#ive never stuck with a character as long as i stuck with wednesday and its exactly because of this

[miercolaes]

normalize your villains. writing wise. i think everyone knows villain behavior irl would get you a ticket straight to the highest security prison out there. but this is about building a fictional world. for context, i've recently been on a rewatch for the show once upon a time and this time, i've tried to stay impartial to the characters storylines. the villains seems irredemable in the first season and frankly, i'm disappointed that this changes. hear me out !!!!!

my version of wednesday addams is for the most part chaotic neutral. wherever the current sails, she'll follow. sure, wednesday has the potential to grow and have (somewhat) healthy relationships in her life, but at the end of the day, she's not a hero. she's not even the anti-hero. sometimes it plays out like that and she might look the part, but she's not good goddammit.

for the crimes that she've committed? guilty as charged. for all the people she had hurt? guilty as charged. for all the misery she'll cause others? you guessed it, guilty as fucking charged. i'm not going to water her down.

in my mind, the addamses were always the outliers, but with the bestest of intentions. morticia and gomez welcomed vile strangers into their homes and tried their very best to make them feel comfortable in their home. they have a skewed perception for the world, something that's unusual, morbid, downright grotesque. edgar allan poe, which netflix glorified and here i am doing a shoutout to train my beloved, would tremble had he known of the addamses. morticia and gomez are kind, in their way. but you know who never really was?

their kids. in the comics (both by the og author and some others icr the author, but more closer to our time), pugsley was the devil incarnate. he showed no remorse, he was clearly thrilled by the suffering he caused others. but i suppose the directors changed the storyline and made wednesday the brand new puglsey in the 90s movies. she showed no emotion, she was a okay with murdering her own, even if she knew as luck as it, their younger brother pubert would live. this time around, wednesday was the devil incarnate.

and i agree with the canon, she can be incredibly intelligent and even more ruthless than she is intelligent. but one thing i've noticed is that, she notices her parents being taken for granted. she is aware that others will use morticia and gomez's kindness against them. sure, they can take it, that's their thing after all. but wednesday noticed everything since she was a kid and she remembers.

and guess what?

just because someone went through hell and back (even if said hell is not the worst that could happen), that doesn't mean someone will come out kind and good. wednesday will forever doubt anyone in her life and she will push them away, just as she'll try to give them the world. but no matter the good she does, at the end of the day, she is the villain. it's not the addams family, it's just the kids and i say that because pugsley and pubert have the same rights as wednesday does.

at the end of the day, being evil after witnessing evil is okay. fiction wise, i feel like reminding. some characters are irredemable. just because they do good things sometimes that doesn't make them good. just like doing bad things sometimes doesn't make them bad. but here's the catch with the addamses. they always, always own up who they are. wednesday no exception to the rule.

wednesday, the villain, can do good things. she can save your muse, she can enjoy your muse's company, she can love your muse. but all of this, all the good things do come from a villain. did she deserve the awful treatment she and her family got in canon? of course not, that we can all agree on. but it doesn't matter what happened, what matters is what choices they make afterward. wednesday will always choose herself. wednesday doesn't pick good, she willingly chooses evil.

sure, a villain is capable of love. a villain is capable of both good and bad. but look at how it always ends. wednesday is a villain and she will suffer, your muse too if you dare to come too close. it's not fair, i know. but this is just my theory, vero's theory. and, you may expect it by now,

please, normalize your villains.

[sup-hoes-its-me]

Mission (Bokuto x reader)

A/N: soooo ive been a depressed bitch and havent updated in months, sorry about that... I didnt even edit this, so beware typos ahead. Disabled reader x bokuto.

side note-if you guys think this is shit, just message me so i can delete it ✌✌

word count: 4435

Y/N sat in the gym on the sidelines, watching the team practice. Personally, she would never play. She was in a wheelchair, most likely for life. She hated it. She couldn’t play the game anymore. 

Bokuto tried getting her to help him toss the ball, but she was too embarrassed to roll over and attempt setting. Whenever Bokuto asked her to play, Akaashi would whack him on the back of the head and tell her she could just watch if she wanted.

Akaashi understood her. He watched out for her, and she really appreciated that. But Bokuto was just too much fun.

Those two, Bokuto and Y/N, have been friends for a long time. She met him when she was five, having moved into the city, directly in the house beside his. Their parents set up dozens and dozens of playdates until they eventually began walking to school and eating lunch together and talking all the time.

Then, there was an accident and suddenly, she couldn't play anymore. Bokuto was sad she couldn't play with them. He asked her many times. But, she always said no, and she wanted to cry each time.

At the same time, Bokuto always defended her, keeping other people, ones that could be rude to her for her disability, off her back. He also spent a lot of time making her laugh like crazy on the sidelines. He would send her funny looks and stick out his tongue whenever any teammate spiked past him.

To this day, he made her so happy.

“Y/N! Y/N! Did you see that?!” he asked her excitedly, running over to her with the biggest smile on his face.

With a nod, a silly grin grew on her face. “Yeah. You did awesome as always, Bokuto-kun,” she praised him, which sent him into a sort of euphoric stage. He got so hyper. No one ever praised him, especially not Akaashi. Yet, she always did.

“I’m gonna go play again. I'll do even better this time, for you!” he exclaimed before turning on his heel and rushing back onto the court. He was the captain, so he could run on and off the court as he pleased. At first, his team got annoyed with him for it, for running to that girl all the time. After a while, they accepted it, believing that there was nothing that could stop him.

That was one more thing they admired about their ace and captain. He was incredibly loyal to his best friend, Y/N. In a decade of knowing each other, the number of fights they had could be counted on one hand. He walked her home, ate lunch with her everyday, sat beside her in nearly every class, and took her to every practice and game they had.

He didn't care that she was in a wheelchair. He never even thought about it. While other people brought it up, he smiled proudly at his strong, brave best friend. He’d seriously kick some ass if anyone harassed her, too.

And she watched all the games and practices too. She always cheered him on and praised him whenever he did well. If she did that, he worked even harder and got  better. She loved going home with him, listening to him talk and laugh and tell the stupidest jokes you’ve ever heard.

She was so shy, but he brought out the best in her. He really, really did.

Practice came to a close after another hour. She made sure her bag was hung on one of the handles and her keys were in her pocket. Bokuto took a shower and got all his things together before he approached her, bouncing on his feet happily.

“Y/N, do you wanna get ice cream with Kuroo tonight?”

She grinned, nodding excitedly. She loved Kuroo too. He was funny and snarky, but equally as foolish as Bokuto whenever they got together. “Yeah! Just let me text my mom, okay?”

Quickly, she texted her mom to tell her she was going out for a little while with Bokuto. A minute later, her phone chimed. Her mother sent her a smiley face and a message saying, ‘be back by ten.’

Her mom was always nervous about her going out by herself, which was understandable. She trusted Bokuto though, and occasionally, she even let Kuroo take Y/N out to games. She’d known them for so long, it made her comfortable knowing her daughter was in good hands.

She pocketed her phone again. “She said it was okay. Let's go,” she cheered. He hung his book bag on the handle of her wheelchair before turning her around and pushing her toward the door.

“Bye, L/N-senpai!” Onaga called to her. She eagerly waved to him. A chorus of goodbyes rang out to her as she left. Everyone on the team liked her, genuinely. If they didn't, Bokuto would be furious. Fortunately, that never happened.

“Y/N, have you seen any good movies lately?”

“Not really.”

He nodded, a little hum in the back of his throat in agreement. “Yeah, there really isn't anything out right now, is there?” He always asked her about movies because she watched them all the time, mostly in class while she was on her phone...she wasn't exactly the best student.

She added, “But, I saw a movie, and the main character reminded me of you.”

“Really?!”

“Yeah. He was super funny and really loud, and his hair stuck up just like yours.”

“Was he handsome?”

“Yep.”

