#it’s possible I can do redesigns for the other agents too

[acousticdoodles]

Made my own Captain 3 design! I gave them a new hat but they sewed Cuttlefish’s patch on 🦑

[cheerstotheelites-if]

Super excited for all your wips! 👀👀

How do you render your drawings they look so cool!

*SWEATS* Mamser, I literally have no idea what I even do while I make art—

My rendering isn't that grand nor complex (and I don't think there is any rendering. They're mostly all just flats with barely any shading or lightning with this cartoony-anime mixed style), compared to other authors who also draw their character portraits for their IF's.

It's simple and workable, like my artstyle, and I don't think it'll get more complicated than that! If it works for me, then it works.

I don't have any big brain wisdom I can impart on you or for any other budding artists, because I'm no professional and is merely self taught, but I may have some personal ones:

Steal like an artist. Find something in someone else's artstyle that you really like and adapt that to your own! Artstyles are a personal mishmash of the artists you look up to, and not all are the same even if you and someone else may have the same artistic idols. This is different from tracing, however. I DO NOT encourage tracing over someone else's work and claiming it as your own. That is stealing, you utter criminal, and I will dropkick you if you do that.

Practice. Old wisdom, but it works and it's true. You don't become Bob Ross or Leonardo Da Vinci in a day after all. It's a struggle and it'll be frustrating, but I promise once you learn to draw the thing you finally want to draw, the high from reaching that achievement is absolutely real and so, so worth it.

References. If you think you can draw a sitting position freestyle from your brain, you're wrong, because when you look at a reference of that then at your sketch, you're gonna see a lot of mistakes in the anatomy, poses, perspective etc,. So, please, stockpile your references for every possible thing that you'll be drawing, because you'll absolutely need them.

Have fun. As artists we tend to compare our work to those who we think are better in the craft, when in reality we all are just trying to get better in what we do. Look, it doesn't matter if a 3 year old can recreate Mona Lisa in perfect detail, if you enjoy doing your work then that's already enough. I prefer to see "better" artists as inspirations to try and achieve more, not as some unachievable pedestal. You can achieve that too! May not be as quick as the rest, but you will get there in your own pace. Art is a journey, not a race. Take your time, learn what you want to learn, and have fun!

Experiment. You gotta if you wanna find out what stuff sticks with you and what doesn't. It also helps you find out a technique you might like for sketching, lineart, coloring etc., or if you just wanna get the hang of something first! OR if you wanna try out a new artstyle! Art is a science, in a way. A wonderful alchemy of color, wrist pains, and shrimp posture!

Also thank you for showing excitement for my WIPs, anon! I'm trying me best to work on all of them. You get a mwah from me. 😭💙💙💙

Free art from L? How scandalous! This is also just an excuse for me to ramble about my other characters amongst my 200+ bucket of them.

Some of these are old, but I just wanna share 'em for the funsies.

And, yes, the light blue haired, dark blue eyed lady in black and glasses and guy in a green parka with a resting bitch face are Carmen and Everest, Ophelia's older siblings. I also have Weylyn's older siblings, Bleddyn and Riekka, but I plan on reworking their design first. Why do I have so many redesign plans for so many characters.

1. Random character I drew for Religions Class last semester. I loved her design, so I kept her. No name yet, sadly 😭

2. Rival Agent Team in The Company. No names yet, though purple haired gal is named Agent Carrion. All of the designs and colors were from picrews, I just changed whatever was needed to suit my own preferences.

3. Lucian and Louise Dagohoy doing a clothes swap (2020). They're siblings I love dearly. They'll show up in an IF soon. I have big plans for them.

4. Carmen and Everest. Had this for months now, and I had no idea when to show it. Might refine their design a bit when I have the time.

5. Mint. Yes, her name is Mint. Not a Familiar, but a different kind of Fae entirely. Did this on my phone in 2019(?). I was bored at the time, and wanted to do a simple doodle, so I drew Mint about to eat a carrot.

6. - 7. MSPaint doodles from 2021, during a boring class if I remember. First one's Quentin the Monarch Fae king because it's been a while since I drew that man, then Louise. She's usually drawn happy all the time, but I wanted to make her sad, so I did. Not that hard to draw on MSPaint, really. Great for lineless practice because there are no layers.

8. - 10. Raphael, Gabriel and Michael Zealon. A pair of twins and an older brother. They have the old designs of High Court Angels (this was 2021), and their conversation was based on a tweet I saw on Twitter. Don't ask why. I'm too sleep deprived to answer.

And if you're wondering what art program I use, I either use MSPaint (when I'm bored) or FireAlpaca (for most of my works). The drawing tablet I use is a Huion H430p. It's smaller compared to the normal drawing tablet (H640p) of Huion, and it's as big as a standard notebook.

I would add 20 more art if I were on my laptop right now (and also because most of my art is stored there), but that'll be all for now.

[cdroofingma222]

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[royalty-subway]

Hi, so I know I haven’t been posting much here recently (or filling the request in my inbox). The truth is that I’ve been mostly having fun in the ask blog I made and been thinking about things, so I haven’t been around to finish some requests (don’t worry, I’m still working on them ;w;). And I’m sort of starting to get back into Splatoon (for those who don’t know since I’ve been a bit vocal about it on my Twitter, I used to be in the Splatoon scenes, before leaving for personal reasons, I’m also currently trying to redesign a few Splatoon OCs of mine and been thinking of making another blog about the agents in the game, but I digress ;w;)

Like, I would even say that I know more about Splatoon than Pokemon itself. So I decided to draw some people as either Inklings or Octolings. And write a few headcanons for it because I really like the game. ;w;

I also decided to make a list of how skilled they were with certain weapon classes and what level they were in each thing.

So yeah, here's my thing.

Appearance:

The Nimbasa Trio all have eyes of those who are idols (a plus-like symbol for Inklings, and an infinity symbol for Octolings). I mean, they're a bit popular so… They're all also pretty tall. Plus, Emmet and Ingo's eyebrows are also triangular.

Emmet also has an off-white rope on his hair, just like Frye has. Just for style preference, it's not like he shoved his entire face into a net and got stuck in there.

The only characters that change their hair color entirely (like, when switching colors) are Sonia, and both Tate and Liza. Everyone else is just the tip of their hair-

And the only people that changed their fingertips and toes into different colors are Sordward, Shielbert (ears too, for those two) and Elesa. Elesa did it in her own accords. While Sordward and Shielbert were just born with it. Which was for the better to tell who was who.

… Maybe the same could be said about Emmet and Ingo. I can see the possibility of them having their fingertips changed into a color (the same color as the tip of their hair), kinda like Marina. And if so, Elesa was probably the one to convince them to do it.

Those with pointy ears are just Sordward and Shielbert. Sordward pointing downwards and Shielbert pointing upwards. Although… they can still move their ears up and down, just like some people. It’s just a style preference.

Those two also have tattoos on each side of their arms. You see those little icons of the red and blue squids with a sword and shield? It's those. Sordward having the red shield on his right arm, and Shielbert having the blue sword on his left arm. Just to remind them of each other, if the different color of mouth, fingertips, toes and ears weren't obvious enough.

I honestly couldn’t decide whether to make Tate and Liza into Inklings or Octolings, so I thought that maybe they could somehow switch into both species? They’re psychic. ;w;

If this were the case, I would imagine that Liza would be born Inkling and Tate would be born Octoling. Which would confuse anyone, but hey.

Weapons:

In the “OH GOD, DON’T GIVE ME THIS WEAPON” list are Chargers for Sordward, ANY heavy weapons for Shielbert (especially Dynamo Rollers or Hydra Splatlings), Splatlings for Sonia, and Blasters for Ingo. Everyone else can at least manage with any weapon. It’s just these guys cannot save their lives with it-

Here's the thing, Emmet may suck when it comes to Brellas. But that doesn't mean he won't discard the idea of using "unfair" weapons like the Undercover Brellas. He sometimes likes to use weapons that are considered OP, like the Clash Blaster or the Bloblobber . Not because he cheats to win, but to piss everyone off.

So the best weapon of choice for them, right? Sordward prefers either Rollers or Inkbrushs as a weapon. He’s really fine with either or. Shielbert only does best with Brellas. Sonia is fine with anything (besides Splatlings). Emmet LOVES weapons that are either dualies or heavy as shit (like a Dynamo Roller). And Ingo prefers weapons that are long ranged (but can handle heavy weapons well). While Elesa, Liza and Tate are also fine with anything, like, they can all manage.

The reason why the Subway Bosses and Tate and Liza are very good with a lot of weapons is because they trained a lot. With weapons they either love or hate. Granted, they have some disadvantages, but they're still pretty strong.

The difference is that Emmet and Ingo used to work in the Deepsea Metro and trained there (which is how they managed to get better with every weapon, that and Turf War)

For Tate and Liza, well, they're strong people that care about winning. So naturally, they would try their best at being good with each weapon class.

Turf War/Rank/Salmon Run/Tricolor/Splatfest:

The Subway Bosses are extremely competitive when it comes to anything, Turf War, Rank, Salmon Run, anything. More so that they participate in said activities a lot. Same thing for Elesa, Tate and Liza. But they all know it's just fun in games unless it's Rank-

… And as for the Royal twins and Sonia, they couldn't care that much about anything. I mean, one of them has a job as a professor. The sword one doesn't wish to play with other peasants because he doesn't have any friends. And the shield one just sucks at everything he tries-

I mean… At least Shielbert TRIES to do things. He even tried Salmon Run, unlike Sordward who just sees it as a workplace for peasants. He doesn't even wish to interact with other people. ;w;

Sonia never tried Rank, mostly because it's an absolute war zone there. People just take it too seriously there and she prefers chill matches. Or just chill in general.

It's just, some people are better in modes than others. For example, Emmet is both good at Rank and Salmon Run. Tate and Ingo are good at Rank. Elesa and Sordward is Turf War. And Liza is just Salmon Run. Sonia and Shielbert are just "eh" at everything. Nothing big to note.

They all have their favorite modes though, Sordward and Sonia lack it. But everyone has some; Tower Control for Shielbert, Rainmaker for Ingo, Splatzone for Elesa, Clam Blitz for Tate, and Salmon Run for Emmet and Liza.

Tricolor matches… are certainly something. To be honest, it intrigued Shielbert, Emmet, Elesa, Liza and Tate. It intrigued Shielbert and Elesa for the three colors, though. But the rest just enjoy the battle itself… Besides Emmet because Jesus fucking Christ being on the Scissors Team for that sucks ass… ;w;

Speaking of that, Splatfest is an important thing to the Splatoon world. And they all do participate in their own way. Sordward and Sonia just pick a team, and that’s it. While everyone else ACTUALLY participates in it.

In a matter of luck, 99% of the time Sordward, Emmet and Tate pick a team that loses (that’s what they get for having shit taste-), while oddly enough, Ingo tends to pick the team that wins, most of the time anyway. By accident. While everyone else is just random.

Extra info:

… It probably wouldn’t be a surprise that both Sordward and Shielbert desire to be idols. Or at least be known to be heroes. Like, the people who brought back the Great Zapfish kind of heroes.

Also, funny enough, Sordward used to hate Octolings. Or at least not exactly trust them at first. Mainly for historical reasons; Inklings and Octarians used to be at war with one another about 100 years ago. But… not nowadays. And Shielbert is the opposite. He's intrigued by Octarians, if anything.

Like, sure, he also didn't exactly trust Octos 100%. But they're still pretty intriguing. Like, they’re pretty advanced in technology compared to the Inklings. And they look different. Like, big eyes, eye mask not being connected, round ears, curly hair with the suction cup on the outside, teeth arranged differently, sharp like claws, usually very tall and… you get the point. He also knows about the Sanitized Octarians and the Mammalians. Unlike his brother.

More so to a point Shielbert can speak SOME Octarian scripts pretty well. Granted, he isn't a master at it. But he knows the basics. Same for Sonia. While Sordward and Elesa can only understand Inkling scripts.

Sonia is both intrigued by Octarian technology and humans as a species. You know, they once lived about 12,000 years ago before flooding the place.

Shielbert and Sonia mostly learned Octarian language and technology through Piers (who's an Octoling based on this AU ;w;). Shielbert did learn a bit on his own, but some were through Piers. Also, you can probably imagine Shielbert's intrigued side shine here since Piers is an Octo.

By the way, the same applies to Emmet and Ingo when it comes to Inkling scripts. They can speak some. But not all. While Liza and Tate can speak all the scripts.

Back in the Octarian army years. Emmet and Ingo played an important part there. Like, Emmet used to make those weird vehicle things for Octarians. While Ingo made different kinds of weapons for Octolings to use.

Both Emmet and Ingo were present in the final battle between DJ Octavio and Agent 3. It was a concert, apparently. And after hearing Calamari Inkantation from the Squid Sisters, much like Marina, sort of changed the way they see things.

They didn't really hate Inklings… They never did. It was just… very unfair on how they were being treated in both groups. One being shown false propaganda of a single race and will probably be executed for being traitors. And other being that this "Agent 3" person kept on beating the shit out of Octarians for just existing. So… They left and lived deep underground; the Deepsea Metro.

They loved it there. Yes, it's saddening to see Octarians turning Sanitized and becoming brainwashed by Commander Tartar. Hell, they COULD'VE become Sanitized if they listened to Commander Tartar about the Promised Land. But they didn't care about that… Why would they? Octarians and Inklings are assholes. There's no point in living in those places, just staying in the subway with C.Q. Cumber seems okay enough.

