#oc: steph taylor (teen)

[avatarskywalker78]

OC Valentine's Challenge 2024 Day One - First Love

Steph Taylor's first boyfriend was back in high school when she was 15 - Gabriel Lopez, a classmate and, it turned out, a fellow nerd, and they'd been friends for a while before they started going out with each other. It was a very sweet relationship, and although the romance faded after a few months, they stayed friends and remain so to this day, and Steph always remembers the first time she fell in love.

Tagging (let me know if you want to be added or removed): @shrinkthisviolet @vexic929 @negative-speedforce

[androxys]

I wanted to make a post about the Teen Titans and the absurdity that is DC Comics, but to do so I felt compelled to provide a little backstory, and before I knew it I had written over a thousand words of backstory about me and my father but nothing about what I actually wanted to talk about. If you want context, here’s the context. If not, go forth and read the thing I actually wanted to talk about in the first place.

Over the last three days I’ve been working on a project. I inherited my love for comics from my father, who collected them over his life. I have known these two things to be facts my whole life; as long as I can remember reading, I remember Batman stories. When I was younger, in my elementary and middle school years, it would be a Big To Do when we would go out in the garage and he would open up one of the Comic Bins and help me pick out a week or two’s worth of comics to read. When I was younger, it would be the Batman Adventures, picking up from the Animated Series. As I got older, it would be more like Red Rain. This was the order of the world, him and me and the same grey plastic bin each time, and it was good.

As I hit high school, I stopped making my pilgrimage to the bin, sacrificing reading comics in order to have time for such things as sleeping. I put my father’s comics more or less out of my mind, until about about a year ago. At the end of 2020, Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo were announced to be the new creative team on Nightwing. I have many, many fond memories of reading my father’s trades of Dixon’s Nightwing run. There was considerable chatter around Taylor and Redondo’s arrival--this was off the heels of the loathed Ric Grayson arc and Taylor/Redondo’s success on DCeased. I was intrigued. I decided, as an adult with disposable income and a genetic love for Dick Grayson, I would collect this Nightwing. I suppose in some way I was trying to echo my father, continue to draw loving parallels between us. I read it and enjoyed it, but I told myself Nightwing would be the only ongoing I bought. There weren’t other characters I loved like Nightwing, I told myself.

Wrong. I love Tim Drake in a desperate, deep, eyebrow-raising, projecting onto him as a young queer, sort of way. Recall, I was reading my father’s stories which he collected primarily in the 90s. Dick Grayson was Nightwing, Jason Todd was (mostly) dead, and Tim Drake was Robin. My Robin. So when he came out as queer in Urban Legends... I went and got all 6 issues, and promptly put myself on the pull list for future UL Tim content. (My experience getting UL 1-6 is a story within itself, and I do have thoughts about UL 10, but that is neither here nor there) As I read Urban Legends I found myself falling in love with the time it took to spend with each member of Batman’s universe, cycling around different characters. It was at this point I had to acknowledge that Dick and Tim, despite my love for my boys, were not my only beloveds.

The Nightwing series and Urban Legends was giving me considerable Barbara content, and if I’m being honest Barbara is the Batman character who has had the most real-life impact on me. When I was in middle school designing self insert OCs, I didn’t want to be Batman’s sidekick. I wanted to be Oracle’s, one of her Eyes moving through the city. My current career is unquestionably inspired by her. Barbara moves me. And here she was, being Oracle again. And please don’t get me started on Steph and Cass. So needless to say, I was immediately on board for Batgirls. If you’re counting, this is now three ongoings I am collecting.

You may now ask yourself, Androxys, wasn’t this ostensibly a story about your father? Yes, I’m getting back to him now. I’m peppering him in the dual stories so that you can see how it all comes together at the end. As I came home to visit my family for Christmas, I made an offhanded comment about how I was collecting those three ongoings. My father laughed, and said that he was happy for me, but he was looking forward to seeing how I was going to store them, and that was always his problem. I laughed too, because it was a very father thing to say, and then we move on. After all, it’s only three ongoings.

There is not a Tim Drake ongoing right now, though I wish there was. And as I perused the comic section of my town’s local used book store (I say used books but it’s a used everything store to be honest) I realized I wanted to see what they had in terms of Tim. They had a ton. I sort of zoned out for an hour and put their entire Robin run in sequential order, starting with the first limited and ending with the annuals, but as I was doing so I realized that if I had the time and money I would love to track down Tim’s stories. I went home and said as much to my father, whose following sentence shorted out my brain. “Oh, I’ve got all those out in the garage. The mini-serieses and the first thirty or so of the run.”

I couldn’t believe it. How could my own dear father have been hiding such a thing from me my whole life? He took me out to show me, and this is where I witnessed a revelation, a literal uncovering of the ark. The grey bin of my childhood, large and full and heavy as it was, was only his graphic novels. He produced four other storage bins, each full of single issue comics. I was blown away with the size of it, seeing but not processing. I knew immediately that I had a project on my hands.