“Hey! Hey! Hey! That's even better, Y/N!”

She looked down at her hands in her lap, thinking of what to say next. She felt so awkward calling him handsome, just wanting to change the topic before he could say anything else.

“Training camp is coming up, right? At Nekoma?”

“Yep, yep. Next week.” He pushed her up on the sidewalk of the street, only about seven blocks away from the ice cream place they always went to. “Do you want to come and watch me practice?”

“Of course I do!”

“Awesome!”

She clasped her hands together and smiled shyly, her eyes trailing to her lap. “And I’ll get to meet everyone.”

He pouted, feverishly shaking his head. “No! All those guys will like you too much! They’ll take you away from me! Gah!” he cried, his mood dropping pathetically in a moment.

Comfortingly, she placed a soft hand on his and shook her head subtly. “Are you kidding? You’re the bestest friend in the entire world. None of those guys could ever replace you,” she told him, giving his hand a gentle pat.

“Yeah, but you always get so excited when we hang out with Kuroo…” he continued to mope despite her assurance.

She only rolled her eyes. “That's because Kuroo is a good friend. I don't have that many friends, you know?”

“Why do you need a lot of friends when you have me?”

“You are definitely a handful. Enough for me,” she mumbled, turning back around in her seat. She could see the familiar sign of the cute little ice cream parlor. It wasn't anything like some ice cream bars from the convenience store, it was thick creamy goodness covered in whatever toppings she wanted. Sometimes, she worried about getting chubby when she went there too often.

Still, no matter what she said, Bokuto was irked. Truthfully, he worried that Kuroo would steal Y/N away from him. He was taller and handsome and funny and really cool sometimes. Cooler than him…

“You okay, Bokuto-kun?”

He jumped out his thoughts at the sound of her sweet voice. “Yeah. Yep, I'm totally good.” That sounded fake as hell, but okay.

She pushed open the door to the store with her arm and they entered. It was cold in there, but really pleasant. It smelled like a wonderland of sweets, her favorite guilty pleasure. The cashier, a sweet young man, called to her and Bokuto over the counter.

“Hey, L/N-san, Bokuto-san!” He waved to them both.

“Hi, Kiku! We're just waiting for Kuroo.”

“Okay then. Just tell me when you're ready!”

Just then, the door flew open and the captain entered, his hair even messier from the wind outside. Y/N giggled, waving at him shyly. “You look so weird, Kuroo!” she confessed when he approached.

His brows furrowed, and he sent her a judging look. Nevertheless, he still leaned down for his hug. He always hugged her, claiming he found her positively adorable. “L/N, its been a while.”

“Kuroo, we just saw you last Wednesday,” she whined. He stepped back, and grinned down at her.

“Sup, Brokuto,” he nodded to his friend who waved back, muttering out a greeting. He didn't know why but, he was burning with jealousy. Why did Kuroo have to hug her all the time? And why was she always giggling around him? It frustrated him to no end.

She was only supposed to hug him and smile when he told jokes, and giggle like some stupid schoolgirl when he did something cute. He kept hanging out with Kuroo, but it still irritated him anyway.

“Bokuto, are you sure you're okay?” she asked him, concern lacing her words. Her soft fingers once again rested upon his own, and it knocked him from his jealous thoughts.

He nodded, pushing her over to the counter where Kuroo was already getting his chocolate ice cream, like he got every time. He paid for the cup, knowing the exact change by now. Kiku then looked down at Y/N.

Same thing as always. “Vanilla with cherries, please.”

“And you, Bokuto?”

He thought for a second, not that it really mattered. “Uh, I'll just have the same thing,” he replied simply. There was a small hum of affirmation as the boy scooped up two cups of ice cream and spooned on the candy cherries.

Bokuto pulled out six hundred yen, handing it to Kiku behind the counter. Meanwhile, Y/N grabbed the ice cream from the counter, one cup in her right hand and the other in her left.

They always sat at the small table by the window, two seats across from each other and a big space in the middle for Y/N to sit at. Kuroo was already there, munching on his ice cream.

“Kuroo, you should have seen Bokuto-kun today! He was so amazing. He didn't mess up once, and he did this amazing quick set with Akaashi!” she explained, proceeding to spoon ice cream into her mouth. She sent a happy smile to Bokuto, causing him to grin proudly. He was pretty awesome if his little Y/N thought so.

“As good as me though?” Kuroo joked.

“Aw, Kuroo, you know I can't answer that. You both are so good!”

Why couldn't she answer that? Bokuto was her best friend in the entire world. She always told him he was the best ace in the whole prefecture. Kuroo wasn't even an ace. So why couldn't she just say he was better?

Then again, she always did like Kuroo more than him. She thought he was so cool…

Kuroo piped up, just as Bokuto was about to try and tell a joke. His smile was quick to dissolve though.“Hey, Y/N, can I have a cherry?” he asked, eyeing her cup.

She shrugged and lifted out one of the vibrantly red cherries by the stem. She held it out for him to take, only he just leaned forward and bit off the cherry right off the stem between her finger tips. A smirk grew on his lips as he watched her cheeks turn a bright red, and her to quickly look down at her ice cream.

That was so weird.

It made Bokuto furious.

He stood up abruptly, and all eyes rose to his figure. He tried playing it off though. “I almost forgot. Kuroo, I have to talk to you about...volleyball stuff. Let's go outside.”

“But-”

“Sorry, Y/N-chan. This is some serious business. We’ll be back in a minute, I promise,” he told her, a single hand tapping her on the head. She rolled her eyes and nodded at his gesture.

Bokuto then forcibly yanked Kuroo outside with him, making sure the door was shut before totally losing his cool. “Dude, what the hell? Stop flirting with her.”

Kuroo sighed, shaking his head. “Come on, Bro. You know I'm only joking around.” His words meant absolutely nothing to Bokuto, who was angry, but mainly just dejected and sad.

He didn't understand why this was all happening. Why his friend was flirting with his crush. Why his childhood friend, best friend, and future girlfriend, was blushing and giggling around his other friend. He didn't like any of it, and his heart hurt.

“No! I really, really like her! She's my soulmate! If you keep doing that kinda stuff, she's gonna like you instead!” he exclaimed, his fists releasing at his sides. He felt terrible, like his life was being stolen from him, life being Y/N. He might even cry.

Kuroo sighed, shaking his head once again. He was being jealous for no reason at all. If only he would listen and quit being so ignorant. “She'd be nuts if she liked me when she already has you.”

“Huh?”

“You're the only guy ever who has loved her through everything. You take care of her. You push her around all day, and bring her to all your games, and you buy her ice cream all the damn time. You walk her home, you make her laugh, and you kick ass whenever someone makes fun of her,” Kuroo explained. “She’s crazy if she doesn't love you.”

He shuffled, feeling let down still. “She only sees me as her best friend.”

Kuroo placed his hands on the guys shoulder firmly. He looked at him completely seriously and practically commanded, “Well, you have to change that! Make her fall in love with you!”

“I can do that?!”

“Hell yeah, bro!” he cheered. “Mission: Make L/N Y/N fall in love with you.” That's what they called it. They decided that the plan would commence on Monday. By now, Bokuto was desperate; he needed Y/N to love him back because he can't imagine a day in his life without seeing her.

But he failed to realize one thing. Their plan was completely pointless.

________________________

Monday. The day he would make Y/N fall in love with him. He woke up that morning and brushed his hair, making sure it looked really good, slick and charming. He chewed a ton of gum, just to make sure his breath stayed minty even after brushing his teeth. He even went so far as wearing the uniform correctly with the tie and all. Normally, he only wore the shirt and blazer.

He left the house with a smile on his face and walked up the sidewalk to her door. He knocked a couple times until her mother opened the door. “Koutarou-kun, you're early today,” she hummed. “You look quite handsome today, too. Did you do something with your hair?”

