#rogues billionaires series

[sognareleggiesogna]

RECENSIONE: Un Amore Travolgente di Tracie Delaney

Cari Sognatori, Lily ha letto il secondo volume della serie contemporary romance Rogue billionaries scritta da Tracie Delaney e pubblicata dalla  Triskell Edizioni !!! Serie: ” Rogue billionaires ” # 2 Genere: Contemporary Romance  Data di pubblicazione: 18 Marzo 2024 EBOOK / CARTACEO Affiliati Amazon Trama Qual è stato il giorno peggiore della vostra vita? Il mio quello in cui sono stata…

[fanaticalthings]

Give me crime lord!Jason who's actually on good terms with the batfam. Not only would it actually be helpful when it comes to missions surrounding underground/illegal operations (Jason would be able to retrieve way more insider knowledge) but also I think having a supervillain family member that you're chill with is just untapped comedic potential that needs to be taken advantage of.

---

Damian gets into a petty fight with Bruce, and the next day, instead of waiting for Bruce to pick him up from school, he calls Jason, who shows up in full Red Hood regalia and just rides off with Damian.

Of course everyone at school sees that Wayne's son just got snatched by Gotham's most notorious crime lord, so ofc when Bruce gets there, sees Damian missing, and hears a series of panicked whispers about a gun slinging, criminal biker riding off with a prince of Gotham, Bruce immediately knows what's up and just sighs, already anticipating the many publication companies he's gonna have to bribe to stay silent.

---

Sometimes, they need Jason's help with intercepting certain illegal trades within the underworld of, not just Gotham, but just common areas where shady businesses are most prevalent. And when Bruce requests that Jason brings evidence of said illegal shipments to the cave, Jason will smugly respond with "I can, but it'll cost ya"

And Bruce is all exasperated like, "Jason, please, this mission's been going on for a month, I just want to get it over with."

And Jason's just looking down at the crate of smuggled materials, recognizes that it's highly sought after by many rogues (maybe it's machinery parts or rare chemical substances, etc) and ofc Jason's about to be petty as hell when responding to Bruce:

Jason: I don't think you have any idea how valuable the stuff I have is. If I sold this myself in my part of the underground, I'd make a fortune!

Bruce: Jason

Jason: Butttt, if you're not willing to pay me for this, y'know, despite being a billionaire, I guess I could just auction this off to another willing client

Bruce: Jason

Jason: I hear Lex Luthor's been cookin' up something new for Superman. I wonder if he'd be interested?

Bruce: Son, please.

Jason:

Bruce:

Jason: I'll give you a family discount.

And it's just a back and forth of this EVERYTIME. And Jason only does it when he's collaborating with Bruce. None of the other bats have to deal with Jason demanding money.

---

There was one time, during a Wayne gala where practically ALL the kids (except Jason, dude's still legally dead), had to show up. And around halfway through, the Red Hood just crashes through the skylight and then just fucking kidnaps Bruce Wayne, in front of everyone. And of course the gala has to be cut short.

Meanwhile, Bruce, in Jason's custody: I CANNOT believe you, son. WHY of all times would you do this? You are GROUNDED, I don't care if you don't live with me anymore, this is just UNACCEPTABLE-

Jason, completely ignoring him, holding up a tablet with news article headlines about this incident: Bruce, look at this shot they got of me crashing through the ceiling, I look fuckin' badass

And then when the fam (in costume) come to "save" Bruce, in a blink and you'll miss it moment, Bruce catches Cass and Jason whispering something to eachother in the corner and them fist bumping before Jason books it out of there. He can already feel a headache brewing.

And generally speaking, I feel like the batfam could be way more efficient with this arrangement. You got the regular team of bats, investigating from above, as well as being able to infiltrate socialite environments as Waynes. Then you got Jason, who can keep an eye on all the lesser exposed and lucrative activities whilst he keeps the underground businesses under his control. I feel like it would be a win win situation that would be hella interesting to see explored.

[thelibrarian1895]

Gotham Rich People

So there are other millionaires and billionaires in Gotham besides Bruce Wayne.

I'll wait for you to get over the shock.

You good? Ok

There are other stupidly rich people in Gotham. A thought that if you've really made it in stupidly rich society in the dc verse then you have to have some property in Gotham where you stay for like a month or so every year like it's the regency society season. It's a sign that you're so ridiculously rich that it doesn't matter if someone steals your priceless painting or holds you for ransom because you can afford it and still be ridiculously rich. You are rich enough that your bodyguards are so skilled that they can keep you safe in Gotham. Because people are stupid and people who are rich and want to be snobs about it and show off tend to be a little more so than not.

Ridiculously rich seasonal Gothamites will also absolutely think that being kidnapped and held for ransom by one crime family or another or a rogue shows a different level of quality and status. Because they are just that bored and just that rich. And it lets them deal with the ✨trauma✨ ala gallows humor.

Lex Luthor has a bunch of snobby rich people look down their noses at him because he doesn't have Gotham property (Bruce keeps outbidding him when he tries and then Tim does the same when Bruce is busy because neither want Luthor in their city though sometimes people just won't sell if they find out it's Luthor trying to buy the property because they don't want him in the city either) and while he's rich enough to make mechs to go after Superman he can't afford quality Gotham caliber bodyguards.

Oliver Queen might have had a tiny by rich people standards apartment in Gotham, he inherited it. It may have been destroyed during the quake. He doesn't bother to rebuild or buy a new one and just stays in fancy hotel if he has to be in Gotham for any length of time and grumbles that Bruce won't let him crash at his place.