My last three days have been spent unloading the bins, sorting them by series, and then sequencing them within their series. I then log them into a spreadsheet and repack them, in order, with notes on where everything is. At some other point, I may make a post about what sort of neat things I’ve noticed or found, but that’s not here. Like I said, this was originally a post about the Teen Titans, before the backstory got way out of hand and became its own post. Go read my thing about the Titans, because all of this is to say, DC is bonkers and always has been. But so are me and my dad, so I guess it all works out.

[renaramblesaboutcomics]

Wednesday Roundup 11.10.2017

It’s that time of a week again where I prove to be nothing if not a complete glutton for punishment, which apparently includes having way too many trades preordered on the same week by magical coincidence. It’s like the old saying, when it rain it pours. And sometimes it’s just ridiculous. 

But we’re seeing the closing a few storylines, the beginning of a few, and just a general large array of comics at our disposal, including more of the Marvel Primers. So I say we just dig right into it. 

Marvel’s All-New Wolverine, Marvel’s Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows, DC’s Batgirl and the Birds of Prey, Marvel’s Captain America, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel’s Immortal Iron Fists, DC’s New Super-Man, Image’s Rat Queens, DC’s Red Hood and the Outlaws, Marvel’s Runaways, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe

Marvel’s All-New Wolverine (2015-present) #25 Tom Taylor, Juann Cabal, Nolan Woodard

Will I ever run out of good things to say about All-New Wolverine? No? Good. I wouldn’t want to be dishonest and that would be the only way I’d have negative things to say about my love for this series.

Story: So believe it or not, the relationship between Daken and Laura is something I have desperately wanted to see more of. In the Daken/X-23 crossover they had a few years ago, I really felt like we got somewhere with their relationship, and the bits and pieces since then have really helped my attitude only grow stronger on the subject. So seeing Taylor hint at it growing more in the last arc, and knowing it would be delivered on in this arc has me SO excited about what is to come. 

You know. When Daken is around for more than an awesome bar fight that... leads to his dismembered arm being hung from a bridge. THAT old plot device. I’m a little sad to see that Gabby is being left behind (especially since her outfits never cease being adorable and hilarious) but knowing that we’re dealing with Mutant Bigots this time around somewhat made me appreciate that decision. I worry way too much about Gabby to take that at face value.

And then that cliffhanger hits like a freight train and it’s like WHAAAAT. But no like what. Oh my god. Is this real? I know we have to wait a month but. uh. Kudos, Tom Taylor. I am not often surprised by characters seemingly returning from the dead anymore. To say this was not expected is VASTLY underplaying my shock.

Art: There have been a lot of great artists on this title and I don’t think Juann Cabal is an exception to that rule. He has solid character art, lots of good control of backgrounds and paneling, and got pretty inventive with combining flashbacks with Laura’s current travels and actions. And the bar scene with Daken was just fantastic all around like, a simple but highly effective action sequence and I’m really excited to see what action he’ll draw Laura herself in as we carry on. 

Marvel’s Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows (2016-present) #12 Ryan Stegman, Brian Level, Jesus Aburtov

We wrap up another storyline of what has quickly become my favorite Spidey series of the ‘10s and it comes with highest of highs and lowest of lows. And lots and lots of adorable hugs.

Story: I was concerned that with the pacing we had had for this storyline up to this point that there would be a lot of things that would have to be knitted together a bit too tight or not at all, and that definitely seemed to be the case. We flew through this issue with revelations hitting in waves. Ms. January was the villain all along, Normie is suddenly a perfectly normal kid who was just misled, the symbiote is removed from MJ using sonic waves, Annie saves her parents, and just overall there was a lot that happened within this single comic. It all made emotional sense, and the hug between Annie and Normie at the end, bringing their family feud at last to an end, felt completely right. 

I liked small callouts like having Liz be the parent Normie needed, the X-Men coming to help the Parker family, and the amazing banter between MJ and Peter, but I think because there was so much fit into this last issue there felt like a bit of continuity bending to make logical sense where the emotions didn’t quite carry us. Like Normie’s... complete change in character. And Ms. January’s apparent obsession/love of Harry and need to avenge him. These things make sense if they fed into each other -- Ms. January’s influence inspiring Normie to cut his mother out of his life even more than she had been already and then feeding him more and more hatred toward Spider-Man by saying that it was his fault. But that doesn’t make so much sense with what we read in the issues before, specifically the issue where Normie took up arms to protect his company and revealed his backstory through his own internal monologue and flashbacks. 

So while this confrontation has been 12 issues in the build up, the resolution mostly came... only from this issue. Maybe the last two issues, too, if we’re being generous. 

The epilogue confuses me. It feels like Renew Your Vows is trying to wrap itself up and yet I know from solicits that it’s not, but we are justifying a timeskip to eight years in the future so that artists have an excuse to draw a teenage girl in a tighter costume --  I MEAN BECAUSE THEY WANT TO TELL MORE TEEN ORIENTED STORIES OBVIOUSLY. But I worry that this change is going to make what has been a unique take on the Parker-Watson family and turn it into Sider-Girl Lite, which is unfair to everyone all around. Also were they... not operating for those eight years? Why is the new costume a big deal for her eighteenth birthday? How much sense would it make for them to just... suddenly find a way to stop Annie from going out as a superhero with them when the whole point of the past 12 issues is that they couldn’t. 