They only "semi" escaped right after what happened to Number 10,008, or Agent 8, and Commander Tartar. Agent 8 managed to escape and make peace with the Inklings, much like some other Octolings. From what they heard, anyway. So they both decided to visit, and it's true, the two species were at peace.

… They would've stayed there, but there's no point. They don't even have a home here. Until Elesa pretty much invited them to live in her apartment since… The Deepsea Metro isn’t exactly a safe place to be in. ;w;

Elesa was probably their only Inkling friend for a while. Until they met Skyla, and other Inkling people as well. I imagine Skyla to be an Inkling too. ;w;

Well, since Liza and Tate can just change into Inklings or Octolings. The right conclusion to this was probably to remain Inklings for a long period in their life. Since the two species HATED each other at some point. It would be pretty easy for them to sneak into the Octo Valley/Canyon if they changed into Octos, but oof.

But nowadays they tend to change into either species since now Octolings are allowed on the surface. Liza prefers Inkling form, and Tate prefers Octoling form. But they mostly change to mess with people.

[maxwell-grant]

What would a spider man: life story look like for the shadow?

Now that I've actually read Spider-Man: Life Story I can give this one a response. I'm gonna obsess about this question for a while because man what a ride Life Story was.

To those not in the know, the premise of Spider-Man: Life Story is: "In 1962, in AMAZING FANTASY #15, 15-year-old Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider and became the Amazing Spider-Man! Fifty-seven years have passed in the real world since that event — so what would have happened if the same amount of time passed for Peter as well?" and basically it tells the story of Spider-Man as one continuous narrative spanning 57 years, from his beginnings to a potential future, allowing Peter Parker and his cast and world to age in real time and factor in elements from the character's major stories over the decades.

And it's got a lot into it that the premise doesn't convey and there is no way I can even begin tackling a project like this for the 90 goddamn years of The Shadow's history without seriously just writing an entirely different fanfic continuity (and I already have 5, plus multiverses, possibly more) and tipping off way too much about my own plans for the character. Even I have my limits.

So instead, what I'm gonna do is go over the broad strokes of The Shadow's history as it would look like if you could try and condense it all under a consistent narrative, if you could focus on each decade's highs and lows, what kind of story would arise if a deranged Shadow maniac like me were to try and build a basic skeleton for a The Shadow: Life Story story.

Basic rules first: I'm sticking to the idea of Life Story and spanning every decade from the beginning of the character's life to the end of it. The aging and death parts are important so I’m sticking to those. The character's canonical birth date is 1892, so he's not making it intact to the 2000s. We're capping this off in the 90s, although it doesn't mean no further stories can be told. I will avoid mentioning specific historical events like Vietnam and 9/11 for this post to instead focus on The Shadow's trajectory. I will also not be including other characters, only somewhat referencing whatever aspects I deem relevant. I'm not sticking to any continuity, I'm pulling literally everything I can for this one

And putting this one below the cut

The 1930s: The golden years. In 1930, after a long line of life experiences in the Great War and traveling around the world under dozens of names, the man formerly known as Kent Allard has taken to fighting crime in the Great Depression. This chapter would be more of a standard narrative showcasing the trajectory of The Shadow's 30s career, how he's started off as a urban myth fighting gangsters and then progressed to urban avenger with dozens of allies fighting spies and supervillains. Despite being in his home element, he is restless. Another war is on the horizon. We gotta know where he starts, to get a clue of where he's going.

The 1940s: Despite it being the "family friendly American hero" Shadow era, shit gets very, very chaotic in the 40s, way more so than The Shadow could have anticipated. The pulps were relatively tame for this period, by this point instead you have the radio with it's constantly rotating writers and sensibilities, and comics that had far less reservations about either being really boring or really wacky. Far more encounters with the supernatural than before and with supervillains like Devil Kyoti and Monstradamus and Solaris, plus Khan is still around. The Shadow is forced to spend a lot more time traveling the world to deal with the war, spending a prolonged period establishing headquarters in Japan to aid Japanese underground organizations opposing the military. The agents perform rescue missions on concentration camps, and this is the period where you could have the "real" Lamont Cranston start filling in for The Shadow a bit while he's overseas.

There's a particular blurb that got released during this period that explains The Shadow acquired the power to cloud men's minds not by training, but by journeying to Tibet in an unrecorded adventure that forced him to beg the monks to grant him assistance in saving the world. I have some very mixed feelings on this whole backstory but I think there's something to this idea. Some shit went down in the 40s that was way beyond what The Shadow could have anticipated, and to protect the world from it he had to tap into forces that perhaps should have been left untouched.

The 1950s: The Shadow has dissappeared from America alltogether. He gathered up his agents and announced he wouldn't return for at least a decade, and left them with enough money to last a lifetime and retire should they feel like it. Burbank and Cliff Marsland dissappeared with him, and this chapter would probably be told from the Agents's perspective as they face the 50s while we get snippets from Marsland on what The Shadow's been up to. Some of it involves The Shadow helping protect Tibet after Mao's takeover of China. The real Lamont Cranston doesn't put on the costume anymore and instead operates as a fairly regular detective, although he's training on the skills and powers he's picked up overseas. Whatever fantasy madness haunted the 1940s is all but gone.

The 50s had basically nothing in Shadow content other than the last legs of the radio show, which are 200 episodes from 1950 to 1954 that currently don't exist anymore outside of a few scripts. During this time, The Shadow's sole appearence in US content was a parody in MAD Magazine. Overseas however, there were original Shadow novels published in Norway (a story for another day), as well as a Mexican radio and film series, which also featured Cliff Marsland. I have little information on either.

The 1960s: The OG Shadow is still embroiled in conflicts overseas, but the rise of the criminal organization CYPHER forces him to mobilize Burbank and agents old and new alike to deflect CYPHER away from where he's at, although most of them have retired by now. He still cannot return, but he has been secretly instructing Lamont Cranston on furthering along his own latent abilities if he intends to take over in his stead, and Cranston's powers have grown and developed to a point that, although he is pushing 60, he is able to do things even the original Shadow could not. He also invests a lot in merchandising and costume changes, which...doesn't pan out. Nothing in this era really pans out. It's just a really, really frustrating period of bad luck and supervillains that the aging superpowered detective Cranston is able to stop. Lamont Cranston seems to die in this decade.

The 1970s: Inspired by The Shadow's DC series, and most importantly Michael Kaluta's spiffy redesign.

The original Shadow returns to a crime-torn America, intent on starting anew, and sets to rebuilding his network. But something is off about him. He's leaner, meaner, less compassionate and trusting. Just as what happened the first time he returned to America following years abroad, what happened in his sojourns overseas has fostered something inhuman in him, another sacrifice of his own identity for the sake of a world where the weed of crime has only proven more insidiuous. His powers have grown and so have his resources, but despite that, he's bordering on 80 years old by now, and cumulative trauma deep within his bones hampers his effectiveness. He's doing a lot better than he should, by any rights, but he can't keep this up and he knows it. And so, as before, he starts planning for it.

The 1980s: This was the decade where Walter Gibson died with his final Shadow story incomplete, all the movie plans from the 70s were canned, and Howard Chaykin happened, plus the other DC runs. It's the SHIT decade, basically, where everything goes to hell. Whatever plans The Shadow had blew up, dipshit copycats start ruining everything, his network crumbles, and this is probably the ideal decade to kill off Kent Allard.

But this is also the decade where something weird started happening outside of the story: The Ghost of Gay Street hauntings, where visitors on the hotel Gibson wrote the stories in repeteadly claimed to see a ghostly visitor looking exactly like Lamont Cranston, and Gibson himself claimed that to be a tulpa he created by accident.

Kent Allard may have died. But death can never claim The Shadow.

The 1990s-onwards: Somehow, The Shadow is still active. Still elderly, in a much more limited fashion, but still as sharp as ever if not more so. His powers have grown more so than ever before, even blossoming into a limited form of telekinesis. Is he a ghost? Did he somehow survive the events of the previous decade? Somehow, both Lamont Cranston and The Shadow linger on, but is it Kent Allard or Lamont Cranston? Is it someone else?

Who knows?

This is the decade in particular where he's going to be interacting with more prominently with a new generation, whether it's descendants of the original agents, or new heroes that have found themselves in his orbit. Inspired mainly by the Dark Horse Shadow comics, Ghost and The Shadow, and Peter Straub's Mystery and modern takes on the character like Batman x Shadow and the 2017 mini that play up the miserable immortal and ghost teacher aspects, also inspired by my recent realization that The Shadow's ideal future in-universe may be getting to age and mentor the next generation in some capacity.

Anything beyond that, only The Shadow Knows.

[thankskenpenders]

So, about the movie...

At long last, a week after it came out, I was finally able to see the Sonic movie. The Daytona 500 being held across the street from my favorite theater and conflicting work schedules had been keeping me away, but now I’ve finally seen it. And it was...

Decent!

Which is way, way, way, way, way better than a movie with this awful premise has any right being. That’s for damn sure. I enjoyed my time at the theater. I don’t know how they did it, but they did it. If you like Sonic and haven’t already seen it, you will probably get a kick out of this film. If you don’t like Sonic (or Jim Carrey), there is very little in this movie for you

Okay, now that that’s out of the way, it’s time to break that whole movie down. This will contain full spoilers for the Sonic movie

This movie kinda gave me deja vu because it’s set up so similarly to the Bumblebee movie. Both open with a slavishly faithful CGI sequence on another planet to ensure long time fans that the creative team gives a shit, but a conflict sends the title character to Earth. There, they form an emotional bond with the human lead as they’re pursued by the bad guys, who are working with the US government and tracking the energy signature of the title character. This setup worked extremely well for Bumblebee, because it’s so similar to the usual plot of Transformers. For Sonic, it was... a mixed bag. But it worked better than I expected

(This shot does not happen in the movie.)

That opening though, huh? Green Hill Zone looked great, and I was pleasantly surprised to see they did, in fact, use the Hyper Potions track from Sonic Mania in the actual film. (The piano rendition of the Green Hill theme used later was also lovely.) Longclaw was also interesting. I’ve seen one person bring up all the bird-themed ruins in Sonic 1 and 2 as a possible source of inspiration for the character, and I think that’s a valid take. And man, the echidnas! I wasn’t expecting that AT ALL. I guess that was probably the Knuckles Clan or something? I would never, ever picture them being alive during Sonic’s lifetime, but like... I guess Knuckles had to come from somewhere, right? If they do another movie with Knuckles, will the rest of his kind have died out?

Sadly, though, this sequence felt like it was over in a heartbeat. We barely see Sonic’s life on his home planet, and we’re expected to feel emotional over Longclaw’s sacrifice when she only gets like three lines before Sonic is sent to Earth. This is a common theme with the film--it goes for these big emotional beats that it just does not earn with its rapid fire pacing

Anyway, then we fast forward and Sonic’s a teen. This is actually kind of an interesting one if you’re constantly neck deep in Sonic Character Analysis like me, because it’s a pretty different take on the character. It’s hard to give them credit for doing something somewhat fresh with the character, though, because like... how much of that was intentional, and how much was just Hollywood writers trying to squeeze a generic action-adventure movie out of Sonic? (Honestly, it’s probably mostly the latter.)

The closest other piece of Sonic media to the movie would probably be Sonic X, a story in which Sonic isn’t really the protagonist. The Sonic of the anime is fairly emotionally distant. He cares deeply about his friends, and does nice things for them, but he’s totally fine with running off on his own for extended lengths of time, and he doesn’t really talk about his feelings. He’s not the character the audience is meant to sympathize with, but is instead this cool older kid who Chris wants to impress. This is pretty much in line with how Sega likes to depict the character. He cares about his friends, but he’s also cool with being a loner. It feels like he only runs into them incidentally, usually when Eggman is causing trouble, and then when the crisis of the week is taken care of he’s back to going on his own adventures. There’s a reason why one of his catchphrases is “long time no see”

The Sonic of the movie is the polar opposite. His main conflict is that he’s lonely and desperately seeks friendship. He’s also an overly-eager, extremely earnest goober. He literally flosses twice. (Which I loved.) I’ve seen him compared to Silver, and honestly, that’s not a bad comparison. I did like it, though! I don’t mind Sonic being a more emotionally open character, like he was in a lot of older Western media. I mean, he cried in like the second or third episode of SatAM

It’s just that, like many things in the movie, it feels less like a deliberate creative choice and more like a logical string of decisions to make when writing a generic action-adventure film for general audiences. Sonic’s the only one of his kind on Earth, so of course he’d be lonely. He has to have some sort of arc for audiences to connect with him, and if he’s gotta be accompanied by James Marsden for the whole movie, well, his arc’s gotta be about them becoming friends

I’ve gotta say, though: Ben Schwartz is great as Sonic. As much as I like Roger Craig Smith, I wouldn’t complain if he became the new main voice of the character. And thanks to the redesign, he looked great. I can’t imagine how nightmarish this movie would’ve been if Sonic wasn’t cute

My main fear with this movie, though, was that Sonic wouldn’t really be the protagonist. As a fan of Transformers, I know all too well that the cost of doing a full CGI character usually means that said character can’t really be the star of the film. Optimus and Bumblebee aren’t the stars of the Transformers movies--they’re supporting characters who are primarily present for the sake of the action scenes. The humans are the real stars in those movies, and the robots are barely even characters. I was terrified that Sonic would be the same, with the actual character I paid to see taking a backseat to James Marsden The Cop

I’m not quite sure if they struck the right balance there, but they did better than I worried they would. Sonic is central enough to the film and gets enough screentime that you can easily say he’s the protagonist. BUT there is absolutely too much of Tom and his family. The human cast is fine, the performances are fine, and there were a few good jokes, but every time the movie tried to get me to care about Tom’s life I was bored out of my mind. It’s just so trite and passionless. The other characters barely felt fleshed out at all, including Tom’s girlfriend (wife?) and Agent Stone. The little girl who gives Sonic the shoes had some cute moments, though

I do, however, love the part in which James Marsden is walking around in a San Francisco t-shirt, to remind us that he’s planning on moving to San Francisco... which then becomes the excuse for Sonic to think about San Francisco and accidentally send his warp rings there, which becomes the excuse for the buddy road trip aspect of the film. And as much as that was a focus of the marketing, the actual road trip part is like... maybe 20 minutes of the movie? There’s like three scenes with Sonic and Tom on the road and then they’re in San Francisco for act 3. The movie tries to act like they’ve formed this deep bond and I just did not give a shit. I don’t care about the cop. All Cops Are Bastards, and that absolutely includes Tom, whose dream in life is to join the extremely corrupt San Francisco PD

The whole excuse for Sonic having to sit in the passenger seat of a car going the speed limit for a good chunk of the movie is also, just. Stupid. If he doesn’t know where San Francisco is and time is of the essence, just... give him a map?