Tim gets Drake Manor back, if he didn't have it already, and puts it in his and Kon's name so Kon can be smug at Luthor because Kon has property in Gotham. Tim might come up with another secret identity as Connor Luthor's Gotham bodyguard just for fun. Superman may be Luthor's villain nemesis, Tim is determined to make himself Luthor's social and business nemesis because Tim apparently doesn't have enough people who want his head on a pike. Also fewer people give Tim well meaning lectures against villainy when Tim makes trouble for Luthor than when he's made trouble for Clark after Clark has said or done something dumb to Kon. Plus having a business nemesis makes being primary shareholder in Wayne Enterprises less mind numbing for Tim.

These other stupidly rich people also end up getting fleeced for millions by the Waynes for the Wayne charities because if they're going to have all these extra idiots to keep an eye on then these extra idiots are going to pay for things like the road work that the city isn't paying for because the city budget was embezzled by some jerk who ran off with the money to some other hole in the ground.

If Jason is bored enough he will be one of those rogues who kidnaps one of the Gotham elite visiting for their maintain the status month and the ransom money goes directly to literacy and educational programs. This way his preferred causes are funded and he doesn't have to be stuck in a suit at a horribly boring gala where he has to be polite. He is also considered the top tier platinum star in rogues to be kidnapped by since he is professional, has kidnapped Waynes before (Damian convinced him to do it so Damian could get out of a series of civilian parties and go hang out with Jon instead and a few times Cass has gotten Jason to "kidnap" her so she doesn't have to deal with a gala either) and is known for returning people when the ransom is paid. He has, on occasion, returned people after the ransom demands were made and denied and it is later discovered that he took the ransom anyway and the person who denied to pay the ransom finds themselves in serious physical and legal trouble. Seasonal Gotham rich people will absolutely brag about having been kidnapped by the Red Hood who clearly has good taste in hostages.

[kstarlitchaotics]

Happy anniversary to one of the best and underrated Batman creation ever 🦇

20 years ago today, the television series ‘The Batman’ premiered on Kids' WB.

After the tv show ‘Batman Beyond' stopped airing in 2001, Kevin Conroy's Batman joined Superman, Wonder Woman and other DC members in the DCAU cartoon series 'Justice League', which aired from November 2001 to May 2004. On September 11, 2004, a new Batman centric animated show aired called 'The Batman', created by Michael Goguen and Duane Capizzi. 'The Batman' follows Bruce Wayne (voiced by Rino Romano) in his apparent third year of being Batman in Gotham City, juggling between fighting colorful villains such as The Joker and Penguin and being a playboy billionaire in his early 20s.

Not set within the classic DC Animated Universe created by Eric Radomski, Bruce Timm, Alan Burnett and others, 'The Batman' featured character designs by Japanese-American concept artist Jeff Matsuda. While keeping the same values the Caped Crusader, his allies and infamous rogues gallery sustained over several decades, Matsuda gave a sleek re-design that still presented a mysterious crime drama for a younger audience to appreciate. However much criticism given to the show for its “kiddish” portrayal of this favored dark mythos, radically different from Radomski and Timm's film noir take a decade prior, 'The Batman' lasted for five seasons (aired from late 2004 to March 2008), had a successful toy line, and is part of the Dark Knight animated tv history.🦇📺

[littlefankingdom]

I need y'all to understand that Bruce is not a normal billionaire. He is a billionaire because it's useful to the plot, but he is not a billionaire like our billionaires. Don't make him say or do shits billionaires do, he is not like that.

I just have enough of the posts and fics where people makes Bruce pro-capitalist, a finance bro with nfts or against leftist ideas like free housing because "the economy 😭😭". That's not him at all, and y'all are showing that you only saw the Lego Batman movie.

First, Bruce pays his taxes and hates that other rich don't. It is shown in Future State: Dark Detective, where he literally says that rich people who don't contribute to making society better kind of deserve to be killed by a vigilante. Murder is still bad, but he will not cry them AT ALL.

Second, Bruce hates how people abuse the housing markets, rising the prices, kicking out poor people, you know the drill. This is shown in Batman: White Knight, when Bruce PUNCHES his rich FRIEND at a gala after learning that the guy is buying properties in Crime Alley, kicks the poor people out and build new apartments complexes with rent way too high for the old residents. In Gotham Knights (the comics), he tests Lucius by playing the normal rich asshole and being like "we can't take money from the shareholders, these hard working folks, to help the poor", because he wants to see if it will make Lucius angry. Once it does, he is like "good, you should be" and tell him he will sign it. Not being mad at the inequalities in the world is not acceptable for Bruce.

Thirdly, Batman: The Animated Series often establishes how the real vilains are not the rogues but rich people. Bruce doesn’t disagree with Poison Ivy or Mr Freeze, but with their methods. Bruce doesn’t hate his rogues, because he knows they were pushed to a corner, but he hates the rich in charge. The owner of a company is shown to be a bad guy because he doesn't think his workers deserve to have a say in the company. Seriously, if BTAS was made today, we would be submerged with tweets and videos from people crying that they made Batman a communist.