What about Dr. Connors and his son? What about Annie’s additional precognitive powers? Did she end up going to the Xavier institute? 

I feel like I was asked to bite off a bit too much in this issue, and as much as I enjoyed it and enjoyed this series, I feel this is a rare storyline where I actually would have preferred an extra issue to set all of this up.

Art: The art is beautiful. Soft and textured but also sweeping and animatic like you would want for any good Spidey story. And considering that there has been a fair rotation of art teams on this book since the first issue, I really appreciate how much they worked toward giving the book a consistent style of its own. It was neat and helped even artist style changes feel coherent still and I’m really interested to see if this dedication to that continues, especially since the epilogue appeared to have a different feel to it. 

It’ll be interesting to see next month either way. 

DC’s Batgirl and the Birds of Prey (2016-present) #15 Julie Benson, Shawna Benson, Roge Antonio, Marcelo Maiolo

Well, I’m sure for 99% of you this is an unexpected addition to the roster. For those unaware, I have put the first volume of Batgirl and the Birds of Prey on blast on my personal blog @renaroo for having some things I consider to be insufferable in regards to the handling of Barbara and specifically the consistent villainization of Oracle. Which you know, I’m about sick of. 

So why am I picking up BoP now? Simple: Cass is going to start appearing regularly beginning with this particular storyline and I will support her here since for finances I’ve had to move ‘Tec to trade wait. 

and oh boy. This is. Something.

Story: So there’s this old episode of the animated Justice League series where an Amazon OC standing in for Donna Troy unleashed a plague on Earth that only affected men and it was putting all men in comas and the such and it left the only two women of a seven-person Justice League because of course there were only two women to deal with it and save the world... well half of it. It was broad strokes of feminism as written by men which included Diana being the strawwoman feminist who couldn’t understand if losing men (including her friends???) would doom society and Hawkgirl being the relatable cool egalitarian alien bird woman to be all “guuurrrrrlllll you need to respect men more”. It’s like. The episode i remember the most from my childhood and I hate it with the burning passion of a thousand suns. 

Apparently I’m not the only one who remembers it however because that... that is the plot of this storyline. I don’t know why they couldn’t just bring back the ebola plague from Batman: Contagion which was a legitimately good storyline I like but we’re doing the... gender specific plague. 

Are they going to address trans men and women? How is this disease preying specifically on men? Is it magical in origin and that why it follows no rules? Why is Lois here? Is Wonder Woman here just because of that Justice League episode? 

I don’t know. 

I appreciate that we didn’t waste a whole lot of time with Batwoman’s squad duking it out with Babsgirl’s squad over whether or not antiheroes who.... one of which she’s worked with before and... another of which she knows for a fact is... engaged to her cousin. But whatever. Also Steph in her post-Belfry uniform is... going along with this okay. I’m picking too much but there’s a lot of what in those four pages.

I do appreciate that the dialogue seemed to match everyone’s character very well, and Oliver and Dinah were hysterical and lovable together. .... But damn is it difficult to wrap my head around Babs’ character anymore. Like literally falling to her knees and tearing up begging Poison Ivy (who she was friends with in the previous BoP???? which is sitll canon bc they bring it up???) to help because “people she loves” are affected by the disease like. It’s the antithesis of the Babs I knew and was familiar with and admired in the day but. I guess that’s the Babs we have now. And I’m just... supposed to roll with it I guess. 

Also enjoyed Helena being a teacher again, that was awesome. Even if her calling up Dick instead of Babs was... still difficult to process but whatever. 

Art: It’s good! Really consistent, the lineart was sometimes a little softer than I prefer, but there were varied bodytypes and lots of good action sequences handled concisely enough that it didn’t feel like panel space was wasted. I really enjoyed it overall.

Marvel’s Captain America - Marvel Legacy Primer Page Robbie Thompson, Valerio Schiti

I have been pretty vocal in my disdain for how Marvel has handled Cap for the last two years and I join pretty much everyone in a chorus of “how can you misunderstand something so bad” but at the same time I’m... just tired. And it’s hard to even be excited at the fact that the reign of Spencer is over because it feels like the enjoyment and interest I’ve felt for Cap for all this time is simply used up. which is why a primer like this is really something that I needed. I needed to see a reminder that Cap punches Nazis and Hydra and Marvel -- or at least some people at Marvel remember that still. I don’t want that history gone, cosmic cubed or otherwise. And given Waid and Samnee’s interviews it seems they’re going to push for just that. 

Here’s hoping they accomplish it because even these three pages of Cap acting like Cap again was enough to make me smile at least a little. 