And then there’s Jim Carrey. I was worried about this one. The previews tended to highlight his most Jim Carrey Being Wacky moments, and as fond as I am of movies like The Truman Show and Bruce Almighty, that’s just. That’s not Robotnik. I was pleasantly surprised by the actual movie, though! I thought he was pretty good. I’m not sure what incarnation of Eggman I’d most compare him to, but like... it was close enough, and he was entertaining enough. I’d pay to go see another movie with him as Robotnik. Sure. (Especially with how he was looking at the end of the film.)

There were some other little interesting tidbits here with Eggman, although again, a lot of that is less “let’s do a new take on Eggman” and more “let’s do a marketable movie with Eggman in it, which requires us to explain some stuff.” Like him straight up just being a normal human from Earth, with none of the confusion present in the current “two worlds” canon of the games. Or him apparently being an orphan who was bullied in school, and who trusts machines more than other humans. It’s a safe way to depict the character in a Hollywood movie, but I thought it worked

The way they got to his nickname was kind of funny, though. Like, obviously they didn’t put Jim Carrey in a fat suit, and thank god for that. So instead of mocking his weight, the nickname is derived from the egg-shaped robots he uses. Which made sense, I guess. It at least felt logical for this incarnation of Sonic, who had annoyingly been calling Tom “Donut Lord” the whole movie, to make up the nickname “Eggman.” (Said robots, by the way, were a weak point of the movie to me. They just didn’t have that Eggman whimsy and felt very safe and very Hollywood. Honestly, though, if they had just made Robotnik’s ship grey and slapped some hazard stripes on it, it’d probably be fine.)

As a whole, I thought the humor of the movie was... okay. Sonic had a lot of good moments thanks to Schwartz’s great performance, as did Robotnik. There were just so many weird lines, like James Marsden telling Robotnik that he was breast fed, or the agonizingly long child trafficking joke with Sonic in the duffel bag. Stuff like that

The action was great, though. They definitely owe a lot to the Quicksilver scene in that one X-men movie (I forget the one), but they had a lot of fun with Sonic’s powers and it felt extremely true to the character. Seeing him do one of his Smash poses during the San Francisco fight was great. The action scenes were an absolute delight

And then the ending. Oh, that ending

So, I had already heard that Tails shows up in the stinger before I saw the film. And when I heard that, I expected it to be like, the classic Tails origin story. Maybe Sonic would return to his planet, and run into this precocious kid who decides to follow him around... but no! Not at all! Tails is already the Tails we know and love. He’s already an inventor, he’s already tracking down Sonic. I’m shocked that Sonic actually stayed with Tom instead of running off to have new adventures, but hopefully this is a sign that more characters will be brought into the fray if they make a sequel

And boy, they better make that damn sequel. This movie had a great opening weekend and a positive reception. They have no excuse not to. GIVE US SONIC AND TAILS GOING ON AN ADVENTURE

Other stray thoughts

Holy shit they put Sanic in the movie

The Sega logo animation meant that Kiryu from Yakuza was in this movie for a few seconds

The pixel art credits sequence, which featured both the Sonic 2 special stage and Get Blue Spheres as well as the Eggman logo screens from the Studiopolis Zone boss, was cute

The Saturn logo could be seen on the diagram of the other habitable planets

Robotnik had a label for “Badniks” on his circuit breaker. I wonder if the drones in the movie are intended to be Badniks, or if we’ll see actual ones if a sequel gets made

Also, was it implied that Robotnik committed war crimes for the US government

One of the government guys who I think only got one line was played by Garry Chalk and as such sounded exactly like Optimus Primal

I can’t tell if Sonic getting a red race car bed was an intentional shout out to the Archie comics or if it’s just a coincidence, but I loved it

A dude about my age wearing a Sonic Mania t-shirt literally stood up and clutched his head in shock when Tails showed up

After the movie a very excited kid got his mom to take his photo with the Sonic display in the lobby. Afterwards he was so excited that he flossed

I can’t believe they talked about Olive Garden so much

[isolaradiale]

When the final wire was cut, the entire city went black. The power grid was not tied to the network, but the outage was NULL’s only shot at preventing Ofiuco’s retrieval after she fell from the sky. The entire city fell still for five minutes before power returned, but this light only served to illuminate the next phase. It wasn’t like GPU had been without a backup plan. If they didn’t have a way to leverage the arrest of the Stars, then at the very least they could throw a wrench in their operation. 

However, the light of the moon and stars that shone down on the city in the dead of night was obscured by a sudden apparition. A floating island that existed beyond the flight limitations of the city obscured the view, almost the same size as the city itself and becoming a constant and looming darkness over the cityscape. It cast things into uncertainty, and all of the Shades remaining on the ground flocked up and into it... before a loud rumbling began. 

The island suddenly dropped and it inevitably looked as if it was about to crash into the city itself before stopping in a convenient location: just below the maximum flight limit. Beams of light soon extended from all around the floating island’s perimeter to Spirale below, their uses initially unclear.

That was, until, people began to step out of them. These weren’t NPCs nor agents, their ranks instead populated by the monstrous and the villainous. Enemies and rivals gathered from the worlds the characters had all been taken from, their sights set on razing the city. Chaos immediately unfolded where they landed, structures and people alike targeted while some of these foes sought conflict with their greatest nemesis. 

LISTEN TO ME PEOPLE OF THIS ISLAND CITY.

If it was a device capable of receiving a signal, this distorted voice boomed over it. Many believed the speaker to be an enemy at first, probably one of the agents that had turned their world into disarray. Thankfully that wasn’t the case.

I AM AN EX-MEMBER OF THE GPU AND BOTH MYSELF AND ONE OTHER HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH YOUR ISLAND STARS FROM WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION FOR THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS. GPU WILL DESTROY YOU REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE STARS TURN THEMSELVES IN OR NOT, AND BY THE TIME THE MAINTENANCE DROID IS ABLE TO CONVEY THIS MESSAGE TO YOU THE PROCESS MIGHT HAVE ALREADY BEGUN.

YOU AREN’T DREAMING. THE ENEMIES THAT HAVE LIKELY POURED OUT OF THAT FLYING STRUCTURE ARE ALL VERY REAL AND VERY POWERFUL. SOME OF YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE THEM BECAUSE THEY WALK, TALK, OR GROWL LIKE FOES YOU’VE ENCOUNTERED IN YOUR OWN WORLDS. DON’T BE FOOLED, THEY ARE IMITATIONS MADE COMPLETELY UNDER THEIR CONTROL. HOWEVER THEY ARE VERY DANGEROUS, AND POSSESS THE FULL RANGE OF ABILITIES YOU KNOW THEM TO.

MY PARTNER IN THIS ENDEAVOR TOLD ME THEY’LL BE MAKING SURE THE ISLAND IS LOWERED ENOUGH THAT IT CAN BE REACHED, AND WE’LL ENSURE THE LIGHT LIFTS CAN BRING THOSE WITHOUT WINGS TO THE SURFACE. IF YOU WISH TO KEEP ON LIVING YOU NEED TO NOT ONLY PROTECT YOUR CITY, BUT BRING THE FIGHT TO THEM AS WELL.

Whether these words inspired or not depended on the listener, but there was no denying the immediate threat of the invading force as well as the personal nature of some of these opponents. 

“To those ends, a gift!” This time the speaking voice was a familiar one as a dot of pink light zipped up from the depths of the hole, a familiar android plastered across every screen in the city. This time though her eyes weren’t red. A wave of light reverberated across the city from the flapping of Ofiuco’s wings, granting all it touched their weapons and abilities back for the time being. “Don’t forget there are people from the city itself still working with NULL. I know this is all hard to understand. You don’t know why you’re fighting nor do you know what you’re fighting.”

She exhaled before looking at the floating island above. “I guess there will be some explaining to do when all is said and done, but go! You need to reclaim the starry sky!”

INFORMATION

Welcome to part 2 of Security Breach! There’s a lot to cover here so we’ll try to be as specific as possible. But as always if you have a question don’t be afraid to send it to the ml!

What has happened? With the network shut down thanks to all the cut wires, NULL has wordlessly moved into their backup plan: completely razing the city from within.

To those ends they have summoned a floating island that eclipses the city, and from it enemies pour down from both the top and the light elevators that extend to the city from the floating island’s surface. 

These are not normal enemies however. They are villains and monsters from the worlds of your muses (more information including guidelines in the FAQ section). While they walk, talk, and hit as hard as the real things, they are completely under NULL’s control and share their goals.

This is a grand battle that will be fought on two stages: on the island below and flying structure above. 

Ofiuco has granted everyone their powers and abilities back, but is also enforcing a cap so the enemy forces can’t use game breaking powers. Since this is universal it will also affect the characters within the group (more information in the FAQ section).

For those that are powerless: you will be able to access your Fantasia avatars via the Spirale Alternate World Life app. This feature will be removed at the end of the event, and it will not work for characters that already have powers. 

We will be running this poll until 12:01AM EST on May 1st. Based on the results the story and aftermath of the event will change. 

FAQ

Everyone’s powers are unlocked but are there limitations like in part 1? Yes there are! Abilities used must be tier 6 or higher by vsbattlewiki standards. Obviously these could easily destroy an island, but while structures can be destroyed the island Spirale is on and the island in the sky are both impervious to damage from these attacks. If your character possesses an ability that exceeds this ranking you can tone it down, but some things are strictly off limits like conceptual abilities in certain instances (conjuring items or allies en masse, erasing existences, etc are not allowed). These guidelines are consistent between both sides so as not to break the world.

What’s this about Fantasia and the Spirale Alternate World Life app? Last summer we held an event called the Fantasia War where characters were placed in a fantasy setting with fantasy avatars. At the event’s conclusion we made Fantasia into an MMO game that can be accessed in the Intraspace, and everyone’s avatars have been preserved there. The SAWL app is an app we introduced to allow MMO characters (like from SAO) to be able to switch between their normal and game forms at will, and it is having its functionality temporarily  boosted to let people use their Fantasia avatars, including the attached powers, during the event. This app will not show up for anyone that has powers of their own. 

If your character was not present during Fantasia you can still create your own avatar! You can still find the list of available races here and list of available spells here. 

Villains and enemies are pouring out of the flying island? What does this entail? Essentially what it sounds like. You will have the unique opportunity to bring in villains, monsters, or machines as agents of NULL. They will act as they would in canon, but are dedicated to their cause of destroying the city and killing off its citizens. There are, of course, limitations:

only one boss-tier enemy per mun per series can be brought in. you can bring in as many trash mobs (generic monsters, grunts, etc.) as you want, but you can only choose one powerful opponent. you can just say what kind of mobs might be running around for others to deal with in their threads, but the boss-tier foe must be controlled by you.

boss-tier enemies can be sentient, but they don’t have to be. if you want to bring in things like giant machines that are piloted by grunts, these still count as boss-tiers however.

you cannot bring in an enemy that exists on the masterlist

enemies, including boss-types, can be overlapped throughout a cast to avoid the possibility of someone claiming a boss just to deny other cast members from interacting with them. however do not have these duplicates interact / in the same thread.

The best way to keep this in order would be to make a post introducing the kinds of trash mobs you’d see running around as well as the boss-type you plan on controlling. People can then use the mobs in their threads if they choose, or approach you to interact with the boss. Likewise, you can keep the boss for more personal threads or drabbles. It’s really up to you!

I don’t really have any enemies in my series and I’m not comfortable using mobs from others. Are there any other options for what I can fight? Yes! The Shades are still around, as are a plethora of generic fantasy monsters for you to fight!

Are the weather conditions from part 1 still ongoing? No, those have come to a halt! However the island above blocks all of the weather in general.

