#snippet chews on electrical wires

[hadthatdreamagain]

be cringe be free okokokokokokok!!!!

[maxwell-grant]

AIUI, Burbank is even more a question mark than The Shadow is; we don't know if that's a personal name, surname, or nickname, we no nothing of his past, his personal life, or even (again, AIUI) his personality. Is that something that should be kept in adaptations, or ought he be developed more?

Both.

The thing about developing a mystery is that you still need to have something in place to purposefully obscure or slowly reveal. You still need to give your audience tidbits and information here and there that makes them want to learn more and find out what the answer is, even if they know it's never really happening, even if the answer couldn't possibly live up to the hype.

Twin Peaks was able to delay the mystery of Laura Palmer's murder for an entire season and more partially because Laura Palmer had such an rich, troubled inner life and turmoil, that we could gradually receive snippets of information regarding it every episode and still not know the whole story, so much so that, even after we learned who did it, there were still many, many stories to be told within Laura Palmer's life and the city. This holds true for The Shadow, and it holds true for Burbank.

Gibson successfully created intrigue regarding Burbank because, not only was Burbank a crucially important figure in The Shadow's organization and therefore someone we'd want to know more about, but because everytime Burbank showed up to play a substantial role, you could gleam something new about him. Burbank is a great example of staging in The Shadow pulps because his scenes are often written as if we were watching a movie where the head of our main character keeps being blocked from view, until it's revealed, and it doesn't really help us understand him much better than before, even though we've come to learn more about what he acts and looks like.

In fact, The Shadow even seems to be aware of this, such as in the scene below when the narration goes to great lenghts to obscure Burbank's face, even in a scene when there is literally no one around but Burbank and The Shadow. Why go through this much trouble to obscure Burbank from no one but the reader? Why not just refrain from describing what he looks like instead of making sure we can't even imagine what he looks like in our heads in the scene? What's the mystery over what's ostensibly just an average quiet-faced man? And so Burbank doesn't become just a mystery, but a tantalizing one.

The fellow's back was toward the light; since the elevator was dark, it was impossible to distinguish his features. When he helped The Shadow carry the boxes to an open apartment, the bulky objects came in front of the man's face. Since the apartment was dark, too, the features of this silent companion remained as concealed as The Shadow's own.

The fact pleased The Shadow. The less people who saw Burbank, the better - Voice of Death

For example, we do know where Burbank's name comes from, and potentially his first name. In both “The Shadow Laughs” and “The Case Of Congressman Coyd,” Burbank is referred to as “Mr. Burbank,” which indicates it's a last name. In The Death Giver, Burbank hands Harry a business card

At three fifteen, the stenographer entered and tendered Harry a card. It bore the name:

L. BURBANK MOTION PICTURE OPERATOR

A later story specifically namedrops famous horticulturist Luther Burbank, and according to Will Murray, Walter Gibson did confirm to him personally that Burbank was named after Luther Burbank.

We know Burbank's main feature is that he's "quiet-faced" with a "soft, even-toned voice", and that characters can recognize Burbank by his voice even when his face is obscured, but his look isn't consistent. His sole appearence in a cover comes from The Lone Tiger, where he seems to be past his fifties and being semi-bald, but it's not how he looks in Edd Cartier's illustration where he's got a hairdo. Both seem to be somewhat based on Dr David Burbank, the New Hampshire dentist who founded the city. He's been said to be at least 40 once, and this in itself is at odds with some descriptions that place Burbank as younger than The Shadow and describe him as "a young man with a solemn look", which is more in line with how he tends to be depicted in comics, particularly the blonde man with the eyepiece designed by Michael Kaluta.

We know he was officially introduced after Harry Vincent and Claude Fellows, but that apparently he's known The Shadow for quite a while, as he (as Cranston) refers to Burbank as "an old friend" in his introduction (is he an old friend of Cranston as well?). Robert Sampson speculated that the two met in 1924 at a radio station, where as Rick Lai speculates that Burbank may have been recruited in an unrecorded adventure in Rio de Janeiro, mentioned in Gypsy Vengeance, that took place between the first and second novels.