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy - Marvel Legacy Primer Page Robbie Thompson, Marcus To

If I was going for snark and snark alone here I would begin and end this with “why is Scott Lang here” because no really why is Scott Lang with the Guardians of the Galaxy. And it’s something I shouldn’t be asking because I really have still -- even in liking the movies as much as I do -- not found myself any more persuaded to read into the space opera stuff over at Marvel. It’s just not something I want in my life right now. 

Marcus To’s art is very nice, though, and usually worth it on its own. Even if I’m beginning to notice a touch of samefaceness in the art style At least it’s a very pretty face. 

Marvel’s Immortal Iron Fists (2017) #6 (of 6) Kaare Andrews, Afu Chan, Shelly Ghen

Immortal Iron Fists has come to an end and I’m both saddened and yet incredibly enthusiastic about how everything turned out!

Story: So I feel like it should not have taken the better part of 5 issues for me learn that Pei and her friends are sixteen and not... middle schoolers despite how they were drawn and how they acted as way way younger than that. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that... it’s not that they’re drawn or written younger, it’s that it’s that unusual to find an American comic that actually shows teenagers appropriately and that helped me gain a whole new respect for a series that I was already very much enjoying.

Everyone coming together and remembering Pei for the impact we have seen her make in their lives, Pei fully realizing her power as Iron Fist, and the general fun of a huge climactic battle that was a three way fight between Pei, demons, and the Mother of All Dragons is probably one of the most bombastic that can be asked for. And I love that Brenda made a comeback after her truly terrible exit from the finale of Immortal Iron Fist under Andrews, but at the same time don’t... really care for how it wasn’t set until last issue. 

All the positives of this story almost make me overlook the unnecessary, though appreciably subverted, kiss of life Pei gives her guy friend and I love that Danny, man serial dater that he is, is flumexed by this turn of events. 

Everything is fun and delightful and I really really appreciate how dedicated this comic was from beginning to end to be Pei’s story and not letting that focus escape it the entirety of the six issues. 

Also Brenda flying off on the Mother of All Dragons at the end and being like stfu Danny you ruined a good thing was hysterical and I loved it.

Art: There was definitely more production in this finale There seemed to be a lot more variation in coloring and textures, and even the characters seemed to keep almost perfectly on model the entire time. The one distraction of note, though, was that Pei... developed more into a traditional teenager look by the end... by which I mean.... boobs are now a thing and I’m not sure if it was just that she wore thicker clothes throughout the story or if it was because much like myself, the art team realized last issue for the first time that Pei was a sixteen year old and not... twelve. Anyway. It was a little distracting, but the increase in panel variation and high number of action sequences definitely made the story far more fulfilling in my view. 

DC’s New Super-Man (2016-present) Vol. 2: Coming to America Gene Luen Yang, Billy Tan, Viktor Bogdanovic

After what felt like a long wait, we join Kenan and the rest of the Justice League of China once more on a bombastic quest as written by Gene Luen Yang. And much like last time, the results are rather unexpected and honestly kind of remarkable.

Story: Going off of my experiences with Yang’s work, I really feel like his passion in storytelling lies in finding the balance between the question of identity and how identity is formed by the cultures that nurtured us and how it is formed by the influences of the cultures around us. I think that was the main focus of American Born Chinese but it really is beginning to shine through Kenan’s adventures here as the New Super-Man and how much of the titular’s character is being drawn from the two huge influences he is feeling -- the pressures and dangers of the Chinese government and culture, and the admiration and sometimes oppressive shadows of the American culture that he is both attempting to copy as Super-Man and attempting to circumvent by finding the focus of his powers in Chinese philosophies and values. 

And I think that’s where his supporting cast -- Wonder-Woman and Bat-Man and now also Avery Ho’s take on the Flash -- are really coming into play. While Kenan is being torn back and forth by his responsibilities and his bombastic self-absorption both in his internal conflict and his external conflict of learning the truth of his parents, we are getting a broader exposure to what being a superhero in China means as opposed to the normalcy we’ve come to expect from Western comics. 

Bat-Man is just as influenced by his family as Batman, but the pressures are more in the focus on building his exceptionalism and in differing from his sister on whether to stay within a system that robs children of their childhoods and individuals of their sense of self, or to find purpose within that system and excel based upon the traits which only he can bring. 

Wonder-Woman, like Wonder Woman, is derived from myth and legend but instead of a Western legacy, it is purely Chinese and her alienation and stand offish nature initially toward the rest of her team only makes that much more sense given what has brought her to her current state. She is a myth, a legend herself, but she is nearly forgotten by the current times -- Kenan even has to be told the story of her origins by Bat-Man -- and her finding the will to fit into a China that is so influenced by external cultures and influences are a struggle we’re only now beginning to appreciate. 

And finally, with Flash, a Chinese-American, we’re going to receive yet another wild perspective, and considering Kenan’s already developing friendship with Avery I imagine that this is a perspective that will only receive more focus in stories to come. And I perceive that Yang’s inclinations to reference the struggles of culture and self-identity are going to be explored further here.