Speaking of the floating island. We can go to the top, right? What’s up there? To put it simply: it’s a mess. Whether NULL had difficulty importing code or if it was just a big error, assets from every series imaginable compose the landscape. Maybe you’d see a building from BLEACH, but then one from Naruto right beside it. Some assets have even been merged together. Pieces of it glitch out and redesign constantly, so it’s almost a depressing mockery of Spirale in a way. There are hills and rivers too, but even those are constantly shifting position.

While tons of enemies have poured onto the streets of Spirale, there are plenty waiting on standby atop the flying island. To go it alone would be a terrible idea.

Can we destroy the flying island itself? No! You can destroy the structures on top but new things will eventually sprout up in their place. The ground and undersides seem to be protected by an impenetrable barrier. But even if you could, do you really want it crashing onto the city below?

Where should we put big, newsworthy posts during this event? Please use the tag ‘#isola sb2 news’ as opposed to the regular ‘#isola news’ tag during this part of the event. We anticipate a lot of people are going to want to do cool and interesting things that they want everyone to see so we want you guys to have a space for this, but we also do not want to clutter the regular news tag.

I have an additional question! Feel free to send it to the masterlist! Due to the nature of this part and all of the potential moving pieces we’re sure people may have questions or concerns that haven’t been covered.

When is part 2 expected to end? A week from now on May 1st at 12:00:01AM EST. We’ll likely be polling around the middle of the week to see if people would like an extension however! 

[arcticdementor]

I linked this at instapundit some time ago. But from the fact that a friend sent me this link today, I presume it’s not widely known. The link I put at instapundit was from American Thinker. And for once their title was the most accurate thing ever: Executive Order Canceling the Constitution.

If you’re wondering how that is possible, wonder no more. You know how our government freezes assets of enemy governments? Like Iran’s assets that the FICUS is dying to unfreeze ASAP?

Well, the veneer-thin coat of legality on this bullshit relates to that. At the same time that Dementia Joe and The Commie Ho are giving money and actual nuclear tech to declared enemies of the US, they are declaring US citizens who so much as dare talk against them as enemy collaborators and traitors. And because they’re owned by China (though anyone who thinks that stopping fracking and the keystone pipeline is not a big sloppy kiss to Putin needs their heads examined. It’s in fact the kiss of life, since the only thing Russians have worth anything is oil and they were in deep trouble before China stooges stole our elections) they are of course doing it by screaming Russia, Russia Russia!

…

All they have to do is make a list of those they consider to be Russian agents. The executive order itself says you can’t dispute your inclusion in this list.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

Oh, yeah, all your property will be impounded, and everyone is forbidden from doing business with you. On the say-so of corrupt agencies and people who have been lying to us for years.

And there’s nothing you can do, and anyone who helps you faces a similar fate.

…

This was signed on the 15th of April. Do you think there aren’t already things going on to make this work? Do you think that we’re not all already on that list?

Do you think it’s a coincidence you’ve not seen this bullshit anywhere? (And btw the link on top is to the government itself.)

Now, if they were sending goons to collect you, those of you who haven’t lost all your guns in a tragic boating accident would shoot, and it would be on like Donkey Kong.

But that’s not what will happen, and that’s why I’m writing this and asking everyone of you who has a blog and who knows they’re probably already on the list to share it. Or of course if you’re brave enough not to mind if you’re on the list. Note the “your spouse and adult children” too, which is intended to stop you doing anything, for the love of your kids.

I’ve seen this before. Very few people know that the “revolutionary” governments in Portugal froze bank accounts and assets of anyone who spoke out against them. One day you’d go to your bank to remove money, and you couldn’t. Your bank account was frozen as an enemy of the state.

Oh, you have a mortgage? Kids in school? Bills to pay? How terrible and sad it is that you are now functionally a pauper.

As for suddenly finding no one would give you a job, I never even figured out how word went out on that, and I don’t if anyone ever did.

Now, the times we’re living in? Will anyone notice a large number of people becoming suddenly unemployed, and/or having their house foreclosed upon? Help? Well, all they have to do is send a few people who look like government agents to your neighborhood and ask your neighbors (and friends, and associates) questions while strongly implied you’re a traitor working for a foreign power.

Your weapons? Well, then. Surely, you’ll sell them long before it comes time to …. well…. to starve I suppose.

Oh, but surely states will oppose this?

If it’s done the way it was in Portugal, most people won’t even be aware it is going on. Whatever the mechanisms are for flagging foreign enemies in the US — and they are there, and have been, from when our agencies were slightly less corrupt than they are now — will just be deployed, as they have always been, but against anyone who publicly and loudly disapproves of the Junta.

…

And the thing is it will be done behind the scenes, quietly. Through extorsion, and cancelling and whisper campaigns, to discredit and destroy their enemies, and taint them with the label of foreign agents, all without a legal process or any sort of ability to confront their accusers.

At some point, they’ll “notice” the ten million or so new homeless, (hell, the opening of the borders might disguise this, rather neatly, too) and out of their “humane concern,” they’ll create places you can go and be housed and fed.

Do I need to tell you it’s a trap?

This is just a way to round up desperate people. It might also in the end be a way to get rid of the homeless, which rest assured they intend to, once they’re done using it to drive the country’s cities to shit.

Paranoid? Did you read that Executive Order? If not, go do it, I’ll wait.

Now will this be applied ruthlessly and efficiently? Guys, this lot couldn’t shoot a lame fish in a barrel. No, but it will be applied irregularly, annoyingly, and deployed as an instrument of terror to make a large number of people shut up and go along, for fear for their livelihood, their kids, their friends.

It will be, as what they’re already doing to the military and police, a shit show designed to cow people into silence and into fear of losing everything.

Will it work? Oh, for a while at least. I mean, it is working on our military and police.

In my case it puts me in a bit of a pickle, as I don’t like camping, and I’m not young enough to survive long out there. But that’s okay. Personal survival is desirable but not important.

…

So, I know in the long run they can’t win. In fact, the harder they push, the faster they fall.

BUT–

If this goes into action, as stupid and imperfectly as it will be implemented, it will hurt and perhaps kill a lot of people.

If you’re at risk:

1- Have an alternate identity if you can. I don’t even know how to go about that, except perhaps a ring around the rosy of dbas, trusts and corps. Remember, they’re not nearly as efficient or good at tracing things as they think they are. Our secret services were redesigned by a man who can’t figure out how to go through a gate with an umbrella. And he hired people who think he’s smart.

2- Be ready to decamp at the drop of a hat, if it becomes obvious your financial life is frozen, and there’s nothing you can do for money. Decamp where? Well, not abroad. As I pointed out above, if the wheels come off here, they’ll come off and explode abroad. If you can own something outright through a trust or a corp or something, this might be a place to go. If you can’t…. have you considered winter camping gear?

3- Don’t leave yourself defenseless. Don’t sell weapons. Don’t consign yourself to the tender mercies of the government.

Oh, yeah, and keep your clothes and weapons where you can find them in the dark.

4- Other than that? Find a way to keep being heard. If all you can do is paint the words in blood on phone poles do so. But again, they’re not nearly as smart as they think they are. Find new identities and new ways back on line.

All you have to do is survive this for a year, maybe a little more. And the way to survive it is not to act the way the left would, which is the way they expect everyone to act.

Don’t surrender. Don’t give up. Don’t ask for help.

And keep coming back when they least expect it.

If that EO doesn’t show you they’re not Americans, they’re insane, and they mean to be dictators, I don’t know what will. Make sure people know the powers the Junta is arrogating to itself. Make sure they can’t do this quietly.

And may G-d have mercy on America.

[thecreaturecodex]

Zoanoid, Aptom

“Aptom Form II” accessed at Legacy of the Creators here

[Commissioned by @coldbloodassassin. Aptom is inspired by The Thing, and is a major character in the Guyver franchise. This means he appears throughout the various Guyver media in at least seven different unique forms, not to mention the times he disguises himself as specific zoanoids. Form II, the first of his composite bodies, was the one requested by the commissioner. So I was actually able to find a bunch of Aptom art, just not a lot for this form in particular. Incidentally, his human form was noticably redesigned between the original manga and the 2005 revival anime. Specifically, in 2005 he looks a lot more like Agent Smith than he used to--I suspect the showrunners liked the Matrix sequels and ran with the similarities between the two assimilating-and-cloning characters.]

Zoanoid, Aptom CR 15 CN Aberration This vaguely humanoid monster has a hulking form, with clawed arms, a crown of horns, and two pod-like structures growing from its shoulders. It is furred in places, scaled in others, and has a rugose carapace covering its legs.

An aptom is a Rogue Number, a type of zoanoid created only through very unusual circumstances. The circumstances are, in fact, unique—although there are multiple aptoms, they are all clones descended from the original individual. The intention of the aptom was for the zoalords to have a perfect spy and mimic of enemy fighting capabilities, but the creature functioned too well. Not only could it reshape its body to tailor to its needs, it also reshaped its mind into rebellious independence. Aptoms gain access to new forms by absorbing pieces of living or dead bodies—with enough biomass, they reproduce by fission, creating two bodies with the same mind and purpose. That purpose is now to gain as much power as possible and overthrow the zoalords that made them.

An aptom’s default form is a mixture of other zoanoids; it has the carapace and horns of a gregole, the claws and acidic breath of an enzyme, and the flame-shooting pods of a vamore. It combines blistering elemental assaults with its superior strength in combat, trusting to its regenerative abilities to keep itself alive long enough to assimilate biomass from its enemies and sample their abilities. Aptoms fight well together, coordinating their actions through telepathy, and may assume different forms in order to provide complementary tactics to one another. An aptom can give itself even the unique abilities of other zoanoids they encounter, so no two battles with aptom opponents are likely to be the same.

Aptom   CR 15 XP 51,200 CN Medium aberration (zoanoid) Init +9; Senses blindsense 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., Perception +20 Defense AC 30, touch 16, flat-footed 24 (+5 Dex, +1 dodge, +14 natural) hp 210 (20d8+120); regeneration 5 (sonic) Fort +18, Ref +11, Will +10; +5 vs. mind-influencing effects DR 10/slashing and magic; Resist acid 20, fire 20; SR 26 Defensive Abilities force of will, fortification (50%), zoanoid saves Offense Speed 40 ft. Melee 2 claws +22 (1d8+7 plus 1d6 acid/19-20), gore +22 (2d8+7) or assimilate +22 touch (7d6+5) Ranged 2 fire beams +20 touch (6d6 fire plus burn) Special Attacks assimilate, blazing rend, breath weapon (40 ft. line, 15d6 acid, Ref DC 26 half, 1d4 rounds), burn (2d6, Ref DC 26), demoralizing charge, powerful charge (gore, 4d8+14) Statistics Str 24, Dex 21, Con 22, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 20 Base Atk +15; CMB +22; CMD 38 Feats Deceitful, Dodge, Improved Critical (claw), Improved Initiative, Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, Point-Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Step Up Skills Bluff +24, Climb +25, Disguise +24, Intimidate +30, Perception +20, Sense Motive +17, Stealth +23, Swim +25 Languages Common, Zern, telepathy 100 ft (1 mile with other aptoms) SQ alter ego (Small or Medium humanoid, alter self), assume form, hivemind Ecology Environment any land or underground Organization solitary or squad (2-6 aptoms) Treasure standard Special Abilities Alter Ego (Su) An aptom can assume the form of a specific Small or Medium humanoid. This functions as the change shape special quality, except that the aptom cannot choose the form it assumes. It may take other forms using its assume form ability. Assimilate (Su) As a standard action, an aptom can touch a living creature to steal its essence. A creature touched takes 7d6 damage plus the aptom’s Charisma modifier (Fort DC 25 half), and the aptom gains that number of hit points as temporary hit points. If the creature fails its save, the aptom may take its form as one of its assumed forms, if it chooses. The save DC is Charisma based. Assume Form (Su) An aptom may hold in reserve a number of forms equal to its Charisma modifier (5 for an ordinary aptom). It may take any of these forms when it uses its alter ego ability, except that it gains special attacks and special qualities from the forms it assumes. If the form is any creature except a zoanoid, it gains the relevant abilities as if it had used a greater polymorph spell. If the form is a zoanoid, it gains all of that zoanoid’s extraordinary and supernatural abilities (although the save DC are still as per the aptom). Blazing Rend (Ex) A creature struck by two of an aptom’s fire beams in a single round suffers a -2 penalty on its save against the aptom’s burn attack. If it fails its save, it takes 4d6 points of fire damage from the burn. Blindsense (Ex) An aptom’s blindsense is hearing based. It cannot use its blindsense if it is deafened or in the area of a silence spell or similar effect. Demoralizing Charge (Ex) If an aptom hits an opponent when using its powerful charge special attack, it can make an Intimidate check to demoralize that opponent as a swift action. Fire Beams (Ex) As a standard action, an aptom can fire two beams of fire from its shoulder pods. Treat these as ranged touch attacks with a range of 120 feet and no range increment. A creature struck takes 6d6 points of fire damage and is exposed to the aptom’s burn attack. Force of Will (Ex) An aptom gains a racial bonus on all its saving throws against mind-influencing effects equal to its Charisma modifier. Hivemind (Su) An aptom may telepathically communicate with all other aptoms within 1 mile. When two or more aptoms are within 100 feet of each other, they can react to dangers together—they are only treated as flat-footed if all members of the hivemind are flat-footed, and if one of them disbelieves an illusion, they all do. Whenever two or more aptoms are within 100 feet of each other, they gain a +4 racial bonus on Perception checks and initiative rolls. Zoanoid Saves (Ex) A zoanoid treats Fortitude as its good save and Will as a poor save.