“Yep! Thank you, L/N-san,” he said with a nod of his head. He was relieved to hear her say he looked good. He needed to look his best for Y/N.

Behind her mother, the girl wheeled over with her bag in her lap. She looked adorable, as always. Her hair was perfect, and her face was bashful with those red cheeks and cute smile. She was an angel, and he knew that no matter how hard he tried, he would never be as attractive as her.

“Bye, you two. Have a good day at school.” her mother said, moving out of the way so Y/N could roll outside. Bokuto waved to the woman as she shut the door. From there, he took the handles of her chair and started down the ramp.

When they were on the sidewalk, her voice made him pause. “Bokuto, come here,” she told him, waving for him to stand in front of her. She scanned his figure with scrutiny, noticing every little detail that was off about him that morning.

He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. “What-”

“You look so weird today. Why’d you do that to your hair?” she asked, tilting her head to the side, puzzled. It didn't look good in her eyes, only strange and uncomfortable.

He flushed, not expecting those words from her. He thought she would be impressed. “Get down here.” He leaned down and immediately felt her hands running through his hair. She hummed as she did so, making sure that all the spikes were back in order. Then, when she was done with that, her hands went to his tie. She slipped it from his neck. “Now you look like the Bokuto I love,” she laughed with a smile on her perfect lips.

His cheeks flared, and he hurried back behind her, pushing her along. He tried his best to hide his fluster, but she was too much for him to handle. She said she loved him, sure, it wasn't anything romantic, only friendly, but she still said it. His heart soared in his chest, and he felt like he could fly.

Wait...he was supposed to be making her feel that way. His plan was already failing. He would have to step up his game.

Swiftly, despite his nerves, he swooped down and pressed a kiss to her cheek. It lingered for only half a second before he pulled away. His cheeks were even brighter now, whereas hers failed to change color at all. Was she not embarrassed at all? He just kissed her and she didn't care.

Why?!

“Gosh, that's new,” she giggled, pressing her fingertips to her cheek. “What was that for?”

“Because you're so cute.” Beautiful. Funny. Adorable. Sweet. Kind. Brave. Perfect. He would list all those things and even more, if only he wasn’t such a coward.

He, at least, expected a reaction to that but she only smiled and shook her head. “You’re too much, Bokuto.” Not a blush, not a shake in her voice, nothing.

He was failing, dammit.

The walk to school was short, mostly because he was thinking of ways to woe Y/N. There were so many thoughts in his head that he thought could work, but this girl was unfazed and he didn't know if he even had a chance of getting a reaction, much less evoking love.

Classes went by quickly as well, mostly because he couldn't focus at all. Multiple times, he was scolded by his teachers for not doing his work. And when he took her to practice, he couldn't even say anything. He just pouted and dragged his feet.

She wanted to ask him what was wrong, but she knew he wouldn't tell her the truth. Something about him was just so off today.

And then she sat on the sidelines, watching everyone play. She said nothing, she couldn't. Bokuto kept messing up. He hit the ball into the net four times, and he kept spiking the ball out of the box. He wasn't his normal self, and it was hurting the team today.

Eventually, he shouted, voice pained and anguished, “Don't pass to me anymore! I’m a terrible ace!” His head dropped and he walked off the court, and called for a five minute break. Then, he went to sulk in the corner.

Akaashi walked over to Y/N, who was sitting on the side biting at her nails nervously. She’d never seen Bokuto mess up this badly. It was making her anxious. Something must have happened to him to make him this upset. It was even more concerning that he wouldn't tell her what was wrong. He always vented to her.

The boy looked down at her boredly. “What’s wrong with him?”

“I don't know! Ever since this morning, he’s been upset, but he won't tell me!” she cried, dramatically pressing her face into her hands. “I’m so worried about him!”

“Hmm, that's strange,” Akaashi muttered. He sent a look to the captain, who was still sulking, but this time, he was sneakily staring at his two friends. He tried to hide it by keeping his head down, but it was obvious his eyes were glued on them.

She mumbled, oblivious to his gaze, “I don't know what to do.”

“Yell at him. Say something to make him feel better. You've been pretty quiet all practice, you know.” He placed a hand on her shoulder with a small pat.

She lifted her head, mustering up some courage and her voice. He was right. Her encouragement always brought him out of his dejection mode. “Kou-kun! You can do it! You're the best ace in the whole world!” she yelled to him. “I believe in you!”

Immediately, he perked up. His hair seemed like it spiked up higher with his happiness. It was so cute. His cheeks turned red, and he turned around, approaching the court.

Akaashi knew what was going on. He didn't say anything, but he did send her a quiet, “good job” under his breath. Damn, those two, so in love with each other it made him want to throw up.  

The practice continued after that, and just as she said, he did so much better. All his spikes were amazing. He was back in the game. Her heart beat faster, excited that her simply words could make him feel so much better.

When he performed a particularly strong and amazing spike, he screamed. He ran across the court to Y/N, grabbing her hands tightly and shaking them. His expression was begging for praise, and she would give him some...right after he released her hands. “Bokuto, your hands are sweaty.”

The smile on his face faltered. Damn, rejected once again.

“Are you okay? You’ve been acting weird all day…”

“No! I’m not okay!” he shouted, almost theatrically. He turned his head, his eyes shut and his cheeks puffed out in a strong pout. She raised a hand to touch his arm, but he only stepped away, huffing.

She frowned, biting her lip. Was he upset this whole time because of her? She didn't think she'd done anything wrong, but with Bokuto, it could be one of the littlest things to set him off. It made her so incredibly sad.

She asked tentatively, her words just barely a whisper. “What’s wrong?”

He said nothing though. He only ducked his head and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Fine! Don’t tell me! Talk to stupid Akaashi instead!” she yelled him, turning her head away from him as well, arms crossed and cheeks in a pout. Akaashi, in the distance, sighed. He wasn't even offended, just fucking exhausted. This entire argument was ridiculous.

Bokuto wanted to maintain the silent treatment, but he couldn't. He felt like his mouth was gonna burst open and his mind was going to explode with all the self-deprecating things bouncing around in there.

“Why do you like Kuroo more than me?!” he questioned, sending her a glare. “What makes him so special that you have a crush on him?” He said it. He finally said it.

So much for that plan. It was out the window and burning now.

Why the hell had he come to that conclusion? In no way, ever, would she like Kuroo. If that was what Bokuto was upset about all day, then he was a complete dumbass. “I don't have a crush on Kuroo, Bokuto! Why the hell would you think that?”

“Because you always hug him and laugh at his jokes and flirt with him and giggle and do all that stuff when he's around!”

“You dumbass, I do those same things around you too. I’d never let Kuroo kiss me, you know? I wouldn't fix his hair if he changed it, because I don't care about him or how he looks. You know who I care about?” She looked right at him as if challenging him to say anything other than the right answer. “You. I thought that was obvious!”

“Well, I care about you a lot more, Y/N. You're my favorite person ever, and I don't want anybody taking you away from me,” he exclaimed. “Not Kuroo, not Akaashi, no one!”

“No one's ever gonna do that, Bokuto. I told you that. You're all I need!”

“Why don't you love me then?!” he blurted out without thinking. “I love you so much, and I thought you knew. How did you not notice, Y/N? How can you not love me back?” That was embarrassing, but he couldn't go back on it now. Maybe he just ruined everything...He didn't know.

But he sure did feel like a total disaster.

She gaped at him. He was always up front, but he never said something like that. Was that why he kissed her this morning? Did he fix his hair and uniform just for her? Butterflies fluttered in her stomach at the thought.

She loved Bokuto. Everyone on the planet knew she loved him, just not him.

Stupid.

“Come here, you crazy birdbrain,” she ordered, waving him closer. He was so tall, so tall that she hated the difference. But when he leaned down, she could reach him just fine. Gently, she placed both her cold hands on his cheeks before yanking him against her. For such a small girl, she was strong.

