#tales from black crusade

[ask-the-crimson-king]

Tales from Black Crusade... Kind Of

It's been a while since I've made any sort of post like this, be it Warhammer TTRPG related or other-TTRPG related. For those who are wondering or care, I am currently in 3 campaigns -- playing in a Pathfinder 2e Campaign, and DM'ing a Dragonlance game and a reboot of an old campaign that I've wrote about before here on Tumblr.

That campaign being Black Crusade, which fell apart almost a year ago now. But we tried a reboot, and some things are happening.

This will just be a mini-post about one snippet of last night's session, purely because the scene was just amazing and I'd like to try and share it with other humans.

However, before I can even do that, I'll briefly introduce the player characters, even though the scene in question only really involves two or three of them:

ZACHARIAH CAIN - Former World Eater, current diabolist attached to the 17th Host of Word Bearers. Has recently mutated a lot due to the destabilizing presence of a Slaaneshi daemon prince, and is on the verge of either ascending or becoming Chaos Spawn, neither outcome seeming very appetizing.

SOHN'IK ERINACEUS - An Emperor's Children raptor who is all about extreme speed and is generally always in a good mood. Happily will run into danger for fun. If you get the meaning behind his name, you get a cookie. Also as an aside, this character is unironically genuinely amazing, their player plays him SUPER well and he's a treat at the table. I'll discuss his exploits in a later post, potentially.

SOLOMON GRUNDY - Death Guard who was attached to the Lords of Silence and generally doesn't remember much about his life because he died and came back holding a seed from a Barbaran oak tree. Grundy also has befriended a tiny nurgling and is the fire support for the party.

Finally, and potentially controversially,

ARTORIAS - I would list out all of his names but there's too many. Artorias is a renegade Custodian who was lost out in the Warp for millennia, its exposure slowly breaking down the geneforging that locked his mind into being happy to be used as a tool and weapon of the Emperor. He was later found and convinced that his way was a way of slavery, and that he could find freedom elsewhere. He acts as a hidden guardian of Apostle Ans'ar of the 17th Host.

Artorias deserves a post all on his own. Some people may be rolling their eyes but bear with me, I promise his lore is not completely gary stu cringe. I allowed it because the campaign is being done in Wrath & Glory, and the party is at Tier 5, and there was some acceptable homebrew to make a Custodian. Trust, I am generally someone who likes to err on the side of canon and lore. Plus my player really wanted to make a renegade Custodes, and I didn't want to "no, but" him, and it's led to some really great storytelling and moments in the campaign.

BUT this tale is not about Artorias. This is about the current exploits of our new band of Misfits.

Zachariah sends out a call to try and get the ear of Kor Phaeron. Already this may sound insane but bear with me. The party has come up with a very long-winded plan that involves the creation and maintaining of several Warpstorms in and around the Eye of Terror. There's several other aspects including Titan Legions, Knight Houses, the Dark Mechanicum, at least three other Legions [not in their entirety, but a decent showing of force], and potentially the Blood Pact, but that would require maybe an additional 5,000 words to explain the context for.

The party is in pretty good standing with the Word Bearers, and they needed someone who was a very adept ritualist with a large reach to assist in this endeavor. So they shot for the stars and, with dice on their side, they got what they wanted.

One of my players happens to have a very good voice for Kor Phaeron, and he offered to take up the role for me. He's played the old bastard in the past for a campaign, so I agree to let him do it. I set the scene a bit so he can understand Kor Phaeron's current mindset, and he gets to work.

I basically tell him where we last had seen him at the end of Throne of Light, explain how he probably feels in the aftermath, and a couple of additional campaign-specific details.

I cannot express in words alone how this man nailed his character so pristinely.

Zachariah gets in contact with the Dark Cardinal himself, and invites him to this grand theatre of war that he, the 17th Host, and the small band of Misfits are putting together alongside allies within the Emperor's Children. Most of the plan he is relaying is the brainchild of Solmon Grundy and Sohn'ik Erinaceus, with some add-ons by Zachariah and Artorias. It's a very, very ambitious plan, and one that, if executed very well, can and will work. What he is not saying is how this is all connected to an insane idea that the Apostle currently has, because the Apostle knows it's an idea that could absolutely get him killed and the 17th disbanded.

Kor Phaeron takes a moment to think. He then asks why he -- and his Legion, in particular -- would really be interested in such an engagement. Surely this is something the III Legion can handle on their own. Why should they be meddling in this great conflict to come?

Zachariah says that there could be glory to be found in an alliance here, and that Kor Phaeron's own expertise is needed. The old man says that he cannot see how, and presses Zachariah on why this conflict matters so deeply to him. Again, this sounds like the business of another Legion, yet he's speaking with urgency and is trying desperately to sway him. Surely there must be something else here.

And then Zachariah makes what we in the industry call a "Gift of Gab moment".

Zachariah sells out the actual intentions of his Apostle.

And immediately my player who's playing Kor Phaeron starts doing his villain laugh.

"He said it in character, I do not want to do takes-backsies, let's roll with this."

I could feel everyone tensing at the table and I decide to have Ans'ar, the Apostle who just got sold for 62 cents, jump in and try to defend and explain himself.

Kor Phaeron then says, "You have from the time I walk from my personal chambers to the strategium deck to explain the reason for the 17th not deserving chastisement or reorganization."

They can hear the tread of his heavy boots upon the decking and the clicking of his claws as he speaks.

So he tries to sum up everything neatly and as swiftly as he can, with Zachariah occasionally butting in to offer some extra details. Out of character, the table is tense and everyone is saying "oh fucking no".

What is the plan that could get all of them absolutely wiped without a second thought? Well.

Ans'ar and several other Apostles have come up with a plan to force the primarch out of his seclusion using a massive ritual. They need the ritual to go off because they hope to empower Lorgar so that he can kill the burgeoning Star Child and also bring a measure of order to the Warp.

With such a daring plan, there are obviously many ways for this to go wrong, but if it goes right, it means Lorgar is out active in the galaxy again, and that could be bad news if you're depending on him not being out and about for the next while.

Kor Phaeron has heard a few murmurings and rumors about a number of Hosts who seemed to be conspiring about something, but the nature of it was mostly veiled or it seemed not to be of great interest. And now he is very, very interested.

Of course, involving Kor Phaeron would absolutely and inevitably mean that the cat would get out of the bag at some point, but this was absolutely not the time. This was just supposed to be a quick "will you help us?" and if he said no, proceed without him. This was a Hail Mary, a "hey, wouldn't it be hilarious if we could do this?" and I let them roll for it.

If he DID say yes, they tell him the plan when the pieces are already in place and the board is set. That way, even if he objects, there's not much he could do to stop it or interfere.

In this instance, the pieces have just been outlined, nowhere near to being put into place. Which now means that Kor Phaeron can now have free reign over the entire plan and twist it to his whims.

SOOOO now Kor Phaeron has a very vested interest in knowing all the ins and outs of this plan, when it is being conducted, and by whom. He expects all of these answers when he meets with Ans'ar in person. He tells the Apostle that he is, for now, "grounded", and is to remain in place until Kor Phaeron arrives.

And right before he cuts contact, as he enters the strategium and everyone hears the tensing of Terminators in greeting, he has a few final words for Ans'ar in quiet Colchisian:

"My son will not return by your hand."

The connection drops dead.

Plans begin changing fast. The nature of Artorias's very existence is a secret to all but those within the Host, and if Kor Phaeron finds out, then Ans'ar may be in bigger trouble than planning a massive primarch ganking ritual. However, at this point, Artorias is demanding to be at the Apostle's side as part of his honor guard once Kor Phaeron arrives. So is Zachariah, as one of his Masters of Possession, much to Zikar-Sin's protesting.