[newstfionline]

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Offices after COVID: Wider hallways, fewer desks (AP) The coronavirus already changed the way we work. Now it’s changing the physical space, too. Many companies are making adjustments to their offices to help employees feel safer as they return to in-person work, like improving air circulation systems or moving desks further apart. Others are ditching desks and building more conference rooms to accommodate employees who still work remotely but come in for meetings. Architects and designers say this is a time of experimentation and reflection for employers. Steelcase, an office furniture company based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, says its research indicates half of global companies plan major redesigns to their office space this year. “This year caused you to think, maybe even more fundamentally than you ever have before, ‘Hey, why do we go to an office?’” said Natalie Engels, a San Jose, California-based design principal at Gensler, an architecture firm.

Canada sets record temperature of over 114 degrees amid heat wave, forecasts of even hotter weather (Washington Post) Lytton, a village in British Columbia, became the first place in Canada to ever record a temperature over 113 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday—and experts are predicting even hotter weather to come. The temperature in Lytton soared to just under 115 degrees Sunday, according to Environment Canada, a government weather agency. “It’s warmer in parts of western Canada than in Dubai. I mean, it’s just not something that seems Canadian,” Environment Canada senior climatologist David Phillips told CTV News on Saturday. Even in the metropolitan hub of Vancouver, parks, beaches and pools have been flooded with residents eager to cool off as the temperature hit 89 degrees at the local airport on Sunday—a record in a coastal city that usually has mild weather. The high temperatures in the region have been blamed on a “heat dome”—a sprawling area of high pressure—now sitting over western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. Experts say climate change can make extreme weather events like this more common.

Florida condo collapse echoes tragedies in Brazil, Egypt and India (Washington Post) Around the world, in countries with paltry building codes, little enforcement of existing rules and the proliferation of informal housing, tragedies like Thursday’s building collapse in Florida—where scores of people are still missing—have taken a heavy toll. Among the missing is the first cousin of a former president of Chile, where in 2019 at least six people died when two houses collapsed in the port city of Valparaiso. Others are from Argentina and Colombia, sites of two deadly building tragedies that killed at least a dozen people in each country in 2013. On Friday, five people were killed in the coastal Egyptian city of Alexandria after a five-story building collapsed—an all-too-frequent event in a country where planning permits are often bypassed or violated and makeshift structures house millions of people. At least two people died in Brazil when a four-story residential building crumbled June 3 in a slum in Rio de Janeiro, were organized crime is known to have a hand in shoddy construction projects. In India, buildings are routinely at risk of collapse during the annual monsoon rains. The night of June 9, at least 11 people, including eight children, were killed in Mumbai when a two-story building collapsed on nearby structures, the BBC reported. Local authorities said it was likely due to heavy rains.

New Cuba policy on hold while Biden deals with bigger problems (Washington Post) Five months into his administration, President Biden’s campaign promise to “go back” to the Obama policy of engagement with Cuba remains unfulfilled, lodged in a low-priority file somewhere between “too hard” and “not worth it.” “I would say that 2021 is not 2015,” when Obama reestablished full diplomatic relations with Havana and opened the door to increased U.S. travel and trade with the communist-ruled island, only to see Donald Trump slam it closed again, a senior administration official said. “We have an entire world and a region in disarray,” the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. “We are combating a pandemic and dealing with a breaking down of democracy in a whole host of countries. That is the environment we are in. When it comes down to Cuba, we’ll do what’s in the national security interest of the United States.” But if the current state of the world and national security demands on the administration make addressing the relationship with Cuba one hard problem too many, what makes it not worth the effort is a purely domestic matter. For the most part, it comes down to two words: Robert Menendez. The Democratic senator from New Jersey, the powerful chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, is a key player in issues the administration sees as far more important than Cuba in a Senate evenly split along party lines. The U.S.-born son of immigrants from pre-communist Cuba, he is strongly against reopening the door to Havana.

Venezuela migrants cross US border in droves (AP) Marianela Rojas huddles in prayer with her fellow migrants, a tearful respite after trudging across a slow-flowing stretch of the Rio Grande and nearly collapsing onto someone’s backyard lawn, where, seconds before, she stepped on American soil for the first time. It’s a frequent scene across the U.S.-Mexico border at a time of swelling migration. But these aren’t farmers and low-wage workers from Mexico or Central America, who make up the bulk of those crossing. They’re bankers, doctors and engineers from Venezuela, and they’re arriving in record numbers as they flee turmoil in the country with the world’s largest oil reserves and pandemic-induced pain across South America. Last month, 7,484 Venezuelans were encountered by Border Patrol agents along the U.S.-Mexico border—more than all 14 years for which records exist. While some are government opponents fearing harassment and jailing, the vast majority are escaping long-running economic devastation marked by blackouts and shortages of food and medicine.

Peru’s election limbo (Foreign Policy) Supporters of both Pedro Castillo and Keiko Fujimori took to the streets of Peru over the weekend as the June 6 presidential election still does not have an official winner. Castillo’s apparent 44,000-vote victory has been delayed by Fujimori’s accusations of fraud in an election process that international observers, including the United States, have described as free and fair. An electoral jury charged with adjudicating contested ballots resumes its review today, with an official result only possible once the jury’s work has concluded.

Who needs hackers? (Foreign Policy) A spat between Russia and the United Kingdom over a British naval vessel’s transit near Russian-occupied Crimea took a bizarre turn over the weekend when classified documents about the operation were found in a sodden heap behind a bus stop in Kent. The documents, given to the BBC, describe the boat’s journey—which caused Russia to scramble military jets—as an “innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters,” and includes potential routes that would have avoided a Russian response. The British government has launched an investigation into how the documents leaked. Responding to the incident, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova mocked the British government. “Why do we need ‘Russian hackers’ if there are British bus stops?,” Zakharova said on Telegram.

The Far-Right Stumbles in France (Foreign Policy) The French far-right fared poorly in regional elections over the weekend, failing to win control of even one of France’s 18 regions and potentially denting Marine Le Pen’s chances ahead of next year’s presidential contest. Le Pen will hope that the low turnout belies greater support on the national stage. An estimated 34.5 percent of French voters cast a ballot on Sunday.

Spain, Portugal further restrict UK travelers (AP) Spain and Portugal have placed new restrictions on U.K. travelers. Portugal says they must go into quarantine for two weeks unless they have proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 finished 14 days earlier. The policy took effect Monday. The government says people can quarantine at home or in a place stipulated by Portuguese health authorities. Arrivals from Brazil, India and South Africa come under the same rule. All others entering Portugal must show either the European Union’s COVID Digital Certificate or a negative PCR test. In Spain, beginning Thursday, people arriving from the U.K. in the Balearic Islands will have to show they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have a negative PCR test.

India Shifts 50,000 Troops to China Border in Historic Move (Bloomberg) India has redirected at least 50,000 additional troops to its border with China in a historic shift toward an offensive military posture against the world’s second-biggest economy. Although the two countries battled in the Himalayas in 1962, India’s strategic focus has primarily been Pakistan since the British left the subcontinent, with the long-time rivals fighting three wars over the disputed region of Kashmir. Yet since the deadliest India-China fighting in decades last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration has sought to ease tensions with Islamabad and concentrate primarily on countering Beijing. Over the past few months, India has moved troops and fighter jet squadrons to three distinct areas along its border with China, according to four people familiar with the matter. All in all, India now has roughly 200,000 troops focused on the border, two of them said, which is an increase of more than 40% from last year. China is adding fresh runway buildings, bomb-proof bunkers to house fighter jets and new airfields along the disputed border in Tibet, two of the people said. Beijing also adding long-range artillery, tanks, rocket regiments and twin-engine fighters in the last few months.

U.S. targets Iran-backed militias in Iraq, Syria strikes (Washington Post) U.S. forces launched airstrikes on facilities on both sides of the Iraq-Syria border, the Pentagon said Sunday, in response to recent drone attacks on U.S. troops in the region carried out by Iran-backed militias. Two militia locations in Syria were attacked, along with one in Iraq, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement, which described the strikes as defensive in nature. Officials have said militias employing small, explosive-laden drones to attack regional U.S. personnel is one of the chief concerns for the U.S. military mission there. Syrian state media said, without providing evidence, that U.S. strikes hit residential buildings near the border around 1 a.m. local time, killing one child and wounding three residents.

Palestinians protesting against Abbas (AP) Thousands of Palestinians have taken to the streets in recent days to protest against President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Authority, whose security forces and supporters have violently dispersed them. The demonstrations were sparked by the death of an outspoken critic of the PA in security forces’ custody last week, but the grievances run much deeper. Abbas’ popularity plunged after he called off the first elections in 15 years in April and was sidelined by the Gaza war in May. The PA has long been seen as rife with corruption and intolerant of dissent. Its policy of coordinating security with Israel to go after Hamas and other mutual foes is extremely unpopular. Protesters at the Al-Aqsa mosque on Friday accused the PA of being collaborators, a charge that amounts to treason.

Ethiopia declares immediate, unilateral cease-fire in Tigray (AP) Ethiopia’s government on Monday declared an immediate, unilateral cease-fire in its Tigray region after nearly eight months of deadly conflict as Tigray forces occupied the regional capital, soldiers retreated and hundreds of thousands of people continue to face the world’s worst famine crisis in a decade. The cease-fire could calm a war that has destabilized Africa’s second most populous country and threatened to do the same in the wider Horn of Africa, where Ethiopia has been seen as a key security ally for the West. The declaration was carried by state media shortly after the Tigray interim administration, appointed by the federal government, fled the regional capital, Mekele. Meanwhile, Mekele residents cheered the return of Tigray forces for the first time since Ethiopian forces took the city in late November. Ethiopia said the cease-fire will last until the end of the crucial planting season in Tigray. The season’s end comes in September.

After pandemic free-for-all, parents struggle to reinstate screen-time rules (Washington Post) The week after Rebecca Grant took away her kids’ video games for a month, after a year of relaxed pandemic rules, her 10-year-old son was livid. The ban wasn’t an easy decision for Grant. The 46-year-old mom of two from Fremont, Calif., did hours of research and read multiple books from parenting experts. She joined Facebook groups for families in similar situations and closely watched her children’s behavior, which had been worrisome for a while. “He was really not taking it well,” Grant said. “In a way, it reinforced my decision. He’s just so attached to this [video games], he’s not rational.” After 15 months of various levels of shutdowns, families in the United States are trying to come out of a tech-filled haze for summer. It’s a chance to swap out Xbox time for bike rides with friends, or Zoom school for summer camp. But parents are discovering that subtracting screen time is much harder to do than adding it. They are facing resistance from kids accustomed to their freedom or just struggling to find alternatives to fill the time before a more normal fall school semester begins.      While some parents just want their kids to be social or active again, many have noticed personality and behavioral changes in their children. They’re irritable, argumentative and have poor focus. Some have become anxious or depressed, or throw more tantrums and fly into rages. “Having all that screen time all day for a whole year, their nervous system is really disregulated, and those symptoms need to be reversed,” said Victoria Dunckley, a child psychiatrist who studies the impact of screens on children and the author of “Reset Your Child’s Brain.” “All this overstimulation is putting them into a state of stress.”

[omniversalobservations]

Herald of Darkseid (2018)

Hill and her SHIELD team glided into orbit around the moon. Their shuttle was based on the old American space shuttles but improved upon with Skrull technology and Stark Industries parts.

The interior had undergone a redesign, making it more compartmentalized and better suited for potential combat situations.

The shuttle was also fitted with combat weaponry, should the need arise.

“Moving to the object’s coordinates now,” Hill said for both her crew and General Fury back at SHIELD command in the Triskelion. “General Fury; we’ll send you a live visual as soon as we get one.”

Hill was up in the cockpit now, Captain Carol Danvers at her side. Hill’s entire team was suited in spacesuits. Should something go down, Hill wanted the crew as prepared as possible. Danvers liked that about the woman.

Minutes later, the pilot locked the ship right on top of the coordinates Fury had given them. Hill looked at a monitor to the side of the flight controls. Using a joystick and a few buttons, she punched up an image of the area.

At first, she was surprised. Danvers looked over her shoulder.

“What is… is that really?” she asked.

Hill zoomed in. The image confirmed what both women thought they saw. Neither could believe it.

Fury’s voice broke over the cockpit speaker.

“Waiting on that image, Hill,” he said.

Hill pressed more buttons. “Transmitting now, general. It’s… well, you just have to see it.”

Danvers imagined Fury’s surprise as his gigantic main viewing screen filled with the image of a blonde-haired, teenaged girl standing on the moon. She wore a dark blue jumpsuit with a severe cut, very militaristic.

It also had a flowing black cape, totally not helping dissuade the military implications.

A silver “S” was emblazoned on the upper left breast.

“That ‘S’ looks familiar, general,” Hill said.

Fury replied, “I’m making a call about that now.”

“Maybe we should play Taylor Swift through the externals, get her on our side,” Danvers quipped.

“We’ll take that under advisement, captain,” Fury said in a tone declaring he would not. “In the meantime, establish communication, Director Hill.”

Following protocol, Hill transmitted standard welcoming messages through the shuttle’s radio transmitters. Had the girl on the moon a device to translate the radio waves to sound, hopefully, she would respond.

Danvers watched the girl onscreen. “It looks like her lips are moving.”