Her lips smashed to his. She kissed him with her eyes squeezed shut and her lips pressed together. It was so awkward and clumsy, since it was her first kiss after all.

His eyes remained open, wide and shocked. Y/N was kissing him. His soulmate was finally kissing him. He felt like he was in a dream. He placed his hands on the arm rests of her chair to keep himself steady. Suddenly, his legs felt so shaky he might fall over.

She pulled away and just stared at him. “I love you, stupid,” she told him firmly. His shocked open mouthed gap quickly turned into a wild, ecstatic grin. He jumped back, throwing both his fists in the air, falling to his knees, and proceeding to screech.

Y/N stifled her laughter with her hand. He was just too cute. Her eyes scanned the room, seeing all the members of the team watching in amusement. Everyone knew they would get together one of these days.

Even Kuroo.

[smitti4thecity]

Imagine you are reading something and it ends like this?? Can a writer do this to people? Can a writer survive writing like this? And more importantly what is this?? Read along and hey follow along... time to take the brakes off of story telling and introduce the first of many in the "UNTITLED FOR NOW" series...

Untitled for now begins with three characters: Teapot, Treyein and then we have Jug. The opening scene features a cry for help from Teapot and a sad confession of guilt from Treyein... and we start to examine the characters beginning with Jug.

Teapot – Hey Jug? You busy

Jug – Never too busy for you

Teapot – Thank You for your kind words

Can you come over, I would rather talk to you about this face to face.

Jug – GPS says 25 minutes, see you about 2000hrs

Jug has no idea what he is about to walk into and that does not matter because in his world his friend of 22 years needs him and has prioritized her over all things.

Meanwhile Teapot was fuming.. IVE HAD ENOUGH, the jokes, the innaprorpiate touching has to stop, enough is enough and she must escalate things before she finds herself in Wednesday’s episode of SVU.

Text message from Treyein comes in, Teapot begins to read it..

Treyein – look tea, I have decided to check myself into a rehab facility, I recognize in myself that I have demons in my past I must let go of or I will never manifest into the beautiful person I am inside.  I hope this move inspires you to somehow take your leap towards greatness.  You have so much to offer the World and I truly will pray nightly that you live in your gift.

Teapot – My life will never be the same because of you – you have literally taken my (knock, knock, knock) throws phone on the bed.

Teapot – opens door and greets Jug with a hug

Jug – well hello, nice to see you too, you look nice, nails done I see you tea... pot!! knowing damn well I love the white tip nails..… wait!!! what is this??? some sort of setup???. Are you about to tell me we are dating? What did I walk into.. you sittin around lookin all good..... smellin like YSL and lookin even better than you smell.  Look, three letters woman!!! I DO

Teapot – laughing and smiling, no no no no no, we are not dating

Jug – sigh of relief and disappointment, don’t act like if I didn’t really try and holla you wouldn’t oblige

Teapot – shrugs, grabs Jugs hand… more serious now – come in, lets talk things right now for me are….. tear drop

Jug – hugs her closely, sweetheart what is wrong? What is going on? Jug silences his phone, takes off his shoes and hurry’s back to teapot.. grabs her face – look at me? I’m in the moment completely with you – talk to me.

Teapot – I need some time, just be here with me, tell me how you are doing? I will tell you I just need some time to gather myself…

Jug – Well look it doesn’t really matter how I am doing.. Please, you cannot hold this inside of you it is going to drive you down a dark road

Teapot – I know I know I know… just please you go first.

Jug for the first time in his life was asked how he was doing? Jugs mind instantly drifted to where it all started for Jug...

It was hot outside and Jug had to walk home from two a days football practice – now Jug lived below the hill and practice was above the hill so Jug started his journey towards the bottom. His feet draggin.. head down.. he all dirty with the long day face going on…sweaty.. smellin like last weeks practice…whoooo Jug was hurtin that day..… not even halfway into the walk a voice yells out of one of the homes:

Voice: Hey N WORD!!!! Get outta my neighborhood..

Naw I’m just playin, the Voice didnt say that..

Not even halfway into the walk a voice can be heard saying..

Voice: Whats up g? And there she was.. Teapot!!

Teapot goes outside with her wifle ball bat and says you hungry I got some pringles inside.

Jug: with all the life brought back into his body from that statement, Yes I am.

Jug went inside and banged some pepperoni pizza pringles and enjoyed some good conversation.  That day 22 years ago jumpstarted an unbelievable friendship that stands stronger each day that passes.  Jug was introduced to an entire different world on that day he had never seen a two parent home, food in the pantry and refrigerator, candles smelling all good, a garage, Jugs life changed that day.  Jug would have to eventually walk down that hill and go to his home but Jug was completely in that moment wit tea and Jug was and has proven to be forever grateful for the value meeting teapot has brought to his life.  Jug provided entertainment and Jug is good at it, you know the sober guy that’s loving life, the only one on the dancefloor, singing and talking the loudest like hey look at me.  That is Jug, the go to guy for anything you trying to do good or bad because Jug has lived.  Jug travels the country for fun, he has made a living by traveling to countries and providing some of the most epic memories in travel history.  You look at Jug and just automatically get inspired ladies love him, businesses respect his word and opinions. Jug has the President’s personal number and thats him -- the only person that can make the impossible possible – it is so important to have those people in your life that can connect with every age group and just find a common ground between different parties.  You just have to see this man to believe this man.

Growing up Jug went to the community academy that required Jug to spend 7 days at the academy and he would go home for a total of 16 hours and after the 16 hours Jug would head back to the academy to finish out his next 7 days he did this for 6 years in lieu of elementary school.  Well in year three at the academy Jug was minding his own business and Jug went home for his 16 hour leave period and Jugs mom pops Jug in the back of the head like “wtf” Jug?

Jug: Momma what

Jugs Momma: Boy you been cutting your hair?

Jug: no momma

This continues for two continuous weeks and Jug is completely clueless because when Jug looks in the mirror all he sees is a billion dollar smile that he would sell his self short on if he grins... the dreamy eyes authors make up words to describe.  “Let’s call it hazel”

Jug was winning, fresh lineup, clothes was bummy but hey they all wore the same uniform, so LG.. F is the problem.

Jug strolls into his momma house on  summer leave that next week, and Jug momma put the paws on Jug.  You know the whoopen where you gotta go find the belt and you gotta find the one momma talking about or you gonna get hit wit the wrong belt and told to go find the other one…

when yo momma say “go get the belt” vs. “go get MY belt” the difference and  the tone in those two statements are completely different and has two different sides of the type of ass that gets whipped.  

When you get “the belt” only a little bit of ass is getting tore up so you good… when momma says get “MY BELT” well that my friend is all the ass.

That’s one of them beat downs that go like...

Boy (pop) didn’t (pop) I (pop) tell (pop) you (pop) to (pop) stop (pop) cutting (pop) yo (pop) hair (pop)

Huh? (Pop)

Get done you got snot bubbles, had two socks on now one of them outside underneath the car the other in the freezer stuck to the ice tray like its been there for a week.. yeah that type of life

Well a couple days later Jug was in his room iceing his buns when he hears his mothers voice scream out for him under his breath you know what Jug is saying so insert something you’d be saying in lieu of my sentence.

Jug gets up and goes in the other room and his Momma looks at him as if he were a newborn with all the love and desire a mother does and says to Jug.  I scheduled you a doctors appointment I have been talking to some people and they say I should …. Jug interrupts his Mom…

Jug: who is they Mom because if you are about to say what I think you are about to say then I need to meet them immediately.

Jugs Momma: Well what do you think I am about to say

Jug: Well, with all due respect momma - - I think you about to say …. Takes a deep breath and

That …

That umm…

Jugs Momma: say it son, you can tell me

Jug: you sure?