Fourthly, while we are at it with BTAS, Bruce cares about the environment. I have seen this terrible panel of Bruce, as Batman, being mad that Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn destroyed a WE factory who was heavily polluting, which is ooc. In BTAS, Bruce is shown threatening to fire WE higher-ups because they made a partnership with a company hurting the environment. This partnership is why Poison Ivy targets him in the episode and tries to kill him, btw, which shows once again that they agree on the matter, it's the murder the problem. Outside of BTAS, must I remind everyone that Bruce was going to marry Talia Al Ghul and that Ra's Al Ghul saw a heir in him??? Like, he has to be a bit of an ecologist for ECO-TERRORISTS to love him this much. Also, Alfred said to Dick when he joined their household that Alfred wants ecological issues to be taken care of. No way would Bruce not has been raised to care about the environment, or would harm the planet knowing Alfred doesn't like it.

Finally, WE has multiple charities and organizations dedicated to help people in Gotham. WE gives jobs to ex-convicts and help them in getting rehabilitate. Bruce feeds, clothes and houses the poor, he pays for any damage done by vigilantes or rogues. He has money to give and he gives it. AND all the galas exist so he can take money from the rich to give to the poor. He even encourages Dick in Nightwing (2016) to manipulate as much as possible his guests to milk their money. Bruce wants to take from the rich to help the poor, that's always been the case.

[tyrantisterror]

While we’re on the subject of Billionaire superheroes, what are your top ten favorite Batman stories? And by that I mean your favorite Batman stories in which the character of Batman himself is the focus rather than one of his villains. I recall you stating that you usually gravitate more towards Batman’s rogues than to Batman himself, but that a few writers have managed to get you to do the opposite. I’m curious to know which stories those are!

So I think we should re-establish that while I have read some superhero comic books and consumed some superhero media, I am what comic book shop geeks would refer to as a "fake comic fan." I have barely scraped the surface of superhero comics, and even then mostly from only a few specific angles. You are asking a very filthy casual this question - you are not going to get any mind blowing answers. I haven't really felt inspired to dig into his comics very much beyond some surface level "top ten Batman stories for beginners" list stuff.

For Batman books, I like The Long Halloween, Dark Victory, and the vampire elseworlds stuff a lot, which I'm pretty sure made the people who follow me that are actual Batman fans groan in dismay and disappointment. I've been told the first two are overrated and most people seem to dislike the vampire Batman stories. I love them, though, they're schlocky and fun. I like the Long Halloween/Dark Victory duology for having fun (if imperfect/slightly contrived) mysteries, emotional origins for Two-Face and Robin, and some really gorgeous art even if some of the design choices are a bit weird.

(If we include Batman spinoffs, I could cheat and say the Amanda Conner Harley Quinn run is my all-time favorite Batman comic, but I feel we all know that's not what your question was looking for.)

Beyond comics, I like Batman the Animated Series - though if I sat down and did a "top ten episodes" list it would almost certainly be ones that focused on the villains over Batman himself. I like the 60's Batman movie with Adam West - it's Batman focused and Batman himself is very enjoyable in it. I like the Lego Batman movie too, and Holy Musical B@tman.

Honestly, I guess what makes Batman work for me is either when he's more a supporting character/part of the ensemble in a story rather than the central focus, and/or when he's played primarily for humor. The sillier Batman is, the more I enjoy focusing on him, and the more serious he is, the more I prefer him to be, you know, just one of several characters we're focused on - either splitting the "main character" role with the villain of the week or, like, the Justice League.

[mermaidsirennikita]

Any Black Cat heroine recs? I don’t necessarily care if the hero is a “golden retriever” or whatever but I want to read a good heroine who’s just plain mean.

aaaabsolutely, I love mean heroines

Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole is always my go-to. It's paranormal, with the set-up of "the hero and heroine are fated mates, but she doesn't super care about that part and kidnaps him (on her brother's orders) and edges him in an attempt to get him to agree to marry and impregnate her for the evil because he is indeed a demon king". Sabine is literally evil lol. The hero is nOT evil, but he does have a secret dom side that comes out to play... and he doesn't fuck around on vengeance-related things, as she finds out. Super hot, and one of my favorite things is that, while Sabine does fall in love for real and does have a loved one prior to that (her sister) she doesn't stop being a bitch. She loves that all his associates hate her. She enjoys a good torture. She's also a *technical* virgin (like she hasn't had p in v sex but she does give an amazing BJ, much to his agony), and her virginity is magically connected to this altar, so that when she loses it the altar will break.... and that is so funny.

For My Lady's Heart by Laura Kinsale. A Medieval historical. Melanthe is a stone cold bitch and doesn't really care who knows it. She has her reasons (she's lived a very traumatic life) but she's hardcore, she's scheming, she's political, and again--her hero isn't a golden retriever type (he definitely has his moral issues) but damn if he isn't kinda awestruck and horrified by her icy brain lol. Melanthe is a survivor and she'll use whoever she must to stay alive and accomplish her goals.

Private Arrangements by Sherry Thomas. This one errs more on the "hardened by the situation" side, but the heroine definitely isn't afraid to be a bitch when she needs to be. She and her husband have been separated since the day after their wedding, now for ten years. She asks him for a divorce so she can marry her lover, and he agrees on the condition that she gives him an heir first.

Lush Money by Angelina M. Lopez. Contemporary. The heroine is a billionaire who wants a baby that's smart and ideally heir to a minor kingdom (why not?) so she offers a prince with a genius-level IQ a deal: she'll bail out his country financially if he marries her for a year and gets her pregnant. She does NOT fuck around.

You know... I'd actually also recommend Salt in the Wound and then Salt Kiss (the next book in the series) by Sierra Simone. Isolde doesn't start off as mean, exactly, so much as cold--but you definitely see why, in Salt in the Wound, she is a much harsher, colder, bitchier figure by the time she rolls around in Salt Kiss (she's not in the book until the last third, but there are two more books set in the series so we will for sure see A LOT more of her). She's downright dangerous, and definitely a black cat. It's MMF, so the first book (novella technically, but it's amazing and necessary) is centered on her relationship with fellow black cat Mark (her arranged fiance) and the second, for her at least, is more about her relationship with Tristan (PUPPY, Mark's bodyguard and lovah). I adore her.