Hill looked closely. “Yes, but due to the vacuum of space, unless she’s got something to convert that speech to radio we’re not going to hear her.”

“Standby,” Fury said. “Get me Agent Begley!” he said to the people in the command center.

“Who’s that?” Danvers asked.

“He reads lips,” Hill replied.

Danvers looked back to the monitor. The girl on the moon looked frustrated.

Suddenly, she knelt, then pushed away from the moon’s surface.

She was flying straight for the shuttle.

“Maria!” Danvers said.

Hill saw it too. She manipulated the camera’s joystick to track the girl’s approach. There was no questioning her intent to get to the shuttle. Her expression didn’t look like one of someone looking to talk.

“General Fury! The target appears to be hostile and is approaching our shuttle!” Hill reported.

“Do what you need to protect yourselves!” Fury replied.

“Agent Schroeder!” Hill said to the pilot. “Evasive maneuvers! Agent Dee! Prepare weaponry!”

“And me?” Danvers asked.

Hill looked over Danvers. “Sit tight but be ready to hit the airlock if this all goes south.”

It turned out the moon girl didn’t attack the shuttle. Instead, she flew around it, looking in the portals. Hill tried following her with other external cameras.

Eventually, the girl hovered in front of the main viewport. Hill got the camera on her.

“Is Agent Begley with you?” Hill asked Fury over the com.

“I’m here,” Agent Begley replied.

“I’m going to try a live audio signal,” Hill said.

“What will that do?” Danvers asked.

“It’ll let us know if she can really hear us.”

Danvers waited several anxious minutes. Hill asked the girl outside if she could hear them. Thanks to Agent Begley, SHIELD learned the girl could hear them.

“So what else is she saying?” Fury asked over the comm.

There was a brief silence as Begley presumably read the girl’s lips for whatever reply she had.

“Umm,” Begley began, “She says that her name is Kara Zor-El. She’s come here on behalf of her ruler Darkseid to prepare this world for conquest.”

“Whatever happened to ‘I come in peace?’” Danvers wondered aloud.

“Stow that, captain,” Fury told her. “Director Hill; tell her to follow you back to Earth so we can negotiate the terms of our surrender.”

Source: Wooden Shed Creative

(image via DeviantArt)

[oneshotnewbie]

Hey! Can you make a oneshot where baby danvers is like 16 or so and lives with Kara and Alex because Eliza died and they didn't wanted to have her in an foster family again? The woman from the youth welfare office comes home to them and ask them questions/look everything up and is unsure of her decision because both of her sisters work full time in and one of them is in a dangerous work and she thinks that they have no time for b!d? You can decide the end 🥰

Request 2: Can you do a oneshot where b!d is a teenager and Eliza dies unexpectedly so she has to move to National City tp live with her sisters?

A/N: I combined two requests in one because they both were the same. I hope you like it! 

Words: 1.724 

---

After your mother died in the lab due to a deadly misfortune, you couldn’t stay in Midvale longer and you have to get out of your house where you spent your whole life.

Beautiful but also bad memories tormented you in this house and it still hurt to connect them with your mother.

You had to get out of there, even the sight that once was so colour- and powerful was just a black and white and brought tears to your every time.

Also, the sight of old family photos, with Jeremiah, Eliza and you sisters on the terrace, the first one you actually shot when Kara came to earth, hurt and your sisters held them back from you, even if you would like to see them more than anything else and grieve.

They wanted to spare you the pain; these wounds were still too fresh. It was only a few weeks ago when you saw your mother for the last time, and you felt guilty.

Because on this day you argued with her before you went out the door to school and leaving her alone, standing by herself in the middle of the living room.

If only you had told her how much you love her, at least this one time.

----

It was one of the most important days in your life. Today decided if you could stay with your sisters or you had to go to a children’s home.

It was almost time; the woman form the youth welfare office had registered for today.

None of you could close your eyes tonight, no one could eat the breakfast in front of them and the fear was written on your sisters faces.

Kara had freed herself after talking to Lena about it today and was more than happy to know that when someone needed Supergirl, J’onn jumped in for her by turning into her and Lena also stood by her side.

Also Alex was not in the DEO today; too important was the appointment any you.

“I swear, when this is over and everything goes well, I’ll get drunk.” stated the eldest as she got up and left you both alone at the dining table.

You and your other sister started smiling even if you both didn’t feel like it. It still brought a smile to your face.

However, this was again driven away from the fear and panic in you. What if the woman tears you away from you sisters and puts you back in another family?

You wouldn’t go through that again.

You also stood up and put your food in the oven for later if you would get hungry.

Tears has built in your eyes, your hands balled into fist as you tried to fight against your emotions. But you lost.

Quickly you went to Kara who was still sitting at the table, with her thoughts probably completely elsewhere when you felt her jumping a bit while you hugged her as hard as possible.

As fast and well she could, she stood up with you, not letting you go. She turned to face you since you hugged her from behind. Now the tears ran unhindered down your cheeks and lay down on the blouse of the blonde.

She stroked gently over your head while she rocked you. The other arm wrapped around your shoulders and pressed you tightly against her.

“I’m so scared; I don’t want to lose you both.” You admitted between sobs.

“Shh, everything will be fine, you will stay with us, and we will do anything for it.”

You stood there for quite a time when you heard the squeak of the bathroom door in which Alex had recently disappeared. Small and soft footsteps sounded on the floor before they became louder with each step until they finally stopped.

You felt an warm embrace around you before a warm hand ran up and down your lower back and you couldn’t do anything than let out even more and stronger sobs as you clung to Kara even more.

“What happened?” the redhead asked in shock.

“Nothing, she is scared to lose us.”

Immediately Kara broke away from you and Alex came to the fore. One arm wrapped around your hips and together you walked to the couch where she sat you in and kneeled in front of you while Kara sat down next to you, rubbing little circles on your thigh.

The DEO agent cupped your face in her hands and looked deep into your eyes as she wiped your tears from your face with her thumb pads.

“Listen, to me kid. You will not lose us and you will certainly not be taken away from us either. We will prove to the know-it-all lady that we are good enough to take care of you. You have everything you need here, you have the superfriends which are your family who are fighting with us and even if that doesn’t work, we still have an ace up in our sleeve.”

You didn’t really wonder about the last sentence, your sisters always had a plan B and you knew that so you just nodded and looked at her. Your badass agent was close to tear up and you saw how much she fought and yet she didn’t show her true emotions and stood strong like you should be in this moment.

“Now stop crying because you will make me cry and I don’t want that cause we are strong. We are the Danvers sisters, we are stronger together.” She paused a moment. “And these two faces here,” she started, pointing with her forefinger at Kara’s and her face, “you will never get rid of those two faces. Never”

You looked between the two, sighed and started smiling. They always knew how to make you feel better.

Kara smiled back and Alex sat down next to the blonde, held her arms open, indicating you that you could sit on her lap if you wanted.

And of course you wanted. You three got into a hug. You lay on Alex while Kara was half on you, hugging you from behind. You quietly listened to the calming heartbeats and tried to calm yourself down with it.

After a few minutes from being in this position, the bell made you fell into reality again; you were so caught up in that moment that you almost jumped. Once again you all smiled at each other and nodded before Kara opened the door with Superspeed and the lady in front of you appeared.

“Good morning, my name is Mira Thompson. I’m from social services and had signed up a few days ago by calling you.”

“Good morning, Mrs. Thompson. I’m Kara Danvers and that’s Alex, my sister. Please come in.”

---

It was a long two hours of overpower and tension. Of talking and convincing. Of hope and fear.

The woman was hard to crack and you couldn’t see through her exactly.

Kara tried to buy her with coffee and cake, showed her the double bright side of her and showed her around the apartment that your two sisters had together.

She also looked at your newly redesigned room which you designed with the red and blond haired like you wanted. She paid close attention to the relationship between each of you, her eyes kept on moving to you and your charisma, how you behaved and how you looked between them.

She kept emphasizing how neat and tidy it was here and how happy you were, how your eyes radiated and your lips formed into a smile over and over again when your sisters where around and also the conversation that you had to take with her alone was good in your opinion.

That’s what you hoped, at least.

Again and again she wrote down note on her iPad which gave you panic but your sisters where there for you. She let Alex and Kara go through the toughest questions, hoping that the two would answer them correctly and to the taste of Mrs. Thompson.

“As far as I see this here, you’re in good hands, the confirmation that you already have some friends here and the papers that confirm that you have already found a school on which you could go soon would be nothing to restrict you from living with your sisters.” She started the conversation when you were called down and sat down between your sisters. “But..”

“But what? I thought everything is fine?” you asked nervously, your voice almost trembling.

“Kara works at the biggest media center in the world and often needs to be away in other cities for researches and interviews and Alex works at the FBI, which is certainly not without, I would worry that you would be alone too long or Alex would get hurt or worse while working.”

You swallowed hard and were unable to say anything, was it over now?

“We can assure you that we will be there for her whenever she needs us, we have good bosses who are our friends too and they would surely turn a blind eye when they now that Y/N is sick or otherwise.” Alex took over rudder while you collected your thoughts and emotions.

“Our friends we’ve been telling you about are taking care of her as well and would continue to do so – they’re are her family. Our family.” Kara intervened in the conversation.

“If that is so..” the woman stood up and you three followed her movements. “I would be ready to file in the documents and register you both as her legal guardians.” She smiled slightly and you were overwhelmed.

So overwhelmed that the tears started to ran down again and you fell around Alex’s neck while Kara accompanied her thankfully to the door and said goodbye.

After the door locked, you were still snuggled up to Alex and looked at Kara.

“We have to celebrate this. I will call everyone.” Said the blonde in a squeaky voice; cheering at the door and jumping around like a small child.

You couldn’t believe it. You did it.

For days there was a stone on your chest that made breathing a difficult task and a tornado raging in you. But you finally did it and you felt free.

You were allowed to stay with your family.

[kamidoodles]

Someone said on discord this might be helpful.

About working for yourself:

Finishing stuff requires discipline, not inspiration. Doing a little bit each day is more effective than doing a lot all at once.

Don’t work more than your allotted “work time” per day. If you want to work six hours per day, stick to it. Don’t work more than eight hours a day.* *if you’re working under contract for a particular company this may change, but try to enforce good boundaries.

Also, make sure to have a weekend. Be unavailable to clients barring emergencies during your weekend.

Establish boundaries with your clients. Even if your clients are also your friends.

Take breaks during your work day. Take an hour for lunch, get up to stretch, drink and snack.

Work during your work hours. That seems obvious but I’ve also sat here at my desk “working” when I’m really just dicking around on tumblr.

About setting prices:

Charge for the time & service, not the final product. Shift your thinking from “my skill level isn’t worth much” to “my time is valuable”. If you spend 4 hours on work, that’s four hours you could have been doing something else and won’t get back; you should be compensated for it.

Flat fees should be established based on the amount of time you take for a project of that type x your hourly rate

Hourly rate should be no less than a living wage. not minimum wage. living wage. how much does it take each month for you to have food, a roof over your head, and your bills paid, then add on a little fun money for spending and saving. divide this by four (avg. # of weeks in a month), then divide by five (# of business days in a week), then divide by 8 (standard hours in a work day). Final number is your minimum hourly rate.

Experience should absolutely increase your rate. If you’ve been taking commissions for a few years, give yourself a raise. now you’re charging for time, service, and prior experience.

Charge for the time you work with a minimum price of 30 minutes. If a task only takes you 10 minutes to complete, charge the full 30 minutes. But if you spend an hour at your desk and only 10 minutes actually working and you’re not done, hold on to that 10 minutes til you hit 30 or exceed 30.

I can’t stress valuing your time enough. Don’t price yourself ridiculously high, don’t try to undercut your fellow freelancers, but get paid for your time. If you value your time, so will your clients.

About payment:

Always, always send an invoice. Google docs has some great free templates. An invoice protects you and your clients from fraud. Paypal has them too.

Paypal: Don’t try to get around fees with “sending money to family and friends”. This can bite you in the butt -- no seller protection, and no papertrail of them paying for a service.

Large projects should have a contract. It doesn’t have to be stuffed with legalese, but it should outline the scope of the project: who it’s for, what you’re expected to do, what you’re expected to deliver/how/when, and the agreed on price or budget with any conditions about deposits or upfront payment.

Upfront payment on large projects will save your butt. People are less likely to ghost you if they’ve already invested money, and if they do ghost you then you keep their deposit.

About taxes:

If you do a lot of commission work, you probably have to pay taxes. Do your research on what that means, and the minimum amount you have to make annually from commissions before you pay. If you’re in the US, your state laws AND your county laws vary. US Federal law has a low threshold of $400 USD gross earnings annually before you’re technically supposed to start paying.

Don’t freak out about taxes. They can be scary and confusing, but honestly, unless you’re pulling in tens of thousands or more per year in revenue, the tax people aren’t going to throw you in the dungeon. If you fuck up on your taxes, stay calm and talk it out with an agent -- they want their money, and they’ll work with you to get it. If you’re under 18 don’t stress, but it’s probably worth asking your parent / guardian / local responsible adult to help you start learning about taxes. If this isn’t possible for you, seriously, don’t stress about it.

USA: Estimated taxes are a thing. Since you get all of your money upfront, you’re supposed to estimate and pay state and federal taxes every quarter. If you want a tax return instead of a mountain of owed taxes every April, pay into your estimated taxes every quarter.