All around i greatly enjoyed this volume and am looking forward to the continuation now that Kenan has finally learned the truth about his family. There are a lot of interesting new angles to explore and I hope we do just that.

Art: The art is really reminiscent of Greg Capullo’s run on Batman, but has a whole lot more color and variety breathed into it which I personally really appreciate. The colors do a good job of presenting the differences in everyone’s base personalities and also makes the action sequences easier to follow even as the action itself becomes increasingly complex. The page layouts were fairly reserved considering the DC standard lately, but I personally appreciated it because it kept the focus on the storytelling and in doing so enhanced the nuances therein. 

Great work all around, and yet another enjoyable volume. 

Image’s Rat Queens (2013-present) Vol. 4: High Fantasies Kurtis J. Wiebe, Owen Gieni, Ryan Ferrier

I only recently jumped on the barge for Rat Queens and I’ve been more than happy with the results of caving to the advice of many friends. Because what is better than female-full cast of hilarious and dramatic DnD like adventures with more swearing than a naval ship? I gotta say, not much!

Story: So compared to the previous volumes, I actually found High Fantasies to feel like it had a lot less at stake. Although part of that may just be that I was somewhat anticipating a Betty-centric volume finally to elevate her out of being the shroom eating comic relief and bring more of the assassination attempts and her outlaw past into the forefront. And that’s clearly a problem of my own expectations and not necessarily the story’s fault itself. That said, the focus on Vol. 4 being on a gender bent loser version of the Rat Queens was pretty funny but also not something I would have thought carried enough weight to pivot as the main plot, but that would be just me. 

I do appreciate Braga being in a larger role this time around, and really I wish we could see more less human creatures on the roster in general. It was also a huge heartwarming feeling to have Hannah more comfortable around her Queens and even showing some horns now and then in public. It feels like a huge progression of her character, even as she spends a fair amount of time earning the girls’ ire and.... walking in on naked mayors. As you do.

Basically Vol. 4 isn’t as character centric as the previous volumes have been, but it is a great adventure that feels like a good ol’ fashion DnD campaign with the friends you love at the helm and for fantasy nerds like me that’s more than enough to bring me back into the story.

Art: The art is always spectacular with Rat Queens, but I did find  that this volume -- mostly as a result of not going to as many unestablished and important/original locations, did have a significant lack f inventive background use. That’s not always a slam on art, really the art was very good, and I actually am just... happy to not have Upchurch as the artist, honestly. That alone is worth three and a half gold stars. Though the whole controversy there is still my largest apprehension with the series at this point. 

DC’s Red Hood and the Outlaws (2016-present) Vol. 2: Who is Artemis? Scott Lobdell, Dexter Soy, Kenneth Rocafort

Okay who authorized this? Who made this comic exist and who made it be actually good?? Because I didn’t and I feel offended at the amount of emotions that were forced upon me in this single volume of a comic written by Scott friggin’ Lobdell of all people. You couldn’t have told me a month ago that I would be enjoying anything that was remotely connected to Scott Lobdell and expect me not to laugh hard enough I’d bring myself to tears. 

And yet here we are.

Story: Having learned a bit from how lackluster the attempts of balancing the concentration of the narrative was for his previous incarnations of the Outlaws, Lobdell somehow learned how to, y’know, write an ensemble narrative that is still heavily Jason Todd’s perspective, but does not lose any opportunities to expand on or even concentrate on the stories and character development of Bizarro and Artemis. oth of which are shockingly well handled and shockingly controlled, well paced, and interwoven into each other’s stories. 

Like legitimately, did someone nab the Lobdell who wrote decent 90s Marvel comics and put him on this project? Because that feels like the kind of bizarre logic that would seem acceptable at this point.

Now, of course, it’s not perfect. Far from it. But at the end of the day we got an intriguing ongoing story, a team building exercise, Jason’s internal struggle personified both through his inner monologue and flashbacks, but also moments like his sparing of Bizarro whic not only didn’t have overly wordy exposition bringing attention to it, but was strong enough and meaningfully enough that from it alone we could see what Jason couldn’t: he is not as lost, he is not as amoral, and he’s not as cold as he has tried desperately to prove himself to be.

I actually found the take on Artemis and the Bana Mighdall pretty interesting in this retelling, and I like that we have a rogue Amazon as a new enemy for the team. 

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m super excited to see what will come after this. 

Art: There was a range of artists, which is fine, the industry standard of pushing out these comics with the turnaround that they do does cause some disconnect, but for the most part an artist stayed for at least the completionof their storyline and then she was. And overall the trade still fel tconsistent, with some artists just standing out more than other. 

Marvel’s Runaways (2017-present) #2 Rainbow Rowell, Kris Anka, Matthew Wilson

The new run of Runaways absolutely blew me away last month by shooting any and all expectations I had right through the skylight and beyond, so a good premise with beloved characters and a set in conflict really leads to a question of how do the pieces fall in order?