We know that Burbank is at a rather unique position among the agents because he is maybe the most important figure in The Shadow's network, the main keeper of The Shadow's secrets, the one entrusted to run the organization on The Shadow's absence, the only one who can directly reach The Shadow in the Sanctum, and if anyone knows anything about whatever secrets there are in The Shadow's past, it's definitely him, but he's also the one we know the least about as a person, and contrary to the other agents, Burbank is often described in mechanized terms, which gives him a rather inhuman aura somewhat different than that of The Shadow's.

In a sense, Burbank was the mainspring of the machinery that The Shadow used in his warfare against crime.

As contact man, he kept in touch with all the active agents; there were times when he actually ran things, during The Shadow's absence. Tonight was one of those rare occasions when Burbank was needed on active duty.

Nevertheless, the human cogwheel had connected up a switchboard and had a short−wave radio set handy, so that he could continue his contact duties from this empty apartment - Voice of Death

When emergency demanded, Burbank served as he now was serving. Instead of making calls to the deserted sanctum, he was issuing orders in The Shadow's stead. - The Key

Everytime Burbank gets any sort of spotlight, we learn a little more about him, who he is, what he can't and can do. His methods, what he does to spend the time, some of the things he does for The Shadow outside of communications like planting recording devices in criminal hide-outs and devising or managing electrical devices and The Shadow's advanced technology (even if he doesn't fully understand it).

"Burbank began his own attempt to scale the wall. Ordinarily, his clutches would have been inadequate, and his toe holds were uncertain. But the wire was drawing upward under The Shadow's haul. It gave the needed support whenever Burbank floundered. The Shadow could actually sense his agent's progress by the varying strain upon the wire. At last, Burbank flopped over the roof edge like a landed fish" - Masters of Death

There were remarkable devices here. Burbank understood some of them, but the millionaire alone was familiar with all the equipment - Eyes of The Shadow

“To Burbank, long, lone vigils were nothing. He was not a man of action; he was one of endurance. Prompt, precise and always dependable, Burbank had served The Shadow well.“ - The Key

During his long hours of duty, he resorted to one methodical habit as he bided away the time. He always had a supply of chewing gum.” - The Killer

Burbank leaned back in his chair. His position was one of patient relaxation. While he awaited new telephone calls, his attitude was one of complete passivity. There was nothing excitable in the make-up of this man who sat with his back toward the light. Yet Burbank was a man of amazing endurance. In place of action, he exercised untiring vigilance. It was this quality that made him a most important factor in the affairs of that amazing personage known as The Shadow - The Killer

Burbank is, at once, the barrier between the agents (and by extension, us) and The Shadow, as well as the bridge that allows the agents (and us) to find and reach The Shadow.

And I do like it that Burbank's specifically said to not be cut for action, that he's not really a fighter or a marksman or even a super tech genius, on paper he's really just a guy who sits in a chair all day fiddling with radio equipment. But he is still cool and impressive by the standards of what matters most in The Shadow's world. He's patient and resourceful and vigilant and clever and trustworthy, and he's someone that The Shadow trusts more so than anyone else.

There was no sound of the door closing; no sound, indeed, to indicate that any person had moved in that direction. Yet Burbank knew, from experience, that his master, The Shadow, had departed, after giving him the sign that his vigil was ended.

Such word usually came from The Shadow’s sanctum. Tonight, being in the vicinity of Burbank’s present station, The Shadow had preferred to give his faithful agent fifteen or twenty minutes of extra respite by visiting him in person

Such was the way of The Shadow. Though none of his trusted operatives had ever seen his undisguised face; though his ways and actions were secret and mysterious to them; they received constant signs of The Shadow’s appreciation of their reliable cooperation - Death Triangle

In Suite 808, a figure was seated in front of the writing table. It was The Shadow, in his guise as Arnaud; Burbank was off duty, asleep in the other room.

The telephone buzzed; The Shadow answered it. He spoke in a quiet, methodical tone, a perfect imitation of Burbank's voice. Harry Vincent reported - The Case of Congressman Coyd

On one hand, I don't think the "mystery" of Burbank is ever going to be ruined, or should be ruined. But on the other hand, I definitely think there's a lot of room to explore more regarding what exactly is he as a person, as an agent, what kind of roles he plays, what is his connection to The Shadow or what relationship he has with other agents or other people he's meant to be in more direct contact with. I think it's a matter of balance.