Jugs momma: yes son, you can say whatever it is you are thinking

Jug: I was going to say that I think you are about to say that “they” told you to stop beating my @ and like I been tellin yo xxxx xxx I ain’t been cutting my fxxxx hair, shoot”

Jugs momma: yes son its called alopecia.. wait a second Boy who you talkin.. you know what. Go get the belt…

Jug: sighs and drops his dobber and starts that stroll to the belt room and just as he takes a step momma gone say

Jugs momma: you ain’t gotta go get the belt but you better watch yo mouth, don’t know who you think you in here talkin to like that.. done lost yo mind.. clearly.

Think you talkin to boy.. I…

See when momma told Jug “boy … I” Jug was always curious to know – You’ll what? But Jug is a smart person… Jug takes his Loss… later in life someone told Jug the same phrase .. “boy…I” and Jug being the curious character he is.. Jug said it.. you’ll what? And to Jugs surprise Jug got muffed in the face and Jug would go on to never be curious again about what boy I… means.. because if someone tells you “Boy….I”

That means they are going to muff you.. so take your L.. or say “Boy..I” back to them and get ready for a muffing contest because boy I means nothing more than Boy I will muff you..in the face..

Jugs Momma: Yes son, in grown peoples words that is what I’m saying to you, and "they" is just people that gossip.

Jug: I don’t know momma, I don’t like gossip

Jugs Momma: not like that gossip, boy, shut up, you going to the doctor so go get ready.

School years begins Jug is bald, and Jug gets clowned every single day and Jug laughed along, soaked in the attention and listened to what the kids were saying.  Laughed louder than the other kids, complementing the very kids that were talking so bad about him and Jug had no choice because Jug couldn’t fight and Jug was lost, confused.  Jug knew why they were talking about him but didn’t know how to make it stop so Jug took L’s day in and day out until one day… The King of all Joke makers connected with Jug on a “I’m too great of a jokster to waste time talkin bout yo globe head self” type level...and that Jokster looked at Jug and Jug looked back and it was like the torch was passed to Jug.. and in that moment Jugs mouth opened and said one of the most legendary bars in the history of joke telling.

Jug: If you don’t get yo old…..

.. now “if you don’t get yo old” is the perfect setup however it is tricky to pull off but if you pull it off you are elevated to a different tier of joke telling…and Jug did it...

Jug was invicible from that day forward.. everyone loved Jug and Jug loved everyone.. For years the very kids that talked reckless to Jug was in the laugh of a joke (blink of an eye -- get it?? Laugh of a joke?? No?) Jugs biggest support system.  

Jug transformed that day into a legend, and in that moment Jug knew it was his life’s gift to spread love joy and happiness all over the world and that led to him winning a unanimous decision presidential election.. Yeah..He was not even on the ticket, everyone in the country wrote his name on the ballot..the most unqualified candidate in the history of life ...thats a whole nother story....

Jug has just been asked the most important question in his life, no one has ever asked Jug how he is doing? Jug has made a living by connecting with people and for the very first time in his life Jug must complete one of the most important steps in overcoming and that is answering one very important question.

Teapot – Jug, you okay you kinda went to another place for like 14 minutes, I have literally been calling your name… it was like you were not even here at all – I mean one of the first things that you said to me was that you are in the moment with me… I know that look Jug, I’ve never seen it on you… but Jug!! I know that look.. what is it..???

Jug – tears begin to form

Teapot – NO!! NO!! NO!! No Jug, you do not get to cry your way out of this one… Now open your mouth .. use your words and you get in this moment with me… and you tell me what is going on…

Jug – wipes them tears away that almost dropped, drops his head and unleashes this:

Interested in more? Tweak or Delete?

[xadoheandterra]

Title: Don’t Write Me A Postscript Chapter: IV (I / II / III / V / VI / VII / VIII / IX / X / XI / XII / XIII) Fandom: Red vs Blue Characters: Church | Alpha, David Church | Agent Washington | Recovery One, Micheal Caboose | Agent California | Micheal-210 Summary: He was all sorts fucked up and didn’t want to admit it. Being alone for fourteen months didn’t help matters--except, well, Church was tired of being alone. Tired of people leaving and dying--and he thought, no more. I’m done. I’m out.

Won’t Say You’re Sorry (I / II / III)

Do You Even Feel Compassion? (I / II)

Church stared at the wall, stared at the dragged marks in the cement, raised the jagged piece of metal in one hand, and drags. It let out an unholy screech as he scored another mark into the cement, and then let the metal drop to the floor with a clang. They lined the wall in short, neat marks perfectly uniform and evenly spaced to count the days. It’d been precisely eighteen groups of five since he’d last spoken with Agent Nevada. Before that it was eight groups of five with two left over since he’d been dropped into High Ground. In total twenty-six groups of five with two left over, or one hundred and thirty-two days in High Ground.

His heels ached from where he leaned on them. Church gnawed his lip. Almost five months since he’d been left here. A little over three since Agent Nevada ceased communication. February fifteenth to June twenty-eighth. Friday when it started, to Wednesday now. The numbers ran through his mind in a continuous loop for a while. Church rocked on his heels, and then he pushed away from the wall and got to his feet. He turned away from the wall in a decaying hallway and returned to his self-made haven.

As the days grew shorter and shorter and the temperature began to drop with the planet’s winter-cycle, the more Church began to debate on whether High Ground was in fact safe for him to stay in. He missed the walls of his box canyon, the fact that the Vegas quadrant wasn’t too far and that he could convince Grif to head over and get him some alcohol for which he paid handsomely. He missed his most tangible memories that often wanted to overwhelm him with sensations he didn’t even realize he’d felt back then.

(every sound)

(every scent)

(every touch)

(every taste)

(every sight)

(clarity sharp and bright in a way a memory shouldn’t be)

Being alone made those memories sharper. The sting in them that Church felt, the terror and the heartache burned within his mind like a supernova, only to peter out with grit teeth. These days Church spoke little, and coming from a normal chatterbox of cuss words and vitriolic banter that meant something. He still hadn’t touched the boxes of gifts from the Director, nor had he bothered to send in a request for supplies even though he found himself slowly running low on lubricant.

Church didn’t want to bother. He focused on expanding his safe area, on fortifying walls and building up a small home in a space that didn’t’ feel safe, a space that wasn’t his. He wanted his canyon, his boxed walls and constant summer heat; his little deserted wasteland filled with his reds and his blues. He wanted Tex and Junior and even Wyoming. He wanted Gamma and Omega and Doc. He wanted Florida.

wantwantwantwantwantwantwant

Church could barely remember Project Freelancer. It felt more like a dream, less real, than living in Blood Gulch ever did. He didn’t want to be tied to Project Freelancer, to be indebted, to be protected like this. So what if he wasn’t safe in Blood Gulch in the way the Director wanted? He was just as unsafe here—at least there he had a sense of normalcy. At least there he didn’t have to worry if Sarge, Grif, Simmons, or Donut would really, truly try to kill him.

They got to blow shit up for fun why would they honestly try to ruin that? Sure there was an inherent risk of death but it was far more entertaining in the end to make them near misses and close calls. The rush of adrenaline those at Blood Gulch felt—and the true lack of the fear that the Great War inspired, as if the Sangheili couldn’t touch them in their little box canyon—was absolutely addicting. They could laze about, create, and destroy to their hearts content all the while getting paid to do so. It was dangerous, but oh so very fun.

Church paused mid setup of the defenses he’d finally gotten parts to jerry-rig into place as the realization struck suddenly home. He missed them. He missed his crazy Grif siblings, his stupid, idiotic Tucker so far in the closet that he could see Narnia, his destructive Caboose—Sarge who would spit curses back at him and create fascinating combat strategies with gleeful violence, Lopez who didn’t speak a lick of English and still came across as the snarkiest in the room; he missed Donut and the ‘wine and cheese’ hour they’d sometimes share in the caves when shit became too much at their respective bases. He missed Simmons, the way he’d spout random facts when nervous, the way he’d rant and rave and bemoan all that was Grif. He missed their ridiculous unresolved sexual tension. He even missed Shiela, the “dumb” AI who was quickly evolving in ways that shouldn’t be possible with Caboose’s weird technopathy.