Grundy & Sohn'ik both have to depart in order to begin organizing their parts of the grand plan -- Sohn'ik to try and find and recruit the Riotous Host, Grundy to go find the Lords of Silence. Of course, other allies are also being contacted -- we're going to be having a small cameo next session of an Alpha Legionnaire from a past player who just couldn't schedule the game in -- but I'm very excited.

Now I get to plan out a LOT of potential networking, combat, and the arrival of the bastard himself. That's all going to be very fun.

Since his PC is going to be Away -- not a decision made so he could continue to guest NPC as Kor Phaeron, that was already decided on before Zachariah's PC decided to be like "hey, could I try Skype calling him?" -- Grundy's player will probably be playing him again with me handing him some rough bullet points and notes on what I want to have hit with him.

Very excited to see where this goes, we're only a few sessions away from the end. Will the party have a skill issue and die in this massive confrontation they planned? Maybe. Odds are they probably will. BUT I trust them not to. They can be very keen strategists.

I hope you enjoyed this tale, I'll try to post these on occasion if things of note happen. Expect one for Dragonlance to be posted soon as the party is about to confront Dragon Emperor Ariakas at Sanction.

[painlandpalace]

dead boy detectives reading list

with the show finally out i figured it was a great time to share my reading list again! check it out below the cut 👻☠️🔎

-

⏳ the sandman #25 (1991)

this is their first appearance!

🐇 the children's crusade (1993)/free country: a tale of the children's crusade (2015)

1. the children's crusade #1

(2. black orchid annual #1

3. animal man annual #1

4. swamp thing annual #7

5. doom patrol annual #2

6. arcana annual #1)

7. the children's crusade #2

alternatively you can just read free country. whether or not you read the annuals i recommend reading free country's middle chapter

!!! in place of the annuals there is an additional middle chapter that was created for the book "free country: a tale of the children's crusade" where it is placed between the two children's crusade issues. the boys don't actually appear in most of the annuals (they are in two panels of swamp thing and appear in doom patrol) and reading them isn't necessary but i figured i would include them as they are part of the story.

❄️ winter's edge #3 (2000)

this is an anthology. their part is the 'books of magic: waiting for good dough' story starting on page 19

🐦‍⬛ the sandman presents: the dead boy detectives (2001, 4 issues)

i believe the tv show's esther finch was partially based on this run's villain.

*

(they do have a part in 'death: at death's door' from 2003. it's short and really just a retelling of events from sandman #25 with some minor changes. the entirety of their appearance in death: at death's door is included at the end of the next comic im listing so i am not really adding the death: at death's door book to the list)

☠️ the dead boy detectives (2005, one-shot)

this book was made by jill thompson in a very cute manga-esque style

👻 ghosts (2012), time warp (2013), the witching hour (2013)

these three are anthologies. the story 'the dead boy detectives in: run ragged' runs through all of them. 'run ragged' kicks off the next run.

🔮 from the pages of the sandman: dead boy detectives (2013, 12 issues)

this is the comic where crystal is introduced! a book collecting all 12 issues titled 'dead boy detectives by toby litt & mark buckingham' was released in 2023

🔎the sandman universe: dead boy detectives (2022, 6 issues)

the most recent run, centered around some really interesting thai mythology and featuring multiple edwin moments that i am sure you will love

-

and that's everything! i also recommend buying the omnibus if you can. it includes everything minus the 2022 run plus some additional bonus content!

i hope this is helpful! feel free to ask me any questions you may have about the comics. dead boy detectives is my number one interest so i should be able to answer

have fun reading! 👻

[polygonpiscine]

🐢📖 Raph sat cross-legged on the couch, a worn and dog-eared issue of “Jupiter Jim” in his hands. Leo and Donnie entered the room, their usual banter already in full swing.

Raph looked up from the comic, catching the tail end of Leo and Donnie’s debate. He grinned, always entertained by his brothers’ banter. “Ah, the age-old argument: science versus fiction. “Can’t we just enjoy the story for what it is?”

Leo shot a teasing grin at Donnie. “Exactly! Raph gets it. Besides, Jupiter Jim is a classic. You can’t beat the nostalgia.”

Donnie shook his head, unconvinced. “Nostalgia doesn’t make up for scientific inaccuracies, there are way more scientifically accurate space adventures out there grounded in reality, Jupiter Jim is overrated.”

Leo jumped to the comic’s defense. “Whoa, hold up! Jupiter Jim is totally old-school, the OG of space heroes. He’s, like, a classic legend. And his laser blaster? Way cooler than any gadget you’ve whipped up, Donnie.”

“please. Jupiter Jim's laser blasters happen to have a fancy design, that's all. They're not any better than my meticulously crafted gadgets because, let's face it, they wouldn't work!"

Leo grinned mischievously. “And yours aren’t any better, Donnie. They malfunction every time we’re in a tight spot.”

Donnie huffed. “Hey, those were isolated incidents! And I fixed them, didn’t I?”

Raph chimed in with a laugh. “lighten up! It’s just a comic. No need to overanalyze it.”

Donnie huffed, crossing his arms. “Fine, fine. But don’t come crying to me when you need a gadget to save your shell.”

Mikey popped his head in, curious. “What’s all the fuss about? Are we reading comics now?”

Raph gestured to the comic in his hands. “Yep, we’re diving into the wild adventures of Jupiter Jim. You in?”

Mikey's eyes lit up with excitement as he bounded over to the couch. "Absolutely! Nothing beats a good old-fashioned space adventure."

Without hesitation, Mikey plopped himself down right in Raph's lap, earning a grunt of surprise from his brother.

Raph chuckled, giving Mikey a playful shove. "Hey, watch it, Mikey! You're gonna crease the pages."

Mikey laughed, unbothered by Raph’s protest. “Relax, big bro! I’ll be gentle.”

Raph mock-glared at him before wrapping an arm around Mikey’s shoulder, pulling him closer. “Alright, but if Jupiter Jim gets crumpled, you’re buying me a new copy.”

“Always” Mikey beamed

"Alright, you knuckleheads. Chapter one: 'The Galactic Crusade,'" Raph announced in his rough voice, setting the scene. As he delved into the thrilling tale of Jupiter Jim's quest to save the galaxy, his brothers were captivated.

Leo's eyes sparkled with excitement as he imagined himself as the heroic Jupiter Jim, leading his team to victory. Donnie nodded along, though he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at some of the scientific inaccuracies woven into the story.

"Impressive storytelling," Donnie mused, "but I think Jupiter Jim’s laser blaster would need a lot more power to take down a black hole."

His comment hung in the air, earning him a glare from Leo. "Donnie, can't you just enjoy the story for once without dissecting every detail?"

Donnie shrugged, unfazed by Leo's glare. "Hey, I'm just saying. A black hole is no joke. It’s scientifically impossible for a laser blaster to close a black hole. The amount of energy required would be astronomical, far beyond the capabilities of any handheld weapon, no matter how 'fancy' its design."

Leo sighed, shaking his head. "Sometimes, Donnie, you just gotta let your imagination take over. It’s not always about the science."

As the story ended, Raph chuckled, closing the comic with a satisfied smile. “Taking it one chapter at a time, guys. But I’m glad you’re all enjoying it.”

Leo grinned at his brothers. "Thanks for indulging me, guys. 'Jupiter Jim' may not be scientifically accurate, but it's always an adventure."

Donnie smirked. "Ah, so you admit it's not accurate."

Leo winked. "Well, Donnie, I guess sometimes we just have to let our imaginations defy gravity, right?"

[eclecticmiasma]

I kept thinking what if Chilchuck or Laios had been kidnapped by the monster! reader, how the reader saw them hurt or mistook them for chicks and saved them from being killed by another monster.. Now the reader monster is taking care of him in his nest/house, as if they were his own chicks (reader is a gentle monster who doesn't want anyone getting hurt or dying), and the reader being a sentient monster where she knows the dungeons are dangerous...