There's a lot of room to work with particularly regarding how you could adapt Burbank into adaptations set in different time periods (not necessarily modern day), because with how communication technology had advanced beyond imagination, there's a lot of ways you could adapt or recontextualize Burbank, The Shadow's social network.

[wu-sisyphus-gang]

Motion Sickness Chapter 18 Snippet

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“Ren’s been quiet.” Nora rode up beside me. We were following Ruby whose senses assured us that this was the direction her uncle was in. We’d passed a burning wreckage of forrest, the place where we were told his weapon had been found.

It had been a place filled with damaged foliage and burnt down and toppled trees. Some stretches of ground still smoked from dust cartridges used and discarded. However Ruby had made sure to stop me from organizing a search in the area and ordered us into the mountains. She was certain her uncle was there, even injured.

Ruby followed her heart upwards and I could only follow.

With anyone else, I’d say Ren was always quiet. This was Nora we were talking about, though. Nora. She was basically Ren’s and her own mouth piece. She knew, probably better than Ren himself did and certainly better than I did.

“You talked to him didn’t you,” she accused. She said it like I had killed someone. Which I had of course. Just not over this.

“We had a chat.” I hedged. People assumed that because of her talkativeness that she was also airheaded. But whatever air had been in her head had left through her mouth long ago and now it left behind whatever people had in their heads besides air. Brains, I think they called them.

“Really?!” She faked shock. “Well maybe I deserve to know what it was about. It is afterall, affecting our ability to talk to each other.”

“It was about you.” She was going to fake shock again. “Don’t play dumb. I just gave some advice about how I got with Ruby. I told him she really made the first move.”

“Do you think I haven’t made moves? I’m making moves over here.”

“He said he was scared.” Ren rode a ways behind us. He trusted his horse and had his eyes nearly closed in concentration. He was constantly feeling outwards for Grimm and danger.

Between him in that state and Ruby leading that left me Nora with space to chat.

“Scared of what. What does he have to be scared of? Isn’t it obvious how much I care about him?” She asked the world and not me.

“He’s afraid of you.” I tried to explain.

“He’s afraid of me? Why?”

“How should I know?”

“Well now you’re really being unhelpful. I think you’re doing it on purpose. He had no reason to be afraid of me. I love him.”

“He’s confused.”

She chewed her cheek hard. “Does he think I’ll just abandon him or something? We’re all we have.” She looked at me. “No offense.”

“None taken.” Genuinely. I was a piece of shit.

"I meant all we have to each other. No. I meant-"

"Seriously none taken." Really.

“So what does he really have to be afraid of? I’m willing and I know from listening to him in his sleep that he is.”

I had no idea what she was talking about. Ren may as well have been a ghost in his sleep back at Beacon.

“He’s scared of ruining what you already have.”

"That's ridiculous. Of course we'll ruin what we have right now. That's the point." She rode for a moment in thought. "Besides, we'll never have what we have right now again anyways. That's how time works, I think."

Thanks for the panic, Nora.

"I tried to tell him something similar." I defended.

"Ugh. You told him the opposite. Didn't you. You probably said something about having your cake and eating it too."

"I really don't think I did. There are some anxieties that mediocre dudes have that beautiful girls don't, is all."

"I knew it. You told him something sweet instead of seize the day and now he isn't seizing, Jaune. I want to be seized."

I wanted to protest the scary things she had told me but no. She was trucking along and I just had to keep up. "Have you tried just kissing him?"

She sighed. "No. But I've tried everything short of that. Should I?"

"He wants to kiss you. You want to kiss him. Just use some late night in your room. What are you waiting for? Tell him to come to you and you know he will. He's just scared.

"It's not that easy?" She tried. She sighed. "I'm scared, too. You know. He's not the only scared one. Besides, will you be okay with it? I mean, sure, we're not back at Beacon so it's less drama. But you'll be the odd one out in JNR. Are you okay with that? Anyways it feels like such a big leap."

"Seize your guy Nora. He wants to be seized by you."

"You're bullshit Jaune. You cheat." It was said with affection, though. She sighed again, even harder than before, leaning against her horse's neck a little. "Maybe I'm a little scared too. Maybe-"

"This is it!" Ruby called out behind her to us. Her heart and connection with her uncle had led us here. I gave Nora a parting look before I rode up beside Ruby and dismounted with her.