Story: I absolutely adore how Gert being the heart and glue of the family is being so blatantly emphasized throughout this (and that Old Lace is back). I also love that... honestly the trauma and lingering horrors Chase and Nico have survived in particular are being treated as real and damning in the eyes of someone who knew them only two years ago already. But most of all I love the emotional balance. Gert’s anger and disappointment are justified, but her crudeness and accusatory nature are also clearly shown as being wrong and too subjective. The important thing to her, and thus to the group, is to come together again. And I love that it is her prime motivation through and through. 

That all being said, after such a bombastic first issue, it was a little difficult to have the momentum come to a halt so quickly. I don’t want to be taken wrong, I love issues where comics take their time and really meditate on the characters, their reactions to evens former and to come, and really develop relationships and the such. But it does feel a little unnatural to have that only two issues in when the previous issue was SO incredibly packed. 

I’m still fascinated with where we can go from here and very excited to see that Victor, Xavin, and Klara might not be destined to eternal obsecurity like I assumed when the book was first announced. 

Art: Honestly I’m still amazed at just how fantastic the art really is in this comci. .It’s SO good and the designs for all the characters are simply gorgeous. Though probably the best thing about all of it is the great coloring we see done here. Top notch. 

Marvel’s Spider-Man - Marvel Legacy Primer Page Robbie Thompson, Valerio Schiti

I think I know less about what Marvel plans to do with Miles these days than Marvel knows what to do with Miles, which is horrifying because I just set that bar about as low as it could possibly have gone. But we.... have Rio Morales back which is the big reason I stopped keeping up with Miles to begin with so yay? I don’t know. 

I feel like this primer is actually aimed at fans like me who got off the wagon back when the Ultimate title lost most of its steam both from killing off too many of Miles’ personal supporting cast and becoming too much about tertiary cast’s origins and then Peter Parker returning to life and stuff’s weird. This feels like a big neon sign that says “Things are back! The origin’s the same! Do not look behind the curtain!” It makes me curious but also apprehensive at the same time. 

also can we get robbie thompson to write miles’ book and bendis let someone else write some books already jfc this was such a relief. 

IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe (2016-present) Vol. 2 Nick Pitarra, John Lees, Brahm Revel, Ryan Ferrier, Adam Gorham, Sophie Campbell, Bobby Curnow, Pablo Tunica

So unlike the rest of the reviews, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe doesn’t really fit my review format since it’s more like a collection of vignettes across the TMNT universe that feed into the main book and each story is written and drawn by a different team, so it wouldn’t have that same cohesion. 

As the giant Ninja Turtle fan that I am and probably always will be, I can’t get enough of the mythos and the characters in TMNT, so having a book that has a solid, even meditative point of just exploring smaller stories and little character developments that wouldn’t fit in the very tight and controlled narrative of the main title is something of a perfect godsend to me. I love it in concept and in execution.

One thing I worry about, however, is that there definitely seems to be a lot of stories here that feel necessary to keeping up with the main series. Such as the story of how Alopex and Angel ran into the Toad Baron and escaped -- that was a pretty crucial piece of information for the Eternals storyline a few issues back in the main book. So it feels like more and more, because of how tight and concentrated the main book is, they’re using books like Universe to fill in everything else, including buildup to larger more important narratives. And while that’s fine and even something I enjoy, it’s a move that will really push people to start being more choosy with their books. It’s much like keeping up with Transformers right now, and that tends to lead to some mixed bags. But I suppose we’ll trust and see.

At the end of the day, I have to pick the comics that really stuck with me the most. And while I was a little disappointed by a few titles this week, there was a pretty intense competition between the ones that genuinely caught me and made me really feel while reading them. And I think by that measurement I have to give the Pick of the Week this time around to the conclusion of Immortal Iron Fists. I was so worried about how this story could wrap everything up and it’s with mother flipping dragons that’s how. I love it. I love Pei and I love her being officially adopted by Danny who is TOTAL ridiculous dad now. This is the kind of Immortal Iron Fist I am happy to support. 

As far as trades go... wow I for some reason was not anticipating getting slammed as much as I did, but I really didn’t feel like any of the books let me down. They were all pretty amazing and I felt like I also managed to incidentally cover the entire span of comic book genres and types in a matter of two days, which let’s admit it, pretty impressive. I feel like the new releases this week are honestly a harder competition than the single issues but twist my arm, surprising no one nearly as much as I’m surprising myself here, I have to pick Red Hood and the Outlaws for managing to be a comic that... is unexpectedly good and unexpectedly sincere and unexpectedly emotionally motivating in ways that I wish... more comics... were? I just. have a real hard time complimenting Lobdell after tearing his books a new one for..... six years straight now.  But... thank you? for writing well? And making me feel things? For Jason Todd, Bizarro, and Artemis? Am I doing this right?

And those are the comics for this week! Did you happen to agree with me? Disagree? Think I missed out on picking up a comic that was good? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

But before I let you go, I have to (yes have to) plug once more:

I have exactly a month to pack up everything I own and move halfway across the country again which is not helping those financial crunches I mentioned before either.