Note: the reader's appearance is similar to that of a human but with some animal characteristics, thus confusing the adventurers, who may think that she is a human cursed by the mad wizard and thus has the monster part... But the reader is a cool and conscious monster

Large brained thoughts, honestly! Perhaps reader could be the ghost of a creature that lost its young and uses shape-shifting to lure dungeoneers and other monsters to her nest as replacements? I would imagine that she would become extremely protective of her targets especially once they have been tricked into becoming one of her offspring. We don't see any examples of monsters being benevolent per se, but there is a benevolence/kindness to reader's selfish desires.

I think reader would appear very different to Laios and Chilchuck, and their reactions would be completely 180 degrees. Some slight anime spoilers ahead! SFW, canon typical violence.

Laios

Reader appears to Laios in a form that's nearly identical to her original. She has thick claws and black, wet eyes. Her teeth are sharp but framed by soft human lips and her ashen hair is silken and braided like a Northern maiden. She might have a long scaly tale and feathers on her abdomen and thighs because, due to Falin's current condition, it's a form that Laios finds subconsciously comforting.

She lures Laios while the others are asleep. A monster that he's never seen before is too intriguing to pass up- the party is safe enough where they are. Just a peak, a chance to learn-

Before he knows it, Laios is somewhere wholly unfamiliar. The thick dungeon bricks lining the walls slowly give way to moss and grass. The air is warm and smells like petrichor.

Despite a small, nagging anxiety, he presses further. The creature smiles as she leads him farther into the jungle atmosphere, a smile so sparkling and human that is makes Laios blush.

Before long, he's walked right into reader's nest. It's a cozy hovel carved into the base of a tree. Laios is delighted to find smaller monsters of all sizes in a daze, lounging around on the thatched flooring. As he steps inside, he feels a veil of calm close around him and vaguely realizes that its why the monsters aren't hostile towards each other.

Laios succumbs, at first. He lets reader take him into her arms, drag her long claws through his hair and sing a tune that numbs his mind into a pleasant mush.

Reader feeds him, gives him her milk (a high he'll never reach again until the day he dies), lays out the comfiest spot for her newest treasure and goes on her way to find the next target.

Genuinely, if Laios wasn't on a quest this would be his life for eternity. His own mother wasn't very loving, so a meld of monsters and mothers is more than a guy could ever ask for.

It could be hours, it could be days, but eventually Laios begins to remember that this isn't where he's meant to be. He sees a monster that reminds him of Falin, and all at once knows he reluctantly has to return to reality.

Once reader realizes Laios is gone, only killing her will end her crusade to get him back. While the others simply see a deranged monster, Laios sees a terrified mother desperate to drag him back to the safety of her home. Laios hesitates before killing her, too torn apart by the tears in her eyes. Marcille has to take the final blow.

Senshi and Laios briefly consider cooking the inhuman parts of reader into a sort of beef stroganoff as tribute, but Chilchuck's screeching reminder that they are not to eat humanoids leaves them to bury her instead.

Chilchuck

Is just off the heels of grumbling about being treated like a child when he spots what looks to be a small figure huddled in the darkness.

He calls out to the others but doesn't hear a response, only the soft whimpers of whoever has managed to get themselves into this state.

Chilchuck is much more on guard than Laios would ever be. He immediately assumes that it could be a trap or an illusion, so he calls to the figure from afar.

She answers, desperation coloring her tone as she sobs, relieved that someone has come across her.

"Th-they're dead, I don't know where they are but they're dead and I..."

As Chilchuck gingerly steps towards her, he realizes that what he sees is another half-foot. A small archer that's bloodied and bruised. Something about her reminds him immediately of his wife.

All logic leaves Chilchuck as he finishes approaching her, asking what's wrong and tearing off a piece of his sleeve to prepare to bandage the deepest of her wounds. When he goes to wrap the material around her forearm he stares in confusion. The wounds are gone.

He doesn't even have time to react before reader cups his small face in her. "You're lonely," She says, a matter of fact. The half-foot can't deny it, "It's time you stop doing these dangerous things. The only end for a half-foot in the dungeon is in the mouth of a monster. Let me take care of you."

Her words are like honey, her touch even moreso. Feeling the touch of a woman isn't a luxury Chilchuck had been afforded in many moons. But even in the fog of reader's touch, Chilchuck feels that something is off. Her hands are too cold, eyes too deep and dark- almost like black pools of liquid.

The sharp tips of her teeth set him off, and he knows he has to get away. She's no different than a mimic, he tells himself. Even if part of him desperately wants exactly what she has to offer.

Chilchuck mimes as if he is going to fall into her allure, cupping his hands over her own and giving her the most smitten look he can muster. All before kneeing her in the face and dashing at speeds only half-foots can muster to get away.

Reader chases him desperately, form filling the room as she wails in sorrow. "Can't you see they're using you? You're going to end up as bait. You're going to die down here, you'll never see your family again!" Chilchuck mentally bats away at each assertion even as they hook into his skin.

The others finally come running, proximity close enough to hear the commotion at last. With a few well-placed blasts and a slice to the throat via Kensuke, reader is felled and left for good. Even in death, she seems to be in mourning.

Chilchuck doesn't sleep well for weeks.

*do not post elsewhere without explicit permission. please consider reblogging, as Tumblr tends to hide darker content!

[RULES] [MASTERLISTS] [AO3] [KO-FI]

[codenamesazanka]

last words

Spinner's name means "someone/something who spins". In the original Japanese, his name is just the romanization of the English word 'spinner' - 「スピナー」 (supinaa).

When characters in the manga define it, they often use 「紡ぐ者」 (tsumugumono) lit. 'a person who spins'. 「紡」 is the key character here, meaning spin, in the way one spins yarn, or spins a story.

Spinner deliberately choose this name because he wanted to 'spin' Stain's dream into reality.

Later, when he abandons following Stain to follow Shigaraki, All For One takes notes of his meaning of his name, to tell him that he'll be helping Shigaraki to 'spin' his goal [into reality]. (Viz translates this as "support Shigaraki Tomura in his crusade and do justice to your name... as one who spins this tale.")

This is appropriate, because during and since the MVA arc, Spinner has been doing everything he can to support Shigaraki's dream of destruction - to achieve their goal of 'that beautiful horizon'. Throughout the third act, Spinner's still trying to spin that dream into being.

And it is their goal - it was Shigaraki who first talked about the 'horizon' in his speech to Ujiko, the speech that affected Spinner so much he started down the path of devotion to Shigaraki; so that Spinner would be the only one out of everyone in the League to see Shigaraki's horizon in Deika (the prettiest thing he has ever seen). Somehow, Shigaraki figures this out, so that much later, when Shigaraki is preparing to decay Mt. Fuji, he dedicates this destruction to Spinner - to "build the horizon... that Spinner's been looking forward to."

But-- Shigaraki fails. Deku stops him, and Shigaraki seemingly dies. He dies without having built that horizon, without having destroying anything.

In Shigaraki's final moments, Deku tells him, "I wanted to stop you. I wanted you to stop yourself. To keep that grief and misery from spreading any further."

In Japanese, when Deku talks about this 'cycle of sadness', he says he wants it to 'stop spinning' - 「紡がれない」 (tsumugarenai). His line uses the same character meaning 'spin' as the one I talked about above - 「紡」

lit. 'so the sadness won't spin'

Shigaraki listens to Deku's words, and after a moment, says to him:

"If Spinner is alive... tell him Shigaraki Tomura fought to destroy to the bitter end."

I thought before and still think it's Shigaraki leaving some words of comfort for Spinner. He failed to destroy everything, failed to succeed in reaching his goal (which is Spinner's goal, because it's Shigaraki's goal, because it's the goal Shigaraki made for the League); but he did try his hardest. He died trying to achieve their horizon, because until the very end, he was keeping their promise as best as he could.