She pushed aside some leaves and foliage. She gasped and recoiled and I heard a low voice murmur her name from it. I peeked inside the hiding place. Half a person laid in there. They were tall and I do mean ‘were’ because if we sat him up now he'd barely come up to my torso. Though his torso was decently long, I suppose.

He had red eyes and dark, greying hair, and no legs. He had no legs at the mid thigh and he moaned a name I didn't catch but it made Ruby focus, so I assumed it was hers.

"Jaune, get the stretcher ready," she ordered me. I nodded along and walked back to where Ren had stopped his horse next to Nora's. I pulled the sticks free and put the mobile stretcher together to drag behind a horse.

"Give me a hand lifting him." I ordered Nora. She nodded and dismounted. "Ren, make sure I put it together right." He checked the stretcher and how it was attached to his horse. The last thing I wanted to give the already injured man was a concussion by dropping him.

In my head I couldn't stop thinking about how the man in the foliage had cauterized his own legs at the mid thigh. The asymmetry of it had me shook.

I grabbed beneath one arm and the man let loose a groan as Nora took the other. How the hell had he escaped while so badly injured from whatever had been strong enough to hurt him like this? Let alone make it this far from the sight of his battle?

It wasn't like he had won and then dragged himself all the way up here. Most Grimm left no sign of their defeat but the Nuckelavee was riddled with weapons which wouldn't disintegrate with it. There would have been a sign that it was slain.

He grabbed me as I set him on the stretcher. "It's not dead. I hurt it, though. It's all I did was hurt it. It's old as fuck and it’s not dead." He rambled at me deliriously. "How are you going to kill it, Tai?" Ruby shushed him softly.

Well I was going to use bombs but evidently that wouldn't work which means I'd need to use guns and swords. Probably with bombs. I strapped Qrow into the stretcher at the waist and beneath the arms. I pulled the leg restraints tight over nothing. Better that than have them flapping and dragging.

They hung in the air over the lopsided stumps. I recoiled when I finished and Ruby was there beside me looking down at her uncle with affectionate eyes. She brushed his dirty hair and whispered something to him which was none of my business to listen to.

"Jaune," she murmured. "Do you think it has a cave up here too? Near here? Where it would go if it was hurt?"

"I do." And I did. "I want to get some bombs ready." I moved over to my horse where I had some large dust crystals strapped and began to wire them together with copper and tape. Electric and fire. "I want to throw some of these at it when we meet. Then move in for the kill."

"Sounds like a plan." Did it? Was that enough? Did I really sound so collected? My voice shook to my own ears. "Ren!" She called out. "Lead us towards danger."

He closed his eyes and gave a firm nod. He and Nora were holding hands close by, both of hers in one of his. He remounted and I did too, trailing close to Ruby this time. "Tai's your father, right?"

She nodded as she remounted and I pivoted my horse beside hers as I tossed a bomb to Ren which he caught dexterously. I was saving most of the electric crystals for Nora. A big plan B.

"Taiyang Xiao Long. Yang's bio-mom named her after him when she was born. Then she left us."

"But you were both raised by your Mom? Something Rose?" Families were complicated.

"Can we talk about this later?"

"Right. Right. Of course."

Would there be a later? Old huntsmen were like Grimm. A lot grew with the experience that comes with age. How to kill better. How to use their semblances.

If Qrow only did a number on it, then I could only hope he's done enough to mean something. Hopefully half as much as it had done on him. Otherwise this was shaping up to be the fight of our lives. Or at least mine.

I breathed in and focused on riding. I reached out to my semblance and I must have been holding my breath and charging it because I wasn't empty.

"Found something." Ren declared, shortly after leading us off an animal trail into the path of something larger. Something which didn't care about following the footsteps of other animals because it simply wasn't.

He said it loud enough for me to hear over my musings and from behind him. Combat mode Ren (TM).

It was a puddle of Grimm blood. There was a stirring within that made my horse skittish as I rode up to it and from horse back I sunk my blade down into it. I squashed whatever 'life' was inside.

No question, then. We were on its trail.

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