Church stared down at his hands. He stared at the way they trembled—the way they’ve trembled since being aboard the Father of Intuition—and silently went back to work. He missed his assholes, his jerkfaces, and his cockbites. He’d probably never see them again.

(ain’t that a bitch)

It took work, finesse, and finally owning up to the fact that if he didn’t ask for things, then Church would never succeed in making his small little fortress secure enough. It needed to be secure, to be safe, to be sound. He didn’t like the feeling of vulnerability here; the walls he’d fixed up and supported to create his rather meager living space weren’t enough of a defense. The munitions supplied to him weren’t enough. He’d already jerry-rigged several other defenses toward the gate—tripwires attached to detonators attached to bombs and grenades. They’d at least prevent some people from getting too far past the gaping hole in the wall.

Church had also stuck a couple of traffic cones out there if only to make it seem like the space wasn’t as dangerous as he’d made it into. Beyond that though there wasn’t much in the way of protection, so Church began to word requests as careful as he could. He needed computers, motherboards, hard drives—anything that was technological that he could modify in some form to do what he needed. Circuits and wires and conduits to make an alarm system. A small short range radio tuned to a specific frequency attached to the alarm so that the intruders weren’t aware. Something better than simple tripwires.

It took months. Church’s wall now had fifty-one groups of five scratched into the wall. It came out to be almost nine months since his arrival in High Ground. Seven months since Agent Nevada was gone. Church breathed a sigh as he relaxed back into the couch, lips pressed thin. He wondered what the Director’s letters said. He had ten of them now. The gifts came in much smaller boxes than the first three, too. They were easier to handle, and as the months trailed on Church found himself drifting in thought.

He wondered about the Director. He wondered about why the man put him into small hidey holes and tried to make him feel safe.

(he wasn’t safe)

(he was safe)

(which is it?)

He wondered quite a few things about the Director, but never for long. They passed through his mind like the deaths he could count. Each death that was his fault—or not. Each loss that stung at him, tore at his entire being in a way that was indiscernible—and there were many. So many people had been hurt because of Church, hurt by the Director and by Church’s own failings.

“Only right I be alone,” Church mumbled. “Can’t get anyone killed that way, can I?”

He hated it. Church hated the fuzzy twisted memories of Freelancer. He hated the disoriented feeling that came with them, he hated how his body felt off and how things always processed wrong. He hated how sometimes he didn’t feel even human. Church pressed his hand over his eyes and tried to stop the thoughts that swirled in his head without end.

“Can’t do this anymore,” Church mumbled. “Won’t do this anymore. Don’t want to.”

Tex had been the last straw, Church thought. The way she’d so starkly said Goodbye just for him to hear—after everything she’d done for him, everything she’d done to him, after everything—cut deeper than anything Church could ever realize. It was a finality he didn’t want, that some part of him refused to accept.

He needed to see her—he needed to—

(allison)

(where are you?)

—he needed to confirm it, with his own eyes. Church lowered his eyes and his brow furrowed. He never got the chance before.

(when?)

(was that me?)

Church pressed his lips together. When this mess was done, when he could finally wash his hands of Freelancer and its pile of shit, then he’d seek out Tex’s remains. They had to be somewhere.

(distance from the planets gravitational pull)

(count for rotation)

(explosion would have caused wind)

(debris field how far?)

(too far)

(potential amount of damage)

(engine trouble?)

Church wouldn’t stop until he found her. Until he could bury her once and for all. That final goodbye that he could never provide, that she gave him—he’d make it right; he’d make it complete.

Church scribbled messily on a piece of paper and pinned it up to the map of Rhodam, the planet where Blood Gulch resided. The map was covered in pins and lines and half-thought scribbles. There were notes of mathematics that Church didn’t even recall how he knew them, but that he just did. Everything he’d worked to make some sort of semblance on where to find the pelican that Tex had taken.

He needed to be prepared. Church could read the subtle signs in the delays in receiving his supplies, in how supplies now included food he couldn’t even eat and was left to rot and be burned. Church could see how Project Freelancer began to tear at the seams. He wondered if the Director noticed it, or if he even cared. He never quite seemed to care about the Freelancer Agents, after all. The only thing the Director seemed to ever notice was Tex, and Church wanted to punch him for that.

(she’s mine)

(my beta)

(what?)

His obsession on finding Tex wasn’t helped by being alone. Church’s thoughts twisted around each other—little distractions aside from securing this facility and his box, from seeking out Tex, and making a livable space drove him to think. Church never noticed how completely discordant his thoughts were. Nothing made sense, little things bothered him and he couldn’t figure out why. Church started questioning why more often.

whywhywhywywhy

(who am I?)

The fuzzy memories of Freelancer versus the sharp clarity of Blood Gulch made his head hurt. He felt like he was forgetting something, but what? What had he lost in the head trauma that came with his arrival to Blood Gulch? What was he missing? The thought, the realization was just out of reach. Church wasn’t even sure he wanted to know. Would it change things?

(would it break him?)

(he’s been broken so much)

Church sighed and leaned back to stare at the wall with a contemplative frown. Twisting, confusing thoughts brought on by loneliness aside, there was little to wonder about just where Tex might’ve crashed. The spots on Rhodam were limited, the planet’s ecology so strange and varied that it didn’t make sense some days. From what Church gathered Tex either landed near one of the new installations, or she landed in the facility that the weird Sangheili cult had close ties to, and Gamma chose to hide out in. Church couldn’t recall the name, but that didn’t matter. His options were further deserted wasteland fairly close to Blood Gulch that one just had to pass through a few caves in the mountain and cliffs, or the mountainous region across the sea.

“But which?” Church mumbled. If he chose wrong, it’d take weeks of travel to get to the second location. He frowned, contemplating, when the small ping of the early alarm went off from his helmet. With a curse Church scrambled over to his armor and began to put it on as hastily as he could. There’d been no one before and he expected no one now and just—

“Shit fucking dammit clasp on you piece of shit!”

With a huff Church finished pulling on the armor and clasping it in place when a second ping went off. He cursed again and raced out of the small room filled with maps and notes and obsessive thoughts. He raced toward his ‘armory’ and grabbed his sniper riffle. He headed to the armaments as quickly as he could. If he could just scare off the intruder then everything would be fine. Then he could go back to his work on finding Tex.

Church got up top, above the gate and the hole in the wall, into the snipers nest in time to catch sight of regulation blue armor.

(caboose?)

Beside the soldier another stood in more customized pieces, painted grey and yellow, and Church grit his teeth. Couldn’t be Caboose because that wasn’t a set of armor that any Sim Trooper wore. They had set colors, set patterns, and none of it was customizable from the start. Church pulled up the sniper, looked through the scope, and fired.

Grey and yellow at least had the decency to duck for cover. Regulation blue however—

(tall SPARTAN friendly)

(who are you?)

—Church cursed and took closer aim. Fine, if this one wouldn’t accept his warning shot—

(familiar)

(an ache)

(home)

—Church said words that he didn’t even pay attention to as he lined up the shot. His chest ached, he felt like he couldn’t breath—

(he can’t)

(he’s dead)

—grey and yellow spoke in a familiar voice, a little aged, a little more rough and Church’s hands shook. They’d always shook but this was worse, this was familiar—fear—

(washington?)

(no)

(that’s not)

—Regulation blue spoke up, contemplative, familiar.

“Wait a minute—”

Church grit his teeth.

(can’t be)

(he’s safe)

Church settled down, squared his shoulders despite his trembling, and shouted—

(caboose—)

—and missed. His hands shook too much and the shot went wide.