Maybe, it's also: don't worry about the failure; all the way until the end of his life, Shigaraki Tomura got to chase after his dream, their dream.

Maybe even, when taking all of the context from above and putting it into these last words of Shigaraki's: but it's stopped. Thus, Spinner doesn't have to spin for him anymore. The sadness has stopped spinning. Maybe: If Spinner stops on his own, Heroes won't have to stop him. If he's still alive, he can stay alive.

And see, the Shigaraki that says these words is the 'same' Shigaraki as the one in Spinner's memories of the two of them talking about games together. You can tell by the visuals:

In the panel right before Shigaraki tells Deku to deliver a message, the lock of hair on Shigaraki's face falls below his nose; and the locks of hair that frames his face falls below his chin.

But in the panel where he gives those very last words, he's wearing a black shirt. His lock of hair on his face does not reach past his nose. The locks of hair framing his face ends at the level of his mouth.

So this is the Shigaraki from Spinner's memories of them being just two gamers. This is the moment they weren't Villains or boss and subordinate; they were just two guys, close in age, (getting along better than Spinner thought, bonding over games and stuff), being friends.

Shigaraki is giving his last words as Spinner's friend; and they are to tell him, i kept our promise. i chased our dream.

[kryptonbabe]

Best of Blue Ribbon Digest 36, 1983

Some Kryptonites not on the handbook:

Platinum Kryptonite ➝‬ Gives Kryptonian super-powers to humans permanently (Batman Secret Files #1, 2018)

Black Kryptonite ➝‬ Strange and unpredictable effects on Kryptonians (Smallville series, S4E1 Crusade, 2004)

Pink Kryptonite ➝‬ Sexual / gender bender (Supergirl Vol. 4 #79, 2003)

Purple Kryptonite ➝‬ Began as a coloring error / Hypnotic effect, it can control the minds of anyone that is near it (Adventure Comics #171, 1951)

Kryptonite-X (Kryptisium) ➝‬ Not lethal, it restored Superman's powers, but caused him to absorb solar energy too rapidly making he lose control of his powers (The Adventures of Superman #511, 1994)

Slow Kryptonite ➝‬ It affects humans the same way Green Kryptonite affects Kryptonians (Batman Secret Files #1, 2018)

Magno-Kryptonite ➝‬ Tracks objects from Krypton including Kryptonite (Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #92, 1966)

Anti-Kryptonite / Fool's Kryptonite ➝‬ Pre-crisis: Looks like Green Kryptonite, but It's harmful to humans and is harmless to Kryptonians / In Post-crisis: it is the power source for one version of Ultraman, Superman's evil counterpart from an antimatter universe (Action Comics #252, 1959)

X-Kryptonite ➝‬ Granted Streaky the Supercat his superpowers (Action Comics #261, 1960)

Red-Green Kryptonite ➝‬ A synthetic Kryptonite created by Brainiac to mutate Superman, it made him grow a third eye on the back of his head (Action Comics #275, 1961)

Krypton Steel ➝‬ A harmless form of Kryptonite that only Superman could break (Super Friends, S3E30 Rest in Peace, 1978)

Opal Kryptonite ➝‬ Synthesized on Earth 2 this variant can apparently drive Kryptonians temporarily insane (Earth 2 #0, 2012)

Krimson Kryptonite ➝‬ Artificial construct of Mr. Mxyzptlk that eliminated Superman's powers temporarily (Superman Vol. 2 #49, 1990)

Orange Kryptonite ➝‬ Provides super-abilities to any animal that comes into contact with it for one day (Krypto the Superdog #4, 2007)

Periwinkle Kryptonite ➝‬ It turns the victim's skin and clothing periwinkle and causes them to completely lose their inhibitions (Superman Family Adventures #9, 2013)

Amber Kryptonite ➝‬ It removes Superman's powers and grant them to someone else (Dark Nights: Death Metal The Multiverse Who Laughs #1, 2021)

Synthetic Kryptonite ➝ Various effects / In Superman III (1980)‬  it caused Superman's morality to change turning him into an evil and destructive being (Multiple origins)

Bizarro Kryptonites:

Bizarro White Kryptonite ➝‬ It heals Bizarro, curing his instability (Superboy, S2E7 The Battle With Bizarro, 1989)

Bizarro Red Kryptonite ➝‬ Affects humans the same way Red Kryptonite affects Kryptonians (Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #80, 1964)

False Kryptonites:

Yellow Kryptonite ➝‬ Began as a hoax by Lex Luthor / Unknown effects (Action Comics #277, 1961)

Silver Kryptonite ➝‬ Began as a hoax by Jimmy Olsen / It causes hallucinations on Kryptonians and possess mystical properties (Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #70 1963)

Kryptonite Plus / Ultra-Kryptonite ➝‬ fake Kryptonite planted by aliens on the moon (Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #126, 1970)

Fake Kryptonite ➝‬ Superboy's friends are selling these crystals labeled as "fake Kryptonite" to raise money for charity (Superboy, S2E17 Brimstone, 1990)

Purple Spotted Kryptonite ➝‬ Exclusive to the Krypto the Superdog cartoon, it made Krypto chase his own tail (Krypto the Superdog, S1E34 Streaky's Supercat Tale, 2005)

Blood Kryptonite ➝‬ Fake Kryptonite magically manipulated by Felix Faust to drain energy from people (52 #13, 2006)

[marwyn]

When she slid Oathkeeper from the ornate scabbard, Brienne’s breath caught in her throat. Black and red the ripples ran, deep within the steel. Valyrian steel, spell-forged. It was a sword fit for a hero. When she was small, her nurse had filled her ears with tales of valor, regaling her with the noble exploits of Ser Galladon of Morne, Florian the Fool, Prince Aemon the Dragonknight, and other champions. Each man bore a famous sword, and surely Oathkeeper belonged in their company, even if she herself did not. “You’ll be defending Ned Stark’s daughter with Ned Stark’s own steel,” Jaime had promised. (AFFC, Brienne I)

[George R. R. Martin] creates Valyrian steel and describes it so clearly that it resembles Damascene steel. […] The epithet derived from the name of Damascus, the capital city of Syria, and this kind of steel was used to manufacture swords in the Near East from antiquity through the early modern era. The swords had distinctive patterns of mottling reminiscent of flowing water. Their blades were legendary: tough, resistant to shattering, and capable of being honed to a razor-sharp edge. In the case of Eddard Stark’s sword Ice, however, Martin ensures that we know it was created using magic along with smithwork. Ice is clearly a sword of power, wielded by heroes. It fits a mythical concept of a sword for heroes. Heroes have special abilities; no ordinary warrior is capable of fighting with such a sword. The medieval equivalent would be a sword like Roland’s Durendal in the French epic La Chanson de Roland. Durendal is imbued with a very medieval power: it contains a holy relic. Thus Game of Thrones relates more strongly than usual to a past recognizable by historians, alluding both to the swords of crusaders and to those of medieval legendary figures. Martin is not in fact giving us either history or a reinvented Middle Ages; he is using aspects of medieval legend to create pageantry and drama. Ice is magical, like King Arthur’s Excalibur. (Gillian Polack, “Setting up Westeros: The Medievalesque World of Game of Thrones,” in Game of Thrones versus History: Written in Blood)

“Ser Galladon was a champion of such valor that the Maiden herself lost her heart to him. She gave him an enchanted sword as a token of her love. The Just Maid, it was called. No common sword could check her, nor any shield withstand her kiss. Ser Galladon bore the Just Maid proudly, but only thrice did he unsheathe her. He would not use the Maid against a mortal man, for she was so potent as to make any fight unfair.” (AFFC, Brienne IV)

[rei-ismyname]

Magneto Cyclops Exodus Was Right

That's right, the craziest of the crazy. French Crusader from the 12th century turned Omega Mutant hero of Krakoa. The Black Knight's boyfriend and the guy who rebuilt Xavier's brain. The guy who looked at Catholicism and said 'nah, you're all wrong. Here's the real religion and I'm Pope.' Bennett Du Paris - Exodus.