Once More, My Darling Rogue by Lorraine Heath. This is less black cat and more spoiled brat, but she's definitely mean lol. The heroine is basically a bitch who hates the hero, a man who was born illegitimate and was adopted by a duke and duchess. Then she falls into a river and gets amnesia, after which he rescues her and decides that for some light revenge, he'll tell her she's his housekeeper. (It's an Overboard! retelling lol.) She definitely maintains her bite despite the amnesia lmao.

[theputterer]

Good Things In 2023

It’s that time of year again! Time to remember all the good things that happened in 2023. I’ve done this since 2017, and highly recommend doing this as a fun way to reflect (and to have something for future reference when you are feeling Down.)

woof ok here we go

PERSONAL

I visited two countries I haven't been to before: the Netherlands and Iceland!

The Netherlands: mostly Amsterdam but did also pop down to The Hague for a day. Did the Van Gogh Museum, the Anne Frank House, the Rijksmuseum, the Bloemenmarkt, a canal boat tour, the Royal Palace, the Mauritshuis.

Iceland: I was there for less than 48 hours but I saw THE NORTHERN LIGHTS!!!! they were subtler than I expected but so cool. also did the Perlan Museum and a Lava Show, which ruled.

Related: I turned 30 this year!

My dear friend Sam came to visit me in Dublin in June! The highlight of her visit was going with her to see Hozier at Malahide Castle.

Speaking of which, Hozier dropped UNREAL UNEARTH which isn't personal, per se, but is very personal to me

My sister visited me in November! We squeezed a lot in her time here, but highlights were Glendalough, the Hill of Tara, and the Galway Christmas Market.

A few aunts went on a trip to Ireland this fall and I joined them for a bit up in Donegal, as well as a day trip to Derry, which I'd not been to before.

Completely fucking forgot about this but I did write a 158k word long ROGUE ONE / FRINGE AU, ENDLESS FORMS MOST BEAUTIFUL. it was a real fuckin bitch to finish, let me tell you that

I got really into MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE over the summer (don't ask) and wrote a couple short pieces inspired by the most recent movie, DEAD RECKONING - PART ONE: LADY LAZARUS and WORTHY THE NAME OF SIR KNIGHT.

I jumped back on my bullshit in October and wrote a long, extended epilogue to my BINARY STAR SYSTEMS trilogy: TWO DESERTS. the way the series ended was always correct and good but it was fun to write this extended epilogue focusing on the fallout, the question of what it's like to live past the end of your myth.

Anything bolded below is something I particularly enjoyed and recommend. 

MOVIES

2023 movies I saw and liked:

M3GAN

KNOCK AT THE CABIN

65

BONO AND THE EDGE, A SORT OF HOMECOMING WITH DAVID LETTERMAN

DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES

RENFIELD

THREE MUSKETEERS: D'ARTAGNAN

JOHN MULANEY: BABY J

SISU

THE LITTLE MERMAID

SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER VERSE

ASTEROID CITY

INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING - PART ONE

BARBIE

OPPENHEIMER

PAST LIVES

ELEMENTAL

A HAUNTING IN VENICE

CHEVALIER

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

BOTTOMS

THE ROYAL HOTEL

DREAM SCENARIO

ANATOMY OF A FALL

THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES

EILEEN

NAPOLEON

GODZILLA MINUS ONE

FERRARI

2022 movies I saw and liked:

TAR

THE LOST CITY

WOMEN TALKING

TV

THE LAST OF US

PEAKY BLINDERS

BOOKS

super embarrassing how few books I read this year:

"Survival of the Richest: Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires" by Douglas Rushkoff

"Donegal Folk Tales" by Joe Brennan

"Listen to the Land Speak: A Journey into the Wisdom of What Lies Beneath Us" by Manchan Magan

"Hell Bent" by Leigh Bardugo

"The Book of M" by Peng Shepherd

"The World We Make" by NK Jemisin

"The Echo Wife" by Sarah Gailey

"Daisy Jones and the Six" by Taylor Jenkins Reid

"White Cat, Black Dog: Stories" by Kelly Link

"Yellowface" by RF Kuang

"Ithaca" by Claire North

"Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI" by David Grann

"A Heart That Works" by Rob Delaney

"Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

"The Crying Book" by Heather Christie

"In the Dream House" by Carmen Maria Machado

"Rogues: True Stories of Grifters, Killers, Rebels, and Crooks" by Patrick Radden Keefe

"Fleabag" by Phoebe Waller-Bridge

"The Hurricane Wars" by Thea Guanzon

OTHER GOOD THINGS

*some of these things are Good as in well-written or well-made, but maybe not Good in topic.

"Eurydice" by Adrienne Su

"What Happens to a School Shooter's Sister?" by Jennifer Gonnerman for The New Yorker. A high school student murders his parents and several students at his school, and his sister is left to pick up the pieces. really powerful story on unconditional love.

"A Friend Died, Her Novel Unfinished. Could I Realize Her Vision?" by Leslie Jamison for The New Yorker. the grief of losing not only a dear friend but her art as well.

"Fuck you, I don't know?"

Werner Herzog pronounces Eeyore.

George Washington's Dream for America, an SNL sketch.