Set aside 25% of each invoice for your taxes if you can* (if you’re doing emergency commission work, disregard. it’s more important for you to pay whatever it is needs paying ASAP)

Some places require you to have a business name and a business license. See if that applies to you.

USA, but possibly others idk: CreditKarma has a free online tax filing thing that’s super user-friendly.

Interacting with clients:

“No” is a complete sentence. If a client wants you to do something that makes you uncomfortable -- pressuring you for a discount, pressuring you to meet a deadline you didn’t agree to, if the subject matter is iffy, say “No.” Clients that do not respect your “No” will be clients you’ll regret.

Try and keep in contact as best as you can. You’ll struggle as things come up and sometimes you’ll forget. But an attempt at communicating is better than leaving people in the dark.

Family & Friend discounts will bite you on the ass. Don’t do it. 

Scope creep is a thing and try to guard yourself against it. Scope creep is when people ask you for a bunch of little changes outside of what you originally agreed the project was. A change or two isn’t too bad but be wary; offer a maximum # of revisions to start, and stick with it. Scope creep is how you start off with a commission for a forum signature for $20 and then wind up redesigning an entire forum for free. :( press F to pay respects to 2006 kami.

Keep your messages and explanation brief. Don’t be like me and get sucked into a rabbit hole of having to write an essay to justify my rationale. A simple, “It is more effective if we do X” or “Y is not possible, can I recommend Z instead” makes life easier.

Have a separate work email from your personal one. Gmail allows you to connect your gmail accounts together so you can work from one inbox but send from multiple addresses. Use filters to make sure anything being sent to your work email is marked as important so inquiries don’t wind up in spam.

And sometimes, sometimes, “Go fuck yourself” is an appropriate response. Use sparingly.

[geek-gem]

I’ve been working on this for some days. Because of Aawesomepenguin’s latest post. I know how the Sonic movie goes. While we have known some stuff of it already before. But not in that much detail. 

This is basically my what if idea for a Sonic movie. I’ve made two of these before. The first being with Metal Sonic and Silver Sonic, the 2nd I’d like to called the, “Chaos Draft” because it was a loose adaption of Sonic Adventure and borrowing heavily from the fake Reddit info leak I’ve talked about before. 

Really I’ll give my honest thoughts on the Sonic movie when I see it personally. Because I don’t wanna just slam a whole bunch of negativity on it. But I’m mainly disappointed by the fact of the direction it went. I might end up loving the film. Yet I would of liked something like a more serious take on the franchise. Let me talk deep here mate.

I’ve wanted to talk about this despite this has been said in my head. I would love if it Sonic was made cool again. Which is a intriguing topic because hasn’t Sonic always been cool? It depends on how you see it. Which is why I seem more serious on a Sonic movie adaptation than other video game adaptions. Because the franchise means a lot to me. Which is why I want the movie to be good and hopefully the reception gets better because of it.

Despite I’ve learned I shouldn’t do a condensed loose version of Sonic Adventure and whatever else. My biggest inspirations for this new version of my Sonic movie was taken from several things. Such as my love for the 2018 movie adaption of Rampage by Brad Peyton. Which helped inspired this vision in a weird way. 

Along with Paul W.S. Anderson’s RE films mainly the first because of well those films aren’t big. Mainly low budget. So I decided to not take a risk with Chris Pratt as the lead character. Especially there were other characters in actors and characters. But also the mis-mash of ideas which is risky. Considering the first RE movie took elements from RE 1 and 2 and I wanted to try something like that.

The other inspiration was Sonic Adventure 2. Such as using elements from that story but not all of it where it be a direct adaption. This is the reason why I’ve been playing the game more(Mainly if I recall on the Dreamcast). To get inspiration for this story. While Adventure 2 suffers problems such as with writing and other things, it’s a game I personally love. Including this is a reason why Rouge is here(Along with the reason I want Lisa voicing that character), and other elements as well. Also considering when the Sonic movie we were getting was getting written. The Adventure games such as Sonic Adventure 2 Battle was an inspiration. Basically this classic image here. 

Including other info I’ve learned from here about Van. https://www.bumbleking.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7576&start=210&sid=2d070269a047bd57674d2db32b49a8f8 Gonna be honest I did not expect that image to be put here I was expecting a link.

Basically I wanted to make a outline while it’s not a draft. But a story I was happy with and I thought would make a good start off for Sonic movie. A story I felt would of been good as a stand alone in a way but it might get sequels anyway. Which is why it’s not just a simple origin story you have Sonic, Eggman, Tails, Amy Rose, Rouge, Metal Sonic, Silver Sonic, the GUN Commander, and the president(with his secretary of course). Especially that fake Reddit leaked story was in mind with the areas. But still it’s a story I feel personally happy with. Despite I have not written a script but it’s the outline I like.

In a similar way to the 2018 Rampage movie. Which while there are other nice and good video game movie adaptions as well such as Detective Pikachu. My direction for a film like this(it would be directed by someone else or whatever) is gonna be a lot more bad ass, a bit more serious, but most importantly a lot more emotional. 

Especially to aim for a PG-13 rating that older audiences can enjoy. Along with the other goal to understand who Sonic is as a character when he’s involved in a more serious situation where the world is kind of against him, he’s been framed, Robotnik and the, “Metal Brothers” are out to kill him. With Ian being this surrogate of like the fans that love Sonic(which may seem weird as hell), but also being a person that develops this close bond with this creature because they are very alike. Including Ian will risk his life to make sure this creature who has become his best friend, almost like a brother won’t die. But also with these other characters too such as Tails and Amy.

Including the other point is to make a surrogate better than well Chris Thorndyke because he’s a character that I felt should of been better. Yet Sonic is still the main protagonist with Ian being a deuteragonist. It’s to show in a setting like this humans can be pretty good characters if handled right. That’s why he’s there too in a way.

While I have thought of the idea people would look at the, “Make Sonic cool again” as a way of it being brought back to levels of Shadow The Hedgehog and Sonic 06. But more so again like the Dreamcast era and some modern games and some classic games thrown in there a bit too. 

Besides I think I’ve made too many of these. I’m officially gonna stop because I’m kind of happy with what I did. With this idea because it’s I guess almost everything I want. It’s a reasonable starting point for a Sonic movie. Because it has things I like and would like to see in a movie. So I’m pleased with it. I’m being an annoyance to folks anyway making this shit. Because it seems disrespectful I make these while a movie is coming out anyway that’s already completed in a way. Despite we are getting a redesign. 

But again here’s my what if idea for a Sonic movie. Whether it could be at Paramount, or even at Warner Bros with Legendary Pictures. I’ve rambled on too long I talk too much. 

“Sometimes you gotta go fast! In a action packed adventure based upon the popular and iconic video game series, Sonic The Hedgehog.

The world is in serious danger when an insane scientist by the name of Dr. Ivo Robotnik(Jeffrey Dean Morgan) plans to take it over. His goal is to use the power of the mysterious Chaos Emeralds to power his machines. To ensure his victory, Robotnik has made certain robots that will make sure he is able to obtain his goal for world domination.

Now because of being mistaken for a villainous robot who looks like him. Sonic(Tom Holland), the world’s fastest hedgehog is on the run from the military. Along the way he meets a young GUN soldier Ian Andrews(Brenton Thwaites), a man who wants to help everyone the best he can. 

With them teaming up, on the run from the military known as GUN, and to get the Chaos Emeralds and stop Robotnik from achieving his goal. But during this time as they fight through a ever changing battlefield. Ian must make sure not only help stop a global catastrophe. Yet to also save Sonic who he’s developed an unshakable bond with. Especially from the horrifying threat of Metal Sonic”.

Characters.

Sonic The Hedgehog. Voiced by Tom Holland. A 21 year old hedgehog who’s cocky but kind and chill. 4 feet tall. The world’s fastest hedgehog who while being framed by Metal Sonic, wants to save the planet from Robotnik. Even if it means risking his own life helping these humans who don’t understand who he is as a person. Because he knows it’s the right thing to do/

Ian Andrews. Played by Brenton Thwaites. The 21 year old GUN Private who helps assist Sonic to save the planet. A young man who joined GUN because he wanted to simply helped people in his area. While only a Private assigned in his home area to defend it. He is courageous despite being afraid of certain enemies. Especially because he wants to simply help everyone the best he can. Including the blue hedgehog who he develops an unshakable bond with, almost like a brother. He knows Sonic is innocent and risks his life to reveal the truth.

Dr. Ivo Robotnik. Played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan. The 55 year old scientist with an IQ of 300. Who wants to take over the planet, along with making Robotnikland a reality. While he may be hilarious, he is a rather cruel, narcissistic, and a very intelligent man who will do anything to get what he wants.

Miles Tails Prower. Voiced by: Noah Schnapp. A 14 year old two tailed fox. 3 feet tall. He’s an intelligent engineer and inventor who flies a plane, and Sonic’s best friend, who is like Sonic’s younger brother.

Amy Rose. Voiced by Maisie Williams. A 18 year old hedgehog. 4 feet tall. While she admittedly has a crush on Sonic. She’s like to make it as public. But she is a kind hearted young woman who wants to help her friends and will fight for them if needed. Especially to never give up on them.

Rouge The Bat. Voiced by Lisa Hannigan. A 24 year old bat who is helping Robotnik but is secretly a GUN agent. 4 feet tall. While a treasure hunter and even a thief. She’s actually much more kind than people think about her. Despite her narcissism, being strong minded, and flirtatious.

Metal Sonic. A robotic copy of Sonic himself and Robotnik’s personal enforcer. 4 feet tall. Inspired by Sonic’s skills and speed. Metal is Robotnik’s greatest creation. With a goal set in mind by Robotnik, to kill Sonic once and for all while being Robotnik’s personal enforcer and leader of his robotic army. But as time goes on, Metal becomes more obsessed with Sonic to where he thinks there can only be one Sonic.

Silver Sonic. Another robotic copy of Sonic and Robotnik’s powerhouse of a brute. 16 feet tall. While not as self aware as Metal. Silver Sonic’s doesn’t care and just would rather listen to his master Robotnik. Built to simply destroy anyone or anything that gets in the doctors way.

Abraham Westbrook the GUN Commander. Played by Idris Elba. The 53 year old commander who leads the GUN military. While trying to figure out what’s going on with Robotnik and Sonic. He’s trying to stop any possible threats to thw world.

Gabriel Ivan the President of the United States. Played by Oded Fehr. The 51 year old president of the USA. Who while trying to do what’s best for nation’s people and be against Robotnik. He understands Ian’s situation considering he was once a solider in the GUN military and just wanted to do the right thing. He’s also the one who sent Rouge to go undercover with Robotnik and to find Sonic as well.

To be honest I have thought about other characters. Such as being played by actors being like callbacks to stuff. Such as Deedee Magno Hall(Steven Universe), Jennifer Paz(Steven Universe), Shelby Rabara(Steven Universe), and Emilia Clarke. But I have realized there are too many characters if you don’t handle them right. Besides I think I just wanna post this after seeing that spoilers filled post. 

Including I’ll leave the little details under this with areas and the inspirations. Which I have talked already about. Other details are that I’d would love Andrew Lockington to do the score. 

I’ll also admit Ian who is not Gary anymore or he could be a younger brother of Gary. Ian is basically inspired by Leon Kennedy especially the RE2 remake version. Including I decided to make Ian’s Sonic’s new age because it might help them connect more or so.

I’m not gonna do a RT score because I don’t want to. Besides we haven’t even got the Sonic movie out yet with no score. I’m talking about Rotten Tomatoes. Hopefully you enjoy this or so. It’s just me rambling and yeah I’m done with these. Because I feel happy when I think about this story. Yet also it’s probably secretly annoying people now. Since I’ve just put down the tags, hope no one minds this in the Sonic movie positivity tag. Because I don’t really shit on the movie. Yet I want this to get some attraction. Despite I know my long rambling will turn people off.

Areas: 

Central City.

Green Hill.

Chemical Plant.

South Island.

Metropolis zone.

Inspirations:

Sonic Adventure 2.

[x5red]

Sixty fun & fascinating facts about the classic Supergirl (3 / 4)

Welcome to the third part of this series presenting sixty fascinating facts to celebrate the sixty years since the debut of the classic Supergirl in DC Comics. Ahead are another fun-filled fifteen snippets of trivia about the original intrepid Argo City teen who leapt from that crumpled Midvale rocket ship. Covering her original Silver and Bronze Age incarnation, in comics and on screen, each factoid is calculated to intrigue and delight – hopefully even seasoned Kara fans will find a few morsels of trivia that had previously escaped their attention.

Enjoy...

31. You can actually visit, in real life, the building where she once lived.

While Superman has rarely strayed beyond his fictional base of Metropolis, Supergirl’s adventures have seen her relocate far-and-wide many times. Some of her homes have been fictional, like Midvale and Stanhope, while others have been real-life, like San Francisco and Chicago. But shockingly, not only has the Girl of Steel lived in real locations, but she has even inhabited real addresses.

A panel in Daring New Adventures of Supergirl #4 (Feb 1983) exposes Linda Danvers’ home address as 1537 West Fargo Ave, Chicago – surprisingly, this turns out to be a genuine address. A later issue, #7 (May 1983), reveals that Linda’s apartment number is 12A. The building that’s currently at that location doesn’t correspond with the one drawn by Carmine Infantino, but if you happen to be passing you might want to check if one of the occupants is listed a “Ms. L. Danvers”.