This celibate sex God. He was right... about at least one thing, though it was a very important thing. Join me for a journey into the work of a prophet - a tale of a baby, a pink guy, and a big bird.

Eating a potato raw in his midriff with Kafka. It's true, he is definitely intense.

Exodus benefited immensely from the First Krakoan Age, getting a seat on the Quiet Council and all sins forgiven. Since being awakened by Magneto after centuries asleep, Exodus followed his beliefs that boil down to Mutant Supremacy + Catholicism put in a blender and mixed with whatever extremism the writer needed at the time. He was rudderless Pre-Krakoa, both in universe and out. He didn't make a lot of sense and was used as a pseudo religious fundamentalist powerhouse/troublemaker. His character and belief system on mutants' personal Eden with battles to build solidarity and support from a community for the first time in 900 years fit perfectly.

He started to grow, chill out a little bit, had his beliefs challenged and shared. He became Apostle to the Messiah, teacher to children, puncher of dragons. He was EXTRA (that's getting its own post) and, for the purposes of this post, he started to adapt scripture. Pope stuff. We don't get to read the New New Testament according to Exodus, but several things about his theology were made crystal clear.

1. God was still God, but mutants were the chosen few.

2. The Nazarene Mutant (Jesus) was a Messiah, but not the Messiah. Hope Summers is.

3. The Holy Spirit is The Phoenix. They are one and the same.

Got all that? In X-Men Forever, the Kurt/Raven/Destiny family subplot is playing out and comes to light during a 'council meeting.'

Hope is happy for Kurt learning about his parentage and she mentions in passing that she doesn't know who her bio dad was. Exodus, true to form, declared that the Holy Spirit (The Phoenix) 'quickened the womb of...' AKA immaculate conception. Hope has little patience for this, also true to form (plus by this point she knows she is going to die soon.) They're all in the White Hot Room, you see, mutant heaven kinda and Mother Righteous killed Jean/The Phoenix. They need to bring it back to beat this nasty AI God, Enigma. It's got a lot of steps so I'll simplify it.

1. Feed Hope to The Phoenix while shooting it.

2. Jean/Phoenix/Jeanix go kill the mean AI God.

The rest of the X-Men/Mutants bounce back to Earth to kill fascists and the girls get to work. The Gun is Legion and the 'she' being referred to is The Phoenix, who's scared. They need it to stay still for the ritual to work.

The AI God learns of these plans and, making use of his access to all of time and space, visits Hope's mother before she's pregnant in his sleazy ass human form. If he's her Dad then he'd be able to influence her and stop all this Phoenix business, or better, absorb it into his greedy, nasty self. He tells her (truthfully) that she'll die soon after giving birth by fire and it will not be pleasant. In the present, Jean notices Hope starting to change (picture Back to the Future when Marty is disappearing but also not) and realises what's going on.

Jean comes in with the truth and Enigma shoots himself in the foot because he's forgotten how to be anything but a selfish dick. Louise (Hope's bio mother) says BAD VIBES and he *tortures her.* She still says fuck off cos she's cool AF.

Louise doesn't even blink and signs up to do the right thing, though she doesn't want to fuck Jeanix. As soon as she consents, Jeanix touches her forehead and it's done! Back to normal reality for her. Boom, Hope is no longer all weird and completes the ritual...

... sadly dying. Pour one out, but know that she did this willingly. Died for our sins would be pushing it, she's better than Jesus - Hope died for our lives and happiness, and to kill a shitty God.

So with all that mumbo jumbo and time travel stuff, two new pieces of information are confirmed.

1. Hope is the goddamn Messiah. ❤️❤️

2. Her previously unknown father turned out to be The Phoenix AKA the motherfucking Holy Spirit.

Let's check back with Exodus and his thoughts on the matter...

EXODUS WAS RIGHT Y'ALL.

As established, Louise was neither DTF nor pregnant. Jeanix laid hands and quickened her womb. All dictionaries agree - quickening is entirely fetus-related. The Holy Spirit created a whole ass baby and it was our Messiah, Hope. Move over, Nazarene Mutant. Move over St Peter. Hope and Exodus are here. Joyously, Cable is still her father. He just gets to be her step-sister/half-brother too. Most importantly, Exodus was right. I'm pretty sure he knows, too. (Send an ask if you want proof.) Aren't comics great?

[enygma0710]

hey could you recommend a good way to get into the dbd comics? im not sure where to start

Great question,

I recommend starting with the series that started in 2013, Dead Boy Detectives #1-12 (vol 1: School Boy Terrors & Vol 2: Ghost Snow) by Toby Litt & Mark Buckingham. It's a good introduction to the boys and how they solve mystery's and their dynamics. IIRC it doesn't explicitly detail their origins but it hints enough to get the gist of what happened to them. It was also the boys first standalone series and can easily found on comxiology, amazon, kindle, abebooks, thirftbooks etc.

From there, they appeared in other series within Sandman and are hard to track down. There is Dead Boy Detective omnibus book that has all of their stories in a collection. That's an easier option to get into the comics because they are all there, but I've heard they are selling out due to popularity of the show.

The series they appeared in are listed below:

The Sandman: Season of Mist -First appearance

Free Country: A Tale of the Children's Crusade

Vertigo: Winter's Edge #3

Sandman Presents: Dead Boy Detectives

Death: At Death's Door - this is manga style graphic novel showing Death's activities during Season of Mist

Dead Boy Detectives: Manga style sequel to Death's Door

Dead Boy Detectives #1-12 (Vol 1 & Vol 2)

There is also a newer ongoing comic series "The Sandman Universe: Dead Boy Detectives; its under DC comics Black Label - I haven't caught up on this on yet, but its on my reading list and it looks good.

But in a roundabout way I would start with the DBD #1-12 and from there see what you can find. They do reference stuff that happened previously but you won't be totally lost. I do know that all of the titles are available on DC infinite with either their ultra or premium subscription. Hope I answered your questions & apologies for the ramble. I get excited when I get comic book related ask lol

Thanks for the ask,

[dgrailwar]

Further Servant details under the cut:

THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO:

The Count of Monte Cristo, Edmond Dantès. The protagonist of Dumas' famous novel, 'The Count of Monte Cristo', a classical revenge story. The tale of an innocent soul twisted by treachery and betrayal, and ruining the lives of those who wronged him with an intense and unrelenting flame.

While Dantès himself eventually found mercy and happiness outside of his quest for revenge, his incarnation as an Avenger is still swathed with nothing but burning wrath. To make those who are his enemies suffer, and burn away all that is evil in the world. An Avenger born of love, that speaks of hatred. To those that prove themselves, he serves as an unrelenting ally, and to his enemies he is a terrifying force of nature.

Possessing dark treasures and an indefatigable will, his black flames sear and poison all who touch them, he is a powerful warrior- much more powerful than the man described in Dumas' novel.

NITOCRIS (ALTER):

An ancient Pharaoh, one of the oldest Heroic Spirits recorded within the Throne of Heroes, most well-known for the murder of those that wronged her family.

A great Divine Spirit with control over the dead, the Heroic Spirit Nitocris possesses no true vengeance in her heart, therefore to be an Avenger she must have lost some of her reasoning. This manifests in her being a 'double-Summon' of an Avenger and a Berserker.

She is the earthly embodiment of Anubis, the deity who weighs the souls of those entering the Underworld in order to judge their worthiness and measure their sins. She lacks the human intensity of her traditional self, instead being replaced with a cold, focused calmness that can see the world with an objective eye often lacking in her contemporaries (both Berserkers and Avengers).