Judi Dench performs Shakespeare.

"Walking Brittany Home" by Devin Faraci for Washington Post. a really beautiful piece on death and love.

This thread on the struggle of trying to be fashionable in Ireland.

"The Return of the Marriage Plot: Why everyone is so eager for men and women to get hitched" by Rebecca Traister for The Cut.

"We Were Never Supposed to See Our Own Faces This Much" by Lola Christina Alao for Dazed Digital. on social media and personal reflection.

sunwoof

this story about Jimmy Buffett I loved

"She Wasn't Able to Get an Abortion. Now She's A Mom. Soon She'll Start Seventh Grade" by Charlotte Alter for Time. the cruelty is the point.

had a pilot named Ken yesterday and he introduced himself by saying his job is plane

"Cillian Murphy might be the star of a massive movie atm but to me he will always be the guy that showed up in the rain to our abortion rights marches"

"The 'Troubling Reverberations' at the End of OPPENHEIMER, Explained" by Bilge Ebiri for Vulture. it's an absolutely devastating ending, but the fact remains: there was no other way to end it.

this obituary for the great Sinéad O'Connor.

Kiké Hernandez returned to the Dodgers!

this behind the scenes video from the filming of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING - PART ONE where Tom Cruise's co-stars watch him drive a motorcycle off a cliff.

"How Christopher Nolan Learned to Stop Worrying and Love AI" by Maria Streshinsky for Wired. good interview with Nolan, one of my favorite filmmakers / artists. (anyone who's ever read anything I've written is probably like yes, this is very obvious.)

"The Perils and Promises of Penis-Enlargement Surgery" by Ava Kofman for The New Yorker. an absolutely BONKERS but super important piece!

a new ending to RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, lmao

"The Return of Ryan Gosling" by Zach Baron for GQ. really great profile writing going on here!

"LOST Illusions: The Untold Story of the Hit Show's Poisonous Culture" by Maureen Ryan for Vanity Fair. LOST is one of my favorite shows and has been super influential on my work. (again, this is probably very obvious). this piece is devastating in how it reveals the terrible racism and sexism behind the scenes of a show I have loved. important.

Henry Kissinger died this year (GOOD THINGS BABYYY) and this piece by Nick Turse, which came out in May, is a good explainer on why that's such good news: "Kissinger's Killing Fields".

"Talking With 'Swiftie Dads' at a Taylor Swift Concert" by Eileen Cartter for GQ. I thought this was very sweet.

The New York Times had an interactive feature about Connie Chung and her impact on young Chinese-American women, particularly the ones named after her. I love this video of her meeting some of them.

"Will A.I. Become the New McKinsey?" by Ted Chiang for The New Yorker. Chiang is best known as the writer of STORY OF YOUR LIFE which was adapted into ARRIVAL, so it's wise to listen to him when it comes to tech and science.

Loved this speech Mark Hamill gave about Carrie Fisher at her Hollywood Walk of Fame induction ceremony.

Accents white people can still do.

this absolutely incredible slapstick esque unintentional comedy scene.

As always, tagging anyone who’d like to do this!

@magalis @callioope @earnestfeeling @illuminahsti @fortysevenswrites @vaderkat @leaiorganas @garethsedwards @rifle-yes @buffyrat @alittlemomentum @i-am-slain @rogue-rook

[greenconverses]

Recently read: This batch of romances was pretty mid, but at least the covers look pretty grouped together, right?

The Devil's Own Duke by Lenora Bell was fun and I liked that the heroine was into vineyards and making wine, but I could've used a little bit more romantic development to really sell it. (★★★)

The Fraud Squad by Kyla Zhao wants us to feel bad for billionaires because people gossip about them :( and I absolutely will not. I did like Zhao's writing style and found the book to be very readable, but the plot, characterizations, and romance were all paper thin and exasperating toward the end. It clearly wanted to capture the magic of Crazy Rich Asians but lacked of the dry humor or critique of the insanely rich to really pull it off. (★★)

I was super disappointed with Jana Goes Wild by Farah Heron. I adored Kamila Knows Best and was excited to dig into Jana and Anil's second chance romance as co-parents but... the story really didn't focus on it??? Their daughter took up a LOT of page time and I really resented having to hear about her bedtime routine while on vacation for the umpteenth time by the middle of the book. While I liked the setting, traveling through Tanzania with a whole cast of characters also got repetitive as hell The third act saved the rating from being a solid two stars, but not by much. (★★.75)

A Rogue's Rules to Seduction was a satisfying ending to Eva Leigh's Last Chance Scoundrels series! Also, HAWT. Keep bringing the heat and kink to historicals, Eva. (★★★★)

[lurafita]

Tell me about your Malec crossovers

Any crossover thoughts? Like, is there a series/movie you would like to crossover with Shadowhunters, and especially Magnus and Alec? Would you be thinking of a true merging of the two different universes, 'Fish out of water' style? (example, Pokemon: Rogue portal transports Malec into the world of Pokemon, and what the hell is this?) XD

Or would you just use a set of characters from the one medium in the other medium, like they have always been part of it? (example, Witcher: Geralt is a shadowhunter and Jaskier is a Seelie and at some point Geralt comes to NY and trains Alec and the others and Jaskier and Magnus have been friends for years.)

