saving her from being hit by a car) and wondering if perhaps they aren’t destined to be together. Instead of wallowing, however, he seemingly becomes more determined. It’s nice to see Towa start to become less reserved and I look forward to what volume ten will bring. – Michelle Smith
Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku, Vol. 3 | By Fujita | Kodansha Comics – About two-thirds of the way through this volume, Narumi and Koyanagi are relaxing at a hot sprint on a company trip. Koyanagi wonders if Narumi feels lonely because she’s barely seeing her boyfriend this trip, but she says that, given Hirotaka’s lack of social aptitude, she’s merely happy to see him getting along with other guy friends. Koyanagi points out that that’s a mature answer, but leaves her a little bored. I’m not bored with Wotakoi yet, but it does appear to me that it’s very dedicated to showing that our leads are all pretty happy, with most conflicts resolved over the course of a single chapter. Given the title, you’d expect a bit more, but while it’s still very sweet, love isn’t that hard for these otaku. – Sean Gaffney
Yotsuba&!, Vol. 14 | By Kiyohiko Azuma | Yen Press – Azuma does not believe in pumping out the chapters for this series—this is the second volume in five years. Still, it’s like we never went away, really. Last time we met Yotsuba’s grandmother, and this time it’s her aunt, who is meeting up with Koiwai in Tokyo so that he can get a car—which I assume will allow for greater scope of adventures in the future. This means that here we get Yotsuba & Tokyo, with much hilarity, including an alien invasion that needs to be stopped, and delicious food at an expensive hotel. Oh yes, and Fuuka and her friend Hiwatari do yoga with Yotsuba, which leads to much frustration as she’s as flexible as a young child and they are not. Yotsuba&! still has its magic; I just wish it was magical more often. – Sean Gaffney
By: Ash Brown
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westallen-world · 7 years
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The Flash season 3 finale just aired, bringing a few twists and a painfully predictable ending to the saga Savitar, and the prophecy of Iris West's murder.
ris managed to survive her deadly fate (thanks to H.R.'s sacrifice), and though Barry and Team Flash beat Savitar and erased him from existence, it was a bittersweet victory, as Barry was forced to sacrifice himself to the Speed Force, in Savitar's place.
Now that Barry Allen is gone from earth, we're looking ahead to what that major development means for season 4 of The Flash. To that end, we've come up with 4 Great Ideas for The Flash's Season Storyline.
Barry is now imprisoned in The Speed Force - creating the kind of situation that can be a big stumbling block. In both the comic book and television mediums, whenever a major character finds his/herself in some kind of purgatory situation, the story can begin to meander through past, present, future events, real or imagined, as the protagonist gains new perspective.
The Flash season 4 can use Barry's time in the Speed Force smartly, if that time is used to give Barry new power and perspective, which will make him all the more formidable when he finally gets out. What wouldn't be smart, however, would be wasting the first arc of season 4 on a predictable two-pronged story: Team Flash trying to protect Central City from metahumans in Barry's absence; and Barry having some sappy, dramatic, introspective journey through The Speed Force.
Indeed, a lot of The Flash season 4's prospects will depend on how the show uses the development of Barry in the Speed Force to tell its story. The show definitely should not spend an extensive amount of time on that storyline; it should be resolved at a quick pace, so that we can move on more important things...
s stated, the storyline of Barry being trapped in the Speed Force needs to be handled smartly, and resolved quickly. One great way to resolve the story would be to have Barry return from The Speed Force with a much bigger perspective on things.
Unlike other speedsters trapped in the "hell" of The Speed Force (Wally, Jay, Savitar), Barry (as stated in the finale) has much more of a connection with that realm. In The Speed Force, Barry will be to see all things, in all timelines, in a way that he never could on earth - that's got to have an effect on him.
We still have that ominous message from a near-future Barry, sent to the Legends of Tomorrow crew, warning that a war is coming, and Barry may be the culprit at the heart of it. A lot of fans thought that the Savitar reveal would explain the Legends warning; with Savitar now gone, that mystery is once again one that needs to be answered.
Having Barry return from the Speed Force thinking like a god, rather than a man, would be an interesting turn; a hero who is now a villain - not because he's arch and evil, but because he sees a bigger perspective or greater good that needs to be achieve
In DC Comic books, Barry Allen was thought dead for decades, when he'd actually been trapped in The Speed Force during the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Obviously, The Flash TV series has been teasing the idea of the Crisis storyline since the very first season - but the show can definitely take some liberties with the story.
Barry is already lost in the Speed Force before the Crisis events takes place, but that doesn't mean the show can't follow comic book history, by using Barry's absence as a way to launch Wally West as the new Flash.
Actor Keiyan Lonsdale has been gaining serious acclaim lately (both personally and in this past season of the show), so he's ready to step up and take center stage as the new Flash. The comic book Wally West Flash has a lot of famous storylines and events attached to his legacy - plenty for The Flash TV show to adapt.
By letting Barry Allen actor Grant Gustin truly take a break for awhile (to do things like get married!), The Flash can service a whole demographic of '90s DC Comics fans, who grew up being more familiar with Wally than they ever were with Barry.
One thing The Flash season 4 is in a unique position to do, is completly reboot the status quo of the show, giving fans something new to explore.
Depending on how season 4 chooses to approach its story, we could spend the first seasonal arc following Barry through the aforementioned abstract journey through past, present and future, via the Speed Force; and when he finally gets out, it could be the case that he doesn't return to the exact same world he left.
However, instead of continuing to compound The Flash's already excessive use of dopplegangers and multiverse theory, it would be interesting for Barry to return to his legitimate timeline - just further into the future from when he left.
Following Barry thorugh the Speed Force, and then following him back to an earth, and life, he no longer recognizes would be a fresh and interesting adventure for viewers.
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