JEANNE D'ARC (ALTER):

The twisted version of the 'Holy Maiden' from the Hundred Year's War, Jeanne d'Arc.

To witness the manifestation an 'alter' of a pure soul such as Jeanne d'Arc would need to be a miracle within its own right. Rather than a holy maiden, this Servant manifests as a violent witch, a warrior that represents the cruel rumors that led the original to be burned at the stake, and the hatred that should have come along with it.

Embittered and scathing, she watches the pious and the heathen, the just and the cruel-- all burn with a sneer and an echoing cackle. She lacks faith in all things- perhaps even herself- and uses that lack of faith to justify her endless crusade. The world is nothing more than kindling for her to set ablaze, so that she may watch it all burn to the ground.

[kstarlitchaotics]

Happy 54th birthday, Alex Ross 🦇🎂

Born in 1970, ever since he was three years old Alex Ross began to draw exactly what he saw in the real world. Characters such as Spider-Man and Superman, with their bright colors and heroic deeds, spoke to him as something he would want to portray on paper. He believes "superheroes are a mixture of every form of fiction – myth , science-fiction, mystery and magic – all in one giant pot. The best characters embody virtues we may try to find in ourselves." Due to this philosophy, the art of Alex Ross is rejoiced throughout the comic book world for its realistic style; That hyper realistic quality that inspirations such as Salvador Dali and Norman Rockwell possessed always wanted to permeate through Ross' comic book medium art, starting with his groundbreaking miniseries "Marvels" from 1994. Alex Ross has heavily contributed to the Batman and DC Universe In works such as Mark Waid’s Elseworlds “Kingdom Come”, “Batman: War on Crime”, Paul Dini’s tale “Case Study” (Batman: Black and White #2) and the cover series in Grant Morrison’s “Batman R.I.P”., becoming a memorable part of the visual evolution of the Caped Crusader in the character’s 85 year mythology.

Part of Alex Ross’ cover art to 2008-2009’s Batman #676-686 published by DC.

[familyabolisher]

2022 reading list >:)

fiction:

charlotte brontë, jane eyre

n.k. jemisin, the stone sky

victor hugo, les misérables

susanna clarke, piranesi

james baldwin, giovanni's room

tamsyn muir, gideon the ninth

tamsyn muir, harrow the ninth

emily brontë, wuthering heights

ursula k le guin, the left hand of darkness

oscar wilde, the picture of dorian gray

isaac fellman, dead collections

joan lindsay, picnic at hanging rock

shirley jackson, dark tales

gretchen felker-martin, manhunt

herman melville, moby dick

octavia butler, parable of the sower

shola von reinhold, lote

larissa lai, the tiger flu

alison rumfitt, tell me i'm worthless

julia armfield, our wives under the sea

shirley jackson, the haunting of hill house

miguel de cervantes, don quixote

toni morrison, the bluest eye

isaac babel, odessa stories

alexandre dumas, the count of monte cristo

daphne du maurier, rebecca

clark ashton smith, the dark eidolon and other fantasies

rivers solomon, the deep

akwaeke emezi, freshwater

e.m. forster, a room with a view

vladimir nabokov, lolita

ayse papatya bucak, the trojan war museum and other stories

sheridan le fanu, carmilla

e.m. forster, maurice

tamsyn muir, nona the ninth

vladimir nabokov, pale fire

shirley jackson, we have always lived in the castle

jorge luis borges, fictions

henry james, the turn of the screw

tamsyn muir, undercover

ling ma, severance

orhan pamuk, the museum of innocence

shirley jackson, hangsaman

nonfiction:

vijay prashad, no free left: the futures of indian communism

eduardo galeano, open veins of latin america

hakim adi, pan-africanism: a history

paulo freire, pedagogy of the oppressed

a rainbow thread: an anthology of queer jewish texts ed. noam sienna

kwame nkrumah, africa must unite

vijay prashad, red star over the third world

norm finkelstein, the holocaust industry

robin wall kimmerer, braiding sweetgrass

vladimir lenin, the state and revolution

saidiya hartman, wayward lives, beautiful experiments

john aberth, from the brink of the apocalypse

erik butler, metamorphoses of the vampire in literature and film

amin maalouf, the crusades through arab eyes

anandi ramamurthy, black star: britain's asian youth movements

christopher chitty, sexual hegemony

shakespearean gothic, ed. christy desmet and anne williams

cervantes' don quixote: a casebook, ed. roberto gonzález echevarria

edward said, culture and imperialism

emily hobson, lavender and red: liberation and solidarity in the gay and lesbian left

audre lorde, zami: a new spelling of my name

ghassan kanafani, on zionist literature

afsaneh najmabadi, women with moustaches and men without beards: gender and sexual anxieties of iranian modernity

jamie berrout, essays against publishing

beverley bryan, stella dadzie, suzanne scafe, heart of the race: black women's lives in britain

jamaica kincaid, a small place

friedrich engels, socialism: utopian and scientific

poetry:

trish salah, lyric sexology

melissa range, scriptorium

wendy trevino, cruel fiction

june jordan, selected poems

[anotherdayforchaosfay]

There is a constitutional basis for a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) has not directly addressed – the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery and involuntary servitude. Several op-eds over the past several decades have argued government-forced pregnancy is slavery. A few months ago, a federal judge suggested that possibility, but it’s not the first time a court has given serious consideration to the question.

Jane L. v. Bangerter, a 10th Circuit case in 1995, quoting Laurence Tribe, a prominent constitutional law scholar, said, “A woman forced by law to submit to the pain and anxiety of carrying, delivering, and nurturing a child she does not wish to have is entitled to believe that more than a play on words links her forced labor with the concept of involuntary servitude.” The Bangerter court, pointed out, as Tribe did, the judicial recognition of the similarities between the historical plight of women and blacks underscores the Thirteenth Amendment’s relevance.

The idea that women are autonomous persons is relatively new. Historically, in English and American law, women had no legal identity under the doctrine of coverture. At birth, a female baby was covered by her father’s identity, and upon marriage, by her husband’s. Until passage of Married Women’s Property Acts in the late 1800s, married women could not even own property apart from their husband’s. They also had no right to control their bodies – a husband owned his wife’s labor, had absolute right to sexual access, and a claim to children born therefrom. When the states ratified the 14th Amendment in 1868, no one thought its provision for “equal protection under the laws” applied to women. That didn’t happen until 1971, in Reed v. Reed, a case litigated by crusading attorney (and future Supreme Court Justice) Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

But equal protection can’t save abortion rights if SCOTUS is ideologically committed to denying them. Dodd v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, overruling Roe v. Wade in 2022, simply dismissed equal protection in two sentences without addressing any arguments or precedent. Attempting to foreclose the issue for good, SCOTUS broadly stated that no constitutional provision could be construed to include abortion rights, that abortion was merely a political question for state legislatures. Someday the Dodd decision will be viewed with the same shame as Plessy v. Ferguson, which found state and local laws segregating Blacks “constitutional” in deference to the political preferences of White people.

When government restricts abortion, at any stage of pregnancy, government in effect seizes control of a woman’s body and requires the woman to carry the child to term and give birth whether she wants to or not. The 13th Amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude “except as punishment for a crime.” Pregnancy is not a crime, so the involuntary servitude imposed by anti-abortion laws violates the 13th Amendment. This argument cannot be refuted. It can only be suppressed by ignoring it.

Or avoided by changing the subject. SCOTUS, in Dodd, comes close to calling a fetus a person. But call it a person, call it potential life, call it whatever you like – the slavery and involuntary servitude of the pregnant woman remains the same. As Ruth Bader Ginsburg famously said, until women can choose for themselves whether to bear children, they will never be full adult human beings. It’s uncomfortable to say it out loud, but anti-abortion laws make women breeding slaves in violation of the 13th Amendment and in conformity with The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel.