Or completely replace one set of characters with the other. (example, Marvel: Super Soldier Alec Lightwood and tech genius billionaire Magnus fight as part of a team of the world's mightiest heroes)

Feel free to answer or not. <3

[myhahnestopinion]

THE AARONS 2023 - Best TV Show

While I do highly recommend all the shows listed here, I don’t expect you to watch that much TV if you don’t want to. We’re The Aarons, not The Marvels. Here are The Aarons for Best TV Show:

#10. My Adventures with Superman (Season 1) - Adult Swim

As James Gunn steels himself for Superman’s big-screen revival, he would be remiss not to take notes from the character’s recent small-screen success. Alongside the still-strong Superman & Lois, the new Adult Swim show confirms the key to the character’s appeal is his good-natured boyish charm. Adventures bolsters this tenderness with pretty animation and a storytelling focus on the young hero’s budding relationships with Lois Lane & Jimmy Olsen. The series stands out with a fresh-spin on its famous rogues gallery, including tantalizing teases of an imminent alien invasion, but it’s this spot-on romantic characterization that will sweep viewers off their feet and up, up, and away. 

#9. Star Trek: Picard (Season 3) - Paramount+

The final installment of the Star Trek spin-off boldly goes where it has never gone before: onto a ‘Best of TV’ list. It only took a complete creative overhaul and the return of the entire Next Generation crew to make it so. Functioning as a mulligan for both that cast’s previous send-off and the first two seasons, Picard’s third outing put the long-standing chemistry of its venerable characters front and center. In between all the nostalgic spaceships and evolving relationships, the show wove a madcap mystery out of surprising pieces from the franchise’s extensive lore. As unbelievable as it sounds, that adaptable energy made Picard one of the bright spots of TV last year (and there are four lights.) 

#8. I’m a Virgo (Season 1) - Amazon Prime

Sorry to Bother You filmmaker Boots Riley made another welcome addition to his idiosyncratic output with I’m a Virgo. If the director’s involvement wasn’t enough of a signal to watch, the premise is even more intriguing: the coming-of-age of a 13-foot-tall Black teenager named Cootie in an absurdist version of Oakland policed by a fanatic billionaire superhero. An awe-inspiring mix of puppetry, prop design, and perspective is used to bring this giant protagonist to life. It’s a tall tale, but not one without real-world relevance. Riley uses the towering position afforded him to champion racial and economic equality; the strangest thing about the surreal show ends up being that Amazon of all places signed off on it.

#7. Barry (Season 4) - HBO

Last year’s Aarons noted that Barry was gunning for a place in television’s greatest works. With a fantastic final season, it hit its target. The culminating episodes consolidated directorial duties in the multiskilled Bill Hader while bifurcating their storyline with a dramatic eight-year time-skip. In the first half, Barry stages a dazzling prison break; the second half makes it clear that the repercussions of one’s actions are far harder to escape from. This complexity further complicated a dark comedy that has always been difficult to define. Though the series got a lot bleaker as it went on, its status as a showbiz satire returned with a vengeance during the final curtain call. Without shying away from the fallout of its violence, Barry still manages to get the last laugh.

#6. The Last of Us (Season 1) - HBO

The Last of Us has been one of the greatest experiences in video games for a decade now; with the first-rate television adaptation, non-gamers now have no excuse to be left behind. The post-apocalyptic road-trip, shepherded by Chernobyl’s Craig Mazin and game creator Neil Druckmann, upgrades the original’s already-impressive production design with the ample resources afforded by HBO. Players will recognize, yet still recoil from, the show’s unsettling set-pieces, but it’s the small deviations from the source material where everything truly clicks into place. Taking advantage of the medium to enrich its world-building and side characters ensured the story held lasting intrigue for new and old fans alike.

#5. Reservation Dogs (Season 3) - FX

The news that Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi’s comedy would end with its third season was met with a lot of reservation since the series remained as brilliant as always. However, the decision secured the show’s ability to go out as one of the top dogs of TV. The final season, like the heartful series as a whole, advocated for embracing one’s community. It embodied this theme by entwining the advancing arcs of its young cast with that of its eccentric elder characters. These mirrored storylines fostered an unforgettable forum for processing grief, celebrating joy, and passing along wisdom between generations. As made explicit by the series finale, Reservation Dogs’ ending should not be viewed as a time of mourning but of happiness for all the life it had.

#4. Mrs. Davis (Miniseries) - Peacock

One of Peacock’s best shots at becoming a competitive streaming service lies in the defiance of an algorithm. Hailing from Watchmen’s Damon Lindelof, the bizarre Mrs. Davis sends devout nun Sister Simone on a quest for the Holy Grail as a last ditch effort to rid the world of an omnipresent artificial intelligence. The miniseries is recommended if you like ambitious sci-fi, spiritual journeys, unpredictable plot-twists, magic tricks, Super Bowl commercials, or chicken wings. The sheer absurdity of its various plot threads may seem at times like a lot of horsing around, but those who hold faith in the show’s ability to bring all those listed things together for a thoughtful conclusion will be richly rewarded. 

#3. Succession (Season 4) - HBO

The popular drama effortlessly rose through the ranks of the Aarons following a full series binge-watch this past year. Considering the nature of the premise, the final season, in which each character suddenly scrambles to enact their ultimate bid for power, was primed from the start to take over as its best. Unlike previous HBO hit Game of Thrones, it succeeded. As always, this was in no small part due to the sharp-tongued transactions between its talented ensemble. The richness of the writing lays bear the tragedy of its characters as they negotiate large acquisitions and influence Presidential elections without ever seeing the strings that are pulling on them. Luckily it’s all overseen with acerbic wit by creator Jesse Armstrong; a show with people this pathetic had no business also being this funny.