“Aw c’mon, what the fuck!?” Church screamed, his voice hit that pitch. He couldn’t—he didn’t—they needed to go they were messing with his head too much—a dead voice and armor that shouldn’t be here—and then grey and yellow yelled a familiar name and Church froze solid.

“Caboose!”

(no)

nononononononononononono

(he’s safe)

(he can’t be here)

(I’ll just…)

“Church! Church! It’s me! Your all time best friend!”

Church felt like chocking as he shrieked out, “Caboose?!”

[renaroo]

Wednesday Roundup 15/6/2017

So this is a day late but in my defense I had a ridiculous amount of comics to get through with no one to blame but myself here. And you know what? I genuinely enjoyed almost everything. But does that mean every comic was good this week? And even so what did I think was the best? 

Honestly I don’t know how to write these intros for people who wouldn’t be here to read my opinion anyway so let’s just jump into it. 

Marvel’s All-New Wolverine, Marvel’s Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows, DC’s Detective Comics, DC’s Gotham Academy: Second Semester, DC’s Justice League of America, Image’s Motor Crush, DC’s Superwoman, IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, DC’s Titans, IDW’s Transformers: Salvation, DC’s Wonder Woman

Marvel’s All-New Wolverine (2015-present) #21 Tom Taylor, Leonard Kirk, Cory Hamscher, Terry Pallot, Michael Garland

Okay I need this issue to reread a million times over because there are just so many things I love all at once. Like, oh my gosh. I was almost in tears multiple times because relationships! Healing! Supporting each other!

Wade and Gabby alone could just about make this issue perfect, but then you have Laura and Daken hugging and worried about each other, and Old Man Logan being likable for the first time in any of my readings of him. There’s so much I enjoy, though I find the cover rather deceiving. This is much more of a Howlett family reunion than anything else, though I did enjoy Riri’s parts in it.

I just eriously adore these characters and it meant a lot to see them all come together like they have here and that cliffhanger HURT so much more for it. 

I will nitpick the art a bit because we’ve been doing so good about keeping Laura in the Wolverine costume which is much preferred to her X-23 wardrobes, for sure, but this issue it pretty much looked exactly like one of her old costumes without the midriffs and it was kinda weird. I know she took off a lot of her armor for skin contact but it’s... idk. It was weird. 

The main thing I’m happy about though is that as we go on, I realize that literally all of the Marvel books I’ve kept are going out of their way to not involve themselves in Secret Wars and it’s kind of beautiful. Laura and Gabby are stuck on an island that’s quarantined (and I can pretend Wade’s there with them instead of whatever’s going on since I dropped Deadpool for the summer crossovers, thanks Tom Taylor!), Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur are literally off world, and the rest are non-616. So yay me!

Marvel’s Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows (2016-present) #8 Gerry Conway, Ryan Stegman, Jesus Aburtov

For those who don’t know, Mary Jane Watson is genuinely one of my favorite Marvel characters and is easily one of the reasons I ever stuck with the Spider-Man comics for as long as I did was because of my interest in her and wanting to see her and Peter.

I can also thank her for my genuine attraction to redheads probably.

But one of the main reasons that I’ve loved this book so much is because, as written by Gerry Conway, this is the Peter and MJ of my dreams. I love them so much, and the complications that comes from their relationship and from growing older, raising a daughter, and MJ’s desire to continuously be the glue to keep both Peter and Annie together logically causes her to seek out a way to continue being Spinerette without syphoning off Peter’s powers. 

It’s almost like growing old, having a stable relationship, trying to keep things fresh while raising a kid, are all dramatic and worthy of good storytelling in their own right or something HMM.

Anyway, yes it’s completely on the nose where this is going and it’s a little curious how MJ’s not immediately aware of the connection between what’s going on with her right now and the horrible, arguably traumatizing experience she and Peter had, but who knows what’s canon anymore lol

Basically, I sideye a bit from a story point of view, but this series continues to make up for it with the real thing that matters to me: these characters and their development.

DC’s Detective Comics (2016-present) #958 James Tynion IV, Aluaro Martinez, Raul Fernandez, Brad Anderson 

Honestly I really love the slower issues where Tynion takes more time to make moments for the relationships between the characters and give us interractions we didn’t know we wanted -- Kate going with Luke and Jean Paul to a basketball game, Cass and Clayface being adorable by reciting a play, Bruce at a poker game with a bunch of assholes in homage to Almost Got ‘im!? It was a lot of fun honestly. 

...

Okay I take issue with Cass’ dialogue. I know she was repeating lines from a tape and such but it’s weird to see her make so much progress when just two issues ago she was almost monosyllabic. Like... I want to see Cass gradually learning, I want to feel her frustration with hitting walls, I want to see her struggle and achieve despite the struggle because that gradual progression was honestly something we weren’t delivered in the former canon. We have a great opportunity for it here. 

But y’know. I’m particular with Cass and it’s hard to say where her baseline for reading and speech even is in this canon because her dyslexia may be in tact but her circumstances growing up are completely different. So I don’t know. 

Now. I’m a sucker for Bruce and Zatanna team-ups because I’m a schmuck but I’m really excited for next issue. Had a lot of fun with this one. This feels like a decent pace for Tynion -- at least in my opinion. 

DC’s Gotham Academy: Second Semester (2016-2017) #10 Brenden Fletcher, Becky Cloonan, Karl Kerschl, Adam Archer, Massyk, Sandra Hope

This comic is speeding toward an end and I’m not sure if I’m ready! 

From the beginning, for me at least, the selling point for Gotham Academy has been just how much these kids felt like real teenagers and real friends with all their various relationships and connections, platonic or romantic or something in between. And it’s powerful to see that coming to play as an advantage to completing Olive’s arc, but also as a disadvantage since the consequences of many of her actions hurt that much more.

I’ll save a lot of my thoughts for a complete wrap up of the series but overall, very happy and very grateful for the continuously good read that is GA

DC’s Justice League of America (2016-present) Volume 1: Road to Rebirth Steve Orlando, Jody Houser, Ivan Reis, Andy MacDonald, Stephen Byrne, Jamal Campbell, Mirk Andolfo

WE GOTTA GET THE BAND BACK TOGETHER. WE’RE ON A MISSION FROM GAD. 

In all seriousness, I’m a huge fan of Vixen and Ryan Choi as well as a big fan of Justice League International, as it was in its 80s glory. So my interests with this particular lineup were piqued from the beginning and I made myself wait for the first volume to dive in. 

For the most part, this is a team gathering exercise. Characters that have lacked the spotlight in the last few years -- Vixen, Ray, Killer Frost, and the Atom -- were given whole issues to reintroduce them to this continuity. And honestly those issues were great. I really, really love the updated origins for them and feel that they’re a good blend of honoring the past of the characters as well as adapting them for a new world. 

Lobo, Batman, and Black Canary took back seat, but considering that there were already tensions showing within the group, I think it’s safe to assume that giving the spotlight to the rest of the team won’t always last this long. Things are nothing if not explosive among these members.

I really did mean it when I said this is a team gathering exercise, because there’s no first case to unite everyone. There’s not any real antagonists or team-ups we see to speakof. It was just getting hte jLA together. 

And for me it’s enough to get me intrigued, though I’d completely understand if people told me it was far from enough for them. 

Now they just need to add Big Barda, Booster Gold, and Ted Kord and I’ll be satisfied. 

Image’s Motor Crush (2016-present) Vol. 1 Brenden Fletcher, Cameron Stewart, Babs Tarr

I was not the biggest fan of this team’s Batgirl team though I appreciated the aesthetics and what not. There just never seemed to be a storyline that really interested me and I couldn’t be sold on the characterization for Barbara. So I kept hearing about Motor Crush for the last year and was really itnerested in it so I wanted until this volume came out and. 