[agbpaints]

So I found a mech I'd never heard of before on Camospecs and the Sarna page for it reads as a tale of dueling corporate interests with a surprise visit from a mystery guest later on, so I did some extra digging and decided that the Wight was worthy of a Mech Talk.

The story of the WGT 'Wight' starts at the beginning of the Jihad with Luthien Armor Works in full crisis mode. The fall of Luthien and the total, nuclear destruction of their primary production facilities by agents of the Black Dragon society left LAW with the rock of an extremely limited industrial capacity, and as he had done a decade and a half earlier during the Clan Invasion, Coordinator Teddy K helpfully provided a hard place by demanding the Combine's remaining military industrial complex make good the losses suffered in combat with the Black Dragon traitors and the crusading Blakists. If Luthien Armor Works could produce a new design to bolster the DCMS, their enginuity and resourcefulness under crisis would be lauded as an example of Draconis superiority. On the other hand, if they couldn't meet the demands of the Dragon, then the Coordinator's trouble shooters would make sure the engineers' and managers' successors would.

The solution LAW settled on was the sort of corporate logistics tetris that can only exist in the in the desperation of wartime. First, they approached Wakazashi Enterprises and purchased a massive surplus of mothballed PNT-10K Panthers to cannibalize for 35 ton endosteel chassis and electronics that LAW had lost the capacity to produce. Then, they approached the ancient, multinational conglomerate StarCorps Industries with a deal. SCI would provide LAW with investment to improve their mobile factories, and in return LAW would write StarCorps in on the Wight project and send complete chassis to Son Hoa missing the primary armament for SCI to tailor to their own markets as they saw fit. StarCorps approved of the deal and Luthien Armor Works set about making their first iteration of the design.

The WGT-1LAW/SC was the first model of Wight produced. Making use of StarCorps' investments, LAW spared few expenses integrating new technologies into their design. The 35 ton mech makes use of a compact 175 rate fusion engine, a recycled Alshain 560-carrier endosteel chassis, and 5.5 tons of heavy ferro-fibrous armor to provide a relatively nimble and durable chassis capable of of surviving significant internal damage while maintaininga top speed of 86 kph. The 1LAW/SC mounts a Lord's Light heavy PPC in its left torso as its primary armament, supported by a pair of Diverse Optics ER medium lasers in the right torso, allowing it to serve as a nimble, direct fire support and harassment unit ideal for medium range skirmishing. 10 double heat sinks struggle to manage the design's full heat load, relegating the design to bracket firing in most circumstances. As soon as the 1LAW/SC had left the factory, it was pressed into the hands of any unit available to take them and generally performed well. Pilots familiar with either the Hollander or the Panther should slot into the mech quickly, as it fills the same light, nimble medium range fire support roles both of those mechs do, albeit with a much longer operational time as the mech contains no explosive components and an extremely durable engine.

Despite funding the project, StarCorps was unimpressed with the initial Wight. Their engineers panned the design for its lack of mobility and determined to make their own version to meet their specifications for a light brawler. The heavy ferro-fibrous armor has been replaced with 7 tons of standard ferro-fibrous, providing marginally better protection for the Mech, and the primary armament has been replaced with a lighter Snub Nosed PPC and a complement of 5 jump jets, along with the ER lasers remaining in place. The resulting WGT-2SC is a more agile machine that, while technically capable of lower damage than the original 1LAW/SC, can fire all of its weapons in a more sustainable pattern than Luthien's design.

SCI then went on to produce an additional export model of the Wight, the WGT-3SC. This design reduces armor protection by a half ton, removes the PPC and jump jets, and installs a Plasma Rifle with 3 tons of ammunition in the right torso. Supposedly this design is for the Capellan export market, though it has since proliferated widely. The removal of the jump jets does make StarCorps' earlier bashing of the original joint design with Luthien stink of a cynical move to drum up sales for their own models. StarCorps scooping their business partner and beating them at marketing wouldn't exactly be an unusual tactic for the company.

Not ones to take a snub lying down, Luthien Armor Works responded to their business partner's criticisms by producing the WGT-2LAW, a mech I'd argue goes too far in solving the original design's 'mobility problem'. The bulky heavy ferro-fibrous armor was removed from the chassis and replaced with an equal mass of light ferro-fibrous armor, significantly reducing protection while allowing enough space for the designers to fit seven improved jump jets into the torso. This allows the 2LAW to jump 210 meters at a time, clearing most buildings and terrain features easily. This, however, comes at the cost of not only protection but armament- when all was said and done, LAW only had space to install a single light PPC along with the pair of ER lasers. This results in a disappointing combat performance despite its extremely maneuverability. Fortunately, LAW sells conversion kits for both the 1LAW/SC and 2LAW to replace one of the medium lasers with a C3 slave computer, allowing the design to leverage its mobility to allow it to scout ahead and spot for networked lancemates.

And for a time, that was more or less where it was assumed the story of the Wight ended- Luthien Armor Works desperately scrambling around to avoid a mass beheading with a new mech design, with StarCorps sliding in to assist and then starting shit. Then rumors of another Wight design began to percolate through operator channels of the Inner Sphere in 3074- one which was far faster than any previous iteration of the design, armed with advanced pulse weaponry, and which seemingly had the ability to vanish from pursuers' sensors at the drop of a hat. It wasn't until 3081 that Irian Technologies' Market Intelligence and R&D departments finally pieced together these disparate rumors and dredged up a culprit.

The WGT-4NC 'Dezgra' is a SOF stealth mech created to assassinate field commanders and destroy vulnerable logistics networks deep within enemy lines, designed and fielded exclusively by Clan Nova Cat. No, you did not misread that. The Dezgra's components are largely sourced with an emphasis on availability and deniability, things that would be easy to obtain legitimately or otherwise and likely go overlooked. The mech uses a composite frame acquired from civilian aerospace manufacturers, an IS extralight 280 fusion engine found in a variety of designs in DCMS use like the Owens, Avatar, and Venom, and weapons, armor, and electronics components from Clan Diamond Shark merchants and extant Nova Cat production facilities. The only significant break in the greymarket chain is the mech's advanced stealth systems, a Star League spec Chameleon Light Polarization Shield and Null Signature System produced by Draconis contractors using archival data provided by the Nova Cats. From there, the components are assembled in small quantities at an unknown production facility for use by dishonored clan warriors in high risk assassination missions.

The result is a supremely frustrating mech to fight. The Wight Dezgra is capable of maintaining a top ground speed as fast as a Locust's and jumping 210 meters at a time. This speed paired with the design's advanced stealth systems means that its highly unlikely a Wight's target will ever be able to draw an accurate bead on their attacker, especially since its clan-spec large and medium pulse lasers allow the Dezgra to engage at long distances with ease. While the overall damage the design inflicts on its own is somewhat subpar and the 10 double heat sinks can quickly become overwhelmed, a full star of the mech can easily appear, melt a command mech to slag, and then vanish before the enemy has time to respond.

[nfcomics]

LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT HC • writer|artist|cover art • Matt Wagner [June 2020]

Matt Wagner Writer/artist Matt Wagner's noir tales of the Dark Knight are collected in a single volume for the first time! Batman has spent his first year fighting organized crime-but nothing in his early career as the Caped Crusader has prepared him for the new menace facing Gotham City: super-villains! Plus, Two-Face creates an army of deformed slaves! Collects Batman and the Monster Men no.1-6, Batman and the Mad Monk no.1-6, Batman: Riddler: The Riddle Factory no.1, Batman no.54, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight no.28-30, and a story from Batman Black and White no.3

Batman V3 no.54 • writer|artist|cover art • Matt Wagner

[fatfables]

Farmhouse Five, or The Gainer Crusade: Vore Wars 9

A science fiction force feeding and vore-infused anti-gaining gaining story heavily inspired by Kurt VonneGUT's classic post-modern novel. (Why? Because it's the internet).