#2. The Great (Season 3) - Hulu 

Although it’s not his Favourite, The Great is the crowning achievement of writer Tony McNamara’s career. The third season of the risqué royal dramedy was as inaccurate as ever with the history of Catherine II & Peter III of Russia and no less on point with its scintillating dialogue. Some peculiar highs and precipitate lows in the duo’s tumultuous relationship gave stars Elle Fanning and Nicholas Holt equal opportunities to command viewers’ attention with their disarming performances. The progression of their marriage gave rise to some oddly emotional moments for the largely irreverent series. Those events are yet another example of the series playing fast and loose with the actual facts, but what is irrefutable is that The Great absolutely ruled.

AND THE BEST TV SHOW OF 2023 IS....

#1. Poker Face (Season 1) - Peacock

No lie: Poker Face was the best television of last year. One should have suspected as much from the start given the involvement of Rian Johnson; the mysteries here are every bit as sharp as Knives Out. Face has unique features for both a streaming series and detective show: its case-of-the-week episodes follow a howcatchem format instead of the more common whodunit. This formula folds each installment into an outstanding showcase for first-class actors, writers, and directors, including Russian Doll’s Natasha Lyonne fulfilling all three roles. Her charismatic character Charlie Cale anchors each story in perceptive humanity; that more than enough motive to be all-in on Poker.

NEXT UP: THE 2023 AARONS FOR BEST TV EPISODE!

[sognareleggiesogna]

RECENSIONE:" Un amore proibito" di Tracy Delaney

Cari Sognatori, Lily ha letto il primo volume della serie contemporary romance “Rogues “ scritta da Tracie Delaney e pubblicata dalla Triskell Edizioni !!! Serie: ” Rogues billionaires” vol. 1 Genere: Romanzo Contemporaneo/ Enemy to lovers Data di pubblicazione: 23 Novembre 2023 Ebook / Cartaceo Affiliati Amazon Avete mai amato qualcuno così tanto da rinunciarvi a scapito della vostra…

[nighterwriter]

My batfam head canons: GO!

Cass speaks in ASL.

They all take after Bruce in that they all WILL look after a child if there are no parents in sight.

Bruce is a socialist. While he believes a bit in the invisible hand of the free market, he also knows that he's a billionaire because of a corrupt system. Which leads into

Bruce acts basically as the government in Gotham. His company and riches have single handedly been the reason Gotham has a population. It's a socialist city with great quality of life besides the crime.

Cassandra Cain is the person Bruce would choose to take over from him. BUT

Jason honestly wants to be the next Batman. Not because he grew up wanting to, but because deep down he believes none of his siblings would do the mantle justice. Tho he also agrees Cass would be a good fit.

Batman specially designed a part of the Batcave where he can stand where, if he shouts hard enough, Superman can hear him from all over the world.

SuperBat is a brotherly dynamic. They LOVE eachother, but in a brothers way.

Not headcanon but how I always treat Barbara Gordon is that, yes the Killing Joke happened, but she's still a superhero. But now with BatCrutchesTM which are crutches with all sorts of cool utility. I do this because A) Alan Moore didn't want Killing Joke to be canon. Nor did he particularly like the story iirc. B) because no other superhero has let a crippling injury stop them before. And C) because my favorite superhero from Marvel had a backstory that was basically what happened to Babs in The Killing Joke and Marvel refuses to do her justice and BC she's black and I'm white I don't feel comfortable writing fanfic about her. Also BC I think the idea of a superhero with crutches is badass.

Tom legitimately does not exist in my head. Call that low object permanence. Dick's the bi one.

All the batfam obviously know ASL.

StephXCass, JasonXBabs, HarleyXIvy

Another Fanfic one, but I always include Carrie Kelly from The Dark Knight returns, and Annie (the daughter of clayface who joined Batman) from the Batman Animated series.

Commissioner Gordon gets dragged over to Wayne manor every holiday.

Harley and Ivy randomly are just the Weird Aunts of the batfam.

Bruce is a fully trained butler, and all the family do chores when they aren't trying not to die.

So many interesting headcanons! Please don't take this as trashing your headcanons, I'm just starting a discussion.

I agree with what you said about Bruce Wayne, but I think he tries to make his influence in Gotham less obvious to prevent pushback. With the idea of Gotham having a great quality of life, I think, to keep having Batman continue to operate in Gotham, there has to be a mediocre quality of life, especially for the non-rich people, but I'm 100% sure Bruce is working towards bettering it.

Ooh Jason as Batman, what an interesting thought. I think unconsciously he'd want it but he'd have conflicting thoughts. As you said, he doesn't believe that his siblings could do the job correctly, but he also knows that his methods don't align with Batman's methods. I also think self-doubt and self-worth plague him, so if he ever did want to be Batman, he'd have to work with those. However, I believe in Cass Batman supremacy.

Agree with Babs 100%

I'm okay with Tim being bi, I think writers should stop being cowards and just let the batfam love who they love.

I see a lot of the people in the batfam as siblings, despite the lack of a common name, especially Babs and Jason (who I think have a brother-and-sister relationship.)

I think Harley and Ivy aren't the aunts, because they still wreak havoc in Gotham, but the batfamily has slightly higher trust in them compared to the other Gotham rogues.

Thank you for the headcanons! :)

[vanvelding]

"If there is no money on earth in the 25th century, how does the class system work?"

It's not that there's no money; it's that very few humans don't accumulate things pointlessly. Folks are more interested in making sure their neighbor had a 'first helping' before they get a 'second helping' for themselves.