Well, quite simply, I’m in love.

Tell you what, those biker gangs that kept coming up really confusingly out of place in Batgirl make a hell of a lot more sense now that I can see this team’s actual passion project. 

So I love Motor Crush a lot, I’m really invested in Domino, the mystery that is her origins and the powers of Crush itself. I love her relationship with her ex, Lola, I love her father -- I love just about everything and the cliffhanger really surprised me. 

I will say that while I love having a world that speaks for itself rather than constant narration, it’s a little hard to follow this world entirely, I’d like a bit more explained than what has been, but at the end of the day I’m very excited to see more. 

DC’s Superwoman (2016-present) #11 K. Perkins, José Luís, Ray McCarthy, HI-FI

You know, I have made it clear that I’ve been worried about this title for a while now, really just hoping it was going to find its direction and wow us with the great potential that is the Super Family outside of the main Kent triad. And I feel like that’s for good reason -- the end of Jimenez’s run let a lot of people feeling justifiably scorned, there was a mishandling of a lot of heavy and important subjects that were raised, and at least the initial stuff with Perkins taking over kind of left one wondering if they had a fully formed direction to go toward next. 

But I am really glad that I stuck it out for this long because the family of John, Lana, Nat, and everyone else is so important and so fundamentally different from the dynamics found elsewhere in the new familial renaissance of the DCU that I needed it. And I hope it continues to emphasize these relationships and how important they are to each other.

I’m still unhappy with how anxiety and mental illness is being handled in the title and find it lacking since it was brought up to begin with and now being ignored. That subject alone is making me rethink my disinterest in Green Lantern books as a whole because I have loved and felt inspired so far by what I’ve seen of Jessica Cruz and their handling of anxiety, and it’s why I picked up Silk at the high recommendations of a close friend. 

So I’d like for mental illness to be treated better in this title -- the least it can do after bringing it up and treating it the way it did at the end of Jimenez’s run, but there’s so much value in the non-nuclear family dynamic of the Irons household and of the uniqueness of Lana’s powers and her approach to fighting crime that it’s worth it. For me anyway.

IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2011-present) #70 Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz, Mateus Santolouco, Ronda Pattison

I knew the end of this storyline was going to be, at the very least, explosive but wow, WOW I had no idea how many twists and turns it was going to take in that time. That was a phenomenal ending to the Mutanimals storyline for the time being, and I just feel so bad for Slash, down to my core. I’m so worried about him, and whenever he will be allowed to recover.

At least I hope he’ll recover.

This series is seventy issues strong and i’m just so blown away by the way they still manage to keep me on the edge of my feet while so many different storylines and character developments are happening at the same time.

I mean, I even feel for Old Hobb here!

I do suppose a complaint I could hold here is that the titular turtles themselves have ultimately not been very front and center throughout this storyline, and that really showed in the conclusion, where for the most part they were lost to the colorfulness of the huge, colorful supporting cast that has been developed over the years. 

For me, personally, I think that’s honestly okay. We can’t have the same story over and over again with only the main four characters driving the narrative, and it’s been a long standing tradition in TMNT for a good 30 years now to sort of embody the concept that our main guys don’t really look for situations to get involved with but sort of fall into them naturally. 

Not to mention it’s probably a strength that 70 issues in, we haven’t once repeated plots or stories or put any of the characters on a loop of development to end up right back where they started. I don’t think the achievement of that can be understated, especially as we near that landmark #75!

DC’s Titans (2016-present) #12 Dan Abnett, Kenneth Rocafort, Dan Brown

Bleh. BLEH. I was holding out judgment on the twist of Wally and Donna and Roy ending up in some kind of love triangle because I wanted the context but honestly the context is kinda... bleh. It would be awesome if we lived in some world and time where Donna’s origins were not constantly retconned and thus the source of her characterization in every run of every thing she showed up in. Which is by no means a new problem but still.

And my opinion is... Wally and Donna are both going through a hard time and Wally is having to accept that his life is fundamentally different from the previous world he knew, that he can’t just badger people into returning things to the way they were -- especially Linda, who he loves but it’s a very one-sided relationship as a result of the parallel universe paradox and stuff. It makes sense to me that in a ploy to gain some sense of control over that, he and Donna both would try to take fate in an unexpected direction, into their own hands. 

But making it a love triangle with Roy just kinda keeps my eyes firmly rolled into the back of my skull. 

I overall like Lilith, Dick, Garth, and Karen’s development and characterization in this issue. I think they’re taking Lilith in interesting directions and I’m really curious about what her omen means for the future, since apparently there’s a traitor among them. And they set up plenty of reasons for various members to be that traitor in this issue but I can’t help but assume already that it’s going to end up being a twist. Good twist or not remains to be seen. 

IDW’s Transformers: Salvation (2017) John Barber, Livid Ramondelli

I’m going to be completely “original” here and say that I’m not a fan of Ramondelli’s at for the various Transformers comics. i know! I know. Shocking, never said before, completely going against the general fandom consensus. I’m such a brave soul. I know. 

Okay, joking aside though... I didn’t think the art was bad in this one-shot. Actually! I’d argue a lot of it was even good. He may not be my favorite artist and I’ll think that his colo gradients are butt ugly most of the time, but there was better handled action sequences than usual, the characters looked like they had weight, and we even got a range of expressiveness in the characters that is... well, frankly, not usual for Ramondelli. 

So other than that shocking revelation, I thought Barber performed good once more on tying the TF universe together again, answering some prior plot points and nicely knotting off loose ends. Trypticon being a Titan is not the biggest revelation in the world, but the development of Sandstorm and the Dinobots was great, and I loved just how devious Starscream truly is under Barber’s pen even though I’ve fully been enjoying the characterization for him in Till All Are One. 

But the most important thing of all: SPARKLINGS. SPARKLINGS. All I’ve wanted for years is baby transformers so I am HAPPY BEYOND BELIEF. THEY’RE NO LONGER A DYING SPECIES AND THESE PRECIOUS BABIES COULD BE BORN WITHOUT EVER KNOWING THE CIVIL WAR AHHHHHHHH

DC’s Wonder Woman (2016-present) #24 Greg Rucka, Bilquis Evely, Romulo Fajardo Jr. 

WOW! I mean, just wow! What a resolution to everything. I have so many emotions for Diana, for Barbara Ann, for even Veronica Cale of all people. Etta and Steve were great, the art was amazing.

It’s just such a relief and such... honestly just an amazing feat that Greg Rucka is beginning to wrap up this just phenomenal run of Wonder Woman 

I really enjoyed how everything turned out and it was so remarkable to see Diana’s resolution to save Veronica but also to not turn her back on her friends and loved ones as well as the torment it is for Barbara to not be able to get into Themyscira after all her life’s work.

And I liked Diana’s assessment of Veronica at the end, it was true and also blunt to the point of cruelty. But fitting also. 

It’s amazing what a turn around I’ve personally felt when it comes to Veronica’s character because in all honesty I was not a fan of her most of the time in the preboot, but Rucka really has fleshed her out and done something unique with her perspective now. There is tragedy but there’s also less deniability for her fault in all of it. 

I’m sad to be coming toward Rucka’s end on the run, but I’m also so happy to see the love and passion he’s put into everything culminating to what it is now.

This is a genuinely hard choice but I think if I go by what tugged on my heartstrings the most, what gave me the most joy overall and just feelings unrelenting from start to finish, I would have to say that my pick of the week is All-New Wolverine. I adore this series and I couldn’t be happier with this issue and how they’re keeping my precious Marvel girls faaaaaar away from Secret Empire. A close second would be Wonder Woman but really I would happily recommend my entire pull this week. It was a geat week for comics.

But that’s just my opinion! I’d love to know your thoughts. Agree? Disagree? Think I missed something I should’ve picked up this week? I’d love to hear from you!