A sixth generation Swedish-American now living in easy circumstances in Minnesota [and still eating too much] who as a fat man's son, as a prisoner of the farmer, witnessed the fire-bombing of his own physique, a long time ago, and survived to grow and tell the tale.  This is a story somewhat in the obesogenic manner of the tales of the moon of the Surplus, where the galaxy’s biggest bellies come from. Eat.

All this happened, more or less. But mostly more. The gaining parts, anyway, are true. One guy I knew really was tube fed to death for refusing to breed with the Lord of the Pigs. So it grows. I returned to the farmhouse with an old gainer buddy of mine, to where we were kept for weeks. There we met a farm boy who was grown fat by the Surplus. We asked him how it was to live under Gainerism. He said that at first it was hard as it took time to get used to the strain of constant weight gain but now that he was used to it it wasn’t so bad. He was impressed with his belly and the way that it bounced over his belt when he walked. He liked how round it looked and how soft it felt. He was looking forward to seeing it be further accentuated by his dungarees. His brother was fattened till his heart exploded. So it grows.

I look neither forwards nor backwards, only waistwords. My Name is Billy Bondgaard. I’m writing this from my home in Minnesota, in this year. For thirty years I have worked, non-consecutively, as a gastric bypass salesman despite my own size. This has provided for me well and I have continued to gain all my life. I am now comfortable, fat and old, but I will not remain so. I have two chunky sons who follow in my footsteps. Soon they will be unborn again. My husband is dead from a car crash. So it grows. I look waistwords to seeing him again.

I am in the farmhouse with Jerry. My nerves are shot to hell. We are hog tied by our britches waiting for him to return. I am only 246 lbs. Jerry is hungry and delirious for action. He salivates whenever he hears footsteps. He appears to take joy from his captivity. He yearns to increase his capacity. My boxers are tight and stained, unsuitable for the task. I know that I will soon be forced to feed again and I am ill-prepared. I know that I will rely on Jerry to bear some of my burden and that he will resent me for it. He will get cross with me and will blame me for his situation. I will do my best but it won’t be good enough. I am out of my depth and I know it.

He enters, the farmer. He is six foot six and broad in the shoulders. Kind of Dutch looking. His wet black hair sticks to his head from the pouring rain outside. He speaks gruffly, “Hello, Piggies.” Jerry says hello. I remain silent, in trepidation. He weighs us. As is normal. Jerry weighs 387 lbs, he has the right mindset. I was never meant to be a pig, yet at the same time I always was. He starts with soup and bread, a gentleman farmer. Eighty fluid ounces of potato soup and half a loaf of farmhouse white. Jerry embraces the challenge but my stomach already aches and I begin to lack strength and struggle only half way through. “What the hell is wrong with you, Billy?” He shouts at me, “I hope you don’t expect me to pick up the slack again?” “No,” I say, one hundred percent aware that he will.

Roast beef and gravy follows. The gentleman farmer is treating his pigs well. This will not always be the case, there is plenty of swill to come.

My stomach bag is pounding harder and faster than my heart. I count the rhythmic convulsions that play a solid beat while I am forced to eat. Jerry has already finished his main course but I am no where near finished. A slab of half chewed beef falls from my mouth. “What a bad piggy!” The farmer states; “You know the rules, everything has to be eaten!” He picks it up from the ground and places it in between Jerry’s lips. Jerry looks like he wants to kill me, because he does. He swallows the beef and the rest of my main, and my dessert, along with his own. His belly is so swollen that it looks like it might burst open. It’s super distended and hanging low like the globular ball of fat that it is. I look down at my own overweight gut, it’s round and bloated and howling in pain. I really don’t know how Jerry does it? He is the one with the constitution for this. We will both grow fatter at the Farmers bequest but I will never be a real pig like him.

The farmer calmly states that it is time for my punishment. Jerry once more looks at me with daggers. I know that he wants to be punished but my pathetic performance never allows for it. The farmer approaches me from behind. I brace. And I am gone.

My sons, Edgar and Albert are returning from camp today. It has been their first summer away and my husband is excitedly cleaning the kitchen in anticipation of their return. He has prepared five large cakes for them. They will be very pleased but will fight over the odd number. They will feel bad about it when he is dead. My sons don’t believe me about the farmhouse. They think it is just a myth. That I am insane. They don’t believe that the Surplus would ever do that. They are true believers. I know better. I know not only where they have been but where they are going. I have been there. So it grows. I try to stop Edgar from punching Albert over the final cake. I am back there.

The Surplus moon is a strange place. Bland and hectic at the same time. The beings here don’t experience weight yet they are obsessed by it. They are in love with it but don’t feel it. Nothing is linear here. Only expanding. They say that it is the beginning and the end of everything. Everything is circular and after a while I say that I agree. “I agree.” They say that the universe is theirs to consume and that nothing that any of us does matters. I fear they are correct. I am circular. I am a zoo exhibit. They look at me with wonder. I am prehistoric, an artifact. They have never seen one so small. The first seven years I fell into a depression. Then he appeared. Kyle California. The boy from my dreams. The boy from my computer screen youth. At first he wouldn’t look at me. Or them. He was petrified. Snatched from his last moment. Another car crash. Chased by a representation of his own ego. So it grows. He always returns. Returns to me. After the first six months he accepts me and the crowd roar in appreciation when we perform the beast with two fat backs.

In the farmhouse he is here. The one. Like an apparition. I have only met him once but so many times. I know he is real. As real as the minced cow that engorges me. I am fifteen again. I will soon be 600. He comments on how well my belly is pushing against the floor. I knew he was going to say that. I also know what he is going to do next. He always does that. And Danni laughs. Through the pain I see the other. At least I think I do. I always think I do. Half man, half lizard. The warrior. I like him. One day he will save me.

Edgar has knocked one of Albert’s teeth out. The fifth cake is in pieces on the floor. As is Albert. At least he can reach it from down there. “At least you can reach it from down there,” I hear myself say. Albert starts to eat the cake despite the blood in his mouth. He is a good boy. I look at Edgar. He is pretending to be pleased with his victory. He goads his brother. He is my son. I see in his eyes that he knows he really lost. He will never admit it. No matter how many times it happens. Always the same. Always the fattest son who gets the cake. 

They tell me how much they enjoyed the camp. How they are both over 200 up. I am so proud of them. They look magnificent. They will return next year. I ask Edgar if he saw where the farmhouse used to be. “Edgar, did you see where the farmhouse used to be?” He gets angry with me. He says there never was any damn farmhouse and that I should give it up. “There never was any damn farmhouse. Give it up.” I give it up. Though I know that he is wrong. Jerry died there. So it grows.

Kyle is about to have his last ever conversation with me before his date with an intersection on the outskirts of Monterey. He seems unaware. He is always unaware. Why do I remember? “Are you satisfied with our life here on the Surplus moon?” He asks me. Next he will ask me how I possibly can be when we are trapped like overfed lions in a cage. “How can you possibly be when we are trapped like overfed lions in a cage?” I tell him because I know that I won’t always be there. “Because I know that I won’t always be here.” He asks me if I love him. “Do you love me?” I tell him a hundred times over. “I love you a hundred times over.” He seems satisfied. Then he is gone. So it grows.

I am totally alone. The giant lizard man is back. I ask him why I remember. “Why do I remember?” He smiles at me as his giant jaw begins to dislocate. His belly swells. Everything goes black. Danni screams. I am unstuck.

The oversized coffin is pushed down the church aisle on a trolley. It’s far too heavy for anyone to carry. I am back at my husband's funeral. So it grows. I look waistwards to seeing him again.

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