As such, I really would appreciate if you enjoy my content or are interested in helping me out, please check out either my Patreon or PayPal. Every bit helps and I couldn’t thank you enough for enjoying and supporting my content.

You could also support me by going to my main blog, @renaroo, where I’ll soon be listing prices and more for art and writing commissions.

RenaRoo Ko-Fi

RenaRoo Patreon

RenaRoo PayPal

[ocappreciation]

~*~Mobile Friendly~*~ ocappreciation Teen Wolf OC Masterlist

Adeline “Addie” McCall // Fic: My Soul to Take // by: rhaenystargaryen411

Ainsley Martin // Fic: Double, Double, Toil and Trouble // by: waywardjules

Aleksander Stilinski // Fic: Can’t Fight the Moonlight // by: avaargent

Alex Delgado // Fic: Fear the Boogeyman // by: twinmasks

Alex Vincent Jones // Fic: The Gloaming // by: yourpalmoony

Alex Stilinski // Fic: Bloodthirst // by: daphnevasques

Alexis Argent // Fic: Red Riding Hood // by: randomestfandoms

Annie Emery // Fic: Sonder // by: musiciatee

Ariadne Stilinski // Fic: Untitled // by: ginnypotterr

Ariana Petrakis // Fic: Take Me Down // by: fraysquake 

Arianne Martin // Fic: The Wind Beneath my Wings // by: randomestfandoms

Aurora Gallagher // Fic: Insomniatic // by: luucypevensie

Ava Argent // Fic: Can’t Fight the Moonlight // by: avaargent

Carmen Stantos // Fic: The Wailing Wolf // by: theweretype

Cassidy Snyder // Fic: Tried & True Series // by: fangedlovers

Cate Archer // Fic: Skinny Love // by:  susiesamurai

Celeste Jackson // Fic: Beyond the Veil // by: susiesamurai

Charlie Oswin // Fic: Black Water // by: god-dammit-barb

Charlotte Roberts // Fic: Beast // by: fraysquake

Christian Stantos // Fic: The Wailing Wolf // by: theweretype

Claire Belmonte // Fear the Boogeyman // by: twinmasks

Clary Lacroix // Fic: Nevermore // by: harleyquinnzelz

Colton Greene // Fic: The Wailing Wolf // by:madipetsch

Darren “Jonesy” Jones  // Fic: The Gloaming // by: yourpalmoony

Dorian Belmonte // Fic; Fear the Boogeyman // by: twinmasks

Eleanora Argent // Fic: Moon Huntress // by: huntsthemoon

Elise Noel // Fic: Of Reapers and Wolves // by: ofreapersandwolves

Ellie Connor // Fic: Are You Afraid of the Dark // by: roan-kom-azgeda

Emily St. Clair // Fic: Pack Mentality // by: madipetsch

Emmeline “Emmy” Walsh // Fic: The Legend Series // by: itscapokaybye 

Everly “Evie” McCall // Fic: Burning the Harbor // by: willalwaysprotectyou

Fred Ackerman // Fic: Little Red Riding Hood // by: susiesamurai

Gabriel // Fic: Moon Huntress // by: huntsthemoon

Grace Argent // Fic: The Huntress // by: daphnevasques

Gwendolyn Gilroy // Fic: Artifice // by: god-dammit-barb

Hailey Rivers // Fic: The Wailing Wolf // by: theweretype

Hazel Martin // Fic: Irresistible // by: perfectlystiles

Hazel Murphy // Fic: Paroxysm // by: wild-stdreams

Henley Mercer // Fic: Mad Season & Slipping Away // by: missecharlotte

Jace O’Callaghan // Fic: Into the Wild // by: harleyquinnzelz

Jacy Steele // Fic: Silver and Steele // by: madipetsch

Jade Maddox // Fic: Pack Mentality // by: madipetsch

Jamie Grant // Fic: Shiver // by: whindsor 

January Cox II // Fic: Blue Hour // by: tiredyouths

Jess Lahey // Fic: Game of Survival // by: susiesamurai

Joanne McLaughlin // Fic: Rise // by: drbobbimorse

June Delaney // Fic: The Legend Series // by: itscapokaybye

Jupiter Jackson // Fic: Beyond the Veil // by: susiesamurai

Kara Grayson // Fic: Phantasm // by: the-aether-ascension

Karla Delgado // Fic: Pack Mentality // by: madipetsch

Kayla Hale // Fic: I’m No Werewolf, Deadly Intentions, Ashes to Ashes Dust to Dust // by: fanficantaic-tw

KC Crumbvhal // Fic: Deeper Than The Surface // by: @bloodieash-girlofmanyfandoms