Writers often have the same questions as you, like being unable to understand how we'd compete for resources--bigger houses--whenever humans aren't competing for resources at all anymore.

We currently--in the 21st Century--have enough resources for all of our people and we can all live sustainably. We don't because of decisions we've made, because warlords, and politicians, and wealthy fucks believe they deserve more and others deserve less. Because average folks in some part of the world want more things that they won't use at low prices.

Why does Picard run Chateau Picard? Because he runs it well and makes wine people like. Why does Joseph Sisko run a restaurant in the French Quarter of New Orleans? Because he makes good meals and an ambiance that people enjoy.

Maybe. The exact mechanics aren't known. And they're likely flawed. But they don't have tent cities of dispossessed living under bridges, and--until Raffi Muskier--they didn't have drug abusers and the mentally ill living on the fringes of society. The venerated people of Star Trek's Federation are scientists and Starfleet officers, not billionaires and celebrities.

Not to turn this into an essay (it is), but there's not even a reason for Starfleet. Probes could collect most of the data on stellar phenomenon and charting. Modest transport ships could perform their diplomatic functions. Lean military vessels which didn't exist until the Defiant could patrol The Federation's borders against...boy, just Klingons now I guess.

Starfleet captains violating policy and going rogue is a feature, actually. Not a bug. The alternative is a Starfleet admiral on a starbase with a big button that says "Starfleet" and a just massive hard-on. People do things because they want to.

Who makes wine when you can replicate it? Who needs to report the news whenever a computer can summarize data? The labor market of the future is voluntary and based on passion and quality. You can call it a meritocracy, but meritocracy is a flawed word since it implies those who assign merit are, themselves possessed of the merit of being able to assign merit.

And hey, The Federation is another flawed system which works because people in the future learn to do good. Any system from libertarianism to communism works if the people who live it are good. And every system fails if the people within it are ready to burn it to the ground for a sliver of power over one another.

The culture of Humanity in Starfleet is good. Not as a series of rote actions where "Were Starfleet; we're good guys," but because they understand evil and selfishness, but have decided to reject it as a general rule. This is why Sisko can get his hands dirty. This is why Deanna has to order Geordi into a deadly jeffries tube to save the ship. This is why Shaw wanted Seven of Nine to blow the turbolift and kill him in Picard. It's why Sisko thought his own father was a Changeling. And why he realized he wasn't.

"How do people fight over resources in the future?" My brother in christ, why would they?

[kinkymagnus]

Any crossover thoughts? Like, is there a series/movie you would like to crossover with Shadowhunters, and especially Magnus and Alec? Would you be thinking of a true merging of the two different universes, 'Fish out of water' style? (example, Pokemon: Rogue portal transports Malec into the world of Pokemon, and what the hell is this?) XD Or would you just use a set of characters from the one medium in the other medium, like they have always been part of it? (example, Witcher: Geralt is a shadowhunter and Jaskier is a Seelie and at some point Geralt comes to NY and trains Alec and the others and Jaskier and Magnus have been friends for years.) Or completely replace one set of characters with the other. (example, Marvel: Super Soldier Alec Lightwood and tech genius billionaire Magnus fight as part of a team of the world's mightiest heroes) Like, what's your poison?

i like both crossovers and fusions, but i admit i will just brew one for literally anything i watch. i'll be like hm. what if magnus was here.

i think some good fusions would be like. an au for warehouse 13 or the librarians?

the latter would have a lovely dynamic of magnus being a librarian (smart and getting into trouble, wanting to study magic, etc) and alec being a guardian (protecting him, pulling him out of dangerous situations, but having his own intelligence to bring to the table too) as well as maybe some messy backstory with immortality....

but the former... also like. magnus having a connection with the warehouse.... no thoughts all vibes tbh.

hmmm im trying to think of any others i have in my brain but just. nothing is coming to mind.

[piermanwalter]

Top 5 comics

5. Dope Rider

As well as the legitimate danger of syndicating its subject matter at the time it was made, I appreciate the design ethos of every panel being a possible cool tattoo. Blaze on, Dope Rider. You died to create a world you weren't meant to enjoy, but you enjoyed it regardless.

4. Asterix

Deciphering hyperspecific internecine European satire gives the series a sense of archaeology that meshes with its ancient setting. I rank it higher than Tintin for its greater density of stupid puns, food description, and grotesque violence.

3. Batman: Court of Owls

It's easy to fall back on Batman's amazing and extensive rogue gallery. Court of Owls introduces a new set of villains I can imagine still being iconic in the future. I also appreciate it having a counterargument to the eternal, "Why doesn't Bruce Wayne improve the city as a billionaire instead of beating up poor people in a bat costume?"

2. Blame!

I am usually resigned to physical surroundings and objects being placeholders and afterthoughts compared to character interactions in fiction, but the artist's background in architecture gives buildings more power and presence than the actual characters. Blame!'s straightforward unchanging premise would be completely ineffective without it.

Deteriorating black and white pulp The Journey to the West books from like the 1970s I had as a kid whose artists' names I forgot

The slubby fraying fabric binding feels as though the book itself is as old as the story it contains. Text down the sides, stray black lines escaping the square frame on each page when the printing block misaligns. The specific book, although it had those perfect ink lines I still unconsciously emulate, is less important than the unfathomably famous story, whose derivations are themselves some of the most famous stories in the world. It's about Heaven being strangled by even more bureaucracy, nepotism, and corruption than Earth, breaking into a pharmacy and eating all the drugs to illegally become Turbo Immortal, and forgiving people who are willing to improve even if they are total losers, including yourself.