32. The first theatrically released Supergirl movie was in 1973, not 1984.

As outlined in factoid #2 there was an abundant supply of superheroine movies in non-English speaking markets before Helen Slater’s Supergirl. Indeed so incredibly popular are superpowered females in some corners of the globe that, amazingly, there was even an unofficial Girl or Steel movie over a decade before the authorised Salkind-produced one. The film in question starred Pinky Montilla in the main role and was entitled simply Supergirl. Released on 23rd September 1973 into the Filipino market, the movie featured the Maid of Might’s early 70s costume but changed her origin story. Pinky would also play Bat Girl in 1973′s Fight! Batman, Fight! – and we can assume that the producers probably didn’t ask DC for permission to use the Dominoed Daredoll either.

33. She hated her time in Midvale Orphanage.

The Silver Age always presented Kara’s adventures with a naive sense of wonder and amazement; rarely did it seriously address the pain she must have felt at leaving her parents behind to die in Argo City. But comics changed a lot in the two decades after Kara was introduced, and by the time Supergirl’s origin was retold in Daring New Adventures of Supergirl #1(Nov 1982) a very different spin was put on things. As Kara travels to begin a new life in Chicago, she reflects back on her tragic beginnings as a superhero, including the painful loss of her parents and her feelings of starting over in Midvale: “I was a real stranger in a very strange land! With nowhere else to go, Superman had no choice but to place me in Midvale Orphanage under the name Linda Lee.”, she recalls, before concluding solemnly, “I hated it!”

34. She was a reluctant hero, often feeling out of place on Earth.

One theme that reoccurred during the Bronze Age adventures of Supergirl is how Kara felt at odds with her career as a superhero, and out-of-place on Earth. A story in Superman Family #168 (Dec 1974) demonstrates this more than most, as it brings together three troubled women with extraordinary powers. Supergirl joins her friend Lena Luthor (who has ESP) in an attempt to help Jan Thurston (who has telepathy) come to terms with her unusual powers.

After rescuing a suicidal Jan, Supergirl wins her trust by recounting her own sad journey from Argo City to Earth, explaining that at first she enjoyed the novelty of her superpowers, but quickly came to see them as a barrier. “I’m the mightiest girl on Earth -- and the loneliest!”, she laments, “There’s not a guy on the planet who can keep up with me... Not a single girl can get close enough to be my friend! Sometimes I think I’d much rather have stayed on Argo City!” But Kara goes on to outline how she overcame those feelings: “People like us aren’t different!”, she explains, “We’re just... special!”

35. She planned to start a family, until Kal-El intervened.

In the Bronze Age, DC writers clearly felt free to explore introspective ideas with Kara that likely weren’t possible with her famous cousin. One short story, tucked in the back of Superman Vol. 1 #282 (Dec 1974), demonstrated this more than any other. Kal-El travels to Florida, Kara’s then home, to confront her about suggestions that she may give up her superhero career. “This life of a super-heroine takes up too much of my time... Sets me apart from everyone else!”, she explains. “I want an ordinary life -- with a husband and children some day... Free to do what I choose!”

Naturally her straight-laced cousin isn’t too keen on this idea. He spins Kara a yarn from ancient Krypton folklore, the moral of the story being that she should be careful what she wishes for. “So you see, Kara”, he explains, “sometimes, when we get the things we think we want most... they turn out to be a curse rather than a blessing!” In light of this, Kara reconsiders her plans.

36. Wonder Woman designed one of her costumes.

As most fans know one of the few weaknesses the Man and Girl or Steel share is a vulnerability to magic; so when Adventure Comics #397 (Sep 1970) saw Kara go up against a powerful black magic cult, it was perhaps no surprised to find her badly beaten and her costume shredded. Luckily Wonder Woman was in her mod Emma Peel phase at the time, posing (in-between bouts of super heroics) as the owner of a fashion boutique. Reaching into the racks of clothes at her shop, Diana produces a completely redesigned Supergirl outfit befitting the fashions of the period, which Kara eagerly adopts. (Readers were left wondering whether Diana had redesigns of other hero costumes at the ready, or was Supergirl a special case?)

37. Her mom(s) designed two of her costumes.

Every Supergirl fan knows that Kara’s original costume was designed by her mother, Alura, so that the teenager would be recognised immediately by the Man of Steel when she arrived on Earth. But few may remember that her mid-80s costume, the headband affair she wore going into Crisis on Infinite Earths, was also designed by her mother -- her other mother. Kara’s 80s costume was design by Edna Danvers, her adopted mother on Earth, who (it seemed) was in the habit of whiling away the long dark evenings in Midvale by sketching possible costume designs for her superhero daughter.

38. She’s a fan of recycling her clothes.

The Maid of Might has had many costumes over the years -- or rather, she’s had one costume that she’s recycled over and over since the early 70s. In Adventure Comics #407 (June 1971) a new invulnerable costume was given to Kara by the folks in the Bottle City of Kandor after her original Argo City outfit had been destroyed some months before. A dedicated follower of fashion, over the coming months Kara went through a succession of wild and wacky outfits, some lasting only one issue, before finally settling on her famous hot pants attire for the majority of the 1970s. One might have assumed that somewhere in the Fortress of Solitude there was a wardrobe packed full of retired red and blue super-duds, but Supergirl Vol. 2 #13 (Nov 1983) revealed Kara’s secret -- when it comes time to upgrade her outfit, Kara unravels her old costume at super-speed and and re-weaves the resulting ball of thread into the new design.

39. Demi Moore was the director’s first choice to play Lucy Lane in the Supergirl movie.

The casting net for the title role in 1984′s Supergirl was spread far-and-wide. Director Jeannot Szwarc asked casting agent Lynn Stalmaster to search the whole globe for candidates who could not only act, but withstand the physically and mentally pressure of training for the demanding stunts and wire work. One candidate, apparently, was Demi Moore, who didn’t get the Girl of Steel role but was considered perfect for Kara’s best friend, Lucy Lane. Director Jeannot Szwarc recalled in a 1999 interview, “I met tons of girls. I remember one of the girls was Demi Moore. She was very young and had a great voice. I wanted to use her for the room mate.” But it seems fate had other plans for Ms Moore, as Szwarc explained, “She would have been [perfect], but she was going to Brazil to do a movie with Michael Caine.“ (Moore played Caine’s daughter in Stanley Donen’s rom-com, Blame It on Rio.)

40. One of her rarest appearances is from 1981, only a couple of pages long, but sells for $75+.

If there was a competition to find the rarest publication with an original Supergirl story, Danger on Parade / Le Danger Guette would surely be hot favourite for top place. This tiny comic, just eighteen panels long, was given away inside packets of breakfast cereals in Canada. It features an abbreviated adventure pitting Supergirl against Winslow Schott, aka the Toyman, in the pair’s only pre-Crisis encounter. Runner-up in the rarity stakes would likely go to the Super A and Super B booklet sets produced by Warner Books in 1977 for use in classrooms. The sets didn’t feature original stories however, but reprints with simplified speech balloons designed to teach reading skills.

41. She first met Kal-El years before she landed on Earth.

Gimmick story lines were the order of the day for Silver Age DC, and what better way to create an attention-grabbing dime-baiting cover than to arrange a bizarre crossover -- such was the case with Action Comics #358 (Jan 1968), which saw a very youthful Kara Zor-El in Argo City meet Superboy. The story is predictable fare: in deep space Superboy is scooped-up by one of Zor-El’s science probes, which brings him back to Argo City. Naturally Kara is the first one to discover the probe’s accidental passenger, and (naturally!) Kal-El has suffered memory loss that blots out his life on Earth. Kal and Kara become firm friends over the coming days, until (naturally!) the plot contrives to wipe her memory of him, and restore his memory of Earth.

42. Lena Luthor was the only friend who knew her secret identity.

In the 2015 Supergirl tv show, famously, everyone seems to know (or have known at some point) Supergirl’s secret identity... except Lena Luthor. Bronze Age DC Comics, however, were very very different: Lena first met Kara in Action Comics #295 (Dec 1962), using the name Lena Thorul to hide her connections to brother Lex. Instantly she became firm friends with both Supergirl and Linda Danvers, requiring Kara to work extra hard to stop Lena from realising they are one in the same. The deception finally ended in Superman Family #211 (Oct 1981) when Lena confessed to Kara that she’d worked out her dual identity. This made Lena the only ever friend of Linda Danvers who shared her secret. Sadly it didn’t last long, as by Superman Family #214 (Jan 1982) Lena had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage which affected her memory.

43. She didn’t put the “Kara” into Karaoke.

Over the years Supergirl has exhibited some remarkable super skills, including super ventriloquism, incredible memory, and even the ability to read minds, but one skill that she seemingly lacks is any kind of musical aptitude. Despite the modern day tv Supergirl claiming to put the Kara into Karaoke, her comic strip counterpart didn’t ever appear to sing (not even in the shower!) What’s more, as she confesses in the pages of Adventure Comics #409 (Aug 1971), she doesn’t play any musical instruments either.

44. She’s was no stranger to tragedy even before she left Argo City.

Very few Silver or Bronze Age stories dealt with Kara’s life in Argo City, but one story that gave some idea of how she filled her time appeared in the pages of Action Comics #371 (Jan 1969), when a very young Kara is shown witnessing the cruel death of her best friend, Morina. The pair are innocently playing the game Zoomron, involving the throwing a Frisbee-like disc (the Zoomron) at a target. Chasing an erratic disc Morina tumbles into a crevice filled with Kryptonite, and a tearful Kara can only stand and watch as her friend succumbed to the deadly rays.

45. The Supergirl movie was almost entirely filmed in the UK.

Most fans know that Superman I and II owe a lot to Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, northwest of London, so it is no surprise that 1984′s Supergirl returned to use the same studio complex. But while Superman complimented its studio shots with exteriors filmed in New York (Metropolis) and Alberta, Canada (Smallville), Supergirl’s production stayed firmly within the UK. Locations included the banks of Loch Moidart on the west coast of highland Scotland, the Royal Masonic School for Girls in Hertfordshire, and Black Park Lake near the Pinewood soundstage in Buckinghamshire. Shockingly, even downtown Midvale was actually a huge sprawl of street facades constructed as a backlot set at Pinewood -- the 22 days it took to shoot the tractor rescue sequence was allegedly due to the notoriously fickle British weather.

That’s all for part three. The final part, with even more extra-juicy Kara Zor-El trivia, will be available soon.

[localfoxes-blog]

Commonly Chemicals used In House Cleaning

As an Appraiser, Real-estate Agent, and Investor, I have seen a lot when it comes to how people prepare, or don't prepare, their properties for sale. However, nearly all of the commercial cleaning products that you simply use contain lots of chemicals that possess the possibility to cause serious damage towards the environment too as around the people and animals living in it. Smart management opts to out-source the everyday, menial and thankless chores that manage to continue forever. If I wasn't so tired once I obtain the kids tucked during intercourse at night, I think I just could easily get down on my small hands and knees and scrub my kitchen floor until it shines. From pet odors, to dirt encrusted light switches, I have experienced, first hand, the impact that a dirty home has on a buyer. These costs accumulate over time. It's simple for these to say great things but you want to know it from their customers. Amongst their various ranges of cookers may be house cleaning perth the Evolution Series, which is really a totally redesigned set. essential oils. My first tip could be to test and combine certain household chores with other ones to be able to more efficient use of your time. Of course when you might be in the beginning stages you will need to do some advertising like distribute some postcards, set up some flyers, give away business cards and soon you will probably be receiving calls for your service. . Ideally, a person wants a well-trained individual that has been cleaning homes for some time. how to produce money office cleaning tip # 1 - Don't be afraid of the little jobs. These tips will give the best ways for finding the optimum professionals for cleaning your house. If one happens to get your own personal green cleaning items that you would like useful for floors being an example, ask if they'll use your Green Cleaning products. If one happens to possess your personal green cleaning items that you would like used for floors as an example, ask if they'll use your Green Cleaning products. cotton ball or square, squirt it on having a clean squirt bottle, or . What type of shampoo and detergent do billionaires/celebrities use?? Dont just assume everyone is similar to YOU who buy lowest price item or the brand YOU like or etc. . . Closets and areas like guest rooms that accumulate clutter usually have things that can be donated to the local thrift store. *The specific tasks that are to become done for the overall cleaning operations. Remember to clearly mention the facts of your working policy. In addition, they knows that a simple dusting and vacuuming does not solve everything and that using a wet cloth using a cleaning liquid could keep something shiny and spotless. My first tip would be to use and combine certain household chores with other ones in order to produce more efficient use of your time. Of course when you might be just starting out you will need to do some advertising like send some postcards, setup some flyers, hand out business cards and shortly you will be receiving calls for your service. . Ideally, a person wants a well-trained individual that has been cleaning homes for some time. Saves your time.

Slow Boot Times. If someone happens to get your own green cleaning items that you'd like employed for floors being an example, ask if they'll make use of Green Cleaning products. Obviously, this is quite different than you'll apply for any normal office job, but you've to think in regards to the daily stuff that people undergo and would need. Follow these steps to make sure the cleaning company you hire is the best fit to fulfill your cleaning tasks. Don't overload the future prospect with text or boring information, many times people is not going to read a flyer whether it has an excessive amount of text on it. But, I work probably just as hard as you must do to earn my money. Follow the points above and you will certainly use a clean and fresh smelling house in no time.