Kyle Argent // Fic: Turned to Silver // by: dodierps

Lennox Bishop // Fic: May I // by: thelittledarkrose

Lexie Prince // Fic: The Apex Series // fic: fiercefray

Lina Martin // Fic: Pack Mentality // by: madipetsch

Lizzie Tanner // Fic: Impulse // by: fraysquake

Loretta Martin // Fic: Untitled // by: dreamerwithapen1

Luna Hale // Fic: One More Cross To Bear // by: randomestfandoms

Madeline Hayes // Fic: From Ashes // by: anarchxst

Maisie Dylan // Fic: Paroxysm // by: wild-stdreams

Matylda Stilinski // Fic: Untitled // by: fraysquake

Maxine Taylor // Fic: Anchor For The Soul // by: chrlyblssom

Melanie Crowe // Fic: Underneath It All // by: ceruleanmusings

Mirabel Mikaelson // Fic: Veni Vidi Amavi // by: dreamerwithapen1

Natalia Bosna // Fic: Ripples in the Water // by: whindsor

Nikita Grace // Fic: The Gloaming // by: yourpalmoony

Reagan Cassidy // Fic: Angel of Death // by: daphnevasques

Reagan McCall // Fic: Where the Wild Things Are // by: yeahthatotheronewhatshername

Rhea Argent // Fic: The Hunter and the Hunted // by: dreamerwithapen1

Rhiannon Carroll // Fic: The Wanderess // by: twofacedharveydent

Riley Haven // Fic: Haven Bound & Finding Haven // by: havenboundinbeaconhills

Robbie Bennett // Fic: Skinny Love // by:  susiesamurai

Samantha Evans // Fic: Phase & Soul of the Night // by: twofacedharveydent

Sawyer Rhodes // Fic: Scott McCall Is A Terrible Neighbor // by: my-life-is-a-constant-sigh

Selena McCall // Fic: The Moon And Her Wolf Series // by: randomestfandoms

Scarlett Lyon // Fic: Hollow // by itscapokaybye 

Scout Stilinski // Fic: (When We Fall) We Rise Again // by: randomestfandoms-ocs

Steph McGrath // Fic: Feral Teens (FFN) (WATT) // by: mystic-scripture

Tate Connor  // Fic: Are You Afraid of the Dark // by: roan-kom-azgeda

Tatum Starr // Fic: Someone Else’s Starr // by: missjanuarylily

Val Ramirez  // Fic: Beyond the Veil // by: susiesamurai

Weronica “Wren” Lisowski // Fic: Child Soldiers // by: sarcasticsivanwattpad

Wren Delgado // Fic: Season of the Witch // by: warrioreyess

Yukio Ka-Zhang // Fic: A New Face of Hale // by: werewitchling 

Zale Stilinski // Fic: Blue Hour // by: tiredyouths

Zophia Elsbury // Fic: Call of The Wild // by: thisismexxo

[avatarskywalker78]

OC International Women's Day Challenge Day One - "I'm a damsel, I'm in distress, I can handle this."

Of all the characters Steph Taylor watched growing up, Leia Organa was by far her favourite - the badass princess who never once backed down from a challenge, snarked constantly, and had the best outfits in the whole series. She also loves her resilience and her compassion for others, even after the tragedy she goes through, which is why she was a role model for Steph throughout her childhood and teen years, and she hopes she gets a good storyline in this sequel trilogy that's gonna be happening.

Tagging (let me know if you want to be added or removed): @shrinkthisviolet @vexic929 @negative-speedforce

[avatarskywalker78]

Chapter: 1/?

Fandom: The Flash (TV 2014)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings:  Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Relationships: Eddie Thawne and Original Female Character

Characters: Eddie Thawne, Original Female Character(s), Iris West, Hartley Rathaway, Ralph Dibny, Original Male Character(s), Joe West, Barry Allen, Cisco Ramon, Caitlin Snow, Ronnie Raymond, Martin Stein, Eobard Thawne | Harrison Wells, Meena Dhawan, Rogues (The Flash)

Additional Tags: Team as Family, Male-Female Friendship, Female Friendship, Male Friendship, Hugs and snuggles, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Asexual Original Character, Bisexual Eddie Thawne, Slight Canon Divergence, Steph ends up befriending people, it’s kind of her thing, some people are baffled by this, Ralph doesn’t die in S1, He’s just injured, This started out as giving Eddie a friend and snowballed, Background Eddie/Iris, Unrequited Love, Or is it?, Several OCs appeared and I don’t know how

Summary: Steph Taylor’s life is looking good- the force-field project she’s working on has been greenlit for production, her best friend Eddie Thawne is transferring from Keystone, and the new particle accelerator, even if it is from a rival lab, is being switched on in a few weeks. Then the accelerator explodes, and her using the device to save some of her colleagues turns out to have consequences a couple of months later when force field powers manifest - and she’s not the only one affected.

With STAR Labs apparently getting off scot-free for the damage they caused - or rather, one Harrison Wells getting off essentially scot-free  - there’s a lot of anger, especially from their new friends. Hartley Rathaway claims that there were flaws that Harrison ignored. Ralph Dibny will always have to use a cane. The Flash appearing several months later is impressive, except he’s operating out of STAR Labs and probably won’t listen to them. With more and more villains and the possibility of time travel in the mix, things in Central City are certainly going to get complicated pretty soon.